Ϩecond Ⱦime Ʌround O/A

[Jiffers21]

Walking wasn't something Piper wanted to get use to. Most mages were dependent on their magic for travel, and she was no exception. Working out was always something she told herself to do, but alas, here she was. The invitation had specifically told those attending to hide their race to the best of their ability. So far, everyone seemed to be doing just that. Besides a few give-aways, such as Pixie wings or Neko ears, telling races apart just by sight was near impossible. Hoisting her dress up by its seams, she hauled herself to the top of the massive staircase that lead into largest castle she had ever laid eyes on. Just don't sweat, she told herself. You've put so much time into tonight, don't screw it up by sweating off your dress. She smiled at the thought of that. The corset she was wearing squeezed her to the point of fainting. Of course, that only made her look more dashing.

Looks were typically not Piper's first priority. Although she enjoyed being presentable, she was never fond of clothing that would give her difficulties. Tonight was an exception. She had spent weeks sewing her dress, getting every stitch in place until it was perfect. She had sat down every evening slaving over fabric, pricking every finger, leading to today. Her hair was no expectation. Piper was a witch of levitation, not one skilled in anyway with fashion or hair. She was a talented painter and singer, she could even dance, but ballgowns were out of her league. Along with her dress, Piper spend hours working on the perfect mask to match her dress. In the end, the dress was finished, her hair was in place, and she had finally reached the top step of the stairwell. She let go of her dress, letting it sink to the floor. Smiling, she turned herself around and threw her arms in the air. "You cannot defeat me!" she shouted at the stairs. Ignoring the confused faces in her direction, she quickly spun around, enjoying the swoosh from her dress at her ankles, and waltzed inside.

Bumping shoulders with strangers, breathing in alien smells, Piper was suddenly on her own little high. Her pace quickened as the music became louder and louder. She passed rooms full of people and food. She heard the rushing water from the fountains spilling wine or water or blood, whatever it was people drank nowadays. Every sound, every touch, everything was overwhelming. Parting the sea of people, Piper nearly fell face-first downs the stairs before catching herself on the handrail. The stairs to the ballroom were twice as long as those leading to the front door. But she didn't care. This was so much more than she could even imagine. She dashed down the stairs, skipping a few here and there. The force of the air resistance clutching her face made her forget how uncomfortably hot she was under six layers of pure dress. Before reaching the bottom, she jumped the last five steps, landing with a thud.

The costumes were beautiful, passing by of all sorts of colors. Ball gowns to formal, short dresses. Tuxes and jackets. The headgear was just as breathtaking as the masks themselves. Tiny hats and feathers. Spinning across the floor, arms wide, head flung back, she laughed. The room was full of shoes gliding across the floor and chatter. No one paid any mind to her joy, to lost in their own to accept others were as happy as they were. And that was the thing Piper liked the most about being a Mage; Mage's were caring.

Piper wasn't racists. She didn't care who came from what background. But she was heavily biased. Within her training, Piper had become strong. Her flying skill was almost unmatched, and her magic had surpassed many within her ranks. To her, she was an all-mighty Mage. And because of this, she stood taller than most. The Pixies were cute with their flying, nothing like she. The Homunculus have some sort of defect power? Well, she had natural, god-given abilities. The Mage, she believed, was the strongest race. They belonged in this alliance to guide the weaker races who were only using this as a refuge. The weeks she spent working on her gown were more valuable than anyone else's pretty costume. She admired their beauty, but would never give them a compliment. In this way, Piper was a snob. She didn't mean to be, but her ego won the better of her.

Keeping her head held high, she continued to spin. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, across the never-ending golden sea at her feet. Tonight, she would befriend other races. She would give them the honor of knowing the strongest Mage, Piper Klauer!

✦✦

[Jiffers21]

✥_________________✥_________________✥

The back of her dress was an open V, opening at the collar and closer at the very end of her tailbone. A single bead of sweat ran down her neck. It was small, too small for most other's to notice. It ran from the nap of her neck down her back, following her perfect spin across her perfect, olive skin. The bead slowed its pace as it reached the bottom of the V. Slowly, ever so slowly, until the drip became so small it evaporated right before entering the gold fabric. She arched her back, causing her gleaming chest to be pushed forward for all around to see. She was an innocent girl, he could tell. Her actions were subtle, calling no extra attention onto herself. Even with such a revealing dress, she presented herself in a way that showed she was a lady. But with such a normal stretch, one all people do to relax their shoulders and back, were enough to send Stark in a frenzy.

Ten feet. That's all that kept him from her. Jet-black hair guided his eyes over her shoulders until it disappeared to her front. He couldn't see her face from his position, but Stark never really cared what his victims looked like. He was more interested in their taste. He licked his lips, taking in a deep breath to calm himself. Just a room over was a fountain of blood, all fresh, all gleaming. The stuff was expensive, the rare kind that only the rich were allowed to drink. But tonight, everyone was considered equal. And because of that, he refused the drink. Besides, Stark's favorite part about eating was playing with his food. His eyes were long-since glossed over. His lust for her was unbarring. He could already imagine it; getting her alone. Touching her delicate skin in ways she never thought possible, tasting her neck on his lips, his tongue. He had done it many times before. It was all mechanical now, but nevertheless, pleasing.

He knew what he was about to do was taboo. He knew taking this girl would put him in serious danger within this stupid alliance. But he also knew he had to eat, or he'd go mad. So he moved forward. Nine feet. Eight feet. Her back was still to him. Her shoulders were broad but small, giving her body a feminine shape. Seven. Six. Five. He could smell her. With every sent, every aroma around him, he could detect which one was hers. Villain. Four. Three. Her sent was all natural. No perfume. A pixie? No, with a dress like that, she couldn't hide her wings. Then a Mage? Had to be. Two. He could grab her now, spin her into his arms. His face lightened, his eyes melted. If his appearance gave away his intentions, she'd run. He had also learned that. A smile grew over his sharp chin, his cheek mussels relaxing. Her skin glowed. He wanted to do so many things, none of which would give him any more satisfaction than his main intent; to skin his teeth into her. He'd suck her dry, give the body to some desperate Ghilan. There had to be at least a handful of those around here, some in the same situation as him. As much as he despised that dirty, low-life race, he appreciated the help every now and then. The relationship between those two races was what made them both join this alliance. They hated each other because they took each other's prey. But they were forever bonded because of this.

One foot away. he reached out his hand, his fingers brushing her perfect shoulders-

And some idiot plowed right into them.

Stark stumbled back. Two feet. three feet. Once he made sure he wouldn't fall, he looked up. The idiot had kept spinning, not caring about who she ran over. His eyes flashed a deep red, but only for a second. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the girl. She was turned towards him, giving him a clear view of her front features. And of the awful red stain on her gown. The girl screamed, stepping out of the way of broken glass from the man next to her. When they were bumped, the man must have spilled his drink over her. She was in a frenzy, screaming at him about how her night was ruined. Stark stood, frozen. He couldn't do anything now. Not with everyone looking at the girl. Seducing her now would be near impossible. Stark didn't have time for her to calm down. Fasting all day just to have fun for tonight was an awful life decision.

Stumbling back, now on his own accord, Stark's hand rose to his mouth. He'd waited too long. He lost is one chance of a live-feed for the night. Frustrated, defeated, and angry, he turned away from the girl and quickly made his way to the kitchen. He had to give in and drink what was provided.

Or maybe he could satisfy his needs enough to still have fun. Stark relaxed himself at his knew idea. The night was, after all, still young.

✥_________________✥_________________✥

[ShadowtoKage]

Some people strive to be the life of the party. They dive head first into a crowd and make people look at them. Forcefully burning their image into the minds of every stranger in the room. However, Kagami, was not one of those people. Standing on the edge of the ballroom, watching the dancing mass swing back and forth with almost a soothing rhythm. Donning a plain gray mask, Kagami stuck with his blending in style. His suit was custom made by a nationally famous homunculus tailor, one who was literally born for the job. The thought of wearing a stuffy suit annoyed him, but he shrugs it off as he continues to watch the crowd.

Vivid colors flood Kagami's eyes. The blues, reds, pinks, purples, greens, and oranges all seem to mix into one collage of cloth. The amount of work that went into putting all these outfits into this room amazed Kagami. The purpose of the ball, understanding through anonymity, was almost executed perfectly, aside from the Nekojin and Pixies. Their features were too distinct and could be picked out with a slight glance. However, none of that matter to Kagami. Race was just a word. He didn't see these people as savages or monsters as his fellow Homunculus believed. What he saw was an infinite sea of knowledge, waiting to be discovered.

"You cannot defeat me!" A light voice wafted through the room. Puzzled looks where shot towards the stairs where a girl elegantly dressed in light blue rushed down the stairs with confidence, or atleast Kagami thought. "Is that a custom of hers? To declare her resolve before a crowd? Interesting." Of course, the resolve she showed was nothing more than a pep talk, but to Kagami, it was something new.

The faces, attracted to the girl, slowly returned one by one. Kagami spent plently of time watching her. No obvious features. She wasn't a Nekojin or Pixie. She was too happy to be a homunculus he thought. She seemed to glide between people, almost as if she was floating. "Judging by her appearance and the way she carries herself, she must be a mage. Though I cannot rule out a Ghilan whose last victim was a mage. Maybe a vampire? Too many variables." Regardless of what she was, she had sparked Kagami's curiosity.

Kagami kept track of the people he found interesting. This was useless considering almost everybody interested him. However, he found that there were a few here unlike others. Those who managed to attract Kagami like a moth to a flame. "This is it. This is what I have been waiting for. I will be able to learn as much as my brain can take and I intend to push that limit."

[EroticBagel]

Damion St Lucius

The black cat guard

It was time! Damion waited for this night since it was announced. He stood by the king wearing his normal clothes, along with a mask on his face. It went well with his yellow glowing cat like eyes. His ears twitched as people talked and discussed. His kings booming voice was....booming like always. Everythig was going perfectly and that made Damion purr like a happy cat. He sniffed the air and found a man dressed in a tuxedo handing out fish balls for apatizers. He quickly ran over and took the tray and ran away. The man shook his head as Damion retreated to his king's side. He sat by the man's feet eating. "Damion....why don't you go have fun? I'm safe here." he said. Damion looked up at the man as the man put his large hand on the boy's head. Damion nodded and got up. The cat boy stood at 5'8 which made him shy about his height. Despite his short stature, Damion was always ready to pounce. He strolled through the party in and out of people nomming the fish balls and walked onto the balcony over looking the forest and sat on the edge with a yawn. It was a beautiful night and he was stuck in this place wearing this mask which he might not have mined if there was someone to talk to.....

With(N/A) Where(Castle) Listening Wearing

[iopredman]

Crickets chirping; a nearby stream trickling on rocks; and most importantly, people, in the distance. Would it be tonight? Would the culmination of years of training, brooding, and self sacrifice all be realized on this very event?

Flint sat at the top branch of a tree, about 200 meters away from Sven Castle. Then he stood, about half a meter away from the branch. To an onlooker, a man floating in midair might have been noticed, but Flint already knew no one was around. He had a sense for these things, and he certainly knew that if his were to achieve his task, he would have to conceal his powers to the utmost, until the last second. And so Flint made his last leg of his journey, skirting the tree tops.

Touching ground a little ways away, Flint heard a girl's shout. It was almost refreshing, hearing hope and joy after years of being surrounded by treachery and hate. He allowed himself a brief smile, before returning to his typical stone-cold face. As he approached the entrance, he felt the eyes of others on him, and again he allowed himself a brief smile. Knowing that few would enjoy seeing the monstrosity that he had been made into, Flint had opted for regal black and white bandages rather than a traditional mask.

As he entered the ball room, Flint's auditory sense went into overdrive. Footsteps everywhere, so many it was hard to concentrate. The sound was becoming overwhelming, and he knew what was coming next. With heavy breathing and last second thinking, Flint placed a sound void around his own head, and the panic receded, but his new situation was no better. Deprived now of two main senses, he stumbled as best as he could through the ball room. In a way it helped though, because the more senses he deprived himself of, the greater his sense of true intention became, he felt eyes of blood, yet somehow without, resting on him, only briefly, and yet with a focus that made Flint uncomfortable. He sensed lust ahead, and he sensed danger, and then he sensed something else. That joy again, it had no intention. There was literally a void of intention, and it was charging right at him.

Too late to react, Flint shifted his body to the side best as possible, but this didn't prevent a bumbling moron from running right into him. Knocked of balance, he momentarily lost control of his powers, and the sound came rushing back. He heard a girl screaming about the drink he had spilled on her dress; he felt eyes on him; he felt open. He quickly escaped the room, running with his head down and keeping a small amplitude sound barrier in front of him, literally knocking quests over as he went. In the safety of a private side room, Flint slumped into a chair in front of a fire-place. He recalled the events as they had occurred. When that idiot had pushed him over, he had felt a small shock down his spine, the kind only felt when Mages come into direct contact with each other.

Flint thought about how this would affect the rest of his night. He had been incognito enough before the incident, but now he would have to strike from the shadows. (If he were to find assistance, it would have to be in a private room or dark corridor). He slumped even further in his chair. Tonight was not going as planned.

[kyojinouji]

Taegen Lanh

Shy would be an incorrect term to describe someone who is merely just not sociable. After having lived a rogue life for nearly, well who knows how long, the idea of spending time with people in close quarters always seemed to be a threat. Kill and eat. Kill and eat. Eating guarantees survival. However, eating guarantees murder of a lesser species. There is no way fathomable that would allow the game of cat and mouse to not end in the death of another. And the ravenous hunger felt by those who have attempted to avoid such 'senseless' killing?

==> They must succumb. There is no hope for them if they do not. Cats cannot control their instinct for long. Cat eats mouse and the world continues to revolve. Mouse is missed by few, and unknown to many. Cat survives. And time doesn't stop.

==> Walking into a ballroom of people isn't quite the sight everyone marvels about. It's not a spectacle to stand and stare at. There isn't an announcer's voice beckoning you inside, welcoming you to the grand event. There is no brief pause where everyone turns to see you in your gorgeous gown. There is no audible gasp as people take in the beauty in the air around you. Or at least there isn't when you come in through an nonexistent doorway in the paneling of the ballroom walls. And honestly, 'Taegan' didn't know what to expect in the first place. She didn't know whether people would notice her. But phasing through the nearest wall seemed to be the closest option she had that would provide a clean entrance and little to no eyes catching her presence.
Ghilan were not respected within any of the species hierarchies. Often receiving stereotypes of being messy eaters that have no manners, and the most boring when it came to party entertainment. Why there was a constant need for bickering stereotypes about every creature in existence; she could never grasp the concept.
Resting her back against the chilled wall of the room she surveyed the gold bathed area. The pillars were tall, far higher than she would ever have liked to stare are for an extended amount of time. Their coloring seemed to only enhance the vivid imagery splayed across the ceiling. A destination that many wished the societies would become in time. The ebony mask which adorned her face began to slide, and the red pearls the laced the intricate design path reflected odd bits of light into her eyes. Above all of the noise only one thought seemed to worm it's way out from under her breath; 'Why are masks so nauseating?'.

((ooc: I'm going to go sleep for 6 years now.))

[Jiffers21]

She was no longer dancing, but gliding her way across the floor. Not a care in the world, she twirled and skipped around, showing off the ruffles of her gown, the bounciness of her long, light blue hair. She was having a ball. At a ball. Piper giggled at her own joke. She felt eyes on her. She didn't care the reasons for her new found attention. For just a split second, she was the center of that person's attention. And for now, that was enough.

Arms still outstretch, closed her eyes. She could feel the room move with her. For a second, she was the only one in the room. No one else existed. Piper kept her eyes shut as she made her way down the floor, touching those around her. Fur brushed against her hand for a moment. Someone must have spent quite a bit of money on that outfit. Fur was becoming quite rare in this world. Like the humans, animals had evolved as well. Animals had become more deadly, more lethal. What was once soft and cuddle became poisonous and rough. The times had almost shifted back to the medieval days, thousands and thousands of years ago. Dresses were big, red was in, and the talk of wicked creatures traveled from town to town. But unlike those days, these awful beings really existed. All but the Mage, of course. They were nothing like the ancient beliefs of witches. They didn't need spells or dark magic. They were beautiful, pleasant people who lived in peace with their existence. Piper could not have been prouder to be who she was.

Around this time, something seemed off. Her spinning had become faster, but her feet weren't moving. It only took a second to realize Piper was half an inch off the ground, literally floating across the ground. She smiled,keeping her eyes closed, and dropped herself to the ground. Her levitation was so mild, no one could have noticed. That, and her dress already drug on the ground. When she rose, the fabric barely moved, covering her feet and showing no one her little mistake. She wished she had. Those who knew her should smile and shake their head, knowing she was simply daydreaming. Those who did not would be amazed at her talent, being in awe as she flew. Maybe she should do it again, but a little higher. Surely, she would then have the attention she so badly desired-

There was a clatter as a glass hit the floor. Piper's eyes flashed open as her body collided with another. Luckily for her, none of the man's drink had gotten on her precious dress. However, the woman who was next to the man seemed to suffer quite a bit. Fearing being scolded, Piper regained her balance and continued to spin. She closed her eyes, drowned out the yelling from behind her, and quickened her pace. Her giddy feeling had melted away, leaving her shaken up. The girl she had bumped was a fellow Mage. She knew her face, but couldn't give her a name. Regardless of race, she began to feel guilty. if it had been her and her dress, she would have probably cried. Even though Piper believed top be the most beautiful here, she still understood the hard work everyone had went through for tonight. Her spinning slowly began to go back to it's usual, upbeat pace once she was far enough away from the woman. Her thoughts returned of her being Cinderella, the famous character the humans once adored. It was funny, she thought, how the races had tried so hard to forget what being human was like, yet they still brought their stories and legends along with them through time. She was now Cinderella, dancing at her ball. Tonight, she would meet her Prince Charming. She would ride in a carriage with her true love. But her night would not end at midnight. It would only just begin.

Piper stopped spinning. The guilt had returned. Had the girl believed to be Cinderella? Staring at nothing in particular, Piper's gaze dropped to the floor. Now, she was the one being pushed around by the crowds around her. Prideful yet caring, Piper sometimes hated the way she functioned. Letting out a sigh, she turned herself to focus back on the girl. But both she and the male with the drink were gone. Well, that sucks. Her eyes narrowed as she puffed out her cheeks in a sissy rage. Now I want to apologize! Who gave you the right to walk away from me? Her logic comforted her. Piper was usually reasonable, but tonight, she would do and believe everything in her power to keep herself happy. She was going to have the perfect night.

The only way through the crowd was by dancing, Piper learned. Moving her hips to and fro, she shuffled her way between friends and strangers, making her way back to the accident. She was on the short side, having difficulties seeing over the towering people around her. Her eyes moved from face to face, hoping to catch some type of glimpse. But even if she saw them, because she dashed off so quickly, she never had a clean look at their face. There would be no way she'd be tall enough to see the girl's dress, either, unless she'd be directly next to her. Moving past the area in which she believed to be where she bumped them, Piper again stopped. Her head whipped fast back and forth between the people, more frantic now. She had to find them or she'd spend the night night looking! Her guilt had quickly become frustration within just a few minutes.

Finally, she saw something. Bandages. Just for a second, she swore she saw the male with the glass walk into a room not terribly far from where she stood. The girl had a gold dress and the man had a white, eyeless mask. But what if it wasn't a mask at all? This bandaged stranger had to be the man, or by god, she's throw a glass of wine on him herself and make him the man!

Lifting her dress, Piper quickly pushed her way through the crowd. The man disappeared into a room. She forgotten completely about about dancing to get past people. Her shoving was rough, making more enemies now than friends. But she had a mission now! Being only a few feet from the room's entrance, she dropped her dress, letting it fall back to her feet. She slowed her pace, going into a walk as she turned the corner into the room. It was a tiny room (tiny for this castle, anyway), one most had been passing by because of the dim lighting. The fireplace stood out, being the only light source in the room. Besides that, there was nothing else. She assumed this room wasn't here for people to socialize in. It had to be some sort of heating room, right?

Next to the fire was the bandaged man. He slumped in a chair, nearly blending into the background. His bandages made her concerned. His whole appearence seemed a bit odd. Skimming through her head, she began to question his race. He looked "normal" (no wings or ears) so it narrowed the list a bit. Could he be a vampire? No, maybe a Ghilan, since he was in the dark. And why was he in the dark? Had he been that upset? She hoped not. Never once had this man being a Mage ever cross her mind. Nevertheless, she was here now. No need to stall. Not sure if he even noticed her presence, Piper gave a sheepish wave. "Um... she began. She coughed to clear her throat before continuing. "Hi. Sorry about, um, bumping into you. I kinda lost myself for a moment, you know? With the lights and the people. Everything is just so overwhelming-" She stopped herself. She was getting off topic. "So, um, anyways... Sorry about that." She smiled more comfortably now, waiting for his response. Her guilt was gone. She had no need to find the girl, she told herself. One was enough. Besides, he was the one who had the drink. It was his job to apologize to her! Yeah, that would do. And even if he was a jerk about this, she still did the right thing, right? Right.

✦✦

[iopredman]

The door opened, and the click-clack of heals entered the room. Flint tensed. He had hoped no one had followed up on the incident. If someone had noticed his powers this night would be completely ruined. He sat perfectly still. The chair was facing mostly away from the door, so maybe the woman wouldn't notice him. Then she spoke

From Piper '"Um... she began. She coughed to clear her throat before continuing. "Hi. Sorry about, um, bumping into you. I kinda lost myself for a moment, you know? With the lights and the people. Everything is just so overwhelming-" She stopped herself. She was getting off topic. "So, um, anyways... Sorry about that."'

He waited for more, but none came. He internally sighed. This was the girl that had bumped him; for no more than a second he internally went mad, and then stood up. Facing away from her, he slowly made his way toward her. He was less than a meter away when he turned. A smile spread far across his handsome face.

"No my dear. The fault was mine. You see, I simply can't help these things," he exclaimed in a voice that for the situation was far too calm. He lifted his hand to his face and pulled off his bandages, exposing black eye sockets. He had moved close enough to hear her breathing, her heart beat; the crackle of the fire became background noise as he focused on this girl. She smelled like cherry blossom. It was a smell he had known growing up with his surrogate family. In a way it smelled relaxing. He waited for her reaction. Playing with people had been a fun past-time during his gang days. He wondered if she would be the same as the rest.

[Jiffers21]

The seconds of silence were enough to make Piper anxious. This man had a dark presence about himself. She immediately regret coming here.

As he stood, she took a step back. That was never a good sign. He held onto silence, keeping his back to her. She kept her gaze at the bandages. He was either stupid or blind, she assumed. Stupid, because wearing something like that was a danger to those around him, as was noted with the drink. But something about the way he composed himself within the last several minutes lead her to believe he was, in no way, an unintelligent man. This sent a shiver up her spine. She had no reason to be fearful. She could very well take care of herself. Getting into a fight here, however, would absolutely destroy her hopes for tonight. So she waited for his response, returning his silence with her own, and stood tall. Not that a blind man could tell.

He began to move towards her. She stiffened. His movements were out of place, but not for him. In fact, if he weren't walking backwards, Piper would have thought of it as out of place. Then again, she wouldn't be feeling terrified at the moment if this guy had been the least bit normal. She took a step back towards the door but stopped herself. He was probably doing this on purpose. He was mad, is all. Or maybe the man was stupid. Mental, is all. A blind, mental man with no sense of direction. That had to be it. He hadn't split his drink because of the bump at all! He was simply confused and didn't know how to properly hold a cup. This thought comforted Piper. Thinking up little tales to calm herself. But the closer he came, the less her imagination could help her. Luckily, he stopped. He was close, but not too close when he turned around. He wasn't hideous, so that was something. In fact, she might even go as far to say that he was handsome, Piper would give him that. Not like a model or an idol, but he had a fairly nice shaped face. His features were crispy. His bandages looked almost out of place from this angle. As his cheeks moved into a smile, Piper relaxed. A blind, mental man. Had to be.

She didn't mind the eerie calm in his voice. Anything that wasn't shear hatred was a relief. And he even agreed with her unspoken view on the situation! She smiled. He was a proper man, one who was gentle and kind, she told herself. Did that still make him mental? Piper moved her foot back in place, the one she had set behind her to move further away. Moving her hand to her face, she began to tinker with a stray strand of hair. "Well, that's a relief. I was just for frightened that you'd be mad at me-"

Piper's imagination ran dry as soon as the man removed his bandages. Her face turned pale. She could feel the color drain down her body and out of her toes. She was right about being blind, but in no way was he stupid.

Where his eyes should have been were two gaping holes. They were as black as what she imagined his soul were to be. Ghilan she told herself. Dirty, rotting Ghilan. or maybe a Homunculus. They have malfunctions, yes? Her heart raced. She couldn't look away. Part of her was curious. She wanted to touch them. But the other ninety-nine point nine percent wanted to throw him against the wall and run. He was only inches from her. This was clearly some sort of harassment, right? She was in danger, wasn't she? Within her moment of thought, she was levitating off the ground. She hadn't noticed until she was looking down at the boy, just by an inch or two, but it was noticeable. But unlike on the dance floor, she had no intentions of floating back down. She floated just enough off the ground to stand taller than him, to look down upon his dark eyes and show her superiority in the situation. She had fought many others throughout her training days. many beasts and demons. But never had she been so vulnerable around one. Or alone.

Taking in a sharp breath, she regained her composition. Calming herself, facing reality instead of making up some sort of tale, she relaxed. Ever so slowly, Piper pulled the door towards her until it was nearly shut. There was no need for others to catch a glimpse of them. But shutting the door all of the way might be trouble. She had no idea what this guy could do. I was suppose to meet my Prince Charming, you creep she thought, staring into his skull. "This is a masqurade, you idiot." She tried to sound light-hearted, but because of her fear, her voice was sharper than what she expected. Taking in another deep breath, she continued, calmer now. "You broke the single most important rule of this night." She wanted him to explain himself, to tell her this was some kind of mind trick. But most of all, she wanted him to cover them. They burned holes into her, ones she would always remember and never repair. It wasn't that they were ugly. In fact, if she saw them in a different light at a different time, she might have even thought they were cool. But after being approached in such a manner, the holes were not something she would remember lightly. She kept herself two inches taller than he, her gown just barely touching the ground. She wanted to be back dancing, not in here. If worse came to worse, she'd have no choice but to force her way out. But that would be no fun, not now. "What fun would this dance be if everyone goes around taking off their masks? She tried to give a small, playful smile, but her lips wouldn't move above the bottoms of her teeth.

✦✦

[Fluffy1229]

♔ ⋮ ｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎ❙ balcony in the ballroom　
♔ ⋮ｃｏｍｐａｎｙ ❙ an attractive silver-haired male　
♔ ⋮ ｆｅｅｌｉｎｇ ❙ completely embarrassed


Only minutes away, a castle loomed in the darkness of the night. Its lights lit up the surrounding trees, almost like the forest was aflame. Not only was the appearance bright, but the noise emitting from the halls was of maritime chatter. This was to be expected, for races were finally starting to realize that fighting wasn't the only answer - that tolerance and peace was another option. Dark brown ears twitched at the sounds of voices growing closer and two tails swished impatiently. Rosalia, owner of these appendages, happened to be a part of this Alliance of races. Being a Nekojin, it was typical to see people of her kind with cat ears and a tail; however, she owned two chocolate colored tails. The petite neko strolled through the woods, catching her breath from running so much. Typically, when going to a ball, one would take some form of fancy transportation instead of going by foot. Yet... this wasn't a typical situation for the average person. Rosalia, Rose for short, is of royal blood and her father, the king, is in attendance to this masquerade - but he does not know his daughter is here as well. In fact, she was told to stay home in case something deceitful were to happen. But she just couldn't sit at home... for as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.

Arriving at the castle, the nekojin casually walked inside, holding her mask to her face. Approaching the doors to the main room, Rose made sure to hide her two tails in her dress but could not hide her ears. Twisting the golden knob with a slight push revealed the heart and soul of the party - the dance hall. She gulped, taking in the scene of people twirling and spinning around, not caring in the slightest of the background or race of their partners. In her mind, she was distracted by the aesthetic beauty of everything, instead of thinking of a different back story for her life in case she was asked. Walking past dancing couples, she noticed different colors in skin and less appendages or more appendages, wings and other tails and ears and even the blood thirsty stare of vampires. A chill ran down her spine at the thought of blood or even being bitten.

Rosalia's life at the castle was a sheltered one. No real conversations with anyone other than the occasional nobleman and no in depth knowledge of the dangers of other races. This scared her slightly, realizing that even though there was an alliance, vamps and ghilans still needed to feed on something - and that something very well could be her tonight if she didn't keep her wits about her. Cautiously, Rose wandered about, just people watching for the time being... until her eyes caught the end of the room. Seven glorified men sat precociously upon their thrones, representing their races as a whole - the kings of the Alliance. With Rose's father being one among them, she quickly headed for a different area. Parallel to the Kings was a grand staircase. If she remembered correctly, castle construction usually put kitchens upstairs. Kitchens, meant food for the races, and food for her race meant freshly cooked fish. The idea to go up and grab a small meal was as good as any for her right now.

On Rose's way up, her crimson eyes glanced out over the dance floor. The aerial view showed many more heads and dresses fluttering about the room. Sometime this night, she'd be one of those swirling dresses - but with who? Not knowing much about conversation with commoners, Rose was at loss at this social event. What if a guy came up to her right now? Her hair raised slightly at the thought and her heart skipped a beat. What if a guy here was destined to be with her and this night was her only chance to find him? Rose swallowed hard and quickly began making her way further up the stairs. Before she knew it, she made it to the top. Again, she stared out at the guests, feeling anxious already. Turning around swiftly, Rose took her first step right into... a man. Instead of looking before moving, she had mistakenly taken the chance to head back into the flow of traffic to the kitchen without looking.

His hair was a vibrant white, catching the attention of her feline eyes first. Then, her gaze followed his face to his golden eyes and then his lips... Suddenly, she glanced away, realizing that not only had she ran into this poor man but she also was staring silently at him. Clearing her throat, Rose began her apology in her sophisticated aristocrat-sounding voice, "Ahem.. I.. I apologize for bumping into you, sir. That was my mistake and I do hope you can forgive my clumsiness." Rose flashed a small grin, her fangs barely poking out into her smile, and her cheeks radiated with a soft red tint. Her embarrassment was evident, as was her curiosity as her eyes inquisitively crawled back up to his face. Upon further investigation, this man appeared to be extremely attractive. Her cheeks turned a few shades darker and her eyes grew wider at his looks. With a protective father, Rose wasn't ever allowed to go steady with a man or even be friends with one. And now stood this gorgeous man who was ever so rudely bumped into. Dark brown ears lowered and her heart sunk, feeling like a complete fool in front of this dreamy party-goer.

Jiffers21

[Jiffers21]

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Climbing the staircase becomes a task for a hungry man.

Stark had moved his hand from his mouth back to his side, never taking his eyes off the kitchen. He could smell it. Blood. Everywhere. If he dared look anywhere but up, he wouldn't see people. He'd see veins, blood pulsing through them. he could smell each individual that walked past. Type A. he thought. Type B. There were no favorite blood types, he believed. It was entirely based upon the person and how they took care of themselves that changed the flavor. His personal favorite was something sweet. he hated bitter blood. As a young, rebellious teenager, Stark had once snapped a young girl's neck for simply having a sour taste to her. he was scolded by his peers for wasting food. Vampires were stingy beasts when it came to that sort of thing.

Once at the top, Stark stopped himself. He leaned over the massive balcony and looked out into the crowd. However, he could still see no one. His hands began to shake as he rested his elbows on the bars. The kitchen was directly behind him, just a few meters away. But walking in would be admitting defeat. He wasn't the worst of egotists, leave that to the Mages, but he was stubborn. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself. He thought of the future. Now that the alliance was underway, where would that leave him? Would everything be as it was, or would he be living as neighbors with a scum? But maybe that wouldn't be so bad after all. Easier access to food-

Stark dropped his head into his hands. His entire body felt like it was on fire. Unlike typical hunger, he had no cramps. His stomach did not growl. Instead, his body shook, his limbs went numb, his vision blurred. Going a day with something to drink was dangerous to vampire. It wasn't as the humans believed. Vampires didn't just come out at night and turn into bats to feed. They are much more needy than that. One person a day normally cured the hunger, but much less would drive one insane. It was said, a vampire became a beast if their thirst was not quenched withing seventy-two hours. He hadn't seen it, exactly, but he had seen true desperation. And he refused to give in to something so vile. He closed his eyes, breathing just out of his mouth now to avoid smelling. Standing up tall, he turned away from the banister to go into the kitch-

And was bumped.

For the love of god, why was walking such a difficultly here? The most experience Stark had with other races usually only involved biting them. But he couldn't fathom the fact that they were all damn klutzes! A wicked snarl spread across his face, his eyes crimson red. He turned to glare at the person, to maybe even push them down the steps if they looked stupid enough. The events of tonight had been piling up so his anger could not longer be suppressed-

He froze. A girl had bumped into him. Such a small, cute thing. He didn't trust himself to move, so he looked away, hiding his enraged face, and let her talk. Throughout her small panic, Stark had calmed himself. His body burned, making it difficult to even stand upright, but he had an opportunity. And there was no way in bloody hell he'd let this one get away.

His eyes slowly faded from red to orange to gold in the few moments it took him to face the girl. His devilish frown had turned soft. There were no further traces of anger left for anyone to notice on the outside. He noticed her gazing at him and took it all in. It had been far too long since a girl had taken interest in him before he even spoke to her. Not that he was surprised, he was beyond attractive and had no shame in admitting it. He returned her stares with some of his own, moving his eyes across every crevice of her tiny body. Stark had a thing for petite girls. They were easier to handle and much more fragile. He hated when his dinner put up a fight. He could smell her fur before he even looked at her ears. Nekojin blood had never disappointed him thus far. Her face was small and cute. Her large eyes lead to her small, lightly-pointed nose that gilded the viewer directly to her pink lips. Just by looking at how silky they were, he could tell she had never been properly kissed. His soft smile widened. On the outside, his face looked humorous. He gave a quiet laugh, tossing his head back to do so. To her, he was laughing at her apology. To him, he was picturing everything he would show this innocent cat.

Looking at her hurt. He could barley tell her skin apart from her blood. Everything around him became a shade of red. But he would show no sign of distress. Stark placed his large hand upon her head, moving his hand gently back and forth between her ears. "No need to apologize." His voice was deep, but not so deep that it sounded out of place. he spoke softly, keeping his voice just loud enough to be heard above the crowd. She wasn't the type who'd be easy to seduce, he realized. Just by looking at her, he knew she had no experience of even feeling pleasure. Getting her alone wouldn't be hard, but getting her to obey would take just long enough before he'd break. But Stark was a confident man. "I think it's wonderful that you bumped into me, actually. I had been looking for a beautiful girl all night, and I was just about to lose hope." Stark faked a blush. This had become second nature at this point. "O-oh, sorry. That was probably too far. I'm Stark." To her, he would be a shy, awkward young man who has trouble expressing himself to women. He smiled. He showed no teeth, not yet.

Her dress showed just enough shoulder to send a shiver down his spine. It was pale but flawless. Nothing had so much as touched this girl's skin before. Nothing until tonight, that is. Sadly, because of the eye-contact, he had little room to look elsewhere on the girl. But he had seen enough to know this is what he wanted. As she bowed and showed her teeth, Stark gave her a small wink and opened his mouth, showing his own fangs. He didn't care about revealing his race. he knew her's, and it was only a matter of time before she was fully aware of what Stark truly was. "I'm very glad to be meeting you, Miss. or would you prefer Madam? Stark took the girl's hand in his own, giving a bow before kissing the tips of each finger. Each time his lips touched her skin, he felt himself thrive in pain. He had to quicken this up or he'd tear her apart right here, upon the stairs. He knew all he had to do was excuse himself, to grab just one cup of blood and then have his fun. He knew this as well as he knew his own name. But if he were to walk away, she may leave. If he were to bring her to get the drink, she may run. Nekojin were quite fast, and having a girl running and screaming would bring the most unpleasant attention on himself. But if he simply did nothing, he'd kill her as soon as he shut the door.

Releasing her hand, Stark stood tall, towering above the girl. Whooing her would be simple, seeing as she had probably never had sweet nothings whispered in her ear. And maybe he could use that as an advantage. "I know we have just met, but would you mind accompanying me to the kitchen? With all of this dancing, I'm rather thirsty. He paused, his face dropping. "Oh, but... I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. I'm sure you've heard horror stories about vampires..." he let his sentence fade, hoping the sadness in his voice was enough to guilt her to following him. And if not, he'd simply have a change of plans. He placed both of his hands at his side then slowly looked down. he continued to blush, slowly glancing up at her from time to time for her response.

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[iopredman]

From Piper ' "This is a masquerade, you idiot." She tried to sound light-hearted, but because of her fear, her voice was sharper than what she expected. Taking in another deep breath, she continued, calmer now. "You broke the single most important rule of this night."'

Ah the irony, he thought as his smile widened. He knew then; she didn't even suspect his race. She had been as blissfully unaware as he had perceived earlier. He chuckled in a purposeful way that conveyed a little more inner evil than he had let slip before. Delighted by her response, including her attempt to display a calm demeanor, his chuckling grew into a far more maniacal laughter, before he fell silent and allowed his lips to fall into a typical, bored position. She had reacted exactly as he had hoped; so far this girl didn't seem to be anything special. Although as she had continued talking, he heard her voice originating from a higher point every time.

Was she standing atop something that he had not noticed as he entered the room? Or was this related to her Mage power. He allowed this thought to pass in his mind, but no worry came of it. He felt totally in control of the situation. He heard through her shrill, painfully disguised voice cracks, that her heart rate was elevated. Even if this girl had wanted to act confident, there would be no false feelings here.

His lips had turned from their blank default into a frown without his meaning. He was quickly becoming bored with the situation. He decided that the quicker he had ridden himself of this girl, the quicker he would be able to resume his objective of the night. He became aware of the girl's light breathing, and realized he had been subjecting the girl to silence for longer than intended. Even if his intention had been to frighten her, no one deserved to be forced to look at his demonic face for too long. He ran a hand through his hair in mild frustration at his own short-lived ignorance, and replaced his bandages as he formulated his final thoughts.

Then he spoke, in a voice that carried a tone so deathly serious he truly hoped that she understood, "My intention of being here at this ball tonight had not originally concerned you. I am, truly, sorry my dear for the actions I had just committed in your presence. However, even though you may have seen the void of my soul through these holes, I assure you that no law of tonight was broken in my undertakings, nor will it." A lie, he realized, since his intention of the night was to kill at least one man, and that would surely be causing a ruckus later on.

He continued, "For you see, I too am a Mage." He was sure by now that her power was what caused her elevation, because he had just heard the last of her dress leave the ground as she continued to rise in the air. "I assure you that my intentions for the night are the same as yours. Perhaps, if I may be so sudden, you wouldn't mind joining me later in the evening for a dance or two. First, however, I have business to take care of on the upper levels of this building. It is something I highly recommend you stay away from, for a woman of such innocence as yourself truly would not want to be caught in the manners with which I am concerned. So I implore you, please move to the side, for you are blocking my exit, and I wish to remove myself quickly so that we may be reunited as soon as possible later this evening." Another lie, although one which he believed he had stitched quite nicely.

Whether this girl accompanied him or not was of no concern to him in actuality, he had hoped for the least amount of variability possible in his plan, but as that had all gone down the drain with the earlier incident, he realized perhaps being scene traversing the corridors accompanied by this -- he could only assume -- beautiful girl, would look much less suspicious than sneaking around the premises by himself. What would happen toward the end of the night, but if she became collateral in the grand scheme, so be it. Flint was willing to sacrifice more than a few bodies in order to finally reach peace on this final night.

[Jiffers21]

Piper had begun to plan out her escape route. First, she'd push this man away from her. Just a gentle push, one just hard enough to send him flying back against the chair he was once sitting in. She could picture it in her head; his body leaving the ground. He wouldn't know where he was going, the poor, blind fool, leaving her in complete control. She could very easily lift him and leave him there until she was out of range, her range being fifty meters, where he would then drop back onto the floor. But if someone walked in and found him like that, she'd surly be found out. So after he was against the chair, she'd use the vase on the fireplace to knock him out. She'd find a glass of wine and leave it with him, building a scene of a drunk man. Her plan was quickly assembled but full-proof. If the blow didn't know him out, she'd result in attack him with other furniture. the room didn't have the largest variety, but it was all she needed. Her magic would give her the upper hand here. But she still had to be careful, she didn't know what this man was capable of. For that, her fear was further increased.

As he began to laugh, Piper pushed herself further from the man. To her disappointment, the wall was closer to him than he was. She was stuck. The door was to her left. She could easily float out if she wished, pushing him over, but she wanted her leave to be elegant and bring no suspicion towards her. For once, she didn't want to stand out. His laughing made her forced-confidence to fade, making her feel small and trapped. He was a mad-man, she realized. A sick, twisted-

Mage.

He said Mage. No, there was no way. Mages were sweet and caring. They loved each other, didn't they? Her race was civil. So did that make him a Ghilan, then? Taking the form of a Mage? It had to, but she was in no position to call him out. Besides, she knew most Mages, didn't she? How would she have not noticed him. He wasn't exactly someone you passed up. Piper's fear faded into anger. Going around, calling himself a Mage. It made her sick. And even if he was a Mage, his entire existence seemed to disgust Piper. No Mage had the right to treat another Mage in this fashion!

Well, that was actually a lie. There were quite a few Mages who represented her race poorly. In fact, most Mages were very unpleasant, stuck-up people. But none of those she knew would trap a poor girl against a wall and try and scare her! Piper puffed out her cheeks, narrowing her eyebrows as she had done when searching for the girl and this man. Her fear had mostly gone away. Knowing about his true race made her feel more at easy, even though she was frustrated with him. There was still the chance that he was lying, as she strongly believed, but for now, she'd trust him. Letting herself back down to the floor, Piper crossed her arms. Not only had his little scare-fest seemed to be over, but now he was trying to get rid of her. Piper was appalled. And all of this over an apology.

As much as she wanted to get out of the room with this man, she realized this was the most eventful part of her evening so far. If he left, she would be alone again. Sure, she was having a wonderful time dancing on her own, but that was before she had looked at a man's soul through his sunken in eye-sockets. And another truth of the matter was, Piper had planning out her escape plan and now realized she did it all for nothing. Everything she had imagined for the night had seemed to find a way to turn against her. For now, her scapegoat was this man. Piper continued to look at the man disappointingly. She knew he couldn't see her face. And her constant changing of opinions of this fellow surely weren't helping him get a proper picture of her. But she couldn't help herself! Tonight was too full of surprises to care about keeping a consistent character. As she spoke, she tried to bring back her playful tone. "Oh, so you think you can just waltz on up to me, being some creepy creep of a creep, and then prance away after telling me you have other plans?" He was the only acquaintance she had made all night. Who knows how long she would have went on spinning? "Well, you can't get rid of Piper that easily!" She placed her hands on her hips, standing tall for such a short, little girl. Five-five wasn't the shortest of people, but compared to him, she was tiny.

He was still a mystery to her. If he was lying, she had to be careful. And if he was telling the truth, she had to be cautious. He knew what her ability was, she didn't know his. It was a dangerous spot to be in. But for now, she made an exception. His presence and motives terrified Piper. However, in order to enjoy the rest of her night without having nightmarish visions of the blackness of his eyes or the psychopathic ring in his laugh, she had no other choice but to accept him.

Reaching forward, she snagged the bandage out from his grip. Taking a step forward, she closed the gap between them. "If you're planning on going back out, at least put your mask on." Moving to her tip-toes, Piper reached behind the man's head and began to tie his mask back on. It was lopsided and not nearly as neat as what he had originally had it, but she couldn't care less. Just as long as his eyes, or the lack of, were covered. "And what if I don't want to dance later? I might have other plans, like yourself" She stuck out her tongue, but quickly pulled it back in since there was no point in physically expressing emotion. "It's not polite to make a woman feel unpleasant. So for that, you owe me a dance when I want one. Which is now." Piper had had it with disappointments for tonight. This man would not be her Prince, but he would be her something. No more spills, no more bumping, no more mishaps. She had stayed up imagining this night for far too long to be let down. And for that, she was putting her foot down. Starting with this man here. Once you get past the holes and the crude humor, maybe he wouldn't be such a bad companion? But by now, Piper was too worn out to use her imagination anymore.

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[iopredman]

*Internal Sigh*

Against his preference, she seemed to be adamant about not letting go. Further, she was taking control of the situation far too quickly to do anything about it. Unless he was going to dispose of her right here, it seemed that his only option was to follow her lead for the time being. He ran his fingers through his hair again in mild frustration, a habit that because becoming to much of a theme on this night. When it came down to it though, he supposed he wouldn't truly mind spending some time with this girl. Like he had thought previously, conspicuousness lessened in numbers.

He felt her coming toward him, "If you're planning on going back out, at least put your mask on." He felt her fingers brush against his cheek bones as she tied the bandages back around his eyes. They were surprisingly cold, considering the warmth of the room, but it had been quite a while since he had experienced anything even close to the gentle touch of a woman. It felt better than expected. The touch brought an unusual emotion into the forefront of his conscience. For such a gesture, it was not lost on him that she was covering up his eye sockets because of their appearance, one that was hated by a wide majority of his and most other races. He felt something that he had not felt in 16 years. Sadness. If he had had tear ducts, he mused, perhaps they would be generating the physical representation of his feeling at this very moment. 'What dramatic irony,' he thought to himself.

As he regained his internal composure, he realized that the bandages were nowhere near covering his face properly, and he raised his hands again to fix this dilemma. As he did so he spoke, "If your wish is to dance now, it would be my pleasure to accompany you. In fact, I will do whatever it is you wish; my plans can wait." He knew that he would be set back by allowing this, but he also realized that the only way tonight would go well is if he gained back her trust. He appended his former statement, "Just, try to keep the insults to a minimum," generating as genuine of a smile as he could muster. "Even creepy creeps like me can be offended."

"And for the record, Piper," he added further as he walked to open up the door for her, "my name is Flint, and you were the one that waltzed up to me."