Note from Author: As always, these characters do not belong to me, they belong to Namco Bandai. Of course as always if Namco Bandai is willing to give Asch to me, I would be happy to take him. But until then, all I can do is play around with them in my writings. This is a creation of my own overactive imagination and serious boredom, nothing more and nothing less.

Asch arrived after a long absence to the island that he could actually consider to be his home. It was about the only place in the world where he didn't have to hide who he was, and the people here always appreciated him as a fellow resident and benefactor.

Namcobanda Isle, it was a place that Noir, York, and Urushi, had set up to help those who had lost family to the Score. While he didn't quite qualify on that note, since he had helped them as a benefactor and had no family, they let him stay whenever he wanted. That and the island served as a convenient place to meet with them. Anywhere else they were hounded by fans or hunted down by the military.

He was spotted quickly by the lovely pink haired leader of the Dark Wings, as they were commonly called. "You have returned at last."

He handed her a small bag, it was filled with money. Part of their promise to each other was that in exchange for their providing him with a place to stay and information, he would help them financially to support the residents, along with doing anything he could to keep them out of trouble with the law. It worked well, as neither party could accept charity well, and Asch really didn't need his earnings as an Oracle Knight that much, he lived quite frugally. "I know, you were waiting on the money."

"No way, darling, the money helps, but it's you I had been waiting for."

"Noir, I told you before, I am not interested in you in that way."

"And as I told you, I will change your mind someday, like perhaps over dinner?"

He sighed, she never let up. "I will meet you for dinner, but nothing will come of it."

"We'll see. Until then!" She blew him a kiss as she walked off with her hips swaying.

Unfortunately Noir would never learn that he wouldn't ever dishonor himself that way. He may no longer belong to his old life, but he still kept himself to the promise he made. Theirs was a business arrangement that was meant to be satisfactory to both parties. If it wasn't for the fact that they were useful, and they had an agreement with each other, he would have stopped dealing with them.

Oddly, he found that he liked the circus troupe turned bandits. Normally, he couldn't deal with criminals, but they were at least doing some good in the world, as he could tell every time he came back to this place and saw all the people prospering.

He walked over to his own residence. It was the smallest of all of them on the island, but that suited him fine, he only usually stayed here for a few days at a time, He saw York nearby and was greeted by him.

"Glad you made it back safely, boss."

"Any news then?"

"Noir has all the details. She has something devious planned for you, be careful."

"I am well aware of how she works."

"Don't say I didn't warn you then."

He was indeed well aware of how Noir worked, but usually it wasn't something York felt the need to warn about. Last time he was here, she tried to get him into some compromising position, but it didn't work. What will it be this time?

-----

It was nearing time to eat dinner when he heard a knock on his door. He stood up and opened the door to find Noir waiting for him in a rather skin tight, low cut evening dress. He guessed that she considered this to be a date of some sort, and felt the need to dress up, or else she wanted to show off her assets. "My, don't you look handsome tonight."

"You know I hate false compliments." He told her.

"Can't a girl say she finds a man attractive? You would look handsome in a plain sack with those looks of yours."

"Look, let's get to business. Where are we going for dinner?"

"My place, I cooked especially for you tonight."

"Then why all dressed up?"

"It's always a special occasion when I can spend time with a boy as handsome as you."

"Let's go eat, I'm wanting that information I paid you dearly for."

"Always so impatient. If you insist, then."

She walked off towards her own residence . He knew it was quite the rare occasion that she cooked, usually she preferred to eat at the restaurant to support its owner. Maybe the devious thing she had planned had to do with her doing something to the food. That was the only logical reason for why she would make him a meal rather than buying one, the cook at the restaurant would never go along with a devious plan on drugging anyone, no matter how much he was paid to do it.

They entered the house. It was as gaudy and overblown as the charms of its owner which had never surprised him. He rarely came here, but at times he would have a need to pay a visit. Usually he tried to make sure York or Urushi were around to keep Noir at bay though. She led him to the dining area where a very delicious smelling meal had been made ready for his arrival.

She must have spent hours on this, all for a devious purpose. Did she want him that badly? It was obvious that she did. He almost felt bad that he would have to make sure it didn't work.

"Please, sit down and enjoy the meal, then we can discuss business. I do so hate mixing business with the pleasure of a meal."

"I would rather discuss what news you have now."

She sighed. He was definitely going to make this very difficult on her. She did love a challenge, but this was almost too much for her. "Then if you must know now, your Princess is well and happy with that replacement of yours."

"I am glad to hear it. He's still not allowed outside his home?"

"It seems so, I am sure I would have heard something if one as handsome as you had walked the streets there."

"Go on, what about the city itself?"

"In the Kimlascan cities along with the Malkuth cities, tensions have been increasing. It has made it rather difficult to earn anything with all those military people about, especially near the border. You aren't eating, is the food not to your liking?"

Just what he needed, he didn't need her to know that he was on to her. He pushed the food around a bit and took a small bite to satisfy her. "It's wonderful as always. Now, please do continue."

He listened to her continue on with news of the cities, he was mostly concerned about the Kimlascan cities, as he didn't want anything to happen to Natalia, and he couldn't exactly enter Baticul himself, not unless it was absolutely necessary, that was the main reason why he originally hired Noir and her group.

As she talked, he continued to pretend to eat so that she didn't suspect that he knew her plans for him. Whatever it was, couldn't be too strong, or he would taste it, and she may have overblown charms, but when it came to devious plans, she was much more subtle than that. He also knew that most of the time her outrageous flirting was an act to cover up crime with normal people, she knew better than to steal from him though.

"Are you finished eating then?" she asked him.

"Oh, yes, of course."

"You really should eat more, darling. You never will get any taller if you don't."

"I doubt I am ever going to get any taller."

"Your height suits you nicely, though a bit more meat on those bones wouldn't hurt you."

"More to hold on to then?"

"You catch on fast." She poured some wine into a glass. "Shall we have a drink then?"

Hmm, maybe that was her trick. He rarely drank anything, so he had very little tolerance, and she knew it. Whereas she shared a few drinks with her companions almost nightly. "No, thanks, you know I don't like the stuff."

"Oh yes, you always do like to be in complete control. Won't you just share one with me, I do so hate drinking by myself."

"Fine, but just one."

He waited for her to take the first sip of the wine before he did drink, only then would he know it if was indeed safe or not, once she did take a sip that was more like a gulp, he took a hesitant sip of the wine himself, finding nothing out of the ordinary about it's taste, just not one he ever had cultivated himself.

He swallowed the wine, even though he did not want to, he knew Noir would be insulted if he did not do that much. She had finished hers off in a matter of mere moments, he took much longer as he didn't find the taste nearly as enjoyable as she obviously did.

Once he finished the glass, he stood up to leave. Whatever she had planned, he didn't want to be here for it to take effect, if it ever did. "Leaving already?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm not going to let you have your way where I am concerned."

"Can't you stay a bit longer? We do so seldom get to see you. Just to talk for a bit?" she sincerely requested.

That clenched his belief, whatever she did needed some time to kick in, she was trying to buy time before her plan took effect. "No, I would prefer to go home."

"Then will you let me see you home at least?"

He couldn't see where that could cause harm. She didn't need to come in. "If that's what it takes to get you to let me get some sleep, then fine."

She took his arm and he didn't bother protesting, he knew that was a lost cause. He was also starting to feel the effects of what little wine he did drink, so her holding onto him couldn't hurt, it would ensure he wouldn't make a fool of himself by tripping and falling flat onto his face.

They arrived to his door. He reached his hand to place it on the door handle and tried to steady himself, finding it a losing battle. He tried to get the door open so he could slam it into her face before he could do no more, but the door would not cooperate with him.

"Here, let me do it." she offered.

"I can open a door." he grumbled.

"Then go ahead and do so rather than fumbling with it, or are you finally distracted by my charms?"

He grumbled at her comment on his weakness. Normally it didn't affect him this way, either something was in the wine, or something else happened, but all he knew was that he couldn't even see the door handle properly. "Just open the door."

"Testy, aren't we?" she opened the door for him. "Happy now?"

"I will be when I can get some sleep, could you please go so I can?"

"Do you think I am going to leave you like this? You can barely stand up!"

"I'll be fine! Just go already." he yelled to her. She wouldn't budge, even if she had been the cause of his current state, she didn't want harm to come to him because of it, it seemed. Either that or her plan required that she be here also.

Whatever response she was going to make was lost when he fell to the ground beyond being able to hear her anymore. While she had hoped he would last longer so that she could talk him into doing something with her, this would work fine, he likely wouldn't remember, and she could make him think whatever she wished him to.

He was heavy, but she was able to drag him to his bed. From there she worked quickly to undress him and throw his discarded uniform on the ground haphazardly. It would work to get his imagination going in the direction she wanted it to. Then she removed her own clothing and slid into the bed with him.

-----

He woke up the next day with his head pounding and feeling absolutely horrible. He had no idea how he had gotten to bed because he barely remembered even getting back and definitely didn't make it to bed. Then he saw that somehow Noir had found her way into bed with him and was in a similar state of undress as he was.

He saw his clothing strewn on the floor and grabbed it while trying not to wake the woman up. He wanted a more clear mind before he dealt with her. He dressed as quickly as his pounding head would allow him to. Then he saw Noir stirring.

"Oh, you are awake."

"Noir, what the hell happened?"

"You invited me to spend the night with you. I had a most wonderful time, don't you recall it?"

He didn't recall doing a thing with her after dinner and her walking him home, but that didn't explain how she got into bed with him. "What did we do?"

"You are just as good in bed as I had thought you would be. Could we do that again?"

His eyes bulged in shock. No, he couldn't have done anything with her. He had been refusing her ever since the day they met, and he wasn't planning on changing his mind now. But he didn't remember what happened after he got inside. Could he have slept with the woman and not recall a thing, or did she do something to him and make it look like something happened? "Get dressed and get out before I lose what little patience I have." he yelled while handing her the clothes she had discarded.

She shrank at the sound of his anger. Did he suspect? She quickly got dressed and left his presence as quickly as possible.

He thought things over as best as he could, no matter what, he couldn't think of what he could have done with her, then he heard a knock on the door. "It's open."

Urushi entered. "What dids you do to her?"

"Nothing that I can remember."

"She seemed mighty upset when she ran out your door boss. Did she make you mad?"

"I don't know what she did, I can't remember."

"She say you do something then?""

"Yeah."

"York warned ya, ya know. She was up to no good."

"Could she have tricked me?"

"Wouldn't put it past her."

"Thanks Urushi."

"Anytime, boss. Next time listen ta York."

"I will."

Urushi left, leaving Asch alone to his own thoughts. Urushi was right, he likely didn't remember anything because he passed out. She made things appear to be other than they had been.

He had a lovely little neck to wring now and left to go do so. She would most definitely pay for her dishonorable actions the past night.

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