Blue: Hello! I'm Blue and this is my muse Ivey!
Ivey: Yo…
Blue: This is actually the first fic I ever started although it's not the first one I posted. It's a work in progress but give it a chance! It's my baby!
Ivey: You should be working on the Fruits Basket fic!
Blue: I know, I know, but I wanted a change of pace. I'm still working on that one (the next chapter will be out in a few days), but I also wanted to have something else to work on when I get writers' block.
Ivey: Blue doesn't own Trigun. If she did she would actually have money. Looks in Blues wallet All she's got is a few pennies, some lint, and a paper clip.
Might As Well Be Strangers
By Blue
Chapter One - Goodbye
Meryl Stryfe was in the middle of pouring coffee when Millie burst into the diner wearing her hardhat and a look of distress. It had been five months since Vash had returned with Knives. The townsfolk had finally become comfortable around Vash however, his brother was another matter. A month had passed by the time Knives awoke despite the constant care he received. Vash relentlessly tried to sway his twin in his view of humans and Knives finally agreed to at least tolerate them for the time being. Meryl, however, had a sneaking suspicion that Knives was just sick of the never ending talks and only agreed so Vash would shut the hell up.
Life settled into a comfortable pattern. Meryl spent her mornings making breakfast (usually bacon and eggs, but occasionally donuts if Vash was on her good side) and then work till five at the diner. Millie was still working on he well and irrigation system and spent her evenings playing chess with a stoic Knives who was unendingly frustrated by the fact that she beat him every time. Mr. Stampede occupied his time nursing Knives back to health by himself after the first week. Originally Meryl had been helping, but after asking in a joking manner if she wanted to play doctor he received a bump on the head and full responsibility. (Privately Meryl was flattered seeing as how Vash had never flirted with her, even as a joke, before).
Before long Knives was able to move around the house with the assistance of either a cane or his brother. By the time five months had come around he was even venturing outside with Vash close at hand. The brave few that tried to engage him in conversation were met by an icy glare and harsh comments followed by Vash's sheepish apologies. On this particular day a local drunk decided Knives needed to loosen up and tried to pull him into the saloon. Knives, in turn, broke the mans arm.
"Oh Meryl!" Millie cried, "The sheriff said Mr. Knives attacked Mr. Walter and I can't find Mr. Vash or Mr. Knives anywhere."
"WHAT?" the smaller girl exclaimed as she dropped the coffeepot. The girls hurried out of the diner and ran towards the house they'd rented. As they burst through the front door the eerie silence filled them with a sense of foreboding and they instinctively knew they were too late – Vash and Knives were gone. Meryl ran to Vash's room, hesitating at the door she made a wish for him to be there. Stepping inside her heart sank seeing his bag missing from its respective corner and an envelope set on the dresser. With trembling hands Meryl tore it open and unfolded the sheet of paper. She read Vash's untidy scrawl aloud:
Dear Insurance Girls,
Sorry, no time to say goodbye in person. Please don't follow us we'll come back once Knives learns to control his temper. I'll write you and let you know how things are going as soon as I can.
VashMeryl scowled and clinched the letter in her hand as tears threatened to spill down her face. They were tears of anger at herself and at Vash… tears for never saying anything, tears for being left behind, and tears because she knew that this time she wouldn't follow him. 'If you love it, let it go…'
"Sempai… we are going after Mr. Vash and Mr. Knives, right?" Millie questioned her partner. Meryl swallowed, forcing the tears inside where they belonged, and straightened her shoulders. With a look of disregard she crumpled the letter and threw it into the wastebasket.
"Like I'm going to wander in the desert looking for the idiot and the psycho. He said he'd come back so what's the use of going after him when we don't even know which way he went? Don't worry so much Millie. He'll be back…"
A Year and a Half Later
"Sempai, do you really have to go? What if Mr. Va-"
"Millie, please do not bring up that stupid outlaw. I honestly don't care if I ever see that man again. Really I don't see why either one of us wasted so much time in this town he's not coming back. Besides, I don't want to be a waitress for the rest of my life, maybe if I beg enough Bernardelli will give me my job back."
"But Meryl," Millie protested "he said in the letter that he'd come back once Knives got better."
"Yeah, like that will ever happen…" the short girl replied sarcastically, "He also said he would write and have we even once received so much as a post card? No, so why would he bother to keep other promises?" Defeated, Millie sank onto Meryl's bed with a sigh and watched her finish packing. Snapping her suitcase shut Meryl surveyed the room. All that remained was a brown leather journal on the desk next to a lamp and a mug filled with ballpoint pens. Picking up the book she ran a hand over the cracked cover and inhaled the scent of old paper, ink and leather. With a small frown she dropped the journal into the wastebasket and turned to face Millie.
"So what are you going to do now Millie?"
"I don't know…" The childlike woman shrugged and looked up with a smile and tear filled eyes. "I'm really going to miss you Meryl!" Meryl sat on the bed next to her friend and hugged her tightly.
"Me too Millie, but there just isn't a future for me here. I'll send you a letter once I get to December, ok?" After Millie nodded Meryl grabbed her suitcase and walked to the door. She paused for a moment saying a barely audible goodbye and was gone.
Meryl boarded the bus and took a seat near the back. The bus was, thankfully, not overcrowded so she set her suitcase on the space next to her. As the bus pulled out of town she closed her eyes and tried not to think about what she was leaving behind; knowing that her friend was now feeling as she had over a year ago. Her effort to sleep was in vain and after an hour she gave up and fished a paperback out of her bag. She began reading and by the second chapter she scolded herself for buying what might just be the most depressing book ever written – Les Miserables.
With a sigh she leaned her head on the window, which was slightly warm from the setting suns, closed her eyes and softly hummed a familiar song under her breath. Its sweet melody visibly soothed her. The crease in her brow smoothed, her shoulders dropped from their ridged position and the tight grip she held on her suitcase loosened. After a moment she heard a man softly singing along.
"So on the second celestial evening all the children of the pebble join hands and compose a waltz…" Meryl gasped in surprise and her eyes snapped open. In the seat in front of her was the owner of the voice. The man had long brown hair pulled into a low ponytail, with a handsome face, and brown eyes so dark they almost appeared to be black. He gave her just the hint of a smile and then said, "That's a nice song." Meryl was at a loss for words and it took her a moment to regain her composure and stop staring.
"Yes, it's old though where did you hear it?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"Just picked it up somewhere I guess," he shrugged. "You?"
"My mother sang it to me when I was a child," The man made a noncommittal noise and was about to turn back around when Meryl blurted out an introduction. "My name is Meryl Stryfe…" she said a little louder then necessary. Meryl could feel her face burning red with embarrassment, but she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts.
"Gram Morten," he replied as a bemused expression danced across his features.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Morten."
"You can call me Gram. Should I call you Meryl or Mrs. Stryfe?" he said with a chuckle.
"Meryl is fine. I'm not married," she stated and he nodded with a slight smile.
"So, Meryl, what are you doing traveling all by yourself?"
"Well, actually I'm going home… sort of… actually I'm going back to December to try and get my job back."
"Two steps forward, one step back?" he commented.
"I hope not…"
Blue: Well that's chapter one! Things will get rolling soon. There will be action, adventure, and eventually a little romance.
Ivey: This chapter was crap! What the hell were you thinking?
Blue: Be nice for once Ivey! Anyway please review! I'd love to hear what you think. Constructive criticism please cause flames are mean.
Ivey: Shut up you'll get what you deserve!