Title: Forsaken
Author: Akima The Stampede Maxwell
Date begun: March 31, 2002
Anime: where does Knives and the gang come from?....oh yeah! Trigun!!!! What about Dryden and Millerna?....Escaflowne
Pairings: no comment
Rating: NR for Knivishness and other peopleness and perhaps a little violence
Disclaimers: nope. Own none of them. That`s right. 0 characters are mine.
***Thank you for reviewing my fic again! You guys are so awesome!
Chapter 16: Enemy Among Us
Meryl stood outside on the deck in front of the hotel. Legato stood a few feet behind.
"I know what happened." he said. Meryl did not turn to face him.
"I knew that you would know. You told me good luck."
"I have no problem with it. I just wanted to tell you that I knew."
"You won`t…"
"No. That is your business as well as his."
"Thank you."
He stepped up beside her. She stared off at the horizon with a wistful look in her eyes. Legato started when he heard her sniffling to hold back tears.
"Why are you crying?"
"I`m not crying."
"You are trying not to cry."
"I miss him already. I believe him."
"Believe him…"
"That he will come back. I know that he`ll come back."
"Then why don`t I believe you?"
Meryl turned to Legato and threw her arms around him. She sobbed into his chest. Legato put his arms around Meryl. He looked off into the distance as he let her cry. She never answered his question. He was sure that she really did not think that he would come back. He did not even know if Knives would come back. He only agreed with Knives earlier due to habit when he considered him master.
`If I was to go by what my heart says he does not care what happens to her. I would say that he only wants to prove Fenris as a simple follower with no potential….but…I have never seen him appear so concerned about anyone before…not even Vash. I do not want this girl to hurt so much.`
-------------------------------------------
Fenris smiled. White fangs grew from his jaws. His silver eyes flickered and danced in the glow of the morning sun.
"She is right where I want her now!"
In the shadows around him several voices whispered and cheered. Marianne stepped out of the darkness and stood at his side. She smiled as her eyes glowed red.
"Shall I activate him, master?"
"Be my guest."
She smiled. Fenris laughed maniacally. He turned to face his followers. All eyes focused on him. He pointed off into the desert.
"After Marianne activates our secret weapon I want you all to go after Vash and his pathetic friends. Leave Knives to me. I want the pleasure of defeating him."
Footsteps filled the air then disappeared. Fenris sat down in his white pearl throne with skulls and other horrific images ethed into the surface. He caressed the skull to his right.
"Soon, Meryl. Soon you will be mine. Never has a more perfect female in our species been so available to a male speciman as perfect as me. With that necklace upon your body you have no choice. This time Knives will not be there to protect you. He does not suspect what we did….by bringing his most trusted servant back from the dead and using him to do our bidding. This is almost too easy."
He laughed again, filling the enclosed room with the sounds that could only come from the depths of hell.
------------------------------------------
Legato suggested to Meryl that they go for a short walk to let her remove some tension. She smiled and agreed that it was a good idea. She seemed a lot happier now after their conversation.. He was convinced that it had something to do with last night…and the fact that she was trying to tell herself over and over that he would come back.
"Legato, I feel like getting something to eat."
He grinned. Now she was speaking his language.
"Sounds good."
She pointed to a small restaurant. She bought herself a salad and Legato bought hotdogs(Yes! He is eating more hotdogs!). Meryl waved at a little girl running by. The girl giggled and waved back
"I would like to have children one day."
Legato said nothing to this. He did not really know what to say to this. Meryl suddenly frowned. She sighed with a hint of unhappiness in her voice.
"I don`t expect Knives to care much for them. He doesn`t seem the type to want children. I guess that I can live with that…if he comes back."
"Don`t do that to yourself." Legato said. She glanced at him with surprised eyes.
"Do what?"
"You are making yourself depressed when you talk about him. Try to not think so much about him."
"How can I not? I have feelings for him."
"As he probably does for you. Relax."
Meryl looked away towards the child again. Legato got up.
"Excuse me, Meryl. I will be right back."
"Okay."
He walked towards the bathroom. He stepped inside the men`s room. He looked at himself in the mirror. He frowned.
`I do not know what I can do to help this girl.`
`Bring her to me.`
Suddenly Legato felt like screaming but no words would come out. He clutched his head. He felt himself falling. He slammed his head into the sink. He hit the ground. Blood began to trickle from his head. A few minutes later and Legato pulled himself up. He looked at himself in the mirror. An eerie smile crept across his lips.
"As you wish, master."
He walked out of the restroom. Meryl was busy throwing a ball to the little girl who threw it back.
"You`re so cute!" she exclaimed. She threw the ball back to the child. The girl`s mother cam and took a hold of the child`s hand. Meryl looked up.
"Oh, Legato! I didn`t see you get back!"
Legato only stood there with that same smile. Meryl`s began to fade.
"Legato, are you okay? Did those hotdogs get to you?"
"No. Let us continue walking."
"Okay. We should work off this early lunch anyways."
They left the restaurant. Meryl felt Legato`s hand fall on her shoulder. He squeezed it surprisingly har. She pulled away from the hold. She rubbed her shoulder.
"That hurt!"
He grabbed her again as they turned down a deserted street. Before she could protest he put his other hand over her mouth. He pulled her against him.
"Do not speak or I will bring you much pain. Fenris wishes so much to see you right now. I am going to take you to him. The less you struggle th easier it will be."
She had no choice. She felt fresh tears fall from her eyes as Legato carried her away from town through a more conspicous part of town. She let him take her. He was twice as big as she was. There was no point in struggling. Her eyes widened when she saw Marianne standing there.
"Good work." she said to Legato "The master will be pleased. Let`s go."
Legato nodded. Meryl cried out into his hand as Marianne pulled her head up to look her straight in the eyes. She smirked.
"Knives will be too late when he finds out about this…if he even cares for you at all. Judging from the information that Legato just told me in my mind he slept with you."
Meryl flushed.
"Don`t be so embarassed. He is handsome…but someone like that would only do that to satisfy their own urges. He probably is having a good time with somebody else right now and laughing about how you actually believed that it meant something."
Meryl`s eyes shook. She cried. It was muffled by Legato`s hand. Marianne laughed.
"You`re worthless! I don`t understand myself why the master wants you as his wife. You have wasted your pitiful life following that plant Vash then falling for his brother who could never love you back. He built his life on destruction. Why would he switch sides now?"
Meryl was too drained from crying to respond. She went limp in Legato`s hands. Marianne put a hand on Legato`s arm and tugged his sleeve.
"Come on. He awaits us."
-------------------------------------------
Wolfwood and Milly sat outside on a bench. Milly was busy eating pudding(Of course!) while Wolfwood told her about what he had been doing for the past few years. A lot of it involved helping people and getting deserted children to orphanages. Things were going great until Wolfwood frowned.
"What`s wrong?" Milly asked with a mouthful of pudding in her mouth.
"I have a feeling that something`s wrong. It`s been a couple of hours since Legato and Meryl went for a walk. Shouldn`t they be back by now?"
"Meryl probably is upset about Knives leaving without telling him how she feels!"
Wolfwood had a hard time keeping what had really happened from spilling out. He felt horrible for keeping such a secret from her especially about her best friend. Vash waved as he approached them.
"Hey, guys! What have you two been up to?"
"Just talking…and it really is none of your business, needle noggin!"
Vash laughed.
"I actually missed you saying that! Where`s Meryl and Legato?"
"They went for a walk a few hours ago."
Vash nodded.
"I was just with Dryden having a drink at the bar. I don`t know where Millerna is. She still seems kind of distant around Dryden since confronting him. She only spoke to him when she was caring for him after Odin threw him against that bench."
"She probably wants to be alone. She`ll come back around nightfall like she`s been doing for the past few days." Wolfwood said "I only notice because I smoke outside when it gets darker."
Vash sat down on the bench beside Wolfwood. Milly began to hum as she ate. Vash and Wolfwood joined in somewhere along the way.
-------------------------------------------------
A few hours from the present…
Millerna sat against the stonewall on the outside of the city. She stared off at nothing in particular. She tried not to cry.
"I feel so alone out here!" she said aloud "Why can`t I put the past behind me? At least then I could get along with Dryden as a friend and be more open with the others. I…what`s that?"
She watched as a familiar figure in the distance carrying another person met with another person. She crept a bit closer then hid behind a lone bush. She peaked out from in between leaves. Her eyes widened. There stood Legato with his hand over Meryl`s mouth and the other hand holding her up by the waist against his side. Marianne stood conversing with him. Millerna caught the ending of their conversation. She felt tears run down her cheeks.
`He wouldn`t have slept with her if he didn`t care! He wouldn`t do that! No matter how he was before…that doesn`t mean anything! He obviously is not the bloodthristy man he was! The way he described her to me…he felt something! How dare they turn something so cruel on her! She doesn`t deserve that!`
She felt compelled to run out and demand that they release Meryl but she could not. She touched her gun then sighed angrily.
`I can`t just run out there and do that! What if this is a trap? Besides…they are stronger than me. Maybe I should follow them. I could find out where they go then tell the others….if I ever find them again.`
As Legato and Marianne began to walk Marianne followed slowly. She wanted to make sure that they did not turn and attack her.
Back to present...
Millerna sat behind another bush as Legato and Marianne stopped beside an area surrounded by large rocks. Meryl appeared really subdued. Legato laid her down on the ground and she never made a move to get up. Her cheeks were tearstained and puffy.
"Only a few more feet before we get to the master. Why do you want to stop?" Marianne asked with frustration in her voice.
"She needs to rest."
Millerna blinked in surprise.
`He still cares about what happens. Maybe he isn`t evil like I thought.`
"We are wasting time. Pick her up now or I will do it."
He picked her up. His eyes still glowed with evil yet somehow looked different. Millerna felt a small ease in her heart.
`He must be under control or something. I have to snap him out of it if I can. I won`t do it if it endangers Meryl or my life.`
Legato followed Marianne once more to walk through the desert. By now it was getting darker. The suns were lower in the sky and a soft glow came over the horizon. The walking was relatively fast but Millerna found it easy to keep up as long as she as quick to get to a new hiding place. Soon she noticed that Marianne and Legato stopped. They were in the middle of nowhere.
`What did they stop for?`
She moved to the side to get a better look when she noticed something. She moved her head back and forth.
`What…is that?`
When she moved her head to the right a black dome stood huge in front of her. When she moved her head to the left it disappeared completely.
`How in the world did someone build something like that?`
Marianne laid her hand against the dome. She whispered some words that Millerna caught only because the area became strangely quiet. Marianne walked through the wall followed by Legato. Millerna stood up. She approached the doom with caution. She put her hand on the dome. She waited a few minutes to make sure that Legato or Marianne would not hear her come in. She whispered the words then stepped through.
-------------------------------------------------------
They knew now that something was wrong. Vash went out in search of Meryl and Legato while Dryden went to look for Millerna. They came back an hour later with nothing. The moons were already rising in the sky. Milly chewed her fingernails nervously.
"What do you think happened?"
Wolfwood up a reassuring arm around her.
"I`m sure that there has to be a perfectly god explanation for this. When they get back we`ll confront them about it."
"I don`t know if they will come back." Vash whispered. Wolfwood frowned as he lit a cigarette.
"Don`t tell me that you still believe that Legato is one of Fenris` lapdogs. I travelled around with that guy and Meryl. He never came across as evil."
"Why shouldn`t he be the first one that we suspect? He was cruel and heartless. He caused suffering to others…"
"Because of your brother."
Vash lashed out at Wolfwood.
"What about my brother?!"
Wolfwood put his hands up for cease fire.
"Hey! Don`t get me wrong here! I`m only making the point that Legato did those things because Knives told him to! If we suspect Legato then we should suspect Knives. He could be just as much a cause of this as Legato."
Vash sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair.
"You have a point. Sorry."
"No problem."
"We shouldn`t be fighting about this anyways. I don`t know what to do."
Dryden raised his hand. Wolfwood chuckled.
"We aren`t in class, you know!"
"Oh. Anyways…I have an idea. How about we just ask people if they witnessed what happened?"
They looked at eachother then nodded.
"Why didn`t I think of that?" Vash exclaimed. They all rolled their eyes. Milly was the only one would did not. She was fighting to hold back her tears. She did not understand how they could laugh at a time like this. Wolfwood noticed her tension.
"Don`t worry. I`ll bet that she`s just at a shop or a restaurant and lost the time."
"I hope so."
They split up to go find information.
---------------------------------------------
Two days later…
Knives stopped walking. He looked around. He was near another town. He did not know the name of it but he knew that Fenris was nearby. He could feel it. Now a new feeling ate away at his gut.
`What is that?`
Meryl`s face flashed in his mind. His eyes widened.
`Something happened. Legato? Legato?!`
No one answered. His fists clenched.
"That bastard!" he exclaimed aloud. He punched the rock at his left. His fist bled but he did not care. He continued walking. He knew that he was getting closer. He could feel it. His eyes went into slits.
`If he hurt her in any way or doublecrossed me I`m going to KILL him!`
He cursed himself for leaving her.
`I should have stayed! Damn it! I should have known that something would happen! Just thinking about what someone would do to her…`
His eyes began to glow. His hand on impulse closed over the handle of his gun.
-------------------------------------------------
Meryl woke up slowly. She sat up. She was on a bed that had white drapes all around it. The mattress was very soft and made of silk as well as the pillows. She noticed a white cord hanging down to her right. She reached out and pulled it. The drapes moved away all at once. The floor was made of black and white marble. There was a rug that had some sort of symbol on it in front of the tall double doors in front of the bed. The only few pieces of furniture besides the bed was a white drawer and a strange plant in the corner.
`Where am I?`
She heard footsteps outside of the door. The door opened slowly. She knew who it was before the white haired nightmare stepped into the room with his white cape and light armor on. His silver eyes regarded her thoughtfully.
"Welcome to my home, Meryl…soon to be our home."
"Is this your room?"
"Impressive, is it not?"
"…It is strange. Where is the rest of the furniture?"
"This is all that I needed."
He approached her. She backed up.
"You ask me questions as if we are friends then you back away?"
"Why are you so obsessed with me? Why do you want me?"
"You are a perfect speciman of our species."
"What is our species?"
Fenris reached a hand back and the chair pulled over towards him. He sat down near the bed. He sighed then leaned forward.
"You and I…our species…was never given a name. We are descendants from a long line…a very long line. Our kind was here far before plants and humans came here. It is hard to explain. We have extraordinary powers that creatures such as humans would kill for. Plants are quite similar. They have potential for mind power as we do and can release a very powerful attack. Unlike them…we can fly."
"We can fly?!"
"Yes. It is a very impressive feat when one accomplishes it."
"What else?"
"They live a long time as we live a long time."
"So we are immortal too?"
"No creature is ever immortal. When plants are dying you can tell physically. Their hair begins to turn black. Our species die when their mate dies. So you see…if we marry then we will have a chance to break the rule of immortality. Together we have the capability of creating other that will have this chance. Our species will dominate this pathetic world."
"I can`t"
Fenris growled. He lunged at her. He pinned her down. He leaned over as if to kiss her then stopped. He flew back off of her. He stared at her with anger in his eyes.
"What?!"
"You…with that plant?!"
"I…"
"And now you are unclean because of what you did…and what you two created together."
*Holy crap! Is Meryl…..Chapter 17 comin` soon!
Author: Akima The Stampede Maxwell
Date begun: March 31, 2002
Anime: where does Knives and the gang come from?....oh yeah! Trigun!!!! What about Dryden and Millerna?....Escaflowne
Pairings: no comment
Rating: NR for Knivishness and other peopleness and perhaps a little violence
Disclaimers: nope. Own none of them. That`s right. 0 characters are mine.
***Thank you for reviewing my fic again! You guys are so awesome!
Chapter 16: Enemy Among Us
Meryl stood outside on the deck in front of the hotel. Legato stood a few feet behind.
"I know what happened." he said. Meryl did not turn to face him.
"I knew that you would know. You told me good luck."
"I have no problem with it. I just wanted to tell you that I knew."
"You won`t…"
"No. That is your business as well as his."
"Thank you."
He stepped up beside her. She stared off at the horizon with a wistful look in her eyes. Legato started when he heard her sniffling to hold back tears.
"Why are you crying?"
"I`m not crying."
"You are trying not to cry."
"I miss him already. I believe him."
"Believe him…"
"That he will come back. I know that he`ll come back."
"Then why don`t I believe you?"
Meryl turned to Legato and threw her arms around him. She sobbed into his chest. Legato put his arms around Meryl. He looked off into the distance as he let her cry. She never answered his question. He was sure that she really did not think that he would come back. He did not even know if Knives would come back. He only agreed with Knives earlier due to habit when he considered him master.
`If I was to go by what my heart says he does not care what happens to her. I would say that he only wants to prove Fenris as a simple follower with no potential….but…I have never seen him appear so concerned about anyone before…not even Vash. I do not want this girl to hurt so much.`
-------------------------------------------
Fenris smiled. White fangs grew from his jaws. His silver eyes flickered and danced in the glow of the morning sun.
"She is right where I want her now!"
In the shadows around him several voices whispered and cheered. Marianne stepped out of the darkness and stood at his side. She smiled as her eyes glowed red.
"Shall I activate him, master?"
"Be my guest."
She smiled. Fenris laughed maniacally. He turned to face his followers. All eyes focused on him. He pointed off into the desert.
"After Marianne activates our secret weapon I want you all to go after Vash and his pathetic friends. Leave Knives to me. I want the pleasure of defeating him."
Footsteps filled the air then disappeared. Fenris sat down in his white pearl throne with skulls and other horrific images ethed into the surface. He caressed the skull to his right.
"Soon, Meryl. Soon you will be mine. Never has a more perfect female in our species been so available to a male speciman as perfect as me. With that necklace upon your body you have no choice. This time Knives will not be there to protect you. He does not suspect what we did….by bringing his most trusted servant back from the dead and using him to do our bidding. This is almost too easy."
He laughed again, filling the enclosed room with the sounds that could only come from the depths of hell.
------------------------------------------
Legato suggested to Meryl that they go for a short walk to let her remove some tension. She smiled and agreed that it was a good idea. She seemed a lot happier now after their conversation.. He was convinced that it had something to do with last night…and the fact that she was trying to tell herself over and over that he would come back.
"Legato, I feel like getting something to eat."
He grinned. Now she was speaking his language.
"Sounds good."
She pointed to a small restaurant. She bought herself a salad and Legato bought hotdogs(Yes! He is eating more hotdogs!). Meryl waved at a little girl running by. The girl giggled and waved back
"I would like to have children one day."
Legato said nothing to this. He did not really know what to say to this. Meryl suddenly frowned. She sighed with a hint of unhappiness in her voice.
"I don`t expect Knives to care much for them. He doesn`t seem the type to want children. I guess that I can live with that…if he comes back."
"Don`t do that to yourself." Legato said. She glanced at him with surprised eyes.
"Do what?"
"You are making yourself depressed when you talk about him. Try to not think so much about him."
"How can I not? I have feelings for him."
"As he probably does for you. Relax."
Meryl looked away towards the child again. Legato got up.
"Excuse me, Meryl. I will be right back."
"Okay."
He walked towards the bathroom. He stepped inside the men`s room. He looked at himself in the mirror. He frowned.
`I do not know what I can do to help this girl.`
`Bring her to me.`
Suddenly Legato felt like screaming but no words would come out. He clutched his head. He felt himself falling. He slammed his head into the sink. He hit the ground. Blood began to trickle from his head. A few minutes later and Legato pulled himself up. He looked at himself in the mirror. An eerie smile crept across his lips.
"As you wish, master."
He walked out of the restroom. Meryl was busy throwing a ball to the little girl who threw it back.
"You`re so cute!" she exclaimed. She threw the ball back to the child. The girl`s mother cam and took a hold of the child`s hand. Meryl looked up.
"Oh, Legato! I didn`t see you get back!"
Legato only stood there with that same smile. Meryl`s began to fade.
"Legato, are you okay? Did those hotdogs get to you?"
"No. Let us continue walking."
"Okay. We should work off this early lunch anyways."
They left the restaurant. Meryl felt Legato`s hand fall on her shoulder. He squeezed it surprisingly har. She pulled away from the hold. She rubbed her shoulder.
"That hurt!"
He grabbed her again as they turned down a deserted street. Before she could protest he put his other hand over her mouth. He pulled her against him.
"Do not speak or I will bring you much pain. Fenris wishes so much to see you right now. I am going to take you to him. The less you struggle th easier it will be."
She had no choice. She felt fresh tears fall from her eyes as Legato carried her away from town through a more conspicous part of town. She let him take her. He was twice as big as she was. There was no point in struggling. Her eyes widened when she saw Marianne standing there.
"Good work." she said to Legato "The master will be pleased. Let`s go."
Legato nodded. Meryl cried out into his hand as Marianne pulled her head up to look her straight in the eyes. She smirked.
"Knives will be too late when he finds out about this…if he even cares for you at all. Judging from the information that Legato just told me in my mind he slept with you."
Meryl flushed.
"Don`t be so embarassed. He is handsome…but someone like that would only do that to satisfy their own urges. He probably is having a good time with somebody else right now and laughing about how you actually believed that it meant something."
Meryl`s eyes shook. She cried. It was muffled by Legato`s hand. Marianne laughed.
"You`re worthless! I don`t understand myself why the master wants you as his wife. You have wasted your pitiful life following that plant Vash then falling for his brother who could never love you back. He built his life on destruction. Why would he switch sides now?"
Meryl was too drained from crying to respond. She went limp in Legato`s hands. Marianne put a hand on Legato`s arm and tugged his sleeve.
"Come on. He awaits us."
-------------------------------------------
Wolfwood and Milly sat outside on a bench. Milly was busy eating pudding(Of course!) while Wolfwood told her about what he had been doing for the past few years. A lot of it involved helping people and getting deserted children to orphanages. Things were going great until Wolfwood frowned.
"What`s wrong?" Milly asked with a mouthful of pudding in her mouth.
"I have a feeling that something`s wrong. It`s been a couple of hours since Legato and Meryl went for a walk. Shouldn`t they be back by now?"
"Meryl probably is upset about Knives leaving without telling him how she feels!"
Wolfwood had a hard time keeping what had really happened from spilling out. He felt horrible for keeping such a secret from her especially about her best friend. Vash waved as he approached them.
"Hey, guys! What have you two been up to?"
"Just talking…and it really is none of your business, needle noggin!"
Vash laughed.
"I actually missed you saying that! Where`s Meryl and Legato?"
"They went for a walk a few hours ago."
Vash nodded.
"I was just with Dryden having a drink at the bar. I don`t know where Millerna is. She still seems kind of distant around Dryden since confronting him. She only spoke to him when she was caring for him after Odin threw him against that bench."
"She probably wants to be alone. She`ll come back around nightfall like she`s been doing for the past few days." Wolfwood said "I only notice because I smoke outside when it gets darker."
Vash sat down on the bench beside Wolfwood. Milly began to hum as she ate. Vash and Wolfwood joined in somewhere along the way.
-------------------------------------------------
A few hours from the present…
Millerna sat against the stonewall on the outside of the city. She stared off at nothing in particular. She tried not to cry.
"I feel so alone out here!" she said aloud "Why can`t I put the past behind me? At least then I could get along with Dryden as a friend and be more open with the others. I…what`s that?"
She watched as a familiar figure in the distance carrying another person met with another person. She crept a bit closer then hid behind a lone bush. She peaked out from in between leaves. Her eyes widened. There stood Legato with his hand over Meryl`s mouth and the other hand holding her up by the waist against his side. Marianne stood conversing with him. Millerna caught the ending of their conversation. She felt tears run down her cheeks.
`He wouldn`t have slept with her if he didn`t care! He wouldn`t do that! No matter how he was before…that doesn`t mean anything! He obviously is not the bloodthristy man he was! The way he described her to me…he felt something! How dare they turn something so cruel on her! She doesn`t deserve that!`
She felt compelled to run out and demand that they release Meryl but she could not. She touched her gun then sighed angrily.
`I can`t just run out there and do that! What if this is a trap? Besides…they are stronger than me. Maybe I should follow them. I could find out where they go then tell the others….if I ever find them again.`
As Legato and Marianne began to walk Marianne followed slowly. She wanted to make sure that they did not turn and attack her.
Back to present...
Millerna sat behind another bush as Legato and Marianne stopped beside an area surrounded by large rocks. Meryl appeared really subdued. Legato laid her down on the ground and she never made a move to get up. Her cheeks were tearstained and puffy.
"Only a few more feet before we get to the master. Why do you want to stop?" Marianne asked with frustration in her voice.
"She needs to rest."
Millerna blinked in surprise.
`He still cares about what happens. Maybe he isn`t evil like I thought.`
"We are wasting time. Pick her up now or I will do it."
He picked her up. His eyes still glowed with evil yet somehow looked different. Millerna felt a small ease in her heart.
`He must be under control or something. I have to snap him out of it if I can. I won`t do it if it endangers Meryl or my life.`
Legato followed Marianne once more to walk through the desert. By now it was getting darker. The suns were lower in the sky and a soft glow came over the horizon. The walking was relatively fast but Millerna found it easy to keep up as long as she as quick to get to a new hiding place. Soon she noticed that Marianne and Legato stopped. They were in the middle of nowhere.
`What did they stop for?`
She moved to the side to get a better look when she noticed something. She moved her head back and forth.
`What…is that?`
When she moved her head to the right a black dome stood huge in front of her. When she moved her head to the left it disappeared completely.
`How in the world did someone build something like that?`
Marianne laid her hand against the dome. She whispered some words that Millerna caught only because the area became strangely quiet. Marianne walked through the wall followed by Legato. Millerna stood up. She approached the doom with caution. She put her hand on the dome. She waited a few minutes to make sure that Legato or Marianne would not hear her come in. She whispered the words then stepped through.
-------------------------------------------------------
They knew now that something was wrong. Vash went out in search of Meryl and Legato while Dryden went to look for Millerna. They came back an hour later with nothing. The moons were already rising in the sky. Milly chewed her fingernails nervously.
"What do you think happened?"
Wolfwood up a reassuring arm around her.
"I`m sure that there has to be a perfectly god explanation for this. When they get back we`ll confront them about it."
"I don`t know if they will come back." Vash whispered. Wolfwood frowned as he lit a cigarette.
"Don`t tell me that you still believe that Legato is one of Fenris` lapdogs. I travelled around with that guy and Meryl. He never came across as evil."
"Why shouldn`t he be the first one that we suspect? He was cruel and heartless. He caused suffering to others…"
"Because of your brother."
Vash lashed out at Wolfwood.
"What about my brother?!"
Wolfwood put his hands up for cease fire.
"Hey! Don`t get me wrong here! I`m only making the point that Legato did those things because Knives told him to! If we suspect Legato then we should suspect Knives. He could be just as much a cause of this as Legato."
Vash sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair.
"You have a point. Sorry."
"No problem."
"We shouldn`t be fighting about this anyways. I don`t know what to do."
Dryden raised his hand. Wolfwood chuckled.
"We aren`t in class, you know!"
"Oh. Anyways…I have an idea. How about we just ask people if they witnessed what happened?"
They looked at eachother then nodded.
"Why didn`t I think of that?" Vash exclaimed. They all rolled their eyes. Milly was the only one would did not. She was fighting to hold back her tears. She did not understand how they could laugh at a time like this. Wolfwood noticed her tension.
"Don`t worry. I`ll bet that she`s just at a shop or a restaurant and lost the time."
"I hope so."
They split up to go find information.
---------------------------------------------
Two days later…
Knives stopped walking. He looked around. He was near another town. He did not know the name of it but he knew that Fenris was nearby. He could feel it. Now a new feeling ate away at his gut.
`What is that?`
Meryl`s face flashed in his mind. His eyes widened.
`Something happened. Legato? Legato?!`
No one answered. His fists clenched.
"That bastard!" he exclaimed aloud. He punched the rock at his left. His fist bled but he did not care. He continued walking. He knew that he was getting closer. He could feel it. His eyes went into slits.
`If he hurt her in any way or doublecrossed me I`m going to KILL him!`
He cursed himself for leaving her.
`I should have stayed! Damn it! I should have known that something would happen! Just thinking about what someone would do to her…`
His eyes began to glow. His hand on impulse closed over the handle of his gun.
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Meryl woke up slowly. She sat up. She was on a bed that had white drapes all around it. The mattress was very soft and made of silk as well as the pillows. She noticed a white cord hanging down to her right. She reached out and pulled it. The drapes moved away all at once. The floor was made of black and white marble. There was a rug that had some sort of symbol on it in front of the tall double doors in front of the bed. The only few pieces of furniture besides the bed was a white drawer and a strange plant in the corner.
`Where am I?`
She heard footsteps outside of the door. The door opened slowly. She knew who it was before the white haired nightmare stepped into the room with his white cape and light armor on. His silver eyes regarded her thoughtfully.
"Welcome to my home, Meryl…soon to be our home."
"Is this your room?"
"Impressive, is it not?"
"…It is strange. Where is the rest of the furniture?"
"This is all that I needed."
He approached her. She backed up.
"You ask me questions as if we are friends then you back away?"
"Why are you so obsessed with me? Why do you want me?"
"You are a perfect speciman of our species."
"What is our species?"
Fenris reached a hand back and the chair pulled over towards him. He sat down near the bed. He sighed then leaned forward.
"You and I…our species…was never given a name. We are descendants from a long line…a very long line. Our kind was here far before plants and humans came here. It is hard to explain. We have extraordinary powers that creatures such as humans would kill for. Plants are quite similar. They have potential for mind power as we do and can release a very powerful attack. Unlike them…we can fly."
"We can fly?!"
"Yes. It is a very impressive feat when one accomplishes it."
"What else?"
"They live a long time as we live a long time."
"So we are immortal too?"
"No creature is ever immortal. When plants are dying you can tell physically. Their hair begins to turn black. Our species die when their mate dies. So you see…if we marry then we will have a chance to break the rule of immortality. Together we have the capability of creating other that will have this chance. Our species will dominate this pathetic world."
"I can`t"
Fenris growled. He lunged at her. He pinned her down. He leaned over as if to kiss her then stopped. He flew back off of her. He stared at her with anger in his eyes.
"What?!"
"You…with that plant?!"
"I…"
"And now you are unclean because of what you did…and what you two created together."
*Holy crap! Is Meryl…..Chapter 17 comin` soon!