"Rosemary, why don't you ever dance in the saloon?" It was an innocent question from an equally innocent mind. The girl in front of her stopped twirling, her feet digging into the soft sand below them. She turned slightly to gaze upon the curled up form seated behind her.
"What was that Meryl?"
"I asked why you never dance in the saloon? You're so graceful I'm sure that Leo and Dave would absolutely love to see you." She looked up into alike grey-blue eyes from beneath black bangs. The girl looked utterly lost at first before lowering her gaze. Her eyes glimmered sadly in the dying suns.
"I...I don't like to dance in front of anyone..anyone but you Meryl." She moved to sit but Meryl leapt from her position, grasping onto her black skirts.
"Please Rosemary! Don't stop dancing! Not yet!" Rosemary smiled and patted Meryl's small crown. The smaller girl released her hands and sat back, folding her legs beneath her and smiling broadly as her sister twisted and turned in the sands.
"You're so pretty. And you're even prettier when you dance. Will you teach me how to dance?" Rosemary paused once more before going into a series of turns, finally falling down into a puff of sand. She lay there for a long period of time. Meryl finally followed suit, looking up to watch the pink and purple clouds, so colored by the sunsets.
"There's more to dancing than just turning and waltzing around. It's not just an act but a philosophy."
"A fill..ah...sophie?"
"Philosophy. It has many meanings. But here it represents a system of values that some live by."
"A system of values? But Rosemary how can dancing be a value?" Meryl scrunched her nose up at her sister's airy chuckle. She rose, sand idly falling off her back, and crawled over so she was know staring down into her sister's shimmering grey eyes.
"How to explain this to you..You're still so young. I'll try to make it as easy as possible. Say, you're at the saloon and a young man, let's say..Phillip," Meryl stuck her tongue out at the mention of the boy's name, "comes over to ask you to dance. You have the option of saying yes or no-"
"I'd definitely say no. And I still don't understand what you mean." The small girl leaned back on her haunches as Rosemary rose.
"Be still, Meryl, let me finish. You could say no and just sit there the entire night or you could say yes and dance the evening away. Which is more exciting?"
"Dancing, of course!" Meryl chirped. Rosemary smiled and continued.
"Well, the same rule applies to life." Grabbing a handful of dark hair and bringing it over her shoulder, Rosemary stood. She brushed the grains of sand off her black dress and apron. Motioning for Meryl to follow her seeing how stars were beginning to peek from the blue blanket of sky, She awaited Meryl's response.
"Life? But you can't dance you're way through life."
"You're taking everything I say literally. What I mean is there will be hard times in your life, Meryl and there will be choices. Dancing can sometimes mean you have to take risks and chances and life will demand that of you. So, in time, you'll learn how to dance."
There was no talk for the rest of the trek home. Meryl used the silence to try and comprehend the depth of her sister's words. She didn't truly believe there would ever be hard times ahead of her. Life was just perfect at the saloon with Molly. When she finally looked up to ask Rosemary another question, She saw that they were almost back to the outskirts of the town.
"Rosemary?"
"Hmm?" She craned her neck over her shoulder to see Meryl and still keep her pace. Meryl understood why she didn't stop. Molly would be absolutely furious if she knew they had run out to their old house and fed their thomases then sat outside in the desert for god knows how long. She wondered vaguely if the woman was awake by now or not.
"Meryl? Did you want to ask me something?"
"Oh..Yes. Will you teach me how to dance?" Rosemary gave a small laugh and nodded.
"I will. When you're older."
"Rosie!" Meryl whined, using Rosemary' s despised nickname. Before Rosemary could reply, The small girl swung around her sister's legs, clutching her waist in a death grip. Rosemary let out a puff of air at the tight hug but soon smiled and placed a hand on Meryl's small head and back. From somewhere in the area of where Meryl's face was now smothered, Rosemary thought she heard something sound like 'promise' but wasn't totally sure.
"I..I pro-...Let's get back to town quickly now Meryl. I bet Miss Molly is looking for us." Pushing Meryl away from her torso, Rosemary broke into a run. Meryl followed behind shortly after, wondering all the way why Rosemary never promised her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
//Now you know, Meryl.// Rolling over on the cold, grimy floor of the cell, Meryl threw a forearm up to shield the dim light in the aisle. Her head was throbbing now and every moment brought with it waves of nausea and pain. She placed one hand on her offended stomach as it flipped. It wouldn't be too long now.
Just as the thought crossed her troubled mind, a loud and intrusive bang echoed through the emptiness of the cell. It rang in her head, rattling her aching head. Stifling the urge to scream, Meryl closed her eyes tight against the noisy onslaught of rapid footsteps following the bang. They were getting closer and closer before finally coming to a stop at her cell. A jingling of keys resounded and a low, but feminine, laugh washed over her.
"Well, well little Rabbit. Looks like it's time to meet the hunter!" The voice was so damn cheerful. Meryl wondered how anyone could ever be so happy. The door to the cell slammed open, rattling the very foundations it seemed. She winced at the noise, succumbing to the need to slam her palms over her ears.
"Oo..Does the poor rabbit have a headache? Nasty bruise on your forehead, by the way." Rough, cold hands grabbed her harshly beneath the arms and yanked her to her feet. One hand ran it's way up to the tender spot on her brow where the gentlest of pressure blossomed into a gigantic pain. She let out a small whimper as the person dragged her out of the dark cell into the light. The cold hands swatted her fingers from her face, making her look at the woman before her. She seemed oddly familiar, much, much taller than her and ivory hair falling about her. Her cold blue eyes stared directly through her in a condescending way, making Meryl shiver.
"Ready to dance, Little rabbit?" A spark of anger coursed through her, but it was only a small spark, not enough to rekindle the unstoppable rage of her fury. Meryl looked away and allowed herself to be dragged down along the seemingly endless cells to the door at the end of the hall.
"Oh, pardon me. I forgot. You didn't get to dance, did you? Your pathetic sister died before she could teach you." Meryl's head snapped up, eyes widening immensely. How the hell did this woman know? She couldn't possibly be-
"E...Ebony?" Meryl croaked. She found her mouth going dry, horribly dry, and her throat constricting as those familiar blue eyes, so cold now, smirked down at her.
"Pleased to see you remember me, Meryl."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"MOLLY!!!" The name echoed over the barren wasteland, bouncing off rocks and boulders but most of all the four hidden behind the giant giants of stone. They froze, unmoving, hands poised frozen over the handles of their weapons.
"How the hell did they know that we're here?" Wolfwood hissed, Cross Punisher unleashed and gleaming silver in the sun. He tried in vain to peek over the top of the boulder currently his only source of protection only to be rewarded with a renegade bullet. It hit the surface mere inches from his face, fracturing the rock and scattering it's shrapnel in all different directions.
"Wolfwood!" Millie grabbed onto his black suit and yanked him back down to safety. A small line of blood began to bubble from the skin and he cursed colorfully before swiping at it. Vash also tried to see whom their attacker was but failed miserably as another bullet zoomed past his ear.
"Their aim is getting better!" He warned.
"Come on out Molly! Let's settle this now!" A familiar voice floated through the air, a nice contrast to the cracking of the guns. Although anything was better than the firecracker popping of a firearm, Vash thought. Reaching down into his coat pocket, he unfolded his amber sunglasses and donned them, staring out the side at Molly's still form.
"Who are they, Molly?"
"Amparo, the one before. I'm not sure about the four others. Listen. If they're here that means that the Songbirds are getting ready. Head down the rock face and get into the mansion. I'm sure there's a way into the compound from there." When the three stayed motionless, She huffed.
"Get going! Or you'll never see Meryl or those children alive again." Vash watched as Molly began to rise. He understood. And he couldn't allow it to happen.
"I'll stay-"
"Don't tell me you're as big a clod as you act, Vash the Stampede." Vash chuckled wryly. He definitely did not remember telling Molly who he really was, though she was smart and would have figured it out eventually. When he looked back up the red-head she was staring determinedly at him. Everything in her eyes expressed regret and apology and there was something else, a desperate plea.
"We can't leave you alone to face them all by yourself, Mol. Meryl would never forgive us."
"Meryl's still young, and damnit she doesn't need me anymore. I'd be surprised if she'd ever want to see me again-"
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Meryl let herself be taken so that wretched woman wouldn't kill us! She did it for you too Molly! No matter what you might have done to her, She still loves you because you were her mother!" Millie cried fervently, stun gun forgotton as she leaned over Wolfwood to get to Molly.
"I wasn't anyone's mother! And never should have been! Now you listen. She's depending on you three now. I don't matter anymore. You just promise me that you won't let her or the children die." She stared firmly into Millie's eyes, finally getting a shocked nod. Wolfwood followed Millie's example but when she turned to Vash, he wasn't as pliable.
"I'm not going. I can help. I'm sure that Wolfwood and Millie can get Meryl and the children by themselves." Molly snarled at his absurdity.
"You don't understand! They are guards everywhere! Not to mention, Meryl and the kids are in seperate places. It would take at least four just to take care of the guards. Stop arguing and just listen to me. My judgement in this area is unequalled." She didn't wait for Vash to respond, instead jumped up and out of the line of two bullets.
Wolfwood cursed and grabbed the arm of Vash's scarlet duster. The blonde gunmen tried to fight him but after being yanked hard enough for his arm to feel like it had been popped out of it's socket, He didn't fight him anymore. Millie led the way, crawling on her hands and knees, eyes shut tightly against the taunts and gunfire erupting behind them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I'm amazed you decided to face me, Amparo."
"Just because I've grown older and pathetic doesn't mean I lost my braverey." Blonde strands hung loosely out of the brown cloak hood, which effectively hid Amparo's face from Molly's line of vision. She knew that wasn't a good thing, not being able to see Amparo's eyes left her open and utterly vulnerable.
"Certainly lost your pride. Taking orders from low-life scum like those two brats."
"Not for much longer. I'm going to be free. You would have been too, if those foolish ideas didn't worm their way into your brain." Flinging the hood away from her face, Amparo shed the rest of the cloak in one swift move. She didn't react as warm air made contact with her now bare skin. Amparo wasn't at all dressed for the conventional battle, opting to wear a black tank top covered with a larger jean jacket of the same color and dirty black jeans. Along the outside of her thighs were holstered arrows, metallic and thin, but just as deadly. In one hand she held the small silver tube, the tube containing her namesake.
"What was the price they gave to you Amparo?" Molly sneered, rifle in hand and ready. Amparo smiled sadly, a contrast to the angry setting.
"All I had to do was deliver the girl with your help..But if you got in the way, I was supposed to kill you. After your blood stains the sand, Molly, I will be able to roam the land in peace."
"In peace? Wasn't you who told me that we were destined to be only killers? How can a murderer such as yourself wander the desert sands in peace for the rest of your ages?"
"I never said that I'd roam the land alive, did I?" No more words were uttered as Amparo unleashed the compact bow, drawing the wire from it's tip and latching it to the bottom. Swiftly she grabbed an arrow at her thigh, fitting it to the string and taking aim.
"You plan to die yourself, do you.." It was more a statement than a question and it ended the entire conversation. Molly dodged quickly, for being her age, as the arrow whizzed through the air, landing behind where she had been stationed. A loud rumble traveled beneath the sands, raising the earth in an awe-inspiring boom. The explosion launched sand and dirt all over, the wind whisking most of it away.
"Stay still Molly. It will go a lot faster if you just stay still!!" Amparo growled, leaping after her old friend.
