Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun
A LIFE IN THE SHADE
PROTECTION
It was quiet as they walked into the saloon, the dull echo of their footsteps the only sound. They sat upon the empty bar stool at the far end of the bar, pushing their cloak to hang limply behind them.
The bartender walked over, leaning on the bar with a thick arm. 'Never seen you here before,' he said, receiving no response from the stranger. 'What's you're business here mister?'
The newcomer raised their hands, one gripping the top of the hood and the other something underneath. The hood fell back, hanging from the collar of the coat to reveal their face, a mask hanging loosely around their neck. 'I'll have a beer.'
'Of course, sorry miss,' the bartender murmured as he rushed off.
The woman brushed her black hair from her face, uninterested in the mistake as she examined her nails, only looking up when the bartender appeared before her again, placing the drink before her. 'Here you go miss, that'll be three double dollars and twenty c cents.'
She dropped the money on the counter, taking the drink in hand. She downed it in one go, glad to sate her thirst.
'So anyway, you got a name stranger?'
She smirked as she stood from the stool, her hand reaching to grasp the hood of her cloak. 'Why does it matter to you?'
Her footsteps thudded across the saloon, the silence still thick as she pushed through the doors to disappear into the roar of the late afternoon winds.
She raced along the vast desert stretch, revelling in the wind as it roared through her, coat fanning out like a black cloud in her wake. The sound of her motorbike growling over the strong desert winds calmed her, the only solace in her life.
She was nearing her destination, a large mansion gradually growing in size as she approached it. Something inside her was tempted to keep driving though, to rev her engine and take off to the horizon, whether she needed the money or not.
Yet still she brought her vehicle to a halt in front of the iron gates, a speaker crackling to life as soon as she killed the engine.
'Do you have business with Mr Reiner?'
'His advertisement for a personal body-guard caught my eye,' she replied, her voice sounding so cold, flat.
A moment passed. 'Please park your vehicle inside the gate and make your way to the door by foot.'
Slowly, the gates opened with a groan, allowing her to enter. They closed with a loud clang as she parked her motorbike inside the gate, gravel crunching beneath her feet right to the front door. Before she'd knocked, it swung open, a pleasant old woman. 'Welcome to the Reiner estate,' she greeted with a smile and a curtsy. 'Please, follow me.'
Without a moments wait, the maid led her to a tea room in the east wing of the large mansion. She hurried in, straightening the table cloth before she offered a chair.
She shook her head. 'Thank you, but it was a long ride.'
'Of course,' the maid said, still smiling so brightly. 'Mr Reiner will be with you momentarily.'
She waited for the door to click shut before she moved to the thick curtain. She pushed the purple velvet aside with long finger, staring straight into the shadows outside the mansion.
'I can see why you are in search of a body guard, Mr Reiner,' she said, eyes still on the figure as it moved through the darkness.
'Already you are looking to be a good candidate. You have the eyes and the ears, I can tell,' Mr Reiner said, surprise in his deep voice as she turned to face him, the curtain falling back into place. He tilted his head slightly, stout body no where near as intimidating as he believed. 'But, can I trust you. I don't know if you are qualified? You have yet to even show me your face or tell me your name.'
She pushed the hood from her head and pulled the mask down. 'Shade will do,' she said, 'and I have the qualifications. I've been doing this since I was sixteen.'
'That's all well and good but, I'm looking for someone with a little more–'
A shot rang out, the confined room amplifying it, sending Mr Reiner ducking behind his arms. As silence fell, a thud sounded outside the window. Mr Reiner stared at her for a moment, edging around her when she stepped aside to reveal a small hole in the curtain.
He pushed the curtain aside, a small hole in the glass, eyes drawn through it to the man lying on the ground only five feet from the window. His gaze snapped to her. 'I didn't even see you move,' he stuttered.
'If you want protection, I'm the one for the job,' she said, a flash of silver disappearing beneath her cloak.
Mr Reiner took a breath as he fixed his vest, hand gesturing absently towards the door. 'Shall we go discuss your position over some dinner?'
She followed him to the dining hall, settling into her seat, prepared for the same lecture, one that would – as always – take far longer than it needed to.
He droned for half an hour, and all the while she blocked him out, enjoying a hot meal before she leant back in her chair, resisting the urge to kick her feet up on the embroidered cloth. She sipped at the contents of her glass of wine, only half listening to Mr Reiner. She swirled the liquid, watching as the red clung to the glass before slowly sliding down, the colours constantly changing.
'…in conclusion, you shall be paid ten thousand double dollars a week to protect myself and my estate with your life until the attacks stop. Do you accept?'
'I have one condition of my own.'
'And what is that?'
She glanced up. 'Leave me alone, unless you absolutely require my audience.'
'Of course,' Mr Reiner said, unsurprised by the request. She'd sat through dinner in silence, never once interrupting him in his speech.
Never once showing any desire to speak at all.
Shade swirled the wine again before draining the glass. She stood, offering a quick bow to Mr Reiner, only pausing to briefly thank the maid that had stook vigilant by the door, her smile constant and never fake.
She went straight to the roof. She sat on the edge, facing to the east of the as she pulled a handgun from the right gun sling underneath her cloak. She checked the large weapon thoroughly, searching for any faults or damage that it could have sustained when she'd last used it, but each was in perfect condition.
She reached to her right knee, fingers brushing the metal handle of the knife before she unsheathed it from her boot, a soft chink sounding as it passed each of the four buckles. She threw it at the stone of the roof beside her, watching as it embedded an inch. She pulled it from the rough stone, watching as the moonlight danced across the blade.
Everything is as it should be.
She sheathed the knife in her boot buckles again and checked that it was secure before she pulled the mask over her nose and hood over her head. Without a thought she jumped from the roof, plummeting four stories before she landed solidly on her feet.
The hunt begins.
The sun was still far beneath the horizon when he finally reached the iron gate. He stretched a moment, cracking his back before leaning to rest his hands on leather clad knees.
No, he hadn't walked the whole way, but his lift had only taken him halfway, kicking him off with a word of warning about the harsh sun before they motored into the distance.
Harsh sun was an understatement.
This must be the place, he thought warily, head swivelling as he looked around for a speaker. He frowned, seeing no speaker. He glanced up at the iron gate, withholding as sigh as he realised his best option was to climb in and hope for the best.
Great, I want a job and I'm going to have to break in to ask for it.
He stared at the lit mansion ahead, mind instantly wandering to a nice meal before he gripped the iron bars and hoisted himself up.
Shade heard gravel crunching under footsteps, the sound making her ears twitch. She turned from the mansion and walked towards the iron gates, following the line of the driveway, glancing between the trees to see a tall man, one even taller than herself. At five eleven, it was a difficult thing to do, meaning he had to be at least six feet, probably closer to six two.
He walked straight past her, completely oblivious, red coat swaying behind him as he dragged tired feet. Shade stepped onto the gravel, her soles making no sound as she crouched. In one swift movement, she launched herself into the air, a gun to his throat before her feet touched the ground. 'You have three seconds to identify yourself.'
Gloved hands shot up beside his head. 'Whoa, wait,' he pleaded. 'I don't want any trouble. I'm just looking for a job.'
She pushed harder. 'Identify yourself.'
'Do I have to?' he asked, nearly making her falter. 'I hate saying my name. It's embarrassing.'
Shade cocked the gun. 'Next thing to move will be the trigger,' she said, glaring out from beneath the hood, though he wouldn't be able to see her eyes. 'Who are you?'
He gulped. 'Vash.'
'Vash, as in, the Stampede?'
He groaned, arms dropping slightly. 'I hate it when people call me by my full name.'
Shade laughed beneath her hood and mask. 'Do you expect me to believe that when you're cowering?'
'No, but–'
'But what?'
'Can you please put your gun away? I just came about Mr Reiner's job offer.'
'The position has already been filled,' Shade said, 'but I'll take you to him so he can decide what he wants to do with you for trespassing on his estate.'
'That's fine,' he said quickly. 'I mean no harm. The only reason I'm trespassing is because no one answered the gate.'
She moved to his side, barrel coming to rest beneath his chin as Shade escorted him to the mansion, a part of her wanting to laugh at the name he'd given her.
As if he could be Vash the Stampede.
This is a re-write of a fan fiction I originally published on my DeviantArt page. My DeviantArt ID is: 6Eternal6Fate6.
As it is a re-write, I will be updating it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays of each week until the completion.
I hope you enjoy it, and please send a comment my way if you get the chance. I love hearing from readers.
~ Ryuk In Person ~