Yes, I have a soft spot for the 70's. I wish I had been born during that
decade, yet I was born in the era of big hair, bad fashion (minus Cyndi
Lauper, i'm talking about the plastic hoop earrings, big bows, and bad
patterns. Don't fib....we've all seen the early episodes of Full House!),
and 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go's'. A sad, sad world......I think my brain
was seriously fried by prescription medicine last chapter. Plus I was
watchin Dubbya on the tele and my anger got the best of me. I love that man
to pieces....except for the standardized testing he gave Texas......and his
ignorance.....but he's a good guy. I'd like to sit down and have a beer
with him.....
A Life Full Of Saturdays : Cat's In The Cradle
'Bang...' A bloodied finger pointed at Faye before collapsing at her feet in a pool of crimson liquid.
"No!!"
Faye literally leapt out of her chair at the police station. She had just taken her mug shot, shooting a not so nice glare at the butch woman behind the camera, and had accidentally fallen asleep during her wait for her check in to her jail cell. The night was turning out to be worse than it was worth. Faye pulled her gown clad legs up to her chest. They had taken the handcuffs off an hour before, thinking that Faye was dumber than she looked. I'll show them dumb, she thought, and searched the room for a way out. It was then that she found the police locker room. A small light bulb suddenly became brighter with thought in her head.
"Hey..." A skinny rookie at the front desk rose from his seat with a questioning look plastered to his face. "Can I change into my other clothes?" The man scratched the back of his head and walked over to the violet haired prisoner.
"I don't see why not. It's not like there's any windows or anything in the bathroom." He accompanied Faye to the nearest bathroom - across from the police locker room - and waited for her outside her stall. Faye bit her bottom lip in anticipation and threw her gown over the beige door like a rag doll. She slipped into the yellow latex like material and wrapped Duke's red jacket around her shoulders, only to have it fall to her elbows. She chuckled lightly to set her plan up.
"Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing, but I got my hair stuck in my zipper. Could you possibly give me a hand?" The police officer reddened but said a quick 'sure' in response. In one swift motion, Faye was unlocking the door and slamming it against the man's skull. He held his head in his hands for a brief moment, cursing himself under his breath for believing the woman, before Faye up-handed him with a plunger. She checked for a pulse and quickly left the scene, slipping into the police locker room. She quietly pulled on a uniform and headed out the door, hoping no one take notice of her absence.
"Hey!" Faye paused and cringed. Her cover had been blown. "That Valentine woman got away. We're checking the perimeter now." Faye nodded and kept to her path. She was so close to freedom that she could feel her fingers itching to grab onto the cool controls of the Redtail and hightail it out of there. She activated the signal on the old ship and hopped in, and just in time. A dozen cops came running out of the station, only to recieve a sly wave from the vixen.
She was free, well...almost. She still had a bounty on her head. But she was away from that blasted station. She would not be caged up like an animal. She sighed as she stared off into the never ending sea of stars. Who would help her now?
~3 years later~
She had never meant to make the mistake of confusing two men's identities, yet she did. And ended up being taken into interrogation by the all men (go figure) crew. It hadn't started out like that. No, the green haired man sat at her table and stared at her, a lazy smile etched permanently on his features. Not that she minded. He was cute, almost too cute for his own good. And Faye found herself completely enthralled by his looks. And then he left the table with his one chip. The one chip that she needed. And any attraction she had for him left. She needed to get rid of that debt and that damn chip was one step closer in doing so. So she followed him, and confronted him about the stupid chip. That was when he admitted he didn't speak up about her cheating. He knew?! Faye carefully put the pieces back together in her mind, replaying the goofy grin, and the stares. Yep, he knew that Poker Alice had cheated. Hell, that was the only way she knew how to play the game! Since her departure from Duke three years ago, she had made a living by capturing small bounties and taking up small jobs here and there. And then that damn casino owner found her, and here she was, arguing with a green haired lunkhead about a stupid chip. The next few weeks became a blue to her. She remembered being taken in, once again, by the Bebop crew, but never leaving. For some reason, it felt like home.
But what caught her attention wasn't the fact that they actually let her stay, or the mismatched masculine forms gracing the ship. It was the green haired lunkhead. She found herself watching him from a distance, trying to figure him out. Spike Spiegel was indeed handsome, no doubt about that. He was also a cocky son of a bitch that placed himself right underneath Faye's skin. She found herself growing irritated day by day with Spike, and that unnerved her. She had never let a man inch his way into annoyance. She had always been able to keep her cool around the male species since Whitney. Even with Duke, she remained calm. But Spike was an entirely different story. It was when Vicious kept her hostage, did she truly realize that the embitterment she carried was actually that of endearment. He had risked his life to come get her, more out of pity and revenge than out of the kindness of his heart. And she felt her heart plummet as she watched the cowboy fall from the stained glass window. And she cared for him. She actually put her walls down and bandaged up the man who irritated her, only to find out about his past...and his Julia...later on that night.
It had been dark on the Bebop that night, or at least darker than usual, as Faye tiptoed down the cold corridor leading to Spike's bedroom. Since her uninvited arrival on the Bebop, the bounty hunter hadn't once peeked into the object of her agitation's room once. Now that he was bandaged up, she could easily sneak into the bedroom, and dig up some info on the cowboy. It's not like the lazy bum would notice if she was in there. He was out cold, considering the amount of painkillers he had taken. She sometimes wondered if those pills would kill him. But lucky for her (insert sarcasim here), they never did. She slid open the door and peered in.
It was a simple room with rumpled white sheets on the bed and drawers that refused to remain closed. A half smoked cigarette butt lay in his ashtray, calling forth her nicotine craving. She never figured out where the need for smoking came from, but she would go into a frenzy if she didn't have one. Faye searched her pockets for a cigarette, but much to her dismay, found none. A sly grin played upon her features as her nimble fingers lit the half smoked butt and brought it to her own ruby tinted lips. She then proceeded to dig through the man's things as she sat down on the still warm bed. Her eyes scanned the few pieces of his past which included numerous photos of Vicious and a mysterious blonde woman. There were scattered artifacts that he had failed to throw out and a few old CD's but that was about it. Faye sighed in defeat. He obviously traveled light. She was about to give up and go back to lounge area when a yellowed piece of paper caught her emerald eye. It had been torn and thrown around, and then put back together again. Signs of rage were covering the letter. Faye squinted to read the thin handwriting, but to no avail.
"A goodbye letter." Faye almost choked on the cigarette as Spike's voice echoed through the room. She hastily pushed his belongings back into the drawer and stood up to hide her crime, forgetting about the letter that now fell lightly to the floor.
"Spike! What are you doing here?!" The lanky bounty hunter was leaning against the door frame for support. He was in no condition to walk at that moment but he found himself drawn to the comfort of his bed when the familiar presence of Faye had left the room.
"Well this IS my room. Next time i'll be sure to knock though...."
"You know what I meant! You're in no shape to be walking around right now."
"Is that concern I see?"
"No? It's annoyance. You scared the living daylight out of me!"
"Next time i'll yell on the way over so you'll be able to hide any detection of your presence in my room."
"That would GREATLY be appreciated. Considering next time I won't get caught."
"There won't be a next time. I'm putting in the suggestion of locks in to Jet." Faye lifted her chin in defiance, unwillingly letting curiosity get the best of her. "So it was a goodbye letter? To whom?"
"An old flame."
"Ah...I see.. Once your flame, twice your burn."
"Something like that." Spike struggled to make it to his bed. Lucky for him, he succeeded.
"Did she ever get it?"
"Nope. Why say goodbye when you know you're coming back?"
"At least you got that chance..."Faye mumbled.
"Hm?"
"Nothing. Just get some rest before you move like that again. And Spike?"
"What?"
"Thanks for coming after me like you did."
"I had an unresolved conflict to take care of Faye. Don't look deeper into it." The words came out harsher than expected.
"Of course. And Spike? I didn't know you listened to John Lennon." She nodded towards the pile of discarded CDs.
"He was a good man. One with unrealistic ideas, but a good man nonetheless. He should've been listened to more often than not." Faye sighed as the repetitive motion of deep slumber took over the stillness of Spike's bedroom.
John Lennon was indeed a good man, who had great ideals. Just not enough time to exercise them. The great poet once wrote "No one you can save that can't be saved." What if that person doesn't want to be saved? He also said "All you need is love." Which is true in a way. The world will go on as long as that one person is beside you all the way. Life seems easier when you wake up to their face. Is there such thing as one sided love, though? Of course there is. When you and you alone have an undying devotion to another who ceases to know you exist....it's called a crush
Crushes are a bitch aren't they? That's probably why they call them crushes, because you end up getting crushed in the end. But love takes two tango, and right now, Faye felt like she was dancing alone like an idiot. Love's like that. It's not always for sure. You think you bag someone and boom! A blonde beauty comes waltzing in, taking everything you wished you had.
I think love was invented by the creators of board games. There's no sure chance that you'll win, and just because you win the first time, doesn't mean every family get-together will end with you jumping up and doing the victory bum dance in your father's face. However, there are some guys you might want to bring home to your father, just so that you can wail out the lyrics to 'We Are The Champions' at dinnertime. But every now and then you will lose. The one person you want will walk away without a care in the world for your feelings. It hurts doesn't it? My mother always told me that there is always someone you least expect ready to love you for you. I always considered those guys the freaks that lay in the shadows, awaiting my descent into the unknown, sporting a tube top and a mini, and taking away what I had hoped to save for marital bliss. Maybe this is why I remain single for such long periods of time. Who knows? But for others, that person is right under your nose. And sure, yeah, maybe they are taken by that blonde beauty. Or maybe they're just waiting to hear that "there are other fish in the sea" lecture from you (just don't end up being the JAWS of that ocean. Stalkers are really creepy and we don't need another sequel from that damn shark...). Sometimes, it's when you think you've lost them, that you've really found them..........SERIOUS foreshadowing here. If you couldn't catch that hint, then i'm at a loss for words.
I love my lil ending paragraphs.....really I do....Next chapter will be longer. And there will definetly be some semi sappy moments. More points of view from Spike also.
A Life Full Of Saturdays : Cat's In The Cradle
'Bang...' A bloodied finger pointed at Faye before collapsing at her feet in a pool of crimson liquid.
"No!!"
Faye literally leapt out of her chair at the police station. She had just taken her mug shot, shooting a not so nice glare at the butch woman behind the camera, and had accidentally fallen asleep during her wait for her check in to her jail cell. The night was turning out to be worse than it was worth. Faye pulled her gown clad legs up to her chest. They had taken the handcuffs off an hour before, thinking that Faye was dumber than she looked. I'll show them dumb, she thought, and searched the room for a way out. It was then that she found the police locker room. A small light bulb suddenly became brighter with thought in her head.
"Hey..." A skinny rookie at the front desk rose from his seat with a questioning look plastered to his face. "Can I change into my other clothes?" The man scratched the back of his head and walked over to the violet haired prisoner.
"I don't see why not. It's not like there's any windows or anything in the bathroom." He accompanied Faye to the nearest bathroom - across from the police locker room - and waited for her outside her stall. Faye bit her bottom lip in anticipation and threw her gown over the beige door like a rag doll. She slipped into the yellow latex like material and wrapped Duke's red jacket around her shoulders, only to have it fall to her elbows. She chuckled lightly to set her plan up.
"Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing, but I got my hair stuck in my zipper. Could you possibly give me a hand?" The police officer reddened but said a quick 'sure' in response. In one swift motion, Faye was unlocking the door and slamming it against the man's skull. He held his head in his hands for a brief moment, cursing himself under his breath for believing the woman, before Faye up-handed him with a plunger. She checked for a pulse and quickly left the scene, slipping into the police locker room. She quietly pulled on a uniform and headed out the door, hoping no one take notice of her absence.
"Hey!" Faye paused and cringed. Her cover had been blown. "That Valentine woman got away. We're checking the perimeter now." Faye nodded and kept to her path. She was so close to freedom that she could feel her fingers itching to grab onto the cool controls of the Redtail and hightail it out of there. She activated the signal on the old ship and hopped in, and just in time. A dozen cops came running out of the station, only to recieve a sly wave from the vixen.
She was free, well...almost. She still had a bounty on her head. But she was away from that blasted station. She would not be caged up like an animal. She sighed as she stared off into the never ending sea of stars. Who would help her now?
~3 years later~
She had never meant to make the mistake of confusing two men's identities, yet she did. And ended up being taken into interrogation by the all men (go figure) crew. It hadn't started out like that. No, the green haired man sat at her table and stared at her, a lazy smile etched permanently on his features. Not that she minded. He was cute, almost too cute for his own good. And Faye found herself completely enthralled by his looks. And then he left the table with his one chip. The one chip that she needed. And any attraction she had for him left. She needed to get rid of that debt and that damn chip was one step closer in doing so. So she followed him, and confronted him about the stupid chip. That was when he admitted he didn't speak up about her cheating. He knew?! Faye carefully put the pieces back together in her mind, replaying the goofy grin, and the stares. Yep, he knew that Poker Alice had cheated. Hell, that was the only way she knew how to play the game! Since her departure from Duke three years ago, she had made a living by capturing small bounties and taking up small jobs here and there. And then that damn casino owner found her, and here she was, arguing with a green haired lunkhead about a stupid chip. The next few weeks became a blue to her. She remembered being taken in, once again, by the Bebop crew, but never leaving. For some reason, it felt like home.
But what caught her attention wasn't the fact that they actually let her stay, or the mismatched masculine forms gracing the ship. It was the green haired lunkhead. She found herself watching him from a distance, trying to figure him out. Spike Spiegel was indeed handsome, no doubt about that. He was also a cocky son of a bitch that placed himself right underneath Faye's skin. She found herself growing irritated day by day with Spike, and that unnerved her. She had never let a man inch his way into annoyance. She had always been able to keep her cool around the male species since Whitney. Even with Duke, she remained calm. But Spike was an entirely different story. It was when Vicious kept her hostage, did she truly realize that the embitterment she carried was actually that of endearment. He had risked his life to come get her, more out of pity and revenge than out of the kindness of his heart. And she felt her heart plummet as she watched the cowboy fall from the stained glass window. And she cared for him. She actually put her walls down and bandaged up the man who irritated her, only to find out about his past...and his Julia...later on that night.
It had been dark on the Bebop that night, or at least darker than usual, as Faye tiptoed down the cold corridor leading to Spike's bedroom. Since her uninvited arrival on the Bebop, the bounty hunter hadn't once peeked into the object of her agitation's room once. Now that he was bandaged up, she could easily sneak into the bedroom, and dig up some info on the cowboy. It's not like the lazy bum would notice if she was in there. He was out cold, considering the amount of painkillers he had taken. She sometimes wondered if those pills would kill him. But lucky for her (insert sarcasim here), they never did. She slid open the door and peered in.
It was a simple room with rumpled white sheets on the bed and drawers that refused to remain closed. A half smoked cigarette butt lay in his ashtray, calling forth her nicotine craving. She never figured out where the need for smoking came from, but she would go into a frenzy if she didn't have one. Faye searched her pockets for a cigarette, but much to her dismay, found none. A sly grin played upon her features as her nimble fingers lit the half smoked butt and brought it to her own ruby tinted lips. She then proceeded to dig through the man's things as she sat down on the still warm bed. Her eyes scanned the few pieces of his past which included numerous photos of Vicious and a mysterious blonde woman. There were scattered artifacts that he had failed to throw out and a few old CD's but that was about it. Faye sighed in defeat. He obviously traveled light. She was about to give up and go back to lounge area when a yellowed piece of paper caught her emerald eye. It had been torn and thrown around, and then put back together again. Signs of rage were covering the letter. Faye squinted to read the thin handwriting, but to no avail.
"A goodbye letter." Faye almost choked on the cigarette as Spike's voice echoed through the room. She hastily pushed his belongings back into the drawer and stood up to hide her crime, forgetting about the letter that now fell lightly to the floor.
"Spike! What are you doing here?!" The lanky bounty hunter was leaning against the door frame for support. He was in no condition to walk at that moment but he found himself drawn to the comfort of his bed when the familiar presence of Faye had left the room.
"Well this IS my room. Next time i'll be sure to knock though...."
"You know what I meant! You're in no shape to be walking around right now."
"Is that concern I see?"
"No? It's annoyance. You scared the living daylight out of me!"
"Next time i'll yell on the way over so you'll be able to hide any detection of your presence in my room."
"That would GREATLY be appreciated. Considering next time I won't get caught."
"There won't be a next time. I'm putting in the suggestion of locks in to Jet." Faye lifted her chin in defiance, unwillingly letting curiosity get the best of her. "So it was a goodbye letter? To whom?"
"An old flame."
"Ah...I see.. Once your flame, twice your burn."
"Something like that." Spike struggled to make it to his bed. Lucky for him, he succeeded.
"Did she ever get it?"
"Nope. Why say goodbye when you know you're coming back?"
"At least you got that chance..."Faye mumbled.
"Hm?"
"Nothing. Just get some rest before you move like that again. And Spike?"
"What?"
"Thanks for coming after me like you did."
"I had an unresolved conflict to take care of Faye. Don't look deeper into it." The words came out harsher than expected.
"Of course. And Spike? I didn't know you listened to John Lennon." She nodded towards the pile of discarded CDs.
"He was a good man. One with unrealistic ideas, but a good man nonetheless. He should've been listened to more often than not." Faye sighed as the repetitive motion of deep slumber took over the stillness of Spike's bedroom.
John Lennon was indeed a good man, who had great ideals. Just not enough time to exercise them. The great poet once wrote "No one you can save that can't be saved." What if that person doesn't want to be saved? He also said "All you need is love." Which is true in a way. The world will go on as long as that one person is beside you all the way. Life seems easier when you wake up to their face. Is there such thing as one sided love, though? Of course there is. When you and you alone have an undying devotion to another who ceases to know you exist....it's called a crush
Crushes are a bitch aren't they? That's probably why they call them crushes, because you end up getting crushed in the end. But love takes two tango, and right now, Faye felt like she was dancing alone like an idiot. Love's like that. It's not always for sure. You think you bag someone and boom! A blonde beauty comes waltzing in, taking everything you wished you had.
I think love was invented by the creators of board games. There's no sure chance that you'll win, and just because you win the first time, doesn't mean every family get-together will end with you jumping up and doing the victory bum dance in your father's face. However, there are some guys you might want to bring home to your father, just so that you can wail out the lyrics to 'We Are The Champions' at dinnertime. But every now and then you will lose. The one person you want will walk away without a care in the world for your feelings. It hurts doesn't it? My mother always told me that there is always someone you least expect ready to love you for you. I always considered those guys the freaks that lay in the shadows, awaiting my descent into the unknown, sporting a tube top and a mini, and taking away what I had hoped to save for marital bliss. Maybe this is why I remain single for such long periods of time. Who knows? But for others, that person is right under your nose. And sure, yeah, maybe they are taken by that blonde beauty. Or maybe they're just waiting to hear that "there are other fish in the sea" lecture from you (just don't end up being the JAWS of that ocean. Stalkers are really creepy and we don't need another sequel from that damn shark...). Sometimes, it's when you think you've lost them, that you've really found them..........SERIOUS foreshadowing here. If you couldn't catch that hint, then i'm at a loss for words.
I love my lil ending paragraphs.....really I do....Next chapter will be longer. And there will definetly be some semi sappy moments. More points of view from Spike also.