Neven managed to resist sighing. Why was peasant talking to him? Still, it was a masquerade ball, he could try acting like someone else, perhaps someone annoyingly peppy and cheerful. "Hm, since there's not many people here yet I would guess she's Abelia." He didn't know the other girl's name yet either, he should probably ask. Yet this was a mystery ball, he couldn't very well ask for someone's name, that would ruin the whole point. Neven considered talking to either of the girls that had shown up but figured he could just do that when he began dancing. In the meantime he noticed the presence of someone who had gone overboard with their costume, adding some sort of party trick to it, and dining on chocolate covered treats.

Blake had received a book numbered 2, for what is was worth. Walking towards the chocolate fountain, he didn't care much for the secrets. He would discard them as soon as he could.

Penelope took her labeled book without exchanging a word with the man. This was still ridiculous and she was still furious, but at least she could take it out on the wine selection for now. She made no effort to have the book signed by any of the gents, she would end up dancing one way or another but if by some luck no one signed her book that would get her off the hook she figured. Instead she mozied her way back to the bar and helped herself to another glass of the bitter red. The chocolate fountain was certainly alluring, but there was a group forming suddenly, so she took her chances a few seats away from the other student she hadn't seen before. He seemed preoccupied with a parlor trick incorporated into his costume, which was fine by her.

@Aisling "Sure!" Aaron excitedly replies to the unknown 'Bessie' not realising she wasn't talking to him.

@WileyCoyote
Valask noticed the lady nearby at the bar, he let the flames simmer away to nothing. He smiles at her, the markings on his face accentuating his smile making his intense gaze somewhat eerie. He holds the stare using the moment to build and awkward suspense.
"So my golden goddess," he says in a taunting allure. "Shall we play this game? Or are you going to continue to be miserable, defiant and fight the inevitable?"

Penelope meets his gaze with smile of her own and waits for him to break the silence. She gives a light chuckle before taking a long, deliberate sip from her glass. "I'll take miserable for three hundred, Alex" she jests. She gives another laugh then, at the sound of her voice. She hadn't spoken to anyone aloud since donning the voice disguiser and it was mildly amusing to be speaking from a voice other than her own. She sounded light and airy, and decidedly more feminine than usual, with no trace of the deep and sultry french accent that normally permeated her words. She takes the time to shimmy a seat closer and extends her hand in greeting. "Pen-" she catches herself then, and opens her dance book to be sure. "Number 10" she corrects herself, extending her hand once more.

Kameyo inched her way behind the people at the fountain, mostly trying to avoid eye contact. She figured, if she couldn't actually talk to anyone during the ball, she could at least live up to the cliche. The socially awkward person stands next to the snacks cliche. Fifteen minutes wasn't a very long time to choose someone, but hey at least there was chocolate. Everyone was pretty flamboyantly dressed, especially pyro-guy. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn't place it. She skewered a strawberry and dipped it in the chocolate. At least there is chocolate.

"Numbers are so informal." He says clasping her hand as he raises it to meet his lips. "Your highness." A smirk crawls across his face as his daring eyes catch hers for a split moment before he kisses the back of her hand and releases it.

He takes a sip of his drink and turns, leaning with both elbows on the bar, to look out at the rest of the patrons.

"After all that too is inevitable, well after our victory, marriage, honeymoon and our granted rule over the denizens of hell." He chuckles lightly before taking another quick sip of his drink.
"Ahh I can't wait." He adds with a sly grin and wink.
@WileyCoyote

Neven grabbed his book and looked though it, so they were all simply assigned numbers? Strange. He turned back to the chocolate fountain only to find it was currently in use. Hm, as good a chance as any. "Good evening, I'm number three for tonight. Would it be too troublesome to ask for your number?" Neven asked exceedingly formally, his own voice unfamiliar to him by the voice disguiser that barely fit under his mask, flamboyant as it was.

He held out his book expectantly. Though it looked like the person in question was looking to avoid dancing more than anything else, if Neven was going to make it home he had to participate and he would, one way or the other. Perhaps they could dance a very slow dance and simply dine on snacks next to each other and make it look good enough for their prison guard to let them off the hook.

@Roecoon

With a hearty laugh Penelope returns her hand to her glass then, letting her eyes follow the man's gaze towards the others, giggling between sips as he speaks. To her it was just a silly joke, a jab at the ridiculousness that was the little game they were all stuck in. She'd have no way of knowing these gentleman had entered of their own free will. "Well you've got it all figured out then, I see" she took another sip, "but don't you think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself? You haven't even asked me to dance yet." She said, returning the smile. "Until then, I suppose I'll just rule over this open bar." she laughed, sipping down the rest of her glass before helping herself to another. She gave the man another once over, before looking at the others once more. She didn't really know anyone well enough to be certain but she could only guess this wasn't a student she'd met before. Neven spoke in such a way she would have noticed almost instantly, voice disguiser or not, and though Aaron seemed more excited about the whole thing than anyone else, he didn't quite come off the same way this man had. This couldn't be the same boy who's face had nearly flushed the color of her gown while she'd been cleaning him up at the tea a few days prior. He could have been Blake, she supposed.. but the look he gave Aaron when he and Bessie all met was a rather decent indicator he'd probably been solely interested in her... she let her thoughts trail then. Did it really matter? Whoever he was, he'd found a way to lift her spirits enough to distract her from her current situation, so she figured she'd just go with it. Better than sulking all night.. she supposed.

Just as she was about to take a bite, a very bombastically dressed man approached her. As he introduced himself Kameyo got the impression not only was he extremely formal, but that he didn't much want to be here. She smiled and said, with a voice a bit deeper and louder than her own, "No trouble at all. I would be number nine, it's nice to meet you." Assuming him holding out the book meant he was asking to dance, she deicded not to question it and signed a fluid number 9 on the first line, then held out her book. (I shall edit if need be)

@Eklispe

@Aisling@Dark Light

"Ahem," Blake said as he rushed towards Bessie and ran to put himself just ahead of that selfish, conniving knave of a boy.

"What just do you think you are doing?" Blake whispered to Aaron. "Let me give a little bit of advice, you insufferable little shit. Try to take something from me, and you are already dead. Try making a stir or try to gain some kind of upper hand on me, and I will make you regret your own existence."

@ZB1996
"Woah, chill man." Aaron says furrowing his brows as he stepped back.
"I am taking nothing from you because you do not own or have a right to anything or especially anyone here!"
He replies agitated.
With a surrendering sigh he gives a slight bow in farewell to Bessie @Aisling as he moves further down the table to pick at some different foods.

"You are creating your own damages." He mumbles under his breath to Blake.

---

@WileyCoyote
"Well that was interesting!" Says the stranger, he looks to the masked woman to see if she had noticed the little ordeal between the few at the chocolate fountain.
He leans in closer to Penelope and whispers through a mischievous grin, "This is dull, you interested in making a little wager?"
Trouble rides on his voice and clearly what ever he is thinking up is no good.

Penelope gazes over in the direction of the commotion only to find it coming from the fountain. Narrowing her eyes in frustration she thanks her surly mood for directing her to the bar instead of towards the chocolate like her sweet tooth urged. She couldn't tell from their voices but she was sure the girl in the center of it was probably bessie, the only other redhead she'd seen so far, which probably meant Blake had been involved.

"So much for a masquerade.." Everyone would have had to be certain of the other identities by now. She turns back to the stranger then, to answer. If the look on his face wasn't convincing enough of some ulterior motive, coupled with the costume he was in now probably should have been a red flag but she couldn't even pretend to care, what other nonsense could possibly come up at this point

"And what would that be?" She gives a chuckle at the thought.

@WileyCoyote
This little event might just be worth his time after all, Valask thought to himself while admiring the interesting creature before him with a sly smile.
"Everyone knows the 'risk' of the wager is directly proportional to the reward." He says in a casual smug tone.
"So what do you have to offer?"
His eyes reflect the sinister thoughts that run behind them.

Raising an eyebrow at the perplexing man she gave him another once over. What did she have to offer? Locking her eyes onto his, her features contort into a bemused grin. "I suppose that depends on what you're after."

She brought the glass to her lips once more. She wasn't much of a gambler, especially when she didnt know the stakes. It was probably silly, and nothing more than a joke. But what else was she to do? Right now all she had was a dance book and an impending headache. Neither worth offering, so what was his angle? She pondered without giving it heavy thought. She was sure he'd clue her in soon enough. She was game either way.

@WileyCoyote
Oh the things he had in mind, some of which were so inconceivable that the human tongue still had no words for it. But this was not some damned soul or disruptive lowly devil and he was not in hell. His darkest thirsts and desires would have to remain unfilled until his grand return. So until then he would have to keep himself in check and merely resort to simple entertainment. To do so he had to ensure not to scare this woman away too soon so he decides to ease into the game.

"I'm not fond of cleaning my room, two weeks of inspection worthy standards?"
He taunts her with an expression somewhere between charming and daring.

An otherworldly cackle escaped her at that.

"Your room?" Thats what he wanted? She couldnt have guessed what he would have said, but she certainly wasnt expecting that. She hadn't even planned on cleaning her own room, let alone someone elses. She couldn't even remember the last time she was actually responsible for such a task. She decided to play along anyhow. As far as she was concerned she'd be breaking out of this looney bin before it'd even matter.

"Hmm..now see that's troublesome. It doesn't seem like you have anything I'd want when I win" she gave another laugh in between sips. "What's in it for me?" She wasn't particularly tidy but she never made enough mess to require more than a sweep and mop every so often. Something was telling her he probably had never even seen a broom, let alone used one before. What good would it be for him to clean her room? It'd probably end up messier than when he started.

@WileyCoyote
"Nothing you'd want hey?!" He mockingly feigns an expression of shock and hurt.
"Oh, I think that's a bit presumptuous..."
His elbow slides along the bar as he leans in closer,
"Everybody wants something and there's always something I can do for them, even if they don't realise it at first. Have a little think, obviously we play to the odds, if my reward is greater then yours then the challenge or wager would natural sit in your favour."

He turns to the bar to collect a new drink.
Before bringing the bottle to his lips he whispers in her ear.