a/n: *Phe-chan mumbles and mutters in disgust* Just ignore me, the poor weary and sun-burnt authoress. I've spent my weekend in the high north eastern hills of Victoria, Aus. , in 40 degree (C ) plus heat. Compound that with no air conditioning, no computer, and my house there (I semi live there) being home to a small number of native bats; that like to climb out of the roof at night- flapping and squeaking in my ears when I'm trying desperately to fall asleep. Despite that- I had fun. I got to go to our small community's annual Sports Day. It's a big thing for many people- there's lots of horse races (I took my sketchbook with me and drew some ^_____^ ) , axe-men compete in wood chopping comps for trophies and whatnot, and small children with grubby faces run wild in small gangs away from the restricting eyes of their parents.
Ah, my day was made when I was 'accidentally' run over by a small mob of sheep. I first noticed that something was amiss when I received a head butt while trying to sketch a little Arabian pony… …well, my brief bout of patriotism is wearing thin. I'm back in town (kisses hot water service, air con and computer) and I'm ready to go back to reading my beloved manga, go back to *chokegagcoughsplutter* 'beloved' school, and burn my 'beloved' homework.
Shout outs:
Tyger-chan: Will you be able to read this fuzz?
Mael-kun: Well….It's kinda more session…don't know if it really goes anywhere, I'll have to check up on your ficlets later.
MalletWielderofDoom: ^____^
Torii
Bebi_Mara_Jade
tee…something: (for session 6) Well, it would suck if you forgot your id….. Glad you like the fic, thanks much for reviewing!
Wow. So many new people reviewing. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Spike: "…That's because your wearing fuzzy pjs!!"
Phe: *looks at the clothes she is wearing* "Huh. Fancy that."
CHERRY TOMATO
Session Eleven
A cool wind forced the warm air to rise upwards into a pink and orange sky. There, it condensed and began to drizzle softly down to Mars, where it was welcomed joyfully. The heat had been unbearable these few days past, with the whole string of planets drawing closer to the Sun. It was ironic that the creator of all life should be its destroyer. That was why the Mars colony had been established in the first place; Earth was going to burn up. Completely ignorant of the small problem that mankind was about to become crispified, Spike Spiegel halted his friends walking behind him by raising his hand.
"We're here."
Jet slipped some bullets into his hand held pistol. "Then what are we standing around for?" Spike looked searchingly at Cadogen. He was younger than himself by a few years, and his face was drawn and grim.
"Don't be afraid. You are doing a brave thing. Stick with Jet and do as he tells you. You'll be fine." Cad nodded slowly, but his hands shook slightly as he checked his weapons. Spike didn't need to worry about Jet, the seasoned cop. He could only harbor the smallest flicker of hope that the three of them would emerge alive from this. The realistic part of his brain smothered that thought as he gazed at the darkened mansion on the outskirts of town. The windows were bare and dusty, giving the house the appearance of a hideous face with empty eye sockets. Dead leaves piled against the front porch steps. In the fierce heat of summer, all plants and trees in the yard had perished. Nothing was left but a dry, brown wasteland. The boots of the three men crunched nosily over the dead grass, despite their best efforts to walk on their heels. Quickly, they flattened themselves against the shaded wall on either side of the front door, breathing heavily.
"Why aren't there any guards?" Cadogen hissed to Spike.
Cocking the hammer of his gun, Spike murmured a reply,"Don't worry. They're in there- as certain as a cat has claws." Slowly reaching out his hand, he turned the handle of the door. The hinges screamed loudly, making them all cringe. They waited patiently for someone to come and see what the matter was, but no one came. With the stealth and caution of three panthers, they edged their way into the entrance hall. It too, was deserted. Dust blanketed everything. Spiders had woven their webs between the banister railings, over cracked picture frames hanging on the walls, and high in the rafters perched a lone crow- it's ugly sounding voice startling them. Spike's eyes roved restlessly. Nothing had changed since he was last here. Even the damn tame crow Vicious kept was still alive. It was unnatural, it's spectral blue eyes staring fixedly at the trio of trespassers. The silence was so terribly deep, that it made one afraid to walk across the creaky floorboards. Suddenly, a faint strain of music drifted down from an open door upstairs. Using hand signals, Spike motioned for the other two to flank him as they made their way up the stairs. The music had increased in volume- it was a slow depressing blues piece, with the melancholy tones of a saxophone. Presently, they heard a distinct sound of a someone clearing their throat. There was another someone leaning back in a chair. Now was the time to repent all sins, Jet thought. But there was too many of his to count. He steadied his trigger finger as Spike gathered himself to spring through the doorway. Someone spoke,"Shut that off, will you?"
"Why?"
"Don't you hear it?"
"Hear what?" the crow swept past the frozen rescuers and into the room, out of sight. It cawed softly.
"Shit!" Guns were hastily loaded and chairs were thrown to the floor. "There are intruders in the house…they're right outside the door!"
A transparent, bodiless observer could not tell you later who fired the first shot. Neither could they tell you the pitch of the pained screams, or the way blood and gore splattered the walls as the sweet kiss of hot lead seared through flesh and shattered bone. Light and shadow played upon the pale faces of the fallen, lying slumped over in strange positions on the floor. They were but a handful of Vicious' expansive human resources. Eager to make something of themselves, they had joined the Syndicate at a young age, only to leave it with a bullet between the eyes. No family member would know of their passing or mourn for them. To the three men left alive, they were nothing. They were faceless, nameless, and now- lifeless. One room had been flushed out. Spike wiped his sweaty hands on his shirt, his mouth a grim slash. "We must go through each of them. One by one, until Mr. Rabbit is caught and cornered." Cadogen winced as Jet helped him move through the door. He had been struck across the face in the confusion with a heavy blade. His bloodied eyes rolled in their sockets. He would never be able to see again. The digital blues record had played itself out for good as the last notes sank into the air. Forever would Cadogen remember that music, the music that had signed the darkening of his world.
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Edward fidgeted in the back of Faye's ship, packed in tight like a sardine amongst arms and random supplies. Neither of the two adults spoke much, she observed. Though when they did, it was always quickly, casting furtive glances over their shoulders at her. Eventually, this kind of behavior unsettled her a little. "How long 'till we get there, Faye-Faye?" Faye rolled the cricks out of her neck- developed by sitting hunched over the controls for a long period of time.
"Not long," She said quietly, "do you know what to do when we land?"
Ed's eyes widened and she nodded slowly as if recalling a set of instructions. "Uh-huh."
"Good girl." Snap fought to swallow the lump rising in her throat. They should have made Edward stay at home, on board the Bebop. She was only thirteen years old, for God's sake! Now the happy little child was sitting amongst weapons, limbs twitching and eager to jump into a place full of strangers and be shot. Snap couldn't handle the thought of it. Tears pit-pattered from her eyes as she held Ed's imaginary still body close. A small hand grasped hers from behind. "Don't cry, Snap-Snap! Are you sad?" The girl's voice was soft. Snap attempted to sound reassuring as she squeezed the hand gently.
"No, I'm not sad, Ed. I'm happy."
"Happy?" Ed was confused!
"I'm happy," Snap continued, "Because I've known you. My life memories will be so much richer because of it." When she finished speaking, she turned around to face the dusky horizon. The ship's interior was quiet as each contemplated her thoughts.
"What kind of man is he, your father?" Faye asked at length. Ed was reluctant in answering,
"Edward doesn't know." She muttered, "Ed can only remember little pieces, like in a puzzle. A smell and his voice. Ed remembers his voice." Her words touched a chord within Faye. She too, remembered faint sounds of her past. Unlike her though, Ed had a chance to hear them again.
"I'm sure he's a good man." Faye said slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on a dark point on the outskirts of the city. "We're nearly there. Tighten up your seatbelts, and I'll take this old hulk back to solid ground." Carefully, Faye maneuvered the creaking ship on a downward descent. Red dust whipped into the air and floated away. All around them was a parched relic of vegetation. No small animals. No birds- not even a solitary cricket chirping happily. Nearby, in a mansion that seemed to be abandoned, shots from a gun were fired, which- although muffled, could be heard outside. Hearts leapt unbidden into mouths. Sweat broke out on skin. "No time to lose!" Hastily pulling on her shoulder holster, Faye pounded towards the house; her face was pale and determined. Edward had soon outstripped both Snap and Faye, her long legs eating up the distance like a gazelle. With blood pounding in her ears, she waited for her friends in the shade by the front door. It was open a crack. Pushing Ed out of the way, Faye peered into the darkened room with her loaded gun in her hands. It was empty. Deep in the belly of the mansion, she heard a muffled scream. More gunshots, and the new sound of shattering glass. Faye quickly withdrew to the comparative safety of the wall. "I'll never forgive either of you if you die on me." Snap mustered up a small, trembling smile.
"Don't worry about us." She drew Ed close to her. "Go." Faye faltered. "GO!" Together they ran into the room and separated; Faye heading for the stairs while Snap and Edward slipped through a side passageway on the ground floor. Finally they were in on the action, resolutely padding through empty rooms and corridors, always searching, and listening for heavy step of a patrolling guard. The battle progressing upstairs was always within earshot, shaking the walls. Trying to get away from the horrible sound, Ed and Snap flew along the passage. Gradually, the floor they were running on began to slope downwards. The walls, Snap noticed fleetingly- were now made from blocks of stone, not wooden boards. The air became chillier and time distended. They were now running beneath the surface of the planet.
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Surprisingly, there were no guards at the end of the sloping corridor, only a heavy oak door set into the living rock. But no guards meant no keys. In despair, Edward scrabbled with, and hissed at the lock, but it was a fruitless effort that hurt her fingers.
"Stand back Ed." Snap pulled the hammer back on her pistol. "And cover your face with your arms." Cringing, Snap sent a bullet straight through the lock, the noise of metal striking metal echoing loudly around them. With the door smoking, Snap kicked it open and sharply inhaled. A black void opened out before them, silent expect for a strange drip drip noise. Picking up a torch that had been discarded on the ground (in apparent great haste), Ed lead the way, her sensitive feet and eyes picking out a safe path down the cold and grimy stairs. When they reached the bottom, they discovered they were standing in a cavern, the floor of which, was in most regards- mud. With her hands on Ed's shoulders, Snap quietly whispered something. Together, they made their way to the far wall and a lumpy mass huddled at the foot of it. Ed turned away and sobbed into Snap's clothes as the older woman held her. It was over. He was dead.
a/n: Wooooo….Lots of people die in this session, but next time, someone else will either die, or be maimed. Haven't decided yet, so you'll just have to sit on the edge of your seats and..WAIT!! HA HA HA!
^____________^ Please don't kill me. I'm having a great day! I quit my job, and I feel damn happy.
Please review. I think Next session may be the last one, so REVIEW, and I'll…uhh…uhhh…..
Phe's inner voice: "You won't set the leprechaun on them?"
Phe: "Yes, that, and I'll give them a balloon."
Phe's inner voice: "Waaa! No fair! I want a balloon! YOU STEALA MY BALLOON!!"
Phe: "….Riighhht…"