From the Sky
By, Miroku aka PyroSprite64
Author's Note: Konnichiwa minna-san! Ugh, you know what? Organized sports suck! No, wait, lemme rephrase that, the f*cking coaches sucks. All the Freshman make the team, but not me, the seasoned Sophomore?! What the bloody hell! Ok. *pant* I'm good now. Just had to rant. Anyway, fic related, right. Again, thanks for the reviews, it really helps my motivation. Keep 'em coming! Yeah yeah yeah, I don't own Trigun, I don't even own a spot on the school basketball team, *mutters* HOWEVA! I do own Kidanna the cat-girl, so at least that's something. Well, enough about me, on with the fic!
Chapter 4
"NO! Absolutely not! I refuse!"
"Pleeeeease Kida-chan? Please please please?"
"NO!"
Kidanna stormed down the street, one hand holding her bandana to her head, the other balancing a laundry basket on her hip. Vash trailed after her, begging and pleading as best he knew how. It had been three months since the discovery of Kidanna's crashed pod. After only a few days of recuperating, Kidanna was completely healed, all save for a tell-tale scare on her cheek. When she had felt well enough to walk, Vash lead her out to the crash site, hoping to jog some of Kida's missing memories. However, when they arrived, nothing was there. The sand had buried it, leaving no traces.
"Kida-chaaan!"
Kidanna growled with annoyance as she whipped open the front door to her own home and marched inside, trailing a pleading Vash.
"No, Vash! You can ask me anything you want of me, but not that!"
"Please, Kida-chan? It's only for a week or two, nothing more! I promise we'll come back soon. It won't kill you or anything!"
'Are you so sure?' Kida thought, and snorted before walking swiftly out her back door to her small plot of land, nearly knocking Vash out as she slammed the door in his face. She dropped her laundry basket on the ground and began with vigor, trying her hardest to ignore Vash's conjoling. Vash stood beside the basket and handed her cloths to pin up, never ceasing his chatter for a moment.
"But Kida-chan, it's important, and the girls could use a vacation so badly. Couldn't you, just this once?"
Kida made an exasperated noise. Vash just had to throw his ace at her. How could she deny the girls? After the night the gang of men had stopped by the house, Meryl had made sure that no one would bother Kida until she was well. Meryl and Milly cleared out Meryl's room and put all her things into Milly's, so that Kida wouldn't have to sleep with Knives whispering malicious words at her. After that, they had both tended to Kida's wounds and lent clothing, all the while answering every question she asked, and made a sincere effort to help restore Kida's memory. Kida had made fast friends with the two of them, particularly with Meryl, whom she both admired and respected for her bravery and her choice to give up everything to follow her dreams. and Vash. How could she say no to friends lie those?
"Oooh. FINE! I'll do it, but I'm warning you, if he tries anything, I swear he'll regret it!"
Vash stared at her in shock for a few seconds, then whooped and jumped into the air, laughing like a lunatic. Kida shook her head at him and ran a hand through her newly cut, shoulder length hair, and sighed.
'What have I gotten myself into?'
After doing a little victory dance, Vash grinned and hugged Kida joyfully, making her blush and go rigid.
"Arigatou, Kida-chan! I'll go tell everyone and make arrangements. Meryl and Milly will be so happy!"
Vash yelled one last time and dashed into Kida's house, which he himself had helped buy for her, and ran down the street, waving and laughing at everyone he passed. The town people only shook their heads at him and went about their business. Three months had taught them all they needed to know about Saverem-san's unique behavior. Kida stared at her open door for a few moment, then sighed heavily and went back to pinning up laundry. Somehow she couldn't help but feel a severe amount of apprehension. The reaction of a certain human-hating plant at being babysat by a girl from space was going to be very interesting.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Knives set his crutches against the outer wall of the home he was forced to share with his brother and the Insurance Girls. With a grunt he limped mover to the rocking chair on the front porch and plunked down on it, turning to stare at the hazy horizon. The twin suns were hanging low in the sky, dipping down to surrender their post over the seared surface of Gunsmoke to the five moons that outnumbered them. A brooding look came over Knives' face, as he absorbed the new information Vash had just given him. They were leaving him alone with an alien cat-girl who probably didn't know the difference between a gun and a flower.
"We're just taking a short trip to visit Wolfwood's grave. It IS the anniversary, you know."
Vash's slightly accusing words echoed through Knives' mind as he recalled the scene.
"Why can't I stay here by myself? Not as if I'll be going anywhere."
The doctor had been wrong about Knives' injuries. No, scratch that, one of Knives' injuries. Knives' right leg, ironically the one Vash had shot nearly 100 years ago, had not healed properly. It was just a lifeless mass dangling at his side, more an encumbrance than anything else. He couldn't even feel it when a stray dog had attacked him while being forced to walk to Kidanna's house for a celebratory dinner after she attained a new job at the local bar. She was the first woman *bouncer in the history of Gunsmoke, according to Meryl. The dog hadn't caused too much harm, a few nicks and bruises, but it only proved that Knives would probably never walk again. The thought had left him bitter and listless. The only joy he could find in a day was making people squirm with his awkward remarks. However, even that was getting tiresome.
"I'm sorry Knives, but I can't just leave you alone. What if something happens? We won't be back in time to help you. Besides, Kida's not so bad, and who knows, maybe she isn't human at all. Believe me, it's either this, or you get to go with us to watch us all cry. What do you prefer?"
What did Knives prefer? While watching his brother cry was amusing, listening to the snivels of spider females would be more than taxing. Besides, he knew Kidanna didn't like him. Hell, she despised him, especially after that incident on the first night, so perhaps that could be to his advantage. It wasn't as if he had a choice now anyway. Vash had hardly given him room to protest. Knives sighed and leaned back in the chair, rocking it gently with his one good leg. Of all the disasters Knives had considered, this one had never occurred to him. To be tapped in a town full of disgusting spiders going about their disgusting lives in their disgusting homes, while he, Millions Knives, was forced to live among them with his traitor of a twin and two, sometimes three, (on the odd occasion Kidanna showed up for a visit) annoying females was the ultimate low. And, to be made an invalid who was being forced to walk among them, as if they all deserved to live, was a painful, insulting blow. It annoyed him, to be treated this way, when an alien cat-girl had had more freedom than himself She could come and go as she pleased, keeping them all up on late nights with her chatter. Actually, Kidanna never talked much when Knives was around. She tended to ignore him, rarely even acknowledging his presence with a contemptuous glance. Still, being forced to look on her freakish face was enough. The eyes of jade flecked amber, shining with a predatory gleam, sometimes haunted his dreams. It disturbed him to think that he had dreamed of anyone in this gods forsaken town, and not attempted kill, maim, or torture them within his subconscious. No, in those dreams, all he could do was stare, frozen in place like an animal caught in headlights, as huge faceless eyes with slitted pupils watched him, studied him, contemplated him. Knives was so lost in his begrudging thoughts that he didn't hear the soft padding of bare feet on the hard-packed road. He nearly had a heart attack when the owner of those haunting cat-eyes walked by him, pausing briefly to open the door, glance out of the corner of her eye, then waltz inside.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Meryl sighed happily and pushed down on her bulging suitcase. Milly herself was going through a similar struggle, only it didn't seem like she would be winning it. She wrestled with the snaps.
"Sempai, my stun-gun won't fit!" she wailed miserably.
Meryl gave one last heave with her small weight, and was relieved to hear a satisfying little "click". She patted her luggage and swung around to see Milly nearly sitting on her suitcase in an effort to close it. However, even with the force of Milly's body, the gun was still having a rebellion with Milly's clothing. Meryl shook her head and sighed again, and gave Milly a scolding look. Milly frowned unhappily.
"It fit last time." she muttered defensively.
Meryl laughed and heaved her suitcase to the doorway, and was surprised to see Kidanna standing there, waiting.
"Hello Meryl. Just thought I'd stop by, see if you guys needed any help."
She sounded just as dejected as Meryl had feared. Milly made an annoyed sound behind them, bringing a sad smile to Kida's eyes. Oh, how she'd miss them. Sure, most people in the town were friendly enough, some of the males extravagantly so, but nothing would fill the lonely void Kida was already beginning to feel. Meryl gave her a sympathetic smile and took Kida's hand, bringing her into the room with them. Kida's bare feet made a muffled padding noise, like the footsteps of a cat. Meryl raised an eyebrow at the bare toes she saw in the shadows of Kida's skirt, but said nothing. Even after a month of scolding, Kida refused to wear shoes, even at work, which annoyed her boss to no end. Kida claimed they pinched her feet, and that her own skin was enough, thank you. Meryl had been skeptical of this, but after watching Kida walk over the shattered glass of a beer mug that one of the bar's customers, (who ironically had been Vash) had dropped, without any signs of blood or shredded skin, she stopped trying. The soles of Kida's feet were a deep brown, and tough as leather. Almost like the pads of a cat's toes.
"So, do you all plan to leave tonight, or early tomorrow morning?" Kida asked, taking charge of Milly's suitcase.
"We plan to leave a few hours before dawn, try to beat the midday heat, if we can," Meryl said offhandedly, watching as admiringly Kida worked.
Milly stood back obligingly as Kida worked her magic on the mess of personal belongings. Within the first week of Kida's recovery, she had reorganized everything. Food shelves, blankets, emergency stores, she'd even gotten into some of Meryl's old Bernadelli papers and turned them from a pile of scrap into an orderly file worthy of Meryl's admiration. The house was spotless. Kida had cleaned it from top to bottom in the next week, trying to be helpful. By the third week, she had convinced Vash to help her find a home so she wouldn't be intruding. Luckily, a place was vacant. She did all the paperwork involving the flat she was now paying for with her new job. She was a managerial genius. Meryl watched enviously as Milly's suitcase was closed with an easy "click". Kida dusted her hands and grinned, then turned to Meryl.
"So, anything else you might need help with?"
Meryl was just opening her mouth to reply when Vash roared from his room.
"IS THAT KIDA-CHAN?!" he bellowed, distress detectable in his voice.
Meryl sighed as Kida rolled her eyes and called back.
"Yes, Vash, it's me. What do you need?"
Milly giggled as a loud crashing noise from a room two doors down and opposite of them echoed through the house.
"What the hell was that?!" Knives' agitated voice growled from the stairwell.
"Ow! Kida-chaaan! Help me out here!"
Kida sighed with exasperation, though and amused grin was on her face, and turned to head out the door.
"See you two later. This could take awhile."
Meryl and Milly exchanged glances before bursting out laughing. It seemed even Vash, after untold years of travel, still needed help here and there.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Whee! Done! Hope you guys like it, I'm already working on the next chapter. Remember, review! Happy authors write more! Ja ne minna-san! \m/ -_- \m/
By, Miroku aka PyroSprite64
Author's Note: Konnichiwa minna-san! Ugh, you know what? Organized sports suck! No, wait, lemme rephrase that, the f*cking coaches sucks. All the Freshman make the team, but not me, the seasoned Sophomore?! What the bloody hell! Ok. *pant* I'm good now. Just had to rant. Anyway, fic related, right. Again, thanks for the reviews, it really helps my motivation. Keep 'em coming! Yeah yeah yeah, I don't own Trigun, I don't even own a spot on the school basketball team, *mutters* HOWEVA! I do own Kidanna the cat-girl, so at least that's something. Well, enough about me, on with the fic!
Chapter 4
"NO! Absolutely not! I refuse!"
"Pleeeeease Kida-chan? Please please please?"
"NO!"
Kidanna stormed down the street, one hand holding her bandana to her head, the other balancing a laundry basket on her hip. Vash trailed after her, begging and pleading as best he knew how. It had been three months since the discovery of Kidanna's crashed pod. After only a few days of recuperating, Kidanna was completely healed, all save for a tell-tale scare on her cheek. When she had felt well enough to walk, Vash lead her out to the crash site, hoping to jog some of Kida's missing memories. However, when they arrived, nothing was there. The sand had buried it, leaving no traces.
"Kida-chaaan!"
Kidanna growled with annoyance as she whipped open the front door to her own home and marched inside, trailing a pleading Vash.
"No, Vash! You can ask me anything you want of me, but not that!"
"Please, Kida-chan? It's only for a week or two, nothing more! I promise we'll come back soon. It won't kill you or anything!"
'Are you so sure?' Kida thought, and snorted before walking swiftly out her back door to her small plot of land, nearly knocking Vash out as she slammed the door in his face. She dropped her laundry basket on the ground and began with vigor, trying her hardest to ignore Vash's conjoling. Vash stood beside the basket and handed her cloths to pin up, never ceasing his chatter for a moment.
"But Kida-chan, it's important, and the girls could use a vacation so badly. Couldn't you, just this once?"
Kida made an exasperated noise. Vash just had to throw his ace at her. How could she deny the girls? After the night the gang of men had stopped by the house, Meryl had made sure that no one would bother Kida until she was well. Meryl and Milly cleared out Meryl's room and put all her things into Milly's, so that Kida wouldn't have to sleep with Knives whispering malicious words at her. After that, they had both tended to Kida's wounds and lent clothing, all the while answering every question she asked, and made a sincere effort to help restore Kida's memory. Kida had made fast friends with the two of them, particularly with Meryl, whom she both admired and respected for her bravery and her choice to give up everything to follow her dreams. and Vash. How could she say no to friends lie those?
"Oooh. FINE! I'll do it, but I'm warning you, if he tries anything, I swear he'll regret it!"
Vash stared at her in shock for a few seconds, then whooped and jumped into the air, laughing like a lunatic. Kida shook her head at him and ran a hand through her newly cut, shoulder length hair, and sighed.
'What have I gotten myself into?'
After doing a little victory dance, Vash grinned and hugged Kida joyfully, making her blush and go rigid.
"Arigatou, Kida-chan! I'll go tell everyone and make arrangements. Meryl and Milly will be so happy!"
Vash yelled one last time and dashed into Kida's house, which he himself had helped buy for her, and ran down the street, waving and laughing at everyone he passed. The town people only shook their heads at him and went about their business. Three months had taught them all they needed to know about Saverem-san's unique behavior. Kida stared at her open door for a few moment, then sighed heavily and went back to pinning up laundry. Somehow she couldn't help but feel a severe amount of apprehension. The reaction of a certain human-hating plant at being babysat by a girl from space was going to be very interesting.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Knives set his crutches against the outer wall of the home he was forced to share with his brother and the Insurance Girls. With a grunt he limped mover to the rocking chair on the front porch and plunked down on it, turning to stare at the hazy horizon. The twin suns were hanging low in the sky, dipping down to surrender their post over the seared surface of Gunsmoke to the five moons that outnumbered them. A brooding look came over Knives' face, as he absorbed the new information Vash had just given him. They were leaving him alone with an alien cat-girl who probably didn't know the difference between a gun and a flower.
"We're just taking a short trip to visit Wolfwood's grave. It IS the anniversary, you know."
Vash's slightly accusing words echoed through Knives' mind as he recalled the scene.
"Why can't I stay here by myself? Not as if I'll be going anywhere."
The doctor had been wrong about Knives' injuries. No, scratch that, one of Knives' injuries. Knives' right leg, ironically the one Vash had shot nearly 100 years ago, had not healed properly. It was just a lifeless mass dangling at his side, more an encumbrance than anything else. He couldn't even feel it when a stray dog had attacked him while being forced to walk to Kidanna's house for a celebratory dinner after she attained a new job at the local bar. She was the first woman *bouncer in the history of Gunsmoke, according to Meryl. The dog hadn't caused too much harm, a few nicks and bruises, but it only proved that Knives would probably never walk again. The thought had left him bitter and listless. The only joy he could find in a day was making people squirm with his awkward remarks. However, even that was getting tiresome.
"I'm sorry Knives, but I can't just leave you alone. What if something happens? We won't be back in time to help you. Besides, Kida's not so bad, and who knows, maybe she isn't human at all. Believe me, it's either this, or you get to go with us to watch us all cry. What do you prefer?"
What did Knives prefer? While watching his brother cry was amusing, listening to the snivels of spider females would be more than taxing. Besides, he knew Kidanna didn't like him. Hell, she despised him, especially after that incident on the first night, so perhaps that could be to his advantage. It wasn't as if he had a choice now anyway. Vash had hardly given him room to protest. Knives sighed and leaned back in the chair, rocking it gently with his one good leg. Of all the disasters Knives had considered, this one had never occurred to him. To be tapped in a town full of disgusting spiders going about their disgusting lives in their disgusting homes, while he, Millions Knives, was forced to live among them with his traitor of a twin and two, sometimes three, (on the odd occasion Kidanna showed up for a visit) annoying females was the ultimate low. And, to be made an invalid who was being forced to walk among them, as if they all deserved to live, was a painful, insulting blow. It annoyed him, to be treated this way, when an alien cat-girl had had more freedom than himself She could come and go as she pleased, keeping them all up on late nights with her chatter. Actually, Kidanna never talked much when Knives was around. She tended to ignore him, rarely even acknowledging his presence with a contemptuous glance. Still, being forced to look on her freakish face was enough. The eyes of jade flecked amber, shining with a predatory gleam, sometimes haunted his dreams. It disturbed him to think that he had dreamed of anyone in this gods forsaken town, and not attempted kill, maim, or torture them within his subconscious. No, in those dreams, all he could do was stare, frozen in place like an animal caught in headlights, as huge faceless eyes with slitted pupils watched him, studied him, contemplated him. Knives was so lost in his begrudging thoughts that he didn't hear the soft padding of bare feet on the hard-packed road. He nearly had a heart attack when the owner of those haunting cat-eyes walked by him, pausing briefly to open the door, glance out of the corner of her eye, then waltz inside.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Meryl sighed happily and pushed down on her bulging suitcase. Milly herself was going through a similar struggle, only it didn't seem like she would be winning it. She wrestled with the snaps.
"Sempai, my stun-gun won't fit!" she wailed miserably.
Meryl gave one last heave with her small weight, and was relieved to hear a satisfying little "click". She patted her luggage and swung around to see Milly nearly sitting on her suitcase in an effort to close it. However, even with the force of Milly's body, the gun was still having a rebellion with Milly's clothing. Meryl shook her head and sighed again, and gave Milly a scolding look. Milly frowned unhappily.
"It fit last time." she muttered defensively.
Meryl laughed and heaved her suitcase to the doorway, and was surprised to see Kidanna standing there, waiting.
"Hello Meryl. Just thought I'd stop by, see if you guys needed any help."
She sounded just as dejected as Meryl had feared. Milly made an annoyed sound behind them, bringing a sad smile to Kida's eyes. Oh, how she'd miss them. Sure, most people in the town were friendly enough, some of the males extravagantly so, but nothing would fill the lonely void Kida was already beginning to feel. Meryl gave her a sympathetic smile and took Kida's hand, bringing her into the room with them. Kida's bare feet made a muffled padding noise, like the footsteps of a cat. Meryl raised an eyebrow at the bare toes she saw in the shadows of Kida's skirt, but said nothing. Even after a month of scolding, Kida refused to wear shoes, even at work, which annoyed her boss to no end. Kida claimed they pinched her feet, and that her own skin was enough, thank you. Meryl had been skeptical of this, but after watching Kida walk over the shattered glass of a beer mug that one of the bar's customers, (who ironically had been Vash) had dropped, without any signs of blood or shredded skin, she stopped trying. The soles of Kida's feet were a deep brown, and tough as leather. Almost like the pads of a cat's toes.
"So, do you all plan to leave tonight, or early tomorrow morning?" Kida asked, taking charge of Milly's suitcase.
"We plan to leave a few hours before dawn, try to beat the midday heat, if we can," Meryl said offhandedly, watching as admiringly Kida worked.
Milly stood back obligingly as Kida worked her magic on the mess of personal belongings. Within the first week of Kida's recovery, she had reorganized everything. Food shelves, blankets, emergency stores, she'd even gotten into some of Meryl's old Bernadelli papers and turned them from a pile of scrap into an orderly file worthy of Meryl's admiration. The house was spotless. Kida had cleaned it from top to bottom in the next week, trying to be helpful. By the third week, she had convinced Vash to help her find a home so she wouldn't be intruding. Luckily, a place was vacant. She did all the paperwork involving the flat she was now paying for with her new job. She was a managerial genius. Meryl watched enviously as Milly's suitcase was closed with an easy "click". Kida dusted her hands and grinned, then turned to Meryl.
"So, anything else you might need help with?"
Meryl was just opening her mouth to reply when Vash roared from his room.
"IS THAT KIDA-CHAN?!" he bellowed, distress detectable in his voice.
Meryl sighed as Kida rolled her eyes and called back.
"Yes, Vash, it's me. What do you need?"
Milly giggled as a loud crashing noise from a room two doors down and opposite of them echoed through the house.
"What the hell was that?!" Knives' agitated voice growled from the stairwell.
"Ow! Kida-chaaan! Help me out here!"
Kida sighed with exasperation, though and amused grin was on her face, and turned to head out the door.
"See you two later. This could take awhile."
Meryl and Milly exchanged glances before bursting out laughing. It seemed even Vash, after untold years of travel, still needed help here and there.
**************************************************************************** ******************
Whee! Done! Hope you guys like it, I'm already working on the next chapter. Remember, review! Happy authors write more! Ja ne minna-san! \m/ -_- \m/