A/N: okay so I had some free time yesterday and the idea for this chapter had been playing around in my head for quite some while so I decided to type it out. Enjoy!

Ignoring the looks Cherry shot in my direction every few minutes, I silently followed behind Eva, trying to push the dream out of my mind. It had been so long since I had last had that dream. Why was I having it now? Was it my subconscious, trying to remind me of my duty even as I slept? I suppressed the urge to snort in disgust. As if that was something I could forget.

Turning my head away from Pretty Face, I made a show of taking in the posh neighborhood we were walking through. Whistling in appreciation at the display of grandeur, I looked over at Eva, "Didn't know that Phoenix was such a rich bastard. What did he do? Rob a king?"

"He owns a chain of casinos and fight clubs all over the Osirion Belt." Eva replied nonchalantly.

"Even better." I laughed, while Pretty Face merely frowned.

"Why do you think he'd be willing to fly us all the way to Clow?" She spoke after a while. "More importantly, how can you be so sure this guy is a good enough pilot to get us in there undetected?"

"I have no idea which rock you've been living under if you haven't heard of Phoenix." Eva shook her head in bewilderment. "If there is anyone that can get you past all that security that has cropped up around the newly-converted colony of Clow, it's him. As for how I can be so sure…" She smirked as she stopped next to a pair of tall, intricately designed golden gates supported by elaborate marble pillars. A surveillance camera on the top of the right pillar swerved in our direction and I felt my fingers itching to grab the small device resting in the inner pocket of my jacket and melt its circuitry, if only to destroy any evidence of me being there. But I controlled that urge and kept my gaze fixed at Eva's back as she spoke a few foreign words to the panel embedded in the marble column. I couldn't help but grin inwardly as I saw Cherry's hands twitch slightly. So I wasn't the only one uncomfortable at having my face caught on camera. For all we knew, this camera could be linked to the Bat Lord's surveillance network.

"Relax," Eva said as the gates rolled open, "He's made quite a lot of enemies, so the camera is installed for Phoenix's own security. It's connected to a standalone network, so no one else will know you're here. Let's go." And then, without even waiting for a response, she sashayed over the threshold, head held high as though she was the owner of that place. She marched us down a long gravel pathway that ended on the steps of the entrance of the mansion. Its outer design appeared sophisticated and elegant, speaking volumes of the taste of its owner while at the same time acting as a form of intimidation for those that entered that place. This man had power, and he was not afraid to show it. I had only heard about Phoenix. That guy was a legend in the underworld. His services were pricey as hell, but damn, there had never been a case when he had failed to deliver what he had. Few had ever contacted him directly, many trying to make him agree to work for them through various connections. But those that hadtalked to him had described him as a 'politely aloof and frigid man'.

The ebony doors were opened by a man dressed in a finely tailored suit, but from his stiff posture, I could tell he was a butler. The man eyed me and Cherry with thinly veiled distaste before holding the door open and stepping aside. "Mistress Eva, welcome back. Shall I inform the Master of your arrival?"

"Thanks, Wei." Eva grinned as she walked inside, "These are my clients, Wolf, Syao, and Cherry. Guys, this is Wei."

"Welcome." Wei bowed politely, the look of contempt vanishing from his features all of a sudden once we were inside, though his eyes still held loathing. I looked down at my clothes. A faded leather jacket, with a black wife beater and a pair of ripped jeans with trainers on my feet… I saw nothing wrong with my apparel. I cast a glance over at Cherry. She was still wearing the shirt I had leant her, with one end of the collar hanging partially off her shoulder. It looked kinda hot. She was wearing a pair of denim shorts underneath. I wonder where she got those, though. Noticing me observing her, she shot a questioning look at me. Grinning in response with a wink directed towards her, I tore my gaze away from her, deciding to take a look around. A plush carpet of the deepest blue, with inlaid silver designs forming a phoenix in flight covered the floor of the entrance hall. The wall to our right had floor-to-ceiling windows, with an almost blackish-blue shade of expensive curtains, displaying the well-kept lawns outside and the setting sun beyond them. Pale, gold shadows danced across the wall to my left, highlighting several of the framed paintings adorning it. "Please wait in the parlor while I inform the Master of your arrival." Wei said, ushering us towards one of the doors further down the hall.

"Is that an original piece?" Pretty Face gasped, her emerald eyes shining in wonder as she rushed towards an enormous painting adorning the wall behind a plush, cream colored sofa set. Now I felt pretty out place there, in my ripped jeans and old jacket.

"You bet," Eva grinned as she settled down on the sofa. "It took him quite a while to get his hands on it though. If I can recall correctly, he got it as payment for one of his jobs."

"Master will be with you shortly," Wei announced as he brought in a trolley with a wide assortment of exquisite, and rather foreign, delicacies. "Would you care for some tea or coffee, Mistress, Master?" He said as he set the dishes on the coffee table.

"Not at the moment, thank you." Cherry smiled at the butler.

"Master?" he turned his attention towards me after he handed a cup to Eva.

"Nah, I'm good."Sniffing slightly, the butler bowed stiffly before turning around to leave.

"Phoenix!" Eva exclaimed in what could only be described as extreme delight as the redhead jumped onto the blond man that entered through the door about five minutes later.

"Eva." He greeted her politely, hugging her briefly before letting her go. "Wei said you brought your clients here?"

"Not even so much as a'how are you, Eva?'" Eva frowned, punching him in the arm. "Is that any way to treat your fiancé?"

Fiancé? My thoughts raced, Since when? She never mentioned a fiancé.

"How are you, Eva?" He grinned widely, planting a kiss on the back of her outstretched hand working his way to the inside of her wrist. "How did your trip go?"

"Stop being an idiot, Fai." Eva turned away from him, the frown still fixed on her face. "And don't talk to me. For the record, though, I'm good and I wasn't followed if that's what you meant to ask."

"Ah, but, Eva, I-"

"Don't you 'Eva' me. You have some serious explaining to do you bastard. What's this I hear about you gallivanting off with that singer, Patricia…Pramona…Polluti-"

"Primera," Phoenix corrected her with a grin.

"Yeah, her." She spat, rounding on him fiercely, "I was out there, risking my life for almost three months, and then I come back and hear that you have taken a mistress! Is that all it takes?" I could see the hints of a waterworks show beginning in five… four… three… two… "I thought there was something between us. You were the one that proposed! And just when I leave, you go running to some floozy bimbo?"

"Eva," The blond was still grinning like an idiot as he grabbed the suddenly emotionally-unstable woman and hugged her fiercely. "Is there something I should know?"

"H-How did you…?" She sniffled lightly. Okay. Now I was seriously confused. Did I miss something here? Looking over at Cherry, I noticed that she had an odd, dreamy look in her eyes. What the heck was going on here?

"Your scent has changed. I could tell even before I entered the room." Taking a step away from her, but still not letting her out of his arms, the guy kissed her. Long and hard and…I couldn't help but cough to remind them of our presence.

"You two should get a room." I drawled lazily, feeling a vicious pleasure when Eva started to blush. Phoenix appraised me with a single sky-blue eye, the other eye hidden behind an eye patch. I met his gaze evenly, assessing him coolly as I leaned back in the sofa. He was tall, with shoulder-length blond hair tied in a low ponytail. Dressed in a black business suit, he was a bit on the skinny side but I could see the hints of well-developed muscles beneath his deep blue silk shirt. He wore a simple silver band of metal as a promise ring on a chain around his neck. It appeared to be a perfect copy of the one that Eva wore. I guess I really didn't have a chance with that redhead then…

"And you would be?" He finally spoke, raising a brow as he looked over at Syao.

"Wolf." I answered briefly.

"And you, Madam?" He turned to Cherry, taking Eva's hand as he led her towards the sofa opposite of mine. Eva moved to take a seat next to him but he pulled her onto his lap instead. Did he seriously have to make it that obvious? I got it. She was out of bounds for me. Doesn't mean he had to rub it in my face like that.

I wonder how he was able to tell, though. I hadn't tried to do or say anything to her ever since we came here.

"Cherry." The runaway princess smiled gently as Phoenix began to nuzzle Eva's neck. "You must be Phoenix."Was he always this professional in front of his potential clients?

"So," He looked up briefly to meet my gaze, smirking as he did so. That bastard! "What can I do for you three today?"

"We need to get to Clow." Cherry spoke up before I could.

"Why not take one of the commercial ships, then?" One of his hands disappeared beneath Eva's jacket. "I heard they opened the space ports for business about a month back."

"Undetected," I grit out, turning my head away to observe the grand painting that Cherry had squealed over earlier.

"I see." His tone hardened slightly, "What makes you think I'll take you there?"

"Be nice." I heard Eva chide him with a soft giggle. "I brought them here."

"Even so," Phoenix answered coolly and I could feel his gaze burning through my skull, "I need to be sure of a few things, Eva. Why do you need to go there in such secrecy that you felt the need to acquire my skill?"

"That is something we cannot disclose. Besides, I thought it was part of your policy that you didn't ask questions."

"True," he responded evenly, "but even I need to be clear about your objectives before I take up a job."

"Do you really want Eva to take us there in her state?" Cherry interjected smoothly, interrupting me before I could say something acidic as a retort.

What state? Her emotionally-unstable one?

"Dealing such a dirty blow, Hime-sama," Phoenix said softly and I felt Cherry freeze up next to me. Hime-sama… I had heard that term being used before… somewhere. Hime-sama…Hime-sama… I could almost recall my languages teacher lecturing me about the importance of learning the titles in foreign languages- Princess! It meant Princess! Wait a second, how did this guy-

"W-What did you just call me?" Cherry whispered in a shaky voice.

"'Hime-sama', or am I wrong in calling you that," I turned my head back so fast I almost got a crick that would prove to be very painful…"Sakura-hime?"

A/N: Oh boy do I love cliffies xD

Don't you all love them too? *shot*

Ahem… well anyhow, I really like the way Fai turned out in this one. I hope you were able to figure out why Eva's moods were all over the place. He knows Cherry, but Cherry doesn't seem to be able to recognize him. Wonder why that is…

Stay tuned for next time.

-Nims