Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Happy Halloween ❯ Chapter 1

Candles lit, the blond settled back into the pew and gazed up at the metallic cross.

"There. One for you and one for her, even though she always thought she'd be reincarnated. So I guess it's just you and me.

"Are you here? I think it's the right date: Rem always called it `Halloween', and the calendars here aren't quite the same as the old ones, but I think today's the right day.

"Today's the day when the dead are supposed to be able to come back and visit with the living. There was something about candy and masks, but I never understood that part. I was too busy asking her questions about ghosts and spirits and souls. I'm really nosy like that, aren't I?

"There isn't any blood on the floor, there. I keep glancing over and expecting to see blood and ashes. But that's silly. You died in Carcasses. I just see blood everywhere.

"I wish you were here. I miss you, and the girls. I see the big girl every now and then, and we laugh and have dinner and never once mention you. She's great, isn't she? She was such a big help after Knives...after he...She makes wonderful spaghetti. You'd love it. Don't know what happened to the noisy one. She's terrible at keeping in touch. Almost as bad as I am, I guess.

"I visited Sensei awhile ago. I turned down the new arm he offered me, did I mention that? I suppose I've grown attached to this one. He asked if it was a memento, and I didn't know what to say. He wanted me to tell you that nobody blames you for anything, and that you were welcome back any time. So if you ever want to haunt a piece of lost technology, you've got an open invitation.

"You know, I was furious with you, after? You could have killed him. He'd bled as much as you did. But you didn't. You walked away, and he shot you. The one time you listened to my damn foolish philosophy and it killed you. And all I could think was `why?' Why'd you have to pick that day of all days to listen to me? Why wasn't there a way so neither of you had to die? Why wasn't there a way so you didn't have to die?

"Sometimes I'm not...but sometimes…

"I never got a chance to thank you. To tell you that I finally figured out who you were..."



Later, the priest would demand to know who had been responsible for the red votives, but for now, they flickered and danced as the entryway doors swung shut.