Disclaimer: Any characters belong to Trigun except for the Gung-Ho Guns but that`s about it.
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A/N: Yeah. I have way too much college work. Sorry about the long wait but this is what happens. I never meant to take this long with an update before. I understand if some people gave up one me. This is very unusual for me to take so long. Anywho...thanx for reviews good or bad. I hope that this story is as good as some make it out to be. I can never tell. ^.- Enjoy....
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Chapter 5: Resident Tension
It was boring hanging around there. She had already looked around at everything numerous times and it was boring.
`Ugh....you would think that someone like Knives would have something actually interesting going on. I was sure wrong about that....speaking of Knives...I wonder what he`s doing....`
Deciding that he must be in his office working she checked there first. Nothing. His room. Nothing...though she was looking forward to catching him in the nude as crazy as she knew that it sounded. She actually made him blush and that was the most fun that she had in a long time.
`Well...being held captive isn`t all peaches and cream.`
Searching around she became more and more aware that no one was there. She did not see anyone. She did not even see a Gung-Ho Gun anywhere.
`This is strange. Why would he leave me here alone?`
She went back to Knives` room. She sat down on the edge of his bed with a big smile on her face.
`He`s expecting me to try and escape. I`ll just have to prove him wrong!`
She picked up a black book from the side table next to his bed. Running her fingers over the leather surface she wondered why he it. Human novels did not seem to be his forte. When she opened it she gasped.
`This....is his journal!`
Opening to the first page she began to read.
---------------------------------------------------------
Wolfwood watched the man sitting at the bench a few yards away from him. Something was not right about him. He could not put his finger on what though.
`He just...doesn`t belong.`
"Nick, I`m back!" Milly exclaimed from behind him. He wondered how she got over things so quickly. She cried for hours when she found out about Meryl yet the next day she bounced back with her usual happy-go-lucky attitude.
`I wish that I could be like that. I`ve lived with her for a few years and still it doesn`t rub off on me.`
The wind was knocked out of him as Milly wrappe her arms around him from behind and squeezed. She was a very strong girl when she wanted to be. He patted her arms and she released him. He turned. He smiled lovingly at her.
"That was quick! How`s Vash? He hasn`t come back yet."
"I just saw him a few minutes ago. Maybe we should go look for him."
"No. He`ll come back on his own time."
"Alright. I`m hungry."
"Let`s go find a place to eat then."
"With pudding!"
"Yep! With pudding!"
As they trotted by the bench the man looked up. His eyes followed them until they disappeared around the corner of a building. The pupils turned a deep crimson red.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vash checked his watch.
`Damn! I`ve been sitting up here for hours!`
A few hours ago he had found a nice little cliff overlooking the desert. It made him think of the time when he and Meryl sat on the one back home. He missed her. While gazing out into the sands wondering where she was he thought over the events of the past seven years. He had loved her. He still love her. He always would love her. The marraige incident was his fault. It was not like him to do something like that. He was afraid for various reasons. They were too many to count.
He remembered talking to her about some of them: His fear of seeing her age. His fear of maybe having to run forever. His need to go help others all the time meaning he would leave for long periods of time. She told him that she understood that and would have accepted it but she would respect his choices.
`I shouldn`t have hurt her but...I would have hurt her more by staying with her. I would have always been watching out for people to come for me. That price is still on my head...even if it wasn`t my fault. I would have been a real burden. Meryl deserves someone who is content with settling down...someone who isn`t wanted. Someone who is strong and isn`t afraid of anything. She needs someone other than me. I will always protect her...so, Knives...watch out! I`m coming for her!`
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Meryl shook her head.
`He really is serious!`
She turned the page to a a few days before she was kidnapped.
Day 345:
I know exactly what to do! I will make a slave of that bitch spider! If I take her then my brother will have no choice but to join with us! Now...to find her...
Nothing else was written until two days later.
Day 365:
Ha! Despite that spider`s foolish attempts to get under my skin I was able to subdue her. She still acts as if she has rights here and her attitude bothers me. I want to kill her. I have to wait just a little longer...just a little longer...Vash...hurry up so I can do it. I am itching for blood.
Meryl nearly dropped the journal to the ground, She continued reading despite the fear in her heart that grew. She flipped through several pages. All of them were the same.
The screamed for blood.
Her blood.
Day 370:
How could she?! She dares to mess with me?! She snaps back at me with that sly spider smirk and manages to counter everything that I say to her! Stupid bitch! Doesn`t she know who she`s dealing with?!
`An arrogant asshole.`
She giggled to herself. Several minutes later she stopped laughing. She flipped through a few more pages. Of course she read the passage concerning his nakedness. It was so worth it. It took her nearly half an hour to stop laughing.
`He deserved it! He was the one walking around in the nude...`
She could not help but form a mental image of that moment. Her cheeks slightly reddened. She decided to continue her reading which only got more interesting.
Day 378:
(Has it really been that long?)
My plan is working perfectly. I expected Vash and his human friends to take this long on finding Meryl. My brother is no fool. My plans are always well thoughout and my hiding places brilliant. Nothing is going wrong. All is according to plan. I cannot fail.
Meryl watched us today during one of our meetings. I was surprised at her curiousity over our conversation...though I kicked her out only seconds later. She really needs to learn her place...though this curiousity does fascinate me. Perhaps...perhaps her presense is not as bad as I thought that it would be.
(Knives?...)
Not bad for an inferior being, that is.
(That`s more like it.)
Day 380:
I will be visiting a nearby city to plan its end. All of the Gung-Ho Guns have their assignments. I will be travelling alone. I was considering taking Meryl along with me. I hate thinking about what inferior things that she could come up with to mess everything up. Maybe next time I will consider it...
No more days were left. That was today`s message.
`So that`s what he is thinking...how bland...`
She could not help but consider what some of those words felt like. Some felt strange and others...strangely nice.
`That`s sick.`
As her feet dangle over the edge of his bed they brushed up along something warm. Laughing nervously, she trurnd. She just was not thinking clearly but as soon as her eyes locked with two very familiar ice blue eyes she was thrown back into reality.
"...Back so soon?" was all that she could blurt out. Strangely it came out in more curious surprise than fear which she could feel beating down on her at this very moment. There were not enough words in her mind to describe the look on his face completely. A cross between alarmed and pissed just about covered that. No words came out of his mouth as he leaned down towards her. She backed up slightly only to have his hands come down on each side of her.
Trapped.
"I should have known that you would do this, Meryl. It is so typical of you to go snooping into someone else`s business. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Instead of icy his voice was completely calm. It was frightening.
"...I wanted to do some reading. Is that okay with you, Knives? You wouldn`t want me getting bored and all. I might just get up and really try and find my way out of here."
She could not help but let a small smile play upon her lips. She was dancing with death and death was dangerous...yet exciting at the same time.
"If you did I would hunt you down and kill you myself."
"Really? Would you really go out of the way for me? How touching."
She was walking on thin ice. Very thin ice. She tempted fate and learned its boundaries. So far so good. Not much else to play on though.
"Not my journal."
"Fine. Not your journal. Done deal. End of story. Next time you need to buy me something to read because this place is boring."
He smirked. Slowly he began to lean up. Meryl was deeply surprised...so surprised, in fact, that he caught her off-guard. His entire frame enveloped her as he tackled her. It was not play tackle either. His hands flew to her throat only to be knocked away at the last moments by quick judgement.
"Stop being a baby! Get off!" Meryl cried out. Finally his hands were able to snake around her delicate throat. Gasping for breath she glared at Knives. His eyes were wild again. That was the same crazed look when he hit her last time.
"Just die!" he hissed in a voice that vaguely resembled his own. She grabbed at his fingers as he ragged her up into the air.
"What...about....Vash?" she whispered harshly. The world was looking hazy. He dropped her. She landed on the bed. She coughed. Standing up and rubbing her neck she shook her head in disgust.
"I didn`t think that you would resort to that."
"You better believe it. Do not tempt me to try that again."
"Next time remember why you captured me in the first place. Without me you would be stubbornly trying to explain to Vash that your ideas are what matter the most and that no one else is right...just like a spoiled brat."
His eyes narrowed.
"Take that back."
"There. You proved my point."
"Just because I can`t kill you..." Knives began. In a flash his arm crunched into her side sending her halfway across the room. Her stunned expression made him smile wider as he stood over her. He leaned over and snatched her chin between the thumb and fingers of his right hand. He brought her face as close as possible to his own until her eyes were focused solely on his.
"...doesn`t mean that I cannot make your existence in your final days a living hell. If you even so much as think about escaping or more insulting remarks to use on me I will beat you every single day at every hour until you are black and blue. Do you understand? My word is law around here and soon to all of those spineless, pathetic humans."
He smacked her across the face. The tiny nod of her head signified her surrender. He patted her roughly on the head. Her frumpled hair hid her face. Her shoulders shook.
"Go back to your room that I was so generous on giving to you. Next time will be worse. Next time you will be in here answering at my every whim."
She dragged herself up. She stood on her feet and pushed back her hair. Her eyes were red and puffy. Slowly she pointed at him. Her finger shook.
"I hate you."
"As you should. Soon you will get used to the idea of me as your superior. Adjust. Leave now. We talk tommorow."
"I`ll never submit to you. Never."
With that, she strouted out of the room with as much dignity as she could muster. Despite her last remarks, he was highly impressed by her stamina. Most people would be begging for their lives...but her...
`She may be useful yet in more ways than one. These next few days will set a new agenda for me to study her habits and perhaps find her weakness. After that she will be mine to control and a puppet to bring my dear brother into my grasps once and for all. He will see that my beliefs are real and she is going to be that key.`
Now, more than ever before, she, a human, would be useful.
But who said that this would be easy?
***O.O Holy *beep*! I took a long time to get back to this story! I`m so sorry! I had college finals, holidays, friends coming over....tooo many to name. Anywho...I hope that some people are still aware that I am still writing it! Hopefully it`s pretty good. R&R if u have time. See ya in the next chapter!
--------------------------
A/N: Yeah. I have way too much college work. Sorry about the long wait but this is what happens. I never meant to take this long with an update before. I understand if some people gave up one me. This is very unusual for me to take so long. Anywho...thanx for reviews good or bad. I hope that this story is as good as some make it out to be. I can never tell. ^.- Enjoy....
--------------------------
Chapter 5: Resident Tension
It was boring hanging around there. She had already looked around at everything numerous times and it was boring.
`Ugh....you would think that someone like Knives would have something actually interesting going on. I was sure wrong about that....speaking of Knives...I wonder what he`s doing....`
Deciding that he must be in his office working she checked there first. Nothing. His room. Nothing...though she was looking forward to catching him in the nude as crazy as she knew that it sounded. She actually made him blush and that was the most fun that she had in a long time.
`Well...being held captive isn`t all peaches and cream.`
Searching around she became more and more aware that no one was there. She did not see anyone. She did not even see a Gung-Ho Gun anywhere.
`This is strange. Why would he leave me here alone?`
She went back to Knives` room. She sat down on the edge of his bed with a big smile on her face.
`He`s expecting me to try and escape. I`ll just have to prove him wrong!`
She picked up a black book from the side table next to his bed. Running her fingers over the leather surface she wondered why he it. Human novels did not seem to be his forte. When she opened it she gasped.
`This....is his journal!`
Opening to the first page she began to read.
---------------------------------------------------------
Wolfwood watched the man sitting at the bench a few yards away from him. Something was not right about him. He could not put his finger on what though.
`He just...doesn`t belong.`
"Nick, I`m back!" Milly exclaimed from behind him. He wondered how she got over things so quickly. She cried for hours when she found out about Meryl yet the next day she bounced back with her usual happy-go-lucky attitude.
`I wish that I could be like that. I`ve lived with her for a few years and still it doesn`t rub off on me.`
The wind was knocked out of him as Milly wrappe her arms around him from behind and squeezed. She was a very strong girl when she wanted to be. He patted her arms and she released him. He turned. He smiled lovingly at her.
"That was quick! How`s Vash? He hasn`t come back yet."
"I just saw him a few minutes ago. Maybe we should go look for him."
"No. He`ll come back on his own time."
"Alright. I`m hungry."
"Let`s go find a place to eat then."
"With pudding!"
"Yep! With pudding!"
As they trotted by the bench the man looked up. His eyes followed them until they disappeared around the corner of a building. The pupils turned a deep crimson red.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vash checked his watch.
`Damn! I`ve been sitting up here for hours!`
A few hours ago he had found a nice little cliff overlooking the desert. It made him think of the time when he and Meryl sat on the one back home. He missed her. While gazing out into the sands wondering where she was he thought over the events of the past seven years. He had loved her. He still love her. He always would love her. The marraige incident was his fault. It was not like him to do something like that. He was afraid for various reasons. They were too many to count.
He remembered talking to her about some of them: His fear of seeing her age. His fear of maybe having to run forever. His need to go help others all the time meaning he would leave for long periods of time. She told him that she understood that and would have accepted it but she would respect his choices.
`I shouldn`t have hurt her but...I would have hurt her more by staying with her. I would have always been watching out for people to come for me. That price is still on my head...even if it wasn`t my fault. I would have been a real burden. Meryl deserves someone who is content with settling down...someone who isn`t wanted. Someone who is strong and isn`t afraid of anything. She needs someone other than me. I will always protect her...so, Knives...watch out! I`m coming for her!`
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Meryl shook her head.
`He really is serious!`
She turned the page to a a few days before she was kidnapped.
Day 345:
I know exactly what to do! I will make a slave of that bitch spider! If I take her then my brother will have no choice but to join with us! Now...to find her...
Nothing else was written until two days later.
Day 365:
Ha! Despite that spider`s foolish attempts to get under my skin I was able to subdue her. She still acts as if she has rights here and her attitude bothers me. I want to kill her. I have to wait just a little longer...just a little longer...Vash...hurry up so I can do it. I am itching for blood.
Meryl nearly dropped the journal to the ground, She continued reading despite the fear in her heart that grew. She flipped through several pages. All of them were the same.
The screamed for blood.
Her blood.
Day 370:
How could she?! She dares to mess with me?! She snaps back at me with that sly spider smirk and manages to counter everything that I say to her! Stupid bitch! Doesn`t she know who she`s dealing with?!
`An arrogant asshole.`
She giggled to herself. Several minutes later she stopped laughing. She flipped through a few more pages. Of course she read the passage concerning his nakedness. It was so worth it. It took her nearly half an hour to stop laughing.
`He deserved it! He was the one walking around in the nude...`
She could not help but form a mental image of that moment. Her cheeks slightly reddened. She decided to continue her reading which only got more interesting.
Day 378:
(Has it really been that long?)
My plan is working perfectly. I expected Vash and his human friends to take this long on finding Meryl. My brother is no fool. My plans are always well thoughout and my hiding places brilliant. Nothing is going wrong. All is according to plan. I cannot fail.
Meryl watched us today during one of our meetings. I was surprised at her curiousity over our conversation...though I kicked her out only seconds later. She really needs to learn her place...though this curiousity does fascinate me. Perhaps...perhaps her presense is not as bad as I thought that it would be.
(Knives?...)
Not bad for an inferior being, that is.
(That`s more like it.)
Day 380:
I will be visiting a nearby city to plan its end. All of the Gung-Ho Guns have their assignments. I will be travelling alone. I was considering taking Meryl along with me. I hate thinking about what inferior things that she could come up with to mess everything up. Maybe next time I will consider it...
No more days were left. That was today`s message.
`So that`s what he is thinking...how bland...`
She could not help but consider what some of those words felt like. Some felt strange and others...strangely nice.
`That`s sick.`
As her feet dangle over the edge of his bed they brushed up along something warm. Laughing nervously, she trurnd. She just was not thinking clearly but as soon as her eyes locked with two very familiar ice blue eyes she was thrown back into reality.
"...Back so soon?" was all that she could blurt out. Strangely it came out in more curious surprise than fear which she could feel beating down on her at this very moment. There were not enough words in her mind to describe the look on his face completely. A cross between alarmed and pissed just about covered that. No words came out of his mouth as he leaned down towards her. She backed up slightly only to have his hands come down on each side of her.
Trapped.
"I should have known that you would do this, Meryl. It is so typical of you to go snooping into someone else`s business. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Instead of icy his voice was completely calm. It was frightening.
"...I wanted to do some reading. Is that okay with you, Knives? You wouldn`t want me getting bored and all. I might just get up and really try and find my way out of here."
She could not help but let a small smile play upon her lips. She was dancing with death and death was dangerous...yet exciting at the same time.
"If you did I would hunt you down and kill you myself."
"Really? Would you really go out of the way for me? How touching."
She was walking on thin ice. Very thin ice. She tempted fate and learned its boundaries. So far so good. Not much else to play on though.
"Not my journal."
"Fine. Not your journal. Done deal. End of story. Next time you need to buy me something to read because this place is boring."
He smirked. Slowly he began to lean up. Meryl was deeply surprised...so surprised, in fact, that he caught her off-guard. His entire frame enveloped her as he tackled her. It was not play tackle either. His hands flew to her throat only to be knocked away at the last moments by quick judgement.
"Stop being a baby! Get off!" Meryl cried out. Finally his hands were able to snake around her delicate throat. Gasping for breath she glared at Knives. His eyes were wild again. That was the same crazed look when he hit her last time.
"Just die!" he hissed in a voice that vaguely resembled his own. She grabbed at his fingers as he ragged her up into the air.
"What...about....Vash?" she whispered harshly. The world was looking hazy. He dropped her. She landed on the bed. She coughed. Standing up and rubbing her neck she shook her head in disgust.
"I didn`t think that you would resort to that."
"You better believe it. Do not tempt me to try that again."
"Next time remember why you captured me in the first place. Without me you would be stubbornly trying to explain to Vash that your ideas are what matter the most and that no one else is right...just like a spoiled brat."
His eyes narrowed.
"Take that back."
"There. You proved my point."
"Just because I can`t kill you..." Knives began. In a flash his arm crunched into her side sending her halfway across the room. Her stunned expression made him smile wider as he stood over her. He leaned over and snatched her chin between the thumb and fingers of his right hand. He brought her face as close as possible to his own until her eyes were focused solely on his.
"...doesn`t mean that I cannot make your existence in your final days a living hell. If you even so much as think about escaping or more insulting remarks to use on me I will beat you every single day at every hour until you are black and blue. Do you understand? My word is law around here and soon to all of those spineless, pathetic humans."
He smacked her across the face. The tiny nod of her head signified her surrender. He patted her roughly on the head. Her frumpled hair hid her face. Her shoulders shook.
"Go back to your room that I was so generous on giving to you. Next time will be worse. Next time you will be in here answering at my every whim."
She dragged herself up. She stood on her feet and pushed back her hair. Her eyes were red and puffy. Slowly she pointed at him. Her finger shook.
"I hate you."
"As you should. Soon you will get used to the idea of me as your superior. Adjust. Leave now. We talk tommorow."
"I`ll never submit to you. Never."
With that, she strouted out of the room with as much dignity as she could muster. Despite her last remarks, he was highly impressed by her stamina. Most people would be begging for their lives...but her...
`She may be useful yet in more ways than one. These next few days will set a new agenda for me to study her habits and perhaps find her weakness. After that she will be mine to control and a puppet to bring my dear brother into my grasps once and for all. He will see that my beliefs are real and she is going to be that key.`
Now, more than ever before, she, a human, would be useful.
But who said that this would be easy?
***O.O Holy *beep*! I took a long time to get back to this story! I`m so sorry! I had college finals, holidays, friends coming over....tooo many to name. Anywho...I hope that some people are still aware that I am still writing it! Hopefully it`s pretty good. R&R if u have time. See ya in the next chapter!