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The dance floor is quite full by now, filled with mingling cadets from both schools. The music continues, alternating between stately and swift, long strings of music echoing out across marble floors and reverberating against soaring windows. There are a few who still sit on the sidelines, a small number of cadets and the full-fledged Ars Magi attending as guests. Those from the Laurus will spy Victoria Glass amongst the crowd, as well as several other faces they may be able to place from television broadcasts and news articles.


As the two continue dancing, Penny looks around, trying to get a feel for the place now. As she looks around, she catches a glimpse of Victoria Glass in the crowd. She's a bit too far off for Penny to discern her expression, not helped by the fact Wings of Justice apparently had one hell of a poker face. Other faces there include a couple of folk Penny vaguely remembers from some newscasts and TV shows.

"Eh, don't worry about it," Penny replies. "In fact, ever since I got here, I think I'm getting better control over it. First time the Elementum manifested, though? I kept getting static shocks and short-circuiting electronics. Not a good thing to have when you like to work with electronics, trust me.

"I'll admit, being an Ars Magi can be... a bit of a rush,"
she admits. "It feels... different somehow. Some feel drained after using their abilities, I'm one of those who just gets... well, charged up. Almost scary, to be honest.

"Oh, oh no, no need to be sorry,"
she says. "I'm... well, I'm kind of a huge nerd for Altea myself. I think I remember Valkyrie Wren, though, maybe just the OVA. Even got afair amount of Gunslinger Alexis, but really, Altea's more my cup of tea, so to speak.

"Oh, so you're a neighbor, then,"
Penny replies cheerfully when he mentions where he's from. "I'm from Siscia, that's why. Yeah, I know what it's like being in a dome, Siscia's got one herself. Probably not as hot as Pola, though it can still be a scorcher in summer.

"Hey, don't put yourself down,"
she says in encouragment. "Sure, being military isn't as glamorous as the Ars Magi, but you guys do some real work, I know that. And I'm not saying that to cheer you up, by the way; my mom's a Sarge in the Siscia Defense Forces, so I know what you guys do. And I really appreciate it.

"My family's a bit... bigger,"
she says. "Well, a lot bigger. Mom, Dad, and six siblings. I'm the third oldest. Yeah, it can be a handful at times, but I wouldn't give them up for the world.

"So, Dima,"
she continues, "how far are you in your studies? Have you decided which branch you want to join yet? Infantry, Armor, Air Support, HQ...?"

She looks out again at the crowd.

"Is it just me, or is that Lucille LeBlanc? I recognize her from one of the news reports we used to see all the time in Siscia. It's... really kind of scary how many important faces there are here."



"So, Dima," Penny continues, trying not so much dance as wobble around in one place. "Where're you from? What's your home like, and do you miss it? What do they teach you at the Academy, and do you like it there?

"Going back to what you said about being an Ars Magi... I'd be lying if the shows didn't help me make up my mind. So far, it's been a bit routine, but there have been... interesting tests. Being an Ars Magi can be pretty exhilarating, at least to me. It's like... I dunno, I feel like I can just cut loose, do things nobody else can, really take it to the limit. The funny thing is, I'm not even an adrenaline junkie, or at least I wasn't before I got here. I just... wanted to help protect the people and things I care for..."



The dance floor is slowly filling up, bodies drawn up from tables by the lilting music. The cadets from the Officer’s Academy make up the majority of the dancers from their sheer numbers, the Ars Magi making up a much smaller (but much more popular) percentage. It’s not hard for any of the girls from Nova Lux to find a dance partner, or at the very least a few eager hangers-on. Most of the cadets are at least making an attempt at moving to the music, though the degree of proficiency seems to vary widely between couples.
The bored looking group of officers that Dana and Penny approach are in the midst of discussing one of their upcoming exercises, the three young men speaking languidly between each other.

“We’re going to be directing them?” Asks one, a taller cadet with blond hair.

“One team for each of theirs, I think.” Replies the second,

“They aren’t going to use real Voids, are they?” The first asks.

“Machines, I think.” Chimes in the third.

"Hopefully the next exercise won't try to kill us like the real thing," Penny mutters under breath. She takes a deep breath as she approaches them.

"Ahem," she clears her throat. "Hi, uh... anyone... care to dance...?"

Their conversation pauses at the approach of the two Ars Magi, and after a moment of awkward floundering introductions are made around the table. It’s clear none of the cadets know exactly how to treat a real live Ars Magi, but after a few minutes at least two work up the nerve to ask their visitors to dance.

Penny’s partner, Dima, is the taller of the group, the wiry and sharp-faced cadet that they’d first overheard. Unfortunately, he knows how to waltz exactly as well as Penny does. Which leads to about a minute of awkward bumping, stepping on feet, generally being a hazard until he decides to stick to just swaying in place. Thankfully, the pair can blend in adequately amidst the other moving parties, though the boy does apologize profusely:

“I’ve never met an Ars Magi before.” He confesses, “I mean, I’ve watched all the shows, but never like face-to-face.” A moment more of swaying and he asks: “Is it like that? Like in the shows? What kind of powers do you have? Is it okay if I ask that?”

"Ow sh-" Penny starts when Dima steps on her foot again, before she bites her tongue, trying to keep from swearing at a formal event. "Sorry, I have no idea how to waltz-"

She pulls back awkwardly when she accidentally steps on his foot yet again.

"Ah cr- uh, sorry about that..." she mutters. She almost misses his question.

"What? Oh, er, sure, you're... you're free to ask," she begins. "Just... try not to ask personal questions 'kay?

"In the shows? Sorry about that, I'm still kinda new. Been a couple months 'round here, so haven't been on any missions yet.

"Though what kind of shows do you watch?"
she asks curiously. "Ah, actually, forget I even brought it up...

"Powers? Well, pretty much lightning-based. Haven't mastered the 'shoot lightning' bit yet, but I can charge my attacks with lightning for some real damage. I can also charge my own body with it, don't ask how that works. It works great at parties though; I can light lamps with my fingers and do the joybuzzer trick without needing a joybuzzer!"




"Guess we better leave those two to their dance then," Penny mutters under her breath.

"And seriously? Boyfriend?" she says, shooting Dana a glare. "I'm already nervous, you want to add to that? Or do you just enjoy teasing me?"

Much as she would have liked to stick to the punch bar and enjoy the party at a distance, but her teammates' insistence (well, mostly Dana's) gets her to the dance floor. She finds herself in the line of girls waiting for a dance, still unsure if she should take the first opportunity to bolt to safety.



“Hey, I’m completely lost when it comes to this formal stuff, too,” the energetic Norban told her roommate with a grin. “But it’s still pretty cool to meet all these high-ranking people, and who knows? Maybe we can even make some new friends?! Or maaaybe a new boyfriend? she added mischievously while gently elbowing her bespectacled friend under the table. “That group of guys from the officers’ academy over there are lookin’ kinda bored,” she noted, gesturing at a small cluster of young men with her thumb. “I’m sure they’d love to meet two genuine Ars Magi, so why don’t we go over and introduce ourselves?! And don’t worry about feelin’ embarrassed,” she added as she got up and proceeded to pull Penny to her feet as well. “I know ya might not be the best in social situations, but just think of this as another kinda battle! If ya go in there with that good ol’ Penny Grenoble confidence, I’m sure everything’ll work out!”

Penny sighs at the boundless optimism of her teammate. This is definitely one of those times it could be a little exhausting. Right now, she could come up with almost a dozen excuses of varying strength so as to ditch the dance and why she's worried she'll screw it up somehow, but she suspects the Norban would just shoot down each one with her usual cheer. She only halfheartedly resists when Dana pulls her to her feet, not wanting to go through this ordeal but eventually giving up on changing her teammate's mind.

As they got up, a white-haired girl came up and said hello, giving Penny some rather formal greetings, before moving on to address Nichole.

"And hello to you too," Penny replies, a little surprised. She studies the newcomer. "Wait, are you Astrelle's replacement?"

Astrelle hadn't been around in the past few days. Dana was worried that Astrelle had been expelled, but in truth the dark-haired girl was probably just transferred to a different dorm and class. Still, the move had been surprising, and the group felt a little empty without her.

She raises an eyebrow in amusement as Cordelia, as the girl introduced herself, asked Nichole for a dance. She looks to see if the Hastian girl accepts.



Nichole's planned excursions prove to be very entertaining for the young Siscian. While she had enjoyed the occasional outing back home, between the home and needing to help her dad in the electronics shop, Penny never really had time for leisure, at least not how she does now. She's known friends, but due to circumstances, she never got to hang around with them much. In a way, Nichole and Dana dragging her around is a welcome experience; Dana with her boundless energy and Nichole with her social graces and eye for fulfilling entertainment. Even the usually stoic and reserved Vanna has her fair share of tips and advice, used to more luxury and entertainment than the others (except maybe Astrelle). Still, Penny likes to think that under that stoic exterior, the Duodecim lady was enjoying herself.

For her part, Penny finds little time for introspection on such outings. She's just enjoying herself, even if she feels a bit guilty living it up while her family counted every credit.


The school's rules allowed for a stipend, but in return discouraged other employment openly; the thinking was that it would distract from the girls' main job; training to be Ars Magi. Still, Penny managed to find a job as a courier. It didn't pay much, and she could only work weekends, but it allowed her to explore Palmyra more on her own, exercised her rollerblading skills, and the extra pay wasn't bad. It also allowed her to find some shortcuts all around town, even catch some interesting gossip from time to time.

Penny knows she should probably just sit back and enjoy life as it comes, but a combination of guilt at not shouldering her own weight like she did back home and a natural tendency as a workaholic got the better of her


The upcoming ball, however, leaves Penny anxious and nervous. Much as she tries to find a way out of it, she finds herself forcibly dragged back into it by the other girls.

"Why did you talk me into this," she groans at the table, fidgeting with her uniform. "I don't know how to dance formally. Should have just faked being sick like I planned, but you dragged me out here anyways."



"Wellllll..." Nicole giggled a little and let go of Penny's braid. Her fingers laced and she wrung her hands for a second, like she had a secret identity she was on the verge of finding the courage to divulge. "There is one more thing, but I kinda try not to brag about it. As superpowers go it's a little esoteric. I usually can't go out into the city for a night without getting something for free. Doughnuts, slices of pizza, drinks at clubs, every now and then people just drift up and hand me stuff. I dunno why, I guess something about me just clicks with people."

She favored them all with another one of Hasta's apparent trademarks, her happy-go-lucky wink.

"It's a little hard to believe until you see it in action, though. Guess you'll all just have to start going out with me more. We'll be drowning in stuff."

"Oh, really?" Penny replies, smirking. "Guess we'll have to wait and see these amazing Hastian powers in action..."



"Again, girls, thanks for the trip, and sorry I made you wait," Penny says. "I'm not usually a troublemaker, I swear."

She chuckles a bit at Dana's eagerness.

"Gee, I spend a few days in detention and you've already planned out the city?" she jokes. "A girl can't leave you girls alone for a moment, I swear."

"Mmmmaybe I cheated a little," she replied, as another trainee drifted into their friend circle, violet-haired and scarlet-eyed with a twinkle of mischief in her gaze and grin. "We should check out--oh!"

"For you, prekrasnaya," the lilac mischief said, pressing a cup into her hand. The other, fresh from stowing the Sharpie used upon the cup behind her ear, extended both pinkie and thumb by her ear and waggled. She drifted off as soon as she'd arrived, leaving Nicole to sip on the proffered cup - a white mocha - and peeked at the digits written upon her free drink. She giggled and took a longer, happier sip.

"Told you, right? This is an omen. Good food, great outfits, and plenty of bonding on the horizon, babes. The vibes are strong tonight."

Penny's jaws drop at the sight of Nichole scoring a free drink out of thin air.

"Bullshit," she finally says in disbelief. "Seriously, bullshit. You just walk in here and get a free drink?

"Oh, to be a pretty face,"
she sighs in mock despair, gesturing melodramatically.



Penny takes the new routine in stride. It's certainly a slight letdown after the thrilling fight with Void, but it's another step to proving her worth as an Ars Magi. It's certainly more demanding and difficult than what she was used to back in Siscia, but if she wants to do her part, she knows she has to prove she can walk the walk. In her spare time, she studies any available information on Ars Magi and Void, as well as any knowledge about magitech she can get her hands on. Still, the weeks prove pretty tranquil, and as time goes on, she feels more at ease about her stay at Palmyra.

Well, right until she got into a fight with a Hasta girl, Blair McKenzie. A slight misunderstanding turned into an argument, and before she knew it, fists were flying, and Penny learned a few things that day. One, the Ars Magi academy is really strict about fights, and she got several days detention for it and an earful from the instructors. Two, Blair McKenzie had a short fuse and a really thick accent, but was actually a pretty cool person; she was a 'Last Highlander', descendant of the survivors of the Scottish division, one of the last surviving units of the British Army that herded the survivors of Britain to Hasta during the Fall. And third, Blair McKenzie had a really tough skull; Penny found out the hard way when she tried to punch out her taller opponent and almost broke a few fingers. Still, the two managed to bond over the art of swearing and being scrappers in general.

Still, a couple of weeks later, the problem had been largely forgotten, and Penny can look forwards to enjoying time off. It's been time since she can simply take time off to relax. As the class ends, she puts away her books and datapad with a content sigh and stretches a bit as she gets out of her seat.

"Whew, talk about a long day," she exclaims, turning to her teammates. "You girls ready for a tour of the town? 'Cause I know I am."



Penny looks up at Nichole for playing with her braid, but gives a wry smile at the Hastano's reasoning for why she should pick the pizza parlor.

"Oh really?" she teases. "So what other powers does being a Hastano bestow upon one? Aside from superior pizza and fashion sense, and the ability to come up with a catchphrase?"



At Amanda's name, Penny looks up and cocks an eyebrow. At least blondie had guts, which improved her standing in Penny's eyes. She turns back to the conversation at hand.

"So it was just a coincidence that our group was attacked just as they wrapped things up," Penny states. "If these attacks happened at roughly the same time, seems like they snuck in through a gap in the defenses and attacked anyone in range. I hope they get that fixed; Everyone seems to have gotten out okay, but that was close. Or at least, I hope everyone got out okay.

"And don't worry, Cara, you'll get your chance. Just be careful and don't get bushwhacked like I did; not fun, I'll tell ya that much."


In response to Cara's question about food, Penny smirks.

"Weeeelll, don't know about burgers, but I think we spotted a pizza place when we came in last night," she says. "Even in an armored bunker, people gotta eat, and one can't live off MREs alone. Well, you can, but I don't think that'll be very fun."

She turns back to the list of classifications and frowns. Ars Magi are an elite force; to have any more than a dozen in a single op was usually seen as inefficient. And yet for Class A Voids to require many Ars Magi to fight it was chilling.

She sighs. Best not to get too worked up about it right now, especially since today proved almost as taxing as their rough flight yesterday.
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