Dance Dance Reprobation

[magicademymods]

The Twilight Ball Arrival The Promenade has been transformed. Literally. With Modification. Ha ha. Cough. Crickets. Toad familiars eat the crickets. Circle of life. Animals bow before singing lions. You get the idea. Neither tree nor stone form the Promenade now. It is instead a long bridge over a shallow and brilliant pool, the gentle ripples of which catch the afternoon sun and scatter it into a million highlights that play over the Great Hall, the bridge, and those who walk down it. There is no formal receiving line, merely a gentle procession of people across the bridge at whatever speed feels comfortable, slowly making their way to the Great Hall. The Great Hall itself has been enchanted to be completely invisible while one is inside it, save for the outline of doors so people can actually find their way out through means other than smacking their noses into the invisible walls till they find a place with no resistance. Thus the twilight for which the ball is named will show all around the dancers, while they are protected from any errant breezes, faint hints of rain, or slime monsters that might otherwise threaten the festivity. Come in. Find your date and get comfortable. The fun is just beginning. Let the Revels Begin After Headmaster Birony welcomes everyone with a speech about she's going to get on her boat, go upriver, and kick that sonuvabitch Bison's ass so HORDT that the next Bison-wannabe is gonna feel it, the dance formally begins with a peppy number designed to get people out and moving. The orchestra here comprises some of the finest players available anywhere in the world, thanks to the whole Valhudor shtick and graduates of said house, and the music is infectious as it drifts through the slowly-darkening air. But as the dance progresses, they play something for everyone. Martial waltzes and slow dance ballroom numbers. Powerful tunes to lose yourself in, and gentle melodies that slip beneath conversation and encourage intimacy and closeness. Professors Trammel and King treat everyone to an exhibition of what an Earth resident might call 'swing dancing on amphetamines' and many students do call 'the closest I have ever come to death'. No pause for speeches, no announcements or interruptions -- just a steady stream of music, bringing dates and lovers together in dance, as the sun sets and casts the room into gentle and romantic twilight. Also a dolphin and a whale are swimming through the floor and they, too, are unmistakably dancing. If this is the weirdest thing you've seen all night, you need your eyes checked. "Food! One of the food tables has been discreetly slid against a wall, where it positively shudders under the weight of a massive buffet open to everyone. The food here tends towards the light, such as fish and vegetables, cucumber sandwiches and thin-sliced meats. Things that will give you energy without weighing you down, so you can keep dancing till the dawn comes. At one end of the table, an owl the size of a cupboard sits on a perch, serenely watching the varied drinks laid out for consumption. 'Spiking the punch' is so cliche that no one is going to pretend it won't happen or the students will behave on their honor, so here you get a chaperone. Even so, this whole area is a popular gathering spot for those between dances or partners, drawing steady attention throughout the night. Meanwhile, Elsewhere Shockingly, not everyone has found that loving feeling, asked out an attractive someone, and gone to the dance with romance on their minds. The rest of the campus, and of course Anastara itself, remain open as normal... and perhaps even less-minded than normal. The faculty, the familiars, the cleaning golems -- almost all attention is on the dance itself. If there's mischief to manage, now would be the perfect time... or just something else besides wallflowering and missing out. Wait, Wasn't There a Ghost Dragon and an Off-Brand Shoggoth? Professor King managed to find a way around the protoplasmic ooze's resistance to magic and splatted it (with no small amount of help from students and faculty!). The dragon disappeared into the caverns beneath the Magicademy. That certainly isn't ominous and won't inspire anyone to go down there, will it? Don't fall in the river down there. Please don't fall in the river.

Comments

food

[sevenyearsasleep]

Link was mainly at the ball because it was expected, rather than any interest in the event itself. He'd had a little fun talking to people he knew, but, the Hylian felt he could have done that outside a fancy-dress celebration.

As a result, he'd stayed close to the food table all evening. When the red-haired fellow came by the table for the second time, Link gave a small wave.

"Watch out for the little brown sandwiches," he warned. Link wasn't sure what was inside of them, but, he didn't like the flavor.

[darkenedmoon]

Yotsuyu gazed at Eleven, head tilted slightly. One black brow arched, and she gently lifted his chin with one hand.

"Do you honestly think anyone knows how to be a hero?" she asked him softly. "They do not teach these things in a school somewhere. There is no knowledge passed down, save that in tales about other heroes, mayhap." Hadn't Eleven himself mentioned tales of another hero, from his world? Some guidance that tome had given him.

And yet, should she not know heroes? She who was adversary to the greatest hero on her own world, if only briefly so? (It was not if Yotsuyu had given the Warrior of Light a great challenge, after all.)

"You are no shadow, Eleven!" Her tone there was perhaps a bit more sharp than she had been, but Yotsuyu was at least passing familiar with darkness. "You are young, uncertain, and dealing with so much you were not prepared for. But you are not giving up entirely." Though certainly it seemed like he wanted to. Yotsuyu could not blame him for that. It was not as if she hadn't been prepared to end it all, before her so-called parents angered her into lashing out at them.

"It is not magic or great power that makes a hero," she murmured, not so quiet that Eleven could not hear her. "It is feeling that swell of fear in your chest, wishing with all your might that you could run away and hide...and then turning around and facing it regardless."

Yes. She knew that. Especially since Yotsuyu had not done that, ever. Not even when the monsters had attacked. But she knew that she was no hero.

"Perhaps you are not a hero now, but you have it in you to be. You care for others and expect nothing in return. You do good simply to do good, not because you feel obligated. And here, if nothing else, you have been given time to learn to see what you are not able to see in yourself, yet. What confuses you so, when others see it in you."

Re: arrival

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea grins.]

Hey, Webby!

Yes you are, and thanks. You look nice too; yellow's a good color on you.

Re: food

[hotheadwarmheart]

Lea nodded. "Thanks for the tip," he said. "Any particular reason why, or do you just not like them?" Because if the reason was that they were spicy, Lea could honestly probably handle it.

Re: food

[sevenyearsasleep]

"S'got some sort of weird cheese."

Goat cheese and watercress was not a combination Link's palate could appreciate. And he wasn't a picky eater.

[goingbythebook]

Arrival
Huey was definitely getting more used to this world, and dances? Dances he could do. He's gotten himself a mostly formal outfit, and had walked in at first with Lena, as Louie had asked Webby and he hadn't wanted either of them to feel left out. That's not being a good friend, right?

Though they came in together they weren't together the whole time, and in fact Huey can be found here and there still marvelling over everything... magic about this place. Most of all he seems caught by the twilight, staring at it through the invisible Hall. What a fitting sight for a lovely site like this.


Let the Revels Begin
...That was certainly a speech, wasn't it? Anyway- definitely not making a note about "river" and "Bison" in a notepad stowed under his cap, NOPE -Huey spends most of his time on the sidelines, watching most of the others have their dance. Part of it, alright most of it, was he still didn't know many people yet and felt awkward, but he was perfectly content to observe the event. It had been haphazardly put together (when measured against his own Huey Duck, Party Master planning skills anyway, to anyone else this dance would be going well), but there was plenty to enjoy all the same, and every now and then he amused himself by identifying the different dance steps people were using. Tango, waltz, one ambitious couple performing the paso doble, there's an improvisational pair, and then of course the uh, "swing dancing on amphetamines" exhibition.

But of course, while spending time not on the floor, there's also-


Food!
Someone must've missed the memo about "light food not weighing you down" because Huey has gotten himself a big ol' plateful. Fish, an arrangement of meat slices and cheeses, a sandwich or two, and a neat stack of cucumber slices that practically reformed the cucumber they'd come from. With a cup of punch to go for it.

This plate is on an empty chair beside him so he doesn't have to try and juggle carrying it, eating, and holding his drink all in one, but that doesn't mean he isn't open to conversation. Just have to get him between bites.


Wildcard
Anything else goes!

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik shook his head. "That was what we had set out to find out for Mount Pang Lai. It was when King Carnelian gave me the shield of Heliodor." He knew by now that it was an odd thing to deal with the timing and it still hurt his head at times to try and figure it all out as to how he could know different things than his charge.

The knight sighed. "I was called a hero rescuing the survivors of the World Tree falling. I thought myself a fraud thinking I couldn't protect them but I did."

But once Yotsuyu began speaking again, he stood and let her have her say. And when she said the bit about tales it made him think of Jasper reading aloud any number of adventures. He nodded to most of what she was telling him, wishing he could somehow get the boy to believe in himself. If he himself couldn't do it, then maybe she could.

He didn't know if they could figure out how to save Erdrea from here, and the knight highly doubted it. One thing was for certain though, he would back off and even let the daily training go too if backing off would help.

[bearshermark]

Looking at Yotsuyu, his heart slowed, breaths steadying as her words rang true for everything he's never said.

He was all too familiar with that constant fear plaguing him, but forced to trudge on and bear it despite wishing for nothing more than a swift return to his old life. If that was what made a hero, he did not envy Erdwin in the least. It wasn't courage or bravery at all- only done because destiny marked him as other and forced his hand.

But it was his mother, the people of Cobblestone, and the Spirit of the Land that raised and guided him with kindness.

"..I understand, I think." His eyes lowered, searching. "I might have lost more than the power of the Luminary when Mordegon stole it from me."

It made more sense the more he thought about it. Mordegon had shown him his weakness, and every one of his misgivings had taken root since. They plagued his every step like lingering shadows he couldn't break free of.

Eleven's eyes turned on Hendrik, a touch relieved to find him standing properly.

"You seem like the sort of person that was born fearless, Hendrik. I'm not sure I'll ever match up to that."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie shook his head. "Nah, we don't have school dances yet. And my uncle doesn't usually bring me or my brothers to fancy stuff - he wouldn't go himself if it weren't for the business opportunities, I think." He rolled his shoulders back in a shrug. "What about you?"

[talkyourwayout]

Louie considered this, looking quite focused. "Is that why you do things so extreme?" he asked. He'd always assumed she was just Like That - and she probably was, he figured, but maybe the idea of proving herself was a factor, too.

Food!

[talkyourwayout]

When Louie spots his brother, he's amused, and sees the chance for a bit of fun. He loops around to approach Huey from behind, leaning over the chair with the plate on it.

"You know, there'll be food tomorrow, too," he sasses, as if he hadn't brought his school bag and filled it with treats.

[advocateofgenderequality]

Meanwhile, Elsewhere; Definitely Elsewhere


Ballroom dancing? Blech. Formal wear and frilly dresses? For the birds. Quite literally in this case, with all the talking ducks around. Kazuma's disdain for the whole shebang totally had nothing to do with the fact that he'd only been at the Academy for less than a month, meaning he barely knew anyone, let alone knowing someone enough to formally invite or be invited to the thing. Nevermind either the fact that he doesn't have anything close to the social confidence to meet and chat up practically strangers at a fancy dance party. Nope. That had nothing to do with it.

So instead of getting all fancied up with a frou-frou suit or tux, Kazuma is instead dressed in a more rouge-ish, hiding-in-the-shadows sort of getup. Cause that's exactly what he's doing as he lurks in the darker shadow of a nearby faculty building, watching the flashily dressed and fashionably late saunter over the bridge as the ball's namesake twilight peaks.

No, instead of ballroom dances and cucumber sandwiches, Kazuma is looking forward to forbidden knowledge and juicy secrets tonight. A lot a normally restricted places are woefully under guarded right about now, so tonight is prime time for the inquisitive sort to find out the whys.

With a soft sigh for no one in particular, he turns away from the lights and laughter to head for darker, more secretive endeavors.

((Are you not the type for a dance and have a secret knowledge location that's just begging to be explored? Interested in delving into a restricted area? Kazuma's game if you are. Are you instead merely keen-eyed and curious minded? He's got a pair of places he knows of himself. Let's find something interesting, shall we?))

Revels

[shiningkindness]

One of the people he might be observing out on the dance floor was Fluttershy, though at this particular moment a break was in order. As she headed off, she laughed softly as two dorsal fins circled around her before they returned to their own dancing.

And upon spotting Huey, she smiled and headed over.

"Hi, Huey! Are you enjoying yourself?"

[shiningkindness]

Fluttershy shook her head. "Not yet. Even from here, though, everything looks lovely."

[shiningkindness]

Oh yes, I know Yugi.

[Her smile warms a bit.]

I'm so happy for you two. I'm glad you were able to work it out.

[shiningkindness]

She laughed softly. "I'm not sure about that. But Tango has been helping me out too. It's kind of like I have another familiar."

[shiningkindness]

She nods. "I did, yes. Do you know Yuki?" She points to a boy with grayish hair, talking with some other students. "Yuki actually helped me when someone I'd turned down was still trying to get me to go with him."

[shiningkindness]

Taking a sip of some punch, Fluttershy smiled as she watched Tango and Ballet. "Well, do you remember that day when Ballet's rival, Tango, came into town, and they were fighting?"

[shiningkindness]

Still blushing a bit, she nodded. "We'll see what happens."

Then she glanced at Sunset, her smile fading a bit. "What about you, though?"

[shiningkindness]

[A dark blush colored her cheeks, and she ducked her head a bit.]

O-Oh...thank you. You...look very nice as well.

[The compliment sounded a bit lacking, especially compared to his of her, but in her fluster she couldn't think of a better way to say it.]

Yes, I've been having a wonderful time. It kind of reminds me of some of the dances we've had at school back in my world, but even more grand and wonderful.

[outofyourshadow]

That got a bit of a laugh from her, though she kept her eyes on their feet.

"Doesn't mean I can't try not to."

Though as she missed a beat, and doing as she said and trying not to step on Webby's feet, she stumbled forward a bit.

[outofyourshadow]

She followed his direction to where Seto was. "The tall, kinda grumpy guy?" Her tone is light, though, more for teasing than any real meaning in her words. "Yeah, we've met a couple of times, and we're in the same house."

Then she looked at Yugi with a small grin. "So, is it just together for the dance, or...together together?"

She didn't really know much about relationships personally. But she was good at observing people, and had a feeling that this was more than just being at the dance.

[outofyourshadow]

"It definitely makes you cute."

She didn't think robots could be cute, but here was Orisa, proving her wrong.

"Thanks. I found it in town, and it seemed more like my style than any of the other dresses I'd seen."

[outofyourshadow]

"A dragon?" She thinks she's seen the dragon he's talking about at least around school, but she can't remember seeing him here at the dance. "Not that I've noticed so far."

Revelry

[outofyourshadow]

With as large a turnout as the ball had been, it was easy to avoid certain people if need be. Unfortunately, it seemed that they couldn't avoid each other forever, as Lena suddenly found herself beside him.

"...Hey," she said slowly, and was already considering different routes to escape.