* I do not own TriGun or any characters from the show. Please don't sue me! *
She had heard the rumors about the ace gunman, the sixty billion double dollar man, the Humanoid Typhoon. She never knew what to believe. It didn't matter if she ever met him or not, he was still going to change her life.
"Are you ready to test your wits Bounty?" Said a man from behind the shadow of a tree.
"Yes." Her face lit up as she smiled and reached for the 9mm at her side.
"Not yet. When I say go reach for your guns." Hissed the man. In return the girl nodded.
"GO!"
She grabbed her guns from their holster and fired two shots to the paper cut out of a man. One bullet into the chest and one between the eyes. The man rose from the darkness revealing himself to the desert sun. The hat her wore covered his jet-black hair and his upper face.
"Was this what you wanted?" The girl put her guns back to their homes on her hip.
"This is very good. Welcome to the wonderful world of bounty hunting." , He handed the girl a piece of paper, "Your first job is to find Vash the Stampede."
"Brigit my first job can't be Vash, that's just bullshit." The girl called Bounty snapped.
"You'll do whatever I say bitch." Brigit backslapped the girl sending her to the floor. Standing up Bounty knew she couldn't let people treat her this way. She grabbed her gun and held it to Brigit's head.
"Good girl, I taught you well. Now go get me Vash." Bounty turned and walked away.
"Why must you hunt?" Ashley asked as Gina collected her stuff into a small duffle bag.
"I need money and this place isn't paying what I need." Gina grabbed her jacket and put it on.
"What about Kevin? Are you going to leave your boyfriend to look for a legend?"
"Kevin?" Gina giggled to herself " He thinks I'm going to help my Aunt for a while. It's going to stay that way, right?" She looked into Ashley light blue eyes.
"Yes. Just don't get killed." Ashley hugged her friend.
"I won't." Gina picked up her bag and walked away from the only life she had ever known.
The suns began to set while Gina walked into the desert. The setting sun made the sand glow amber like it was a sea of gold, if only it was true. If the desert were nothing but a sea of gold she wouldn't have to hunt or put her life on the line to be free again. Day became night and the temperature of the desert drooped. It had been a long day for the young bounty hunter. She set a small make shift tent up between two sand dunes so she bonfire would keep her warm. Sighing she looked down at her dinner, some kind of soup.
"Gina you can't think about home, it's been a month and you're hot on the trail of Vash the Stampede." All the sudden her head jerked up and she grabbed for her pistols.
"Who's there?" She yelled. A tall man peeked over the dune to her side.
"Hello." He smiled.
"Why are you here and what do you want from me?" She stood up to get a better aim.
"Please don't shoot me. I'm not here to hurt you." He climbed over the dune. "I seen you walking and I wondered if you needed a bodyguard."
"Why? I'm a big girl." She looked at him something told her she could trust him. She handed him a bowl of soup.
"Gee thanks. I sure am hungry." He sat on the other side of the fire facing Gina.
"No problem, I wasn't going to eat it all anyways." She watched the stranger look at the soup the downed it with one big gulp.
"That was good thanks." Gina nodded at the stranger and sipped her broth. "If you don't mind me asking, why are in the desert all alone? There are plenty of gangs out there willing to do very bad things to a girl like you."
"Well it's business. As for the gangs, I'm not worried." She smiled
"You should be. Hell I'm much bigger then you and I'm scared to death." He handed Gina the bowl back. She simple nodded and put her bowl down.
"So can I be our bodyguard?" He stood up looking down at Gina.
"If you so scared of the gangs how can you save me from them? And how do I know your not going to rob me or something?" She took her long black coat off revealing her tight black top, black pants and her holsters.
"Um..well." He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed at the sight of Bounty.
She was very beautiful, anyone would tell you that. Her silver/ gray eyes were fixed on the man while her long black hair fell down her back in one long braid.
"Well?" She was confused at why men acted like that around her.
"I won't. You can even keep your guns with you." He broke from her line of vision by moving into the darkness.
"Sounds good to me. I must warn you I sleep very lightly. Try anything and I'll give you another hole in your head."
"That's ok, I won't try anything." He sat down where Gina once sat.
Bounty climbed into the make shift tent. She removed her holsters then her boots.
"Before I go to sleep, what's your name?"
"It's ..um.er..Bill, and yours?" He kept his back to the girl.
"My real name is Gina but my friends call me Bounty." She lay looking at the roof of the tent.
"Bounty huh? Hwy what ever floats their boats." He smiled into the fire. He sat watching the flames dance until he couldn't keep his eyes open.
"Just a little nap." He yawned and lay down next to the tent. As soon as his head hit the ground the tent began to shake.
"What the hell?" He looked inside to find Gina curled up into a ball shaking. "Bounty?"
"Give me my boot." She pointed to the bulky black boots just outside of the tent. He did as he was told and handed Gina her boots. She quickly grabbed a small pillbox from one. After downing a pill she lay back down letting the shaking slowly stop.
"What was that?" He asked.
"My big problem." She leaned closer to the blonde." It could kill me."
"Why don't you go to a doctor or something?" He sat back on his legs.
"I can't afford it, that's why I hunt."
He new friend looked puzzled, "Hunt?"
"I'm a bounty hunter." Gina put her holster back around her hip.
"Oh really? Well I think you should get some more sleep."
"Sleep, the suns are coming back up." She yawns slightly and stretched. Her black shirt rose as she brought her arms over her head placing her hands on her head.
"You're my bodyguard, why didn't you notice we're being watched? Don't look but there are two behind the dunes in front of us and two behind the dune behind us."
"I was making sure you weren't dieing. I lost my concentration, I'm sorry." He watched her put her boots on and packed her stuff back into her bag.
"Are you armed?" Gina checked her ammo in her two 9mm's.
"Yes." He showed her his custom silver gun.
"Good." She stood and undid the make shift tent shoving it into her bag. "Walk with me."
"Hold it right there." Gina felt the harsh cold of the gun barrel into the small of her back. She stopped and dropped her hands to her side.
"You sure are pretty." His breath was hot on her neck. Bounty looked over to try to find her new friend. She could only see a tall man in a red trench coat.
"I would hate to hurt that pretty face of yours so don't move." The man's free hand reached around Gina and slid up her shirt. She hated the feeling of the man wanting to feel her up, so she tosses her head back smashing the man in the face. He fell back onto the ground.
"Don't move you scum." Her gun point blank on his head.
"I was only having a little fun." His beady eyes crossed to look at the gun between them.
"I don't like your kind of fun." She looked around at the leftover three.
"If you kill Al I'll kill your friend." Another thug had the Vash look alike on his knees with a gun to his head.
"My friend? I don't even know who the hell that guy is." Bounty kick the first thug in the face.
"It's me Bill." He smiled.
"You look different." Gina raised her gun to aim at the other thug.
"Listen girly, I don't want to hurt your friend. If you like you can take his spot." A smiled wiped across the ugly face of the man.
She raised her eyebrow at the idea and got to her knees to take her friends spot.
"Good girl." The new thug was even uglier then the last. Gina smiled then shot him in the knee.
"Let's go." Gina stood up.
"What about the other three?"
"I don't know Vash."
"Vash?" He stopped and looked down at Bounty.
"Your Vash the Stampede." She gabbed her guns into both is gut and his chest.
"Please don't kill me. It's not four and eight." He pleaded.
"Four and eight? What the hell?"
"You know four and eight." His eyes moved to the right then to the left.
"Oh four and eight." She swung her arms out to the sides hitting the remaining two thugs in the faces.
"I thought I was going to have to spell it out to you."
"Thank you." She looked back at the men lying on the ground. The turned and began to walk away.
"So are you going to shoot me and bring me in for the bounty or keep me alive?" Vash watched as Gina they walked away from the campsite.
"Who said I was going to turn you in? You saved my ass, so I'll save yours." She looked at the dunes in front of her.
"I'm happy to hear that because I really don't want to get arrested."
"But if you do anything to disrespect me, I won't think twice about shooting you in that ugly mug of yours." She shivered. "I need a shower to get those thugs scum off."
The two stopped walking after an hour or two. Gina took her off her jacket and cut a few slits in her shirt.
"Sorry about the stop. How do you stay cool in that big coat of yours?" She looked up at the man; the sun reflecting off his sunglasses mad him look like the legend he was.
"Beats me, I just do."
From behind the pair the soft sound of a group of some kind of animal made it's way to Gina's ear. Both Vash and Gina grabbed their guns and kept them at ready.
"It's the insurance girls!" Vash waved.
"Who?" Bounty kept her gun up.
"Friends, hopefully with donuts." He walked over to greet the two.
"Vash!" Millie waved.
"Hello Millie, Meryll." He smiled and waved.
"Do you know how long it took us to find you?" Meryll snapped.
"Um..Hi Meryll. This is my new friend Bounty." He pointed back at Gina.
"Don't you 'Hi Meryll' me." She looked at Bounty then turned to Vash. "Where did you meet her? How do you know she's isn't going to kill you?"
"I wouldn't kill Vash unless he gave me a reason to but you're a different story." Gina smirked at the short dark haired girl.
"Listen, Bounty. What kind of name is that? You should just leave. I would make us feel much better."
"My real name is Gina. My nickname is Bounty. And I'm not leaving."
"Meryll, if she's a friend of Vash, she a friend of ours." Millie walked over to Bounty and held out her hand. "I'm Millie Thompson; it's nice to meet you."
Bounty put her gun away and shook Millie's hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Where are you headed?" Millie looked at Vash.
"Anywhere I can get a room. Some damned gang jumped us. Then a thug got touchy feely." She shivered then the shiver turned into a shake. Gina fell to the ground and blacked out.
"Oh no, what's happening?"
"Well Millie, Bounty here has a problem. She needs to see a doctor about this or she'll die." Vash kneeled down besides Gina.
"VASH!" Gina screamed out as she woke up.
"What did I do?" He looked down at her.
She said nothing just reached down into her boot and grabbed her pillbox. The shaking stopped and she stood up.
"I'm sorry about that." She looked at the three. "I best be going."
"I want to go with you. I know a doctor who could help you" Vash looked at the town that was just within view.
"I can't afford it." She picked up her stuff.
"He owes me a favor." He motioned the other girls to fallow.
Gina didn't get the name of the town as they walked in. It seemed not to be important at the time. Vash said he could help her, which was all she cared about. The doctor that Vash was speaking of was at the far end of the town. He was a short balding man around the age of 40. As Gina told him her problem he kept pushing his glasses up his noses as if agreeing with her.
"How long has this been going on m'dear?" He asked
"All my life."
"I see." He looked down at the test results. "Vash can I see you outside?" The doctor walked out of the room fallowed by Vash.
"What is it Doc?" His face showed his worry for the dark haired girl in the room.
"She needs a lot of work. It something I can fix but it's going to cost you son."
"What's the cost?"
"This may sound a little steep but this is how much work she needs, $$ 600,000." He pushed his glasses up his thin nose.
Vash dug deep into his pocket and handed the doctor what he asked for.
"I have a question, is she worth it?"
"Yes, every human life is worth being saved." Together Vash and the doctor walked back into the room.
"Is everything all right?" Gina's eyes enlarged.
"You'll be fine." He smiled at Gina.
"Thank you." She hugged him lightly as if he were made of glass.
"Well..um..it's was no problem." He blushed
"Well no to the hard part, fallow me m'dear." Bounty fallowed the doctor into the back.
"You're lucky to have someone like Vash. He saved your life." He made Gina lay down on the operation table.
"I know." She sighed then was put out.
"Can he help her?' Millie asked as Vash walked into the small waiting room.
"Yes." He looked at Meryll then sat down next to her.
"It's good you helped her and all but she's just another bounty hunter, we can't trust her."
Millie got up and walked to the other side of the room, "Why not? She seemed nice."
"Now she'll be healthy, she could have been using Vash. We know how he falls for a pretty face."
"I agree with Millie."
Two hours pasted before the doctor visited the waiting room. He held her charts as he entered.
"How is she?" Millie stood to greet the him.
"She's doing better. Vash that was $$600,000 well spent."
"$$600,000!?! Are you crazy?" Meryll's eyes widened.
"I did what needed to be done." He got up and fallowed the doctor in to the hall.
"Can I see her?" He whispered. The doctor nodded and led Vash to a room at the end of the hall. She was asleep with her hair down. It fell down her sides to her hip where holsters were once.
"She's some catch. Not many like her anymore. I'll leave you alone." The doctor walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
Vash sat down next to Bounty 's bed. Fore some stranger reason she reminded him of Rem. "Don't think of her." He thought to himself. He felt the tears run down his cheek as Gina's eyes fluttered open. She looked up at the crying blonde, what a legend.
"Are you ok Vash?" She asked.
He wiped away his tears, "I'm fine."
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours." She looked like a new girl to Vash. No longer was she a hard assesed bounty hunter but a famine beautiful woman.
Outside the door Meryll and Millie peeked into the window in the door.
"Se doesn't look like the same girl." Meryll whispered.
"I know." Millie agreed.
Gina sat up in her bed, as her sheets slipped she realized she was topless. She snatched the sheet before anything was clearly seen.
"Your friends are dolls. You should be happy to have them. I have learned a few things from being a hunter, and the most important one is that you can never have too many friends."
"Yes they are great girls. Don't mind Meryll, she can be snappy at times."
"They're watching us." Gina leaned closer to Vash.
"I know. They like to make sure I'm safe." He chuckled.
"I can understand. So what damage did the Doc do to me? I know he did something to my back." She leaned forward to let Vash have a look. There was nothing really bad, just a small cut above her "Bounty" tattoo on her lower back.
"Just a little cut nothing too bad." He began to blush just realizing Bounty was nude under the sheets.
"Bounty how are you? " Millie asked as the insurance girls walked into the room.
"Good thank you." Millie's smile met Gina's.
"She looks much different but still not worth $$600,000." Meryll sat in the corner.
"What are you talking about Meryll?" Gina looked at Meryll, then at Vash, then back at Meryll.
"Vash paid for you little surgery. It cost him $$600,000. Personally I think it was waste of money."
"Meryll what has gotten into to you?" Millie was surprised at how her friend was acting.
"I understand. I can see where you're coming from. Vash is a great guy I can understand if you want him all for yourself." She stood up wrapping her sheets around herself.
"I don't like Vash that way, he's business." She mouthed.
"Excuse me I need to get dressed."
No one said a word until Gina came out of the bathroom. She had came back to her old self.
"I better be going it was nice meeting you all." Bounty smiled and shook Meryll and Millie's hand. When it came to Vash she hugged him then kissed his cheek. She didn't look back.
Before leaving the city Bounty stopped at one of the town's taverns. She sat in the corner sipping her drink.
"Vash the Stamped." She sighed.
"Hello miss. Can I buy you a drink?" A tall handsome man asked. She looked up at him and smiled, "Kevin, how did you find me?"
"Ashley told me about you becoming a hunter. Why couldn't you tell me?" He asked sitting down
next to her.
"You would have told me not to go." She looked down at her drink.
"It's because I love you. I don't want you to get hurt." Kevin kissed her forehead.
"Bounty!"
Gina looked up. Vash, Millie and Meryll were sitting at a table not too far from Kevin and Gina.
"Hey who's your friend?" Vash asked.
"This is Kevin. Kevin this is Millie, Meryll and Vash." Bounty introduced her friends.
"Vash huh? Like Vash the Stampede?" Kevin's eyes became fixed on the tall blonde.
"Nope, just Vash." He extended his hand to meet Kevin's.
"Nice to meet you all. So how do you know Gina?"
Vash pulled two chairs to the table, "We met last night. She's a cool girl."
"I seem to like her." Kevin kissed Gina's neck softly.
"Not here." She looked at Vash while speaking to Kevin.
"So how do you and Gina know each other?" Millie asked between a sip of her drink.
"We have been friends for several years. I loved her from the very first day I met her." He stood up. "I'm in room 105. I really want to talk to you later Gina. Good night everyone." Kevin kissed Gina again. He waved and walked away.
'He's your boyfriend huh?" Meryll asked.
"Yes, I love him very much." She knew she meant the words but they seemed empty to her now.
Vash put his glass on the table; "I better be getting some sleep as well. It was a long day." Everyone waved as Vash walked away.
Two drinks and an hour later everyone went to their rooms.
"Room 115." Gina thought to herself. As she reached the room she heard the water running.
"He's freshening up for me." Bounty let herself in to the room. She took off her boots and her holsters placing them on the bed. The water stopped and the door opened. He had a towel around his waist his hair fell down to his shoulders.
"Vash?!?" Gina was shocked at his appearance but mostly at his chest, which was a battle zone of scars.
"Bounty!" He began to blush heavily.
"I'm so sorry. I thought Kevin said 115." She turned her head.
"It's my fault too. I should have locked the door." He went back into the bathroom
"You're pretty beat up and I thought I was bad." She giggled.
"Yeah I am." He chuckled along.
"That Kevin is really nice. He's a lucky guy."
"I think he's nice too. Why do you say he's lucky?"
Vash didn't answer just closed the door to the bathroom.
"I best be going. I'm sorry about this." Gina left room 115 and found Kevin in room 105.
"Gina will you marry me?" Kevin was down on one knee as soon as Gina walked into the door.
Vash finished in the bathroom and walked into the main room.
"I can't believe this." He sat down on his bed. He could still feel her in the room. She was always with him for some reason. His mind began to race and time seemed to stop as he felt the cold of a small box against his bare back. It was Gina's pillbox. He opened it to find a small note and a bullet inside.
Dear Vash,
I'm sorry I couldn't have spent more time with you. Your everything I hoped you would be. I hope Meryll and you are happy together. Oh the bullet is the last thing my father gave to me before he died. He saved my life, as did you. So this is for you.
Love-
Gina
Vash began to cry again. "I told myself I wouldn't do cry. I have to tell her good bye."
He left his room to go find room 105. He knocked on the door lightly. The door swung open as he hit air on his third knock.
"How can I help you?"
Vash looked down at Gina not saying a word.
"Vash what is it?" She closed the door and looked up at him.
"I don't want to say good bye." He hugged her not knowing he was squeezing to tight.
"Um..you can let go now."
"I'm sorry." He let her go.
"It's ok; we don't have to say good bye. I'll always be traveling. We might run into each other again."
"No, that won't do. I can't stand to think about you not being with me." He sat down against the wall behind him.
"I don't like it either." She leaned closer to Vash.
He looked into her silver/gray eyes, " I can't tell you how happy you've made me."
"I can show you how happy you've made me." Gina kisses the $$60 billion dollar man.
"There is one thing I must tell you." She said after pulling away.
"What is it?" His eyes hungry for more of what she had given him.
"Kevin asked me to marry him."
"What did you say?"
"I told him no."
"Why? You said you loved him."
"Yes, I loved him. I don't anymore." She disappeared into Kevin's hotel room. She came back out with all her stuff.
"Where are you going?"
"Can I stay in your room?" She looked up at Vash.
"Um..sure." He smiled. Together they walked to Vash's room. When they had shut and locked the door Gina took her boots off then her holsters.
"One bed huh?" She smiled to herself.
"Yeah, I like to sleep on two myself."
"You can have the bed; I'm fine on the floor." She undid her hair and began to brush it out.
"We can share. I'm not touchy feely like those thugs." He took off his long red trench coat and laid it in a chair. Bounty was in the bathroom changing. He could see her shadow as she peeled both her pants and shirt off. She returned wearing a white pj set. Vash looked at her and began to blush.
"You shouldn't be so nervous around me." She sat down on the bed; Vash sat next to her.
"I'm not nervous, Vash the Stampede is never nervous."
"I can't believe that. Before I forget, thank you for the room." She kissed him again. He met her kiss with force that drove her to do the same.
"Let's see if you really are a legend." She pulled him close to her as she slide her hands behind his neck. Gina pulled him over her as she lay down.
For the first time in most of her life Gina had a good night sleep. She noted both the fact she was nude with the fact she had Vash's arms around her. "It wasn't a dream." She thought to herself.
"Vash are you awake?" She whispered.
"I have been for a while." He kissed the back of her neck.
"We should get going. We can't stay here like this all day."
"Why not?" He whined.
"Because I said so. We could be some donuts." She giggled then sat up.
"Really?" He looked up at Gina.
Bounty grabbed her shirt, "Sure."
"Wait!" Vash grabbed a pen and wrote Vash then a heart over Gina's "Bounty" tattoo.
"Hey that tickled." She wiggled into her clothing then went into the bathroom coming out looking like her bas assed self. "I'll get the donuts, stay put."
As she left Vash's room she seen Meryll and Millie coming down the hall.
"Good morning Bounty." Millie smiled.
"Good morning girls." She smiled back.
A few minutes later Vash heard a knock on his door.
"One minute." He put his clothes on and opened the door. His blonde hair down around his face.
"Hello ladies."
"Vash it's almost noon." Meryll pushed her way into his room.
Vash pulled up two chairs for his lady friends as he sat on his bed.
"I just got up so excuse the mess."
"I'm back with the donuts you wanted." Gina opened the door." Oh hello."
"If you just woke up how does Bounty know you want donuts? And why the hell is her stuff here?"
"Let me explain." Gina handed Vash the box of donuts. "Kevin asked me to marry him last night. I told him no, he told me to get out. So I was sitting outside my room when I seen Vash. I told him what happened he said I could stay with him as long as I got him donuts in the morning." She snatched a donut from Vash's hand.
"Hey that was mine." He pouted.
"I see but you slept in the same bed?" Millie asked.
"Just because someone sleeps in a bed with someone doesn't mean anything happened." Everyone nodded agreeing with Gina.
"Bounty is going to be traveling with us from now on." Vash looked down at the empty box of donuts.
"What? That cheep sand slut?" Meryll stood up.
"Sand slut? First time for everything." She knelt down to pack her stuff back into her bag. While she was down her shirt crept up her back showing the whole room what Vash had branded her with.
"You have a tattoo?" Millie sat down next to Gina.
"Yes, it says 'Bounty"."
"No it says Bounty." She pulled her shirt down. "If I were you I wouldn't bend down."
Gina nodded then faced the group; "I need to tell Kevin. He was mad when I said no, he's going to hate the idea of me going with you guys."
"I'll come with you." Vash fixed his hair then walked to room 105. Kevin's door was open so Gina walked in.
"Kevin?"
"Yes?" He was shaving in the bathroom.
"I need to talk to you." Gina looked at him as he was shaving. His bold chest stuck out of his unbuttoned shirt. It reminded her of that last night with Vash and his battle zone of a chest. Kevin walked outside after he wiped the foam off of his face.
"Let's talk in the courtyard, It's nice out today." Gina and Vash fallowed him.
"So Gina, what is it?"
"I'm going to be traveling with Vash and his friends." She was scared at how calm he was.
"I have a question. Last night did your new boy toy scream out Gina or Bounty?"
"What do you mean?" Gina hated when he was like this.
" I can tell you and the tall haired freak had sex. You always acted different after we had sex. It was like you were never a useless, good for nothing, daughter of a bounty hunter." His words where a harsh slap in the face to Gina.
"She doesn't want anything to do with you so leave her alone." Vash stepped in.
"Look who it is. She would have been my wife but now you have her. Are you happy?" Kevin stood up to the already standing Vash.
"Extremely happy and for your knowledge I used both." Vash glared at Kevin over his sunglasses.
"Why you.." He went to punch Vash in the gut but he caught Kevin's fist.
"Fine we can do this the manly way." Kevin grabbed one of Gina's 9mm's and Vash pulled out his gun.
"You guys I'm not worth it!" Bounty's eyes filled with tears.
The two men took a few steps away from each other.
"I said I'm not worth it." She looked up at Kevin from the sidelines.
"I know your not worth it, it's a man thing Gina." Kevin looked at Vash. "On the count of three we end this."
Vash nodded.
"One, two, three." The sound of the gun shoot cracked thought the courtyard. Both Kevin and Vash stood. After the air cleared of the shot's sound the only thing left was the soft sobbing of Gina. She was on the ground looking up at the men.
"Gina?" Vash fell to his knees as Kevin took off running.
"I'm ok; it's just a little bullet hole." She smiled the coughed. She moved her hand to let him see the wound in her chest.
"You can't die. I won't let you." He took her in his arms.
"I'm Bounty, I can't die." Her breath became heavy as she held Vash's hand as he wiped away her tears.
"Be good to Meryll. She needs you more then you know. And never forget me." Gina kissed Vash for the last time.
"I can't believe this." Millie looked at Meryll as they watched everything happen, they too began to sob.
A few days later Regina Emily Miller was put to her final rest. Vash stood looking down at her tombstone noticing her initials, R.E.M.
"It'll be ok." Meryll stood next to her friend. They left flowers at her grave and began to walk towards the desert where Millie was waiting.
"I'll never forget." Vash whispered as they walked over a sand dune and into the desert.
The End
She had heard the rumors about the ace gunman, the sixty billion double dollar man, the Humanoid Typhoon. She never knew what to believe. It didn't matter if she ever met him or not, he was still going to change her life.
"Are you ready to test your wits Bounty?" Said a man from behind the shadow of a tree.
"Yes." Her face lit up as she smiled and reached for the 9mm at her side.
"Not yet. When I say go reach for your guns." Hissed the man. In return the girl nodded.
"GO!"
She grabbed her guns from their holster and fired two shots to the paper cut out of a man. One bullet into the chest and one between the eyes. The man rose from the darkness revealing himself to the desert sun. The hat her wore covered his jet-black hair and his upper face.
"Was this what you wanted?" The girl put her guns back to their homes on her hip.
"This is very good. Welcome to the wonderful world of bounty hunting." , He handed the girl a piece of paper, "Your first job is to find Vash the Stampede."
"Brigit my first job can't be Vash, that's just bullshit." The girl called Bounty snapped.
"You'll do whatever I say bitch." Brigit backslapped the girl sending her to the floor. Standing up Bounty knew she couldn't let people treat her this way. She grabbed her gun and held it to Brigit's head.
"Good girl, I taught you well. Now go get me Vash." Bounty turned and walked away.
"Why must you hunt?" Ashley asked as Gina collected her stuff into a small duffle bag.
"I need money and this place isn't paying what I need." Gina grabbed her jacket and put it on.
"What about Kevin? Are you going to leave your boyfriend to look for a legend?"
"Kevin?" Gina giggled to herself " He thinks I'm going to help my Aunt for a while. It's going to stay that way, right?" She looked into Ashley light blue eyes.
"Yes. Just don't get killed." Ashley hugged her friend.
"I won't." Gina picked up her bag and walked away from the only life she had ever known.
The suns began to set while Gina walked into the desert. The setting sun made the sand glow amber like it was a sea of gold, if only it was true. If the desert were nothing but a sea of gold she wouldn't have to hunt or put her life on the line to be free again. Day became night and the temperature of the desert drooped. It had been a long day for the young bounty hunter. She set a small make shift tent up between two sand dunes so she bonfire would keep her warm. Sighing she looked down at her dinner, some kind of soup.
"Gina you can't think about home, it's been a month and you're hot on the trail of Vash the Stampede." All the sudden her head jerked up and she grabbed for her pistols.
"Who's there?" She yelled. A tall man peeked over the dune to her side.
"Hello." He smiled.
"Why are you here and what do you want from me?" She stood up to get a better aim.
"Please don't shoot me. I'm not here to hurt you." He climbed over the dune. "I seen you walking and I wondered if you needed a bodyguard."
"Why? I'm a big girl." She looked at him something told her she could trust him. She handed him a bowl of soup.
"Gee thanks. I sure am hungry." He sat on the other side of the fire facing Gina.
"No problem, I wasn't going to eat it all anyways." She watched the stranger look at the soup the downed it with one big gulp.
"That was good thanks." Gina nodded at the stranger and sipped her broth. "If you don't mind me asking, why are in the desert all alone? There are plenty of gangs out there willing to do very bad things to a girl like you."
"Well it's business. As for the gangs, I'm not worried." She smiled
"You should be. Hell I'm much bigger then you and I'm scared to death." He handed Gina the bowl back. She simple nodded and put her bowl down.
"So can I be our bodyguard?" He stood up looking down at Gina.
"If you so scared of the gangs how can you save me from them? And how do I know your not going to rob me or something?" She took her long black coat off revealing her tight black top, black pants and her holsters.
"Um..well." He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed at the sight of Bounty.
She was very beautiful, anyone would tell you that. Her silver/ gray eyes were fixed on the man while her long black hair fell down her back in one long braid.
"Well?" She was confused at why men acted like that around her.
"I won't. You can even keep your guns with you." He broke from her line of vision by moving into the darkness.
"Sounds good to me. I must warn you I sleep very lightly. Try anything and I'll give you another hole in your head."
"That's ok, I won't try anything." He sat down where Gina once sat.
Bounty climbed into the make shift tent. She removed her holsters then her boots.
"Before I go to sleep, what's your name?"
"It's ..um.er..Bill, and yours?" He kept his back to the girl.
"My real name is Gina but my friends call me Bounty." She lay looking at the roof of the tent.
"Bounty huh? Hwy what ever floats their boats." He smiled into the fire. He sat watching the flames dance until he couldn't keep his eyes open.
"Just a little nap." He yawned and lay down next to the tent. As soon as his head hit the ground the tent began to shake.
"What the hell?" He looked inside to find Gina curled up into a ball shaking. "Bounty?"
"Give me my boot." She pointed to the bulky black boots just outside of the tent. He did as he was told and handed Gina her boots. She quickly grabbed a small pillbox from one. After downing a pill she lay back down letting the shaking slowly stop.
"What was that?" He asked.
"My big problem." She leaned closer to the blonde." It could kill me."
"Why don't you go to a doctor or something?" He sat back on his legs.
"I can't afford it, that's why I hunt."
He new friend looked puzzled, "Hunt?"
"I'm a bounty hunter." Gina put her holster back around her hip.
"Oh really? Well I think you should get some more sleep."
"Sleep, the suns are coming back up." She yawns slightly and stretched. Her black shirt rose as she brought her arms over her head placing her hands on her head.
"You're my bodyguard, why didn't you notice we're being watched? Don't look but there are two behind the dunes in front of us and two behind the dune behind us."
"I was making sure you weren't dieing. I lost my concentration, I'm sorry." He watched her put her boots on and packed her stuff back into her bag.
"Are you armed?" Gina checked her ammo in her two 9mm's.
"Yes." He showed her his custom silver gun.
"Good." She stood and undid the make shift tent shoving it into her bag. "Walk with me."
"Hold it right there." Gina felt the harsh cold of the gun barrel into the small of her back. She stopped and dropped her hands to her side.
"You sure are pretty." His breath was hot on her neck. Bounty looked over to try to find her new friend. She could only see a tall man in a red trench coat.
"I would hate to hurt that pretty face of yours so don't move." The man's free hand reached around Gina and slid up her shirt. She hated the feeling of the man wanting to feel her up, so she tosses her head back smashing the man in the face. He fell back onto the ground.
"Don't move you scum." Her gun point blank on his head.
"I was only having a little fun." His beady eyes crossed to look at the gun between them.
"I don't like your kind of fun." She looked around at the leftover three.
"If you kill Al I'll kill your friend." Another thug had the Vash look alike on his knees with a gun to his head.
"My friend? I don't even know who the hell that guy is." Bounty kick the first thug in the face.
"It's me Bill." He smiled.
"You look different." Gina raised her gun to aim at the other thug.
"Listen girly, I don't want to hurt your friend. If you like you can take his spot." A smiled wiped across the ugly face of the man.
She raised her eyebrow at the idea and got to her knees to take her friends spot.
"Good girl." The new thug was even uglier then the last. Gina smiled then shot him in the knee.
"Let's go." Gina stood up.
"What about the other three?"
"I don't know Vash."
"Vash?" He stopped and looked down at Bounty.
"Your Vash the Stampede." She gabbed her guns into both is gut and his chest.
"Please don't kill me. It's not four and eight." He pleaded.
"Four and eight? What the hell?"
"You know four and eight." His eyes moved to the right then to the left.
"Oh four and eight." She swung her arms out to the sides hitting the remaining two thugs in the faces.
"I thought I was going to have to spell it out to you."
"Thank you." She looked back at the men lying on the ground. The turned and began to walk away.
"So are you going to shoot me and bring me in for the bounty or keep me alive?" Vash watched as Gina they walked away from the campsite.
"Who said I was going to turn you in? You saved my ass, so I'll save yours." She looked at the dunes in front of her.
"I'm happy to hear that because I really don't want to get arrested."
"But if you do anything to disrespect me, I won't think twice about shooting you in that ugly mug of yours." She shivered. "I need a shower to get those thugs scum off."
The two stopped walking after an hour or two. Gina took her off her jacket and cut a few slits in her shirt.
"Sorry about the stop. How do you stay cool in that big coat of yours?" She looked up at the man; the sun reflecting off his sunglasses mad him look like the legend he was.
"Beats me, I just do."
From behind the pair the soft sound of a group of some kind of animal made it's way to Gina's ear. Both Vash and Gina grabbed their guns and kept them at ready.
"It's the insurance girls!" Vash waved.
"Who?" Bounty kept her gun up.
"Friends, hopefully with donuts." He walked over to greet the two.
"Vash!" Millie waved.
"Hello Millie, Meryll." He smiled and waved.
"Do you know how long it took us to find you?" Meryll snapped.
"Um..Hi Meryll. This is my new friend Bounty." He pointed back at Gina.
"Don't you 'Hi Meryll' me." She looked at Bounty then turned to Vash. "Where did you meet her? How do you know she's isn't going to kill you?"
"I wouldn't kill Vash unless he gave me a reason to but you're a different story." Gina smirked at the short dark haired girl.
"Listen, Bounty. What kind of name is that? You should just leave. I would make us feel much better."
"My real name is Gina. My nickname is Bounty. And I'm not leaving."
"Meryll, if she's a friend of Vash, she a friend of ours." Millie walked over to Bounty and held out her hand. "I'm Millie Thompson; it's nice to meet you."
Bounty put her gun away and shook Millie's hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Where are you headed?" Millie looked at Vash.
"Anywhere I can get a room. Some damned gang jumped us. Then a thug got touchy feely." She shivered then the shiver turned into a shake. Gina fell to the ground and blacked out.
"Oh no, what's happening?"
"Well Millie, Bounty here has a problem. She needs to see a doctor about this or she'll die." Vash kneeled down besides Gina.
"VASH!" Gina screamed out as she woke up.
"What did I do?" He looked down at her.
She said nothing just reached down into her boot and grabbed her pillbox. The shaking stopped and she stood up.
"I'm sorry about that." She looked at the three. "I best be going."
"I want to go with you. I know a doctor who could help you" Vash looked at the town that was just within view.
"I can't afford it." She picked up her stuff.
"He owes me a favor." He motioned the other girls to fallow.
Gina didn't get the name of the town as they walked in. It seemed not to be important at the time. Vash said he could help her, which was all she cared about. The doctor that Vash was speaking of was at the far end of the town. He was a short balding man around the age of 40. As Gina told him her problem he kept pushing his glasses up his noses as if agreeing with her.
"How long has this been going on m'dear?" He asked
"All my life."
"I see." He looked down at the test results. "Vash can I see you outside?" The doctor walked out of the room fallowed by Vash.
"What is it Doc?" His face showed his worry for the dark haired girl in the room.
"She needs a lot of work. It something I can fix but it's going to cost you son."
"What's the cost?"
"This may sound a little steep but this is how much work she needs, $$ 600,000." He pushed his glasses up his thin nose.
Vash dug deep into his pocket and handed the doctor what he asked for.
"I have a question, is she worth it?"
"Yes, every human life is worth being saved." Together Vash and the doctor walked back into the room.
"Is everything all right?" Gina's eyes enlarged.
"You'll be fine." He smiled at Gina.
"Thank you." She hugged him lightly as if he were made of glass.
"Well..um..it's was no problem." He blushed
"Well no to the hard part, fallow me m'dear." Bounty fallowed the doctor into the back.
"You're lucky to have someone like Vash. He saved your life." He made Gina lay down on the operation table.
"I know." She sighed then was put out.
"Can he help her?' Millie asked as Vash walked into the small waiting room.
"Yes." He looked at Meryll then sat down next to her.
"It's good you helped her and all but she's just another bounty hunter, we can't trust her."
Millie got up and walked to the other side of the room, "Why not? She seemed nice."
"Now she'll be healthy, she could have been using Vash. We know how he falls for a pretty face."
"I agree with Millie."
Two hours pasted before the doctor visited the waiting room. He held her charts as he entered.
"How is she?" Millie stood to greet the him.
"She's doing better. Vash that was $$600,000 well spent."
"$$600,000!?! Are you crazy?" Meryll's eyes widened.
"I did what needed to be done." He got up and fallowed the doctor in to the hall.
"Can I see her?" He whispered. The doctor nodded and led Vash to a room at the end of the hall. She was asleep with her hair down. It fell down her sides to her hip where holsters were once.
"She's some catch. Not many like her anymore. I'll leave you alone." The doctor walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
Vash sat down next to Bounty 's bed. Fore some stranger reason she reminded him of Rem. "Don't think of her." He thought to himself. He felt the tears run down his cheek as Gina's eyes fluttered open. She looked up at the crying blonde, what a legend.
"Are you ok Vash?" She asked.
He wiped away his tears, "I'm fine."
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours." She looked like a new girl to Vash. No longer was she a hard assesed bounty hunter but a famine beautiful woman.
Outside the door Meryll and Millie peeked into the window in the door.
"Se doesn't look like the same girl." Meryll whispered.
"I know." Millie agreed.
Gina sat up in her bed, as her sheets slipped she realized she was topless. She snatched the sheet before anything was clearly seen.
"Your friends are dolls. You should be happy to have them. I have learned a few things from being a hunter, and the most important one is that you can never have too many friends."
"Yes they are great girls. Don't mind Meryll, she can be snappy at times."
"They're watching us." Gina leaned closer to Vash.
"I know. They like to make sure I'm safe." He chuckled.
"I can understand. So what damage did the Doc do to me? I know he did something to my back." She leaned forward to let Vash have a look. There was nothing really bad, just a small cut above her "Bounty" tattoo on her lower back.
"Just a little cut nothing too bad." He began to blush just realizing Bounty was nude under the sheets.
"Bounty how are you? " Millie asked as the insurance girls walked into the room.
"Good thank you." Millie's smile met Gina's.
"She looks much different but still not worth $$600,000." Meryll sat in the corner.
"What are you talking about Meryll?" Gina looked at Meryll, then at Vash, then back at Meryll.
"Vash paid for you little surgery. It cost him $$600,000. Personally I think it was waste of money."
"Meryll what has gotten into to you?" Millie was surprised at how her friend was acting.
"I understand. I can see where you're coming from. Vash is a great guy I can understand if you want him all for yourself." She stood up wrapping her sheets around herself.
"I don't like Vash that way, he's business." She mouthed.
"Excuse me I need to get dressed."
No one said a word until Gina came out of the bathroom. She had came back to her old self.
"I better be going it was nice meeting you all." Bounty smiled and shook Meryll and Millie's hand. When it came to Vash she hugged him then kissed his cheek. She didn't look back.
Before leaving the city Bounty stopped at one of the town's taverns. She sat in the corner sipping her drink.
"Vash the Stamped." She sighed.
"Hello miss. Can I buy you a drink?" A tall handsome man asked. She looked up at him and smiled, "Kevin, how did you find me?"
"Ashley told me about you becoming a hunter. Why couldn't you tell me?" He asked sitting down
next to her.
"You would have told me not to go." She looked down at her drink.
"It's because I love you. I don't want you to get hurt." Kevin kissed her forehead.
"Bounty!"
Gina looked up. Vash, Millie and Meryll were sitting at a table not too far from Kevin and Gina.
"Hey who's your friend?" Vash asked.
"This is Kevin. Kevin this is Millie, Meryll and Vash." Bounty introduced her friends.
"Vash huh? Like Vash the Stampede?" Kevin's eyes became fixed on the tall blonde.
"Nope, just Vash." He extended his hand to meet Kevin's.
"Nice to meet you all. So how do you know Gina?"
Vash pulled two chairs to the table, "We met last night. She's a cool girl."
"I seem to like her." Kevin kissed Gina's neck softly.
"Not here." She looked at Vash while speaking to Kevin.
"So how do you and Gina know each other?" Millie asked between a sip of her drink.
"We have been friends for several years. I loved her from the very first day I met her." He stood up. "I'm in room 105. I really want to talk to you later Gina. Good night everyone." Kevin kissed Gina again. He waved and walked away.
'He's your boyfriend huh?" Meryll asked.
"Yes, I love him very much." She knew she meant the words but they seemed empty to her now.
Vash put his glass on the table; "I better be getting some sleep as well. It was a long day." Everyone waved as Vash walked away.
Two drinks and an hour later everyone went to their rooms.
"Room 115." Gina thought to herself. As she reached the room she heard the water running.
"He's freshening up for me." Bounty let herself in to the room. She took off her boots and her holsters placing them on the bed. The water stopped and the door opened. He had a towel around his waist his hair fell down to his shoulders.
"Vash?!?" Gina was shocked at his appearance but mostly at his chest, which was a battle zone of scars.
"Bounty!" He began to blush heavily.
"I'm so sorry. I thought Kevin said 115." She turned her head.
"It's my fault too. I should have locked the door." He went back into the bathroom
"You're pretty beat up and I thought I was bad." She giggled.
"Yeah I am." He chuckled along.
"That Kevin is really nice. He's a lucky guy."
"I think he's nice too. Why do you say he's lucky?"
Vash didn't answer just closed the door to the bathroom.
"I best be going. I'm sorry about this." Gina left room 115 and found Kevin in room 105.
"Gina will you marry me?" Kevin was down on one knee as soon as Gina walked into the door.
Vash finished in the bathroom and walked into the main room.
"I can't believe this." He sat down on his bed. He could still feel her in the room. She was always with him for some reason. His mind began to race and time seemed to stop as he felt the cold of a small box against his bare back. It was Gina's pillbox. He opened it to find a small note and a bullet inside.
Dear Vash,
I'm sorry I couldn't have spent more time with you. Your everything I hoped you would be. I hope Meryll and you are happy together. Oh the bullet is the last thing my father gave to me before he died. He saved my life, as did you. So this is for you.
Love-
Gina
Vash began to cry again. "I told myself I wouldn't do cry. I have to tell her good bye."
He left his room to go find room 105. He knocked on the door lightly. The door swung open as he hit air on his third knock.
"How can I help you?"
Vash looked down at Gina not saying a word.
"Vash what is it?" She closed the door and looked up at him.
"I don't want to say good bye." He hugged her not knowing he was squeezing to tight.
"Um..you can let go now."
"I'm sorry." He let her go.
"It's ok; we don't have to say good bye. I'll always be traveling. We might run into each other again."
"No, that won't do. I can't stand to think about you not being with me." He sat down against the wall behind him.
"I don't like it either." She leaned closer to Vash.
He looked into her silver/gray eyes, " I can't tell you how happy you've made me."
"I can show you how happy you've made me." Gina kisses the $$60 billion dollar man.
"There is one thing I must tell you." She said after pulling away.
"What is it?" His eyes hungry for more of what she had given him.
"Kevin asked me to marry him."
"What did you say?"
"I told him no."
"Why? You said you loved him."
"Yes, I loved him. I don't anymore." She disappeared into Kevin's hotel room. She came back out with all her stuff.
"Where are you going?"
"Can I stay in your room?" She looked up at Vash.
"Um..sure." He smiled. Together they walked to Vash's room. When they had shut and locked the door Gina took her boots off then her holsters.
"One bed huh?" She smiled to herself.
"Yeah, I like to sleep on two myself."
"You can have the bed; I'm fine on the floor." She undid her hair and began to brush it out.
"We can share. I'm not touchy feely like those thugs." He took off his long red trench coat and laid it in a chair. Bounty was in the bathroom changing. He could see her shadow as she peeled both her pants and shirt off. She returned wearing a white pj set. Vash looked at her and began to blush.
"You shouldn't be so nervous around me." She sat down on the bed; Vash sat next to her.
"I'm not nervous, Vash the Stampede is never nervous."
"I can't believe that. Before I forget, thank you for the room." She kissed him again. He met her kiss with force that drove her to do the same.
"Let's see if you really are a legend." She pulled him close to her as she slide her hands behind his neck. Gina pulled him over her as she lay down.
For the first time in most of her life Gina had a good night sleep. She noted both the fact she was nude with the fact she had Vash's arms around her. "It wasn't a dream." She thought to herself.
"Vash are you awake?" She whispered.
"I have been for a while." He kissed the back of her neck.
"We should get going. We can't stay here like this all day."
"Why not?" He whined.
"Because I said so. We could be some donuts." She giggled then sat up.
"Really?" He looked up at Gina.
Bounty grabbed her shirt, "Sure."
"Wait!" Vash grabbed a pen and wrote Vash then a heart over Gina's "Bounty" tattoo.
"Hey that tickled." She wiggled into her clothing then went into the bathroom coming out looking like her bas assed self. "I'll get the donuts, stay put."
As she left Vash's room she seen Meryll and Millie coming down the hall.
"Good morning Bounty." Millie smiled.
"Good morning girls." She smiled back.
A few minutes later Vash heard a knock on his door.
"One minute." He put his clothes on and opened the door. His blonde hair down around his face.
"Hello ladies."
"Vash it's almost noon." Meryll pushed her way into his room.
Vash pulled up two chairs for his lady friends as he sat on his bed.
"I just got up so excuse the mess."
"I'm back with the donuts you wanted." Gina opened the door." Oh hello."
"If you just woke up how does Bounty know you want donuts? And why the hell is her stuff here?"
"Let me explain." Gina handed Vash the box of donuts. "Kevin asked me to marry him last night. I told him no, he told me to get out. So I was sitting outside my room when I seen Vash. I told him what happened he said I could stay with him as long as I got him donuts in the morning." She snatched a donut from Vash's hand.
"Hey that was mine." He pouted.
"I see but you slept in the same bed?" Millie asked.
"Just because someone sleeps in a bed with someone doesn't mean anything happened." Everyone nodded agreeing with Gina.
"Bounty is going to be traveling with us from now on." Vash looked down at the empty box of donuts.
"What? That cheep sand slut?" Meryll stood up.
"Sand slut? First time for everything." She knelt down to pack her stuff back into her bag. While she was down her shirt crept up her back showing the whole room what Vash had branded her with.
"You have a tattoo?" Millie sat down next to Gina.
"Yes, it says 'Bounty"."
"No it says Bounty." She pulled her shirt down. "If I were you I wouldn't bend down."
Gina nodded then faced the group; "I need to tell Kevin. He was mad when I said no, he's going to hate the idea of me going with you guys."
"I'll come with you." Vash fixed his hair then walked to room 105. Kevin's door was open so Gina walked in.
"Kevin?"
"Yes?" He was shaving in the bathroom.
"I need to talk to you." Gina looked at him as he was shaving. His bold chest stuck out of his unbuttoned shirt. It reminded her of that last night with Vash and his battle zone of a chest. Kevin walked outside after he wiped the foam off of his face.
"Let's talk in the courtyard, It's nice out today." Gina and Vash fallowed him.
"So Gina, what is it?"
"I'm going to be traveling with Vash and his friends." She was scared at how calm he was.
"I have a question. Last night did your new boy toy scream out Gina or Bounty?"
"What do you mean?" Gina hated when he was like this.
" I can tell you and the tall haired freak had sex. You always acted different after we had sex. It was like you were never a useless, good for nothing, daughter of a bounty hunter." His words where a harsh slap in the face to Gina.
"She doesn't want anything to do with you so leave her alone." Vash stepped in.
"Look who it is. She would have been my wife but now you have her. Are you happy?" Kevin stood up to the already standing Vash.
"Extremely happy and for your knowledge I used both." Vash glared at Kevin over his sunglasses.
"Why you.." He went to punch Vash in the gut but he caught Kevin's fist.
"Fine we can do this the manly way." Kevin grabbed one of Gina's 9mm's and Vash pulled out his gun.
"You guys I'm not worth it!" Bounty's eyes filled with tears.
The two men took a few steps away from each other.
"I said I'm not worth it." She looked up at Kevin from the sidelines.
"I know your not worth it, it's a man thing Gina." Kevin looked at Vash. "On the count of three we end this."
Vash nodded.
"One, two, three." The sound of the gun shoot cracked thought the courtyard. Both Kevin and Vash stood. After the air cleared of the shot's sound the only thing left was the soft sobbing of Gina. She was on the ground looking up at the men.
"Gina?" Vash fell to his knees as Kevin took off running.
"I'm ok; it's just a little bullet hole." She smiled the coughed. She moved her hand to let him see the wound in her chest.
"You can't die. I won't let you." He took her in his arms.
"I'm Bounty, I can't die." Her breath became heavy as she held Vash's hand as he wiped away her tears.
"Be good to Meryll. She needs you more then you know. And never forget me." Gina kissed Vash for the last time.
"I can't believe this." Millie looked at Meryll as they watched everything happen, they too began to sob.
A few days later Regina Emily Miller was put to her final rest. Vash stood looking down at her tombstone noticing her initials, R.E.M.
"It'll be ok." Meryll stood next to her friend. They left flowers at her grave and began to walk towards the desert where Millie was waiting.
"I'll never forget." Vash whispered as they walked over a sand dune and into the desert.
The End