Disclaimer: Cowboy Bebop is not my property. Neither are Radiohead's lyrics.
Chapter Three: The Other Woman
Faye was relaxing on the old couch in the common room, resting her eyes when Ed flew by with Ein, shouting, "Faye-Faye! Ed found it! Wake up, Faye-Faye!" Ed landed in front Faye's face, dancing in place while holding Tomato still.
Faye stared at the computer screen, completely mindless of what was going on. Her eyes automatically caught sight of the reward of forty million woolongs. The dogs were already circling the racetrack in her head and she was holding all the bets on the projected winner.
"A bounty head! Did you show this to anyone else?" she inquired curiously, evaluating the individual on the fuzzy computer screen.
"No-no! Ed thought that Faye-Faye should look at it first!" Ed replied in her sing-song voice. "Ed knows Faye-Faye likes woolongs!" Faye continued reading the information, noting that the man was part of the Dragon Head Syndicate. He was an assassin for the group, but that wasn't going to stop her from going after him, no matter how dangerous he seemed to be. The money was what mattered. Her trance was disturbed by Spike's smooth footsteps echoing down the stairs. She dismissed them and continued to study the appearance of the man, formulating a plan as she scanned the bounty's information. Spike suddenly popped up next to her, staring at the screen with equal intensity. He was so close to her that she could feel the warmth radiating from his face. He smelled like a mixture of burnt food and old cologne, which strangely caught Faye's attention. She stopped focusing on the bounty and instead, her mind conjured up images of her in Spike's arms.
Oh, no. I can't think of him that way; I won't! He's just a lunkhead – an arrogant, self-absorbed, brooding bounty hunter with one of the most sarcastic and dispirited attitudes I've ever seen. But this isn't supposed to happen. Why can't I get him out of my head? She shivered at those thoughts.
"Something wrong, Faye?" Spike asked sarcastically. Faye glanced at him with faux disgust and shook her head.
"Just that you're in my light, lunkhead," she replied with equal sarcasm. She returned to the flashing screen, pretending to study the bounty. But she couldn't shake the thoughts in her head that told her she was attracted to this man.
"Hmm, this guy seems familiar . . . I remember now. He's the top gunman of the Dragon Head Syndicate and he's pretty dangerous. I've fought against him before and I've found that he's good at almost kicking my ass. I don't think you should go for him." As soon as he spoke the last few words, he clamped his jaw down. Why did I warn her? Do I even care? Maybe it's because she owes us money, and she might get killed trying to get this guy . . . Since Faye Valentine had joined the Bebop crew, Spike had a new addition to his list of things he hates – women with attitudes. He had discovered that her personality was atypical compared to other women. But he didn't have a reason at all for cautioning Ms. Poker Alice against catching the bounty head. He looked over at her and was met with a second dose of disgust.
"What do you know? I can damn well handle myself!" Faye responded. Spike shrugged and tried to analyze his own reaction to her initial ambition.
Nah, I don't care about her at all . . . Or maybe it's just my care for her because she's a woman . . . that made me say those words . . . since she's been on the ship for so long? Spike tried to think of reasons to justify his words, but he was unable to come up with a good reason. He loved Julia; he loved her with his entire being. But it had been three long years – three years of locked up emotions that were attempting to escape from his control. He would find her before killing Vicious, but he suddenly couldn't get this attractive, violet-haired, green-eyed woman out of his head. For the first time in his life, Spike Spiegel was confused.
After what seemed like an eternity, Faye stood up. Draping her red jacket on her elbows, she sauntered over to the refrigerator with a triumphant smile, partially hoping to catch Spike's attention, mostly hoping that there was something to eat.
Maybe I'm hungry. I mean, I haven't thought about him like that in a while . . . Her mind drifted, but when she opened the fridge door and saw nothing on the shelves, she threw a fit.
"Augh, why do we never have food!" She slammed the door and glared at her companions.
"Don't get all haughty on us and complain again, Faye! You know we never have food around here! Catch some larger bounty heads, will ya? And maybe you can start paying back your debt, too," Jet called loudly from his bonsai room.
"I would, Jet, if my father would stop telling me what to do!" Faye responded with false anger, putting on her 'woman-with-an-attitude' mask. "I'm going to hunt down that bounty head and take myself to a fancy restaurant and to the racetracks. And after a shopping spree, MAYBE I'll think about repaying you back. See you and this lunkhead later." She strutted down the hall, her heels clicking against the metal floor plates. Spike took his spot on the couch, glaring at her swaying figure.
"Jet, open up the hatch! I'm going out!" she ordered as she proceeded to her Redtail.
"I swear that woman will be the death of me, always ordering me around as if I were her slave!" Jet muttered to himself. He got up, taking his attention away from his treasured bonsai trees. "If you aren't polite next time, I won't do what you ask, Faye!"
"Just do it! I don't have time for your business!" A minute later, the engines of her Redtail started up and she blasted off the ship.
"That woman is gonna be the death of me!" Jet mumbled.
"Whatever," Spike mumbled after the noise, laying on the couch for another nap. What am I doing? I haven't ever stopped loving Julia. What's so great about Faye Valentine anyway? He couldn't shake the possibility that he was attracted to that arrogant woman. He closed his eyes, seeing both the blonde-haired Julia and the vivacious Faye in his mind's eye, and hoped he would finally wake up with a clear head. Just as he was about to fall asleep, Ed catapulted over the couch with Ein on her heels, singing a song about Ramen noodles.
Ugh. All I want is some sleep, and the kid and the dog won't leave me alone. And that woman. BOTH women. He finally drifted off, weighing Julia and Faye on a scale in his dream.
There's a gap in between
There's a gap where we meet
Where I end and you begin
I am up in the clouds
"Where I End and You Begin" by Radiohead, Hail to the Thief, 2003
