UPDATE: In light of the shooting that happened in a Texan school, Chapter 5 has a much bigger trigger warning. It has a small scene that references a university shooting/terrorist attack. For those who are uncomfortable of what happened on 24 May, then you do not have to read this chapter. I didn't hear about the news, so I am sorry if I posted the chapter at the wrong time. I'll be careful and pay attention with what is happening in the world and if anyone is concerned about the dates of when I update my stories, please let me know.
Recommended Songs
[1] Loot Loops (from The Bad Guys) - Daniel Pemberton
[2] Good Tonight - Anthony Ramos
[3] So Long Suckers (from The Bad Guys) - Daniel Pemberton
[4] Double Crossed (from The Bad Guys) - Daniel Pemberton (0:00 - 0:33)
Chapter 6 - Comfortable in My Own Fur
As Diane drives to where the gala is at, she realizes that she hasn't thought about the Bad Guys' latest actions. Good thing that she has a phone holder. She doesn't have time to stop and watch since she needs to be there really soon to talk with the ambassadors and the reporters about her decision. When she watches the latest TV report, she can't express how surprised she is. [1]
"We are just minutes away from Marmalade's Gala for Goodness!" announced Tiffany Fluffit, already at the red carpet of the charity event. "Where the legendary Love Crater, the city's symbol of hope, will be on display for the first time! But what everyone is really buzzing about is the Bad Guys."
Her phone screen switches to a recorded livestream clip of Oliver rescuing a cat that is stuck in a tall palm tree. Diane can't help, but nod in appreciation. For all of his cockiness, he actually proved to be much gentler than she thought. She might think that video may not be enough to prove the entire team's image, but seeing how Oliver talks to the cat, nearly looking to be in a pleading or sad tone, she realizes that it is only if one reveals their more vulnerable side that can break through the mean stereotypes.
Diane wonders if by doing a good act, then she wouldn't have been bullied when she was a child.
The reception from the civilians is really positive so far.
"I've never been a cat person or a wolf person, but now I'm both!"
"I have a cat and that video really brought us together. That could have been my cat. It could have been any of our cats!"
"I'm literally thinking about throwing my cat in a tree just so the Bad Guys can come rescue her! If loving cats makes you a Bad Guy, then lock me up!"
Diane wonders if it is due to Marmalade's training or her giving Oliver the advice he needs to hear, but seeing how the people change their tune on the Bad Guys makes her feel happy for them. She is still feeling sore after reading Oliver's journal, but if the good life is what he wants, then it is going to be good for him.
Upon arrival, she locks the door and makes her way to the red carpet. She makes sure that the journal is locked up in the storage compartment of the console. There is no time for more drama as someone can easily see it through the window. As the stage comes into view alongside the increasing crowd and the tables, she smirks a little, thinking how ironic it is for the gala set near the large crater.
The very crater that left a hole in their city hasn't even been reconstructed for a park yet.
She heard that there was some backlash against the choice of location, but it doesn't seem to bother everyone that much considering the damage the meteor has done.
Speaking of which, she spots the meteor perched on the top of the stage. She smiles, catching its love shape. A reminder that even dangerous things can turn out to be beautiful.
As she greets some of the guests and reporters on the scene, she notices that the list of guests invited to the gala is…strange. She recognizes some of them as criminals. This time, she doesn't fall for their disguises. However, it is nice that they came here to support the Bad Guys and it is already clear that they aren't going to rob anything since they are placing money into the donation boxes. Even one went out of their way to leave a huge golden block on top of it. That would cost millions.
Diane wonders if Kitty and Doom are here, but remembers that Kitty isn't comfortable with revisiting near the crater. She can come, but she doesn't feel that she should party there. Doom is already booked for another performance at the bar.
Shouldn't be the least of her worries since she got the other governors at the gala to cheer for her and…
"They steal hearts instead of wallets now!" announced Marmalade's voice. "Friends, meet the Good Guys!"
Diane quickly climbs up a few stairs to find the Bad Guys at the other end of the red carpet. Climbing out of the limo door in dark blue and white suits. There is a long pause as the crowd stares at them. The fox nearly thought of coming to them to make them welcome.
Eventually, she didn't need to when the crowd breaks into applause.
"Uh…" said Snake, visibly confused. "This is different."
"Is this a prank?" asked Piranha with a strained smile.
"What's that sound?" said Shark. "It's like screaming, but not terrified."
Diane winces a little. Knowing that they don't align themselves to being by the law, it's gonna take a while for them to appreciate the happy compliments from the public.
Oliver looks a bit shy before inhaling sharply. "Just roll with it."
Tarantula smirked, rolling her shoulders. "It's crime time, baby!"
Diane tried to get through the excited guests, but it is already crowded when everyone swans around the Bad Guys. So many of them wanted to ask for their advice and autographs. She can hear questions pop up about their species. She rolls her eyes, already done with humans judging animal stereotypes. And it is clear that Shark, whose uncomfortable look is visible as he rises above the many heads, doesn't really like it.
She finds Oliver already being ogled by two fangirls. Poor wolf looking so shy about this, seemingly shaking things up from his charming persona. Diane has to admit that he looks adorable. He did once try to make her know that the Bad Guys are just cool as being villains. Though, putting aside him being a handsome figure, his vibrant yellow eyes and shy smile make him more endearing than she thinks.
He realizes that she is staring at him for too long, nearly trying to slink off. However, Diane lets her mouth talk.
"Oli-" She quickly slaps her mouth, nearly saying Oliver's name out loud.
This is what really captures his attention. "Huh? You…said something?"
Somehow, Diane knew that this is not the right time to reveal more secrets.
"I-I mean Mr. Wolf," said Diane, clearing her throat. "Nice to see you and your friends here."
Oliver clears his throat as well before putting on a calm facade. "Well…nice to see you as well."
Diane musters enough willpower to not make her tail wag. She can tell that he has feelings for her.
"You mistake for Mr. Poodleton again?" jokes Oliver, trying to make things light-hearted.
"I don't know," said Diane.
"Just call me Mr. Wolf," he said, ruffing his jacket. "I'm not Oliver anymore."
It is meant as if he isn't someone else in disguise, but Diane finds it sad that Oliver-no, Mr. Wolf refuses to use his real name here.
"So…" said Diane, trying to change the topic. "I see you lost the sheep's clothing."
Wolf grins. "Yeah, I figured it was time I got comfortable in my own fur."
"Well, it seems that you in the real flesh really brought out something." She motions to the guests around them. "I think I saw a few more familiar faces there."
Wolf looks behind her and nods. "Oh. I didn't think that the kids of the alley would come here."
"You think they might follow you into having a second chance?"
"Unless you arrest them now," teased Wolf.
Diane chuckles, all of her nervousness fading away. "And kill the vibe? They aren't technically doing anything bad, so…I'll make this an exception."
"That is if the other governors agree with you," said Wolf, noticing Thomas gazing at him like a stalker.
"They are paranoid, but they have their own reasons. Besides, they all have a job here and they want people to be safe."
"A little stealing wouldn't be unsafe for people."
"Well, stealing something can be unsafe for a person's salary, profit AND dignity."
Wolf nods. "Good point. Marmalade had to steal my dignity by placing me in that stupid onesie."
Diane smiles. "So…no more lying."
Wolf grins. Seems a bit too tight, though he looks a bit shy. "Yeah. No more. There is nothing invisible around here now."
"EEEK!" screams a lady. "A GHOST!" [1s]
The two canines turn around to discover a very bizarre scene. A large gigantic silver plate carrying vegetable spring rolls - coated in a golden cylinder pastry made from fresh ingredients close to its expiration date - floats right through the bewildered crowd. Many are understandably freaking out by the sight of the plate moving on its own while some just stared at it, too drunk to comprehend if this is all in their head.
The plate only stops when Wolf bends backwards to see who is underneath the plate.
"Hornet~!" he said in a sing-song tone. "Stop hogging up all the spring rolls to have seconds!" [1]
A sigh from below and the plate is suddenly thrown up before being caught on the side by the strong, hornet criminal himself. The lookout, mission control and spy of the team. Surprisingly, he is even dressed for the occasion, wearing a black kimono with flower patterns and a white collared shirt underneath.
He snorts. "Worth a shot."
The fear of a ghost immediately vanquished as a bunch of ravenous people come RUSHING towards Hornet, taking the numerous spring rolls unintentionally on display.
"HEY!" yelled Hornet. "That's my dinner, you ruffians!"
By the time the crowd disperse, Hornet is only left with three spring rolls. At least each of those spring rolls is a third higher than his height.
"Hey there, buddy!" said Wolf, making a reintroduction. "It's good to see you again."
Hornet smiles. "Nice to see you as well, Wolf. Though, I am rather surprised by what you are doing."
"Well, it all took humility and strength to get to here," said Wolf coolly. "But look at where we are! You can say that this 'blossom of goodness' is opening up inside us."
Hornet curls his lips, a little worried. "Is it…really a good thing? I don't know, I'm happy at what is happening, though I find it a bit hard about the change."
"Nothing's too hard when you're trying something new." Wolf then leans towards Hornet and keeps his voice at a whisper.
Diane raises an eyebrow, but she decides it is best not to hear more.
Hornet's discomfort mitigates a little when Wolf finishes and he nods.
"OK, that makes sense," he said.
"I nearly forgot," said Wolf, pulling Diane close. "This is the foxy governor that has given us the thumbs-up to explore our motives."
"Uh, yeah," laughed Diane. "I'm not really 'foxy'."
Hornet squints his eyes. "Who are you again? Fenton?"
"Close, but no. I'm Diane Foxington."
He gives a nonchalant shrug.
"You know!" said Diane, her pride hitting up. "Governor Foxington. Newly elected governor. Los Angeles' number one politician for tackling climate change?"
"Eh, not big on politics."
"Errr…I have some pickpocket skills as well!"
"That is true," said Wolf.
Hornet thinks about it. "Come to think of it, you look a bit familiar with someone I heard of. Whatever, I don't have enough evidence in my research for that."
Diane sighs in relief, grateful that she chose to hide her face when being the Crimson Paw.
"Perhaps you like to join us," said Wolf. "We are thinking of doing a performance tonight, so we think we need some-"
Neither Diane nor Hornet gets to hear what he means by his emphasis on 'performance' when another fangirl comes swooping in.
"OOH!" she squealed. "It's him! Give me some sugar!"
Wolf finds himself tackled and his snout caught up in a cleavage cushion as a large woman pulls him in a very tight hug. As he squirms around, trying to get away, the woman pulls him aside to her group of friends who look like they want to kiss him. With Wolf distracted, this leaves Diane and Hornet, dumbstruck.
"Perverts," growled Diane to herself. [1s]
"That is the consequence of being good," said Hornet. "I wonder how many times a celebrity would have to do all these tasks of pleasing people just because of their good publicity. At least Marmalade seems to handle it better."
Diane thinks back to the journal log about Hornet. Despite him already being known as a successful criminal on his own, Hornet is fond of the Bad Guys as his family. He likes to be part of the team. So seeing him looking worried about the change in the group got Diane curious.
"Do you consider trying to be good as well?" she asked.
Hornet huffed. "I'm not really one who goes by a clean state. You know how that goes, so there might be a lot on your plate. I considered it somewhat longer than them, though it's…scary to be a saint when you have monsters worse than you. Why do you think I decided to just get into so many deals with the police?"
"Fair point. You do try to help others at times."
"Which is why I'm not offering my business open to the public. Only amongst the authorities and the other criminals."
"This might sound a little weird right there," said Diane, trying to make sure she doesn't reveal that she saw Wolf's journal. "It is…something that might be a bit…jarring to say. But with…Mr. Wolf and his crew, would…all of them be even willing to change or accept that their leader is taking the opportunity?"
Hornet is flabbergasted. "Excuse me?"
"So, a little coyote…might have told me a bit of yesterday," lied Diane. "I heard that…there might be 'baggage' weighing Wolf down and preventing him from living a better life. I mean, I don't believe that this 'baggage' is his friends, even you, but it got me thinking. Why do many people lead to others being what they are now? Because I actually think that Wolf doesn't actually enjoy being a criminal and…tired of seen as a villain." She can feel Hornet giving her a small, disappointed glare. "It's funny how I came to realize that."
Hornet places his hand on his forehead. "Look, Diane. I…don't think it really matters that much on the kind of life people want. Justice or injustice. Good or bad. And this kind of 'baggage' is not a burden or people being selfish."
"R-Really?" asked Diane.
"The Bad Guys are some of the most honest people I ever know," said Hornet. "They became my closest friends. I…never had friends before, so I came to them. I'm a bit afraid for Wolf because of what you said, I'm not sure if he is going to stick with the team for long. If he leaves, then the team might split up. It would be…sad if they go their own ways."
Diane nods. The Bad Guys aren't like a pop group. They are a team. In fact, the way Wolf describes them in his journal makes them his family.
"But let's say, for example, I want to do…something different and it might look like it is the opposite of what the team would do. If I tell them, they might not be happy. But if I don't tell them, then…the fact that I didn't trust them hurts even more. And then, I told them since I can't lie to them after what they did for me. They might be shocked or have opposite ideas, but they don't get mad at me. I'm their friend, so they would take their time to think about it since they know me well. Who knows? They might understand how it can benefit me or even them!"
Diane knew that the truth is right in the journal, but those words are enough to help her realize it. "So…they won't turn their back on each other?"
"Of course not! We stick together as a team. We can't really pick sides. Friends…like each other for who they are instead of WHAT they are. If they give a much bigger reason of what they are by lying, then that is more understandable."
The red fox nods once again. So, this baggage is more on thinking about who would appreciate, not people themselves. It can be unloaded if only all sides are understandable and accepting.
Hornet doesn't remove his firm glare. "Look, criminal or politician, it's all about who you choose to be HONEST with. Even if it's seemingly for one's 'own good', the guilt of breaking ties would never fade away. The Bad Guys are a family. My family as well. I'm still thinking about Wolf's choice, so it will take me a while. What good reason do you think they would need to feel that they backstab each other?"
Diane is about to answer that, but after all she heard and discovered, she sees the Bad Guys as just people. Not good or bad. They aren't as petty as she thinks they are. She feels guilty again for asking the question in the first place, but she learns the strongest point of a person's choice.
The two stand there (or in Hornet's case, float) in silence before Hornet groans. He is clearly reluctant, but he lifts his plate upwards to her.
"Take one," he said softly.
"What?" said Diane.
"Take one spring roll. Consider this as a lesson that we criminals aren't all 'selfish' as you think."
She has already lost her appetite, but she takes one in response to Hornet's gesture. "T-Thanks."
Before Hornet can turn to munch on his two remaining spring rolls, Wolf comes rolling out of the crowd. His tie is already loose and his shirt isn't tucked in properly. Lipstick kisses covered his chin and neck.
"Good grief," he said. "And that is why I never use public bathrooms. Too many wet, sloppy things to be in contact with." He turns to Diane. "Sorry I…took you long."
"It's alright," muttered Diane, lost in her own thoughts. "Just…had a nice chat with one of your friends."
Hornet nods, smiling.
He tilts his head upon hearing chatter about him.
"Hey, isn't that the guy Piranha is dating?" whispered one of the partygoers.
"I think it is!" said another. "I recognize those antennas."
"I heard that he got hooked with him one night"
"Wait, really?"
Hornet sighs, exasperated. "One more word of that rumor, I'm gonna go insane."
"It's…not a rumor," said Wolf knowingly.
Hornet glares at Wolf.
The rest of the night seems to go well except that Wolf tries to distance himself from Diane. She feels a little sad about this since she is now interested in Wolf. As she paces around the crowd, she manages to find that Marmalade's team has also arrived to join the party.
Marmalade's right-hand assistant, Cuddles, is there as well. Diane finds him a bit adorable, though a bit odd given that he rarely speaks.
The coyote bodyguard is also one of the partygoers. Nathan appears a little drunk as he waddles around. He remains to frown the whole time even when some guy THREW UP ONTO HIS NICE, CLEAN SHOES. Diane tries to see if he is lively, but he still looks dead. And thinking about it, it is quite the contrast from when she last visited her.
Yesterday, he had a small smirk when he offered to blow up the Bad Guys' HQ, but he returned back to being creepy.
What is up with this guy?
"LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK…!" [2]
A long vocal note echoes right across the gala. Well, from the speakers gathered all around the place. Almost everyone immediately turns their heads to find Piranha lowering his microphone to his height, sweating from an unknown stress Diane couldn't identify. Even the performers on stage look confused.
Piranha continues to sing and it turns into Shark running onto the stage to get into the role of the drummer. Tarantula already gets herself on the turntable with a computer opened. The tune is already set as Piranha continues his impromptu performance, belting out his loud vocals. As the audience starts to cheer from hearing his singing and the drums start to kick in, the crowd is already dancing and enjoying the music.
Diane looks across the crowd to find Wolf giving Piranha a wink, pleased with the performance. She decides to take this as for her to…ask him out.
"Mr. Wolf," she said.
"Oh! Diane…" said Wolf nervously.
She smirks, feeling a little flirty. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were avoiding me."
"A-Avoiding you?" said Wolf, crossing his arms. "Why would I do that?"
Diane shrugs. "OK. But I have to say I'm a little disappointed." She comes close to fix his bowtie. "I was hoping that you were gonna ask me to dance."
Wolf's eyes beam. "Oh."
Soon enough, Diane gets Wolf onto the dance floor. He starts by making a few classic moves, acting like the gentleman he is as a criminal. Diane follows, twirling her arms and legs around like a ballerina. It develops into them holding each other's hands and spinning around. Soon, it nearly becomes a duet between the two. Diane doesn't know how they are able to perform so well without practising together, but this is really fun!
She teases him once by tickling his nose with her loose skirt while he points at her. She bursts out laughing, stopping being serious for once. She feels more like her younger self.
The people all around the place are already growing and dancing to the song. The Bad Guys, who were on stage, jumped off the stage to dance around with the many screaming fans. It is hard to see at first, but it becomes clearer as Diane sees through the gaps. Snake is strumming the bass guitar, but also plays around by spinning a couple around. Shark lifts two kids like they are his sons, running around as they ride on him.
She nearly stops to take a photo when Piranha arrives next to a grooving Hornet. The former pecks a kiss on the latter's cheek before slapping a heart-shaped sticker over his face. The sticker is about the size of Hornet, so he looks around, blinded and dumbfounded, but the blush can be seen underneath the sticker. Piranha winks before getting back into the action.
The performance seems to encourage more guests to add cash to the donation boxes held around by the child assistants. On a screen near the stage, the donation count is growing higher at a pace as fast as a bullet of a gun. Not only does it break through 1 million, but it is slowly reaching up to 999 MILLION bucks!
"Not bad for the Bad Guys helping the charity event," thinks Diane before saying out loud, "I think I like the new you."
"Well, that makes the two of us," said Wolf with a smirk.
The two continue to dance with Diane allowing Wolf to spin her around. She laughs as he carries her upwards, holding her in an embrace while she clutches onto his shoulders. For a moment, everything seems to come to a slow pace as the two stare at each other's eyes. Yellow spotlights cover all over them, the same color as Wolf's.
"So, how does it feel to have everyone not fear you for a change?" she asks.
Wolf pants a little before looking around at the cheering crowd. His expression softens up, astonished. For a moment, she thinks he appears a little afraid of the new attention around them. Though, the nervousness seems to fade away when he looks back at her, finding new comfort. He looks down to see his own tail wagging.
"It feels…good," he said. "Real good."
She smiles. He is already liking her. She feels a fluttering feeling inside her and her tail wags a little. As Wolf's eyes turn to be more kind, she realizes that she is at the point of succeeding. Even though she is torn from reading his journal, she feels that she might understand him after all. He trusts her. He trusts her because she reached out to him.
"Diane," he said, placing something into her palms. "It belongs to you."
Diane gasps, shocked by his sincere gesture. She doesn't mind the diamond, but it is nice that he is willing to give her what he stole from her. Showing that he sees her as a good friend.
As the Bad Guys return to their spots on the stage, Diane and Wolf make their way to the stage and continue dancing. Wolf leans back and she carries him up, spinning him around to the audience's surprise. Even Wolf when they struck the final pose for the jazzy rock song. But for now, they are enjoying the moment while it lasts. [2s]
There is a smirk growing on Nathan, keeping his hands behind his back. Diane doubted that it is due to the music everyone is enjoying.
Marmalade is smiling, but only at the donation count from the screen. It hit the billion landmark and the crowd went wild. Confetti sprayed all over the place. With the achievement of rising a high number for the charity, Marmalade makes his presence known on stage.
"Outstanding performance!" he said. "Thank you to everyone for helping me reach up to 1 billion dollars! The money raised tonight will be delivered tomorrow to local schools, hospitals and other worthy causes across the city. Tonight is a significant event as we celebrate the goodness of all kinds in the world! And what other way to have the Good Guys helping us for this occasion!"
The crowd cheers again, their attention towards the Bad Guys once again. Diane steps to the side, seeing the group grinning from the welcoming applause from the people. As the leader, Wolf is given the microphone to give his honors for the night.
"Thanks, everybody," he said. "You're too kind." He clears his throat and taps the microphone. "I…never honestly believe that we are here tonight. I know that…there are probably still a few people who fear us. I mean, bad habits don't die, right?" There is a collective murmur of agreement. "But…I don't think we are going to give up on everyone who helped us get this far. In our good old crime days and now this. This is what heroes do, right? And I truly believe you too have a hero inside you. Someone…did let me know this. And I'll never stop believing that."
Diane can't help but shed a few tears. He must be referring to her. She suddenly feels so thankful to be here tonight.
"I just want to take a moment to recognize the very one person responsible for our new outlook," said Wolf.
He opens his mouth, but he seems to hesitate. He glances at the guests who are still cheering. He glances at Diane who gives him a warm smile. However, Diane seems to notice that Wolf is nervous. Worry in his bright eyes. With one hand behind his back, she sees that his arms were trembling.
And suspiciously, the Bad Guys are hissing at him 'do it'.
"...our brilliant mentor…" stuttered Wolf. "...a paragon of enlightenment…the one and only…Professor…Professor…"
He is already sweaty at this point.
Diane can see his friends getting agitated by his wait, staring at…something behind his back.
Snake is near the Golden Dolphin contained in a trophy case.
"Professor Marmalade!"
As soon as he says this, Chief Luggins unlocks the trophy case and passes it to Wolf. He cradles it and hands it over to the grinning Marmalade. The other Bad Guys are stunned by this, whispering what is going on.
Diane didn't need to think further about this. In the crowd, she finds Hornet - holding the sticker his love gave him - giving her a sad look. He is stoic, but he is understandably gutted with what is presented on stage. He keeps glancing at Wolf and at the Bad Guys.
Diane frowns. Were the Bad Guys actually planning to steal? Did Wolf have a change of heart about the plan? Is that why he was nervous around her?
She decides not to dwell on it, not wanting to give the criminals any more pressure.
"A…deal's a deal," said Diane, trying to lighten up the mood. "I don't break promises. By the power vested in me, it is a pleasure to grant the Bad Guys a full pardon-"
CHUNK!
The lights suddenly go off and everything goes pitch black. For a moment, nobody can see anything. But when the lights turn back on, Diane gasps.
Marmalade is missing.
However, the thing that got people shocked is that the Love Crater Meteorite has suddenly disappeared from where it was sitting.
All eyes turn to the Bad Guys. This time, all the guests give them hard glares. Diane turns to them, unable to believe it. There is no way they could have stolen it. From memory, she remembers that in Wolf's notes, he decided not to steal the meteorite. Unfortunately, nobody is willing to call for an investigation and pin the closest thing to blame.
Even Chief is in no mood to listen anymore.
"Wolf…" she growled as she marched right up to them.
"What?!" said Wolf. "We didn't do it! Did we?"
"No!" agreed Snake.
"Chief, you can't possibly think-!"
A bleep from the screen nearby. It's a GIF of Wolf's head. Sunglasses mocking flashing right over his eyes as the GIF let out an arrogant 'SO LONG, SUCKERS'. The horrified expressions on the Bad Guys said enough.
They were going to steal the Golden Dolphin, but in the end, they ended up being framed to have stolen the meteorite. [3]
All hell breaks loose as panic erupts when the police lunge forwards at the Bad Guys. They all scatter and run for their life. Wolf is the only one who hangs around near the stage the longest as he hastily steals one of the fundraiser flyers. Diane can only stand there, trying to figure out who stole the meteorite. She only snaps back to her senses when Wolf hands the flyer to her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, uneasiness in her voice.
"I'm giving it all back!" said Wolf before sprinting off.
She can only stand there helplessly as the Bad Guys tried to escape. It doesn't end up well when they try to fight back and are arrested once more. Amid the chaos and guests running around to stay clear from getting hurt, Diane spots a frantic Hornet spinning around. When he turns to her, he gestures at her and points to his right.
The fox turns to where he is pointing, managing to spot Marmalade, Cuddles and Nathan going down the stairs, hidden from her sight.
Before she can even go to him, she is confronted by the now-panicking governors, even some of them steaming at her. [3s]
Her mind is so wrapped up in the confusion that she doesn't bother trying to find Marmalade once the Bad Guys are placed in handcuffs and forced to go onto the police transport. All the guests crowd as they watch Wolf pleading to Chief to listen to him. It is rather distressing to her seeing this, bringing back flashbacks of what she heard from the very night she gave up the mantle of the Crimson Paw. The fact that most of the guests are frosty towards the Bad Guys and the criminals who came along to the gala disappeared does not help.
Diane nearly feels as if she is the only support the Bad Guys really need.
"Tonight's headline," reported Tiffany nearby. "Change is impossible. You should always judge a book by its cover and all stereotypes have been affirmed."
Diane rolls her eyes. This is coming out of the mouth of a young reporter who doesn't read her lines and assumes too quickly. And none of the Bad Guys tries to reinforce the stereotypes everyone thinks of them as! This is insane! [4]
Marmalade tries to go into the transport to reassure the Bad Guys for a sliver of hope. Though, it doesn't end up the way Diane wants it to go. When the guinea pig goes in and closes the door, she thinks that he would be able to discover evidence that the Bad Guys are not guilty.
Diane, herself, tries to come to Chief to reason with her. However, the Chief isn't having any of it and despite the lack of evidence of how the Bad Guys stole the meteorite and if they have it, there aren't any other suspects who are seemingly guilty. However, above her argument with Chief, she can hear another…argument inside the vehicle.
And then, the door slams open.
"YOU LITTLE POUCHY-CHEEKED RAT!" howled Wolf's voice. "I'LL KILL YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU'RE DEAD!"
Everyone gasps at the sight of Wolf trying to maul Marmalade, only being held back by the chain restraints. For once, Wolf actually looks feral with his fangs more noticeable than before, snapping his jaw repeatedly towards Marmalade. Even the rest of the Bad Guys can only watch in shock.
"HELP, OH, HELP!" cried Marmalade. "THE BIG BAD WOLF IS ATTACKING ME!"
Diane's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She cannot believe what she is seeing. This isn't the Wolf she saw. In fact, it is like he became 'The Big Bad Wolf'. She wonders if Marmalade did something wrong, but the fact that Wolf went out of his way to resort to violence puts him in a much harsher light.
Like the rest of the crowd, she can only watch in horror. Unfortunately, this delays her in stopping Chief from quickly acting.
Wolf immediately realizes his mistake. As Marmalade hops off, the livid Chief slams the door right in front of Wolf's face. He can only look up to see through the windows, his eyes full of regret and worry.
Nathan suddenly burst out into an uncontrollable giggle. He has a sickening smirk on his face as he watches all of this unfold.
Hornet is shocked at first, but he keeps a close eye on Marmalade who waddles off.
Diane doesn't know how to feel about this. [4s]
Angry?
Sad?
Scared?
Betrayed?
Heartbroken?
She doesn't really know, but she feels like crying again. But as the police transport and the many police cars pull away from the gala, Diane feels as if she has failed. Her ears press back and she stares at her own feet.
"WHY DO YOU BLAME ME FOR EVERYTHING?!"
Her head twitches as she tries to keep it all in. Wolf isn't like her. He lived a different life. This is what he got into and it's Diane's fault that she never tried to get him to trust her in the first place.
"Because you're a FOX! You hear me?! A no-good, two-face FOX! My dad was right about them taking things from you! And now, you think you can try to get away with it all?!"
She wishes that she reached out to criminals more. If that happened, as the Crimson Paw, none of this would have happened tonight. No one would have got hurt.
"Just because you were a former criminal doesn't mean you understand everyone."
She is just one step ahead. By being herself in a good way, being the governor, her control could have kept the Bad Guys safe. But no, she just stood there without doing anything like a coward. Because she isn't allowed to be near them now.
"Always saying that you got things to do and the next minute, you end up looking like a wreck."
Years of being a criminal wasted and that cost her from ever helping criminals. Wolf lost his temper because she is too late. Marmalade's experiment failed because she is too late. The Bad Guys refused to be good because she is too late.
"A fox can run fast but not for too long."
Voices enter her head, telling her that she failed everyone. She doesn't know where they are coming from, but she knows that they are THERE somehow. Ready to tear her apart. They are there to remind her how bad she actually is.
"Even if by some MIRACLE we did change, who's gonna believe us?! HUH?!"
Hearing Wolf's angry words, Diane wants another crater to cave in and swallow her up.
"Diane?" said a voice. "Diane?"
It is Thomas. He keeps asking her if she is alright, but she can only give him a broken look. She can't even be able to speak.
Fortunately, she is brought back to reality when Tiffany rushes past her to interview the shaken Marmalade. She can't hear the words properly, but she observes Marmalade's body language. Shaken by the near-death experience for him…but he suddenly changes his tune and condescendingly agrees that the Bad Guys are out of his control.
And then, he pulled out 5 slips of paper.
Notes.
Notes of Wolf's plans.
Diane tilts her head.
That is strange. She thought he would have kept them for a while and not bring them along. She didn't expect Marmalade to have brought them along.
And then, it hits her.
Wolf DID mention in his notes about the meteorite, considering whether to steal it or not.
With that, it would be further 'proof' that the Bad Guys were guilty.
Her stomach did a flip-flop.
Marmalade's plan isn't to help the Bad Guys.
"E-Excuse me," said Diane, walking away.
"Wait!" called Thomas. "Hold on!"
While the fox wants to have some space, a small group of people followed her. Apparently, they even appear doubtful that the Bad Guys are responsible for stealing the meteorite. As they surround her and ask questions while discussing to themselves, Diane takes out the flyer Wolf handed to her.
She flips over to the map page, finding a huge X in a specific area on it.
"I'm giving it all back!"
Diane gasps, thinking what this might be. Can this be…the way she can find the Bad Guys' HQ? Is Wolf actually trying to be good?
Did she get through to him?
"Foxington!" called Hornet as he flies towards her.
"Mr. Hornet?" said Thomas. "You…found anything?"
Hornet shakes his head as he takes off his helmet. "I scanned through everything. They only found 'evidence' that the Bad Guys are guilty; the laptop Tarantula left behind and the devices they planted on the electricity boxes. However, there is no clue how they stole the meteorite"
"And how do you know?" asked one of the guests, giving him a glare. "You're in league with them?"
"I didn't do anything else to participate!" snapped Hornet. "And it's impossible for them to be able to steal the meteorite in plain sight. They would need a cart or a helicopter to carry it around, but they didn't have time to do so. And surprisingly, I scanned through the stage and there were no traps as well!"
Thomas blinks. "So that means…the meteorite just went missing?"
Diane looks over the small group to find many guests aiding Marmalade. The guinea pig acts like he is a victim while Nathan sticks by with a soulless look and Cuddles patting Marmalade, obviously holding back an evil laugh.
She thinks she has a suspect, but this situation calls for something more extreme.
"Hornet," Diane said. "I need you to do a favor for me."
"No need for deals tonight," said Hornet without hesitance. "What's the task, chief?"
Diane looks back at the flyer. "I'm going to investigate something. I want you to keep your eyes on Marmalade and let me know what he is planning."
"What are you going to do?" asked Thomas.
She gives him a firm look. "I ask that you trust me on this one. Don't share this with the others."
AN: Things just got out of hand.
If there is any other way I can be able to describe the dancing scene that captures the emotion and make it satisfying for all with sensation, then I'm game. Wished that I could do a bit more poetic on it.
Mr. Hornet finally makes an appearance and I wanted to make sure that the scene with him and his talk with Diane is important. Me and I.M. Rally had talked about how we think the Bad Guys are more like a family through their business and the thing that stung in the group is when Wolf seemingly betrayed them. So, I felt that it is important to point out the strong bonds within the group since this is a world Diane is barely in touch with. Hornet is more familiar with the group, so he knows them really well; not all criminals backstab each other.
And it turns out, Hornet is right.
Thank you to I.M. Rally for looking through this scene for me and allowing me to use Hornet once again. And as Hornet would be voiced by Rhenzy Feliz, there is a reference to Encanto!
Rumors say that if you review about what you think about this chapter, you earn a nuzzle by Wolf. Feedback and criticism are welcome to help with any improvements needed. If you dare to be rude or send any flames, they will be doomed by Piranha's fart gas if deemed to be toxic, and you'll end up looking like a fool.
Until next time, keep on rocking!