@Silver, thanks so much! *scurries off before security can drag her away* 

Wren~

I feel like I’m in a dream. 

We’re whirling and spinning, gliding across the floor, practically flying. It’s easier than I thought it would be, maybe something about the way Storm pulls me along gently as we spin, or the way I can keep staring into his eyes and it doesn’t feel awkward like it did before. I find that’s it’s fun, too, actually—incredibly fun. I can’t stop smiling now. 

The tiny glowing orbs settle in Storm’s hair, illuminating his perfect face, those entrancing eyes. They land on me, too, and I can feel them in my hair, in my feathers. There’s a certain way he keeps looking at me, and it makes me swell with happiness. 

As the music reaches its climax, we whirl faster and faster, and I forget about the ball, about the other AEs. Suddenly we’re the only ones in the universe. 

I don’t want it to stop, and I feel my heart sink a bit as the music reaches its end. We stand still, a little dizzy, a little breathless, grinning at each other as we catch our breath.

“That was...amazing,” I say. The next song is just beginning. It’s a bit slower, but still happy. “Uh, do you wanna keep going for the next song?”

Devin~ 

“I’d love to,” she replies. “As friends, of course.”

She holds out her hand, and I take it, and we move closer the dance floor, and then we start to dance. It isn’t so bad, actually. The music’s fun and upbeat, and we’re able to go fast. Key’s a good dancer, too. And the tiny floating lights are really cool.

I look over and see Wren and Storm, just beside us. They’re staring into each other’s eyes, with practically no idea that anyone else exists. Wren’s smiling and she looks like she’s having fun. They both do. I’m glad they’re together again—Wren was inconsolable for months after Storm left.

The song ends, and I realize that actually, dancing can be pretty fun.

Far~

“Would you like to dance?” Mariel asks. Then she bites her lip and seems to second-guess her question. She adds, a little too quickly, “Or maybe get drinks?”

I smile. “I would love to dance.”

I offer her a hand. She takes it and we make our way to the dance floor. I feel different now, better since Mariel walked in. I’m no longer as worried that I’ll make a mistake, though I’m not sure why that is. She seems to have maybe relaxed a bit herself, though I can’t be certain.

We stop near the center of the room, and I gently slip my left arm around her waist. She places her left hand on my shoulder. I stop and stare at her for a moment, for a few of the star-like globes have alighted in her hair and they cast a soft luminescence around her face, enhancing her already beautiful state, and for an ephemeral moment I cannot look away.

Saki-

Eden blushes slightly, freezing up. I bite my lip slightly. I like her, sure. But Rachel...oh what am I thinking! We’re not girlfriends or anything.

I continue dancing and don’t say anything. 

Ergh, so, Star's been trying to write a post so we can get our ball experience going, but the writer's block has hit pretty hard. Would you mind asking Vy to post something so Star has somewhere to start...? If not that's alright too, Star can cobble something together.

~Zoey (Starseeker's AE) 

~Lock~

I drop to my knees beside Dewy as she stumbles to her hands. She's covered in pink pie and her beautiful dress is a mess. "Are you alright?!" I ask, trying to help her sit up. 

She mumbles something inaudible and pulls herself up, hair tumbling into her face like it has a mind of its own.

"Here." I say, offering her a napkin so she can try to clean herself up. "I'm sorry, I wasn't..." I trail off, and without thinking I reach out and pull her hair out of her face. She looks at me, seemingly startled. Or maybe I'm the one who is startled. "Sorry." I say, shaking my head. I reach down and help her stand. "Sorry." I repeat, without knowing what else to say.

~Storm~

"Do you want to dance again?" Wren asks, smiling up at me. She seems so happy, and with a jolt I realize that I'm staring into her eyes without feeling awkward. When did that happen? I wonder.

"If you want to do something else..." Wren says, looking solicitous. 

I smile quickly. "I would love to dance with you again." I reply, looking into those esoteric eyes.  She smiles and her face lights aglow. I grin, feeling suddenly playful. "You lead this time."  

Wren looks surprised. "I-I don't know if I can." 

I take her hand and place it onto my back. "I bet you can. You're a magnificent dancer." She drops her gaze and I can tell she's pleased by the compliment. "You don't have to lead, if you don't want to." I tell her, smiling. "But it could be fun...?" 

~Key~ 

Devin is smiling when the dance ends, and I'm surprised to find that I've lost all apprehensiveness about the evening before me. I'm actually having fun!

"So..." I glance over my shoulder where Storm and Wren are standing, hands gently brushing, smiling at each other. I turn back to Devin and smile. "They're head over heels."

"No kidding." he agrees, eyes vaulting over my head to come to rest on the couple behind me. 

"So do you want to..." I shrug. "Do something else...?" 

Sorry they are so short! I don't have much time tonight.  

~Logan

I look around for Koi. He should be here. Then I see him. I walk over and stand next to him.

"Hey" I say softly. 

He looks up suprised but his eyes soften when they meet mine. "Hey Logan" He replies. We kind of stand awkwardly for a second but then he asks "Do you want to dance?"

I look at him and smile "Of course!" He takes my hand and leads me to the dance floor. Right when we get there a slow song comes on. I blush and so does he. We do start to fall into the pattern that all of the AE's and their ships do.   

Riley and I break away. He spreads his wings, smiling like an idiot, and sails off to who-knows-where. I sit on the edge of one of the many ledges on the chandelier and continue making the light orbs, mainly because I have nothing better to do with myself. Out of pure boredom, I bring lights together to make constellations and pictures that move etherially in the air.

*runs into ballroom before security can catch me* -huff huff- Ok, -huff huff- Sebastion won’t be able to make it to the ball, so I’m gonna have to drop out -huff huff- *sees security* gotta run!

Argh, I haven’t posted here in forever, sorry guys!

Far~

“Come on, I’ll teach you,” I tell her as we drift back to the dance floor.

“Step here with one foot, like this. And then here.” I continue to explain the steps, and soon we’re both moving through them slowly. 

She looks up. “Am I doing it right?” She asks, not quite confident in the steps yet.

I nod encouragingly. “You’re a natural.” The music speeds up as the melody nears its zenith, and I smile playfully. “Let’s try going faster now.”

“I’m not sure how fast I can go,” she laughs. 

“Don’t worry, it’s simpler than it seems. Don’t think too hard about it. Feel the way the music flows. Let it guide you.”

I see her concentrate harder, and her movements become smoother. We begin to dance faster, and soon we’re both smiling. We whirl about the room, gliding and swirling, our feet light as the wind. She stumbles once or twice, but she recovers well and we keep going. Grinning impishly, I spin her under my arm. She’s laughing a bit now, and I suddenly notice how her face glows when she smiles. She’s even more lovely when she’s happy. 

Wren~

“You don’t have to lead if you don’t want to. But it could be fun...?”

I swallow my apprehension and try to look relaxed. “Alright, I’ll try.” 

The song begins softly. It begins to speed up quickly, and I suddenly wonder if I’ll be able to dance fast enough to keep up with it. I hesitate a moment, not quite sure how to start. Storm gives me a reassuring half smile, and then I start to remember. Right, this way first. It feels wrong, and I know I’m going too slow, so I force myself to match the pace of the music, even though it makes my steps a bit clumsier. But after a minute I start to settle into the melody, and then I’m not thinking about it anymore, and we’re flying across the floor. I start to smile, and we begin to go faster, faster as the music accelerates. 

And then, somehow, as we’re turning, it happens. I’m not even sure how it happens, but I guess I step on my foot wrong, and my ankle rolls. I feel a sharp twinge as it twists, and I stumble and begin to fall.

Devin~

“So do you want to...do something else?”

I’m not sure what she means by ‘something else’, but I say, “I’m going to get some water and rest a minute.”

“Oh, okay.”

I leave her at the dance floor and make my way over to the snacks. I chug some water, and then some punch, and then I scarf down a few cookies since they’re right there. As I’m eating, I notice that Nymph’s still over here, a ways down the table, by herself now. She looks bored. I want to talk to her, but...I’m not sure if that would be awkward. Or if she wants to be talked to. I don’t even know what we are anymore. Friends, supposedly. Or that was what we said, at least, what seems like a long time ago. But we haven’t talked in awhile, and I don’t know if she still wants to be. I think she has...other friends now.

I look over at her, experimentally. She’s looking in my direction, but I can’t tell if she’s looking at me or something else.

Sighing, I swallow the rest of my cookies, and before I can change my mind, I walk up to her. 

“Hey.”

—-

<kdme> Nope, I’m not kidding you.