Winter Ball!

Setting:
It's the school dance held every year for all three schools. It's colder than usual this year, the sky was bleak and grey all day, but the night brings a calm snowfall that comes and goes. As a nice blanket coats the world outside in a winter wonderland, the student council decided to bring that beauty into the ball (click here for an idea of the view inside). It is the winter ball after all, so the auditorium is decorated with paper snowflakes and glitter, along with draping white sheets and ornate winter-themed chandeliers. Ice sculptures decorate the interior and many of the girls are dressed in white to match. Perhaps a cozy winter romance will blossom tonight!

Theme: Winter Wonderland.

Special Events:
The hired DJ is always taking requests for songs, feel free to post a link to a song you want to dedicate to another member, or from your character to another, or if you just want us to hear the song playing in your head as you write your post (just make sure it is school appropriate!)

Notes/Ideas:
Your character can be inside dancing, or outside in the snow..or on the roof! She can be helping the DJ with ther equipment (buuut she can't actually be the DJ, that's an npc (non-player character).

Post length requirements for this event: 1p-3+p

Thread type: Group/Open

Have fun!

Atsuko stood in front of the doors to the Winter Ball. Her strapless dress was silver, with a top that looked almost like a corset and a long, ballgown skirt. It had been hard to find the right dress because she didn't want it too poofy, but not skin tight either. Luckily, she had found the perfect one after hours of shopping, and it almost seemed to sparkle when the lights were touching it. She had decided to leave her hair down for the occasion, but had a snowfake clip pinning her bangs back. The rest of it draped gracefully over her shoulders. In her hands, she nervously clasped a small gift box.

Taking a breath, she entered the vast room. It was decorated beautifully, truly looking like a winter wonderland. Blue and white covered everything, and even though blue wasn't on of Atsuko's favorite colors, she still thought it looked magnificent. Although she enjoyed the scenery, Atsuko wasn't sure what to do. The party was just getting started, and she didn't see anyone she knew yet.
Although I may not for a while, she thought. Since I don't know too many people.

But still. There was that one girl...
The blonde's heart fluttered in her chest when she thought of her.
Yukiko.
She held the box she had brought tighter. It was white, with a blue bow. Very fitting for the theme. And for Yuki herself, with her snow white hair and cerulean blue eyes.

She smiled a little, thinking about her. Atsuko was standing by the door, up against the wall. As more people came in, she moved back to give them room. Having nothing to do but look around, she admired the veiw out the windows - it was snowing, and the ground was being covered in a beautiful layer of white. The outside lights made it sparkle. It all seemed right, absolutely perfect for this year's Winter Ball.

The sharp clicking of high heeled shoes echoed softly throughout the hall. Yukiko shifted uncomfortably as she walked, taking special care not to trip over her own feet. She looked around at the girls walking past, feeling envious of their ability to strut about with such ease. She had never been the type of girl to wear frilly dresses and heels, but this was a special occasion. The Winter Ball... The thought of attending her very first dance made her heart skip a beat.

As she stood before the auditorium doors, she gazed in awe at the beautiful sight that lay just beyond them. The room was decorated with glittering snowflakes and sparkling chandeliers. Everything shimmered, and the sea of white and blue truly matched the season. "It's so pretty..." She murmured, clearly awestruck. Her cerulean orbs scanned the room, searching for a familiar face. Finally, after a few moments of searching, she found one.

There, standing against a wall, was the beautiful blonde Spican she had met in the forest: Atsuko Watanabe. The girl she had grown so fond of...and the girl who had asked her to be her date. She felt her heart begin to beat faster. She wore a gorgeous silver dress, and her beautiful golden locks draped softly down her shoulders and back. 'She looks like a princess...' Yuki could feel the blush slowly creeping onto her cheeks. As if in some sort of trance, she slowly began moving towards her, still somewhat mesmerized by her beauty. Summoning all her courage, she called out to the girl with a timid smile. "Acchan!"

Atsuko had been standing there for only a little while before she heard her name being called.
"Acchan!"
At the sound of the familiar voice, she turned her head, heart skipping a beat.
To her delight, it was Yuki who was walking towards her smiling, but looking unsteady in her high heels. Atsuko grinned, walking towards her.
"Hey! I'm glad you're here," she said. "After all, I didn't want to be stood up at my first ball."
But it was much more than that. Yuki being here meant everything to her.
"And I'm glad that I get to spend my first Winter Ball with such a beautiful girl."
Yuki really did look stunning, and Acchan felt extremely happy that she was her date.

Looking around for a minute, she said "Um, since no one's really dancing yet, do you want to go outside? There's something I want to show you."

Yuki couldn't help but smile brightly as Atsuko approached her. She giggled softly, shaking her head as the girl mentioned she was happy she hadn't been stood up. "Aw, Acchan, I would never do that to you. You're much too sweet." She said honestly, her cheeks glowing red. 'And you're much too important to me...' The thought still made her rather uneasy, but she quickly brushed the feelings aside. She was determined to fill this night with nothing but happiness, meaning such negative thoughts had no place in her head for the time being. It was then that the blonde's voice stirred her from her thoughts.

"Um, since no one's really dancing yet, do you want to go outside? There's something I want to show you."

"Uh... Sure... Yeah, of course." She blinked in surprise, nodding slowly as she spoke. It was true that the dance floor was rather empty, but she assumed that was because she and Acchan had arrived rather early. Not that she really minded much. She was more than happy to spend as much time with Acchan as possible, much to her own dismay. It was clear that her heart and mind were engaged in full-fledged war now, and there didn't seem to be a clear victor anywhere in sight. Quickly pushing the thought out of her mind, she reached out, motioning for Atsuko to take her hand. Despite the battle going on in her heart, she was still curious to see what her friend wished to show her. "Well then, shall we go?"

Maiko should've felt at least a little worn out after everything she'd been doing today. Since she didn't live at home these days, at the very least she didn't have to go to so much trouble just in getting dressed normally. Today was anything but normal. She'd really wanted to get to the auditorium early enough to help get things set up however she could. Getting all decked out for the ball proved to be a little more time consuming than Maiko had assumed it would be.

Her mother had personally stepped in to make sure she had a proper formal gown for the event; Maiko had disappeared off campus for a day due to this. Maiko would've been fine with a lot of the dresses she tried on, but her mother was hard to satisfy. After at long last settling on the gown she'd had to go through a dress rehearsal of preparation. Pictures were taken, and their use was troubling to the younger Suzumi. They'd be sent out to prospective suitors soon. The gears of arranged marriage were beginning to turn at home.

She had to admit the gown was pretty though - long flowing white skirt, close fitting bodice with a wide sky blue sash tied about the waist, modest neckline and daringly for Maiko, sleeveless. At her mother's further insistence, white satin opera gloves adorned her arms, ending just below the elbow. A bit old fashioned looking, but Maiko was okay with that. Maiko also wore her hair down, tying back just her side locks. Putting on makeup had taken a lot of time too, as Maiko was badly out of practice.

By the time she'd arrived the basic setup was all complete. At the same time she had still made it there early enough to help bring in some of the DJ's equipment. It felt odd to be flitting about in a ball gown, heels clicking furiously on the floor while carrying sound equipment. Being so early Maiko didn't really have anything else to do. During a break, though, she stood off to the side and watched as excited girls started to arrive. Maybe she'd get to dance with some of them, provided they hadn't brought dates. Maiko didn't like intruding on couples - it felt rude to do so.

Just as the other girls started streaming in, though, something in the little handbag Maiko had brought hummed an alert. Noiseless of course, but the vibration caught her attention. Technically she wasn't supposed to have the device with her, but there were other important things to stay abreast of this magical evening. Glancing about nervously to check if anyone was watching, she gingerly pulled the phone out of her bag and tapped a button. The alert was indeed regarding the other thing she was monitoring; her favorite team had just scored!

"Yatta!" she exclaimed abruptly, then quickly slid the device back into her accessory. Hopefully nobody thought she was too weird for the outburst. It wouldn't do on a night like tonight.

Shun walked through entrance and observed the other girls who had also arrived a little on the early side. Some were chatting with one another, others appeared to be in various mental states. Some bore expressions of excitement and others appeared quite nervous. It was a rather large event, this dance.

Shun's expression was not quite as easy to read. It was a hint of a smile that crossed her features. On this occasion, Shun was clad in a white tux. It was similar to the sort of outfit she would wear on stage. Complete with white gloves and a white top hat. She even took the time to find a set of winter themed playing cards and pre-loaded the bouquet of white roses. After all, you never know who you might run into at a dance like this.

A celebratory exclamation reached Shun's ears. Pink orbs quickly pinpointed the source and her feet glided along the floor as she crossed the distance to the girl in question.

"What a peculiar reaction!" she said, approaching from behind, "Although, I must confess to a touch of excitement, myself. Unless I've misread the reaction. In which case, I do offer my sincere apologies and an inquiry into just what has elicited such a reaction."

Maiko stiffened when she heard a voice behind her asking about why she'd reacted excitedly. Or maybe it was just about what she was excited about. The phone was inside her handbag, but she hadn't finished closing the handbag up. In fact her hand was still inside as well, clutching the edge of the phone. Blue tresses shifted over her shoulder as Maiko slowly glanced back to see who had approached her.

Seeing Shun there decked out in a tuxedo, Maiko was surprised to say the least. All of the girls she'd seen so far had opted for dresses of some kind. No two seemed to be the same but their predominance made this pink eyed girl's choice of attire stand out in a more pronounced fashion. Feeling less tense after a moment, Maiko's posture relaxed as she turned to face the girl. All the while she had neglected to remove her hand from the bag in which her phone rested.

"Oh, I am excited about the ball, but that outburst was for a different reason. Something good just happened.. um.. in.. in Canada," Maiko responded, starting to lose confidence as she admitted to following events elsewhere. She even cautiously lifted the phone out of her bag to show the girl in the tuxedo.

Trying to get back on track Maiko continued, "I don't think we've met. I'm Maiko, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If you don't mind my saying it, those clothes really suit you... almost like you're a magician!"

Another tiny smile crossed her face, as the girl revealed the source of her excitement. Something in Canada. Not exactly what she had been anticipating, but that was all part of the fun.

"Canada? My what could be happening in Canada?" she asked. Her voice was soft, but audible in the growing crowd. She was used to talking in large groups of people, after all.

Taking a step back, Shun removed her hat and used the newly created space to offer a rather large bow to the older girl, "And a magician, I am." she said, "Sando Shun, humbly at your services, my dear!"

Returning upright, Shun returned the hat to it's proper place atop her head. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, as well." she said. "Which school do you attend?"

Acchan took her hand, a faint blush staining her cheeks. Yuki was such a nice girl, not to mention she looked gorgeous in her dress.

The two wandered in between the few people on the dance floor to the courtyard doors. Atsuko let go of Yuki's hand so she could hold the door open for her date, and they walked into the white flakes.

Atsuko cleared her throat, blushing more profusely now. Looking at Yuki, she said "I, um, got this for you. I hope you like it." She offered to girl a small smile and handed her the gift box. Inside, unbeknownst to the snow haired girl, was a charm bracelet with several snow flake charms hanging off of it. Atsuko was actually extremely nervous hoping Yuki would like the gift. She had noticed her snow flake necklace in the woods and had found this online for only forty dollars. She waited nervously for Yuki to open it.

As the two girls stepped into the frozen wonderland, Yuki couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She had always adored winter, especially when it snowed. Everything just seemed so beautifully innocent and blissful when covered in a sparkling white blanket of snow. The cold air felt wonderful against her skin. After a few moments, the blonde's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her gaze to Atsuko, smiling as the other spoke.

"I, um, got this for you. I hope you like it."

A faint blush graced her cheeks as Atsuko held out a small gift box. Yet another kind gesture Yukiko wasn't used to. "Acchan, that's so sweet of you... You didn't have to do that..." She said softly, reaching out to accept the gift. But the smile on her face still shined with gratitude. She slowly and carefully unwrapped her gift, curious as to what was inside. When she saw it, her jaw nearly dropped.

Inside the box was a gorgeous bracelet, decorated with tiny, sparkling snowflake charms. The white haired girl was at a loss for words. "O-Oh... Wow... Acchan... It's beautiful...! I love it!" She looked up at the girl, unable to contain her own happiness. "Thank you... Thank you so much..." Feeling a bit brave, she leaned forward and gave the girl a soft peck on the cheek before pulling her into a gentle hug.

As she pulled away, she smiled again. "I love it so much, in fact, I think I'll put it on right now. It matches my dress, after all." She giggled softly, as she gently slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. It had really been quite some time since anyone had given her something so beautiful. And the fact that it had come from Acchan made it all the more special. It would definitely be something she would treasure forever, just like her beloved necklace.

So far this newest encounter was anything but what Maiko had expected of the evening. She'd expected friendly chatting, some dancing with girls who hadn't brought dates and maybe taking in the view from the roof. Now she had a magician of all things talking to her! Unexpected things happened all the time on Astraea Hill, it seemed. Something about Shun's showmanship (show-woman-ship?) and attitude was really striking a chord with the tall Miator student. Particularly her word choice, which sounded unusual coming from the girl in the tuxedo. Then again the girl's wearing of a tuxedo alone was unusual. Really it was refreshing.

"Um.. something nice," was all Maiko offered, and quietly at that, about what was transpiring thousands of miles away. She blushed a tiny bit too.

She smiled broadly as Shun bowed dramatically in self-introduction. Maiko really couldn't help but immediately like Shun; maybe her exclamation earlier had been a good thing. To be polite and proper she returned the bow, albeit nowhere nearly as flashy. After returning upright herself Maiko took a moment to realize she'd been asked a question.

"Well, Sando-san, I'm a student at St. Miator," she responded cheerfully as she set her handbag down on a nearby table.

"If you are a magician, do you have a lovely assistant as well? That seems like it would be an exciting and enjoyable position," she remarked sincerely, folding her hands in front of her.

Then the idea struck her, "There isn't much going on here yet. Would you be willing to show me a trick, Sando-san? I'd love to see you in action!"

Kimi walked through the crowd of girls. She skipped the winter ball her first year at Astrea Hill, so she decided she would go this year. Kimi wore a knee length blue spaghetti strap dress. She really hated wearing dresses and being girly, but she gave in. The dress wasn't all that elegant or fancy, but it worked. Instead of her usual hairstyle, she had it in a side fishtail braid. She also had a small purse that matched her dress.

'Ugh, why did I bother coming?' she asked herself wondering if she should not have come to the ball. Would she find someone to hang out with? She didn't just want someone to have one dance with her, she still longed for that special person, whoever it may be. No one asked her to the ball which upset her. Despite being the flirt that she is, Kimi didn't bother asking anyone due to the expectation of rejection. She had a lot of friends and acquaintances, but not really any close friends. Kimi walked to the snack table and poured herself some punch and sighed before taking a sip.

Kotomi was so excited as she entered the room. She was awed at the beautiful decorations that the student council put up to transform the auditorium into a beautiful winter wonderland. She wore a long mint green dress that reached her knees. The bottom part of it was pleated and it had a ribbon tied around the waistline with a bow on the front side. She curled her hair and wore a headband with pearls on it. Kotomi also put on make up. She never really wears make up unless its a special occasion like this.

Despite being a 5th year, this is her first winter ball because she transferred to Astrea Hill during the spring of her 4th year. The only friends and acquaintances she had so far were her roommate Moe, a girl named Alice that she met when she first arrived here and some people on the equestrian team. She didn't know if any of them were going because she had forgotten to ask. But whether or not they were coming she would try to make the best out of this night.

"Something nice."

It wasn't much of an answer, but Shun was willing to let that mystery persist. It would something she could try and figure out later. In the meantime, the LeRim was more than willing to enjoy the pleasant company of the older girl. Who, as it turned out, was a student at St. Miator. She knew one Miator girl, but that was a brief encounter during the summer. It reminded Shun that she should really try and locate her at some point in time.

"Unfortunately, I am without a proper assistant, at this time." she replied, "A situation I am sure to rectify sooner or later."

Finding a suitable assistant would prove easier said than done. Shun wasn't sure what exact qualifications she would need, but certainly someone with some level of talent and a penchant for improvisation would be a must. Either way, she was sure should she would know it when she saw it.

"Ah, my dearest Maiko-senpai, it would truly be an honor." Shun gave another, slightly less ornate bow and allowed her feet to once more glide across the floor to the nearest table. She beckoned Maiko to follow and once they reached their destination, Shun stood on the opposite side. She revealed her deck of cards and placed them squarely in the middle.

"I present to you, an ordinary deck of cards." she said, pulling them out of the pack and beginning to shuffle, "Ordinary, aside from their appropriate winter theme, of course."

When she finished she returned the cards to the table and looked towards Maiko with a small smile, "Feel free to inspect them at your leisure and cut the deck."