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]

[Oh, hey buddy! She lets out another giggle, following his line of sight.]

Are all dances like this? No wonder people like them!

[puzzlers]

I would think they're all pretty similar, but I've never actually been to one, myself. I'm enjoying myself though, and it's only just started!

[woo_oo]

Me too! I've never been to one either! So I had to come to this one!

[puzzlers]

I was kind of interested to see how things might be different with all of the magic. [ and he's not disappointed! ] Did you come with anybody?

[woo_oo]

Oh yeah, Louie invited me.

[off-hand shrug, no biggie.]

I would've invited everyone, if that was allowed.

[puzzlers]

[ cute. ]

Why wouldn't that be allowed?

[woo_oo]

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

[puzzlers]

But who says we have to keep tradition! We're in a strange, new, and, frankly, awesome place... so why wouldn't be able to make some new traditions.

[woo_oo]

Hey, that's true! We should totally invite everyone!

... Uh, next dance.

[Little late on this one.]

[puzzlers]

Sure! I'm not sure when the next dance will be, but we could always throw our own party too. Maybe over the summer.

[woo_oo]

[Excited gasp!]

A summer vacation dance party! That sounds like fun!

[puzzlers]

Right! And since we're planning it we can make all the rules.

[ aka let's invite everybody!!! ]

[woo_oo]

Like making the food all chocolate!

[this is not a good idea for several reasons.]

[puzzlers]

How about we have a chocolate fountain, so if somebody wants to make their food chocolate they can, but if they don't, well, they don't have to worry.

I love chocolate as much as the next person, but all chocolate might be a bit much. [ laughs. ]

[woo_oo]

CHOCOLATE FOUNTAINS ARE THE BEST!

[She didn't hear anything after that, let's be real.]

[puzzlers]

We'll definitely have to have a chocolate fountain then.

[ h- he's not really surprised. ]

Maybe we could make it really big too. Magic will definitely come in handy during all the party planning and preparation. [ laughs. ]

[woo_oo]

[A tiny gasp, hand to her beak.]

A magic chocolate fountain... It's like pure happiness in solid form.

[puzzlers]

Just think... it'll never run out of chocolate.

Ever.

[woo_oo]

[And thus, Webby begins DROOLING.

So much drooling.]

I have pictured nirvana.

[puzzlers]

[ he stifles a chuckle. ]

If you want, maybe after the dance, we can see if we can make something like that. We'll call it an experiment~

[woo_oo]

Absolutely! I'll put all my knowledge and hunger into it!

[She's s excited. And she just can't fight it.]

[puzzlers]

Then there's no way we can fail.

Is there anything else you'd like to see?

[woo_oo]

Hm? Well, I'd like to see... your dance moves!

Wanna hit the floor?

[puzzlers]

Sure! I hope you're ready to be impressed~

[ he'd made sure to practice, so he didn't make a fool of himself, so he's actually pretty decent. ]

[ offers her a hand. ]

[woo_oo]

I'm dressed to impress, so gimmie your best!

[She grabs him by the hand and SPRINTS to that dance floor-!]