Of all things today, I did not expect this. Everyone else was on a mission today, they all were requested by the council to examine a new Terra which. I remained on the Condor to get a full view of the Terra from the air, when all of a sudden, a Sky Knight came aboard in a hurry. I ran to the hanger to see Suzy Lu patting down her uniform as it was smoking.

'Suzy?' I asked, as I seized an extinguisher and ran to the burning wreck.

'Hey, Piper good timing.' She cheered.

'You're on fire!' I yelled at her, briefly dousing her plume of mist.

'I'm fine, but I could use your help on a mission.' She began, 'I need a date.'

What? I said internally.

'So, you're looking for Aerrow?' I asked.

'No, you.' She answered, clearing up nothing.

'Huh?' I respond.

'I need to find a date to attend a party.' She stated clearly, 'It's in Cyclonia, and your help would be appreciated.'

'So, two girls attending a party as dates? That seems very improper.' I stated.

'No, it's a diverse crowd of goers, besides I need your help with crystals and a very special lock.' She tried to reassure me.

Crystals and a lock?

'What type of crystals?' I asked curiously.

'The Zappy kind.' She answered.

Shock Crystals of course.

'And this lock?' I asked.

'A Crystal Vault, it's a big door with a lock.' She answered.

'What is your interest in this vault?' I ask lastly.

'Another Blizzard Crystal, we lost the one we thought to be the only one in Atmos, but we tracked one that was delivered there' She answered.

Its hard to consider, Suzy did sacrifice their crystal to save everyone from that Volcano and in the end Blizzaris hasn't been retaken yet.

'Alright Suzy, what do you need?' I asked, with a small measure of fear.

In mere hours, we managed to get dresses and order a Corvette Cruiser for transport to Cyclonia. So far everything was fine, except the lying to the Storm Hawks part, but in the circumstances I had to follow Suzy's lead when she told them I was chosen to see the Council on Atmosia.

'I hate this thing.' I groan as I tugged at the dress I was wearing, 'why do they have to make the top half so fight, and the bottom so frilly?'

'Imagine how I feel, it's like a second fur coat.' Suzy groaned as well, 'but we have to stay cool at the party.'

'So, did you get your hands on an invite?' I asked.

'Invite?' was he only response, giving me a reason to fear.

'Suzy, events like this require invitations!' I said as I raised my voice.

'Relax, I got that sorted.' She said with a smile.

'Care to tell me what you have sorted?' I asked with concern.

'just wait and see, you might wanna turn that thing on then.' She said as she pointed to the Stone around my neck.

I put my hand around the stone and look at my other hand, I watched as my dark skin turned to a shade of white, I pulled at my hair to see it turned to black.

'Alright, looking good Piper,' she began, 'or should I say Pier.'

Just at the sound of that name, I just realised something that Stork realised nearly every day: were doomed.

We stood by the Corvette's doors, fans held up to cover our mouths, I glanced at Suzy to see her twitching.

'Stop twitching.' I whispered to her.

'I can't, I. . . have. . . an itch.' She responded.

I sighed as I reached across and started to scratch the exposed fur on her back.

'Better?' I asked.

'Faster please- yes! Right there!' she responded as the door slid open to reveal a guard.

The guard stood there a moment staring between the two of us, me staring stunned with my hand on my partners back and the expression of Suzy Lu's face made it seem like she was in ecstasy. The guard readjusted himself and stepped to the side of the ramp.

'Ladies, please follow the path to the main building, no dawdling please.' He said as courteous as possible.

With that, I retracted my hand and we started moving forward.

'Sorry.' Suzy stated.

'Its. . . alright.' I responded.

'And Sorry again.' She stated, grabbing my right arm and intertwining it with her left.

I didn't dare resist as we approached a gathering of other couples doing the same thing, we walked strait up to the main building. We stopped before a guard expecting us to hand him an invitation.

'Ambassadors of Terra Blizzaris, I assume you are expecting us?' Suzy said in a forced and cordial voice.

'Sorry ma'am, without an invitation we cannot-' he tried to say.

'You dare?' Suzy interjected, 'We are ambassadors of Blizzaris, we came her to reach settlement at your Master's request, yet you refuse us?! So be it, we will no longer dare join the Cyclonians, Come Pier.'

'Wait, madam!' a voice called, a familiar. . . and dark voice, as we turned we saw the figure of the Dark Ace walking towards us, dressed in a formal soldiers uniform, 'Madam ambassadors we welcome you, I shall tell Master Cyclonis immediately.'

'See that you do.' Suzy said as she marched past him.

Once we got inside, we were greeted by bustling crowds of people talking and laughing. The room was large, curtains of bright red were dangling from each wall, statues were placed around the room covered in flowers, and on the opposite side of the room from the entrance were a set of stairs, climbing up above the room and splitting to the right and the left where they climbed away from view. We managed to clear the crowds and walk to a table stacked with varying foods and select delicacies.

'So, was your plan merely to throw a fit at the person at the door to seem important?' I asked.

'Pretty much, but this ended up better than how I expected it to.' She responded.

'How?' I asked.

'Well, that Dark fellow said he would tell the boss, so I'll keep her distracted while you get to the vault.' She said, making things sound so easy.

'Where is the vault?' I asked.

'Up there, to the left.' She said, pointing to the stairs.

As I studied the room, it was clear there were no guards down here, so I could get up there, but I had no idea what I would find. I looked around the room to see decorated soldiers in formal attires, girls in gallant dresses and beside the stairs stood Ravess, playing music to everyone in the hall.

'Who are all these people?' I asked.

'War mongrels, people whose job it is to get soldiers, make weapons and run the workshops,' Suzy began, 'this lot are the reason were still at war. Cyclonis must have a lot of gold on her, she throws this ball to reinvigorate her suppliers, tell them everything is still good and Cyclonia is winning.'

'Why wouldn't the Council order a strike against these people?' I asked.

'Because this lot have a lot at stake on both sides, they are getting payed by the Rex Guardians and other squads that require a lot of service.' She answered, 'we aint like those pompous knights.'

I looked around one more time before I reached over the table and grabbed two flutes of Champaign, I handed one to Suzy and looked around.

'Alright, I think that when Cyclonis gets here, you tell her-' I began, but I froze as I saw the figure approaching.

'Pier, tell her what?' Suzy asked.

'Yes, to whom may you be referring?' said a familiar voice, a painful familiar voice.

Suzy turned to see Master Cyclonis, wearing a dress on her small figure, but thinner with no frilly points on it.

'You two are the ambassadors I sent for?' she asked.

'. . . yes, Master Cyclonis, I am. . . L-luzy. . .' Suzy began.

'Well miss Luzy, before we get to business, care to dance?' Cyclonis asked, offering her hand.

'Ah. . . yes, certainly, just. . . let me have a moment to prepare.' Suzy blurted out.

'Certainly.' Cyclonis said as she marched off to the dance floor.

Suzy downed the flute in her hand and took mine and downed it as well.

'Alright, just keep talking about the "settlement" thing and keep her busy for five minutes.' I said to her.

'I made that part up. . .' she stated.

'. . . then. . . improvise.' I told her as I walked around the dance floor, past Ravess and to the bottom of the stairs.

I looked out to see Suzy march up to Cyclonis and hold out her hands. Without warning, Cyclonis seized her hands and dragged her into the centre of the dancers. I steadily climbed the stairs and moved up the left path, ducking behind the stair's rail as I vanished from sight. When I found the vault, I examined the doors lock, a large circular wheel with Gems surrounding it. So, it is like turning a key. . . but with more crystals? I can't believe I'm doing this I thought as I began to loosen the blouse, giving my chest a chance to breath, I reached down my garments and remove a green and blue crystals. I held each crystal at opposing ends of the wheel and began to steadily turn clockwise. With my hands movements, the wheel turned, and the door slid upward. I looked ahead to see a hall way with Crystals lining the walls, each connected by a stream of electricity. Damn it. I began to pull up my dress and kicked off my boot, I seized it and pulled out a yellow crystal. I held it above my head as I moved into the hall, lashes of light flew at me but turned and followed the crystal in my hand instead. As I cleared the hall, I looked around the room to see it spiralling upward with shelves filled with crystals and gems. I carefully examined the room as I looked to see a single blue crystal on a shelf. Bingo I thought as I grabbed the Crystal, tucked it in my blouse and made my leave.

As I returned to the ball room, I looked out to see Suzy leaning against the food table, I raced down to meet her to see her panting.

'She may be evil. . . but she's a good dancer.' Suzy remarked.

'I got it.' I said in a whisper.

'Then let's get out of here before-' Suzy began.

'Before cake? But you must try some.' Cyclonis said with a smile, 'but before, we must dance.'

'Unfortunately. . . I don't think my legs can take it. . .' Suzy rebutted.

'Then, may I have this dance?' she said, holding her hand out to me.

'. . . M-me? M-master Cyclonis, I apologise but I can't. . .' I tried to excuse myself.

'Nonsense,' she began, 'but miss Pier, I wasn't asking.'

She knows! I thought, almost going into shock. Without warning however, I was pulled forward into the centre of the room and without wasting time, I was being led carefully and precisely by her. She stared into my eyes with a smile, I knew that if I did look away, that would cause some problems.

'I must say,' she began, 'I love that dress.'

'T-thanks.' I stuttered.

'But surely you didn't get dressed up just for me?' she asked, as I was preparing an answer she leaned in, to whisper into my ear, 'did you Piper?'

I froze, struggling to process body movement, but I felt my feet being dragged along the floor, as we kept moving.

'You can breathe now.' She whispered as she brought her head back.

'Y-you know?' I asked, trembling.

'Yes, but I must say your use of the cloaking crystal is superb.' She complimented, 'but I can always pick up your sent: oil, chalk powder and sweat.'

'Why haven't you-?' I tried to ask.

'Because it is far more entertaining when your terrified of my next move.' She began, 'and I must say you did well, you got in, got the crystal and hid it in the one place people best not stare at a young lady, why spoil the fun?'

Was she watching me?! Was she perving on me?!

'I must say, I'm disappointed you haven't decided to stay,' she began before leaning in close, 'it is such a nice cake.'

'Then what do you want?' I asked.

'Well first, I won't bust you, I'll let you leave freely,' she stated, 'should you do me. . . one thing.'

For a moment I stayed silent, fearing what she would want.

'What?' I asked quietly.

'Don't. scream.' She said as she leaned in close and planted her lips on mine, as I tried to back away, I felt both my arms held securely in place, after half a minute, we parted, she released me, and I began to run away, 'Do stay, it is a good cake.'

I ran back to Suzy, grabbed her arm and tugged her towards the exit.

'What happened? I didn't see anything.' She stated as we started to run.

Eventually we reached the Corvette and I locked the door.

'Got it?' Suzy asked, I tugged at my blouse and removed the Crystal and tossed it to her.

'Yes!' she shouted, tearing off the bottom frilly section of her dress, 'I am never wearing that again!'

As Suzy left for the bridge, I stepped back to the door and slid down on it. as I sat there, I brought my fingers to my lips, I examined my fingers to find black lipstick on them. I looked carefully at my hand before I noticed I didn't have the Cloaking crystal, reached up to my neck to find it wasn't there. After the moment of shock, I smiled, and after that I laughed. Laughed for so long, with one single thought on my mind. I wish. . . I stayed for cake.