By A Shot of Amber
Session 23: A Grand Opera Entrance
It was a world of smoky pool halls and dark bars filled with jazz music.
A world where cigarettes and alcohol overruled money and food.
It was a world of love, lies, and a past that never left me alone.
It was my world.
- Spike Spiegel
" So where are you two off to?" Ivy asked from her position on the couch where she was mending a hole in her shirt.
" To catch our 3 million woulong bounty," Faye replied filling her gun with bullets.
" Don't expect us back till late, were going to catch that guy and parade him off to the ISSP."
" I won't, I'll just hope you catch him and bring back the money. We need food again," Ivy replied going back to her sewing.
" We always do," Jet sighed and picked up the grenades lying next to him on the table. " When we get back I'll buy some beef since Spike burned the last of what we had."
" Don't remind me, I'm just starting to get used to the stench he left behind," Faye replied slamming her gun close and standing up. " Come on, lets go and get this over with. I want the bounty now."
" So you can go and spend it at the casino's again?" Jet asked standing up also.
" Like I told Spike, it's a lot better then the bank."
" Yea, whatever," Jet replied following Faye out of the room towards the hanger.
" Have fun!" Ivy called out waving them goodbye.
" We'll try," Jet replied wryly.
Ivy grinned and went back to her sewing. She waited until she heard the sounds of two ships taking off before getting up and heading towards her room to prepare.
Spike slid underneath the ship feeling the cool metal against his back. With a wrench in one hand, he tried to pry the bolt loose on the engine. Already oil and grease stained his shirt but he didn't really care, it was just an old thing anyway.
Time had passed since Faye and Jet had taken off to find their bounty and Spike moved the Swordfish out onto the deck so he could work on it. Inside Ed and Ein lay asleep, much like always in their hallway while Ivy did who knows what. He hadn't seen her for quite awhile although he hoped she was making dinner because he was starving.
Ivy slipped the small diamond earrings in her ears and looked at them. At first glance you could tell they were fake but they were something. They lent a sparkly air to her whole look. A black ribbon was clasped around her neck, the only other piece of jewelry she had. White gloves were slipped on, reaching up to her elbows. Ivy struggled to smooth them out, finally succeeding before she reached for the small beaded handbag and walked out of the bathroom.
The dress seemed to rustle loudly inside the quiet ship. She picked up the long skirt, holding it above her knees revealing bare feet. Her shoes dangled from one hand along with the purse. A quick check of the main room showed it all clear, Ivy tip toed through quickly and headed for the hanger. She almost felt like a spy fleeing from the scene of the crime. This thought made her giggle, a loud sound coming from her throat. Quickly Ivy bit down on her lips to keep from laughing aloud but she wasn't quiet enough.
" Where are you going?" Spike stepped out of a corner of the hanger where he was shuffling through Jet's toolbox. He stopped and stared at Ivy who was dressed in a floor length mint colored ball gown. She jumped and turned around at the sound of his voice. Her breasts rising slightly with her breathing from the strapless bodice.
" Spike what are you doing here? I thought you had gone with the others to get the bounty." Ivy gasped dropping her skirt to the floor.
" I don't waste my time on small fries like that. Why are you dressed like that?"
" I have some place to be that requires me to dress up," she replied standing up straight and proudly.
" I see, well then where are you going and why are you sneaking out of here?"
" That's none of your business." Ivy picked up her skirt again and headed out towards the deck.
"I would think it is, I'm very interested to know. You don't usually see people dressed up like that every day unless they have some kind of important mission, like finding out about their past?"
Ivy stopped walking and turned around to face Spike who had followed her out on to the deck.
" How did you know that?" She demanded.
" I guessed, especially after everything you told me a couple days ago. So your off to go and find out some clues about your pass, dressed like a queen. It must be a very important place your going to."
" I'm going to opera, there's someone there I need to meet," Ivy muttered turning her face away from him.
" The opera huh, well do you need a ride?" Spike patted Swordfish, which was sitting next to him.
" No thank you," Ivy grinned at him. " I've had enough of being shoved into the swordfish like a stuffed sausage. I have my own ride."
" Oh really. Well then I guess there is no need for me to intervene." Spike kneeled down and crawled back underneath the Swordfish to place a new bolt on the engine while Ivy walked over to the edge of the deck and prepared to jump over the other side. Before she did she stopped and looked back at the ship.
" Do you want to come with me? I have another ticket if your interested in an evening of cultural experiences."
" I'm not exactly that type of person," Spike replied from underneath the ship.
" Alright, I just thought I would ask. Have fun with Ed and Ein tonight, I'll be back later." Ivy prepared to jump over when Spike crawled out from underneath the ship and stood up.
" How much time do I have before you'll leave without me?"
Ivy smiled and walked back over to him. " Enough time to shower and change into a tuxedo or at least something that looks classy. I assume you have something like that?"
" I think I might have something lying around," Spike replied dusting off his shirt.
" Good then hurry up and get it, I leave in thirty minutes with or without you."
" Jeez, you don't have to sound huffy about it." Spike turned and walked back into the ship followed by Ivy marching quite like a drill sergeant.
Thirty minutes later she sat alone on the edge of the deck swinging her bare feet in the air. Her shoes lay next to her along with her purse and shawl. They were nice shoes, but she knew they would hurt her feet so she would leave them off until it was time to put them on.
Spike brushed some stray dust from the white sleeve of his tux and looked down in disgust at it. Now he knew why it lay in the back of his closet. The thing was highly uncomfortable. When he walked out of his room he found that Ivy was not in the main room so he walked out onto the deck to see her sitting on the edge watching the sun set.
" Here I am," he held out his arms to give a Tada effect as she turned around and studied him.
" Hmm, very nice. It will pass," Ivy stood up and gathered her things. " Come on we better get going."
" And how are we going to get there? I don't presume we're going to walk." Spike muttered walking over to the edge of the deck where she jumped off onto the pavement.
" Nope, were going to find my ride and arrive there in style."
" Style?" Spike asked cocking an eyebrow.
" Yea, style." Ivy turned and walked off headed into the city while he sighed and jumped over the water to follow her. They walked only for a short time before they came upon an empty parking lot where a red car was parked
" See I told you, style." Ivy pulled a set of silver keys out of her hand bag and unlocking the car.
" This is yours?" Spike asked gawking at the car.
" Yea, sort of an late birthday gift from an old friend." Ivy pulled on her shoes and climbed in behind the steering wheel.
" Must be a nice friend." Spike climbed in also and closed the door. Out of reflex he reached for his cigarettes and pulled one out while Ivy turned the key and shifted the car into drive. They took off with a roar of the engine headed out of the parking lot towards the street.
" Your one hell of a crazy driver," Spike muttered through his cigarette.
" I like to drive fast." To prove her point Ivy stepped onto the gas causing them to go faster.
" I can see that." Spike lit his cigarette and blew out a poof of smoke. The scenery outside the window was passing by to fast for him, so he concentrated on smoking his cigarette while keeping his eyes closed.
All to quickly they arrived at the opera house, Ivy turned the car off and got out, delicately wrapping her shawl around her arms and slipping a stray piece of hair back into place.
" So what are we supposed to do now?" Spike asked slamming his door shut and walking over to join her.
" First of all spit out your cigarette, I don't think they allow smoking in there then follow me."
Ivy took a deep breath and began to walk towards the opera house. Spike gave a disgusted sigh and spit out his cigarette before following her across the street.
" Sir, may I see your ticket?" An usher asked holding out his hand.
" Ticket?" Spike asked looking at Ivy.
" They are right here." Ivy pulled out two tickets and handed them to the man.
The usher studied them carefully then looked at the two people standing in front of him. " You will be on the lower level in the third row, please enjoy the show." He handed them the tickets then stood aside to let them in.
" Thank you." Ivy took the tickets and placed them back in her purse as they followed the crowd walking up a set of stairs towards the theatre
" I didn't know someone could sound so snobby." Spike growled turning to back at the usher who was now looking at another couple's tickets.
" It's the upper class type, they are all like that," Ivy replied absentmindedly.
" You sound like you've dealt with them before." Spike turned to look down at her.
" I have." Ivy loosened her grip on her cloak allowing it to fall down into the crook of her arms.
Spike said nothing but instead just looked down at the way her black hair was pulled up into a fancy twist on top of her head and secured with a black plastic comb.
Inside the theatre, she seemed apprehensive looking around her, chewing on her bottom lip as she stared up at the stage before turning around again to look behind her. Finally Spike grew tired of this and took her hand causing her to look at him with confusion.
" Calm down," he whispered letting go.
She nodded and sat back in her chair, folding both hands in her lap over the purse. The lights dimmed and the opera started. Not even five minutes into it he started to wish for a cigarette. Spike reached into his pocket to draw out one, but Ivy stooped him with a hand on his arm and slight shake of her head. So he removed his hand and sat in the chair grumbling to himself and wishing his tuxedo was a little more comfortable.
Finally when intermission came, he all but jumped out of his seat taking her with him. Outside in the hallway he pulled loosened his tie and gave her a dirty look. " I thought that would never end."
" You still have another half to go through," Ivy replied pulling her cloak around her arms and looking around her. " We need to go downstairs to the dressing rooms. The dancer name Katrina that I'm supposed to talk to is down there."
" I'm going out to have a cigarette," Spike replied pulling out a pack of cigarettes and his lighter.
Ivy looked up at him and nodded. " Alright I'll meet you after the intermission."
The two parted ways with Spike heading towards the doors and Ivy towards an usher. She quickly got permission to be taken downstairs. The man exchanged nods with a companion standing nearby and led the lady dressed in the mint colored gown through a hidden door. They walked through a cheerless gray hallway and down a set of narrow stairs to the dressing rooms. Down here the floor was carpeted in red, girls in various stages of dress ran in and out of their rooms giggling and talking. Their faces streaked with white paint.
" This is her room ma'am." The usher opened the door and bowed her in.
Ivy nodded and stepped in looking around her at the overzealous décor. Racks of clothing and trunks seemed to fill each corner. A dressmaker's dummy with a face painted on in red lipstick sneered at her from the corner where it stood wearing a gold lame dress.
" So you must be the girl Burt sent." Katrina sat in front of the mirror applying her make-up.
Ivy looked over at Katrina. She was well past her prime. Curly beach blond hair bobbed and cut short over her neck fell into a pair of lifeless dull eyes.
" Yes, I am. My name's Ivy."
" Katrina, I'm a dancer for this production although I wouldn't call it a bread and butter job." She fumbled through her make-up bag looking for something. " So what do you want to know kid?"
" I want to know about Max." Ivy took a deep breath and went on. " I want to know about his past before me."
" There's not much to tell. I met him one night at the club where I used to work. We struck up a relationship on a urine soaked mattress in a back room somewhere and it took off from there." Katrina sighed and adjusted her gold robe around her legs. " After that he got my a job as a dancer in the ballet. I've been here ever since. We used to do everything together." She stopped applying her make-up and looked straight into the mirror. " He took me to opera and to balls and fancy parties. I was dressed in the best silks and satins and treated like a princess. I'll admit that I fell in love with him." She picked up a black eye liner pencil and commenced to line her eyes.
" Was he in love with you?"
" I thought he was, but then he came upon this new girl and I was thrown out. They gave me some money and told me not to come back. It really hurt to be used like that."
" Who was this new girl?"
" Some tart filly, she belonged to a rival syndicate but he did not care. He wanted her no matter what. Except I heard something happened to her, lost her memory or something." Katrina dropped her eyeliner pencil on the dresser top where it rolled off and fell to the floor. She made no move to retrieve it.
" Do you know how?"
" Nope, I just know that she disappeared for awhile before coming back. She was his new girl. The one dressed in the silks and the satins. The princess that hung on his arm." Katrina gave a wry grin at her reflection. " Ya know Max always had a thing for blondes so I was shocked when he gave you your dark hair."
" My dark hair?" Ivy looked down at a lock of her hair hanging down around her neck. " What do you mean?"
" What do I mean? I mean that Max wanted you from the beginning kid. He wanted to posse you and he did. I don't really know how he did it since he dumped me off pretty fast when he got you. All I remember was you being carried in and that damn rain falling. They drove me off and kicked me out of the car in front of the club. I didn't have an umbrella or anything." Katrina brushed a bit of blond hair out of her eyes and for the first time, Ivy saw the glint of purple. " I sure as hell hated getting wet, I'm like a cat. I don't like to get wet." She meowed and scratched her nails over the mirror.
Ivy self-consciously took a step back from the seated womyn.
" Burt told me you wanted to find out about your past and where Max is. Is he looking for you darling? Of course he is!" She gave a short little bark of laughter. " He will always be searching for you. You're his fucken prize!" She turned around in the chair and faced Ivy for the first time revealing her face.
" That's purple eye," Ivy gasped seeing the dyed purple color of the womyn's eyes.
" You got your sweet self right, I can't afford red eye, to expensive. So I got the purple stuff, it helps me see you just fine. It helps me see you for the little slut you truly are!" Katrina jumped up and ran forward towards her. Ivy jumped to the side tangling herself in her skirts.
" I hated you!" Katrina now stood in front of the wall, her forehead resting against the yellow paint. " I hated you because he wanted you more then me." She slammed her fist into the wall and turned around. " I hated that damn rain, it was all wet and falling on your perfect little skin." She rushed forward and grabbed Ivy's arm wrenching it behind her back. " You were to perfect, a rich little perfect girl." She sneered and twisted harder.
Ivy was pulled forward by the weight of Katrina pressing against her back, any second now her arm would snap. She could feel the pain the blazing through her head.
" Well miss perfect, Burt was very kind in sending you here. You see he knew all long that you would play into his trap. You are so desperate for love and friendship that you would do anything for the first kind thing someone did for you."
Ivy glared at the womyn and raised one foot, bringing it down hard on the other womyn's stocking feet.
Katrina howled with anger and let go, nursing her bruised foot while Ivy stepped back to the other side of the room, reaching under her skirt for her gun.
" You little bitch!" Katrina yelled hoping up and down to keep her balance. " I'll kill you for that."
" You won't do any such thing." Ivy pulled out her gun and held it up. " Now I want to know the truth and don't try any funny stuff, I have the upper hand now."
Spike looked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. On either side, the hallway was empty. He stepped out of the shadows of the stairs. So far, so good. No one was around, upstairs people mingled around talking and laughing. On stage, the performers prepared for the next act.
Down here with a cigarette clenched between his teeth, Spike walked down an empty corridor lit by a row of fluorescent lights on the ceiling.
" Sir, I'm afraid your not allowed down here."
" Whoop! My bad!" Spike replied holding up his hands. He felt something poke into his back.
" Will you please come with me?"
" Where too?" Spike tried to turn around but the man behind him only dug his gun deeper into Spike's back.
" Don't ask any questions, just walk!" He growled shoving Spike forward.
Spike stumbled forward but quickly caught his balance and turned around. " Now that was mean. You shouldn't push people around like that."
" Shut up punk!" The man holding the gun rushed forward hand raised to slam him upside the head, but Spike merely dodged him and brought one fist up into the man's stomach.
" Sorry but I don't feel much up to having a headache today." The man fell to the floor groaning in pain.
Shouts were heard as another group of men appeared at the end of the hallway. Guns were raised and shots fired out, Spike quickly turned and ran reaching into his jacket for his gun.
" Man they really are picky about who comes down here. What are they afraid I'm going to peek in on the girls?"
Spike fired a few shots behind him and rounded the corner into a hallway full of doors. A group of girls dressed in flimsy outfits screamed as they saw him and ran off into their rooms.
" Opps, I guess I am, sorry about that!" Spike grinned and ran past them taking cover beneath a large chest of drawers.
The men with the guns ran around the corner and stopped as they saw groups of girls running and screaming through the hall.
" Get out of my way!" One man screamed waving his gun in the air and firing off a couple of shots. This only made the girls scream louder.
Spike took the chance to take aim and fire effectively taking out one of the men.
Ivy looked over at the door where she heard gunshots being fired off followed by the screams of the other dancers.
" What the hell is going on out there?"
Katrina took this chance to run forward and pin Ivy against the wall. Her long bony fingers topped by red nails wrapped themselves around Ivy's throat and begin to squeeze.
" And now I will get rid of you once and for all and bury the body where they can not find it."
Ivy gasped for air and tried to move her arm, but Katrina's leg pressed down trapping her gun to the wall.
" Burn in hell bitch!"
Spike aimed and hit another one. The man fell backwards falling upon a girl staining her white costume bright red. She screamed and pushed him away. Tears ran down her cheeks hysterically as she ran off with the others.
" Sorry!" Spike yelled out but his only answer was a spray of bullet hitting the wooden chest.
" Damnit, don't these guys know when to give up?" Spike reloaded his gun and fired off a round in return when he heard the sound of a gunshot right near his ear.
While the men fired their guns at him and pushed the girls out of the way, Spike crawled towards the door near to him on the wall and pressed his ear against it. He could hear anything over all the noise except the faint muffling sounds of someone breathing hard.
Ivy pressed her finger against the trigger and fired again. The bullet went straight through the floor just missing Katrina's foot.
" Stupid bitch." Katrina pressed down harder cutting off whatever air supply she had left. Ivy felt herself growing weaker and weaker.
The door flung open and Spike ran in, his gun raised. Katrina let go and turned around while Ivy slid to the ground half conscious.
" Who the hell are you?" Katrina screamed.
" I was going to ask the same thing and why the hell your hurting Ivy," Spike replied.
" Get the fuck out of my dressing room!" Katrina ran forward hands outstretched to grab him. Spike simply stepped to the side and saw the glint of purple in her eyes. "Purple eye?"
" You got that right. It makes me 10 times stronger now, strong enough to kill you and your little friend." She ran forward clawing for his shirt.
" I don't think so."
Shots rang out as the last remaining men rushed in firing their guns.
" Fuck!" Spike dived behind something and aimed his gun, hitting whoever he could. Ivy sat against the wall limp as a rag doll staring at the floor with dull eyes.
"Get him! Not me!" Katrina yelled pointing to Spike.
" Damn it!" Spike shot and hit another man just leaving one more left. A spray of bullets answered his call, one grazing his arm. Spike gasped in pain and dropped his gun. His hand clamped over the cut feeling the flow of blood on his fingertips.
" Kill him and her too!" Katrina pointed to Spike crouching in the corner then turned to the last man standing. His eyes were wide open in fear, a shot rang out, and his eyes rolled forward into his head before he fell to the ground.
Katrina turned around as if in slow motion to see Ivy on her knees, one hand pressed against the floor while the other held up her gun.
" Thanks." Another shot rang out and hit Katrina square in the forehead. Blood spurted from the sound as Katrina fell forwards landing with the sickening thud on the floor.
For a second they both sat still. Spike stared at Ivy in shock while she looked down at the dead bodies of Katrina and the nameless man. Then life seemed to pour back into her and she stood up.
" Come on, we have to get out of here before the cops come." Ivy ran over to Spike and helped him up. She grabbed her purse and wrap and together the two ran out of the room headed for the emergency exit. The whole time her hand rested on his arm while the other held up her long skirt. He looked down at her with the pins falling out her neatly tied up hair, blood staining her dress and for the first time, he saw a whole new person.
" Does it hurt a lot?"
" No." Spike moved his arm testing the bandage then reached into his pocket for his cigarettes.
" That's good." Ivy pushed her skirt back down over her bare legs and threw the extra strips of cloth into the car.
"You know you didn't have to tear up my skirt to bandage my arm." Spike placed one hand over the mint green strips of cloth.
" I don't mind, it's not like I'm going to ever wear this dress again." She hopped up on the hood of the car and reached up to remove the rest of the bobby pins holding up her hair.
Spike watched for a moment before turning away and digging through his pockets for his pack of cigarettes.
" Can I have one?"
He turned to her and slipped a cigarette into her mouth then with a flash of his lighter lit it for her. Ivy removed the comb holding the last of her hair and sighed. She inhaled deeply from the cigarette and blew out the excess smoke.
" You know ever since I joined the Bebop I've been smoking more."
" Maybe it's the influence of Faye and I," Spike replied shoving his lighter back into his pocket.
" Maybe, or perhaps it's because I'm finally free too. Max would never let me smoke since it was bad for my health."
" It may be bad for your health but it's balm for the soul."
Ivy and leaned back on one hand, the cigarette clenched between her lips. "Maybe so."
For awhile neither one said anything. They just leaned against the car watching the sun rise across the water on the harbor. Golden light filled the early morning air, sparkling on the water like a million diamonds. Ivy took one last puff of her cigarette and threw it into the water. It sailed in a clean arc through the air and landed with a small plop creating ripples on the surface.
" Hey I really never got to thank you for coming with me tonight."
" Its not like I had anything else to do anyway."
" Yea, but still," Ivy turned to him and smiled. " Thanks."
" No problem." Spike removed his cigarette and threw it into the water next to hers. " So should we get going beck to the ship and see if Jet and Faye caught that big bounty?"
" I really don't want to, just not yet." Ivy pulled her knees up to her chest revealing bare feet underneath her skirt. " I just love the sun rose and I would like to see it."
Spike looked at her from the corner of his eye. The slight breeze off the water pushed her hair back wrapping a few strands around her neck. A sad painful expression filled her eyes and masked her face.
" You didn't get any clues tonight did you?"
" No, not even one. I just got doubled crossed and almost killed by a jealous ex-lover of Max's. I thought I had people from the inside I could trust but I guess I was wrong."
" In syndicate you can trust no one but yourself." Spike leaned back against the car and shoved his hands into his pockets.
" Faye told me you were once in a syndicate and that you were in love with a womyn named Julia." Ivy turned her face towards him waiting for any sort of reaction.
" When did she tell you this?"
" A while ago, one night when we were drinking together. She told me you almost died for that womyn but you survived. I believe her when I see the scars all over your chest and arms."
Spike was silent as he remembered Julia's body falling forward in the rain, almost painfully his heart wrenched at the sight.
" Faye said she was what people would call a real womyn, yet she was so sad. She said you never like to talk about your past. I can understand you somewhat know what I'm going through, being a part of a syndicate."
" Yea, but I was only a crime leader. You're a syndicate mistress. The highest of the kind, the leader will pay in blood looking for you."
" They probably did the same thing when they were looking for you after you faked your own death," Ivy whispered letting one foot slide to the edge of the car.
" Who told you that?"
" Jet, he told me one night when I asked him."
" Then I guess I live on a ship full of big mouths." Spike stood up and walked over the edge of the dock. Ivy remained on the car hood for a moment before sliding off and picking up her keys. " Come on, lets go back to the Bebop, before the others come back."
They drove in relative silence to the parking lot where she parked the car and pulled her things out. The walk back to the Bebop was quiet, Spike jumped over then turned to help her across but she had already jumped.
The Hammerhead and the Redtail were still gone, Ed lay on the couch fast asleep with Ein on the floor. Ivy disappeared into her room to change while Spike took a shower then headed for the kitchen to find something to eat.
Neither one spoke much. Ed never woke up. Ivy was in the shower when Faye and Jet returned victorious and loaded down with money. Already Faye had received her share, which she gaily planned to spend at the casinos the next day. Jet was a little more careful in hiding his away and saying that he was going to buy some food.
Spike didn't really listen to either one of them. Instead, he let his thoughts wander back to Julia and the syndicate. He tried to imagine Ivy all decked out in black sequins holding onto the arm of a syndicate boss. Max, she called him. He had never heard of a crime boss called Max, but then maybe that was a nickname she had for him.
" So Spike how was your night?"
" Oh it was so-so. I just really hung around and did nothing," Spike replied draping his arms over either side of the couch.
" Well while you did nothing. We made 3 million woulong." Faye stood up happily and stretched her arms over her head. " I think I'll go take a shower now."
" Have fun," Spike replied dryly.
" So you did nothing tonight?" Jet asked looking closer at the bandage peeking out from underneath his shirtsleeve.
" Nope, nothing." Spike stood up and yawned. " I think while Faye's taking a shower I'm going to go to bed. Night Jet."
" Night." Jet watched his friend walk out the room. Already he could tell Spike was lying. There was no way Spike had gotten that cut on his arm by doing nothing, and if he had. When had they gotten green silk bandages?
" Oh well, I guess if he doesn't want to tell me, then he doesn't want to tell me." Jet shrugged and got up and walked out of the room.
See you Space Cowboy…
Ivy: After all the quests I've gone through, the pain and the heartbreak, the end as finally come. I must face my unseen enemy and strive forward.
Spike: What? That's it?
Faye: How can that be? Don't you think the ending a little forced?
Jet: Of course, it is, but if we go on much longer like this, the audience is liable to get bored.
Ivy: The next episode is "Like a Dancer in the Dark."
Spike: Well at least it's finally over.
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