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

Wildcard (as discussed)

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

Things had been pretty much a whirlwind of activity since Isabel and Eleven had gone their separate ways to have their own fun. But she tapped him on the shoulder, having caught up with him near the punch bowl again--and availing herself of a drink, as well.

"I hope you've been having as good a time as I have! Thank you for coming with me. Did I tell you that you look great already?"

It had all gone by in such a blur, she honestly couldn't remember.

[bearshermark]

"Isabel." Eleven turned toward her, relieved. He'd just started to look for her. "You have- and yes, it's been more than I expected."

He couldn't quite make his smile genuine, but he tried for her sake. "Thank you for asking me to come with you."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

I had a lot of time to think. I'm not sure I'm ready to explain more about that song, but...if you really care to know, at some point, I will. Not tonight though.

[Because even if she isn't sure this is his type of thing, if there's any chance that Kuja will enjoy the night, Isabel doesn't want to risk ruining it by shoving her foot in her mouth again. Even though her blue slippers are pretty and match her dress, she's fairly sure the shoe leather won't taste good, even if the action isn't literal.]

I don't really want to start another fight, or ruin your night before it starts. This might just be a spectacle, but if you can eke any enjoyment out of it, I want you to.

[Damn it, usually she wasn't so bad with her words, but Isabel sure felt like she'd stumbled, fallen, and couldn't get up. Where was her Life Alert? Maybe she should just shut up while she was ahead...so she did, looking down and scooting a rock along the ground with the toe of her slipper.]

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Oh, you're welcome! But! I hope you'd have come anyway, even if I hadn't asked you!" Isabel knew he had a lot going on, even if she didn't have all the details. She didn't need them to know--she tried to make a point of being perceptive. But the fact that he did seem to have had a good time? That alone made it worth it to her. He deserved to have fun and get the weight of the world off his shoulders.

But something was off--not that it had to do with her, but she could tell. "Did something happen? Are you okay?"

[bearshermark]

He can't say that he would have, without a date. He couldn't dance and didn't have any real desire to learn. Isabel had given him a reason to learn and to attend and for that, Eleven was grateful. He might never have discovered his new love for dance if not for her.

"I'm okay," he assured. He wished the weight in his chest would dissipate, but he could only be grateful now that it had settled enough that he no longer felt the urge to cry.

"..But I think I might be a bit worn out, after everything."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

Isabel slung an arm over his shoulders, more companionable than anything. "I'm glad you had a good time then, at least. I could walk you back to the Eiather dorm?"

It wasn't exactly on the way back to Valhudor, but she was sure Chaos would find her eventually and escort her back, so she wasn't too worried about safety. Especially since both the monsters that had been harassing the campus had been dispatched, in a way.

"Do you want to get some more food first?" She was way too excited to eat, but she knew boys. Eternally hungry, as a rule. Even her dad was still packing it away when he could, and he was her dad.

Sorry my two OTAs are going to be super late.

[grim_heaper]

Let the Revels Begin

Worst. Chaperone. Ever.

"Add some zetta space you factoring hectopascals, or do you zetta sons of digits really want to find out what the factorial will happen if one of the Sundered dead has a factoring baby here?" Bullhorn and all.

Worst. Chaperone. Ever.

Wait!

Midway through the party someone snuck down into the caverns to hunt for his dragon.... >.>. As he left a huge trash sculpture blocking the entrance he chose, he is not good at sneaky.

[nobodys_puppet]

At the dance misc

Okay, so talking to Noa and Eleven about this dance thing had only confused her terribly, and the books that Axel found her hadn't helped much. So Xion had come to observe and learn. Mostly because she still was unclear if coming was mandatory.

The invisible walls made it hard for her to hug the shadows, but she was doing her best to be as invisible as possible. Thankfully her dark coat blended into the twilight better than it had in the snow when she first arrived.

Sadly, however... watching was not making anything any more clear than it had been. She... was so confused. So very. Very. confused.

[mithrarin]

"I was going to say, I thought you had a date." The faintest frown peeked out from under his hat, even as he accepted the plate. What else could he do when she was handing it to him? "A dance all about -- romance and all that, doesn't seem like a place I belong. I'm fine with that."

[stillnewatthis]

I do not know. It was difficult to tell. [That is just the side effect of coming to the ball with a sphere.]

[stillnewatthis]

"Is that necessary?" Genuinely surprised, Orisa began reanalyzing her observations of the courtship process. "I had believed that the only requirement to asking someone on a date for romantic purposes was to be attracted to them in some capacity."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Yes. I had a date. I have a date. But Eleven and I decided that we weren't going to be stuck to each other all night. I mean, this whole dance might be about romance, but that doesn't mean I have to buy into it. We mostly went as friends." If there was more coming, Isabel was fine with that, but if not...well, that was a punch she'd roll with. She'd told Dust about that sort of thing before, after all. Might as well walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

"He's off dancing with other people, and so here I am. Checking up on you. On my friend."

Yeah, she practically is flat out challenging you there, Dust.

[woo_oo]

"Oh, no way. Going on adventures with Uncle Scrooge means never staying on one place for too long, and sometimes that includes your own dimension, like the time we played mystical golf and were followed by murder ponies."

She says casually, as if all they were doing was discussing the weather.

[woo_oo]

Webby cupped her beak in thought. "Well, considering we're in a different world, I'd name it after someone I missed, so that way we'd always be together... like my Granny!"

[nomoremistergneissguy]

"Eh, I've done dances before, but usually I try to stay out of the line of fire. A lot of these balls at home are built for courtship rituals." Cliff couldn't help but snort a bit at that. "All my other sibs found their own other halves. I don't understand why my parents feel like I'm the one who needs help."

Yes, he knew exactly why, really, but Sunset didn't seem the type to make him feel self-conscious. So Cliff didn't want to admit it. He was having no problems with talking at the moment, it seemed, and that made him happy.

"So since we're going to show them how it's done, would you care to dance, my lady?" Oh, Cliff might not be willing to show too many others the courtly side, but it felt seamless at the moment.

[nomoremistergneissguy]

[Yes, Lady Webby. With Sunset off finding her own fun, it's his turn to do some as well. He doesn't really...get the accent, but so long as she's game...]

Then allow me the pleasure! You do look lovely tonight, I must say.

[And with that, he offers her a hand. He'll shorten his steps a bit so he isn't dragging her across the floor, either--he's had practice at dancing, it's clear.]

[goingbythebook]

He chuckled softly in his throat, turning her through another step, moving in time with the music.

"Then follow my lead, and before you know it you'll be a dancing queen."

[goingbythebook]

Huey had been midbite when Louie arrived, so he chewed and swallowed fully before answering.

"I know! But they worked so hard to lay out all the refreshments here, it would be rude not to partake of them! Besides, a well-fed body is a happy body."

He placed a cucumber slice on his tongue and curled it into his mouth, crunching into it pleasantly. Ooh, they were nice, fresh, and crisp.

[goingbythebook]

Huey did notice her, smiling in particular as he noticed the dorsal fins moving. As she came over, he crossed a couple steps to meet her, nodding.

"Hello, Fluttershy! I'm greatly enjoying myself here, more than I thought I would be!" A light, sideways kinda chuckle. "Kinda neat being part of a party without being the party planner, I guess.

"How about you?"

[goingbythebook]

He braced himself just as a matter of habit, but relaxed when she didn't actually tackle the air out of him this time. Her giddiness was listened to with a bright smile, and he nodded at the end.

"Yeah, it's really cool! I'm beginning to see just what the magic here can really do."

[woo_oo]

[As they head onto the dance floor, she's distracted enough to go back to her normal voice.]

Thanks! It's a new dress. I went shopping with a friend, and I wanted something different!

[woo_oo]

"Yeah, it has endless possibilities!" Webby was practically vibrating with excitement. "And all those stars are so pretty! Do you think they have the same constellations here, or different ones?"

[goingbythebook]

"You know, that's an excellent question that I hadn't yet taken the time to consider!" Huey looked up and around them, as if about to start on that right now. "It's an entirely different world with its own rules, so it's more likely it does have its own constellation system. But imagine the meaning if it were the same!"

Please distract him Webby, or he'll be busy with SCIENCE all night and won't enjoy the dance.

[woo_oo]

"C'mon, let's go take a look at all of them to see!"

With that, she grabbed him by the wrist, giddily trying to run all around.

[goingbythebook]

By now, Huey's at least adept enough to keep up with her by now. Time to look at all the stars and write a few maps! Luckily he's got paper on him, even for a fancy ball like this. After all, the Guidebook is only a grab away under his cap.

However, it's a little while into this that he does a pretty good job of his own thoughts roaming. Chart temporarily forgotten, he skimmed the crowd around them and then looked back at Webby.

"You and Louie came here together, right?"