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All Souls	By : SweetChildDeath Category: +S to Z > Trigun Views: 1454 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-All Souls
- 1
All Souls

Notes: So this was supposed to be in response to a fic challenge on this one website---But I never got around to finishing till now. Heh. Well, anyway. Maybe I�ll make it part of a story arc or something. You know, 4 seasons type deal.

So..Yeah.

This one is rated PG-13 I suppose. Warnings for angst and some cursing. Unbetaed as usual, anything constructive is welcome J

�I stood out here once before with my head held in my hands.�

It was a small town. One of those hole in the wall types; Blink and you miss it. They nearly had, and Nicholas who had been adamant on driving right on by , would have done just that had it not been for Vash�s insistence. It was dark, it was late, and the fuel in the motorcycle was nearly gone.

�There�s another town not too far from here, we�ve got plenty of gas to get there.� The priest argued vehemently. It wasn�t until Vash pointed to the meter with it�s needle on the red line that Nicholas finally and most begrudgingly conceded. That Nicholas wanted to be as far from this place as possible was all too obvious. Curious though he was, Vash thought it best not to ask about it. Instead he remained silent as the priest wrenched the handlebars around and steered Angelina down through the sand and into the town.

The place was a town of ghosts. It was quiet as they wound down the main stretch; And save for them and the dark, dark sky, they were alone on the street. As for the houses, they were equally as dark as the sky. With the exception of the tiny flame of candles light winking in and out of the dust-caked windows, that is. Silently they wheeled down the street and into the fueling station. There was something odd about those lights, Vash noted as they passed them. As he turned back to peer over his shoulder, he had the distinct impression that those winkling lights, were not lights at all. But that they were eyes instead.

And Nicholas�

The Priest had been uncharacteristically silent as they had pulled in. On edge and wound tighter than a yo-yo�s string. Maybe he could feel those lights that were eyes following them as well. The whole of the man�s constitution screamed of a strange tension, of unease, Vash suddenly got the distinct impression that there was some horrid secret being kept from him; That the whole of this town, including Nicholas were privy to some terrible truth.

When the attendant shuffled from the station�s building to tell them that the station was closed for the evening, Nicholas was terribly brusque with the man. More so than he normally was with the typical stranger. He wasn�t sure, but the blonde could�ve sworn that there was some sort of exchange between the man and Nicholas. Chalking it up to nerves, Vash shrugged it off.

But then as they were leaving the station, Vash , turning to look over his shoulder was unnerved to find that the man�s eyes were just like those flickering lights he�d seen in the windows of the dark houses. Eyes that seemed to call out after them saying: �We know what you�ve done. We know who you are.�; And licking out after the tails of Vash�s red coat, sought to ensnare the whipping ends in their tearing grasp.
It was then that Vash began to understand why Nicholas had wanted to keep moving.
Vash�s anxiety didn�t seem to want to leave him either. In fact the further they ventured in to the town, the more potent the feeling became. Maybe it was just that he was feeding off what it was that the priest was feeling. Or maybe it had something to do with the damnable silence that the place was clotted in. The eyes were still watching from all sides, and now into the mix was added the

illumination of malicious faces grinning out of yellow and orange gourds of all shapes and sizes.

All manner of creatures were carved into the oddly shaped vegetables, each of them settled upon doorsteps and sagging porches as if to ward off any who might approach. Simultaneously curious, yet equally repulsed, Vash studied each of the grinning, monstrous faces. It wasn�t for a very long moment that he realized just how damnably quiet it had gotten. Angelina�s motor had given out.

�Come on. There�s a hotel a few blocks ahead.� It was the only thing Nicholas said before slipping from the bike, wrangling the handlebars around and beginning to push. Hopping from the bike as well, Vash took up the pushing from behind. But he paused a moment, attention caught by a particularly gruesome, glowing face. It�s countenance was eerily familiar in a way. The curve of it�s mouth was just so, that for a moment Vash had believed it to be alive.

�Are you going to help push or what..?� Nicholas� voice, full of agitation.

�Yeah, uhm..Yeah.� Vash replied as he tore his gaze away from the carved pumpkin.

The hotel was even smaller than the town itself. It also happened to be the only building so far as Vash had seen that did not have candles burning in every window. However, the large porch affixed to it�s weathered, shingled façade had been decorated with a vast quantity of those glowing, malicious faces. Pulling the bike up to the side of the building, Vash peered out of the corner of eye only to find a face with a twisted smile leering back at him. Disconcerted, he took an instinctive step backward, and nearly tripped over the preacher.

�Just ignore them.� Nicholas said quietly as he helped Vash right himself, his hands lingering on Vash�s shoulders longer than was necessary. This was the opportunity that Vash had been looking for, a opening to pick apart the uneasy quietude that had sprung up between them.

�Nick, what�s going on..?� He asked surreptitiously. Meanwhile, his own fingers moved just as cautiously to set themselves on the preacher�s bicep to offer a reassuring squeeze. It seemed for a moment the preacher would shirk immediately away from Vash�s touch, and when he did not Vash flattened his palm on Nicholas� arm and drew closer. For a long moment the preacher stared resolutely at the dirt at their feet, deliberating.

�Not right now.� The preacher said at length, and dragging his gaze up from the dirt, pinned the blonde with a look that was both pleading and resolute. There would be no room for argument on this one. Reluctantly, Vash conceded.

�Later?� He asked as he moved closer to rest his forehead on the preacher�s cheek.

�Yeah, later.� Nicholas agreed as he turned into Vash�s face. For a moment he lingered, and then much to Vash�s disappointment withdrew completely.

�Let�s go inside, huh.?� Nicholas suggested somewhat distastefully as he cocked his head in the building�s direction. Under the light of the glowing faces, his dark hair shone despite the dust from the road that dulled it�s natural luster. Vash�s skin itched suddenly with the remembrance of the preacher�s stubbled chin scraping across it, and lifting his fingertips, he smoothed them over the spot.

�Ok.� He replied, his voice quiet. Plucking their luggage from Angelina�s seat, Vash tossed Nicholas his, then shouldered his own duffle. Silently they moved around to the front of the building and up the creaky steps of the porch. Halfway to the door, Nicholas stopped suddenly as if he�d just set off a trip-wire. Startled, Vash had almost dove for the gun strapped to his thigh out of instinct.

�What is it..?� He hissed , and for one panicked moment thought that the glowing eyes had finally found their bodies and were springing for attack.

�I..� Nicholas started, balked, then started again. Turning around, Vash found himself facing a rather feral-eyed Priest. �Ignore them. Don�t look at them, don�t speak to them. Don�t even listen to what they say. It�s trash. All of it.�

�What�s trash..?� Vash asked, confused as to what Nicholas meant. But the reply he received was clipped, and explained little.

� This is a small town, and people talk.�

�Please, Nick. I don�t understand! Would you just tell me--� Vash began in frustration, only to be cut off by the preacher.

�Later!� He hissed .

Fine. Fine. Vash would just have to trust Nicholas to explain when he could. Conceding to the fact did nothing to curb Vash�s annoyance however, and his answer was curt and somewhat cold.

�Ok, I get it.� He snorted childishly. How Nicholas managed to look both disdainful of Vash�s response and sympathetic to his concern was more than enough to leave Vash feeling properly chastised if not a bit guilty. He dipped his head apologetically. Nicholas would explain as best he could, when he could. Vash didn�t need to be told this, but the light pressure of fingers brushed discreetly against his arm before Nicholas turned away was confirmation enough.

�Inside, then..?� The preacher suggested witheringly. Taking a moment to steel himself against whatever it was that would greet them inside, Vash gave a nod. Truth be told he was getting quite anxious to get away from the glowing faces that surrounded them. The real question was, would it be any better within than without�?
It wasn�t. If anything it was worse.
Slipping in behind the preacher, the two of them were met with the staring faces of a handful of mistrustful patrons. The lower floor of the hotel served as both kitchen, and tavern. What luck. The lighting fixture dangling overhead cast the room in muted, yellow light. It almost made the assortment of grizzled, dusty faces turned toward them look sickly. Eyes, eyes and eyes. Even the barkeep was watching with them with the predatory hunger of a lazy housecat. Vash could almost see the cogs of their brains working behind their wary, unwelcoming eyes. Had they been glaring down him instead of the priest, Vash might�ve wondered if they�d recognized him as a bounty head.

Nicholas however was not unnerved in the slightest--Or rather if he was, not even Vash could detect it. Dark-tressed head held straight, he surveyed those seated throughout the room in contempt. They weren�t easily cowed however and like snarling dogs seeking to keep their territory from being encroached upon, they glared back just as stubbornly. A particularly rough looking man playing cards near the back curled his lip back in disgust, Vash noted in mild surprise.

There was a soft snort from the preacher�s direction, and suddenly Nicholas was moving; Pulling the straps of the Cross Punisher more tightly over his shoulder and sauntering easily up to the counter. Vash, overly eager not to leave the preacher�s back exposed, or be separated from him for that matter, hastened to keep up. The eyes that were watching made him slow his gait to a purposeful stride, however. Unlike the preacher, Vash was unnerved by the silent speculation of those around them. Vash had been around long enough to know that sometimes the wrong impression meant all the difference between alive or very, very dead.
� I need a room.� Nicholas was telling the kid behind the counter tersely as Vash sidled up behind him. The kid was watching the pair of them just as surely as the rest of the room was. His gaze was more curious than threatening however.

�Sure.� He replied amicably enough, as he turned to inspect the wall of keys behind him. � You wan� single or..?� The kid began, but left the query hanging speculatively in the air. Furtively glancing to the side, Vash realized that the whole of the room was waiting for Nicholas� response. The blonde barely noticed the way the preacher�s jaw twitched before he responded.

� One room, two beds.� He pronounced in a tight voice. Something akin to a smirk played over the kid�s face as he turned away to pluck a key down from it�s place.

� Two beds it is then.� He reiterated as he set the key on the counter. �That�ll be sev�nty double dollars.�

Fishing through his own pockets, Vash watched as Nicholas scrounged up his share of the fee. He was counting out the last three bills when Nicholas turned around to collect. Glancing up, Vash found himself met with steely gray-blue eyes. The preacher�s eyes conveying all the message they needed in the space of a few short seconds; Later. Vash said nothing as he handed his money off to Nicholas, who in turn handed it off to the kid after he�d recounted all the bills. Glancing away, the blonde peered out the corner of his to where the men were still watching as they drank their cheap whiskey.
It was going to be a long night.
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All Souls