I fell to the earth half unconscious and barely aware of the fact that I was even falling. I gasped suddenly as I hit stone and smashed right through, crying out as I landed on my injured shoulder. I looked around from the flat of my back with blurry eyes.
As the dust cleared I was aware of many outlines staring at me. One of them cried out in rage and ran to my side. He grabbed my arm and began to shake me. "You killed my brother!" He screamed as I squealed in pain.
Suddenly his cries of rage turned to ones of fear and I felt him release me. I forced open my eyes and stared up at him and my eyes widened. The man had his hands around his own throat and was slowly choking the life out of himself. I saw many more outlines turned in his direction. One of them approached the man and grabbed his arms but the man just responded by choking him too. What's going on? I thought frantically as I stared up at them, wincing as they both hit the ground. "It must be that girl!" Someone shouted and my eyes darted to the one who had spoken. They widened and my vision began to clear as I saw a gun drawn and pointed towards me. I stared at him with pleading eyes but he started to pull the trigger. I slammed my eyes closed and screamed as I heard the shot go off. With a thump something heavy hit the ground beside me and I opened my eyes. I screamed again as I came face to face with the man who had been about to shoot me. I clamped my eyes shut to block out the sight of his blown apart head and tried to scoot away from him. Someone grabbed the back of my head and pulled me to my feet by the hair. I felt the cold metal as a gun was held to my head and forced out a high pitched groaned, but I was too tired to fight him. I waited for the shot to sound. It didn't so I opened my eyes hesitantly.
A blue haired man with golden yellow eyes was staring calmly at me with a soft smile on his lips. He wore a long white coat with big shoulders and a spiky ring going around one shoulder. "I'd advise you to hand her over to me." He said while he stared at the men.
"So you're in league with her too are you?" The man holding me yelled but the gun never left my head.
My ears twitched slightly as I heard about twenty more guns being drawn, all pointed at either the blue haired man or me. I groaned as the man suddenly released me and I hit the floor. The blue haired man came over to me and picked me up in his arms. He glanced down at me with a reassuring smile before looking back up at the men. I stared up at him as he smiled and then guns started going off like crazy. I screamed and closed my eyes expecting to be hit by them but I felt nothing except for the wounds I already had. I looked up from the man whose chest I had buried my face in and stared around in shock. Dead bodies littered the floor and I coughed from the strong scent of gunpowder in the air. I've been saved by a murderer! I thought hysterically before I couldn't stay awake any longer. I passed out in the mans arms.
The man looked down at me curiously and stared at the hole in the ceiling I had created before picking his way through the dead men and taking me outside. I was growing paler by the minute and puddles of blood formed behind us as he walked. He brought me into another stone building and approached the counter.
Another man turned around and then yelled. "What is that?" He pointed a finger at me as he did so.
"A girl in need of a doctor." The blue haired man said and the other nodded slowly. He glanced at me again and then led us into a room up some stairs.
The doctor pointed at the bed. "Set her there and wait." He left the room and the man lifted me gently into the bed and I coughed up some blood and began shivering uncontrollably.
The doctor returned and sat in a chair beside the bed. He pulled away pieces of my ripped shirt so my left shoulder was showing and the deep stab wound was easily visible. He took some small tweezers and began to pull out fabric that had sunk inside it. When he finished he looked at the cuts on my right wrist, neck, and both cheeks. "What happened to her? She's taken quite the beating."
"I just found her like this." The blue haired man answered. "Will she survive?"
"It will take time." The doctor replied as he turned back to my wounds. As he stuck the needle into my skin I suddenly sat up and snapped at him with glowing red eyes. The doctor flipped over backwards in his chair. "What are you?" He screamed before running from the room.
The blue haired man stared at me as I collapsed again. He moved closer as my hands and eyes all glowed bright green and sparks leapt from my hands to the several cuts I had. The top left corner of my back was deeply bruised from my impact with the roof of the bar as well. After about ten minutes of healing I couldn't do it anymore and my eyes suddenly returned to normal. I was still bleeding from both cheeks and my wrist as well as a light trickle coming from my shoulder. My neck was totally better though.
As I watched him the blue haired man came to my side. I stared up at him. "Why did you kill them all?"
"Would you rather have them kill you?" He replied.
I managed to shake my head. "But they all didn't have to die…"
The man looked at me closely. "You've killed someone. Quite recently too." He said calmly as I stared at him.
"How did you… know?" I whispered.
"I can tell." He offered me a hand. "Are you ready to leave?" Not wanting to be left alone I weakly took it against all of my instincts and he gathered me in his arms again. As he went to the door we came face to face with the doctor and the gun he was holding. The man looked at him and the doctor started yelling as the gun was redirected towards his own head. I whimpered and buried my face into the mans white coat as the gun fired and someone hit the floor. He went calmly down the stairs where a woman and a child each had a gun aimed at us as well. I looked up at them with pleading eyes and they slowly lowered them and ran past us up the stairs to the doctor. "Those eyes are not always going to save you." The man said as he went out the door, wails echoing out behind us.
Instead of heading into another house he kept going down the long and dusty road. "Where are we going?" I asked nervously.
He looked down at me. "It's ok. I've protected you so far. Don't you trust me? Just go to sleep. I can tell you're tired."
I looked up at him and tried to blink away the darkness that was taking me again. "Thanks for saving me…" I whispered as I fell once again into unconsciousness.
The man looked curiously at me as he continued walking down the dusty road. Even after seeing me kill all those people she has willingly placed her life in my hands. She is much too trusting. He thought to himself.
I awoke to the sound of voices the next day. "I didn't know you were the womanizing type." Said an unfamiliar voice.
"I'm not." Claimed the one I recognized as the blue haired man. "I found her badly injured and brought her with me."
The other laughed. "What happened to your plan to kill of all humanity?"
"Have you even looked at her? She is no human."
"What?" I heard the sound of someone rising and turned my head towards the direction they were coming from. The footsteps sounded across the room as he came closer. Suddenly a man with dark hair appeared in my view, looking down at me. He reached out slowly and tugged lightly on one of my ears. I was too tired so I just allowed it. He turned back to the blue haired man, who came to my side as well. "Wolf ears?"
Blue hair pulled the covers down to my waist and the man gasped as he saw my various wounds and torn clothes. "What happened to her?" He shouted.
"I found her like this right after she fell through the roof of a saloon. She killed a few people with the rock she knocked loose and I saved her from the angry relatives."
I groaned as I tried to sit up but the dark haired man held me down. "Don't try to move!" He yelled at me.
I nodded slightly and looked up at them both. "Sorry, but I don't know what your names are…" I whispered.
The blue haired one regarded me for a second. "I am Legato and this is Nicholas D. Wolfwood." He said, indicating the dark haired man. Images of the Trigun characters flashed through my head.
"But you can call me Wolfwood." He added kindly. "What's your name?"
"Kira." I muttered quietly. I blushed as I made a request. "I can't move my arms… Can you put my hand on my left shoulder?"
Wolfwood gently took my right arm and rested the hand on my left shoulder. "Like that?" He asked and I nodded with a quiet thank you. He backed away in surprise as my hand and eyes glowed neon green. The huge gash in my shoulder began to disappearentirelyand I got up the energy to sit up, though Legato supported me some. I placed my now glowing left hand on my right wrist and slowly that cut healed as well. My hands hovered over my face but then dropped, suddenly limp again. I sighed as Legato lowered me onto the pillows again. My eyes drooped closed and I managed to mutter, "healing makes me tired…" before I passed out again.
"That's useful." Wolfwood said in awe as he cautiously approached me.
Legato nodded as he released me. "Exactly."
Wolfwood stared at him for a second. "You're not thinking of-"
Legato nodded. "She would make a great addition."
"But she's just a kid! She's probably lost and scared."
"But I think Knives would approve of her too."
"You'd risk taking her to see Knives?" Wolfwood asked as he traced a finger over one of the cuts on my cheek.
"Who is Knives?" I whispered, causing him to jump back.
"You were listening?" he asked.
"Barely." I said with a faint smile.
There was a short silence, broken by Wolfwood. "Why don't you finish healing?"
"I'm too tired." I replied. "I'm trying to stay awake in case he talks to me."
"Who?" Legato asked suddenly.
I sighed. "The one who sent me here, Akumei."
"Why do you need to talk to him?" Wolfwood asked.
"So he can bring me home again…" I said with a longing smile as I recalled the people waiting for me.
Wolfwood glanced at Legato before turning back to me. "Are you supposed to be meeting him somewhere?"
I shook my head. "No, he's a telepath. He contacts me. Then he'll transport me to another world and we'll hope it's the right one."
"I think you lost a bit too much blood." Wolfwood joked nervously.
"No, it's true." I sighed. "Eventually I'll make it back home to where they're all waiting to welcome me…" I closed my eyes and lifted my hands, letting one fall on each cheek. They glowed green for about a minute before I let them slide off to reveal a healed face.
Wolfwood pointed to the two red markings under my left eye. "You mean those are natural? And the moon?"
I nodded. "My oldest brother has them too…" I sat up slowly and crossed my legs as I faced them both, waiting for something to happen.
"What's in there?" Legato said, pointing at the camera bag around my shoulder.
I unbuckled it and pulled out the camera as they both stared at it. I flipped open the front and the zoom extended as they both watched. "It's a camera. Can I take my picture with each of you?" I asked tentatively.
I hopped to my feet but ended up falling flat when they gave out underneath me. Wolfwood laughed as he helped me up. "You just recovered, don't act so quickly."
I nodded and turned to him. "Can you look through this little square at Legato and me and then press this little button right here when you can clearly see both of us?" I asked as I pointed them out.
"Sure, but what will it do?" Wolfwood asked as he took it from me.
"It will take a picture so I'll always be able to remember you guys." I turned to Legato. "Will you stand with me for a second?"
He watched me for a second before shrugging and I smiled as I leaned against his side. He felt me wobbling and steadied me with a hand. The flash went off in our faces as Wolfwood clicked the button. I took the camera from him and went to Legato. "Now will you take it of him and me?" I asked and he slowly agreed.
I went to Wolfwood's side and he slipped an arm around me as I stood beside him so I wouldn't fall. It flashed again as another picture took and I thanked them both weakly as I put it carefully back in the bag. I checked to make sure I was still wearing my sword and then looked around. "Where exactly are we?" I gagged suddenly and Wolfwood rushed to my side as I fell.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
I looked up at him with watering eyes. "As I get better my senses return to normal and I can suddenly smell tons of blood!" I cried through coughs. "I can't breathe!"
Wolfwood picked me up in his arms and turned to Legato. "We have to leave this town." He said as he hurried out the door.
We went down the stone stairs and out the door into the dusty, barren terrain that surrounded us. My eyes widened in shock as I stared around. Men, women and children all littered the ground, eyes widened in terror and lying in pools of their own and others blood. I looked around and my eyes rested on a huge slab in the middle of the town. Smeared across it in blood was the word Knives in all caps. I cried out and felt the tears leaking from my eyes as I buried my face into Wolfwood's chest and began to cry.
He attempted to comfort me but it was no use so he started to walk away. He stopped when he realized Legato wasn't coming. "What are you doing?" He called.
Legato stared steadily at me as I continued sobbing. "She knows I did most of this. I can't face her now. Besides, she seems to accept you easier. Maybe it's because wolf is in your name." He started to walk away but I called out to him.
"Legato!" He turned to face my tear stained face as I jumped from Wolfwood's grasp and came to stand in front of him. "Thanks for saving me." I said quietly as I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my head into his stomach. "If you hadn't been there I would be dead right now with no chance to ever see my family again. Thank you." I whispered as he stared down at me. I looked up at him with a faint smile shining through the tears. He wiped one away as it leaked from a deep blue eye. I wrinkled my nose, slightly growing used to the smell of the blood.
"How could you still treat me like this knowing what I've done?" He asked.
"I don't believe you're truly bad. You did save me after all. You didn't have to." I smiled as I backed away. "So I'll never forget you, Legato Bluesummers."
His eyes widened as I said his last name. "How did you…?" He trailed off as I sighed and fell forward suddenly. He caught me and handed me over to Wolfwood. "Remember to ask her how she knew my last name." He muttered as he turned to leave. She is very strange…maybe she truly did come from a different world. He thought as he walked away.
As Legato disappeared from sight, Wolfwood grunted and set me on the ground at his feet. He shifted the giant cross that he wore over his shoulder and lit a cigarette in his mouth. "Great." He muttered. "Now I have no money, no food, and I have to carry this girl across a desert with me." He sighed as he picked me up again bridal style and started down the dusty road that headed out of the dead town.
A couple hours later I awoke to find myself sitting in the sand. Oh my God, they left me to rot! Was the first thought through my head but I quickly realized that I was leaning against someone's legs. I looked up to find Wolfwood there. "What are you doing?" I asked and he jumped.
"Don't do that!" He yelled as he helped me to my feet. "I heard there was a bus that comes by here sometimes. It will be quicker than trying to walk to the next town."
"Do you have any money?"
Wolfwood's face fell. "No!" He cried miserably.
My ears twitched as I looked down the road. Several miles away a dust cloud was slowly approaching. I pointed towards it. "Well, there's the bus."
Wolfwood shielded his eyes from the sun and squinted in the direction I had pointed. After a moment of searching he finally saw it as well. He plopped down where he sat and I crouched beside him. "But how can we get on?"
I laughed at him. "You give up to easily. We'll make it."
A couple minutes passed before he turned to me. "How did you know his last name?"
I blushed and shrugged. "I don't know…"
Several more minutes of silence passed before the bus finally slowed to a stop beside us. The door swung open and the driver glared out at us. "No money, no ride. No exceptions made." He said first thing.
"Aww come on." Wolfwood said, pulling out a box from somewhere. "Not even for a free confessional session?"
"Sorry." Snapped the bus driver as the door began to slam in our faces.
I reached out and caught it in my hand, holding it open. I grinned through at the driver. "Please?" I asked innocently. "You won't even notice we're here."
The driver shook his head. "No way, I'm almost full anyway." He stopped and stared at me. "What are you?"
I froze and turned to Wolfwood for support but he just shrugged. I turned back to the driver slowly. "You mean these?" I asked, as I pulled at my ear. "It's just a bet. I have to wear them."
"Can I see them?" The driver asked.
"No, then I'll lose the bet!" I responded.
"Well, nice meeting you but I have a schedule to keep."
Suddenly several people popped their heads from some windows towards the back. "Hello Mr. Priest!" Called a girl with kind of long golden brown hair. She waved happily.
A guy with spiky blonde hair and a girl with short lavender hair also were looking out at us. "Hey needle noggin!" Wolfwood called to the blonde guy who waved back. "Do you have any extra money? This guy won't let us on."
"Us?" Asked the blonde one.
Wolfwood motioned for me to come over. Before I did I smiled sweetly at the driver. "If you leave us I swear I will hunt you down." I said as my eyes flashed red and I bared my fangs. The driver nodded with wide eyes and I went over to Wolfwood.
He took my arm and pointed to each of the people on the bus. "This is Vash," he said, pointing at the blonde one. He pointed to the brown haired girl next. "That's Milly and that's Meryl." He said indicating the lavender haired girl. "This is Kira." He said, introducing me next.
I smiled with a wave. "Do you have any room for us on that bus?" I asked teasing.
"It's pretty empty." Milly responded as she looked around inside it.
My eyes flashed red and I whispered to Wolfwood. "That idiot driver said it was full."
"Come on in!" Vash shouted, as he looked me up and down. "Meryl will pay for it!"
"I will?" Shrieked the lavender haired girl and Vash laughed.
"Yep! You just said it yourself." Vash grinned.
She muttered to herself as Wolfwood hooked his big cross to the bus and then we both entered. We made our way to the back of the bus to join the others but not before I glared at the driver as we passed. We were warmly greeted and Vash pulled me into the seat beside him causing Meryl to send him death glares. Wolfwood took a seat across the aisle from us as Milly and Meryl were seated beside each other.
Vash stared at me for a second and then reached out to grab an ear. It twitched under his touch. He then looked down at the tail that lay in my lap, randomly flicking back and forth. "Those are definitely not fake." He muttered, as he looked me in the eyes. "Are they?"
I grinned nervously. "Looks like I'm caught…" I murmured.
"So what does that mean you are?" Asked Milly.
Meryl glared at her. "Don't Milly, that's rude!"
I laughed. "It's ok. I'm a… wolf demon." I said quietly. I continued at the shocked stares I got. "Though I'm part human as well."
"Is that part what's keeping you from attacking us right now?" Vash asked.
I glared at him as my eyes flashed red. "Not all demons are evil!" I shouted and he flinched away. I sighed and calmed back down. "Besides, my demon blood easily outweighs the human."
"Mr. Priest?" Milly asked. "What were you two doing out in the desert alone?"
We both tensed and shifted nervously as we stared at each other. "Well…" I began. "I don't really know anything about this world so he let me tag along with him."
"Oh, ok!" Milly said with a perpetual smile on her face.
"How long will we be on this bus?" I asked.
"The nearest town is at least one day away." Meryl answered, sounding highly annoyed.
I nodded and turned to Wolfwood. "Can you take a picture of me and Vash and then me and them?" I asked as I handed him the camera again.
"Why?" He asked.
"So I won't forget any of you when I leave this place!" I cried. I turned to Vash. "Pose with me for a picture, ok?"
"Ok." He said, looking dead serious. He put his arms around me and pulled me back so I was leaning into him and he gave off a very attractive smile as I grinned, blushing at the camera.
I laughed and turned to Meryl and Milly. "Will you both now?" I asked and they slowly agreed. I plopped in between them and they both smiled as another picture flashed.
"What are you doing back there?" The bus driver yelled at us.
"Nothing sir!" Vash shouted quickly back.
I laughed as I took the camera back from Wolfwood and thanked him as I put it in the bag again.
After a few hours of non-stop riding I leaned back in the seat and my eyes began to drift close. I saw Wolfwood slump against the window. As I fell into sleep I accidentally started leaning into Vash and ended up resting my head on his shoulder. He smiled down at me and slipped an arm around my waist as he stared out the window. In the very back seat Meryl and Milly were asleep resting on each other as well.
We woke up to the bus drivers yells. "What are you doing? We're here now get off my bus!"
We all filed out one by one as Meryl paid for us all and Wolfwood got his cross. As soon as they rejoined us we all set off into the busy city together. I ducked behind Wolfwood to try to escape from the curious looks I was getting. As Meryl and Milly went to find a hotel room, Vash and Wolfwood brought me with them to the bar before I could protest. "Do you drink?" Wolfwood asked me as they got theirs and we all sat down at a table.
"No…" I said quietly as I looked around. A rough looking man caught my eye and I quickly turned to stare at the table. "Let's hurry." I urged. I squealed as a hand stroked my chest from behind and I quickly slapped the hand away.
"Now that wasn't very nice." Said the rough looking man who had caught my eye just a second before. He was obviously drunk and could barely stand. He suddenly grabbed me around the waist and dragged me to my feet.
Vash and Wolfwood leapt from their chairs. "Let her down." Wolfwood growled.
Before anyone could do anything I slammed my elbow backwards into the mans stomach. He grunted and I fell to the floor on my knees. "Why you…" the man angrily grabbed out his gun and I turned to face him just as the shot went off.
I screamed and looked down at my left shoulder, the same one that had been stabbed with the knife. Blood was pouring down forming big puddles on the floor around me as I clutched it, the pain intensified by the fact that my skin was still soft from recently being healed. I glared up at the man as he smirked down at me and pushed away Vash who had been trying to help me. The mans face changed to fear as my eyes glowed red and I leapt at him, sinking my fangs into his arm. He screamed as he fell backwards and Vash and Wolfwood cried out in alarm. Vash picked me up around the waist as Wolfwood pried my teeth from the mans arm. "Maybe we should let her kill you." He spat as we retreated from the room.
Vash adjusted me in his arms as I began to cry. "Why is this always happening to me?" I screamed as I held my shoulder. "First Akumei took me and cut my chest, next I get harassed by a bunch of perverts, then that boy held me hostage and sliced me up and now I get shot too?"
Vash tried to calm me down as we entered the hotel and Wolfwood smashed open the door of the room we hoped belonged to the girls. Meryl screamed at us as they walked in. "What do you think you're-" She froze as she saw Vash holding me, blood dripping to the floor. "What happened to her?"
"Some idiot at the saloon was rejected by her and decided to get revenge." Wolfwood replied as Vash set me carefully on the bed. Vash tore a piece of the white sheets and tied it around my shoulder. Within minutes the white material was blood soaked and unable to contain it. Milly just stood to the side as she watched in horror.
"You brought here in there?" Meryl cried. "You two are the most irresponsible-"
Wolfwood cut her off. "Be quiet! What's done is done and we're trying to help her now!"
Meryl grew silent as she and Milly joined the guys to circle around me. "Can't you heal yourself like before?" Wolfwood asked.
I shook my head as the tears still fell. "I'm not fully recharged… Quiet!" I suddenly shouted and everyone froze. "It's Akumei." I added as I closed my leaking eyes and concentrated.
Kira? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Akumei's voice sounded very concerned even in my head.
Someone shot me. Just take me home! I thought with a whimper.
Ok, prepare yourself. Akumei thought back and I stared up at everyone. "He's going to take me somewhere again. Hopefully this time it's home."
"What are you talking about?" Asked Meryl. "Who?"
"Akumei, the one who was forced to send me from my home world. Now he transports me between worlds until I make it home once more. Are my things buckled tight?" I asked slowly.
Vash checked them both. "Yes." He said seriously. "But why do you have to leave?" He asked in a now goofy voice.
I laughed but grunted at the pain it brought. "I miss my family and friends. I'll never see any of them again if I remain here."
Vash nodded as I sat up and hugged him lightly with my uninjured arm and he embraced me carefully back. I hugged Wolfwood as well. "Don't let yourself die or be taken advantage of." He muttered as he pulled away.
"Ok." I whispered back. I smiled at the girls and collapsed on the bed again. Suddenly a glowing white light surrounded me and I smiled softly through the tears that still fell. "Bye." I whispered as my body flickered once and then disappeared.
"Gee, I sure hope she makes it." Milly said as she stared at the bed I had just been lying on.
"Yeah." The other three breathed together.
Akumei looked up at the others with wide eyes. "She was crying." He whispered.
Inuyasha leapt to his side. "What for?" He cried.
Akumei shook his head. "She said she had been shot…"
"Shot?" Yusuke shouted. "With what?"
Akumei shrugged. "She didn't say."
Kurama shook his head sadly. "That girl never gets a break. Last time you said she was about to pass out from pain and had killed someone. Now you claim she's been shot…"
"Why did it take you so long to find her this time?" Miroku pointed out.
"Either she was unconscious or just extremely far away." Akumei replied. "I better start tracking her again." He closed his eyes and everyone watched him quietly.
