Wrong like the bad enlightened with the funny nose and mean gang who took people's money and killed anyone who laughed. It was not easy being a child who couldn't smile or laugh.
Ai sighed as she sat down. She was sad, she wished there was real life hero's like in the stories her mommy told her.
She smiled, on the inside. Her favorite story was about the Ultimate Enlightened, Vash the Stampede. She heard people from the wasteland, from the bad place call him a villain, but the stories her mommy told her described him as a hero, an invincible warrior with a good heart who helped people in need, would always try to save the day, he even taught the queen how to fight and be good!
She sighed. She wished they had a hero like that, someone who'd kill the bad man.
The door to the shop opened and Ai looked up. She gasped in horror and ran to the back of the store. It was the funny looking bad man!
She ran into her mother's arms and shuddered in fear. He always came to take her daddy's money away, leaving them with nothing. He'd already come today, so why was he here again?
Silently, and on the edge of tears she listened to the exchange between the enlightened and her daddy.
"Hey, Hatokoya!" the enlightened exclaimed as he walked in.
The small child's father rushed to the fore and groveled before the gang leader.
"We-we've already given out payment for today..."
"Not yet!" the man roared, "I heard you had a traveler!"
"Yes..."
"There where is the rest of my money?!"
"There... there is no more."
"You did charge him extra, right?"
"No..."
"What?! YOU IDIOT!" he roared, "When someone from out of the wasteland stops for supplies its only good business to charge extra!"
"I'm... I'm sorry, I'll make sure to next time!"
"You better..."
The door slammed as Ai fought back her tears. Pulling herself out of her mothers arms she rant to her room and sat on her bed. She was frightened, confused, and most of all, she knew with all her little heart, this was wrong.
She sat in place crying to herself, wishing that someone could just make the bad man go away, when suddenly the little girl was overcome by a revelation, a moment of complete clarity of the kind even adults treasured.
The strange man with the kind eyes and the big smile who had gone to her daddy's shop had a gun. He was an enlightened.
Then she remembered hearing the older folks talk about town who hired enlightened to get rid of the bad people.
A smile came to the child's innocent face, the first for a very long time. She ran to her secret hiding spot and took out all the money she had. She knew that he would help, she could feel it deep in her heart...
And she knew where he would have camped out.
----------------------
Vash the Stampede sighed as he chewed on a piece of jerky. There was just something not right with that town.
He sighed and leaned back into his bed roll keeping close to the fire for warmth and looking up at the roof of the wooden gazebo.
He really liked this Tento, people were so considerate here, even to the point of building these little way stops for weary travelers. Sure they were nothing really more than a cheaply made roof on wooden struts with hooks for having blankets to keep out the wind, but it was infinitely better then huddling under rock in the desert hoping nothing tried to eat you while you slept.
Vash's ear twisted at the sound of a breaking twig. Foot steps. From the sound and rhythm not too far away... short, running fast, and very light.
A child?
Slowly he sat up and turned around, and saw a little girl standing on the edge of the firelight. Her eyes were red as if she'd been crying, her clothes were dirty as if she'd just plowed though everything she could to get here, and in her hands she held a small pouch as if it were the most important thing in the world to her.
Vash smiled widely. "Is there something wrong?"
The girl cautiously stepped forward and for the first time, Vash saw her face. It was the same little girl who lived at the shop.
"Mister..." she squeaked out, "Are you an enlightened?"
"I haven't been called that in a long time..." Vash smiled wearily, "Yes, I'm an enlightened."
The girl bit her lip and puffed out her chest. She was trying to look strong, grown up, but she only managed to look comical.
"I'd like to hire you mister!" she held out the pouch to him, and looked him dead in the eyes.
What he saw broke his heart. She was so determined, so hopeful, and yet, so afraid.
"Why would you want to hire a gunman?" Vash asked her.
"To get rid of the bad man..."
Vash scowled, he did not like the sound of that. Not one bit.
"The bad man?"
She nodded.
"Tell me about the bad man..."
"He's an enlightened with a big funny nose and a silly wig. He has a big gang, takes all our money, and shoots people dead if they laugh or sometimes, even smile..."
Vash's jaw dropped. He was flabbergasted. He'd heard of some messed gangs, even fought quite a few, but killing people who laugh? That was just cruel...
The little girl stepped forward holding her money. "Please mister."
Vash slowly stepped forward and took the delicately wraped package from her. Slowly he opened it. In side was seventeen bottlecaps and $2.35 in prewar coins. It was likely all the money this little girl had to her name. She was giving him her paltry savings in the childish, naive hope that he would have her village.
Slowly, tears began to come to Vash's eyes. He was so moved by this simple child. Her courage, her hope, and her faith moved him. He tightly grasped the handful of caps and coins, still coming to grips with his own emotion.
"Will you do it, mister."
Vash looked down at her and smiled warmly. "Yep. What can I do for you madam?"
See other episodes by PsyckoSama
(Posted Fri, 18 Mar 2005 07:58)
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