Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ As the Rose Falls ❯ The Sun Rises ( Chapter 4 )

As The Rose Falls

Chapter 4. The Sun Rises

By: Hellions K. and Dashing V.

As the sun shines down on the city of October, there are several people still working on cleaning up the main square of all of the confetti, streamers, and leftover cotton candy sticks and other wastes as well as pull down signs and help move booths.

Inside the cafe, the woman from the festival comes out of the back room quite a few inches shorter then the day before. A long blond braid hangs past her waist as the rest of her short cut shaggy hair falls to frame her face. Tying an apron around her waist she heads over to the counter.

"How you feeling today?" Nick asks her as he comes up to the counter, the ever-present cigarette in his mouth.

"Better then yesterday," she says with a smile. "Thanks Nick."

"Looks like were gonna have a busy day today," the dark-haired man said as he sat down on a stool at the bar.

"Yeah..." she replied as her gaze turned to look out one of the windows. She then shook her head sending the long braid swaying. "Just wish I knew who that man was from the festival last night."

"I'm sure that you'll figure it out," Nick said with a wink as he stood up and set the cigarette down in the ashtray that the woman got for him.

"Maybe," she said with a light sigh, "that will depend on whether or not I'll even have time to sit down and think til I'm done with my shift tonight."

She shook her head again as she turned from the bar and walked down the strip behind it till she came to the door within the dark wooden surface. Lifting it she slid out, for Nick to notice a bucket full of soapy water inside as the woman went over and started to wash down tables that weren't fully cleaned up from last night's festivities.

Taking that cue, Nick walked around behind the bar and going in back taking off his coat he hung it on a rack next to the woman's long red leather trench coat. A light smile crossed his lips as he looked at the contrast of the black suit jacket next to the vibrant red. 'I wonder if this ever occurred to them in the past,' he thought with a light shake of his head. 'Such a unique pair they were.'

Picking up a apron he walked out looping it around his neck as he tied it in the back. Fitting the look of the preacher of the past almost to the tee if he were wearing a suit. But he was not, he was dressed in pair of dusty heavy work pants and a loose short sleeved shirt of pale blue. He picked up his cigarette and took a long drag as he leaned on the counter a bit, watching his friend work. 'Maybe were not so different,' he thought. 'Gah, Nick what are you thinking.' He straightened up as a large pile of ash fell onto the bar top and he found a rag to wipe it away quickly as a group of customers came in.

"Afternoon ladies, welcome to the GunSmoke Cafe," Nick said in a bright and cheery tone as he noticed that his friend barely raised her head to take a look at the customers coming in. Guess it was his job to greet people today. 'Poor girl,' he thought, 'yesterday's events must have hit her harder then I thought. No bright ray of sunshine today.' he then sighed slightly.

"Good afternoon Nick," two of the three woman chimed sweetly as the third rolled her eyes.

"Is.." Nick paused a moment, looking over to his friend again, hoping to catch the woman's attention. Not doing so he turned back to the ladies and added. "...There something I can help you with?"

"But of course!" Chimed the first girl, a petite little red head.

"What don't you like us coming around Nicki?" the second fair haired girl added.

"Now what would make you say that?" Nick replied as he leaned on the bar, hands crossed before him. 'Why me?' he thought, 'Why does this always happen to me?'

"Please!" The third girl snorted as she turned away, dark curls bouncing against her shoulders as she walked over to sit at that table that was currently being cleaned. "Hi, Viv," she said as she sat down.

The blond haired woman looked up from her job at the table. "Hullo Nisha," she replied with a bit of a fake smile, the two of them were soon lost in a bit of light conversation.

The two girls at the counter were merciless with Nick with their badgering of questions and coy flirting attitudes as they ordered. All the man wanted was for the pair of them to go away. It wasn't that he didn't Bethany and Clara, it was that he didn't like being pinned down by them.

Finally the pair got their order and turned from the bar. "Ready to go Nisha?" The pair asked.

"I'll talk to you later Viv," Nisha said as she got up and the trio left.

"Whew!" Nick said, breathing a sigh of relief as he played with the
silver cross attracted to the black leather choker about his neck. "That was far more unpleasant then usual." His gray gaze then turned to Viv. "And you were no help at all, I might add." When he saw the smile on the woman's lips, knowing full well that she intentionally ignored them.

"Love you too Nick," Viv said sweetly as she finished up with that table and came back behind the bar. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the kitchen. "Now you know how I feel when you leave me to deal with flighty boys."

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As the sun shown across the man's face he peeked open a blue green and then shut it again quickly to go back to snoring in his sleep as he rolled over with the Merle plushie tucked up against him.

"Hhhhmmmmmm," he said happily as he slipped back into dreamland, as it had been a late night last night. With checking out the festivities but he didn't want to wake up for the dreams were quite pleasant at the moment.

Surprisingly enough the reaction of the fairer-haired man is much the same as his twin as the sun peeks in the window. Cracking open a crystalline blue eye at the annoyance he looked about the room that he and his twin shared. Seeing Vash tuck all cozy in the other bed he let out a soft sighing groan as he pulled the covers over his head and rolled over, to entangle his tall form a bit more. Normally he is up at the crack of dawn, but not this morning after dealing with Vash all night at the festival he had no motivation to get up.

'Sleep,' he thought with a wide mouthed yawn under the covers. 'Just another hour...'

Time rolled by and morning passed till early afternoon when he woke again. Eyes snapped open as he sat up blinking. Shaking his head he realized the time and tried to get up not fully realizing that he was still fully entangled in the blankets. Till it was too late and a bit of a surprised yelp passed his lips before he fell of the other side of the bed with a loud thud as he hit the floor, whamming his head against the wall quite smartly.

"Ow," he moaned as he leaned forward, the top of his head nearly brushing the bed as he held his hands to the sore spot.

A loud yawn is given in response to Knives falling off the bed as his brother turns over and starts to snore again.

"Haha, Merle..." he mumbles conversationally in his sleep as a smile lights upon his face. Laughter then escapes him as he wiggles, "Hey! Don't do that!" He started to laugh a little harder for a few minutes before settling back down and soft snores over taking him again, although the smile could still be seen on his fair face.

He gets up with a soft sighing groan, this was not going to be his day. Walking over to the end of the bed that his twin slept in he looked down at the now peacefully sleeping man. Here they were in a city that they should have left last night, he has over slept to have fallen off the bed and whacked his head a good one and what does his twin do but sleep through the entire event. He sighed again before grabbing hold of the blankets at the end of the bed.

"Rise and shine, dear brother," Knives says in a bit of a monotone voice as he gives the blankets a good tug.

At first the cloth resists as it is tucked snugly around the tall sleeping gunman, only to give way to the persistence of the fairer haired man. The blankets pull free like a great billowing cloak caught by the breeze and flutter for a moment above the sleeping gunman before the float gently to the floor.

Knives just stands there at then end of the bed watching his twin as a good mass of the blankets are now wound around his arms to pool about his feet in a great cascade of cloth.

The man in the bed tried to grab for the blankets as they were yanked from him, only to miss and have them
torn off his form. Blue-green eyes pop open at the sudden loss of warmth. Sitting up quickly he looked upon his brother and frowned, "Broooooother! I was having a good dream!" he whined, almost wailing, "Why did you wake me up? It's not fair," he pouted.

Knives sighed inwardly as he resisted the urge to just glare at his twin. This was the last thing that he needed to deal with, his brother's whining.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, dear brother?" He asked in an even tone as he lofted a pale golden brow. He dismissed Vash's whining over the dream with a light wave of his left hand as soon as he pulled it free. He then turned away from his twin. "We should have left town hours ago." He then added. "I'm sure you'll have many more pleasant dreams."

The tall man then headed walked over to his bed and sat down on the end after depositing the blankets to Vash's bed on the floor at his feet and grabbed his pack. Rummaging through it a bit he looked at what he had stored inside as he pulled out his brush and began to pull it through is long fair locks. Once done he headed off to the bathroom, the sound of running water could be heard in the sink as well as the sound of the toilet being flushed through the closed door and a few moments later Knives opened the door dressed in his body suit. He tugged and worked at re-adjusting one of the white gloves as he walked out of the room. Standing before the bed he flexed left his hand, holding it before him, finally getting the glove to settle right. He watched the tension in the white fabric that formed so well to his hand as if he were lost in thought.

The darker blond man frowned at Knives as he crossed his arms over his chest, still pouting, "But it won't be that dream, brother." He sighed heavily, "I don't care what time it is."

He picked at a loose thread in the leg of his pajamas he still pouted about being woke up, he didn't want to leave. He liked this town, it was so different from all the others.

He just sat on his bed moping as his brother moved about the room and then finally into the bathroom. Vash picked up the Merle plushie that he had cuddled all night and looked down at it with and even heavier sigh as he blinked back the tears from his eyes. He missed her...even after almost a century since she had passed on. He sniffled slightly as he looked up when his brother came back into the room.

Leaving the plushie on the bed he grabbed his body suit off the rod where he had hung it the night before and pushed passed Knives into the bathroom. Not saying a word as the door shut behind him with a resounding click.

Knives didn't turn to look at his twin as he continued on with his short bout of pouting before getting up. He heard him yes, though did not turn to face him, his hand closing to form a fist before him as his eyes slid closed. Still lost a bit in his own thoughts, not noticing the tears that the darker haired man blinked away. His eyes would slide open as he felt his twin brush past him, his arm dropping to his side as his crystalline blue gaze followed Vash till the door clicked shut. He then turned his gaze to look about the room, spying the plushie that Vash left behind he walked over to his siblings bed and bent over and picked it up. Holding it before him in his right hand he sat down on Vash's empty bed. His left hand straying to trace the features of the plushie.

"It has been a long time," he said softly, barely a whisper. "So very long..."

His gaze followed that of the movement of his hand for a moment as his mind strayed to other thoughts. Thoughts surrounding his twin and Merle. The look upon his face was one of sadness, of grief, or maybe even regret, it was hard to tell. Blue eyes closed as his hand came to rest upon the other side of the plushie, to veil his gaze from that of the soft object. Away from the eyes that he remembered so well from the past in his off and on visits to the home of his twin. Eyes that came to eventually look upon him with acceptance, as family.

He let out a sigh, an almost heaving sigh as his eyes slid open to gaze upon the plushie once again. It seemed that this place had an effect on him as well. Though it was not always as sweet of one as Vash seemed to have. Again crystaline eyes closed, to try and push back the tears. Tears of the past that he very rarely shed, but to no avail as a single tear fell to be absorbed by the plushie's cheek as he touched his lips to the soft forehead. He then set the figure of Merle down upon Vash's pillow as he stood up and wiped away the last remaining trail of one single tear shed.

Once the door had clicked shut behind him the tall gunman slid down it, letting go of his body suit it sliding to the floor. Resting his head on his arms as they laid across his knees, he shut his eyes tightly. Trying to not let the tears squeeze out as the pain of Merle not being there renewed its self with in his heart.

They wouldn't listen, they dripped from his eyes, somehow finding an escape as they trailed down his face to plink softly onto the material of his pajamas. He couldn't help it, those large eyes that were always filled with laughter and love, not just for him but for life as well.

A smile came to his face as he thought of when they would have their disagreements and she would always get so angry with him and vent and rave. She always called him an idiot at those points too, but he never really minded, she was only being herself.

More memories came to him, both good and sad, there weren't really any that he would call bad, for they were all precious to him, for it meant that she was alive and she had chosen to spend that time with him.

Finally the tears dried up only leaving his eyes still damp and his nose sniffling from their force. At this
he picked his head up and finally got to his feet. Grabbing some tissue he blew nose and wiped his eyes, he didn't want Knives to know he had been in here crying.

Throwing the tissue away he turned and looked at himself in the mirror above the sink, a bit of a smile coming to his face as he rubbed at the scruff that was turning into a beard and then ran a hand through his long hair. She had always preferred him clean shaven and with hair no longer than his shoulders.

A thoughtful look crossed the gunman's face and then disappeared as one of determination replaced it. Taking a razor from the cup on the sink he wet his face and spread some cream on it and set to work of shaving off the hair.

A while later he stood there looking at someone who looked much younger than he had a few minutes ago, he smiled a bit as his reflection as he set the razor back in its place and then picked up a rubber band. Tying his hair off at shoulder length he sighed...there wouldn't be any going back but he had to do this.

Picking up a pair of scissors that was with the shaving stuff he brought the bunch of hair over his shoulder and opened the cutters, holding them against the hair. Closing his eyes he closed the jaws of the utensils, the now free hair cascading all over the bathroom and floating to the floor.

Pulling the band out of his hair he watched the shortened mass as it hung about his shoulders, making him look almost like when he was posing as Eriks only with out the scruff. Blue green eyes shown brighter back at him as a slow grin spread across his face, the tears of earlier forgotten for a moment. Yes, this is how she would rather him be, this was for her.

He looked at the floor that was now covered in his gleaming blond hair, it almost looked liked fine straw
as it glistened in the light. His eyes traveled over it to his body suit that still lay where he had left it. Bending down he picked it up and took it off the hanger as he shed his p.j.'s with one hand. Letting them fall onto the hair he pulled the tight suit onover his scarred body.

After fastening it and pulling on the tight black gloves he picked up the other discarded clothing, shaking off the hair. Reaching for the knob on the door he opened it and walked out, not having the heart to clean up the golden mass on the floor.

He stopped as he caught sight of his brother, his deep eyes showing concern, "Are you all right, brother?" he queried, the concern coming through into his voice.

"I don't know," Knives replied softly as his left hand still rested against his face, soaking up the last stray droplets of the tear line. He did not turn to look at his twin as his mind was still jumbled with odd emotions. "I truly do not know..."

He turned in one fluid motion and sat on the bed that he had occupied just a few hours ago. His eyes sliding closed, blocking his vision from the sight of the plushie still resting upon Vash's pillow. His hand falling from its place upon his cheek to rest against the surface of the bed as he drew in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He did not know how long Vash had been watching him, he was almost afraid to ask. He felt really vulnerable at that moment.

"How long have you been standing there, brother?" He asked softly, taking the time to turn towards his twin slowly.

All sorts of emotions were etched upon the fair-haired man's features. The pair were such a contrast now that Vash was clean shaven and cut his hair while he was still scruffy. It made him seem old, far, far older then his actual appearance. He let out a soft sigh as he looked at his now clean shaven twin before he looked away as if even the site of his twin hurt. Again his eyes slid closed, veiling crystalline orbs from the sight of the world around him.

"Was I wrong?" He whispered softly, but what his question was referring to it was hard to say.

The scarred twin watched his other with more concern, although this time he was able to keep it from his voice, "Not very long, dearest brother," he answered about how long he had been standing there.

His eyes followed the movements of his twin, his heart going out to him, he was obviously still struggling with things from the past, things that Vash himself was still trying to help Knives forget.

Letting his pajama's fall on the floor he walked over to the other and sat beside him on the bed, then slowly almost tentatively he put his arm around his brother's shoulders.

"I don't know,. Knives. I don't know..." he answered as he realized slowly what his change of appearance must be doing to his brother, "I'm sorry..." he apologized for his unthoughtfulness to his twin, for he had been thinking of himself and her.

He could hear Vash's movements as he walked across the room to sit down on the bed next to him, jumping slightly at the other's touch. He did not move away from his twin as he might have in the past, before he found that it was safe to be comforted from time to time by his sibling again. It was always an odd feeling for him though, for when they were young it was usually the other way around, it was he who tried to comfort Vash. He let out a soft sigh at that little bit of irony. His eyes slid open as his gaze turned first to Vash's hand, those pale orbs studying the, the glove that hid the scars upon his sibling's flesh. His gaze then turned back to look upon the face of his twin, not bothering to reply to Vash, at first.

"It's all right, don't worry about it, Vash," he replied to his twin's apology as he reached up with one white gloved hand and patted his twin's before removing it gently from his shoulder. He then stood up and his gaze turned back to the Merle plushie. He walked over and picked it up, then turned back to face his twin and held the soft doll out to him. "I'm sure that she would rather see you the way you are now, then the way you had been. It is something that I should have expected...It is something for me to get used to once again."

He then looked down at the plushie once again, a sad but thoughtful look upon his face as he let out soft, uncertain sounding chuckle. "You know what Vash? The more time that passes," he paused for a moment as his voice dropped to a softer tone, as he looked back up at Vash. "The more I begin to regret...."

Again his voice trailed of in that cryptic fashion, not revealing all of what he felt. The regret that he spoke of could mean many things, past or present, for that matter.

He looked up at his fairer headed brother, blue-green eyes filled with concern and apprehension and then relief flooded through their depths at his brother's words.

He took the doll with his right hand and hugged it to his torso, "Thank you, Knives," he said softly as a smile started to light it's self upon his clean face, although it wavered a bit at his brother's next words.

Getting to his feet he put his left hand on his brother's shoulder, the black starkly contrasting to Knives's own suit. "Do not think about it, Knives, dearest brother of mine. There are things that we all regret and must live with. Just live today for what it is, we have all the time to think back on things we have done that we did not like later."

At this he gave his brother a light punch in the arm with his left hand as he removed it from the other's shoulder.

With a grin he walked over and picked up his discarded clothing, going over to his pack he laid them beside it and dug around for the puppets that he had won the day before. Pulling all three out he went over and laid them on his bed, still holding the Merle plushie against him. Standing back he grinned and looked at Knives, "I think the maid should like those. I after all have way too much to carry as it is."

Turning back to his pack he started gathering his things as he tucked the doll away in his cloak, "Come Knives let us get ready to hit the road, we have work to do, my friend."

A light smile slid partially over the fair-haired man's for a moment as he listened to his twin speak. His twin's words bring a bit of relief and comfort to him.

"Your right Vash," he said with a light shake of his head sending long fair locks swaying. He couldn't help but give a bit of a light chuckle as his twin punched him in the shoulder. "I should let the past go at least, for now."

Knives wasted no time getting around, he sat down on the bed for a moment, his personal pack between his feet. Digging around inside he pulled out a leather cord. Standing up he tipped his head back and shook out his hair before pulling it back and securing it with the cord. Pulling it way from his face, he then tied the pack closed as
he had packed most of his stuff earlier. He watched his twin pull out the puppets and pale blond brows lofted when he caught a glimpse of them. He shook his head again as he went over to gather up his cloak, throwing about his shoulders, the brown fabric hiding his form as his hands slipped inside the voluminous cloth, the pack sitting on his feet underneath.

"One day..." Knives started, as he looked back down at the puppets that Vash had set on the bed. "Our work will be done." He picked up his pack, the with gloves of his body suit contrasting starkly against the dingy brown of the cloak as he walked over and picked up a couple more of the packs.

"Then maybe we can truly enjoy the Eden that we have created." He paused again as he shifted the packs before letting his hand come to rest upon the doorknob. "Till then the roads that we travel shall be light, the work that we do shall be tedious but merry. Our accomplishments shall be glorious."

With that he looked over his shoulder at his twin, an odd smile upon his lips before he turned and walked out the door without looking back. Leaving his jumble of emotions left within the silent walls of the hotel room, much like that cascade of golden hair left upon the bathroom floor, by his twin.

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It was late at the cafe, well after dark when the Cafe closed and Viv gave a tired yawn as she sat down at one of the many tables. 'Just a moments rest, that's all I want,' she thought as she placed her head down on upon folded arms and she started to dose off. As she did her mind flitted back to the previous day at the festival and the strange but cheerful...hermit? That is what she had thought at the time in her state of depression.

"Hey there sleeping beauty, time to go home," Nick said as he placed a hand on Viv's shoulder causing the woman to jump.

As her head snapped up at the touch and the sound of Nick's voice she gasped and turned to the man with a surprised look as things fell into place as she remembered the man's words. ::If you see my brother please don't beat him up:: Standing up quickly she threw her arms around Nick's neck.

"I knew it!" she said excitedly. "He's still alive!"

"Wha...Huh?" Nick said as he was nearly bulled over by the woman, cigarette hanging out of his mouth at a precarious angle.

"Vash! He's still alive...." she paused as she looked out the window into the darkness as she pulled away from the dark haired man. "And....and I missed him."

She then grabbed the front of Nick's shirt in both hands. "I can believe it he was here and...and now he's probably gone!" The woman sniffed.

"Hey, hey cheer up," Nick replied understanding now and he threw his arm around her shoulder. "If he was here once, I'm sure he'll be back, you'll see."

"I guess..." she replied.

With that they gathered up their things, locking the building Nick walked the now newly depressed, but hopeful woman home.