Desman's Paying, Obviously!!

[Ash]

The phone ringing pierced through the stunned silence of the room, stabbing into the moment like an ice pick. Ash instantly knew it was not her's - if only simply because it would mean Jaixe was desperate enough to call her instead of messaging her in another way. He and Dust were so far the only people in the Omniverse with her number. With that thought, Desman excused himself and went to go pick up the conveniently placed phone on the wall mount just outside the room. She wasn't paying attention, her mind was on the fact that she'd been trying to make friends and here she was with two of them and neither had given her their number or asked for her's. Maybe they weren't as clingy as they seemed? In hindsight, maybe she should have put her information in Jak's and Desman's comms when she had freedom and access to the both of them. Now it would have to wait.

While Desman's voice echoed itself, Ash slowly stood up and as a gracious bride-to-be smiled at the group with an uncharacteristic sweet smile. "Breakfast anyone?" She offered an open-palmed stiff hand. Barry, the so far completely silent samurai eventually side-glanced at Arin before kindly taking the offer and grabbed some of the fruit and a muffin. He returned to the other's side and while narrowing his ever watching eyes he began to chew on the food while keeping an eye on his host.

It was then that Desman came back and announced he now owned a hotel. Jak was the only one who reacted to the random announcement, dropping his jaw and then snapping it back closed. He clearly didn't have the words to express what he was feeling. "This hotel to be specific." Desman tagged on to the end as if it was unimportant information he'd forgotten about until just now.

"Wait, really?" Jak responded, thankful to have something else to talk about instead of his fake marriage to Ashelin. He moved his hand from her shoulders to move over more naturally to his friend. "How?"

Desman lowered his vision to the floor as he remembered what it was the manager said. Looking up he responded: "Apparently there was a mix up with the paperwork, and all sales are final or something to that effect." He turned to the group. "It seems he wants to have a meeting with the hotel's new owner and has requested that I come down to the office." Desman looked to Ash specifically. He wondered briefly if she was as good with this kind of stuff as she is with whatever you call her handling the samurai. It occurred to him at that point, that he had very little idea of what she was capable of.

"We probably shouldn't go with you." She offered no support but did explain. "Wouldn't look very professional to bring a posse into a meeting room. Just because they are a bunch of NPCs doesn't mean you don't want to make a great impression on them." Ash's tongue might have slipped, or she might have intentionally meant to belittle both samurai and Ashelin in one stroke. There wasn't much time to decide. "Surely this must be a great omen, to inherit a business and a wife in the same week? This is most definitely a good sign. I bet it's the universe approving of our union as we speak." She said, taking him by the shoulders, or the equivalent of and pushing him towards the door. "I fully support you, my love. We will have to celebrate later." She added, layering it on.

Desman felt the urge to apply his breaks but felt everything was moving so fast now. And what was this about the universe approving? "Support?" He asked.

"Of course, what kind of wife would I be to stop you from taking advantage of this new and exciting opportunity." She assured him, pausing her push to open the door and continue. Suspicious as ever, the two samurais walk behind them. "Now don't worry! Just do what comes naturally unless you're better judgment says otherwise. I believe in you." She pushes him right into the elevator that would take them down. As she planned the two samurais follow. "And you have these two to help you out." She makes a grand motion towards the two, and invite them into the elevator.

They stared at her with narrowed eyes, but follow. She then hits the button to go down while still inside. The two glance away for one moment at one another, then look at Desman and look back at Ash. Only to find her gone. Instantly they went on alert. As the doors come to a close, they finally see here waving them off. "Have fun, hun!" She said cheerily, but it was too late for anyone to stop the doors. They could quickly push the button or even just wait to come up with the elevator after they dropped off Des, the point was she quickly returned to the apartment.

"I hope Desman finds something for those two to do soon." She said with the tone Jak was much more comfortable with.

"What did you do?" Jak asked he hadn't been watching.

"Just slipped out the elevator before it went down. I imagine one will be back." Ash answered, flopping down on the plush couch.

"That was some really fast thinking, by the way. I even believed your lies." Jak admitted. Ashelin nodded to confirm but remained silent.

"Lies?" Ash questioned, looking up, her hair shining under the bright lights. "Oh.. Actually, I kinda like surprises, so it wasn't really even lying.."

"I.. I meant the other parts," Jak admitted.

"What do you mean? You did invite me to the beach with you, remember? And Desman really did say he'd be lost without me last night." Ash explained with a straight face.

Jak was left blinking without words to say. "W-Was he drunk?"

Ash frowned. "No. He can't get drunk. He doesn't even have a liver." She wrapped her arms behind the couch. "It was more along the lines like all he has in this world is you and I." She said thoughtfully, while still sounding like she didn't care. "Actually, he said a lot of things Jak. Mostly disturbing things I think you as his friend should address, but even that's going to be hard with these two around. It's worse than having the filter turned on for your online searches, at least you can turn that off and look at all the porn you want."

Her blunt words left both of them a little warm in the face. As well, the message she was giving Jak left its impression on him. "Yeah... I kind of promised to talk to him about what happened.. But the thing with-" He stopped to glance at Ashelin, not wanting to see her in pain again, the long-eared man turned back to the demon on the couch. "Everything that's happened has kinda gotten in the way of that." He sank into the seat across from her and stared down at the shag rug between his toes. Thinking hard about what he should do at this point. Additionally, he couldn't feel the sickness from revival anymore. Which means Ash wasn't suffering from summoning sickness. She was going to want the conversation he promised her, too. And Ashelin deserved a better explanation.

-

Meanwhile, the two samurai road the elevator down with their Prime, who was silently praying they wouldn't ask him any questions. They weren't happy with the demon slipping away from them, but they did not want to experience the wrath of Desman in case they were over reacting. But Arin was sure she was up to something. He was personally trying to decide if he wanted to go back up or send Barry. When the doors open again, they stepped out with the red robot. They followed him up to the desk, and would noticed countless underdressed females waiting to be checked in and out. Arin's work has only begun..

"Ah, Mr. Black." Louis said, greeting his new boss. "Good morning. I didn't expect you to come down so quickly.."

"You can thank his fiancé for his quick response." Arin offered the manager.

"Fiance?" Louis let out a surprise tone, turning to his new boss. He eyed the robot, wondering what kind of woman would marry him. "Will she be joining us? Or is it safe to assume she will be backgroud support instead of a partner in business?" He asked, his cold blue eyes glancing over at the samurais for the first time in acknowledgement. He must have thought it was rude or disrepective up until now.