Usual disclaimer: Trigun is not ours.
Wolfwood found Vash on the back porch. "We might have trouble big guy."
"Huh?" Vash looked up at him and Wolfwood paused at the pain he glimpsed in Vash's eyes before the Stampede hid it.
"Are you okay?" Vash brightened his expression.
"I'm fine. What's wrong?" Wolfwood looked at him for a long moment, his eyes telling Vash that the priest didn't believe him a bit.
"LR town reports odd fluctuations in one of their plants. They're advertising for a specialist to come look at it in case it decides to give up." Wolfwood shrugged. "Happens all the time I know- people are pretty jumpy about losing plants, but given where this one is...."
"I'd better go check it out."
"We'll come with you," Millie said from behind him.
"Millie..."
"C'mon Mr. Vash, it will be just like the old days... sort of."
"What will be just like the old days?" Meryl appeared in the doorway. She looked normal, eyes clear, expression calm. How could she look like that? Didn't she care at all? Vash got a grip on himself again as Wolfwood repeated the news. Meryl frowned. "They'll need insurance help if things go wrong."
"That's our insurance girl," Wolfwood said approvingly. "Always on the case. So, since Meryl's going anyway, Vash, you might as well take her with you."
"Thanks," said Meryl dryly. She hadn't intended on going with Vash, but back to the agency using the fluctuations as an excuse. She opened her mouth to protest, but Wolfwood was still talking.
"And since you might need an extra hand out there, Vash, you definitely need to take me."
"And I'm not letting Nicholas out of my sight ever again," Millie added. "So, Mr. Vash?"
"You all win." Vash smiled at them. "But how are we going to get there? It's two hundred iles from here. We can't all fit on Wolfwood's bike."
"Leave that to me," said Millie with a smile. She looked at Meryl. "Won't this be fun Meryl?" Meryl looked at Millie's happy expression and sighed.
"Yes, Millie, I'm sure it will."
Two hours later they were on the road in one of Millie's big older brother's cars. Her family had packed lots of provisions in the trunk and sent them off with hugs.
"Your family is amazing," said Wolfwood to Millie as he drove down the road that led out of town.
"And you didn't meet them all!" Vash told Wolfwood and Meryl about the last few days he'd spent with Millie and her family. Millie added comments and side stories and Wolfwood listened, asking questions and wondering aloud how he was going to keep them all straight. Meryl listened quietly, sunglasses hiding her eyes. Her mouth occasionally curved into a smile at their stories, but she didn't speak.
"Senpai, are you all right?"
"'Senpai', Millie? It's been ages since you called me that." Meryl replied, her voice cheerful.
"Sorry, I guess it's a habit, especially when we're traveling like this." Millie smiled.
"I know what you mean. I'm fine. I was listening, but I guess I'm a bit tired is all." Meryl shrugged. "The last few days at the office were a bit stressful. I guess it's catching up to me."
"How can office work be stressful?" Wolfwood asked with a hint of a smirk. "It's not like people are shooting at you."
"You'd be surprised," Meryl told him, "how many angry customers show up with a gun or two. Why do you think Millie and I had weapons in the first place?"
"You are kidding," Vash looked at her, concerned.
"Nope. Oh, the sight of Millie's stungun would usually do the trick." Meryl looked at Millie. "We've really missed you lately! Karen's almost as good with her wristbow, but the stungun is more intimidating. We've had quite a few shootouts since you've left."
"And I've missed them? Darn." Millie looked sad.
"Shootouts?" Wolfwood repeated.
"Sure. Remember Mr. Owden?" Meryl asked Millie.
"And his double barreled shotgun?" Millie answered. "He caused some serious damage!! He almost hit you- good thing that desk was right there!"
"Shotgun?" Vash parroted.
"He came back, the wacko! Wrecked half the office. We had to pull one of those ceiling ambushes."
"Ooooh! I've missed those!" Millie clapped her hands. "Remember Ms. Tillings and that gatling gun? Or that crazy Mr. what-his- name with the dynamite?"
"Dynamite?" Wolfwood cringed.
"Yeah, of course, the explosion knocked Susan out the window. Luckily no one else has come in with explosives lately!" The two men looked stunned as the girls chatted.
"I had no idea insurance work was that dangerous. Why don't you give it up, Meryl, and find something safer to do?" Wolfwood suggested.
"And miss all the excitement?" Meryl said, shocked.
"Excitement?!?!" Vash croaked.
"Do you think the agency would take me back, Meryl?"
"Take you back?" Wolfwood protested.
"Like I said, we miss your stungun." Meryl sighed. "The bow gets messy."
"MESSY?!?" Vash repeated.
"I'll send a note to the chief," Millie suggested.
"Are you crazy?! You can't work in a place like that!" Wolfwood glared at Millie. "Back me up here, Vash!"
"I think he's right Millie, it doesn't sound safe." Vash looked at Meryl. "For either of you."
"But that's the fun of it," Millie replied.
"Fun of it? Gunfighting is not fun!" Wolfwood scolded.
"But gun rhymes with fun," Meryl said cheerfully as Wolfwood facefaulted and Vash fell over. "It's one of our company mottoes!"
"And my stun gun is big fun!" Millie chimed in.
"Gun rhymes with fun?!? AAAARGHHH!!!" Vash shouted, exasperated. "Haven't you two learned anything following me around?!" Vash glared at Meryl as Wolfwood beat his head against the steering wheel. Meryl and Millie burst into giggles.
"What is so funny!?" Both men demanded.
"Senpai is teasing you," Millie told them, her giggles starting back up again.
"Couldn't you tell? I mean really- gun rhymes with fun? Who would be insane enough to work for a company with that motto?" Meryl laughed. "Other than you two of course."
"We've only ever had one customer show up with a gun and Senpai clocked him with her typewriter." Millie added. Vash looked somewhat relieved. Wolfwood laughed.
"Now that sounds like a good story. Tell me that one." So Millie did, with Meryl adding occasional comments. That story led into another and another and before long they had to find someplace to stop for the night.
Millie and Meryl were settling into their room, deciding who got what bed and setting the alarm clock. Meryl sat down on the small sofa that was tucked into a corner of the room and grinned at Millie. "Except for the missing typewriter, this is just like the old days."
"It is. I always liked watching you write reports," Millie replied as she sat down on the bed. "I hope this trip doesn't turn out like some of the others."
"Me too," Meryl replied with a sudden shiver. "Me too." Millie stood up.
"I'm going to check on them." Meryl didn't remind her that the men were just across the hall or tell her that they were capable of taking care of themselves. Millie opened the door just as Wolfwood was raising his hand to knock.
"Uh.. hello ladies. Is everything all right?" Meryl grinned.
"We're fine."
"Uh huh, just fine." Millie replied. "I was coming to check on you two."
"Really? That's great." Wolfwood replied. They looked deeply into each other's eyes and smiled. Meryl rolled her eyes and stood up.
"Mr. Wolfwood, why don't you keep Millie company while I go find us some dinner, okay?"
"That's great, thank you Meryl!" Millie replied as Meryl gently pushed Wolfwood into the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it with a sigh.
"Is something wrong?" Vash stood opposite her in the hallway, leaning on his doorframe.
"No-" Meryl looked over her shoulder at the closed door with a tolerant smile. "I'm sure they'll get better." She looked back at Vash. "I'm on my way to find some dinner- I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Hour or so? I know this is a big town, but..." Vash looked at the door behind her and grinned. "Ah... right. Why don't I come with you?"
Wolfwood found Vash on the back porch. "We might have trouble big guy."
"Huh?" Vash looked up at him and Wolfwood paused at the pain he glimpsed in Vash's eyes before the Stampede hid it.
"Are you okay?" Vash brightened his expression.
"I'm fine. What's wrong?" Wolfwood looked at him for a long moment, his eyes telling Vash that the priest didn't believe him a bit.
"LR town reports odd fluctuations in one of their plants. They're advertising for a specialist to come look at it in case it decides to give up." Wolfwood shrugged. "Happens all the time I know- people are pretty jumpy about losing plants, but given where this one is...."
"I'd better go check it out."
"We'll come with you," Millie said from behind him.
"Millie..."
"C'mon Mr. Vash, it will be just like the old days... sort of."
"What will be just like the old days?" Meryl appeared in the doorway. She looked normal, eyes clear, expression calm. How could she look like that? Didn't she care at all? Vash got a grip on himself again as Wolfwood repeated the news. Meryl frowned. "They'll need insurance help if things go wrong."
"That's our insurance girl," Wolfwood said approvingly. "Always on the case. So, since Meryl's going anyway, Vash, you might as well take her with you."
"Thanks," said Meryl dryly. She hadn't intended on going with Vash, but back to the agency using the fluctuations as an excuse. She opened her mouth to protest, but Wolfwood was still talking.
"And since you might need an extra hand out there, Vash, you definitely need to take me."
"And I'm not letting Nicholas out of my sight ever again," Millie added. "So, Mr. Vash?"
"You all win." Vash smiled at them. "But how are we going to get there? It's two hundred iles from here. We can't all fit on Wolfwood's bike."
"Leave that to me," said Millie with a smile. She looked at Meryl. "Won't this be fun Meryl?" Meryl looked at Millie's happy expression and sighed.
"Yes, Millie, I'm sure it will."
Two hours later they were on the road in one of Millie's big older brother's cars. Her family had packed lots of provisions in the trunk and sent them off with hugs.
"Your family is amazing," said Wolfwood to Millie as he drove down the road that led out of town.
"And you didn't meet them all!" Vash told Wolfwood and Meryl about the last few days he'd spent with Millie and her family. Millie added comments and side stories and Wolfwood listened, asking questions and wondering aloud how he was going to keep them all straight. Meryl listened quietly, sunglasses hiding her eyes. Her mouth occasionally curved into a smile at their stories, but she didn't speak.
"Senpai, are you all right?"
"'Senpai', Millie? It's been ages since you called me that." Meryl replied, her voice cheerful.
"Sorry, I guess it's a habit, especially when we're traveling like this." Millie smiled.
"I know what you mean. I'm fine. I was listening, but I guess I'm a bit tired is all." Meryl shrugged. "The last few days at the office were a bit stressful. I guess it's catching up to me."
"How can office work be stressful?" Wolfwood asked with a hint of a smirk. "It's not like people are shooting at you."
"You'd be surprised," Meryl told him, "how many angry customers show up with a gun or two. Why do you think Millie and I had weapons in the first place?"
"You are kidding," Vash looked at her, concerned.
"Nope. Oh, the sight of Millie's stungun would usually do the trick." Meryl looked at Millie. "We've really missed you lately! Karen's almost as good with her wristbow, but the stungun is more intimidating. We've had quite a few shootouts since you've left."
"And I've missed them? Darn." Millie looked sad.
"Shootouts?" Wolfwood repeated.
"Sure. Remember Mr. Owden?" Meryl asked Millie.
"And his double barreled shotgun?" Millie answered. "He caused some serious damage!! He almost hit you- good thing that desk was right there!"
"Shotgun?" Vash parroted.
"He came back, the wacko! Wrecked half the office. We had to pull one of those ceiling ambushes."
"Ooooh! I've missed those!" Millie clapped her hands. "Remember Ms. Tillings and that gatling gun? Or that crazy Mr. what-his- name with the dynamite?"
"Dynamite?" Wolfwood cringed.
"Yeah, of course, the explosion knocked Susan out the window. Luckily no one else has come in with explosives lately!" The two men looked stunned as the girls chatted.
"I had no idea insurance work was that dangerous. Why don't you give it up, Meryl, and find something safer to do?" Wolfwood suggested.
"And miss all the excitement?" Meryl said, shocked.
"Excitement?!?!" Vash croaked.
"Do you think the agency would take me back, Meryl?"
"Take you back?" Wolfwood protested.
"Like I said, we miss your stungun." Meryl sighed. "The bow gets messy."
"MESSY?!?" Vash repeated.
"I'll send a note to the chief," Millie suggested.
"Are you crazy?! You can't work in a place like that!" Wolfwood glared at Millie. "Back me up here, Vash!"
"I think he's right Millie, it doesn't sound safe." Vash looked at Meryl. "For either of you."
"But that's the fun of it," Millie replied.
"Fun of it? Gunfighting is not fun!" Wolfwood scolded.
"But gun rhymes with fun," Meryl said cheerfully as Wolfwood facefaulted and Vash fell over. "It's one of our company mottoes!"
"And my stun gun is big fun!" Millie chimed in.
"Gun rhymes with fun?!? AAAARGHHH!!!" Vash shouted, exasperated. "Haven't you two learned anything following me around?!" Vash glared at Meryl as Wolfwood beat his head against the steering wheel. Meryl and Millie burst into giggles.
"What is so funny!?" Both men demanded.
"Senpai is teasing you," Millie told them, her giggles starting back up again.
"Couldn't you tell? I mean really- gun rhymes with fun? Who would be insane enough to work for a company with that motto?" Meryl laughed. "Other than you two of course."
"We've only ever had one customer show up with a gun and Senpai clocked him with her typewriter." Millie added. Vash looked somewhat relieved. Wolfwood laughed.
"Now that sounds like a good story. Tell me that one." So Millie did, with Meryl adding occasional comments. That story led into another and another and before long they had to find someplace to stop for the night.
Millie and Meryl were settling into their room, deciding who got what bed and setting the alarm clock. Meryl sat down on the small sofa that was tucked into a corner of the room and grinned at Millie. "Except for the missing typewriter, this is just like the old days."
"It is. I always liked watching you write reports," Millie replied as she sat down on the bed. "I hope this trip doesn't turn out like some of the others."
"Me too," Meryl replied with a sudden shiver. "Me too." Millie stood up.
"I'm going to check on them." Meryl didn't remind her that the men were just across the hall or tell her that they were capable of taking care of themselves. Millie opened the door just as Wolfwood was raising his hand to knock.
"Uh.. hello ladies. Is everything all right?" Meryl grinned.
"We're fine."
"Uh huh, just fine." Millie replied. "I was coming to check on you two."
"Really? That's great." Wolfwood replied. They looked deeply into each other's eyes and smiled. Meryl rolled her eyes and stood up.
"Mr. Wolfwood, why don't you keep Millie company while I go find us some dinner, okay?"
"That's great, thank you Meryl!" Millie replied as Meryl gently pushed Wolfwood into the room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it with a sigh.
"Is something wrong?" Vash stood opposite her in the hallway, leaning on his doorframe.
"No-" Meryl looked over her shoulder at the closed door with a tolerant smile. "I'm sure they'll get better." She looked back at Vash. "I'm on my way to find some dinner- I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Hour or so? I know this is a big town, but..." Vash looked at the door behind her and grinned. "Ah... right. Why don't I come with you?"