"Lookit the fishy's!"
"…Rif?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't do that ever again."
"I am a lab baby. I have never seen a fish in my life… unless you conceder that mutant in the cell in front of me a fish…Course…Hojo told me it was my brother…"
"Ugh…"
"What?"
"And I thought I had a twisted childhood."
"Yeah, you did for a normal person. I am not normal Blade."
" "Lookit the fishys!" kinda made me realize that."
"Good good. Wait a moment."
The left the moment payment was discussed (Blade wouldn't let such an important matter slip by her). Rif had argued with the woman for some time, trying to convince her to wait in till dawn. She wouldn't do that.
"Its going to be an extremely long time to get there, and just as long getting back. I want to leave and get this over with so I can go back to the last assignment."
"What?!" Rif ran to catch up with her as she turned a corner. The two people were following Emily.
"Look, bad enough Princess is going with us," Blade snapped, rubbing her temple, "I don't need your whining too."
Emily shot the older woman a glare of venom. Apparently she didn't like this new title of "Princess". Or maybe she didn't like how Blade had said it.
"Hurry up you two." Emily called back, flipping her hair off her shoulder. Blade rolled her eyes and did nothing to quicken her pace, or even show she cared. Rif shook his head.
"We don't have our wepo-"
"That is where I am leading you, Sera. Now, if you would be so kind as to stop the chatter and follow me I'll show you where we keep the gear."
"Yeah, yeah. You'll show us anyways of dear Da'ath will have a fit." Blade muttered. "Wouldn't want that, would you?"
Emily stopped dead, clenching her fists. She turned on her heels and marched back to Blade, throwing a punch. Blade had not been expecting it, but she reacted just as quickly as if she had. She ducked Emily's fist and grabbed her wrist, sending her toppling over.
Standing back up and looking at the blond woman on her back Blade shook her head. "Don't do that again."
Emily glared as Da'ath turned the corner.
"Emily?" He asked, frowning. He looked from the younger woman to Rif, then to Blade. "What happened?"
"She attacked me!" Emily shrieked. One of the orbs inlaid in the walls flashed from its yellow color to a dark purple. The pipes of mako soon filled with this purple light and all the hall was bathed in it.
"Do not lie to me, Emily." Da'ath said, glaring at the woman. Rif shivered. The look was one to kill it seemed. "You attacked her, thus ending in the position you now are. Did I not warn you?"
"Bu-"
"Answer me." Da'ath commanded, voice ice. Emily sighed and nodded. Da'ath smiled cruelly, pleased.
"Next time, do not take my warnings so lightly. Stand and finish the task I assigned you to."
"Yes, sir." Emily pushed herself gracefully to her feet. Pushing past Rif and Blade, sparing a glare for the woman, she continued down the hall. Rif glanced at Blade. She was watching Da'ath with curiosity.
"You confuse me." She stated. He looked from the materia orb he had been examining to Blade.
"Hm?"
" "Blade, Iris? Which do you prefer now?" and now this warning. Your not telling us something, Da'ath."
Da'ath chuckled and shook his head. "You best follow Emily, she will not wait for you."
With that, he went back to fixing the materia. Blade and Rif went in search of the Princess.
"Here we are. Ta da." She said, clapping her hands to turn on the lights. Inside this room were weapons of all types and assortments. Rif looked about, trying to spot his clothing and weapons. No where.
"I have your stuff packed away. Cleaned and all. Hope you don't mind, I took the opportunity of buying some new stuff too." She walked over to the other side of the room, pulling open the closet. "Sense it is icicle inn, they are mostly long sleeved stuff. Very warm."
"Alright. Thanks." Blade muttered, walking over to some swords on the wall.
"We sharpened your weapons too. Made alterations on your gun."
Blade stopped as she reached for a katana, her head turning slowly over to Emily. "What alterations?" She asked sharply. Her fingers itched to gut this woman.
"Oh, nothing to dramatic." The woman said with a false smile. She turned to dig into the closet.
'So far I have learned everything with you is dramatic'. Blade though. She watched as Emily pulled out a holster and a pair of guns.
"We just duplicated the materia one. Made the bullets better."
"How…"
Emily sighed. "We replaced the materia you were using with stronger stuff. Some mastered materia we had about that we broke up and such."
"that it?"
"Basically."
"Basically?" Blade glared, grabbing the Katana and drawing it. "What's basically?"
"W-well…" Emily looked down at the gun. "We…"
"We? She." Da'ath had again appeared. At the sound of his voice Blade glanced at the doorway, ready to attack.
"Put the weapon down, Blade. No need to get so defensive. She planted tracking devices in it so as we could be sure you didn't run off with our cash."
"I told you people don't trust us." Rif muttered. Blade shook her head and sheathed the sword.
"Sure buddy. Your story isn't making much sense right about now."
"One cannot be to cautions with the amount I am paying you to fetch this item. Not to mention with the item itself. Emily, take their things out and arrange for a truck to be brought from Kalm. I will go with you as far as that."
Emily nodded and began to drag the three heavy packs with her, gasping and moaning as if begging for help, or pity. Blade just grinned as she watched her.
"Leave them Emily. I will have Sedek get them. Just go arrange for the truck."
"Y-yes sir." She said, dropping the bags and running out past Da'ath. The man sighed.
"She is hopeless. Come you two, I have something that I need to give you."
He walked back up the small set of stairs, back up into the hall. Rolling her eyes to the top of her head to glare at the ceiling, Blade tied the sword sheath to her belt and followed Da'ath. Rif shook his head. This was beginning to look complicated.
Da'ath was back to playing with the orbs. The purple light had gone, but it was now blue that flooded this area. "Having troubles with the lights?" Blade asked.
Da'ath nodded seriously. "Yes. Yes ,but that's easily fixed. Hm." He turned to her a smiled pleasantly. Rif frowned.
"What did you want to give us?" He asked, hand on his hip.
"Ah. Yes." He said, seeming to remember what he was doing. He reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a velvet pouch. He handed it to Blade. The woman took it in silence, seeming to make a mental note to destroy it the moment she could.
"Don't. You'll be sorry." Da'ath told her. Blade shook her head.
"whatever." She tied that along side the sword. Da'ath shook her head.
He looked at Rif. "Yours is upstairs. I will give it to you before you leave."
Note: Go read Riene-Strife 's stuff. Very, very, very good.