Snippet #1718245

Slurp.

"Come on Ash, you're eating like a pig," Rose said from atop the napkin holder on the restaurant's table. She was speaking to Ash directly across from her who was noisily slurping down some cheap noodles he managed to buy. "What are you? My mom? Look, this is the last meal I'm going to have for a while, so I'm going to damn well enjoy every bit of it... Even if it's the cheapest crap on this side of town," Ash said between parcels of noodles. Rose sighed and then agreed. The restaurant they were in didn't scream class in any possible way. Hunger led Ash to the poorer side of Star City to a grungy low class restaurant.

Ash raised a hand in resignation and took another mouthful of noodles. While Ash was engaged to his cheap dinner, Rose caught something of interest out of the corner of her eye. On the adjacent table there was a bright colored flyer just laying on the table, probably left by one of the earlier occupants. Being a naturally curious fairy demon, Rose's wings fluttered and lifted her off of the napkin holder and took her to the table. There she picked up the flyer and flipped it over. The paper was as big as she was and from where Ash was sitting, she looked rather funny reading the flyer. He smirked as he watched the dimiuntive fairy read the flyer.

She then pulled the flyer in close to her chest and peered at Ash over the paper. She smiled mischievously through tiny squinted eyes. "You're going to love this Ash, you know how you've been complaining about how broke you are? Well look at this!" She said as she hovered back to the table. Ash laid his head on his hand and watched her with a thin smile on his face, "Oh really? What do you find, princess?" He asked humorously. That's when she flipped the flyer over and showed Ash her catch. He raised an eyebrow as he read the rather interesting piece of paper...

UNDERGROUND TAMER BATTLES!

Need money? Need to scratch that itch all tamer's have? Then join in on tonight's game!

Two thousand for those who can reach Mad Max, Five to those who can best them! What are you waiting for!

Ash threw up his hands as a smile spread across his face, "The hell kind of luck do we have that you just find it laying there?!" He asked, a sparkle gleaming in his eye. Even Rose was becoming giddy, "I don't know! We need to get in on this! You can stop your belly aching with this kind of money!" She said. "Hell, I might can even find another partner for us! No offense Rose, but... Just the two of us isn't going to get us very far." He said. Rose nodded in agreement, "Well, let's go! It says here the warehouse district... Right now!" "Now?" "Now!" Ash nodded and swallowed the rest of his noodles and together they left the dirty restaurant and headed towards the warehouse district. Luckily, the rundown place wasn't too far and within minutes Ash was inside the warehouse, Rose clutching to Ash's crimson hair.

Ash was on his way to the Tamer locker room, already having registered. The one doing the registered had a smirk when Ash told him his name. He paid it no mind, eager to get in on a match. Too bad he had already missed one.

“We have a winner.” was announced on his way to the locker room. He entered the door and found himself a locker to stow away his stuff. Rose lifted from his head and stood on the lip of the locker while Ash got ready. He unzipped the leather jacket he was wearing, revealing the shiny armor underneath. Rose scrunched up a nose and tilted her head, asking a voiceless question. Ash chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I have been wearing this thing the whole day. I need to. It needs to be like a second skin," Ash said, as he tossed the jacket in the locker. Then he hung his satchel on one of the hooks and retrieved both gauntlets, the silver tamer's gauntlet, and the regular armored gauntlet and slipped them on. Finally, he replaced the new sword and shield on his back.

"Alright, now... We wait." He said, sitting down in the locker. Rose drifted down and took her place back on Ash's armored shoulder, and began to fix the collar to his turtleneck. Ash let her work as he surveyed the others in the room. A girl, probably the same age as Isabel stood with her demon (It had to be) sitting in front of her. He nodded towards the girl with a curt tilt of his head. There was another man, still younger than Ash as well, who had a grasshopper like demon. Neither one of them looked as physical as Ash was.

"There, now at least you look half-way decent," Rose said, finally finished with sprucing Ash up. "You can't head into battle looking ratty," He said with a sweet smile. A smile Ash reciprocated.