A/N: This is set up in the anime universe, but with a little change because I like the manga timeline. So this is set before July gets blown up, around eight years before Fifth Moon. This is also a prequel of sorts to Roommates and was originally done in celebration of and posted on my Meryl/Knives website. Go visit it if you have the time!
Disclaimer: I detest having to do these things. Just makes me sad when I remember that I don't own Trigun.
A Chance Meeting
'I can't believe how late it is!' Meryl thought frantically to herself.
The young woman was walking rather fast down the dark streets of the city of December.
At the age of fifteen she knew very well that walking the streets at eleven o'clock was not a smart thing to do. There were criminals and drunks who wandered around at this time. Anything could happen to a young woman, from rape to being mugged, sometimes both.
She really hadn't meant to stay out so late. Originally, she was only supposed to be working at the restaurant until eight. Unfortunately, another waitress had called in sick and she'd been asked to fill in. The thought of walking home at such a late hour did not sit well with her, but her family could always use the money.
Her father worked very hard to provide for his family, but having to feed four mouths was a tough feat. Meryl was the oldest and tried to help out the best she could by working at a local dining establishment. Their mother had died after giving birth to her third child. It'd been almost six years since her death, but even thinking about her mother still brought tears to her eyes.
After the first three years of having that aching emptiness in her heart, she'd learned the harsh lesson that such was the pain of living.
Not that she didn't try to make the best of life, no. Her siblings could be annoying at times, but she still loved them. Like her, her father was short in stature, but he still seemed like a rock that stabilized her. As all people who've been through it know, a person's teenage years were hard. Hormones were going crazy and your views of the world around you were rapidly changing. She couldn't imagine living without them, or leaving them.
Now here she was, on a deserted stretch of street between her house and the restaurant. In her hands she held a small paper bag. The container held a small amount of food that her boss had given her. On their last food shipment they'd received more food than they could handle. Her kind employer had asked her if she wanted some of it and she had readily agreed. The food would have spoiled and gone to waste, anyway.
So she'd taken as much as she could carry with her. That consisted of about a dozen apples and the same amount in tuna cans. She would use the apples to make pie and the tuna for sandwiches for lunches. Even with all the work she had to do, Meryl still found the time to go to school, feed everyone, and keep the house clean. After about the first month of doing all those jobs, she'd promised herself that she would never ridicule a homemaker ever again. Keeping care of domestic things like laundry and cooking was really hard!
Her already sore and tired body was yelling at her and she still had four blocks to go. The bag in her arms was also starting to feel heavier.
She came upon a long alley and stopped, trying to make a decision. If she took the alley she'd reach her home faster, but there was also a greater chance of danger. Her aching body made up her mind for her and she turned into the dark passage.
Meryl had gone no more than thirty feet when she found that she was not alone in the alley. Ahead of her was the silhouette of a man. He appeared to be over six feet tall and had broad shoulders, his back was to her.
The young woman had stopped and, seeing the figure, started to slowly step backwards, toward where she'd come from. Another person was exactly what she didn't want to run into. Who knew if they were a criminal or something?
She'd gone no more than two steps when she noticed that there were more people in the alley. The difference being they were no longer alive. The darkness hid most of the details, but on their faces were looks of pure agony, as if they'd died a really painful death.
The sight made her drop her plan for a silent retreat. She quickly turned, preparing to run, when she suddenly felt her body freeze. Meryl couldn't seem to move a muscle, no matter how much she willed it otherwise.
A noise caught her attention and even her thoughts stopped. Behind her, she'd distinctively heard the sound of footsteps . . . and they were approaching her.
A smooth voice flowed from right behind and she would have jumped were in not for her condition.
"Leaving so soon? It's rude to interrupt a person and then not apologize."
Interrupt him! Meryl was shocked at his calm voice, wondering what type of person he could be to talk of murdering in such an casual manner. Yes, she was sure that he had been the one to kill those other men. He almost seemed to be exuding pride over the fact that there was two less people in the world!
"Not going to respond, hm? That is also considered rude."
The man stepped in front of her and in the darkness she could see pale blue eyes and almost white hair. The rest of him was shrouded in shadows.
Now he seemed almost gleeful that she was terrified. This brought an angry flush to her face. The famous Stryfe temper was rearing its head and even the fact that he was a murderer wasn't going to be a deterrent.
"I'm not being rude!" she suddenly yelled at him.
Her response seemed to have shocked him for a moment. His eyes widened minutely and then narrowed in anger.
"So you do have a voice, good. Then you can answer me if I ask you why I shouldn't kill you here and now." He nonchalantly grabbed an apple from the bag she was holding as he waited for an answer.
The venom in his voice, the pure hatred for her, surprised the young woman greatly. Certainly this man couldn't hate her so, he didn't even know her! She was positive that they had never met before this night.
The thought of being killed made her voice tremble a little. "Wh-why would you want to kill me?"
He snorted, as if her question was stupid and the answer, obvious.
"Why, you ask? Because you are a spider, a creature born of humanity and humans are inherently evil. Your kind has done terrible sins and should pay for them with its death."
Meryl was confused at his reference to her as a human. If she was a human being, what was he? But his last comment on what he'd said about humans committing terrible atrocities and atoning for them with their lives angered her. What had SHE done that deserved her being punished by death?
"And what have I done in my life that would qualify as sinful enough to warrant my death?" Her voice was steady this time, but laced with the anger and prejudice she was feeling.
"What you've done?" he hissed between clenched teeth, towering over her small frame. His body was tense and she could see that the green apple was clenched in his hand. "You're very existence is a blight on this world. All humans are selfish, deceptive, and hostile creatures. Even if, in your pitiful life, you haven't done such things, you will. It is what your ancestors were and what you are."
"No two people are the same! There is no way you could categorize us in such a simple category. And," she bit out with as much anger as him, "I am my own person and will not bear the responsibilities for others' actions. I am descended from my ancestors, but that doesn't make me them!" Her last sentence left her breathing hard and glaring resentfully at the stranger in front of her.
She watched for some type of movement from him, but he did nothing. His stare was on the apple he was holding in his hand. Meryl had no idea that he was remembering a different apple, from a day long ago.
He shifted his eyes to hers, a contemplating look still in his gaze. It was like he was trying to look inside her very soul, his look was so searching.
It suddenly occurred to her that he was deciding her fate. Either he would let her go or she would die here, in this dark alley, leaving her loved ones behind.
Unbidden, tears formed in her eyes and a single drop rolled down a cheek. His eyes followed the moisture. In a swift move that surprised her, he captured it on a gloved thumb before it fell off of her chin.
He held the apple in the same hand and the liquid fell on the fruit. His eyes narrowed and she knew that he'd made his decision. After their talk she was almost positive that he would kill her on the spot. With that thought, she closed her eyes when he put the apple back in the bag. He'd probably want both hands when he murdered her, she rationalized.
It came as a surprise when she felt her arms tighten around the paper bag. Her eyes opened. She could move her body again! The young woman was even more shocked when she looked around to find that the man had disappeared. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. She hadn't even heard him move!
'I will allow you to live for now, spider.' Stunned, Meryl grew still. The words had been inside her head, but in the strange man's voice. 'But his is only a temporary reprieve. Someday humanity will fall and next we meet, I WILL kill you.'
The voice abruptly stopped and Meryl shuddered. His words were so frightening and he sounded so certain . . . She hoped to God that he was wrong.
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It was two days later that Meryl learned that one of the small plant facilities had been attacked. There were several deaths and the plant angels had been stolen, a feat no one could understand in the least. The bulbs had been broken and the angels were no where to be seen. No one knew how anyone could have taken them and not been noticed, but someone had.
There had also been extensive fire damage to the facility and the neighborhoods nearby. Meryl learned that the people had been left without any money, not having been able to afford insurance.
She felt a great amount of sympathy for the people and that day she picked up an employment form at the Bernardelli office. Meryl was hired soon after, and joined the disaster investigators division.
She had no way of knowing that this would lead her down a road following after Vash the Stampede. The young woman never had a clue that this road would lead her back to the man who had promised her death next they met.
She hadn't recognized him in the daylight, but the first night she stayed up to watch over him- sending Vash to get a much needed rest-she remembered him from that night in the alley.
Sometimes she wondered if he recognized her, too. Then she would scoff at the thought. After all, he hadn't tried to kill her.
What Meryl never noticed was the way Knives' eyes would gain a hazy quality when he looked at her, also remembering a night long ago when he had held her life in his hands.
Now, seeing her move around the kitchen-preparing his dinner-some small part of him was glad that he had let this spider live. He told himself that she was useful, that he could dispose of her anytime that he wanted, he just chose not to. But even Knives knew it for the lie it was.