Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Hallway

Lucien ducked behind him pretty much as soon as the door was opened, hiding behind him. And Dylan didn’t blame him. Moria stood before them, dressed not that differently than they had been a short while ago, berating them for making so much noise.

"Actually..." Moira thought aloud, frowning a little. "Either of you know what the time is?"

He winced at her, his head still ringing from her roars. “No, no I don’t.” Rubbing the back of his head, he stepped to the side as Lisette barreled past him, gulping in air like it was a precious resource. Just what had happened in there?

"Why don't I remember anything about last night!?" Lisette blurted out to her friends, looking slightly crazed now.

“Oh not you too! We don’t remember anything either!” He turned to Moira, his eyes wide. “Please tell me you remember something! All I know is that Lucy and I woke up in --- well suffice it to say we don’t remember how or what...fuck.” He was turning bright red, trying to think of a way to explain this without embarrassing himself too much. “I...um...where’s Syed?”

???

"P, parents? Uhhh. Wait." Slowly Trixie craned her neck, as if to look beyond the strange man as he rose to his feet. Her eyes fixated on the center stage, particularly on the pole jutting out from its end. In fact, a lot of these tables had poles on them. Wow, this has by far been the strangest-looking restaurant she had seen yet. While the seats looked rich and comfy, she decided to give up on trying to understand the place's obsession with poles.

Trixie rubbed her eyes. "Amy told me not to talk to strangers, but I'm going to anyway. Do you have any medicine? I feel woozy. And I - hurk!" She leaned away, bringing a fist to her mouth as her whole body jerked. She paused briefly before speaking again. "No, wait, better question - have you seen - ohnoi'vegotta hurk!"

Immediately she darted straight for the nearest table. Once close enough the prankster slammed her hands atop its surface and continued making disconcerting jerking movements, accompanied with "hurk!"s, each movement more violent than the last.

Then she just stopped and turned back to face Freddie as if nothing happened. Her smile was crooked in all the wrong places. Had it not been for one hand still pressed against the tabletop, surely the dizzied child would have fallen over by then. And possibly puked on herself. Which was way worse than having asymmetrical hair. "Have you seen my friends?" Her eyes rolled away from the man as she attempted to remember the hardest things ever. "Like - um - like Supersis, Superbro, uhh... Boss and Miss Pretty and... Lu... ... Lucy? Oh, jabberwocky."

Aside from the difficulty with the names of such a large group, Trixie couldn't even remember the last Pride members she was with! Oh, oh no. Oh no. Had she... had she been knocked out and sapped of her memory!? And her friends that she totally had no memory of hidden in radioactive cells with ticking timebombs waiting to explode until she went and saved them!? Just like that one issue of Wonderboy...!

"Hey wait a second... nobody else is even here!" Trixie's free hand slipped to her waist... again forgetting that her belt was totally absent. Along with her buttpocket uzis. Holy nutter butters, they stripped her of her equipment too!? That's outright cheating!

"What'd you do to all my friends and the nice customers that were probably here too!?"

Los Paraisos: The Bucking Bronco

Freddie’s finely trimmed eyebrows raised to incredulous heights as he watched the little prankster prance about the stage before turning a horrifying shade of green and vomit all over the table he had just cleaned. The little girl definitely seemed to be out of her mind and in trouble, separated from her friends and very much showing the symptoms of an incredible hangover. But how could that be? Even with Los Paraisos being what it was, this young girl was, well, young, and so as a minor shouldn’t have been served any drinks. Irresponsible guardians?

“Woah, woah, woah, one question at a time, little miss.” Freddie replied, bending his knees and squatting to bring himself down to her eye level, hopefully making the confused teen feel a little less scared. Not that she seemed to display any fear. Just an incredible hangover. “Amy? Supersis, Superbro, Boss, Miss Pretty and Lucy? I don’t really recognise any of those… ‘names’… but I know we did have a couple of customers in here last night called Amy and Lucy. One was a very pretty blonde woman with some friends who was knocking back more drinks then I had ever seen before and was throwing gald all over the stage, begging the dancers to ‘take it all off’ and ‘shake it about.’ The other was a strange looking man who wouldn’t stop smiling and clapping and telling the most ridiculous jokes… he was pretty good looking, though.”

“As for where they are, I wouldn’t know. Everyone in that group left about… 7 or 8 hours ago. Do you know where in Los Paraisos you’re staying? At a hotel, or villa? We can try phoning them up and seeing if we can find them that way.” Freddie nodded sagely. “Anyway, let’s see if we can’t do anything to help start to cure that awful hangover you’ve got, too. Grab a seat, and don’t stand up too much, you’ll just make yourself dizzy and sick again. They say eggs and fruit juices are good for them! I cook up a mean omelette. Would you like one?”

---

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Casino: Stairway to Penthouse Floor

Up and up he raced, drawing closer and closer to the origin of the piercing scream, the footsteps and cooing of Selan and their baby following his trail. He kept facing forward, ascending two steps at a time, as quickly as he could. That sound… that was the sound of someone in danger!!

"Why don't I remember anything about last night!?"

“Oh not you too! We don’t remember anything either! Please tell me you remember something! All I know is that Lucy and I woke up in --- well suffice it to say we don’t remember how or what...fuck.”

“FREEZE, EVILDOERS!!”

An alarming voice sounded off from down the corridor, frightening the hell out of Dylan, Lucien and Lisette, who – standing in the corridor, were the ones most easily able to see him. The enforcer of truth, justice and freedom! Posing in the center of the corridor, legs spread apart securely, the crimson ranger stood with his Crimson Blaster lifted and trained on all three of the suspicious (and to him, unrecognisable) individuals. All three of them looked dangerous and out of their minds, as if they had injected or taken some mind altering substance, and were now preparing to plague the poor occupants of that hotel room! Why, they might have been the same culprits who desecrated the room in which he and Selan had woken up in!

“NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU MOVE! YOU’RE ALL UNDER ARREST! SO SWEARS… CRIMSON JUSTICE!!”

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Doorway
“Please tell me you remember something! All I know is that Lucy and I woke up in --- well suffice it to say we don’t remember how or what...fuck. I...um...where’s Syed?”

Moira arched an eyebrow so high it dissapeared under her scruffy fringe. Woke up in what? A dumpster? A Grungy's? A cleaning cupboard? She kinda wished it was a cleaning cupboard, the sick in her room really wasn't doing her stomach any favours. Even if it was hers.

She opened her mouth to make a dismissive comment about how if she could get rid of her partner that easily she would have done ages ago, when suddenly...

“FREEZE, EVILDOERS!!”

What the fuck was that?!

“NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU MOVE! YOU’RE ALL UNDER ARREST! SO SWEARS… CRIMSON JUSTICE!!”

Syed started. The voice was certainly familiar, although the way the words were spoken was different. As if the male who was shouting was putting it on a bit. It threw him off a little. Curiosity got the better of him, and he emerged poking his head around the doorframe, a good foot above Moira's. Don?

The man stood before them was completely unrecognisable, clad head-to-toe in some daft superhero suit which fit him pretty well. The build was right though oh gods was he pointing a weapon at them all?! "Ack, what the hell?!" he exclaimed, shrinking back behind the doorframe so fast that he was pretty much a blur. He certainly wasn't sure enough if it were Don or not at this stage to risk his head getting blasted off. Nor did he want to be arrested if this guy was the real deal. That'd be the icing on the cake.

It was a shame, really. He really would have appreciated having a talk with Don right now. He needed a bro.

Moira on the other hand weren't having it. She clenched her fists at her sides and strode out into the hallway, dragging her very reluctant electric anchor along with her no matter how many shaky protests he gave. With this man shouting the place down, and threatening her friends at that? No. No. They might not remember last night, but neither Dylan nor Lucien were the sort to get arrest warrants filed against them. And even if they did, is this the sort of person Los Paraisos sent out to arrest people? Douchebags who looked like a little boy's action figure? She doubted it.

"Nobody move?! Who the fuck do you think you are?!" she bellowed, striding past her bewildered friends and towards the dangerous man. Unlike her partner, she didn't recognise this man in the slightest.

Nor did she give a shit.

Los Paraisos: The Bucking Bronco

As the man droned on and on, Trixie continued to fumble her hands around her pockets. He admitted to not recognizing her friends - except for Amy. And she was... she was throwing gald at people? Ohhh boy, if Trixie had her guns, she would have definitely had them drawn by now.

"Whaaat! Amy wouldn't do that! I mean, I mean she gets kinda funny if she drinks more than... like... seven glasses, but she's more tight about money than I am!" She backed away from the man who had crept awfully close to her before taking off to a different table, calling out more flaky nonsense. "I'm the one that throws money, not her! You're definitely lying!" After climbing atop its surface, nearly slipping off the edge, she gripped tightly onto the pole and hid behind it. She shivered all the while, that burning sensation of vomit stirring up her insides again.

But Freddie remained as calm as ever, and even offered to phone them! And then asked her to sit down and he would make omelets for her. Omelets. Trixie's shoulders dropped. Either this guy was playin' it nice so he could catch her off guard... or he really was just a nice guy.

Still atop the table, she slid down to her knees and puffed her cheeks at the man. "Only if you gots apple juice." She rattled her head a couple of times before speaking on. If the food was laced with poison, she'd know, oh she would know. But theeeen there was the possibility that it... wasn't. And she was dizzy and hungry and lonely and without weapons and worst of all - she had uncouth, unsuperheroic asymmetrical hair. Totally uncool. That's probably what was making her feel so woozy.

"We're all stayin' at a place called the... Pelgo or something. Hey, do you know how to braid hair by the way?"

---

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Moira's and Syed's Room

By this point Amy had been fully dressed in her emerald dress, though her hair remained as unkempt as before. The lack of any towels whatsoever in the room was the only thing preventing her from hogging the shower.

She stood before the bathroom mirror, consistently dousing her face with sink water before staring at her own reflection, and dousing herself again. Her face had been completely cleaned of whatever tears and makeup had intermixed across her visage - though she looked startling even to herself without her striking red lips. They had calmed into a pale pink. Gods, never mind the pounding headache and how terrible she felt - she looked like a fucking wreck. Amy doused her face again.

A bunch of shouts erupted from outside the bathroom. Now she was definitely not going out.

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Casino: Stairway to Penthouse Floor

"Nobody move?! Who the fuck do you think you are?!"

"Miss Moira, wait--"

"Everyone, calm down!" Selan called out, hurrying down the hallway with the baby in tow. "There's no need to panic, just take a wild guess who's in the costume." Don's superhero act was already getting old; it was causing nothing but misunderstandings at this point. Who knew a helmet could literally go to someone's head? In minutes flat, even.

"Oh, Miss Selan, you've got Kapi!" Lisette perked up at the sight of the bundle, rushing towards the songstress with hopeful excitement.

"Lisette, be careful," Selan cautioned as the pigtailed girl leaned over to see what she was carrying in her arms. One tug at the blankets to reveal its face was enough to make her jump back in shock.

"Oh my goodness, it's... It's a boy!" Lisette screeched, looking completely flabbergasted. "You never told us you were..."

"I wasn't." Selan said in a dismissive tone. "I'm not exactly clear on the details yet, I was hoping you all knew what happened last night. But well, looking at you all..."

Not a single one looked to be in their best condition either, especially not Moira, who was looking particularly disheveled and pissed off, while standing in only her undergarments.

Moira didn't look happy to see them.

The woman started yelling and Lucien shrunk back, the pounding in his head intensifying at the loud yells. "S-Sorry, boss." That was all he could stammer out as he continued to use Dylan as some sort of human barrier. Not long after that someone came bolting out of Moira's room. It took a while for Lucien to recognize who it was because Lisette looked pretty bad and just as tired as Moira and Dylan did, possibly worse too.

"Hey, Lisette." Before he could wave she skidded to a stop and gulped down air like a fish out of water. So, she didn't remember anything either? It must have been a crazy night. Normally, things like this wouldn't frighten him. When he turned legal he celebrated with a few friends and drank till he blacked out, and while he wasn't exactly a drinker, he enjoyed a good time so he and alcohol were acquaintances. If he had simply woken up in bed with a hangover, he would have called it a day and slept but he hadn't. He had woken up beside Dylan, nearly naked, and so he wanted answers and the others not remembering anything at all made him feel all jittery.

Moira was their best bet, she was used to this, so surely she remembered, right? She was the boss after all.

But then they realized that she didn't either and Lucien paled. Also, where the heck were the others? And Lisette had gotten drunk too?

“FREEZE, EVILDOERS!!”

Lucien nearly choked. Had they commited a crime last night? We're they going to be arrested? What the absolute hell had happened? "Oh hey!" He spun around all smiles, ready to try and talk his way out of whatever they were going to be accused with. He eyed the man up and down, wow, even the police looked snazzy here. Before he could make a lame joke in an attempt to distract the guy, Moira walked up to him and Lucien tensed up some more. What if she started a fight with the guy...

"Hey, hey, Dylan...if things get bad, we should grab Lisette, run into the room and maybe escape through the window." He whispered his entire plan in a fast, panicky voice. He couldn't take much more of this and if the guy made a move, he was running for it.

"Everyone, calm down!" There's no need to panic, just take a wild guess who's in the costume."

Selan. Crimson Justice. It all made sense now. "The hell, bro?" Before he could feel relieved, Lisette rushed towards the duo. They had a baby... "You guys kidnapped a kid?" Lucien practically yelled. This was it, they were all going to die in prison.



Xan kept a hand over her nose and inched away from the ranger, just what was going on?

First, their memories of last night were blank slates. Second, Hell's Kitchen had burned down. Lastly, their hotel was now being swarmed by people. Camera's flashed and people squealed...at least they were screaming in joy? Xan didn't understand what was going on. "Aria, shall we go in?" She asked rather wearily before giving Thunderhawk a sympathetic glance. He wasn't the most pleasant person out there, but they had to work together and look out for each other. "Are you okay? We can check things out for you." She offered before slowly making her way towards the boisterous crowd.

They surrounded the hotel and squeezing past was harder than she thought.

"Excuse me--ow." She slipped past a bouncy woman only to have a purse accidentally swung at her face. "Sorry, I just need to get inside." Xan was blinded by a camera's flash, then someone stepped on her foot and another person elbowed her in the stomach, by the time she was inside she was all ruffled up. However, inside wasn't any different and soon she was caught in a sea of waving limbs and ecstatic tourists. "Aria...are you here?" She looked around, hoping her friend was nearby. Just what was happening?

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Corridor
"Everyone, calm down! There's no need to panic, just take a wild guess who's in the costume."

Syed relaxed instantly as he was dragged behind Moira, clutching at his chest. So it was Don! "Don't do that!" he scolded. "And where'd you find an outfit like that?" All these suprises were going to finish him off at this rate. Especially with the day he was having.

Moira on the other hand stopped and stared blankly at the costumed man. Everyone else was recognising this guy, but she certainly wasn't. Take a wild guess? Thunderhawk? No, Thunderhawk's short and stocky, this guy's pretty lanky. Tiberius? Not bulky enough, and not on the island... probably. Kapi?!

She kept her mouth firmly shut. She already felt like an idiot, the last thing she wanted to do was open her mouth and remove all doubt.

"Oh my goodness, it's... It's a boy! You never told us you were..."

"I wasn't. I'm not exactly clear on the details yet, I was hoping you all knew what happened last night. But well, looking at you all..."

"You guys kidnapped a kid?"

What. The. Hell. "You WHAT?!" Moira screached. You steal shit like personal belongings and artifacts, not babies! If you're stealing babies you're doing it wrong! A baby needs it's mother!

Syed immediately strode forwards to look for himself, apparently not really believing it til he saw it. Yep. It was a baby alright. And pretty happy in Selan's hold at that. "I think we're all as lost as you are," he said gently, giving the baby boy his hand to allow him to grip on his long fingers. He wasn't very confident with children this young, so he sure was glad the baby seemed to like Selan so much. He frowned. "It's a bit strange how we've all forgot, isn't it?" Especially with some of the people present here not being drinkers at all.

"More like a huge bummer," Moira scowled. "I'd have paid good gald to see some of you drunk."

Syed ignored her. "Either way, we need to do something about this baby."

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel: Top floor: Outside Moira and Syed’s penthouse suite

Crimson Justice recoiled in dismay with the lack of attention and due courtesy given to a man in such a respected position as he. In fact, one of the suspects charged straight at him like a rampaging bull, and so it was Crimson Justice felt the uneasy decision of needing to fire his Crimson Blaster (set to stun) all the more probable. Until Selan appeared, and the group seemed to be very much taken aback by the baby nestled in her arms.

Crimson Justice didn’t know what to do. But so far… so far, the situation seemed to be in control. A job well done. He span his Crimson Blaster in his fingers and deftly slid it into his holster, before performing another magnificent pose before everyone.

“Everyone! I apologise for my hasty arrest of you all, but it’s only now I realise that such suspicious appearances is actually as a result of way too much partying! You are all members of that most famed group of Guilders known as the Pride, are you not?” Crimson Justice started, flicking one hand in the air and mock saluting everyone. “Mr. Don told me all about you, before he went off to look for the rest of your companions! It seems there’s a fair few of you all still missing, isn’t there?”

Crimson Justice’s head started to turn, scanning each of the many individuals in the corridor with them. “I see we are missing a Miss Estelle, Mr. Marcus, Miss Amy and Miss Trixie, Mr. Thunderhawk, Miss Aria and Miss Xandra… plus Mr. Don’s little sister, Miss Josette! I think it’d be wise for us to search for them, lest harm may have befallen them, at once!”

Crimson Justice span and turned, pointing towards the elevator at the far end of the corridor. “To the Justice Lift, at once!”

“…that is… ah… after you’ve put on some clothes, Miss. We wouldn’t want you to be arrested for public indecency.” Crimson Justice dramatically folded his arms together and nodded sagely. “Also… would any of you perhaps know the identity of this young crusader?” Crimson Justice asked, turning to look at the still giggling baby who loved all of the dramatic colours waving and zigging about, not to mention Crimson Justice’s louder then life, bombastic voice.

“…because that would help a lot…;”

---

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel: Lobby

"Aria...are you here?"

Xandra was surrounded on all sides by an endless mass of people, shuffling and elbowing and talking amongst themselves. The entire lobby was crowded, and unbelievably enough… she had already lost both Aria and Thunderhawk. How was that possible? The area was crowded, sure, but it shouldn’t have been this difficult just to stay close to her friends. They should have held onto each other, or something. Where were they?

Just as she was about to shout a little louder, as hopeless as that would have been with the rumbling voices all around, she suddenly felt the back of her clown suit being tugged at. She spun around, hopeful that Aria had found her, only to find-

“Xandra? Is that you?”

It was neither Aria or Thunderhawk. Instead, it was one of the new people she had met just yesterday amongst the guilder group who Lucien was travelling with. If her memory served her right…

“Marcus?” Xandra replied.



“Oh, it is you,” The usually chipper wind mage smiled back, although it was clear that the effort it took to do so was exhaustive. He kept himself in bright spirits, but the strain to do so was taking its toll. Marcus, like everyone else, was suffering from the painful effects of a hangover and memory loss that simply shouldn’t have been. “I almost wasn’t sure what with your… outfit… but I’m glad I found you. I’ve been waiting in the lobby trying to find any of the others, but this is…”

Marcus’ eyes turned, looking over the crowd, when a loud exhaustive gasp exhaled from his throat. “You wouldn’t even believe what they’re all here for, either. Have you found any of the others? Have you seen Estelle?”

---

Outside the Pellagio Hotel, Aria and Thunderhawk were suffering from some difficulty. Xandra, being slightly smaller and nimble then Aria, was able to get through the crowd far more easily then the older two, who were soon cut off completely from their friend. Aria’s hand outstretched towards her, trying futilely to reach, her own voice being drowned out by the rest of the crowd. Darnit, what was going on?! The hotel hadn’t been like this at all during the time she was here. Had something happened at the hotel as well? It was bad enough she woke up in Chirp’s clothes, and then found him naked wearing only his scarf and then the burnt out Hell’s Kitchen, but this was getting ridiculous. She hadn’t expected anything like this to be happening.

“Excuse me, miss,”

“Get out of the way, please”

“Why on Ddaear are you wearing a dress?”

Everywhere she turned, she was being pushed and shoved, bounced back and forth like a tennis ball. It was too much, she couldn’t make any progress forward at all. If only these people would back off!!

And then a shrill scream sounded out from behind her. She quickly turned, and her face turned pale.

With all the people hitting and bumping into her, she had lost concentration on something very, very important.

The illusion sparing everyone from the horror of Chirp’s full visage had been lost, and so it was… he was flashing amongst a bevy of people just outside the Pellagio Hotel. And she was right next to him.

“By the gods…”

“…why am I… naked again…?”

“Hey, you!!” A loud shout came from two muscular men dressed in authorative uniforms heading towards them. Hotel security no doubt, trying to maintain order around the hotel and prevent it from slipping into chaos. Chaos which Thunderhawk’s modesty threatened to incite. “Don’t move!!”

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Hallway

Dylan held his hand to his head, trying to make sense of it all. But it was just too much. If nearly-naked-Moira wasn’t bad enough, they were now being accosted by what looked like a superhero reject. Hell, he even called himself Crimson Justice of all things. What on Ddear did that even mean?

"Hey, hey, Dylan...if things get bad, we should grab Lisette, run into the room and maybe escape through the window,” Lucien whispered.

“What?” he sputtered loudly, too hungover to realize that he really should be whispering. “Dude we’re like ten stories up. That’s just nuts, even for us!” He was suddenly graced with the image of them leaping from a tall window, followed by Moira, who landed on top of them squished them all into pancakes. “No, just no.”

"Everyone, calm down! There's no need to panic, just take a wild guess who's in the costume."

Wait a second - that bravado, the cheesy stance, even the name! It should have been obvious! Dylan blamed his lack of awareness on his condition, but he wasn’t shy about his opinion. “Bro, just seriously? Seriously bro?” He leaned against the wall as things got even weirder. Apparently he and Selan had off and kidnapped a baby, and as Don pointed out people were still missing, and this morning was just terrible.

“Yeah, Moira, why don’t you get dressed,” he said after Don’s plan. It wasn’t a terrible one. “But I insisted we stop to get something to drink. Mhmm water. And maybe some bacon. Does anyone else want bacon?”

Los Paraisos : Outside Pellagio Hotel

Whatever she had done last night must’ve angered somebody up there because this day was just getting worse and worse. Aria twitched as the crowd started to swarm away from her and the naked man beside her both to keep away from the public indecency Chirps currently was and to make way for the security to reach them. Should they stay obediently or make a run for the hotel?

The answer was clear.

“Move it!” She hissed, grabbing the ranger’s arm and pushing into the crowd, throwing another illusion up as to shield them from the sights of the people around them. No doubt she was going to have a heck of a migraine later from trying to keep up an illusion that had to change rapidly to match their surrounding while trying not to trip over anybody’s legs. She also tried not to focus on the fact that Chirps was still very much naked as she dragged him after her- she really didn’t need that mental image.

Somehow they made it to the lobby with much pushing and shoving, barging in through the doors that were closing behind a fancily dressed couple. A quick glance behind her on tiptoes over the heads of more paparazzi (why was this placed packed anyways? Ugh, all the noise was just killing her head) told her that the security was very much stuck in the crowd of flashing cameras and screaming people, allowing her to give a sigh of relief and dispel the illusion easily as the hotel lobby was no less busy, meaning that two people appearing out of the blue shouldn't draw too much attention.

She gave a whine when her head throbbed painfully again, leaning her forehead on a cool marble pillar nearby. If this day got any worse she swore she was just going to march up to her room and refuse to come out for… the next week or so. Yeah, that sounded good.

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Casino: Stairway to Penthouse Floor

“I see we are missing a Miss Estelle, Mr. Marcus, Miss Amy and Miss Trixie, Mr. Thunderhawk, Miss Aria and Miss Xandra… plus Mr. Don’s little sister, Miss Josette! I think it’d be wise for us to search for them, lest harm may have befallen them, at once!”

If it weren't for the baby in her arms, Selan would have thrown her hands up, or possibly even smacked the helmet right off of the "hero's" head. A plausible reason for Don's insistence on donning his new persona finally clicked for her; perhaps the trauma of his new hairstyle was just too much, and "Crimson Justice" was simply a coping mechanism. It was only a matter of time before he (and the others) would be forced to confront the truth, and frankly, she was in no mood to coddle his delusions, not while there was a missing infant gripping onto her hair and the electricity mage's finger.

"You forgot Kapi, Mister Justice!" Lisette added, looking rather deflated in addition to everything else she was feeling.

"Anyway..." Selan sighed to the others, particularly to Syed, who had a fascinated expression due to the strong grip the baby had on his little finger, and Moira, who as a mother likely understood the importance of finding the baby's parents as soon as possible more than anyone else. "The longer I hold him, the guiltier I feel for not remembering why I am in the first place... You all should probably look for the others or get breakfast if you want, but I'm going to straighten things out down in the lobby." she said matter-of-factly.

Selan turned to leave, and the baby squeezed Syed's finger even tighter, as though he didn't want to depart from these strangers just yet. But of course, he was forced to let go, and he blew a spit bubble into Selan's shoulder in protest.

Pellagio Hotel - Hallway

"Either way, we need to do something about this baby."

Lucien turned to Syed. "Yeah...if the parents call the cops and they find us with the kid, it'll be big trouble." He deflated, despite having woken up not too long ago, he already felt exhausted. Dylan and Crimson Justice both suggested Moira get dressed and Lucien watched as the baby held onto Syed's bony finger. The little tyke seemed especially fond of Selan and the electricity mage. "Darn, his parents must be worrying their heads off." Lucien rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Hell...last night must have been one crazy party.

Don suggested that they go find the others and Lucien nodded wearily. "Hopefully, they're better off than us, yeah?"

Before he could slowly walk towards the stairs, Dylan suggested they grab some bacon first. Haha...that actually sounded really good at the moment. His stomach let out a low grumble and he spun around to face the others. "Bacon and orange juice sound heavenly at the moment, so count me in." Then Selan told them she had to settle the baby problem in the lobby and he called out to her to wait for a bit. "We should set a meeting place then, just so we can regroup and all."



Pellagio Hotel - Lobby

“I almost wasn’t sure what with your… outfit… but I’m glad I found you. I’ve been waiting in the lobby trying to find any of the others, but this is…”

So, it really was Marcus...for a moment she thought it had been a mistake. The wind mage began asking about the others and she nodded slowly to indicate she was listening. Where were Thunderhawk and Aria anyways? They couldn't have been very far. Xan looked around, but the crowd made the simple task quite a challenge.

“You wouldn’t even believe what they’re all here for, either. Have you found any of the others? Have you seen Estelle?”

"Sorry," Xan winced when another purse met with the back of her head. Why was everyone so hyped up. "I haven't seen anyone besides Aria and Thunderhawk...we got separated in the crowd though. I'm guessing you haven't seen the others either?" Xan sighed, things couldn't possibly get worse could they? "Hmm, what exactly are these people here for?" Suddenly there was a shrill scream, but most of it was drowned out by the clamoring crowd. "That--that must be them." The girl facepalmed then turned to look at Marcus. "Excuse me for a moment, I'll just take a moment." Xan dove into the crowd, and after a few pushes and shoves found Thunderhawk and Aria.

"There you guys are."

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel: Penthouse Suite Floor

In quick time, the Pride had agreed on making a move. As much as their bodies and heads hurt like hell, they didn’t have the choice to retreat into their rooms and collapse on their beds. If the issue of their missing recollection of last night’s events wasn’t enough, finding their missing partners, the parents of the baby Selan was carrying and an explanation of Syed and Amy’s marriage most definitely were. Selan made a beeline towards the elevator at the end of the corridor, hoping to enquire with the hotel lobby about the baby’s identity and missing parents, lest they get caught up in any troubles that the child may have been kidnapped.

“Hold on, let me get my shit, I’ll get changed in the lift. Come on you tit, let’s go.” Moira rudely yanked on the bond her and Syed shared, dragging him back to their room to quickly snatched whatever was available. At the same time, Amy walked on, neither saying anything nor batting an eyelash in anyone’s direction. She just strolled straight past.

“Huh,” Dylan tilted his head, looking first to Lucien then Lisette. “I didn’t know Amy was inside too.”

They wanted to say something, anything, but it was clear from the blonde’s expression she wanted to say nothing to anyone. And for everyone else, they didn’t want to risk it. They knew what that glare was. The precursor to the mighty hand of god.

“Oh! Hey! We found Miss Amy!” Crimson Justice bounced in jubilation. “Miss Amy, Miss Amy, do you know where-”

SMACK

Crimson Justice’s body was sent reeling in a daze, his helmet spinning around over and over before it gradually grew to a stop. Backwards.

“Yeek!” Lisette shrieked. “Miss Amy killed Mr. Justice!”

“No, no, I’m okay.” Crimson Justice replied, grabbing his helmet and twisting it back around straight. Lucien meanwhile, chuckled. “Anyway! Come along, brave citizen! I’ll hold the elevator door open for everyone!”

The blazing superhero turned and sprinted down the hallway in a mad dash, passing both Amy and Selan and calling for the elevator to ascend. Once it did, he stepped in and held the door open for everyone else to follow and stand in. Lisette, Dylan and Lucien caught up after Selan and Amy entered, followed lastly by Moira and Syed, with Moira finally getting herself changed.

As Crimson Justice pressed on the button for the ground level, the elevator suddenly jerked and bounced, before smoothly descending. Nobody said a word, until-

“So Mr. Justice, what’re your superpowers?”

Jazzy Elevator Music

---

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel: Lobby

“Man, that was… something…” Thunderhawk still whined, a dull pain aching through his extremities. He glanced up towards Aria, who looked even more worse for wear then before. Not that he was particularly bothered, but even so… “You… okay?”

And then his sight fell down on his body again. His eyes narrowed.

“Why am I back in a dress again?”

"There you guys are.”

A voice to the side marked the return of Xandra in that ridiculous clown outfit, doodle marks scrawled all over her body as she blankly looked towards the ranger and illusionist. Something about seeing her like this in this eccentric throng of crowds was even funnier then before. Thunderhawk couldn’t hold in a guttural laugh, but immediately regretted it once debilitating pain overtook his head again. Last night was a real bender, alright…

“I managed to find someone.” Xandra continued, flicking her hand to the pair to follow her. With a grunt and a sigh, the pair did, pushing their way to the one of the lobby’s far walls, just slightly out of the frenetic crowd to somewhere they could catch a breath.



“Marcus,” Thunderhawk nodded, to the raised curious brow of the Wind Mage once he saw Aria and Thunderhawk, both wearing each other’s clothing. He said nothing, not knowing what exactly there was to say, and Thunderhawk’s expression betrayed all in how he had no desire to explain it either. “What the hell is going on in here? Why is it so packed with people? And have you seen anyone else?”

“I haven’t seen anyone else so far, no.” Marcus replied. “Xandra’s the first person I’ve met so far. I don’t remember anything about last night, peculiarly enough… do you? As for all the people here, you’re not going to believe it, but-”

DING

”OH MY GODS THERE SHE IS! IT’S MISS LECLAIR! SELAN!!”

The crowd roared as once, and a hundred bright flashes assaulted the opening elevator doors at the unsuspecting Pride. The people closest to the elevator surged forwards, camera and microphones pointed in their direction. Hotel security staff began rushing forwards to try and control the chaos.

“MISS LECLAIR! PARAISOS TIMES! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT LAST NIGHT’S PERFORMANCE? IS IT TRUE YOU AND MR.CAPUELLO HAVE BEEN GIVEN A RECORD DEAL BY PARAISOS PICTURES?”

“MISS LECLAIR! ARTAR GAZETTE! WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO MR. CAPUELLO’S PROPOSAL?”

“MISS LECLAIR! CELEBRITY MAGAZINE! HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE RUMOURS THAT YOU’RE CHEATING ON MR. CAPUELLO AND ARE ACTUALLY HAVING AN AFFAIR?”

“MISS LECLAIR! WHERE IS MR. CAPUELLO?”

“MISS LECLAIR! IS THAT BABY YOURS?”
“MISS LECLAIR!” “MISS LECLAIR!” “MISS LECLAIR!”
“CRIMSON JUSTICE!!” Another voice shouted out. “LOOK! LOOK IT’S CRIMSON JUSTICE AS WELL! HE STOPPED THAT RESTAURANT FIRE LAST NIGHT! MR. JUSTICE, SIR, SOME WORDS FOR THE PARAISOS TIMES?”

“MISS LECLAIR, IS IT TRUE YOU’RE HAVING AN AFFAIR ON MR.CAPUELLO WITH CRIMSON JUSTICE?”
“MISS LECLAIR!” “MISS LECLAIR!” “MISS LECLAIR!”

A gloved hand reached forwards and pressed the button for the next floor up, the elevator doors slowly sliding shut.

Crimson Justice leaned back in his spot, turning to look around at everyone.

“What the balls was that?” Moira spoke for everyone.

---

“What the hell was that?” Thunderhawk turned to look at his partners.

“Come on,” Marcus tilted his head to the nearby stairs. “Before this crowd follows, let’s see if we can’t catch up with everyone else first.”

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Elevator

Dylan slouched in the corner of the elevator, trying to ignore just how uncomfortably tight the little box was. “Aislin, there sure are a lot of us.” Instead of focusing on the lack of room to maneuver he let his mind wander. Normally at this hour he would be dreaming of coffee, but today he’d kill for some juice. Or a glass of water. Anything cold and refreshing.

And not to mention some bacon. “Mhmm, bacon,” he said out loud, uncaring that his cry for fried, greasy goodness probably made no sense to his friends ears. The elevator finally lurched to a stop, it’s door sliding open. Dylan was prepared to make a dash for the hotel restaurant when suddenly they were ambushed by...paparazzi?

He was blinded by the flashing lights, overwhelmed by the insane amount of questions shouted at Selan? Wait Selan was famous? Since when? And apparently Don was as well, since everyone was asking about Mr Capuello. Soon enough Don reached forward and pressed a button, locking out the crazed public as the elevator began to rise.

“What the balls was that?” Moira spoke for everyone.

“I have no idea,” Dylan responded as the elevator dinged onto the second floor, opening to reveal an empty hallway. One of the last questions stuck out in his mind, though. “Miss Leclair, is it true that you;re having an affair on Mr Capuello with Crimson Justice? An affair on Mr Capuello with...” His face cracked into a huge smile, laughter bubbling out of him in great waves that left him clinging to the wall. “Is she...hahaha...having an affair on Big Bro, hahaha, with Big BRO! Hahahahaha! Oh Don, you dog you!”

He had finally cracked.

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Lift
Needless to say, neither Moira nor Syed were particularly enthused with the idea of being swarmed by paparazzi. Syed flattened himself against one of the sides of the elevator in panic (having thankfully gotten himself a shirt when Moira got her clothes), electricity buzzing from his temples. Moira in contrast brought her fist back, ready to give one of them a kiss with a fist. Fuck off out of her personal space!

The Crazy Crusader or whatever the fuck his name was closed the doors first. Well shit. Now she was all wound up and had nothing to take it out on. "URGH!"

“Is she...hahaha...having an affair on Big Bro, hahaha, with Big BRO! Hahahahaha! Oh Don, you dog you!”

"Heh... heheh," Syed about managed, smiling weakly despite himself.

Moira on the other hand raised an eyebrow. "What?! You still drunk? This guy ain't Don, look at the shitty helmet! There ain't no room for his hair in there. And that lot knew who he was."

If anyone were to glance towards Syed after that, they would see him slowly shaking his head. Don't bother trying to reason with her. Just don't. "Well, congratulations on the knockout preformance," he smiled, this time a lot more forced. "Wish I'd have been there to see it. And sober to remember it." His eyes then unfocused as he became lost in thought.

"Yeah that's bloody typical of you, that is," Moira said dismissively, although it was pretty clear what was really bothering her. "But how we supposed to get food now?! And sort this baby out?! I suppose we can punch them all out of the way. Just say the word and I'll do it."

"You know... they'll know some of what happened. Like where this preformance was, stuff like that," Syed said slowly.

"Good luck trying to get a word out of them, they're the press."

"Well, maybe not them. But it'll be a good idea to ask someone. Retrace our footsteps. Might give a clue where this baby came from, right?" He squirmed a little, shoving his hands into his pockets - where he had neatly folded up and stored the marriage certificate. Really, he wanted to burn the damned thing, curl up in a hole and never come out, but considering the information it had on it... "I wouldn't mind finding out where the church we... where something else is either, if we get the chance."

Moira snorted. The baby came from a concert or something?! She doubted it.

Los Paraisos: The Pellagio - Elevator

Amy said nothing.

She said nothing as she stepped out of the room. She said nothing as "Crimson Justice" crossed her path and got subsequently knocked down. She said nothing during the cramped and painfully slow elevator ride, accompanied with the shittiest music she had ever heard in her life. She said nothing as the door peered open to reveal a snap-happy paparazzi cluster, chanting out Selan's and Crimson Justice's names before the door closed shut on them again.

All the while Amy leaned back into a corner, her back on one hall and her head nursing against the other, strained eyes fixated blankly at the door Don guarded. The screams, the excessive flashes, Dylan's uproar of laughter had hammered the hangover nail even further in her head, and she gently wrapped her arms around her stomach. She couldn't even be assed to shoot Syed a glare as he brought up checking out a church - but luckily he changed his words in time. Otherwise she might have targeted him as her puke bucket once that became necessary.

Bacon and coffee sounded so good right now.

---

Elsewhere in Los Paraisos

"MMMM who knew villains can cook so well! It's so or-gan-nic too, wow! You really nailed this one, Mister Freddie! Oh my omelet - I'm gonna start saying that more often by the way - oh my omelet, this is so good! But! But, but the only thing wrong with it is..."

Trixie slammed her fork down beside her plate, causing the whole table to rattle. Cheesy bits spewed from her mouth with every word. "Why isn't there more!?"

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Elevator

Selan's eyes automatically squeezed shut as the blinding flashing of cameras assaulted her and her companions. The instant it started, she almost took it for flashes of lightning, which caused her breath to catch in her throat. But the repeated shouts of her name and Crimson Justice's brought her back to Ddaear fast enough that she was able to cover the poor baby's bewildered face to shield him from the lights.

How do they all know our names...? Selan shuffled through her vague memories of the previous night, but was unable to come up with anything that would accompany the questions about a "performance", or a "proposal", or an "affair". She couldn't decide what to be more shocked about, the fact that she and Don had apparently become celebrities overnight, or the fact that she could evidently still put on a good enough show despite all evidence pointing to her being drunk out of her mind at the time it occurred. The latter was oddly pleasing, but she would have preferred to have been sober when she gained her sudden notoriety. The proposal clearly wasn't taking high priority for the songstress; after all, he had already done so upon their first meeting weeks ago. At least Crimson Justice wasn't looking for an answer...

As the elevator doors thankfully slid closed once again, she was relieved for the brief silence, as it allowed her to process the commotion that had just taken place. Dylan and Syed at least found the situation amusing, but Lisette looked woozy, her eyes following the invisible dots in her vision brought on by the cameras.

"Syed has a point," Selan agreed, pushing her dark, wavy hair back over her shoulder with her free hand. "I'm assuming this 'performance' took place at one of the nearby clubs. Maybe even the lounge in the hotel? That might be a good start..."

"Are we even going to be able to get through the lobby though?" Lisette asked, wondering if the crowd would follow them from floor to floor.

Los Paraisos: Pelagio Hotel: First floor

Collecting their breath, the Pride stepped out of the elevator and onto the first floor, at a loss with how to accurately respond to the bedlam below. Dylan burst out laughing at the prospect of Selan cheating on Don with Crimson Justice, whilst the rest of the group deliberated how to get out of the Pellagio and somewhere they could get some food, and answers with the dilemma they faced with the baby.

"Syed has a point," Selan agreed, pushing her dark, wavy hair back over her shoulder with her free hand. "I'm assuming this 'performance' took place at one of the nearby clubs. Maybe even the lounge in the hotel? That might be a good start..."

"Are we even going to be able to get through the lobby though?" Lisette asked, wondering if the crowd would follow them from floor to floor.

“Guys!”




A distant voice called out to them from down the corridor. As one, the group turned, to find Marcus, Thunderhawk, Aria and Xandra racing towards them in a hurry – all of them looking as noticebealy worse for wear as they did. Aria and Thunderhawk looked to be wearing each others’ clothes, and Xandra…? A clown? Only Marcus looked to be the normal one of them all.

But at least that was more of their friends accounted for, and despite their strange sense of clothing, hopefully they had some answers of what had happened last night. Now all they were missing were Estelle, Trixie, Josette and Kapi…

“GREETINGS, GOOD CITIZENS!” Crimson Justice burst forth from the crowd, flashing a brilliant pose towards the quartet. “How are you all- why are you running so fast?”

And then they felt it. The ground rumbling beneath them. A vulcanous sound that was only growing louder, and louder, and louder. The sounds of gabbling voices ascending to greet them. And then! From the end of the hallway where it turned in two directions, they appeared, charging themselves straight at them! The crowd of paparrazis, cameras flashing and microphones connected to tape recorders held out towards the Pride.

“GODDAMNIT WHY ARE WE RUNNING!!” Thunderhawk screamed, bypassing the Pride and leading them to begin running away from the crowd.

“We need a way out of here…”

“FOLLOW ME, CITIZENS!” Crimson Justice bellowed, sprinting ahead of Thunderhawk. “I SHALL LEAD US TO SAFETY!!”

Los Paraisos: Pellagio Hotel - Elevator

He was still laughing, clutching his side as he just lost it. Oh, this is was just too much. From waking up in bed next to Lucy, from being confronted by a very nearly naked Moira, from Crimson Justice and his scandalous affair with the sudden star Selan Leclair. This day made no goddamn sense, and he just couldn’t be bothered to care about it anymore.

And he still hadn’t gotten a goddamn glass of water yet!

“Guys!”

Dylan glanced up, staring straight ahead as Marcus ran down the hallway, chased by the strangest looking group he ever say. There was a clown. Why on Ddear was there a clown? Why was Thunderhawk wearing a dress? Did Aria steal his clothes? “Hey, did you guys maybe have sex too?” He blurted without thinking.

Before he could ask anymore, though, the paparazzi appeared, spilling into the hallway like an endless tide. “Oh, crap.”

“FOLLOW ME, CITIZENS!” Crimson Justice bellowed, sprinting ahead of Thunderhawk. “I SHALL LEAD US TO SAFETY!!”

“Oh no way.” He was too tired for this. He was achy and his head hurt and he was still fucking thirsty. “Hold up Big Bro!”

Rather than get trampled, he did the only thing that made sense at the time - he charged Don with a running leap, clinging to his back like some kind of spider...monkey...thing...