[center][h2][B]A New Deal[/B][/h2]

[h3][i]Loom - Outside Academy Grounds
Afternoon[/i][/h3]
[i]Collab: [@Celaira] and [@yoshua171].[/i][/center][hr]

No longer famished, and once more as whole as he might ever be, Falair was standing before the Academy, looking at it with that same crazed, manic look in his eyes. Crow had told him never to approach the place.

So he wouldn't, though he really did wish he could. Instead, he poked the man from Crow's little brigade. [I][U]"Call already, or would you much rather we wake the Academy,"[/U][/I] he stated, gesturing at himself and smirking, his eyes wild. He wanted to meet the girl again, Aeris had been her name.

She was pretty.

[I]"F-fine..."[/I] the henchman said before he dialed a number. Falair began to jump up and down excitedly, hopping from one foot to the other, his hat becoming aloft with each movement, though it always landed on his head again...which ought to be impossible, but happened anyways.

Aeris' phone began to ring.

"Unngh." Aeris groaned as she heard her phone start ringing, having fallen asleep against her brother's falling and rising chest. The irridescent blue of her eyes gleamed brightly as she looked at the device. Slowly, she sat up, and reached for the phone. When she wrapped her fingers around it, her thumb slid across it, unlocking the screen and answering the call in the same move. 

"...Hello?" Her voice questioned the person on the other end, the sleep falling away from it quickly.

[I]"I-is this Ms. Aeris?"[/I] There was a sound of nervousness in the man's voice as he responded on the other end. Falair snickered, getting uncomfortably close to the human, his nose only three inches from the man's face. He was listening closely, gleefully.

"Mm'yeah, who is this?" Aeris' voice sounded both slightly amused and irritated by the male's nervousness. 

"My name isn't important. However my employer's name is. You have a meeting with Crow in an hour," the man said somewhat hastily, a business-like tone coming over his voice. The man then hung up and glanced at Falair who was no longer near him and instead croached down, poking ants to death. The ant hill was swarming with them, but their bites did not appear to deter the demon whatsoever. He sighed and went to lean against the wall at the edge of the Academy. He would wait, though he now realized he hadn't mentioned that they'd be escorting her there. He swore under his breath. He hoped Falair didn't decide to [I]play[/I] with him for his mistake.

Aeris listened to the man on the other end of the line with a seemingly bored expression on her face, until he mentioned Crow. "Where--" She started to ask the henchman where the meeting would be held, but was quickly cut off by the tone of the call ending. With a sigh, she turned and leaned down to kiss Mairyell atop the forehead before slipping out of the bed to go take another shower. She slid from beneath the covers, revealing the remaining scars that trailed her cream colored skin. 

On her way away from the bed, the vampire reached down for the shirt she had been trying to put on earlier. She slid it over her small form, and sauntered into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. For a few minutes she found herself staring at her reflection in the mirror. She seemed to have a soft glow about her skin. Strange. Shrugging it off, she went to work starting the shower and getting the water to the right temperature.

After about 10 minutes, she climbed out of the shower and proceeded back into the main room to start getting dressed. It didn't take her long to slip into an [url=http://fashionfinder.asos.com/womens-outfits/Aeris-470728]outfit[/url] that she felt was appropriate for the meeting.

While she'd taken a shower Mairyell had awoken with a brief start. He'd had another of those damned dreams...it'd been awhile since he'd slept. At least most of the time had been spent on more enjoyable activities.

He smirked at the thought. The sound of the shower registered as his mind fully awakened, he rose partially and stretched. The smell was unmistakeable, and he knew he'd need a shower too. He was tempted to slip in with Aeris, but the thought came too late as the sound of running water ceased. He sighed and chuckled, perhaps that'd have been jumping the gun a bit anyways. He sat up fully and as she emerged there he was, his chest bare, and his eyes still a luminscent blue. The feeling was pleasant, as was the view, even if she was clothed. "Where're you goin?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, a curious tone in his voice.

When Little Kasio heard her brother's question she looked up at him from her shoes and smiled warmly at the look on his face. "Ah, I have a meeting with the information broker that pointed me in your direction." She responded with a happy tune in her voice. There was no reason to keep Crow a secret, after all, he wasn't that bad. At least, not that she knew. Once Aeris had put her hair up into a high ponytail, bangs falling around the right side of her face, she took a step toward Mairyell. She laid a soft kiss upon his lips, before grabbing her cellphone and walking toward the door. 

For a moment, she paused and turned to look at the vampire still in her bed. "Did you know father's company is still around?" She asked, a slight bit of disdain dripping from the word father as she spoke it. 

He nodded thoughtfully as she told him where she'd be going. That name sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it...not quite at least. He was still thinking when she laid a kiss on his lips, to which he responded just as gently, a smile on his face as she drew away. However, at the mention of their father, Mairyell's expression became a good deal more difficult to read. He nodded, "Yes, I did. Be careful out there, kay sis?" He knew she could take care of herself, it was made obvious by how long she'd survived, but that didn't mean he couldn't worry about her safety...even if he knew better.

Aeris' head tilted to the side at her brother's now stoic appearance. She shrugged it off. attributing it to his dislike of their father, a feeling she shared. Though, she couldn't help but smile when he bid her to be careful. "'Course, Mai. I'm not gonna risk not being able to come back to you." She spoke with a knowing grin, and then left the room, walking out of the Academy into the courtyard. For a moment her mind drifted to Olivia. She wondered if she should pick her up once she was done with the meeting and take her shopping. She smiled to herself, walking out of the exit through the courtyard, and then finding herself face to face with Falair, and another man whom she presumed to be a friend of his. 

"Hey, Falair. What're you doin' here?" She questioned the strange nightwalker with a soft smile.

He Madhatter's grin returned and his body literally exploded into confetti, which then reconverged behind her. [I][U]"Pop! Just waiting for you, this here is who called ya. He's an mini-onion!"[/U][/I] The man winced and then rubbed his temples, sighing. [I]"The Boss is waiting, we oughta get a move on,"[/I] he stated before turning and gesturing to a black car. Falair didn't listen, [I][U]"It'd be more fun to haaaang around,"[/U][/I] he jumped into the air, and then hung upside down, his body levitating in midair as he spoke. [I]"Ugh,"[/I] the other man said in response, clearly exasperated.

Aeris giggled a bit, clearly amused by her Nightwalker friend, and then turned to the 'mini-onion' with a grin. "All right." The vampiress spoke as she slipped into the backseat of sleek black vehicle. 

[I][U]"Boring,"[/U][/I] Falair pouted, still upside-down, before curling into an impossibly tight ball, and [I]bouncing[/I] his way into the backseat of the vehicle all round like. The man just shook his head and got in the front seat, muttering to himself as he did so, [I]"This shit's gonna kill me someday..."[/I]. He started the car and began driving towards Loom's downtown area. It was quite for awhile till Falair began to hum, and sing slightly below his breath. [I][U]"Drel drel, yer goin ta  hell~"[/U][/I] he began, [I][U]"Sorted heads and arms are done. Bowels bloody, eyes soaked, fun!"[/U][/I] Their driver looked back uncomfortably, before swiftly switching on the radio, which was coincidentally on some death metal station. He began tuning it to find something more to his tastes. while he tried to ignore Falair's quiet singing.

Aeris watched Falair curiously as he began to sing, her head tilted to the side. She didn't interrupt him, though, only watched in silence as their driver became increasingly more uncomfortable.

In his search for [I]something[/I] to listen to, the man stumbled onto one of many news stations. He listened, turning it up slightly so he could hear the mumbling better. [I]"Today in Kenan what appears to be some kind of criminal gathering by the infamous Chaeris Syndicate, was turned into a terrible massacre. When authorities arrived on scene there were only three survivors, all of whom we are told are in a state of trauma. The culprit appears to be unknown for the moment as authorities sweep the area for essence that might give them a lea-...chhhhh,"[/I] he turned the station as the volume of Falair's song went up somewhat, [I][U]"Pale eyes, dead skin, bloody parties, murder din.[/U][/I]

With little luck on the radio, the man finally gave up and pulled over, after which he turned to Falair and said, [I]"Would you stop that, I can't concentrate!"[/I] In response the Nightwalker went dead silent and his eyes flickered between colors, settling on white for the longest amount of time, before going back to a very odd heterochromic state, in which there were at least eight colors in each eye, all mixed up in a bizarre randomized pattern. His expression was blank for a moment, before the smile returned and he began to bounce up and down, having become a ball again.

The man gritted his teeth and got back on the road [I]"We're halfway there,"[/I] he said, barely audible for the normal human, but perfectly audible for the car's current occupants.

[center][b]~~~TEN MINUTES LATER~~~[/b][/center]

The car pulled up to a rather large looking building, one of at least forty or so stories. It was next to an extravagent looking bank and some fancy restaurant. The car's engine quieted before the man exited the vehicle, walked around and opened the door for Aeris. Falair had already walked out of a nearby shadow where he began peering around curiously. [I]"This way,"[/I] the man said.

Aeris stepped out of the car with a curteous nod, smiling softly at the man and then looking at Falair with a grin. Casually, she walked toward the door of the builiding, resting her hand on the door for a moment before gently pulling it open.

As it opened a smell of cleanliness bombarded her. She was in a lobby, and the building appeared to be a hotel. The man gestured to a nearby elevator, he'd already pushed the button. Falair had vanished.

The elavator door opened and provided she walked in, the man followed and pushed the button for the 6th floor. The elevator would rise till then, at which point a small chime would sound and the doors would open. He remained silent as Falair's form was revealed by the opening of the elevator. He pushed past him with irritation and headed down the hall. The place looked much less lavish here, as most hotels tended to. After a minute or two they'd arrive at a door labeled 602, which the man would knock on once, pause, then twice, pause, then two, then one, then four times. He then turned to her, [I]"Crow's inside waiting for you."[/I] He checked the holographic watch at his wrist, noting that they weren't late.

Falair would follow her in.

Aeris stepped into the elevator, a curious look on her face as they ventured upward. When the elevator stopped, and they disembarked, Aeris stared at the walls and doors until the man who had been guiding her stopped. The vampiress nodded in response to the man's statement, and gently turned the knob of the door, sliding it softly open. As Aeris stepped inside, she heard Falair following her, and waited politely for him before closing the door behind the pair. 

As they entered the room, they'd note the normal lay out of a small hallway, the bathroom to their left. The tiny entrance hall then opened up to a room with one bed, a TV, a desk, and a chair--not to mention the bedside table. However, one unique aspect of the room is that it had a balcony, and it was on this balcony that Crow could be seen. His arms were pressed against the railing and a bit of smoke could be seen drifting from a lit cigarette in one of his hands.

Falair began to ruffle through the coat hangers, making a ruckus. Crow didn't even react.

Before going out to meet Crow on the balcony, Aeris noted Falair's actions and smiled a bit. After a moment of watching the nightwalker, the vampiress ventured to the open door leading out to the balcony, and rested against the railing a bit, her ever irridescent eyes watching the information broker calmly. 

It took a few minutes of silence before Crow glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then away, after which he finally broke the veil of quiet. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"Apologies for the short notice, I hope this hasn't inconvenienced you at all,"[/B][/color] he glanced at her again. He seemed a bit bored, or was it tired? It was hard to tell.

Aeris smiled as the broker seemed to notice her, waiting patiently for him to speak. When he finally did, she shook her head a bit. "Not at all." She looked over the balcony for a moment before continuing with her thought. "I'm sure you want to get to business, though. So, I'd like to thank you for your information. It lead me right to him."

[color=#a5a5a5][B]"Glad to be of assistance,"[/B][/color] he said with the slightest of smiles, [color=#a5a5a5][B]"...as to the price of that information,"[/B][/color] he glanced at her a moment, then rose to his full height, no longer leaning on the railing. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"If it is convenient, I would prefer it paid in favors. I have none for the moment, but I would certainly call on you later."[/B][/color] He now gazed at her, his eyes intense, his visage calm.

When she heard him talk about what the payment would be, she simply nodded. "That's perfectly fine. You have my number, when you want to call on me."

[color=#a5a5a5][B]"I'm glad we've come to an understanding,"[/B][/color] he nodded his head then glanced out at the city, its sounds and smells wafting up to them from the streets and surrounding buildings. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"I realize I could've simply called you to establish this, but I decided a meeting might be more pleasant,"[/B][/color] he glanced at her and smiled slightly, before it faded and he took a pull from his cigarette. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"I'm curious,"[/B][/color] he began, his eyes gazing outwards at the scenery again. He had run a few...searches on her name, and there weren't too many people in this area that went by the name Aeris. Only a few of them matched up with the small amount he knew about her.

Except, he had her essence. As he always did with his handshakes. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"...why is it you don't claim what's yours,"[/B][/color] he did not specify what he meant, but he was looking down the block as he said it, where a Kasio corp building rested.

Aeris rested against the railing of the balcony with a content look on her face as Crow spoke. When he spoke about being curious, her eyes returned to his face, a pleasant smile dancing on her lips. "Mm?" She responded, waiting for him to finish his thought. When he had, the vampiress' head tilted to the side, only to follow his gaze. "Mm... I see you've done your research." She spoke with a soft laugh. 

"As to the asnwer..." She paused, staring at the building with a masked expression. "I hadn't the want, nor the need to step foot in one of those buildings for the last 180 years. I was hoping to keep it that way..." Her voice was soft, but there was a rueful smile on her lips now, "I feel, however, it's probably time that company had new management." 

Her upper body turned, so her eyes rested on Crow's face. "But, you knew that, didn't you?"

He did not react in the least, one might call him stoic in that regard. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"Know that I've already cemented a contract with the corporation,"[/B][/color] he did not so much as look at her, [color=#a5a5a5][B]"and regardless of a change in management, legally it must be upheld."[/B][/color] He took another long draw from his cigarette then tapped it on the ashtray before rubbing the end in it, dousing it. His eyes met hers, their gaze steady, the air about him serious, but not at all threatening. There was a long moment of silence before a crash was heard, and Crow glanced into the hotel room only to see that Falair had somehow managed to cause the TV to fall forwards onto the ground.

He sighed. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"As long as that is upheld, do as you will. It is not my concern as to who controls Kasio corp,"[/B][/color] he smiled slightly as he glanced away, out at the city, then it changed to a more gracious smile as he looked to her, awaiting a response.

"I'd think that it should be upheld, considering it's already been signed, yes?" Aeris' head tilted to the side, curiously. When the crash of the TV sounded, she turned, startled, and then shook her head slightly. "How'd you manage that, Falair?" She asked the nightwalker, resting her back against the railing. 

When Crow smiled at her, she smiled back. "Well, since I already owe you one favor, I might as well add to the tab while I'm thinking about it." The vampiress started, her eyes resting intently on his face, though she did curiously look at his suit before locking eyes with him. "Could you perhaps get me information on the current CEO, and possibly the board of directors of the company? If I do decide to go through with this, I'd like to know what I'm getting into."

[I]Interesting[/I] he thought to himself as she made a proposition. So not only would she be attempting to take over, but she wanted him to help her do it. This benefited him greatly, more than she might realize. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"I could look into that for you,"[/B][/color] he said simply. He didn't even need to shake her hand this time, he already had her essence and she'd just consider this a continuation of their former transaction. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"Any details in particular, or shall I simply dig up as much as I can manage?"[/B][/color] He glanced at her.

"Just anything you can dig up would be fine." Aeris responded simply, her eyes resting on his face. She wasn't sure exactly what would be needed to take over the company, something she would have to research when she got back to the school.

He nodded, [color=#a5a5a5][B]"Very well,"[/B][/color] he stated before he extracted his phone and calling her number. Aeris' phone would briefly ring, before he hung up. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"That's my number. It may change due to the nature of my business, but I'll always have yours. We'll be in contact. It has been a delight, have a good evening,"[/B][/color] he bowed his head to her briefly, putting his phone away and then glancing at Falair.

The Nightwalker was playing with the TV remote.

Aeris looked at her phone when it rang, and quickly saved the number under Crow's name. When he concluded the meeting with his words, Aeris nodded and smiled. "See you soon." She said as she walked back into the room where Falair was standing with the remote. "Falair, I'm going now. Thank you for seeing me here, again. I really enjoy our visits." Aeris smiled warmly at the Nightwalker, waiting to see if he responded before she walked out of the room and subsequently the hotel. 

Falair's face burst into a smile, and then confetti, before reforming. He patted her head as his own reformed, [I][U]"Play dates are always fun~,"[/U][/I] there was an almost child-like sound to the way he said it. A sound that made Crow glance behind him and into the room.

Aeris smiled warmly at the nightwalker, and waved, before walking out of the building as a whole. As she made her way down the sidewalk she found her thoughts wandering to Mairyell, and what the two had done. What did that make them? Were they lovers now? Were they together? Were they not? Was that just a one time thing? The questions danced about her mind, almost making her dizzy. She wanted to ask him, wanted to know, but she didn't have the courage to call him to ask; let alone ask in person.

As she left the room, the door slipping closed behind her, Crow's gaze did not leave Falair for a second. After a few seconds, the nightwalker began to become murky, and in that moment Crow was in front of him, his arm piercing the center of Falair's chest where it gripped something. Falair looked down at himself and then at Crow, tilting his head, the expression on his face disturbingly blank. The two remained entangled like this for roughly ten whole minutes of silence, before Falair's expression lightened, a smile returned, at which point Crow let go, and watched as the nightwalker skipped and phased through objects within the room.

He let out a long sigh, one of relief, and then glanced at the door as if Aeris were behind it. [color=#a5a5a5][B]"Strange girl...by the looks of it she effects more people than most. Odd,"[/B][/color] he turned away and extracted his cigarette, lighting it again and taking a long drag from it. He was glad that he wasn't really a human, as it'd be unfortunate to get smoker's lung or something equally as troublesome.

He returned to the balcony, tapping his fingers on the railing as he looked out over the city street. Cars drove by, people ran and walked to wherever their day would take them next. This would be his city one day...he'd make sure of it.

If all went well, no one would even realize the change had occurred at all. He smiled slightly at the thought. Maybe his subordinates would take to calling him the Silent Conqueror, not that he wanted them to. It was a rather silly name. No, he preferred things simple.

Crow was fine, much better than his [I]real[/I] name. It fit better too, at least he thought so.