Sorry this took eons! I've been busy with school and planning homecoming
and parties and friends and the like!
~~~~~
(Flashback)
"May! May! May!"
I lifted my head at the enthusiastic calls and grunted, finding the effort too much and resorting to flopping back down onto the bed, my head sinking into the pillow. Vicious was up and running amuck at seven-thirty A.M. again, most likely on a sugar high. "Whaaat?" I groaned loudly.
Vicious bounced into the room, all smiles and with his shoulder-length, white hair flopping in the wind behind him. He was shirtless and clad only in his black boxers, the cordless phone clutched in his hand as he threw out his arms and launched himself onto the bed. "May!" he cried again, effectively bouncing me up into a sitting position. "I found a job! They hired me!"
I blinked at him, not quite comprehending. "Who in the world would hire you?" I murmured in shock.
"A restaurant! I'm going to be a waiter! This is great, huh?" And he was pushing me down before I could react, pinning me flat on my back on the bed he was towering over me with that grin of his. The whiteness of his teeth barely contrasted with the shade of his skin, though his cheeks were flushed with excitement and his eyes were bright. "I finally can contribute," he said in a quieter tone, his gravely voice rumbling in his throat.
"Yeah," I croaked, wriggling out from underneath him. I wasn't so sure how much longer I should wait before I put my revenge into action. The time seemed to be close at hand.
He picked me up like a doll and swung me off the bed and around the room until I felt dizzy and slightly disoriented. And then he hugged me, one of those bone crushing bear hugs, and he said, "Aren't you happy?"
"I'm happy we have a double income now."
"I'm glad." Just like that I was on the ground again, his large hand stroking the top of my head, petting me like I was some type of pet. He smiled affectionately and looked down at my upturned face and suggested, "Let's go back to bed," with that gleam in his eye, the one I was starting to fear.
"Um, no. I'm actually quite awake now!" I said with obviously faked enthusiasm, skipping out of the room and calling out, "Toast? Ok!" while leaving a dazed Vicious in my wake.
(End flashback)
~~~~~
I miss those morning with Vicious. Too Bad I never appreciated them.
Now I had mornings with a hyper child, a barking dog, and a one-armed man.
Jet was up and walking soon enough, though I found him to be a near invalid with his lacking one arm. I swear, I woke up one morning to find him sitting at the table and Ed feeding him a cereal, though he didn't seem to be too willing to eat - especially from her hand.
"Hello, Jet," I said simply, as if no time had passed and Spike had never died and we were back on the Bebop, eating breakfast like any normal day. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah," he mumbled, ducking his head to avoid the flying spoon and having Ed spill milk all over his balding head. "I suppose you're wondering what happened..."
"Actually, I am. What ever happened to the Bebop?"
"Had to sell it. Blasted thing broke down on me and I didn't have enough money to fix it." With his good arm, Jet pushed Ed off his lap and tried to pick the bits of grainy cereal out of the hair he had left. "Heard about my crimes?"
"Uh huh. So, you killed three guys. What's the deal?"
"Met them in an alley where they were taking advantage of some young girl. The situation got out of control."
"Ah, an act of chivalry." I sat across from him at the table and eyed the empty sleeve. "You really need to get that fixed."
"Tell me about it. As punishment, they confiscated it after my first attempt to escape from jail. As you can see, it didn't stop me from getting away the second time. I've got a guy working on it. Care to give me a lift to the place?"
"Hmm...I just saved your life and you're asking even more favors."
He looked at me with a fickle frown, obviously displeased with the dry conversation. To tell the truth, I wasn't enjoying it too much either. Ed was the only one who seemed remotely happy and I just prayed she'd keep her mouth shut until I could corner her and issue threats lest she spill her guts to Jet about our search for Vicious.
"Just let me use your phone then," Jet countered testily. "I'll have him deliver it. It'll cost more, but if it's the only way I can get it..."
I didn't bother to reply - just stood up and dump the coffee into the sink.
~~~~~
When the doorbell rang, telling of the man who was bringing Jet's new arm, I was the first to reach the door. And when I swung it open, before me stood a man who was perhaps a few years younger than me, and rather handsome - tall and lean with broad shoulders and slicked back, coal- colored hair. His slanted, emerald eyes flashed at seeing me and he nervously shifted the box to his other arm, his sharp features tensing. Somehow, he looked almost familiar...
"Hello," I said, extending my palm to take the box from him. "Jet's inside."
He misunderstood my action and firmly shook my hand, replying, "Thank you. Miss...?"
"Valentine. Faye Valentine."
He nodded stiffly and walked inside, brushing shoulders with me, and carefully sat the long box down on the table. "May I speak with Jet?"
"Yeah, sure." I hurried off to fetch the other man, all the while trying to place the face. Hmm...my social life had a narrow range and didn't involve many men, so he probably wasn't a friend, old or new. Where in the world had I seen him? Ok, he worked in someplace that manufactured artificial limbs...or something weird like that. Maybe he was some private mechanic for hire? In that case, I didn't find a way to have known him either...
Wait. He wasn't someone I knew - he merely looked like someone I had once known. That was it. When Vicious had kidnapped me that one time, back when Spike was still alive, he had had some sort of assistant that constantly hovered over him, a silent, young man with a grim expression and his name was...Lin. Yeah, that delivery guy looked a lot like Lin.
"Jet!" I poked my head into the doorway of the bedroom, where he was sleeping on the blankets I had thrown out on the floor for him. "How much do you know about the delivery guy?"
"Uhn? Shin here?"
"Shin is awfully close to the name Lin, isn't it?" I demanded, watching as he groggily rose and ambled out to the kitchen, scratching at his head.
"Huh? Uh, yeah. Why?"
Definitely in a brooding mood now, I shot back, "Just wondering."
Jet and Shin conversed and haggled while I took up residence on a barstool at the counter and glared thoughtfully at Shin, who, judging from the hurried looks he sent in my direction, also recognized me. However, if he did want to say anything, which I didn't think he did, he couldn't simply because Jet was arguing rather loudly about the delivery price.
Jet left after quite a deal of bantering with a sigh of exhaustion, heading back to the bedroom to retrieve some money to pay Shin. Left alone with the man, I turned to him and lazily inquired, "Want something to drink, Shin?"
"Uh...yeah." He glanced away. "Just water."
"Easy enough." I pulled a clean glass out of the cupboard and turned the water spout on, pouring him a healthy amount of liquid. "Would you by chance have something you want to say to me?"
He grinned handsomely as he took the water from me and shook his head. "No, Miss, I really don't think I do." He paused. "I'm sorry if I seem to be staring. You almost look familiar. You don't work at the grocery store downtown, do you?"
A difficult one, eh? Well, if he had any way of helping me find Vicious, I was going to get him to rally with me - whether he liked it or not. From my pocket I pulled my wallet, and then, flipping it open, pulled out a photograph I had folded thrice, holding it out to him and asking, "Recognize this man?"
He stared long and hard at the picture of a smiling Vicious, all scruffy looking from having just waken and still in the sweatpants and T-shirt he slept in. Slowly, the color drained from his face, green eyes widening in shock. "Vicious?" he inquired quietly, and when I nodded, "How did you get this picture?"
"Took it the morning before he left me, actually."
"Oh...? He's still alive then... I'd thought for sure..."
"That Spike had killed him? Yes, we all did."
"You knew Spike too?"
"Yes. Jet and Spike and I were...together for a while before Spike died. Now, you tell me - how do you know Spike and Vicious?"
Shin's slanted eyes flashed beautifully, and when he opened his mouth to speak, I knew that he would supply me with many answers in the near future.
~~~~~
"Vicious."
"Yes?" The pale, stony-faced man turned to direct his attention towards a highly jittery attendant, a poor replacement for Lin, if he did say so himself.
"It is all arranged."
Vicious nodded grimly. His new syndicate was developing at the speed of a child, something he could not afford. Currently in their toddler stage, it seemed, the trainees were making countless mistakes and several had been killed during heists and a few, including himself, had been imprisoned during the latest drug deal. All the higher members were simply the ones he had gathered from before, the ones who had agreed to work under him once more.
He stood and walked to the window of the warehouse, staring dispassionately out over the scenery. It really was a lot less dreary than where he had lived during his amnesiac period with that blasted woman. Faye Valentine. She was certainly no Julia.
But that was, perhaps, a good thing.
"And you're sure he is there?"
"We are confident, sir. He has been seen leaving there the last three mornings and when we investigated today, it seemed to be lived in. He has been earning a living as mechanic."
Vicious' lips twitched grimly. "I never even suspected he was good with his hands."
His subordinate said nothing.
"Just where is this warehouse, Hiromi?"
"It's in the decaying part of town - Blackberry Beach Road."
"Ah." Vicious knew just the place he was talking about. "Gather the men. We leave in approximately three hours."
~~~~~
Shin stroked his clean-shaven chin in a thoughtful manner as I showed him all the pictures of Spike I had just recently begun to unpack. He and Jet had resolved their squabble once it had been established they knew the same legendary man, and both were now, without my permission, hanging the frames up on the wall.
I, personally, did not wish to have the smirking, green-haired idiot in my new apartment. My thing for him had been temporary...madness? Well, maybe I HAD loved him, but he was dead and painful memories were not meant to be fooled with, so why not just focus on Vicious? Not that I could say such a thing to Jet....
Or Shin.
Shin didn't seem to like Vicious. He talked of him with disrespect and bitterness and spoke of Spike with longing in his lovely green eyes. He was a handsome man, but I found his hatred for Vicious a bit too much.
"Spike trained both my brother and me," Shin said quietly as he held a photograph of the said man practicing his martial arts in both hands. "I had always hoped he would come back to the syndicate and put an end to Vicious' tyranny."
Jet, his arm still unattached and lying on the kitchen table, puffed a little angrily on his cigarette and muttered Vicious' name and other select words under his breath.
Shin shrugged his shoulders as if letting the regret and frustration roll off his back. "Jet, if you want, I can attach that arm for you later."
"Good, because I don't think I can do it myself," he grunted. "And it doesn't seem like Faye here is up for the challenge either." He jerked his thumb in my direction, at which I snorted but did not deny his claim.
"Well," Shin said with a grin, brushing some dust off the left shoulder of his gray trench coat, "have me over for dinner and I'll take you down there and do it in a few hours."
"Alright," Jet eagerly agreed, not even bothering to confirm with ME, the resident of the apartment. Then again, perhaps getting closer to Shin would get me closer to Vicious.
Curiously, I turned to the young man and found that he was already smiling at me with a perfect set of white teeth. "Where do you live?" I asked curiously, recovering quickly from the shock of having his gaze resting solely on me.
"Oh, it's not much of a place. Just an old building downtown where I do most of my work. Ever heard of Blackberry Beach Road?"
~~~~~~
Bloody Love: Thanks for the review! Vicious comes in the next chapter and they actually meet! Aren't you excited?
Hikari88: Wheee! Thanx for telling me where to get Saiyuki manga! I appreciate it! Keep reading!
AnimeAngel707: Thanks for letting me know!
Psycho-CJ: Aww...that's so nice! ^_^
Volk Zyta: I couldn't kill him off! lol
Zithromax: Vicious shows up next chapter! Yay! Well, I imagine you'd have to keep your teeth white if you were that pale, right, Vicious? *prods unhappy Vicious* Ooook... *backs away*
Kaelin77: Yay! I've got attitude! *beams happily at the compliment!* Thanks and keep reviewing!
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, I'm sorry. I didn't find it boring, but I'm just that type of person. Hang in there - next few chapters gets really exciting with some tense confrontations between Faye and Vicious! Oh yeah, and there are guns - lots of guns!
Bebop-angel1: Yes, Vicious tends to be evil! Keep on trying because I'm anxious to see! I'm sure many people would appreciate their own Vicious to pose for them...hehe
Alright, everyone, review!
~~~~~
(Flashback)
"May! May! May!"
I lifted my head at the enthusiastic calls and grunted, finding the effort too much and resorting to flopping back down onto the bed, my head sinking into the pillow. Vicious was up and running amuck at seven-thirty A.M. again, most likely on a sugar high. "Whaaat?" I groaned loudly.
Vicious bounced into the room, all smiles and with his shoulder-length, white hair flopping in the wind behind him. He was shirtless and clad only in his black boxers, the cordless phone clutched in his hand as he threw out his arms and launched himself onto the bed. "May!" he cried again, effectively bouncing me up into a sitting position. "I found a job! They hired me!"
I blinked at him, not quite comprehending. "Who in the world would hire you?" I murmured in shock.
"A restaurant! I'm going to be a waiter! This is great, huh?" And he was pushing me down before I could react, pinning me flat on my back on the bed he was towering over me with that grin of his. The whiteness of his teeth barely contrasted with the shade of his skin, though his cheeks were flushed with excitement and his eyes were bright. "I finally can contribute," he said in a quieter tone, his gravely voice rumbling in his throat.
"Yeah," I croaked, wriggling out from underneath him. I wasn't so sure how much longer I should wait before I put my revenge into action. The time seemed to be close at hand.
He picked me up like a doll and swung me off the bed and around the room until I felt dizzy and slightly disoriented. And then he hugged me, one of those bone crushing bear hugs, and he said, "Aren't you happy?"
"I'm happy we have a double income now."
"I'm glad." Just like that I was on the ground again, his large hand stroking the top of my head, petting me like I was some type of pet. He smiled affectionately and looked down at my upturned face and suggested, "Let's go back to bed," with that gleam in his eye, the one I was starting to fear.
"Um, no. I'm actually quite awake now!" I said with obviously faked enthusiasm, skipping out of the room and calling out, "Toast? Ok!" while leaving a dazed Vicious in my wake.
(End flashback)
~~~~~
I miss those morning with Vicious. Too Bad I never appreciated them.
Now I had mornings with a hyper child, a barking dog, and a one-armed man.
Jet was up and walking soon enough, though I found him to be a near invalid with his lacking one arm. I swear, I woke up one morning to find him sitting at the table and Ed feeding him a cereal, though he didn't seem to be too willing to eat - especially from her hand.
"Hello, Jet," I said simply, as if no time had passed and Spike had never died and we were back on the Bebop, eating breakfast like any normal day. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah," he mumbled, ducking his head to avoid the flying spoon and having Ed spill milk all over his balding head. "I suppose you're wondering what happened..."
"Actually, I am. What ever happened to the Bebop?"
"Had to sell it. Blasted thing broke down on me and I didn't have enough money to fix it." With his good arm, Jet pushed Ed off his lap and tried to pick the bits of grainy cereal out of the hair he had left. "Heard about my crimes?"
"Uh huh. So, you killed three guys. What's the deal?"
"Met them in an alley where they were taking advantage of some young girl. The situation got out of control."
"Ah, an act of chivalry." I sat across from him at the table and eyed the empty sleeve. "You really need to get that fixed."
"Tell me about it. As punishment, they confiscated it after my first attempt to escape from jail. As you can see, it didn't stop me from getting away the second time. I've got a guy working on it. Care to give me a lift to the place?"
"Hmm...I just saved your life and you're asking even more favors."
He looked at me with a fickle frown, obviously displeased with the dry conversation. To tell the truth, I wasn't enjoying it too much either. Ed was the only one who seemed remotely happy and I just prayed she'd keep her mouth shut until I could corner her and issue threats lest she spill her guts to Jet about our search for Vicious.
"Just let me use your phone then," Jet countered testily. "I'll have him deliver it. It'll cost more, but if it's the only way I can get it..."
I didn't bother to reply - just stood up and dump the coffee into the sink.
~~~~~
When the doorbell rang, telling of the man who was bringing Jet's new arm, I was the first to reach the door. And when I swung it open, before me stood a man who was perhaps a few years younger than me, and rather handsome - tall and lean with broad shoulders and slicked back, coal- colored hair. His slanted, emerald eyes flashed at seeing me and he nervously shifted the box to his other arm, his sharp features tensing. Somehow, he looked almost familiar...
"Hello," I said, extending my palm to take the box from him. "Jet's inside."
He misunderstood my action and firmly shook my hand, replying, "Thank you. Miss...?"
"Valentine. Faye Valentine."
He nodded stiffly and walked inside, brushing shoulders with me, and carefully sat the long box down on the table. "May I speak with Jet?"
"Yeah, sure." I hurried off to fetch the other man, all the while trying to place the face. Hmm...my social life had a narrow range and didn't involve many men, so he probably wasn't a friend, old or new. Where in the world had I seen him? Ok, he worked in someplace that manufactured artificial limbs...or something weird like that. Maybe he was some private mechanic for hire? In that case, I didn't find a way to have known him either...
Wait. He wasn't someone I knew - he merely looked like someone I had once known. That was it. When Vicious had kidnapped me that one time, back when Spike was still alive, he had had some sort of assistant that constantly hovered over him, a silent, young man with a grim expression and his name was...Lin. Yeah, that delivery guy looked a lot like Lin.
"Jet!" I poked my head into the doorway of the bedroom, where he was sleeping on the blankets I had thrown out on the floor for him. "How much do you know about the delivery guy?"
"Uhn? Shin here?"
"Shin is awfully close to the name Lin, isn't it?" I demanded, watching as he groggily rose and ambled out to the kitchen, scratching at his head.
"Huh? Uh, yeah. Why?"
Definitely in a brooding mood now, I shot back, "Just wondering."
Jet and Shin conversed and haggled while I took up residence on a barstool at the counter and glared thoughtfully at Shin, who, judging from the hurried looks he sent in my direction, also recognized me. However, if he did want to say anything, which I didn't think he did, he couldn't simply because Jet was arguing rather loudly about the delivery price.
Jet left after quite a deal of bantering with a sigh of exhaustion, heading back to the bedroom to retrieve some money to pay Shin. Left alone with the man, I turned to him and lazily inquired, "Want something to drink, Shin?"
"Uh...yeah." He glanced away. "Just water."
"Easy enough." I pulled a clean glass out of the cupboard and turned the water spout on, pouring him a healthy amount of liquid. "Would you by chance have something you want to say to me?"
He grinned handsomely as he took the water from me and shook his head. "No, Miss, I really don't think I do." He paused. "I'm sorry if I seem to be staring. You almost look familiar. You don't work at the grocery store downtown, do you?"
A difficult one, eh? Well, if he had any way of helping me find Vicious, I was going to get him to rally with me - whether he liked it or not. From my pocket I pulled my wallet, and then, flipping it open, pulled out a photograph I had folded thrice, holding it out to him and asking, "Recognize this man?"
He stared long and hard at the picture of a smiling Vicious, all scruffy looking from having just waken and still in the sweatpants and T-shirt he slept in. Slowly, the color drained from his face, green eyes widening in shock. "Vicious?" he inquired quietly, and when I nodded, "How did you get this picture?"
"Took it the morning before he left me, actually."
"Oh...? He's still alive then... I'd thought for sure..."
"That Spike had killed him? Yes, we all did."
"You knew Spike too?"
"Yes. Jet and Spike and I were...together for a while before Spike died. Now, you tell me - how do you know Spike and Vicious?"
Shin's slanted eyes flashed beautifully, and when he opened his mouth to speak, I knew that he would supply me with many answers in the near future.
~~~~~
"Vicious."
"Yes?" The pale, stony-faced man turned to direct his attention towards a highly jittery attendant, a poor replacement for Lin, if he did say so himself.
"It is all arranged."
Vicious nodded grimly. His new syndicate was developing at the speed of a child, something he could not afford. Currently in their toddler stage, it seemed, the trainees were making countless mistakes and several had been killed during heists and a few, including himself, had been imprisoned during the latest drug deal. All the higher members were simply the ones he had gathered from before, the ones who had agreed to work under him once more.
He stood and walked to the window of the warehouse, staring dispassionately out over the scenery. It really was a lot less dreary than where he had lived during his amnesiac period with that blasted woman. Faye Valentine. She was certainly no Julia.
But that was, perhaps, a good thing.
"And you're sure he is there?"
"We are confident, sir. He has been seen leaving there the last three mornings and when we investigated today, it seemed to be lived in. He has been earning a living as mechanic."
Vicious' lips twitched grimly. "I never even suspected he was good with his hands."
His subordinate said nothing.
"Just where is this warehouse, Hiromi?"
"It's in the decaying part of town - Blackberry Beach Road."
"Ah." Vicious knew just the place he was talking about. "Gather the men. We leave in approximately three hours."
~~~~~
Shin stroked his clean-shaven chin in a thoughtful manner as I showed him all the pictures of Spike I had just recently begun to unpack. He and Jet had resolved their squabble once it had been established they knew the same legendary man, and both were now, without my permission, hanging the frames up on the wall.
I, personally, did not wish to have the smirking, green-haired idiot in my new apartment. My thing for him had been temporary...madness? Well, maybe I HAD loved him, but he was dead and painful memories were not meant to be fooled with, so why not just focus on Vicious? Not that I could say such a thing to Jet....
Or Shin.
Shin didn't seem to like Vicious. He talked of him with disrespect and bitterness and spoke of Spike with longing in his lovely green eyes. He was a handsome man, but I found his hatred for Vicious a bit too much.
"Spike trained both my brother and me," Shin said quietly as he held a photograph of the said man practicing his martial arts in both hands. "I had always hoped he would come back to the syndicate and put an end to Vicious' tyranny."
Jet, his arm still unattached and lying on the kitchen table, puffed a little angrily on his cigarette and muttered Vicious' name and other select words under his breath.
Shin shrugged his shoulders as if letting the regret and frustration roll off his back. "Jet, if you want, I can attach that arm for you later."
"Good, because I don't think I can do it myself," he grunted. "And it doesn't seem like Faye here is up for the challenge either." He jerked his thumb in my direction, at which I snorted but did not deny his claim.
"Well," Shin said with a grin, brushing some dust off the left shoulder of his gray trench coat, "have me over for dinner and I'll take you down there and do it in a few hours."
"Alright," Jet eagerly agreed, not even bothering to confirm with ME, the resident of the apartment. Then again, perhaps getting closer to Shin would get me closer to Vicious.
Curiously, I turned to the young man and found that he was already smiling at me with a perfect set of white teeth. "Where do you live?" I asked curiously, recovering quickly from the shock of having his gaze resting solely on me.
"Oh, it's not much of a place. Just an old building downtown where I do most of my work. Ever heard of Blackberry Beach Road?"
~~~~~~
Bloody Love: Thanks for the review! Vicious comes in the next chapter and they actually meet! Aren't you excited?
Hikari88: Wheee! Thanx for telling me where to get Saiyuki manga! I appreciate it! Keep reading!
AnimeAngel707: Thanks for letting me know!
Psycho-CJ: Aww...that's so nice! ^_^
Volk Zyta: I couldn't kill him off! lol
Zithromax: Vicious shows up next chapter! Yay! Well, I imagine you'd have to keep your teeth white if you were that pale, right, Vicious? *prods unhappy Vicious* Ooook... *backs away*
Kaelin77: Yay! I've got attitude! *beams happily at the compliment!* Thanks and keep reviewing!
ClassicElfRyoko: Aww, I'm sorry. I didn't find it boring, but I'm just that type of person. Hang in there - next few chapters gets really exciting with some tense confrontations between Faye and Vicious! Oh yeah, and there are guns - lots of guns!
Bebop-angel1: Yes, Vicious tends to be evil! Keep on trying because I'm anxious to see! I'm sure many people would appreciate their own Vicious to pose for them...hehe
Alright, everyone, review!