Though it was still Summer, the first signs of fall befell the city of Los Angeles, with the leaves just barely gaining a touch of those oh, so iconic orange and browns, and several kaleidoscopes of Monarch Butterflies were beginning their migration to warmer climates early this year. All these were sure signs of a nice, cold Winter on the horizon, but until then, there was just 3 more weeks of Summer to get through before sinking comfortably into the brisk Autumn weather.

Frankie's office at work was unusually abuzz that morning, a new hire had recently joined, a young lady who looked fresh out of high school and ready for college had been hired on as an intern, and was shadowing Frankie's closest work friend, Yuri, whose black hair and dark blue eyes, shone with a bit of uncharacteristic flair. Even on his best days, Yuri was known for being a bit slow to both the uptake and conversation, and hardly raised his voice under any circumstances. Now, however, he was quite poignant and well-spoken for the new hire.

"So, uh, lessee-" The young man pondered quickly as he scanned the office desks before landing on Frankie's, perking up with a smile. "Aw, yeah! Over there, you'll be picking up the databases printed out by our DB guy over in the corner over there!"

"You mean the big tanned guy…?" She nervously asked.

"Yup, that's good ol' Frank, he doesn't talk a whole lot, but he's a real peach, I'll tell ya that." Yuri explained.

"I-is he really?" The young lady gulped expectedly as she stared over to Frankie, in clear view of the two of them. Feeling like he was being watched, he turned to face them.

Now, he didn't mean anything by how he chose to look at the duo, by all accounts, he was just shooting them a normal passing glance out of curiosity and weariness… but his face of disappointed frustration from the buffering of his computer didn't completely fade away- so to this girl, she was staring at a bloodthirsty brute, who'd probably rip someone's head off for looking at him the wrong way… and to her, she most certainly was. She shivered and got closer to Yuri.

"I-is there anywhere else you can put me in for today…?" She asked.

"What? You're not afraid of him are you?" Yuri asked.

"Yes! Just look at the way he's looking at me! That isn't very friendly!" She whispered angrily to him.

"Oh, he's just being shy, c'mon, I'll introduce you. And don't worry, if he tries to get out of line, I'll sock him up just for you!" Yuri pushed the whimpering woman towards Frankie, much to her protest.

"No-no! Stop it! You saw how he was looking at me during the team meeting!"

"That's just how he looks all the time! You're fine!"

"Yuri- I'm serious!"

Both of them were arguing over each other even as they crept as close as they could to Frankie, who was slumped over his desk waiting for the darn monitor to buffer.

"Hey, Frank, how's it going?" Yuri suddenly asked, getting him to jump with a sharp gasp. Yuri chuckled. "Yeah, that usually happens."

"Y-yeah? What is it?" Frankie asked back.

"Well I just thought I'd introduce you to my sister, Rubee, she graduated this past Summer, and she's just floating for the time being, she's the new intern!" Yuri explained.

"H-hello…" Rubee responded. Frankie silently bowed politely.

"Hey, you always do that, what's wrong with the good ol' sup nod, eh?" Yuri asked.

"I like bowing instead… it's a lot more humble, I think, and let's people know I'm not up to no good and they have my respect."

"Oh? I never thought about it that way before…" Rubee commented.

"Alright, alright, alright, let's not get too pleasant here, we still got work to do, and I'm afraid Frank here is already spoken for." Yuri said.

"H-huh?" Frankie asked with a blush.

"C'mon… you've had that girl living at your house for, what? A month by now? You're telling me you haven't gone anywhere since then?" Yuri asked.

"I-I-it's still too soon to try anything for me! B-besides… we're perfectly comfortable as it is right now…" Frankie defensively replied.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Bud." Yuri responded back.

"Oh, leave him alone, Yuri, it looks like he's got enough on his plate already." Rubee scolded.

"Oh, now you're all buddy buddy with him. Not two seconds ago you didn't even wanna look at the guy!"

"Well excuse me for being an empathetic member of society!" She boasted huffily, a hand to her chest.

"Yeahyeahyeah, sure- oh! That reminds me- Frank, I'm inviting you to come on out to a bit of dinner and dancing with some of us here, I told my folks I'd be taking Rubee here to do just that to celebrate her getting hired."

"Dinner and dancing…?" Frankie pondered out loud. Already, his thoughts swam towards all the potential choices he could make on any given menu… creamy tangy salmon at a more lowkey but still fancy establishment, rare steak with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy at a more homely establishment… heck, a bit of good fast food sounded like heaven after a month of cooking for him and Pyra and Mythra…

"Y-yeah, sure- I'd be down…!"

Yuri smiled widely.

"Goooood. We'll be meeting up right after work… it's gonna be a late night delight! TGIF, am I right?"

Frankie nodded silently again.

"Alright, Frank, see you then, and be nice to Rubee, alright? She'll just be doing some up n' up over here, no pressure!"

Frankie nodded once again and looked to his computer- finally finished buffering! He excitedly got back to work as Yuri and Rubee took their leave. Yuri's pleasant smile had yet to leave his face.

"God, I hate that look. You're planning something aren't you? You said he's spoken for yourself. Even he basically confirmed things are getting serious." Rubee commented.

"You, me, and the rest of our little pack'll be doing our own celebrating after dinner… but let's just say… I've got friends in high places~" Yuri patted his pocket mischievously.

"And what the heck's that supposed to mean…?"

"Well… how's about-"

…

"-The fox is in the henhouse…" Kaito read a text from Yuri aloud. "Perfect… the plan is in motion…" He chuckled.

"We're not gonna be left out of too many festivities… are we, Kokonut…?" Miko asked hopefully.

"Oh, Koko Puff, of course not…" Kaito held Miko close as her frown formed into a smile. "Just remember who this is all for…"

"Yuri's sister Rubee?"

"Yes… Yuri's siste- WAIWHA- no! I mean… yeah, technically, but we've got a relationship to grow! Besides, after this past week, I think they really need it."

Miko giggled naughtily.

"I know, Kokonut, and it isn't like it won't be important for a certain you-know-who, either!"

"Yup! That's exactly what we'll tell them!"

"That said, you better save some room on your plate, and a spot on the dance floor… for me~" Miko batted her eyelashes seductively at Kaito.

"w-w-I-I-aluspfuufsjgsbizohshowgsohplaxcrgbllg…" Kaito sputtered nonsense as Miko pinched his nose cheerily.

"Oh, you dorkus… you go get ready and find Big brobro his clothes, and I'll get to my part of the mission, alright?"

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yes my love…"

"Good. Good luck, Kokonut, I love you." Miko gave Kaito a quick peck on the lips, getting him red in the face and continuing to make incomprehensible noises as he left the scene.

…

"Moshi Moshi?" Kari answered her phone politely. Her face lit up at the sound of the voice on the other end. "Miko! Hello, dear, is it that time already?" Affirmative grunts and babble from the other end caused the older woman to nod excitedly in anticipation. "I'll do just that! Good luck on your end!" As she hung the phone up, she immediately went on over to Pyra's work area- where she had recently rejoined as the hostess for storytime for the kids.

"On the pond where the swans were, Louis put his trumpet away. The cygnets crept under their mother's wings. Darkness settled on woods and fields and marsh. A loon called its wild night cry. As Louis relaxed and prepared for sleep, all his thoughts were of how lucky he was to inhabit such a beautiful earth, how lucky he had been to solve his problems with music, and how pleasant it was to look forward to another night of sleep and another day tomorrow, and the fresh morning, and the light that returns with the day."

Pyra pleasantly read aloud to the surrounding children before closing the book gently, looking at it fondly as she wondered to herself, "So that's how it ends… how sweet, no wonder Frankie was so attached to it!"

The children all began to clap wildly and let out a few cheers of celebration, before Pyra put a finger to her mouth and motioned for them to settle down.

"Inside voices, kids! We're still in the library!" She whispered. The kids felt embarrassed for a moment or two before continuing to cheer once more, albeit much more hushed than the last time.

"Is this a true story, Miss Pyra?" A boy in the audience asked. Pyra giggled and squatted down to his level.

"You never know, if there's one thing I've learned myself is that anything is possible no matter how fantastic it seems! That's just the way life is sometimes!"

The same boy pondered this intently as a girl spoke up.

"The teacher at my school is helping us take care of duckies until they're old enough to be on their own! We're gonna have a field trip soon! Do you think we'll see Louis and his kids there?"

This was a question Pyra really had to think about. She wasn't aware of any of the odd, mythical places the book had mentioned like Canada, Montana, or Boston… all she knew was the equally strange California, and she certainly hadn't seen any swans around the places she visited yet, but Frankie DID mention swan territory on odd occasions, but these specific kinds of swans? She wasn't sure.

"Well if ever you do, just be careful! They're pretty, but they're still wild animals!" She advised, just as she did so, Mythra came strolling on by after reorganizing the non-fiction section of the library.

"And most importantly, you better be careful not to take a lunch with you, cuz just when you least expect it… they'll sneak up on you… look you dead in the eye, spread their wings out… and go- OMNOMNOM!" She finished hee warning by forming her arms and hands into a makeshift head and neck, playfully lunging forward their way as she gnashed her teeth. A majority of the children giggled in surprise before running off to find more things to do… all except one, who had tumbled over laughing.

"Auntie Mythra, you're cool! Can you come to storytime more often?" The little girl, Sally, asked sweetly.

"I'm a busy lady, kid, I gotta make sure you squirts are looking where you oughta be looking 'round here. You don't need to go snooping around the books for your mom and dad." She said.

"Awwww… but it's so much fun!" Sally pleaded with a pout.

"Ahhh… we'll see what I can do- but I mean it about the books thing- I got my eye on you!" She winked and raised an eyebrow the child's way, getting her to laugh giddily once again, just as Pyra joined them.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to read the story you wanted me to, Sally, sweetie… Auntie Pyra's been… busy." She apologized, lowly.

"But mommy always says the best things in life are worth waiting for! I think I know what she means now! Thank you Auntie Pyra!" The little girl quickly flung herself over to Pyra and hugged her ecstatically. Pyra let out a soft chuckle as she hugged back gently.

"Yeah… I guess you have a point there, dear…" She smiled sweetly as she pondered over the girl's words some more… if this was the life she was going to be living from now on… with all these people who just see her as her, where she can just… BE… with Frankie, with Mythra, potentially even with Pneuma… maybe the best things in life WERE worth waiting for, she supposed.

It was then, did Sally remove herself from Pyra and looked up at her and Mythra excitedly.

"When I get big, I wanna work right here with both of you!" She said excitedly as Mythra leaned down to pay her head.

"We'll see about that, kiddo, just keep your hopes up and keep on chugging… or something like that." She said.

"That's just what mommy says! You're so smart, Auntie Mythra!"

"O-oh… uh… thanks, kid… n-now get outta here before my hands and arms eat you…" Mythra blushed with a pout as she turned away, a bit embarrassed. Sally giggled quietly as she bounded off happily towards the play area.

"See, Mythra? You're doing good, we're a step in the right direction." Pyra said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure… not as much as you though… even Frankie's brainstorming over here ever since Pneuma planted that seed in his head." She answered back.

"Oh, you… come on now, what happened to 'One day at a time' or progress is progress, hm?"

"Well… maybe I want 'progress is progress' to be a bit more 'faster is faster'…"

"Oh Mythra… come on, it's lunch time, let's eat."

"Okay… but keep your paws off my ribs and potatoes!"

"No promises!"

Mythra sighed in defeat as the two headed to the break room.

Mythra started her lunch with a nice hearty bite of her rib, coming apart so easily and still leaking with juice from the weekend before. The only other employee who had their break at this time was Ron, who, despite not being hungry himself, took the time to follow the sweet fruity scent of the ribs and cheesy potatoes.

"Hey, Myth… whatcha got there?" He asked curiously, his droopy blue eyes peeking up in intrigue.

"Food." She stated simply as she kept to her important task at hand.

"H-hey now… I know the noodle stuff caused a bit of a split between us… but if you'd be so kind as to-"

"Not a chance, Mop-Top! These are a special treat made with love and attention to detail at the hands of my bo-ah-BEST friend and I have every intention of finishing! Or I should say WE! Right, Pyra?!" As Mythra proudly stood her ground, Ron patted his messy brown hair nervously before glaring down at her again while an expected response from Pyra never came.

"Pyra?"

Mythra turned beside her to find Pyra slowly munching away at her pork rib sandwich, transfixed on an ant of all things carrying a bit of crumb away from the table and back outside. She didn't say anything and just observed the tiny little insect marching along absentmindedly, not a care for itself in the world, determined only to get back to its queen and feed all the cute little… horrifying babies that waited for it back home. Mythra and Ron looked on themselves, perplexed at Pyra's fascination, not even Mythra had seen her act quite like this before.

"You uh… you good Pyra?" She asked.

When the ant was out of view, Pyra turned to face them with a pleased smile.

"Do you think Frankie likes ants?" She asked.

"Hah…?" Mythra asked back.

"Oh! Of course he does! He went off on a whole tirade about their evolution when we first met! It was really quite fascinating!"

"Was it now? Maybe I should get in talks with him and make him our resident fact checker for the kids over the weekend!" Kari's gentle voice sounded across the room as she wandered into the conversation.

"H-h-Heya boss- ah- the play area's spotless! You don't need to get the 'Supe' on me, do you?" Ron asked.

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary, I've been keeping an eye on her myself ever since she was filling in for me days before Mythra's court sentence." Kari explained as she walked ahead.

"Oh thank goodness…" Ron sighed in relief.

"Uh- hey Kari, what's up?" Mythra asked.

"Oh… was it too soon for us to go on our breaks? I'm sorry… it's usually after storytime we do, so…" Pyra sheepishly said.

"No no no! Of course not! The two of you are fine! There's something else I'd like to ask of you if you don't mind." Kari said with a smile.

"Some kids are sticking their gum underneath the shelves of the bookcases, aren't they?" Mythra guessed.

"Not exactly… no, see- this will involve a little bit of activity AFTER work." She clarified.

"Great…" Mythra bemoaned, sucking her teeth and rolling her eyes up in annoyance.

"Mythra, come on now, don't be like that!" Pyra lightly scolded before turning back to Kari. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll be up to the task!"

"Oh, I promise, it isn't hard in the least… as a matter of fact I think the two of you might get a kick out of it!" Kari erected herself excitedly as she continued. "How would you girls like to go out for a bit of food and dancing after work?"

"Oh… is there going to be a lot of people there?" Pyra asked.

"Well, sure! That's part of the fun of it all, isn't it?" Kari asked.

Mythra and Pyra exchanged nervous glances before turning back to Kari to voice their opinion.

"I mean… it does sound lively but…" Pyra began.

"I don't think we're in any real rush to be around too many people all at once. We like it just fine going home and hanging out with Frankie and junk, Kaito and Miko here and there too. Plus… we still got some leftover bear meat we haven't finished and there's a couple things we gotta do at home anyway so, sorry, but I don't think there's really anything you could say that could get us to change our minds so quickly-"

"Frankie's going to be there." Kari interrupted.

"Kayletsgetthisshitdoneandheadonoutthen." Mythra responded on point.

"W-wait- Frankie? How'd you even get ahold of him?" Pyra asked.

"Oh? You didn't think he'd leave you high and dry without telling me, would he? No disrespect to you ladies, at all! But I've never seen you with a phone… you could call me with his in case of emergency!" Kari chuckled.

"Pyra, you better say yes, cuz I'm not missing the chance to show off these freaking perfect dance skills of mine… and in front of Frankie no less~" Mythra whispered.

"Mythra! We've never been dancing before!" Pyra whispered a warning back.

"I know! But is it really any different than your little dramatic flair or whatever the heck? Or bounding from one place to another on the battlefield, bobbing and weaving in and out of all kinds of crazy stuff flying at you left and right? If you ask me, I'd say I got two left feet!" Mythra proclaimed proudly, unaware of what she was really saying…

"Well… I guess you're right…" Pyra pondered aloud… quickly shifting to a smile and blush as she ventured further into thought, "And if there's anyone I'd wanna share my first dance with…"

"Shh! Not so loud and not so obvious you dork! There's still people here!"

"So? Are you two in?" Kari asked.

"Hey uh- can I come too?" Ron asked.

"Everyone is welcome, Ron! Just BYOC! Bring your own car! …and DD if necessary."

"Yes!" Ron flexed in excitement.

"Yeah, I think we're in!" Pyra responded.

"But our dances are already spoken for." Mythra added.

"Oh, believe me, girls, I wouldn't have it any other way…" Kari looked away knowingly, a smug expression on her face. The stage was set and the curtain was up… time to play matchmaker.

…

"Black on black on black? You couldn't have at least gotten my green shirt, baby bro?" Frankie asked as Kaito handed him his clothes from outside the employee restroom.

"I don't know much about color theory myself, big brobro, but, w-well… Miko seems to like it whenever I dress like this…" He admitted.

"Hah… of course she does…"

"Quiet you…! Get your clothes on and make yourself pretty, we gotta be there in an hour and half! Yuri and Rubee are already ahead of us."

"It's not a race, you doof."

"Oh, I beg to differ…" Kaito responded sneakily.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"But…dancing, huh? You know I recall you saying you weren't a fan of it back at those family parties you told me about." Frankie peered over his shoulder.

"Well… it's not like I DISLIKED them… but I'd rather just stay back and listen doing my own thing than trying to show off, y'know? Even if my mom had something else to say about that..." Frankie sighed while Kaito chuckled. "And… well… we don't need to talk about what happened this last year… and… junk related to that…" Kaito frowned while he patted Frankie on the shoulder.

"It's alright Big brobro… it just takes time…" He said.

"I mean… I guess just… being away for so long has got me… itching a little bit… ¿Tú sabes?"

"Hah… see what I mean, big bro? I'm not that dumb, you know. As for me, I just hated those big booming techno songs that you'd hear at every gathering… they were just loud… annoying… and just plain draining on my system… but… I dunno… I guess some of your own little ideals have been rubbing off on me."

"Oh…? And nothing else in your life changed between those points to cause that to happen?" Frankie smirked. Given his constant fluster over Pyra and Mythra, Kaito sometimes forgot that Frankie could call upon his own sense of snark from time to time, it just mainly was directed at him more than anyone else. Even now Kaito wasn't quite sure if Frankie was referring to himself, Miko, or both.

"I…said quiet you-" He lightly bopped him on the arm.

"Oh, Kaito, c'mon, don't worry… you know that loud noises were never my friend myself when I was… well… even smaller than you are now-"

"I said q u i e t"

The two laughed briefly before Kaito took lead in the conversation once again.

"That said…" Kaito tilted his head in some observation. "You've changed a bit ever since this whole kerfuffle started, ya know?"

Frankie turned in some confusion.

"How do you figure?"

"Well I mean, for a long while you seemed like you were kind of down, like you had your happier moments and everything but…well you just seem more…vibrant, nowadays. Though I can't possibly imagine why…" Kaito ended that statement with his own side-eye snark to combat Frankie's tenfold.

For his part, Frankie could barely even try to deny it, so he just smiled and shook his head. It was one thing to admit all these…intimate emotions he felt, but the fact that Pyra and Mythra dropping into his life had changed a fair bit about his attitude was practically undeniable at this point.

"Is… that a bad thing?"

"Heh…nah, just the opposite, big dork-bro."

…

"Yellow on white? That's a pretty loud combination." Miko asked as Mythra observed herself in the mirror.

"Yeah well maybe loud is what I want on the dance floor, hm?" Mythra snapped back at the smaller lady, who had arrived to check on the two of them before they left.

"Sure, sure…but I dunno, something tells me you wanna be loud so a certain someone will keep an especially close eye on you-"

"Sh-shut up…" Mythra's energetic debating simmered down as she looked away. She put away the dress and looked at the other options before her. This was the last big preparation for them before heading off, what to wear to this gathering. A decision that would prove difficult for the Blades given their lack of experience.

"Mmm…I'm still not too crazy sure about all this…are we really…ready to be around such a large group of people again? I know I wasn't fully…there, but that trial still haunts me." Pyra held up one of the dresses she was considering, but was far less enthused.

"You're the one who agreed to it in the first place, Pyra, I don't see what the big deal is." Mythra commented, playing with her hair to get it just right.

"I-I know but… maybe this wasn't such a good idea… maybe we SHOULD just go home and wait for Frankie to come back- it's a lot safer there…" Pyra nervously pondered, swaying one way and the other.

Miko reached out and patted the taller girl on the arm.

"First time dealing with stage fright, Pyra? Trust me, I know what it's like."

Pyra looked back in some shock.

"You…can't be serious, you're one of the most confident people I've met!"

"Hehe…aww shucks…" Miko swayed a bit herself at that compliment. "But really, it wasn't a cake walk to be judged by that many people at once. In fact, it still isn't…"

She held Pyra's wrist in both of her hands now.

"Listen Pyra, a lot of people you think are super confident are often just as frightened as you." She looked up at her with happy, yet determined eyes. "It just means that the people who face those fears head on have a lot of strength!"

Miko's expression softened to a more lighthearted vibe. "Plus, it's a party. No one's gonna be judging you there like at the trial. I won't try to explain it, but just go and see for yourself how you'll feel about it, okay?"

Pyra, processing Miko's words, gently nodded.

As she watched on, Mythra thought back to Kaito telling her of Miko's past back at the beach. She couldn't help but smile at seeing his statements proved to her in real time.

"Right, right, but I'm sure we're not the only ones anxious, ey 'Muffin'?" Mythra teased.

"Anxious? Heavens no! More like ecstatic! Fufufu… Kaito's like putty on my hands whenever I decide to get my sexy on… heheh… seeing that hairy little mug of his light up the moment I step through that door is gonna be one for the books…" She spoke deviously. Then she suddenly shifted to a much more dreamy mood, "But the way his hairy little mug lights up the moment I step through the door! That doofy little smile… those big dark happy eyes of his, the way he just stumbles over his speech in the most perfect way you can imagine… ohhhhhh… he gives my heart butterflies! I couldn't have asked for a better dork to enter my life with how so… romantically doofy he is!~" Miko swooned and blushed and swayed from side to side as her mind swirled with all kinds of thoughts regarding her boyfriend, completely lost in thought as she mumbled Kaito's name over and over again in absolute bliss. Pyra and Mythra blinked indignantly at each other.

"And she's the one getting on us…" Mythra commented.

Frankie's little pack consisted mainly of him, Yuri, Rubee, and a few select members of their family, while Kaito had left him to socialize and go off on his own… seemingly, at least. Much ado was being made over Rubee's recent accomplishment and things looking up for her in the world, but all Frankie could really do was sink into himself quietly… he didn't know ANY of these people, really, and why Yuri would ask him to come on out all out of the blue like this, he didn't quite know… well, at least the food was surprisingly good. Chicken Marsala with Rice Pilaf after downing a plate of fried mozzarella as a starter, this would definitely be a place where he'd take Pyra and Mythra some day… he hoped they wouldn't get too lonely without him there… it wouldn't be too long, he decided, at least after the presents… dancing was the last thing on his mind.

"Rubee, dear, I couldn't be prouder of you! Fresh out of high school, and already taking your first step in the real world, and taking you classes full time on top of that- OH! Your father would be so proud!" Rubee and Yuri's mother boasted proudly and emotionally over her daughter.

"Uh- yeah… thanks mom…" Rubee commented.

"Bah, it's a whole buncha bullcrap if ya ask me, when I was your age, I was already out there in the fields towing and picking and bending myself over backwards just to get a fraction of work done! The industry's gettin' too soft nowadays!" An older male, seemingly either her grandfather or uncle, it was hard to tell, said.

"Dad, come on… seriously? Are we gonna have this talk again?" A younger female, though not as young as Rubee or even Yuri, asked worriedly.

"Well, if you insist!" The family all collectively groaned as the old man shot a gaze at Frankie, "Hey, you, chico, amigo- whatever yer name is- better listen closely, cuz I ain't slowing down even for the likes of you!"

"DAVE!" The mother slapped the older man's shoulder in reprimanding before turning to Frankie herself, "Never mind him, Frank, he's… a little too old fashioned for his own good…"

"Just… just drown him out, you aren't a part of this soap box, you're fine." The other lady suggested.

"It alllll started back in '32! When we were bored of staying inside and being scared of mom and pop comin' home from a bad day at work, we'd shank a man for his pocket change and get on outta there with our dough like REAL men and women- those were the golden years, I tells, ya- that was good ol' fashioned entertainment! And furthermore, we didn't have any of those fancy schmancy knickknacks and gadgets to waste all our money on! We knew what the REALLY important stuff was, which is another thing I'll be happy ta' lay out in great de-tail for you all!"

The family all groaned again as this man called Dave pulled out a rusty pocketknife, pulling out one individual utensil at a time, sitting up tall and proudly proclaiming what it meant to his survival back in the old days.

"Of all people mom had to invite, it had to be him, didn't it…?" Rubee muttered to Yuri under breath.

"From what I understand, she didn't, but Lexi didn't really wanna leave him alone… plus I think she mentioned something about him stowing away in the trunk…" Yuri responded. Rubee snickered quietly as both she and Yuri turned to a clearly despondent Frankie, who was busy spooning up the Marsala sauce.

"Hey, Frank… sorry if this wasn't exactly what you had in mind… we just thought… you know… you'd like to get out of the house and stuff… you always say you head straight home." Yuri said before sitting up straight and looking over his shoulder, "Course, if our plus ones or twos weren't so late, this wouldn't be as much of a problem…"

"O-oh… no… it's okay…" Frankie said simply.

"Man… you really don't talk much, do you?" Rubee asked. Frankie shook his head.

"Eh, you know, people have their good days and their bad days, his birthday was a pretty good day for sure, I even caught him getting all excited at his desk just before clocking out- staying all late and junk!"

"W-well… you know…" Frankie responded.

"Hah… and I've told you once, but I'll say it again, I'm jealous of you, Frank- gettin a girl to just show up right in front of you like it's no big thing! You're a real one, for real!"

"Seriously, Yuri… THIS again?" Rubee asked in frustration.

"…theyarentjusthereforustooggleatyknow…" Frankie said, barely under breath.

"Huh? What was that?" Yuri asked. Frankie, shocked, sat up straight, and shook his head as if he hadn't said anything. Yuri shrugged it off and returned to his plate, hoping to drown out old Dave's rant.

"Alright, everyone! Who's up for a little old school?" The MC of the establishment announced excitedly as he let a small band of three young men walk up on stage with their instruments, drums, winds, and strings. After a bit of tuning and raucous cheers from the rest of the crowd, they began to play some old funk and disco song, having older parents, Frankie was definitely accustomed to these kinds of tunes and brightened up considerably.

"NOT OLD ENOUGH, YA BUNCHA NINNIES!" Dave hollered just before he was picked up by two large, burly men by his arms. "Hey- hey! Get your hands offa me! I'm an American citizen you jackasses!" He screamed as they carried him away.

"Well… that takes care of that…" Yuri and Rubee's mother blasely said. Lexi sighed.

"He's just gonna wander the streets if they leave him out there… I'll go take him home and I'll be right back." She said as she excused herself.

"Strike two… not lookin' too hot at the moment, eh, sis?" Yuri asked, only to be met with no response. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at his younger sister, who was taken aback by the trio of men up on stage… not by their looks or their professions or anything… at least not completely, but they just… exuded confidence with each beat they hit and each word they sung… it was breathtaking.

"Frank, let me tell you something. If you got yourself an opportunity to do something that's been calling you for God knows how long handed to you on a silver platter, no matter what it takes… just DO it, alright? It might just be that kind of excitement you're really looking for." Rubee commented dreamily.

"Well, hey- how about you take your own advice for once and do something right now, you starry eyed little gremlin?" Yuri teased, cheekily shoving his sister's head.

"Ow! Yuri! I am GOING to kill you! The circumstances here are different and you know it!"

"Oh really? Tell me, explain to me in great detail, I'm listening!"

"Oh, are you? Funny, from your report cards, I just assumed you were hiding a black hole full of nothing in that cavity of yours!"

While Yuri and Rubee were busy arguing over each other, Frankie, though seemingly not listening, took the time to ponder over what Rubee had told him… it wasn't too dissimilar to the advice that he, Pyra, and Mythra were giving each other… and here he was just repeating what his mom would tell him… not that he didn't take most of it to heart, but hearing it from not one, but three other people in such a short amount of time from each other… the gears in his head were turning… bringing him back once again to that beautiful… archaic landmass that Pneuma had shown him not too long ago… what secrets did they hold? What secrets did Pneuma hold? We they even secrets he wanted to know…? Maybe with Pyra and Mythra around, just like they told him..: they would be.

Just as he thought this…

"Hey, Dummy!"

Frankie shot his head up to the sound of Mythra's brash tone, making hers and Pyra's presence known. Their dresses were simple, way up to their chest to conceal their core crystals and flowing down so elegantly. Pyra's was a bright red to contrast her darker reds, while Mythra's was deep black with a blue bow tied around her waistline… they were gorgeous.

P-P-Pyra- M-Mythra! H-hey! What are you doing here?" He asked, trying desperately to hide his incredibly lovestruck blush, as if his bright smile at the mere sight of them wasn't a dead giveaway already.

"Kari told us we'd find you here! I hope you don't mind!" Pyra exclaimed with a happy smile.

"Yeah- not like you'd have a choice in the matter anyway." Mythra sneered.

"R-really? Then… did she drive you here?"

"That was Miko, actually! She picked these out for us too! Pretty impressive, right?" Pyra asked as she twirled around giddily, getting Frankie's heart to skip more beats than he would've liked.

"S-sí… muy… calienté…" He commented nervously, swallowing his own tongue.

"And if you're wondering where that little brat is right now… welllllll…"

"Ya know somethin', Kaito? Yer mah only fre-MM! Frend in tha world…" Miko slurred her speech woozily, downing what seemed to be her tenth shot as a skeptical bartender looked at both her and a completely sober, completely lovestruck Kaito.

"You're crazy sure she can hang? That she's… completely… let's say… ready, and you're not trying to pull a fast one on me, eh?" He asked.

"Nope… not at all… she's perfect…" He said.

The trio shuddered from afar.

"Of all people, I didn't think Miko would take up underage drinking…" Frankie cringed.

"We JUST got here…" Mythra moaned.

"Well… Kaito's having a good time at least…" Pyra commented back.

"Ah… so that's where he disappeared off to… not surprised…"

"Ohoho- Frank- are these your lady friends? You didn't tell me they were so… lovely…" Yuri commented, earning a frighteningly uncharacteristic death glare from Frankie.

"Hey- buddy- back off, alright?" Mythra asked in a completely characteristic threatening tone.

"Yeah, Yuri, what the hell? You're sick." Rubee said.

"What? Can't a guy appreciate a woman's body? It's PERFECTLY natural!"

"Hey- you were the one who said he's spoken for! So quit being a perv and let them enjoy themselves!"

"Hm? Spoken for? What's that mean?" Pyra asked. A very flustered Frankie took both of them by the shoulder and laughed nervously to change the subject.

"Le-he-het's not pay too close attention to the details here! Is there anyone else joining us today?" He asked.

"It might get a little crowded, but I don't think Rubee would mind the extra company, would you, dear?" Their mother asked.

"Hey, anyone taking Dave's place is okay by me." She responded.

"Yeah, come on Miss Frankie 1 and 2, don't keep us waiting!" Yuri exclaimed.

"¡CALLATÉ! ¡CALLATÉ LA BOCA ES PINCHI CABRÓN!" Frankie shouted in a fluster, causing Yuri to jump back a bit.

"Whoa- Frank- chill! It was a joke!" He excused.

"Well, you know what they say when you assume, you make an ass out of you and… well… just you in this case." Rubee snided.

"Y-yeah! You better keep your trap shut if you know what's good for you!" Mythra snapped back.

"F-for the sake of ease, you can call us Pyra and Mythra- w-we are rather close to Frankie all things considered, but I wouldn't say THAT close…" Pyra… denied.

"Point taken… point taken…" Yuri responded again.

"And these our are work pals- Kari, our boss, Ron, Jewels, our supervisor, and… well we're missing a couple, but it's whatever." Mythra commented.

"Hello again, Mr. Guosmán! It's a pleasure to see you in a much less tense environment." Kari greeted cheerfully. Frankie, who had calmed down a fair bit from his outburst simply bowed his head as the rest of the crew introduced themselves.

"So you're the guy Mythra won't shut up about on lunch break, eh? Thought you'd have at least a bit more bull on you." Ron commented.

"Hey- Ronald- shut up." Mythra leered through gritted teeth at the lanky man.

"Yeah, the poor kid's already hopped up as it is, we don't need you mopin' him out even more!" The plumper, darker skinned lady, dressed all in red, accentuating her long blonde hair and blue eyes further.

"Geez… can't catch a break anywhere I go…"

"Tell me about it." Yuri responded.

"Well, that's enough of all this junk, I dunno about you but I am READY to move!" Mythra excitedly said as she lightly jumped up and down.

"Huh? Really? You don't wanna eat first?" Frankie asked.

"I asked her the very same thing myself… but she's… quite adamant on the matter." Pyra responded.

"Hell yeah I am! Now c'mon, Dummy, don't keep me waiting!" Mythra pulled Frankie by the arms and dragged him up on to the dance floor. With a sudden gulp, he was in her grasp… not that he really minded, of course.

"Hey, you two! Wait for me!" Pyra hollered.

"Ooo! This is mine and your dad's song! Yuri, dance with me, baby!" Yuri and Rubee's mother cheered as she did the same with Yuri.

"Rubee! Help!" The young man called, only for Rubee to deliver a silent and teasing 'bye' his way.

"So… you single?" Ron asked her.

"And likely to remain as such…"

"Don't fret, Ron! I'll take you up on your offer!" Kari exclaimed as she took him by the hand cheerfully. The young man shrugged in acceptance and followed her out on the dance floor.

"Well I'm not waitin' around for NObody! If anyone needs me… DON'T!" Jewels cackled as she leapt up on stage, leaving Rubee alone to continue gazing at the performers on stage.

"Bah-dee-yah! Say do you remember- Bah-dee-yah! Dancin' in September- Bah-dee-yah! Never was a time of daaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!" The lead singer sang cheerfully as his mates backed him up whole heartedly.

The dance floor was illuminated by the dancing neon lights from above, of green, blue, and pink, turning the would be completely black floor into a rambunctious rave where adults, teenagers, and even parents and their (reluctant) children alike danced with the air at their feet and music in their heart, not a soul would be ripped away from the stage this night, especially not the excited youths of Pyra, Mythra, and Frankie… well, mostly Mythra.

"Alright you two! Be witness to the legendary and awe inspiring dance moves of the Aegis herself!" Mythra proudly proclaimed.

"Have either of you EVER set foot on a dance floor, before, you know… Sober?!" Frankie hollered back so he could be heard over the music, giving direct attention to Mythra as he spoke.

"No- but she's eager to show you anyway!" Pyra hollered back.

"Both of you be quiet! Watch and learn! Now that I have full control over my movements, not like… brown-eyes over there!"

Mythra pointed over to Miko, drunkenly babbling along to the song they were singing… while also somehow singing a completely different song at the same time…

"Mah milkshake brings all tha boys to da yard- and they're like-"

"It's better than yours!" Kaito finished.

"They're like-"

"It's better than yours!"

"Point taken…" Frankie stated, unamused.

"Just keep your eyes on me!"

Something about the way Mythra said that really got to Frankie, and he paid close attention.

At first Mythra just kind of bobbed in place, it didn't take very long to realize she was simply getting a feel for the rhythm. To Frankie, the way she seemed to move mimicked how Kaito would spend most dance parties, stepping and slightly swaying back and forth with a great sense for the beat as his background as a percussionist helped with.

But what Mythra was about to do next was something Kaito would never even consider.

She stopped suddenly in place, taking a nice deep breath.

Then she jutted her arms forward, pulled them back whilst puffing her chest, and then shot them above her, posing elegantly as the music built to a beat drop. She then proceeded to rhythmically bounce her arms and body whilst stepping confidently, performing easily the liveliest dance moves in the building.

For someone who, as far as Frankie could tell, spent the majority of her life unable to engage in activities like this either for physical or emotional reasons…Mythra sure had a knack for fancy footwork and moving in time. She shimmied, bobbed and weaved, spun, all with energy and passion. But there was also a clear awareness of her surroundings in that she deftly avoided hitting the people around her, who were soon taking notice of her busting a move.

Frankie wondered for a moment if Mythra's aptitude for combat is part of why she made for such a strong dancer, but almost as if to disprove that notion, Pyra stumbled into his view. While she tried to mimic Mythra's energy and dance moves, she couldn't exactly match the grace and natural confidence the blonde demonstrated in this action. Frankie couldn't help but chuckle at this, given it was usually the reverse when they did other things.

"Haaahhh…she's…got more of a knack for this than I do…hehe…" Pyra laughed nervously, somewhat out of breath from trying to keep up with Mythra.

"Better now that I'm not drunk off my ass, eh, Frankie?" Mythra asked cockily.

"H-heh… you can say that-" Frankie answered back, clearly enamored with her movements and confidence.

"Hmph! Two can play at that game! Frankie, take my hand!" Pyra demanded.

"O-oh! We're doing this-? W-well- I'm not exactly-" Frankie was stopped instantly at Pyra's pouting face, as adorably hilarious as it was… he could tell she was serious… better not to make a living brushfire who can hold a glimmering blade one-handed so easily mad… "I-I mean- I can try…!" Frankie took Pyra's hand, throwing some of his anxiety to the wind as he pulled her along to dance with him.

"Don't be so modest, Dummy! I saw you move back at the Casino! Show Pyra what you got and MAYBE you can keep up with me!" Mythra shouted as she continued cooly moving to the music.

"Ha! Big words coming from you, Mythra, you aren't the only one with an inkling for music, you know! And I'm not just talking about the singing and dancing woodland creatures!" Pyra shot back. She then looked to Frankie, who was simply watching them plainly, before she elbowed him in the stomach, forcing a response out of him.

"Oof- u-uh YEAH! Everyone knows Latinos can rock it on the dance floor…!" He added, going back on his own insecurity, clearly getting hyped up from Pyra and Mythra's own friendly competitive air.

"Wow, you two really are stepping up, aren't you?" Mythra fondly asked, with an equally fond smile… amongst the banter, she truly just couldn't help but be enamored by how much she'd witnessed these two change, not just Pyra, but Frankie as well over the deceptively brief time she'd known him. And of course, as off-putting it was for her to acknowledge it, Mythra knew she was different too…

"Heh…doesn't matter to me! Show me what you got!"

At Mythra's request, Pyra and Frankie stood side by side as they both tried to mimic how Mythra got into the rhythm of the music, with Frankie tapping his feet and Pyra bumping her left shoulder.

"Óye, Mi familia's disowning me as we speak…" Frankie bemoaned as he nervously tried to move around.

"Pre-show jitters! Just shake em off and get back to work! Show me Casino Frankie and show me him now!" Mythra hollered.

Frankie nervously nodded and continued. Truth be told him and Pyra looked pretty good to start. All the time spent together and that mock play rehearsal they did meant they had developed a knack for staying on the same page, and that was showing through here. As the two of them started breaking into more developed dance moves, they remained very in sync with each other.

Too in sync, in fact.

One could say it was nervousness mixed in, or the added effect of the Driver-Blade bond causing them to be more in the other's head than their own. Regardless of the reason, the result was Pyra and Frankie both stepping in the exact same spot, Pyra's foot right on top of Frankie's, which forced the man to stumble and start falling over himself.

"Caramba- ¡CUIDADO!" Frankie suddenly hollered as he bumped into Pyra.

"W-wha-oof!" Pyra called back as she in turn bumped into her larger supervisor.

"Oh! Pyra- watch it!" She warned, looking quite cross. She has been enjoying her time on the dance floor, getting into the groove of the music by herself with great pride and relief, gyrating wildly and happily until Pyra had collided with her.

"Yes- Nora! Sorry, Nora!" Pyra stuttered as she proceeded to stumble back a bit.

"Pyra, watch your footing!" Mythra cried.

"AY-I!" Pyra's quick and nervous footing led her right back on top of Frankie, who yelped in pain.

"AH! SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY-" Pyra repeated over and over again as Frankie heeled over in pain, stepping back a bit himself.

"Some guy you got there-ACK!" Ron snarked briefly before his hand was gripped even stronger by Kari, who he was currently dancing with.

"Leave the young couple be, Ronald- this is none of your concern~" Kari stated with a cheerful yet threatening tone of voice, her bright happy eyes and wide smile never disappearing from her face.

"Frank- are you oka-?" Yuri asked just as a holler was heard over all the commotion.

"Who wants ta' see me start a mosh pit! Let's all go for tha big guy in the black suit!" Miko hollered, yet another empty glass in hand and hiccuping profusely.

"No! Me! Start it with me!" Kaito pleaded, completely blind to the situation around him, focusing only on Miko, as lovestruck as he was.

"What is WRONG with you all?!" Mythra cried. It was then did Frankie bump into her as well, causing the two to stumble on their footing and Pyra to try and rush in and help- but the confusing tangling of all their feet fighting for steady ground at once tumbled her over two and the trio was in an awkward and terrifying position of slipping and falling on the cold metallic floor below.

Rubee had diverted her attention from the band the moment the commotion had begun to grow louder. Both packs were in a state of insecurity and tension, and Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra in particular were heading right towards a drink table… which was just above a set of wires… wires connected to the band's musical instruments! If they weren't going to embarrass themselves with all the ruckus, the collateral damage they would cause would certainly divert attention completely on them, and Rubee knew this all too well. She had to think fast, continuously repeating, "Improvise, Improvise, Improvise, Improvise!" To herself over and over again as she searched for a quick and easy solution to hopefully save face… and she found one… right as the lead singer put his mike on its stand.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Hope you've been enjoying Earth Wind & Fire's Greatest Hits! This next one goes out to all the singles AND couples out there- so get up- stand up on your feet, get those tap shoes polished, your tuxedo's pressed, because WE are ready to-"

"-DANCE!!!!!!" Rubee suddenly interrupted, leaping up on stage and taking the microphone in her own hands.

Time froze. Everyone stopped to look at her, even Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra, whose tangled mess unwound at the surprise of this all, falling down right where they stood… all of them breaking their fall, still staring up at her for a second before realizing the ridiculous position they were all in, quickly getting up and dusting themselves off as they watched this young college girl suddenly take the stage.

All eyes were on Rubee… Eighteen years old and already she was putting on quite the showstopper. Her heart beat rapidly as her red eyes scanned the area nervously… no one was stopping her… not even the band… the eyes that glanced her way were ones not of anger or disappointment but… intrigue… who was this kid and just what was she planning to do…? It was then did she turn to see Yuri… who was clearly goading her on to keep up what she was doing… waving his arms up and down excitedly and opening his mouth as if he were singing… no sense in keeping them waiting… not when you've got their attention… right…?

"……..BOOGIE WONDERLAAAAAAAAANNNNNND!"

Her voice rang out loud for all to hear… it was raspy… high… and primal… it was PERFECT. The band still didn't quite know what was happening… but this gave them the perfect opportunity to go all out! The sheer energy of this sudden change in direction drove everyone on the dance floor back into a cheerful frenzy as they cheered on this mysterious kid.

"Midnight creeps so slowly- into hearts of men- who need- more than they get! Daylight deals a bad hand to a woman who has laid too many bets!"

"The mirror stares you in the face…"

"And says, 'Baby, uh-UH! It- don't work!'"

"You say your prayers- though you don't care-"

"You dance and shake the huuuuurrrrrtttt…!"

"DANCE!"

And just like that, it felt as if a wave flowed over Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra. The rest of the crowd broke into a large dance collective, but it was at this moment that these three, after all the time spent together, all of these emotions and time spent reflecting on each other…this was the moment it felt like they were the most in sync. Truly, this time.

Amongst Drivers and Blades, there came moments where in combat, their motions become attuned thanks to heightened affinity drawn from a length of time being in close proximity. Frankie was only slightly aware of this thanks to the dream with Pneuma, but now it felt like he was truly experiencing it.

"Sound flies through the land- I chase my vinyl dreams to Boogie Wonderland!"

"I find romance- when I start to dance in Boogie- WONDERLAAAAND!"

While it was dancing and not combat, the process of moving in time with each other was still very present, and so they each took steps in unison and shifted until they were facing each other. Pyra moved her shoulder, Mythra swayed back and forth, and Frankie tapped his foot, each of which to the beat of the song.

They could feel their affinity rising.

Frankie held out both of his hands, one for each of them.

Pyra and Mythra took them, and each spun around with them in their own way, Mythra with a more confident and elegant twirl and Pyra with a more casual and giggling step-over. With a quick hug and another spin, Pyra briefly left Frankie's arm to make room for Mythra, who's bold dancing style seemed to rub off on Frankie to bring out the energy she wanted. They made swift and loud movements together, looking often less like a dance and more like a choreographed performance. Frankie would swing Mythra from his right side to his left, followed by Mythra pulling him over and spinning the both of them before stretching their bodies outwards whilst holding on to the other by one hand, then retracting into one more twirl.

After a quick shared smirk, Mythra would then stylishly pirouette off, leaving room for Pyra to slide in. Much like earlier, it felt like her energy rubbed off on Frankie, her more relaxed yet still charming movements. The way Pyra clinged to her partner as she danced felt more reminiscent of something one would see in a Disney movie such as Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, with smooth, almost theatrical motions with the two of them stepping as if they were a single unit. And not a moment of this went by without them giggling and smiling happily to themselves. Soon, Mythra joined in and the three of them spun together in unison.

This was their bond. Their affinity. Frankie could feel it. He wasn't just similar to one or the other, he was similar to both. The tone both of them gave off, he was so familiar with them because he had experienced each of them in his life. Mythra's confidence and Pyra's charm…it was like he was dancing with versions of himself at points.

And not that he would know it, but this level of bond was beyond what a normal Driver could achieve with their Blades in most situations. Even disregarding this affinity level with two individuals rather than one, this sheer level of familiarity they shared was something Pyra and Mythra hadn't experienced yet in their lives as Blades. And this was because Frankie wasn't dancing with them as Blades at all, but as just…people. Fellow humans. Two ladies he related to and felt so connected with…and who had become such important facets of his life.

"Alllll theeeee love in the world can't be gone… all theeeee need-to-be-loved can't be wrong… allllll theeeeee records are playing, and my heart keeps saying… Boo-oogie Wonderlaaand!"

"WONDERLAAAAAANNNNDDDDD!!!!"

While the crowd surrounding them was more occupied with their own interactions and laughter, with Yuri and his mother cheering on their little Rubee with tears of joy as they danced wildly (Kaito and Miko in particular were in their own world at this point), there was a silent yet significant sense of acknowledgement of these three dorks and how much they were enjoying themselves.

At a certain point, all of this washed over Frankie to the point where he closed his eyes and held the two of them so tight, and they returned the gesture twice over.

But…something changed in that moment. Frankie felt…off. Not in a bad way but…off.

He was certain he had grabbed both Pyra and Mythra when pulling them in, for some reason he currently only held one body in his arms. It…didn't feel like Pyra or Mythra…but it didn't not feel like them either. Somewhere inside, a small part of Frankie pieced together the truth, but the rest of him wouldn't jump to that conclusion.

So he slowly opened his eyes.

"...Pneuma…"

Frankie was so taken aback by her appearance that he had barely noticed the world around him had frozen. All of the dancing and partying had stopped, as if a pause button had been pressed on their surroundings. Only he and Pneuma, who had seemed to have taken both Pyra and Mythra's place, were moving.

Pneuma herself, Frankie realized, was not in her armor-like outfit this time. Instead she wore a dress that…oddly enough looked like an amalgamation of the clothes Pyra and Mythra wore. The red hemming of Pyra's covered her chest, while the black long skirt and blue ribbon of Mythra's flowed down over the rest of her torso. But as she walked forward, the red top half and blue ribbon shifted in color until they were a bright turquoise green, matching the lady's ponytailed hair.

Pneuma stood herself right in front of Frankie, looking directly into his eyes. She then slowly drew her hand to his, pulling it upwards, and then feeding her fingers through his own. Frankie could barely process it…it felt like…her hand was part way between faded and tangible, like if he pulled away, there would be a small bit of resistance…but not much.

Not that he would've even considered doing that, as he did his best to embrace Pneuma, wrapping his arms around her barely corporeal form. She smiled at the gesture, and gave him a cheeky wink and blew him a kiss, which Frankie wasn't fully expecting.

Pneuma then mouthed something to Frankie, no voice behind it. He almost didn't register what she was saying. But…he could tell.

"Each day brings us closer…" she said.

Christmas. Frankie knew what he had promised…and he nodded to assure that he remembered.

"Time's flying by… don't keep us waiting too long… darling~"

Pneuma's smile widened slightly and winked once more before she tilted her head down, and a light shone from her core crystal under her dress…

Frankie blinked.

Suddenly he was back in reality, the party going on like nothing had happened.

"Frankie?"

It took him a moment to notice that Pyra and Mythra were looking at him with slight concern in their faces. It took him yet another moment to realize he was holding Mythra's hand in one of his and Pyra's torso in the other.

…

"Gettin' a bit handsy there, aren't we, Dummy?" Mythra teased.

Frankie blushed in embarrassment briefly, just before a wide smile appeared on his face, absolutely elated by the experience he just had… his own heart began its own little dance now… and he just couldn't keep it in any longer!

"¡Muévete, muévete!" Frankie suddenly called, shooing the people around him away in a huff, surprising but intriguing Pyra and Mythra as they watched him take center stage. "All you POSERS step aside! Let this fat ol' Méxicano sprinkle in some Latino flavor!"

"OH SHIT! FRANK, YOU DID NOT JUST GO THERE!" Yuri yelled in faux offense, a wide smile plastered on his face as he watched his work buddy work his moves, rapping in tune with the music!

"Check it out, check it out, check it out! ¡Soy Francisco! ¡Chicano mas cool! Latino por supuesto, cien por ciento Español- ¿Mis amigos?"

"¿Que?" Kaito and Yuri simultaneously hollered back as Frankie continued to swing from side to side as he sang, getting in tune with the music break and urging Pyra and Mythra to join his side. They were shocked to say the least, but Mythra had seen this exact side all too well before, and she was more than excited to join in with him! With a hop, skip, and a jump, she and Pyra copied his movements as he continued singing.

"¡Loco me llaman! ¡Una señorita me sirve como flama la fiesta! ¡Bailar bailar muchachita! ¡Mi corazón, tiene dinamita- BOOM! ¡Exacto! ¡Te como en un tacto… déjame… SER tu papi Latinoooo! ¡Booyakah-Booyakah!"

Frankie, alongside Pyra and Mythra, twisted and turned wildly in sudden and quick movements before returning back to the current song.

"Wow! That was… something!" Pyra cried, her own head spinning.

"That come from in here…" Mythra pointed to Frankie's chest, "...or did you steal it from one of your little programs you haven't showed us yet?" She narrowed her eyes playfully, awaiting a response.

"Any reason it can't be both?" Frankie chuckled.

"Got a point there! But the party's just getting started!"

"Hey- family, did I miss anything?" Lexi asked as she reentered the establishment, searching around for her squad.

"Rubee up and stole the show! See for yourself!" Yuri shouted happily, gesturing to her up on stage.

"Ha! Dad would've DESPISED this!" Lexi laughed.

"Never mind the old coot! Come on!" Yuri and Rubee's mother exclaimed, pulling the young woman into the party with the rest of them.

Nora was breakdancing up a storm all by herself, relishing in her own element and attracting a small crowd of people to cheer her on, with even Ron trying to sneak a peek for himself- but Kari was leading this dance, and very quickly and effortlessly would rope him back up into their own little tango as the sweet sweet rhythm echoed all over the facility. There was even a point where while Pyra and Mythra ran out on stage in rhythmic fashion, with Lexi and Yuri doing fantastic cartwheels, Miko would scream out in pure delight in her drunken state, trying to sing along, with Frankie and Kaito on either side of her, lifting her high up into the air for the whole world to see… it was most certainly a night that wouldn't be forgotten any time soon…

…

"Hearts of Fire… creates love desire… take you high and higher… to the world you belong…" Rubee sang gently, as the band behind her cooly played their instruments… it was getting quite late and the party had all but dissipated now, with the only remaining people there being a few who had yet to finish their food, as well as Kari, Kaito, Miko, who slept soundly on his shoulder and in his arms, drooling dreamily as he kept a close and loving watch over her while looking over to the dance floor where only three people remained… Frankie, Pyra, and Mythra…

The three had locked wrists together as they spun in a gentle circle, each gazing into each other's eyes, stuck in their own little world… and for their own benefit, as Kaito could feel a number of words he could say to really throw them over the edge. He chuckled to himself as he watched them dance.

"Frankie's told me basically everything… it's a wonder he hasn't actually taken the next step…" He said quietly for Kari to hear.

"You should see how Mythra acts at work when the mere thought of Frankie pops into her mind…" Kari chuckled. "Pyra is a lot more cautious and quick to fluster about it, but I know she loves him all the same…"

"That's the thing, isn't it? We can all see what's going on, but they're being such dorks about it…"

"Perhaps… but it has still only been a month to my understanding… they're still well in their passion phase… they're all probably still testing the waters to see if… this is what they really, TRULY want…" Kari sighed dreamily as she looked down at her feet wistfully.

"It's what they deserve…" She whispered fondly to herself, so Kaito wouldn't hear.

"Hah… my big brobro's always been too cautious for his own good…" Kaito commented.

"Mmmm… Kokonut…" Miko cooed as she buried her face into Kaito's shoulder some more.

"Oh Muffin…" Kaito gently sighed back as he rubbed his cheek up against Miko's hair, patting her head and giving it a gentle kiss just after.

"That Rubee chick's a nut if you ask me… anyone who's got the guts to pull off a stunt like that should get themselves checked!" Mythra commented as she continued slow-dancing with Pyra and Frankie.

"It's commendable, Mythra, I'm actually a bit jealous of her! I've… never really considered taking the reins so quickly like that…" Pyra said as she looked down nervously, before smiling and looking back up towards Frankie, "Til a certain someone came into our life…"

"Mmm… come on you two… you're gonna make me blush…" Frankie shyly said.

"Don't worry about it… you've got us and we got you… that's all that matters right here… right now…" Mythra said sweetly.

"Right on…" Frankie added with a gentle nod and smile as the trio formed a soft but passionate hug.

"I'm keeping an eye on you, Guosmán… don't you forget it~" Pneuma spoke up suddenly inside Frankie's mind.

"I won't, Pneuma… I won't…" Frankie answered back in his own thoughts… before he succumbed to this gentle… peaceful bliss…