Eternal City Crystal Tokyo

"I wanted to thank you again," Celty typed on her communication device, the headless horsewoman standing in the nicely decorated office.

Nadesico Kinomoto blushed. "I didn't really do anything," she protested weakly, "you should really be thanking Jun."

"She says you talked her into it," Anri Sonohara noted, the black haired, seemingly young woman looking amused.

Nadesico looked sheepish as she stammered, "Yes, well..."

Celty took pity on her as she said, "Well, either way we owe you a and Jun a debt. If you need assistance in the more... gray area we operate in, just ask."

"I will, thank you," Nadesico bowed slightly.

"Now we need to track Alucard down and scold him for not telling Jun what she was getting into," Anri laughed as they left.

"Good luck," Nadesico called to their retreating forms.

Nadesico still felt a slight pang of guilt at sending Jun out to rescue them, rather than going in herself. She had the copies of the Clow Cards, she could have gone, maybe. But the truth was she was completely untrained in magical combat, and she wasn't sure she could have managed.

"Jun Fudoh calling," her desk's 'secretary' program informed her.

"Put her through," Nadesico smiled as the hologram winked into life, "Jun!"

Jun smiled back, wearing a fancy dress from the 'spring' line of dresses she was doing a photo shoot for. "Hope I'm not interrupting," Jun said apologetically.

"It's a quiet morning," Nadesico waved it off as she smiled happily, "and I'm always glad to talk to you."

Jun smiled. "I hate to ask, but... is this photographer pulling my leg? The next outfit he wants me to wear is basically a transparent napkin."

Nadesico smiled, "Sorry love, but it's a legitimate outfit. With climate control, we really don't get bad weather so..."

"I guess that makes sense," Jun conceded dubiously.

"And I'll look forward to seeing you in it," Nadesico teased.

"Hentai," Jun laughed. "See you tonight?"

"Yes, please," Nadesico agreed.

They chatted a bit more, then Jun disconnected, Nadesico smiled to herself as she sat back. It was a short day at work today, and soon she would be going home to her suite and making dinner for two...

Her desk chimed. "There is a unscheduled guest in the waiting room, ma'am."

Nadesico winced a bit. "Who is it?" she asked.

"Chief Inspector Crystal Tokyo PD, Leona Ozaka," the desk reported.

"Send her in," Nadesico said, sighing as she realized her plan to leave work early was now pretty much shot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

StrangeFellows was a bar in Crystal Tokyo, though one with a slightly more unique client list compaired to, say, Arisugawa's Locket. Named after a fictional bar, StrangeFellows served beings that were no longer really considered human, as well as those humans changed in ways that distanced themselves from regular humanity.

And as a side note, they made a GREAT ice cream sundae.

"I still don't understand why the police are investigating," Alucard complained, still in girl mode oddly enough. She looked about fifteen or so, and was wearing a fairly modest dress. And a nice hat, because you need nice hats.

Lady Venus was having one of the famous sundaes, but stopped to wave her spoon at him. "You killed people on Earth," she sighed as she explained, "no matter how much political pull I have, that has to be investigated."

Alucard scowled, then drank some milkshake. In this body they wouldn't serve her booze, damn it. "They were trying to unleash a demonic entity," she explained patiently, "we HAD to stop it."

"Agreed," Venus nodded, "and that will be taken into account."

Alucard gave her a thoughtful look. "There's politics involved in this, isn't there?" she asked her boss flatly.

"I will not confirm or deny that several Members of the Planetary Parliment with Earth-First ties are pushing this investigation," Venus deadpanned.

"Shit," Alucard cursed softly.

"They are, however, going to regret that," Venus noted slyly.

"Oh?" Alucard smiled slowly, recognizing that evil tone of voice.

Venus savored some more ice cream. "I've had proof of their Earth-First ties for awhile, but I was sitting on it as they hadn't done anything overtly. Now they have." She shrugged, "I'll have it 'come up' in the investigation then present the data to Parliment."

"Which will end their political careers," Alucard grinned.

"Yup," Venus had another spoon full of ice cream.

Alucard raised her shake in a toast, "You are very evil and I am much impressed."

Venus tinged her spoon on the glass, "I would have you know I am as pure as the driven snow."

"Pure as the driven slush, more like," Alucard noted dryly.

Venus just ignored that.

"Refills?" Modred asked, the attractive blonde smiling at them in the careful way staff did with somewhat dangerous customers.

"Please," Alucard offered her empty glass.

"I'm fine. Do you have any coffee on?" Venus asked.

"I can make some up." Modred agreed, smiling. "Are you expecting company, ma'am?" she asked, having seen Venus here enough to know she usually got coffee when there was a meeting.

"I'm far too predictable," Venus admitted, "can I steal the back room once my guests arrive?"

"Sure thing," Modred nodded as she went off to make the shake and coffee.

Venus dropped her voice as she looked over at Alucard. "Is she THE Modred? I thought..." she trailed off.

Alucard looked amused as she said, "It's a bit more complicated than that. Like many people in Crystal Tokyo, she if a refugee from another universe, in which she is the daughter of Arthura, as I understand it."

"And you know this because...?" Venus wondered.

"I asked," Alucard shrugged. Raising her voice she called, "Hey, Modred! My lady here wants to hear your story."

"Alucard!" Venus hissed but it was too late.

Modred looked more amused than anytrhing as she returned with their drinks. "I should just change my name," she joked ruefully. "I'm the daughter of Arthura, from a alternate timeline. Due to various circumstances I and Arthur tended to get reincarnated, and I almost always found myself in a position of having to cause her fall." She shrugged, "The only way I could find to escape fate was to come here..."

"Wow," Venus blinked. "Admittedly, that's not the wierdest thing I've heard," she added.

Before any other comments could be offered, two new customers came down the stairs into the bar. Celty lead the way, the headless horsewoman looking rather relaxed, actually, while Anri followed, holding her hand.

"I think our guests have arrived," Alucard noted.

"I'll open up the back room," Modred agreed, leading them to the door and unlocking it, then putting a carafe of coffee on the table with cups before leaving.

"Anri, Celty, it's good to see you," Venus said as they sat around the table.

Celty's fingers danced over the communications device, "I don't know if I should thank you for sending Alucard or slap you for ordering him not to tell Jun the truth."

"Why not both?" Alucard quipped.

Everyone ignored that.

"I didn't have Alucard tell Jun you were both out in Kyoto on a mission for me because it wasn't relevant," Venus shrugged. "It wouldn't have helped the situation or give Jun any advantage."

There was a pause then Anri sighed, "I hate it when you are right. Did you know about the plot to grab my sword Saika when you sent us in?"

"Absolutely not," Venus shook her head firmly as she said, "I would not have sent you there if I had known about it."

There was a beat of silence as the women studied Venus. "I believe her," Celty admitted after a moment's thought.

"Me too," Anri sighed.

"Saying that," Celty typed, "while I'm willing to continue to do work for you, I think we need better back up in place. This latest attack came far too close to succeeding."

"I agree," Venus nodded, "and I'm taking steps to solve the back up problem." Wryly she added, "You've met one of them already."

"Ah, Jun. Does she know about your plans for her?" Anri asked.

"That IS one of the issues, but I'm working on her..." Venus shrugged.

To be continued...

Notes: Strange fellows is a bar from the Nightside series by Simon R Green. Modred is pretty much the Fate Stay Night universe version. I find the characters interesting tho I dunno if the Grail War fits in my canon. Still, will think about how else to use.