FEAST OF ST. VALENTINE

[thewatchers]

FEAST OF ST. VALENTINE

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The auditorium floor has been cleared and polished to perfection, the smooth wooden surface prepped and ready to accept the students of Daybreak Academy as they step onto the floor to strut their stuff. Lining the walls are tables with lavish hors d'oeuvres, desserts, and drinks. For now, at least, the drinks are non-alcoholic, although there are a number of wine bottles and ale casks ready to be broached once the battle is finished.

Along the south wall, an array of weapon lockers has been set up for the students to deposit their weaponry for the coming invasion, with Valet Golems collecting arms and printing claim tickets from slots in their frames for students to reclaim their equipment before the battle. Familiars are taken to a spacious sound-proofed holding pen where they can relax before the fight without having to hear any loud sounds or music that some might find alarming.

The ball kicks off with soft classical music intended for austere, formal dances that have been popular among the moneyed and nobility for generations. This segment, thankfully, ends after about fifteen minutes as the DJ station is opened up to student volunteers who can play whatever they wish, shattering the atmosphere in an instant.


A. SNACK BAR
As is common in Daybreak, the food tables are stocked in opulence that can only be described as excessive. Hors d’oeurves and desserts are present in abundance, stacked high on porcelain platters resting on displays made of enchanted ice, the cold from the ice keeping the snacks and desserts at an optimal temperature for consumption throughout the night. Bowls of punch and other non-alcoholic beverages line the table, and behind the table sits massive wooden casks of German ales and meads, as well as a large display of fine French wines. These particular drinks are cordoned off for the first part of the dance, but will be opened up as soon as the battle is finished.

B. DJ STATION
Before the dance, student volunteers were able to sign up to DJ the dance, the Facility expecting students will be best suited at providing a musical experience that will be most enjoyable to their fellows. The DJ station has several turntables, access to a vast catalogue of music from over several centuries (some with original master recordings), and a microphone system they can broadcast commentary over. The DJ schedule is posted, each volunteer is given roughly equivalent time at the station, and can man the booth however they wish, including what, if any suggestions from students they’ll accept and how much they talk about or over the music.

C. DANCE FLOOR, PRE-INVASION
The dance kicks off with the first segment, which involves about fifteen minutes of formal ballroom music followed by an open floor for student music, although the volunteer for this segment is given instructions to keep the heavier dance music out until after the battle. Pre-invasion, expect a lot of soft classical and slow-dance music and not a lot of music with a driving beat.

D. CLEAR THE FLOOR...
About fifteen minutes before the arrival of the daemon invaders, the dance floor will be cleared and the Valet Golems will sweep onto the floor, collecting claim tickets and returning weaponry and equipment to their rightful owner (usually). With the incoming invasion, Faculty will assemble on the outer ring of the dance floor and be prepared to cover students should they struggle or extricate students who find themselves in danger. Students will assemble on the inner ring, pointing their weapons inward at the emergence point which will be marked on the floor for maximum intimidation factor when the Daemons emerge. This is also a good opportunity for Faculty to give some last-minute pointers and remind students to attempt to take some of the Daemons alive, if possible.

E. IT’S A BALL AND BLITZ
”TREMBLE MORTALS!”

A portal comprised of pure flame opens on the dance floor as massive humanoid creatures, red scales covering their bodies save for their yellow bellies and black bat wings, as well as massive jagged horns adorning their heads emerge. Spewing flames and brimstone from their mouths, their expressions are ferocious but quickly fall to shock and alarm as they see the force assembled before them. The largest, presumably the leader, speaks up.

“Dark Lord Below why are there so many of you!?”

The command to attack is given at that moment as the students descend upon the hapless Daemons. There are several dozen Daemons, and while a single Daemon is more than a match for a single student, there are enough students present to face each one in groups of four to six, and in these circumstances the Daemons, while equipped with flame breath, swords forged of bolts of lightning, and whips of fire, do not stand a chance.

F. BRING ON THE CHAMPAGNE
Once the Daemons have been defeated, golems will once again appear to sweep the floor, clean it and polish it so the dance may resume. During this time they will also cart off any captured Daemons, should the students have managed that. During this time, the students will be invited to the snack tables as true Champagne from the Champagne province is distributed in celebration. Servers will take their places to broach the casks and distribute the wines on order to any students or faculty who would like them. Younger students will have somewhat limited access in consideration of their relative size, and the servers have a good eye for when they need to cut someone off.

G. DANCE FLOOR, POST-INVASION
After the invasion is when the dance will really pick up steam. Faster songs and heavier beats will be unleashed on the students flush from their victory over the Daemons, and this is when the dance floor will get hot. Slow songs will still make their way in, but once the fight’s done, be ready to bring your A-game.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

Yuya | OTA

[hippocarnival]

PRE-BATTLE

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's arrived to the dance on time, in a simple black suit and a tie of questionable fashion. He has his hair mostly tamed and pulled back in a half-ponytail as well.]

[May I Have This Dance]

[Yuya came without a date. While that might seem discouraging, not getting asked or asking anyone else, to Yuya it's an opportunity. He knows he's not the only one, and that's why when the music's playing he's got his eyes peeled around the edges of the dance floor--looking for people hanging out alone at the sides, looking listless or bored or anxious...

Those people he quickly weaves around to, and wish a dramatic bow offers them his hand and a coy smile.] Would you dance with me?

[This is supposed to be a fun event, even with the imminent attack. He doesn't think anyone should be left out of having a good time.]

[Table Manners]

[Dancing requires energy, though, and while usually Yuya filches quick eclairs and pastries from the tables before going back to mingling, sometimes he sits down with a slice of cake or a glass of punch and takes a few minutes.

He glances over to whoever's next to him at the table.] It's fun, right?

Imelda Rivera | OTA

[no_dejare_de_quererte]

Pre-battle

[no_dejare_de_quererte]

[Imelda's arrival to the ball is quiet and understated for the level of willpower it took to get her here. It's a formal affair, so she's dressed as formally as she can muster: Her school uniform, blazer and skirt freshly cleaned for the ocassion. There's an air of no nonsense about her as she enters the hall, eyes skimming over the dance floor and instead landing on a table set off in the corner, about as far from the music and dancing as she can be. It's still not quiet, not by any stretch of the imagination, but she's been mentally preparing herself for this--and she's at least brought a book to read in the meantime.]

[Anyone approaching her will find her deeply absorbed in reading--or at least trying her best to be. The book sits open on the table with a small plate of food beside it, and she leans on one elbow as she turns a page every so often.]

((I can match brackets or prose, whichever you like.))

Gongenzaka | OTA

[betheman]

PRE-BATTLE

[betheman]

[Closed to Yuuya | That's Definitely a Date Dude]

[For all that they might have talked about doing Gongenzaka's hair differently for the dance, the fact is that the dance started- and ended- in darkness. Or at least, a darker time of the day. As such, Gongenzaka doesn't really...have any hair to style, unless he wanted to deal with his mane.

Which, no one would, that looks dumb.

But it doesn't stop Gongenzaka from coming to the party. He has a nicely fitting dark blue suit courtesy of shopping with Orihime, and while he hasn't foregone his shoulder sash, it's actually under the suit jacket- and thus, cannot be seen.

Not like the geta anyway- but hey. He's a very dressed up bear! A dressed up bear with what looks to be a small box in his hands as he arrives inside. Hmmmm...]

[Bearflower- Wallflower???]

[Despite the best efforts of others, Gongenzaka is not exactly one to party- and that's not because of any shyness or similar it's more...he just isn't the type to party. It's a good load of sounds and smells and crowding that he just kind of can't get into 100%.

So he's kind of awkwardly standing at the side, more waiting for the fighting to break out than anything.

Pay no attention to the bear in the corner.]

[Snack Time]

[Oh right, there's food. Not that he can just spend the whole party eating, but he might as well have a few snacks before the fight, he figures. Unfortunately most of it is...desserts....]

Mnh...have you seen perhaps, any meatier things..? [Mini-quiche? Rolled up sandwich ham? ...Shrimp?? It doesn't matter who's beside them, he's asking.]

Orihime Inoue | OTA

[leekspins]

Pre-Fight

[The term 'fashionably late' sadly does not apply to Orihime. She arrives punctually, so she's just in time to...not...dance. She hears the ballroom music, and the cheery smile she wore with her enchanted dress (thanks, Mal!) quickly turns awkward. It's ballroom dancing...? She didn't really expect that. As such, she takes her time checking in her weapons, sweeping her skirts aside to reveal the leather holster she fashioned to unhook the aluminum bat and the crowbar she'd hung there. It's disappointing, but definitely more convenient, and she tucks the claim ticket into the web shooter on her wrist, which she likes much more than a corsage.]

[There's still time to kill, so she primarily hangs out by the food, but cheerfully seeks out conversation with anyone she knows (or doesn't know, she's not shy!). When a fast song plays, she's definitely easy to find on the dance floor, laughing and keeping up with the beat. When a slow song plays, she's mysteriously gone and somewhat hard to find. Where did she go? No one knows. Get a fast song on the speakers and she'll appear again like magic.]

---------------------------

FAITO!

[She takes her place with the others, deliberately hiding her weapons in her skirts again just because she lives for that moment where she throws back her parted skirts and takes the bat and crowbar menacingly into hand and strikes her best battle pose. She's visibly unafraid of these enormous fiery daemons.]

[But once the actual fighting begins, she falls back to a support role. The crowbar gets hung once more since she doesn't really need it unless a door gets jammed, but she keeps the bat. Rather than joining any particular team, Orihime stays alert and on the move, keeping her eyes open for anyone who gets wounded and needs healing. She'll occasionally even spray a splotch of spider webbing into a daemon's face to temporarily blind or stun it.]

[If a daemon does elect to pursue her...she's healing and alone, seemingly vulnerable...she runs. There are plenty of student teams and faculty members better equipped to fight than she is, the bat is just a last resort. She's more likely to put those flameproof blankets (that she and Tatsumaki brought in advance) to use and pull the wounded or non-fighters out of harm's way than actually causing any harm herself. She might need a rescue or assist now and then, or can provide such herself to whoever needs her.]

-----------------------

Aftermath

[Now that it's over, she's a little tired! It's a shame all the faster songs come on at the end, and she does stick around for some of those, but mostly she just wants water. Her hair is disheveled, her skirts singed, and her breathing is quick and labored. She guzzles cup after cup to relieve the dry smoky feeling in her throat, pausing only long enough to congratulate someone on a cool move they used in the fight or to slap palms for a triumphant high five.]

[But she's likely to leave early, gathering her coat and slipping out the door with bat and crowbar in hand. She'd just like a shower and some sleep, truth be told, but she'll linger if she's wanted or walk home with anyone else who feels like calling it a night.]

Pre-Fight

[prisoneroffate]

[Ren has observed Orihime's patterns with some amusement, swinging over to catch her as a faster song winds down]

Not big on ballroom?

Maya Matlin | OTA unless otherwise Stated

[lastexit]

PRE-FIGHT

[lastexit]

Closed to Peter Parker

Maya's dress had been modified to handle a strapless bra under it, and while it couldn't be seen. she was wearing sneakers under the dress. Look, fashion is great, but she'd like to not have to worry about falling on her face while running around being attacked by demons.

Her hair was loose, her make-up light. But still all very good at making her look pretty. She did have a date, trying was just the right thing to do.

They'd walk to the dance together, her mind was a little preoccupied with all that was going on. But she would at least try to have fun.

Closed to Orihime

Maya waited until she could get Orihime alone for a moment before approaching, her mind trying to pick the right way to ask the girl to chat about something, well, Maya shouldn't know. And in spite of Maya's powers she was still bad at figuring out how to talk about what she heard, especially the secrets.

"Um, can we find somewhere private to talk?"

(Open) Hey, wanna Dance?

As much as Maya was here with someone, she was also here to make new friends. And as much as she wasn't a great dancer, it was the easiest activity to do at a dance without talking. Which she wasn't always the best at. And if she had to pick between talking and dancing, the dancing was the better choice.

"This song sounds like your speed, wanna dance?"

(Open) Snacks and Solitude

Maya's powers can be a bit much when a large crowd is all in one place. And there will be a demon attack later. So she stays in the crowd as long as she can... until she can't anymore. When that happens food is great, and she slips out of the room to find a nice empty corridor to deaden the sound of people for a time.

"I really need to invest in a flask or something. And somewhere to put it in this stupid dress..."

Ekkehardt | OTA

[spelleton]

A.

[ Ekkehardt's dressed in black and white rather than his usual red, and he's spruced up his 'hair' a little with a few sparkling decorations. Other than that, though, he hasn't felt the need to do anything special with himself.

Before the fight begins and the floor is cleared, he can be seen idly pacing or wandering the room, engaging in small talk. He's his usual pleasant, polite self, even if he does seem a little restless and unable to stay in one place.

Occasionally, you can hear him humming or even singing along, quietly, to whatever happens to catch his fancy on the DJ station. He seems to know an alarming amount of songs, and his musical tastes apparently jump all over the place. ]

B.

[ Once the fight begins in earnest, Ekkehardt hovers around the fringes of the battlefield. By all appearances, he's staying out of it - but he has the sharp, focused look of someone hunting for something, rather than being frightened or unsettled.

If you need help, maybe you'll find yourself suddenly and magically pulled or pushed away from trouble, or a bolt of fire or lightning will strike overhead to distract your attacker from hurting you more.

Or Ekkehardt will just knife a daemon right in a painful spot for you and simply get to work on disabling them, if needed. He's unsettlingly quick, and unsettlingly accurate with targeting weak points.

And if you need healing? Well, he'll be there for that too. It's what he's here for, after all. He'll be constantly pacing the floor and weaving his way through the battle to get to anyone who need him, treating the fighting as more of an inconvenient obstacle than any sort of threat. He is unshakably, unerringly calm, even in the heat of combat. ]

C.

[ The fight is over, and now it's time to celebrate! Ekkehardt has taken it upon himself to supervise the drink tables, so if you're a younger student sneaking one too many, you might get a sort of exasperated look or a word from him to not drink too much at once.

Otherwise, if you need a dance partner, he's happy to indulge any requests. All you have to do is ask. ]

D.

[ Wildcard?? Anything I didn't put here or anything plotted with me, go nuts. ]

B

[hattersgonnahat]

[Had she known the dance was going to be a disaster, Puella would have stayed in the dorms that night. All she planned to do was smuggle a bunch of the snacks and desserts back to her room, right as the daemons appeared. She had been spotted once, but amidst of the chaos she thought she successfully lost the daemon by hiding beneath one of the tables. And probably would have, if it weren't for the suspicious trail of cookies and cupcakes leading towards it.]

[All Puella could do was stay perfectly still until the battle was over, not even aware that there was a daemon looming over until a clawed hand came right through the table, and just inches away from her head.]

Avery | OTA unless noted -- will match prose or brackets

[subconmodo]

A. Can you feel the love tonight?

[Avery is here for one reason and one reason alone. This fact is underlined by three things.]

[First by the scowl on his face. Every time a lovey dovey song comes on, he looks almost like he's going to come down with another bad case of food poisoning. Second by his position as the veritable president of the Wallflower Club, sitting as close to the wall as humanly possible, arms and legs crossed. And thirdly by the crowbar leaning against his chair, ready to be snatched up at a moment's notice.]

[Even the happy heart shaped balloons seem to be giving him a wide berth.]


B. Sage advice

[As students and faculty alike await the coming invasion, Avery has only one thing to say:]

Make sure to aim for the eyes and the groin!


C. STOP, STOP, HE'S ALREADY DEAD

[Avery has, for the most part, been fighting from the sidelines, sending out the occasional burst of shadow magic to keep the daemons at bay. It's hard to find a good spot to aim what with all the students running around, but with luck a few of them will realize that they're supposed to stay out of the glowing circles if they want to remain in one piece.]

[Then one of the daemons makes a mistake. Whether a student or faculty member knocked it over or the fool tripped over its own two feet, it's prone on the ground and Avery pounces on the opportunity in front of him, rushing the unlucky soul and bringing his crowbar down on it again and again and again]

[And again.]

[And again.]

[The daemon stopped moving several blows ago and yet Avery continues on with an almost manic grin, blood splattering the nice suit he'd worn to the dance]


D. Bad Cop, Dramatic Cop -- Interrogation itself closed to Valvatorez, but open for a mingling peanut gallery

[After a rousing success of a battle, the captured daemons were herded somewhere away from prying eyes for proper questioning.]

[It's the best day Avery has had in awhile. He looks positively delighted.]

I call bad cop! Not that I didn't call it in the infirmary, but it's nice to make sure we're all on the same page.


E. Wildcard

[Anything else you want to play out? Let's go nuts!]

C

[spelleton]

Oh, for god's sake.

[ He makes a grab for Avery's wrist after the first few strikes because could you calm down a little. ]

What are you doing?

[ He says in the meantime, like he doesn't already know exactly what he's doing. ]

Rex Arany 🐕 OTA

[heromedal]

Pre-Battle

[heromedal]

Rex has not put a great deal of effort into this. He's here to fight and was tricked into believing a date is necessary to attend- once he got that date, it was too awkward to tell Kano he didn't want it anymore. So that's life!

He obtained a cheap blazer and mostly for the sake of trying out what he has learned from Orihime, added some of the eye-catching embroidery of Bulgarian folk costume. The fact that's actually fashionable in his home country now is a coincidence and should in no way indicate Rex has any idea of what he's doing. He also needed to make it actually fit him, because no one makes blazers with arms long enough for him.

And that's it in terms of fanciness. Just that and jean. It has shoulder pads and is buttoned up to the neck to retain a little of his 'not scrawny' illusion caused by his huge puffy coat- but the real fake bulk comes from the fact he's wearing a flak jacket under there with numerous pouches.

A

If Rex has his way, he won't be leaving here for a while. He holds a plate in one hand and eats with the other, but it vanishes so quickly he might as well just be shovelling the food directly into his mouth. It's not that he lacks table manners, it's just that it goes rapidly. Part of him wants to avoid filling up and puking in the middle of a fight, but his need to eat any food in his vicinity in case he can't get any later keeps him going. His drink floats beside him and occasionally with a flick of his wrist, it rises to his lips.

D

For reasons that are known only to him, Rex has chosen not to entirely remove his blazer- instead, he has it draped over his shoulders, his arms removed from it. It's so he can dramatically cast it aside easily at some point. For now, he's quietly preparing his equipment, putting his rifle together. Checking the contents of his many pouches, containing all sorts of tricks. His gas mask hangs around his neck- after he made a fool of himself with the Black Dog outfit, he's not going to put that on in public.

If no one interrupts his preparations, he'll also be wandering about and asking others if they want any sort of his buffs applied to them. They last a while and every little helps.

(( Or hit me with any pre-battle prompt you want! Brackets, prose, smoke signals, I don't mind. ))

Tyzias | OTAish

[tiredcharmer]

 

Prebattle

[tiredcharmer]

Howling at the Moon (Closed to Jade)
Tyzias couldn't believe she was doing this. She didn't have time for a date. (Wait, was this a date? Did she agree to a date? SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT) Tyzias should be spending her valuable time fine-tuning her runespells for the incoming daemonic assault instead of dancing, for goodness's sake!

And yet... here she was. All done up in a tux with a teal tie, teal nails, and teal lipstick. Why. Why was she doing this. She could never say no to Jade but even this was pushing it just a bit far.

Tyzias paces back and forth in front of Jade's bedroom door, occasionally tugging on her tie and looking nervously at the doorframe. Why was she feeling like this. Why.

Awkward (Dance Floor) - Tyzias
During the dance, Tyzias clings to Jade like a lifeboat off the Titanic. Dances were not her element. At all. Too many people in too much of an enclosed space. But through the whims of fate, she is eventually separated from her date(??????). Tyzias frantically swims through the crowd, making for the wall to put her roots down there and blend in with the rest of the wallflowers.

With no phone to fiddle with, Tyzias instead chooses to tweak an increasingly complex compound runic array, circles of teal light arranged in symbols spreading all around her. "Fuckin'... god damn holy magic, such a pain to work with," she mutters. "At least the White Flame's halfway fuckin' sensible."

Ill Beats (DJ Station) - Tyzias?
The song, without any warning, suddenly switches to a hauntingly, achingly familiar tune. One that many people will find unfortunately familiar.

But midway through the second chorus of "Never Gonna Give You Up," the song hard-pivots to... "All Star." By Smash Mouth. And then "Sweet Victory" when some change is asked for. It continues in this chaotic, memetic manner as somebody cackles like a hyena from booth.

Somebody needs to stop this madman!

Hit the Ground Running (Dance Floor) - Tyzias?
Somebody is absolutely tearing it up on the dancefloor. Gyrating, shaking, whooping, even a little bit of twerking--it's impossible not to stare at the sheer energy this madwoman is bringing to the dance. She's wearing a suit jacket over a band shirt, some ripped jeans, worn sneakers, and an odd white mask emblazoned with the symbol of a black sun, cutting a very distinctive figure against the background of the dancefloor.

And then she reaches out with a monstrous, jagged black-and-white arm, grabbing someone with her claw and pulls them into her dance. "Alright, man! Let's go!" she whoops, leaning back. Despite the mask, it's easy to tell that she's grinning wildly.

Maverick Taylor | ota unless marked

[deuteranope]

[I will more than likely use brackets no matter what, but if you're more comfortable with prose, feel free to use it! Also a cw for copious amounts of swearing, like all Mav interactions, and light alcohol usage.

I can be reached at goblinhood for extra plotting if needed!

Most important thing to note is that Mav more than likely will not be going inside during th main dance and will not be fighting. "What the heck then, Goblin?" you may be asking at this prompt holder top, but listen...gestures. If something changes and he stops being dumb, a new prompt will reflect that, otherwise feel free to meet him outside for an ass-kicking.]

Cats Don't Dance - closed to Nekano

[deuteranope]

[Dances are stupid, and dances about cute lovey dovey bullshit were...still stupid, but mostly they just didn't apply to him. So what if Mama had hinted it would be good for him to go, even with the attack, and mused aloud if there was someone he might want to take? So what if he'd told Peter he had not five, but seven dates lined up? So what if he'd gotten a dozen carnations delivered to him in the same, generic manner that all the girls (and woman) on his floor had received? The girls were all nice, pretty, and deserving of some small, nice, pretty thing. Maverick...is pretty sure his delivery was a fucking joke.

...Fuck whoever's messing with him, though, because he's keeping 'em, and he can give them to Mama, too. That'll show 'em. Can't hurt him when he doesn't give a fuck!!!

It's that same, almost bitter "I don't care" attitude that had Maverick perched on his bed, ignoring the festivities by already wearing an oversized shirt and boxers as his pajamas with bottle of nail polish being held steady between his toes as he works on painting his fingernails black. A wine cooler sits on the side table next to him, half gone, and since Imelda is at the dance he can go ahead and play some nice, loud tunes like a young man was always meant to.

Yep. This is most definitely going to be his night.]

OTA; closed prompts below

[suddenlybees]

i. pre-battle
[ If you're looking for Kano anywhere during this time, you'll have to look elsewhere (aka, Michael's direction, as the daemon's been pleaded with/given the task of masquerading as Kano throughout the evening)—- "Kano" himself can be found in two forms:

One is as a girl, long dirty blond hair the same shade as Kano's own, but with light brown eyes and a simple dress of navy blue with large white dots. She seems to be running around a lot, to the bathroom or into a large crowd or behind a buffet table, busy with something she doesn't let on past the bright smile on her face. Maybe she crashes straight into you on the way to the bathroom-- maybe she's on the dance floor and twirls around and grabs your hand regardless of if you want to dance or already have somebody to dance with-- maybe you see her down two glasses of punch in a row and then sit down with her back to a wall and put her face in her hands.

The other form is that of a little black cat. Meow, meow, Nekano should not be here, probably, but here he is. The cat also does a lot of running around, though he sticks to the edges of the room rather than barreling straight through the center of it. He doesn't stick around very long, the fur on the back of his neck perpetually standing on end with how loud the room is and how many people are shoved into one space, but... idk, if you'd rather play with a cat than dance? here's your chance. ]

ii. mid-battle

[ Haha, fuck this. This is more for context than a real prompt, but the entire time this is happening, Kano is just Nekano, hissing and spitting and darting around trying not to get targeted by anything. He shouldn't be here. He didn't want to be here in the first place. He can't fight, he's only a liability in these close combat situations, and his illusions? In the end, they're fake. That's what illusions are: fake, meaningless, useless. But he's here anyways, relatively under the radar of the daemons; it leaves him free to be where he needs to be, get close enough to make bright lights flash in people's periphery so that they'd turn and see a thread coming they might have otherwise missed, or to go around to butt his kitty head against people who aren't fighting and never wanted to in the first place, bring them back to reality and at least get them to move instead of staying in one place, or to—- narrowly get singed by a fireball, yowling as he scrambles out of the way, so close that he throws something away from him; it's hard to tell what it is in all the smoke, but in that instant, there's a BANG!!!, and the daemon is met with a face-full of fireworks, golden sparkles burning in its mouth and eyes and might have been pretty if it also didn't make the daemon so much more dangerous. He was saving those... ]

iii. post-battle
[ Presumably by now, Kano's relieved Michael of his duties and can have his own face and body back, glad to be back so he can find a far-off corner and pound his head against the wall, ughhhhh—- he doesn't actually do this, but he mentally beats himself up about this and that (he needs to find Nana, also Rex, and also... tomorrow...) then decides fuck that, he's going home instead of staying for the rest of the party. Does he feel like celebrating? Nah, nah, nah.

He takes one last trip to the buffet table, shoving breadsticks into his backpack. ]

wc.
[ pp me at birdseed if you want me to write a custom prompt for you or plot anything else out! As a recap, up through the end of the battle, Michael is disguising himself as Kano, and Kano is disguising himself as either a girl or a cat depending on when you run into him-- but after all of that, he'll be back to being his Kano self, and is free to being confronted about it! or not, he hopes not ]

[closed to Nana; 7:37, pre-ball]

[suddenlybees]

[ There's a lot to do this evening; Kano's got to be everywhere at once, and Michael's got to be everywhere at once, but they can't be in the same "everywhere" at the same time, especially at the very start of the party when the crowd is thin and it's easier to spot duplicates. Living on the same floor, it only really makes sense that Kano picks up Nana, and then make the switch somewhere inside the auditorium, so he's at her door half an hour early to knock, other hand behind his back. ]

Valvatorez | OTA

[arcadianvampire]

[D]

[Though Valvatorez has been present since well before the dance even began, he's largely kept himself scarce. He's popped up here and there as needed or if anyone specifically went looking for him, but by and large, he's content to let the students have a good time before the fight.

Of course, as the time quickly winds down to clear the floor, the daemon is much more actively around... particularly when one of the valets comes and delivers him his sword; a particularly impressive looking weapon with an ornate gold-like hilt, and bright red glowing core in its blade. He'd checked his weapon at the door in solidarity with his students, and as such now has it back and ready.

With it in tow, Valvatorez walks the ballroom, looking for students who are ready to fight but may be suffering from nerves. Many of the kids here were still green, so handing out advice and reassurances was very important to him. If any student, regardless of group, looks ill-at-ease, Val will approach them for support if they need it.]

[E - Phase 1]

Hah! You call that an entrance?! Your sense of style is lacking, you rank amateurs!

[Sure enough, that's Valvatorez trash-talking the daemons as soon as the battle begins. Foremost, he keeps back at first, keeping an eye out for students that might need help. Any mook daemons that are dumb enough to try to attack him don't live long enough to regret their life choices.

For now, he's content to make sure the students don't need his help... and will give it without judgment if they do.]

[E - Phase 2, With Ekkehardt]

[Once the tide of the battle is truly decided, Valvatorez enters the fray in earnest, eyes locked squarely on one of the Daemonic Commanders. Of course, he's not going alone. He knows a certain someone has his back, and he's quite looking forward to showing that while he might be a former Tyrant, he's been around long enough to show Daemons how it's really done.]

Now... let's see how the lot of you fare against a real daemon.

Fight for your lives, fools.

[Val flicked his cape to his side dramatically, revealing Dark Calibur already unsheathed, and ready for battle.]

[F]

[After the brawl, Valvatorez knows the rest of the night will be a busy one. He won't have much time to enjoy the rest of the festivities, but while the place is being cleaned up, he'll have a precious few minutes to check up on the students again. He'll wander around the celebrating kids, offering congratulations and praise to everyone he could see in the fight, as much as he can.

He's in a good mood, and he's feeling alive, and he's endlessly proud of these kids for their efforts. Let him come and congratulate you for a job well done.]

[Wildcard]

[Really, if you want to catch Val before things go down, or if you're faculty and wish to talk to him afterward, he'll be open... once he's done with interrogations, at any rate.]

Phase 2

[spelleton]

[ Valvatorez can stride into the middle of battle and draw attention all he likes; he's seen the daemon in action, and he's more than capable than taking care of himself. Ekkehardt has been trained both not to draw attention if he can help it, and to take advantage of other people's desires to.

It's been a while since he's had a reason to get violent. He's not certain if he misses it, exactly, but there's a certain satisfaction in a job well done.

The Daemon Commander strides forward in response to the challenge, eyes locked on its foe and ignoring all else in that special kind of arrogant confidence that stronger daemons tend to possess.

Ekkehardt, who sees it as a weakness to exploit, steps neatly into position behind it and with as much finesse as he can muster, begins the process of surgically severing one of those inconvenient wings from its connecting shoulderblade by slicing into a major muscle. ]

Oh, my apologies, [ he says, sounding entirely unfazed as the daemon screeches in surprise and a not-insignificant amount of pain. ] This shouldn't hurt much.

[ Its attention is now significantly divided. ]

Cereza | OTA

[thedevilwearsgucci]

Pre-battle | OTA

[thedevilwearsgucci]

[Dance floor: Out-of-this-world fashion.]

Cereza arrives late, but that's hardly surprising. She's the kind of woman who would show up late for her own funeral. (Something she's actually done, and boy were those Angels surprised.)

Let everyone else have their conventional gowns; she sashays in, in skyscraper heels, a little bitty bodysuit and... Is that... a glowing cape and skirt? My god.

"Happy Valentine's Day, all of you! Now then, little candles. Seeing as I'm technically your chaperone, you'd better not do anything I wouldn't do."

Speaking of which, you'll certainly find her on the dance floor, and while the playlist is more classically-inclined than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, that doesn't mean she can't make the most of it and waltz a little bit. Ask her to dance?

[Clearing the Floor: How's this for a Magic Trick?]

There's a definite, tense hush as music slows and the golems scrape to life to deliver to the students and faculty their weapons. It's enough to even stop her from dancing, and she wheels on a golem holding four VERY LARGE pistols in its paws.

"Ooh! For me? You shouldn't have." She chortles, and one by one, flips each gun up into the air to come down about a meter and a half away. Then in an explosion of motion, a cloud of bats burst forth from her form (leaving the bodysuit and glowing cape behind in an inert heap, by the way) and re-forms just under the landing point of her weapons.

I know what you're thinking. You're wondering: Is she naked?

...Maybe. But for only a split-second, before a fine black suit seems to materialize around her in mid-cartwheel. The guns come down and attach to her heels, one by one like the stilettos she just left behind, and she rights herself in time to catch the other two.

"Mmhmn, now... Let's rock!"

Super Mario 🍄 OTA

[p1]

[p1]

Mario is as omnipresent at a social event as he is elsewhere. How he finds the time is a mystery, but he says hello to everyone, even if it's just a "hey, how yah doin'" in passing. His outfit is one only he could wear.

1. You knew this was coming.

It happens in every dance, no matter how lively the participants. There's a lull, a moment of quiet and stillness- maybe it's born of coincidence or the strange urge young people have to split in the middle and hang by the walls.

Not on Mario's watch.

As if arranged by fate, it's Mario's turn to decide the music and he holds up a record with some reverence, though he does blow a bit of dust off of it. The whole dance is silent aside from mild chatter for a moment until

DUH-NUHN-NUHN-NUH!

"Do the Mario!"

Mario leaps clean over the decks into the middle of the dancefloor, singing along in perfect harmony with his own voice blasting from the sound system. Those who have been at the Academy for a while know this always happens whenever a party starts to get limp and never stops until everyone has done the Mario at least once.

2. Rescues are what a Mario does

It'd be a little too much to ask that nobody needs help, but thankfully Mario is always willing to give it. Someone struggling can, as always, rely on Mario. Got a problem? Yo, he'll solve it.

3. Hit the showers.

So some people are basically okay but covered in gore and soot and other hazards of combat. So what does Mario do?

He pulls out the F.L.U.D.D., of course! A quick spritz to get you refreshed, how about it? He can dry you off a million ways too!

He doesn't always ask before he starts spraying though.

4. It's-a You!

[ Hit me with whatever you got! ]

Naoki Kashima | OTA (mostly)

[gaiarage]

Pre-fight

[gaiarage]

A.

[Naoki looks fucking miserable.

And he is, but that's mostly because he couldn't show up without full formal attire and this tux feels stiflingly hot against his skin even in the middle of winter. It doesn't help that it's a size too large and bunches uncomfortably around his shoulders and elbows whenever he moves. But all is not lost, because there's a promise of a fight and, more importantly, free food, and he intends to take advantage of both.

You can catch him scarfing down hor d’oeurves like a hungry dog or ladling punch directly into his mouth or committing any number of food-based atrocities. It's going to be a tough battle, so he needs all the energy he can get.]

C.

[He didn't come here to dance, not really, but he can't help himself sometimes. He's all wired now, like there's a power line hook right into his backbone, every part of him coiled up tight. Gotta burn this off somehow. Gotta move, gotta do something.

Then the song changes to something faster, with a harder beat, and he's off. Calling it "dancing" is a little generous, since he's mostly whipping his arms around and stomping as hard as he can, but at least he's enjoying himself. Everyone's lucky the floor is reinforced.]

D.

[Finally. Part of him was worried the attack would never happen, but seeing the faculty herd everyone around puts him a little more at ease. Naoki takes his place in the circle of students, not because they told him to or anything, but because he wants to be there, right in the action. He rolls his shoulders and drops low, into a fighting stance.

Fists clench and unclench. The daemon in his stomach writhes and chatters. Any second now.]

Come on, come on.

[Someone's getting impatient.]

Z.

[Aside from a few outbursts, Naoki is a dedicated member of the Wallflower Club, prowling around the edge of the dancefloor and generally looking like he's about to explode. So, yknow, feel free to bug him about whatever.]

Toki - Tsuyukusa | OTA

[yokeye]

Note: Tsuyukusa is an Outlands tree spirit who needed a new vessel = he's Toki's jellyfish. Toki doesn't know he's not just a jellyfish and has never met him. He's Kano's "Date #4".
--

\\ Ball Alternative

[Toki is not attending the ball, but has instead gone to Soleil. Originally, he had planned to look for a safe place on campus, like a bomb shelter, but had a bit of a panic attack and went to an extra therapy session instead, then hung out in a bathroom with Kano for a while. Currently, Toki's at a bar, ordering expensive hard liquor and listening to the resident drunks tell stories. His intentions are simply to have a good time, but how often does that work out for him?]


\\ Fuck Everything

[When not in the company of 'Tsubomi', Tsuyukusa can be found loitering and scowling, and generally looking out of place. An awkward young man in mismatched and ill-fitting clothing, borrowed from Toki and Yuya. He's probably sticking around for the daemon fight if anyone needs some help, and brought a halligan for attempting to beat the shit out of whatever. He's spent the last four and a half years as a jellyfish and he has some frustrations to alleviate.]

Gunvolt | OTA

[shockingblue]

[A]

[Gunvolt showed up right as the dance started, perhaps even a little early. He quickly checked in his Dart Leader and armor for when things would go down, though he kept his new QUILL-logo pendant on him. It might've looked a little out of place in the nice suit he was in, but frankly, he didn't much care. Knowing battle was coming and he'd probably be burning a lot of energy when it did, he made an early stop at the snack bar. He filled up a plate with an array of different things, got a large glass of punch to go with it, and sought out a table where he might find some company.]

Hey. What do you think of the party so far?

[C]

[He'd admit, most of the music playing wasn't his scene, barring a few good selections from the student DJs, but... he went to take lessons on how to dance, so... might as well try to make use of them? He might approach you if you're a girl around his age who doesn't look like they have a date or a partner.]

Uh... hi. Would you like to dance?

[D]

[When the floor clearing was called, GV excused himself to go change into his armor and prep his Dart Leader. He tried to keep himself calm; he'd been in real battle before, so it wasn't like he was wrung-out, but he'd be lying if he tried to claim he wasn't at least a little on edge.

He looked over to whoever was close to him after slapping in a fresh magazine of darts into his pistol.]

You ready for this?

[E, Primarily for Ky, but open anyway]

[Early on in the battle, Gunvolt makes quite an unpleasant discovery. Many of these daemons are barely flinching from either his Dart Leader, his Flashfield, or even directed lightning. While it's working, they don't appear to be as affected by it as he thinks they should be.

...Is he in over his head this time? Is he not as strong as he thought he was?

Nevertheless, he presses on. He might need some help as one of the daemons with a fire whip starts looming toward him, wishing to file a complaint about being shot and continually shocked.]

Come on! Go down already!!

[F/G]

[After that intense battle, GV's gassed. He might've overdone it with his powers. He does take one glass of Champagne, but after sitting down, one of the servers brings him a bottle of a sports drink that he asked for. Gunvolt finds a table and chair he could sit down at and try to recharge, combating that fatigue threatening to settle in. After resting for quite awhile, he might find it in him to go and dance on the floor, partner or not.

Though bringing his A-game he won't be. He's tired, stiff, and sore, and it shows, even if his spirit's fully in it. But damned if it's going to stop him from having a good time before dragging himself home to get some much needed sleep.]

E

[bejustorbedead]

[Ky had learned the same issue with his lightning, but a sharp blade seems to have more of an effect as he suddenly seem to come out of nowhere, lunging at the daemon, impaling it in the flank - twisting the blade before the air crackles and a blue bolt darts across the length of it and inside the daemon, causing it to flinch and stagger]

Stay close to me!

Nana Daiba | ota!

[playitagain]

Pre-Battle

[playitagain]

A. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE COOKIES

[Yes, yes. Students aren't expected to work the food table at the dance...

...but Nana made so many cookies for Valentine's Day, she can't bear to not hand them out. Thus, a little early into the night -- after telling "Kano" she would need to take care of it -- she can be found at the snack table. There are trays of cookies, which have a banana shape... and yellow frosting, but dusted with sugar such that they sparkle.

They are sugar cookies with banana-flavored icing, and they are delicious.

Nana claps her hands together, and at pretty much anyone who gets close:] Please try one!

B. LOOKING FOR HER DATE (open, but would prefer Michael chronologically be the last one!)

[After getting a few cookies out, though, Nana is on the hunt for "Kano." She doesn't know, just yet.

She isn't too hard to spot -- and not too harried. Wearing a golden-colored dress, with the vaguely banana-like cuts in the bottom and a gauzy set of additions -- she certainly fits her color motif. Her hair is down, though, and her green eyes are sharp as she sets forward, looking about.

But... it's a good time to talk to her!

Or, maybe, for Michael Kano to make his appearance?]

Bumblebee | OTA

[thebreakfastbug]

B.

Bee, not having come with date, spends quite a bit of time manning the DJ station. For those who were worried, his setlist isn't entirely made up of eighties music. There's a few songs from that era tossed into it, but he's perfectly aware that not everybody's tastes run that way.

"And that was Earth Angel by the Penguins. Next up is an oldie. Well, it's an oldie where I come from."

...he's not entirely above a few jokes though, considering Johnny B. Goode is next song song to come up.

E.

Shortly before the demons are due to arrive, the CD player in Bumblebee's armor starts playing a drumbeat.

It's very carefully timed. If the demons hadn't been verbally ordered to attack, the simultaneous call of "Alright fellas, let's go!" would've been just as good a signal for the students to do the same.

Bee charges towards the nearest demon, armblades extended. One goes up to block the demon's own sword, while the other goes low to stab them in the gut.

G.

Bee might have also commandeered the the DJ Station as the Dance restarts. He starts with The Touch, because Stan Bush is magic. It rolls into We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions, because you can't go wrong with Queen, and then continues with Celebration by Kool and the Gang.

G

[notwithoutafight]

Videl's looking a bit worse for wear following the end of the battle. Her hair is all mussed up, even though she's tried to brush it back into place with her hands. Her skin is covered in dirt, scrapes, and bruises, and her dress, which wasn't really fancy enough for a ball in the first place, is sporting a few tears and a dropped hem. It's pretty clear that the daemons gave her a harder time than she gave them, but she looks quite pleased with herself as she makes her way up to the DJ Station.

"Hey, DJ," she calls up to Bee, raising a hand to wave at him to get his attention. "You take requests, right?"

[peace_keeper]

-Before the Fight-

White Chain had come dressed for the occasion, in a blue dress that honestly did not suit her terribly well. She did not dance, or partake in any of the snacks, or have a good time in any way. She stood at the edge of the room and judged the hell out of everyone in it. If you thought maybe you could get at the alcohol before the appointed hour, you will find an angel appearing behind you. If your dancing is getting a little more "hands on" than is appropriate for the venue, you will find an angel appearing to break it up. If you're up to mischief of any kind, White Chain is here to ruin your fun.

That's right.

82 White Chain Returns From Emptiness To Subdue Evil is the chaperone.

-The fight!-

White Chain did not stand at the edge of the room, like most of the teachers. She stood in the very center of the area the daemons were predicted to appear, alongside several of the more dangerous members of the faculty. She had her hands held together in prayer. As the countdown until the daemons' appearance neared zero, she began to speak.

"Pree Ashma. Ys-Asram, the blooded one. Ys-Prama, Hansa and Prat Pavam, who temper my heart. YISUN Atru Vyam. Forgive me for this violence I am about to inflict."

The timer reached zero one second after she said "inflict", and then the daemons appeared. And then all hell broke loose.

A Concordant Knight in battle is terrifying to behold. Her hands and feet moved too quickly to follow as she struck blow after blow. Each strike seemed almost light, like she was poking them rather than attacking them, but the effects were far greater than their appearance suggested. Her blows shattered swords, broke limbs, and sent daemons flying through the air. She wasn't aiming to kill them unless doing so was the best way to ensure a student's safety, but maiming them a bit would certainly make them less likely to keep fighting.

-After the fight-

White Chain looked down at herself, thoughtfully. Her dress was torn and burned in several places, which on a human might have made her look alluring in a vulnerable sort of way. On the Angel it really only highlighted how out of place she looked wearing any kind of elegant clothing. She was a warrior, literally built for violence. What was she THINKING wearing this kind of thing? Going to a PARTY? Indulging all these humans and their petty desires. What made her think she belonged her at all? She was the only Concordant Knight in the mortal realm, as far as she knew. More and more of them were retreating from even the Outlands to Koss's forge. Of those that didn't, more and more were turning to the path of Thorns. And here she was, watching children at play like a nursemaid.

She continued to watch the party for misbehavior, but her heart didn't seem to be in it anymore.

after fight

[spelleton]

He's a little battered and one sleeve of his coat is in burned shreds (courtesy of a risky move with a whip earlier), but he still folds it neatly on his arm, regardless.

"82 White Chain." He inclines his head, respectfully. "How are things?"

She's clearly unharmed (her dress had suffered more than she did, he's sure), but she still seems a bit distant, and not the normal kind of detached distance she keeps. He feels as if he should ask, mostly because other people probably wouldn't.

Ren Amamiya | OTA

[prisoneroffate]

C.

While not something he necessarily advertised, Ren had actually received some classic dance training in his youth, a respectable extra-curricular insisted upon by his parents. Although it's not his preferred style, he can make it work and work well. He arrived with a date clad in a dashing black suit and while most of his dances are reserved for her, but if friends are around and looking to do a bit of refined ballroom dancing and he has time, Ren is always happy to dance with them as well!



F.

Ren has been bartending a bit, and has picked up a few tricks that have really expanded his drink repertoire. With the various punches and other beverages available even before the alcohol is added, it's the perfect environment for making mixed drinks, which Ren is now doing, not just for himself but for any students or faculty who are interested. The mixes don't even have to include alcohol, there's so much here Ren's happy to put together whatever you want.



G.

With the fight done, now was the time that Joker could really cut loose. Although his battle garb was long since dismissed, for the rest of the night he had an air about him that he doesn't usually affect. Although still quieter, he's more gregarious, bold and straightforward, charming in a roguish sense. His form of dance has also changed, freed in effect from the shackles of conserving energy for the battle. Now, Ren dances in a much flashier street style, using bold, acrobatic hip-hop moves as he slides across the floor. Again, many of his dances are with his date, but he's happy and available to dance with friends, especially since this style, which suits him more, is much easier in a group.

G.

[nevernoaction]

[You know, as agile as Ren is, he has to take a moment to appreciate and watch Other Ren go to town on the dance floor. Only when the other man completes what appears to be the end of the dance, Ren claps a little.

It's impressive!]

Souji | OTA, also OTA format

[punches_fog]

Pre-Battle

[punches_fog]

A

Souji is quietly marveling at the decor, the incredibly stilted music in the first quarter-hour, and the modern marvel of knowing he's preparing for a fight in the middle of a party. The fact that everyone knows that is also a convenient reason for him not to have bothered getting a date, and honestly, it is the main reason. He's been keeping his head down in studies and being less of an overachiever than he's used to in extracurriculars, but it's paid off in feeling fairly confident that he can electrocute some demons properly this time.

Also, there's food. And really, that's a lot less stressful than a date. Souji spends at least the first fifteen minutes of the evening (and really, several return trips throughout the night) loading up plates of hors d'oeuvres for sampling, and for chatting with other people who weren't listening too hard to the music.

C

That said, once some actually danceable music starts up, Souji's pretty into it. He'll gladly offer a dance to pretty much anyone who looks like they're ready to head out onto the floor and don't have a partner of their own, or he'll just go himself if he can't find takers. Dancing by himself, he...makes up in passion for his lack of formal training. Dancing with someone, he'll match more to the song, maybe have a private chat during a slow number. Really, he just wants to get moving and loosened up before things get serious later.

[infestedcouncilpresident]

-Before the fight-

Kohaku didn't REALLY want to be here, but...Daemons appearing in a school to attack the students and rampage across the Earth. No matter how much the idea of it scared her, she could not allow that to happen again. This was LITERALLY what she had been training for for the last four years. How could she not go? Even if that meant she had to- (ugh) -actually dance with someone.

But she was here, dressed in a nice button up shirt, a blazer, and black slacks. Her natural aura of scruffiness stopped her from looking terribly formal, but she was pulling off the hung-over chic look surprisingly well. For now, she was just hanging out at the edge of the room, sipping on a glass of punch, and hoping no one would make this weird. She's just here for the snacks and the daemons. St Valentine can stay home.

-The Fight!-

This was it! Kohaku stood in the ring of students, holding a katana made out of some kind of bone-white substance in hands that were very slightly shaking. She was nervous, but she could do this.

The portal opened, a daemon started stepping out, and-

-She's trapped. She can't move and no one will ever find her. People are screaming. She sees a single foot step down in front of the narrow area she can actually see, but it looks more like some sort of horrible insect's foot than a person's. Chitinous, coated in stiff hairs, and ending in three viscous ivory claws. She stifles a scream because she doesn't want it to hear her. Then she feels it. Something moving behind her, slithering up her back-

Despite the daemons being comically outnumbered, Kohaku froze. She struggled to form any kind of rational thought, to do something. Logically, she knew she wasn't trapped, she wasn't unarmed, and she wasn't helpless this time. But...trauma doesn't care what you logically know.

Kohaku watched as one of the daemons started getting close to her, and stayed as still as she could.

Maybe it would help for someone to just jolt her out of it.

-After the fight-

She was still embarrassed about freezing but eventually Kohaku had gotten moving again, and actually hadn't put in too poor a showing. And now everything was cleaned up, techno music was playing, and the grownups had magnanimously decided to let the kids at the booze. Which, of course, Kohaku was getting in on.

She had the celebratory glass of legit champagne. Then she also had a pint glass of ale. Because fuck it, she's 16 and this is France and that's allowed. As she worked on that, Kohaku realized she was feeling a lot better about things than she was at the start of the night. She also noticed someone else was here.

"Did you know that while drinking ale, being able to suppress your own sense of taste is basically a required skill? Which I can do, but this stuff is gross and I don't know why anyone drinks it."

After she said this, she took another sip.

Before the fight.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's focus is on the edge of the room precisely for any sulky or awkward wallflowers, so of course he approaches Kohaku where she's loitering with her punch, offering her his hand and a smile. "Would you like to dance?"

alisaie leveilleur / final fantasy xiv

[adelphoi]

i; before the storm
[ it should be clear to nearly anyone with functioning eyes that alisaie is not particularly comfortable here. honestly, you might not even need functional eyes. she's terribly stiff and awkward.

let it be said that she is only here to face the daemon threat. sure, there are plenty of students and faculty to take on the brutes, but she would not feel right sitting out of the defense of the campus simply because she does not want to attend a school dance, however.. tempting it might have been. so she has dressed to suit the occasion, with her hair hair done up in a style a little more ornate than her usual braid. she's not dolled up quite so fancy as many of her fellow students, but it's purposeful, she's trying to hit the sweet spot between looking well-dressed enough to not stick out, but not so extra as to draw any more attention than necessary. if she can get out of this night without needing to hold a conversation, she'll be happy.. though that is unlikely, with so many students and teachers crowding the auditorium.

but she'll try her best to be a wallflower anyway, spending most of her time at the snack table, loading up her plate with sweets of all kinds that she'll squirrel away to a quiet corner to pick at on her own. ]

ii; the heat is on
[ at last, the time has come..

with all the rest of her fellow students, alisaie joins the circle with her grimoire open in one hand, and her topaz carbuncle familiar at the ready just ahead of her, its small, but strong little body crouched low, ready to attack on command. the daemons materialize in a flurry of fire and noise, but it has been a long time since she ever feared such creatures - growing up in outland, daemons were not a terribly unusual sight, and she's seen far worse since being accepted to the academy. but none of them would be here, weapons out, if they were afraid to face the threat; besides, they have sheer numbers on their side, if nothing else.

nevertheless, this is what she is here for. her blood sings with adrenaline and the thrill of battle, her stance loose and easy and ready to strike the moment the signal is given.. ]

iii; night's end
[ it was well worth the awkwardness of all the rest of the dance to take down a bunch of daemon brutes, but even once they are vanquished, alisaie.. lingers.

she tells herself that it is because they might return, however unlikely it might be that the daemons would come back to this place knowing just how many people are here, and how thoroughly they were beaten down, who knows what they might plan. but mostly.. mostly she is.. enjoying herself. not the dance itself, perhaps, or all the noise, but simply being around her peers, hearing people laugh and enjoy themselves - and the food is great too. alisaie would never admit it aloud, and she certainly has trouble admitting it even to herself, but she is hanging about mostly because it feels nice to be out of her room for once, and enjoying something.. different, feeling like she belongs, in a way.

even though she's still super awkward and keeping to herself, at least she is a little less stiff - but maybe that's to do with the champagne in her blood that makes everything feel a little softer, easier. with a fresh glass in her hand and another small plate of pastries, alisaie sits just outside the auditorium on a terrace, enjoying the chilly breeze and the wide open skyline of scattered stars. ]

iv; wildcard
[ feel free to tweak any of my prompts to work for you, or come to me with any ideas on plurk (owlcoholic), or discord (baby shark#4848)! ]

i

[playitagain]

[Nana hasn't forgotten about Alisaie since they met at the start of the term. She... well... she's been busy. A little absurdly so. She spots her and then waves, before she starts over. She has a little plate with a trio of cookies in hand.]

Alisaie!

[She waves at the wallflower. Nana looks different: her hair's down, and she has a goldenrod-colored dress on, strapless, and it makes it stand out that girl is tall.]

How do you like it so far?

Son Gohan | OTA

[fourstars]

Pre-Invasion

[fourstars]

[ Honestly, Gohan couldn't have looked any less comfortable. Then again, he'd never actually been to a school dance, so it was no wonder that he looked very much like a cardboard cutout taped to a stiff rod. He was tense, hanging close to the wall, simply watching everyone have fun. Although to his credit, he at least remembered to dress up for the occasion, even if the suit was a little... bright.

In reality, there were just too many people. He was just barely getting used to the size of his classes in Los Angeles, and now he was in an even bigger school, on the other side of the planet. It was intimidating, and he couldn't help but sort of... shrink into himself, try to make himself as small and unassuming as possible.

Which was a little difficult, when one was 5'11". ]