*Tobias: The Late-Night Search*

Tobias lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling as the dim glow of his desk lamp illuminated his room. The day had been uneventful compared to the buzz surrounding his title as the **Hero of Ironsides Mall**, but one thing weighed heavily on his mind: the mysterious tuxedo cat in Saiyan armor he had seen at the mall.

“Who was she?” Tobias muttered, his tail flicking restlessly. Her piercing red eyes and commanding presence had stuck with him. She had been watching him—he was sure of it.

Unable to resist his curiosity any longer, Tobias sat up quietly and tiptoed to his desk. He powered on his tablet, glancing at the clock: 9:45 PM. “Plenty of time,” he told himself. He had to know more.

---

*The Research Begins*

Typing quickly but quietly, Tobias searched for anything he could find about the strange tuxedo cat. His search terms—“black tuxedo cat,” “Saiyan armor,” “red eyes,” and “Evergrand Mall”—returned little of interest. Most results were cosplay blogs or outdated articles on Saiyan armor replicas.

Growing frustrated, Tobias turned to forums and message boards. He sifted through dozens of threads until something caught his eye: a cryptic post titled **“Virtuoso: The Shadow of the Penitatas”**.

The post read:

> “Rumors of a black tuxedo cat Penitatas in Saiyan armor have circulated for years. Known as ‘Virtuoso,’ she is said to test others in secret, pushing them to their limits. Her motives and origins remain a mystery.”

“Virtuoso,” Tobias murmured, the name sending a shiver down his spine. “That has to be her.”

He dove deeper into the thread, finding speculation ranging from Virtuoso being a rogue Penitatas to theories about her working for a secret organization. Some dismissed her as an urban legend, but Tobias knew what he had seen. 

As he became more engrossed, time slipped away. The clock on his tablet read 10:15 PM when Tobias finally realized how late it was. His ears flattened as he glanced at the darkened hallway outside his door.

“Lights out was fifteen minutes ago,” Tobias muttered. “Great.”

---

*Caught in the Act*

He hastily shut off his tablet and lamp, diving into bed just as the door creaked open. The light from the hallway spilled into the room, and Tobias froze as his mother stepped inside, a stern expression on her face.

“Tobias,” Mrs. Rowe said, her voice calm but firm. “Do you want to explain why I saw your light on past curfew?”

Tobias peeked out from under his blanket, his ears drooping. “I was just... researching something.”

“Researching,” Mrs. Rowe repeated, her eyebrows raising. “You know the rules. Lights out at ten means lights out at ten.”

“But it was important!” Tobias protested, sitting up. “I saw someone at the mall—a tuxedo cat in Saiyan armor! She was watching me, and I think—”

Mrs. Rowe held up her hand, cutting him off. “Save it. Whatever it was, it can wait until tomorrow. Right now, you’re getting a reminder to follow the rules.”

Tobias’s tail flicked nervously as Mrs. Rowe walked to the closet and retrieved a belt. His ears flattened as he realized what was coming next.

“Mom, I was just—”

“Over the bed,” Mrs. Rowe interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Now.”

---

*The Lesson*

Tobias reluctantly climbed out of bed and leaned over the mattress, his tail flicking nervously. Mrs. Rowe folded the belt in half, its soft creak filling the room.

“Breaking curfew is unacceptable,” she said firmly. “You know better, Tobias.”

The first lash landed with a sharp *snap*, and Tobias yelped, his claws gripping the bedspread. The sting spread quickly, making him squirm as Mrs. Rowe continued.

“I expect you to follow the rules,” she said, punctuating each word with a lash. “No excuses.”

Tobias whimpered, tears pricking his eyes as the punishment continued. By the time Mrs. Rowe finished, his backside was sore, and he felt thoroughly chastised.

“Lights out means lights out,” Mrs. Rowe said, placing the belt back in the closet. “Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tobias mumbled, climbing back into bed. His tail twitched as he lay on his side, trying to find a comfortable position.

---

*A Sleepless Night*

As the room fell into silence, Tobias stared at the ceiling, his thoughts returning to Virtuoso. Despite the punishment, his curiosity burned brighter than ever.

“Virtuoso,” he whispered to himself. “Who are you?”

---

*Virt’s Silent Observation*

Outside, perched on a tree branch near Tobias’s window, Virt watched with faint amusement. Her red eyes glinted in the darkness as she smirked.

“Breaking curfew for me?” she murmured, her tail flicking thoughtfully. “How flattering.”

With a quiet chuckle, Virt leapt from the tree, disappearing into the shadows. “Let’s see how far your curiosity takes you, Tobias.”