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

[bearshermark]

He nodded and led them through one of the outlined doors to the outside proper.

"I'm glad." They certainly felt like words he'd said already, but it was difficult to be sure.

Much as he enjoyed the music indoors, it was nice to be outside where it was muted and only grew more distant with each step. He soon found himself unable to fill the silence however, and fumbled for something to say.

"I uh- I hope I didn't.. I mean, if you want to go back, I can just.."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

Isabel--who hadn't felt the need to fill the silence--turned a little and blinked at him.

"Are you okay? No, I'm fine, if I wanted to stay I could go back myself." Though she probably wouldn't. And the sound of a rustling in the bushes and a flash of copper eyes said that her familiar probably wasn't far away either, so she'd be fine whatever she decided.

"Eleven...is something wrong?" She tilted her head at him, truly concerned. She'd thought he'd had a good time, but something told her he wasn't entirely okay.

[bearshermark]

The rustling drew his attention, head turning sharply, body stilling- and utterly destroying his attempt at calm.

Eleven breathed an agitated sigh and willed the rush of adrenaline to fade as he rubbed his face. He'd dropped their arms without realizing it and found he couldn't quite meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said before anything, feeling like he might never stop apologizing- to her, to anyone. His fingers itched for something to fuss with and settled for curling them into his palm.

"I'm trying, but I think something might be wrong with me, after all. I just don't think I can do.. this."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Do what?" The sharp glance she turned--wasn't on Eleven, however. Isabel scowled at Chaos, who at least attempted to look chagrined for a moment, before sidling over to Eleven and headbutting him in the leg as an attempt at an apology. He didn't mean to frighten you, human!

"What is this?" Isabel was more confused than anything. "Dancing? Walking home?" She paused again as her thoughts churned. But it did come to her, eventually.

"Dating?" Yeah, that was probably it, especially with the way he looked like he was readying himself to be chewed out.

"Well...that's a shame, because I really like you, but if you're not ready, you can't do it. But you're not going to get out of being my friend, dammit, and I'm going to drag you away from that guardian of yours if I think HenHen's being too rough on you!"

[bearshermark]

Eleven colored and curled into himself a bit, eyes focused on the familiar at his leg. She really did like him, then.

"I-I'm sorry," he said again. "I do like you, it's just that there's things I need to.. But.. I am glad, that you still want to be friends."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Whoa, whoa, I'm a little sad, maybe, but I'm not mad!" Isabel said, lifting her hands. "You can't do it, something else is going on in your life. Eleven. I get it."

Maybe she'd never been there, but it wasn't as if her dad hadn't had problems in his time. Not to mention there were stories about her granddad before he met her grandmothers...

"Why wouldn't I? I can't say I really like you in one breath and then dump on you the next. You probably need friends, too--not that I can't see a guy as sweet as you not having or making them in droves."

She slung an arm around his shoulders again in half a hug, a move echoed by Chaos headbutting his shin again. "We're cool, okay? Maybe some other time for serious stuff. We can just hang out."

[bearshermark]

Eleven stumbled a little under her unexpected weight, but found himself heartened by the companionable gesture.

"..Okay," he agreed, wresting with the guilt still attempting to drown him. But it was okay. It was okay. They would be friends, and if ever he felt ready, then..

He gave her a smile and ducked down to pat her familiar. When finally he straightened, standing on his own, he met her eyes and settled with a nod.

"Okay. I still want to run with you in the mornings, and I'd be happy to accompany you places if you want."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"You're not getting out of running, that's for your own good, not just mine! Not that I mind the company." She didn't. Chaos was a terrible conversationalist, as it went.

"As for accompanying me places...we'll see. I say this only 'cuz I don't want you to feel pressured, I mean, since you have been. But I'll run things by you, and if you feel up to it, great! And if not, that's okay too. You're allowed to say no."

Isabel nodded, then. Seemed to her like this would work. She hoped.

[bearshermark]

Eleven let out a slow breath. The feeling that he was letting her down persisted.

"..If you're sure. I.. I wish I could offer you more, but I'm- I can't, right now."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Hey. Eleven, come on. You could've led me on and tried to balance everything in some sort of bad juggling act. You had enough respect for yourself and for me to not do that, okay?"

She just sort of wrangled him into a hug, sighing just a little. "Besides, I had a good time at the dance, and I wouldn't have if you hadn't come with me. Don't give me that look like you're a puppy I just kicked. Everything's okay on my end, okay?"

[bearshermark]

Eleven winced and tentatively let his hands rest around her. An odd thing, how his heart slowed.

"Sorry," he said again before he could stop himself, and grimaced. "I mean, yes, all right. I'm glad I could.." The words tangled on his tongue and came out altogether more clumsily than anticipated. "Er- help you enjoy the dance."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Would you rather I be mad? And yes, you did!" Isabel is not above giving Eleven a noogie. She knows quite well about vicious thought cycles and at this point, she's ready to do anything to get him out of it. She isn't mad, but the way he keeps belaboring the point...sheesh!

"We'll have to do it again sometime, if they have another dance. Right?" She planned to treat it as seriously as she had this one, anyway--which is to say, not really.

"Anyway, I ought to let you go, too. Sunrise comes early and I already said I wasn't letting you out of running, right? I also should let you sleep...I mean, assuming you can."

Isabel's really not sure if she can, but more because she really had had a nice time.

[bearshermark]

Eleven wasn't sure whether to agree or not, and instead dropped his hands to let her go. The prospect of sleeping seemed distant.

"I hope they have another dance," he said finally. "I'd be happy to go with you again. But for now.. I guess I'll see you in the morning?"

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Well, I'd definitely go with you too, to another dance. If you wanted to go."

Wow, that was lame. Isabel sort of wished she could push down the blush that she knew was probably creeping into her cheeks, even now. But Eleven threw her a bone.

"Yeah, you sure will! You want to get breakfast after that?"

[bearshermark]

Eleven smiled even while Isabel's flushed face tugged at his heart. Was it really okay to be friends like this, when he couldn't offer her anything?

"Yes," he agreed with a nod, brightening just a little. "That sounds nice. I'll see you then."

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

"Okay, I'll see you!" She gave Eleven a wave, and then sort of skipped her way off towards the Valhudor dorm, whistling a little in the darkness. Chaos gave Eleven one last, affectionate head-butt, and then fell in behind Isabel, to guard her on her way home.