The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and rights
holders. Trigun is the creation of Yasuhiro Nightow. Outlaw Star was created
by Morning Star. All original content is the creation of Samuel Phoenix.

Trigun Star
Episode 1: Typhoon in a Box
By PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)

Melfina breathed deeply, drawing in a large lungful of air. It was strange
to her how the air on a starship, even with a complex life support system
could be different from room to room. She looked before her, and thought
that it fit. She was inside the cargo bay of Hilda's ship, the Horus. The
air was stale and tasted old. It just some how fit the atmosphere.

With a slight sigh to herself, she strode forward into the bay. She doubted
that she should be wandering the ship, but she wanted some time alone. She
was confused, upset, and lonely.

She sighed and thought back to nothing. She had no past. Why had she even
been created? What was her raison d'�tre? Was she even really a person? She
had hidden her sadness in front of the other people on this ship, but now
that she was alone she could be honest with her confusion and pain. She
slowly slid down one of the crates, tears streaming from he eyes.

Melfina had no idea where they came from, but words slowly started to play
through her head. It was a song. She wondered where it had come from. She
sighed and let the words flow from her lips.

"I don't know
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me.

Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply.
I'm ready."

"Huh?" Melfina paused. She thought she had heard something. After a few
moments of waiting she decided to continue the song.

"Quiet day calms me
Oh serenity
someone."

Melfina stopped once again. There was that sound again... and again! There
was something making a pounding sound, and it was near by.

Melfina stood up and began to search around for the source. She wondered
what it could be. Her search for the source brought her around a full circle
of the cargo bay, back to where he had begun with no luck.

With a sigh, she leaned back against the same pile of crates she had slid
down prior and looked up at the stack across from her. She wondered how much
time she had spent looking. She closed her eyes and asked herself, out loud.
"Why am I here... why was I even born."

There was a loud thud, and a series of shaking noise, and it was near her.
Right across from her. Her eyes opened to see one of the crates ling to the
side was shaking and moving. The crates in that pile were odd balls. While
all the others were metal or plastic they were in wooden.

Mel slowly stood up and walked over to it. She inquisitively knelt down to
the strange box. Seeing a knot hole she decided to peer inside, to look
directly into a blue green eye that was peering outward.

"AH!" Melfina cried out, falling backwards and landing on her rear.

"Don't be scared!"

Melfina blinked. "Hello?"

"Hello!" replied a muffled male voice from inside the box.

Melfina blinked and moved back toward the box. "There is someone in there?"

"Yep."

Mel blinked. "How long have you been in that box?"

"Oh," replied the voice, "about two weeks... give or take a couple of days?"

Mel blinked. "Two weeks?"

"Yeah, which is why I have to ask you this. Get me out of here! It's cold in
here, I'm hungry and I gotta use the bathroom!" the voice exclaimed.

Mel paused for a moment. People were not supposed to be in boxes. How did he
get there? Still, he asked for his help, and you help people when they ask.
right? "Okay, I'll help you get out," replied Melfina, in an unsure tone.

"Thank you!"

Mel looked at the box. It was sealed with four heavy metal spikes placed
into hinges. She gave one of them a pull. It was stuck. Mel looked closely
at it and saw that one end was partially smashed in, like it had been hit
many times with something heavy. She smiled. She'd have to hit them to
loosen them, not that difficult.

Mel quickly walked away from the crate and began searching for something to
use. After a few minutes of peeking in random crates she found something
that looked solid enough. The object was a long metal shaft, which looked
like it was probably a piston rod from a hydraulic system of some kind. It
looked like would do quite nicely.

Mel quickly rushed back to the crate and lined the pistol up with the spike,
using all her strength she struck it. It move slightly but still held fast.
She struck it three more time and it finally came loose. Pulling the nail
out she smiled. "One."

Melfina repeated the process three times and announced. "I think you can
come out now..."

The trunk all but flew open, and out popped a tall, imposing figure of a
man.  Melfina stepped back in breathless fear, a cold dread, at what she had
released.

In the shadows of the cargo bay she could not fully make out his figure.
With his blood red trench coat, the strange bindings on his left arm, and
the gilt of gunmetal from his hip he looked dangerous, demonic even, like
some kind of hell born fiend here for her soul... and with a loud groan, the
image of dread was totally shattered. He fell forward, and with a loud
impact, he struck the floor.

Melfina couldn't help but wince in sympathy.

"Oh. I can breath again!"

The man hopped right back up laughing like a fool. A series of snap,
crackles, and pops emanated from protesting joints as he stretched out. "I
can move again! Haha! I'm free!"

Melfina stepped back slightly. This man was, for lack of a better word,
quite strange.

The man smiled and looked down at her. Away from the shadow of the other
boxes, she could finally see his features. What caught her attention most
was his eyes. The twin blue-green orbs were soft and kind, filled with love
and gentility. His face was also soft, not like a child's, but from a lack
of tough emotion. It was totally unlike Hilda, Gene, or even Jim's face. It
was like looking at someone without worries, or petty hatreds. She envied
that. On top of his head was a broom like mass of spiky blond hair. He was
quite attractive.

The strange fellow smiled at her, gazing over her features. Her eyes widened
slightly in surprise as she felt her face grow warm. She was blushing, and
why did she suddenly feel so embarrassed to be wearing one of Hilda's
spacesuits?

"I thought I'd die in there, but then I heard you singing and knew that
maybe I'd have a chance," stated the stranger. His voice was kind too,
filled with gratitude. "Thank you."

"You... you heard that?" she asked, in a tone that spoke of great self
concern.

 "Yes," he replied. Suddenly his calm, serious, but kind demeanor was
shattered by a huge happy, friendly grin. "You have a great voice and it was
a very pretty song!"

Melfina couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "You like it?"

"Yep," he replied. "So, what's your name?"

"Mel... Melfina," she replied. For some reason she felt embarrassed, but at
the same time happy. "What's yours?" she added moments later.

The man in red coughed and changed his posture and facial expressions to a
dynamic, and outright silly posture that for some reason, made her blush
even brighter and caused her heart to pound in her chest. In a voice soft as
silk, and filled with no lack of bravado, he said, "I am Vash the Stampede,
known to some as the 'Humanoid Typhoon'. I'm but a simple Hunter of Peace
that chases the Mayfly known as Love. at your service!"

Melfina giggled. She didn't know why, but she found this terribly amusing.

Vash smiled widely again, he face shining with contentment. He turned around
and closed the crate, taking a seat on the surface. "Man! It's good to be
out of there!" He looked to her and cocked his head slightly. He smiled
again, asking, "Could you do me a favor?"

"Ah... what do you want?"

"Finish that song, please? Come on! Sit down! If you teach me that song, I'
ll. hmmm." he stood still for a moment, making hit look like he was
thinking, but it was obvious that he already know what he intended to say.
"I'll teach you song? You teach me yours and I'll teach you mine, a song for
a song!"

Melfina blushed. "O-okay I guess."

Vash smiled and motioned for her to sit next to him. "Sit down, relax."

Reluctantly, she did so, sliding as far to the edge she could while remain
comfortable.

Melfina slowly began the song. It was hard for her to keep he composure, be
she could try...

"I don't know
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me.

Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply
I'm ready.

Quiet day calms me
Oh serenity
Someone
Please tell me
Ohmm, what is it, they say?
Maybe I will know one day."

"Wow... that was great," replied Vash.

Melfina looked at him uneasily. One again, his demeanor had changed. This
time he had gone back from happy lunatic to sweet young man. She wondered
how one person could change gears so quickly. Was he schizophrenic? His
strange serious but at the same time happy-go-lucky personality intimidate
her, but at the same time, his kindness and overtures of friendship made her
want to stay. She was getting confused, and her head was starting to ache.
Socialization was just too complex...

Vash placed his hand on Melfina's shoulder and smiled widely. "Is something
the matter?"

"No, I'm fine," she lied.

"Come on," he replied, "Tell me what the matter. I'll help if I can."

Melfina sighed. "I... I don't know. It's just too much."

"I have time," Vash replied.

Melfina looked him in the eyes for a long moment, judging herself and this
stranger. Stranger, he wasn't really a stranger, was he? She probably knows
him better then the others on this ship, or were they really strangers too?
She sighed. The entire world was a stranger to her. No friends, no family,
no root, not even an idea of to why she was created. She felt so, empty
inside. More to herself then to Vash, she muttered, "I wish I was never
born..."

"Don't say that!" replied Vash in a stern but caring voice. "Never say
 that."

"W-what?"

"All life is precious," he stated. "Why do you wish that you were never
born?"

Melfina sighed, and the tears that streamed down her face earlier, resumed
their course. "I'm not a real person... I was created." She looked up at
him, "I don't even know what I was created to do, and the one person who
knows doesn't look like she is going to tell me! Why am I here? What is the
meaning of my life?"

Vash sighed and took on a distinctly philosophical air. At the same time she
could see a deep concern for her well-being in him.

He moved closer and gazed into her eyes. "You look real."

He caressed her cheek and gazed into her eyes, bringing a flush to her face.
"You feel real"

He moved his head to the nap of her neck, his nose a mere centimeter from
her neck and hair. "You smell real."

He grinned wickedly and brought he face to hers, and licked the tip of her
nose. "You taste pretty real too!"

Melfina eeked in surprised and scampered away, falling off the box. She
looked at him in surprise and shock.

"Hah! Come on, was only playing!"

He was laughing? She looked at his smiled and heard his laughter, and could
not help but join in. This was strange, she was embarrassed, but for some
reason, happy. This person was too strange for words to describe.

Vash smiled once again and knelt down, offering Melfina his hand, which she
took. He pulled her to her feet and said, "Sorry about that, but you looked
like you needed a smile."

Melfina sighed, and the confused but amuse smiled she had warn seconds
before began to slow fade. "It still doesn't change anything."

Vash sighed and turned his back to her. Did she offend him in some way? "Do
any of us know why we're born?"

"What?"

Vash turned around. He was serious again. "Tell me, Melfina, what is the
meaning of anyone's life?" He smiled and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Mel... can I call you Mel?"

Melfina nodded.

With his voice, full of kindness and gentility Vash told her "Mel, what
gives your life meaning is not why you're alive but that you are alive, how
you live. You were born to live a happy life. That's all that matters in the
end. That all that matters for everyone."

Melfina took a step back. That answer was strange and confusing, but for
some reason it rung true. She was born to live, and be happy? The idea
comforted her, but... She shook her head. Everything was so new to her. All
the sensations, all the feelings of existence just confused her so.

Mel paused and looked at Vash. The complexity of this person was
bewildering. He could go from one extreme to another in a word and then back
again with the next. His kindness was radiant and his concern for her, a
person he had just met, was so deep and honest. It made her fell strange,
warm inside, like...

Melfina's thoughts were interrupted by the hiss of an opening door.

In to the room stepped the owner of the ship, "Hot Ice" Hilda. At the sight
of the Humanoid Typhoon her eye narrowed. In a blur, her weapon was drawn
and pointed at the man. "Melfina! Step away from him!"

Mel blinked, and looked at Vash and then to Hilda in confusion.

Vash looked the outlaw women in the eye then looked down to Melfina. Slowly
and purposefully he stepped away from Mel, taking a stand in the center of
the cargo bay.

The cycloptian outlaw looked at him through a cold eye. "I don't know who
you're working for, but you can not have her."

He face matching her name, she fired her weapon.

Both Hilda and Melfina gasped what they saw. Vash sidestepped the bullet. He
had dodged it so quickly that it appeared as if he had just teleported six
inches to the left.

"Mr. Vash?" muttered Melfina.

"How did..." Ice Hilda's voice trailed off as she looked down ward to Vash's
feet. He eye opened wide at what she saw, He undivided attention was on the
piston like metal cylinder which Melfina had used to unseal the crate. "Oh,
shit..."

Vash blinked and bent over, picking the metal cylinder. "What's this?"

Hilda sighed very lightly and straightened her posture to regain her cool
demeanor.  "That is a PLX-30 binary demolitions charge. It is powerful
enough to blow up half of this ship. Put it down gently. The priming
mechanism is sensitive to impact."

"Ship," stated Vash in a serious tone.

"Yes," replied Hilda, "You are on my starship, the Horus."

"Starship. That explains a lot," he muttered. Vash slowly rotated the
explosive charge in his hands, and examined it closely, his eyes focusing on
the scuffmarks and slight indentations from when Melfina used it to open his
crate.

With a big, silly smile on his face he turned to Mel. In a jovial tone he
asked, "Mel, this isn't..."

Melfina nodded.

The quiet of the cargo bay was pierced by a loud hiss as the cylinder began
to contract. On the top, a red LCD light began to blink.

Hilda gasped. Vash looked at the object in his hand, and then he screamed.

--------------------

"ARGH!" cried Vash at the top of his lungs. He had to get rid of it he had
to ditch this thing!

"GOTTA FIND AN AIRLOCK!"  screamed Vash as her tore out of the cargo bay at
a full run. He glanced at the door markers reading them as fast as he could.

He tore down the Hours's halls as fast as his legs could carry him paying
little heed to anything in his path, almost running over a blond kid in his
rush.

"Gotta find an airlock! Gotta find and airlock!" Vash the Stampede repeated
the mantra again and again as he rushed down the hall, reading the door
labels.

Mess hall... Crew quarters... storage... maintenance. armory... airlock.
AIRLOCK!?

Vash the stampede skid to a loud, screeching stop and rushed back around to
the airlock door. "Haha!" he cried in triumph as he ran back to the door.
With a huge grin on his face he looked at something, which at that moment,
what the most beautiful things he had ever seen. The Big Black of deep space
through a triple reinforced shatter proof, Plexiglas window.

Vash pressed the large, happy red brightly marked "open" button. Nothing
happened.

"ARGH!!!!" cried Vash, in desperation.

Horus's bass voice boomed over the internal speakers. "You are not
authorized to access this area."

Vash looked down at the charge in his hands. The red light was blinking
quickly and became faster by the second.

"I'm holding a bomb. It is about to explode! I you don't let me access the
airlock, it'll blow up the ship!"

"Scanning," stated the computer. "Active explosive charge has been detected.
Access granted."

Vash pushed the open button and threw the explosive into the lock. The door
quickly sealed, and Vash pressed the override. The outer door opened and the
explosive decompression blew the charge into space.

Vash sighed and let him self slide down the opposite wall as he saw a bright
flash in the distance.

"Ah... that was close."

Vash heard a click and he head wearily turned upwards. Standing in the hall
was the one-eyed lady again, her gun pointed at him. Coming up the hall
behind her was Melfina, and the boy he had almost run while he was rushing
for the airlock.

"Don't move," hissed the woman.

Vash groaned, and in a blur had his own gun pointed at her head. With a
wearily smile on his face he said, "Come on... I'm tired. Do we really have
to play this game? I save your ship!"

Hilda looked him in the eyes. For over a minute there was nothing but
silence as the two outlaws studied each other intently. Hilda smirked, and
holstered her weapon.

With a sigh of relief Vash dropped his gun arm.

"Why did you trust him?" asked Jim.

"Jim, a truly experienced outlaw can read their opponents intentions."

"And what if you're wrong?"

"I haven't been wrong yet."

Jim shrugged and scowled at Vash. "You almost ran me over."

Vash blushed. "Ah, sorry about that! I kinda was in a rush."

Jim nodded. "Hilda mentioned the bomb."

Vash chuckled and looked at Hilda, "So, could you tell me where I am?"

Hilda glared at him. "First. Tell me who are you."

Vash sighed and nodded... "My name is Vash the Stampede..."

Hilda's eyebrow rose sharply. "As in the 'Humanoid Typhoon', the infamous
outlaw from Gunsmoke? The one every want-to-be badass on that dirtball
claims to be?"

Vash blushed and scratched his head. "Well, yeah, but I'm the real thing..."

Hilda looked him in the eye. "From you skill level, and the physical
descriptions I heard while on that rock do fit you, I could believe it, but
you don't seem like a blood thirsty, mass murdering killing machine to
 me..."

Vash blushed and began to wave his hands in protest. "Hey! Hey now! Don't
believe everything you hear in a rumors!"

"Hey, exactly where is Gunsmoke? I never heard of it," said Jim.

Hilda sighed. "It's a backwards, technologically degenerate colony beyond
even the frontier. It's on almost no maps, and has really nothing of value.
It's a foot note."

"Hey!" exclaimed Vash.

"Details aside, I left Gunsmoke weeks ago," stated Hilda. "Where did you
come from?"

"I was being chased by bounty hunters and decided to hide in a crate..."
Vash blushed and laughed. "I kinda fell asleep in there and woke up in
locked it your cargo bay! Melfina let me out."

"Is this true, Melfina?"

"Yes."

Jim blinked. "You were locked in a storage crate?"

"Yep, for over two weeks." Vash grinned widely. "Say, can someone point me
to the bathroom? I *really* gotta pee..."

Hilda sighed. "Third door to your left."

"Danke! Danke!" exclaimed Vash, rushing off to 'do his business'.

Jim blinked and under his breath, he muttered, "He held it for two
 weeks...?"

--------------------

Vash smiled in absolute contentment as he all but danced through Horus's
corridors. If Gene had been awake, he would have told Vash that he knew a
man name Fred with whom he get along with just wonderfully.

While Vash always tried to live each day to its fullest and appreciate ever
valuable second of life, everything seemed a whole lot brighter and
friendlier after spending half a month locked in a small wooden packing
crate.

Vash did a merry little spin and reflected on his current state. He was fed,
showered, and had a chance to use the little boys room. "Life is wonderful!"
he sung to himself.

"Well, I see you've cleaned yourself up," replied Hilda, from behind him.
"The smell was beginning to travel."

Vash cocked his head slightly. "Do you have a minute?" he asked, with a
smile.

Hilda nodded in response. "Yes, what do you need."

"I want to know if you'd be willing to take me home," he stated.

Hilda blinked. "You want to go back to that dustball? Why?"

Vash's smile faded as memories of his past came to the surface. He found it
strange really. He has escaped to a to where he would no longer be hunted.
This was place where he very well could find his Eden, where he could hang
up the gun and live the rest of his days in peace, but having something and
wanting it are totally different. He had his chance, and was reluctant. He
found himself longing to return to his exodus, all for the sake of the
Devil.

"I have unfinished business," Vash replied in a straightforward tone. All of
his usual joviality and his extraversion were absent; his voice was soft,
low, and completely serious.

"Who do you have to kill?"

Vash turned his head and looked at the lady outlaw through the tired eyes of
one who has seen far too much suffering in his lifetime. "I don't kill. All
life is precious, and I don't right to take it away from anyone else."

Hilda blinked. "Surely you must..."

"No," he stated, "I have never taken another's life and I never will."

"You have strict principles. Must be difficult... So, why do you want to go
back?"

"A promise."

"A promise?"

"A promise."

"So, what then?" asked Hilda.

Vash smiled to himself and just tried to imagine. "I guess I'll retire, try
and find a place where there's no more evil to fight, and hang up my gun for
good and live in peace..."

"Nice dream. Damn unlikely, but it's still a nice dream," Hilda voice
softened very slightly, "You're one hell of a character, Vash the Stampede."

Vash smiled widely and snapping back to his 'happy idiot' personality, he
loudly asked, "You really think so? "

Hilda groaned. "Without a doubt."

"So, about taking me back home..."

"I can't," Hilda stated bluntly, "At least not at the moment. I have a task
that must be done. Once it is completed, I'll take you home."

"No way getting around it?"

"Not a chance," replied Hilda, "Only a small handful of the most detailed
outlaw starmaps even have Gunsmoke on them. Your chances of finding one are
miniscule at best. You're welcome to look, but you will not have very much
luck."

Vash sighed. "So, what's next then?"

Hilda looked at her watch and began to move toward the bridge section. "Walk
with me."

Vash did so and Hilda turned her head to him "We're about to stop at the
outlaw asteroid city Blue Heaven for supplies and repair. If you want, I can
introduce you to some people."

"Great," Vash thought to him self out loud, "Maybe there I can get some
bullets!"

Hilda froze in her tracks and turned to Vash with a wide eye. "What?"

"I'm completely out of ammo." Vash smiled, drew his revolver, and broke it
open so she could see the empty cylinder. "See?"

Hilda gawked at him. "You got me to back down from a Mexican standoff with a
empty gun?"

Vash smiled and snapped his gun shut, reholstering it. "Yep!"

Hilda stared at him for a moment and shook her head, walking back off. "You'
re good... Damn good. I'm impressed. Not many people could pull a fast one
on me. Just don't do it again."

Vash smiled and followed. A collection of thoughts raced through his mind
about the nature of his situation. He was a stranger in a strange land here,
shanghaied onto a starship crew. Oh well, if he couldn't get home, he might
as well enjoy it. He looked at Hilda and grinned. Might as well get some
flirting in. After all, this woman was one hell of a pretty lady. "Say, when
we get Blue Heaven, you want to get dinner, maybe spends some time 'alone'?"

Hilda cocked her head in thought and shrugged. "Why not, it's been too long
since I've known a man's touch."

Vash froze in his tracks, a look of total shock etched onto his features.
The last thing he has _ever_ expected was for her to say 'yes'.

 Hilda blinked. "What?"

"Y-you said 'yes'!" he exclaimed, his face rapidly approaching the color of
his coat.

Hilda blinked in confusion. "And, what of it?"

"No one every says yes!"

Hilda laughed. "With that approach I can see why. Guess it's your lucky day
now isn't it."

In a nervous voice, Vash managed to stutter out. "I wasn't being serious! I
was only flirting! I never expected you to say yes!"

Hilda looked at him strangely. "Are your seriously saying you don't want
 to?"

Vash smiled sweetly and looked down, horribly flushed. "Y-you see, I joke
around, but honestly think of sex as a thing you only do with someone really
special..."

Ice Hilda looked at Vash through a mask of clear bewilderment. Even her
normal, subdued ice demeanor was completely lacking from her affect. She
sighed, and in a exasperated tone she said, "Vash, I have to go to the
bridge. We're about to enter Blue Heaven space. I'll... I'll talk to you
later."

Vash blinked, wondering if she was angry at him. "Ah, okay."

Hilda turned around and stormed off. Her posture was slightly slumped and
through his far above average hearing he could make out her muttering some
rather varied complaints about him personality.

Vash sighed and turned around. Maybe he could talk to Melfina again. She
looked like she needed a friend.

--------------------

Gene Starwind jolted awake on Horus's bridge. He was covered in sweat thanks
to one horrible nightmare. It was always the same, and this nightmare was
real. The death of his father.

"Oh." she groaned.

The door behind him slip open, and fighting down some bile he turned around
to see who it was. It was Hilda, and she looked strangely uncentered. It was
as if something had put a crack in her icy exterior.

She saw him and straightened up. "You're awake," she stated.

Gene blinked as she walked past him. "There a problem?"

The woman remained silent for a moment. "Why, what makes you think there is
a problem?"

"You seem awful tense."

Hilda looked back at Gene. "Do you find me attractive?"

Gene blinked. Where in the hell had that come from? "Ah, yeah. I do."

Hilda smiled. She said nothing, but relaxed visibly.

"Now entering Blue Heaven space," stated the Horus.

Why the hell did she ask if she found him attractive? "What was that about?"
Gene inquired.

"Mind your own business," she snapped.

Gene blinked. Touchy.

"Blue Heaven Network access complete. Now displaying useable docks."

Hilda looked down at the screen. "Use dock 8."

"Understood," stated the ship's AI, "Preparing to dock at Blue heaven via
route 2-2-1, transferring to Autopilot mode in three... two... one...
Autopilot engaged."

"So, you're afraid of space?" Hilda asked, probably just trying to kill
time.

"No," Gene replied in a calm voice, "Not really."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

Gene sighed. "Bad memories, that's all."

"Memories," Hilda repeated to herself.

"Hilda," Gene asked, "How have you been in space long?"

Hilda sighed and looked down ever so slightly. "A long time? Maybe."

Gene smirked. "There you go dodging my questions again."

Hilda scowled. "It's been a long day. I don't need..."

Hilda paused, and groaned slightly with the hissing of the opening bridge
door.

"Gene! You awake yet," asked Jim as he stepped in.

Gene looked lover and blinked. In the doorway stood Jim, Melfina, and a tall
blond man with a red coat. Looked like a real badass. "Hey, Jim, who's the
blond?"

"His name, is Vash the Stampede," stated Hilda, surprisingly she looked at
him with a ting of resentment. "He is an infamous outlaw and gunfighter on
his home world."

Gene blinked. "Never heard of him?... He an ex-boyfriend or something?"

Hilda scowled slightly. "Hardly."

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Vash. Was that a blush on his face? "We just met!"

"There where the hell did you come from?" Gene inquired.

Melfina moved to speak but closed her mouth and inched back. A hand on her
shoulder stopped her. Melfina looked and locked eyes with Vash. He smiled
gently and nodded.

Melfina blushed slightly and said, "He... he was locked in a crate in the
cargo bay... I let him out."

Gene blinked. Locked in a crate? Did he even want to know the story behind
that one? He gave Hilda a side ways glance and wondered, did the woman have
some kind of strange locking-people-in-boxes fetish that he should know
about?

"So, you're still alive, brother?" teased Jim.

"Lay off," snapped Gene in response.

"Ah, so cute!"

Gene snarled and looked Jim in the eyes. "I'll show ya 'cute'!"

--------------------

 "Ah! I'll take this over a spaceship any day!" exclaimed Gene as he exited
the ramp from Hilda's starship. To emphasize his point, the Sentinel native
outlaw stomped the deck a couple of times.

"I take it your cherry is officially popped," Jim remarked sarcastically.

"I'll pop that mouth of yours if you don't shut up," glowered Gene is what
was mostly mock anger.

Melfeia smiled and looked up to Vash, who was walking by her side. She
wondered about his words. You're alive to live a happy life? She found it
hard to believe, but at the same time, comforting. She liked Vash, he was a
nice person. "Mr. Vash?"

The Humanoid Typhoon smiled widely and looked at Melfina. "Yes, Melfina?"

"Is this your first time on a starship?" she asked.

Vash looked away, the smile still present on his face and took at deep
breath. "Nope," he looked back down to her and smiled, "I was born on a
starship."

Hilda looked over. "I find that hard to believe, considering the dust-ball
you're from."

Two figures slowly approached the group. One was a dark skinned human, and
the other was a spherical being with tiny limbs and a pair of small beady
eyes, a Carbonite. "Hilda!" exclaimed the Carbonite, "It's been too long!
Tell me that you can hang out for a while."

"Not now, I need you to repair and resupply Horus," replied Hilda.

"Got it. Just leave it to me," replied the alien.

"Brother," Jim said under his voice, elbowing Gene in the side, "It's a
Carbonite. I've never seen one before."

"Yeah," replied Gene.

Vash smiled, and he bent over to whisper in Melfina's ear. She blushed.
"What's a Carbonite?"

"An alien," she replied.

"Who are they? Are you a tour guide now, Hilda?" asked the Carbonite.

"Heh," Hilda smirked, and nodded to Jim and Gene "Let's leave it at that,
with these two, Swanzo, but the blond is good."

"Not much to look at."

Hilda flipped out a knife, and with a smirk threw it at Vash. Without even
looking, he caught it.

Melfina gasped. She threw a knife at him? What if he didn't catch it! That
was just too dangerous!

Vash smiled and pocketed the blade. "Thanks, Hilda! I needed one of those!"

Swanzo chuckled to himself. "He is good." He turned to Vash, "What's you're
your name, outlaw?"

"His name is Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon," interrupted Hilda.
Melfina wondered why Vash wasn't aloud to introduce himself. She was
probably trying to keep him from using his silly introduction.

"Hi!" replied Vash with a large, silly smile on his face.

Swanzo groaned and turned to Hilda. "Hilda, I've got a message for you.
But..."

"You can tell me here," she replied.

"McCoy says he can't make it."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure, Looks like he just didn't want to get mixed up with a bunch
of pirates."

"Chicken-shit."

"I have one other piece of bad news. The McDougal brothers have been asking
about you."

"Fools."

"McCoy, this McDougal that," exclaimed Gene, "when are you people gonna
start talking some sense?"

"Don't butt into an adult conversation, kid," remarked Swanzo.

Gene snarled and drew his gun, pointing it at the alien. "Who's a kid?
Listen here, buddy..."

Vash visibly tensed but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder from Hilda.
Melfina looked him in the eyes. He didn't know the extra-terrestrial, but
for some reason seeing Gene point a gun at the alien angered him. It was
hard to see, but it was defiantly there.

"Hey now!" exclaimed the Carbonite engineer. "There is no need to get worked
up over everything. Besides, using gun is illegal on here."

Jim blinked. "Why would using gun be illegal in a free town?"

"Because," answered Vash in a serious tone, "If you break a air seal, crack
a window, or puncture the hell you would put the lives of every person in
this city in jeopardy."

"Spoken like a true spacer," said the Carbonite with a laugh. "If someone is
too stupid to follow the rules we don't want them here."

"Or maybe it's only idiots that follow the rules who live here. So, this is
what an outlaw really is, huh?" said Gene with a smirk on his face.

"They're pirates?" inquired Jim.

"Sounds like the other kid doesn't understand either," commented Swanzo.
"There are three powers in space: The military, pirates, and outlaws. The
major difference is motivation. The military are motivated by duty and the
pirates by greed and the lust for power."

"What motivates an outlaw?" asked Vash. The large smile had returned to his
face.

The engineer looked toward Vash. "Well, you tell me. What motivates us
varies from person to person. So, what drives you, outlaw?"

Vash smiled. "Well, the force that motivates me is the chance to right
wrongs, and spread a message of..." Vash crossed the index and middle
fingers of his right hand and thrust him arm forward. "LOVE AND PEACE!"

"Hilda," Swanzo asked, "Where the hell did you pick *this* guy up?"

Jim just looked "I think he was locked in that box too long..."

"He's cracked," muttered Gene.

Hilda sighed and rubbed her forehead.

Melfina just blinked. She couldn't see what was wrong with it. It sounded
like a beautiful ideal.

"Hey, Swanzo!" shouted the Carbonite starships mechanic from underneath the
Horus. "This ain't gonna be a one person job!"

"Blast it! Alright, hold on... see you later, Hilda."

Hilda smiled. "Sure. Take care of him."

Swanzo glanced over to Jim and Gene. "Alright, kids. Behave yourselves."

--------------------

Vash smiled to himself as he stood in the conveyer-belt style corridor that
led from the landing bays to be main city. This was strange, but at the same
time he liked it. Here he was, off of Gunsmoke, seeing the universe in a way
that he never had. He could meet new people, eat new donuts, and maybe find
a place in the greater universe that he could never find where he had come
from.

Who was he kidding. Gunsmoke was home, and he had unfinished business. With
the giant holes in he memory, he didn't remember much, at least before the
July City disaster, but he had something to do. He didn't remember exactly
what, but he had something to do.

"No way!" exclaimed Gene. "I don't know a think about cloths shopping! She's
with you, Hilda, isn't she?"

Hilda looked ant gene and replied, "I have some place to go and Melfina
needs cloths. I'd rather she be with you, I'd know she'd be in good hands
that way."

"Can't Vash do it?"

Hilda thought for a moment. "Maybe, I was planning on introducing him to a
couple of contacts..."

Vash smiled, and looked at Melfina. "I'd be happy to take her shopping, in
fact I have to get myself some stuff, too..." he stated.

Gene grinned. "Great! Jim, you go with Vash and Melfina."

Jim sighed. "Guess so... I need a new PDA after all." He glared at Hilda.

"So, I guess it's settled. Vash, Jim, and Melfina go shopping. I'll show
Gene around," stated Hilda.

"Well, not exactly" muttered Vash. "I'm kinda broke... Could you lend me
some money?" Well, that was not really the case. He had over fifteen grand
on his person, but he seriously doubted that the locals would accept double
dollars.

"Yeah," added Jim, "You owe me twelve hundred Wong for that PDA..."

Hilda sighed and pulled out her wallet. With a scowl on her face, she handed
Vash a wad of bills. "Two thousand five hundred Wong. This includes his PDA,
her cloths, and your current expenses. Don't ask for any more."

"Welcome to Blue Heaven!" cut in an automated voice as the door to the main
section of the station slid open, revealing the streets, buildings, and
causeways of the city proper to them.

Gene chuckled to himself. "Jim, lets meet back at the hotel."

"Okay, Gene."

The two groups started off in different directions, with Vash, Mel, and Jim
heading toward the main streets commercial area.

Vash looked at the place with the eyes of a child. It was new to him. There
was nothing quite like this back home.

Jim looked over to Vash and inquisitively asked him, "What's with the
wide-eyes? Don't tell me you planet is so back water you don't even have
cities."

Vash smiled and looked at the kid. Mentally he analyzed how to best approach
Jim. The boy confused him, and from what he'd seen, saddened him. He was so
adult, so responsible. No time to throw caution to the wind and live for the
joy of them moment. No time to be a child. He looked very smart too, and
mature. He couldn't treat him like he did other children.

Vash shrugged. Oh well. He guessed his normal playful approach wouldn't
work. Hmmm... he had an idea...

Vas smiled widely. Nothing silly, just friendly and honest. "There are
cities on Gunsmoke. They just don't look like this."

"Oh?" asked Jim, "What do they look like?"

"Gunsmoke is a dry, desert planet. Most of the buildings are made out of
adobe. Everything is always yellow and dusty, even the major cities like.
Not like here, where everything is bright lights and cold metal."

Jim nodded. "Hmmm... makes sense. You said you were born on a colony ship?
How longs it been sense you were in space?"

"Since I was a boy," stated Vash. He hoped that Jim wouldn't ask details.

"Hilda said you have a huge reputation back home. She made it sound like you
are a household name."

Vash sighed. His past always followed him around like...

A black cat with a absurdly large head and yellow eyes sped past his feet
chasing a mouse.

"Meow."

... well, like that. Oh well, might as well ham it up.

 "Back home my name is feared across ever corner of the world."

Vash smirked at Jim. He took up a almost comical he-man stance. "The
vicious, undefeatable outlaw who has crushed armies of law-men and
bounty-hunters who is considered personally responsible for the destruction
of a city of one point five million people!"

He changed into another equally ridiculous stance. "The slaughterer of the
innocent who leaves nothing but death and destruction in his wake! A man so
evil, and who's actions are so vicious and cruel that they have placed a
bounty of no less then sixty billion double-dollars on his head!

Taking another stupidly macho pose, Vash continued. "The devil's helper, a
walking natural disaster, the Humanoid Typhoon... Vash the Stampede!... That
's me."

Jim blinked and looked at Vash. In a deadpan he said, "Are you kidding?"

Vash dropped the pose and smiled. "That's really what they say."

Jim looked at Vash. "I find it hard to believe. Every rumor has some truth
in it... have you really killed that many people?"

"No," stated Vash. There was no levity in this statement, none of his normal
sense of fun. It was totally honest, almost to the point of being blunt. "I
have never ended another life."

"All life is precious," muttered Melfina.

Jim turned to her and blinked. "What was that Mel?"

"All life is precious," she repeated. "Vash told me that when we met."

The Humanoid Typhoon nodded. "No one has the right to take the life of
another. To do so is to destroy something precious that can never be
replaced. Once someone is dead, it can't be taken back."

Jim blinked, "Ah, okay... so, what about the city?"

Vash remained completely silent then smiled. "Well, enough standing around!"
he exclaimed. "Lets get something to eat, then get Melfina some clothes!" He
stopped and looked at Melfina. "Or would could get the cloths first if you
want."

"I'm hungry. I could use something to eat..." murmured Melfina.

"Step right up and taste my delicious meat pie. Step right up," exclaimed a
voice from behind them.

Vash turned around to see an old woman in a Chinese style robe pawning meat
dumplings. Farther down the line where a number of restaurants and snack
shows selling all types of food, from the exotic alien cuisine to Terran
classics such as Pizza, Italian, American, and the wonderful and ever so
divine donut.

"Well, isn't this convenient," muttered Jim

Vash could only look forward and stair, a thin trail of drool making its way
down his lip.

"Mmmmmm... Donuts..."

--------------------

"Don't even think about moving," snarled Jim looking at the "infamous" Vash
the Stampede. "Vash the Dirty Peeping Tom" was more like it. He couldn't
believe it. They go to buy Melfina clothes, and what does he do? He tries to
peep while she's changing! He hoped he wouldn't ever get that bad. Gene's
womanizing was bad enough but a grown man peeping on girls was just sad...

"I'll be good," mumbled the Humanoid Typhoon, under the stern glair of both
Jim and the store's attendant.

Jim sighed and shook his head. Gene said that all the time, right before he
ran off to shag the next skirt to catch his fancy. Of course there was one
slight difference. He had a feeling he could trust Vash. It was strange to
him, he rarely trusted people he had know for such a short time, but there
was something special about the outlaw. Despite his strange personality,
Vash never really acted in a cruel or detrimental way. He was a goof ball,
but a noble one.

"So, Mel? How is it going?" asked Vash.

The curtain opened to show Melfina standing dressed in her new outfit. She
wore a white dress shirt and tie, with a short blue cloak over them. Her
legs were clad in stockings, there was an anklet on her left leg, and for
shoes she wore a pair of black flats.

"Hey, not bad!" said Jim.

"It looks wonderful!" exclaimed the attendant.

Vash just gawked. "Wow!"

-------------

Melfina smiled as she looked at the small stack of packages that Vash was
hold for her as they entered the hotel. She had a fun day shopping with Jim
and Vash. She might not be a real human, but they made her feel like one,
especially Vash.... Although now that she thought of it, did he even know
that she was a bio-android? She looked up toward him with some hidden
trepidation...

"Gene and Hilda are sharing a room?!" exclaimed Gene, snapping Melfina out
of her inner dialogue.

"Yes sir," repeated the clerk.

"Damn it! That scumbag didn't tell me he was gonna make a move on her! How
could she have okayed this? No, I bet he was seduced this time"

"Probably," added Vash, a flush making its way to his face.

"How would you..." Jim smirked and narrowed his eyes at Vash. "Do tell me
you and her..."

Vash blushed bright red. "Well, she offered but I said no..."

Jim blinked. "Why? She's hot..."


Vash shrunk down, futilely trying to hid behind the pile of boxes in his
arms. In a shy voice he all but mumbled. "I... I don't believe in casual
sex. I think it should be something saved for someone special..."

Jim blinked. "Strange."

Melfina blushed slightly. She thought the idea was sweet, but why did it
make her blush?

"Here's the key to you're room, sir," interrupted the clerk as he held out
the door key to Jim.

"Our room?"

"Yes," replied the clerk "Room 345. It's a twin occupancy."

"Ah, there are three of us," mentioned Vash.

"Yes, yes there are," stated the Clerk.

--------------------

"Damn it Gene," muttered Jim, as Melfina too a shower in the background.
"There is a time and place for this."

"Jim, don't worry about it," said Vash with a smile on his face.

Jim looked up toward Vash. "What do you mean don't worry? Someone has to,
and he isn't going to."

"You're young, you shouldn't have to worry," Vash replied. "Worrying is for
adults, and your still just a child."

"Hey!" exclaimed Jim, "I'm not a kid!"

Vash smiled and patted Jim on the back. "Don't worry, we can fix that!"

"Huh?"

Vash grabbed Jim in a headlock and said, "Enjoy your childhood when you can
or you'll grow up too fast and regret missing it!"

Jim slipped out of Vash's headlock. "And what, become an overgrown kid like
you?"

Vash grinned. "Hey, nothing wrong with that! At least you can have fun!"

Jim smiled, and pounced on Vash, getting him in a tight arm lock. "Hey,
maybe you're right! This is fun!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Mercy! Mercy!" cried Vash.

The door to the bathroom opened and Melfina stepped. She looked at the
strange position they were in. Vash was face down on the floor with Jim
holding his left arm at a very painful looking angle.

"Vash? Are you okay."

"Just peachy! Jim, you can let go now! I think my arm's coming loose..."

Jim blinked and gave the limb a test squeeze. Under the cloth of his
nightshirt, it was hard and cold, like metal. "You have a prosthetic?"

Vash smiled wearily. "Yeah..."

"Can I see it?" asked Jim.

"Only if you let go!"

Jim blinked and released him. "Deal."

Vash sighed, giving his sore limb a test stretch, then pulling up the sleeve
of his shirt. Vash's artificial limb was rather primitive. It ended in a
flash like hand, but the main body of the limb was made of metal.

"Doesn't look like much. Pretty primitive really," muttered Jim.

Vash smiled. "It works."

"Guess so," muttered Jim.

There was a moment of silence, then Melfina spoke. "So, how do I look?" she
asked.

"Okay, I guess," muttered Jim.

"You look great!"

Melfina flushed slightly. "Thank you Vash."

Vash, who was still lying on the floor, smiled and cocked his head slightly,
getting a blow to the head from Jim for his efforts.

"Don't even think about it..."

Melfina looked around the room. "So, I'm sleeping here tonight?"

"Yeah."

Melfina sat on one of the beds, and looked down at Vash. "Would you like to
sleep with me tonight?"

Vash blushed. "Thanks Melfina, but no thanks. I can take the floor!"

Mel blinked. "Are you sure?"

Vash nodded. "After two weeks in a box, the floor is a blessing."

Melfina's face dropped slightly. "Oh."

"What's wrong?"

Melfina smiled. "Tomorrow?"

Vash smiled. "Sure."



Author's notes: This is a totally new fanfict so I really don't have any
prereaders set up. The aim of this story is a compleat retelling of both
Trigun and Outlaw Star with the addition of new characters. I've chosen to
eleminate the scenes that are not changed by the Xover. I want opinions of
this decision. Should I rephrase the scenes (IE: paraphrase the subtitles)
or leave them alone?




             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'