(Apologies for the double post, I just needed to break this up.
I realize it doesn't all fit into the timeline, but I just loved it so much I couldn't change it.
)
The stranger laughed.
"No need to point a wrench at me, man! You tryin' to screw with me?"
Mike did not appear to be amused.
They paused a minute in contemplation. "Actually," the stranger corrected, "I think they're for nuts and bolts. But I'm not that nuts."
Seeing the puzzled expressions they received, they put their hands up. "Hehe, anyway. Sorry for intruding." They bowed and took their hat off in a dramatic flourish. "Kiki Sato, Agent of Love and Peace. Forgive me for crashing your interdimensional..."
They glanced around uneasily.
"....uhm.. birthday bash?"
There was a moment of silence, as people looked at each other awkwardly.
"....No." Lilli said flatly.
Uzuki's face fell briefly, before returning to their usual smile, "Well, anyway," they said breathily, "I'm actually here to look for a--" They paused and looked at Laura.
"...wait, what?"
In response to Laura's question, their face lit up.
"Ohhh, that!"
"Hehe! About that...." They looked around nervously. "Well, um, normally I'm supposed to be a bit more discreet about this... but..."
They appeared to think for a minute.
"I guess, seeing as you know about dimensional travel I suppose I could make an exception."
They exhaled, trying to figure out how to explain it all. If their superiors caught wind of them talking to mortals, well....
Let's just say it was a risky business.
Hell, this whole thing was a risky business.
Though they loved what they did, and they enjoyed the freedom it gave them, it was easy to forget that they were still a mortal.
And thus they lived in constant fear of the Code-- a Code, that if broken, could turn everything back to the way it used to be. And though it was a tiny, slight possibility, the thought of it threatened Uzuki, made the hairs on the back of their neck rise.
They did not want to go back, and they'd stop at nothing to keep the things the way they were.
"Now." they said solemnly. "Before I begin, you must first promise not to tell anyone."
Lilli's eyes crunched together. "And... what if we do...?" Lilli asked tentatively.
"Ahh, well..." Uzuki coughed. Then with all the professionalism of a snake-oil salesman they turned toward Lilli with a sly grin.
"Well."
Smirking, they made an elaborate gesture with their eyebrows before repeating:
"Well."
Lilli raised their eyebrows suspicously.
"Welllll......."
Beads of sweat began to form on Uzuki's forehead.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."
"So basically, you don't know." Gristle said, cutting them off.
"Hehe.." Uzuki looked about uneasily, as if mulling over Gristle's statement.
After a few seconds, they gave a simple shrug.
".....Yeah, basically."
"But anyway."
Kiki straightened their back, trying to look official.
They glanced down at their phone, scrolling through a document.
"Umm... paragraph two of section fifty-four states that you must spin around three times and say 'Floogly doogly' whilst waving your hands."
"And, um," they glanced down at the document again, "if the subjects are not capable of speech, simply spinning around three times will do the trick." they added, with a nod toward Enye.
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That guy is a dingus.