Sorry for the long author's note, just a heads up, but wow... After this chapter, there will be two more. It feels like yesterday when I uploaded this story and I never expect to have this much support. I just want to thank you guys again for sticking with me for nearly two years. ^_^
As for this chapter, it will be a bit shorter than last chapter (I did not expect it to be more than four thousand words! XD). I'm thinking less than three thousand, but more than two thousand. When I'm at that mark, I'm calling it a chapter. :P
As for my reason why I haven't been uploading, it's because of my senior year in high school. They say it's the most important one, and that's what I've been focused on. I'm not dead, so there you go. :P But seriously, I do apologize for making you all wait until December. So many things happened, and so far, I'm loving senior year! It's just a shame I have five more months until I graduate and then I have to prepare for college. :( I adore my friends there, and it will be so hard to leave them. I also want to make clear that I haven't given up on this story. There's times where I want to update so bad, but I don't have the time to.
MikuHatsuneLove: I don't mind if you like Luce/Angel as well. XD It is a year later for the GH story, so Rose can change in a year. She's not a nervous person anymore, so that's good, I guess. :)
Guest: Thanks! To me, friendship is something I hold dear to, and I want to make a story that has great friendship, but blossoming relationships as well. -cough-Luce and Oblio-cough- :D
DCFan4ever: Don't worry! You can do so whenever you want! Trust me, it won't be too similar to Project Lockstep.
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~Chapter Twenty-Eight: Coming So Far~
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Angel and Luce headed off to the latter's house immediately after the crowd from the warehouse her favorite band played at was cleared out. Even though Rasa got Claire's permission for Luce to stay with DCI for the crew challenges, Angel thinks it's best for Luce to meet up with the blonde. Ever since Claire started living at Luce's house after her mother's passing and brother's complete departure from the family, she cared for her as if Luce was her own daughter. Angel was very thankful for her because seeing Luce hurt is like losing a family member. It sounds serious, yes, but he loves Luce like a younger sister, and her happiness is all he wants from her.
At first, the Latino was disliked by the Italian woman. Angel is used to women in high school rejecting him, especially his crew partner and crush, Aubrey, but he really respected that, because Claire seemed to know what Luce went through and will do anything to protect her. Angel remembered seeing the anger in her hazel eyes when he first met her, a month after Luce's mother's funeral. If it wasn't for Luce having to explain to the blonde that Angel has been friends with her since they were five, then Angel wouldn't be able to be at her house.
Angel parked upward near the garage of Luce's house, and the two got out of the Latino's car. The brunette opened the door once they got to the front porch, and when she saw Claire, cooking dinner as usual, even though it was almost midnight, she hurried and ran into her arms. Angel smiled and watches his best friend hug her bodyguard. Angel can hear them talking, even though he is still on the front porch. He was going to close the door and head back home, but the blonde noticed Angel and said to him,
"Angel! Please stay for a bit; we would like some company." Angel smiled at the two, and he went inside the house and closed the door.
"Gracias, Claire. But first, let me head to the washroom." As soon as Claire nodded, Angel went to his right and down the hallway. He opened and closed the door as soon as he got in the washroom, and took off his visor. He turned on the faucet and started to wipe his face, removing the tiredness and stress. Once he turned off the water and dried his hands with the hand towel, the Latino looked straight into his reflection.
Angel never knew how much Luce has changed after her mom died. She didn't eat for a week, and it pained him to see her lose weight, even though she got it back when he and the others came to her house to talk to her. Ever since the blue-haired man came into the picture, Luce was determined to see him again after their dance battle, and now, she's in love with him, a feeling she never felt. Now that he's stuck at his evil father's estate, Luce is distraught. Angel's heart would've sunk if he saw her that devastated.
Perhaps if it was Aubrey in Oblio's place, Angel would feel the same way Luce is feeling. Angel shook his head and let a sigh out. He won't let that happen. Once Rasa and Lima have come up with a plan to stop Tan's plan, Angel will do anything in his dancing abilities to protect the one he loves and his dear childhood friend. He put on his visor and head off to find Luce and Claire eating on the living room couch. Angel can hear Luce's laughter and see her smile as he walked up to the living room. The bodyguard held out a full plate of delicious food that watered his mouth.
"I know it's late, but I made some lasagna and garlic bread." Without a second thought, Angel took the plate, and with the fork that was on the coffee table, he took that as well and joined in with Luce and Claire. Even in a dark time like Tan's plan of Project Tan Step, at least Angel can see that Luce is not in misery for now.
Hours passed, and Angel found out he was laying on the couch the three were sitting on, and the sunlight was directly on his face. It was then greeted with a clean towel Luce had thrown to him. He sat up and looked at Luce, who has on her DCI outfit, brushing her hair and smiling at Angel.
"Hurry and shower," she said nonchalantly. "Rasa called and said we have to be at the headquarters in an hour. They are going to tell us what we're going to do to save Oblio and stop Dr. Tan's plan." Angel grabbed the towel she threw and hurried to the guest bathroom and showered fast, but carefully as well. Once he got settled, he got dressed into his DCI agent uniform and saw Luce eating a chicken biscuit at the kitchen bar. Claire just finished cooking a small stack of pancakes, around three or four. It was decorated with chocolate chips inside the breakfast, and Claire went to the fridge to add a variety of fruit including strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. To top it off, she added a dash of whipped cream and put the plate beside Luce's and her smoothie.
"Luce told me that you like pancakes, so here you go," Claire said with a smile, adding a glass of milk to Angel's plate. Angel smiled and started to dig in the gorgeous, golden pancakes with dark brown spots, indicating that's chocolate, and the fruit and whipped cream that tops off the food, adding something sweet and cold to contrast the bold and hot breakfast. It was indeed incredible, even though Claire isn't a chef. Once he finished his pancakes, he chugged the milk down his throat, just so that he wouldn't waste more time than waking up at eight in the morning and having to be at DCI an hour later.
"Don't worry, Angel," Luce said to her best friend reassuringly, "we have more time, so take it easy." She added a smile and giggled. She took a sip of her smoothie and put it in the fridge. "I'll be waiting outside." Angel nodded, seeing her head out the door and sitting on a chair where the sunlight hits her entire figure, giving her warmth. He was going to put his plate and glass in the sink, but Claire took the dishes and winked at him.
"I'll take care of this, and in return, take care of Luce, alright?"
He saluted to her, giving her a smile full of confidence, and headed out the door and into his car with Luce. He started the engine, turned on the radio, and off they go. As soon as they made it downtown, it was awfully not that crowded. For a Saturday, that's a start. There would be a few traffic jams, but today only has one. It's eerie to think that today was the day the game plan will be revealed, but it's also weird that it's only a quarter till nine. Regardless, the two are heading towards the building that holds DCI underground.
Angel and Luce told the code to the telephone and they headed down from the elevator to sub-level three, where the headquarters is. When the doors opened, Luce and Angel were greeted by the other crews, and even D-Coy, who seemed to recover really well, added to the fact that Dare ran to Luce and bear-hugged her. It relieved Luce, as it did to Angel himself. The Latino looked at the blond DJ, who is smiling at the fact that Dare is happy to see Luce.
Once Dare removed herself from the brunette, Rasa came in with Lima, typing in letters on the keyboard, and then the words came out on the giant computer screen. "Can I have everyone's attention?" he asked in a serious tone. The dance crews looked at the DCI leader, their eyes fully focused on him. "Good. I have gathered you five and a half dance crews for this important mission. As you all know, Luce's dance partner, Oblio, is currently at Tan Estate for the sake of everyone's safety. Luckily, Riptide helped Luce and D-Coy escape, but now, today is the day we get Oblio back and stop Dr. Tan's plans of stealing the dance moves of every choreographer and earning the credit. It does sound silly as it sounds like plagiarism, but... since I have worked with him at Tan Corps, my knowledge holds that he also plans on making mind control helmets to obey him and follow his plan that is Tan Step."
Lima spoke up, adding to his speech, "We plan on doing a surprise attack, entering the building with these mind control helmets our elite agents gave us yesterday." She snapped her fingers, giving an agent the cue to hold a cart full of helmets. "They are turned off, so the helmets won't control your mind, but if anything happens to one of you and you are indeed in mind control, one of you will need to dance to the beat, or have swag, in order to stop the helmets from controlling them. Rasa will come in saying that he has betrayed DCI and ask to meet up with Tan and help with the plan, but then, we will stop him with a choreography we came up with. After that, we will get Oblio and foil his plan for good." Rasa nodded and smiled, but it was short-lived as he replaced it with a serious face.
"Before we even think of going to that wretched building, I have one question for you all. Are you ready to head to Tan Corps?" Rasa asked the agents.
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~Chapter Twenty-Nine coming soon...~
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Sorry to leave you all on a cliffhanger. XD I'd figured it'd be in Angel's POV because he's basically the third main character in this, so why not? :P I'd say this chapter is sort of filler, and sort of not, but even though we know Angel and all that jazz, I'd figure I'd give him some character development. He's a really great character, and I'm glad Harmonix made him. As for what's going on for the gang, I'm really pumped up for the next chapter. The only thing I didn't like about this chapter is the title. I couldn't think of a good one, so I just did my best. If you happened to have a good chapter title for this, review it.
Once again, I am sorry for not updating frequently. Hopefully I can make it up since I'm in my winter break! I won't promise that I will get finished with the last two chapters before I have to go back to school, but that doesn't mean I'm not giving up! I do expect this story to be done before I graduate, so there you go! :) I'll see you guys soon, and whenever this is uploaded, Happy Birthday (early, on time, or belated) to Oblio~! And have a Merry Christmas!