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

Chapter Twenty-Four

Medallions and a Plan

Right and wrong always played with each other; always will. It's the way of life, but deciding what was right and what was wrong wasn't something that could be taught; it's something that you had to learn yourself. Some people found it to be easy, others were still going through trial and error. As for me…sometimes I wonder if I care anymore…

"So, are you here for Gasback like everyone else is?"

Amelia glanced at the woman she walked beside, a small frown on her face. She normally didn't talk to people but there was just something about this new woman, something strange, but something she liked, too. Maybe the strange vibe she was getting was from that man in red that was following them; or the fact that Kyri was ignoring him.

"Why is he following you like a lost dog?" She decided to change the subject. "Are you friends or something?" They were traveling together, weren't they? It seemed like it but at the same time…something weird was going on here between the two of them and though she was curious she wasn't sure that it was a good idea to get involved in the middle of it. It didn't have anything to do with her, after all.

Vash happily took it upon himself to be the one who answered.

"Because I felt that our fates are entwined; just as our meeting you was nothing short of destiny."

Amelia gave a creeped-out face and glanced at Kyri. "Is he serious?"

"Not even I know that anymore." Came the answer. "Ignore him and hopefully he'll go away."

Amelia glanced at the other woman again but kept her next words to herself. There was something about this woman that told the other that she was dangerous. There was nothing that she was going to be able to do to deny that.

"So, do you just ignore all your problems?"

"No, some of them I invite to join me for dinner."

Amelia stared at the woman for a moment, surprised that she offered that. "You don't even know me."

"And you don't know me," Kyri smiled. "All friendships start somewhere, don't they? Besides, you're all alone, aren't you? It's gonna be getting busy around here, especially with all the bounty hunters here."

"Are you here for Gasback too?" Amelia asked her.

"Not in the slightest. Trash doesn't concern me. I'm," Her eyes slid through the crowd, looking for the faces she wanted to see. "Looking for some old colleagues of mine; for now. I last heard that they had moved here and started living quietly; I just need to confirm a few things with them, that's all."

Amelia knew that there was something more to her word but decided to keep her mouth shut. There was something that made her on-guard around Kyri but at the same time there was this comforting feel about her as well; she liked it. She liked her.

"Why not? I'll accept your offer." She gave a soft smile as the corner of Kyri's lip lifted. "For now I'll find a hotel and settle down for a bit to rest; none was provided on that steamer."

"Same," Kyri nodded. "I'm sure the bar just a little ways towards the middle of this place would work for some food later. Meet you there after dark?"

"Deal," Amelia took a step to the left. "See you then."

Kyri watched after the younger woman for a moment before turned down another road, trying to ignore Vash as he followed her happily, talking about what they could get to eat later. He just never stopped, did he?

~All these bounty hunters will have forced Razlo and Livio into hiding for the moment.~ She wasn't worried about them getting hurt, but sometimes they just didn't wan confrontation. With these hunters all here, he was most likely gone or just biding his time and waiting. Either could pose to be…problematic if handled the wrong way.

It had been such a long time since she had been here to Macca City. The place had really changed, though nothing too extravagant save for the statue of the man that she now saw standing in the center of the place. That large manor had never been there before, either. She found herself asking who had put it there, and better yet why, but she shoved them aside for now. That's none of her business and it was most certainly not the reason that she was there. She had returned only to find the Gun-Ho Guns and that was all.

And yet she had indulged herself with that other woman. Things were getting strange with her; a lot more than normal. Then again, could she even call herself any type of normal anymore?

"So, a hotel, hmm?" Vash's voice made Kyri come out of her thoughts. For a moment he thought that she was going to reply but his hopes fell when she merely glanced at him before averting her eyes again. He gave an inward sigh, but his smile never faltered. That was the first time she had made eye contact with him in a while.

Giving into the treatment of silence he knew he was continuing to receive, Vash gave a sigh as he began to move down the street. He felt her start moving after him a few moments later and it lifted his spirits a bit. She was following him. Normally he would just follow her, or she would go in a different direction when he started leading. This meant progress, didn't it? It had to.

As Kyri refused to talk still, Vash found them a room. Unfortunately, the hotel was booked due to all the bounty hunters, so they were going to have to share a double instead of getting their own room. He was expecting her to refuse him into the room but as she passed through the door, she left it open as she claimed the bed by the window.

Vash couldn't help but wear a small smile as she laid out on her side and buried her face into the pillow. Her troubles with sleeping were harder than ever before now; it was something he could easily notice. It was another thing that made him feel guilty. Kyri had always told him that one of the only places she found sleep was next to him. He missed the feel of her warmth on him; he wanted it back.

Kyri was aware of Vash's presence in the other bed but she ignored it still as she replaced her headphones and continued with her music as she mulled over things in her head.

The Gun-Ho Guns were nearly no more.

Monev the Gale was dead, fallen in Diablo.

Dominique the Cyclops was dead, same town.

E.G. Mine was dead, thanks to Rai Dei and his wife.

Rai Dei the Blade and Mai the whisperer both dead, too. Mai had been the first person that Kyri had killed in almost fifteen years. She had felt her restraints snapping long before that, but she had held on. Mai coming at her the way she did…it was the final strap, no doubt.

Caine the Longshot had fallen to Alexander not long before Kyri disappeared, Alexia following after her.

Elendira the Crimsonnail, though Kyri had been fond, fell at Alexia's hands, resulting in the younger woman taking the briefcase/weapon.

Leonof the Puppetmaster was taken care of.

Gray the Ninelives was disposed of.

Hoppered the Gauntlet was no long an annoying tick on her side.

That left only a few of the Gun-Ho Guns left. She was silently thankful that they were original members and not these new screwups that could die so easily.

Zazie the Beast.

Midvalley the Hornfreak and Sylvia the Glacier.

Chapel the Evergreen.

Livio the Doublefang and Razlo the Tri-Punisher of Death.

Eryn the White Queen and Legato Bluesummers.

It was through Elendira that she learned part of Legato's plan. With every Gun-Ho that was killed, there was a piece of a medallion that Vash was supposed to collect. Kyri went back to every corpse to find said pieces. She had six, complete medallions now, and another half.

She knew that Zazie carried the other half that she needed and that would make seven. The case she held had room for either medallions, telling her that not everyone of the Gun Ho Guns had been given a piece to hold. She had a good idea who held the pieces.

Midvalley and his wife, Sylvia, undoubtedly held the pieces. The duo was close with Legato and Eryn, making them the obvious choice. That, and Kyri knew Chapel. She knew that he didn't like playing petty games like that, resulting in Livio and Razio not participating in it either.

No, Kyri didn't come out here to Macca City to kill Livio or Razlo. It was more of a…check-up call and to get information. He might know where Knives and Kyra have made their new base. If not, then they would know where Legato is. It was worth a shot. She had nowhere else to turn for answer. She sent Alexia to Notila on a whim, hoping to find Midvalley and Sylvia. She was running out of patience; and mostly with herself.

~Waiting for the time to pass you by

Hope the winds of change will change your mind

I can give a thousand reason why

And I know you

And you've got to~

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I can't believe this."

"For once, I agree with you."

When Kyri had left to get something to eat that night, she was expecting just something small and quiet. That was shattered with all the bounty hunters; she could accept that. She had not been expecting to share that said dinner with the two insurance girls.

Milly Thompson and Meryl Strife were two faces that Kyri had been sure that she'd never see again.

Apparently she had been wrong.

Vash and Milly happily reconnected as they drank and ate, leaving Kyri and Meryl to wear displeased faces; Amelia mimicked them, but mostly because of the way Vash was hounding her.

The five sat at a large table in the corner of the saloon, trying to ignore all the noise around them.

Meryl glanced at Kyri for a moment, trying not to see the blood she remembered on the woman the last time she had seen her, and turned her gaze to Vash.

"So, what's your deal? Did you guys come for the bounty like every other questionable character?"

"Nah," Vash answered around his food. "I just came out here for the sightseeing!"

"Is that the truth?" Meryl deadpanned.

"Yeah!"

"You're not going to drop yourself into this Gasback business, are you?"

"Well…"

"Don't give me that smirk! Even if that's not what you're here for, this statue crisis is bigtime! We don't need the Humanoid-" Meryl's voice was stopped as Kyri reached over, smacking a hand over the other woman's mouth. Meryl froze and chanced a glance at the taller woman. The last time they were together, and she had said Vash's identity like that, Kyri had given her a glare that could freeze hell. Tonight, she sat there with her eyes closed as she continued to eat. Meryl gave a sigh of relief as her hand dropped after a moment.

"Anyway, would you two just mind getting out of town and leaving us alone?"

"What you're doing here has nothing to do with us," Kyri's voice finally sounded. "We didn't come here because you were here or because of Gasback or some stupid statue. We're here until my business is taken care of so, until then, we're here. Get over it."

Vash glanced at her for a moment, a smile on his face. She had said 'we' and 'us', not 'me' or 'I'.

"The two of you are like beacons for bad luck," Meryl continued to say.

"We didn't choose it to be the way," Kyri replied again. "It just happens. You've stalked us around long enough to see that for yourselves."

'Oh, come on, Miss Kyri! We're not stalkers! We don't want to kill you guys or anything."

"Wait, you actually know these people?" Amelia glanced at the silent woman beside her.

"In a way," Kyri answered.

The group sat there and ate, talking about a few things here and there. The crowd was getting rowdy. Meryl was drinking WAY too much, they all had, and she was trying to explain what exactly was going on with Gasback and that bronze statue in the middle of town. Kyri was only half listening, her and Amelia enjoying a conversation of their own about the Gunblade that Kyri kept on her, and laughing at the table next to them.

Things had to come to a halt though, when a man decided to try and interfere with Amelia's trip to the toilet. Kyri watched in interest as Amelia was able to hold her own, even while drunk, and totally showed the guy up. Unfortunately, it caused quite the commotion and soon the whole saloon broke out into a brawl. Kyri crossed a leg over the other and sipped more of her drink, watching with an amused smile on her face. The Marshal of the town was laughing and whistling from his place at the bar and the chef came running out, dropping on top of one of the other guests.

A frown replaced her smile, though, when she saw those two men that had been thrown off the Steamer earlier that day catch sight of Amelia and tried to capture her. She was doing amazing for being as drunk as she was but all fun and games came to an end when the black man tried to pull out his gun. It resulted in all the others following suit just to realize that Vash had taken all their bullets beforehand. He never ceased to amaze her.

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