Radical Edward - Tumblr Posts

Day 1 of 31 Prompts

* * *

Midnight

It’s late when he starts to make his rounds. Later than it would be if they were on Mars, TJ, or Earth. Days on Io last 42 hours and the crew makes the most of them the same way they would anywhere else… eating, smoking (with the exception, as always, of Ed and Ein himself), researching bounties in the area then tracking them down, and napping in whatever downtime a person could find.

But there are always a few who don’t nap very often, or who get their sleep cycle confused to an unhealthy point. It’s hard for humans to ignore their biological clock that tells them to be alert and active during sunshine hours. Sometimes they stay awake for so long that they have difficulty falling asleep when darkness finally engulfs the land.

Such is the case for Jet Black.

When Ein finds the captain of the ship, the man is sitting on the bridge with bleary eyes as he runs a check of the coolant system and ventilation. Necessary tasks whenever they’re planet-side or at a star base. There’s nothing more important than being able to breathe and not freeze when they’re out amongst the stars. But Ein knows they aren’t leaving anytime soon, not when there’s been such an abundance of small fries to scrounge up in the area. There’s technically no need for Jet to be doing these checks now - it’s merely force of habit that insists he attend to every little thing on a regular basis.

Ein appreciates the dedication of the man, but he also wants to see Jet get some much deserved rest. So he makes his way to Jet’s side and rears up to put his forepaws on Jet’s leg, panting loudly to ensure he gets Jet’s attention.

Blinking bloodshot eyes, Jet looks down with a frown and then the wrinkles clear from his forehead as he smiles. Reaching down with his good hand, Jet ruffles Ein’s fur gently.

“Well hey, boy,” Jet rolls his neck and straightens his posture. “Uhhh. You telling me it’s time for bed, huh? All right, this can all wait til we’re closer to leaving anyway.” He stands up, prompting Ein to return to all four paws on the metal floor, and then stretches again. “Lead the way, buddy,”

Spike is sprawled out on the couch when they pass through the living area. That’s one human Ein has never needed to remind to sleep. He’s spent many hours curled up by Spike’s side to try and ward off nightmares though. The lanky cowboy doesn’t thrash in his sleep nearly as often when Ein is resting nearby. But he’s nearly motionless now save for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and Ein knows that means his dreams are calm.

When they reach the door to Jet’s room Ein gives a little yip of goodnight, earning a chuckle from Jet, and he trots merrily off down the hall to see to the other crew members.

Faye’s door is shut but Ein can hear the beta max playing inside. He cocks his head trying to hear if Faye herself is still awake watching but it’s useless. At any rate, he can’t hear her mumbling or crying and he decides that she must have passed out. Turning away, he heads back the way he came and makes his way to the kitchen. There’s not often scraps to be found on the floor - though it’s always worth checking for - but he knows it’s where he will find Edward.

She’s been holed up in the kitchen on her computer Tomato for days now, sleeping in snatches here and there, scouring the internet for whatever she can glean about this bountyhead or that to make the job of the others easier. Usually she sets up elsewhere but part of the appeal of the kitchen - aside from gobbling up whatever hits the deck, something Ed is certainly guilty of doing as often if not more than Ein himself - is the fact that it is always warm in that room and the food smells linger even when all food is gone.

Ed has discussed the matter of hunger with Ein on many occasions and they both agree that the presence of an aroma can often do wonders to ward off hunger - though sometimes it just makes the belly ache with how good it would be to eat said smell.

Sure enough, she’s cross legged in front of her computer and there’s no shortage of crumbs on her lap and the ground around her. That’s a good sign - it means she’s eaten recently and that there was enough to eat where she wasn’t concerned with slurping up every single crumb. The fact that her typing is about as slow as Spike’s hunt-and-peck style of accessing information online is also soothing. It means she’s not far from slumber herself, and about time too.

Snuffling at the crumbs around her, Ein cleans the floor before clambering into her lap and tilting his face up so he can lick her chin in greeting.

Ed gives a giggle of delight and slides her goggles up onto her forehead before wrapping both arms around Ein and burying her face in the fur of his neck.

“Ein has come to snuggle! Bed time, bed time, go and rest your head time!” She moves as she sings, uncrossing her legs and shifting into a reclining position right there on the metal floor. It’s neither cold nor hot, and while not exactly comfortable for most folks it’s more than adequate for Ed and Ein. He’s glad that she’s not a picky person about where she plops down because he’s frankly exhausted as well. Keeping up with this crew can take a lot out of a tiny dog with short legs!

But everyone is accounted for and off to the land of nod. The ship itself is not going anywhere anytime soon so there’s no need to worry about monitoring the sensors. All is peaceful for now - a thing not guaranteed to last - and Ein gives a little sigh of contentment as he curls up with Ed and joins her in adventures asleep.

BONUS PROMPT: Abandoned 

@mx-sinisters

***

It never occurred to her that she had been abandoned.

Her earliest memories were vague. Warm hands, soft voice, laughter. The feeling of love and protection.

Then came the brighter memories of playing games with the kids in daycare, of sharing in discoveries and meeting milestones, of being brought to various homes depending on who had space for her at the time.

Wanderlust called her away one day when she was still probably too young to be on her own.

If anything, she was the one who did the abandoning at that point.

Leaving the daycare and her playmates in the dust, she made her way out into the world by following strangers and dining on the feasts that restaurants threw out at the end of the night. Occasionally she’d even stumble across a garden that she could loot for fresh vegetables. Best of all was whenever she’d happen across bushes of wild berries or orchards - once well tended - that were unkempt and overflowing with oranges or apples or whatever fruit the trees bore.

She lived well off the fat of the land.

And then she found herself distracted by a new group of playmates. Children nearly as feral as she was. It was exciting to meet new friends - ones her own age and with imaginations as vast and outrageous as her own. She was welcomed into the orphanage with open arms by Sister Clara who simply added another plate to the table and gave her a blanket to wrap up in at night.

Days passed, weeks passed, years passed by. She found a love for chess, for hacking, for daydreaming about the worlds out there in the sky - all the places humanity had made a foothold. All the potential and possibility! The internet could only show her so much, but what she could find was enticing…no, it was irresistible!

But she couldn’t get there from where she was. Sister Clara had no ship. The other kids didn’t have any skill at flight or engineering or construction beyond the projects that they sometimes built to keep themselves busy during the day. If she ever wanted to reach the stars, she’d have to come up with a way there herself.

One day, she simply left. No goodbyes, just gone. Technically she was abandoning everyone again. But she’d never learned that word. Never understood how her actions could be taken personally by the people who became part of her past when once they’d been her entire present. There was just… a time to be somewhere and then a time to be elsewhere. No harm meant, no foul intended, no hurt at the heart of her actions. She just acted on whatever whim encouraged her to do whatever came next.

It was the only way she’d ever lived and she honestly didn’t understand why no one else seemed to live like she did.

Even here on the planet, there was so much to see! So many places to explore, so many foods to eat, so many people to befriend. How anyone could just… stay in one place… was beyond her. Illogical. Inconceivable. Who would want to curtail their existence to such a degree?

She had goals. She had capabilities. She had a plan.

One day, she would abandon this world. One day, she would adventure among the stars.

Day 5 prompt: Ed-centric fic

WARNING! This is a sneak peek!!

(this is written in the world of "Music Keeps Us Together" and will appear later on A03 in one of the next parts of that series)

***

The sounds of the various aircraft and zipcraft arriving and departing was entirely muted by the windows and walls of the Admiral's Club in which Ed found herself.

It was not the first place one would think to look for a person nursing a broken heart, or so she assumed anyway. But it did feature a bar and wallowing in misery where drink flowed was basically a rite of passage into adulthood. Right? Certainly her companions had frequently found themselves belly up to a bar and imbibing whatever could wash away hurts - physical or emotional - and while Ed had long been curious about whether drowning one's sorrows actually helped anyone feel better… she just couldn't bring herself to wander into the type of pub that the others would enjoy.

For one thing, she was trying to avoid her family. For another, she felt there would be some opportunities for people watching which would be a far better distraction from her woes than getting drunk.

So, abandoning the oft-used alias of Marshall Banana, which would have immediately caught Jet's notice as he himself had used that pseudonym frequently when online, she had instead snuck into the Admiral's Club under the name of Majel Kirk.

With Spike and Faye presumably busy with the kiddos (and for all that Spike had long claimed to hate kids, he was sure doing a fine job of bringing them into the world) it was only Jet that she really had to watch out for. Aside from personal pleasure, the others often traipsed into alcohol joints in the quest for bounties or information, but the odds of one of them choosing the more expensive option of an airport lounge, of all places, were slim to none.

Undoubtedly she would be able to elude anyone who knew her.

Of course, just because there wasn't anyone who would recognize her didn't mean there was no one that she herself recognized. It was as she turned from the bartender with her double shot of whiskey - nothing she was familiar with, aside from having heard Faye order it countless times before when she listened in over the comms - that she was immediately distracted by a bright flash as the sun came out to gleam on a head of pale hair.

The blond woman was wearing a pair of hot pink stilettos that perfectly matched the hot pink power suit tailor made for her trim figure. The suit itself seemed to consist of only two pieces… wide legged trousers that led to a tapered waist and a pocket less jacket that had padded shoulders and a gaudy crystal rhinestone button just above the navel holding the two sides together. It was the glimpse of cleavage afforded by the professional get up that helped Ed to put a name to the face.

"Judy?!" She hadn't meant to voice her realization but her mouth moved quicker than her mind sometimes.

The woman, sprawled elegantly in a well-cushioned armchair next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, glanced over at the hail. She raised her eyebrows in a silent inquiry and Ed, blushing, made her way over to the chair nearby to plop down. Judy rolled her blue eyes heavenward and gave a soft sigh.

"Look kid, I don't carry a pen on me," She gave a shrug and brought her martini glass to her mouth to take a sip.

Ed shook head vigorously, nearly spilling the liquor she held. "Ed doesn't want a signature. It was just the shock of seeing you, in real life, after watching you on TV for so long."

Judy snorted. "That was years ago, honey. To be honest I'm surprised you recognized me. Hardly anyone does. Big Shot was exactly prime time." She eyed the glass Ed held. "Tall drink of water for a little thing like you. You even old enough for that?"

Ed bristled. "Of course!" As if to prove a point, she slammed the entire dram in one go and immediately began to cough and hack, eyes watering.

Her mouth burned, her nose burned, her eyes burned. How was this a flavor or experience anyone enjoyed? Judy was chuckling at her plight, but was also kind enough to offer her a napkin from the small table tucked between her chair and the window.

"Okay, sweetheart. Clearly you're an old hat at this. Need another, then?" She inquired with a smile.

Still coughing weakly, Ed shook her head less enthusiastically than before. "No, no," She begged off.

"Well shucks, sugar, what bruised your banana anyway?" Judy glanced around at the room, gesturing vaguely with her martini glass at all the people in business suits or pretty dresses. "Not exactly the usual haunt for folks who look as sad as you."

Ed frowned. "Sad? Ed looks sad?"

"Mmhm," Judy nodded. "Something in your eyes. I've seen that look gazing back at me out of the mirror a time or two. Not many good prospects here so I might as well let you sob your story out."

"Prospects?" Ed did not particularly want to explain her own situation so she decided to tease more information out of the former TV star.

Judy gave a low throaty laugh. "Sure, darling. I'm between husbands at the moment. A pilot seems like a man who can take me places. Or maybe one of these suits. I wouldn't mind marrying into money this time."

"Ohh. You're looking for love."

At that Judy let out a shriek of laughter. "Love? Ohhh you dear child!" Between snickers, she managed to take another sip of her drink. "I wouldn't be adverse to such, I suppose, but it's not really one of my goals. See, I'm an independent woman," Judy must have seen the look Ed was giving her because she laughed again before going on. "You can be independent in a marriage, you know. And independent while in love too, for that matter."

Ed thought about Faye and Spike's relationship and slowly nodded in agreement with Judy's words.

"You're a lot smarter than you seemed on the show, Judy." Ed noted, earning a beaming smile from the other woman.

"Damn straight, sweetie! That was all an affect. The ditzy bimbo gets more attention than the brainy broad. Not my choice, but I didn't make the role up. Showing these off was though," She cupped her breasts through the suit jacket with a grin. "And, truth be told, Judy isn't my given name. Chose that to hide my real identity, just in case. See, there was a time when I worried that I'd regret having the girls out on display. But you know what? I was never ashamed. Hell, I'm proud of my body! It's good to have an out though, you never know if you'll change your mind someday."

"Ed isn't Ed's given name either," Ed revealed in a whisper. "Ed was born as Françoise."

"Me, I was named for two great women of yesteryear. My mother loved Lucille Ball and Betty White, but she didn't like the name Betty all that much so when I came along she settled on Lucille Bethany Ricardo." Judy smiled brightly. "Guess I was set on my path before I was even born. Don't know if it's because of the name or what but I was always inspired by film and media and women of entertainment. Bold and brilliant and beautiful women. You could do worse for role models, I'll tell you that."

"Faye-Faye is a woman like that," Ed told Judy excitedly. "She's one of Ed's role models."

"Well all right, little lady, you're on the right track then." She drained her drink and then lifted her glass to shake it in the air, prompting the bartender to give a nod of acknowledgement as he began to make her a fresh beverage. Within moments she was accepting the drink from the man as he delivered it to her seat and it was then that she ordered a pair of waters for herself and Ed as well.

"Oh I'm not thirsty!" Ed protested, though the bartender-turned-waiter paid her no mind.

Judy's eyes flashed wickedly. "Not now perhaps, but there's a story in you just dying to be told. So fess up, my dear, what put that hangdog expression on your face? You can tell me, I don't know you from Jack and I don't judge. It'll feel better to let it loose in the world. Keeping unhappiness close to your heart can poison you if you're not careful."

She thought then of Jet and Spike and Faye, all of whom had skeletons in their closets (more than skeletons really, damn near cemeteries if you got right down to it) and while they'd once been very tight lipped about their past lives… there was no denying that they'd all begun to open up in recent years. Ed had seen for herself the alleviating effect it seemed to have on the others. Sharing grief somehow made each of them seem younger, lighter, brighter. It wasn't something Ed had ever needed to do herself, but now that she had the chance to hoard disappointment and despair, she was suddenly afraid of being weighed down by it. Being shadowed.

She wanted to stay light and bright.

And so, she decided to tell her tale to Judy.

Day 7 Prompt: Fireflies

***

The night sky was clouded over obscuring everything that was normally visible in the evenings. There were no moons, no stars, no satellites or space stations. Nothing to break the gloom that hung over the field except, here and there, an abrupt flash of light. Tiny sparks that appeared and disappeared so swiftly that Jet almost thought he was imaging it until Ed shrieked and pointed.

"Look! Ohhh, gone… oh there! Look quick!"

"What's that now?" Faye asked in a bored tone. She didn't look up from the novel spread open on her lap and casting a glow on her face.

"You're gonna ruin your eyes reading in the dark like this," Jet commented.

At his words, her eyes lifted to glare at him over the top of the book. "These pages are backlit. Don't be ridiculous."

"Studies have shown that there's still strain involved," He noted with a shrug. "Ed can back me up on this. But what do I care? They're your eyes, not mine."

Ed was running circles around the both of them, Ein trotting at her heels and yipping with excitement.

"Can you see them? The blips! Look, look!" She came to an abrupt halt beside Jet and pointed at one of the brief spots of light he'd noticed earlier.

Realization dawned. "Oh, those are lightning bugs, Ed." Jet said. "My grandmother told me about them. When she was a little girl on Earth she used to spend time at her grandfather's farm. He had fields and fields of goldenrod, and his wife had lovely gardens around their house. At night, her grandparents would bring her outside after supper to watch the sunset and the lightning bugs come out. She'd catch them in jars sometimes."

"Catch them? Bugs with a bounty on their heads?"

He chuckled. "No, she'd just collect a few and watch them glow until she fell asleep and then her grandfather would release them again." He paused thoughtfully, trying to remember everything he'd been told about the little critters. "That was one of the things she said she missed the most about living on Earth. See, Ganymede doesn't have any. There's no fields or swamps or forests or, well, any nature really. And most places they were introduced - like Venus or Io for example - were too arid. I think that's why they're all but extinct on Earth too. Though I guess who really keeps track of anything like that these days." He realized he was getting off topic, though Ed seemed to be listening intently. "They're good bugs to have around. They would eat the slugs and snails out of her grandmother's garden, protecting the plants."

"Ohhh good bugs." Ed watched with wonder as more and more lightning bugs appeared around them.

By this point Faye had set aside her book on methods of physical therapy and was watching as well. Her face took on a wistful expression. "We called them fireflies when we saw them," She confided. "Never caught them - it's just better to let them live in peace."

Ed nodded without taking her eyes off the brightly blinking bugs.

"We are the watchers, they are the watched." She bent down and scooped Ein up into her arms and for a few quiet minutes everyone just observed as the lightning bugs, or fireflies, puttered around and alternated between glowing greenish or going dark. Then Ed gasped. "Spike-person! How is he going to see them from the hospital?!"

"We're on Mars, Ed. He's probably seen them before since they exist here after all," Faye replied.

Jet didn't think that was likely. Spike seemed like a city boy through and through. The odds of him having spent time in one of the craters like this where nature had been given free reign…

"It's okay, Ed," Jet reassured the teen. "We can always come back here with him once he's on his feet again."

"Yay!! Ed loves camping." She grinned at him though it was hard to see now that it was so dark out. "Ed is glad you responded to the hail. Tracking meteors was dull, dull, dull! Going here then there then everywhere… it was making Ed dizzy! The Bebop travels all over but we go at a much better pace. Gotta stop and smell the roses! Take time to make time!"

A snort from Faye. "More like we'd get stuck somewhere til we made enough money for gas,"

"Anyway, Ed," Jet spoke over his salty comrade. "I'm glad you reached out to us. Even if you decide to help your dad again someday, there's always a place for you here."

A sigh from Faye. "Yeah kid," She confirmed a moment later. "It was nice to duck out for a minute after the ship was running again. I can only handle Mars in small doses and it would've sucked to just sit around waiting for that lunkhead to get better. You gave us the impetus to get our shit in gear."

A giggle from Ed. "Impetus! Big words from Faye-Faye! Were you reading the dictionary?" She teased.

"Hey!"

Jet laughed. Things weren't exactly back to normal yet - one member of the crew was still missing, after all, but it would only be another week or two before he was released into their care. Jet was looking forward to it and also dreading it. No doubt Spike would be surly after so much time spent in a hospital hooked up to machines. He never made a particularly good patient, but his wounds had been too much for Jet to handle himself.

Even the recuperation was gonna be different than anything Spike had been used to before, which was probably why Faye was reading up on physical therapy. That would be a whole cranky ordeal.

But now Jet had an ace up his sleeve. A way to break up the monotony. Something relaxing and refreshing and full of unexpected delights.

A field far from the city, where the only lights came from the little bugs that continued to dance around the trio - and Ein - as they basked in the peace of the moment.

Day 8 Picnic

***

It was an absolutely gorgeous day. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was the bluest of blue with hardly any clouds scattered about - and the ones that were present were very clearly not the type to bear rain. Best of all, a cool breeze was doing wonders at keeping the temperature from soaring to an uncomfortable level.

Spike could see and feel none of this. He was currently making his way along a sewer that ran under the street where Faye was posted up outside a tall brick building. Jet was sitting in a cafe several blocks away, leisurely drinking a frothy frozen coffee beverage that had once had a work of art drawn on the surface.

"Anything out there, Faye?" Jet asked.

"No. Nothing that resembles a squat banana anyway." Came her grumpy reply.

"A Fiat 500 is a perfectly serviceable vehicle, Faye. I don't know why you're the one on the road, I should be up there and you should be slumming along down here in this crap," Spike grumbled irritably. "You're not even gonna be able to identify the damn car unless it drives over your fucking foot."

"You're the one who wanted best odds of running into the damn robbers!" She whisper-yelled into her comm, trying to be discreet.

"That's enough idle chatter, you two." Jet cut in. "Faye, don't antagonize him. I can hear street traffic, why aren't you inside pretending to set up a savings account? And Spike, you knew this wasn't gonna be a picnic. The thieves are gonna hear you bitching if they really are sneaking into the bank from below. Get it together, both of you."

"Picnic, picnic! Beautiful day in the neighborhood, let's gooooo!" Ed's voice came through the comms, along with rapid-fire excited barking, and everyone winced.

"Ed! Radio quiet! Unless there's been any developments - ya gotta shush!" Spike hissed.

"Nothing on the news! Best bet is still the Bank of Tharsis where you're at… though they might go to Jet-person's location still!"

"None of that is a new development, Ed," Faye sighed.

"Ed hopes they show up soon! Hungry hungry Edward! Hungry hungry Ein! Can't it be picnic time?!"

"Ed!!" Their voices all chorused, as she giggled and Ein continued to bark.

"Who ever said we were having a picnic after this anyway?" Faye griped.

"Yeah all I'm doing after this is showering for the next two days. Ugh the stench down here is unbelievable." Spike complained.

"You are all so bad at being stealthy." Jet groaned.

"Beatnik, pick up sticks, give a lolli a nice big lick. Jet-person said picnic to Spike-person and Ed and Ein agree - it's the best way to spend this day! Three against two, outside dining is the thing to do!"

Silence from Spike and Faye which spoke volumes.

Jet grimaced and wiped his hand over his face. "It was a saying, Ed."

"Yep yep yep! A picnic! That's what we're saying!" She chortled over the line. "Oh ho ho! Yellow stubby car headed your way Faye-Faye! Street cameras show only one occupant! That means…"

"Hey!!" Spike's voice shouted over the comm. The sounds of splashing and a struggle.

"Uh oh…" Ed gave a guilty laugh. "Hope we didn't spoil your hiding spot, Spike-person!"

From Faye's comm came the sound of her angry shrieking as she engaged with the driver of the getaway vehicle.

A sound of slurping from Jet's end as he finished his drink and then, "You know what, Ed? I think they've got this under control. I say let's take that picnic after all."

Day 9: Water

***

Bare feet stomping down the corridor were the only warning sounds Jet heard before Faye, wrapped in her robe and with wet hair, appeared in the doorway of the bonsai room. Perhaps it had been foolish of him to expect a moment's peace, knowing that the other crew members were still asleep elsewhere on the ship.

"What the fuck, Jet!" Faye snapped, hair dripping onto the floor. Even with the robe snugged around her waist she looked more like a bedraggled cat than a resort guest - though she often acted as if the Bebop was a spa. He'd had to clean nail polish off various surfaces countless times now, after Ed would swipe the bottles Faye inevitably left scattered about.

"What the fuck what, Faye?" He asked dully, shifting his gaze from her to the branch he was considering pruning. Did it need that though? The plants could usually suggest to him the proper course of action, but it was much harder to get on their wavelength when someone was nattering at him from the doorway.

"Why are my eyes burning from salt water?! What is wrong with this ship? I just wanted to take a shower, dammit!" Faye's shout was followed immediately by a growl as Ein appeared by her feet, sniffing and licking at her toes.

The dog gave a whuff sort of sigh and found his way over to Jet instead, settling down by his boots.

"Oh, that. Well, the filtration system is on the fritz and unfortunately the last place we docked was Ganymede, which is a giant salt water ocean. I was gonna fix it when we get to TJ. I know a guy who can get me parts at cost." He could have warned her, he supposed, but it was always amusing to see how riled up she got from malfunctions on the ship. Anyway it served her right for trying to shower every day - they'd probably still have a tank of freshwater if she hadn't burned through it so quickly.

"TJ?" Faye moaned. "That's so far away still. Ughhhh. Whatever I guess I'll just do a salt soak in the bathtub."

Without so much as an "I appreciate you putting in so much work to keep this ship running smooth," - which, quite honestly, Jet had given up on ever hearing from anyone on the Bebop - Faye had disappeared back from whence she came.

Jet glanced down at Ein who looked back up at him with the puppy equivalent of a smile before resting his muzzle atop Jet's nearest boot and closing his eyes. With a shrug, Jet turned his attention back to the art of listening to the needs of the shrubs before him.

***

Hours later, Jet made his way to the kitchen to rustle up some food. He had literally heard Ed's stomach growl as he'd wandered past the girl as she sat cross legged in front of her computer with goggles on. He knew if he didn't put something to eat directly in front of her she might forget about that basic bodily need entirely.

To his surprise, Faye was already in the kitchen, doing dishes of all things.

"Well now, nice to see you pitching in and helping out!" Jet gave a nod of approval.

Faye looked up from the sink with a frown. "Do what now?"

Frowning himself, Jet looked more closely and realized she had only washed a few glasses.

"Thought you were doing chores," Jet muttered. "What are you up to?"

Faye laughed. "Making the best of a salty situation. I've had some margarita mix and primo tequila stashed for ages - no need to salt the rim thanks to the water situation!"

He gaped at her. "Liquor stash? Why margaritas?" It seemed like far more work than he'd expect her to put into a beverage. He had seen her downing tequila by the shot plenty of times though.

She shrugged. "Was saving it as a birthday treat for myself,"

"Do you even know when your birthday is?" A new voice asked from the hallway. Jet turned to look at Spike who was leaning against the wall and grinning at Faye.

Faye flipped him the bird. "Might be today for all I know," She admitted. "You're talking me right outta making one for you I hope you know."

Pushing off from the wall, Spike raised his hands in surrender. "I wasn't expecting one in the first place. But if the offer's on the table…"

Rolling her eyes, Faye took the three glasses she'd washed and headed for the living room. "I'll trade ya for a pack of smokes. I know you just got a carton. Jet, I'll trade you for some good grub. I'm being pretty generous here since you'd be feeding me anyway so you're welcome in advance for the drink."

Raising his eyebrows at Spike, Jet shook his head as the lanky man shrugged and moved to follow Faye.

Grabbing a pan, Jet smiled to himself. It wasn't much of a thank you, but it was something and truthfully that was about the best to hope for from any of the weirdos here on the ship. Water woes aside, at least margaritas would make the trek to TJ pass much more swiftly.

Day 12: Garden

***

"Yo Faye, were you messing around in the workshop?"

Faye glanced up from her magazine where she'd been reading an article on 'health and beauty tips for the working woman' to see Spike looking puzzled at her from just inside the round doorway.

She arched a brow at him inquisitively. "Why would I bother going in there?"

Looking back at her magazine, she could practically hear him rolling his eyes at her response. "Of course, why would I ever expect you to do something as critical as cleaning your gun."

"Why would I need to? We have a deal, don't we? I clean your wounds, you clean my gun." She shrugged. "Not my fault one needs doing more than the other. What's the matter anyway?"

He sighed. "I'm missing some flex cables. Have you seen any around?"

Faye frowned at that and sat up on the couch, laying her magazine down open-faced on the table in front of her to give him her full attention.

"I'm missing some nail polish myself." She shot a quick look at his nails - void of any color - and then peered up at his bemused expression. "All right, I'll accept your innocent stance at this time."

"If it wasn't you fucking with shit then…"

With identical expressions of mutual realization, they spoke the obvious answer together. "Ed."

***

"Hey now, that's looking pretty good!"

Faye, eyes slanted suspiciously, shared a curious look with Spike as they made their way down the hall towards the sound of Jet's voice coming from the bonsai room.

"Wahoo! The fairies will love this garden!" Ed's voice exclaimed.

Reaching the doorframe, Faye leaned over to peek around while Spike sidled up behind her to look over the top of her head. Faye felt her jaw drop when she saw the goings-on in the plant space.

Jet was crafting tiny pieces of furniture - a rope ladder, a chair, a hammock - out of twigs and pieces of string. Ed, meanwhile, was laying out pieces of dried beans painted in lurid - and very familiar - shades. The pathway she was creating with the beans was lined on either side by cable wires that looked too similar to Spike's missing flex cables to be anything else.

"What's going on in here?" Spike's voice boomed out above her, startling Faye as much as it spooked the other occupants of the bonsai room. Even Ein, who had apparently been asleep on the floor by Jet's feet, gave a surprised bark as he scrambled to all four paws.

"Edward is making a fairy garden! Fairies come to gardens and bring good luck, prosperity, and good health!" She gestured giddily to the chipped tokoname pot on the bottom shelf, which she had apparently appropriated for her own purposes.

There was a golden gate ficus bonsai tree happily ensconced in a corner of the soil there, though now a tiny swing hung in the space between the lowest and next highest arch of the double S shaped tree. Ed had made a gated trail with the nail polish painted beans and cables from the tree to the coffee pot whose lid had broken recently. The interior of the coffee pot bore varying levels of stains from the previous contents and had been filled with peat moss, various stones, glitter and small glow in the dark stars. Bits of dog fur had been clumped up into the rough shape of a mattress inside the coffee pot next to a miniature bedside table (obviously a piece Jet had made earlier using part of an empty cigarette pack) and there was a dented flat scrap metal from somewhere on the Bebop that was clearly intended to serve as a sort of porch for the furniture Jet was making with meticulous care.

"Mm. Well, that's real mystical and all, but I'm gonna need those cables back." Spike declared after dutifully inspecting Ed's little nature scene.

"Oh no! Ed's got something from everyone so everyone gets something from the fairy!" The teen wailed.

Faye eyed up the lanky bounty hunter as she straightened up from her own crouched position to look at the pot filled with treasures. Spike was running a hand through the back of his hair, looking discomforted over upsetting Ed. He was wearing his workout clothes which gave Faye an idea. She smirked and reached out to untie and rip off the cord that held the pants cinched around his lean waist.

Spike yelped and grabbed at the hem to keep his bottoms in place.

"Faye, what the hell!"

"Here Ed," She offered the drawstring to the girl. "I'll trade you, then you'll still have something from Spike." She glanced at the man in question. "Cheaper to replace this than that, I assume." She nodded towards the cable that Ed was already removing.

Spike grumbled. Jet snickered. Ein, who had gone back to sleep when it became clear that the interruption earlier was only the other crew mates arriving in the room, gave a snort and snore. Ed sang a little song of nonsense as she worked and Faye smiled as she gave herself a mental pat on the back for damage control.

Day 15: Rebirth

~~~

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Faye-Faye?”

“Being reborn? Been there, done that. Can’t say I recommend it considering how much they charge.” Faye muttered, flipping to the next page in her magazine.

* * *

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Spike-person?”

“My rebirth happened years ago, kid.” Spike replied, stretching to mop at a smudge on the Swordfish II.

* * *

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Jet-person?”

“I’ve lived a few lives in just this one… and you know what? I hope we do get to try it again after all is said and done. There’s things I haven’t had a chance to do… well, maybe next time, eh?” Jet chuckled, giving the pan he held over the burner a quick jolt to shift the contents within.

* * *

“And you, Ein-woof-woof, do you believe in reincarnation?”

“Woof woof!” Ein shook his head and pawed at his nose with both front paws.

“Ah, yeah I suppose not. Well, Ed isn’t sure that Spike and Faye even understand the concept, but as for me… I would enjoy being a doggy like you in my next life! Woof woof woof! In case this is all there is though… Ed shall play at doggies now!” Dropping to her hands and knees, Ed grinned at Ein and set off down the hallway on all fours, howling with joy.

Day 16: Swimming

***

The sun was shining brightly on the Bebop crew as they sat moored at one of the cheapest docks on Ganymede. The smell of salt water competed with the robust fishy odor emanating from nearly every vessel that surrounded them.

"Ahh. This fresh air is making me hungry." Jet declared, setting up a fishing station at the edge of the boat. "Think I'll catch us our meals today, hehehe."

"Jet-person is in a good mood!" Edward exclaimed. She spun past the ex-cop in a cartwheel.

"You're right, I am." Jet replied. "Feels good saving money and it'll feel even better when our bellies are full."

Ein, following on Ed's heels but much more slowly, snuffled around Jet's location for a bit before realizing there were no fish yet present in the bucket next to the former cop. With a soft yip that could have been encouragement or farewell, the small dog went trotting along after Ed again.

"Faye-Faye! Let's go swimming!" Ed cried enthusiastically as she ran circles around the lounge chair Faye was setting up.

Sighing, Faye pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead and, with a last yank, got the chair to deploy properly.

"Ed, this isn't a swimsuit." Faye said then, sweeping a hand down over her body to indicate the garment she wore.

"No?" Ed paused in her laps, frowning in puzzlement.

"No," Faye confirmed. "It is a sunbathing suit." She sat down on the leg section of the long chair and began to squeeze lotion out of the tube she had brought along.

"Oh, c'mon, Faye-Faye, swim with the kid." Spike cajoled as he ambled up. "You're all suited up and everything."

She rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear me explain that this is not a swimsuit?"

Spike moved past the girls to stand at the edge of the ship, looking down at the water lapping against the hull several feet below.

"No, I heard that. I just figured you might wanna wash that mayonnaise off." He turned to smirk at her. "Can't believe you didn't realize before you applied it so liberally to your skin!"

Faye's hands stopped mid motion and she stared aghast at her white-smeared legs for a moment before erupting into a flurry of motion as she shot off the lounge chair and lunged across the deck to forcefully shove Spike overboard.

"Wait! I can't swi-" His yell cut off abruptly as he went under.

"Ah shit!" Faye shouted before she dove off into the dark depths.

Jet glanced over at the commotion to see Ed on her hands and knees peering curiously over the side of the vessel with Ein at her side doing likewise. He sighed.

"There's a rope ladder a little way down if you wanna toss that over for them to climb back up, Ed." He informed the girl after a moment. "Take your time about it though, hey? Kinda peaceful the way it is now..."

Meanwhile, Faye had opened her eyes underwater to look around and try to find Spike's sinking figure. Anxiety made her chest tight as she moved in a circle and did not see him in the murky light that illuminated the upper layers of the deep waters of the dockyard.

Anxiety was about to turn into straight fear when she felt a tap on her shoulder and spun quickly to see Spike, hair bobbing in all directions off his scalp, grinning at her. He winked and then kicked to make his way to the surface as Faye, stupefaction morphing into indignation, swam to follow.

Sputtering once she reached air, Faye lashed out at the laughing bounty hunter treading water beside her. In between underwater kicks and splashes of her hands as she tried to hit him also, she screamed at him.

"What! The! Hell! You know how to swim?!"

Coughing as he caught a wave of water in his mouth and up his nose from her onslaught, he laughed again. "Sure, I was taught how to swim. Bloom, close, kick 'em in the head." He recited dutifully. Then, noticing the ladder Ed was lowering, he began to swim towards the ship.

Faye, glaring, swam after him. "Oh, I'll give you a kick in the head all right!"

Day 17: Camping

* * *

“Spike-person and Faye-Faye are camping out?”

 Jet looked up from the workbench where all the parts of his Walther P99 were laid out and saw Ed hanging upside down from the upper portion of the door frame.

 “On a stake-out, actually.” He replied, turning back to his mission for the day.

 “But Ed heard Spike tell Faye that there was more room to camp out in her ship and that’s why they left his here.” Ed’s voice was puzzled, but Jet chuckled.

 “Her pod does have more space in it, that’s true enough. He probably didn’t want to admit he fried his stereo the last time he got too close to the solar flares when we were near Mercury. That and I think,” Here he paused to give Ed a stern look, though with her still upside down it was hard to tell how much of his seriousness got across to the girl. Regardless he went on, stressing how dubious his theory was, “I  think  that Spike’s been a bit jealous since Faye stuffed that bountyhead in her ship a few weeks ago. Remember that?”

 Swinging her arms down so she was just holding herself up through the grip her toes maintained on the thin lip of the doorframe, Ed laughed. “Chicken kabob!”

 Jet sweatdropped. “Oh, that’s right… we never did get around to having kabobs that day.”

 “Nope nope nope! Mr. Wiley Whitney Heartbreaker Haggis Matrimonial-fraud Matsumoto wasn’t worth enough to get groceries!” She extended her arms palms down and once they were touching the metal floor she shifted her weight off the door frame and into a handstand facing out of the work room.

 “Sheesh, kid, that’s some memory you’ve got.”

 Ed reoriented herself to be facing Jet again. “Ed remembers all! Well…okay, not all. Most of the time on Earth? Dull, dull, dull. Very little excitement. Very little to commit to memory. Lots of hot. Lots of sand. Lots of sky falling. Friends at the orphanage! Nanny Nun Sweet Sister Clara! Tomato! Lots to learn about online, then Ed got distracted with wanting to go up up and away! Researched the Bebop for days and days and days.” She grinned at him. “You do a good job of looking tough, kicking ass and taking names! But Ed knows the truth. All the folks you let slip through the hands of justice!”

 Looking uncomfortable, Jet turned to give Ed his full attention. “Now, about that… some small fries are just too small to bother with! Why put in all the work when the payout is basically nonexistent?”

 Shaking her head, Ed tapped her chest over her heart. “Uh uh, nope, no way. Excuses that please the masses, sure you betcha. Reality is… you know when a person is good or bad. You know when to pull the noose tight and when to set the poor soul free. All of you do. Spike-person acts like he doesn’t care but Ed has seen him help the little kid market thieves scrounge up foodstuffs. Even Faye-Faye pretends to be all about the almighty dollar, but Ed knows she’s donated her winnings to bums on the corner before. Makes a big show about giving to get back, but that’s not how the universe works and she of all people knows that. And you? Worst of all! Taking in strays left and right, looking the other way whenever it keeps some juvenile out of detention, putting extra food on Ed’s plate and in Ein’s dish.”

 “Now, come on, we’re not all that altruistic.” Jet protested. “We’ve got a good reputation as ruthless bounty hunters and that’s well earned!”

 Ed shrugged. “Nothing wrong with being kind or doing good. But Ed will keep the secret. Keeps the real bad guys more scared anyway! But Ed requires something for the silence…”

 “Jeez, I think you’re picking up on all the wrong things hanging around here with us,” Jet muttered. “All right, lay it on me. What’s your price?”

 Beaming, Ed clapped her hands together. “To go camping! Roasting meats and mallows, snuggling up in sleeping bags under the stars! Spike and Faye-Faye are camping in the Red Tail but Ed wants the real deal! A tent, a campfire, even bugs! Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz! Can we can we can we?”

 “A  stake-out ,” Jet repeated. “They’re not camping out.”

 “Ed doesn’t want steaks for dinner. Ed wants meat logs!”

 Jet rubbed his forehead. “Okay okay, let me finish up here, hey? You find the dog and find out if we even have any supplies…”

 “Hooray!! Ed will get the tent from Io! And find a good place on the map! Oooh, Ed needs a lantern and hot diggity dog sticks and…” Her voice trailed off as she ventured further into the ship, leaving Jet to exhale as he looked down at the pieces in front of him.

 Her ability to read the room was uncanny. Though, in retrospect, Jet realized he was glad that she had done as much sleuthing on them as she had. While they certainly strove to avoid advertising the soft spots they had for folks in the same struggle boat as they so often were themselves… Ed wasn’t wrong about how often they let criminals slide. Truth be told, most of those folks shouldn’t be considered criminals in the first place but the world was an unfair place and that’s all there was to it.

 At any rate, it was good that Ed had been so dedicated to finding a worthwhile ship of fools to tie herself to. And her delight over the prospect of sleeping on the ground - which made Jet groan - was heartwarming if he was being honest with himself. Although in all fairness, Ed made sleeping on uncomfortable surfaces a habit despite having her own bedroom on the ship. The last time Jet had peeked in there he’d seen the mattress covered with gadgets and computer components - it was more of a work station than a place to rest your head. Maybe he’d set her up a desk instead…

 But first, the gun. No doubt she’d be ready for camping by the time he was finished cleaning his weapon, and he didn’t want to make her wait around when the idea of getting off the ship and into the fresh air was starting to really sink in as a damn fine plan.

Day 18: Sunshine

(parts of this inspired by the creativity of @kiraannfanfiction ... you’ll be familiar with the stuff I borrowed, my dear!)

* * *

Ed moved along the floor of the Bebop like a blob. Shifting and sliding and slumping along without ever lifting herself up higher than a sitting position as she made her way as bonelessly as possible to the hangar which is empty of any of the zipcraft. The doorway to the deck stood wide open, enabling her to roll over and over and over again. This was the quickest part of her journey and much easier than puddling up the stairs - those sections were where she had to focus her imagination the hardest.

"Edward has arrived, Ein!" She cried joyously as she reached the deck of the ship where the metal had warmed in the sun to a point very nearly uncomfortable if it weren't for the ever present cool breeze. Even so, she switched from her slug impersonation to a more ape-like hand-and-foot scamper to quickly reach her destination.

Ein, lying on his right side in a sprawl that looked more cat-like than dog-like, gave a whuff of greeting that was neither bark nor sigh but some in between sort of noise. He didn't bother to lift his head but he did wag his butt happily. If he'd had more of a tail it would have been thumping against the metal, but as a corgi he was mostly just fluff at that end.

"Mm, lazy sunshine days are here, my friend!" Ed murmured as she got closer and altered her approach into a slow crawl.

The dog gave a soft whine and pawed fruitlessly at the air with his left foreleg as if digging.

"Yep! Faye-Faye is gone to the market, Jet-person is getting parts from the junkyard, Spike-person is off to the pawn shop and this lil' piggy stayed home!" Finishing her own rendition of the nursery rhyme, Ed laid down on the ship deck and pillowed her head gently on Ein.

She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Ein's fur had that wonderful sun-baked smell to it and the soft tufts were delightfully warm against the skin of her cheek. A few stray hairs tickled her nose and she giggled before moving to lie more fully on her back than her side. Ein sighed again, the inhale and exhale of his little body making her head rise up and lower ever so slightly.

The sky above was the type of blue that reminded Ed strongly of Earth despite the fact that they were far, far from her home planet. Ganymede and Io were the only places she’d been that had skies that she was familiar with - if not necessarily the constellations that emerged at night - and it was always evoked a mixture of joy and wistfulness that rolled over her like one of the waves lapping at the hull of the ship.

Ganymede was Jet’s home planet, which made it feel like an extension of Jet himself. Mars, with its hustle and bustle, was mostly all sky shades of oranges and reds and pinks that turned purplish as night descended. Well, most of the crater cities were like that anyway - the capital city of Alba, terraformed in the Hellas basin, had been modeled to resemble Earth’s atmosphere and therefore had a blue sky to match.

Ed liked visiting Ganymede even if Jet wasn’t the biggest fan of returning to the watery moon. It was where they were able to load up on the most foodstuffs as Jet had dozens of contacts to hit up about fish, rice, vegetables, and more. He often let Ed go out and pick up things from the food pantries as Ed was the least suspicious looking of the bunch. Faye tended to be prickly about begging for scraps as she called it - yet she was always the first to inspect the score whenever Ed sent the Red Tail back to the ship. Spike just gave off the air of a ne’er do well, which Ed could see for herself so she certainly agreed with Jet there. And Jet himself had too much pride to go there himself.

It was one of the highlights of Ed’s day whenever she got to collect yummies for the ship. She didn’t pitch in physically on the bounty hunts, though she certainly pulled her own weight in the research aspect, but it felt wonderful to bring something to the table… quite literally in this case!

That had been her mission this morning. They’d docked the night before and Jet had her scope out all the places he wanted her to visit today and then she and Ein had made quite an adventure of the outing! They’d covered all the ground required and then some! There had been a delightful spread on their return to the ship - sandwiches and veggies and fruits galore - thanks to Jet whipping up a nice light meal to sustain everyone before the adults went out on their missions. Faye had a keen eye for meat, a fair ability at haggling, and a strong disdain for sorting through rubbish, which is why she was sent to the market while Jet set himself on the task of looting whatever salvageable goods might be at the junkyard. Spike’s assignment at the pawn shops was to trade out some of their books (the ones everyone had read too many times to ever want to pick up again) and whatever goods they’d obtained from bounty hunting. There wasn’t often much but occasionally they’d wind up with interesting trinkets or various odds and ends, and Spike was always eager to try swapping those things for things the Bebop actually valued… like new novels to read, or board games sometimes, or usually weapons since he went through grenades on a level typically reserved for armies.

After lunch, Ein had wandered off to doze outside while Ed had gone through the ship collecting all the clothing and blankets she could find. She wasn’t allowed to start the laundry - not since flooding the washroom with water and suds - but she was able to gather it all together for someone else to wash and then later she could help Jet hang it all to dry.

Now was her time to simply exist. There was no pressing need to net dive, no bounties to track until the others got back, and all her chores had been happily accomplished. The ship was quiet and empty, the deck warm underneath her body and her Ein-pillow was breathing softly under her head and making her think sleepy thoughts too.

With a smile, she began to track the clouds meandering along overhead and started to tell Ein stories about each one - the heart shaped one, the fish shaped one, the giraffe shaped one - until her words trailed off into a snore. Dozing peacefully in the sunshine, content in every way - not a bad way to end the day.  

Day 22: Refreshment

* * *

Antonio threw his cards down onto the table with a huff. He batted at the wooden bowl set between himself and Carlos, knocking the contents onto the ground and across the table as well. “These pretzels are making me thirsty!” He griped loudly, glaring around at his companions and the handful of curious onlookers in their vicinity.

“Hmm. Yup. ‘Bout time for a drink. I think… yeah. Cola sounds refreshing.” Carlos mused thoughtfully, laying his cards down with slightly more care. His hand had a chance at winning and he knew half of Antonio’s frustration likely stemmed from a bad draw.

Jobim nodded. “That it does… refreshing indeed… might cool me off good.”

“Cola!” Antonio snapped. “Cola ain’t got nothing on Pippu, you sons of bitches! Waitress! Hey, waitress! Get me a refreshing Pippu!” He yelled at no one in particular.

Carlos shrugged. “Don’t know ‘bout that. ‘Member, we worked for the cola company. Putting in those machines here to Pluto, that we did.”

Jobim nodded again. “Yup… all the way… installing those machines… like there weren’t no tomorrow.”

“Brand loyalty? Pah! We didn’t work for no soda company! We worked for Azkoyen! Hey, missy! Where’s my Pippu?” Antonio demanded, swiping at the purple haired woman walking by.

“Are you blind, old man?” The woman snapped at him. She gestured at her yellow two-piece outfit. “Do I look like a damn waitress to you?” She gestured around at the plaza where the old men were stationed. “This is a public park, you idiots! I don’t know where you got the pretzels from - Ed! Don’t eat those! They were on the ground! - and I’m pretty sure you brought the whole damn table here yourselves. No one is gonna come serve you drinks!” She stalked off with her hands in fists at her side and her nose in the air.

Carlos peered at the kid on all fours who had been sniffing at the pretzels that had fallen to the ground, a small pale furred dog alongside her. She flashed him a feral grin before bounding away from the table while the dog chomped on some of the pretzel pieces before begrudgingly following when the purple haired woman turned around and shouted at him.

Jobim chuckled. “Huh. Well… that’s that, then. Eh?”

Antonio glowered at his companions. “Goddammit! I’m thirsty I tell ya! I can’t play until I get a drink!”

“Think there’s a machine by those bathrooms,” Carlos noted. He leaned back in his chair to squint in that direction. “Looks like Funko Pop.”

“Goddamn sonofabitch! Funko! That’s the worst of the lot!” Antonio exploded, slapping both hands on the table and knocking more pretzels onto the ground.

Jobim shook his head. “Don’t know… Funko makes good pop… least, there’s a lotta carbonation there… Goes right to the head…”

Carlos nodded. “More refreshing than Pippu anyway. Syrup’s too thick.”

“What!” Antonio barked. “Cola eats acid off’a batteries! Whaddaya think that’s doing to your teeth? Gimme Pippu in all its syrupy glory any damn day! That’s the true refreshment!”

Day 23: Kite

* * *

The grass was lush beneath her bare feet, thick and sun warmed and a rich shade of green. It was no surprise really, the soil on Phobos was well known for being extremely fertile. It was one of the reasons that the Martian moon had been cultivated by affluent escapees of Earth back in the early days after the Gate Incident. A lot of knowledge had been lost in that tumultuous time, but that was specifically information that Earth had had in the computer systems on and off the planet. All the other terraformed asteroids, moons, and planets had never been at risk for loss of records and therefore it was easy to learn exactly when this one had been colonized or when that one had become a vacation destination or whatever the case may be.

Technically all of Phobos was owned privately - there were no public parks, no public transportation, no actual businesses located anywhere on the moon. These folks certainly did not need to hold jobs and had long ago set up delivery services to regularly bring them whatever they so desired from anywhere in the galaxy. Mercurian Import/Export vessels were a common site entering into the atmosphere and speeding off to their various destinations.

Realistically, there was no reason that the crew of the Bebop should have ever had cause to set foot on this bastion of the upper class who neatly pulled strings all across the galaxy from their cozy homesteads behind the scenes. All of the properties on the moon were very well protected and the handful that were not currently occupied were empty of anything of value that could be easily stolen, so there was not a great call for the presence of ISSP or bounty hunters.

Fortunately, they had connections to one of the obscenely wealthy families that had acres here on Phobos, and that had led to an invitation by Andy to come and spend a weekend just relaxing. Well, catching up on all the shenanigans that Andy had been up to on their behalf on Venus and also taking a break from their usual hectic schedule of chasing bounties and making deliveries and raising up a baby on the Bebop.

Jet was glad to step away from the kitchen for a few days and let someone else whip up the meals to feed all of them. Faye was glad to have a change of pace from the unchanging walls of the Bebop itself after having been more or less confined on the ship for weeks on end. Spike was glad to have real authentic meat on his plate and to have a new place full of spots to sneak away to with Faye while they let Andy’s mother dote on Baby Lupin.

Ed was glad for countless reasons. She’d been horseback riding and hot air ballooning and had taken tours of the mansion and the gardens that Andy’s mom was so proud of. The gardens were beyond belief. Sprawling out from the entrance of the four-story mansion, there was a maze made of hedges and rose bushes and statues which boasted a stone labyrinth in the center - the stones were covered in several varieties of creeping vines - that had a marble fountain in its heart. She and Ein had explored the maze at length, discovering all sorts of hidden delights and dead ends, and then they had splashed for quite a while in the fountain when they finally made it there.

Eventually Onyx had been dispatched to retrieve the pair for dinner, and that had been a fun ride back with the horse and dog seeming to communicate with each other as Ed listened in.

Today was a new day and the sun was high in the sky as she ran back and forth in the backyard with Ein trotting at her heels and occasionally lunging at the shadows cast on the grass by the kites high overhead.

The wind was strong enough to keep the kites aloft yet not strong enough to bring any sort of true chill to the afternoon air - not that Ed tended to notice temperature much anyway.

She’d had a special kite made to resemble the Swordfish II since making a replica of her own zipcraft wouldn’t be quite as effective of a shape to use as a standard diamond kite. In addition to that one, however, she also had a box kite that she held in her other hand to try and keep the pair separate to avoid any collisions. She’d tied the string of a parafoil kite to Ein’s collar and, impressively, it was able to maintain altitude more often than not.

They were running in giant circles around a blanket spread on the ground where Faye was sitting with a book in her lap while Baby Lupin lay on his back and stared up at the sky in wonder as the brightly colored kites passed by above him. Spike and Jet were nowhere to be seen but Ed didn’t care about impressing them anyway - her goal was purely to entertain little Lupin and herself and she was succeeding admirably.

The baby was too young to be any good at most of the games Ed liked to play, which was fine really - she’d discovered on this vacation that Onyx was an exceptional chess player, though she did have a habit of solely using her knights for her opening moves. At any rate, it was exciting to try and engage the baby in different ways every day. What made him giggle one day might earn her nothing but a blank stare the next, so gaining his interest was a brand new challenge every day.

Lately he’d been getting curious about different noises and sounds so Ed took a deep breath and then began to bellow out song lyrics as she ran.

“Oh, oh, oh! Let’s go fly a kite up to the highest height! Let’s go fly a kite and send it so-aring! Up through the atmosphere, up where the air is clear! Oh, let’s go fly a kite!” Ein yipped along with her, adding his puppy voice to the mix, and underneath it all Ed could make out the breathy little laughs of Baby Lupin as he started to express his amusement at their antics. Ed could even hear the soft groan Faye-Faye made as she looked up from her book to shake her head at the pair racing around and around. There was no hiding the smile that played on Faye’s lips though so Ed knew that even she was tickled by the song and the rainbow-painted kites dancing in the breeze.

Perfect days like this were few and far between, but Ed knew how to make the most of each and every one that she got to experience. Life was meant to be lived, and songs were meant to be sung and kites were meant to be flown!

* * *

credit to a concept in this work (specifically, Ed and Onyx playing chess and Onyx’s go-to opening move) goes to Drasino - it wouldn’t let me tag you for some reason!

Day 30: Friendship

A treat for @eclaire-and-pocky 💖

* * *

The house was positioned far enough from the seaside that the sound of the surf was only noticeable on particularly stormy days. On a calm and sunny afternoon such as this, it was basically silent even on the outdoor balcony of the second floor where Jet was.

It was awfully peaceful, sitting on the deck and being able to overlook the gardens of the backyard and the swaying of the tall grasses between that and the sandy shoreline. Bees and butterflies darted or buzzed or fluttered about the countless blooms and blossoms down below. If pressed, Jet could probably identify a dozen at best, but Faye knew each and every type. She'd planted them all.

He was amused at how much she enjoyed gardening considering that she'd never understood the appeal of bonsai tending. And, on the side of the house, the little vegetable and herb garden was all his responsibility - or that of whichever of the foster kids showed an interest and a greenthumb. Then again, Jet had always liked to be able to see results of his work whereas Faye was still much more chaotic and wild.

Her opponents in the courtroom never knew what version of Faye they would get. Sometimes she strode in to represent her clients with a fiery and impassioned speech set to flow from her lips and to the ears of the waiting jury. Other times she was cold and calculating, a true ice queen more than ready to counter every argument that arose with facts and figures.

She'd spent years focused on her education and she had earned her position in the legal field. After hours of late night studying and committing various trials to memory and quizzing herself until she knew every law forward and back… she had become the lawyer that she herself would have benefitted from when she was unfrozen.

Her motivation was personal. Her determination to win in a battle of wits and words, honed over the years after verbally dueling Spike and Jet himself - and of course in trying to tackle Ed's constant queries with logical or at least accurate responses - made her the top at her game.

Even now he could vaguely hear her arguing with one of the foster kids downstairs in the kitchen. It had to be Keiko, she was the only one who had opted to laze away her summer instead of taking advantage of the camps or courses that the other kids had picked.

Jet couldn't blame the girl. At 16 now she only had a few seasons left before she would be expected to find an occupation and perhaps a place of her own. Real life was right around the corner for her and she was trying to make the most of these days before she had to truly grow up. And like most teenagers she seemed to take special delight in driving her guardians batty. She and Faye constantly butted heads, but both seemed to like the banter so Jet tried to avoid stepping in these days.

The sound of voices dwindled and then Jet heard the back door open as Keiko made her way out of the house to the shed where the water equipment was kept. Donning a life vest and grabbing one of the stand-up paddle boards, she glanced up to give a salute to Jet before grinning hugely and heading to the water's edge.

Faye's sigh reached his ears as she slid the door open and stepped out to join him with an oversized mug of tea in one hand.

"That girl, I swear." She murmured, a smile in her voice even as she tried to keep a stern face. Her acting skills in court were much sharper than here with him. Shaking her head, she slipped into the chair across the table from him.

"Here I was hoping you were gonna bring me a top up," Jet teased, gesturing at his own empty mug.

Faye raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, you think just because you work late nights that I'm gonna help you stay awake during the day?" She smirked at him. "Maybe I'll share." She took a long sip and made sure to roll her eyes and moan in satisfaction as if the flavor and effect of the caffeine were really all that incredible.

Shaking his head slightly at her antics, he gave her a grin. "You seem to be in a pretty good mood today. Sparring with the kids already and everything."

Beaming, Faye set the mug down and pushed it towards his side of the table. "Oh yes! Ed finally found the evidence she needed to get a case rolling against Cherious! They've been so damn good at covering their tracks but naturally they had to fuck up eventually and…"

Jet took a drink of the tea and let her words wash over his head without actually hearing what she was saying. When Faye got like this she could go on for hours and while he was excited for her, unless the opponent was someone or something he was familiar with in his PI work, well, he just liked to hear her talk more than understanding exactly what she was up against.

"...so I was thinking you should invite Bob this weekend. It's been ages since he's been over and you know Yutaka has been considering an internship with the ISSP." She rolled her eyes.

Tuning back in, Jet realized he'd missed something. "Bob? What for?"

Faye shrugged at him, giving him a goofy look. "Why not? He's your friend isn't he? Besides who doesn't love a barbeque?" Reaching out, she grabbed the tea back from him to take another swig before leaving it on the table. "Anyway I've got to get to work. Keep an eye on her, hey?" She nodded towards the ocean where Keiko was paddling around.

"Of course," Jet replied, mind still on Faye's mention of Bob. She chuckled as if she could tell he was distracted - which was no doubt true, Faye was incredibly perceptive - and tilted his chin up so she didn't have to bend as far down to give him an invigorating kiss. "Hey now," He rumbled at her, "you sure you gotta leave now?"

Faye laughed and kissed him again. "Sorry, stud, I'm running late as it is. Raincheck for this afternoon? I should be home before the kiddos and I know Keiko is meeting friends later…"

"Don't tease!"

With one last peck, Faye sashayed towards the door. "I don't tease, love. I promise." She winked and was gone, leaving Jet to ruminate on her words earlier.

Bob, his friend?

He'd been one of Jet's most reliable contacts back when Jet was on the force in Ganymede. Bob was one of the agents who tended to hop around wherever the ISSP sent him. His most common posting had been - and continued to be - Mars but he'd certainly put in work all over the galaxy over the years.

When Jet renounced the ISSP and left Ganymede, his relationship with his co-workers on the force fell off with the notable exception of Bob. In fact, he sought information from Bob on bounties many times before Jet had ever met Spike, and their association had continued even as Jet added more members to his motley crew.

Hell, Bob was the one to always worry about them and reach out whenever he had word about something that might relate to the Bebop crew, assist them with a bounty, or potentially keep them out of trouble. In the aftermath of Spike's suicidal destruction of the Red Dragon Syndicate, Bob had been the one to help them recover his remains.

Even now as a PI Jet counted Bob as the most reliable source of information that he had, aside from Ed of course. There had even been an instance or two where Bob had volunteered himself to act as unofficial backup for Jet on a case.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized Faye was right. Bob was a friend - a damn good friend. Sure, he had a few quirks that Jet frowned upon, but that had been decent blackmail once upon a time and certainly wasn't as incriminating as most other officers. Without doubt, Bob was one of the few good ones.

He watched Keiko as she paddled around the bay and took his time finishing the tea Faye had left him before fishing his comm out of his pocket. It was time to phone a friend.

Dialing the familiar line, Jet grinned.

Memory

Memory was a funny thing. It was sharp and dull, vivid and unclear, true and false. It held joys and sorrows, lessons and experiences, and for some reason it held power.

Faye-Faye was drawn to it like a siren's call.

Spike-person tried to mute it though it nipped at his heels like a pack of wolves hellbent on their prey.

Jet-person went off and faced part of his - twice, in fact - and it only seemed to harden him further.

Ein never shared his memories with her, though he had to have plenty. Perhaps it was too sad to remember the beforetime when he was literally just a pup, and no doubt it was uncomfortable remembering the stretch of time where he was tested and trained and turned into something other than your average dog.

Ed's own memories were like bubbles. They'd rise up sometimes and her mind would take a pin to the rainbow shimmery surface and *POP* and then images and audio would overtake her. That was how it happened with personal memories at least. The things she learned floated about in her mind-sea much like the webpages floated about in cyberspace. She could access the contents at any time.

Facts and statistics and information retained far crisper copies than what one personally experienced. A shame, that, though probably it was for the best. The human mind wasn't exactly built to handle keeping all the information it ever encountered and processed.

But that was why humans created photographs, holographs, and videotapes. Ways to preserve life in the moment as it happened so it could be revisited with ease on a melancholy nostalgic sort of day.

And that was why Ed was so delighted by the camera. A chance to record pieces of the present to gift herself and the others in the future when they needed a reminder of the here and now.

Ghost

It wasn't like he didn't think of her. He left a basket of eggs for her whenever he left before she awoke. And it wasn't like he and MacIntyre fled under the cover of silence… she'd been awake early enough and often enough to observe and participate in the pell mell evacuation of the campsite and even to tag along when they departed more often than not.

It's just sometimes she slept so hard that she missed the exit. Sometimes she woke long after the sun and dined on eggs with Ein while she pondered which direction to take to bring her back together with Father-person again.

This was one of those mornings - well, it was already afternoon now. She could follow the tracks left by the all-terrain vehicle and probably catch up in a day or two. Depending of course on how long the others stayed paused in the latest meteor site.

The sun was glaring down from overhead and Ed was pleasantly toasty. Her belly was full and her mind was drifting like the clouds scattered across the sky so high above.

Ein whined at her bare feet and she squatted down to scratch behind both ears at once, making the dog smile.

"You thinking what I'm thinking, Ein?" She queried cheerily. "Ed thinks it may be time to give up the ghost. Yup yup. It's been fun, it's been real, it's even been real fun… but meteor tracking is kinda boring hey?" She stood up and stretched.

She knew her father wouldn't be upset if she bailed. He might miss her but he also might not even notice her absence for a while. Sometimes she felt invisible compared to the acquisition of raw data that fueled his daily drive. She could disappear and unless she was raining down from the sky he might not even think of her.

It wasn't necessarily a bad thing or even much of a sad thing… Ed had plenty of distractions and desires and duties of her own. She liked to see her father and it was funny watching MacIntyre forever struggling to get Father-person to get his name right. But she simply wasn't interested in mapping the world. She had been thinking lately that she'd rather be out amongst the stars again.

"Father-person!" Ed yelled out into the wind. "Ed is going on adventures! Be well, until we meet again!" She looked at Ein with a grin. "Better say your goodbyes, Ein-woof-woof! It's time for us to give up this ghost and start tracking down another!"

Ein blinked at her and then obediently howled before trotting after the young woman as she made her way, arms swinging madly, across the desert landscape.

"Bebop, Bebop, Ed is gonna find you! Jet-person, Spike-person, and Faye-Faye too! Ready or not… here… we… come!! Wahoo!" Arms now held straight out on either side, blanket tied around her neck like a cape, it was anyone's guess whether Ed was impersonating an airplane or a superhero… but in the moment all that truly mattered was the fun that she and Ein were having as they made their wacky way through life.

The Chariot

Wild cackling was the first thing he became aware of as consciousness painfully returned. His abdomen felt like it was on fire. His arm was throbbing with the familiar agony of a bullet wound careening towards infection.

"Our weapons were our instruments made from our timber and steel, we never yielded to conformity but stood like kings in a chariot that's riding on a record wheel!"

"Uhhhh …Ed?"

A whoop of delight and then a pair of small hands clapped onto his cheeks. "It's alive… it's alive!"

"Be gentle, Ed!" Faye's voice from nearby.

"Spike Spiegel, 27 years young. A man of strength and will and determination! Survivor of the Syndicate collapse on Tharsis thanks to one Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the 4th, at your service!" Giggling then. "Aren't you glad I kept surveillance of you guys? Made it just in time to swoop you away to safety and then helped Jet get Bebop-Bebop back in the skyyyyy!"

"How…" Spike mumbled. He hadn't opened his eyes yet. He was afraid of what he'd see. Surely this couldn't really be happening. The last thing he remembered was pitching forward down the stairs… he had to be dead.

"Edward built a ship! The Chariot! Came to the rescue when the news was telling me about warfare on the streets! Something told me it just had to be you." She laughed again.

"... this…real?"

A poke to his side had him surging upwards with a yell, clutching at bandages along a tender wound, and with eyes wide open from the shock and hurt.

Faye had a hand fisted in the back of Ed's shirt and was hauling her backwards. Jet was sitting across from the couch and eyeing Spike wearily, hands poised above the med kit in case he needed to grab out the needle for stitches.

"That feel real enough for you?" The ex-cop asked grumpily.

Spike panted, unable to voice a response.

"Ed, you can't just touch where someone's hurt!" Faye scolded.

"But Ed was gentle! The softest touch! No pinching, even if that's the traditional way to check for dreaming." The hacker explained.

Faye sighed. "Even a soft touch can be too much when something is tender like that."

"Ed… saved me?" Spike finally managed to speak again. It felt like every part of his body was protesting in some form or another. Still, it had to be better than the alternative. He hadn't wanted to die, after all.

"You betcha! Ed rode in like a wrecking ball! Then Ein flew the ship for Ed while I tried to stop the bleeding." She looked briefly scandalized. "Ed does not ever want to be sticky like that again."

Spike huffed a short laugh. "Me either, kid. Thanks for looking out."

She puffed up with pride. "Faye-Faye sent Ed to find a place of belonging! Checked in with Father-person then got worried about all of you! Good thing Ed came back to belong here!"

"We missed ya, kid." Jet said gruffly.

"All right, let's let the lunkhead get some rest." Faye decided. "Ein can keep an eye on him. I know Jet was working on a special meal for you when sleeping beauty here started to wake up."

"Oooh special food?" Ed grinned.

"Bell peppers and beef!" Jet informed her with a smile. "Plenty of beef for ya too. You're skin and bones again, kid."

"Fuck rest," Spike muttered, "food."

"Sorry buddy, you're on a liquid diet for now. Doc had to come here and rearrange some of your insides. But don't worry, I've got a slew of protein drinks for ya." Jet assured him.

"Liquid…" Spike grumbled. Had he been grateful to be back? He was about to change his mind. Fucking bell peppers and actual beef…

polaroid / mistaken identity / you're a liar (learning everything ain’t what it seems, that’s the thing about these days.)

"Listen, I don't know who you're talking about. Now leave me alone, will ya?" The woman glared at Ed as she tried to swiftly walk away.

But the hacker was not about to be dissuaded from her goal, nor convinced of a simple case of mistaken identity. There was no mistake. Ed was confident of that.

"You're a liar." She told the older one in a clear, loud voice.

The woman's shoulders hunched in as if she was trying to withdraw into herself as she glanced around furtively at the crowd of people around them - none of whom were paying the pair of women any mind.

"What's it going to take to get you to shut up and go away?!" The woman hissed. Her brown eyes flashed with anger and, perhaps not surprisingly, fear.

Ed indicated a nearby cafe with a tilt of her chin and marched alongside the woman as they made their way to the section of outside seating. A waiter hurried over as they sat and Ed ordered an espresso while the woman, after a long pause, decided on a chai.

Silence lingered even after the waiter deposited their beverages on the table and took his leave. Ed had no problem with silence, though. She'd lived on her own for most of her twenty-four years of life, after all. The woman, however, took to tapping a nail on the tabletop or shifting restlessly on the seat, or running a hand through her shoulder length dark black hair.

Eventually Ed took pity on her.

"Lenses, yeah? Easy fix. Kinda interesting you chose that specific shade of russet. And with your color I understand why you had to go dark with the hair. Can't change your height though, or the way you walk down a road. The pantsuit is a nice touch. I always thought the vinyl looked uncomfortable even if you were awfully sexy in it." She hid a grin at the startled expression on the woman's face. "Oh, sorry, should I have not found you attractive? I was just getting into my teens and all the hassle of hormones. I always knew I wasn't gonna be endowed like you... maybe that's what made you even more appealing." She shrugged.

The woman took a deep breath, distracted herself momentarily by taking a sip of her tea and peering suspiciously around at the street, then finally regarded Ed again.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know who you're talking about. I don't know why you're talking to me at all." She uttered tiredly.

"Once upon a time, Ed wanted to go everywhere. Learn everything. Meet everyone worth meeting. A child's dreams." She sighed and sipped at her espresso. Caffeine was her favorite drug. "I've grown up since then unfortunately. Learning everything ain't what it seems, that's the thing about these days."

The woman snorted but said nothing.

"Did you choose his eyes on purpose? Does it make you feel like he's looking at you when you gaze into a mirror? Is it a comfort thing or something to make you feel less alone?"

The woman looked stricken and took another hasty sip of her tea.

"I saw it on the news, you know. Not immediately of course - it was months later when I decided I should check in on you all. Ein was right... leaving was a bad idea. But some things are inevitable. Jet though? That was a surprise. He always seemed so solid. Dependable. Thought he'd live forever. Think it probably hurt him to lose Spike. Probably hurt him more when you bailed too. Lonely people don't do well at saving themselves. That's the point of having friends and backup in this job." She kept her voice level, her eyes cool. The rage that she'd felt on hearing about Jet's death had had years to go from an inferno to a smolder.

It wouldn't help anything to hold Faye responsible anyway. Done was done, dead was dead. Spike, Ein, Jet... well, nobody gets out of life alive.

"What do you want?" The woman's voice was a whisper, laced with guilt and regret. Her eyes shone wetly with unshed tears and her hand, reaching for her tea, had an unmistakable tremor to it.

Ed almost felt bad. Almost.

"You're wanted for theft, scamming, cheating, and so much more. That's just on the casino's side of things. Those collection agencies you used to worry about? Definitely still want that fine ass. Don't get me wrong, you made a good run of it. Enough years to be really impressive, enough enemies to be well and truly fucked no matter where you showed your face. The law's got long arms, Faye-Faye. And the bounties you got jailed? They've got long memories."

The woman's next words came out through clenched teeth, her eyes flicking anxiously over Ed's shoulders as if expecting to see officers or worse. Silly Faye-Faye... Ed herself was the worst.

"What. Do. You. Want."

Ed slapped a Polaroid onto the table between them, making the other woman flinch. A lifetime of being chased had left her jumpy and anxious - traits the Faye Ed remembered hadn't had. Being on the Bebop had likely been the safest Faye had ever been. And now, after nearly a decade of having her guard up... with vultures circling in...

The polaroid image made the woman frown. It had been snapped shortly before Ed approached her in the first place. Puzzled brown eyes - both the same shade, which was the biggest difference between her colored contacts and the ghost they were no doubt meant to represent - became confused.

"I don't understand." Her voice was still hushed. She twitched in her chair like a rabbit about to bolt. Ed saw her rub at her wrist absently as if searching for the bracelet remote she used to have for her ship.

"I could arrest you or kill you. Either way I'd get paid for a job well done. I've got dozens of employers - can't live without a slew of jobs these days."

The woman seemed to collect herself at last. Her hands came to rest on the table and her body grew still. The eyes that dipped down to the picture and then rose to meet Ed's gaze were finally full of calm and a casual disregard for her future fate. It was the closest to the Faye of old that Ed had seen yet.

"I've no doubt you're one of the best at what you do." The woman said then. "You were always the smartest of us."

Ed tipped her head a fraction in acceptance of the compliment. "Damn straight. You know, you'd have made it a lot further with Ed's help. Maybe even been able to get some of those nasty debt records erased."

With exaggerated movements she reached out to pick up the polaroid and gave it a considering glance before deliberately tearing it into pieces.

"Let's start with the fact that no one else after you has any idea of your current face. Not that you changed enough to avoid future notice, mind you. You didn't even retire your alias! It's like you wanted to be caught."

Faye sighed. "Maybe I did. Choosing solitude seemed like the right move but who can care about themselves when there is no one else?" Pain flashed through her eyes and Ed knew she must be remembering Jet and Ed's own words about the ex-cop.

"Being alone by choice is only enjoyable when it's actually by choice and not due to lack of other options." Ed told her plainly. "Today is your lucky day. You still believe in luck, yes? Ed has another option for you..."

Partners In Crime

“Ehehehehehe…”

Spike didn’t want to give away the fact that he was conscious so he kept his eyes shut and strained his ears instead to try and ascertain what exactly was going on around him. The nefarious giggles of Edward were not the most promising thing to hear upon waking.

“What do you think, Ein?”

“Woof woof woof!”

“Hmm… yes Edward agrees!”

Something brushed against his cheek and Spike reacted instinctively as he grabbed where he judged Ed’s wrist to be. She squawked in surprise but was laughing by the time Spike opened his eyes to glare up at her suspiciously.

“Faye-Faye! Jet-person! Spike-person has come back to life!” She cheered.

“What… what were you doing to my face?” He demanded as he let go of her wrist and sat up on the couch. He didn’t remember going to sleep there. In fact, the last thing he remembered was… sending the fridge into space? But he’d failed at launching the blob monster into the cosmos… there had been a sharp agony when the thing bit him as it managed to stay on board.

“Edward was making you pretty. It was Ein’s idea.” She glanced down at the dog, Spike’s gaze naturally following her own, and Ein let his tongue loll out of his mouth in a doggy sort of grin.

Spike frowned. “This was your idea?” He still wasn’t entirely sure what ‘this’ even was but he had a pretty good guess. It didn’t matter though, there was a much more pressing concern to address. “Ed, that monster is on the loose still. We have to clear out the ship.”

But she was shaking her head. “Don’t worry! The containment crew already went through! No sign of any creepy crawlies! The doctors came and went too - everyone is finally back to good now that you’re up as well!”

Faye appeared above them, looking down from the landing that led to the bridge. Spike nearly did a double take at the comical amount of makeup covering her face. White was caked everywhere, her lips were painted bright red but spread well past her lips themselves, and there were lime green arches above her eyes that stretched all the way to her hairline.

She snickered. “You look like a whore.” She told him.

“Yeah? Well you look like a clown!” He retorted. How she hadn’t felt the goop all over her skin was beyond him - his face was itchy in several spots, places he was nearly positive Ed had coated makeup.

The round door slid open as Jet arrived, stepping through in his jumpsuit and stopping in his tracks as he took in the other two. He guffawed, shaking his head.

Faye snorted as her eyes shifted to the newcomer. “Why Jet, you’re pretty as a princess, aren’t you?”

“What’s that now?” He asked with a frown. There was no makeup on Jet’s face but Ed had tied little pink bows into the scruffy sideburns that the ex-cop sported.

“Ed put some ribbons in your hair,” Spike told him, taking pity on the other man’s confused countenance.

“Ein’s idea!” The young girl immediately protested. “We wanted to make the Bebop Bebop a happy place of beauty!”

Spike had initially been doubtful of Ein’s role in the nonsense that had taken place while they had all been unconscious, but as Faye descended to the lower level he could see a distinct pale blue pawprint on one of her cheeks. Another look down at Ein confirmed that there was makeup on both of his front paws.

“You better know where some makeup remover is, kid.” Spike told Ed as he got to his feet. “You’re definitely gonna need something stronger to get all that shit off your face,” he mentioned to Faye, who had still not noticed anything amiss on her own person.

“What are you…” Her hands touched her cheeks and came away with makeup liberally smeared on them. Faye’s jaw dropped open and her wide eyes shot over to Ed, who grinned but very wisely began backing up towards the hallway. “EDWARD!”

“Ehehehehe, wait wait! Ed needs to get the camera!” The hacker cried out as she scrambled to escape the angry charge of Faye across the room. Ein was hot on her heels, the partners in crime dashing along just ahead of the furious bounty hunter.

“DON’T YOU DARE!” Faye shrieked.

Spike glanced over at Jet, who was fingering the bows in his chops. “Faye said I look like a whore.”

Jet grunted and looked over at him. “Well… you don’t… yeah. Yeah, you do. But look at it this way… she must have used most of the makeup on Faye, there’s just color on your cheeks and your eyes and your lips. It could be worse. That eye stuff goes well with your coloring anyway.”

“Gee thanks.”

“No no, see, you could have a real career out there if you wanted… just think about it, if the bounties dry up, at least you’ll have a fallback plan!”

Spike glared at the other man. “There’s glitter in your beard too. Have fun with that.”

“Oh for crying out loud…”

vows / restraints / don't move (see the chains around my feet)

Ed shuffled her feet nervously, vowing to listen to Jet in the future when he said not to take things into her own hands.

The chains around her feet were an effective restraint, much like the manacles that held her arms bound just above her head. As someone who had never so much as enjoyed trapping her toes inside shoes, this was torturous in and of itself. She was like a bird in a cage, except there was a gag around her mouth so she couldn't even sing.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and felt a rush of relief as she saw Faye-Faye stir where she'd been similarly trussed up.

When the other woman had failed to check in, Ed had gotten worried. She'd been back on the Bebop for only a week or two now and things there were still getting back to what she was used to before. Jet hobbled about the ship attending to the endless repairs needed to get it space worthy again while Spike remained incapacitated on the couch. That meant it was up to Ed to be the backup Faye clearly needed against this bounty head. She'd left Ein watching over Spike and had made off with the Swordfish II before Jet could realize she was up to something. He'd been convinced that Faye was fine and just being her usual unreliable self. Had forbidden Ed from going after her.

But Ed had known something was wrong. She'd come back to the Bebop originally because she had realized, after scouring the Earth for weeks looking for her father, that she preferred being someplace where people had your back. Where someone remembered to set out a plate for you for dinner. Where they looked after one another. And that meant she couldn't simply sit and wait for Faye to save herself - she had to act!

Getting caught by the extortioner hadn't been part of her plan though. The chains were cold and heavy against her ankles and the manacles were digging into the sensitive skin of her wrists. She had tried and tried to pull her hands through the metal circles but had only succeeded in making her forearms slick with blood leaking from the abrasions. Escaping handcuffs was more difficult than the videos she'd watched had led her to believe.

"Don't move." Faye's voice rang out clearly. She'd obviously woken all the way up and had realized they were alone in the damp basement of the abandoned house. The gag that had been around her mouth had been worked down until it was under her chin.

"Ed can almost break free!" She insisted, wincing as she tried to contort her hands again. Her gag had ensured that her words were muffled probably beyond understanding but Faye was smart and could see what Ed was up to.

The other woman sighed. "Ed. You're hurting yourself. Hold still, would you? Let me just..." There was an odd sound and then Faye's arms dropped down from the cuffs they'd been locked in. "Give me a minute to get these chains off my feet and then I'll come get you loose."

Ed felt a rush of pride at her companion's abilities and relief that she could stop straining her arms in her attempt to break free. It wasn't even embarrassing to have to be saved, not when she was learning something from her mistakes!

Once Faye had gotten the chains off and moved over to Ed, lowering her gag first, she set to make quick work of the restraints.

"Faye-Faye, you've saved the day! Ed came to rescue you! Will you teach Ed how to bust free? Videos didn't help! Please, please?"

Faye bared her teeth at Ed in a fierce grin. "You bet I will, Ed." The older woman vowed. "There's no way I want you stuck in a situation like this on your own, unable to do anything for yourself except scar up your arms. Now, will you stay down here while I go check if the upstairs is clear or should I assume you're gonna be right on my heels?"

"Ed wants to help! This guy had cuffs that fit my tiny wrists - that means he's held kids hostage before as blackmail. Ed is not about to let him roam free!"

Faye sighed. "Well, okay then but you need to stay out of my way, all right? Stay behind me and cover my back. Let me handle all the hard hitting." She glanced around at the space they were in. "C'mon, I'm gonna kick out those pipes over there. We need some weapons and I think those will do just fine..."