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.

"You okay?" Dahlia asked through a mouthful of her accompanying dumplings. "You haven't eaten anything, and it all tastes so good!" She added, and if anyone was watching, they would see there was an obscene amount of food for one small woman.

The tattooed man closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair as he realised there was no excuse. "The other one got in the way." He finally replied, using his free hand to fish around for his cigarettes.

"No." Gabbi made another face and suddenly found great interest in her Ramen. The octopus had flopped free of Dahlia's bowl and was squirming toward the edge of the table. The slender blonde hiccuped.

"Find a way to separate them. Tonight. I won't move in until you do." The deep voice snarled. "Do you hear me?"

Dahlia found herself about to eat the creature now and simply allowed it this one last break for freedom. "We can't charter the boat until the morning, so you wanna do something tonight?" She asked.

"All this over a sword?" He snorted, the cigarette now balanced between his lips as he patted his pockets for his lighter.

All at once Gabbi found her frown disappearing. She ignored the squid, even when it fell on the floor. "You mean like troll a bar for more Tattoos?" She asked hopefully. She didn't even see the high heeled boot that ground the poor thing into the floor.

A flame was produced as the owner of the boots sat down across from him. "Give him what he wants. Or we will all suffer. You don't want that. Do you?"

"We could take you to get one of your own." Dahlia suggested, her ruby lips curling into a devilish grin.

"And here I thought suffering got you hot." He snorted, smoke billowing past his lips a moment later and filling the space between the both of them. "He sent you because he can't trust me?"

Gabbi looked down at her milky skin and made her usual face. "And ruin this perfectly silken thing I have worked so hard on? I don't think so. I like to taste them. Not wear them." Again she turned up her pert nose. "Are you done yet? I'm itching to play." 

Italy stretched her long legs and purred. "He doesn't trust anyone. Least of all when it comes to those trouble makers. Besides, you already screwed up. You were supposed to keep the white queen out of play. Now we are having to redesign the game. He hates that."

"Spoilsport." Dahlia replied, poking her tongue out as she rose up to her feet. "We can't come to japan and not go to a karaoke bar! All those old business men with lose you and your blonde hair." She teased.

"And let me guess, your here for her black knight?" Erik snorted. "You should know by now, no one comes between those two. Ever."

"Oh please. Those men will fall at my feet like a siren. I start singing and the whole room will be..." Even Gabbi couldn't hold back her giggles anymore. Both the women knew she couldn't hold a tune if she tried. 

"Oh not me, my dear boy. Him. He's decided to step in. So you do your job and stay out of his way. That's what I came to warn you about. We clear?" The long legged woman asked with a hiss, yanking Erik's cigarette from his mouth and grinding it out the table.

"You're right, it sure isn't your voice they swoon over!" Dahlia laughed, pushing her friend playfully as they left the restaurant. "But... I wanna get changed first, okay? I swear I smell like squid." She joked.

Erik's lip curled into a snarl and he glared at Italy. "He never gets involved, not like this." He observed. "He must really want that sword to stay hidden."

"Oh I'm so sorry." A large man practically plowed into Dahlia, knocking her off her feet. For a moment he simply stood there looking down at her with ice blue eyes before he seemed to shake himself. He offered her a large hand and smiled. "I hope you will forgive me." He said, speaking in Japanese.

"Just play your and get the blonde out of the way. She's more of a hindrance than anything else." Italy snorted, getting up and striding toward the back door.

Dahlia knew just enough Japanese to ask for simple directions and order food, but that was all. For a long moment she simply stared up at the large man before her brow creased into a scowl and she picked herself up.

Erik grinned, making it quite obvious he was watching Italy's behind as she walked away. "Always a pleasure." He snorted before dropping some Yen onto the table and following in the direction the other two women had left.

Gabbi on the other hand spoke the language fluently and was quick to step forward, offering the man a bow. "All is forgiven, she is fine." She said gently.
 The dark look in the man's eyes was far different from the smile he wore. "Then I will take my leave." He purred, moving to step around the two women. "Let us hope we do not meet again."

Dahlia's hackles were instantly raised as she watched the man walk away. "You better hope we don't." The dark haired girl muttered as she dusted herself off. Gabbi would often chastise her friend for her snap judgement of people, but Dahlia was usually bang on with her assessment of meeting someone within the first 30 seconds.

"Dahlia, for heavens sake. It was an accident. That man didn't mean any harm." Gabbi said quickly. "You are always thinking people are out to get you."

Dahlia hadn't regained her smile and was still watching the direction the man had gone. "I got a really bad vibe from him." She muttered, not sure she was even still in the mood for fun. There had been something in his false smile that set her nerves on edge.

"Oh god...my laptop is gone..." It had taken her a little while to notice but once she had Gabbi was in a panic. Her entire world was on that computer. Pictures of her parents who had died years ago in a mysterious fire trying to save her and Dahlia included. "I had it on my shoulder in my bag. I never set it down!" She looked up to find the Ramen shop closed. In fact, the entire street had gone dark.

Dahlia suddenly wanted to scream 'told you so' as she turned her gaze in the direction the stranger who bumped into her had gone. "I knew I didn't like him!" She insisted. "Stay here, I'll get it back." She promised, already sprinting into the darkness. Dahlia rarely thought ahead, always living moment to moment.
Unfortunately for both women, they had just moved right into their correct positions on the playing board. "I thought that was you!" 'Tattoo' was approaching Gabbi with a broad smile, playing his part well. "What are the odds I would run into you of all people in this place!"

The darkness would get thicker as Dahlia ran. Soon she would have trouble seeing more than her hand in front of her face. The rain was pouring harder now, making things that much worse. 

Gabbi didn't feel much like herself in that moment. She wasn't a lioness on the prowl. She was a lost kitten. It felt like a part of her body was missing. She was having a hard time even mustering a smile. "Hello, Tattoo." She said softly.

"I know you're out there!" She shouted into the darkness. "Quit running like a chicken shit coward!"

"What happened?" Erik asked, looking genuinely concerned. "And what are you doing int he dark alone?" He added, trying to usher her in the opposite direction Dahlia had run.

There was no answer but deep laughter that seemed to come at her from all sides. The darkness itself seemed to sweep around her, dancing and teasing her. 

Gabbi didn't move. She kept looking after her friend, worried that she couldn't see her anymore. "Someone stole my laptop. It's my fault really and my best friend is all gun ho for tracking down the person who did it and...sorry...this is not a good time... " Gabbi gave him a sheepish smile that didn't reach her eyes and began walking in Dahlia's direction. "Look me up while you're here though...okay, Tattoo?"

Dahlia stopped dead in her tracks then. She had been aware she couldn't trust her eyes in this thick darkness, but now it seemed even her ears were playing tricks on her. "Funny, you didn't strike me as smart enough to pull off such a clean bag snatch." She taunted bravely.

"Wait..." A large hand reached out and grabbed Gabbi's wrist, though it wasn't so tight as it should cause her alarm. "I could help." He suggested gently. "And it's Erik." He added with another warm smile.

"Silly girl, I'm not the one who stole the bag. "It's been missing since the airport. I can't help but laugh at how foolish you two really are. Wouldn't notice ìf the truth was right in front of you." A deep voice purred. 

Gabbi missed the smile. Images were flashing through her mind of a sun drenched kitchen. She was stadding next to the man called Erik, handing him a cup of coffee. He was leaning over her swollen belly to kiss her and tell her goodbye. It was going to be a good day...

Dahlia was bristling even more now, knowing how much the information on that laptop meant to Gabbi. "And how would you know something like that?" She asked, wishing she had taken the time to unpack her bag at the hotel and stash her knife where it usually lived in her boot.

Erik realised Gabbi had spaced out, and gave her a little shake. "You need to sit down." He decided, thinking she was simply over tired. He had no idea he had been the cause of her momentary lapse.

"Why wouldn't I? I'm every where. Haven't you realized that yet? You need to go home, girl. Forget what you came for and leave." The voice snarled.

"Don't touch me!" Gabbi shouted suddenly, shoving him away and running into the darkness.

"You got something against girls looking for a good time?" Dahlia snorted. "Because you've done nothign yet but ruin my fun!"

Erik sighed and smoothed his fingers over his hair. "They always gotta run..." He muttered before giving chase.

"I have something against girls that try to steal my things." The darkness whispered speaking all around her. "Go home before I make you regret it. Do we understand one another?"

Gabbi was afraid of the dark. When it began to swallow her she panicked. The scream was caught in her throat but she tried to claw it free anyway. She had to find Dahlia before it ate her alive.

"Yeah, about that... I never was any good at taking a hint." Dahlia replied. She always responded like this, though in truth she was no more than a scared little girl hiding behind a mask of bravado. "How about you come out here and teach me my lesson?"

Erik had truly not wanted to step into the darkness, it left him feeling unclean for days after. But here he was, easily able to see Gabbi, her form a bright light in the darkness. "Ladies don't belong here." He breathed against her ear as he caught up again, a large arm snaking around her tiny waist and pulling her back in the direction of the street.

The man appeared in front of her and kicked her legs out from under her. "Didn't your mother teach you not to tease a beast with teeth?" The man snarled, stomping on her shoulder. 

Gabbi surprised them both by turning in his arms and pressing her face to his shoulder. "Make it stop..." She pleaded with him. "Please..."

Dahlia felt the sharp pain in her chest as the air was knocked right out of her, but that didn't stop her fingers from trying to pry the boot off her shoulder. "Sure, and if I ever see one, I'll make certain I remember that." She taunted.

Erik scooped Gabbi up into his arms this time, quick to get her out of the suffocating darkness. He was still carrying her as he opened the door to his hotel room and gently sat her on the edge of the bed. "Okay, first I get you a coffee, then you explain what bag is so important you need to go running blindly down an unfamiliar street."

"Go home, girl." The well built man said again, pushing more weight down onto her shoulder. "Go or I will tell your friend the truth about how her parents died. You don't want that do you?" 

Gabbi shook her head. "No coffee. I'll be up for a week. But...thanks for the rescue from...whatever was going on out there." She sat on the edge of his bed and rubbedo at her knees, feeling like she were a thousand miles from Dahlia and evenot further from home.