Dancing Square

[Ember]

Dancing Square Contest

Welcome, one and all, to the dance floor! We will now be having the Lord and Lady of the Dance Floor Competition. The lady and the gentleman who most impresses our judges shall be named the winners and will start off the final dance of the evening! On top of the bragging rights, they each shall receive 20 marks with which to further enjoy the Gather with. So, pick a partner and best of luck to all - let the dancing begin!

Rules:
- If a judge says you're out, you're out.
- People will be ejected from the game in even numbers. If your partner has been eliminated, find a new one.
- The last man and woman on the dance floor wins and ends the evening of dancing.
- Foul play will result in immediate disqualification.
- OOCly, eliminations will be based on random draw.

* Feel free to take a post or two to find a partner. We'll start the contest when people seem to be ready.

[Ember]

Those participating in the dancing contest should begin posting now, although everyone is welcome to post.

[Ruby]

Tenlie was nearly bouncing in excitement. Burimyu people were only supposed to come to the gather for things they needed, if there was something they must purchase, and to stay under the radar as much as possible, but she'd come to speak with the Glasscrafters and simply hadn't been able to resist when the Harpers started announcing a dancing contest. Despite her clumsiness in every other aspect of life, she actually enjoyed - and was somewhat good at - dancing. She blamed her parents.

Who would be looking for her, anyway? She could probably have gone back to Selenitas after the gather, and no one would notice. She'd only been a Weyrling during the invasion, now she was a Rider; her hair had been long, and now it was short; and with the exception of Grip, who she had discovered plaguing some poor Wherhandler (he had been thanked profusely), her pets were at home. Those who only knew of her from descriptions would have a hard time reconciling this thinner, more muscular, more dangerous looking Ten with the girl of seven months ago. Her arm was still wrapped where the boy had slashed her during the tithe theft (conspicuous because the only reasonably formal shirt she had was sleeveless), and she had plenty of cuts and bruises left over from the same event. The skirt she'd borrowed was not exactly spotless or wrinkle-free, but... at least she had a skirt? Those were fairly hard to come by at the exile's Weyr.

So now the contest was starting, she'd entered herself (using her mother's name, Milanie, just in case), and all she needed now was a partner. She'd always been more of a wallflower when it came to this part, waiting for the boys to ask her instead of the other way around. If only G'tor were around, she'd enjoyed dancing with him at the Hatching Feast, but he was nowhere to be seen. She didn't let her thoughts go in Mi'rah's direction for more than a second - she wasn't sure if she wanted to see him, and what she'd do if she did. Not to mention that she didn't even know if he was alive, something that didn't bear thinking about. Better for both of them if he simply hadn't shown up (which, honestly, wouldn't surprise Ten much). It would be romantic and all, if he somehow appeared to sweep her off her feet, but if he did... would she be able to stay at Burimyu? But what if she didn't see him at all, and was left to worry for another six months? See? That was why she wasn't allowed to think about him. She was here to enjoy herself, after all.

Wrenching her mind away from hypotheticals, she turned her attention back to the men at hand. Time to find a partner.

[Lotty]

So, dancing and Mi'rah... not a logical match for obvious reasons; the bronzerider was a klutz like no other, and he had not a gift for moving to the music in any way other than a sort of jerky bounce trademark of the unrefined. He should by all means be better. As cultured as his holder family was, dancing was something that was expected if only to show off like prancing little ponies with their wives, but the problem came in the fact that he very obviously didn't get married, nor did he get much further than learning how not to step on a partners toes - figuratively and literally.

Therefore it made sense that he wasn't planning on dancing at all, or that he was even aware that dancing was going on...or about to anyway. His head was more or less in the clouds, as he took a convenient short cut across a scarcely populated floor - what was the deal with that anyway, so odd - when he stopped mid stride to take a second look at the sight that ghosted past his vision. He swore he just saw someone he knew, immediately stalling his feet while his arms continued to swing forward, resulting of course in a spectacular, embarrassing, face plant right then and there. A falling heap of skin, limbs, and gather finery. Lets just hope that nobody saw that little move, but unlikely as the rush to cover his mistake was probably more ostentatious than the fall itself.

Brushing himself off frantically, his head bobbed around on a swivel, looking for what he thought was a Tenlie, but the girl that he swore was her seemed to have short hair... and was kind of scary honestly, what with that wrapped up arm and the little bruises to boot. He dreaded what might happen should he approach the woman and it not be the familiar face he knew, but then again regret would kill him regardless, so there was no real loss in sauntering right up to her and clapping a hand on her shoulder, "T-Ten? Ten? It's me, Mi'rah!" As if he had somehow changed in the past seven months...

Had it been noted that he still didn't realize there was a dancing contest gearing up?

[Requiem]

Ximera was bouncing excitedly on her toes. The (nearly) sixteen-turn-old had come in the best clothes that she had. Which was to say they were little more than modest at best. Oh, she was earning a decent wage now, but she hadn't had the opportunity to venture out and rectify the problem of a drudge's wardrobe. Still, the tiny little thing had made quite an effort with her simple white blouse and robin's egg skirt, adding a necklace of flowers to it for some color. She even had her wher's favorite blue nightflower braided into her hair.

The little bluehandler didn't know how to dance, mind you. X'rx had taught her a little, but he barely knew more than she did. Nevertheless, she was all too eager to dance on the dance floor. How romantic! Maybe she'd even find her prince amongst the crowd... To this end, the girl bounced around the ring of people drawn by the announcement. (Or those who just happened to be there anyway.)

Unfortunately, though, the man who would have her feeling that special spark was apparently not present. There was no quickening of pulse or chill of excitement when she looked on any of the faces. Some were quite handsome, of course, but it just wasn't love. A touch deflated, the girl's eyes then lit on a familiar figure. Oh, and Eikane was looking especially golden today! Surely he wouldn't mind dancing with her.

Ximera skipped over to him and hugged him about the waist enthusiastically. "Pllleeeaaase dance with me! We'll definitely win if you do! I don't know anyone else," she added, a slight pout coming to her lips.

---

Because we want to represent well for Selenitas? How am I to know anything about the reasons behind these mad human practices? Ykkith responded, amusement coloring his mindtone. Tselkanth's merely says that you must dance in this performance. You do know how to dance, don't you? Passably. As much as the next vintner. I don't think passably will win you any contests. Is that part of the requirements? Not that I know of. I just don't like being bonded to losers.

Ur'h cut a dour figure in all the colorful hilarity. Between the neutrals of his clothing, the grey to his hair and the mild frown etched so deeply into his face it was clear that the expression most be solidified from turns of habit, he really didn't seem to fit on this dance floor. Duty was duty, though. The wingleader, his knots prominently displayed, strode for a collection of girls who seemed to have no one about to bother. He didn't want the awkwardness of an older woman who might think he was propositioning them. Where was Farryl when you needed her? She knew he had no interest.

Glancing over the girls, he settled on one that was neither attractive nor homely. Her legs looked like a dancer's legs. Ur'h's bow was stiff, his eyes skirting toward Mi'rah for a long moment. Watching the reaction of the injured woman with her messy short hair. Curious pair, those. When they returned to the girl in front of him, the man didn't so much as crack a smile. "Would you honor me with a dance?" he questioned with a formal coldness.

[Ember]

Eikane yawned. Loudly and openly. He was officially a night person now, so why did he have to sub in for Harpers at a Gather? Made no sense to him. Thankfully he didn't have to do too much of it. The excuse 'I have a pregnant female' worked wonders and the best part was it was true...sort of. If you could call a gold wher watching over her eggs pregnant. Details. His turn to perform was already over (if he must be dragged in to do so then he'd specified earleir in the day) and he was ready to head back to the weyr.

Until, of course, a Ximera attached herself to his waist, pleading with him to dance with her. He knew about the dancing contest - helloooo, Harper here - but he hadn't anticipated participating in it. Her confidence in his skills amused him and gave him a bit of an ego boost. "Alright Xi...mera." Even if he wanted to use nicknames, Eikane was far more accustomed to calling others by their full names. If invited or reminded to use a nickname he would but otherwise...it just wasn't something he did.

"May I have your hand for this dance, milady?" Eikane asked as he heard the music getting ready to start. A test of a string here, an experimentally puff there. As the band started up a moderately slow song the goldhandler led his partner about gently, noticing her skill. Or lack thereof. Oh well. He didn't care much about winning. He was doing it so Ximera could have some fun and he'd try and make sure she had some. "You call the shots, missy. Anything you want to try?"

----

Huh? Nephele eyed the odd man that approached her and the other girls. To be more accurate she was eyeing his knots. She'd chosen the group to blend in for the most part, though apparently with her lack of Gather finery she still stood out some if a Selenitas Wingleader was approaching her. Or maybe he was approaching the collected group? When Ur'h bowed in front of her she was stuck thinking it was the former though. She also doubted it meant she was caught.

Nuoth was politely voicing her opinion - she should stop participating in contest or the like that might draw attention to her - but Nephele simply informed the green that a young woman refusing such a...polite invitation would also be odd. The green huffed gently in her mind, knowing it was only an excuse, but didn't say anything more. The greenrider smiled at the brownrider. "I believe I'd be the one honoured to dance with you," she said and let him guide her further onto the dance floor.

She'd initially had trouble letting a guy lead her around but after some practice at it with E'rro she found she didn't mind so much anymore. She briefly formulated her character in her mind before opening her mouth to speak with the man she was dancing with. "Might I know the name of the gentleman that has asked me to dance?" She questioned, not really caring if he refused to answer.

((Round one has now begun. Keep a look out for bolded words in my posts.))

[Ruby]

Well, this, um, she... Ten blinked at the the man who had fallen right in the middle of the dancing square, shaking her head slightly as her heart seemed to jam itself into her throat. It seemed to have grown wings, fluttering around in a very unpleasant way. She immediately turned her face away, suddenly very busy inspecting a bit of scrap glass one of the masters had given her to study. Grip, back from tormenting some poor firelizard, hopped up to her shoulder to curl comfortably around her neck, while a suspicious Rajnith asked, TenlieSlavelove?

It's... him. Or at least I think it is, she said, addressing Rajnith mostly. The green borrowed Ten's eyes, sneaking a glance at the possible Mi'rah as he recovered his feet and headed their direction. It certainly is, Rajnith confirmed, then added, Best of luck, SlaveLove. Looks like you'll need it.[/i] And with that, she withdrew her attention, presumably to disregard all the rules the Burimyans had been given and go find Kierjaarth. Or at least place herself in a location where he could find her.

Distracted as she was, Ten actually jumped and immediately blushed when Mi'rah put a hand on her shoulder. Oh no, not this again. Hadn't she gotten over the need to imitate a tomato every time he showed up? Apparently not. "Mi - Mi'rah!" she stammered, doing a fair impression of his own slip up. She nearly lost the little scrap of glass, fumbling it as she spun towards the Bronzerider but luckily snatching it out of the air before it hit the ground. At a loss for words, she looked up into his eyes - almost bluer than she remembered - her Holder training failing her. What on Pern should she do, or even say? Seven months.

Before she could sort out anything to say, the harpers struck up their tune, and couples started moving onto the floor. Well, all the time she'd spent staring at Mi'rah had, apparently, caused her not to have a partner, so he would do. Placing a tentative hand on his wrist, she pulled slightly, arranging her 'o' shaped mouth into something more like a smile. "C'mon," she urged, more enthusiastically now that she'd gotten past the worst of the shock of him just... being there, like time hadn't passed at all. "There do be a dancing contest, and I have no partner. You'll dance with me, yes?"

[Requiem]

Ximera snugged him even tighter about the waist in a physical expression of joy when Eikane agreed. Her dark eyes lit up with pleasure. The bluehandler grinned even broader when he asked for her hand, coloring slightly at the title. (She wasn't at all used to being addressed in such a way, after all, even if Kostya was unerringly polite when they were alone. Who knew her prince would send her such a man as the greenhandler as a protector?)

The young woman presented her hand for Eikane while bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet. Ximera never really could stand still. "My friends all call me Xi. You should, too. You are my friend, aren't you?" she added, with just a touch of uncertainty. Eikane had always been nice to her, but they didn't really have that much contact with one another. She knew his boyfriend a lot better. Obviously. She was the only other wherhandler who worked in the mines, after all!

Well, the answer to that wasn't terribly important right now. Not with the music playing. Ximera bounced along at a tempo that wasn't quite the same as the music. (Really, who wanted to dance so slow?) The girl tried to take her cue from Eikane. She really did, and somehow she managed not to stomp on his toes. It was a close thing, though. Ximera giggled. "I'm not very good at this."

---

Ur'h merely nodded, grasping her hand lightly as he led her out onto the floor. Of course she would be the one honored. Drudges were rarely asked to dance by Wingleaders. Even one from Hyphen had to be effected somewhat. And if she wasn't a drudge...well, her man wasn't providing for her as he should be. Because this was the epitome of an impoverished woman, by her garb and general state of cleanliness. Such people were simple. Simple enough to be of use.

Placing a hand at her waist and threading his fingers through hers, even though he kept her close, the rigid nature of his posture kept it from being anything but the mechanics of a slow two-step. "Ur'h." And no, he wasn't terribly interested in her name. Ykkith mentioned something about social norms. The brownrider suppressed an inner sigh. "Yours?"

He hardly waited for a response, though, before he nodded to the injured girl dancing with Mi'rah. "Do you know her? I find it odd that a bronzerider greets a common drudge at a hold like he knows her. How long has she been working here, do you know?" The man's eyes had settled on Nephele's face with the intensity of someone looking for any flicker of response in her eyes.

[Lotty]

So... he hadn't been slapped yet, or kicked in the crotch, but since he had been expecting it, her sudden flinch resulted in an immediate one of his own, as well as a wince. That was until he cautiously loosened up and his eyes connected with hers as she returned his name - his stutter - and knew immediately that yes, he had found his Tenlie. Blinders on, he exchanged a long stare with the girl as he resorted to his more usual mannerisms; the loss all of his vocabulary and the pained snags of his shortened breaths on words that he hadn't even begin to formulate. It was a rather bewildering moment to realize the amazing fortune in finding the greenrider here... and alive... and well, oh right! The thought also thankfully reminded him that she probably wouldn't appreciate him blurting her name again, and that maybe he should take a look around himself.

Out of his peripherals he swore he saw the likes of U'rh and tensed for a moment, finding to further relief in Tenlie's touch. What? Dancing? A dancing contest? He couldn't do that. No. No. No. He'd lose for sure, this would just be a big exercise in embarrassing himself and possibly his partner in the process, which is exactly why he replied with, "Y-yes... yes, lets..."

It didn't take much more than that slight tug on his wrist to lure him out to the dance floor with tiny, uneven steps. Each movement brought him back into memories of a holder child's lessons, urging him through the process until his fingertips reached for an arm and reeled back from the odd texture of bandages. A quick correction led him to instead try and lace his fingers through hers and set the spare hand somewhere safely near the waist. Despite these first few hiccups though, he felt rather good. A nice slow and steady sort of song to start off with and not fail miserably at. In fact he could even manage a word in to her now that things had eased up enough in the brain, and leaned in to whisper, "Last time I saw you.... y-you were beaten up as well.... h-have you never healed.... or managed to get yourself in trouble again?"

[Ember]

((Random.org has spoken; Tenlie and Eikane have been asked to leave the dance floor! That means Ximera and Mi'rah need a new partner...guess who? I'll post again soon, but in the mean time, the new song is a quick one!))

[Requiem]

Awww...they'd taken her partner! How unfair! Glancing around, she spotted a man who was losing his own partner. The bluehandler skipped up to the much larger (and older) bronzerider. She flashed him her most winning childlike smile, with just a hint of begging in it. Surely he wouldn't leave her here on the dance floor without a partner?

Without saying anything at first, the girl stepped close and wrapped her arms around his waist and set her feet - fortunately for Mi'rah, Ximera always wore flats - on top of his. They wouldn't steal her dancing partner if he was carrying her, would they? Pressing her cheek to his pillow-like stomach, she tilted her head up to smile at him. "You'll dance with me, won't you, granddaddy?" Of course she knew that he probably was not her grandfather. (Not that she knew her grandparents.) But he was old enough to be. Term of endearment, anyone?

(Lolz, failbot Ember. I can't post Ur'h till you post Nephele xP)

[Ruby]

Generally Ten was a good dancer, but this was a somewhat extraordinary exception. She couldn't seem to get her feet and her mouth to work at the same time. Unfortunately, it was her mouth that wanted more attention, so she resigned herself to stumbling and tripping and mis-reading Mi'rah's mediocre lead. She let him take charge, trying to get her thoughts in line while he led them through the beginnings of the dance (luckily, he seemed to be able to work around her sudden clumsiness).

The whisper in her ear - the soft, warm murmur tickled a little, and she leaned away just slightly before snuggling closer - was all the opening the Greenrider needed. If they wanted to talk quietly, they had to dance close, and Ten was all for that. Adjusting her hold a little, she held him captive, although he didn't really seem to be putting up much of a fight. Actually, he seemed about as scattered and poleaxed as she was, although really, that shouldn't have surprised her. Ah well, that hardly mattered. Leaning in, she matched his whisper with her own, "Trouble again, I do regret to say. Nothing worrisome, just a cut. I do be learning to fight - a little anyway - and, well, it do no be my greatest strength," she said. Not quite true, but close enough.

Remembering exactly how he'd looked last time she'd seen him, Ten leaned back a little, tilting her head to one side, then the other. "Your nose did heal up nicely, at least. Hardly a bump, and I do like the one that is there," she said, once her examination was complete. There was so much more to say, of course, but the Rider found herself struck temporarily dumb, overwhelmed by how much she had to tell him. "I do be - " she started after a pause, only to have her shoulder tapped. "I..."

"Out!" the judge said, gesturing to the sidelines. With a confused little frown, Ten let go of Mi'rah, falling back off the floor. Wait. She was out? She couldn't lose him again now, but it looked like he'd already been claimed. Maybe she could wait, and see if they could talk, after?

[Ember]

It was always more fun to have a happy partner. It was also more fun to have a good happy partner but...oh well. Her question had him smiling warmly and he nodded. "Yes. Xi," he tried it on. It still felt weird to use a nickname but she'd more or less asked him to and, hey, she wanted to be his friend. He kept mostly to himself and the people close to him not because he was unfriendly, so the extra friendship wasn't unwelcome.

Eikane tried to work around Ximera's excitement, but it was hard to keep both of them in tempo. Her admission made him chuckle. "You're fine. Everyone starts somewhere." When he was tapped out he blinked in surprise before chuckling. "Looks like I'm a little rusty. Fair dancing, milady," he told his partner, releasing her to find a new partner while he drifted to the sidelines.

----

Nephele realized that this could be a chance to dig for a little information. Not much, because that would be suspicious but...ah, she had a name. Ur'h? Dragons certainly did have some fun shortening names, didn't they? Thankfully females didn't elide and their nicknames tended to be okay. A grunt for a name would be msot upsetting. When he asked for a name in return she quickly decided to borrow her mother's. "I'm Adele." He could hardly track down a dead woman.

The greenrider glanced over to Tenlie when she was indicated. Thankfully, the girl had plenty of experience with lying and acting. She didn't think her face or voice gave anything away, anyways. "Ah, her?" She said distastefully. Without collaborating she couldn't say she knew Tenlie too well. "She's been here for a bit. Can't say I know her too well." She would have shrugged but she couldn't do that so easily while dancing.

Noting the rigidness in his form she smiled sweetly. "You seem tense, Sir Dragonrider. Is the weyr so stressful?" She was both fishing for information and actually trying to get him to relax. She liked dancing. It would be a shame if she couldn't have as much fun because of the stiff brownrider.