A/N: You have no idea how many brick walls I've run into with this chapter!!! #.- The phone lines around here have been acting screwy severely restricting my time online, and Kuroneko-sama decided to take off for a few days. It was AWFUL writing without him. He'd been spending time in my little sister's room playing with Simba and plotting to catch Nemo AND EAT HIM!!! (bad kitty) Anywhooooo, I hope you enjoy it!!! -NB-
Disclaimer: Own Trigun, I do not. The song 'Goody Two Shoes' by Adam Ant does not belong to me. Added characters are of my own doing, and therefore, belong to me.
=Stray Cat Strut=
By: Neptune Butterfly
Ch 3: Goody Two Shoes
SMASH!!! "ALICIA AND ANNE MARIE INGALLS!!!"
For the third time that night the whole room's attention was focused on one person. This time it was Sharon sitting up after being knocked down to the floor. Her tray, once filled with glasses and beer mugs, was now laying halfway across the length of the bar counter. Everything it held was in pieces finishing out the stretch to the front door.
If it weren't for the pain that shot up her back as she moved, the teenager would've been cussing her head off at the stunned girls.
Angela slapped her tray down in front of where Donovan was sitting and rush over to help her friend up, "Oh God, are you okay?!!!" Her voice was just below a shriek.
"No!" Sharon yelped as she finally got on her feet. The travel boots she still had on slipped in the sparkling mess underneath her from a stray glass that decided not to fly away with the others.
"We're sorry!" Alicia's blue downcast eyes shimmered as she played with her skirt, and her freckles stood out on her red face while she choked up. Amy was the opposite; completely still with a silent white face, eyes glued to Sharon's locket while she moved, so she wouldn't have to look at her face.
Orange and white came into the little blonde's blurred vision, and she looked up pushing her glasses back into place. Miss Laura held out two brooms and two dustpans in front of her. "You two, clean this up right now. After you're done, sit over here where I can see you."
Alicia took the green broom sniffling when Amy finally decided to take her eyes off Sharon to grab the blue one without making a sound. Some of the other kids came over from their corner of the room to see after hearing their names. Both girls walked slowly to the saloon door to start the clean up. They spotted a few of their friends watching giving them sympathetic looks, and one girl with a red bow holding up her dark ponytail was holding Little Charlotte along with the stuffed cat they were working on earlier. "Don't worry. I'll hold on to this for you."
"Thanks," said Amy with no distinct expression on her face. Her best friend was too busy sobbing to reply.
"Woah, you really did it this time four-eyes!"
Amy's brown head snapped to a tall eleven-year-old boy's sneering face. His hair was a mixture of dark blond and brown that went just past his ears with bangs across his forehead. Arms crossed, he wore a light plaid shirt undone, so you could see his undershirt. Loose blue jeans covered his long legs and brown shoes hid his feet. His unusual smoky-blue eyes contacted with the eight-year-old's after throwing his little insult to Alicia. She immediately stuck her tongue out in anger.
The girl holding the cats stood beside him. Her dark eyes flashed at him, "Shut up Troy!" And she stomped on his foot.
"AAH! MARY!"
A few kids giggled, and Amy couldn't resist giving him a not-so-nice smile. Parents were coming over to tell their children to leave them alone, and by the time the girls reached the of the bar counter the whole room had gone back to party mode. Alicia followed Troy's back as he went back to the kids' area tears still streaming down her face.
"I can't believe you actually like him," Amy said.
"No I don't!" Alicia wiped her nose.
"Yes you do."
"NO I DON'T!!"
"Girls!! I expect that mess to be picked up in ten minutes, and I don't wanna hear another word!!"
"Yes Miss Laura."
"We can't get this up in ten minutes," Alicia pouted.
"Just shut up and do it," snapped Amy.
"GIRLS!"
"SORRY!"
"Well, that was exciting. You okay Sean?" Eddie crouched down along side him leveling himself with the girls in front of them.
"Yeah. Thanks Meryl." Sean handed his glass back to her.
"Um, about that song. What's it called?" Layla was addressing him, and Sean once again couldn't do more than stare. 'Man, her eyes are pretty.'
Eddie quickly jumped in to explain. "It's called 'Layla.'"
"Oh, really?" She was smiling, but not at him. Her attention was on Eddie now, but he just kept staring. Meryl held on to the forgotten glass as she listened.
"Yea. You know we played it at the Fifth Moon Saloon in Augusta not too long ago..."
Angela!"
"Yes?" She said after setting Sharon down on an empty stool
Miss Laura came up to her from behind the counter. "You need to stop flirting with Mr. Kent."
"But there's not very many order-"
"Yes there is!" The woman scolded with one hand on her hip and a shaking at the other waitress, "You need to refill the orders Sharon dropped, and there are still some people who want to eat dinner! I don't think that Kazumi and Yasuko want to cook all night."
"Oh, okay," Angela sighed. She had already forgotten the broken glasses. Thank goodness they were all empty.
Sharon grabbed her arm as turned to get her tray back. "You and Donovan?" Despite the pain she was in she grinned.
"Let me go Sharon!" The redhead yanked her arm away though she couldn't keep a smile and a blush from creeping up her face.
"You owe me a good explanation when you get done with those orders."
"And you owe an even better explanation when I get done covering your butt."
Sharon's smile faltered a bit. "I will if I can come up with one."
Her friend decided to ignore the slight change and went off to Donovan's table.
Vash and Lee came back from using the bathroom and headed toward Wolfwood, Brian, and Milly at the table laughing at some joke the drummer made. Lee looked at the stage and noticed that the pianist talking up a storm with the two dark-haired women while Sean just sat on the edge oblivious to everything but the girl standing beside Meryl.
"Oh great."
"Huh, what is it?" The blond gunman asked.
"Eddie just couldn't resist." Lee knew how much he liked to talk about music. "God, he can be such a geek sometimes."
"...That one went a little faster than I thought." He could hear the short insurance girl's voice as he approached. Vash was following behind.
"Yea, well we like to speed it up a bit. Sometimes we rearrange the music like we did with 'Layla.'"
"Really? Where did you change it up?"
"Well, the guitar solo was actually suppose to come near the end after you sing the chorus twice, then you sing the chorus twice agai-"
"Yo Eddie!" Eddie jumped.
"Oh, hey Lee. Is it time already?" He straitened up his square frames.
'Not yet. Please, just another minute.'
"Yea," His arms were crossed in front of his green shirt and orange tie, "C'mon, we need to get ready." Lee moved his head towards the stage.
The pianist put his right hand behind his head and turned to smile at the women. "Okay, well, it was nice talking you Layla."
"Same here." She smiled back. 'I wish Sean would say something.'
"Oh, and uh Meryl, I think broom head over here wants another dance."
"Hey! That wasn't very nice!"
"Huh-not again! Vash, can't you find someone else to dance with this time?"
Layla put her hand over her mouth as she laughed. Eddie got up to get ready. Sean was the same as before: just staring.
"Nah, I think I'm gonna sit this one out. I just wanted to meet a lovely fan of mine."
Layla stopped laughing, "Oh," and she took hand away from her mouth to shake the gunman's, "Sorry about my little outburst earlier. I was just shocked that the legendary Humanoid Typhoon was actually here..."
Lee caught Eddie's shirtsleeve at the top of the stairs to the stage. He kept his voice low. "What were you doing?"
"What?" The pianist shrugged.
"Sean was trying to talk to her, and you had to go over there and start runnin' your mouth!"
Eddie looked behind him and saw that the guitarist was still sitting there saying nothing. Vash was trying to impress Layla while Meryl was wearing one of those looks she reserved only for the tall blond.
He looked back at Lee. "I had to do SOMETHING. The poor guy's so stunned by that woman that he can't get more than one word out of his mouth at a time! What would you want me to do?" The blond merely sighed in exasperation letting go of his sleeve. "What song are we playing by the way...?"
"...So what do ya say we have a dance lat-"
"VASH!"
Layla tried not to laugh as she smiled. "I'll think about it Mr. Vash."
"Please, just Vash."
"Okay."
Vash looked over woman's shoulder and found Meryl ready to shoot fireballs through her eye sockets. Sensing danger, he put on a wide nervous grin and proceeded to make his escape. "Well, it was nice meeting you. See ya!"
"He's sure nothing like what I've heard."
Meryl came up beside Layla. "Yea, but trouble follows him wherever he goes. And he's always poking his nose in other people's business while getting into the most dangerous situations yet manages to get out of them without a scratch."
"You seem to know him very well."
"Unfortunately, I do. That's what I get for following him around so much. If it weren't for my job, I wouldn't be here."
"You're job?" Layla questioned.
"My partner Milly and I are disaster investigators from the Bernardelli Insurance Society."
"Bernardelli? Wow! That would explain the bounty. It's all that money he's costing the insurance company."
"Not to mention that he somehow leveled the entire city of July twenty-three years ago." Meryl sighed. "I need to go. Maybe you can join us at our table later."
"Okay, sure!"
"Yo, Brian!!" Sean snapped out of his daydream. It was Lee yelling. "See if you can get Andy to come play with us!"
The drummer nodded and got up leaving Vash and Wolfwood by themselves.
Meryl noticed this as she came up to them. "Where's Milly?"
Wolfwood removed the cigarette from his mouth. "She went to cheer up the little girls. They're almost done sweeping."
Layla turned back to Sean, who at least didn't look like he was lost in his own world anymore. "...Well, it was nice talking to you Sean."
"Yeah," 'C'mon. Say something else!'
Wolfwood fidgeted in his seat. "Um...Meryl?"
Surprised that the priest actually used her name, Meryl answered, "Yes?"
He thought he'd better do it now while he had the chance. Putting out his cigarette, he continued. "Can I ask you a favor...?"
"...I-is there any way we could have a dance later?" 'That's a start.'
Sean felt something get caught in his throat. "S-sure!"
'Can't he say more than one word at a time?' "Great! Do you have any idea when?"
"Um..." 'Man. I didn't think about that.' "Karaoke hour's comin' up!'
'I guess I can call that progress.' Layla smiled. "Alright. That'll be good."
"...Let me get this straight Mr. Wolfwood. You want me to teach you how to dance, so you can dance with Milly?" Meryl had her arms crossed but not in anger.
"That's right."
"I'm sorry, but dancing with me won't help. Milly wouldn't be able to pick it up easily. It just isn't her thing."
Aw c'mon!" Vash jumped in after he saw the disappointment on his friend's face. "You're very good! And who knows. It might work. Please?"
'There he goes with those puppy dog eyes,' Meryl thought. Wolfwood was giving her a similar look. 'Not him too!' She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out as she made her decision...
After he saw Layla leave for the bar, Lee dragged Sean onto his feet. "So, what did she say?"
"She wants a dance later." He was still in a half-daze.
"Really?!" Lee grinning widely slapped his friend on the back. "Well then, we'll make sure you give her that dance. Did you tell her you'd be available?"
"I told her karaoke hour's comin' up."
"Ouch." Lee's grin was pinched into cringe. "We can do better than that. Listen. I got this song I've been wanting to try out. If she's into classic rock it'd be a great way to start you guys off."
"What about a slow dance?"
"Nah. Maybe for the second but not the first. You gotta do something fun to break up the tension, and believe me, you'll need it," Lee said. He gave Sean a pat on the shoulder as he moved away. "Lets get moving. Brian managed to drag Andy up here."
Sean raised the guitar strap over his head and adjusted it near his left collarbone. Several couples got up when they noticed him. Among them was the short insurance girl who's white outfit made her easy to point out even in the weak lighting. In stark contrast, the black wearing priest was following right behind. If it weren't for Meryl, he would have been easy to miss. Puzzled, the guitarist called out in amusement as they got into position, "Hey Meryl!! What happened?! Did ya dump spike-head already?!"
Meryl didn't take his little joke well. Glaring at Sean, red faced, she quickly thought of a reply, but before it left her mouth, Wolfwood spoke up. "It's okay. She hasn't. She's just showing me a few dance moves."
"Oh, well THAT'S a relief!!" Both men laughed. Several other people nearby were smiling and were doing a poor job concealing it.
"Mr. Wolfwood, you're not helping." Meryl was focusing on him now. Her voice seemed calm, but he could tell there was a great deal of anger and embarrassment hiding underneath.
"C'mon. Don't let it get to ya." He gave her a smile, but she rejected it, looking away.
Sean's voice suddenly filled the room. "Alright everybody. Time for some more action. I'd like to thank Andy for helpin' us out." He motioned to Andy standing beside Lee. "He'll be playing the saxophone, so give 'em a round of applause." His voice was replaced by the sound of clapping and whistles, and Andy gave them a bow.
"Hey Miss Laura!!! Mr. Andy is gonna play!!! Look!!!" Alicia pointed a bandaged finger at the stage jumping up and down on her stool at the counter.
"I see, I see!! Settle down before you hurt yourself!!" Miss Laura waved her hand at the girl. Layla was about three seats to the left of them close to the door eating a salmon sandwich. She watched the little blond amused by her excitement.
"Miss Laura. When can we get up?" Amy asked hopefully. Her fingers kept playing with the metal catches that kept her overalls up while her elbows sat on the counter.
"Not until this song is over." She returned to cleaning out glasses and mugs. The girls groaned as swing music started up. Layla noticed a tall brunette come up behind them holding something that looked like black fur in her hands.
"Nyaooo."
Both heads swung around in surprise. Amy stopped playing with her overalls and took the black kitty out of the woman's hands holding him up in the air. "Mr. Kuroneko!! You naughty kitty!! Where have you been?!!"
"Where did you find him?" Alicia asked.
"He was just sitting over by Mr. Donovan. I think he feels bad for getting you into trouble, so be nice to him."
Amy put Kuroneko in her lap, and he began to purr. "Thank you Milly!"
Milly's bright smile widened. "You're welcome!"
'So that's Milly,' Layla thought. By then Sean started singing with Eddie and Lee backing him up.
With the heartbreak open
"Make sure you step out with the left foot if you get lost on the turns," Meryl said trying to concentrate on nothing but dancing.
So much you can't hide
"I thought it was the right." Wolfwood was already a little confused.
"For a girl it's the right," she answered a bit snippier than she intended.
Put on a little makeup makeup
Realizing that Meryl was still upset, he tried to apologize. "Look Meryl, I'm sorry."
Make sure they get your good side good side
"There's no need to apologize Mr. Wolfwood."
'Oh boy. This is gonna be a long dance.'
If the words unspoken
Angela came up to check on Sharon. "Are you doing alright?"
"Yea. I'll be back up in a couple of minutes." She adjusted her blue skirt underneath.
Get stuck in your throat
"That's good." The redhead walked back toward the tables facing her friend for a couple more seconds. "Remember your promise!" She then turned her whole self away.
Send a treasure token token
Sharon propped up her head on the counter with her right hand. "Man, how am I gonna tell her?" She sighed. Her hazel eyes caught sight of Amy and Alicia waving at her. She chose to ignore them.
Write it on a pound note pound note
The music went into a short instrumental break. Amy let her hand drop onto the still purring black kitty's back. "I bet she's not happy 'cause of Ryan." Her suspicious tone was back.
Layla almost choked on her sandwich. 'DAMMIT!!!'
"No she's not!" If she was going to continue the argument they started earlier, Alicia was determined to win.
"Okay, now!" Meryl led the priest into a sequence of twirls.
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
"Then why was she an hour late?!" Amy wasn't going to let her cousin win this time. The cat laying in her lap decided to leap up to the bar counter with a 'nyao' seeing that he was no longer receiving any attention.
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
Wolfwood tried the best he could to not trip up his partner. The result was shaky, but they managed to hold it together. 'Well, that was fun. Better than last time anyway.'
Sharon continued to keep her attention somewhere else while her sister and her cousin raised their voices.
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
"It wasn't because of Ryan!" The little blond pushed her glasses back up.
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
"It was too!!" Amy clenched her fists amazed at how thick her friend could be.
"Now, now! You two shouldn't argue!" Milly felt she had to do something before the girls got out of control.
Subtle innuends follow
Alicia went into her cousin's face. "Then go ask her!!"
Layla attempted to finish her meal while her heavy boots fell from the rests on the stool to the floor. She desperately wanted to stop them, but she didn't know them and didn't want to create another scene.
There must be something inside he's hiding
"She's YOUR sister!!"
"GIRLS!!!" Miss Laura shouted from the far end of the counter. They flinched and muttered a 'sorry.' Milly heaved a sigh of relief and Layla followed suit putting her boots back on the rests. 'That was close.'
We don't follow fashion
"Vash was right. You are a good dancer!" The priest thought that maybe a compliment would help.
That would be a joke
"Thanks." Meryl's temper had cooled a little, but there was a hurt look on her face.
You know we're going to set them set them
"I take it that it's not about the joke Sean and I made." He wondered why she was touchier than usual tonight. Her silence was worse than her yelling.
So everyone can take note take note
Wolfwood was right. The redness in her cheeks wasn't just from all the dancing.
When they saw you kneeling
"Is this about what happened at the Ingalls' house?"
Crying words that you mean
"Mr. Wolfwood, that's none of your business."
Opening their eyeballs eyeballs
"Oh, I think it is. I was there. But there was something else goin' on besides Vash trying to get a date with Sharon."
Pretending that you're all green all green
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Meryl's anger flared up again. 'Well, that's a good sign. A least we're getting somewhere,' Wolfwood thought.
No one's gonna tell me
"Meryl, it's okay. You can tell me. I'm a Priest."
What's wrong or what's right
Meryl ignored the fact that he had used her name again. "Judging from the short time that we've known each other, I can easily say that you're not an ordinary priest."
Or tell me who to eat with sleep with
"So what your saying is that you don't trust me."
Or that I've won the big fight big fight
"Guess so."
Wolfwood sighed. "All right." He'll try another time. Right now he had to get back into step.
Look out or they'll tell you
Vash observed their animated conversation from an empty table. Whatever they were talking about, it was putting Meryl in a very sour mood. "God, she really needs to lighten up sometimes."
You're a 'superstar'
"Nyaooo." Two enormous green eyes suddenly filled the blond gunman's field of vision. He jumped his chair back a couple feet back in surprise.
Two weeks and you're an all time legend
"Hey Mr. Vash! Look who I brought!" Milly's chirpy voice hit his ears.
I think the games have gone much too far
"I can see that!!"
The brunette giggled. "No Mr. Vash! I brought Miss Layla to sit with us!"
If the words unspoken
"Well hello!" He scooted back up to the table as Milly and Layla sat down. "What about the girls?"
Get stuck in your throat
"Oh, they'll join us in a minute." Layla hoped that she didn't mean the ones fighting at the bar counter earlier.
Send a treasure token token
"Well, Mr. Vash,"
"Just Vash,"
Write it on a pound note pound note
Another short musical break came, and Sean stepped back from his mic, his eyes never leaving the dark haired woman now seated with the red-coated gunman and the taller insurance girl.
"Okay, JUST Vash. There is something I would like to know..."
"Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here," Meryl said. Her hands were getting sweaty, and she just couldn't stop thinking about it.
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
"The Ruckus Boys huh? Well sure...!"
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
"One more time Mr. Wolfwood." She led her partner in a final series of turn doing her best not lose focus.
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
'Damn.' Wolfwood miss-stepped. 'Is it the left or right?'
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Layla gaped. "Wow! Then what?"
Subtle innuends follow
Vash continued. "Then Donovan, Wolfwood, and I decided to..."
There must be something inside he's hiding
Sean's eyes left their table to check on how the priest was doing. 'Man, shorty doesn't look too good.'
"Are you sure you don't wanna sit down?"
Meryl did her best to not sound irritated as she answered Wolfwood's question. "I'm Sure...I'm okay." 'When is this song going to end?'
Still eyeing the dancing couple, the guitarist quickly signaled the rest of the band to rap it up.
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
"Alright, if you say so but no more twirling."
Goody Two, Goody Two, Goody, Goody, Goody Two Shoes
"Okay." 'C'mon Meryl! Hang in there!'
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
Amy's patience was wearing thin. She raised herself on her stool. "FINISH UP ALREADY!!"
Don't drink don't smoke - what do you do?
"AMY! SIT DOWN!"
Subtle innuends follow
"Yea, stop it Amy, or you'll ruin it for us!!! Alicia yanked her friend back down.
There must be something inside he's hiding
Just as the band finished, the eight-year-old jumped down from her stool, "Finally!!!" And shot off like a bullet
"Hey!! Wait for me!!" Alicia immediately followed her ignoring Miss Laura's highly irritated warnings about not running in the bar.
"Alright!! Everybody, give it up for Andy!!" Sean waved a hand his way, and the already applauding bar grew even louder.
Meryl quickly let go of Wolfwood, "I need to get some air," And took off towards the saloon entrance.
The priest's eyes followed her out the door while he remained in place. "Must have been pretty bad."
A/N: I had a REALLY bad time with this chapter, but I just kept on swimming! :D Please review and tell me how I'm doing! -NB-
Next time: Careless Whisper