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Lhoren watched with anticipation as the spread was brought out, cart after cart. The sparse food table that had hitherto only contained nibbles was now adorned with extravagant and colorful plates of classic Lekëon cuisine. Many of these dishes were moreso associated with the food of the nobility, or were typically dishes of the Western Sky Isles. She recognised the few Eastern Isle dishes, however; Nectar fritters, honeyloaf slices, Pelloan-fried fowl, sunrise rolls with various savory fillings, glasses of peachade. It brought back memories of the festival food stalls of her childhood, and she gleefully took a plate and began piling it with food

The comnversations around her blended with the thoughts people were thinking around her making a cocophany of noise that barely seemed like sentences. Still, she could pick out the most common topics. Wonder at the food that had been brought out, curiousity at why Headmistress Minerva had to leave suddenly, people worried about how well they were dressed compared to each other despite everybody thinking everybody else was well dressed.

Somebody was either thinking or saying something about mind-readers, and Lhoren zeroed in on that to discover that two of her fellow House Ivar members were standing beside her. Raffaella and Kaspaan. Lhoren was always taken by surprise whenever she noticed Raff. It was uncanny how she could stay so close to you for so long without being noticed and very often, Lhoren couldn't even pick up her thoughts unless they pertained to her or a relevant topic, such as mind-reading. It wasn't that she was transparent or silent, just very hard to perceive or notice. Still, Raff always seemed surprised with Lhoren did notice her so her telepathy may give her an edge when it came to perceiving her.

The boy beside her, Kaspaan, was currently thinking about Lhoren's dress. Lhoren had been picking up that thought a lot from the boys so far. Especially the younger ones. It was tiring to hear a lot of them get rather unsavoury thoughts but it was nice to know that her efforts to dress up for the ball were being appreciated. It was hard not to secretly be a little vain when you can hear every time a person thinks you're pretty.

She listened to their conversation out of curiosity, hearing their internal dialogue as well as their spoken. When Kas mentioned that she would let them know if Raff is a mind reader, Lhoren looked over with a sly smile and a twinkle in her eye. Without opening her mouth, both of them would hear Lhoren's voice in their heads;

'She's not a mind reader'

Lhoren stifled a giggle as she turned away and left them to it. They seemed to be getting on well and she didn't want to intrude. Raff was shy and Kas was, appropriately, cold, so to see them both managing to get on well together was a nice thing to see. Lhoren picked away at her plate as she idly walked through the gradually filling ballroom.

Finally, Wolfgang flew into the air, marking that the Ball was about to officially be underway. He began addressing them. Lhoren only half-paying attention as she continued eating the food on her plate. He was too far away for Lhoren to hear his thoughts but even she could see that the speculation on the Headmistress' wherabouts slightly annoyed him. Lhoren herself had grown over the past year to develop the habit of ignoring any situation that doesn't directly concern her. Overhearing other people's drama and potentially life-altering secrets was almost a weekly occurence and she had fast learned it was far healthier to turn a blind eye to it all.

The announcement that Lady Penelope Upperton was their special guest, though. That was a surprise she cared about! Lhoren's eyes lit up and she started cheering and screaming with everybody else. Good surprises this big were a rare thing to be kept from her, but she was so glad she hadn't accidentally picked up on this! When the legend herself graced their prescence, floating down from the sky, Lhoren's cheers only got louder and her own eyes sparkled brighter. It was seeing Lady Penelope Upperton dance for the first time as a child of five that made Lhoren herself want to learn to dance, after all.

She had to find a partner to dance with if LPU was going to the one performing the music! She looked around for good dance partners, but most of them naturally already had partners of their own. Lhoren's smile started to fade slightly and her eyes began to dim, as she continued to scan the crowd. She was unlikely to find a partner before the first song started at this rate, but surely she'd find one to dance the rest of the songs, right?

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Just as he was making his way over to set himself up a shadow cast itself over him, a person interposing themself between him and his destination. He looked up to see the humorless bespectacled face of what he could only assume was an illuminaire staring down at him.

"Weeeeeeeeeell... You see..." He stalled for time, his brain quickly sorting through excuses, discarding bad ones until something shuffled to the forefront. Curses! Humorless authoritarians stifle the free market once again. He swore internally, his face masking his internal turmoil with a nervous smile.

"Tessa made'a strong case for us t' show and she'd be super disappointed if we didn't. Trust me, if it were up 'ta me I'd be back in the dorms studyin' for class instead of out here, studyin' for class but in style." He explained. He couldn't count on this guy letting him off however, fellow seemed like a bit of a control freak given how he was buzzing about the floor just a bit ago, more in Walter's peripheral vision prior but it was drawn to the mind's forefront now. He stared back, gauging the guy's internal workings like he was a tall clock.

"If you think this ol' setup will disrupt things don't you worry! I'll be like a piece of gum under the table and stick out of sight. Positive-a-ly harmless! Guaranteed!" Selling his case he started backing up hoping the guy wouldn't press the issue much further.

It was at that moment he had an epiphany. Like the devilish Grunch plotting it's sinister deeds his smile widened into a devilish grin.

"Of course if I weren't allowed t' set up any tables here I could always just abandon the poor thing outside and just do what all the cool kids do: hang around the punch bowl and champaign towers. Nothing in the rules says there's no standing there is there?" He suggested, fully aware that while not outright stating it there was a definite subtext that he'd be plying his trade over at the drinks station, taking tips for concoctions made straight from catering's stuff instead of his own rain water.

"Real shame about leavin' my stand out but guess m' hands are tied." He feigned defeat and turned, giving a mock shrug. It was pure genius: either the guy lets him run his stand or else he drives up the risk of Walter spiking the punch bowl tenfold. It was an old catch twenty two, and not just the kind where you catch a twenty two inch snapper to sell at the fish market.

　
　
　
　
　
　

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Sylvia blinked as a girl materialised in front of the group. A girl she recognised as Raffaella, the fellow Ivar who kept disappearing from people's views and minds alike. They hadn't spoken much, but it was still jarring, the way Raff's sudden appearance jogged Sylvia's memory every time. "Hey!" She beamed, attempting to comfort the timid girl. "Got to the food early, I see. Good on ya!"

As more and more people gathered - Tae, Fasha, Walter, Lhoren, Ana, Leah - Raffaella became noticeably all the more uncomfortable, eyes shifting around before she hurried away. "Hey wait, it's ok!" Sylvia called. She considered following, but for all the air of confidence she put up, she could relate to that awkwardness all too well, given her sheltered background. Large groups were still something she had yet to grow accustomed to, with that banter that seemed to come so easily to them. "Well, I guess that's our cue to tuck in," she said as she headed to the nearest table, where she spotted Kasp already helping himself to the various snacks. Mouth watering from the scents, she picked up a crab roll and took a bite, savouring the delicate meat. An enhanced sense of smell made food taste so much better.

Raff had headed over there anyway, getting along well with Kasp by the looks of it as he plotted and schemed. Sylvia leaned in, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. "Oooh, can I help out? We'll shoulder the blame, while you either vanish or act innocent enough to get away with anything."

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Well, this wasn't so bad, with all the chatting and snacking to pass the time until the main event. Which began with Wolfgang bigging himself up, making Sylvia roll her eyes, before he announced some puzzling news. For some reason, Headmistress Minerva wouldn't be here tonight. "So she gets to go off on adventures while we're all stuck here," she jokingly whispered to Kasp and Raff. It was probably some kind of boring academy business, but it couldn't hurt to speculate. "At least it means nobody's ending up as a toad tonight."

Digging into a chicken leg, she stared up as the special guest floated from the night sky into the ballroom. Lady Penelope Upperton herself, clad in glimmering gold. A thrill sparked through Sylvia - opera music wasn't her first choice, but seeing someone so talented in the flesh after having spent so long shielded from the world felt like a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. As the band launched into the first song, Sylvia gobbled down the rest of the chicken leg and floated into the air. "Anyone up for a dance?"

It was then that Tessa swept over, smiling and clad in her best designer clothing as usual, yet something was off. Sylvia sniffed the air, her feline nose twitching. Was that a faint whiff of smoke clinging to Tessa's clothes? Before Sylvia could ask, Tessa gave a breathless explanation, recounting what had to be the mother of all nightmare travels.

Sylvia's eyes widened. "Holy shit. Was everyone ok? I knew I could smell smoke... Uh, not that it's likely noticeable to anyone else!" Cringing at her unfiltered words, she rubbed the back of her neck. "That's quite the eventful journey."

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Lhoren heard Sylvia's offer to dance, and considered it. Lhoren and Sylvia weren't exactly friends but weren't total strangers either. Lhoren occasionaly gave Sylvia stern hints to not let her shenanigans get too out of hand, and they both stuck up for any psychiccer who got teased or bullied in the prescence of them both, but Lhoren had heard enough of Sylvia's mind to know that they weren't especially compatible as acquaintances. Still, Sylvia was more than presentable tonight. Her dress was very nice and suited her well. Sylvia's reflexes might make her a good dancer too, but Lhoren had never seen her dance and she didn't seem like the type of person to learn. Asking her would be a gamble. They might pull off a very impressive dance together, or Sylvia might decide to goof around and show Lhoren up.

While Lhoren was considering it, she didn't make eye contact with Sylvia in case the choice was made for her. As Lhoren looked around, weighing her other options, she saw that Tessa was at the party! Not only that, but she was walking right towards her! There were many beatiful students and teachers at this academy. There were several who were exactly Lhoren's type, that she had lowkey crushes on. Tessa went so far beyond that world. She was almost etherial in her beauty. Of course, with her hair, dress and makeup for the ball, she almost seemed like a mirage or a hallucination. Only when she actually spoke, and Lhoren began hearing her thoughts alongside, was the spell broken. Even the other younger members of the faculty don't seem as much like ordinary, friendly approachable students as Tessa still did.

Hearing that Tessa thought Lhoren looked fabulous immediately put her on the back foot, and Lhoren's mask couldn't quite hide all of the color that was starting to fill her cheeks. She stood still as a statue as Tessa examined her dress. Though when Tessa began talking about her journey to the ball, Lhoren's eyes went wide and she sobered up very fast as she listened in disbelief. She wasn't just listening to Tessa tell her story, but also listening to her remembering the events in full detail.

"I don't know how you still find the energy to be so cheerful and bubbly after going through that, Tessa. I really don't!" Lhoren replied, straining her voice to be heard over the crowd without resorting to shouting. "You really are amazing."

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Day 1 ◈ Time: Night ◈ Weather: Light Rain ◈ Location: Harold's Academy, Main Ballroom ◈ Participants: Kaspaan Mustaven, Raffaella Struna, @Emeth ◈ Mentioned: Wolfgang Weiss @Aeolian, Lady Penelope Upperton @Aeolian, Tessa Vellhart @Mirandae, Sylvia Copeland @LuckyBlackCat, Lhoren Ashdale @Silver Carrot

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Wolfgang's voice crackling across the ballroom interrupted anymore banter he had about a potential dance fizzing out of his mind. such a punchable face, his But it did encourage the young noble to be reminded that this was a formal affair after all, so do as they do! He might enjoy the fact he had a new friend here at the Academy, re-introductions were in order! He thought this as the flaunting upperclassman gawked on, then the celebrity appearance made him hoot with joy! Being of a famous family himself, he may have ran into her in another life, but for now he just enjoyed the show.

The lively music rushed into Kaspaan's ears. Lady Penelope Upperton drove the vibrations high in the night and he liked it. Having already settled his hunger for now, the boy was restless and excited. Maybe that's what kept the notoriously hard to pin down rosey Raf'el in the front of his mind instead of slung aside like most of his behaviors. A plan hatched in his head, maybe if he kept his two left feet busy he wouldn't have time to put them in his mouth with a bad remark. Such musing made him turn back to Raff and begind to float upwards, calling towards her. She doesn't know you're a flying iceberg, just go with it

"Um, yeah sorry about blowing your cover back there, you looked a little shaken.""How 'bout I give you a dance to make up for it?",suggested Kas, offering a open grasp to the little lady in pink. "Professor Ivo says first years need flying partners anyway." He chuckled softly. "If it's too much for you and your fluffy buddy I get it, lot's of flying with a crowd can be scary! What's it's name by the way?" his nostrils wrinkled and shifted as he flew a little higher but still close. Professor Grumble was keeping the setting serene, but the headmistress absense did not bode well in Kasp's gut. Oh yeah, his nose picked up the feast below them that was most likely being scoped out by his partner in crime Sylvia. His gaze dropped back to his side, Tessa's here! He would definitely need to tell her about him and Raff meeting back together.

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"I don't think the rain will let up any time soon."

"Yeah?" Lisa shrugged, turning her head just enough to look at the source of the rustling and thumping that was now approaching from a corner of the balcony's ceiling.

Arthur gently descended into view from above the balcony's cover sporting a silver feathered mask resembling a smaller bird of prey. While the colour didn't match his hair, the shape did. The feathers seemlessly gave way to his naturally windswept style. Lisa's own mask was smooth and featureless for the most part, with the only real details being the two slits through which her golden eyes reflected the light of the lamps.

He finished the descent with one step on the balcony's railing and another on its floor like the end of an oversize, yet elegant, staircase. With a glance at the meagre shelter, he returned his line of sight back to Lisa before continuing. "And frankly, Miss Goldheart, I don't think the cover will do you good for much longer."

Arthur finished that sentence with a grin while making his way toward the doors inside. He knew Lisa had plenty of names she would want to be called more than 'Miss Goldheart'. But he liked to speak fancy on the occasion, knowing it would annoy her. Would it get him hit one day? Probably. But that day was not today... he gambled.

"What makes you think that? The rickety and half-rotten wooden supports or maybe the thin fabric they built the tarp out of?" Lisa sighed, "I'd rather get soaked out here than go back in there, you know how it is... Or maybe not. What with being a second year and everything, must be tough for you being surrounded by 14 year olds, huh Archie?"

Arthur chuckled at the question. "You got me there. When I do manage to show up, it can be a nightmare. But I have my own ways of getting by." Almost to further answer the question, he brought his flask out from his jacket pocket and took a final sip. While he didn't appear outwardly influenced by the drink, he had achieved the desired buzz.

He then returned the flask to his jacket pocket and continued to the doors. But stopped just before going inside, turning on a heel and leaning next to the doors instead. "It sounds like a bad time in there if you're willing to risk a cold." A wind flow picked up above Lisa's head to redirect any loose raindrops. "Should I be worried about what I'm going to see inside?" He joked lightheartedly.

"You? Nah. I doubt girls are as insufferable as boys, you'll be fine... As long as you don't drink too much, that is." Lisa said while making a vague movement with her hands. "I'll be heading back in soon to help keep things running smoothly, so try not to give me any more work to do."

"You're probably right on that account. I'll be on my best behaviour." Arthur gave a parting smile and mock salute before heading in the doors.

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Raffaella's eyes lit up, and she nodded as she looked up at Kaspaan, giving shy side glances to Sylvia. If she was friends with Boss Kass, then maybe she wasn't bad. Yeah, yeah! I'll just hide behind all the food! she told herself, until Lhoren's assurances came through their minds. 'She's not a mind reader,' she'd say, covering her mouth with a dainty little giggle as she walked away. That look! That was the look of a woman who knew more than she let on! It was, wasn't it?! She felt herself panicking a little. Oh gosh, a real mind reader! No thoughts, head empty. No thoughts, head empty... Oh no, I bet that's really annoying! I'm sorry! she thought emphatically, hiding behind Pooka.

She wouldn't have to worry for long, as the announcement came that Lady Penelope Upperton was to be the star of the show. Everyone watched in awe as she made her appearance, and while Raffaella was also visually captivated by the woman, her mind was elsewhere. Why wasn't Headmistress Minerva in attendance? Sure, the woman was scary, but if she wasn't here, didn't that mean that something bad happened? She was too new to really know for sure, but she hoped that wasn't the case. Just because she was scary didn't mean she was happy to not see her here, if that's what it meant... Wait a minute—dancing while flying?! I can't dance or fly! What am I gonna do?! Then, she calmed down a little. Of course, with everyone captivated by Lady Upperton, Raffaella would fade into the background. Nobody would notice or care that she was missing. In fact—taking a look around, everyone was already talking to Tessa! Yeah! She was smarter than this. Stay cool. Don't make a scene. All according to—

"How 'bout I give you a dance to make up for it?" Kaspaan cut in.

—plan?! Her heart started to race. How had he noticed she was still there? Surely, Lady Penelope Upperton, gorgeous and famous as she was, had stolen the show and the hearts of all the attendees? Raffaella stuttered and blushed, not sure what to say. "Um! Her name is, Pooka! Isn't she so adorable?!" she blurted out, very eager to change the subject. Reflexively, she squeezed her fluffy friend for comfort. This time, however, Pooka wasn't having it. She slipped out from between Raffaella's arms and began floating away—towards Tessa. "Ah! Pooka, wait~!" Raffaella took off, attempting to catch up with the gupoo as she flew through the air like a dandelion on a spring breeze. "T-Tessa! I'm sorry!" she preemptively apologized as the spongy ball of white moss flew straight toward their Mentor's head.

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Sylvia's taut muscles relaxed. Nobody was hurt, which she'd gleaned from Tessa's general cheer, but it still reassured her to hear it confirmed. Plus, as much of a social faux pas as it was to tell a fashion icon she smelled of smoke, Tessa showed no offense. "I can imagine," Sylvia replied to the comment about the shoes, eyeing the eight-inch heels that complemented Tessa's long, toned legs. "Perfect shoes for the air though. Speaking of..."

Her eyes flicked around the room, sweeping over Kasp and a flustered Raff who'd partnered with each other, settling on Lhoren. "Care to dance?" She and the fellow Ivar student were more acquaintances than friends, but Lhoren was plenty approachable, not to mention cute. Truth be told, Sylvia had been a little uncomfortable at first at the prospect of having her thoughts read, as many people were. Lhoren, though, wasn't the type to share people's secrets, nor did she invade their privacy on purpose, any more than Sylvia could help randomly sprouting cait features on occasion. She doubted Lhoren would approve of much of what went on in her head, but it was a testament to the younger girl's friendliness that she stuck around anyway.

As soon as the words were out, though, Sylvia knew her confident facade wouldn't hold. Not around Lhoren, anyway. Sure she had decent reflexes, courtesy of her gift, but that mostly applied to athletics. She knew next to nothing about dancing. What if she messed up, and got both of them laughed at? Trying to dispel the thoughts that spiralled through her head, she focused her vitesse into her legs. They tingled and morphed, joints growing more supple, wildcait-brown fur marked with black stripes sprouting down them. The tips of retractable claws protruded from her toes, visible through her open shoes. This, she hoped, would help her dance better.

At the same time, the tip of her nose prickled, and the enhanced scents of food and perfumes all around faded. "Huh." She touched her nose, which she'd involuntarily turned back to normal. "I-I meant to do that! It wouldn't be great to use too much vitesse at once, after all!" She gave a nervous glance around, knowing she wasn't fooling anyone, least of all Lhoren.

Her eyes, however, remained caitlike, able to see through the shadows. And in the night sky that stretched above the ballroom, she glimpsed movement. Raising her head, she frowned at a distant figure rising into the air. "Hm, is that Grumble? Wonder where she's going?" Sneaking out was something Sylvia could relate to, but someone as honest to a fault as Grumble didn't strike her as the kind of person to do that.

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Myrion watched as the new student delivered his ultimatum with a raised eyebrow, he had to admit it, barring some very select people he couldn't imagine anyone acting like this on their first ball, and were he a normal student he would be just amused but as a newly appointed Illuminiare he couldn't help but think about the problems this student might get himself into, still about his threat...

He snorted

"A very clever idea Mr. Ozyward but before you go let me ask you a question, how many students do you think have assisted to the ball since the academy was founded?" A small smile etched itself on his face "Now I want you to contemplate exactly how many of those students had the 'bright' idea of spiking the punch?" He waited a couple of seconds for the first year to come to terms with his words "There are measures to prevent such things from happening Mr. Ozyward, such as there being several punches with different drinks -fruit juice and alcoholic both- offered by the catering service, Mr. Olimer that was hired to use his Gift and prevent tempering with the fruit punches and the teachers who keep a watchful eye when they can"

And thank goodness for that, he was already stressed enough just expecting something would go wrong with any of the plans that were prepared in advance. Also, it was better to extend an olive branch to the younger man, just because he was not of his house there was no reason to be rude to each other (the boy was not Taegan after all).

"I was not here to shut down your little project Mr. Ozyward, the Headmistress may be strict but she allows students more freedom than you may think, I just wanted to set a couple of rules such as no servicing alcohol to minors and notifying the student council when you wish to persue such avenues, we prefer when the student body cooperates with us rather than against us" he consciously relaxed his body language, his 'mentor' had once told him that he tended to close himself off with his body language "Tell me Mr. Ozyward do you accept such considerations in exchange for continuing with your stall?"

There, brach extended, now he just needed to wait for a response.

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Seemed he had himself one who'd fancy himself a tough negotiator, eh? Well, Walter was not one to let his pitch die on the first hurdle.

"Interesting for you 't bring all that up. Nobody said a thing about spiking the drinks at the drinks table, least of all me. After all, do I look like the kind'a guy who'd intentionally violate the sanctity of the law and subvert the student council's authority purely for the leisure of it?" He posed his question back to Myrion, undaunted by his pressure. It was true, he wouldn't go out of his way to subvert legal authorities for the heck of it. Now, for profit on the other hand...

"Tell 'ya what-" He reached into his satchel, digging around while letting his words carry for an awkwardly long moment, before producing from it both his ink pen and the tips jar. With a quick jot he wrote Please drink responsibly, (Insert legal drinking age here) and older only. just below the tips logo on the jar. "They'll be fairly warned. If I know they're minors I won't serve 'em either."

With that said he shoved his stuff back into his satchel, folding table still underarm, and started shuffling off away from the guy and off towards the crowd. "Like I said, gum under th' table." Were his parting words to the four eyed fellow as Walter vanished into the growing crowd of students, slipping out of sight as he made his way into a lonely corner of the hall to start setting up.

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Later, during the ball proper...

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Walter sat there, feet kicked up on his stand, chemistry textbook in hand and only a couple loose quarters in the tip jar. The night was still relatively young and most folks were still worrying about who they were going to dance with and what-not. Not ol' Walter though, he wasn't about the dance scene. If having two left feet and the dancing complexity of a one-block rubix cube wasn't enough he just never saw the appeal in dancing in pairs. He sure as heck was sure nobody would wanna be holding his clammy, grubby hands though dexterous they may be. He was more of a ragtime sort of guy, down to jam to a peppy tune over slow-dance focused ball music.

Of course he wasn't here to dance anyhow. He was here to study and make a bit of cash on the side. The music was just a convenient background track to read to. It was odd that the headmistress had left with the bald one, leaving the whole show in ol' Miss Grumble's hands. Didn't strike him as much of a party host, lest it was a tea party that is.

Such was why it also struck him as strange when she quietly got up and started floating on by towards an open ceiling panel. Given that he was also somewhat in the back of the ballroom hall meant it was slightly more obvious to him than to anyone else occupied in their own gossip or dancing.

Huh, if she leaves then who's gonna keep the rain from running in through that open skylight? He wondered. It wasn't too much of his concern but a curiosity nonetheless. Shoving both the book and the contents of his tip jar into his satchel he got up and inconspicuously drifted up behind her, keeping distance so he didn't disturb what she was doing but mostly just floating up to the edge of the skylight just to see what might of been going on outside.

Good thing I wore my hat today He tipped the rim of his hat up as the rain ran down the sides, soaking anything below.

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Upon entering the Ballroom, Arthur was enticed by the music immediately. He walked along the second floor in a soft waltz and took in the sight of the students in flight. Tonight, they were to dance among the stars themselves.

And to think Arthur was going to pass this up with the rest of the Willow Gang. Not that Monty made a particularly good case to avoid it anyway. When he began some pearl-clutching speech about keeping to the prestige of high-profile events, Arthur immediately made up his mind to disregard the order.

He often found himself forgetting that much of the group had enough money to buy out his hometown if given the whim. Speeches like that brought him back to the same obvious truth. Many Willow gang members only cause trouble because they see themselves above the consequences. Wealth, power, prestige, almost all of them were born with it and use that fact to justify how they act. Although he was part of the gang, Arthur felt a wall of separation because of this fact.

It wasn’t to say he disliked the group. On the contrary, he would have never joined if there wasn't something in it for him. But he wondered if Monty had considered that Arthur wouldn't see any invite to those upper-crust dances.

Petyr Nostradé was the odd one out in this assessment. At first, Arthur had assumed he was like the others. He carried himself in a manner and discipline that radiated higher class society of some sort. On the contrary, Petyr is an orphan of common origins. One might think humble beginnings would provide some connection between the two. Yet that commonality had never formed into much. Petyr didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, and his lack of obvious motive to join made him feel like the most distant member of the group, at least to Arthur anyway.

Arthur’s train of thought was suddenly interrupted as he saw Mrs Grumble float out of her chair ahead of him. A look of concern was pretty clear on her face and she seemed to be taking caution in making her flight seem inconspicuous before she took off into the night sky. Arthur knew a quick and stealthy escape when he saw one.

She probably left the stove going.

Almost instinctually, he quickly scanned the area for any other teachers and supervisors. But none could be found. It seemed the academy was putting their trust in Grumble to look after this thing, which was a humorous idea to Arthur. As much as he liked her, Grumble wouldn’t be the first person he would call if he were to supervise the ball.

As he got closer, the haphazard way she let her knitting equipment drop felt out of place. Grumble tended to be more particular about her chosen craft.

She must have really had the stove going he thought dismissively.

Still, the only teacher looking after the ball had suddenly slipped into the night without a word to anyone. Certainly, this could mean trouble if the wrong kind of students were to take notice of that fact. Why, if her rocking chair of supervision were to appear empty, it would mean chaos for Minerva’s precious event. A good student couldn’t let that come to pass.

What the students needed right now was a symbol of authority and discipline to show them all that the event was under control. And it was a grand coincidence that a reputable member of the academy such as himself was here to fill those boots.

Leaning over the rails, Arthur gave a gesture resembling a music conductor toward the food table below. With a raise and flick of his hand, a group of select pastries danced to his commands. They flew up in a swirling line, tumbling ungracefully in the winding current that drew them higher and higher toward him.

Trusting in his ability to do the rest of the work, he leaned back again and fell into a lounging position on Grumble’s empty throne with his legs hanging off the side.

“One, two, three…” Arthur quipped to himself as the pastries fell into his lap one after the other.

He furrowed his brow. There was supposed to be a fourth pastry just behind them. He quickly scanned to see where it ended up but got his query quickly answered as it landed squarely on his face. His abilities weren’t the well-oiled machine he liked to think they were.

Arthur chuckled as he cleaned his face and began digging into the snack. A few bites to eat and he would be in the perfect mood to dance.

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It seemed that being an Illuminaire had its downsides, as Ana found herself constantly occupied with various responsibilities. It was as if there was another job that needed doing every time she thought she could take a break. Her focus kept getting distracted by the smallest imperfections as other students playfully interacted with the decorations, occasionally putting them out of place. She began to fixate on making sure everything was perfect, ensuring that every detail was in its right place.

Throughout the evening, Ana attended to the food, making sure the banquet was well-stocked and inviting. She took it upon herself to personally greet the guests, ensuring that teachers and special guests felt welcomed and appreciated. This naturally extended to making sure everyone was refreshed and had everything they needed.

As the night progressed, Ana realized she hadn't stopped working since she arrived at the ball, and the mounting tasks seemed to overwhelm her at times, making her feel a bit scattered.

Finally, she decided to take a moment for herself and enjoy a cool drink. She leaned against a nearby pillar, looking out towards the dance floor, where some of the other students were joyfully dancing and laughing. She allowed herself to take a breath and relax for a moment, simply enjoying the view of others having fun and cherishing the magic of the evening.

Recalling fond memories of past balls, Ana smiled at the thought of her younger self trying to tear up the dance floor with her fiery dancing style. This year, it seemed like the others would have to steal the limelight, especially if Wolfgang tried to hog it all for himself.

Despite feeling a bit overwhelmed, her efforts were helping to make the ball a truly enchanting experience for everyone.

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Day 1 ◈ Time: Night ◈ Weather: Moderate Rain ◈ Location: Harold's Academy, Main Ballroom ◈ Participants: Kaspaan Mustaven, Anastasia Arslan @Ti ◈ Mentioned: Tessa Vellhart @Mirandae, Raffaella Struna, @Emeth,Walter Ozwyrd @A Lowly Wretch,

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Who keeps a Gupoo anyway? "Cigar doesn't make me sn"AHEeeigtCHOOO!" Kasp spun around in a tiny blizzard of snowflakes as Pooka beelined to their mentors head. By the time he had stifled he's sinuses, he was well above the scene below but below to precipice of the ballrooms architecture; mid-dance floor that was wetter than it had been earlier. The storm must have picked up. At least thats what Kas thought, if he were to do much thinking,. He was preoccupied by trying to enjoy the night somehow. Least his stomach wasn't complaining to him anymore. The little rascal saw all sorts of homeroom faces congregating down below.

After the nasal assault, Kaspaan glare floated back down trying to find Raffaelle but to no avail. He saw Anastasia however, and if there were any a night to have an interrogation perhaps the presence of their mentor would alleviate any misdoings. She was leaning against a pillar looking rather exhausted but cheerful still. See, during his first year Kasp had been beaten up rather badly after refusing to give up a special piece of jewelry his father gave him. A feud that had been solved mostly save for the fact when he went for treatment at the infirmary; he had met the vinesse of a fiery heart on his cold skin. One that had drained his essence down to deathly lows it felt like, never before had Kasp tasted the tickling tendrils of mortality. Her healing powers required both users to use their vinesse, and heat sapped his to begin with; this was a fact Kasp was going to find out if he was brave enough.

So, he hovered down to the ground beside someone that made his very bones shiver. Perhaps he would find his answers. He needed to know, and had put it of for nearly a whole semester now. he almost wished he was dealing with a psychiccer so as to expedite his thoughts. But how to introduce himself? A splash of water landed beside him; looking up it was the hustler from his homeroom, Ozz. He rolled his eyes, he should have brought a hat too thinking on how the weather was and oblivious to the concerning absence. The small fountain blew his cover though as he stammered "No that, my bad, wasn't, ok so..uh Hi! We know each other sorta, Kaspaan Mustaven! and your Anastasia, of Arslan of course." He bowed but rose with his own inquiry, cold vapors edging out of his teeth.

"Wanna dance? Or we gonna play burn me again?" Kas bit his lip wondering if he'd said too much again. He made instant amends and bowed again "If an Illumnaire would so ever grace us? You've been busy all night let Tessa take over, or at least Myrion they love that stuff." he winked and motioned over to the homeroom that had assembled, even throwing a laughing glare at Arthur as he fumbled a pastry upon the seat of power.

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Seeing Anastasia try so hard for everything to be perfect all by herself was amusing to watch. Always wanting to do it all by yourself, there are three more Illuminaire, you know? All you have to do is ask. A satisfied smile covered her face, making it seem as though she felt satisfaction for how they prepared the ball together.

As the ball progressed smoothly, Fasha mingled with other students. Most of them deriving from wealth or from her own house, cementing her name as Illuminaire further amongst her own house. Leaving her presence wherever she went.

Her gaze was set over the dancing floor. A genuine smile covering her face and thinking back on the yesteryears. Remembering the night where she danced and made her face known to others, to the night where a certain someone’s fiery dance style was quite the challenge to be partnered against. Like trying to lead a wild animal. She couldn’t help but chuckle from the memory.

Seeing the ever so busy Illuminaire for a dance caused the girl to sigh. Oh dear, it seems like I may have to take over responsibilities if she’s going to take a break. She clicked her tongue whilst trying to spot the other two. I do not trust them with making sure everything goes smoothly. And with that she began.

Making sure everything stays perfect. Why would I even do her a favor like this? . . . It has to be a favor in return! Yes, that must be it. After her routine was finished she looked back on the dance floor once more. Oh, how she wished to be there and enjoy the night. Dancing, laughing and having a great time.

Grabbing a nice, refreshing drink. Fasha sighed. Maybe one nice dance wouldn’t hurt. Approaching Anastasia, her eyes stabbing into the red haired woman, nodding towards her underclassman after noticing him. ”Hello, Ana, Kaspaan. I hope your night is rather enjoyable.” Bowing gracefully whilst grabbing the other woman’s hand. ”Would you like to have a dance with me, for old times sake?” Everyone else was blurred, she had one goal as of now.

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In contrast to Tessa, it was rare to see Lhoren ever really blush upon recieving compliments. However, Tessa's reversal of Loren's own compliment to her had managed to cause Lhoren to forget how to speak a reply as her face was now noticeably red. She listened to Tessa and Sylvia's conversation as she took the opportunity to regain her composure. Beautiful was a far too commonly used word to describe Tessa, as though a dance with Tessa seemed too good to be true, Lhoren was now doubting if she could keep her focus for an entire dance well enough to do justice to her partner, abd give Tessa the first dance she deserved. All eyes would be on them, and that would be a lot of pressure. Lhoren didn't want pressure. She wanted to let her hair down, have fun and enjoy herself.

So, when Tessa brought up the topic of if they'd danced yet, but then professed her wish to talk to the other classmates first, and Sylvia took the opportunity to proactively ask Lhoren to dance, she felt a wierd kind of relief. She smiled at Sylvia, and nodded before speaking to Tessa. "I haven't danced yet but it seems that's about to change. I'll let you go and say hi to everybody else now. I can hear how much you want to catch up with them all."

Lhoren then turned her attention to Sylvia, and smiled at her, her hand outstretched and mouth unmoving while her voice rang out inside Sylvia's head. "As long as I know you're taking it seriously, you don't have to worry. Follow my lead and I'll keep you right."

Whether her bluff about meaning to turn her nose back was a bluff or not, Lhoren gave no reaction or indication that she noticed or suspected a thing. As Lhoren began to lead her towards the dance floor, she heard that Sylvia was thinking about Grumble leaving. By the time Lhoren turned to look herself, there was no sign of the Professor. First the headmistress and now this. What was going on that needed both of them to be absent? Lhoren put a pin in that thought and shelved it. First things first, she wanted to dance.

"Well, a little plain isn't so bad I think. Besides, not every event is a Docking Festival." She began, considering the mask that Manny was working on and the options as to how to go with the antenna. Perhaps a little more spring to the material could help, though there was only so much to work with and it wasn't like one could just make more out of nowhere. "If you coil the wires just a little bit, you could get some springiness to the antenna and use a small bulb or other item at the end to give them some motion." Corrine offered, now taking the time to clean up a little bit of her workspace and start sorting the pile of scribblings that her gupoo had been embedded in moments before. The ball was really more of a cursory concern for her, though Tessa had included her in the rounds of people being pulled into her orbit and almost insisted upon attending. Practically the entire homeroom class had agreed to go with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but she felt she might as well make an appearance at least for her mentor's sake considering the lengths she had gone to help everyone. All that was left was to actually get dressed into something appropriate, wash off a bit of the ink and grease, and actually show up. Well, the rain would help a little bit with part of that, a glance through one of the windows to see the darkening skies and the lights of the distant main buildings where it was all underway. Oh... The thought came to mind that the illuminaires were likely already in the ballroom setting everything up. They were a mixed bunch to be sure, with her own house's Melle being rather laidback at least as far as she had seen, and Eusebia's Myrion being significantly less so.

There was Anastasia though, who seemed to have the responsibility but also kind enough to not hold everyone to the same standard, at least as far as she was aware. The thought came to mind as to if she was attending with anyone in particular, but she shelved the thought as surely if an illuminaire of all people didn't have their pick of the school, then they would be a fair bit more occupied with their responsibilities of the night. And just like that Corrine shifted her focus to the one before her, waiting to see how the mask would turn out before collecting up her own in one hand to stuff into a bag and her gupoo in the other with a slight squeak of protest. "Suppose we should be off, yeah? Can't keep Tessa and everyone else waiting all night for us." An offered hand was all that was needed to hint that they head off to the dorm together, and as they approached the doorway and the gentle cascade of rain she momentarily ensured that Mr Puff was secure at her side and reached for a metal rod leaning up against the frame. "Ah, normally I wouldn't mind the rain but I'm not quite sure Mr Puff would appreciate it, especially after earlier. So, let's try and stay a little dry on the walk."

And with that she pushed a little bit of her vitesse into the rod in hand with some directed thoughts on what she wanted to create. The steel shimmered and shifted for a moment, beading upwards towards the end and spreading outwards in a thin spiderweb of film-like material. Such a small and simple thing was easy enough for her, having practiced using her gift for conveniences like this, so making a quick umbrella only took a moment, the shape forming almost as soon as she had made mention of her intentions and now an eerily fabric-like metal material shielding them from the rain with that familiar pattern of rain on a tin roof. That was the soundtrack to their journey back to the dorms, just the gentle patter of rain across the umbrella and the almost idyllic grounds as lights grew across the campus with the centerpiece being the main ballroom. The goal of the night for most, aside from the Willows she was sure.

It didn't take too long for them to reach Seraphine, thankfully not too distant from the workshops for those long nights when she 'forgot' to head back and get some sleep. Something she had been counseled on before by the professor, as there had been at least once where she woke up in the midst of another class entirely. Corrine returned the umbrella to its former state, the metal rod sat back into a bin in the common room and Mr Puff freed to wander as he tended to do normally, the ball of floof drifting lazily about the room as she turned to regard her accomplice for the night. "Alright, this is where we must part ways friendo. I gotta wash off a bit of the oil and grease, double-check my suit and do a little bit of finishing touches on this." There was a deadened metallic sound as she pat the bag that held her mask, the material softening the sound just enough. That also drew her attention to her hands in that moment, fingers working back and forth as she considered the more mechanical nature of them. Rare as it was, there were a few times where Corrine was a little more self-conscious of her nature, a frown creasing her lips for but a moment. "And I suppose there's that as well, maybe I'll get the good hands out for the night and make sure I don't hit the ballroom with two left feet again. Anyways, let's meet up again at the ball, yeah?"