NAA: Okie~ this chapter is for Rinky(Rinkushido)-kun(yes, I am going to call you that from now on). I did promise romance, didn't I

Not-Alone-Anymore is currently looking off into the distance.

Eve: If I may inquire, why are stating your physical actions in such a way?

Not-Alone-Anymore is too involved with her spacing out to realize she is subconsciously ignoring Eve.

Chapter Sixteen:
Reconnaissance?

Aisha's PoV

"Reconnaissance?" I restated in the form of a question. "With the ElBaka?"

"Yup~!" Elsa, Elsword's older sister, confirmed in a way that reminded me of Rena. Don't ask me why I decided to visit. I don't really know myself, to be honest.

"Why together?" Raising an eyebrow, I questioned the vibrant red-head. Her grin came sudden, and sort of freaked me out.

"Because you can." I shuddered. Her tone was really scaring me.

"A-Alright." Yeah, I was thoroughly intimidated.

"ELSWORD, GET YER A** IN HERE!" I cowered slightly as she roared at the door to the ElBaka's room. A creaking groan, and her was peeking out from behind said door. "I need you and Aisha to do some reconnaissance." Her tone averted to it's original sweetness.

"Uh, alright...?" He seemed confused.

"With Aisha." The elder Sieghart digressed.

"With the grapehead." I could feel the steam rising from my fury.

"No, with Aisha." I almost clapped my hand to my forehead. I restrained myself as the woman probably would've ripped my head off. Literally.

"Why?" Blinking, I turned back to the red-headed beauty. I hadn't thought of why in general.

"Because there have been way too many coincidences involving glitters-er, other dimensional creatures." I nodded my head in agreement. That smile returned to Elsa's lips however, and I was back to wary. "I'm gonna need you ta check out these certain venues."

She handed me a paper that, I swear to the Lady of El, looked like a detailed schedule. Color-coded and everything.

"It'll take awhile, so why don't you kids drop in on the local cafe while your at it." She winked at me. Those shivers aren't going away. "Have fun~!" And with that, she booted us out. Seriously, she practically round-house kicked Elsword out the window.

But that would've "Just risen our bank debt even more!" According to that scheming little demon. Her eyes glittered just like a glitters. But glitter eyes aren't usually red. Or intelligent. Or full of mischief.

"Um, so, where to first?" The idiot I forgot about spoke, jolting me out of my thoughts.

"Either the Theater, or... The Ferry?" I skipped the part-statement part, and just went straight to questioning. You see, on the little coast Velder, there's the Ocean, obviously.

Every day, from Ten A.M. to Five P.M. the Velder Vacation something-or-other holds a little tour sort of thing, where you sail around on a Ferry. Seeing the sights, so to speak. It's basically a hotspot for all the 'romance' if you're into that sort of think.

I paused in my steps. Romance? That little demon-woman set me up and the ElBaka up for a date?! She's gonna pay. And then a thought popped into my head. Just a memory of her smiling face earlier. That devious little grin. I fell right into it.

I shudder to think what she might do if I step out of line of her carefully planned out scenarios. My face turned red, and, well, not just from anger.

"Aisha, you're starting to look like a tomato-head." I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came. I was probably just as red as the d*mn brat's hair.

"Go away." I grumble, diverting my eyes, arms crossed against my chest. "I gotta go anyways." I stated, closing my eyes and nodding in agreement with myself.

"Where?" Opening one eye, I glanced at him.

"Work." I returned to my stubborn pout.

"You have a job." Hearing the smirk in his voice, I turned and leaned forward to make my point.

"Yes." I opened my eyes, glaring at him. He leaned in, too, eyebrows raised and smirk just touching his lips.

"Alright, don't let me hold you back." Elsword straightened after me, and his eyes bore into me as I walked away.

"Why would she come over, and agree to do reconnaissance if she had work?" I questioned, talking to nobody in particular. "Crazy girl." I muttered, and looked at the schedule sort of paper my sister had created.

It looked more like date plans. Shrink away from it, I stuffed the paper in my pocket. I'm sure I could make up my own recon 'schedule'. It would start with going to the Hope Bridge, and end with Velder Palace. Or something like that.

I started towards the bus stop, planning out in my head how this would go. Maybe I'd stop and grab something to eat on the way there, or back. My mind drifted to a certain purplette.

I spat onto the curb, a car whizzing, and narrowly avoiding being splattered. That weirdo always made me feel weird. Like butterflies, and mini Conwells thumping against the inside of my stomach.

"A strange one, indeed." Speaking of the Demon Sword, he just had to pop up now.

"Yeah, no kidding." I agreed, sighing, and leaning against the glass of a phone-booth. I didn't even know phone booths still existed. I frowned.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Definitely not you."

"Your rude joke signifies it's something you are embarrassed about."

"Alright, alright." I could feel my cheeks heating up. "I just don't remember thinking that she, Aisha, ever looked..." I coughed. "Cute, before."

"And you do now?"

"Maybe."

Aisha's PoV

"Speka, I'm here!" I called, as I entered through the employees entrance.

"It's about time!" She huffed, stomping into the small employees lounge with a scowl.

"I now this is your first time having a job in this world and all that, but why're you always so frickin' late?!" She exclaimed, hands on hips, and chin jutting out. I smiled nervously.

"I-I'm not sure, and they're Dimensions, not worlds." I corrected, throwing my hands in a gesture of surrender. Chewing her cheek, Speka scrutinized me with lavender irises.

"Just get into your uniform!" She declared, and scurried back to the front counter. I sigh, lamenting my situation. I dragged myself to the changing room, which was nothing but a stall similar to those found in clothing stores.

I slide the lock into place, and dug around in my bag, pulling out the dark apron.

This will be quite the shift.

Elsword's PoV

"Elsword, I believe your stomach is-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm hungry as hell!"

"I was not aware that hell could get hungry." I sighed.

"It's an expression. I think." I heard an awkward cough from the demon sword. Scowling, I crossed my arms.

"I believe there is cafe nearby." Conwell stated, startling me.

"How do you know?" No answer. I sighed, refraining from slumping over in animated exasperation. "Alright, which direction.

"Forward." I looked up while ignoring the knowing tone in his voice. Sure enough, a little place called Le Cafe Fonce sat surrounded by other towering buildings on the opposite side of the street.

"What kind of name is lee cafe fonse?"

"That's not how you pronounce it."

"Whatever." I muttered before dashing across while the light was still red. A bell tingled when I pushed the door open. A few snacking people glanced up at me. I sat myself on a stool.

"What would you like?" A cheerful voice inquired.

"Hm, I wa- Aisha?" I furrowed my brow. What was the grape-head doing here? A flurry of purple, and I saw her reddened face more clearly. She looked like she was about to say something before the lady trying to take my order interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but Aisha is not on the menu." I gaped at this lady. Her hair was just a couple shades darker than Aisha's. Similar with her eyes.

"Is your hair color natural?" I blurted. I didn't regret a thing. At least, not until after she had bonked me on the head with her notepad.

"Yes, it is!" Hissing like a snake, she twirled and stomped over to Aisha. A few words were muttered, and over came the magical girl herself.

"U-um, Speka is just..." I cocked my head. The stutter in her voice. Her still slightly red face. Even the way she was holding her left shoulder with her right hand. It was all kind of... cute.

"Yeah, just um..." I trailed off, still unsure of what the hell I wanted to order.

"Real smooth." I heard Conwell chuckle.

"Shut up, this isn't some rom-com." I shot back in a mumble.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I'm hungry, so hurry up and suggest something."

"W-well, I-I..." I looked up at her, becoming impatient despite her... Well... Cuteness at the moment. Where was this Aisha at school? I only ever saw the irritable and violent Aisha! "I haven't really eaten anything from here yet, so I couldn't really suggest anything." I sighed, and plucked the menu from where it sat on the table.

I ordered the first thing I saw. Aisha nodded, and scurried away. To be honest, I was tempted to bang my head against the table.

Aisha's PoV

"I'm guessing you know that idiot red-head?" Speka growled.

"U-uh-huh." Stuttering, I responded to her threateningly intoned question.

"He asked for you as his order."

"What?!" Practically shrieking, I instantly snapped my gaze to look at her. She was smirking sadistically. "Shut up!" I exclaimed, pouting, and turning to the previously made food sitting on a tray.

"Just sayin'. Seems someone's got the hots for a certain porcupine~!" Speka stuck her tongue out at me before sauntering off. I returned the childish gesture, whispering a 'screw you' in her direction.

She doesn't know anything. I don't have 'the hots' for that ElBaka!

Right?

And back to the ElBaka's PoV

A very flustered Aisha strode back to me. She smacked a tray onto the table, and unloaded it's passengers.

"Uh..."

"What?" She snapped, still blushing. Or so I think.

"Nothing, never mind."

"Good choice. She seems to be angered." I wanted to respond with a 'No sh*t' but didn't, because than I'd be questioned about what I just said.

"Just, eat your food and get out." She practically shook the place with how hard she was stomping.

"What's up her butt?"

"Probably some unknown and unresolved feelings." My brow went to furrowed again. What's the butter-knife talking about?

After about fifteen minutes of stuffing my face, I asked for the bill. Aisha brought it, looking a bit calmer, but still snappy as a lioness at her dinner. Maybe that's what she was in a past life; a lioness.

After contemplating that possibility(and trashing it, because Aisha as a lioness. Where's the logic?) I dug around my pants for a few coins. I came up a couple hundred ED short.

Crap.

"What's with that expression?" Aisha's voice snapped me from my unpleasant reverie.

"Uh, nothing."

"Ok than, have you paid yet?"

"Er, no."

"Why not?"

"Well..." She sighed.

"Don't tell me you're short?" I nodded, and she scowled. "Fine, but don't expect anymore favors." Confused, I looked at her questioningly. She pulled out some ED, and counted it out. "You can leave now."

"So you're covering me?" I queried in bewilderment.

"No duh." I stood, and before I could help myself, wrapped my arms around her in a hug. I haven't hugged anybody since, like, second grade. The ED coins fell, and clinked against the floor.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Realizing how long we've been in the position, I retracted.

"Thanking you." And then I smiled. Which is another weird thing. I didn't really show any kind of smile other than a smirk before Aisha appeared here. Now I'm smiling all the time. "See ya!" Than I turned, and walked out.

The memory of Aisha's expression would probably stay with me for awhile.

NAA: Does anybody know how to pronounce Reconnaissance? I always forget, and end up saying it like a French word(not the bad kind, of course).

Chung: I'd tell you, but I'm just a part of your imagination.

NAA: You mean the voices are back?!

Chung has earned the Paranoia skill.

NAA: Was the chapter up to everybody's standards? There was a lot of PoV jumping, but I think it was pretty cute.

Chung: Aisha was red the whole time.

NAA ignores Chung.

NAA: BIG THANKEES TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~~~~: Awakened Hades, HelloKitty55443, Vahlite, DerpyKanshii, Light15XV, and Rinky-kun(Rinkushido), UND... Rosamanelle~!

Toodle-loodles,

~Not-Alone-Anymore