Disclaimer: All characters belong to Trigun. I own nothing in here except for writing this post-anime fanfic.
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***Hello! : ) Well here I am again writing more Trigun. Hopefully this will turn into a good one. I need feedback first though. This is seven years later. Some characters may be out of character because this is a few years later. I realize this. If you don`t like it that`s cool but don`t tell me about it in reviews. Thank you! ^.^
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Chapter 1: Peace Interrupted
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Meryl thought it was kind of funny that Vash was so surprised when Knives took that opportunity to leave after he recovered. That was seven years ago. It still made her laugh. Laugh bitterly anyways...
`Big surprise.` she thought with a sarcastic edge. He never even gave them a chance. He never neglected a moment to call her and Milly names any chance that he was aboe to obtain. He threatened to kill them on numerous occasions. He even held a gun to her head before. He would have pulled the trigger. she knew that for a fact. He hated her. If Vash had not been there to tell him that she would be "a waste of time to kill" then he would have. She knew that Vash did not mean to hurt her feelings like that. He wanted to get him to not hurt her in the easiest and most efficient way possible. She did not hate him for that. In fact it was that moment that drew them closer together.
Ironically becoming a couple was the main reason that Knives left in the first place. He told Vash that he was too weak for him to be around. By morning he was gone. Milly cried because Vash cried. Yes he cried. He cried a lot. He cried like a baby. Meryl was happy. In fact she had to hold back those feelings from the surface. She wanted to laugh out loud. She wanted to dance around and tell the entire world that Vash would not be hurt by his brother ever again. She did not for Vash`s sake and his sake alone.
For four years they were a couple. They were happy. They talked about marriage. It was a key subject that came in everytime that they spent time together. They even made it to the alter. Well....Meryl did anyways. Vash did not show up. After Meryl found him they fought for hours and hours until she could scream no more. His excuse was that he did not want to see her age. He could not stand the thought of being without her. That erased all anger she had building up. She understood completely and she was not angry with him anymore. That was that. Now best friends they were as happy as ever before. They would not have it otherwise.
On another note Wolfwood came back. He came back a few days after the cancelled marriage apologizing over and over about not making it here sooner. Milly could not have been happier. The two were married only a few days later with a ceremony twice as large as her`s and Vash`s had been. He never told them why he stayed away for so long if he was still alive. There was no need. No one asked. No one cared. He was back and that was all that mattered. Milly was all that mattered to him. If he wanted to tell her then they had a lifetime to talk about it. They were together again. A team.
As for Knives no one mentioned him. It was all in their minds. They chose to forget about him because he was not causing trouble. He did not exist to them anymore. That was the way that she liked it. No Knives. No pain. Easy life. Good friends. Steady job in town. No Knives. It was like a serene piece of eternal poetry.
Peaceful. Serene. Yes. The way it was supposed to be all along.
Too peaceful....too serene....
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Desert heat radiated from the sands surrounding her tiny house in the middle of nowhere. The town stood prominent on the horizon. In the hazy air it appeared only as an illusion. Her grey eyes softened as she recalled her past adventures with pleasure only to find that they seemed too far away to have even existed in the first place. Her eyes darkened in response.
`Like it`s all just a dream. A nice dream...`
Meryl was not a young woman anymore. At least she did not think so. In her thirties she had reached her level of maturity of looking young. That too would be an illusion in the future. She had very slight wrinkles around her lips where she had smiled. Yes. Meryl Stryfe did smile. Within the past seven years she smiled more than anyone else. Her grey eyes were darker and her hair was a good deal longer in the back. It touched the small of her lower back now. She enjoyed it longer as she could alternate between putting it up in one big ponytail or leave it down. As for her body she still had the same petite form as before if not a little more developed. Perfect for her.
She lived alone. Vash made his living in town. He stayed there. He wanted to protect them like they were in his own biological family. He did not forget about her though and she realized that. He visited every week. She was fine with that. She looked forward to his visits as well as Milly`s. In fact living alone meant that she would enjoy those visits even more. Her former partner had two children now. They were both girls. One was eight monthes and the other was two. Both angels. Lori and Meryl. She named the older one after her. She was terribly flattered.
`So sweet.`
Milly was the kindest person in the world....next to Vash of course. Wolfwood gloated all over town about it back in July. The happy couple started an orphanage there a couple of years ago as the town was still rebuilding and so many children were without a home. It really did seem like Wolfwood put up an orphanage whereever he went. Currently they were very successful. They even asked Meryl to move down there. A job was included in the offer. She turned them down. In her earlier years she woul have moved in a heartbeat. Her attitude had subsided a great deal over those years. It did not leave but it was reduced a great deal.
She smiled thinking about them. She continued her work on the plants outside. Vash bought her some plants. They were incredibly rare so she took great care of them.
`Wouldn`t want them to shrivel up in this heat.`
Off in the distance she made out the sound of a car motor. She frowned. The sounds of the day were broken so suddenly with that violent vehicle. She listened to the engine and realized that she could not recognize that sound.
`Strange. I thought that Vash was still at work and he only visisted yesterday. Hmmm....maybe he`s taking a break. I guess that I should go start him a batch of donuts. I wouldn`t want him to find nothing here to eat. Why does it sound so different then?`
She stopped watering. She squinted. The vehicle seemed different.
`Did he buy another car?`
Shrugging she hurried inside. She never really thought much into it. Vash was always one to try and impress the ladies even if it meant spending a lot of money to do so. He would never change and she liked it that way. For this reason she assumed it was Vash. Perhaps she should assumed differently....
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No doorbell. No knock. No cheerful idiot whining aloud to let him in. Meryl was worried. Vash loved being loud about his appearances to the house.
`Maybe it was just some person passing by. It looked like the car was going to stop by here...but I guess that they passed by after all.`
She put the donuts away into her fridge. She sat down at the kitchen table. Something was different. The window above her sink was open. Cool air breezed by the drapes pushing them inward. She did not remember opening that window. She stood to close it. Soft laughter to her right made her freeze.
"Nice day, isn`t it?"
Her eyes widened to the sound of that cold voice.
`It couldn`t be.`
"Believe it. Look for yourself."
She opened her eyes. Slowly she tilted her head to the right. There he was. Over six feet tall. The man that she hated. Despised for so long. His icy blue eyes locked directly on her. A big grin across his face as if he was amused by her reaction. She frowned. The plant still found her to be inferior and worthless. No matter. He was more worthless to her anyways.
"What do you want, Knives?"
The calmness of the way she asked him that made him look agitated. He ran his fingers through his hair several times in frustration.His hair looked very much the same as she had seen it so many years ago except with a streak of black running up jaggedly from his hairline. Never before had black hair been a sign of aging. He did look slightly aged if only at a very close and technical glance.
`Hmm....maybe like grey hair or something.`
"Business. Pure business."
Meryl stood firm. She let out a long sigh. Well she was not just going to stand around like a freak and be all scared like he wanted her to be. She opened her fridge. She grabbed the donuts and sat them down in front of him. He glared up at her as if offended. She waved her hand at the simple offering as if he were a god.
"Here. Have something to eat. I don`t let my guests, no matter how much that I curse the day that they were born, go hungry."
He smirked. He took a seat down at the table. He picked up one of the donuts then threw it at her. It hit her in the arm and broke apart on immediate impact. Donut pieces hit the floor. She did not react except with a deeper frown. He laughed aloud.
"I don`t want that spider garbage. I don`t want it because you made it especially. Never insult me like that again."
"Then don`t eat it, Mister High and Mighty."
She could feel his rage building quickly. He hated being made to look like a fool. As she turned to leave he stood. Suddenly his hand was wrapped around her wrist. The pressure he put on it hurt a great deal but she did not cry out. He towered over her. Twisting her around he lifted her easily above the ground. He smirked with that deadly gleam in his eyes.
"Stupid spider bitch. Why are you being so stubborn?"
"If you hate me so much then why are you here?"
He dropped her. A livid bruise already broke out around her wrist. She rubbed it gingerly before she stepped out of the room as fast as her already tired legs would take her.
"Where do you think that you are going?"
"To do my chores. I have a life. If you need anything just tell me."
"But I need something now."
"What is it?"
She turned around when she heard the loud click of a gun. She felt the barrel pressed against her forehead. Looking down the length of the gun her eyes met with his. He looked so feral. So pissed off. So dangerous. This was the look that she dreaded the most.
"I need you to come with me."
She rolled her eyes. She pushed the gun off to the side. He glared. His cheek ticked.
"No."
He pointed it at her again. He nearly squeezed the trigger he was so enraged. She waited for the shot. She watched his shaking hands on the gun. Nothing.
"How dare you! You will come with me or I`ll..."
"Don`t make me shoot you. I would in a second."
"With what?"
She reached into her side pocket and produced a derringer. She always carried one with her despite peace for so many years. He appeared slightly jaded by it but not much.
"I still keep one on me."
He laughed. It made her grow red in the face.
`Bastard!`
"You won`t shoot me! Not a stupid spider like..."
She fired. He stumbled back when the bullet hit him in the left shoulder and lodged into his collarbone. Nearly dropping his gun he locked eyes with her. The two blue orbs shook violently in his skull.
"You shot me!"
"Of course I shot you. I told you that I would."
He grabbed her by the right shoulder with one hand then pressed the gun to her temple. She dropped her gun. He uncocked it a little after. He pushed her along in front of him and exited the house. He kicked her down the porch steps. She landed in the dirt. Coughing she pulled herself up just as Knives grabbed her again. He literally tossed her into the back of the car. He fished out a rope from beside her.
"Put your hands behind your back now!" he snapped. She complied quietly. There was no sense in pissing him off further. Using as much force as he could without ripping her arms from her sockets he wrapped the rope around her several times then knotted it. He slapped her across the face.
"Stupid bitch!"
She lowered her head and said nothing. He jumped in the front seat and started the car. In a cloud of dust he sped away from her home. She did not look back at it. She could not.
`No one will know where I am. No one.`
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Nightfall crept upon the desert as the car screeched to a halt. Meryl barely opened her eyes when Knives dragged her savagely from the backseat. Instead of throwing her to the ground he tossed her easily over his right shoulder.
"Where are we going?" she asked in a tired voice.
"Somewhere."
The sillouette of a building loomed ahead of Knives as he approached it. In the darkness she could not make out any details. He pushed open the door. The sound of many voices died away. Meryl`s face was pointed towards the ground behind him. This was intentional. She did not want to see who these people were....if they were even people at all. She remembered what the Gung-Ho Guns were like.
"Don`t touch her." Knives stated "I am going to toss her in our guest room. Touch her and I will be pissed. I am the only one who can do anything that has to do with her."
Murmers of agreement rose up as Knives carried her. Blackness entered the corners of her eyes as they stepped down a quiethallway. Se heard a door open and she was thrown down on a cold floor. A small cry escaped from her lips as the air was knocked out of her. She saw the faint outline of a mattress on the ground. She caught a glimpse of Knives as he slammed the door shut.
***This is a bit more revised from the rough draft I had before. How`s the story so far? What do you think? Any good? Please no flames. : )
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***Hello! : ) Well here I am again writing more Trigun. Hopefully this will turn into a good one. I need feedback first though. This is seven years later. Some characters may be out of character because this is a few years later. I realize this. If you don`t like it that`s cool but don`t tell me about it in reviews. Thank you! ^.^
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Chapter 1: Peace Interrupted
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Meryl thought it was kind of funny that Vash was so surprised when Knives took that opportunity to leave after he recovered. That was seven years ago. It still made her laugh. Laugh bitterly anyways...
`Big surprise.` she thought with a sarcastic edge. He never even gave them a chance. He never neglected a moment to call her and Milly names any chance that he was aboe to obtain. He threatened to kill them on numerous occasions. He even held a gun to her head before. He would have pulled the trigger. she knew that for a fact. He hated her. If Vash had not been there to tell him that she would be "a waste of time to kill" then he would have. She knew that Vash did not mean to hurt her feelings like that. He wanted to get him to not hurt her in the easiest and most efficient way possible. She did not hate him for that. In fact it was that moment that drew them closer together.
Ironically becoming a couple was the main reason that Knives left in the first place. He told Vash that he was too weak for him to be around. By morning he was gone. Milly cried because Vash cried. Yes he cried. He cried a lot. He cried like a baby. Meryl was happy. In fact she had to hold back those feelings from the surface. She wanted to laugh out loud. She wanted to dance around and tell the entire world that Vash would not be hurt by his brother ever again. She did not for Vash`s sake and his sake alone.
For four years they were a couple. They were happy. They talked about marriage. It was a key subject that came in everytime that they spent time together. They even made it to the alter. Well....Meryl did anyways. Vash did not show up. After Meryl found him they fought for hours and hours until she could scream no more. His excuse was that he did not want to see her age. He could not stand the thought of being without her. That erased all anger she had building up. She understood completely and she was not angry with him anymore. That was that. Now best friends they were as happy as ever before. They would not have it otherwise.
On another note Wolfwood came back. He came back a few days after the cancelled marriage apologizing over and over about not making it here sooner. Milly could not have been happier. The two were married only a few days later with a ceremony twice as large as her`s and Vash`s had been. He never told them why he stayed away for so long if he was still alive. There was no need. No one asked. No one cared. He was back and that was all that mattered. Milly was all that mattered to him. If he wanted to tell her then they had a lifetime to talk about it. They were together again. A team.
As for Knives no one mentioned him. It was all in their minds. They chose to forget about him because he was not causing trouble. He did not exist to them anymore. That was the way that she liked it. No Knives. No pain. Easy life. Good friends. Steady job in town. No Knives. It was like a serene piece of eternal poetry.
Peaceful. Serene. Yes. The way it was supposed to be all along.
Too peaceful....too serene....
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Desert heat radiated from the sands surrounding her tiny house in the middle of nowhere. The town stood prominent on the horizon. In the hazy air it appeared only as an illusion. Her grey eyes softened as she recalled her past adventures with pleasure only to find that they seemed too far away to have even existed in the first place. Her eyes darkened in response.
`Like it`s all just a dream. A nice dream...`
Meryl was not a young woman anymore. At least she did not think so. In her thirties she had reached her level of maturity of looking young. That too would be an illusion in the future. She had very slight wrinkles around her lips where she had smiled. Yes. Meryl Stryfe did smile. Within the past seven years she smiled more than anyone else. Her grey eyes were darker and her hair was a good deal longer in the back. It touched the small of her lower back now. She enjoyed it longer as she could alternate between putting it up in one big ponytail or leave it down. As for her body she still had the same petite form as before if not a little more developed. Perfect for her.
She lived alone. Vash made his living in town. He stayed there. He wanted to protect them like they were in his own biological family. He did not forget about her though and she realized that. He visited every week. She was fine with that. She looked forward to his visits as well as Milly`s. In fact living alone meant that she would enjoy those visits even more. Her former partner had two children now. They were both girls. One was eight monthes and the other was two. Both angels. Lori and Meryl. She named the older one after her. She was terribly flattered.
`So sweet.`
Milly was the kindest person in the world....next to Vash of course. Wolfwood gloated all over town about it back in July. The happy couple started an orphanage there a couple of years ago as the town was still rebuilding and so many children were without a home. It really did seem like Wolfwood put up an orphanage whereever he went. Currently they were very successful. They even asked Meryl to move down there. A job was included in the offer. She turned them down. In her earlier years she woul have moved in a heartbeat. Her attitude had subsided a great deal over those years. It did not leave but it was reduced a great deal.
She smiled thinking about them. She continued her work on the plants outside. Vash bought her some plants. They were incredibly rare so she took great care of them.
`Wouldn`t want them to shrivel up in this heat.`
Off in the distance she made out the sound of a car motor. She frowned. The sounds of the day were broken so suddenly with that violent vehicle. She listened to the engine and realized that she could not recognize that sound.
`Strange. I thought that Vash was still at work and he only visisted yesterday. Hmmm....maybe he`s taking a break. I guess that I should go start him a batch of donuts. I wouldn`t want him to find nothing here to eat. Why does it sound so different then?`
She stopped watering. She squinted. The vehicle seemed different.
`Did he buy another car?`
Shrugging she hurried inside. She never really thought much into it. Vash was always one to try and impress the ladies even if it meant spending a lot of money to do so. He would never change and she liked it that way. For this reason she assumed it was Vash. Perhaps she should assumed differently....
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No doorbell. No knock. No cheerful idiot whining aloud to let him in. Meryl was worried. Vash loved being loud about his appearances to the house.
`Maybe it was just some person passing by. It looked like the car was going to stop by here...but I guess that they passed by after all.`
She put the donuts away into her fridge. She sat down at the kitchen table. Something was different. The window above her sink was open. Cool air breezed by the drapes pushing them inward. She did not remember opening that window. She stood to close it. Soft laughter to her right made her freeze.
"Nice day, isn`t it?"
Her eyes widened to the sound of that cold voice.
`It couldn`t be.`
"Believe it. Look for yourself."
She opened her eyes. Slowly she tilted her head to the right. There he was. Over six feet tall. The man that she hated. Despised for so long. His icy blue eyes locked directly on her. A big grin across his face as if he was amused by her reaction. She frowned. The plant still found her to be inferior and worthless. No matter. He was more worthless to her anyways.
"What do you want, Knives?"
The calmness of the way she asked him that made him look agitated. He ran his fingers through his hair several times in frustration.His hair looked very much the same as she had seen it so many years ago except with a streak of black running up jaggedly from his hairline. Never before had black hair been a sign of aging. He did look slightly aged if only at a very close and technical glance.
`Hmm....maybe like grey hair or something.`
"Business. Pure business."
Meryl stood firm. She let out a long sigh. Well she was not just going to stand around like a freak and be all scared like he wanted her to be. She opened her fridge. She grabbed the donuts and sat them down in front of him. He glared up at her as if offended. She waved her hand at the simple offering as if he were a god.
"Here. Have something to eat. I don`t let my guests, no matter how much that I curse the day that they were born, go hungry."
He smirked. He took a seat down at the table. He picked up one of the donuts then threw it at her. It hit her in the arm and broke apart on immediate impact. Donut pieces hit the floor. She did not react except with a deeper frown. He laughed aloud.
"I don`t want that spider garbage. I don`t want it because you made it especially. Never insult me like that again."
"Then don`t eat it, Mister High and Mighty."
She could feel his rage building quickly. He hated being made to look like a fool. As she turned to leave he stood. Suddenly his hand was wrapped around her wrist. The pressure he put on it hurt a great deal but she did not cry out. He towered over her. Twisting her around he lifted her easily above the ground. He smirked with that deadly gleam in his eyes.
"Stupid spider bitch. Why are you being so stubborn?"
"If you hate me so much then why are you here?"
He dropped her. A livid bruise already broke out around her wrist. She rubbed it gingerly before she stepped out of the room as fast as her already tired legs would take her.
"Where do you think that you are going?"
"To do my chores. I have a life. If you need anything just tell me."
"But I need something now."
"What is it?"
She turned around when she heard the loud click of a gun. She felt the barrel pressed against her forehead. Looking down the length of the gun her eyes met with his. He looked so feral. So pissed off. So dangerous. This was the look that she dreaded the most.
"I need you to come with me."
She rolled her eyes. She pushed the gun off to the side. He glared. His cheek ticked.
"No."
He pointed it at her again. He nearly squeezed the trigger he was so enraged. She waited for the shot. She watched his shaking hands on the gun. Nothing.
"How dare you! You will come with me or I`ll..."
"Don`t make me shoot you. I would in a second."
"With what?"
She reached into her side pocket and produced a derringer. She always carried one with her despite peace for so many years. He appeared slightly jaded by it but not much.
"I still keep one on me."
He laughed. It made her grow red in the face.
`Bastard!`
"You won`t shoot me! Not a stupid spider like..."
She fired. He stumbled back when the bullet hit him in the left shoulder and lodged into his collarbone. Nearly dropping his gun he locked eyes with her. The two blue orbs shook violently in his skull.
"You shot me!"
"Of course I shot you. I told you that I would."
He grabbed her by the right shoulder with one hand then pressed the gun to her temple. She dropped her gun. He uncocked it a little after. He pushed her along in front of him and exited the house. He kicked her down the porch steps. She landed in the dirt. Coughing she pulled herself up just as Knives grabbed her again. He literally tossed her into the back of the car. He fished out a rope from beside her.
"Put your hands behind your back now!" he snapped. She complied quietly. There was no sense in pissing him off further. Using as much force as he could without ripping her arms from her sockets he wrapped the rope around her several times then knotted it. He slapped her across the face.
"Stupid bitch!"
She lowered her head and said nothing. He jumped in the front seat and started the car. In a cloud of dust he sped away from her home. She did not look back at it. She could not.
`No one will know where I am. No one.`
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Nightfall crept upon the desert as the car screeched to a halt. Meryl barely opened her eyes when Knives dragged her savagely from the backseat. Instead of throwing her to the ground he tossed her easily over his right shoulder.
"Where are we going?" she asked in a tired voice.
"Somewhere."
The sillouette of a building loomed ahead of Knives as he approached it. In the darkness she could not make out any details. He pushed open the door. The sound of many voices died away. Meryl`s face was pointed towards the ground behind him. This was intentional. She did not want to see who these people were....if they were even people at all. She remembered what the Gung-Ho Guns were like.
"Don`t touch her." Knives stated "I am going to toss her in our guest room. Touch her and I will be pissed. I am the only one who can do anything that has to do with her."
Murmers of agreement rose up as Knives carried her. Blackness entered the corners of her eyes as they stepped down a quiethallway. Se heard a door open and she was thrown down on a cold floor. A small cry escaped from her lips as the air was knocked out of her. She saw the faint outline of a mattress on the ground. She caught a glimpse of Knives as he slammed the door shut.
***This is a bit more revised from the rough draft I had before. How`s the story so far? What do you think? Any good? Please no flames. : )