Key: Of course I will go with you Pseudonym! Thank you for asking.

Lock: Key, be polite. 

Key: I am! 

Lock: Stay polite. 

Key: *Sigh*

Lock: By the way Sib, *smiles in Sib's direction* I forgot to say, but I'm wearing a black tunic and flare jeans and an old black cloak with the hood pulled up. 

Key: Pseudonym do you dance? *Smiles at Pseudonym, thinking he looks cute. Scolds herself for the thought.*

Lock: So...Sib...do you just want to hangout...or...? *Pulls his hood a little farther over his head to hid his embarrassment.* 

Jarnen~

I slowly walk into the ballroom, looking around to see if Chilly's here.

She doesn't seem to be, and to tell the truth...I'm kind of glad. I'm still trying to work out my feelings for her and Gem, and something in my head tells me I'm not ready to try again with her yet.

I lean my elbows on the refreshments table, looking around the room as the music starts up. Æs begin to pair up and whirl out onto the dance floor. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see an Æ creeping up a set of stairs. She’s wearing a light green gown and a truly dirty expression.

She looks around slightly, and I hurry to stuff a cupcake in my mouth before she sees me looking at her. 

Satisfied, she turns around and continues to make her way up the stairs, where she steps behind a curtain. 

I’m interested. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything even slightly mischievous. Actually, I’d love to help this girl if she’s doing something interesting.

I glance left, right, and behind me, and then I take my elbows off the table, straighten my suit, and casually walk over to the stairs. 

I climb quietly up them, and it’s strange but the girl doesn’t seem to notice me. Finally I come out right behind her. She’s aiming a…blaster?—at the chandelier that’s hanging from the middle of the ceiling. 

In a flash, I remember several Æs with guns that blast…stuff. Brussel sprouts, (which I can’t stand, go figure) random assorted veggies, cupcakes….

Cupcakes!

I clear my throat and the girl spins around, her green dress swirling above her ankles. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” She hisses.

I hold my hands out innocently. “I’m just standing here. There’s no harm in standing, is there?” 

She glares at me. “I don’t care for clever remarks. You’d better have some reason for being here, or that nice suit of yours is going to be covered in frosting and sprinkles just like that.” She snaps her fingers. 

I grin. “Are you, by any chance, um…” I glance at her blaster. “Totally not trying to sabotage the ball? I’d love to help, if you don’t mind.” 

She turns her back on my and aims at the chandelier again. “I don’t know, maybe.” Her voice is extremely sarcastic. 

This is fun.

“So, what can I do?” I ask. 

~~~

*Grey, are you here? I'm so excited to go to the ball with you--I'm all ready, are you?* 

Pseudonym: *To Key* Yes. And also, you look amazing.

Secret: Oh, before you go off dancing with Key or something like that, do note the creampuffs.

Pseudonym: Cool. But the first thing you notice is the desserts?

Secret: Yep! Anyways, Malachite, what do you want to do? I've never been to a dance before, so...

Key scowls at Pseudonym. "Is food all you think about?" She asks, annoyed. He glances away from the food, then back at the dancers, still muttering about the frosting. "Wouldn't you like to...see?"
He frowns. "See?"
"What caused all the...confusion?" Key tries to suggest something that Pseudonym might see easily in her words.
Again he frowns.
"The frosting! Who dropped it?!" Key prompted.
Something glistened in Pseudonym's eyes.
Key smiled with satisfaction. Now I have his attention! She thought happily, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

Lock
smiled shyly at Sib, not at all sure what to do. "I...I don't know that
kind of dance." He replied, clearly uncomfortable... "Maybe you could
teach me? Or maybe I could figure out as we go..." He glances around.
Now that the disturbance is over, people are beginning to dance again.
Lock's eyes fall on Key, she's on the other side of the room. His heart
stops when he sees her smiling in a rather evil way at the boy who asked
her out. Oh no! What has she gotten herself into now?! "Would you like
to go see Key and Pseudonym?" Lock says eagerly in his haste to stop
Key's growing wicked plan. I just know she's got one! He thinks to
himself. Sib looks confused, Lock grabs her hand and starts pulling her
across the dance floor, but Key is already moving away from them,
Pseudonym in her wake...

Puck: *Sees Ariel in the garden* *Smiles* Hey lover boy.

Ariel: *mumbles* What? *Tends to his roses in The garden* 

Puck: Guess what?

Ariel: Hmm? *Continues to work*

Puck: Guess who I saw earlier?

Ariel: *Looks up* ...Who?

Puck: Your girlfriend silly! Saphira! She misses you, you know.

Ariel: *stands up* *sighs*  I... I don't know Puck. I keep getting my hopes up, and she's gone. I can't keep doing this anymore....

Puck: Well, you love her, don't you?

Ariel: Of course I do!

Puck: *Grabs Ariel's sleeve* Then what are you waiting for lover boy? We can always arrive fashionably late...

Ariel: *Looks at Puck* *Dusts off his hands* *Nods*

Puck: Come on!!!

*A FEW MINUTES LATER...*

*Puck barges open the door, as she is dressed in a long flowy purple dress, and Ariel is in a blue tuxedo* We're here! Sorry we're late! 

Ariel: *Sees Saphira* *His face grows hot*

Puck: *Shoves him across the floor* Got talk to her! 

Mariel: *Walks over to Saphira who is turned around at the punch table* *Wraps his arms around her* Did you miss me my darling?  

Grey

Twisting my tie around, I take a deep breath and step into the ballroom. There were AEs everywhere, talking and dancing. Ah, there she was! I stride across the room to where Rosalyn is standing. 

"Hello," I say, "may I have this dance?"

Doublock

Signing, pull open the door to the ballroom and walk in. I wasn't able to find a date in time. Ah well. I shuffle over to the snack table, at least I could enjoy the good!

Niccolai

I grin down, satisfied with my outfit. It was my own design, a mutant cross between a tuxedo and a dress, along with a matching mask. That should confuse everyone nicely. Before walking to the dance though, I grab my invisible ammo bag and shove several knives up my sleeves. This was going to be fun.  

Anna~

Lisbeth and I stand by the food table, unsure of what to do. Just great. I´m stuck here until probably midnight, and I have nothing to do. He isn´t even here, I think, but better that than him dancing with someone else. That would be like turning my life into that love triangle with Amber, Key, and Lisbeth. I involuntarily shudder. That´s a pretty intense love triangle. 

My train of thought is interrupted by a loud crashing noise, then my sister clinging to my arm.

¨What was that?¨ Lisbeth asks me.

I look around, and see the fancy chandelier on the marble floor, shattered, and covered in- was that frosting?

¨Is that frosting chocolate?¨ I ask, walking out in the middle of the dance floor. 

Lisbeth rolls her eyes. ¨A cupcake vandal is on the loose, and you´re thinking about frosting? Really, Anna?¨ she points out sarcastically.

¨I think it came from up there!¨ says one AE, pointing up at the balcony.

I don´t need to be told twice. Without thinking, I grab the nearest intact cupcake- vanilla with strawberry frosting and white sprinkles- from the refreshment table, and hiking my skirt up with my free hand, and run up the stairs to the balcony.

~

When I reach the balcony, I see that new AE, Morgneth, holding... was that a cupcake blaster? Aha! The evidence!!

She trains the blaster on the other chandelier, with her back to me. I know that this is my one chance, so I take a deep breath...

and hurl my cupcake at her back.

Luckily, I have a very good arm. It hits perfectly in the middle of her back.

But in that split second while Morgneth turns around, I feel a cold sense of dread. The fury on her face is enough to make my heart sink like  a rock.

¨Um.. Hi.. Nice blaster! I say, backing away slowly.

It was the wrong thing to say, I know instantly.

¨Oh, then you want me to aim it at you instead of the chandelier? Alright.¨ she says, turning the blaster on me instead.

I prepare to run, but someone grabs me from behind. 

¨Here. I´ll hold her, you hit her,¨ says Jarnen´s voice.

¨Jarnen, what are you doing back up here?¨ roars Morgneth. ¨I thought I told you to create a diversion! 

I reach frantically into the pockets of my dress for my other cupcake, but find only an orange peel and a note from Lisbeth. Lisbeth!

¨LISBETH!CUPCAKE!¨ I call, and miraculously, she understands. 30 seconds later, she is rushing up the stairs with quite possibly the most amazing cupcake I have ever seen cupped in one hand. I mean, it looks like a normal cupcake, but it is my savior.

¨Great! Now, GO! I can handle this!¨ I cry. Morgneth pulls back the trigger, and I duck extremely quickly. A cupcake whizzes past, just two inches away from my left ear. It hits Jarnen in the face with a satisfying squish. Seeing another chance, I throw the cupcake in the general direction of Morgneth´s face. She drops the blaster, which clatters to the hard stone floor.

I grab it, and try to shoot it. But then Morgneth pops up, an evil grin on her partly frosted face.

¨You don´t know how to load it!¨ she gloats, trying to snatch the blaster away from me.

Wait... I hadn´t seen Morgneth loading it! It might be pre-loaded, and she´s trying to trick me!

It was a long shot, but the only shot I had. I pulled the trigger back one more time, and shot it.

It hit Morgneth... but then what was she pulling out of her pocket....?

Oh no. Another cupcake blaster, identical to mine.

We start facing off on the balcony. I hit, she misses, then I miss and she hits me. We are so absorbed in this fight that we don´t notice the edge of the balcony coming.

By some odd stroke of luck, we fire at the exact same time, and each cupcake finds its target... hers my face, and mine her face....

with enough force to knock us both headfirst over the balcony railing. 

~

I come to with around 15 blurry AEs standing over me.

¨Is she alive?¨ I hear one of them whisper to another.

¨Yes,¨ I reply groggily. ¨I´m alive. But where´s Morgneth?¨

¨Being closely watched by a guard for the rest of the night.¨ answers Katharine´s voice.

That´s good. I think to myself. I won´t have to worry about her again tonight. Hopefully, nobody else tries to ´totally not sabotage the ball´ tonight.

~~~~

That was fun to write! Sorry for any charrie control, Nianad! 

Pseudonym~

Key glares at me, and I realize I've drifted off. She drags me off to go see something- there was a scream earlier, and maybe that has something to do with it. All the other Æs are talking and running, making it difficult to move. Secret and Malachite look a little stunned. 

I look back at Key, who's smiling a little scarily. I want to go back and talk to Secret, but I probably shouldn't leave Key. She stops.

Secret~

Malachite and I freeze as a scream echos around the ballroom. Everybody is a little panicky. Key runs off somewhere, dragging Pseudonym behind her. Her brother, Lock, is running with Siblium after them.

Maybe Malachite and I should go after them. My brother gets a little distracted sometimes, and Key was looking a little evil. I turn to Malachite and say, "I've got to go see what my brother is up to. You can come, if you like."

Not waiting for a response, I run off. It's bad etiquette, but my brother needs me. 

Counter~

The clock chimes seven and the gates swing open. I'm hurried inside with the other AEs. I quickly spot Jammira's lavender gown and hurry towards her. She smiles at me, a little shyly, it seems. I feel my face heat.

"So, um," I begin awkwardly, "Shall we- do you wanna dance?" She nods enthusiasticly and I offer my arm. Too late, I realize I have absolutely no clue how to ballroom dance, or what I should do next! Jammira hesitantly places her hand on my elbow and I lead her to the floor, accidentally jostling her. 

"I'm so sorry!" I quickly apologize.

"Oh, it's fine! Don't worry," she replies. I force myself to look into her eyes, which is something I've been trying to train myself to do so I don't seem as shy. I'm struck by how... pretty she looks. Her hair is swept into an elegent bun-type-thing, with a few of her red curls hanging gracefully about her face. Her bright green eyes sparkle with excitement, and her lips shimmer faintly. Is she wearing makeup?

"Hey? Counter!" Jammira says, her mouth quirking in a smile, "Wake up!"

"What- I'm not asleep!" I say, trying to hide my embaressment. What is wrong with me? We're just friends. I like her and I know she likes me, but- not like that. I think?

"Well, come on then. Let's dance!"

"I don't know how!"

"Me neither! Let's go!" She glances around at the other couples, then positions herself in front of me, grabbing my hands and placing one on her waist. We start stepping like the others, slowly at first, then faster and faster, until we are practically galloping across the floor.

"Hey, this is easier than I thought!" Jammira laughs as we twirl under the chandelier, "AAAAH!" She stops dancing and I collide with her.

"What's wrong?" I ask, startled.

"Something fell on me!" she slowly reaches up and touches the top of her head. Her hand comes back, covered in a dark sticky substance.

"WHO SHRIEKED?" someone bellows. The ballroom falls silent with surprise at the sudden outburst. 

"Jeez, calm down," I mutter, too quietly for anyone but the people nearest to me to hear. Jammira raises her eyebrows, then raises her hand.

"That was me. Something fell on my head!"

"Is that... frosting?" someone asks, their voice ringing through the crowded ballroom. Jammira slowly licks her finger. 

"Yeah. Chocolate." Her lips start to quaver a little and she presses them tightly together, then looks at the floor. I know that expression. I saw it when I accidentally threw my sandwich at her, after she finished yelling at me. I saw it when Basil when missing. It's the face she wears when she's really, really upset, but trying hard not to show it. I grab her arm and pull her off the dance floor and into a little corner with a windowseat, then hurry off to get wet paper towels. 

When I come back, she's sitting on the floor with her head in her arms. When she looks up, I see that she's crying. Wordlessly, she takes the towels from me and starts to clean her hair. The frosting has started to drip down the back of her dress and onto her wings.

"Want me to help?" I ask her. She shrugs and I start cleaning her wings and dress.

"Why is it always me?!?" she bursts out, "Every time I'm excited for something, some AE thing, something bad always happens to me! It's like a jynx is following me." I plop down onto the floor next to her.

"I'm sorry, Jammira."

"I just want to have a good time, just once. Just one time." Without thinking, I hug her. She freezes for an instant, then hugs me back tightly. 

"Thanks, Counter," she sniffles, settling back against the wall.

"For what?"

"For- y'know, for being my friend." 

Umm sure Aleczander, I'll go. I think we might be a little late, but that fine I geuss.