Event The Fall Ball (Masquerade)

Alexei wasn't certain whether or not he was happy. On the one hand, he had a lovely date and was here to dance the night away. On the other hand, the aforementioned lovely date was more than a little stuck up and stiff, and having a date meant that picking up the lovely Hogwarts and Beaubatons girls would be impeded. Generally, he found girls didn't like to be flirted with when he had another girl on his arm. Still, as obnoxious as his date had been upon their first meeting, she was pretty, and more importantly, she was preapproved by his parents, so he was willing to give her a chance to earn his attention.

"Did I mention you look lovely?" Alexei said with a flirtatious glance. She was definitely nice to look at, although her opening her mouth seemed to detract from that. "Red is most definitely your color." He caught a glance of a familiar figure. He and Ana had spoken when he'd arrived, and it had turned out she was just terrible about writing letters. He also caught a glimpse of that little punk who had punched him at summer camp. He was definitely going to have to pay him back for that later on. Leading his date to the dance floor, he placed his hands a little lower than was proper and began to mindlessly move through steps he had been doing since he was a toddler.

Stamina: 10
Evasion: 9
Strength:13
Wisdom: 4
ArcPower: 4
Accuracy:9

Abilities: Charmer, Statistically Relevant(x2)

Action: Enter, be a bit handsy with his date, start dancing

[font=times new roman]

Interacting with: Nobody
Status: Open for interaction!

English: #6B5076
Welsh: #9E8FB9
Uzbek: 874343

Post tracker: [x]

Autumn re-adjusted her mask for the third time in the past two minutes. She looked around and saw the people entering, some with brightly-coloured outfits, and some others with elegant masks. The Hufflepuff sighed; knowing she had to enter the ballroom eventually. She didn't have a date or a friend she was going with, which made sense. After all, she was not too liked among her peers, which was not something she could blame them for. She wasn't likeable, and she was well-aware of it. Sometimes she wished she was more agreeable, easier to enjoy the company of, but she knew it would not happen anytime soon.

However, what would happen soon was her entering the ballroom, because she could not avoid it for much longer anymore. She inhaled, walked through, and exhaled in wonder. The energy of the place had changed considerably. People were talking, dancing and having fun. Autumn almost felt obligated to dance herself, but she had enough dignity to leave that as a simple temptation and not as an action.

The Autumn Ball was going well so far, making Autumn wonder what would ruin it this time. She had not participated in the Blossom Ball, but from what she had heard, it had been an absolute fiery mess. Autumn was not paranoid at all. She had just brought her wand for fun, and it had nothing to do with her fear that something dangerous would inevitably happen. She had previously considered bringing some throwing knives with her but had brushed it off as too much. She was wondering now whether that had been the best decision. She also questioned whether she could stab someone using her wand and whether it would break it.

She then decided that maybe she would not risk breaking her wand.

Walking towards one of the corners of the room, she hoped that nobody approached her.

Although she would not particularly... mind, if someone chose to do so.

For mods:
Abilities: Sixth Sense, Perfectionist
Stats: Stamina: 5, Evasion: 5, Strength: 7, Wisdom: 7, Arcane Power: 8, Accuracy: 8
Species: Full Human
Action: Enter the masquerade

[/font]

Mentioning: @Lindsey Springhall
Open to interactions while I wait, awkwardly

Outfit | Mask

[font=times new roman]I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her. I shouldn’t have asked her.

As he walked in the direction of the masquerade ball, the words repeated over and over in his head like a really mean mantra. Wyatt felt like throwing up, but he also felt like his stomach was empty and there were butterflies and he was scared (well, cause of the last dance), and everything was spinning, and he was lightheaded and, oh Merlin. I should just turn around, he thought. Skip the dance.

But then he remembered Lindsey, who was probably there already. He couldn’t leave her there, that would be worse than terrible. She was the only person who’d talk to him without saying mean things or punching him in the face which was much more than he could ask for. Human decency was hard to come by nowadays. But getting punched in the face was usually warranted. Wyatt wasn’t the kindest person.

He wondered if she’d heard the rumors yet. She might have heard how awful he was and decided to skip the ball. Or maybe all this was part of some elaborate scheme to make him look stupid when October 16th came around. Maybe she placed nice up until this very moment to give him this false sense of security, and the second he steps foot in the ballroom, he’s going to get doused in pig’s blood like he’s Carrie or something.

Finally, he got to the ballroom. Terrified. Yeah, he got to the ballroom, terrified. Social events weren’t really his deal, especially after the Blossom Ball mess, but this year things were safe… right? This was a legitimate school function, and the Blossom Ball was a secret. It was different! He still brought his wand. Just in case. After taking one final deep breath, he took a step into the ballroom. No pig’s blood… yet.

Wyatt scanned the room for his date. There she was by the food tables. Lindsey Springhall. He didn’t see her face, as it was covered by the mask she was wearing (of course), but he remembered her hair. A perfect, wavy golden brown. But she was talking to someone. Wyatt swallowed. He couldn’t go over there now, he didn’t want to intrude on the conversation Lindsey was having… no, he wasn’t stalling!

Instead of walking to her, he walked in the opposite direction and sat down in a chair somewhere far away with his arms crossed and his left foot anxiously tapping the ground. He’d check every now and then to see if Lindsey was still talking. He must've looked so awkward, but he didn't really think about it at the time.[/font]

Action: Enter the ballroom
Stamina: 5 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 3 | Wisdom: 7 | Arc. Power: 9 | Accuracy: 5

It didn’t take long for the Ballroom to become swamped with people, though it was hardly a surprise with so many visitors from abroad. Flash wasn’t worried about the impression the ball would leave on those attending, he didn't doubt his ability to throw a party. He had basically grown up in a ballroom. It was one of the places he would go to pretend to be someone he would never be, only to be found and laughed at for his childish imagination.

There was no time for space heroes when there were people to entertain, and if being a Holmwood taught him anything, it was how to entertain people. He studied people’s tastes and desires with fervor, replicating their wildest dreams as though it were out of some fun coincidence... When really, it was from painstaking observation and tireless hard work.

That was why he cared so little about the joy and sorrow swarming around him in fitful bouts of hormonal clashes. He was not solely responsible for everyone present. His only concern for the moment was entertaining the lady of the hour-- his illustrious date. It wasn’t for her immaculate beauty, nor her clear social standing, that Flash chose her to be with him for the evening. He simply enjoyed her company, and the way the two of them seemed to get along effortlessly. Though he wouldn’t allow it to enter the periphery of his mind, he was also glad to be beside someone who didn’t know him very well. As much as he tried to keep his private affairs completely to himself, there were a few who had pried things out of him. A thankless endeavor, and one that usually only brought about extreme discomfort for both parties.

There was no discomfort in being with Anastasia though. She didn’t demand to know why he did what he did, or why he felt how he felt. Perhaps in part she understood the responsibility of being the child of an imminent family, or the desperate need to maintain appearances. The safety of a mask. Whether she understood, or simply didn’t care, wasn’t important. Flash was having fun.

With her blessing, Flash began the dance, the music swelling beautifully along with their practiced steps. A waltz-- simple, showy, and elegant. The confidence in their steps and the earliness of the hour made their sweeping movements bold and eye-catching. Certainly it would help a few cold feet to follow along, when they realized just how fun dancing could be.

Flash was never stodgy, as much of a rich boy as he was, and approached each movement with feverish enthusiasm. Working with a relative professional, he knew she wouldn’t have trouble keeping up. In fact, it was a bit like a game. Just how flamboyantly could they move before one of them missed a step?


Anyone watching would have to keep waiting, because neither of them were slowing down any time soon. Whispering conversation and leaning on shoulders could wait for the slower songs. This was only the beginning, and Flash was full of pent up energy. Whenever the twirling devil looked him in the eye, he wouldn’t be able to resist an impertinent grin.

He had learned a thing or two about letting go and having a good time, and he felt at this point he had earned it. The night was still young. Covering a great deal of the ballroom floor, he didn’t let anything distract him from expressing himself through dance. It was a conversation between him and Anastasia-- spend this time with me, have fun with me, let’s go crazy. And she was speaking volumes.

Interacting With: @Amelia Faye

outfit - shoes - mask - gloves - fan weapon - makeup
Oh, and another thing I'll add - Hairstyle

SEEING AS SAPPHIRE WAS ABSOLUTE S*** AT TALKING TO PEOPLE, she didn't quite know what she was doing there. Not only that, but she was also mostly unable to focus on the dance and everything going on in the midst of a mini anxiety attack. Really, what was she doing there? She felt so out of place, and her knuckles were probably white in her gloves from how tightly she was gripping the tessen.

Working up a bit of nerve, the pale-haired girl finally looked up, semi-searching for someone to maybe interact with. She did need to branch out a bit more with whom she hung out with, given that the only people she'd really hung out with more than once were Katrina and Koko. Katrina didn't even really count, given that the only other times they'd interacted had been for the scavenger hunt club. That wasn't really hanging out, necessarily.

She found one person, probably younger, standing over by the door and looking extremely nervous. Probably felt out of place. She could most certainly relate. She felt like a bundle of nerves. It seemed completely unjustified, personally.

She stopped thinking and started making her way hesitantly over to the girl, planning to maybe try to converse. Not that she was any good at that, but who gave a f***? Certainly not her. She totally did, but that was against the point. She dodged any people standing around, finally reaching the girl, whom she didn't recognize from anywhere (although, that didn't really mean anything).

Hesitantly, she reached the hand not holding the tessen out to tap on the girl's shoulder. Maybe she startled her, maybe she didn't. Regardless, she would say, "Uhm... sorry to bother you, but... but you seemed a bit lonely. You don't... you don't really feel like you fit in right now, am I right? I know how you feel... I myself don't fit in well in social situations... I don't even really know how I got the nerve to come up to you, given that I was having a mini anxiety attack only moments ago..." She gave a little wine, immediately realizing that she was oversharing a little. "Sorry, I go off on tangents when I t... when I get nervous." She gave a meek smile. "Uhm, I'm Sapph. Third year Slytherin..."

She must've looked like a complete idiot. Honestly, she wouldn't be all that surprised if this other girl just got weirded out and walked away. She partially hoped that she wouldn't be like that though...

FOR MODERATION:
Stats: Stamina - 7, Evasion - 8, Strength - 7, Wisdom - 9, Arc. Power - 7, Accuracy - 7
Species: Fully human
Action: Approaching someone to try to start a conversation

Jayden’s horned owl costume:

She wasn't expecting to be acknowledged by Thomas' friend, but perked up nevertheless, appreciating the other girl's courtesy. "No, it's alright, it's okay!" Jayden spoke up cheerily, feeding off and reflecting Callie's energy - a habit of hers when it came to mirroring her surroundings and socializing with strangers. She waved her hand dismissively at Callie's apology, tone conveying that she didn't feel slighted the least at being ignored. "Not like Masquerade makes it any easier. No offense taken," she chuckled with a reassuring smile. "Jayden, by the way." She inched closer to introduce herself, offering a handshake to Callie in greeting. "Ilvermorny. Nice to meet you, Callie."

She didn't want to interrupt any conversation between Thomas' herd (and possibly be an excess fifth wheel of the group - two's company, three's a crowd…), so Jayden would give a little 'shoo' gesture to Callie (and Thomas?), hinting that she would be fine on her own. "Ah, don't worry 'bout little ol' me over here," she said jokingly with a country drawl. "Bound to bump into each other again sometime, eh?" She wouldn't protest to getting to know Callie and Thomas more, if they ever crossed paths again. "Catch you later."

Interactions: @Callie Jensen. Open for more.

♢Closed to Interactions♢
♢Waiting For♢
@Rafael D'Spacito & @Aurelia Roberts

Everett found himself standing outside of the Ballroom, waiting for a certain set of Gryffindors to show up. His date... and his additional plus one. Rafa was lucky that he was cute and absolutely lit Rett's heart up, though Rett would never admit that. To ask you date if it was ok to also bring someone? It initially infuriated the young serpent. He rarely got to be in England, at Hogwarts no less, and Rafa suddenly didn't want to spend the night with him. He couldn't help but think back to their letters, if there was something that he missed that indicated his disinterest. But, all that came up was adorable banter and flirting beyond what he was used to. Sullenly, Rett wondered if he should've owled Johannes again. It was a little too late for that.

So, here he was. In an all maroon suit with a masquerade mask that looked more like a crown that would adorn his forehead. Rett would never half-ass anything even if it seemed like his date would be. He couldn't help but double and triple check that everything was in line. His mask was tied loosely into a belt loop, just in case the local Gryffindor Quidditch Captain forgot what he looked like. He eyed the girl standing in front of the ballroom, seemingly scoping out everyone that entered. The Hogdorks were weird. For now, he leaned against the wall and looked around, eyes flicking through the crowd in search for his dear Rafa, with another girl.

Interacting as iNPC Milosh Rehnquist

An impatient huff echoes throughout the hallway as the clacking of footsteps approaches. A boy runs his hands through his blonde looks almost nervously, being too bothered to even attempt to tame or style the curly mess of hair with gel. He swiftly looks down at his watch, the small hand slowly ticking by. He paced in front of the door some more before glancing behind him, making him look rather suspicious. This was the right place, the Ballroom he was told the masquerade party would be held at? The boy didn't want to be early or late but had ultimately lost track of time as he had struggled to button his cuffs to make sure his outfit looked presentable for the night and more importantly his date.

His date It was still odd having a date to a ball but he was excited and really wanted to impress her. Was that cheesy to think? Probably, but who cares? Finally getting the courage, Milo took one last breath before opening one of the scarily large oak doors into the Ballroom. The first thing he noticed that he was not early, but rather later than a few of the other guests. There were already a handful of students in the large and elegant room, but not packed enough where he couldn't move easily. His eyes scanned the small crowd looking for his date but he gave out a soft sigh when he couldn't spot her. Maybe she would come soon? Hopefully. In the meantime the snacks were looking pretty tasty, and it was a good way to avoid people. Maybe he'd try those some until his date arrived. When she did arrive, hopefully she would know where to look. He could hardly wait, it would be a night to remember that's for sure.

Mentions: @Santario Martin as iNPC Angélique (Angel)

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Banner made by the amazing Eyre Reeves
Open to Interactions! (DM or owl first please!)
Interacting With: @Flash Holmwood
Mentioning: N/A
Hex Color: #FF4080
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For Moderation:

Action: Dancing with the Stars level stuff, my dudes
Health: 800/800
Abilities: Lovely Creature | Fearless | Terrible Presence
Stats: Stamina 5 | Evasion 10 | Strength 5 | Wisdom 9 | Arcane Power 10 | Accuracy 6

Ana's hopes for a good partner were met and far exceeded. Flash was not only more than able to match her ability, but he also did so seemingly effortlessly and more importantly, he seemed to be enjoying himself as much as she was. They matched one another in a way that would have made observers think that they had been dancing together for years. Being around Flash was like that. There was an easiness that she generally only found with her close friends, most of whom she had known for years. Unlike her close friends, he didn't press her or demand to know about the sudden change in her. He hadn't known her before, so there wasn't some version of her for him to compare her current self to. The two had only met after, and Ana after was someone that Flash seemed to want to know.

The idea that she was someone that someone as lovely as Flash wanted to know was comforting to her, especially in a time when she was discovering just how much destruction and damage she was capable of creating. She knew that there was a completely different version of Ana in everyone else's minds, that no two people would have the exact same opinion of her, but in a time when a common characteristic in those infinite Ana's was darkness and destruction, someone who had an entirely different picture of her was a treasured companion, someone to cherish.

The music seemed to swell based on their dance, and the two could almost read one another's minds. As the two continued to dance, the complexity and speed of their steps were multiplied. While Ana was enjoying herself and her company, she had a competitive streak and she wasn't about to be the first one to miss a step. Her gown spun magnificently as she moved with grace and ease, and she knew that to onlookers, the pair must have looked like something out of a fairy tale. An angel drawn to the darkness and a devil intoxicated by the light.

Her choice of footwear, while not entirely practical, was serving her well. Dancing in heels and a ballgown felt as natural to her as breathing and she was slightly baffled at girls who were throwing off their heels. Not that she had much time to focus on that, or anything other than her partner. Suffice it to say, if she had not already begun to have feelings for the angel across from her, that dance would have been more than enough to spark such sentiment. Her heart was racing, from a combination of exertion and her proximity to a certain Slytherin.

Each time their eyes met and Flash shot her that smile, her heart skipped a beat and she returned a bold smirk. Her red lips parted slightly as the pair continued. They were having a conversation that was more than words. The exchange was more like flying was to her than dancing. The other ballgoers seemed like little more than a setting or background. At that exact moment, Ana knew that, while she was far from stumbling in her dance, she was falling hard.

Coding inspired by Rafael D'Spacito

Post Tracker:
1 2

Leonard cracked an amused smile at Emile’s attempts at naming the houses. Guess the curse of pronunciation errors went both ways. The other’s demeanour was one of quiet amicability, while Earl’s friendliness was substantially more louder. It wouldn’t be too bad, sharing conversation and in Leonard’s case, degrading efforts to stick to the beat of the music, with another wallflower and a boy who shared his name with a type of tea.

“Yeah, no, those are definitely wrong. I mean, you got the first two right, but the last two, not so much. Won’t hex your bum off though, at least now we’re equal, in a way,” he said, in between chuckles. He decided from then on he’d only be calling those bearing the emblem of a lion Gryfdors, just to annoy them.

The moment of content didn’t last long, however, when the boy muttered something in what was likely French, directed at a couple on the dance floor. While the Slythering, according to Emile, didn’t fancy people in general much, the two of them could say they were the prince and his betrothed of some foreign land and Leonard would immediately believe them. Thus, the sense of astonishment and admiration that tinted the boy’s words were understandable.

However, it seemed Earl wasn’t happy. Leonard wasn’t the best at reading emotional cues, but on someone who wore their heart in their bubblegum-coloured fluff-hair hybrid, the feeling of treachery was easily seen. What was it that the French student could have said to elicit such a reaction? Questions began to creep at his mind, but he pushed them away.

“I’m going to go find Earl,” he said, gesturing in the general direction of where the boy in question had run off to. “Also, remind me to learn French some time soon. Turns out I’m going to need to learn another language much sooner than I expected.”

The snake then left, searching for the flamingo feather hair among the crowd. His skills in navigating the castle, while at times spotty, could be relied on with minimal salt. However, skills in navigating a bunch of dancing people? Those skills amounted to even less than his dancing abilities. Luckily, the shade of now darker pink, somehow, and striped tie were easy to find, near a bunch of girls he didn’t know the names of, and nor did he care to find out.

“Hey, Earl, just a question, why’d you leave Emile to the wolves that are, you know, people? Who were those lot?” He asked. “Are they also from Beauxbatons? Also, what was it exactly that Emile said? The only words I know in French are hello and baguette. Does baguette count? You know what, doesn’t matter.”

ACTION: Talking with Earl Gray and Emile LeDoux, and trying to figure out what made the former run away.

STATS: Stamina: 5 | Evasion: 6 | Strength: 4 | Wisdom: 7 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 7 | Health: 500/500

INTERACTING WITH: @Earl Gray and Emile LeDoux @Elizabeth Isaacs

STATUS: Open for Interactions (Owl First)

POST TRACKER: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4