A Winter's Ball

[ateratmods]

Who; Everyone!
What; The Ball promised by Halcyn!
Where; A newly (and quite abruptly) renovated ballroom in the Noble District
When; December 15th, evening
Warnings; None as of yet, though there is some mischief afoot for those looking for it



The morning of the 15th, the day of the Ball, opens with a letter under every door, reminding the residents that today is the day, that the Ball to celebrate and be merry is upon you. It also includes a small golden ticket that all attendees are asked to present at the doors to be allowed into the hall in the Noble District. It bids the attendees to enjoy themselves, forget their worries for a time, and is each personally signed by Halcyn.

Arrival | Under the Mistletoe;

The chill in the air at the change of seasons makes for a cold journey to the Noble district, though the streets are well-lit (an improvement in the otherwise dilapidated quarter in the first place) and at the end of the street indicated in the invitation letter, stands a beautifully restored building wreathed in white lights and adorned with wreaths and holly. All roads and citizen paths have lead to the ballroom today, and it is a beacon of civilization in the otherwise unused quarter. A guardsman is checking tickets at the door, and allowing admittance to the foyer of the ballroom.

The foyer is also decorated in trees adorned with shining lights. There are people flitting about with trays of champagne and people are greeting each other, gathering in groups and generally enjoying one another's company. Six archways lead further into the ballroom, and into what seems to be a seating area with round tables atop which glittering floral arrangements sit and to which servers bring meals for those who have a seat. At the top of each of the six arches hang six bundles of mistletoe.

Some are able to pass beneath the bundles with no issue, but others may find their way blocked by an unseen wall, unable to escape the arch until someone joins them, and a kiss is exchanged. It could be innocuous, even a cheek would suffice, but who's to know that without experimentation?

Try the Grey Stuff, It's Delicious

In the dining hall, meals are limited, but there are options for various palettes and even a vegetarian option. There is wine and champagne, and also non-alcoholic options of you're less inclined to partake. The music from the main ballroom, accessible through a set of ornate double doors, is muted here, providing a sense of ambiance but not overpowering the conversations that may occur at the tables scattered about the room.

The desert is the same for all who try it, though, and fluffy (is oddly colored) meringue that is simply to die for, but it seems to have some strange side effects. As the night progresses for those who've eaten the strange confectionary, they will begin to feel more and more happy and carefree, but also much more open. Those who are reserved about their feelings or their thoughts, even their histories, will feel less inclined to be so withdrawn. That couldn't possibly make anything awkward, could it?

Shall We Dance the Night Away?

The main even by far is the grand ballroom. A 15 piece orchestra sits atop a small stage to the north of the dance floor, their music varying between melancholic, haunting, warm, and uplifting, and the citizens are quite enjoying the time to let loose and dance the night away with their partners.

Spiral staircases lead to the balconies on the second floor overlooking the dance floor below, affording tired dancers chairs and refreshments with which to rest in order to return to the floor below. The music here, due to acoustics, is muted which affords a more intimate place to converse.

Even more intimate are the outdoor balconies accessed from either side of the second floor. Here, small sconces have been lit to afford a romantic glow to the area, but the light is dim enough to enjoy the glittering starlight above. The flames also give the area some warmth, warding away the chill in the night air and allow guests to enjoy the solitude of the area without freezing. The music out here is a pleasant background hum, making the setting even more romantic and ethereal.

Comments

[brotherofagod]

Jacob felt his heart stop and his blood run cold. Yuki wasn't moving. He could feel the heat of his friend's breath brush across his cheek and his pulse quickened. He choked out a strangled cry and promptly pushed Yuki off him.

It was clumsy. He hadn't wanted to hurt Yuki but he needed to calm down. He needed to get away from here; away from Yuki. "S-sorry." He stammered as he quickly rose to his feet. His throat felt dry and the words forced.

How could he let this happen?

It didn't feel like it was okay but his heart hammered in his chest and he suddenly felt too dizzy to stand. "I should-" He looked down at Yuki and swallowed, his voice falling to a whisper. "-go."

Jacob turned and all but ran from the small room, hoping to hide his embarrassment in the crowds of people. He had felt his eyes water but hadn't noticed that he'd been crying until the cool touch of a tear ran down his cheek. It was stupid to cry about it...

[areasontohope]

For his part, Yuki moved when pushed and ended up on the floor. And he was too stunned and hurt to even try to call the other back to talk this out. This reminded him of the time Haru just up and left, telling Manabe to take care of Yuki for him and that it 'was a good fight'. There had been so many tears that day after school and now the silver head hung down, wondering what he did this time.

The floor provided no answers as he pondered what he did wrong. He had simply crashed into Jacob and then it went downhill from there. There'd been a sorry and the other just up and left him. Now he could completely understand if he'd turned into the Rat - because of the disgust and the revulsion associated with it. The only one who never did that was Miss Honda of course but that was a one in a million shot. And of course he did think of getting up and going after Jacob but as far as he saw it the other didn't want anything to do with him. He'd done something very wrong and he couldn't figure it out.

So he slowly got to his feet and took the long way around to get out of here. Yuki figured Jacob had gone home and that's where he was headed too. And while he knew he was probably going to cry all the way home, he decided he'd hit the library again tomorrow to see if there wasn't a book or way to go home because he'd lost the one friend he had.

His presence or absence here wouldn't matter at this point.