AHHH!!!! I haven't updated in so long and I hope everyone is still following this fic! *mutters * Plus I hope I don't get pelted with rotten fruit while I'm here. *dives behind the curtain as people chuck old fruit at her * Well, (as usual) I do not own Trigun, only my charries!! ^_^ Love and Peace!!!!

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Chapter 17: One Step Closer

Milly, Meryl, Vash and Wolfwood have been traveling from town to town for about a month now, staying in each one for a few days before moving on. Now, they've made their stay at an inn in the town called Timvel. At the point, Vash was getting quite frustrated with his search for Devi. Every town that they've been to, Vash has asked various people if they seen her and so far, he's been very unsuccessful.

'Ugh, Devi what happened to you? Where did you go?' Vash thought. It was the same questions that entered his mind whenever he finished a round of questioning the people of the town. It was very frustrating for him, not knowing where Devi is and not even having a slight clue. For all he knew, she could be dead, but that wasn't something Vash wanted to think about at the moment.

Wolfwood came over and sat at the table, which Vash was sitting at. Vash looked like he spaced out, again. Ever since Wolfwood joined the gang again and heard that Vash was worried about someone, Vash was just weirder than he even remembered him.

"Hey, you want to talk about what's on your mind? If you have one that is," Wolfwood asked as he lit a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth.

Vash blinked then looked at Wolfwood with sad, worried eyes. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Wolfwood sighed, then smacked Vash across the face. "Come on, needle- noggin, you've been acting like this since I've joined you guys again. I see you everyday in every town, asking the people about this person you're looking for and at the end of them come back here and get a few drinks and be depressed. The girls and I are worried about you. Now what is on your little mind, Vash?"

Keeping his head to the side after Wolfwood slapped him hard, Vash listened. Wolfwood was right. He has been like this for about a month now and his closest friends have been worried about him. Vash sighed and bowed his head down to stare into his beer.

"I guess its about time you should know," Vash said. "Get the girls and I'll explain everything about Devi."

*****

Deep inside the research facility, still inside the capsule that contains the sleeping form of Devi, Devi had lost track of time since she's been placed in the capsule. But all in all, she's been rather busy unconsciously. Devi had found a way to speed up the alteration process when she's unconsciously alert of herself. She managed to tap into her adrenaline stores to speed up the process. When she does so, Devi can feel a burning sensation everywhere, from her skin to her ears and her rear end. It was a strange sensation and it would just get even worse before Devi ends up putting herself under once more. Devi only hoped that is was all part of the process.

There was another thing during some of the times she more 'conscious,' someone was occasionally entering the room. Devi could have sworn that she felt the doctors lock it when they left, maybe she was just imagining it at the time. The mental signature of this person was quite familiar to her, but Devi just couldn't put a name or a face to the signature. It was quite weird, she knew it, but at the same time didn't. Today was apparently one of the day's this person decided to visit because it was in the room. The only thing was that something was different, the person decided to make contact with her telepathically, as though he knew that she was conscious.

*Hello, Devi, * the person said.

Devi recognized the voice. *Jason? *

*That's right. * Jason smirked. *I see that you've been busy. You found a way to speed up the process and you are now over halfway done with your alteration. *

Mentally, Devi smirked. *That's good in my book. Say, how long has it been since I've been in this thing? *

*Only a month, and you're supposed to be in here for six months. Dr. Lowcheski will be surprised. *

*Don't tell him, * Devi said, almost pleading. If he did that, then everything would be ruined.

*I won't, * the tone of his voice was full of reassurance.

Then Devi remembered something. *Wait, didn't the scientists lock the doors to this room? *

*Umm...yeah. I've found a way to sneak in here. *

Devi mentally giggled. *I realized that. *

Jason stepped toward the capsule that contained Devi. He placed a furred hand on the glass as though to touch Devi's peaceful looking face. *I better get going before someone finds out that I disappeared. *

*Alright, see you later. *

*Bye. *

*****

Wolfwood and the Insurance girls stared at Vash in amazement. Vash just finished explaining everything about Devi. He told them everything that Devi had told them and how much he was worried for her.

"Woah," Wolfwood breathed. "I never knew that scientists were capable of such things."

Vash nodded. "I know. I was quite amazed myself when she first told me, which was just before she left."

"It was no wonder that she didn't have a name when we first met then," Milly added.

Meryl stood, a determined look in her face. "We just have to work harder at finding her."

"But Meryl, you were always saying how she is capable of taking care of herself, what changed your mind," Milly asked.

Meryl faced Milly. "I didn't know that Devi was an escaped scientific experiment, it completely changes everything."

"For once the short one has a point," Wolfwood commented.

Meryl glared at Wolfwood. "And as long as we don't play around..."

"Or mope," Wolfwood added, looking particularly at Vash.

"Right," Meryl agreed, "Or mope, we can and should find Devi in no time."

Vash nodded. "But there's one problem to that."

"What?" Meryl and Wolfwood said.

"I have no clue where to look or anything."

Meryl and Wolfwood both fell over while Milly's usual smile turned into a look of worry.

"That's great," Meryl said as she got up. Wolfwood followed suit.

*****

Devi still was unconscious in her capsule. She had to contact Vash somehow, but she doesn't know where Vash is and she's not about to try to do a telepathic link with him, afraid that someone would sense her and then everything would be ruined. Then she felt something that was warm and inviting. It surrounded her mentally and its warmth spread throughout her body. Then a soft, melodious voice sounded in her head.

~Hello, half-sister.~

It was a plant. Not the one from that town that she saved, but it was still a plant. She wondered something.

~Hey, uh, you wouldn't be able to get in contact with Vash, could you?~

Devi could sense the plant smiling, if it knew what a smile was that is. ~Of course, half-sister, Vash is our brother.~

~Oh, well, could you do that for me? Tell him what direction to go to and such? I think he's worried about me.~

~Vash is worried about you. He cares for you. And of course, I'll get Vash going in the right direction.~

Devi smiled, she wondered to herself if the plant knew what it was talking about. ~Thank you, and hurry, please!~