AN: This Patrol Log and the next one are being published during "Guys' Day Out," but they don't take place during it (or at least not during the main events), given that chapter 2-13 of "Guys" take place over the space of a long afternoon. It could be the week between chapters 1 and 2, or it could be the 3 weeks since the concert (from "Life and Times"), or it could be after "Guys"; there aren't any mentions of "Guys" in these two – that comes later.
To yellow 14: It was a bit on the heavy side. But sometimes the heroes do need to ask the tough "why" questions.
To Butterfly: Thank you.
To Lyger 0: Probably, though grief rarely leads to sound logic.
To armadas: Thank you. It wasn't exactly a fun week, but I got through it.
To StarDaPanda225: Thank you. Not all villains can be so sympathetic, but in the real world some of them are. That line might have been my favorite part to write, given that they always present themselves as being so collected and in control – they are still human.
To PG.182227: I have enough written currently to last through December; I typically write a bunch at once. The plan currently is to keep the "Patrol Logs" going indefinitely, though when the current "season"/arc/phase ends I'll start a new "volume." At that point it might expand to include "Patrol Logs" from all the other hero groups, though. Ultimately between different character combinations and scenarios this could continue indefinitely.
Kagami checked the patrol schedule on her phone for the fifteenth time that evening before tossing the phone across the room onto her bed. "Why am I with him?" she asked, frowning at Longg in irritation.
The Kwami shrugged. "I do not know, Kagami-San. Perhaps they trust you to be his introduction to the Heroes of Paris?" He tossed his last sardine up and caught it in his mouth, almost swallowing it whole. "But if you do not leave shortly, you will be late."
"You're right, of course," she grumbled, transforming and slipping out her bedroom window. "All the same, I would much rather go on patrol with Viperion or Cat Noir or Ladybug. Or even–" she made a face "–King Monkey."
Ryoku raced across the city, skirted along the Seine – she almost stopped when she heard Luka and Juleka playing a duet on the deck of the Liberty as she passed – and finally reached the edge of the Champ des Mars, where she could see an orange-red figure pacing in front of the Eiffel Tower. She backed up to the opposite side of the roof, raced across, and flung herself out into space, spinning her sword above her head as a propeller to give herself a few more meters of lift. She dropped to the ground directly in front of Victor, landing so close that she almost brushed against the alien's fur.
"Good evening, Ryoku," he greeted her, bobbing his head slowly, as if unsurprised at her sudden appearance directly in front of him.
She raised an eyebrow at him in resignation. "Let's get this over with." With that she took off across the park at close to her top speed. The trees and shrubbery cleared away as she reached the edge of the park, planted her foot on the edge of the sidewalk, and leapt over the street. She caught the bottom of the traffic light with one hand, swung her legs to build momentum, and launched herself over the rest of the street, turning over once in a flip before landing upright on the roof of the building across from the park. She turned around to watch as Victor slowly reached the edge of the park, jogged across the street, and clambered up the building's fire escape.
"I apologize," he told her once he had reached the roof, leaning over and panting slightly. "I thought my people were fast, but you miraculous heroes are in a class of your own!"
"Not all of us," she replied, smirking. "But me? Definitely. Ready to move?"
He frowned, but she was across the roof and three buildings over before he could open his mouth. The night was just starting to get cool; autumn was finally starting to set in for real. Last weekend she and Luka had just spent the afternoon walking through the Trocadéro and looking at the leaves that were just starting to change colors. Luka had started whistling a new song while they walked, she'd leaned her head on his arm…
"What is that tune you are whistling?" Victor cocked his head to one side, his ears turned in her direction.
"Huh?" She hadn't realized he had caught up, or that she had been whistling out loud. "It's nothing. Time to move on?"
"Wait," interjected Victor, putting one paw on her wrist to prevent her from racing away yet again. Ryoku's sword was in her hand in an instant and she fixed a glare on him. He took his paw off of her and raised them both in a placating gesture. "I can tell that you are on edge, but I have no idea why."
"I used to have no one I truly trusted, not even my own mother – not really," she explained, stepping back and turning away from him. "I was alone, without a friend in the world. Then I met the man whose house you are staying at, and he and his girlfriend welcomed me. They made me their friend, and they trusted me. I do not take that lightly.
"So now there are exactly six people in this world that I absolutely trust unquestioningly," Ryoku informed him through narrowed eyes. Her sword dropped to her side, but she didn't sheathe it. "All of the Heroes of Paris either are one of them or were recruited by one of them. All except you. I don't know you. You're the wildcard here, and you are living with my friends. So why should I trust you?"
The alien's ears lay down flat on his head. "I understand your reticence, Ryoku," he confessed. "Trust is not something that comes easily for me, either – a 'hazard of the job,' you might say."
"And what job is that?"
He let out a cackling laugh. "I'm an intelligence officer."
She arched an eyebrow at him, folding her arms over her chest.
"A spy?" He sighed. "My entire job is to get close to people to get the information I need from them and report it back to my handler."
"You're not exactly selling yourself as trustworthy here…" Ryoku pointed out wryly.
He nodded. "I realize that. I don't think the other heroes trust me all that much, either," he admitted.
"So why should we trust you?" asked Ryoku, frowning.
Victor's shoulders slumped. "You don't normally become a spy because you have a good family life," he explained. "When I enlisted, it was because I didn't have anyone. When I went into the intelligence branch, it was to do more to help stop the Shunjar from invading – to put an end to the war. Then I came here."
"Then you got stuck here."
"Then I got stranded on your planet," he amended. "And the only reason I'm here is because the Shunjar are interested in your planet. If they weren't, we wouldn't have crashed here and I wouldn't have met you and your friends."
"But you're still a spy." She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're still collecting information about us – don't try to deny it. So who are you telling?"
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Would you believe me if I said 'no one'?" he asked. "I have not had contact with a member of my own species since before the Shunjar discovered me on their ship. So even if I am collecting information about you, I have no one to tell. And even if I had someone to tell, I have no reason to do so."
She furrowed her brows. "So you're on our side now," she deadpanned. "How am I supposed to believe that?"
"Pegasus believes it," Victor pointed out calmly. "Ladybug and Cat Noir accepted that I'm on your side."
"As much as I trust them, I'm not them – I'm the suspicious one in the group." Ryoku arched an eyebrow. "So humor me."
Victor shrugged. "The Shunjar want your planet to join the war on their side; I do not want that. Our goals align."
"For now, at least," Ryoku agreed. "But when they do not, know one thing: the Heroes of Paris are my family. And I will protect my family. No matter what."
Victor gave her an evaluating look before he finally nodded in acquiescence. "It is… refreshing… to see such friendship and loyalty among your group," he admitted. "I realize I have not earned it, but I hope one day I might."
"We shall see." Ryoku sheathed her sword and held out her hand. "For now we are allies, but I will still be keeping an eye on you."
He nodded and took her hand. "I expect nothing less, Ryoku."