Ohayou, My Dear Chapter 0012, a trigun fanfic

Trigun Fanfic

The following fanfiction was written by me (Chiruken) and is intended for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.

--Ohayou, My Dear—

Trigun Fanfic Featuring Vash and Meryl. "Pervert!" "Wh-what are you doing in my bed?" "Put some clothes on for God's sake!"

By Chiruken

Chapter 12

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    Vash stared at the remains of a small fire and studied the traces of footprints not obliterated by the constant wind that blew over the desert world. He could still see the imprint of where someone had lain, presumably Meryl by the size. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay…" He murmured and retraced his steps to the car where Millie was waiting, leaning against the door and eating pudding from a cup. "Okay, they were here. I can't tell how long ago, but they were definitely here last night."

    "Mmm…" Millie licked her lips and discarded the now empty container. "Well, that's a good thing, right?" She watched as he continued to walk around, narrowed green eyes focused on the ground. "Mr. Vash?"

    "It looks like they had a vehicle…" He pointed to the tracks in the sand. "The tire tracks lead back to the road…"

    Biting her lip, Millie inched her way towards the front of the car, blue eyes focused on her companion's back as he continued to stare into the distance. Carefully lifting the hood she reached inside blindly and, wincing at the heat that greeted her questing fingers, removed the cap and stuck it in her pocket before quietly letting the hood close again. **I'm sorry, Mr. Vash…but I can't let you catch up too quickly…** She felt more than a little guilty for sabotaging the 'rescue' mission, but she knew that Meryl and Vash needed more time to think things over. She'd have to start grilling him soon and get him to admit how he really felt. She hoped her co-conspirator was doing the same wherever he was.

    Running his hand through his hair one last time Vash turned and stalked back to the car. "Well, it looks like they continued west, but with the wind blowing in the tracks it's a little hard to say for sure."

    "It's a good direction, Mr. Vash." Millie climbed into the passenger seat and tried not to wince when her slightly scalded fingers came into contact with the door handle. **Ouch! The things I do for my friends! I hope they appreciate this.** The heat from the radiator cap resting in her pocket was uncomfortable, but she'd live with it. It was nothing compared to the stinging in her fingers. **I hope he doesn't notice.**

    "Ready, Millie?"

    "Yup." She shifted and faced forward, folding her hands in her lap.

    Putting the car in gear, Vash placed his sunglasses on again and eased his way back onto the road, heading west once again. **Knives, I don't know what you're planning on accomplishing, but taking Meryl is the last straw.** He thought grimly as he applied more pressure to the accelerator. **There's no way I'm going to let you get away with this.**

***

    Meryl continued to stare at Knives' profile in open-mouthed shock as he followed the Arksville Crew across the wasteland at a slow pace. To say she was surprised was a gross understatement. Never, in her wildest imaginings, would she ever have thought something this ludicrous could ever come to pass. **Knives a marshal? Yeah right. This is just some kind of sick joke.**

    Knives sighed and shook his head. "You're inviting flies, Meryl. Close your mouth." He lifted a hand and rubbed his temples wearily. For the last hour he'd been subjected to her constant mental babble and it was giving him a headache.

    "What kind of game are you playing, Knives?" She scowled and glanced at the men currently marching before them. "And what do you intend to do with them?" She gestured forward absently.

    "They have a long overdue meeting with the sheriff in October City and I'm not playing any games as you so nicely put it." He checked the position of the suns and glanced at the temperature gauge in the dash, frowning when he saw it was steadily creeping towards the red.

    "You don't expect me to actually believe you're now a law abiding citizen, do you? I mean, really! You tried to kill every human on the planet, Knives. No one changes that fast."

    "You're right. I haven't changed my views entirely, Meryl. I still believe that humans are scum and need to be eliminated…but I also know now that not all of them are like that." He sent out a sharp mental command and the strange cavalcade halted, the men dropping to the sand wearily as he stopped the jeep. He gestured towards the outlaws. "Those 'men'…" His lip curled over the word. "Are not fit to live. They're animals, beasts that prey upon the weak of their own kind. Disgusting, filthy parasites. It makes me sick just to look at them." He climbed out of the jeep and reached into the back for several canteens. Meryl followed him slowly as he approached his 'prisoners'. He tossed the canteens on the ground amongst them. "Drink." He ordered curtly before turning away. Catching the surprised look on his reluctant companion's face he shrugged. "Alive they're worth a thousand double dollars each…dead, they're worthless."

    "Oh." She whispered as she followed him back to the jeep again. "Um…so…why did you take me?" She asked in a small voice.

    "I told you. I want Vash."

    She gasped and felt the blood drain from her face. "Y-you're not going to turn your own brother in, are you?!"

    He scowled down at her. "Of course not! What do you take me for?"

    "A homicidal maniac, for starters! You tried to kill all of us on numerous occasions, Knives. What else am I supposed to think?"

    "Stupid human…" He muttered and rubbed at his temples where the headache was beginning to throb painfully. "That bounty on Vash has been rescinded…has been for nearly six months now."

    "Wh-what?!" She gaped at him in utter shock. "H-how? I mean, why?"

    "The Federation was persuaded to revoke the bounty on Vash the Stampede when the 'real' culprit stepped forward and 'confessed' to the crimes." He smirked and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against the jeep.

    "What did you do?" The words came out in a horrified whisper.

    "Call it a form of poetic justice."

    "Which poor sap did you brainwash to take the rap for something he didn't do?"

    "Someone who deserved it, Meryl. You've heard of him, I think. Excor Markston." He glanced at her when she collapsed into the sand. "What?"

    "Excor…Markston?!" She stared up at him in disbelief. "H-he's been implicated in multiple terrorist attacks against the Federation, but nothing was ever proven. He might even be more dangerous than **you** when it comes to his hatred towards humanity!"

    "Was. He isn't very dangerous now that he's been executed."

    "You mean…" She swallowed and closed her eyes. "You mean Vash is…is **free**?"

    "As long as he stays out of trouble. Of course, I doubt that'll happen."

    "I know what you mean. Trouble seems to follow him everywhere he goes…" She sighed and slowly stood. "Thank you."

    "For what?"

    "Just accept it, Knives. If not for you, Vash would still have that bounty on his head and that…that **monster** would still be free to terrorize people." She shrugged and turned away from him. "Maybe you **have** changed…I don't know. But I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt."

    "Gee…thanks. You don't know how gratifying it is to hear you say that." Sarcasm dripped from his tone. "I don't want your gratitude, human. I did it for my brother, not you."

~*~