PL IC Thread IX++ //Oddsbodikins & Atomic Kittens//

[Cerillium]

It was drawing near the time when all would gather for the dinner and ball. Deuce, Ceril and others had bid good day to the people they were chatting with in order to prepare for the night.

Marcus, proud of his new "more human" disguise, stepped from his suite and made his way downstairs. Deuce was already there (sans any disguise; he wore a tasteful suit) as was Marcus' father. Wren was nowhere to be seen. Naomi, blissfully smiling, stood next to her cyborg husband.

Hans stood near a potted fern. His business on the Island finished, the cultist leader had finally been able to travel to Gliese to partake in the event. His fingers clutched a silken bag and worried the smooth metal of the pin tucked inside it. The vintage piece was from his era. Would Chrys like it? He wasn't certain. (Everyone had neglected to tell him that Dia was in town, also. Poor Hans.) Rudolf clucked his tongue at his brother and then focused on neatening his own tie.

Fritz emerged from wherever it was that Fritz went when not meddling in mortal affairs. The avatar choose to stand in the light rather than lurk in the shadows; he was acutely aware of the discomfort he caused to cultists whenever he "sneaked about".

Klaus and Minerva remained in the shadows. Their role wasn't to participate in anything. They simply were there to make certain things went according to plan.

[Torsiedelle]

Torii would've joined in, but it seemed like she was being overwhelmed by the others around her. It was kind of annoying. She didn't want to potentially ruin her hair, either, after prettying it up. Why was she going to follow that strange person anyway?

"I'm gonna go, actually.", She said, stopping her attempt to get up. "Sorry, I'll just leave everyone alone. I have to get ready for a dance.", She said. She awkwardly backed away until she got to the door, turned around, and speedwalked back to her room. Along the way, she sent a short message to her sister, who picked it up in the dojo.

Katya's phone vibrated in her pocket. She reached over and checked what it was, reading the message, and put it away. "That sounds really nice.", She said to Dr. Smith and J'aluk, nodding. But I believe that kind of simulator would be more for my little sister. I'm not a fan of combat like that. Anyways, I just got a message from her, and I should be returning to my room for now.", She said, putting the sword away. "I don't want to waste time. If my sister wants me there, it must be important. "

She bowed, and left.

............

Katya came in the see Torii ready, fixing her dress and mumbling. "You look pretty, Tora. I didn't think you liked strapless dresses?"

Torii stamped her foot, lightly. "I think they look pretty on certain people. This one is a little...tight."

Katya understood, and went to help her sister. Torii also had trouble with her shoes; she had never worn heels before, and so it was up to Katya to give her the rundown and show her. Torii caught on, but was still nervous. Finally, Torii spritzed herself with perfume and put on her mask. She chose the small one that only covered her eyes, but better matched her dress. That meant that Katya would get the one that covered her eyes and up.

Katya had plenty of dresses already. She picked a simple, but good looking black dress, with a slit running up the side to let her move, and show some leg. She sat down and quickly set her hair how she wanted it. She wouldn't be doing any fancy hairstyle this year, but it'd look different from how she usually wore it. The final touch was fitting on a black pair of dance shoes and the mask, spritzing with perfume, and tidying up. Together, the two sisters left their apartment and walked down until they saw more people who were dressed. Katya was confident and excited. Torii was nervous and quiet.

[Tiltjuice]

Sandy's interest in Luce turned to fascination. "You... were a Roman soldier? And you've traveled forward in time since then? I--I have so many questions for you. I'm a historian. I study the history of Greece; my most intense research focus ends with Alexander the Great's conquest of the area, but I'm well acquainted with the period of Roman rule. Or rather, well acquainted with what we think happened then. We've lost so much about the past."

Sandy seemed momentarily subdued, but then he got a second wind and went on, "I have so many questions I could ask you, but I'll start with the simple one: when? When were you in Dacia?"

"Yes, but not exactly," Luce began answering Sandy's questions in order. "A historian - you might like to meet my companions at some point. Most of them are ancient Greeks, originally. We are cultists, of a sort - oh, excuse me." The man had just spotted the quartet in question, with Barox; Ceril had already left. "There they are now, in fact."

And then he vanished, present in one second and absent in the next.

Dora excused herself in her characteristic gentle drawl to find Ogoti, and Tasia gave Chrys a gentle push with her fingertips. Go find Hans. I'll be fine here, she signed. Dia will be around, and Barox, too.

The giant was busy examining his ankle piece, but Chrys shook her head fondly and departed anyway. There wasn't much delay before she found him, and she hugged him from behind.

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Tasia posed the question in a low voice to Barox. "I shouldn't wish to stop you."

[Fvaarniimar]

Awkward silence. That, pretty well, described the situation of Kwa'a and Rmwtyliin. When one has run out of trivialities to discuss, what does one say to one's ancestral enemy? What does one say to someone whose ancestors, one feels, one has greviously wronged?

One typically doesn't. The two walked along, over a foot of space separating them. Rmwtyliin had hiked up her green skirt slightly, so as to avoid tripping, and had tucked a pink
flower amongst the threads which secured her hair. Pink - grief. Remembrance, too, in a similar sense. Kwa'a didn't need to hang on to her skirt; it had been simple to add a few more foods to the dress, shortening the skirt to ankle-length. Widening of the skirt, however, had been tougher; the woman shuffled along. She'd tackle that task another day.

Meanwhile, a relatively small brown head poked out from around a different corner. Nick's fur was silky from washing; a blue ribbon, similar in hue to his blue eyes, was tied in a bow around his neck. Hope I look alright. What'll I be doing?

Around this time, Rmwtyliin had spotted Torii. "Uh. We will meet again later." Grateful for the excuse, the preteen glided over to the older girl without thinking to wait for a reply. "Hello again!" Duncan, thanks to a bit of last-minute improvisation, wore a wrapped garment bearing a slight resemblance to a Doric chiton. Tan, it was fashioned from paper with which a pair of shoes had been wrapped and was fastened with a few small pieces of cord. It rustled somewhat as he translated.

[The Carlisle]

"Oh shoot. Come on, work with me here!" said a voice from down the hallway. It was Kale in her dress. She seemed to be shifting her green mask. The poor girl was having some trouble shifting her mask to see through best. She never wore one before.

Kale was in the dress she picked out. The vibrant green and lightness of the dress was perfect for her. On tho of her head was a flowery crown/veil. The crown's lining was made of White Jasmines. Above each ear was a Bronze Chrysanthemum. The centerpiece of the crown was a large Yellow Rose. Flowing down the back was a veil made of intertwining Queen Anne's Lace with violet Larkspur speckled in it.

Kale groaned and crossed her arms. Tiny vines grew out of her crown, attaching to the mask. It shifted around until it was perfectly fitted onto Kale. "There we go," she said. With a final flicker of magic, the vines bloomed with Wisteria petals.

With that, she uncrossed her arms, and entered into the main area before the ball. She grinned when she saw Toscha in his outfit. "You look really good Toscha," she said, a faint blush forming, "So, what do you think. Took a bit to form the headpiece."

[Mincaldenteans]

"So I hear you got partnered with Alexia for tonight's ballroom dance," Hunter said by way of greeting. Dressed in a simple tuxedo, the Nevidian had disguised the feeling off awkwardness being in such fine clothing with an easy going smile and relaxed attitude; something will practiced having been a bartender in his version of London. The days of scrapping by just to make ends meet was still engraved in his memories and the civil strife after that all but crumbled his hopes for a normal life. He did have a moment of that, but that was peaceful and cozy. This event was entirely something else. He felt as though he was wearing a second skin.

"Yeah," Dan replied, fixing his bowtie in front of the mirror. The fae had chosen a navy blue set that was so dark it may as well have been black. Unlike Hunter, Dan was having an easier time with tonight's formality. Fae courts were well known for their pageantry and fanfare, this was no different and the summer-born was looking forward to the music and dance. He wondered what Alexia would be wearing as the last he saw the Guild Leader looked aghast at the sight of so many dresses, all of which were picked by Cherry. He bit back a laugh, especially at it looked like a mini storm was about to coalesce right above the Monk's head.

"Should be fun, I hear you're paired up with Cherry? Or was it Anais? Better Anais, I guess, Traxt seems a bit..."

"Smitten?" Hunter supplied with a smirk.

"Protective," Dan clarified with a sideways smile. "All in all, I think it'd be a wonderful night. Are we meeting them there?"

"Yeah, we're already late."

"Nonsense! A fae is never late!" Dan said with cheer. It was true, for the most part.

"If you say so," Hunter said with a smirk and clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, man, that bow isn't gonna get any straighter than it is and I for one would like to have a drink to ease my suffering at the thought of stepping on Anais' toes tonight."

--//\\--

There was no outfit the Klingon found that would fit him. He was too big, too tall, too broad at the shoulders. The fabrics were too soft, too delicate, and the colors light him up like a solar flare asking to be targeted and destroyed. He had barked off at the sight of some red suit that meshed hideously with his skin color, there were also some outfits that reminded him of classic Klingon garbs but they looked more like potato sacks the moment he donned them on. Cherry had come to the rescue, how that skinny human knew of the Klingon's dressing woes was anyone's guess but she had come prepared with 'rescue' clothes that would fit the man. Something about how a Tengu she once knew had the same issue and traveled to the Luxon Clan homes to find a suitable outfit.

This one reminded him of the traditional clothes from a western hemisphere of Qo'Nos; its upper portion wrapped around Mezran without being suffocating and the material was sturdy enough to support his bulky frame without ripping apart each time he moved. The entire ensemble was a mix of black, greys and specks of red, complete with a red pointed mask that surprisingly fit him well and did nothing to irritate his ridged crested forehead or his vision. The Klingon had tied his long hair back, tucking it close to the head and made a quick traditional warrior's braid for the length that was left loose.

Now standing at the hall, he looked on and wondered how the night would transpire. He grinned at the thought of food and wine, and his stomach grumbled in agreement.

--//\\--

"Don't you look positively lovely, Fritz," Mab murmured with a smile as she entered the hall by herself. She preferred not having an escort and formalities like that were something she took a certain joy of not observing at times. Really, if a Queen couldn't walk herself through a hallway. She would cluck her tongue if she saw Mab now, but then what didn't Mab do to maker her counterpart react negatively.

Her evening gown of blacks, red and diamonds that dotted about her dress all pointed to the midnight sapphire, the Winter Gem. The energies and tendrils of Winter swirled inside it, giving off a soft luminescence that was hypothesizing.

[Germanic Templars]

Dammit, I thought I wrote a lot for the royal ball room for last time but I guess not. Well time to change it from last time and add more shit to it!

The ballroom, though it was destroyed with most of the palace during the war, it was rebuilt bigger and better than before. Now it was built to fit that of royalty and those who would enter into the room would feel the honor of being in such room...

On the other side of the room from the door on which the guest entered in from was a stage on which orchestras would play music from. Off to the right side of it was the Emperor's chair which looked no different than any other chair except that it was big enough for him to sit in and off limits to others. Standing off to the side near a window was a janitor with a broom in hand ready to clean up any mess left after the dance. Along at his side were two males, one wearing white jump suit and the other wearing a black jumpsuit, but both also carrying brooms in hand and ready to clean up afterward.

The emperor, still in the great hall, got up from his chair and made his way over to the ball room where he took his seat next to the stage. He noted on how the curtain was closed and was contain on the idea for now. After all, the orchestra was still getting prepared but would only take them a few minutes to be completely ready. While the cooks on the other hand had plenty of more time to cook up some food and get ready for the group after the dance. Never the less, all staff in the palace was on full alert and readiness.

Drinks, preferably alcoholic, would be placed on circular tables off to the side in ballrooms. These drinks weren't particularly too strong drinks, more of wine and champagne to match the even. And in the case of kids and to prevent them from drinking it, the emperor would be keeping an eye on all of the alcoholic drinks since they were on the same side of the room (right side) as him while nonalcoholic drinks resided on the left side of the room. Such drinks were sparkling juice, and water. And even if one were to get confused on what was or wasn't alcoholic, there were little signs on each platter that the drinks were on that told what the drink was (as of record there are 4 wine variants and 2 champagne types...Times are tough kiddies). As for the nonalcoholic, there were 5 different flavors of sparkling juice and 10 different flavors of water (all of the being plain water with no added artificial ingredient, hormones, or other unwanted byproduct).

Finally after some time, the room was fully lit and the curtains on the sides of the room drawn to a close. The gold reflected the light, giving a more brighter ambiance to the royal ballroom. The orchestra was fully set and began to play some soft classical music as the curtains slowly opened. The room was ready for the guests to come in.




OOC: Yes, that is the janitor from the apartment....again

[Giovenith]

After a nice day out getting their hair done, Giovenith had lead Yuna back to the palace so that they could prepare for the evening and night ahead of them. She gave the Pyserai a parting hug and promise to see each other again soon, then ran off to get ready herself.

Everything went without issue, her dress was clean and smooth, her mask intact, and herself all washed up and prepared. She had stuff of her own to add on, just a few little silvery bracelets to go with the mask, and a more formal headband than the usual she had on, deciding to leave her leaf-wing badge at home for the night. All was turning out smoothly. That's why it was a little confusing when he found her curled up a couch, staring forward into space.

"Tell me what's wrong, Geometric puzzle," Willow prodded the girl gently, moving some misplaced hair strands from her eyes. The birds had finished his outfit some time ago; as he'd requested, it was very simple, not unlike his usual attire. Casual-looking suit top for a pony, no tie, formal without being stiff. "You don't look quite like a girl about to go out to a ball."

"I guess..."

"Sit up."

Giovenith did so while the pony flew over the back and picked up the brush from the coffee table, leaning up and brushing out the godling's messed 'do while she explained.

"Something feels different about this one," she told. "Something that smells like change, for a lot of little reasons."

"Mmmmhm..." Willow mumbled along, still clenching the brush between his teeth.

"And well, uh, you know how I feel about the future."

"That you have a seemingly irrational, but rather rational when put in context, absolutely crippling fear of it?" He lightly spit the brush into his wrist and sat back down beside her. "You know what I say. 'You can try to stop for time, but time will never stop for you.'" He paused, looking down and around at the room. "It doesn't matter what you try to avoid or keep to Giovenith, it's going to come regardless. Regardless of crayons, regardless of stuffed animals... regardless of whether or not you dance with that boy. You shouldn't let the unstoppable keep you from filling the present with joy."

"But what if it all feels kinda weird?" Giovenith pulled a pillow to her face.

"What if you have a lot of fun? Remember when I told you about the test of spirit?"

"Yes..."

"We all want to live the best we can Giovenith, there's little doubt about that. One of the most difficult lessons for many people is realizing what they want, but it doesn't end there. The next step is having the courage to make it that way. Life can be so turbulent, you must be humble to not go insane, but sometimes that humility tricks us into not reaching for the things that make our existences shine," the pegasus mused to his roommate in a mentorly tone. "That is the test of spirit. That you can polish the time windows you have before they run out. I can't tell you what you want, I don't know, but I know it isn't where you are now. Whatever it is you want to do, go lay down the steps. I promise, the comforts of the old will be waiting here for you back home, they're not going anywhere."

With that, the pony flew up again and pulled the teen into a nice hug. "So fly high, shine bright, and have fun."

It was lucky Giovenith had chosen to not wear much make-up, as there was little damage when she rubbed the happy tears from her face with the pillow. "You're almost as corny as me now, you know that?"

"You're a good teacher."

And so that was their happy exchange before they made their way out to embrace the gift of the present, and the blinding, diamond-like gleam of the future.

[Tsuyoi Tekikoku]

Tsu heard music ring threw her ears,sounded like something you would hear at a dance or something. Out of curiosity, Tsu walled out of her room and pulled her wings that were trying to watch tv with her. As the music grew louder, she stopped at the stairs to see s lovely ball room,drinks of different types,curtains open and the empoper watching over the acholic drinks. A smile came across her face as she remembered the ball, but she had no dress or date nor did she want to be involved with it. Placing her hands in her hoodie's pocket,she figured she would watch everyone dance a bit before dissappearing from view.

[The BranRiech]

Right about the time the Ball was ready and the doors were open, the first two to approach the doors were Bran and Rylli, simply having gotten ready sooner. Bran held Rylli's arm locked within his own as they walk side by side into the Ballroom. They wore no emotions on their masked faces, though the size and immensity of the room almost made them stop and gape for a moment. "Woah . . ." Rylli whispered slightly, eyes widening under her mask.

--


Toscha grinned, sitting there next to Kale near the doors of the Ballroom.

"You look wonderful, Kale!" He grinned, giving her two thumbs-ups as he looked over the plant girl. "You picked out a great dress, and mask too, I love it." He nodded, his own face concealed by a green mask, scales covering it.

[Torsiedelle]

"Come on, let's wait for the others.", Katya said, leading Torii in. The two had rather opposite opinions of the whole room. Katya was amazed, and took a few more steps into the room. "This is beautiful!", she said, clasping her hands. "Oh, and the drinks! I'll have to treat myself, what say you?"

Torii rubbed her arm and looked down. "It's...okay.", She said. She wasn't a fan of the appearance at all, actually. She liked more humble places, and actually felt nervous in the grand-looking room. Hopefully, more people would arrive and lighten the mood.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Sandy's interest in Luce turned to fascination. "You... were a Roman soldier? And you've traveled forward in time since then? I--I have so many questions for you. I'm a historian. I study the history of Greece; my most intense research focus ends with Alexander the Great's conquest of the area, but I'm well acquainted with the period of Roman rule. Or rather, well acquainted with what we think happened then. We've lost so much about the past."

Sandy seemed momentarily subdued, but then he got a second wind and went on, "I have so many questions I could ask you, but I'll start with the simple one: when? When were you in Dacia?"

"Yes, but not exactly," Luce began answering Sandy's questions in order. "A historian - you might like to meet my companions at some point. Most of them are ancient Greeks, originally. We are cultists, of a sort - oh, excuse me." The man had just spotted the quartet in question, with Barox; Ceril had already left. "There they are now, in fact."

And then he vanished, present in one second and absent in the next.

Sandy followed Luce's gaze and saw the group. When he sturned looked back at Luce, he saw only empty air, and he shook his head in amusement. He'd heard of sorcerors and other beings that could teleport, but never before seen it before; the effect was surprising, even though it was no stranger than his ability to turn into a flying horse.

Sandy considered the empty space where Luce had just been for a few seconds. Twelve hours ago, he and Amanda had been about to return home from one world. Since then, they'd been on two more, with a spaceship ride in between. The few people he'd met on those worlds had given him much to think about what he didn't know about magic or history... and he was supposed to be an expert on the latter. Maybe that was enough for one day... no, it was enough for one day. Time to find whatever this planet considered a hotel, get a room, and call it a night.

Sandy whispered that Amanda, who made apologies to Jasmine, and they excused themselves for the evening, pleading exhaustion.

[OOC: Yup, writing my characters out of the ball. Sorry, not enough time to RP tonight.]

[Rygondria]

Reginald walked towards the ballroom. He was wearing a Victorian style suit and a top hat,His Mask was a basic white mask with a gold ridge near the eye area. When he arrived in the bar room he was amazed by the grand ball room saw. The crowd in the ball room along with the music brought back memories of the past. He then said to himself," Ahh this reminds me of the ball a attended in Sweden in 1884". Reginald then took a seat and watched the people dance.

[The Carlisle]

Kale grinned to Toscha. "You picked out the mask silly!" she said, "But thank you anyways I didn't think what I would pick out would look good, since I know barely anything about clothes. she giggled. "You look great as well Toscha," she said, "So... you want to link arms? That's what you do when you enter balls, right?"

[Tiltjuice]

Tsu heard music ring threw her ears,sounded like something you would hear at a dance or something. Out of curiosity, Tsu walled out of her room and pulled her wings that were trying to watch tv with her. As the music grew louder, she stopped at the stairs to see s lovely ball room,drinks of different types,curtains open and the empoper watching over the acholic drinks. A smile came across her face as she remembered the ball, but she had no dress or date nor did she want to be involved with it. Placing her hands in her hoodie's pocket,she figured she would watch everyone dance a bit before dissappearing from view.

"It's rather grand, isn't it? The ceiling painting, and all the gilding."

Tasia had wandered off and the giant in the sweatshirt had caught her attention. Her steel-blue strapless dress rustled, marking her as a stark contrast to Tsu.

"You seem underdressed for the occasion. Aren't you going to dance? Or are you about to join my Sister at the drinks table?" Dora had stationed herself there as well, as the proverbial Lady in Red, and was sipping Merlot.

[The BranRiech]

Kale grinned to Toscha. "You picked out the mask silly!" she said, "But thank you anyways I didn't think what I would pick out would look good, since I know barely anything about clothes. she giggled. "You look great as well Toscha," she said, "So... you want to link arms? That's what you do when you enter balls, right?"

"I think that's what we're supposed to do." Toscha nodded and took Kale's arm, wrapping it around his as he looked to the door. Right before they started to make their entrance, however, both Drova and Yuna entered themselves, not holding arms, as both of them had dates that they were to meet in the Ballroom together. Drova went looking around the Ballroom for Torii, and Yuna started looking for whoever she could find who wanted to dance.

[Germanic Templars]

Dr. Smith walked into the ballroom wearing a stovepipe hat a black plague doctor's mask that was outfitted for his one eye. He fancied a white tuxedo with a red vest and tie on him. He even carried cigars in his left breast pocket just in case anyone were to ask for one. Granted one does not simply smoke inside the room, but rather have to use the door son the side and smoke out in the garden.

Never the less, he walked over to the side Thriller was on and took a seat in one of the chairs to where he sat back and watched.

---

Sapphire, not having much time to prepare, walked in with the same orange dress from last time. The color of the dressed best matched that of her fur color so it was only logical to use it again. At least that is if anyone were to ask why she was wearing the same dress again.

---

Now as for J'aluk, he still remained in the sub floors and continued practicing with the melee weapons. Barox went off to his home city to visit his mother again and keep her up to date on things as well as show him Thriller's new mech suit to come. And finally Khro was still in her apartment several blocks away but was knocked out asleep and had no clue of a ball going on.

[Cerillium]

"So I hear you got partnered with Alexia for tonight's ballroom dance," Hunter said by way of greeting. Dressed in a simple tuxedo, the Nevidian had disguised the feeling off awkwardness being in such fine clothing with an easy going smile and relaxed attitude; something will practiced having been a bartender in his version of London. The days of scrapping by just to make ends meet was still engraved in his memories and the civil strife after that all but crumbled his hopes for a normal life. He did have a moment of that, but that was peaceful and cozy. This event was entirely something else. He felt as though he was wearing a second skin.

"Yeah," Dan replied, fixing his bowtie in front of the mirror. The fae had chosen a navy blue set that was so dark it may as well have been black. Unlike Hunter, Dan was having an easier time with tonight's formality. Fae courts were well known for their pageantry and fanfare, this was no different and the summer-born was looking forward to the music and dance. He wondered what Alexia would be wearing as the last he saw the Guild Leader looked aghast at the sight of so many dresses, all of which were picked by Cherry. He bit back a laugh, especially at it looked like a mini storm was about to coalesce right above the Monk's head.

"Should be fun, I hear you're paired up with Cherry? Or was it Anais? Better Anais, I guess, Traxt seems a bit..."

"Smitten?" Hunter supplied with a smirk.

"Protective," Dan clarified with a sideways smile. "All in all, I think it'd be a wonderful night. Are we meeting them there?"

"Yeah, we're already late."

"Nonsense! A fae is never late!" Dan said with cheer. It was true, for the most part.

"If you say so," Hunter said with a smirk and clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, man, that bow isn't gonna get any straighter than it is and I for one would like to have a drink to ease my suffering at the thought of stepping on Anais' toes tonight."

--//\\--

There was no outfit the Klingon found that would fit him. He was too big, too tall, too broad at the shoulders. The fabrics were too soft, too delicate, and the colors light him up like a solar flare asking to be targeted and destroyed. He had barked off at the sight of some red suit that meshed hideously with his skin color, there were also some outfits that reminded him of classic Klingon garbs but they looked more like potato sacks the moment he donned them on. Cherry had come to the rescue, how that skinny human knew of the Klingon's dressing woes was anyone's guess but she had come prepared with 'rescue' clothes that would fit the man. Something about how a Tengu she once knew had the same issue and traveled to the Luxon Clan homes to find a suitable outfit.

This one reminded him of the traditional clothes from a western hemisphere of Qo'Nos; its upper portion wrapped around Mezran without being suffocating and the material was sturdy enough to support his bulky frame without ripping apart each time he moved. The entire ensemble was a mix of black, greys and specks of red, complete with a red pointed mask that surprisingly fit him well and did nothing to irritate his ridged crested forehead or his vision. The Klingon had tied his long hair back, tucking it close to the head and made a quick traditional warrior's braid for the length that was left loose.

Now standing at the hall, he looked on and wondered how the night would transpire. He grinned at the thought of food and wine, and his stomach grumbled in agreement.

--//\\--

"Don't you look positively lovely, Fritz," Mab murmured with a smile as she entered the hall by herself. She preferred not having an escort and formalities like that were something she took a certain joy of not observing at times. Really, if a Queen couldn't walk herself through a hallway. She would cluck her tongue if she saw Mab now, but then what didn't Mab do to maker her counterpart react negatively.

Her evening gown of blacks, red and diamonds that dotted about her dress all pointed to the midnight sapphire, the Winter Gem. The energies and tendrils of Winter swirled inside it, giving off a soft luminescence that was hypothesizing.

"Thank you," Fritz offered a polite bow and then his arm. "You look positively stunning, Mab. Come, let's lay claim to a cozy spot before they're all taken."

He eyed the others in the room but stopped himself from exploring their futures. No, not tonight. Tonight was all about the unexpected. It, like the breeze and the stunning creature on his arm, was a welcome anticipation. "I don't know if you've had much opportunity to meet any of the others - or if you'd care to, considering most are mortal.



Masquerade balls were fancy costume parties unless, of course, you were a Dreamer. The events ceased to be mundane in that case; the Dreamer could become anything he or she wished, and everything was liberated yet hidden. Single women of yore would attend them sans escorts, and they'd chat openly with strange men without fear of social judgement. Youth and aged alike would slip on their masks to partake in one of the few escapism activities to be found in (and outside of) polite company.

The Dreamer that was Marcus was acutely aware that he was no longer The Teenager, or The Cyborg Kid, or That Dork That Hangs With The Cool Teens. He was the rebel anarchist V beneath a Guy Fawkes mask; he was the surname-less Erik bearing a gold ring; he was Zorro and the Dread Pirate Roberts and so many more (but not Batman - Marcus hated DC and would only read Marvel). Mostly, he was manumitted from the shackles of his own preconceived notions about himself. It was this liberated lad that confidently crossed the room just as the first strains of the waltz began.



Ogoti, attired as elegantly as an Indian man should be on such a formal occasion, slipped between a few people to put himself even with Dora's shoulder. "I have been very neglectful," he softly confessed to her. "Will you forgive me for not paying a visit sooner? In truth, I thought you'd want to savor more time with Katya. I'm not really one for cramping people's style, and she needed you more than anything else in this world."



Deuce found a quiet table but Ceril had already determined to not waste the night away in conversation. He swept Naomi to the dance floor.


The writer has just realized his character list is an endless sausagefest.

[Tsuyoi Tekikoku]

Tsu heard music ring threw her ears,sounded like something you would hear at a dance or something. Out of curiosity, Tsu walled out of her room and pulled her wings that were trying to watch tv with her. As the music grew louder, she stopped at the stairs to see s lovely ball room,drinks of different types,curtains open and the empoper watching over the acholic drinks. A smile came across her face as she remembered the ball, but she had no dress or date nor did she want to be involved with it. Placing her hands in her hoodie's pocket,she figured she would watch everyone dance a bit before dissappearing from view.

"It's rather grand, isn't it? The ceiling painting, and all the gilding."

Tasia had wandered off and the giant in the sweatshirt had caught her attention. Her steel-blue strapless dress rustled, marking her as a stark contrast to Tsu.

"You seem underdressed for the occasion. Aren't you going to dance? Or are you about to join my Sister at the drinks table?" Dora had stationed herself there as well, as the proverbial Lady in Red, and was sipping Merlot.

Tsu yelped at the sudden voice and turned to see Taisa, she raised a eyebrow at her. She never seen her before and carefully studied the lady before her.
"Who are you..and why should I? I have no date or reason to attend..". Tsu chuckled and struck a pose. "And how good I dance would put them all to shame!"

Tsu stopped chuckling and looked down at the ground. "I think I will join you to..I am a bit lonely and my dancing isn't really that great..". She nervously chuckled and fiddled around with her fingers.

[Fvaarniimar]

Nick scampered into the ballroom, immediately pausing.. It would take him several minutes to accustom himself to what amounted to a sensory din. Light glinting off almost every surface, such noise... Pleasant noise, some of it, but his ears still hurt! The bustle of people... Eyes narrowed to slits, emphasizing the blue, and ears flattened slightly.

Rmwtyliin - coming of course from a time before refrigeration, water purification, etc were well understood - sniffed at a few nonalcoholic beverages before heading for the alcohol and doing the same. Blue-gray eyes widened - that stuff was STRONG, even in scent. (At least, it was compared to the dilute alcohols typical in medieval times.) She picked up a glass of something which fizzed, sounding out the term on the platter for Duncan. It turned out, according to the translation, to be a fermented fruit drink; as her previous main beverage could also have been so described, the girl - who didn't appear older than ten - raised her glass, ready to imbibe.

Kwa'a, on the other hand, knew of modern sanitation and didn't feel that such a magical sort of evening should be relegated to a blur in memory. She'd have time to drink, later, if she so chose; for the moment, she selected a clear beverage. An almost-spicy taste proved a pleasant surprise, and when done she took a second glass from the same platter. Sipping this, she walked over to Reginald. Others, after all, were dancing. She didn't wish to be left out, and she'd actually interacted with the man - he'd seemed nice enough. "In dance join me? As neighbors?" An outstretched hand (light brown, bearing only a few thin rings in various metals) would further serve to convey the Bomic's intent.

[Torsiedelle]

"Drova."

Torii was standing near the wall, alone. She had wondered when she'd see her friends coming in. It wasn't hard to tell the two Pyersai apart. "So, you look nice. I, um, I've been getting ready, and, um...do I look pretty?"

Katya, having nobody in particular to dance with, strolled across the room to the tables with wine, poured herself a glass, and stood, meaning against the wall, watching her sister and drinking. She was a grown woman, after all. It wasn't like she needed a date, like last year. It probably would just be too much trouble anyway.

[Tiltjuice]

"I thought she might want to spend some time with her own sister," Dora replied, setting down her glass. "Positive feelings wouldn't accurately describe what Tora feels for me. She'll come around sooner or later, I'm sure, just that she needs to find her own way first. And Katya can probably take comfort in 'parenting' her for a while."



"Tasia." A lost soul, while more accurate, didn't seem tactful. There. I listened, Luce.

The blonde's eyebrows rose. "Nor do I, other than my sister dragging me here. The black-haired woman with the deep blue dress and black gloves...but anyway, conversation is usually more pleasant over a drink. Are you allergic to alcohol?"

She paused, though, as Katya made her way to the table. "Or perhaps not. How about her?"

[Tsuyoi Tekikoku]

Tsu smirked and put her hands on her hips. "I'm not allergic but I can get pretty wild if I drink enough!". Tsu was like her sisters, she couldn't handle drinking to well and was likely to pass out just from two cups, but did it anyway for the taste and a thrill she got from drinking, she was a little bit of a alcoholic by anyone standards but she saw herself just as a causal drinker, she would grab drinks when she had the chance but wouldn't drink much."By the way..cute name..never heard anything like it before.."

[Rygondria]

Nick scampered into the ballroom, immediately pausing.. It would take him several minutes to accustom himself to what amounted to a sensory din. Light glinting off almost every surface, such noise... Pleasant noise, some of it, but his ears still hurt! The bustle of people... Eyes narrowed to slits, emphasizing the blue, and ears flattened slightly.

Rmwtyliin - coming of course from a time before refrigeration, water purification, etc were well understood - sniffed at a few nonalcoholic beverages before heading for the alcohol and doing the same. Blue-gray eyes widened - that stuff was STRONG, even in scent. (At least, it was compared to the dilute alcohols typical in medieval times.) She picked up a glass of something which fizzed, sounding out the term on the platter for Duncan. It turned out, according to the translation, to be a fermented fruit drink; as her previous main beverage could also have been so described, the girl - who didn't appear older than ten - raised her glass, ready to imbibe.

Kwa'a, on the other hand, knew of modern sanitation and didn't feel that such a magical sort of evening should be relegated to a blur in memory. She'd have time to drink, later, if she so chose; for the moment, she selected a clear beverage. An almost-spicy taste proved a pleasant surprise, and when done she took a second glass from the same platter. Sipping this, she walked over to Reginald. Others, after all, were dancing. She didn't wish to be left out, and she'd actually interacted with the man - he'd seemed nice enough. "In dance join me? As neighbors?" An outstretched hand (light brown, bearing only a few thin rings in various metals) would further serve to convey the Bomic's intent.

Reginald looked at Kwa'a and smiled. He was not expecting some one asking him to dance since he barley knew anyone in the building or the palace. He then said to her," Yes i shall accept your invitation to dance". He then got up and took her hand.

[The Carlisle]

Kale grinned to Toscha. "You picked out the mask silly!" she said, "But thank you anyways I didn't think what I would pick out would look good, since I know barely anything about clothes. she giggled. "You look great as well Toscha," she said, "So... you want to link arms? That's what you do when you enter balls, right?"

"I think that's what we're supposed to do." Toscha nodded and took Kale's arm, wrapping it around his as he looked to the door. Right before they started to make their entrance, however, both Drova and Yuna entered themselves, not holding arms, as both of them had dates that they were to meet in the Ballroom together. Drova went looking around the Ballroom for Torii, and Yuna started looking for whoever she could find who wanted to dance.

Kale blushed as Toscha took her arm and wrapped it around his. As they walked in, she was blushing as red as a cherry. "So many friends! Oh, they'll think we're dating!" she thought to herself. Luckily for her, the mask covered most of her face, covering those rose red cheeks.

"So... Toscha," she said in a slightly embarrassed tone, "You wanna go grab a drink or something?"