Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Cowboy Bebop Meets Trigun ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: ReadingWhiz89
Just like the title indicates, revelations occur in this chapter, mostly about Vash's past. Also, Knives appears on the scene with an ultimatum.

Anime/Manga: Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Trigun Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 05.21.2005 | Pages: 5 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 537 | Status: Completed

Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop and Trigun do not belong to me. I wish they did…
A/N: Well, I now present to all my loyal fans Chapter 11. Some interesting things happen. As the title indicates, there will be some secrets made known. I hope everybody likes it. Anyway, I'm going to shut up now and let you read Chapter 11! Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Revelations
Spike's eyes flickered open. He took in his surroundings briefly. He was in the main room of the Bebop on the couch he liked so much.
What happened? I remember Vicious and falling out of the church window. By all rights, I should be dead.
He sat up slowly, expecting to feel excruciating pain. However, there was none. He glanced down at himself in surprise. He was wearing fresh clothes and had no bandages whatsoever. All of his wounds had somehow disappeared. He didn't even have a scar!
Oh, shit. How long have I been out for?
He sat up straight and found, to his surprise, Faye draped over the table, sleeping soundly. He stared at her. Her violet hair fell loosely about her face, which, uncharacteristically, was calm and actually attractive. Usually, she had some kind of bitchy expression on her face, but now, she actually seemed happy. On the other hand, her soft face seemed slightly marred by her small frown of worry.
Without thinking, Spike reached down to stroke her hair.
“Spike-person! Awakey again! Awakey again!”
Ed bounced into the room and nearly knocked Spike over with her hug. While Spike struggled to get the joyous Ed off him, Faye woke up. She rubbed her eyes and got up. Faye looked at Spike trying to pry Ed off him. A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. Spike stared back at her.
Is it just me, or is she actually smiling at me?
“What's going on in here?”
As Jet walked into the room, Spike quickly stood up and untangled himself from Ed. When he glanced back at Faye, she had her hands on her hips, and the characteristic insufferable smirk was back on her face.
“It's about time he got his lazy ass out of bed. He's been asleep for two days,” Faye remarked airily.
“Shut up,” Spike muttered. He looked at Jet and asked, “What the hell happened to me?”
“To put it bluntly, you're lucky to be alive.”
“I realize that, Jet. Give me a straight answer!”
Jet sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with his prosthetic arm. “Well, you…uh…” Jet seemed uncomfortable. “You should probably ask Faye about it. She was there, and I wasn't.”
“Faye?”
Faye seemed unusually meek as she said, “Well, you fell out of the church window.”
“I know that, Faye,” Spike said impatiently.
“And then, you landed.”
Spike visibly blanched at the prospect.
“After that, you were coughing up lots of blood. Then, he healed you.”
Spike frowned. “Who did?”
“Vash the Stampede.” Faye's voice was almost a whisper.
Spike stared at her dumbly. Vash healed him? What the hell was that supposed to mean? What? Did Vash use some magic powers to just heal all of his wounds away like they were never there? Did they actually expect him to believe that?
And yet…
It was the undeniable truth that Spike should be dead right now…again. Even if he somehow had been able to survive such a fall, it was very unlikely that he would have lived much longer unless someone, or something, had intervened and saved him. However, the whole story was a little tough to swallow.
“So,” Spike cleared his throat to relieve the awkward silence, “where's Vash now?”
“In his room with Wolfwood,” Jet told him. “I think he's still asleep.”
Spike nodded, his expression clouded, before walking towards Vash's room.

Wolfwood sighed. “Are you just going to sleep?” Wolfwood smacked Vash upside the head, saying, “Snap out of it!”
“Ow! What did you do that for?” Vash whined.
Wolfwood smirked. Vash hadn't been asleep all this time. He had just been pretending. He might have fooled Jet, Faye and Ed, but not Wolfwood.
I guess he didn't want to answer all the awkward questions, Wolfwood mused. After all, he did just perform what most would call a miracle.
Wolfwood watched Vash sit up. His needle-noggined friend seemed refreshed. Wolfwood wondered if Vash remembered what had happened.
“So, Vash.” Vash looked at him. “You remember what happened?”
Vash looked sad, an expression that was becoming increasingly common, much to Wolfwood's annoyance. Why did he insist upon carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders?
“Yes,” Vash mumbled.
“So,” Wolfwood prompted, “what happened?”
Vash sighed. “Well, Spike was about to die so I had to…take extreme measures to save him.”
Wolfwood raised his eyebrows. “And the `extreme measures' you are referring to would be…?”
Vash looked at Wolfwood mournfully. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
You'd be surprised what I'd believe Needle Noggin.
At that moment, the door opened. Wolfwood turned around, not at all surprised by who he saw at the doorway.
It was Spike.
Wolfwood glanced at the two of them before saying, “I have to go ask Jet about something. I'll be right back.”
Wolfwood got up and closed the door behind him. Vash and Spike probably thought that he had just said that as an excuse to leave the room so the two of them could sort out what had happened. However, there was some truth to what Wolfwood had said. Wolfwood had the feeling that Jet had been hiding something since the day the incident had occurred. Jet had been about to ask him something when Faye's call had completely thrown everything into chaos. Of course, Jet hadn't made any mention of whatever was on his mind since there had been Spike and Vash to worry about. However, whenever someone mentioned Vash the Stampede, Jet would always get a faraway look on his face, as if he knew something the rest of them didn't.
As Wolfwood entered the main room, he saw Jet sitting in front of the computer again, a frown on his face. No one else was in the room. Wolfwood walked up to Jet.
“So, where're Faye and Ed?”
Jet didn't even turn around. He was probably getting used to Wolfwood's unexplained appearances by now.
“Faye's in her room, an Ed's playing chess again.”
“Ed is not playing AGAIN, Jet-person!” Ed's voice echoed throughout the ship. “Ed is STILL playing!”
Wolfwood raised his eyebrows. “How long has she been at it, now?”
Jet rubbed his eyes. “About two days, still going strong. I don't think she'd quit if we didn't make her.”
Wolfwood chuckled. He wasn't going to argue that. Just like Millie Thompson, Ed was a chess master. He smiled wistfully as he thought of her. He wondered how she was doing. He had last seen her about two weeks ago, and he already missed her. Wolfwood hadn't realized how much she meant to him until recently.
“Anyway, is there something you want to ask me about?”
Jet's question shook Wolfwood out of his reverie. “Actually, there is.”
Jet sighed. “Shoot, then.”
“I want to know, what is it that you know that the rest of us don't?”
“Well, I think that's something everyone should hear.”
“Alright, then. Let's go get them.”

Vash watched Spike sit down in the chair Wolfwood had just vacated. He sort of wished Wolfwood had stayed. After all, this was bound to be an awkward conversation. On the other hand, Wolfwood had probably left for that exact reason. He was perceptive like that.
It was dejá vu as Spike sat down with his arms crossed over the back of the chair, exactly as he had been the day he had told Vash to get over whatever was bothering him.
Looks like the situation has been reversed, Vash thought, wryly.
The two of them stared at each other for a few minutes before Spike finally broke the ice, saying, “Looks like I owe you my life.”
Vash smiled sadly. “Yeah. I guess you do.”
“Care to explain how you did it?”
Vash contemplated the answer he should give. He could say he was able to heal Spike because it was a special power he had because he was a plant angel, but that would open a whole other can of worms. He would then be asked what that meant until eventually Vash would have to explain everything, including Project SEEDS and his brother Knives. Vash didn't want to do that. It brought back too many painful memories. He had left his old life behind, after all. He had set his gun aside. That horrible monstrosity of a gun that his brother had built could destroy cities! It deserved to be thrown away and forgotten forever. Vash didn't understand why Wolfwood wouldn't let him throw his silver handgun away. When Vash had asked why, Wolfwood had looked at him appraisingly and said, “Because, you just might need it.”
“I'm not one to pry into the pasts of others,” Spike continued, drawing Vash's attention back to the conversation at hand, “but I'll be damned if you don't owe me an explanation.”
“It's really not something that I can explain,” Vash replied, hesitantly.
Spike raised his eyebrows. “So, you save me, but you can't explain how you did it. Why?”
“It's something that belongs in the past, something that I left behind.”
“Looks like it's catching up to you,” Spike mused. He added softly, “Just like me.”
Vash looked at Spike. It was true that you couldn't judge a book by its cover. Vash knew that from his own antics, but Spike was like that, too. On the exterior, he seemed carefree and easy-going, but there really were layers to this man's personality. Vash wondered just what kind of life Spike had lived to make him this way. In a way, Spike sort of reminded him of Wolfwood, a man who could be fun and a great drinking partner yet also a man who could be deadly serious in certain situations.
Both men were startled when the door swung open, revealing a very disgruntled Faye.
“Hey! Get your asses out here! Jet has something important he wants to tell us.”
“Has he finally kicked you off the ship?” Spike asked, hopefully.
Faye's eyes flashed. “No, you jackass! If anyone should be booted off this ship it's you!” She sniffed. “In any case, we're supposed to meet in the main room.”
As she began to march out the door, Vash whined, “What? No kiss?”
Faye glared at him before slamming the door behind her. Spike and Vash exchanged grins before following.

Jet rubbed his eyes again. He hadn't been getting much sleep lately. He had been worried about Vash and Spike, but he had also been doing more research. He now understood a great deal about Gunsmoke's past and the present, but there were still some things he didn't understand. Maybe Vash could explain them. Of course, that all depended on whether or not he was the same Vash in the article he had read about GENE and Project SEEDS.
Faye walked into the room, glaring at everything and everyone. Jet wondered just what had crawled up her ass. Then, he saw Vash and Spike walk in a few seconds later, looking like they had just shared some private joke.
So that'swhat's got her all pissed off, Jet chuckled, silently.
Everyone was present, including Ein and Ed. Faye was the only one who seemed disgruntled. When Jet heard her mumble something about losing beauty sleep, Jet remarked, “Well, I guess you shouldn't have stayed up these past two nights looking after Spike, worrying he was going to die.”
Faye glared at Jet so hard that it made Spike and Vash laugh. Wolfwood sort of chuckled while Ed laughed the loudest and the longest, simply for the heck of it. After a few minutes, Jet cleared his throat, indicating he'd like to start. Everyone gradually quieted down.
“I'm sure everyone's wondering why I asked everyone to come and listen. I think this more directly concerns you two,” Jet indicated Vash and Wolfwood, “but especially you, Vash. After all, it involves your planet.”
Vash seemed visibly shaken by the news. Wolfwood, on the other hand, merely cocked his head with interest. The Bebop crew members had different reactions.
“History lesson!” squealed Ed.
“Who the hell cares?” Faye wanted to know.
“This has to do with your research, doesn't it, Jet?” Spike asked, thoughtfully.
“Yes, it does. Now, look. I want you guys to read something.”
Jet turned on the monitor so everyone could see. He then brought up the history he had read about GENE and Project SEEDS.
After reading for a while, everyone finished the narrative. Vash looked like he was going to be sick, Faye was trying to hide her interest, Spike and Wolfwood seemed thoughtful, and Ed merely bounced about the room with Ein, singing, “G-E-N-E! Projects of the SEEEEEEEEEEEEDS!”
Jet looked at Vash and asked, “So, are you the same Vash that is mentioned here?”
Vash nodded mutely.
“What? But that makes you about 130 years old!” Faye exclaimed.
“It doesn't matter,” Vash almost whispered. “I'm not human. I'm a plant angel in human form. Not even I know how long my lifespan is.” He looked at Spike with a lopsided smile on his face. “Do you see now why it was too hard to explain how I healed you?”
“Yeah,” Spike muttered.
“This is nuts,” Faye grumbled.
“There's more to it than that,” Jet advised them.
“There's more?” Spike asked, incredulously.
“Yeah. I did some more digging about Gunsmoke. The fact that Gunsmoke actually existed wasn't revealed to the public until about a year ago. The ISSP knew about it maybe one year before that. Interestingly enough, a hyperspace gate to Gunsmoke was first drafted sometime before three years ago, but I'm not sure when. The organization behind its construction was actually just a front. The ones pulling the strings were the Red Dragon Syndicate.” Jet looked significantly at Spike. “Sound familiar?”
Spike's expression became clouded. Everyone looked at Spike. Jet knew the Spike had gone to face the Red Dragon Syndicate two days ago. That's how he had gotten wounded in the first place. What Jet didn't know was why Spike had felt so strongly that he had to go.
“Anyway,” Jet continued, “the Red Dragon Syndicate began constructing a hyperspace gate a long time ago. It didn't start progressing significantly until about a little over three years ago. The project itself was completed about a year later. That's when the ISSP found out about it and basically bought the rights to the hyperspace gate. A year later, it became common knowledge. Not long after, information began to come through about Gunsmoke and its inhabitants, which,” Jet looked at Vash, “is how we found out about you. The bounty on your head was enough to attract every bounty hunter in the solar system. Luckily for you, we got to you first.”
Everyone was silent for a long time. No one knew what to say to that crazy story, but they believed Jet. He always got his facts straight.
Wolfwood broke the silence. “There's still something that doesn't make sense. How could this syndicate, or whatever, have known about Gunsmoke?”
“Unfortunately, that was something I couldn't find out,” Jet muttered.
“Great,” Faye moaned. “No we've got a guy who isn't even human staying with us. Not to mention his friend, the so-called priest. So tell me, Wolfwood,” she asked sarcastically,” are you also one of these `plant angels'?”
“Nope,” he replied, smoothly. “I'm human, just like you.”
“Then how'd you get mixed up with this walking disaster?”
“That's enough, Faye,” Spike said.
She glowered at him. “I don't care if you were injured! No man can tell me what to do!”
“All of you, SHUT UP!”

Faye, and everyone else in the room, looked at Vash, surprised by his outburst. The normally goofy gunman was standing up, his face flushed and his eyes flashing. This was not the man Faye had come to know. He reminded her more of the man she had witnessed fighting Monev the Gale all those weeks ago. Faye understood why he was called the Humanoid Typhoon.
“Look,” Vash began, his voice lowering as he began to calm down, “we need to not argue about this. I know that my past is not the greatest, but I never asked for any of it! It just…happened.”
His voice trailed off. Faye felt a prick in her heart for the gunman. After all, she'd have felt off-balance, too, after learning what he had just learned about his past. Faye couldn't remember her past on account of amnesia. It must be hard for him.
“There are still some things I want to know. Like, how did the Great Fall occur, and why did you destroy July and Augusta. It's definitely against your policy of no killing,” Spike mused.
Vas sat down again, looking sad. Judging by his expression, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Vash told them everything. He hadn't intended to at first, but he did. He told them about Rem, Project SEEDS as he remembered it, Knives, the Great Fall, the two monster guns, the flying ship, July, the Gun-Ho Guns, and finally, Augusta. It took a while, but no one interrupted. It hurt to tell them, but it was also like taking a load off his shoulders.
When he had finished, everyone stared at him for a while. Everyone seemed to have some sort of empathy on their faces for him, even Faye. Then, Ed walked over to him, hopped in his lap, and gave him a warm hug.
“It's ok, Vash-person.”
Vash wiped the tears from his eyes that were forming and said, “Thank you, Ed.”
“I have one question.” Vash looked at Spike. “Would you have told us any of this if Jet hadn't done the research.”
Vash gazed at him solemnly. “No, I probably wouldn't have. I didn't want to put that burden on you. Besides, I left that part of my life behind me.”
“Well, what are we going to do about this, now that we know about Vash's origin?” Faye asked.
Jet shrugged. “I really don't think it changes things much. He's still welcome to stay on this ship for as long as he likes. The same goes for Wolfwood.”
Spike didn't say anything.
“Well, I guess the thing to do now would be to…hold on. What is that?” Jet asked no one in particular.
The monitor was now displaying a different ship. Vash gasped. It looked just like a Project SEEDS ship, only painted crimson with white letters on the side that spelled “OMEGA”. Vash began to feel the dread growing in his pit of his stomach as he felt a familiar presence.
The monitor suddenly flickered. Instead of a ship, it was now displaying a tall man in a red and white space suit with light blond hair and icy blue eyes. He sneered at them all, but especially at Vash.
“So, brother, did you actually think you had escaped me?”
“Yes, actually,” Vash said, forcing a smile.
“I see.” His grin widened. “That just proves how foolish you really are, Vash. And now look at you, associating with more human garbage. Have you no pride?”
“Hey!” Spike pushed his way forward to the monitor. “Who the hell do you think you are, asshole?”
Knives looked at him coldly. “This is not your business.”
“The hell it isn't, Knives.”
“...I see you told your pathetic companions about us, Vash. You really are a sentimental fool.”
“Knives, what do you want?” Vash's stomach twisted uncomfortably with dread.
Knives grinned. “Why, to bring you into the fold, dear brother. To finish what I started 130 years ago.”
“And what if I don't?” Vash's voice was low and deadly.
“Then, your little companions will have to pay the price.”
“We're not scared of you,” Faye snarled.
“No, not you, although you will be destroyed eventually. I mean them,” Knives said, indicating the two figures behind him, one tall and one short.
Vash caught his breath. “Meryl and Millie…”
“Indeed,” Knives smirked. “How would you like to speak with one?”
He beckoned for Meryl to be brought forward. Vash's almost lost it when he saw Legato was the one ushering her forward.
“Go ahead. Tell my foolish brother that you are well.” Knives added, “For now.”
“Vash…” Meryl whispered.
“Meryl…um…how've you been?”
Meryl glared at him. Vash cringed as she began her tirade.
“How do you think I'm doing, you idiot! I've been kidnapped by your brother, who you never even told us existed! And, we've been worried sick about you ever since Augusta, you jerk! Yeah, we're just fine, Vash! Thanks so much for asking!”
“I'm sorry!” Vash said hastily, cutting her off. “I just didn't feel like you had to know…”
“Yeah, great idea, Vash. Don't tell us we're in danger from your psychotic brother.”
“It's not like that! I told you two not to follow me for this exact reason!”
Meryl sighed. “I know, Vash. It's just that I'm frustrated.” She glared at Knives for a moment, which only made him chuckle. “Your brother hasn't been too bad, but he did strike Millie.”
“What?” Wolfwood exploded.
Meryl blinked at the sound of Wolfwood's voice. “She's ok, but she does have a bruise on her face. It happened two days ago, though, so she's getting better.”
“Meryl, can you ever forgive me for this?” Vash asked.
“Only if you get me the hell out of here!”
Vash grinned. “Fair enough.”
Meryl was taken away from the monitor, and Knives appeared once more. He grinned.
“So, did you have a nice chat with your puny human friend?”
Vash sighed. “Let's just get to the point, Knives. What do I have to do to get Meryl and Millie back?”
“Well, now that you mention it, why don't we meet on the planet Earth, Vash?” Knives eyes glittered maliciously. “Perhaps then you will see how mistaken you really are.”
The monitor shut off.
Vash looked bleakly at his companions. “You don't have to come with me. In fact, I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again.”
“Don't be an idiot, Needle-Noggin. We're going with you. But first,” Wolfwood's eyes twinkled mischievously, “I have to get some of my luggage out of storage.”
As he left the room, Vash wondered what he meant by that. Jet got up and went to his room. He came back with a box. He opened it.
Vash stared. It was his red coat. As he gazed down at the red color, he remembered Rem's words to him all those years ago. In the language of flowers, red geraniums represented determination and courage.
Determination and courage. The two words Vash had lived by his entire life. They meant a lot to him.
“I fixed it for you,” Jet said, simply.
Vash took the coat out and looked at it. “It's perfect,” he said.
“Needle-Noggin! I've got something else for you!”
Wolfwood had reentered the room, his cross slung over his shoulder. He tossed Vash the silver handgun. Vash caught it.
The gun felt like an old friend in his hand. It had been made for him. Vash was still, and always would be, war of the power within it. Yet, right now, he had to shove his own fears aside and do what needed to be done.
He left the room. Vash donned his bodysuit and red coat and spiked his golden blond hair. His aqua eyes hardened with resolved. When he returned to the main room, everyone felt the difference.
This was Vash the Stampede.
“So, shall we go?” Spike said, cheerfully.

So, people, how'd you like Chapter 11? I explained some stuff, and I got Knives in there. (I am Knives crazy at the moment. Hehe…) And Vash has donned his red coat once again! He looks so hot in it…
Whoops! I was digressing for a bit there. :) For some reason, I feel like some of the characters were OOC. I really hope they weren't. I try very hard to keep them all in character
Well, everybody, that's it for me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tell you what, writing so much for each chapter can be cruel sometimes. I hope you appreciate all the work I put into it. I wish the story could just type itself, but them's the breaks. Not that I'm complaining. I love to write, and it makes me happy to see people taking interest in what I write. Thank you, everyone, for giving me the confidence to continue this story!
Love and Peace!