Wow this chapter ended up a lot longer that it was going to be! So you'll all get to finally find it out what Marvel is and haw she go that way. It's not one of the most action packed chapters but I fell like I have to explain her past. The next chapter is going to be filled with non-stop action though. I'm smiling just thinking about it. Read more at the end of this chapter like always.
Thank You!
Fyredra- don't worry my computer is the devil too. I hate it 90% of the time.
KelliKatt- You're so sweet! Are you trying to make me cry or something! You just too *sniff* nice *sniff*. I think I'm starting to get a Knives thing too so expect to see more of him really soon.
Lunatic JedI- Knives and evil seem to go hand and hand, but you'll just have to keep reading to see his evil plan are and if they even gets off the ground. And I loved you evil enthusiasm.
Some random person()- I promise more Knives in the upcoming chapters. This one has very little Knives but I will make it up to you later. I think it hilarious that I'm going too fast. I was so afraid of going to slow and boring the crap out of everyone I sped the whole story up. I'll do my best slow it down. Thanks for your comment it really helps.
Faerygoddyss()- I'M SOMEONES FAVORITE! That is completely unbelievable to me. You the reader means so much to me! So thank you so much! For you maybe I can do the M/K request. Just keep it a secret.
*^*^*^
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun or Vash (Ahhh….. Vash) But I do own Marvel.
Marvel: 'Bonks Nova on the her with her keyboard.' "You don't own me, nobody owns me!"
Nova: 'Rubs head' "Touchy, touchy! Fine I own no on are you happy!"
Marvel: Yes
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ This Chapter is brought to you by mimic12355 who corrected all the spelling and grammar errors.
Kaleidoscope
Chapter 9: Mouser
Marvel sat for a moment She hadn't relived theses memories in a long time. Her former life had become a specter only hunting her in her dreams. His touch his kiss She couldn't even remember how they felt. It was if it Caleb had never even existed in her life like he was the figment of her over active imagination. But for some reason the touch of Kyeo's ruff hands all over her body was still there like it had happened yesterday. He always made her feel dirty the way he touched her. Like an inferior being not fit to walk Gun Smoke with him.
"Miss Marvel, what happened to Caleb?" Marvel smiled at the inquisitive Millie. She loved that the girl never knew enough much like her when she was young. Before the world had tainted her.
"We would sneak out of town to be in one another's company. Till that one fatal day he found us together "
*^*^*^*^Flash Back*^*^*^
"Caleb I don't think this is a safe place!" Marvel claimed the round rocks that led up to a hidden caver the two to them had played in as children. It was there own secret hide away.
"Stop being such a wimp and come on! He'll never find us up here you know that." He climbed in to the cave extending a hand to his lover.
They sat in that cave just enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's touch all after noon.
"Come one Marvel get dressed! We've been gone too long some one's gonna get suspicious." Caleb hurriedly laced up his left boot.
"Well if you hadn't forgot you watch we wouldn't have to hurry you silly man!" She giggled buttoning the buttons on the front of her shirt.
"Why dress I like you like that Marvel more skin but less speaking of coarse."
"Kyeo!" Marvel's heart stopped, this time he would kill her for sure.
The sinister man stood at he entrance to the cave watching the two of them. "So he's what you doing while you're gone. Should've guessed you were with him. You're my dirty little tramp." She winced at his words. "If I had know you were sleeping around I would have used it to my benefit."
"Whip that sneer off your face you jackass!"
"Caleb please no!"
"Marvel I just can't let him do this any more I can't let him treat you like this, you're a person not a thing!" He stood in front of the terrified young woman. He would protect his true love till he had not fight left in him.
"So what do you think you're going to do pretty boy!" In the blink of an eye Kyeo pulled out a large handgun. It was pointed directly at the chest of the heroic man.
"Don't Kyeo I promise I'll never do it again! I'll do any thing you ask and never see Caleb again! JUST STOP!"
Her cries were unheard. The next few seconds passed in slow motion. The trigger was pulled, Caleb's body was thrown back as the bullet passed through his chest and nicked the side Marvel's arm. She screamed but herd nothing and for a moment there was nothing but red. Caleb's voice brought her back the tragic reality. She sat on her own legs with Caleb's head cradled in her lap. He could hardly speak but he refused to die with out telling her how he felt one last time.
"Marvel" His voice was almost a whisper.
"Please don't talk we have to get you some help so save you're energy." A tear slid down her cheek. Deep down she knew it was futile, he was dieing.
"No Marvel, It's over. I just wanted you to know that all the time I spent with you were worth this. It was all worth it just to have touched you even if it had been just once. To die in your arms in a perfect death. I love you." Caleb let out gruesome cough it sounded as though he was trying to breath but his lungs wouldn't let him. Hot blood filled his mouth and overflowed passing over his lips.
"CALEB NO!" The man limp dead laid in Marvel's arms she pulled her Romeo to her chest hugging his life less form. A bloodcurdling scream erupted from her from her body as the grievous woman was wrecked with tears. She was shaken from her delirious state buy a ruff tug on her arm.
"Marvel get up!" Her glassy eyes looked up to see that evil man who had pulled the trigger. As her eyes cleared he could see into them. They were dead her eyes seemed black like her soul had turned dark.
Marvel placed Caleb's body on the ground gently leaving only a simple kiss on his forehead. She rose from the ground slowly like she was emerging form a cocoon it seemed as though she was different, like she was something new.
"Marvel get over here! We have to get out of here! I told the men of the village Caleb had dragged you off and I couldn't stop him! All we have to do is tell them he was attacking you and I shot him! Come on bitch we have to go!"
No emotion showed in her eyes just death, the look of death. "Not this time."
"What? How dare you talk to me like that?"
Marvel's eyes scanned the ground for a moment. In all of the chaos she hadn't even noticed Kyeo had dropped his gun on the rocky cave floor. He noticed her eyes as they positioned themselves on the gun then. back at him.
"What ever you thinking king about doing I suggest you think other wise!" It was plain as day in her eyes though she was going for it "MARVEL!"
He body lunged to the ground reaching for the loaded pistol as did Kyeo's but he was to slow.
She stood above the man and for the first time it was her who had the power. She pointed the gun at the man who scrambled to his feet. "So who wins this time huh?" She shot at his feet. "Is it you with you unforgiving fists?!" She pulled the trigger again missing him. "Did you like to watch me bleed?!" Two bullets wiped past the mans head. "I'm not yours any more!"
"You have one bullet left Marvel. You'd better hit something." In the face of his own death Kyeo actually smiled.
"I wont miss! NOT THIS TIME!" The last bullet left the hit it's mark plunging through the demons chest.
"I heard gunshots up here come on!" The men of the village rushed in to the gun smoked filled cave. The sight before the was grim. Marvel stood covered in the blood of her love holding the still smoking gun. At the sight of the men, she panicked running to the back of the cave, she crawled through a small crack in the cave she could barley fit through. It had been a secret only Caleb and her had known about she went to the one place she knew was safe.
*^^*^**^*^ End Flash Back^*^*^*^*^
"I lost it all that day my love, my life, my sanity, I lost it all." Marvel buried both hands in her hair. It happened so long a go she had learned to shed no tears. The moment had been played in her mind like a picture show so many times she had become almost numb. The pain was only slight now; it was just so long ago. "So you see I never killed Caleb. I shot the bullet that killed Kyeo, only to protect myself. He would have killed me that time. Beat me till it hurt to breath."
Vash for the first time in an hour made eye contact with Marvel. He looked as though he had once again been crying She could feel her heart jump up into her throat.
Nicholas scratched his head. "So if you some type of thing that's not human what are you?"
"Well I guess since you know about everything I can show you what I'm always trying to keep a secret. Al right, just don't freak out." The group watched her like she was going to perform magic tricks not really knowing what to expect.
Two small triangles started to push the hair on the top of Marvel's head a side as they emerged through her hair. As they moved up further into sight the pink centers were visible. At last two large cat ears sat on the top of the young woman's head. A long thin tail had pushed out from her tailbone and over the top of her low riding black pants. The nails on her hands had extended as well as her toe canine teeth. She closed her eyes and when they reopened the once round eye center was now a vertical slit. Everyone gawked at the strange transformation.
Meryl didn't know what to say. It this wasn't the characteristic of a demon what was. "So if you're not a demon what are you?"
"Well I guess I'm a…" Marvel was cut short by another voice from behind.
"She's a kitty!" Millie had moved so fast Marvel hadn't even noticed her. The tall girl stood close behind her examining the woman's strange ears. She poked them with her index finger and made sure they were real.
"Hey! Come on Millie stop that they're sensitive!" the feline ears twitched wildly with each jab. The woman stopped and reluctantly took her seat. She really wasn't done exploring the strange ears. "I'm a cat woman I guess. I really haven't thought of giving what I am a name. It is just me, neither human nor beast. I've been this way so long it's hard to remember what being completely human is like."
A look of pity took over the member of the group except Millie. Not only had thing in her life been outstandingly hard she had to deal with this inhuman state of her body. She was a freak and the change must have been crippling for her at first.
"Come on guy stop looking at me like that! I know what your thinking and the time for sympathy was over seventy years ago. This for is natural to me now and all the thing that came with it." She demonstrated some of her cat like agility by placing her hands on the floor and pushing her self into a handstand. After walking on her hand a bit she flipped foreword and land on her feet with amazing grace.
A humble smile replaced the smirk Vash had one had on his face. "Your agility is amazing!"
Grateful to see his face look so kind one more she smiled herself. "It came with the package. I also have amazing site not only in the day but the night too. I have speed unmatched by anyone, my sense of smell is extraordinary, and I can hear things that are just a whisper in the wind to others. If a Felis catus has it or does it so do I."
"How can you hide something like this?" Meryl still look sympathetic to Marvel's condition.
"I don't have to all the time a lot of people here know about what I really am. It's not usually hard to keep in human form. It only becomes a problem when I'm enraged, am externally fatigued, of am having a problem concentrating. I've only had the beast part of me take over a few times. Some of those time I just let it take over." Marvel's eyes looked dead for a moment as she gazed at the floor. "I let it take over to escaped the pain."
^*^*^*^**^*Flash Back*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Kayny! Kayny where are you?!" Marvel rushed in the front door of the old woman's house. Day was fading and the dim light of dusk was starting to take over the late day sky.
"Marvel my child I am in here, want is wrong?" The old woman rocked in her wooden rocking chair.
Marvel clasped at her feet sobbing into the woman's lap. She shook with fear and pain. It hurt so much. Everything hurt like nothing she had ever felt before. Marvel just had to find a way to stop all this pain. "I kicked him Kayny! He killed Caleb and I picked up the gun and shot him! I KILLED KYEO!"
Kayny stroked the heavy-hearted girls hair. "Child you must stop these tears. Come sit in my chair and I will make you some tea."
She did as she was told and took her place in the rickety old chair. The elderly woman soon returned with the promised tea. Marvel took it graciously as she worked to calm down.
Kayny stared rooting through her shelves of herbs. Marvel remembered learning about the uses of some of the as child. She had loved the time she spends with the woman who had seemed to radiated power.
She spoke as she look the old dusty jars of spices and other things. "You know Marvel the world we once came from was a wonderful place. It was filled with the most beautiful plants and animal some we have here and some that became extinct. When we are all born we carry the essence of our spirit guide is born with us. Our guides are one of these planets animals. Ahh…here what I'm looking for." the old woman pulled one of the jars down. She took it to the kitchen to grind it up into a powder then returned. With it in a very small bowl.
"You now you can't go unpunished for the death of my grandson. The end of his life was well deserved but it was not for you to make such decisions."
"But Kayny he would have…"
"No more words!" Her voice was not anger but stern. The blacks of her eyes expanded making her eyes look like two large black glass marbles. "Your punishment has been handed down to me from some thing grater. Your spirit guided will become on with you and protect you as you walk this earth no longer as a mortal but as something else. You Marvel will live a life that is extremely extended life longer than any mortal can even imagine. Maybe even an eternity. You must atone for you sins and sins to come!" A hand full of the bowls contends were thrown into Marvel's face.
The red cloud of dust filled her lungs like a thick smoke making it hard to breath. All a one the room begin to spin and Marvel became increasingly dizzy. She tried to stand but lost her balance and grabbed the coffee table next to her. Only pulling the table of the small woman collided with the wood floor and lost unconscious.
When she awoke she found herself not at the old woman's house but on the bedroom floor of her own. Her hand throbbed; Marvel pulled herself to her feet. Maybe it had all been a dream, a nightmare that had ended frightfully. Running her tongue over her teeth she noticed something was wrong. Some of them were sharp and cut her tongue. Looking in the mirror she noticed changed to her body. The first thing she noticed was any place that there had been even a little fat had turned to lean muscle. The she noticed the ears.
*^*^*^*^*^*^End Flask Back*^*^*^
"I returned to Kayny's house but she was gone I didn't know the old woman had so much power, never would have guessed she was capable of so much. I panicked an ran to Caleb's Mother's house. I told her everything and she believed me. She was sorry she had even meet Kyeo and his family and had let this happen to me. She told me I could find some wealthy relative's of Caleb's deceased father here. So I decided this town was where I would come. But before I could make an escape, the villagers and I had a stand off before I could get out of town. I ripped every one of those people apart with my bare hands. People who cared for me, they were between me and escape. My claws were covered in their blood, glistening red blood. They smelled like retched death. Those people I loved so much, I had to kill them just to live. Just more to atone for and it hurt like I had ripped out my own heart. The beast had taken over and I couldn't feel a thing the whole time."
Marvel closed her eyes and breathed in deeply trying to push the heartache back to the bottom of her soul where it stayed hidden only showing sometime in her eyes in the right light. She stiffened as she felt arms wrap aground her waist and a head nuzzle in to her stomach. Looking down she saw Vash on his knees before her as he whole body softened in his masculine arms.
"It's ok now. NO one will ever hurt you aging I promise." Vash caught her eyes with his . Then tears built up in his and erupted in gushing water falls. "The whole thing must have been so awful!" He blew his nose in her shirt.
"Vash let go of me you big idiot!" Marvel struggle to get out of his vice grip as he continued to shed tears over Marvel's past troubles.
Wolfwood looked at the pair and laughed out loud. "Looks like things are going to be just fine if you ask me!"
"Yeah!" Millie agreed while Meryl crossed her arms and grumbled.
"Vash I serious let go…" The two tumbled to a heap on the ground with Vash on top of Marvel.
The furious look on her face was just so classic. Vash couldn't keep a strait face, her started to laugh at the frustrated girl. His laughter was contagious and she joined him. Soon everyone joined them even the sour Meryl. The happiness was short lived, A voice chimed into Marvel's head.
*Bravo what a excellent retelling of your tragic life.*
Her laughter stopped. "Knives!"
*When you tell them about my part make sure to make me sound smarter than the wait of space that is my brother. Well were talking about my brother, why don't you ask him about the last time he saw Legato. Oh I remember it was when her pulled the trigger to the gun the was pressed up against his skull!* Her eyes jolted open horrified.
"No Vash…you didn't…did you? Legato?" Vash moved over as Marvel stood on her feet. "Excuse me I have to go." She left the other to stare and wonder all except Vash.
*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*
Marvel sat on the roof of the inn watching the people below do their daily activities. She didn't know how long she had been sitting alone in the haze of her own sorrow. It had been less then a year since the last time Legato's lips had meet her, his death was not a new pain. The day he died a wave of remorse had come over her body and she knew the cause. The was sending her one last goodbye through his thoughts and she had received it. Her mourning caused her to stay shut inside her self for week doing nothing but cry. It was the first time she had cried in fifty years. This pain, the new pain was form knowing his murder. Being able to reach out and touch him, able to love him, but not being able to take her revenge. "I promised him revenge." A sing tear slid down her cheek
Vash had searched all over town for her running around like a fool yelling her name looking in places she was sure not to be, Like under tables in the bar, then her looked up the see her with her feet hanging over the inn's side wall sitting on the roof her hair blowing wildly in the wind. He clammed up himself sitting down right next to her. They both stat there staring off in to the oblivion.
"You loved him didn't you?" Vash didn't even turn to look at her he just kept looking off into the distance.
"I did." She didn't face him either.
"He was going to kill Millie and Meryl. I had to."
"I know. You wouldn't have killed him unless it was necessary." Marvel Faced the executioner of her former love. "He's the only man you've ever killed, I can see it in your eyes."
"I had to do it. Do you hate me?" Tears welded up in his eyes.
"No, I don't hate you!" She took his face in her hands kissed away one of his tears. "I could never hate you." Her lips touched his in a sugary sweet kiss. Marvel got up standing at the edge of the rooftop looking over the side.
"Marvel."
"Yes Vash." She gazed down at the handsome man.
"If I hadn't stopped you would you have killed that man yesterday?"
"Yes I would have." With that short answer she leapt of the rooftop grabbing the clotheslines that connected the building next to the inn with it. Swing around a few times she released flipping once in the air and landing on her feet. Walking away as if it were nothing Marvel shoved her hand down into her pants pocket never giving Vash a second look.
*^*^*^*^**^*^*
Whew I'm glad the history lesson is over. I hope you finely got a good look at what's inside Marvel mind. We'll learn about her love affair with Legato later on. Thanks for all of the responses. The only way I know you like what I'm doing have a suggestion, or just don't understand is if you tell me so keep them coming.
chapter ten: It doesn't have a name yet but this is sure to pleas. A woman bounty hunter comes in search of Vash But an angry jealous Marvel in there to kick some ass. Chick Fight! May be I'll call it that. All I have to say is don't mess with Marvel's man. Even if she won't it she has a clam on poor Vash. I'm surprised that woman hasn't marked her territory!
Coming soon to a fan fiction. Net near you! New stories form well…me!
The unnamed Trigun story!
Cowboy bebop: Guardian Angel
InuYasha: The Nonexistent Reality of Fiona
Hope you'll read them! See you next time!
Thank You!
Fyredra- don't worry my computer is the devil too. I hate it 90% of the time.
KelliKatt- You're so sweet! Are you trying to make me cry or something! You just too *sniff* nice *sniff*. I think I'm starting to get a Knives thing too so expect to see more of him really soon.
Lunatic JedI- Knives and evil seem to go hand and hand, but you'll just have to keep reading to see his evil plan are and if they even gets off the ground. And I loved you evil enthusiasm.
Some random person()- I promise more Knives in the upcoming chapters. This one has very little Knives but I will make it up to you later. I think it hilarious that I'm going too fast. I was so afraid of going to slow and boring the crap out of everyone I sped the whole story up. I'll do my best slow it down. Thanks for your comment it really helps.
Faerygoddyss()- I'M SOMEONES FAVORITE! That is completely unbelievable to me. You the reader means so much to me! So thank you so much! For you maybe I can do the M/K request. Just keep it a secret.
*^*^*^
Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun or Vash (Ahhh….. Vash) But I do own Marvel.
Marvel: 'Bonks Nova on the her with her keyboard.' "You don't own me, nobody owns me!"
Nova: 'Rubs head' "Touchy, touchy! Fine I own no on are you happy!"
Marvel: Yes
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ This Chapter is brought to you by mimic12355 who corrected all the spelling and grammar errors.
Kaleidoscope
Chapter 9: Mouser
Marvel sat for a moment She hadn't relived theses memories in a long time. Her former life had become a specter only hunting her in her dreams. His touch his kiss She couldn't even remember how they felt. It was if it Caleb had never even existed in her life like he was the figment of her over active imagination. But for some reason the touch of Kyeo's ruff hands all over her body was still there like it had happened yesterday. He always made her feel dirty the way he touched her. Like an inferior being not fit to walk Gun Smoke with him.
"Miss Marvel, what happened to Caleb?" Marvel smiled at the inquisitive Millie. She loved that the girl never knew enough much like her when she was young. Before the world had tainted her.
"We would sneak out of town to be in one another's company. Till that one fatal day he found us together "
*^*^*^*^Flash Back*^*^*^
"Caleb I don't think this is a safe place!" Marvel claimed the round rocks that led up to a hidden caver the two to them had played in as children. It was there own secret hide away.
"Stop being such a wimp and come on! He'll never find us up here you know that." He climbed in to the cave extending a hand to his lover.
They sat in that cave just enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's touch all after noon.
"Come one Marvel get dressed! We've been gone too long some one's gonna get suspicious." Caleb hurriedly laced up his left boot.
"Well if you hadn't forgot you watch we wouldn't have to hurry you silly man!" She giggled buttoning the buttons on the front of her shirt.
"Why dress I like you like that Marvel more skin but less speaking of coarse."
"Kyeo!" Marvel's heart stopped, this time he would kill her for sure.
The sinister man stood at he entrance to the cave watching the two of them. "So he's what you doing while you're gone. Should've guessed you were with him. You're my dirty little tramp." She winced at his words. "If I had know you were sleeping around I would have used it to my benefit."
"Whip that sneer off your face you jackass!"
"Caleb please no!"
"Marvel I just can't let him do this any more I can't let him treat you like this, you're a person not a thing!" He stood in front of the terrified young woman. He would protect his true love till he had not fight left in him.
"So what do you think you're going to do pretty boy!" In the blink of an eye Kyeo pulled out a large handgun. It was pointed directly at the chest of the heroic man.
"Don't Kyeo I promise I'll never do it again! I'll do any thing you ask and never see Caleb again! JUST STOP!"
Her cries were unheard. The next few seconds passed in slow motion. The trigger was pulled, Caleb's body was thrown back as the bullet passed through his chest and nicked the side Marvel's arm. She screamed but herd nothing and for a moment there was nothing but red. Caleb's voice brought her back the tragic reality. She sat on her own legs with Caleb's head cradled in her lap. He could hardly speak but he refused to die with out telling her how he felt one last time.
"Marvel" His voice was almost a whisper.
"Please don't talk we have to get you some help so save you're energy." A tear slid down her cheek. Deep down she knew it was futile, he was dieing.
"No Marvel, It's over. I just wanted you to know that all the time I spent with you were worth this. It was all worth it just to have touched you even if it had been just once. To die in your arms in a perfect death. I love you." Caleb let out gruesome cough it sounded as though he was trying to breath but his lungs wouldn't let him. Hot blood filled his mouth and overflowed passing over his lips.
"CALEB NO!" The man limp dead laid in Marvel's arms she pulled her Romeo to her chest hugging his life less form. A bloodcurdling scream erupted from her from her body as the grievous woman was wrecked with tears. She was shaken from her delirious state buy a ruff tug on her arm.
"Marvel get up!" Her glassy eyes looked up to see that evil man who had pulled the trigger. As her eyes cleared he could see into them. They were dead her eyes seemed black like her soul had turned dark.
Marvel placed Caleb's body on the ground gently leaving only a simple kiss on his forehead. She rose from the ground slowly like she was emerging form a cocoon it seemed as though she was different, like she was something new.
"Marvel get over here! We have to get out of here! I told the men of the village Caleb had dragged you off and I couldn't stop him! All we have to do is tell them he was attacking you and I shot him! Come on bitch we have to go!"
No emotion showed in her eyes just death, the look of death. "Not this time."
"What? How dare you talk to me like that?"
Marvel's eyes scanned the ground for a moment. In all of the chaos she hadn't even noticed Kyeo had dropped his gun on the rocky cave floor. He noticed her eyes as they positioned themselves on the gun then. back at him.
"What ever you thinking king about doing I suggest you think other wise!" It was plain as day in her eyes though she was going for it "MARVEL!"
He body lunged to the ground reaching for the loaded pistol as did Kyeo's but he was to slow.
She stood above the man and for the first time it was her who had the power. She pointed the gun at the man who scrambled to his feet. "So who wins this time huh?" She shot at his feet. "Is it you with you unforgiving fists?!" She pulled the trigger again missing him. "Did you like to watch me bleed?!" Two bullets wiped past the mans head. "I'm not yours any more!"
"You have one bullet left Marvel. You'd better hit something." In the face of his own death Kyeo actually smiled.
"I wont miss! NOT THIS TIME!" The last bullet left the hit it's mark plunging through the demons chest.
"I heard gunshots up here come on!" The men of the village rushed in to the gun smoked filled cave. The sight before the was grim. Marvel stood covered in the blood of her love holding the still smoking gun. At the sight of the men, she panicked running to the back of the cave, she crawled through a small crack in the cave she could barley fit through. It had been a secret only Caleb and her had known about she went to the one place she knew was safe.
*^^*^**^*^ End Flash Back^*^*^*^*^
"I lost it all that day my love, my life, my sanity, I lost it all." Marvel buried both hands in her hair. It happened so long a go she had learned to shed no tears. The moment had been played in her mind like a picture show so many times she had become almost numb. The pain was only slight now; it was just so long ago. "So you see I never killed Caleb. I shot the bullet that killed Kyeo, only to protect myself. He would have killed me that time. Beat me till it hurt to breath."
Vash for the first time in an hour made eye contact with Marvel. He looked as though he had once again been crying She could feel her heart jump up into her throat.
Nicholas scratched his head. "So if you some type of thing that's not human what are you?"
"Well I guess since you know about everything I can show you what I'm always trying to keep a secret. Al right, just don't freak out." The group watched her like she was going to perform magic tricks not really knowing what to expect.
Two small triangles started to push the hair on the top of Marvel's head a side as they emerged through her hair. As they moved up further into sight the pink centers were visible. At last two large cat ears sat on the top of the young woman's head. A long thin tail had pushed out from her tailbone and over the top of her low riding black pants. The nails on her hands had extended as well as her toe canine teeth. She closed her eyes and when they reopened the once round eye center was now a vertical slit. Everyone gawked at the strange transformation.
Meryl didn't know what to say. It this wasn't the characteristic of a demon what was. "So if you're not a demon what are you?"
"Well I guess I'm a…" Marvel was cut short by another voice from behind.
"She's a kitty!" Millie had moved so fast Marvel hadn't even noticed her. The tall girl stood close behind her examining the woman's strange ears. She poked them with her index finger and made sure they were real.
"Hey! Come on Millie stop that they're sensitive!" the feline ears twitched wildly with each jab. The woman stopped and reluctantly took her seat. She really wasn't done exploring the strange ears. "I'm a cat woman I guess. I really haven't thought of giving what I am a name. It is just me, neither human nor beast. I've been this way so long it's hard to remember what being completely human is like."
A look of pity took over the member of the group except Millie. Not only had thing in her life been outstandingly hard she had to deal with this inhuman state of her body. She was a freak and the change must have been crippling for her at first.
"Come on guy stop looking at me like that! I know what your thinking and the time for sympathy was over seventy years ago. This for is natural to me now and all the thing that came with it." She demonstrated some of her cat like agility by placing her hands on the floor and pushing her self into a handstand. After walking on her hand a bit she flipped foreword and land on her feet with amazing grace.
A humble smile replaced the smirk Vash had one had on his face. "Your agility is amazing!"
Grateful to see his face look so kind one more she smiled herself. "It came with the package. I also have amazing site not only in the day but the night too. I have speed unmatched by anyone, my sense of smell is extraordinary, and I can hear things that are just a whisper in the wind to others. If a Felis catus has it or does it so do I."
"How can you hide something like this?" Meryl still look sympathetic to Marvel's condition.
"I don't have to all the time a lot of people here know about what I really am. It's not usually hard to keep in human form. It only becomes a problem when I'm enraged, am externally fatigued, of am having a problem concentrating. I've only had the beast part of me take over a few times. Some of those time I just let it take over." Marvel's eyes looked dead for a moment as she gazed at the floor. "I let it take over to escaped the pain."
^*^*^*^**^*Flash Back*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Kayny! Kayny where are you?!" Marvel rushed in the front door of the old woman's house. Day was fading and the dim light of dusk was starting to take over the late day sky.
"Marvel my child I am in here, want is wrong?" The old woman rocked in her wooden rocking chair.
Marvel clasped at her feet sobbing into the woman's lap. She shook with fear and pain. It hurt so much. Everything hurt like nothing she had ever felt before. Marvel just had to find a way to stop all this pain. "I kicked him Kayny! He killed Caleb and I picked up the gun and shot him! I KILLED KYEO!"
Kayny stroked the heavy-hearted girls hair. "Child you must stop these tears. Come sit in my chair and I will make you some tea."
She did as she was told and took her place in the rickety old chair. The elderly woman soon returned with the promised tea. Marvel took it graciously as she worked to calm down.
Kayny stared rooting through her shelves of herbs. Marvel remembered learning about the uses of some of the as child. She had loved the time she spends with the woman who had seemed to radiated power.
She spoke as she look the old dusty jars of spices and other things. "You know Marvel the world we once came from was a wonderful place. It was filled with the most beautiful plants and animal some we have here and some that became extinct. When we are all born we carry the essence of our spirit guide is born with us. Our guides are one of these planets animals. Ahh…here what I'm looking for." the old woman pulled one of the jars down. She took it to the kitchen to grind it up into a powder then returned. With it in a very small bowl.
"You now you can't go unpunished for the death of my grandson. The end of his life was well deserved but it was not for you to make such decisions."
"But Kayny he would have…"
"No more words!" Her voice was not anger but stern. The blacks of her eyes expanded making her eyes look like two large black glass marbles. "Your punishment has been handed down to me from some thing grater. Your spirit guided will become on with you and protect you as you walk this earth no longer as a mortal but as something else. You Marvel will live a life that is extremely extended life longer than any mortal can even imagine. Maybe even an eternity. You must atone for you sins and sins to come!" A hand full of the bowls contends were thrown into Marvel's face.
The red cloud of dust filled her lungs like a thick smoke making it hard to breath. All a one the room begin to spin and Marvel became increasingly dizzy. She tried to stand but lost her balance and grabbed the coffee table next to her. Only pulling the table of the small woman collided with the wood floor and lost unconscious.
When she awoke she found herself not at the old woman's house but on the bedroom floor of her own. Her hand throbbed; Marvel pulled herself to her feet. Maybe it had all been a dream, a nightmare that had ended frightfully. Running her tongue over her teeth she noticed something was wrong. Some of them were sharp and cut her tongue. Looking in the mirror she noticed changed to her body. The first thing she noticed was any place that there had been even a little fat had turned to lean muscle. The she noticed the ears.
*^*^*^*^*^*^End Flask Back*^*^*^
"I returned to Kayny's house but she was gone I didn't know the old woman had so much power, never would have guessed she was capable of so much. I panicked an ran to Caleb's Mother's house. I told her everything and she believed me. She was sorry she had even meet Kyeo and his family and had let this happen to me. She told me I could find some wealthy relative's of Caleb's deceased father here. So I decided this town was where I would come. But before I could make an escape, the villagers and I had a stand off before I could get out of town. I ripped every one of those people apart with my bare hands. People who cared for me, they were between me and escape. My claws were covered in their blood, glistening red blood. They smelled like retched death. Those people I loved so much, I had to kill them just to live. Just more to atone for and it hurt like I had ripped out my own heart. The beast had taken over and I couldn't feel a thing the whole time."
Marvel closed her eyes and breathed in deeply trying to push the heartache back to the bottom of her soul where it stayed hidden only showing sometime in her eyes in the right light. She stiffened as she felt arms wrap aground her waist and a head nuzzle in to her stomach. Looking down she saw Vash on his knees before her as he whole body softened in his masculine arms.
"It's ok now. NO one will ever hurt you aging I promise." Vash caught her eyes with his . Then tears built up in his and erupted in gushing water falls. "The whole thing must have been so awful!" He blew his nose in her shirt.
"Vash let go of me you big idiot!" Marvel struggle to get out of his vice grip as he continued to shed tears over Marvel's past troubles.
Wolfwood looked at the pair and laughed out loud. "Looks like things are going to be just fine if you ask me!"
"Yeah!" Millie agreed while Meryl crossed her arms and grumbled.
"Vash I serious let go…" The two tumbled to a heap on the ground with Vash on top of Marvel.
The furious look on her face was just so classic. Vash couldn't keep a strait face, her started to laugh at the frustrated girl. His laughter was contagious and she joined him. Soon everyone joined them even the sour Meryl. The happiness was short lived, A voice chimed into Marvel's head.
*Bravo what a excellent retelling of your tragic life.*
Her laughter stopped. "Knives!"
*When you tell them about my part make sure to make me sound smarter than the wait of space that is my brother. Well were talking about my brother, why don't you ask him about the last time he saw Legato. Oh I remember it was when her pulled the trigger to the gun the was pressed up against his skull!* Her eyes jolted open horrified.
"No Vash…you didn't…did you? Legato?" Vash moved over as Marvel stood on her feet. "Excuse me I have to go." She left the other to stare and wonder all except Vash.
*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*
Marvel sat on the roof of the inn watching the people below do their daily activities. She didn't know how long she had been sitting alone in the haze of her own sorrow. It had been less then a year since the last time Legato's lips had meet her, his death was not a new pain. The day he died a wave of remorse had come over her body and she knew the cause. The was sending her one last goodbye through his thoughts and she had received it. Her mourning caused her to stay shut inside her self for week doing nothing but cry. It was the first time she had cried in fifty years. This pain, the new pain was form knowing his murder. Being able to reach out and touch him, able to love him, but not being able to take her revenge. "I promised him revenge." A sing tear slid down her cheek
Vash had searched all over town for her running around like a fool yelling her name looking in places she was sure not to be, Like under tables in the bar, then her looked up the see her with her feet hanging over the inn's side wall sitting on the roof her hair blowing wildly in the wind. He clammed up himself sitting down right next to her. They both stat there staring off in to the oblivion.
"You loved him didn't you?" Vash didn't even turn to look at her he just kept looking off into the distance.
"I did." She didn't face him either.
"He was going to kill Millie and Meryl. I had to."
"I know. You wouldn't have killed him unless it was necessary." Marvel Faced the executioner of her former love. "He's the only man you've ever killed, I can see it in your eyes."
"I had to do it. Do you hate me?" Tears welded up in his eyes.
"No, I don't hate you!" She took his face in her hands kissed away one of his tears. "I could never hate you." Her lips touched his in a sugary sweet kiss. Marvel got up standing at the edge of the rooftop looking over the side.
"Marvel."
"Yes Vash." She gazed down at the handsome man.
"If I hadn't stopped you would you have killed that man yesterday?"
"Yes I would have." With that short answer she leapt of the rooftop grabbing the clotheslines that connected the building next to the inn with it. Swing around a few times she released flipping once in the air and landing on her feet. Walking away as if it were nothing Marvel shoved her hand down into her pants pocket never giving Vash a second look.
*^*^*^*^**^*^*
Whew I'm glad the history lesson is over. I hope you finely got a good look at what's inside Marvel mind. We'll learn about her love affair with Legato later on. Thanks for all of the responses. The only way I know you like what I'm doing have a suggestion, or just don't understand is if you tell me so keep them coming.
chapter ten: It doesn't have a name yet but this is sure to pleas. A woman bounty hunter comes in search of Vash But an angry jealous Marvel in there to kick some ass. Chick Fight! May be I'll call it that. All I have to say is don't mess with Marvel's man. Even if she won't it she has a clam on poor Vash. I'm surprised that woman hasn't marked her territory!
Coming soon to a fan fiction. Net near you! New stories form well…me!
The unnamed Trigun story!
Cowboy bebop: Guardian Angel
InuYasha: The Nonexistent Reality of Fiona
Hope you'll read them! See you next time!