[ If he'd realized the way it would sound, he would have phrased that differently, but he's not at his best today.
They run in silence for awhile, and Vash can feel his brother thinking hard. It's a lot to take in! How to reconcile the needs -- and the actions -- of humans with the needs of plants is something even Vash struggles with sometimes, and he's had so many more years that his brother to think about it. Of course it's not right to sacrifice one group for the other. That's no solution. But then where does the answer lie? Humans need plants to survive, and their sisters can't survive without their bulbs. Both species rely on the other, but it's not a relationship of equals -- Knives has always been right about that. It's a rare human who sees a plant as anything other than tool, something to be used for their benefit. A rare human who sees a plant as a person.
A rare human who could see a plant as a friend.
Tell me about your friends, Knives asks suddenly, as though he could read Vash's mind, and Vash nearly stumbles. He laughs it off -- just a loose stone, whoops! -- and starts chattering a mile a minute about everyone he'd ever met in December. ]
...and Valinez, she owns a book store, you'd love her! It's so crowded in there you can barely turn around, books piled right up to the ceiling! And she's married to Franti, who's a teacher at the primary school, and he makes the best spaghetti you've ever had in your life! I can't wait for you to try it! And next door to them are the Chuns, and they're all mechanics, the whole family! Last time I was there, they...
[ His voice trails off. Last time he was there was years ago, long before Knives stole the plants from the city and condemned all the residents to slow starvation. Chances are, none of those people are in December now. Chances are, none of those people are still alive.
If he'd been stronger half a year ago, if he'd been able to fight back, none of this would have happened. ]
...it's, um. It's been awhile, though. The city might look different now.
no subject
They run in silence for awhile, and Vash can feel his brother thinking hard. It's a lot to take in! How to reconcile the needs -- and the actions -- of humans with the needs of plants is something even Vash struggles with sometimes, and he's had so many more years that his brother to think about it. Of course it's not right to sacrifice one group for the other. That's no solution. But then where does the answer lie? Humans need plants to survive, and their sisters can't survive without their bulbs. Both species rely on the other, but it's not a relationship of equals -- Knives has always been right about that. It's a rare human who sees a plant as anything other than tool, something to be used for their benefit. A rare human who sees a plant as a person.
A rare human who could see a plant as a friend.
Tell me about your friends, Knives asks suddenly, as though he could read Vash's mind, and Vash nearly stumbles. He laughs it off -- just a loose stone, whoops! -- and starts chattering a mile a minute about everyone he'd ever met in December. ]
...and Valinez, she owns a book store, you'd love her! It's so crowded in there you can barely turn around, books piled right up to the ceiling! And she's married to Franti, who's a teacher at the primary school, and he makes the best spaghetti you've ever had in your life! I can't wait for you to try it! And next door to them are the Chuns, and they're all mechanics, the whole family! Last time I was there, they...
[ His voice trails off. Last time he was there was years ago, long before Knives stole the plants from the city and condemned all the residents to slow starvation. Chances are, none of those people are in December now. Chances are, none of those people are still alive.
If he'd been stronger half a year ago, if he'd been able to fight back, none of this would have happened. ]
...it's, um. It's been awhile, though. The city might look different now.