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

Revels

[stillnewatthis]

[Orisa has settled on wearing House robes for her formal appearance here, because nowhere in her programming could she find a proper reference for how an OR-15 chassis should wear a dress. After a surprise turn on the floor for the first peppy number, she'd stepped aside to give other people a chance out there without risk of a vicious trampling. This leaves her free to hear Webby's comment.]

They are different species. Is that not a problem?

Dances

[stillnewatthis]

[Orisa is, to all evidence, enjoying herself. Now, the fact that she's waving around an integrated high-power weapon with both a fusion generator and a miniature Tobelstien reactor has caused some mild levels of alarm, but no one's had a word with her about diminishing her enthusiasm... so when a slower number ends and the tempo ticks upwards once more, she tromps over towards Kaiba with a hand outstretched.]

Would you dance with me? I would consider it an honor!

Revels

[stillnewatthis]

Of course!

[Orisa finds the beat infectious herself. It's no masterpiece by Lucio, but she has four feet to tap to make up for that. So when someone offers her the chance to indulge, why, of course she's gonna take it!]

Revels

[stillnewatthis]

[Hiding off in the corner will not fool Orisa's advanced target tracking algorithms! Visual analysis conducted and confirmed, the omnic makes her way through the crowd fairly easily (it tends to part for her, for some reason) over to Atem.]

You appear to require accompaniment on the dance floor.

Arrivals

[stillnewatthis]

"Hello, Lena!"

SHE looked out of place? No one could claim that crown like a massive omnic towering above the rest and taking up immense space with her quadruped design. Rather than a dress, she wore robes, and a flower crown chained around her head.

But she looked absolutely delighted to be here. Perhaps that was some inspiration?

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba mentally kicks himself. He definitely gets the sense that he's inadvertently ripped at an open wound. He clutches Yugi closer, shielding his face from onlookers. ]

Of course. It shouldn't be long.

[ It's an agonizing moment until the dance ends, and when the music stops he presses a fleeting kiss to the top of Yugi's head and clutches his hand. ]

We're leaving.

[ And he makes quick work of that, daring anyone to say a word with his pointed icy stare. Soon enough, they're out in the quiet, and he's leading them down the familiar path into town. ]

What's going on, Yugi?

[puzzlers]

[ he just doesn't want kaiba to continue to degrade himself for his benefit. that hurts him too, which is something he doesn't seem to realize. yugi frowns, already wishing the night would just end, because it seems like he spoiled relations with both his boyfriend and his other self. ]

[ when they finally get away from the crowd he's surprised that kaiba immediately cuts to the chase and confronts him. ] What do you mean?

[blue_ice]

...You dance?

[ Obviously she does. She's impossible to miss on the dance floor, being twice the size of most of them and wielding that huge gun. But as ridiculous and alarming as this should be...the night has been strange enough that fearing for his life for a few minutes loops right back around to being a welcome distraction. ]

Why not?

[ He takes her hand and seals his fate, wondering if 'swing' is about to take on a whole new meaning. ]

[blue_ice]

I only meant that as a joke. I'm not the most intuitive about these things, but something's bothering you.

[ He sighs. ]

I won't force you to tell me, but my goal tonight was to make you happy, and if there's anything I can do...

[puzzlers]

We're both still learning... It'll be alright. I have faith in us.

[ he leans up and gives him a kiss. ]

I'm having a good time, Kaiba, and I enjoyed our dance and maybe we could... dance out here too. [ he takes his hands. ] This is plenty, Kaiba, really. Don't worry about me.

[mithrarin]

Meanwhile, Elsewhere

Dust was a colossal party-pooper.

But the way he sees it -- for one, he's got no business going to a ball that's all about romance and togetherness. Even if he could do romance, he was the only one of his kind here. And he'd also made such a colossal idiot of himself in front of Fluttershy, thanks to tainted water, that he was pretty sure he could never show the half of his face that was all anyone could see in public ever again. What was he even doing here?

So well away from the Great Hall and civilization at large, Dust focused on training instead. From a distance, people might see blue and red lights spinning and whirling through the air, the glowing runes on his two swords betraying his location.

[blue_ice]

My natural state of being is worry, Yugi. But I'll gladly dance with you.

[ Because I love you. He's more certain than ever, but he knows this isn't the right moment to try again. He moves back into position, but this time he pulls Yugi almost flush against him. Not like anyone's out here to watch.

He sways to the whistling of the wind under the brilliant stars, leaning down to whisper in his ear. ]

I worry because you matter to me. More than I thought anyone ever would.

[woo_oo]

[She looks back at the food table with longing. Man, the Luck Vampire really spoiled a lot of things.]

Maybe some fancy chocolates, chocolate covered fruits, a gigantic chocolate fountain I could dip my entire head into...

[puzzlers]

I'll have to help change that then. [ he's glad to the second shot at a dance, especially since he feels like he ruined it by saying something about what kaiba said and... he can't believe he's making such a mess of things. ] Thank you, Kaiba, I was really looking forward to this...

[ he, himself, presses closely, laying his head on kaiba's chest and shutting his eyes as they sway to the muted music coming from inside the great hall. ]

You matter to me too, Kaiba. [ he slows in their dancing and leans up again to give him a kiss. ] So much. I just want to see you happy...

[woo_oo]

"Oooh, a cool sword-cane!" Webby squealed with delight. "I've always wanted something like that - a neat cane like Uncle Scrooge has!"

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba smiles down at Yugi in his arms, feeling a surge of warmth flood his senses. This is right. He sighs into another kiss, grateful for the private moment. ]

'Happy' isn't a word associated with me. You changed that, Yugi.

[ He gently whirls Yugi around, moving back to a proper dance routine. At the right swell in the music, he dips Yugi with a little smirk. He looks incredible in this light. ]

Don't ever forget that.

[woo_oo]

Yeah sure thanks whatever.

[She says this very quickly - who cares about clothes when there is a PUZZLE FROM ANCIENT EGYPT IN FRONT OF HER???]

Was it cursed by the Pharaohs? Is it connected to any gods? Is it solved, or a riddle doomed for the ages?

[woo_oo]

... Huh? What did single and dating have to do with any of this? To Webby, it made as much sense as if Sunset had suddenly brought up quantum physics - interesting, but not relevant to the topic as hand, as far as she knew. So this got a quizzical tilt of her head.

"I want to dance with everyone! We can dance too, if you want!"

[stillnewatthis]

I observed that you came with a date, so I shall not keep you long. My own is currently aiding his wizard. [Orisa almost started off a bit too fast, but immediately moderates her speed to a slow walk that he can keep up with at a stately pace.]

[woo_oo]

Apparently it's tradition you're only supposed to ask one person. Isn't that weird?

[woo_oo]

Not at all! When it comes to true love, it can overcome all obstacles!

[She is the captain of this ship, it is her OTP!]

[stillnewatthis]

While I do not dispute the reality of love, I also can see no way in which it might overcome the genetic incompatibility which would prevent them from having children, should they so desire. That is true of human-omnic relations and even human-human relations in which the partners have chromosomes incompatible with reproduction.

[Orisa, should you be discussing this with a girl Webby's age?]

[woo_oo]

So? You don't need kids to be a couple.

[Also helps that this is, well, their first date.]

Besides, they can always adopt! Kids don't need a mom and dad. Granny doesn't have anybody, and she raised me just fine!

[bearshermark]

Oh. That sounds.. [Like suddenly people are watching them. He finds a few wayward pairs of eyes doing so and colors a bit. He clears his throat and straightens, initiating a reset.]

I think I can do it properly this time.

[bearshermark]

[Eleven takes her hand with a laugh and while he has no idea how to dance with someone with four legs, he decides they might just have to make it up]

Are there any dances from your world I could learn?