they've got all the right friends in all the right places

[sageprincess]

Characters: "Pandora" and the Tower populace.
Setting: Floor 82 - The Masquerade Ballroom.
Format: Party style - pick your poison.
Summary: As the lights begin to flicker and the month rapidly draws to its close, the mysterious "Pandora" has invited the residents of the Tower to a masquerade ball.
Warnings None as of yet.

"Between the noise you hear, and the sound you like..."

Well, now, that invitation certainly was mysterious, huh? Who is Pandora, and what's the occasion for this party she's holding? And what was that message on the back all about? Remember this: There will come a time when everything around you seems to be not what you thought it was, and you won't know what to believe about anything at all. At that time, look for something that is still true. In the wake of the chaos caused by those rumors written on the walls, perhaps it seems like a too-late warning. In any case, the ballroom on the eighty-second floor shimmers and shines exquisitely, awaiting the guests' arrival. The dance floor is open and spacious, and, as promised, refreshments line a buffet table on one of the far walls. While much of it has obviously been nicked from the cafeteria, there is also a variety of meats and seafood not otherwise available in this month's menu. Yes, this also means there is alcohol. Take care not to lose the mask that is placed upon your face the instant you step off the staircase, however. You don't want to be the single recognizable person in a crowd of anonymous dancers, do you? Who knows what you might hear from a masked stranger...

"... are we just sinking in an ocean of faces?"

[Description of Floor 82 from the setting page: "A masquerade party is taking place in this intricately decorated, expensive-looking ballroom, and you're going to have to participate. As soon as you step onto this floor a mask is placed on your face. Anyone wearing a mask is completely anonymous even to those with supernatural abilities. You can take off a mask, but anyone with their mask off is compelled to truthfully answer any question they're asked."]

Comments

[tohko_amano]

[Ah, right! Tohko, not wanting to be left behind, quickly put her free hand on her partners shoulder-if she was remembering correctly, that was where it went-and..pouted a little at the comment.]

I'm not going to be trying to! It might just happen though!

[gran_grimoire]

Mmmmhm.

[ Honestly, having her cute dance partner stumble and fall onto her was among the very last things Saya believed she had to worry about. With a hand on her shoulder and the music reaching its better part, she was more concerned with the dance itself. ]

Are you ready?

[tohko_amano]

[It should have been one of Saya's worries, since Tohko really was a horrible dancer. But, at the question, she smiled and nodded.]

Yup! I'm ready whenever you are!

[gran_grimoire]

Good.

[ Ah, worries were never high on her list of things to be concerned with. Accidents were a force of progress, while surprises, even unpleasant, could make for the fondest of memories.

As the melody struck a note Saya found agreeable, the first step was made. For now, her movements were slow, graceful and a little careless. If she really was concerned with the chance of being stepped on, she refused to show it. ]

[tohko_amano]

[Usually, Tohko didn't worry about accidents until they were either staring her in the face or if she felt like they were about to do so. This, sadly, was one of those times where she was a bit worried about an accident that might happen.

As Saya started, Tohko moved to keep up with her, going a bit faster than Saya and having a bit less grace in her movements. She kept looking down at her feet just to make sure that she was going to avoid her partners every time she took a new step.]

[gran_grimoire]

[ Now, Saya was no dance instructor, but even she knew when a rookie mistake was being made. She grinned a bit, then used the next step to surge forward and press herself a bit too close to her dancing partner.

Personal space? God forbid. ]

Are you looking for something to step on?

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko loved the idea of ballroom dancing and liked the dresses gowns and the idea of dancing gracefully..she just wasn't that good at it. Since she was looking down when Saya decided to press herself closer to Tohko, she wasn't expecting it and..blushed a little, embarrassed and a bit annoyed at the comment.]

O-of course not! I'm looking so that I don't step on you..but pulling me closer isn't going to help your chances!

[gran_grimoire]

Really now.

[ If Saya had little interest in putting the distance between them before, even that interest seemed to be gone now. She curled her arm around the other girl's waist, sacrificing the propriety for the sake of making it hard to move away. ]

But it's going to give you something better to look it, no?

[tohko_amano]

[This girl..Tohko felt like she was dancing with a person similar to Maki, and, since she thought Maki was a terrible pervert, this didn't help Tohko's opinion of her dance partner as said dance partner made it difficult to move back a step.]

It is nice to look at the person you're dancing with and the other dancers..but not if its going to cause everyone to have a bad time.

[And, at that moment, Tohko did manage to accidentally step on Saya's right foot.]