Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Life Thereafter ❯ Pathway ( Chapter 34 )

Disclaimer: How I wish I owned Trigun. Sadly, I own it not.

 

A/N: I am baaaaaaaaack! No more delays, my peeps! Sorry for the long wait, but I've been juggling schoolwork, procrastination, RPing, procrastination, and a bunch of other things (which escape me at the moment.) Anyway, to make up for it, I have decided to post TWO CHAPTERS IN A ROW. Yes! You heard (read?) me correctly, my friends! This story is COMPLETE. After this chapter, all you need do is click over to the Epilogue, which shall be posted at the same time.

 

And now…ONE TO CHAPUTAH 34!

 

 

Pathway

 

Meryl sighed, tapping her index finger lightly on one of the typewriter's keys, her brow furrowed with thought. She could not understand for the life of her why the words had suddenly failed to come to her like this. She had been going there pretty well for a while now, her thoughts pouring onto the paper, ears ringing with the sound of clacking keys. But now, of all times, she was stuck.

“Writer's block…hmph,” she groused.

She had had writer's block before, of course. In fact, when she had first started compiling this document a little less than a year ago, Meryl had had a hard time expressing herself. Since she was more accustomed to the formal style of writing insurance reports for Bernardelli, this was something else entirely for her. Creative writing had never really been her forté in school when she had taken the class (simply to gain some practice with putting words together), but then again, what she was doing now was not creative writing. More like…creative nonfiction, perhaps?

Wrapping her fingers around the fresh, steaming mug of hot tea, Meryl blew on it a little before taking a sip of the sweet, creamy-colored liquid. She smiled faintly, setting the cup down lightly on the table, careful to keep it a safe distance away from her typewriter and the papers stacked neatly around it. After all, she did not want all this work to go to waste just because she spilled something.

When she had worked at Bernardelli, having a cup of coffee in the morning had not only been a routine, but something Meryl had depended on. She had developed a taste for the stuff early on when she was in her mid-teens, finding that coffee could help lessen the grueling effects of all-nighters. She had stayed with the beverage through high school and during her career. However, now that she was not working, she had taken up drinking hot tea instead. It was a nice change, actually.

She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, just thinking. There really was not much else to do in the place besides think since she had been locked up in her for about a year now. It was, in fact, the reason why she had picked up writing in the first place, to keep herself from dying of boredom.

And other things…

Meryl looked down and, realizing she was still tapping that one key, removed it the typewriter, folding her hands in her lap. Another thing Meryl had noticed over the past several months was her tendency to fidget. And, sure enough, her leg started jumping slightly. Resigned, Meryl shook her head tiredly.

Covering her mouth with her hand, Meryl yawned, staring blearily through the window, the smudged glass bending the light in odd directions past the half-drawn curtains. It was about quarter `til seven in the morning, and Meryl had already been awake for nearly two hours straight, writing. She wished she could have slept in today, not just because she still felt tired, but also because sleeping less made the days seem so much longer.

Leaning forward, she narrowed her eyes at the paper in the typewriter slot. Still…I'm almost done…

Sighing loudly, Meryl pushed away from her desk, wandering towards the little kitchen niche in her very small, very humble apartment. Actually, it was not her apartment, really. She was simply staying here until the “danger had passed.” There really was no danger to Meryl, although there were days (and nights) when she wondered how the rest of the world was getting along. It was times like those when she asked herself the same question that the federal government, as well as the rest of Gunsmoke, was asking.

Where is Vash the Stampede?

Draining the last bit of tea from her mug, Meryl set it down on the counter before pouring some more hot water into it. The tea bag she had used for her last cup was still sitting on a small plate. Dipping it into the hot water, Meryl let it sit for a minute before taking it out again. She added a little bit of sugar and cream before drifting back to her desk, resting the full cup on the table once more. Staring blankly at the steaming liquid swirling inside, Meryl rested her chin on her palm, her thoughts elsewhere.

It had been about a year since the federal government's attack force had been…permanently silenced. Meryl could remember the hysteria that had gripped Gunsmoke afterwards as people began to ask themselves whether they would be next. No one disputed that Vash the Stampede had done it. No one questioned if the Humanoid Typhoon would strike again, believing it was only a matter of time.

And yet, nothing had happened, as far as Meryl knew. But then, she had not exactly been in touch with what was happening out there. She had been isolated in this dinky little apartment since about a week following the incident in Inepril. The Feds had taken her into custody, claiming that she needed protection in case Vash the Stampede resurfaced. But, she knew better.

Back then, Meryl had known that she was in a very difficult position. First of all, she was one of the only eyewitnesses to the devastation of the area close to Inepril, and she was not about to reveal Millie, Marianne, or even Brilliant Dynamites Neon's involvement in the debacle. Secondly, almost everyone on Gunsmoke knew of her connection to Vash the Stampede thanks to the media. So, it was true that it might not have been safe for her.

However, Meryl did not believe for one minute that she had been put into the Gunsmoke Witness Protection Program just to keep her safe. No, she had read between the lines, and Meryl was fairly certain that they had whisked her away, not just to keep her safe, but to use her as bait. The Feds seemed to believe that there was more to her and Vash's relationship than just an Insurance Agent diligently following her assignment.

She sipped at her tea again, her expression sad. If they only knew…

But that was exactly it. They did not know. Only a few did, but their voices were drowned out by the chorus of those who believed what they saw with their eyes without looking deeper. Meryl had once been one of those people, but she was not anymore. And that was why she wrote. Even though Vash had not resurfaced after all this time, she would make herself heard, and the truth would be there for all to see, for everyone to understand if they wanted to.

“Miss Stryfe.”

Meryl looked up, bleary-eyed, her fingers still wrapped around her mug of tea. Rubbing her eyes roughly, she blinked rapidly, waiting for the spots in her vision to fade. Smiling faintly, she nodded to the young officer who had just come in, indicating that she was listening.

“You're free to go,” he said, flipping a through a few of the pages attached to his clipboard.

Meryl stared, not entirely sure she believed him. “I can go?”

He nodded. “Yes, ma'am.”

“I don't need to answer anymore questions?” she asked suspiciously.

“No.”

“I don't have to sit here in isolation anymore?”

“No,” he said, beginning to sound exasperated.

Meryl looked down, folding her hands tightly in her lap. “So…I can really go, then?”

He smiled faintly. “Yes, Miss Stryfe. You can.”

She did not move for about a minute, the effect of his words sinking in. Then, very slowly, she got to her feet and, very methodically, began to pack her things, wandering around the apartment, placing neatly folded clothes into her suitcase. Snapping it closed, Meryl went back to her desk, organizing the papers into their specific files and tucking them in a large bag. Shouldering the possessions she had brought with her, Meryl looked at the young officer expectantly.

Nodding once, he took the suitcase from her. Somewhat startled, she let him take it, glad to be relieved of part of her burden as she followed him out of the apartment. As they walked down the hallways, Meryl noticed a few residents peering at her through cracks in their doorways. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable, but she ignored it as best she could.

Once they rounded the corner, he stopped, facing her once more, his expression solemn. “I have to blindfold you from here.”

Meryl took a deep breath. She had expected as much. After all, she had come here that way, and she had figured she would leave in a similar manner as well. Setting down her belongings, she straightened, allowing him to tie a strip of cloth over her eyes. He grasped her free hand, leading her out of the building.

The whole scenario was rather unsettling to Meryl, and it felt like her other senses had been acutely heightened because of it. Yet, it was even more unnerving that she could not hear anything except her feet scuffing lightly against the dusty earth and her suitcase rolling off to the side.

They stopped, then, and Meryl felt him untie the blindfold around her eyes. She blinked, staring at the truck in front of her. The man put her things inside before getting in the driver's seat, looking at her expectantly. Slipping inside, Meryl put her seat belt on as he turned the key, the engine roaring to life as they sped off down the deserted road.

She saw only a handful of people wandering the streets. Meryl supposed that most people did not get up this early. The only ones who usually did get up before seven in the cities were Plant engineers, and that was because they worked in shifts. As the wind ruffled her hair, Meryl leaned back in her seat, savoring the morning breeze.

They did not have to drive very far before Meryl began to recognize her surroundings. Her eyes widened slightly as she was increasingly able to pick out familiar landmarks. So, they had been keeping her in December, just somewhere in the low rent district. Either it had been done as some bizarre sort of reverse psychology, or the Feds really had been using her as bait. Meryl was inclined to believe the latter, and her lips twisted wryly. She was glad that the government's gamble to catch Vash had failed. But then, she also wondered what Vash was doing right now and whether or not he had known about her predicament.

Meryl shook her head. I guess I'll never know. And…I guess it's better this way…

At least, that was what she wanted to believe as the truck pulled up outside of the government outpost in December. Meryl barely had time to get out of the car when a tall, brown-haired blur grabbed her up into a bear hug. Meryl gasped, feeling like the breath was being crushed out of her even as the offending hugger began to swing her around happily.

“Sempai! I missed you so much!”

“Missed you…too…” Meryl managed.

Millie let go suddenly, as Meryl stumbled back a few steps, coughing. “Oh, I'm sorry!” Millie exclaimed. “I didn't mean to-!”

“It's fine, Millie,” Meryl said, smiling slightly at her friend's antics. “I missed you, too.”

“Wow, it's been so long…almost a year, right?”

“Yeah…a year,” Meryl said softly.

“I wish I could have written to you, Sempai, but the Feds wouldn't tell me where you were or anything…”

Meryl patted Millie's shoulder. “Don't worry about it. I wasn't allowed to write to you either.”

Millie's eyes widened. “Sempai! What happened to your hair?”

Feeling the messy bun at the base of her neck, Meryl fingered her hair tentatively. “I just…let it grow…”

“What?” Millie looked a bit closer. “Have you not cut it?”

“No…not for a while…”

“Ahem,” a voice coughed.

Both women turned and looked at the young officer still standing there, his hands on his hips. Meryl felt a twinge of unease as she watched him. Why was he still here? He had already dropped her off. What else did he want?

Millie must have noticed her expression because she gasped, smacking her forehead. “Oh! Sempai, I'm sorry!” Grabbing Meryl's hand, she pulled her up to the young man. “This,” Millie announced, “is my Middle Big Brother, Benjamin Thompson, but we just call him Benny! He was transferred here a few months ago from September, and he helped me secure your release!”

Meryl blinked with surprise, taking a closer look at the man. He was tall like Millie, but he was a bit stockier with tousled brown hair and blue eyes. All in all, Meryl could certainly see the resemblance, and now that she had, she wondered how she had missed it before.

Benny smiled, tipping his hat to Meryl. “Sorry I didn't say who I was sooner. I probably should have, but I wanted to get you out of there before I did.”

Millie smacked her brother on the shoulder, eliciting an “Ow!” from him. “You should have told her, Benny! She didn't know if you were a friend or not!”

He winced slightly, rubbing his arm. “I said I was sorry!”

“Yes, but I'm just saying you should have told her!” Millie said.

Benny gaped at her. “I already admitted that I should have!”

Meryl watched with some amusement as the two siblings continued to bicker, smacking each other now and then. It was funny to her, and it made Meryl wish she had not been an only child. On the other hand, considering how much she had berated Vash, maybe it was a good thing she had not had an extra brother or sister to worry about. Still, it might have been nice.

When it looked like there was no end in sight to the sibling rivalry, Meryl cleared her throat. “Um…guys?”

“Huh?”

Millie blinked, staring at Meryl, currently pulling on her older brother's ear and he on her cheek. Meryl chuckled, unable to help herself. They did look rather funny. The two let go of each other, smoothing down their clothes as each looked the other way, both blushing slightly with embarrassment. Shaking her head, Meryl's good humor faded some when she realized where she was.

Glancing at the two quizzically, she asked, “Don't I have to officially check out of the Witness Protection Program?”

“Oh, don't worry about it, Sempai!” Millie assured her, regaining her composure. “We already took care of it.”

“You…did?”

Millie nodded. “Yup! Benny and Miss Marianne took care of it.”

“So, where is Marianne?” Meryl asked.

“She had to work today,” Benny said. “She's busy clearing your release with her superiors and such. It's a good thing that she's related to the head of the Stanton Federal Bureau, or it might have taken a lot longer to get you out of Witness Protection.”

“It's all true,” Millie agreed. “Middle Big Brother helped her out with it, too.”

Meryl cocked a brow. “How does he know Marianne?”

Millie beamed. “They've been going out, of course!”

“Sis!” he protested.

“Aw, come on!” Millie said, poking him in the side. “It's nothing to be embarrassed about! I'm glad you found someone like Miss Marianne!”

He did not respond, muttering something inaudible under his breath. Millie laughed, patting him on the back. Benny heaved a sigh, rubbing his brow.

“You're blushing! So cute!” Millie teased.

Benny looked at Meryl, his expression wry. “I can only imagine what I'd be going through right now if she was the older sister and I was the younger brother.”

Meryl smiled at that. “Actually, I think it'd be the same, especially since she knows Marianne.”

“That's exactly right,” Millie proclaimed, glancing up at the suns, which were already peaking over the tops of the taller buildings of December. “Oh, Sempai!” she exclaimed, “we've gotta go! We're gonna be late!”

“Late? Late for what?” Meryl wanted to know as Millie grabbed her hand and began to pull her away.

“I'll see you later, Benny!” Millie called over her shoulder, waving at him. “Get back to work, now!”

“I will, Sis!” he shouted back. “Look after your friend, ya hear?”

“I will!”

At this point, Meryl felt like if she did not move her legs, Millie would quite literally drag her (not intentionally, of course). “Millie, what about my stuff?”

“Benny's going to drop your things off at my apartment after he gets off work,” Millie informed her, “so don't worry about that.”

“Your apartment?” Meryl frowned. “What happened to mine?”

Millie hesitated for a moment before answering. “Well…you were gone for a while, and even though I tried to explain the circumstances to the landlord, he kind of…evicted you. So, most of your things are at my apartment.”

Meryl felt somewhat stunned at that piece of news. She probably should have expected it, though, considering her “fame” as someone who had been “kidnapped” by Vash the Stampede. The landlord had most likely wanted to avoid trouble, and she did not blame him for that. Then, something else occurred to her.

“Millie…what about my job at Bernardelli?”

Millie stopped outside of a small deli on the corner of East 5th Avenue, just a couple blocks from the Bernardelli main office. Judging by the almost stiff set of Millie's back, Meryl could already guess what had happened.

“They fired me, didn't they?”

“Not…exactly…” Millie said uncomfortably.

“But that's basically what happened, isn't it?” Meryl inquired, her voice calm and steady.

Millie sighed, and Meryl's hand slipped from her grasp. When she spoke, her voice was small. “Yes.”

Meryl exhaled slowly, realizing then that she had been holding her breath. So that was it. After all her hard work, after fulfilling each and every assignment to the best of her ability, after sacrificing so much…

She had been fired.

While preoccupied with the unfairness of it all, Meryl was also keenly aware of the irony of the situation. After all, the Bernardelli Insurance Society had assigned her to watch Vash the Stampede. Certainly, she had followed him for other reasons besides that, but it still galled her that they would fire her for, quite literally, doing her duty. Perhaps Meryl had gone a bit far with it, but to fire her…words could not express how much that insulted her, and she knew the implications of that sort of thing on her resumé.

Not that I have much of a chance getting another job, anyway, she thought dismally. After all this, everyone on Gunsmoke probably knows me as “the woman kidnapped by Vash the Stampede” or “Vash the Stampede's woman” or something else crazy like that…

“I'm…really sorry, Meryl.”

Meryl blinked, looking at Millie. She patted her friend's should lightly, managing a weak smile. “It's alright. It wasn't your fault so don't worry about it.” Feeling keen to chance the subject, she added, “Why are we here? Isn't it a bit early for lunch?”

Millie laughed sheepishly. “Well yes, but this is a new deli. Actually, it's not really a deli in the traditional sense. They sell bread a lot here, all sorts. And they have good coffee and breakfast foods.” Millie's expression brightened some. “I told my Little Big Brother that we'd meet him here, along with his new friend.”

Meryl glanced at Millie quizzically. “His new friend?”

“Yup!” Millie said cheerfully. “You two know each other, actually!”

Frowning slightly, Meryl wondered who she knew that Millie's brother knew. “Who is-?”

“Meryl Stryfe!”

She froze as a hand grasped her shoulder. Pulling away, she looked over her shoulder, and her jaw dropped. Sam Johnson? What was he doing here? He was garbed like the typical businessman, as was the young man at his side, who was about Millie's height (rather skinny, though) with brown eyes and dirty blond hair. However, she recognized that smile on his face: It was the trademark Thompson grin, no doubt about it.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand. “I'm Alex P. Thompson.” His eyes twinkled. “You might know me better as Millie's Little Big Brother.”

Meryl shook his hand, still a bit taken aback by all of this. Why were they here, anyway? Sure, she had just been fired, but she did not need some sort of pity party. However, the thing Meryl was most curious about was why Sam was here. She had last seen him back in Demihitri when he had returned the Long Colts and the cylinders. What on Gunsmoke was he doing here?

Sam smiled. “It looks like you have some questions, Meryl. Why don't we go inside and talk it over?”

Meryl nodded slowly, still taken aback by this sudden turn in events. She had just gotten out of the clutches of the federal government, and now all of these new things were happening? In retrospect, though, Meryl decided that these new occurrences had been going on for a while now, but she had not seen them because of her “protectors.” Sighing softly, she nevertheless followed the two siblings and her former boss into the deli.

Upon walking inside, Meryl was immediately swept away by the different scents that mingled within the small shop. Various different loaves of bread were held in baskets lined up on racks behind the smooth counter. Also, she could smell freshly ground coffee beans. Breathing it in deeply, Meryl noticed that she had fallen behind her other companions, who had already seated themselves. Sliding into the seat next to Millie across from Alex and Sam, Meryl looked up as a waitress bustled over to them.

“What can I get for you, folks?” she asked, whipping out her notepad and a pencil.

As the others ordered their respective beverages, Meryl thought about it for a moment, her eyes brightening some. “Could I have a banana sundae, please?”

The waitress looked at her oddly. “We don't serve those here, I'm sorry.”

Meryl sighed, nodding once before ordering a coffee. The waitress was about to walk away when she stopped. Meryl watched, puzzled, as she came back, a smile on her face.

“Could I perhaps interest you four in some banana nut bread?” She winked at Meryl. “A loaf just came out of the oven. I know it's not really a breakfast food, but-”

“That sounds really good!” Millie said, looking at each of her companions. “Come on, guys. Let's get some!”

“Alright, alright, Millie!” Alex laughed before nodding to the waitress. “We'll take it!”

Scribbling something else on her notepad, the waitress walked away, humming to herself as she went to fetch the drinks. A few minutes later, she returned with them, balancing them on her tray skillfully as she handed out each one respectively. Meryl sniffed her coffee, breathing in the fresh scent. Oddly enough, she liked the way black coffee tasted in addition to adding sugar and cream to it. Most people she knew did not.

“I'll be back in a little while with your bread,” the waitress told them before bustling away to serve someone else.

Meryl took a sip of coffee, savoring the bitter taste before looking up at Sam, her expression serious as she set her mug back down on the table with a soft thunk. “Well,” she said, “here we are.”

Sam's lips twisted wryly. “It would appear so.”

Nodding slowly, Meryl cocked a brow. “Tell me something, Mr. Johnson. Why are you here?”

He leaned back, folding his arms over his chest, a twinkle in his eye. “To offer you a job.”

She gaped at him for a moment before composing herself, feeling a little slighted by the comment. “A job? And what makes you-?”

Sam held his hands up, as if in surrender. “Whoa, whoa! Listen, I know all about the trouble you've been getting into, and I know you need a job. And,” he said confidently, “if you just give me a couple minutes, I'll make this worth your while.”

Millie tugged on Meryl's sleeve. “Listen to him, Sempai. My Little Big Brother will vouch for him, and so will I.”

Blinking in surprise, Meryl thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Ok, then. Talk to me.”

He took a deep breath, sipping at his own beverage before beginning. “Well, like I said before, it's a long story.”

Alex smiled. “It's not like we're short on time, sir.”

Sam rubbed his chin. “True.” Leaning forward, he spoke confidentially. “Well, after I last saw you, Meryl, I stayed in Demihitri for a while. Things settled down after a couple weeks, but I have to admit that staying there didn't interest me anymore, especially after meeting your friend.”

“You mean him?” Meryl asked calmly.

Sam shrugged. “Well, I'd never seen an Independent before so you can't blame me for being curious. I used to be a plant engineer, you know.” He paused, sipping at his drink again. “Anyway, after that, I traveled around for a while, and I ended up meeting Thompson over here,” he said, indicating Alex. “We talked for a bit and realized that our interests were the same. So, we started working together.”

“Wait a minute…” Meryl said, her tone guarded. “What interests?”

“Finding a different power source besides Plants, of course!” Alex interjected. “We've been trying to figure out a way to harness solar power, but we haven't been successful until recently.”

Meryl's eyes widened slightly. “Until recently?”

Sam nodded. “Yes. But first, let me continue. Like I was saying, we ended up going from city to city searching for some kind of way to harness solar power. (Might as well put those two suns to use, we figured.) Things started to come together when we arrived in New Oregon.”

“Sky City…” Meryl breathed.

“Yup. We met with the guy in charge, Doc I think he was called. From him, we learned several things.” Sam held up a hand, marking off his fingers as he went. “First, he told us that ships from Earth were coming and that they might be arriving in just a couple years, much sooner than expected.”

Meryl nearly choked on her coffee. “Earth ships? You mean from home?”

“Exactly,” Alex told her, a smile creeping onto his face. “We're not alone, it seems.”

Sam continued, oblivious. “Secondly, when we told him what we were researching, he told us what he knew about Plants. Doc was a bit evasive when we asked about Independents, but when Alex here told him that he and Millie were related, well, he felt more comfortable sharing what he knew, I guess.” He paused. “We got to hear some pretty interesting things about those two, Vash and Knives.”

Meryl sank a bit lower into her seat, her face falling slightly. “I see…”

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, seeming a bit uncomfortable. “Yeah. So anyway,” he said, changing the subject, “we felt a little better after having a chat with the guy. Then, we decided to poke our noses in a few holes, figure out what was going on with you and Millie. This was around the time you got stuck into Witness Protection. All of us (by whom I mean me, Alex, Millie, Marianne, and Brilliant Dynamites Neon) sat down and discussed what we thought we should do.”

Meryl held up her hand, interrupting Sam's speech. “Wait a minute...” She looked at Millie. “You never did tell me what happened to Neon.”

“Oh!” Millie laughed sheepishly. “Sorry, Sempai! Mr. Neon went back to his old ways shortly after you were…taken. He still stops by every now and then, though, and helps me sometimes if I need it. Why?”

Well, that's odd, Meryl thought. “Oh…no reason. Please continue,” she told Sam.

He nodded. “Well, during our talk, Knives's old fortress was mentioned, and Alex suggested that there might be more advanced technology there that could help us harness solar power. Neon was all against it, and he ranted for a while how that place was cursed and the like.” He smiled. “Millie got him to give in, though. He showed us the way there, and sure enough,” Sam said, “we found what we were looking for.”

Meryl stared at him, her mind numb. “So, you mean that Knives already developed a way to use sunlight to-?”

“Indeed, he did,” Sam stated. “Not on a large scale, of course, but yes. That facility runs on solar power-”

“And you're planning on using it to replace the energy supplied by Plants,” Meryl finished.

“Yes, we are.” Sam watched Meryl intently. “And I want you to help us, you and Millie.”

Meryl nearly spit out her coffee. “What?” she sputtered. “Why? I don't know anything about mechanics and the like. I'm an insurance agent!” She winced, remembering that she was unemployed. “Ok, so I'm not. But still…it's not practical for you to hire me!”

“Hmmm, Sempai's right, Mr. Johnson,” Millie said thoughtfully. “We didn't major in engineering.”

He shook his head. “That's not why I need you two.”

Meryl's brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Sam glanced at Alex, who promptly cleared his throat before speaking. “Well, both of us understand that neither you nor Millie know about the mechanics of solar energy, but we think you could serve better when it comes to selling the idea to the public. After all,” he said wryly, “we'll need funding to make this shift over from Plant energy work. And, since you two have had experience with Plants on a more personal level, I really think you'd be able to help us in that area.”

“You really think so, Alex?” Millie asked.

Alex smiled. “Yes, I do.”

She beamed at him. “I'd love to help you! I've been wanting to quit Bernardelli for a while now, and I think the chief is getting tired of me coming in late, anyway!” She shook Meryl's shoulder. “How about you, Sempai?”

Meryl sat there silently for a moment, not really sure how to respond. It was a bit much for her to swallow all at once, actually. Maybe it would have been easier for her to decide if they had not sprung it on her. However, she felt that she should decide now as opposed to later since thinking too much might do more harm than good.

She had to take into account that she had no job and that prospects for getting another were slim. Meryl really could not refuse this offer as far as practicality went. But, working with Plants…it would be kind of sensitive for her at first, she knew. It could also work in reverse, though…

“Sempai?”

Meryl smiled faintly as the waitress plunked the banana nut bread down on the table. “Ok. I'll help you.”

Sam nodded approvingly. “I thought you might.”

She said nothing as slices of the cool, moist bread were passed around. Meryl ate in silence, her thoughts elsewhere as the other three conversed about trivial things, their voices muffled to her distracted ears. She did not know how long they stayed there when Millie prodded her.

“It's time to go, Sempai. You ready?”

Meryl blinked. “Oh…yes. Yes, I am.”

She slid out of her seat, followed by Millie as the foursome walked out of the deli. Meryl stretched slightly, a bit stiff after sitting for so long. And restless. Turning to face Alex and Sam, she inclined her head.

“Thank you very much. For everything.”

“No problem!” Alex said cheerfully. “Happy we could be of assistance, especially since you're such close friends with Millie and all.”

Sam looked at her appraisingly. “I'll call you two tomorrow, ok? We have a lot more to discuss.”

Meryl nodded. “I understand.”

Then, Millie began to pull on her friend's sleeve. “Come on, Sempai! Let's go somewhere! Let's paint the town red or something!”

Meryl could not help but laugh at that. “Ok, ok! I'm coming, Millie!”

Millie waved at her brother and Sam. “Bye!”

Finished with farewells, the two friends walked down the street, and Millie began to chat, apparently with the wind since Meryl did not reply much, lost in thought. It really had been an insane couple of years. Ever since meeting Vash, her life had seemed to be spinning out of control. And now, it felt like it had suddenly halted. It was a bizarre feeling. It really was…

“Sempai! I know what we could do!”

Eh? “What?”

Millie tugged a little on Meryl's hair. “Let's go get you a haircut!”

Meryl hesitated. She had actually grown quite used to having long hair, and the reason why she had not cut it before now was because she had not thought to get one, and she had entertained the slightest hope that…

She shook her head. No. I can't do this to myself. I just have to accept that he's not coming back…

Meryl managed a smile. “Ok, then. Let's do that.”

Millie grinned. “I know just the place, too!”

As her best friend led her through the now bustling streets of December, Meryl paused once to stare up at the sky, the twin suns beaming down on them from above. Shielding her eyes, Meryl knew that beyond that clear, blue sky was the only thing she had left of him, a scar carved into the heavens, a reflection of her own. But, even as she looked back down, her expression solemn, Meryl knew she would have to concentrate on the pathway laid out for her beneath her feet. Wistful thinking would not change anything. All she could do now was move on.

“Sempai! Come on!” Millie called, waving her arms.

Meryl smiled once before following after. “Coming, Millie!”

 

 

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NEXT!