Oi. It's Monday, as I write this opening. I usually start writting on the Saturday after I post a chapter (since I typically get a chapter done Thursday, so I get a day off), but this time I really found that I wrote myself into a bit of a corner in the last chapter. In my eagerness to get Chapter 10 done, I realized I had no idea what the hell I was going to do with Vent and Aile in this chapter. When the story focuses on those two characters in particular I should have planned for the aftershocks of their little roll in the hay so to speak. Naturally there's going to be an awkward sense between them right now (at least for Aile). I imagined myself in that situation, and I came to the conclusion that it would be so awkward for me, that I wouldn't really be able to speak with the person that was involved. As a result, that affects my characters as well. This chapter is another one of my little experiments. I have to write my way out of the corner, while still keeping to the general way the story goes. This is made even harder that now that Aile uses the biometals too, I'm have no choice but to make them go on missions together now. Basically...yeah, I didn't plan too well. In other news, I've scouted out some typos that a friend of mine didn't see (since I don't show him all the chapters cause I just can't seem to catch him nowadays) and fixed that. Who knows, maybe someday I'll review and alter some chapters. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know. Well, enough of my ranting. Onward!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Aile was still in total shock over what happened. The two hadn't budged. Vent was looking around the room, various articles of clothing on the floor.

"Pants would be really nice right about now..."

Vent looked around and sighed.

"Damn it. Aile? Are my pants over there?"

"..."

"Aile?"

"..."

"Oh, Christ. Look...I'm not gonna mince words. We got drunk, we had sex. Easy as that. That's what some people tend to do when their drunk...most of the time."

"..."

"Jesus Christ, Aile, get a grip!"

"...Get a grip...?"

Vent sighed.

"Oh lord, here we go..."

"Get a grip!? How the hell can you be taking this so casually!? Do you even realize what kind of repercussions this could have!? For all we know we didn't use a...ooooooh! You just don't get it do you!?"

Aile was out of bed and in the bathroom in record time. Vent sighed as he lay back.

"I don't if its her, or if this is just typical reaction."

Vent found his boxers and pants on Aile's side of the bed.

"Its gonna be a looooooooong day, I can already tell."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent sighed as he shoved a piece of toast in his mouth, staring out the window. He knew that it was useless at this point to try to calm Aile down. He heard someone take a seat next to him.

"...Vent."

"Prairie."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"But I'm guessing by the tone in your voice that...how's Aile?"

"She's having a fucking meltdown!"

"I was afraid of that. When I saw you two leave last night, I thought you were just tired and didn't give it a second thought. Sorry."

"Not your fault. Hell, Zero, Phantom, and Leviathan would probably thank you for not knowing. You'd have lost them the bet."

"But that's not the problem is it? The problem is that you have to work with Aile. Now we know she can use the biometals, she'll be going out on missions with you."

"That's not the problem. She's just...I don't know."

"Vent, look...you know she tends to overreact. Give her time. If that doesn't work...well..."

"I don't think that last part was needed..."

"You're right. Sorry. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a biometal to track down."

"You do that."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Aile sighed and rubbed her eyes as she stepped out of the shower. How could she be so careless? She knew her limits with alcohol. Why didn't she keep that in mind? And how could Vent be so casual about what happened? As these thought ran through her mind, Leviathan's voice came from the corner.

"Might I recommend a morning-after pill if you're that worried?"

"Ahhh! Leviathan!? How did you get in--"

Aile paused.

"Wait, what?"

"Aile, sweetie, you're not the only girl on this airship who knows how to party."

"What!? Reploids can...?"

"Get drunk and go at it like dogs in heat? Yes. We're kind of made to be more human, y'know. Granted when we do it we don't reproduce."

"And you've...?"

'Yep. Zero will NEVER admit it though."

Leviathan sighed like lost in a fantastic memory. Aile sighed.

"I'd really rather not think about that."

"Well, whatever..."

Aile got dressed and began to leave.

"What, no pill? Unless...that's not the issue here."

Aile sighed.

"Christ, it's like I'm talking to Prairie."

"I'm surprised I didn't think of it before. You and Vent have been getting awfully close lately. Like yesterday morning? That almost got good."

Leviathan was pushing Aile's buttons faster than Prairie ever could.

"Leviathan drop it before I throw you out of the airship."

"After Vent left me behind yesterday, I over heard your talk with Prairie.You wanted yesterday morning to go somewhere. Its obvious. You even almost managed to admit your feelings to Vent before you even came to grips with them yourself. And you still haven't."

What Aile said next came to mind so fast she didn't even have time to stop herself.

"So I did so what!? How the hell do I know I didn't tell him while I was under the sea of alcohol!? It's bad enough I got drunk! I don't know what I could have said to him, and on top of that my first time with him went NOTHING like I thought it--"

Aile clapped her hand over her mouth.

"I...I did not just say that..."

"Yep!"

"I did not just say that..."

"You said it."

"...L...Leviathan!!!"

"Uh-oh! I ticked her off!"

Leviathan was out of the room faster than she could say 'biometal'.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent sighed. He had found himself a quiet room to think in.

"Way to go last night, Vent!"

At least it WOULD have been quiet had Zero and X not followed him.

"Leave me alone."

"Why?"

"Because you're driving me crazy."

"Oh, you think I'm driving you crazy? You should have seen what you and Aile did last night. That was what I would consider driving someone crazy!"

"DAMN IT!"

"Zero, leave him alone! I know you love teasing people about drunken escapades, especially when they go sexual, but--"

"I'm not surprised you're not chewing him out, X. You said 'not on my watch' didn't you?"

"Leave him alone! Need I remind you when you and Leviathan started drinking and--"

"IT NEVER HAPPENED!!!"

"Yeah, sure...you two did it and you know it! I heard you in the room next door...well...to be exact I heard Leviathan, but..."

"You followed us that night!? X, you're a filthy little biometal!"

"That's what I get for hanging with you for all these centuries. Now leave Vent alone."

"I would, but he's gone..."

"Eh?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent rushed down the hall, mind reeling.

"I SO did not need to hear that."

He was so lost in thought that he literally ran into Aile. The pair landed on the hard metal floor.

"Ow!!! Son of a--!"

Vent slowly stood up and rubbed his head. Aile groaned as she stood up holding her back. She looked up.

"Oh...Vent...um...hey, what's wrong with you? You look scarred."

"X and Zero."

"Biometals bugging you too, eh? Leviathan pounced on me the moment I got out of the shower...she's told me things I'm really better off not knowing."

"What things?"

"You sure you wanna know?"

"Trust me. I can top whatever she told you."

Aile filled Vent in. He was unphased. His companion blinked.

"No reaction? What X and Zero say?"

"Actually, they mentioned the same thing."

"...Oh...they're all nuts..."

"Biometals..."

"...who needs them?"

The pair laughed before they both realized...

"...Hey, we're talking to each other again!"

"Aile?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know what happened last night, or how it happened, but I'm sorry."

Aile turned a light shade of pink.

"Hey, its no more my fault than it is yours. We were both drunk after all."

"You mentioned you were nervous we didn't use a...well...we did."

"How the hell do you know?"

"You remember the old 'every guy carries one' thing?"

"...You...you carry a"

"Not usually, no. I why I did yesterday I don't know...come to think of it...I didn't know I had one. Maybe I got it when I was drunk?"

"You're insane."

"Yes I am! You're not exactly the epitome of normal either."

Aile giggled and stuck her tonuge out at him.

"No...no I'm not."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A few hours later, the two had decided to see just what Aile was capable of with the biometals. It had become apparent that Vent and Aile balanced one another out. Vent excelled with bladed weapons, and Aile's skills with guns was just as high. As Aile practiced with Model Zx's saber, Vent stood there in Model L (which was more lightly armored than Model Lx) trying to think of more productive ways of using the halberd that came with it other than single slashes. It was a heavy weapon, but did no more damage than a saber. He sighed, figuring that he'd have to get into water to see what it was really capable of.. He went over to see how Aile was doing. She stopped to check her progress. The body of an already dead Maverick had slashes across its entire body. Many of them we're across vital points (at least for a Maverick), but the ones that didn't we're somewhat shallow. Not like Vent's that cut deep and did major damage.

"Hmmm...not bad Aile...I guess you should stick to blasters over sabers though..."

"I thought we already determined this."

"Well, I had to make sure. Its better to know what you're good at before hand."

"I suppose."

The door slid open and Prairie poked her head in.

"You two talking to each other again?"

Vent looked up.

"What? Oh, yeah. We are."

"Good, can I see Aile for a moment?"

"Uh..."

Aile shrugged.

"Why not?"

Prairie pulled her out into the hall.

"So you two are alright then?"

"Yes."

"You sure? You really...overreacted."

"You know I tend to do that."

"So you're really okay?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"You really sure."

"Yes!"

"Gonna do it again?"

"Y...hey!!!"

Prairie laughed and ran off. Aile sighed.

"I really need to stop talking without thinking."

Vent poked his head out into the hall.

"Aile? Come on, we need to get back to work."

Aile sighed, tempted to go practice her saber skills on Prairie.

"Yeah, I know."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Alright. Kinda broke my mold here. Short chapter too. Writting this chapter didn't feel the same as writting the others. Like I said, this was an experiment. I realize that there are no real differences between Vent and Aile in the actual game. I know Aile is supposed to dash longer and have more recoil compared to Vent, and that Vent doesn't dash as far but doesn't flinch as bad as Aile, but to be honest, I never noticed any real difference between them. Alright. Now that this story arc is over, I can plan my next scheme. Mwahahahaha! Hey, and I'm even nice enough to post early again. See you next Friday.