Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Midvalley's Serenade ❯ Rivalry ( Chapter 16 )

Rivalry

For whatever reason, my link with Legato remained quiet . I was relieved and began to hope that he would leave me alone. Nick and I took advantage of our last day off before the school week started again to strengthen our bond. All day long when I thought back to how we spent our morning, I couldn't help but smile. The intensity of our sexual release was such that I felt boneless and at peace with the whole human race. I knew the sensation was too good to last, but I planned to enjoy it to the hilt for as long as I could.

After I got dressed, I asked Nick, "Is the cut on my neck really noticeable?"

"Yeah."

"I can just imagine what Lenny'd say if he saw it."

"At least he'd say it to your face. I can just imagine what the students will say, but they'll say it behind your back."

"They can think and say whatever they want. I'm a grown man. I can handle the disapproval."

I knew I'd have some explaining to do when I went out in public with the cut on my throat, but I managed

to come up with a story. "Never try to shave when you're drunk." If I'd tried to cover it up with a bandage, I'm sure the students would be sure it was a hickey or a love bite. There were a couple of those located on a lower portion of my anatomy and I shivered and grinned when I thought about the way I got them.

Separating was hard, even just to walk across the hall to my apartment.

"I'll meet you at the dining hall in half an hour if you want to catch some lunch," I said to Nick.

"Sounds good," he said.

I was still feeling on top of the world when I stopped in at the Academy offices to check my mailbox. I had a letter from Lenny, asking me about when the band should show up for the graduation dance, if I planned to do any rehearsing before hand, and if I'd done anything in terms of publicity yet.

Nick showed up a few minutes later. He had a piece of mail from December. I watched his face as he read it. His expression went from pleased to concerned and after he finished reading it, he folded it up, stuffed it back in the envelope and into his breast pocket from which he retrieved a cigarette and a book of matches.

"Bad news?"

"Mostly good. It's from Ginnie," he said as he lit the cigarette and took a drag. "She met the little girl Molly's age that had just lost her mother. The girl's name is Annie. They've gotten very close and it looks like Ginnie will adopt her."

"That sounds like great news. Why were you frowning?"

"Was I?"

"Yeah."

"They're having trouble with a piece of machinery that broke down. Air cooler."

Nick looked a little distracted.

"I need to get into town today," he said. "I really ought to send a wire."

"I should go too. Lenny reminded me I ought to arrange for some publicity for the dance. If we can get enough paid admissions, it will probably cover the cost of booking the Midvalley Five. I'd just as soon not go out of my own pocket to cover the expense.

"You want a ride in?

"Yeah, please, Nick. I'm going to be so busy the rest of the week with classes, I probably won't have another opportunity to handle things."

"Same for me."

We both had breakfast for lunch.

Nick was pensive as he munched his toast..

"What do you think the odds are for me getting my bonus pay, Middie?"

"I'm sure you'll get at least a partial bonus. Results have been good out on the weapons range, but unless you can get better numbers from Ben Evans and more participation from E.G. Mine, I don't think you'll get your full bonus. But you've still got almost two full weeks to get that under control. I'd like to bonus too. I could really use the extra money."

"Since when, Midvalley? You've always been so prudent."

"If I'm not going to be on the road so much, I got an idea I'd like to get a place of my own. Maybe put in a little studio to record some of my new tunes. Buy some lost technology. I hear there are some recording systems available if you have the double dollars."

"So you have big dreams. That's great, Midvalley. Do you think you'll get your full bonus?"

"It's iffy. The biggest problem I have is Grey Nine-Lives. He has a hard time following directions, as you know, and if he doesn't score a passing grade in Strategy and Tactics, I'll probably only get a partial bonus and a partial is nowhere near as good financially."

"I had an idea the other day when I was blowing stuff up," said Nick. "I am going to increase my hazard pay and bonus potential by taking my class out and showing them how to use explosives. Most guest instructors don't want to take the chance, but I re-read the fine print in the teaching contract and I couldn't help noticing that there's a lot of money available if you have the guts to teach an explosives class and survive it. I'll get a bonus of $$5000 if 100% of the class passes with a grade of 70% or better, and the hazard pay is an additional 20%. That would net me 6000 double dollars for teaching the explosives alone. And it shouldn't take long to get them at an adequate level."

"I know you've got guts, but you must be desperate for money, Nick. It only takes one little mistake with explosives to kill you. Look out for Grey. If there's any area where full attention is essential, it's explosives."

"I'll keep your advice in mind, but I know they're just going to love it."

When we finished the meal, we headed into town. I went to the print shop office and ordered a ream of flyers advertising the dance. The print office clerk was excited when he saw the ad.

"The Midvalley Five, and you're Mr. Midvalley," he said."I saw you play over in Mei City the other night. That was some fine music! I know a couple of kids who'd be happy to post the flyers for you at saloons, coffee shops, shopping plazas and the like for about $$10. They're my boys as a matter of fact, and I can guarantee you that the flyers will be posted right and not end up in a circular file. I'll want to take my wife out dancing. We met at the dance you played at, how many years has it been now? Twelve is it?"

Nick met me just as I was exiting the printer. He looked more relaxed.

"Did you want to get a beer, Nick? It's pretty hot."

"If you're buying."

"Are you broke again?"

"Hey if it bothers you that much, let's just go back to the academy then. I really ought to get ready for the weapon range anyway."

"I didn't mean anything by it, Nick. You picked up the tab at the White Cat."

"And your playing paid for the window I broke."

"Oh for God's sake, I just want to have a beer with you. I'm sorry I questioned you about it. It's none of my business what you do with your money. I just worry about you sometimes."

"Well, it's nice to know that someone cares."

"Can I buy you a beer, Nick?"

"Sure, Midvalley," he said with a smile that lit up his face.

Over beers, we chit-chatted about plans for the next two weeks.

"I'm looking forward to hearing the Midvalley Five in action again," said Nick. "You guys were so great the other night."

"I'm thinking Lenny will want to rehearse some before the dance. He's been after me to finish up some new arrangements of the new songs I've been working on, but in the next two weeks, I don't know where I'm going to find the time."

"Stay up late. Get up early. Drink a lot of black coffee. Smoke a lot of cigarettes and whatever else you do, don't sit down."

"So was that the Chapel Quick and Dirty Guide for packing more into your day?"

" It's a little brutal but it works for me."

"Speaking of time, have you thought about what happens when you start working more?"

"I try not to because I know I'm going to miss you like anything, Midvalley, and I hate thinking about that, but it's something I have to do. I try to pay my debts. A lot of my life is shit, but there's a piece of it I try to keep clean."

"I understand, Nick. That's the way I feel about my music."

"One thing I know for sure, Midvalley."

"What's that, Nick?"

"I'm going to consult with you as often as I can."

His smile was pure sex and I couldn't help the flush that spread over my face when I thought about "consultation".

When we got back to the Academy, Nick went out to the range to assemble what he needed for the explosives class. I stayed in my apartment and worked on the song I was composing. I thought of it as Nick's song, since my thoughts kept drifting to him as I played and the musical phrases that came to me, reminded me strongly of him.

I heard a soft knock on the door later that evening. It was Nick. I was glad to see him again.

"I'm here for a consultation, Midvalley," he said with an innocent smile.

I pulled him into my room, closed the door behind me and we made love again.

Nick stayed most of the night but he was up before dawn. He had to be at the weapon range early.

I slept in until 10, got cleaned up and breakfasted. Before I got to the classroom at about a quarter to one, I ran into Chapel the Evergreen.

"Midvalley, there will be a special assembly this afternoon at three o'clock to welcome a new guest instructor. It will be held outside at the combat practice field. Please make sure your class arrives on time."

"What's so special about a new instructor? No one ever welcomed me."

"The instructor is a total stranger from a different school and Master Legato wants to make sure he feels welcome. That's all I know, " said the Evergreen. He seemed a little nervous and a bit upset. He wasn't used to being left in the dark about things that would affect the running of the academy.

The classroom was empty. The students hadn't returned from weapon range yet. But then I heard whoops, whistles and bellows and a voice, shouting, "That was so fuckin' COOL!!!! I love to blow shit up!!! Best fuckin' day in my whole fuckin' life. The guy's a goddamn genius."

It was Jake Berkis. His usually black bowl-cut hair was caked with sand and his dark eyes were full of excitement.

Most of the students were pumped up.

"I can't believe it." Bernie Welch shook his head, "Unbelievable, man. I can't believe he had the patience to teach us, especially after that explosion. He coulda been killed. Chapel is just so unbelievable. Is he scared of anything?"

"I don't think so," said Berkis. "I love what he said at the range today. `Sometimes an automatic and an attitude are all you need.'"

"And the way he handled himself in that fight at the saloon," Welch continued, " he just wades in, picks out the biggest guy there and cleans his clock. Didn't think twice, and that guy had muscles. Probably double his weight and Chapel doesn't think twice. Unbe-fuckin'-lievable!"

Even Ned Pitts overcame his usual terseness and had a few good words to throw in for Chapel, "He helped Caine. I like him."

I saw Zazie and EG. Mine with their heads together and wondered if they were cutting Nick any slack after he'd helped out at the saloon brawl.

Ben Evans said, "When I saw Mr. Midvalley go up on the bandstand, at first I thought he was trying to stay out of harm's way. I think maybe he wears that pink pastel shirt to fake people out. I didn't know he could kick high like that. Surprised the hell out of me."

"Not much of a boxer, though. I didn't see him throw a single punch," said E.G. Mine.

"He's a musician, duh!" explained Bernie. "He was saving his hands and his mouth. He can't play his sax without them. If you know how to use your elbows, feet and knees the way he does, you don't need to punch. He's not just another freaky wuss who has to use his special powers to get him out of trouble."

"Are you insulting me, Welch?" said Zazie.

"What? Do you think that every mention of a freaky wuss refers to you? I always thought you were vain. Now I know it. You must think that every conversation is about you. Is that why you're face is so red? Oh, no, that was from the paintballs," Welch burst into laughter.

"Fuck you, Welch," said Zazie. "Comes the quick draw tournament, you are going down."

"Ooh, sc-a-a-rry. If I hadn't seen your `quick'draw, already, I'd be shaking in my boots. Did you

finally get the red paint scrubbed off your teeny wienie, Zazie? Maybe you'll be going down. I've been

taking the quick draw classes Chapel offered that you turned down. But don't worry when you lose, beast

boy. You look good in red."

"You're going to pay for that remark, Welch."

I overheard E.G. Mine talking to Zazie a few minutes later.

"Maybe you should swallow your pride and ask Chapel for lessons."

"Maybe you should go fuck yourself. I've practiced and practiced and I know I'm really good. There's no

fucking way I would ever ask him for lessons. He shouldn't have beaten me. It was a fluke. He's old and

his reflexes aren't as good as mine."

"Old or not he beat you. What if you're practicing wrong? There is such a thing as experience. I've seen Welch practicing and he is definitely going to give you some competition in the quick draw."

"You sound like you're on Chapel's side, Mine. If you're going to spend the next couple of weeks kissing his ass, fucking forget you. After you shit your pants in the can, it's a wonder I talk to you at all. I notice you stopped wearing your weapon suit out to the range. Did Chapel disapprove of it," Zazie finished his speech with a mocking tone.

" I still hate his guts, but some of what he said about weapons made sense to me. The more weapons you know how to handle, the more effective you can be, but sometimes `all you need is an attitude and an automatic.'"

"I can't believe you're fucking quoting Chapel to me. I guess you're falling in love with him."

"Screw you, Zazie. I'm no fag."

"You sound like one with that weird way you talk."

"Oh, you're a big talker, shorty, but I saw your dinky dick in the john and Welch was right when he called it a teeny wienie. And it was red too."

"You want to eat it? I can't believe you were checking out my dick. You are a fag for sure."

I laughed to myself when I heard this.

"You're so chickenshit. You ought to get over your prejudice, Zazie. He was wrong about my weapon system, probably because it's so unique, but I have to say that when it comes to traditional weapons, Chapel really knows his shit."

I reminded myself to tell Chapel about Mine's compliment.

Then it was class time and I spent the next hour and three quarters teaching the theory and practice of writing and filing field reports. Much as I had come to loathe the four hour report, Leonof, Legato, Chapel the Evergreen and Master Knives found them to be practical sources of intelligence. At a quarter of three, I ended the class and told the students to head on over to the combat field for the assembly.

Nick and his weapons class students were already seated in the bleachers at the field when I arrived. Nick's hair was full of sand and grit. His suit was covered in dust and smelled of cordite. He waved at me, grinned, stood up and headed over to me. I knew by the smile on his face he'd had a good time teaching.

A few minutes later, I saw Legato arrive. To my surprise, he made his way straight to where I was standing. He looked at the red cut on my neck with concern. In front of Nick and the entire class he put his arms around me and gave me a friendly embrace.

"I'm glad you're all right, Midvalley. I was worried about you. That's a nasty nick," he said with a sidelong look at Chapel.

My face flamed red and to my complete surprise, my cock rose. What the fuck was this?

"You're pleased to see me, I can tell," Legato positively purred.

He released me and turned his attention to Nick.

"You're looking a little sloppy this afternoon, Chapel, but I understand you've been working miracles on the weapon range. You're bound and determined to get that bonus. That's what we like to see. I understand you will be co-teaching the next strategy and tactics class with Midvalley. I heard the subject is emergency field reports. If anyone is a master of that underused art form it's yourself. Since you're teaching that segment, it should be short but sweet."

"By the way, Chapel," Legato continued, " after Master Knives read the field report of the incident at New Junction, he expressed some curiosity about what motivated you to try to save the life of the child."

Nick seemed taken aback by the question, but responded quickly enough, "Master Knives' credibility had been damaged by the actions of the Crimson Blades gang. I felt that if one of his representatives made a gesture of good faith, it would help to restore the good relations he has enjoyed."

"Oh, come, Chapel. That's a classroom answer and I doubt that it's the real one. The decision was made in a split second."

"All right," said Chapel, "I don't know why I did it. It was instinct."

"You have an instinct for self-sacrifice?"

"Oh, please. It was a one-time thing. It will probably never happen again."

"Really?"

"Really," shrugged Nick.

"Well, you have attracted the interest of Master Knives. He is searching for an agent with special qualifications for an important assignment. You are by no means the only candidate, but if he selects you, Master Knives will brief you personally."

Legato saw Nick's father approach the podium, and said, "Ah, here is Chapel the Evergreen, to do the honors for our new guest instructor."

"Class and distinguished instructors and guests," began Chapel the Evergreen "We are honored to have Master Legato with us today. "

The students applauded enthusiastically for Legato and I followed suit. Nick appeared to be brooding over something and did not clap.

"We are also honored to have guest instructor who will be joining us the last two weeks of the term. His specialty is teaching the martial art of the blade. Will you please give our new instructor an Academy welcome? This is Rai-dei of the Jigenzan School of Bushido, trained by the masters of Itto."

A cloud of dust rose, I felt a low level sonic wave of the kind I can generate with Silvia and as the dust settled, I could make out the figure of a man standing next to the Evergreen.

The man was tall and dressed like a samurai in flowing split pants and a white shirt over which he wore a fringed vest. His waist was encircled with an ornate plaited belt from which hung a sheathed katana blade

"Quite the entrance," I muttered to Nick.

The man pulled out the katana with practiced ease and moved into a swift graceful series of powerful movements almost like a dance. The sun shone on the sweeping blade and its flashing patterns etched my retina. The man appeared to be painting with the sunlight. Then with the same amazing speed with which he began, he sheathed the katana and bowed to the audience sitting on the bleachers.

The students burst into spontaneous applause. Legato applauded politely as did I. Chapel was smoking with a look of supreme indifference on his face. After the short exhibition, the man, Rai-dei, walked towards Chapel the Evergreen who escorted him over to Legato.

When Rai-dei came into the presence of Legato, he bowed.

"Legato-sama," said Rai-dei. "I am at your service."

Legato introduced Rai-dei to Nick and me.

This is "Rai-dei the Blade. He is a combat expert from the Jigenzan school. He will teach here for the last two weeks of this month."

Then Legato introduced Nick and me to Rai-dei.

"This gentleman," Legato indicated me, "is Midvalley the Hornfreak. I think you two will find you have an amazing amount in common."

I extended my hand and shook Rai-dei's.

"What do you call that movement you do with the sword," I asked him.

"It is called kata and it is part of the way of bushido as practiced at my school. The form that I have mastered is called `The Way of the Demon's Path.' And you are Midvalley, the master of the saxophone," said the samurai. " I have heard your music. Is it true that you can generate sonic waves and create dust storms?"

"Yes," I said.

"So, you, like myself, are talented with the Demon's gifts."

"I've never heard it put quite that way before, but I guess so."

"And this is Chapel, one of the Academy's resident weapons expert," said Legato indicating Nick.

Rai-dei looked at Nick with curiosity and said, "I read about you and Midvalley in the "Daily Dish" and I wondered about you. Chapel, what is your special demonic talent?"

"I don't have one" said Nick.

"How can this be, Master Legato?" asked Rai-dei.

"I couldn't say for sure. He's not talented as you mean, Rai-dei, with psychic powers, but he is extraordinarily talented with weapons and he seems to have the devil's own luck."

Legato glanced at me as he said this.

Rai-dei continued, "I have long heard of the member of Evergreen's Academy who carried out the Roland Drake execution and I was hoping to meet that master and learn from him."

"Ah," said Legato, "that was Chapel here."

"With no special powers? How was that possible?"

"Desperation is a great motivator," said Chapel.

"How did it feel to look death in the eye?"

"Pretty damned scary."

"Are you mocking me?"

"What if I am?"

"Then in that case I want to challenge you to shiai, a fight to the death."

Legato interrupted with his smooth silky voice, "Now, now, Rai-dei the Blade, I'm afraid it is out of the question for you to challenge Chapel to a fight to the death at the moment. Maybe you can both go at it after graduation with paintballs and kendo sticks, but Master Knives needs you both in good shape for some special assignments, so for the moment, pull in your claws, Rai-dei."

Legato appeared to think for a moment, then he spoke again, "Still, if you wish to pit your skills against Chapel's, why not a contest of teaching skills?"

"Chapel has taught before?"

"This is his first time."

"But in order to teach the Demon's Path, I need a student with demon gifts."

"I believe there is a student who would be happy to learn from you. Zazie!" Legato called out, "I need a word with you."

Zazie came as called.

"Rai-dei the Blade, this is Zazie the Beast. Rai-dei is a weapon expert, going into competition with Chapel. He wants to teach a student with special gifts, like you, Zazie. Do you wish to be Rai-dei's student?"

"In competition with Chapel?," said Zazie in his harsh grating voice. "Sure I'd love to." Then he gave Nick a look of contempt, hawked up a gob of phlegm and spat it on the ground near Chapel's feet.

Before I was even aware of what I was doing, my open hand shot out and I slapped Zazie hard on the cheek.

"How dare you disrespect a master of the Jigenzan school?" I said in a steely voice.

Everyone standing there knew he'd been disrespecting Chapel. Though my face appeared stern, I was smiling inside, pretty much sure of how he was going to react since I'd cut off most of his options, with the way I'd phrased the question.

"I beg your pardon, Master Rai-dei, I did not mean any disrespect to you," said Zazie in an unusually humble tone.

"Oh, so you meant disrespect to Master Legato then? Or to Chapel? Or to me?" With each question my voice grew more forbidding.

Zazie's face darkened with anger, but he stilled the emotions in a few moments and said, "No disrespect was intended."

"That is fortunate, Zazie," said Rai-dei. "Otherwise, I could not accept you as my student."

"But, by your leave, Master Legato, Midvalley and Chapel," continued Rai-dei, "I want to test my student to see the strength of his gifts and where he may need improvement."

"Of course, you may go now," said Legato.

When Rai-dei and Zazie were out of hearing range, Legato chuckled and said, "That was brilliant, Midvalley the Hornfreak. Suggestion. Intimidation. You left him with no out but to apologize to all of us, including Chapel. The words must have stuck in his throat, but you managed to coax them out. We could really use you in management. Ah, well…someday."

"As for you, Chapel, no need for the long face, your extra assignments will start the week after graduation. We're delighted that we have finally found the agent we need to take on some particularly challenging missions. You'll be well compensated."

With a last smile for me, Legato slid his hand across my cheek with an affectionate caress, sent an erotic image through our empathic link and I got hard again. What the hell was he doing to me? I heard his velvet laughter echo in my mind.

Nick had turned out of the wind to light a cigarette. I wondered if he had noticed the movement in my pants. I touched his emotions through our link. He had noticed both times and he was in pain from it. Though his face was a mask as he smoked, his heart ached and he was very close to tears.

I didn't care who was watching. I took the cigarette from his fingers and tossed it into the sand. I pulled him into my arms, put my lips on his and kissed him until I felt the knot in his heart unclench and the pain melted away. But then I didn't want to stop as he responded to my feelings, and I lost track of time and place until there was nothing else in the world except the moment of communion.

Finally I heard a sigh and my concentration broke.

"Man, that is just sick," I heard E.G. Mine say.

"They're in love," said Ned Pitts.

I opened my eyes and saw the wide eyes of all the students in the four o'clock class fixed on Nick and me.

Nick and I blushed and so did the students. Even Grey Nine-Lives.

The awkward moment lasted an eternity.

Finally, Nick put on his best business as usual face and announced to the class, "Let's head back to the school room and in five minutes or half an hour, which ever comes first, I will teach you everything I know about writing emergency field reports. It will be a very short class. Guaranteed. Then you can spend the rest of the afternoon doing whatever you want."

Somehow the moment of embarrassment ended. We went back to the classroom and Nick managed to pare his lecture down from five minutes to less than a minute. It was direct and to the point, like Nick at his straightforward best.

"Who, what, when , where, why. Always give a contact address and make sure the money you recover is secure. That's it in a nutshell. Class dismissed. Enjoy your afternoon."

Afterwards on the way back to our apartments, I said to Nick, "I'm sorry about what happened but I couldn't help it. It's Legato again. I hoped he'd leave me alone, but he's still messing with my mind."

"Mine, too," said Nick in a troubled tone.

"I love you, you know," I said and reached out to squeeze his hand.

"I know," he said.

"Don't let it get to you."

"I'll try," he said.