Don't Be Afraid
Chapter 3: Lead Me
"Have you seen this man?"
"WHAAAAAH!" The small child wailed as her mother pulled away from Jet. "Leave us alone you creep!"
Jet sighed and scratched his head. Was he really that scary? He'd spent the past two days walking around Io looking for clues without much luck. Looking towards the sky he sighed again. "I hope Faye's doing better'n me."
"Are you serious? You really know Spike?!" Faye gaped at the woman before her. She had simple features and a soft smile. Her dark brown hair fell just above her shoulders.
"Yes, that's right." The woman answered. "Are you looking for him?" Faye nodded silently, still in shock that she had actually found something. "May I see that picture?" the woman asked. Faye handed it over slowly. "So this is what he looks like..."
Faye cocked her brow confused. "I thought you said you knew him."
"Yes, but I was blind at the time. There are spores on this planet which are dangerous to certain people and I'm one of them. For a very long time I was unable to see, but I was treated and I am now able to see this man who I once knew only in my minds eye."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Stella. If it wasn't for Spike, I doubt I'd be able to see you right now."
"I see. When was the last time you saw... er... were with him."
"It was some time ago, at least a year."
"Oh..." Faye's face fell with obvious disappointment. Stella smiled at her warmly.
"Would you like a cup of tea? It might help you relax and though I may not be able to help you, I can provide a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen."
Faye stared at Stella, an eerie feeling of calmness overcoming her. She nodded and followed Stella as she began to walk away.
"I see, so even the pure of heart like Spike have pasts they wish to escape..."
Faye nodded, having just told Stella about Spike and who he was. "The past... Yeah, just a shadow of his past... That's all Spike was."
"Is that all?" Stella asked gently. Surprised by her question Faye's head jerked slightly. Facing downward she closed her eyes.
"Yes, that's all." She answered, fighting her emotions. She sat motionless until she felt Stella's hand come to rest on her shoulder.
"You should never say that of one you know." Stella told her.
"Why not?" Faye retorted somewhat harshly. "That's all he is, all he was. He refused the stop living in his past! He'd never see the people in front of him, only the ones he was running from... or looking for. Never us..." Tears slowly began running down her cheeks as she continued to stare down at the floor. Stella smiled reassuringly even though she knew Faye couldn't see her.
"Your hair was a little shorter before, wasn't it?"
"Huh?" Faye looked up in surprise. True, she hadn't gotten her hair cut in a while and it had grown an inch or so, but how did she know?
"Spike told me about you when he was here. You see, he might have been living in the past, but he was living in the present as well. You should never doubt that." Faye wiped her eyes and nodded while Stella continued to speak. "Now, that leaves only the matter of finding what you have lost." She closed her eyes, contemplating. "Whenever I've lost something I return home and begin there. Perhaps that may help."
Faye stood, stretching out. "Yeah, but we've already spent so much time searching Mars for him."
"That's where Spike is from? And what about you? Is that your home as well?"
Faye started blankly, the words turning over in her mind. "You're right. I have to go now." She said quickly, making her way to the door. Stella smiled back, silently wishing the woman luck.
"Earth, how could I not think of that before?" Faye thought, starting up the Red Tail. That place is so decrepit no one ever goes there." A melancholy feeling filled her heart but it left quickly. She'd accepted that her past was gone, and that her home lay in rubble. Now wasn't the time to focus on that.
In a matter of hours she'd touched down on the battered planet she had once called home. She chose one of the greener areas of the planet since there would likely be more people there. Reaching the nearest town she immediately began her usual pattern.
"Have you seen this man?... Alright, thanks anyway."
"Have you heard of Spike Spiegel? Here's his picture... Oh, alright. No problem."
"Do you know this guy? Name's Spike Spiegel... Never mind then."
Things were looking hopeless again. Desperate for comfort she headed to the only place s he could think of. Staring at the lion fountain head and the rolling waters she let out a deep sigh. So many people lost... She didn't want him to become another one.
She had been sitting there for close to an hour when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning Faye saw a young girl walking towards her. The girl stopped a few feet away and stared.
"Are you lost or something kid?"
The girl shook her head no and continued to stare.
"Then what do you want?"
"You have purple hair."
"So?"
"I've never seen that before."
"Oh..." Rolling her eyes, Faye leaned back on her elbows. Relishing the warm breeze she pulled out Spike's photo and began staring out it. Lost in thought she barely noticed the little girl leaning over her.
"How do you know the ice man?"
"What are you talking about?" Faye asked lazily, the heat of the sun slowly tiring her.
"That picture. It's the ice guy, isn't it? He brings ices to the center."
Faye sat up straight and turned to the girl. "You're saying you know this guy?" She asked skeptically, holding out the photo. The girl smiled and nodded. Faye immediately stood up, putting the photo back. "Can you show me where he is?" With a small laugh the girl nodded again, then took off running. Faye followed behind her, running so hard her chest hurt.
It seemed like an eternity before they reached a large brown stone building.
"This is the center." The girl told her. "They have food and games n' stuff for kids here."
"And you're saying Spike... err, the ice man is here?"
"Uh huh."
Stepping inside a number of children and adults turned to face them. "Hi Mari!" One of the boys greeted the girl. One of the adults came over to see what was going on.
"Hey there Mari." She greeted, bending down to face the girl. "I didn't think you were coming today. Is this your friend?"
Mari nodded, taking Faye's hand. "She's here to see the ice guy."
"Oh really? Is that so?" The young woman straightened up to face Faye, giving her a quick look-over while Faye did the same. The girl looked to be in her early twenties, copper hair and freckles on her cheeks, she was the poster child of innocence compared to Faye.
"Yes, that's so." Faye answered. "And if you don't mind I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"Well what do you think; that he lives here?" The girl laughed haughtily in a tone that grated on Faye's nerves and conveyed a tone of arrogance.
"No I don't think that." Faye replied in a huff. "But I need to know when he's gonna be here. It's important."
"And what are you to him that makes it so important?" The red-haired girl stared hard and if it weren't for all the children around Faye would've smacked her right across the face.
Before their "discussion" could go any further, an older woman came to join them. Mari quickly explained the situation while Faye and her new found enemy argued silently. The woman smiled with understanding and approached Faye.
"So you know the young man without a name, hm?" Faye looked at the woman silently so she continued. "He came in out of no where one day, claiming to have no name, no past and no present. Just another man trying to hide on the forgotten planet. He went out for supplies this morning, but he should be back soon."
Faye smiled, ecstatic about the fact that she'd finally found a good lead, and in a matter of hours she would be reunited with her lost comrade.
DON'T CRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER,
SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED...
Chapter 3: Lead Me
"Have you seen this man?"
"WHAAAAAH!" The small child wailed as her mother pulled away from Jet. "Leave us alone you creep!"
Jet sighed and scratched his head. Was he really that scary? He'd spent the past two days walking around Io looking for clues without much luck. Looking towards the sky he sighed again. "I hope Faye's doing better'n me."
"Are you serious? You really know Spike?!" Faye gaped at the woman before her. She had simple features and a soft smile. Her dark brown hair fell just above her shoulders.
"Yes, that's right." The woman answered. "Are you looking for him?" Faye nodded silently, still in shock that she had actually found something. "May I see that picture?" the woman asked. Faye handed it over slowly. "So this is what he looks like..."
Faye cocked her brow confused. "I thought you said you knew him."
"Yes, but I was blind at the time. There are spores on this planet which are dangerous to certain people and I'm one of them. For a very long time I was unable to see, but I was treated and I am now able to see this man who I once knew only in my minds eye."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Stella. If it wasn't for Spike, I doubt I'd be able to see you right now."
"I see. When was the last time you saw... er... were with him."
"It was some time ago, at least a year."
"Oh..." Faye's face fell with obvious disappointment. Stella smiled at her warmly.
"Would you like a cup of tea? It might help you relax and though I may not be able to help you, I can provide a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen."
Faye stared at Stella, an eerie feeling of calmness overcoming her. She nodded and followed Stella as she began to walk away.
"I see, so even the pure of heart like Spike have pasts they wish to escape..."
Faye nodded, having just told Stella about Spike and who he was. "The past... Yeah, just a shadow of his past... That's all Spike was."
"Is that all?" Stella asked gently. Surprised by her question Faye's head jerked slightly. Facing downward she closed her eyes.
"Yes, that's all." She answered, fighting her emotions. She sat motionless until she felt Stella's hand come to rest on her shoulder.
"You should never say that of one you know." Stella told her.
"Why not?" Faye retorted somewhat harshly. "That's all he is, all he was. He refused the stop living in his past! He'd never see the people in front of him, only the ones he was running from... or looking for. Never us..." Tears slowly began running down her cheeks as she continued to stare down at the floor. Stella smiled reassuringly even though she knew Faye couldn't see her.
"Your hair was a little shorter before, wasn't it?"
"Huh?" Faye looked up in surprise. True, she hadn't gotten her hair cut in a while and it had grown an inch or so, but how did she know?
"Spike told me about you when he was here. You see, he might have been living in the past, but he was living in the present as well. You should never doubt that." Faye wiped her eyes and nodded while Stella continued to speak. "Now, that leaves only the matter of finding what you have lost." She closed her eyes, contemplating. "Whenever I've lost something I return home and begin there. Perhaps that may help."
Faye stood, stretching out. "Yeah, but we've already spent so much time searching Mars for him."
"That's where Spike is from? And what about you? Is that your home as well?"
Faye started blankly, the words turning over in her mind. "You're right. I have to go now." She said quickly, making her way to the door. Stella smiled back, silently wishing the woman luck.
"Earth, how could I not think of that before?" Faye thought, starting up the Red Tail. That place is so decrepit no one ever goes there." A melancholy feeling filled her heart but it left quickly. She'd accepted that her past was gone, and that her home lay in rubble. Now wasn't the time to focus on that.
In a matter of hours she'd touched down on the battered planet she had once called home. She chose one of the greener areas of the planet since there would likely be more people there. Reaching the nearest town she immediately began her usual pattern.
"Have you seen this man?... Alright, thanks anyway."
"Have you heard of Spike Spiegel? Here's his picture... Oh, alright. No problem."
"Do you know this guy? Name's Spike Spiegel... Never mind then."
Things were looking hopeless again. Desperate for comfort she headed to the only place s he could think of. Staring at the lion fountain head and the rolling waters she let out a deep sigh. So many people lost... She didn't want him to become another one.
She had been sitting there for close to an hour when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning Faye saw a young girl walking towards her. The girl stopped a few feet away and stared.
"Are you lost or something kid?"
The girl shook her head no and continued to stare.
"Then what do you want?"
"You have purple hair."
"So?"
"I've never seen that before."
"Oh..." Rolling her eyes, Faye leaned back on her elbows. Relishing the warm breeze she pulled out Spike's photo and began staring out it. Lost in thought she barely noticed the little girl leaning over her.
"How do you know the ice man?"
"What are you talking about?" Faye asked lazily, the heat of the sun slowly tiring her.
"That picture. It's the ice guy, isn't it? He brings ices to the center."
Faye sat up straight and turned to the girl. "You're saying you know this guy?" She asked skeptically, holding out the photo. The girl smiled and nodded. Faye immediately stood up, putting the photo back. "Can you show me where he is?" With a small laugh the girl nodded again, then took off running. Faye followed behind her, running so hard her chest hurt.
It seemed like an eternity before they reached a large brown stone building.
"This is the center." The girl told her. "They have food and games n' stuff for kids here."
"And you're saying Spike... err, the ice man is here?"
"Uh huh."
Stepping inside a number of children and adults turned to face them. "Hi Mari!" One of the boys greeted the girl. One of the adults came over to see what was going on.
"Hey there Mari." She greeted, bending down to face the girl. "I didn't think you were coming today. Is this your friend?"
Mari nodded, taking Faye's hand. "She's here to see the ice guy."
"Oh really? Is that so?" The young woman straightened up to face Faye, giving her a quick look-over while Faye did the same. The girl looked to be in her early twenties, copper hair and freckles on her cheeks, she was the poster child of innocence compared to Faye.
"Yes, that's so." Faye answered. "And if you don't mind I'm in a bit of a hurry."
"Well what do you think; that he lives here?" The girl laughed haughtily in a tone that grated on Faye's nerves and conveyed a tone of arrogance.
"No I don't think that." Faye replied in a huff. "But I need to know when he's gonna be here. It's important."
"And what are you to him that makes it so important?" The red-haired girl stared hard and if it weren't for all the children around Faye would've smacked her right across the face.
Before their "discussion" could go any further, an older woman came to join them. Mari quickly explained the situation while Faye and her new found enemy argued silently. The woman smiled with understanding and approached Faye.
"So you know the young man without a name, hm?" Faye looked at the woman silently so she continued. "He came in out of no where one day, claiming to have no name, no past and no present. Just another man trying to hide on the forgotten planet. He went out for supplies this morning, but he should be back soon."
Faye smiled, ecstatic about the fact that she'd finally found a good lead, and in a matter of hours she would be reunited with her lost comrade.
DON'T CRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER,
SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED...