Chapter 9: The Week Off
Some time ago, in another galaxy......
I find myself lying on a cold, desolate ground, the sky above me shines a radiant blue. I'm smiling. She's next to me. Rem. I can feel her hair. We were able to make it to the planet. We lived happily. She was my best friend, the closest thing to a mother I ever had. She was talking about how there were so many chances for me with my life, so many paths I could take when it happened. That's when it happened. That's when I heard the shot. I couldn't see, the liquid was blinding me. It took me a few minutes to understand what had happened. I was so young. So naive. I tried to wake her up. She wouldn't wake up. I started to cry and he laughed.
"Can't really blame me, can you Vash?" My brother said to me with cruel indifference, a wicked smile cracked on his face. "I was just following what she said. We are the spider, and she is the fly."
I didn't say anything, I couldn't. I was too lost, lost in the blood and horror of it all. My own brother had taken everything from me out of love for me. He was doing what he thought was best. I didn't care. I growled something inelligible and reached for my gun, he reached for his and we drew. Before, when we had arrived on the planet, I shot him in the leg. I cried, realizing what I had done, but Rem was there to hold me. To tell me everything was going to be okay. But Rem wasn't there now.
I felt a bullet slam into my stomach as I slammed on the trigger. The bullet from my gun slammed into my brother's head. His last look at me was something of shock, of suprise, as if he didn't understand why I had done it. He thought he was helping me.
I held Rem in my arms for three days, until my voice was hoarse and her body went cold. She wasn't going to wake up. I was so young. So naive.
I'd do anything to bring her back. Anything.
The present......
"YO! BRISTLE HEAD! OLD MAN! WAKE UP YA LANKY..." Yusuke poked at Vash's head as the Stampede rolled in his bed.
"Y'know, I might be more anxious to answer if you use my real name there kid." Vash pushed Yusuke away, to which the young teenager merely scoffed.
"You want breakfast with the rest of us, you gotta wake up."
"Can I have beer with breakfast?"
"What are you kidding? No!"
"Awww What fun are you?" Vash stood up, cracked his knuckles, and whipped on his red jacket. "I bet Ryoko wants beer just as bad as me, and you know her kid, she'll rip your head off if she doesn't get what she wants."
"I doubt the blue haired old lady could touch me" Yusuke scratched his nose flippantly and began darting across the room to show off his speed.
"Ooooollldddd?????" Two glaring red eyes appeared behind Yusuke. He cringed in fear as he realized Ryoko was right behind him ready to attack. "I'LL SHOW YOU OLD!"
"NO WAIT RYOKO, NOT IN....!" Before Vash could get his sentence out, Ryoko released a huge amount of energy, blowing up the room, sending Yusuke and Vash flying.
"WHAT? WHAT DID I SAY?" Yusuke cried out, as he and Vash flew through the air, their bodies singed and covered in soot.
"You're an idiot."
"Soooo....We should probably leave this hotel now before they catch on to the fact that Ryoko just blew up one of their rooms right?" Allenbee said nervously as the remainder of the group sat at the breakfast table.
The group had arrived at this world after their hectic mission in the world of the Evangelions and the world altering abilities of Shinji Ikari. To their surprise, the Exiles found the world they were currently on the be the only world yet that was not turbulent whatsoever and had next to no crime or war to speak of. The large amount of different peoples in the world allowed the more strange looking Exiles to walk freely without needing to worry anyone with their odd appearances. Their assignment was given to them by the Tallus early on, and it involved helping a young girl named Bulma fix her tire when it blew a flat on her jeep. The Exiles were more then relieved when they were given such an easy assignment. The Tallus then sent a message to Guyver that the Exiles would be allowed a short respite from their mission of helping realities in order for them to stay stable and somewhat happy on their mission.
"So, once we find the idiots, how is everyone going to spend their week off?" Ryoko asked inquisitevly, floating above Guyver, Allenbee, and Sazuka.
"Well, y'know I think I'll just hang around and do whatever this big lug is doing." Allenbee smiled and nudged Guyver.
"Oooohhh do I smell romance in the air?" Ryoko smiled, floating to the ground.
"Maayybbbeee." Allenbee blushed.
"Oh God." Guyver put his hand over his mask and shook his head. "Could this get anymore embarassing?"
"What about you Sazuka?"
"I believe I shall find a quiet place to think, to refine and practice my magic more."
"Awww Where's the fun in that?" Ryoko wrapped her arm around Sazuka's shoulders. The group came upon Vash and Yusuke in a crater caused by Ryoko's rage and their landing.
"Y'know, I didn't even say anything and you blasted me." Vash put his finger in Ryoko's face. Ryoko harmlessly slapped it away.
"Shoulda moved faster, bristle head."
"Well thanks to that debacle, we need to find a new place to stay." Guyver crossed his arms and tried to think of places. "And we need to find ways to pay for it, etc etc."
"Sazuka, can't you just magic us up some money or something? That girl's jeep we fixed manage to hand us a few bucks after we told her our situation, so we got the room with that, but we need some dinero quick." Vash stood up, still barely awake.
"It doesn't quite work like that I'm afraid. If I were to 'magic us up some money' as you said, I may use a spell that interferes with this realities magics in a way that could destroy or unravel everything that exists here."
"Didn't stop ya from using magic all those other times."
"Well, all those other times, I could feel the magic prevelant in the reality and was able to work well with it. Here, I'm not so sure. The magic here feels strange." Red energy flowed into Sazuka's hand and quickly dispersed as she could not come in contact with the reality's magic.
"Yeah yeah. You don't have to explain every last detail to me y'know." Vash replied.
"I'll get us money." Ryoko said, smiling. With that the space pirate flew into the air and dissappeared in a flash.
"Yeah, that doesn't sound good." Allenbee remarked, walking with the rest of the Exiles. "Maybe we should split up, explore this place until Ryoko gets back from wherever."
"Wow that sounde like A LOT of fun!" Yusuke said sarcastically. "I'm gonna go off on my own if its all right with the rest of you."
"You don't have to...." Guyver tried to convince Yusukue to stay but the young teenager ran off before he could finish his thought. "God, that kid. He's a real pain in the ass."
"C'mon Shin, he's still really young and arrogant. We were all like that at one point." Allenbee wrapped her arm around Guyver's.
"I was never like that."
"Says starched shirt boy. I bet you never even had a drop of alcohol in your life." Vash smiled, making Guyver more and more angry.
"YOu want to be responsible and be leader of the group, be my guest."
"Psshhh, I'm a lover, not a fighter." Vash waved his hand and began walking away from the group. "I'm going to find a pub or bar or anything to drown my many, many sorrows. You wanna come Sazuka?"
"As appalled of you as I usually am, I must say that you do have quite the unique sense of humor, Vash. Very well, I will follow your lead." Sazuka followed Vash and the two walked away.
"DON'T WAIT UP FOR US YOU TWO!"
"Who's waiting?" Guyver asked angrily, annoyed at the lack of respect he seems to get from his teammates.
"Well, alone at last." Allenbee looked up longingly at Guyver, not having enough alone time with him since the beginning of their adventures and the subsequent revelation of their somewhat feelings for one another. "You want to get something to eat, since we missed breakfast and all."
"I guess. Although it'll be more for you then me, I don't need to eat in the suit."
"Well then you'll just have to keep me company while I do!" The two began walking down the sidewalk. Guyver would get a glance or two from the crowd of people who were walking in the city, but the city was more then accustomed to weird people and events taking place. The large Capsule Corporation produced more weird occurences then one could shake a stick at, so the inhabitants of the city took everything in stride. "Well, it's certainly nice to be in a place not overrun by vampires or killer angels."
"Yeah. It's been a long time since I've seen a place that isn't strewn with dead bodies."
"Oh Shin, I'm so sorry. This must be horrible for you."
"I'm kind of becoming desensatized to the whole thing. I don't know whether that's good or bad." Guyver sighed and Allenbee gave him a big hug to try and make him feel better.
"Things will get better."
"I know, its just that, ever since I became the Guyver I...." To Guyver and Allenbee's suprise, the armor wrapped around Guyver's body began disappearing, folding into his body. Underneath all the armor, stood Shin, a young man who couldn't remember the last time he had felt the sun without his armor on. "Oh....God."
"Your....Your armor...."
"IT'S GONE!" Shin looked down at his human body, wearing the exact same clothes he was wearing when the armor had first begun to take over his body and no longer had allowed him to change back into his human form. The armor had kept his body in excellent condition while it took control, even making it so that his hair was the same length throughout the long period. Allenbee looked on, astonished.
"I thought....I thought you couldn't get the armor off? I mean, I knew you could pull a piece or two off with a lot of concentration, but THIS! This is great!"
"I can't believe it....It's been....It's been so long. How has this happened?" Shin poked at his skin, looking for any causes as to why the armor had left him. "This is just....unbelievable! I'M FREE! I'M FREE FROM THE ARMOR!"
"But...you're still going to need it. I mean, this reality may be all right but that doesn't mean that the next reality we sent to will be the same. We may need the Guyver for these dangerous missions we get sent on." Allenbee looked into Shin's eyes as he became disheartened at the fact that he would have to use the armor again. He made both his hands into a fist and slammed them to the ground.
"DAMN! EVEN WHEN I MANAGE TO GET IT OFF, I STILL NEED THE BLASTED THING!" Shin became more and more angry as he slammed his fists rapidly into the ground. "I'LL NEVER BE FREE OF IT!"
"Hey...Hey come on now." Allenbee put her hands on Shin's face as tears began to trickle down his cheeks. "I know I can't begin to know how you feel with this, but you've been given the power to help people with this thing. If you can start thinking of the 'Guyver' as more of a gift, and less of a curse, then maybe it won't seem so bad."
"The only woman I ever loved died because of this thing inside me, because of the war this thing brought to Chronos. I will never look at it as more then a curse. But, its a curse we need to live....Damn."
"You can blame yourself until the end of time, but that won't make anything better, believe me. You need to move on, Lord knows I did. The rage, the anger, the fear, the sadness will do nothing but consume you after awhile. Maybe, together, we can make sure it doesn't swallow you whole." Allenbee stretched out her hand to Shin, and reluctantly at first, Shin put his hand on hers.
Meanwhile on the other side of town.....
"FREEZE! THIS IS A STICK UP!" Ryoko blared into the crowded bank, firing energy bursts into the ceiling. "PUT ALL THE MONEY IN A BAG CAUSE I GOT PLACES TO BE!"
Ryoko began walking through the terrified bank customers, all of them cringing and fearing for their lives. Ryoko shuddered for a second, and seemed disgusted with herself and the actions she was taking to get the group some much needed spending money. Had she changed so much, she began thinking to herself, that she was not able to take pleasure in her former profession of being a universe renowned Space Pirate. Had Tenchi and her new group changed her character so much that she now began to think of other people moreso then she had before.
"Impossible." She began thinking to herself, a frown growing on her face. She began patting on the large urn that held the Tenchi that was part of her group as if she were talking to it. "I couldn't have changed that much, could I? Have I really changed so much?"
"Please....Ms....There's no need to kill anyone, we'll do what you say." The terrified bank manager said as Ryoko approached the front counter. Ryoko sighed and slammed her hand on the desk, tilting her head to the side.
"Listen, you don't....HAVE....to give me ALL the money. Just give me about 1000 dollars and I'll be fine. My friends and I just need that to hold ourselves over for about a week. Don't worry, I won't hurt anyone."
"Thank goodness." The bank managerlet out a sigh of relief, the fear washing away from him.
"But listen, I'll blow up your car or something if you don't fork over the thousand bucks." Ryoko smiled and formed a small energy ball in her hand.
"Ye...YES MA'AM!" The bank manager rushed and handed Ryoko a wad of bills, strung together with a money clip.
"Thanks so much. I'll....I'll pay it back someday...Promise!" Ryoko smiled softly and winked as she began floating away. Ryoko felt that she truly had changed, with the help of Tenchi, her friends back home, and the group she was stuck with in this reality hopping endeavor. Perhaps things would be better for her now.
"ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY FREEZE!" The doors to the bank flung open as Ryoko flew back from the explosion that followed. A man with long black hair and scars all over his face stepped into the bank, energy flowing through his body. He smiled as he pushed his hair back out of his eyes. "The name's Yamcha, pirate of the desert! Cooperate, and you'll all keep your lives. You don't and well, you know how it goes."
Meanwhile on the outskirts of town, in a dark, shady bar......
"WOOOO! PARTY!" Vash cried out as he chugged beer after beer, his face becoming bright red from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. "I's gots to tells ya, I'm likins what I'm seeins."
"Please refrain from looking at me in such a vile manner, Vash, it is offsetting." Sazuka tried to not touch anything in the disgusting bar as she sat on a tall stool next to the bar. She held her feet far above the ground, in fear that she would contract some kind of disease merely from making contact with her surroundings.
"Oh come on, you gonna sit thereeee like a ssstick in the mud! Enjoy Life! Take a drink! Live it up! GO THE EXTRA MILE! FREE THE ANIMAL WITHIN! YOU GOTTA.....Ohgodi'mgonnathrowup." Vash jumped off his stool and comically held his mouth closed with both his hands as he knocked everyone in his path down in his mad rush to the bathroom.
"Ummmm....Is your friend all right, mentally?" The bartender asked, washing dishes behind the counter.
"Sometimes I wonder." Just as fast as Vash had left, he sprinted back to his spot and sat down.
"YO BARKEEP! GIMME SOME MORE GROG!" Vash yelled at the top of his lungs.
"You are going to continue drinking?" Sazuka asked.
"Hey, I may die during the next mission, I gotta take this week as possibly the last week of my life."
"So that constitutes drinking more then humanely possible in a given time."
"You bethca...." Vash smiled as the bartender laid down another beer in front of him. He raised the beer to his lips, then noticing Sazuka's uneasiness, placed it back on the counter. "You know, I wanted to take this time to learn more about you, not just have the super Vash happy hour in order to get you to smile, which by the way, is not working."
"All that was merely your attempt to make me laugh?"
"You coulda humored me and cracked a smile you know. I'm constantly reusing material with you people, I can never think up any new stuff with our hectic lifestyles."
"Sorry, I haven't laughed...in a long time." Sazuka leaned back on her stool and felt her sword at her side, pulling her hood farther up over her face.
"You want to talk about it? Its always good to get these things off your chest, or at least that's what all the femininas keep telling me."
Sazuka sighed.
"I believe I will. Perhaps by letting you know more about me, it will create a better team dynamic."
"Jeez, way to be a party pooper and bring team dynamics into the equation." Vash smiled and put his hands under his chin, adamantly listening to Sazuka.
"I lost my family when I was very young. They were killed by space piratesIn order to coope with the loss, I shut myself away from the world, buried my emotions in order to never feel such pain again. Becoming an assasin only seemed like the natural path for me. I could run farther from my emotions, make a good deal of money, and enter the underworld circle in order to get revenge on those who killed my family. However, I was able to come into contact with a group of travelers, the Outlaw Star was what we ended up calling ourselves and our ship."
"Catchy." Vash smiled sympathetically.
"I traveled with them for many months, we grew with one another. The point of our quest was to find the Galactic Leyline, a prize that would allow anyone their heart's desire."
"Wow. So I take it you found it."
"Yes, I was the one to come upon the Leyline in our struggle against the pirates. My heart's desire was granted and I began taking apart the pirate guild that had killed my family piece by piece. However, I did so in such a brutal fashion that my friends decided that I was too unstable for the group. They turned their back on me and I continued my work of being an assasin."
"That's terrible."
"I have ceased to care. I have learned that my emotions are merely an obstacle, getting in my way at every turn. A hindrance, nothing more."
"God....What a horrible life." A tear ran down Vash's face as Sazuka looked up at him. "Without emotions, what's the point of living, Sazuka? What's the point of anything? Granted, you can always get hurt by emotions, but merely to get rid of them the way you did, that's the worst pain of all."
"You are...." Sazuka noticed Vash's tears and raised her hand to his face, wiping them off with her thumb. "You are quite wise. You're goofy exterior hides a sagely inner strength."
"I've heard that before. Listen Sazuka, no matter what you do on this trip, you need to know that we'll all be here for you. We're all in this ship together and if it goes down, we all go down. I'll look after you and I promise, I'll never abandon you." Vash looked deeply into Sazuka's eyes, and for the first time in a long time, Sazuka smiled.
"Thank you Vash. I..." Before Sazuka could finish her sentence, she felt a tug on her coat.
"Excuse me lady?" A small boy stood next to Sazuka, pulling anxiously on her robe with a happy look on his face. His black hair stood up to the sky, and he wore a blue martial arts jump suit. On his back, a large staff, almost bigger then him, was tied down and a tail wagged from side to side coming out of his lower back. "My name's Goku, you haven't seen a Dragonball around here have you?"
End Chapter 9
Next Chapter: Why has Guyver's armor dissappeared? What will happen between Yamcha and Ryoko in the frantic bank? How will Vash and Sazuka react to the notion of Dragonballs? How will the Exiles spend the rest of their week off?
Read here next time to find out.
