Author's Notes: First and foremost, you guys seriously are the coolest reviewers EVER. I'm not even kidding. You really present some interesting points and put a lot of thought into what you say. I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for that. (Especially that one review that analyzed my grammar, wording, plot, and characterization. Wow. Thanks!) Not only do your positive words and individual inputs make me feel really good about my work, but you also give me something to think about while I'm writing, ideas as to how to bring this story along the way I want to. Your thoughts and criticisms have been SPECTACULAR. Thank you so, so, so much. It really means a lot to me. Especially the fact that you guys actually read rambling digressions like this one. Grin.

I need a beta, though. Seriously. Any volunteers?

But anyways, this chapter was fun to write. I'm worried I might be making Ky a bit too nice, though. And Jam…wow. She was kind of hard, but she WAS fun.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Jam's Restaurant

"This can't be the address," Millia said, staring blankly down at the piece of paper that had the location of Jam Cloudberry's restaurant written on it. "There must be some mistake."

"There's no mistake," Ky replied tiredly.

"Yes, there is," Millia nearly snapped. "There must be. It doesn't make any sense."

"It makes perfect sense."

"No it doesn't!"

"Yes, it does. Will you just trust me on this? Please?"

She didn't quite know why it was making her so angry that he wouldn't listen to her, or at least ask a local for directions, like she suggested. She was right. She knew she was right. Millia most certainly was not the type to get this upset over a small disagreement, but Ky was being ridiculously obstinate. She had tried to be calm, tried to be rational and explain things, but he was utterly ignoring what she had to say. Ignoring her. He had been the one to ask for her assistance, and here he was completely disregarding her opinion.

Breathe, Millia. Breathe.

"Listen," she said, after she had remained silent for a full minute in order to collect herself. "Why would this proprietress-"

"She's a cook."

"-Cook," she said in a forcibly even tone, "have her address listed as the location of her burned down restaurant? I've been to the place, it's nothing but-"

"I've been there too," he interrupted, without turning around.

"Then you should know that it's a pile of ash and rubble."

"I know it is."

His calm, matter-of-fact tone infuriated her, especially as she was having such a problem keeping her own cool.

"Then why are we wasting our time?" she asked.

"We aren't wasting our time."

She didn't say anything in response to that, but if her glower had any ability to physically manifest her anger, there would be holes burned into his back. Fine. If he wasn't going to listen to her…fine. Once he saw how wrong he was when they got there, then he'd-

"Here we are," he announced.

Millia looked up from her boots. She had been stewing for so long, she failed to notice the distance they'd walked. For a moment, she was only able to stare at the display before her, utterly bewildered by how wrong she'd been.

"Oh," was what she was finally able to say.

"Yes," Ky replied, finally turning around. There was a small, knowing smile on his face, but the kindness in his eyes erased any possible implication of conceit.

Well, she'd been correct about one thing. The restaurant was a pile of ash and rubble, just as she had seen it that one time before. However, there was something remarkably different about the place now, something that she hadn't expected at all.

All around the area, gigantic tents were set up. Within the tents were mismatched tables and chairs that looked like they'd been scavenged out of yard sales, but the quality of the furniture was hardly relevant. Business was booming. The sound of a chattering lunch crowd filled the air, and waitresses scurried from tent to tent, taking orders and carrying trays of steaming Chinese cuisine. The aroma of roasting meat was mouthwatering. Millia could only stare in awe of what had been accomplished in such a short time.

"Shall we?" Ky asked, after allowing her a moment to take everything in.

Millia swallowed and nodded, chastised, but unwilling to show it.

"Yes," she replied, and followed him into the "restaurant".

As soon as they stepped into the vicinity, a waitress in a green dress greeted them with a bright smile and a small bow.

"Good afternoon," she said cheerfully. "Two?"

"We're not eating here today," Millia said shortly, before Ky could say a thing. "We'd like to speak to Miss Cloudberry for a few moments."

The waitress's smile faltered a little bit as she looked from Millia to Ky, but didn't fade. Millia was almost able to read the girl's mind. Miss Cloudberry in trouble? What could she possibly be in trouble for?

"Certainly. Just a few moments, please. Perhaps you'd like to sit at the bar?"

"That would be okay," Ky said with a polite smile.

"Right this way," the waitress replied, and led the two to a semi-secluded tent that, out of all the others, was presently the least populated. One long table, dotted by two or three customers, served as a bar. Smaller tables for two or three were set up in even rows, but no one was sitting at any of them. Ky and Millia chose seats at the bar.

"The sake is excellent here," Ky told Millia as soon as they lowered themselves into two stools next to each other.

"No thank you," Millia replied stiffly.

"It's busy," he pressed, after he gave the bartender his order. "It may be a few minutes before Jam will see us."

Millia turned to look at him with both brows raised. Jam, was it?

"I don't drink," she said flatly. A twinge of frustration sneaked into her tone, but fortunately, Ky didn't notice.

What she said wasn't exactly true, though. She could recall a few-all right, more than a few-times at the Assassin's Guild where she woke up not remembering what had occurred the night before, but still, Ky didn't need to know that.

"All right," Ky conceded, sipping his liquor once he received it. "Suit yourself."

She didn't respond.

"I'll have a glass of water, please," she finally said to the bartender, who immediately rushed to comply. She took a small sip and stared down into the mouth of the glass, aimlessly stirring the ice with her straw.

Ky had shifted his seat so that he could look at her more directly. He held his sake on his thigh, and was regarding her inquisitively, his brow furrowed.

"You know, Miss Rage," he said, and Millia looked up from her glass.

"I respect your sense of responsibility," he told her.

She blinked, but didn't interrupt. What…?

"I feel I can learn from you…"

He stopped talking, but he clearly wasn't finished yet. Now that she was looking at him, his head was bowed, and he was stirring his own drink in a distracted manner.

"But?" she queried, in a vague attempt to press him.

He shook his head.

"That's all."

It obviously wasn't all, but Millia didn't care to pry the rest out of him. His feelings about her position not only were completely irrelevant, but had nothing to do with the situation at hand.

Why did she want to know, then? Why did it bother her that he hadn't finished?

"All right," she said, with unflappable offhandedness.

Neither of them spoke for awhile. Millia finished her water. Just as she was about to ask the bartender where Cloudberry was, however, the flap of the tent opened, and an unmistakably familiar voice filled the air. Millia jumped and looked up, craning her neck to see who had entered.

"The customer at table fourteen didn't want any noodles, Chii! Now we have to give him his meal for free. I make sure that every customer leaves here happy, and Mr. Hinasaki isn't going home until he gets what he wants! Okay! Now, who wanted to talk to me?"

Her voice was distinctively feminine, high pitched, and loud. Clearly she had no trouble making herself heard around here, even though she was so…so…little. Millia wasn't going to judge her by her frame, however. She was all too aware of the fierce strength that was hidden behind the cute, bubbly exterior.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath. Oh, this was going to be awkward.

"What was that?" Ky asked, but fortunately, Millia didn't have to answer that question.

"Officer Kiske!" exclaimed the chef who had accused Millia of arson and fought her over it. She all but pranced behind the bar table, practically shoving the present bartender aside.

"Hello, Jam," Ky said, and warmly shook the young woman's hand once she offered it. "How're you doing?"

"I'm doing great, just great," Jam chirped. "Why didn't you come to see me earlier? Business has been terrific since you suggested a temporary outdoor restaurant. What'll it be today? You seemed to like that vegetable dish last time, how about if I-"

"We're not here to eat," Millia said sternly, speaking up for the first time since Cloudberry came into the bar. She didn't bother to conceal the harshness in her tone-it would have helped if Ky had mentioned that he'd met the chef beforehand. This really was an undesirable situation.

Jam turned towards her when she spoke, noticing her.

"Oh, Miss?" she said. "Do I know you? You look familiar."

Was she serious? Millia looked at her incredulously.

"We had a disagreement," she said, practically through gritted teeth.

The other woman's brown eyes widened with recognition.

"Oh!" she cried. "Over that list!"

"Yes," Millia replied tonelessly. "The bounty list."

"That's actually why we're here to talk to you, Jam," Ky chimed in.

"Well," Jam said, wiping down the table with a moist cloth, "if you're together with Officer Kiske, I had to have been really wrong to fight you."

"I'm not-" Millia started to interrupt, as she disliked the other woman's choice of adjectives. Together was not a word she would have used, but deciding not to complicate things, she just shut her mouth.

"-not concerned over the matter," she finished lamely.

"I should still apologize," Jam continued. "How about a nice lunch, on the house?"

"That's really not necessary-" Millia began, but Jam waved her hand in a gesture that signified that she would hear no protests.

"Please. Consider it a token of my apologies. What do you like? Vegetables? Rice?"

"I think I will have that vegetable dish, Jam," Ky said. His familiarity with this woman was oddly frustrating.

"I-me too," Millia said awkwardly, not wishing to hear the woman babble off the entire menu.

"Great!" Jam beamed. "Two vegetable dishes on the house, coming up!"

She turned around, and began to busy herself with cutting things and preparing a frying pan.

"I'm glad you decided to have something, Officer Kiske," she said amicably. Ky merely shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"You look terrible," she went on. "Those splotches under your eyes…ugh! You been eating okay? Remember what I told you, about good food."

"I've been eating, Jam," he assured her. "I may not be sleeping, but I am eating."

"You need a vacation, then," she immediately deducted. There was a faint sizzle as she plopped the vegetables into the pan, and a pleasant aroma arose with the smoke. Despite her present irritation at Ky's irresponsibility, Millia couldn't help but listen to her own stomach growl. She hadn't exactly eaten all day, having refused breakfast, and that smell was tantalizing.

"That word isn't part of my vocabulary, or at least it won't be for a really long time," Ky sighed. "We need to know about the woman who gave you the bounty list, Jam."

"Okay," Jam replied, stirring the vegetables with a spatula. "What do you want to know?"

"Who she's working for," Millia said, feeling awkward about not speaking up for such a long time. "What her motives are."

"I don't know who she's working for," Jam said. "I don't even think she's working for anyone at all, actually."

"What makes you say that?" Millia pressed.

"Well," Jam continued, adding some oils to the vegetables in the pan, which faintly hissed, "she didn't really act like she was obeying orders, you know? She just didn't seem like she was that type. Really rude, too. Like all she wanted to do was mess with people."

"Mess with people?" Ky asked. "Like how she gave everyone that list?"

"Yeah! She gave me a list after the restaurant burned. From what I figured, she gave different lists to different people and…"

"And?" Millia urged.

"And turned them all against each other," Jam finished.

"What would be the purpose of causing total upheaval?" Millia mused aloud.

"Maybe the Assassin's Guild is involved," Ky suggested.

Millia turned her face towards him so suddenly her neck cracked, so great was her astonishment of the utter randomness of the statement.

"What?" she asked. Ky merely shrugged.

"It's just a theory," he said flatly. Millia continued to stare at him, not quite willing to drop the subject, but also not wishing to pry him here. He was hiding something. To have said something like that…it wasn't just spontaneous.

"Lunch is served!" Jam said brightly, and placed two steaming plates in front of them. "Eat up!"

"Thank you, Jam," Ky said warmly. "It smells wonderful."

"Thank you," Millia echoed, a trifle darkly. This was…uncomfortable. Despite the circumstances of receiving the food, she was grateful for its distraction.

"May I have another glass of water, please?" she asked.

"Of course," Jam said, and immediately bustled over to retrieve it.

Ky had begun to eat, not sloppily, but with gusto. Within a minute, a quarter of his plate had vanished, and Millia hadn't touched hers. Tentatively, she impaled a piece of pepper with her fork and transferred it to her mouth.

Delicious.

She commenced eating, and though nowhere near as vigorous as Ky, her pace was significantly faster than usual.

"What do you think?" Jam asked, when she brought her water.

"It's different," Millia said, which was as close to a compliment she would ever get with someone who was practically a stranger. Jam, however, seemed to know, and beamed.

"Thank you," she said, with a small bow.

"Jam, you outdid yourself," Ky said between bites. "This is out of this world."

"It's probably because the vegetables are so fresh," Jam replied, smiling. "You know, we have a garden now, so when the customers come in, they see that everything's grown right here. It's really good for-HEY!"

Millia almost dropped her fork when Jam cried out. She looked up at her from her meal, and saw not the cheerful visage of a few seconds before, but hardened features, eyes glittering with rage.

"I told you!" Jam shrieked. "I told you not to come back here!"

Millia and Ky whirled around on their stools, and when Millia saw who was shadowing the tent's doorway, her blood froze in her veins.

He stood there calmly, his hair hanging in a way that almost completely veiled his face. He was seemingly apathetic to his surroundings, but Millia knew he was looking at her, she felt his eyes on her, even through that veil. An overwhelming sense of vulnerability threatened to take her over, but she fought for and obtained control, her hair coiling tightly behind her in preparation.

"I was hoping to negotiate with you, Miss Cloudberry," Venom said, his voice as dark and sinuous as poison come to life. "But, clearly there are…other matters at hand here. Millia?"

"What do you want, Venom?" she said, her tone cold and deadly.

"You know this man?" Ky muttered under his breath, but she ignored his question. She kept her eyes fixed on the man in front of her, her hair quivering in mounting anticipation.

"I am more than a little surprised at your…continued presence, Millia," he went on. "One would think that Master Zato would have dealt with you by now."

"I dealt with Zato," Millia snapped.

Venom unlatched his briefcase, obtaining his pool cue from within it.

"You're like a cockroach, Millia," he said. "No matter how many times you're crushed, you always seem to scurry away, unscathed."

Unoffended by his commentary, Millia nonetheless rose from her stool, her hair twining into a dangerous spear of gold, its tip aimed right at Venom's throat.

"Oh?" she said, her voice softening to a deadly whisper. "A cockroach, am I? Would you like to test that theory, Venom? Or would you rather hide behind Zato, like how you're so fond of doing?"

His eyes narrowed to angry slits.

"I fight for the honour of Master Zato," he replied. "Traitor."

She had been called many things in her lifetime, but that was one insult she would not bear. Splitting apart from its present formation of a spear, her hair shot out from either end of her head, and, forming hands at the tips of the golden ropes, seized Venom before he could react. Only barely registering through the chaos of her fury that breaking his body before these people and Ky was a bad idea, she merely used her hair to slam him into the nearest table, which broke in half upon his impact.

"TRAITOR!" she shrieked. "Traitor! You lead a tainted society! You kill, without question or reason! Murderer!"

She wanted to see fear. She wanted to see it etched all over his face. But no. She saw mere smug speculation in his eyes, and it pushed her nearly to the point of blind fury.

"At least," he said, his voice soft, calm. "I have something to live for."

The words were like knives to her heart. Her hands began to shake, and she simply looked at him, burning with desire to do the very thing she had sworn to never again do.

Her hair loosened from around him. Fell limply to her feet.

"Miss Rage," Ky called from the bar. She ignored him, and stalked out of the tent.