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…Note that I write my best whilst sitting atop a big pile of reviews… --------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER EIGHT: HIS RULES (cont3) Vanessa closed her eyes and breathed deeply, attempting to appear relaxed in this hot tub of water. The angel formation came slowly and with great effort, so she hoped that her calm guise and already-reddened flesh would hide it from Knives until she could indulge her silent query. He watched her as if ignorant of the entire act, casual as before. There was no way he could see it from where he sat, since the origin of the formation was at her back and only stretched up to her shoulders and chest once fully formed. But the effort was strenuous, and she couldn't hide the fact for long. Her face suddenly divulged the exertion, contorting into pain. Heaving relief, she let the formation fall back into her skin before the ache became intense. Vanessa weakly opened her eyes, breathing heavily, to comprehend Knives' lack of response. Knives looked calm yet slightly concerned. "Don't you know that it won't work? Vanessa, you're too intelligent to forget past lessons. As I've taught you through trial and error once before, you cannot bring it to an adequate formation without assistance, which I will not provide. Don't drain yourself needlessly, darling," he explained softly, chuckling a bit. 'Her spirit is amusing, but antics like these will do her no good,' he thought, perturbed. She grabbed a towel and rose from the tub in the same awkward way she had practiced before, allowing him no clear view of her in such a vulnerable state. With a straight face, she stepped onto the floor, thinking only of what she had just witnessed. When the formation was made in her back just then, his left hand shone and flickered slightly, in a nearly perfect little blade. The phenomenon seemed outside of his consciousness, an automatic reaction from one plant to another. It was just what she wanted to see. "Sorry we couldn't be of any help to you folks," said the man who'd followed Meryl, Millie, and a disguised Vash from the town square. In yet another mass inquiry, the girls had asked them if they'd seen two, tall, blonde strangers about, and no one had any useful information. This darker-skinned man in particular seemed nosier than the rest. Meryl looked up from filling the gas tank and smiled. "Oh, that's alright. But if you could keep an eye out for us…" The man in overalls wiped his brow and replaced his cap. "Sure thing, Miss. But I was just wondering why you all were looking for folks like that. I mean, why would the Feds be tracking a couple of unarmed folks anyhow?" Millie kept quiet, not enjoying this lie. "Top secret," Meryl snapped in an official tone. "Where are you all's badges? Aren't Feds supposed to have badges?" Meryl grew annoyed and turned to scold the man for his snooping, but froze when she recognized his face. "Uh…Hal…" Hal grinned slyly. "The boss ain't happy that you two stopped sending in reports. And who's that goofball?" he asked, pointing to Vash. Vash smiled in reply, trying to act inconspicuous. "Well, if you aren't giving answers, I don't need them," Hal continued, grinning with hands in pockets as he sauntered off. Millie waved goodbye happily as he walked off. "Bye Hal!" Later, in the hummer, Meryl was gripping the steering wheel with a vice grip. "I know, I know, I should've recognized him. But I didn't. So what. It's not like he knew who you were or anything." "Okay, but…" "Drop it," Meryl hissed, angry with herself. "Let's go over the list again." Vash nodded in agreement, feeling that he could assume enough on his own. Millie led as usual, beginning to name off locations. "Vanessa's cave." He frowned, wishing he hadn't had to reveal the secret sanctuary. "Because Knives liked it there, and because there's no humans there," Vash responded, summarizing the logic (or lack thereof) of checking the place named. "Visited; found no witnesses to question and no evidence," Meryl finished. "New Ohio." "Because it's a small population and out in the boonies." "Visited; no clues from witnesses or evidence." "Galvin." Vash gritted his teeth. This was the isolated village where, weeks ago, eighty-three were found slaughtered in a most mysterious way. Forensics had dated the time of death to be the same for all persons – the day after Vanessa and Knives left March. "Millie, we decided not to mention that one," Meryl corrected her softly. "Sorry, Mr. Vash," Millie apologized sadly. They sat in an awkward pause. "Uh…Where to?" Meryl asked, putting on her cheeriest expression. Vash scanned the horizon and half-assed some directions. Millie giggled. "You don't have to try so hard, Mr. Vash. We know you don't know where you want to go. But it's okay." "Yeah, don't worry. We'll wander aimlessly if you want," Meryl added with the same degree of helpfulness. He would've thanked them for their trusting kindness, but he had already become overwhelmed with a contrasting emotion. Tears rolled down his angelic face. His features twisted into sorrow and he began to sob into his hands miserably. Millie reached to pat Vash on the back gently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Vash, I shouldn't have mentioned that village again! But even before, you didn't get this upset!" Meryl nodded and grabbed his arm. He had been upset for a while after hearing the news about Galvin, but this sort of crying was reminiscent of a far more serious grief. "Whoa, whoa! Vash! Pull yourself together, okay?" Meryl insisted, deeply concerned. "Why don't you open up a little; let us in on some details! You know, you're more likely to meet success if you aren't in a deep depression!" Vash garbled something about the poor lives lost in Galvin, but then slipped into gloomy worries about Vanessa. "He could've done so many things already…I wish I knew she was…alright…but I don't know what he…She told me…not to protect her…but…she…" he stammered through his sobs. "Mr. Vash, you get so quiet when we mention her name…Did you get to know her pretty well?" Millie asked. He nodded, and sniffed. "After all of it, I grew kind of close to her," he answered gently. Millie smiled. "Aw, Mr. Vash, did you fall in…" "Close like a sister, Millie," Meryl interrupted quickly. "They look like siblings, so it couldn't be more than that." "Sister? That's not what I meant," Vash corrected her. "Sister-in-law, then," Meryl continued loudly. "After all, she was acting as his girlfriend, or whatever, when you last saw them…" Vash frowned. "She didn't want to, she had to!" "Regardless, she did, and…and…" Meryl was clearly flustered. "If she was working on two brothers at the same time, she's quite the hussy!" His jaw fell. "You…what!? Don't say that, she…" Steam was about to pour from Meryl's ears. "So you DID…You…You…Arg!" she hissed, pausing a moment before slapping at Vash. Without any hands on the wheel, the hummer began to swerve. "Meryl!" Millie yelled frantically. The wheel was righted. "I can't believe you'd fall for her…" Vash stuck out his lower lip with the stubborn air of a schoolboy. "I didn't fall for anybody; things are too crucial for stuff like that! I have to save everyone, and find a way to save Knives like Rem told me to. I may be a warrior for Love and Peace, but paving a safe way for the rescue ships and preventing slaughter is number one on my list of stuff to…" Meryl let out another growl of frustration. "Get in the back. NOW." In fear for his life, Vash obeyed, crawling over the seat. Beside Millie, he dried his tears and waited for Meryl's anger to subside. Astride a toma, Hal smiled to his companion, also an investigator from the Agency. "Those girls know more than you'd think! Now all we have to do is follow this new information – a man and a woman, young, tall, blonde, in cloaks, unarmed…Considering that the Stampede was in his prime over twenty years ago, the time of the July explosion…I see…Think of it! We'll not only find out Vash's whereabouts, but we'll capture his kids while we're at it!" |
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