Author's Notes: Oh gosh, I'm so sorry I haven't posted this installment sooner but I just could not seem to write it. There'd be bits and pieces and then I'd be dissatisfied with them so I'd start all over again and I'm still not sure how I like the ending but …yeah. And I've included a teaser for the next session, which I've already got partially done, but I don't know when I'll have it entirely finished. Anyways, have fun with this one I suppose and give me some reviews, they'll help me churn out the chapters faster.
Session XXVIII: Campfire Tales
"Ed is bored, Ein!" Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the Fourth or François as her father named her complained to the small Welsh corgi napping at her side. "Ed doesn't want to be all alone again! Ed didn't mind that before, but Ed has shipmates that she misses now. Faye-Faye said that the best thing in the world is to belong somewhere and for Edward to find where she belongs, but Ed thinks the Bebop Bebop is more belonging for Edward!"
Ein whined in agreement as Ed scratched his head between his ears and sighed. "Ed …Ed thinks that the father-person does not really want Ed back. The father-person left Ed before and left Ed again now …but Jet-person and Spike-person and Faye-Faye didn't leave Ed, they made sure Ed was with them before leaving planets and such." She looked over her shoulder at the orphanage in the waste dump before rising to her feet and picking up the Tomato, her computer, and starting down the hill of trash and junk, walking in the direction of the latest shower of moon stones.
The small Welsh corgi jumped up after a moment and yipped excitedly, following Ed loyally as dusk settling in over the land before fading into starry night and still they were walking towards the latest location of meteors. Edward yawned hugely and sat down at last, arms tired from carrying the computer around and legs tired from walking. Ed frowned as she flopped onto her back. Ein whimpered as he lay down next to her, nuzzling his wet puppy dog nose against her bare arm. Edward lay there a long time, not feeling up to expending the energy needed to act as monkey-ish as normal. She instead stared up at the stars thoughtfully, looking out of instinct for the familiar constellations she'd seen while on the Bebop.
At first, when they were docked on Mars, she'd taken up stargazing to see if she could find whatever Spike was looking for when he was watching the heavens, but after a while she had come to the conclusion that what she found wasn't anything that Spike was looking for. She found happiness in the stars, happiness and excitement, shapes drew themselves in the night sky, shapes of funny animals and beautiful women who watched over her, women she called mother. She could almost imagine the night sky dropping down to earth to enfold her in a hug, her star mother singing lullabies to her and keeping her safe and happy even when father-person was gone.
Edward wasn't so naïve however to think that she could ever belong up in the stars for she was a living and breathing person, not a ball of burning gas offering light from distances so far away as to seem inconceivable. It was nice though to think that her mother was up there, guarding her no matter which planet she might be on or which family she was with, be it her father, Sister Clare and the other children of the orphanage or the motley crew of the Bebop. Ed couldn't remember much of her mother, only that she had aquamarine hair falling in waves past her shoulders and gentle eyes. Ed couldn't remember the color of her mother's eyes, or the sound of her voice, but she thought that her mother must have been a kind, pretty woman and that she must have loved her father and Ed herself.
"Ein …Ed misses star-mother …Edward wants star-mother to come down from heaven to care for her, to give her a pretty dress to wear like Faye-Faye and to hug her and make her feel special and wanted, like Spike-person did after Ed had a bad dream before. Ed misses Jet-person and Jet-person's bonsai plants." She sighed wistfully and shivered in the cool night air, eyes glistening. "Edward is a survivor, like Faye-Faye …but Edward wants someone to live for. Edward wants to go home, Ein …"
Barking softly, Ein rose and crawled into her arms, rubbing his head against her chin as Ed hugged the little dog close, still watching the stars overhead. She had been watching the stars when the burning star faded away and the blue star grew stronger, and she'd been watching the stars ever since the Bebop went away, always half-hoping that the ship would return and pick her up. As she watched the stars now, her star-mother seemed to be saying something to her, trying to get her to do something and she frowned slightly, unsure of what star-mother wanted. Ed gasped suddenly and leapt up, Ein cradled in her arms as she twirled around joyously.
"Ed knows what to do now! Star-mother told Ed to go back home, to go where she belongs and told Edward to look in her heart to find her place of belongingness and Ed knows that it's the Bebop Bebop! Edward's family cares for Ed there …they don't like to show it though because they like to be tough, independent people, but Edward and star-mother know the truth!"
Ein began barking happily before licking Ed's face from her chin to her temple and she giggled at that. "I guess Ein-dog misses Jet-person's cooking as much as Ed does!" She made a thoughtful noise and stopped spinning to stare up at the stars again. "How is Edward going to get the Bebop Bebop to come back though?" She thought again for a moment and then giggled once more. "Ed knows! The Bebop Remote! Ed hopes the ship is close enough …"
Up above in the sky, star-mother smiled down upon the enthusiastic young girl and wished her luck, vowing to always be there for her little earth-daughter and the Einsteinian data-dog. The stars promised to watch their little children, human or not, and the stars promised to guide the gifted girl and the wise pup through their years.
* * *
"Man, I wish Big Shots was still on the air," Spike grumbled. "If we don't get some leads on bounties soon, we'll starve!" He kicked the television angrily a few times, Faye watching his display of irritation disinterestedly as she filed her nails, Jet looking through the haze of cigarette smoke from all three of the souls aboard the ship to his young partner taking out his frustration on the poor T.V.
"If you don't stop kicking it," Jet said at last, "we won't be able to watch anything that's still on!"
"Kicking the T.V. won't bring the bounty show back, Spike," Faye added, smirking at the irate young man. "Why don't you just accept that we're going to have to gather the information on our own? It shouldn't be too hard."
Jet guffawed from where he sat and choked on the smoke, laughing as he wheezed. "Oh, Faye, you're hilarious," He managed to say at length.
Faye glared at him through narrowed eyes, the file motionless above her index finger. "What are you talking about? There's an insult in there somewhere, I just know it!"
"What you said!" Jet went on. "We're going to gather information on our own. Oh, you crack me up."
Faye slammed the nail file onto the floor and sat up straighter, leaning out towards the balding man and Spike stopped abusing the television to watch the scene play out. "What do you mean?" She demanded, voice threatening to go to painful heights.
Spike took a drag on his cigarette and smirked at her. "He's saying that you're funny by what you're implying. We and our, to be precise. You hardly ever work to dig up the dirt on the bounty heads. Without Ed, we're – meaning Jet and myself of course – going to have to do a little bit more work to get food on the table."
"Hey!" She protested, standing up and removing her cigarette from her mouth to yell at them. "That's not true! I've done my fair share getting information on those lowlifes before! You're the one who never works that angle, all you're good for is riding in to rough them up a little and then blowing the whole works by somehow killing them!"
"Whoa, don't yell at me, he's the one who was making fun of you." Spike replied, gesturing at Jet. He laughed then as well. "Making fun of you, ha ha, making fun of you for how funny you are, Faye. My funny Valentine,"
"I'm glad to be such a source of amusement for the both of you!" She hollered, stamping one foot angrily. "Why I oughta …"
"Hey, that's it, settle down the both of you!" Jet interrupted, standing as well. "We're down to our last couple thousand woolongs and we're almost out of food. Again. We need to find some bounties so we can eat for the next couple of weeks." He paused and thought a moment. "We're near Earth right now, and both of you know that we'll never find any decent catches there, so why don't the two of you –"
"I'm going to see Laughing Bull. He might have some leads for me to check out." Spike interrupted, putting out his cigarette.
"I'm coming too, I don't particularly like Earth." Faye said, dropping her butt into the ashtray as well. She scowled at Jet. "Or the present company on this bucket of bolts."
"You don't have to come back either," Jet replied. "Don't call this ship names, she's our home. If you want me to keep putting your ship back together and to feed you here, then you'd better not say anything bad about our ship."
Spike snickered as he started to leave the recreation/den room. "Our."
"Ugh. I hate men."
"Yeah, and I hate tomboys, beasts and …beasts and rugrats …" Spike trailed off as a heavy air settled over the three shipmates. "Dammit." He muttered. "I've got to get off this ship for a while."
Faye nodded pensively. "Yeah." She paused to straighten her red jacket around her arms and glanced back at Jet, who was still smoking and staring hard at the ashtray. "We'll see you in a few."
Jet nodded without looking up. Earth. That was where Ed most likely was, where Ed had left them a few weeks ago to find her father and, according to Faye, to find where she belonged. Jet watched the Swordfish II and the Redtail swing by the view portals and gazed down at the familiar orb of blue and …trash, surrounded by a halo of space debris and chunks of the moon. 'I wonder if she's found where she belongs down there.' He shrugged to himself. "I might as well go down to the planet. There might be some small fries at least." It would be better than sitting around the empty ship waiting for Spike and Faye to return, and hey, there was always the chance of running into the hyperactive teenager and the small Welsh corgi earth side. Jet nodded to himself absently. It wasn't as if he wanted to see them or anything …maybe to make sure they were making it okay …not like he missed them or anything …
* * *
"So who is this Giggling Bull we're going to go see?" Faye asked over the ship-to-ship intercom as the Red Tail and Swordfish II flew through space.
Spike's laughter came through the speakers in Faye's ship, accompanied a moment later by his voice. "It's not the Giggling Bull, it's Laughing Bull. He's a …sort of a …spiritual shaman. He's given me some good advice before. Makes sense to see him since we've got nothing else to do or go on."
"Eh," Faye shrugged. "Whatever you say, Spike."
They flew on in silence for some time, Faye grumbling softly to herself about the stupidity of men until Spike interrupted her. "Hey, Faye, over this way. He doesn't live all that close to the main part of TJ. Whatever you do, don't argue with him over your name, trust me, I once wasted half a day doing that."
Faye looked a bit confused as they flew down towards the satellite, Spike calling ahead for confirmation to land. "Oh-kay …" She replied. Guiding her ship along behind Spike's as they passed through the gates keeping space outside of the satellite's imitation atmosphere zone and bringing the Redtail down to a gentle landing some distance away from Spike's. She hopped out and looked around uncertainly. "Where are we, Spike, the middle of nowhere?"
He laughed shortly. "Something like that. C'mon, and remember what I said. Just go with the flow, Faye-Faye."
She growled. "Don't call me that!"
They walked for some time before Faye finally spotted a tent in the distance and after more muttering about the unholy temperature and a blister that was forming on her heel, they finally reached the dusty little outpost. Spike ducked into the tent and Faye followed slowly, a bit startled at the lack of space inside that made her resort to standing in a hunch beside the opening. An old Indian man was handing Spike a pipe, sand falling through the fingers of his right hand to pool on the ground.
"The Swimming Bird has lost his way and seeks a path to follow. The Wandering Chameleon follows to flee her past." The old man said in his slow voice.
Spike's stomach growled. "Uhhh …you don't have any food, do you?" He asked as Faye blinked in confusion.
"Wandering Chameleon? Is that me?"
"The Ancient Bandit will strike from the lovely star and his fangs will bleed torn feathers." Laughing Bull gave Spike a hard look. "The Swimming Bird will again be hunted by a woman, but it will not be as before. Place your trust in the Wild Monkey and death shall be kept at bay."
Spike drew in a lungful of the pipe smoke and closed his eyes briefly. "I wish the hunter would stop being the hunted." He muttered.
"A cornered prey is often the most lethal of beast." Laughing Bull replied.
Spike made a noncommittal noise deep in his throat. "I'm not running from my past!" Faye exclaimed after a moment and the Laughing Bull raised a brow to her. Frowning, Faye took the pipe from Spike and inhaled deeply. "You know, this is very mystical and all, but I honestly don't understand your riddles. I'm a wandering chameleon?"
"Actually, that sounds rather …fitting, Romany."
Faye glared at him, her right eyebrow twitching. "Gowljo."
"Pipe, please," Laughing Bull requested, eyeing the door meaningfully.
"Men!" Faye muttered loudly, thrusting the pipe back towards the shaman and stomping back to her ship.
"Your companions are …interesting, Swimming Bird. The Flying Fish on the barren world will corner Running Rock and the Wandering Chameleon will be lost unless the Wild Monkey is trusted. That is what I see."
"Huh." Spike murmured. "I'll be seeing you," He said as he too left.
Laughing Bull shook his head slowly. "Someday there will be one to clip his wings …but a crippled bird may still fly …Great Spirit, guide their souls."
* * *
"Faye, I'm going to Venus to see what I can dig up on this Ancient Bandit." Spike announced once they had taken off again. "You can head back to the Bebop if you want."
"Venus? Why Venus?"
"Weren't you listening? The Ancient Bandit will strike from the lovely star. In the past Venus was thought to be the planet of love and because of how bright it shone in the sky it was often called a star instead of a planet. This is the best thing I've got to work on so …"
"No, I'll come to Venus. There's nothing to do around earth and I want some cash." Faye replied after a moment, watching the Swordfish II fly swiftly by the gates and into space.
"The Wandering Chameleon follows to flee her past. Even if you don't understand Laughing Bull, I do." Spike jested lightly.
"Then you know what he meant by the Ancient Bandit's fangs dripping bloody feathers? Or who Wild Monkey is?" She demanded.
There was a pause as Spike guided his ship towards the Jump Gates and thought. "I'll know once we get to the bottom of this. Let Jet know what we're up to."
Faye shook her head slowly. "Men are stupid, arrogant, whiney babies." She complained to herself. "Tell you what, I'll check with one of my friends on Venus to see if she knows about any of the recent bounties."
"You have friends, Faye? Good for you!"
"Shut up! See if I'll come to back you up once you start floundering."
"See if I loan you the woolongs for the Gate toll."
Faye screamed in frustration.
* * *
"Speaking of checking with friends, I think I'll do the same." Spike announced as Faye landed her mono racer on one of the floating cities.
"You have friends, Spike? Good for you!" Faye drawled sarcastically, Spike chuckled at her and gave a wave. "I'll contact you if I find anything out. If not I guess we'll see if your little buddy is reliable."
"Yeah, no problem, whatever." Faye replied, watching the red craft speeding against the strange yellowish sky until it had disappeared in the distance. "I wonder who he knows way out in the boonies …only nuts would live on the surface out in the middle of nowhere." She laughed to herself. "Figures he would know all the nuts though, especially after meeting that Laughing Bull character. What a weirdo …" She trailed off, shaking her head slowly, though her mind refused to dismiss the advice they'd been giving by the spiritual shaman. "Sherri should be working at the casinos about now and she's mixed up in enough deep stuff to know about any bounties, and if she doesn't, I can only hope Spike finds something out." Her stomach rumbled. "I am starving!"
* * *
Spike's expression was, as per usual, unreadable as he sauntered over to the bar where Faye was sitting, one slender finger stirring the ice in her drink idly as she watched the lean bounty hunter take the seat at her side. He sat for a moment, staring at the shelves of bottled wines and liquor across the counter, hands crammed in his pockets and a world-weary look about him, as though he had just confronted a few dangerous demons. Peering at him closer, without making it look as though she was intently observing him, Faye noticed a keen brightness to his eyes, well, to his real eye at least. Was he …no, he couldn't be …Spike didn't cry. No. The smoke in the bar was just stinging his eye that was all. Spike Spiegel was not a man to cry for anything, there could have been nothing on Venus to bring him to such despair. Therefore, according to Faye's logic, his mahogany eye was simply irritated by the heavy smoke in the room and Spike was just being quiet like normal.
She licked her lips hesitantly and cracked a sharp smile after a time, taking her finger from her drink and licking the alcohol from it in what she knew to be a sensual manner. "So …learn anything helpful, Spike?"
He barely looked in her direction. "Nothing about any bounties, if that's what you mean. I just …went to catch up with someone, and …to pay my respects." Faye's eyes narrowed. "What do you have for us to go on, Wandering Chameleon?"
She growled beneath her breath. "That is not my name. And, compared to you, I've got quite of bit of information to wade through. Turns out, there's some old coot named Ebenezer, or at least that's the alias he goes by. If he has a different name, no one knows it. Anyway, this guy is rumored to be really old and a real big hit with the ladies. He wanders into a strip bar and by the time he goes home for the night, one of the dancing girls is thoroughly dead. Nothing pretty about the way he disposes of these chicks. Since he surfaced in the world of slinky women and exotic dancing, there have been over two dozen murdered girls, each a bit more gruesome than the last."
Spike made a noise deep in his throat. "Sounds like he doesn't approve of lovely young lasses getting down to the nitty gritty in front of horny guys. Can't say I blame him."
"Huh?" Faye gave him an incredulous look. "You honestly don't go to the strip joints, Spike?"
"I don't really see the point in them, actually. If you're looking to get laid, find a prostitute – those dancers cost more and you get less time with them in the long run. All you get from those girls is a teasing. Something to whet the appetite and keep you nipping for more. It's like gambling, just a scam."
"Well, nice to know you have some morals." Faye said at last, still watching him dubiously. She cleared her throat. "Umm, well, Sherri said that he's probably going to show up at Cupid's Arrow tonight. It's a racy little place with sex on stage to offer more entertainment to the masses."
"Wonderful." Spike commented drolly. He grinned at her slowly, mahogany eyes drifting up and down her body. "Why, my beautiful Faye, I think I've got an idea …"
* * *
"Wonderful. Just great. Son of a bitch." Jet Black muttered to himself as he meandered through the ghostly town. The place seemed hollow, emptied of everything except his life and the hot anger in his words. The Bebop was missing. He had taken off for just five minutes – five minutes! – and the ship managed to completely disappear. He wondered for a moment how he would be able to get a hold of Edward without using the ship's scanners and sensors to locate the mischievous girl.
Up ahead, at the end of the block, was a rundown motel, the only place that seemed to even vaguely offer the possibility of life inside, or so the few ships outside claimed. There was no telling where Spike and Faye were at the moment, and even if he knew where they were he doubted it would do him much good. The intercom devices had a limited range on them, barely enough for a signal from Earth to reach one of the asteroids around Mars, and the chances were high that Spike had already learned whatever there was to learn from the Laughing Bull and was on his way, with Faye in tow.
As used to the situation and having Faye aboard as he was getting, Jet still enjoyed the times when she pranced away to loose at gambling and betting. The woman was a shrew, though a good-intentioned one at times, and a friend he supposed but she could quickly become too much for any one person to handle. There were several times when he had almost blown up on her, only his conscious warning him of the frailty of women saving her. Faye Valentine though, was anything but frail. The next time that woman pushed his buttons she would be paying the consequences. But, as bad as she could be, she wasn't as bad as Spike.
The boy was trouble, the boy was living death, and the boy was also something very rare, something that people almost never found anymore. He was like the last of his species or something, and Jet was moderately amused to find himself both longing for and loathing the inevitable extinction of that race. By all rights, Spike should have been dead several times over. Danger and trouble followed him around like starved puppies at the heels of a man with steak and pork. Hell, if he didn't know any better, Jet would have pinned the blame of the missing ship on his partner, but there were some things that even Spike couldn't be held accountable for.
From seemingly out of nowhere came a familiar whistling, Jet almost turned around, his first thoughts summoning Spike to mind, but then he recognized the tune and groaned inwardly. Andy Von de Oniyate. Great, just the sort of help he had needed, not. Wait, there was still a chance, if the goofball hadn't spotted him already he could still escape from this unscathed …
"Hola, Mr. Black!" Andy called jubilantly. "I'm glad I found you. Why, if I hadn't come across you out here in the middle of nowhere death might have found you first! Luckily it is I, Sir Andy, to have found you because I know where shelter can be found!" He spurred his horse into a run and neared the cringing bounty bunter. "Oh dear, I see the sun has already started to atrophy your pathetic muscles. Fortunately, I, the greatest knight of them all, have sighted our salvation." He pointed towards the motel Jet had been en route to with a gauntleted hand. "I believe we shall find comfort and assistance at that domicile. I cannot imagine what sort of fool would live out in this wasteland but …we must take whatever help we can get when death is stalking!"
Jet ground his teeth together in an attempt to keep himself from yelling a few inappropriate things, and to keep from launching himself at the pompous fool, knocking him from the horse and beating him senseless. Speak of the devil. Well, sort of. He'd been thinking of Spike and trouble and so it made sense for Andy to appear. The boy was what Spike might have been, had the other man had no brains, no instinct, no …well, no anything that made him Spike and not Andy. They were like strange dysfunctional twins. And then, quite unexpectedly, Jet found himself laughing as he and Andy made their way to the derelict building while Andy looked on a bit apprehensively. Jet was reasonably sure that the other had pegged him to be quite insane.
* * *
"Well, show us the merchandise, Miss Heart." The pudgy, sweaty-faced man ordered, wiping a handkerchief across his face and leaning back in his chair. Spike was slouched in the chair across from him and Faye was standing before the fat man, an angry tic making her left eye twitch as she subtly glared daggers at Spike.
"What? Can't you see enough right now? I'm practically naked here!" Faye snarled.
Spike chuckled. "We've been telling you that forever, Mae." He had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Mae Heart and Mike Regal, a stripper and her agent. Spike wished that he could have been the one to pick their names.
"Ditch the yellow crap doll face, if you're looking for a job here then you should already know that the boys outside will be seeing a lot more than what you're showing now. C'mon sweet cakes, let's see how much is real and how much is part of the plastic suit."
Faye growled again, her enraged eyes sliding to Spike as she began to undo her clothes and step out of them. Looking innocent and oblivious Spike sighed inwardly and averted his eyes, deciding to let her keep a little dignity. After all, this had been his plan and it was her body on the line. He could afford to give her a few breaks. The fat man's low whistle of approval almost made him glance over and he would have happily broken the fellow's wrists when he began to clap. Only after hearing the sound of clothing being put back in place did he look again.
"Well babykins, you've just got yourself a job. There's an amber-haired girl outside with pretty red eyes, her name is Vanessa and if you find her she'll take you to the dressing rooms so you can be outfitted for tonight's line-up. By the time you've been sold for the evening we'll have your room all put together and Vanessa will bring you there. God damn but I'd love to be the lucky bastard you'll be seeing tonight."
Spike ground his teeth together and scowled darkly. She wasn't that good-looking, Christ! And the way this guy was eyeing her, like she was some slab of meat to be auctioned off to the highest bidder and passed around until she was past her expiration date was unsettling. Protective jealousy, Spike decided, was something he didn't like at all.
* * *
"Ed?" Faye muttered, aghast.
"Huh?" Spike turned around and blinked as he came face-to-face with a small woman with short, bright amber hair and ruby eyes who was wearing a smile similar to those of Edward's characteristic smileys.
"Vanessa Secoya Panazuela Scrooge, at your service!" The girl piped cheerily, enveloping Faye in a bone-crushing hug before doing the same to Spike. "Follow V, Miss Heart! V is ever so happy to see new faces here! All the killings make women afraid to become dancers and V misses talking to them and learning to dance from them."
Oh good god. This girl was like Edward only …different. No wonder Faye had been mistaken at first.
Faye's mouth was open slightly, even her fuming hatred of Spike forgotten at this strange development. Sensing a reprieve from inevitable doom and pain for having stuck her in this situation, Spike began to back away, waving. "I see you're in good hands, Mae. See you in action tonight!" And he was gone, with Faye still gaping at the overly exuberant girl before her.
"Oh, bye-bye sir," Vanessa murmured quietly, giving a sincere sounding sniffle. "Pops will never believe me. Meeting my soul mate and losing him in such a short amount of time." Vanessa flushed guiltily and latched onto Faye's arm. "C'mon, Mae-Day Heart-Cart! To the room of clothing galore!"
* * *
"Why, hello there, Jet Black." A woman's voice, faintly familiar, called out as Jet entered while Andy was seeing to his horse outside.
Frowning into the sudden dimness of the motel lobby, Jet was vaguely surprised to recognize VT sitting by the bar and nursing a glass of what appeared to be bourbon, her cat lapping up some water from a saucer set nearby.
"Long time no see, VT." He replied.
"Is that lowlife good for nothing bounty hunting scumbag anywhere around?" She asked, sipping from her glass.
"He went with the shrew to some hunk of rock near Mars. Should be coming back here sometime soon but I'm not particularly looking forward to that." She raised an inquiring eyebrow as he paused. "I …uh …sort of …eh, that is …well, I think I lost the Bebop. One minute the ship was there and then next …gone. So I'm effectively stranded here."
"Damn."
"Yeah."
"Well, take a seat and have a drink on me, I've just arrived with a shipment and thought I might as well wet my tongue before going home again." VT explained, patting the stool beside her.
"What a lovely maiden!" Andy's voice exclaimed, the clinking of chain mail announcing his procession through the dim little lobby towards the bar of the motel where Jet was now sitting with VT. "This lout's eyes are unworthy to gaze rapturously upon such beauty, and yet he still stared at me when I greeted him outside. My fair lady, would you warm the man I am? The armor I am wearing chills the heart so."
VT's mouth dropped open and she stared at the blond boy.
She didn't seem to hear Jet's snort of laughter or his whispered warning for she sat there, glass of alcohol held tenuously and blinked at the strange fellow before her.
"Jet," She murmured in a low whisper as Andy stopped before her, trailing his hand delicately up her arm, a gesture that would have probably come off better had he not been wearing the gauntlets that had heated under the merciless sun outside. VT yelped and snatched her arm away, rubbing absently at the burns. "Please tell me you don't know this freak and that he isn't here with you."
"Well, I met him when he was a cowboy and I wouldn't be in his company if I had any choice in the matter. He sort of ran into me outside and I suppose I'm stuck with him until he leaves or until Spike and Faye come back." Jet replied.
"What do you say, milady? Care to dote upon such a royal and chivalrous character as myself?" Andy waggled his eyebrows suggestively and VT barked a nervous laugh.
"Rein in your horses there, stable boy, I'm not that damn desperate for action." She replied, backing away slowly. Zeros was watching her mistress being pursued by the persistent cowboy from a safe place behind Jet.
"Dear lady, I'll have you know that I am a knight." He gestured to the shining breastplate he wore with his gauntleted hands. His sword jangled against his armor but his lance was in absence, likely outside with Onyx, the horse. Jet had begun to wonder when the former cowboy and rumored samurai had changed occupations. The other occupants of the bar, three wiry old men who had been seemingly engrossed in a card game, came to life noisily.
"Ah ha! Crotchety little runt, that's what ya get! Why, maybe if you'd been working on the Gates back in the day with us real men you could get with a woman!" Antonio hollered from up at the bar.
Carlos guffawed loudly. "Like your horse has been jumping the hurtles of romance lately."
"Romance, bah! Women are for sex, anybody whose horse isn't put out to pasture knows that!" He shot back.
"Your horse hasn't left the stables in years," Jobin cracked, slapping his hands on his thighs. "Maybe if you're lucky you can catch some action with that boy over there."
"Hey!" Andy yelped. "I want nothing to do with any of you lazy old vagabonds!"
"Lazy?! Why you little …I built the damn Gates single-handedly with only my trusty steed for company and the tavern wenches, don't you be calling me lazy!" Carlos yelled back.
"What steed? There wasn't no steed when we were building the Gates. And what tavern wenches? And what about us?" Jobin demanded, rounding on the other two senile old men.
"Aw, you two were just getting sticky with those magazines while I was doing the real work!" Antonio inserted.
"Get off your high horse, fool! Hah, high horse …look-e there, your little boy toy is trying to put the moves on VT. You're missing your chance with the fella!" Jobin called.
"What are you talking about?!?" Andy demanded. "I should just challenge the lot of you to a dual and throw you into the dungeon and be done with it!"
Jet reached over and tapped VT on the shoulder. "Say, how's about we vamoose while they're arguing with each other?" He suggested.
VT nodded seriously. "I can give you a lift, Black Dog. I don't think I'd be able to leave you here at the mercy of them. Guess I'm just going soft."
The pair sneaked away as the bickering between the three old men and Andy reached new heights. "What dungeon? Boy, you're delusional! This is a Motel 8; we're in the worst bar of the cheapest hotel this side of the Gates! There's no dungeon around here!" Carlos was saying.
"There's something, …" Jet mumbled to himself. "I could swear I've seen those three Gate workers before …"
"What, you actually believe they worked on the Gates?" VT asked, Zeros watching the scene unfold behind them safely on VT's shoulder.
"I'd believe their story before I'd buy Andy's. Last I saw of that fruit, he was going off to be a samurai …wonder what made him switch to being a knight."
VT risked a glance back. "There's no telling with that kid. Weird thing is, he kind of reminded me of Spike. Well, Spike with no self-control and some serious issues …but …"
"Yeah, I know what you mean." He looked back for a moment as well and elbowed VT gently. "Andy seems to have noticed our absence. Shall we pick up the pace a bit?" Jet was reasonably sure that he was mistaken, but he couldn't help but think that for a moment, VT seemed a bit frightened as they high-tailed it back to her trucker ship.
* * *
Spike had to hand it to her, Faye sure could dance to the pole. Her eyes were half-shut, a demure little smile affixed to her face and her body came alive as she twisted and wound herself around the thin pole at the edge of the runway. A little flick of her tongue and her attention diverted from the rod long enough for her to run her hands down her body and to squeeze her own breasts suggestively and she'd pretty much gotten the attention of the house, despite the sexual activities being consummated on the wings of the stage behind her.
Sitting in a corner, Spike watched admiringly and wondered briefly where Faye had learned a move that a cheerleader probably would have struggled to pull off. If she ever gave up bounty hunting and quit gambling she'd be able to make a cushy living as an exotic dancer that was for sure. Spike turned his attention away though after watching Faye coyly smack an exploring hand that was offered by one of the men seated right at the runway. Ebenezer would show, he had to, this was the most likely of spots and Faye was being the perfect target. Of course, the old fox could have already been in there, biding his time until Gustavo, the porky owner, made his rounds and started getting payments from prospective men wanting some additional and private time with the dancers and …er …performers.
Unfortunately, there were several old men in the audience, at least ten by Spike's preliminary count. One apparently was comatose, judging by the hungry glaze in his eyes and the trail of drool that had been dripping from the corner of his mouth since the act began, and another sat stiffly with one hand missing from sight while yet a third glared around him and spat after glancing up at the stage, though Spike easily read the lusty want in his body language as well. Too many possibilities, too many potential mistakes. He began to realize that this wouldn't be as easy as he'd hoped.
Something warm snuggled against his arm and Spike absently patted the amber hair of his arm warmer, not surprised by her sudden appearance because he'd seen her coming. For some reason, Vanessa had latched firmly onto him and didn't appear about to let go …several times literally. Since returning he'd had to pry her off five times and had hoped to loose her if he sat out here with the audience but no such luck. The girl had hearts in her eyes whenever she looked at him and a simpering smile that made him faintly nauseous. She looked far too similar to Ed as well, and acted like the other girl as well and seeing her made him think of Ed and thinking of Ed acting like this and so obviously lusting after him was vaguely disgusting.
Ed was like the kid sister he'd never had, full of energy and with a potential destruction factor that could rival him, and he naturally felt protective of the young girl – or rather, had when she was on board the Bebop – and never imagined her crushing on him. It just wasn't right. Vanessa's slightly obsessive behavior wasn't right either but there was little he could do about it and he'd tried. Maybe if he just let her stay there until he needed to bag the bounty …well, whatever happened, she certainly wouldn't be returning to the Bebop with them.
"Miiiiike" Vanessa crooned, darting up to lick his chin. He started and wiped at the saliva with his free hand, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye. The bounty was what he needed to be concerned with. "Miiichael …will you play with V? V likes to play doctor and house and police …" She continued but Spike tuned her out as he did to Faye quite often.
There was Gustavo.
Vanessa had curled up in his lap and was whispering suggestively into his ear, clinging to him tightly with her left arm and running her right hand over his chest. Her ruby eyes were looking him up and down delightedly, a squeal escaping her.
A young man stopped Gustavo. Nope. Two middle-aged fellows. Nope. A portly old man. Maybe. A tall, lean fellow with dark eyes and dark hair peppered with silver that Vanessa looked at as she followed his gaze. She murmured something, pa, he thought. No matter. It could be the pepper-haired man. Another younger man. No.
Faye's little show was wrapping up, her body bare and her movements erotic as she gathered up her discarded clothing while still seeming to dance. Spike's gaze was tempted to linger but kept moving instead. This was a good bounty, worth quite a bit, he wanted to get it. He hoped Ebenezer would be paying for Faye's company, he wouldn't like it much if she wound up with some other old geezer looking for nothing more than a night of dark pleasures before maybe keeling over. They didn't have too much time either, although they hadn't told Jet when they'd be back and he hadn't given them a day to return on. If tonight was a bust they'd try it tomorrow and maybe the next day but then they were calling it quits. Faye had agreed to only four shows when they'd discussed it and she counted showing Gustavo her 'goods' as one of them.
She was gone from the stage, a buxom blond with alluring navy blue eyes took over, ample bosom spilling out of the scanty top she wore. There wasn't enough cloth for Spike to guess at what her costume was supposed to be. Never mind that though, Faye had five minutes to herself and then Gustavo would be leading her first of the night back to her room and Spike had to be ready to nab the guy if it was the bounty. Not for the first time that night, Spike wished they knew what the guy was supposed to look like.
He watched the crowd avidly, sharp eyes waiting for Faye's man to exit, waiting to see if it was the one. Blondie's breasts were too much of a strain on the flimsy fabric of her top and it popped off prematurely, leaving her to pretend that it had happened on purpose and continue with her little peep show. Vanessa's left hand was digging sharply into his side where she'd wrapped her arm around him, her crimson eyes narrowed as she cocked her head to peer at him, running her tongue across her painted lips.
There. Someone was standing up. Wait, another person. Shit. Two people. Did that mean someone was going to the bathroom or were two girls supposed to be entertaining people or was Faye supposed to handle both or what? Suddenly, Vanessa lunged forward and caught his mouth with hers, her right hand reaching up to tangle in his hair as she sloppily planted her kiss, nails of her left hand scratching along his side painfully as she awkwardly shifted position in his lap without taking her lips from his, knee hitting his ribs hard as he twisted to escape her lavished attentions. For such a slight girl she possessed formidable strength and her nails dug deep as she continued to try and kiss him.
Struggling to put his hands on her shoulders, Spike tried to push her from his lap but as she toppled backwards she brought him down too, landing on top of her and she bit his lip, grinning devilishly at him before bringing her right hand out of his hair and trying to put it down his pants.
Okay. Enough was enough and this was way too much. Growling angrily, which Vanessa apparently mistook as him approvingly of her actions, he put his hands on her shoulders and wrenched himself upwards and out of her sharp grip. Her ruby eyes gleamed like wet blood and she snarled at him, slipping out from underneath him and leaping to clutch at his chest, but he stepped out of the way and had nearly made his escape when she threw herself at his knees and wrapped her arms around his legs, bringing him down onto a table with a grunt of pain.
* * *
Yuck. Faye shivered slightly and ran her hands along her arms, as she would have done if she was cold, except this chill and these goose bumps weren't from cool weather. Normally she liked attracting men's eyes, knowing that as she swayed along that males of all ages were openly admiring her ass and tits, but having to stand up there under the lights while all these desperate men were just staring at her while she had to undress on stage, while she had to touch herself in ways that would make them even hotter and more eager …she shivered again and realized she was somewhat nauseous.
Damn, she'd have to 'entertain' the horny man who'd paid for her services shortly and she wasn't looking forward to it. Closing her eyes briefly she prayed that it would be Ebenezer, that they'd get lucky and snag the killer the first night so Spike could crash in and help her bring him down and then she wouldn't have to dance for their hungry eyes and groping hands anymore.
The icy prick of cold metal warned her of the presence of another in her room and she swallowed hard, feeling the sharp tip of a knife move against her throat as she did. Cursing in her mind, Faye slowly opened her eyes, finding herself face-to-face with a pair of cruel black eyes pitted deep in a thin, pale face, waxy lips moving together wordlessly. Her emerald eyes quickly looked him over and she sighed softly to herself.
He was tall, maybe taller than Spike and Jet, with short cropped black hair liberally sprinkled with grey, a scrawny man and looking none to enthused about spending some quality time with her. She wondered to herself how much time had passed since she had vacated the stage, wondered when Spike would be showing up to get her out of this little pickle.
"Such a lovely whore, who would ever expect you possess such an aggressive side? A filthy tigress you are, but do not fear, I am here to break you of your captivity. This life is not for one such as you, oh no, you're far too proud and vain to lower yourself to such dirty standards. But then I must ask myself, why were you on the stage tonight then? My precious Faye. I bet you don't know what you've stumbled into, do you?" He smiled, a sickly thing that turned her stomach. "I do so hope you aren't expecting Mr. Spiegel to show up. He's a bit …preoccupied at the moment. Hot hands and a warm mouth seem to be quite distracting for him."
White-hot anger flushed through her. As if Spike would be entertaining little sluts while she was in here with the murderer! Something about that seemed a bit off but the knife pressed tight against her neck made rational thought vanish in a cloud of fear and dread.
"Don't you know, darling? I'm doing this all for you. Well …mostly. I am a collector, a very wealthy man, a very dangerous and powerful man. But I don't like to see creatures of the wild trapped in such hells and made to feign tameness and meekness. This is why I free you and those like you as I have. But I get to collect my valuables because of this and I hoard them as any greedy urchin might, but I am no urchin. I am the deliverer. It is only right that I should receive pay that makes me quite pleased as I am doing my work."
The haze of panic chilled and shattered as her heart stopped. This man was insane. And she was trapped alone with him in a room where screams would hardly be an indicator of something amiss. And somehow she knew she would be screaming. She was surprised at the rush of satisfaction that coursed through her as Ebenezer began, glad that her throat was locked up so that her voice couldn't summon a scream, elated that she'd defied him in one small way. She thought that most victims would have screamed long before, but not her. She didn't scream until she saw her own blood beginning to coat the cold, cold blade that carved into her skin.
* * *
This girl was seriously beginning to piss him off. Their battle had left the dimly lit room and had sprawled into the hall way that lead to the girls rooms and Spike was sick of making an advance only to be dragged back again. Never mind how much Vanessa looked like Ed, never mind that Vanessa was a girl, she had drawn blood and she had caused bruises and she was hindering him from catching a bounty and that was something he would not tolerate.
Her eyes were furious and her grip none too gentle as she planted her feet and clung tightly to his waist. Glaring at her, he kicked her feet out from beneath her and was brought low again, stretched out across her slight form. This position had rapidly become one he hated. A noise distracted him and she bit viciously into the forearm that was pinned between his chest and hers as he reached with his other hand to get his comm. Failing to grab it, he just pressed the audio button and snapped, "WHAT?"
"Spike-person!"
That jubilant cry froze him and Spike glowered at Vanessa until he realized that she hadn't spoken, although she was making animalistic noises. "Edward?" He questioned hesitantly.
"Hooray! Edward has found you! Jet-person wasn't on board the Bebop when Ed and Ein came on so Edward turned on the scanners to find Spike-person and Faye-Faye and Jet-person but Jet-person's talk-box must not have any batteries because Ed couldn't find him but she found Spike-person and Faye-Faye is nearby!"
"Ed, where are you?" He demanded, struggling to contain the girl thrashing wildly beneath him, her teeth clamped down on his forearm.
"Ed and Ein are on the Bebop above where Spike-person and Faye-Faye are!" She replied proudly.
"Ed, listen to me, I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment but I need you to do something for me. Get to Faye."
There was hardly a pause on the line. "Yes sir! Edward over and out!"
Satisfied that he'd done something to help out Faye, since she'd whine that he didn't show up even if she hadn't been in real trouble, he turned his attention back to the vicious girl writhing beneath him.
"Listen girl, I don't know what your problem is or why you keep bugging me but you're going to stop it now. Why have you been attacking me anyway? Normal little brats with crushes don't go around trying to mutilate the people they like!" He yelled.
Vanessa's ruby eyes sparked madly. "Grandfather needed the assistance of V, my love." She breathed. "V has found her soul mate and V must keep him occupied so Grandfather may free the tormented beast."
The girl's voice was full of reverence and Spike mentally shuddered. If this was how people with faith acted towards God he didn't want to see it, although he'd see a bit of how people had reacted towards Scratch before and he figured that must be close.
Spike looked down at her and brought his face close to hers. "Guess what, V. You're a very sick little girl and I can't begin to fathom what goes on in that twisted little brain of yours but if your grandpa is with my friend I am going to help her because I've tolerated you far long enough. This ends now." And with that he slammed his head against hers, hers smacking the hard floor with enough force to bounce twice and her eyes rolled back in her head as she went limp beneath him.
Staggering to his feet, one hand pressed against his forehead, Spike ran from the girl towards Faye's room and prayed that he wasn't too late.
* * *
Edward knew something was very wrong as soon as she reached the window to the room where Faye's "talk-box" was supposed to be, according to the scanners on the Bebop. She put a finger to her lips, noisily shushing Ein who had been very quiet and listened for a moment to the man raving inside.
"I'm surprised, most faint long before now. You're breathing so hard, so fast …it's exhilarating. Your eyes are unfocused though, I doubt you're fully aware. Too bad, I'm sure this'd astonish you. Did you ever imagine your body could hold so much blood? Can you feel that? Your spirit is leaking out, you're being freed and soon I get my prize. The human heart is worth far more than coins and I'm going to cherish yours. You've been my best so far. See, I don't understand the other men. They think that sex is the pinnacle but I know better. You're going to be dead shortly. Hearing that last warbling breath, once I cut through your stomach I'll be able to reach inside of your body to clutch your heart. Have you ever dissected a frog, Faye? That's what this is like."
Edward didn't understand much of what the man was saying and she somehow doubted he himself understood all of it but she knew that Faye-Faye was being hurt somehow and she knew she had to stop it. A gasp followed by a moan and a raspy scream.
"Your throat must be sore. Poor dear. And you haven't even screamed for very long …ahh, but your screams were powerful and loud, straight from the gut those were. Do you like the patterns I'm putting in your skin? I feel like an artist …ahh, your blood is making me giddy. It tastes very fine, Ms. Valentine."
"Stop it! Stop it stop it stop it stop it!" Edward hollered, hurling a fairly large stone at the window and shattering the glass. Ein leapt through and Edward climbed after him and the man, startled, stepped away from where Faye was lying. Edward lunged at the man, wrapping her arms tightly about his neck and kicking his shins hard while Ein bit deeply into the hand that held the bloodied knife.
The door smashed open and a battered Spike-person stood there, eyes finding Faye on the bed and going flat. Edward felt her grip being loosened and looked to see Spike taking her arms from around the man's neck. Spike looked straight at her, preventing her from looking anywhere else.
"Ed, go out this door and find a phone and call a hospital and the police. If you don't do this and quickly Faye will die." His arresting gaze left her and she dashed from the room, her heart weighted heavily by fear for Faye-Faye.
Inside Faye's room, Spike was looking at Ein while holding Ebenezer's collar in a vise-like grip. "Ein. Drop it." Growling, the Welsh corgi did at length and the knife clattered to the floor. He slugged Ebenezer in the temple and the man crumpled without resistance to the floor but Spike had already turned his attention to Faye, wrapping sheets tightly about her wounds to prevent further blood loss. Ein sat on the floor and looked at the downed man while Spike tended to Faye as sirens became audible in the distance and hurried nearer.
* * *
Jet thanked VT again for the lift from earth before walking to where the docking port for the Bebop was, boots ringing out softly on the station base. He had been mildly surprised to hear Ed's voice when he had changed the batteries for his communications device but it made sense in an Edward sort of way that she'd steal the Bebop to get back together with them. He paused outside the door and accessed a computer briefly, making a 'hmm' noise of interest before pressing the unlock code and entering the Bebop.
"Well, guess what cowpokes," Jet called as he entered the den area. Faye glanced up from where she was watching Ed play on the Tomato with only minor interest as Spike ambled in and stood behind the couch. He looked to Jet to continue. "Big Shots is back on the air. Some hotshot bounty hunters went down to the station it was being broadcast from and negotiated a bit with the network. They've got some big-bellied Spaniard and a cheeky little redhead to replace Punch and Judy."
Spike's eyebrows rose. "You knew their names?"
Faye added a snort of disbelief. "Mr. Bad-Accent and Ms. Superglue-Vest, those names worked good enough for me."
The viridian-haired man laughed his agreement. "Well, there's one good thing that comes from this, I guess. We won't have to make another trip like the last one."
Faye scowled. "That wasn't my name. Why did he call me that? And since when were you able to pimp me?!" She demanded, glaring at Spike.
"Keep it down, would you? You're not supposed to be exerting yourself in any way remember, and that includes talking, especially since your voice is all shot right now." Spike muttered, reaching over as if to poke her torso, most of which was covered by bandages.
"Nice to know you worry." She muttered.
Jet, when he'd heard, had indeed been worried about her, as he imagined Spike must have been too. Faye had lost a great deal of blood apparently and several times almost didn't make it while the surgeons were stitching her up. Her upper body in front was a mess of stitched up slashes and cuts covered in the gauze and bandages, most wouldn't scar but there were a few that might.
"At least you're finally wearing decent clothes now. See, Faye? Pants aren't as bad as you might think they are and shirts can be pretty heavenly too."
"Argh!" Jet licked his lips hesitantly and wisely backed towards the kitchen, a sweat drop forming on his brow as Faye voice screeched to new octaves normally unattainable by the human vocal cords, until, that is, Spike's hand fell across her mouth.
"Faye. Shush. If this is how you're going to react to harmless teasing then I don't suppose I can poke fun at you until you're better. You can't just spring back to how you were, you've got to allow yourself some time to recover. Your vocal cords need some rest too."
"Humph. You always just go back to being normal jackass, careless Spike, risking your stupid hide when you're on half a leg and practically deceased." She said, softer than she had been speaking earlier, as soon as his hand left her face.
"I'll make you a deal then. The next time I'm a mess of mashed up flesh with more broken bits than good ones I'll sit on my ass and have you and Jet play nursemaid for me for as long as I'm hurt if you just take it easy now."
"I hate you, you know." She replied.
"The feeling is mutual, Faye, don't worry." And then he wandered back down the hall towards his room, leaving her alone in there with Edward who had abandoned her interest in the computer and was watching Faye quietly.
"Uh …is there something you want, Ed?" Faye asked after growing unnerved.
"Faye-Faye …do you know what mothers are like?"
Faye's mouth dropped open a bit and she found herself unable to do more than stare at the redheaded thirteen-year-old before her.
"Ed doesn't remember her mother very well but that's okay because she's got Faye-Faye and Spike-person and Jet-person and they're like big brother and big sister protectors for Edward …but Ed has star-mother too. Ed will show you someday but Ed wants you to know that even if you don't remember your real mommy there will always be star-mother to watch and love you." There was a pause as Ed looked towards the ceiling, a wistfully distant expression on her face, and then they felt the shuddering jar as the Bebop was released from the docking clamps and soared back into the depths of space. And suddenly Edward was Edward again, grinning and bouncing as she picked up her Tomato. "Faye-Faye, can you take Edward shopping sometime?"
"Of …of course, Ed. Anytime you'd like." The hyperactive girl danced down a hall with her computer balanced haphazardly on her head and a yelp told Faye where Ein had been dozing until Ed had stumbled upon him – perhaps literally. By herself then in the common room of the ship, Faye stared off at the wall for a time without really seeing it, thoughts a jumbled mess inside of her head. She thought about her memories, which she had regained just before Spike left to face down against Vicious and how they had faded elusively shortly thereafter. She thought about the bounty they had just caught, only getting money for the old man since the granddaughter wasn't a bounty herself. She thought about how close she had come to death that time and how she had felt on stage in front of intoxicated and horny men. She dipped into her mind, sifting through blank pages that should have had memories in vivid color, searched for a memory of her mother.
"I wonder if you're right, Ed." She whispered after a time. "I hope that there is someone out there who protects and loves me. I know that there has to be someone like that for you, and I know that something watches out for Spike or else how could he possibly still be alive? I …" She paused and looked up towards the ceiling. "Thank you, Edward. And welcome home."
Back in the saddle again … On the next session of Cowboy Bebop … Session XXIX: Of Milk, Cookies, and Monsters Under the BedFaye: On Earth in the past, people strove to wipe away the cobwebs of history to better understand their purpose, their meaning, and to have guidelines for how to go about their lives and to shape the future. I feel sometimes like a pioneer just discovering that there is knowledge to be gleaned from days gone by, that drawing upon what I learned in my yesterdays, I could know why I'm here today. Wisdom …truth …understanding …