Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.
Walk In Their Shoes – The Rip Off
Faye Valentine sipped at the orange soda topped with vanilla ice cream while she awaited Jet and Spike's arrival. They were supposed to have met her at the old fashioned soda shop an hour before but neither brute of a man had made an appearance, let alone made an effort to call her. So, like any peeved woman with money, she bought herself junk food. She had just begun to scoop out the delicious cream at the bottom when a loud beep from her communicator caused her to jump up in the ragged barstool.
"Yeah, what is it?" She had every reason to be pissed at this moment in time. Suppose she didn't have her gun and some strange man took advantage of her? Doubtful? Of course. She could handle any kind of man, but it was the point of the matter. The lazy voice of Spike echoed over the speaker and she braced herself for a rude call.
"Just checking up on you, Faye." She quirked an eyebrow and slid the metal spoon on to the other side of her tongue.
"Well if you and Jet had been here on time, you wouldn't have to check up on me, now would you?" She crossed her legs seductively and motioned the shop keeper to give her a refill.
"Possibly. But, in all honesty, we were truly worried about you." He was up to something, she just knew it. There was no reasonable explanation as to why or how Spike Spiegel could be worried about her.
"Yeah I find that hard to believe." She watched Spike lean back on whatever he was sitting on, which was more than likely the yellow couch, considering that's the only place his rear seemed comfortable these days.
"Which part – that i'm honest or that I was worried?" The violet haired vixen slammed her glass down, revealing the boiling anger that had yet to surface.
"That is IT! I'm going to go where no one can annoy me like you do!!"
"Please Faye, don't do me any favors." Faye hung up to the deep chuckles of her crew mate, and stormed out of the tiny soda shop.
There are times in people's lives that a person cannot explain with simple statements concerning science or history. They just happen. Some call it fate. Others call it luck. And there are even those who go out on a limb and claim that it was divine intervention. Whatever the cause, something led our dear Ms. Valentine to a small shop in the backstreets of town that sported a small wooden sign that, although worn and withered, could be read quite easily – 'Madame Zupotti's Fortune Telling'. And Faye, being the one for fate, luck, divine intervention, and all of the above, took the chance to buy some time and cool off while getting her fortune read. Kill two birds with one stone, right?
The place was musty and smelled of incense and cheap perfume. Only one room was shown to the public while the doorways and windows remained covered with silken strips of exotic colors. In the middle of the room sat a covered table with a glass orb perched atop it. Faye took cautious steps inside, accidentally bumping her head on one of the many windchimes and charms gracing the ceiling.
"Can I help you?" Emerald irises of alarm darted towards a young woman standing in-between a few of the magnificent draperies.
"Are you Madame Zupotti?" The woman nodded, raven ringlets shaking with the motion. "I'm here to get my fortune read." She smiled, strumming a small guitar on her way towards the table.
"Well then sit down, child." Faye did as she was told and gawked at the woman sitting across from her. Beautiful could not describe her. She was shorter than Faye but curvy in all the right places. Onyx rings graced the outline of olive colored skin, perfected by the red tint of her lip stick. Faye had seen a woman like this before, when she had run away from a bill collector once. There was a whole group of them and there were only a few differences among them. What were they called....? "Gypsies." Yes! That was it! Faye shook her head unconsciously, trying to regain her composure.
"How did....?" The woman pushed her pout lips together into the form of a smirk and began to rub at the glass ball.
"I'm a Romany, the last of my kind actually." Faye bit her bottom lip, recalling the time she had lied to Spike and Jet, saying she was a Romany in hopes they would let her off and not turn her in for a bounty. She could only pray that Madame Zupotti could see this in her mind as well. The gypsy cracked her knuckles and eyed Faye. "Well then, let's get started." Faye watched the woman fall into a trance, her once silver eyes turning upwards in her skull. "I see....a man. Green hair." Faye crossed her arms over her chest and huffed out loud.
"That would be Spike."
"Spiegel." Faye popped up when the young woman spoke his last name. "You're fond of him, no? You wish to capture his attention as well as other things but are afraid of remaining nothing more than a cheating Jezebel in his eyes. "Faye relaxed, letting a single chunk of orchid hair to fall freely into her vision.
"Please. I would NEVER have a thing for Spike." The Romany paused for a moment, lecturing Faye with a single gaze before returning to her trance.
"There is another man. He was....in an accident of some sort. Both male figures care deeply for you although they hide it well. There is also a child involved – ooh. I won't get involved with that mind." Faye twirled the piece of hair around her finger until the skin matched the hair color.
"I thought you were supposed to tell me my future, not gibberish." Madame Zupotti squinted and sucked in a deep breath.
"You will never be able to break into their hearts if you are not able to walk in their shoes." Faye opened her mouth to speak, only to be shut up by the mysterious cold breeze tickling the numerous wind chimes. Funny, but Faye could've sworn that the door had shut behind her.
"What do you me-"
"That will be 12,000 woolongs for my services." Faye's eyes widened as the gypsy opened up her palm and stretched out her hand.
"12,000 woolongs!!? You have GOT to be kidding me!!"
After five minutes of Faye rambling with the gypsy over how the charade was a rip off, the bounty huntress left the tiny store just as the Jupiter sunset began to fall. Now, most girls would be alert and ready for action. But most girls are not Faye. Most girls do not gulp down three orange soda floats and then debate cost issues with a Romany. So, it did not occur to Faye to duck when she heard her comrade yell out the word. And it did not occur to her that there were people would knock you upside the head in order to steal the little bit of money you have. And it certainly didn't occur to her that so much pain could be involved. But as she fell into the darkness the pain had brought on, she could faintly hear the sound of that annoying voice that she had tried to get away from in the first place.
"Faye....hey Faye.....can you hear me? Dammit! Open your eyes!!"
"You will never be able to break into their hearts if you are not able to walk into their shoes....."