For everyone on the dance floor there are familiar faces that pass by periodically. Priya and Amanda has found partners among the officers, both respectable dancers in their own right. Vanna's roommate Cara makes a brief foray out on the floor before settling in at a lively table with a mix of cadets, and Penny will notice though Blair is lacking a friend like Dana to force her out on the dance floor, she seems to be content sitting with her teammates and chasing off several officers brave enough to visit. [hider=Dana] “Oh, your friend is Duodecim? That’s pretty rare, right?” The question is well-informed; of Dana’s classmates, Vana is one of the most prominent member of the nobility. There are several cadets from lesser noble houses, but the big twelve seem to have a much higher representation among of the Officer’s Academy than at Nova Lux itself. The talk of the incident at the training grounds seem to impress the boy, his eyes widening as Dana goes over her story. “Wow.” He says. “You must be really strong, if you can fight one of those. That’s impressive!” He laughs, loud and good-natured. “I exercise all day, and I couldn’t even fight a normal void!” On the topic if his own training, he replies: “Well, there’s a lot of classes on tactics so far, and getting used to what we’ll be doing. We’re done one or two field exercises so far, a mock-combat or two. We’re supposed to have some hand-to-hand training sometime soon. I’m more excited about working with all of you guys, though.” “Actually, if you want to hear something interesting from our side: They just brought in these big machines. They’re from…somewhere in Juno, I think. They make them there. They say they’re supposed to be used for field testing.” The music begins to slow, and Noah does as well. “They’re like—have you ever seen those giant robot TV shows? They’re kind of like that, but small. But they walk around on their own and everything.” As the rest of the dangers slow and the music begins to fade the muscular boy makes a gesture back toward the table they cam from. “Do you want to take a break?” A pause and he adds: “I mean, I shouldn’t hog you if you want to meet more people, but we’ll be over there.” He laughs again, releasing the gentle hold he’s got on his partner. [/hider] [hider=Penny] “Yeah,” Dima agrees. “Altea’s really good. Are you going to see the new movie? It’s playing here too, there’s a few theaters--” Penny’s swaying partner hesitates, deciding: “Ah, well, we can talk about that later. More important, your mom, she’s in the Defense Forces? I’ve always looked up to them, that’s why I wanted to go to the Officer’s Academy.” “My, uh, field tests haven’t been too great.” He winces, quickly adding, “I mean, they’re fine, but I’d like to work at an HQ branch.” A firm nod comes with that. “They say it’s pretty rare to get stationed at Nova Roma, but I’ve always wanted to see it. I guess everyone does though, that’s why they only pick the best.” His gaze lifts to the woman Penny indicates, eyes widening a touch before he responds: “Oh—that is! I saw her on the news a few times when she was visiting. There’s a bunch of important people here. I don’t know if we’re allowed to, you know, talk to them. Besides all the hand shaking at the start. I wonder if people will look at us someday like that. I mean, you, definitely, at least.” The music is coming to a close and the dancing (which is charitable for what the two are doing) comes to a stop. Dima clears his throat, making a gesture toward the refreshments table. “Drink?” He asks, clarifying after, “Do you want one, I mean? I think I’m retiring from dancing.” He’s likely earned a few bruises in the process of trying. [/hider] [hider=Cordelia] “Of course.” Says the boy when Cordelia states she has no preference for her team. “It’s the results that matter, isn’t it?” His hands are expert guideposts, angling and directing. They aren’t warm—or maybe it’s Cordelia’s imagination--but they are deft. Almost mechanical in their precision. “We’ll hope yours has a happy ending.” He replies from his vantage, dark eyes gazing down into Cordelia’s. When he pulls her back from that long dip be smiles. It’s a thin and almost somber gesture, something that seems natural on his subdued features. “Judging from what I’ve seen, you have nothing to fear.” The movements continue for a few minutes more before the lilting tune begins to come slowly to its closing notes. The pair slow, until they remain swaying listlessly as the last few notes echo through the wide hall. Cordelia’s partner’s eyes move over her shoulder for a moment, and when they return he offers an apologetic smile. “It was lovely, but if you’ll excuse me.” His hand raises hers briefly, a small farewell before the boy steps aside. He strides to meet with another couple, a gray-haired man and tall, dark-haired woman. The former wears the insignia of Juno, one of the Duodecim. Cordelia can likely guess by the posture and position of the woman that she’s a servant—-maybe a guard, or at least some kind of attendant. [/hider] [hider=Nicole] “You’d think, but I’ve found Ars Magi don’t like to have fun.” Aiya replies easily to Nicole, another mirthful smile flashing across her face. “Be careful—I don’t think it’s allowed.” She might have the right idea, given Nicole’s meager experience. In the Hastian’s brief time with Victoria Glass there wasn’t much to indicate she’d even know what fun was. Perhaps there are others who have a better attitude, though. “Did they?” The girl asks of Nicole’s catchphrase. “I’m not sure what they said about me. I never got the hang of the language—but I assume it was good.” Her lips part in a silvery laugh as they side-step, her fingers twirling her partner in a neat rotation before they join again. The music has started to slow by this point, signaling an imminent close to at least this exchange of movements. “If you can make any place like Hasta,” Aiya continues, “Then I’ll take you on a date. Someplace where the neon is nice.” Her hand disentangles from Nicole’s as the last notes of the music fade, and she requests: “Come and find me later. I’ll introduce you to some of the officers—but you won’t like any of them as much as me.” The girl makes a little curtsy of farewell, something less than formal that goes well with the wolfish smile that she flashes her partner before she sinks back into the crowd. [/hider] The dance floor thins briefly as the music fades, a small break in activity. It allows more time to mingle once again, to return to tables or find new ones to settle into. The ball lasts for several hours more, filled with more opportunities for dancing, mingling, and other formalities. Eventually all the dignitaries and military officials filter out, and the cadets soon after. Farewells are said as ways are parted, and eventually it comes time for the Laurus crew to make their exit. The trip back to the dorms is a short one, and from there the Ars Magi can see the lights in the main building gradually dim to their normal night-time intensity. The common room is briefly busy with excited chatter, but eventually it comes time to retire for the night.