Rain, unfortunately, was not uncommon in this part of the world. The streets were deserted as Sukiko slowly made her way down the muddy, nameless, road. Cursing the poor conditions of the town she sought out the school among the crumbling buildings. It was truly unfortunate they would not allow people to fly overhead. She knew it would have been much easier to pick out a school among the buildings.
Then again, this town may be so small they hold school in someone's home. She chuckled lightly at the thought as she glanced at her watch. She'd left Vicious still asleep three days ago in order to make this trip to Earth.
A bell rang around the corner, and she hastened her steps to stand before it as a fair number of students came rushing out. Focusing entirely on the door she watched for the prime target. A younger girl, 12 years of age, stood looking back at her curiously from the bottom of the steps. The child's brown hair already showed signs of lightening into a white or grey.
Her face was expressionless as Sukiko sat down on the steps were she sat.
"You're Vera Levier right?"
"Yes. Did my father send you?" The girl brushed back a stray lock of hair as she looked down at Sukiko. "What is it you want from me?"
"My name is Sukiko Nir Karin, and I'd like to speak with your parents."
"You mean Mr. and Mrs. Levier? They aren't my parents you know. Whatever they hired you for, I want you to know I can take care of myself."
So she knows she's adopted, but does she know they're paid to care for her?
"Yes, I know that they are. They can't hide much from me."
Sukiko couldn't help but laugh. "So you can read my mind? That's a good one. You should know why I'm here then."
"I do now." The girl turned to her with a happier expression. "So you love my real father? That's wonderful. Everything I get from people is fear of him when I look."
"Aren't you a little young to know this much?"
"You're one of them, those things that Mr. Eldred created." The girl looked at her oddly. "You're different though; you're nice. The others I 'saw' were cruel and mean. He killed them after my father recollected them."
She found herself about to question the child when a sharp burning ripped through her shoulder. Grateful that the shot was clean she scooped up the girl and rushed into the building despite the pain in her shoulder. Whoever it was how shot at her had the advantage, and it was time for her ace.
Turning on the earpiece Spike had insisted she take Sukiko ducked into a relatively safe area. The girl was silent, and sat their with a detached expression. Oh Almighty, don't tell me they experimented on her too! The thought was sickening as Jet sounded through the earpiece.
"We're coming." The reassuring sentence was followed by the sound of the Swordfish flying overhead followed by the sounds of startled citizens.
Somehow I'd rather be strip dancing in the Bloody Bucket right now. Even the Broken Rose is sounding like a nice place to be right now. The Broken Rose, that was it. It was her ticket to keeping the girl safely hidden away. "Charlie will understand." Her voice was hardly a whisper as she readied herself for the signal.
Purple smoke covered the streets and she rushed out into the smoke toward Faye's Redtail. Of course the purple-haired vixen was missing since Ed was piloting the thing by remote. Curling around the silently sobbing child next to her Sukiko prayed to deities she'd ever heard of to protect them. Someone had to have heard her for when she opened her eyes again the Bebop was before her. Never in her life had she though a ship so ugly could look so beautiful.
With a sigh she felt her energy give way and the pain renew. Her vision blackened despite her best efforts to stay awake. Between the loss of blood, and the adrenaline leaving her system she was helpless again the comforting darkness that took hold of her.
Shaking her head angrily Sukiko tried to clear the fog around her mind. She could hear Vera and the others talking around her, but when she opened her eyes there was no one. It sounded as if they were right there but they weren't. Her entire body felt wrong as she moved through the door toward the voices. They have no reason to talk this loud!
Ed ran up and began barking viciously at her, but she moved passed him issuing a low growl in return. Shaking her head again she glared at the fur that fell from her. Stupid dog must have been laying on me. Ugh! I must have lost more blood than I thought. I feel so strange. Trying to shake away the fog, and clear her vision, she winced at the intensity of the voice around her.
They echoed down the halls, and yet no matter how hard she willed her arms to lift and cover her ears she just found herself stumbling. Blinking she moved into the room and glared down at the noisy people below her.
All of them but Vera looked up at her with fear in their faces, and wasn't sure whether or not she liked that. Feh, what's their problem? Moving for the steps she looked down to see a large white furred paw step out before her. Trembling she froze in place as Edward ran up in front of her making teasing growling noises.
"Tiger-iger!" Edward made clawing motions as Sukiko stepped back looking back down to the others. Spike was reaching for his gun, and she couldn't force her body to move.
"No! Don't shoot her!" Vera cried shoving Ed out of her way and shielding the now terrified Sukiko with her own body. "Please, it isn't her fault! It's Sukiko!"
Spike looked to Faye doubtfully, who just shrugged in reply. Her body was trembling so hard it began to ache, and she watched those below her fearfully. Their faces rapidly changed from subsiding fear to disbelief, and confusion. Suddenly, her hand shot up around Vera and she stared at it curiously.
"You're going to have to learn to control that, Suki." Vera spoke gently hugging her close. The girl was trying to comfort her when it was she who should need comfort.
She's been shot at. Taken from her home. Knows that she's in danger, and knows her real father sent her away. Yet, she seems immune to all of it. What has this child seen that makes her so hardened to everything going on around her? Why did she know it was I when the others didn't? Sukiko's thoughts continued to chase themselves around again and again.
Spike had been handing her drinks one after the other, and she swallowed each one without actually tasting it until her head swam lightly. Jet and Vera were the only one left with her now, and despite her best effort all she could do was sit there dazed.
Jet stared at the young woman. Her eyes were wide and unfocused. She was seeing, but than again wasn't. Her breathing was normal enough, and if not for the paleness of her skin he too would have left he side by now. Someone has to get her talking again.
He glanced down to the girl sleeping with her head resting on Sukiko's lap, and decided not to just walk up at slap her. "We'll be catching up with Vicious soon. If your tracker still works he'll be on Venus."
No response.
"We'll leave you and the girl there, and stay out of it until you tell us you need us. We're going to make sure he dies this time."
A flicker in her eyes, he'd hit something.
"That man had long since outlived welcome. If not for him still being alive perhaps you'd still be living the life you were."
There was life coming back to her. Vera stirred sitting up and looking at Sukiko curiously.
"We'll take that bastard down and send him back into the pits of hell where he came from."
A sudden surge of life came into Sukiko's eyes, and she leapt across the table between her and Jet pinning him. Claws extended from her fingertips toward his throat as she growled lowly.
"You just don't understand do you?" She snarled dangerously. "For a man to become as twisted as you see him he must first be made into such a thing. One does not simply become the way he is!"
The doors flew open behind her and from the corner of her eye she watched Spike enter.
"He has seen much suffering, felt more pain than both of us put together. He had no parents! They left him for dead as a child!" Tears were streaming down her face as her voice became no more than a whisper. "How can one learn to love and be a normal human when all they are offered is the life of a syndicate? Could you imagine what he has seen? Felt?"
"Then the we can only end his suffering to rest by killing him." Spike spoke gently pulling her away from Jet. Jet himself took note that her eyes had gone blank again as she curled back up on the couch, and Vera moved to curl up against her.
Standing Jet left to make final preparations before landing.