A/N: Well would you look at what I remembered? Obviously my deal didn't happen. I had issues with loading anything to this account for the longest time, then I sort of forgot about this story. And then I became a nursing student, and since then any hobbies I have are sporadic, just like my writing has become. Life happens. Deal with it. But lucky for you guys, my Trigun love has reawakened, hence, the remembrance of this story. I do promise to try and finish this though, since its so close to the end.
Chapter 10: Loyalty
Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice.
- Woodrow T. Wilson
Meryl could feel herself shaking. She reached out a hand to check on Mr. Wolfwood, but her hand stopped short. She was too afraid to touch him. Afraid of what she would find. She looked up, eyes shining, at the gathered group, prepared to say something.
"How could you?"
The soft words hadn't come from her though, the dark haired woman looked up to see Millie.
"How could you?" the rough emotional voice accused again, louder this time.
Millie's eyes shone with unshed tears and Meryl caught her bottom lip tremble. Though she was struggling not to cry, even Meryl had to resist the urge not to back away from Millie. The large woman had such a fierce look in her eyes that it stunned even Meryl. Millie's fists balled up and the brunette was shaking.
"How could you?!" Millie shouted.
"He was only…" Millie's words died off as she struggled for control.
No one in the group responded to Millie's accusation. Most of them still stood wide-eyed and staring.
"He was only trying to help!" Millie finally got out, "only trying to do what was right! And you shot him! You shot him!"
Millie stepped around Meryl and walked toward the man in the rear who had fired the shot. The group of men parted like the Red Sea to let the angry brunette through. Millie came to stand directly in front of the man, her bottom lip trembling and eyes shining.
"Why? He was just protecting us and Mr. Vash," she began quietly, "now whose going to raise money for the orphanage? I won't forgive you!" Millie finished with her voice rising.
Millie drew back one of her balled fists and, to everyone's surprise, promptly punched the guy in the mouth. The man's head snapped back and he landed sprawled in the sand dazed.
That got the group's attention and they started to gather closer to the girls again. Millie grabbed her forgotten stun-gun and took up a defiant position in front of Wolfwood on the ground and Meryl kneeling besides him. Meryl couldn't ever remember seeing such a cold, hard look in Millie's eyes before.
"Stay back!" Millie shouted pointing the huge gun around at the men with an uncharacteristic scowl.
Everyone seemed to think twice about advancing on the obviously enraged woman.
"Calm down there woman," someone began, " it was an…"
Millie brought the large gun to bear right at the man's head cutting off the rest of his words.
"You can't take us all on at once missy, you might as well put that thing down before someone gets hurt."
"That's right, whose going to come to your rescue now?"
"The sheriff behind you," Millie answered evenly.
At those words many of the men began to laugh at Millie.
"What have you gentlemen done?" someone asked above the noise.
The laughter quickly died away as all at once, everyone turned their head to indeed, see the sheriff sitting upon a Thomas behind the group of men. He was perched there with a shotgun resting on one arm. The sheriff wasn't the only one behind them though; his larger posse was there, all upon Thomas'.
Meryl couldn't believe her eyes. And from the looks on many of the men's faces, neither could they. Caught up in the emotional scene that was unfolding before them, no one had noticed the sheriff's arrival.
"What have you done?" the sheriff asked again louder.
"But Sheriff, Vash the Stampede is in there!" a blonde man yelled and pointed towards the door of the Plant.
"And they was protecting him!" the same man yelled pointing at Millie's group.
"So you had to gun down a priest?" the sheriff asked harshly.
"How did you know he was a priest?"
"That doesn't matter," the sheriff cut in, "who shot him? Well? Who was it?"
All eyes went to the man still sprawled on the ground.
"Sean, you hotheaded idiot," the sheriff mumbled.
"All right everyone! Sean is under arrest and if the rest of you don't want to end up in jail with him you'll disperse now! This charade is over! You will leave and let the law deal with Vash the Stampede."
The sheriff's words didn't go over well with the group of men and everyone started mumbling angrily to themselves.
"We've already shot a preacher to get to that outlaw!" the blonde man shouted.
That proclamation only made the gathered group agree and the mumbling turned to outright cursing. Millie tensed and tightened her grip on the stun-gun, prepared to defend the door no matter what. She was prepared to follow Nicholas down if she had to, but she was not going to let anyone through that door after Mr. Vash. She wasn't about to dishonor her priest's sacrifice like that.
Meryl saw Millie tense, and saw the pure conviction of the larger woman. Oh Millie, she thought. Perhaps Millie should really be in charge. Mr. Wolfwood had stood his ground to defend them and Vash after she foolishly ran out here, now Millie was prepared to make the same sacrifice, and here she was, trembling and cowering on the ground. That just would not due. Wasn't she Millie's mentor after all? Wasn't she the one always lecturing Vash on doing the right thing? And wasn't she the one who ran out in front of the crowd?
With a determined look Meryl drew one of her last derringers and stood up. She came to stand next to Millie and in front of Wolfwood. She felt Millie shift closer to her for support. When Meryl raised her gun to the crowd, this time her hand did not shake.
Vash barely stumbled up the short stairs to the base of the huge bulb shape that was the plant. It was just like last time; this place was so crushing in intensity he could barely stand. The blonde drug himself up to the glass and gently placed his hand upon it.
"Don't be afraid, let me help you," he said quietly.
Vash saw the ghostly human shape appear somewhere in the depths of the light. The shape floated eerily closer and the humanoid features began to focus into clarity. Surreal hands came down to give their ghost touch to the glass where Vash's hands rested, and a head, with hair trailing out like tentacles, came to rest upon the glass.
Vash inclined his head toward the glass and placed his forehead against the smooth, cool surface and closed his eyes.
He felt the soft inhuman, and familiar brush against his mind.
Pain. Where did all this pain come from? The blonde couldn't move away now if he tried, it felt like he was physically stuck to the glass by a strong magnet, so he gritted his teeth in determination. Underneath the pain, there was something else though. Something Vash was struggling to understand. Dread, an overbearing sense of dread flooded the blonde and made him weak in the knees. He was sure he would have toppled over if he hadn't been locked into place.
"Help me, I don't understand... " he whispered.
Voices everywhere. Too many voices everywhere. They were too foreign, not family, and too mixed to understand what any of them were saying. What was going on? What did they want? Why were they so angry all the time? So many voices that shouldn't be angry. Short lived and silenced so easily, life span's within the blink of an eye, they didn't have time to be angry. But they were. They always were.
Vash understood. He remembered Rem's words so clearly now.
Rem, what's wrong with me?
Why, there's nothing wrong with you Vash...
No one's fate is ever certain Vash. I believe we chose our own paths. You must simply find yours...
This pain, this suffering, they weren't his. Nothing was wrong with him.
"I think I understand now. I know what I have to do. Let me share your pain," Vash whispered, not even sure if he said it out loud or not.
Too much pain. Too much suffering. Too much anger. Too much hate. It seeped and permeated everything it touched. Tainted thoughts and feelings until there was nothing left but resentment. Resentment for dependency. Resentment for continuation. Resentment for life.
Vash felt like his head was going to burst. It was too much and his body began to tremble with the strain. Life leached from him and he didn't notice. Although he couldn't see it, he felt flush as all the color drained out of his face. Skin almost translucent. The world around him slowly faded to silence.
It hurt. The resentment hurt. It was suffocating. Black. Overwhelming. Disorienting. Such short flames should be happy. Gracious. No time. Children should play, not hate...
The whole room seemed to groan in pain. Tiny sparks crackled at some of the consoles. A sharp gasp came from the rooms only occupant. Then the groan died with a sigh and everything went pitch black. Lights, panels, and everything else depending on power went blank and silent as their source of life was sucked away. Vash, so caught up in the feelings flooding him, was oblivious to the happenings around him.
The sheriff fired a warning shot into the air with his shotgun as he carefully dismounted. The noise drew the attention of the crowd momentarily.
"If any of you so much as steps towards that door, all your hides will be decorating my jail cell! I told you to disburse. Now! And I meant it!"
He accented his point by cocking the shotgun again and bringing it with unwavering finality to point steadily at the man closest to the two women. The rest of the sheriff's posse took the cue and leveled their guns off at specific members of the lynch mob. The mob in turn, turned it's attention away from the Insurance girls and aimed their weapons at the sheriff and his posse.
Meryl and Millie instinctively tightened their grips on their own guns as the world held it's breath.
Flashes of the possible fire fight almost made Meryl's hands start to shake again. Could she possible hope to defend the door against so many people? It's what Vash would do. It's what Mr. Wolfwood had done. It's what Millie was already prepared to do. She strengthened her resolve, pushed her fear back, and stood her ground.
It became so quiet in that second that stretched a life time, that Meryl was sure she could hear everyone's heart beating with the tension. It reminded her of the calm before the storm.
The impending disaster never had a chance to unfold.
Just as she was sure it was about to begin, a loud groan caught everyone's attention. Everyone's head turned to face the building, and just like that, everything literally shut off. The blackout started with the lights on the side of the building, and rolled like a dark wave across the entire city. She heard Millie gasp beside her, although the larger woman never moved from her position. Meryl imagined she could hear a few people down in May City scream in fright at the sudden lose of power.
"What the... " someone choked out.
"What the hell he'd do to our plant?!"
Meryl almost jumped out of her skin when someone grabbed a hold of her arm. She screamed and looked over to find the sheriff had a hold of her. When did he get over here?! She fumed to herself.
"Get inside now, and don't come out until I tell you!"
Meryl stared at the man like he had three heads for a moment before she came back to her senses. She opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. What could she say anyway? She snapped her mouth shut and gave a curt nod.
"Millie!" Meryl barked out as she opened the door.
The larger woman was already ahead of her.
"Yes ma'am!" She responded even as she was moving.
Millie reached down to the forgotten priest, grabbed him under the arms, and man hauled him through the door.
Meryl slammed the door shut and hit the dead bolt just as the sound of gun fire started. The muffled sound of gun fire could still be heard through the door. They were still far from being safe, but the smaller woman allowed herself a moment to take a deep breath. She turned, and in the gloom, she could barely make out Millie's form cradling Wolfwood. Even in the dark, she was pretty sure she could see Millie tremble as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. Millie's hair fell over her eyes, not that Meryl could have seen them too well in the dark anyway. Oh Millie, Meryl thought for the second time that night.
"Maybe... maybe someone should go check on Mr. Vash," Millie said with a steady voice.
Both of them knew they were directly avoiding talking about the fallen form in Millie's arms. Meryl felt her eyes becoming moist. Stupid desert sand, she cursed as she rubbed a sleeve over her eyes.
"I... you're right," Meryl said softly.
"It's our job to run prevention after all!" she said more forcefully this time.
"That's right. Prevention..." Millie said without looking up.
Millie's voice was still strong, but Meryl swore she heard a light sniffle. Meryl took the cue and started to leave. She paused next to Millie for a moment and laid her hand on the larger woman's shoulder.
"I'll be back shortly to check on you and..." Meryl's voice constricted for a second, "you and Mr. Wolfwood."
Millie just nodded. Meryl left.
Meryl had to hug the wall the find her way farther inside. She had no idea where she was going, but she could tell she was in a large hallway, so she just followed it. The dark haired woman came up to a set of double doors and pushed them open.
She stepped inside and promptly smacked right into something. The Insurance girl fell backward with a squeak to land on her rear end.
"Now this seems familiar."
Meryl recognized that annoyingly calm voice. She looked up sharply at the outline of a familiar form and practically scowled.
"Oh not again!" she cried.
"We do seem to meet like this."
Meryl heard the humor in the man's voice and it only fueled her anger. She didn't have time for this. Vash could need her help!
The dark haired woman was getting ready to give him a piece of her mind when his outstretched hand cut off her tantrum.
"Wha..." was all she could get out.
"I do believe this is a common gesture used to help someone up," Drake explained with a smile she couldn't see.
Meryl wasn't sure why, but she accepted the offered hand and stood up.
"He went that way," Drake pointed to the doors Vash went through without needing to explain who he was.
To say Meryl was surprised the bounty hunter was going to let her go free, let alone pointing her in the right direction, was an understatement. What had happened in here to cause the sudden change, she had to wonder.
"But... why?" she asked confused.
"There'll be time later miss. I'd keep a watch out, that large buffoon is most likely gone, but you never know. I'll track him down later, right now I imagine things are getting interesting outside if the sheriff's arrived yet."
"Yes, yes he has. They're fighting a lynch mob after Vash as we speak! Please, if you can, help them."
Meryl wasn't sure why she asked him, of all people, to help, and she definitely wasn't sure why he reassured her it would be over soon and left to join the fight. But apparently, on their side now. It was all too strange. Either way, she had more important issues on her mind.
I'm coming Vash, she thought as her legs carried her forward.
Vash felt his mind reeling. Anguish didn't quiet describe it. He tried to stop his thoughts from slipping from him, but he couldn't focus on any one thing. It was almost like being stuck in a painful limbo.
He had almost given up hope when a soft petal brushed his cheek.
Wait? A petal?
Vash wasn't sure if he saw it or felt it. What was a petal doing in limbo anyway?
Somewhere in Vash's mind, he found the strength to gather his wits back to him. Rem's voice cut through the haze.
Follow your heart Vash, don't be afraid…
She had told him that and now he understood. Vash gathered up the last of his strength and forced the flood of emotions in his mind to quiet down.
I'm not afraid Rem, Vash thought, not any more.
"I know now that you're afraid. It's okay, it's all going to be okay. I'm going to show you a world full of love. A world worth fighting for."
Vash willed his memories to the surface and invited them to be shared.
Wolfwood stood in front of him, and although he was acting casual as usual, Vash saw the look of concern in the grey eyes,
"Do you want to talk about it?" Wolfwood asked casually.
"About what?" Vash responded just as casual.
"If you're sick or something, it's alright ya know. It happens to everyone," the priest said matter of fact.
Now Wolfwood was chasing him around a table as the priest tried to punch him for something he said. Despite the situation, Vash was laughing.
The stars shone brightly, casting a pale silver light over the street and reflecting off Meryl's hair, giving it a surreal glow. Vash found himself staring at her hair, the curve of her neck, the way her lashes curled...
"I am known as Valentinez Alkalinella Xifax Sicidabohertz Gombigobilla Blue Stradivari Talentrent Pierre Andri Charton-Haymoss Ivanovici Baldeus George Doitzel Kaiser III. Don't hesitate to call."
"What are you talking about Mr. Vash the Stampede?" Millie asked laughing.
"I hate it when you call me by my full name!" the blonde whined.
"What are you doing?" Vash asked.
"Don't ask stupid questions. I'm going to save the child!" Wolfwood glared at him.
"With your bare hands?" Vash asked trying not to smile.
"No one has the right to take the life of another," Rem said with conviction.
"The ones who live outside of time. It really is amazing. My hands grew this big in 13 years. But you haven't changed a bit. You're exactly as I remember."
"Normally when you buy an old, used bike, you're supposed to repair it before riding it!"
"Are you dissing my beautiful shiny Angelina II?!"
"I'm dissing you, not your stupid broken bike!"
"I'd much rather lead an uneventful life if I could."
"You couldn't if you tried," Wolfwood answered smirking.
"Whose drinking?" Wolfwood asked with a smile.
"Oh me! Me!" Millie danced around cheerfully.
"This world is made of love and peace!" Vash said holding his hand up, crossing his fingers.
"Love and peace!" the kids joined in.
"Love and peace!" they chanted.
"Do what you need to do, and hurry will ya! My plans don't involve dying out here for you!" the priest yelled as he slammed the door shut separating the two.
There are good people in this world. There's such potential to make it a world full of love and peace. As long as those good people continue to live, and influence others around them. Each life they save, each child that witness' an act of kindness... it spreads the roots of peace a little deeper. My time with them hasn't been wasted. Don't let the hate of the few overwhelm you. We can change this world. Together.
Vash could feel every bit of strength, energy, and love he possessed being drained out of him. The strain made his body shudder uncontrollably. Blood trickled unforeseen out of his nose and ears. Warm coppery liquid filled his mouth. A streak of his hair turned black. He idly wondered if he could survive much longer of this contact or if it would simply suck out all of his remaining life force.
But despite it all, the gunman was smiling.
The love he felt for others, and the love he felt from them was having an impact. He felt the suffocating despair start to lift. It shone through the darkness and pushed back the curtain of uncertainty. It was like a thick veil being lifted, and suddenly, everything was how it should be.
After days of suffering the constant, anxious dread, it was finally over.
"I'm glad," his voice faint and rough, even as he swore he felt his heart stutter. Pause. Then flutter again. No more energy to sustain it.
Over. It was finally over.
The compelling force that had kept the blonde glued to the glass and on his feet till now was lifted as well. With that support gone, Vash felt his legs buckle beneath him, and with a quiet sigh, he fell limply to the floor. He never felt the impact.
TBC...
Feels like a strange place to stop, doesn't it? You're right, it is. I was planning on this being the last chapter, but it simply got way too long. So I broke it up, almost in half.