AN: The party story turned out to be much longer than I thought, so I had to split the whole party idea into two parts. Hopefully, it won't overfill in the second part.

Anyway, well…today's chapter has a special occasion and I'm going to reuse symbols for the background recommended music again. So basically, when you see this for example [1], this is for you to start playing the recommended song below. When you see something like this [1s], that means it should stop or pause.

It's just going to be one song for this chapter (the next part plans to include at least two background songs) and well; picking this song is for a reason…

Recommended Background Song

[1] Wannabe - Spice Girls

Chapter 19

Two nights flew quickly in the blink of an eye. I spent the rest of those days trying to focus on work. But as my mind slowly wandered off, it felt like my community service was an afterthought. Like it wasn't my main concern at all. And then, when morning came over on this day, the events of Molly asking me out replayed in my mind.

I wished that I could sleep in and make the excuse that I woke up late, but I couldn't really sleep well. It later turned into me staring at myself in the mirror once again.

I was already decked in the forest green jacket, the purple collared shirt and the black trousers. At the moment, I was having trouble putting my tie on properly. As I did so, folding it into the right knob, I could feel the humming ruby underneath my shirt.

The outfit didn't look the same as the day we bought it. The shape of the ruby could nearly be seen slightly bulging from underneath. All it might look like in the end was a breast implant I stuffed into my chest.

Once I finished the tie, I grabbed the specs from the side. But before I could put them on, my eyes continued to gaze back at the jackal in my reflection.

Topaz suggested that I don't need hair gel since my mohawk wouldn't be a problem. However, the spikes were still rugged and messy as before. I noticed a slight change in my appearance. My white muzzle and hair gave a softer-looking texture with a new shine. I glanced over behind me, curling up my tail. The bandages were removed and the white tip was groomed neatly with only two or three stray fur spikes sticking out from it.

The change was only subtle. The sharp canines and golden eyes were still there, reminding me of my previous life. The outfit wasn't able to cover that up, even if the specs were on. I winced, wondering if going to this party would be a good idea. I still look wild, so I have no idea if the partygoers would like me to be around.

Maybe I'm just thinking too much or…

I decided not to focus on that for now. I'm already a part of Central City. Nobody bothered my presence. The places I went to were forgiving and gentle for me to explore without being forced to be kicked out. Maybe I might be ready for one crazy party. I just need to accompany Molly and observe what people usually do at parties.

Speaking of usually doing things, I wonder how I might have to explain to Molly about this. Just even looking at my slightly thick chest made me feel flustered. Butterflies fluttered around my chest and a cold tingle ran up my spine as I recalled memories of the mannequins. I'm hoping I won't see those again soon. It didn't…really feel right.

I shouldn't be interested in guys. Well, at least how they look. And then, I fell for Molly for a second. That couldn't be possible that I like…male and female bodies? Was that right at all? I thought it was supposed to be liking someone not the same gender, not the other way around. It was usually the way to grow a family and live a happy life…right?

My heart was already beating, but not from the excitement or lust. My mind was spinning around with new thoughts coming in. They didn't make sense, but I want them to be so. Yet, it didn't look like it made sense. Not to mention that what Pilot Diamond did around me wasn't natural at all. I swallowed, but my throat was dry. It was going to be hard explaining this, especially to…Molly.

This society has a lot of new things I never knew, but what would be the point if…I have to go out to be her 'sane' partner? When I'm not?

Would she be appalled if I was also attracted to males?

Molly is a good agent. Sure, she was bossy but well-meaning despite my initial thoughts. And she proved to be brave and selfless when in the heat of a fight since she did her best against the Weasel Bandits. She even gave me some good advice when I struggled with accepting my ruby. And that might be what got me to admire her.

So…I don't want to invalidate what she did just because I was also interested in other things.

I could already see her giving me a look of disgust and betrayal if I revealed that I seemed to be liking guys.

I shook my head, taking a few deep breaths slowly. After a few minutes and my anxiety grew less. I narrowed my eyes, putting on the specs. I shouldn't have these thoughts, I told myself. Not today. I'm gonna go out there to have a good time and know how it would feel to be perfectly normal. Nobody will notice these things happening to me.

Feeling like myself again, I continued with adding the remaining touches to my outfit. I clipped my belt, attached the silver chain, pulled on the shoes and placed back on my original set of gloves.

On cue, the doorbell rang.

Stone's stupid smile appeared in the mirror, peeking from the opened door.

"Hey, Obsidian~!" cooed Stone. "Molly is here!"

I sighed, trying not to bite into my lip. "Wish me luck."

"Oh, my little man growing up," teased Stone, stepping in to rub my shoulders. "Now, remember; have fun, be safe and watch out for glitter fire."

I chuckled. "OK then, Dad."

What I should have expected was what Molly was wearing for the party. I assumed a heavier and sophisticated version of her usual outfit. However, I think she decided to have a change of fashion and I was greeted by a stunning display when I opened the door.

Molly's dress was supernatural. Like her outfit BELONGED to a supernatural thriller show.

It was a long, low-cut dress. I was tempted to look away when I noticed that it was revealing both her uncovered legs. Whoever designed that dress went in really hard; an ocean gradient of blue and dark blue. Several magenta and purple retro lines stood out on the dress part and three magenta arrow shapes pointed upwards glowed on the lower torso. Surprisingly, there were blue pixel squares decorating the bottom bits of the dress, fitting the cyber look of her outfit.

It appeared that she tried to tone down the dress not to show much of her body, applying a sensible purple turtleneck top to the dress. In addition, she wore a beige blazer, a pair of black gloves, two black belts with golden buckles wrapped tightly around her waist, a pair of black combat boots with red socks, a navy blue leg garter on her left leg and a black fedora with a blue stripe and a purple feather attached.

My jaw could detach itself and shatter on the ground. For some reason, she…looked more beautiful like this. It was a different side of her. This might represent her more 'colorful' side if that was what she inherited from her family.

"Whoa, Molly…" I mumbled, my tail curling upwards. "You look…"

Molly huffed, crossing her arms. "I know, I know. My Abuela insists I should wear it to appear 'candera'. It's a bit too much since I'm not going to be a performer for today."

"No, no, that's…not what I would say. You look…beautiful."

The purple cat glanced to the side, rubbing the back of her head. The blush was faintly there, but her body language said enough.

"It's just a fact," I quickly added in to divert some tension.

"T-Thanks," she muttered, trying to maintain her frown. "You look…" She stopped for a moment, staring at my outfit. "Not bad. Not so bad, actually. It's…it's a compliment."

I shyly swept my foot on the concrete, nearly slipping out of the door. "Is this winning any points?"

"Well, if asking by 'true fact', you went with a more classic dapper style, but it's sharp enough to get men and women to have eyes on you."

I blinked slowly. "What?"

"Don't worry about it. We should get going by now. The next bus will be here any second now."

I was about to ask, but I didn't want to embarrass myself further. Molly turned her back, prompting me to follow her. The door slowly closed behind me like a climactic scene. Topaz decided to play the peeping Tom as I caught her eyes staring from the gap between the curtain lines. Only when she saw me did she retreat.

If I need to make up most of my time out with Molly, then I should try to proceed with some talk.

"So…" I started as we walked along the footpath. "I know you don't like to chat much, but…can you explain to me what this party will have?"

I remembered the first time Molly preferred silence. However, it seemed that she decided to step that down for now. She took a few seconds to think about it before looking back at me with a neutral look.

"Well, the host's name is Fiyero," she explained. "He's a total show-off. Not a complete brat, but…he's a self-proclaimed 'excellent shot'." She practically spat those two words out in envy. "But he flunked his grades due to having too many parties. I believe this school reunion is him trying to make up for his lack of grades and entry into university."

"So the school trusted him to run this reunion?" I questioned, incredulous.

"His family is rich, after all. Oh, and I…" She placed a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. "I should warn you. He's REALLY social, so if he tries finding common ground with you, then let him know you're not looking forward to it. He tried hitting on me the first time we chatted and only backed away when I told him I was not interested."

"Wait, what did you say?" I asked. It wasn't that I didn't hear her words correctly. It was out of concern if it was true.

"Just follow my lead when we meet him," reassured Molly.

That was weird. "...OK. And what are these…'performers'?"

Molly shrugged. "I don't have a clue. I only heard some rumors that his brother peer-pressured him to hire strip dancers, drag queens…the 'hot stuff' things."

I was unnerved, my chest becoming hotter. "Those performers…they're not exploited to show their bodies for profit?"

"No, Fiyero's family aren't sociopaths," said Molly flatly. "People just have stupid jobs."

"And anything else, like what to do at a party?" I asked, praying that it wouldn't be all alcohol and drugs.

"Nothing too exciting. Just chit-chatting with many people, dancing under the lights, partying to the hottest music, swimming in the pool and eating food. A simple party."

If you ask me, that must be a lot of promises. And something to set up as well!

"It sounds like it's not a simple party," I said.

I wished that I had taken back those words since I just tempted fate itself. It didn't take long for us to find where the school reunion party was held at. I was initially confused when we had to walk a long way through a road in the middle of a forest. But once we reached the end of it, a white gate stood in front of us. Immediately, I realized where we exactly were once I heard the loud music and the top level of the mansion rising upwards in the sky.

Never before in my life have I personally seen a rich mansion house? I've seen headquarters the size of a mountain, but this was the first time seeing a mansion house that wasn't used as a working base. I wondered how the white paint was still on, but maybe they just hired a good cleaning team. Many palm trees surrounded the equally tall mansion, putting on a summer-like show.

There were already colorful decorations - a mix of festive flags and LED lights - hanging around the balconies. Many people were occupying the balconies and from the rooms seen through the windows, conversing in a friendly chat with each other. They were all dressed in different formal outfits. Some of the ladies were wearing tuxedos as well, surprisingly.

Molly turned on her phone to open some kind of email and knocked on the gate's door twice. An eye hole opened up to reveal the blue eyes of a weasel.

The weasel immediately recognized the purple cat. "Ah, welcome back, Molly! Been a while since I've seen you."

"Been a while since I've seen you as well, Willy," said Molly, putting up a too-serious look.

"You've been remembering me that much?"

"No."

"Oh," squeaked Willy. "Did you bring someone over?"

Molly nodded, stepping aside for Willy to see me. "Well, yes. I brought over a…" She glanced at me with a meaningful look. "...good agent on community service. He's a former mercenary by the name of Obsidian…"

Willy's eyes turned to me when Molly trailed off. I grinned, trying not to appear sheepish.

"I…don't have a last name," I said dumbly.

Willy didn't seem to mind. "Alright then. Just don't do anything catastrophic. You're good to come in."

The eyehole disappeared and the weasel opened up the gate doors.

Immediately, I shielded my eyes with my arm from blinding spotlights flying in all directions.

A crowd of partygoers, humans and animals, were already covering the green lawn and road leading to the mansion's front entrance. Most of them were in conversations, sitting at nearby benches or on the ground, while some were dancing to loud techno music from a nearby live DJ.

Molly was resigned to the loudness, but her expression softened. Her purple eyes were starting to sparkle, seemingly going through a nostalgic feeling. She looked kind of cute with those eyes.

"Let's not waste time," she said. "I'm already starving."

And so, I tagged along Molly, my eyes nearly focused on her swaying tail. As we passed through the lawn, I got a good look at what everyone was doing. They seemed more interested in dancing or taking shots of small glasses containing mysterious liquids. There were too many spotlights all over the place, flashing in blue, purple and pink colors.

However, it seemed like the main party was happening inside the mansion, judging by the louder music and chatter inside. As we got close, I took one sniff and suddenly felt high. My ruby began humming in response. Guess that would be where this 'white glitter' came from.

Marching up a small staircase to the grand opened entrance, we passed by a water fountain. It wasn't too big but tall enough to be displayed. Unfortunately, it presented what appeared to be nude statues in…interesting poses. And they were spewing out water through their mouths.

I turned away to avoid eye contact with their 'things', covering my muzzle to hide the forming blush.

It was hard to get into the mansion since the crowd never seemed to stop growing. At least it wasn't a full riot aside from random people running by. I could nearly talk about the people surrounding us. However, I wanted to talk a little about the interior of the mansion.

This long hobby appeared to be more colorful than the outside. The mansion took the form similar to a real castle for sure. This ranged from the mint green walls decorated in golden symbols, the carpet containing different pictures equivalent to museum paintings and many statues containing fake stuffed non-anthropomorphic animals and knight armors.

Like the spotlights outside, the lights inside were in blue, purple and pink.

It felt like going inside a spacey world. However, it wasn't really calm as there was a lot of chatter and techno music playing over them. The bass drop felt more like an earthquake.

I winced, covering my ears. This was a bit too loud for my liking.

Molly suddenly looked uncomfortable, but she was staring at the people around us. She took another deep breath in, recomposing herself before she could doubt.

She turned to me, only to come face-to-face with a sharply-groomed, yellow-eyed tiger wearing a white tuxedo with a black lapel, a black tie, black trousers and black shoes. There wasn't that much color on his outfit, but his body overlooked its build in contrast to his slightly thin arms. Surprisingly, the hair between his ears was in dreadlocks, tied in a bun with messy strands flowing out.

"Hey, hey, Molly Johnson!" he said, smoothly slithering close to us. "Never thought that you came! I thought you would have deleted your access ticket."

Molly was unfazed by the somewhat flirtatious manner the tiger possessed. "I never thought I would be using it anyway. This is my day off and I'm meeting my whole family later tonight."

"Ah, so it's a good thing you came at the right spot for a full party day!" said the tiger, winking. "Wouldn't that be enticing?"

Molly rolled her eyes. The tiger turned to me, his face brightening up.

"And who is this new fella?" he asked, his tail curled in curiosity.

"Oh, this is Obsidian," said Molly, pulling me close together in a side hug. "Obsidian, meet Fiyero."

Immediately, I pulled myself out of it. Never before Molly touched me closely or even pull me in her arm before. She could be just being protective, but…

Fiyero, the tiger, grinned, showing off his pearly white sharp teeth. "I'm an old classmate of hers and I'm the most popular out of the class!"

And I remembered that he flopped his classes. "Heh, heh, she told me a lot about you…Fiyero."

The tiger nodded and bowed down, gently holding my hand. I was confused at first with what he was doing. He didn't have his gloves on, but he was mindful of his claws that were touching the leather of my glove. And then, his lips came close to it, leaving a kiss on it.

I was startled and I could feel my face slowly warming up when he gave me a smug yet alluring look.

"Go easy on him," hissed Molly. "This is actually his first time. He's a former desert mercenary."

Immediately, Fiyero retracted his hand from mine. "Oooh, didn't notice that, hotspot. Well, you're in for a treat! The booty is still here to be picked up." His confident smile quivered as he let out a snicker. "If you know what I mean~."

No, I don't. "What do you mean?"

"Just relax!" said Fiyero warmly, his arms spread out. "The party isn't in full swing yet. You got a lot of time before we hit the lights."

"...but the lights are already on."

Molly looked around the room again. "So…I'm surprised you managed to convince and get everyone here."

"Every single person in our age level!" said Fiyero. "Some folks included telling stories and arguments regarding different generations. You know I like a bit of drama."

I could tell that he must have done a lot to get people here. If none of these guests were paid actors or workers to fill in, then this could mean Fiyero invited every student he knew from the school he and Molly went to.

"Almost enough to weigh down your entire ceiling," I said, nodding. "Got to say, I'm impressed you got that many to come along."

Fiyero guffawed. "That's how parties work. If you don't have enough guests, then it's going to be boring. You'll find entertainment at every corner you see here!"

CRASH!

A nearby male shark - somehow managed to create a hole through the ceiling - landed behind him.

Fiyero's eye twitched. "And yet, I thought it was my sister who would likely bring a wrecking ball over. I need to handle that, so…enjoy yourself."

"Well, good luck," said Molly casually. "Have fun repaying the broken vases."

"Have fun being around with the drunkards," teased Fiyero. When he turned to me, he switched back to being friendly. "And Orby, I'll look forward to knowing you more! Enjoy the party."

He wasn't acting seductive then, but when he winked, my heart was already beating faster. Goodness gracious, why was this tiger so handsome? The thought of the 'h' word turned my face red. It was good that Molly dragged me away or I might have continued staring at Fiyero for too long!

By the time Molly managed to drag me over to the next couch, I was forced to sit down. The purple cat looked curious, holding onto my shaking tail.

"W-What just happened?" I sputtered out quietly.

"You fell for him, did you?" questioned Molly.

"I mean, what REALLY happened?" I emphasized. "W-Was he just…you know…flirting with me…?"

Molly scoffed, smirking. "Yeah, he has that talent. But seriously, did you listen to my warning 30 minutes ago?"

I felt ashamed and here, I could easily let her down just by being a freak! "S-Sorry, Molly. It's just…I thought Fiyero looked like…erm…a girl! Yes! Maybe because his top body looked thicker and-n-not like I am saying that I prefer-I try to be a really good man for-"

Molly groaned in annoyance, placing a finger over my lip.

"OK," she said. "Relax. Breathe."

I took a few deep breaths in and out, practicing what I did earlier. And here, Molly was really patient. A couple of questions rolled through my mind on why she was doing this despite me being appearing…unfaithful to her. However, she didn't complain. Even after I became calm again.

"Better?" asked Molly.

I sighed, smiling. "Yeah. Better."

Molly sighed. "OK. Just don't get too melodramatic."

A familiar voice called nearby us. One that sounded much like…

"I can't believe you kids are at this lame party," said a deadpan September, wearing a full purple tuxedo suit.

I blinked a couple of times. "But you're here too!"

September was silent for a moment, shifting his eyes from left to right.

"…am I?"

Just like that, he grabbed his drink, took a sip and walked away.

Even Molly didn't look surprised by the panther's appearance!

"He used to teach human and health development before I entered high school years," she clarified. "There's a rumor that his students drove him mad to the point of quitting."

"Oh, I feel safe already," I said, already predicting Molly's former classmates to be ruthless.

"At least they seemed to have grown up. Anyway, we should move around more here."

She didn't need to, but she grabbed my wrist and pulled me across the room. It was already becoming packed, so we needed to move around through the spaces we could get through. As we ventured around, I took note of the different kinds of activities everybody was doing here.

Alongside the common laughter and chatter, a group had already set up a video game on the television for all to play along. Some of them were recklessly hanging from the chandeliers, swinging around. To my surprise, a few couples were making out. Thankfully that I didn't get to see the full thing since it would get covered up by another crowd of people moving around.

A couple of the partygoers seemed to recognize Molly, waving at her or calling her. The purple cat only responded with a smile and a nod. So far, it looked more like she was wandering around the place instead of meeting up with anyone. It got me wondering what her experience in high school with these people was like.

Progressing through the mansion, the rooms seemed to keep changing since they were all different in terms of appearance. At the moment, the one we slipped into appeared to be what Stone called a 'Victorian era' styled room. It also seemed to be a bar, judging by the drinks on the shelves behind the counter tables. Electric candles hanging from the walls provided a warm light contrasting the leading colorful lights first seen.

Many waiters and waitresses moved around the rooms, carrying golden plates of small appetizers. Molly grabbed one, what appeared to be a biscuit with some spread and parmesan on it. I followed, taking one and swallowing it whole.

Molly decided to break the silence when she heard me choking.

"So, first time at a party like this?" she asked casually.

I eventually grabbed a (hopefully clean) glass of water nearby to flush down the biscuit stuck in my throat.

"Y-Yes!" I said, grinning stupidly. "It's really all new to me. Though, it appears that they don't have drugs."

Molly cracked a smirk. "Don't know if they snuck any in, but I doubt Fiyero would allow that."

"You ever been to one like this? You seem to know your way…and you're scared."

Molly crossed her arms. I'm not scared…" And then, her glare softened again. "...it's intimidating since I'm meeting everyone back here. And I'm wondering if they changed ever since I saw them all last time."

It sounded like she hadn't been in touch with her fellow students. She looked around before taking a seat. As I awkwardly did the same, I wondered what might have happened if she still hung out with them outside of work. It reminded me that I hadn't seen any of my former squad members here in Central City yet and I didn't really have that many memories of them.

Hmm, guess that must be how Molly felt now.

She snapped her fingers and a bartender slammed down two glasses of blue liquid. When she picked it up, I cleared my throat, pointing at the drink.

"It's a mocktail," she clarified. "Don't worry."

That I had never really heard before. I thought it was a mocktail. Regardless, I picked up my glass and sipped it. It was just sugar and fruit, no sign of alcohol. The ruby buzzed, confirming that was the case.

It didn't take long until Molly was willing to talk. "It's my second time at a house party. I remember well about my first." She smiled sarcastically. "It's funny since several guests were still there the next morning, leaving a mess."

"They burnt out so quickly?" I asked curiously.

"They tried staying up all night. Heard that the cops were involved. But don't worry. No one was arrested."

It sounded like these people had the sleep span of a hardworking mercenary who would sleep at night. I think I kind of got proof when I looked to the side to see a couple kissing each other on a sofa. Including the tongue, obviously trying to get familiar with each other's mouths. My face became hot, baffled by this inappropriate sight.

Immediately, my ruby hissed at me to ignore it.

"Is…anyone going to be arrested here?" I asked cautiously.

Molly wasn't worried. "I don't think so. Yet. Well, if this is the theme, then it looks like we all need to be on good behavior."

All of a sudden, a male dressed as an astronaut zipped by us, riding on an electrical hoverboard! Well, not the hoverboards Eggman made, but it was just a hoverboard you see in the shops with only two wheels riding on their own mind.

"Whoa!" I said. "Is this normal?"

"The spicy tiger's rich, so he bought a few things as 'entertainment'," said Molly. "A chocolate fountain that could feed an entire village, a hairstylist, a flamethrower that shoots glitter fire…"

"Why would they have a flamethrower that shoots glitter fire?"

Out of nowhere, a flamethrower popped out from the ceiling. It looked dangerously like one of Eggman's weapons that often pop out from wall compartments whenever setting up a trap. Before I could react, the weapon burst out a large, silky mass of glitter. My vision was blurred by the colorful silver, flashing blue and pink.

By the time it was done, I coughed out a mouthful of sugary glitter. Only when I shook my head, I heard laughter from those who noticed the glitter fire. Molly wasn't even safe, but the glitter only attacked her cheek. She simply removed her glove, wiped her cheek with one finger and licked it.

"Because they can," answered Molly, spreading a hand out for drama.

"MJ!" called a voice.

"Ah, hey there, Brianna-whoa!"

A female golden retriever casually strolled up to Molly and pulled her in a playful hug. The purple cat yelped, LAUGHING as she tried to pull herself out. Never before I saw Molly not being squeamish or annoyed by somebody randomly grabbing her. When she gave a proper hug to the golden retriever, that was when it clicked to me that she must be somewhat close to this one.

"Well…that never really changed of you," said Molly, adjusting her fedora properly.

"I love your dress!" said Brianna. "You look really good!"

Molly hummed, taking in the second compliment on her dress. "You look nice as well. Though, are you wearing the colors of the lesbian flag?"

I didn't get what Molly meant at first. The golden retriever was wearing a dress as well with black leggings and high-heeled shoes. Her dress was decorated in multiple stripes and geometric shapes, ranging from shades of orange and fuchsia to splashes of white. It didn't look like she took it from a country flag…

"Oh yeah! Thought it would help since…" The golden retriever trailed off when she saw me. "Ooh, who is this cutie?"

Molly took a long sip of her mocktail until it was finished. "Brianna, this is Obsidian."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"W-What?!" stammered Molly.

"Seriously?!" I said, flustered.

"I-I mean, there's…nothing between us," said Molly, trying to frown.

"Yeah, yeah!" I went along. "I'm just accompanying you."

Brianna smirked teasingly. "I see where this is going!"

"No, you don't," hissed Molly.

"I'm an excellent mind reader."

"Then I'm guessing that you don't know that he's a former mercenary of the Jackal Sq-!"

Immediately, I grabbed Molly by the arm, twirled her around and slapped her mouth close, putting her chin to rest on my shoulder. Brianna was left dumbfounded. I grinned sheepishly, trying to appear as innocent as possible.

"What was that?" deadpanned Molly.

Crickets.

"I don't know," I admitted, spinning her back to face Brianna.

I kind of thought I needed to keep that information hidden.

However, the golden retriever didn't seem to mind. "Ah, Jackal Squad, you say?"

"Thanks a lot, Molly," I muttered.

"Sorry…" groaned the purple cat.

"It's cool," said Brianna. "I saw some of your former team members working for G.U.N."

"You saw them around?" I asked.

"Yeah!" said Brianna. "Well, the last time I've seen one of them was like two months ago. Big mission thingy they have to go on. And I'm guessing that you're quite old-fashioned."

I blushed. The ruby giggled, whispering to me that I was quite behind.

"No, I'm not!" I claimed. "OK, anyway, so Molly, you were friends with her for a while?"

Molly had some time to think about it. "Not really. Brianna is just friendly to everyone."

"We went out on a date before," said Brianna casually.

My stomach did a flip-flop. It wasn't as strong as when I felt attracted to someone, but Brianna saying…this?

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

Brianna raised an eye. "Are you sure you're not jealous?"

"N-No, I'm not! You…went on a date with Molly…before?"

The purple cat snapped her fingers, receiving another mocktail. "It was only one time."

"I blame the clown for ruining the mood," said Brianna, lifting a finger up hammily. "He interrupted what would be my main show for that night's dinner!"

Molly rolled her eyes in a much more playful way. "You didn't need to. The dinner was enough."

I was becoming so confused. "So you two…hooked up for a while? Like…on a real date?"

"It was only one time, like she said," explained Brianna. "We tried, but we decided not to forward yet."

"Yeah, strangely, I don't feel too romantic around you," said Molly. "I'm guessing that you're still with Tiffany?"

"Oh yes! We're still hitting things off! Even though the messy parts are…" Brianna chuckled a little, rubbing her arm shyly. "...still there."

The whole world nearly went slow as I tried to progress this further. So apparently, Molly was willing to date another girl despite not being the opposite sex. Her not feeling that much about Brianna was alright, but I was surprised she was willing to go out on this date. It got me thinking if Molly liked not only men as well.

I shook my head. I must be dreaming. Maybe I should ask, but it didn't feel like the appropriate time to, given we're in a public space. Molly might be bluffing to go along with her, so I didn't want to have false hope.

Molly's voice got me focusing back on the present. "You know that you're not exactly messy, Brianna."

"Sorry, sorry," apologized the golden retriever, rubbing the back of her head. "I overthink again. Though, I wonder about you. Because you're already like a super-secret military field commander now!"

"I only had one field experience in a battle," said Molly. "Obsidian was with me that time."

"And is your job paying off?"

"Provides me with good money to help my Abuela. It's not too bad. I must have come in at a lucky time since G.U.N is now striving to be good."

Brianna smiled warmly, pushing herself up to sit at the table next to us. "You know, I still admire you, Molly. Don't tell Tiffany this, but I love that you were determined to get there. At first, I thought you were just some loner with no friends. Some people thought you were a wannabe."

I tilted my head. "Was that…true?"

Molly looked a little sad, but not significantly. "I just…like to go past life. Trying to get past school without being too close to anyone. I don't trust people easily…you know. It's not easy for anyone to fit in."

Brianna nodded in agreement. "I cannot lie, that's true."

Huh, guess it wasn't that easy back then. Not sure to what extent, but it reminded me of what Mitchel went through. And maybe it wasn't only due to his disability; it was fitting with others who would just not like him at first sight without getting to know him well. Remembering back to my conversation with him when I visited his school, it got me to sympathize more with Molly and Brianna being under this subtle social pressure.

"I'm sorry," I said sincerely.

Molly just shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Well, at least we have good lives now," said Brianna, smiling. "I've been seeing many students. They look so different since they appeared happier than before."

"How so?" I asked.

"Before, some had…a miserable time at high school. Of course, we still have to focus on good grades, but not many people accept help easily. But many changed over time ever since they grow to new places, sometimes not always for the better." Brianna grinned with a slight hint of satisfaction. "Not many of the popular kids you know will still look pretty or popular. And some of the most bullied turned out to be fine with hard work."

"Wait, if everyone was on edge before, then what's the point of having a school reunion?"

Molly huffed. "Obsidian, it's a reunion. That should-"

"Hold on, Molly," said Brianna, lifting up a hand. "OK, that nearly sounds old-fashioned, but you must be thinking about something else."

"Well, it just comes to mind if everyone coming here would be…a friendly environment?" I asked.

Brianna nodded. "That's true. But there are still some good memories of school. We can take what we want and leave the rest behind. For those who want to come here, it's a way of cherishing their experience together. You may never know what builds you in the future."

Nearly once again, I was left surprised by how insightful some of the people here could be. From understanding some people who knew what it would take to become a bully to those who know how it felt like to be in a complicated community, even if it was more welcoming in this society. It felt melancholic to me for some reason since she brought up a good point about past events shaping a person.

It got me thinking back to if I still held onto any lessons from my Jackal Squad and if it continued to shape me. And with Brianna saying 'take what we want'...I wondered if I remembered any good lessons I had learnt from Zero or others.

Or if I just flat out ignored what he taught me when I shut him out.

Before long, Brianna left and it was the two of us again. Molly decided to keep moving around. It seemed that Brianna's short visit gave her the courage to say hello out loud to a couple of people. And before long, I joined in after I settled into the state of the party.

It was only a couple of people Molly said hello to. I introduced myself and made sure to shake their hand. Those people responded kindly and politely, asking back about our current jobs. I tried seeing if Molly was friends with them, but it seemed like she usually got along with everyone.

Despite seemingly not trusting people easily, at least she was on good terms with her fellow students. But it looked like their bright personalities clashed against her usual aloofness.

And then, I began questioning myself why I was so nervous. This was a party. It was anything not like the desert. Of course, nobody seemed to be careful with bumping into fragile vases, but nobody acted like a true threat. A few minutes in and I was starting to feel like myself again. I thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad since I was getting along with the other partygoers.

Unfortunately, my confidence seemed to overtop or decrease for the worse when Molly dragged me over to what appeared to be a 'dance practice' room. It was already decked in strong pink, red and blue lights with a crowd surrounding a small stage. Interestingly, festive flags were hanging around, each individual flag colored in unique stripes.

It felt like coming into a dress party.

"What is this about?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, just didn't want to miss this one out," said Molly, seemingly trying to restrain her excitement. She was smiling, but she was struggling to maintain its shape. "Heard that it was good."

"How good will it be?"

The lights dimmed and a low bass played from the stage. Immediately, Molly hurried me over to one of the spare folding chairs. Conveniently, it was the front row. I took my time with getting seated, wrapping my tail around my feet. Meanwhile, Molly seemed to have trouble getting into position, her chair nearly falling down until she got it straightened.

Even in the dark, I was able to inspect the stage well. The front row seats formed a circle to provide a large clear spacing. The stage was just a small black platform with some colorful cardboard walls set up, possibly to allow the performer to get themselves ready. Boomboxes were right next to each side of the stage, playing a funky sound.

Once Molly sat down properly, the bass suddenly stopped…followed by a slightly masculine voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and gals, queens and queens…me."

The curtains flipped upwards, revealing the star of the show. The crowd went wild, cheering loudly as the star stepped forwards on stage. They bowed down, their hair nearly touching the floor, and lifted back up to give a flamboyant pose by shifting their hips.

Their appearance shocked me.

It was a tanned female human, but…her makeup seemed exaggerated and her hairstyle appeared to be a wig. Heavy pink eyeshadow, high rounded blue brows, black eyeliner, large false eyelashes and cherry red lipstick, making herself a dramatic figure. Pastel pink wavy hair with a blue streak on the right side.

Her outfit nearly said the same; a skin-tight glittery sleeveless bodysuit in colors of blue and purple with a black choker and a red bowtie, a fluffy black scarf wrapped over her shoulders, a black belt wrapped around her waist tightly to present a skinny figure and a pair of pink high-heel boots with feathers on the top. She was wearing many accessories that included diamond earrings, golden bangles and elbow-length gloves.

"Yeah-yah, everyone!" said the performer, twirling around a microphone covered in flowers. "Welcome to the Class of Spectacular reunion! Right up on fame street here. This is Diva Nova here for tonight with a great lineup coming up next or you can check out the other performances happening in the other zones!"

For some reason, I felt attracted to this woman. Something appeared quite different, but I must admit, she was beautiful. She was really confident in giving a lot of her all.

I glanced at Molly, who was smiling in glee. When she saw me staring at her, her pupils shrank in small realization.

"She looks…different," I whispered.

Molly blinked before sighing, keeping her voice at a minimum. "Right now, don't say a peep. Be respectful. It's…actually a man, not a woman."

"What?!" I hissed a little too loudly.

The purple cat quickly covered my mouth before anyone could see.

"It's an honor to be your host for tonight or the day whatsoever," said Diva Nova, spinning her hand around. "Queens, people used to say that a man or a woman couldn't simply follow their dreams because of what we're exposed to now of the real world." She scoffed, holding her hands together in a mocking innocent pose. "Well…times change! And I bet that all of you are living the dream right!"

The crowd cheered again. There was an air of pride and victory from the cathartic screams, relieved and happy over their prior successes.

Molly removed her hand from my mouth. "It's just a drag queen. But…" She stopped, embarrassed. "...why am I suddenly explaining this now? I should have told you earlier."

"A…drag queen?" I whispered. "Is this a usual thing?"

Molly didn't answer as Diva continued talking.

"I'll have to admit, it's not too easy, I'll say," she said, keeping an assertive tone with a shade of sass. "It's all about business, love. However, somehow or after the execution is paid off, you might as well experience the pleasure…of what you may desire."

As she said that, she stroked the skin of her arm, bending down on her knees. Providing quite a view for those seeing her from the back. I was too dumbfounded to understand, trying to think how a man could be comfortable wearing all of this. Wasn't this only meant for women to wear?

"Take it from me tonight since maybe the next paper you're writing through would be LITERALLY slayed," said Diva, standing up. "No, seriously. It'll be burning red HOT!"

A couple of scattered claps with a collective murmur of agreement. One whooped loudly.

"As everybody warmed up for today, I got a funny one for you," said Diva, leaning against the stage wall. "Have you heard about the recent sprees the Lightning Bolt Society had been on?"

My eyes widened. Wait, there was news just in?

"I'll have to say, they do look serious in getting down to business. They're everywhere and growing! But it's mostly shirts and sweaters they're after in the end." She wagged a finger, presenting a surprisingly intimidating look of authority. "If they ever steal one of my bras, then girl, we need to have a talk if you want to have a little spark on Uranus."

Many people burst out laughing. Even Molly chuckled, covering her mouth. I didn't get it at first until I realized what the 'Uranus' term would stand for. No wonder why Molly said that the Lightning Bolt Society were idiots.

My eyes widened in absolute horror. It was a good thing none of the members were around or they would drop a nuke here. Maybe this was why the Lightning Bolt Society seemed to try becoming stronger criminals due to this kind of respect given.

However, Diva was still serious, slowly morphing from looking intimidating to just stern.

"Let's get a little real," she said. "Even if I'm making fun, I don't want to look down on them. Kisses on my feet are free, but you try lifting up someone who's going coco for drooped coco pops on the kitchen floor. It's not about wasting your time trying to cut the heel…it's about trying to get to the top of the fruit. If this is sent out, this will be my message for all finding a way upwards, so…" She winked. "Enjoy the show."

I think she winked at ME. She was clearly looking at me. Despite the new knowledge that she might actually be a guy wearing full makeup, I was smitten by this. My heart was beating again, but not too loud. [1]

New music started playing from the boomboxes and I reflexively covered my ears. But once I confirmed it wasn't too loud, I started listening closely to the music. Right as Diva threw the microphone to the side and flipped the end of her hair in a bossy manner. She strutted forward to the center of the clearing in time for the clap-beats.

Her eyebrows even shifted to the sound of the piano key notes playing in the background. I couldn't tell what type of music this was, but it was catchy.

The introduction rap came in, but it was pre-recorded. Diva was just lip-syncing, but the crowd went wild when she struck a pose. Her hands were behind her head as if in the middle of stroking it and her legs were positioned to emphasize one hip. It would nearly look more like dancing to me, but she carried an aura of control and confidence in her moves and attitude.

She was even surprisingly reflexive, making quick, snappy movements with her arms and legs. She barely broke a sweat, carrying a witty smile as she lip-synced to the vocals. Much like the quick rap, she carried a huge self-assertion of herself.

As the first verse followed, she adopted a more gentle and feminine dance style, breezing through her movements. Her hand movements turned into lightly touching the air or making them flow like the wind. She still held the smile with a flirty look yet placed back on a graceful presence, welcoming.

I struggled to keep my tail still without moving a single part of my body to hold it. Even though I couldn't tell if Diva was a male or female, she was beautiful. Not just in her looks but in her presence. Some sass in her steps yet encouraging others to join the dance with her. The room created a new feeling of being in a safer place where one could express themselves.

My face was beginning to warm up, but thankfully, the lights blinded the red blush.

The chorus came in and Diva Nova mixed both gentle movements with flexible, hard-hitting movements, twirling her body around. As I listened to the song, it created this authentic feel like a retro video game. Or something summer. However, I found myself finding the lyrics a little too cheesy since I wasn't sure if the use of 'friendship' should be right for the message.

The music sounded cute in the chorus, but Diva somehow made it fun to go along with as she orchestrated a clever choreography.

The crowd was already cheering by the second verse and it got louder when Diva strutted to Molly. The purple cat, seemingly unbothered by the huge attention, smiled and patted her hands on her knees in rhythm. Diva started by walking around her chair, sometimes holding onto the back part of it to do a little cute kick. Then, she rubbed her shoulders with a bright grin. Immediately, Molly giggled, practically purring at this point.

I found myself frowning, feeling envious of how freely Molly was with letting the performer touch her. My protective instincts were slowly kicking in, but the ruby swooped in, whispering to me to let it go. I would end up looking more like protecting a cupcake meant for photography.

Regardless of the tightening of my insides, I pushed it down to not spoil the fun.

And then, it was my turn when Diva Nova reached the third verse.

It should have been expected when the crowd cheered loudly and the drag queen walked around my chair like a Christmas tree. I was beginning to shrink internally, drawing my tail close to the arm of my chair. I tried looking straight, not wanting to stare at her for too long. However, I could sense her doing poses three times behind my seat, probably something sensual to get the audience going 'oooh'.

And then, she came to my side, patting my left shoulder. I turned to her with a fluttered smile. She grinned, a sparkle when she winked. It felt much like Pilot Diamond, but she didn't go out of her way to squish my face here. Through the makeup, her blue eyes were pure, asking me to trust her.

This time, the tingle running through my body felt better with no guilt.

So, I let her, clapping excitingly. She nodded before coming to my other side, briefly touching my other right shoulder to perform another cute kick in the air. To my surprise, she placed her scarf around my neck. No words could describe how enlightened I was. She gave me a blow kiss before ruffling my hair in a sibling-like manner. That got me thinking back to Tempest a lot.

I found myself cheering along as Diva hopped all the way back to the clearing. It was then I felt like I was above the clouds, seeing this angel dazzle and show an unapologetic air to be free and dangerous. My heart was pounding in my ears, strangely beating to the song in perfect rhythm.

As the last chorus came to the midpoint, she quickly grabbed what appeared to be two sticks composed of very long rainbow flags. She twirled them upwards and in less than 5 seconds, the fabric flew around to form an infinite shape. One that could represent true and eternal beauty.

The performance concluded with Diva Nova letting the flags drop and lip-syncing the last few words, humbly shaking her shoulders. [1s]

The crowd cheered again, dazzled by the performance. I was speechless, so I tossed the scarf back to her. She grinned at me and bowed again, her hair nearly touching the floor. This time, I let my tail wag wildly and the pleasure to sink in.

Molly let out a loud 'YEAH' as she playfully punched my shoulder. Turning to her, I laughed in response. She laughed as well. She looked pretty again, her usual seriousness dropped down to show a new side of her. She looked really…happy.

It felt like a brick dropped on me when I saw the joyful look on her face.

The whole performance, I…kind of fell for Diva Nova. I realized that I didn't think too much about what she was wearing if she turned out to be a man behind the scenes. In fact, it barely came to mind when she put on the charm. And I didn't mind her flaunting her dress, finding it beautiful.

Was that what Stone meant when he asked me about…

"Being flexible with how people present and identify themselves?"

And then, I pondered on how I felt if Diva Nova was really a man. I unknowingly fell for a guy again, even if the performer put on the appearance of a woman.

It suddenly felt like a betrayal I accidentally committed. Molly was right next to me. My interest was exposed. This time, it extended to more than just lust, especially when she shared a little about the concept of 'drag queens'.

Looking back at her, she appeared so happy for me. However, I wondered how she felt if she noticed how much I was attracted to the performer. The ruby came in, trying to tell me that she did date a girl in the past, but it felt like a dead end. It didn't make sense.

In spite of accompanying Molly, a thought told me I was acting like I didn't have an interest in her if she truly liked me. And that made me feel like I might hurt her.

I wasn't smiling anymore, now dreading what Molly would tell me after this. The purple cat was saying something, but I couldn't listen clearly over the noise. My throat became dry and it was suddenly hard to push down the now-painful sensation in my chest.

"I-I need to go," I said meekly.

"Sorry, what you say?" asked Molly.

"I-I need to g-go for…a…um, a break! Yes!" I laughed anxiously, standing up. "A break! I just…had-I mean, have to use the bathroom."

Molly didn't notice how stressed I was becoming. "You're sure? There's still a lot to go."

"No, no, it's fine. Just…enjoy yourself. I-I'll be back! I promise!"

Without looking back, I climbed out of the room, my tail hanging limp between my legs.

AN: Got to say that this chapter is nearly the first time I have ever written themes surrounding LGBTQ+ topics. It even comes with giving slight insight and interesting hints into LGBT characters though I don't think I focused enough on Brianna and Fiyero. But those two could be seen as those who already accepted their identity and not shunned out. This is a new territory of story-writing and I know some of you readers might not even know much about LGBTQ+.

I tried thinking how Obsidian - a mercenary who grew up in an indeed old-fashioned world surrounded by strict survival and Darwinism - would feel when learning about gender appearances and sexuality identities that are foreign to him. Once again, this isn't him being prejudiced but struggling to get a grip on adapting to a world he doesn't know properly. The trouble comes with distinguishing between 'good' and 'bad', especially how he feels. MasterClass60 gave me good advice on this development since, as you can tell, Obsidian is confused about his growing thoughts, how he thinks he should view them and worries about what other people (mostly Molly due to their mutual fondness for each other) would think of him.

And boy, I think the next chapter will highlight and deconstruct the unfortunate implications used against the LGBTQ+ community, so that's going to confuse him more without the right knowledge. But you'll have to wait and see how that will be resolved. Especially since you all noticed Obsidian has a newfound interest.

As mentioned before, Chapter 8 of 'MeAndTheBoys:ATeamDarkStory' by Mchovey gave me the inspiration for the party, but I also took elements from 'Crazy Rich Asians' to set the mood for a modern rich party and had everyone wearing formal attire…with some quirks, of course. September's cameo references a certain scene in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'.

Molly's dress is from an outfit design I made for TheLostEternity a long time ago (it's part of an old profile picture) and I want it to see the light of day again. The dress took inspiration from the outfit of 'Fight Club' in Just Dance 2018. The design was actually based on Null Space in Sonic Forces (could be seen as foreshadowing in-universe context!) and the pixel squares at the ends of the dress are meant as a reference to the Techno Trolls in Trolls World Tour.

About Diva Nova, this is actually based on my experience when watching a performance of a drag artist. I don't think this is the most accurate representation of drag artists and queens, so my apologies if some parts appeared stereotypical. It started around the start of this year during my university's orientation week. I signed up to watch a performance by Valerie Hex. There was this game where everyone watching got to spin the wheel to decide what they'll be gifted; I received a performance from Valerie Hex's partner for the show.

Throughout the whole performance, I was practically grinning and internally squealing away, especially when I was given a pat on the shoulder. I thought I would be tuned out when they played 'Wannabe' by Spice Girls, but it ended up being an experience I would never forget. To say I was smitten by an icon who slays is the right phrase. So here, I basically wrote down my experience with getting a special experience. However, the differences between Obsidian's experience and my experience were 1) I wasn't in a romantic relationship, 2) I was unashamed of the feeling I had and 3) I already had a general understanding of drag queens (it helps that I played Just Dance a lot). Obsidian is basically the newcomer to everything.

And that's how Diva Nova came to life. It was a little hard of what he/she would say without falling to be too stereotypical. But I want this character to be spitting out good facts. I imagine RuPaul to be the voice actor of Diva Nova; a queen fit for a queen character. And yes, I chose 'Wannabe' to be the song for Diva's performance (it was initially going to be 'Sissy That Walk' before I decided that the song needed to be something that presents love and encouragement).

Got to wrap this up before this author's note become too long. Thank you for reading this chapter! Let me know what you think of some of the LGBTQ+ representations (namely Brianna, Fiyero, Diva Nova and, of course, Obsidian and Molly) seen here and if I'm on the right track. Feedback or constructive criticism will definitely help in shaping a better representation of this story. If you enjoy this story, be sure to follow or favorite to get updates.

Until next time, keep on rocking!