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

[bearshermark]

Eleven wasn't sure whether to agree or not, and instead dropped his hands to let her go. The prospect of sleeping seemed distant.

"I hope they have another dance," he said finally. "I'd be happy to go with you again. But for now.. I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

[areasontohope]

"That sounds like a good plan." Yuki said this with a nod and a smile.

He was quiet for another minute or two but then the song ended. And then something romantic sounded like it was starting to play.

His nerves felt like they were on edge but he had made the decision to let Fluttershy dictate the evening, so it was his job to basically shut up and let her run it. However, he could give options though this time they would be dancing even closer together.

"Did you want to dance again?"

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Yeah, but she's surprised him on her standards before. He didn't know any more with her!

"Heh, sure! Once the dance is over. I'm havin' a fun time here, and I still gotta sweep you around the floor a few times."

[perfectenn]

"Exactly. First impressions are important, after all."

Indeed, the answer is little surprise! "I'm an entertainer. I sing and dance professionally." As hard a job as it is, that satisfied smile is genuine. "It’s a competitive business. But I'm learning to incorporate magic into my performances. There’s a demand for it here, because of the academy."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie gives an easy smile, nodding. "Right, I gotcha." The key to business is to know what people need - or want. "You think if you keep it up, you'll ever need a manager?"

[talkyourwayout]

Louie had to laugh, as well. "Well... That doesn't sound too bad, then."

[talkyourwayout]

[Hmm, how to put it?]

I guess so? But he tries to stop himself. Huey's kind of the adult in the family.

[Technically, he means out of the three brothers, but even counting Donald and Scrooge, sometimes...]

[advocateofgenderequality]

Another wandering swirl of heat and ash barrels in towards Yuki, but rather than hitting the teen, his pile of chosen books are the victim. The tomes are tossed and scattered all about, practically undoing all the effort spent towards sorting them out.

"Oh yeah." Kazuma chimes in cheerfully. "Don't leave anything you want lying around. The library seems to take offense to it. I think it hates organization of any sort, or something."

[king_of_egypt]

[It's not difficult to tell that the Millennium puzzle's presence still troubles Eleven]

.... Yes, and? [Trying not to push the other too much, but he was genuinely curious where the apprehension is coming from.] Oh...... well. Is that all? [Smiling a bit to himself. He didn't mean to dismiss Eleven's concerns but to him it made total sense why the puzzle appeared to someone like him]

Perhaps that is why the puzzle sought you out first. [Let him explain] ... It knew that you would not try to abuse it's powers. [Wasn't that in part why it had been entrusted to the Muto family's hands?]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Exactly. And if you don't let on what you're doing, you just look like you're getting better and more incredible from sheer natural talent." Something Jecht knew a thing or two about. PR was damn important!

[darkenedmoon]

"I am not a broom!" There it was, of course. "Nor a top, to be spun across the floor, either. I am well aware that you can pick me up and attempt to do with me as you please, but that would not be a wise move."

What was any endeavor with Yotsuyu without a little hissing?

[bearshermark]

[It seems an odd thing, to imply that shadow and light do not exist without repelling one another.]

It.. it can think like that? [So it appeared to him because he wouldn't want to use it? But it belonged to Atem]

Shouldn't it have appeared to you?

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Well, I'd definitely go with you too, to another dance. If you wanted to go."

Wow, that was lame. Isabel sort of wished she could push down the blush that she knew was probably creeping into her cheeks, even now. But Eleven threw her a bone.

"Yeah, you sure will! You want to get breakfast after that?"

[bearshermark]

Eleven smiled even while Isabel's flushed face tugged at his heart. Was it really okay to be friends like this, when he couldn't offer her anything?

"Yes," he agreed with a nod, brightening just a little. "That sounds nice. I'll see you then."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Okay, I'll see you!" She gave Eleven a wave, and then sort of skipped her way off towards the Valhudor dorm, whistling a little in the darkness. Chaos gave Eleven one last, affectionate head-butt, and then fell in behind Isabel, to guard her on her way home.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Her snappy protest had Jecht quickly lifting his hands, trying to quell it even as he wondered what went wrong. "Hey, I thought that was a dance term! You know, for dancing!"

[outofyourshadow]

She at least could see what he was trying to do, so she moved accordingly to make it easier for him. It still wasn't the smoothest, but it could've been worse.

[shiningkindness]

She noticed the new song beginning to play as well, and she couldn't help a blush. Dancing to a song like this, even closer than before made her a bit nervous, but...

Was it strange that she also kind of wanted to?

"...I-I mean...i-if that's...okay?" To be honest, though, she wasn't sure if she was asking him, or herself.

[shiningkindness]

Oh, I see. That's a lot of pressure to have.

[She knows a bit about taking care of younger siblings, being the oldest one herself. So she understands how difficult it can be sometimes.]

[areasontohope]

"Now you tell me." This came out as a slightly annoyed sigh. But there Yuki goes, scurrying to pick up the mess. But this time he puts a few precious books in his backpack and wears it.

But it was good to know because now he would be on his guard better.

[areasontohope]

Inwardly his jaw dropped at Fluttershy's response. But he tried to cover his nervousness with a smile.

"Of course it's okay. I asked you if you wanted to dance again, right?"

Yuki could feel himself shaking but again this was her evening.

[shiningkindness]

She nodded a bit. "W-Well, you did, yes. But...I want to make sure you're enjoying yourself too."

[areasontohope]

They were both hesitating and Yuki realized it.

He would never force her to do anything, but it did seem like Fluttershy wanted to dance to this..song.

But he held out his hand to her as he waited.

"It's up to you."

x.x crashes late

[blue_ice]

Seriously? Seriously.

"Familiar enough. All right."

Kaiba will do what he can, which isn't much, except to stomp in some approximation of the rhythm. He feels ridiculous, but if this has a chance of getting them closer to their goal...

[hotheadwarmheart]

True, Lea did look rather unfairly good, even if he didn't realize it himself. But those pestering him had seemed more concerned with his status as a Sundered; apparently, it had been decided that they made fashionable and exotic dates, regardless of their appearance.

"She seems to be," he said. "Even if I have no clue what that speech was about. If it was anyone else, I'd suspect that they'd been doing a little partying before the party- if you know what I mean-, but given how she is normally, I probably should have expected something like that." His date is kinda weird, El. Nice and fun, but weird.