(no subject)

[nyctinasty]

Not every town is abandoned, as time continues its shenanigans. This one is as run down as any other, cobbled together with parts and debris, but it seems intact enough, its plant dangling over the town, people going about their business for the most part unperturbed.

For the most part. There is some grumbling, most of it more nervous than angry, that their new neighbor is a well known monster, and how dangerous it is to be so close. The only reassurance, nothing bad has happened yet.

Yet.

Sitting in the rocking chair of his newly acquired home's creaky porch, Knives Millions does absolutely nothing to any of them. He hasn't harmed anyone as yet, but part of the town seems to be from his time, not whatever base timeline it is, and running on reputation alone means he's so far been unbothered in return, and the plant is being treated with exceptional care. Had she been, before he arrived? He wasn't sure. But he can tell from here her mood was content, so he does nothing besides sit there, rocking idly, and cleaning the gun he'd liberated from someone else several days before.

A beat up jeeplike vehicle sits in the shade behind the house, and there is a tiny, perhaps six or so inches high, little sprout of broad leafed green growing determinedly by the porch. With the door wide open, it's fairly obvious this home had once been occupied with people distinctly Not Knives, but there's no signs of violence.

It's peaceful enough for the moment.

Comments

[cowgoesmoo]

He's been walking for so long that his feet have stopped hurting. One foot in front of the other he plods along, the heavy bag of medicinal supplies dragging up a cloud of dust behind him. He'd spotted the town from a long ways back, the distinctive shape of a plant bulb shining like a beacon on the horizon. But as he approached, he saw a little house that was much closer, and wearily adjusted his path in that direction.

He's so tired he doesn't even see the person on the porch as he approaches. All he sees is a house, and shade. Pardon the intrusion -- he'll collect himself from that shady spot on the side of the house momentarily.

[nyctinasty]

That sure is a little plant.

Knives knows his own kind, they're distinctive when one knew how to pay attention, but this is still new. He'd heard there was a town of Independents, though he hasn't been there. Perhaps this was one of those, somehow gone wildly astray. One way or another, regardless of the fact that he wouldn't budge were it a human trudging slowly his way, he stands and enters the house for a few moments, re-emerging with a bottle and heading in the direction of the lost plant child.

He looks familiar, as Knives closes the distance. Dragging something that looks like it has a bit of weight to it.

He looked like..

"Here." Company! With a bonus water bottle, held out carefully. "Let me help." It's not a command or a demand, just an offer; he'll take the bag of medical supplies (why does he have medical supplies at all) too if he can. Shade is fine, but up on the porch is better, where Knives can try to get him to take a chair.

[cowgoesmoo]

Vash is so tired he doesn't even see the person approaching until their shadow is looming over him, blocking the too-hot suns, and his vision focuses lightning-fast on that cool bottle of water held out tantalizingly right at eye height. He grabs for it greedily, dropping his heavy load and pouring water down his throat until his stomach groans in protest. It's so hot, and dry. What kind of a stupid planet has two suns?

Only after he's drunk half the bottle does he come up for air, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and turning to smile up at his savior. "Thanks, I..." He blinks, confused, as his brain tries to place the face on the very tall man standing next to him. It can't be!

Oh, but he'd know his brother anywhere, at any age! With a delighted shriek he throws himself forward, to wrap his arms around whatever part of Knives he can reach. "Knives!" Has anyone ever been so happy to see him? Just look at the grin on that sunburned little face! "You got so big!"

[nyctinasty]

Knives had, after a fashion, accepted that the Vash he'd run into just recently wasn't in fact his brother. Was, but also was not, out of time and out of events that he himself knew and had outright instigated. Time travel was much easier to come to terms with than multiple realities, and this miniature version of Vash hearkens back not to multiple realities, but once more time travel. Varying realities would still require a Vash about his own age, not ... not a child. He lets the back of his mind chew on the idea while tending to more pressing matters, like the fact that microVash is awfully sunburnt and obviously dehydrated and probably worse depending on how long he's been trudging around out here.

He picks up the bag of medical supplies from where it'd been dropped right at about the same time he's suddenly pounced on with what seems like pure happiness, and oh that makes the back of his throat burn and heart ache in a terrible way that he immediately buries. He missed it, in the very rare opportunities he had. No hatred, no bitterness and anger, no sadness.

No accusations, not yet.

"No, you shrank. Look how little you are now." And since Vash is right there Knives is going to do his best to loop his free arm around his tiny brother and just.. carry him towards a safer spot than the hot ground, he has the size and strength to do it. He had a perfectly good (stolen) home. It's the same tone he'd used with Tessla, utterly lacking in any of the hostility and chill he reserved for humanity. "And burnt to a crisp, as well as being tiny."

[love_and_peace]

He'd planned to walk the rest of the way to Octovern, and meet up with the ark there. But somewhere on the way he took a wrong turn, or perhaps the world shifted around him again, like it had when Nai had vanished. Now, instead of miles and miles of dunes, ahead of him is a small town, one that still has a plant in her bulb sitting hopefully over her neighbors. He can hear her, faintly, a distant whisper of placid productivity, of joy in her work and contentment with her town. He's about to head for her -- he's delayed in his quest for so long, what's another few hours? -- when he realizes that he's hearing a second plant's presence, too.

He knows that presence.

And so it is that, just past noon, Vash is approaching the little house at the edge of town, glasses firm against his face and gun drawn and held down at his side. He'll stop at the edge of the property, and wait to see what kind of welcome he's offered.

[nyctinasty]

The past few times he'd run into A Vash had been ... strange. One had wings of the wrong color and was young, still ignorant of what lay waiting in his future. The other MUCH younger, whom Knives would happily burn the planet to ash for. Both weren't hostile, but he'd expected hostile. Neutral, at best. Whatever bond he'd once had with his brother had long, long since faded to occasional tolerance.

This is neither of those two. But the splotch of red and blond is familiar, as is the flash of silver at his side. Still looking to be somewhere in his twenties, unlike Knives himself, who trended towards looking in the range of forty these days. This is more what he expects of Vash the Stampede, not friendliness, not welcome.

There's no overwhelming pressure of his presence, at least, though the older of the two makes no move to leave his porch. Then again he rarely bothered, Vash always came to him, carrying that gun, intending violence.

"If you plan on using that, then get to it instead of skulking in my driveway." It's hard to tell if the words are aloud or telepathy, but either way there's no mistaking who said it. Though whether or not there's a driveway at all is even harder to tell because it's all bare ground.

[love_and_peace]

He'd argue that he doesn't intend violence, only defense, but from Knives's perspective he'd understand that it's the same thing.

The expected attack doesn't come, which is both a relief and a concern, but it's enough of a respite that Vash is happy to reholster his gun... although he's not coming any closer quite yet. Sorry, brother -- he's going to skulk awhile yet.

"Hello Knives."

With the moment of peace between them, Vash can take a second and really look at the man on the far porch... and what he sees is a surprise. That black hair is the biggest shock by far, although the lack of absorbed plants swirling around Knives's frame is pretty surprising, too. This isn't the Knives he's looking for at all, is he? This one is older, undoubtedly from a different world than the Knives he's on his way to fight.

Did this Knives survive that fight, the one that the severely traumatized version of himself had shown him? Suddenly hopeful, Vash raises his hands -- he's never truly unarmed, but he's not looking for a fight if Knives isn't -- and dares a few steps onto the property.

"It's been awhile."

[nyctinasty]

'Knives', and not Nai. That too was familiar; was this one closer to the brother he knew? Would it be any better if he were? The chair squeaks a bit when he leans back in it, watching the hands-up, no-weapons pose that really meant nothing at all for a plant.

"It seems I'm a bit thin on the ground for running into." An odd way to put it, until it's followed up. "I've encountered two of you so far. You'll make the third, but I've not heard of another me."

Partly black hair, but not to the point of their last encounter before his ark came apart. It still hurt to see, knowing how many years, how many centuries it meant were whittled away. If he could ever find one of his younger selves, there'd be words about being a bit more cautious, a bit less wasteful for all their sakes. "...Hm. After Augusta, I'd guess. But before Octovern?" One calloused hand rises, gesturing to two-toned hair. "You've not made all those fascinating little bullets yet."

It's not ... exactly anything like welcoming, but it's also not violence, Knives was rather disinclined to escalate without a good reason, and his brother on his hypothetical future lawn did not, as yet, count.

[rejuvenation]

People say living with a child is difficult, they're rambunctious and loud, barely listen and need constant supervision. Traumatized kids, however... it's very different. Especially when they're a little plant child.

Tessla barely makes a sound, doesn't run around and doesn't know how to play. She listens and obeys every word, eats anything she's given even if she dislikes it, and mostly just spends time outside in the sand, or preferably next to the little fig plant, watching it for hours.

She's a handful in other ways, though. Tessla has horrible, violent nightmares where she wakes up screaming, turned into a ball of wings and difficult to calm down for hours. The nights she doesn't have one can be counted on one hand and it leaves her exhausted.

In addition to that, she doesn't really know how to be a person. Knives will have to help figure out how to put on shoes, comb her hair, preen all the wings. Congrats on being a dad at your twilight years, big bad villain!

...but at least she smiles more, knows how to smile and is always happy to see him. Still doesn't want to call him Knives, though, because 'knives hurt me and sharp brother doesn't hurt me'.

Today she's outside the house again, in the shade of the roof's eaves, looking at the sky. Flopped out on her back, wings stretched out, she looks a little more like a messy kid for once.

[nyctinasty]

Knives has never raised a child in his life. Hasn't even been around them really, with the exception of a teenage Legato, all long limbs and awkwardness and desperate need to worship him. This was very, very different.

And meant robbing local towns for the things he needs!

He's never had to think about toys, about tiny shoes and tiny clothes, or the right kind of gentle oil to smooth into feathers without a preen gland available, or what to feed a child recovering from terrible ordeals. He lacked the urge to want children, hadn't ever considered raising any and now ... well, now was different. She deserved better, even if he wouldn't last long enough to see her grown. She deserved better than either him or Vash had ever gotten.

And all the books and data he can find is just about raising humans, which is no help at ALL.

"Tessla?"

She never really went far, and knew her way home, so he wasn't concerned when she's not immediately in sight - they have other senses, and she was still nearby.

But finding her, when he himself was trapped forever on the ground, sometimes took a bit of doing!

[rejuvenation]

So far she's only disappeared once, and apologized a lot when she come back because she didn't mean to but the shaky ground took her away and she met another red brother and he was nice? Right now, however, she sticks her head out from under the eaves when she hears and feels her big-little brother, and then hops down. Her many wings are still working on flying, but jumping and gliding was mostly mastered by now.

"I'm here." She says, stumbling on her landing a little but managing nonetheless. It felt safe, being high up. Humans couldn't reach her up there.

Knives didn't need to worry in any way that he wasn't doing a good job when taking care of her. Tessla was doing better than she's ever had, and felt safe here. Everything else is just extra on top of that for a kid like her, so they're pretty much figuring out how to be a family together.

[nyctinasty]

So long as she could fly, a lot of risks were mitigated at least. It would be better when she could defend herself properly, not rely on the wrath of her combined sisters, that ... that would draw more attention than a winged, flying little girl would.

He needed to look up on the roof a little more often, as she finds her way back to the ground with all the grace of a fledgling. "Good, I have a question for you."

Knives knew with the experience of centuries how lonely life could get. Sure, he was there, but ... he wasn't her age. He couldn't teach her how to be a child. "..How do you feel about visitors? A little brother or two, about your size?"

He ...SHOULD.. have enough snacks for more than one plant child.

omg I even cut this down to make it shorter and it's STILL a wall of text!

[celestialcrybaby]

Vash had, through no small amount of lying and subterfuge, managed to get his hands on one of those little communication devices the Earth Feds were shipping in, registered to one "Valentinez Blue," and unfortunately for him, was experiencing his first case of cell-phone inattention as he made his way through the streets of Octovern. He was walking with his head down, dressed in a subtle pair of slacks and button down with his hair styled much more down than he usually kept it to help him avoid drawing attention, and he was so engrossed in making the thing work, pecking away at the tiny digital buttons, that he didn't initially notice the shifting sands beneath his feet or the subtle pull and snap of reality around him, until his senses suddenly pegged onto a close, familiar presence around him and left him gasping in shock, looking up just in time to walk face-first into the side of a small house that hadn't been there a moment before.

He gave a startled yelp as he tumbled back, but before he had even landed on his back, he had twisted himself to catch himself on his hands and the balls of his feet, his hackles instantly raised. It took only a moment to recognize that he had been transported somewhere far, far away from Octovern - it wasn't even anywhere on the horizon - and that there seemed to be a small vehicle parked near the front of the residence, just around the corner.

But none of that mattered as much as the strong, close presence of someone he thought he'd never see again, for good or ill. He was up in an instant, tucking the little electronic device into his pants pocket and backing quickly away from the direction he sensed him, fear and shocked relief warring in him over what emotion was going to come out on top.

Knives was alive. He'd felt him spend the last of his life at the Doctor's home, months ago, leaving Vash so painfully alone without even taking a single chance to talk to him face to face after their encounter in Octovern, spending his entire recovery just hiding in the shadows even though he had to have known he would feel him nearby. Sensing him now was both a source of immense joy, and knowing what he did about there being versions of himself and others wandering about, a source of sharp terror.

His gun. He'd left his gun in his duffel bag in the inn! He still had the machine gun hidden in his arm, but the speed with which the thing ate through bullets made it useless without extra ammunition. He was essentially defenseless, if this version of his brother was one that intended to continue the old fight.

Unfortunately...that didn't mean Vash could simply run away. Not if it meant that he would be out there, a danger to the rest of the planet.

He made his way in a wide arc around the side of the house, never turning his back on where he could feel his brother's presence. There was little use in hiding or trying to be subtle. If he knew Knives was there, then there was no doubt that his brother had already sensed him, too.

"...Knives...?"

spam never hurt anybody

[nyctinasty]

He's getting a lot of visitors these days, and it all seemed to be the same person.

It seemed to be designed to taunt him, over and over dangling his brother in front of his nose like a carrot in front of a mule, only to snatch it away again. None stayed, none would ever stay, even with the weight of Tessla's presence and life a factor, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was a deliberate thing to keep grinding salt into ancient wounds just enough so they couldn't ever quite heal.

The unmistakable presence of Vash comes just before the wall of his house quivers with a thud of someone having collided with it, and Knives looks up from his meticulous work, expression blank. He says nothing, does nothing, as still and silent as the grave in favor of listening and watching. Not the one who called on him about Tessla, that one had a different sense to him. Not the littlest of brothers, he'd never be able to make a serious impact. Or at least not for several more decades.

Not the most recent, on his way to Octovern.

Part of him wondered why he'd encountered so many of Vash, but only ever heard of the rumor of the child Nai and no others of himself. It might have been a strange and terrible comfort to have the company of someone he knew shared his ideas and dreams, instead of someone endlessly hostile to them. It's possible for every Vash there is a Knives, and the rest merely hid themselves away, but it seemed ... unlikely. Now would be the perfect time to strike and snuff out what remained of humanity, the cooperation of their sisters wouldn't even be needed with almost all of them in one city..

It's shaken off, the thought put away. Knives was relegated to solitude, broken only by the miracle that was Tessla.

And so he waits, disassembled gun on his knees, for his brother to get around to actually facing him. What would it be this time? The voice didn't give enough of a clue.

Yeah, I just try to avoid making them TOO much if I can. It never works. lol

[celestialcrybaby]

The silence that met him was unsettling, to say the least. Even if, on some level, the fact that he hadn't stormed out the second Vash had arrived and begun ranting about his plans for the rest of the world was strangely reassuring. Still, he didn't take any chances, choosing to climb up the side of the small porch so that he could press himself against the wall next to the front door without having to cross in front of it and make himself an easy target.

What had happened to the family here? Were they still in Octovern? Were they safe?

"Knives, I don't want to fight. I know you're in there, I know you know I'm here..."

Maybe he was asleep. Shit, he could only hope. At the same time, startling him awake was probably just asking for trouble. He listened, barely daring to breathe.

I do it whenever it feels appropriate! Muahahah!

[nyctinasty]

"If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it when you bounced off the damn wall. You're as subtle and stealthy as a drunken tomas." That's definitely Knives' voice, crisp, annoyed, and thoroughly awake. Vash never said 'kill', but fighting and killing to him were one and the same. "And if you're under the impression hiding behind a doorjamb can save you, you haven't been paying attention, knock that off."

It wouldn't be so bad, he supposed, if they didn't keep turning up to his home and causing problems. That it's only happened twice wasn't a lot but it was twice more than he much felt like dealing with. At least none of them have shot first, that would require immediate retaliation if Tessla were around, and explaining to her why it happened at all would be heartbreaking.

But this house was certainly occupied, there's no sense of whether or not it was when Knives arrived, except for the scattering of children's toys of all things. Enough things for two, enough beds for two, bits of clothing and clutter and half-repaired devices scattered about in a fashion that didn't exactly scream a lot of time was being spent keeping things organized. But there's also no bloodstains, no signs of a struggle.

Maybe they'd been cleaned.

after thorns; open to both knives and tess

[dontdeserve]

Vash absolutely does mean to check on Tessla - and on Knives - but the whole thing has shaken him pretty badly, so he's trying to find his, ah, usual cheer before going to his sister. She's been through enough, and putting her through more just because he can't get a hold of himself seems absolutely mean.

Too bad this place has other ideas.

He doesn't even register he's been dislocated, curled in on himself and staring blankly into space... and certainly doesn't seem to have meant to be up and about, since the red coat is not with him, the black turtleneck sleeves pulled down to cover his palms on both hands, for all he'd recognize it's ridiculous to find it comfortable on the artificial one also.

(Although if Knives is Experiencing some well digging frustration, that will get him to wander over there to check what is happening.)

[nyctinasty]

Knives is pretty good at telling when something's Not Right, and something.. is not right. That was par the course with a Vash, they lured trauma like string lured kittens, but this time as one appears and his head lifts like a dog scenting the wind, a slow frown crossing his features, it's not entirely with concern for Vash.

He had something else to protect. And small children had many, many big questions, and were quick to fear and anxiety in the face of new stresses.

As Vash finds himself in a place he theoretically wasn't yet supposed to be, he's homed in on with deliberate quiet, and if he's still in one spot, begin herding Vash very deliberately away from his home. Not ungently, but it's definitely not welcoming open arms either.

Something isn't right, but bringing it to his doorstep without warning so Tessla risks running into it ... unacceptable.

[dontdeserve]

In all fairness, even registering that Tessla was there, once he became aware of it, would make Vash force himself to be... functional. But as he has not yet registered where he is, he's working on auto pilot.

He has followed some distance out of the house before he spots Knives, and blinks.

"Hi, what are you--" Pause, as he takes in the surroundings. "... actually, no, what am I doing here."

It's not a question. His voice sounds... raspy, as though he hasn't used it for a day or two, and hasn't been drinking much water, either. But he's giving somewhat less black hole vibes, at least. More just sadness and hurt, far more usual for Vash, if less masked than normally.

for knives and tessla

[love_and_peace]

It's been more than two weeks since Vash last showed up at Knives's door, gun in hand, dreading the fight that he was eager to see done and over. This time, as he approaches the property line, his hands are empty. This time, there's nothing violent in his heart -- not in his intent, his manners, the emotions that he's still not fully able to prevent from bleeding through on what he's jokingly begun thinking of as Radio Plant.

This time, he's here to meet his sister, and he cannot wait.

Brother? Greetings/respect/love

[nyctinasty]

Things have been rough lately when it comes to visitors, and if Knives is a bit vindictively overprotective about it, surely it can be forgiven! Happily he's already outside when Vash turns up, continuing the long fight against what should have been an easy well-drilling venture that was now a two week long escapade into frustration and mud.

There's a lot of mud.

But being outside means he sees approach long before he feels it, and that.. yep, that's a red coat. And not a vine in sight, so probably not a pending murderous rampage. He pauses his work, thoroughly mud-splattered, and squints. Hm.

"Tessla, one of our many .. many red brothers is here, I think he'd like to say hello."

[rejuvenation]

Tessla can't really help with the drilling and things, but she's found out that mud is fun when you're not trying to actually get things done like her brother is. She likes putting her toes in it, feeling the difference between hot sand and the cooler mix of earth and water.

She carries around one of the dolls Knives has given her, her shed feathers stuffed into the doll's clothes and hair to look like wings. Tessla doesn't know how to actually play with the toy, but it's fun to have something that looks a little bit like her.

When her sharp brother mentions a red brother, she gets out of the mud and smiles as she senses the approach of a Vash - her range shorter than Knives so far. It doesn't feel like one she's met before, and that's exciting.

"Red brother!"

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Only a few hours after that very disturbed and broken Vash took to the airwaves to demand the return of "his" brother, another frantic call goes out, this time on the 'family' channel. ]

Big brother, are you there? Please pick up, please! I need help!

[nyctinasty]

[Sleep is, apparently, for other people. He sounds alert enough, but still a bit tired. These radios are useful, but damned if they didn't get in the way sometimes..]

I am. Are you safe?

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Oh he's there. He's there, he didn't disappear too. Vash's voice is still scared, but much more relieved when he replies. ]

I'm okay. I'm not hurt, but R... but she, she went into the city and it vanished, and, um, my brother, he vanished too, and there's a, a scary grown up me, and he said he's coming here to get me, and everyone here's gone except for a ghost, but there's all these hu-- all these people here now, and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do.

[ Help? ]