“I can’t believe you were hiding under Milly’s dress! It’s so like you to hide and eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. You’re the most irritating man on Gunsmoke! Are you trying to upset me? Do you want me to be mad? Why does everything you do have to be so annoying you moron?!”

Meryl ranted on as Vash and Milly watched her stomp around in a rage, calling Vash every bad word she knew. Milly covered her mouth at some of the more vulgar curses and Vash just marvelled at how long Meryl could scream without stopping to take a breath. They tried to get a word in-between Meryl’s screaming, but her cries covered them up. Grumbling, Vash shook his head and wondered what he was supposed to do now.

“Mr. Vash go up to her and tell her she’s pretty,” Milly whispered into his ear when she saw how helpless Vash looked. Her compliments and reassurances weren’t reaching Meryl, but maybe Vash’s words would reach her. The red coated man nodded his head and moved towards Meryl, keeping his arms up incase he needed to block a blow.

“The big girl’s right, you shouldn’t care that you’re rounder, you are the same strong, wonderful person I traveled with and I’d love to travel with you again.” Meryl stopped screaming and glared at Vash for a second, before her frown softened. She still felt ugly, but it didn’t seem to bother Vash. Maybe this was all in her head and the weight wasn’t as bad as she thought. Once they got back to traveling together things would be normal and the weight would just wash away.

“You shouldn’t worry so much about how much you weigh or how much your stomach sticks out. As long as you believe in love and peace everything will be okay!” Vash flashed the peace sign in Meryl’s face and she shoved his hand away. She glared at Vash again, her mood shifting back to anger fast.

“What do you mean my stomach sticks out?” Meryl asked through gritted teeth.

Realizing he had misspoken, Vash tried to retract his comment. “Don’t worry, people hardly notice how your stomach sticks out over how big your chest has gotten!” A loud growl from Meryl told Vash that he was again saying the wrong thing. “I don’t mean your chest is big, I haven’t been staring at them, it’s just they bounce a lot when you move along with your stomach!” Vash paused for a second before screaming, “I didn’t mean that!”

“You know Vash, if you want to help me don’t talk to me, don’t look at me, don’t even think about me, you big dummy!” Meryl tried to walk away from Vash, but the tall man tried to follow, his foot coming down on the edge of Meryl’s cape by accident. A tearing sound filled the room as Meryl’s cape ripped off her body and she fell forward onto her hands and knees. Vash stared down at Meryl dumbly, his foot still on her ruined cape. Her butt was sticking out, stretching out her skirt to the point that Vash could clearly see every curve of her buttocks. He found out how big Meryl’s butt had gotten and it turned out that it was pretty huge. Too bad he had to say what he was thinking.

“I guess you’re one of those girls who have all the weight go to their backsides,” he murmured loud enough that Meryl could hear him. Without making a sound, Meryl got to her feet, dusted herself off and then took a deep breath before turning around and clocking Vash right in the chin.

“IDIOT! ”Vash saw stars as he flew back, landing on Meryl’s bed semi conscious. Huffing and puffing, which made her fat jiggle just as Vash had said, she pointed to the walking disaster and screeched at him. “Laugh it up if you want! I know I’m not attractive now. Just leave me alone!”

The bathroom door slammed closed as Meryl locked herself away, hiding from everyone. Milly sat down next to Vash and helped him sit up. It wasn’t Vash’s fault that he didn’t have any tact, he was just being honest and she didn’t think Meryl had to take it so badly. Milly knew she would be happy if Vash said her butt and boobs were big.

“I have to tell you big girl, that wide girl is going to kill me one of these days,” Vash groaned as he nursed chin. “If she would have let me finished talking I could have told her that she was still attractive and any guy would want her. Maybe she’d listen if we could somehow show her that neither of us find her unattractive, but I don't know how we could do that.”