Chapter 7: A Game of Give and Take

Author's notes:

I want to thank the readers who have posted a review for the previous chapter, I hope you'll continue to enjoy reading this fic! :D I haven't had many reviews yet for that chapter though, but I guess I'll just attribute that to the fact that I have posted it not too long ago, so I've still got high hopes for future reviews there ;) I hope you'll all enjoy this next chapter! :)

ankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankank

opening theme: Daft Punk - Derezzed

It was a Friday night and the beginning of a planetary holiday, as such it was to be expected that Sasan would be a real centre of life and activity. People of all origins and social backgrounds were pushing and pulling their way through the immense crowds of the night-time Mecca, all eager to get their fill of the many exotic delights that the satellite city of Midas had for sale. There was only one person in the main square of the pleasure quarters that did not seem so bent on losing both money and sanity in the pursuit of high-quality drugs, pricey booz and manufactured ass. Even in the immense sea of moving bodies of every perceivable kind, this one stood out like a black wolf in a flock of white sheep. Leaning against one of the many obscene fountains – featuring naked nymphs and satyrs – was a mongrel from Ceres. Smoking a home-made cigarette, dressed all in black leather and worn denim, defying Midas' nexus of capitalist glitter and glamour by his very presence. He did not play the game by the same rules as the citizens of Midas did, bound as they were by their PAM chips. In fact he had no rules to play by but his own.

Look at them, they're like fucking ants in a nest. As usual, Riki the Dark was appalled by the ignorance, egocentrism and susceptibility to manipulation and bribery of the middle-class masses. Stupid ants who are not even aware they're locked up in a bloody glass box. After a while of studying the many kitschily-dressed snobs, who in turn gave him dirty looks of disgust and slight fear, he began to get seriously bored. He'd been contemplating robbing some of these rich folks to stave off the infinite boredom that a place like this posed to any self-respecting human being with half a brain, but opted not to. It wouldn't do to be arrested and beaten the living daylights out of him before his date for the evening had even arrived. Or at least he thought he was supposed to consider it a date, as it was a get-together with a female.

"Sorry I've kept you waiting", a melodically chiming voice sounded right next to him, "Riki." With all the noisy people walking all over the square he had not even heard her approach. The mongrel turned towards the speaker and silently observed her mature beauty for a moment. She was dressed in a blood-red elegantly cut dress decorated with dazzling gold embroidery. The skirt of the garment came down to her thin ankle on one side but came as high as a snowy upper thigh on the other side. The dress did not exactly have a cleavage but the sheer tightness of the fit made even her small breasts stand out. At the back the dress only consisted out of a skirt, revealing her shapely shoulder blades and a whole plain of milky-white skin. Her hair was a slightly darker tint of red and was wavy like blazing fire, but artfully gathered and somewhat contained on the left side of her head with real gold hairpins.

"Mimea" He immediately felt seriously underdressed in his old jeans and dusty biker jacket, but then again mongrels did not usually own a suitable wardrobe for this kind of occasion in downtown Midas. "You look…"

"Cheap, skinny and old? Practically naked? Exaggeratedly bright?", she inquired matter-of-factly as she bent forward to hug and timidly kiss him on the cheek, attempting to hide her insecurity about her new looks.

"I was gonna say classy and chic, but you know, whatever works for you", the cheeky mongrel replied with a grin, sensing her unease and using Ceresian offensive humour to put her more at ease. No reason to be serious about beauty standards with a mongrel like him.

She smiled, her professional lab-grown teeth appearing less inhumanly white due to her choice of bright-red lipstick. Similarly her eyes were made to look less wide by the use of black eyeliner and subtle soft-gold eyeshade. She looked very nice, but not like a big-eyed, round-faced Pet. "Oh, Riki, you always know how to make me smile, don't you?"

"No shit, I hardly have to do anything to please you. I can just be myself, it's why I like spending time with you", he said truthfully. "So… what'd'ya wanna do, girl?" He was silently praying she did not have anything too lame or ridiculous in mind, she was an ex-Pet after all.

"I was thinking we could walk around a bit and just talk" If anything she'd missed the easy communication between herself and Riki. There wasn't anything you couldn't tell him, he didn't judge. Well, perhaps she could not tell him everything this time around.

"Just hang? I'd agree, but I dunno if this is the right kind of scenery for being left in peace…", Riki responded as he eyed the small group of onlookers that was rapidly forming around them. It was not everyday that the residents of Sasan saw a mongrel from Ceres and a former Pet from Tanagura having a conversation.

"Oh. How about we go to my workplace then and play some games? I'm sure my boss won't mind, as an employee me and my friends can play for free", the red-head enthusiastically proposed, imagining that Riki was probably very talented at card games that involved bluffing. Not to mention he could probably cheat his way out of any situation.

"Some boss you have. But it's gonna be kind of obvious that I'm a mongrel and I'm guessing he wasn't expecting that when he told you to bring over some friends?" Surely no one in Midas would ever anticipate such a friendship? Ex-pets and mongrels were still on opposite sides of the scales, even if they encountered each other in Midas on occasion a former Pet would never want anything to do with anybody from Ceres. Until now.

"He has been most kind to me, much more so than I deserve. And he already knows about my friendship with you, we don't keep secrets from each other", she mused as they started walking the short distance to the Royal Casino, as if still unsure if that was truly the case.

"Wow. So you and the boss are like… y'know… intimate?" His lips had tightened and a slight crease had appeared in his dark forehead, he did not like the idea of Mimea whoring herself to her new boss in exchange for certain privileges. Was she truly a willing partner in those intimacies? Or was she not given a choice in the matter?

"I don't know about that. But we've become friends, yes. Perhaps friends with benefits" Coming to think of it she did not know to what extent her sexual interaction with her new Master had helped to establish the recent trust between them. But she definitely felt that their conversations about Riki and about the flawed lifestyle of Tanagura had demonstrated that a common ground existed between them, if nothing else.

"I'm happy for you. I mean… unless it was something you were forced into?" Riki was aware how Mimea might be in a situation in which she had to rely on personal favours of patrons to maintain a decent lifestyle and steer clear of the brothels. He could understand that, back in his younger years in Ceres he'd had to rely on sexual favours as well to get food. But there was a difference between making such a rational choice and truly being forced into a sexual relationship, as he had learnt all too well after he'd crossed paths with Iason Mink ...

"It may have started out that way, but I'm glad it did. I don't think he has anybody to talk to, really, everyone's always looking for some kind of favour…" Did he even have any friends? Arguably friendships between Elite were superficial at best, however Lord Mink had not established his reputation as the unyielding Ice King by befriending other Elite. Of course he socialised on public events, as befitted one of his station and as was undoubtedly necessary to function as the head of the intelligence department. But the only true friend he'd had privately – the one he had known from childhood – might be the very one Mimea's insolent behaviour had made relations so difficult with. She felt a stab of guilt at that thought, as if an icicle had pierced straight through her very heart.

"Tell me about it. Back in Ceres everyone's always pretending to be my friend too, until I refuse to give them what they want and then they try to back-stab me…" Riki could tell she was more affected by her own words than she would have been if she were merely doing a favour for a superior to solidify her own position. Apparently she had truly managed to befriend her current owner, a feat not impossible in Midas yet still extremely rare.

"Exactly like that, yes. You are so empathic, Riki, you're always considering other people's emotions. You're nothing like those selfish pricks back in Eos", while venting her anger she no longer even considered how unbecoming cursing was for an Academy-bred class A. She was no longer angry with Iason Mink, but she was angry with the system that had doomed him to an inhumanly lonely existence.

"Now look who's cursing, huh!", the mongrel said with a wink. "You've been around there recently then? I wonder if Eos is still the same, just with different pampered fuckers?"

"There's one pampered fucker who has returned to Eos", the ex-Pet remarked with a slight smile, as if she was not sure yet whether or not she was happy about that.

"Wait… Mimea, are you living in Eos again? How is that even possible?"

"I am. And I know, it's supposed to be impossible, to return to Eos from the brothels of Midas but against all odds..."

"Hold on a second... You've been in the brothels then? Holy crap! Shit, Mimea, for how long? I'm so sorry... I'm such an idiot! I never meant for you to get hurt, I just wasn't thinking straight, I was so angry and so lonely..." He was yelling rather loudly while walking around in an agitated manner, fisting his hands and kicking pieces of garbage.

"I haven't exactly been counting the days, but I suspect I was at the Lotus for about two years or so." At hearing his worst fears confirmed the other clasped a tanned hand in front of his mouth. "Oh Riki, please, don't feel guilty! I know it was never your intention to hurt me, and if anything I can understand anger at Tanaguran suppression and the loneliness of being a Pet with a mind of its own", Mimea spoke, grasping both of Riki's hands in her own smaller, porcelain ones and gazing upon him with a look of pure serenity and adoration. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Riki, I mean that. You have made me see that life can be so much more than just bondage and sex. You have shown me that Tanaguran boundaries are there to be broken, that I cannot allow them to dictate my life. If not for that, I could never have gotten where I am now."

At hearing this, Riki calmed down somewhat, regaining his awareness that the touristic centre of Midas might not be the best place for him to draw attention to himself through aggression. Accepting one of Mimea's outstretched hands he started walking down the busy street more quickly, guiding her along while spying the environment for Dark Men or potential snitches. "What d'ya mean you could've never gotten where you are now? Making you aware of your own individuality as a human being, I must have made life that much harder for you..."

"Perhaps. But you have also made my life far more gratifying and complete in so many ways! Don't you understand the effect one as free and honest as yourself has on people from Tanagura? You make us want to be free, like you", her smile was bright and genuine now, far more lively than Riki had ever seen it in fact. She must have suffered so much in that whorehouse, yet here she was like a resurrected angel of the revolution.

"Is that why you get along with your new boss so well? Does he have similar ideals?" It was a known fact that not all Midasian businessmen of influence were behind the Tanaguran control of its satellite city, but rumour had it that most of them agreed to let matters be in exchange for fat pay-offs.

"Indeed. We talk about such things often. It may be the only thing we have in common, but it has proven to be a very strong glue that binds us together even if we are very different." It felt like a relief to be able to talk to someone she knew and trusted about her budding relationship with the unpredictable, distant Elite. But how much could she tell Riki without taking the risk of him finding out the truth? Then again the truth was that unlikely that she could probably tell him everything except her new Master's name and rank without arising suspicion. "Actually we also talk of you, you are more famous than you know, Riki. I think you've been a great inspiration to many."

Hearing such high praise from one he had condemned to two years of hell in Midas' red-light district was unexpected and in his surprise Riki was not capable of suppressing his emotions. He could feel hot tears stinging his eyes and not much later burrowing their way through his dark cheeks, like molten lava through stone, the ashen darkness of his eyes further adding to the effect. "Shit... shit, Mimea... I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything, Riki. There is no bad blood between us, there never was", the petite girl spoke as she squeezed his big, tanned hand in reassurance. Walking next to him she could see clearly how much he had grown and matured. Similarly his Ceresian bravado and pride often made room for his newly-developed emotional awareness. But perhaps that was because he knew her and felt she deserved to see his true feelings. In some ways Riki and Iason were not that different, both hiding their true selves behind façades built by the harsh environments they had adapted to.

After walking together in silence – their fingers intertwined now, ghastly white alternating with dusky bronze – for a while they had reached the doors of the infamous Royal Casino. Countless tourists were gathered at the door, pushing and pulling as they were queuing to get through passport controls, each anxious to get his turn at the reknown paradise of chance. Just as he was wondering how the fuck they were supposed to get through that chaotic crowd, Riki was gently pulled backwards by Mimea, as she moved her red lips close to his ears – barely touching his earshell – and erotically whispered: "This way."

Following Mimea into an alley right next to the grand entrance of the casino, Riki's heart started pounding in his ears while a confusing collection of emotions welled up inside of him. Guilt. Surprise. Gratitude. Admiration. Protectiveness. Attraction. He had no idea what to make of the female in front of him now. He knew what she had been before, kind and open-minded as she was she had thought just like many other Pets back then. Sexuality was the only way in which she knew how to express herself. But she had just proven how she was very capable of expressing herself verbally now. So was her current flirtatious behaviour Riki's imagination or was she just messing with him? Years and years of communicating through sex had undoubtedly made eroticism a second nature to her. Perhaps she was not even aware that she was doing it and Riki was just looking for something where there was nothing out of the ordinary? Even while contemplating all this Riki had a hard time keeping his eyes away from Mimea's swaying hips and the way in which the plunging backline of her dress drew attention to her small but well-defined ass.

"Here we are", just as he had begun to study her behind in more detail, she briskly turned around and beamed at him with such vivacity that he was sure she had been very aware of what he had been doing just now. Riki forced himself to pull his eyes away from the appealing sight before him and turned his gaze towards the side-door Mimea had just pushed open. "After you, Mr Dark", she added with a meaningful, sexy wink. She had been messing with him all right!

"Yeah, that might be best", the mongrel responded, his tough attitude unable to mask the slight blush that had made its way unto his cheeks. "Seriously, Mimea, just how sharp did you get while I was away, huh?"

"It depends. How sharp do you want me?", she giggled as she shut the door behind them, shimmering neon lights attached to the walls coming on automatically.

"You been taking lessons on how to intimidate people or something? Nah, I don't mind the banter, just wondering where you'd learn an attitude like that. Or is it something they teach you at this casino, huh? So you can keep your own in a game and get customers to put in all their money?", he asked as he followed her through a long, shady corridor and up a metal flight of stairs while also wondering how a place that chic could look so plain behind the scenes. This corridor could have been situated anywhere from the Black Market territory in Midas to the slums of Ceres.

"I guess it comes with experience and age. But yeah, I suppose I've had a few lessons from my boss. He has a way of making each and every conversation feel like a dangerous game of wits." She threw open another door, another corridor, more stairs. Was that a security cam, gleaming at the top of the staircase? Mimea probably didn't consider that being seen in a place like this could get a mongrel like him in serious trouble.

"Has he, now? Then how do you know he's not just messing with you, huh? I hate to break it to ya, but not a lot of Midas folk consider ex-Pets potential buddies." After spying the camera actually moving and appearing to zoom in on him, Riki did not feel safe here at all anymore. Just who was this new boss of Mimea's that he would buy an ex-Pet from such a scum establishment as the Lotus – which had a lowly reputation even among mongrels – and be OK with said new acquisition being friends with a mongrel and bringing him along to work? gut feeling told him something wasn't right here, but his feelings for Mimea prevented him from bolting straight away. If she was being played, he saw it as his responsibility to get her out of this

"I'd say he's pretty serious about our relationship. It started out as a business deal of sorts and I know for a fact that he's honest when it comes to such deals. Not to mention he's not the sort of guy who sleeps around with just anyone for just any reason ...", she trailed off as she followed Riki's line of sight towards one of the camera's in the stairwell. "Oh, and apparently he's a bit of a stalker who likes to watch videos of people walking up and down stairs!", she now shouted in the direction of the camera.

"Are there audio-feeds as well then?" Just great, not only was this a public place at the heart of Midas' nightlife and tourist industry, it was also bugged from top to bottom. If he stayed here for one minute longer he was gonna be royally screwed at this Royal Casino.

"Probably. What can I say, the boss likes to know what's going on in his establishment. But don't worry, he knows what you look like and how highly I think of you, so you're quite safe here", the former prostitute assured him as she opened a door that led to one of the inner playrooms of the casino. The crowd was big and versatile but Riki was pretty sure he was gonna stick out like a sore thumb.

"You put an immense amount of trust in people for someone who has been so fundamentally betrayed in the past", Riki argued, as he remained in the darkness of the corridor while Mimea had already stepped into the dazzling light of the playroom, her red dress fully coming to its right in that setting.

"And you put very little trust into people who have forgiven you crimes that others would have killed you for and for whose company others would kill." It actually took him a couple of seconds to process the meaning of that dubious sentence. Boy, had that Pet's linguistic aptness increased or what! Did Midas rich folks like her boss even speak like that?

Oh, what the hell! What was the worst that could happen if he stepped through that door? This was Mimea for fuck's sake, she had neither the personality nor the brain to betray anybody.

ankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankank

"Strike! Got you again, bitch!" Practically everybody in the room was staring at the mongrel who was currently jumping around the pool table with his cue held high above his head like it was some kind of trophy. "Thanks, asshole. Maybe we should try another game?", the fiery-haired siren responded with a sly smile. Riki burst out laughing at Mimea's choice of words, pronounced in that Tanaguran accent she still had.

"Sure. How about strip poker?", he gauded her, not truly willing to carry out that plan himself with all the dandy perverts in the room. Not that he was expecting to lose, but he did not want them gawking at Mimea any more than they already were.

"Let's just make it poker. This isn't that sort of establishment, neither does it want the reputation of such", Mimea said, sounding very much like the owner of the casino rather than a former Pet-turned-employee.

"Fine. But poker ain't half as fun if you've got nothing to lose", Riki attempted to negotiate. Life was a game of give and take, if you wanted to get some you had to give some.

"Who says I've got nothing to lose?", she innocently cooed as she catwalked her way to the poker table and placed a neat, substantial stack of chips on the table.

"What? Your boss' money? As an employee here you ought to know: the house always wins." Riki flunked his muscular butt down on the nearest satin-upholstered, gold-leafed chair.

"If I win, you'll have to join a club I've recently become a member of, no questions asked. If you win, you can have whatever it is you want. Deal?" Mimea went to sit down more elegantly than her playing partner, using the cover of the long, luxurious table cloth to toe off those insufferable gold heels. If she was going to win this, she could not have any distractions. However Riki was particularly cunning and experienced at Ceresian equivalents of this game, such as gigolo, therefore he could do with a distraction. To that end Mimea leaned forward far more than was necessary to receive her cards, revealing more of her desirable cleavage.

"A club? Well, how bad could that be, as long as they'll have me. OK, if I win I want you to come on a robbing spree with me", the naughty mongrel said with a smug grin, confident in his victory and already imagining the many benefits of having an attractive Academy Pet aid him in his pick-pocketing ventures.

In the mean time a small audience had gathered around the poker table, curious to see the outcome of a poker game between the sexy, dark mongrel and the gorgeous, spirited ex-Pet. It was not every day that they could witness a spectacle such as this, and at a high-class casino no less! Unheard of! Some customers who had been coming here all their lives and had shares in the Royal themselves were wondering why the Blondie who owned and monitored the casino would allow a mongrel to proceed undisturbed in such a manner? It had to be some kind of marketing champagne, meant to draw in more customers. Well, it was definitely working, as more and more people started streaming into the room and apparently none them even thought of calling the police or alerting the Dark Men patrolling right outside. Flaunting the rules of the game that was the social hierarchy, the unlikely pair began to play another game as their cards were dealt.

ankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankank

As the end of the game approached, there was nothing in Riki's expressions that betrayed his satisfactory excitement. Bluffing had been a big part of both survival in the slums and his job in the Black Market, therefore he had no difficulties with it now. Never show your hand. That had been one of Katze's golden rules.

Surprisingly there wasn't a whole lot Riki could go on in Mimea's expressions either. Not because of a lack of emotion but rather because of an excess in emotions. At one time she would look as if she was deeply depressed, yet at other times she would look as if she was absolutely euphoric. Riki could not make heads nor tails of it, he just could not tell when she was acting and when she wasn't. It was in fact a bit troublesome for him to reach the conclusion that if Mimea wanted to fool him she could easily do so.

But two could play that game. Anybody in the Black Market could tell you that Riki the Dark was a natural pokerface. The slumdog hid his true feelings behind an impressive, impenetrable wall of challenging toughness and a dare-devil, no-care attitude. Looking at how he was seated and his body language alone he gave the impression that he was bored out of his skull with the game.

When it was finally time for him to show his hand, Riki no longer contained his smugness and flashed Mimea a bright, predatory smile as he turned his cards painstakingly slowly. "Straight Flush. I gotta give it to ya, Mimea, you were a far more worthy adversary than I'd thought. But there ain't a lot of people who can beat me at my own game."

"Really? I suppose I have met my match then, Riki. For there aren't a lot of people who can beat me at this game either", the young woman smiled in a subdued manner as she hesitantly reached out a small, fragile hand to turn the cards that would seal her fate. "In fact – as it now turns out – my Master has taught me so well that I can beat even you at your own game." As she turned the final card and completed her Royal Flush, her blood-red smile turned devilish and triumphant laughter sounded from her swan-like throat.

"Royal Fucking Flush! No way! How the hell have you managed to hide that all this time?! Shit man, I thought...", the pokerface of Ceres was at a loss for coherent words at this down-right humiliating defeat. The infamous leader of the most feared gang of Ceres had lost against a freakin' ex-Pet from Eos! All of a sudden Mimea's red hair and orange eyes reminded Riki of the picture of a fox he had once seen in one of Iason's books while bored at the penthouse. The animal had struck Riki as very lovely with soft fur, yet in the description of the animal it had said that foxes were predators known for their slyness.

"You thought wrong? Obviously you did, Riki the Dark", she teased him sweetly as she got up from her chair like a flaming victor out of a war chariot. "Though I have to say, you were far from easy to read yourself. Unfortunately for you there was not much you could do, with your fate quite literally in my hand."

"Holy fuck! How can you act so frightened and inferior when you know you've got me? Those last five minutes, I was so sure you had a low hand!", the mongrel exclaimed, more alarmed by what had just happened than he cared to admit. How well did he truly know this girl? How much could she possibly have changed in such a short period of time? Then again he knew he had changed significantly during his two years in Iason's household.

"Don't worry, Riki. If your fate ever were truly in my hands, I would do with it what I felt was best for you. I could never do anything to you that you could not handle", she promised with a look of devotion in her eyes as she approached him again, closing the space that had been between them during the game with an air of relief. It was in that moment that Riki realized that she was as much in love with him as she had ever been, if not more so. But little could he know that such love could work to his disadvantage just as easily as it could work to his advantage.

"Yeah, I know. I just wanna protect you, y'know. It's your goddamn right after what I've pulled on you before...", he started again, hating how he had not managed to do anything so far that might have righted that immense wrong. Surely the day would come that she would ask him for a favour worthy of her forgiveness?

"Ssshhhh! That's quite all right, Riki, there is nothing to forgive. How about we go to the bar on the next floor and have a well-deserved drink?" She was smiling again, a genuine smile this time. Then again if it wasn't, would he be able to tell?

intermediary ending theme: CellDweller – G4m3 0V3R

ankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankank

Back in his penthouse in Eos, Iason Mink was playing his very own game. Frequently checking his wrist com, he was carefully monitoring his little phoenix' progress in attempting to coil his run-away mongrel around her pretty finger. After a while Raoul began to notice that his friend's thoughts were elsewhere, even though he was still winning the game of chess they were currently playing, as usual. If a lousy conversationalist at the moment, Raoul acknowledged that Iason was a true Master when it came to winning games.

"Pray tell what is it that occupies your attention in such a way that you cannot even thoroughly enjoy what little time we have together nowadays, Iason?", the green-eyed geneticist inquired with a sneer, not even bothering to hide his disapproval at Iason's neglect. Things had not been going well between them for a while now. It started when Iason had finally gotten rid of that filthy mongrel... Or did it already start after Iason had demanded that he got rid of his prized Mimea for that very same mongrel's benefit? Thinking about it now, it still enraged him.

"If you continue to hold your queen that tightly, Raoul, she will surely be pulverised", Iason spoke calmly, not even taking his coldly penetrating eyes away from the screen of his wrist com.

"What are you even talking about?!", the scientist exclaimed, unable to contain his rage any longer, his honey-coloured curls moving about like waves in a storm.

"Your queen? The chess piece you are clutching so desperately? I would apologize, but it is truly not my fault that you have not succeeded in defeating me at this game even once throughout all the time we have known each other", the pale-haired Blondie responded, now bothering to look his interlocutor in the face only to throw him a smug, utterly unperturbed look. As if it was the most normal thing in the world that the other Blondie was raging like a wild lion.

"Isn't it, now?" All of a sudden Raoul got up from his seat rather abruptly, knocking over both the table and the chess board that was on it, effectively putting an end to the game.

"If you cannot accept your loss, Raoul, perhaps you ought to not have agreed to play this game in the first place?" It was unclear whether the observant head of Intelligence had already guessed the reason for his friend's sudden outburst and was talking about his disposal of Mimea or if he was still referring to the game of chess they had been playing. At the very least he was attempting to feign like he had no idea what the other was talking about by formulating his answer in game terminology, or so it seemed in Raoul's current logic.

"It's you! You can get anyone to agree to anything, you... egocentric devil!" As if knocking it over was not offence enough to his host, Raoul grabbed the turned-over table and hurled it across the room, where it rather unceremoniously landed in the koi pond with a loud splatter that ruined the Persian rugs next to it.

"Raoul, you are behaving like a madman. What in Jupiter's name is the matter with you?" He'd genuinely liked that rug. But no matter, he had gotten used to the damages of priceless goods and the bother of replacing them during the years that Riki had lived in the penthouse.

"Mimea! My perfect, darling Mimea!" Raoul lamented as he was now dramatically pacing about the room with his hands in his stunning, shimmering hair.

"Mimea? Oh, yes, I had intended to speak to you on that matter. Although of course I am in no way lawfully obliged to do so, as your friend of many years I feel like I should", Iason responded, still calmly seated in his sofa as if the other Blondie had not just jumped up and violently thrown his furniture around. Was there truly nothing that could break this man's cool demeanor?

"And all because of that disgusting mongrel, that filthy mutt of yours!"

"You mean Riki? Well, I very much doubt that he needed to put a lot of effort into seducing your all-too-willing Pet. After all you yourself had trained her to be the perfect slut." He pronounced the final word no differently than he had the rest of his sentence, knowing that would enrage Mimea's supposed father even further.

"How dare you! How dare you speak of her in that way! I cared for her, you know I did! And yet you had me send her away to that god-awful place! All because you had this depraved attraction to that animal!" For the life of him, he could still not understand how the mighty Iason Mink, Jupiter's golden boy and the best Head of the Syndicate of all times, could have fallen so low.

"Indeed perhaps my "depraved attraction" - as you so accurately put it - did cause my judgement of the girl to be unnecessary harsh. I agree with you on that entirely."

Not having expected for Iason to actually agree with him, Raoul was momentarily at a loss for words. His mouth fell open in a striking similarity to one of the koi that had been thrown out of the pond and was gasping for air on the ruined carpet.

"In fact – after some due consideration – I find myself entirely submitting to your view of your esteemed creation's positive attributes. Therefore I had decided that it might be better for her to return to Eos, as that is an environment that is better adapted to the requirements of her finer breeding."

"P... positive attributes? What do you mean, you had decided?" The feline-looking Elite pounced and was nearly literally on his host in seconds, clasping his hands with enough strength to break each and every single bone in a human hand. "Iason, for Jupiter's sake, I beseech you! Show me some compassion for once in your life and bring my beloved Mimea back to me!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Raoul", the icy Elite replied, entirely unaffected by his friend's desperate pleas.

"But.. but you said...!", Raoul was so upset that he was having difficulties speaking. Of all of Jupiter's creations, he was the only one who was able to allow his emotions to take him over so completely, probably due to a flaw in his genetic make-up that he himself had managed to cover up effectively. It was the reason why Iason had decided to befriend him, even after having already decided at an early age not to have any friends, as none of the other Elite could be trusted.

"I cannot do that because she has already been purchased by another Tanaguran household, Raoul. I am truly sorry for your loss", his arctic eyes looked directly into the other's, intently studying them and attempting to distinguish singular emotions in that whirlwind of green. The colour reminded him of a storm at sea, or possibly a hurricane raging through a forest.

"Don't tell me the matter is out of your hands now! Don't tell me that you have no way of retrieving her! Like I said, you can get anyone to do anything, manipulation is your game, Iason Mink!"

"Indeed that is true. But I believe that in this particular case, there is no manipulation of any kind that could persuade Mimea's current owner to part with her."

"Nonsense! There is nothing that your influence could not achieve in Eos!"

"Ah, yes. But the question then of course is whether or not I would be willing to use that influence to bring her back to your household. And as a matter of fact I cannot, I am sorry."

Raoul fell down on his knees then, not as a further means to beg Iason for his assistance but as an involuntarily expression of defeat. By Jupiter, I have befriended a monster that will stop at nothing to see me suffer!

"However if you would like to see her on occasion, that could be arranged. How does once every three days sound?"

"W... what? But how..." Surely if he could persuade the owner to lend someone his Pet every three days he could also persuade him to sell her altogether?

"For the love of Jupiter, Raoul, get up. It is truly unbecoming for an Elite to crawl on the floor like that. Then again, who am I to pass judgement on what behaviour is unsuitable, if crawling on my floor brings you gratification I will not stop you."

Even before Iason had finished his sentence, Raoul reared up just as suddenly as he had gone down and was effectively grabbing Iason's shoulders while coming much closer than Tanaguran politeness standards would allow even for an Elite of the same rank. "You have her? You have my Mimea! Oh, Iason, why did you keep this from me? How long has she been here? How is she, is she badly injured? Oh, by Jupiter, what they must have done to her over in that shabby place!"

Patiently allowing Raoul to finish his passionate speech, Iason used the opportunity to slowly and deeply inhale the sweet smell of his long hair. It smelled of pine trees and of eastern spices.

"Honestly, Raoul, one would expect that after several decades of acquaintance with me you would have learned to tell when I am leading you on", Iason breathed, still lost in the magical forest of Raoul's overwhelming presence.

"Well how am I supposed to tell the difference when you are always leading me on!", he emphasized his words by giving Iason a gentle shove on the shoulders, an action that ended up bringing the other blond's face even closer to his chest, enabling him to get a close-up view of the gold-and-green velvet pattern of Raoul's refined attire.

A brief but exquisite smile appeared on Iason's usually-stoic, handsome face for a moment. "Am I now?" He did not even attempt to move away from the rude invasion of his personal space. It even appeared as if he was leaning slightly closer, carefully listening to the beating of Raoul's electronic heart. How he managed to by-pass all of his safety protocols and get it to beat that quickly was still a mystery to Iason.

"What has gotten you in such a playful mood, if I may ask?", the golden-haired romantic asked as he went and sat back down, still so distraught that he sat down next to Iason instead of in his own sofa, as was expected of an Elite.

"I believe I may have found a way to get my own Pet back as well. I'm sure you can understand that much, what with your unseemly behaviour on behalf of Mimea just now?"

"Your own Pet back? Iason, you haven't had a Pet in ages, even after I have offered you one for free on numerous sales... Oh no. No, Iason! You cannot mean the mongrel! For goodness' sake, Iason! Don't you ever learn?" While trying to bring some sense into his friend, Raoul moved towards him until their legs were slightly touching and had again grabbed the other's hands, not even noticing that the other had secretly taken off his gloves while he wasn't looking.

"I am trying to learn. And your Mimea has proven a great help in that respect, therefore I owe you my gratitude. I hope that with Mimea back here we can put our quarrels behind us", Iason spoke from his frozen heart, grabbing unto the offered hands more tightly, savouring the warmth and softness of Raoul's gloved hands beneath his bare skin.

Raoul, only now realizing that Iason's gloves had apparently disappeared, did not have the audacity to pull back his hands even if he had now become aware of the inappropriateness of the situation. "But of course, Iason. You know that your friendship is very dear to me. I am sorry if I have made you think otherwise as of late. But you should know that Mimea is more than just a Pet to me, she is my finest creation, my child ... in a way ..."

"Then you understand why I must have my Riki", Iason stated firmly, while putting an ungloved hand on the other Elite's leg, the warmth of it easily seeping through the thin fabric of Raoul's silk trousers.

"I am not sure that I do. I have created Mimea myself, I know every fibre in her body, every detail I have calculated according to my own preferences and expertise. But this mongrel from the slums, you know absolutely nothing about that creature! Therefore its behaviour is entirely unpredictable, its attitude makes it unmanageable. It is like a wild animal, even you cannot hope to truly tame it, Iason." He was considering carefully prying Iason's fingers from his leg but opted not to, seeing as how they were trying to rekindle their friendship this might not be the best time for such a distancing action.

"And that is exactly why I want him." The strong fingers grasped the material of the trousers more firmly, like a predator sinking its claws into its prey's fur. "I like how he is unpredictable, it brings an element of surprise into my life that I feel I could not live without anymore. Truth be told, it is not my intention to truly tame him. I merely want him to be loyal and return to me when I ask it."

"I suppose that does make some kind of sense. Your job is to gather data and categorize it in order to make new information. Something you cannot understand is not an inconvenience to you, but more like a challenge. Like a science project or a breeding program is to me, which is why I like Mimea so much, she embodies my own area of expertise", the other was desperately trying to rationalize an increasingly irrational encounter.

"I have to warn you, Raoul, you may find her much changed. I find the change to be for the better, but you might not agree with me on that." Was it Raoul's imagination, or was Iason's face tilted more towards him than it had been only seconds ago? He could smell the fresh but powerful perfume of his long, glistening hair. It always reminded Raoul of moonlight rather than sunlight, which also befitted Iason's cold composure.

"Why yes, after one has been repeatedly subjected to such humiliating, sexual abuse it is perfectly natural that one would be significantly altered. But what a strange idea that such alteration could be beneficial in any way, Iason." He had mustered the courage to put his own hand – still appropriately gloved – on top of Iason's but he had not yet reached the point where he could remove his trousers from its grasp.

"It is truly not so strange an idea to be appreciative of the unexpectedness and spontaneity that is life, Raoul, not once you come to accept it and ravel in it", Iason said with a down-right seductive smile as he put his other hand right on top of Raoul's, sealing it in between both of his own hands, as if making Raoul an accomplice in his crime of putting his hand on the other's leg. "You see, life is full of passionate, it's what makes it worth living. I believe you to be a rather passionate individual yourself in fact, but the rules of Tanaguran conduct have made you averse to your very own nature, my friend. Let me show you how liberating it can be to let go of all those regulations and limitations." As he said those words, Iason had started gently kneading Raoul's legs through his trousers.

"By Jupiter, Iason! What are you doing?! Please cease this madness this instance! Iason, I am warning you! I will not be a participant in this!"

"But you already are, Raoul, my beautiful", Iason said as he cupped Raoul's cheek, carefully brushing aside his shiny curls. "You compare my interest in Riki with your interest in Mimea, but both of us know there is a much better comparison to be had. After being enamoured with Riki myself, it became quite evident that you harbour similar feelings for me, Raoul."

"Iason, I swear to you, I would never...!" As Raoul was on the verge of tears – somehow he also knew how to override the protocols for his tear ducts – Iason bent over his neck to shower it with butterfly kisses, at the same time combing through the rich, soft mass of the other's hair with his free hand.

"Act on those feelings? Oh, I suspected as much. But you'll be glad to know that I fully intend to act on those feelings of yours myself." While he was now shamelessly licking and nibbling on his friend's throat, his hand on Raoul's leg now began to caress its way upwards.

"NO! Iason, stop this! For the love of our friendship do not treat me in this manner!", Raoul started screaming while trying to pull himself away from the onslaught, only managing to fall down flat on his back on the couch, which allowed Iason to easily straddle him and continue his ministrations.

"It is for the love of our friendship that I am doing this, Raoul. You will understand soon enough", after stating this Iason moved his hand over Raoul's hip and started exploring his chest, reaching for the buttons of his expensive satin shirt.

Raoul openly started crying now, tears streaming down his face like rivers through a beautiful meadow. In spite of his fear he was still able to vaguely wonder how he was actually capable of crying without any fluid in his synthetic eyes, before his utter horror took over again. "Iason, please! Please, don't do this! What did I ever do to you? Why are you doing this?!"

"Ssssssh, it's all right, Raoul, I am not angry with you", Iason comforted him as he continued removing the satin shirt and touching his hair ever so gently. "It is not my intention to hurt you, in fact I am positive I will not. But then again with you the very thought of pain might make you experience it", but he sounded as if he was fascinated with that prospect rather than dreading it.

This horrible nightmare had to end somehow! He had to get through to Iason, he had to! Getting his hands free from underneath's Iason's body – that was somewhat heavier than his own, making him unable to lift the weight off of him – Raoul put his hands on either side of Iason's face, pulling it away from his own neck and forcing his assailant to look him in the eye. "Iason, listen! I swore to myself I would never burden you with this knowledge of my own flawed nature, but I see no other way to get through to you in this moment."

When hearing Raoul was about to share information on his own flaws with him, Iason paused his lovemaking and gazed upon Raoul's green orbs expectantly. "I have always cared deeply for you, Iason, ever since we were children. Before you were the Head of the Syndicate, or the head of the Intelligence department, or much of anything really. Sometimes this feeling is so great that I do not know what to do with it, sometimes I feel as if it might drown me or drive me insane. But the truth is, Iason, that I care more for you than I do for myself or anything else. I would die for you. I would kill for you. I would leave Tanagura forever if I thought it was necessary for your well-being. Because to me you are like the sun, you are the centre of my existence, nothing else truly matters but you."

Raoul waited for a response and with every second of Iason's silence his dread grew. What if Iason did not want anything to do with him anymore, now that he knew that he was flawed? Moreover that the flaw was connected to him specifically. He would have to kill himself. But how was a Blondie supposed to do that? They were made to be indestructible! He would be stuck in this life, forever doomed to ponder Iason's rejection and disgust.

"Raoul, why do you suppose I am doing this? What you have just said, I have known for a long time, probably before even you did. It was never my intention to befriend anybody, but when faced with such undying devotion on your behalf, what choice did I have?", Iason spoke, his face serious and as unfeeling as usual, but a snow storm in his eyes.

Raoul stared at his friend in complete surprise. Iason had known all this time? And it was actually the reason he had befriended him? "So all this time you have been pretending to be my friend so you could make me pay for my inappropriate feelings?"

"By Jupiter, how can one of your creations be thus utterly dense? I am not making you pay, Raoul, I am doing this to help you. Because deep down, it is what you yourself truly want", Iason said decisively, as if that explained everything, and continued to unbutton Raoul's shirt while caressing the side of his face. He often reminded Iason of a painting by Botticelli, in which Venus was born from the foam of the ocean's waves. In many ways Raoul was like the god of love, for he was the one who manufactured the Pets and of course he was a hopeless romantic with all his interest in poetry and art. His undulating hair was like the waves of the ocean while his eyes were green like the sea. If Iason had not already been in love with his soulmate, Riki, he would have easily fallen for Raoul. Strangely enough the burden of taking the initiative in any intercourse with him now lay with Iason, as he was the only one brave enough to break the chains that Jupiter had put on love.

"But, Iason, I care about you! I could never hurt or abandon you, never! So please don't torment me! Please, it hurts already because it is you doing it! It is you, the one I cannot be without! Please stop, Iason, you destroy me from within!" He was not even struggling anymore at this point, unable to push the object of his affections away even if it was torturing him. His emerald eyes were alive and wet like the seas Iason felt they represented. He wondered if they would also taste salty.

After hearing Raoul's declaration of love – which ironically enough was formulated as a plea for his release from Iason's lovemaking – Iason had received as much confirmation as he needed to continue his attack. He resolutely removed Raoul's shirt entirely and started vehemently kissing him on the mouth.

I wanna kiss you

"Nooooo! Iason, I beg of you, please do not torment me so!"

"For Jupiter's sake! Raoul, you claim you have such devotion for me, yet you do not trust me! Trust in me, trust that I will not hurt you."

"B... but Iason, you degrade me with these unsavoury actions...", the other Blondie protested, still not understanding why he was being subjected to such abuse from someone who was supposed to be his friend.

"Trust me, they are not as unsavoury as you think. Nor are they meant to humiliate or torture you, quite the contrary", Iason assured, looking Raoul in the eye with as calming a look as he could achieve in his current state of arousal. "Now, just lay back and try to relax, yes?"

"Re... relax? How am I supposed to relax when you are doing these terrible things to me!", Raoul panicked again.

"They're not so terrible when you're watching them in a Pet show, are they?", Iason pointed out, while idly toying with Raoul's perfect golden ringlets.

"But I am not a Pet, Iason! What a Pet deems to be pleasurable is horrible to an Elite!", the prey protested as he tried to pull the predator's claws out of his hair.

But if I do then I might miss you, babe

"That is a lie Jupiter has told us because she wants us all to herself. I can tell you that I found it immensely pleasurable to do these things with Riki", the sapphire-eyed creature promised with an erotic stare that would have made the mongrel he spoke of climax on the spot.

"You mean you have done this before? With a mongrel no less?!" Unfortunately the Elite in front of him was not so easily turned on as his mongrel. But no matter, Iason liked a challenge.

"I have. Surely if it can be pleasurable with a mongrel, it can be pleasurable with me, don't you agree? Or do you perhaps doubt my ability in this particular area, Raoul?"

"But I am not a mongrel either, Iason!" What would it take for Iason to understand that this kind of animalistic behaviour was simply not proper for one of their class?

"Yet you are human, like a Pet and like a mongrel. Both of us are."

"Wh... what do you mean I am human? We are androids, Iason!" Had their unorthodox Head of the Syndicate truly lost it for real this time?

"Not entirely, not where it counts", Iason said as he pointed towards his head. "Believe me when I say that you are human, Raoul, you are alive, you are biological. You yourself are a part of your own research field." As if to prove his partner's humanity, Iason set to the task of sliding down his cream-coloured silk pants over his shapely hips.

"It may be true that our minds are organic in nature, Iason, and without a doubt this affects the way in which we think to a certain extent. But there is nothing human or alive about our bodies, Iason! Therefore I cannot possibly derive any enjoyment from what it is you are doing! You might as well try to have intercourse with a machine! Even if I have the ability to understand what you're trying to do in theory, I could never truly experience it, even if I wanted to."

It's complicated and stupid

"You underestimate the power of the mind, Raoul. These bodies may be robotic but they are under the control of our human brains, in other words whatever it is that we want them to feel they will", Iason spoke matter-of-factly while looking up from between the other blond's legs with erotically hooded eyes. He then slid back upwards, brushing along the entire length of his victim's body like a snake, and whispered right against his lips: "So all you have to do for this to feel absolutely delicious... is to want it and to surrender yourself to me."

"What if I try to do so and it does not work? Will you stop?" He knew from indirect experience through several of his experiments that the line between pain and pleasure was a very fine one that at times had more to do with personal perception than with actual stimuli. Therefore, theoretically speaking, what was heaven for one person could be hell for another. He needed some kind of fail safe if he was expected to go through with this, some kind of insurance that no prolonged pain would befall him if Iason's experiment failed.

"It worked for me, therefore it will work for you." Apparently the head of Intelligence's confidence in his own assessment of the interaction with a mongrel was absolute. Then again Iason did not think like a scientist but like a politician. Unlike Raoul – who doubted everything and always considered the possibility of error – Iason made a decision based on the data he had and followed it through. Shoot first, ask questions later.

Got my ass squeezed by sexy cupid

"Yes, but will you stop if it doesn't?" If Iason was so convinced this would work, what harm could it possibly do to give his friend at least some form of certainty in that?

"Truthfully I think that you will only succeed in giving in to your desires if I leave you no other choice." Why were all of his sex partners so determined to deny themselves at each and every turn? Well, perhaps not Mimea, but as a Pet this was what she did for a living.

Guess he wants to play, wants to play

"By all that is holy, Iason, you are scaring me! Just stop and we can talk about this like civilized people", the scientist tried to argue rationally. But once Iason Mink had set his sights on something there was no changing his mind. Like an alligator he was simply incapable of releasing anything once he had clamped his jaws shut.

After Iason had quickly and efficiently peeled off Raoul's gloves, boots and underwear he was left completely exposed on the satin canapé. Iason took a moment to bask in the glory of the other's nude perfection, admiring the flawlessly sculpted, divine body in front of him. For Raoul it felt unusual for his skin to be in such direct contact with both the rich material of the cushions and Iason's clothes, as if all of his senses had suddenly become heightened. One of the first readings that stood out were how Iason's breathing, heartbeat and body temperature had risen considerably when compared to approximately half an hour ago. His synthetic body had to be attempting to mimic the biological signs of excitement.

A love game, a love game

After having sated his scientific curiosity through a brief analysis of all of these abnormal readings, Raoul's own bodily state of panic began to reassert itself. When Iason pulled away to begin removing his own clothes, Raoul saw an opportunity to escape the confines of the couch and began to flee in the direction of the penthouse's exit. Yet as he approached said exit with superhuman speed, he contemplated how he could impossibly run down the halls of Eos Tower while naked, at least not without anyone finding out that Iason had gone insane.

Realizing the error of his haste, Raoul doubled back to the living room and brushed right past Iason's quickly-moving body on his way there. It was only once Raoul had retrieved his clothing that he noticed that Iason's now partially naked body was currently blocking the only doorway out of the room.

"I believe you might be even more trouble than Riki is, Raoul. You protest as much as he does and you try to run away from me." He briefly entertained the notion of whether or not physical punishment might be an effective method to condition Raoul as well.

"You are not my Master, Iason Mink, you do not tell me what to do! I merely tried to leave as a final solution to this argument, my apologies if you did not exactly provide me with the opportunity to do so in a more polite manner!" This was utterly unthinkable! How could Iason honestly expect that he would stay here for even another second while he was being treated in such an extremely rude manner, with not the slightest consideration shown for his thoughts on the matter! As he was trying to process the very audacity and impossibility of what was occurring, Raoul was slowly but surely being backed into a corner of the room by Iason's hungry gaze alone.

"But I am and I do, for is that not what you have said about halfway through this supposed argument? That you cared for me deeply, that there was nothing you would not do for me? Or were you insincere when you spoke those words?" Perhaps that was all that this so-called friendship was, just an oral show of loyalty with no real actions to back it up. Were truly all Elite that shallow and untruthful, even the emotionally expressive Raoul? And then they wondered why he would lower himself to a mongrel. Why there was simply nothing else to be had in Tanagura!

"You know that I am never insincere, Iason, especially not to you. However I believed that perhaps you shared those feelings to a certain extent. But apparently you do not as you are intent on making me suffer!" How could his friend even make such demands from him if he offered no thoughtfulness or affection whatsoever in return? Having been entirely backed into the corner now, there was nothing between Raoul and the impenetrable thick wall behind him but a sturdy-looking chest of drawers. Before he could even flinch his naked buttocks were pushed into it abruptly as his assailant grabbed his hips and started ravishing his victim's mouth once more.

Hold me and love me

"Is sex with me truly that horrifying that everyone associates it with dreadful suffering and lack of affection on my side?", the enticing sapphire-eyed blond whispered in between kisses, the sad undercurrent in his voice only adding to his irresistibility. Jupiter's chosen one was becoming more agitated by the minute. Why did they always run from him? What had he done to deserve being left alone by those he loved? From a mongrel he took no offense, for they did not know the first thing about manners, but from another Elite – his best and only friend at that – he was beginning to take serious offense! The anger made the strength of his plundering kisses increase and the clenching of Raoul's hips rougher.

Just wanna touch you for a minute

Iason's sadness and frustration must have struck a chord with Raoul, for he stopped backing away from his friend – who kept on approaching either way – and allowed Iason to place him unto the piece of furniture behind him while proceeding with his oral molestations. "I do not find you horrifying at all, Iason. Rather I... find the prospect of sexual activities for one of my station... and physical limitations horrifying... even if it would be with the one I care for", Raoul managed to convey while gasping for breath, his biological instinct of fear stronger than the knowledge that his android body could go without oxygen for several hours before his organic brain had depleted its reserves.

Baby three seconds is enough for my heart to quit

"In order for you to move forward as a human being, Raoul, I will need to ask you for what appears to be the ultimate sacrifice to you. I am willing to sacrifice quite a bit for your well-being, even your friendship. Therefore I give you this ultimatum: trust me now and surrender yourself completely, or leave and never come back", Iason said resolutely, no longer interested in fooling around if all it could lead to would be yet another disappointment. He needed his brother to be a willing participant in this, for he was tired of having to force himself unto his loved ones.

Let's play a love game, play a love game

Do you want love, or you want fame

Are you in the game ? Dans le love game

Was that truly the kind of game Iason wished to play here? What could he possibly be trying to prove so desperately by such an ultimatum? It was almost as if the top Elite was on some kind of social suicide mission for the sake of sexual gratification.

I'm on a mission

And it involves some heavy touching you

If so then two could play that game. For even if Raoul had never succeeded in winning a single game from the icy Elite across from him, he had also never turned down a challenge for a game. As a matter of fact – knowledgeable on the subject of sexual interaction as Dr Am was – this might be the one game he was finally going to beat Iason Mink at. Seeing as how the doctor had never had the opportunity for first-hand experience of the subject he had been studying for the bigger part of his life, it would be a lie to state that he wasn't at least a little bit curious. And he had to admit that the burning intensity of his friend's passion made him want to submit on some deep, primal level.

I'm educated in sex, yes

Now I want it bad, want it bad

A love game, a love game

"Very well then, Iason. I shall allow you to lead me down this path of depravity. But do not hold me responsible for what it may make me become", the love expert reluctantly agreed, suspecting that one so skilled in the manufacturing of the living, breathing definitions of sex appeal could easily become just as skilled in the art of love making itself. Therefore his reluctance to let Iason have his way was not for lack of curiosity in his own speciality, but rather for fear of either an inability to express his affection for the radiant deviant in front of him to the extent he wanted to, or the risk of developing too much of an obsession with the biological act of sex itself.

Let's play a love game, play a love game

Do you want love, or you want fame

Are you in the game ? Dans le love game

Having succeeded in his persuasion of the innocent creation by inciting not its lust for sex but rather its lust for knowledge, the serpent's only response was a sinful smile that was both satanic and tempting at the same time. The game master had included yet another player in his game of lust and anarchy. This was bound to get interesting. Very interesting.

Dans le love game

ending theme: Lady Gaga – Love Game

ankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankankank

Author's notes:

OMG cliffhanger! :O Do I know how to "torment" my readers, or what? ;) You know what they say, fine line between pleasure and pain :P Nah, it just seemed to me that Raoul would not go down without a fight, and I wanted to be able to devote another chapter on this and this one was already turning out rather long so... ;) But I'll try my best to update soon :)

All right, I admit that I've got absolutely NO idea how poker is played (or pool or chess for that matter) :P I just know what hands are worth more at the end, that players are bluffing and that they're usually playing for money :P So please forgive any gaps or inaccuracies in respect to the pokergame ;)

The beginning of the conversation between Iason and Raoul was more or less inspired by a conversation between Mr and Mrs Bennett in Pride and Prejudice :P Although of course the end of that encounter is nothing like what we can read in Austen's works ;)

I apologize to the Iason/Riki fans out there to keep you all waiting, but the Iason/Raoul more or less rolled into this fic rather unexpectedly, similar to how the Iason/Mimea did :P Let's face it: Iason has no idea how to express emotion other than through sex ;) And he wants as many Tanaguran accomplices as he can if he wants any kind of change to ever happen there...

I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and please review soon! :D