A Night of Revelry (OPEN)

"I don't care." he stated simply.

Beyril seemed wounded, "Is she okay?"

Claire looked from Beyril to Jazz's retreating form. "It's complicated... But it's not you... Excuse me..." She followed Jazz, stepping quietly out onto the balcony, and stepping up beside her, looking out over the city, waiting for her to speak first, when she was ready.

Sarah seamlessly picked up the tempo, dancing with easy steps. She cast one final glance around the ballroom before sighing, suddenly taking the lead in their dance.

Jasmine's hands were clinging tightly to the rail as she stared out towards the skyline. She refused to speak, refused to look away or even acknowledge the girl's presence.

Savannah sighed, closing her eyes and placing front of her feet atop his, carefully balancing herself so that her heels did not go into his shoes and she did not fall over. "Lead," she said, holding tightly to his shoulder and hand, her nervousness apparent.

Antonio chuckled. "A little anxious, are we, now?"

Akira simply shrugged, his strong back and arms supporting her fully as they danced with the music. This was more than rigid training for him. He moved freely and with passion and fervor, even contained within the strict medium of the waltz.

Claire gently laid her hand over Jazz's, gripping the railing with her other. She continued to let the silence persist, waiting until Jazz was ready to talk.

Sarah smiled, continuing to lead their dance. "Hardly! I'm have so much fun right now!"

After a long while, Jasmine finally spoke again. "However good of a... friend she could be, Savannah is a terrible person at her core." She ground the words out, having to force herself to say the girl's name.

Antonio shook his head. "Like to be in charge then, huh?"

Savannah kept her chin up as they danced, eyes drifting around the room but always coming to rest on him once more. "Is someone really getting paid," she inquired, "Or do you just like this?"

Beyril stood awkwardly at the center of the room. Unable to see a familiar face. Suddenly, the social butterfly seemed more like a half-wilted wallflower. She twisted the black ring on her finger. Sighing as she looked down at the dress.
She cringed at the memory. Her sullenness and the pressure of feeling like she was being closed in on by every person in the room. Every laugh was aimed at her.
Tears welled in her eyes. No, no, no... Not here... Not now. I can't... I...
She ran from the ballroom, dropping her bag on the ground without so much as a word. With her speed, it was like she had never been standing there.



Akira smiled, "Can't it be both?"

Claire squeezed Jazz's hand before moving her arm up to rest over the girl's shoulders. "Tell me what happened, Jazz... I'm here for you, you can talk to me..."

Sarah smirked, giving a girly chuckle as they continued to dance. "Comes with the territory of being a meister..."

Savannah shook her head. "You need a taller partner. You do know that, right?"

Jasmine shook her head, "She toys," she answered, a hint of a growl in her voice. "She coaxes you, draws you in, drops your guard, and worms her way through. She breaks down your walls, takes what she wants, and when you want for more, she feeds you to the wolves."

He rolled his eyes, "Just because I am a weapon does not mean that I will do as you say, Farron."

Claire looked over to her, brows furrowing. She leaned close to Jazz, squeezing her close. Her other hand left the railing, taking her other hands previous place on Jazz's. "Look at me?"

Sarah laughed again, suddenly twirling him out. "But it doesn't look like you have a choice in what you do when I'm leading the dance."

Akira shrugged, "I don't want a taller partner."

Jasmine's eyes flickered towards her, only looking from the corners.

Antonio rolled his eyes, readjusting his hand in her grip and twirling her into his arms. "Only so long as I allow it."

Savannah shook her head, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me."

Claire gently gripped her chin, turning Jazz's head towards her. "Jazz... Whatever she did to you... however she scarred you... I'm here for you."

Sarah looked up at him with a smirk. "As long as you allow it? You really are acting like an older brother..."

"Don't flatter yourself." he teased, tossing his head back as the music ended. He bowed deeply, kissing the top of her hand and brushing her hair back over her ear before he stood back up, kissed her cheek also, and released her hand.

"Just broke me," she hissed, digging her nails into the metal, chipping the ends and the paint.

"You learn to deal," he said, shrugging and winking at her before guiding them along the floor once more.

Savannah smirked, her eyes showing a bit of heat as she looked at him. "My, my, petto..."

Akira shrugged, "Now, where did the little firecracker get to..."

Claire slowly wrapped her arms around Jazz, pulling her into a hug. "L-Let me rebuild you?"

Sarah stuck her tongue out at him. "I already have an older sister. I don't need an older brother."

Jasmine's body stiffened as she stood there. "I'm ruining your night." She said simply, not reacting to the actual topic at hand.

Antonio shrugged, "You can deal." He spun her out and away from him before pulling her back to his chest.

Savannah shrugged, looking around the room. "It's hard to see with so many people... can you tell where she is?"

Akira shook his head, "No, I can't see any signs of her." He heard a crunch beneath his foot and stepped back. A brown canvas back with leather straps, worn and covered in buttons and patches laid on the floor, with a cheap busted phone hanging out of the opening.

Claire shook her head, pulling back from Jazz to stare into her eyes. "Jazz... You are my night. I wouldn't be here, i-if... If I hadn't met you."

Sarah rested against him, taking another glance around the ballroom. She stopped when she didn't see Claire or Jazz, furrowing her brow.

Jasmine shook her head, "I think that encourages my point."

Antonio looked down at her when she stopped moving. "What's wrong?"

Savannah's eyes bugged out and she instantly gathered up the girl's belongings, looking around. "Hiyashi, find her." She said, looking around, panic evident despite her efforts to hide it.

Akira nodded, darting off outside the ballroom to track the girl down without hesitation.

Claire frowned, looking into her eyes. "Jazz... Jazz..." She stopped, pursing her lips and looking between them. Then, slowly, she leaned forward, giving her a brief peck on the lips.

Sarah looked around the fringes of the crowd, trying and failing to spot them. "I can't see Claire..."

"Great, a dance...." Ace muttered under his breath. He wore a simple black tux, that completed his silver hair nicely. "As sure as I am that Sarah would just love to have me in her company, I'm not really even sure what I'm doing here. I don't even like dances..." He poured himself some punch, took a sip, frowned, and poured it out in a trash can. Slowly, Ace drew his eyes across the sea of people, looking for his partner, and spotted her in the arms of a man whom he vaguely recognized from a few days ago, when he had unofficially met Sarah.

At a brisk pace, he brought himself to Sarah's presence, and as kindly as he could, as though kind were a fitting word for the stoic boy, spoke. "If I may?" He held out a hand, requesting a dance with her, and gave a nod of general understanding to Antonio.

Savannah set about looking around the ballroom for Beyril, or even Claire and Jasmine --- anyone that would have seen her recently.

Jasmine's face burned instantly, surprise evident on it. She blinked, placing a hand over her mouth, the color rushing back into her skin from where she had been gripping the railing. "Claire...?"

Antonio smirked, releasing Sarah's hands and placing his own on her shoulders. "It seems that your partner showed after all. I'll look for the girls." He placed a quick, brotherly peck at her temple. "Have your fun, Sarah."