A Winter's Ball Grand Foyer PV Gala Guests Finished

Aha, what a good joke. That... was a joke wasn't it? Pericles growing to be nearly six feet? One day he was going to be taller than her. If he did reach the estimated height, then he would wind up tall enough to use the metamorph as an armrest. No. No. That wasn't allowed- he wasn't allowed to be taller. Her nose wrinkled, as if the idea of Tall Pericles repulsed her; though it was possible that the crinkle was a response to that obnoxious little snort of his- which she found to be irritating. His explanation did little to help with anything. It did make Xailah wonder if convincing someone to not be taller than you, was a possible thing to do. She peeped down at the top of the boys head. "Hm. Yes, wouldn't that be unfortunate?" She nodded. Oh but of course, if he was any taller he would make for an easy target to tease. It was a shame that tall people weren't the only ones that had to listen to inquiries about the weather. He would find that the weather questions were unescapable regardless of ones height. "So, how is the weather down there?" She asked, giving a humored buzz. Should the boy look, the metamorph would appear to have a smidge more height than she had minutes ago. Course, maybe the caffeine was making him imagine things.

The weather was hot evidently. Or so Pericles would claim at a much later time. A few thoughts would be regathered- though not completely- as the children approached the foyer. An impressive feat for one presently incapacitated by a caffeine buzz. The boys collection of thoughts from before would be laid out again, but in a more organized and simple manner. Flew here from Plymouth. Opeila Winters is his cousin. Okay. Got it. Who the heck is Opeila Winters? It would have made everything so much easier if he had said all that in the first place- at a regular pace. Oh, but now there was a problem. Xailah had wanted him to repeat all of what he had said... she supposed the two snippets were just going to have to do for now. In any case, she was happy for Pericles. Finding lost blood was an incredibly exciting thing- and as the metamorph would later learn, incredibly nerve wracking. She tried to match his beam of a smile, but found it to be a challenge once he began spouting anxieties.

"I think..." She started cautiously. There was a small bit of pondering, mostly to wonder why she was attempting to converse with him like a normal person. It wasn't like he was going to remember all of what she was going to say. Right? A small pause followed- a preparation of sorts, in case the bird decided that he wanted to verbally jump at her. If he abstained from interrupting, then the cub would continue. "You ssshould call her whatever feels right. She's your cousin, so call her cousin." Her lips pursed in thought. "Don't fret too much about it." It seemed a silly thing to worry oneself over, but Pericles was just a child. Children liked to worry about silly things. For a child his age, the silly things in life were some of the most important. "If she dislikes whatever you call her, I'm sssure she will tell you. Though if she really is family," she intentionally avoided the word 'blood', "I sssuspect that she wouldn't mind a bit." Blood didn't always mean family. The heiress leaned, a soft smile playing on pink lips. "Miss Winters likely has the same concerns as you do." Xailah then looked to the spot where Pericles finger landed on his chest, curiosity peeping.

Interest was reflected in her lidded stare. She made a mental note to ask him about his ancestry- when he was more... coherent, of course. One last look would be taken, to trace around the ouroboros on his pocket. Pericles worried about the strangest things. Strange by the standards of someone who didn't come from a tight-knit family. If he kept himself on tenterhooks over familial matters, he was going to have horrible forehead wrinkles by the time he graduated from Hogwarts. Then he would look even more like a tiny old man- he already acted the part. Sort of. Distaste would be expressed for the temperature of the room. "Of course its going to be hot here for you. You've been flitting about like a little buzzy bee." Eh. Maybe it was a tad hot. Xailah ran a finger along the underside of her chin, where the ribbon on her bonnet met milky flesh. Course it was most probably a phycological thing. One person claims its hot in a room, and the next thing you know everyone else is saying the same.

The boy was going to have to roast for the time being. Having just entered the foyer, Xailah was not fond of the idea of going back to the ballroom just for drinks- or waiting outside the washroom, since that was where the consumption of more liquids would definitely lead. She would hear her bird snicker over the funny name she had given him, to which she replied plainly: "Did I say Nibblet? I meant Nitwit." Her eyes rolled in a vex fashion. Pericles dismissive pat, would make Xailah release him from the guiding grasp she had placed upon him. Her hand hovered over his wrist for a moment of contemplation; ready to grab him again in case he tried to make a break to where the drinks were located. The formerly reaching arm, would fall to her side while she listened to the boy explain what exactly he had consumed. Hostesses Choice. The hell was the "Hostesses Choice?" Coffee, he would explain. Of course it was coffee. What else did Anastasia drink? Of all things, why coffee? Brows sloped at their innermost edges.

Rule one of attending posh social gatherings: never order the host's drink of choice. They have the worst taste in beverages. Xailah understood that the boy was probably just trying to be a good little heir, and a polite guest- gah. If only he had ordered water. He wouldn't be feeling like he was going to spontaneously combust. "You'll get used to it after awhile" She droned. The metamorph gave a dimissory wave. Before she could further add that Pericles wouldn't be getting another cup; her attention was turned to something else in the room. The abruptness of Pericles call, was enough to jostle the lioness. She jumped slightly, and whipped around to see what exactly he was pointing at. The heirs gloved finger would guide Xailahs eyes to one of the several ice sculptures that flew about the room. The great icy bird had made a landing. Attention was turned back to the boy, accompanied by an aloof expression; however a sudden hand on her elbow was quick to dash the face away. She was not expecting what would then follow. An absurd claim would be made. Examine? Ice sculpture? What was this boy thinking? Xailahs hand fluttered onto Pericles shoulder, like a black butterfly. Fingers curled firmly around a golden epaulette. Her features smoothed over, as she adopted an unsmiling veneer.

"Pericles..." She began dramatically. Voice low, and sighing. It was a tone often used when preparing to let someone down gently. Eyes adverted, with feigned coyness, to a marbled spot on the tile floor. "...I hope your idea of examination involves the potential capture, and testing-" Her gaze rose, starting at the hand on her elbow. Golds trailed up a black sleeve, until they finally reunited with sparkling, and caffeine infused silvers. "-To see if that magnificent creature is capable of carrying two peoples." The boy was absolutely right. It would be a shame to let a moment like the present, slip by. So much for a search party. Meadow? Meadow who? We don't know her. She could stay lost for the sake of a heist adventure. Xailahs remaining concerns for her sibling dissipated, as she locked with Pericles' eyes. At the start of the night, she had been growing nettled with the boys caffeinated state, but now it seemed to be paying off.

Xailah removed her touch from the heirs shoulder. A smile wrapped across her face. Gosh, Caffeinated Pericles was so much more fun than Regular Pericles. "If you didn't reek of a coffee bean; and weren't undoubtedly crawling with cooties, and god knows what else, I would squeeze you to near death." Charming. Sounded more like a threat than praise. Her brows curled in confusion at her own statement. "-Ice sculpture examination is the best idea you've ever come up with." Sure he had a lot of ideas, but this particular one was his best yet. There was no time to waste. Xailah was off with a twist towards the glistening shape of solidified water, heels clicking in hurried rhythm. During that moment, no one else existed in they foyer. No one else except for herself, the boy, and the swan. The children were advancing to a point of no return. With decorum and flake of dignity destroyed a half-hour into the night, there was only three things that could be done now: crash, burn, and revel in the chaos. Quietly as possible though- as it would be embarrassing if Pericles father was to discover whatever had ensued. The man seemed like the sort that could catch whiff of capers, from a mile away.

The Alptraum would find a potted plant- a roomy little thing- to crouch behind. A hand beckoned to Pericles, ushering him to cover. Should he make it there in adequate time, he would be met with brisk whisper, and a guiding finger that traced a sloping shape. "See the way its neck curves-" She pointed in a very "Crocodile Hunter" fashion. "-That means its ferocious." It was absolute drivel, but it was spoken with such seriousness that one could believe that neck length, and curve could measure a creatures ferocity. If there had been an ounce of truth to the claim, then that would mean Giraffes were some of the meanest SOB's to ever walk planet Earth. "How should we approach the ssspecimen?" Eagerness flashed across her peepers, as she tried her best to abstain from snickering. Ice sculpture observation was very serious business- one couldn't get caught laughing, unless they wanted to risk scaring their subject away.

(Outro summarized with permission)
{Outfits - Art & References}
@Xailah Alptraum

Caffeinated. The word succinctly summarized the plague of symptoms which were warring through the typically tranquil Pericles: exaggerated emotions, for what was typically a tame and analytical kind of curiosity was, now, a dangerous caliber of fascination. It was the kind of eager excitement that was about to send two young persons chasing after a magical ice swan. "What?" Curved necks being an evolutionary trait of danger? "I've never heard of such a thing. Not to say that I don't believe you. What other animal..." a brief blip through the bestiary for creatures with curved necks; were flamingos volatile? "...nevermind. Yes- right- the approach! Look... see the champagne bucket on that server's tray?"

Thus unfolded the rather slapstick endeavor of obtaining a bucket of ice from a server, so as to scatter the chunks like breadcrumbs, in the assumption that the swan- like any pond-based fowl- would happily set about gobbling them up. Regardless of this absurd plot's success, the result was Pericles cradling his hand, red where it had been snapped at by an annoyed ice sculpture, and possibly one or two persons having slipped on the poorly placed trail of ground ice chunks. "You're lucky that's all the trouble this caused," had been the gentle scolding from his father, who returned with his eerily long, claw-capped fingers folded ever so delicately around the tiny hand of dear Medow, tenderly escorted to her sister's side. The momentarily unattended girl was in one piece, albeit probably stuffed with more sweets than her parents would have approved. He had fortuitously returned before Xailah could contemplate whether or not they might melt the swan.

Pericles, both thrilled to meet a BFF's sibling and eager to change the subject from their antics, had welcomed Meady with the friendliest of handshakes. His questions would come in rapid succession, but if she'd indulged in as much sugar as he had caffeine, there was a good chance she could keep up. How many years until you'll be joining us at Hogwarts? What subjects are you looking forward to most? Do you have a training broom at home? I'm good friends with Schrodinger, you know. Do you have a cat as well, or other pets? I like to collect tarantulas myself. He would carry on this way, the commodore looming mutely in the background, hands folded behind his back while he pretended to people-watch instead of eavesdropping. Peri's chattiness persisted until the fated new-year countdown, which was just about when the coffee crash set in, and his usual dream-like state was surpassed to a point where he found it difficult to stay on his feet. They parted that night with Xailah receiving a soft clasp from Isaac's icy hand, and a warm hug from Pericles, whose father thought it best that their parents not come to hear of how their daughters were watched over by a vampire for the final hours of the ball. A night of strange successes, a start to an equally unusual year.

Exiting thread.