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#4
TRIGUN *1*
-107-
Mail Man- Maa~iil.
Deputy Clerk- Got it. Thanks a lot.
::Mail Man- no prob.::
Deputy Clerk- …… Sheriff. Some sort of official notice just arrived.
Sheriff- ? … Hey, you two. Don't bother putting up that poster.
Clerk- huh?
Sherrif- The Nebraska Family was caught. What's this? In the "hunter"
column, they put "The Ainpril Town Council"? And just 4 hours after
the notice went out. That's got to be a speed record. Oh, and…
-108-
Sheriff- … quote "Vash the Stampede has left our jurisdiction".
shifting back to Ainpril, in a quaint little shoppette…
Meryl- You are unbelievably soft-hearted.
Vash- ? What, is wandering east to west and everywhere in between supposed to
be a profession or something? Lots of cash is bulky and gets in the way.
Meryl- So that's why you just gave away $$700,000?
oh, look. Vash is being even nicer and giving a piece of his sandwich to
a little black cat sitting under the table. isn't he just so generous?
Vash- What's wrong with that? Because I did, I can get as many salmon sandwiches
as I want here, whenever I want them. Right, Granny?
::Granny- Righto, sonny. Eat up!::
-109-
Millie- …… I'm jealous…
Meryl swats Millie.
Meryl- With that kind of money, he could buy a sandwich factory.
Vash- By the by… How long do you two intend to follow me around?
Meryl- Oh, we don't have any specific limit.
::Vash- urk::
Meryl- If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say until our term of office has ended.
Our reports have become very important in the field of insurance investigations.
a rattle that has been steadily growing to an un-ignorable pitch through
the conversation brings Millie to the window in curiosity.
Millie- Oooooooooh! It's a sandsteamer!
-110-
Excited kid 1- The sandsteamer "Flourish" just docked!
Excited kid 2- That's a humpback class, right? Let's go see it!
TRIGUN #4 PoPo
pulling in to the side of town, and dwarfing everything (I do mean dwarfing *everything*. the thing's gotta be at least 5 stories tall), is a giant machine resembling the engine-car of a train, just taller than it is long, with a pair of stacks almost like those of a cruise ship, portholes for windows, and a pair of ship-like observation decks on the back.
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the two insurance girls look out the window, gawking at the incredibly huge
piece of machinery.
Meryl- My, it really is big, isn't it?
Millie- And this one looks like it'll have a really long caravan, too.
Meryl- Speaking of such things, it's been half a month since we came here. When
are you next planning to de---part?!
Meryl & Millie- AAAAAAAHHH!!!!
whoopsie… turn your back and **poof**, no more Vash…..
-112-
elsewhere…
Vash- //cheerily pushing his way through a crowd// 'scuze me, pardon me, coming
through, sorry…
stuck behind…
Meryl- He completely fooled us. No wonder, since he's supposed to be so clever.
He seems so nice and harmless, but he's really just that good, huh.
Millie- No worries, Sempai! I figured something might happen, so I slipped something
into his salmon sandwich. A transmitter!
Meryl- Well done! I'm surprised the company had that sort of location device…
Millie- Yeah. The chief said that I'm so careless, I'll get out-smarted all
the time if I don't do something…
Meryl- That's not something you need to brag about, Millie.
beep beep
beep
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beep
beep
Millie- which way, which way… //walking across the room…//
beep beep
beep
Millie- we're getting closer, closer… //to the table…//
beep beep beep beep
Millie- If this keeps up, we'll catch up in no time… //looking under it…//
beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Meryl & Millie- ……………
beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep
sitting under the table is a small, black cat (nyaaaa---urp*), and the half-eaten
remains of a piece of sandwich… gee, that's an awful familiar looking bit.
Millie- He somehow…. changed into a cat?
Meryl- He did NOT.
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somewhere else, finally out from the watchful eyes of the insurance girls,
Vash ties up his black pack, slings on a cloak (yes, another cloak over top
of his red duster), puts on his shades, and strides off to the sandsteamer.
did I say this thing was 5 stories tall? I lie. I lie badly. given the perspective
on surrounding buildings, "Flourish" is at least **double** that.
It is FREAKIN' HUGE.
The Sandsteamer.
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On this world where even in the present day maps still have many blank spots,
it is about the only regularly running mode of transport. Across those spaces,
through the harshest of harsh climes teeming with the worst sort of outlaws,
the number of passable routes can be counted on one hand. From town to town…
this giant steam locomotive has an important role as a major transportation
artery.
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Hired for support in case of emergencies, the caravan takes shape around
the base of the sandsteamer, each individual driver pointed to his place in
the ranks, and together the sandsteamer and its caravan cross the sea of sand.
Millie- Wait a second!
Meryl- ?
Millie- Could… could he possibly be thinking of leaving on the Sandsteamer?
Meryl- That's not good at all! There's no branch of our office here, and we've
been here for over half a month-we might not have enough cash!
Millie- Crap!
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elsewhere in town…
Steamer Security Chief- Yessir, step right up. The Sandsteamer "Flourish"
leaves tomorrow morning on its two week journey to May City. Passenger tickets
at the blue window, and caravan registration at the red one. First come, first
serve!
Vash- Got any spots left in third class?
Steamer Security Chief- If ya grab 'em now, yeah. It'll be pretty rough down
there for a two week trip though. You okay with that?
Kid- (he look familiar at all? He should. He's the kid from way back in the
beginning at the diner…) Vash, you're leaving?!
Vash- urk
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Vash- Silly! Shhhhhh! Shhhhhhh!
Kid- Without even saying one goodbye? How could you! Everyone'll miss you so
much!
Vash- Tonis, shhhhhhhh!
Steamer Security Chief- //who overheard this whole thing// Are you… Vash
the Stampede?
Vash- Absolutely not!
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Steamer Security Chief- Hey, listen. You wanna join the caravan? If you were
protecting the sandsteamer, we could double the fares and it'd still be a steal!
Vash- No, no, no and no. I don't like trouble.
Steamer Security Chief- C'mon, please? Pleee~~~ase?
dignity. wonderful thing. the chief has not one iota, or at least, none when
it comes to making money. literally hanging onto Our Perturbed Hero's bootstraps,
he continues to beg his case shamelessly before an ever increasing crowd of
people.
Vash- nononononooo~~~!
Millie- Yes! We've found him, Sempai!
Meryl- …… -.-;
and watching this whole spectacle from the shadows of a building is a young
boy…
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That evening, the town came together with an unusually exuberant cheer, shouted
with voices that know all too well of long journeys, trying to leave something
of themselves with those who must depart. Thus, here we find---
Drunk Party-goer: We'll miss ya!
Not-so-Drunk Party-goer: You will come back and visit, won't you, Mr. Vash?
Really Drunk Party-goer: Here, chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!
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never one to back down from a challenge, Our Inebriated Hero proceeds to
do just that. And my, what a party it is. it's right about up there with some
of the post-finals-I-don't-have-ANY-more-classes-in-THAT-@$&%$&^%#!-course-EVER-again
frat parties I've seen. most everyone is up causing ruckus of some variety,
except for Millie, who's 7/8th of the way passed out on a table, and Meryl,
who's being quite the wallflower, though she's avidly watching the hullabaloo.
Meryl- My, my.
Drunk Flirt- Hey, you drink? Here.
Meryl- Uhm, yes. Thank you.
Drunk Flirt- Hm? What's so interesting over there?
Meryl- Oh, nothing much, really. I was just thinking that no one really knows
a lot about Him…
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Drunk Flirt- Yeah, that's certainly true. That and everyone's got a chance to
let off a lot of steam now that the town's financial situation's gonna work
out somehow. Nevermind that just the other day we were all fighting him, guns
blazing… I usually really wouldn't like this but… sorry, I'm rambling.
ramble? here's a ramble for ya. Millie is still 1/8th conscious
yet...
Millie- HA! I'm FINE! 'Cuz I have a diff'rnt tummy for cake 'n icecream.
::Drunk Flirt- heh heh heh.::
Meryl- ……… ^^;;
and so the night passes, and everyone eventually gets waaay too drunk for their
own good…
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… in a hotel, in front of room 203--
erm.. Working Lady 1- It's no good, Vonnegut.
Working Lady 2- He's totally dead to the world.
the subject of this conversation is, of course, Our Inebriated Hero, who's
out like a light on the bed, with more than one trace of lipstick on his face…
Vonnegut- (now we finally get a name for our former Clued-In Subordinate)
I guess we over-did it a little. And you two ladies came all the way over here
on short notice for nothing. I'm sorry about that. Say 'hi' to Silvie for me,
would you?
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Working Lady 1- …… It really is a shame, though. The chance to sleep
with a man like him doesn't come around often at all.
Vonnegut- 'night.
Working Lady 1- See you.
Working Lady 2- Good night.
oops… perhaps Our Inebriated Hero isn't as inebriated as everyone thought…
Vash- ………… hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have… … nah.
time passes, as it is wont to do, and morning comes around, likely way too
early for many a hung-over citizen-
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--- but they turn out anyway for the "Flourish's" sendoff, giving
it a fanfare worthy of any grand old Earth steamboat, complete with trumpets,
streamers, and waving hankies. Vash has taken up a spot on one of the observation
decks when two of the children racing after the departing sandsteamer catch
his eye.
Tonis- Vaaa~~~sh!
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Vash- You stay out of trouble now, Tonis! ………… !! BLEEEAARRGH~~~~
well, hangovers have no respect for persons, striking down even ace gunmen.
at least he managed to hold it off until there wasn't anyone at the foot of
the sandsteamer….
again, time passes, and the sandsteamer rolls on through the wastelands charted
only by the outlaws that live there, its caravan strung out behind.
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and things quickly settle into a routine inside the bowels of the sandsteamer.
Our Laid Back Hero has found himself a small nook in which to curl up and nap
away the two week journey, as well as (hopefully) his hangover. now if only
everyone would let him be…
Steamer Security Chief- It won't be long before we reach Rotten Bog Ravine,
Vash.
Vash- …… And I care why?
Steamer Security Chief- You've already heard my reasoning on that one, I think.
That's the stompin' grounds of the Bad Lad Bandit Gang, the baddest, nastiest,
loudest gang there is. With those guys out there, no matter what precautions
we take, we can't overd---
Vash- Would you listen?! I. Am. A. Passenger. I have ve~~~eery high expectations
for this thing's security measures, so I'm trusting you to take care of everything,
okay?
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escaping the overly persistent security chief, Vash makes his way into the
men's room to take a leak.
Vash- Jesus H…… First those two insurance girls, now this. And here
I was hoping for a nice, quiet trip. si~~gh.
that taken care of…
Vash- Alrighty then! Now for another na-
turning, he instead gets a ventilation grate in the face. owch, that was
the edge, too…
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and it had a kid on top of it.
Kid- …………
Vash- #$^*)^#@#$^!$#@!!+&#*@$^&&*(&^(!!#&*$!!!!
Kid- Aw, crap!
a kid who takes one look at what's going on and high tails it back up the
shaft.
Vash- GRRRAAAAAAA~~~ …… 'ch. GET BACK HERE!!!
but that won't save him. Our Peeved Hero goes right up after him in a fire-breathing,
Wolverine-claw-wielding (they're there, look close ^^) fury, hauling the impertinent
brat back down into the restroom for the dispensation of appropriate justice.
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hanging on to the back of the kid's shirt like one holds the scruff of a
rebellious puppy, Vash begins chewing him out.
Vash- When you cause trouble for other people, you're supposed to apologize!
Dammit, look at all this blood! That's from the second hit, for sure! Oh, a
joint-lock, hm? That doesn't do jack when you're hanging in the air. ……
You're a stowaway, aren't you?
the kid freezes.
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that comment hit the nail on the head, apparently, and the kid's thoughts
flit briefly to the knife tucked in the back of his coveralls. Vash dumps him
on the ground, and he glares for a second before plastering a grin on his face.
Kid- That's correct, sir. My parents… died when I was still very young.
I was taken to one of my relatives but it was a really horrible place, sir.
My aunt would hit me while she was drunk, and my uncle liked little boys a lot
more than he should. If I can just get to May City, I can escape them! If I
have to go back… who knows what will happen to me. Please… I beg you,
don't turn me in!
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riiiiiiiiiiight…
Kid- //thinking// Now that sucked. Nobody's gonna buy that godawful story nowadays.
::and that really sucked for me, I'm usually a lot quicker than
that…:: Crud, I'm going to have to kill him after all… ?
tears in his eyes, and every evidence of melodramatic pain etched across
his features…
Vash- I understand, it must have been so hard! But it's okay now. I'll take
care of you. You won't ever have to go through a terrible situation like that
ever again!
… Our Naïve Hero seems to have bought it, hook, line and sinker……
::Kid- Holy…! Is this guy for real?::
Meanwhile, Meryl and Millie …
::Steamer Security Chief- Hey, part timers! Slack off and I'll
toss ya overboard into the sand-ocean, got that?::
… have found work in the "Flourish's" galley.
what the heck, here's a break for ya….