Sorry for such a short chapter last time. I think this one it
better. And please, only constructive criticism.
** *** **** ***** ******
The room was a bit bare, and a little chilly, but it would do. It was the only vacant room in the place that night anyway. I sat down my bag in the bed and looked around again. 'I need some beer. Any kind.' I thought. I walked out the door and down the steps that lead to a street exit. The streets were kind of dark, only a few lanterns could be seen up on old porches. I headed toward the general store, remembering the map as well.
When I stepped inside, I grabbed a few bottles and headed up to the line at the counter. In front was a short pudgy sort of man and two women purchasing food. And boy, was it a lot of food.
"Going to feed and army?" I asked. The tall one turned around and smiled.
"Only a typhoon." She stated. I gave her a confused look.
"Oh, it's just a guy we're bunking with. He's a real pig." She continued. The shorter one turned around and tugged on her shoulder.
"Millie! We're not supposed to tell people he's in this town!" She whispered. I could tell she hadn't meant for me to hear it. The phrase 'human typhoon' came to mind.
"This pig wouldn't go by the name of Vash, would he?" I asked, a hand secretly moving to my gun. The tall one began to nod, and the shorter woman shook her.
"No, of course not. We don't travel with Vash the Stampede." She said.
"I never said he was the Stampede." I told her. The one named Millie smiled.
"What she meant was that. . ." She stopped, seeing my draw my gun. I placed it to her head.
"Take me to him." I told her. They dropped the food and the man at the counter was ready to serve them.
"Oh my God, it's a robbery!" He yelled, his hands shooting strait up in the air.
"I'm not going to rob you old man! These two have been harboring a wanted criminal. I'm going to find him. You've heard of Vash the Stampede, haven't you?" I yelled to him. He nodded and took his hands down.
"Now ladies, I would like you to take me to him." I asked calmly.
"Y-yes S-sir." The short one replied. I took out a second gun and aimed it at her.
"Walk." I ordered. The two began to trot out of the general store, side by side. Lucky for me, the street was empty.
They led me to an alley and through a door. The hallway was dark and damp, but from the door they stopped at, singing could be heard.
"He must be taking a shower." Millie told the short one. She nodded. I reached a hand to the door knob and twisted. It was unlocked. As fast as I could, I swung it open and jumped inside, closing and locking the door behind me. The girls began to pund on the door. I began to observe the first room which contained two sets of bunk beds, and a few bags. A cracked open door to my right had steam pouring out of it, and a man's voice came. It wasn't exactly a deep mean voice. I leaned against the door and whispered a prayer, my arms and guns crossed.
I slammed through the door and held my guns pointing towards the voice, which abruptly stopped singing.
"Come out with your hands up!" I yelled through the steam. The shower curtain in front of me opened and through the heavy mist I could see the silhouette of the man. For a moment we stood silent.
"Are you Vash, the Stampede?" I asked, not knowing how to go about it.
"It's one of my names, yes." He replied in a serious voice. I could still not see anything but his outline. Behind me I saw a towel. I picked it up and threw it to him.
"I don't want to shoot you Mister Vash, so please come quietly out of the room and fallow me. I saw him wrap the towel around his waist and put his hands up again. I began to slowly back out of the steam into the cool room, in which the girls still pounded against the door. When I was all the way out of the room, I could see the man exiting the shadows and entering into the light.
Two things struck me like bullets to the mind when I laid eyes upon him. Firstly, this man was not Vash, but the man from the bar, and his body was covered in scars.
I lowered my guns.
"You're not Vash the Stampede." I said plainly, putting my guns away.
"And you must be a bounty hunter." He said, lowering his hands to his sides. Even with all of those scars, the man was handsome. I blushed under my face cover. Imagine walking in on his shower and making such a mistake! God, I was so embarrassed. I went to the door and unlocked it. The two girls fell into the room and quickly scrambled up.
"Vash, Vash are you okay? She's not a bounty hunter it she?" The tall one asked, reaching her hand into her pocket. I saw her grasp a gun.
"Watch it girl, I don't want any violence. And I thought this guy wasn't Vash?" I said. The short one turned around.
"Ahem, I'm Meryl, and this Millie. And yea, this guy happens to be Vash, though hard to believe." She said, laughing nervously.
"Well then, crap. I can't turn this guy in, he's a nice fellow." I mumbled more to myself then to them.
Damn conscience! It's not like I expected the guy to be decent. Besides, I owe him for the alley way and the bar incident.
"Well, Mr. Vash, it's a lucky thing you're so nice or you'd be at the sheriff's office by now. I'm really sorry about all of this." I said. I'm sure by now my blush was visible through my cloak. The girls nodded. Vash put on a really silly face.
"Why don't you stay for a while then? These girls are driving me nuts." He said. Meryl smacked him. I laughed lightly and nodded, rubbing my eyes.
******
Vash turned out to be a mix between the village idiot and a selfless giver. As we struck up a game of poker, I discovered Vash had the best poker face I had ever seen. Every time I thought he must have had a royal flush, I looked into his eyes and discovered I could look past them like the other two couldn't.
"Full house." I said, spreading my cards.
"Beats me." Meryl and Millie said. Vash laid out his cards.
"An ace high strait!? But I'm out of cookies!" Millie wined. I laughed and handed my cards to Vash, the next dealer. He didn't look at me when he took them. Millie stood up.
"I'm exhausted, g'night guys! Oh and it was great to meet you Mister. . . ?" Millie asked.
"Just call me Whips, okay?" I asked. She nodded and gave me one of her one of her approving smiles. Meryl stood up too.
"That goes for me too. Don't you boys hurt each other, okay?" She said. They both flopped down on one of the bunk beds on the other side of the room, leaving us with a mess of cards which Vash had begun to collect. I picked up mine and the half spilt deck and handed them to Vash. He slipped them into the case and began to munch on the on sorted pot of cookies.
"I think from now on I'll play with money, not cookies. Think of all the cash I would win!" He told me with a silly smile. His eyes seemed to look around the room, but not stray to mine. I was thankful.
"Cookies are good enough for me." I replied, taking a bite out of Meryl's winnings. I took special care to shift the veal just the right way like I did in the bar. That way no one could see my lips.
"It would be a lot easier to hear you if you took off that disguise Whips. I'm not afraid of scars." Vash said, his smile nothing more than a tiered face now. I smiled. So maybe he thought I was hiding scars underneath my cloak.
I considered this for a moment. What could I have to lose by showing my face to this kind hearted man? I could think of anything, so I slipped my hat and veal off. The hair I had up in my hat tumbled to my shoulders on blonde ripples, and was sure my blush was now visible.
Vash's mouth became a very comical 'o' of surprise. Probably because he thought I had something physical to hide. It was quite the contrary, really.
"Oh." He said, raising his eyebrows. I laughed at his reaction.
"Not every one has something physical to hide. But, your scars," I began tentatively, "what are they from?" I asked. He turned his head downward. For a moment I considered if I had wondered into private territory.
"These are from different things I guess. Mostly for being getting in the way of gunshots." He replied, his head still down.
"Well you shouldn't be ashamed of them then. I think you should wear them proudly, if they are from heroic acts. You must carry more emotional scars then physical ones." I told him. For another moment I wondered that perhaps I shouldn't tell him things about himself, that he didn't think I knew.
"That's one way to put it." He said. I smiled, trying to think of something that would make him feel better.
"I've got a pretty nasty scar." I told him. He looked up. I saw that blank face he wore when he knew he couldn't hide.
"I'll show you if you promise not to be a pervert about it." I told him. He gave me a weak smile.
"Promise." He told me. I stood up and took of my cloak which covered all of my feminine features. But Vash's eyes grew wide when he saw my curves, and his eyes strayed to my. . .ahem. . . breasts. I blushed a little more and moved to my skirt. It was a slinky stretchy sort of thing, but it hugged my body nicely and was comfortable. So I pulled it up to my upper thigh. On the inner left leg was a huge nasty gash with black skin stretched across it in diagonal streaks.
Vash didn't even blush as he kneeled before me and put his cool hand against the scarred skin.
"That does look pretty nasty." He told me. I nodded and dropped the skirt, feeling indecent suddenly. His right arm brushed against the skin before he backed away. That hand was warm.
"Vash, c'mere." I told him. I sat upon the ground and he sat in front of me. I took both hand in mine and felt the difference.
"Your right hand is cold and not as flexible." I told him. He pulled both of his hands way.
"It's not a real arm. But you're pretty observant." He told me. I nodded, seeing his defensive look. It was not a subject to push.
"It keeps me alive. I think I should be going." I told him, grabbing my cloak and hat. I stood up and looked into his eyes. They were becoming oddly familiar, like I had known them before.
"Where are you going to go?" He asked. I replaced my clothes.
"I have a place for tonight."
"You're an enigma." He told me as I headed toward the door. I stopped.
"How so?" I asked in curiosity.
"You risked your life for the money of the reward, but you didn't turn me in because you thought I was nice. Secondly, just being a woman bounty hunter is a contradiction. Thirdly, you hide yourself when you have nothing to hide. Finally, you look like the whole world is just a show passing by, but then you pick out little details like this. But most of all, you won't look me in the eyes when you talk." He said, holding his arm. I was slightly shocked by the blunt statement.
"I can say the same for you, Vash. You appear so happy but inside it's like you're in a deathly pain. Then you hide your scars like you have something to fear. Do know why I can't look in your eyes, Vash? Because it hurts me to see you hide all of that. It hurts to see you crying while you're smiling." I told him. Had the man had less self control, I'm sure his jaw would have dropped.
"Do you think your eyes are any better?" He asked, locking his eyes with mine.
I gave in and looked back into his eyes. Those eyes I had turned away from all night. Endless oceans of, what? Pain? Longing for something he can't have? No, it wasn't that.
It was hunger.
** *** **** ***** ******
The room was a bit bare, and a little chilly, but it would do. It was the only vacant room in the place that night anyway. I sat down my bag in the bed and looked around again. 'I need some beer. Any kind.' I thought. I walked out the door and down the steps that lead to a street exit. The streets were kind of dark, only a few lanterns could be seen up on old porches. I headed toward the general store, remembering the map as well.
When I stepped inside, I grabbed a few bottles and headed up to the line at the counter. In front was a short pudgy sort of man and two women purchasing food. And boy, was it a lot of food.
"Going to feed and army?" I asked. The tall one turned around and smiled.
"Only a typhoon." She stated. I gave her a confused look.
"Oh, it's just a guy we're bunking with. He's a real pig." She continued. The shorter one turned around and tugged on her shoulder.
"Millie! We're not supposed to tell people he's in this town!" She whispered. I could tell she hadn't meant for me to hear it. The phrase 'human typhoon' came to mind.
"This pig wouldn't go by the name of Vash, would he?" I asked, a hand secretly moving to my gun. The tall one began to nod, and the shorter woman shook her.
"No, of course not. We don't travel with Vash the Stampede." She said.
"I never said he was the Stampede." I told her. The one named Millie smiled.
"What she meant was that. . ." She stopped, seeing my draw my gun. I placed it to her head.
"Take me to him." I told her. They dropped the food and the man at the counter was ready to serve them.
"Oh my God, it's a robbery!" He yelled, his hands shooting strait up in the air.
"I'm not going to rob you old man! These two have been harboring a wanted criminal. I'm going to find him. You've heard of Vash the Stampede, haven't you?" I yelled to him. He nodded and took his hands down.
"Now ladies, I would like you to take me to him." I asked calmly.
"Y-yes S-sir." The short one replied. I took out a second gun and aimed it at her.
"Walk." I ordered. The two began to trot out of the general store, side by side. Lucky for me, the street was empty.
They led me to an alley and through a door. The hallway was dark and damp, but from the door they stopped at, singing could be heard.
"He must be taking a shower." Millie told the short one. She nodded. I reached a hand to the door knob and twisted. It was unlocked. As fast as I could, I swung it open and jumped inside, closing and locking the door behind me. The girls began to pund on the door. I began to observe the first room which contained two sets of bunk beds, and a few bags. A cracked open door to my right had steam pouring out of it, and a man's voice came. It wasn't exactly a deep mean voice. I leaned against the door and whispered a prayer, my arms and guns crossed.
I slammed through the door and held my guns pointing towards the voice, which abruptly stopped singing.
"Come out with your hands up!" I yelled through the steam. The shower curtain in front of me opened and through the heavy mist I could see the silhouette of the man. For a moment we stood silent.
"Are you Vash, the Stampede?" I asked, not knowing how to go about it.
"It's one of my names, yes." He replied in a serious voice. I could still not see anything but his outline. Behind me I saw a towel. I picked it up and threw it to him.
"I don't want to shoot you Mister Vash, so please come quietly out of the room and fallow me. I saw him wrap the towel around his waist and put his hands up again. I began to slowly back out of the steam into the cool room, in which the girls still pounded against the door. When I was all the way out of the room, I could see the man exiting the shadows and entering into the light.
Two things struck me like bullets to the mind when I laid eyes upon him. Firstly, this man was not Vash, but the man from the bar, and his body was covered in scars.
I lowered my guns.
"You're not Vash the Stampede." I said plainly, putting my guns away.
"And you must be a bounty hunter." He said, lowering his hands to his sides. Even with all of those scars, the man was handsome. I blushed under my face cover. Imagine walking in on his shower and making such a mistake! God, I was so embarrassed. I went to the door and unlocked it. The two girls fell into the room and quickly scrambled up.
"Vash, Vash are you okay? She's not a bounty hunter it she?" The tall one asked, reaching her hand into her pocket. I saw her grasp a gun.
"Watch it girl, I don't want any violence. And I thought this guy wasn't Vash?" I said. The short one turned around.
"Ahem, I'm Meryl, and this Millie. And yea, this guy happens to be Vash, though hard to believe." She said, laughing nervously.
"Well then, crap. I can't turn this guy in, he's a nice fellow." I mumbled more to myself then to them.
Damn conscience! It's not like I expected the guy to be decent. Besides, I owe him for the alley way and the bar incident.
"Well, Mr. Vash, it's a lucky thing you're so nice or you'd be at the sheriff's office by now. I'm really sorry about all of this." I said. I'm sure by now my blush was visible through my cloak. The girls nodded. Vash put on a really silly face.
"Why don't you stay for a while then? These girls are driving me nuts." He said. Meryl smacked him. I laughed lightly and nodded, rubbing my eyes.
******
Vash turned out to be a mix between the village idiot and a selfless giver. As we struck up a game of poker, I discovered Vash had the best poker face I had ever seen. Every time I thought he must have had a royal flush, I looked into his eyes and discovered I could look past them like the other two couldn't.
"Full house." I said, spreading my cards.
"Beats me." Meryl and Millie said. Vash laid out his cards.
"An ace high strait!? But I'm out of cookies!" Millie wined. I laughed and handed my cards to Vash, the next dealer. He didn't look at me when he took them. Millie stood up.
"I'm exhausted, g'night guys! Oh and it was great to meet you Mister. . . ?" Millie asked.
"Just call me Whips, okay?" I asked. She nodded and gave me one of her one of her approving smiles. Meryl stood up too.
"That goes for me too. Don't you boys hurt each other, okay?" She said. They both flopped down on one of the bunk beds on the other side of the room, leaving us with a mess of cards which Vash had begun to collect. I picked up mine and the half spilt deck and handed them to Vash. He slipped them into the case and began to munch on the on sorted pot of cookies.
"I think from now on I'll play with money, not cookies. Think of all the cash I would win!" He told me with a silly smile. His eyes seemed to look around the room, but not stray to mine. I was thankful.
"Cookies are good enough for me." I replied, taking a bite out of Meryl's winnings. I took special care to shift the veal just the right way like I did in the bar. That way no one could see my lips.
"It would be a lot easier to hear you if you took off that disguise Whips. I'm not afraid of scars." Vash said, his smile nothing more than a tiered face now. I smiled. So maybe he thought I was hiding scars underneath my cloak.
I considered this for a moment. What could I have to lose by showing my face to this kind hearted man? I could think of anything, so I slipped my hat and veal off. The hair I had up in my hat tumbled to my shoulders on blonde ripples, and was sure my blush was now visible.
Vash's mouth became a very comical 'o' of surprise. Probably because he thought I had something physical to hide. It was quite the contrary, really.
"Oh." He said, raising his eyebrows. I laughed at his reaction.
"Not every one has something physical to hide. But, your scars," I began tentatively, "what are they from?" I asked. He turned his head downward. For a moment I considered if I had wondered into private territory.
"These are from different things I guess. Mostly for being getting in the way of gunshots." He replied, his head still down.
"Well you shouldn't be ashamed of them then. I think you should wear them proudly, if they are from heroic acts. You must carry more emotional scars then physical ones." I told him. For another moment I wondered that perhaps I shouldn't tell him things about himself, that he didn't think I knew.
"That's one way to put it." He said. I smiled, trying to think of something that would make him feel better.
"I've got a pretty nasty scar." I told him. He looked up. I saw that blank face he wore when he knew he couldn't hide.
"I'll show you if you promise not to be a pervert about it." I told him. He gave me a weak smile.
"Promise." He told me. I stood up and took of my cloak which covered all of my feminine features. But Vash's eyes grew wide when he saw my curves, and his eyes strayed to my. . .ahem. . . breasts. I blushed a little more and moved to my skirt. It was a slinky stretchy sort of thing, but it hugged my body nicely and was comfortable. So I pulled it up to my upper thigh. On the inner left leg was a huge nasty gash with black skin stretched across it in diagonal streaks.
Vash didn't even blush as he kneeled before me and put his cool hand against the scarred skin.
"That does look pretty nasty." He told me. I nodded and dropped the skirt, feeling indecent suddenly. His right arm brushed against the skin before he backed away. That hand was warm.
"Vash, c'mere." I told him. I sat upon the ground and he sat in front of me. I took both hand in mine and felt the difference.
"Your right hand is cold and not as flexible." I told him. He pulled both of his hands way.
"It's not a real arm. But you're pretty observant." He told me. I nodded, seeing his defensive look. It was not a subject to push.
"It keeps me alive. I think I should be going." I told him, grabbing my cloak and hat. I stood up and looked into his eyes. They were becoming oddly familiar, like I had known them before.
"Where are you going to go?" He asked. I replaced my clothes.
"I have a place for tonight."
"You're an enigma." He told me as I headed toward the door. I stopped.
"How so?" I asked in curiosity.
"You risked your life for the money of the reward, but you didn't turn me in because you thought I was nice. Secondly, just being a woman bounty hunter is a contradiction. Thirdly, you hide yourself when you have nothing to hide. Finally, you look like the whole world is just a show passing by, but then you pick out little details like this. But most of all, you won't look me in the eyes when you talk." He said, holding his arm. I was slightly shocked by the blunt statement.
"I can say the same for you, Vash. You appear so happy but inside it's like you're in a deathly pain. Then you hide your scars like you have something to fear. Do know why I can't look in your eyes, Vash? Because it hurts me to see you hide all of that. It hurts to see you crying while you're smiling." I told him. Had the man had less self control, I'm sure his jaw would have dropped.
"Do you think your eyes are any better?" He asked, locking his eyes with mine.
I gave in and looked back into his eyes. Those eyes I had turned away from all night. Endless oceans of, what? Pain? Longing for something he can't have? No, it wasn't that.
It was hunger.