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"Stolen Prize"

By Crimson Angel

Chapter One: Joining Paths

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Overview: This story is set in Ganymede, probably a long time after the events in Cowboy Bebop, possibly two or three years after the events. Spike's life goes back on track but the table turns for Jet. He finds something in the strangest place. Is Julia really dead, will Spike meet fate, who is this mystery woman, and when will Vicious strike? These answers are to come in this chapter or in the following chapters, so be patient.

Authors Note: I don't own Cowboy Bebop, so don't sue me. If there are any characters you have never heard of, then they are my original characters (Ruby, Sam, Madigan, etc.) Please absolutely no flaming or ranting or anything, your e- mails or reviews will be deleted, or you will be blocked.

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Ganymede. The bar. Lights low, smoke in the air, and the bounty hunter show played continuously on the overhead television. Deadbeats, outlaws, and bounty hunters never seemed to mingle well in this environment. The television flashed light through the dimly lit bar as the show announced the newest bounties. A few of the customers groaned, probably the outlaws, as the bounty hunters picked out their possible fresh catches. A man with auburn hair, dressed in crumpled clothes, clearly didn't think of getting out of bed this morning. Kyle Madigan.

"I don't blame the outlaws for hating this show when it pops up on the television in the very bar they sit in." Madigan chuckled as he chatted with his long time friend, Sam.

"Put it behind you Madigan. Whenever we're in here, that's all you talk about." Sam put emphasis on the word 'you.'

Sam was a noble man. He worked with Madigan in the police force and they were stationed together. They may have hated each other at first sight, but they grew to be good comrades. They occasionally fought over stupid things, as some men do, but they would always get over it quickly.

Jet Black and Spike Spiegel sat at their usual spot in the bar and Faye was with them this time. Faye, who usually updated her wardrobe of shoes everyday, would usually be on the ship wreaking havoc with Ein or bossing Ed around.

"I'm glad there's not awkward silence; finally something is actually interesting about this place." Madigan shot his gaze at the other table, probably watching the 'innocent-looking' Faye Valentine, who really wasn't so innocent.

"Don't get your hopes up, I know what you're thinking about." Faye motioned a wave to the opposite table, and Madigan was clearly entranced.

Madigan laughed it off as he regained his composure, and a woman walked into the gloomy bar. The bell above the door tinkled as the door was pushed open and a stream of fresh air was let into the musty room. Spike and Jet watched the door as she entered. Few women were ever seen wandering into pubs, bars, or taverns, let alone nightclubs. Any woman who was unaccompanied received a lot of attention, mostly unwanted.

The woman wore a white and navy blue suit, her closefitting top was white with a black collar tipped in yellow, her pants were of navy blue. She wore black boots and burgundy leather motorcycle-styled gloves. Around her neck she wore a choker with an aquamarine stone in the center. Her lips outlined in a dark scarlet and her eyes were covered by blue hue of shaded sunglasses, shaped somewhat like that of a pilot's. Her hair was a silvery blue; the silver in her hair was not at all an indication that she was old, because she was just 26. The eyes of the bar's customers shifted to her.

"Hey Ruby! Over here!" Sam waved an arm in the air to guide her over to their table. Clearly it brought attention to her, because the men began to make rude comments to each other.

Faye looked over; she had never been envious in her life until now. But she regained her composure and sank back into her chair. She had always loved attention, wanted attention, needed attention... "Ah, what's so great about her anyway? I'm much better." Faye grumbled to herself.

"Faye, you can't wear clothes like that and expect a guy to give you his credit card." Spike forked another bit of turkey into his mouth.

"Oh now, you two." Jet cut in, but a fly succeeded in irritating him as it flew around his head. Jet occasionally tried to hit it, but he only succeeded in smacking himself in the face. "Yeowch!"

"What's that? Did I hear a back lashing comment or do my ears deceive me?" Faye put a hand to her ear.

"It's really the end of the world. Spike said something 'nice' and Faye used big words. Wow. I'm stunned." Jet finally succeeded in smashing the fly on the table. "Haha!" He took pride in his success in smashing the fly.

As Ruby sat down next to Sam, Jet's attention sprang over to her. She sat in the chair and crossed her legs so that she sat in a comfortable way. Ruby didn't notice that Jet had his eye, or rather his eyes on her. She joined in the conversation, Jet guessed that she didn't really speak as much as Faye usually would. Jet couldn't hear her voice at all because of the clattering dishes, loud voices and bits and pieces of other conversations, and the blaring TV; he only saw her lips move.

"So, Sleeping Beauty has arisen. How'd you sleep?" Sam nudged her.

"On my back." Ruby responded in a sarcastic manner.

"Haha, good one Ruby." Sam laughed at her joke.

"So angel, what've you been doing most of the time we were gone?" Madigan inquired.

"Having a party and mourning... missing Sam, and happy you were gone." Ruby kicked Madigan's leg away, clearly he was trying to get on her good side.

Spike came out of his lackadaisical moment as Faye punched him in the gut for his snide comment earlier.

"Huh, what'd I do?" Spike rubbed the back of his head with his right hand.

"You know fro-boy..." Faye glared at him with her violet eyes.

Madigan gazed at Ruby from across the table, his eyes once again returning to her. In his head he wondered what she was thinking about, if she perhaps was thinking about him. He knew she had always hidden her feelings and the police force had shown signs of her heart hardening. Her blue eyes peered over her shades that she had pulled below eye level with her right hand. This time her eyes were directed at him. He felt his heart beat as she began to form a word.

"So Maddy, I heard you've been out spending our money on supplies and other needless objects again. Is that true?" Ruby kept her hand on the rim of her shades.

He was shocked that loving words didn't follow her pretty expression. He couldn't get his words out, so he ended up talking in babble. She perked up a brow as he smacked his hand against his forehead.

"Something troubling you?" her soft blue eyes returned back to his charming green eyes.

"No, no, nothing at all." He bit his bottom lip, troubled about something. "Its just.Oh, I think I'll head back to the ship." His voice trailed off as he stuffed something back into his coat pocket.

Her eyes caught sight the small object before it was stuffed into the right pocket of the coat but she shrugged it all off and sipped from her canteen. After bringing it away from her lips she wiped her mouth and closed the container and neatly set it back. Madigan had seemed a little edgy today but it didn't excuse the fact that he was protective of her.

"What's wrong with Vince?" Sam actually used Madigan's first name.

In the force everyone would either give you a nickname or called you by your last name. Everyone would call him 'Madigan', or 'Maddy', a name that was adopted by the woman that loved to torment him, he thought, whether it be ignoring him or kicking him to the curb for his behavior. He had never heard her say his first name in his life and he didn't know how it would sound coming from her mouth. Would it sound hesitant or would it sound loving? He guessed she only used it when he wasn't around or within earshot.

True, you can tell a lot about a person from what they say, but Jet believed that the true way to a person's heart is through their eyes.her eyes. Since her eyes were shielded by the blue hue of the sunglasses, he would never know her soul.

"Ruby, I'm heading back to the ship, you can come if you'd like." Sam's low voice broke the silence.

"I wish to stay. There's.something about this place that tells me to." Ruby smiled and nodded at Sam. "I'll join up with you later."

"In the mean time," he raised his index finger and winked, "don't get into trouble."

"Yes, don't you worry, I won't." her eyes reflected the light. "And in the meantime, tell Vince to stay out of trouble."

A smile appeared on Sam's face followed by a 'Hmm, I will.' He got up from his seat and threw what they owed to the barkeep onto the counter. He pulled on his coat and left, the bell tinkled as he exited.

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"Would you like something else uh.miss?" the waiter questioned.

Ruby shook her head no, it was followed by a faint 'thank you.'

"Then have a good night." He smiled at the young woman.

Faye continued to eyeball the woman as she got up from her seat. Spike gave Faye the 'and where are you going?' look as Faye proceeded to the door. She pivoted on her feet and began to speak.

"Well, I'm going to." she was interrupted by Spike.

"A- conquer the world, B- wreak havoc, C- get a makeover, or D- update your shoe selection." He counted boldly on his fingers.

Jet took note that Faye glared at Spike. Whenever the two got going with the comments, they'd eventually keep going until someone got hurt. Jet decided he'd keep Spike out of doing another chore for Faye and then silenced them.

"Hey, I don't have to stick around here while you two drool over the 'I'm- going-to-kick-your-ass woman' over there." She pointed with a fork.

"I think that description better suits you better, Faye." Spike grinned comically.

Jet just chuckled in the same manner he would always laugh at them.

"Honestly, you two fight like a married couple." Ruby eyed Faye as she walked past the table.

Her voice echoed through Faye's head. MARRIED COUPLE?! How dare she! Faye decided to back off.for now.

"Well, you're no woman if you hit the ones who were meant to be dominant." Spike said with a daring and nonchalant laid back attitude.

Her hair trailed behind her as she headed for the door to leave. Spike yawned and sank back into his chair, not noticing that Faye glowered at him from across the circular table.

"Hey, you're welcome on our ship after we decide to get rid of Faaaaaye!" Spike called out to the stranger as Faye was hitting him with a fan. "Ouch, ouch, ouch!

"Hey Faye, stop it!" Jet pulled her hand away.

Faye found Spike's comment quite rude, but Ruby found the crew quite interesting, as if they were from one of those funny comics young boys read.the ones consisting Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, or of superheroes and blonde damsels in distress. Faye was quite the Primadonna Barbie, but her attitude was devilish.

She exited the building and met the cold airy night, streets dampened by a light rain, and the street lamp reflections off the puddles in the street. She hugged her coat tightly to her body as an icy wind froze her hands and face. As she made her way back to the ship, the other people she had encountered earlier did the same, Ruby headed back to the hanger, alone in the dark, in the freezing wind. She knew she should have gone back with Sam earlier when the deadbeats weren't lurking around some corner or dark alleyway.

Thanks to my mother, she has helped me fix the fanfiction so that my writing skills don't look so.strange! Yay, now my story won't turn out all screwy afterall! Thank you! And. By the way! Don't forget to review this! ^_^ Thankies to everyone who did!