Disclaimer: Yeah, as we all know i don't own cowboy bebop or anything related to it except for this story, and even then i don't get any money for it. all i get is reviews...which aren't that many...(which reminds me, i had the thing on no anonymous reviews for some unknown reason...anyhow it's off now....um yeah...)
Oh! and before i forget i'd like to thank alley_cat for keeping me semi sane and listening to me complain about how i hate typing, and on helping me start up our other story, which i will put out soon. Hopefully.
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"Now, I don't want either of you to move." The man ordered, with a smirk.
I just glared at nothing, refusing to believe even I had this bad of luck. I really felt like hurting something; here I was looking forward to a fairly good day and it was turned around to when I was the one at the butt of bad luck. And it hadn't even been that hard of an assignment, either! I felt my resentment towards Greg blur a bit as I appreciated him as my only current ally, but also blamed him for the current situation. If he hadn't taken so long with making up the so-called 'plan' that was really self-explanatory, then we'd have been out of here already! Besides, who had ever heard of the bounty hunter caught by the bounty head?! It was like I was the main focus of an extremely bad galactic joke. It was horribly unfair.
Yet the gun was pointed at me, so I could do nothing but obey the freak that held it. Until he made a mistake, that is, and I took control over his sorry ass. I savored the thought, however unlikely it was. It was one of the only things keeping me sane at the moment. Otherwise I'd be shouting that I really didn't care and force the bounty head to shoot me.
I watched the bounty head pace back and forth in front of us for awhile, after tying us so we couldn't overpower him and turn the situation around to what was supposed to be happening. It was rather weird, because he paced the same amount of steps each time, five one way, turn, five the other, turn...
I wondered idly if by some weird urge he was trying to annoy us. It really wouldn't have surprised me, given the gall this guy had to wait in ambush for the bounty hunters. Really, who did that? Well, if he was, it was paying off because it was sure as hell annoying me. I couldn't try to escape or talk to Greg because the idiot was right in front of us, and because he appeared to be thinking hard about something I felt I couldn't trust him to be stupid like most bounty heads are. I mean, for all I knew he was debating with himself about whether or not to kill us. If it were me, the bounty hunters would be dead, and I would be gone.
My stomach rumbled alarmingly loud as I belatedly realized that by now we should've been done and would've eaten. As if the thought had woken it up, my stomach then decided to let me feel its emptiness. I looked down at it in sorrow. If I was gonna die, I at LEAST wanted to die on a full stomach.
I tried to suppress a wince as it made more weak noises. I supposed that I should be used to it being empty, but it had never been empty and nervous before at the same time. The effect of it was really rather queasy feeling. I suddenly felt the deepest of loathing for the bounty head. What presumption to capture a bounty hunter!
A strangled laugh interrupted my frustrated contemplation of my stomach. I looked up, startled, to see the bounty head staring at Greg and I with the intensity of a madman. I don't think any other stare had made me feel so...nervous before.
I exchanged a tense look with Greg, wondering if that lunatic bounty head was going to kill us now, or do some really weird and psychotic torture or something like that...
"I will be needing an outgoing ship." The deranged lunatic spoke abruptly, still pinning us with that intense stare.
Greg and I exchanged another look.
"I'm sorry, we can't help you with that." I purred, my voice dripping with sweetness.
"That's too bad, 'cuz if you're of no use to me, well," he brought the gun up to bear on us, "Then I don't need you taggin' along." The bounty head's voice hardened, his words ringing coldly in my ears, and I felt sweat just as cold as his tone break out on my forehead.
"So, have you a ship for me now?" His voice was cruelly mocking.
Out of my peripheral vision I saw Greg stiffen, a snarl carved into his features, his chin lifted as if to dare the bounty head on to killing him. I turned my head to stare at him, feeling my eyes widen a little with the truth crashing down around me. So this was to be it, then. The sweat on my forehead beaded, one drop of it rolling down the side of my face. My breathing came faster as I stared at the gun. How many had stared down one, with these oddly calm thoughts running through their minds? Well, it didn't matter. Just like whether or not Spike was dead or alive wouldn't matter to me shortly. But I still hoped Jet would find him okay...
A thought suddenly and viciously erupted into my mind as the bounty head grinned, moving the gun between Greg and I.
What the hell am I thinking?!
Who the hell am I, a drama queen? Some loyal and dedicated little comrade? I am, no matter what my memories screamed at me, Faye Valentine. And she has no comrades.
"Oh, you mean a ship." I affected a little smile, "I thought you meant my own personal ship. Well now I can get you the dock number of a perfectly capable ship and open it for you, for my freedom and life, of course," I gushed, leaning back with a guise of ease, ignoring Greg's steadily widening eyes.
"You bitch!" Greg screamed, his glare and snarl now fixed on me. Why should he care? He'd only been on board for what, a day?
"Well, we all have to survive somehow, hm?" I smiled sweetly at him before turning my smile onto the bounty head, who was looking thoughtful.
"How about freeing me and we can use him for a hostage and get out of here?"
The bounty head snorted a laugh, "A little backstabber. Go figure. I'm not an idiot, I'm sure as hell not freeing you. However, I will cut your leg bonds."
True to his words, the man cut my leg bonds loose. I stood up gratefully, trying to ignore Greg's baleful stare. I guess Jet hadn't told Greg all that much about me after all.
"Take him, and tell me which dock it is." The bounty head ordered, picking up some of the guns scattered on the floor,
"I can't direct him with my hands tied." I pointed out smoothly, holding up my bound hands and refusing to look at Greg's suddenly hopeful eyes.
The man stared at me for a moment, his brow furrowed as he stared at me with dark eyes. Finally he moved over near me and stood still, his hands hovering over my bound ones.
"Do you swear on your family, pride, and status as a bounty hunter that you won't double cross me?" He looked at me sternly. Well, maybe he was an idiot after all.
"On that and my skill of slight of hand," I replied solemnly, allowing no trace of the triumph flowing within me to show. The bounty head grunted and began to untie my bonds. How stupid could you get? He was actually going to trust me?
He looked up at me, desperation lingering in his eyes; a knowing that if he couldn't trust somebody he'd be caught, just like that. It was strange, that through all of my catches I had never seen someone with that look, that had so mirrored what had once been in my eyes...
*flashback*
Harsh breathing filled my ears, edged with a certain panic. I hid in a dirty alley, mixing with the street trash so I couldn't be found. Oh, how the mighty had indeed fallen. I had never thought that I would be running away from anyone, but now...
I stifled a whimper as my hunter stepped through the trash delicately. My hands flew to my face as I tried to slow my breathing and sobs. Terrified thoughts fled through my mind as past events played through my head. I felt disgraced and weak as I wondered what had come over me to join a syndicate in the first place. And fall for that asshole...
The bounty hunter had left.
I let my breath out in a sob, further shaming myself to feel tears spring up. I just couldn't live like this. I had to do something somehow, to get some money. I had made a name for myself by myself in the first place, by joining up with that syndicate. I could do it again, somehow.
As I was looking down at the ground in my self-pity I caught my reflection in a piece of broken glass. Could that horribly dirty creature really be me? Horrified at what had become of me I swore to myself, for the second time that week, that I would never trust a man, not ever again.
*end flashback*
My stare hardened. I had never let my conscience dictate me before and I wouldn't let it dictate my actions now. Besides, that was a long time ago. I dove for the gun in his hand, easily wrestling it out of his suddenly motionless hand. I held it up to him, looking into eyes filled with shock.
"You- you swore!" He yelped.
"I didn't actually swear." I replied coolly, "now, why should I help you?" I snarled, a little part of me was scalded with red-hot anger that I was actually feeling pity and worse yet, sympathy for the man.
"What?" The bounty head and Greg both stared wide-eyed at me. I sighed, wondering what was I doing?
"Why should I, a bounty hunter, help you, a bounty head?" I snapped, staring coldly at the man.
He continued to stare at me, the implications of what I had said slowly dawning in his mind.
"Help...me..." he murmured weakly, his voice dwindling into nothing.
"Yes." I bit off the word, not even daring to look at Greg.
"There is...a man, who betrayed me. He's worth a lot of money, you'll see. I had a deal with him and he made it look as if I'd been involved in his dirty business so a bounty was placed on my head, but his is much larger, only he bribed someone so it was never put out..." The man babbled quickly, his eyes begging me for a chance.
My consciousness damned me in four different ways as I realized belatedly that I had hooked myself into this as soon as I'd asked.
"Where do you need to go?" I asked wearily, closing my eyes against the sudden brightness in his.
What the hell am I doing?
"Earth! That's all I need, I swear! Just get me to Earth and I can do the rest! All you'll need to do is wait for me!"
I looked at him, shocked, wondering at the coincidence. Then I grinned, "For once, it's all going for me. That's where we're headed, only," suddenly my grin broke, "We're delayed a bit on takeoff."
The bounty head wasn't dismayed in the least, "That's perfect! I know where a few bounties are hiding in here! We can get some easy cash, well, it won't be much, but it'll make up for mine, at least." He spread his hands in a shrug.
"In fact, if we wait a little longer, there may be some more scum coming after me tonight." He spat in the direction of the bed. "They may be bounties."
I beamed, thinking that maybe it would be worth it after all. And maybe Jet wouldn't lecture me all that much about picking up strays or whatever. I seemed to do it a lot, as it was. First had been that little rat Ed, and now this guy, whoever he was.
As the bounty went to pick up some clothes and stuff them in a bag, I moved to untie Greg from where he was sitting, stubbornly ignoring his disproving glare.
"What's this sudden turn of heart about?" He asked me coldly, his upper lip curling with scorn. I eyed him warily, wondering why he had his boxers or whatever up in a bunch. Jet had only just recruited him the other day. He shouldn't be so loyal for being so new. What a conscience-ridden ass he was going to be to work with.
"Hey- bounty head, Greg is going to need a gun." I called to the bounty head, who had reappeared with a bag stuffed to the bursting point. He nodded, and somehow produced one from out of his pants pocket. He tossed it over to me, and I gave it to Greg.
"Ah, but how stupid of me. I forgot to tell you my name, and I don't think it would be wise to go around calling me 'bounty head'. My name is Pairin. How about yours?"
"I'm Faye. My cheerful companion is Greg." I responded shortly, as Pairin went back to stuffing more items into his already full bag, humming a slow, solemn tune.
I tried not to stare at him as he bustled around, picking up this and that, alternating whistling and humming that oddly melancholy tune. My mind was whirling as I stared at him, with what I'd put myself into with helping a bounty head, of all things!
I scowled to myself, thinking that lately, I seemed to be in such caring moods. Next thing I'd probly be picking strays off the streets and mothering everyone. I shuddered at the thought, chasing it from my mind, a memory playing in my head of when I'd done just that...
Greg's glare was boring into me, as I became aware of it. Had he just been standing there, watching me, since I'd released him? I directed my scowl right back at him. What did he know, anyhow? He took the safety off of his gun, and I gulped, not liking the way he was going about it. He shot a disgusted look at Pairin and cleared his throat.
"How long are we gonna wait?" He asked gruffly, standing with a deadly air.
"Oh, an hour or two." I answered airily, fully aware once more of my empty stomach.
"So how are we going to do this, then?" Greg asked curtly, relaxing his stance a bit.
"I'm now ready," Pairin called suddenly, clutching the overstuffed bag and a few items he probably couldn't fit into the bag. "Now let's catch the bastards!" His grin was suddenly feral.
"You and Faye can sit on either side of the door. I'll sit on the bed. When they come it, clobber 'em and we'll see if they're bounty heads or not. That one is." Pairin gestured to the bed; his smile still plastered to his face. I shrugged.
"Sounds good enough to me."
~*~
GOOD HUNTING, COWGIRL
a/n: I have decided, since I am working on around four stories right now and have tons of english homework (and I'm still not done with any of their first chapters...) that I will not be continuing this story unless I get AT LEAST 3 reviews per chapter. So, please review, if only because you want me to continue this.
Teaser (sorry I forgot last weeks!):
I was face to face with the woman I'd never expected to see again.
Wavy blond hair that had once extended down her back had been cropped short to shoulder length.
Piercing blue eyes that were melancholy, and yet seemed to know everything.
And a smile that could easily trap any man, and make any woman instantly jealous.
She was smiling now.
At me.
When she was supposed to be dead.
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Well, hm, wonder who that could be? Next time, The Past Resurges. (if u ever want to read it, u gotta review!!! and i will not count three reviews from the same person, unless they really want me to continue)
|Treekat|~*