For Fame and Glory

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"Kusanagi." Dahlia DeAngelo was grinning from ear to ear as she flopped into the seat opposite her partner in crime. This bar was their favourite haunt when trying to relax, and she had known where to find the other woman right away. She let the word hang for a moment and waved for the attention of the bartender and gestured that she wanted a beer. Dahlia leaned back and let her arms hang over the back of her seat, though it was clear she was damn near bursting with excitement.

Dahlia stared up at the large man, and though her fingers were still gripped around his ankle, she had ceased struggling for the moment. "Why do you think I would know something about that that she doesn't?" She asked, clearly rather shaken by his statement.

Erik chuckled, and sat down in a chair by the window. "You know, after what we did before you came here... We should be past coffee anyway." He teased.

"I can see it in your eyes, my dear. Besides, you wouldn't ask me such a question if you didnt." The man purred.

"You're not funny." Gabbi muttered, the high parts of her cheeks coloring prettily.

"Eyes are hollow." Dahlia breathed, trying to regain her bravado. "You need to give back what you stole, it is meaningless to you!"

Erik grinned, his bright blue eyes crinkling with the expression. "I could assume you don't pick up random guys often, and be flattered you wanted me... or you could do that sort of thing a lot and leave me feeling kind of cheap." He teased, simply wanting to make Gabbi smile.

"Are you so sure?" The man laughed. "Pictures of a certain doctor and his wife may be of great value to people. Bargaining chips if you will. Hell, the flesh of their daughter may come of use to me as well. The possibilities are endless." He chuckled. "Last time. Go home and do not come back. Keep your hands off what doesn't belong to you."

Gabbi gave him what he wanted, showing him deep dimples in her cheeks that were rare indeed. "I'll leave you guessing on that one, Tattoo." She purred.

"Everything belongs to me." Dahlia hissed, finally struggling free and scrambling back to her feet. "It's people like you who think they can keep it from me!" The worst thing anyone could do was threaten to harm Gabbi.

"Then I guess the bigger question..." He began, getting to his feet so he could come sit beside Gabbi now. "Is what is a lady like you, doing with such a vulgar sidekick?"

"Go home. Take her with you or even everything you know will end." This time the man changed his form and became a hulking beast with glowing eyes and enormous teeth. Smoke billowed out of his nose as he shoved his head into her midsection. "Stay away from mine and I'll stay away from yours. Fair enough?" He roared.

"Who? Dahlia?" Gabbi laughed. "I don't think vulgar is the right word for it. Outspoken maybe..." She gave a soft sigh feeling guilty for leaving her friend in the street. "She's the strong one. She always has been. We've been friends since I was three."

Dahlia didn't answer. The small woman simply watched the creature, then smiled and began to walk away. It was most likely a rarity for someone to turn their back on this man, whoever he was.

"You're so different, how do people like you even meet?" Erik asked, glad that Gabbi was still talking to him.

"Good girl." His form changed back though she probably didn't see it in the darkness. Though he was enraged that she had turned away from him he knew when to pick his battles. "Now run along and find little Gabbi before she gets herself into...trouble..." He purred.

"Our parents were friends. At least...that's what I remember...we lived next door to each other and our yards were connected. We...grew up that way." She told him, leaving out the part where she'd moved in with Dahlia's family after her own had been killed.

Dahlia stopped on the edge of the choking darkness, and glanced back over her shoulder. "That sword is mine." She swore before stepping back into the glare of a streetlight.

"Lost your parents and gained a sister." Erik replied with a smile that almost seemed genuine, though somewhat sad.

The man let out a breath that sent the entire city into a thick blanket of mist. It would seem that Dahlia truly wanted to start a war. And if she didn't she would get one anyway. 

"How would you know that?" The tiny hairs on the back of Gabbi's neck were suddenly raised in suspicion. She hadn't said anything to this man about losing her parents. "Listen...I feel better now...I really need to go and look for my friend." She got to her feet quickly, glad she had resisted his offer for something to drink. "I'll see you later, Tattoo."

Erik didn't try and stop her this time. He knew he was in trouble, even before he saw the mist out the window. That was always his problem; could never keep his damn mouth shut. Despite what had just transpired, he smirked a little when he saw Gabbi's bag sticking out from under his bed. He had to hand it to him; the boss enjoyed his games. So long as that mist covered the city, Gabbi and Dahlia would be under constant surveillance.

It was near dawn when Gabbi found her way to the docks. She also found herself right in the path of the woman named Italy.

The waters were calm that morning, eerily so. No one else was in sight, but it seemed like Italy had been simply... waiting. Apparently Erik wasn't trusted to keep the two friends apart all by himself. It couldn't be helped that Dahlia was on her way here also, an unspoken rule between them; if we're separated, head for the water. Unfortunately, there was a lot of water in Naha city, the home of the only airport on the island.

Gabbi was exhausted. She couldn't remember when she'd gotten a good night's sleep. The fact that she liked to sleep in this kind of weather wasn't helping matters either. She she down on à bunch near the water, promising to close her eyes for no more than a second.

The second she closed her eyes it was more than enough time for things to go from bad to worse. Italy was lying in weight and took no time in whisking the slender blonde away. She should have known better than to trust Erik with such an important task. It was unfortunate that Dahlia arrived mere moments after this had transpired.

The man in the suit was sitting on the bench where Gabbi had been sleeping only minutes ago waiting for Dahlia. He was smiling like the cat that had gotten the cream, which of course he had.

Dahlia appeared to be paying the man little attention. She was scanning up and down the dock looking for a blonde head that should have stuck out quite easily. When she saw nothing, she simply slumped down onto the bench. Dahlia already had the nagging feeling that something had gone horribly wrong.

"I'm sorry things aren't working out for you, my dear. But it really is a simple fix." The man crossed one long leg over the over. "I give her back and you go home. Forget this sword business. It can't be that hard."

Dahlia didn't look at the man right away. She and Gabbi had been doing what they do for some time now, and it was never a big deal if they never found what they were looking for, but for some reason this sword was calling her, it wasn't letting her just walk away. She desperately wanted to say yes, she had no interest and she and Gabbi would be gone. "You must really be afraid of two little women, whoever you are." She finally snorted. "Many people have come looking for it, why so worried about just us?"

"My name is Rama." The man told her finally. He offered her a name that few people knew.  "And it's not fear. It's simply the loge of my personal treasures that keeps me from allowing you to steal them." He told her. "I am being kind. But it will not stay that way."

"Kidnapping is your idea of kind?" Dahlia snorted. "Forgive me if I don't believe you. I'll find Gabbi, and I'll take that sword, then i'll return it to its rightful place."

"You aren't getting my message, are you? I said leave the sword alone. I've already taken your friend and trust me. That's not the worst I can do. Must we keep playing this game?" Rama asked, smoothing back his jet black hair.

"I don't know, you tell me. You're the one making this personal." Dahlia replied with a simple shrug. "I came here looking for a sword, one that belongs in a government museum, you're the one who decided to bring kidnap to the table."

"Who says it belongs in a museum? Where others can put their hands on it? Think of it Dahlia...is this something you truly want?" Rama asked her. He unfolded his legs and leaned close to her, fixing her with eyes that were amethyst.

Dahlia was forced to look at Rama now, her breath catching in her throat when she saw those eyes. "More than anything." The dark haired woman forced herself to breathe, and she could even begin to explain why she wanted this item so very badly.

Rama smiled at this. "You've made a wish like that before. And I granted it. I can do it again. Go on, my dear. Say the words and your hearts desire shall be yours." He purred, sliding an arm along the back of the bench.

Dahlia wasn't sure she was even breathing any longer. Rama couldn't possibly have known... As a child she had once wished she and Gabbi could be sisters, no more than a few days before her parent's were taken from the other girl. Shaking herself from her daze Dahlia now scowled at Rama. "Wishing is something for those too weak to do something for themselves."

"And yet I can count the many times you have done it. Shall I name the things you dream of? To be beautiful like her? To be sought after...like her...sometimes you wish she would just go away. One little word and I can make it happen. It's so simple. You know it's true." Rama purred in her ear.

Dahlia didn't hate Rama in that moment, only herself. "You have it backwards..." She whispered, afraid to look at Rama now, scared by how much he already knew. "I don't wish she would go away... I wish I would." She had said the words out loud now without really thinking.

"Then do it. Leave her here and don't look back. It would very so very simple. No one would every know." Rama's lips brushed her ear, his fingers danced along her shoulder. "Give in Dahlia. No would blame you."