~Location: Paris Streets - France~
~Date/Time: Present Day, Night~
Now, Inspector Fox could've busted into Dimitri's club and started firing off her pistol, making arrests left and right until she got a hold of him. She had a feeling that her idea wouldn't be very professional.
Tonight, she had dressed in a casual evening dress. Her shock-pistol was tucked away out of sight as she looked to be a civilian fox on a night in the city. As she walked from her car down the street, she smiled as she hoped that Cooper would see her in this dress. Maybe when he's rescued, the two of them could go out on an official date. Her mind wandered at the possibilities of their future. It made her all the more confident in herself.
She had found the nightclub discretely, being able to do this to allow casual infiltration. Her team even made reservations for her to pass the bouncer without any fuss. Like she planned, she told her name to a boar by the door and was allowed inside.
The club was lively; singles and couples dancing while another set of singles and couples mingled at the bar. Her mind was still on her special someone as she wondered if Cooper had his first alcoholic drink yet. She laughed as she recalled that he hesitantly tried a little white wine at a party. Maybe on their date, she could take him to a bar... get him drunk with something strong... and then- Wow... where was her mind going just there?
She shook the thoughts away and sat at the counter, the bartender greeting her and offering to serve her a drink. Carmelita didn't want her mind wandering off again, so it was wise to politely decline the offer to stay sober.
She sat there, wondering if any of the guests knew where the owner was. She overheard a pair of what seemed to be female club dancers. They both wore close to nothing and seemed to be perfectly okay with that.
"See, Bunny? Isn't this place better than that dog house?" Carmelita didn't see her directly, but could see that it was a female feline with orange-red fur.
Her friend was a pale pink bunny that spoke with a higher pitch. "Kitty, Paris is really pretty, but I only care that you are here with me."
The bunny nuzzled her feline friend who responded with a light purr. "Mhmm. That makes it much better for sure."
"Kitty! It's time!"
"No... Cuddle me more."
"I mean it's time. Demi's gonna want a song to dance to soon."
"Err... Cold-blooded weasel... At least the pay and the room isn't too shabby. What does he want to dance to?
"Rave, like always. You wanna pick?"
"Yeah, sure. Let me go wiggle my butt for the DJ."
"Kitty! You're so lewd!"
"Don't worry, you'll see it later tonight."
The rabbit blushed and mumbled as her friend went to do as she said, more or less. Carmelita got up from her seat and approached her, greeting her politely. "Hello."
"H-Hi. My name is Bonnie, but no one calls me that..."
"Mine name's Carmelita. Can I ask you something?"
"Are you a new girl here?"
"No. I'm here on business."
The bunny giggled as if she heard a joke. "What kind of business are you trying to do here?"
It was now that the feline made her approach back to the two of them. The selected music started to play, bringing out a rave beat into the club "Alright. DJ wasn't interested in me, but I got a song- Who's your friend here?"
Carmelita introduced herself and learned Kitty's real name was Katie. "She doesn't look like a dancer, Bunny. My guess is she wouldn't drop that dress out in public at all."
"Kitty! Sorry, Carmelita. What did you need?"
Before the fox could respond, her ear twitched as she heard the lyrics of the song. For a rave song, the lyrics were quite sad. The main vocalist described the feeling of missing someone because they were gone now through the lyrics of the song. Words like 'the love was strong', 'now their gone', and 'thinking about the missing person everyday' struck tears into the fox.
"H-Hey... I didn't mean that to be harmful..." The feline moved the fox to a lounge couch where they both sat.
"Kitty... Now she's crying..." Bunny sat on Carmelita's other side with a worried look.
"I'm fine... It's just that I'm going through something harsh right now." The fox said, sitting back and taking deep breaths. Her new friends looked at each other and nodded, knowing that look on Carmelita's face and what it meant.
"Look, Carmelita," Bunny started to explain, "Kitty is very special to me. I was worried that I wasn't going to see her again. I cried... I was unhappy all the time... But..."
Kitty continued the thought. "As soon as she was in my arms, I couldn't let her go again." Bunny placed a small mouse toy on Kitty's head with a giggle. Kitty responded by purring happily and petting the small toy as a tiny bell jingled in her hands. "Thing is, we got separated and we almost lost hope. What you need is to go to him and make him yours. I bet he'd like that."
"I already plan to get back to him. That's why I came here."
Bunny gasped, her ears flicked back. "Did he come here? Oooh... That jerk. I can get Peter to rough him up a little for ya. Guys can be jerks..."
"No no, he's not here. Someone who could help me is here. He... owns the club."
"Demi? He's in his office. He only allows me or Bunny in there with him."
"Let's just say that I'm an old friend of his. I just need him to stay."
Bunny tilted her head questioningly. "You think he'd try not to stay?"
"Once he remembers me, yes."
"Let me handle that part. I've been meaning to teach that slime-ball a lesson."
###
Dimitri Lousteau had been dancing alone in his large office to a selection of rave music chosen by one of his dancers. The lizard hadn't changed much since he was last seen out in the open, keeping his style just how he had liked it. He grooved for several minutes before the music abruptly ended mid-stanza.
"Eh? Who pulled the plug on my funky blender, yo? I was about to make a groovy shake with my sweet moves." He stormed off to the door before it opened right in front of him.
His feline dancer spoke to him seductively. "I closed the club for the night so Bunny can get some rest. But... Why don't you and I make a shake of our own?"
"Mmm. I like that sound of that. What flavors you wanna try?"
"How about something new... Sit down for me."
The lizard willingly did so, allowing Kitty to tie him in his desk chair.
"Hey! Whoa Cat, Very uncool. How would I show you my moves now?"
"Let's get one thing straight. I'm not interested in you nor will I ever be. If you can't deal with that, then Bunny and I are leaving."
"Don't jump the gun without aiming, Katie-Cat. Take the rest of the night off and go snuggle with your bunny-bear."
"I plan to. Night, Demi!" Kitty walked off, leaving her boss tied down.
Carmelita slowly entered; her heals clicking across the tile floor before becoming silent on a rug. "To be honest, 'Demi,' That wasn't my idea."
"Err. Copper-Lady... Why did I do now, Foxy?"
"Nothing that your dancer couldn't handle herself. I need to ask you some things. About the night Sly Cooper went missing?"
"Ohh... I see. Hold your tongue, Mama... while I... There!" Dimitri had cut his ropes with a nail file, adjusting his seat back to his be aligned with his desk. "Now... Spill your beans, Latte. Let's see what I can brew for you."
Dimitri had been in contact with the Cooper Gang and the guardian of the Thievius Raccoonus while the gang had time-traveled. Carmelita became hopeful once she learned about the communication device but was disappointed after learning that Dimitri had sold the jewel from the device and rendered it inoperable. Even if it worked, Sly doesn't have the other one. Bentley and the rest of the Cooper Gang have it now. Dimitri could offer no other help. He didn't know what time Sly had been sent to nor did he have anything to lead her closer to finding it out. Dimitri could only offer an apology and a free drink.
She declined the drink again and instead went home for the night, hoping that Bentley had made more progress than she had. Her thoughts drifted to what Kitty had suggested: "Make him yours." She thought about what that meant before she drifted off to sleep peacefully.
###
