by Saless
Chapter 46

"Hey, don't look at me!" Jill protested.

Do you like cats? Vash asked suspiciously.

"You can read my mind, you know I'm allergic to cats! Come to think of it, I haven't had any trouble from you. I guess you only look kind of like a cat. Anyway, I prefer dogs to cats." Jill replied.

What about you? Vash asked, turning on Mike.

"Woah, don't blame me for this! I'm a dog person, too!" Mike said.

What about Sarah? asked Vash.

Jill looked thoughtful. "I don't know. I've never heard Sarah talk about any pets before." she said.

"She likes cats." Mike said. "She's never had any pets, but she likes how independent cats are."

So maybe this is her fault. But why pink? Vash mused.

"Well that can't be Sarah, her favorite color is blue." Mike said.

"My favorite color is purple, and Mike's is green. Maybe it's just random." Jill suggested as she finished drying Vash. "There, all dry! Happy now?"

That's better. When can we leave? I want to see more of this world. Vash replied.

"At least let us eat first!" Jill said with a smile. "Which reminds me, I'd better get back to it." She returned to the kitchen.

"What do you want to see?" Mike asked Vash.

Everything! From what I've been able to see from your minds this world is vastly different from anything I've seen before. Vash said eagerly.

"We should see if Erica and Sarah want to come along, make a day of it." Mike said.

"Sounds like a good idea. Come eat and we can go get them." Jill called out from the kitchen. They joined Jill in the kitchen and ate.

We're finished eating, let's go! Vash said impatiently.

"Let us clean up first!" Jill laughed. Vash swished his tail impatiently while Jill and Mike cleaned up and jumped up on Jill's shoulder, wrapping his tail around her neck.

Let's go! Vash said.

Jill and Mike laughed at Vash's impatience as they walked over to Sarah's apartment. As they came into sight of Sarah's door Jill snuggled up against Mike. When they got to the door Jill suddenly pulled Mike's head down and kissed him passionately, molding her body to his.

You might want to stop her before she starts ripping your clothes off. Vash told Mike wryly as Jill began unbuttoning his shirt.

Lost in the kiss, Mike was a little slow to respond. Finally he pushed Jill back and said, "What's gotten into you Jill? Not that I'm complaining, but waiting until we're inside might be a good idea."

Jill's eyes were glazed and she strained against Mike's grasp without responding. She's picking up something from inside, let me see if I can help her block it out. Vash said. Jill continued to struggle with Mike for a few moments and then stopped. The glazed look slowly faded, leaving Jill confused and embarrassed.

"What just happened?" Jill asked.

You were picking up someone else's emotions and they overrode your own. I'll have to work with you so you can control that better. Vash explained.

"You okay?" Mike said.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jill replied. "That was really intense…" she trailed off as Mike opened the door and they saw that Sarah and Erica were laying on the couch, kissing passionately. Sarah's robe had fallen almost completely off of her. Mike hurriedly turned away and Jill pulled the door closed. "Maybe we should knock while Erica's here."

"Uh, yeah, maybe." Mike said, red faced. "I guess we know whose emotions you were picking up on."

It looks like Erica's handling things better already. Vash noted dryly. Should we come back later?

"I guess so." Jill said, turning away. Just then the door opened to reveal a red faced Erica. Sarah was nowhere in sight.

"Hi guys, come on in." Erica said softly. They walked in and took seats on the couch.

Mmm, warm! Vash said, curling up on the couch next to Jill.

"So, how are you two doing?" Jill asked after an awkward pause.

"I think you already know the answer to that." Erica replied, blushing.

"Yeah, I guess we do. We've gotten used to not knocking, but we'll make sure to do so while you're here." Jill said apologetically.

"Thanks." Erica replied. "What brings you over so early?"

"Vash wants to see the sights and we thought you two might want to come along." Mike said.

"What sights?" Erica asked.

"Everything, he says. Remember, the world he's from is a lot different than this one." Jill replied.

"Oh yeah, I guess it is. Where shall we go?" Erica said.

Jill shrugged, "I don't know, anywhere should have plenty of new things for Vash to see."

"Do you have anywhere in mind Sarah?" Mike asked as she walked in. Her eyes were glued to the floor and she was blushing furiously.

"Uh…the mall?" she said.

Mike frowned, "Why the mall?"

Sarah shrugged and said, still without looking up, "There's lots of different things in the mall that should be interesting for Vash without having to do a lot of traveling. Is it a strain for you to stay invisible?" she directed this last to Vash.

Jill cocked her head to one side as if listening to something and then said, "He says he can stay invisible for a couple of hours, maybe more. Sounds like the mall is a good idea, we can leave in a hurry if Vash has trouble maintaining his invisibility."

"I suggest you pretend to be a stuffed animal if your invisibility fails." Erica said to Vash. "If you don't move it should be believable."

"Sounds like we have a plan, shall we go?" Mike asked. The others nodded so they headed out, Vash again riding invisibly on Jill's shoulder. Once they were in the car he jumped down into her lap and became visible again.

I'll save my energy for the mall. he explained to Jill when she looked at him questioningly.

"There's no reason to feel embarrassed." Erica whispered to Sarah in the backseat. "They do a lot more than make out on the couch all the time."

"I guess," Sarah said, blushing again, "but then why are you whispering?"

Erica ducked her head sheepishly. "You got me! I guess I should listen to my own advice." She said.

They soon arrived at the mall and Vash took up his invisible perch as they walked in. "Where to first?" Jill asked once they were inside the heated building.

"Let's just make a circuit of the building, just about everything here should be new to him." Sarah suggested. The others agreed and they started walking, Vash asking many questions as they went. As many of the stores were clothing stores, and Vash had no interest in clothes, they didn't go into many of the stores. Vash found Radio Shack endlessly fascinating, though.

They came across another clothing store, but Sarah stopped them from walking by. "I could use some more clothes and they're having a store closing sale, let's take a look." She said. Mike groaned, but Jill was enthusiastic and Erica curious so they all went in. The store sold only women's clothes, mostly teenage styles, but Sarah managed to find a few things she liked at very low prices.

"Why don't you get some jeans?" Erica asked as Sarah was paying.

"They don't have any tall sizes here, they'd be too short. I've run into the same problem before, I guess my legs are unusually long." Sarah replied.

"So that's why you wear skirts all the time?" Erica said. Sarah nodded and collected her bag and change.

The next store they stopped into was a camera store. Jill got someone to explain how the cameras worked to her so that Vash could hear. "She looks like she's going to fall asleep from boredom!" Sarah whispered to Erica.

Erica smiled and stifled a laugh as she said, "Yeah, but Vash seems to appreciate it, look at how Jill's hair is getting stirred up by his tail!"

Sarah giggled and she and Erica moved away so they wouldn't disturb Vash's photography lesson.

A few stores down from there they found a video game store and Vash was enthralled by all the TVs showing various games around the store. He asked many questions which mostly Sarah answered, being the biggest gaming fan of the group.

Their next stop was the store where Sarah worked. The TV displays, computers, and other electronics were riveting to Vash. Sarah thought she saw Tiffany at one point, but when she looked all she saw was a darkened part of the store. Light must have gone out. she thought, and hurried to catch up with the others.