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Usually when faced with the threat of social events he really didn't want to attend, West would inform his parents that said events were coming up, effectively ensuring that he would be there on his mother's order and avoiding any of the messy responsibility that came with deciding to go on his own. It was a safeguard of sorts, an excuse that allowed him to leave early or act out without consequence. My mother made me do it.

This time, however, he hadn't told the meddling woman anything. West was embarrassed to be going to this dance, embarrassed that he had been tricked by a mindflayer, but still somehow determined not to take it out on his... date. The word made his skin crawl and he didn't have the luxury of blaming the feeling on his parents this time.

He had swung by Tset's dorm late as promised, corsage in hand, and had offered an arm for her to hold with barely a word. Things hadn't been that painful on the way to the cafeteria, but now that they were here...

Barth, Malodore, Jericho, Calder, Riley, Colette, Tess, Carry, Livius, that girl from the student council with the bag of pee... every last one of them was someone West didn't want to see him like this. Time to commence Operation: No Touchy, at least for the time being.

"Y'want... anythin't eat?" he asked the poludnica, reclaiming his arm with a slight sigh of relief.

Oh boy, he was watching her. Think of something else, Carry! Now was not the time to be messing up the plan. She tittered about and did her best to act as normal as she possibly could, but knew it was only a matter of time before things got serious. Carthusia concentrated heavily on the drink for a moment, trying to deny the inevitable. Her wings had a nervous twitch about them until she saw one thing that made her feel infinitely better - Westus. He looked livid being here, but look, he was with Tset! Pride visibly brightened and lovingly tugged on Livius' arm.

"Look Livi! West even made it here, and he's with Tset! Oh he looks so cute! And who is Lizzy? I don't know if I know her. I think we should be social, even if for a little while, before we stun them with our dancing." She gave him a playful nudge and laughed, looking like she's returned, even momentarily, to her old self. Lizzy must've been, what, the one with pink hair? She wasn't sure, but she waved enthusiastically to West and Tset. As she approached them, Carry smiled and clapped her hands. "Tset! You look lovely, and look at what handsome man brought you here~"

She dropped West a knowing wink. He hated it here and she knew it.

Riley felt she was getting the best of both worlds. After Junko had taken her seat, Riley took the seat Malodore had offered her, and turned to follow it's gaze when it spoke to her. Her brows shot up, only to fall and furrow in emotion.

Luce.. She murmured quietly. Did she really miss me? Riley blinked, and then turned her eyes to Malodore, filled with confusion. Wait, why didn't you go on your morning walk without me?

She caught the speedy movement of Luce out of the corner of her eye, and turned to look over at the minipet dance once more. She was glad she hadn't brought Cam.. those poor minipets would have been terrorized.

Tsetsiliya took West's late arrival in stride - he had warned her, so there was no reason to put any thought behind it. She kept her hand looped through his arm and admired the corsage he had given her as they entered the party; for not wanting to be here, he sure had done things properly. While she admired his stubbornness and was not familiar with the real reason he was at the party, she was stuffing away the pity she felt for him. Especially stuck with a date like her - surely if somebody had forced him to come, he would have picked one of the more attractive ghouls on the stage. A bit of bad luck on the poor demon's part, she figured. But to distract from these masked apprehensions, a ghoul dressed in crimson called and waved to them, moving over to join them.

"Hello!" Tsetsiliya felt relieved to see a familiar face, especially one she associated with much fondness. The "handsome man" part brought a pale pink blush to her face (if only Carthusia knew the circumstances!). "Oh, t-thank you! You are looking quite lovely as well." She gave the duo a small smile. While she was not familiar with the boil whose arm Carthusia was holding, Tsetsiliya appreciated the fact that they had come as a matching pair. The two were very good-looking, and seemed like they suited each other nicely.

Just then West asked her if she were hungry, and she blinked at the sudden shift in conversation. "I-I.. uhm.. I am thinking so? O-only if you are going that way, of course!" Her hidden sympathy came to a full swell inside her, but she did well to keep it concealed. She already felt bad enough for the wrath demon coming to this party (seemingly) against his will, and wanted to ease it for him if she could. "I.. I guess. Anything is being fine.." The color continued to darken in her face, and she could practically feel it radiating from her.

Israfel was content to watch the couples arrive. Yes. The shipper of ships was rather beaming at them all. Each one going down a mental checklist. Cute, well matched, angsty, adorable, frightfully perfect...The shipper of ships was setting sail. The oceans of love were now in the Bermuda triangle of the scarentines dance. Who would brave the turbulent winds of passion, brave the stormy weather of possible failed dance moves? Who was bound to reach the fables 'secret isle' later that night? Who would find their ship broken in two? Oh they could do as they pleased, as the siren smirked, watching Calder looking the finest the siren had ever seen him in.

In fact, as the Siren reflected on all the rather lovely couples, he found himself...alone. He had come stag thinking it would be fine but...

A small part of him wished he had brought a partner. It was tremendous fun to watch the couples mill about, and to eye them with shipping pride, but to have no ship of his own...

Israfel's earwings fell as he got himself a drink.

IF YOU ARE SIGNING UP ALONE:


IF YOU ARE SIGNING UP AS A COUPLE:

Malodore hadn't taken Luce on her walk because of sentimentality? Riley's heart clenched painfully, and her hand pressed against it as if to keep it in her chest. She had no idea how much her absence could have affected it. The idea hadn't even been a possibility in her mind. She turned her eyes back to Luce, but her hand reached out and found Malodore's, once more intertwining fingers back to where they were meant to be. Her cheeks turned a healthy shade of indigo.

Then the gnomes dropped by, and left their eloquent message, and Riley sighed. Well, at least I don't have to do that part. She looked over at Junko, and her eyes softened. Will you be signing up for the dance contest? I promise I will be fair when I run it. She squeezed Malodore's hand just slightly, and turned to give it a teasing glance. Poor dear, I know how much you wanted to compete in it.