Disclaimer: Isn't this always first? One way or another I'm going to have to find a way to permanently stick the 'disclaimer' to the beginning of each chapter I write . . . Damn things . . . *Sigh* I do not own Trigun. THERE!! I said it!! *Psychologists around the world cheer at the accomplishment*
But anyway. This is my third written Trigun fic. I dunno which is going up first. Eh, I might've already uploaded one; who knows.
In a nutshell this is what might happen if a woman who had Vash's speed used it all for stealing and decided to steal from him, while he's asleep nonetheless.
And this here is . . .
Chapter Six: When do we get out of here?!!
About time. After hours of driving and me continually knocking out Martin, we finally stop for the night. It is dusk and I have to admit that a sunset with two suns is something to see. Although it is natural for me and everyone else present, it's still something. Most humans never look. Stupid humans; they never know how precious the little things are until they can't do the little things anymore. Honestly, when you get to thinking about it, how many times thus far have you thought about a certain point in your childhood, so vital to who you are now that you can't see yourself as anything without it? Two, three? And how many more times will you think of it? Five, maybe six. How many times have you watched a full moon rise or set? How many more times do you think you'll see it? How often do you write or call home, or catch up with old friends? How little have you even thought of calling home to see who's still alive and who isn't? And how many times have you thought about how different your life could be if you took that chance so long ago, or chose that person to stay with, or say "hi" to that one beggar and give him some money? Your life can change on a dime, or end, or be reborn. And humans don't even realize its possible.
"Hey! Aluna! Aren't you going to unpack?"
And how many times will you just know your life is perfect, or will be, when everything is so messed up you can't see a straight road? I smiled as I turned back around, waving back at Vash. He was so much like a child it was unbelievable, but at certain times, he was so wise you couldn't believe it was the same man. "Unpack what?" I replied. "I don't need anything just yet."
"I hope you packed water, then!" he shouted back at me as he retreated further.
I shook my head with a smile. I could tell, somehow, that this man wasn't human, that he wasn't like any of these faceless creatures that crawl around day after day, just living and yet never living. He was different somehow; that much I knew. Perhaps I'd ask about it later. Until then, I would just act indifferent. Just like the other women that looked at him. Only, a little less like a burden one's life and a little more like a true friend to never overlook.
Wait - what did he mean by "I hope you packed water"? Did he and the girls not have any? As the thought struck me harder and harder, I spun back on my heal and stalked right up to the "Insurance girls" as Vash called them.
"Vash told me he hoped I packed water. What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, that's easy," Milly replied in her usual happy smile and voice. "We all checked, and none of us have any water with us!"
I could feel my eyes go large and my face fall. Nobody here had any water? Three women and three men had no water in the middle of nowhere? "Are you kidding me?"
"Nope! Do you have any by any chance?"
"Not a drop," I whispered, and Meryl's face roughly matched mine. Only she looked a little less like she was going to faint and a little more like she was going to kill something. But then, didn't I have a trick for just this situation? Not for more than one person, my old way of thinking snapped at me. You only know how to survive for yourself, not how to keep others alive. They're utterly screwed - but not you. Leave now and nobody will have the strength to look for you!
So this was it, huh? Six people in the middle of nowhere without water, and I, the only one who knew how to get water in the middle of nowhere, was trying to convince myself to leave them all and survive alone. Wow. Isn't it just amazing. But. . . If I had the right tools, and found the right spot. . . Maybe I could. . .
My face regained its natural pose a second later, having decided on exactly what to do. If I could get everyone water, they'd trust me. If everyone trusted me, I'd be in the clear. If I was in the clear, anything would be possible. Anything I'd do, they'd believe me on. Anything I'd say, they'd listen to. I'd have them all in the palm of my hand. . .
No!! I snapped at myself. I couldn't think like that anymore. I am not here to steal from them, or leave them for dead. If I was going to die out here without water, I would do so with them and not out wandering by myself. But if I was going to get water my usual way, the first thing I'd need would be all the right tools. And one of the tools happened to be daylight. I had to move quickly, and smartly. I couldn't very well find anything if I didn't know what I was doing.
"Vash," I said, going up to him. He was speaking with Wolfwood, as I had begun to call him. Milly called him Mr. Priest, but other than that, he was called Wolfwood. Not Nicholas, not Nick, not D., just Wolfwood.
"Hmm? Oh, Aluna," he greeted me. He stood up when I got near. "What can I do for you?"
"Let me see your gun for a minute," I replied quickly.
He blinked and looked confused. "Why would you want my gun?"
"Don't worry, I'm not planning a massacre. I hardly know how to use those things. Just let me see it." When he looked unwilling to let me have my way, I added, "It's a surprise, okay?"
That got him. He broke into a grin and almost too happily handed it over. "Just don't break it, alright?"
I rolled my eyes and turned, faking dropping it halfway into the turn just because. Who said thieves can't have their fun? I walked briskly, feeling the ground with my feet. I sat down for a second and took off my boots, now having the total attention of everyone present. Although I could feel the burning, measuring gaze of Martin on the back of my head. I had to close my eyes to focus entirely on the vibrations beneath my feet. Don't ask me why the daylight helped my senses so much, despite how good I was during the night.
My night senses were developed and taught; my daylight senses were natural and very strongly evolved. Well, above the other humans wandering about. Must be something developed while living on Firebreeze. I wasn't consciously aware of which direction I was moving or how long it took, but when I stopped I knew I had found the perfect place. You see, this planet, though it had no lakes or rivers, had fountains of water beneath the surface. At certain points it was deep, at others just beneath the surface. And there was always shallow water nearby, no matter where you were. The problem was finding it, considering they usually aren't very big, so it was hard to feel. This was another thing that I had naturally since I was born. When I first came here, I couldn't understand why I felt the things or what they were and why nobody else ever knew what I was talking about. I suppose it was a survival instinct that just came a little strongly on me, but now that I knew how to use it, I could use it whenever I needed it.
The vibrations were light and close together, so one who could feel them usually took them for echoes of their steps or caves beneath the surface housing bats or something, but I knew better. I pointed the gun down, aiming between my feet, where the water would spring up when I shot, and pulled the trigger just once. I stepped back instantly as the water shot straight up, and tossed the gun back to Vash as I delved through my small pack for what I was looking for.
When I came back just about everyone was guzzling the water, and I opened a small bag-like container to catch the water that sprouted in the air about ten feet. Martin was still looking at me like I had something up my sleeve, but I just smiled at him and suggested that anyone with a water bag should fill it while they had the chance. Four bodies scrambled to get their things and fought over which spot to stand to catch the most water, but Martin and I were still holding eyes and standing perfectly still. Once my bag filled up I closed it off and backed up, letting Milly run into my spot and the fighting and scrambling ceased.
Everybody was shocked that I could do that, but not at all surprised that my skill was so developed. Vash kept asking me questions about how I could find water so easily and so on; Meryl kept pointing out that one way or another I was going to have to be taken in for all the things I stole; Milly was pleased and my new best friend for finding it in the first place; Wolfwood just asked me polite questions and smiled; Martin never moved and kept his eyes narrowed at me. But soon enough it was full-on night, and everyone got comfy for sleep. Using oddball pieces of wood we found and Wolfwood's lighter we made a fire, and I took out and watered my plant before going to sleep. It was now four days since I last watered it, and it looked like it was growing very nicely. Tomorrow I'd have to keep it in the sunlight, and after another four days I'd water it again; that was the plan for the next four days. Nice, yes?
We all had a different way of sleeping around the campfire, and Martin was purposely staying up to make sure I didn't leave. Vash was sitting against a pretty big rock, Wolfwood was on the other side, Milly and Meryl had a small roll-out mat they laid on, each with a blanket of course, and I was flat out on my back, arms behind my head, staring up at the stars that once included my home planet. As much as I loved gazing at the stars and trying to pinpoint the two suns that were the source or light and life on my planet, I had not yet found them nor had I yet fallen asleep without feeling a deep sense of regret. I often wished to join those who had died on my planet, to save myself from all the heartache of living that followed the planet's demise. Even though my time with Nor was the best I had ever had, it was better for me to die at six, ignorant of the pleasures and pains that aggravated me later on in life.
After a good hour of just staring, I realized that for the past three days I'd been in a half-sleep. Which meant that I wouldn't be able to get to sleep for another day or so. Sighing, I stood up, going over to another rock. It was roughly the same size as the one Vash and Wolfwood were using for a pillow, but more like a pole to stand and sit on. It was up to my waist and about the same - if not just a little more - size wide. I glanced back at the group before deciding that Martin had indeed dozed off, and everyone else looked asleep. My pack was right here, against the rock and standing up. I dove into it and pulled out my CD player and checked which CD was in it. A mix CD I made myself.
I put it on as I climbed up the rock, going straight for song seven of the nineteen on it. Limp Bizkit's "My Way" song came up, a song I really loved. I knew very little about the group, something about living on Earth long before it died. However that happened. Hell, all I knew about this planet was that the humans here crashed when their ships glitched.
Setting the earphones correctly I was greeted with the song and I smiled slightly. This was such a good song. I glanced up at the stars one more time and then relaxed my entire body. Good thing you heal fast, I thought to myself. Otherwise you wouldn't be up in the first place. I raised my fists to my sides, planting the martial arts pose I was used to on the rock. And then I began practicing.
I never train. I never have, and never will. I just practice - to keep myself in the right timing and so on. I have to know this stuff to survive on this planet - or I used to. God only knows what I was going to do to survive now. I was so into the song by now and my own focus that I didn't notice my audience.
~*~ Third POV so you can see what's going on ~*~
Vash woke up when he felt something different about the other five people who he thought were asleep. When he looked at them all he noticed that Aluna wasn't among them anymore. At least not on her makeshift bed. In fact, she was striking fighting moves while standing on a rock just about the same size as his own, and listening to a Discman or Walkman. After a moment he stood up and leaned against his rock, seeing her with her eyes closed and moving in circles with her attacks and blocks. Actually, it looked like she was barely using any attacks, but mostly blocks.
She didn't notice him, so he kept quiet. People always acted much more like themselves when they thought they were alone, so he let her believe it. She didn't seem like she was feeling anything, by the way her face was set and yet relaxed, and he couldn't help but smile. With the way she was moving, her back must be feeling a lot better now. He had his doubts that he could get better that fast, but the, even he kept surprising himself. But Aluna was surprising him even more.
He titled his head, watching her do a jump kick and land her foot right back where it was, only facing the opposite direction. What was she listening to? Whatever it was, it was absorbing her. Or so it looked to him. He glanced around, wondering why Martin hadn't gotten up and done something about her yet, and saw that the Sheriff was dead asleep.
"She's still up?" a voice said from behind him.
Vash wasn't that surprised that Wolfwood was up now, too. "Apparently - unless this is a new type of sleep-walking," he replied with a laugh.
"Look at her go," Wolfwood observed, seeing her movements increase in speed and coordination.
"I am."
Wolfwood looked sharply at the man. "I didn't mean ogle," he snapped.
Vash lifted a finger to his lips. "Shh. You're going to alert her."
Wolfwood rolled his eyes and climbed on top of the rock to sit on it. He pulled a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and lit it, looking back from Aluna to Vash and back again. "You like her, don't you?" he asked.
"Mm-hmm. She's really caring about the little things."
"Like what?"
"She has a plant."
"A plant?" Wolfwood replied blankly.
"Yes. She said she found a seed out here somewhere, and over the last few weeks, she's been keeping it watered and helping it grow. But we don't know what kind of plant it'll be."
"And that makes you like her?" Wolfwood challenged the supposedly invincible man.
"Well," Vash began, and smiled, "not just that," he finished, zooming in on the way her body moved and flowed as she dodged invisible men and hit them back, all with her eyes still closed.
Just now she paused and stood up straight, her back to them. She brought her right fist into her left hand and drew them to her chest, bowing her head, and then back out again, letting them drop to her sides. And then she clicked the song "#1 Crush" by Garbage to pause and spun, glaring at the men who were supposed to be asleep.
Vash immediately slid down the rock and pretended to be asleep, while Wolfwood scrambled to get back to his side and hide. Aluna glared more fiercely and stalked over to them, pulling the earphones out of her ears. She paused in front of Vash and crossed her arms, waiting until he looked back up at her.
~*~ Aluna's POV again ~*~
Halfway through the third song I smelled the distinct scent of smoke - cigarette smoke. Which meant I had admirers. I stopped my practicing for the time being and did the usual end prayer type thing these humans were so big on before pausing one of the few songs I really loved and spun to face them.
I was expecting Woldwood, as he was the only one here who smoked minus Martin - who would have stopped me and tried to cuff me instead of lighting a cigarette - but I was not expecting to see Vash ogling at me. As soon as they figured out I knew they were watching they both moved, Vash sitting back down and Wolfwood going back over to his side of the rock.
I stepped up to Vash first, him being the closest, and crossed my arms. Sooner or later he'd have to look up at me, and I could wait all night. It was a rather long time before he did look up, and it was obvious he immediately regretted that decision.
"Hello," I said, venom dripping from my voice.
Vash gulped and gave me a weak smile. "Hi."
"How long were you watching me?"
"Um. . . Two or three minutes."
"Are you lying?" I asked, not really paying attention to whether or not I was starting to sound like a mother.
"No?" he said, the word sounding like a question. So he was looking for the right answer, then. Fine. I could do that.
"Are you afraid to answer me truthfully?"
"A little," he admitted, still looking a little frightened.
Part of mind pointed out that must me scaring the shit out of him, but another part pointed out that this was the infamous Vash the Stampede, and he couldn't get scared of one woman by herself. But then, who really knew anything about this man?
After another minute or so I decided against scaring him further and sighed, taking a seat next to him. "Why would you be afraid of the truth?"
"I. . . It's not the truth. It's the reaction you might give me."
"Like what?"
"Like pain," he said, in a very scared voice of the second word. I laughed at his tone.
"Relax," I said, and reached a hand over to ruffle his hair. It always worked with me and Nor to get us calmed down, so I figured it would work on Vash, too. "I've already gotten over that. After all, I don't know why you were watching me in the first place, and if you tell me, I just might give you the 'pain' that you're so scared of, so I suggest you keep your mouth shut."
A small laugh - muffled - came from the other side of the rock. I got up and dusted off my rear before speaking to the other man who was staring at me. "You shut up. I just might give you pain for the hell of it." I flicked Vash's head before I went back to my rock and sat on it, playing the music again from where it left off and diving into my own thoughts again.
This place seemed to be getting to me. Normally, I would have beaten both men within an inch of their lives, and then forgive and forget. But this time. . . I barely even acknowledged that I didn't like being stared at without my knowing. Not that I like it with my knowing, but the point still remains.
Now if I could just get to sleep. . . But no. That wouldn't happen for quite a while. All I could do was stay up and listen to my music until the batteries went out. I sighed, drawing my legs up to my chest and leaning against them, and looked straight ahead. As much as I liked this song, it never failed to make me sad on certain points. "I would die for you, I would kill for you, I would burn for you, feel pain for you," were just some of the words to this song. Most of it was like this. "I would" for you. That entire song summed up my feelings for Nor, now seeming stronger than ever now that he wasn't with me anymore.
Wanting to hear the entire song without interruption, I played it back from the very beginning. Yes, I thought, closing my eyes as the song began. Sing for me, girls. Tell me how I feel.
"I would die for you, I would die for you,
I've been dying just to feel you by my side,
To know that you're mine.
I will cry for you, I will cry for you,
I will wash away your pain with all my tears,
And drown your fears.
I will pray for you, I will pray for you,
I will sell my soul for something pure and true,
Someone like you.
See your face every place that I'm walking,
Hear your voice every time that I'm talking,
You will believe in me, and I will never be ignored.
I will burn for you, feel pain for you,
I will twist a knife and bleed my aching heart,
And tear it apart.
I will lie for you, beg and steal for you,
I will crawl on hands and knees until you see,
You're just like me.
Violate all the love that I'm missing, throw away all the pain that I'm living,
You will believe in me,
And I can never be ignored.
I would die for you, I would kill for you,
I will steal for you, I'd do time for you,
I will wait for you, I'd make room for you,
I'd sail ships for you, to be close to you,
To be part of you, Cause I believe in you,
I believe in you.
I would die for you."
By the time it ended tears were slowly and silently making their way down my face. Gods, I missed Nor. When he died, it hurt, and I changed my entire lifestyle to try to delete the pain from my life. But I wasn't making anything better, and I know that now. It just numbed the pain, knowing somebody else felt pain for something lost as well. And now, I could tell I didn't just ache for Now, I ached for that part of me he always held which was no longer there. I couldn't tell where it was, or what it was, but it was Nor's, and his only.
I couldn't give what I didn't have to somebody else. I couldn't replace it with jewelry I stole from others. I couldn't fill it back up by surviving how Nor would have wanted me to. I couldn't get another by making friends or saving other people. I, in fact, was helpless to do anything for the ache. Perhaps, over time, it would lessen to the point where it wouldn't be such a hindrance on me, but until then, it was a familiar ache that I would turn down the universe to keep. Other than my heart, this ache was all that was left of Nor, besides his body buried where I had left him beside our home.
Home. . .I no longer had a home. My entire life, wherever Nor was would be my home. Without him, I have none. I could wander this planet and this galaxy for the rest of eternity and never find another home. Sure, I could find a place to stay for the rest of that eternity, but I could never call it my "home." Not without Nor being there.
I looked up when I felt something drape across my shoulders. Vash was sitting next to me now, adjusting a blanket on my shoulders. I smiled a little and returned my head to its spot on my knees. It didn't bother me that he could tell by my tears I was thinking about Nor again. In fact, it didn't seem to matter anyway, since I could feel he had the same type of sadness in him.
"Who did you lose?" I asked, and looked over at him. The music for this song wasn't loud, so I would be able to hear him clearly rather easily.
He sighed. "A woman who was like my mother. A long time ago."
"Like a few years? You don't look that old."
"I get that a lot. I'm older than I look."
I nodded once. After a while of just sitting there I asked him another question that was itching to be asked. "What are you?"
He looked at me closely. "Can't you tell?"
I laughed. "I know you're not human. You're nothing like them, regardless of how you look."
"Well, what are you?"
"I know I'm not human, but I've never had to classify myself. I guess I'll just have to stick with 'alien'."
"I'm a plant."
Now it was my turn to look at him sharply. "How could you be a plant?"
"Simple." He shifted slightly so he was halfway turned to me. "I was born this way. No mother, no father, but I do have a twin."
"Wow. A walking talking plant. Like those things in the big bulbs?"
"Not quite. [DL: Insert explanation on how he was born here.] I'm about one hundred and thirty now."
"You've got to be shitting me," I half laughed.
"Nope. Superior intellect, speed, age and abilities." He sighed then, as though he didn't want that.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, and stopped the player before the next song could get to me. "Aren't you happy being a plant?"
"I'd rather just be human, like everybody else."
"You've got to be some kind of idiot," I said back. He looked at me with a very confused face. "Any other person on this planet would give anything to be you! Well, probably minus all those scars you've got," I added. "But that's not the point. If you gave anyone you met a chance to be you, they'd jump for it." I shook my head. "You're just falling for the 'Forbidden Fruit' theory."
"What's that?"
"You always want what you can't have. The thing is, when you actually get what you wanted, you'd rather be the way you were before you had it." I looked at him and he nodded, understanding. I hoped that this would help him realize no one was happier than the man who wanted to be who he was.
Now if I could only follow my own advice. I'm not quite sure why, but we were still looking at each other. For some reason I couldn't look away from his eyes. On top of that, he seemed to be in the same position. I couldn't tell you why I couldn't look away, but I could tell you I recognized this feeling that went through me as we just stared. However, there was no way I could describe it. I'm sure it was a different description for everyone that felt it, some could, some couldn't. I was just one of the people who couldn't.
And now. . . I think we were. . . leaning closer to one another. Yes, I could feel it. We were slowly coming closer and I. . . I can't do this.
Gods, this place was getting to me! I snapped my head in the opposite direction just a second before our lips would have touched, and muttered something about Nor not approving and went back to my "bed." I didn't pay any attention to what Vash did then, not even looked back. Hell, I turned my back to him! God only knows what would happen tomorrow. . .
But that's one thing I'd rather not think about. Ever. Now my only questions was: When do we get out of here?!
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Thanks to my newest reviewers. . . Since I do that. . .
Moonlit
Wait. . . Is this the only recent reviewer I have?! Tch! What a gyp! Tch! *Storms off muttering about how this happened last chapter, too*
See ya!
