**********************
"Stolen Prize" By Crimson Angel Chapter Two: Lost in Memories
**********************
Madigan may have been lethargic, but he found enough strength to get off the couch and check on Ruby, who was still sleeping. He never dared to check on her when she was awake.
He quietly slipped into the hallway; he lingered near her door waiting to hear a sign if she was awake. There was no sound but the light peeked out from under the door. He decided he would go in anyway. He carefully turned the knob of the door, but the door didn't budge. It was locked. He lightly hit his head against the hallway wall and deeply sighed.
+ + +
"Vince, you alright? You look like you go beat up!" Sam took a seat next to him on the couch. His voice sounded concerned.
"I'm fine. I am just . . .thinking." He felt he was foolish to stay up all night. "Is Ruby in the kitchen?"
"I guess you're more alert than you look my friend." Sam popped the cap off a bottle of root beer and it made a fizzy sound. "Want one?"
"No, I think I need something with caffeine in it." He rubbed his head with his hand.
Sam frowned some.
"I'm just kidding Sam." Madigan laughed it off sarcastically.
Ruby poked her head out of the kitchen, her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she wore a fluffy white bathrobe. This time her face wasn't covered by her shades, her face was like porcelain and her eyes were a soft blue. She came out of the kitchen with a tray and set it on the coffee table. She pushed the tray under his nose so she could stir him. He slowly lifted his head to take a momentary look at her. It was just one of those things that he'd do. . .
"Are you going to eat or are you going to just stare at me?" she bent down and put her hands under his head as if she were cradling it. "I'm just kidding Madigan, don't look at me like that."
Ruby took her hands and patted his head as if she was teasing him. He liked the way she would tease him, but sometimes he couldn't stand it. If he was mad at her, it was probable that he would yell at her. The quarreled often, but this morning he was too sluggish. He wanted to save his energy and not waste it in a dispute with her.
Sam said that fighting meant they were getting closer. Ruby answered that sarcastically with 'If we get any closer, there'll be World War III.' That could possibly be true, but you never know, tables can turn. Sam just observed them and incoherently chuckled.
"Thanks." His smile was an awkward one, but Sam knew what he meant.
+ + +
"Spike, could you not leave your socks lying around? Spike, Spike? Where in the blazes are you?" Jet shuffled through rooms, his voice got increasingly louder as he grew closer to Spike.
Sure enough, there he was, looking like his pitiful self on the couch, one of the same places he'd always be. He had a cigarette in hand, which quickly filled the living room with the scent of smoke. Spike was lackadaisical as usual.
"There you are! Spike! Spike?" Jet had a tinge of concern in his voice. "Hey cowboy, what 'cha doing?"
Spike stayed silent as he watched out a window from his spot on the couch. The constant 'fwump fwump' of the fan didn't seem to bother Spike; it was all too familiar to him.
"I guess I'll be picking up supplies, oh-silent-one." Jet's voice carried off as he heard Faye talking to herself about the woman they had met.
"Ah, what's so great about her anyways? Wait. Why am I jealous, I have more personality than she ever will!" Faye rambled on. "Is there something between her and Spike?"
She hoped a ten-foot wall was between her and the other woman, whose entrance seemed to cause Spike to fall into possible memory as well as other's attentions. Was she Julia or was Spike dreaming? Jet seemed to know her vaguely, but he kept it to himself, so that others wouldn't pass it on.
Even though Jet didn't catch her name, he remembered her, the place they saw each other, and the men he saw with with. Last time he was on Ganymede with Spike, Faye must've been the only woman there. Did that mean that the women were flocking back to the town or did it mean that Ganymede would forever remain a town where liquor and men dominated?
+ + +
Rain pelted down from the sky and formed various puddles along the sidewalks and streets. The rain casted the dirt away from the streets, it loosened particles of dust, dirt, and cobwebs as it left behind it's refreshing scent. Most of the people in town found shelter at hotels, inns, and apartments, but they mainly flocked to the taverns and pubs. Today the bar was nearly empty, but the barkeep didn't mind because he needed a day off, away from fights and what not.
This morning, Madigan had taken a shower and put on some decent clothes, unlike the ones from two days before. He combed his hair back neatly and shaved, taking away the coarseness of face. He leaned over the sink, towel swung around his shoulders and his white buttoned shirt hung open revealing his chest. He looked into a mirror, not at himself, but at Ruby who stood in the doorway to the room. He turned his eyes away from the mirror and turned the faucet on letting out cold water, which he sprinkled over his cleanly-shaven face. He didn't say a word to Ruby and either did she; he exited the room and left it clean for a change. Ruby looked as if she was about to speak, but her words didn't escape her lips. Clearly she was astonished at his change in behavior and appearance.
Sam sat in the living room watching television, occasionally flipping through the channels until the bounty show came on.
"Today we have some new bounties to report."
"And my are they scary indeed!"
"Be on the lookout for these guys."
"Because these guys will bring in the big money!"
A series of pictures showed up on the screen with the names posted above them. David Neil, Giorgio Jacobs, and Rodney Duvall were the first three followed by some cheap wannabes who called themselves outlaws. They looked like they were sorry excuses. Clearly they were amateurs based on their appearance.
"Bounty show? Hah. It's more like Deadbeats and Clowns!" Ruby poked fun at the show.
"I don't think the media would find that to be an appropriate thing to release to the public." Sam washed his turkey sandwich down with yet another bottle of root beer.
"Don't you ever get sick of those things?" Ruby grimaced. "I thought those were flat. They've been sitting in the corner for months instead of sitting in the fridge."
She couldn't understand how they could sit by the television, watch sports, and drink beverages. Surely, she thought, the guys from the day before didn't do the same, but Spike did look like a TV junkie. She thought that she knew him. Something triggered her mind and made memories flood into her head. Memories of her, Spike, Vicious, and of Red Dragon. Did Spike remember her too, or was she just a shadow of the past to him now, just as she had once been to him?
+ + +
"Spike do you know that woman?" Faye popped in the doorway. "Are you hiding something?"
"Believe what you want, I'm not saying a word. His voice was muffled by a pillow that was on his head. Faye had probably put it there when he wasn't paying attention.
Jet cooked in the kitchen, finishing off the rest of the bacon, figuring it wouldn't be enough for tomorrow. There were moments when he didn't pay attention to what he was doing and he would scald or burn himself by accident. His mind was taken over by thoughts of something, wondering about the woman's identity and why she was vaguely familiar. Jet knew she must've seen her at the academy once or twice. Later he was going to have Ed look her up on the computer.
"Vroom vroom!" Ed squealed to a halt as she collided with Faye.
"Hey Ed! Where'd my makeup go? C'mon! I know you have it!" Faye pulled Ed aside before realizing it was on her face. "EEK!"
Faye grabbed Ed and pulled her into the bathroom, she slammed the door. The slamming sound was followed by shrieks and sounds of Ed being dunked into the sink.
"No Faye Faye!"
"Yes yes yes!"
Jet sighed, hearing the fighting coming from upstairs.
"I think I'll pick up that restraining order for Ed's sake." Jet laughed before sipping a glass of icy cold water.
Ein sat in the kitchen wagging his furry little tail and looked at Jet with puppy eyes. He picked up his bowl and tilted his head at Jet.
'Whoops, sorry buddy." He apologized to the dog. "Bah, talking to animals again."
Jet took out the bag of dry dog food and poured it's contents into Ein's bowl, for which Ein was very greatful. Jet decided that Ein needed dry food, since Faye would always eat the canned stuff when food was running low.
Jet popped out of the kitchen and started towards Spike.
"Hey cowboy, you want to go on an outing?" Jet leaned against the walls of the living quarters.
"As long as it's not to Loony's Fun World or whatever that place was where we ran into Mad Pierot." Spike tossed the pillow onto the floor and sat up.
"That would be 'Space Land.'" Jet swirled the glass of water before downing it. "I mean for a drink."
"Oh, well in that case, sure." Spike's voice sounded mellow. "Hey wait a second! Or are you looking for that mystery woman again?"
"You mean Ruby." Jet added on.
"Ruby is her name? And you would know this how?" Spike perked a brow in suspicion.
"I remember seeing her at the academy once or twice." He shrugged. "So what, it's a small bit of my past coming back to me. What does that prove?"
"Did you used to. . ." He was interrupted.
"No! I don't remember her that well." He crossed his arms. "You coming or not?"
"I guess I can't refuse." Spike shrugged in return.
The two men headed out of the Bebop and walked along the docks. They didn't at all notice that Ruby was sitting on a metal railing near the docking area, nor did she notice them. She hummed a melody of a song quietly to herself. Jet stopped before he took his next step and turned to face her.
"Hey you, Mr. Puppy-eyes, c'mon!" Spike grabbed his arm and pulled him into the right direction. "We have havoc to wreak elsewhere my friend."
Ruby watched the two fade into the town just like the darkness of the night had faded into morning. She hoped Madigan wouldn't go chasing the two away from the town just like he did to the other civilized people they had met. She thought he was too overprotective and that she needed a break from him and his haunting eyes. His eyes could scare her. She never knew what he was up to or what he would do next. That is why he was a mystery to almost everyone.
***Adieu*** Oh how I love you so Lost in those memories And now you've gone I feel the pain, Feeling like a fool, Adieu ***End***
A/N: So, how is this story so far? Pretty good? I hope so! ^.^ Please please please review! I would really appreciate! Feel free to give your opinion about it, as long as it ISN'T flaming or ranting! Thanks to my mother who edited for me once again! My mother can be my other partner in crime! Muahahahaha! She rocks, doesn't she?
"Stolen Prize" By Crimson Angel Chapter Two: Lost in Memories
**********************
Madigan may have been lethargic, but he found enough strength to get off the couch and check on Ruby, who was still sleeping. He never dared to check on her when she was awake.
He quietly slipped into the hallway; he lingered near her door waiting to hear a sign if she was awake. There was no sound but the light peeked out from under the door. He decided he would go in anyway. He carefully turned the knob of the door, but the door didn't budge. It was locked. He lightly hit his head against the hallway wall and deeply sighed.
+ + +
"Vince, you alright? You look like you go beat up!" Sam took a seat next to him on the couch. His voice sounded concerned.
"I'm fine. I am just . . .thinking." He felt he was foolish to stay up all night. "Is Ruby in the kitchen?"
"I guess you're more alert than you look my friend." Sam popped the cap off a bottle of root beer and it made a fizzy sound. "Want one?"
"No, I think I need something with caffeine in it." He rubbed his head with his hand.
Sam frowned some.
"I'm just kidding Sam." Madigan laughed it off sarcastically.
Ruby poked her head out of the kitchen, her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she wore a fluffy white bathrobe. This time her face wasn't covered by her shades, her face was like porcelain and her eyes were a soft blue. She came out of the kitchen with a tray and set it on the coffee table. She pushed the tray under his nose so she could stir him. He slowly lifted his head to take a momentary look at her. It was just one of those things that he'd do. . .
"Are you going to eat or are you going to just stare at me?" she bent down and put her hands under his head as if she were cradling it. "I'm just kidding Madigan, don't look at me like that."
Ruby took her hands and patted his head as if she was teasing him. He liked the way she would tease him, but sometimes he couldn't stand it. If he was mad at her, it was probable that he would yell at her. The quarreled often, but this morning he was too sluggish. He wanted to save his energy and not waste it in a dispute with her.
Sam said that fighting meant they were getting closer. Ruby answered that sarcastically with 'If we get any closer, there'll be World War III.' That could possibly be true, but you never know, tables can turn. Sam just observed them and incoherently chuckled.
"Thanks." His smile was an awkward one, but Sam knew what he meant.
+ + +
"Spike, could you not leave your socks lying around? Spike, Spike? Where in the blazes are you?" Jet shuffled through rooms, his voice got increasingly louder as he grew closer to Spike.
Sure enough, there he was, looking like his pitiful self on the couch, one of the same places he'd always be. He had a cigarette in hand, which quickly filled the living room with the scent of smoke. Spike was lackadaisical as usual.
"There you are! Spike! Spike?" Jet had a tinge of concern in his voice. "Hey cowboy, what 'cha doing?"
Spike stayed silent as he watched out a window from his spot on the couch. The constant 'fwump fwump' of the fan didn't seem to bother Spike; it was all too familiar to him.
"I guess I'll be picking up supplies, oh-silent-one." Jet's voice carried off as he heard Faye talking to herself about the woman they had met.
"Ah, what's so great about her anyways? Wait. Why am I jealous, I have more personality than she ever will!" Faye rambled on. "Is there something between her and Spike?"
She hoped a ten-foot wall was between her and the other woman, whose entrance seemed to cause Spike to fall into possible memory as well as other's attentions. Was she Julia or was Spike dreaming? Jet seemed to know her vaguely, but he kept it to himself, so that others wouldn't pass it on.
Even though Jet didn't catch her name, he remembered her, the place they saw each other, and the men he saw with with. Last time he was on Ganymede with Spike, Faye must've been the only woman there. Did that mean that the women were flocking back to the town or did it mean that Ganymede would forever remain a town where liquor and men dominated?
+ + +
Rain pelted down from the sky and formed various puddles along the sidewalks and streets. The rain casted the dirt away from the streets, it loosened particles of dust, dirt, and cobwebs as it left behind it's refreshing scent. Most of the people in town found shelter at hotels, inns, and apartments, but they mainly flocked to the taverns and pubs. Today the bar was nearly empty, but the barkeep didn't mind because he needed a day off, away from fights and what not.
This morning, Madigan had taken a shower and put on some decent clothes, unlike the ones from two days before. He combed his hair back neatly and shaved, taking away the coarseness of face. He leaned over the sink, towel swung around his shoulders and his white buttoned shirt hung open revealing his chest. He looked into a mirror, not at himself, but at Ruby who stood in the doorway to the room. He turned his eyes away from the mirror and turned the faucet on letting out cold water, which he sprinkled over his cleanly-shaven face. He didn't say a word to Ruby and either did she; he exited the room and left it clean for a change. Ruby looked as if she was about to speak, but her words didn't escape her lips. Clearly she was astonished at his change in behavior and appearance.
Sam sat in the living room watching television, occasionally flipping through the channels until the bounty show came on.
"Today we have some new bounties to report."
"And my are they scary indeed!"
"Be on the lookout for these guys."
"Because these guys will bring in the big money!"
A series of pictures showed up on the screen with the names posted above them. David Neil, Giorgio Jacobs, and Rodney Duvall were the first three followed by some cheap wannabes who called themselves outlaws. They looked like they were sorry excuses. Clearly they were amateurs based on their appearance.
"Bounty show? Hah. It's more like Deadbeats and Clowns!" Ruby poked fun at the show.
"I don't think the media would find that to be an appropriate thing to release to the public." Sam washed his turkey sandwich down with yet another bottle of root beer.
"Don't you ever get sick of those things?" Ruby grimaced. "I thought those were flat. They've been sitting in the corner for months instead of sitting in the fridge."
She couldn't understand how they could sit by the television, watch sports, and drink beverages. Surely, she thought, the guys from the day before didn't do the same, but Spike did look like a TV junkie. She thought that she knew him. Something triggered her mind and made memories flood into her head. Memories of her, Spike, Vicious, and of Red Dragon. Did Spike remember her too, or was she just a shadow of the past to him now, just as she had once been to him?
+ + +
"Spike do you know that woman?" Faye popped in the doorway. "Are you hiding something?"
"Believe what you want, I'm not saying a word. His voice was muffled by a pillow that was on his head. Faye had probably put it there when he wasn't paying attention.
Jet cooked in the kitchen, finishing off the rest of the bacon, figuring it wouldn't be enough for tomorrow. There were moments when he didn't pay attention to what he was doing and he would scald or burn himself by accident. His mind was taken over by thoughts of something, wondering about the woman's identity and why she was vaguely familiar. Jet knew she must've seen her at the academy once or twice. Later he was going to have Ed look her up on the computer.
"Vroom vroom!" Ed squealed to a halt as she collided with Faye.
"Hey Ed! Where'd my makeup go? C'mon! I know you have it!" Faye pulled Ed aside before realizing it was on her face. "EEK!"
Faye grabbed Ed and pulled her into the bathroom, she slammed the door. The slamming sound was followed by shrieks and sounds of Ed being dunked into the sink.
"No Faye Faye!"
"Yes yes yes!"
Jet sighed, hearing the fighting coming from upstairs.
"I think I'll pick up that restraining order for Ed's sake." Jet laughed before sipping a glass of icy cold water.
Ein sat in the kitchen wagging his furry little tail and looked at Jet with puppy eyes. He picked up his bowl and tilted his head at Jet.
'Whoops, sorry buddy." He apologized to the dog. "Bah, talking to animals again."
Jet took out the bag of dry dog food and poured it's contents into Ein's bowl, for which Ein was very greatful. Jet decided that Ein needed dry food, since Faye would always eat the canned stuff when food was running low.
Jet popped out of the kitchen and started towards Spike.
"Hey cowboy, you want to go on an outing?" Jet leaned against the walls of the living quarters.
"As long as it's not to Loony's Fun World or whatever that place was where we ran into Mad Pierot." Spike tossed the pillow onto the floor and sat up.
"That would be 'Space Land.'" Jet swirled the glass of water before downing it. "I mean for a drink."
"Oh, well in that case, sure." Spike's voice sounded mellow. "Hey wait a second! Or are you looking for that mystery woman again?"
"You mean Ruby." Jet added on.
"Ruby is her name? And you would know this how?" Spike perked a brow in suspicion.
"I remember seeing her at the academy once or twice." He shrugged. "So what, it's a small bit of my past coming back to me. What does that prove?"
"Did you used to. . ." He was interrupted.
"No! I don't remember her that well." He crossed his arms. "You coming or not?"
"I guess I can't refuse." Spike shrugged in return.
The two men headed out of the Bebop and walked along the docks. They didn't at all notice that Ruby was sitting on a metal railing near the docking area, nor did she notice them. She hummed a melody of a song quietly to herself. Jet stopped before he took his next step and turned to face her.
"Hey you, Mr. Puppy-eyes, c'mon!" Spike grabbed his arm and pulled him into the right direction. "We have havoc to wreak elsewhere my friend."
Ruby watched the two fade into the town just like the darkness of the night had faded into morning. She hoped Madigan wouldn't go chasing the two away from the town just like he did to the other civilized people they had met. She thought he was too overprotective and that she needed a break from him and his haunting eyes. His eyes could scare her. She never knew what he was up to or what he would do next. That is why he was a mystery to almost everyone.
***Adieu*** Oh how I love you so Lost in those memories And now you've gone I feel the pain, Feeling like a fool, Adieu ***End***
A/N: So, how is this story so far? Pretty good? I hope so! ^.^ Please please please review! I would really appreciate! Feel free to give your opinion about it, as long as it ISN'T flaming or ranting! Thanks to my mother who edited for me once again! My mother can be my other partner in crime! Muahahahaha! She rocks, doesn't she?
