Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Sinner ❯ Redemption ( Chapter 4 )

Ch 4: Redemption

Seraphine woke up this morning with an awful feeling. Something bad was going to happen. It had been two weeks since Vash had woken up, two weeks where they hadn't said much to one another after that fateful day and night. But that was okay with her, he had enough crap to deal with right now. She wasn't scheduled to work today but got up early. After she showered she pulled on her clothing then looked to her uniform. She paused….it really wasn't a uniform per say, its was the outfit she wore when she was hunting a bounty. It was completely black from the sleeveless shirt, to the long trench coat, to the boots that laced up all the way to her calves. For some reason she decided to ware that today, along with her piece. Not surprising it kina looked like the guns Knives made, but this one was an automatic. She donned the pants, shirt and boots and pulled on the jacket, then looked into the mirror as she slid on the glasses. Tempest, the bounty hunter looked back at her behind those dark glasses. Something wasn't right today, and she was going to find out what it was.

She left a note saying that she had some errands to run and would be back soon, and left. She spent the day around the bars trying to pick up some information as to what had unsettled her so much. It wasn't until later in the day that she found her answer.

"Guys guys!" Someone cam running into the bar, "We've caught Vash the Stampede!"

That was all Seraphine needed to hear, immediately she rushed out of the bar faster than anyone else she ran back to the house, praying that they were wrong, that it was a mistake. She stopped short, they weren't wrong and it wasn't a mistake. There at the end of the road leading out of town…were a bunch of towns' men, Meryl, Millie and Vash being drug by a car that had just skidded to a halt. Seraphine gasped as her eyes widened at the absolute brutality they showed Vash. Didn't they know!? Didn't they care what kind of hell that man was in?!? A cold anger came over her as she raised her gun for the first time in a long while and fired off one shot.

The shot made its mark knocking out the gun from one of the town's men hand. Everyone stopped and turned to look, to see a black figure walking toward them, looking much like a devil rather than woman. A voice sang softly, eerily a song only sung once before, in a similar situation…but in a much different place.

"Total slaughter." Her voice rang out as Vash's eyes opened as he recognized the tune that he himself had made up. "Total slaughter." She repeated as he looked up his eyes widened as he saw Seraphine walking toward them dressed in her bounty hunter uniform. "I won't leave, a sing man…alive."

"No…." He whispered softly.

"Who the hell is that?!" Someone asked.

"Is she singing?" Another asked.

"What a horrible song." Someone shuddered as the coldness in her voice.

"La, de da, de dai." Her voice increased in volume as she rose up her gun, walking toward them, her eyes hidden by her glasses. "Genocide." She said as she continued her slow deliberate pace. "La de da, de duh, and ocean of blood." She said as she walked up right in front of the man holding his weapon on Vash, as she used her other hand and pulled her glasses off. "Let's begin…." She looked up at him her eyes devoid of emotion at she trained her weapon on the man, "….the killing time."

"Miss Seraphine?" Millie whispered a bit in awe and fear as Meryl looked at the young woman.

"Who the hell are you?!" The man demanded sweat beading on his brow.

"I am the bounty hunter known as Tempest." She informed them as a few of the men gasped a bit, her eyes hardened. "But you know me here are Seraphine."

"Oh my God!" Someone said.

"You've got to be kidding me! She's just that singer down at the bar!" Someone else said.

She smiled a bit, "A girl can have many talents." She said as she cocked her weapon. "Are you willing to gamble that I can't hit you from here?"

"Are you insane?!" The man demanded, "Don't you know who this psycho is?! It's the humanoid….."

"I KNOW…." She shouted causing the man the flinch, "Who Vash is, sir." She said, "I've been traveling with him for quite some time now, and I tell you this…" She looked up at him, "You are mistaken if you believe all those things about him." Her eyes narrowed, "Now put up your weapons all of you." She ordered, "No one need die here today."

"You're wrong! Someone has to die today!" The man snarled, "For all our children, and friend and family that this maniac had murdered in cold blood!" He moved to kick Vash again only to find Seraphine in front of him her weapon pressed into his forehead.

"Don't even think about it." She ordered as she pushed him back a bit as she looked around. "All of you make me sick!" She spat, "You have no idea of who this man is or what kind of hell he's been through!" Her eyes narrowed "You all simply believe those stories about Agusta and July. None of those were his fault!"

"What are you saying? That he didn't destroy July or Agusta?!" Someone demanded as Seraphine looked to them.

"I'm saying you don't know the whole story, and without a second thought you labeled this man a murderer and placed a bounty on his head without even having a trial to prove his innocents or guilt!" Her lips pulled back, "You all are hypocrites! You talk about the values of law and order and here you are dragging this man behind a truck and sentencing him to death!" A couple of people looked down, apparently she had gotten through to some but the one in front of her was stubborn.

"You're wrong! He made a hole in the fifth moon! He too dangerous to be allowed to live! There's no way, he'll end up destroying the entire planet!" The man said as he level his weapon off.

Seraphine looked at him calmly. "I see you're not going to be satisfied until you've killed someone today." The man flinched a bit, "Alright." Seraphine said as she slowly lowered her weapon and holstered it as she stood in front of Vash and outstretched her arms. "If you shoot anyone today, you'll have to shoot me first." She said her eyes softened a bit.

"What?!" The man gasped, "Are you nuts, get out of the way!"

"I won't." Seraphine said as Vash looked up slightly, this scene was familiar to him. "I won't let you kill him. So if you have to shoot, you'll have to shoot me first."

"Why?!" The man demanded.

She paused, as the wind blew slightly and then to everyone's surprise she smiled. "Because no one has the right to take the life of another." She said softly as Vash gasped a bit, his eyes wide as he slowly looked up at her. "And everyone deserves the chance to correct the mistakes they've made in the past." Vash's eyes widened and for one moment, he saw her. He saw Rem's face in Seraphine….was Rem still alive in Seraphine? Was it possible?!

"Please sir, I'm asking you not to make the same mistakes I've made." She said as she took a step forward.

"Wha….what are you doing?!" HE demanded as his hand trembled a bit, "Get back!"

"It's time to end the fighting." She said as she smiled taking another step forward. "It's time to end this cycle of hate."

"Sta….stay back! Don't come any closer! I don't want to kill you!" He stammered fear in his eyes as she continued her slow progression everyone holding their breath.

"Please…." She said softly, as a tear trickled down his face. "It's over." She said as she reached out and gently took the gun from his hand as he slid down to his knees and cried. She knelt down next to him, "It's alright." She said as she gently stroked his back. "Everything's going to be alright."

Vash watched with wide eyes as Millie and Meryl untied him and helped the man up leaving Vash and Seraphine alone on the edge of town. Seraphine stood up after everyone had left and then let out a great breath.

"That….was a close one." She said with a bit of mirth to her voice.

"That was really reckless." Vash said softly as he sat there looking up at her.

Seraphine smiled a little, "You're the last person on this planet that has the right to lecture me about recklessness, Vash." She said softly as she walked over to him. "C'mon, we should get you home and try to patch you up again."

He was silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke. "I understand now." He said, but there was a change in his voice…was that….happiness? "I understand now!" Suddenly he stood up and before she could prevent him he pulled her into a tight embrace. "People have the ability to correct their mistakes! I understand now Rem!" He cried happily as he held her close. Seraphine was confused and a little startled by his reactions, but within his face there was an elated joy that had never been there before.

"Thank you, Seraphine." He whispered, "Thank you for making me understand!"

Seraphine gasped a bit, this was the first time he had credited HER with anything! Usually she was just a warm body he would attach Rem's name to. She wondered if perhaps it was because she looked like the woman. But there were only two people in all the world that could answer that, one she refused to ask and the other….she didn't want to.

Slowly she wrapped her arms around him. "You're welcome Vash." She said softly and smiled a bit.

"So tell me, would you like to go out with me later?" He asked hopefully

*BONK*

"Owwwww!" He whined, "What'cha hit me for?!" He asked looking all hurt, "I'm still wounded you know!"

"Because sometimes you're a complete idiot!" Seraphine said as a ting of crimsons stained her cheeks. She looked down at him in anger, and then sighed. She couldn't stay angry at him for long. "C'mon skirt chaser." She said offering him her hand, "Let's get you home."

Vash rubbed his head a bit more then looked up at her, his eyes serious. "It was my first, y'know." He said softly.

"Your first?" Seraphine asked confused.

"My first kiss." He said as he looked up at her, "You gave me my first kiss that night." He said earnestly as Seraphine's cheeks colored a bit more…matching the blush on his as he stood up. She straightened as well, and awkward silence covered the two. "So, I guess I'll see you at home then!" He said cheerily and as quick as he could escape from that situation.

:Vash you stupid idiot!? What in the hell are you thinking?! Blurting things out like that! God! You're such a moron at time!: He mentally berated himself all the way back home.

It was the next day that he left. He thanked Meryl and Mille and was surprised when Millie had given him Wolfwood's Cross "Punisher". He had accepted it and thanked her and Meryl. He hadn't seen Seraphine and with a saddened heart he left the town. He couldn't wait to tell her Goodbye and thank her for all she had done for him. But maybe it was a good thing that way he couldn't embarrass himself anymore in front of her! He walked a ways past an outcropping of rocks once he walked past a familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"It's not nice to leave without saying goodbye, Vash." Seraphine's voice rang out as he gasped and turned around to see her leaning against the rock. Dressed in her bounty hunter clothing with two pistols strapped to her thighs, she looked at him over the top of her sunglasses. "What? You think I'd just let you walk out of here to go after Knives by yourself?" She smirked, "You're sadly mistaken if you thought that!"

His eyes widened in surprise, and then they softened. "You can't come with me, Seraphine."

She just smirked, "The hell I can't." She said as she pushed off from the rocks and walked up to him. "I'd like to see you try and stop me." She took off her glasses and looked at him. "I've got just as much at stake here as you." She pointed out, "You may be his brother, but Knives made me. I've got just as much right to see this thing to the end as you do!" Her eyes narrowed a bit. "And I'm not letting you go alone."

Vash saw the determination in her eyes, and knew it was pointless to prevent her from coming. She was right, she had just as much at stake as he did. He smirked a bit, "No use talking you out of it?" He asked a bit.

She smiled, "Not a chance." She said as she replaced her glasses and began walking, as he followed in step.

"So Knives created you, huh?" He pondered a bit, "Does this mean I'm your uncle?" He grinned.

She snorted. "Not bloody likely!" She smirked.

He laughed. It had been a long time since he laughed and it felt good. However, other emotions churned within him regarding the young woman traveling by his side. He was worried; he would have preferred to confront Knives alone. He wanted no more to die, yet at the same time…he stole a look at the young woman beside him, the though of her being killed by Knives…..his heart clenched tightly, painfully. He didn't want her to be hurt or killed! But he knew he had no right to tell her no. Even if he did, she'd just follow him anyways. But, something about her soothed him. All in all he was glad she was coming with him. Maybe the outcomes wouldn't be so bad after all? Or at least he could hope.