Birdychick- They are goldfish! Very good! Very impressed!
I'm sorry I haven't updated anything in a while. I got todded off my horse and have been pretty drugged up. As will be evident as you read this. Let me know if I should continue in the dopey state I'm in, or wait till I sober up!
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Disclaimer - If it's cool, it ain't mine. This also includes dove soap.
The night was calm and quiet. Stars shone as brilliant diamonds against a deep velvet canvas. An occasional cloud patched the sky, obscuring light from earth, creating dark and light patches.
Patrols around the compound were routine. The young woman was bored out of her mind. "Nothing ever happens here. With all the electronic shit they have now a days, why do we even need human patrols?" Disgustedly she kicked a rock with the toe of her black combat boot. She watched it bounce along the sidewalk and stop.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Her head jerked around in shock. The noise had continued after the rock had stopped. Cautiously she faded into the shadows, drawing her pistol. Narrowing her gray eyes she scanned the area, looking for anything that could have made the out of place noise.
Tick. Tick.
She spun around towards the sound; her gun held in front locked and loaded. Clouds covering the moon shifted with the night breeze and a branch stirred. A flash of silver caught her eye. Something had moved in the still night. The gray eyes looked over both shoulders before going to investigate. Warily she approached, gun at the ready.
What she saw made her close her eyes in horror. Her gut churned as she spewed the contents to the dew dampened grass. On the ground lay a fellow Black Phoenix. He had been stripped of his shirt and jacket. Upon his chest a dragon was carved in the tight flesh. The initials R.D. were deeply carved into his back. His face was almost unrecognizable, having been beaten to a bloody pulp with bits of smashed bone lingering here and there. The gangster was only recognizable by the Black Phoenix insignia tattooed on his right shoulder.
Unsteady hands fumbled for her radio attached to her belt. Unhooking it she dropped the COM a few times before her numb fingers could perform.
Though horrified the words came out relatively calm. "We have a problem in sector four." Her voice cracked when she spoke again. "I found Sean. He's dead."
A shadow passed over the moon once more.
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She looked to be carved from ice. Faye hadn't moved since Spike had showed up. Her face was the purest alabaster white. No color tinted her cheeks or lips. The hand Spike clutched in his own felt like it was carved from the coldest marble. The only thing reassuring Spike that she wasn't dead was her slow deep breathing. A small crimson stain seeped through a bandage on her shoulder.
He knelt on the floor, ignoring the pain gathering in his knees from the awkward position. A tear seeped from the corner of his eye, falling to their clasped hands making a tiny splash as it landed. "Faye, honey, wake up. Please wake up." His voice began to crack. Spike was only vaguely aware of Jet exiting from the room.
"If you come back, I promise I'll make you happy. I can't lose another woman I care about. Don't leave me Faye. I just found you again! Faye wake up! There are so many things I want to know about you. So many things I need to explain to you. I'll take you out when you wake up. We'll do whatever you want, even go to an amusement park. Honey, wake up." Tears were running freely now, dampening the couch and their skin where they landed. Spike's nose was red with unshed emotion. He bowed his head, giving in to his anguish.
"No amusement parks." Faye's voice was raspy yet audible. "The last time we were at one I had to scrape your sorry ass of the ground. I'd rather not repeat that act." Spike's head snapped up quick enough to give a lesser man whiplash. He tightened his grip on her hand, still disbelieving that she was awake.
"Oh, god Faye, you're awake!" The relief was evident in his voice.
She reached up one slender hand to his chiseled cheek. Closing his eyes, Spike leaned in to her caress.
Does he really care about me? NO! What am I saying? We could never make it work!
Her head screamed for her to get him as far away as possible. She would not fall in love with him again! How could she capitulate to this man, the one whom had left her without a word after she all but declared her love for him? Meanwhile her heart told her to stay and face the challenges ahead, that she was strong enough to do it with Spike by her side. Should she fight these feelings, keep her heart safe, wrapped in its gilded cage, letting no one in? For Spike was the only one who had come close to finding the key.
For so long I've been alone. There's an emptiness in my heart. It almost feels full when Spike is around. He's the only one who I've ever felt this way with.
Or should she listen to her heart and give in to the bliss that could be theirs. Could I survive letting Spike complete my soul?
Quickly she jerked her hand back. Spike's face felt bereft of warmth where she had vacated her touch.
"Don't cry Spike, you're not supposed to care about me, remember?" Faye herself was crying now. She gave a watery smile. Her eyes began to droop again as she drifted off on the wings of sleep.
Spike bowed his head praying to gods he had never really considered before. "I've never not cared for you Faye. Quite the contrary, my dear."
Not leaving her side, he lit a cigarette and waited for her to wake again.
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Jet was pensive as he returned to the Bebop. What was going on between Spike and Faye? He knew Faye had strong feelings for Spike, but how did Spike feel? As far as he knew Spike was still grieving over Julia. For him it had only been a few days since she died, though it had been two years for everybody else.
With a sigh he programmed his Hammerhead for auto pilot. While he was playing nurse maid to Faye per Spike's request, no telling what trouble those kids had caused. Honestly, it was like having three Ed's around at times.
Ryukin was basically a good kid. He was enthusiastic about learning. He genuinely enjoyed Jet's stories about Spike, Faye, and Ed. The ISSP had picked him up for currency fraud and resisting arrest. He had been using counterfeit large denominations of wulongs for small purchases and pocketing the change. When they tried to apprehend him, he had led the cops on a merry little chase. Seeing his skills at evasion, the head brass made a deal with him. Work with Jet Black. Learn everything he had to teach. Work with his team. Be successful and all your charges disappear. Gladly the carefree boy had agreed.
Sarassa was the smartest one of the bunch. She learned the quickest and could think on her feet, valuable attributes in a bounty hunter. The girl loved to prove the boys wrong, or to prove how much tougher, smarter, braver, etc. The ISSP had found her luring guys into dark alley ways with her good looks and robbing them after bashing them on the head. Jet had chuckled when he heard that. It sounded like something Faye would do. Seeing that she didn't shirk at what needed to be done, Sarassa had gotten the same deal as Ryukin.
Demekin was the one who worried Jet. The boy was prone to brooding. It was rare he smiled or showed any emotion. Mostly he hid in his room doing god knows what till he was called for classes or dinner. Then he was always flipping that lethal looking knife. It reminded Jet of the old Bowie knives. Demekin learned his lessons well, but he seemed to enjoy the prospect of having to kill. His eyes always lit up whenever Jet mentioned it. At times Jet was reminded of Spike's suicidal nature. If he had known Vicious, he would have made many frightening comparisons. Often he wondered if the shrinks at ISSP made a mistake turning this one out into society again. He had been arrested for gang related behavior. The same deal had been cut with him.
Landing the Hammer head on the deck and rolling into the hanger Jet breathed a sigh of relief. The Bebop was still standing. That was a plus. Time to go make the kids dinner.
Smoke and the smell of burning food greeted Jet as soon as he entered the living room.
"What the-" Speechless Jet looked around in horrified awe. Garbage cans were filled with burnt food. There were sausages, loaves of bread, peppers, mushrooms. Everything else was unidentifiable. There were only burnt black lumps that at one time had been semi-edible.
He looked at Demekin and Ryukin. Seated on the yellow vinyl couch Ryukin was laughing and smoking a cigarette. He pantomimed towards the kitchen and moved his finger in a clockwise motion against his temple. Demekin slowly blew smoke rings, his mouth barely quirked up at the corner. Sarassa was no where to be seen but her smoke choked voice could be heard in the kitchen. "Don't worry guys, (cough, cough) I've got it this time!"
Jet put his head in his hands. "Don't tell me. She tried to cook again didn't she?" As Jet began to sob, Ryukin began to howl in laughter. Even Demekin cracked a grin.
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He watched Faye sleep. Her breathing remained regular. Spike didn't want to, but he figured now was as good a time as any to take a shower. He was a sweaty mess after turning the tables on the thug-wanna-be. He smoothed Faye's bangs back from her face and dropped a kiss on her forehead. In her sleep she smiled.
As the steaming hot water ran down his body he ruminate on he and Faye's relationship in the last few days and how it had changed from two years ago. I can't believe it's been two years. Feels like only a few days for me. He began to work the soap into a lather. Sniffing the air, he wrinkled his nose. He was going to smell like Dove for the rest of the day. Deciding he liked the scent much more on Faye he used as little as possible.
His mind wandered to the little scene they had just had on the couch. He could still feel her hand on his cheek. He reached up to touch it. She had pulled back as though stung. Why does she keep running hot and cold on me? I know she wants me as much as I want her, but then she pulls back. Why? Frustrated he shook out his hair much like a dog would. Quickly he dried off and dressed, eager to be with his patient on the couch.
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The girl watched as the red and green dragons fought fiercely. They were both terribly beautiful in their righteous rage. Green and red, they both had pale ivory underbellies. The only things that distinguished them from normal dragons were the tiny jewels in place of their eyes. Each jewel was a tiny diamond that had not been completely cut, presenting shiny and dull sides, creating an eerie effect.
Both dragons seemed intent on gaining dominance over the other, though they were evenly matched in stubbornness and skill. Every time one seemed to have the advantage, by some miracle the other would pull an unbelievable maneuver and gain it for themselves.
Both were covered with bite marks. Blood flowed freely. The green sported a torn wing. Smoke billowed from their nostrils. Grunts and howls hurt the girl's ears. Jets of flame shot from their throats, missing their targets by scant inches. The surrounding area was a charred wasteland. Many of the dragon's scales were dented or missing. In their passionate struggle each was looking for the killing blow to end the battle.
A black phoenix appeared. Furiously he began to attack the red dragon, striking for the heart every time. Unholy screams rent the air as their jaws latched on to each other, blood spurting in crimson jets. The green dragon screamed in fury. The red dragon circled the phoenix cautiously. Without warning he lunged into the fray, tearing at any part of the mythical bird he could reach. Seeing that the red dragon had the bird occupied, the green dragon went in for the kill. Together it and the red dragon fought as a team to bring down the phoenix.
The girl watched in awe, emerald eyes huge. The body of the dead phoenix combusted into flames and turned to a pile of shimmery ashes. The ashes twirled away on slight gusts of wind.
The red dragon was wounded in the shoulder; scarlet blood steaming as it dripped to the ground. It limped over to the green, who began to gingerly lick the wounds, cooing gently. The red began to do the same for the green.
The girl gasped. This was a male and female dragon. Everyone knows that dragons mate for life or until death.
The dragons, done ministering to each other, twined into a ruby and emerald ball. Sleep over took them as their hearts beat to the same rhythm.
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Faye's eyes snapped open, only to close immediately. The light sent knives of pain slicing into her brain. Dimly she heard the shower running and thankfully surmised that's where Spike was. She needed time to think.
Did she have the courage to do as that dream said she should? For there was no doubt in her mind that Faye was the green dragon or that Spike was the red. Were they destined to forever be at each other's throats, only united to protect one another? Yet the dragons mated for life. She knew she would never love another as she loved Spike.
Was she strong enough to show that love?
What the black phoenix represented, she didn't know. She had a feeling it was one of Spike's many enemies, seeing as it attacked him first. Even in her dreams she couldn't stand by and watch Spike be attacked.
She would stand by him if he let her.
And if he didn't, she would still be there.
She rubber her eyes, pleased with the resolution she had come up with.
Just then the bathroom door opened. Faye's face flushed as she looked at the man standing in the opening. Never had she seen someone so damn good looking. There stood Spike in blue jeans and his yellow button up shirt. The jeans were slung low on his hips showing his white boxers covered with teddy bears. His shirt was open all the way, showing his taught chest and washboard stomach. Beads of water still clung to his face and torso and dripped from the spiked ends of his green afro.
Seeing Faye was awake he rushed to her side. A supporting arm around her shoulders helped raise her to a sitting position. He looked into her eyes, moving his face closer to hers in the process. Gently, fingers brushed violet hair from her face. The afternoon sun turned both their skins a rosy hue. "How ya feeling?" Concern nestled in his eyes.
Faye's hands rose of their own accord to frame his face. She looked deep into his eyes as if looking for something. Nodding as if satisfied with the answer she found, her hands began to roam over his shoulders and down his hard back. Their faces moved closer.
"I'm fine if you're here." Their breaths were mingling now. His skin was warm and moist. Both their eyelids drooped in anticipation. Tilting her face up, she waited for the kiss she knew would come.
Her mind was made up.
She would choose love.
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Wow, this is so totally not the direction I planned on this chapter taking. Heehee, must be all the drugs the doctors have me on! Hope I didn't freak anyone out with the dragon dream thingey. I know my mom and best friend would refer to it as another one of my "Nightmare sequences". I feel like I have everyone really outta character. Let me know. I'll try to fix it.
I am at a crossroad. I was going to keep this story pretty close to the Bebop universe, but got a wicked cool idea to turn it into a fantasy type thing. Spike and Faye would still be together, but they would have to save the world, you know, all that bull shit. Let me know what you think!
Like I said, must be the valium the docs have me on! ( I got tossed by my horse)
Thank you to all my reviewers! I LOVE YOU ALL!!:-D
Review! Give me input as to where I should go with this story!
BTW, the garbage is not an option!lol