Disclaimer: I do not own the copyrights to Gundam Wing, Endless Waltz, Trigun, or any songs that are used in this story. All copyrights belong to their respective owners.
Readers Note: This is a re-post. Also this contains major spoilers for Trigun, so if you haven't seen the whole series I wouldn't recommend reading this.
Gundam Wing & Trigun
Trigundam
Episode 5: Gone
q
The song was "Everything I do - I do it for you" by Bryan Adams and it was drawing to a close as the Peace Guns as well as the Gundams and their couples were dancing to it. Each of them danced slowly and with a loving affection for one another's partner. The speed of their dance was like that of softly falling snowflakes, it was moving but it wasn't fast but gentle. Soon the song ended.
Johan didn't want to leave the embrace of his wife Haruka Tenou, but he had to, for he had a different thought for a song on his mind. He slowly slipped away from the grasp of Haruka Tenou and looked into her face and watched her open eyes and her mouth smile. He went over to the jukebox and flipped through the pages upon pages of selections. He felt that there should be a change of mood.
While he was looking there was some discussion among the Peace Guns about the song.
"That was a wonderful song." Meryl said to Millie
"Yes it was." Millie agreed, "It was uplifting and wonderfully romantic."
"Yeah."
They suddenly heard Johan call out, "Hey how about a change of mood?"
He heard a definite "yeah" from the people behind him, he looked down at the selections and found one that was just perfect for a change of mood. He pushed the buttons and waited for the song to come on. He watched the little arm reach for the CD and watched it spin up to the selection he made. The song was Do Wah Diddy by Manferd Mann. The music began and then it stopped, which was when the lyrics and the fast dancing began.
There she was, just a walking down the street signing,
Do wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Snapping her fingers, and shuffling her feet singing,
Do wah, diddy, diddy dum diddy do.
She look good
Look good
She look fine
Look fine
She look good, look find and I nearly lost my mind
Before I knew it she was walking next to me signing
Do wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Holding my hand just as natural as can be signing
Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do
We walked home
Walked home
To my door
My door
We walked home to my door and we kissed a little more
It was during this time of a great old song that all of the Peace Guns and the Gundams were fast dancing. Even Heero and Relena, which was an odd occasion for one to witness with this couple, usually it was slow dancing. This was the first time that anyone had seem them engaged in fast dancing of this type, especially to a song such as this one. The song continued
Whoaaa! I knew we was falling in love!
Yes I did and a sorta all things I'd been dreaming about
Now we're together nearly every single day singing
Do Wah Diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Oh we're as happy and that's how it's going to stay, singing
Do Wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Well I'm her's
I'm hers
She's mine
She's mine
I'm hers, she's mine, wedding bells are gonna chime
During the solo of the song, Johan as well as Trowa got up and began doing flips through out the dinning hall like two circus tumblers performing before a captivated circus audience. And when the two of them landed back in their places, Trowa back at the table and Johan with Haruka the song and dance continued.
Whoaaa! I knew we was falling in love!
Yes, I did and a sort all the things I'd been dreaming about
Now we're together nearly every single day signing
Do Wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Oh, we're so happy and that's how it's going to stay, singing
Do Wah diddy, diddy dum diddy do
Well I'm her's
I'm hers
She's mine
She's mine
I'm hers, she's mine, wedding bells are gonna chime
Do Wah Diddy, diddy dum diddy do
The dancing stopped, each couple slightly suffering from exhaustion, at least some of them, except Vash and Johan.
Vash looked over to Johan, smiled and began laughing like a donkey on laughing gas.
"Why are you laughing, Vash?" Meryl asked
"I'm just happy." Vash laughed, "I haven't had this much fun in such a long time!"
"I know what you mean." Wolfwood agreed, "These kids really know how to party."
Suddenly the Peace Guns attention was drawn away from themselves and back to that same jukebox. They saw Johan standing there again, he said to those who were at the "dance floor".
"How about one more slow?" He said to himself, originally he thought about his wedding song Hey Jude, but then he thought that perhaps something a little more poignant. So he flipped through the pages of selections and one caught his eye in particular. He pressed the same buttons, watched the hand take the disk and the disk spin.
The song began, it sounded like a science fiction kind of piano, a series of electronic sounding notes came from the speakers. But yet the notes sounded gentle, and then the orchestra's came in with the harps, and violins. It was those pieces of instruments that made this song sound so melodic and wonderful at the same time.
The Gundams and Peace Guns took up their partners again, this time others joined in for this "last slow". Milliardo Peacecraft (otherwise known as Zechs Marquise) came up with Lucrezia Noin and Kazuki Peacecraft came up to the dance floor with Laramie, who seemed flattered that Kazuki picked her.
This song that Johan saw was called, Eyes on Me. The voice of the singer was a woman's sounding soft and gentle expressing the emotion of this song through her words.
Whenever sang my songs
On the stage, on my own
Whenever said my words
Wishing they would be heard
I saw you smiling at me
Was it real or just my fantasy?
You'd always be there in the corner
Of this tiny little bar.
It was the phrase, "I saw you smiling at me." That set each couple to look deeply into each other's eyes. Even Heero, the cold stone hearted solider looked into Relena's eyes and this was the only girl that touched his heart. He saw a quality there that seemed to reflect something that he had but was taken away from him. He saw that same quality that was there all along, he saw kindness within Relena's eyes. Though she always showed it, Heero simply refused to see it. At least that's what he appeared to be to those around him.
My last night here for you
Same old songs, just once more
My last night here with you?
Maybe yes, maybe no
I kind of liked it your way
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Oh, did you ever know,
That I had mine on you?
Johan and Haruka simply held each other in their arms and moved slowly on the dance floor with their eyes closed. Not knowing what was going on around them, all they could hear was the song and all they could feel was each other. Johan stroked the back of Haruka's short cut blonde hair while Haruka held her arms tightly around Johan's waist.
Do darling there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you?
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If a frown is shown I will know that you are no dreamer
Wolfwood and Millie looked at each other with their arms wrapped around each other. If they were to admit to each other something one would say that this is as close as they've ever gotten. Once Millie hugged Wolfwood because he was trying to rationalize his actions but couldn't and began to cry. Millie was his support; she was there at his side when he was feeling down. They looked at each other and had a revelation that they needed one another. Because when it was assumed that Wolfwood was dead, Millie couldn't stop crying though she tried to bury her pain by keeping herself busy. Now she knew that she wanted to be with Wolfwood.
Meryl and Vash were having a similar revelation, at first for Meryl it was just her job that brought her to Vash's side. Though after being with him for all those months and helping him heal and standing in the face of those who hated him she realized that this bond went beyond her job. Even though she was assigned to curb the damage that Vash is involved in, but she found out that all those catastrophes that he was involved in was just merely bad luck waiting to happen. But with her at his side, all of those catastrophes never seemed to be as awful as Vash thought it would be. Suddenly they drew closer in their embrace as the song continued.
So let me come to you
Close as I wanted to be
Close enough for me
To feel your heart beating fast
And stay there as I whisper
How I loved your peaceful eyes on me
Did you ever know
That I had mine on you
So darling so share with me
Your love if you have enough
Your tears if your holding back
Or pain if that's what it is
How can I let you know
I'm more than the dress and the voice
Just reach me out then
You will know that you're not dreaming
The song began to reach its climax like the peak of absolute ecstasy. But this peak was also a sign that the song was drawing to a close. Even with that, each couple on that dance floor was embracing every last second of this experience.
Do darling there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you?
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If a frown is shown I will know that you are no dreamer
q
The drinking, dancing and story telling came to a close and each party adjourned to their rooms. Except for one.
Millie, Meryl, Johan and Haruka were walking down the same hallway, when Millie and Meryl came upon the door that was their cabin. The looked at the door, Millie was the first to go in since she was tired from all that dancing and the occasional drink. Though Meryl was careful that Millie wouldn't get too much to drink, because Millie does get peculiar when she's drunk. So Millie wen to her room to sleep, but Meryl stayed behind.
"Um," she paused, "Mr. Rodriguez."
Johan was walking down the hall arm in arm with Haruka, but he looked back at Meryl.
"Yes?" He asked
"Could I speak to you for a minute, in my room?"
Johan noticed that Millie was having trouble with something, and she needed advice from someone, and Johan was that person.
"Sure." He said, but he turned to Haruka, "Go ahead, Haruka. I'll be there in a little bit."
Haruka smiled, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She said
Johan smiled, "Don't worry I've already done it with you."
They parted, Haruka walked to her room while Johan walked into Meryl's room. She sat down on one of the rooms tables that was bolted to the floor, usually in cases of collisions so that furniture won't be a main concern for clean-up. Johan pulled up a chair and sat down with her, while Millie lied down on the bed in her pajamas and fell asleep.
"What is it?" Johan asked
"I know that you're married." Meryl said, "but I just wanted to ask you, how did you get the courage to ask her anything?"
Johan took in this question and was trying to figure out what exactly Meryl was asking. So he told her a general answer, "I felt comfortable with her." He said
"I meant, how did you get the courage to ask her to marry you?"
"Oh." Johan said and began to think about it, he thought about how he stood against the window looking out into space with the ring box in his hand. Holding it and wondering how to approach Haruka. The answer came to him in the form of a quote that was told to him.
He explained, "My mother once told me, when I was 4 before she died that you must do in life whatever makes you happy. Because who knows when that opportunity may go and never come back?"
Meryl sat looking down at the tabletop under the little hanging lamp that gave off its soft yellow glow.
"You're right." Meryl smiled, "Do whatever makes you happy."
"Don't thank me." Johan smiled, "Thank my mother, but if I might ask. Is this about Vash?"
Meryl immediately responded, "No, no. This isn't about him."
"Come now." Johan said slyly, "I saw how you two were dancing tonight. You love Vash don't you? It's nothing to be ashamed about really. It's not a sin to love someone Meryl."
"A few months ago, if we knew each other," Meryl explained, "I would have said, that I would never fall for an obnoxious, lecherous, dim-witted creep like that. But now I see something different about him."
"From that story he told, it's almost as if that smile of his is hiding all the tears he's ever shed. But seriously." Johan stood up and bent over the table and looked Meryl straight in the eyes, "If you love Vash, then go tell him so. Because there's no telling what will happen, so live life for the present."
"But what if he says that he doesn't have those feeling for me?" Meryl asked
"From the stories you've told tonight, would he have told you his whole life story if he didn't have those feelings?"
Meryl pondered on this thought given to her by a mere eighteen-year-old kid, yet at the same time what he was saying is true. She stood up with her fists clenched at her sides and said, "I'm going to see Vash."
"Good for you, Meryl." Johan smiled, "Tell him how you feel."
"I will." Meryl said as she marched out of her room with Johan casually walking behind her. As she marched on, Johan walked back to his room where Haruka was undoubtedly waiting for him.
He walked down the hall, humming his wedding song, Hey Jude to himself. He was nearly on the verge of singing when he came upon the door of his room, which was shared with his wife. He walked in and saw that the lights were dimmed enough to be almost like candlelight. He looked over at the king-sized bed and saw Haruka lying underneath the covered. He also saw that he clothes were on the floor, which is a habit, they both had but they look out for each other's messes.
He saw Haruka smile and watched her body move with the contours of the sheets with the folds and the light. Johan smiled as he took off his own clothes and climbed into bed with his wife Haruka. The two kissed and held each other under the dim lights and the lights of the stars.
q
Meanwhile, down the hall, Meryl was gathering up her own courage to go see Vash and tell him how she feels about him. She came up to his door, she looked at it for a few minutes while she contemplated whether or not to go in. She thought that if she told Vash how she felt then he might retract and not speak to her again. If that were to happen then maybe she would never see him again. She was willing to take that risk, she drew in a deep breath and walked in.
The doors opened and she found that the room was dark, she could only see the light from the windows. She presumed that Vash must have turned in early, but she had to tell him how she felt or she'll never get to do it again. She walked into the dark room and tried to find the light switch, her fingers felt against the wall and she felt a small nub, but there was something odd about the nub she felt it felt like a nose.
"A nose?" She thought, "As a light switch?"
Suddenly she heard a voice say in a nasally congested voice, "Take your hand off my nose please."
Meryl looked and from what little light she could see, she was squeezing Vash's nose. She took her hand back, and with a small click the lights came on and she saw Vash leaning against the wall near the door.
Vash was rubbing his nose and asked "What did you grab my nose for Meryl?"
"I didn't." Meryl snapped, "I was trying to find a light switch."
After a minute or so, Meryl calmed down and realized that she came here for a reason. The reason certainly wasn't to argue with Vash all night long.
"I came here to tell you something." She said with her eyes slowly looking down towards the floor.
"What did you come to tell me?" Vash asked as he went over to sit on the bed.
"Well." Meryl paused
"Do whatever makes you feel happy." Johan's voice rang within Meryl's mind
She went over to the bed and sat down next to Vash, she looked over at him and made her explanation, "I've traveled with you a long time Vash. I've come to know the person that you really are, you're not the despicable gunman that everyone back home thinks of you. You're simply a man who gets into trouble so much that it's become your nature. But I've come to know something deeper within you, and it's taken me a long time to realize something that I've been denying."
Vash developed a confused look on his face, "What are you saying Meryl?" He asked
"I love you." Meryl whispered
"What?" Vash asked
Meryl thought for a split second, it happened so fast that she didn't even think about it. She threw her arms around Vash, which sent the two of them lying on the bed together and Meryl whispered it again into Vash's ear.
"I love you." Meryl whispered, "I can't deny it any more."
She propped herself up to look at Vash's face that seemed to be a mixture of surprise and happiness.
"Neither can I, Meryl." Vash whispered
The two Peace Guns lay in each other's arms all night long, knowing what was ahead and what it could bring. Right now they just wanted to be happy for now because they didn't know when it was going to end.
q
It was reported the next morning that the colony X-18999 wasn't too far away so it was decided that Peace Million would hold it's position and if anyone were to go to the colony it would either be by transport or by mobile suit. The reason for this was that they didn't know what kind of defenses they built, so they would sit only a few thousand miles away until the order would be given to go ahead.
Just that morning the alarms went off, the white lights turns red and those who were still in bed got out and headed to their posts. The ones that were trying to assess the situation on hand were Duo and Johan.
The two of them looked at one of the computer screens and found that the Gundam Vindicator was gone. Though they were trying to figure out whether this mobile suit was stolen as well.
So in that, the two dashed to Heero's room and found nothing there, the bed was as tidy as could be, it seemed that no one was here last night. Still the fact remained that Heero Yuy as well as the Gundam Vindicator was gone.
To be continued…
Author's Notes: There was a reason why I picked those songs for this particular chapter. For one I like to put in songs into my stories as well as a different mix. So we had Bryan Adams, and then we had a song from the 60's and last of all we had a song from Final Fantasy 8, because I thought it would make a nice mix. This would really set the mood of love in motion for a lot of characters. Though there is a specific reason why I wanted to put Vash and Meryl together. It was because of the way I saw those two in the last few episodes of Trigun. I couldn't' deny that there was something between those two. Plus there was the last line that Meryl said; "He wouldn't keep a good woman like me waiting." I thought to myself that either there was something there between those two or I'd be crazy. ON a different note, I also wanted to end this chapter on a very dramatic note such as the disappearance of the Gundam Vindicator.
Come back soon for more chapters of Trigundam…