Disclaimer: I don't pretend to know all there is to about Trigun or my
favorite character Ryoko, but I do say this. I do the best to my abilities.
so enjoy!!
Chapter Five: Water, Water Everywhere but Not a Drop to Drink
The noon rays from a harsh and unkind sun found its way into Ryoko's bedroom window. She stirred slightly, not wanting to open her eyes. She knew Vash had left her there and she vaguely remembered the events from the night previous.
--- What an idiot I am--- she thought to herself.
She remembered her laughter carrying throughout the whole bar; of her beating her fists wildly on the table as he had once again said something so utterly ridiculous that she had to go into hysterical fits of laughter every time she even thought of it. Most of all she remembered that how she passed out was that she closed her eyes for only a few moments and her face ended up implanting itself directly into the table.
"I was still holding onto the bottle. I don't remember it, but that's how it always goes." She said aloud and slowly made an attempt to sit up.
She looked around and saw her cape hung neatly on rack next to the door and her boots set neatly next to her bed. She then also remembered something else. it was the way she made him laugh and how he actually listened to what she said and responded to her in a positive way.
She sat up with the covers bunched up at her sides and her hands in her lap as she slowly began to form fists.
--- Why must I kill him? Why?!--- She thought and then tried to reach into her own soul to find the answers.
In the recesses of her mind she wondered absently if she even had any sort of feelings for the man called Millions Knives, the one she had left to find behind to do his bidding.
--- But he's so cold towards me.--- she thought.
But just as she was about to find what was known as truth a sudden cold and dense fog seemed to engulf her mind and she found herself getting dressed and tracking down the Legendary Gunman down once again.
***later that day*** Ryoko found a deserted town that reminded her of an old western she once saw a long, long, long time ago. She found herself perched on top of an old building watching a large mansion with an intense gaze. In all the time she was there she hadn't seen a single person, except for the occasional traveler and maybe a family or two. But none of them stayed.
She was greatly surprised when she heard the huffing and puffing of two women as they made their way sluggishly up to the mansion's front door. She leaned in closer and saw that it was the two women that were talking to Vash the previous day.
The short one banged heavily on the door and as the door opened they both gave a deep bow. She then heard the short one ask quite kindly for some water, but once she looked up and saw that it was Vash standing there her appearance seemed to be crushed. It was obvious that she wasn't happy to see him, as for the tall one, she seemed totally oblivious to her friend's discontent and greeted him happily, in which he greeted her with equal happiness. This seemed to infuriate the short one some.
With an eye twitching almost wildly she asked again for a glass of water. Ryoko knew why he was there, it was quite funny actually. A man owned a large water supply and was selling it to the people of the city. The people were angry, but did as he asked all the same, but now there were assassins after his life. He had a young woman living with him as well; she also seemed to need protection as well. So the little short man with the bad mustache but an advertisement in the paper for a body guard, he even asked specifically for Vash the Stampede. The thing was, who ever applied the little balding man would automatically call who ever replied Vash the Stampede, no matter who it was to show up. Funny thing was that it just so happened to be Vash who the one was answering it.
As night fell Ryoko flew in for a closer view and sat near the window that faced the living room. She narrowed her eyes as she watched as the short girl pulled a short man into an enclosed area and could hear clearly as the girl verbally bashed Vash, telling the man he must be a complete idiot for believing that Vash could possible be who he said he was.
During this entire time Vash sat all starry and wide-eyed as he goggled at the blonde girl that was staying with the short man. Every once and a while they would give a nervous glance back at the commotion the girl was making. After observing for a while, Ryoko found that the first girl, the short one's, name was Maryl and the second tall girl's name was Millie.
--- Such retarded names. Perfect for humans I guess. --- She thought to herself before she found herself almost dozing off to sleep as night found its way to the mansion.
She suddenly snapped to attention when she heard someone on the roof. She dissipated and then reappeared onto the roof just in time to see the Legendary Gunman tie a rope around his waist and then jump off the roof. She ran to the edge of the roof and peered over to see the Humanoid Typhoon peeping into the window of the girl's bathroom. Worst of all it seemed that the shower was running. Ryoko's face contorted into an over-elaborate scowl. Just before she could create a small energy ball to cut the rope the girl known as Millie stuck her head out.
"Oh, hello Vash. What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"Oh, I um, I'm diligently patrolling the roof area for spooks." He said with a shy grin.
She said something in confirmation and gave him a smile before she shut the window on him. He gave a great sigh before untying the rope and landed perfectly on the ground beneath him. Ryoko gritted her teeth, but couldn't figure out why she was so upset.
--- It's because he's a filthy pig! That's what it is!!--- She thought as her teeth clamped tighter together.
Shortly after he was out of sight she sailed down from the top of the roof. Her eyes narrowed as she followed him around the house.
As he walked in he was met by Millie and Maryl. They were raving about how they couldn't find the little, partially bald man with the bad mustache and grin that was much too large for his features and the girl that was staying with him. Ryoko thought that when the man grinned it made his head look like an over lumpy football.
Millie gave the thought that she might've been kidnapped, and Maryl countered that there was no one near the house and that's when Millie brought up the fact that Vash thought there was someone on the roof. He promptly denied that and Millie proceeded to refresh his memory by telling him about the incident at the bathroom window and his explanation of why he was there.
That set Maryl off and she started pushing him and asking him what he was doing looking into a woman's bathroom when the shower was going and proceeded to accuse him of being a peeping tom when he fell over the couch and pulled a rope leading from the ceiling. When he did this a secret entrance into the wall opened and they were all left there gawking at it.
Ryoko watched as they wondered into the secret room before she dematerialized through the wall and followed through the door. Curiosity etched her face. She took her time following them, but as soon as she came into the large open area, the action had already started without her.
There was a large slope that was carrying water down into a large water reserve, where it was being either pumped or stored. Vash looked drenched as he had obviously slid himself down the slope of water and had pulled himself up onto the basement's floor.
He was then facing the football-headed short guy as he had a gun not only to Vash but the girl as well. The girl was there, but she was no longer dressed in the fancy, over-elaborate dresses she once was in, but she was now wearing some tight red outfit with her hair up.
Ryoko got the basic gist that the short guy was hording water and monopolizing it to gain an immense fortune. Ryoko gritted her teeth some.
--- That girl's been shot once by that old fart...and for what? Wanting to save her people from this guy's dictation? --- Her frown deepened.
The temptation to fly down there was so overwhelming that she almost did, but then something in the back of her head stopped her. She had to wait and see how things played out.
The man shot at Vash and Vash side-stepped it easily. The bullet grazed past his ear and caused strands of hair to sever from his head and fall to the floor. He was able to keep his concentrated look for only a few seconds before he pretended like he just figured out that the man had actually wanted to shoot him and that he barely missed and that he was going to try again very soon.
Vash then freaked out and started dancing around as the man shot at him. His body twisted in all sorts of odd angles to avoid contact. Then, suddenly, the bullets ran out and as the man tried to reload he looked up and saw Vash right in front of him.
Vash told him something about playing with dangerous toys and then flicked the guy in the nose. The guy went flying back wards and a squirt of blood followed. The man then opened his vest to reveal a mechanical device that allowed many guns to hide under his vest, and upon opening the vest, the mechanism was triggered and the guns popped up ready for firing.
The little man opened fire and Ryoko was ready to spring when Vash found a way to dodge all the bullets and wait for the guns to be out of ammunition. What Vash didn't know (or appeared not to know) was that one of the stray bullets, that he actually deflected, hit the main generator or the water plant.
Vash ended up knocking the guy out cold and then stood there laughing hysterically at his victory. He looked at the girls, who had terror stricken faces and a blank look washed over his face.
Maryl lifted a shaky hand towards the damaged and now sparking and enlarging water generator. He glanced over his shoulder and when he looked back his jaw was dropped in a comical way, his eyes had gotten tiny and blue marks streaked his face.
He then grabbed Maryl and Millie and gave a high pitched scream as he ran up and out of the building with them under his arms. The third girl wasn't able to catch up.
--- Stupid girl.she's not going to make it--- Ryoko thought sadly.
Ryoko then gave a deep breath before disappearing and then reappearing right behind the girl. When Ryoko grabbed her she began flailing about madly.
"Will you stop squirming damn it! I'm trying to save you, you stupid." as she said this, the girl nearly head-butted Ryoko.
At this Ryoko sped up so much that the girl had no way she could move. Just as Ryoko was leaving the main entrance the entire mansion exploded, causing her and the girl to go flying, but not by choice.
As they landed, Ryoko twisted her body just so that she could cushion the girl's fall. She then went skidding long after she had released the girl's body. Her body flipped occasionally before she came to a grinding halt on her side.
Her cape was almost shredded to oblivion. She then slowly began to push herself up. The girl got up and then glared at Ryoko.
"I could've saved myself you know!" she called to her.
Ryoko slowly stood and then dusted herself off.
"Whatever." She muttered.
Ryoko then walked up and past the girl without a single glance.
The girl seemed to be speechless.
"Hey Ryoko, wait up! Wait up!" a voice came from behind her.
She felt her face grow hot as she barely glanced back as the tall, lanky form ran towards her. She turned around fully to look up into the face of the Humanoid Typhoon. She tried to frown, but the face remained neutral.
"What is it Vash?" she asked flatly.
He had that smile on his face, the smile he'd given her the night before when she was helping him carry the wino.
"What you did was a good thing." He said; his eyes soft and his smile wistful.
She was taken aback some. She forced her eyes to narrow and her lips to frown slightly.
"Don't remind me." She said and then suddenly found his over-righteousness over-whelming and she felt either sick of it, or sick of the fact that she lacked it. Either way, she had to get away from him. But before she could turn to leave she felt a huge hand on her shoulder. She turned around to glair at him, but once she saw the look of gratitude on his face she couldn't help but to put her face into neutral again.
"She thanks you for saving her life, and I do too." He said.
Ryoko, with much effort on her part, brushed the hand off her shoulder.
"Well, don't let it happen again." She said and then walked into the desert.
She couldn't help the feeling that he knew she was there and that he also knew that she would save her. Ryoko knew that he would be going in this direction soon; all she had to do was go into a dust cloud, fly into the sky and then wait for him to pass underneath her.
Before she left, she heard Millie asking Maryl where they had heard the name Ryoko before. Before that Maryl had been denying the whole time that the man in the long, red trench coat was the actual Vash the Stampede. Ryoko smiled slightly at this and continued walking, knowing all the while that the tall, and relatively handsome plant, was watching as she left.
Chapter Five: Water, Water Everywhere but Not a Drop to Drink
The noon rays from a harsh and unkind sun found its way into Ryoko's bedroom window. She stirred slightly, not wanting to open her eyes. She knew Vash had left her there and she vaguely remembered the events from the night previous.
--- What an idiot I am--- she thought to herself.
She remembered her laughter carrying throughout the whole bar; of her beating her fists wildly on the table as he had once again said something so utterly ridiculous that she had to go into hysterical fits of laughter every time she even thought of it. Most of all she remembered that how she passed out was that she closed her eyes for only a few moments and her face ended up implanting itself directly into the table.
"I was still holding onto the bottle. I don't remember it, but that's how it always goes." She said aloud and slowly made an attempt to sit up.
She looked around and saw her cape hung neatly on rack next to the door and her boots set neatly next to her bed. She then also remembered something else. it was the way she made him laugh and how he actually listened to what she said and responded to her in a positive way.
She sat up with the covers bunched up at her sides and her hands in her lap as she slowly began to form fists.
--- Why must I kill him? Why?!--- She thought and then tried to reach into her own soul to find the answers.
In the recesses of her mind she wondered absently if she even had any sort of feelings for the man called Millions Knives, the one she had left to find behind to do his bidding.
--- But he's so cold towards me.--- she thought.
But just as she was about to find what was known as truth a sudden cold and dense fog seemed to engulf her mind and she found herself getting dressed and tracking down the Legendary Gunman down once again.
***later that day*** Ryoko found a deserted town that reminded her of an old western she once saw a long, long, long time ago. She found herself perched on top of an old building watching a large mansion with an intense gaze. In all the time she was there she hadn't seen a single person, except for the occasional traveler and maybe a family or two. But none of them stayed.
She was greatly surprised when she heard the huffing and puffing of two women as they made their way sluggishly up to the mansion's front door. She leaned in closer and saw that it was the two women that were talking to Vash the previous day.
The short one banged heavily on the door and as the door opened they both gave a deep bow. She then heard the short one ask quite kindly for some water, but once she looked up and saw that it was Vash standing there her appearance seemed to be crushed. It was obvious that she wasn't happy to see him, as for the tall one, she seemed totally oblivious to her friend's discontent and greeted him happily, in which he greeted her with equal happiness. This seemed to infuriate the short one some.
With an eye twitching almost wildly she asked again for a glass of water. Ryoko knew why he was there, it was quite funny actually. A man owned a large water supply and was selling it to the people of the city. The people were angry, but did as he asked all the same, but now there were assassins after his life. He had a young woman living with him as well; she also seemed to need protection as well. So the little short man with the bad mustache but an advertisement in the paper for a body guard, he even asked specifically for Vash the Stampede. The thing was, who ever applied the little balding man would automatically call who ever replied Vash the Stampede, no matter who it was to show up. Funny thing was that it just so happened to be Vash who the one was answering it.
As night fell Ryoko flew in for a closer view and sat near the window that faced the living room. She narrowed her eyes as she watched as the short girl pulled a short man into an enclosed area and could hear clearly as the girl verbally bashed Vash, telling the man he must be a complete idiot for believing that Vash could possible be who he said he was.
During this entire time Vash sat all starry and wide-eyed as he goggled at the blonde girl that was staying with the short man. Every once and a while they would give a nervous glance back at the commotion the girl was making. After observing for a while, Ryoko found that the first girl, the short one's, name was Maryl and the second tall girl's name was Millie.
--- Such retarded names. Perfect for humans I guess. --- She thought to herself before she found herself almost dozing off to sleep as night found its way to the mansion.
She suddenly snapped to attention when she heard someone on the roof. She dissipated and then reappeared onto the roof just in time to see the Legendary Gunman tie a rope around his waist and then jump off the roof. She ran to the edge of the roof and peered over to see the Humanoid Typhoon peeping into the window of the girl's bathroom. Worst of all it seemed that the shower was running. Ryoko's face contorted into an over-elaborate scowl. Just before she could create a small energy ball to cut the rope the girl known as Millie stuck her head out.
"Oh, hello Vash. What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"Oh, I um, I'm diligently patrolling the roof area for spooks." He said with a shy grin.
She said something in confirmation and gave him a smile before she shut the window on him. He gave a great sigh before untying the rope and landed perfectly on the ground beneath him. Ryoko gritted her teeth, but couldn't figure out why she was so upset.
--- It's because he's a filthy pig! That's what it is!!--- She thought as her teeth clamped tighter together.
Shortly after he was out of sight she sailed down from the top of the roof. Her eyes narrowed as she followed him around the house.
As he walked in he was met by Millie and Maryl. They were raving about how they couldn't find the little, partially bald man with the bad mustache and grin that was much too large for his features and the girl that was staying with him. Ryoko thought that when the man grinned it made his head look like an over lumpy football.
Millie gave the thought that she might've been kidnapped, and Maryl countered that there was no one near the house and that's when Millie brought up the fact that Vash thought there was someone on the roof. He promptly denied that and Millie proceeded to refresh his memory by telling him about the incident at the bathroom window and his explanation of why he was there.
That set Maryl off and she started pushing him and asking him what he was doing looking into a woman's bathroom when the shower was going and proceeded to accuse him of being a peeping tom when he fell over the couch and pulled a rope leading from the ceiling. When he did this a secret entrance into the wall opened and they were all left there gawking at it.
Ryoko watched as they wondered into the secret room before she dematerialized through the wall and followed through the door. Curiosity etched her face. She took her time following them, but as soon as she came into the large open area, the action had already started without her.
There was a large slope that was carrying water down into a large water reserve, where it was being either pumped or stored. Vash looked drenched as he had obviously slid himself down the slope of water and had pulled himself up onto the basement's floor.
He was then facing the football-headed short guy as he had a gun not only to Vash but the girl as well. The girl was there, but she was no longer dressed in the fancy, over-elaborate dresses she once was in, but she was now wearing some tight red outfit with her hair up.
Ryoko got the basic gist that the short guy was hording water and monopolizing it to gain an immense fortune. Ryoko gritted her teeth some.
--- That girl's been shot once by that old fart...and for what? Wanting to save her people from this guy's dictation? --- Her frown deepened.
The temptation to fly down there was so overwhelming that she almost did, but then something in the back of her head stopped her. She had to wait and see how things played out.
The man shot at Vash and Vash side-stepped it easily. The bullet grazed past his ear and caused strands of hair to sever from his head and fall to the floor. He was able to keep his concentrated look for only a few seconds before he pretended like he just figured out that the man had actually wanted to shoot him and that he barely missed and that he was going to try again very soon.
Vash then freaked out and started dancing around as the man shot at him. His body twisted in all sorts of odd angles to avoid contact. Then, suddenly, the bullets ran out and as the man tried to reload he looked up and saw Vash right in front of him.
Vash told him something about playing with dangerous toys and then flicked the guy in the nose. The guy went flying back wards and a squirt of blood followed. The man then opened his vest to reveal a mechanical device that allowed many guns to hide under his vest, and upon opening the vest, the mechanism was triggered and the guns popped up ready for firing.
The little man opened fire and Ryoko was ready to spring when Vash found a way to dodge all the bullets and wait for the guns to be out of ammunition. What Vash didn't know (or appeared not to know) was that one of the stray bullets, that he actually deflected, hit the main generator or the water plant.
Vash ended up knocking the guy out cold and then stood there laughing hysterically at his victory. He looked at the girls, who had terror stricken faces and a blank look washed over his face.
Maryl lifted a shaky hand towards the damaged and now sparking and enlarging water generator. He glanced over his shoulder and when he looked back his jaw was dropped in a comical way, his eyes had gotten tiny and blue marks streaked his face.
He then grabbed Maryl and Millie and gave a high pitched scream as he ran up and out of the building with them under his arms. The third girl wasn't able to catch up.
--- Stupid girl.she's not going to make it--- Ryoko thought sadly.
Ryoko then gave a deep breath before disappearing and then reappearing right behind the girl. When Ryoko grabbed her she began flailing about madly.
"Will you stop squirming damn it! I'm trying to save you, you stupid." as she said this, the girl nearly head-butted Ryoko.
At this Ryoko sped up so much that the girl had no way she could move. Just as Ryoko was leaving the main entrance the entire mansion exploded, causing her and the girl to go flying, but not by choice.
As they landed, Ryoko twisted her body just so that she could cushion the girl's fall. She then went skidding long after she had released the girl's body. Her body flipped occasionally before she came to a grinding halt on her side.
Her cape was almost shredded to oblivion. She then slowly began to push herself up. The girl got up and then glared at Ryoko.
"I could've saved myself you know!" she called to her.
Ryoko slowly stood and then dusted herself off.
"Whatever." She muttered.
Ryoko then walked up and past the girl without a single glance.
The girl seemed to be speechless.
"Hey Ryoko, wait up! Wait up!" a voice came from behind her.
She felt her face grow hot as she barely glanced back as the tall, lanky form ran towards her. She turned around fully to look up into the face of the Humanoid Typhoon. She tried to frown, but the face remained neutral.
"What is it Vash?" she asked flatly.
He had that smile on his face, the smile he'd given her the night before when she was helping him carry the wino.
"What you did was a good thing." He said; his eyes soft and his smile wistful.
She was taken aback some. She forced her eyes to narrow and her lips to frown slightly.
"Don't remind me." She said and then suddenly found his over-righteousness over-whelming and she felt either sick of it, or sick of the fact that she lacked it. Either way, she had to get away from him. But before she could turn to leave she felt a huge hand on her shoulder. She turned around to glair at him, but once she saw the look of gratitude on his face she couldn't help but to put her face into neutral again.
"She thanks you for saving her life, and I do too." He said.
Ryoko, with much effort on her part, brushed the hand off her shoulder.
"Well, don't let it happen again." She said and then walked into the desert.
She couldn't help the feeling that he knew she was there and that he also knew that she would save her. Ryoko knew that he would be going in this direction soon; all she had to do was go into a dust cloud, fly into the sky and then wait for him to pass underneath her.
Before she left, she heard Millie asking Maryl where they had heard the name Ryoko before. Before that Maryl had been denying the whole time that the man in the long, red trench coat was the actual Vash the Stampede. Ryoko smiled slightly at this and continued walking, knowing all the while that the tall, and relatively handsome plant, was watching as she left.