AN: I'M BACK! Sorry for taking a long time again to get this done. Nearly two months now, but I should be able to continue writing this. We're heading into a special arc, so hope you enjoy this chapter!

Big thank you to Assassin's Creed Master and Tashasaurous so far for the kind and encouraging reviews!

And also, happy Pride Month, everyone!

Chapter 18

It was quiet for a while as I made my way to find Willy. As Topaz and Antoine went their separate ways, I found myself a little lonely. There weren't that many people in this hallway leading to this sick bay room for the criminals G.U.N caught. Probably not due to having so-called injuries on the prisoners. It was only me and my own footsteps, the soft clicking of my boots against the floor filling in the silence.

I was buzzing a little about joining Team Blood as I made my way to find Willy. The offer still felt brand new and I wondered what he or many others might think of joining them. Antoine might say otherwise, but I decide to give this team at least a try. I wasn't sure if I would get attached to this team, but they don't seem too hard to get along.

I remember saying that it would be hard to find a squad that wouldn't be too serious. Well, a few of the members of Team Blood seemed…a little serious? But it felt more like a club than a team of mercenaries. Would add in 'wannabe', but that would be unfair since they had their own experiences.

I hummed with a slight smirk, clicking my boots together in a rhythm. My footsteps sounded a little soft and yet, I was starting to wonder if Team Blood was a little soft. Well, in terms of being nonsensical. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad since it would be nothing but music in my ears.

I could hear my footsteps slowly growing slower and it was when I started taking seriously what Lyric said. It even got me wondering why I wasn't surprised in the first place. There was a spy around here and he accused Rosemary.

Him claiming himself to be the spy? That was a little too obvious for everyone to know.

Rosemary? Well, she appeared trustworthy and shaped like a good woman, but I just met her.

"SHE'S MESSING WITH YOUR MINDS! SHE'S MAKING IT EASY FOR ALL OF YOU!"

"No, Dave had his ways."

"I'll explain later once we reached my hideout."

Biting my lip, I hissed a little. Damn. I completely forgot that not only the location of the Lightning Bolt Society could have been revealed, but perhaps they had a…a spy as well. If they knew I had a ruby and almost every party had access or knowledge to me, then they would have sent one to watch me. And yet, here I am, just strolling around.

I sighed, feeling disappointed in myself. This could mean trouble. But the question would be if they were up to the task or if they hired a spy outside their group.

It got me thinking back to Ryder's original role in the Jackal Squad as the spy. As creative as he could be, he could pull one hell of a hidden eyewitness without being caught. The current spy must be like him since both would have gotten information easily and avoided getting caught by all measures.

I was suddenly self-aware of how alone I was. I immediately tapped into my ruby and got it to scan around the room. My vision even turned green, allowing me to see through…the walls. I blinked, new to this. After a while, the ruby whispered to me that no one was around.

I sighed, closing my eyes and my vision was restored.

But wherever they are, the spy would still be in another place scheming.

Hmm, but this HQ was secured, so it couldn't be possible they let them get away, right?

I decided not to think about it as I finally made it to the room where I was told Willy was at. Besides, the second I got in to hear the beeping of a hospital machine and the smell of sanitizer, my mind switched to Willy. Immediately, nearly a million thoughts came to mind and I froze a little. My boots were glued to the floor, wanting to remain there.

I swallowed hesitantly, trying to tell myself that this was for good. I did promise him that I would meet him. Topaz told me he would listen to me, but I wonder what might happen if he didn't. And what if I wouldn't even be able to chat with him if he was really in a coma?

I nearly forgot that he and the Weasel Bandits were likely to be in a coma, but now thinking about it, I was in denial about it.

Like the hallway, the sick bay room was nearly empty except for one bed. I wondered where the other affected people were. To my surprise, it was only Willy, resting on one of the beds. He was wearing a mouth piece over his muzzle, linked to an oxygen machine, and there was a wire connecting to his wrist and an IV machine. His eyes were closed, but his chest was moving gently.

So he's breathing, that's good.

He looked nearly healthy, but there were spots on his muzzle. They appeared drained of color. Mostly around his mouth. It was nearly hard to tell, but these spots were nearly white and wrinkly as if his skin was beginning to peel off. I couldn't see what had happened to his belly since he was tucked in blankets.

There was a thick notebook on the side table. It seemed to contain a drawing. Curiously, I leaned forward and picked it up.

It depicted a G.U.N agent having a pole going right through their chest. Complete with no shortage of blood spilling all over the place. Though, I wonder where he got the red pencil from. I only stared at it blankly, unsure how to feel about it.

"Guess that you also aspire to be a great murderer someday," I muttered.

A low groan caught my attention, making me quickly turn out anxiously. Willy was already waking up, groggily moaning. I wasn't sure if his voice box was still intact, but his voice sounded more like a frog croak. His eyes fluttered open, nearly bloodshot. They were half-lidden, weary despite the well-needed sleep.

But when he turned to me, his eyes lit up. A smile formed beneath his mouthpiece, somewhat in relief that I was around. He opened his mouth, but only a weak croak came out. I winced, feeling bad for what I might have got him into.

He tapped on the notebook before grabbing it with one hand. At first, I didn't know what I should do until he just pulled it out and took out a pencil. Then, it came to me that he couldn't be able to talk properly for the next few days. When I realized that he was using this to try to say something, he already written down his note, presenting it to me.

"Like the drawing? Class-style!"

I wrinkled my nose. "It looks…alright. You never told me this."

Willy huffed, writing again. "It's just an afterthought."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, seems like so." Sighing, I stroke my hair back, feeling my shoulders drooping. "I'm sorry for what happened before."

The walrus blinked a few times, looking confused about what I said. But when he looked back at the oxygen machine, he connected the pieces and wrote again.

"It's fine. It's not your fault. This isn't the first time I drank something that dangerous."

Wait, what? "What?"

Willy sheepishly grinned, patting his stomach. "I drank a bottle of soap before."

That was weird, I thought as I tilted my head. But I'm guessing that didn't have the same impact as when his lungs got affected. Humoring the joke, I laughed and leaned back on my tail, making it plant on the floor to appear like a seat.

"Well, but you could have nearly died," I said. "From what I heard, it was nearly so bad you had to take surgery. And the Weasel Bandits?"

"They're fine," wrote Willy. "Last checkups before going back to the cell."

I sighed, wiping my forehead. At least the Weasel Bandits weren't dead. I know that I wouldn't be on good terms with them, but I didn't want them to be truly gone. Good thing that the poison didn't succeed in killing all four of them.

I nearly had no idea what else to say. Despite Willy appearing chill with me around, I found myself nearly at a loss for words. It didn't help that the walrus couldn't talk in this state, so I might need to get the gears. If rather a little blunt, I blurted out the words in my head.

"So…were things alright on your end because I heard you weren't in a good mood?" I asked with a nervous grin.

Willy snorted and wrote, "Just peachy. I'll admit they bring up some good points. Heard those kinds of things back in school. But can't always argue with them. But I'll wait until the day comes to escape."

I raised an eye. "You're thinking of doing so?"

Willy sighed. "It's not for me. I'll think about it some other time. I can see what they're trying to do, but I don't know if I would want that. It's helpful, but there's just a lot to learn."

I reminded myself that Willy wouldn't immediately accept the kind of help he would receive here. He was still a criminal, but it seemed like he had some thought about it. Topaz must be right that he has his own path and didn't appear mad at me. He must have listened a little to what he was taught in those last few therapy sessions.

I just hope that he might learn something so that he can use it for a good life of his own.

I nodded, trying not to appear disappointed. "You'll be alright? Because you got really banged up pretty badly and I was hoping G.U.N might have…you know."

Willy shrugged, wiggling the tube that hooked him to the oxygen machine. "At least they were a bit more active."

His stomach suddenly growled loudly. A bit too loud. I covered my ears, noting the nauseous, growling sound provoking my stomach to stir. Willy just laughed, or at least tried to mimic a laugh, before patting his tummy like he ate too many dumplings. But after three pats, his smile strained. In the flash of lightning, he scribbled down more words on his notepad.

"As for this, don't worry. I'm definitely alright."

He was trying to lighten the mood a bit. For some reason, I couldn't take the writing seriously due to how messy it was.

"Your writing reflects your face," I joked.

Willy grinned, nodding. Despite being in a bad condition, he appeared happier than before. Looks like he was glad I came over. It was a change from his previous demeanor and attitude since we got to know one another during the heist. Seeing his smile and determination to get out, I was a little happy he wasn't too upset about his predicament.

Something popped up in my mind. I remembered back when I thought about the spy around. And Willy knew something about it.

"So, Willy," I asked. "I kind of believe there is a spy around and you're gonna share anything about that?"

Willy narrowed his eyes before shrugging. This time, what he wrote down took a long time.

"I'm not telling you the location of where my friends are," he wrote. "But about the spy, it's not something I was allowed to hear. Dave said that the spy preferred to be anonymous until they appeared to all of us. However, he said they were a 'fine piece of art' but extremely gullible."

Judging by his expression, he didn't know who the spy was. And intrigued as well since he stroked his chin, looking at the nearest vent hole. Those two terms he used explained a lot, but 'extremely gullible'? That's a classic mercenary flaw.

"A fine piece of art, you say…well, that can be anyone looking hot-" My eyes widened. How come I could say that so casually?! "I mean, an interesting shape, of course. It just came to mind about the spy likely running around here."

Screaming in my own mind to set off the blush over my cheeks as I tried covering it with a grin. Willy just stared at me with a quizzical look. However, he brushed it off and had some time to think. Eventually, he shrugged without batting an eye and wrote down more.

"I doubt it would take long. G.U.N have some of the best agents and what I know, they don't mess around."

"Clearly," I agreed. "You say 'extremely gullible'? Well, guess you're right. They might be like the Weasel Bandits."

This elicited a nervous smile from Willy, leading him reflexively hold his hand up to his mouth as if covering it sheepishly. Guess that might mean we could be able to hunt down the spy easily.

If Lyric was right, then it could be Rosemary.

But she wasn't gullible. She even stood her ground against the giant snake!

I wonder if it was one of the members of Team Blood.

If I have to pick who's a fine piece of art and extremely gullible, I would have to go with this:

Kalus, Shortfuse and Shard.

…OK, hear me out. This is just a joke. But they seemed handsome-I mean, nicely cool, but they acted a little silly. Shard might be like Sonic the Hedgehog and he had some standards of his own, but I wonder how mature he truly was. Shortfuse seemed to be the type of person to rush head-in without thinking things through. As for Kalus, while he was like a soldier, he was nearly one of the quiet ones, so he might be somewhat submissive.

But if it were either of those three, we would have to wait and see.

If so, then maybe it wouldn't be hard to apprehend them.

"Agent Obsidian!" called a familiar voice. "Got a minute?"

Molly.

The purple cat just arrived with a sniper gun resting against her shoulder.

"Molly, put down the gun," I exasperated.

Molly looked at the gun and stuffed it into her coat. Seriously, how much could she fit into it?

"Oh, my mistake," she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. "It's just that the drawing looked like a target."

True to her word, Willy was writing a new note, but the page facing me actually had a literal circular target drawing on it! Complete with red coloring neatly between the lines. The walrus realized this and quickly rubbed the drawing off hastily, a sweat drop rolling down his face. It seemed to convince Molly since she walked over to us without pulling out another gun.

"Anyway, there's…something I want to ask you now," she said. She glanced at Willy. "In private."

Willy's eyes widened. I wasn't sure if he should be afraid of Molly, but he was. He pretended to zip his mouth.

Molly shook her head in disagreement.

The walrus groaned, finishing his note. "I don't think I'll be able to say anything. No one will believe my drawings."

That would make some sense since it might be hard for him to spread rumors. Let alone speak about this. I was fine with this, but Molly wasn't. She could only let out a groan, slouching in annoyance, before she recomposed herself.

I wasn't sure why she initially wanted to talk with me in private, but the way she was stiffly moving meant something.

"Fine," she hissed. "I…I don't have a lot of time now."

She paused for a second, shyly swaying one leg around. Her tail followed this manner, swaying around more than normally before.

"Well, remember when I told you about my family will be visiting me and Abuela?"

I nodded. I remembered that she was buying clothes for them. They still seemed to be quite a colorful bunch.

"And that is in two nights." She clenched her teeth, cringing. "Unfortunately, it's on the same day as when I have a…huge full-blown school reunion party at someone's house that I kind of want to go…the party hoster isn't a cool guy, I'm telling you."

"Question," I chirped curiously. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I don't know," said Molly, shrugging. "Sometimes, I forget that you were even next to me."

"What a burn," wrote Willy.

"But to the point…the party begins around noon and I told my family I'll be back before dinner time…"

She said nothing else for a few minutes, her cheeks turning red. A hand nearly raised up to cover her eyes, but she managed not to give in to the temptation. Taking a deep breath, she removed any emotion visible on her face and opened her mouth.

"...and that's why I need you."

I was confused. "Me? For what?"

"The party has this…lame requirement," explained Molly reluctantly. "I have to invite at least one person over. For more guests apparently. And my family is too curious about if I made any 'new friends'. So I think if…"

Her stoic expression was beginning to crack. Even though it was hard to tell what she was feeling, her lips trembled, nearly curling upwards or downwards. Her eyes kept shifting around, trying to find an escape. They were already sharp and dark, alerted by the space around us. Her breathing was slowly growing louder, nearly to the point of not breathing properly.

I could already smell the adrenaline buzzing through her. She was growing really stressed.

What kind of big confession does she need to make that got her this untamed?

Her blank look faltered when her eyes widened as a creepy glare to…Willy. I turned around and I could only briefly see some kind of note saying: 'GO FOR IT, TIGER!' But the walrus have already hidden it under his blankets before I could confirm. He just grinned cheekily.

Molly grunted before opening her mouth.

The first thing was a long croak.

This was getting really uncomfortable.

"...if…"

Wait, that was already a word said.

"…i-i-i-if…"

Molly was flinching in rhythm to how much she stuttered.

"...if you would…would you…" She swallowed a huge lump in her throat, her eyes trying not to bug out. "...can you possibly have the time to go…" She took in a huge deep breath, puffing up her chest. "...would you go to the danc-p-pa-party with me?"

It was ten seconds of radio silence and that was what filled my ears. To be honest, I wished it would last forever since I was supposed to give this response. My heart was beginning to beat in my chest. I wished I couldn't hear my heartbeat. All due to the way Molly put it…was it like asking me for a…

My head was beginning to spin at this point. There was no way Molly was 'interested' in me like this, right?

She was just asking me to accompany her. Not a date or anything. But why was she acting so flustered? I thought she already trusted me to be her partner for a mission. She was suddenly acting a bit more shy than the previous times, so why…now?

I closed my eyes, trying not to let filthy thoughts come to mind.

"What?" I said quietly.

Molly's face turned turnip red. She narrowed her eyes, maintaining it as a glare. "Don't read into this. I'm just…asking as a friend."

Asking as a friend for sure

I found myself able to speak despite not thinking I would. "Why are you asking me out? Like…this?"

"Um…Antoine and Matthew cannot come along since they are clocked in for a few shifts," said Molly, rubbing her hat with a barely restrained sigh. "Apparently, we don't have the same free days on schedule. You only seem like the only guy I can trust and would not make a scene to show off."

Would not make a scene to show off. Oh, like that would ever happen.

As if on cue, my ruby began to pulse to the beat of my heart. Flashing like it was in rhythm. I yelped, quickly zipping up my jacket to cover it, but the glow was still there.

Why, oh grand ruby, why…

And then, my tail slowly began to wag. Without thinking, I lifted my right foot up, shifted my tail underneath it and let my foot stomp onto my tail. It stung, but it kept it from moving.

My body parts were betraying me.

"It's not going to be a…wild party, right?" I asked, trying to find some excuse to get out of this. "A-A-And you're sure about taking ME to see your folks?"

Molly rubbed her face as the redness began to fade away. "You seem nice enough, so…thought you're the right candidate. Besides, I was…" She whistled, looking…sad? "...hoping you might join in on some fun after that incident. You backed down on my squadron's special gathering last week, so…get a break, man? Wait, no." She cleared her throat, recomposing herself once again. "Well, you don't have to come along. Besides, you're fairly likable here."

"Please reconsider this," I begged through gritted teeth. "What are you, 18?"

"I'm a few months younger than you if you care to ask," whispered Molly.

At the confirmation, I found myself nearly giving in. Great, I couldn't use significant age differences to get out of this. My eyes shifted to scanning her body from top to bottom.

She was…fairly pretty. While her large coat and dress concealed her body shape, she still looked beautiful. In fact, her sharp attire made her look classy and eye-catching. Her face could look like anyone's face, but she presented herself tidy with soft purple eyes…

I'm being delusional.

I quickly averted my eyes, wanting to hang my head so badly. Now I'm already looking at her that way. It made me feel light-headed seeing how lovely she dressed today. I hate that I love it. As if I pushed those feelings deep in the dirt enough ever since my run-in with Pilot Diamond. But…what is this all about?

First, gaining an interest in masculine body types and now suddenly crushing on a girl?!

Memories of the mannequins and Pilot Diamond flooded back into my mind. Dirty thoughts, yet they appeared delightful to watch. I couldn't black out, unfortunately. I was already high on the energy of excitement, my heart nearly tearing out of my chest. My tail eventually slipped out from my foot and I nearly lost my balance. It began wagging again like mad. I lost control of it.

I didn't want to, but I wanted to accept the offer for the party with…her.

Molly was still waiting here patiently. Surprisingly, it seemed that she had gotten over her initial nervousness albeit still shy. Looking down at her feet wordlessly, waiting for my response.

Would she even be alright with this? With…how I am seeing things now? I mean, I don't know how to think. Was this even natural to like both guys and girls and be so casual about this 'romance'? It felt alien, but I wanted to drink more of this…

I glanced at Willy, mouthing 'help'.

The walrus remained unhelpful by showing his note.

"Go for it, dude!"

I exposed my teeth, growling quietly. This was not helping at all. Might as well fall on my feet for giving in to this.

But then, seeing Willy's note appeared motivational. He was grinning stupidly, but he seemed excited about this. Like…maybe he thought it was a good idea?

Molly did come to me, needing someone due to wanting to go to this 'party'. Considering how lonesome she often was, she might know she didn't have to.

Maybe she felt bad that I missed out on the gathering last week and wanted to give me this 'break'? I still wasn't sure about joining this party, but if she asked, then…that could mean she thought I was ready. I had been chatting with a couple of people, so…

…maybe that way, I could learn what's acceptable for my growing thoughts.

Eventually, I came up with a choice.

"Alright," I said, barely audible.

Molly lifted her head up, her eyes glowing in bright surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said, looking away.

The purple cat's cheeks were turning red again, but it wasn't too much. She grinned gratefully but still appeared sheepish. I wanted to smile as well, but something felt foreign about this. Especially since Molly was embarrassed of asking me.

"OK," said Molly quietly. "I'll ask Stone for the address. Make sure to…dress in a tuxedo or something fancy. Picture it like a ball going on. Meet you at 12 o'clock on Sunday?"

"Sure."

Molly let out a low weary sigh. "...I can't believe I'm doing this."

I was already having second thoughts.

"Neither do I," I grumbled under my breath.

The purple cat didn't hear this, walking out of the sick bay. She took another deep breath and this time, she appeared fine. She wasn't walking as stiffly as before. Just in her usual manner of walking with her back facing against me with apparently no regrets. I tried seeing if her legs were still shaking, but they didn't dare to.

It came to my attention that Abraham Towers just witnessed the whole thing, staring at me in bemusement as Molly passed him.

I turned back to Willy. Both thumbs up with an encouraging grin.

My tail finally stopped wagging and my ruby dimmed.

My left ear twitched in irritation.

This only encouraged me to consider assigning Willy to be my official sixth murder victim.

Within minutes, the news that I was apparently going out on a 'dance' with Molly reached Topaz and Stone. When Towers steered me to his office since he needed a chat with Topaz, we were met by the delighted duo. I kind of wish that I got to them early before Molly could tell either one of them.

And before I knew it, I was nearly bombarded by comments about it.

"Looks like a kitty just find a nice dog boy to have a play date with," said Stone with a stupid grin.

"I'm a jackal," I growled.

Stone only chuckled before clapping his hands together. He looked REALLY intrigued. "Got to say, I thought it would be the guy who asks a lady out, but switchy switchy."

"I have been wondering the same," said Topaz, grinning. "Joke aside, is this considered a date? Molly seemed nervous in-"

"It's not a date," I said, rubbing my arm. "I'm just there to help her get into that party and some company for her family gathering."

Towers raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, that's a recipe for disaster."

"Chin up," said Stone. "It shouldn't be too bad."

"If Obsidian has some experience in the desert," pointed out Topaz. "Then this might be easier than thought when up with Molly."

I crossed my arms, peeved. "It's not like I like her or anything! OK, maybe she looks pretty and snazzy, but that doesn't mean it's a date! Not like I want to hold her hand or go to the park or…"

My mind switched back to seeing Molly's face, making my tail wag again. I could only bury my face in my hands, trying to hide the blush. Topaz and Stone tried not to laugh out loud while Towers did a wolf whistle.

"That explains a lot," sassed Topaz.

"Besides, Molly is going to keep an eye on Obsidian the whole time when bringing him out, right, Commander?" chimed in Stone.

Towers hummed as I removed my hands from my eyes. He appeared somewhat disinterested as his eyes were half-lidden. But he had a thoughtful look, staring at my ruby.

"That's a requirement certain to be filled," he said. "Normally, I don't mind special gatherings and activities agents want to do during their free days. Agent Johnson has a sharp eye. But my concern is one whiff of what looks like white glitter, you'll be dangling your ruby in front of everyone."

I flinched. That sounded way too accurate to how the party might go.

"Please don't put it that way…" squeaked Stone, quivering.

Topaz realized something. "Wait, Obsidian, have you ever…erm…did alcohol and drugs before?"

That was kind of easy to ask. I never took drugs, but I did have a couple of drinks before. I learnt in this city that there was an age restriction, but there was no worry for the young to drink back then in the desert. And because of this, I was practically immune to the fizzy stuff…OK, maybe it might make me - and the ruby - feel high, but at least I'm not like Fender; she would lose her nuts after one sip.

"Me and my squad took alcohol every time we stopped at a bar in the desert," I said simply. "Would take more than 10 cups of alcohol to kill me."

"And I'm guessing that you went to these 'wild parties' before?" asked Towers.

I thought about it. "No. I never really had. This doesn't include special banquets my squad attended. Not with all that fancy stuff and what you call drugs."

"That's the thing," said Towers, wagging a finger like an uncle. This elicited a chuckle from Topaz. "I have to warn you, Agent Obsidian, to be careful of what you consume. Either way, you cannot let your ruby go out of control on that day, understood?"

I was so worried about the implications of going out with Molly that I didn't think about what this school reunion party would bring. However, as mentioned before, I did manage to get along with a couple of people, so I might handle things nicely there. So maybe alcohol and drugs won't faze me there, and I could defend myself if anybody goes wild.

On the other side, I wished Towers disallowed me from going to the party so that I wouldn't have to suppress my feelings for Molly.

"Understood, sir," I said, nodding.

Towers nodded as well. "Now, learn a little of what would be expected there and how to be a good gentleman to your partner."

I nearly tore into him for saying this again. Towers was taking this a bit too seriously. Before I could say anything, Topaz and Stone came in with the latter holding on my shoulders from the back. The Commander had already made his way to this desk, whistling to himself.

"That being said, it looks like it's your first time going over to a party!" said Topaz. "Or at least invited to a school reunion. You know what you will need now?"

"A bullet to my parietal lobe?" I muttered sarcastically.

"No, a suit," said Stone, jokingly adjusting my collar.

"I already have my jacket and boots," I pointed out.

"Not the one you bought as your set of clothes," said Topaz. "If it's true you need to be in formal wear, then you need something that says 'Hey there, party people! Watch out 'cause here I'm bringing in the hotness!'"

"I don't think anyone in Molly's generation says that!" called Towers aloud from his desk.

"And no, let's not go wearing MY suits," reminded Stone, tapping on my shoulder. "You might appear too angsty. Unless someone's going to die there."

Topaz gave him a knowing look.

"But isn't this enough?" I asked, grabbing onto the ends of my jacket. "I'm happy with what I'm wearing and isn't it…flexible?"

Stone shook his head, brushing my jacket. "Well, Molly said that the party would be hosted by one of her richest students and highly suggested to be in formal clothing. Expect the party to be like a gala. So you cannot go in there looking like a Corporal Pig from Angry Birds."

Oh, dear. Even though I wore a disguise with a tie and a collared shirt during the heist, I doubt it was considered 'formal, gala fashion'. Especially when wearing pink. For this occasion, I fear it might be too tight on my own fur or skin. I never really wore a full tuxedo outfit for many hours, let alone able to tolerate it for the rest of the day after noontime.

Do we all need to dress up fancy and try to be as clean as possible at a reunion?

"Towers, please tell them," I pleaded flatly.

"Not my problem…" said Towers, already looking through a file. "...cause I'll just say to purchase one of our best military suits."

I laughed sarcastically, but it only came out more like a wheezing dog.

"Oh, don't worry!" reassured Stone, patting my back. "I know the best shop to find the best dress for you!"

"Hey, Obsidian!" called Towers once again. "Can you come over here? I need to inform you of this."

I wasn't sure if I should sign in relief, but at least it provided me with a break instead of thinking too much about how I should appear at the party. Stone and Topaz settled with having a conversation of their own, talking about something that could 'attract both guys and gals'. Whatever that meant.

Coming closer, Towers switched back to his serious look.

"I got some intel from Team Dark about the events surrounding Eggman and his usage of the Phantom Ruby," explained Towers. "Rogue found some reports of what appears to be your former boss trying to test several prototypes of the Phantom Ruby. Apparently, Zero had been in different environments in training, using them. No signs of damage, but there were a couple of those Phantom Ruby prototypes left around."

Well, this seemed different. I thought Zero might have a ruby on his chest next after I got mine long ago. It sounded like he was trying out different prototypes. But he was never really one to leave treasure or weapons behind unless useless…

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"We are still on the hunt for him and Eggman, but the prototypes were taken over to Area 99 as the nearest location," continued Towers. "It should be the safest place as we found huge amounts of energy radiating them, nearly reaching the same level as your power."

It didn't sound so bad initially, but it dawned on me that Zero was trying to use the right one. He must have deemed those prototypes to be useless because…

"We can become the most powerful mercenaries in the world to be higher than the weak ones, unlimited!"

Unlimited power…my ruby prototype seemed to be limited, so that meant he was disposing many prototypes lately in thought they were inferior to his desire. And that could mean Eggman and Zero were trying to create a prototype equal to the Phantom Ruby. I gulped, wondering what would happen if Zero gain 'unlimited power'. But there was some relief that we might have something to research on and use it against him when the time comes.

Towers, on the other hand, had more worries. "However, I should inform you that because of these reports, a couple of people will start to know more about those prototypes."

"Don't they already know about my ruby?" I pointed out.

"Negative. Information about yours didn't spread too much. Not enough to appear in mainstream media. The reports on those leftover prototypes outside Central City are spreading throughout the country gradually. News on Eggman is never hidden." Towers stopped for a while, wiping his forehead. I think he might be nervous about the other prototypes. "I need to let you know since you proved to be one of the strongest users of the Phantom Ruby prototypes. I won't be surprised if you can control those prototypes."

"But September hasn't even tested on that…" I said.

"Area 99 is at its highest in security, but be careful if anyone gets their hands on those prototypes. They can be dangerous."

What Towers said made a lot of sense. Given there was already a spy here who sent info to the Lightning Bolt Society about my ruby, it wouldn't take long until many tried breaking into this 'Area 99'. And Towers trusted me with utilizing the Phantom Ruby prototypes. The question remained on if it was possible that I can use those prototypes since they might not match my DNA. Zero did use them, so they might be more connected to him.

However, I was already confident with using my ruby. It hummed as well, agreeing with me. Either way, no one would be able to use them wisely.

"Got it then," I said. "Is there anything I can do?"

Towers waved his hand. "For now, we'll call you or include Team Blood if we pick up word." When no one was looking, he leaned in close to me. "Oh, one last thing…come closer."

I leaned in forwards, my ear near his mouth.

"Word of advice," he whispered nonchalantly. "If this IS a date you're going out with Molly, make sure to treat her to Olive Garden. They have the best never-ending pasta bowl."

Immediately, I recoiled back, shooting him a glare.

Guess it was already too late to take back my body language when thinking about Molly.

Later at night time…

Topaz chuckled nervously. "You know you don't have to take off all your clothes, Obsidian."

"I'm not exactly human," I pointed out.

"Well, you're making yourself look like a scrub," said Stone matter-of-factly.

Here I am, sitting patiently on a comfy stool without my jacket, gloves and boots. The ruby was already exposed to be seen, but we picked the right time when there were not many people around to shop there. I only wanted my green headband tied around my head, so it remained there like this. Thank goodness I'm a male animal or things would get awkward.

Funnily enough, without any clothes, I could feel the cool air sweeping through this glamorous shop. The smell matched the breeze with a flowery scent. They really made sure this shop was spot clean, even if it was the height of a five-level apartment. No wonder why Topaz and Stone wanted to come here to find the right suit for the party.

This one had to take the cake from all the places I visited so far during the past month. It left me wondering if this was indeed the castle I thought from the first place. The design would be nearly simple because most of the walls and ceiling are in shiny black paint.

However, there was spectacular use of gold like a work of fine art was curated hours ago. Ranging from the smooth yet crisp pillars holding up the roof, the rectangular lines and ornate insignias printed on the wall, and golden flower emblems decorating the door frames. A royal touch fitting for a place where you could find the finest clothes.

The mosaic floor seemed to have a combination of fancy and modern elements as many circular shapes were distorting and blending into each other. It could bring in the look of different styles accepted in this city.

The many shelves and mannequins filling the space seemed to block the entire view of the level, so I couldn't get to see the full beauty of the room. But at least I got a good taste of the shop. Even the area where me, Topaz and Stone were at was neatly organized like it was a show. The shelves facing us curled around in a circular shape with a mirror in the middle and a changing booth right behind it in between the shelves.

"Now, a great new suit will make you feel confident," said Stone, holding up a black and white tuxedo outfit. "Sometimes, you must wear the same thing, but it has to change on different days."

"Won't it be tight?" I asked. "Last time, it didn't feel right."

"You'll get used to it," said Topaz, looking through what appeared to be…skirts? "It wouldn't be too bad."

"Put it this way," said Stone, carelessly checking the tuxedo to the side. "You would be walking on the red carpet, looking like Michael Jackson and flapping that jacket like dusting off all your problems! Like my jacket!"

I blinked a couple of times. "And yet, your wallet fell in the toilet when you decked out in that suit?"

Stone looked embarrassed, his suit not enough to cover the crack in his face. "Fortunately, I have enough money to repay the money I lost."

"Now, what look do you want?" said Topaz, holding up a dress. "Masculine, feminine or androgynous?"

That was odd. A dress? A white, golden dress with a skirt that would reach up to the ankles. It looked alright, but…it didn't feel right that I should wear it.

"What's the last few things you said again?"

"Well, androgynous take physical characteristics of both sexes," said Topaz, off-topic.

I was confused. "…why's that? Why ask me if I want feminine clothes?"

"Well, thought it might appeal to you."

Appeal to me? "But I thought the clothes I must wear aren't a joke. I would go for masculine style."

Topaz was now confused. "A joke?"

Stone raised his eyebrow skeptically. "Do you…know a little about being flexible with how people present and identify themselves?"

I took in his words, trying to understand what he meant. However, I didn't really understand him. Did the question make sense? I don't know since it didn't feel like a usual thing with being this 'flexible'. Was it?

"But it…wouldn't be too confusing to tell people who they are?" I asked earnestly. "I thought dresses are usually for girls."

Stone glanced at Topaz, suddenly concerned. However, the latter didn't seem to get it at first sight, waving her hand as a gesture to ignore what I said. Stone sighed, brushing his hair before quickly getting over my answer. It wasn't short enough for me to notice how worried he appeared for a while.

Was it something I said? Because it nearly looked like I said something unholy here. I was thinking of asking if anything was alright, lifting up a finger, but Stone was already finding new clothes for me to try out.

"Know what, we'll get to that later," he said. "So it's masculine."

I swallowed, deciding not to dwell for long. "...yes?"

"OK," said Topaz, keeping away the dress. "Let's see what we got here."

And soon enough, I found myself flooded with the list of clothes that we could find in this shop. Initially, I thought I would be tuned off since I had grown attached to my jacket. But to my surprise, soon enough, I started picking the clothes that got my attention. And who knew that it would take that long to find the right one for a better look?

Even better that the shirt and jacket sizes were big enough to cover my ruby while also making sure the shape of my ruby didn't appear too obvious.

The first one was a tuxedo that appeared to take the style of flannel jackets. All in black and white squares from the tie to the shirt and even to the shoes themselves! Coming out from the changing booth to face today's audiences - Topaz and Stone resting against a long chair like a theatre chair - I followed the display poses…or at least what Topaz told me to do.

As I twirled around and held up my arms to reveal the details, Stone was the first to react.

"Whoa! Like whoa!" he said, his eyebrows raised. "You look like a chessboard!"

"It appears pretty sharp to me," I said. It actually looked kind of nice since it did have this classy feel.

On the other hand, Topaz was dissatisfied. "Hmm, nah, it's not working."

"Yeah," said Stone, lifting up a pair of binoculars for a better look. "He looks like he just came out from a farm."

"Like trying to switch to computing."

"But it has a homely feel," I said.

"Well, this ain't the Western side anymore," said Stone.

The next one I thought would be fun to wear. Similar to the cowboy outfits I saw from rodeos in the desert. I came out with a green jacket with a leather lapel, a jaguar print and a black cape that flowed down behind my legs. On my head was a brown cowboy hat with a star-shaped badge, a proper flannel red shirt underneath my jacket and reaching up to my knees were thick leather boots. Though, the leather pants I picked appeared to be a really small as they stuck to my legs.

Topaz was dumbfounded when I came out, striking a few stiff poses.

"Oh man!" said Stone. "I had a suit like this when I was six!"

"This looks too much," mumbled Topaz.

"Why are these pants so tight to move around in?" I asked, trying to kick one leg upwards.

Topaz hummed. "I don't think those are meant for dancing around."

"Dancing around? Aren't cowboys supposed to fight?"

"Suits aren't meant for fighting," pointed out Stone. "Unless you're wearing spy suits."

And then, I proceeded to lift my left leg too high like a ballerina.

SHRIP!

My pants ended up splitting in half at the crotch area.

"Oh!" I squeaked, quickly turning around.

"Ripper!" commented Topaz.

Eventually, I was forced out of the cowboy suit. The next one was a glamorous one. This tuxedo was so purely white that it provided a white glow! So bright that it even showed the smallest dust flying near me! Complete with a shiny bowtie and brown flats, I was confident this would make me a star. Though, it seemed to have the opposite of being bright when I came out.

"Oh, I'm blinded by the light!" said Stone, quickly dropping his binoculars.

"Where did you get this from?" asked Topaz, baffled.

"The 'Prom Section'," I answered.

"More like the boy band section," said Stone, rubbing his chin critically. "Especially the material of the jacket."

"But this looks much cleaner," I pointed out, rubbing my jacket.

"I think this fits Oliver Poodleton better," commented Topaz.

The next one was something Topaz decided to pick randomly. I don't think she thought through it, as the moment I came out, I felt like I was really wearing a dress. Complete with a puffy white wig you see in court, a red jacket with golden lining and tassels on the shoulders, a puffy white shirt, black trousers and black shoes.

"Going back for something more old school, huh?" asked Stone in amusement.

"…know what, I feel ridiculous in this," I said.

"What?" said Topaz, eyeing my jacket. "No, it looks authentic."

"Hmm, but the aesthetic clashes with today," said Stone.

"I look more like a sad grandpa trying to cover up his bald spots," I remarked.

The next one, this time, I decided to try to go with what Zero would wear. A total punk black-colored outfit; a leather police beret, a leather tuxedo with a vest and a shirt beneath it, a tie with a skeleton pin, ripped jeans with a silver chain attached to the belt and black studded boots. I even tried out the free sample makeup, using white eyeshadow.

Needless to say, when I started twirling around, Topaz's jaw dropped.

"Light Gaia almighty," she uttered.

"Is this a phase that you're going through?" asked Stone with a grin.

"It's one of the coolest outfits, guys!" I said, giving a cheery peace sign. "The eyeliner is cool as well!"

"It's only one color!" commented Topaz. "Put in some diversity, not dipped in ink."

"He looks like a tampon for a bird," said Stone absentmindedly. "On a heavy day."

Eventually, I gave up and went out of my way to find something that would suit me more. I went for a forest green jacket with black lapel, a purple collared shirt with a black tie, black trousers with a chain hanging from the belt and black leather shoes. It didn't feel too impressive to me, but as I came out of the changing booth, Topaz and Stone were happy with the result.

"Now that's more like it!" said Topaz, grinning as she and Stone approached me to inspect this last outfit.

"Just one more thing," said Stone. "Ditch the headband when wearing it for the party."

That I wasn't sure about. "Do I have to? I kind of like it."

"Well, it wouldn't really match the overall outfit you're wearing," said Stone, simply yanking the green bandanna wrapped around my head.

I pouted, crossing my arms. My dear green bandanna taken away from me and stuffed in Stone's back pocket. OK, maybe I might have to grow out of not wearing my headband the whole time. But I still want to wear it.

"Now, would you mind if we can have you wearing…these?" said Topaz, quickly grabbing a pair of glasses. "Makes you not too distracting."

I wasn't sure at first why she wanted this pair on. Maybe to replace the headband? Putting them on, there was a lack of feeling of any change at all. I could see finely without the specs. Even Stone noticed this.

"Really?" asked Stone. "What makes you think putting specs on him makes him suddenly not the finest jackal mercenary in all land?"

And unknown to him, I quickly pickpocketed the bandanna from Stone. Yeah, I'm gonna need it.

AN: This is an interesting chapter here since I decided to address back to the spy sub-plot of the story. It might be intense, but it could be anyone who is a 'piece of art' and 'extremely gullible'. Note that Obsidian's thoughts are biased based on what he saw from Team Blood. He just met them for one day. Now tell me; who do you think is the imposter?

Also, this chapter marks the first part of a small arc I like to focus on; explores Obsidian experiencing a rich party, a family gathering and some feelings. This arc took some inspiration to Chapter 8 of 'MeAndTheBoys:ATeamDarkStory' by Mchovey and the setup to the 'date' seems to reference Chapter 13 of 'Our New Life Together' by Assassin's Creed Master. For those fans of my Trolls story, expect a similar scene to 'Voice of Rebels' to likely appear soon!

In fact, in light of Pride Month (for those new, it's the annual LGBTQ+ celebration, usually every June), this arc will explore Obsidian coming to terms with the seemingly 'strange' but interesting feelings he developed. As June isn't going to last forever, I hope to get this arc done soon enough, so I'm putting all my effort in writing a few more chapters on this. Shoutout to one of my best friends MasterClass60 for giving me tips on building up on the coming out concept and I'm hoping that this will be written nicely done.

But just to note that Obsidian doesn't start off easy since he's now in the midst of considering if it's a date with Molly…after getting interested in some male characters and bodies. Given him still learning, expect for his perspective to be slightly biased on certain sexuality and gender identities, but that will slowly change as he tries to grow. He is NOT prejudiced; it's a culture clash he is struggling with.

As for Molly, I decided to give her a bigger spotlight here despite being an OC. To show some potential growth and background, especially that I'll be creating her nearly entire family. Funnily enough, her trying to ask Obsidian to come with her is a reference to the Netflix show 'Wednesday'; it's hard for her to remain tsundere, but her feelings towards Obsidians are enigmatic.

There were some inspirations from the 2017 'Wonder Woman' film, 'Crazy Rich Asians' and 'The Big Bang Theory' regarding the costume-test montage, especially seen through the references in the dialogues. I had some trouble since I want to make it funny and look fun as well. Also, there's a reference to 'The Bad Guys' during the montage…and you might have already guessed where it is at.

Thank you for reading this chapter and I hope that you're excited for this special arc! I'll make sure to make it fun. :3 If you enjoy this story, be sure to follow or favorite to get updates. If there is any honest feedback or constructive criticism you want to share, let me know in your review. Any spam, flames or threats will be questioned and I'm not kidding.

Until next time, keep on rocking!