Meryl sighed. Her raven black hair caught the suns rays, reflecting a beautiful shine in her hair. As the young woman closed her eyes, she inhaled deeply and listened to the beautiful songs the delighted birds were singing, celebrating the glorious afternoon.
As Meryl sat on the park bench, she pondered about the day. The chief had let her take her lunch break early. She was quite thankful, for the past year she has been working there; the chief has been everything but kind and understanding.
Today was the anniversary of the day Vash had gone out, pursuing knives. It saddened Meryl that vash had never came back after that day. Meryl would try to write filler routine reports to the insurance society, waiting his return, but after a few months, the chief got impatient. He accused Meryl and Millie of losing the trail of Vash the stampede, and pulled them out ordering them to come back to the office. Although furious with them, he explained that they would wait for more news of his whereabouts, and they would be sent back out. Unfortunately there has been absolutely no news.
Meryl was assigned a new position; answering phones. Millie became the permanent office cleaning lady. It really wasn't a change at all, for she was always late and forced to clean.
"Hello Meryl!" Millie called excitedly walking over to the park bench.
"Hm? Oh hello Millie…" Meryl replied distantly.
"I have come to keep you company. I'm aware of the fact that today is a particular day, and I don't want you to be brooding Meryl, you got that!" Millie said with a cheerful smile.
"Millie, I'm fine really! Why would I waste my energy thinking of that donut hogging buffoon?!"
"Well if that's how you feel Meryl, then I'm glad!" Millie said cheerfully.
"Well…what about you Millie…?" Meryl asked referring to Wolfwood. A couple of days ago was the anniversary of his death, and although she made sure Millie was okay then, she decided to ask again.
"Oh I'm fine Meryl, I talk to him every day. Even though I cannot her him, I know he's listening. Sometimes I think he even sends me signs that he's okay. Like one time, I was remembering when we both saved Moore from those cavalry men, and we were joking about sextuplets. Just as I thought of that, a lady walked by with six children…they all looked the same too…" Millie said with a smile.
"Wow Millie, I never knew…" Meryl said. "Hey Millie…do you think…Mr. Vash is alive?" Meryl asked honestly.
"I believe so Meryl…I don't really have a reason, but I'm not going to give up one him, and neither should you…oh wow, look at the time, I need to get back to work! Those windows won't clean themselves!"
Meryl sat gazing out of the window, across from her cubical. She wishes she could be as hopeful as Millie, but she cant help but to face the fact that Vash The Stampede might have disappeared for good this time. Meryl kept daydreaming, as the muffled tone of a phone went off in the distance. Meryl was soon brought back to reality by the chief's voice.
"Meryl strife that phone wont answer itself!" He yelled. Meryl, caught off guard and very embarrassed answered the phone flushed.
"Hello Bernardelli insurance office, Meryl Strife speaking, how can I help you?...Hello?"
From the other side of the phone, Meryl heard a quick inhale of breath, and then the sound of a phone being hung up.
Meryl hung the phone back up with an odd expression on her face. "Well that was odd…" Meryl looked at her watch and noticed it was finally time to go home. She could remember staying countless nights in the office to get work done, but ever since she was assigned her new job she has wanted nothing more but to get out as soon as she can.
Meryl sighed. "Maybe I should think about another job…" she said quietly to herself, punching out of the time clock.
Walking back to her apartment, Meryl yawned. Although it was only 6:00, she felt incredibly sleepy. Meryl got up to her room, and closed the door, took a shower , decided to skip dinner, and went right to sleep.
Meryl awoke to her alarm going off at 6:30. "Another day of work…at least its Friday…" Meryl sighed. The young woman slid out of bed and made her way over to the kitchen, where she put on a pot of coffee. She made her way into the bathroom, washing her face and brushing her hair. She went into her closet and picked out her Friday uniform, and laid it out on her bed. By then a funny smell reached her nose, and she realized her pot of coffee was probably burning. Making her way back to the kitchen, Meryl was distracted by the phone ringing.
"Hello?" Meryl answered.
"Meryl! Turn on the radio!" Came Millie's shrill voice in the morning. Meryl winced. Millie I have to go, my coffee is burning." Meryl said and hung up the phone. She made her way over to the coffee and turned everything off. She was relieved to find that she hadn't burned the apartment down. Pouring the coffee into her mug, she sipped it slightly, and sighed.
Meryl made her was to the door, and opened it, bending down to get the newspaper. Bringing it back over to the table, she set it down with her coffee and headed into her room, getting dressed and walking back out. Grabbing her mug, Meryl took a large sip, turning on the radio on the counter in her kitchen.
"I repeat! The Humanoid Typhoon has made another attack! Vash The Stampede has returned!"
Meryl choked, spitting her coffee out all over the kitchen floor. She ran to the radio and turned it up.
"It has been about a year since the last attack, but the demon has returned! Late last night May City had been attacked! There's absolutely nothing left! Corpses align the streets! There are only few survivors who claim to have seen the man wearing a black coat, but wielding the same weapon. It seems like some one decided to change his look"
There was a knock on the door, and Meryl ran to answer it.
Millie! Did you hear it!?" Meryl asked, letting her in.
"I did Meryl! I told you Mr. Vash was still alive! The Chief wants to see us in his office ASAP!" Millie exclaimed excitedly.
A few hours later, Meryl was packing her suitcase wants more, a huge smile on her face. "I don't understand Millie, How come that idiot never lets us know when he's okay! I swear when I get my hands on that spiky haired jerk…" Meryl cut herself off, thinking about Vash. She smiled again.
"Someone's very excited." Millie said looking at Meryl's face. Meryl shook the smile off her face. I'm just happy we got our old job back."
"Hm…the only thing that doesn't sound right…is that Vash is wearing black…do you think he lost his jacket Meryl?" Millie asked.
"Well Millie….what if it isn't even Vash and it's just a mistake."
"Nonsense! Only Mr. Vash is able to blow up a whole city!" Millie said with a smile, ignoring Meryl's sweat drop.
The plant looked down on the obliterated city, from a large cliff, and smiled. "We made good timing…human filth doesn't take that long to get rid of…although it is quite irritating…their all like weeds…Vash…what do you think?" Knives asked, turning to his brother, who was lying on his back, watching the clouds. He raised his right hand toward the sky, and closed his hand. "I think….very soon…this planet will be ours, brother." Vash closed his eyes and smiled inhaling deeply. The air never felt so clear.