23. S P A M A N D V A N E X A : Dreamers

CHAPTER IV

POWER, Pt. I

2020

Spam shifted awkwardly in his seat and cleared his throat, adjusting his rainbow-tinted shades.

Vanexa glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before facing forward again.

Fisi looked from one to the other, the huge grin still on his masked face. "WELL!" he said suddenly. "I am honoured to have you two as my guests. A celebration—yes, a celebration this is, hmhmhmmm!" He picked up the bottle of white wine on his desk and poured some into the glass before him, raising the glass in the air. "The outcome is foreseen, it is. We'll be partners, yes?" He giggled and sipped from the glass, eying Spam and Vanexa with a strange, hungry gaze. "I will sponsor your melodious exploits," he purred. "Provide funds, equipment, vehicles, DRINKS! Whatever you need!"

"Right." Vanexa clasped her hands together and leaned forward on the desk. "And what are you asking for in return, exactly?" she asked, squinting at the Dark Celestial.

"Oh, not much, not much at all," Fisi replied, waving his free hand dismissively. "Just some promos. Nothing ridiculous. No money, no-no-no-no. All of this is free of charge, hehehee!"

"Free of charge," Vanexa repeated, smirking and chuckling. "Sure."

"So... you're saying you'll give us whatever we need?" Spam inquired in confusion. "And we don't have to pay you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, my co-canine compatriot!" Fisi declared, thumping the table with his hand. "So what do you say? Partners?"

Vanexa narrowed her eyes. "Have you told us everything?" she challenged, glancing down at the contract on the table and then up at Fisi again.

Fisi pursed his lips, leaning back in his chair and swirling his wine around. "Ah. Well," he began, "there is one more thing—yes, one more, hmhmhm. Again, nothing extreme—I only ask a simple favour of you."

"Besides the promotions, you mean," Vanexa guessed.

"Mm, hmhmhm." Fisi seemed to bounce in his seat as the odd giggle bubbled out of him. "My only other request," he responded in a low voice, leaning forward and looking Vanexa directly in the eye, "is that you use your sphere of influence... to keep Xirxine and the Protectors off my back."

Vanexa pulled back, eyes widening slightly as Fisi clipped the last three words harshly. "Excuse me?"

Fisi tilted his head. "I have certain... operations going on behind the scenes that I would very much like to keep to myself," he growled. "You have connections to some of the XXM and PF's highest ranking members. If you could convince them to keep their nose out of my private affairs, that would be a much appreciated boon, heheheh." The Dark Celestial gave Spam and Vanexa a crooked grin. "So? Are you two in?"

Spam and Vanexa shared an uneasy look. Then Spam beckoned to Vanexa, murmuring something in her ear as she leaned toward him. Vanexa nodded, giving him a small smile and putting her paw on his shoulder. Then, assuming a businesslike disposition again, she faced Fisi once more and told him matter-of-factly, "Mr. Fisi... while we appreciate you reaching out to us before any other organization—even before Xirxine—we must respectfully decline your offer."

Fisi's grin slowly gave way to a dark scowl as Vanexa continued, "We just wouldn't feel comfortable promoting you, especially since we're not really sure what kind of 'behind-the-scenes' activity you'll be performing. It's nothing personal," she added with a thin smile. "It's just business."