Era: Futurist western
Pre-Story History:
Even at square one, Vash's history is blurred and confusing. He is related to the plants - the beings beyond time. How? He and his brother Knives are apparently descended from them, however they call the plants "siblings". Obviously, they have evolved into something different from the original beings beyond time - a bridge between the plants and humans, perhaps - but how that relationship is defined is uncertain. What is certain is that he and Knives were born, looking like newborn humans, in a tubelike structure onboard a SEEDS ship, presumably a lightbulb-like structure similar to that which normal Plants inhabit. All but one of the crew onboard the ship wanted to destroy the unexpected non-humans, but that one, Rem, pleaded that their lives be spared.
Rem and the ship's captain, Joey, then took on the responsibility of taking care of and teaching the two fast-growing Plants. And grow quickly they did - aging apparently eight years in one. This, combined with their astronomical intelligence, started to grow fear in one of the crew, Steve. Unfortunately, fear in one such as him blossoms into hatred. Thus Steve began to harass and, in cases (Knives for certain, possibly Vash) beat the brothers. Vash reacted to this with tears and confusion, but ultimately seemed to accept it. It hurt him greatly, but he never displayed any want to return that hurt, or even the hatred. Even at Steve's trial where he was sentenced to be put in cryogenic sleep, Vash appeared distraught. This attributes of his personality seem to be inherent, but also greatly cultivated and indelibly ingrained by frequent talks with Rem. During this time together, there was one such talk when he was very young where Rem introduced Vash to a flower; the red geranium, her favorite. She explained it to him as being, in the language of flowers, the symbol for determination. This later became the reason why he chose to continually wear his trademark bright red coat.
Rem, because of her close, motherly bond with him, became to Vash the central goddess of his religion/philosophy. She was everything his world revolved around, like so many other little children in view of their parents.
But it all came crashing down when his brother Knives responded a bit differently to the humans. He believed in returning tit for tat, and then some. Thus Knives orchestrated the killing of all of the crew save Rem, and programmed all the human-carrying SEEDS ships to crash on the planet below they had been orbiting around. Rem, however, decided at the last moment to stay behind and try to save the ships. Vash, incoherent and sobbing, pleaded with her to come with them on the escape pod, but fell silent when she said her last words: "Vash, take care of Knives."
She (presumably) died soon after when the ship exploded, but not before she succeeded in changing the course of the ships. It didn't console Vash, who was pulled out of his inconsolable wailing when he heard Knives laugh. Finding out that Knives had planned it all out, Vash reacted with rage; leaping at his brother and attacking blindly. Knives, however, dispatched Vash easily, and he remained in a corner crying quietly presumably for the rest of the voyage.
Soon they crashed down on the planet like so many other of the ships, and Vash woke from the hit to find Knives offering to help him up. Knives was overjoyed that he had suceeded--partially, at least. Some human ships survived the crash, thanks to Rem's intervention. Vash was furious, and said that Knives was a murderer; not human! For daring to compare him to human's, Knives kicked and beat Vash then, before leaving him bruised on the sands, whimpering Rem's name quietly.
Later, while traveling, the two brothers debated the fate of the humans on the desert planet, and Vash made the point that they'd be able to survive, as long as they had the plants. Knives said this is why he kills people: "I kill spiders to save butterflies. Simple logic." That seemed to strike a furious, smoldering cord in Vash.
Presumbly later that night, Vash approached a sleeping Knives, a rock raised over his head and prepared to smash his brother's skull in. "remember! He killed them!" But just as he was gearing up for the final blow, he remembered Rem's words that no one has the right to steal another's life. And so he threw the rock harmlessly down to the ground and ran away to a high cliff where he spent the rest of the night, crying. The next morning, he woke up to Knives calling him from down below, and they resumed their journeying as if nothing had happened.
A few months later, they arrived at an outpost of humans hiding in the wreckage of one of the ships, and they watched a town being slowly built. They were there, however, to witness a riot break out as a man broke out of line to rush the few in charge doling out water from the plants. Knives pronounced this the true nature of the human beasts. He then went on to communicate with the plant, and initiate what seems to be an explosion. But Vash stoped him, yelling "What did you do?!" To which Knives answered simply that they had their own free wills now; they were no longer "things" to be used. Vash seemed confused by this.
Ten years later, the adult brothers arrived at an abandoned SEEDS ship. Knives, smug, said that he has "found it". Vash asked him what he's going to do, and Knives said he'd come to fetch something he left behind. He left Vash then, telling him to stay put until he returns.
One year later... a very lonely Vash, who had been waiting the entire time and was reduced to muttering to himself while huddled in a corner, finally saw Knives again. But this time, his brother was armed with two identical guns, save that one was black and the other silver. Knives announced he was done and then went off into the desert to test one of the gun's--the black one. A very confused Vash was forced to trail behind, questioning Knives to no gain. And then the gun was fired, and it created a huge blue-white sphere that destroyed everything within it. When the sphere had passed, the sky had turned a stormy red. Knives was pleased then, saying it had a 13% output, and then told Vash this was how they'd wipe out mankind. Vash was.. less than thrilled. Knives tried to make him take the silver gun, then, but Vash refused, and a few minutes later, he tackled Knives to the ground and a fight broke out for control of those guns. It ended when Knives got to the black one before Vash got to his, and he aimed it directly at his brother. But Knives still didn't seem to think there was anything really wrong between them, and lowered his gun. Vash, however, grabbed up the silver gun then and aimed it at Knives, and after his brother taunted him for a moment.. Vash fired, and shot Knives in the thigh. Knives was stunned, hurt deeply, and screaming at Vash. Vash, distraught at what he had done, screamed and ran off, leaving his bleeding, traumatized brother behind and crying out to him to come back. But when he left, he took both of the guns with him.
Vash wandered the desert for two years after that incident, until finally, disheveled and staggering, he collapsed in the sands, whispering Rem's name before passing out. He woke up later in a technologically advanced sickbay, where several attendants and a smiling young Doctor were watching over him. He'd been taken up to the Flying Ship, the last of the SEEDS ships that had remained in orbit in the planet's atmosphere. Vash had fun there in the days/months/years (it's unknown) he was there, until he finally left, equipped now with his trademark red coat. He wandered the planet then, living the life of the carefree gunman we know and love so well.
Eighty years later still, he was back at the SEEDS ship. With an older doctor and young Brad in the background and a young Jessica at his feet, Vash was going through the records of the people who had come from earth in the ships. Much to his surprise, he found the records of a man related to Rem! Revenant Buskus, governor of July city**. Overjoyed, Vash decided to go see this man and tell him about Rem.
Arriving in July City, Vash was horrified to find the governor recently killed and lying in his own blood. Knives was waiting there for him, too. Knives's only excuse was that now Vash would have nothing left to tie him to Rem. Knives lectures him then, saying he is the proof of human folly. Why can't he see it that way? But what's the good; why grow at all if you only grow to be more sentimental? Knives pulled a gun on Vash then, to which Vash responded by aiming both Colts, the guns Knives had made, at his brother. But Knives was faster this time, and shot Vash. Only his shot took off Vash's entire left arm--the arm that had been holding the black Colt. With a snap of his fingers, Knives then triggered the Angel Arm sequence in Vash with the intent to force his brother to dispose of the humans there---only semi-coherent, in-pain Vash had no idea what was going on, and only knew it was as scary and hurt like hell. But he was coherent enough to do one thing---aim the transforming gun at Knives. "Are you really going to shoot me again ... VASH?!" And so Vash did. Before the Angel Arm was fully formed, he fired at Knives, hitting him straight in the abdomen. But the Angel Arm created a terrible sphere of destruction like when Knives had fired the black gun before; the sky turned red, and the entire city, one of the Seven Major Cities, was completely destroyed. But no humans died as a direct cause of the gun: the millions only started to die later from exposure, and turning on one another in desperation.
When he recovered and found himself alone in the rubble.. Vash... remembered nothing.
With only the memories from before the July incident, he went on with his life as before: a wandering gunman, keeping in loose contact with his "family" on the orbiting SEEDS ship. But he had a new focus now, too: to find Knives, who he could only guess as being the ultimate cause for July. His brother, who was also now more dangerous... because when Vash had woken in the ruined July, the black Colt had been taken, and Knives now possessed that, even if he was now too injured to use it... for now. And so Vash vowed to find Knives.. and stop him, no matter what that might take….
Rules:
- Anyone can join! You can be on Vash's side, Knives’s side, or a wonder.
- Normal RPG rules
- No lazier guns
- No killing without consent