Alex could feel herself go pale. How was it that Pidge met Spike only a few days earlier if Spike was killed two weeks ago? Was he still alive?
"Pidge, can I borrow your pictures for a while?" she asked him as the color slowly returned to her face. He still held the box in his hands.
"Sure, you just have to return them to me the next time you see me. I'll be here in another two weeks so come by then and drop them off."
"I'll try. I might not be around, but I'll definitely try." She said as she took the box from him and pocketed it. She wanted to get back the Bebop and Jet as fast as she could and show him that his friend was still alive.
"What do you mean you might not be around?" Pidge asked.
"She works now. She travels with a guy and they collect old musical instruments." Blade said for Alex before she could answer for herself.
"Ah, taking after your mother and her musical interests. Alright, just be sure you return them to me as soon as you could." He said with a smile.
"Actually, I only need one, just the picture with the guy you met." She said as she pulled the box out again and started flipping through them to find the one she was looking for.
"Ah, you like the guy, eh? G'head and keep the picture, that's alright with me. It's only a shot of my racer anyway. The best of both worlds I suppose." He said as he took the box of pictures and left her holding the picture of Pidge's racer and Spike. She smiled and hugged him.
"Thanks Pidge, you're awesome." She said as she put the picture in her pocket. She caught a glance of the rather disappointed look on Blade's face as he stood with crossed arms.
"Aww, you're welcome sweetie. Now I got to get ready for my next run so I'll talk to you soon. You have my number if you need me." he said as he leaned back on his ship.
"I don't…" she said nervously. He reached into the cockpit of his racer and pulled out a card.
"It's technically a business card. My number is on there so call if you need anything, alright Lex?" he said giving one last hug.
"Alright Pidge. Take care!" she said as he turned and went back to work on his ship with a smile. Alex pocketed the business card into the same pocket as the picture and walked off with Blade by her side.
"So, where do you want to go now?" he asked with a smile as he placed his arm around her shoulder. Alex couldn't help but smile.
"Back to the ship to show Jet the picture I got from Pidge. It's important. You weren't jealous back there, were you?" she asked with a suspicious and teasing smile.
"Me, jealous? Nah! Such a cute girl like you and a model like me were meant for each other, even if we stay just friends." He said. Just then, someone accidentally pushed Blade into Alex and hit her hip, right where her, or Spike's, gun was. Both Alex and Blade felt it. There was a pair of 'Ows' and rubbing where they were both hurt. Alex realized the gun was there and tried to dismiss it.
"You all right?" she asked her friend.
"Yea, what was that? What do you have in there?" he asked trying to pull back the coat and see what was hidden.
"Nothing, I think it was just the keys in my pocket is all. So you want to go back and see the ship? It's kind of messy and we don't have any instruments at the time aside from mine, but you're more than welcome to come back and check it out for a little while." She said as she covered herself with the coat even further. He seemed to think about it for a little bit as they continued walking.
"Are you sure your friend won't mind? He seemed a little affronted by me earlier at the restaurant." Blade said cautiously. Alex shook her head and smiled.
"No! He was just a little surprised by you saying something about the Red Dragon. He used to know someone who worked in it."
"Really?" Blade asked growing interested. "What is the Red Dragon? Do you know?" Alex knew it was a crime syndicate, but she didn't want to tell Blade that.
"I don't know. Jet really doesn't talk about it much." She said giving the hint that it wasn't a good thing. Blade picked up on it and looked at her a little awkwardly.
"Really? I figured that it would be like an organization of rich collectors or something. The way mom always talked of him, that's sort of what I was led to believe." He said as they continued to walk towards the exits to leave.
"Do you remember him at all or anything?" she said as they entered the building to go through the gates. Blade shook his head.
"No, I don't even have a picture." He said. Alex remembered this morning how Jet showed her the picture of Vicious in one of her dad's pictures.
"Blade, I know where you can see a picture of your dad." She said as she pulled him by his arm over to the wall of fame.
"Show me!" he said excited and enthusiastic. He went through the crowd that Alex pulled him through to the wall of her father's pictures. She looked around for the one that Vicious was in.
"He's in one of these…" she said as she glanced at every picture. Then she found the picture of her and Blade when they were young, cheering from the stands for Alex's father.
"Which one? Did you find it yet?" he asked. She was scouring the picture with her eyes to try and find him. It only took her a few moments to find the tall silver-haired man.
"THERE!" She said as she pointed directly to him. Blade rushed over and looked at it carefully. He saw the man that was his father. He caressed the picture of him with his hand. Though the picture was intended for he and Alex, Vicious, who was roughly the size of a pencil in the picture, managed to be captured in the shot.
"This…this was my father?" he asked Alex as he looked up at her. She nodded, but without a smile. She knew Vicious was a ruthless killer and she couldn't bear to break it to Blade. "Alex, you know something and you aren't telling me. if it's about my dad, I beg you to tell me all you know."
"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She said attempting to smile. Her attempt was unsuccessful.
"Alex, I can tell by the look in your eyes. I've known you since we were kids and I think I can tell when you're hiding something." He said with a pseudo-smile. He took her head in his hands. He forced her to look at him. Tears began to well in her eyes as she looked at the face that was practically the twin of the image of Vicious.
"I don't want to tell you because I know it'll hurt you. I can't hurt you Blade, you're may best friend." She said through her tears. He let her go and wipe her tears away. she sat down on a nearby bench.
"I understand Alex, but I need to know about my father. Where I can find him and what is this Red Dragon Syndicate he wants me to take over? Please tell me, I really need to know." He said as he took a seat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. With eyes red and teary, Alex looked up to him and wiped her tears away.
"I can tell you as much as I know, but you'll have to ask Jet about the rest. He know far more about him that I do." She said. She stood up and pulled him up too. "We have to get going back to the Bebop to find Jet, he'll help you find out more about your dad, but there's something I think you should know before we get there." She said as they exited the building and began walking the streets towards the docks. They ducked down an empty side street and continued walking.
"Well? What is it?" he asked her. She stopped and looked at him almost expressionless. He looked confused.
"Blade, you know how I'd never hurt a fly, right?" she asked. Blade nodded. "Well, things have changed since then and I've changed. I'm not the goody goodie I was before." she said as she tried to lead up to her point.
"Are you trying to tell me you're a bounty hunter or something?" he said with a slight chuckle and a smile. Alex stood there still emotionless. Blade took the hint and his eyes went wide. "You are, aren't you?" She nodded.
"Yes, Both Jet and I are bounty hunters. The truth is that the other day, I was out on the docks on earth and he began talking to me. He asked me to join him as he traveled the universe but that was before I knew. I went with him, found out he was a bounty hunter, but stayed anyway. He's such a nice person; I decided not to base my opinions on how he makes his money, but how he's kind and funny. He didn't have to take me onboard, he could've just left me to continue roaming the streets as the homeless young woman I was." She said telling her story. He looked baffled and in disbelief.
"I don't get it. You, of all people, are a bounty hunter? Alex, you won't be able to do it!" he said with extreme concern displayed upon his face.
"You may not think so, but of all the years I spent on the streets on my own, I can handle anything. The world has been cruel to me, but now it's my turn." She said as she looked up to the blue sky above. The white clouds just floated by in their own world, seeming carefree.
"Alex, please don't do this. You aren't a bounty hunter! The Alex I knew and loved wasn't." he said. He realized his words and then quickly held his hand over his mouth. She looked at him.
"What do you mean 'the Alex I knew and loved'? What are you talking about Blade?" she asked him with eyes narrowed.
"I guess the secret's out. Since you shared your secret with me, I suppose I'll tell you mine." He said scratching the back of his head.
"What?" she asked.
"Ever since we were kids, I've always had some sort of feelings towards you, now that you're back, those feelings have returned and are stronger than ever. As a little kid, I figured we'd be best friends forever. As an adolescent, I always dreamed of you returning and the two of us dating. Now that you have returned, it makes me wonder, what would it be like to tie you down? Would we ever me happy as husband and wife?"
"Pidge, can I borrow your pictures for a while?" she asked him as the color slowly returned to her face. He still held the box in his hands.
"Sure, you just have to return them to me the next time you see me. I'll be here in another two weeks so come by then and drop them off."
"I'll try. I might not be around, but I'll definitely try." She said as she took the box from him and pocketed it. She wanted to get back the Bebop and Jet as fast as she could and show him that his friend was still alive.
"What do you mean you might not be around?" Pidge asked.
"She works now. She travels with a guy and they collect old musical instruments." Blade said for Alex before she could answer for herself.
"Ah, taking after your mother and her musical interests. Alright, just be sure you return them to me as soon as you could." He said with a smile.
"Actually, I only need one, just the picture with the guy you met." She said as she pulled the box out again and started flipping through them to find the one she was looking for.
"Ah, you like the guy, eh? G'head and keep the picture, that's alright with me. It's only a shot of my racer anyway. The best of both worlds I suppose." He said as he took the box of pictures and left her holding the picture of Pidge's racer and Spike. She smiled and hugged him.
"Thanks Pidge, you're awesome." She said as she put the picture in her pocket. She caught a glance of the rather disappointed look on Blade's face as he stood with crossed arms.
"Aww, you're welcome sweetie. Now I got to get ready for my next run so I'll talk to you soon. You have my number if you need me." he said as he leaned back on his ship.
"I don't…" she said nervously. He reached into the cockpit of his racer and pulled out a card.
"It's technically a business card. My number is on there so call if you need anything, alright Lex?" he said giving one last hug.
"Alright Pidge. Take care!" she said as he turned and went back to work on his ship with a smile. Alex pocketed the business card into the same pocket as the picture and walked off with Blade by her side.
"So, where do you want to go now?" he asked with a smile as he placed his arm around her shoulder. Alex couldn't help but smile.
"Back to the ship to show Jet the picture I got from Pidge. It's important. You weren't jealous back there, were you?" she asked with a suspicious and teasing smile.
"Me, jealous? Nah! Such a cute girl like you and a model like me were meant for each other, even if we stay just friends." He said. Just then, someone accidentally pushed Blade into Alex and hit her hip, right where her, or Spike's, gun was. Both Alex and Blade felt it. There was a pair of 'Ows' and rubbing where they were both hurt. Alex realized the gun was there and tried to dismiss it.
"You all right?" she asked her friend.
"Yea, what was that? What do you have in there?" he asked trying to pull back the coat and see what was hidden.
"Nothing, I think it was just the keys in my pocket is all. So you want to go back and see the ship? It's kind of messy and we don't have any instruments at the time aside from mine, but you're more than welcome to come back and check it out for a little while." She said as she covered herself with the coat even further. He seemed to think about it for a little bit as they continued walking.
"Are you sure your friend won't mind? He seemed a little affronted by me earlier at the restaurant." Blade said cautiously. Alex shook her head and smiled.
"No! He was just a little surprised by you saying something about the Red Dragon. He used to know someone who worked in it."
"Really?" Blade asked growing interested. "What is the Red Dragon? Do you know?" Alex knew it was a crime syndicate, but she didn't want to tell Blade that.
"I don't know. Jet really doesn't talk about it much." She said giving the hint that it wasn't a good thing. Blade picked up on it and looked at her a little awkwardly.
"Really? I figured that it would be like an organization of rich collectors or something. The way mom always talked of him, that's sort of what I was led to believe." He said as they continued to walk towards the exits to leave.
"Do you remember him at all or anything?" she said as they entered the building to go through the gates. Blade shook his head.
"No, I don't even have a picture." He said. Alex remembered this morning how Jet showed her the picture of Vicious in one of her dad's pictures.
"Blade, I know where you can see a picture of your dad." She said as she pulled him by his arm over to the wall of fame.
"Show me!" he said excited and enthusiastic. He went through the crowd that Alex pulled him through to the wall of her father's pictures. She looked around for the one that Vicious was in.
"He's in one of these…" she said as she glanced at every picture. Then she found the picture of her and Blade when they were young, cheering from the stands for Alex's father.
"Which one? Did you find it yet?" he asked. She was scouring the picture with her eyes to try and find him. It only took her a few moments to find the tall silver-haired man.
"THERE!" She said as she pointed directly to him. Blade rushed over and looked at it carefully. He saw the man that was his father. He caressed the picture of him with his hand. Though the picture was intended for he and Alex, Vicious, who was roughly the size of a pencil in the picture, managed to be captured in the shot.
"This…this was my father?" he asked Alex as he looked up at her. She nodded, but without a smile. She knew Vicious was a ruthless killer and she couldn't bear to break it to Blade. "Alex, you know something and you aren't telling me. if it's about my dad, I beg you to tell me all you know."
"I…I don't know what you're talking about." She said attempting to smile. Her attempt was unsuccessful.
"Alex, I can tell by the look in your eyes. I've known you since we were kids and I think I can tell when you're hiding something." He said with a pseudo-smile. He took her head in his hands. He forced her to look at him. Tears began to well in her eyes as she looked at the face that was practically the twin of the image of Vicious.
"I don't want to tell you because I know it'll hurt you. I can't hurt you Blade, you're may best friend." She said through her tears. He let her go and wipe her tears away. she sat down on a nearby bench.
"I understand Alex, but I need to know about my father. Where I can find him and what is this Red Dragon Syndicate he wants me to take over? Please tell me, I really need to know." He said as he took a seat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. With eyes red and teary, Alex looked up to him and wiped her tears away.
"I can tell you as much as I know, but you'll have to ask Jet about the rest. He know far more about him that I do." She said. She stood up and pulled him up too. "We have to get going back to the Bebop to find Jet, he'll help you find out more about your dad, but there's something I think you should know before we get there." She said as they exited the building and began walking the streets towards the docks. They ducked down an empty side street and continued walking.
"Well? What is it?" he asked her. She stopped and looked at him almost expressionless. He looked confused.
"Blade, you know how I'd never hurt a fly, right?" she asked. Blade nodded. "Well, things have changed since then and I've changed. I'm not the goody goodie I was before." she said as she tried to lead up to her point.
"Are you trying to tell me you're a bounty hunter or something?" he said with a slight chuckle and a smile. Alex stood there still emotionless. Blade took the hint and his eyes went wide. "You are, aren't you?" She nodded.
"Yes, Both Jet and I are bounty hunters. The truth is that the other day, I was out on the docks on earth and he began talking to me. He asked me to join him as he traveled the universe but that was before I knew. I went with him, found out he was a bounty hunter, but stayed anyway. He's such a nice person; I decided not to base my opinions on how he makes his money, but how he's kind and funny. He didn't have to take me onboard, he could've just left me to continue roaming the streets as the homeless young woman I was." She said telling her story. He looked baffled and in disbelief.
"I don't get it. You, of all people, are a bounty hunter? Alex, you won't be able to do it!" he said with extreme concern displayed upon his face.
"You may not think so, but of all the years I spent on the streets on my own, I can handle anything. The world has been cruel to me, but now it's my turn." She said as she looked up to the blue sky above. The white clouds just floated by in their own world, seeming carefree.
"Alex, please don't do this. You aren't a bounty hunter! The Alex I knew and loved wasn't." he said. He realized his words and then quickly held his hand over his mouth. She looked at him.
"What do you mean 'the Alex I knew and loved'? What are you talking about Blade?" she asked him with eyes narrowed.
"I guess the secret's out. Since you shared your secret with me, I suppose I'll tell you mine." He said scratching the back of his head.
"What?" she asked.
"Ever since we were kids, I've always had some sort of feelings towards you, now that you're back, those feelings have returned and are stronger than ever. As a little kid, I figured we'd be best friends forever. As an adolescent, I always dreamed of you returning and the two of us dating. Now that you have returned, it makes me wonder, what would it be like to tie you down? Would we ever me happy as husband and wife?"