Ace's Apartments of Dreams & Dwyrin's Bar

Cortlen nodded, "Seventeen years ago the program was initiated. The military would come looking for children who had alchemical powers at a young age. I was one of the first, if not the first, to be forced into the program. Made it easier for the military because my parents abandoned me. The military would then take these little kids and put them into traumatizing situations. Most memorable one for me was when a soldier put a gun to my head, and the freak scientists told me to kill him before he killed me. Experiments like this were common, many kids died during these tests, but those that didn't became machines of war. An army of them would make the power of a philosopher's stone look like the equivalent of stomping on a leaf. The military knew of this, and eventually, all of us did. The ones that passed examination went rogue, or died. Few stayed with the military, and I've got a feeling they're still continuing this project." He took another drink of rum. "That's the basics, the more detailed stuff is in the folder."

"Hmm, that's pretty twisted." She sighed. "So they're pretty much creating berserkers."

Looking at the suit he wore, she wondered about this stranger and something he had said came back to her. Children who had alchemical powers... If he had been chosen that meant he had them, and though she was dying to ask, it might have been rude and nosey considering she didn't even know his name. Realizing this, her earlier discomfort vanished.

"I think Ace is back," Dwyrin told him with a grin, "I can hear him dropping his stacks of papers everywhere. You needed a room??"

"Hm, I see," he nodded. "Got it. I heard someone just now, though," he said and looked back. "Might be Ace. Let's go."

Ace looked up from his desk to see a group of people coming toward him.
"Assistant! And other patrons! Oh goodness, you're throwing me a welcome home party, hm? How ni-" Ace stopped when he saw a man in a space suit.

"Ahhh! Why is there an astronaut space alien destroyer with you!?" Ace yelled as he fell out of his chair. "Oh wait, is he the mascot you got for the party? In future party planning meetings you should know I prefer friendly mascots, like a talking animal, dancing vegetable, even a beloved cartoon character will do. But nice try!"

"Okay," she said to Zane with a smile and went towards where Ace was. :O And there he was as energetic as usual.

"Hello, Mister Ace!" she chirped, giggling at his comment on Cortlen's outfit. She wondered about it but didn't think too much of it. But she was in a happy mood so nothing really could bring her down at the moment~

Cort smirked, taking the comment loosely. "Heh, nice to see the owner has a sense of humor, and yes Dwyrin, I do need a room." He took his helmet off and shook Ace's hand. "Cortlen Newman, Mr Ace."

Assistant?? I wonder if that is some sort of Gate reference...
"Boss!" She replied in greeting and swept her arm out to indicate the suited man. "I tried to get a dancing veggie, but they were all busy this time of year. This gentleman showed up instead, as did our other two patrons here. And possibly quite a few more while you were away."

Zane shook his head, amused. The casual and loose atmosphere was a good one, he decided.

"Hello, Resha! And Zane! Nice to see you two are still here. Enjoying your stay at the Apartment of Dreamz? I take it Dwyrin's been good to you?" Ace turned to Dwyrin and handed her a package. "I need the special documents we talked about. Also, take this to 'that' room. You know, it's all about 'that' and 'this' and we don't want to endanger the op-er-a-shun."

He finished shaking Cortlen's hand. "What can I do for you, Mr. newman?"

"Yuppo!" Resha grinned. "I find the people I want to see here, so I'll keep coming back," she said. "And yes. She's been very nice. You've been gone a long while!"

Resha was happy. Everyone was here again.

He whispered in Ace's ear, "Not only am I hear for a room, Mr. Ace, but I also have some business I'd like to discuss in private with you and Miss Drywin. Shall we continue this conversation in private?" Cortlen put his helmet back on and raised his visor. "If you'd please."

Dwyrin took the package from Ace and gave it a gentle shake to see if she could figure out what was in it. Once satisfied, she stowed it away on her person to be put in 'that' place later. She grimaced a little. "About those papers... They're a little, well...soggy," she finished lamely. "But I have something to show you later that will mke up for it."

Turning to Zane and Resha with a big grin she said, "The bar has been missing you. Not getting into trouble, I hope??"

"Yo, Ace," he nodded and noted Cortlen whispering to Ace. He did that with Dwyrin earlier and he knew either's affiliations. He only really cared because he liked to be well-informed but if the Resistance wants to destroy the military, he really didn't care for it too much. Unless he'll benefit from it.

Zane smirked at Dwyrin's words. "Define trouble and we'll see. But I do miss the bar terribly. Haven't found decent stock on drinks but here. There's Resha, here too, not sure why though, hm."

"I was gone for quite a while but it's good to be back, Resha," Ace smiled and high fived her.

Ace nodded. "Got it, but secret meetings aren't for another 20 minutes on my schedule."

"Surprise!~? That is positively excellent news!" Ace yelled as he hopped out of his chair and looked Dwyrin in the face. "And you're just as lovely as ever, assistant. I have missed your angelic face~"

"Hey Zane, tell me, what interests you these days?" he turned suddenly.

She high-fived back. "Yay! Yeah! You shouldn't leave your apartment on its own!"

Resha grinned at Dwyrin. "Hoho! I learned that if you come here, you'll eventually find my brother. So I'll keep coming back here if not just to bug him. Heehee."

He smiled inside his helmet. "Twenty minutes? Should be enough time to get a room arranged, if that's okay with you Ace," Cortlen said, his raspy voice sounding electronically hollow-almost robotic-through the helmet.

'Define trouble.' Ha! Trouble seems to be this little groups specialty doesn't it??
"You haven't found anything better because we've got the best," she boasted to Zane, knowing that it was most likely true in a town with few taverns. Turning partly to Resha she said, "I also haven't seen Resha around too much, but if she was looking for you I suppose this is as good a place as any."

She raised an eyebrow at Ace then reached into her clothes and handed him a stack of bills. "You just miss my angelic rent," she said playfully.

He smirked. "No denying that," he said and patted Resha's head. "I heard she learned from Ace that I was staying here, you see..." he said just loud enough for Ace to hear. "But either way, I like this place. As you've said, it has the best."

He waved at Ace. "Nothing much. It's become really boring lately. No wars I could benefit from, no one to annoy the hell out of from, nothing to steal from. Seriously."

"I didn't leave it on its own, Resha! I left it with the invaluable Dwyrin," Ace said. He looked at the stack of bills she'd just handed him. "These can be done on the sixth Saturday of the month, no worries, bill day as everyone knows is the sixth Saturday of the month."

Ace nodded in agreement. "I just got through starting a wa-" Ace paused. "A new watering hole down south, yes, so I'm just kinda tir-"

Ace jumped back and pointed. "I! I! I! I! I! J-j-just saw a ghost!?!?"

"Oh! But still," she grinned. Then she looked at where Ace was looking, excited at the mention of ghosts. "What, where, wheeeeeeeeeeeere?" :O

Cortlen looked at where Ace was pointing and stepped into the spot the ghost should have been. It was surprisingly cold, but so was the area he was in less than a minute ago. "Umm... Ace? Needless distractions are useful how in the current situation?"

Dwyrins eyes were wide. I'm glad he saw that, too... "I don't know if I would call it a needless distraction. If we find out this place is haunted we can charge more - it's a novelty. Besides," she jerked her head to the right a bit, "you're standing in the wrong spot." As the words left her lips the blur that Ace called a ghost zipped to the side and disappeared behind the side of the doorframe to the lobby.

Zane blinked. "Actually, yeah," he said. "I thought I saw something too. But a ghost? Well, isn't this interesting?"

He took hold of Resha, just in case she went bouncing around the whole place with her excitement.

Ace flipped back and dived behind his desk. "Okay team! We're gonna have to exterminate this ghost or at least find out if its a nice one or a killer fist. I'm gonna set up a base of operations under this desk and far away from the ghost, and you guys will beat it back. Everyone good with this plan? I hope so..."

Resha waved her hand that Zane was holding and pointed at Ace who hid under the disk. He let her go, and she ran towards Ace and dragged him out. "Let's go find it!" she said, urging him and dragged him towards Dwyrin and Zane and Cortlen. "We have to go find it! We have to goooo fiiiiind iiiiiiit!!!!"