A/N: Fine. Fine. I'll write a proper first chapter for this story I may or may not continue. (Note: I already started chapter three so...) I hope you guys will enjoy what's presented here. Many thanks for reading everyone. Best wishes and God bless you all!

Disclaimer: Trigun and Trigun Stampede belong to their respective owners. That's all I have to say regarding that. Also, this chapter is named after a song by Do As Infinity called Yesterday & Today. If you like J-Rock, Do As Infinity is a great band to check out. I always felt that the lyrics for the song fit Trigun very well, so it is represented here in this chapter's title.

Warnings: N/A...aside from mild mentions of blood/gore.


Crimson Stampede
Chapter 1 – Yesterday & Today


Once upon a time, a princess was born in a shimmering city of crystal on the Earth. However, her birth was not an occasion of celebration for the kingdom. The Queen of that realm, beloved and revered by all, met her end giving birth to this new princess. The King, stunned by the sudden loss of his wife, shut himself off from his subjects without sparing a glance at the babe until almost a year into her life.

During the King's slow descent into madness, the princess' older sister speedily assumed the throne out of necessity. However, at sixteen years of age, many considered the former queen's successor too young to carry on her will for the people. Regardless of these naysayers, the new Queen emulated her mother's benevolence as best she could while raising her younger sister simultaneously.

The former King remained in a depressive state all throughout the princess' childhood. Though he was not blatantly cruel to her before the presence of his councilmen or the guardians tasked with their protection, the broken man peered at his youngest child with obvious disdain.

Over time, in spite of her sister's best efforts, the princess began to hate herself.

She tried to be kind. She tried to stay out of everyone's way.

When that proved feeble, she decided to join the royal guard. If she could defend her homeland from those who sought to destroy it, she could gain honor and stop being such a burden to her family.

And so, the princess trained daily until she came of age to engage in real combat.

With each adversary struck down by her sword, the princess prayed to win the love of her people.

She needed their praise to make up for her father's hatred.

Unfortunately, those prayers offered up in bloodshed were met with disappointment. No valiant feats in battle did anything to improve her reputation. If anything, the scorn of her countrymen and comrades only grew worse.

But the princess turned soldier never uttered a complaint. She endured everything with a solemn smile, even after she discovered her father's plot to set her out on front lines of battle alone against her sister's wishes.

Through it all...she survived.

Over…

And over…

And over again…

The agony of her existence was only sated by her sister's encouragement and their shared love of music.


Her presence in Jeneora Rock shouldn't have been a surprise.

And yet, seeing the familiar woman sitting at the worn piano by the wall startles Vash into a stupor he can't fully make sense of when he pauses just beyond the threshold of the bar's entrance.

Granted, his entire day had been one unexpected detour after another.

The first one occurred when the Bad Lads Gang jumped him and tied him upside down to a tree, a situation he could have easily gotten himself out of, but chose not to on account of how adverse he was to engaging in violent conduct unless it was absolutely necessary, especially when confiscating their bullets, sending out a few warning shots near their feet, and performative threats promising their doom was more than enough to make his adversaries retreat and squeal in terror.

Usually he did that sort of thing right side up, so he considered the difference in perspective refreshing.

And fortunately, after roughly twenty minutes, two reporters swooped in and cut him down, saving him from the extra effort it would have taken for him to solve the issue himself.

"Good things come to those who wait," is what he thought at the time. Encounters with new people that weren't trying to capture or kill him is a blessing Vash will indulge in any chance he gets.

Of course, there was another unexpected snag to his day when the July Military Police closed in, forcing him to hide behind a rock until the shorter of the two reporters, Meryl he thinks her name is, pointed the police in the wrong direction. He was grateful for her actions...until she decided to lasso him up like a wild horse while demanding an exclusive interview.

The older reporter had sighed deeply in response to her antics.

And once again, Vash could have escaped from her clutches and been on his way, but since the tiny woman had been kind enough to keep him hidden from the police (ulterior motives notwithstanding) he saw no problem in giving into her request.

And so, here he is, tied up and walking into a diner at Jeneora Rock...the last place he expected to find himself today.

Yet, like clockwork, his mysterious… acquaintance? Friend? Stalker?

Vash doesn't know how to identify the type of relationship they have, especially since neither of them have said a single word to each other in two years of finding themselves at the same place at the same time.

He's happy to see her regardless.

Playing a bright shanty along the keys, the woman glances up and catches his gaze with a soft smile brightening her features, returning the sentiment he didn't say.

The intimacy of their silent communication never fails to knock him off-balance. The melodious noise of the piano and the chatter of the humble diner's patrons disappears.

It's as if they're the only two people in the room.

Her fingers still on the keys, the woman's smile transforms into a smirk upon noticing the rope around his body. The music returns to his ears as it shifts into a flirtatious question about his predicament.

The music draws a blush to his cheeks.

"Well, this is embarrassing…"

Without pause, she twists her head away from his direction in accompaniment with a skillful arpeggio then she subtlety decreases the volume of the music the same instant Vash hears Rosa's enthusiastic greeting. The new voice breaks the spell of the moment, but not enough to prepare him for the sight of his old friend's bulging belly.

"Working on baby two, Rosa?" he asks enthusiastically, trying to distract himself from the music ringing out behind him.

"Looks like it."

Vash's eyes peruse the place quickly, too quickly for the very pregnant lady in front of him to notice.

"Where's hubs?"

There's a slight ringing in the piano when Rosa responds, and from that alone he knows the mysterious woman that keeps showing up everywhere is teasing him by filling the air with music more fitting of a comedic television show than this moment…

Well, he supposes his life is a comedy of sorts.

"Atta girl!"

Another flourish of bright arpeggios accompanies his words, and Vash has a very difficult time suppressing a sigh.

The woman wasn't usually this communicative with him.

"I guess she's in a good mood too..."

"You two seem pretty close," Meryl pipes up suddenly, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Distracted as he is by the music, Vash stammers out a hasty, "No, Crimson and I aren't..."

He stops talking upon noticing Rosa's raised eyebrow.

"Crap... The little one was talking about Rosa...not..."

The bright melody comes to an abrupt halt, inviting everyone's attention to the mysterious woman playing it.

"Aren't what?" she interjects playfully, chuckling as she rises from the piano bench. "Close?" Twisting slightly on her heel, the woman peers at him from over her shoulder. "I suppose that's fair, seeing as we've never formerly introduced ourselves, Vash the Stampede."

The Humanoid Typhoon feels like he should give a rebuttal or say something, but for the first time in his life, he is well and truly tongue tied.

It's the first time he's heard her voice outside of the times she's sung.

"Oh?" Rosa chimes in. "You know Vash, eh?"

Another low chuckle bubbles from the woman's mouth as she begins her approach, allowing him a moment to examine her in a way he'd never had the opportunity to before. The basic things he'd come to recognize are all there, such as her long raven tresses, pale skin, peach-colored lips, and striking blue eyes that are framed by long lashes. He's surprised by the mole beneath her left eye, a feature he'd never taken note of until now since he'd never been close enough to her to see it.

Other aspects of he appearance are different. As a pianist who often performed elaborate classical pieces from long forgotten ages, the woman typically wears simple, long-sleeved evening gowns or fitted jumpsuits that sparkle in the light. In more run-down taverns she might wear a loose cardigan and black trousers, but today she looks neither flashy or subdued.

Dressed in a sleeveless white blouse, navy blue high-waisted flare pants that look more like a long maxi skirt with its modest splits on both pant legs, and wedge sandals with brown straps crossing along the tops of her feet, she looks comfortably elegant.

"The red sash around her waist is a particularly nice touch..."

Her smile brightening, she extends her hand.

"It's nice to meet you...officially."

Vash glances down at her hand, memorizing the lines along her palm when he reaches up to grasp it.

"It's...nice to meet you too," he answers back, shaking it gently.

"Is that a blush I see on your face, Vash?" The feisty bar owner steps around him while flashing the pianist a devious grin. "I feel like there's a story here you two aren't telling us."

Meryl perks up then, her blue eyes wide when she dashes toward the pianist in a sudden flurry of movement that nearly knocks Vash down.

And they call him a typhoon.

"Are you actually...""

The tiny reporter pauses for a moment, scanning the pianist up and down with a methodical precision.

"You are!" she shouts, clumsily withdrawing a miniature notebook out of her pocket. "I'm a huge fan of your work! Do you think I could interview you?"

"Newbie, we're not here to write a gossip column," the more gruff reporter moans, scratching the back of his head with one hand while yanking Meryl away from the pianist with the other. "My apologies Miss.."

"Crimson," she answers jovially. "Crimson Shakugan."

Rosa snickers. "Who would have thought? Two celebrities under one roof. I think this calls for a celebratory round, wouldn't you say, Vash?"

"I don't..."

"By the way, honey, why are you all tied up like this?"

Vash jostles at Crimson's sudden use of a pet name for him. He doesn't dislike it exactly, but...considering how this is technically their first official meeting...it's a little unusual to say the least.

More unusual than that though is the crimson tattoo beneath her shoulder, another feature of hers he'd never had a clear view of before this moment since she had always worn long-sleeved blouses and dresses in his previous encounters with her. The design looks similar to two treble clef symbols interconnected to each other with one right side up and the other upside down, but upon further examination Vash isn't entirely sure his assessment is accurate. It looks more like wisps of wind curling in and out and in and out again.

Crimson raises a brow at him. "Well?"

"Well what?" he asks.

"Why are you tied up like that?"

"Oh, that well..."

Rosa blinks once, finally noticing the ropes around his torso as the her young son and the other patrons of the diner come forward to either greet Vash or just see what all the commotion is about. Her son, Tonis, smiles at outlaw in obvious adoration.

"Hey Tonis," the outlaw murmurs, kneeling ever so slightly. "You've gotten taller."

The boy beams at Vash.

"What do you two intend to do with him?" Rosa asks, glaring at the reporters after taking a quick glance at her son. "I'll have you know that this man is Jeneora Rock's savior."

Sensing the tension in the air, Vash quickly tells everyone that the two reporters are his best friends...

Even though they met less than an hour ago...

But that is hardly the point. Sometimes, a lifelong friendship can happen instantaneously without any rhyme or reason.

The same can be said about love under the right circumstances.

"Then why are you..."

Vash slips out of the ropes before Rosa can finish her sentence.

"Ta-da!"

The bar manager simply shakes her head in resignation before pivoting to face Crimson.

"You and him? Really?"

Crimson shrugs, a mischievous smirk on her face. "He's kinda been stalking me. Luckily for him, I like it."

"I haven't been stalking you!" Vash argues, taken aback. "You just happen to turn up wherever I go."

"Perhaps it's fate then," Crimson murmurs sweetly, stifling a laugh. He pouts at her, and she completely loses it for a handful of seconds, eliciting another sigh from Rosa.

"Well, friends of Vash are friends of mine," she reasons, slowly waddling her way back to the bar. "How about I wrangle up some drinks."

"Best suggestion I've heard all day," the older reporter states, taking a seat before Rosa can get back behind the counter to serve. "I'll have a whiskey."

"We're on the job! Three..."

"Ahem."

"R-right! Sorry. Four waters please."

The scruffy man clicks his tongue. "Did they teach you how to be a prude in college?"

"What you call prudish kept me at the top of my class."

"Oh wow," the man grumbles as Vash takes a seat next to him. "What an achievement. Grades don't keep you above ground, Newbie."

"Stop calling me that! I have a name! It's MERYL! MERYL STRYFE!"

"I have a name too. You don't hear me yelling it at the sky."

"ROBERTO!"

Crimson takes a seat next Vash while the two reporters continue throwing insults at each other. Though the pianist was flirty and mischievous mere seconds ago, her demeanor in those in-between seconds has transformed into the more calm persona Vash recognizes from his many lonely nights traveling between dismantled towns.

It strikes him then how little he actually knows about this woman.

"But she..."

Rosa gives them all water, but the color of the liquid is a dull, almost copper color. Meryl looks at the liquid with confusion, Roberto comments on the tiny girl's newbie status again, Vash merely stares at the liquid, and Crimson, with no hesitation whatsoever, downs the entire glass in one fierce gulp before releasing a quiet gasp of satisfaction.

"Thanks," she says, daintily wiping her mouth with a nearby napkin. "Appreciate it. Playing piano non-stop for so many hours can really work up a thirst."

Meryl peers at Crimson briefly before settling her gaze on the murky water in her glass.

"Um..."

"Sorry," Rosa cuts in, her eyes downcast as she sets about wiping down the counter. "Our plant is busted right now, so we're stuck buying water off the next town over. This place won't be drinking clear for a while."

"Clear or not, it's still refreshing," Crimson offers encouragingly.

Rosa responds with an appreciative smile, but a small hint of tension remains in the air.

Vash knows what's coming next.

"Things might be looking up though," the pregnant woman whispers, fixing her gaze on the outlaw. "What do you say? Will you give it another look?"

Meryl and Roberto both look at Vash with obvious expressions of confusion.

Crimson's smile falters ever so slightly.

He smirks at the request.

"Yeah. Not a problem."

"I'd like to see it too," Crimson chimes in suddenly. "That is if you don't mind me taking another break."

Rosa laughs. "You're only getting paid scraps at this rate."

"Fine by me." She hops off the stool and lightly brushes her fingers over Vash's shoulder. "Money can't buy love...or peace for that matter."

Vash furrows his brow by a fraction, his suspicions of the traveling performer growing with each passing second.

"How much does she know about me?"


Roughly a year into her service as a member of the royal guard, the fifteen year-old princess discovered a destructive entity within her.

In truth, the princess hated fighting. She hated killing even more.

But there were many things she despised more than those. Things such as loneliness, disrespect, and apathy towards the suffering of others.

Sensitive and kind...the princess experienced night terrors where her victims would cry out to her, begging for her to join them in death. She didn't deserve to live after all. She was the reason for so much suffering in her kingdom.

The dark entity initially emerged to harden her resolve while engaging in combat. Against the kingdom's enemies, she could show no mercy. It was imperative to kill to protect her sister and kingdom regardless of how much she was despised for the inevitable doom her birth signaled for all.

Even if she loathed her own existence, that shadow in her heart refused to give anyone the satisfaction of her death.

She needed to live by any means necessary.

Over time, she began to lose control over that part of herself.

Years of emotional abuse and neglect had given it a will of its own.

On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, she blacked out entirely and later awoke with her sword drenched in the blood of a comrade.

She retained no memory of her vicious actions.

That night...that horrible, horrible night marked an irreversible shift in dynamics within the royal family's councilmen.

The Queen, now thirty-two, continued to defend her younger sister. This turned many against her.

Bodies continued to drop one by one throughout the kingdom.

The princess couldn't stop...

...

Nor could she remember...

...

The shadow took over her body over...

...

And over...

...

And over again...

...

Eventually, the princess befriended the shadow and coerced it to stop its crusade of blood-letting, but the damage was done.

Her kingdom was on the path of ruin...

But the princess refused to give up hope. She searched frantically for a solution...

...

And during that search, she stumbled upon a way to change everything.

...

Yes, with this she could set things right. Peace would be restored, and her beloved sister could finally live happily.

...

Alas, the cogs of fate do not turn according to the whims of individuals.

...

Even now, the princess has yet to learn this simple lesson.


A/N: And that is the end of the second chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Hopefully this one prompts some questions. After all, on some level this is supposed to be a sort of mystery story. Muhahahaha! Feel free to leave your thoughts and feelings in the comment section if you wish. Thanks for reading. Best wishes and God bless you all.