#3 Girls Bravo

-70-
Star Year 0110
Tenth Month----

energy flares, rises, rumbling ominously…

Juneorra Rock
4:07PM

buildings shake, glass windows shatter. two women huddle in a space miraculously clear of debris, staring up at what's taking place in the sky. Wind whips through the tall blonde's hair, and the shorter one in white sinks to the ground…

-71-
dust fills the air, clouds of it coming from the damaged and broken buildings. more smoke plumes not from the ground, but from one of the moons, trailing up from the newly carved, huge crater scarring its surface…
Meryl- the moon…!

shift gears, fast forward Time to another place, a city going about it's tranquil, peaceful everyday business.
StarYear 0113
Second Month----
Second City December
somewhere in that city, someone is having a birthday.
Voice- Happy birthday to you… happy birthday to you… happy birthdaa~~~~ay-----

-72-
Voice- Mee~~~ryl… happy birthday to~~~~ yoo~~~~~u!
the lady in question looks up from the morning newspaper, blinking wide-eyed in surprise at the fancily decorated, large cupcake held in front of her, everyone else in the open desk-land of the office clapping.
Meryl- uhm, wow. Thanks a lot, everyone.
Blonde Friend- Congrats on your 23rd!
Nerdy Friend- Huh? She's only that old? But that means, back then…
Blonde Friend- All of 21.
Nerdy Friend- //whistles// Incredible experience for that age. So tell me, how did it feel to witness the Fifth Moon Incident, the crater forming before your eyes---
Blonde Friend- Mark! Quit bugging her about it like it was some sort of weekend vacation!

-73-
Blonde Friend- It was a four month trip around The Outer, with a Top-Class Extremely Dangerous Personage, no less! It's a miracle she was able to come back to us alive!
Meryl- uhm, yes, but… it really wasn't that terrible an experience. Sure, we faced dangerous situations more times than I care to count, but Mr. Vash is a much different person than everyone thinks. He's a very personable and honorable human being……
Blonde Friend- ………… now you listen, Meryl. Having said that, don't you think you've been the convenient tool for him? Being capable and independent is all well and good, but I don't think a woman could be happy, always stuck in life-threatening, violent circumstances.
Meryl shrinks further and further behind her newspaper, cringing at her friends vociferous onslaught of opinion….
Blonde Friend- So where's your vacation going to be?
…that takes a bewildering turn. Meryl blinks, still wide-eyed.
Meryl- New Miami, for 7 days…
Blonde Friend- Perfect! You're an office girl, hon', so go enjoy our lifestyle to the max!
Voice- Hey, Meryl!
all of a sudden, everyone is extremely busy…
Meryl- Chief!
Blonde Friend- //just passing by… (rii~~iight)// Good morning.
Chief- C'mere a sec.

-74-
the Chief leads her off into a far more posh section of the office building, far from the bustling activity of the desk-land front. snatchets of conversation drift back to them from one particularly tall set double doors…
Voice- You…
Meryl- ?
Voice- …… can't cut….
Chief- ??
he knocks on the doors, then walks in.
Chief- 'Scuse us. Sorry to interrupt.
three men look up at their entrance. one is obviously a bodyguard, dressed in black with a disapproving scowl, another is obviously the company president, an elderly man dressed sharply in tweed with a handle-bar moustache, the third… he is a mystery. a very severe man with slicked-back blonde hair and square wire-frame glasses, he looks like he just swallowed something vile and is pissed at the world about it. the President slaps down a manila envelope with some photos spilling out of it, one spiky blonde-'n-black haired gunslinger front-and-center in all of them…
President- I know this is abrupt, but please take a look at these.

-75-
Meryl- …… Mr. Vash!
President- These photos were taken by the Dyne News Network in Ripmela. Are you completely certain?
Meryl- As far as I can tell, his hair has changed color slightly but…
President- Excellent! I will trust your word. Mr. Keele, you may depart at the earliest possible convenience.
Pale and Steely barely blinks, accepting orders as a soldier would.
Keele- Understood, sir. I will intercept the subject in Meldreck.
President- I entrust you with full authority in this case. Best of luck to you. Dismissed.

-76-
some short time later, Meryl runs gasping up to Keele, a disorganized stack of papers clutched to her chest.
Meryl- Mr. Keele! These are all my reports that have a connection with Vash the Stampede. Perhaps something in them could be of assi-EEP!
Keele slaps the papers out of her hands with casual arrogance, scattering them across the floor. the look he favors her with is beyond contemptuous.
Keele- I've skimmed your "reports". Everything in them is ridiculous. They couldn't aspire to the level of dime paperbacks, let alone acceptable reference. Too many legends of mysterious heroes exist already. I'll close the cover on this one for you.
he walks off, leaving Meryl alone to gather her reports from the floor…

-77-
…until he's safely out of sight, and Meryl can stick her tongue out at the rude bastard with impunity.
Meryl- nyah…
Passing Co-worker- What're you doing?
back at her desk, Meryl's Blonde Friend stops by for some office gossip.
Blonde Friend- I heard.
Meryl gives her A Look.
Blond Friend- Disappointed?
Meryl- A little. Your point?
Blonde Friend- That maybe you're better off staying here this time. Each man to his own trade n' all.
Meryl- ?
Blonde Friend- The guy they sent this time, I heard he's former military elite.

-78-
far elsewhere, another, smaller cluster of buildings hunches around the prominent ruins of a downed Ship, standing starkly out from the flat wastelands. inside the town, daily life bustles along, people walking here and there on errands, cars and buses putting down the streets that run in between solidly built three and four story buildings. in the window frame of one of these sits a blond-'n-black haired man, watching the hubbub below. A bus stops, letting a tall man step out into the bright light of the suns.

-79-
Keele makes a quick scan of the area, large, metal-bound suitcase held casually in one hand. it does not take him much time to spot "Hotel Ann", and the helpful innkeeper points him to a particular room.

-80-
up the stairs to room 312, where Keele pauses, raising his hand to knock…
Vash- Yes?
the door hasn't opened, and Keele's knuckles haven't touched the wood.
Keele- My name is Bardeaux Keele. I'm a representative of Bernardelli Insurance Society.
Vash- Bernardelli…? Wow, that was fast. So they've caught wind of me already?
Keele- I believe that goes without saying, though would like to properly introduce myself. So if you would be kind enough…
Vash- …… Don't you think we'd be too much of an Odd Couple?
Keele- I also have a message from Meryl Stryfe.
Vash- ……… I'll open the door.
locks clack as the deadbolts slide back, and the doorknob turns…

-81-
as soon as the smallest gap of space appears in the doorframe, Keele grins nastily, pressing a small lever on the side of his suitcase. the top pops open and a short-barreled shotgun levitates--- yes, levitates. our bastardly friend here is psychokinetic--- into his outstretched palm. instantly he fires a round right into the doorknob, re-cocks and fires again, leaving a hole in the door that looks like some shark took a huge bite out of it. kicking the door open the rest of the way, he barges in---

-82-
the barrel of the shotgun is snatched by a gloved hand and pointed up to the ceiling. Vash stands nonchalantly by the wall, well out of the way of either preceding shot.
Vash-  ^_^   Too loud. If you don't learn to knock more quietly…
Keele's eyes find Vash's other hand, which is wound with a piece of string that leads to the doorknob, now several dozen feet into the room.
Vash-  ^_^;;   Are you really an insurance guy? Your business skills seem geared toward the more violent.
Keele- I see… The rumors have some truth to them after all.
the ruckus has, of course, gotten the attention of the people downstairs.
Innkeeper- What's going on up there? I heard shots!
Customer- Stay back! It's dangerous, mister!

-83-
the situation now warrants a change in tactics. Keele lets go of the shotgun, leaving a surprised Vash holding it by the barrel, and reaches back, an uzi floating up to meet his quick grab. Vash dodges the spray of bullets frantically, managing to avoid all of them, but getting forced way back into the room. Keele presses the lever on the suitcase again.

-84-
and two little green spheres come flying into the room. Keele himself is long since high-tailing it out of there before the grenades hit the floor. Vash has enough time to gape like a landed fish before the blast sends him flying out of the building, about three stories up…

-85-
fortunately, someone was considerate enough to park an open-top car right where Vash needs to land. unfortunately, he only gets most of himself in, clonking his head very painfully against the top of the door. the lady who probably thought she'd have a boring wait in the car shrieks. clutching his head in pain, Vash gets a good look up, where Keele appears again from another set of windows, this time with two uzis aimed right in his direction, nevermind the innocent lady.
Vash- NO! Enough!!
he scrabbles to cover the scared-witless lady.

-86-
Keele doesn't listen, strafing the area liberally. Vash soaks up quite a few rounds with his back before the cavalry arrives.
Wolfwood- DAMNIT! What the HELL are you doing to a guy's pal?!
though still wrapped, the Cross Punisher sends up its own volley of gunfire, forcing Keele away from the window.

-87-
Wolfwood- You still alive, Vash?
Vash waves weakly in reply.
Vash- aaaoo~~~~~~~ww… the culprit's an insurance guy, be careful…
Wolfwood- Stupid. It's obvious the guy's a hit man!
the culprit in question, now that the odds are two on one, dashes to another vantage point, this time on the roof of yet another building. Keele is muttering to himself as a sniper's rifle starts assembling itself, each piece levitating to his hand as necessary.
Keele- I must have miscalculated somewhere for things to have gone this completely out of control. He's not letting me get any kind of decisive shot in. Absolutely must eliminate him and set up the decoy… otherwise the plan we've worked so hard on so long--- ruined. Failure is unacceptable. The next shot has to be the one to finish it.

-88-
Meryl- So that's it.
yes, Meryl is standing right there behind Keele, and he never even saw her coming.
Keele- ……you.
Meryl- Ultimately, the most efficient way to prevent disasters is to assassinate the perpetrator before he can act. That's your theory of "risk management", isn't it? A plan not only faulty in its logic, but completely inhumane as well. Then there's the extra money you and your accomplices are extorting on the side. Naturally, the mysterious hit man leaves a mess in his wake, which you so generously offer to help clean up--- a very complete little fraud. One that it's best Headquarters never discovers, correct? …… You are soooooo juvenile.

-89-
composure regained, Keele looks up unperturbed.
Keele- Yeah, probably.
with an attention-grabbing clatter, two machine guns spring up from the case. Meryl whirls to face the new and startling threat, completely disregarding Keele for a too-long second. before she can turn back, the barrel of a pistol is pressed to her temple.
Keele- Your opinion of me cuts me to the quick, it truly does. But, chit-chat time is over.

-90-
Keele- I don't have the words to express how foolish you were to traipse so far into this.
Meryl swallows hard, her friend's words coming back to her:
…'but I don't think a woman could be happy, always stuck in life-threatening, violent circumstances'…
her eyes drift closed, all the challenges Vash faced while she followed him coming to mind; Gramps and Gofsef, Brilliant Dynamites Neon, the Nebraska Family, Monev the Gale, E.G. Mine…
The Fifth Moon.
then Vash himself saunters into her mind's eye, completely unbidden, an easy, bright smile lighting his face.

-91-
a single tear slips down her cheek. Vash still smiles, hand lifted in a friendly wave.
Meryl- ……… it's true.
she slips down to her knees, eyes distant.
Meryl- …… exactly as Karen said. What should I do?
Keele- Hn. A little slow on the uptake, aren't we? But too bad, it's too late. You've no time left.
though still kneeling, Meryl gives him a cool-eyed stare.
Meryl- Actually, you're the one slow on the uptake…
in his gloating, Keele had absentmindedly turned his back to the street…

-92-93-
…so he never notices the perfect X of a huge stungun bolt as it flies through the air straight at him, fired from a window one story down on the other side of the street by one hugely grinning, hugely miffed Millie. you can almost see the "take THAT, you big meanie!!" scrolling across her forehead.

-94-
the bolt catches Keele square in the small of his back, sending him spinning tush over teakettle to land skidding, face first (owie!) and caboose high in the air, momentum sliding him all the way across the roof. already low, Meryl leans primly to the side, letting the bastard fly past her harmlessly.
Meryl- hmph.

-95-
Millie- I got 'im, Sempai! Clean hit!
Meryl- Well done, Millie. Now let's continue with our vacation.
and where's Our Valiant Hero through this whole ordeal? stuck in the hospital downtown, getting patched up. again. Wolfwood watches on with some boredom when a commotion in the waiting room catches his attention.
Excited Messenger- Hey, guess what! They've caught the gunman from the hotel shootout!
Excited Listener- Where is he? The sheriff's jail?
Excited Messenger- Nope! His whole face is one giant laceration, so they're bringing him here, right now!
the man is excited enough that his loud voice carries into the room where Vash lies, half mummified. it doesn't take a second for him to figure out what has to be going through Wolfwood's devious mind.
Vash- Oi! Don't you dare go and do something nasty to the poor guy!
::Longsuffering Nurse- Lordy, this patient's a loudmouth.::

-96-
Wolfwood shoots a perfectly bland look over his shoulder, the picture of bored innocence.
Wolfwood- I hear ya, I hear ya.
then he grins like a Hindu demon, all sharp fangs and blood-rimmed eyes, heheheh….
Vash- whoawhoaWHOA! What's with that grin? Come back here, Wolfwood!
::Longsuffering Nurse- Would you please be still! //whaps him with a rolled up newspaper//::
in the hallway, a gurney is speedily wheeled in, two doctors in attendance and one thoroughly pissed bastard clutching at his very skinned face.
Keele- huak! huaaak!! DAHN her! I'n gonna KIHL that homahn!
a shadow falls over the gurney. a widely grinning Wolfwood trots along side it.
Doctor 1- Hey! Who are you?
Doctor 2- This is an emergency! Step aside!
Doctor 1- Whoa, he's carrying something!
Doctor 2- …hey, don't….!
Keele- ?!
a small bottle tips bottom up, the letters T-A-B-A-S-C-O stenciled boldly across the label……

-97-
a long and undoubtedly agony-filled scream reverberates throughout the whole city. poor boy. we feel so sorry for him, don't we? ~.^

on the outskirts of the city…
Millie- Aren't we going to go say "hi" to Mr. Vash? ::he's so close by, n' all.::
Meryl- It's not like we're abandoning him, Millie. It's just that dealing with him through work is more than enough.
Millie- Aah, so that's what we're calling it.
Meryl- Right. Precisely that. We'll get to see each other again sooner than any of us expects. I can feel it. The days when we're so busy our heads spin will be here before long.

-98-
Meryl- So we'll deal with it then. In the mean time, let's play hookie for as long as possible!
Millie- //singing// Oh, my swee~~~eet New Miami~~~
Meryl- Yay!!

far away, back at Bernardelli Headquarters…
President- What? Keele has been crippled? Ai yai, what a useless man. Go find a replacement as soon as you can.
Chief- //holding phone, bewildered// …yes, but… Yo, Meryl!
Karen- She's still on vacation.

Girls Bravo!/END

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