Chapter Two
She hummed to the radio, singing softly from time to time, when the words were known. Nimblely she reassembled the handgun that had just oiled and cleaned, carefully placing each piece in their correct place. She paused from her work for a moment, hearing the bell from the main door chimed singling that a customer had entered the small privately owned shop. "Welcome to Quicksilver gun shop, " she said in a cheery voice said from the backroom, "I'll be with you in just a moment.Megan quickly moved about the backroom, putting down the gun down on the table, and wiping the gun oil off her hands onto a towel. Moving a piece of silver hair out of her eyes she quickly stepped out into the main room and smiled, "Sorry for the wait, how can I help you today? Glancing up wondering if she had imagined the bell, Meg noticed a stranger in the store. Nibelheim was, or rather had been, a small town, small enough for everyone to know everyone else. Her sister, Lex, liked to joke calling it a Ôback hills married to your first cousin sheep molesting hick town. Now that Meteor no longer threatened from the sky, it seemed that few people had the heart to live in large cities. Midgar, though slowly being repaired by Reeve and ShinRa, was still a pile of rubble. Only two months had passed since her father and Avalanche had taken down Jenova and Sephiroth. Two months, and everyone was still so scared, scared that he'd rise from the dead and start all over again. Humanity it seemed was jumping at shadows, and sadly she was one of them. Blinking Megan realized that she'd been standing there lost in though for at least two minuets "Oh! I'm so sorry sir how may I help you?
The customer, an older man, she noticed, met her eyes angerly, clearly annoyed at her. "It's about time young lady," he said in a deeply accented voice "I'm looking for a gun that will be able to deal a great deal of damage, but still remain small enough to hide.
Megan paused for a moment thinking, "Let me see, hmm small but powerful. Could you define small enough to hide sir?
The man looked around store, obviously judging sizes against others, only to finally rest on her, "A pocket would be ...you look familiar, have we met before?
Megan sighed, yep, there goes that jumping at shadows thing again. "No Sir I don't think we have. Now back to the gun. What do you wish to be able to hide it under?
The man's eyes narrowed for a moment then widened in shock, finally taking in the hair and eyes, "You're...you're...you're one of those Sephiroth follower I've read all about in the papers!" he said stumbling back." What is wrong with you children today!" he said quickly advancing on the startled girl.
Megan paled, "Sir it's not what you think!" she said hoping to calm the customer down some, but quickly backed away, just in case.
Angrily the old man stomped towards her, shaking a finger angrily. "In my day, children did what they were told and didn't follow sick freaks like that Sephiroth.
"Now look here you" she said trying to stay calm and failing, "It's people like you who make him out to be something godly! The damn hair and eyes are natural! Look sir I just want to have a normal life without people like you thinking I'm a monster." Trying to take another step back Megan found herself backed up against the back counter, crap, I didn't mean to back up that much.
Thinking she was out of time the ringing of bells from the main door chimed signaling that they were no longer alone. "Help please" she called, somewhat startled by the old man's boldness. She didn't care who had just entered she wanted the old man out of her face.
"Now listen here young lady, straighten up and fly right or fall to hell like that demon Sephiroth did." He said pleased to have cornered the girl.
"And what do we have happening here?" A deep mildly annoyed voice asked from the door taking in the quivering bored girl to the old man the cane.
"Dad, just in time." Megan said relieved that her father had come to the rescue.
"Dad?" the old man repeated, glancing over his shoulder at Vincent Valentine. "Well I can see why your as you are young lady, your role model looks like a B movie vampire." He said sighing as he turned to face Vincent.
Vincent's eyes narrowed at the vampire comment, "Yes,Dad'. I'm her father, now get out of my store.
The old man shook his head again and ambled up to Vincent, " Now look here young man, get yourself and kid some counseling, both of you are messed up." With that he left the store grumbling about young people today.
"Care to explain what just happened there?" Vinnie asked confused.
"He took one look at me and snapped. Something about being a Sephiroth follower and young people today. I thought everyone was finally starting to calm down some." She said as she looked down at the ground.
Vincent looked at the door for a moment and then back to his daughter "Meg you just have to be careful, I know you're not your brother but they don't. All they see is someone with silver hair and blue eyes, that glow.
"Do you think I should dye my hair again" Megan said picking up a strand from her shoulder and looked at it, "until everyone stops freaking out like that.
Vincent sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder " Meg, humanity's always going to have a small fear of Seph, and hiding yourself isn't going to make it betterÉyou can't live in the shadow they've created of him. You' not him.
Megan laughed, "I know, I know, thanks Dad.
Vincent smiled, "Sure thing. So anyway why don't you give me back my store, which I must say you've done a good job tending, and go back to your life?
Megan laughed again dropping her hair and looked at Vincent " Oh I see how it is, you go off and have fun saving the world, and leaving me with the store, and when I finally start enjoying it you come back and take it away.
Vincent laughed and ruffled his daughter's silver hair, "Yep I'm a cold hearted bastard, now go have fun.
Megan laughed, "Sure thing Dad, "she said heading for the door, "Oh! The gun on the table in the back belongs to Mr. Henderson, and the rest of the orders are ready to be picked up.
Vincent glanced towards the back room grinning, "Yes dear.
"Oh and don't forget that the shipments come in tomorrow and
"Megan it's ok, I know.
"Just wanted to remind youÉyour getting old after all.
"Just go, get out. By the way, there's a letter waiting for you on the entryway table. Had the Junon University seal on it.
Megan grinned, eyes lightening up "Finally!" That said she rushed from the building and back to the mansion.
Author's note - sorry this took so long to post. I ended up in summer school for Elementary Statistics and it took up a great deal of time. If your wanting to read a different take upon surprises, from another's view, read Aftermath. It's written by Crystalis Blade, my co author.