It wasn’t something she was expecting when they had made their trip to Vilpamolan. “You want us just to up and leave our kids with Leilah to go with you to track down… A pirate?” Simone had asked with a quirked eyebrow but they did owe Rhenakos for what they put him through.

“Fine, fine.” She sighed a bit and looked down at her dress. Great, she was going to get stared at, luckily she had her arm around Lewis’s as they walked behind Rhenakos. She was probably going to get blood all over it and Lewis actually liked this one too.

It had a deep blue color to it like the water around the island which was quickly turning into one of her favorite colors. With a lace bodice that had short off-shoulder sleeves. The front was laced up through a deep cut in the fabric. The waist scalloped before flowing into the long skirt of silk. “So… where is this guy at?”

She tilted her head, “And we’re here because he insulted Vela? Are you going soft Rhenakos?” She could feel eyes on her and she sighed, "I should have brought your cloak with me." Whatever, it was too late now.

Rhenakos didn’t really have a good excuse other than it was for Vela, but Lewis and Simone had agreed to help, regardless of it. They did owe him for a few different jobs. Lewis had been ready for a different type of job, and had been wearing a rather interesting set of garments. A sleeveless, tight fitting black shirt and pants to match, and one of the rare times he had needed a corset in order to help fit into tight spaces. His gloves came up high on his forearms for protection against a bowstring, and a hood to keep his identity sealed. The look wasn’t important to Lewis, but it definitely gave off a difficult to read vibe.

Perfect for an assassin.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Lewis said/ He silently agreed with Simone. A cloak for her would have been nice, but this was something so very last minute.

“Look, I just need some backup in case things go a little wrong,” Rhenakos replied. “Not to mention you’re the best tracker I know. You figured out where he was in no time.” They stopped in front of a rather seedy brothel, one that held quite a few different options, and was famous for ‘anything goes.’ There were a few people out front doing ‘business’, but Rhenakos ignored them and walked straight in.

“For the love of Raith,” Lewis snapped as he walked in behind the hunter, hoping Simone would stay outside. Knowing her though, she wouldn’t.

Rhenakos was already talking to the Madame of the house, already in a heated debate.

“If you’re here, you’re paying for a girl or leaving,” she said, fanning herself with an ornate, gold inlay fan. Her ruby studded dress shimmered in the light, and showed off just how much wealth her beauty and her girls brought her.

“Anything goes, right?” Rhenakos asked. “Well…I’m here looking for someone, and I’m willing to fight every bouncer you have to find him…”

The woman laughed, “Oh please. As if a scrawny little John like you can handle it. I have girls that could break you…for a price, of course. Are you sure you’d not rather that?”

As the argument continued, Lewis sighed, and crossed his arms impatiently. They were already getting stares, and several new customers had already walked in and were waiting on Rhenakos to finish.

She could feel the desire for her to stay outside but honestly, she felt safer going with Lewis than being left outside.

Simone sighed a bit and put her hand on her hip, “Rhenakos, you aren’t going to get anywhere with that woman. She makes her living off pissing off guys like you.” She decided that she was just going to go forward to which the madam wasn’t having it.

“No, you flat-chested honey. You aren’t allowed to go past here without paying.” Simone and her’s eyes met. Simone seemed wholly uninterested in her.

“Get out of my way before I make you get out of my way,” it didn’t sound threatening coming from Simone but the moment she was slapped by the madam was the moment Simone threw a fist sending the madam over her own podium.

“Let’s find this god damn man so we can go home.”

“GET THE BO–” Simone was quick to put her heel to the woman’s throat.

“I was very fucking serious when I said to get out of my way~ Now we will pay for your time but what interests my husband and I… well I’m not sure you can afford it. Rhenakos, hurry the fuck up.” She took a bag of coin out of her cleavage and threw it on the woman’s chest. “There.”

One of the worker girls came at Simone and the phoenix dodged to push her over a chair sending her backward.

Lewis had been standing back watching with a smirk across his face. Despite her usual calm and collected manner, she seemed to instead be incredibly impatient. Perhaps it was because she had been called flat chested (which Lewis felt the sting of off of their resonance,) or maybe it was because she longed to be back home with her children. Either way, it was impressive, and Lewis enjoyed watching every second of it.

“Well, if they're gonna do that,” a voice said from behind Lewis, “We can just go around the whole system. I can pay you directly, little girl. I like the way you look…” There was a rather large sailor man behind Lewis, with a bag of coins.

The assassin turned and looked at the man with a glare, “You…do realize I’m a guy, right? I’m not one of these women here…”

The sailor shrugged. “I’ll try anything once.”

With a sigh, Lewis shook his head, “No…I’d rather not. Now if you’ll excuse me…” He turned away, and started to walk. A large hand appeared on his shoulder, and stopped him.

“Look girlie. I’m here for a good time…if I gotta take it by force, I’ll be damned if I won-” The man was cut short by a boot to the face from a sharp kick. The assassin was having none of it.

Meanwhile, Rhenakos had bolted up the stairs and interrupted many a session as he broke down each door, and on the fourth try, he found his prize.

“Ah! Claude! Just the man I was looking for. I got something for ya!” he said as he stormed into the room. The woman he was with screamed, and ran out the room, and Rhenakos slammed the door shut behind her. From there, it was fair game.

–

Lewis was crushing the man’s head beneath his food with a disgusted look on his face. “I don’t care what you do in your spare time…but don’t you dare think I won’t let you get away with something so disgusting as trying to abuse innocent people…” It was a line that he refused to cross. There was always a reason for his kills. “The world would be better without a piece of trash like you…”

Simone really didn’t want to be in Vilpamolan but some madam of some sleazy brothel dared to call her flat-chested. Simone knew she was, it wasn’t a secret but it grated her. Once she had seen Lewis also start to get into a fight she found herself being grabbed from behind. “There! HIT HER!” The girl yelled at the madam but the whore’s outfit caught on fire.

“Whoops, sorry…” Simone waved her hands before punching the madam back in her face. “I came all the way to Vilpamolan to get Rhenakos whoever the fuck he was looking for. I get insulted for my chest size by some lonely ass whore queen who has nothing better to do than try to squeeze every cent out of her customers. I get torn away from my kids which one is fucking sick mind you and I want nothing more than to cuddle him and make him feel better. BUT INSTEAD I’M HERE DEALING WITH YOUR FLOOZY ASS.”

Simone broke a chair over the next person to come get her. A sailor came from behind and grabbed her arm almost hoisting her up. “Are you done?”

“Not quite, I don’t like being manhandled.” Simone sent her heel right into his crotch.

As Rhenakos took his time beating the ever living shit out of Claude behind closed doors, the brawl below was evolving into something of a crazy standoff between the two Terrowins and everyone else. But that was okay. Lewis and Simone knew hot to take care of themselves, and more or less could take everyone around them out with ease.

Of course, the problem wasn’t if they would survive. It was if everyone else around them would survive. As Simone was grabbed from behind, Lewis sensed it immediately. The ornate tattoo on his back flared to life, burning away the top portion of his clothes. With their newfound resonance bond, it was harder than ever to control their link. Blue flames leaked like water down his back as his eyes turned a bright azure blue.

Simone was quick to kick the sailor who had grabbed her, but the effect was already too late to stop. “Let’s just get this over with…” Lewis said as the flames that fell started to catch. “I’d suggest everyone start running…”

Rhenakos was on top of Claude, as if a lover, but instead of a fun ride, he was pummeling away at a now bloodied mess beneath him. “Annnnd ONE more for good measure,” the hunter said as he slammed his fist down. He stood up, and started towards the door.

“Wait a minute…is that smoke I smell?”

Simone noticed the resonance spark and a smile came to her face. This was the power she had helped them unlock by enduring his whole being. “He’s right you know,” she looked down at the madam who was pulling herself up. “You shouldn’t play with fire~”

Her tattoo was just on fire as his and her wings of black and blue flames had appeared. It looked like as long as their resonance was its peak she couldn’t just hide them. Patrons were screaming. Girls were running out of the building. “Run little one~” Simone whispered to the madam who about pissed herself as she tripped and ran out of the building.

“Well?” Simone looked at Rhenakos as he came down with pure azure eyes matching Lewis’s. “Did you get what you wanted?” The blue flames hadn’t crept too far yet.

Rhenakos descended the stairs just as the last few patrons and service girls had bolted out the door. The flames barely bothered him as he took one look at the pair that were in full resonance, and he shook his head. “So, I did but…what the fuck is going on with…” He took his hands and went over the two of them in a dramatic motion. “This…”

Lewis scoffed, crossing his arms. “I’d rather not have to explain it to an idiot.” The full resonance was already starting to fade, and had only teased at what they were now capable of. Lewis frowned as he looked behind him at the smoldering remains of the back half of his sleeveless shirt. “That’s…going to be a problem…”

The hunter sighed. “Can we just go now? I beat the shit out of Claude, and I really don’t have anything else I need to do.”

“Gladly.” The assassin twisted the ring on his finger and a gate opened. “Ladies first,” he said with a smile. “Besides…I know you’re just as anxious as I am…let’s go ahead and go home.” He took one look at Rhenakos with a dead stare, and the two disappeared into the portal, leaving the hunter alone.

Rhenakos said. “Well…fuck…how the hell am I getting home now…”