“In today's news, the city of Lunacrypt prepares for the Magna Galla, a prestigious event hosted by the Queen and her benefactors. Alrighty the Royal Guard are out in force, patrolling the streets and making their presence known.”- Korriban News.

Jack frowned, eyeing Yun and Jena standing in the bathroom with him.

“Seriously? Is this really necessary?” Jack asked, pursing his lips. It was one thing having Sahaqiel, Lilith, and Ruby present at every moment, it was another with physical people. “Look, I'm not going to judge you if you're into this kind of stuff, but I have to warn you. I've had nothing but protein and I'm pretty sure you both know what's about to happen.”

When neither woman responded, Jack began to unbuckle his pants.

Yun turned to Jena. “Ya know maybe we are overdoing it.”

“Orders are orders. And this would be when he's most vulnerable.”

“Yeah. But he's the king.”

“And the person that gave us the order is the Queen,” Jena shot back. “And last I checked, the Queen outweighs everything.”

Jack sighed. “Ok, well. Ruby, if you will.”

Suddenly two spectral chains shot out from outside the bathroom, wrapping around the two women.

Before either could string out a sentence, they were gone, yanked out by Ruby with the bathroom door closing.

Jack sighed. “What's the point of unawakened bodyguards?”

*****

Exiting from the bathroom, Jack frowned, eyeing Selfia in a shorts feeding sweets to Ruby who sat on the floor munching.

Beside her, Violet stood, the twins heights disproportionate to one another making them appear as though they were mother and daughter.

“Selfia, to what do I owe the pleasure of your unannounced and unexpected visit?” Jack said, purposely drawing out his words. “Here to remove my escort?”

“It's my castle. Can I not go where I please? And no.”

“Right, but what do you want?” Jack said, raising a brow. “You in gym wear doesn't bold well for me.”

“Stop being silly ya silly goose. Nothing bad is happening,” Selfia said, one of her floating arms smacking Jack on the back.

“Uh huh.”

“This is for our dance practice so go on, get dressed!” Selfia said, a pair of floating arms dropping a bundle of clothes into Jack's arms.

“Ah. There it is,” Jack frowned. “Listen Selfia, do I really have to dance? Can't I just stand in the corner ornamentally?”

“Haha. Nope! It's a dance! A galla! If you don't dance what's the point?” Selfia exclaimed loudly, walking out of Jack's room. “Get dressed hoooooney!”

Jack sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Could you have gotten me a color other than pink?!” Jack yelled, holding a set of pink trousers aloft as Yun giggled.

****

Fitted in pink shorts and a pink shirt that read Juicy, Jack raised a brow as he stared at the mirror in his room.

“Juicy,” Ada said, slapping Jack from behind.

“I’m feeling extremely objectified right now,” Jack replied, eyeing Ada strapping on running shoes. “And where are you going?”

“Running with the girls. Gotta get my exercise in.”

“Girls?”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Oh, Leona, Yukino, and Kamila. Also Jessica and Tyrah. Don't worry, Celeste is with your aunt.”

“Right… is that good for the baby?” Jack asked, a sudden realization dawning on him.

“Yeah, Doctor Light recommends at least thirty minutes of exercise daily,” Ada said, before she began to repeat the diet plan and exercise routine the doctors had laid out for her to Jack.

“Man… I need some guy friends,” Jack muttered, his mind trailing, wondering what Python was up to.

“Hm?”

“Ah, nothing. How's Yuki? Good to know she's up,” Jack said.

“She's still getting used to her implants. So this run is for her too,” Ada said, pausing at the doorway of their room. “You should visit her.”

“I know, I'll get to it after this dance thing,” Jack said as the door closed.

*****

“I… I can’t… I… can’t continue,” Jack let out, panting, out of breath, dripping with sweat as his sore muscles ached, his heart pounding in his chest that was felt by the breast squishing up on him.

“You can! And you will!” Selfia snapped, her make-up ruined, lips glistening as she sat atop Jack, pinning him down, their heated breaths intermingling as Selfia’s robotic hands locked firmly around Jack’s, their fingers intertwined.

“I CAN’T CONTINUE ANYMORE! THIS IS STUPID! I HATE DANCING!” Jack screamed, attempting to get away as dozens of robotic hands latched onto him, pinning him down against the hard tile floor.

“Listen up you talentless hack! You are going to get up! And you are going to perfect this dance or so help me I will end you! You hear me?! END YOU!” Selfia yelled.

“Oh Yeah?! I’d like to see you try!” Jack hissed, slowly getting up, his muscles straining against the multitude of Selfia’s floating groaning arms.

“DON’T TEMPT ME JACK!” Selfia replied, the two now locked in a contest of strength with Selfia's arms struggling and slowly being pushed back. “HOLY FUCK! WHY ARE YOU SO STRONG?!”

“Why are you so shocked? Shouldn't you be happy?!”

“YEAH! I'M HAPPY MY HUSBAND IS A GORILLA!”

“The hell is a gorilla?!”

After six hours of non-stop “dancing” Jack had had enough. The entire evening had been dedicated to dancing and its form and function, a class taught by Selfia who, Jack came to learn, WAS A HORRIBLE INSTRUCTOR.

“She isn't a horrible instructor, you just suck,” Lilith commented, breaking Jack's concentration just enough for Selfia to force him back.

“What's wrong Jack? Losing your edge? How hard is it to do the fucking waltz?!”

“Very when you keep stepping on my toes!” Jack hissed.

“I'm only doing that because you keep doing it to me!”

“Fuck it! Pause! I'm doing something else!” Jack spat, sidestepping and letting Selfia fall to the floor.

“Hey! No! No pausing! The Masquerade is tomorrow!” Selfia called out in exasperation.

“We can train later!” Jack yelled, marching out of the room annoyed.

“Hey, juicy,” Ada called out, stopping Jack as he walked past her and-

“Yuki?” Jack blinked, eyes cast onto the oriental woman in gym shorts sporting a sleek silver arm and leg. ”What are you-”

“Well you didn't come to visit so I brought her to you.” Ada said, smiling in contrast to Yuki who looked at Jack with a frown.

Black circles hung under Yuki’s eyes, her features, a bit skinnier than how he remembered her and less vibrant without her pink hair dye.

The pair locked eyes, neither having spoken since the news of her father's passing.

“Yuki-”

“You were friends with my father's killer,” Yuki interjected, cutting Jack off. Gone was her bubbly persona, her pink hair, and her cheery attitude. Instead it was replaced with heated rage barely contained in her tone and quacking eyes.

“I was... Once. But he's not the man I knew back then. We’re hunting him down,” Jack assured.

Yukino narrowed her eyes, air searching Jack's mind.

“Good. He's mine. I want to be there when you put him in the ground. I want him dead!” Yuki spat, jabbing Jack on the chest with her bionic hand.

“I promise you, he'll pay,” Jack assured.

“Good.”

The trio sat in silence, an air of awkwardness bubbling up.

“Right. So…” Ada began, breaking the silence. “Have you eaten dinner? Kamila is making something right now. How about we all eat?”

“I'm tired. I'm going back to bed,” Yuki said, walking off much to Ada’s exasperation.

“She's… better than I expected,” Jack muttered before turning to Ada. “You told her?”

“I’m sorry. It kinda came up and she insisted on seeing you. This isn't how I wanted you two to reconnect,” Ada explained.

Jack sighed. “Well, she's up and about. I'm sure she'll bounce back.”

“I just hate seeing her like this,” Ada said. “She isn't smiling. Barely eating. Everyday she's just glaring.”

Jack realized how familiar that sounded.

“I'll… sorry. I got caught up with Selfia's plans. I'll make it a point to hang out with her more,” Jack said, unsure if it was healthy. But, at the very least, she didn't seem to hate him like Kenichi did.

“Please. She's very out of the water here.”

“How about you?” Jack asked, turning on the woman. “Are you feeling out of the water?”

Ada paused. “A bit. This… all of this is a bit… different. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the free food, the bathrooms, and the TV shows, deserts, perfumes, and view. But… I'd rather be home. I want to raise Itodori with his people.”

“Ito… you want to name our child after the elder?” Jack blinked, crouching down with his hand rubbing Ada’s stomach.

“Well, why not? Itodori if he's a boy, and I'm thinking Iris if it's a girl.”

“Iris huh… I kinda like it,” Jack said as Ada smiled, completely unaware of the twin feathered woman at her back. “Ito…”

“You don't like it?” Ada asked, her tone worried.

“No. I think it's good,” Jack said, looking up with a soft smile. “Itodori or Iris.”

Ada smiled, reaching down with a hand that caressed Jack's face. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jack said, his hand taking Ada’s calloused hand, the pair unaware of the red eyes peeking at them through a nearby door.