Shadowing Ivy
By A Shot of Amber
* ~ * Session 2: Fortune Telling Magic * ~ *
I was the first one to wake up that morning. The early morning sun could not stream in and shine upon my eyes from where I lay. The couch was hard underneath my back; I had never made it to my bed last night.
An empty bottle of Jack Daniel's and three glasses spoke of my premonitions. Faye, Jet, and I had been drinking last night. Just a few drinks between friends or in our case, two friends and an annoying shrew womyn. After a few drinks, the subject of the past came up with Jet telling stories of his days with the ISSP and Faye talking about her childhood. I had remained quiet, retreating into myself while they talked until sleepily everyone had tracked off to bed. I had lain my body upon that couch and slept there to awake the next morning plagued with a headache.
With a groan Spike threw his legs off the couch and stood up to head towards the kitchen and find the aspirin bottle.
" Morning Spike." Jet waved a limp tired hand at him, unscrewed the top of the aspirin bottle, and shook out two tablets. He popped them into his mouth and took a gulp of water.
" Morning," Spike replied reaching for the aspirin and taking some for his self.
" I hate hangovers," Jet groaned taking another drink of water.
" Yea, so do I," Spike replied poured himself a glass of water and taking a sip to wash away the gritty taste of the aspirin. " Call me when breakfast is ready, I'll be out on the deck."
" Sure," Jet replied raising a hand to wave him off.
Spike set down his glass and walked out to the deck, he was already dressed in his sweatpants so he had no need to change his clothes. Outside the morning, sun had begun to rise streaking the sky with orange and purple.
For some reason, the colors of the sky reminded him of Julia. Her smile was like the rising sun, bright and oh so beautiful and the golden color of the sky was her hair. He dropped the towel onto the ground and began with his first stance. The workout would help to clear his mind.
* * * * * * *
" What's for breakfast?" Faye groaned walking into the kitchen holding her head.
" Eggs and bell peppers," Jet replied stirring the eggs in the pan.
" Sounds good, now where is the aspirin?"
" Right there," Jet pointed to the small bottle sitting next to him on the counter top.
Faye lunged forward and grabbed the bottle unscrewing the top quickly and shaking out a couple tablets for herself.
" I hate mornings like this," she groaned taking the aspirin and walking back out of the room.
" So do I," Jet replied wincing at the headache throbbing along his temples.
Spike held the position steady while he took a deep breath then slowly relaxed his body. He took a couple more deep breaths before relaxing completely and pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Nothing helped more then to have a cigarette in the morning, sort of an early morning way to start the day.
He lit up the cigarette and took a deep breath inhaling the gray smoke before blowing the excess out again. The sun had risen fully now in the sky, hovering just over the horizon. It slowly climbed it's way up into the sky shining light upon the city. He winced slightly at the strength of the light. The sun was getting stronger, already he could see little colored dots floating in front of his eyes. Spike blinked once then turned away too see Faye standing near the entrance to the ship shading her eyes from the sun.
" Hey Spike breakfast is ready."
" Alright, I'll be right there," Spike replied rubbing his eyes to get rid of the colors.
Faye nodded and walked back into the ship towards the main room.
Inside Jet set down some plates on the table and a dog bowl in front of Ein. Ed was already eating her eggs when Faye walked in followed shortly by Spike. They too sat down and began to eat. Barely any words were spoken except for some comments on Jet's cooking which were met with the usual glares from Jet. Faye was the first to finish, she left her plate on the table and walked off to the bathroom to immerse herself in an hour long bath. Jet finished next and took all the plates, he would do the dishes, and clean up before heading off to do other things like water the bonsai and fix the ship.
Spike got up and walked out of the room towards his own room. He figured he get dress and maybe go out and walk through the town a bit. The ship was quiet as everyone went off to do their own thing. He would have usually just gone back to sleep on the couch but that day something seemed to pull him along, dragging him to his room and telling him to go to town.
* * * * * * *
It wasn't until that afternoon that he finally escaped the ship and headed towards the city. After a short nap on his bed he awoke and stole the shower away from Faye who spent the next hour screaming insults at him from the other side of the door.
Now he walked through the crowds of people lain down with baskets and shopping bags haggling over prices with the dealers. The smells of rotten vegetables mixed with those of fresh cinnamon buns and coffee. He walked past all these stalls, his hands shoved into his pockets playing with some loose change while he looked up into space not really paying attention. People stepped out of his way only brushing past the man in the blue suit with no destination.
Once away from the dealers selling their wares from cheap wooden stalls. The crowd thinned out giving way stores with dirty glass windows selling electronics and worn out looking clothes. Spike stopped in front of one such shop to look at a computer in the window when someone called out to him.
" You! Young man!"
Spike turned away from the window to see a gypsy womyn pointing to him from across the street. She stood in front of a rather worn out tent dressed in a long green skirt with a purple shawl flung and knotted over it. A white pheasants blouse lay un-tucked and stained around the edge that peeked out over the shawl.
" You young man, come here." She beckoned him over with one finger.
Spike looked around him but saw no one else nearby. A group of girls stood giggling in front of a clothing store while an old couple walked up ahead of him a few yards.
" Are you talking to me?" Spike asked pointing to himself.
" Yes, you young man, come here," the gypsy womyn replied.
Spike looked around him again then walked across the street towards her. She was not very tall, only coming up to his shoulder and as he grew closer he noticed the smell of violets wafting around her.
" Young man, how would you like me to tell you your fortune?"
" No thanks, I don't believe in that kind of thing," Spike replied shaking his hand and turning away.
One hand clanking with gold bracelets reached out and grabbed his coat sleeve stopping him. " You are a non believer of my talents. You think I am a fraud out to make money." She let go of his coat sleeve and moved her hand down to his hand. " Let me see your palm." She turned over his hand and laid his palm out flat in her hand while the other traced over the lines in his skin. " You have lived and died many deaths, you have no fear in life, only great sadness."
" Look lady, I don't believe in this sort of thing," Spike replied trying to take his hand back but she only held on tight and looked up into his eyes. For the first time he noticed the dark violet shade of them framed by thick black lashes, pulling him in.
" You cannot leave without me telling you your fortune," she whispered closing both her hands around his.
"Look lady, I'll tell you one more time, I'm not into that kind of thing," Spike tried again.
The gypsy womyn refused to listen and just shook her head clucking her tongue at him. " You are one of those people who does not know a good deal when you see one. Follow me and I'll show you the truth."
She let go of his hand and walked into the tent beckoning him to follow her. Spike sighed and scratched the back of his head before following her in. Inside the scent of violets was stronger mixed with that of burning wax and smoke. Candles filled the tent crowding every space and filling it with a soft glowing light. She took a seat at a small table, swishing her skirts as she sat down and beckoned him to sit in a chair across from her.
" Alright we can begin, I can answer any question you may have involving your past, present, or future."
" How about telling me how much this is going to cost," Spike replied sitting down in the chair.
" My price is 15 woulong for a palm reading and 25 woulong for a crystal gazing, but at this moment the price is nothing." She laid her palms out flat on the tabletop. " Now please lay your hands on top of mine and open your mind to me completely. Push out all the negative thoughts and just believe that I know what I'm doing."
Spike gave her a look but he did lay out his palms on top of hers and tried to open his mind and push out all the thoughts that there was no point to this.
" Let me see," she mummered closing her eyes and drifting off slightly. " You once loved a womyn very much, but she was taken from you in a violent way."
Spike snapped to attention and stared at her, she sat there across from him eyes closed, a soft dreamy look on her face.
" You lost a friend because of this girl, you both loved her and neither of you knew who she loved." The gypsy girl took a deep breath and went on. " Only in the end did she realize how much she truly loved you and then it was too late and she died. I see rain and her body laying still, you keep this picture frozen in your mind."
Spike closed his eyes seeing the picture of Julia falling as she was shot and then her body lying there on the roof with all that blond hair of hers flung out over her arms.
" Sometimes you wonder if she can see you. Like an angel watching over you, or a ghost haunting you. I see her clearly in your minds eye smiling at you and growing closer and closer till she is almost behind you." The gypsy womyn opened her eyes and looked past Spike to the street where some people were walking past. Their voices broke through his thoughts forcing Spike to open his eyes. He looked over at the gypsy womyn who was looking past him to the street. Spike turned around in his chair to follow her gaze and see what was going on.
A group of people walked past talking loudly and laughing. As they moved on, he caught sight of someone, a girl standing alone across the street staring up at a mural on the wall. She wasn't very tall, but she was thin with long black hair halfway down her back and dressed in a white man's dress shirt and a short black skirt. As if though sensing the fact that someone was looking at her she turned her head slightly to the side and looked over her shoulder. Their eyes were the first thing to meet, hers were green staring right into his. She blinked once then turned away and reached down to pick up a bag laying at her feet. Another group of people walked past the tent passing the opening and blocking the girl from sight. When they had moved on, she was nowhere to be seen.
" Who are you staring at?" The gypsy womyn asked calmly breaking through his thoughts.
" Nothing, just nothing," Spike replied turning around in his chair to face her. " Is there anything else left?"
" No, just the matter of payment, 15 woulongs please." She replied holding out one hand.
" Then here you go." Spike pulled the money out of his pocket and handed it to her before getting up and walking out of the tent into the bright sunshine.
The gypsy womyn followed him outside and watched him walk off down the street his hands shoved into his pockets. A small smile shone on her face has she pocketed the money and walked back into the tent to blow out a small candle burning all alone on the table top.
* * * * * * *
I walked inside the park and looked around me. Nearby on the playground children ran around screaming nosily while parents sat and chatted on the wooden benches. I turned to avoid that area and instead headed deeper inside the park towards the water fountain. Here people sat in pairs of two or three talking quietly among themselves while the sounds of water splashing filled the air.
I took a seat on a bench and reached into my pocket for my pack of cigarettes. The search for the strange girl I had seen had been fruitless. She had disappeared from sight the minute I stepped out of the gypsy womyn's tent. Although I could say I was not looking for the girl, there was something, inside me that wanted see her again.
Spike pulled a cigarette out of his pack and put it to his lips before shoving the pack back into his pocket and reaching for his lighter, the pocket was empty though. Spike began to search through his jacket when something clicked and a flame shot up next to him.
" Need a light?" A voice asked holding out his lighter. The tiny flame danced near his face. Spike turned his head to look up at the source of the voice only to see a womyn he had never believed to be real.
" Julia..?"
See you Space Cowboy.
Ed: Since Ed and Ein got almost no time in this episode we will introduce the next episode. A spooky space creature with ten claws will come and attack our poor hero's, but the wonderful Cowgirl Ed and her sidekick Ein will come and save the day!
Faye: Hey wait that's not true!
Spike: Stop making up stuff Ed.
Jet: The next episode is " Winding Ivy."
Please remember to read and review or send all comments, questions, suggestions, and flames to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail.com. Thank you and see you in a week.
By A Shot of Amber
* ~ * Session 2: Fortune Telling Magic * ~ *
I was the first one to wake up that morning. The early morning sun could not stream in and shine upon my eyes from where I lay. The couch was hard underneath my back; I had never made it to my bed last night.
An empty bottle of Jack Daniel's and three glasses spoke of my premonitions. Faye, Jet, and I had been drinking last night. Just a few drinks between friends or in our case, two friends and an annoying shrew womyn. After a few drinks, the subject of the past came up with Jet telling stories of his days with the ISSP and Faye talking about her childhood. I had remained quiet, retreating into myself while they talked until sleepily everyone had tracked off to bed. I had lain my body upon that couch and slept there to awake the next morning plagued with a headache.
With a groan Spike threw his legs off the couch and stood up to head towards the kitchen and find the aspirin bottle.
" Morning Spike." Jet waved a limp tired hand at him, unscrewed the top of the aspirin bottle, and shook out two tablets. He popped them into his mouth and took a gulp of water.
" Morning," Spike replied reaching for the aspirin and taking some for his self.
" I hate hangovers," Jet groaned taking another drink of water.
" Yea, so do I," Spike replied poured himself a glass of water and taking a sip to wash away the gritty taste of the aspirin. " Call me when breakfast is ready, I'll be out on the deck."
" Sure," Jet replied raising a hand to wave him off.
Spike set down his glass and walked out to the deck, he was already dressed in his sweatpants so he had no need to change his clothes. Outside the morning, sun had begun to rise streaking the sky with orange and purple.
For some reason, the colors of the sky reminded him of Julia. Her smile was like the rising sun, bright and oh so beautiful and the golden color of the sky was her hair. He dropped the towel onto the ground and began with his first stance. The workout would help to clear his mind.
* * * * * * *
" What's for breakfast?" Faye groaned walking into the kitchen holding her head.
" Eggs and bell peppers," Jet replied stirring the eggs in the pan.
" Sounds good, now where is the aspirin?"
" Right there," Jet pointed to the small bottle sitting next to him on the counter top.
Faye lunged forward and grabbed the bottle unscrewing the top quickly and shaking out a couple tablets for herself.
" I hate mornings like this," she groaned taking the aspirin and walking back out of the room.
" So do I," Jet replied wincing at the headache throbbing along his temples.
Spike held the position steady while he took a deep breath then slowly relaxed his body. He took a couple more deep breaths before relaxing completely and pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Nothing helped more then to have a cigarette in the morning, sort of an early morning way to start the day.
He lit up the cigarette and took a deep breath inhaling the gray smoke before blowing the excess out again. The sun had risen fully now in the sky, hovering just over the horizon. It slowly climbed it's way up into the sky shining light upon the city. He winced slightly at the strength of the light. The sun was getting stronger, already he could see little colored dots floating in front of his eyes. Spike blinked once then turned away too see Faye standing near the entrance to the ship shading her eyes from the sun.
" Hey Spike breakfast is ready."
" Alright, I'll be right there," Spike replied rubbing his eyes to get rid of the colors.
Faye nodded and walked back into the ship towards the main room.
Inside Jet set down some plates on the table and a dog bowl in front of Ein. Ed was already eating her eggs when Faye walked in followed shortly by Spike. They too sat down and began to eat. Barely any words were spoken except for some comments on Jet's cooking which were met with the usual glares from Jet. Faye was the first to finish, she left her plate on the table and walked off to the bathroom to immerse herself in an hour long bath. Jet finished next and took all the plates, he would do the dishes, and clean up before heading off to do other things like water the bonsai and fix the ship.
Spike got up and walked out of the room towards his own room. He figured he get dress and maybe go out and walk through the town a bit. The ship was quiet as everyone went off to do their own thing. He would have usually just gone back to sleep on the couch but that day something seemed to pull him along, dragging him to his room and telling him to go to town.
* * * * * * *
It wasn't until that afternoon that he finally escaped the ship and headed towards the city. After a short nap on his bed he awoke and stole the shower away from Faye who spent the next hour screaming insults at him from the other side of the door.
Now he walked through the crowds of people lain down with baskets and shopping bags haggling over prices with the dealers. The smells of rotten vegetables mixed with those of fresh cinnamon buns and coffee. He walked past all these stalls, his hands shoved into his pockets playing with some loose change while he looked up into space not really paying attention. People stepped out of his way only brushing past the man in the blue suit with no destination.
Once away from the dealers selling their wares from cheap wooden stalls. The crowd thinned out giving way stores with dirty glass windows selling electronics and worn out looking clothes. Spike stopped in front of one such shop to look at a computer in the window when someone called out to him.
" You! Young man!"
Spike turned away from the window to see a gypsy womyn pointing to him from across the street. She stood in front of a rather worn out tent dressed in a long green skirt with a purple shawl flung and knotted over it. A white pheasants blouse lay un-tucked and stained around the edge that peeked out over the shawl.
" You young man, come here." She beckoned him over with one finger.
Spike looked around him but saw no one else nearby. A group of girls stood giggling in front of a clothing store while an old couple walked up ahead of him a few yards.
" Are you talking to me?" Spike asked pointing to himself.
" Yes, you young man, come here," the gypsy womyn replied.
Spike looked around him again then walked across the street towards her. She was not very tall, only coming up to his shoulder and as he grew closer he noticed the smell of violets wafting around her.
" Young man, how would you like me to tell you your fortune?"
" No thanks, I don't believe in that kind of thing," Spike replied shaking his hand and turning away.
One hand clanking with gold bracelets reached out and grabbed his coat sleeve stopping him. " You are a non believer of my talents. You think I am a fraud out to make money." She let go of his coat sleeve and moved her hand down to his hand. " Let me see your palm." She turned over his hand and laid his palm out flat in her hand while the other traced over the lines in his skin. " You have lived and died many deaths, you have no fear in life, only great sadness."
" Look lady, I don't believe in this sort of thing," Spike replied trying to take his hand back but she only held on tight and looked up into his eyes. For the first time he noticed the dark violet shade of them framed by thick black lashes, pulling him in.
" You cannot leave without me telling you your fortune," she whispered closing both her hands around his.
"Look lady, I'll tell you one more time, I'm not into that kind of thing," Spike tried again.
The gypsy womyn refused to listen and just shook her head clucking her tongue at him. " You are one of those people who does not know a good deal when you see one. Follow me and I'll show you the truth."
She let go of his hand and walked into the tent beckoning him to follow her. Spike sighed and scratched the back of his head before following her in. Inside the scent of violets was stronger mixed with that of burning wax and smoke. Candles filled the tent crowding every space and filling it with a soft glowing light. She took a seat at a small table, swishing her skirts as she sat down and beckoned him to sit in a chair across from her.
" Alright we can begin, I can answer any question you may have involving your past, present, or future."
" How about telling me how much this is going to cost," Spike replied sitting down in the chair.
" My price is 15 woulong for a palm reading and 25 woulong for a crystal gazing, but at this moment the price is nothing." She laid her palms out flat on the tabletop. " Now please lay your hands on top of mine and open your mind to me completely. Push out all the negative thoughts and just believe that I know what I'm doing."
Spike gave her a look but he did lay out his palms on top of hers and tried to open his mind and push out all the thoughts that there was no point to this.
" Let me see," she mummered closing her eyes and drifting off slightly. " You once loved a womyn very much, but she was taken from you in a violent way."
Spike snapped to attention and stared at her, she sat there across from him eyes closed, a soft dreamy look on her face.
" You lost a friend because of this girl, you both loved her and neither of you knew who she loved." The gypsy girl took a deep breath and went on. " Only in the end did she realize how much she truly loved you and then it was too late and she died. I see rain and her body laying still, you keep this picture frozen in your mind."
Spike closed his eyes seeing the picture of Julia falling as she was shot and then her body lying there on the roof with all that blond hair of hers flung out over her arms.
" Sometimes you wonder if she can see you. Like an angel watching over you, or a ghost haunting you. I see her clearly in your minds eye smiling at you and growing closer and closer till she is almost behind you." The gypsy womyn opened her eyes and looked past Spike to the street where some people were walking past. Their voices broke through his thoughts forcing Spike to open his eyes. He looked over at the gypsy womyn who was looking past him to the street. Spike turned around in his chair to follow her gaze and see what was going on.
A group of people walked past talking loudly and laughing. As they moved on, he caught sight of someone, a girl standing alone across the street staring up at a mural on the wall. She wasn't very tall, but she was thin with long black hair halfway down her back and dressed in a white man's dress shirt and a short black skirt. As if though sensing the fact that someone was looking at her she turned her head slightly to the side and looked over her shoulder. Their eyes were the first thing to meet, hers were green staring right into his. She blinked once then turned away and reached down to pick up a bag laying at her feet. Another group of people walked past the tent passing the opening and blocking the girl from sight. When they had moved on, she was nowhere to be seen.
" Who are you staring at?" The gypsy womyn asked calmly breaking through his thoughts.
" Nothing, just nothing," Spike replied turning around in his chair to face her. " Is there anything else left?"
" No, just the matter of payment, 15 woulongs please." She replied holding out one hand.
" Then here you go." Spike pulled the money out of his pocket and handed it to her before getting up and walking out of the tent into the bright sunshine.
The gypsy womyn followed him outside and watched him walk off down the street his hands shoved into his pockets. A small smile shone on her face has she pocketed the money and walked back into the tent to blow out a small candle burning all alone on the table top.
* * * * * * *
I walked inside the park and looked around me. Nearby on the playground children ran around screaming nosily while parents sat and chatted on the wooden benches. I turned to avoid that area and instead headed deeper inside the park towards the water fountain. Here people sat in pairs of two or three talking quietly among themselves while the sounds of water splashing filled the air.
I took a seat on a bench and reached into my pocket for my pack of cigarettes. The search for the strange girl I had seen had been fruitless. She had disappeared from sight the minute I stepped out of the gypsy womyn's tent. Although I could say I was not looking for the girl, there was something, inside me that wanted see her again.
Spike pulled a cigarette out of his pack and put it to his lips before shoving the pack back into his pocket and reaching for his lighter, the pocket was empty though. Spike began to search through his jacket when something clicked and a flame shot up next to him.
" Need a light?" A voice asked holding out his lighter. The tiny flame danced near his face. Spike turned his head to look up at the source of the voice only to see a womyn he had never believed to be real.
" Julia..?"
See you Space Cowboy.
Ed: Since Ed and Ein got almost no time in this episode we will introduce the next episode. A spooky space creature with ten claws will come and attack our poor hero's, but the wonderful Cowgirl Ed and her sidekick Ein will come and save the day!
Faye: Hey wait that's not true!
Spike: Stop making up stuff Ed.
Jet: The next episode is " Winding Ivy."
Please remember to read and review or send all comments, questions, suggestions, and flames to Saphrians_Water_Reflection@hotmail.com. Thank you and see you in a week.