09-22-2016, 05:17 AM
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...
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...
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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
"(Note to self: insert quote & picture once I find stuff)"
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