Fake It Til You Make It

Chapter 14

Meryl sank to her knees in the sand, watching as your figure got smaller and smaller. Her calling out to you did nothing to stop you. She got the feeling it wouldn't have mattered if she had or not.

Come back to us in one piece, you two. Please... Be safe, Meryl thought.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

Already back in the city, you caught sight of Vash (more like you heard him shouting at the military police in his path). You had landed on a nearby rooftop just as Knives made his presence known, causing you to widen your eyes at the exchange.

Blood pooled from the bodies of the officers that Knives had cut down mere moments ago. They had been shooting at Vash, but he still tried to save them. Shock and pain painted his face at the gruesome sight. He never wanted them to die.

"It's like I told you," Knives lamented. "Our powers are too great. Humans will never understand."

Vash lifted his head to look at his brother.

"They are neither friends nor family. They are our enemies."

"You're wrong. I... We can..." Vash struggled to get the words out. How could his brother kill them so mercilessly? "We can get along!"

"Your own actions contradict you!"

Knives moved at lightning-quick speed to rush Vash. But Vash was quicker.

He was in the air the moment he began reloading his gun with material from the cube. Not a moment after the gun clicked shut, he fired at his brother. When they ran out, he created a quick reload wheel with more material from the cube; he threw it into the air at his side and opened his gun, slamming it into the cylinder and promptly clicking it shut to fire again.

"I know I'm contradicting myself," Vash finally replied with a pained grunt.

Knives blocked every shot Vash fired with his blades. They both flew higher into the air, going over buildings.

"But even so, I won't give up until they believe in me." Kives grabbed hold of Vash's ankle, and the former opened the gun to reveal the cylinder, "I'll do whatever it takes!"

Vash raised the cube before slamming it harshly into the cylinder. His plant markings glowed brightly. A blue material bubbled around him, transforming his arms into the Trigun. His prosthetic was absorbed into it, leaving only the black, inhuman firearm behind.

With a wretched scream, he flung the side of his new firearm into Knives' face. It had effectively thrown him back and momentarily stunned him. Vash flew higher into the air now that his brother was out of his way for the time being.

If it was even possible, your eyes widened more when you saw the reimagined angel arm. Knives was quicker to chase after Vash than you were, though.

They were both already much higher in the night sky than you would have liked them to be. You pumped your wings as hard as you could to catch up to them. You tried desperately to go faster. If you wanted to reach them, and you would even if it killed you, you needed to. The wind whipped past you harshly from how fast you had managed to propel yourself, the cold air bit at your skin and made your eyes water.

You just knew that Vash was getting far away from the city as he possibly could to release the energy from the cube into space, meaning if you couldn't keep Knives away from him during that time, there would be the unmistakable stench of death. You hoped, if it did happen, neither of them would be part of it.

Your eyes clenched, and you grit your teeth together. Suddenly, you were breaking through the cloud cover. You noticed that you were a mere few feet away from Knives when you opened your eyes again.