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

[areasontohope]

He's really not sure what has caused the smile that looks something like a grin on someone that's about to start some trouble. Yuki doesn't know what's going through the other's mind either but when he gets asked the question, he's definitely curious.

"I can." And there's so much that Kazuma doesn't know about the boy in front of him. In his previous life, he kept a lifelong secret of turning into a rat.

[advocateofgenderequality]

"You know, for some reason I feel like you can keep a secret pretty damn well." Kazuma turns around, signaling for the other boy to follow with a wave.

"So, would you say you're more of the adventurous type, or the bookish sort?"

[areasontohope]

He can keep a secret better than you know.

Following the other, it only took a moment for Yuki to answer the question. Considering he was an avid reader, a great student and tutored, he definitely knew his way around libraries. In fact, he'd spent a lot of time until recently at the libraries here.

"Definitely books."

[outofyourshadow]

A bit surprised, Lena couldn't help laughing a bit herself at the position they were in, as she rested her forehead against Webby's in turn.

"Pretty sure the phrase is 'falling for you'," she said with another snicker. "But yeah, I fall for you every time, Webs."

It had meant to be an innocent comment, but the words suddenly had her thinking.

[outofyourshadow]

"Well, that's good," she replies, easing up on the teasing to show that she really means it. "I'm happy for you guys. And no better place to show everyone than a dance made for this sort of thing. I hope you guys are really happy together."

[outofyourshadow]

She gave a mock sort of curtsy, knowing Orisa probably didn't care that she wasn't doing it right. "Thanks. And yeah, I do technically. We just came as friends, though. Have you met Huey yet? Louie's brother?"

[shiningkindness]

"Actually, I would love to look around," she replied with a smile. "Everything looks so pretty, and I'd like to try and see it all."

[shiningkindness]

"...I'm...not actually sure?" she replied after a moment. "I mean...maybe as long as you don't ignore one familiar over the other? Since the relationship between you and your familiar is supposed to be special."

[shiningkindness]

She could hear the teasing, and she blushed a bit. "Thanks. But what about you? Are you here with someone?"

She already knew who, having spoken with Seto earlier. But she didn't want to embarrass him.

[shiningkindness]

[She nods.] I know dances like this can be for different events, and have different meanings depending on where they come from. The ones at my school were usually just for fun, though.

And it is nice to have a break like this. Especially after that monster attack earlier this month, it's good to unwind a bit.

[areasontohope]

Yuki nodded with a smile. "Then we can look around." He was nervous certainly but was hiding it. He was there to be with her for the evening and that was as far as his plans went. Walking around would give them time to chat or not, as Fluttershy would see fit.

"I can hold the flowers for you if you'd like." Again this was him just trying to be gentlemanly and accommodating.

[shiningkindness]

"Oh, that's all right," she said, "but thank you."

She was a bit more familiar with dances like this, since they were similar to ones back home. So she carefully removed the corsage from the box to position it on her wrist, letting the ribbons drape down. "I...could use some help tying it on, though."

[puzzlers]

We'll definitely have to have a chocolate fountain then.

[ h- he's not really surprised. ]

Maybe we could make it really big too. Magic will definitely come in handy during all the party planning and preparation. [ laughs. ]

[puzzlers]

[ it's hard not to think about this. about them. how long had yugi beat himself up following the ceremonial duel and how long had he tries and failed to force all those feelings into the darkest recesses of his heart, because they could never and would probably never have been returned. atem had a duty and his own was to help him, not hinder him, and that's exactly what these things would have done. he keeps a tight hold on his him, losing the rhythm of the dance he had learned, but instead just following the flow of the music and doing whatever. that's probably how they get to the corner of the dance floor. ]

[ yugi can only nod his head in response. words are going to fail him. he can feel it. if only he had known. if only he hadn't given up. kaiba... hadn't given up... maybe he was the one standing in the way of... them... he tenses at the realization, his hold becoming shaky as the song comes to an end. he had been gearing himself up to ask atem for another dance, but now he can't even bring himself to move. ] ... [ he looks up to atem with cloudy eyes, the space between them dwindling as yugi hugs him tightly. ] I'm sorry I hurt you.

[noasark]

"Mmm. He goes by the name 'Spyro'," Noa adds with a nod, only to sigh. "Hahhh...we were supposed to meet a while ago," the boy mutters. "...I didn't think he'd be that difficult to pick out of a crowd..."

[outofyourshadow]

"Well, I'll keep an eye out for him." She can't help raising an eyebrow, though. "So...were you two supposed to come together, or...?"

[noasark]

Aha.

He quickly waves a hand. "Ah...not like that no- we were going to meet. I've been tutoring him lately," he explains, not actually covering the part where they plan to slip out and find a dragon. "And since neither of us were really interested in the dance end of things, we might as well use this time to talk about things that aren't Physics," he adds with a shrug. There's food after all, and arguably entertainment in the form of whoever else is dancing.

It'd be perfect if he wasn't lying.

[outofyourshadow]

She suspected that there was something more to it than that, but she decided not to ask about it. If he wanted to say, he would have.

"I see. Well, like I said, I'll keep a look out for him."

Then she glanced out at the dance floor.

"So this isn't really your thing, huh?"

[puzzlers]

"Me too. I have been kind of worried, since I, ah, I didn't know how well received this sort of thing would be or if Kaiba was really ready to... let everybody know... Back home things are a bit different and I imagine he'd have to be more careful, since his reputation is of the utmost important. I'm just glad we don't have to worry as much here?" He lets out a relieved sigh, since he's pretty much been rambling for the past few minutes. He nods, giving her a sheepish smile. "I'm happy."

"But, ah, all of that aside," He looks over his shoulder to the dance floor. "Would you like to dance, Lena?"

[puzzlers]

"I, ah, yeah. I'm here with Seto Kaiba." He looks past her to Kaiba, who is probably talking to a couple of other students. He smiles, feeling his face color before he eventually looks back at Fluttershy. "We have been dating for a while and decided to finally be a bit more open with our relationship."

[woo_oo]

Not that Webby had any idea what the words really meant - she was still trying to adjust to sayings and slang, and as a result took most words for their literal meaning. Like right now.

"Don't you worry." She replied with a smile as pure as the starlight all around them. "Cause I'll be there to catch you every time."

She meant it, too. She'd fight to make it happen, not only because Lena deserved life and friendship and freedom but... because it was what Webby wanted. To spend every day with her, for the rest of their lives.

[woo_oo]

[She opens her mouth, then looks away, rubbing the friendship bracelet on her wrist. It's plain, compared to the one she was trying to make over the 'network'.

She says nothing, not wanting to give away Lena's backstory without her permission.]

[woo_oo]

[OH BOY. She grins, more than ready to share.]

All kinds! Saving the world's luckiest man from a luck-eating vampire, traveling to an ancient hidden city in the pyramids, climbing the world's tallest mountain, deep-sea diving to the lost city of Atlantis...

[She can, and will, go on and on and on.]

[woo_oo]

Difficult, but not impossible!

[She believes in you!]

Hard work will make the effort worth it!

[king_of_egypt]

[Yugi had done such an exemplary job at concealing those feelings that Atem hadn't realized they were there which was saying something when they had shared so much before. The marginally shorter duelist had even set the pharaoh up on a date with someone else much to Atem's surprise and bewilderment. Sure there had always been a mutual level of trust and understanding between them, once Yugi acknowledged that there was a spirit living inside his puzzle but that didn't have to mean there was something greater.] [Feeling Yugi tense up, Atem feels guilt welling up inside of him. Tonight was supposed to make up for the other day. It was supposed to smooth over all the unpleasantness before and make this a more magical evening for Yugi. Then things could just go back to normal. There was nothing wrong with just being friends........ The song ends and they just stand there, quietly for a few moments.] ..... [Although he'd been thinking about parting Atem can't bring himself to initiate it just yet, then the look Yugi gives him triggers another pang of pain through his heart. Instinctively he returns the hugs, griping the other firmly to him] Yugi- ................. You didn't...... you shouldn't think of it like that. We're together again aren't we? Isn't that enough? [Unsure who he was trying to convince more]