Disclaimer: Don't own Lupin, Jet or Spike from Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, The Goofy Movie, or the bear featured in the story lol.
If you are a Lupin fan, please read this because it just might be enough to spare your soul pain and misery if you obsessive over him like I do Trigun. ^_^ If you choose not to, I don't want to hear any complaining on how YOU didn't know about * spoiler * taking place in the story. Now listen here my fellow friends and please try to understand this well. I'm not trying to discriminate against any kind of anime, especially Lupin the Third.
However, a price must be paid and I will be the one who does it. Oh, and my good friend Yami-Garo too. Go read Bullets Of A Feather. Anyway, I want you all to know that this started about four months ago when I picked up my issue of Anime Insider. Inside was a last-man standing match between Vash and Lupin. Now, some of you who actually read the article might say "But no one actually won that match," and I'll respond, yes, technically, but the odds were against Vash. LOL now some might think this really petty of me (in which I'll respond and laugh and say 'love and peace') but I feel that there was some injustice caused and I intend to fix it. Lupin will now be in my story as Vash's rival. ^_^ I don't aim to kill Lupin if that's what you all are thinking, but this fight has inspired me to lean in a different direction with the story and so, to fit the story, Lupin will be out of character. And I'm sorry if this sounds a little harsh but this is the way I'm writing my story; if you don't like it, please don't read it. And if you're confused by all of this (such as you don't read Anime Insider) feel free to e-mail me or talk to a fellow anime fan who knows what happened in the issue. Or if you're confused as to what I'm talking about with Lupin being in the story from now on, please read on and hopefully it will become clear. Thank you. ^_^ Sorry if I sounded a bit rude; I just don't want to get flamed over obsessive things…and actually I shouldn't be the one talking lol.
Hunting For The Elusive Mayfly Known As Love…Not
Lupin The Third
Rem checked out three suites (after telling the seven teenagers that they had to pitch in with their own allowances to cover her credit card payments for the hotel rooms. Boy, that's going to amount to a lot. Snicker ^_^) and promptly began to unload her groceries into each of the rooms.
"This will be the boys' room," Rem said.
"But there's only two beds," Vash protested.
"There's a pull-out bed in the corner over there," Rem pointed to the corner of the room. "And there's a couch over there. If someone wants to volunteer to sleep on the floor, then that's fine too."
"Injustice!" Knives roared. "WHY are there five boys, but only TWO girls!? They get a whole SUITE to themselves! I demand attention to my needs."
Legato turned, pulled out a fan, and began to fan his Master.
"Thank you, Legato," Knives sneered.
"Then who is the third room for, Rem?" Vash inquired.
"For myself," She sighed. "I need time…alone."
"I GET THE BED!" Nick pushed his way past the crowd and jumped high into the air, resulting in an immediate face-plant on the bed.
"I demand the second one!" Knives held up his finger and Vash shrugged.
"The pull-out bed is fine for me." Vash said.
Demonte was unsure of sleeping in the same room with Vash, but if Nick was there, he was certain that no harm would come to him. "I'll take the couch," He spoke up.
"Very well," Legato bowed his head. "The Master and I will sleep at the foot of my other Master's bed."
"The Master AND the OTHER Master?" Knives frowned.
"Um…I…" Legato paused. "Forgive me, Master. I will punish myself."
"Enough!" Rem rolled her temples with her index fingers. "I've already unpacked all your clothes in both rooms, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my room to start in a premeditated act of sending myself into a melancholy state."
Rem turned and unhappily plodded back to her room.
Meryl shrugged. "Come on, Milly, let's leave the boys to their misery."
"But Meryl!" Vash stopped Meryl in her tracks. "If you want to come in and watch TV with us…"
"No thanks," Meryl interrupted and continued to drag Milly to their room.
Vash's hand dropped in mid-air and he looked down towards the ground, sadly.
Once everyone was settled in their rooms, night fell upon the sky and the outside lights around the hotel began to turn on.
Back in the boys' room, Demonte was watching with interest as Knives and Nick began to indulge themselves in an argument about sleeping with the curtains to the window open or shut.
"I demand them open!" Nick pulled the curtains open and Knives shoved the preacher-in-training out of the way.
"Screw your stupid words of infinite hatred, WOLFWOOD!" Knives grabbed the curtains and closed them with immediate action and extreme prejudice. "EVERYONE knows that sleeping with the curtains closed is MUCH better than sleeping with them open. After all, the Pioneers lived in complete darkness with their candles lit around the room and them sitting in the center, crying."
"The Lord created the light and darkness and thus his grand creations will have permission to flow elegantly throughout this room!" Nick tore the curtains from Knives, ripping them open.
"May death consume you Wolfwood!" Knives tackled Nick to the ground as Legato, Demonte, and Vash watched in the back of the room, puzzled.
Nick tugged on the curtains and successfully wound up pulling them down upon Knives and himself.
"NOW you've done it!" Knives looked at the broken curtains and then jumped to his feet. "We must undo this act of wrong as quickly as possible."
Knives began to shove and unskillfully push the curtains back into place.
Then the curtains fell out the window.
"Oops…" Knives blinked and watched as the curtains fell three stories down and crash-landed on the Manager of the hotel.
"UMPH!" The Manager collapsed after the sneak attack of the curtains and fell into the pool nearby.
"Dear Lord, he's going to drown!" Nick pushed Knives out of the way, unbuttoning his shirt.
"You're going to JUMP three stories to the pool!?" Demonte cried.
"He's going to die!" Nick jumped onto the windowsill. "As a man of the cloth, I MUST attempt to save him, no matter WHAT the cost!"
Suddenly, the light above the pool blew out as sparks began to emit from the flaring light bulb and poured into the pool. Finally, the sizzling ceased and the entire lamp combusted into flames, falling into the pool and setting it on fire as well.
Nick watched as a blackened and charred body emerged amongst the flames and he quietly began to step down from the windowsill and button back up his shirt. "Nevermind," He muttered.
Nick bowed his head, praying softly. "He was a good manager who gave us sweet deals on these rooms. May he rest in peace…" Nick spoke the eulogy sadly. He turned and flung himself into Knives' arms. "Knives! He's dead and I was powerless to stop it!" Nick wept.
Knives rolled his eyes and pushed Nick from him. "For crying out loud, Wolfwood, it was ONLY a pathetic human ANYWAY."
"You mean he died!?" Vash wailed.
"You were a little slow to pick up on that, Vash," Demonte mumbled.
"No! Why do such horrible things have to happen this way!? WHY!?" Vash crumpled to his knees and buried his face into his hands.
Demonte shook his head as Knives just sighed and plopped down on the couch, turning on the TV and flipping through the channels. Legato began to fan him with banana leaves that he stole from the front lobby.
Meanwhile, in the front lobby…
"Hey…the banana tree looks a little different today…" The receptionist scratched his head. Suddenly, the tree began to grow sad from neglect and wilted and died and then spontaneously combusted, engulfing the entire lobby in flames.
Back in the boys' room…
"I'm going swimming," Demonte announced as Nick and Vash still continued to cry and Knives just waved him off.
Demonte changed into his swimming trunks, grabbed his towel and flip-flops, and walked down to the Jacuzzi since the pool was currently inoperable.
Demonte tossed his towel over the railing and turned his head to see the pool, which was still illuminant with flames. In fact, the fire was so high that they soared above the hotel. From overhead, Demonte saw helicopters pouring water onto the roaring fire.
He leaned backwards into the Jacuzzi, relaxed, and closed his eyes as he enjoyed the sights (of, lol, the pool being consumed by infinite flames of evilness).
"Perfect, now I have you within my grasp." Demonte abruptly opened his eyes and looked up into Vash's sea-green eyes, which didn't seem to be too friendly at the moment.
"Oh great," Demonte muttered. "Now what? The last I saw of you, you were busy crying on the floor back in the room."
"Yeah, but I couldn't let a perfect opportunity like this get away."
Vash, who was also in his swimming trunks, stepped into the water, throwing his towel over the rail next to Demonte's, and sat across from him.
"That was a quick recovery," Demonte said after a long pause.
"I know, but the good Lord giveth, and the good Lord taketh away. It still leaves me grief-stricken, but I have more important matters to deal with."
"Such as?" Demonte asked.
"Do you love Meryl?" Vash blurted out.
Demonte blinked. Boy, wasn't that just blunt? 'So this is what it's all about?' Demonte thought to himself. 'THIS is why he hates me so much?'
"Of course I do." Demonte answered. "She's a great friend."
"You know what I mean, Kalabis." Vash frowned.
"Aw, you've reverted back to calling me 'Kalabis' instead of 'Demonte'. And I thought that we were getting on good terms, too. Besides, I won at DDR, didn't I?"
"I said that you didn't have to leave town, Kalabis. I never said anything about calling you by your first name."
Demonte nodded. "True, true. No, Vash, I'm not in love with Meryl. Why ever do you ask?"
Vash snapped his open jaw shut. "No reason. I just didn't want to see her get mixed up with the wrong guys."
"You mean moi?" Demonte laughed. "That hurts Vash. So tell me, what's the REAL reason you hate me?"
"That…" Demonte waited for the answer. "…is a secret." Demonte was displeased with Vash's response.
"Well now, that's not a nice response." Demonte said. "This was all over Meryl, wasn't it?"
"Well, it's getting late and after all we're going camping very early so I'd better get to bed." Vash stepped out of the Jacuzzi and grabbed his towel.
"Hey!" Demonte jumped up after him. "We aren't finished Vash! You can't just leave without answering me!"
But Vash was already walking back towards the door.
"Wake up! Wake up!" Knives reached over and flipped the TV on, turning up the volume full blast.
"Awwwww," Everyone (except Legato, who had earmuffs on as well as a matching pair for The Great One) flipped over onto their stomachs and held their pillows over their heads.
Suddenly, someone from the floor above them began to beat on the floor. "SHUT UP!" Came from the room above the boys.
"SILENCE, SPIDER!" Knives reached for an extensive lamp sitting in the corner of the room and began to thrust it into the ceiling. Plaster began to rain down onto the floor.
"WHY I OUTTA…" The person from the room above jumped out of the bed and stormed out of the room.
"That will teach them." Knives smirked.
Less than two minutes later, banging erupted at the front door.
"Allow me, Master," Legato said as he removed his earmuffs, patted The Great One, and removed himself from his sleeping bag. He opened the door, and met the angered eyes of an old man, brandishing his cane through the air.
"You little Hooligans need to learn a thing or two about respect for other people!"
"I second that!" Vash agreed from within the room.
"Shut up Vash," Knives chucked a pillow at his brother. "Legato!" He called to the door. "Your Master is displeased! Remove this man from our doorway IMMEDIATELY!"
"What is the purpose of your existence?" Legato asked the old man standing before him. "Surely you must be eliminated."
"What?" The old man's eyebrows lifted in puzzlement.
"You are leaving now." Legato waved his hand to the left and the old man's body forcefully turned and glided across the carpet to the staircase.
"Huh? What? W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? PUT ME DOWN NOW!"
"Goodbye," Legato muttered as he snapped his fingers and the old man was tossed down the staircase and crashed through the floor to the one below where other unsafe noises and collisions were heard. Oh yes, and in case you were wondering, there WAS an explosion in the kitchen. ^_^
"All right everyone, ready?" Rem was obviously in a better mood today.
All the teenagers were dressed in hiking gear, tugging on the straps to their backpacks.
"Question," Knives said dully as he raised his hand. "Just WHY are we going camping again?"
"I'm going out to spend the next few days with Barbara," Rem explained. Barbara was an old high school friend of Rem's. "I'll come by and pick you up on Tuesday."
"Awww, that's THREE days from now…" Vash whined.
"Don't worry Vash," Milly said enthusiastically. "Tonight, there's going to be a meteor shower!"
"All right!" Knives was happier now. "Destruction and absolute chaos!"
"Well now, I'm going to drop you off at Orlean's Peak and I'll let you go from there."
Vash grabbed Rem's shirtsleeve. "Won't you be worried about us, Rem?"
"Of course not," Rem smiled. "You're all big boys and girls now Vash. You'll be fine."
Vash sighed. "That's NOT what I meant…"
"Everyone in the car!" Rem ordered.
Half an hour later, the resort was coming into view. Rem pulled off the road and onto a dirt path and then stopped the car.
"I don't even see a forest trail," Vash frowned.
"Oh come on Needle-Noggin," Wolfwood laughed. "It will be the trail we blaze!"
Vash paused. "You took that from Road To El Dorado. You REALLY need to stop watching movies and playing video games."
"Here we go again I guess," Meryl sighed as she hopped off the back of the truck.
"Come on Meryl," Demonte grinned. "It won't be THAT bad. We can feed Vash to a bear."
Meryl smiled. "That might not be such a bad idea."
"No way Wolfwood!" Meryl and Demonte heard Knives yell. "I'M taking charge of this motley crew! I get to lead!"
"Over my dead body!" Nick argued.
Knives cracked his knuckles. "THAT can be arranged…"
"Boys! Boys!" Milly stepped in between them. "Let's just get moving before anyone DIES."
And so about an hour later, the 'motley crew' made it to their campsite in the middle of a clearing surrounded by a thicket of trees and bushes.
Meryl unzipped her pack and began to tug at the tent. "Milly, a little help here."
"Coming Meryl," Milly jogged over to her friend.
"I think that's our cue too," Demonte turned to Nick. "Where's the tent at, Nick?"
"In the pack over there," Nick jerked a finger to the right. "With everyone's stuff."
"All right," Demonte rolled his sleeves up. "Let's get started.
So four tents were pitched total. Er, four and a half. One to house Vash and Knives, one to house Legato, one to house Nick and Demonte, one to house Meryl and Milly, and the other…um…
"Master, is this comfy for you? How about if it rains? Will you be okay?" Legato tucked The Great One inside of the mini-sized tent, cuddling it in blankets and pillows.
I am comfy, Slave…
"Most excellent, Master," Legato grinned. "Shall I bring you anything?"
I'm hungry…feed me.
"Right away Master…" Legato bowed and took his leave of the little plastic ball.
"All right how about a nature walk?" Knives said. "That way we can find all those cute woodland creatures and have a large variety of what we're going to eat tonight."
"Knives we aren't eating the woodland creatures!" Vash screamed at his twin. "How COULD you even think of such a horrible thing!?"
"It's easy," Knives shrugged. "First I just get extremely depressed and anti-social and then I…"
"Forget I asked." Vash glared daggers at Knives.
"Actually, a nature walk sounds wonderful!" Milly smiled.
"And I agree, Honey," Nick sidled his arm around Milly's shoulders and she blushed.
"All right, all right, get a room you two," Knives OBVIOUSLY ruined the romantic moment between the two. Nick and Milly quickly stepped away from each other, their faces beat-red. "We're going to find a high hilltop to watch the meteor shower from. I brought my EXCLUSIVE telescope in case something INTERESTING happens."
Everyone blinked but set their course for the 'nature walk'. Twenty minutes later, the crew was lost.
"I like being lost! What are you wussies whining about now!?" Knives shouted over his shoulder.
"All for impeaching Knives and skinning him with a used toothpick, raise your hand." Nick rose his hand as he spoke.
The hands of Meryl, Demonte, and Vash extended high into the air.
"With the exception of skinning him, I'm willing to impeach him." Vash's eyes narrowed.
"I heard that!" Knives jerked his head around to face the party. "One more word out of YOU and I'll have Legato twist your body inside out."
Suddenly, a large growl reverberated in the air.
"THAT was another WORD!" Knives shook a dictating finger at the crew. "Now prepare to be disemboweled!"
"Um Knives…" Meryl spoke up, slowly. "That wasn't us…"
"Shut up…liar." Knives snorted.
"Don't call Meryl a liar, Knives!" Vash rose to the petite girl's defense.
"Yes it was!" Knives shouted back.
"Um…Knives…" Milly's voice quivered. "B-Behind you…"
Knives rolled his eyes and turned around.
"What?" His gaze stopped short on a tall black bear. "Big deal, it's just a stuffed animal."
Suddenly, the bear rose to its hind legs, rising seven feet into the air. It jerked back its mighty head and gave a fearsome roar.
"That's…not good, is it?" Nick pointed to the bear.
"DEAR LORD! RUN FOR IT!" Vash shouted as he turned on his heels to run back the other way.
The seven broke out into a great panic, scattering each and every way into the forest. Nick grabbed Milly's wrist and took off towards the nearest tree, where they quickly scrambled up it.
The bear began to chase Vash, who was the closest to the front, and Vash's wails could be heard all around the forest parts as he zigzagged back and forth between trees.
"Brother, you moron!" Knives shook his fist into the air from his perch atop of the tree he was taking shelter in. "Sacrifice yourself so that we may be saved from that wretched creature!"
"Knives!" Demonte glared at the platinum blonde sitting beside him in the treetop.
Meryl hadn't bothered to take shelter in the trees like everyone else had. She, for some reason, was too scared watching Vash being chased by a bear.
'I have to stop it,' She looked around for something to aid her in her attack. 'But what can I use?'
"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" Vash shouted as he picked up speed and circled around the tree his brother and Demonte were hiding on.
"Vash! Get out of here!" Knives shooed. "Go lead the bear around Wolfwood's tree!"
But Vash only began to scramble up the tree, clinging to the branches for dear life. The bear stood on hind legs and took a mighty swipe to the tree, shaking it violently from side to side.
"VASH! GET OFF OUR TREE!" Knives began to kick at Vash's arms and push him off.
Suddenly, the bark began to crack beneath all the weight piled upon it and the bear's constant attacks.
"TIMBER!" Nick sang as the tree holding the three boys began to teeter to one side and then collapse with a big break.
The bear, happy with these results, prepared to pounce on top of the boys.
"LOOK WHAT YOU DID YOU JERK!" Knives bellowed to his twin.
Demonte pushed himself to his feet and dodged the massive pummeling the bear proceeded to give. Knives was crushed under the weight of the bear as the bear Sumo-dived on top of the platinum blonde as Vash rolled out of harm's way.
Meryl picked up a rock and cocked her arm back, letting the rock fling from her hand and hitting the bear in the head.
Somewhat annoyed, the bear turned, ready to charge at its new prey.
"Meryl! Get out of the way!" Nick shouted to his best friend, as Meryl stood there, frozen in terror as the bear lunged for her.
Vash immediately tackled the bear's side, pressing his weight against the bear's, and rolling across the ground.
"I will never let you touch the girl of my dre––UMPH!!!" Vash was cut off as the bear sat on Vash, grinning happily. (Bears can grin? …Kooky…)
"Oh…dear Lord," Demonte watched as the bear wrestled with Vash…the bear mostly winning.
"Vash!" Meryl screamed in horror. "Vash, don't die!"
"Master," Legato peeked around the bush that he was hiding behind and Knives turned his head. "The Great One is hungry…STARVING, and he wants ME to feed him."
"Okay 'Mister-Spirited-Away'," Knives' brows knitted together. "What is it?"
"The bear…The Great One wishes to feast upon him."
Knives sighed heavily. "So now you want to ruin my entertainment!?" Knives gestured to the bear who had now picked Vash up by his legs, and pile-drove him into the ground.
"Yes," Legato replied.
Knives shook his head and growled. "You will suffer for this, Legato."
Legato grinned widely and then looked down at The Great One.
"Master…" Legato began.
"A~HEM!" Knives glared.
"I mean, Oh Great One, shall I kill this bear for you?" He proceeded to shake the magic 8 ball up and down.
…Yes…
Legato then clenched his fist and the bones in the bear's back began to snap in half. The bear dropped Vash in mid-air and then fell onto the ground. Suddenly the bear's arm unwillingly rose and plunged into its chest, retrieving its heart.
Blood stained the black fur of the bear, creating a massive rich colored puddle beneath him. The bear paused and then dropped its heart to the ground, the muscle still beating against the dirt. The bear struggled to stand again, but only succeeded in thundering to the ground, dead.
"Well, at least we know what we're going to eat tonight." Knives commented a moment later.
Vash, still breathing heavily after his fight, shot a nasty look at his twin.
"Vash!" Vash turned his head back to the petite girl running towards him. Meryl dove into his arms, looking him over carefully. "Vash, are you hurt!? You're not bleeding are you?"
Vash blinked, and then held Meryl by the shoulders. "Meryl…I should be asking if YOU are all right…"
Meryl flushed, and looked up into Vash's sea-green eyes. "You saved me," She whispered.
"I would never let anyone or anything hurt you…" Vash leaned closer to Meryl as he brushed her hair from her face. "Never, ever…"
Their breathing stilled as they fell closer to each other's waiting lips…
…and then…
A roaring automotive shook violently against the ground, trampling trees and bushes. The romantic moment was ruined as everyone's attention turned to the oncoming automobile. In the distance, everything green and pretty was CRUSHED to the ground and suddenly, the sun was blotted out as a HEFTY trailer came into view and finally into the clearing that the seven were in.
The large tan trailer ran over the black bear, splattering guts all over its tires and the forest ground and finally halted in front of everyone. Knives and Legato jumped back as a wall to the trailer opened and crash-landed onto the ground, smothering a bush.
The open room turned into a portable bowling alley, complete with ball, pins, and runway. Suddenly, a satellite dish emerged from the top of the RV and a swimming pool fell from another room inside the RV. Along with the pool came a barbecue grill on the other side of the RV, a game room, a relaxation section, complete with umbrella, chair, and sports drink.
Why, that whole RV could've turned into a mansion if it wanted to, and if you've ever seen The Goofy Movie, then you know what I'm talking about. ^_^
"ALL RIGHT! THIS IS A PERFECT CAMPING SPOT!" Came a loud and obnoxious voice from inside of the trailer. "Let's set up the barbecue grill right away!"
"Who are these hosers?" Knives jerked a thumb to the RV.
"Shall I liquidate them Master?" Legato asked.
"No, not yet," Knives responded and then saw Legato looking down at The Great One. "…LEGATO!"
Legato fumbled with the magic 8 ball and quickly stuffed it under his arm. "So sorry temporary Master."
Knives growled.
"Ah, refreshing air!" A boy (about the crew's age) walked down the trailer steps, arms outstretched, and jumped to the ground. The man paused and looked down. "Daryl! The red carpet!"
"So sorry Boss," A man who was shorter than his Boss with curly brown hair stooped down low and laid a crushed red velvet carpet down in front of him.
"Much better." The Boss inhaled deeply as he stepped onto it.
"Who's the 60's reject?" Nick whispered to Demonte and Milly.
The '60's reject' that Nick was referring to was none other than Lupin the Third, wearing his stylish red jacket, blue jeans, pink tie, and navy blue shirt.
"Ah, so I see we have an audience!" Lupin straightened his coat and strolled over to Milly. "And a lovely audience at that." He put an arm around her shoulder. "So babe, what do you say to having dinner with me in my humble abode?"
"Sure!" Milly chirped. "Is there going to be pudding too?"
"Baby," Lupin crooned. "You can have my pudding anytime."
From behind the couple, Nick's face was beginning to turn red with fury and steam began to pour from his ears.
"Get…your hands…away…from Milly…" Nick growled. Lupin obviously didn't hear him.
"And LOOKIE here!" Lupin glanced at his lackeys. "Yet ANOTHER beautiful babe just awaiting my touch." Lupin wandered over to Meryl, plucked her from Vash's arms, and spun her around.
"Hey!" Vash jumped to his feet, obviously jealous of this newcomer ruining his dreams.
"My name is Lupin," Lupin introduced himself. "Lupin the Third." He brought Meryl's hand up to his lips and gently planted a kiss on her knuckles. "Pleased to meet you…"
"Lupin the Third, huh?" Demonte crossed his arms over his chest. "I've heard of you. You're the grandson of the infamous thief, Arsène Lupin whom just um…steals…"
"A thief!?" Vash roared. "YOU'RE A THIEF!?" Vash towered over Lupin. "Release yourself from this woman, scoundrel and I'll be more lenient on you…"
Lupin snorted and dragged Meryl over to Milly, where he grabbed her arm and began to pull both girls over to his trailer.
"Hey Daryl! Bill! We're gonna have FUN tonight!" Lupin grinned slyly.
"WHAT!?" Nick and Vash raged.
"Gee Boss," Daryl wiped a tear away from his face. "Jigen and Goemon would be proud. Too bad they're pushing up daisies…"
"No they aren't!" Lupin whacked him upside the head. "They're in Las Vegas gambling away all our winnings! Don't be a moron, Daryl!"
Knives was too busy laughing on the ground, clutching his sides, to pay any attention to what was going on. Well, besides the fact that this Lupin guy had a hold of his twin's 'obsession' and the priest-in-training's crush.
"Anywho," Lupin grinned at the girls. "Let me show you around. We have the kitchen, and the bowling alley, and the love seat…"
"LOVE SEAT!?" Nick and Vash were infuriated at this point.
"Milly!" Nick stormed up to the trio and reached for his beloved. "Surely you wouldn't spend one MOMENT of your time associating yourself with someone so disgusting as him!"
"Sure she would," Lupin grinned. "And don't call her 'Shirley'."
Nick's teeth began to grind together. Vash put a supporting hand on Nick's shoulder and stared daggers at Lupin.
"Well I'm sure MERYL would rather spend time with me…"
Meryl was suddenly struck with an idea…one that would get Vash back for breaking her heart (wait, how did that come into her thoughts?) and for beating up poor old Demonte.
"So, what does Demonte have that you want?"
She heard Vash jump up from the couch.
"He has the heart of a girl that I love very much!" Vash growled before storming upstairs.
Well if Vash had thought Demonte's presence around her was bad, how would he feel if LUPIN was the new target?
'I'll show HIM 'well being'…' Meryl grinned evilly to herself.
"ACTUALLY," Meryl latched onto Lupin. "I would love to spend time with Lupin here." Vash's jaw dropped to the ground. "A life as a thief sounds so INTERESTING to me."
"Gee Meryl," Milly blinked. "I didn't realize that your standards for men was so high…"
"The rebellious kind…" Meryl grinned as she tugged Lupin towards her, a cheesy grin on his face. "…are always the sexiest kind."
Vash was now as furious as Nick and Nick wound up having to hold Vash back.
"Oh really?" Vash said snidely. "YOUR kind of men, Meryl?"
Hard to believe that these two were just about to kiss a few minutes before, eh?
"THAT'S right, VASH!" Meryl agreed. "But you have Melissa, REMEMBER?"
"All right, how did this fight ensue again?" Demonte whispered to Legato, who only shrugged.
"THAT'S RIGHT!" Vash nodded his head. "In FACT! I'm going to borrow Knives' cell phone to get her down here tonight!"
"FINE!" Meryl shooed him away.
"FINE!" Vash stormed off, Nick looking after him.
"Needle-Noggin, get back here!" Nick flailed his arms. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING ME!"
"HMPH!" Vash just continued to walk away.
Nick turned back to Milly. "Milly, PLEASE! Don't take off with this loser!"
"Actually I would like to see the inside of Lupin's RV," Milly smiled, oblivious as to WHY Nick didn't want Milly hanging out with Lupin.
"See?" Lupin snorted. "I told you so. Come on girls, I'll show you my trophy room first."
Nick's bottom lip began to tremble as clouds began to roll in rather quickly above and rain began to fall from the sky, followed by thunder and lightning.
"Well that…was interesting…" Demonte turned towards Knives. "Knives, our dinner is ruined. What do you propose we do about this?"
"What do you mean 'dinner is ruined', Kalabis!?" Nick's neck jerked with a sudden CRACK as his eyes darkened and fell upon the teenage boy. "Don't you know that there are more important things on hand right now!?"
"Like what?" Demonte replied nonchalantly.
"Milly just TOOK off away from me and…" Nick held his hands over his heart. "…my love for her and, and, and…" Nick turned, ready to storm into the RV.
"This is great," Knives laughed. "I hope someone gets killed."
Demonte suddenly became much more alive and snatched Nick up by the shoulders.
"Now don't do anything I wouldn't, Nick. If you go in there and kill him, then he wins."
"How will he win if he's DEAD you idiot!?" Nick growled. "WHO KNOWS what he could be doing to my POOR, DEFENSELESS, NAÏVE, INNOCENT, MILLY IN THERE!"
"On the contrary, Wolfwood," It might be the other way around…" Knives snickered as Legato clapped for his Master's comment.
"Why I outta…" Nick rolled up his shirtsleeves, looking ready to kill.
"NICK!" Demonte pulled him back. "Stop this! You're acting JUST like Vash!"
"Can you blame us!?" Nick roared. "We're in love with two women who are being held against their will!"
Demonte stepped back, startled. "You knew about Vash's crush the whole time?"
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the mind of Vash the Stampede." Nick rolled his eyes.
Knives cracked up laughing, and fell to the ground.
"Yes, yes we know about that," Demonte said. "But let's find ANOTHER way to settle this…"
"Like how?" Nick scoffed.
Suddenly, a large grin appeared on Demonte's face. "Like you've always said, Nick," Demonte patted Nick on the back. "DDR."
All right, see? Lupin's in the chapter…womanizing ^_^ but Vash and him are enemies and yes everything is out of character and no, Lupin isn't going to die but I demand revenge for the issue of Anime Insider, and if you think that this is all petty and are dying to flame me, I will only laugh at you cause I warned you not to read this, no? Anyway, I'm still sick (for those of you who did know but I'm sick for those of you who didn't) and in a crabby state of mind, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going off to (as Knives said it) "Light candles and sit in the middle of the room, and cry." Then again, I do recall the line being in Grand Theft Auto Vice City as well. grin
R&R (nicely please) and if you're terribly upset about Lupin in this chapter, please let me know in a CALM and DISTINCTIVE way. Or else I'll just laugh. Laugh insanely and hysterically. And I'll keep laughing. Just cause it's so darn funny.
BLD