A Gala to Remember

[Undyne]

Quest time! The quest done is "Gala Date" (spoilered below for easy access, as I'm lazy) and word count will be recorded at the bottom of every post!

Note: Sabrina has done the "There are no lines" quest and is thus affiliated with the Empire faction.

[spoiler]

Gala Date
 
Location: Costa del Sol
Requirements: Must not be affiliated with The Kingdom, Cinnabar Island, Pokémon Liberation Front, or the Rebels; Must have done any Empire-Imperial Navy faction quest or have Recognition in Coruscant or the Vasty Deep
Difficulty:  Moderate (5,000 to 10,000 words, dependent on quality)
Reward: 300 OM + Vi’s Corsage (Flavor Item) + Instant celebrity in Costa del Sol
 
Vi, the Enforcer of Costa del Sol, has to deal with a lot of nonsense in her daily affairs.  Unlike her counterpart in Coruscant, she does still like to try and enjoy the more colorful things in life.
 
Once a month, there’s a large gala held in Costa del Sol to celebrate the city’s continuing success and wealth.  Vi is always present and almost always drunk, but she always gets slightly embarrassed when the event turns into a lot of dancing.  You see, she never learned how to dance amidst her otherwise awesome life.  The fact that she hates to remove her hextech gauntlets doesn’t make things any easier.
 
You’re a respected individual within the Empire.  You hear through the grapevine that the strongest individual in Costa del Sol isn’t quite so nimble on her feet.  Perhaps you can lend a hand?  Go meet Vi (if you haven’t already) and see if you can’t teach her a few dance moves.
 
Of course, you’ll have to see this through to the end, so you’ll have to be her dance partner at the Gala.
 
Quest Stipulations – Must go to Costa del Sol.  Must meet up with Vi and at some point, uncover her tragic lack of dance skills.  Must then teach her and be her dance partner at the upcoming Costa del Sol Gala (good luck).[/spoiler]

It was a strange feeling to be back here, in the Vasty Deep. Sabrina recognized the beautiful landscape and buildings, and felt the fresh salted air of the sea filling her lungs. Haaah... except that now she was here for different reasons. She was here not as a wanderer anymore, she wasn't working for her own account. Well, in the long run of course she was, but she was working for the Empire now. An Imperial Professor. And it wasn't an intermediate station on her way to Cinnibar anymore, but her destination - for now, anyway.

A Stormtrooper approached her. "Citizen. Please follow me for a screening process to be allowed to Costa del Sol."

"A screening process? That's new." She stepped forward to follow the armored individual without protest.

"The monthly Gala is about to take place. Due to the increased chaos and high-profile imperial citizens being present we must screen everyone." He led Sabrina to a metal detector frame near the entrance and pointed to a conveyor belt with boxes near it. "Please empty your pockets into a box and step through the doorframe."

"A Gala, huh... I see. Well, sure. Anything to ensure the safety of our citizens." She placed her Pokeballs in the box, followed by her Ember Celicas, her Communicator and her ID card. The metal detector didn't go off, but another Stormtrooper on the other side approached her as she was filling her pockets back up

"Ma'am, I would need to see your ID please, and I have a few questions. It's routine, so please don't be alarmed."

"I've been through security checks before, no worries." She smiled as she handed him the ID.

"Very well. Are you going to Costa del Sol with the intention of committing any ille- hold on! You're an Imperial R&D department Professor?!"

"Oh. Yes, I am, I was recently hired by the department. Why, is there a problem?"

The Stormtrooper stood straight as a candle now and saluted. "No, Ma'am - I mean, Professor! It's just that you are exempt from the screening process! You are clearly an imperial official and the screening would be unnecessary as you have proven your loyalty if you are working for the Empire! I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, Professor! Please, move around freely in the city and enjoy your stay!"

Sabrina could not help but to smile. The hint of fear in the Trooper's voice wasn't lost to her, even if it was garbled by the helmet's voice systems. Apparently the Imperial R&D team was not only acknowledged, but also mildly feared, hmm? Probably because not all their test subjects were volunteers and Stormtroopers were, as far as she could tell, mostly replacable. "I require a little further aid, Officer."

Another salute. "Of course, Professor! What is the matter?"

"I need to speak to an official from the Imperial Navy to get myself situated. Can you give me directions?"

"Oh! Of course, Professor. You should have a map on your Communicator, let me point you to it... here. Most of the officials are in the Navy Headquarters, just there on the map... however, with the Gala being held this evening, there's not going to be much staff."

"I suppose I could meet some of them on that Gala, then." Sabrina tapped her chin and smiled. "Very well... oh, one last thing before I let you go."

"Yes, Professor?"

"Is there a clothing store that you would recommend? My clothes are thick and Costa del Sol is hotter than I remember. I'll need something light and more casual."

596 / 596 words
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✘ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
✘ Teach Vi how to dance
✘ Be her partner at the Gala

[Undyne]

An hour and a fair amount of shopping later Sabrina left the shop with fresh clothing - a T-Shirt depicting a serpent dragon, apparently some myth on a few remote islands of the Vasty Deep that had become popular with the inhabitants of Costa del Sol, wide-fitting blue trousers and fingerless gloves, with the rest remaining the same. A few shops down the road she got herself a traveler's backpack just like the ones that many trainers that came to her gym liked to wear - except of course that she used hers for clothes rather than potions, empty Pokeballs and the like. Not that it was very convenient... she'd need to find one of these places where they rented lockers for one to stuff their belongings in, and even if she found one she doubted that they would have much free space with the upcoming Gala. Her other option would be to find an apartment... surely there were a few places given out to imperial officials who needed to come to Costa del Sol for a few days, right?

Finding the imperial seat of power of Costa del Sol was as easy as asking a few troopers for directions. It was a huge city but the public transport it offered allowed for rapid transit and Sabrina found out that working for the ER&D institution got her a good discount at the ticket booth. However, after the experience with the Stormtrooper at the entrance of the city she knew better than to openly display her badge. Once she arrived at the establishment she made her way to the receptionist and from there to the individual in charge, who regrettably explained to her that she was scheduled for a prolonged stay and should thus find a place to rent then have the ER&D department cover for her costs. Sabrina shrugged and took the necessary forms along. Maybe she'd have to spend a few days in a hotel or something... with her ability to just conjure up money that wouldn't be an issue. She handed the forms back and asked for directions to the nearest trustworthy locker-renting place. With no guarantee of finding a place to sleep and leave her belongings she would need to find some storage at the very least.

When she strolled down the street, checking hotels along the way, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard screaming, clanking of metal, gunfire and the sound of hard objects hitting bodies - a fight! She accelerated her steps and rounded a corner, then stopped in her tracks as she saw the scene before her: a pink-haired woman with a pair of enormous mechanical gloves was fighting against three men in worn-down trenchcoats that were armed with guns. The coats looked similar enough that Sabrina recognized them as some sort of uniform - were they working together? She also spotted a number of unmoving bodies near the fight scene, all wearing those same coats, which made her look around for a few seconds and turned her attention back on the fighters just in time to see the pink-haired woman propel herself forward with the weight of her glove, blocking a clip of bullets with her other arm and punching one of the men in the chest, sending him flying through the air until he hit a wall and slumped to the ground without moving anymore.

One of the remaining men saw Sabrina and for a brief moment was startled - a moment that proved to be his undoing. The woman who was standing with her back to Sabrina and thus hadn't noticed her knocked the man's gun out of his hand with a kick and followed up with a brutal overhead smash. Had the man not dodged to the side, the hit would probably have squashed his head, but this way only his shoulder was hit and he screamed with pain as bones cracked. Sabrina winced but kept watching as the woman finished the job with a punch to the man's gut. The last one turned tail and began running, with the woman going after him in hot pursuit. She hadn't noticed Sabrina, it looked like... well, now she was curious. She flew up and onto the rooftops, then ran after the two individuals and finally blocked the man's way with a massive thrash container that stood in a side alley, with a simple flick of her wrist and a little applied Telekinesis. The woman sceptically looked around then glared at Sabrina as she leapt down the side of the building and landed on an old fire escape staircase that overlooked the alleyway that the two others were in. "What's going on here?"

"Don't interfere with the officials, Prime!" snarled the woman. "I got enough paperwork without arresting you too!"

The man in the trenchcoat took the chance to draw two guns from his pockets and screamed wildly as he fired them at Sabrina and the woman. Sabrina hastily erected a barrier that blocked just enough bullets for her to get out of the way, while the woman blocked them with her gloves. The man turned both guns on the latter when she began walking towards him, leaving himself open for Sabrina. She made a Shadow Ball in her hand and tossed it over the railing, hitting the man in the arm and flinging him around. The woman slammed him into a wall and lifted him by the throat, then with a disgusted look punched him in the stomach. The man's eyes widened, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and passed out. He dropped to the ground when the woman let him go and turned to Sabrina, who smiled confidently. That is until the woman drew a pistol that looked ridiculously small in her massive gloves and aimed it at her. "You. Down here. Now." Her tone left no doubt that if Sabrina did not comply immediately she would get a bullet in her head. So, she obeyed, spreaded her arms to show she reached for no weapon and floated over the edge of the escape's railing then landed on the ground.

"You looked like you could use some help, officier", she said when on the ground. Immediately the woman had her against the wall, holding her by her collar. She lifted her off her feet to be on eye height, being a bit taller than Sabrina.

"I'm asking the questions here. Speak again without being asked and you'll be resisting arrest. Am I clear?"

Sabrina blinked, then nodded. She had seen what "resisting arrest" meant with this woman.

"First of you're going to identify yourself."

"I have-" Sabrina was promptly shut up when Vi slammed her back into the wall. Her back protested and she gritted her teeth to not wince.

"I said only speak when asked! Was I not clear enough? So let's try this again... you're going to identify yourself. Now speak."

Sabrina took a moment to reply. "I have an ID in my right pocket - your left. I can reach for it and show you?"

"Do it, stick. Nice and slow so I can see your hands."

"... excuse me?" she asked, taken aback by that nickname. Vi pushed her hands harder against her chest, making her wheeze as she could barely breathe with the air being forced out of her lungs. Luckily the woman withdrew after a bit.

"That's the second time you're running your mouth, stick! Do you WANT me to leave you like them?" she nodded towards the bodies near them. Sabrina shook her head, pressing her lips together. "Good. Now get that ID out of your pocket."

Sabrina made a purposedly slow motion and only reached into her pocket with two fingers, producing the ID that had been given to her by Coruscant ER&D. She held it out to Vi, who took it into the surprisingly nimble fingers of her massive gauntlets and skimmed over it. Then she eyed Sabrina again.

"You're coming to the station with me. We're confirming your identity. I hope for the sake of your jaw that it's not a fake." She fumbled with something in her jacket and produced a walkie-talkie, without turning her eyes away from Sabrina. "HQ? This is Vi speaking. I need three men with tasers and a large van for transport of criminals in District 17, Sunshine alley."

"Officer Vi, this is HQ speaking. Dispatching a team of three with tasers and an armored van for personnel transport to you now. Shouldn't be more than two minutes."

"Understood. Vi out." She put the item away and let Sabrina back down. "You listen closely. I gotta round up those bodies until the rest of the crew arrives, so I can't keep you pinned all day. But don't think I'm getting soft on you. If I so much as think you're trying to get away you'll be going to the station in a wheelchair. Got it?"

"Got it. I'll just sit here." She slid to the ground, occasionally coughing because of the rough treatment. Vi went on with her work but kept an eye on Sabrina, shooting her a glance every few seconds as she put the trenchcoated men against the wall, neatly lined up.

"If I may ask... who are these guys?" Sabrina finally dared to ask. She had a brief coughing fit before continuing. "Some group?"

"Oh come on, stick. I barely even touched you", remarked Vi and poked one of the men with her foot. "These guys are hired guns. Probably hired by the rebels to eliminate me. Thought my guard would be down now that the Gala is about to go down."

"My name's Sabrina, thank you very much", she replied with a snarl. Then, in a more curious tone she continued: "Your name's Vi, isn't it? I overheard it a few times when I was in Coruscant but it was never mentioned who you are."

Vi raised an eyebrow. She seemed mildly annoyed but not openly angry at her. "You don't know who I am, really? Enforcer Vi, head of the Costa del Sol police? How long have you been here?"

"I've been here a few hours. The time before that I went to Costa del Sol and barely stayed so I didn't get much info."

"You'd better inform yourself next time, stick. I expect the citizens of Costa del Sol to know who's upholding the law around here."

"I told you I'm not... ugh, never mind." She probably wouldn't see this woman anymore anyway. Soon after that the truck rolled up the street and Vi shoved the unconscious men inside with the help of the troopers that came out, then had Sabrina climb in and sat opposite of her. The drive to the station was short but before Sabrina could be taken care of they needed to unload the criminals and send two of them to the hospital. So she was left waiting for a while before one of the troopers came back with her ID and handed it back.

"We ran a check, Professor. The ID is in order. We're supposed to warn you though to not interfere with police work."

"I'll remember that next time. Listen, the Gala is going to start soon, isn't it? I would like to attend, but I need directions."

"The Gala? You could maybe join us in the bus, Professor. We're headed there after clocking out and we're using a big bus as it's a bit of a long way. I'm sure that there'll be an open seat left." He put a hand to his helmet and briefly checked with someone else in the department, then confirmed that to Sabrina.

"I'd love to. I just need to get changed."

"We all do, Professor. We're not gonna be attending the beach party in our work armor after all."

"Beach party? I thought it was a Gala."

"The Empire is organizing two events: once every three months a large beach party is held alongside the Gala catering to the commoners who do not attend to the Gala itself. It's spatially very close, some people even attend both events the same day. The Gala is a little more high-class for imperial officials and such, whereas the beach party is just what you'd expect - bands playing, games for adults and children, bars and open kitchens roasting fish..."

"Panem et ludem, eh. I see. Well, I'll still need to change if I want to go to the Gala in something proper."

He led her upstairs, simply allowing her to change in the female changing room where Sabrina sat down and summoned a dress and accessories for herself out of Omnilium - a form-fitting dark blue dress with a furcoat and heeled shoes fit for dancing. She wasn't a fan of high heels but at a Gala she would probably be expected to wear some, and she may as well try her best to enjoy herself while she was there. Finally she summoned a few hairclips and, with application of Telekinesis and her hands, fluffed her hair up into a wavy hairstyle that she was satisfied with. The whole process took over half an hour, so she arrived just in time for the bus to leave with her.

Vi wasn't inside, she noticed as she took up a seat next to who she presumed to be a trooper - their face-obscuring helmets left no idea as to who was who underneath the suits. He was wearing a suit and behaved quite like a gentleman - though that was, as Sabrina soon found, because he was attending the Gala, being a higher officer, and didn't have a dance partner yet. They rapidly took to calling themselves by their first names - his was Hank - and got to talking while the bus departed. With dancing being a big part of the Gala and Sabrina being dressed up for just that, the subject soon came to it.

"I was gonna ask the boss, but... well, you know", explained Hank after a while.

"The boss? I don't think I know who you mean."

"Oh, you do. News of your meeting with Officer Vi spreaded real fast, you know."

"Vi? Oh! I thought you meant someone else. What's the matter, is she taken?"

"Well no, though there's more than enough rumors about THAT subject." He cleared his throat. "Anyway... she is usually, uh, drunk by the time it gets to dancing."

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "Are you hiding something from me, Hank? That doesn't sound like it's the whole reason."

"No, it's nothing. Just dumb gossip."

She grinned and crossed her arms. "Tell you what. If you tell me I'll do a dance with you, you get to pick which."

Hank considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Okay then. Well... it's said that Vi doesn't know how to dance."

"What?"

"You heard me. According to herself she didn't have the best upbringing before she came to the Omniverse, so she probably wasn't able to learn it. She never participates, she just hangs around the bar and looks embarassed."

"Hmm... that's kind of sad. And the Gala takes place every month, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it's monthly."

"I see... well, I'd say that the info's more than worth a dance! But", she quickly added when she saw the glimmer in Hank's eyes, "we agreed on one song. I don't last very long, you'd have me gasping for breath if we did more than two or three."

Soon after that the bus came to a stop and everyone climbed out almost as orderly as they would have had they been wearing uniforms, but only almost as they were off duty now. Sabrina nearly tripped on the staircase, really not used to the high heels - luckily these impractical things hadn't ever been included in the Gym Leader's dresscode, let alone Team Rocket uniforms - and finally got to ground level. She was met with a spectacular sight. The bus had driven into a parking lot close to the beach party's delimited area, way closer than most private transports were allowed to go. The party was spreading across the beachside and a large plaza a bit further into the city, with the road closed off and secured on both sides. There were large barbecues where fish was being roasted, circular pavillons of bamboo and palm tree leaves had been set up to be used as bars, even the drinks were sometimes handed out in coconuts with straws in them. A huge stage was set up in the plaza, with enormous speakers ready to play band music at full blast - and speaking of bands, some men were just checking the instruments on the stage, and a man in a fine suit was speaking into a camera, though he was too far away for Sabrina to hear anything. An open-air dancefloor had been set up on the beach and stabilised with supports though people weren't dancing just yet, and massive lights hinted at that there would be no problem with darkness when the sun set. It was a tropical beach party mixed with modern concepts and technology, forming something truly amazing.

Sabrina promised Hank that she'd find him at the Gala before the dancing started and disappeared into the crowd. And what a crowd it was: visitors from Coruscant, from the Endless Dunes and from islands in the Vasty Deep had all gathered for the party and were laughing, eating, drinking and playing. The atmosphere was intoxicating and Sabrina felt how she wanted to throw herself into the masses to be swept away by the party. But, she forced herself out of her daze, this wasn't where she was meant to be. She briefly headed to the bar to get a drink and a little roasted fish, to have something in her stomach before attending the main event. Both the drinks and food were handed to her by servers in beachwear that were as upbeat and enthusiastic as the atmosphere around them. She ate quickly then headed out, already having seen where the Gala was taking place.

Unlike the chaotic beach party the Gala was a little more classy. Which is not to say that it was formal, in fact the people who were present - all sorts of important Imperials - were quite friendly and open. She was checked at the door but after giving her name was soon let in. With her appetite teased from the piece of fish she was drawn towards the buffet, which was mouth-watering: long tables lined up along the wall, with all sorts of soups, snacks, cold salads, meats and fishes, sauces and desserts on them, more than she could hope to eat even if she took only one bite of each.

Just as she was helping herself to some stuffed peppers a voice behind her spoke loudly: "Well, if it ain't stick! I didn't fancy seeing you around here!" Sabrina didn't turn around fast enough to see the hextech gauntlet coming to slap on her back, which sent her stumbling several steps forward. If it wasn't for her quick reflexes with her hands and psychic powers to catch the food out of the air and keep the plate in her hand, she would have made quite a mess. She looked up and turned around, though she already knew who to expect. Vi was standing before her in a formal tuxedo, although the formality was pretty much dragged through the mud by the fact that her tie was hanging very loosely around her neck, she was still wearing the massive mechanical gauntlets on her arms, and her cheeks were red. She was completely drunk - how she was keeping herself on her feet, Sabrina had no idea. She was swinging back and forth but never dropped.

"Well, I work for the R&D department and this is the first Gala organized since I started out there... I wouldn't have wanted to miss it." A white lie of sorts... she hadn't even known about the Gala until a few hours prior. She eyed Vi for a moment. "I hope that everything is okay about what happened earlier today?"

"Aaaah, don't mention it." Vi made a dismissing wave of her massive hand. "Things like that happen. Guess you didn't catch me in my best mood after you interrupted a fun chase!" She tried to slap Sabrina's back again but nearly fell over when her hand was dodged. "Enjoying the Gala?"


"I only just arrived, actually, but I'll be hitting the dancefloor right after I eat up."

"The dancefloor? You got a partner already?"

"Detective Hank Gorman. We met on our way here." She hmmed... maybe this was a good time to slide the question in. "You going to dance too?"

Vi's blush darkened and she looked aside. "Nah. Don't got anyone, and I can't... uh, stand dancing anyway." She leant over to nab a champaigne glass from a server's tray and emptied it in one go.

"That's a pity... well anyway, I should go if I want to finish eating. I have to return to the department tomorrow though, so... See you around, Officer."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Dug up some files, I did, and found the letter of your department. I scheduled you at 12PM tomorrow, my office. Don't be late."

Sabrina had a feeling that with so much alcohol in her system now, tomorrow Vi would be the one coming late, but she nodded. "I'll take care. See you around." And she found herself a seat to eat, finishing just in time for the music to start. Hank was already waiting for her and guided her onto the dancefloor. From the smile on his face he was one of the happiest men in the room that day as he put his hand on Sabrina's waist and they began to move to the music's slow rhythm...

3657 / 4253 words
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✓ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
✘ Teach Vi how to dance
✘ Be her partner at the Gala

[Undyne]

At 11:45 Sabrina arrived at the police precint and was waved through to the back right away. In here she had no problem with displaying her badge on her waist, though it contrasted weirdly with her casual clothing that was better fitting to the hot climate of Costa del Sol than her usual clothes, especially in a precint where everyone wore some type of uniform.

Vi was already waiting in her office with a half-eaten sandwich between her thumb and index fingers... actually, her mechanical gauntlets' fingers. She was already starting to think that they were her real arms... she'd never seen Vi without them, now that she thought of it. Did she ever take them off? Regardless, she stepped in and sat down on the other side of the desk while Vi finished her sandwich with two bites and waved her hand over the thrashcan to get rid of the crumbs. "Enjoying yourself?" she finally asked and turned her attention to Sabrina as if she had only now noticed her.

"Pardon me?"

"In Costa del Sol. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh! Well, yes. It's a great city, it looks very prosperous, and the Gala yesterday was amazing."

Vi snickered and produced a bottle and two glasses, then without asking poured some for both. "Good to hear it. From what I read you'll be spending a while around here, stick. Scotch?"

"Thanks, but I don't drink." She watched as Vi shrugged and swallowed the contents of one glass in one go before grabbing the other. She continued speaking: "And well, however long the ER&D department decides to keep me here, though it may be a while considering that I have a lot to research."

"The Cinnibarians, was it? Well, you do whatever the eggheads told you to do. So long as you don't cause trouble or get in my way again I don't care." She eyed Sabrina over the rim of her glass and swirled the contents inside it a little before taking a sip. "You're a researcher, not an officer. In law enforcement matters, you're a civvie - and civvies who think themselves heroes get thrown out. Got that?"

"What went on yesterday won't happen again, if that's what you mean."

"Good. I don't need any vigilantes in my city. Anyway, go speak to Detective Gordon when we're done, he has the papers you need to go over before starting your work. Past research and discoveries, samples and such." Sip. "You already got a place to stay?"

"Well, Detective Gorman let me sleep in his guestroom tonight and my forms ought to be processed by now, so I'm good on that front."

"Hmmh", was all that Vi replied. She seemed to be going through a checklist in her mind but everything appeared to be ticked off, from the looks of it. Sabrina took a breath. Before Vi could tell her to go, she needed to ask her one more thing.

"There's another matter... about the Gala evening."

"What of it?"

"Well, you didn't dance when it came to that point."

"I told you yesterday, didn't I stick? I don't like dancing. Besides I had nobody to go there with."

"I think that there's a different reason that you didn't dance."

Vi's eyes narrowed and she put the glass down. Sabrina knew she had struck a nerve... and she needed to be very careful now. She picked each word before saying it: "I have overheard some rumors saying that you don't know how to."

"Oh? And what makes you think that I was lying to you yesterday?"

"I didn't say that. Although, there are many men that would love to ask you to the dancefloor on one of the Galas, I'm sure that you have had some offers in the past. So perhaps you don't like dancing because you don't know how to?"

"Hah. You're quick to jump to conclusions. Why are you asking anyway? Trying to get more gossip?" She tried to appear amused but Sabrina could see her fingers moving, balling into fists and opening up again. She knew she was on the right track, so long as she cared about her words she wouldn't meet the business end of those fists. She smiled a little.

"Well... you blushed when I asked you yesterday. And no, I promise you that anything said isn't leaving the room. I had a proposition, actually."

Vi leant forward with her hands on the desk and eyed Sabrina closely as if she could read her thoughts on her face. "Okay... for arguments' sake let's just say that you are right and I can't dance. What is it you would propose?"

"Well, my Gym Leader function before I came to the Omniverse had me go to a number of events with big wigs. Dancing was a big part of the whole... socializing thing, it was just about mandatory so I had to learn dancing. I still know my way around the dancefloor somewhat, so... well, I could help you out by teaching you a bit."

Vi blinked, then picked her glass back up with a laugh. "You aren't serious, are you?"

"I am", said Sabrina with an honest smile. "It'll give me a chance to freshen up my knowledge and things will be slow for a while anyway as I go through the current research results. I can do this very easily - you only need to say yes."

The Enforcer turned serious again and sipped her glass before replying. "Well... I saw you on the dancefloor, you moved very elegant. I suppose that you could help me out."

"Great. You have the big sports hall in the precint, right? I saw it when I came here... maybe when we are both done working we could meet there?"

"It'll need to be after nine. The boys play basketball until quarter to nine." She put the empty glass down. "I hope for your sake that you're not trying to trick me, stick."

"I felt what it's like to get a friendly slap on the back by your hands. I don't want to find out how much stronger an angry punch is." She paused a moment then, seeing that Vi remained silent, nodded. "So it's set. Nine in the evening in the sports hall, and do bring some dancing shoes."

"I'm gonna. That'll be all... now leave me alone, I got work to do. Don't be late." She got to her feet and picked up her jacket from a clotheshanger near the door, while opening it for Sabrina.

"I won't. Thank you for your time!" She hurried out the room, her back turned to Vi so that she couldn't see the beaming smile across her face.

1120 / 5373 + x words
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✓ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
✘ Teach Vi how to dance
✘ Be her partner at the Gala

[Undyne]

After having gotten the relevant documentation - four massive folders and a few loose papers stuffed into a cardboard circulating wallet - from the Detective Sabrina had been pointed to by Vi, the day went by rather slow. The Empire had a lot of information on the Pokemon of Cinnibar, Sabrina could tell, but a lot of it was redundant: there was similar reports from different people, sometimes even the same document in two versions - from the looks of it, they had been copied - and sometimes simply two cases from different instances that documented similar occurences. At least one folder's worth of documentation was useless, she came to realize, if this trend continued. Although, when she noticed she needed to go she was barely through the first folder.

In a mild hurry she put the documents into bags and pushed them under the bed. She doubted that Hank would go through her stuff, and even if he did as he was a detective he would probably be authorized to look through those files which were confidential, but not top-secret either. But, one could never be completely certain. Then she grabbed the gym bag she had prepared which held everything she needed, pulled her biker suit and helmet over her casual clothing and stepped outside. Thanks to her bike she arrived at the precint ahead of time and was able to comfortably change back out of her suit and into her dancing shoes before Vi even showed up.

The Enforcer was dressed similarly to Sabrina, in casual clothes with trousers and shoes she didn't look fully comfortable in. And of course her gauntlets, which surprised Sabrina. Before she could say a thing though, Vi approached her in the now deserted hall.

"There you are, stick. Good to see that you didn't stand me up."

"Excuse me but... what are you doing?"

"What?"

"Those gauntlets. Don't tell me you plan on taking the classes with them?"

Vi raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with my Hextech Gauntlets?"

"If you're going to dance at the Gala you really shouldn't be wearing those."

Instead of taking them off Vi stepped up to Sabrina and reached for her hand while placing the other on her shoulder. "Not a problem. See, I can hold you just fine."

"Yes, and you're crushing my hand." She took a step back as soon as her hand was released and shook it a bit. Good thing that no bones were broken. "Listen... we can't do this if you keep these things on. You're going to dance, not battle, and the Gala is about appearing elegant."

Vi crossed her arms but didn't say a word. Sabrina knew that she was treading on very dangerous ground but she couldn't backpedal anymore. So she kept on. "I believe that you are a gorgeous woman, Officer, and you are doing the Empire a great service by keeping the peace here in Costa del Sol. That's also why nobody minds you wearing those gauntlets when you show up at the Gala... but only because you're not dancing. The dancefloor is different."

"These gauntlets are weapons, stick. They protect the imperial civilians and its hard workers. They are a symbol of safety. If I took them off for the Gala I might as well go naked."

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's the whole reason."

"What?" Vi's eyes dangerously glared at her.

"You are used to the power they give you. The feeling of safety. You feel weak without them." She rapidly raised her hand when Vi came forward and reared up her fist, and only barely blocked a punch with her barrier. Although, even if Vi didn't put her real strength into the punch it tore through the protection like glass and Sabrina was hit in the chest, making her stumble several steps. She recovered quickly though... had Vi tried to really hurt her she would be lying on the ground with her ribs in pieces, she realized. "I'm sorry to be harsh on you, but... if you refuse to work with me I can't help you."

"Hah. You sound like a psychologist now", remarked the Enforcer without the hint of a smile.

"I want to help you out - by teaching you to dance. What you do with your gauntlets at the Gala or afterwards I don't care about, alright? But we only have one month to show you some dance moves. If you can take off your gauntlets in here, while we're alone, just for a pair of hours a day, I'll be happy and you'll learn. You can crush people's hands the entire rest of the day."

Vi didn't reply for a while, she just glared at Sabrina, but slowly that look turned into scepticism, then finally she gave a resigned sigh and chuckle. "I swear, stick, you're really something. Most people who talk to me like that, I'd send to the hospital. I don't know why but I don't want to do that to you."

"Well, that's good to hear."

Vi then placed her hands on the ground and pressed a pair of buttons on the inside of her gauntlets, causing them to open and release her forearms and hands. The gauntlets remained on the ground with the palms open so that they could be put back on easily. Sabrina remarked how slim they seemed in contrast to the enormous mechanical fists that she had been wearing until then. "I'll keep them off during our sessions and during the dancing part of the Gala. But, I hope for your sake that your lessons are worth this."

"You're not going to regret it. So then, to warm up let's start with the simple legwork of the Waltz. Just follow my movements. Now, the woman places her legs like so, with the left-"

"Hold on. The male and female sides are different, aren't they?"

"... well yes, why would they not be? Some of the steps require the man to move in a different way than the woman so that there's no stepping on feet."

"I want to learn the male side" she said in a tone that revealed she had made her mind up. Even so, Sabrina decided that she needed to remark something.

"You won't be able to dance with any men, then... unless they know the female side."

Vi grinned. "If they want to dance with me they'll just have to let me lead them. There's someone I want to be able to dance with but she only knows the female side."

"Someone? Who-"

"Not your business! An old friend of mine." She tapped her foot on the ground. "Now, about the male side. Show me."

"Sure. Though I'm not as experienced with that one, just as a warning." She adjusted the position of her feet and waited for Vi to imitate her. "Ignore the arms for now, we will do that later. Now, start by moving your..."

The three hours they had scheduled for went by faster than Sabrina realized; Vi was a great learner, although she was short-tempered and more than once used a little too much force during the partnered dance. To keep the memory fresh Sabrina arranged a meeting for the same time the next day as they concluded the session, and Vi simply nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, stick. And don't forget..."

"My lips are sealed, I promise. Have a good evening!"

That evening she also met with Hank for dinner as thanks for having let her stay at his place - she moved her few belongings that same evening, to the apartment whose keys had been delivered earlier that day. While she didn't mind staying at someone else's place for a bit, she preferred a place of her own. She just took the time to dump the folders on the table and dropped her bags and belongings in a corner, then checked that everything was clean and usable before she went through her bedtime routine and let herself fall into bed. This stay was going to be fun...

1347 / 6720 words
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✓ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
~ Teach Vi how to dance
✘ Be her partner at the Gala

[Undyne]

"Step forward to the side, and... no! No! The left side! Follow my feet, Vi!"

"Hey, this isn't easy stick!"

The routine between working during the day, teaching Vi in the evening and sleeping at night had went on for nearly a month now. The next Gala was announced and would take place tomorrow, though there was no beach party happening this time around, so Costa del Sol was noticeably calmer and quieter than it had been a month ago. One day to go, two lessons left including their current one, if they squeezed in a last repetition on the same day.

One day left, and Sabrina was getting desperate. Vi wasn't a slow learner, but she and dancing just didn't compute. She was able to do the MOVEMENTS but she lacked the grace and elegance needed to turn the series of movements into a continuous flowing dance. Not to mention, she kept forgetting details here and there that Sabrina needed to fix, and no matter what the next evening she either made the same error or something else popped up instead. They weren't unmanageable errors but they did upset Sabrina's mild perfectionism, and she did want Vi to be able to dance. If she was going to cross one boundary by doing the man's side of the dance, she would at least have to be good at it.

"Okay, just... let's try it again, from the top. Starting position... okay. Forward, forward, left and pause... now back two steps... forward to the left... VI!"

The Enforcer gave an angry huff and pulled her feet back from the wrong position, then went to leave the dancefloor. "I don't care anymore. This'll never work out!"

Sabrina ran after her. "What are you doing? Are you going to just give up? I thought you were better than that!" She already had a barrier raised when Vi threw a punch at her. It was not the first time they had had a conversation like this... and it may not be the last either. The punch, releasing a burst of anger with it, usually calmed Vi enough that she could be spoken to. "Listen. You can do this, you have come so far. I am confident in that you can do that last step as well."

"Not this time, stick. I'm just running on the spot at this point. These movements, the whole..."

"Choreography?"

"Whatever, that thing is difficult. I'm just not made to dance in ballrooms, unlike some of us."

"That's not true! You're... wait." Sabrina stopped speaking as an idea came to her mind, and she grinned. "You're a fighter, aren't you... don't they say that you dance across a battlefield, hmm?"

Vi was about to make a snappy retaliation but stopped with her mouth half open, then blinked. "What?"

"This may or may not work, but... imagine that this is a battle - no, a contest. That your steps are withdrawing or advancing, that each movement is an attack or defence, that you're interlocked with your opponent in a struggle. They're challenging your skill and you must match theirs if you don't want them to defeat you. If you make a wrong move, you lose because you didn't train. If they make a wrong move, you win because you trained enough."

Vi snickered. "You've got the craziest ideas, but it sounds worth a try. I can enjoy a good contest."

"Good. Because most of the people at the Gala are going to be real tough, so if you want to make it through, you'll need to train all you can these last two sessions." She held her hand out. "So then, let's give it a test run?"

Vi took her hand, guided her to the dancefloor they had set up and began. Though it was by no means perfect, still rather rough around the edges, it was far better than the approach they'd tried up until then. Vi led Sabrina around in elegant twirls and steps, challenged her with each movement and retaliated to Sabrina's "attacks" with her own. Only twice did she step on her toes (both times accompagnied by angry cursing) before she got the movements down, and after over half an hour of continuous dancing they were both exhausted but satisfied.

"Time-out..." called Sabrina finally, panting but smiling brightly. "I think you're just about ready to hit the real dancefloor. But I would insist on doing the last session regardless, so that you are able to perform your best."

Vi went to sit on the bench at the edge of the room and nodded. "I want to go through with it. Might not be the best in the whole room when the Gala goes down but I'm damn well gonna try." She grinned. "In a weird way you're a real good teacher, stick. Making me think of this as a contest rather than a bunch of strange movements strung together... yeah, it did the trick."

"I got to know you well enough over this last month, I suppose. But for today I would rather call it a day - I won't be able to do much more even if we take the time to recover."

Vi slid her gauntlets on and nodded. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then. The Gala starts at eight, so I booked the room for half past six. One hour to repeat and whatnot."

"Half past six? I'll be there. Make sure to come dressed and everything."




The next day came and at 6:30 sharp Sabrina stood in the hall. Vi was a pair of minutes late and, of course, wearing her gauntlets still, but at least she was dressed. Sabrina recognized the tuxedo as the same one she had worn at the previous Gala and chuckled. She herself was only wearing a simple dress that she had been using those past few days to simulate the Gala's dance, but nothing too well fancy - she wasn't going to go this time around, as Hank was busy with some routine work in Impel Down and she didn't have another partner - not to mention, sitting there and staring at Vi would probably just make her nervous. But Vi's attire...

"You're not going to dance with that suit, are you? You don't have long sleeves on that thing."

"Well no, the long sleeves wouldn't fit over my Hextech Gauntlets."

"If you go in there without the gauntlets and in short sleeves you'll be kicked out... the dresscode isn't too strict but short sleeves on a tuxedo is just too far." She tugged on the end of the sleeves just in front of the elbow. "That can be fixed though... you're a Prime after all. You can wear the gauntlets on top of that, right? Not gonna be too comfy, but it can't be helped."

"Yeah, well I guess." She removed the gauntlets then the jacket and held it before herself, starting to focus. Sabrina meanwhile set the stage up. As soon as the suit was adjusted and good to go they took their first stance and began to whirl across the floor, first slowly then increasingly fast as they warmed up. Only for half an hour though - to repeat the steps, and to avoid overexerting themselves before the actual event. Besides, the adjustment of the sleeves had costed them over ten minutes already so time was short. Finally, the little alarm Sabrina had set up near the dancefloor went off and she finished the set before letting go of Vi.

"There we go. You should head out now if you want to get to the Gala in time. The bus should be going any minute now." When Vi nodded and put her gauntlets back on, she started walking towards the exit to go home, only to be stopped by a massive mechanical hand that wrapped around her arm.

"Oi. Where do you think you're going?"

"... home? I thought you knew that I'm not going this month." She wriggled her hand but Vi didn't let go.

"Well, that's too bad because now you are going. With me." She began to drag Sabrina in the opposite direction, to the exit of the hall that led to the parking lot where the bus was waiting.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Again she struggled but she had no chance to wriggle her way out. Vi was much, much stronger than her even without the gauntlets, but with them there was no chance of escaping her grasp.

"You're the one who started all this, stick", replied Vi simply as she opened the door and brought Sabrina out into the parking lot, forcing her to stumble along. "Now you'll see it through to the end, as my partner."

"Your part- you mean dance partner? But... I'm not even dressed!"

"We'll just summon something for you in the bus. You can get changed in the bus bathroom. Now come on, get in." They had stopped before the bus entrance and Vi let go of Sabrina's arm, leaving bright red marks.

"Well... alright, but you could have told me earlier that you were going to do this", Sabrina remarked as she climbed into the bus, closely followed by Vi. She took her training shoes off and walked barefoot towards the back where the only remaining open seats were at.

"What would've been the fun in that? You would've just come up with an excuse", replied Vi with a laugh as she plopped down next to Sabrina. "I'll take care of your shoes, you summon a dress. And hurry it a bit, cause we only got twenty minutes before arriving."

Resigned, Sabrina held back the urge to just say "Yes sir" and closed her eyes to focus. There was no way she would talk Vi out of this, even if it meant dragging her onto the dancefloor. So she might as well try to make the best of it.

1657 / 8377 words
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✓ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
✓ Teach Vi how to dance
~ Be her partner at the Gala

[Undyne]

Sabrina and Vi were just barely finished with the summoning process when the bus came to a halt on the parking lot. Vi grinned and handed Sabrina the items she had summoned at her request, then followed the others to the exit but waited in the parking lot, as if suspecting that Sabrina would try to pull a fast one. But, seeing how the situation was the psychic had resigned herself to the situation. With the clothing in her arm she went into the bus bathroom to get changed, and shortly after popped out through the entrance.

For the Gala, Sabrina had settled for an elegant dark blue dress that exposed much of her back and a bit of cleavage at the front, but she'd been more than careful to keep it "tame" enough to fit into the dresscode restrictions. Coupled with that she wore black evening gloves and had put her hair up in a purposedly imperfect bun, with a few strands going down her back. Since last month she'd noticed that many of the women at the Gala liked to dress a little extravagantly (and not always strictly abiding by the dresscode, such as with cleavages that made one wonder how they kept their breasts from spilling out) she'd thought that she might as well make a little effort. More in any case than last time, even though back then she had ensured to appear well-dressed as well. She'd just not dared as much as she did now. Vi presented her gauntlet-covered arm and Sabrina tucked hers into it. Though that alone began to draw the looks, Vi displayed it as proudly as a peacock with its tail fanned out.

As they entered the hall where the main event was taking place it began to dawn on Sabrina that Vi hadn't just pulled her into this date to have a partner. She realized that Vi, however childish and self-important she may have behaved during their lessons, had actually pursued a bigger plan all along, and masterfully kept it hidden from Sabrina all that time. Sure enough two women coming to the Gala as partners would stoke the fires of the rumor pot but Vi was already more than well-known for her tomboyish behavior and fun-loving nature, so the rumors would quickly stop. Sabrina on the other hand was a nobody - yet. But coming to the ball with the strongest individual of Costa del Sol and being her dance partner for the very first dance Vi had ever performed in public would undoubtedly get people's attention. The initial murmuring behind hands about a possible romantic relationship between the Enforcer and that unknown girl would quickly pass as it usually did, but the first dance would be remembered for much longer. Long enough that Sabrina would be remembered in Costa del Sol for a while, and be approached by sycophants who wanted closer relations to the leading figures of the Empire. And while this wasn't the sort of attention she wanted, it would give her a window of time to establish herself among the other important figures in Costa del Sol and create the relationships and attention that she DID want. And in a regime where relationships were more important than the work you did, this was a very valuable aid indeed.

When Vi then noticed the look of realization on Sabrina's face she grinned. "Figured it out now, did you stick? Or shall I say, Professor?"

"I'm starting to. But... how much of all that did you plan? Was it all..."

"No. At first it was just about you teaching me some dance moves but I wondered how I could pay you back for it. I don't leave my debts unpaid, you see. But the idea itself only popped up two days ago."

"Wow... I don't know what to say."

"Save your breath for the smalltalk and the dancing." She nabbed a glass of champaigne from a passing waiter's tray and took a tentative sip, then shrugged and downed the entire glass. "There's gonna be all sorts of people coming to talk to us before I'm drunk enough to... ohh boy, here they come." She grimaced before putting on a fake smile when a man in his late fifties and a significantly younger woman - in her late forties at most, Sabrina would guess - approached them with big smiles. "Doctor Marcy! What a pleasure it is to see you here!"

"Well, y'know my dear! A man's gotta find the time to enjoy life once in a while! I was able to put my paper on halt for a day to come to this month's Gala." He tried to lean in to exchange cheek kisses, but Vi promptly stopped him by offering to shake hands instead, which the doctor accepted after an awkward moment. "Have you met my wife Lara by the way?"

"I don't think so. Pleased to meet you." They briefly exchanged kisses, then Vi nudged Sabrina forward a bit. "If I may introduce you by the way, this is Professor Sabrina."

"Oh! Of course. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Professor."

Sabrina held back a grin and exchanged kisses with both the doctor and his wife. "The pleasure's all mine. I must say, Doctor Marcy, I'm a big fan of your paper on the relations of Omnilium density to ocean salinity levels." In truth she'd skipped most of the reading. It had been one of those dozens of papers that she had flipped through when researching what the intellectuals of the Empire had discovered about the Vasty Deep's oceans, especially concerning Cinnibar Island and its surroundings. She'd remembered it by pure luck at the mentioning of his name.

"Ohh, that! I'm glad you liked it! I, uh... I'm afraid that I can't quite place your name with anything I've read, dear."

"Oh, I, uh... I wrote something theorizing about the artificial enhancement of a Pokemon's psychic powers through electro-chemical components and how it could be transitioned to humans."

"That paper? Oh, I remember now! It was a bit out there but you had some very good ideas! Your Professor degree is no doubt well-earned. So then I trust that you have come to Costa del Sol recently?"

"That is correct, Doctor. I've been here for about a month. I'll probably begin my field testing in the next few months though, so I'm not sure about how long I will stay."

"Well, then enjoy it while you can. I tell you, I barely ever get the time to come to the gem of the Empire, to Costa del Sol, and when I do it's always too short. So if by any chance you need a specialist for your field testing, you could contact the university. Here's my card." He produced one from his jacket and handed it to Sabrina who took it with a bright smile. The talking went to unrelated subjects before they parted ways again. As soon as they were a few steps away Vi broke out in laughter so hard that she had to put her glass down.

"You guessed it, huh?" asked Sabrina with a smirk and took up a plate to eat from the buffet.

"A theory about enhancing psychic powers... I've done my homework you know. I know why you got that Professor title of yours." She picked her glass back up and filled it while Sabrina began picking what she wanted from the salad bar. "But he deserved that if a month after the tests he still doesn't know about the ER&D breakthroughs."

"I suppose. Are you not eating anything?"

"Not hungry." She filled her glass again - Sabrina noted that she hadn't even seen her empty it.

"You should hold back a bit... I don't mean to tell you what to do but if you go on the dancefloor while drunk things may go south."

"I'm no lightweight, stick. Besides this is only my sixth glass, I'll be fine."

"Well, I'll trust your judgement I suppose... I just don't want to end up drunken dancing." She found a seat at a vacant table and dug in while Vi found herself a bottle somewhere and came over to sit next to her. They drew the attention of several other guests who came over to sit and introduce themselves, though Sabrina could see the hunger for gossip in their eyes. Not that it helped much that she introduced herself with her title. When they were finished, got up and joined the crowd again, that didn't change - they found themselves almost constantly speaking to somebody, usually couples. Numerous prominent Imperials were attending the Gala, Sabrina quickly deduced that the Galas that took place when no beach party was taking place simultaneously were the "important" ones.


Eventually, the music started with a little warm-up music to get the couples readied for the actual event. The joyful ambience of the people in the room spreaded and more and more couples came onto the dancefloor, which despite being more than large was a little tight for the number of people that were going to dance. Sabrina got to her feet and put her hand on Vi's shoulder. "Think you can go?"

"Stop it, stick. I told you, these gauntlets are important. But they aren't something I can't live without", said Vi. And to prove her point she bended far forward at the edge of the dancefloor, placed her gloved palms on the ground and disengaged the locks on both gauntlets, then pulled her arms out, causing a lot of "oooh"s and "aaah"s from the people. This was one of the rare times that Vi was seen in public without those massive gloves on, after all. Without the brutish hunks of metal she looked much more feminine and the tux with long sleeves, although they were wrinkled from having been worn under the gauntlets, rounded up her elegant appearance. She held her hand out to Sabrina who placed her own in it with a smile and they stepped onto an open area on the dancefloor, with a number of eyes openly staring at them. But whoever was in charge of the music didn't care, they announced the first song and the according dance to be held, then the music started.

Like on their last day of practice, Vi and Sabrina fought. Neither side was willing to give in, neither was about to make an error. Vi was far from elegant and fine-tuned as someone with more experience may have been, but for someone who hadn't known a single dance move a month ago she performed stunningly well. The first dance was only the warm-up to both of them though, and Sabrina met Vi's challenging grin with her own. This evening was just getting started.

Sabrina could not remember afterwards. Had they danced seven, nine, a dozen times? The adrenaline coupled with the growing exhaustion had made her lose track, though eventually Vi had started making errors and finally declared Sabrina to be the winner of their little contest. But she smiled while she did it, and squeezed Sabrina's hand tightly when they left the dancefloor. "You're a challenging opponent, stick. But this isn't over. I'll train and become better... because I hate losing."

"You would have won had you held out just a bit longer. I doubt that I'll win the next time", replied Sabrina. Following an impulse she stepped forward and wrapped her hands around the other woman, giving her a friendly hug and withdrawing again, before anyone could notice. "I had fun. Thanks for having brought me here."

"Anytime, stick", replied Vi as she fetched her gauntlets again."But don't go resting on your laurels. People will remember this evening, and if you don't guide things the right way they'll soon think the wrong thing about us, or they'll forget about you. If you want to be known around Costa del Sol you have to fight just to stay where you are."

"Hah. I was a Gym Leader for seven years, I know what it's like to fight to keep your position. But, I'm grateful for the boost."

"Just a little thank-you for your lessons and the confidence boost. Well, I have to get going though - paperwork to take care of for tomorrow." She tried to turn away but Sabrina put a hand on her arm.

"Just one more question."

"Shoot."

"Who did you want to learn the male side of the dance for? And don't tell me it was for me, because I know it's not."

Vi laughed and pulled her arm away. "You're a smart one, stick. It's for someone you don't know, who you remind me of though. Her name was Caitlyn."

"Was? Is she dead?"

"No. But she'll come to the Omniverse some day, I can feel it. And when she does..."

"Gotcha." She nodded and grinned. "I'll see you some other day at the station then."

"Stay safe out there, stick." With that she left the premises. Sabrina followed her not very long after, as there was nothing more for her to stay around for. What she needed right now was to get out of her shoes and take a bath for her feet before they got blisters.

She'd not been lying when telling Vi that she would have won had they danced any longer.

2229 / 10.606 words ✓
(This post / Total)

Stipulations:
✓ Go to Costa del Sol
✓ Meet up with Vi & discover her lack of dance skills
✓ Teach Vi how to dance
✓ Be her partner at the Gala