Author's Note: This is entirely AU. Julia, an ex-scientist, is engaged to Vicious, they haven't met Spike and the gang yet and the Syndicate doesn't exist. Basically, my version of Bebop.
Vicious, a dark figure on the balcony overlooking the expansive gardens, was deep in thought, the moonlight reflecting his pale hair so it shone like silver. He bowed his head, his long fringe covering his eyes, thinking of the night to come, the Spring Masquerade Ball, where everyone of social significance was invited and it promised to be an evening to remember.
"Vicious.........?" Behind him, Julia stepped out onto the balcony behind him and laid a delicate hand on his black-clad shoulder. He could smell her beautiful perfume, one of lavender that he had bought her as a Christmas gift in Paris, seemingly a long time ago. He turned around, dislodging her hand from his arm. Before she could take it back, he grasped it within his own.
"Julia." Tenderly brushing his lips across her fingers, he bowed low and gracefully to her and a flicker of a smile crossed his lips. Covering a small giggle with her free hand she removed the other from his grasp. Vicious straightened and gave her a questioning look, serious once more.
"What did you want?" He asked. Casting her eyes bashfully to the floor, she nodded once, turned and motioned for him to follow her inside. He followed her into the dining room, slightly bemused and Julia glanced back to make sure that he was coming. Walking behind her through the doors into the entrance hall, he barely had time to register the men in black suits before the butt of a gun crashed down onto the back of his skull. The last fleeting image he saw was Julia, her eyes wide, staring at him as he collapsed to the floor.
When he came to, the first thing he did was try to remember why he was lying down. Recalling the events that had happened right after he had followed Julia into the entrance hall, he gingerly put his hand to the back of his head and felt a huge lump there where he had been hit. Looking at his surroundings he was surprised to see that he was lying in the middle of a circular room. Heavy drapes hung over the windows, letting the barest minimum of light through and a couple of candles stood on a huge antique table.
He tried to get up but reconsidered after different coloured spots started to dance in front of his eyes at the enormous effort it seemed to take. It seemed he would have to lie here and wait for whoever had done this to him to show themselves. In the meantime, passing out seemed like a good idea.
Julia glared daggers at the small cowering man in front of her.
"He was not supposed to be harmed! That was part of our agreement!"
"There was nothing else that we could have done!"
"You could have DRUGGED him, you imbecile!" She shouted, blue eyes blazing. The man actually whimpered.
"But there was no guarantee that we wouldn't accidentally kill him or if the drugs would even work!" Julia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"You-!" She broke off as the man tried to edge away. She grabbed his collar and brought him up to her eye level so that his feet levitated about three inches off the floor. For all her petite size, she was deceptively strong. "You can tell your boss that the next time he tries anything like this that the agreement is off and I will NOT get him what he wants." She released the man, who practically ran away through fear for his life.
She looked around the hall. The silent men in their black suits were still watching her, their hands ever present on their guns. Figures, she thought. You can't trust anybody in the line of work that Merric is in.
She only hoped that her little brother wasn't getting out of his depth this time.
Okay, I think this is a little better second time round. Sorry for those who liked the other version better but I just wasn't happy with it because it didn't really flow, you know?
MORT
Vicious, a dark figure on the balcony overlooking the expansive gardens, was deep in thought, the moonlight reflecting his pale hair so it shone like silver. He bowed his head, his long fringe covering his eyes, thinking of the night to come, the Spring Masquerade Ball, where everyone of social significance was invited and it promised to be an evening to remember.
"Vicious.........?" Behind him, Julia stepped out onto the balcony behind him and laid a delicate hand on his black-clad shoulder. He could smell her beautiful perfume, one of lavender that he had bought her as a Christmas gift in Paris, seemingly a long time ago. He turned around, dislodging her hand from his arm. Before she could take it back, he grasped it within his own.
"Julia." Tenderly brushing his lips across her fingers, he bowed low and gracefully to her and a flicker of a smile crossed his lips. Covering a small giggle with her free hand she removed the other from his grasp. Vicious straightened and gave her a questioning look, serious once more.
"What did you want?" He asked. Casting her eyes bashfully to the floor, she nodded once, turned and motioned for him to follow her inside. He followed her into the dining room, slightly bemused and Julia glanced back to make sure that he was coming. Walking behind her through the doors into the entrance hall, he barely had time to register the men in black suits before the butt of a gun crashed down onto the back of his skull. The last fleeting image he saw was Julia, her eyes wide, staring at him as he collapsed to the floor.
When he came to, the first thing he did was try to remember why he was lying down. Recalling the events that had happened right after he had followed Julia into the entrance hall, he gingerly put his hand to the back of his head and felt a huge lump there where he had been hit. Looking at his surroundings he was surprised to see that he was lying in the middle of a circular room. Heavy drapes hung over the windows, letting the barest minimum of light through and a couple of candles stood on a huge antique table.
He tried to get up but reconsidered after different coloured spots started to dance in front of his eyes at the enormous effort it seemed to take. It seemed he would have to lie here and wait for whoever had done this to him to show themselves. In the meantime, passing out seemed like a good idea.
Julia glared daggers at the small cowering man in front of her.
"He was not supposed to be harmed! That was part of our agreement!"
"There was nothing else that we could have done!"
"You could have DRUGGED him, you imbecile!" She shouted, blue eyes blazing. The man actually whimpered.
"But there was no guarantee that we wouldn't accidentally kill him or if the drugs would even work!" Julia rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"You-!" She broke off as the man tried to edge away. She grabbed his collar and brought him up to her eye level so that his feet levitated about three inches off the floor. For all her petite size, she was deceptively strong. "You can tell your boss that the next time he tries anything like this that the agreement is off and I will NOT get him what he wants." She released the man, who practically ran away through fear for his life.
She looked around the hall. The silent men in their black suits were still watching her, their hands ever present on their guns. Figures, she thought. You can't trust anybody in the line of work that Merric is in.
She only hoped that her little brother wasn't getting out of his depth this time.
Okay, I think this is a little better second time round. Sorry for those who liked the other version better but I just wasn't happy with it because it didn't really flow, you know?
MORT