Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ And So Shall Darkness Fall ❯ On to Augusta: A City in Ruins ( Chapter 8 )

Part Eight- On to Augusta: A City in Ruins

Jenny-"No, I like this chapter better than the last one."
Kelly-"Please make up your mind already."
Jenny-"Eek! Wolfwood!"
Kelly-"We should make him randomly strip in one chapter, just to make the Wolfwood fans happy."
Jenny-"Really?"
Kelly-"Sure. That would be awesome. Random naked Wolfwood."
Jenny-"What about Vash fans?"
Kelly-"Uhh, Vash's body ain't exactly great, or even all there."
Jenny-"Now, Legato has to have a good body. The man is fine."
Kelly-"Like I said before, he's a pimp."
Jenny-"Big ol' pimp!"
******

A few hours later the trio found themselves in a small town. Psych ran for the nearest bush to puke her guts out. Sight grimaced at the disgusting sounds, "Don't expect me to hold your hair back or anything. You need to learn to keep your booze down."

"I ain't ever drinkin' again!" came the reply, followed by more sounds.

Vash made a face and started to walk up to the gas station they were parked in front of. He pushed open the wood doors and surveyed the room before him. The entire room was covered in bullet holes and dead bodies. Vash clenched his fist and punched the nearest wall. Legato had been here. He was doing this to make him angry. A white envelope on the broken bar counter caught his tearing eyes. He ripped it open and read the perfect cursive handwriting:

Dear Vash and associates,

I hope you enjoyed my little present. There are plenty more awaiting you. I look forward to seeing the three of you very soon, especially the blonde one.

~Legato Bluesummers

Vash crumpled the letter angrily and tossed it aside. He pushed the door open and stomped back towards the truck, where Sight was leaning.

"They're all dead," she said, "Aren't they?"

"Every one of them," Vash said, his face filled with anger.

Sight pushed away from the truck and began to fill the tank, "Well the good news is that we don't have to pay for gas."

"How the hell can you say that?" demanded Vash, "People are DEAD!"

"People die everyday," Sight replied, "It's no big deal. I witnessed my family and friends die before my eyes. In Augusta. I got over it."

"Hey guys," Psych came over, smiling and unaware of what had happened, "Did you already pay for the gas? I wanted to get a snack."

"Yeah," said Vash, getting into the truck and slamming the door.

Psych looked over at Sight, who just shrugged her shoulders, "He's crabby."

"Ok," Psych got into the driver's seat and turned the engine on. Sight climbed in between them. Vash stared out the window, contemplating one thing or another. Psych put the truck in drive and pulled away from the deserted gas station, "So, where we going Vash? You're the map."

"I changed my mind," he replied, still looking out the window, "We'll be parting ways here." He lifted his newly reclaimed gun up and pressed it to Sight's temple, "Get out of the truck."

"What the hell?" Psych pulled sharply to the side and stopped the truck, "What do you think you're doin'?"

"I can't have your deaths on my conscience," he said, squeezing the trigger a bit more for effect, "I don't want anymore innocent people to die!"

"Innocent, eh?" Sight snorted, keeping her head as still as she could with the gun there, "We're just as bad as Legato in some respects. We've killed the kinds of innocent people that you try to save every damn day. What's it to you if crooks like us get killed?"

"It's still a waste of life," he said softly, "You're human too, no matter how tough you act. You can repent and have a second chance at living. Now please, get out of the truck."

Psych opened her door and stepped out. Sight crawled out next and stood along side her as Vash drove away, leaving them stranded in the desert heat. "I'm sorry!" he called, waving a hand.

"Jerk."

"Ditto."

"I can't believe that man," Psych commented, lighting a smoke, "That's supposed to be the most feared man on Gunsmoke. Coward."

"Well, let's go," Sight started to tromp forward in the sand.

"Go where?"

"Uh...."

"Uh huh, that's what I thought," Psych plopped down on the ground, "We're stranded with nowhere to go. And I have bad news."

"What?"

"I'm down to my last pack of smokes."

Sight put her hands to her face, "Oh my God, it's the end of the world! Ooooh!!"

"And your liquor supply is still in the truck with Vash," Psych added.

"What the fuck??! NOOOOOOOO!!" she screamed, kicking madly at the sand, "That bastard!! I'll gut him!"

"Calm down," Psych smiled, "It's not the end of the world you know. Hehe."

A loud backfire interrupted their thoughts.

"Oh shit," cried Psych, "I don't believe this... I don't need this right now."

"We-he-hell ladies," Wolfwood pulled alongside them, grinning, "Looks like the tables have finally turned. That's what happens when you mess with a man of God."

"Man of God my ass," mumbled Sight.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"We don't have time to play your juvenile games priest," said Psych, "We gotta find Vash. He's after Legato."

"And I should give you two a ride because....?"

Psych swallowed and tried to put on a smile, "Because you're a.... a..."

"A what?" he grinned wider.

"A...priest."

"Oh really?" He looked surprised, "Since when?"

"Since we needed a goddamn mother fucking ride on your piece of shit k-mart brand crappy ass falling apart bike!!" screamed Sight.

"Well when you put it that way," he said, "Hop on."

"Uhhh," Psych looked over the bike, "Hop where? Your bike is a little crowded."

"Oh, don't be shy," he winked, "Hold on nice and tight."

Psych made a barf sound, "Yeah, right. Nice and tight." She got on behind him and kept at least a foot of space between them. Sight sat down on the inch of space behind Psych.

"Scoot up dammit! I got that freakin' cross in my ass!" Sight pushed Psych into Wolfwood's back.

"Cut that shit out bitch!" Psych pushed Sight back against the cross roughly, "I ain't touching that unholy thing!"

Wolfwood sighed and took off. "You're going to fall off," he warned.

"Who me?" Psych asked as he floored it. Psych was flung back into Sight, her arms flying around madly, "Slow down dammit!"

"Can't hear you!" he called back.

Meanwhile...

Vash drove the truck as fast as he could. He knew that the two women wouldn't just sit where he left them, so he wanted to put as much space between himself and them as he could. He also had a hunch as to where Legato might be waiting, other than a random cliff.

There was a lot of rattling going on in the back of the truck, and Vash glanced in the rear view mirror to see a pile of weapons sticking out.

"They must have robbed a gun store to get this much stuff. Damn."

Vash passed a sign that said "Augusta: 50 iles." That was his best chance at finding Legato, since that's where he seemed to be from, according to Sight's story. As he drove, he saw destruction all along the road. Villages were smoking piles of rubble, and the people that hadn't been killed were wandering about aimlessly. It made Vash sick to see this, but he had to keep going to find Legato and stop him before he destroyed anything else.

Meanwhile...

"Meryl, now Mr. Vash and Mr. Priest are gone!!"

"What?" Meryl said, and then looked around, in case Wolfwood or Vash happened to pop up. She saw her wallet on a pew and picked it up. "Hey! My money's gone too! Those snakes!!" she shouted, shaking her fist. "Come on Milly!! We have to find those two and get our money back!" Meryl dragged Milly out of the church and ran for their thomases.

Meanwhile...

"Snnnkkkxxx shhhhhh...<smack smack> uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmm sshnnkkkkxxss shhhhhh shhnk-ks ugh <cough cough smack> ...'gritte...ahh...dry...shnnkxzzzzzzzzz..."

"You know, I think Psych kinda likes you! It's not every day that she'll fall asleep...and drool...all over some guy that she just met!"

"Shaddup! And wake her up would you?"

"How? She's sleeping through this loud ass backfiring bike! The damn apocalypse could happen and she'd sleep through it!"

"SHNNKKKXKXSS agckg...uhm, <smack smack>." Psych turned her head, dragging her drool with her to the other shoulder.

Sight was laughing her ass off. Wolfwood tried to glance back to see what was so hilarious, "What? What's she doing? Dammit, Sight, wake her up!!"

"Why? She looks sooo peaceful."

"<Cough cough cough>...ayyy...<smack smack>..."

"I think she might be waking up," Sight announced.

"Ugggghhhhh, shnkx...shnkzz...SHNNNNKKKXXX!! Eehhhhhghgh...aackghmm."

"Yeah," Sight said, then started to poke Psych. "C'mon, Psych wake up already!!"

Psych sat up quickly. "What? Who? When? Why? How? Why'd you wake me up, jerk! I was having this kick ass dream. And why does it smell like wet dog?"

"Prolly cuz you damn well drooled all over Wolfwood," Sight said.

"Yeah right. I don't drool that much."

Sight pointed at Wolfwood's shoulders, where two large wet spots were.

"Oh. Sorry, Wolfwood."

Wolfwood stopped the bike and got off. "Okay, which one of you wants to drive? My coat needs to air out, so I'm sitting in the back."

"That's really gross," Sight said. "Psych, are you drivin' or should I?"

"You can. I'm still a little sleepy."

"Oh hell no. You are not sleeping on me. I'll have to wear a raincoat or some shit. You lean on me, and I'm whoopin' your ass."

"Ok, I promise I won't drool on you. Now let's go before it's too late to help Vash."

Sight revved the bike as Wolfwood and Psych readjusted themselves behind her. She tore off as soon as they were settled.

"Boy, I'm glad I still have your shades, Wolfwood, otherwise all this grit and sand and shit would be getting in my eye."

"YOU have my shades? Damn you, I've been looking for them!"

Sight only laughed and drove faster.

In Augusta...

Vash walked slowly down the deserted streets. Nothing had changed in the city since the last he had been here. No one had bothered to even try to rebuild here. People were afraid to come back after what happened. Suddenly, Vash heard some stray notes from a saxophone.

"Well well, Vash the Stampede, welcome back to Augusta. Where are your friends? I've been dying to meet them. Well, except Wolfwood. I already know him," Legato said from a nearby roof, with Midvalley standing next to him.

"What are you talking about, Legato? Wolfwood's a priest. He would never hang around the likes of you," Vash said. "What do you want from me?"

"Oh, I really don't want you. Not right now anyways. Your time will come. First, however, I need to take care of some personal business. I just used you to bring her here. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan, so she's not with you."

"What? Who do you want?"

"Why, my dear sister of course. Who did you think I wanted?"

<Oh great,> Vash thought, <Now I have to go back and warn them...> He turned, and tried to run back to the truck, but he was rudely interrupted by a group of townsfolk that were sure to be under Legato's control.

"The only way out of here is if you blast your way out, Vash. Are you prepared to kill all these innocent people?" Legato asked, a wicked grin on his face.

<He's right. I can't kill all these people.> "What do you want with me though?" he asked, putting his head down submissively.

Legato chuckled and totally ignored his question, "Take him away. Make sure he's put out in the open where my sister can see him." He turned to Midvalley, "Take any preparations that you need. I want the priest and the green-haired one dead."

"Yes Master," he said, bowing.

Meanwhile...

"This is IT Meryl?" asked Milly, surveying the heap of rubble in the distance that was supposed to be Augusta.

"That's right Milly," Meryl replied, "I bet Vash is there right now. He'll need our help if I know him, which I do. C'mon." She urged her weary thomas onward towards the city ahead. Milly followed wordlessly. Something in her gut told her that they weren't in for a fun time though.

Meanwhile...

"That's it Psych," said Sight, pointing to the city in the distance, "My old home. There's hardly anything left of it."

"Looks cozy," Psych replied, unsure how to address such a sad mess, "We'd best keep our eyes peeled, in your case, eye peeled. Legato most likely has a few surprises waiting to greet us." She elbowed Wolfwood in the gut roughly, who was now sleeping on her shoulder, "Hey! Get the hell offa me dammit! We're almost there."

"Wha?" Wolfwood sat up and rubbed his eyes with one hand. He squinted against the intrusion of bright light, "So, that's Augusta?"

"Yeah," replied Psych, glancing down at the extra arm wrapped around her, "And if you don't get your hands off of me your glasses won't be the only thing you'll be missing after this little trip."

Wolfwood grinned crookedly and snatched his hand away, "Hey baby, just trying to make sure you don't go falling off."

"Right," Psych rolled her eyes and lit a cigarette, "Heh, some priest."