Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Kaleidoscope ❯ Chapter 3: Found ( Chapter 3 )

 

 

Chapter 3: Found

 

Nicholas D. Wolfwood walked west to the town closest to the place he'd awaken. After his long desert trek he was tired, hungry and just plan worn out. It did seem however that something had called to him in this direction pulling him towards this town.

 

Down the small cities dusty streets in his rumpled suite Wolfwood walked watching its residents go through the motions of their everyday life. There was not a care in the air for them as each looked at the town's newest visitor with a welcoming smile. Children laughed, as they played in the street carefree and happy never really knowing the misery of the world out side this place. It seemed this small homestead was an untouched paradise, but then again maybe its serene atmosphere hid something more.

 

A familiar feeling washed over the priest's body as he came upon the town's inn causing him to come to a halt in front of the three story sturdy structure. Though Nicholas didn't know why he needed to be here in this place he was sure he'd find out. Casually her stepped across the hotel's threshold without a worry or care. Whatever was going to happen would happen he was just along for the ride.

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"Excuse me miss! I really need to ask you something!" Meryl chased after the young brunet woman who ran into her just a moment ago. She fallowed her down the stairs and into the inns cozy restaurant located in the lobby.

 

"Yeah, yeah I'm still sorry about running into you like that back there." Marvel turned around to face the short, black haired woman behind her irritated.

 

"I'm looking for someone and if you don't mind I just wanted to ask you a few questions." The smaller woman looked on a bit nervous at the other woman's overwhelming presents.

 

"Nope, don't mind." Marvel crossed her arms with a scowl. Her posture conveyed how peeved she was with this situation. She didn't have time for any more annoyances today.

 

// Well, she looks too small to be a bounty hunter. But looks can be deceiving can't they. I mean look at me. //

 

"This might sound weird but I herd you grumbling about donuts and a man…. I know this is strange but a friend of mine has gone missing and well…I thought you had maybe seen him." Marvel's scowl took on a softer less angry look. Thinking for a moment she took on a more irritated look and started to rub her temples.

 

"Blond, strange, super annoying?" Meryl let out a sigh in relief and felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

 

"Sounds about right."

 

"Says his name is Vash. I found your friend outside town shot up pretty good. Patched him up the best I could but I'm no doctor. He seems fine now, well at least that big mouth of his does. Not to mention he's really starting to piss me off." Marvel rested herself up against one of the hard wooden walls arms still crosses

 

"Definitely my…I mean our Vash. How about I treat you to breakfast for putting up with that knuckle head?" Meryl wanted to repay her in some way for taking care of the pea brained blond man she knew as Vash.

 

"Sure I'm starved." Marvel fallowed her breakfast companion across the room. “By the way the name's Marvel.”

 

“Oh, It's nice to meet you I'm Meryl Strife”

 

As the miss mismatched pair crossed lobby a tall thin man with unkempt black hair walked into the inn and Meryl stopped abruptly her face drained of its color as she went white as a sheet.

 

"It can't be he's dead. I saw him die." In low disbelieving whisper the emotion filled little woman could hardly believe what she was seeing. Right in front of Meryl was a man who she knew was no longer of this world, a man whose red blood she had seen pooled beneath his lifeless body on that cold church floor.

 

Marvel saw the strange look on her face. “You ok? It looks like you've seen a ghost."

 

Meryl pulled Marvel by the arm into a darkened corner to hide herself from the view from the man who looked so much like her fallen comrade.

 

"I may have seen that ghost you talking about!” Marvel took notice of the smaller woman shaken body langue. “That man there the one who just came in," Tears welled up in Meryl's gray eyes. "He looks exactly like a man who we used traveled with. He lost his life and I helped burry him in the town of Tonim. Nicholas D. Wolfwood is dead!"

 

"Something's not right about this guy." Marvel broke free of Meryl's grasp and of their shaded corner.

 

He was Masculine but not too masculine, rugged and unshaven looking but still gentle. When you looked at this man all you would think was simply captivating. With a cocky swagger Marvel strolled to the other side of the room coming face to face with the supposed dead man.

 

" Hey you, tell me your name!" Wolfwood `s took notice of the domineering little brunette with her hands place firmly on her hips that had demanded his name.

 

Taking his sunglasses off he glanced down at the woman with his dark blue eyes. They sent shivers down the spine of even this, one of the most indomitable women. He oozed charisma without even trying.

 

"It's Nicholas D. Wolfwood, how can I help you?" The man in blacks personality had already began to grate on Marvel's nerves.

 

"Rumor around here is Nicholas D. Wolfwood is a dead man. Care to explain how the hell you could be someone who's already kicked the bucket." She spat back at his kindness with anger. With arms overlapped, Marvel glared at Nicholas. "Can't trust a dead man walking."

 

Wolfwood was about to answer her question when an old friend came walking down the stairs. It was a very tall woman with light brown hair and blue eyes.

 

"Millie?" The holy man's face lit up with a brilliant smile.

 

Millie climbed down the stairs with a happy look and not a care in the world. Even at a time like this with a friend missing and a dangerous man sleeping down the hall all this endureing woman clould do is smile. When she reached the bottom and saw the familiar figure she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her eyes.

 

"Mr. Wolfwood?"

 

“ Hey, big girl!” Millie ran across the room almost crushing the priest with a hug.

 

"So it is you." Meryl came into the light and out of her hiding place.

 

"In the flesh."

 

"How?" Millie asked letting the tall preacher go.

 

"A gift from God, a true gift from God" Nicholas answered.

 

// Maybe this time I really can just be happy with all of them. This time things will be different. Wont they Vash the Stamped. //

 

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After picking up some lunch at the inns restaurant the group made it's way up to the privacy of Marvel's room conveniently located next to Knives and down the hall from the insurance women's room. Meryl checked on her reluctant patient the way making sure he was sound asleep, while Marvel and Millie helped Wolfwood check into a room of his own.

 

Finely they could all relax at a table set for four in Marvel's apartment. Each one of the woman's visitors noticed how incredibly spectacular this particular room was. It was easy to see the young woman was not just visiting this was her home. This space was like a small one room cottage on the second floor of the inn. There was artwork everywhere, a nice shade of maroon painted on the walls, and beautiful furniture. It was like a whole new world when you stepped into this room.

 

"This sure is a lovely place you have here Ms. Marvel It sure looks expensive. How can you afford this all?" Millie questioned in awe of this beautiful living space.

 

"Millie stop being so rude! Were guests here you know." Meryl apologized for her friend's unconscious insult. "I'm sorry about that some times Millie asks too many questions"

 

"No harm done." Marvel answered not bothered at all the tall woman's question. She very calmly took a bite of her donut then took a sip of her tea. "Most of these things are gifts from the towns people. I've protected them many times from danger so they keep me up in this inn."

 

"WOW!" Millie smiled bright showing each one of her white teeth. "That's really neat they gave you all these things!"

 

"A lot of it. Other things where given to me by the Taylor family. They've been the governing body in this place since it became a town. I saved a member of their family once and I continue to protect them as I would my own family." Marvel face softened for a moment before hardening once more. The fast change in expression gave the other three at the table chills. This new look was a cold look, one that seemed to come with a remembrance of something.

 

A voice broke Marvel out of her deep thought.

 

"Hey when do I get to eat I'm debilitated here!" Vash was sick of sitting alone watching everyone while they ate and being completely ignored. He was hungry too! "Come on someone bring something over here for me to eat! Pleeeeeeeeeeese!"

 

"I can't believe that he is the legendary Vash the Stampede! My god he's annoying!" Marvel pointed out with a growl still nibbling on her pastry.

 

"I second that. I refused to believe it when we first met Vash too. Unfortunately I was wrong.” Meryl shot Vash an angry look as the passive gunman continued to whine on about his empty stomach.

 

"Now that's how I remember Vash." Wolfwood let out a hardy chuckle.

 

Marvel reached across the table and grabbed the last glazed donut out of it's with paper box. Picking it up she placed the round baked good to her full lips. Vash watched with horror.

 

//No it's the last one, the last donut! What is this world coming to when an injured man can't have a donut! // Vash whimpered loudly

 

Marvel turned to face him she could actually smell the salty tears that welled up in his eyes. Rolling her own eyes the irritated bronze skinned tomboy rose from her seat. Crossing the room she took a seat on the edge of the bed next to Vash.

 

"Is this want you want you big baby?" She waved the donut back and forth in front of Vash's famished tear streaked face. He stopped blubbering instantly.

 

"Oh, that's exactly what I want but I soooo tired, do you mind feeding it to me in small pieces? I don't know if I can chew too much" Vash conjured up the most pitiful expression he could manage. This time it was Meryl rolled her eyes.

 

"Oh you poor baby." Marvel spoke back sarcastically, but with a resentful face she did as he asked ferociously ripping the ring shaped confection in to small bite sized pieces about. Then feeding them to him one by one while grumbling something about ripping him into small bite sized pieces.

 

Meryl watched Vash. He enjoyed every moment of the attention this other woman gave him. Smiling between every bite, he seemed to be in a state of euphoria eating out of Marvels finger. Green with envy Meryl's face took on a faint angry red at the site of the two of them.

 

//That bonehead barely even knows her! What does he think he's doing? //

 

"Meryl are you ok?" Millie noticed the radiating fury from her traveling companions face.

 

"Oh…what…I'm fine." With fiery gray eyes she struggled to watch any thing else but the two of them.

 

"Ok Mr. Invalid last piece!" Marvel impatiently held the last small glazed piece to Vash's lips.

 

Happily munching on the sugar filled confection the outlaw noticed that the woman's digits touched the entry to his mouth. When he took the last portion of the donut he also took her fingers as well sucking off the last of the glaze on them, then he released them.

 

A shock wave went through Marvel's body, her senses heightened. There were this feeling building up she hadn't felt in a long time. It had been sensual in a way her fingers in his warm mouth, his tongue brushing up against them. Her body felt a little heated and she blushed.

 

"Mmm, that was great! We'll have to do that again some time!" Vash awarded her flustered reaction with a large grin and a wink.

 

//That jerk! Treating that woman like that! How could he do this?! // A large and prominent vain bulged pulsating on Meryl's forehead, her blood boiled.

 

Marvel snapped out of her trance like state and a look of all the fury in hell crept onto her face. She stood up and narrowed her eyes towards Vash.

 

"YOU MALE PIG! WHEN YOU HEAL ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF THAT BED I'M GOING TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!!" In one quick motion a fist made contact with Vash's left cheek before the furious woman walked over to the table and sat back down in her chair trying her best to calm down taking deep breath.

 

“Hey, still injured here!” Yelped out punches recipient.

 

Meryl looked on only to become more inflamed by the pair's antics. The vain on the small woman's forehead looked like it might pop as her rage continued to grow.

 

"Meryl are you sure you're ok?" Millie was worried about her close companion who looked as if she were going to explode any moment.

 

"Yeah…. I…I'm fine… Still tired I guess." Meryl sighed trying to regain her cool.

 

//Stupid pig! //

 

"Good, because if I didn't know better I would think you were jealous of Ms. Marvel and Mr. Vash." The taller insurance woman smiled an oblivious smile.

 

Meryl looked quickly at the smiling Millie and then to the puzzled Marvel. She waved her hands, palms out, franticly in front of her face in denial.

 

"Oh, please Millie! Now what a ridicules thing to say!” Quickly Meryl changed the subject to a much less embarrassing topic. “You I should go check on Knives. I'll see you all later." And with that, Meryl was out the door in a flash.

 

"That was strange." Nicholas rubbed his head.

 

"Got that right" Marvel was still confused.

 

//Jealous of Vash and I, Why? I would never give that man a chance in hell! I mean look at him! // She caught a glimpse if him out of the corner of her eye. He laid the eyes shuts smiling at the selling with a large lump on his cheek. Worn out it seemed that Vash had fallen asleep once more. He looked almost sweet when he was quiet. // No wait I can't think like that Marvel the Demon doesn't think men are sweet! // She tired to focus on the conversation at the table.

 

"Knives huh? That's a name I haven't herd in a long time. I guess that man really is like a cockroach. Bastard just won't die. " Marvel gave a solemn smirk

 

"Oh you know him? He's Vash's twin brother!" Millie answered back

 

"Is he still as charming as our friend Vash?" Marvel rocked back on the back two legs of her chair.

 

"No, not at all. He was mass murder who wanted to destroy all man kind but Vash stopped him." Millie was still smiling even after her grim description of Vash's twin.

 

"I guess he really hasn't changed at all then, has he?"

 

Vash opened one eye looking over at the group from his false sleep. Some how this seemingly average woman knew of his twisted brother. From the sound of it Marvel had even come in contact with Knives and survived their meeting. Maybe his beautiful savior was more than just an ordinary woman with a pretty face.