Meet Me in the Moonlight
By: Haruka-chan
Chapter 4: The Next Town
Vash watched as she wriggled her toes in the sand. 'I have never met a person like her. She was so different from your average women who are either married or busy, never having the time to do the little things' he thought.
"Reality is harsh, but we're still living" Meryl suddenly said as she took a seat on the cold sand. Vash came and sat down next to her. "The but that is the same reason we are given another chance to right our wrong," said Meryl. Vash almost gasped at what she just said, they were the very words that Rem had told him. "Life is a challenge," said Meryl.
"Well, yeah other wise it wouldn't be any fun" said Vash.
"Some people like having to live in happiness then anything else, they find that more enjoyable" said Meryl.
"Is that the kind of person you are?" he asked looking at her.
"I don't know maybe I was one, but now I don't know what I would call myself..." said Meryl.
"I think you're really out going" said Vash. Meryl broke out in laughter. Vash looked surprised at first but soon recovered and smiled.
"What did I say something funny?" he asked.
"You really don't know me, that's why you can call me out going. I'm anything but out going" said Meryl.
"Really?" Vash asked scratching his head.
Meryl nodded and smiled. "I was always worried about my work, never taking the time to enjoy life at all, until it was too late" said Meryl.
"How is it too late you can still have fun" said Vash.
"Yeah but wouldn't it only half of me? When your sad you have to accept it and be sad, in order to have fun and enjoy yourself you have to be happy not full of pain and sadness" said Meryl.
"I don't agree with you there, you could be full of sorrow but that shouldn't stop you from feeling happy or having fun a little" he said.
"That's what you do don't you" said Meryl looking at him.
Vash chuckled "I guess" he said.
"But isn't it like hiding in away?" she asked.
"Huh?" asked Vash.
"It's good that you can feel happy when your full of sorrow, but doesn't that same sorrow turn your happiness in to a false emotion?" she asked. Vash sat and thought about what she just said, it was true and that's what frightened him.
"I watched as he sat there wondering about what I just said on my logic of emotion. He seemed frightened that after finding this out he wasn't going to be able to be the way he was, and that he has been living a lie. This man was so sensitive that sometimes he makes me think he was woman. I would have laughed at that but the truth was I couldn't. There was something in him that made me envy him, but I didn't know what it was..."
"We should head back" Meryl said as she stood up.
"Yeah" said Vash. Meryl started to walk back to the town they had stopped in.
"I think they are still at the saloon" said Vash.
Meryl nodded as she went inside and found Milly and Wolfwood laughing about something as they drank. Meryl's eyes went somewhat watery before she smiled and walked towards them.
"Meryl!" said Milly as she waved at her friend.
"Glad that you two came back" said Wolfwood.
"Yeah we took a 'walk' and talked for a bit" said Vash. Meryl took a seat next Milly. "What did we miss?" asked Vash.
"Big girl is quite a chess player" said Wolfwood.
"And Mr. Priest isn't so bad either" said Milly. Meryl looked at the empty cups of pudding, and a sick look came over her face.
"Milly are sure your not going to be sick after all that?" asked Meryl pointing to the bag.
"Nope, you know I had more then that! It gives me my energy!" said Milly with a star background.
Both Meryl and Wolfwood sighed and shook their heads, while Vash just looked confused.
"We should go check in to a hotel" said Vash.
"Yeah, it's getting pretty late" said Milly. Meryl nodded as Wolfwood stood.
"Lets go then" said Vash.
They walked in to the near by hotel and got two room. The girls in one room and guys in the other.
"I like them Meryl...they are great!" said Milly.
"Yeah" said Meryl as she turned of the light. Meryl laid awake and watched Milly sleep with a smile. She smiled and turned her back on her.
"Milly is happy, that's good" she said.
"I laid wide wake thinking over everything that has happened and found myself being grateful that they found us. We traveled with them, as they days passed I started to see the way that Milly and Wolfwood looked at each other and how they got along. It made me happy to see Milly laughing all the time. They were always smiling and laughing...it was as if I was the only one left behind, left out of this world they connected in..."
AN: I'm getting lazy and I wanna get to the point of the story already so sometimes I'm gonna skip around
At a saloon in May City...
Meryl watched as Wolfwood took a fry from Milly's plate and pulled her hair. Milly stuck out her tongue and continued eating. Meryl smiled and looked out the window once more.
"If you don't want your Sunday then I'll eat it" said Vash.
"Huh?" asked Meryl as she looked down at her Sundae.
"No, I want it" she said as she started to eat. Vash smiled as he popped another doughnut in to his mouth. Meryl stared at the vanilla and chocolate in her Sundae.
"Hey Meryl Mr. Priest and I are going for a walk" said Milly.
"Sure" said Meryl as she looked down at her Sundae.
Vash frowned as he watched her. 'I could see that nothing was changing for her, I felt so small around her for some reason' thought Vash.
"I wanted to thank you" said Meryl.
"Huh for what?" asked Vash.
"For everything" whispered Meryl.
"But I didn't do anything" said Vash.
"Doesn't matter thank you for everything" said Meryl and walked out of the saloon.
"Huh?" asked Vash. 'I didn't understand her but I could sense the sadness that was with in her, at night she cries and then she falls asleep, I hear it even though I don't want to, I hear her call out for her mother...' thought Vash.
Meryl walked slowly and watched as Milly and Wolfwood played with some of the kids of the town, they were laughing and they looked at each other with a different kind of care. Wolfwood leaned in and kissed Milly on the lips, and the children all 'eewwed' and then started to run around them. When they did pull part it was like someone taking Meryl's heart and ripping in two.
"I didn't want to be broken down and I didn't want to rely on them any longer. I saw the care that Milly held in her eyes for Wolfwood, and how well they got along, how happy they were. When he kissed her I knew all the things I thought and saw was true. That's when I realized I must remove myself from that picture. I wanted Milly to be happy, and not worry for me. I knew for a while now that Milly was slowly falling in love with Wolfwood and he with her. They were always together, and I knew I could trust Wolfwood to take care of her. I slowly decided that I would leave that very night, and never again let my path cross theirs. I was going to enjoy my last minutes with them with a smile and forget about them. I was taking another thorny path out..."
The day went by strangely fast, unfortunately for Meryl. They were having dinner at a small restaurant that was run by a single mother and her son.
"It must be very hard for you" said Meryl.
"It is but I live on for my son, he is my whole world" said the woman. Meryl smiled back.
"Milly do you like it with Mr. Vash and Wolfwood?" asked Meryl turning to look at her friend.
"Yeah they are great" said Milly. Meryl smiled.
"What would you ladies like?" asked the woman.
"I'll have a chicken teriyaki and rice" said Milly.
"I'll just have a salad" said Meryl.
"What about you guys?" asked the woman.
"I don't know do you have doughnuts?" asked Vash.
"Doughnuts for dinner? Your sick" said Meryl. Vash pouted but then smiled.
"Tongari what you say to fried rice and beef stake?" asked Wolfwood.
"Yeah!" said Vash. They moved to a table and waited for their meals to be ready.
"So small girl got any plans now?" asked Wolfwood.
"Yeah I think I'm gonna try and get a job, start over" said Meryl. Vash could tell that her smile was phony and that the sadness around her grew more.
"Yeah! We could start our own business selling pudding!" said Milly. Both Meryl and Wolfwood turned a shade of green.
"I think I'm starting to dislike pudding" said Meryl.
"You said it small girl" said Wolfwood.
"How could you guys hate pudding?" asked Milly. Vash was once again lost in the conversation of pudding.
"Here you go your food is ready" said the woman setting everyone's plates of food down.
"This looks and smells great" said Meryl. The woman smiled and walked back.
Wolfwood offered Milly a piece of stake, she opened her mouth for him to deposit the food. Meryl looked down once again at her food. The more she wanted to stay, the more she wanted to leave for Milly's and the guys' sake. Vash also noticed the two chattering and feeding each other, he smiled. Finally his friend fell in love, and with a great person. His eyes went over to Meryl who had no expression. She just quietly ate her greens.
"Are you planning on staying in this town?" he asked.
"No, I was thinking that I was going to apply for a job in the next town" said Meryl.
"What do you plan to do?" asked Vash.
"I don't know I can't really ask for much" said Meryl. Vash nodded.
"I'm sorry but I couldn't help over hearing you say something about a job" said the woman.
"Yes," said Meryl.
"Well, you could work here, for me if you like, both of you ladies" said the woman.
"Wow! Thank you ma'am" said Milly.
"Yes, thank you" said Meryl. Vash noticed the small hint of guilt that showed in her eyes.
"It would be great to live and work here!" said Milly excitedly.
"Yea" said Meryl.
"Well, why don't you guys come over tomorrow and we'll talk it over" said the woman and walking slowly away.
Meryl looked down at the vinegar and oil on her salad. She found herself chuckling yes it was just like that, she was oil and they were like vinegar. The two shouldn't mix. Vash somehow felt heavy hearted to see her like this. He turned to Wolfwood and Milly who were busy talking about how many sheep or cows or children they were going to have. They seemed happy, it was as if he and Meryl didn't belong in their world.
"I wanted to cry in frustration, yet laugh at my sadness. I was once again running away from completely forgetting everything and starting over. I'm such a fool was the only thing that was going through my head as I watched the people around me, it was as if I was black/white while everyone else was in color. I felt guilty lying to those who did so much for me, but then again it was so I wouldn't hurt them ever again that I was removing myself...right?"
The group had gone back to the hotel room, Meryl watched as Milly slowly fell asleep, she laid in bed still dressed, she somehow convinced the big girl that she was too tired to change. Meryl finally got up and started towards the door. She looked back at the sleeping Milly, rethinking it all, maybe staying here wasn't going to be bad. They would get that job, and everything will work out. But one thing made Meryl's eyes water and go back to her original plan. Milly had a smile playing on her lips as it whispered in to the dark room
"Nick..."
Meryl gently opened the door and stepped out. She wiped her tears and quietly made her way down the stair. Vash in the next room heard Meryl leave. 'Maybe she's going for a walk' he thought as he neared the window to watch for her if anything happened. he remembered that Wolfwood had said he was going to take a walk, and smiled thinking if anything happened that Wolfwood would be there. Then that nagging feeling came to Vash, as if Wolfwood saving her wasn't good enough, as if it had to be him. He shook his head and watched out the window as Meryl's small form walked out she looked back at the hotel, and that's when Wolfwood came towards her. Vash couldn't hear anything but could tell that Wolfwood was asking her what she was doing out so late.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked her. Meryl looked away as she was about to walk away, Wolfwood grabbed her hand. "Your planning on leaving by yourself aren't you?" asked Wolfwood with a frown. Meryl didn't look at him or struggle to free herself, she was frozen in place. "What about Milly?" he asked.
"This is for her own good" said Meryl.
"What you mean for her own good?" asked Wolfwood.
"I mean I don't want her to get hurt any more, she's happy with you" said Meryl.
"So what you do you think she'll be happy if you left her?" asked Wolfwood.
"Yes, even if she thinks she won't be I know she will" said Meryl.
"You're being selfish" said Wolfwood. Meryl turned and looked at him.
"I don't want to be but if that is what I have to do to keep her happy I'll be selfish!" said Meryl as she set herself loose from his grip.
"What about the rest of us?" he asked.
"I already thanked you, someday I will try and repay all of you, but right now I have nothing to offer you" said Meryl.
"You could offer your friendship" he said.
"I am sorry but in order for everyone's good and safety I can't" she said and walked slowly away. Wolfwood was about to follow after her. "Please don't follow" choked out Meryl. "Please just keep away...please promise that you will care for Milly and never hurt her" said Meryl. Wolfwood was surprised to see the tears on her face. "She loves you...please care and love her" she said and walked away. Wolfwood stood frozen in place, and watched as she became further and further until she was out of sight. Vash watched from the window confused.
"I couldn't stop my tears at all, I didn't plan on telling anyone, just so that it would be less painful. Yet right now my heart wants to rip out of me. I was glad he didn't come after me, but I felt sad that he didn't. I wanted to laugh and then slap myself for being such an ass about it all. Now everything was black for me, no more smiling faces, and no more lying and hiding. I want to finish it all and end all this pain. I couldn't look back...I am truly selfish..."