Memories I

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Memories or Voices

Stressed Words


'It had been fifty-six days since I came out of that plant, fifty-six long boring days,' Meryl thought as she sat on her bed and gazed out of the window.

Her speech became better when she listened to the three new people in her life. She sighed as she looked down at her new outfit that she wore. Her shirt was a powder blue and the skirt that she wore was soft beige. She frowned at the items wishing she didn't have to wear them. She appreciated the soft caress of the wind on her entire body. Turning her eyes to the left she listened to the approaching footsteps stop at her door.

"Come in," Meryl said before they could knock.

"How'd you know it was me?" Vash asked as he smiled at her.

"I heard your footsteps. I feel like I've known you all my life," Meryl replied.

"Oh, I was wondering if you wanted a donut?" Vash asked as he offered her the box.

"No thank you," Meryl kindly refused as she went back to gazing out the window.

"Can I ask you something?" Vash asked as he shut the door.

"What is it?" Meryl asked back as she kept staring outside the window.

"What's it like?" Vash whispered as he focused on her face.

It was the question most wanted to ask but didn't out of respect. Meryl sighed before she faced Vash and then sighed again. She patted the empty side of the bed next to her. He sat down without any problems. Meryl thought before she opened her mouth and quickly closed it. She grumbled and then decided on the words she wanted to use.

"I haven't been alive that long to know what I can compare it to. When you first wake up, what do you think about?" Meryl asked instead with a calm tone.

"I really don't think about anything," Vash answered with a questioning tone.

"Exactly, you're just there. No memories or thoughts for those few seconds," Meryl said with a forced happy tone.

"That's what it's like to be…"

"You can say it. I don't really mind that I have memories of who I was. It stings a little to know that I'm missing a piece of me, but I'm happy to have you with me," Meryl truthfully said as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

'She's so calm, no worries. I wish I could let her be like this forever, no worries,' Vash thought as he raised his right hand and smoothed her hair.

"You shouldn't think so much," Meryl whispered as she snuggled against Vash.

"Why not?" Vash asked.

"Because, you'll be stressed and worried about useless stuff," Meryl simply answered.

"You've changed," Vash said as he embraced her. Meryl's head slightly pounded as she pulled out of the embrace and fell on the floor.

"You've matured and seemed like the world was taken off your shoulders," Meryl said as she hugged him back.

"Meryl are you okay?" Vash asked as he kneeled down next to here and pulled her onto his lap.

Meryl covered her ears and began to rock herself slowly in an even pace. She started to whisper in a gentle beat of words. Vash held her to his chest as he picked her up and yelled for Knives. Knives growled at Vash and then ran upstairs to get to Meryl's room. Vash laid her on the bed Knives listened to her soft singing. He tried to enter her mind, but ended up with vague images. Knives entered again and was repelled by a powerful barrier.

"Every time I see your face," Meryl whispered as the words ran through her head.

"What did you see?" Vash asked.

"It looks like you've fallen farther from grace," Meryl whispered as she began to cry.

"I saw nothing but images of you," Knives grumpily answered.

"I can't help but come to your calls," Meryl sung as she curled into a ball.

"What happened then?" Vash asked.

"Even if I stall," Meryl repeated three times.

"She repelled me," Knives growled as he listened to her sobs stop.

Vash and Knives stared down at her to see that she was peacefully sleeping and mumbling. Knives shook his head in frustration as he rubbed his temples. Vash kneeled at Meryl's side and brushed her hair from her face.

"Why would her memories be blocked?" Vash asked as he laid his head next to hers.

"There's nothing to gain from having her memories blocked," Vash whispered.

"There's only one choice left," Knives said.

"There's nothing left to do," Vash growled. Knives snarled as he smacked Vash across the room. He than spat on the floor before her walked across the hall and into their room. He came out a few minutes later with a backpack and threw it on the floor in front of Meryl's room.

"Are you leaving?" Vash accused.

"I told we have one choice left," Knives calmly stated.

"What?" Vash asked.

"We have to search for the answers Tongari," Knives said with a smile.

"What about Milly?" Vash asked.

"She left to her family this morning," Knives answered.

Vash looked at Meryl and began to think of what he should or could do. Maybe he was being selfish and not thinking of Meryl. He wanted to spend more time with her, but was that really her. He blinked in confusion as he stood up and walked towards the closet. He grabbed a backpack and threw a few items in. Knives smirked and watched Vash get Meryl's pink suitcase out. He set it on her chair and looked back to see Knives gone.

Meryl rolled over onto her side and pushed herself up. She touched her cheek and felt dried tears on her face. She looked up at Vash and saw that he adorned a relived look on his face. She then looked to her left to see a pink suitcase on the chair. She stretched and then scratched her head in confusion.

"Are you leaving?" Meryl asked, leaving the 'me' unsaid.

"We have to go and search for answers," Vash said with a dopey smile.

"That's vague," Meryl growled as she put the suitcase on her bed.

"That's yours," Vash said as he pointed to the pink suitcase.

"I figured since it's pink," Meryl said.

"Yeah," Vash said as he slightly blushed.

Meryl began to pack and smiled as she thought of her and Vash under the stairs. She cleared her head and blushed when she looked at Vash. Every time she went near this man, this Vash, she felt like butterflies were in her stomach. The world didn't matter when she was near him. She continued to wonder if Vash and her were seeing each other. She knew Knives was a friend, she could a sense of responsibility towards him. She put her suitcase in the hall with the other two backpacks.

Dusk was here and the heat was cooling off fast. Meryl put on a pair of boots similar to Vash's. Vash picked up all the bags and they both walked downstairs. Meryl saw Knives at the table sipping hot tea. That's when she noticed that Milly was missing. She frowned and began to think that she would miss Milly's chats and chess games.

"Milly's gone back home to give birth," Knives assured.

"So, where are we going?" Meryl asked as she sat at the table.

"There are a few questions that need answers," Knives began.

"We get to travel and party," Vash happily said as he began to cha-cha.

"Idiot," Knives growled.

"We need to find the blessing stone," Meryl said.

"The what stone?" Vash asked.

"It grants one wish every ten years and then vanishes," Meryl explained.

"How do you know about this?" Knives asked.

"I can hear it call to me in the night," Meryl seriously answered.

"Where is it?" Vash enthusiastically asked.

"It's underground in the city of Calico," Meryl plainly said.

"This thing isn't calling you! You know about it somehow," Knives accused.

"I've been having strange dreams and I see myself touching this stone and remembering everything," Meryl cheerfully explained.

"How do we know that this isn't some fantasy?" Knives challenged.

"What do we have to lose?" Vash asked back.

"Time," Knives answered.

"It will vanish once the wish is made," Meryl answered.

"Then let's go," Vash said.

"Fine," Knives hesitantly obliged.

"Calico is two days away," Vash said.

"Guess will be camping," Meryl said.

"Great," Knives complained as they packed a bag of food for the trip. He then filled up water bottles and pocketed any spare cash he could.

Meryl walked outside and stared up at what stars were in the sky. She remained silent as she felt a presence behind her. It wasn't a threatening presence it was a calm presence. She smiled when it moved to her right side. She could hear Vash and Knives arguing and knew that it was safe to talk to it. Meryl smiled at the man who stood on her right side. His dark blue hair and gold eyes shined in the night. She stared at his feathery wings and looked at the top of his head expecting to see the nonexistent halo.

"Did Rem send you again?" Meryl calmly asked.

"Now I came here because I love floating around you," the man sarcastically replied.

"Legato, you need to calm down," Meryl advised.

"And you need to remember," Legato calmly counseled back.

"I'm going to search for the Blessing Stone," Meryl whispered.

"Good. It's still there," Legato replied before he floated a bit higher.

"Tell Rem not to worry, because I've got it covered," Meryl happily said as she gave a thumb up.

"Fine, but this is something you have to get to," Legato warned as he disappeared.

Meryl frowned as she looked back up at the stars and tried to smile. She kicked some sand up in agitation and coughed as it came back towards her. She froze when she heard light footsteps in the sand. Meryl turned around and looked at the blonde hair goofball who approached her. She relaxed and smiled at him when he stood on her left side. Staring back at the stars she softly smiled. He looked at her and the looked up into the sky.

"How are you feeling?" Vash asked.

"Fine," Meryl stated as started to click her tongue.

"Are you sure?" Vash asked with concern.

'No, I have this deep feeling of wanting to tear off your clothes,' Meryl thought as images of that entered her mind.

"Yeah, I seem to be distracted," Meryl, replied as she looked into his eyes.

"We'll leave in a few minuets," Vash said.

'I see flashes of his body, I have a constant longing in my heart,' she thought.

"I have a question to ask," she nervously said.

"Go ahead," Vash encouraged.

"It may seem strange," Meryl warned as her stomach began to clench.

"Do I seem normal?" Vash asked.

"I see images of… your body and I was wondering if we were involved?" Meryl quickly asked with a blush.

"Well…" Vash stuttered as he fell on his butt as began to turn red.

"I'm sorry. I had no right to ask," Meryl stammered before she turned to leave.

"Don't go!" Vash shouted as he grabbed her wrist.

"All I see is your body and I…and I can't help but think…" Meryl stammered.

"I know, my body is a horrible sight," Vash calmly stated as his eyes fell to the ground. Meryl got on her knees and wrapped her arms around him as they both sat under the stars.

"Your body's beautiful," Meryl finished as she looked into his eyes.

'I can't fall in love with this Meryl. It would make things harder to bear when she remembered herself,' Vash thought as he wished his brain to stop working.

"That's a kind thing to say, but you don't have to pity me," Vash whispered as he let his breath caress her cheek.

"This feelings have been since I first saw you, I can't help but feel like you're apart of me. Yet, I try to hide for fear that you'll leave me," Meryl whispered as she rubbed her head against his shoulder.

"Meryl, this isn't fair to you, to me if this isn't how the real you feels," Vash muttered in sorrow.

"I am real," Meryl said as she looked into his eyes.

She pressed her lips against his as she tried to push every emotion she felt into that one kiss. Vash froze and then began to respond before his mind begged him to stop. His soul and heart pushed him to lick her lower lip while his mind pleaded that this was only an illusion. Meryl opened her mouth before she ran her tongue against the roof of his mouth. He shuddered before they pulled away for air. She stared into his eyes as she challenged him to turn her away.

Author's Note:

One last chapter to release and then the story ends.