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Mariana felt a little uneasy as the man behind her began to inspect her. She wasn't used to being on display like that, and it certainly put her outside of her comfort zone. She shook off the discomfort, wondering why this man was putting her on edge. She gave him a cursory inspection but, for her efforts, she only became confused. This person was dressed oddly, like the people she saw in history books (the ones she bothered to read, anyhow). What's more, this guy's skin and hair were a little discolored, and he didn't seem to be wearing costume make-up. Now that she thought about it, she didn't even recognize the guy from school--not that she spent the required time there, anyhow.

Mariana recovered from the initial shock she felt upon seeing him. Now, she was merely curious. Who was this person, and what was he like on the inside? "So, you're gonna try an' knock me over an' not even say sorry?" she chided, a mischevious grin plastered on her face. "Keep goin' around like that an' people will start to talk, y'know? You don' want some kind of reputation right off the bat." She shook her head, a couple faint "tsk"s slipping from her tongue. "If you don't want people sayin' bad things about ya, well, you'd best try an' make it up to me," she said, extending her hand and anxiously waiting to see how he'll interpret that.

Mariana was impressed. It wasn't often that someone outside her street gang had the literary capacity to quote much of anyone. She wondered how much he knew about the ancient philosophers, but she put that thought aside for the time being. Now was the time for dancing, carousing, and otherwise having fun.

She started to feel the rhythm again, timing her own movements to the steady thumps of the bass. Swish swish sway, swish swish sway... she let her hips carry her closer toward her mysterious stranger. She took the hand that was guiding her and led it down to her hip. Then, she dropped it there, reaching up and across until her own hand rested on his opposite cheek. She turned his head toward her and her head toward him. Then, she dropped her other hand and placed it in his, wondering just where he would place it. She'd let him play the dominant male for a while, just to toy with him. Of course, she always reserved the final say for herself. She sensed a kindred spirit in him--one who worshiped mischief as much as she. Even if the night turned out to be boring, she was at least going to give the chaperones a sizable headache.

((No problem. Sorry for the delay. The Army kidnapped my energy and motivation, and Phoenix Wright kidnapped my brain and my attention span. I have them all out on loan for a few more hours, so I'll try to make the most of them. Also, I had no idea I was leading into a waltz; I thought I was just going to bump and grind. XD Still, this works even better than I had imagined!))

Mariana was surprised. This man had turned her simple bump-and-grind into an elegant waltz. She was very pleased with this turn of events. Even better, he had put his hand right in the small of her back, dangerously close to the "border", so to speak. She decided he was more than worthy enough to play with, so she moved her higher hand down to his shoulder and went along with it. This was proving to be quite an interesting night...

The man asked for her name. "Well, I suppose you may, but what's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." She cocked the corner of her lips up, delighting in the diversion. "For now, though, Bloody Mary will do. And yours? Since you seem so well-versed in his works, I think I shall take to calling you Billy, and no, you have no choice in the matter." She followed his lead through the next few turns. "So, what is this trouble you seem to be suggesting? I'm all ears." A wicked grin seized her face, reflecting the possibilities flashing in her mind.

((Ah, good luck on NaNoWriMo! My sister's done that a few times, and I hear that's quite difficult.))

Mariana chuckled at this. "Heh, there's a reason they call me Bloody. I'd rather you would, too--only my teachers call me by my first name, and I couldn't say we're on friendly terms." As Billy led her about the dance floor, she caught sight of a number of teens grinding against each other, several of them exceeding the traditional boundaries of lewdness. Mariana grinned, thinking to herself how fun that would be. Yet, she was perfectly content to waltz with a proper (properly mischevious) gentleman.

She listened to his ideas on their respective roles for the night. It seemed he was going to be nice and submissive, which made her feel right at home in the dominant position. As he suggested that she come up with a plan, she immediately began looking around. "Well, the dance floor seems to be getting pretty hot," she observed. She turned her eyes forward, discovering the next logical step. "Any hotter and they're bound to set off those important, well-functioning fire sprinklers." She grinned for a second, but it gave way to a concerned frown. She turned her head to the side as she pondered aloud, "But, the water in those sprinklers... it's all clear." Her face brightened as a malevolent grin spread across her face. "Now, we can't have that, now can we?"

A serene yet surprised smile slashed across her face as Bloody Mary's wish was fulfilled. The telltale drops of cold water hit the back of her neck, a weak sprinkle in comparison to the deluge that was drenching her classmates. She knew her new partner had something to do with this, but she would never be able to prove it--not that she'd want to do so. She reveled in the scene that ensued, some people scurrying off the dance floor while others danced even harder. She grinned at these people, realizing that the behavior they were displaying negated any further need for career counseling. She envied them, knowing that she'd be right out there with them if she had the opportunity. However, the waltz had its own appeal, and quite a strong one now that she had a fascinating new partner.

As they danced, Mariana slowly slid her hand up to the handle of the umbrella, feeling his body as she went along. She had no objections so far. When she reached his hand, she gazed into his eyes and sweetly sang, "Thank you for the gesture..." She let the words trail away, letting her actions fill in the blanks. She guided the umbrella down and out of the way, getting both of them sublimely soaked. As water pooled up in the umbrella and trickled to the ground, she held him closer, easing her grip so that their embrace was tender. She knew she was falling for him, and he seemed absolutely perfect... except...

There was still something she had to know. This man had respect for the old ways, philosophical and literary knowledge, and a passion for chaos. Yet, there was something she hadn't seen yet. Could this gentleman fight? If so, how far was he willing to go to spread chaos? If he could demonstrate that he was reliable in a fight, he'd have everything she ever wanted. But, as for the demonstration, that would have to be arranged. She looked about and spotted the stage. Recalling B.A.N.D.'s penchant for causing riots in the street, the idea formed itself. "I shall return," she said earnestly, letting her arm linger behind as long as possible while the rest of her walked away. She slid over to the stage and waved down a woman who was pacing back and forth while looking simultaneously busy and important. She whispered her song request into the woman's ear before heading back to her dance partner. She'd have to wait for the song to be played, but for now, she decided that something must be done about the chaperones. They stood idly by while the "rainstorm" set in, but they might interfere with her plans. As she rejoined her partner, she held her hands aloft in the air, waiting for him to step back in. As she did, she tried to direct his attention to the nearby adults. As her eyes stayed fixed upon her partner, she inclined her head and nodded in their direction.