The city was in the full dark of night by the time Nico and Piper left Mr. Wyatt’s place. Gramps, as he’d now accepted his new name to be, had seen them off with the promise that if Piper returned in the morning, her blazer would be freshly repaired and cleaned for her.

“Thank you so much, Gramps!” she cried, squeezing the old man in a tight hug. Nico noticed that her eyes looked a little teary when she let go.

“Now remember kid,” Gramps said, addressing Nico, “That button-down is powerful, but it ain’t invincible. You bring it back here if it gets beat up. I don’t know what’ll happen if it gets too torn, either, so watch yourself.”

“Right, I will. Thanks!” Nico nodded.

Gramps smiled, a twinkle in his eye. “You know, I’d just about given up hope I’d ever be able to make powerful business attire after I made that shirt for my son. But seeing it on you, well, it gives me hope.”

He turned to Piper. “And don’t think I’m forgetting you, girlie. You want women’s business wear? You’ve got it. I succeeded once, and I feel sure now that I can succeed again. I just need to do some experimenting.”

Piper punched him lightly on the arm. “Aw, thanks! You got this, Gramps!”

Nico felt like he was floating through a dream as he and Piper descended the stairs. He was so overwhelmed, mentally and emotionally, that he couldn’t think of anything to say. He felt a little irritated with himself for that.

“Nico?” Piper said. She wasn’t looking at him - her eyes were on the stairs as they descended.

“Yeah?”

“I want you to tell me something. And I want you to tell me the truth, okay?”

“Okay.”

She stopped as they reached the bottom of the staircase, turning towards him.

“Why do you want to be the CEO?”

“My mom always told me that the Business King was someone who could make dreams come true,” Nico replied.

Piper nodded, but she was clearly unsatisfied. “Okay, sure, but… why? What dream do you want to come true, Nico? I’m rooting for you, but this isn’t an easy goal to chase, you know. What I said back there is true. You will get your ass kicked if you do this. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to be right there with you. I’ll even promise you that, and I’m someone who keeps my promises, no matter what. But first, I want to know why.”

Nico was quiet for a long time. At last he said, “I lost someone. A while ago. I didn’t get to say goodbye. But the last time I ever saw her, I made her a promise, and...”

He looked Piper in the eyes. She met his gaze.

“...And I’m someone who keeps my promises, too,” he said. “No matter what.”

He held her gaze. There was a spark in Piper’s eyes that was bright and dangerous. Like a live wire.

“So, then,” she said, “what happens to your fire?”

“Huh?” Nico was genuinely confused, but a small, distant part of him suddenly felt vulnerable. Exposed. Like he needed to escape.

“You’ve got a fire in you. I’ve seen it. It’s why I’ve believed in you since the first day you showed up at work,” Piper said.

Her usual feistiness was nowhere to be seen. She was serious, almost somber. She was studying him closely. “But it’s not always… there, you know? When it flares up, your fire is bright, and powerful, and it’s like you can take on the whole world by yourself, if you really want to. But the rest of the time, like right now, for instance… you’re just sort of… there.”

For reasons he couldn’t explain - didn’t want to explain - Nico’s pulse was pounding. That feeling of being trapped, of needing to make a run for it, was becoming overwhelming.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me,” Piper said. “You want to be the CEO? The Business King? You want to keep your promise? I mean, I think you can do it. I really do. I believe in you, Nico. Because your fire is really that strong when it burns. I can see your potential. And sometimes, I think you see it, too. That’s when you become unstoppable!”

She was excited now; her encouragement was almost aggressive. It felt like she was regaining her usual Piper-ness. She opened her mouth to say something more, then stopped herself.

“Too much? Too much. Sorry,” she said, almost to herself.

“No, it’s… it’s okay,” Nico said.

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” said Piper. “That was… a lot, I know.”

Nico nodded. He had no idea what to say. All that came out was, “Thanks, Piper.”

She hit him lightly on the arm. “I just really believe in you, you know. I don’t know you very well yet, but I know, I mean, I really know, you can do this. You can become the CEO, Nico. You just need to let that fire burn more often. Stop being so scared all the time, y’know? Be a little more like your best friend Piper,” she winked.

Nico nodded again, smiling a bit. Piper smiled back at him, then turned away and walked toward the door.

“Wait, Piper.” Nico said. She stopped, looking back at him with a curious expression.

“I know what you mean,” he said slowly. “I believe I can do it too. I know it.” His voice became determined. “I know I can become the Business King. I just don’t always feel that… that fire you’re talking about. I’m not sure why.”

“Looks like I’ll just have to help you figure it out then. Maybe I should shoot you with a flamethrower,” Piper laughed.

“Piper?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you doing this? Why do you want to help me?”

She shrugged. “Because I like you, dummy.”

Nico’s brain waves turned to static. Before he could process what she’d said, Piper was already heading out the door.

***

The tabby cat sat on the corner in front of the building entrance. She watched as the human girl came outside, stretching. The girl reached her arms high above her head, then leaned from side to side.

“Alright!” the girl said to no one in particular.

The tabby cat considered for a moment, and decided that yes, she did like this human girl. Her feline eyes took in every detail.

The human girl was about average height, maybe a bit over six cats tall - if the cats stood on each other’s backs, that was. She dressed nicely enough. Long, thigh-high stockings covered her legs. They looked a bit worn and rough, and the tabby had to resist the urge to scratch her claws on them for the moment. Her other attire held little interest to the tabby’s cat eyes, with the exception of an oversized hat that the girl was pulling onto her head. It was huge compared to the rest of her, completely covering her ears and sending her orange hair shooting in odd directions. She pushed it back a bit, tilting it at a jaunty angle.

The tabby decided that she wanted to sit on that hat.

“Greetings,” the tabby cat said.

Piper stopped, looking around. “Hello?”

The tabby pounced on top of a garbage can. “Greetings,” she said again.

Piper’s mouth opened. She tilted her head to one side. “Was… was that you, kitty?”

The tabby cat’s tail flicked. “Indeed.”

“You’re talking, though.”

The tabby cat turned, looking up. She felt unusually shy at the moment. To compensate, she made her voice as aloof as possible. “What do you call yourself, human?”

“Um, I’m Piper,” said Piper. “Are you talking, kitty? Is this a prank or somethi- Oh!”

The tabby glanced back at Piper, slightly alarmed. The girl was approaching her, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Oh my god! Look at your bow tie!” said Piper.

Behind her, the building door opened. The tabby observed that the young man was exiting now, and now he too was approaching.

“Nico!” Piper said excitedly, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him closer. “Look at this! It’s so damn adorable!”

Nico looked, then smiled himself. “Hi there, little guy! I like your bow tie!”

The tabby wondered, just for a moment, if this had all been a terrible blunder. “Thank you,” she said. It was all she could think to say. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed now.

“You did talk! It was you, kitty!” Piper cheered. “Nico, look! It must be the bow tie! Have you ever seen business wear on a cat before?”

“You are correct,” the tabby broke in. “This formal kerchief has granted me the powers of human speech.”

“No way!” said Nico.

The tabby blinked affirmatively.

“Kitty, what’s your name?” Piper asked, kneeling down. “Can I pet you?”

The tabby nodded. Piper’s reached out a hesitant hand, then started to pet the cat gently. The tabby started to purr. It was a little hard to focus now. She had chosen well - this human girl’s hand felt very, very nice.

“My people have no names in the way that you humans do,” said the tabby. “However, that is mainly because most felines do not possess the powers of speech.”

“What about meowing?” Piper cut in, then blushed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted.”

The tabby blinked slowly. All was forgiven. “Meowing, as you call it, is a secret of my people. It is not, however, a replacement for what humans would consider to be speech. Thus, in answer to your first question: I have no name. I am a tabby, and my kind roam the night.”

Her voice was proud. She looked at Nico with a critical eye, purring again now as Piper resumed petting her. “And what do you call yourself, human male?”

“Nico.”

“Piper, do you vouch for Nico?”

Piper paused. “Vouch?”

“Indeed. Do you give your assurances that Nico is a trustworthy human?”

Piper glanced at Nico, amused. “Sure. He’s a trustworthy human.”

Nico shrugged.

“Very well,” said the tabby. “In that case, I have a proposition for the two of you.”

She pulled away from Piper’s hand and stretched, then sat staring at the two humans with huge, glittering eyes.

“What’s up?” Piper asked. She seemed to be taking this whole talking cat situation quite well.

“My newfound abilities have distanced me from the rest of my people. I find them… intolerably dull now,” said the tabby. “For some time, I have searched for worthy companionship, and tonight I believe I have found it in you, Piper.”

“Of course!” Piper cried, and the tabby suddenly panicked as she was snatched up in the human girl’s arms. “You want to be my kitty, huh? Don’t you! Don’t you! You adorable little thing!”

“Unhand me, wench!” the tabby snarled. “This treatment is hardly befitting one of my noble race!”

Piper ignored her, or maybe she didn’t hear her. She just squeezed tighter, hugging the tabby. “Look, Nico! She’s so cute!”

Nico laughed, petting the tabby as well. The cat struggled to free a paw to bat his hand away, but it was no use - the human girl had her thoroughly captured. The touch of Nico’s hand was unexpectedly pleasant, though, and though the tabby resented her current treatment, she began to purr despite herself.

“There, what a pretty little kitty you are!” Piper crooned, her voice changing as though she was talking to a baby. “Look at your soft pretty fur! Oh my god you’re so precious, aren’t you? Aren’t you?”

“I insist that you release me, human,” the tabby protested again, but the combined force of both humans petting her was threatening to break her will. Her purring was becoming louder, much to her own annoyance.

“What should we call you, kitten?” Nico asked.

The tabby squirmed one last time, managing to break free of Piper’s grasp just enough to spring to the ground, and then back up onto the garbage can. She hesitated, considering calling the whole thing off, but then Piper was petting her again.

“As I told you, my people do not have names in the way that humans do,” she said. “...However, if you desire to give me a name, I suppose-”

“Tux!” Piper cheered. “That’s your new name, okay? Do you like it? Tux!” She elbowed Nico. “Because of her cute little bow tie, see? Isn’t Tux the perfect name?”

Nico smiled. “Tux. I like it!”

The tabby cat blinked a few times, considering. At last, she tilted her head and flicked her tail. “Very well then, I accept that name. You may call me Tux.”

And with that, Tux leaped on top of Piper’s head, landing lightly on her hat.

Nico laughed. “Welcome to the team, Tux!”

Tux purred and let out a small meow.

“Want to come home with me, Tux?” Piper asked.

“Is this hat going home with you?”

“Uh, yeah!”

“Then I accept your offer,” said Tux.

They all laughed, their voices echoing down the dark streets. The sound traveled, bouncing back and forth between the buildings. It wasn’t heard by many people on this dark night, but the large man who lurked in the shadows a block away heard it perfectly. His eyes narrowed with hatred.

He clutched a crumpled piece of paper in his beefy fist. He had read it so many times in the last few hours that he could recite its contents by heart. We regret to inform you that you have been terminated due to your failure to maintain your position as [SUPERVISOR].

The blue tie with the white speckles was loose around his neck, but now Rudy tightened it as he stepped forward, out of the shadows, towards Nico and his friends. Then he stopped.

“What am I doing?” he murmured.

He stood there for a long time, wrestling with himself. At last, he stuffed the paper into his pants pocket, turned, and walked off into the night.

***

Piper and Nico parted ways, agreeing to begin training together at work the next day. Tux was napping on her perch atop Piper’s hat. As Nico walked home, a car flew overhead. Inside the car, Elizabeth stared out the window toward the west, strategizing the best way to bring down Big Chuck. And far away to the west, beyond her range of vision, on the opposite side of the city, a slim person was hunched over a small desk.

Their fingers moved quickly and skillfully as they wielded their pen. Every surface surrounding them, from the desk to the floor, was covered in sheets of paper. Some were wadded up in rejection, some were carefully set aside for future reference, and still others peeked out from under the desk, long forgotten in the artist’s frenzied process of creation.

The artist brushed their electric-blue hair back from their face absent-mindedly. They were working to perfect a drawing that could save their life.

A heavy stroke here. A dot there. A few light stripes to indicate a shadow here. A careful squiggle. A jagged line.

They worked for a long time. Massive headphones covered their ears, blocking out all noise around them. A steady stream of music played through the headphones. They glanced at a small mirror as they reached for another, thinner pen. Their face was small and angular, like a fairy-tale pixie’s. A few small tattoos - stars, moons, and a tiny sword - were sprinkled around their temples beside their eyes, whose vibrant makeup made them look even bigger on the artist’s small face than they normally would.

With the new pen in hand, the artist returned to their work. It was nearly done. Just another line here, an extra detail there, and one more small squiggle.

They sat back in their seat, heart pounding. They raised the drawing off of the desk, inspecting it up close. It was a carefully rendered sketch of a woman wearing a sleek pantsuit. Stitched into the pantsuit would be the power to strike deals that were nearly impossible to refuse for those with weaker wills. The pantsuit fit snugly, but had small sections made of stretchy materials to help the wearer retain their full range of motion.

The artist took a deep breath, then let it out in a shaky sigh. This was it. The culmination of months of work. If this didn’t succeed, their chance to be hired by The Clothiers would be lost forever. And if that happened… Well, they didn’t want to think about what would happen then.

They removed their headphones, letting them hang around their neck.

“You finally done?” a man grunted.

The artist nodded.

The grunting man sighed, rising to his feet from the folding chair by the door. He reached out a hand, and the artist gave him the drawing. He barely glanced at it. He knocked twice on the door, and it clicked as it was unlocked. The door opened partway.

“Is it finished?” Said someone on the outside.

The man passed the drawing through the crack in the door. It rustled as the man outside took it. “I’ll show it to her,” he said, and then the door shut again.

The lock clicked back into place, and the man inside the room collapsed into his chair by the door again, arms folded. He looked at the artist without much interest.

The artist winced a bit as they crossed their bruised legs in their chair and turned back to their desk. They began to doodle absently on a scrap of paper, trying to distract themselves from their situation. But no matter how much they drew, they couldn’t stop their heart from pounding.

What would Babydoll think? What would Spats say? They had made it painfully clear that this was the last chance the artist would get. If they failed now, Green would be killed, and then the artist would die too - not because they would be killed by the gangsters as well, but because without Green, they would be done living.

So they sat there for what felt like hours. The pounding of the artist’s heart calmed a bit, but now they were trembling from nerves and fear. Suddenly, there was a loud click as the door unlocked again. The artist whirled around, facing the doorway. The door creaked open. A tall woman entered, closing the door behind her.

It was Babydoll. She held up the drawing, giving it one more look. Her hand was covered by a black glove that stretched beyond her elbow. The fur collar hanging around her neck was silky smooth. The slinky dress she wore was luxurious and left almost nothing to the imagination. She was Spats’ girl, and Spats’ girl got nothing but the best.

Babydoll’s eyes flicked to the artist’s. “It’ll do,” she said. Her voice was sultry. Her pouting red lips barely parted as she spoke. A half-smoked cigarette was clenched between her teeth, giving off a thin, wavy tendril of smoke that snaked through the air.

The artist slumped with relief. “Good,” they said. No other words came.

Babydoll cocked an eyebrow. “Spats’ll be in to see you when he gets back from his meeting.” She nodded to the man, who rose to let her out.

“Wait!” the artist yelped.

Babydoll turned imperiously. “What, Blue?”

The artist, Blue, blinked back a sheen of anxious tears. “Is Green okay? Can I see them now? I did the drawing, It’s done, you said it’ll do, right? So can I see Green, please?”

Babydoll winked. “Patience is a virtue.”

Babydoll turned to leave. Blue sobbed. The tears started flowing. They had never felt so defeated.

“Bitch,” they whispered.

Too loudly.

There was a stinging WHAP as Babydoll slapped Blue across the face with strength amplified by her black glove. Blue went down, tumbling out of their chair and thumping their head against the wall. Blue looked up, face burning, head throbbing. Babydoll towered above them, staring down like a judgemental queen.

“Whoa, Babydoll,” said the man nervously, “sorry, but, you gotta be careful, y’know? Spats doesn’t want-”

Babydoll whirled on him with a shout, striking him with her other gloved hand. The slap knocked him off his feet and onto the ground, but his double-breasted suit absorbed most of the impact.

“Don’t talk to me about Spats! He’s my man, got it?” Babydoll almost screamed. “I know what he wants better than the likes of you. Nobody calls me a bitch. Nobody!”

Blue was recovering faster than expected. Their cheek still stung, but their head wasn’t throbbing so badly anymore. Babydoll’s slap hadn’t been as bad as it first felt after all, but Blue had no desire to invite another one. Besides, if Babydoll cooled down enough, she might remember that Spats didn’t want any damage done to Blue from the waist up. An artist needed their arms and brains intact, after all. But… Blue glanced down at their bruised legs.

“And you!” Babydoll snarled, looking down on Blue once again. “You better be real damn careful. You want Green to be okay? Then no more clever remarks.”

She stormed out of the room, leaving Blue and the man to recover. The door slammed, then clicked as it was locked once more. The man settled into his folding chair once again. He nodded to Blue with a look that said, You said it. What a bitch.

Blue didn’t have the energy to speak, so they just nodded back. Then they lay back, stretching out on the floor of the small room, waiting for Spats.

***

The long night finally ended. Across the city, business people began to go to work for the thousands of businesses owned by Aleph Corporation. The poorest wore hand-me-down suit jackets or thrift shop skirts. They walked to work, or took rides in the few grounded buses and taxis that were still in service. Upon arrival, they clocked in and began the daily grind.

But today was a little different for the employees of one factory in the heart of the city. A note was being passed down the assembly lines. Some of the workers ignored the note. Others rolled their eyes. But most felt a small spark of hope flare up within them when they read the words.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

BELIEVE IN SIGMA.

UNITE. FIGHT. RISE.

The workers kept the note moving throughout the factory. They were stealthy about it - any whisper of Organization would spell big trouble - but the hope Sigma represented was too great for their fear to smother.

The name was on a thousand lips during the lunch period, spoken only in the most hushed of tones. Sigma.

To hear the poor people of the city talk about Sigma was like listening to superhero stories. Sigma, the hero of the revolution. Sigma, the savior of the world. Sigma, the man sworn to destroy the Five Corporations, and bring justice back to the world.

None of them had ever seen Sigma. None of them even knew whether he was a real person or a mere idea, the sort of mythical hero on which they could pin their dwindling hopes. But many of them believed regardless. The poorest, the weakest, those who had been most crushed by the rise of the world’s new wardrobe, held their belief in Sigma deep inside like a talisman.

And sometimes, belief is enough.

***

Nico put his feet up on the cheap desk that had belonged to Rudy until yesterday. The big guy had apparently returned sometime in the night to gather his belongings, because the office was empty except for the desk and a squeaky chair.

Nico and Piper had met at Gramps’ house this morning to pick up her newly repaired blazer. Gramps had been as good as his word - the blazer looked brand-new. Its worn spots and holes were patched so smoothly that Piper had to inspect the blazer closely to notice the inconsistencies.

Neither of them had the money for a bus, so they had walked from Gramps’ shop to work, promising to return tonight to visit. Fortunately, the office was only a few blocks away. Tux insisted on coming along, and spent as much time as possible perched on Piper’s hat.

Nico sighed as he inspected the computer. “How do you even work these things?” he asked Piper, getting frustrated. He was kitting every key on the keyboard, but the screen wasn’t turning on.

“Wait, are you serious? Haven’t you ever used a computer before?” Piper asked.

“I just never had the chance to, okay?”

“Okay! Fine. I mean, have no idea how you’ve survived in this world without using a computer, but...”

Nico shifted uncomfortably. This conversation wasn’t doing much for his self-esteem. “Well, no, I mean, I just haven’t needed to use one since I was a kid, until now.”

“Right,” Piper said. “Well, uh, this one turns it on.” She pressed a button on the screen, which lit up. A logo, Aleph Technologies (Subsidiary of Aleph Corporation), covered the screen for a couple of seconds, and then the screen faded to the desktop.

Nico whistled. “So what do I do now?”

Piper rolled her eyes. “You do your job, dummy!”

“Right. And, what is that, exactly?”

“I dunno, you’re the Supervisor, so I guess you need to start supervising things around here.”

Nico sighed. “That’s dumb. Let’s just train for the next fight.” He looked at the single pinstripe on his button-down. “I need to get stronger, right? So let’s get stronger.”

“I like how you think, Business King,” Piper said. Then a thought struck her, and she paused, looking around the room thoughtfully.

“Huh,” said Piper, sitting on the desk. She started swinging her legs.

“What?”

“I dunno, I guess I just expected Rudy would have… done something. Sabotaged the chair somehow, or glued the drawers shut.”

Nico shrugged. “Maybe he was afraid the higher-ups would hear about it if he did. Or maybe he did do something, but we just haven’t found it yet.”

Piper’s eyes glinted with mischief. “You know what I’m thinking?”

Nico shook his head.

“Scavenger hunt!” Piper cried.

There was an indignant meow from the corner of the office. “Must you disturb my rest, Piper? I had just gotten comfortable.”

Piper glanced over at Tux, who looked thoroughly unamused. “Oh, sorry!”

The tabby cat blinked once, then rested her head once more.

“Scavenger hunt!” Piper said again, lowering her voice a bit.

“What about training?” Nico asked.

“Ah, we have plenty of time for that. You’re the boss now, right? So what you say goes! And I say that you say it’s time for a scavenger hunt. Let’s explore!”

“Yeah, alright!” said Nico, smiling. “Scavenger hunt!”

***

Elizabeth reviewed her assignment as her android driver flew her to the office building.

Please ensure that [NICO *ERROR*] is informed of the responsibilities and expectations of their new role. Additionally, please obtain the following missing data: [SUBJECT SURNAME], for our records.

The car landed on the roof. Elizabeth opened the door to leave.

“Miss Regal, should I await your return?” the android asked.

Elizabeth smiled. “Yes Jeeves, this shouldn’t take long. Just have to talk to the new guy.”

Her baby blue high heels clicked satisfyingly against the concrete as she walked toward the rooftop elevator.

***

Nico and Piper laughed as they shared a bag of chips. Their scavenger hunt hadn’t ended up revealing any tricks or traps left behind by Rudy, but they had discovered his secret stash of snacks within a cupboard that was normally locked. The key to the cupboard had been taped to the underside of one of the desk drawers.

The other employees had eventually decided to ignore them. Nico wasn’t bossing them around, and most of them were privately grateful that he’d gotten rid of Rudy, who could sometimes be quite the tyrant. Let the kids have fun while they still could. Once the Regional Manager got wind of Nico’s behavior, he would be sacked for sure. For now, he was out of their hair, and that was good enough.

Nico sat at the desk with his feet up once again, munching on a protein bar he’d found among Rudy’s snacks. He was half-listening to Piper’s explanation of how to use the computer.

Suddenly, Tux raised her head. The fur on her tail was bristling.

“Humans,” Tux said.

Piper and Nico looked over at the tabby cat, confused by the alarm in her voice.

“What’s up, Tux?” Piper asked.

“Someone is coming. I sense them.”

And she did sense them. Wave upon wave of tingling power crept over Tux’s body. Whoever was coming was a force to be reckoned with.

“Who? Who’s coming?” Nico asked, looking a little worried.

He needn’t have asked. There was a knock at the door. Before he had a chance to look up, the door to his office was opening. A woman entered. Both Nico and Piper felt it then: the woman’s presence, her aura, was powerful. Her smile was pleasant, even kind, but they instinctively knew that this was not someone to be trifled with.

“Hi, Nico! I’m Elizabeth Regal. I’m your new boss. The Regional Manager.”