Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Cowboy Bebop Meets Trigun ❯ Training Begins ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: Checking... Nope. Don't own it.

 

A/N: A rather short chapter. Hopefully it will entertain. As the title would imply, Vash begins training with Nightingale. My idea for having the mind look like a room actually came from a book called The Magician's Guild. (I highly recommend it.) However, I made a few changes. So, no one sue me for borrowing the idea.

 

 

Chapter 17: Training Begins

 

Meryl, as well as everyone else, followed Nightingale throught the maze-like corridors. She was deep in thought as she walked. Meryl had asked Nightingale if she could be trusted. Nightingale had not given a very clear answer, but Meryl had decided to drop the issue since it was clear that she wasn't going to get anywhere.

After wandering for what appeared to be forever, Nightingale stopped them outside of a room with a heavy locking mechanism on it. She turned to face them.

“This is where Vash is being kept. You may all go in and see him.”

With that, she put her hand on a scanner. A green light swept over her hand, and a recorded voice said, “Identity confirmed.” The door slid open, revealing Vash the Stampede, asleep on his bed, one of his arms dangling over the side of the bed as he drooled on the pillow.

A vein popped in Meryl's head as she marched over to the sleeping outlaw and smacked him upside the head.

“Ow! What did you do that for?”

“You are such a dolt!” Meryl shouted at him. “We've been worried sick about you for the past few days! And here you are, sleeping like you don't have a care in the world!”

Vash actually flinched at the force of her words. “Meryl, it's not like that-”

“The hell it isn't!” Meryl growled at him.

“Meryl, you're being unreasonable!”

“I don't care!”

Meryl suddenly put a hand to her mouth. Why in the hell had she said that? It was completely irrational. Vash had been taken captive, and here she was, ragging on him. What was wrong with her?

“Meryl?” came Millie's inquisitive voice. She put a hand on her friend's shoulder. “It's ok.”

“I'm sorry, Vash. I don't know why I said those things.”

Vash smiled weakly. “Don't worry about it. Hey!” he exclaimed suddenly. “I have more than one visitor!”

“How ya doin', Needle Noggin?” Wolfwood strolled over to Vash, a broad smile on his face. “Having fun with your new friend?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean her?” Vash asked, indicating Nightingale. Vash looked shocked. “No, we're not-”

“Ah, that's ok, Needle Noggin. No need to be embarrassed.”

“No, it's not like that!” Vash protested. “Um, Meryl...?”

Meryl was shaking with fury. Vash yelped a little bit before rushing to her side, trying to plead his innocence.

“Meryl, it's not like that!”

“Then what's your excuse?” Meryl asked dangerously.

“I swear, all she wants to do is help me with my mental abilities so Knives doesn't get the best of me again. That's it!”

“So, that's what happened to you in the last battle, right?” Spike asked.

“Yeah.” Vash rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Knives started assaulting me mentally, and I wasn't able to defend myself. It was terrible.”

“I see. So, you're going to do some training, huh, Needle Noggin?”

Vash sighed. “Yes, Wolfwood.” He looked at Meryl. “Is that ok with you?”

Meryl smiled slightly. “You know it is, Vash. I want you to take care of yourself.”

“Great! Now that that's settled, can we get something to eat? I'm starving!” Vash said.

“So is Ed!” Ed piped up. “Bird-Lady, where can Ed and Vash-person get food?”

The corners of Nightingale's mouth twitched. “Right here, as a matter of fact. I anticipated that you all might be hungry so I had food brought. Ah, here it is now.”

Several crew members in yellow uniforms (cooks, Meryl guessed) began rolling in trays full of food. Everyone stared at all the different types of foods that had been brought.

“Hurray!” Ed sang, as she began to pile a plate full of food.

The others didn't hesitate to do the same. Meryl watched as the men had seconds and thirds of everything while the women seemed to have somewhat smaller helpings. Both Vash and Ed ate as if they had not eaten for days, and their table manners were atrocious. Meryl refrained from voicing her disapproval. After all, they deserved a little happiness.

Finally, when the meal was finished, everyone sat back in a chair, very full. Wolfwood and Spike picked their teeth with some tooth picks. (Meryl still couldn't get over how alike they were.) Vash was wrestling on the floor with Ed and Ein, laughing. Meryl and Millie watched with amusement as Faye and Jet both smoked a cigarette. Nightingale sat separate from the rest of them.

“So, have you heard anything about the Red Dragon Syndicate, Vash?” Jet asked.

Vash looked up. “The what?”

Meryl shot Nightingale an irritated glance. “You mean you didn't tell him?”

“No. I did not have the opportunity. You may tell him now, if you wish.”

“Tell me what?”

Meryl sniffed as Jet began to explain everything to Vash. Vash sat quietly as everything was laid out for him. He glanced at Nightingale with some surprise when he heard she was an agent of GENE. Spike's involvement in the Red Dragon Syndicate also seemed to surprise him, but Vash remained silent throughout the entire narration. When it was over, he looked thoughtful. Meryl wondered what he was thinking. Vash was such a complex person. So goofy and naive, yet serious and wise at the same time. A paradox.

“So, what does all of this have to do with you?” Vash asked Nightingale.

She frowned. “I'm not sure I understand the question.”

“I mean, why does what happens to me and Knives concern you? Why do you care?”

She blinked. “That is simple. Your well-being is important to GENE. Since I am best suited to handle your case, it is my assignment. I do not take my assignments lightly. I always give my best in everything I do.”

“Is that it?”

Meryl looked from one to the to the other. Something strange was going on here. Vash was almost interrogating Nightingale. Did he know something about her that the rest of them didn't?

“No.”

“I see,” Vash murmurred. “Care to tell me what the other reason is?”

“You will find out in time.”

Vash groaned. “More secrecy. Why can't you just be honest with me for once?”

After a pause, Nightingale asked, “Do you wish to become stronger? Strong enough to hold your own against your elder brother?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then, stop asking foolish questions that will be answered when you are ready!”

Meryl flinched a little at the hardness in Nightingale's tone of voice. However, Vash did not. He merely nodded, deep in thought.

“Hey, guys. How about we talk some more later, ok?”

“You sure, Needle Noggin?”

“Yes, Wolfwood. I am.”

Ed hugged Vash. “Bye, Vash-person. Can Ed come visit tomorrow?”

Vash smiled. “I'm sure you can, Ed.”

“Yay! Bye, Vash-person!”

Meryl followed the rest of them out of the room. She paused to look at Vash and Nightingale, scrutinizing each other, before she closed the door behind her.

I hope he'll be ok...

 

 

Vash watched Meryl leave out of the corner of his eye. That woman sure was complicated. Sometimes she was very intimidating. Other times, she could be kind. Now that he thought about it, Vash found it kind of funny that Meryl had gotten so irritable at the thought of him and Nightingale being together. Could it be that she was jealous? Now that would be funny.

“You're smiling.”

Vash started at the sound of Nightingale's voice. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

Vash grinned. “Just thinking?”

“About that woman?”

“If you want to know, yes, I am.”

“I see...” Her voice trailed off.

Vash stared at her. It was almost as if Nightingale didn't understand what Vash was thinking. Didn't she know anything about affection for another person?

“Shall we begin?”

“Oh, yeah,” Vash said, his train of thought interrupted. “So, what do I have to do?”

Nightingale got up and pushed her chair over to him. Vash sat in his chair. She sat down again, right in front of him. She put her fingers on his temples.

“One's mind is much like a room with many doors. Try to picture your mind as a room.”

Vash did. He soon found himself within a room very similar to the one he had shared with Knives on board the Project SEEDS ship with Rem. However, it was larger, with a great many doors. The door that caught his attention was larger than the rest and had a frame around it. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door.

`May I come in?'

Vash walked over to the door and opened it to see Nightingale on the other side.

`Sure.'

As Nightingale entered into Vash's mind, pale, ghostly images began to appear. The sound of multiple voices whispering permeated the room. Images of people, places, and things appeared briefly, before vanishing. One in particular caught Vash's attention.

It was Rem, as he remembered her, claiming: “No one has the right to take the life of another.”

`Rem!' Vash ran to embrace her, but the moment he touched her, she dissolved into thin air.

`What happened? Where did Rem go?'

Nightingale rubbed her temples. `We are currently inside your mind. These images are your memories. You cannot touch them. They cannot touch you. You are separate yet together. That is the way of things here.'

`But...”

`You will never learn how to master the skill of keeping another from entering your mind if you cannot control your own memories. You will be repeatedly defeated every time you try if you do not learn this. Now, do you wish to continue or not?'

`...I do.'

`Good. Now, your first task is to put these memories behind the doors.'

`All of them?”

`Yes. All of them.”

Vash began trying to shove the memories physically into the doors.

`No,” Nightingale said firmly. `You must force them in with your mind.'

`Great,' Vash muttered.

Vash didn't know how long he tried to force his memories into the many doors in his mind. Every single time he was sure that his mind had been cleared at last, another random image would pop into his mind. His concentration would be broken, and the memories would start flowing all over again.

`Why can't I do this?' Vash growled with frustration.

`You try too hard.'

`What do you mean, I try too hard?'

`Just what I told you.'

`ARGH! I'm never gonna get this right!'

`You will, in time. Now, I do believe you've had enough for today.'

Vash opened his eyes. Nightingale was still sitting in front of him. She removed her fingers from his temples, her mouth twitching again. Vash glowered at her.

“You think it's funny that I can't do this, don't you?”

“No. You expect too much of yourself. It takes time to fully grasp the concepts I am teaching you. Do not sell yourself short.”

“Whatever.”

“If you are so determined to give up, I do not have to teach you at all.”

“No. I want to learn,” Vash mumbled.

“Good,” Nightingale said, satisfied. “We will continue our lessons tomorrow.”

Oh, joy,” Vash muttered.

Just as she was about to leave, Nightingale stopped and turned. “You are actually doing well. Do not lose faith in yourself. You will need it in the days ahead.”

Vash watched her leave and wondered, The days ahead? More trouble? Not again!

 

 

Nightingale left Vash's room. As she departed, she locked the door. Even though Vash was not the type to try and escape, Nightingale knew it had to be done. It was better to be safe than sorry.

She walked slowly down the empty halls. Everyone else was asleep. Vash hadn't realized it, but it was now late at night. He had spent hours trying to master his own mind. He had seemed discouraged when she left so Nightingale had attempted to give his confidence a small boost. In all actuality, she had not expected him to be able to put all his memories behind the doors of his mind on his first try. However, he had at least made a start.

Watching him struggle to control his own memories was both an interesting, yet saddening, experience. As much as she had tried not to pry, she couldn't help seeing some of the his more dark memories, which turned out to be the ones he had had the most trouble concealing. Images of Rem Saverem, the Great Fall, July, Augusta, the Gung-Ho Guns, and Knives seemed to pop up everywhere. No matter what he did, Vash always seemed to be followed closely by gunsmoke, blood, and corpses.

Nightingale felt a slight ache in her chest for him. It confused her somewhat. She didn't even know what to call it. Perhaps “pity” was the correct word. Even worse, Vash seemed to project so much mentally that it was hard to not pick up on his thoughts and emotions, which affected her own psyche. Nightingale determined that she would have to keep her own mind closed if she was to get anywhere with him.

She rubbed the back of her neck to relieve the stiffness and stretched slightly. Tomorrow, she would have to speak with Knives again. It was unavoidable. After all, no one else was properly suited for bringing him food and interacting with him in general. His mental powers had no effect on her, and she was more or less his equal in physical strength.

Physical strength... Perhaps I should see how skilled he really is. He's bound to be bored sitting in that room all day, plotting. Maybe I'll spar with him sometime.

She smirked internally to herself before walking back to her room to sleep for a few hours before the busy day began.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be posting twice a week from now on. Expect a new chapter every Tuesday and Friday.

Well, I hope you people liked this chapter. It's kinda short, but it gets the job done, I think. Oh, and for those of you missing Knives, I'll squeeze him into the next chapter. Hehe...

To all my readers: I love you guys! Love and Peace, yo!

 

 

Next Time: Nightingale and Knives discuss the aspects of the human race while Vash and Meryl have some quality time together.