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

[talkyourwayout]

"...In my mind?" Louie repeated, sounding somewhere between confused and skeptic. But he shrugged and made a second attempt, stumbling again - but not nearly as badly, and after a longer stretch of time.

[perfectenn]

Moving slower allows him to forgo the spotting, watching his student instead. "Yes. You memorize the steps in your mind, and then your body learns them through practice. It's like learning the gestures for spells. You thought about it at first, and now you do it without thinking."

The stumble doesn't surprise him this time. "You tried to hurry on that step. Don't rush. Once something is memorized, you can do it at any speed." With an encouraging smile, he adds, "And that's when it looks cool."

[talkyourwayout]

Louie is basically ready to give up, but he does like the idea of looking cool. Tenn definitely gets points for reading his audience well on this one, since the young duck is soon taking position once again.

"This is the last time I'm trying," he informs Tenn, before making the slow, deliberate twirls. When he finishes on his feet and not his rear, this time... He looks pleased, yes, but also shocked.

"Did I just do that right?"

[perfectenn]

Tenn offers raised eyebrows at that resolution – one does not learn 'moves' by giving up. But! Third time is the charm!

"You did." He withholds a sigh, trading for a triumphant smile. Listening to the rhythm of the band’s current offering – it’s not too fast – Tenn demonstrates the sequence again, matching the timing.

"Think you can do it again? On the beat of the music this time?"

[talkyourwayout]

Giving up is the 'move' Louie's best at, is the problem. But he looks pretty pleased with himself for having actually accomplished something, so maybe there's hope yet.

"Uh, yeah, I think so." He closes his eyes for a second, to focus on listening to the music. Once he feels he has the rhythm down, he starts to move in time with the beat. It's far from perfect - clumsy and stiff is a better way to describe how he's doing it.

But he's doing it.

[perfectenn]

Still patiently encouraging, Tenn follows with a watchful eye. This is not a professional studio; he won’t nitpick. And really, everyone is awkward in the beginning.

“It’s a good start. Now keep going. You have the method and you’re getting used to the steps. Practicing with different songs will help.” Seemingly offhandedly, he adds, “You could also teach it to and perform it alongside a partner.”

If that would motivate you, goes unsaid.

[talkyourwayout]

"I didn't know this was going to come with homework," Louie muttered, but it was hard not to smile. The accomplishment did feel good.

"A partner, huh? I don't know, maybe she'd want to learn this," he added - and then the smile faltered. He hadn't meant to say that. "You know, just, anyone."

[perfectenn]

Tenn readjusts his clothes after the spins, his own smile restrained by a serious air. "Dancing is not so different than any other occupation or sport. You wouldn't become good at soccer or baseball from just one practice session, would you?"

Ah. So he was right. There's definitely a glimmer of humor in his eyes. "If someone else would like, sharing with a partner makes practice more enjoyable. It would also enable you to learn with someone close to your level." He didn’t say height.

[talkyourwayout]

"I wouldn't play soccer or baseball in the first place," he muttered, rolling his eyes. But his main focus was on the other issue.

"I said anyone, not someone - and don't say it like that, anyway!" The stress Tenn had put on his words definitely left Louie feeling caught... Which was weird, because he was used to feeling that way, but only when he was doing something actually wrong.

[perfectenn]

Alas, that feather-ruffling just leads to Tenn hiding a smile. Heh, things are awkward at that age. He restrains the urge to tease further, but his tone is in good humor as he presses forward.

"Then what do you like? Isn’t there something you enjoy doing on a regular basis? Something you pursue because you want to get better at it, to enjoy it more?"

[talkyourwayout]

"Well, I like making money. I'm working on a business here in Diatu." He shrugs. "But that's... I get something out of that."

[perfectenn]

"It's not just money, though, is it? Business creation is a risky and rewarding venture... some would call it a gamble. It is hard work, but inherently exciting." As someone who's life has been filled with watching others take on those high stakes, he's learned to appreciate it.

"What type and structure have you decided on?"

[talkyourwayout]

"I never really thought about it that way. I guess it is exciting, though, kind of."

Case in point, he certainly seems to light up when he goes on to explain, "A delivery service. You know Orisa? She's going to help me. I'm starting small, though, and once I see where most of the demand lies, I'll figure out the rest."

[perfectenn]

"There has been a demand for private deliveries this month. And Orisa is a good match for the job. It sounds like you have a good start."

His gaze is drawn back to Louie’s modified green and gold garb. "You may want to connect with some Gekronus Maius members. I've found the etiquette classes have been helpful in booking work."

[talkyourwayout]

"Thanks," Louie said, trying not to sound too pleased. But there was a level of pride in his voice that couldn't be hidden, no matter how cool he wanted to be. "Yeah, I guess that couldn't hurt, things are different here. You know, socially and all- What kind of work have you been booking?"

He suspected it was dance-related.

[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?"

[perfectenn]

"It's true this is my first time without one." Tenn admits. It’s extra work on top of practice. Yet finding a good manager is no easy task. If his popularity keeps rising, it may become necessary. And his no nonsense manager back home would tell him not to be sentimental for her sake.

"If it becomes an issue in the future, I suppose I'll have to find someone. Though," he adds with a note of pride, "I doubt I could find one as good as my last."