Tears of Crimson
Authors Note: I recommend you tube, Cowboy Bebop Memory and play as you read about Vicious's thoughts...see you out there, someday, somewhere!
Vicious gripped the sheath of the blade...gripped it tight, tighter as though he wished to snap his beloved Katana in half. The pale, shell of man who's heart was a fiery inferno of anger that only one woman and one man had ever quenched. Quenched, the only two people who had ever made his bloodlust and anger manageable, they were gone. All that was left was this, a burning anger that left his soul a parched and his life empty. All he could do was murder; he had no other purpose in life and without the aforementioned people, sought no other purpose. The Red Dragon Syndicate was Vicious's life, to kill was his purpose and he could not die until He came home. Vicious was a dead man, he died when his friends left him. He had died inside, yet he had lived on-dreams and nightmares haunted him always, he was kept awake by them, literally them. Spike's gun fire, Julia perfume and smile...it was all so real and full, yet he always died in the dreams and came back to the dream world, where Spike and Julia were gone...and all that was left was this half life...
Julia...
The first time he'd met her, they'd worked together-she had lured the target, he had eliminated him. That night, at the hotel, he had taken her. He hadn't asked, he'd just removed her clothes, with a little force and taken her. Julia hadn't resisted or assisted him, she simply allowed Vicious his savage passion after the kill. When Julia orgasmed, it was nearly silent. In the morning he rose wordlessly, she awoke to him staring at her naked body under the sheets. When she sat up her blonde hair cascaded over her breasts. She had smiled sadly, and dressed and they had left. It had gone on for sometime like that, sometimes Julia did encourage his savagery and enjoyed herself. Most of the time, it was just Vicious's loveless sex, Julia's joyless orgasm and so much missing that could of been...day after day, mission after mission. If someone asked Vicious did he care for her...the answer was no. Yet he needed her all the same, because without her he could not fulfil desire or feel whole, no other women could make him feel like he did, having sex after the kill.
Spike...
The first time they'd met was in battle, a sparing match. It was there and then that He and Spike had decided that only they could, were allowed by universal law, to kill each other. They had cut down armies of men, hundreds over their careers either by the sword, gun or fist. It mattered not, together they were unstoppable and grew both famous and for their rank considerably wealthy. The two warriors, best friends, inspired fear and awe wherever they went, yet their friendship was a complex one. More than simple emotion, they were kindred spirits and for a time life for Vicious had never been better. Spike had been wounded, Vicious had cared enough to take Spike to Julia...he started it all. The first time in life he cared for another, had led ultimately to his undoing. Despite the fact they were so close to becoming Elders of the Syndicate, despite the promises of honour, wealth and glory Spike had abandoned him. All theirs plans, ruined because of what Spike and Julia called love. Then he was left alone, he barely ate or slept. He had...still considered Spike a brother, yet he was consumed by icy, bitter hate. Spike betrayed him. Spike took Julia. Spike threw me to the dogs, when we we're about to take over...the Elder's had known...
The Elders (The Corpses)
After Spike and Julia had left, they'd watched him constantly-sent spies to "assist" Vicious, when they and He knew he needed none. Most of these assistants wound up dead, which suited Vicious just fine. Then they had, quite simply, stopped giving him mission and gone on and on about the general will of the clan, how they were the mighty dragon and he the meagre snake...he'd kept quiet, stared blankly but the effort not to cut them down there on then nearly drove him insane...when he and Spike had been so close...then the fools ordered Vicious to Titan, expecting him to die. They had sat, pompous and arrogant ordering him on "death missions" endlessly...they did not understand; only Spike could kill Vicious. They ordered the assassination of Spike's mentor, knowing it would draw their last hope out of hiding, to save them. The fools...
Vicious sat, eyes closed. Julia, Spike...please...please tell me it's all just a dream...
I'm gonna carry that weight a long time...