"Give me a bio on that group," I whisper to the captain, eying the big party that came in.

He nods and walks to the greeter, coming back a few moments later.

"Half of them are dates of some of Catastrophe's army- an assasin, a solider, another soldier, a doctor, and a spy."

I nod slowly. "Who are the guests?"

He hands me a slip of paper -a record-

Assasin named Finnigan (last name), date Alma Wolfe

Soldier named (name), date Araya Nixx.

Soldier named (name), date Jeff (last name)

Doctor named Jay (last name), date Jammria Foxe 

Spy named Lune (last name), date Rey Loar.

"Interesting," I mutter.

The captain points me in the direction of the group, and I look.

A girl catches my eye but looks away to her date.

I sigh and walk towards them.

"General Reguex?" the captain asks.

I smile. "I suppose it's time to be polite and pay them a little visit. After all, this is a public event." 

(Just so you guys know, Alexandria doesn't suspect anything. She's not looking to start a fight.)

Alexandria heads for our tables. 

Sprocket and I eye each other from a couple of feet away.

We all look at her as she approaches us.

"Can we help you?" I ask casually.

"Yes, well," she says, smiling a fake smile. I don't think she's ever smiled and meant it. "I just want to welcome you all here as you are trustworthy community members." 

I glance at Sprocket and she stares back at Alexandria. Trillian shifts ever so slightly.

"I hope you are all enjoying your time," she adds.

I look over at her. She almost looks...sad. 

I smile back. "Thank you. It is a lovely ball."

"We do strive to let the public know of our generosity in their support," she replies, eyeing the big decorations on the ceiling. She looks back at us. "Good evening, guests," she says, turning to walk off. She looks at our dates. "Soldiers."

She walks back over to the person she was talking to right as Shadow arrives with Alexander.

"I would like to speak to you all outside, without your dates please," Alexander adds, glancing at our dates.

We all nod and head out into the garden. 

Shadow joins us, looking slightly flustered.

"Where's your date?" Trillian asks.

Shadow pauses for a moment. "I actually don't know. He left when Alexander came to talk to me."

She looks red.

She notices I'm looking at her, and I raise an eyebrow. She turns even redder and looks away.

"What just happened over there?" Alexander asks, looking suprised at Sprocket.

I look over at Sprocket, and I can see her jaw and fists clenching.

"Alexandria," she growls. "The diguises are working. Now we just need to get her."

"Oh yes, I have something to tell you all," Alexander replies. "Poe Allen is dead."

There's a moment of shock. 

"That's why...." I mutter.

They all turn to me with a quesitoning look.

"Er, I mean, Alexandria looked sad and stuff, and when she saw us with her dates, maybe that's what, um, reminded her or something," I stammer. 

"So there's no point in getting her now?" Sprocket asks.

"I'm not sure about that," I reply. "First of all, there's still the whole thing about her and Shadow, and she has a lot of valubale information as to what the army is going to be doing, because of her close ties with Poe Allen."

Shadow nods.

"Okay," Alexander says.

We all turn to look at him.

He smiles evily. "Here's what we're going to do." 

Alexandria. Stand down. I will be handling this. This area is going to be held in lockdown. 

After our little meeting with Alexander, I go sit down by Finnigan. We start to talk, and I find that I am actually enjoying myself. He tells me about his life before SOCS and then about the acadamy. I tell him my backstory, and I think it sounds genuine.

"Care to dance?" he asks. I nod and we sweep onto the dance floor.

I had never danced before, but it was fairly simple. It had the same fluid-like movement of fighting, and the music was really pretty. I all of a sudden realized that I missed out on a lot of peoples regular life. I was 15 and I didn't even know how to dance. 

I whip around and find the bird-girl hovering in the air, challening Elliot. Her friends join her, all taking off their disguises.

I dive for a table right as another shot is fired.

I quickly take the gun from my ankle strap and load it, looking over the table. Soldiers surrond Elliot, and they all fight the large group.

I shoot at the bird girl, and I penetrate her leg. But it's not enough. It goes back to normal, and she continues to fight Elliot.

I quickly take off the skirt part of my dress to reveal the long cargo pants underneath, which has some more bullets and a few throwing knives.

I take a knife and throw it at the girl, Sorocket, and she dodges it.

I leap from the tables, firing at Trillian. I get her arm, and she falls to the ground, blood coming out.

Shadow, the bird-girl, still hovers in the air, underneath the chandelier.

Wait. The chandelier.

I trace the rope connecting it to a hatch on the wall.

I run over to that wall, take a knife, and cut the rope right as she aims or an unsuspecting Elliot.

The chandelier comes crashing down on her as she screams, and I run over to her.

The rest of her friends fight with the other guards, and Elliot looks at her.

She struggles underneath the heavy weight of the chandelier, and I aim my gun at her head.

"Wait!" she screams.

All commotion stops and looks at us.

She looks up at me. "What are you doing?"

I smirk.

I'm right about to pull the trigger when suddenley the wall is blown back, and I'm slammed away by the rubble.

I slowly look up and find that a bat has streamed in with other mutants and animals, outnumbering us.

Great.

Our side has just been made prisoners of war. 

We were doing a slow waltz when a scream rent the air. The music immediatly stops, and everyone turns to look at who it came from. A lady is lying on the floor, and Elliot is standing over her, a gun at his side.

I see a flurry of movement and shadow is flying over the crowd, a crossbow in her hand.

I pull away from Finnigan, drawing a gun out of my dress. I reach up my sleeve and press a button that turns my arm mechanical.

I run towards Elliot, but whirl around and change my course. I knew that I was running out of time, and that I needed to accomplish our goal. Elliot would have to wait.

In the confusion I run up the stairs and race around the outer balcony. I know that Aleandria had to be up here somewhere.

I race around the corner and run smack into Finnigan. He grabs my shoulders to prevent me from falling.

"What is going on?" he says, squeezing my arm. Then he looks down and sees the gears. And(of course)screams.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A METAL ARM??!!!"

I smack my hand to his mouth, twist his arm behind his back and flip him to the ground, holding him with my knee.

"Shut up!!"I hiss. "Do you want to get us killed? I don't have time to explain, just get out of here if you want to stay alive. Go as far away as you can, and hopefully I will be able to find you. I have taken a liking to you and it would be quite awful if you got blown to shreds. Now go."

I release him and run down the halls, stopping at a door labeled General.

I open the door and walk in. Alexandria sits at a desk, her head in her hands. She looks up sharply as I walk in and reaches for her gun.

"Stop," I say, pointing my gun at her. "Don't move. I know that you know who I am, but I am asking for you to listen to me. I know that you could kill me right now if you wanted to, but if we don't hurry then all of us are going to be killed."

She looks at me and nods.

"Ok,"I say. "I know that Poe is dead, and that you are hurt by it. You are probably hating Elliot right now and I have to agree with you on that." I take a deep breath. "Please come with us. I know that you have felt nothing but hurt in your life, and I know how that feels. But this will never lead to happiness. Come to our side and we will try to help you, to give you the life you deserve. You have a sister, and it would be a shame if you killed her. I know you probably don't care at all, but please come with me. Come join us."

 It is up to you Alexandria. 

Starting from the setting of the first page and ending where and when we are now.

Lycaella~

We wait for the cat-girl Mina in the woods near the restaurant where the others are supposed to meet their dates. I already have mine; Nygrune is here next to me. I didn't hear much of the plan, but I know that we're to collect information and then do something likely involving the sword, crossbow, daggers and stun gun I was given. The others have concealed weapons, too.

The bushes rustle. I unsheathe my sword and see shadow draw a gun. A girl bursts out of the bushes--red-brown hair, freckles, unarmed. She sees us and holds up her hands.

"Guys, it's me! Mina!" she says.

"How do we know it's you?" I ask.

"It's her, guys," shadow assures us, "I can tell."

I put my sword away and make sure Nygrune can't see as she changes into a sequined dress, but I'm still confused.

"I thought Mina was a Dolor Felis," I whisper.

"She is," Nygrune whispers back. "She just used a serum to change into a human for tonight."

She finishes, and we go to the restaurant, where the others meet their dates. I have nothing to do while they pair off and introduce themselves, so I just stay by Nygrune. Once they're done, we make our way to the ball.

I hear Sprocket (false name Alma) gasp as we enter, and I almost do, too. The whole room is huge, well lit by brightly glowing crystals that float through the air under a sea of twisting streamers that covers the ceiling. Musicians perform ballroom music on a low stage at the other end of the room, and what looks like hundreds of people dance to it in their colorful costumes and masks.

We split up, and I lead Nygrune to the dance floor. I've always loved ballroom dance, although these ones are ridiculously simple. My parents took me to dozens of parties when I was much younger, and Nygrune often came along, so we both glide through the songs with ease.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mina, shadow, Sprocket and Trillian slip into the restroom. I consider following them and asking what's going on, but decide against it. I should stay out here in case something happens. 

Now aware of the mission and the danger again, I glance around casually and see Alexander watching a blond girl in a dark purple dress. I don't stare, but I try to keep them in my sight. Everything remains peaceful, though. Nygrune and I dance a bit more, a few songs with each other, a few with strangers. Eventually we slip off to the sidelines and talk. The four who went into the bathroom are long out, although I don't see Alexander or Autumn. Nothing happens until it does.

I hear what sounds like a muted bang, followed by screams.

"Gun has a bad silencer," Nygrune mutters, although when I turn to him, all he's holding is my hand. I look back at the commotion, struggling to get a good view through the churning crowd. I hear gasps, my own among them this time, as shadow shoots up towards the ceiling, holding a crossbow, wings unfurling from the torn back of her dress.

"Hey, Elliot," she says in the sudden silence. "Back from the dead?"

"Yes, and I must say it wasn't that hard," I hear a strange voice reply. "You really need to start doing a better job."

shadow says something I don't hear and swoops through the air, firing a bolt from her crossbow. I sigh.

"Is it time?" I ask.

"Yep. Be ready to fight, but don't get out any weapons just yet," he says, feigning trying to protect me as we stumble back in mock distress.

I nod and sigh under wide eyes as the fight continues.

I whip around and whop my date on the head. He crumpled to the ground and I raise my hands. My gauntlets start glowing with blue and green energy. I point to Elliot and a blast of power knocks him off his feet. Everyone else draw their weapons and we close in on the vampire. For once, HE was going to be the one in chains.