| Bounty Hunting: She closed the door quietly behind herself, facing it as she did so. The hallways were quiet and far off she heard the tv on, heard the small sounds of Ed typing away on Tomato, no doubt looking up some bounties for them to pursue. She looked down the hallway in that direction and then in the opposite direction, toward where the kitchen lay. She was not in the mood to be harassed by anyone that day and whosoever decided to get in her way would pay for it sorely. But she needed a cup of coffee. A real cup of coffee, not that shit Spike had concocted only a few hours before. And a cigarette, too. Jet usually had a cigarette to spare, no matter how much he fought not to. If she had to she would go outside of the Bebop to get those things. She didn't want to be here for the moment. For a while. She wanted to be far away, somewhere to think in peace. She needed a bounty. Turning on her heel, she went in Ed's direction, her head bowed. She could just leave for a few days, handle some small business, collect a bounty and then come home. It would relieve some tension, some stress. Then again, sex could do the same thing but she didn't want some stranger pawing at her. And besides, sex didn't pay off nearly as well as handing in a bounty. She smiled to herself as she walked. Perfect. A bounty, a nice small one, easy. Get it done, collect the money, turn in Jet's share to him, and maybe gamble away the rest. She never had paid off her own debts but when she handed in bounties she usually handed them in under Jet's name. She needed to stay under the radar when it came to the money on her own head. A door immediately to her right opened and she managed to flinch and brace herself as she rammed directly into a tall figure. A snicker sounded as they both bounced off each other and she found herself glaring at Spike as he righted himself, coming out of the bathroom. "Watch it," she growled at him and she wound around to continue walking. "Still mad, huh?" he called after her lazily and she flipped him, not bothering to slow her step. She wanted to get to Ed. Edward would help her find something to do, someone to take down. Someone to viciously beat up if she needed to. They all deserved it, those people with bounties on their heads. Edward didn't even acknowledge her presence when she plopped herself down on the ugly yellow couch. "Ed." "Hai," the girl sang, tapping at Tomato. "Find me a bounty. Something simple and sweet," Faye responded and she met Ed's eyes as the girl looked at her curiously. "A bounty for Faye-Faye all by herself?" Ed asked. Faye nodded, sitting back on the couch and crossing her legs. "Something right up my alley," she murmured and she glanced back toward the corridor, clenching her jaw. "Jack Spade. Now that's a name I can grow to love…" Faye sighed to herself and she leaned back against the couch, staring at Tomato's screen over Ed's head of wild red hair. The picture onscreen of the man wasn't half bad, a young man with dark hair and, even in his mugshot, a killer smile. A very familiar killer smile and she tried not to think of Spike. "Also known as Black Jack. Wanted for embezzlement, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit murder? Where the hell did that come from? And a bounty of three million woolongs," she read off the laptop. "He just gets better and better. Does he frequent casinos? Please say he does…" Ed typed a few buttons, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. "Oooh, casinos, yes…" she replied and she motioned to a list of casino names. Faye leaned forward, squinting thoughtfully. "Most of those are on Mars," she noted. "Spotted at the Golden Chip, the Full House, Aces…" "Edward was there once," Ed piped up. "A long time ago." "You were at a casino?" Faye asked him with an eyebrow arched suspiciously. "They actually let you in, a little kid like you?" "Edward snuck in with Tomato. Edward played cards and slots but then they took Ed away." She sounded crestfallen. Faye smirked. "Don't worry, Ed, one of these days I'll take you back. We'll have ourselves a drink, us girls." "Oooh-la-la…" Faye rose, stretching a bit. "Let me get that info transferred," she said and she flowed over toward the corridor, thinking furiously. She would need to pack a few things for a few days. She didn't know how long this bounty would take but the simple fact that Mr. Black Jack liked to frequent casinos would only stall her. She would have to be prepared to spend a few days just cruising the casinos. Darn it. Floating down the hallway back toward her room she found herself pausing at the loud voices that came from the kitchen, further down the corridor. She stopped at her door reluctantly, automatically straining to hear and was that Jet and Spike arguing? "All I'm saying is that you haven't been around and a lot of things change," Jet said in his offhand tone. There was the clatter of pots and pans and now that she had paused in the hallway she could smell breakfast being made. The aroma of freshly made coffee filtered in her direction and she could have floated away happily on that smell. "She's different, sure. We're all different. We are kinda shocked to have you back, is all." There was a small pause. "Ok, so why am I getting the bitchy attitude from just her, then?" asked Spike. "I mean, are you mad, too? I didn't go to piss off everyone on this damn ship-" "No, I'm not mad," Jet replied. "I understand why you went. Well, actually, I don't and you haven't really explained it anyway. But I can guess why you went. I mean, I told you to, after all, and sure, everyone has to do it once in their lives, go out and do something for themselves. She needs to understand that, too-" "Exactly!" "But," Jet cut off his agreement, "personally, maybe you do owe her an apology. At least for skipping out. Hell, I think you owe all of us an apology, but I don't think it would matter to Ed much." "Yeah, about that, too. When did she come back? I thought she was off with her dad." There was another pause in which Faye could only guess Jet shrugged. "Just came back one day, blown in by the wind. Showed up on the docking station, lugging her Tomato and Ein with her. Made herself right at home again." Another pause and Faye's nose twitched as she caught another powerful whiff of coffee. And then Spike sighed. She had heard him do it often enough but he sounded weary doing it now. Tired. Burdened, even. "Did you piss her off already?" Jet asked even though he sounded like he already knew the answer. "Of course I did. What kind of guy would I be if I hadn't?" Spike replied and she bristled, seeing the smile he must have had plastered on his face, in her head. "Well, she's been doing good lately. She doesn't need you throwing her," Jet mumbled. A pause. And then, his voice heavy with disbelief, "Jet, are you actually sticking up for our darling Faye?" Spike asked. "No," Jet said instantly. And the pots and pans stopped sounding for a moment. "I'm only saying that she took it hard when you left, real hard. And you popping up and pissing her off-" Faye stormed down the corridor, forcing such weight into her step that the sound bounced inside the cylindrical hallway like gunshots. The voices automatically stopped, hesitating, and Faye appeared at the doorway of the kitchen, glaring in. "I don't need you sticking up for me!" she shouted instantly to Jet, who merely stared at her in surprise, his apron tied around his waist. "I don't need you to explain what happened while he was gone and I sure as hell don't need you making me come off like a little girl! And you," she motioned to Spike who had been caught halfway through lighting a cigarette, his eyes slightly wide, "if you want to know something about me, ask the fucking expert!" And with that she whirled and stormed right back down the corridor to her room. No noise followed her and she was sure she had at least shut them up for a moment. And it felt good. Her door slid open as she reached it and she waltzed in, immediately digging through her clothes for a duffel bag. "Talk about me like I'm not even there-" She threw together a small pile and hefted the duffel bag over her shoulder, exiting once more into the suddenly very quiet hallway. Served them right for talking about her as if she weren't even there. Fuming, she stalked down the corridor back toward Ed and the hacker looked at her wide-eyed as she accepted a small handheld palmpad, Black Jack's stats already downloaded into it. Faye examined it for a moment, her jaw clenched, and as Ed continued to stare at her she managed a smile for the hacker. A smile like the kind Poker Alice used to sling around. "Don't wait up," she sang to the hacker as she left the room, heading toward the docking station and her Redtail. She could do this. She could bring in this bounty, make herself feel useful. She had to. She slowed a bit on the way to the hangar, her thoughts racing furiously. If he really was back to stay he would take it all away, everything she had worked hard for. He would become the bounty hunter Jet trusted above all. He would be in her face all day, every day, smoking his foul smelling- Sweet smelling… Cigarettes. Foul-smelling cigarettes. He would run around, throwing himself in tight spots and expecting her to clean up after him and she couldn't do it anymore, not anymore. It had hurt too much the first time around, she couldn't do it again. He had only been back for a few hours and this was what he did to her. Coming into the hangar she went toward her Redtail and came to a complete stop at seeing the Swordfish II right beside her own ship. It merely rested there silently, battered. But it was still one of the most precious sights. She managed to take a step and then another and she drew close to the Swordfish II, her hand lifting. In the lights of the hangar it was sleek, like her Redtail, and just as tattered. But, just looking at it, one saw that the ship could maneuver well, was known for its speed and its ability to squirm out of rough spots. That was what the Swordfish II did, what its owner did. It didn't have nearly the same capabilities the Redtail did, nor were its weapons up to par but the Swordfish II was beautiful nonetheless. She touched her palm to one of the ship's wings, marveling at the fact that only hours ago it had not even been aboard the Bebop. A few hours ago the Swordfish II had been as lost as its owner. But now it stood before her, still intact, almost majestic. Her lips parted as she ran her hand over the metal of the ship and behind her the hangar door slid open. Spike stood at the doorway, a cigarette in his mouth, and as she whirled he merely looked at her, his eyes shifting from her to her hand. She yanked her hand away, stepping back and as he came in she was automatically going for her Redtail. "Faye, hold on-" No, no, no. Instantly she was reaching into her pocket, pulling out her small remote and the small pod came open with a soft breath of air. She hopped up, pulling herself onto ship and moving toward the seat. "Faye! Will you stop a sec?" he demanded from behind her and he sounded close. Faye plopped down into the seat, allowing the pod to seal shut once more and she merely stared at Spike as he came to a stop before her, arms falling at his sides wearily. He sent her a look, one that blatantly stated, 'Will you come out?' and she clenched her jaw, flicking small buttons and starting up the Redtail. With one flick she turned on the communications and shouted, "There's nothing to talk about!" Spike grimaced as her voice came loud and clear in the hangar. A moment later he stepped back, recoiling, as the Redtail came to life, air blowing roughly around the small ship as she prepared it to take off. His hair was shoved sharply and he lifted a hand, eyes narrowed angrily as the Redtail lifted off. She didn't want to hear it at all. You're lucky we're in the atmosphere. Pointing her remote down to the end of the hangar, the far wall unlatched with a sharp clang and slowly began to rise, letting in the brilliant late morning sunlight. Spike looked over as Faye directed the Redtail, pushing off from the floor. And without sparing him a glance she took off, flying out through the rising wall, barely clearing it and then sailing out into the blue sky. Spike remained, his hand falling back to his side, the corner of his mouth twisting impatiently at her departure. "Hate women with attitudes…" "Ok, so the Golden Chip…" Faye shouted over the loud rock music that blasted out of the arcade she stood in front of. "Aces and what else?" Ed's face wavered a bit in the small palmheld communication device she held. "The Full House!" she cried cheerfully and she giggled as Ein suddenly brushed up beside her, pink tongue wagging. "Ein, aww, Edward missed you, too!" Faye attempted to stop her eyebrow from twitching, her eyes closing impatiently. "Ed! Focus here! What other casinos has he appeared at recently? In the last few days?" Ed paused, pursing her lips. "Ed will check for you now!" she piped up. "Please hold!" "Ed-" "Ed, is that Faye?" came a familiar voice from behind Ed in the palmheld and Faye felt icy coldness inside at recognizing the voice. "Hai! It's Faye-Faye!" "Move over," came the second voice angrily and a moment later Spike's face appeared, carelessly tossing Ed over a step. "Faye!" "Not right now, I'm busy," she growled through clenched teeth. "We're going to have this fucking talk even if it means we're having it over this stupid computer!" he shouted furiously and behind him she could hear Ed speak faintly in the background. "Tomato isn't stupid. Tomato is special." "There's nothing to talk about!" Faye fairly shrieked at him, her hand clenching at her side. All around people bustled about and none of them paid her a bit of attention. It was one thing she was happy about. "You already gave your piece and I have accepted that you don't have a damn clue what you're talking about! So clear the airwaves, I have a bounty to track down!" Spike's eyes closed, impatience creasing lines in his forehead. "Where are you?" he asked very slowly. "Away from you! Now put Ed back on!" "Ed is here!" Ed cried and she shoved Spike aside as she fit her face into the screen. "Black Jack likes to visit The Straight Flush, the Queen of Kings and Deuces Wild!" "Who the hell is Black Jack?" Spike was heard asking curiously. "Which casino was he in last?" Faye asked. "Erm…The Straight Flush! And the last one before that was Aces, and then Deuces Wild and-" "He's working his way south," Spike murmured off-screen. Yes, he most definitely was, Faye noted as she looked at a small directory of casinos. When she had worked a casino, the first time she had met Spike, she had memorized the locations of all the casinos, scoping out the area any chance she had gotten. The first opportunity to run she would have gladly taken. But then she wouldn't have met Spike. And at the moment she couldn't remember why meeting him had been such a good thing. "All right, Ed, I'm signing off. I'll check in again tomorrow! Tell Jet to call up his pal at the ISSP to tell them I'm bringing in a bounty under his name, that way I can just walk out with the money, ok?" "Aren't we counting our chickens…" drawled Spike. "Hai!" Ed sang. And with that she cut off the communication, struggling against the vein looking to burst in her head. He was such a royal pain sometimes. Why had she fallen for him? And when had it actually happened that she hadn't been awake to stop it? That would be the last time she let her body operate on autopilot. Autopilot got her into too many problems. She tucked away the handheld communicator and dug into her pocket, pulling forth her box of cigarettes. They would be the death of her one day. Hopefully sooner than later. |
| All images and works done/altered by ShiNoFuriko and TasogareBan. Please do not steal and always give credit to where it is due. |