Chapter 8

At last, the day had come. Founder's day was now in full swing in the subterranean town of Lower Mobius. This way and every way, the lower mobians were working hard to make the final necessary preparations, particularly the massive banquet table that sat in the center of the square. A massive potluck had been prepared, and a squad of mobians were busily setting up the dishing and ensuring that there were enough chairs and table space for the people in attendance. However, for those that were hungry and looking for a snack, several stalls were opened that promised several delicacies from cotton candy, to corn dogs, and even fish on a stick, a treat that Judah was quickly gorging himself on with much reverie.

Amongst the chaos was Fiona, whom watched as the festivities were beginning to start. At the head of the table was a beautiful mural composed of a rainbow of flowers situated just right so that they resembled the founder herself, I.E. her mother. Fiona approached the mural, taking in the visage of her mother's face for perhaps the first time since she was a little girl. She had almost forgotten about the tiny mole that formed a dimple on her left cheek, the rosy tint that seemed to shimmer from her curled bangs, and somehow the blue flowers that made up her dress seemed to become that much more vibrant and lifelike, all because they were a part of her. Part of her mother.

So engrossed in the portrait, Fiona failed to hear the footsteps that approached her from behind, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when Mask materialized beside her.

"Hope I did the old gal justice." The old man said. "I had to situate them all by memory alone. None of us had any cameras back then, but I have been doing this sort of thing for many years now."

Fiona looked to him, and perhaps for the first time she shot him an honest, thankful smile.

"It's perfect. Thank you for honoring her memory. It's really all I have left of her." She looked back to the mural. "And then, even that has slowly started to fade."

Mask waxed a sympathetic look, and he gently pat her on the shoulder.

"Now, now, no need for tears now, missy. This is supposed to be a happy day, and that means no standing around like a bump on a log. Go, have a snack, mingle with some folks, see if some of the games are started, or whatever. Have some fun."

Fiona sighed, and she decided to take his advice. She walked off towards the food stalls at first, but she decided against it. She just didn't have the appetite for the moment. Instead, she spied Aqune, whom was carrying a set of baskets containing what seemed to be balls of spider silk. The young lady was clearly ladened down, and Fiona hobbled over and caught one of the baskets just as she was about to drop it.

"Easy there. Let me help." She said. She carefully hefted it into her free arm, and she balanced it against her hip.

Aqune carefully secured the remaining basket in her four arms, and she sighed with relief.

"Thank you, miss Fiona. Mother was supposed to help with these, but I fear that she is…distracted."

Fiona looked back, and she noticed that the older woman was talking to a young man that appeared much more finely dressed than most of the others down here. Perhaps a former noble from some far off land that had come down here seeking refuge. Fiona shook her head.

"That woman never learns, does she?"

"You have no idea."

The two girls made their way over to a small dunking booth where a skunk and his family were busily setting up. Apparently, Aqune had spent the better part of the day spinning these balls of web to be used for the booth. The skunks were all too happy to accept their offerings, and they both were allowed first throws. However, they both were quick to realize just how awful wet skunks smelled, and they declined further chances to throw as gracefully as they could with their noses pinned. Though the two did share a good laugh together as they leaned against one of the many stalls. They treated themselves to some candied apples, just enjoying one another's company while watching the madness as it spread across the underground. In spite of herself, Fiona couldn't completely relax. She was having fun, make no mistake, and Aqune was a sweet person to be around, even though she was a tad too bubbly, but she couldn't stop thinking about what she was going to do tomorrow. She had done her best to hide her feelings around Nic, Gabby and Judah, though the lion wouldn't stop pestering her in her dreams, but it left her with little to no one to talk about her situation with. She peaked down on the spider, and she decided to take a chance.

"Hey, Aqune, how long have you been down here?"

It was an innocent enough question, and one that wouldn't make her think twice. Aqune looked her way, and she looked up to the ceiling as she quietly counted.

"Three years…next week? Yes, that's right! It was just a week after that year's Founder's Day that I found this place and Marshal Mask took me in. Mother came a few days after that, and we've been living down here ever since."

She breathed a wistful sigh.

"I really like it here. It's just so simple, and I love it. No busy schedules. No boring galas where I must dance with every single bachelor. No horrible Mordred Hood to leer down on us and remind us of his influence. Just a simple, monotonous lifestyle where I can spin my webs, make some new friends, and just live a normal life. It's more than I ever could have wanted."

"Yeah, sounds nice." Fiona said, though she had stopped listening halfway. "But, I'm curious. Has anyone ever been kicked out?"

Aqune cocked her head.

"Excuse me? I'm not certain I understand."

Fiona shifted about, minding her sore leg as she quietly nibbled on her apple.

"You know, were there any bad seeds that were living here for a while, and people got so fed up with seeing them everyday that they made them leave lower mobius."

Aqune skewed her mouth, and she looked down at her candy apple while contemplating.

"Well, there was Miss Nicolette's brother and his little friends that showed up that one day, but it was clear that they didn't want to live down here and they were only here to hurt Miss Nicolette. But Marshall Mask made quick work of them with Miss Lucille. Sent them running for the hills, he did."

She looked back to Fiona.

"As for people that were already living here…well, no. I can't think of any time anyone was kicked out. Sure, there were those that left, but that was always on their terms and not because they were awful people. You'll find all manner of people in any given society, so it makes sense there would be some bad apples or people with issues that like to cause trouble. But that's why we have Marshall Mask. He keeps the peace and ensures everyone is playing nice with one another. Ultimately, if you can figure out how to get along with folks, living down here is all but paradise. If you don't like it, well, no one is going to stop you from leaving."

She shrugged.

"I for one am certainly never leaving. Mother may be my mother, but she does not have any say in how I live my life. I'm a grown woman, after all, and I refuse to be bullied."

Fiona couldn't help but crack a smile. Beneath all the prim and proper, this kid had spunk. A real fire that was just itching to burst loose and show the world who she really was.

"You got guts, kids. I can respect that. But, take it from me, you should cherish your mom while you got her. Maybe she's a pain, but beneath all the bluster I'm sure she really does love you. She's just set in her ways is all."

In the back of her mind, something clicked, and Aqune's eyes suddenly grew wide.

"Oh my gosh, Fiona, I'm so sorry! I hadn't even considered how you must be feeling today. I mean, here I am saying bad things about mother when you…"

"It's fine, webs." Fiona said quickly, wishing not to extend the conversation any further.

Aqune paused, and she looked at Fiona. Her eyes were now shimmering, and Fiona could almost see tears forming in the curves just above her cheekbones.

"What?"

"You just called me webs. It's the first nickname anyone has ever given me. I'm so glad that you see me as a friend."

Fiona felt dumbstruck. She had only called her that because her name was murder to pronounce correctly too many times. That's not to say that she hated the girl, but she didn't think that…

"Oh, no!" Aqune suddenly gasped, and the two girls could see Arachne chasing the gentleman from earlier. Aqune sighed, and she placed a hand over her face. "Oh, mother, not again!"

Without so much as a goodbye, Aqune took off after her mother, calling after her and telling her to stop. Suffice to say, it didn't work. Once again, Fiona found herself alone with her thoughts, which had become even more conflicted. Now she was making friends? She wasn't supposed to be making friends! She was fixing to leave, which, apparently, she could do and no one would object. Well, Judah would probably object, and Mask, and Nic, and Gabby, and…

She shook her head, and she put a hand on her forehead.

"What the heck is wrong with me?"

"I'd say it has something to do with you talking to yourself."

Fiona flinched, and she spun around to see Blade, whom was leaning against the stall. Fiona scowled at him.

"Do I just have to staple bells on everyone down here? Then again, with that freaky power of yours, I doubt it would be that effective."

"Not really." Blade said with a shrug. "I'm pretty good at getting around people without being seen."

"Lucky me." Fiona grumbled.

"So," Blade went on while straightening out, "enjoying the festivities? I know it hasn't really started full swing, yet, but I hear that it gets really crazy down here."

That made Fiona perk up, and she looked at Blade.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean by you hear? Have you never been to a Founder's Day down here before?"

Blade shook his head.

"Nope. I've only been here for about two weeks or so. I'm really only passing through."

"That so?" Fiona asked, suddenly interested. "You looking for someone?"

Blade shifted about, and he stretched a kink out of his back.

"You might say that. I've just gotta fulfill some favors is all before I can think of moving on."

"Oh?" Fiona asked. "And just who is it a big tough guy like you could owe a favor?"

"Nobody you'd know, I'm sure." Blade said, nonchalantly. "Though it's more like I need them for a favor, actually. I scratch their back, they'll scratch mine. You know how it is."

He pushed himself up, and he started to walk off.

"Well, I need to get going. I'm participating in the dance competition, and I need to limber up."

He stopped short, and he looked back at her.

"By the way, you're my dance partner. See you on the dance floor."

Fiona nearly choked on her apple. She was his what now?

"Blade wait a…"

But he was already gone. Fiona gaped at the empty void where he had once stood, her jaw hanging low as her candy apple hit the dirt. Where had that even come from? Good grief, he barely even knew her. Sure, she had wanted to get to know him, but dance with him? That was way too close quarters for her, especially after the flop of a relationship she had had with Scourge.

Then, a hot fury flooded her gut. There was only one person that could have set this up. The same idiot that set them up yesterday. Enraged beyond the capacity for words, Fiona stormed through Lower Mobius, going from stall to stall until she finally spied her prey. At current, Judah was gorging himself on a pair of carp on a stick from Boris' stall. He had to actually pay for them, unlike everyone else, but promising to do the big bear a favor, but the tantalizing scent of the grilled fish and at least seven different seasonings were more than enough to make it worth it. He was currently licking one of the sticks, savoring the flavor with every taste, so he failed to hear Fiona as she stormed up behind him. The next thing he knew, he was shoved forward, and he had only a split second to catch his fish before they hit the ground. He then rolled up so that he was standing again, and he scowled at Fiona.

"Hey, watch where you're going, Fi! I coulda dropped these."

However, he quickly realized that he was in trouble when he spied the angry look on Fiona's face.

"Uh, did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, I don't know." Fiona said, feigning ignorance. "Maybe it has something to do with you signing me up to dance with Blade?"

Judah blinked.

"Uh, what?"

"Don't play dumb!" Fiona snapped. "I know for a fact that it's a game you play too often. Admit it! It's another one of your hairbrained ideas to, quote unquote, help me, isn't it? You saved me form some wolves, you did your good deed!"

"Fiona, honest, I have no idea what you're talking about." Judah insisted. "I've been up here the whole time. Besides, why would I do anything nice for that jerk? I'm still trying to get him back for that bucket of scum, yesterday!"

Fiona studied him very, very carefully. Sure enough, he seemed to be in earnest. She couldn't spy even the faintest hint of treachery in his eyes. So he hadn't set this up. If that was the case, then what did any of this mean?

Judah quickly ate his fish, and then he got up and dusted himself off.

"I don't see what the big deal is. Your foot can't be hurting that much if you're able to stand like that and move about. Besides, it's just a dance. It's not like your marrying the dork or anything."

"You're missing the point!" Fiona snapped. "I can't dance. Scratch that, I don't dance! Dancing is for little kids and primpy princesses with too much time on their hands."

"Then tell him you don't want to dance."

"So he can tell everyone in the underground that I'm a wimp? What kind of an idiot do you think I am?"

Judah sighed, and he rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Fiona, pardon me for saying so, but I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. So, you don't like to dance, you say. Well, have you ever actually tried? I mean, you probably couldn't do too much on your leg, but if the song was slow enough I'd bet you'd be fine."

He tossed his sticks in a nearby trash bin, and he started to walk off.

"I gotta go, Fi. I'm gonna be in the 5K footrace, and I need to make sure I'm up for it. I'm kinda looking forward to it, really. After all, I eat well after I've worked up a good sweat."

Once again, Fiona found herself alone with nothing but her empty thoughts.

Dance?

With Blade?

In front of everyone?

She gave her head a furious shake. Judah was right. She was making a big deal out of nothing. So she was going to dance with the only physically appealing person in this entire underground city. That was no big. It's not like she was that into him or anything. After all, she just got over a bad breakup, so it wasn't like she was looking for a relationship. So what if she was going to be dancing in front of a bunch of idiots? They'd be dancing to dancing and looking like idiots, too, so they wouldn't have anything to ridicule her with.

However, whenever she thought about the whole thing, it made her want to puke. Here she was trying to fade into the background so that no one would notice when she left tomorrow, but, somehow, she had been thrust into the spotlight. She wanted to find a hole to hide in, though she noted the redundant irony in that thought, but she knew that there was no point. It wasn't like she could run away with her leg like it was. Blade would probably find her one way or the other, anyhow.

"Looks like I'm stuck." She grumbled as she anxiously struck a finger against the side of her head. "What the heck am I supposed to do, anyhow? If it isn't slow music, then I'm gonna be in a real fix with my leg all banged up. If there was a way I could lessen the pain…"

Then a thought struck her. Gabby! She had said something yesterday about helping her with her leg. Admittedly, that could've been just a little kid pretending to be a doctor, but, at this point, she was desperate enough to try anything. She spied a medical tent off to the side, and sure enough the young gazelle was there, likely trying to get out of being in the choir later. Fiona hobbled over to the tent, but Gabby saw her first. The tiny gazelle grinned with a knowing smile, and she leaned forward when Fiona approached.

"I had a feeling you were gonna show up when I saw you talking with Mr. Blade."

Fiona scoffed.

"Don't tell me you set him up to it."

Gabby giggled, and she shook her head.

"Nope, all his idea. I think he feels bad for making you upset yesterday."

Fiona shrugged. That wasn't his fault. She had overreacted. She wished he hadn't gone to such an extreme.

"Anyhow, I guess you know that I'm going to be dancing with him. You said something about being able to make my leg better. Well, can you?"

Gabby grinned, and she ducked to a spot in the tent, and she came out with a jar and some bandaging.

"My brother used to get in fights all the time." she explained. "With nobody around to help us, back then, it was up to me to patch him up. I got pretty good at mashing up herbs and making healing salves for injuries like your leg there."

She shot Fiona a sideways glance.

"But…it's gonna cost you."

Fiona rolled her eyes, and she made a mental note to talk to Nic about how she was raising this girl before she left.

"Ok, kid, what do you want? Some candy? You want me to play house with you or something? Maybe pick some flowers?"

Gabby made a sour face, and she shook her head.

"Yuck! No, that's kid stuff. No, I just want to go outside. Nic never lets me leave the underground, and I'm getting bored. She says it's too dangerous, but she goes up there all the time. Just take me above ground for a few hours, and we can call it square. K?"

Fiona cocked her head to one side. She wasn't allowed to go out? She remembered how skittish Nic was when Gabby was talked about leaving to find her brother, and no doubt that's what this excursion to the outside was all about. The weasel would probably be furious if she knew about all of this, for whatever reason, but what did Fiona care? She was going to be leaving in the moment, so she could promise the kid anything.

"Ok, sure kid. Whatever you say."

Gabby giggled victoriously, and then she motioned for Fiona to walk over and prop up her leg. With a near surgical proficiency, she removed her bandages, quickly mixed up a salve, and she carefully applied it to the bruised muscles. Fiona winced once, but, as soon as the medication began to seep in, she relaxed. It was almost a sort of numbing sensation, and its effects were nearly instant. Before long, she was up and about again, and the pressure didn't agitate her leg nearly as badly as before.

"Wow, Gabby, this stuff works wonders." Fiona complimented. "You should bottle it up and sell it. You'd make a mint."

Gabby giggled.

"It's a recipe my momma taught me. I was only three, but I've always managed to remember it. Helps me to remember her."

That struck a sad note in Fiona's heart. How different was this little girl from Fiona herself at that age? It plunked at the strings of her conscience that she had just lied to her and had no interest in fulfilling her promise. Just then, there came a loud ringing sound like an amplifier giving off feedback. The two of them looked up to see that Mask was standing on the makeshift stage with the founder's day banner overhead, and it seemed that people were gathering around.

"Opening ceremonies are starting!" Gabby exclaimed, dropping everything as she started to run over. But, she stopped short, and she wagged a finger at Fiona. "Remember that you promised."

She then rushed off, and Fiona followed, trying her hardest not to look as guilty as she felt. By now, virtually everyone in lower mobius was present and ready for the opening ceremony. Mask took hold of the microphone, tapping it once or twice to test it, and then he cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentle mobians!" he addressed the masses. "Today marks yet another year of fun, harvest, and, above all else, life. On these very grounds, where you good folks are standing, I and a mob of good folks like you made a rather daring escape from the clutches of a madman, and, through harwork and much sacrifice, we managed to build a home in the safety and the sanctity that is Lower Mobius. Now, that's not to say there weren't mistakes. In fact, a lot of mistakes were made when we started…who am I kidding, a lot of mistakes were made when this town was made. But, without sacrifice, there could be no victory, and thus I want to make a toast to the one that sacrificed everything for the happiness of everyone down here."

The floral mural of the founder was brought up to the stage, and a few moles were moving up and down amongst the crowd giving everyone a small glass with a fizzy drink. After a moment, Mask raised his own glass, and he nodded to the crowd.

"I dedicate this to those that could no longer be with us, and to the founder that made this place possible. To Stella."

"To Stella!" the crowd declared loudly while sipping their drink.

"To mom." Fiona whispered, downing her drink in one shot.

With the opening ceremonies done, several competitions and fun games began. The first was a trivia tournament where four people had to buzz in one numerous historical facts in the hopes of winning the big prize. Surprising no one, Nicolette was the winner without competition. After all, history was her livelihood, and the handcrafted pearl necklace was a delight of a prize for the former treasure hunter.

Next came an arts and crafts show. Everything from finger paintings made by the kids to an interesting set of bone sculptures made by Boris, whom held out his chest with pride as the judges admired his handiwork. In the end, it was the elegant tapestries crafted from Aqune's spider silk that stole the show. One in particular was a depiction of her travels from Mercia to Lower mobius. At the top was the depiction of a green cobra surrounded by a burning sky, likely a representation of Mordred Hood, and it showed a thread of spider silk that snaked down through a patch of velvet darkness unto a half circle of warmer colors, where a tiny spider was depicted in a group hug with several different creatures, the largest of which was a raccoon that had his arms wrapped protectively around them all. Fiona noticed that Mask was wearing a deep blush as he presented her the blue ribbon, and it was made worse when she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug, resulting in everyone in the cave, sans a rather irate looking Arachne, getting a good laugh.

After that came the children's choir. Much to her disappointment, Gabby not only couldn't weasel out of her duty, but she was put front and center before everyone due to her being shorter. The poor gazelle mostly mouthed the words, looking utterly humiliated as they children's choir carried on singing the Founder's song. Fiona, however, didn't hear it. She had actually put as much distance between herself and the choir as possible. Perhaps someday she could hear that song again without bursting into tears. But just not today.

Next came the second most anticipated event: the 5K footrace. Four competitors were lining up on the makeshift track that circled town square, and it looked like it was going to be a hot competition. The first two were Blade and Judah, the two rivals already glaring one another down as they prepared to run. The remaining two was a spindly legged old cat named…well, Cat, and the last runner was a moose by the name of Griff. All four lined up and took runner positions whilst Mask stepped forward and raised his sniper rifle, Lucille

"Alright, boys. Be sure to make this a clean race, alright? We've got young'uns watching, and they need to see me shoving bars of soap in your mouths because you couldn't keep your lips buttoned after you got beat. Ok! On your marks! Get set!"

He fired, and they were off.

Immediately, the spindly legged Cat was in the lead with Grif trailing closely behind. As for Blade and Judah, the duo were literally shoulder to shoulder as they charged down the track, kicking up dirt as they worked to pass one another. It was clear that neither one cared about winning; they just wanted to beat their rival. Judah especially was out to win. He loved lower mobius but darn it if the half and half deputy didn't make him want to rip out his own mane. If there was one sin that all lions shared, it was pride. Having his senses tricked and even outdone by Blade's miraculous hearing and sound abilities was a bitter pill that Judah refused to swallow. One way or another, he was going to beat him.

"Those legs of yours about to go out?" he growled. "You can just drop in exhaustion whenever you're ready!"

Blade chuckled as they rounded a bend.

"You're something else, Jude. Serioulsy, you've gotta let this go."

"NEVER!"

"Ok. In that case, I guess there's no point in holding back, then."

With a loud THOOM, Blade suddenly propelled himself forward with a concussive burst of sound.

"Now that's just cheating!" Judah roared.

The lion dropped to all fours, and he stormed forward at a breakneck pace, forcing his muscles to contort and contract until he caught up with Blade at last. The two were once again neck and neck, but never once did they seem to try and surpass the other two competitors. They just wanted to beat one another, though, very quickly, they outdistanced their fellow competitors without much difficulty. The crowd was thrown into a maelstrom of excitement, and they cheered madly at the new leaders. Even Fiona was taken in by the spectacle, her eyes glued on Blade as he kept a fairly distant lead over Judah. He almost looked like he was flying, launching multiple concussive bursts of sound that propelled him forward at an intense speed. It almost resembled Sonic, but there was something different. An almost elegant grace with a lack of effort but the utmost concentration. Judah, on the other hand, was about as bestial as a mobian could get, all four limbs whirling like windmill blades as he tried to catch up and surpass his rival. Finally, the two came to the final stretch of the race, once again neck and neck as the finish line tape loomed into view. Judah, his eyes now bloodshot and his breathing ragged, scrambled and clawed his way forward as he tried to get just that much more speed out of his weary body. As they neared the tape, Mask came out holding a camera, and as the two cleared the tape he snapped a photo. The crowd erupted into cheers, Fiona even getting a shout out before she caught herself and blushed, but they all fell onto abated breaths as Mask shook the photograph to get the picture of the winner. After a few minutes of gentle shaking, the black and white image cleared. He had to squint, but, sure enough, there was a very clear cut winner.

"We got a new champion!" he proclaimed for all the hear. "By a literal hair from his mane: Judah!"

The crowd erupted with a thunderous ovation, but Judah wasn't able to enjoy it. He was lying on the dirt floor of the cavern, panting and gasping for air with his heart acting as a jackhammer underneath him. With his tongue hanging out and his arms and legs splayed in all directions, he looked up at Blade.

"How…do you like…them apples…jerk?" he wheezed.

Blade shrugged.

"What's there to say? You beat me hair…I mean, fair and square. I'd shake your hand, but I don't think you can lift it."

"Go suck on a rose bush!"

Blade rolled his eyes, and he walked off, joining a rather stunned looking Fiona on the sidelines. To say that Fiona was impressed was an understatement, and for once she was without a bluff to hide it.

"That was intense." She told the hybrid. "You must have really wanted to win."

"Not really." Blade said. "Besides, I figured he needed a win after what happened yesterday. He still wreaks."

"You think that's bad?" Fiona said with a laugh. "I'm on the bottom bunk in the same room with him. I have to sleep with a clothespin clipped to my nose."

They both shared a good laugh, though Blade stopped short to study Fiona closely.

"You know, Fi. You've got a really nice smile. You should use it more often."

Fiona froze, and she blushed so hard her ears started to burn. She dug around in her brain for some kind of dry retort, but it was drowned out by a sudden stampede of people running over to the center stage. Some lights had been erected, and it looked like the dance competition was ready to begin.

"Looks like that's our cue." Blade said, taking her by the hand. "Come on. Let's find our spot."

"Wait a minute!" Fiona started, but she was already moving until they were in the thickest of the crowd.

Fiona looked around. There had to be a way out. She wasn't ready! She didn't know how to dance. Where had all the time gone? She thought she was going to be more prepared. She immediately started looking for an exit, a way out, but there was nowhere to go. They were literally in the thick of the mob, and Fiona may as well have been under a spotlight. Blade was limbering up his legs when he spied her nervous stares out of the corner of his eye.

"What's the matter? Can't dance either?"

Fiona cursed her weakness, but she relinquished a nod. But then she registered just what he had said.

"Wait a minute! Either? You mean you can't dance?!"

Blade shook his head.

"Nope. Never really cared enough to learn."

"Then why in the heck did you sign us up for a dance competition?" Fiona asked, flabbergasted. "I hate dancing! Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm not doing anything to you, Fi." Blade said. "If you don't want to dance, fine. Don't. I won't stop you."

She shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

"I kinda felt bad for upsetting you, yesterday. I mean, I shoulda told you what the song was, and maybe we could've prevented all that. I figured the least I could do was show you a good time. Guess I goofed again."

Fiona could feel her fire immediately extinguish. None of that had been his fault. The old man was a different story, but Blade hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, Fiona wasn't being very fair to him. Afterall, he had saved her and Judah from doing their swan dive, so the least she could have been was cordial, and she hadn't even been that.

"I…I don't know what to say." She stammered.

Blade hummed while stroking his chin, and then he offered Fiona a smile.

"I tell you what. You and I dance, and if you don't like it we'll just quit right then and there. But, if you can tough it out so that we're the last ones standing, I'll grant you your heart's fondest wish."

Fiona's brow jumped. That had gone from zero to sixty in no time flat.

"That's a bit, forward. Don't you think?"

"Only if you win. So, what do you say?"

Fiona could already hear the band harmonizing their instruments, and the beat was being set. She took a deep breath, and then she took him by the hand.

"Ok, but whenever I say stop, we stop. Got it?"

"Your wish is my command."

Fiona rolled her eyes at that, but she didn't have long to think of it when the music started. It was a fast tempo, the kind that got a person's foot to tapping the moment it started. Blade immediately began to spin her about, and, after some trial and error, they found the rhythm, and they fell into step. A blush had formed on Fiona's face, both from the sudden proximity breach between her and blade as well as the fact that she had no idea what she was doing. However, she quickly realized that nobody around here seemed to dance. All around her, there was a swarming of jostling bodies that swayed with the music, but they all lacked grace and finesse. With that being said, though, everyone was smiling and laughing. They all looked ridiculous, but they couldn't seem to care any less. In a way, it made Fiona feel a little less ridiculous, but she still tried to tune everything out as she and Blade spun about the room.

Within the first hour, the judges began to dismiss those that simply couldn't keep up. One of the dancers actually passed out and had to be carried off by their partner. Before long, there was maybe five sets of dancers left. The tempo had slowed, but there was still a lively catch, dropping it from a freestyle to a foxtrot. Fiona wouldn't admit it, but she was actually starting to enjoy herself. Even if they didn't win, Fiona had decided that it was worth it. After all, it could have been a whole lot worse. After all, she could have been dancing with Judah, whose breath stunk like fish.

Just then, she felt something bump her back. It looked like one of the couples, a skunk duo, were being a tad aggressive, though they sagely stayed out of sight from the judges. Well, Fiona wasn't much of a dancer, but never let it be said that she took trash off of anyone. She looked to Blade, and it seemed that he shared her feelings. Fiona grinned.

"Let's show them how it's done." She said.

"Lead on." Blade said.

As two more couples were cut out, Fiona and Blade, the skunks, and the remaining couple fell into a full-blown tango as trumpets castanets joined the band. With Fiona taking the lead, they navigated close to the skunks, guiding them away from the remaining couple and turning it into a dance off. As they went in for the stomp, Fiona planted her firmly on the male skunk's foot, making him squirm, but they were backed off thanks to the female's well time hip bump. As the music intensified, the two couples were now neck and neck with one another, occasionally knocking next to one another and stepping on one another's toes as they tried to upset the other's rhythm. By now, both sides were teetering dangerously on the edge of the arena platform, right next to where the judges table sat. The skunks seized their chance, and they went out into a dipping spin, the female holding out her arm to slam Blade and Fiona in the head. They both ducked, but the skunks hand accounted for the shift in momentum, the crashed into Blade and Fiona, knocking them over and onto the judges table. Before long, they had all mobbed together in a pile, rolled across the ground, and came to a stop with a crash. The music stopped, and everyone turned to see if they were alright. Mask was the first to the scene, and he scrambled to help a very dazed looking Fiona to her feet.

"Went a little too far, eh missy?" the old man giggled.

"They…started it." Fiona slurred as she tried to make the underground stop spinning for a few minutes.

Mask shot the two skunks a look, and he snorted.

"You guys are stinkers on a normal day. You shouldn't go around trying to spoil folks' fun. For shame."

A quick look at the remaining couple told him that they were still dancing, and he smiled as he approached, stopping them short, and he held up their arms for all to see.

"And we have a winner!" he proclaimed, and the crowd erupted into cheers.

Fiona, however, was absent from this as she helped Blade to his own feet.

"Sorry about that. I guess I really goofed."

Blade waved her off, and he dusted off his coat.

"Eh, forget about it. All things considered, that was kinda fun. For someone that's never danced before, you're pretty light on your feet."

Fiona's blush returned, and she bashfully rubbed at the back of her head.

"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself. At dancing, I mean. You're…uh…you're pretty good."

They both fell silent, standing face to face with only a few inches to set them apart. Fiona stared deeply into his bright green eyes. They always seemed to draw her in, like they were just this safe haven where she could disappear and never have to worry. She moved to the tips of her toes, giving her just that much of a boost and perhaps drawing her a little closer. Blade remained as he was, not seeming the least bit phased as the gap slowly and slowly closed between them until…

Just then, the sounds of someone dinging a triangle could be heard, directing everyone's attention to Diggums.

"I HOPE EVERYONE'S BEEN HAVING A RIPSNORTING, JEAN TEARING, SLIPKOTTING GOOD TIME!!!" the tiny mole boomed in his usual explosive manner. "BUT NOW, THE TIME HAS COME FOR EVEYBODY'S FAVORITE EVENT!!! LET'S EAT!!!!"

Fiona immediately jolted back into her previous position. Her blush had deepened, and she dared not look at Blade. What had she almost just done? Thank goodness no one had see her try to do that. She coughed once, and she turned away from him.

"All that dancing made me hungry. Let's go get some grub."

She didn't bother waiting for an answer, and she went running for the buffet table. By now, a large crowd had gathered around, but, strangely, no one was eating. Instead, they seemed to be staring at something. Or, perhaps, someone. As Fiona drew closer, Judah suddenly appeared and started to push her away.

"Hey, Fiona," he greeted, talking fast. "Having fun? Looks like you've had too much fun. You look tired. Let's get you to bed."

Fiona shrugged him off, and she kicked him in the shin.

"Judah, back off. Geez, what's got everyone in a tizzy?"

She brushed past him, and she started to go through the crowd.

"Fi, wait!" Judah called, but it was already too late.

Fiona broke through the line, and she had a clear view of the entire buffet table. A fair amount of the food had been eaten off of or at least had a bite in it, and lying in the center of it all was a green hedgehog dressed in black. He was gnawing on a drumstick before he finally caught sight of her. He tilted his red sunglasses up, and he flashed her a grin lined with sharp, pointed teeth.

"Fiona, babe, how ya doing?" Scourge chortled. "Come on and have a bite. The food is to die for."