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

[outofyourshadow]

The move honestly surprised her, though it only lasted a moment before she met his grin with one of her own.

"Hey, that's not too bad."

[goingbythebook]

"Thank you." His smile practically glowed with the praise, which from Lena was about the level of high congratulations. "I don't practice much, but I do know a few things."

[outofyourshadow]

"That's more than I know," she replied with a shrug as she stepped out in a half-turn. "I've never been to anything like this before."

[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."

[outofyourshadow]

"Well, I'm not much of a follower, but..."

She was definitely trying, letting him guide her in what to do as they moved to the music.

[goingbythebook]

"Well, you're doing a bang-up job of it this time."

He gave her an encouraging smile, taking her out a little more toward the center of the floor where the lights played best, following the rhythm of the music.

[outofyourshadow]

She couldn't help another laugh, following along with his movement, the faint light reflecting off of her as she moved.

[goingbythebook]

He felt a little laugh when she did, the music and the atmosphere pulling a different sort of magic, endorphins filling him with delight. He pulled her closer a moment and then extended arms between them, falling back a bit with a light spin to the rhythm-

And maybe it was the dance, maybe it was the light, maybe it was something else but as he watched her he felt his heart jump up to hit his throat like it had never done before, not even in the Woodchucks. The glow caught her hair, and she looked so happy, and for those few seconds everything slowed down. He found himself staring and then quickly looked away, time returning to normal as he continued dancing with her, while hoping it just seemed like he was watching the rest of the floor to make sure they had room.

What even WAS that...??

[outofyourshadow]

Despite the faint light, she seemed to notice...something, even if she wasn't sure what it was.

"You okay?"

[goingbythebook]

"Fine! Absolutely fine!" Even though he was the absolute worst liar ever, and his voice- high enough on its own -had hit another octave and a half, he was also a man of his word and at least saw the rest of the song out with her. Then, in a break in the music he stepped back and cleared his throat, looking at anywhere but Lena.

"I bet you're thirsty after that, right? Right! Proper hydration is key and all, wouldn't want you to get light-headed in the middle of the dance, that would be good for nobody-" Huey you're rambling, "-so sit tight, and I'll be right back."

And off he went, though resolutely staring at the floor as he was, he almost ran another student down. A quick apology and he scurried off all the faster.

[outofyourshadow]

She didn't have much of a chance to say anything before he dashed off, leaving her still on the dance floor.

"Uh...okay..."

Figuring they probably weren't going to dance to the next song, she moved out of the way to let other students go.