TRIGUN: THE PLANTED ANGEL PART ONE
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Trigun or any of its original characters but I do own the made up characters depicted in this story.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: (Oh, look! Another one.) This story is about the mesh of confusion between the Trigun characters when a new character comes into play.
Claiming to be no one special, this new character, a young woman who looks to be about the age of 21, befriends Vash & the gun toting preacher, Wolfwood. The truth slowly begins to unravel as the identity of this young lady emerges & harsh feelings betray her actions. (Sounds like a thriller!)
CHAPTER 1: TROUBLED FRIEND
The suns were up high over the small city of May. The infamous duo of Wolfwood & Vash sulked about the town, looking for a place to stay. The people in this city weren't too big on strangers. Vash released an anguished groan as he seated himself lazily on a bench behind a large fountain.
"This is pointless," he protested. "No one's going to give us a place to stay. Especially without money to pay them with."
Wolfwood seated himself next to the red coated blonde.
"You complain too much, Vash. Sooner or later, we're bound to find some sweet soul who'll give us a place to stay."
They were quiet for a moment when the low grumbling from their empty stomachs broke the stillness. Vash sighed.
"And hopefully some food. I'M STARVING!!"
The light laughter of a young woman caught their attention. They both looked up from their depression to find a young woman standing before them. She had a kind face with deep amber eyes that seemed to reflect the truths of the world to all. Her skin was a dark tan as if she's been out in the sun her entire life. Her long dark brown hair draped over her shoulders in slight curls. She wore a white button up shirt under a Mexican style poncho & black pants with brown boots.
"I couldn't help but overhear your predicament. If you'd like, you can stay at my house until you're ready to go."
She didn't even finish the statement before the two were at her feet, bowing & hugging her legs.
"OH, THANK YOU KIND LADY," Vash bellowed.
"We are eternally in your debt," Wolfwood added. She smiled nervously as she tried to pull her leg out of Vash's grip.
"It's no problem. Really. I've got a guest room you could use." Wolfwood straightened up with a big grin on his face.
"My name is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, but you can just call me Wolfwood."
She smiled sweetly at him. Wolfwood grinned sheepishly & scratched his head.
"Pleased to meet you. My name is Isabel Rodriguez, but you can just call me Izy. Most people do, anyway. So, uhh… What's his deal?" she questioned, pointing down at Vash.
Vash stood up straight, with a nervous look on his face. He looked to Wolfwood.
"Should I tell her?"
"You're gonna have to." Vash heaved a heavy sigh.
"Ok, but you have to promise me, Izy, that you won't freak out & call the authorities, ok?"
Izy smiled sweetly.
"Don't worry, Seńor Vash the Stampede. Your secret's safe with me."
Wolfwood & Vash gaped at her with opened mouths.
"How'd you know my name?!"
She laughed lightly again.
"It's easy. I've seen you before & I've heard stories about you. Not that I believe your reputation. Obviously, none of the others in this city know how you really look like."
Vash scratched his head.
"You've seen me before, huh? Where? I don't remember even meeting you."
She reached into the breast pocket on her shirt & pulled out a pair of red sunglasses. The glasses were round like Vash's but the frame was a dark, blackish brown color. She slipped them on & looked back at the two.
"In my dreams. Come on, you two. I don't plan on standing out here in the sun all day." Vash looked at her then back to Wolfwood.
In her dreams, he thought. Wolfwood smacked him on the shoulder.
"Come on, Vashy boy! If we keep her waiting I don't think the invitation will last."
They followed Isabel down the streets & to her house. It was pretty well kept considering it was in a neighborhood filled with rundown old shacks. Upon walking through the door, they found the inside was even better furnished.
The living room they entered was filled with the warm light from the old lanterns that hung from the ceiling. There were two squat looking armchairs in the living room, fat & cushiony with red worn out fabric, sitting about a small fire place built into the wall. A dark carpet lay in the middle of the room.
"Nice place," Wolfwood said.
"Thanks," Izy replied. She was in the kitchen fixing up some drinks for the two.
"Take a seat at the table," she pointed to a small, round wooden table with four chairs about it.
"I'll fix you guys a nice meal."
"Thanks a lot, Izy," Vash said as he seated himself at the table. Wolfwood sat on the chair across from him after propping his large cross against the wall next to the door. Vash had done the same with his large duffle bag. (I'll just call it a duffle bag.)
"No problem. I haven't had guests in a long time. It's nice to finally have someone else to talk to."
There was a soft meow as a black neko (that's cat in Japanese) hopped up on the table. Its eyes were a bright lime color.
"Mooww," it said again.
"Dominguez! Get off the table. We have guests."
"Is that his name?" Wolfwood asked.
"Dominguez?" She nodded.
"Yes it is. It was the name of someone I lost long ago… But that's really not important," she said, obviously trying to cheer herself up.
"What's important is you two getting something in those stomachs of yours. I could hear them grumbling a mile away."
Wolfwood smiled.
"Oh, come on, now! It wasn't that bad."
"Your stomachs are grumbling as we speak! Well, no matter. Dinner's ready!"
She plated the food & sat them before the two along with a glass of water for both. Vash licked his chops & rubbed his hands together.
"Oh boy!! This looks GREAT!"
"You can say that again," Wolfwood exclaimed.
"Well, dig in, boys! I hope you don't mind leftovers."
"Not at all, Ms. Izy! Not at all."
"You don't have to be so formal, Wolfwood. Just call me Izy."
It grew late, so after Vash & Wolfwood ate, wait, let me take that back, inhaled their food, the three had a small conversation of nothing important. After wards, Izy showed them to the guest room.
"I may only have one guest room but there are two beds, so you don't have to worry. If you need anything, I'll be down stairs."
They had climbed up a set of stairs made of the same adobe material as the walls of the house. Vash saluted her as she went.
"Don't worry! We'll be just fine. After a meal like that, I'm ready for a nap."
Izy laughed at the silly man & walked downstairs. Wolfwood stretched himself out on the bed closest to the window.
"I call the window seat!"
"Whatever. All I care about is getting some well deserved shut eye. G'night Wolfwood, old buddy!"
"Good night."
While the two slept, Izy sat in one of the squat armchairs in the den strumming the strings of a finely made acoustic guitar. The front was a light oak color with a black neck & the back & sides the deep color of cherry wood.
She strummed the metal strings lightly, playing a fast Hispanic styled tune. As she did this, she looked into the burning flames in the fire place.
The wood that burned crackled & popped as they turned to cinder. Her mind was elsewhere, though. Her eyes grew distant & glazed over as she looked back on a memory long ago.
She remembered it like it was yesterday, the separation of her brother, Dominguez, & her.
The SEED ship was ready to crash. Dominguez had put her in an escape pod. He told her that he was going to help the others, & she believed him.
She was so young then. She was prepared to wait for him so they could leave together, but he closed the hatch & sent her by herself. Ever since she landed on this God forsaken planet, she has waited for her brother. He never came so she started to search for him.
Finally, she forced herself to believe that he was dead. To believe that he would never come back & that she would never see him again. Her mind believed that. But her heart thought otherwise.
She could still feel his presence. She knew that he could still be alive but she never listened to her heart. She knew the rest of the crew couldn't have made it. They were only human. But, her brother could've made. They were both PLANTS like Vash & Knives.
Isabel had in fact heard the truth about Vash.
She heard it from his brother. She hated herself for what she had to do. Knives had told her that her brother was in fact still alive & that he could take her to him.
But only if she did something for him. Her eyes welled up with tears for her brother & also for what she had to do to this man. She couldn't believe that the Vash she had met was the same, vicious murderer who destroyed July & Augusta. He acted so kind & silly.
She hated herself dearly for what Knives told her to do. But she had to see her brother again. She needed to see him. How could she bring herself to kill Vash?
