Hello yall! WHOOOO! If my weird brain didn't think of the monkey brain cuisine of India (hint hint!), the writing bug would never had come back to bite me like crazy! If anyone can guess this scene from an old movie (1984 is pretty old to my standards XD) via PM, I will tell everyone in the next oneshot that you are awesome or old enough to remember this seemingly unimportant scene. Did you get the monkey brains and 1984 hint?

Here ya go =)

Altaïr and Maria had received a warm welcome from the Indian nobles, despite Maria being a woman with a fiery attitude. Perhaps it was because Aadishwara, the young ruler of Delhi, had heard a rumor of an Arab and European were traveling with a powerful and ancient artifact and immediately wanted them to represent him, possibly to gain more respect from his subjects.

Altaïr and Maria sat at the large table, on both sides of the ruler's seat along with dozens of other Indian men and women who eagerly awaited for dinner. Both were starving after their long journey, and were eager to have some food in their stomachs. But, Maria had immediately lost her appetite once she gazed upon the disgusting-looking Indian cuisine set in front of her by the servants. She picked at the fried mealworms smothered in spices, wishing for any distraction.

"So, Altaïr," the young Aadishwara, a handsome man in his early twenties, finally turned his attention to the man seated next to him to his left, "tell me about this...artifact you have. Have you learned what it does?"

Maria picked her head up to stare at her companion, who has not responded to the ruler's question. Altaïr...do not dishonor him...

She felt relief spread throughout her body once she heard Altaïr speak sullenly, "I am not prepared to share such information with so many other ears around us. Perhaps we could have a private meeting later?"

Aadishwara looked slightly disappointed and enraged, but kept his temper down and responded coolly, "Very well...I will schedule a meeting tomorrow, for there is so much work to be done in very few hours tonight." He turned his attention towards Maria, eyes still narrowed after being denied information, "So, do you enjoy the hospitality my family has given? I hope your rooms is to your liking and the food to your craving."

Maria nodded, letting a smile curve along her face, "Oh yes, I really must thank you for your kindness towards us, and on such short notice," she liked the man, somewhat. He has not regarded her as merely a women yet, and seems to respect her enough. She wasn't quite sure if Aadishwara was only acting this way because she was traveling with Altaïr. Aadishwara nodded and flashed her a smile, then scooped up another bite of food.

Finally, the servants brought out dessert. Once she heard this, Maria was excited to at least have some pastries, fruit, or whatever the Indian royals have to offer, but was puzzled when a servant set a hairy goblet in front her with some sort of jello shining in it...

"Er, Your Highness...what is this, exactly?" Maria asked curiously to the young man, but took her silver spoon in her hand once she saw Altaïr begin eating the strange dessert. Reassured that Altaïr liked it, she started to take a bite when Aadishwara said:

"It is called ejuire-brig...Chilled Monkey Brains."

"Altaïr, that was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever seen! Why the bloody hell did you eat that? I could have tasted...brains because of you!"

Altaïr sighed. They were in his bedchamber, arguing over the dinner party. Granted, he did not like the dessert and he knew what it was, but did not want to disgrace Aadishwara's hospitality...unlike what Maria did. Once the ruler told her what it was, Maria had threw up right there at the table. Altaïr considered it rather comical...until the Indian nobles began to shout and regard her as 'dishonorable' and prepared to haul her off to the dungeons. If it were not for the fact that Altaïr claimed she had become ill while on the road and that Aadishwara has favored her, she would likely be chained up even as they argued.

Maria continued, "You know what, I'm tired of India! I say we pack our bags right now and keep going East, to China!"

"Maria, we can't just leave and disgrace Aadishwara more than we already have! Besides, it was just dinner. I'm sure you can survive a few more days until I find the information I need."

Maria's eyes blazed in anger, appalled at her companion's selfish wants, "Oh, it's always about you, isn't it? Has it ever crossed your mind that, oh, I don't know, I hate this place?" She walked up to Altaïr, glaring daggers into his eyes. He had removed all his weapons, and even his robe, allowing Maria full view of his normally shadowed face, "Bloody Assassin...I'll be damned if I let a man order me around."

"Maria..." Altaïr squeezed her shoulders, but she shook his hands off her, "I know you can't stand this place, but we can't just leave and waste this journey!"

Maria's face lit up in anger, fists curling into balls. The bastard, she spun on her heel, walking through the door frame. Calling back, she hissed, "Don't take this as a victory, bastard. I'm merely done arguing with an incompetent fool!" Maria slammed the door, making the elaborately-decorated room shake as if from an earthquake.

Altaïr sighed, falling into a red, silk-cushioned chair. Kneading his temples, he pondered over Maria's illogical anger towards the Indian traditions...and him, Probably her monthly bleeding, he shrugged, then relaxed back into the chair. Suddenly, he heard the steely rasp of a blade being unsheathed.

He did not notice that a man had sneaked in through the window...

He bolted out of the chair just as the assassin brought his sword down upon the head. The man snarled, pulling the sword out and blocked the blow from Altaïr.

Both men sized each other up, Altaïr shifting into a defensive stance and waited for the others' move. The mysterious man swung his blade, aiming for Altaïr's side. Altaïr easily blocked it, but did not expect the man to suddenly swing the blade back around for Altaïr's other side. Taking a leap back, steel clashed against steel, causing sparks to fly. The force both men created sent ripples through their muscles, causing them to lose their grip for a moment. The man swung his blade again before recovering from the collision and resulted in both of their swords to fall against the floor ten feet away from them.

Altaïr tackled the man to the floor before even thinking about the next step. Both men kicked and punched at one another to gain the upper hand, but both were equally strong. The man reached up, wrapping both hands around Altaïr's throat and began choking him. Altaïr's eyes flashed slightly, knowing that he was losing breath and strength even as the man's fingers pressed down on his windpipe. His mind turned hazy as he found himself laying on his back with the man pushing down on his throat, but could still make out a voice from the door:

"Altaïr? ...I...sorry...listening? I'm...-gizing and...don't answer? Fucking Assassin..."

His eyes closed, void closing around his mind even as blood sprays his face...

"ALTAÏR!" Maria shouted as she ran forward to the man holding her companion in death's embrace by the throat. Flashing her sword out of it's sheath, the mysterious man did not have a chance to react even as Maria thrust the blade through his chest. The man groaned in pain as his blood sprayed across the room, gasping for breath before falling limp to the floor beside Altaïr, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Maria fell to Altaïr's side, pushing down with all her strength against the center of his chest and abdomen, pausing briefly to check for a pulse or sign of breath. Panic rose through her when her companion did not respond to her methods.

The Kiss of Life, Maria thought suddenly. She took Altaïr's head in her hands, then gently opened his mouth. Taking a deep breath, she pressed her lips against his, puffing deep breaths of air into his lungs.

Maria felt Altaïr's chest suddenly giveaway beneath her, as well as the saliva he suddenly sputtered into her mouth as life flowed back into his body.

She wiped her mouth clean of the taste of him as he sat up, taking deep, hasty breaths as he sat wide-eyed at what occurred a few minutes ago and of course what he woke up to.

"You gave me quite a scare, Assassin." Maria said with an unemotional face. She stood and began to examine the body, looking for any sign of a faction, "Don't ever make me come to your rescue again...and especially give you the Kiss of Life afterward!" she wiped her mouth again, cringing slightly at the taste.

Altaïr could only nod dumbly at how blunt and unforgiving Maria was being and watched her as she pulled out a small medallion with a cross etched into it from the deadman's pocket.

"Templars," Altaïr whispered and Maria nodded. She pocketed the jewelry and rose to her feet.

"We should tell Aadishwara tomorrow to double security surrounding the palace. If a Templar spy can sneak in here and nearly kill a master Assassin, imagine what could happen to a royal." Maria began to head towards the door when Altaïr reached out and grabbed her wrist. She whirled around, eyes flared in heat at the motion that somewhat symbolized a command and domination, but the flame died down once she saw the kindness in Altaïr's eyes.

"Thank you, Maria..." Altaïr whispered, and for a moment, Maria did not see him as just a companion, but something else...

"Someone has to save your arse, Altaïr. May as well be me," she quickly rebutted, but there was a tone of uncertainty in her voice, even if her face remained impassive. Altaïr wasn't sure what to make of her voice, but before he could respond, she broke his grip and quickened her usual pace out of his bedchamber. Maria was nervous, he could tell just from her stride and the slight sway of her hips.

Altaïr changed out of his blood-sprayed clothes into his Assassin's garments and walked out of his room to inform Aadishwara of the nighttime visit.

Ok, yea, not my best works and it's not much of a oneshot (more so then a chapter from a lengthy story), but this movie scene was dinking around in my noggin all day and I just had to write it! I think it's better in my version...at least the women here doesn't stand around all day at the door apologizing to the man while he is strangled by an assassin and finally coming in at the last minute to see the two fighting!

IF ANY OF YOU CAN GUESS THE MOVIE THIS SCENE IS IN VIA PM, I'LL LET YOU PICK THE NEXT ONESHOT! [yea, my dad killed the writing mood with the constant work he's given me and making up just about any activity you can think of just to keep me off the computer, so I haven't had a brainblast until...8 o clock at night on 7/11 and likely won't have another for a few days...plus, now that I look at my notepad after my chores, I can't imagine any of those things happening, nor can I write them =( ]

Did you like it? I kind hate it because it was scrapped up at the last minute...review and tell me what you think!