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

[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?

[king_of_egypt]

[It was hard not to take some amusement from that hasty response as most attendees would have better appreciated the compliment. Her reaction was understandable though considering his own experience with the more archaeological minded such as Yugi's Grandfather and Professor Hawkins]

[There's also a technically deceased pharaoh from ancient Egypt in front of you]

Ha- well.. it wasn't exactly cursed by the pharaohs..... [His expression darkening for a moment] The creation of it came at a high price....... which led to further calamities. [The questions were coming at such rapidity that it was hard to field them all] Not.... directly connected to the Gods, but then again nothing occurs without the Gods knowledge and involvement in it to some degree....

It has been solved, for it used to be in pieces, but why it's here... I have no idea. That mystery is still unsolved. The puzzle should have remained inside the stone tablet with the other items once I- [Crossed over into the after life. Almost got him there- not that he was keeping it a secret so much here...] -You're really curious about these sort of things aren't you? [Read as: Atem is slightly overwhelmed by her exuberance. Give him a minute, it'll be fine]

[woo_oo]

[She's pretty much bouncing on her heels, hands clasped tightly, SHE WANTS TO KNOW ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING-]

There are other items? Are they puzzles too?

[Oh, wait, he asked a thing. Must be polite and answer.]

Of course I am! I love stuff like cursed ruins and angry gods and epic legends!

[king_of_egypt]

[It's not hard to tell that it's difficult for Webby to contain her enthusiasm if- it was at all contained to begin with]

Yes there are, and no they aren't.

[Just exactly how much should he be sharing about the Millennium items anyway? Wouldn't it be wiser and safer to keep some of their intricacies a secret? Sure, they may not be here now but they might arrive later, and then Webby would be drawn to them not unlike Pandora to that box. The items while fascinating in their own way were still dangerous. Unfortunately just like Pandora's box, now that the information was out there, there was no way to elegantly sidestep the subject and feign ignorance]

You would find no shortage of such tales in my world. [For now, he decided to answer her truthfully, following his heart over his head. Webby held her own friends in high regard, and although she was eccentric she did not strike him as cold or calculating in anyway. He thought he could trust her] My own tomb was protected by a series of traps and curses itself. [Waiting to see if she picked up on the implication] ... but yes there are other items but they vary in design and abilities.

[woo_oo]

[... Oh boy did she ever pick it up.]

Your own tomb? ... Are you dead? Are you a spirit, or a zombie?

[She's not frightened or disgusted - helps that their family butler is a ghost - just curious. She's even going to give his arm a poke to check if he's flesh or see-through.]

[king_of_egypt]

That's right. [The detail hadn't been lost on the inquisitive duck] I'm inclined to go with spirit, though somehow this world has manifested a body for me to inhabit.

Before I arrived here I was in the afterlife, and there I did have a form of my own.... I'm just not sure how it's possible to exist in this world in a similar capacity.

[The poke will ensure that he is very much solid.]

[woo_oo]

[Webby's enthusiastic smile... fades, for the moment.

Because she's instantly reminded of Lena - who is here and dealing with a similar issue about being alive or not. Except she is alive, and she's going to stay alive, AND EVERYTHING'S FINE]

Yeah-ha-ha, well! What's important is that you're here! They found a way, and that's all that matters!

[Smooth.]

[king_of_egypt]

[Noticing the change that sweeps over her, Atem tries to reassure her that he isn't fretting over it.... all the time]

Oh! There's no need- I... accepted my fate some time ago. [He was only doubting it a bit now that he was here and seemed to have an opportunity to delay the inevitable]

I will cherish the extra time I have been given, but when that time is up.... I will be reunited with those that are still waiting for me on the other side.

[woo_oo]

[Okay but this is still sounding like Lena and that's not okay.]

No! No, you don't have to! This place... brought you here, so, they can find a way to make you stay! There's no reason to give up or anything! It's going to be fine!

[IT HAS TO BE FINE.]

[king_of_egypt]

[If only he knew about the parallels. Webby's response is so emphatic that it's troubling.]

You're starting to sound like some of the friends from my dimension. [Keeping a hand on the rail of the bridge he turned more in her direction]

Don't worry, it's not as if I've given up on anything... but I have a sneaking suspicion that this isn't entirely about me. Webby, is.... one of your friends in some kind of trouble? Is it the one that you were so keen on making a charm for?

[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.]

[king_of_egypt]

[It's clear that he's struck a cord and that Webby doesn't feel at liberty to talk about it but when the pharaoh has an inkling that someone might be in need of help it's hard for him to turn a blind eye to it]

You don't have to say anything more if you do not wish to, but if there's anything I can do to help I would be willing. Just because you haven't found a solution yet, it doesn't mean that there isn't one here.

There are powerful forces at work in this land, if we could only find a way to harness them I'm sure we could help your friend.

[woo_oo]

[She inhales sharply, then turns back to her friend with a big, forced smile on.]

That's right! They found a way to bring us here, so there's obviously got to be a way to make it stick! And I'm going to find it, no matter what it takes. So, like I said - everything's going to be okay!

[king_of_egypt]

[It's unusual for Webby to have to force such an expression. It is almost convincing, but Atem has seen a fair share of those from others in the last few days]

Just... try not to shoulder too much of the burden yourself. You have friends here that you can rely on, that will support your endeavors.

[woo_oo]

[Listen admitting thing are wrong and talking things out is NOT THE MCDUCK WAY. We bottle that shit up and let it eat us alive from the inside! SURELY THIS IS HEALTHY.]

Yep, I sure do, and I'm glad I can count on them! And to show my appreciation, I'm going to make sure we all have fun here tonight, yes sir!

[king_of_egypt]

[Atem can't really say much, there was plenty he held back from his friends when he didn't remember who he even was. Some things he was trying to conceal from them now. Still ,if she wanted someone to confide in, at least she would know the door was open to her]

....

[It felt wrong to let the matter drop so easily, but it wasn't as if he could force her to talk about it. Perhaps it had been a mistake to mention that he was in that grey area between the living and the dead]

It is also important to engage in some downtime. [Looking to the magic swirling around them, he looked for a subject change] Did you come here with a date, Webby?

[woo_oo]

[Thankfully the subject change so easily distracts her that she's back in Normal Mode within seconds.]

Date? No way, I came with Louie, one of my friends. He asked me to come, since that's what you're supposed to do for these things.

[king_of_egypt]

[Wow, that was a swift transition. It really shouldn't have been all that surprising given whom he was speaking to. Still, he made a mental note that perhaps he should discretely try to familiarize himself with Webby's friend. Perhaps he could get to the heart of the matter from the other party. Though that sounded too invasive...... ]

[Smiling at that] It was good of him to ask you.

[woo_oo]

[Cheerfully, naturally so this time!]

A-huh! He's great! He's from my world, too, so we were already friends! In fact he and his brothers were one of my first friends.

[king_of_egypt]

I know you think highly of both him and his brothers.

[Smiling at that]

... and you don't think that he might be considering this as a date? [A bit of a teasing note in his tone]

[woo_oo]

[That gets him a weird look. What is he even saying???]

Of course not! We're like family! His Uncle Scrooge said it as much.

[That one's said with pride, really.]

So those brothers are like my brothers!

[king_of_egypt]

[Raising his hands defensively before him, he laughs off her rebuttal]

Alright, alright, I believe you.

[Being like a brother doesn't make you a biological brother however. Webby might not be old enough to appreciate the difference]

I retract the question.

[woo_oo]

But now it's my turn to have a question!

... Wanna dance?

[king_of_egypt]

Oh? And just what is your question?

[Wondering briefly if they would return to talking about artifacts, curses, or mysticism]

I would be delighted. [Nodding as he accepted]

[woo_oo]

Great! Let's go!

[A perfect distraction from Sad Thoughts. She grabs his wrist and runs to the dance floor.]