---

"Wellllll..." Nicole giggled a little and let go of Penny's braid. Her fingers laced and she wrung her hands for a second, like she had a secret identity she was on the verge of finding the courage to divulge. "There is one more thing, but I kinda try not to brag about it. As superpowers go it's a little esoteric. I usually can't go out into the city for a night without getting something for free. Doughnuts, slices of pizza, drinks at clubs, every now and then people just drift up and hand me stuff. I dunno why, I guess something about me just clicks with people."

She favored them all with another one of Hasta's apparent trademarks, her happy-go-lucky wink.

"It's a little hard to believe until you see it in action, though. Guess you'll all just have to start going out with me more. We'll be drowning in stuff."

---

Nicole had been wrong, though. Her dream of the five of them, a tight-knit quintet of Ars Magi tackling Palmyra and finding their own fun, had quickly been derailed - as many things seemed to be - by Penny's ferocious little hammerfists. She and another girl had worked themselves up over some kind of ancestral little quibble that quickly turned into a full-on melee, and the team's resident foul-mouthed powerhouse had quickly found herself on campus arrest. The handful of little trips to find a good arcade or café that she'd made with Dana had ended in Dana, normally so irrepressibly happy, bummed out that Penny hadn't been able to accompany them. Dana had made them promise that they would wait to go out and do anything major until they were all a group again, and Nicole, a bit reluctantly, had agreed. But...

But...



What Palmyra lacked in the ebullient lights of her home, it at least made up in noise and sprawl. Every time she craned her head up to behold the brutalist skyscape, she felt oddly comfortable, like she was swathed in a weighted blanket. The concrete, advertisements, and language creole that barked every level of every building or street was more comfortable than any bed she'd ever crashed on, and every new spot on her to-do list recalled one of Nicole's beloved childhood or adolescent memories, even if they were poor reflections. She found a thrill out of finding every slice of pizza, deli, or noodle bar that even came close to the tastes of Hasta. She was delighted at the chance to practice her karaoke on setlists that only bore the slightest resemblances to those she'd memorized and nailed at home, thrilling at both the occasional universal pop standard and at the songs she'd never even heard before. There were movie theaters that would cycle some of her favorite bad movie classics, or the macho action bangers her father had raised her on, where she and other shlock, crap, and giallo aficionados would hurl classic movie lines at the screen so loudly they almost dubbed over the actresses. She lost herself for hours in shops, she battled gloriously to set old high scores on new arcade machines, and she sought out the coolest clubs that only the locals knew - an endeavor that was helped along considerably once all of the said cool locals realized they were dealing with a newly minted Ars Magi.

Maybe Palmyra would never quite feel like her home, but God damn it if Nicole Cognoscenti would allow it to become her prison.

Eventually, she managed to coax Astrelle out of the dorm for a night or two at a time - and later, even Vanna, as the two aristocrats and the middle-class glue that kept them together would go to some of the shops Nicole had spotted out or the occasional quiet bistro. She often found herself the one keeping those conversations going, but even so, she found it nice to just indulge in her wanderlust alongside some of the other girls - and especially learned to enjoy the rare moments she felt like she was actually bonding with one of her more aloof classmates. After a couple weeks, the day finally came where Penny and Dana would get to come along for Nicole's wild ride, and as another day of classes ended, she found it hard not to partake in the enthusiasm of the dynamic duo.

"And if I know Nicole, she’s already got a list of all the best places to visit!”

An elbow dug into Nicole's ribs, coaxing a rare bashful grin out of the girl normally so confident in her own skin.

"Mmmmaybe I cheated a little," she replied, as another trainee drifted into their friend circle, violet-haired and scarlet-eyed with a twinkle of mischief in her gaze and grin. "We should check out--oh!"

"For you, prekrasnaya," the lilac mischief said, pressing a cup into her hand. The other, fresh from stowing the Sharpie used upon the cup behind her ear, extended both pinkie and thumb by her ear and waggled. She drifted off as soon as she'd arrived, leaving Nicole to sip on the proffered cup - a white mocha - and peeked at the digits written upon her free drink. She giggled and took a longer, happier sip.

"Told you, right? This is an omen. Good food, great outfits, and plenty of bonding on the horizon, babes. The vibes are strong tonight."

---

"Wellllll..." Nicole giggled a little and let go of Penny's braid. Her fingers laced and she wrung her hands for a second, like she had a secret identity she was on the verge of finding the courage to divulge. "There is one more thing, but I kinda try not to brag about it. As superpowers go it's a little esoteric. I usually can't go out into the city for a night without getting something for free. Doughnuts, slices of pizza, drinks at clubs, every now and then people just drift up and hand me stuff. I dunno why, I guess something about me just clicks with people."

She favored them all with another one of Hasta's apparent trademarks, her happy-go-lucky wink.

"It's a little hard to believe until you see it in action, though. Guess you'll all just have to start going out with me more. We'll be drowning in stuff."

"Oh, really?" Penny replies, smirking. "Guess we'll have to wait and see these amazing Hastian powers in action..."

---

"Again, girls, thanks for the trip, and sorry I made you wait," Penny says. "I'm not usually a troublemaker, I swear."

She chuckles a bit at Dana's eagerness.

"Gee, I spend a few days in detention and you've already planned out the city?" she jokes. "A girl can't leave you girls alone for a moment, I swear."

"Mmmmaybe I cheated a little," she replied, as another trainee drifted into their friend circle, violet-haired and scarlet-eyed with a twinkle of mischief in her gaze and grin. "We should check out--oh!"

"For you, prekrasnaya," the lilac mischief said, pressing a cup into her hand. The other, fresh from stowing the Sharpie used upon the cup behind her ear, extended both pinkie and thumb by her ear and waggled. She drifted off as soon as she'd arrived, leaving Nicole to sip on the proffered cup - a white mocha - and peeked at the digits written upon her free drink. She giggled and took a longer, happier sip.

"Told you, right? This is an omen. Good food, great outfits, and plenty of bonding on the horizon, babes. The vibes are strong tonight."

Penny's jaws drop at the sight of Nichole scoring a free drink out of thin air.

"Bullshit," she finally says in disbelief. "Seriously, bullshit. You just walk in here and get a free drink?

"Oh, to be a pretty face," she sighs in mock despair, gesturing melodramatically.

---

The past few weeks had been a welcome reprieve: a chance to catch one's breath after the breakneck pace that had been their initiation to Voids and Ars Magi. Yet in spite of their break Vanna found herself grappling with an odd feeling. A sense of unease? Concern?

Exact descriptors may have failed her but the simple fact remained that things felt off.

Wrong.

An unspoken feeling that loitered through the campus halls... at least for a few days. The trainees were still young and easily distracted. All it took was a few days of normalcy and classwork for many to move on or at least put the dread behind them. This was their life now; fixating on peculiarities wouldn't improve matters.

Still things had only been brushed aside, not forgotten.

A band-aid.

For a still healing wound.

As for the daughter of Diana her routine hadn't changed much. Only the setting. The attack she had endured and the battle her fellow teammates had waged in her absence served as fuel. She had another reason to train, another reason to succeed: she would be ready whatever the danger.

She had to be.

The young silver haired woman soon became a familiar sight to any fellow morning birds at the academy. By dawn she'd be finishing her warm up mile and by 7 AM her morning exercises in general. It was never anything too strenuous mostly just running and core exercises with strength training thrown in here and there. The academy had drills of their own and injury through overwork would be a rookie mistake.

Stupid and foolish.

Besides her current routine left her with ample time to shower and grab breakfast before classes. At first she'd simply consume whatever was offered at the school cafeteria, but, well... Cognoscenti. All it took was one morning encounter and suddenly Vanna found herself accompanying the team's resident socialite on breakfast bagel runs.

A whirlwind.

That was Nicole Cognoscenti of the wind elementum.

The classes themselves had been fairly simple; most of the girls had never been afforded the luxuries Vanna had possessed growing up. Most? None of the girls had come from as privileged a background. As such it came with little surprise that most of the first three weeks was spent reviewing knowledge Vanna already possessed or improving the shape of her fellow cadets.

Boring.

Yes, in a word.

Still she couldn't allow boredom to dull her abilities. A Diana had to always strive for the top. Excuses were for the weak willed and the Lady of Potentia was anything but weak. If she had to work on schoolwork while eating lunch so be it. Whatever it took to stay on top. She would remain diligent and refined: an example for all her fellow cadets at the academy. However mind numbing the process might be, that was her duty.

But that's what the evenings were for: a chance to recenter.

They had been anyway, until Nicole's bubbling impatience had led to the young Hastian dragging both Vanna and Astrelle out into the city. From Chinese hole in the walls to karaoke parlors, Nicole had been quick to introduce the Potentian Lady to new experiences. Of their many excursions? perhaps the most memorable had been an evening screening of Demonetta. A violent and action packed affair confined within a two dimensional space and her first time experiencing the so called "trip to the movies." Between the cheers of the audience and Nicole's own eager gasps, it was obvious others greatly enjoyed the experience. But she wasn't entirely sure what she thought other than it all being rather noisy.

But she didn't hate it.

Still, truth be told, Vanna wasn't entirely certain why she so frequently agreed to Nicole's evening escapades. Curiosity? Camaraderie? The Hastian's infectious energy was persuasive, even if Vanna didn't truly understand the reason why. Her aura. Yes some people just had this aura that drew attention and roped others into their orbit. One of her brothers was quite similar, perhaps he and Nicole would've been friends.

Friends?

Was that what she considered her other teammates to be now? She couldn't quite be sure, she hadn't known them or the prospect itself long enough to make a judgement. The potential was there of course but so far it was unknown if the outcome would be realized. And she was fine that, she signed up to be a defender, a guardian, an Ars Magi, not a friend. But she wasn't fully opposed to the concept, she just didn't know what to think yet.

Do the others...

Yes, did the others grapple with similar questions? It certainly appeared that way for the young lady of the Lennox household, watching her navigate Nicole's energy during the evenings had been amusing. But what of the other three girls in their team? Did any of them wonder about the nature of their relations? Was she in some way betraying their expectations with her hesitancy? Vanna's mind was oft inquisitive of such ordeals but the answers were never quite in reach.

And seeking them was a distraction.

On the few evenings Diana's daughter found herself alone or the nights after she had left the company of others, she finally had time to focus on what mattered most to her: The sword. Her moonlit blade still shone as brilliant as its first summoning. Her constant companion now and forever demanded respect from the young Ars Magi. Respect she was happy to give the blade by practicing both her elementum and swordplay night after night on the dormitory rooftops. There she could soar and test her limits, there she could refine her craft. The moon still shines and one is alive: two identical phrases in the old tongue of her homeland.

And the moon always shines brightest upon a Diana.

An old lesson from her mother.

So under the moon she trained until it was time for rest and the day to begin anew.

That had been the long and short of how Vanna had spent the past few weeks. A lot of hard work, a sprinkling of new experiences, and few moments of true rest; but all of it had been rewarding. And today appeared to be the first day where their two other teammates would finally venture out with the others. Once again Vanna found herself tagging along, still not entirely sure why, but she had plenty of time to come up with a reason. She remained silent for the most part, simply providing a helpful smile when Dana indicated she'd need assistance finding the proper attire for the upcoming ball. Certainly between her, Nicole and Astrelle they'd be able to help their teammate out.

Today promised to be another long but fun? evening...

Well that wasn't necessarily quite the word but she was still curious to see where the evenings plans would lead.

A large world.

For Potentia's daughter to explore.

The week continues on pleasantly, if uneventfully. The girls from the Laurus are able to have their night on the town without interruption, followed by several more days schoolwork, academy exercises, and their own private past times.

As the days tick past and the Ball grows nearer a muted sense of excitement begins to take hold amidst the students. For most this will be the first time attending a formal event, not to mention getting to rub shoulders with important dignitaries and members of the Duodecim. There will even be several Ars Magi in attendance, both from Palmyra’s own defense force and visitors from foreign cities.
Uniforms are cleaned and pressed in anticipation, instructions from the faculty are handed out, and then, soon enough, it’s time.

---

The central hall of Nova Lux is a sprawling rectangular chamber, its vaulted ceilings and enormous windows adding to an already impressive sense of scale. From its walls and ceiling hang blue and gold flags bearing the academies emblems, these banners now interspersed with others marked by Imperium and Duodecium iconography. Enormous golden light fixtures shine down on the marbled floors below, illuminating the crowd of cadets, faculty, and honored visitors that have gathered this evening.

To the disappointment of those expecting gowns and high fashion, the ball is a military affair, and the students of Nova Lux are dressed accordingly. Cadets mingle in their dress uniforms, familiar faces dressed in crisp blues and golds.

The new faces are from the Officers Academy, the gleaming structure on the opposite side of Nova Lux’s lush gardens. Young men and women dressed in their own uniforms, similar but slightly different than those of the assembled Ars Magi. In contract to the cadets from Nova Lux, most of the officers are probably used to such affairs; many come from noble or important families, having gained entrance via wealth or status rather than largely non-existent magical ability.

The rest of the guests, excluding faculty, are dressed in civilian formal wear. Most of the Duodecim have at least one family representative in attendance, even those from hailing from the far-away cities to the west. There are several high-up members of the Imperium as well, along with their stern-faced Ars Magi escorts.

The whole thing exudes an air of pomp and ceremony, from the bombastic opening speeches to the twenty minutes or so devoted to running down the line of important people, shaking hands, and making clipped greetings. It’s almost an hour in before anyone is allowed to leave the long rows of tables that have been assembled on one side of the room, each assigned to a different team of cadets.
Penny, Dana, Nicole, and Vanna are all seated at the same table, as expected. Astrelle, however, is absent. Instead she’s been replaced by a new girl, a face that the group many have seen around the academy before. There’s not much time for introductions until the speeches begin to wind down and dinner, a light fair accompanied by a mild wine, is served.

Afterward the guests are finally released from their seats and allowed to begin mingling. The hall begins to fill with bodies and conversation, the noise soon joined by the sound of a stately waltz played from a grand piano near the front of the hall.

---

Nichole's planned excursions prove to be very entertaining for the young Siscian. While she had enjoyed the occasional outing back home, between the home and needing to help her dad in the electronics shop, Penny never really had time for leisure, at least not how she does now. She's known friends, but due to circumstances, she never got to hang around with them much. In a way, Nichole and Dana dragging her around is a welcome experience; Dana with her boundless energy and Nichole with her social graces and eye for fulfilling entertainment. Even the usually stoic and reserved Vanna has her fair share of tips and advice, used to more luxury and entertainment than the others (except maybe Astrelle). Still, Penny likes to think that under that stoic exterior, the Duodecim lady was enjoying herself.

For her part, Penny finds little time for introspection on such outings. She's just enjoying herself, even if she feels a bit guilty living it up while her family counted every credit.

---

The school's rules allowed for a stipend, but in return discouraged other employment openly; the thinking was that it would distract from the girls' main job; training to be Ars Magi. Still, Penny managed to find a job as a courier. It didn't pay much, and she could only work weekends, but it allowed her to explore Palmyra more on her own, exercised her rollerblading skills, and the extra pay wasn't bad. It also allowed her to find some shortcuts all around town, even catch some interesting gossip from time to time.

Penny knows she should probably just sit back and enjoy life as it comes, but a combination of guilt at not shouldering her own weight like she did back home and a natural tendency as a workaholic got the better of her

---

The upcoming ball, however, leaves Penny anxious and nervous. Much as she tries to find a way out of it, she finds herself forcibly dragged back into it by the other girls.

"Why did you talk me into this," she groans at the table, fidgeting with her uniform. "I don't know how to dance formally. Should have just faked being sick like I planned, but you dragged me out here anyways."

"Ms. Whittaker, as a result of your preliminary exam results, we have decided to place you on a team of five individual Ars Magi."

"I understand."

Cordelia examined each of her new individual teammates during the gala one at a time. She had heard of each of them in some capacity at one time or another. Yet, there were things about them that she found off-putting. Characteristics, personality traits she had not anticipated. There was Penny Grenoble, known for her intellect and ability to control an element as ambivalent and prevalent as electricity. By all accounts a known quantity on the battlefield. Yet here she was across from Cordelia, struggling with the formal attire afforded to them by this academy. And then there was the scarlet-haired girl who sat beside her. Perfectly in tune with what each of her teammates was feeling.

It was odd.

However, even as carefully as she plucked at the strings of her friends, laughing in rhythm with them, something was missing. Something that had once been there now wasn't, a wedge through which Cordelia could be planted and grow. She saw what was quite possibly a role to be played for these girls. Her comrades in arms. This was who she was now. This was how she could continue to serve.

“Please understand that this is not a punishment, nor a reward for your performance. This is simply where Nova Lux has determined you will be best suited in the coming weeks.”

"I understand.”

The band exploded from a lull. As if puppets on strings, everyone jumped from their chairs and erupted into conversation. Cordelia immediately felt herself seize up as she realized she was to get to know these very same girls through conversation. The sharing of opinions that Cordelia had never truly formed. Her mind instantly threw herself back to what she knew. Etiquette classes, the way someone impressed another through shared facsimiles, rather than words.

Cordelia stood up a beat after the rest of her table, immediately spewing a few niceties towards Penny as she made her way towards the Scarlet haired girl at the head of the table.

"Nicole Cognoscenti. Considered by many to be a leader among her peers, with a discerning eye and a lightness on her feet. It is my utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Cordelia Whittaker, and I am to join this team. It would be my greatest honour that you afford me a dance,” Cordelia said. She dipped into a slight bow and held her hand towards her new companion.

---

The Laurus girls’ night on the town turned out to be one of the most enjoyable experiences of Dana’s young life. The cheerful Norban had relished the opportunity to bond with her new friends, and while she had gone on similar outings back home, none of them had quite compared to this. And Dana knew she wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Her bespectacled roommate had joyfully taken in the various sights and sounds with the wonderment of one entirely unused to such things, while Nicole had been like a dazzling whirlwind as she guided them to each new location and interacted with the locals as though she were a native of the city. In fact, even Vanna and Astrelle seemed to be having fun as the quartet’s tour took them from arcade, to shop, to restaurant, to movie theater, to nightclub, and then back to the arcade once more for another game of Duel of Destiny (although that might have just been Dana and Penny, it was all something of a blur). Even now, several days later, the night was still fresh in her mind, even as a far different evening was about to begin…

Right from the outset, there had been a considerable surprise, in the form of Astrelle’s absence. Had she quit? Been reassigned? Expelled? None of their fellow cadets seemed to know, and the academy’s staff were as tightlipped as ever. Dana only hoped their somewhat anti-social friend was all right… Still, the energetic Norban knew that this wasn’t the time or place to worry about such matters. There was a new teammate to meet, and, perhaps more importantly, a suffering roommate to support.

“Why did you talk me into this?” Penny groaned as she fidgeted with her uniform. “I don't know how to dance formally. Should have just faked being sick like I planned, but you dragged me out here anyways.”

Although Penny had been dreading the ball ever since it had been announced, Dana was very much looking forward to the experience and had insisted that Penny not chicken out of it.

“Hey, I’m completely lost when it comes to this formal stuff, too,” the energetic Norban told her roommate with a grin. “But it’s still pretty cool to meet all these high-ranking people, and who knows? Maybe we can even make some new friends?! Or maaaybe a new boyfriend?” she added mischievously while gently elbowing her bespectacled friend under the table. “That group of guys from the officers’ academy over there are lookin’ kinda bored,” she noted, gesturing at a small cluster of young men with her thumb. “I’m sure they’d love to meet two genuine Ars Magi, so why don’t we go over and introduce ourselves?! And don’t worry about feelin’ embarrassed,” she added as she got up and proceeded to pull Penny to her feet as well. “I know ya might not be the best in social situations, but just think of this as another kinda battle! If ya go in there with that good ol’ Penny Grenoble confidence, I’m sure everything’ll work out!”

---

“Hey, I’m completely lost when it comes to this formal stuff, too,” the energetic Norban told her roommate with a grin. “But it’s still pretty cool to meet all these high-ranking people, and who knows? Maybe we can even make some new friends?! Or maaaybe a new boyfriend?” she added mischievously while gently elbowing her bespectacled friend under the table. “That group of guys from the officers’ academy over there are lookin’ kinda bored,” she noted, gesturing at a small cluster of young men with her thumb. “I’m sure they’d love to meet two genuine Ars Magi, so why don’t we go over and introduce ourselves?! And don’t worry about feelin’ embarrassed,” she added as she got up and proceeded to pull Penny to her feet as well. “I know ya might not be the best in social situations, but just think of this as another kinda battle! If ya go in there with that good ol’ Penny Grenoble confidence, I’m sure everything’ll work out!”

Penny sighs at the boundless optimism of her teammate. This is definitely one of those times it could be a little exhausting. Right now, she could come up with almost a dozen excuses of varying strength so as to ditch the dance and why she's worried she'll screw it up somehow, but she suspects the Norban would just shoot down each one with her usual cheer. She only halfheartedly resists when Dana pulls her to her feet, not wanting to go through this ordeal but eventually giving up on changing her teammate's mind.

As they got up, a white-haired girl came up and said hello, giving Penny some rather formal greetings, before moving on to address Nichole.

"And hello to you too," Penny replies, a little surprised. She studies the newcomer. "Wait, are you Astrelle's replacement?"

Astrelle hadn't been around in the past few days. Dana was worried that Astrelle had been expelled, but in truth the dark-haired girl was probably just transferred to a different dorm and class. Still, the move had been surprising, and the group felt a little empty without her.

She raises an eyebrow in amusement as Cordelia, as the girl introduced herself, asked Nichole for a dance. She looks to see if the Hastian girl accepts.

---

If you had given the Laurus team an anonymous poll on which of them would be most excited for the Inaugural Ball, it was likely that all of them would have put Nicole at the summit of their ranked choices - save perhaps Nicole herself, who thought it was pretty goddamn egotistical to list herself at the top of anything like that and listed Dana just to be humble. Still, the Hastan girl had made no secret of her excitement about the upcoming event, and had fussed over the perfect subtle ornaments for Penny and Dana to wear without clashing with their official uniform. It was great to shop with Vanna, too - Nicole had never hurt for money growing up, but that didn't make her family outrageously wealthy, either. Having a daughter of the Duodecim to do brunch with made things like footing the bill for rings or piercings a cinch. Her anticipation had mounted in tandem with Penny's anxiousness at the prospects of a party, with plenty of hot guys and babes to take runs at wooing a fully-fledged Ars Magi.

Then, one night, she had arrived back at their dorm from a jaunt to the city with a pair of gyros for her and Astrelle to split and found the Lennox girl, and every one of her material possessions, gone from the dorm. Nicole may as well have spent every night there alone. Not so much as a black hair in the shower. She had munched on both gyros alone and tried every technique under the sun to try and get some sleep, from quiet songs on her phone to sleeping naked to every idea in between. Nobody she texted, nothing she listened to or touched or tried to think of, lulled her to sleep for more than an hour. The next night was much the same, and the night before that. Had she failed the test somehow after all? Did her parents pull some strings to get her home after her near-brush with death against the Class C? ...Had it been Nicole's fault? Or was it something to do with the questions that her roommate had posed of Nova Lux and the Ars Magi since the day they'd met?

The questions had consumed Nicole's sleep, and they had come to visibly haunt her in both demeanor and with light circles under her eyes that she'd resorted to expertly covering up with makeup. Tonight, her eyes glittered with scarlet shadow and she'd made sure to put her nostril and navel piercings back in, to give the big city girl a little bit of exotic flair. But her eyes lacked the glitter of her makeup and studs, and they kept scanning the crowd for a familiar shock of black hair - or at least a telltale shade of violet.

"Nicole Cognoscenti. Considered by many to be a leader among her peers, with a discerning eye and a lightness on her feet. It is my utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Cordelia Whittaker, and I am to join this team. It would be my greatest honour that you afford me a dance.”

The fifth girl they had been seated with broke Nicole from her reverie, and she felt her heart leap like a panicked gazelle for a moment. She looked around for someone else who the elegant-looking cadet may have meant to refer to, and found only the curious stares of her team in response. Did one of you girls tell her I was leader? No, no, Vanna's our leader, right Vanna? But when her eyes traced the gorgeous bone structure of their illustrious Duodecim teammate, Nicole quietly blanched as she realized that Vanna had no intention of throwing her the lifesaver.

"Teaaaam leader," she repeated. "Yeah, that's me?"

"Wait, are you Astrelle's replacement?"

Nicole's fingers closed tightly around her skirt as Dana and Penny got up to leave. She had half a mind to go with them at first, to seek solace in their boundless optimism and exasperation respectively, but as she surveyed the boys they'd scoped out, none of them really...struck Nicole as her type of guy. There were no brooding golden eyes, no full lips with haughty, arrogant smirks, not even a shade of skin darker than a barbecue potato chip, let alone a rich mocha. No fists worth bumping there.

She smiled at their new teammate and stood up.

"Yeah," she agreed amiably, taking her hand and lacing their fingers. "Dance my socks off, babe."

---

"Guess we better leave those two to their dance then," Penny mutters under her breath.

"And seriously? Boyfriend?" she says, shooting Dana a glare. "I'm already nervous, you want to add to that? Or do you just enjoy teasing me?"

Much as she would have liked to stick to the punch bar and enjoy the party at a distance, but her teammates' insistence (well, mostly Dana's) gets her to the dance floor. She finds herself in the line of girls waiting for a dance, still unsure if she should take the first opportunity to bolt to safety.

Cordelia watched Nicole, hand out-stretched. Her words seemed to make the perky redhead second guess herself. However, in a blink any shadow of doubt was replaced by the same qualities Cordelia had initially observed in her new teammate. It wasn’t a second later that Nicole took Cordelia’s offered hand, wrapping their fingers around one another and stood up, as light on her feet as Cordelia had thought.

“Dance my socks off, babe."

Cordelia received an order, and in that moment her mind shifted back to ten years ago. Learning etiquette from the Sidos Heurassein Estate. The Heiress’ birthday was fast approaching and for it, everyone was expected to take place in a great waltz that would be shone to diplomats coming from far and wide. These weren’t the rulers of these lands, nor the tops of any governments. Rather, this was wealthy merchants, civic engineers, and architects. People who, Cordelia was often told, had one foot in the present, and another in our past. People who could reshape this mishappen world and turn it into something that would once more resemble what we had all lost. Or so Cordelia was told.

The waltz was like her, not freeform, rather it was a complex series of movements that would be so deigned before any dancing had begun. As Cordelia lead Nicole towards the dance floor, she felt her movements begin to change underfoot. She adopted a similar lightness on her feet to that of Nicole, gracefully gliding along the hall’s floor until she reached the inner-most part. Where it would be hard to see anything other than the band who so expertly performed for them as if they were begging for some kind of movement. Cordelia would oblige them.

“Then, if you’ll permit me this boldness, follow my lead.” Cordelia quietly spoke to Nicole as she separated from her, bowing deeply beneath her pelvis waiting a second, and then returning to her upright posture. She elegantly scooped Nicole’s lower back, retrieved her hand and held it out just above her right shoulder. She waited for the music to cue her in before she began to move. The waltz was made up primarily of slow movements entwined with fast ones. She guided Nicole around in a circle as she found the others on the dance floor moving in kind. She brought herself closer through her steps to Nicole, until her whispers would land upon the redhead’s cheek. “I apologize, for whatever may have happened to your last teammate,” she whispered. Before she would give Nicole a chance to respond, she extended her arm, causing Nicole to swing outwards. She gave the girl a tug and just as expected she was pulled in towards her. They were both facing the same direction now, with Cordelia’s words meeting the back of Nicole’s ear now. “But that won’t happen with me. I’m here to stay. Please count on me.”

She allowed Cordelia to return to her prior posture where they faced one another, continuing to twist and weave between other groups. She felt a gentleman's back graze her own as they barely threaded the needle between two more groups. She felt sweat begin to bead at her forehead as the pace of the music quickened. She had always been taught to smile when you danced, it was a contagious sort of thing. Like a pathogen that infected through the mere sight of another smiling. Her hand on Nicole’s back slid upwards as she pulled her close to avoid bumping into another couple who were performing something of an extravagant move.

It dawned on Cordelia that this was an opportunity to see how Nicole would act under pressure. She quickly put her theory to the test. Once more pulling Nicole closely until their stomachs were pressed up against one another. “Would you like to try taking the lead, darling?”

The dance floor is slowly filling up, bodies drawn up from tables by the lilting music. The cadets from the Officer’s Academy make up the majority of the dancers from their sheer numbers, the Ars Magi making up a much smaller (but much more popular) percentage. It’s not hard for any of the girls from Nova Lux to find a dance partner, or at the very least a few eager hangers-on. Most of the cadets are at least making an attempt at moving to the music, though the degree of proficiency seems to vary widely between couples.
The bored looking group of officers that Dana and Penny approach are in the midst of discussing one of their upcoming exercises, the three young men speaking languidly between each other.

“We’re going to be directing them?” Asks one, a taller cadet with blond hair.

“One team for each of theirs, I think.” Replies the second,

“They aren’t going to use real Voids, are they?” The first asks.

“Machines, I think.” Chimes in the third.

Their conversation pauses at the approach of the two Ars Magi, and after a moment of awkward floundering introductions are made around the table. It’s clear none of the cadets know exactly how to treat a real live Ars Magi, but after a few minutes at least two work up the nerve to ask their visitors to dance.

Penny’s partner, Dima, is the taller of the group, the wiry and sharp-faced cadet that they’d first overheard. Unfortunately, he knows how to waltz exactly as well as Penny does. Which leads to about a minute of awkward bumping, stepping on feet, generally being a hazard until he decides to stick to just swaying in place. Thankfully, the pair can blend in adequately amidst the other moving parties, though the boy does apologize profusely:

“I’ve never met an Ars Magi before.” He confesses, “I mean, I’ve watched all the shows, but never like face-to-face.” A moment more of swaying and he asks: “Is it like that? Like in the shows? What kind of powers do you have? Is it okay if I ask that?”

Dana is paired with a dark-haired, muscular cadet that looks like he could easily bench-press at least two of her. Introduced as Noah (though the other two Cadets refer to him only as Protein), he, unlike Penny’s partner, does seem at least to have a reasonable idea of how to move around the dance floor and guide his smaller partner on how to do the same. At least enough to that the pair can blend in with the rest of the crowd without major issue.

“My parents made me learn how to dance a little,” The boy explains as they make orderly steps across the marble tiles, “But it’s been a while.” A few more swivels and he continues: “You said you’re from Norba, right? Me too! It’s hard to believe we’re halfway around the world now, right? Do you miss home? You probably didn’t even have a choice about leaving or not.”

After several lilting the minutes the waltz slows and, eventually, draws to a close. The floor does not vacate however and soon the music returns with a quicker and less regimented tune, a welcome relief to those not trained in the classical styles.

When the pair of Nicole and Cordelia eventually glide to their stop the latter feels a light touch against her shoulder. The intruding fingers belong to a cadet from the Officer’s Academy; a tall almond-eyed girl with long dark hair, one part of a duo that’s just finished their own graceful waltz.

“Can I cut in?” She asks, adding, “I’ll trade you.” She offers a hand out, for either of the two Ars Magi to take. Her partner available for trade is another one from the Officer’s Academy, a boy with dusky skin, smoldering dark eyes, and the long, striking line of a scar across one cheek.

---

The dance floor is slowly filling up, bodies drawn up from tables by the lilting music. The cadets from the Officer’s Academy make up the majority of the dancers from their sheer numbers, the Ars Magi making up a much smaller (but much more popular) percentage. It’s not hard for any of the girls from Nova Lux to find a dance partner, or at the very least a few eager hangers-on. Most of the cadets are at least making an attempt at moving to the music, though the degree of proficiency seems to vary widely between couples.
The bored looking group of officers that Dana and Penny approach are in the midst of discussing one of their upcoming exercises, the three young men speaking languidly between each other.

“We’re going to be directing them?” Asks one, a taller cadet with blond hair.

“One team for each of theirs, I think.” Replies the second,

“They aren’t going to use real Voids, are they?” The first asks.

“Machines, I think.” Chimes in the third.

"Hopefully the next exercise won't try to kill us like the real thing," Penny mutters under breath. She takes a deep breath as she approaches them.

"Ahem," she clears her throat. "Hi, uh... anyone... care to dance...?"

Their conversation pauses at the approach of the two Ars Magi, and after a moment of awkward floundering introductions are made around the table. It’s clear none of the cadets know exactly how to treat a real live Ars Magi, but after a few minutes at least two work up the nerve to ask their visitors to dance.

Penny’s partner, Dima, is the taller of the group, the wiry and sharp-faced cadet that they’d first overheard. Unfortunately, he knows how to waltz exactly as well as Penny does. Which leads to about a minute of awkward bumping, stepping on feet, generally being a hazard until he decides to stick to just swaying in place. Thankfully, the pair can blend in adequately amidst the other moving parties, though the boy does apologize profusely:

“I’ve never met an Ars Magi before.” He confesses, “I mean, I’ve watched all the shows, but never like face-to-face.” A moment more of swaying and he asks: “Is it like that? Like in the shows? What kind of powers do you have? Is it okay if I ask that?”

"Ow sh-" Penny starts when Dima steps on her foot again, before she bites her tongue, trying to keep from swearing at a formal event. "Sorry, I have no idea how to waltz-"

She pulls back awkwardly when she accidentally steps on his foot yet again.

"Ah cr- uh, sorry about that..." she mutters. She almost misses his question.

"What? Oh, er, sure, you're... you're free to ask," she begins. "Just... try not to ask personal questions 'kay?

"In the shows? Sorry about that, I'm still kinda new. Been a couple months 'round here, so haven't been on any missions yet.

"Though what kind of shows do you watch?" she asks curiously. "Ah, actually, forget I even brought it up...

"Powers? Well, pretty much lightning-based. Haven't mastered the 'shoot lightning' bit yet, but I can charge my attacks with lightning for some real damage. I can also charge my own body with it, don't ask how that works. It works great at parties though; I can light lamps with my fingers and do the joybuzzer trick without needing a joybuzzer!"

---

Dana frowned when she heard the annoyance in Penny’s voice. “Hey, I was only messin’ around!” the Norban protested. “I mean, you are really fun to tease, but I didn’t wanna make ya feel uncomfortable or anything, honest! I just thought that ya might have a bit more fun if ya opened up a little and got to know some of the other people here. And let’s face it,” she added with a grin. “You’re kinda a celebrity, so I’m sure they’ll wanna get to know you!”

Soon enough, the pair had reached the trio of young men. Incidentally, and much to Dana’s amusement, the officer cadets seemed just as nervous as Penny, but after introductions had been made, the tallest of their number managed to muster up the courage to ask Penny for a dance. Dana, meanwhile, received an invitation from a cadet who, although slightly shorter, was far more massive. Noah, the cadet in question, presented a stark contrast to the rather diminutive Dana, and the pair made quite the incongruous sight as they moved about the dance floor. Thankfully, both seemed to have enough dancing ability to keep things from becoming too awkward.

“My parents made me learn how to dance a little,” Noah explained. “But it’s been a while.”

“That’s cool,” Dana observed. “And you’re doing great! I recently got some lessons from my teammate, Vanna,” she added. “So hopefully I shouldn’t mess up too badly,” the cheerful Norban giggled.

Noah went on to say that he, too, hailed from Norba, which made Dana’s smile grow even wider. “Wow, really? That’s awesome! And yeah, it’s kinda crazy to think how far away from home we are,” she added. “But I don’t really mind it all that much. I mean, being chosen as an Ars Magi and gettin’ to come to Nova Lux is like somethin’ right outta my favorite stories and shows, a real adventure! How about you?” she asked her muscular partner. “Have ya been enjoyin’ your time here so far?”

---

"So, Dima," Penny continues, trying not so much dance as wobble around in one place. "Where're you from? What's your home like, and do you miss it? What do they teach you at the Academy, and do you like it there?

"Going back to what you said about being an Ars Magi... I'd be lying if the shows didn't help me make up my mind. So far, it's been a bit routine, but there have been... interesting tests. Being an Ars Magi can be pretty exhilarating, at least to me. It's like... I dunno, I feel like I can just cut loose, do things nobody else can, really take it to the limit. The funny thing is, I'm not even an adrenaline junkie, or at least I wasn't before I got here. I just... wanted to help protect the people and things I care for..."

---

Nicole was a little flummoxed by Cordelia's dancing at first. She'd always been fantastic on her feet, sure, but her expertise in that area came from years of floundering in mosh pits or bouncing up and down, working up a sweat beneath the disorienting strobes of Hasta's club scene. They were different beasts than something as elegant as this waltz, and girls like their new teammate weren't usually the kind of guys or girls Nicole was pressed up against in the writhing throngs of partiers at home. The social aspects of this whole affair - helping all the girls look their fashionable, neomilitaristic best, helping them with what to say to mingle, maybe some winks at the fellas and some compliments for the girls - she could nail. But like at a club, there was always the anxiety that she could roll an ankle and completely eat shit while trying to look sophisticated.

Cordelia's whispering might have gone a long way in that regard, but she felt the noble-born girl taking the lead in their dance and decided to cede control to her for the first phase of their dance. Her words made Nicole think of Astrelle again with a twinge - it was hard to believe that her roommate had disappeared in the night the way she had, or been reassigned away from them. Had her family pulled some strings at her own insistence to get her pulled out? Was that even possible at this point? Had she struck someone a little too closely for comfort with her conspiratorial mindset?

“But that won’t happen with me. I’m here to stay. Please count on me.”

"Ha." The storm cloud over Nicole's head broke, and the redhead grinned impishly at the new girl's oath of loyalty. "Alright, roomie. I've got your back, you got mine. Score."

The waltz brought them closer together; she felt the gems inset in their navels touch like the tines of forks, sending a tingle through her body that sent her teeth burrowing into her lip.

“Would you like to try taking the lead, darling?”

Nicole laughed aloud and decided to give the second phase of their dance a whirl; thankfully, the song was a bit livelier, and as with many casual applications Nicole found herself more graceful and fearless when performing precise movements. It was as though she was now permanently in her element, fleet-footed and incapable of falling. It felt fantastic. After a while, even waltzing did too. She was about to ask Cordelia if she was into a drink when someone tapped her new teammate on the shoulder and offered to take her - Nicole Cognoscenti, perennially friendzoned just a month ago - off Cordelia's hands. She looked the girl offering to trade out Cordelia's place in their waltz - exotic-looking, with eyes that twinkled and hair that drank in the light around them. Nicole looked over to her own partner and felt her heart lurch slightly at his appearance - golden-skinned, amber-eyed, serious and surly, so like her own childhood best friend she had seen off with a knuckle touch. For a second she was tempted to run over to him and double-check it wasn't him in disguise, trying to fuck with her a little; she wanted to quiz him about weapons, music, or mocking passers-by based on their appearance, all favorite pastimes of his. She remembered the last time she had seen him, in the soft shadows, hazy lights, and pouring rain at the top of the White Tower. Jericho's hair had been plastered over his face, the color of dark chocolate with midnight streaks, and a single streak of crimson that he so carefully and regularly dyed. He chewed on the soaking-wet ends as he wished her goodbye.

She searched this cadet's hair; there was not a single trace of red. She felt bad for sizing him up like a replacement puppy. He was handsome, incredibly so, but he wasn't quite material for bumping fists in the courtyard.

She giggled, both out of amusement that she was being so heavily courted and from imagining how her torch song would be reacting to her attitude right now.

Goddamn it, Nicole. All the girls in the world who are capable of saving it, and the gods pick the one that thinks every boy from Osca looks alike. You're a danger to yourself and humanity in this shape. If I could go back in time ten years I would throw you from the monkey bars and save us all.

Ohhhh, yeah, she could hear him loud as day. That probably just proved her subconscious point - which meant it was worth taking under advisory. She grinned at the girl so gallantly offering to take her off Cordelia's hands, and outstretched her own to the almond-eyed cadet.

"I'd love to, babe," she said amiably, with a similar twinkle to her own partner's in her eye. "Nicole Cognoscenti - Hasta Vice."

As Nicole led Cordelia through a jauntier passage, the azure haired girl lost herself for a moment in their dance. He teeth raked the inside of her bottom lip as her new roommate effortlessly glided along the dance floor. The act made Cordelia yearn to discover how Nicole moved on the battlefield as well. They neared towards the end of the song, both panting, holding a pose as the band performed their final resounding notes and those who were not dancing clapped for the band and the dancers left on the floor. Cordelia’s chest heaved as an innocuous smile hung on her lips, her eyes never leaving Nicole’s.

It may’ve been something of an over-the-top gesture. But Cordelia had learned early to take pride in every action she performed. Whether it was how she dressed herself in the morning, or dancing in front of a crowd. You had your pride, she had been told once, or you had nothing. Before long, however two new figures made their presences known.

Hairs raised on the nape of Cordelia’s neck as she felt a light touch trickle up her shoulder. The girl was taller than Cordelia, with eyes like almonds and a flowing black river of hair that ended pointedly near her upper back. She clearly spoke to Cordelia, but a buzzing sensation left from Nicole’s and this girl’s touch filled her senses to the brim, keeping the words from her. Cordelia looked down at his hand he held out, as if he was offering pomegranate seeds. Cordelia looked back at Nicole, who seemed to be gracefully accepting the offer of a long-haired, scarred boy opposite Cordelia’s would-be dance partner. His dark eyes weren’t dissimilar from the girl’s, in fact, they could’ve been twins save for a few key differences.

Nicole dexterously spun around Coredelia, taking the hand of the girl before Cordelia could, but neither party seemed to mind much at all. The olive-skinned gentleman held his hand out to her all the same.

Cordelia nodded chastely and took the boy's hand gingerly in her own. Her demure attitude, however, belied her current thought process. The hair on her neck stayed raised, something felt odd about this. She wasn’t sure what, they certainly appeared to be human and not some voidsent abomination. Cordelia thought back to a hunting lesson she was partial to once morning at the estate at which she had been raised and worked her entire life. Would you prefer to hunt a tiger, or a wolf? Of course, each of the student’s provided educated answers as to why a wolf was the safer prey, a much lighter beast who relied on a pack to successfully hunt for itself. The instructor had nodded sagely, before explaining that each student was right in a classroom, but wrong in the field of a hunt. A tiger, as powerful as it was, could be backed into a corner, he explained. It fought alone, so it died alone. But to hunt a wolf was to constantly second guess yourself, wondering if others were behind you.

“Are you okay?” the boy asked Cordelia. The ars magi stifled her visage’s desire to contort in surprise and instead forced a curt smile.

“I’m excellent,” she responded. She let herself be pulled into her partner’s embrace, tightening the distance between the both of them and allowing her hands to find his upperback, subtly feeling for a weapon the boy may’ve hidden on him. “Please, lead the way.”

The dance floor is quite full by now, filled with mingling cadets from both schools. The music continues, alternating between stately and swift, long strings of music echoing out across marble floors and reverberating against soaring windows. There are a few who still sit on the sidelines, a small number of cadets and the full-fledged Ars Magi attending as guests. Those from the Laurus will spy Victoria Glass amongst the crowd, as well as several other faces they may be able to place from television broadcasts and news articles.

---

“She really is!” Dana agreed with an enthusiastic nod when Noah mentioned how good a teacher Vanna must be. “In fact, she’s amazing at pretty much everything!” the cheerful Norban added with a grin. “But then, I’d expect nothin’ less from a member of the Duodecim!”

Noah then went on to talk about his studies at the Officers Academy, which led to the discussion of training exercises, and, in particular, the recent drama at the testing grounds.

“Nah, it’s fine!” Dana reassured her partner with a smile when he worried about getting her in trouble with his line of questioning. “We’ve been talkin’ about it for days, now. And you heard right,” she added. “After we finished the last of our tests, there was a big spike in Nox levels, which caused a C-class Void to show up. It was kinda scary,” she admitted. “But also pretty cool, since it gave us a chance to work together as a team! Well, most of us, anyway…” she clarified. “For some reason, they decided to hold Vanna back. I guess it probably has something to do with her bein’ a noble and all, but what’s the point of training to become an Ars Magi if ya can’t fight Voids? So, yeah!” she continued, chuckling a bit at getting sidetracked. “We worked together and totally kicked the crap outta that thing! It was really great!”

“What’s your training like?” she asked after a moment. “Do ya get to go out into the field, or is it all desk work?”

---

The dance floor is quite full by now, filled with mingling cadets from both schools. The music continues, alternating between stately and swift, long strings of music echoing out across marble floors and reverberating against soaring windows. There are a few who still sit on the sidelines, a small number of cadets and the full-fledged Ars Magi attending as guests. Those from the Laurus will spy Victoria Glass amongst the crowd, as well as several other faces they may be able to place from television broadcasts and news articles.

Penny [+]

“That’s awesome.” Penny’s companion approves of her abilities as their swaying continues. “I can’t even imagine how cool that is, doing magic, I mean.” He laughs, adding quickly. “Don’t shock me though. Please.”

“I used to watch Altea.“ Dima continues, almost before Penny can request her question of television be forgotten. “And Valkyrie Wren, and—-yeah, sorry.” He cuts his reply short when requested, but his enthusiasm returns soon after.

“Pola. I’m from Pola, it’s nice. Really hot, even with the domes. Do you know about the domes? Anyway, I miss my sister—she’s not magic--, and my dad. But, you know, they’re counting on me.” The slow waltz has changed into something more lively, and the distance established is mercy on the feet of both dancers.

“Right?” He asks. “The shows make it seem so cool. Like you can do anything. The shows about us aren’t nearly as good.” The boy pauses, adding, “I mean, I guess we just do a lot of drills, and reading, so it’s not exciting in real life either. But I hear we’re supposed to be doing an exercise with you guys in the next few months.”

As the two continue dancing, Penny looks around, trying to get a feel for the place now. As she looks around, she catches a glimpse of Victoria Glass in the crowd. She's a bit too far off for Penny to discern her expression, not helped by the fact Wings of Justice apparently had one hell of a poker face. Other faces there include a couple of folk Penny vaguely remembers from some newscasts and TV shows.

"Eh, don't worry about it," Penny replies. "In fact, ever since I got here, I think I'm getting better control over it. First time the Elementum manifested, though? I kept getting static shocks and short-circuiting electronics. Not a good thing to have when you like to work with electronics, trust me.

"I'll admit, being an Ars Magi can be... a bit of a rush," she admits. "It feels... different somehow. Some feel drained after using their abilities, I'm one of those who just gets... well, charged up. Almost scary, to be honest.

"Oh, oh no, no need to be sorry," she says. "I'm... well, I'm kind of a huge nerd for Altea myself. I think I remember Valkyrie Wren, though, maybe just the OVA. Even got afair amount of Gunslinger Alexis, but really, Altea's more my cup of tea, so to speak.

"Oh, so you're a neighbor, then," Penny replies cheerfully when he mentions where he's from. "I'm from Siscia, that's why. Yeah, I know what it's like being in a dome, Siscia's got one herself. Probably not as hot as Pola, though it can still be a scorcher in summer.

"Hey, don't put yourself down," she says in encouragment. "Sure, being military isn't as glamorous as the Ars Magi, but you guys do some real work, I know that. And I'm not saying that to cheer you up, by the way; my mom's a Sarge in the Siscia Defense Forces, so I know what you guys do. And I really appreciate it.

"My family's a bit... bigger," she says. "Well, a lot bigger. Mom, Dad, and six siblings. I'm the third oldest. Yeah, it can be a handful at times, but I wouldn't give them up for the world.

"So, Dima," she continues, "how far are you in your studies? Have you decided which branch you want to join yet? Infantry, Armor, Air Support, HQ...?"

She looks out again at the crowd.

"Is it just me, or is that Lucille LeBlanc? I recognize her from one of the news reports we used to see all the time in Siscia. It's... really kind of scary how many important faces there are here."