Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Forever Mine ❯ Old Habits Die Hard ( Chapter 49 )

 

Disclaimer: Hmmm... I own my kids (Because I made them) I own my husband, (Because the Marriage License says so) and I own a REALLY big mortgage. (Because I'm stupid and signed on the dotted line.) However I don't own Trigun. (Because if I did, I wouldn't have said mortgage.)

“blah blah” : talking

`blah blah' : thinking

“blah blah” : telepathic talking

blah blah : other misc. stuff.

 

*~*~*

 

Forever Mine

Chapter 49: Old Habits Die Hard

 

 

 

“So you think short stuff's getting it on with this Chaos fellow, huh?”

 

“Gyah… do you have to be so blunt, preacher-man?” Vash complained as he looked up from his crossed arms that were resting on his knees. “But yeah…” he then sighed after a moment, while resting his chin on his arms and still looking at the man in black.

 

“So… what makes you think that?” Wolfwood ask with a small grunt as he sat down next to his best friend.

 

“Well…” he started as he sat up, leaning back on his arms before stretching his long legs out and crossing them. Tilting his head up to the endless blue sky of his mental sanctuary, he tightly closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling. “I don't know really. I guess it's more of a feeling.”

 

“So you mean to tell me that you are sitting here all pouty and you don't have any concrete evidence?”

 

“Ahhh… no I don't, not really… I guess,” Vash quietly replied, opening his aqua orbs to look at his best friend. “It's just the way she reacts around him and how she defended him this afternoon.”

 

“Oh… and just how did her defending him lead you to believe that she's screwing him?” Wolfwood asked curiously.

 

“I don't think Meryl's sleeping with him… at least not yet,” he sighed. “But, I know that she has feelings for him. It was the way she stood up for him. It was like that time when she faced the guy with the gun for me. You could hear it in her voice that she cares for him.”

 

“Well, just because she cares about him doesn't mean that she ready to jump into the sack with him. Come on needle noggin, we are talking about Meryl here. It's gonna take her a whole hell of a lot longer than a few weeks to decide that she wants to be with him,” Wolfwood advised with a shake of his head. “I think your jealously has blinded you.”

 

“It has not!” the ex-outlaw huffed as he sat up and moved his arms in order to cross them over his chest. “Walker even called her his insurance girl! She's my insurance girl, damn it!”

 

“No… technically, she isn't.”

 

“Hey, I thought you were on my side!”

 

“I am buddy,” the preacher chuckled as his titanium colored eyes flashed in amusement. He always got a perverse sense of enjoyment when he could rake Vash the Stampede over the coals. “But remember, she isn't assigned to you anymore. So, she isn't your insurance girl any longer. She's his.”

 

“That doesn't matter! She will always be my insurance girl!”

 

“Not blinded by the jealousy, did ya' say, Vash?”

 

“Oh, shut up, preacher-man!” Vash groused as he closed his eyes and `humphed.'

 

Nicholas just sat there for a moment and watched Vash. He looked completely hopeless. There he was, the Humanoid Typhoon, acting like a lovesick school boy, who just lost his high school sweetheart to the captain of the football team. He just shook his head again before bringing his left hand up to rub his forehead. He didn't get it. It seemed like Vash was ready to give up hope and he just couldn't understand how he of all people could do that. After all, he just now met up with her for the first time since the beginning of August. And their separation wasn't exactly what one would call congenial. Besides, the blonde knew from the beginning, that winning Meryl back wasn't going to be easy.

 

“You aren't giving up already, are you Tongari?” The preacher asked after a few moments of silence passed between the two.

 

“No, of course not!” the ex-outlaw exclaimed, snapping his head up to look at him. He was completely shocked that Wolfwood even asked that. “I would never give up on her!”

 

“That's good to hear. You had me worried there for a moment,” he replied with a smile. “So watcha gonna do to woo short-girl?”

 

“I don't know yet,” Vash sighed, leaning back on his arms again. “I'm thinking about turning the tables and trying to make her a little jealous. You know… see how she reacts.”

 

“Don't you think the direct approach would be best, especially with Meryl?”

 

“I tried that back on the ship and she wouldn't even talk to me, remember?”

 

“Yeah, I do,” Wolfwood muttered as he ran his right hand through his hair. “Just don't take it too far. You just might push her further away.”

 

“I won't,” Vash replied giving his friend a small smile. Then he noticed that there was something different about him. He sat there and studied his friend for a minute until he tilted his head and asked, “Hey Wolfwood?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Where are your cigarettes? You haven't lit up once since I've been here?”

 

“Well…” he started sheepishly as he scratched the top of his head. Then with a snort and a shrug of his shoulders, the preacher confessed, “Rem said that smoking was bad for my health and she would really like it if I'd cut down a bit.”

 

“She said that?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“But you're dead. I didn't think it would matter.”

 

“Yeah I know,” Wolfwood sadly mumbled before shaking his head and laughing at just how comical the whole ordeal was. After all, he was dead and it really shouldn't matter, but to Rem it did and he knew that he could never say no to her. “I'll tell ya' she's something else.”

 

“She sure is, Wolfwood. She sure is.”

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

Early the next morning, Vash found himself making his way down the main drag of Valdour with his left hand holding his knapsack over his shoulder, while his right held onto a bag of freshly baked honey glazed doughnuts. Walking past the hotel they stayed in last night, he turned the corner and saw his brother heading toward the back of the truck. `At least they are up and moving,' he thought as he closed the distance and followed Knives around to the truck's bed, only stopping at the rear bumper instead of hopping up into the truck with him. “Morning Knives.”

 

“Vash,” Knives simply replied as he placed both his and McKenna's gear in the back of the truck, before silently taking Vash's bag to store it.

 

“So, where's red?”

 

“She went to make sure our captive and the girls are ready to go,” the fairer twin replied as he hopped down from the bed before securely shutting the doors behind him.

 

“Meryl's awake and I'm sure ready,” Vash plainly replied as he pulled a doughnut out of his bag. After offering one to his brother, who immediately declined, he quietly added, “Actually, for what I felt from her, she didn't sleep much at all last night.”

 

“I know. I felt her restlessness, too,” Knives sighed before placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. “You know… if you would just advise her of the situation, then this whole thing would be over and we could go someplace where we wouldn't have to worry about the rest of these insignificant beings bothering us.”

 

“I told you I don't want her to think that's the only reason why I came after her,” he said to remind his twin what he said the day before as he looked down at the doughnut in his hand. “I will tell her of the changes, if… and only if, I can win her back.”

 

“But…”

 

“No Knives,” he interrupted, looking up to meet his brother's intense gaze. “I can't do that, not yet. If she decides that she really wants to be with him instead,” he added before pausing to take a deep breath. “…then the changes that have affected her won't be significant.”

 

“You are a fool, brother,” Knives muttered with a shake of his head as he lowered his hand. “I really don't understand why you think she's with him. If you are really that paranoid about it, then why don't you just enter her mind and find out for yourself?”

 

“I can't do that, either. I promised I wouldn't, remember?”

 

“Whatever Vash,” Knives said, while rolling his eyes over his brother's holier than thou attitude. Reaching into one of his many pockets, he pulled out his black shades before slipping them on. “Well, if you refuse to enter her mind, then why don't you enter his?”

 

“I've already tried,” the ex-outlaw replied with a sigh as he dropped the doughnut back into the bag. “I couldn't get anywhere…”

 

“Me neither. It felt like I was being blocked, but I will admit I didn't really put forth much of an effort,” Knives stated right before a devilish smile crossed his face. “I guess you could say I got sidetracked.”

 

Vash just gaped at his brother for a moment before shaking his head, while chuckling over the admission. He knew exactly what or more specifically who interrupted his brother from his mental exploration of a certain outlaw's mind. And in a sense, it kind of depressed him. After all, who would have ever thought that Knives would be getting laid more than he was? “Man… you really suck, you know that!” Vash complained, making Knives chuckle over his brother's behavior.

 

“Come on we have to get moving,” Knives said as he smacked his twin on his back, still smiling over his brother's resentful tone.

 

With a sigh, Vash replied with a `hold on' before asking for the keys to the truck. Then as both Plants walked up to the cab, he opened the door and set his bag of doughnuts on the seat prior to locking the truck back up. After handing the keys back to Knives, Vash reached into one of his pockets and grabbed his golden shades. “Shall we go and get our prisoner,” he said, his tone instantly hardening, right after putting his sunglasses on. Knives replied with a quick nod before they started the short walk to the hotel's main entrance.

 

As both men were stepping up to turn the corner, McKenna contacted Knives. With panic evident, she told him that just as soon as the four of them stepped out of the hotel, they were surrounded by bounty hunters after the Bringer of Chaos.

 

An instant later, series of gunshots rang through the air.

 

“Shit,” Knives bit out immediately stopping in his tracks and grabbing his brother by the back of his coat, to keep him from turning the corner. “They're bounty hunters and they have Chaos and the girls surrounded,” Knives told his brother as he felt the trepidation running through his twin. He then contacted Mac to make sure no one was injured. With a sigh of relief escaping his lips, he told Vash what Mac relayed to him. “Don't worry; they were just warning shots and McKenna said there are five of them, four men and one woman.”

 

“That's good to hear,” Vash replied, peeking around the corner to see what exactly they were up against. And just as his brother said, there were five bounty hunters all strategically positioned around their four comrades, holding them all at gun point with AK 47s. Taking a closer look at their adversaries, he noticed three of the five had their backs facing Knives and his location. Including the female, who instantly got his attention because of the skintight bodysuit she was wearing. The light green leather left nothing to the imagination even with her blonde hair cascaded halfway down her back. He would have to admit that she had a pretty nice backside.

 

Then an idea formed in his head. Glancing back to his brother, Vash gave him a wicked smile before telling him to be prepared to freeze the four men in place. He also advised his twin to leave the woman to him because he had something special planned that would surely cause a ruckus.

 

“Do I even want to know why?” Knives asked even though he already knew Vash had something planned that would not only involve the blonde spider in a painted on cat suit, but would most likely really piss off one raven-haired insurance girl.

 

“No, you probably don't,” Vash answered telepathically prior to telling his brother to follow his lead. And with that, he was stepping around the corner and nonchalantly walking down the side walk to stand right behind the female bounty hunter. He then slipped his arms around her slim waist. “Oh Eileen is it really you!” he cried out dramatically, while whipping her around in his arms and kissing her.

 

The remaining members of the group, including the captives, stared unbelievingly at him as he continued to make out with the woman who had now dropped her gun and eagerly returned the gesture. All except for a certain insurance girl, instead she was glaring daggers at the both of them.

 

“Hey asshole, that's my girlfriend!” a big burly hunter standing on the other side of the makeshift circle bellowed, after the shock of what was happening wore off. Aiming his gun at the blonde in the red duster, he prepared to fire only to be stopped before being able to squeeze the trigger. “What the hell?” he then grumbled, realizing that he couldn't move a muscle.

 

“Huh?” Vash said feigning ignorance as he pulled away from the blonde's now thoroughly kissed lips. Pretending to show extreme shock on his handsome face, he gave the pretty woman an awkward smile before `apologizing.' “Oh miss I truly am sorry! I thought you were my dear dead girlfriend, Eileen.”

 

“Oh my…” she breathlessly replied, fluttering her eyelashes as she was sucked right into the charade. “No, I'm not. MMM…My name is Sylvia and I…I'm sorry for your loss, mister...” she added trailing off on the `mister,' hoping that he would supply a name.

 

“My name is Vash,” he divulged with a charming smile that made the woman, who was still in his arms, smile back.

 

“Vash? As in Vash the Stampede?” Sylvia practically purred, showing her obvious interest in the tall blonde.

 

“That is what I used to go by,” Vash said as his smile turned more deviant. “Now, it's Federal Marshal Vash Saverem.”

 

“What?! You… a Federal Marshal?” Sylvia's boyfriend yelled, while still trying to move. “That's bullshit! Get him boys! We'll collect the bounty on him and Chaos then we'll be beyond rich!” he exclaimed, only to realize that the other three men were just as stuck as he was.

 

“Did you honestly believe that we would let get away with our captive,” Knives calmly stated as he made his presence known. “Now why don't you go back to the cesspit that you crawled out of or else you will have quite a bit more to worry about other than why you are unable to move your limbs.”

 

“Who in hell are you?” the burly man asked, although very skeptically.

 

“I am your superior,” the platinum blonde arrogantly answered as he adjusted the black frames on his face. Moving his attention from the bounty hunter, he looked to his mate and spoke. “Woman, why don't you and Vash's ex-pets head over to the truck, while we finish off these vermin,” he added right before tossing the truck's keys to her.

 

“Okay,” she replied, putting the keys in her pocket before telling the girls to get their things, including Caden's. Once everything was in order, Mac grabbed a hold of the insurance girls' arms and proceeded to pull them away.

 

Finally making it around the corner, Meryl pulled out of McKenna's hold in order to peek back around the building to watch the remaining scene unfold. Caden had now stepped up to stand next to Knives, while Vash stayed in place with his arms still wrapped securely around the woman's waist. She still couldn't believe that he actually walked right up to that hussy and started kissing her right in front of everybody. She felt like she was in the middle of a hellish nightmare and if she thought that pinching herself would bring her out of such chaotic happenings then she would have done just that. But she knew it was real and Vash just proved that he was serious when he said that he wasn't ready to be tied down.

 

“Sempai, we need to do what Mr. Knives said and get into the truck,” Milly pleaded as she took the handle of Meryl's suitcase case out of the smaller woman's hands. She noticed that Meryl was completely engrossed in what was happening around the front of the building and ignoring her. With a shake of her head and a `be careful,' the big-girl quickly headed back to store Meryl's luggage.

 

“Shhh… they're, still talking,' Meryl absently shushed, while keeping her attention to the group in front of the hotel, not realizing Milly wasn't there. She heard Knives say that he was going to let the bounty hunters go and they were to simply walk away or else. The four men must have heeded his warning because the very next moment they started to head in the opposite direction.

 

Bringing her attention back to Vash, she noticed that the hussy was still in his arms and it looked as though she was saying something to him. Unfortunately, they were talking to low and she couldn't hear a thing. She felt a jolt of white hot jealously shooting through her as she watched the two interact with one another. Vash was smiling as he cupped the woman's bottom with his real hand to pull her infinitely closer. He then said something back right before swooping down to kiss her again.

 

Then all hell broke loose.

 

A spray of bullets swarmed the space as the four bounty hunters started to attack. Hopping into action, Caden and Knives instantly drew their weapons to return fire, while Vash pulled the woman through the doors of the hotel and to safety. Meryl watched as both men quickly back peddled, while continuing to shoot at their adversaries. When they reached the corner, Knives turned and flew by her to the truck, right before Caden scooped her up in his arms, immediately following the fairer twin.

 

“Damn it put me down!” Meryl screamed as Caden ran toward the truck's bed.

 

“Okay,” he simply said, depositing her in the back of the truck before hopping up himself. The engines roared to life as Caden had lain down on his stomach facing the open doors with his arms extended in order to protect the opening. An instant later, they pulled away from the curb and took an immediate right. He could see the four men arguing amongst themselves as their guns lay on the sandy ground completely useless. He couldn't help but laugh at the quartet, especially when the big one cuffed the other three.

 

However, he turned quite serious as the men pulled out handguns from their belts and entered the hotel. `Oh shit,' the outlaw thought, realizing that Vash was still in there. With a sharp right turn, the truck shifted making him lose sight of the main drag and the hotel's entrance. He had a feeling that Knives knew of Vash's predicament and was in the process of doubling back. And sure enough the truck took another sharp right on the very next street.

 

A couple of blocks later, he heard Meryl call out `there he is' just as Vash bolted out from what looked like a service entrance and started to run toward the truck. Sure enough, the four bounty hunters were hot on his trail, shooting wildly at the man in red. Offering assistance, the brunette started to shoot back as the truck slowed enough for blonde man catch up. The very next instant, the ex-outlaw dove for the opened doors just as the tuck came to a screeching halt. Flying through the air, Vash's momentum sent him sailing over Caden only to land right on top of one wide-eyed insurance girl.

 

“Hey short-girl,” Vash said with a smile, his face a mere breath away from hers as the truck sped off again. Meryl just stared at him, completely in shock over the fact that he was laying completely on top of her. That is until he spoke again. “I never thought I would get a chance to lie in between your luscious thighs, again. Well… at least, not so soon…”

 

And with that she punched him up side the head….

 

Twice.

 

 

 

*~*~*

 

 

 

The clomping sound of heavy booted feet echoed through hallway as several days of sand and grime fell away from them with the force of the impact on the impossibly rare walnut floor. The equally dirty and weary man took each step with trepidation as he made his way past an occasional door to the closed one at the end of the corridor. He knew that once he walked through the entry way to his boss's study that he just might not be walking back out. Instead, he might be carried out and in a body bag.

 

Finally reaching the door, the man took a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out and knocking. Once he gained the approval to enter the room, he reached for the leaded glass knob and turned it. He paused, only slightly, before slipping through the door where he intently looked around the study, while trying to avoid the inevitable. His boss's disapproving gaze.

 

The rich burgundies of the damask silk curtains accented the taupe walls and the double hung full length windows that resided on both ends of the rectangular room, while the entire wall straight ahead stored high gloss walnut book shelves filled with most of the rarest books ever found on Gunsmoke. The room exuded refined tastes that could only come to one that was fortunate enough to be able to afford such luxuries. Luxuries that included a chocolate colored leather sofa and matching wing back chairs that sat to the left of the space, a wet bar with stools that were located on the right and directly in front of the bookshelves was a desk made of the very same wood that ran throughout the home.

 

“So Snider, I do hope that you are here with good news this time,” the man sitting behind the desk inquired, instantly bringing his `employee's' attention to him.

 

“Well… sir,” Snider started as he shifted nervously, standing just inside the door.

 

“What… cat got your tongue?”

 

“NNN…No sir…” the blonde man stuttered as he looked down to his feet.

 

“Then come closer and give me your report, Snider,” he grounded out in exasperation over the normally confidant man's cowering. “And stop your sniveling!”

 

“Of course, Mr. Cruz,” he replied, snapping out of his cowardliness. After all, if he was about to take his last breath, he wasn't going to make it a shameful one. Walking the last few feel, he stopped as he reached the Oriental rug in reds and gold that lie underneath the desk and the two winged back chairs resting right before the walnut piece of furniture. Then with a deep breath he spoke. “Initially we met up with Walker in a little no name town a few days east of Corchie. He, as usual, said that he would never give up the map and we opened fire on him. And we had him too, until two women interfered. So… we tried to ambush him a few days later as he and the same women were leaving town. Unfortunately, the scuffle resulted in a building being blown up and he escaped again, because the two snuck up behind us, taking us completely by surprise.”

 

“So, you mean to tell me that you let Chaos get away because two women helped him?” Arturo asked incredulously as he rose from his seat to intimidate the man.

 

“But Mr. Cruz sir, I have never seen a woman who could handle a weapon as effectively as what those two did,” Snider defensively stammered out, while intently watching his boss circle around the desk. With every step, he could easily recognize the confidence and strength that accompanied him

 

Even though Arturo Cruz wasn't what one would call brawny, he was still a very intimidating man. His form lean and well toned thanks to years of mastering several forms of ancient martial arts that included Ju Jitsu, Aikido and Kempo. Where if warranted, he could strike down and kill an opponent with his bare hands and has on occasion, if a foe got in the way of his goals. He was a disciplined man, to say the least, who demanded the best of everything. From his employees to his bourbon, it didn't matter. If something or someone didn't meet his expectations, he would just as easily find what or even who would, while simply getting rid of what didn't.

 

“So tell me, just who were these marksmen… or should I say markswomen?” Arturo sarcastically asked, now standing before Snider.

 

“I…I don't know Mr. Cruz, sir,” he replied shakily, he rubbed his forehead in frustration. “One was really tall, taller than me with long brown hair. While the other one was a tiny little thing with shiny black hair.”

 

“Hmmm…” Cruz said quietly, while rubbing his clean shaven chin in thought. He knew who these women where and, just as planned, they ended up being assigned to Walker. `Bardeaux will be quite pleased,' he thought to himself as his eyes, the color of spiced rum, glittered in anticipation. He just might let Snider live, after all. At least, long enough to retrieve the smaller woman. “Do you have anything else to report?” he calmly asked, instantly bringing his attention back to then man standing before him.

 

“Well… I do have a good idea where he's heading.”

 

“Where?”

 

“He was heading east to Valdour and when I checked the bus schedule for up and coming departures from there, only two were recent. One was heading north to December and the other to Inepril City,” Snider quickly replied, breathing a little easier. If the look in the mayor's eyes was any indication, he was going to live to see another day. “I believe he's going to Inepril, sir.”

 

“Very well,” Cruz sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment, while running a hand through his short black hair. With that last piece of information, he decided to let him live. However, his mistakes could not go unpunished. Opening his eyes, he looked to Snider before striking. With an open fist, Arturo slammed the heel his right hand into the blonde's nose, instantly snapping his head back with the force of the blow before using his left to punch him in the lower ribs, most likely fracturing one or two.

 

“Now you had better not fail me again or something far worse will happen to you,” he started, while straightening his suit coat and not bothering to help the man up from the floor. Reaching over to his desk, he pushed a button on the intercom before requesting the presence of the man whom he just contacted. Letting go of the switch, he casually walked over to the bar and pour himself a glass of bourdon before lighting a cigar.

 

A few minutes later, a knock was heard before a tall man with combed back grey hair and a feature fitting mask of titanium covered the right half of his face. “You called me?”

 

“Ahhh… Bardeaux, my friend,” Cruz said as his eyes flashed wickedly. “I have the most splendid news. It appears that your prey has met up with the Bringer of Chaos and they are on their way to Inepril City.”

 

“When do I leave?” Keele asked as the left half of his mouth curved upward.

 

“Tomorrow, only I want her alive for the time being,” he replied, while handing the taller man a glass of bourbon and a straw. “I have a feeling that she may be the key to getting the map.”