The Calm
folder
+. to F › Cowboy Bebop
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
2,524
Reviews:
34
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
+. to F › Cowboy Bebop
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
2,524
Reviews:
34
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Cowboy Bebop, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Reason
Disclaimer: Yeah.... it's been 41 chapters now... not to mention I've said this in the first story... I DON' OWN BEBOP! Oh, Kage and Amaya are mine! ^_^
*****
Song: The Reason
Artist: Hoobastank (such a fun name to say!)
*****
The Calm
Chapter 41: Reason
The pale, dim, golden light of the streetlamps gave little illumination to her as she trekked down the street. Her low heeled, black boots made no sound as her ebony cane counted her steps in little taps against the concrete. A car passed, shining upon her form. It highlighted the billowing black coat on her shoulders, the gold braid and tassel shimmering in the bright passing light. Her porcelain skin looked white, along with a flash of silver from her cane. The wind picked up, tossing her black hair into the air, revealing her missing eye. In the lack of light, it appeared to be a blacid, id, a bottomless darkness that even light could not dare to penetrate. It appeared only briefly as the wind died and her raven hair fell back into place.
Suddenly, she froze, her lithe form tense as she sensed a presence beside her. Her movements were nearly perfect, in her eyes, as she drew a handgun from her coat and pointed it at the shadows. Her face made no acknowledgement, her head never turned. Casually, a smile crept across her onto her face as she spoke, “It seems I have a dark tiger on my trail this night.”
A man, garbed completely in black, stepped forward. His cold, smoke grey eyes shined with amusement as they bore into her being. “Indeed. You seem to have lost none of your infamous perception, Ms. Deacon. I am most impressed,” he said, his voice low and silky with a slight darkness in his words.
Amaya grinned wider, a fraction of her old arrogance showing. “I try not to disappoint.”
He was close now, the barrel of her gun against the hard planes of his chest. He was handsome, his sharp, coldly set features reminiscent of Vicious, even the pale silver hair that was pulled from his face seemed identical. A thought passed through her mind, something to investigate later on, when her life was not in jeopardy. “You could never disappoint me,” he said softly. He was definitely like Vicious, able to use his voice to make the most innocent comment sound dirty. She surmised that he could read a phonebook and it would sound sexual.
Amaya took in a deep breath, trying to calm her, sexually deprived, body down. She then replaced her mask of amusement and slight boredom and smiled. “Nice to see that I still possess fans. Now, down to business. You know me, but I don’t even have your name. What, pray tell, should I call you?” she asked innocently.
“Kage.” A short and simple name, she liked that. It fit him.
“Kage, “she let his name roll off her tongue languidly as she spoke, as though tasting wine. “A good, strong name. Unfortunately, I already know a shadow. She has possessed it for longer than you, and has made great use of it. Of course, this you already know.”
“I do, it is why I chose it in a different language. There are so few words that can embody fear, mystery, and death within it all at once. I do not mean to say that I am at her level, nor above it, but it does suit me, does it not?”
Amaya nodded. “It does. Now, did ear ear doppelganger, Julia, send you?” she asked, her voice deceptively sweet, like poisoned chocolate.
He grinned, seeming to revel in the venom in her tone. “She has, but tonight is not your night to die,” he said. “And may I say, she is a poor copy compared to your luminescent majesty, my dear, Ms. Deacon.”
Amaya laughed softly, a sweet smile on her face, another deceptive façade. “Flattery, my dear Kage, will get you everywhere.”
“I did so hope that you would like me. You must see how great an honor this is for me, to meet the great Ms. Rain Deacon. A woman once called Crimson Dragon, and then Wolf of the Night Rain. You are legendary, my lady.”
“My, Kage, I do believe you are flirting with me. Had we met sooner, I would be very interested, but, alas, I have found my match.”
“How unfortunate for me. We could have made a grand pair,” he said as his eyes raked over her flesh.
Amaya felt a shudder crawl down her spine, his every look, every word was seductive. Again, she thought of a younger Vicious, with an uncaged sexual beast that roamed ben the the polite and articulate mask in his eyes. “Julia must think you’re quite capable, leaving you to destroy me without accompaniment.”
“Indeed, she does. I’m the best.”
“Now, now, arrogance can be blinding. Don’t make me lose interest in this lovely game of ours, it was becoming such fun,” she scolded in a condescendingly sweet tone.
Kage grinnegaingain her mind flashed to Vicious. She really needed to see to that as soon as she arrived at the apartment. “You would be an expert in arrogance, Eve.”
A well arched eyebrow rose above her good eye. “My, my, you’ve done your homework. Brava. You, my dear man, are the first competent assassin that’s ever been unleashed upon me. Too bad you work for the White Tigers. I could have made such a grand legend out of you.”
“Thank you, my lady, but I have merely come to introduce myself to you this night. Understand that it was a high respect and my polite manner towards you that has stilled my blade this evening.”
Amaya nodded and smirked. “Oh, I like you.”
He took a step back and bowed to Amaya. “Until we meet again, Ms. Deacon. I shall be watching you from afar. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” he said as he melted into the shadows.
Amaya smiled and let out a heavy sigh. “Why do all the cute ones always make things so difficult?”
~*~*~*~
The apartment was quiet, Vicious sitting in his chair, reading, while Sith and the children were oddly absent. James had left for Earth, on another of his ‘missions’. She knew that those missions were pretty much an excuse for his unending obsession with old books. She smiled at that, it was good to know that James was, for the most part, a normal guy with some extraordinary abilities.
She could see the annoyed frown appear on Vicious’ face as soon as sosseossed her shoes on the mat. After all these years, she knew him too well to not know that look. “Something troubling you?” she asked.
“Why Spike?” he asked curtly.
Amaya laughed. “To get you out of your office for a little while. You can fire him if you want. He was just doing it because he knew this would be the reaction.”
Vicious sighed and shook his head. “You encouraged him.”
“What did he do?” she asked curiously, an eyebrow raised.
“Do you recall the prank he made when we were growing up? The one involving food?”
“You mean the one with the… mashed potatoes in your shoes again, eh?”
“Chunky,” he growled.
Amaya couldn’t help it and began to laugh. “Spike is such an asshole.”
Vicious himself couldn’t help but join her in her jovial mood. He could never brood for long with her around. There was always something about her, even in the darkest days of their lives, something that couldn’t be blacked out, a shining in her eyes. It had been too long since she’d last laughed, since he’d last seen her laugh. He reveled in it for as long as he could, for only god knew how long it would be before she laughed again.
Amaya let it slowly leave her, this moment of pure and unadulterated joy, before sighing and taking a seat on the nearby couch. “I hear you went catatonic again,” she stated, getting back to more serious issues.
“I did. I’m fine now,” he answered shortly.
“Are you? Vicious… things aren’t going to get any better yet. She’s still out there.”
“How do you know?” he asked.
“She’s hired someone to kill me, someone competent. She’s still here.”
Vicious visibly stiffened. “Who?”
“Have you heard of an assassin called Kage?”
Vicious thought for a moment, accessing the various troves of information in his head before shaking. “No, why? Is he good?”
“He is, I could tell just by talking to him.”
“What do you mean, talking to him?”
“I met him on my way home. Apparently, he’s an admirer of mine.”
“That doesn’t mean anything, every man you’ve ever met has been, or becomes and admirer of yours,” he snorted.
Amaya growled playfully. “Shut up, Vicious. He will come for me, either sooner or later. I’d really like it if we took Julia out first. I’ve had enough brushes with death for ten lifetimes.”
Vicious watched as her visible eye darkened with sadness and almost a fear. Fear? In Amaya? Once it had been an emotion that he’d never seen on her face. Sadness, yes, there’d always been a sadness, but fear? Things were far more serious for her mentally than she let on. Perhaps a talk with his wife was in order; Sith always had more of an insight on Amaya’s true feelings, being such a close friend and her partner for so many years. He and Spike had the same sort of relationship, knowing what the other thought and felt so very clearly, while others were in the dark. Yes, a talk with Sith was definitely in order for this evening.
“I’ll have our people start on it right away,” he said softly.
An emotion flashed in Amaya’s eye. Hope? Joy? He couldn’t tell. But as soon as it was there, it had passed, and she once again looked calm and distant. She smiled to him, an old grin that she wore as a mask in times when others needed comfort. “Thanks, I’m going to get dinner ready. Where are Sith and the kids?”
“Went to the park with Faye, they should be soo soon. Spike and Faye are imposing again,” he answered.
Amaya chuckled. “I’m not surprised. I guess Faye’s cooking skills haven’t improved much. And well, we both know how talented Spike is in the kitchen.”
“I remember burnt food, a lot of burnt and overcooked food.”
Amaya nodded. “He’s never been good with timing things. He either jumps the gun, or is late.”
Vicious groaned. “That he does.”
Amaya smiled again as she walked into the kitchen, a tune coming oer ler lips as she moved about.
“I’m not a perfect person
There’s many things I wish I didn’t do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just wanted you to know…”
It fit her, this song. Hell, it fit him too. His thoughts flashed to that day, so long ago. That day he had seen her fear for the first time, when she had feared him. He could see her grey eyes filled with desperate tears as she begged him to stop. As she fought and clawed at him, and as she screamed and cried. He had hoped that by now they would have passed, but every now and again, they would come forth.
“I found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you…”
It was true, she’d changed. Of course, so had he. Years ago, he would have never fathomed that he’d have the life that he did. The family that he had now, with Sith. Back then, it had been the woman in the kitchen on his mind. She had been the woman that had haunted his dreams and nightmares. Now she was in his kitchen, singing as she prepared dinner for him and his family.
“I’m sorry that I hurt you
It’s something I must live with every day
And all the pain I put you through
I wish I could take it all away
And be the one that catches all your tears
That’s why I need you to hear
I found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you…”
She had lost so much, quite a lot by his own hands. And yet, she was still here, she had come to him when she’d needed help. She’d bore him a child when he thought she hated him. Compared to him, she was a saint, and yet, here she was rummaging through his kitchen and preparing dinner for a family that wasn’t hers. He leaned against the wall of the kitchen entrance, just watching her as she sang and cooked.
“I’m not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you…”
He vowed at that moment, that he would destroy Julia for what she’d done to him and those he cared for. For Spike, for himself, for Sith, for James, but mostly for Amaya. Julia had done something so horrific to her that even he had never even conceived of doing when he was trying to torture her. She’d broken her spirit.
And he was going to break Julia for it.
~*~*~*~
Levii: OOOh, Vicious is pissed now! I thought that Vicious and Amaya needed some time together, and I decided to introduce Kage as well. Now, Kage isn't going to become a regular, he's just here for plot bunnies. That and I wanted to have a guy talk like that. What did you guys think of the mashed potatoes? I think Spike is very capable of doing such a thing, especuially if its to annoy Vicious. I was also thinking, 'hey, I've been acting a tad angsty lately, and I needed something a little lighter.' So this was the result. I think the song fits perfectly with Amaya right now, hell it could work with any of these characters. I just thought that it would be a creative way of conveying her apologies to Vicious and the others. Plus, I like the song. Anyways, send the reviews! Oh, and Natakamani's muse is being belligerent and un-cooperative right now, so it may be a while before she posts anything. My rec. is that ya'll send her encouraging reviews and mayber her muse will come back from vacation!
Speaking of posting probs. School is back for me, so Imma not gonna post as much as I did this summer. Anyways, without Natakamani's inspiration, my muse is moving towards my other stories. Ah well, Reivew and Ja!
*****
Song: The Reason
Artist: Hoobastank (such a fun name to say!)
*****
The Calm
Chapter 41: Reason
The pale, dim, golden light of the streetlamps gave little illumination to her as she trekked down the street. Her low heeled, black boots made no sound as her ebony cane counted her steps in little taps against the concrete. A car passed, shining upon her form. It highlighted the billowing black coat on her shoulders, the gold braid and tassel shimmering in the bright passing light. Her porcelain skin looked white, along with a flash of silver from her cane. The wind picked up, tossing her black hair into the air, revealing her missing eye. In the lack of light, it appeared to be a blacid, id, a bottomless darkness that even light could not dare to penetrate. It appeared only briefly as the wind died and her raven hair fell back into place.
Suddenly, she froze, her lithe form tense as she sensed a presence beside her. Her movements were nearly perfect, in her eyes, as she drew a handgun from her coat and pointed it at the shadows. Her face made no acknowledgement, her head never turned. Casually, a smile crept across her onto her face as she spoke, “It seems I have a dark tiger on my trail this night.”
A man, garbed completely in black, stepped forward. His cold, smoke grey eyes shined with amusement as they bore into her being. “Indeed. You seem to have lost none of your infamous perception, Ms. Deacon. I am most impressed,” he said, his voice low and silky with a slight darkness in his words.
Amaya grinned wider, a fraction of her old arrogance showing. “I try not to disappoint.”
He was close now, the barrel of her gun against the hard planes of his chest. He was handsome, his sharp, coldly set features reminiscent of Vicious, even the pale silver hair that was pulled from his face seemed identical. A thought passed through her mind, something to investigate later on, when her life was not in jeopardy. “You could never disappoint me,” he said softly. He was definitely like Vicious, able to use his voice to make the most innocent comment sound dirty. She surmised that he could read a phonebook and it would sound sexual.
Amaya took in a deep breath, trying to calm her, sexually deprived, body down. She then replaced her mask of amusement and slight boredom and smiled. “Nice to see that I still possess fans. Now, down to business. You know me, but I don’t even have your name. What, pray tell, should I call you?” she asked innocently.
“Kage.” A short and simple name, she liked that. It fit him.
“Kage, “she let his name roll off her tongue languidly as she spoke, as though tasting wine. “A good, strong name. Unfortunately, I already know a shadow. She has possessed it for longer than you, and has made great use of it. Of course, this you already know.”
“I do, it is why I chose it in a different language. There are so few words that can embody fear, mystery, and death within it all at once. I do not mean to say that I am at her level, nor above it, but it does suit me, does it not?”
Amaya nodded. “It does. Now, did ear ear doppelganger, Julia, send you?” she asked, her voice deceptively sweet, like poisoned chocolate.
He grinned, seeming to revel in the venom in her tone. “She has, but tonight is not your night to die,” he said. “And may I say, she is a poor copy compared to your luminescent majesty, my dear, Ms. Deacon.”
Amaya laughed softly, a sweet smile on her face, another deceptive façade. “Flattery, my dear Kage, will get you everywhere.”
“I did so hope that you would like me. You must see how great an honor this is for me, to meet the great Ms. Rain Deacon. A woman once called Crimson Dragon, and then Wolf of the Night Rain. You are legendary, my lady.”
“My, Kage, I do believe you are flirting with me. Had we met sooner, I would be very interested, but, alas, I have found my match.”
“How unfortunate for me. We could have made a grand pair,” he said as his eyes raked over her flesh.
Amaya felt a shudder crawl down her spine, his every look, every word was seductive. Again, she thought of a younger Vicious, with an uncaged sexual beast that roamed ben the the polite and articulate mask in his eyes. “Julia must think you’re quite capable, leaving you to destroy me without accompaniment.”
“Indeed, she does. I’m the best.”
“Now, now, arrogance can be blinding. Don’t make me lose interest in this lovely game of ours, it was becoming such fun,” she scolded in a condescendingly sweet tone.
Kage grinnegaingain her mind flashed to Vicious. She really needed to see to that as soon as she arrived at the apartment. “You would be an expert in arrogance, Eve.”
A well arched eyebrow rose above her good eye. “My, my, you’ve done your homework. Brava. You, my dear man, are the first competent assassin that’s ever been unleashed upon me. Too bad you work for the White Tigers. I could have made such a grand legend out of you.”
“Thank you, my lady, but I have merely come to introduce myself to you this night. Understand that it was a high respect and my polite manner towards you that has stilled my blade this evening.”
Amaya nodded and smirked. “Oh, I like you.”
He took a step back and bowed to Amaya. “Until we meet again, Ms. Deacon. I shall be watching you from afar. Enjoy the rest of your evening,” he said as he melted into the shadows.
Amaya smiled and let out a heavy sigh. “Why do all the cute ones always make things so difficult?”
~*~*~*~
The apartment was quiet, Vicious sitting in his chair, reading, while Sith and the children were oddly absent. James had left for Earth, on another of his ‘missions’. She knew that those missions were pretty much an excuse for his unending obsession with old books. She smiled at that, it was good to know that James was, for the most part, a normal guy with some extraordinary abilities.
She could see the annoyed frown appear on Vicious’ face as soon as sosseossed her shoes on the mat. After all these years, she knew him too well to not know that look. “Something troubling you?” she asked.
“Why Spike?” he asked curtly.
Amaya laughed. “To get you out of your office for a little while. You can fire him if you want. He was just doing it because he knew this would be the reaction.”
Vicious sighed and shook his head. “You encouraged him.”
“What did he do?” she asked curiously, an eyebrow raised.
“Do you recall the prank he made when we were growing up? The one involving food?”
“You mean the one with the… mashed potatoes in your shoes again, eh?”
“Chunky,” he growled.
Amaya couldn’t help it and began to laugh. “Spike is such an asshole.”
Vicious himself couldn’t help but join her in her jovial mood. He could never brood for long with her around. There was always something about her, even in the darkest days of their lives, something that couldn’t be blacked out, a shining in her eyes. It had been too long since she’d last laughed, since he’d last seen her laugh. He reveled in it for as long as he could, for only god knew how long it would be before she laughed again.
Amaya let it slowly leave her, this moment of pure and unadulterated joy, before sighing and taking a seat on the nearby couch. “I hear you went catatonic again,” she stated, getting back to more serious issues.
“I did. I’m fine now,” he answered shortly.
“Are you? Vicious… things aren’t going to get any better yet. She’s still out there.”
“How do you know?” he asked.
“She’s hired someone to kill me, someone competent. She’s still here.”
Vicious visibly stiffened. “Who?”
“Have you heard of an assassin called Kage?”
Vicious thought for a moment, accessing the various troves of information in his head before shaking. “No, why? Is he good?”
“He is, I could tell just by talking to him.”
“What do you mean, talking to him?”
“I met him on my way home. Apparently, he’s an admirer of mine.”
“That doesn’t mean anything, every man you’ve ever met has been, or becomes and admirer of yours,” he snorted.
Amaya growled playfully. “Shut up, Vicious. He will come for me, either sooner or later. I’d really like it if we took Julia out first. I’ve had enough brushes with death for ten lifetimes.”
Vicious watched as her visible eye darkened with sadness and almost a fear. Fear? In Amaya? Once it had been an emotion that he’d never seen on her face. Sadness, yes, there’d always been a sadness, but fear? Things were far more serious for her mentally than she let on. Perhaps a talk with his wife was in order; Sith always had more of an insight on Amaya’s true feelings, being such a close friend and her partner for so many years. He and Spike had the same sort of relationship, knowing what the other thought and felt so very clearly, while others were in the dark. Yes, a talk with Sith was definitely in order for this evening.
“I’ll have our people start on it right away,” he said softly.
An emotion flashed in Amaya’s eye. Hope? Joy? He couldn’t tell. But as soon as it was there, it had passed, and she once again looked calm and distant. She smiled to him, an old grin that she wore as a mask in times when others needed comfort. “Thanks, I’m going to get dinner ready. Where are Sith and the kids?”
“Went to the park with Faye, they should be soo soon. Spike and Faye are imposing again,” he answered.
Amaya chuckled. “I’m not surprised. I guess Faye’s cooking skills haven’t improved much. And well, we both know how talented Spike is in the kitchen.”
“I remember burnt food, a lot of burnt and overcooked food.”
Amaya nodded. “He’s never been good with timing things. He either jumps the gun, or is late.”
Vicious groaned. “That he does.”
Amaya smiled again as she walked into the kitchen, a tune coming oer ler lips as she moved about.
“I’m not a perfect person
There’s many things I wish I didn’t do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just wanted you to know…”
It fit her, this song. Hell, it fit him too. His thoughts flashed to that day, so long ago. That day he had seen her fear for the first time, when she had feared him. He could see her grey eyes filled with desperate tears as she begged him to stop. As she fought and clawed at him, and as she screamed and cried. He had hoped that by now they would have passed, but every now and again, they would come forth.
“I found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you…”
It was true, she’d changed. Of course, so had he. Years ago, he would have never fathomed that he’d have the life that he did. The family that he had now, with Sith. Back then, it had been the woman in the kitchen on his mind. She had been the woman that had haunted his dreams and nightmares. Now she was in his kitchen, singing as she prepared dinner for him and his family.
“I’m sorry that I hurt you
It’s something I must live with every day
And all the pain I put you through
I wish I could take it all away
And be the one that catches all your tears
That’s why I need you to hear
I found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you…”
She had lost so much, quite a lot by his own hands. And yet, she was still here, she had come to him when she’d needed help. She’d bore him a child when he thought she hated him. Compared to him, she was a saint, and yet, here she was rummaging through his kitchen and preparing dinner for a family that wasn’t hers. He leaned against the wall of the kitchen entrance, just watching her as she sang and cooked.
“I’m not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you
I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you…”
He vowed at that moment, that he would destroy Julia for what she’d done to him and those he cared for. For Spike, for himself, for Sith, for James, but mostly for Amaya. Julia had done something so horrific to her that even he had never even conceived of doing when he was trying to torture her. She’d broken her spirit.
And he was going to break Julia for it.
~*~*~*~
Levii: OOOh, Vicious is pissed now! I thought that Vicious and Amaya needed some time together, and I decided to introduce Kage as well. Now, Kage isn't going to become a regular, he's just here for plot bunnies. That and I wanted to have a guy talk like that. What did you guys think of the mashed potatoes? I think Spike is very capable of doing such a thing, especuially if its to annoy Vicious. I was also thinking, 'hey, I've been acting a tad angsty lately, and I needed something a little lighter.' So this was the result. I think the song fits perfectly with Amaya right now, hell it could work with any of these characters. I just thought that it would be a creative way of conveying her apologies to Vicious and the others. Plus, I like the song. Anyways, send the reviews! Oh, and Natakamani's muse is being belligerent and un-cooperative right now, so it may be a while before she posts anything. My rec. is that ya'll send her encouraging reviews and mayber her muse will come back from vacation!
Speaking of posting probs. School is back for me, so Imma not gonna post as much as I did this summer. Anyways, without Natakamani's inspiration, my muse is moving towards my other stories. Ah well, Reivew and Ja!