I do not own Trigun / Vash or Rem: they belong to Mr. Yasuhiro Nightow.

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Remembrance

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Year 0220 month 4 day 23

Shyla stood by as they began the process of waking Rem from cryo sleep. She had persuaded them to let her take Rem home, and speak with her there about what had happened.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, which they expected and thought they understood. However, they were mistaken. Her tears were not of sorrow, but of joy.

His plan seemed to be working. The plan should set him free from the need to avoid this village that he called "home" simply to protect them from dangers that might be pursuing him. It should free him from being hunted. It should allow him to live as he wished, instead of being driven by necessity.

If he found that he wanted to travel, she had no objection. What ever made him happiest was fine with her, though she missed him when he was away. The thing that she particularly disliked was the way he often seemed to want to stay, but felt obligated to leave. With that burden of obligation lifted, perhaps he could finally enjoy himself whether he stayed or journeyed.

She waited patiently while the procedures were checked and rechecked. She waited for Rem's body to thaw out, and for her eyelids to flutter open. She smiled back when Rem smiled at her.

She watched as the cryo medics ran their routine of after-waking checks.

"Is Vash coming again?" Rem asked. Suddenly, the solemn expressions on the faces surrounding her registered. She sat up. "Is something wrong?"

"Let's go home," Shyla said, deftly slipping her arm around the shorter woman's shoulders and encouraging her out of the waking room's door. "We can talk there."

Rem was still a bit sleepy, but she trusted Shyla enough to permit her to lead her to the small house they shared with Vash... when he was in town. Shyla firmly shut the door behind them, but left the curtains over the window slightly open. She knew they would be watched, so she needed to make sure the watchers saw what they expected.

She gestured to a comfortable chair, and Rem sat in it looking troubled. She knelt by the lady's feet, and took her hands.

"Listen to me very closely," she said softly. "We're being watched, so we must do this well. Vash is fine, he's alive. However, a body was recently found wearing his coat. The main Sheriffs' office has officially claimed that Vash was killed, and awarded the bounty. We must be seen to mourn him. It is the only way he can be free."

Rem's eyes widened, and she leaned forward. "He's faked his own death?" she whispered.

"Yes," Shyla said. "I would imagine he found a body that resembled himself enough for his coat to fit, and circumstances proceeded from there."

"Watched... by whom?" Rem asked.

"Everyone," Shyla answered. "Villagers, tourists, travelers that wandered off course and found themselves here... I don't think Vash wants the bulk of the village to know just yet. I'd imagine he's sending a letter."

Rem's face twitched, and then she screamed. She bent over and grabbed Shyla's shoulders, and wept.

"Thank you," Shyla said. She wept also, though from joy and relief instead of sorrow.

"You're sure he's all right?" Rem asked softly between loud sobs.

"You know how Plants can share strong emotion over any distance?" Shyla said.

"Yes."

"He's been sharing."

"Thank God," Rem said softly.

After a while, it seemed that Shyla suddenly realized the curtains and window were open, and went over with a tear-streaked face to close both.

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Year 0220 month 5 day 8

Seeds village was not awarded the body for burial. It was believed better for the grave of the Humanoid Typhoon to be somewhere more prominent and centrally located. However, their request for his coat and earring was granted.

The plan was to hold a memorial celebration for Vash after receiving those two of his possessions.

Shyla had asked that she and Rem be present when those two tokens were received. This was agreed. She also arranged a private conference with Rem and Lumia.

Chief Physician Lumia was the one person who would be responsible to state definitively whether the medical records of the corpse matched Vash's... or not.

A careful purge had followed, removing all of Vash's personal medical data from the computers and the generally-accessible files. His information remained on hard copies, but those were all carefully hidden away.

New files were created, designed to match what was learned about the corpse that wore Vash's coat. These were consulted when examiners came from Sheriff Central, and satisfied their concerns.

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Year 0220 month 5 day 19

The day came when the package containing Vash's coat and earring would be delivered. All of Seeds village's Council members were gathered into a moderately-sized conference room.

A messenger came, wearing the insignia of Sheriff Central. He stayed to watch and report results.

Lumia, who was also a Council member in addition to being the Seeds Village's senior physician, began to open the package. She handled the package with such tender respect that it almost amounted to reverence.

Seeing Vash's belongings treated with such honor made it easy for Shyla to cry as might be expected if he truly had died. Lumia's respect wasn't surprising, though. Shyla knew and understood completely why her friend, Luida's eldest daughter, would be chosen for the task... and why she would treat anything to do with Vash with the greatest respect.

Vash's coat was immediately recognized by everyone. The earring, however... Shyla quickly snatched it. She concealed it in her hand before anyone else could get a good look at it, and thereafter kept her fist tightly clenched.

She clutched it to her heart, crying. Vash had never worn it, but he may have touched it. Even if he hadn't, he'd been near it recently. That was enough to make it precious to her.

Everyone gravely agreed that there was no doubt. An expert tailor had been brought in, and he verified that the coat was a Seeds design. That was indeed Vash's own red coat, spread on the table in front of them.

"And the earring, too?" the messenger asked.

Shyla was still crying, hard enough to excuse her not saying a word. She nodded, while silently asking God's forgiveness for the lie. She hoped God would understand that she did it to save lives. Hopefully one of the lives saved would be Vash's.

The messenger raised an eyebrow, as if uncertain.

"She lived next door to Vash when she was a young child, at one of the places he lived in hiding," a Council member told the messenger. "She would know the earring, as well or better than any of the rest of us."

The messenger was satisfied, and left. Lumia quietly closed the door behind him.

Rem came beside Shyla and hugged her. Lumia came to Shyla's other side, and put an arm around her shoulders. Both Rem's and Lumia's tears continually flowed down their faces, but they weren't racked with sobs the way Shyla was.

Shyla tried to contain her sobs, but she'd gotten herself going and it was difficult to stop.

"We should put his earring with his coat," one of the councilmen suggested. "They should both be hung in a glass case somewhere, to honor his memory."

Shyla shook her head, still struggling to stop crying.

"Dear child," one of the women said gently, "keeping the earring won't bring him back."

Rem hugged her more tightly for a moment, and then she began to speak.

"I must swear you all to secrecy," she said. "Shyla likely has good cause for what she's doing, and will explain as soon as she can calm herself a little more."

"Secrecy?" several muttered. "Why would anything about Vash need to be kept a secret, now? Isn't it a little late for us to do anything to help him?"

Shyla opened her hand, and showed the false earring to Rem and Lumia. She saw Lumia's immediate understanding, though comprehension was also beginning to appear in Rem's face and eyes.

"He must still be wearing it, then," Lumia said, sounding pleased. "Oh, that is good news!"

The other Council members looked at Lumia as if she were speaking a language they did not understand. The room was abruptly entirely silent and still.

"He wants the world to believe he has died," Rem said softly. "Please, continue to behave as if both coat and earring were authentic."

"Are you saying..." one of the men began.

"Vash is alive," Rem said. "That could change, if he must keep running from bounty hunters and lawmen alike. Sooner or later, something terrible could happen to him."

"Why did you not tell us sooner?"

"He wants it kept a secret," Rem said. "Shyla says to expect a letter soon."

"He will probably maintain radio silence for a few years, and not visit during that time," Lumia said. "Too many outsiders have learned that he calls this place home."

"Are you saying we should go through with the memorial service, even though he's not dead? It would be a mere charade!"

"Would you have him hunted and hounded until someone truly succeeds in killing him?" Lumia's voice was so intense that the protesting speaker took a step backward.

"No," came the chastened reply.

"Please," Rem said, "Do all as you would if he were truly dead. Hold in your hearts the secret of his survival. Honor him, and honor his wish. Let him live quietly, until he can safely come to live here in peace."

"Is not a memorial service designed to celebrate the life of the departed one we miss?" Lumia said. "Must we wait to honor him until his departure is death, and not merely distance?"

The various Council members looked at one another, and at Lumia. Slowly, almost reluctantly, they began to nod.

"We will honor his wish," the lead Councilman said with finality.

"Please tell as few as possible," Rem asked, with quiet respect evident in her voice. "There's less opportunity for a stray word to betray him if only a very few know."

"Of course," the man replied. "Let's get on with it, then."

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Year 0220 month 5 day 24

The service was beautiful. The entire village turned out to honor Vash's memory. A memorial stone was carved and set in a prominent place. His red coat was hung in a glass case just inside the entrance to the ship. The false earring was quietly put away.

Reporters and curious tourists had swelled the ranks of the crowd. Several news cameras were unashamedly scanning the faces in the crowd.

Before the day came, Shyla had hoped Vash might try blending into the crowd, to smuggle himself into town for a visit. Now she hoped he was anywhere else but here.

If one of those cameras saw his face... she quieted herself within, and sensed the direction and distance of his presence. Relief flooded through her as she detected that he was some distance away. Weeks, at least, would be required for him to arrive even if he traveled in a straight line to reach them.

Vash was in no danger from these cameras, at least. That was a blessing.

What remained highly uncomfortable was the prominent place that she and Rem held in the memorial service. She had successfully avoided any need to speak, but Rem would be speaking and Shyla would be staying nearby to support her and show everyone that she mourned Vash's passing.

Councilwoman Lumia, along with her sister Larissa, was also deeply involved in the procedures.

It was a long, trying day under the blazing suns. They got through it, even though Rem began crying as she spoke her part. It was a blessed relief to get home, away from all the crowds, cameras, and sympathetic or staring faces.

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"Thank God that's over," Shyla said fervently.

"Amen," Rem said, and then she chuckled. "It did make for a long day," she agreed. "Mind if I sleep here tonight, normally, and return to cryo sometime tomorrow?"

"You're always welcome here," Shyla said. "Surely you know that by now?"

Rem smiled. "Yes, I know it," she said. "In fact, I think I'll stay awake long enough to deal with the bulk of the mourners and well-wishers, so you needn't face them all alone. Then I'll rest until we can see our Vash again."

"That sounds like a good plan," Shyla agreed.

In her heart, she felt it might be a much longer wait than she wanted, before she would be able to see Vash again. However, that was less important than knowing he was free. Precautions should still be taken, of course. Yet, hereafter, he would be free. That's what was most important.

Comforted by that thought, she wished Rem a good night, and went into her own room to rest. She would dream of Vash's return.

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... continued in "Vash, Vindicated"

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Author's note: Much to my surprise, several stories sprang from the idea of this OC young Plant girl who becomes Vash's friend and grows up in the Seeds village.

Every story involving Shyla should be able to stand alone (at least, I really tried my best to make each one readable all by itself… and still work). However, if the "VQL" stories are read in chronological sequence, they also form a larger story.

There is a chronological list of titles in my profile, with links to the few that were written by another author.

Enjoy! :)