I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORYLINE AND CHARACTERS YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE MANGA/ANIME!

Chapter Thirteen

Vash the Stampede

"Thank you for letting me use your shower."

"Don't worry about it," Alexander told her. "I know all about your companion taking the shower first."

Alexia shot her brother a look before glancing at Kyri again. "I'm glad to see that you and Vash are back to normal. I was worried there for a minute."

"There was never anything wrong with us," Kyri answered as she placed her towel over her arm. "I was just being a child and was sitting there, wallowing in my own self-pity."

"Well, at least you admit it," Alexander smiled. "It makes you better than most of us." He watched as she moved towards the door. "Have a good night."

"You as well."

As the door shut, Alexia hung her head. "Did you see all her scars?"

"It was hard not to; no wonder she wears a jacket all the time." Her brother gave a sigh. "And if she had some that bad it only makes me wonder how bad Vash's are."

"Finally done, are you?"

Pulling his gaze up, Vash found Kyri sitting there on his bed, drying her wet hair. He gave a small grin. "Yeah, sorry about that." He began drying his own. "Did you use the twins' room?"

"Of course," She snorted. "You didn't think that I was going to use the other one, did you?"

"No," He admitted. "I didn't think that you would." Giving a sigh, Vash took a seat on the bed beside her. "We've never going to get away from this, are we?"

"I suppose not," Kyri answered him. "Not as long as we go by the names Vash and Kyri. Not as long as they know that we're still alive."

"Well," He began. "When you want to fake your death, just let me know. It's the least I can do for you."

Kyri stayed silent before standing up in front of him. "Vash?"

He looked up at her. "Yes?"

Lifting her hand, she traced the scar of the right side of his chest. "Where did you get this?"

"During the Juneora Rock incident."

"How about this one?"

"In December."

"And this one?"

He closed his eyes and remembered the events. "During the events in July."

"You got everyone of these scars protecting me, Vash. What kind of person would I be if I willingly left you to continue on this path on your own? I'm not going to leave you, Vash. You're stuck with me, no matter how hard you want to leave me."

Vash reached up and grabbed her hand, a soft smile on his face. "I have no problem with that," He told her. "If you want to stay, then stay. I will continue to protect you."

"I'm not a child anymore, Vash. I can protect myself. And you. Babying me is just going to make me mad."

"But I like babying you," He teased.

"I know you do, and that just makes it worse," She chuckled. She paused for a moment, taking in the sight of his metal arm as it clutched to her hand. The cold steel made her heart ache. She remembered when he had received that. If she had been faster, stronger then…

"Do you want something to eat?" Vash asked her.

Pulling herself from her thought, Kyri shook her head. "No, I'm all right. Just tired." She backed away from him, letting go of his hand but she ended up backing into a chair and knocking it over as she fell. Vash gave a cry and jumped to his feet.

"Are you all right?" Vash asked as he helped her up.

"Yeah, just a stupid chair." She sighed, setting it back up. She opened her mouth to say something else but the door opened up as Milly and Meryl entered, asking Vash if he was okay. They both froze at the sight of his scars. Things were silent for a moment before Vash, to break it, backed away in embarrassment, giving off an 'eek'. Kyri tossed her head back with a laugh as the strange atmosphere returned to normal.

Minutes later, after Vash popped open a beer, Meryl began to speak. "So those scars are the price you paid for dealing with your opponents without killing them?"

"It's not exactly something I like girls to see." Vash sighed. "I think many of them would run away."

"What about you, Miss Kyri?" Milly asked.

"You mean do I have some?" Kyri closed her eyes for a moment before lifting her shirt. Against her abdomen was a nasty one. She gritted her teeth, remembering the day that her sister had given it to her. "A few."

"Um," Meryl struggled to find the right words. "I've been meaning so ask…the two of you haven't done anything wrong and yet these things keep happening to you…the townspeople look at you with contempt…doesn't that bother you? How can you go on living this way? It seems so awful."

~Vash may not have done anything but that same cannot be said for me,~ Kyri sighed to herself. ~These scars I can can nowhere near amount to atone for the things I've done...~

"I can't." Vash's voice was harsh. "I can't do that. I haven't buried my past. Our past," He glanced at the woman beside him. "How can we live in peace with that hanging over us?"

"So, you have been together for a long time," Milly looked at them with a small smile.

Kyri gave a nod. "Since we were kids." She admitted.

"That long?" Milly sounded shocked. "How old are you?"

Vash gave a small smile, trying to hide the anger that had been on his face and in his voice just moments before. "I don't think you'd believe us even if we told you."

"And so off to another city, right?"

Vash paused and looked back at Alexia. He and Kyri had been moving down the street, their bags on their backs. Alexander was back with Milly and Meryl but his sister had moved forward to join them. They tried to ignore the glares and looks they received from what was left of the people here.

"I told you that it would be a good idea for you to forget about us and go off on your own path again," Kyri told the other woman. "Things are only going to get worse from here."

"I know," Alexia nodded. "And I also believe you when you say that it's going to get worse, but I don't like the thought of you and Vash having to do this all on your own."

"Why care?" Vash asked her.

"Because all my life I have heard that the Humanoid Typhoon is a killing machine but all he has done since I met him is prove to me over and over that he is anything but; his companion included. You both have done nothing but try and save the lives of others. I want to help." She told them. "Besides, as long as Milly is following you, Alexander will make us come along to, so why try to argue?"

Kyri and Vash exchanged a look before the man gave a sigh and continued to move on. Kyri gave a chuckle. "That's a 'do what you want'." She told her as she moved after the blond.

"Sweet!" Alexia smiled happily, skipping her step up to match theirs. "Hey, do you guys think that we'll run into Nicholas again soon?"

"Wolfwood?" Vash raised a brow.

"You really like him." Kyri commented.

"No," Alexia flushed. "He just owes me that lunch, remember? That's all."

"Sure it is."

"Come on, Kyri! Don't tease me like my brother does!"

"It's hard not to."

"Aww, not you too, Vash!" Alexia hung her head. "All you guys suck."

"Are you leaving?" Stopping their laughter, they turned to see that the Sheriff was standing by the gate, waiting on them. His head was bandaged from his encounter with Monev the night before.

Vash scratched the back of his head with a smile. "Thanks for letting me go like this."

"I'm only doing it 'cuz I don't want you in my town. And I don't want your thanks. I just want you to get the hell out."

"You don't have to be an ass, you know." Alexia growled from around Kyri's side. "Monev would have killed the rest of you too if they hadn't of stopped him. Try to be nice, will ya?"

"Keep your nose out of it, you damn brat." The man told her.

"What did you say?!" She growled by Kyri held a hand out.

"It's all right," Kyri turned and continued to walk. "Let's just go."

"You're right," Vash gave a small smile. He then caught sight of a young woman ahead of them and took off to talk to her.

"Is it okay to let him do that?" Alexia asked the woman that still stood beside her.

Kyri watched Vash for a moment as a large smile spread across her face. "I wouldn't have him any other way."

"Oh really?! Young lady! Traveling through the desert alone can be very perilous! But if you act now, you can hire your very own bodyguard, free of charge! And my work is guarantee!" He then pulled a frown as the woman walked away. "Hey, where are you going? Don't just walk away! Come on, now. Young lady! Young lady?"

"I don't know about her," Kyri began as she walked into the desert. "But I'm afraid that I'll be traveling through the desert," She paused and glanced at Vash. "You can be my bodyguard if you'd like."

Vash stared at her for a moment before a large smile spread across his face and he gave a bow. "With my life, my lady." He then gave an evil grin and tossed her over his shoulder. "Now, let's get rid of our stalkers quickly, shall we?!" He took off running at high speed, Kyri's laughter trailing after them.

"Hey! You won't lose us that easily!" Meryl ran after him, leaving Milly to follow her.

"Come on, Alexia," Alexander laughed as he passed his sister. "If we catch them we can make them make dinner tonight!

Alexia gave a chuckle, moving after the others. "Nope, no other way!"

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