Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for my original characters. They are mine, and if you want to use them, just ask! I'll probably let you. Thanks.
(A/N: The timeline in the very beginning is 13 years before Vash meets the insurance girls. Small manga influence.)
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Legato was eating again. This was not surprising in the least. What was surprising is that right in the middle of chewing the last bite, he stopped. Inside his mind, a woman's scream echoed. For an unknown reason to him, it made the very blood that ran through his veins run cold. Here he sat in the midst of atleast nine corpses in a small-town bar eating a hamburger, and the scream inside his head made him afraid. Almost as afraid as when Master was angry. His golden orbs surveyed everywhere, pupils dilated in fear. No woman was alive that he could see or feel with his thoughts. Putting the thought out of his mind, he kept on eating. Legato wouldn't let it bother him.
||| 13 YEARS LATER
Cantable had been found in the midst of a town Legato had recently cleared. She sat on the roof of a church, looking down over the barren town. The cold silver of her eyes took in everything and saw nothing at the same time. She was not blind, but she saw very little that meant much to her. With a lazy smile, she leapt down before Legato saw her on the roof.
The telepath looked at her, surprised, but not letting it show on his face. "Pity. Looks like I missed one."
Cantable said nothing, but only stared at Legato. When he tried to take control of her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He found his influence on her being pushed out of her mind, as if she was able to control him. This fact disturbed him, made him try harder. He was sweating by the time he gave up, atleast fifteen minutes later.
"What are you?" He asked, getting worried by now. "Why are you here?"
She once again opened her eyes. Without speaking, she bent down and drew a picture in the sand at her feet. Legato watched all this, fascinated by this young girl who had managed to best him in his own game.
"An angel? I doubt that." He laughed at the drawing. "What are you really, child?"
She gestured to the picture. The smile on her lips infuriated him, but he managed to keep his cool. From out of nowhere, the winds came and blew away the drawing, leaving a clean slate for her. Once again she bent down, and began scribbling in the sand. This time she formed a word, which upon reading made Legato curse her.
KNIVES.
Legato had half a mind to kill her with his own bare hands, but didn't. If this spider wanted to be taken to his Lord and Master, then so be it. He simply walked to her, carefully stepping over his Master's name, and hit a pressure point on her neck. She went out like a candle, and that was that.
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Knives was impressed by the girl. She had said nothing in the two hours he had questioned her, just had written down things on the paper tablet in her wierd, beautiful handwriting. He had even gotten her name out of her, Cantable, the song-like.
The telepath had watched all this with disgust. The girl spider was demanding all of Knives' attention at the time, reminding him of when the Lord and Master had come upon him. All of the plant's time was spent with Legato, training him to hurt the spiders and training him to use his powers. Now the girl was going to be trained, he knew, and he was to be left in the dust. He hated her immediately.
"Where did you get your powers?" Knives asked her, standing over her shoulder.
«Birth.»
"Do you have a surname?"
«No.»
"Where are you from?"
«The Sky. God.»
"I don't believe in a 'God'. You'll have to give me the place name."
«Rakuen. Heaven. Eternal Paradise.»
"Where were you born?"
«Rakuen.»
"There is no such place. It is all a fantasy to make the fact of death easier."
Cantable looked at the paper, ripped it up, and set it on the table. Brushing her dark brown hair back out of her eyes, she touched one petite finger to the biggest strip. As the breath left her lungs, the paper was enveloped in flames. Soon it was nothing but ash on the table in front of her.
Knives laughed. "Where did you hear of me?"
«The God you don't believe in. The Brother you seek to hurt.»
The plant's pupils narrowed. "Vash?"
«Yes. Vash. Ericks. The other immortal plant.»
"How old are you?"
«My age is innumerable.»
"Who are your parents?"
«I do not know.»
"Can you die?"
«I do not know.»
"Will you work for me?"
The pencil hesitated for a moment above the paper.
«I will not harm spiders. I will not harm Vash. »
"Then what will you do?"
«Watch.»
"Watch what?"
«You. Vash. Legato Bluesummers.»
"Why?"
«It is what I was sent here for.»
"Why don't you speak?"
«Why don't you shutup?»
Knives contemplated what he would say next. Once again Cantable ripped up the paper upon which she had written and burned it. On the next page, she wrote two words in large capital letters.
REM SEIBREM.
Knives was done interrogating the girl. He left through the door, as she began to smile once again. He would continue on to tell Legato that she was to be called Cantable the Silenced, and yes, she would be in the Gung Ho Guns.
Legato only nodded.
Once again the scream echoed in his mind, making him stop and shiver. But once again, Legato pushed it out of his mind, and went on.
||| MIDAN VILLAGE, SHEN'S BAR
Shen's place wasn't exactly hopping when Vash sat down at the table, having left the insurance girls in the hotel. It was a miracle that he had been able to slip by them unnoticed, and he thanked God for that. He needed some time alone. Wolfwood knew that too, and so was hitting on a pretty lady on the other side of the bar.
Without ordering a drink or food, the Humanoid Typhoon plopped down. The table was at the back of the bar, close to the jukebox but not too close. Vash needed a clear mind and a semi-quiet atmosphere for what he was going to do tonight.
"Alright, arm, let's see what's the matter here." Vash searched up the length of his left, gloved arm, searched for the little latch he knew was there. Somewhere, he thought. The arm twitched without his consent, and he felt an electric jolt bury itself in the metal nub that was the end of his real flesh. This he had felt more than a few times over the last few days, and each time he knew he'd have to take it off and fiddle with it again. He had just been putting it off. It had been so long since the last time he had taken it off, he was almost reluctant.
The door opened and someone walked in. He was too busy searching again for the latch to notice who, but he noticed how short they were. Meryl, his mind immediately thought. But no, this person had long brown hair. Not Meryl, his mind sighed. Good.
"Aha!" He smiled when he found the latch. "Now..." It was slightly rusted, and also slightly old. When he tried to flip it, it squeeked and did not budge. Wolfwood glanced momentarily back at him before continuing to talk to the woman. She didn't notice, but kept giggling and sipping what looked like a strawberry daquiri.
For some reason, Vash's ears perked up. He stopped for a moment, and listened. A very old song was coming from the jukebox. The short person who had walked in was standing near it. He looked back at her once he heard what the song was.
"Soooo..." The jukebox sang. It wasn't Rem's voice but it made him think of her immediately. He bit his lip and went back to work on the latch.
The person pulled something out of her backpack. Then, shouldering the pack once again, she came towards Vash. A single petite finger tapped his right shoulder and a single pale hand held out a paper to him.
Rem says hello, Vash the Stampede.
He gasped and looked up at her. She couldn't be more than 13, 14 at the most, but her eyes...those silver eyes...they said she had seen more years. He gently took the paper and the tears started to fall.
"How do you know?"
She thwacked the latch that he had been working on. The arm came loose, and she took it gently from the socket. Sitting across from him, She flicked open the metal door that protected the wires.
"How do you know?" He repeated. She looked at him, and shook her head.
«Not now.»
"When?"
«Not now.»
Silently she went to work on the machine, testing each finger's wire and every muscle's wiring. The plant watched her with amazement as she found the cause of the jolts and the cause of the twitching. Pulling a small screwdriver from her pack, she spent a few moments working on his limb. The pale fingers worked smoothly, liquidly, soft against the mechanical piece of metal.
"What are you?"
An image flashed in his mind's eye. It was the picture of a being with no face, a being completely devoid of gender. The being had great, white, softly feathered wings and was wearing white robes. Dark hair fell from it's head, and it's hands were curled around a snowy dove.
"An angel?"
A slow nod did not waver her working.
"There are no angels."
She stopped. Those silver eyes bored holes into him, scared him and calmed him at the same time. One pallid, pale finger pointed at Vash. «You.»
He realized that he had been hearing a voice in his head. It wasn't unlike Legato's way of talking, but it was so calming and relaxing. It was second nature.
"Me?"
«Fallen.»
"I'm no angel."
«Knives. Fallen angels.»
"Don't say that name." He looked away. After a tense moment, she sighed and turned back to her work. The song ended now, and a silence enveloped them. Wolfwood's girl had excused herself to go home, and declined his offer to walk her there. He sat at the bar alone. The barkeep was washing some glasses, humming a quiet tune and thinking his own thoughts.
"So, Tongari, who's your friend?"
This time Wolfwood heard her voice too, as he neared the table.
«Cantable.»
"Woah, was that you, little lady?" He took a seat and looked at the girl.
She nodded, still working on the machine that was Vash's arm.
«Don't ask questions, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Accept.»
He froze. "Don't call me that."
"She says she's an angel," Vash murmured. He was resting his chin on his right hand, looking at what the young girl was doing. "She says she's from God."
"Every child's from God. They're gifts."
«I'm not from God in that way. I am from Rakuen, I come from the Eternal Paradise. I have seen the dead and I say they walk again.»
Silence.
«God wants you to talk to Him, Nicholas D. Wolfwood.»
The priest tensed.
«God wants to talk to you, as well.»
"And how the heck am I supposed to do that?! The last time I prayed, I got nothing." He scowled and lit up a cigarette. "Nothing at all. God forgot about me."
«God didn't forget. He didn't ignore you. And you didn't get nothing at all. It was Sadie's time. She died. She was going to die by asphyxiation. Then she died in her sleep, because you prayed, Nicholas.»
"She still died! She died...and it was because of me!"
«No. Did you know that she would've died because she hung herself by the fanblades in the living room? She would've used her thomas' reins. But you gave her another week, and you gave her another reason to live. She died because she was old and she was ready. You just didn't think so.»
Nicholas D. Wolfwood, unorthodox priest, didn't respond. He didn't know how. His tears did not surprise them, not even Vash. Vash was no longer crying, he wouldn't let himself cry.
«Vash. You know why Rem had to die. She knew.»
"Don't talk about Rem." He stopped her. "Don't say that name."
Her fingers moved slowly, methodically, and so did the pen. Her gentle silver eyes focused on each and every move that she made, not wavering. Everything she did was sure and was confident, everything.
«Vash. You said you'd take care of him.»
"How do you know?"
«I know. Don't question it. I know.»
"When can I question it?"
«Not now.»
"That's not good enough."
«Not now. You will know when to ask, and you will know what to say. But for now, be silent. You do want your arm back, right? If I slip then I'll mess it up.»
"You're an angel. You're perfect."
She looked up at him and laughed. It was a melodious laugh, like someone had dropped water on a piano and made it play. The sound made Nicholas and Vash both want to hear her speak.
«Only God is perfect, Vash. Only God.»
"Why don't you talk? If you can laugh, you can talk."
«I can. I don't want to. When one is silent for so long, then one fears the sound of one's own voice. When one is alone, one is silent. I was alone for a very long time, Vash the Stampede.»
"Alone?" The priest sounded as if her were still holding back tears. "With God you are never alone."
«Tell that to yourself every day. You are human, you are His child. You are never without Him. But I, I had to go without Him. My voyage was something I would not wish on anyone. I went through the bowels of Hell itself, and even God can not go there. I prayed to Him, and somehow I got through. I got through.»
"Hell? Say hello, lady, this is it."
«This is Heaven compared to Hell. You won't go there, Nicholas, so you will go on thinking that this place is Hell. Hell is a million times worse. Hell is Hell.»
Millie and Meryl entered at this time, the shorter woman looking quite peeved. They scanned the small bar, found where the men where hiding, and Meryl stomped over with Millie following.
"There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" She glared daggers at them, not noticing the young girl working on Vash's mechanical arm.
«Sit down, Meryl Strife. God has work for you.»
She stared now at the girl. "And who are you?"
«I am not to be disobeyed. Sit. Down.»
A cold feeling surrounded her. Her instincts told her to sit, and so she did. Millie did as well, pulling up a chair.
"Hello, Cantable, what brings you here?" The taller woman smiled and looked at her.
«Millie Thompson! Last time I saw you, you weren't much older than 15. My how you've grown.»
"H-How do you do that? You're....you're not moving your lips but...I can hear you!" Meryl had a strange look on her face. "How're you doing that?"
«God works in mysterious ways, Meryl Corintha Strife. Now, what I have to say to you is very important. Listen closely.»
"If you'll all excuse me-" Vash started.
«Sit back down, Vash. I want you to hear this as well. You may not know why I say this at first, but you will understand in the end. You have to hear this. You have to know.»
He sat, not looking at the angel whom he did not believe was telling the truth.
«Meryl, I want you to go to the town of Septembria. There you will find a man named Knives Millions in the club called 'Spiders and Sidewinders'; I want you to introduce yourself.»
"NO!" Vash shouted. "She is not going to Septembria, and she is NOT going to find HIM."
«Vash, shutup. Shutup and Listen. Your brother won't kill her. Meryl, this man will ask you to come with him, and I want you to go. Everything, every thought in your mind will tell you not to, but I want you to go with him.»
"And...and what after this?" She was afraid now. For some reason, even the name Knives Millions struck fear into her heart.
«I want you to stay with him. I will meet you again, but not for a long time maybe. You have to trust me.»
"What about me, while Sempai's away? What will I do?" Millie didn't look at Cantable, but looked down at the table. "Where will I go?"
«I want you to stay here and take care of that child you've been hiding from the world. It will be born before I return, so take care of yourself. Eat something healthier than pudding all the time.» Cantable slid the metal door back over the wires. «I think I got it, Vash. Try it.»
The plant accepted the mechanical arm, and fitted it back over the metal stump. It worked perfectly. Nodding and muttering his thanks, he started putting the glove back on.
«Nicholas, I want you to smoke less. Your child will be allergic to cigarette smoke, I can guarantee. Cut it down to maybe four a day. And don't drink as much as you do. Millie can't have a drunk priest for a husband, can she?»
Millie and Nicholas both blushed. They had told no one about their love for each other.
«Vash, I want you to stay with them. The child will need a good uncle. It will need a good influence. Help Millie and Nicholas. You will know when it is time. You will know.»
"How? What good am I to them, they don't need me..." He looked away.
«Vash. Don't argue with me. I swear, you could try the patience of a saint. For one, you could get a job. I hear that this town needs a good sheriff, and Ericks looks to be just the one for the job. You'll have your share of outlaws, you can bet your bottom dollar on that. And plus...» At this, Cantable blushed. «You'd look good in a uniform.»
He couldn't help but laugh. "I thought angels were supposed to be pure."
«What? I can't help it...you and your brother are almost enough to make me go back to being a human.» She smiled. «Do you all believe me?»
Four heads nodded around her.
«Good. I'll be back. It'll be sooner than you think. Meryl, don't forget to write letters to Bernardelli saying that you're resigning. I don't think that Knives will let you take a job. And Vash, keep the sheriff job. You need it. You need something steady after all these years. Nicholas...just try to cut down on the booze and smokes. Millie, start eating healthier and crack down on Nick if he doesn't do as I say.»
Again they nodded.
«Pray. Don't cease. Just remember, FROG.»
"Frog?" Vash asked.
Nicholas laughed. "Fully Rely On God."
"Oh. GAP."
"Gap?"
Meryl smiled. "God Answers Prayers."
«Yes. Remember it. Be good until I come back, okay?»
Nodding again, they watched her pick up her things and go. Nicholas reached across the table to Millie's hand, and put his own over it. Meryl was looking at the door, and Vash was slowly flexing his left hand back and forth. Only Meryl saw that once Cantable was out the door, she looked up into the sky and was gone. She whispered a goodbye again, and sighed.
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0__0 don't know where that came from...uuuuuh, R&R! Thanks.
-Bara
(A/N: The timeline in the very beginning is 13 years before Vash meets the insurance girls. Small manga influence.)
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Legato was eating again. This was not surprising in the least. What was surprising is that right in the middle of chewing the last bite, he stopped. Inside his mind, a woman's scream echoed. For an unknown reason to him, it made the very blood that ran through his veins run cold. Here he sat in the midst of atleast nine corpses in a small-town bar eating a hamburger, and the scream inside his head made him afraid. Almost as afraid as when Master was angry. His golden orbs surveyed everywhere, pupils dilated in fear. No woman was alive that he could see or feel with his thoughts. Putting the thought out of his mind, he kept on eating. Legato wouldn't let it bother him.
||| 13 YEARS LATER
Cantable had been found in the midst of a town Legato had recently cleared. She sat on the roof of a church, looking down over the barren town. The cold silver of her eyes took in everything and saw nothing at the same time. She was not blind, but she saw very little that meant much to her. With a lazy smile, she leapt down before Legato saw her on the roof.
The telepath looked at her, surprised, but not letting it show on his face. "Pity. Looks like I missed one."
Cantable said nothing, but only stared at Legato. When he tried to take control of her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He found his influence on her being pushed out of her mind, as if she was able to control him. This fact disturbed him, made him try harder. He was sweating by the time he gave up, atleast fifteen minutes later.
"What are you?" He asked, getting worried by now. "Why are you here?"
She once again opened her eyes. Without speaking, she bent down and drew a picture in the sand at her feet. Legato watched all this, fascinated by this young girl who had managed to best him in his own game.
"An angel? I doubt that." He laughed at the drawing. "What are you really, child?"
She gestured to the picture. The smile on her lips infuriated him, but he managed to keep his cool. From out of nowhere, the winds came and blew away the drawing, leaving a clean slate for her. Once again she bent down, and began scribbling in the sand. This time she formed a word, which upon reading made Legato curse her.
KNIVES.
Legato had half a mind to kill her with his own bare hands, but didn't. If this spider wanted to be taken to his Lord and Master, then so be it. He simply walked to her, carefully stepping over his Master's name, and hit a pressure point on her neck. She went out like a candle, and that was that.
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Knives was impressed by the girl. She had said nothing in the two hours he had questioned her, just had written down things on the paper tablet in her wierd, beautiful handwriting. He had even gotten her name out of her, Cantable, the song-like.
The telepath had watched all this with disgust. The girl spider was demanding all of Knives' attention at the time, reminding him of when the Lord and Master had come upon him. All of the plant's time was spent with Legato, training him to hurt the spiders and training him to use his powers. Now the girl was going to be trained, he knew, and he was to be left in the dust. He hated her immediately.
"Where did you get your powers?" Knives asked her, standing over her shoulder.
«Birth.»
"Do you have a surname?"
«No.»
"Where are you from?"
«The Sky. God.»
"I don't believe in a 'God'. You'll have to give me the place name."
«Rakuen. Heaven. Eternal Paradise.»
"Where were you born?"
«Rakuen.»
"There is no such place. It is all a fantasy to make the fact of death easier."
Cantable looked at the paper, ripped it up, and set it on the table. Brushing her dark brown hair back out of her eyes, she touched one petite finger to the biggest strip. As the breath left her lungs, the paper was enveloped in flames. Soon it was nothing but ash on the table in front of her.
Knives laughed. "Where did you hear of me?"
«The God you don't believe in. The Brother you seek to hurt.»
The plant's pupils narrowed. "Vash?"
«Yes. Vash. Ericks. The other immortal plant.»
"How old are you?"
«My age is innumerable.»
"Who are your parents?"
«I do not know.»
"Can you die?"
«I do not know.»
"Will you work for me?"
The pencil hesitated for a moment above the paper.
«I will not harm spiders. I will not harm Vash. »
"Then what will you do?"
«Watch.»
"Watch what?"
«You. Vash. Legato Bluesummers.»
"Why?"
«It is what I was sent here for.»
"Why don't you speak?"
«Why don't you shutup?»
Knives contemplated what he would say next. Once again Cantable ripped up the paper upon which she had written and burned it. On the next page, she wrote two words in large capital letters.
REM SEIBREM.
Knives was done interrogating the girl. He left through the door, as she began to smile once again. He would continue on to tell Legato that she was to be called Cantable the Silenced, and yes, she would be in the Gung Ho Guns.
Legato only nodded.
Once again the scream echoed in his mind, making him stop and shiver. But once again, Legato pushed it out of his mind, and went on.
||| MIDAN VILLAGE, SHEN'S BAR
Shen's place wasn't exactly hopping when Vash sat down at the table, having left the insurance girls in the hotel. It was a miracle that he had been able to slip by them unnoticed, and he thanked God for that. He needed some time alone. Wolfwood knew that too, and so was hitting on a pretty lady on the other side of the bar.
Without ordering a drink or food, the Humanoid Typhoon plopped down. The table was at the back of the bar, close to the jukebox but not too close. Vash needed a clear mind and a semi-quiet atmosphere for what he was going to do tonight.
"Alright, arm, let's see what's the matter here." Vash searched up the length of his left, gloved arm, searched for the little latch he knew was there. Somewhere, he thought. The arm twitched without his consent, and he felt an electric jolt bury itself in the metal nub that was the end of his real flesh. This he had felt more than a few times over the last few days, and each time he knew he'd have to take it off and fiddle with it again. He had just been putting it off. It had been so long since the last time he had taken it off, he was almost reluctant.
The door opened and someone walked in. He was too busy searching again for the latch to notice who, but he noticed how short they were. Meryl, his mind immediately thought. But no, this person had long brown hair. Not Meryl, his mind sighed. Good.
"Aha!" He smiled when he found the latch. "Now..." It was slightly rusted, and also slightly old. When he tried to flip it, it squeeked and did not budge. Wolfwood glanced momentarily back at him before continuing to talk to the woman. She didn't notice, but kept giggling and sipping what looked like a strawberry daquiri.
For some reason, Vash's ears perked up. He stopped for a moment, and listened. A very old song was coming from the jukebox. The short person who had walked in was standing near it. He looked back at her once he heard what the song was.
"Soooo..." The jukebox sang. It wasn't Rem's voice but it made him think of her immediately. He bit his lip and went back to work on the latch.
The person pulled something out of her backpack. Then, shouldering the pack once again, she came towards Vash. A single petite finger tapped his right shoulder and a single pale hand held out a paper to him.
Rem says hello, Vash the Stampede.
He gasped and looked up at her. She couldn't be more than 13, 14 at the most, but her eyes...those silver eyes...they said she had seen more years. He gently took the paper and the tears started to fall.
"How do you know?"
She thwacked the latch that he had been working on. The arm came loose, and she took it gently from the socket. Sitting across from him, She flicked open the metal door that protected the wires.
"How do you know?" He repeated. She looked at him, and shook her head.
«Not now.»
"When?"
«Not now.»
Silently she went to work on the machine, testing each finger's wire and every muscle's wiring. The plant watched her with amazement as she found the cause of the jolts and the cause of the twitching. Pulling a small screwdriver from her pack, she spent a few moments working on his limb. The pale fingers worked smoothly, liquidly, soft against the mechanical piece of metal.
"What are you?"
An image flashed in his mind's eye. It was the picture of a being with no face, a being completely devoid of gender. The being had great, white, softly feathered wings and was wearing white robes. Dark hair fell from it's head, and it's hands were curled around a snowy dove.
"An angel?"
A slow nod did not waver her working.
"There are no angels."
She stopped. Those silver eyes bored holes into him, scared him and calmed him at the same time. One pallid, pale finger pointed at Vash. «You.»
He realized that he had been hearing a voice in his head. It wasn't unlike Legato's way of talking, but it was so calming and relaxing. It was second nature.
"Me?"
«Fallen.»
"I'm no angel."
«Knives. Fallen angels.»
"Don't say that name." He looked away. After a tense moment, she sighed and turned back to her work. The song ended now, and a silence enveloped them. Wolfwood's girl had excused herself to go home, and declined his offer to walk her there. He sat at the bar alone. The barkeep was washing some glasses, humming a quiet tune and thinking his own thoughts.
"So, Tongari, who's your friend?"
This time Wolfwood heard her voice too, as he neared the table.
«Cantable.»
"Woah, was that you, little lady?" He took a seat and looked at the girl.
She nodded, still working on the machine that was Vash's arm.
«Don't ask questions, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Accept.»
He froze. "Don't call me that."
"She says she's an angel," Vash murmured. He was resting his chin on his right hand, looking at what the young girl was doing. "She says she's from God."
"Every child's from God. They're gifts."
«I'm not from God in that way. I am from Rakuen, I come from the Eternal Paradise. I have seen the dead and I say they walk again.»
Silence.
«God wants you to talk to Him, Nicholas D. Wolfwood.»
The priest tensed.
«God wants to talk to you, as well.»
"And how the heck am I supposed to do that?! The last time I prayed, I got nothing." He scowled and lit up a cigarette. "Nothing at all. God forgot about me."
«God didn't forget. He didn't ignore you. And you didn't get nothing at all. It was Sadie's time. She died. She was going to die by asphyxiation. Then she died in her sleep, because you prayed, Nicholas.»
"She still died! She died...and it was because of me!"
«No. Did you know that she would've died because she hung herself by the fanblades in the living room? She would've used her thomas' reins. But you gave her another week, and you gave her another reason to live. She died because she was old and she was ready. You just didn't think so.»
Nicholas D. Wolfwood, unorthodox priest, didn't respond. He didn't know how. His tears did not surprise them, not even Vash. Vash was no longer crying, he wouldn't let himself cry.
«Vash. You know why Rem had to die. She knew.»
"Don't talk about Rem." He stopped her. "Don't say that name."
Her fingers moved slowly, methodically, and so did the pen. Her gentle silver eyes focused on each and every move that she made, not wavering. Everything she did was sure and was confident, everything.
«Vash. You said you'd take care of him.»
"How do you know?"
«I know. Don't question it. I know.»
"When can I question it?"
«Not now.»
"That's not good enough."
«Not now. You will know when to ask, and you will know what to say. But for now, be silent. You do want your arm back, right? If I slip then I'll mess it up.»
"You're an angel. You're perfect."
She looked up at him and laughed. It was a melodious laugh, like someone had dropped water on a piano and made it play. The sound made Nicholas and Vash both want to hear her speak.
«Only God is perfect, Vash. Only God.»
"Why don't you talk? If you can laugh, you can talk."
«I can. I don't want to. When one is silent for so long, then one fears the sound of one's own voice. When one is alone, one is silent. I was alone for a very long time, Vash the Stampede.»
"Alone?" The priest sounded as if her were still holding back tears. "With God you are never alone."
«Tell that to yourself every day. You are human, you are His child. You are never without Him. But I, I had to go without Him. My voyage was something I would not wish on anyone. I went through the bowels of Hell itself, and even God can not go there. I prayed to Him, and somehow I got through. I got through.»
"Hell? Say hello, lady, this is it."
«This is Heaven compared to Hell. You won't go there, Nicholas, so you will go on thinking that this place is Hell. Hell is a million times worse. Hell is Hell.»
Millie and Meryl entered at this time, the shorter woman looking quite peeved. They scanned the small bar, found where the men where hiding, and Meryl stomped over with Millie following.
"There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" She glared daggers at them, not noticing the young girl working on Vash's mechanical arm.
«Sit down, Meryl Strife. God has work for you.»
She stared now at the girl. "And who are you?"
«I am not to be disobeyed. Sit. Down.»
A cold feeling surrounded her. Her instincts told her to sit, and so she did. Millie did as well, pulling up a chair.
"Hello, Cantable, what brings you here?" The taller woman smiled and looked at her.
«Millie Thompson! Last time I saw you, you weren't much older than 15. My how you've grown.»
"H-How do you do that? You're....you're not moving your lips but...I can hear you!" Meryl had a strange look on her face. "How're you doing that?"
«God works in mysterious ways, Meryl Corintha Strife. Now, what I have to say to you is very important. Listen closely.»
"If you'll all excuse me-" Vash started.
«Sit back down, Vash. I want you to hear this as well. You may not know why I say this at first, but you will understand in the end. You have to hear this. You have to know.»
He sat, not looking at the angel whom he did not believe was telling the truth.
«Meryl, I want you to go to the town of Septembria. There you will find a man named Knives Millions in the club called 'Spiders and Sidewinders'; I want you to introduce yourself.»
"NO!" Vash shouted. "She is not going to Septembria, and she is NOT going to find HIM."
«Vash, shutup. Shutup and Listen. Your brother won't kill her. Meryl, this man will ask you to come with him, and I want you to go. Everything, every thought in your mind will tell you not to, but I want you to go with him.»
"And...and what after this?" She was afraid now. For some reason, even the name Knives Millions struck fear into her heart.
«I want you to stay with him. I will meet you again, but not for a long time maybe. You have to trust me.»
"What about me, while Sempai's away? What will I do?" Millie didn't look at Cantable, but looked down at the table. "Where will I go?"
«I want you to stay here and take care of that child you've been hiding from the world. It will be born before I return, so take care of yourself. Eat something healthier than pudding all the time.» Cantable slid the metal door back over the wires. «I think I got it, Vash. Try it.»
The plant accepted the mechanical arm, and fitted it back over the metal stump. It worked perfectly. Nodding and muttering his thanks, he started putting the glove back on.
«Nicholas, I want you to smoke less. Your child will be allergic to cigarette smoke, I can guarantee. Cut it down to maybe four a day. And don't drink as much as you do. Millie can't have a drunk priest for a husband, can she?»
Millie and Nicholas both blushed. They had told no one about their love for each other.
«Vash, I want you to stay with them. The child will need a good uncle. It will need a good influence. Help Millie and Nicholas. You will know when it is time. You will know.»
"How? What good am I to them, they don't need me..." He looked away.
«Vash. Don't argue with me. I swear, you could try the patience of a saint. For one, you could get a job. I hear that this town needs a good sheriff, and Ericks looks to be just the one for the job. You'll have your share of outlaws, you can bet your bottom dollar on that. And plus...» At this, Cantable blushed. «You'd look good in a uniform.»
He couldn't help but laugh. "I thought angels were supposed to be pure."
«What? I can't help it...you and your brother are almost enough to make me go back to being a human.» She smiled. «Do you all believe me?»
Four heads nodded around her.
«Good. I'll be back. It'll be sooner than you think. Meryl, don't forget to write letters to Bernardelli saying that you're resigning. I don't think that Knives will let you take a job. And Vash, keep the sheriff job. You need it. You need something steady after all these years. Nicholas...just try to cut down on the booze and smokes. Millie, start eating healthier and crack down on Nick if he doesn't do as I say.»
Again they nodded.
«Pray. Don't cease. Just remember, FROG.»
"Frog?" Vash asked.
Nicholas laughed. "Fully Rely On God."
"Oh. GAP."
"Gap?"
Meryl smiled. "God Answers Prayers."
«Yes. Remember it. Be good until I come back, okay?»
Nodding again, they watched her pick up her things and go. Nicholas reached across the table to Millie's hand, and put his own over it. Meryl was looking at the door, and Vash was slowly flexing his left hand back and forth. Only Meryl saw that once Cantable was out the door, she looked up into the sky and was gone. She whispered a goodbye again, and sighed.
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0__0 don't know where that came from...uuuuuh, R&R! Thanks.
-Bara