Trigun: The Rainbow Fades Away 6
Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson were indeed happy to have more female company join their group. Meryl found Iris to be helpful with organizing the documents on the desk.
After finishing the document, she would give the paper to her and ask her to critique and edit it. At her first impression of this new woman, she perceived her to be a gun toting "bimbo", meaning that she would be a woman with a pretty face who is ignorant of proper literary grammar and academic topics. The first impression had been proven incorrect one day as Iris looked over Meryl's shoulder at her desk and said, "You need to expand your thesis statement upon your essay. The statement really needs to express what you are presenting to the reader. Just a thought." "How would you know about writing?" she asked spitefully. "I know enough to see a raw product when I see one.
Try writing your essay with a pencil and paper, then using your typewriter to create the refined product. Sometimes I speak the sentence that I am about to write out loud to hear what it would sound like to the reader." she advised without taking offense to her tone. Iris' response had impressed Meryl yet her pride intervened and said, "I don't need advice from an outlaw thanks." ""Ooooh that was a shot. If rudeness was a crime then you would be my cell mate. See ya later, buddy." Iris remarked and exited the room quietly. "I don't need her. I'm better than that..." she muttered and stared at the typewriter
Her fingers tapped the keys in a frustrated manner, attempting to redo her work.
Each attempt had been deemed more unsuccessful than the next. The stress tolerance level from Meryl's being conceded by having her hands slam upon the typewriter and shout, "NONE OF IT MAKES ANY SENSE!!!! ARGGH!!!!" She rose from her seat, dashed across the room, flung upon the door, stormed into the hall, and approached Iris who had been leaning against the hall way's wall in a casual manner with a heavy scowl. The gray blue eyes met her calm aqua ones and said between clenched teeth: "As much as I hate to say this..." She paused and gazed upon the floor, "I want you to be my critic and editor." A gentle hand clasped her right shoulder and Iris said, "There! Now that wasn't so hard to ask now was't it? Show me where you are having trouble and I'll help give your paper a good tune up." Meryl blushed a deep red and peeked between her bangs to see a warm smile that beamed upon her. No matter what I say to her, it doesn't piss her off. I wish had strong patience like that. she thought with a frown. It seemed that Iris had listened to Meryl's thoughts and she said in an authoritative tone: "The key to a literary masterpiece and inner peace is patience. If you have patience with your talent and allow it flow naturally then it would improve with every word ever created by your hands. The same goes with your own happiness because you can not interfere with the flow of time." Now that was scary! she thought with widened eyes in surprise.
The friction between Meryl and Iris had severe static in the beginning yet they grew accustomed to each other. Their bond became to strong enough to where they would finish each other's remarks and jokes. Occasionally, Vash would hear the women hysterically laughing behind the closed door with a quizzical expression on his face and mutter:
"Did I miss a really funny joke? Ah...girls...I can't live with them and can't live without them." Wolfwood even gave them a nickname: the Three Weird Sisters, pertaining to the three women that governed the mystic threads of fate.
Unfortunately for this desert planet the seasons did not exist in the environment. Only the calendars and clocks served as the time indicators for the inhabitants. Vash's perspective of time allowed the days seem like minutes ticking carelessly away, which did give a reasonable explanation behind his carefree persona. Despite the circumstances of the tedious task of earning money for another trek across the desert, he always found a way to amuse himself. He demonstrated this skill from behind the bar counter to the owner of the Rockerfeller Saloon; Ferguson Rockerfeller, who sat upon a random stool.
The silver haired portly man in the fine brown suit with his crisp yellow shirt gave his employee a smirk and said in a heavy voice, "So what are you about to show me, son?"
"A new way to serve drinks. Just watch and it'll blow your mind!" he said enthusiastically. "Okay I'm watchin'." he said and rested his chin upon an open palm.
Vash placed a glass mug on the counter, removed a string from his coat pocket.
The first end of the string was tied to the handle as the other end was tied to his middle index finger on the right hand. His left hand grabbed the nozzle from the liquor dispenser and prepared himself for the stunt by inhaling deeply through the lips and exhaling slowly. "Here we go!" he shouted. With a jerk of his right hand, he spun the mug at a sideways orbit and sprayed the liquor into it at each circuit. Mr. Rockerfeller watched in awe of the stunt that was performed before his eyes. After successfully filling the mug, Vash slammed the mug to the counter without spilling a drop and asked, "Well? How is that for a trick?" He applauded for the performance and said, "Now that was unbelievable! How did you do that?!" "Uh...it was actually a fluke..." he said with a pink blush. "It's a good thing you're around because of the Halloween bash tonight. There's going to be alot of drunks causing trouble on this occasion." Mr. Rockerfeller commented. "Darn it! I didn't get a costume.." Vash complained. "Throw on a sheet and parade around as a ghost." he said. "Great idea! I can't wait for the festivities to start because of that dance competition." he said while untieing himself from the mug.
"What about that girl you're always with? Is she going to join in the fun?" he asked.
"Oh Iris? Well she's...shy around strangers..." he replied. "Well, then you'll be doing her a favor. Better get started." he said and removed a random table cloth from one of the table and placed it in Vash's arms. He watched Mr. Rockerfeller leave the saloon and asked the question to himself, "What did he mean by doing her a favor?"
Vash shrugged his shoulders, withdrew a knife from his coat, and had cut two perfectly round holes into the sheet. He allowed the cloth to cover his person and waved his arms comically. "Boo!" he shouted and posed before the mirror behind the bar counter.
A giggle escaped from beneath the sheet and thought Those girls will be scared out of their wits. Especially Meryl! She's going to get some payback!
Iris, Meryl and Milly began to prepare themselves for the Halloween festivities by searching through Meryl's make-up case upon the bed. Meryl chose to dress as a cat that consisted of a little black headband with protruding cat ears attached to it and painted whiskers on her cheeks. Milly chose to dress as a scarecrow with the old clothes she found in the alley and painted her face with lines that extended the lips and eye lids.
Iris chose to dress as a vampire by having a pair of fake teeth from her bag, darkened her lips, black satin gloves and her black funeral dress. "We look great!" Meryl said cheerfully. "Do you think anyone would recognize us?" Milly asked. "Maybe. But you girls look more cute than scary." Iris said with a smile. "Your costume is pretty but it's missing something..." Meryl said and gave Iris a critical look. "What is it missing? I've got the teeth and dress...What more could be added?" Iris asked. "You need curls." Meryl replied. "Curls?" Iris asked with a raised brow. "Oh that would be so adorable!" Milly gushed with closed hands. "You can't be serious..." Iris said in disbelief.
Meryl ushered Iris to the chair in the center of the room while Milly placed two little metal poles at the blazing hearth. "Is it ready?" Meryl asked while brushing Iris' hair.
"Yes!" Milly said and grabbed them with gloved hands. The two women began to curl her hair into bouncy locks. Iris tolerated the ordeal with closed eyes. "Okay you're done. It looks so cute!" Meryl exclaimed and placed a hand mirror before her. Iris opened her eyes to see her hair being in a series of curls and had been dumbfounded by the site.
"Is that me? I look too prissy." she said. "Of course it is. Vampires look sophisticated and now the costume is complete." Meryl explained. "You do make a good point." she said and stood from the chair. Suddenly, a big white object bursted into the room that made the women shriek and withdrew their weapons. "Hey! Don't shoot! It's me!" Vash's voice shouted frantically with his arms waving. "Vash?!" all three asked in unison. Vash emerged from beneath the sheet and grinned to them: "Yes, it's me! I just had to test out my ghost costume." he explained. "Well it certainly did the job with frightening results." Iris remarked with a chuckle. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Meryl shouted sternly. The women returned the weapons to their secret compartments in their costumes. "So let me guess...a vampire...a dolly...and a kitty?" he asked. "I'm a scarecrow!" Milly exclaimed. :"Oh. Either way your costumes are cute." Vash commented. "Is Wolfwood going to dress up?" Iris asked. "Yes, he's going as a pumpkin man." he replied. "A pumpkin man? I would love to see that!" Milly exclaimed. "Come on! The party is starting!" Vash exclaimed and ushered them out of the room. "Don't forget your sheet, Vash." Iris said before stepping over the threshold. "Oh thanks!" he shouted. He grabbed the sheet from the floor and allowed Iris to cover him with it. "There now you are a good phantom." she commented. "You make a good vampire with those teeth. Your bite is stronger than your bark." he said in response.
"I have a bad feeling about tonight. Be careful Vash or you could become a ghost for real." she warned him with a concerned expression on her face. "I'll take your word for it, rainbow girl." he said. The two of the them exited the room and departed from the saloon.
The streets had been filled with the costumed people and running children laughing merrily. Men, women and children danced to the cheerful music played by the band that consisted of fiddles, drums, violins, and a harmonica. The couples moved like precise clockwork in the square dance patterns on the dance floor. A few of the people performed jigs alone in the center of the floor. Milly, Wolfwood, Meryl and Vash danced together upon the dance floor while Iris performed a few of the step dances. She danced among the single dancers and performed the traditional jig she learned from her father that came from the distant mother planet.. The fast song from the band ceased and Iris left the dance floor to rest herself upon a nearby wooden table with a carved pumpkin resting behind her. An unusual sinister presence interrupted her serene thoughts and she traced the source to a man dressed in a white coat, spikes on the right shoulder, a metal skull emblem on the left arm, with side-parted dark blue hair and piercing yellow eyes standing at the other side of the dance floor. Her eyes met his warily and watched him grin. His presence gave her chills down her spine yet felt compelled to approach him as though drawn in like a blackhole. A familiar voice spoke within her mind:
Hello Iris...It's nice to see you in person... Her eyes widened in surprise to hear the voice again and furrowed her brows in anger. She sent a thought that said: It's you again...Your appearance matches your character...Sinister and deceitful...The man chuckled at this and replied: My dear, you indulge me with many of your praises. Have you reconsidered the offer? She nodded and said: Yes, I did. Your intention to change the world is admirable but its not in your authoritative power to decide that the human race should be exterminated. The man gestured to her and extended his left gloved hand. Her body seemed to have had an independent nature that forced her to stand and walk to him on the dance floor. The band began to play a romantically haunting melody from the stage as this stranger and Iris joined hands and began to waltz. "My name is Legato and you have no idea of what your true potential is capable of doing." he said. "I can figure that out for myself. What assurance can you give me that you will not hurt anyone?" she asked. "You are a challenge. It would be pleasant to have someone appreciate your talent rather than fear it." he hinted. "Maybe so. I am quite happy with what I have now. I have four friends that appreciate me as well as others." she objected. Legato seemed shocked to hear this reply and had been impressed with such determined willpower. Her aqua eyes bore into his yellow ones in an assertive manner. "Foolish, little man. Love and peace are strongest forces to have ever graced existence. Dominance is great but you can never be appreciated and you would be alone in this world with no one to respect you. I bid you a good night, Mr. Legato. Have a happy Halloween." she said firmly and curtsied before departing from the dance floor. Legato watched her walk towards her four friends with a dumbfounded expression. Knives...We have received more than what we have bargained for...he thought. She's the closest connection to Vash the Stampede. Execute Plan B and I'll have him crying like a baby. another man's voice replied.
The four friends departed from Iris and watched them return to the Rockerfeller Saloon.
She decided to return to the dance floor to help remove the decorations from the area.
Legato approached her from behind and grasped her head. Her eyes began to feel heavy and fell asleep. He caught her form before it had hit the ground and cradled her within his grasp. "Now it's time for your re-education my spirited one." he said quietly and carried her sleeping form into the night...