Work.

Dark. Aaliyah liked that. Meant that nobody would see her. Moved hand to hair. Wiped it from face. Smirked at citizens. All fools. Didn't understand. Never knew. Kept happy lives. All would die. Just like her. Everything would die. Accepted that. Was why she didn't feel it. Regret. Unnecessary. Just like love. Didn't need it. Only needed Doctors. They kept her safe. Healthy. "Loved." And she accepted it. Didn't need to question. Just work. So work she did.

"Nearly there." Walking boring. Wanted to kill. Wanted power over life. Found target. Man. Early 30's. Was threatening company. Needed termination. Would be over soon. Walked to man. Smiled sweetly.

"I'm sorry... I need help." Fool. Helped the pretty girl in a second. Perfect. Fool. Was going to die here. Bad for him. Good for her. Meant she could live. Took him to alleyway. Pulled gun from thigh holster. Raised to his head.

"Die. You should've left the company alone." Eyes widened. Full of fear. Perfect. Pushed to his skull. Pulled trigger. Blood sprayed. Covered Aaliyah's face. Licked lips. Pushed man over. Holstered gun. Wiped face. Walked away calmly.

"Done."

Ike walked down the street after been kicked out of an inn due to "making too much noise!"

"Ridiculous!" He proclaimed to the deserted street. "HOW CAN YOU MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE IN A GOD DAMN PUB!"

Then Ike gave the Barman a second thought. Maybe he didn't say noise, he didn't really catch the last part of his sentence because it was too loud. For all he knew, the Barman could have asked him to leave for making too much trouble, after all, he did make those two burly man angry enough to smash a table.

"Pffft Whatever," he replied to his inner consciousness. "All I need to do is to find another inn, and everything will be back to normal."

At the idea of finding another inn made Ike overflow with glee, in fact Ike started skipping down the street(Yes, skipping.). He skipped down the street with his eyes firmly closed, believing his surroundings to be a field of flowers. That is until Ike's foot met a lonesome banana peel on the road. Ike snapped out of his daze quick enough to see the banana peel, but not quick enough to stop him going flying down the pavement.

Face first, Ike went charging down the street due to a cliche banana peel. He didn't stop until he hit into the feet of another person. He lied there, face in the ground think how absurd and confusing that pasty experience was, before noticing he was actually at someones feet.

"If its spade or Kira-Kun, I'm not gonna live this down," he moaned as he turn himself over, however not bothering to pick himself up. It wasn't Spade, nor was it Kira-Kun. In fact it was a girl, a young girl at that. However he didn't want to find out how young,'cause then he might not be able to...

"Hey there" He'd jumped up and decided to introduced himself, "the names Ike. You know you shouldn't be hanging around here. Dangerous people hand around here...Like Spade..." Ike trailed off.

Spade sauntered out of the grocery store with a bag of bananas. He had read in a magazine that they helped get rid of hangovers. He didn't care what it was; if it was pig's ears, he'd try it. Spade was desperate...his head was pounding from last night at the bar. What a great night it was! And he had woke up next to a blond beauty. Too bad she would be disappointed when she found that he was now gone. Spade stared at the concrete, glad that no one could see his eyes through his sunglasses. Shirley...

He took out a banana from the plastic and peeled it as he walked, looking forward now. He had to keep looking forward... He took a bite and then shoved the rest into his mouth, swallowing. Bananas were so mushy... It wasn't really his style. He tossed the peel to a trashcan and missed. Fuck. Well, he tried, didn't he? And then continued walking, pulling out a cigarette. He stopped to light it, placing it between his lips. But then he realized that smoking wasn't a great idea with a migraine. Giving an exaggerated sigh to no one, Spade put the holy stick back in its box and then stared forlornly at the rest of the bananas. He felt like a monkey. Were people looking at him weird?

Just then he heard a thud behind him and turned around to see a familiar head of blond hair. And...a familiar banana peel. Oops. Spade hid quickly behind a stop light pole and ducked around it to spy on the idiot who was stupid enough to become a cliche. Shit! It was Ike! Spade knew he recognized that horrible fashion-less blond hair!

Spade sneezed. Shit again! His cover was blown. He sped out from his hiding place and jogged over to Ike and... There was a hot chick. A hot chick. So much hotter than the blond last night, and yet...so much younger. Spade shuddered. He didn't flirt with girls that weren't legal. He raised a hand as he came to Ike's side. "Y-yo! F-fancy meeting you here." Shit the bag! He thrust it behind his back and flashed his crooked playboy smile. Nothing wrong here~

Oh you have got to be kidding me... was the first thought that went through Ike's head. Ike hadn't even got the girls name and the dark forces had summoned Spade to come and royally mess him over. Just no luck it seems.

"Speak of the devil..." Ike turned to Spade, and just caught Spade hiding something behind his back. It looked like some sort of bag,

"Yo, spade, what are ya hiding there?" Ike tried to get a sneak peak at the thing behind spade's back, thinking it might be some good old fashioned Vodka, but for some reason, Spade wouldn't let him see. It was unusual, but Ike decided to play a waiting game, Spade would drop his guard eventually. While trying he remembered they had company, he turned and placed a hand on the strangers shoulder,

"Oh yeah Spade, say hi to...er..."

Ike was brought to a halt, that's right, Spade came straight after he met her. He turned his attention from Spade to the Girl.

"Sorry I never got your name...you are?"

A man. Strange. Slipped in front of her. Aaliyah showed no sign of surprise. Why be? Wasn't needed. Just watched. Didn't care. Didn't try to help. Kept one hand on gun in her skirt. Might have to escape. He might be police. He stood up. Introduced himself. Warned her. Surplus to requirements. She didn't fear anyone. Let alone men. Was about to walk away. Another man appeared. Stared at her. Eyes narrowed. Ready to draw pistol. Wait. Wasn't attacking. Could get out of this without killing. No need for violence. Less attention that way. Sighed. Was asked name. Looked at 'Ike'. Could grant them that much.

"Aaliyah. Aaliyah Vercroft." Voice was flat and toneless. They wouldn't get other information out of her. Nothing. Watched coldly. Made sure of no hostilities. She could keep with them for now. Might be good scapegoats. The Doctors wouldn't mind. As long as they lived. Then they wouldn't mind. Hand relaxed from pistol. Eyes opened wider. Sigh escaped lips. Hands on hips.

"So... You're telling me to be careful of him? I've seen more threatening gerbils." Not trying to be insulting. Was telling the truth. 'Spade' wasn't that threatening. Couldn't hurt a fly.

Ike laughed. Hard. " Gerbils!" he managed to spit out in between laughter, he took his hand off Aaliyah's shoulder to point at Spade. It really wasn't that funny, but Ike just couldn't help himself. Spade saw himself as some hot shot he was sure of that, and that little insult was just perfect. Ike's laughed died down, after all, it was the middle of the road, and he didn't want to make a scene.

"Aliy-Kun that was pretty good. Comparing Mr Ladies-Man over here to a rodent. That doesn't happen very often, especially not from girls."

Ike gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder and strolled around her, as if he was weighing up a new member of a basketball team.

"Yo, Rodent-Kun," Ike said, addressing Spade in a slightly happy tone, " What you up to tonight? I'm guessing its just boozing and going to the casino, if you weren't, you are now, and I'm joining ya"

He walked over to spade, but an arm around his shoulder and ruffled his hair.

"I'm sure you'll be up for it, right?" He then lowered his voice so only Spade would hear;
"It seems you wouldn't have much luck with this one, Mr Lucky, maybe you'll luck will come out in poker. Lets see if you can win your money back from me."

Ike knew that what he said was a rare challenge that Spade Couldn't resist.

"Aaliyah: what a beautifully unique name. It sounds romantic like the name of a distant star that--" Spade stopped himself, suddenly realizing that he was speaking out loud. Normally he would have showered the female with continuous poetic garble until they were blushing in his arms, but Spade wasn't an idiot. He could tell by the way she was standing that she had some sort of hidden weapon. And if he looked closely there were trace splatters of blood on her. She wasn't just any underage girl. 'Course as he was thinking all this and decoding the situation, Spade missed the fact that he was belittled lower than a gerbil. Had he heard, however, he would gladly accept that he was at least not a gerbil in general, but that was besides the point.

Spade looked up quickly with a swish of wavy, dark brown hair when the word 'boozing' entered his thirsty ears. The same trademark crooked smile seeped onto his lips. Well, of course. Sharp emerald eyes connected across the thin air to Ike. "There's a problem here," he said seriously, the prospect of a murder on his mind--or was it? "You just called me a rodent. What the hell are you talking about?" He pulled out a banana from the no-longer-hidden-bag and started eating it without thinking. Through swallows, he continued with a do-not-fuck-with-me look, "So you really don't bleach your hair, ol' buddy~" Spade laughed, patting him on the back. "Best way to get rid of a hang over is to..." He left the sentence to be finished by his friend who knew him too well. 'Drink more!'

Now there was the issue of the female. It was easier for Spade to just think of her as that. Resistance was key. "What do you think, beautiful, should I take his challenge?"


[OUTPOSTER D< -throws banana at-]

She was complemented? Strange. That's what it was. She had just spoken her mind. Nothing too difficult. But it was strange. Not that it mattered. 'Ike's opinion was unimportant. Surplus to effect. Stranger in the way. Eyes thinned. Hand moved to weapon again. Hand was on shoulder.

"Hmph." 'Spade' piped up. Hand left shoulder. She relaxed. Aaliyah sighed. Man was saying strange things. Seemed to be complementing her too. What had she done? It confused her. Sighed again. Asked about a challenge. What challenge? Wasn't listening. Something about alcohol. Aaliyah drank sometimes. Not that they knew. The doctors said something. Her rebellion into self-thought. Tried to stop it. But Aaliyah wanted to do it. Kept her thoughts to herself. Emotions never crossed her mind. But they were beginning to.

"A challenge exists to be taken. If he has challenged you, you must take it. I understand the logic of it - at any length." Nodded. Stood straighter. Wiped excess blood off clothes. Nodded again.

"I have nothing pressing to do - except reporting back home. If you wish it, I shall accompany you."

Ike ignored the bleaching comment, 'cause it was just typical Spade, showing up his mates to try and get closer to a girl.

"Looks like you got a date tonight, Spade-Kun, although I didn't know you like them young." Ike grinned while taking out a cigarette and his Zippo lighter. He lit up and looked at his lighter,

"maybe i need to get a new one of these." Ike mumbled, the design on the side of his lighter was starting to fade but that wasn't important at the moment, he put the thought to the back of his mind, and looked at the other two. There was a strange feeling between the two, but that was there problem.

"Shall we set off?" he asked the pair. " Of course Spade-Kun you can lead us, you'll know the best place to go, right?"

Contrary to what he just said, Ike set off first ahead of pair. It was something about the girl, when he just he had on her shoulder, just for a second, she tensed up, she was strange alright. Ike sighed, he hoped this night wouldn't be too troublesome.

"Oh by the way Spade-Kun" He said back to the pair "It seems you'll have to pay for her drinks as well as mine now doesn't?"

Date? Spade blinked and placed his sunglasses all the way up his nose. Surely that's not what it was. Ike was just being an idiot...like usual. He leaned in closer to his friend's ear and answered in a low voice that held lazy tones. "Sorry, buddy, I don't go out with underage girls. Maybe you do, but I have my morals." And Spade, regardless, always stuck to his code. He pulled away and leaned against the pole behind him, and then reached for his own cigarette, but froze. God dammit. Habits die hard. Scowling and sweating heavily, Spade glared in envious neglect at Ike. Trying to brush his obvious discomfort aside, he laughed slightly. "Old lighters are the best. Unlike sunglasses, the faded edge makes them look more bad ass." Spade reached into his military jacket and withdrew his own beat up zippo. "See. The dent in the side gives it personality. Girls dig that, right, Aliy?" He grinned and tossed the lighter back where it had been. Ike probably knew the reason why he was avoiding smoking. It was unfortunate really. Like every addiction, Spade's body was screaming for poison.

"Let's hit the road. I'll buy you a strawberry daiquiri," Spade said, looking at the young girl through his flashy sunglasses. Then he thought to himself, a non-alcoholic one. He also figured it would be okay as long as the girl stuck with them. She couldn't be hauled out if she had Spade with her. On another thought, he was going to win big today... It was decided. There was no holding back. "Wait... who said I was going to buy you anything, Ike, you sly bastard." Spade stalked after him.

'Spade' made an assumption. Thought she was "young". True. She was young. But not that young. She sighed. Aliy walked towards bar. They were inside. She waled up to bartender. Had to show up idiot. Needed to prove her age. Sighed. Looked at man. Pulled wallet out of bra. Held up to barkeep with ID.

"Beer. Strongest one you have. Please." Paid for drink. Turned around to men, sipped. They would be so confused right about now. Sighed softly. Sipped again. Decided to break the ice, in the basest sense of the term.

"If it confuses you and you must know, I'm twenty. Old enough to drink. Don't get me confused with a child." Her eyes narrowed. Crossed legs warily. Watched men. Knew what happened to young girls like herself. Was not taking chances. Would not hesitate to kill. Easy to take life. Harder to give it. SIghed. Drunk some more. "Liked" the feeling that beer gave her.

"Huh?" was all Ike could come up with, in response to the truth about the girls age. It was actually surprising. He was under the impression that she was younger than that, but the ID said otherwise. Of course it might be a fake, but wasn't his problem. Ike just grinned as turned to Spade

"You know what this means...We have a new drinking buddy. At least for tonight! Yo barman..."

Ike went on to tell the man behind the bar what he wanted, tonight is whiskey night it seemed, since that what he ordered. Although he drinks change as quickly as the wind nowadays.

"So, Aliy, seeing as you're not as young as first though, I suppose you have a occupation of some sort, you mind telling us what sort of job you have? I wouldn't be surprised if you knew this guy here" While he said that he pointed at Spade.

"He has quite the well payed Job, not to mention he's quite well known."

Spade waltzed in the bar LAST for the only time in his life. He was tired, cranky, and very hung over. It was time to deplete the headache with more...poison! Yes. Spade's tongue was almost twitching in his mouth. Tonight...would be whiskey night! He could almost taste the bitter liquid and feel it's burn down his throat--the glorious smell coming through his nose. That was around the time when Spade became horror-struck. The girl, Aaliyajda was not stopped by the barkeep. And she was wielding an extremely strong beer. Spade could tell by the color and the amount of foam (he was an expert no doubt). Wiping wavy brown hair out of his dim eyes, he squinted at her. Was he hallucinating?!

Spade almost jumped out of his skin when Ike spoke up beside him. Spade's heart had become a butterfly, pattering away at his ribcage. Ow...it kind of hurt. He turned slowly...very slowly towards his buddy and stared at him as if he had seen a ghost. Totally disregarding what the blond said, with a quivering voice, he pointed. "Am..I seeing things?" When the barkeep shook his head and Ike assessed that he indeed wasn't, Spade felt a shock of adrenalin curl through his veins. He didn't understand this uncouth feeling. In fact, he resented it because it make him feel vulnerable. As vulnerable as he had been when...Shirley was still alive. No!! Spade held his sunglasses and shook his head violently. "Bring me a whiskey! No, bring me two!"

The moment he received his, he began chugging it like one would milk. Hell, it was like milk to Spade. The poker table was in the back. Apparently Ike didn't think Spade would win, when in fact, he would destroy everyone tonight! Even the burned in memories of Aliyadsfj reaching into her bra for her ID. Spade knew. He looked at those damn things all day. It was real. Real. Spade had indeed failed at guessing a woman's age... He would have to live with the shock of this experience...forever.

Strange. These people. They had comments. Their comments were humourous? Was that the word... Yes. Aaliyah believed it was. Humour was a concept lost on her. But these two changed that. She put her hand up to her mouth. A strange... chuckle came from the back of her throat. He eyes suddenly widened. Looked at her hands. Had they done it? No. Looked down at her stomach. No... It wasn't. Her throat had done it. She had done something strange. She would ask the doctors about it later. For now, she would drink. And keep these two in line. Until she could get away cleanly.

"Poker. That is your game?" She asked. She knew little about it. The doctors had banned her from gambling. She just didn't know. It was all new to her. Stood up. Looked at pair again. Took swig of drink. Blinked. Tried again. Blinked. Looked in glass. Empty. What? Had she... Looked to her left. No, people were still drinking. Walked up to bar. Asked for another glass. Paid again. Started to drink again. Sighed. Watched more. They interested her.

That was unusual. Meant that she had a subject of her own. Taken an idea from the doctors. "Subject AA" was who she was. This 'Spade' would be "Subject SS" to her. 'Ike' didn't matter to her. But he asked a question. What did she do?

"I do... jobs. I work for a small science company here in Central. Doing their little things." She nodded.

Ike could help but feel the last could of seconds were somewhat...awkward. There was some thing wrong with Spade, as if he was high on drugs and its always awkward when your mate is acting like he's insane. The there was the girl, who Ike had decided had an uncanny ability to make a normal situation awkward. Not to mention it seemed everyone was spaced out. Ike thought about Aliy's reply "I do...jobs" she said.

What a great reply...obviously she not a talkative type. This could be a long night if that's the case.

Ike gave a small smile, before talking to Spade again,

"So when are we gonna get down to business? I can't wait to win some cash off you Spade-Kun, I could use some pocket money to buy me some pizza..."

That was a good plan, except Ike knew Spade was one hundred times better at him at poker, since Ike had Zero luck. But he just wanted to move the night along to something more interesting that watching Spade drink way his later years in life, and a girl, that is possibly a robot in disguise, drink strong beer. Thinking about those two drinking, made Ike turn to the bar, to get another drink. Just before he said anything to the man behind the bar, he remembered. His boss, his job. There was a possibility he had work tonight, and he was told to keep sober. Ike gave a slight chuckle to the barman and turn to spade.

"Oh yeah it slipped my mind completely, I'm not drinking tonight spade, sorry but duty calls and all."

Spade rolled his eyes, adjusting his flashy sunglasses on the tip of of his nose. "Were you implying my loss, Ike?" Spade smirked a crooked, trademark smirk and took a sip of his second whiskey. "I like your spirit, but buddy," Spade patted him on the shoulder as if to comfort him, "the only way you'd ever beat me is if I let you." He winked and pulled away. "But there's always a possibility. Besides, you have been learning from the master." He ran a hand through his wavy hair as a joke. "Alright, maybe I'll just buy a pizza for everyone. It's getting pretty late...even better." He laughed mock-evilly. "For now, let's start the game. Pizza'll come when the sun actually goes down."

Spade discreetly dumped his bag of bananas in the corner, giving the bartender a severe tell-anyone-I-put-that-there-or-let-anyone-touch-it-and-die look before heading over to the tables. "Come on Alibaba, Ike, let's--what!?" Spade flung his head around and stared at Ike like he had three heads. "Not...drinking?" Heart failure was eminent at this point. Well, Spade had to keep in mind and actually remember that not all people were like him. Some people had real jobs that didn't involve heading the entire Amestrian military or anything. Right, someone like Ike who saved lives instead of destroyed them. Spade could respect the blond for that. It's not like he could drunkenly march into war like this playboy here. Spade shook his head in shame at himself, but it didn't last long. "Just means you'll have to drink double next time!"

He strut over to one of the poker tables and sat down, cracking his fingers. "Let's do this shit."

[EXIT TOPIC]