Event Blossom Ball - Trial of Apollo

English = 5D4A64 | Russian = 4E7A27

Irina had finally reached the last trial and after all of these she wasn’t she how much more adventure she’d have left in her. It had been an interesting experience to say the least and she was glad that she decided to take part in them. After all, it was a competition and Irina was a very competitive person who always loved a good competition.

When arriving at this trial, Irina saw two people this time, who were most likely on a date. They were sitting on a flower bench and looked like they were just waiting for something. When he said that she had to preform for them, she got worried. This was her last trial and she was going to be put on the spot to basically put on a show for them. It was like she would be the entertainment to their date. Trying not to show her worries on her face, Irina thought about what she could do.

Singing or performing music wasn’t really her thing. She had a good voice but could never remember the words to songs and most of the ones she knew were in Russian. Next was dancing, she was only good at the ballroom type dancing and there was no one to be her partner here. Dancing was out of the question but what about poetry, she none memorized in her head but maybe she could make one up on the spot. It was a blossom ball right? All she had to do was talk about flowers, it couldn’t be that hard.

Irina thought about what to say for a second and was planning on doing a poem but thought it might sound better as a song. She wasn’t expecting to sing but it just made more sense that way and way not just step outside her comfort zone. Trying to become confident with her sorta-song she started speaking in English.

Hello, my name is Irina Afanasyeva and I am from Koldovstoretz. Here is a song about this ball to appease Apollo.

Out here in the Springtime
With the flowers a bloom
We gather together
From near and from far
To head to a dance
That’s themed for the gods
With trials and dancing
It seems like we’ll have
Fun all night long
Unless there’s a twist
That only lets some
Return to their beds

WC: 396

For Moderation:

Reducio

Action: Doing the Trial
Stats: STA: 8 | EVA: 8 | STR: 7 | WIS: 9 | ARCP: 6 | ACC: 7
Heath points: 800/800
Abilities: Sixth Sense, Fearless, and Calming Presence
Effect: +2 to their awareness rolls. If a player attempts to enter a thread that you are already in, there is a 25% chance that you automatically detect them on entry.
Effect: Fear effects such as a dhmpir's aura, the ability terrible presence, a lycanothrope's intimidation or certain charms, potions and jinxes that would normally cause a fear effect do not work on you as you are immune to them.
Effect: An aura of calm. Allies (defined at the START of an instance regardless of later betrayal) gain a 10% chance to auto-hit their chosen target. This does not stack.

Trials tracker: [Orpheus] [Hades] [Hecate] [Persephone] [Hermes] [Apollo]

Dan had decided to try the Trial of Apollo first. And not just because that was the title of Rick Riordan's latest series, no no no. It was because this one was one he was very confident in. He had been practicing in Riverdance all his life, and was very good at it. He had to run back to his dorm to grab his riverdancing shoes though. Why couldn't there be a simple Transfiguration spell to turn something into something else? Why did it have to be 'This one thing into this other one and ONLY thing!'? Extremely inconvenient.

When he got back, someone was just finishing a song. She actually sounded lovely, and to his surprise, it wasn't just Apollo, but Aphrodite too?
Dan hoped he only had to impress Apollo... He was still in cute stages, and doubted he could make Aphrodite swoon.
But then, only Ares could do that.

Dan set things up to have the music he picked out playing, after all, what the hell kind of riverdance didn't have music?
One that was destined to not do well, thats what.
Dan put his shoes on, something he was NOT accustomed to doing, but was glad that he still remembered how to do it. He set the timer to start the music at precisely the right time, having timed how long it would take for a dramatic introduction, took a few breaths, started the timer, and walked out on stage, his shoes making the slightest of clacking sounds as he walked. He wanted to keep the sound he made as little as possible until the right time. It was more impactful that way.

Dan gave a dramatic bow, and spoke with a much lighter accent than normal.

"Hail, Lord Apollo! God of Poetry, Music, Theater, Medicine, Prophecy, The Arts, and Driver of the Sun! And the Radiant Aphrodite! Naught but a TRUE god could have one so fair as a date! I, Dan Palmer, wish to present a dance from a country far from Greece, that I have studied all my life, in the hopes that it may please you!"

Dan stepped back, and the music kicked on right on time. As soon as it did, Dan began. His hands were firmly on his hips, and in two steps, he fell right back into the rhythm like he always did. Like he never even went on hiatus from his group. A shame really, he only ever did things with them anymore in the summer.
As the tempo rose, so too did the speed of Dan's legs and feet. The clacking was growing faster and faster, each movement fluid and purposeful. The tune was still lighthearted and lovely. With the music, and Dan's movement and performance, one could feel the Irishness emanating from the stage, it was palpable almost.
How Dan wished he had a partner though... This routine could be easily done solo, but a partner would have elevated it even higher. Then again, this was the music that he and his group used to practice moving in rhythm to music, and thus was the music he was most familiar with. He could move in perfect sync to this, due to how much he practiced with it. It also helped that he quite liked this song.

Then, the music changed abruptly, into beating drums. Dan returned to the center of the stage, and breathed for a few seconds as they played. Then, at the exact moment they stopped, and all was musicless, Dan started dancing in place, making his own beat with the clacking of his dancing shoes. He stopped and posed as the drums kicked up again. This happened twice more, each more complicated than the last before Dan stopped.
Then he started it again, slowly. He gradually increased in speed, going faster and faster and faster in a circle until it became difficult to tell individual clacks and steps apart from one another. He allowed his momentum from his right foot to carry him forward, then danced backward, without taking his eyes off of Apollo. Once he was back in center stage, he posed again as the music came to a stop.

Oh, but he wasn't finished yet. Oh no. The instructor had thrown a curveball into this little lesson. Not only were you to keep pace with the music, but you were also expected to keep in perfect sync with other dancers for extended periods of time. So, this part of the song had several people also riverdancing in it, almost as its own beat. Dan started up again, staying in absolutely perfect sync with them. Those listening and watching may have noticed that the ones he was keeping pace with were quieter than his own steps, as they are meant to serve as background, not detract from him. This part went on musicless for a good bit of time, as the background dancers were quite good at making their own rhythm to dance by. But, near the end, the drums came back, and almost gave it a tribal kind of tone as they and Dan continued to dance.

And, for the finale, not only were the background dancers still going, not only were the drums going, but the music came back in full force as well.
Dan kept perfect pace through all of it, making sure the finale was the perfect cap to the entire performance.
The sound of Dan, the backup dancers, the drums, and the music all together were a perfect harmony, and enough to make one crave a plate of biscuits and a cuppa tea. With just the SLIIIGHTEST amount of whiskey to make it as Irish as possible.

Dan posed as the music ended. He was panting, but he held his pose for a few moments, before breaking it and bowing theatrically. He was rather impressed with himself. He hadn't gone that hard and done that well since his group's last big performance in Dublin. He'd gone without a SINGLE incorrect pause, not the slightest hesitation, not a single misstep. He'd done everything he could, to the best of his ability. All he could do now was wait for Lord Apollo's judgement call.

WC: 1035

Lights came into view. Their warm glow fended off the surrounding darkness. They marked the end of the underworld, and the beginning of the place beyond, as Xailah drew closer to the spring celebration. She moved with a drifting gait, stopping once she reached a bench that supported two other students. Up to this point, the Gryffindor had willingly carried out all the tasks asked of those participating in the trials. The trial of Apollo would be the only one that she would turn her nose up to. Xailah let out a hearty chortle, when given the requirements for success. Apollo wants a performance? He expects a small song and dance routine? Maybe a little joke? An amused smile touched her lips. Her golden hues looked between the faces of the two judges. Lids narrowed in calculation. The smile would fall into a content line.

Her performance had been the five trials that lead up to the one current. In them, she had experienced emotions. Real emotions- contentment, sadness, fear, confusion and frustration; joy even, when she allowed her thoughts to wander into sunnier places. She had walked through the underworld, alone, did what was required to pass onto brighter lands. And now that she was here, she was to play court jester; act like a little monkey, to entertain those judging. Xailah was very stingy when it came to sharing talents. These strangers were not hers to entertain. Though, with a better choice of words, she might have been inclined to humor.

There would be no catchy little song. No funny dance. Not even a poorly rehearsed Charlie Chaplin impression. No egos would be stroked. Xailah was certain that they were not going to like what she was about to do, simply because they would not understand. No one enjoyed when a game wasn't played the way the creator intended. "I'm afraid you both missed my performance," she hummed, "but its nice of you two to wait for my curtain call." Curtain call- bow would have sufficed, because truthfully, the show was not yet over. The night was still young. Everything was just getting started- there hadn't been a fire yet, so there was no way everything was done. With a sweep of her hand, and slight dip of her head, she would bow. She was vulnerable for a second, and only a second. Her face would raise to meet those of the judges. The corners of her lips curled upwards, regardless of their response. Then, she would be off. She had a disaster to attend.

This might have not been a physical part of the competition, but Yefim was more than prepared to show off his powerful vocal chords. He was an expert at screaming, of course, but his strong lung power was not just for cheering on sports and lifting weights. Song flowed in his spirit as it did with any breathing creature. Belting out a song of his people was finally his chance to make a statement, even though he knew he wouldn't be understood. Niffler would understand, Mikael would understand. In fact, he hoped his voice would carry for miles despite the words being in Russian. The cheating and biased trials would not fracture his spirit. He knew he was deserving, and it would show in his performance.

Stepping in front of the audacious judge, Yefim would nod quickly, a grin on his face in excitement. Without accompaniment, the sweet, lilting reverberations of his voice would bellow harmoniously. It was not a practiced, pitch-perfect performance, but it did not need to be. He would shake the ground they stood upon with the mourning drawling of ages of soldiers before him. If asked, he would assure the host that this did have something to do with spring. The fact that spring meant nothing to a solider, there was only the next battle.
With that, another big grin. There was no way he had not displayed his soul properly, they couldn't deny him this, or he would straight up punch them in their stupid faces.

It was a relatively simple trial unlike the others she had already particpated in. In this one, you weren't stumbling your way through a pitch black maze nor were you displaying your fine arsenal of spellwork or potion brewing though Elena admitted she was surprised to know that the only instructions were to put on some sort of artisitic experience whether it be in the form of song, art or instrumental. For a moment, Elena was tempted to break out a tune on the violin but for that, you would need the violin and while she was sure a simple Summoning Charm would give her the things she needed, the Gryffindor wasn't sure how well that would go down with the organizers. She decied there no was honest, pure better way of music than her own natural voice and hailing from a proud English family, the Jangletons were not only well-connected but they also tended to put a lot of emphasis on the arts.

She opted for something cheery, something friendly straight from the Scottish highlands which was symbolic of her family. Typically, Elena did not regard herself as a very grandoise singer, perhaps average at best but if she got passionate about it, her vocals could perhaps reach some high-pitched grade as she cleared her throat indicating the brunette was about to start recalling the lyrics in her head. The hard part about this song would be that most of it was in the old Gaelic language, a tongue that ran in her blood and she had been exposed to at a young age but she was still rusty. Nevertheless, it never hurt to try as the brunette counted to three before letting the first few lyrics of the song that rang in the halls of her home on formal occasions echo around the open area hopefully to impress the observers and the people she'd be singing for.

The words rolled off her tongue as the Gaelic verbs came to her almost fluidly surprsing even herself. "Hé mo leannan 's e leannan am fear úr." It was strange perhaps to the foreign ear to hear a language that probably was not used often in these halls but Elena Jangleton would not leave her listeners in the dark providing them with an English translation afterwards so that they would at least get the jist of what the song was about. The melody in itself was supposed to be about was about love which she saw fitting for Apollo in a sense as she followed up, her vocals taking on a higher pitch as she went on with the English this time."He's my darling..he's my sweetheart."

Quickly switching back to her Gaelic, her voice rang out again with carefully practiced notes that she had only a few seconds to prepare for. " 'S e mo leannan , Gille Calum, saor an darich láider thú." This was perhaps the primal point of the song as the brunette began to wind down ending on a high note making sure to finish strong knowing that the beginning had to be as perfect at the ending which was the mistake most people made. "He's my sweetheart, boy Calum, you, carpenter of the strong oak."As she sang, Elena came to the sudden realization that these lyrics were perfect actually for a certain scenario. Not here, not now but later down the line as she pushed the thought to side finally concluding her little performance smiling at her observers hoping that at least she had pulled off something somewhat decent.

Closed to interactions outside of moderation
Outfit

Pericles was not necessarily what one would consider a "showman". He was not prone to excessive shows of dramatics and theatrics, though he had become more expressive since the start of his Hogwarts career. Still, he did not suffer from stage fright, as anyone who intended to be the director of the Frog Choir could not afford to be. He would not approach the challenge with the skittishness of a child debuting in a talent show, but the calculated execution he was best at. This trial was like an equation, one that called for flair and wit as much- if not more than- the ability to put on a show. What would suit the theme and meet the requirements? He was in a unique position to pick a suitable solution.

The Ravenclaw wore a small smile as he approached, considering Dee dressed as Aphrodite with the hint of an entertained curl. He was so accustomed to his dueling partner being a fierce form on the piste, so it was strange, but not bizarre, to see her this way. This last trial would call upon his ability as a chorister, his knowledge of Greece, and the application of both to meet the organizer's expectations. Fingers loosely clasped in front, he explained politely: "I would like to perform a paean. It is a lyrical poem to express gratitude or triumph, often performed at Apollo's festivals, and while they are typically sung be a chorus, some are suited for monody. My Greek is rudimentary at best, but I've memorized a handful of hymns. This one is a dedication to the muse Calliope, and the music-loving sun god, Apollo."

"Á-ei-de moú-sá moi fí-li,
mol-pís d' e-mís kat-ár-chou,
áf-ri dé són a¬p' al-sé-on
e-más fré-nas do-neí-to.

Kal-li-ó-pei-a so-fá,
mou-són pro-kath-a-gé-ti ter-pnón,
kaí so-fé my-sto-dó-ta,
La-toús gó-ne, Dí-li-e Pai-án,
ef-me-neís pár-e-sté moi...."

Performing a Greek paean: hymn to Calliope and Apollo

Underworld | Hades | Hecate | Orpheus | Hermes | Persephone | Apollo | Aftermath

Adlai's Dance

At the mention of dance Adlai's head and heart perked up. Adlai's devotion and passion for dance and the arts over all is what would drive her to do her very best for in this trial. If not then she might as well have joined the On Pointe dance club for nothing. Quickly she thought of any and all of the dances she had taught herself via the computer during winter and spring break, as well as the dances she was learning in her club, and the dances she was choreographing herself during free time for herself in secluded areas.

Since the dances she was learning in her club were all waltzes and required a partner, and all of the dances she was choreographing on her own were incomplete she decided upon a dance she had taught herself over break. The stage had never frightened her, in fact her parents, other relatives, and even friends of relatives had even told her she was made for the stage which on encouraged her evolving aspirations.

Putting her heels aside, taking a deep breathe, and putting on a performers smile Adlai advanced towards the given performance area once her turn had arrived. Once the music began her body to take the first step in a course of unearthly twisting and turning that took a kind of strength and immersion that only so many could dream.

During this time she hoped to express how the heart of the earth felt once the winter ice had been melted away by the coming of spring, the coming of Demeter, and the pain of Hades as Persephone departed from him and his domain once again.

| Outfit |

| Apollo | Persephone | Hermes | Hecate | Orpheus | Hades |

Mikael listened to the different songs flow throughout the area. So many songbirds with soft lilting voices. He didn't know many songs and even fewer about the springtime. It wasn't like his home was often filled with the sound of a joyous chorus. One thing he did remember was a lullaby. It truly wasn't a lullaby in that sort of sense. More like a song sang to him once upon a time when everything was far easier to control. Mikael could almost hear the soft tones whispered to him in a secreted manner. She was always far kinder to him than he ever thought he would deserve. One of the only ones who ever dared to treat him like the child he was. Mikael wasn't too sure when the last time he thought about her since her death. His grandmother's death had seemed far too long ago to feel anything more than a dull buzz within his chest cavity. Had he ever really processed what had happened? It was no matter for the moment, but a thought that continued to tickle away at the back of his brain as he went up in front of the judges. The boy didn't bother for smiles or any theatrical display. Instead, he stood straight overlooking the judges before he spoke the title, "I Don’t Know When Spring Will Come".

Когда весна придёт, не знаю,
Пройдут дожди... Сойдут снега...
Но ты мне, улица родная,
И в непогоду дорога.

На этой улице подростком
Гонял по крышам голубей,
И здесь, на этом перекрёстке,
С любовью встретился своей.

Теперь и сам не рад, что встретил,
Моя душа полна тобой...
Зачем, зачем на белом свете
Есть безответная любовь...

Когда на улице Заречной
В домах погашены огни,
Горят мартеновские печи,
И день и ночь горят они.

Я не хочу судьбу иную.
Мне ни на что не променять
Ту заводскую проходную,
Что в люди вывела меня.

На свете много улиц славных,
Но не сменяю адрес я.
В моей судьбе ты стала главной,
Родная улица моя.

Reducio

I don’t know when spring will come.
The rains will pass through… The snow will melt away…
But you, the street of my childhood,
Are dear to me even in bad weather.

On this street, as a kid,
I used to chase the pigeons on the rooftops,
And here, on this intersection,
I first met my love.

Now I almost wish we hadn’t met;
My soul is full of you…
Why, why in this world
Is there such a thing as unrequited love…

When on Zarechnaya Street
The lights have gone out in the buildings,
The factory furnaces burn,
They burn day and night.

I don’t wish for another fate.
There’s nothing for which I would exchange
The factory gateway
That got me my start in the world.

There are many wonderful streets in the world,
But I won’t change my address.
In my fate, you’ve become the main street,
Street of my childhood.

Russian (Default) | Norwegian | English

Lovely Creature ⋅ Terrible Presence

| Sta 8 | Eva 8 | Str 8 | Wis 3 | Arc 4 | Acc 9 |

Panting and sweating, Jayden barely had time to collect her breath and dab a cloth on her forehead. Too eager to perform for a crowd and show off her skills, she tucked in a few last-minute strands of disheveled hair before briskly making her way on stage, beaming a sunny smile.

"Well I sure wish someone told me about these Trials before this whole shindig started," her western drawl leaked through, "Because some of us had to run all the way back to our cabins to get our instruments!" She proclaimed in playful reprimand, holding up her violin. "And boots." She lifted a foot for emphasis, giving one of her cowboy boots a little shake.

Time to liven up this place a little! Hooking the instrument under her chin, she raised her bow into position, and hand memory took over the rest. How far away could the ball goers hear the burst of lively fiddle music that would Tarantallegra anyone's legs into a happy jig? Fingers rapid on the strings as Jayden's heels drummed in percussion, striking against the wooden boards beneath her feet as she buck danced across the front of the stage. . .

Stage fright never stood a chance, lost in the rhythm of her performance. In a blink, her hands reached the end of the song – lowering her bow and violin – pulling her back to the formality of the evening. The adrenaline rush a pulsating vigor that what she had done had indeed transpired, not just a dream. With a swooping bow and a 'thank you' to her audience, Jayden waltzed off stage with a big grin on her face. She had done her family back home proud.

Boy, it felt good to get that country out of her system!