Trigun is owned by Yasuhiro Nightow.
Truth
Meryl waited patiently for Millie to wake after her traumatic reintroduction with her lover. She sat to the side while Vash talked adamantly with Nick trying to find out how he had survived, but Nick shook his head. He knew that it was Meryl's duty to explain everything and he would not stand in the way of her confession. He was a priest after all!
Meryl was braced up against Stella, Meryl's shoulder forgotten in the thrill of Nick's arrival. Meryl breathed deeply and evenly trying to forget the stinging pain that traveled the length of her arm, across her back and down to her hip.
'Why won't you let me heal your shoulder?' asked Stella, her hand brushing the cool hand on her lap.
Meryl sighed. 'They need to see what we can do, my shoulder will be an example.'
'But Meryl, it's growing cold.' Begged Stella, she was now gripping Meryl's prostrate hand in a death like grip, her own fingers turning a pale colour.
It was then that Millie woke and Nick held her close, whispering things in her ear. Vash finally turned to Meryl and Stella, finally seeing how pale Meryl had become and crawled to her side.
"Hey insurance girl how's your shoulder?"
Stella glared cold daggers at him and he backed away. "How dare you." Her voice was cool and dripping in anger. "We sit here with Meryl in pain and all you can do is dote on a dead man!"
Everyone flinched with Stella's tone. She was furious that was evident but Meryl was calm and quite beside her. Suddenly the roles of the twins were reversed, Meryl was quite, while Stella fumed.
Stella opened her mouth to continue when Meryl's hand cupped her face. Stella looked down at Meryl, shock and anger in her eyes. Meryl was twisted at an odd angle; her dislocated arm still resting in Stella's lap while her good arm wrapped the two together.
"Shhh, dear sister. You can heal it now. They are all awake, no more anger, no more tears." Though no one save Meryl could see it Stella was crying. Her tears so clear and pure that they never left cold wet paths down her flawless cheeks. Meryl knew her sister far too well.
"Meryl?" questioned Vash.
Meryl moved to sit up ignoring Vash, her shoulder swinging forward, once again presenting to all there what had happened. Stella moved to Meryl's side her hands resting gently on Meryl's shoulder. Meryl reached for the pocketknife and handed it to Stella. She cut the tender flesh on her left hand and pressed it against Meryl's shoulder, the blood seeping it's way into the fabric and on to Meryl's skin.
The light that began to surround the two blinded the three observers, but when it began to clear they all saw what made Meryl so nervous.
Stella's arm had bloomed feathers and sliver rings interlocked around her wrist. Her fingers were elongated and ended with feather nails that curled around Meryl's shoulder. The light that Stella's arm created faded and the feathers that seemed apart of her body blew away with the wind.
Instantly Meryl grimaced in controlled pain and began to flex her shoulder, the joints cracked and groaned with disuse. The muscles cried out from tenderness, but it dissipated quickly, her own healing abilities taking over.
Stella sat to the side as Meryl raised her head to face the firing squad. She met Millie's eyes and saw fascination and curiosity. Then to Nick who having already seen it merely smiled softly back with understanding. Then Meryl meet Vash's eyes. She knew what their arms looked like and she feared that Vash would take it the wrong way and think them no better then his crazed brother. Instead she was met with an emotionless stare. Meryl swallowed all her resolved and ducked her head. So there it was, he thought them nothing more then monsters.
Blinking back hot tears she met Millie's eyes and said, "We are not human."