Nikki Tikki Tavi: The Brave Little Mongoose
"Buenos Dias Senorita. Como Estas?"
My eyes slowly fluttered open. As I drifted back to consciousness my senses were overwhelmed by the color white. Even the bed clothes I wore were white. My body was clean and my wounds were dressed.
What is this place?
The last thing I recalled was a gun shot and Valentine's corpse crashing down beside me. The radiant woman, Sofie, had knelt down adjacent to me. That's when I blacked out. I replayed the scene, over and over, in my mind. I still couldn't make any sense of it.
Then it hit me. My body was no longer in pain, and I was surrounded by purity. I was dead. I had to be. There was no other explanation.
Fuck!
I had gone through all of that crap for nothing! All the years of training, and all the world wide galavanting, had been for diddly squat.
Oh god, what about my Aunt, and Kenny? Do they know that I'm dead?
They were the only two people that I could think about. They were the only two people in the world that I loved. My eyes began to mount with tears.
I must be in hell then. You aren't supposed to be sad in heaven.
I slowly turned my head to the side and felt a sharp crick in my neck. It quickly subsided. I breathed a sigh of relief. If I could still feel pain then apparently I was alive. Thankfully, that was enough to stifle my premature grieving.
When my vision was fully restored I spied the form of a portly little old woman. She was sitting on the left hand side of my bed. Her skin was very tan, and her hair was the color of cotton. The lady's wrinkled skin made her look like a Chinese Sharpei. Her smile radiated warmth and serenity. I smiled back at her.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Am I dead? Is this heaven?" I croaked, making sure that I wasn't actually dead. My voice was a little weak. I was so physically exhausted that I could hardly speak.
The little old woman threw her head back and laughed, "Oh no senorita! You are far from dead. But this place is as close to heaven as you will come on Earth, I can assure you of that."
She said.
"Where am I?"
"You are in Austin, Texas still."
"How long have I been here?"
"fourteen days."
"Fourteen days?!" I gasped. I tried to sit up, but plopped back down.
"Be careful! You were completely unconscious all that time. You need to get your strength back up."
"Who are you?" I slowly raised myself up and scrutinized my surroundings. They were absolutely exquisite. The room, like the motel I had been in, was immaculately white. The floor was made of oak, and the finish on it was spectacular. And to my right was a huge picture window that led into a beautiful garden. I was astounded. It was like staring into a life like portrait.
"My name is Mama Esperanza. I have worked here for quite a few years now. I am a professional nurse and my employers made sure that you recieved the best of care. You were on an IV for the first few days. I don't see how you kept going as long as you did, senorita! Your body was exhausted!"
I know, if I was at my peak I would have killed Valentine myself. I can't let that happen again.
"Who are your employers?" I asked.
Just as Mama Esperanza was about to speak the door to my room creaked open...
"That would be me." Suddenly the woman at the motel, the one who saved my life, Sofie Fatale, walked in. Her long hair was pulled back in a braided ponytail this time. She was dressed in a green silken Kimono and sandles. Her face was bare, but her skin was flawless. She looked just as stunning without makeup as she did with it on.
She pushed the door open and wheeled a tray of food in, all with her right hand. I don't know why I noticed that, but it seemed kind of strange.
"Oh good morning Ms. Fatale!" Said Mama Esperanza, "You should not be doing that."
"It's fine mama. You may leave us. I would like to talk to Nikki alone for a moment."
Said Sofie.
How in the hell does she know my name?
Mama Esperanza left the room and shut the door behind her. Sofie wheeled the cart towards my bed, and hoisted the tray up--with one hand--and placed it in front of me. "I brought you some soup. I just happened to be watching you on the kitchen monitor. You healed up better than I thought you would." She smiled.
I looked at the soup for a moment, and then back at Sofie. I wasn't sure if I wanted to eat it. There could have been cyanide in it.
Sofie smirked, "Honey, if I wanted you dead you would be. You have been immobile, in my house, for two weeks. Trust me, the soup is safe."
"Trusting people has gotten me into a helluva lot of trouble, lately." I whispered.
"I completely understand. How do you feel?" she asked.
"Good." I picked up my spoon and swallowed some of the soup. It tasted great! Before I knew it I was almost finished. I looked back at Sofie who was watching me intently,
"How did you know my name, my real name?"
"I knew Vernita...You look alot like her."
I dropped my spoon on the tray. An eerie cloak of silence enveloped the room, "How?"
"We worked together for a while, for Bill. I'm sure you've heard that name by now."
"Yeah..." Silence settled between us, once again, "Why did you save me that night? It was you who sent me that sword, wasn't it?"
"Yes and no. I saved you because I have a score to settle with her as well..."
Sofie's faced turned banefully serious.
"Beatrix Kiddo." I whispered.
Sofie nodded her head, yes.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"That, you will have to discuss with my consort."
I looked at my tray and acknowledged a bottle of orange juice. I went to unscrew the cap. It didn't yield. I was so tired that I couldn't make my grip strong enough.
"Allow me to do that for you." Sofie reached for the bottle, and unscrewed the cap like it was nothing.
I noticed that she did it with her right hand again, no movement of her left whatsoever,
" Is something wrong with your left arm?"
"Yes, I'm disabled."
"You don't look disabled to me, not the way you handle a shot gun."
Suddenly, Sofie reached for her left shoulder. I heard what sounded like a click, and then it fell off! My jaw plunged. Calm came over me after observing that it was only a prosthesis.
"Amazing how the body adapts..." She mused, "Considering that I used to be left handed I think I've done okay for myself."
"How did you lose your arm?" I asked, already knowing the answer to my own question.
"She hacked it off...With her Honzo sword."
"Oh my god..."
"That, and she killed my best friend, O-Ren Ishii. All in the same night." Sofie's voice dripped with venom. She hated Beatrix almost as much as I did, if not more. She didn't have to say it. I could feel it.
"No offense, but what does that have to do with me? Why did you bring me here?"
Sofie smiled, "Come with me. I want you to meet my associate." She said.
Sofie's house was like something out of a dream. I compared it to the Elven castles in The Lord Of The Rings films. Everything wascomposed in Earthy tones and white. I felt like a character inside of a fairy story. The home gave me the feeling of serenity. I felt safe there.
I was weak, but well enough to get out of bed and walk. Sofie and I wandered through the winding corridors for several minutes(the house was huge). The exercise was good for me. I felt my strength come back ever so slowly.
We arrived at a room with two large double doors. Sofie reached for the handle and slowly opened them up. I was awestruck!
The dining room reminded me of an old southern plantation hideaway. Like my bedroom, the dining hall had a huge picture window that peered out into the garden. The oak table, that sat dead center, had to be, atleast, fifteen feet long. It was drapped with a lovely lace table cloth. Above it was a sparkling chandelier. I was enamored by the wealth and opulence of the house. I felt honored to be there.
At the head of the table, in the first seat in front of us, sat a lone figure. The chair was soenormous that I couldn't see who it was.
"Sofie, dear, is that you?" It was a woman's voice. Sofie smiled and meandered to her.
"Yes, it's me. Our guest has finally awakened." Sofie said, rather affectionately.
A slender hand reached out for Sofie and pulled her closer. Sofie smiled and gently kissed the other woman on the mouth.
It wasn't just a friendly kiss. This was a boyfriend/girlfriend kiss. Except, it was two women. I cringed for a moment. I'm not homophobic or anything, but it just weirds me out whenever I see two women kissing. Sofie and her partner made out for several seconds. I started to wonder whether or not it was for my benefit.
I was sort of shocked. Sofie did not strike me as a lesbian.
Sofie took the chair beside her lover. I stood there, wondering if they had forgotten about me.
"Nikki, come have a seat." The other woman said.
I slowly approached the table, and took the chair across from Sofie. That is when I beheld the other woman. She was gorgeous too, in a Norse Viking sort of way. The first thing that captured me was her long blonde hair. The reflecting sun gave it the aura of golden silk. Her eyes were piercing blue, cold and lifeless.They almost looked like glass.
She wasn't a classically beautiful woman, like Sofie. Her features were stern, and slightly masculine. But there was an undeniable allure about her. It was intimidating. She looked commanding.
She was eating fresh fruit and bagles, with a large glass of orange juice.
"Well, I guess an introduction is in order." She said. She turned her head towards me, but didn't look me in the eye, "I'm Elle Driver."
"Nikkia Bell--"
"Yes, I know who you are." She interrupted, a guileful smile alighted upon her lips, "By the way, you dropped something the other night." Elle reached towards the right side of her and produced...
"My sword!" I exclaimed. She handed it to me. I clung to it for dear life. It wasn't everyday that someone just gave you a Honzo sword.
"Try and be careful next time. That cost me two million bucks." She said, "Sofie, could you excuse us for a moment? Nikki and I need some time alone. Girl talk."
Sofie stood up, and as she was about to leave Elle pulled her close. She kissed Sofie on the mouth again. When they finally came up for air Sofie smiled,
"Will you come to bed after you two are done?" She asked, coyly.
"Of course." said Elle.
Sofie left the room.
Elle reached into her robe pocket and produced a box of Marlboro cigarettes. She whipped out her lighter and fired one up,
"Mind if I smoke?" Elle asked, as she puffed on the cigarette.
"I guess not." I shrugged. Not like I had much of a choice...
"Thank you for this sword. I always wanted one. Where did you get it from?"
Elle smiled and tapped the cigarette ashes onto her plate, "I bought it off E-bay."
"No way!" I said.
"Yep. You'll be surprised what you can get off the net these days. After Honzo died they started hocking all of his swords left and right. Some ended up in Pawn shops, and the rest went up for auction. Normally, I would have kept that baby for myself; however, since I'm blind it won't do me much good now will it?"
I knew it. Those had to be glass eyes.
"How did you go blind?" I asked trepidatiously.
Elle grunted and dashed her cigarette into the porcelain plate, before lighting up another one, "Okay, let's cut through all the bullshit small talk, Nikki. I brought you here because I want you to do me a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
"A big favor..."
"How big?"
"Gargantuan." Elle paused. She took another drag on her cancer stick before she spoke again, "Alright, since I want you to do this jumbo sized favor for me I figure I owe you an explanation. I'll just be blunt about it: I fucking hate Beatrix Kiddo and I want the bitch dead. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." I started getting nervous. Elle was intimidating, even for a blind woman.
In the assassination world there was always a catch. Nothing was as it seemed. Elle had an ulterior motive. Fortunately, for me, she was blunt and had no shame.
I liked her already.
"You see, Nikki. I ingratiated myself to you because I need you to do something that I can't. I hate Beatrix. That part has already been established. However, I cannot go about the task of doing her in myself..." she sighed, "Because of my condition I am no longer the warrior that I used to be. When your opponent can see and you can't, well that puts you at a slight disadvantage. All these years I've tried to concoct some kind of plan, some kind of method. Finally, you were my last resort--"
"Why? What do you have against her?" I was curious
Suddenly, Elle reached up and plucked both of her eyes out! I nearly vomited right there on the spot, "If someone plucked your eyes out I'm sure you'd want to fuck them up, wouldn't you?" said Elle.
I nodded my head as I covered my mouth...
"Well?!" Elle demanded.
Shit, I forgot she's blind.
"Y-Yes...very much so."
Elle put both of her eyes back in and continued on like nothing weird had happened.
"Did you know my mother?" I furthered.
"Yeah, Bill hired her a few months after me. That old bastard had a thing for the ladies, that was for sure. All of us: Me, O-Ren, Kiddo, and Vernita --"
"Wait, my mother...slept with him?"
"They didn't call him Snake Charmer for nothin, sweetie."
"You too?"
"Yep."
"But, aren't you...like...a lesbian?"
"What tipped you off?" Elle asked sarcastically. She smirked, "Anyway, he recruited Beatrix after he hired all of us. She was an ex-cia spy. Bill thought she added "Profesionalism" to the vipers. It was fucking disgusting the way he fawned all over her. She was a great fucking assassin, I'll give her that. But, she didn't earn shit. All she had to do was bat those blue eyes and Bill would jump through hoops for her. He taught her things that took the rest of us years to learn. She even got Pai Mei to teach her moves that he had never shown anyone else. She was Beyonce and the rest of us were fucking Destiny's Child. Only way I can describe the situation."
"Pai Mei? Pai Mei is a real person?"
"He "was" a real person..." Elle laughed outright at that.
"Why did she go on a killing spree?" I said. I was becoming more relaxed. Elle had a way about her. She was really cool.
"Hold your horses. I'm getting to that part. Well, to make a long story short, Beatrix left our organization and Bill got pissed. You never piss Bill off. That was a rule of thumb. When we located her, at her wedding rehearsal, we killed every motherfucker in the room...including Kiddo. Atleast we thought. So four years later she wakes up and tries to kill all of us. She went after O-Ren and your mother first...Then she tried to kill Budd, but I did that for her. Afterwards she and I got into it, and the bitch blinded me by snatching my other eye out." Elle growled. She angrily snuffed out another cigarette.
"Who pulled the other one out?"
"Pai Mei."
"What happened to him?"
"I killed him. There is a penalty for fucking with me, and he paid the price."
"Look, I have my own issues with her. I don't need yours on top of every--"
"Hush," Elle smiled, "True, you have your own score to settle, I won't deny you that...However, I want you to succeed. I want you to kill that cunt. But, I want the satisfaction of knowing that I helped you to do it, which is why you are here..."
I leaned forward, "Go on..."
"I'm sure you've read the inscription on the sword. Do you know what a Mongoose is, Nikki?" she asked...
"Sorta. They're those little animals that kill snakes..." I shrugged.
"Yes, you have the gist of them. Mongooses are the most peculiar little animals. They are so small, only the size of weasels...Yet, their bravery is parrallel to that of a lion. A mongoose, with no other defense aside from speed, will take on the deadliest venomous snakes in the world. They are so quick. They can run, they can dodge, and they can disorient their potential prey. A mongoose is cunning. It knows that it cannot kill the snake on the first try, however, it relies on its ability to wear its prey down. You know how a mongoose kills? They antagonize the snake and cause him to strike, repeatedly. With swift artful dodges the mongoose makes the serpent expend energy. When the snake gets exhausted the Mongoose crushes its skull within its tiny jaws. Have you ever read the story of Rikki Tikki Tavi, by Rudyard Kipling, Nikki?"
"A longtime ago, in elementary school..."
"Oh, then I need to refresh your memory. The story was about a little Mongoose named Rikki Tikki Tavi. Rikki was invited to live in the home of a human family, fortunately for them. Just outside the house lived two Cobras, Nag and Nagaina. The two Cobras were hell bent on destroying the lives of everyone in the house just so they could lay their eggs. Snakes are cold and calculating animals. However, they were no match for Rikki Tikki who, for the love of his family, slew them all. The family lived happily ever after, as did Rikki Tikki..."
"I don't mean to be rude, but what is the point of this?"
"The point is this!" Elle slammed her fist on the table,"Beatrix is a snake, but you are my mongoose. You are young, strong, fast, and physically able to take her down. That is the point of my little narrative. However, it takes a snake to know another snake...which is where I come in. Nikki, you know how to fight, I will give you that. However, you fight to win...And that isn't good enough. When you fight the goal is to crush your opponent, just as the Mongoose does. I can teach you how to fight to kill."
"How, did you find out about me?"
"I told Snitch to make me aware of anyone who had a beef with Kiddo. Whoever claimed that Honzo sword was my Mongoose. Ironically, I never thought it would be you. What a small world." Elle continued. "I won't even pretend that your mother and I were close. We weren't, but no child should have to watch his or her mother die."
"Don't act like you're concerned. You just want me to kill her for you."
"Damn straight I do, however, I am concerned about you. If Beatrix is going to die, then whoever does the task has to do it efficiently. I want you to win. I want you to crush her fucking skull into paste."
"I know how to fight..."
Elle tossed her head back and laughed, "You got your ass waxed by a second tier assassin! If It hadn't been for Sofie then you would be six feet under right now!" Elle puffed on another cigarette, "Yeah, you know how to fight, from what I hear, but the difference between you and Kiddo is...You'll be looking for the best way to take her down, but she knows every vital pressure point on your body. Points that you do not even know about. Beatrix knows how to kill. That is the difference between a warrior and a killer. This is serious business now, little mongoose. If you are going to get the snake out of the garden you need the proper tools...I can show you the way."
"How can you teach me to fight when she defeated you as well!"
"Fuck you!" Elle screamed. Suddenly, I felt my wind pipe being crushed! Elle's grip around my throatfelt like an ironvice. Try as I might I couldn't break free, "I may be blind, but with enough pressure applied I could collapse your trachea, and let you die of asphyxiation."
With that Elle let me go. I gasped for breath...
"Okay... say I allow you to teach me...What is in it for me? How will it benefit me?"
"Aside from turning you into the deadliest woman in the world, I can point you in the right direction...I know where Beatrix is."
"You do? Where?!"
"Ah, ah, ah, Mongoose...A favor for a favor. You live here, with me, for one year, and I teach you everything that I know...In exchange I will give you the Black Mamba. Do we have a deal?"
"Wait, a year? I can't stay here for a year...Can I atleast get in contact with my family and friends?"
"Hell no! This location is secluded. Look Nikki, you've chosen the life of an assassin, now you have to follow the rules of one. Invisibility is your number one priority, now."
"I'm not an assassin..."
Elle giggled, "Uhm, the last time I checked going to kill someone was assassination. Stop deluding yourself. Your motive is revenge, no more no less...But, luckily for you I am in a giving mood. So, do we have a deal or not?"
"Okay...on one condition." I said.
"What?"
"You let me write a letter to my aunt and boyfriend." I said.
"Alright, one letter. I suggest doing it soon. Now, go get some more rest and relaxation. Next week your training begins. I'll make a mongoose out of you yet."
I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I was ready. I waited over a decade to get revenge on Black Mamba, what was another year.
To Everyone who asked about Sofie's arm: This is to everyone who wondered about how Sofie was able to fire a shotgun. I saw the original movie(several times), and it looked--to me--that she still had an arm left(excuse the pun). My mistake. However, this is a fanfiction so please allow to self indulge. >)
Furthermore, I hope no one was thrown off by Elle and Sofie being lesbians(lol). I just thought that would make an interesting twist. Also, Elle seemed very commanding and authoritative in the movie. She kind of gave me a lesbian vibe. And I always assumed that O-Ren and Sofie were more than just "friends." (hehehe).
Once again, a thanks to everyone who is reading!