Spike blasted off in his usual sleek fashion. Something was different, though.
He felt tense, and for no particularly reason. Was it the money... or was it
Something else? He ignored his conscience and furthered to reach Io.
Meanwhile, Faye strolled down the decaying neighborhood. Beaten down
by the sun, she soon tired, but she had to find something on Ciere.
Tired and excruciatingly uncomfortable, Faye finally decided it
was time for a rest. She leaned against a brick wall, then sliding down to the ground.
Across the street, she saw a dark haired man wink at her and flash a smile. She
glared at him, and looked to her right.
Her ears suddenly perked at the sound of booted feet nearing her. She checked in the
direction of the sound, and saw two leather boots. She looked up, the silhouette of the same
man looking down at her. He offered his hand, but she stood without any help. He laughed
lightly at her pride.
"I'm Arlo," he introduced. Arlo had dark eyes that matched his hair, and healthy, tanned skin.
By his accent, Faye could tell her was from Europe. Europe... she had been there once...
about 54 years ago.
"Faye." she replied curtly. Couldn't he see she was busy? He laughed again. His
chuckles annoyed her. Laughing at Faye was Spike's job.
"What are you doing here?" he asked with curiosity.
"I'm..." she started, not knowing what to say next. "I'm
part of a ship's crew," she explained. She didn't lie, but she didn't exactly
tell the truth either.
"Oh. What ship?" Arlo asked, genuinely interested.
"The Be...... the Bebop," she stammered. Her usual biting sarcasm wasn't with her.
Was it the authentic aura this man had?
"You look tired. Care for some tea?" he asked.
Faye mentally snorted. Tea? Men drank tea now?
"I was thinking of something else..." she said.
"If you're looking for anything flavoured," Arlo emphasized "flavoured", as if he suspected
Faye had a rather sinister thirst, "there's polluted water that you're free to drink to.
We can only drink hot beverages in Io."
"How do these people live?" she wondered, in an air of stupor which was broken by Arlo.
"Come," he beckoned. She slowly followed him, tea was a drink, and she was already parched.
"What are you really?" asked Arlo, pulling at his tea bag.
"Huh?" Faye's spoon clanged onto the table.
"You said you were a crew member on the ship. I don't believe you."
Faye gulped. Confrontation.
"I'm... a bounty huntress." She confessed, hanging her head.
"I suspected that of you," Arlo replied.
Faye looked up, giving him a reproachful glare.
The two halted their conversation, their quaint tea party silent and
strange.
"D-do you happen to know anyone named Ciere?" Faye suddenly asked.
"Ciere? Sounds like the tycoon."
"What business?"
"That question obviously came from a foreigner." Arlo smirked. "The only reason Io
is even populated is because of its convenience. Cheap rides to anyplace, they allow for great
trades to take place. Trades are unmonitored. You might say Io is the middleman. Or planet.
Ciere is the owner of XTRADE, a popular trading depot."
"Are you sure?" Faye asked. Certainly, a tycoon could not be a master serial killer.
"Of course. Ciere is a lovely person."
With the last words, Arlo left, slapping enough woolongs to pay for the two cups of tea.
Faye was left clueless.
Spike spotted the ultra-violet moon. He prepared for landing, finding an empty parking lot.
He made his way into the nearest café, slumping down in a booth. Behind him were two shady
characters storming up an attention grabbing chat.
He felt tense, and for no particularly reason. Was it the money... or was it
Something else? He ignored his conscience and furthered to reach Io.
Meanwhile, Faye strolled down the decaying neighborhood. Beaten down
by the sun, she soon tired, but she had to find something on Ciere.
Tired and excruciatingly uncomfortable, Faye finally decided it
was time for a rest. She leaned against a brick wall, then sliding down to the ground.
Across the street, she saw a dark haired man wink at her and flash a smile. She
glared at him, and looked to her right.
Her ears suddenly perked at the sound of booted feet nearing her. She checked in the
direction of the sound, and saw two leather boots. She looked up, the silhouette of the same
man looking down at her. He offered his hand, but she stood without any help. He laughed
lightly at her pride.
"I'm Arlo," he introduced. Arlo had dark eyes that matched his hair, and healthy, tanned skin.
By his accent, Faye could tell her was from Europe. Europe... she had been there once...
about 54 years ago.
"Faye." she replied curtly. Couldn't he see she was busy? He laughed again. His
chuckles annoyed her. Laughing at Faye was Spike's job.
"What are you doing here?" he asked with curiosity.
"I'm..." she started, not knowing what to say next. "I'm
part of a ship's crew," she explained. She didn't lie, but she didn't exactly
tell the truth either.
"Oh. What ship?" Arlo asked, genuinely interested.
"The Be...... the Bebop," she stammered. Her usual biting sarcasm wasn't with her.
Was it the authentic aura this man had?
"You look tired. Care for some tea?" he asked.
Faye mentally snorted. Tea? Men drank tea now?
"I was thinking of something else..." she said.
"If you're looking for anything flavoured," Arlo emphasized "flavoured", as if he suspected
Faye had a rather sinister thirst, "there's polluted water that you're free to drink to.
We can only drink hot beverages in Io."
"How do these people live?" she wondered, in an air of stupor which was broken by Arlo.
"Come," he beckoned. She slowly followed him, tea was a drink, and she was already parched.
"What are you really?" asked Arlo, pulling at his tea bag.
"Huh?" Faye's spoon clanged onto the table.
"You said you were a crew member on the ship. I don't believe you."
Faye gulped. Confrontation.
"I'm... a bounty huntress." She confessed, hanging her head.
"I suspected that of you," Arlo replied.
Faye looked up, giving him a reproachful glare.
The two halted their conversation, their quaint tea party silent and
strange.
"D-do you happen to know anyone named Ciere?" Faye suddenly asked.
"Ciere? Sounds like the tycoon."
"What business?"
"That question obviously came from a foreigner." Arlo smirked. "The only reason Io
is even populated is because of its convenience. Cheap rides to anyplace, they allow for great
trades to take place. Trades are unmonitored. You might say Io is the middleman. Or planet.
Ciere is the owner of XTRADE, a popular trading depot."
"Are you sure?" Faye asked. Certainly, a tycoon could not be a master serial killer.
"Of course. Ciere is a lovely person."
With the last words, Arlo left, slapping enough woolongs to pay for the two cups of tea.
Faye was left clueless.
Spike spotted the ultra-violet moon. He prepared for landing, finding an empty parking lot.
He made his way into the nearest café, slumping down in a booth. Behind him were two shady
characters storming up an attention grabbing chat.