Ed is now twenty years old, and is a bounty-hunter, with her loyal dog, Ein. She loved the danger and excitement of chasing the bounties. She had always heard about the many adventures Spike and the gang had had, with all of the different bounties. She knew it was her destiny to be a bounty hunter.
"Ok, Ein, this is one bounty that I need to take care of all by myself. Be back soon!" With that, Ed ran out the door. She had read about this bounty. He sounded dangerous, go with the flow kind of guy. She was excited, because she had found out that he worked at a noodle shop. She was going in there as a normal person, but would be leaving as a bounty hunter, with a lot of money.
Edward was walking through the city, in a beautiful black dress on. Her hair was a little bit more tame, than when she was thirteen, but still pretty crazy. Edward could straighten it though, when she wanted to. Yet she liked the unique hair-style, though. Ed still looked the same in the face, except she had on dark-red lipstick. She also had on some glittery eye-liner.
Edward finally got to the small noodle shop. She took a deep breath, and walked in slowly. She went up to the counter, expecting to see the waiter, but instead she saw a familiar face. The face was too familiar.
"Spike? Is that really you?" Edward asked, puzzled and confused.
"Who wants to know?" said the cool, mysterious voice.
"Edward… the Fourth. "
"Haha, the Fourth, you sound quite familiar. So, why are you here?"
"The better question is, why do you have a bounty on your head?"
"Well, that is a long story. Why don't we sit down and talk?"
"It seems like you have a job to do. Serving people supper. How about I wait until you close?"
"Ok, I am closing down in about twenty minutes. See you then."
So, Edward went and sat down at the table. She kept looking back up at the counter, looking at Spike. He looked so grown up to her now, so mature, and so handsome. She thought that maybe, just maybe, they could have a relationship. "After all," she thought, "I am twenty, and he's, what? Thirty-three? Yeah… we could make this work." Edward figured.
The twenty minutes finally came to an end, and Spike came over to Edward's table. He sat down, across from her. He laid down two bowls of noodles in the middle of the table. He looked at her, and then he chuckled.
"What is it?" asked Edward, curiously.
"It's just that, you were so little when I first saw you. You were only… thirteen?"
"Yep. Haha, those were good times." Edward took a gulp of her soda.
"Yeah, so do you know what happened to Faye and Jet?" Spike asked.
"I see them every now and then. I think they were talking about getting married, something like that."
Then there was an awkward silence. It seemed to last for an eternity. Spike finally spoke up. "So, um, what was the question you asked me, over there at the counter?" Spike asked, awkwardly.
"WHY DO YOU HAVE A BOUNTY ON YOUR HEAD?" Edward asked furiously, standing up from her chair, very quickly, and slamming it back into the table. The bowls shook on the table. The glasses rattled.
"Ed, it… it's… Edward it's very complicated, you wouldn't understand!" Spike said starting to shout.
"Spike, you don't think that I am smart enough to understand? I am not a thirteen year old girl anymore! I am an adult, ok?" Then, Ed sat down, put her face in her hands, and sighed.
"Spike, why haven't you written me, or called me? I have missed you. I have missed the Bebop. I am missing my child-hood. I want everyone to be back together again. You guys were my family. Everything was so simple. Everything was fun, easy, and an adventure. Now it's just me and Ein. Living together, chasing bounties, I just, *sigh*, I just wish that we would all be together again. You know? Do you know how I feel?" Edward had a tear running down her cheek, but didn't bother to wipe it off.
"I know how you feel, Edward. Believe me, I do. I am sorry I haven't written you. I wanted to leave my past behind. I wanted to forget my regrets, enemies, even my friends. Obviously, that did not work. I have had many sleepless nights, thinking about you and the Bebop. I wish I hadn't wasted these seven years, spending all of my time in this shop. Ed, please forgive me, please, just give me another chance."
"Why do you have bounty on your head, Spike? Why do you, Spike Speagel, have a bounty on your head?"
"You're still as persistent as ever. Well, I did something wrong. It was so wrong, and I regret it everyday. I was chasing a bounty. I have remained a bounty hunter, because I am not making enough money from this Noodle Shop. Anyways, I was chasing this bounty through a busy street, and I thought I saw the bounty. I aimed my gun at the guy, and shot. The guy fell over. He had died. I was so mad, because now I wouldn't get the money. But then, I looked at the man, and realized I had shot the wrong man." Spike said. Edward thought that he was going to start crying soon, but then she remembered that she was talking to Spike.
"It was a mistake Spike. It is going to be ok." Edward reassured Spike.
"The bounty's name was Ogusoshi Namaski. He is the head of a big corporation. He just goes around, selling illegal things, doing illegal things. He is very dangerous, and if he seems dangerous to me, then you know he must be dangerous."
"I want to help you Spike. I am going to get Faye and Jet involved in this too, so you guys can catch up."
"I don't know Ed. This guy is really dangerous. He always has on a different costume. You never know who he is, or where he might be."
"I don't care, I am going to get everyone involved. Why don't we go to the police, and sort this all out? We will tell them about how you are completely innocent. They will remove the bounty, and you'll be free. You shouldn't live your whole life under-cover."
"I think I have been doing that for the past thirty-three years." Spike said, regretfully.
"It's not too late to change. I am here for you Spike, I will help you."
"So, you said you were going to get Jet and Faye to help too?"
"Yeah, I am going to try." Edward answered.
"Cool, it'll probably be awkward, me seeing them, after such a long time." Spike confessed to Edward.
"Oh well, they will love seeing you."
"You said they were married?" Spike asked, with a bit of a shocked tone in his voice.
"Yeah, they told me they were going to have their wedding soon. They have invited me."
"Hm," Spike seemed a little down when he heard the news. "When do you want to go after the bounty?"
"Whenever Jet and Faye get here, I guess. If I contact them tonight, then they should probably get here by tomorrow." Edward answered Spike.
"You seem so different, very mature." Spike commented.
"Well, I am really the same Edward. Trust me. I guess I just need to warm up to you, again."
"Huh, well, ok." Spike replied, not really knowing what to say.
"I better get going. I am going to go home, and contact Faye. I will see you tomorrow, here, two o'clock?" Edward commanded, more than asked, Spike.
"Sure. See you then."
Edward left the noodle shop feeling like she had accomplished something. She felt like a new person. She felt so lively and uplifted. She was so glad to see Spike again, and to get the Bebop people back together.
"Guess what Ein? Edward got to see Spike, and Ed is going to get the Bebop crew back together, to find this bounty! Edward can't wait to contact Faye-Faye!" Edward was jumping around the house. Ein barked, and Edward opened up her friend, Tomato. She got on to the video chat, and called Faye.
"Hello?" Faye said.
"Hey Faye, it's Edward!"
"Hey, Edward, what's up?"
"Everything!"
Then, Edward told Faye-Faye about Spike, and the bounty, and everything. "Wow that is some story Ed. Especially about the fact that Spike is alive."
"What?"
"Oh nothing. I will explain it all tomorrow."
"Oh um, ok. So are you in?" Edward asked.
"I am, I will go ask Jet." Faye replied.
"You mean your hubby?" Edward asked.
"Shut up, Ed " Edward could hear Faye's voice, but it was muffled. Then, she could hear Jet's voice, but it was also muffled. It went back and forth like this for a while, and finally Faye's face popped back up.
"So, what did he say?" Edward asked Faye.
"He said yes!" Faye replied, excitedly.
"YIPEE!" Edward yelled out. (See she said she was still Edward ).
"Yep, so I will see you tomorrow, ok?" Faye told Ed.
"Ok, I can't wait! At the Noodle Shop, two o'clock."
"Ok, bye!" Faye said. Edward closed up her old friend, and sat it down on the table. She laid down on the couch, next to Ein, and quickly fell asleep. She couldn't wait till tomorrow. It would be just like before. When life was simple.