A/N: NEW CHAPTER LOL. I have no idea what's going on. The plots are laid out, now I just need to execute them. One of these chapters is going to be hardcore. Anyways, you get some background on the Lani/Amarant dynamic. I love writing that. Dialog is fun.

Oh, lets pimp – I've got an Amarant fic posted here, and might have an Amarant/Zidane fic sometime in the near future, I'll let you all know. And, go read pretty much anything by Karu Leonnese because she writes Amarant so nicely! OH, and how can I forget – if you haven't acquainted yourself with StarWolf the Insane and her fics, you might as well go away until you have.

WOO PIMPING at the beginning of a long ass chapter. 10 pages, man.

Amarant feels incredibly foolish with Ruby on his arm, and mutters it many times during their walk to the inn. He can feel Kuja's eyes on his back, and knows Blank must be confused as hell – Kuja tends to do that to people.

The inn is ahead and he can feel his feet moving just a little faster – the letter took about a week to get, and if Janelle has been missing for that long...

He opens the door.

Lani looks up from behind the counter, blinks, and then single-handedly leaps over the counter and attaches herself to Amarant. Ruby takes a courtesy step back, hands on her hips and a smile on her face.

"Ama'! Didn't think I'd see you again, since you've been dead and all." She suddenly pulls away, and smacks his shoulder. "Did you think you could just leave without telling me what the hell's been going on? Leaving me to get information out of Arok, are you crazy?"

"A bit," the other bounty hunter consents, moving to the side so Kuja and Blank can come in. Lani looks at Kuja, then to Blank, then to Amarant, and then shrugs.

"Kuja," she nods, arms crossed. The Genome frowns.

"Arok told you everything, then," he mutters.

"Yeah," she agrees, "Everything he knew. You're going to have to tell me more later. Luckily, I know that staying around Amarant too long can make even perfect people like you and I go fucking nuts." She shoots another glare at Amarant, who shrugs.

"What about the girl?" he asks, arms crossing.

Lani frowns, and moves back. "...Nothing yet. It's been a week... Arok hasn't been able to go out, with his..."

"His what?" Kuja prompts when Lani trails off. She looks at him, blinking.

"He... He didn't say anything, did he?" She sighs, "Of course not. Are you going to introduce me or not, you two?"

"I'm Ruby," the actress says, grinning, "I'm Amarant's friend."

"A friend? Amarant?" The bounty huntress scoffs, "I didn't know he could make those."

"Amazing, isn't it?" Kuja drawls, "This is Blank. He helped us get here for free," he introduces, shooting Blank a smile. Lani frowns.

"Hi," Blank mutters, "Hey, Kuj'... I gotta go help my bros. I'll be back later for you, though. Unless we're waiting until you find your friend?"

Kuja bites his lip. "I... Come back once you're done... I need to find out what's happening."

"Alright. See you – Ruby, you coming?"

"No," Ruby exclaims, frowning, "Why would I want to help you when I can help find a missin' person? You go have fun doin' petty work – I'm gonna do something worth my time."

"Hey, whatever," the actor shrugs, holding up his hands. He leaves, and Lani grins at Ruby.

"I think I like you."

"Why thank you," the actress smiles. "What's wrong with your friend, now?"

"Well..."

"Oye. Din' 'spect y' t' come so quick, Am'rant. Thought y'd take 'least a few more days."

The four turn to look at the stairs – Arok stands at the base, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. Kuja immediately goes to him. "Please tell me that's only temporary," he murmurs, touching the bandage over his left eye. The broken-nosed boy grins, shrugging.

"I could tell y'tha', but then I'd be a liar, 'n I hate liars."

"What happened to you?" Amarant drawls, nodding to the other hunter, "Did you lose a fight with Gilgamesh or something?"

"Naw, naw." He waves a hand, "Jus' over es'simated a boun'y, 'n, well... Y' get what y' ask for, right?"

"He wouldn't listen to me," Byrd calls from the top, heading down the stairs, "Wouldn't listen, an' he never seems to get the idea that I could be right. The bounty hunting business just ain't your thing, 'rok."

"At least I got th' boun'y, y'know? Firs' time eatin' at tha' fancy café with m' own money."

"You got the bounty?" Amarant frowns, "He took out your eye, and you still kept at it?"

"Well, y' don' stop 'less y' gonna die f'sure, y'know? An' 'sides..." Arok grins, looking a little violent, "An eye f'an eye."

"What happened to Janelle?" Kuja cuts in, "Not that I don't find this business talk enthralling, but I would like to start looking for her soon."

"Well, she went off to go play fairy princess in the forest," Byrd waves a hand, "An' she just never came back. 'rok here got real excited an' bribed the bounties off. They were about to take 'em down, you know, but he just managed to con them into taking the posters down faster."

"Fine with me," Amarant mutters, "I was getting tired of the Outer continent. We better go look for her."

"Not so fast," Lani exclaims as he turns to leave, "I can't just leave. I have to take Janelle's shifts, and Arok isn't in a condition to go looking for trouble."

"Hey, 'm too! Y' sound like m' ma."

"Besides," she continues, ignoring Arok, "I know you're hungry, I can tell, and I want to talk to you. Arok will have to go find Gilgamesh, who kind of has to help." She grins at Amarant's curious look. "Let's just say I persuaded him."

"We needed a search party," Byrd drawls, "We got a search party. I say we go out now."

"I say we eat," Lani snaps, "And don't try back-talking, Arok and Byrd can get something for you and Kuja." The two make exclamations of annoyance, but she glares at them and they quickly skitter into the kitchen.

"Lani, you don't-" Lani cuts Kuja off with a wave.

"Don't worry about it. I don't hate you," she says, seriously, going over and putting a hand on his shoulder, "I just don't get you. But then again, I'm not the only one, right?"

"...You'd be surprised," Kuja mumbles. "May I have a room key? I want to take a shower."

"Yeah, sure," Byrd suddenly says, hopping past Arok and reaching under the bar counter, pulling out a key. "Do you need a room too, Amarant?"

The bounty hunter looks at Kuja, who shrugs and walks upstairs. Ruby makes an annoyed noise.

"Yeah," he mutters.

"What's with the cold shoulder?" Lani asks, sitting at one of the tables.

"Amarant, as far as I can tell, has issues with bein' less glam than Kuja," Ruby responds, sitting next to the other girl, "It's a shame, really. You can tell they want each other but neither seems to see it."

"You tell that to her when the rag-doll's around," Amarant growls, sitting down nonetheless.

"Yeah, who was that? Amarant, you're not using Kuja as an escort service, are you?"

Amarant snorts.

The door of the in opens and Lani stands up. "God, Janelle has too many duties. When we find her, I'm going to have to take some of her jobs for a while."

"You?" Amarant asks, raising an eyebrow, "You can't sit still in one place for more than a few hours."

"I lived in Die Stadt for two years," she grumbles, before looking to the man who entered. "Can I help you? Are you looking for a room?"

"Hm..." He looks around, and Amarant watches him with narrowed eyes. He's wearing a dark robe, with the hood over his head, and seems too... suspicious. Then again, the first thing Kuja was wearing in Treno was the same thing... "No, no room." He tilts his head. "I... heard, there was a girl here. I was looking for her."

"Oh." Lani sits back down, shaking her head. "You must be looking for Janelle. She... She isn't in right now."

"I see." The man shrugs, "When-"

Gilgamesh bursts into the inn, holding two hands over his chest as he catches his breath. "Hey, hey," he says, quickly, "I have a letter for Arok. Some guy handed it to me on the street, I think it might have to do with the barmaid you're all so worried about."

Lani stands and calls out, "Arok, get your ass in here!"

The bounty hunter leans out of the doorway, blinking, then grinning. "Hey, Gilgamesh, whatter y' doin'?"

"I have a letter for you," he wheezes, "Jesus, why do you have to work here, it's too damned far away."

Arok takes the letter, and opens it easily, pulling out torn parchment and going over it.

"Oh," Lani looks to the man, "I'm – were you saying something?"

"...When will-"

"Those son 'f a bitches, 'm gonna fuckin' kill 'em!" Arok shouts, fist clenching around the letter and crumpling it, "What the fuck d'they think they're provin'!"

"What is it?" Amarant asks, looking at the paper.

"Bastard I took out has mates! They think kidnappin' Janelle's g'nna make me give m'self t' them!"

Amarant raises an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Well of course, y' bloody fool! 'M th' reason she's 'n trouble – what'd he look like, you bastard?"

Gilgamesh holds up two of his hands, the other two in his pockets, "Hey, man, don't attack the messenger. He was kind of short, had a lot of scars – really ugly. We're talking worse than you."

"Not th' time f'jokes," Arok growls, eyes narrowed. "'M def'nitly not in th' mood."

"This..." The group looks to the man, who shakes his head a little, "This, 'Janelle.' What does she look like?"

"Brown hair, small..." Lani shrugs, "She looks a lot younger than she is. Kind of mousy?"

Something very strange happens; the man growls and the sky growls with him.

"Hey, are you..."

"Don't bother wearing the cloak."

The man spins and Kuja crosses his arms, wearing his own dark robes, wet hair dripping on the stairs.

"Y-You..."

"It doesn't matter. Even if you wear that thing..." He shrugs, "I know you when I see you."

The man reaches up and carefully lowers his hood. Kuja smiles, easily enough. "Black Waltz Three. It's been such a long time."

"...Master."

The Genome frowns, then shakes his head. "No," he mumbles, coming down the stairs, "No, don't call me that. It's Kuja."

"...What are you... I thought..."

"You know as well as I do that thinking can be a very bad habit for you."

"Wait... y'know this guy?" Arok asks, before frowning. "...Oye, y' look like a black mage 'er summin."

"A Waltz," he snaps, "I am a Waltz."

"...I'm surprised you can hide your wings under that," Kuja says, "They were much larger than your brothers'..."

"They are not any longer," the Waltz snarls, "They are not anything anymore. One and Two are gone, and you left me alone."

"I didn't know you would survive. I didn't know you had survived."

"Power got too strong, didn't it?" he hisses, "Your jesters make many remarks they thought no one would hear in a hundred years."

"I had no control over Zorn and Thorn, dearest." Kuja smiles serenely. "Why are you in Treno?"

"I was..." The Waltz pulls his hood back up. "Looking for somebody. They are not here – I must go. Stay away from me," he growls to Kuja, "I want no meaning."

He slinks out of the inn and everyone, of course, looks to Kuja. He sighs, shaking his head. "I have nothing to say. I have made mistakes and I have done things I regret. He is one of those things."

"He was looking for Janelle," Amarant growls. "If he has anything to do with her disappearance-"

"He will not have done anything to harm her," Kuja responds, eyes narrowing. "Why would he come looking, if he knew she was missing?"

Amarant crosses his arms but doesn't respond.

"Hey, 'rok, come help me with..." Byrd trails off, looking at the group from the doorway, "...What happened?"

"...N'thin'. D'n worry 'bout it, Byrd." Arok shakes his head, "Whazzit y'wanted?"

"Oh, come help me bring this food out, would you?"

Arok casts the group a look and then nods, going into the kitchen. Amarant stands.

"Not hungry." He heads up the stairs, casting a long look at Kuja, who shakes his head slightly and takes his place. He isn't hungry. He wants to sleep some more and think about what he's learned about Arok – Arok, a puny little kid who lost an eye but kept at it? That is just crazy.

Maybe he isn't so bad.

It's the same room he had last time, and he sighs, sitting down on the bed and looking around idly. Same bed, same dresser... He wonders, idly, if any of his stuff is still here. No, of course not, but still, it'd be nice.

He lays back and closes his eyes, breathing deep.

He opens them when the door opens, groaning in annoyance. "What do you want, Lani?"

"You always assume it's her when someone comes into your room?" Ruby's accent drawls, and the bounty hunter sits up, stretching.

"Generally only she can be so annoying. Speak of the devil..."

Lani rolls her eyes and enters the room, Ruby following. They shut the door, and cross their arms – they look so much like each other that Amarant has to laugh.

"Now, then," Lani starts, "Why don't you fill me in here. I was of the opinion that you and Kuja were hopelessly devoted to each other, with the faking your own death for him."

"You know me too well, Lani. When have I ever been devoted to anyone, hopelessly or otherwise?" He raises an eyebrow, "I sure as hell wasn't devoted to you."

Ruby looks confused, and then suddenly aware of the relationship that she had previously not seen between them. She looks at Lani, expecting this to be a very severe trespassing into old territory, but Lani just grins.

"Now, you know I know that because I was just as bad. Remember that one girl?"

The two bounty hunters share a grin, "Yeah," the redhead chuckles, "What a trip."

"She had some severe mental issues, didn't she?"

"Like sittin' in her room and mopin' over a guy because he's more well off than her?" Ruby suddenly cuts in, looking slightly pale.

"Oh, really, now?" Lani asks, arms crossing, "What's this?"

Amarant puts a hand to his forehead, shaking his head in annoyance. He hates women who just can't leave shit alone. "Goddamn it, woman."

Lani easily crosses the room, and with little ado slides her legs over Amarant's waist, straddling him. "You have thirty seconds to tell me what your issue is before I hurt you. And in this position," Lani rocks her hips and Amarant bites his lip, "I think I have the power."

"She said it," Amarant waves a hand to Ruby, who stands at the side looking awkward, "Do I have to use the clothes metaphor again? He's a little too... high-class for my taste."

"So why the hell have you been trailing with him for so long? Why'd you let Arok tell everyone you were dead? And," she pokes him viciously, "Why did you sleep with him?"

"I haven't slept with him, damn it!" Amarant exclaims, falling backwards onto the bed, "That's – where does everyone get that?"

"Oh, I don't know, the fact that Kuja is almost ethereal in his beauty and grace and, might I add, he's womanly looking but doesn't think like us, making him an ideal mate for a guy who never knew women were differently shaped until he was sixteen?" Lani smirks, "Did I forget anything?"

"Sixteen!" Ruby laughs, "Wow."

"Well, in his defense..." Lani leans backwards, and Amarant absently grabs her legs so she can flip upside down and not hit her head, "Eidechsen women weren't exactly the portrait of beautiful."

"Are you insulting my family?" Amarant growls, only half-angry.

"No, no. Your mother was a doll. But the rest of them... Ech."

"I think we're losin' track of the important issue here," Ruby grumbles. Lani nods in agreement. "I want a happily ever after, here, and that's not going to happen until two things happen. First," Ruby nods her head at the door, "We need to find your friend, and secondly," she points at the two on the bed, "You need to go get your monkey-tailed guy. Now then, which one comes first?"

"Well," Lani drawls, "Can't do anything about Amarant here, if he's going to be hard-"

"That's the least of my worries," Amarant chuckles.

"-to work with," Lani finishes, shooting him a glare. "But we can't do anything about Janelle, if Arok and Byrd are out looking for the guy who gave Gilgamesh the letter, and if Kuja's out with that actor..."

Amarant sits up so quickly that he dislodges Lani, who falls with an indignant "oomph."

"What?"

The bounty huntress grins coyly up at her old companion, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, you left and we ate, and then that actor kid showed up and Kuja decided that if you were out of commission for the night, we wouldn't be searching for Janelle. So, the boy convinced him to come with him to see the play that they were performing."

"Then why is she here?"

Ruby shrugs, "It's a short thing, and it only has three characters. I'm the seamstress, but really, they rip their outfits more often at the after-party than during the play."

"After-party?" Lani asks, grinning, "Is that going to be any good?"

"You might enjoy it. A lot of the roof-top viewers and sneak-ins come – never anyone of any noble blood. They tend to think we're more of an idle pastime, more than actual people."

"Depressing," Amarant mutters, thinking. If Kuja's out with Blank...

"Yeah, well, you've gotta make a living somehow." She sighs, "Doesn't matter, I'll get up there."

"Either way, Janelle can't be found at dusk with three people, and Amarant's impossible, and Kuja's out for the night."

"Possibly some of the morning," Ruby agrees with Lani, "If Blank has his way."

Lani looks to Amarant, gauging his reaction carefully. With the other bounty hunter, you always have to read the lines, and then read between them, comparing, just to compare notes. His face is passive – he rubs his chin in mild irritation but hell, that could just be because two women are harassing him. It's amazing how easily he can get confused by two females, all you need is the right push...

No, there it is. His eyes – he looks exceedingly pissed off. It's like watching a dragon realize someone is encroaching on it's territory – first, confusion, then, denial, then anger, and then... acceptance, if the terms and conditions are right.

There won't be any acceptance here – Lani has waited too long and tried too hard to get Amarant happy and content for once in his goddamned life. She had tried it herself, found it too hard to do; Janelle had gotten her blessings but really, in the end, who could have known that Amarant would end up going for a guy?

Granted, Kuja was a very femme man, but still. Kuja?

Still... When she had asked Arok what her friend had done, once he was found out, she had been surprised. Normally, Amarant shoved people away if they got too close in front of others – she had been the only one he hadn't done that to. Then again, no man in their right mind ever pushed a woman away when that woman would help them seduce a pretty girl.

Either way, Amarant hadn't pushed Kuja away. Kuja was, in a way, just like Lani – he wasn't about to let the bounty hunter act like a dick around other people.

When Amarant had been out because of that spell, Kuja had been beside the other almost every single second, using up almost all his energy on healing spells and white magic to help the other. Lani had done her part – hunting down the brothers hadn't been easy but she had done it, catching one of them off guard and getting at least a few answers out of him before... well, taking him out. She was a very revengeful person, really. She hadn't been lying to Amarant when she said she hadn't found anything out – the guy had told her what spell they used, and by the time she got that out of him he had gotten so far onto her bad side that nothing could cure it.

But Kuja had watched him, and had told Lani that he felt sick more than once. She and Janelle, by then, had figured out why, exactly, Kuja was so worried, and they understood why from the start.

So why, in god's name, why, were they being so stupid, when both of them really just needed to get over themselves, be happy, and shag each other senseless –

"Wait, Ama'... You said you never actually slept with Kuja? Like..." Lani waves a hand and looks at him curiously.

"That's what I said, wasn't it?" he replies, sounding vaguely hostile.

"...Well, why the hell not? I know Kuja wanted to, even when he had only just met you! And you, my friend, are always in the mood for a good fuck."

"Lani!" Ruby exclaims, "This is Kuja we're talkin' about – I barely know him and I can tell he's more classy than a fuck!"

"Exactly!" Amarant nods, pointing a finger at Ruby, "She's got the idea. You don't... you don't fuck people like Kuja. God, I sound like a woman. Get out of my room."

"What, so you can chew glass or make angry faces in the mirror and hope that you're not totally emasculated because you want to shag a girly guy?"

Lani loves pinning Amarant down like a bug collector would a butterfly.

"Woman, I am this close to-"

"To what, throwing a hissy fit?" Lani smiles coyly up at Amarant, batting her eyelids. "Now, then, why do you insist on being unhappy for all eternity?"

"Is he always like this?" Ruby asks.

"Oh, you have no idea," Lani groans, laying on her back and tilting her head up to look at Ruby, "If it doesn't have booze or pretty girls – or boys apparently – he's goddamned miserable."

"You forgot fighting. I like to do that."

"Drinking, fighting, and rutting like an animal. God, you're such a man."

"It's a puzzle, then," Ruby starts thoughtfully. "If you like havin' sex so much, and I'm assumin' this, so tell me if I'm wrong... Why haven't you slept with Kuja?"

Lani looks at her friend in annoyance. "The woman has a point."

"Fucking women, all you have are points. You don't have any of the meanings."

"Yeah, you have those. So, lets put the points and the meanings together and get reasoning, hm?" Lani gets to her feet and then looks at her friend, crossing her arms. "Okay. You have ten seconds to tell me-"

"Ten seconds? Do you really think my problems are so simple?"

"Yes, now you have ten seconds to tell me the problem before I remove the cause of all your issues."

Amarant looks at her seriously for a few seconds.

"Five seconds, Ama'."

He mumbles something under his breath, looking out the window. Lani thinks she heard it, but that can't be... "What was that?"

He mumbles it again, a little louder. Lani can hear Ruby make a noise.

"You what now?"

"For god's sake woman!" Amarant exclaims, "I don't want to fucking hurt him, you got it? Do I need to say it louder!"

"Is that it?" Lani yawns, rolling her eyes.

"Now," Ruby suddenly speaks up, "I can see where he'd get that one..."

"Have you fucked everyone other than Kuja?" Lani asks, eyebrows raised.

"I haven't fucked anyone in three goddamned months so can we please stop talking about it before I go insane!"

Lani stares at Amarant.

Ruby stares at Amarant.

Amarant would probably stare at himself too, if he was in view of the mirror.

"Why would you be worried about Kuja?" Lani asks, slowly.

"He isn't exactly as receptive as you would be," Amarant snaps, feeling very hostile all of a sudden.

"Is that a snide remark about my sexual past?" Lani inquires, looking annoyed.

"Past, present, and probably the future," Amarant expands upon the situation, "He's..." He tries to make the words form through hand movements, clenching his fists in attempt to explain. "He's a... very... very small guy."

"So? Janelle was-"

Amarant blinks, and corrects, "Is."

"What?" Lani asks, frowning. He looks at her oddly, frowning.

"...Janelle is. Not was."

"...Oh..." The bounty huntress trails off, shaking her head, "Janelle's a small girl, and I sure as hell know you had no issue with her."

"Janelle is a girl. There tends to be..." He waves a hand, "There tends to be differences between guys and girls, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Lani looks at him in curiosity, "What I'm wondering is how you know."

"I have fucked a man before," Amarant rolls his eyes, "And it turned out badly. Which is why I don't want to try anything with Kuja. Does that make sense to you, now, with your points and such? Or do I need to draw a diagram?"

"I wanna see the diagram!" Ruby exclaims.

"I think we get it," Lani cuts the other girl off, who pouts, "But you shouldn't worry about Kuja. You want to fuck the guy, do it. I'm seriously wondering if that's the only issue between you two."

"I wouldn't know. I know that's... probably one." Amarant shrugs, "I don't give a shit, he's having a fine time with that rag-doll."

"Yeah, they're probably at the warehouses by now-"

"...What?"

Lani winces, looking at Ruby, silently urging her to be cautious.

"Well... the after-parties when we're in Treno usually land in the warehouses, since liquor tends to flow freely, y'know?" She laughs, "It gets real loud and Blank always gets real drunk..."

Amarant stands, goes to the door, and opens it. "Out."

"What?" both girls ask, almost in unison.

"Get out. I have things I have to do."

Ruby frowns, and looks to Lani, who nods, and then leaves, standing in the hallway. Lani comes up to Amarant, and smirks.

"Don't be accepting, Ama'. Remember, the first rule we made – make no exceptions, take no prisoners. You've broken that rule and I've broken it too – let's not do that again, right?"

"If you're going to come with me, fine, but I don't need you to wax philosophical on me. Now get out, I need to change."

Lani leaves the room, and Amarant shuts the door. The bounty huntress smiles easily.

"...What's goin' on, darlin'? I'm confused."

"Oh, that old dragon decided his territory is too precious to him." She laughs, "I hope your acting friend knows how to fight someone like Amarant..."

Ruby looks worried for Blank, and Lani doesn't blame her.

Captain Jack Equals Love.