The biggest event of the academic year begins. The decorations are up, the food is ready, the musicians are practiced, rested, and in tune.
The ball lasts just a few hours in Musiverse time but unfolds over a whole month of blog time.
Formal attire required. Fortunately, all clothing is virtual, flattering in every respect, and incredibly comfortable to wear.
Note: the rooftop garden will open anon.
I enter the garden, arms spread wide. “Hello, everyone!” I call. My pink dress sweeps the grass, which feels perfectly soft and springy below my feet. The flowers are blooming and (( what time of day is it? )) the lanterns are lit. ( ? ) I can hear soft music playing. It’s a beautiful day, and I can tell this is going to be a wonderful ball. As I walk through the entrance, I inhale the fragrant cherry-blossom-scented air. This is a perfect setting for a May Day ball.
My dress nearly sweeps the floor as I enter the garden. I spot Princess Magnolia and glide over to her. “Hello,” I say. “Lovely evening, isn’t it?”
“Yes, quite,” I say happily. “Your dress is beautiful. You know, I had a dream where you went to my camp the other day.”
“Really!? That’s very strange…” I reply.
I slip in quietly, taking in the beatiful decor and observing the others walk around greeting each other. For now, at least, I’ll stay in the shadows, I decide. Maybe later I’ll mingle, but for now I situate myself where not many people would notice me.
((Oh, and I’m wearing a midnight blue dress- sleeveless or whatever they’re called, with dark purple embellishments.
))
I walk leisurely in, clothed grandly in my new toga virilis. Instantly spotting the buffet table, I saunter over in that direction to see if the puffin puffs have been delivered yet. They have. The wungs did a nice job setting the decorations out. Greeting Princess_Magnolia, I wander vaguely to a balcony to admire the cherry blossoms.
I step into the party, admiring the beautiful flowers. A long table is set with all kinds of comestibles. I’m not hungry now, but I make a mental note to try the puffin puffs- I’ve never had them before and wonder what they taste like.
I walk in, whatever it is that I’m walking into, in a tuxedo.There wasn’t much to it but that. If someone scanned my outfit, though, they would notice something strange. I wasn’t wearing any socks or shoes.
I hear a greeting coming from someone in a pink dress, realizing it is Princess Magnolia. I wade over and try and start a conversation.
“Hello, Fishy,” I say. “I was just telling LBK about an odd dream that I had.”
I almost don’t hear her as a flood of new students walk in. She seems to go greeting others while I gape. I get a hold of her after the flow slows down.
“So, what was the dream?”
“She went to my camp, but I didn’t know her. Yes, it was odd.” I nod, then look up. “Oh, I love these cherry trees so much!”
I step into the familiar ballroom, decorated with vaguely Asian budding trees, which allow their petals to float gently down over the dance floor. I am wearing a full-skirted white dress accented with magenta sequins and a sash. I carry my cello in one hand and my guitar in the other.
I smile happily and sweep across the floor, waving and smiling at the familiar faces and greeting everyone.
I arrive at the vast stage, where a full orchestra is waiting, minus the few chairs set for the MB-er musicians. I unpack my cello, pick up the bow and sit in the first chair of the cellist section. Nestling my cello between my knees, I flip to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and remove Spring. The first chair violinist gives us the nod and we all play together. The sound fills the ballroom and helps to set the scene.
It having been a while since I had attended one of these affairs, I thought it fitting that I should make an appearance. With this in mind, I mounted the stairs to the ballroom, observing with pleasure the windows thrown open to the balmy evening air. I smiled at the feeling of cool marble through my silken slippers, smoothed my long, simple blue dress, and reached up to adjust the blue rose in my hair.
The ballroom was still fairly empty. I spotted Piggy in a toga, eating a puffin puff and gazing at the cherry trees, and across the veranda, I could see several students greeting each other. “Guess I’m a little early,” I muttered to myself, rather awkwardly. Feeling lost, I make for the buffet table, but only glance at the puffin puffs before moving on to a huge punch bowl full of Egils mix. Having ladled myself out a cup, I sip slowly, watching the door.
((As promised, I have designed a Yin-Yang Maze for the rooftop garden and posted it on the Planning Thread.))
I sway slightly to the wonderful music, and make my way over to the garden. There, a Ying-Yang maze sprawls before me. “What the heck,” I think, and venture inside.
never to be seen again.I walk in and admire the beautiful scenery. Everything looks so amazing. I seem very awkward just standing there, so I find a seat. Once again I seem awkward, so I go to LBK and attempt a conversation.
I walk in wearing a long lavender dress. Noticing the Yin-Yang maze, I enter cautiously…
((Will the Maze RP be on this thread, or the planning thread?
((In previous years, we’ve given the Rooftop Garden its own thread. I’ll create one now. Here you go.))
I step down the ballroom stairs in a soft lavender and pale green strapless dress tied with a simple black ribbon at the waist. The cherry blossoms scent the air, and a gentle wind sends a few petals tumbling to the ground. I float over to a tree and tap a blossom, which comes off immediately. I tuck it into my bun. Spring has sprung at last, and the music seems to come from the wind itself. Well, it does until I notice agrrrfishi and the rest of the musicians playing. The entire evening is beautiful, although I have only been here for about a minute.
I step into the ballroom, adjusting my navy blue bowtie. I straighten my tan tweed jacket, and look around.
I am wearing exactly what Enc is wearing.
I step into the ball wearing a yellow crown of dandelions and daffodils and a simple green dress. “Hello everyone!” I say before wandering over to say hi to Alice as I haven’t been to one of these events in a while either.
I enter the ballroom timidly, hoping others will find my outfit acceptable. I’m fairly sure they will, but I’m so new to all of this… My white bell bottom pants swish at my feet, nearly touching the ground, and all but obscuring the white loafers I reluctantly chose to wear after much deliberation. I roll up the sleeves of my red trench coat to button the sleeves of my dress shirt, then roll them back down. Glancing around the room, I note a table of foodstuffs. I stride over and select a donut to munch on while I wait for more people to show.
I hurry into the ballroom, wearing a floor-length gown with a full skirt made out of light-purple satin. Tiny silver sparkles cover the bodice. Feeling slightly awkward, I cross the room to the buffet table and inspect the food. I brush my curled hair that is artfully falling out of its bun away from my face and pour myself a glass of ginger ale. I gaze at the beautiful decorations and sip my beverage.
I wave Silver Lining over to me. “You look beautiful!” I say. “That dress is flammy.”
“Oh, thank you, Maggie!” I say, smiling. “You look gorgeous as always.” I set my glass down on the table and, noticing Sudo, I beckon him towards us. “Your outfit is great,” I tell him.
I enter, wearing a satin dress of pale green. It has a short cape of the same fabric attached. The orchestra’s just beginning to play, and most of the people seem to be near the refreshments. I join them without hesitation. Time enough for dancing later.
I come in a long aquamarine dress and a big flower in my hair. I didn’t bring my cello this year because I hadn’t practiced anything to play. I hurry up to the rooftop garden.
Realizing the presence of several others, I pull myself out of my wonderment and choose a student at random to greet. “Hello, Cat’s Eye. How are you this evening?”
Pushing open the heavy, ornately carved wooden doors, I sweep into the ballroom. My peacock blue dress, trimmed in spring green, makes a delightful swishing sound. I wave to those gathered. “Good evening!” I call, “You all look great!” I do a double-take, seeing that Enceladus and Beetles appear to be dressed in matching outfits.
I move to the refreshment table and pick up a ginger scone. Leaning casually against a cherry tree, I nibble on my scone and become aware that some blossom petals have fallen into my loose curls. Not minding this, I happily listen to the conversation and the music. The May Day Ball has finally arrived!
I slip in through the door, following Kyra. The cherry trees are in full bloom and brightly colored lanterns hang from their branches. I fit right in wearing my pale blue kimono with a yellow sash. (From the same place as my green one last year.) I don’t feel hungry yet, so I step closer to the band to listen. Perhaps I’ll check out the rooftop garden soon.
((OHMYGODIT’STHEMAYDAYBALLITOTALLYFORGOTUNTILJUSTNOW!))
I sprint into the ballroom, almost knocking over several other people, and adjusting/pulling on my purple dress as I arrive. When I skid to a stop and look around, though, I realize that I am not actually very late. Phew.
I walk over to SudoRandom. “Hi, Sudo. Erm….interesting costume. I wanted to wear a purple tux, but I thought the GAPAs might find crossdressing too informal.” I take a donut. “Wow, these are good. Hey, would you care to dance, later on?”
I walk into the ballroom, wearing a simple, pale blue silk gown. I put down my violin case and go up to the rooftop. ‘Hi, Kyra!’ I say. ‘Are you playing the cello this year? Lovely maze, isn’t it?’
i walk awkwardly into the ballroom wearing a turquiose dress with sequins sewn into the skirt. i headed to the punch table. So this is the may day ball the other students have been raving about. I climbed to a branch and sat down with a cream puff.
I sigh. “No one ever talks to me at parties…Oh, well.” I glide back inside and get a glass of sparkling apple juice and a donut.
(( I was just talking to you! ))
I follow LBK into the ballroom. The room is a colorful swirl of ball gowns and tuxedos. I seem to see someone in a pair of white bell-bottoms…is that SudoRandom? I nudge LBK with my elbow. “Look at Sudo’s costume!” I say.
“Wow…” I motion Sudo over. “Cool outfit. What was the inspiration for it?”
I go back downstairs – the breeze is a bit chilly for me and I have left my shawl with the rest of my things. On my way to the refreshments table, I spy LittleBasementKitten, who is holding a glass of apple juice and a donut.
‘That donut looks delicious,’ I say to LBK. ‘Is it?’ I take one for myself, and a glass of cold lemonade.
I bump into LBK while reaching for a puffin puff.
“Sorry about that!” I say to her. “Would you fancy a dance? Oh, wait, there’s no music.” She looks a bit surprised. I toss her a Chinese- English songbook.
“What’s this for?” She asks.
“It’s a multilingual information storage device printed on mainly fibrous vegetative material that contains instructions for creating harmonious tones by vibrating your vocal chords.” I say.
“What?” LBK asks, obviously confused by the technobable.
“I said, It’s a songbook. You sing from it.” I flip it open and show her the notes. She nods at me, skeptical looking.
“Why don’t we get some other people to sing with us?” She says.
“That is a good idea. That is actually a very good idea. It’s a brilliant idea.” I say. We walk off into the growing crowd to find some singers.
((Actually, there is music. See post 7.))
((How did I not know this? How did I not know this????? I’m part of the orchestra. Disregard any other posts, or put them before…somehow. I am SO playing the Four Seasons!))
I encounter Enceladus at the table. ‘Oh, hello, Enceladus,’ I say. ‘What’s that your carrying it? A songbook?’
‘Well, technically it’s a multilingual information storage device printed on…’ he starts, but LBK interrupts him.
‘Yeah, it’s a songbook,’ she says. ‘It’s Chinese-English,’
‘Oooh,’ I gasp, ‘That’s cool! Could I sing it in Chinese?’
‘If you want,’ she shrugs, and passes me the songbook.
I walk in taking off my helmet and gloves and glide to the buffet to grab some punch.
cufflinks,
Wearing a blond spiky mohawk, a medium dark blue shirt with glow in the dark
a jet black tux jacket with (on the back) the phrase, “Investigate alien disarray,” a dark green kilt,
and black Doc Martens with lime green laces, I scan the room for…
Before Zinnober 9 can complete the thought, the ever vigilant wungs discreetly whisk the improperly dressed MBer off to the wardrobe room kept at the ready for just such emergencies.
Ooh, busted by Bunniful.
Rebecca Lasley, what article(s) of clothing is/are against the dress code?
I hear Enceladus gathering people to sing together and come over to investigate.
“That technobabble joke was hilarious. Could I sing, too?”
‘Sure!’ I say to Kai. ‘Here, you can share the songbook.’ More and more people join our little crowd of singers. Enceladus magically produces more songbooks and we have enough for everybody.
“Thanks, Selinium! You look great!”
‘Aw…thanks, KaiYves! You look really awesome too!’
I’ve just finished drinking a glass of some sweet, berry-ish iced tea when I notice a group congregating near me. I nab a dainty-looking cookie from a plate near me, and go to see what the group is doing. A few words float toward me from the group. “…share the songbook.” Singers, then. I consider joining them, but decide against it. I glance around, admiring the decorations again. Simply beautiful.
My voice growing tired, I finish off my lemonade and head back to the drinks table for a glass of ginger beer. It’s delicious, and the perfect refreshment for me at this moment.
I spot Errata a few yards over, admiring the decorations, and I join her. ‘Hello, Errata,’ I say. ‘How are you this evening?’
I look over at the sound of Selenium’s voice.
“Why hello, Selenium. I’m doing very well. And you?”
‘I’m quite all right myself, thank you,’ I reply. ‘And how are you enjoying the refreshments? The decorations? Everything? Oh, that reminds me: have you been up to see the maze yet on the rooftop? It’s absolutely amazing!’
As I hopped down from the branch, I saw Errata and selenium admiring the decorations.
” The decorations are awesome!! I wonder if they’re always the beautiful.”
I say. I dust a few stray cherry blossom petals off my dress.
“Everything is simply splendid. I haven’t been up to the maze yet, I’ll have to do that soon. I believe I heard somebody say it was in the shape of a Yin-Yang?”
Just then, Bluestar jumped down from I nearby tree. I turn to her, somewhat surprised, as she begins complimenting the decorations.
“Yes, they are beautiful. I don’t know about years before, but last year they were just as splendid.”
I take a scone from the refreshment table, still right beside us. It looks heavenly, just like everything else.
‘You heard correctly, it is in the shape of a Yin-Yang. Oh, hello, puffpuff. The decorations are wonderful, aren’t they? This is my first ever May Day Ball and I think it’s absolutely amazing.’
I greet Armada. “Yeah, I know what you mean about the cross-dressing thing. I’d love to dance with you later!”
I see Silver Lining calling me over to a table, and hurry over. She compliments my outfit, and I hear Magnolia make a comment about it to LBK.
“Please,” I tell her, winking, “It’s not a costume. It’s a fashion statement. You both look flammy as well.” (Maggie, what are you wearing? I don’t think you ever said…)) “Now, would anyone care to dance?”
Um, I need to finish my drawing and send it in…
The orchestra quiets down, perhaps slightly dismayed, as the singing overtakes the music. I set my cello down and hop off the stage for a few minutes, when I hear Sudo ask if anyone would like to dance.
“Hey Sudo! I’d like to dance!” I say, walking over and smiling. “Nice trench coat, I’ve been waiting for mystery-chic to make a comeback.”
“Mystery-Chic? Um, I’m not sure what that is, but if it’s at all related to my outfit, it must be wonderful!”
We start to dance.
((Um, Dancing RP+Sudo=Fail. Help?))
((You don’t even have to describe what you’re doing, now that you’re dancing, you are! It’s all very simple in virtual reality ^.^ ))
I slip into the ballroom, incredibly late. I reach for the crown of daisies on my head to make sure they are still there, and straighten my white knee-length dress.
A few people notice my entrance, but for the most part I pass inconspicuously. I drift over to the buffet table and take a donut, proceeding to vaguely gaze at the other guests.
((Late? This party lasts all month. In blog time, it’s barely stated. Welcome, and stay a while!))
I pause in the doorway and look around. I am wearing a sleeveless yellow-gold just-below-the-knee-length dress and a white flower in my hair. I see Enc and Beetles dressed like the Doctor. Oh dear. I nervously walk over to the food table and take a small slice of quiche, then go to Magnolia, Silver Lining, and LBK’s table. “You look flammy,” I say. “Wait… Aren’t some people in two places at once? Like last year? This is weird. I should try it.”
I sigh and go up to the Rooftop Garden.
As my attempt for a conversation fails, I decide to stay near the shadows for a while. While my curled hair bounces on my shoulders as I am walking towards the shadows, I notice a peculiar yet wonderful smell. I follow it to the puffpuffs. I take one and once again go towards the shadows, while munching happily along the way.
‘Hey, I don’t know what you mean by implying that formal wear is uncomfortable,’ I say to the air as I approach the doors. ‘I love dressing snazzily because I always feel like I’m slipping into incredibly soft, comfortable clothing. And asides, there are many different types of formal wear.’
‘Well, no matter,’ I say to myself, lowering my voice. I take a breath to steady myself and then slip in through the doors, entering the maelstrom.
(Wearing this: [Link didn’t work. –Admin.])
-A
It just didn’t load at all?
-A
Nope. Just “oops!” error messages. I tried playing with it, but no luck. Maybe a typo?
How about that one? (Trying to determine if it’s that particular image or TinyGrab in general that’s malfunctioning…)
-A
‘Here I am’, I say, stepping out of my comfortably modified Sikorsky Blackhawk that’s hovering roughly 500 feet above the rooftop garden. ‘Hey, guys!’, I call down toward the rooftop garden as I free fall for about 5 seconds before I open my chute. I drift down through the stairwell and drop onto the dance floor, not really attracting much attention, seeing as this thing happens all the time on Muse island, or wherever we are.
‘That is one heck of a chute,’ I call to the mystery figure who just landed on the dance floor. I help to unclip zir from the material now swathed on the floor. ‘I mean, in freefall,’ I continue, ‘It takes just under six seconds to fall five hundred feet. That parachute slowed you down from fatal speeds to a comfortable landing in under a second!’
The person in front of me is finally freed from the apparatus. I give them some room and make myself busy folding up the parachute into a more manageable bundle.
-A
((We call it Hyperborea.))
“Yeah, I think I look about as Japanese as a Greek girl from New York can.” I joke to Selenium. We hear the sound of helicopter blades and look up to see Castle jumping out of a Blackhawk and parachuting down.
“Wow. Now THAT’S one way to make an entrance.” I say.
I come back down from exploring the Rooftop Garden, and overhear KaiYves’s comment about looking Japanese. I laugh. “Yeah. Hey you guys- your outfits are awesome!” I straighten my kimono absentmindedly. ((I’m changing what I’m wearing- I was digging in my closet and found one of my kimonos. Yay me. It’s still dark blue and purple, though.)) “I guess I look as Japanese as… a half-Japanese girl from Tennessee?” I laugh again. “That was a fail.” I remark half to myself as I look over to the food tables. “Ack! They have puffin puffs!” I wince slightly, remembering the uncooked puffins from last year. “I’m going vegan, so I have an excuse for not trying the puffin puffs.”
Reasoning for not eating puffin puffs = win.
Or maybe I should have said puffin puffs might be sufficient reason unto themselves to inspire veganism.
Whichever interpretation: you made me laugh.
((Aggie- All right then! What is Mystery-Chic, by the way?))
I’m pleased to be the first dancer at the ball, and by all the compliments I’ve received for my attire. As the song finishes, I drift over to LittleBasementKitten. She asks me where the inspiration for my clothing came from, and I smile.
“Oh, you know, this is just me being a fashionista. I was going to wear bare feet, but apparently that’s not allowed. Then I thought about plain canvas shoes, but those probably weren’t formal enough… I even considered painting my nails white, but changed my mind. I love your dress. The flowers are a nice touch.”
((I always figured that trenchcoats fell somewhat under the category of Sherlock Holmes, for no particular reason. Perhaps it’s just my skewed sense of fashion.
))
‘Wait, no bare feet?’ I call over to SudoRandom. ‘This may be a problem.’ I pull down the bottom part of my attire a little to cover my feet. Luckily, the outfit is rather loose-fitting.
-A
((Hey GAPAs, would it be possible at some point for me, and other musicians on the thread, if they’d like, to make recordings of ourselves playing our instruments so that people could actually listen to the music while they write and RP? That would be extremely fun!))
Sudo wanders over to LBK, so I totter off to help Gradster fold up Castle’s parachute. “That was quite an entrance” i say happily. “I’ll have to try that sometime!”
While in the shadows, I spot Daisy*Chain sitting and looking lonely, so I approach her and try talking to her. “Hello there Daisy! You look gorgeous this evening!”
“Thak you, dear!” I reply to SWAT. “You look flammy as well! How are the puffin puffs?”
“Merci Daisy! They are actually quite delicious. Would you like some?”
“No thank you… I still remember what happened last year…” I shudder.
“Want to go to the garden?”
“Sounds like a plan!” I say as Daisy and I head off to the garden.
As I realize how distracted both Princess Magnolia and I are, I spot Daisy*Chain and Swat walking to go to the garden. I walk towards them, gesturing to everyone that he/she should come with us.
I put myself between them, and wrap my arms around theirs.
“And how you are you two this evening?” It was all very chivalrous, or at least that was what I was going for.
I follow Fishy, SWAT, and Daisy*Chain. “I’m following you,” I announce. “I would like to see the garden.”
Ha. Obnoxious Princess.
I slowly and inconspicuously take my arm back. “We are bring followed! Why hello there Princess_Magnolia! How are you doing this fine evening?”
Since we are, supposedly, headed to the rooftop garden, perhaps we should take this conversation to the rooftop garden thread. Yes?
Yes.
I walk into the ballroom, as I straighten my bowtie and then bump into fireh. “Oh, hi!” I say. Would you care too dance?
I grin at Beetles. “Hello, Beetles! Sure, I’d love to. I love dancing.”
I dance with Fireh, as some people walk by and comment on my “Doctor” attire. As the song finishes, I walk over to the singing group and sing a few songs with them.
I feel a bit hungry and leave the singing group for a minute to check out the food table.
I wander around the party room, and near the puffin puffs
” why are they called puffin puffs, anyway? They don’t look like puffins…” I wonder out loud.
“Really? That’s strange, considering they are in fact fried puffins…”
((Prepared by a well-meaning elderly Icelandic woman who is not, it must be acknowledged, one of the world’s most painstaking cooks.))
((Ah, how has Gleda been lately? Does she still keep her pet kittiwakes in the kitchen?))
((The cook in question isn’t Gleda Gunnarsdóttir but her elder sister, Helga Gunnarsdóttir, the mother of Muse Academy’s friendly ferryman, Thor Thorsson. Gleda’s cooking may be legendary, but Helga’s is even worse, if you can imagine it.
Still, as vile as puffin puffs inevitably are, at least we don’t have to face Gleda’s kittiwake croustade.))
“Oh.”. I said. I lost my appitite.I eyed the offending food object cautiously.
“Hi, Piggy,” I say. “Sorry it took me so long to talk to you. This ball moves so quickly! What do you think of it all?”
“I think it seems somewhat more refined than last year, if that can be said,” I respond to Cat’s Eye. “The Asian theme lends that quality, I think.”
I nod to Piggy. “I’m almost expecting a spontaneous tea ceremony to happen. It’s fantastically pretty, too. Slower. More peaceful, maybe.”
(52) ((Vigilant wungs, mortified by the sight of bare feet at a formal Muse Academy function, wrap themselves around the offenders’ feet to simulate shoes.))
((I’m wearing shoes… Did you mean Gradster?))
I saunter into the ball room, wearing the gown that I made from leaves and various flowers, with silk accents. Seeing wungs flocking around Sudo’s feet, I quickly tie on my leather sandals that I removed for the long walk from my reclusive garden, and pray that no one noticed.
I walk around and look at the beautiful Asian theme, cherry blossoms and all. The music sounds beautiful, and everyone looks positively lovely.
I walk over to the food table and pick up a puffin puff. It’s almost to my mouth when I overhear SudoRandom, “…they are in fact fried puffins…”. I stop abruptly, and gently place it back on the platter.
Eavesdropping on Piggy and Cat’s Eye’s conversation, I butt in when I hear ‘tea ceremony’.
“Tea ceremony? Oh, I hope there’s chamomile…”
((For the puffin puffs, you’d think the beaks, feet, and feathers would be a giveaway.))
((Oh gosh… I see now… I thought everyone was talking about the delicious cereal… *facepalm* I should’ve done my research…))
I peer into the room, glancing at the decorations. So it’s an Asian theme this year, , I think. The theme gives it an ethereal sort of sophistication, though that sounds excessively strange. I smooth the skirt of my charcoal gown. My eyes dart around; what should I do?
I walk slowly into the ballroom, trying very hard not to trip over my long blue dress. Idly scanning the room, I make my way t the food table, where I am dismayed to see that the infamous puffin puffs have once again made an appearance. No longer hungry, I take up a spot on the wall and watch the dancers.
I crawl out of the emergency wardrobe department, after the wungs tackled me and drowned me with alternate clothing options, wearing a new and wordless jet black tux jacket.
Keeping the mohawk, the medium dark blue dress shirt with glow in the dark
cufflinks, the dark green kilt, and the black Doc Martens with lime green laces, I try again to look for…
((GAPAs, if I’m still wearing something against the dress code, please tell me what it is))
‘Yes’, I say. ‘It’s a very advanced chute, it deploys using a computer trigger and provide heavy air resistance.’ I look around.
‘I imagine the mini-jets on the bottom helped too. I got this particular model from a private defense contractor – but – ooh, look! Puffin puffs!’ I exclaim as I saunter over to the rather disgusting, puffed-up balls of feathers. I examine the legs poking out and the head just barely visible under the mass of fluff. The sweet and sour dipping sauce is nearby. I pick one out, dunk it once in the sauce and swallow the whole thing in one go. ‘Mmf’, I say. ‘Gmood purfen purff.’ I see gradster looking over at me, in a slightly disgusted way. ‘Whut?’, I mumble around the feathers. ‘Aren’t you supposed to pluck them first?’ en says ((he? she?)) ‘ ‘Oo pruks ’em?’ I say, swallowing hard. ‘Ooh, that was a good one….what?’
‘Uh’, en says.
((Actually, the cook was supposed to pluck them, but she’s very near-sighted and forgetful nowadays, poor thing.))
I join the singing group as well, and wince as I notice Castle eating a puffin puff.
My conversation with Selinium and Bluestar has trailed off, so I decide to go upstairs to investigate the maze.
Having had Sudo walk away from me and start dancing with Aggie, I sigh and take another donut. “Why does this always happen to me?…” Then I notice Zinnober 9 emerge from a door in the wall wearing some very….unusual clothing. I walk over to him, donut in hand. “Hey, remember me from the Halloween Ball? Crazy pirate-girl with a bad piratese accent?” I grin. “And no offense, but did you get dressed in the dark or something?”
After crawling out of wardrobe, a girl in purple comes up to me and says, “Hey, remember me, the crazy pirate-girl from the Halloween Ball?”
“Of course, you are the only dancer that has never stepped on my toes.”
She grins and asks, “Did you get dressed in the dark or something?â€
“By that do you mean that I don’t look put together? I thought I looked rather dashing.” Waiting a second, I then ask,
“Oh, and do I detect a hinting of you wanting to dance with me? I accept. Care to dance the Argentine Tango?”
I laugh, downing the last bite of my donut. “Yes, that is what I was veryveryvery subtly hinting, indeed.
I’d love to! I’m not sure I know how to dance the Argentine Tango, though… I may end up stepping on your toes after all. I apologize in advance, if so.”
“Then let’s dance.”
The Pink Panther theme starts to play as we head to the dance floor.
Z9
“All right… you’ll have to lead, though!”
I frown in puzzlement at the Pink Panther. “This is Argentinean?”
((It was the first music piece that I thought of. You may change it if you like.))
“No, it’s all right. Very… interesting.” I giggle.
((Sorry I forgot about this! -_- I’ve been….busy. o_o;)
“Well, see you Magnolia,” I say, going outside for some fresh air. Outside, I spot Daisy*Chain, SWAT, and Fishy talking.
I excuse myself from Cat’s Eye and make my way to the buffet table. Selecting a plate, I take a puffin puff, two deviled eggs, a small dish of udon, and a few salmon onigiri. Catching sight of an ichigo daifuku, I grab that as well–one of my favorite things. Finally, I grab a cup of amazake and see who else is mulling about. Small but Fierce looks somewhat lost; I pass by a pair of black shoes with loud green laces and approach her. “Good to see you again. Care for an onigiri?”
As Enceladus conducts a group singing bilingually in Chinese and English, I smile, but wander away, knowing that my singing voice is terrible. Sipping some pomegranate juice, I linger idly by a temporary flower bed containing a patch of red tulips–my favorite.
I spot some brave souls consuming Puffin Puffs and cringe. I regard the Puffs suspiciously. These look more feathery than last year’s. However, on a positive note, they look absolutely stunning against the tangerine-coloured plates they are resting on.
“Why, hello, SudoRandom!” I say as he passes by. “Have you tried the scones? They’re splendid!”
Leaving the buffet table, I peruse the ballroom, searching for someone to dance with.
I wander off to the Rooftop Garden as the bilingual chorus continues, carrying my guitar in hand and wandering on tiptoe.
I take a few deviled eggs and a piece of sesame chicken from the food table.
I come in from the rooftop garden and look longingly at the buffet table. Kosher, I wonder? I know puffins aren’t. I turn away and ask Silver Lining for a dance.
((I imagine whether the food out is kosher or not, the Wungs could whip you up something that was. There might be enough jewish MBers that there’s a kosher section anyway… I didn’t pay attention.))
“I’d love to, cromwell,” I say. I take his hand and we begin to dance.
I enter the ball wearing camouflage, because I didn’t realize it was a ball and only came to escape Schoolwork, who was chasing after me with Microsoft Word programs, pencils, looseleaf, and other paraphernalia.
I sneak over to the food table, and especially the dessert area, because I really, really need chocolate.
Soon I began to relax, and I tap my feet to the sturdy beat of African drums. It’s marvelous, this ball. Totally safe from the evils of the outside. I grin like a puffin, one that hasn’t been ‘cooked’ and eaten. Wait a second. Do puffins grin?
I leave the ballroom to the sound of a bilingual chorus singing heaven knows what, and make my way to the serenity of the rooftop garden.
I agian wander around aimlessly, because I am bored and I’m am going nothing-tarian, (( I watched food Inc last night.))
I walk up to the rooftop garden to get a fresh air. ‘Lovely maze, isn’t it?’ I comment to no-one in particular.
I take a stroll around the edge of the garden, where cherry blossoms fill the air with their sweet fragrance. The maze has been artistically grown and is a perfect yin-yang symbol.
((70.1 – Oh, the poor dear. :lol:))
‘Yes, I generally try to stay away from puffin puffs myself,’ I say, slightly unnerved. I clear my throat to pass a little time, as Castle looks to be deliberating whether or not to eat another. I let out a sigh of relief when ze decides against it.
We turn and face the ever-moving dance floor. ‘So,’ I say, making conversation, ‘Have you seen these new shoes yet?’
-A
I decide to follow Selenium upstairs and check out the ying-yang maze I’ve heard so much about.
((By the way, whoever calculated how many Venus years old I am, thank you.))
‘New shoes?’, I ask. ‘Like, yours, or…..wait, what?’
I cough a bit. ‘Oh, those pointy little feet really stick in your throat. Mr. Coontz!’, I call across the floor. ‘Could we consider hiring a new cook?’
((87 – Seriously? How old are you?))
((Most of the food at the ball was supplied by the Hare & Hedgepig and is excellent. It’s just that Helga Gunnarsdóttir loves Muse Academy students and insists on making puffin puffs for their big parties. We don’t have the heart to refuse or “mislay” them, because she’d be crushed. So we set them out with the rest of the food and hope for the best. Some of the students claim to like them.
Helga is not MA’s regular cook or even a school employee. She’s just a sweet little old lady who lives on the mainland and whose son ferries us back and forth on his boat whenever we need to leave Hyperborea.))
((A German Muse Academy cook? Where did you find her? And as for the puffin puffs, they weren’t actually so bad. I prefer them with a few feathers, although I could do with less feet and brains.))
((She’s Icelandic, not German, and she’s not a cook.))
((:lol:
You have the coolest sense of humor.
Just a sad, slightly pathetic (or did i mean formidable?) Icelandic grandma with severe myopia. Just like me!))
After singing a few songs with the singing group, I wander up the stairs and into the garden.
((Is it too late for me to join?))
((Not at all! Come on in.))
I nervously enter, quite aware of how late I am. Looking around, I see Silver Lining and Cromwell dancing, and wish that I could dance without trampling people’s feet.
((88- 17 Earth years, 28 Venus ones.))
((Someone’s approaching their mid-life crisis.))
I dart in after Ducky, late, as always. I’m wearing a blue and silverish dress with thin straps that almost touches the ground. ((The dress I want to wear to some special occasion (in the outside world), but never will.)) I make my way around people talking in clumps, until I locate the singing group and join them.
I see Ducky, and go over to talk.
“Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who can’t dance. Actually, I’ve never tried to dance with a partner (nobody’s ever asked me), but still. If I can’t dance with myself without tripping…”
I think idly that “Quelqu’un M’a Dit” by Carla Bruni would perfectly match the mood of the ball, and start to hum to myself.
I see ducky and beetle talking and join them.
” My friends swear that I was born with two left feet!” I joke.
I reached for a puffin puff, then thought better of it.
“So,” I say to gradster. “The lighting in here is horrible. Or, I forgot my glasses. One or the other. Point, is, I can’t SEE you, and before I ask you to dance, I should really probably know what gender you are.”
I hear a few snickers from across the room.
Stop that.
‘I stand with you, my myopic friend,’ I say. ‘It is certainly tough in the situation we’re in to judge that sort of thing.’
‘Unfortunately for you, you’re at rather a disadvantage asking what gender I am,’ I admit. ‘If I answered you truly and said I was bigendered, as I am, you wouldn’t have much of a lead, if I’m guessing correctly about what you’d like to know.’
‘Biologically speaking and in terms of sex,’ I continue, ‘I’m male. Not that it really matters, though.’
-A
“Ah, yes,” I say. “The nearsightedness really does come with horrible disadvantages.”
Perhaps I’ll go choke down another [feathery] puffin puff.
I enter the ballroom, after a nice sojourn in the rooftop garden. I spot Errata, and say, “Errata, would you like to dance with me?” as a French song begins playing.
I wander over the refreshment table after [song] finishes, and skip the puffin puffs, which some brave soul is attempting to eat, and pick a food more to my liking. Hoping to find someone not engaged in conversation already, and a breath of fresh air, I make my way to the rooftop garden.
I walk down from the rooftop garden and head for the food table, to select some snacks.
“Um, if anybody wants to look at Saturn, we’ve got a telescope set up by the Maze up in the garden.” I say, rather loudly.
I come back down to the ball, but turn right around as I hear KaiYves say that we can see Saturn on the rooftop.
I came across a bit of puffin trivia in “The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England.” In the 14th century religious practice forbade the eating of meat during Advent, Lent, and on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This didn’t seem to be much of a hardship since the eating of fish was permitted, and no one in England lived prohibitively distant from a water supply. The requirement was made easier by the era’s understanding of the category “fish,” which included not only fish and seafood that we would recognize as such, but also “seals, porpoises, dolphins, barnacle geese, puffins, and beavers” because their lives begin in the sea or a river.
((Om nom nom nom nom))