[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/k7cxvHi.jpg[/img]
[h2][color=e68845]Sylvia Copeland[/color][/h2][/center]
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Day 1 [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Time:[/color] Evening/Night [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Weather:[/color] Light/Moderate Rain [color=734e66]◈[/color][color=e68845]Location:[/color] Harold's Academy, Main Ballroom [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Participants: [/color]Sylvia Copeland, Kaspaan Mustaven [@Deja], Raffaella Struna [@Emeth], Tessa Vellhart[@Mirandae][/center]
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Sylvia blinked as a girl materialised in front of the group. A girl she recognised as Raffaella, the fellow Ivar who kept disappearing from people's views and minds alike. They hadn't spoken much, but it was still jarring, the way Raff's sudden appearance jogged Sylvia's memory every time. [color=e68845]"Hey!"[/color] She beamed, attempting to comfort the timid girl. [color=e68845]"Got to the food early, I see. Good on ya!"[/color]

As more and more people gathered - Tae, Fasha, Walter, Lhoren, Ana, Leah - Raffaella became noticeably all the more uncomfortable, eyes shifting around before she hurried away. [color=e68845]"Hey wait, it's ok!"[/color] Sylvia called. She considered following, but for all the air of confidence she put up, she could relate to that awkwardness all too well, given her sheltered background. Large groups were still something she had yet to grow accustomed to, with that banter that seemed to come so easily to them. [color=e68845]"Well, I guess that's our cue to tuck in,"[/color] she said as she headed to the nearest table, where she spotted Kasp already helping himself to the various snacks. Mouth watering from the scents, she picked up a crab roll and took a bite, savouring the delicate meat. An enhanced sense of smell made food taste so much better.

Raff had headed over there anyway, getting along well with Kasp by the looks of it as he plotted and schemed. Sylvia leaned in, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. [color=e68845]"Oooh, can I help out? We'll shoulder the blame, while you either vanish or act innocent enough to get away with anything."[/color]

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Well, this wasn't so bad, with all the chatting and snacking to pass the time until the main event. Which began with Wolfgang bigging himself up, making Sylvia roll her eyes, before he announced some puzzling news. For some reason, Headmistress Minerva wouldn't be here tonight. [color=e68845]"So she gets to go off on adventures while we're all stuck here,"[/color] she jokingly whispered to Kasp and Raff. It was probably some kind of boring academy business, but it couldn't hurt to speculate. [color=e68845]"At least it means nobody's ending up as a toad tonight."[/color]

Digging into a chicken leg, she stared up as the special guest floated from the night sky into the ballroom. Lady Penelope Upperton herself, clad in glimmering gold. A thrill sparked through Sylvia - opera music wasn't her first choice, but seeing someone so talented in the flesh after having spent so long shielded from the world felt like a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. As the band launched into the first song, Sylvia gobbled down the rest of the chicken leg and floated into the air. [color=e68845]"Anyone up for a dance?"[/color]

It was then that Tessa swept over, smiling and clad in her best designer clothing as usual, yet something was off. Sylvia sniffed the air, her feline nose twitching. Was that a faint whiff of smoke clinging to Tessa's clothes? Before Sylvia could ask, Tessa gave a breathless explanation, recounting what had to be the mother of all nightmare travels.

Sylvia's eyes widened. [color=e68845]"Holy shit. Was everyone ok? I knew I could smell smoke... Uh, not that it's likely noticeable to anyone else!"[/color] Cringing at her unfiltered words, she rubbed the back of her neck. [color=e68845]"That's quite the eventful journey."[/color]