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“We’re through the front doors, Dot. Going dark until we spot the target.” Liko spoke into the device with hushed whispers, before flicking it shut and stowing it away. The last thing she wanted now was to attract attention by talking to herself.
Tonight, as far as the world was concerned, Liko and her partner were a mundane, unremarkable pair.
“Let’s get moving, Meowscarada.”
“Nyaaaa~”
The two girls slipped into the hustle-and-bustle of a formal ballroom, teeming with high-society folk wearing the most ostentatious of costumes. Ornate, vintage dresses, sewn with fine red silks— Velvet suits that shined under the luster of chandelier light— Liko felt practically naked compared to them, with her simple maroon red dress and ruffled shoulder straps.
She hooked an arm around Meowscarada’s and pulled her close, as she felt her nerves begin to rumble. More than the fancy dress wear, the thing that unnerved her the most were the masks. All around her, every party guest she could see were wearing ornate venetian masks, which hid their faces and obscured their eyes.
“Nya?” A reassuring squeeze from Meowscarada pulled Liko back down to Earth. She was thankful to have a partner so attuned to her emotional state.
Right, onto the mission at hand.
With their newfound efforts to rescue the Six Heroes, Liko and her allies had turned to unraveling the source of all of their woes: The leader of the Explorers, Spinel. Such things were easier said than done, however.
The Exceed Corporation provided him with an impenetrable cover, never appearing in public and sending his goons to do all his dirty work. This gala, a masquerade ball hosted by Exceed, was the best shot they had of catching him in the open. They just had to find them.
“Now, what do we have here~? A pipsqueak in the partygoers!”
Liko nearly leapt out of her skin, hearing the high-pitched voice call out from behind her. Swallowing, she turned and faced the figure she knew had spotted her.
Coral— The pink-haired brat with the title of Explorers Admin. Even behind her Snorunt-themed mask and gaudy dress, Liko recognized her in an instant. Question was, did Sango just recognize her?
“This is crazyyyyyy. Not everyday I find someone even I caaaan look down at… LOL.” Thankfully, it seemed not. Coral stumbled forward, a giggle in her voice as she anchored her elbow on Liko’s shoulder. “You should hang with meeee, girl. Having a shorty like you around will make it easier to flirt with the baddies, hehe!”
Leaning back, Coral downed the drink she had in hand, flashing the air with the smell of alcohol.
Liko opened her mouth, trying to put on a voice to evade detection. Thankfully, she was beaten to the punch.
“Nya! Nyaaaaaa.” Meowscarada snapped and growled, shaking Coral from her stupor and sending her back a pace. Go harass someone else, she said.
Despite her condition, Coral seemed to get the message, and was not pleased to receive it.
“Yeaaah? That’s how it is? You gotta lotta nerve growling at someone like me, puuuussy cat!” She furrowed her brows and raised a fist, itching to challenge Meowscarada’s warning for all that it was worth. “Wanna see how fast I can blow the roof off this place!?”
“Meowscarada, we can’t.” Liko whispered that comment into her partner’s ear, as she felt her gut begin to twist into knots. Coral’s outburst was attracting attention and the last thing they could afford was being recognized. “Let’s—”
“Nya, sca.” Meowscarada shook her head, even as she kept her eyes locked onto Coral. Despite the situation unfolding, a smirk was growing across the magician’s lips.
My trick’s not done yet.
“Trick? What trick—” Liko would get her answer with a yelp heard in the crowd. It was the sound of people being hurriedly parted. Appearing through the growing congregation of onlookers was a sight that’d inspire more fear on most days: The stoic Explorers admin, Sidian.
“I apologize for anything my companion may have said to you.” Unlike Coral, Sidian had opted for a simple black and red suit, with a blocky, beige mask evocative of a Naclstack. Without another word, he grabbed his partner from behind— like she were a common Sprigatito —and hoisted her into the air.
“Hey what’re you— Hey!” Coral quickly took offense to the manhandling she was being inflicted, but couldn’t do much to stop it, especially in her inebriated state. She waved a fist through the air as Sidian deposited her over his shoulder. “We’re not done here!”
“Yes, we are.” Sidian’s steady voice nearly reached a tone of ire, nearly. Instead, he turned his energy back to Liko and Meowscarada. He paused to look at them for a moment, before shaking his head. “I hope you ladies enjoy the event.”
With that, Sidian turned and disappeared into the crowds, the petulant Coral uselessly pounding her fist into his back. Liko let out a sigh of relief.
That was close.
“Nyanyanya!” Meowscarada declared her victory with a jovial laugh, one that earned her a slight shove from Liko.
“You’re such a risk taker. How did you know Sidian would be around to save us there?” Puffing up her cheeks, Liko feigned her offense, before going in to show her gratitude. She pulled Meowscarada into a tight hug.
“Nyaaa-sca, nyanya nyaaaa.” Spotted them both on our way in. He’s been trailing behind her all night, from the looks of it. With a proud smirk, Meowscarada relished her prize, hanging her arm on Liko’s shoulder as the two split apart. “Nyasca, nya.”
I’ve always got your back, Liko.
“Heh. Yeah, you do…” Liko looked at her partner, her gaze warm and soft even behind the visage of her Floragato-themed mask. Leaning in, she pressed her forehead against Meowscarada’s. “Thank you.”
“Nyaa…” Meowscarada’s confident look melted into something else, a look warm enough to match her partner’s tit-for-tat. For all the work she did to keep on her cool appearance and demeanor, Liko cut straight through it, everytime. Meowscarada leaned in to rub her nose against her partner’s.
Soon, Liko broke the exchange and hooked her arm around Meowscarada’s. The displays of affection would have to wait.
There was work to be done.
An hour of careful observation bore few results, as the crowded venue and taller guests limited Liko’s line of sight. She needed to get a clear look from the center of the room, and there was only one place she’d be getting that: The dance floor.
A masquerade ball of course featured ballroom dancing, an activity which had taken up a sizable majority of the event space. If there was any place for Liko to find her target, it’d be there.
“Right.” With a deep breath, Liko psyched herself up and tightened her fists. Before a word of protest could be given, she stepped onto the dance floor and slipped her hands into Meowscarada’s. “Let’s do this.”
“Nya~”
With that, the two began a slow, rhythmic waltz, one that matched the speed and cadence of the dancers around them. Despite how much the pair stood out, their presence soon melted into the flow of movement, the carousel of smooth steps and swaying dresses. It was from here that Liko could do her work.
Liko’s eyes darted across the room, scanning all around her with each step and turn she took. Even as Meowscarada brought her into a spin and a dip, her gaze remained steely. She was always on the lookout.
Soon though, the lack of results began to frustrate her.
“Where is he…” she whispered, trying to keep it between her and her partner. “We still haven’t seen Spinel yet.”
“Nyaaaa, scaaa?” Maybe he isn’t here? Meowscarada’s words rolled off her tongue with a tinge of dreamlike wonder, the exact opposite sort of tone Liko’s voice carried.
“He has to be. Exceed hosted this event for a reason,” she assured, flicking her sights from her left to the right. “He has to be here, we just have to find him.”
“Scaaa. Nyanya sca~?” Hmmm. Have we tried looking in your eyes~?
“My eyes? Why would he be in my—?” Liko paused and looked back to her partner, not catching her drift until she was face-to-face with her again. The mischievous, proud look Meowscarada usually carried was gone now, replaced instead with an expression that could be called nothing less than lovesick.
Meowscarada’s gaze was locked right onto Liko, like it had been since the start of their dance.
“Heh. Heh…” A chuckling sigh passed Liko’s lips, as she let the tension roll off her shoulders. All at once, she laid her head on her partner’s shoulder. “You would enjoy this sort of thing, huh?”
A masquerade ball, ostentatious costumes and masks, it was practically Meowscarada’s entire calling card packed into an evening. She got to enjoy that evening with Liko. She got to dance with Liko.
Liko resolved, she would enjoy this dance too.