*whacks the laptop which she uses * Darn, freaking thing! It wouldn't open up my first writing of this chapter, so now I have to re-write it. . And I was so close in finishing the chapter!! * sighs* Anywho.. I do not own Trigun or the characters from the series. I do own the characters that I created for this fic. Thank you, enjoy, and R & R!!!!

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Chapter 13: What in the World?

Vash ran to the plant to see and feel that the plant is no longer on the brink of exploding. Confused, Vash thought, She's this calm this fast? How did that happen?

He entered the plant and searched it thoroughly, checking each room he came across. In the back of his mind, Vash wondered how in the world this could happen.

It wasn't until Vash reached the last room, the chamber which enables access to the plant. He remembers that all too well in Ineperil City when Elizabeth trapped him inside. He entered the chamber and looked inside carefully. On the floor next to the door, was a still, black form. Vash knew who it was instantly.

"Devi," Vash stated, slightly urgent. He carefully rolled her to her back and checked to make sure that she was still alive by checking her pulse. Luckily, Devi was still alive, but her breathing was shallow. He breathed a sigh of relief. The plant stayed quiet throughout the whole time Vash was there.

Got to get her out of here. Vash carefully lifted Devi off the floor. Vash just couldn't believe that Devi was actually a plant, and he wondered why she didn't say anything about this. Surely, she would have known he was a plant, but it just confused him. Wouldn't he also be able to detect that she was a plant, or was she just hiding it that well.

As he walked thorugh the streets, he noticed a few things that he didn't see before, but it was only a glance. Walking through the now quiet town, night completely covering it now, except for the shine from the three moons, Vash cradled Devi in his arms and made sure the nothing was dragging.

Once to the inn, Vash took her to her room and carefully placed Devi on her bed. That was when he got a good look at her. Devi's dark hair shifted and revealed her strange-looking ears. Instantly, Vash stepped back, surprised at the sight of such a different sight. As he stepped back a few, Vash looked over Devi from a distance. He knew there was something different about Devi that made her different, but he just didn't know about this.

Then he noticed her tail, black, long and sleek. It wasn't possible for a human to have a tail, or pointed ears, could it? Wait, Vash thought. What if she's the genetic experiment that escaped? That could be way she didn't have a name when we first met.

Vash left the room, allowing Devi to rest on the bed.

*****

Vash joined Milly and Meryl in the saloon. Milly looked at Vash, slightly concerned while Meryl took a sip out of her drink.

"Will Miss Devi be alright," Milly asked.

"I hope so," Vash answered.

Meryl looked at Vash, then Milly. "What was she thinking? Trying to help the plant! She could have been killed."

Vash glanced over at Meryl. "She stopped the plant from destroying the town."

Milly looked down at her hands. "Does that mean that she's a...plant?"

"I'm not sure," Vash answered. "But there is something about her that makes her different. More different than me."

Meryl finished off her drink, then stood. "Well, since its getting late. I'm going to bed. Its best that you two do so also."

After Meryl left, Milly then finished her drink and said night to Vash, leaving him be by himself. Vash sat there, staring at his drink a moment before he too got up and headed upstairs. As he passed Devi's door, he opened it slightly to still see her laying on the bed, very still.

I hope she's ok, Vash thought as he turned and went to his room for the night.

*****

Devi felt sore all over. Somehow, she got to a bed, but she doesn't remember doing so. The last thing she remembered was leaving the plant and then going unconscious and now she's in a bed with the morning sun shining across the room. She stretched in the bed, her claws reached and massaged a bit on the headboard. Devi stopped abruptly, cursing her feline side of her genetics.

She climbed out of bed and took her trench coat off, setting it on the chair. Devi headed directly for the shower, unknowingly to her new alteration. When she reached the bathroom and stripped out of her unitard, Devi had to restrain herself fro screaming at the top of her lungs at her discovery. It would have been the last thing she would have expected to see at all.

A long, black and sleek tail.

She examined it well. Yup, its attached to me. I wonder how this happen. She thought as she got ready for a shower. Maybe it was from when I was in the plant, something in doing that must have triggered my genetic code and alter me even more. Damn, now I'm thinking like those scientists.

After cleaning herself up, Devi redressed in the unitard and braided her hair. She then gathered up her things and headed downstairs to the saloon. Everyone in the saloon was having breakfast, but she didn't see Milly, Meryl or Vash. Sitting down at a table, Devi ordered a simple meal.

Just as her meal came to her, Meryl came downstairs. She sat down across from Devi and ordered a cup of coffee. They sat there a moment before Meryl broke the silence with her question.

"So, how are you feeling?"

Devi looked up. "Oh, I feel fine, thank you."

There was that uncomfortable silence again. Devi had a strange feeling that Meryl didn't like her very much, but she wasn't about to bring it up. Meryl had something to say, and she just couldn't help it but say what she wanted to say.

"Why were you at the plant?"

Devi looked to the side, deliberately avoiding eye contact. "I thought I could help it from not destroying the town."

"You thought," Meryl echoed. "You could have killed yourself in trying to do so."

"But I didn't, in fact, I saved the town and no one knows it."

Meryl was about to continue ranting, but stopped as she looked at Devi. "Are you saying that you're a plant?"

"Well, I'm not exactly human, Meryl. I actually don't know how to classify myself."

With that statement, Meryl calmed down. Devi now started to play with her meal with her fork. She asked quietly, "You hate me, don't you Meryl?"

Meryl looked up. Devi looked almost like someone who was lonesome. Meryl looked to the side as she took a sip of her coffee. "I never said that."

"But you do, and I think it has to do with Vash also. Am I right?"

Meryl huffed. "You're right."

"Is it because you love Vash?"

Meryl looked at Devi again. "How can you tell?"

Devi set her fork down and took a sip out of her juice. "Well, I may not be human, but I'm able to read humans and how they feel. It's all in the eyes."

"Wow," Meryl breathed. "It was that obvious, huh?"

This time, Devi allowed herself to smile a little bit as she sat up and go back to eating. "Yeah. Just so you know, I like Vash, but not like you do. After all, you know him more than me. So if you want me gone, I'll stick around until we reach the next town, then you won't have to worry about me again."

"No, don't do that again. Vash will probably worry about you again."

Just then, Milly and Vash soon joined them and had their breakfasts. They discussed as to where to go next, and they agreed to head to December. Devi wanted to grab a few things before heading out. So they went their separate ways and said that they would leave in the afternoon.

*****

The day rolled on by and soon enough the afternoon showed itself to the town. Devi stood by her motorcycle, waiting for the others to join her. She got some more food, water, and a new unitard, the one she was wearing needed to be repaired and cleaned up.

Milly, Meryl and Vash walked up the street and put what they got, which was food and water, into the back of their vehicle.

"You ready, guys?" Devi asked.

"Yeah," Meryl answered. "Then let's go!"

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Ok, I think this is shorter than most of the other chappys. ^^ Well, hop you are enjoying this fic. Please R&R!!! Love and Peace!