The "Masquerade of Shadows" was held in a location that the game text simply described as [The Grand Ballroom].
In reality, it appeared to be a repurposed cathedral with a serious identity crisis. There were stained glass windows depicting saints, but someone had hung disco balls from the Gothic arches.
"Architectural blasphemy," Tisha muttered, adjusting her midnight blue mask. "The structural load of those disco balls on twelfth-century stone arches is concerning. One bass drop and we are all going to meet God."
Lorenzo stood beside her, looking sharp in his tuxedo but distractingly focused on a plate of hors d'oeuvres. "Eat the shrimp, Tisha," Lorenzo whispered aggressively. "They cost three dollars a piece. We need to recoup our losses."
I can practically see him calculating his group's consumption. I guess that is one way to get a guy to pay close attention, she smirked inwardly.
Kael stood behind them, a silent pillar in his pea coat (which he refused to take off, despite being indoors). He was currently scanning the crowd for snipers or possibly a waiter with more shrimp for Lorenzo.
Kael, at least, seems to be enjoying himself much more than the rest of us.
"Where is the Don?" Tisha asked, looking around. "I thought I was the 'centerpiece.'"
"He likes to make an entrance," Lorenzo said, pocketing a handful of bacon-wrapped dates. "Wait for it."
I hope I can keep a straight face.
The lights dimmed. A spotlight hit the top of the grand staircase. The DJ (who looked suspiciously like the Hacker in the game splash screen but wearing a tuxedo t-shirt) cut the music.
Dante appeared. He was wearing a black velvet tuxedo with silver embroidery that matched his hair. He wore a half-mask that covered everything except his smoldering eyes and his perfectly groomed stubble.
For a moment, Tisha was sucked into the strange performance as he descended the stairs slowly.
Too slowly. Tisha was already getting bored.
Dante reached the bottom of the stairs. The crowd parted as he walked straight toward her, ignoring the swooning women in flammable tulle dresses and the easy-to-death read sequence she had rejected at the boutique. When he stopped in front of her, he extended a gloved hand.
"May I?" he practically sang.
A pink text box appeared:
[Select Response:]
A) "Take me, my dark prince."
B) (Swoon into his arms)
C) "Only if you promise not to step on my boots."
Tisha sighed. She needed this dream to advance so she could wake up. She took his hand. "Option D, let's get this over with," she said. "But keep it professional. No funny business."
Dante smirked. "I never joke about the Tango."
Because… of course it is a tango.
He dragged her onto the dance floor. The music swelled—a dramatic, accordion-heavy piece that sounded like it was ripped from a generic "Passionate Latin Dance" playlist.
Dante placed his hand firmly on her lower back. He grabbed her other hand and extended it high. He stared deeply into her eyes.
"Follow my lead," he whispered. "Surrender to the rhythm."
He stepped forward aggressively. Tisha stepped back, matching him perfectly.
"Good," Dante murmured. "You have the fire."
"I have spatial awareness," Tisha corrected.
Dante ignored her. He spun her outward, then yanked her back in, his chest colliding with hers.
Thump.
[Romance Event: The Heartbeat Sync]
"Can you feel it?" Dante whispered, pressing her closer. "Two hearts, beating as one."
"Actually," Tisha gasped, trying to reclaim her personal space, "that impact force was equivalent to a minor car crash. And I can't feel your heart because of the padding in your velvet jacket. Also, you are compressing my diaphragm. I can't breathe if you crush my ribcage."
Dante frowned. He wasn't used to his dance partners discussing anatomy and physiology. He decided to up the ante.
"You talk too much," he growled. "Let your body speak."
He dipped her in a deep, dramatic, spine-snapping drop toward the floor.
Tisha's eyes went wide. She instinctively engaged her core, locking her abdominal muscles to protect her lumbar spine.
"Don't drop me!" Tisha yelled, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet ballroom.
Dante froze, holding her inches from the floor. He looked down at her, bewildered. "I... I have you," he said. "I would never drop you." He looked slightly hurt that she would think such a thing.
And despite the absurdity, he pulled her close as if she were the most precious thing in the world, leaving Tisha speechless for once.
"You are..." Dante searched for the word. "Intense," he said in a whisper that tickled her ear.
Tisha broke free of his embrace and pushed him away. She smoothed her dress and glanced around the room.
"Next time, we do a waltz. Ideally, in sneakers," she protested.
Before Dante could respond, a slow clap echoed through the room.
Clap... Clap... Clap.
The crowd gasped. The music stopped.
Walking onto the dance floor was a man who looked like the photo negative of Dante. White suit, black shirt, and a mask made of jagged obsidian shards. He was followed by three men who looked like they ate raw steak for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time.
[New Character Unlocked!]
[Rival Boss: Nero]
[Organization: The Obsidian Syndicate]
"Dante," Nero drawled, his voice slippery and cold. "I see you're playing with your food again."
Dante stiffened. He stepped in front of Tisha, shielding her. "Nero. You weren't invited."
"And it wounded me so," Nero laughed. He looked at Tisha. "I suppose you are..."
Kael stepped forward, "The woman who took out your pursuit team with a 'Combat Geometry' spell."
Tisha peeked around Dante's velvet shoulder. "It wasn't a spell. It was the PIT maneuver. And tell your driver his suspension is too soft for high-speed cornering. That's why he flipped."
Nero blinked. He looked at Dante. "Is she serious?"
"Deadly," Dante said, a hint of pride in his voice. "She diagnosed my magnesium deficiency."
Nero stepped closer. "Interesting. I need someone like that. My organization is plagued by... inefficiencies."
He reached out a hand toward Tisha. "Why settle for a bored Lion, little bird? Come to the Obsidian Syndicate. We have better dental benefits."
I guess I am feeling like a canary in a coal mine, at the moment, but why am I always a little bird?
A new text box appeared, burning with purple flames.
[Route Deviation Opportunity!]
[Defect to the Villain?]
A) "I stick with the devil I know."
B) "You have dental? Seriously?"
C) (Kick him in the shin)
Tisha looked at the text box. She looked at Nero. She looked at Dante.
"Dental is tempting," she mused. "But before I make any decisions... Nero, your mask obstructs your nasal passages, forcing you to breathe only through your mouth. Do you suffer from sleep apnea? It leads to chronic fatigue and poor decision-making in leadership roles."
Nero lowered his hand. "I... beg your pardon?"
"Sleep study," Tisha advised. "Look into it."
Suddenly, the stained glass window high above them shattered. A figure in black rappelled down on a rope—a rope that Tisha noted was properly rated for dynamic loads.
"Police!" the figure shouted. "Freeze!"
The crowd screamed. It was a raid.
"Finally!" Tisha threw her hands up. "Law enforcement! A structured legal system! I'm saved!"
Dante grabbed her waist. "Not today, cara."
"Wait, no!" Tisha protested as he dragged her toward the kitchen exit. "I want to be arrested! I want due process! I want to call my lawyer!"
"Run now, litigate later!" Lorenzo yelled, sprinting past them with a pocket full of shrimp.
[Chapter 6 Complete]
[Status Update: Tango Failed. Villain Confused. Shrimp Secured.]