[ The other Vash wasn't attacking, at least, and after the day that he'd had, he'd take that tiny bit of respite gratefully.
If it wasn't a trap, if this other version of himself standing in the roadway wasn't an illusion, or a shape shifter, or some other unbelievable scheme cooked up by one of Knives's followers, then how was it possible he was here? He didn't feel threatening... although Vash would be the first to admit that his ability to tell when somebody was hostile rarely worked as well as he'd like. He certainly wasn't acting hostile. All he was doing was delaying Vash's advance to December, and hadn't he already delayed himself enough, with whatever malfunction his gate had caused while fighting off the ark?
The kids, and Miss Melanie, they'd all escaped on the refugee ships, yes. He didn't nod confirmation as his double spoke, but his whole posture -- and the finger on that trigger -- relaxed somewhat. But then we buried him out back, said his double, and Vash's shoulders slumped in defeat as the tears that welled up. He blinked them roughly away, not daring to risk a moment of impaired vision around such an obvious threat, but if this imposter wanted him vulnerable, that was the moment. That was his chance.
And still no attack came. Instead, soft and gentle as a cool breeze on a hot day, a voice rippled through his mind, offering understanding and connection. The sound he made in reply couldn't be called anything other than a sob. ]
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If it wasn't a trap, if this other version of himself standing in the roadway wasn't an illusion, or a shape shifter, or some other unbelievable scheme cooked up by one of Knives's followers, then how was it possible he was here? He didn't feel threatening... although Vash would be the first to admit that his ability to tell when somebody was hostile rarely worked as well as he'd like. He certainly wasn't acting hostile. All he was doing was delaying Vash's advance to December, and hadn't he already delayed himself enough, with whatever malfunction his gate had caused while fighting off the ark?
The kids, and Miss Melanie, they'd all escaped on the refugee ships, yes. He didn't nod confirmation as his double spoke, but his whole posture -- and the finger on that trigger -- relaxed somewhat. But then we buried him out back, said his double, and Vash's shoulders slumped in defeat as the tears that welled up. He blinked them roughly away, not daring to risk a moment of impaired vision around such an obvious threat, but if this imposter wanted him vulnerable, that was the moment. That was his chance.
And still no attack came. Instead, soft and gentle as a cool breeze on a hot day, a voice rippled through his mind, offering understanding and connection. The sound he made in reply couldn't be called anything other than a sob. ]
...Who...?