Chapter Five: The Morning After
Vash gently nudged Meryl's shoulder with his arm.
"Oi. Wake up."
She mumbled something incoherent, but her eyes remained closed.
"It's morning. Get up."
Vash raised his voice a little, but Meryl's brow furrowed and she winced.
"Uhm..."
He raised an eyebrow at Wolfwood's direction. Wolfwood looked helplessly back at him. Vash opened his mouth to suggest sleeping a little longer, but his stomach growled in a scary manner.
Forget it.
Vash sighed.
"Right, then. I suppose we better resolve to desperate measures."
So Vash stood up, and as Meryl began to slump over, Vash went right in front of her and took her shoulders into his grip. He began to shake her, though very gently.
"Wake up wake up wake up wake up!"
Her head lolled about as he jostled her, and she wasn't looking much better than she had a minute before.
Then Vash frowned.
Was that a tear at her eye?
Must be a really bad dream, he thought, and he leaned closer to her face to confirm the tear. He had seen the little one cry only once, after all - and that had been from listening about his past.
His nose was a centimeter from hers when her eyes suddenly flicked open, a few tears spilling down her cheeks as she did so.
Vash blinked.
"Oh. Sorry, you weren't wak-"
He was interrupted by her setting her hand onto his arm and shoving him aside roughly. Vash crashed onto the bus wall as Meryl turned away from him, rubbing at her eyes hurriedly with her sleeve.
"Shut up!"
Wolfwood hissed,
"There are other people still sleeping!!"
Milly stirred.
"Then again, if it wakes her up, go ahead."
Wolfwood said quickly. Vash unstuck himself from the wall, and turned to face Meryl with huge, puppy-sad eyes. Well, face her back, anyways.
"What was that for?"
He asked tearfully. She didn't look at him.
"Uh... well, if you have no reason... what's for breakfast?"
He asked, his voice turning eager at the question.
"In the brown sack. Take out anything you need."
Meryl's voice was extremely stiff. Vash pretended not to take any notice.
"Seriously? We can take anything?"
Just the day before Meryl had yelled at him for taking out the donuts without asking her first.
"Yes."
She moved out of the way for him to move into the back of the bus, where the some bags were kept.
"What did I do this time..."
Vash murmured questioningly to himself as he set about to finding the brown sack.
"Professor. Come in."
The man waited. After a moment, a voice came in.
"It's a bit too early for you to have finished your assignment. I suppose you're asking a question?"
The voice was snappy and annoyed.
"Sir, I just wanted to tell you that it'll take longer than expected. I just realised that they're probably going to stick together for a while."
He waited for the professor to answer with a strange smile.
"So? You want an extension? You were given a week for this."
"I'd appreciate an extension, sir."
There was a pause.
"How long?"
"A month, professor."
"A month?? Listen, even I will appreciate an extension just to keep you off me for a while, but I need the subjects soon. Not a month."
"Sir, I'd really use a month to its cap--"
"Two weeks. Two. You got it? Remember to keep the subjects alive. And then contact me when you go up to stage two."
"Yes, sir. Signing out, sir."
The strange smile turned evil as his hand raised to turn the device off.
"I just... want to have a little fun with you, Vash the Stampede. You won't mind, will you?"
He laughed bitterly as he added,
"What was the point of asking? You have no choice."
