Disclaimer: Trigun is not mine. Sorry for the delay! Thanks to all the reviewers!
Vash left the plant at a run. He needed to find Wolfwood, convince the priest to go hunting for Meryl with him. He was a bit dismayed to find that they had already gone.
Meryl's family had gone to find her, one way or the other, and he felt a prick of guilt. He'd gone to sulk, they had taken action.
It was an easy thing though to borrow a car and go after them, seeking Meryl out the best he could, looking for a sign of her.
It was late when he dragged himself back into town, tired and dusty, hoping that the others had more success than he had.
Wolfwood was on the porch outside the inn, the faint glow at the tip of his cigarette marking his place in the darkness.
"Find her?" He asked Vash and Vash felt his heart sink. That meant they hadn't found her either.
"No," he admitted. "I was hoping you had." He let himself slump against the railing for a moment. "Tell me where you looked and I'll go back..."
"Vash, it's dark," Wolfwood pointed out. "You'll have to wait until morning now. The others are resting now, and so should you."
For some reason, the calm tone in the preacher's voice infuriated him. Vash pushed Wolfwood up against the wall, nearly snarling.
"If it was Millie out there could you just sit and wait? Rest?"
"No," Wolfwood replied, "I wouldn't."
"Then don't tell me to." Vash made his hands release the preacher's coat.
"Mr. Vash?" Millie stood in the doorway, the light from inside giving her a glowing outline. "Before you go out, we need to show you what we found."
Vash blinked at her. What they had found? Why did that sound ominous?
He followed Millie inside without protest. She led him up the stairs and to a small room. Stretched out on the bed, unconscious and strangely vulnerable looking was Knives.
His hair had turned white- only a faint touch of gold now at the tips. Vash remembered what the plant had said. Had Meryl drained him so completely? But how was he still alive?
Vash stood beside the bed and reached a hand down to touch Knives's hand. His brother felt cold to the touch.
Knives's eyes opened and Vash braced himself.
He was not prepared for the sweet smile that Knives gave him. A smile he hadn't seen for a very long time.
"Who are you?" His brother asked, his tone bewildered. "You aren't the one who was here earlier."
"I'm right here," Millie said from the doorway. "This is Mr. Vash. He's your brother."
"Brother?" The expression of bewilderment on Knives's face didn't change. "What's that? Did I know you before?"
"Yeah," Vash nodded. He reached out to the plant. Sister?
I see him brother. He's drained. Little sister pulled most of his power and that and the shock from the blast have wiped his memory. He's not pretending. He truly does not remember you- or anything much for that matter. I don't think he ever will. I didn't realize little sister could do this.
How did he survive?
If he was close to little sister and she was the center, then he also was in the eye of the hurricane.
Then if he survived, she must've... Vash blinked and looked back down at Knives again. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay," Knives replied. "I'm sorry I don't remember you."
"It's okay." Vash said reassuringly. He looked back at Millie. "The plant says he'll stay like this. Can you keep an eye on him while I go look for Meryl?"
Millie's mouth opened and he could see that she was about to tell him that it was too dark to go looking for Meryl, that he should wait. However, she caught herself and just nodded.
"Of course Mr. Vash."
Vash walked back down the stairs. Wolfwood was still outside.
"Well?"
"The plant says his memory was wiped. She doesn't think it will come back soon, if at all. You'll keep an eye on him?" Vash settled his coat more firmly on his shoulders. "Just in case?"
"Of course. We found him about two miles out to the southwest." Wolfwood took a final drag on his cigarette and dropped it, crushing it beneath his shoe. "Be careful out there Vash."
"Always am," Vash replied and went back down the steps and out to the car.
He drove the jeep southwest, occasionally stopping to examine the occasional piece of ship. The damn thing had exploded in such a way that pieces had been flung for miles. Where had Meryl ended up? He kept his mind open and his senses alert, hoping to find something.
Meryl? Where are you? Answer me insurance girl! He broadcast over and over, as the sky lightened and the first sun started to rise. When he finally got an answer he nearly crashed the jeep into a nearby boulder.
Vash? A faint brush.
Meryl! He spun the jeep in a tight turn, pressing on the accelerator in his haste to track that tiny whisper.
A large chunk of ship seemed to rise up out of the sand. Vash stopped the jeep and leapt out, running towards that faint call.
It was a large chunk of metal, twisted in on itself. There was no sign of the small girl anywhere near it. Had he been wrong? Was it farther along?
MERYL! He tried.
Vash? The response was weak. Where are you? It's so dark...
I'm here. "I'm here," he repeated out loud.
"Vash?" Meryl's voice. Inside that chunk of metal. Vash circled it, looking for an opening, a weakness. "Vash?"
"I'm here sweetheart. I'm looking for a way to get to you. Can you see any light at all?" Vash tried to keep his voice calm. He might have to go back to town and get help, but that meant leaving Meryl here. And what if there wasn't much air left in there?
"There is some," her faint voice answered his.
"Can you reach it?"
"Barely," Meryl sounded tired.
There it was. A thin crack in the metal. Meryl's fingertips reached out through the crack. So she did have air. Vash reached out and caught her fingers in his.
"Meryl. Are you hurt anywhere?" He should've asked it sooner, he knew it. His eyes measured the crack. Could he pry it open? He was desperate to get to her. To hold her tight and never ever let her out of his sight again.
"I... I don't know. I don't think so." Her voice sounded slightly stronger. "Vash- I want to get out."
"I know. I want you out. I just am trying to figure out how to get you. The metal is all bent. I'm going to try and pry it up a bit. Move your hand."
He stuck his prosthetic fingertips in the crack. The metal gave, but just a little. Meryl could slip her whole hand out now. He kissed the palm gently.
"Vash, get out of the way. Let me try."
That made him pause. He ran a hand through his hair and wondered how much of it had turned black. He thought of his brother's white hair.
He though of Meryl trapped inside that narrow metal space and moved out of the way.
Go ahead, sweetheart. I'm clear.
The metal split with a resounding crack.
Meryl lay panting, her hair plastered against her forehead. She smiled at him when he bent over her. "You're back to normal," she reached up, tugged at his hair and passed out.
Vash picked her up gently and carried her to the jeep. He wondered what would happen when they got back to town. He arranged her carefully in the passenger seat and let his hand run through her completely blonde hair.
