With a self-satisfied air, the auburn-headed lady stalked about down town, hips aswing and perfectly attired. Today she was dressed in an innocent pink: a pale, pastel-pink top with a scoop neck, which was very unremarkable compared to her usual clothes. It had a fine, pearl beading at the throat and a ruffle in the sleeves. Her legs were draped generously in a white, flowing skirt in something that might have been silk, but wasn't. Topped off with a neon-pink pair of heels and an elegant bun held together with a pair of chopsticks, Sarah Cassidy Jones was a truly gorgeous sight.

Coming to a halt outside a small bar called "The Hole in the Wall", she inobtrusively checked to ensure that her dagger was in its proper place before she moved inside and sat down at one of the small round tables with high chairs, and ordered a martini. Lighter than her usual, but she was in a flippant mood today. As she sipped, her eyes wandered around the dim room, looking for someone interesting.

Deidara not your normal guy. Well then again Dragons weren't so to speak normal were they. They were what you called ninja. He wore the dragon cloak as he too entered the bar not long after the girl.He usually wasn't alone but his partner in crime had been killed two months ago by the cops.Deidara barely escaped with his life.

He sat down not far from the girl. He ordered some mikes hard berry and just sat there.H rested his arms on the bar as he now gazed around connecting gazes with the girl momentarily but then continuing on around the room.

Her blue eyes met his, and a breif jolt of electricity went through her system. Making up her mind in an instant, she rose with catlike grace and sauntered over to Deidara, martini glass held carelessly between thumb and forefinger. Coming up very near him indeed, though the bar was empty, she set the glass down on the surface and raised her lightly accented Italian voice. Kender! What you got that's a little harder than this? Not the usual... but something a little spicy.

The bartender was a solid man, tall and broad with a belly, but arms of steel cables. An old navy man, he had an anchor tatooed on one shoulder, and even bald as a grape, he was quite the fearsome man. Perfect for bartending in a less-than-reputable city. His green eyes looked up at her: she was a regular here, as was displayed by the fact that she knew his first name, and he had some idea of her likes. So he reached back behind him and pulled up a few bottles, tossing them in a shaker together before jarring them around a bit. Pouring the mixture into the the martini glass, he said, Try this'n. House specialty, called the Kender Fender Bender. Then, with a grunt, he moved away, starting to clean glasses. He was a man of few words.

Cassidy raised the glass in a toast to Deidara, voice soft and seductive as she spoke between sips. Never seen your face here before, and I'm in here alot. What brings you by, stranger?

He had been looking around but one of his eyes caught her movement and kept an eye on her just in case.He took a sip of his drink as she talked to the bartender. He the looked at her as she spoke to him. He wasn't one to care for girls too much so her seductive speaking didn't faze him.Bored, Got nothing do whats it matter to you?He finished speaking as he took another sip of his drink.

She continued talking in that seductive tone, not really conciously, but because she had done it so long that she had almost forgotten how to stop. It's my business to know things as they go on in this town. I notice everything that is of note, and you are of note, sir. Obviously not from around here originally, and obviously not as stupid as most of the men around here. That says two things: you have the same types of connections I have, and you are in just about the same business. In fact, I'd wager we have many of the same contacts. Now don't we? And a swish of the hips brought her around his other side, a secret smile on her lips as her blue eyes watched him, ears perked for his response.

Riddle me, riddle me
Riddles me this
What kind of magic
Is found in a kiss?

He listened to her and watched her. As she spoke he took another sip of his alchole. He slightly grined and turned his head to look at her on his other side.depends on what business you are talking about? He spoke quietly and then took another sip of his drink.He watched her his eyes never leaving her. He knew about the other gang whose been here longer so he never let his guard down.

She let a smile light her face in answer to his, taking another sip of her drink before reaching down to lift the leg of her skirt. There, in a leather sheath about half way up the thigh, lay her trusty dagger, six inches of well-forged steel. She made no move to draw it, but made sure he got a good look before she dropped the skirt back into place. It fell seamlessly, with no hint of the weapon showing through the thin material.

She then reached up to her bun, pulling the chopsticks free and letting her hair drop, falling out in a crimson spray to her waist. With a flourish, she presented the chopsticks, the bottom halves of which were finely pointed steel blades nearly three inches long. Giving him ample time to look, she poked them back behind her left ear and crossed her arms, smiling secretively at him. It wouldn't do to let him know that she had three other blades on her person, just in case. Her alliance with Cryptic Silver was shaky, and she came and went as she pleased. She was not above a little filandering with an outside gang, for fun. Loyalty was not a word in her vocabulary.

With that same secretive smile, she awaited his reaction.

He watched her carefully. He glanced down and saw the dagge but didn't faze him. Then she let her hiar down and presented two othe weapons. He didn't really care. If she thought she was the only one with weapons on her she was wrong. So?Was all he said with a raised brow.

She smiled, watching him. She knew, of course, that he had weapons. She hadn't gotten this far by ignoring other people's weapons. He probably had several on his person now, very likely in many of the same spots she had hers. So she casually smiled and sat down beside him. You asked what kind of business I am in. That is my answer. And if you don't get that, you aren't as remarkable as I thought her mind said, though she did not say it aloud and it did not show on her face. Honestly, if that was all the brains he had, he oughtn't to be in "the business".

He smirked and nodded.He took another sip of his drink.Gang Affairs aren't the best for ladiesHe spoke quietly.

Cassidy let the smile cross her face again, absently twisting her hair back up into the bun and jamming the chopsticks through it once more. Her voice was low and seductive, though merely out of habit, as she replied. And who said I was a lady? Most ladies don't carry blades in their undies, that I know of. Do you know any that do? And it was now a smirk, taking him in with quiet amusement. So, he DID have a brain there somewhere.

Seeing that his drink was now getting low, she raised her voice. Kender! Two more of that'n. One for me, one for the gent.

The bald man nodded and began to collect things, soon coming up with two of the same and plunking them down on the counter before retiring back to his business. Cassidy took this as a cue. So... what brings you around these parts?

He nodded in thanks and finished his first drink before starting on the next.My gang moved into Atroe city yesterday so I came with themHe shrugged lightly.This girl was a bit interesting. He liked her.

She gave an affected start and molded her face into a surprised look. She was very deft at manipulating her moods, and had even impressed Ben the one time she had run into him. She was as smooth as he was with changing moods. She kept that small tone of surprise, voice soft. Oh, so you're with the new kiddos in town. Heard something through the grapevine saying we had some more fun rolling in. Well met, then. Name's Cassidy. Call me Cassie and I'll class you back with my last ex, okay? She vaguely stroked her dagger through her skirt, making it quite clear what had happened to her last ex, though her smile made it a joke.

He listened and grined lightly.So word does get around? Well Names Deidara and if you call me a girl I will do the same to youhe said.Oh yes he had people say that he was a girl cuz of his name which to some was a girls name but he liked it.

She nodded, giving him the same grin he had favored her with. Oh yes... word gets around when you have connections. She repressed the smile that arose when he told her his name, so that not even a hint of the slight amusement came to her face. Fair enough. So tell me, you blades or fires? Any x's? Slang terms, but usually translatable if you were in a gang. Knives or guns, simply put, and how many times caught for a crime. The x's were derived from an old custom where theives were tatooed in the webbing of their hands with x's: once for every time they had been caught. As much of a basic introduction as a name, when you were dealing with another gang member.

He watched her his eyes momentarly traveling over her and then comming back to her face.BladesHe said and then held his hands up revealing atleast ten X's. He laughed lightly for no real reason.You?

She smiled and held up her own white hands, flashing a neat row of four x's on each hand. Blades, and little bit of indoor work. More slang, this one for theiving and prostitution. She said this with no shame. Hey, the prostitution paid the bills, as did the theiving. No shame in doing what fed you every night.

She looked him over carefully, wriggling as she thought. He was not all that large, not considering some of the men she had known, but then she was a very small woman. She stood at barely 5'4", and had an almost non-existent waist-line. His hands would have almost fit around her middle. She twirled a finger at him, smiling. So I was right. We're definitely in the same business.

He listened to her and nodded.So we would beHe said as he took a sip of his drink.He cracked his neck lightly.He wondered what the other boys were up to ..

Cassidy gave him her most shimmering smile, hiding the fact that she was studying him still. Something... was not right about this fellow. Similar to the way that Ben was not right... but different, somehow. She was still thinking when a third figure entered the tiny bar, looking slightly out of breath as he approached Cassidy with a firm step.

She didn't even move as Johann came toward her. The man was thin and springy, and obviously in his elder 40's, but helooked much older. "The business" tended to do that to you. He had retired from what the gang called "active duty", and now one of the main sources of information for Cryptic Silver members. He was perfect for that kind of work, because he reminded everyone of a favorite uncle or grandfather, with the wisps of prematurely white hair gathered about his bald crown and the blue eyes that twinkled. He didn't look like much, but there had been a time when he could easily match Cassidy in a fight, and the practiced eye could still spot a hint of the old grace that had once made him one of the top theives in the area. He also did a wonderful impression of a fellow who kind of wandered in the wits. Yes, he was perfect for gathering information. He was blades, like Cassidy, but his son, a kid of 16 called Roach, was fires, if she recalled correctly. It was this gentle-looking man who approached her with the gleam of dark knowledge in his eye. I've found him. North of town. Married now, ain't he?

Cassidy gave him a smile, but this held nothing of the innocence that had so lightened her face only moments ago. No... this one smelled of... vengeance. When she spoke, it was almost to herself, though Deidara might hear if he listened closely. So... lover boy... you've not taken my... suggestion. Guess I'll... have to take care... of that...

He watched her carefully and then looked up as someone else came into few an older guy. He listened to them and just sat there finishing his drink.

Cassidy thought silently for several seconds, and Johann remained silent, having half-raised this girl and knowing her habits well. Finally, she turned her face up, and two pairs of blue eyes met for an instant before she spoke. Give me basic stats, thorough skits... the works. And keep it in the corners. This... this is private work. Habits of the person, maps of the location... and keep it quiet. She didn't want the gang involved. This was her own private venegeance party.

She pressed a bill into Johann's hand, and he closed on it. When the palm opened the money was gone, and Cassidy smiled up at him. The innocence was back, and she looked like a child in wonderment at his slight-of-hand. I never get tired of seeing that one, Uncle. And she stood to peck his cheek sweetly before he turned on his heel and left as silently as he had come.

He watched carefully wondering what that was all about but didn't do or say anything about it.He just sat there.

Once the old man was gone, she sat back down again, still looking at him. She could see him bursting with curiosity, and she spoke, a hint of amusement in her voice. Well, don't get your whitey-tighties in a wad, dear. If you've got a question, ask. If I can't answer it, I'll say so. Fair enough.

He smirked lightly.You should already know my questionhe spoke quietly.

She returned the smirk, though there was something dark and personal in it this time. I told you 'bout my last ex. Apparently his heart is situated at some other location than the left side of his chest. And her lip lifted in a silent snarl, showing teeth and contorting the pretty face into something altogether different. I was stupid enough not to stay to watch him die. I had... other things on my mind. This time... I'll curse his final breath, be there to see him through the gates to hell.

He listened to her and smirked.Now he stood.Well I must get going nice talking to yah

She smiled a bit as he stood, but made no effort to see him off. She gave a little twitch of hand that might have been a wave, and said, Lakik walk with you, pad-brother. Lakik, the god who watched over all theives and murderers. Pad-brother... all those who walked soft in the darkness and knew that night was their brother. A typical farewell and blessing from theif to theif.

He bowed his head to her and then vanished.