Disclaimer: Trigun is sadly enough not mine, or there would have been way more episodes!

Chapter 13: Vash's POV
When Knives finally manages to pull himself together, the two of them return to their room to get dressed. Since their armor suits need washed, both brothers dress in regular clothes, though not the clothes they had warn the night before. With a quick frown, Vash realizes that past the outfits their putting on right now, he has no other clothes for them to wear. Well, dang it, that will have to be fixed. Shaking his head, he joins his waiting brother to go to the kitchen.

I hope this goes somewhat smoothly, he hears Knives comment as they step into the kitchen. I have a feel that there might be problems with the temperamental one.

He had no sooner commented then Meryl had stepped in front of him and socked him in the nose right before giving him a quick hug and then turning to do the same to Vash. Milly is sitting at the table starts giggling, though she is trying to hide it behind her hand.

Well that's not what I was expecting.

"Sit down, it's time to eat." Meryl tells them as she puts the last of the food on the table.

Still giggling, Milly comments, "Gezz Mis...Meryl your funny, I thought it was only my sister Ana who would slug then hug someone."

Shrugging Meryl takes her seat before glancing at the two brothers. Vash has a feeling that she is not considering a repeat but he is not exactly sure what that was about either. The only thing he can think is it is in regards to something their sisters had shown her the night before, which he has not a clue what Merra had said to her while he and Knives were healing.

Curious, he tries giving her the innocent look but she just points at the chair and scowls. Ducking his head he sits down, slowly, keeping an eye on her he watches as Knives does the same. Milly is still trying not to giggle.

I don't get girls, he thinks, why did she smack and hug us? That doesn't make any sense. None whatsoever. What did we do? We were sleeping, unless it really was from something from last night? What could the girls have shown her to make her react like that?

"Don't worry Mr. Vash, Mr. Knives, I think she's done hitting people for the moment." Milly comments as she makes herself a plate.

Both brothers glance at each other before glance back at her and chuckling. Meryl just focuses on the food, ignoring them. While Milly seems to get lost in her own mind, of course from the last couple of years knowing the girls he also knew that Milly was not big for talking before breakfast. Knives was quietly eating, though he keeps flickering his glance between everyone at the table.

What an awkward breakfast, he thought.

Milly's POV
She had been up far too early for her tastes, and without coffee to make it worse. However after the revelations of the previous night, and how Meryl had been feeling this morning it seemed important to be upbeat. She would make an appointment with the doctor after breakfast, find out if Yali had been correct. If she was right, then she was going to have to deal with the situation.

There was no way that she would not keep the little one, but she wasn't sure what she was going to do. She was pretty certain though that she would stick with Miss Meryl, particularly since Miss Meryl seems so determine to be there for her if it is needed. Besides, she really does not want to return to the family home at this point, she is enjoying living on her mostly own. Plus if she hasn't misread the dance Mr. Vash and Miss…Meryl, she really would have to get used to calling her Meryl, if she hadn't misread the dance those two were doing, there was possibly going to be a third adult member to their group. And if that happened, it actually would be both brothers, she was pretty sure.

Not that she was bothered by the idea, it was actually a pretty fun idea, particularly as she watches the pair dance around each other like children with their first crush. Amusing as daylights and fun to watch. Yeah, she thinks, I definitely need to stick around.

By the time she finishes her second cup of coffee and has eaten her first plate of food she is slightly amazed at the silence surrounding the table. It's full of energy but she really cannot determine the type of energy. She knows that most people see her as slow. She prefers just to think of herself as different, particularly since she is a rather exact person. If you say something to her she takes it literal. Always has, probably always will.

Meryl's POV
Guys are annoying, after the revelations of the previous night and the conversation with Meryl she had been feeling a tad bit frustrated. Then when both brothers came walking in far calmer than she felt, her temper snapped and she slugged both of them. However the buzzing voice in her head urged her to apologize thus she ended up hugging both of them. How odd.

Afterwards she had directed them to eat, focusing on the voice in her head and trying to figure out who it was. Since it was neither of the ladies she had met the previous night nor was it Knives from the tone, she really was at a loss to understand who it was. Throughout breakfast the chatter continues but she is still unable to figure out where it is from. Milly and inquires, "Can you make sure this gets cleaned up? I'm going to lay back down."

Milly nods and she leaves the room without saying anything else, maybe a nap will make her feel better.

Knives POV
What in the hell is going on here? I was expecting some sort of issue however I was not expecting to have a fist slammed into my face nor a hug right afterwards. He thinks to himself, remember the last time someone had hugged him besides Vash had been Rem before the Fall. Oh that had been right before he had found Tesla, right before things had changed for him. Maybe it is not the best thing to think about when trying to think of why a spider would do something odd. Amazingly enough, the memory of her did not bring the sorrow it had once invoked, the rage seemed to be gone as well. Though as he turned his thoughts to her, he could again feel the presence and that's when realization hit.

Did, "did Tala say anything about the effects on her mind?" he had begun with telepathy but decided it might be best to use his mostly disused voice out of politeness.

For a moment Vash thinks about it before replying, "She said the connection was hard on her, but that now that the paths are formed they would be easier in the future."

Well that sure as hell doesn't answer the question, he thinks to himself. Hmmm, what else could cause the shift that we are seeing? What was that small flare of power that I felt right before the odd hug? Perhaps I can inquire of one of our sisters, only they were resting, the guard sister maybe. Intentionally focusing on negative thoughts, he felt the presence from early form in the back of his mind. As soon as it did, he sent a general greeting wave and question, Hello watcher, why is the temperamental spider acting weird?

For a moment he is not sure that the one in question is going to answer, then suddenly a flare of power flows through him with the reply, I cannot tell you without Seeing her. In as much as she is not part of the hive, I cannot see her. The voice is soft like Tala's only it has a different type of edge to it. Falling silent for a moment, he can feel her considering the situation. Touch her face, preferable the temples, then relinquish control to me.

Alright, he replies, thinking to himself, I am going to get hit again. For such a short person she packs a hard punch. "Vash, do you hear the female that speaking with me?" he inquires looking at his brother and actively not looking at the blue-eyed spider.

Vash shakes his head, replying, "Mind-speech is not one of my strong suits, they have to start the connection for the most part, not me. You're the exception to that rule."

Knives nods once, rubbing the back of his head for a moment, "Um, well one of our sisters, I am sure it's one of them, has told me to touch her and then relinquish control. Keep her from hitting me please? I really don't feel like being hit again."

Vash nods, standing up, "Alright, let's go see if she's still awake." Turning his attention to the blue-eyed spider his brother continues, "alright with you tall girl?"

She nods, glancing between them and heads over to the bedroom, a moment later both girls walk out of the bedroom. That was not what he was expecting. The temperamental one is giving him a scowl but her focus seems to be mostly inwards.

Shamelessly, he turns his telepathy and thought-hearing ability towards her and can hear something buzzing in her though he cannot figure out what it is. Narrowing his eyes he wonders when he decided to help the spiders. Well maybe just these two, they seem more plant-like than spider-like. Start small, he tell himself, build up to dealing with larger groups without killing them.

You really need stop thinking of them as purely predators, you're a bigger predator than most of their race. They are foolish, like children who are not listening, much like you spent the last one-hundred and some years doing. The female voice within his head informs him.

Meryl face changes as a look of confusion crosses it, focusing in purely on Knives. Her focus makes him nervous as he steps directly in front of her.

Any particular way? He inquires.

Finger tips, temple, pick one, comes the caustic reply.

Okay then, he answers before raising a questioning eyebrow at the temperamental one.

She gives him a funny look but nods once her eyes never losing sight of his face. It is rather odd he thinks as his left hand comes to rest against the side of her face, finger tips against her temple. Before another thought can cross his mind he finds it under the direct control of someone else for a moment before the force lets him loose. As soon as he feels the power withtract he drops his hand back to his side.

It's a few tense minutes before the females voice returns, She has earth-sense now. Full force, full blown, connecting her to the planet. She can probably hear it speaking but as a human cannot understand it. In time that understanding will come, it just takes practice. Now stop thinking of stupid things that wake me up, I prefer to be asleep. And when he asks who was visiting tell him to behave as well, he might not be part of the hive but I can find him just as easily if I need to. With that the voice is gone and the connection broken.

Sitting down, he glances between the other three still slightly shocked by the lecture he had received. "I'm supposed to tell you to behave, that even though you are not part of the hive she can still find you." he relays to his twin.

Vash looks at him curiously for a minute before a smile splits his face, "Sounds kind of like Tala but different? Harsher?"

He nods, watching as Vash figures out who it is. "Then its Kikyo, she's one of the elders, maybe the oldest plant on the planet. I don't actually know where she physically is, I just know that she is the primary guardian of the connection between all plants."

Knives shrugs from where he is sitting, "Well she said that temperamental spider now has the earth-sense in full force, and what she is hearing is the planet."

"Earth sense?" she repeats.

Again he shrugs, "Not one of my gifts so I couldn't tell you anything about it."

"Meryl," the temperamental spider eventually says, "my is names Meryl, or short girl as he's always calling me, I don't like spiders." Her hand had waved towards Vash as she said that bit.

He nods, certain that he really does not want to call her by name, but knowing that eventually he will.

"So where does one learn about 'earth-sense'?" she finally inquires.

He shrugs as Vash replies, "Probably Tala, she would know who to talk with, but she sleeps during the day so we'd have to ask at night."

The temperamental spider, Meryl, nods before mumbling something about sleeping and wandering off. Milly gets to work on the dishes now that it looks like the troubles have passed. Leaving the two brothers to look at each other in amusement.

Well then, he tells Vash with a mental chuckles.

Vash just nods, taking the seat across from him.