Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ Tenshi Trail: Shin Heart ❯ Vol. One, Chapter Six: Sisters' Day ( Chapter 6 )

Sisters' Day

Today was a slow day. The boys were out hunting another bounty. Ed was on her computer again. Ein was sleeping on Sakura's bed. Sakura herself was bored out of her mind. She stared up at the ceiling watching the ceiling fan go round and round in its repetitive circle. She used to not feel this way. But when Spike deflowered her, the tenshi-chi became more open to the darkness. She was slowly taking in more negative emotions. (“This is normal,” Fuji informed the crew. “She is just adjusting after her seventh chaka has been destroyed.”) The tenshi-chi was just bored without Spike. So, what to do? What to do? The tenshi-chi looked over at Faye. Her mentor was reading a magazine while trying to kill time. Sakura lightly blushed at her. The tenshi-chi idolized Faye to the fullest. In a sense, she wished she could be just like her.

Then, an idea came into Sakura's head. She sat up almost instantly.

“Faye-sama!” she called. The bounty huntress didn't look up.

“What?” she asked sounding uninterested. Sakura hurried right over to her. She pushed down the magazine down so that Faye could see her cute little face. The bounty huntress looked right into Sakura's sweet amber eyes. The tenshi-chi smiled at her in a cheerful way. Faye rolled her eyes at her.

“What do you want Sakura?” she asked. The tenshi-chi smiled at her warmly.

“Let's go out today!” she replied. Faye looked at her shocked.

“Wait! What?!?” the bounty huntress replied. Sakura kept her innocent-looking smile. She leaned in closer to her idol. Faye backed up some nervously.

“Oh come on!” Sakura called. “There's nothing to do here! Ed will be fine by herself! So what do you say?” Faye looked away.

“No way!” she said quickly. Sakura placed her head in her idol's lap. The other woman looked on nervously.

“Sakura, what the hell?!?” she shouted. The tenshi-chi looked up at her innocently. Her eyes looked like a sweet little kitty's.

“Please!” she pleaded.

“No!” Faye said again. Sakura laid her head back down again. Her fingers trailed along her idol's left thigh. Faye was freaked out now. This was a new habit of Sakura's. If the tenshi-chi wanted something from Faye, she seemed to try and flirt her way to get it. Funny thing was that the tenshi-chi only did thing with the bounty huntress. All she had to do with Spike was just to kiss him and he would do what she wanted almost instantly. Jet, Ed, and the other mystics gave her what she wanted sometimes. Sakura just didn't bother to ask Francesca for anything at all. So why just Faye? The tenshi-chi looked up at her again innocently.

“Please!” she pleaded again as she was rubbing on Faye's thigh again. The bounty huntress looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

“Fine!” she said. “We'll go out on the town!” Sakura sat up overjoyed. Her little trick worked just as it normally did.

“Great!” she replied. “I'll go get changed!” The tenshi-chi rose to her feet and put her hand straight up in the arm. A light pink light rose up and swallowed her whole. In a flash, Sakura appeared in her usual pink Chinese dress. Sakura smiled at her happily.

“How do I look?” she asked. Faye sighed and rolled her eyes again.

“Fine!” she said. Sakura smiled at her happily.

“Great!” the tenshi-chi replied. “Let's go!” Then she began heading out the door. Faye rolled her eyes yet again as she rose to her feet.

“Where are we going?” she asked. Sakura turned back to her smiling.

“Oh,” she said. “Just here and there.” Then, the tenshi-chi went out the door. Faye rolled her eyes again. “Right!” she thought unimpressed. Then, she followed right behind her younger “sister.”

Sakura did right by her however. The girls went out on the town as planned. Sakura knew her idol too well. She turned to her older “sister” smiling.

“Okay,” she said. “So what do you want to do first—the casino, shopping, or a movie?” Faye stopped listening at casino. She grinned at the other woman boldly.

“What do you think?” she asked. Sakura smiled back at her.

“The casino?” she replied. Her idol grinned at the right answer.

“Lead the way!” Faye told the tenshi-chi.

“Right!” Sakura replied. Then, they headed off to the casino.

“You have money, right?” the younger sister asked.

“Of course I did!” Faye replied without blinking. Sakura looked at her uncertain. She had also learned to tell if someone was lying or not. The woman knew when her idol was lying. But, Sakura chose not to say anything at all. She just kept her mouth shut and nodded. The walk to the casino was a long and silent one after that.

Sakura took Faye straight over to the Buffalo Casino. She turned to her idol smiling to please her.

“Well,” she said. “Here we are!” Faye looked on impressed.

“Very good,” she replied. “You are doing better.” Sakura watched her happily. She was doing something right in Faye's eyes at last! Progress had finally begun. Maybe this relationship could work after all.

“I suppose I'll have to play distraction again for the other players, right?” the tenshi-chi asked her in a small voice. Faye looked at her smiling.

“That's right, dear!” she replied. “Wow, you know your part very well.” Sakura nodded in embarrassed modesty. That was the one feature she always tried to over look with Faye. The other woman always used her for money in poker games as a distraction. Sakura didn't enjoy it all, but she only did it just to make Faye happy. Next to Spike, the tenshi-chi saw Faye as the one that she needed to stay close to at all times. So, Faye's happiness was really important to her. If Faye wasn't happy, Sakura wasn't happy either. It could be worse though. At least Faye wasn't using the tenshi-chi as a poker chip in her games. Spike would kill her for sure. The girls headed in quietly.

Faye sat down at the first slot machine. She put in the money and went to town. The bounty huntress got three turns with the slots. Faye blew the first two with failure. She then turned over to Sakura.

“Want a shot?” she asked. The tenshi-chi looked at her surprised. Faye had never offered to let her play before in her life. Sakura just usually stood in background watching while she played the distraction. She must really be moving up in the world.

“Really?” Sakura asked in shock.

“Yeah,” Faye said with a nod. The tenshi-chi hesitated for a moment. Then she took in a deep breath and pulled the lever. She didn't win that one. There trio didn't match up. Sakura looked her idol disappointed.

“I'm so sorry,” she said softly. Faye put her hand upon her shoulder. Sakura looked up right away. Faye was… actually smiling at her. The tenshi-chi was really surprised now. Usually, her idol was really frustrated were she lost. It became clear to the tenshi-chi now. Faye was starting to be proud of her younger “sister.”

“Don't worry Sakura,” she said. “I can win it all back at the poker table.” Then, the bounty huntress motioned her to come with her. The woman went further into the casino. They came over to the nearest poker table that they could find. Faye sat down with the boys and Sakura stood near the doorway. Her idol smiled at the set-up. Sakura knew her role too well in this plot. The dealer came out to the table in a couple of minutes and the game began. Sakura watched on silently. As the players all played the first game, an idea came into Faye's head. Sakura was still an innocent angel after all of this time. That was fun for a while. But, it was time for her to grow up some. Faye would get right on it after this game. Momma had to win some money right now.

Faye clearly won most of the games at the poker table. The tenshi-chi was really happy for her idol. The rest of the day would prove to be a good one due to Faye's good mood. Faye and Sakura walked over to cash in the chips after various games. As the bounty huntress got right to work getting more money, she decided that now would be a good moment to “teach” Sakura some more life “lessons.”

“Sakura-chan,” the woman spoke up as the machine was cashing in the large amount. The tenshi-chi looked up at the sound of her voice.

“Hm?” she asked her. Faye stood up straight and turned around to her.

“Why exactly do you follow me or Spike around all of the time?” she asked bluntly. The tenshi-chi thought about that for a moment. Faye waited for her answer. Sakura just shrugged at her at last.

“I don't know,” she replied. “I guess I just do.” Faye smiled at her in a fake kindness. She lightly put her hands on her younger “sister's” shoulders. The bounty huntress shook her head at her lightly.

“Listen Sakura-chan,” she replied. “You need to be your own person.” The tenshi-chi looked at her completely confused on that one.

“What do you mean?” she asked her mentor. Faye shook her head again lightly.

“I mean,” she said. “You can't just do things for Spike and I just to keep us happy. Do something for yourself. That is the only way you are going to survive in life.”

“Okay…” Sakura replied uneasily. “I guess.” Faye kept her sweet fake smile.

“Just stay with me and I'll teach you all that I know,” she replied. “Got it?” Sakura smiled at her kindly.

“All right!” she replied. Faye patted her lightly on the shoulder. Right then, the money was all ready. The bounty huntress grinned in victory and collected her prize. She turned to her little project.

“Shall we go now?” she asked. Sakura smiled at her happily.

“Yeah!” she called out loud. The bounty huntress smiled at her and they headed out of the casino. Right at that moment, Sakura suddenly began developing a mind of her own. Slowly, but surely it was coming. Faye's words had sank into her unconscious mind and started to take their effect on her. However, there was a small price to be paid for such work. Sakura's shin heart was developing. And everyone knows what danger and risks that would bring with it. But, who's counting? Life's too short and you only live once. So why not live a little?

Live a Little, Angel