Meet Me in the Moonlight

By: Haruka-chan

 

Chapter 3: Small discoveries

 

"Long ago everything had goddesses and gods. The moon had one goddess, and two gods. In the center was the goddess on her left was her brother and to her right was a God she fell in love with, even though they look so close together in our eyes, they were really far apart in reality. But they cared for each other very much nonetheless. The goddess loved the God more then her life, she would give up everything just to be with him. So one day she thought 'I will go over there to his moon' but then her brother asked her what would happen to that moon when she left? What would happen to the light she gave to make the moon shine?" said a woman with long violet hair, and beautiful gray eyes, she had a small child on her lap as they stared at the moons.

 

"So what happened mama?" asked the small girl.

 

The woman chuckled and kissed the girl on the forehead. "The goddess broke down in tears, she would have to sacrifice her love for her people, but how could she stay away from the one she loved? How could she live her immortal life without him? Then another, her mother the sun told her 'why don't you see him, but come back to your duties after,' but she asked her mother how was that possible?”

 

"The sun is her mother?" asked the child.

 

"You see we have two suns, one is the father and one is the mother, and you know the moon shines with the help of the sun right?" asked the woman.

 

"So her mother helps her shine,” said the little girl.

 

"The goddess thought hard and long on what to do, and she decided that at least once a month she would see him, and that is why the moon Waxes and Wanes. When the goddess is on her way to see the God, the moon is Waning. The light of the moon slowly disappears, until we don't see a moon at all which is called the new moon. And while she is coming back to her moon is Waxing. The light slowly returns to the moon and when she finally reaches her moon the moon is full and bight,” said the woman.

 

"Why doesn't the God go to see her?" asked the little girl.

 "He does that is why his moon Wanes and Waxes as well,” said she.

 

"Oh" she said and giggled.

 

"But the important part of this story is that she loved him as he loved her and they found a way to work their responsibilities in to their relationship" said the woman, the little girl in her arms yawned and smiled up at her mother. "There will be a day when you find that man, that you will want to give everything up for, but my dear Meryl remember to never forget your duties as well. Your father and I are counting on you.”

 

"I wouldn't let you down mama" whispered Meryl.

 

"And if it does come to where you must chose between the two then always my dear pick Love for it is the mother of dreams" said the woman. "You may at one point have to give up on a dream but that doesn't mean that you can't have a new one, for me you and your brother are my dreams, and my heart" she said as she kissed Meryl once more. "I know you’re young and may not understand it, but remember my words.”

 

"I will mama,” said Meryl before she fell asleep.

 

[AN: I don't know if there is a legend like this behind the moon or not, but I made this up and would like it if you guys ask me before you copy it. Thanks! ^_^]  

 

"My mother the one person I have always admired, she never got old and to my eyes she could never do any wrong. She was a strong woman; she only had taken care of her family like that was the only thing important. I secretly knew that she longed for something more then to be a wife to a rich man, and mother to her children. She was a dreamer, and that somehow was enough for her. My older brother was just like her; he wanted to build a life without my father's help, which he did. But that left me with the responsibilities of my family. My Father looked to me to take it on, to keep it alive for his sake. I never forgot my mothers words, what she told me, that story she would tell it to every night before bed, she would sit with me by the windows or in the balcony of our house and tell it to me, back then I didn't understand what she was trying to tell me, but as I got older I understood more and more. But somewhere along the lines I forgot her words, I never met the man that I loved or maybe I simply didn't want to for the fear that it won't turn out like it did for the God and goddess..."

 

Vash looked towards where Meryl sat her face towards the sky eyes closed; even when her eyes were closed the pain was evident on her face.

 

"It was never suppose to happen to me..." said Meryl.

 

"Huh?" asked. Meryl sighed and looked at him.

 

"It was never supposed to happen. If I hadn't taken the job at Bernardelli Insurance Company, this would have never happened. My father was a rich man, I was to take on the family business for him" said Meryl.

 

"So you didn't do it?" asked Vash.

 

"No, I did, but he wanted me to spent my life on it just like he did, he wanted me to love it. I expanded the business...I did it for him, but I took the job at Bernardelli's because of my mother" said Meryl.

 

"What I don't understand is if your father had the money, couldn't you have lend some to Milly?" asked Vash.

 

"I thought of that, but my pride was more important to me...it wasn't my money to give to her, it was my father's money...I couldn't take it from him" said Meryl. Vash nodded. "But the thing that killed me was the fact that I got the job at Bernardelli's was because of my father, because I carried his name, not because I was a good employer, but that my father was a rich man. I lost everything when the chief told me about that" said Meryl.

 

"So your job is more important to you then your life?" asked Vash.

 

"I guess it seems that way...but it wasn't the fact it was my job, it was my dream maybe not the whole dream but the beginning of a path that would lead me there. My mother gave up all her dreams for my fathers; just I gave it all up for Milly. I didn't want to be selfish, but I was...I wasn't like my mother at all" said Meryl.

 

"Yet you don't blame her or anyone?" asked Vash.

 

"There is no solution in blame, I have only one dream before I return home. That is to eliminate the brother families,” said Meryl.

 

"There are so many how do you think you will accomplish that?" asked Vash.

 

"Your talking to Meryl Stryfe, anything is possible when I put my mind in to it" said Meryl.

 

"I started to reveal a little of my story to him, why? I didn't know myself...but this man he cried with me, and now he was here to comfort and help me. He showed me a kind of compassion that only one other person showed me...my mother. That alone was enough for me. After all that has happened to me I didn't think that I could have gone on...That I could trust anyone after that...I hold no grudge against the men that did what they did to me, it was the life that I chose for my reasons. But now there was two things I had to do before I could truly start over, that was to free those that were like me, and to kill one man..."

 

Vash smiled "I wish I had that much confidence" he said.

 

“There is one I want to kill, I have never hated anyone in my life so much" said Meryl.

 

"But you said yourself that nothing comes from blame" said Vash.

 

"No nothing does come from blame, but that man has scared my life in such away...I won't let him get away" whispered Meryl.

 

Vash saw she was shaking from fear or from anger he wasn't sure, or maybe it was a little bit of both, but the truth was he knew how she felt. Maybe they got to the situation in different ways and paths, but their problem was the same. "How did you learn how to steal a gun like that?" asked Vash.

 

"I learned all that while I was young, my brother taught me, and besides we have to learn such things for safety caution,” said Meryl.

 

"So why didn't you try it on the chief?" asked Vash.

 

"You are an ass aren't you? Do you think I could try that and still get the money for Milly? Or try that and live when the chief was a 300lb man?" asked Meryl.

 

"Heehehe, sometimes I forget that my methods don't work for others,” said Vash rubbing the back of his head.

 

"Your method is not to kill...that is highly different from mine. And I am not as strong as you are" said Meryl.

 

Vash was shocked for a second he didn't tell her anything about him being a warrior of 'Love and Peace' and yet she figured him out so quickly. "You are strong...like I said before I don't think many women could live after what you went through,” said Vash.

 

Meryl chuckled "Do you really think that Mr. Vash? I do want to kill myself, but then it would be taking my pride rather then my life...other then that I still some things to live for...after that what comes will come" said Meryl.

 

Meryl gasped when she felt his hand grab her hand, she looked at him. "You mustn't give up! For 'Love and Peace' you should go on" he said turning SD and giving her the peace or V sign with his free hand.

 

Meryl pulled her hand away "Your an idiot" she said.

 

Vash smiled and soon started to laugh. Meryl stared at him and soon found herself smile.

 

"I didn't understand what he was doing to me. He was so much different from anyone I knew, well maybe a little like Milly, but he was laughing, even after all he knew about me he was there laughing trying to cheer me up. He showed that he 'cared' without wanting anything back in return. My heart suddenly felt strangely alive again, like it was when I was with my mother. He made me feel like I was still innocent...chasing butterflies in a garden unaware of the danger and bloodshed outside..."

 

Mean while back inside the saloon.... [AN: Happening while Meryl and Vash were talking...]

 

Wolfwood watched as Milly devoured the 15th cup of pudding.

 

"Maybe you shouldn't eat anymore, you might get sick,” he said.

 

"Nope, back at home I use to have 50 straight!" said Milly. Wolfwood somehow felt sick, he glanced at her once more before he took out a cigarette. "NO! You shouldn't smoke you could die of lung cancer! And other diseases" said Milly.

 

Wolfwood eyes contrasted to SD dots as she stared at Milly. "You sometimes get straight to the point too fast" he said.

 

"I am sorry but can you please not smoke...please" she said. Wolfwood sighed and nodded as he put it back in his pocket. "Thank you" she said cheerfully going back to her pudding.

 

"So how did you get involved in this slave thing?" asked Wolfwood. Milly looked down at her pudding as her smile disappeared.

 

"Well, I couldn't let Meryl go through with it so, the next day I went to the chief and told him off, and told him to let me take her place...but of course he didn't want me. He had a personal reason for wanting Meryl,” said Milly.

 

"So what you just volunteered?" He asked.

 

"Well, yeah sort of, I followed Meryl when she was getting ready to leave, and when I tired to convince her that I didn't want her to do this, I got caught and from there pretty much everything fell in to place" said Milly.

 

"It must have been tough for you girls" said Wolfwood.

 

"Actually strangely it wasn't, both Meryl and I were treated much better then most of the other women that were there, I guess when Mr. Vash and you saw us, they were drunk so they lost control" said Milly.

 

"So you guys weren't force to do anything?" asked Wolfwood.

 

"No...but then again depend on what you mean" said Milly as she went to thinking mode.

 

Wolfwood did an anime fall, but when he got up he smiled. ‘Even after all that she hasn't lost her innocent mind. Lord how could you bless them with such luck?’ he wondered.

 

[AN: Milly is kind of dense. Not stupid but dull. Anyway more M/W fluff coming in the upcoming chapters, but like I said before the story is focused on M/V, but I'll try and give you guys a W/M lime or lemon in the future chapter -^_^ -]

 

"I knew that Milly blamed herself for what happened to us, but I don't blame her one bit. The decision was mines to make completely there was no way I was going to pull her in to a selfish decision of mine. But Milly is the kind of person I secretly want to be, someone who would give up their own life just for another. I had my reasons for wanting to help her, but I was too ashamed to tell her that. Every time she would thank me, I thought I was being shot right in the chest over and over again. But I couldn't tell her for my pride and my fear that if she found out I would lose another one I loved and cared for. That I would be lonely once more..."   

 

"I guess we better check in to a hotel" said Vash. Meryl said nothing as she continued to look towards the sky. "I am sure your tired" he said.

 

"No not really" said Meryl.

 

"Huh?" asked Vash.

 

"I'm not tired at all. I haven't just sat out and wondered for a long time" said Meryl as she got up and started to walk away.

 

"Hey! Where are you going?" asked Vash.

 

Meryl said nothing as she walked around, the cool air of the night hitting her face. Vash sighed and started after her. Meryl hummed in to the air. Yeah she was finally free and there was nothing that could take it from her now, she wasn't going to let it. Vash stopped and watched her as she hummed, he wouldn’t believe this is the same woman who was crying out in pain a few hours ago. She changed so fast or maybe it was all an act. Maybe she was just like him, smiling at his pain and worries and putting them off, until they would destroy a city. Vash laughed making Meryl stop and looked at him. Maybe she wouldn't destroy a city but, then again she could do worse she could take a life...her life.

 

"What are you laughing about?" she asked looking towards him.

 

"Huh? Oh nothing" said Vash and smiled.

 

"You really are strange, but then I guess everyone has a weird side to them" she said.

 

"Where are you going?" asked Vash.

 

"Don't worry I can't leave Milly with you guys, I am just taking a small walk" she said.

 

"So why can't you take a walk around town?" asked Vash.

 

"Because I want to feel the sand" she said.

 

Vash did SD again and wondered what she meant. Vash found himself smile when he saw her take off her shoes and step on to the sand and sigh.

 

"He looked handsome when he laughed, but the pain and worry inside him was evident in his laughter, I wanted to know what was so funny? What made him laugh? or maybe I was just wondering if he was laughing at me or I wanted to know so I could laugh with him. He asked me where I was going. I wanted to scream ‘ to see my mother’ but I couldn't, so my answer to was I couldn't leave Milly behind. He was worried about me and so he followed behind. I am sure he was going to laugh when I told him that I wanted to feel the sand, but he didn't instead he smiled and followed. He watched me as I sighed the relief I found from just standing on the sand and feeling it between my toes. Life was really precious and short and should be lived my enjoying the smallest things..."