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-"Dialogue"-
("Inner thinking")
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Caught by Greed
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They were already at a very fancy restaurant near the clock tower's territory with Aria seated between both holders. They had obviously been given the best table, which also happened to be the most notorious one where all the rest of the customers could see them and that was exactly what all the customers and personnel were doing. It wasn't daily that the mortician went out to eat at a nice place, much less in company of the knave of hearts and a mysterious girl that everyone suspected was the rumored second foreigner, and although she looked half dead, distant and quiet to be a foreigner, everyone was interested in the gossip about this outsider after the stunt on the street when the lands changed.
Julius set down the menu and looked at Aria's pale frame clad in a black cocktail dress, she was looking at the ceiling all distant, edgy and quiet. He knew she was still exhausted, but food at least had lured her out on this date -"So what do you think?"
She hadn't even picked up her menu. - "That we're all nothing but matter and energy, and eventually the universe is going to die as if we never existed; so what's the point in trying fantasizing that I may have anything but a brutal destruction in a world full of suffering and death where morality is dictated by force and shaped by rules? Your lives are nothing but energy bind to time by a frail and simple mechanical device, as much as my consciousness is merely an electrochemical reaction inside a dying chemical reactor called the brain. It matters not, the hopes you have are just the bio-chemical animalistic instincts the mind creates to protect itself from pain, devising and illusion of meaning and significance in a reality that has none. Good, evil, morality and thought are nothing but illusions, with no absolute standard into a universe where I have proved the absolute existence as immutable physical laws. "
Her words were met with silence not only from Julius and Ace but from those close enough to hear it.
"Do you prefer beef or fish?" - Ace happily pointed to a page in his own menu that he showed to her. If she was already on her nihilistic charades then she was far better- "Ari, you're speaking funny and you only drank two bottle of vodka this morning." - Of course he had been the one to get the alcohol he had hid in the cupboards of the tower. She needed a drink and he had finished another couple of bottles himself before time actually changed to night.
Aria tilted her head to loudly crack her neck - "Since it doesn't matter, then the fish is fine."
"So the fish is good in this place?"- Ace looked at his menu and decided to continue chit-chatting- "Did you choose this restaurant because of some specific dish?"
"The fish is good."- In fact, Aria had chosen this place because although the venture money came from Gowland, it was filled with Lullaby's allies who were set to gather all gossip and conversations from the commensals. Of course she knew they didn't remember her either. Maybe she simply felt… nostalgia?
"Then I'll have it too. During our last date we didn't eat much." - Ace set down his menu and tried to grab Aria's hand but she moved it before he could.
"What last date?" - Julius raised an eyebrow and decided on what he'd ask from the menu.
"That wasn't a date Ace. It was a death trap."- Aria couldn't believe she was here on a 'date' after having fought them to death a few times changes before.
"Fun times, right?"- Ace pulled her into a one-armed half hug against him and she pushed him away.
Julius was also carefully looking around how everyone was looking at them. Coming out in public with the foreigner was a big statement for the population of the territory. Even if the population was as inconsequential, the game demanded it and it was direly needed. Things had gone weird since a while ago and the population required to be shown that things were stable, even if 'stable' also involved two holders on a tri-way formal date with the mysterious second foreigner.
Aria crossed her arms and took a deep breath before looking at the mortician right in the eyes. She did have questions. -"You said you remembered things, Julius…. How? What triggered it?"
"The power of love!" - Ace exclaimed and below the table his foot lightly hit hers and then slid up along her leg.
"Because that solves just about everything, doesn't it?"- Julius sarcastically responded with a blush over his face, he then felt the scrutiny while under the foreigner's gaze and answered her. " … Just before Alice came. Whatever you did, it worked."
"You mean when I was sitting on your lap with a micro-dress and ….oh, 'that' "- She remembered her mana focusing trick… and was not willing to do it again. She grumbled something unintelligible and then look around for the waiter-" Well, that's useless then."
Ace perked and complained with a smiling pout.- "Micro Dress and lap dance? Awe, that's not fair, Ary. I want a sexy dance too," He wasn't interested in remembering but very interested in the lap dance.
"It wasn't a lap dance… although it could have been that or far more if Julius hadn't thrown me to the floor at the sight of Alice." - Aria caught on the staff talking among themselves in very hurried and quiet whispers.
Someone coughed in the background and Julius maintained the eye contact with her. He had already apologized, so now he'd try to explain.- "That was because I remembered too much and too fast…there was just too much that happened regarding you before the storm. If you hadn't run away then I could have explained and you wouldn't have gotten hurt...again."
"Explain what? Actions explained far better."- She narrowed her eyes -" How meaningless, especially when prior to things you sent me on a suicidal mission in behalf of Alice."- She huffed and looked away- "You are the reason I got hurt in the first place. But that's irrelevant, right? I got Alice out of there and you got screwed by that oath. "
"It would be a good moment for your translator to come in, Ari."- Ace took a hold of her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles. She looked at him and he winked back-"Or maybe you can do to me what you were doing with Julius to make him remember?"
With a deadpan expression Aria removed her hand from Ace's grip .-"No, I can't waste mana for something so trivial. I'm tired enough as it is and it takes a lot of effort to control all that energy into some specific focus."
"You mean you can control the outtake?" -Julius asked, seeming shocked. He knew the energy, after all, he used it when he repaired the clocks, or changed the time or did anything… but the way he used it was like handling a battery while she had unleashed lightning when she set her palm over his clock to make him remember. It was primal and powerful. She had controlled, created and directed, the very flow of life. Something that was as amazing as it was dangerous.
"Mana. That's what I call that energy. It's not that hard, really. Once I was aware of it I could control it with practice,... more or less." Aria seemed bored with the topic.
"I'll be more than happy to be your practice partner!" -Ace piped up with a stupid grin on his face, only to be smacked across the head by Julius' wrench that miraculously disappeared from sight as the waiter finally came by to take the orders.
Aria didn't bothered to check the menu.-"I want a bottle of red wine...whatever cabernet sauvignon you recommend, also one of merlot and for appetizer a piña colada with a double shot of vodka" - Aria said impassively. - "Then I'll get whatever you recommend of the menu, preferably some soup, then a main dish with fish and some pasta, a fruit cocktail; the garlic bread and … and I'll wait till I'm done with that to see if I order anything else or go for dessert"
"You're really gonna get all that?" - Julius asked slightly surprised.- "All that food and drinks?"
"What? Should I ask for all to be put into a blender and get a milkshake?" - Aria shrugged her shoulder and rolled her eyes.- "I'm a starving foreigner. And food from this world ain't as nutritious to me, so I need to compensate with quantity."
"I could fill you up plenty" -Ace said with a cheerful smile and below the table his foot once again caressed her calve.
"I already consumed too many chemicals, so my liver needs rest"- She ignored Ace's words and below the table her heel impaled the knave's foot.
"Awe~ don't say that"- Ace pouted, gently pawing at her as she steadily ignored him, but below the table he slid his foot from under heel and then rubbed her calf up and down slowly.
"And a fruit cocktail will help your liver?"- Julius asked while pinching the bridge of his nose. This date was turning out weird, but at least it was informative.
"Maybe if it includes pineapple, prunes and any other one with laxative qualities."- She closed her eyes and crossed her arms - "I should order prune juice too…"
A cough in the background was heard and more than one listener sweat dropped. The waiter came back with all the alcohol and a nervous smile while continuously looking at the foreigner as she immediately grabbed the whisky… and ordered the prune juice.
"If you're worried about your liver then you shouldn't drink that much alcohol" - Julius reprimanded her.
Ace nodded and then grabbed one of her wine bottles - "Exactly, that's why you're sharing it!"
"You both could drink easily a whole bottle and hardly be affected. It's not human," Julius sighed and leaned back on the rest of his chair. While doing so he extended his legs under the table and caught on the little battle the other 2 commensals were having.
"Yeah… not human…"- Aria closed her eyes and when she opened them to dedicate the mortician a severe gaze, they had a digital glow. Julius knew he had entered dangerous territory. She leaned forward .-" Then what am I then? Can you even describe what I am now? Just the other foreigner? Or something else? Something not even human?"
Ace pull her into another small one armed hug and promptly gave Julius a small kick under the table.-" You are yourself Ari, and you are ours. We can go drinking more."
Aria removed Ace's arm from her shoulders and hissed -"I'd go for a drink…ALONE... but those occasions seem to always be interrupted and I end up half dead or in the middle of some damn battle afterwards"
"But isn't that the best kind of drinking?" -Ace said with a laughing grin as the room fell into a tense awkward silence.
Julius sighed and changed the topic - "So… what was that about the…" - He lowered his voice so no one would overhead -"Bandersnatch" - That was one of the issues that worried him more since his own encounter with the Jabberwocky.
"I was trying to create a door to reach Diamond, but the shadows connected somewhere else and he was merely there."-She drank her whisky in one go before playing with the glass in her hand and let it on the table.-" Since he looked so eager to kill you I simply opened the path to let him do so"
"But how did you call the puppy?" -Ace had somehow grabbed her piña colada, intending to consume it before she did - "That doggy was quite intent on dragging you away"
"And so were you."-Aria retrieved her piña colada from Ace's hand - "It's not my fault that all dogs want to chase after my bones. Everyone in this world wants to get the foreigner."- Aria growled and drank the entire cup before wolfing down on the soup.-" You know the deal… the enemy of my enemy. …plus that 'puppy' seemed like a better dog than you. "
"Aweee… Want me to lick you like a good doggy?"- Ace replied with a flirty wink. -"I can even wag my tail for you"
"But why Diamond?" - Julius insisted, ignoring Ace's comment as did Aria. Then once again he lowered his voice. -"You... broke down."
Aria sighed and looked down at her food with a stoic expression-"Among various reasons, because you aren't there. At least there weren't any versions alive of you there… well.. there weren't many things alive there anyways, sounds like a good vacation spot, maybe good enough to get a retirement chateau " - She finished her soup.-" I most likely did break down, but only after a long and steady crumbling. Now the next step is to mock it without real humor in the snarks."
"Is that it?" - The Clockmaker deadpanned as the waiter came immediately with the next courses. She was exhausted, and not just physically, but that was something he could actually help her with and something he wasn't sure she could overcome on her own.
"I've seen the four main countries of Wonderland. There's nothing for me in this side of the mirror. Not anymore. Why would I stay around here, eh?" - She began digging in grilled fish filled with pasta.
Ace pouted like a puppy.- "Aw, you want get away from us after a few time changes of dating, Ari? You're such a heart-breaker"- He took his own drink - "But you know that we'll knightly follow after you, right? no matter when or where you go, it's like dating"
"We haven't dated before and this hardly counts. And chasing is not knightly, it's called stalking. " - She crossed her arms for a second and gave a small hump - "By the way, if you want to say something sappy, now would be a good time while I eat and mostly ignore you"- Aria continued with her food
Julius face palmed. This conversation wasn't exactly flowing. - "Why are you being so…"
"Intelligent in your remarks, witty and funny" - Ace interjected before Julius botched this up worse.
"Because your sarcasm levels are too low and the void must be filled up."- She answered and finished her fish.-"Thank you. It takes effort to be properly irreverent in my circumstances" - And her circumstances had lately been related to intense sensations of sadness, anger, numbness, loneliness, or other negative emotions. How could she not, she was a mercenary, a very jaded and bitter one. This was probably a fraternal twin of the shell shock. But nothing to do but simply keep on and leave whatever behind.
"What really happened? " - Of course he already knew. He had seen all that happened to her in Wonderland and Ace had told him about her in her world. It still surprised him. He knew the foreigner world wasn't as nice as everyone though, but it was nothing compared to the reality Aria had faced. However, that was a burden she needed to share. On her own she would simply move on without attachments, but it would only be with someone else's support that she could heal from it.
"I'm merely one who have witnessed one major economic/environmental/political disaster too many, and who thus views a state of voluntary, gleeful sociopathy over my world's current apocalyptic state or this world's own particular quirks"- She gave a small bow and took a drink of wine - "Wow… that felt good, I wasn't as literal...oh wait, I was. Sarcasm test complete."
"Well, then why don't you marry Julius and I?"- Ace suggested with a sunny smile quite offhandedly as everyone in the restaurant did a spit take, coughing and hacking in their shock, including Julius while Aria who looked at him as if he had grown another head.
"The heck!?"- Her eyes glowed as she examined the spectrum of the food - "This doesn't seem to be drugged" - Right now her eyebrow was twitching and her mouth was half open with her lips twisting
"A-Ace?!" Julius gapped, startled. He couldn't believe the idiot had blurted out something like that.
Ace remained smiling like an idiot and grinning, just imagining their honeymoon as fantasies ran rampant over his face. -"I think I look the most forward to our honeymoon and all nights after that" :D
Aria slammed her fist on the table, this mocking of her was enough- "Date's over. Waiter! The bill!" - She stood up and motioned to the waiter who came rushing.
She began pulling out her wallet. Ace pulled out his and came up empty before smiling in Julius's direction. The mortician sighed heavily, pulling out his wallet and set a few bills to the waiter before Aria could.
"Err… sir, given our recent remodel, this week there is a discount for couples"- By the way the man said it, it was obvious that he was forced to mention it. It's half the consumption price for boyfriends and girlfriends.
Aria began opening her purse.- "Just divide the bill, they two are more likely onto each other."
Another cough in the background and Ace grabbed her wrist to put her hand down and quickly moved behind her to set his hand over her mouth and prevent her from speaking so Julius could pay -"Yes, divide it in three." He said with a grin as the waiter paused, putting two and two together.
The waiter looked uncomfortably between them- "Both ... ? Very well, sirs. I will split the check between you two...I guess a second half to make a 75% percent would be fine?"- He said before walking off to count the correct amount from either person with no intention of angering either of the 2 role holders.
Aria stomped on Ace's foot and bit on his hand. He let go and she elbowed him, then she turned to head towards the waiter to pay for her own meal but Julius grabbed her by the arm.
"We said from the beginning we were paying" - He threw Ace a dirty look.
"Forget. It. I'll pay for my own stuff, Mr. NOT my boyfriend"- she seemed more annoyed than anything, but she still wasn't recovered enough to put up any kind of physical fight.
"Yay! Does that mean you accept the proposal and we take the step forward?"- Ace happily hugged her from behind… so that she wouldn't be able to run away.
"Wow, I didn't think that rumor was true"
A voice joined. They all turned, surprised to see a grinning marquees standing by their table. "Phew~ you managed to get Julius out of that gloomy tower…and for a date? Now that's impressive." He teased.
"Gowland" - Julius acknowledged the newcomer.-"What are you doing here?"
The marques waved hello in general and directed a nod towards Ace. -"I was just passing by to check on one of my capital ventures" - In truth, he had been truly checking on some business around when notice came about the mysterious foreigner being in one of his restaurants with non-others than Julius and the knave of hearts, and that was something that the park owner needed to see for himself.
"Hello Gowland"- The foreigner greeted, then her expression stiffened- "Oh yeah, you don't remember."
Gowland dedicated her a curious look. She was indeed a cutie, even taking into account the dark circles under her eyes, the somewhat dead gaze, the uncared for hair, a few purple hit marks on her skin or the unsettling metallic lines of her skin. -"Hello miss. Nice to meet you, I am-"
"Presentations are unnecessary, Gowland."- She crossed her arms and for closed her eyes- "By now you know perfectly well all the rumors and what's going on."
That was true -"Well, who hasn't heard?"- He asked with a cheery grin and paused, studying the tense trio before sheepishly laughing, "What's wrong? You are all pretty tense." He said with a small sweat drop. He was barely coming in when he heard them apparently having a discussion over the bill. -"Did I perhaps interrupt a date?
Aria got free of Ace's hold -"No. I was about to pay for my …"
Ace got a hold of her again with a hug and set his chin over her head -"The waiter said that there's discount for boyfriends and girlfriends" - The knave looked at Gowland with his trademark smile. - "And because we are a trio then we get an extra discount"
"Trio!?" - Gowland looked at the mortified and blushing clock master who was not denying it, at the knave who seemed utterly happy and at the female who looked like she wanted to murder them.
Aria threw her head back to hit Ace and then slid down swiftly from his embrace. She then looked at Gowland. 'Anyways, that promotion is not good enough because it gives no further benefits. So it's not worth it. Should I pay for my stuff to you or must I just drop my money on the waiter?"
Gowland looked between the two holders and the girl. The rumors had also say that her game was on the brink of being lost and for some odd reason that seemed sad and made him feel as if he couldn't allow it, so he decided to help somewhat .- "Well, it's your lucky day! I happen to have a card that serves for other establishments as well and it was a promotion only for tonight in a few of my places. It gives the couple's discount to the person carrying it, even if they go alone." He explained, placing his hands behind his back and snapping his fingers to make a card appear.
"That's nice MR. Park owner, but it's not necessary because we are paying for her meals" - Ace said while casting a glance at Julius.
Julius closed his eyes for a second while nodding. - "Every time"
Gowland could see a vein practically popping on the girl's forehead. Never in all his years had he seen such kind of 'cooperation', much less involving Julius, who admittedly needed to get out of his hermit life.
"What kind of discounts?" - The girl seemed interested and was completely disregarding her accompaniments.
Gowland winked. -"That nice discount you're getting tonight. Oh Yes, and the card also works in other establishments in the park's territory." -He said, feeling the tension melting away as her greedy gaze contemplated the possibilities. He was tempted to play a song for them but he decided not to hog all the attention from the young foreigner. After all, this was their date.
"So that'd be a 50% discount?" Aria asked with certain calculating glee on her green eyes.
"75% because we are a trio" -Ace noted all too happy to proclaim the tree-way status.
Gowland looked weirdly at them and at how strange it was. Rumors indeed said the girl was a toughly, but if a foreigner was in need of two different holders at the first time then her game would need all the possible help. And since he wouldn't like Blood or his lackeys getting ahead of the game with the rare second foreigner, he would support anyone else, more so if that someone else was one of his friends. He smiled and held the card for her to take - "Yes, the discount just gets bigger for that second boyfriend." -He assured her and smirked at Julius, making a mental note to tell his employees of the foreigner's special exception. -"So if you vow that really are into a relationship…"
"Ok, yeah."- Aria didn't doubt into grabbing the card and examining it white shiny eyes.
Ace chuckled while Julius blinked at how easily she had accepted this.
"I'll have someone take the bill to the Amusement Park later. Unfortunately I've got some jobs to take care of. Enjoy your evening."- He cheerfully said before ducking out. When Aria wasn't looking Gowland gave both the guys a thumbs up and big grin, making Julius and Ace begrudgingly thankful to him. If he hadn't shown up things could have gotten much, much worse.
The night breeze was calm and nice and the streets towards the tower were practically empty. Overall this was weirdly silent, except for Ace's nonsensical humming. To break the silent and the damn hum, Julius was the one who spoke first with a question that actually had made him curious since long ago.
"Why are you so obsessed with money? You may be greedy… but there's more to it, am I right?"
"Money is the cheapest form of power." - Aria didn't stopped her pace or looked at him - "It's also a very useful and valuable resource to achieve one's goals. Obviously, in a current context, I have little to none and it's a prime for survival"
Julius stops for a second -" How can you not have money? You charged a lot to all the territories."- Even he was still paying for that mission at the amusement park, not to mention that she charged quite a lot to everyone on her white neck jobs.
"And you got some piles of cash from that safe house. I'm sure you have more" - Ace added, slightly curious too.
Aria sighted and looks up forward, walking a couple steps ahead of them before they caught up at her sides -"I was going back to my world, remember? What use could I have for the money of this world?"
It dawned on them.
"And what did you do with all that money then?" - Ace spoke, mildly curious as to what she could have spent it on.
"I used some, hide small quantities, and set up the Hadron's fund for arts and science"- She explained nonchalantly with a shrug of her shoulders and kept on walking while both holders stopped in their tracks.
"YOU DONATED YOUR MONEY… YOU?!" - Julius couldn't believe it. He grabbed her by the shoulders to spin her around and look in her surprised eyes- "You!? The most greedy person in this world!?"
Aria shrugged her shoulders and sighted while rolling her eyes without hope, not even bothering to break away. - "Just told you I did, didn't I? Heck, money is always and only just means to an end. Money is also the cheapest form of power, so I used it before I didn't had any further use it."- Of course she had used her money for the Lullaby, she didn't feel it as a waste at all. Even if they didn't remember her and might not even exist anymore, she had improved things for a while. However, that had been then and this was now. -" At least the discount card, food will come cheaper… "-She dropped her head a bit -"Urghh...I still need to find a real place to live and go back on jobs"
Julius agitated a bit -"What do you mean, woman? You live at the tower"
"And sleep in our bed" -Ace pointed out
"I don't live anywhere" - She yawned and set his hands away from her shoulders, then kept walking. They caught up to her and she stopped, taking a couple steps back and create distance. Raising her palms above her shoulders she sighted again.- "Seriously. Let it go. You wanted a date, you got it. Nothing special or important. It's over, move on."
Ace took a step forward and grabbed her hands to harshly pull her towards him.-"We already moved on, Ari. We became a cou… trio tonight."
As much as she'd like to push him away and run, she didn't have the strength for it. So she settled for a deadpan expression.- "We did not. You know I said that to get that card. Be happy that you.. Julius paid less tonight."
Julius came behind her and set his hand on her shoulder. -"We are happy. But I remind that you gave us your mercenary word."- He leaned down to speak near her ear - "Everyone in the restaurant heard your vow. So you can't turn on it or no jobs for the mercenary without word."
"What…!?"- She looked pale, fearful and had an incredibly uneasy switching crooked smile on her lips -"The fuck!?"
"Yep. We are an official trio"- Ace pulled on her hands up to kiss her knuckles.
"BU… but...bu"- She was speechless, open mouthed, with wide eyes, and had an imminent urge to run away. She removed herself from their hold and began walking backwards when her shadow rose from the floor and moved like a ribbon strip around her body before it coiled around her arm and became a small snake.
"Mis análisis demuestran que aceptar su propuesta es la mejor opción (My analysis show that accepting their proposal is the best option)" - Aegis said in spanish, which caused its accent to sound even thicker and denote that he wanted to speak aloud but only for it's master.
"Huh? Aegis?" - She raised her hand in front of her face to see the little snake nod in front of her eyes.
"En tus circunstancias actuales sería imposible huir en este momento. Incluso si lo lograras las posibilidades de sufrir daños severos son extremadamente altas y careces de los recursos para enfrentar estos daños, para continuar ocultandote posteriormente, dado que tu presencia a sido revelada, y no debido a la declaración pública de una relación, las posibilidades de ser un blanco son aùn mayores. (In your current circumstances it'd be impossible to run away. Even if you managed to, the possibilities to receive lethal damage are high and you lack the resources to face this damages or for continuing to hide given that your presence has been revealed, and because of the public declaration of a relationship, the possibilities of being targeted are even greater)" -To emphasize this, the A.I. presented a dispersion graph in front of her vision.
Aria growled because the math didn't lie. Trying to run away now from both holders would be practically impossible at the best.- ("And then what? ") - She didn't have the resources to sustain a combat, the rest of her stuff was back at the tower, and furthering in the time frame, she needed time to recover and to create a new base of power or amass resources to try and get to Diamond.
Both holders remained silent. They didn't know what Aegis had said, but Aria had changed her posture from one of immediate fleeing to a stalled one and her gaze seemed to be contemplating things.
"Let's go back to the tower and speak it out" -Julius suggested.
"Would you like to set some terms?"- Ace hugged Julius and nuzzled his cheek against the morticians-"I like snuggles… especially while naked"
Aegis turned it's head to briefly look at them and let his bifid tongue taste the air before looking back at its owner -"Además, son carne de cañón usable y la torre del reloj en un territorio neutral que puede servir como base de operaciones. En cualquier caso, una vez hayamos recobrado fuerzas podemos deshacernos de ellos si no logran llenar tus necesidades. (Plus, they were useful meat-shields and the clock tower is a neutral territory that can serve as operations base. In any case, once we have regained strength we can dispose of them if they aren't up to your needs.)" -Aegis went farther and said aloud what she was thinking -"You could consider this as an strategic alliance"
Aria grunted and closed her eyes tightly for a few seconds. Wrong as it was, she knew that accepting this relationship was indeed the best and most rational option. The issue was that they wanted a relationship, not a mere alliance. She knew it, that was the way the game worked and Ace had even gone up to propose a bigger unwanted commitment...she ... She couldn't even think of a relationship without all the political intrigue of diplomacy… and Andrick… well, they had never said anything aloud, much less made it formal.
"Don't worry master, think of it also as a new experience with beneficial bonuses" - Aegis dissolved back into her shadow as she rolled her eyes.
Taking a deep breath, Aria crossed her arms and tilted her head. -("An alliance would be undoubtedly beneficial")- She just needed to think of it that way. - ("They get power from my proximity and this gives US a political base against other holders and territories, which gives me a shielded position to increase my own resources, not to mention two bodyguards" )-. That, combined with the fact that she could order directly to their roles, made the deal sweet for her were it not for the required human interaction. She exhaled and began walking in the direction of the tower. - "Fine, let's go back, I accept, but think of this as a temporary strategic alliance.")
Ace set his hand on her shoulder to make her stop - "Of course it's temporary… until marriage!" XD - He then held her hand into his and began dragging her in a random direction
She tried to get her hand back until Julius grabbed her other hand and began leading in the right way.
("What the fuck did I got myself into?")
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