Over the course of a few weeks, many of Arya’s concerns over Jay vanished. Even though she has not shed her human disguise for the dashing rat, she finally feels comfortable ditching her true self to be this facade for him. Not only that, but the job she originally was sent out to do went off without a hitch. The intelligence her Uncle wanted her to get is now safely in his hands, and Jay and Uma are none the wiser. Now, she’s free to pursue her relationship with him without having to worry anymore about corporate espionage. She’s free to enjoy herself and to enjoy him.
So, with some of the money she made trading the secrets to her uncle, Arya buys herself a nice black dress for the date she and Jay are going on tonight. It’s an upscale club, quite swanky, yet still fun. They call it “Casa del Cockatoo,” and she’s excited to get there. She takes one last look in the mirror and smiles at the woman she sees on the other side. For the first time, she puts care and attention to her human self not for tricking anyone, but for enjoying herself. 
It isn’t long before Jay calls her, saying that he’s in front of her apartment. She meets him outside, only to have the rat wrap his arms around her in a hug. Her heart speeds up, but she embraces him back, her tongue flicking out where he can’t see so she may catch his scent. He’s so warm, so inviting, so lovely.
“Hope you’re ready to have a good time. Great drinks, great dancing, and a great view of the city,” he says, opening the door for her.
As she slides in and buckles up, she can’t help but ask. “How in the world did you manage to get us a pass? This place is really exclusive.”
He shrugs. “When you’re a jack of all trades like I am, you get to know people. The manager and I are old business buds, actually, so he was able to squeeze us in.”
“Really? What sort of business?” Arya asks, just making small talk while they get to their destination.
“Eh, a little of this and a little of that. Mostly boring details. Nothing nearly as exciting as our ventures,” he says, giving her a wink.
Arya titters at that. “Oh yes, because we’re only the most clandestine and action-packed of businesspeople,” she muses.
“One persons’s drudgery is another person’s high octane adventure,” Jay says. “You never know until you try it yourself.” He pulls off, leaving them to speak of other minor things as they approach the club.
“How’s everything been since our last meeting?” Arya asks, brushing a hand over her hair.
“Oh, since our last date, you mean?” Jay says. “Can’t complain, but really we’re talking too much about me now, don’t ya think? What’s with the spring in your step? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited. You got something sneaky planned for me tonight?”
“What, me? Sneak? Certainly not. I’m just here to have a good time with a fun guy is all. Nothing sneaky about that, nope!”
“Heh, fine, fine, but don’t get too surprised if I have something up my sleeve. Can’t give a girl a good time without the unexpected, that’s what I think.”
“Oh, you think every trick is going to work on every girl? What have I told you about that chauvinism?”
He slows the car in front of the club. The name is penned in bright pink neon lights and the line leading in travels around the block. The boisterous music of a live band leaks out through the doors behind a large avian bouncer. Jay stops right in front of a uniformed valet and puts the car into park. “No chauvinism to it, Arya,” he says, his voice getting quiet. “Each person has something they like, and what I do is find out what that is to make sure they’re having fun. It ain’t got nothing to do with playing ya. I’m doing this because I think it will be the best for both of us, alright?”
Her lip twitches, and she tries to find something to say in mresponse, but the valet opens the door, snapping her attention away. “Uh, ye-yes.” She wonders if maybe she wasn’t being just a bit too guarded.
He smiles and slips out of the car himself, tossing the keys to
the valet. “Hey, don’t sweat it. All work and no play makes Arya a dull, yet respectable, lady.”
She slides out of her seat and joins him on the sidewalk, wrapping her arms around one of his. “Sounds like you don’t want me to be respectable.”
“It’ll take something astronomic to make me like you less. Come on. Time waits for no one!”
The two easily make it through the bouncer, who gives Jay a hardy and friendly “how do you do?” The line of potential guests grumble and scoff at the privilege, yet others look to Arya with admiration or even jealousy. She turns from them, placing a hand upon her chest. This isn’t some big con game. This is her life, and she’s moved up the rungs to get here. But how did she do that? Through deceit? Is it worth it?
Jay immediately brings her to the dance floor, where the upbeat tempo and the salsa tunes pull her worries away. He works his magic upon her, leading her around the floor, spinning and dipping, swaying and gyrating. It’s like her body is an instrument and he is a master musician.
‘Come on!” he chirps. “You gonna let me lead the whole night? Surely, you got some good moves yourself!”
“Oh, I dunno,” she responds, arms wrapped over his shoulders.
“It’s really not my style, the music, I mean.”
“Yeah, I can tell you’re having trouble keeping up with the foot work. What’s the matter, got two left feet?”
She actually looks down. Did she actually mess up her disguise that badly today?
“You know, I could see if they got something more your style,” he says, spinning her around so she faces away from him. “Or you can infuse some of your style into the dance if you want.”
Arya closes her eyes and lets herself melt into the dance. “I’m not dressed properly for that,” she says.
“Oh, I know, but that shouldn’t be a problem for you.” he says, whispering into her ear, “In fact, I think I’ve figured you out.”
Arya squeaks, but before she can confront him, he pulls away from her, disappearing into the crowd. Alone among a sea of people, Arya shrinks back, but the lights all dim, save for those just above her, putting her literally in the spot.
The brass section of the band lowers their instruments as a few extra drums get ready. The beats they play remind her of the beats of the Darbuka. As they play their way through strangely familiar tune, she can’t help but feel the familiar twitch in her fingers. “Oh, I’m gonna get you for this,” Arya hisses, but she raises her arms up, closing her eyes and loses herself in the dance. How he knows she trained in this style, she’ll have to find out, but for now, she just needs to dance.
Her body moves to the beat of the drums, from the top of her head, to the tips of her fingers. Minor twitches to large shifts in her stance come from the flow of the music. Had she access to her tail, the belly dance she displays would be through her whole body. Even with only her upper half really getting into it, she shows her flexibility and her reflexes to be superhuman, arching her back to degrees that made her rival contortionists. Her body is on autopilot, as if she was hypnotized by the beat of the drums, but soon enough, they stop, and with them, the trance on her body fades.
Arya opens her eyes, panting from the intense performance, only to realize once more that she’s the center of attention and that everyone cheers for her.
“That was beautiful,” Jay’s voice comes from behind her once more.
Arya whirls around, glaring at him. “What the hell? What am I, some kind of side show attraction?”
He holds his hands up defensively, but doesn’t step back. ‘Not at all. You’re a star, and one that can shine bright.”’
“I can shine bright enough on my own, thank you very much,” she says, crossing her hands over her chest and puffing out her cheeks.
“Well, then,” Jay says, his whiskers twitching. Seems like he has something he wants to get at. “Don’t you think you’re being a hypocrite? I mean putting you out on stage here and letting you dance for everyone is just like what your Uncle does to you. Well, except he puts your whole livelihood on the line instead of your pride.”
Arya’s heart sinks in her chest, a shiver rising up through her scales underneath her human skin. “I… what did you say?”
He pulls her in close as the music switches to a slow tune. With cheek pressed to cheek, he speaks to her soft enough so their conversation can remain quiet. “You’re a capable woman, Arya—probably beautiful, too-but you’re being manipulated by a man you care about. He’s forcing you to perform for him, and you walk right into his plans without a second thought, dancing for him like his puppet.”
Tears well up in Arya’s eyes when he says this. “Ho… how?” 
“I’m a jack of all trades,” he replies. “And I’ve been tracking down your Uncle’s business for some time now. Imagine my surprise when Uma makes a business deal with one of his workers. Imagine my delight when she turns out to be a decent person who cares what others think about her and doesn’t want to be a part of his business.”
“Have you been stalking me!?” She pushes him away. He steps back a few steps, and adjust his hat. 
“Nah. That’s not classy. I’m just that good at reading people. I have a job to do and I think you can help me so we can help each other. Look, I like you. That’s why I’m being upfront with you now. I want you to be the woman you’re meant to be: strong, independent, beautiful, and unafraid to be herself. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the niece of “the Snake” ain’t a blond human bombshell. Who are you dressing up for, me? Yourself, or for him?”
Arya’s head swims with the revelations. Who does she trust? What should she believe? Is she being manipulated? Is it happening twice? “I… I really need to think this over,” she says.
“That’s fine,” he says, holding out his hand. “If you want, I can call you a ride home. It’s been a fun night, but I can’t leave you alone with all this stuff bubbling around in your head.”
“No,” she says, grabbing his arm. Their eyes lock once more. “I mean, we can go, but I don’t want to go alone. You really want to help rid me of my Uncle’s influence?”
His whiskers twitch as he smiles warmly towards her. “Of course. It will be the icing on the cake when I take him down. Plus, I’ll make sure you don’t take any fall for it. You’re a victim here, after all.”
“I… I don’t think I’m that innocent,”
He holds onto her chin gently, and leans in, his mouth inches from hers. “You are the key to stopping a major crime enterprise, and you are so much more than that. You’re not innocent, you’re going to be a hero.”
Arya’s lips crease into a tiny smile as she pulls Jay close this time, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. “Well, then, if you’re so confident, how about we go home and I’ll show you just what I got?”
The band plays its final song for the evening as the two dance together. This time, though, Arya leads the way for the both of them.