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

[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?"

[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.

[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."

[shiningkindness]

Her heart thumping in her chest, she blushed as she glanced away a moment. Then, still with a bit of hesitance, she reached up and placed her hand in his, taking a step closer.

[areasontohope]

Somehow he shouldn't have been surprised that Fluttershy took his hand, but he was. His legs were shaking and Yuki was glad he had a long white coat that partly hid them, convinced as he was that she would somehow notice them.

'Breathe, just breathe.' Yuki told himself as he tried not to squeeze her hand too tightly when he felt it in his. With a nervous sort of nod, he remembered how to do the whole lead thing and moved closer to her.

He took a deep breath and got as close to her as he could, repositioning their hands as they had been before. This time he didn't ask if she was ready, he simply lead.

[shiningkindness]

She didn't really notice him being nervous, too nervous herself. But she somehow managed to follow his lead, even while her heart was racing.

It was still...nice though. Despite how nervous she was, once they started dancing, it was easy to forget all that for a moment and just think about moving with him to the music.

[areasontohope]

Yuki couldn't say it, but he knew if he managed to ever hear this song again, it was always going to bring Fluttershy to mind. And he tried to focus on something else instead of listening to the words.

He thought to talk about her hair but that was stupid so that thought was dismissed. And he was sure his face was turning red because of the words to the song and the way the lights were dancing in Fluttershy's hair.

There was no escaping this, and Yuki's breath constricted slightly as he realized his hold on her had gotten just a little tighter.