Hello everyone to another exciting chapter of Trigun: The Raven! In this chapter there will be surprises and much more ((Hopefully))! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the story! But before I start I would like to say that Yasuhiro Nightow created Trigun and some of the characters that you are about to see.
Trigun: The Raven
Chapter 2: Return of the Stampede
I can't go back to them now. Not until I have buried my past will I be able to see them again because if I do, they would be grave danger that could cause them to lose their lives. But I miss them so much…One of them is not only like a friend to me but she is also like a sister to me and the other…the other…She has another place in my heart, a place that I myself do not understand yet.
One Year after Millie's death:
The room was dark and the only lights illuminating the room were the lights of the computer screens, humming and beeping constantly, and a large glass bulb that was located in the middle of the room. The bulb was hanging upside down and it was filled with some sort of green liquid. Floating in the center of the bulb was what appeared to be the shape of a person curled up in a ball.
"He is about to wake," said a small, old man. "Quickly, begin to drain the bulb," he said and slowly, the green liquid began to drain through the outlet of the bulb. The only thing that was left was the person still curled up in a ball. His shivering body was still covered by the green liquid and his long blonde hair covered his face. The small man quickly opened the door with a blanket in his arms and entered into the bulb ((they recently installed this in order to get easy access into the bulb instead of just breaking it open)). When he reached the person he covered the person's body with the blanket. He then pushed the hair out of the person's face and smiled. "Good morning Vash, "he said with a smile and then the person's eyes opened and looked up at the small man with a pair of aqua eyes.
Several hours later, Vash opened his eyes again to the blinding light of the ceiling lights. He slowly rose and looked around at his new environment. "I must be in the Infirmary," he thought and smiled, "I guess the process really did work." Just then the door opened and the same small, old man entered with a grin on his face.
"Long time no see Vash. How did you sleep?" asked the small man as he approached Vash's bed.
"I slept great Doc! Thanks for asking!" Vash said with a big smile but then the smile quickly disappeared when he realized something. "Strange, my voice seems to be a little bit higher than before. Did something happen during the process Doc?" asked Vash.
"The Re-growth process went perfectly. Your scars have healed but your left arm is still gone so you will still need a prosthetic one and you are ten times more powerful then you were before," said Doc and then looked down, "but there is a side effect."
"A side effect, what do you mean?" asked Vash. He didn't like the word "side effect" and he didn't even want to know what it was but he had to know. Doc took out a small pocket mirror and gave it Vash. Vash paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and lifted the mirror to his face. He quickly opened his eyes and saw something that made him scream. "AHHHHHHHHHHH! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MEEEE! I'M A…I'M A…A…KID AGAIN! I LOOK EIGHT YEARS OLD AGAIN! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO MEEEE!" he cried out with a waterfall of tears coming out of his eyes. All of his physical characteristics were small. His eyes, ears, even the length of his hair made him look like a kid. Vash physically appeared to be an eight year old boy.
"Now Vash please calm down," said Doc.
"How can I calm down when I literally regressed back to my childhood!" yelled Vash with the waterfall still coming down from his eyes.
"This is only temporary Vash. It's going to take several months for you to grow back to your original age appearance. You are still 130 years old and your mind is still the same before you went through the process," said Doc.
"He has a point, whenever I think my voice is still the same before I went through Re-growth," Vash thought. "What a sec, did you say that it's going to take several months for me grow back! I can't wait that long! I'll die before that! Knives could have a new team of assassins by now and they are probably hunting me down right now! If they see me like this they'll chop me up into little pieces and then chop those pieces into even more little pieces and then chop those pieces into…"
"Alright Vash, I get your point!" interrupted Doc. "Yes, that it true, if Knives does have a new batch of assassins they are most likely looking for you and you are completely defenseless right now."
"And I can't stay here, this place is probably the first place that they will look, "said Vash and pounded his fist into the mattress of his bed. "Damn it! I wish there was a solution to this!"
"There is," said Doc and walked over to the radio that was on a table located next to Vash's bed.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Vash with a puzzled look.
"You'll see hopefully, "said the Doc as he was turning the knobs of the radio to a specific station, "I hope they'll be talking about him today."
"Him? Who are you talking about?" asked Vash. But before his question was answered a loud and funny-sounding voice came out of the radio speakers.
"HELLLLLLOOOOOOO GUNSMOKE! This is Chit-Chat Carl talking to you live! For today's topic we will be talking about bounty hunters and bounties! Our first subject will be Rusty McJones, a criminal who has a very bad and very quick temper! He's one of the head honchos for the Dust Rat Gang, a big and notorious gang of thieves and killers located in December City," said Chit-Chat Carl, "but now, thanks to a certain bounty hunter whom we will be talking about soon after this, Rusty is the only head honcho who has not been caught and arrested yet. Even as we speak, Rusty and what is left of the gang are searching through December hunting down the bounty hunter who put all of their buddies in jail!"
"Is that the man who you were talking about?" asked Vash as he lay back down on the bed.
"Shhh! No! It's the bounty hunter who I am more interested in," said Doc and listened closely to Chit-Chat Carl.
"And who is this bounty hunter? It is none other than The Raven! This bounty hunter popped up his little head about a year ago by catching one of the biggest bounties in Gunsmoke! That's right folks, The Raven single-handedly caught Roderick the Raptor, the criminal who has robbed from more banks than anyone! The Raven is currently hunting down the last remaining members of the Dust Rat Gang who are also currently hunting down The Raven!" said Chit-Chat Carl. "Now, I don't know what The Raven looks like or what his real name is due to the fact that The Raven always has his face and body covered with black clothing, but what I do know is that he has superb marksmanship and is very quick on his feet. There are rumors around the planet that say that The Raven himself could easily catch the Humanoid Typhoon, Vash the Stampede! A name that is fading and fading fast! Also, I, Chit-Chat Carl, will be heading for December City tomorrow and try to get an interview with The Raven himself and maybe then we might be able to see who he really is!"
Soon after that the Doc turned off the radio and faced Vash, who was sitting up again. "Well, there you have it," said Doc. "Tomorrow morning we will be heading for December City and find The Raven. Once we find him, we shall ask him to protect you from Knives' assassins until you have grown back to your original appearance."
Vash's eyes widened and his mouth hanged open. When he finally snapped out of it he said, "Are you serious? You can't just force a man to protect someone who is being hunted down by who knows what! This Raven person could die while trying to protect me or he could be dead by now by Rusty McJones! Anyways, how can you be sure that he will even accept this offer?"
"We'll ask him," said Doc. "I've been listening to the radio and have heard interesting things about him such as his skill that you have just heard about. If his skill is equal to yours then we have a high possibility that he might be able to protect you."
"So that's it then, we're going to December City and ask The Raven to protect me for several months," said Vash. He didn't believe what the Doc was saying to him. A bounty hunter! A person who hunts down criminals for a paycheck and nothing more!
"Now come on Vash! That big bounty on your head is long gone now so there is nothing to fear from him," said Doc.
The Doc had a point. Now that the $$60 billion bounty on his head was gone he could no longer be hunted down by bounty hunters and law enforcement anymore unless he did another crime that would give him a bounty on his head. Vash sighed and said, "Alright, I'll go with your plan."
Doc nodded and said, "Glad to here it. I'll start preparing for our trip. You get plenty of rest now, we've got a big day tomorrow." As soon as he left, Vash lay back down on the bed and looked at the ceiling.
"What have I gotten myself into?" he thought and just then an image of Millie and Meryl smiling at him popped up in his head. He smiled and thought, "That's right! Millie and Meryl live in December! Maybe I could visit them while we're there." But soon that smile faded and Vash turned to his side. "No, I can't visit them. I can't see them now. I don't want them to see me as a little boy and anyways Knives' assassins could possibly be there and if they see me with Millie and Meryl then…then…they would be hunted down just like me…Maybe it would be best to avoid all contact with them. It'll be safer for the girls and me," thought Vash. "But I miss them so much! I want to see them, I need to see them! But…I can't," thought Vash as tears streamed out of his small eyes and slowly, he cried himself to sleep.
Tomorrow came and Vash and the Doc rode out of the fallen ship on Thomas back and headed for New Oregon, the nearest city form the fallen ship, to catch a bus for December.
"Hmmm…I wonder if we'll be able to see The Raven in a showdown with Rusty McJones, then we could see how good a skill The Raven actually has. It would be so exciting!" said the Doc happily as the bus drove through the desert.
Vash could say nothing but smile. "Yeah, it would be pretty interesting to see how The Raven reacts to situations in which a life is on the line," he thought and the smile faded. "Bad times are ahead and I hope that The Raven will be able to survive through them because if he agrees to our offer then my life and possibly the survival of the human race will be in his hands, " thought Vash and looked through the window with sad eyes.
How was that? Were you surprised? I hope so because there is going to be more of that in the later chapters including Chapter 3! In that chapter Vash and the Doc meet The Raven himself! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the new upcoming chapters. Please review and thank you! –Gunslinger Angel