Disclaimer: No I don't own Trigun and never will.
Thanks to reviewers:
Blu and TK - Thanks for your review and that is some interesting gossip about Legato...well sorry for the long wait and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Puchiko2 - Yeah I had that vision of Kuroneko too, guess its great minds think alike! Anyways I'm glad you liked it and thanks for your review.
Mabel4gs - Yeah I guess I have been in the mood for writing angst lately, maybe it reflects my mood or something but I suppose its cos my other story has reached the happiness stage I decided to make sure this was the opposite so it kept me writing. Thanks for your review!
Silverado6000 - Yeah I see what you mean about Vash's gun arm but because he left his revolver behind I just assumed he would keep the gun in his arm working because of his reputation and constant ability to get into trouble. I probably should have explained this in the chapter but uhh...I guess I didn't. Sorry for the long update and thanks for your review.
AilanthusFirmare - Thanks for your review and I'm so sorry about the long update I had computer troubles. Anyway here is your fifth chapter and I promise you wont have to wait as long for the next one. I never have thought about writing a humour fic, I don't know if I have enough of it to fill a whole story, but I'll keep it in mind.
White Ninja Spy - Yay thanks for your review and here is the update I apologize for taking so long, it wasn't my choice I swear...anyway please enjoy!
Rainy-days13 - Mutant elephants!! Wow what a wicked idea, they would be like...huge and mouldy with cool patterns and about ten tusks and really spiky tails...ooo-kay getting a little carried away with that, thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Dark-pyro-angel-2 - Yes I know I should. I'm really a pain aren't I...well I will update more frequently so I apologise. Thanks for your review!
Angel: I must apologise for my late update, I would explain but it would take a long while but I promise you it wasn't my fault.
Knives: Oh please we all know you sabotaged your computer on purpose.
Angel: Be quiet!
Legato: -dressed in a disguise- I don't like this town
Angel: Why not?
Legato: All the girls keep looking at me.
Angel: They probably recognise you through the disguise you're wearing.
Legato: No way, this disguise is 100% guaranteed!
Angel: -rolls her eyes- It's just a plastic moustache... -tears it off-
Legato: Ouch!! -Whimpers then freezes and glances around nervously-
Fan Girl: Oh my gosh it's Legato!!!! -the ground starts to shake as a whole stampede of girls appear from around the corner-
Legato: Ahh save me master!
Knives: You got yourself into this mess.
-Legato gets carried away by the screaming fan girls-
Angel: Uh, okay on with the chapter...
Chapter 5 - Their eyes were fixed on their prey...
Meryl watched with hazy vision as Vash slipped into unconsciousness and tried to ignore the throbbing of the pain in her arm. Tears gathered in her eyes once again but she quickly decided not to cry, it was probably better for Vash to be unconscious and not have to wallow in pain and grief until his untimely end. She had never imagined that they would end up dying in a place like this but looking around at the situation she found it difficult to rekindle any hope.
She quivered and glanced over at Ivory who was staring at Vash's unconscious form angrily. Her dark eyes flashed with anger and possibly doubt at seeing him so helpless and Meryl wondered desperately whether she could use that to her advantage. Maybe she could increase that doubt to guilt and possibly get her to free them.
She looked over at the cat like creatures who had stood as still as statues since their orders had been given, they hardly even seemed natural with their strange eyes glassed over with a dull sheen.
"I don't believe this, I'm just about to kill the guy and he goes and faints on me." Ivory sighed and signalled for her pets to return to her side. Their strange mechanical purring struck a strange rhythm in the corridor as they rubbed up against her; they seemed so similar to regular cats that it was hard to picture them as monsters.
"What will you do once you have your revenge?" Meryl asked softly and looked up at Ivory slowly, her eyes still finding it difficult to focus.
"My goal will be completed and I can go back to my own simple life."
"Would you be able to do that knowing you have killed someone?" Meryl asked her in the same emotionless tone.
"Yes, by that man's death my sister's soul will be able to rest."
"Her soul is already resting, it is you are not able to." Meryl pointed out and the comment seemed to shake the woman considerably.
"I have to carry out the justice which was forsaken before."
"So when you kill Vash and leave me here you should expect me to come and hunt you down to create justice?" Meryl continued when she was given no answer, "I'm not sure what happened to your sister, I only saw her once before and she was very much alive until she strangely disappeared without a trace. I know that Vash would not have killed her, it is not in his nature to destroy and cause needless bloodshed."
"Even so...I must..."
"If you kill him then I will be the same as you, a lost soul desperate to reach a loved one who has journeyed so far that I cannot follow."
"I don't wish to do that to you, but I..."
"I'm begging you, please don't take away the only man I've ever cared about from me."
"Does he even know how you feel? He probably doesn't even care about you and never will! You will be living your life trying desperately to get him to notice you only to fail and have your heart smashed."
"I have the feeling you know the sort of thing I'm talking about." Meryl murmured.
"It was the same with me and my sister, she was always so good at everything and I being the younger sibling tried desperately to become as good as she was but she never noticed. She didn't even pay much attention to me and we were definitely not close."
"Then why feel such a strong urge to avenge her?"
"Because even though she never showed or once told me that she loved me I still cared for her. She was the one person I would look up to, she would be the person I dreamed of becoming when I grew up."
Meryl smiled slightly and leaned back gingerly before repositioning her hand on her arm, the pain was causing her eyesight to double and she knew she would pass out if it continued to develop in strength, but she had to hang on just a little longer.
"I'm sure she did love you, she probably didn't know how to express it." Meryl replied and Ivory nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I hope so...I didn't want to hurt anyone apart from the man who killed my sister. I figured that such an evil person would never have people that loved him...I'm sorry."
"You were just trying to do what you thought was best."
"Yeah well, I see things differently now, I'll help you out of here and get you someplace safe." Ivory smiled slightly and reached down to stroke one of her cat-like friends.
"What are those creatures?"
"These? They are my friends - much more reliable than humans. They are called sun-cats and are actually extremely rare."
"I've never seen one before." Meryl stated as she dragged herself to her feet and staggered backwards slightly.
"It's not surprising, most people never have...anyway there is no time for anymore chat if we want to help your friend."
Meryl nodded weakly and tried to clear the fuzziness from her vision so that she could reach him but failed miserably and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the ground again. The sun-cats who had been sitting somewhat peacefully were now on their feet, their muscles tensed and teeth bared in a menacing fashion.
Ivory looked down at them in slight confusion when a sudden crashing sound of a wall exploding interrupted the silence. Dust flowed into the corridor like water being released from a dam and Meryl desperately tried to breathe only to find her efforts futile. She tried to see what was happening but finally her weary and pained body gave in and she hit the ground with a dull thud.
Ivory gasped in disbelief at the figure standing in the entrance of the broken wall, he looked menacing and she wondered who on earth he could be and how he had managed to smash through such a thick wall with seemingly no weapon. She took a wary step back as her two pets stepped forward, both crouching low to the ground and growling fiercely. Their eyes were fixed on their prey.
Knives POV
I stood in the entrance I had made and peered into the dust and dirt, which had billowed up into the air keeping me from seeing what was inside other than my brother. A rage built up inside of me, which burned so terribly that it just had to be released. No one could cause my brother pain apart from me. I could sense the fear and surprise in the room coming from more than just one being but none of them was my brother's fear. I had felt him pass out a while ago and had lost touch with his conscience.
The sound of growling in effort to warn me against entering simple fuelled my anger and as the dust cleared more I saw the terrified figure of a woman. A frail female had injured my brother nearly to death? It didn't really make sense that she could have done all that damage by herself and as I glanced down at the beasts who were steadily approaching me i felt a wave of anger towards them. These creatures had no respect for their superiors and jumping into the corridor I glared at them furiously.
"Who are you?" The woman asked nervously and I raised my head to look at her face, she was pretty for a human but just as weak and pathetic as any woman I had ever seen.
"You don't deserve to know who I am!" I yelled and at that instant one of the beasts pounced, its jaws gaping and white teeth flashing in the darkness. If I had been slower then I would have had my throat ripped out but luckily I managed to step aside and grab the creature so it hung slightly from my grip whimpering like a kitten.
Throwing the beast roughly aside it hit the wall with a crack as its backbone shattered and fell to the ground, its hind legs twitched before falling limp.
"No!" The girl screamed and lunged for me. I knocked aside her attempts to harm me and pinned her against the wall by her neck. She thrashed wildly and tried to prise my hands away but it was pointless to resist.
She opened her mouth to speak but instead gasped for air as I increased my firm grip, I could feel her blood pumping through the artery in her neck and her eyes widened in fear.
"Why?" She choked and drew in a gargled breath.
"You hurt my brother...you will die." She let out the breath she had been desperately holding and I was about to squeeze further when I was alerted by an infuriated roar, which rang in my ears, I turned but it was too late. The beast had leapt and knocked me from its master, I hit the ground and the breath was knocked from my lungs as it clung onto my arm desperately trying to bite it off.
I gave a yell of rage and tore the creature away when a loud yell caught my attention. The woman who had been at the house when I had woken up was standing in the corridor, her eyes angry and somewhat upset. I tried to stand but the newfound energy I had been given when I had woken up finally drained from my injured and tired body. I collapsed once again, aware for the first time that the bullet wounds had opened up once more.
Normal POV
Millie jumped down into the corridor and dashed firstly to Knives, even in the dim light of the corridor she could see the blood coating his bandages and the wound on his arm. She rolled him onto his back into a more comfortable position and was alerted to a quiet sob from Ivory who had fallen into a sitting position and was clutching at her throat.
Leaving Knives to lie on the ground Millie carefully approached Ivory who was still in shock from what had happened. The remaining sun-cat was trying to comfort her and turned its large eyes to glare at Millie, a threatening growl in its throat.
"Are you okay, I'm sorry about Mr. Knives, he is just very protective over his brother." Millie apologised softly.
"Forget about me and save your friends." The woman gasped and pointed shakily over to the left. Millie followed the direction and caught sight of Meryl and Vash who were clearly unconscious.
"I can't save them alone, you'll have to help me carry them out Miss...uh."
"Ivory."
"I'm Millie, pleased to meet you." She put on a cheerful grin and helped the woman to her feet before approaching the others.
Millie sat Meryl down on the backseat of the car she had hired from town so that she could follow Knives and sighed with fatigue. Meryl had been hard enough to carry through the rubble and she had no idea how she and Ivory were going to carry Vash and Knives to the car.
"I'm so tired, do you think we will be able to manage getting the others out?" Ivory asked as she sat down on the sand and wiped her brow with her sleeve.
"I don't know but we have to try." Millie said as she forced herself to walk back to the crumbling corridor. Ivory nodded and followed the tall insurance girl raising her head to meet the cool breeze that was rising with the evening. Her hair flowed out behind her waving in gentle waves and her pale skin contrasted with the bruising which had appeared on her neck.
"Hurry up." Millie called and Ivory nodded again and followed her back into the building.
Carrying Vash up to the car proved extremely difficult and it took them a good half an hour to drag him over the rubble, it was also much the same for Knives and when they finally had all of them in the car Millie turned it around and headed back to town. There had been no room to bring the surviving sun-cat and so Ivory had sadly set him free before clambering into the car.
By now the suns had finally dipped into a veil of red cloud and the shadows increased quickly across the sand. Millie sat back in the drivers seat and glanced across the desert, which seemed to go on forever but she knew it wouldn't. Nothing ever lasted that long and in the end she knew the lights of the little town that they now called 'home' would appear any time now.
As if by magic the town appeared through the haze of sand and she felt herself relax a little more. She turned her head to glance at Ivory in the passenger seat beside her and smiled. She was glad she had been able to arrive in time to save the woman's life; she just hoped she had been quick enough to save her other friends.
"I'm so sorry for hurting your friends." Ivory murmured and Millie turned again to look at her.
"It's okay, you must have had your reasons." Millie smiled and turned to look at the road once more.
"But now I see those reasons weren't good enough...you're friend there made me realise that."
"Who Meryl?" Millie smiled and nodded, "Meryl would do anything to protect Vash and I can guarantee what she said was the truth."
"She said things that made me realises the path of revenge I had chosen was wrong and by killing Vash I would do nothing but cause more pain."
"And she's right."
"I know...and its such a simple concept I feel foolish that I never discovered it for myself."
"Don't worry about it, everyone needs a little help to discover things in their lives." Millie grinned.
Meryl's POV
The silence and darkness I had been wallowing in was slowly dissipating to consciousness and I found I could no longer ignore the blur of voices, which kept stabbing into my skull. The pain that had been lost to me in my muddle of dreams and nightmares returned and I gasped at the painful ache of my wounds, which flooded through me.
The voices were still slurred and irritating and carefully I opened one eye to glance around hoping desperately that I would find myself out of that horrible corridor and back in my own room. At first I could see nothing but a whitish blur, was I still in the dark corridor? Why was the air so clear? And who did those voices belong to?
This time I opened both eyes and waited patiently for the dizziness to clear from my vision. Finally I could make out the white of a ceiling above me and the strange smell of disinfectant. I tried to sit up only to have a spark of pain shoot up my arm and couldn't help but cry out the voices stopped instantly and the sound of a door being thrown open rattled in my skull painfully.
"Oh Meryl you're finally awake!" I never thought I would be so happy to hear Millie's voice; it seemed like such a long time since I had heard it last. I smiled weakly and glanced around the plain looking room before settling my gaze on Millie who had been followed by someone else.
"Hey Millie...where...am I?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly.
"You're at the small town hospital, me and Ivory brought you here with Mr. Vash and Mr. Knives."
"Are they okay?" I asked and relaxed at Millie's smile and nod of confirmation.
"Mr. Knives wasn't too badly injured he just needed to have his bandages replaced and plenty of rest. He's back at the house."
"And Vash?" I asked nervously.
"He's improving." The doctor interrupted and hustled Millie from the room.
"See you later Meryl!" Millie called. I sighed and watched them leave, the doctor pausing long enough to tell me to get some rest, and then I was alone again.
I gritted my teeth in frustration and waited a few minutes before slipping out from under the covers and standing up. My legs felt shaky and I leaned my palm against the nearest wall for support. I stood there for a moment or two longer before taking careful steps towards the closed door. It seemed to take forever to reach but leaning up against it I listened for any sound coming from outside and was irritated at hearing two voices that didn't sound like they were too far away. I stood and waited for the voices to pass and when thy finally faded away I turned the door handle and stepped out into the small corridor.
The doctor's house was small and had only two rooms where he kept only the worst of his patients otherwise people would be treated at home. I had been here once before to get bandages just in case Vash had another accident, which he seemed to always be having.
I carefully crept along to the second room, which wasn't too far away and opened the door a little. Peering around the gap into the small room I spotted Vash lying on the bed looking content and peaceful. Sighing with relief I entered the room and closed the door with a light click behind me and approached the bed. There was no chair so I knelt down beside him and stroked loose strands of golden hair away from his closed eyes. My hands had been bandaged from the scratches I had received on the floor of the cell and my arm was in a cast but other than that I looked in one piece. Vash too looked quite all right and I smiled slightly at that realisation.
Resting my bandaged palm against his cheek I finally let myself relax fully, he was safe and seemed to be healing fast. Hopefully this would be the last pain he would have to suffer but deep in my heart I knew his life would never be empty of pain. I found herself wishing that I could help rid him of past pain but laughed quietly as I realised how stupid that must sound. What could I do to possibly help a man who had seen over a century of suffering, a pain that had etched deep into his heart and soul?
I leaned forward and rested my head against the blanket beside him and fell finally into a restful sleep.
Angel: Looks like its just you and me now Knivesy
Knives: Great joy...
Angel: Well I guess Vash isn't in this town.
Knives: I guess not...
Angel: Okay let's go hire a car, we can drive to the next town!
Knives: At least it will be quicker.
Angel: Yup! Let's go!
Legato: -heard screaming in the distance-
Okay just a quick note, I'm so sorry for taking so long with this but my computer went crazy and had to be deleted blah blah blah...and then the modem stopped working so we had to phone up to get it replaced and it took days for them to come and by the time it came to writing the chapter I kinda forgot where I was heading with this...so if anyone has any suggestions of what should happen next feel free to give them.