Sleepy Crest Scholar

Even though Linhardt was bored out of his mind dancing all night he could admit the benefits of watching others dance. The carefully coordinated movements were like windows into one's mind, and what better way to observe than to get up close.

Linhardt had skillfully switched partners with Lysithea, taking her away before she could protest. "Having a good evening, Lysithia?" he casually asked, trying to set the tone for the rest of their dance. "I wanted to talk with you,"

His steps were calculated, every move he made he watched her intently. Instead of a duel of the battlefield the two were interlocked in a duel of the mind. “I can’t help you if I have no idea what’s going on,” 

With the conclusion of the White Heron Cup, this year’s Ethereal Ball is starting to wind down. Most students stay in the ballroom, determined to squeeze more dancing and socializing into this evening. Some, exhausted by the night’s festivities, head off to their dorm rooms for a well-deserved night of sleep.

But the night is still young! And yet more students are eager to party for as long as they can, especially after weeks of hearing that certain intrepid merchants would be selling hot street food long into the night. Wandering into the town square, you find it bright and filled with festivities: warm food, hard drinks, and small houses rented for private parties among friends.

Note: Please remember ask meme etiquette. If you reblog from another mun, be sure to send them an ask. As much fun as it is to receive asks, remember that someone needs to send them first. Pay it forward!

Warm up with some food…

[ Mulled wine ] - Warm red wine spiced to perfection, ideal for staving off winter’s chill.

[ Spaghetti and meatball ] - On top of a bed of spaghetti is a singular, normal-sized meatball. The chef was hoping that couples would insist that the other take the meatball, but more often than not they fight over it instead…

[ Chocolate fountain ] - A seemingly endless fountain of chocolate, accompanied by plenty of biscuits, cakes, and cookies to dip in.

[ “Pegasus Cheese” ] - Zofia’s most famed and exotic export (allegedly). A delicate yet firm cheese with a savory, salty, and buttery flavor that pairs well with fruit. It’s good, but perhaps not worth the price tag…

[ H-True-O Water ] - Originating from an artesian aquifer from the frigid lands of Albinea, this bottled water is boasted to be the finest in the world. With all that marketing thrown at you, you can really taste the difference!

[ Forestberry Jamwich ] - A new invention that is still unknown in Fódlan, this sandwich combines sweet jam made from Fódlan’s summer berries with a savory paste made from ground Dagdan peanuts.

[ Romanesco Smoothie ] - A sweet milkshake with a pretty green color. The whipped cream and fruity taste masks the fact that half of this was made with broccoli and other vegetables. Good for sweet tooths who refuse to eat their greens.

[ Dona Dona Fried Set ] - A full-blown meal all on its own, featuring juicy fried chicken, deep-fried cheese with tomato sauce, and a basket of fried potato slices. Every bite you take tastes so good, but feels so bad.

After some time mingling with friends and discovering the new photo-artifexes, the students find their rhythm and eagerly wait for the music to start. The school’s orchestra briefly fills the room with a melodic cacophony of string instruments, deep clarinets and high flutes practicing important sections. Then, silence, before beginning the first of many pieces of the night.

The tune may be unfamiliar to most of you, even to the Fódlan students. Those from Archanea, however, may recognize the familiar melody of a timeless minuet from their continent. With the Officers Academy welcoming in students from all over the world, they have expanded their musical repertoire to include familiar dances for their international students to enjoy!

All prompts are under the cut!

In prior years, you had to rely on your own memories to recall the events of each ball (however well that went considering, well, the overarching situation…). Tonight, the Projectionist is determined to make that a thing of the past. In her pursuit to bring light magic to its true potential, she has developed a new invention: the photo-artifex! Magic and lenses work together to imprint light onto paper, creating a lasting black-and-white image of whatever it sees.

The machines themselves are less than portable, but there are several to take advantage of tonight. Most are set up in what she calls a “theater” kind of environment: one photo-artifex pointed at a background, with a table of props set up nearby for people to use in their “photos”. The wide space allows for multiple people to be in the photo at the same time, perfect for groups! For couples, however, the Projectionist insists that you try her “artifex-box”, a booth that fits only two people but allows each patron to take home a string of multiple photos.

Take a picture! Strike a pose!

[ Back hug ] - For the photo, the sender embraces the receiver from behind.

[ Bunny ears ] - The sender sneakily puts up two fingers behind the receiver’s head, making them look like they have bunny ears.

[ Cheek ] - The sender kisses the receiver on the cheek for a cute photo.

[ Dance ] - For the photo, the sender and receiver pose in a way that suggests they are in the middle of a dance.

[ Glamour ] - The sender struts their stuff, posing their body in… “interesting”, angular ways that show off their outfit.

[ Jump ] - For the photo, the sender and receiver try to time their jump so that the photo-artifex captures them in mid-air. Might take a few tries…

[ Laugh ] - Laughing makes for a natural smile, and so the sender tries to make the receiver laugh for the photo.

[ Lift ] - For the photo, the sender boldly lifts the receiver up in their arms. Whether or not they can hold them long enough for the photo may be another story…

[ Muscle ] - For the photo, the sender and receiver pull back their sleeves to show off their rippling biceps.

[ Secret ] - The sender leans in close to the receiver and hides their lips from the photo-artifex, suggesting a kiss between the two. Whether or not the sender actually does…

[ Smooch ] - The sender kisses the receiver on the lips for a romantic photo.

[ Spell ] - The sender and the receiver put their hands up in the air, posing in a way that spells out a word.

And any other pose you can think of!

Take a look at the props:

[ Unicorn ] - Unfortunately, no horses are allowed in the ballroom. The Projectionist has thoughtfully prepared a stuffed horse for prop purposes, sturdy enough for one small child to sit on without fearing for their life. A single horn adorns its forehead.

[ Meow ] - Headbands adorned with two cat ears, perfect for hissy felines in human suits.

[ Tinted Glasses ] - Oversized glasses with dark lenses and colorful frames. A little silly-looking.

[ 1180 Glasses ] - Oversized glasses with unique frames formed in the shape of the year “1180”.

[ Arrow ] - A blank white sign in the shape of an arrow pointing to your left. You can write all sorts of things on it, from “Best Girlfriend Ever” to “I’m With Stupid”.