A Day Like Any Other

Chapter 3: Faye and Ed's Big Score

"Wait, you want to what?" Faye said jumping up from her perch on the staircase behind the sofa.

"Split-up." Jet said firmly, the smile already forming on his face. "If we split-up we bring in three different bounties instead of one. It's like triple the profit."

"That's interesting." Spike said from the sofa. He placed his cigarette in his mouth and took a long drag, his hand then went back to its comfortable place behind his head.

"I think it's insane." Faye practically yelled her hands going to her hips as she yelled at the two smirking men. She scrambled down the stair case and went to stand where they could see how pissed off she was. Like it would matter.

"Insane!" Ed yelled back and then mimicked Faye's position. Faye's eyebrow twitched as she looked from Ed back to the still smug and smiling Jet.

"What if we need back up?" Faye said removing her hands from her hips, hoping to appeal to their sense of camaraderie. She ignored the amused raised eyebrows from both men and continued. "I joined this crew for the back up." Liar.

"Technically you didn't join," Spike began pointing his cigarette at her as he smirked. "We let you stay."

Faye's eye twitched.

"And you stayed to hide from debt collectors." Jet added as he crossed his arms over his chest and exchanged a smirk with Spike.

So much for appealing to their sense of camaraderie. Faye rolled her eyes and stole a cigarette from Spike's almost empty pack on the table, as she sat down. "Same difference," She muttered as she lit the cigarette.

Ed sat down on the table and looked at Faye and Faye rolled her eyes to the floor. Well, if they did split-up, she'd absolutely catch the bounty, with out the worry of Spike screwing it up. A bit of a smile began to snake on to her face. Plus that, and there was no reason why she would have to give Spike or Jet any of the money she made. The smile had turned into a very familiar grin, speaking of nothing but sneaky intentions. Why should she try to hide it, if they didn't have her figured out by now, it was their own fault.

"All right," Faye said sticking the cigarette into her mouth. "We split- up." Faye smiled widely at the two gentlemen and both rolled their eyes.

"Ed wants to split too." Ed said from her seat on the table. She spun around to look at Jet, and put her hands on to her hips from where she sat. "Ed is part of the crew, and wants to split too."

"Too late." Faye muttered as she stood up.

Spike chuckled, "Way too late." Faye turned and smirked at him, and watched his eyebrow raise at Ed. "But it does bring up an interesting question. Who gets to watch Ed?"

Spike looked up to Faye, her eyes as wide as his. Soon, both of their mouths moved into a sly little smirk and they quickly threw their locked gazes to Jet.

"Oh no." Jet's hands went up to the sky, and he shook his head. "Not this time. I---" he cut off whatever he was going to say when he looked at Ed's happy and expectant face. "No way."

"But she listens to you." Faye said completely serious, with only a bit of a whine.

"And she's weird," Spike mumbled putting out his cigarette as he leaned forward. "But she listens to you. And you know my thing with kids."

"You have a thing with everything." Jet said narrowing his eyes.

"I'm fickle." Spike shrugged and smirked at his friend.

"You're crazy," Faye said sitting on the arm of the sofa. "But that's beside the point." Faye pulled out a deck of cards from the pocket in her red sweater, and watched as Spike and Jet's eyes widened. She smiled as she shuffled them. "I've got an idea, we'll draw for it. High card wins." She looked to Ed. "Well, never mind. High card gets Ed."

She looked at the two men in turn and watched their somber expressions change to ones of pure amusement. Then the ship was filled with nothing but laughter, and Faye's eye was twitching beyond control. It was amazing to think that her eye never twitched before, now it was practically a daily thing.

"Like we're going to trust one of your decks." Spike said chuckling.

"Fine." Faye snarled. "We'll use one of yours."

"I've got a better idea," Jet said grabbing a few extra wires from the small tool box by his feet. "We'll draw wires. Long one," he smirked, "wins."

Faye's eyes lit up and she leaned forward, completely missing the look exchanged between her two crew mates. Jet held out the bundle of wires to Faye and smiled as she picked one. The eye twitching was very intense at that moment, and the scream that followed knocked everyone over.

**two days later

Faye sat in the hangar bay, her fingers drumming on the open hatch of the Redtail. She'd been set up. Set up by her crewmates, her supposed comrades, her supposed friends. She'd be damned if she was going to give them any money now.

"Where the hell is that brat?" She mumbled to herself. "Ed!!!" she bellowed.

"Why is 'Faye-Faye' so angry?" Spike's utterly amused remark came from the hangar bay floor. Faye rolled her angry gaze to Spike as he passed to his Swordfish II with a large brown grocery bag in his arms.

"Shut up," She said standing up and leaning out of the her ship for better yelling range. Spike merely chuckled as he placed the bag on the floor.

"Ed is ready to go, Faye-Faye." Ed's musical voice scared the shit out of Faye and she slammed back into her seat, barely missing the swinging form of the young girl. Ed cocked her head to the side as she sat on the edge of the open hatch. "Is Faye-Faye all right?"

"Peachy." Faye mumbled putting a hand to her head. "Just get in, Ed. We're leaving."

"Right-o, Faye-Faye." Ed saluted and jumped right on to Faye's lap.

"Get off me!" Faye yelled, only to hear Spike let out a big laugh. Faye's eye twitched a bit more and she pushed Ed to the backseat. "Let's go." She said through clenched teeth. She slammed her finger into the close hatch button and gave the waving Spike a nice salute with her middle finger. As she lowered the finger and flew past Spike, she was pleased to watch Spike get bit in the ankle by Ein. Faye laughed all the way to Ganymede, ignoring the incessant singing of her partner for this bounty.

**4 hours later

"Ed, where are we going?" Faye asked as she placed a cigarette in her mouth and adjusted the red sweater around her arms. Two hours to Ganymede and then two hours of going in circles, Faye was surprisingly calm considering she really wanted to kill someone.

"Edward and Faye-Faye are going to the casino!" Ed yelled at the top of her lungs as she ran up to a light post and swung around it, and looked back at Faye. Faye smiled, and this time it was genuine.

"Did you say casino?" She said taking slow steps towards the still smiling and now nodding Ed. "Why didn't you say that earlier?" Faye put a hand on Ed's shoulder and helped her to the ground and ruffled her crazy red-orange hair. "Let's go. Now are you sure you know the way? We could ask."

"Ed knows the way," Ed said smiling up at Faye. "Trust Edward."

"Right." Faye mumbled lighting the cigarette in her mouth and placing her hands behind her head as she walked.

Ed looked up at Faye as she skipped beside her. It had taken Ed both of the days before they split to find the perfect bounty for Faye and her to go after. Ed knew that it had to be something that Faye would enjoy, and something that would make her happy. Ed smiled now as she looked up at Faye, who was now searching the surrounding city for the casino that she didn't even know the name of. Faye definitely looked happy right now. Ed put her hands in front of her small frame and interlocked her fingers as she smiled, Ed's job was done.

**45 minutes later

"Jet!" Faye yelled as Ed pushed into her back and caused her to almost kiss the comm. screen.

"What?" He snapped back. Faye watched his eyes follow someone beside him and smiled, until he turned his angry glare back to Faye.

"I don't deserve this." She said as Ed pulled back on her hair. The damn casino was a circus, literally. Ed's casino was a circus and she was after a damn clown burglar that was worth 50 million Woolongs. Sure 50 million was a good price for a clown but still; to be put through this torture was too much. Ed squealed as she ran around the table chasing another small child carrying balloons.

"Ed wants a balloon!" Ed yelled as she went. Faye rolled her eyes and looked back to Jet's still angry face.

"I'm never going to catch anything with---"

Jet disconnected. That bastard disconnected. Faye's eye began to twitch very fast and she was about ready to pop when Ed rammed a large orange balloon into her face.

"Here, Ed got Faye-Faye a balloon." Ed then proceeded to tie the balloon to Faye's left wrist.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Faye said bringing her hand away from the crazed child before her. Much to Faye's dismay Ed had tied the balloon, with the extremely long rope cord, to her arm by wrapping it up her lower arm and then tied it at the wrist.

"Ed got Faye-Faye a present." Ed said sitting on the table. Ed's eyes were then caught by a clown that walked by, Faye saw the clown and knew it wasn't the guy they were after, but Ed liked to check them all. Ed bounced off the table and ran after the clown. After pulling down his pants, the clown looked down at Ed and screamed as he ran away. Faye shrugged, Ed had a reputation in the Circ de' Casino now, and she wasn't ever going to get away from it.

The Circ de' Casino had clowns for dealers, and ringmasters for bouncers. Which didn't really make much sense, wasn't there usually only one ringmaster and he was the head guy? Faye rolled her eyes as she watched parents dragging their kids from the black jack table. They had slots, black jack, poker, and some pretty large bouncers, everything a good casino needed. You know, except sanity. Faye rolled her eyes and caught the arm of a passing waiter.

"Give me that." Faye said grabbing a full glass of something. The waiter passed and she grabbed another drink before he passed completely. Faye heard another shriek of another passing clown and slammed her head down on the table. Split-up, it will be fun. Jackass.

**3 hours and a lot of clowns later

"Ed does not think that Mr. Giggles is here." Ed said putting her hand son her hips, Faye rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smirk at Ed's body language. The kid was acting just like her.

"You think." Faye mumbled. "You didn't check them all, you want to go back?"

"Faye-Faye, Edward is not stupid." Ed said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Right," Faye said placing her sunglasses on Ed's face. "You aren't. We'll find him."

Ed smiled widely up at Faye through the sunglasses. "Faye-Faye do you like what Ed bought you?" Ed pointed up to the bright orange balloon with the smiley face that was floating between them still tethered to Faye's arm.

"It's great." Faye said sarcastically, rolling her eyes looking up at it. "Helps me to blend in with all the crazies."

"What crazies?" Ed asked as the crossed the street.

"Never mind," Faye said cracking her neck. "Woah!" Faye stopped mid step as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Faye watched as a man in a red body suit and devil horns run out of a building in front of her.

"Ice cream!" Ed yelled as she ran for the small cart. Ed stopped right in front of the strange guy in the red suit, and Faye cocked her head to the side. Huh, that's a woman. Ed poked the woman in the devil suit in the stomach and the woman snapped, and swung a pitchfork at Ed.

"Hey," Faye yelled running towards Ed. "Don't do that." Faye ran at the woman who was now brandishing a can of spray paint and aiming it at Ed. Faye rammed her shoulder into the large woman and knocked them both to the ground. Ed stood completely still and just cocked her head to the side before letting off a big grin.

"Ed wants to play too." Ed then ran at the jumble of Faye and the red suited weirdo and jumped on Faye's stomach. At that point the large woman's fist collided with Faye's cheek sending a rush of pain into her already battered body.

"Damn Ed." She said in a yelp. The big lady was already on her feet and Ed was grinning up at her. The lady then brought out that can of spray paint and Ed made a grab for it. The woman brought the can away and accidentally let off a long spray of red paint at the ice cream cart behind her.

"Shit." The ice cream man said as he jumped out of the way. The cart then went rolling down the hill. "Watch out!" The man that owned the cart yelled as he started down the hill after it.

Faye got to her feet in a rush and pushed Ed behind her as the woman in the red devil suit turned an angry glare on them.

"Hey, come on lady," Faye said smiling a bit. "Why don't you just calm down?"

"Did you say lady?" the woman said, her glare fading and her hand falling to her side. Faye's eye widened a bit and she nodded slowly. "You said lady. You called me a lady." The woman's eyes began to tear up then and Faye began to panic.

"What? No don't do that." Faye started waving her hands at the strange woman. Then she felt Ed pulling on her sweater. "Huh?"

"Mr. Giggles!" Ed yelled and then made a mad dash after the man in a clown suit. "Ed found him and Ed will get him."

"Ed. Wait!" Faye gave a look back to the red suited woman before she began running. She almost stopped when she saw the blur of red run towards a hotel followed closely by a large man in a black jacket, that looked oddly familiar. "Nah." She shook her head and ran after Ed who had entered the park.

"Faye-Faye." Ed yelled from a jungle gym.

"Where did he go?" Faye said stopping in her tracks, thankful that she didn't pull her gun.

"Who?"

"Ed." Faye's eye twitched. "Mr. Giggles, remember."

"Oh, Mr. Giggles ran into there," Ed pointed a finger to a strip club. Faye did a double take, at the sight before her. A strip club right beside a park? She shook her head. Well the casino was right up the street so it does fit, kind of. "Ed can't go in there, that's what Spike-person says."

Faye spun back to Ed with a happy little smirk on her face. "Oh really? Spike go into these things often when you're with him?"

Ed nodded, and then smiled wide. "Spike-person likes the music."

"I'm sure." Faye said grabbing Ed and heading towards the Strings and Lace Strip Club. "You can come in with me, Ed. And you're going to tell me all about Spike's little strip club trips later on."

"Ok, Faye-Faye." Ed smiled and let Faye drag her to the strip club.

**1 hour later

"Touch me again, and I'll make you regret it. And I swear to God if I hear that 'nice balloons' comment from anyone else I'm ready to kill you all." Faye said as she slammed the barrel of her gun into the groin of the man next to her at the bar. "Now, I'm looking for Mr. Giggles, where might I find him?"

"Mr. Giggles," the guy said backing up. "Why would you want a clown when you could have a guy like me?"

Faye's eye twitched and she leveled her gun at the man's head. "Just tell me."

"Ed is blind!" Ed yelled from beside Faye. Faye looked at the child beside her from the corner of her eye. Ed didn't really understand why she had to have the towel wrapped around her eyes, but it was fun. Ed's hands went out wildly as she groped out for Faye.

"Quiet, Ed." Faye said changing her gaze back to the man in front of her. Her eyes narrowed and rolled at the balloon on her wrist that was currently bobbing up and down with the music in the club. In here it's all smiles, lace, and sex. Faye repressed the snarl. "Where's the clown."

"Not really a place to bring your kid." The guy said grimacing.

"She's not mine. I'm just taking care of her for the day." Faye said smiling.

"Well, you're doing a---"

Faye raised her gun to the man's nose and gave him a look that said 'go on'.

"Great job." He squeaked out.

"Do I know you?" Faye said narrowing her eyes. She stared at the snake tattoo running up the man's neck and it clicked. She raised the gun again and smiled. "I do know you. I've seen you on TV."

"Oh yeah?" The guy said as he began to sweat and search around the strip club frantically.

"Uh huh." Faye stood up. "You're worth what, 25 million, that's a nice fee for a scum bag like you."

"Shit." He then turned to run, but Faye slammed the butt of her gun into the back of his head. The man went down in a heap and Faye slapped the cuffs on him.

"You said it." She said smiling, even though the balloon was now entangling itself in her sweater.

"Faye-Faye caught a bounty." Ed said peeking through the towel. "But that's not Mr. Giggles." Faye's eye twitched as she looked up at Ed. "Mr. Giggles is over there." Ed pointed and Faye jumped to her feet dragging the unconscious bounty she just got.

"What?" She yelled. "Where?" Ed pointed again, and Faye growled at the man in the clown suit sitting there ogling the women dancing on his table. "How the hell do you miss a man in a clown suit?" She mumbled. "Come on." Faye said dragging the unconscious scum bag along with her.

Ed bounced off the chair and followed Faye closely at her heels. It was quite the sight really. Faye dragging a slightly moaning man by his handcuffed hands as she stalked towards a man in a clown suit, meanwhile from her other hand she held her gun and a bright orange balloon with a smiley face on it bobbed frantically. Yep, it was quite the odd little sight. Ed was proud.

"Yo, Giggle-pants." Faye yelled, too damned tired to actually try and use any finesse for this capture. Mr. Giggles looked up at her, his bright red nose and painted on smile freaked her out. Faye held up her gun, annoyed at the damn balloon that floated in front of her shot for a second before raising completely.

"Oh, shit." Mr. Giggles yelled as he made a run for the back door.

"Bingo, clown boy." Faye said as she fired her gun. She shot him in the leg, and strangely the air that must have been ballooning the pants out, popped and Giggles shot out of that room like a rocket. "You've got to be kidding me." Faye ran out of the room after her now jet-propelled bounty, still dragging the man in cuffs along with her. She made it into a private booth were a woman was dancing completely naked for a few other men. Unfortunately for that young woman, with the breasts that just screamed surgical enhancement, she was now flat on her ass with an unconscious clown on top of her.

"That lady has balloons too." Ed said pointing. Faye let out a large laugh and moved her hand to pull the towel that was now sitting on Ed's head down over her eyes. She then set down the one bounty and placed another set of cuffs on the next one. Ok, so maybe splitting up wasn't such a bad idea.

**1 hour later

Ed ran out of the hangar bay of the Bebop leaving Faye to slowly exit her Redtail on her own. Faye let out a huff of breath, still having a bit of the happy left over from her 75 million Woolong pay off for the two bounties she brought in. Hell, Faye had been feeling so good she even dished out some money for Ed to have some ice cream. Little did Faye know that buy 'some' that meant eight cones. Ed was finishing up number eight when Faye slumped her tired body against the door frame of the common room.

"Thank you for the ice cream, Faye-Faye," Ed said as she slammed the cone into her mouth for another large lick. Chocolate covered every inch of the young girl's shirt and face, but what did Faye care, at least she wasn't chasing around clowns anymore.

Faye smiled very slightly as she walked the rest of the way into the common room, flinging her boots as she went. One landed across the room by the window while the other skidded under the table. She moaned at the cool metal under her aching feet. She tossed her red sweater over the back of the sofa. She was the first one back; at least that's what she figured with both the Hammerhead and Swordfish II still gone. Faye sat on the edge of the dingy vinyl sofa and stared at her sore and welt covered left arm through the tinted shades on her face.

The balloon had dislodged itself happily when she exited the Redtail, leaving behind the red welts from the rope that was tied a bit too tight. Damn kid. Faye looked up to find Edward cocking a contemplative head at her. At least Faye thought it was contemplative, but who the hell knew with this kid.

"Faye-Faye is hurt." Ed smiled widely and at that point Faye almost had a heart attack. What the hell was this kid thinking? "Ed will fix Faye- Faye." Ed bounced off the table dropping her last ice cream cone on the floor, and out of the room the room, leaving a wide eyed Faye to stare after her.

"Uh---" Faye stuttered out, and finally she just closed her eyes and put a hand to her pounding head. She'd taken something for the headache from the punch to the face, it was a good something too. Liquid form, burned all the way down. It was nice. Faye put her head back on the sofa and smiled at the thought of her 'medicine'. She needed more, right after she got some----

"AHHHHH!!!" Faye screamed as Edward began winding a large amount of gauze around Faye's wounded arm. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Fixing Faye-Faye, just like Jet-person would." Ed layered the gauze around Faye's arm from up past her elbow down to her fingertips. Then Ed brandished a marker and drew smiley faces all over it. Faye's eye was twitching out of control by this point and she couldn't even move.

"Why are you doing that?" Faye asked as Ed finished her last smiley face on the bandage.

"Ed is marking her work so Jet-person will know that she did it." Ed said in a matter of fact tone as she threw the marker aside and bounced onto the table again to admire her work from afar.

"Of course." Faye said nodding her head. "Thanks Ed." She said slowly. Faye then reached up and grabbed the old brown blanket that was laid over the top of the sofa, moved the small pillow under her head and closed her eyes.

The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was the hangar bay door opening, and a couple minutes later what sounded like two gun shots. Gun shots? Nah.

AN: Next Chapter Spike Spiegel and His 'Dog Thing'