daybreakacademy | VALENTINES BALL

VALENTINES BALL

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February 14th is a day both famed and notorious for feats of love, passion and confession. And violence, as this year’s theme suggests - a 1920s speakeasy theme, initially based off the Valentines’ Day massacre of 1929 and toned down to be significantly more fun and less a dark reminder of bloodshed. While this year’s event has no predicted surprises like a daemon invasion in store, the Student Council has still chosen to hire extra security for the ball; bulky constructs in surprisingly well-tailored pinstripe suits and hats stand guard outside the entrances to the venue, impassively watching for any signs of trouble.

The ball itself is laid out similar to a 1920s club, with a large space for dancing, a stage for entertainment, and plenty of tables and chairs for sitting, dining, and chatting. Bars on both sides of the room provide a place to order and collect both food and drink, and the second storey of the venue has been put into use to provide quieter and more secluded places to sit.

A. Classy…? Cocktails
As ever, the Academy has provided a lavish and thematic spread of food for the occasion, with a few unique twists to fit the theme. The drinks of are particular note - aside from the usual range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that Daybreak provides, many are tailor-made for the ball due to a collaboration between some of the alchemy and culinary classes in Daybreak (who were rather too eager to volunteer). Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drink cake or a steak? You’ll find plenty of experiments here, both savory and sweet, to facilitate that experience.

If that’s not to your tastes, some drinks are purely decorative, providing some unique visual or audio effects - you might find yourself sepia-toned or monochrome, chattering like an old-fashioned radio host or filled with an irrepressible urge to sing everything you say - among other things. Mercifully, everything wears off by the end of the night.

B. Changing Stages
While this ball is by no means illegal, there has at least been an attempt to capture the more ‘forbidden’ aspects of a speakeasy. As the night goes on, switches and buttons appear on the walls, and pressing them will make the room shift and change to reveal secret doors and elevators - partially mechanical tricks, but mostly through clever application of magic and mundane illusion. These exits from the room provide ample opportunity for attendees to stretch their legs and take a walk and a break from the rest of the party through mazelike, glittering hallways and smoke-hazy corridors that lead to balconies and small lounges looking out onto strange, abstract views. Walk far enough, and you might end up in a completely different part of the venue than you were before - though for the truly lost, the corridors will always bring you to someone you can ask for help sooner or later, or guide you out.

Well, eventually. It wouldn’t quite fit the theme of a speakeasy without a little bit of uncertainty, would it?

C. Nyeh, See?
For those who would rather indulge in the darker implications of the theme and have no patience for the other entertainment on offer, this maze of corridors offers one other attraction - enchanted guns and gear for laser tag. In strict adherence to the theme, all guns resemble the kind of weaponry that 1920s gangsters would be boasting - and no matter what you were wearing at the time, as soon as you attach a pendant to your clothing, you're immediately in magically-fitting suits any gangster would envy. They even give off the illusion of bleeding should you be 'shot' by one of these enchanted guns, though to avoid causing undue concern the illusory blood sparkles and shines different colours.

D. Shall We Dance?
No Valentines ball is complete without the opportunity to get close to someone you might enjoy the company of, after all. To fit with the speakeasy theme, music and entertainment has been provided - both stage performances from volunteers and a selection of recorded music from the era. And for those up on the second floor, a station has been provided for whatever you’d like to broadcast to the entire room. Whether you’re up on the stage, down on the dancefloor, or you simply want to set a little mood music for certain people to take a hint, there’s bound to be something to do.

Some of the spirits and other, benign creatures that inhabit Daybreak’s grounds have decided to invite themselves, finding the music and warmth too irresistible to refuse. As a result, masked figures dressed in the vague approximation of 1920s fashion can be spotted among the more solid attendants, and those who don’t have a dance partner might well find themselves being asked to dance regardless - and be given small gifts as a token of gratitude for the indulgence. Or they might just nudge you into dancing with someone new...

E. Wildcard
Anything else you’d want to do at the dance? Feel free to enjoy the night - it’s for everyone to indulge themselves, after all.

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Emille's been lurking near the entrance to the laser tag arena for a while, watching others go in and mostly hearing them as they play, with the occasional burst of light speeding towards the entrance. Everyone else so far has ignored her, so she's slightly taken aback when Hazel calls out to her. Even though she's put on the spot, she thinks she's read the rules enough to sort of know what to do. There's nothing to lose by trying...]

I suppose I am going solo, unless you are interested in forming a team? Yet it would be unfair if I did not inform you that I have no experience with such a game, so it would be a risk to take me as a teammate.

[Emille seems as if she's waiting for Hazel's reply before grabbing a pendant and a gun, but she's really wanting to observe how she handles her gun before attempting to do the same.]

[Hazel handles a gun like someone who is well-versed, comfortable. Keeps the barrel pointed down and the safety on. Fingers along the barrel and away from the trigger. She looks Emille over for a moment.]

Sure, we can team up. It's just a game. No one is going to die if you make a mistake.

[Emille nods. Some people are very into winning their games, as if their lives truly did hinge on the outcome. Thankfully it does not seem that Hazel is that type.]

I am glad that you think so, Miss. [Emille dons a pendant but does not activate it just yet. And now the time has come for her to pick up a gun, which she does, taking care not to point it at Hazel. Emille's goal is to make it seem as if she's not completely new to using a gun, so time will tell if her bluff will hold.]

Before we begin, it would be improper if I did not introduce myself. [She dips her head into a bow.] I am Emille, biology professor and Head of Research. [That may be surprising, as Emille is only four feet tall.]

Oh. {A teacher. Someone with authority who it may be important for Hazel to know.]

I'm Hazel. I haven't taken your class yet. Maybe next semester? [Picking classes had been one of the hardest things she'd done when she got to the Academy. She'd never had formal schooling or even something close to it.]

Nice to meet you, Miss Hazel. [It's kind of hard to see in here, so she hopes she'll be able to recognize Hazel when she sees her in regular light.] Even if you did not register for my class, you are welcome to drop in to listen at any time. The labs in the Citadel where my office is located are also always open.

[Emille's getting used to the weight and the feel of the gun, but she hasn't had an opportunity to point it anywhere but the ground yet.] Well then, do you feel ready to play a game? [Emille's not one to back down from a challenge.] I wonder who our opponents will be.

Hm. Thank you, Miss Emille. [She gives her a friendly smile, hoping she comes across as respectful and deferential, as she is a teacher.]

I believe our opponents will likely be the duo the furthest from us, to the right. [She's speaking of the girl and boy who look to be older--and much taller--than Hazel herself who already have their pendant and guns ready. The boy looks like someone who has no idea what to do with a gun despite how happy he is to be holding one.]

They are the only other team ready. We should be first.

[She looks to the right at the pair Hazel mentioned, who are also much taller than Emille, and she hopes that the darkness conceals the sudden what am I doing here frown that slides down her face for a moment. But she shakes out of it and looks back at Hazel.]

I see. At the very least we may have a size advantage against them.

[Emille fingers her pendant.] I suppose it is time to activate this. [She puts it on over her head, and the second it hits her chest, her clothes seem to morph into a perfectly-tailored dark suit. If she could actually see, she would notice that it also has tiny white pinstripes. It's quite an impressive illusion.] Hm. This is certainly interesting.

[Hazel doesn't disagree. Her height can be a great advantage, especially in regards to aim. People aim higher when going for the head. Seeing the costume that Miss Emille is given, Hazel finally activates her own pendant. Her outfit is similar to Emille's, down to the stripes, with the addition of a hat.]

Are we supposed to be the criminals being chased? [She knows little about pop culture, but she looked into this when she found out what the theme of the ball would be.]

[Emille just shrugs at Hazel's question. Though she was born in America, she moved to Japan before she was old enough to learn much about American history.]

I am not sure, but I have not seen anyone dressed as police after activating their pendant. Perhaps we are all criminals in one large mob battle?

[Suddenly, a group of chattering people emerge from the arena and begin returning their guns and pendants to the table. Watching them go from mobster suits to ballroom apparel in a flash of magic is a little weird. But, if the arena is open, then...]

I suppose we are next, are we not? [Gulp.]

VALENTINES BALL

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