She let her eyes fall back to Bessie and the others. She wasn't particularly interested in the free drinks, but how he thought he'd manage to pull that off guaranteed for some great entertainment. She couldn't see herself cleaning either way.

"Fine, you're on." She raises her glass to toast and gives a laugh. "You can't just snatch it from her though. You have to be fair."

@Dark Light @ZB1996
"Well, it seems the secret is revealed," Blake said. "But my fair lady, your call was for me, and I feel compelled to obey. I would hope you would not accept his hand, as he is such a miserable fellow, as what else would try to steal you from me."

@ZB1996@Dark Light
"But we must dance a dance with everyone. Five dances and five males equals one male gets one dance, my friend." Bessie smiled as she traded books.
"Now which dance shall we dance together?"

@Roecoon

"Ah, how very kind of you. Now perhaps you would be so gracious as to allow me to sign in return?" Neven questioned, his pen at the ready. He wondered how many people here actually knew how to dance. Of course he had been taught from a young age, but he didn't know if these humans had a similarly refined education. Well he'd find out quick enough, hopefully not to the chagrin of his toes. Of course this dance might feature some strange human dances that he had no idea how to preform. Neven had once heard that humans often did 'square-dancing', a strange name for a dance if he'd ever heard one. Out of the corner of his eyes he noted the one in the red and gold dress talking to the one with the toy flames. It appeared they were making some sort of deal. Mildly interesting, perhaps he would ask her about it later.

@Aisling
"You are quite right, my lady," Blake said. "However, dancing depends all on the music. You can't dance without music."

The jester-faced tall gentleman bows deeply and exuberantly before Penelope.
He raises his bottle to meet her glass and welcomes the soft 'clang'.

Spinning on his raised heels he strolls past Neven and Kameyo by the fountain. He pauses to watch what they were doing. With a friendly nod he interrupts their conversation. A distracting wide smile creeps across his face and it appears he is going to talk when in a flash he snatches the pen from Neven's hand and tosses it into the chocolate fountain.

Aaron was about to speak when Valask walked past.
Ignoring the males Valask stands before Bessie and bows deeply.
"Forgive my bluntness my lady, us demon born are too bound by the complexities of mortal emotions." He looks her deep in the eyes as he reaches to clasp her hand.
"Let me sway into the folly that is the battle for your attention. But I warn you, I am no noble night to fight fair."
A hand slips to her waist as he leans in closer to whisper into her ear.
"Instead a shadowed rouge nimble and quick, filled with desire without hesitation he takes what he pleases."

As the last of his deep dreamy words leave his soft lips he hums a gentle deep rhythmic tune as he attempts to pull her into an open space and spin her around in dance to his own music.

Penelope brings the glass to her lips and watches intently as the man slinks off to join the others. To her surprise he stops short of Bessie and lingers with another pair about to exchange signatures. She was about to turn back then, when another commotion sparked at the foutain. Her eyes grew wide, and she nearly lost a mouthful choking back laugher watching as the pen sails into the fountain. As if that wasn't enough he immediately turned to Bessie then, and begins with a bow. What it was he seemed to be so facinated with concerning demons she would never know.

"He'a certainly committed to that costume" she reasons. "Or maybe hes been at the bar for a little too long."

Ever so slightly she raises her glass in toast to herself this time, once again congratulating herself on a choice well made to steer clear of the chocolate crowd.

@Dark Light @Aisling
Who was this upstart who now entered the picture? This jester played the part of a fool, as he marched in and tried to woo this young lady.

"Another one enters the fray, and this time marches in like a fool, because he is only a fool," Blake said. "He marches in and grabs, like a hunter chasing prey. Yes, he sees himself as the hunter chasing after new meat."

Neven caught the pen in other hand, utterly unfazed whilst still staring at the clown. He memorized the arrogant walk, the way he his legs casually moved. Neven would not forget the attempted slight, nor its deliverer. It appeared the fool was attempting to seduce one of the ladies before the dance had even begun. Idiot, Neven hoped the buffoon got slapped, if Neven had his full powers he would make the fool regret the day he'd been conceived, for now he would simply have to keep the man memorized for later. Confident that he would not forget the offender he turned back to #9, a pleasant smile on his face, albeit covered by his mask. "As we were?"

@Roecoon

"Asshole"
Aaron mutters as he pulls a choc covered strawberry out the fountain and searches the table for a way to stop it dripping. He eventually shoves it in his mouth then turns to watch the commotion.

---

"Why thank you" says the jester with a spiteful chirp as he slips out of the heavy fur shawl that Blake had grabbed and with a single swoop of a direct step onto the open floor, he conveniently places Bessie between himself and Blake.

"What?" He sincerely questions with a laugh, "Who said anything about demons, you misinterpret me."

He tries to move close to Bessie.
"If those were my words it was simply as to provide a comparison for the deep simplistic, un-gentlemanly desire a woman as ravishing as yourself raises and the hidden character concealed by our masks."

He gives her a wink and a smile as he stands tall. "Please my lady, do not find my words so literal, allow me to apologies and explain myself over the first dance."

He holds out his pen expectantly.

She only listens for a moment or two more. The man was certainly amusing, but decidedly obnoxious, even for a bet. She gave a little laugh then. It was true though, what he said earlier. She really shouldn't spend the whole night miserable. Besides, the faster she got her book signed, and danced her dances, she could go home. With a thoroughly defeated sigh she takes another gulp before opening the empty book, sliding stoutly from her seat, and begins to make her way in the direction of the others

"Aaron!, Neven!" she beckons airily towards the fountain. She had figured them out by now. Aaron was almost certainly the jilted boy distracting himself with strawberries while Neven was flashing Kameyo a smile she didn't think he'd actually be capable of forming. By now they'd figured her out as well, no doubt, but she kept up the mask nonetheless.

She'd called them both, but seeing as Neven was busy she simply shook her book a bit with a smile in his direction; she didn't want to interrupt them...again. "When you're done" she mouthed silently. @Eklispe

She turned then, to Aaron. And as he scanned left and right for a way avoid the mess from a strawberry he'd just dipped, Penelope took the moment to swoop an index finger under the berry, collecting the extra chocolate and giving it a taste before Aaron shoves the whole thing in his mouth. She gives an exaggerated "tsk" and sets her book on the table in front of them. "I figured the easiest way to spot you would be to see who makes a mess first" @Dark Light

@WileyCoyote Aaron giggles a little, cupping a hand in front of his face trying to conceal the sweet chocolatey food in his mouth.
"Spot who?" He asks pretending that in his disguise his identity was unfathomable.
After swallowing the food he politely asks, pen in hand.
"So where should I sign?" And them he signs there.
He is sure to thank her and compliment the outfit after.

With a laugh and a slight shrug she lazily directs his pen to the first dance. She hadn't had anyone sign yet so all the spaces were empty at the moment. Not that it made a difference to her. She finally decides to indulge and skewers a few random fruit before dipping them.

"Well you of course, Happy, Bessie's most excitable dwarf. She says with a laugh, noting all the commotion centered around her. "What was that with Grumpy anyway?" She questions their little scene earlier, happily nibbling away at her sweets.

Aaron swipes up a skewer and waving it around like a fencing sword he skewers, and steals, a piece of fruit from Penelope.

"Oh ah just a little misunderstanding. That's all." He says with a smile quickly eating the fruit.

"Soo... can I sign again?"

@Dark Light @Aisling

"You are vulgar and disgusting, and would not hesitate to force yourself on anyone," Blake said. "I fear for you, my lady. The longer you keep yourself near that man, the worse you shall be. But I suppose it is all protocol for now."

Blake did not like having the girl who had offered to him originally being shared by these others, but he felt helpless to resist. If she was not repulsed by them, he couldn't do anything about it. She would have to dance with them eventually anyway. He wondered where Bessie was, and thought of her being with another demon made him cringe dreadfully.

Kameyo snapped back into reality. "of course, I'd be delighted." Holding the book out she said "It's rather impressive how you can keep your composure in times like that." For once she was actually happy her uncle had forced her to take formal dance lessons. He was often invited to things like that by business associates, but she had never wanted to go. He was always insistent it would be valuable later on in life. Kame also noticed that while behind the mask, she could actually manage to talk to strangers properly. Maybe she would actually be able to have fun!
@Eklispe

Neven shrugged, composure was one word for it, more akin to barely controlled fury. The smile was more for the benefit of himself than the others. "In the presence of those such as him, sometimes it is your only defense." He glanced at the red and gold dressed girl, nodding slightly as he caught her words. Neven quickly signed #9's book in flowing strokes. "There." he said pleasantly, "Perhaps a bit of a warmup before the actual dance is warranted hm?" Neven asked extending his hand as an invitation. By the nine being this friendly and talkative was exhausting. How do anyone ever keep this up for long? Hopefully this girl wouldn't be too clumsy.