DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow. Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo.

One Cat Leads to Another

The idea had first come to Wolfwood in New Oregon, when Vash had abandoned their meal to go butt in to more things that were none of his business.

The priest initially dismissed the idea, but as he thought about it over time, it made more and more sense to him. Nobody other than Vash knew the full extent of the Humanoid Typhoon's powers, after all.

It gnawed at his subconscious. Then ate at his full conscious mind. Finally, Wolfwood decided the only way he would get any peace in this matter would be to confront Vash directly. One day, while drinking at the saloon of the town they were stopped in, he decided to do exactly that. He abandoned his current shot of whiskey…only to step back to it and drain it. Waste not, want not. Then he went to confront Vash, who was just a few tables away drinking beer and striking out with the saloon girls, on this matter of vital importance.

Wolfwood slammed his hands down on Vash's table. Vash, in return, looked placidly at the priest. "Yes?"

"Answer me truthfully!" Wolfwood snapped. "Are you or are you not a cat?"

Vash blinked. "What the hell kind of question is that?"

"Don't screw with me, spikey! If you're not a cat, then tell me why I've never seen you in the same room as a cat!"

Just then, a black cat hopped up in the chair next to Vash, and from there onto the table. It sniffed Vash's beer and experimentally took a taste.

"Hi, fella!" Vash exclaimed with a bright smile. "Where'd you come from, huh?" He looked back at Wolfwood. "Now what's this business about me and cats?"

Wolfwood's expression had lost its fire. "Er…nothing. Never mind." Slackjawed and scratching his head, he returned to his seat at the bar and signaled for another whiskey to make everything better.

Vash petted the cat, which arched its back a bit and purred before jumping down from the table and heading out. The blond gunman lingered a few minutes more before laying some bills next to his bill and leaving as well.

He returned to his hotel room. Locking the door behind him, he went and sat on his bed next to the black cat from the saloon.

"That was close," Vash said with a wipe of his brow. "You really saved my butt on that one, I thought Wolfwood might actually have me. Thanks, Yoruichi."

"No worry, Vash," the cat responded in a deep male voice. "I've been waiting for a chance to repay you for helping me train Ichigo. But speaking of him, the furs on the back of my neck are tingling. I think I should go check on how he's doing. You never know what trouble that boy's gotten himself into. Kind of like you, actually."

Vash grinned. "Sure thing. Tell Ichigo I said hi. Hell, bring him here some time, I wouldn't mind a rematch."

"Don't you think one hole in a moon is enough?" the cat named Yoruichi retorted.

"Good point. We'll do it back on your turf."

"We'll see. I know he'd like to see you again as well, but the two of you around each other is like trouble in stereo. You even start to sound alike to me. At any rate, I'll drop in again when I can. Goodbye for now."

"Bye, Yoruichi."

There was a bright flash as Yoruichi the cat disappeared into the multiversal portal it summoned.

Vash smiled to himself, but before his mind could wander too far, his stomach rumbled. Time for a snack. He closed his eyes and breathed deep…

His clothes collapsed around him. From the pile emerged a black cat that looked not terribly different from Yoruichi.

Vash the cat stretched and smiled to himself, thinking of how Wolfwood's head would explode if the priest were in the room right now. Then he gracefully leaped out the window on the hunt. eagerly following the scent of salmon sandwiches. Tally-ho!