*Fandom: Dance Central 3 *Glitch/Mo/MacCoy. WARNING: MALE/MALE RELATIONSHIPS ARE FEATURED. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO MALE/MALE RELATIONSHIPS, AND/OR CANNOT STOMACH SEEING GLITCH WITH ANYONE OTHER THAN GIRL OCS, DO NOT READ THIS. DO NOT READ.
*Fun Notes: Why do I refer to Mo as 'Princess'? One: I'm a maniacal Mo fangirl. Two: This Mo cheerleader had one of his biggest fans, some artist in Barcelona, draw a really beautiful picture of Mo during the DC2 season, and wrote a poem calling him 'Princess'. Plus, I have his personality match that of a Princess.
*The final half of this chapter was inspired by the Deep Shadows/Hunger Games trailer. I listened to the audio while writing it. I'm such a nerd.
*Glitch's personality was inspired by Merida from Pixar's 'Brave'.
*Recap: Glitch tells of his life with Mo, before and after Dance Central 2. Mo suffers from a lot of hardships, but Glitch never leaves his side-until a devastating turn of events tears Hi-Def apart.
'Y' ain't gonna rat on me, right?' he asked his new friends, hoping his secret location wouldn't be thrown right onto the table. Rasa and his partner-in-crime, Lima, exchanged cheeky grins-but promised to keep Glitch behind closed doors. They knew just how upset Hi-Def's protege was. After all, Rasa was there when Glitch turned tail from the Bellagio.
They knew. They knew about MacCoy, about the Princess, all about their past and everything in between. And, proven by their hi-tech gadgets and cool outfits, they definitely knew a helluva lot more. And Headquarters was definitely a bad-ass place, filled with enough gadgets to make the FBI turn green with pissy envy. Hi-Def's Junior wouldn't have been surprised if Professor Xavier strolled through the halls, sitting comfortably in his wheelchair. But at the moment, Glitch chose not to focus on DCI coolness. The only thing he could focus on was his pillow, which he had his nose buried in.
Strange. Rasa and Lima were with Dance Central Intelligence, yet neither of them were going to rat on their stow-away. They weren't even going to rat on him to their Princess, who must've been in a tizzy over his missing servant boy.
It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Nothing would ever matter again.
I learned all about their world, and how it was much different from mine.
Surrounded by first class, grade A tech shit, I thought I had ended up in some 'Men in Black' flick. Rasa and Lima's headquarters musta been made a billion years ahead o' my time, cuz they've got th' kind of gadgets every geek would love t' marry.
If I had been drownin' in a lake o' my own misery, I would've married th' headquarters myself. Especially since Lima and Rasa had no beef wit' me. It only took a coupla minutes fer me t' become a part o' their family. Somethin' I kinda needed, considering my own family threw me out with yesterday's garbage-and I left my second family behind.
I left him behind, with th' guy he's really meant t' end up with.
So, fer three whole days, I forgot all about those beautiful amber moons. Forgot all about that cat's voice, him touchin' me, 'n 'im puttin' his hands all over that punk ass bitch Coy. Even though I felt as if a Keyblade had been buried, deep inside o' me, I left it all behind. Tried t' sleep without thinkin' about 'im 'n 'is smile.
But none o' my tricks worked. Tossed 'em all down th' drain, once th' fourth day rolled around.
Why?
Cuz I got sick 'n tired of runnin' away.
Sure, on any normal day, I coulda spent th' rest o' my life livin' in Rasa and Lima's cool digs, but it ain't like that. I'm holed up, sitting in a corner away from th' rest o' th' world, 'n it ain't right 'cuz I left so much behind.
Yeah, its great t' have friends willin' t' hide me, but...I'm not gonna take this shit lyin' down any more. If I'm gonna be such a nerd o'er shit like Kingdom Hearts 'n Final Fantasy, I gotta take matters into my own hands. I gotta make things right.
I gotta take back what's mine.
What am I gettin' at? I ain't leave Coy alone with Mo. That's what I'm gettin' at. Coy had his chance with Momo 'n blew it. I'll be damned before I leave Momo alone with the sorry-ass shitwipe. I love th' Princess far more than that asswipe ever could, in a thousand lifetimes. So I ain't sittin' still no more. I ain't hidin' from nothin' any more. Sides, Momo's worried 'bout me. I know he is. All worried about me 'n shit, 'n here I am, sittin' pretty inside o' th' Men in Black headquarters.
Time fer me t' go back 'n face th' music.
Ready and willing to face the music, Glitch withdrew from his temporary bedroom.
The DCI Headquarters didn't suffer from a shortage of rooms, including bedrooms. So there weren't any issues housing its new guest, the Junior of Hi-Def.
There also weren't any issues when it came to fresh, clean clothes. Rasa and Lima didn't want their new friend to waddle around in remnants of a particularly painful, heart-breaking day, so with DCI's magic, they provided him with whatever outfit he wanted. Dance Central's version of the Men in Black had all kinds of doo-hickeys, each one equipped with an amazing power-and Glitch used a particularly cool, handy gadget to change outfits.
On the dawn of the fourth day, the young breakdancer emerged as a Keyblade master. Mo's Junior had chosen Sora's outfit from Kingdom Hearts II, in celebration of his decision to honor said Keyblade hero. With his decision to rescue his Kairi from the depths of evil, sitting clear on his lips, Glitch bravely stormed into DCI's main hub-only to find friends lost in thought. Meanwhile, the hub's window to the outside world displayed troubling news, from the NBC Network.
The sixteen year old dancer's eyes absorbed the images. The atmosphere was tense, heavy, and Glitch quickly discovered why. The NBC Network was speaking of the Dance Central crews; the worried, tear-stained faces of Bodie, Aubrey, Angel and the others struck the screen. At first, Glitch assumed the news cast just concerned his absence, but another minute of news reports revealed otherwise.
"Dr. Malcolm Tan has assumed control over all aspects of the Dance Central 3 season, forcing all competitors and fans into a corner. Two days following Glitch's disappearance, the tyrant made his intentions for world domination known, by threatening the remaining member of Hi-Def: the Dance Central Princess, Mo Alomar.
The Princess' freedom is in danger, thanks to a challenge Tan presented on that fateful day. The nature of the challenge is not yet known, and will be revealed in several hours time, but if Hi-Def's remaining member loses the challenge, the world will be forced to watch as the unthinkable happens!"
Glitch, standing in between Lima and Rasa, presented a question. The young breaker wasn't the least bit thrilled with his latest discovery, judging by the harsh tone of his voice, and the flames within his eyes. "You guys knew about this, didn't you?"
Lima grinned at the younger dancer. While the news was upsetting, it wasn't impossible to dismiss the overwhelming affection one felt towards Glitch. "We most certainly did. We know everything there is to know about everything."
Rasa replied next. "We just wanted t' see what you'd do about it. You did, after all, say you wanted Mo to fuck off two days ago."
Glitch took one look at an image of the Princess, who was on-screen in his legendary Street style, face wreathed in torment. He then looked away as if he had been stabbed. "Ya gotta get me back," the young Korean urged, eyes darting between Lima and Rasa.
"I gotta get back t' Vegas!"
"I take it you don't want Mo to fuck off with his boy toy," Lima snickered, nudging her friend in the ribs. And Glitch shook his head vehemently, eyes flashing with a lion's might.
"I don't give a shit about Coy or any other punk that wants ta fuck around! I gotta get in there 'n take care o' Momo! 'S time fer me t' stop runnin' 'n do what's right!"
"Good kid," Rasa said admiringly, giving Glitch a wink. He then turned a set of concerned, pensive eyes to his partner-in-crime.
"If we go by helicopter, they'll see us."
The other half of his heart shook her head. "Can't matter now. The Princess is in danger. Haven't you been paying attention? Tan's about t' make his challenge known in a few hours!"
Rasa was persistent. "If we're seen, we'll be caught like mice in a mousetrap. And Glitch will be with us. We can't risking losing him!"
"Didn't 'cha hear what I said? I said I don't give a flyin' fuck about who wants ta roll! Not anymore! I gotta get back t' Momo!"
"You heard the man," Lima grinned, patting Rasa on the back. "We're takin' the first flight outta here. And t' make ya feel better, we'll suit up. Glitch, take that darling green streak out of your hair. Add a hoodie to your get up, too."
Glitch thought it was impossible to remain underwater for three hours, but apparently it could be done because he was forced underwater, for what seemed like a thousand years.
As if they were on set for a blockbuster, they were treated to a relentless thunderstorm. The heavens, quivering in fear over their Princess, unleashed torrents of rain-interfering with an aircraft's flight. However, with Lima's unparalleled piloting skills, one of the DCI's many helicopters was capable of steering through even the harshest of storms.
With vigilant eyes and racing hearts, the three dancers soared through thunderous skies. Las Vegas seemed to come into view within a matter of minutes, even though time was a cruel mistress.
Fear pierced the city's cold, rain-soaked atmosphere. Tension was so heavy, the air was unfit for human consumption. Millions were awaiting the future with bated breath, hands over their hearts and eyes glued to the Venetian's showroom. News casters from all over the globe were aglow with a mixture of emotions: excitement and anxiety. Dance Central fansites were exploding from the apprehension of fans everywhere.
Rain quickened its pace, closely followed by hail. Thunder rattled an already-battered world, while lightning pierced millions of frightened hearts. Lima and Rasa agreed to drop their cloaked friend over the Venetian, wanting him to dart into the resort as quickly as possible. Bearing no fear about plummeting out of a helicopter, the hoodie-wearing Glitch climbed down the rope and landed onto the rain-soaked earth.
The young breakdancer instantly melted in an ocean of apprehensive, restless hearts. The Venetian had become a hotbed of raging emotion, and seas of restless mortals had built up outside of it. Especially since Dr. Tan saw fit to install holographic, airborne monitors, for all the world to see.
Every monitor displayed the same images-the Venetian Concert grounds, thousands of nervous Dance Central fans, and the DC squadron. Bodie, Emilia and the others were bravely standing in front of Mo, who had lost all desire to dance-let alone live. Dr. Malcolm Tan was a holographic image hovering around the increasingly anxious squadron, but a slew of his Cypher robots were present-and willing to beat any opposition into submission.
"Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I welcome you to our season's most exciting dance-off!"
Audiences all over the world made their hatred known. "Now, as you know," Dr. Tan went on, purring over the sight of distressed souls.
"I am a fan of the unpredictable. I am a fan of excitement. Danger. Suspense. And as such, I've backed the devastatingly beautiful Mo Alomar into the proverbial corner. But have no fear-I'm not keeping all of this fun to myself. I'm going to share my joy with all of you, my darling children! And so, as promised, I shall give you the details of our rather exhilarating dance-off!"
Bodie exchanged a firm, anxious glance with Emilia, who then exchanged one with Angel. Taye exchanged one with Lil T, and violently drew breath, all the while gripping her niece's hand. In the very back of the squadron-
Mo did absolutely nothing.
"I'm sending my most talented dancer to grace our Princess' eyes. Should be quite a lovely, exciting meeting, don't you think? But you aren't in for a tea party, my friends. A battle unlike any you have ever seen will take place, right here in this beautiful, vibrant city-and if our darling Princess loses the dance-off, well...I end up with the most beautiful prize imaginable."
"What's that?" Bodie snarled, and Dr. Tan grinned. Very much like a child with a brand new toy.
"Why, Mo, of course!"
"Over my dead body, you son of a bitch!"
Emilia's roar set off a wrestling match between Tan's Cypher team and the DC squadron. Pitting every bit of strength against Tan's creations, Emilia and the other members of Mo's court fought to protect their friend-
-while their friend continued to do absolutely nothing.
Millions of voices pierced the air, but not a single word was heard. Cyphers knocked Angel to the ground, Bodie rushed to his defense, Lil T batted two Cyphers off of the mute Mo, and-
"Wait!"
Every heart crashed to a stop. The Cyphers stopped their assault against the dancers. All eyes, including the eyes of a once-lifeless Princess, flew onto a newcomer-the one responsible for the interruption. He stood alone, hands balled into fists and head cloaked by a black hoodie.
Not a single reporter found the breath to announce the latest development. All hearts and eyes were locked on the lone figure, who had plunged in between clouds of rattled hearts, to pave his way into the Venetian Concert grounds. Lil T's heart jumped at the sight of a Kingdom Hearts outfit, but the hoodie made it impossible for her to confirm her suspicion. Besides, there was a strange, powerful light about the lone wolf-
And Glitch fell off the face of the earth.
Tan was thoroughly amused with the intrusion. He rubbed at his chin in silence, then broke the excruciating void with laughter. "Interesting," the doctor purred, eyes beaming with rising euphoria.
"My dear friends, it looks as if we have company! My dear boy, have you come to see me crush the Princess' spirit?"
"No. I've come t' make you wriggle like a worm on a hook!"
Gasps split through the Venetian's audience, and audiences across the globe. Amused by the lone wolf's fire, Dr. Tan burst into even more laughter.
"Is that so, my child?"
"Damn right. 'n I'm changin' th' motha-fuckin' gameplay!"
Even more gasps split into the air. Aubrey gripped Angel's chest, peering into the brunette's eyes with a kitten's confusion. Taye brought an increasingly excited Lil T into her arms, Emilia wrapped her arms around an alarmed, increasingly anxious Mo-
"Well, well, well. My friends, it looks as if we've got a change in game plans! My new friend wants to make amendments to my plans. But first things first, young man. You have yet to reveal who you are."
The world held its breathe while the young wolf removed his hoodie with one hand, and pressed a button on his chest with the other. In a swift moment, a familiar figure was revealed-
Glitch, in his original Hi-Def uniform. Green streak, scarf and all.
"Fascinating. It looks as if you've come back from the dead, my child, and all to defend your darling Senior!"
Instinctively, Mo made an attempt to bolt towards Glitch-but was stopped by two unfamiliar figures. "Hold on, Your Highness," one of those figures said, bearing the warmest eyes. The Alomar struggled within his grip, focused on Glitch and Glitch only, but-
"Cool your jets. This is something he has to do."
"Who in th' fuck are you?" an enraged, increasingly alarmed Taye asked, voicing a question all of her friends had. But the man named Rasa threw her a comforting, serene wink.
"I'm one o' th' Men in Black. Now pay close attention, Tigress."
"Now," Tan was saying. "What exactly is it you wish for, Glitch?"
"I'm takin' Mo's place! 'n if I lose, ya get me instead!"
Millions of cries pierced the cold, rain-soaked air, but the only cry Glitch heard was Mo's-and it was the cry of a heartbroken, mortally wounded animal. Rasa and Lima weren't the ones preventing Mo from reaching Glitch, at that point. The Cyphers blocked the Princess and all others from reaching Glitch, who had the nerve to stand against their master. "Yer lackey's takin' me on," the young wolf snarled, eyes firmly rooted on Tan.
"Ya get me, old man? If I lose against yer guy, I'm takin' Momo's spot!"
"I'm afraid you aren't, little brother."
Air was ripped from the lungs of many. Once again, time and life skidded to a violent stop. Along with the eyes of many, Glitch's eyes were rooted to the ice-laden air-where another figure was making its descent. Using one of Tan's many inventions, the newcomer was making its way from the unknown.
Jaws dropped beyond the earth's core, once the figure landed on Venetian grounds. It was a young man, no older than twenty, and equipped with a head of spiky black hair. Fierce, passionate green eyes, a familiar facial structure-
Lil T tugged on her aunt's sleeve. "Oh my gawd! That punk ass kid looks just like-"
Dr. Tan gave the world a cheeky wink. "What, your friend Glitch? Well, allow me to explain why. My right-hand man is none other than Glitch's brother-or should I say, Saeng's brother!"
Glitch's jaw dropped a thousand miles. And raindrops pricked his eyes, each one laden with vicious poison.
"Dazzling development, isn't it? While you've been romping around with the lovely Mo, I've been taking care of your one and only brother. And you thought you didn't have any family. You poor thing."
The younger wolf balled his hands into the tightest fists, eyes rooted to the ground.
"Everyone, I'd like to introduce Sen! Your darling Glitch's older sibling! Agile, unbelievably beautiful and clever, he is the perfect one to represent my grand empire. Don't you all agree?"
Audiences everywhere did anything but agree.
"Awww, what's wrong, Saeng? I thought you'd be happy about seeing your brother, after all this time!"
"Never mind," Glitch, version 2, said without a shred of emotion. "My joy will come from crushing him-and then stealing the most precious jewel right out of his life."
"Didn't hear you, little brother."
"I said fuck off! Ain't nobody touchin' Mo! I don't give a fuck who you are! I sure as Hell don't give a damn about some punk ass brother of mine, paradin' around wit' th' wrong team!"
Anxiety joined hands with rapture, leaving the restless hearts of many. While tears continued to scorch the younger wolf's eyes, he continued to stand against the older version of himself-his twin brother. His only brother.
The family he once believed to be lost.
"C'mooooooon, bring it! I ain't backin' down!"
Glitch failed miserably at ignoring Mo's pleas. Pleas for his Junior to back down, to return the arrangement to its original state. But while the young wolf heard every last one of his Princess' cries, he chose not to follow any of Mo's orders. "Gimme everythin' ya got," Hi-Def's Junior pressed on, ignoring the excruciating urge to wrap Mo in an embrace.
"All right then," Tan sang, once again rubbing at his chin. "but keep in mind-if you lose, we will take your Momo into custody. However, you'll regain everything you once believed t' be lost. We'll clue you in on everything you need to know, Glitch. Your family, your amazingly beautiful brother-everything you've been searching for will come to light. It'll practically fall right into your adorable little hands."
They all knew. Mo knew. Mo knew how much Glitch ached for the missing pieces of his past. He knew how much Glitch wanted to learn about himself, about where he came from and his culture. His people. His family. He knew and wouldn't have cared if Glitch dropped everything. Wanted Glitch to drop everything, so he'd lose by default and gain everything he desperately missed. Wanted-
-the impossible to happen.
"I ain't losin' to you or anybody else! Certainly not t' some sorry ass excuse of a brother!"
"This is some shit right outta Star Wars," Taye said, drowning in a mixture of awe, excitement and horror. Meanwhile, not too far away, Emilia buried Mo's head in her chest.
It didn't take long for rain to soak it.
