We're Up All Night To The Sun

(OOC Note: Info here)

Marina studied her handiwork with satisfaction--the student lounge was decorated quite nicely.  The TV was already on, and there was a paper and pencil stuck to the wall for karaoke sign-ups next to the huge screen.  On the table, there were ten giant boxes of pizza--which she estimated would be more than enough for everyone--and a Coca Cola bottle to be used for Spin the Bottle.  After all, she didn't have access to beer.  Well, she could have swam to the bottom of the sea and probably picked up a beer bottle, but that took too much work.  Instead, that time had gone to making the lounge look nice, and making herself look nice.  Her hair was curled loosely, and turquoise eyeshadow brought out the green in her hazel eyes.  

In the refrigerator, there was a huge assortment of sodas--Coke, Sprite, Pepsi, ginger ale--and other non-alcoholic drinks like juice, lemonade, and iced tea.  She draped herself over the loveseat facing the TV and waited for people to start arriving.  Which, hopefully, they would do soon.  Mentally, she prepared herself for having to resist the draw the voice of a singing male had on her.  Of course, it'd be even better if none of the guys who'd signed up chose to sing, but it was likely that out of all those guys, at least one of them liked to sing.

Braedyn knocked on the door frame and greeted the hostess with a smile.  "Mind if I start eating before all those other guys get to the food?" he asked.  "Nope.  Just leave some for everyone else, would you?" Marina answered.  She'd met the boy before, being in the same dorm as him, and he seemed like a nice enough guy that she had decided to leave him alone and not break his heart.  Plus, with his stature, as soon as he snapped out of the trance, he could probably knock her out.  Of course, she could have drowned him before he had the chance to do that, but she preferred not to actually murder anyone.  The boy two slices of pizza and deliberated over what soda to choose, while the girl flipped between channels absently.

Casper had originally planned to go relax and draw in the student lounge, since he didn't have a couch in his own room.  Having ignored any bulletin posts since he'd been at Foresta and just about become a hermit, he hadn't expected there to be a party in the lounge tonight.  But obviously, from the decorations and pizza, there was one.  He groaned mentally and with a sigh began to head back to his dorm room.  There was no reason for him to go to any sort of social gathering; he'd probably just piss everyone off, what with his reserved nature.  And it wasn't like there was anyone expecting to see him there, or anyone forcing him to go.  As he was walking through the hallways, a girl with black hair and blue eyes bumped into him.  "Sorry," Lisette said.  "It's fine."  He wasn't normally one to make a scene over such trivial things, and he wasn't going to start today.  The girl hurried on to the lounge, greeting the other two students already there with a polite smile.  She was a little apprehensive about this whole thing, not usually being someone who was extremely social.

With determination in her step and her good friend Iris in tow, Sandra marched down the hall of the Ruby dorm passing by closed doors of the party poopers who decided against going to the get the karaoke bash going on down the hall. While Sandra didn’t actually care for singing and the like, she knew that Iris did and given that she would never willingly go to such an event she had to force her along. Even if she would actively avoid singing in front of everyone she was bound to become inspired by the lack of talent that was probably going to be on stage. Iris had to have some sort of desire to upstage her peers even if it was tiny. Besides it would also be a good place to mingle and if she remembered correctly she did see Felix’s name on the signup sheet. She was feeling lucky about the spin the bottle game.

As she paroled down the corridor, she noticed a face pass her by. A person going in the opposite direction of the lounge. She recognized that face, it was some guy who sat around the lounge and drew stuff on his sketch pad. From what she saw of him he wasn’t the most social, and if anyone should meet some people it should probably be that guy. She grabbed his wrist with her daintily gloved hand (she remembered to wear them this time) as he passed by her and pulled him along with her friend. Her grip wasn’t terribly strong, but it was enough to show her dominance. “Nu-uh, you’re going to that party” she commanded as she continued on her way. While she didn’t know him and frankly he could be the most sociable person in the world, but there was a strange tick in her head that made her think she was doing a service to the guy.

With the door not too far, she kicked it open and noticed they were the first few there. How disappointing.

---

Miller entered the lounge, it had been a very long time since he was on school grounds. The lounge looked so different, but that was probably because it was being prepped for the party. He preferred the way it looked before it cluttered the architecture and that displeased him a bit. That didn’t matter much though, just a personal nitpick of his. He recognized nobody in the room, but he wasn’t here to meet with people he knew; he was here out of curiosity. He never been to a teenager’s party before. He’s attended plenty of others in the past, but never one for youths. He had a feeling it was going to be an intriguing experience. Especially if he was able to cause some mischief. Unlike the past times he attended school he didn’t have to keep his cover.

He explored the room not paying much mind to anyone within it. He peered at the signups for karaoke for a brief moment, but didn’t actually write anything down. He might try singing, only for the sake of it, but he wasn’t going to go first, he’d prefer to bide his time while the mortals talked amongst each other. He position himself near a window and acted like he was interested with something going on outside it.

---

This was a night that Esha had prepared far in advance for. Events such as these were part of the reason she came to Foresta in the first place; to mingle and party as a reward for her hard studies the past few years. With how much she had to trudge through she felt like she earned it. Given that her quills were not a very good looking feature for her body she shaved them off before attending the party. They would grow back fairly quickly, but not until the party was long over and that was enough time for her. The ‘hair’ atop her head was the only place she saved in the process, tying it up in a sort of ponytail on the top of her cranium. Her ‘hair’ wasn’t long enough to actually put into a ponytail so it just frilled upwards.

She was dressed in a different sort of saree than she would usually wear around school, this one was more so used for parties and special events. It showed off a bit more of her silky skin than others due to her quills not being present. The fabric was flashy and colourful, a mixture of warm reds and cold greens. Overall, she was excepting her saree to turn heads and she was prepared to mingle.

She arrived through the same doorframe that Braedyn did, though she didn’t see the boy until she did a quick scan of the room. Her eyes locked onto the boy, he seemed decently fit though also apparently had a bad diet. Her other option was too creepy looking for her to even consider so she pursued the boy by the pizzas, which she was reluctant on eating. Hopefully she didn’t blunder as badly with this guy as she had with Chase. She lightly leaned her hip against the table in the spot next to him as he seemed to be indecisive of what drink to grab. “Namaste, stranger. How’s it moving?” she opened up with a subtle smile. She believed that was the correct phrase, but her words were conveyed in such a way to make seem like she was using it like an everyday phrase.

Well, the party was already underway, and Sandra had wasted no time in retrieving and promptly dragging Iris out the door. The young woman barely had time to compose herself before she was forcefully tugged down the corridor of the Ruby dorm, making soft protests beneath her breath at their incredibly brisk pace. Going to something as socially taxing as a party had been quite difficult for Iris to deal with, seeing that crowded situations like that often sparked her anxiety to its full strength. But, with Sandra's persistent (and usually blunt) support and encouragement, it seemed as though she could muster up the guts to attend. And, Eris had already told her that he was going to go, so with at least two friends present, shouldn't it be relatively simple? Oh, how she wished it was.

After fretting over what she should wear during the majority of the day, the young woman settled on a light green, strapless dress that complimented her thin figure fairly well, with an earthy belt to accentuate her waist's size. She completed her simple look with a pair of brown, gladiator sandals that interlaced her ankles with long, wide straps and gave her the ghost of a heel. There was no way Iris would be able to walk in anything remotely bearing a semblance to a "high-heeled" shoe if she found herself tripping over her own two feet daily. Finally, the girl had used a hairdryer to reduce the waves naturally found in her tousled locks and give it a smoother, straighter appearance, though it wasn't completely pin-straight either, seeing how seldom she did anything to her hair. In fact, she actually had to make a phone call to her caretaker in the hospital for a step-by-step tutorial on how to properly achieve the look, as well as how she would apply mascara without getting it in or around her eyes, for that thought frightened Iris more than it should've. Her eyes were ever so slightly livened up by the lengthening and darkening of her lashes, but it wasn't incredibly noticeable from a distance. In truth, she spent an entire day readying herself for a party that really wasn't deserving of such an extensive preparation, but the young woman was so clueless about parties that this only seemed natural to her. The fear of being over or under-dressed and being outwardly ridiculed for such a blunder constantly hung over her head, and this terrifying thought amplified with each step she took towards the lounge. Or, the steps Sandra was making her take.

It was only when Sandra secured yet another outcast that Iris was yanked from her thoughts, blinking a couple of times to fully comprehend what had just occurred. Was she allowed to just take students along to the party without their permission? Was there a staff member present to mediate this, and would her friend receive some sort of reprimand for her behavior? Perhaps she wouldn't if Iris could make sure that the other boy wouldn't report her or anything of that sort, so she began to speak fervently but softly, "U-Um, m-mister, she's j-just trying to h-help, I-I think... P-Please don't b-be angry, u-um, i-if that's o-okay.. I-If not, w-we could t-try to work s-something out.." Her eyes drifted towards the ground hesitantly, unsure of how she should proceed with the conversation. If he exploded with outrage or something of the sort, she'd most likely attempt to calm him down feebly, but she truly didn't want it to have to come to that. Once again, her thought process was interrupted by Sandra kicking the doors to the lounge open in a swift, fluid motion. She winced slightly at the loud noise, though straightened when she was further yanked into the room. Well.. This wasn't quite as intimidating as she'd imagined. Not that people had showed up yet, and though there weren't many students present, she still felt her throat constricting ever so slightly. Five people.. That she could manage for now. "S-Sandra," she murmured, carefully placing a trembling hand upon her shoulder, "D-Do you w-want to s-sit down o-or something?"

--

It was certainly surprising for Felicity to have attended a party after her argument with Braedyn, but she went for no other purpose than to make a point in defending her side. Surely, if she did attempt to engage in social activities, her grades would suffer temporarily, even if they were only summer classes, and if she was correct, there had to be at least one student that was planning on bringing drugs or alcohol. It was bound to happen at a highschool party, right? Both elements could cause a plethora of issues, and both she and Braedyn would be present to witness it. Now that she was boosted with confidence, the young woman was able to stride through the doors of the lounge, right after a trio had nearly kicked it down, with precise and easy steps. Her victory for this challenge was going to be sweet.

Adorned in a rather professional and refined outfit for a party, the ordinarily shorter girl appeared on the taller end of the spectrum with her pointed-toe, black heeled shoes. To compliment her maroon blouse and black skinny jeans, she wore a deep, reddish lipstick that mimicked the hue of her top, having sculpted its shape to create a stark outline of her lips against her pale skin. A winged, liquid eyeliner and mascara was enough to give even more contrast to Fel's frighteningly pale skin and hair, though she appeared to be quite fond of the polar opposite colors conflicting upon her face. And, her pinkish eyes always were enough to give her a sense of slight superiority over others, seeing how their unique color was hardly ever found in those around her. There was nothing to worry about appearance-wise, for her securely fastened side-braid would ensure that whatever transpired over the night, at least she could look the least bit put-together. Seating herself upon one of the couches near the window, the girl was sure to cast a lethal glare in Braedyn's direction, before absorbing in the scene around her. It seemed as though he'd attracted the attention of a woman almost instantly, which wasn't a surprise with his demeanor and appearance, though if someone was strictly drawn to him based off of appearance, then they must be truly shallow. Still, she chose not to draw any conclusions just yet, and if that girl wanted to talk to him, so be it; he was a nightmare to deal with. Of course, she'd noted that Lisette had signed up for the party, but she had no intentions of actually engaging in conversation with her. If she was going to force herself to be social, it at least had to be with someone she hadn't met. She already wasn't the most fond of she or Braedyn, plus the Marina girl was just a bit too involved with the social aspect of the party to confront outwardly, and thus she decided to do the next best thing: Talk to the guy beside her.

".. I'm assuming that you're here to attend the party, correct?" she inquired rather abruptly, paying no mind that the guy peering out the window might not be paying attention to her at all. Truthfully, her somewhat dragged-out tone suggested that she would much rather be doing something else than having to force herself to talk to others. Without waiting for a response, she continued on in her accented tone, "I'm Felicity Crusoe. Your name?" Rather than demonstrating proper manners, the girl folded her arms across her chest and asked in an edged tone for the peculiar-looking boy's name. She didn't have time for idle chatter, if she was going to talk to someone, it had to be with a definite purpose and so far, her default reason was discovering others' powers and making mental notes about it. Best to continue her study now while she was proving a point to Braedyn.

--

For the first time in his life, Chase had been so exhausted that he couldn't take the proper precautions to lock himself up in his dorm room before falling asleep. He'd collapsed onto the couch in the far corner of the lounge, out of view from the others, right after he'd gathered his clothes with the intention of collecting his things. By the time he regained consciousness, though, the lounge had been beginning to fill up with students, eliciting a bewildered expression upon his features as he surveyed the scene. What in the world was going on? The decorations was a blaring signal for the young man to awaken, and in an instant, he stood, rigid and alarmed with the sudden influx of bodies present. His lucidly deep, blue eyes flickered swiftly between the faces as they regained focus, though when they did, he certainly wish his vision had remained blurry. Esha, the siren and the fiery girl from the roof were all present, along with quite a few he wasn't familiar with. But, those three females were enough to give the young man a legitimate reason to want to leave.

In an instant, he shot up from the sofa, haphazardly stuffing his books and notes into his backpack and slung it quickly over his back in a hurried manner. A few pieces of loose leaf scattered over the floor as he adjusted his sleeveless shirt and jeans to ensure that they would fit properly, swinging his backpack around a couple of times as he did so. Once he ensured that he'd put on his clothes properly, Chase started briskly towards the doors, only to pause as he caught sight of the young man Esha was engaging in conversation with. All at once, he felt a rush of envy and rage overcome him for a millisecond, though it was briefly cut off when he realized it was present. No, he couldn't risk a transformation in front of all these people.. But, at the same time, the thought of Esha talking to a boy like that perturbed him. He clenched his jaw as he stared straight ahead, glowering at the younger boy for a few moments, before briskly exiting out of the lounge. This was no time to be dwelling on a female that had blatantly displayed her fear for him, it was time to move before any of those girls recognized him.

Kaeru looked over her sack one last time after the other forty-eight times the last hour. Unsure of herself, she referred to a guidebook on being the perfect party guest she borrowed from the library earlier. Since this was Kaeru’s very first night with a whole bunch of older students, she wanted to make the best out of it as she can. Plus, Kaeru’s excite-o-meter is crashing through eleven right now. The guidebook states that one must be prepared for everything, yet Kaeru thought the book meant ‘everything’ means, well, everything, thus packed up everything Kaeru could get her hands on. That includes her entire wardrobe, her bed, and even the lamp with the frogs on the stand; all in one big sack she conveniently found. After a few moments, she gave up in the guidebook and threw it in the corner. “Forget the book,” Kaeru looked down at her sack, “I’ll just leave without my stuff. The room is just down the hall right? I could run down here if I want, yes!” Kaeru bonked her head with her fist in a self-mocking way; embarrassed before walking up to a mirror. Kaeru checked for any oddities or out-of-place things on her figure. Once satisfied, she pulled out her wardrobe from the sack surprisingly with ease. She reached inside and pulled out a pair of light, pumpkin-colored pajamas. While changing into her night clothes, Kaeru heard footsteps outside her door. “Ah, the karaoke party is starting! Hey, wait for me!” Kaeru sped up changing her clothes quickly, “Hurmmmm… Gah!” Kaeru let out a breath of air as she pulled down her pajamas on to her shoulders. She turned to the mirror to see her pajamas appearing somewhat big though not enough to look oversized, which made Kaeru looking a bit younger than she normally is. Besides that, Kaeru’s hair was still braided in her usual style while her feet is bare from any kind of footwear. This didn’t bother her much really, but since she might be spending all night at the party, might as well get something comfy to wear.
Prepared and ready to go, Kaeru exited her dorm room and went down the hall. She spotted three students on the way and giggled happily when the one of the students grabbed the wrist of the other student walking away from the lounge and pulled him with her. When Kaeru reached the lounge, her eyes went to the stack of pizzas and drinks bunched about. Food was alright, Kaeru felt a little puckish when she noticed her appetite. On the corner, Kaeru spotted the karaoke signup page. Kaeru didn’t know what karaoke was, but if it’s in a party, then it must be super-duper fun!

Lisette felt a little awkward in the dress.  It wasn't normally something she would wear to an everyday event, but she felt like she should dress up for a party.  The one she had chosen had a sweetheart neckline and a black bodice, with a taupe, high-low skirt.  Her black and gold sandals gave her an extra inch and a half of height, which was nice, seeing as how most people normally towered over her.  And seeing as how it was a party, she didn't think she would need her powers--but just to be safe, she'd left her feather necklace on, leaving the rose and wolf charms in her dorm.  She grabbed a slice of pizza and a cola, and sat on the couch, fidgeting with her phone.  There was no one here that she knew except Felicity, and the other UK native wasn't someone she wanted to talk to.  She hoped someone would come over and talk to her so she wouldn't have to sit here like a socially incapacitated person.

As more people began to arrive, Marina got up and greeted every guest, introducing herself to the people she didn't know--which was just about everyone.  She was a little surprised at the arrival of a younger girl wearing oversized pajamas, but then again, it wasn't as if she'd set any restrictions on age.  It was definitely going to be a little strange with her in the spin-the-bottle game, though.  She smiled to herself, satisfied with her choice of clothing.  She was glad she hadn't worn any heels; she was tall enough without them, and with them, she would have been too tall to look nice.   The gold color almost matched her skin tone, and the mint green mini skirt and white, short-sleeved crop top she was wearing complemented her skin.  Surveying the room, she caught sight of the boy from the lake.  Smirking, she batted her eyelashes at him flirtatiously.  It was pretty obvious that he was going to bolt as soon as he was finished eyeing that girl by that table, so she glided over to him, placing her hand below his chin.  "Surprised to see you here," she murmured with a smile, hazel eyes resting on him. 

Casper flinched at the gloved hand latched on his wrist, and his grip on his sketchbook tightened.  Turning around, he recognized her as one of the girls from his dorm, although he didn't know her name.  She was dragging another girl along, who, if he remembered correctly, was also in Ruby.  The second girl stammered an apology of sorts for her friend.  He sighed and cast his eyes upward in slight exasperation.  "It's fine.  I'll go."  It was probably good for him to get some human company, anyway, instead of hiding in his room.  He didn't really care--after all, if he got bored or annoyed, he could leave at any time, and make sure that no one saw him, too.

It wasn't long before Braedyn was joined by a young woman who seemed to be a little older than him.  Her greeting was a little strange, but he didn't mind.  He gave her a big, dimpled smile, and said, "Hey, stranger.  I haven't met you before."  He finally made up his mind and picked out a Sprite from the fridge.  "Want a soda?"  He raised his eyebrows, holding the door open in case she did want a drink.

Lisette's outfit . Marina's outfit . 

Sandra was uncertain as to why she spotted so many other girls in dresses and rather fancy looking clothing. It was karaoke night, not some formal prom. Sandra herself was fairly content with her causal graphic long sleeve, jeans, and hoodie for extra warmth. Although it was her best pair of jeans, not that anybody would really notice anyway. Even her companion came in one, but to be fair she would probably wear something nice to any event that was planned a couple days in advance. The students at Foresta were always weird though.

She released her grip on both the people she had led to the party, so long as the boy didn’t just run off back in the direction he came. A couple minutes of wandering around could probably attract the attention of somebody, or perhaps he would stop to talk to somebody. What the boy did with the rest of his night was hardly any of Sandra’s concern, but her hopes were she could be the initiator of a memorable night for the guy. If it didn’t turn out that way, at least she tried. What was the worst possible thing that could happen for the guy? God forbid he made any friends. “Now go enjoy yourself, man” she nodded to the boy as she set him free.

With one of her two prisoners now set free, she turned back to Iris as she tried to suggest their next course of action. Sure there were many place to sit, but they just got here. A quick glance at the signup sheet for karaoke showed that there has yet to be anyone who entered their name. With there not being so many students yet it was the perfect time to get Iris singing and perhaps gradually getting her more comfortable with a larger crowd when they arrived. She would probably have to sing along with her for the sake of her comfort, but if it had to lead to that so be it. She wasn’t the most skilled vocalist, but she hardly had a reputation she felt like she needed to protect. She reached up to return her friend’s shoulder pat, it being kind of awkward since their difference in height. “Sit down? Dude, the floor’s open. Let’s take it!” she stated as she squished her friend to her side and hastened toward the blank piece of paper. “What’re you good at singing?”

---

A small collection of people began to funnel into the room; that much he could tell from the reflection in the window alone. His great bulbous eyes continued to focus on a random assortment of things on the outside though, from the blades of grass to a stray tree or two. He linger on these things for quite some time while ignoring most the people in the room. There wasn’t much for him to do until the place became more crowd so that he could blend in much better. A couch nearby and one seated on the furniture seemed to take an interest in him though. He idly peered back at the person and then back at the moon. A strange thing to pick up on was the fact that its light didn’t reflect in his eyes.

Felicity Crusoe, he hadn’t heard that name before. That only meant that she regularly kept out of trouble or at least enough not to attract his attention to her. Fancily cladded, a contrast to Miller’s never altering attire. He supposed that engaging this individual would possibly kill some time. He didn’t expect much of an intellectual conversation from someone her age, but he wasn’t much of an intellectual himself either. Might as well humour her. “Of course. I usually take interest with whatever is going on in this school. I don’t have much else to do otherwise” he stated rather matter-of-factly. His head lowered at her question of his name. “Mine? Miller… I see you are not afraid of speaking with me” he answered as he raised his blade and placed the thick of it into his only hand. Did she know anything of what Miller did? Or did she know enough to recognise that he was innocent? Even then, he was not the friendliest on the eyes. The intrigue for this woman climbed a bit.

---

Like some sort of ghost that haunted wherever she offhandedly look, there was Chase yet again. Lurking within the background of the party and swiftly exited as their eyes met. It was like a cold spear into her heart reminding her that she should be doing more important things with her time than social gatherings. No, she was here to have a good time. She wanted to let everything fall where they may tonight and just forget about the stressful relations with Chase. She spent the afternoon shaving her quills she wasn’t going to put that time to waste.

Her eyes focused back upon the boy as he replied to her greeting. She grew a tiny smirk. “Well, it would be uh-odd for me to be a stranger if we had met before” she attempted at trying out word play. He seemed nice, he wore a good grin and he offered her a drink as well. Soda though, she didn’t really enjoy soft drinks nor did she approve of them for her diet. She didn’t want to seem rude to the boy by refusing his offer though, it had good intentions, but what was she going to do? Just hold onto it for the rest of the night? “No, no thanks. Too sugary for me. I’m Esha by the way, what’s your good name?”

As she was speaking with the boy in front of her, she quickly got a glimpse at what was going on behind him. Chase was interacting with another girl. If she remembered correctly she didn’t remember him saying that he ever spoke with anyone or at least was on a regular speaking basis. The way she acted though, her eyes, her smirk, the way she touched Chase. There was something about this sight that boiled within Esha. Why was she touching Chase in such a way? Didn’t he say that even the slightest of touches set off the beast within him? Her eyes swiftly shifted back to the boy directly in front of her to try and disguise her interest. Chase was supposed to be out of her mind tonight. She wasn’t going to interfere even though she wanted to for many reasons.

To her relief, it appeared that the young man that had been forcibly dragged along wasn't too angry about the situation. In fact, it almost seemed like he was mildly irritated with her, and this caused the girl to release another, soft apology, "U-Um.. S-Sorry.." Of course, this was a bit excessive, but it was Iris's natural response to another's displeasure. She could only watch as Sandra proceeded to release him from her clutches, encouraging him to have a good time. He didn't seem like the most social of people, but, as demonstrated by her own presence, her friend had the tendency to bring out the most in others. Maybe he'd be able to make some friends... Though it didn't seem likely given his brooding air. Automatically, Iris's mind labeled him with a mysterious and mildly threatening, inky violet. This would certainly come in handy if she ever came across him again.

Although Sandra politely declined her offer, Iris hadn't expected her to jump into the karaoke so early in the party. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest as she eyed the other girl with disbelief. Surely, after all she knew about her at this point, she didn't think it was a good idea to toss Iris into socially demanding situations so soon? "M-Mnn.. W-Wait, u-uhm.. I-I don't know," she ventured as she was forcefully tugged towards the blank sheet of paper. She was going to be the first singer, out of all things! Perhaps if she'd been able to evaluate her predecessor, it would've been marginally more easy to get up and sing in the moment, but this... This was downright mortifying. After a few more moments of incoherent stuttering, she was finally able to provide an adequate response to her friend's question, "M-Maybe.. U-Um.. A B-Beatles song? O-Or.. Um... A-Anything but rap.." As long as it wasn't extensively low, the young woman was fairly sure that she'd be able to sing most modern songs.. If that's what Sandra was into. Besides, since she was singing a duet, at least she wouldn't have to sing on her own. But, even with this thought in mind, that didn't seem to lessen the severity of singing before anyone else. "W-We could a-always go a l-little later," she suggested weakly, nearly tripping over her own two feet in the process of scurrying towards the paper. Once they did end up approaching the blank sheet, she took an instinctive step away from it as if its presence was intimidating in and within itself, "H-Hnng... I-I.. Um.."

As if she was trying to prolong singing, she gestured towards a young woman that seemed to have position herself alone, "M-Maybe sh-she would like t-to go first?" It was incredibly unlike Iris to reach out to others, but given her shy demeanor, she was willing to go to farther lengths to avoid singing now, even if it was to a smaller crowd. Her green eyes fixated themselves on Lisette now, reaching out her hand feebly and murmuring in a barely audible tone, "U-Um, Miss.. M-Maybe.. I-If you w-want to.. Y-You.. U-Um... So... Y-You could.. Maybe... S-Sing, i-if th-that's what you'd l-like to do.. O-Or not, um.. I-I'm sorry.." Her confidence deflated almost at once as she began to reach for her necklace, taking a couple of steps back towards Sandra and sighing with resignation. If she had to sing with her friend, she would.

--

The young woman had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that the strange appearance of the student before her had surpassed her. Upon closer inspection, he was... A bizarre specimen. His eyes were dark and beady, almost akin to an insect's and she did her best to keep her gaze evenly divided between his optics and other objects around the room. It was a bit unnerving, to say the least.. But he certainly couldn't be the freakiest guy in Foresta. For all she knew, it could be filled to the brim with crazy guys like him, and she just hadn't been observing them carefully enough. Damn, this bet with Braedyn's taking up too much of my focus, she thought angrily, drumming her fingers against her thigh in a slightly irritated manner. Of course, the student before could think that this agitation was directed towards him, but at this point, Felicity hardly cared. She was destined to drive people away, why the hell should she care what they thought?

His reason for attending the party wasn't extraordinary, for surely others must be attentive to the happenings around the school. He didn't strike her as a socialite, but curiosity wasn't the same as being outgoing. Just as her attention was beginning to wander, Felicity bit back the urge to interject with a snappy remark as he inquired, probably out of habit, whether or not she was addressing him. Who else would she be talking to? Miller chose not to give her a last name, and though she was a bit skeptical if he was trying to be impolite, she decided not to pursue it. To make her point in this argument, she had to prove that even though she was able to secure some companions, they would only hinder her in the end. Felicity's scarlet eyes narrowed as he regarded her fearlessness, and he seemed to drive his point further by lifting up his.. Blade-arm and placing it in his other hand. ".. As long as you don't go all barmy on me and slice me open, I don't see a reason to," she answered, a slight frown twisting down the corners of her mouth as her spiteful nature emerged, "Why, do you really think you're that intimidating? Or do you think that just because I'm not the biggest of people that I should fear you?" Exhaling exasperatedly, she ventured to speak in a more subdued tone, "So people just run away from you at first sight? I don't recommend that you address people by acknowledging the fact that they're not fearful of you.. It can stir up a lot of bloody assumptions, and as the saying goes, it makes an ass out of you and me." Trying to transition into the core purpose for her social interaction, she attempted her best segue into his ability, "So I think it's blatant that your uh.. Sword-arm isn't just for show, correct?"

--

He was so close to stepping out from the lounge when he felt a sickeningly familiar pair of hands caress his jaw. All at once, every natural instinct of his fled into his system, and he emitted a soft yet deep growl from his slightly parted lips. It wasn't necessarily intentional, but he hoped it got the point across that this kind of contact was quite risky with him. And, this was the enchantress he'd encountered at the lake, so he could never be too careful with her manipulative ways. "I didn't come here intentionally," he responded tersely, taking a step away from the young woman with a slow exhale. His entire body was taut with tension, each muscle knotted and prepared to stretch and allow him a proper shot at her throat. Though the beast within him wanted to claim the female as his own, she certainly tested his boundaries and was simultaneously viewed as a threat to his 'dominance', thus eliciting conflicting emotions that were not entirely his own.

Chase wasn't used to having to be a bit more strict with people, but this girl was going to be an exception. If she saw him in public, she couldn't just waltz up to him and expect him just maybe to fall under her spell and act animalistic... No, he might transform, and he wanted to make those as least frequent as possible. "I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression," the young man said with a somewhat hardened tone, "But normally, I do not act as.. Rash and bestial as I did at the lake. I have no romantic interest in you, and it was only due to your song and... My ability that it occurred. For the safety of yourself and everyone attending this party, it's best not for me to get involved." As he finished speaking, his eyes wandered back towards Esha, a faint sense of longing and regret sparking within them. He couldn't help but notice that her quills were shaved off, and an odd sense of disappointment coursed through him. Why did she feel the need to get rid of them? They weren't incredibly dangerous or unappealing. But, it was dissolve after that fleeting instant, seeing that he couldn't let the beast take the reins now. He continued to press his point on further, "I cannot sing, and cannot participate in spin-the-bottle either. So, if you'll excuse me.." Chase made a motion that suggested he was preparing to leave, his eyes constantly either surveying Esha or casting a steely glare at Braedyn. Even now, he still didn't like the way that they were chatting, even if it was essentially what a party was about, and a sense of defensiveness continually nagged at his subconsciousness.

Realising she'd arrived a little later than the rest of the crowd, Alice scolded herself. First, she'd worried over an outfit: in this instance, a loose pink blazer with the sleeves rolled up to reveal pink-and-white striped lining over a loose white cotton t-shirt and a flared black skirt. Her long, dark hair, which sat twisted in a curly mess of a bun on her head, matched her shiny black mary-jane style heels, giving an overall put together vibe without being too dressed up--at least, that was her thought process. Then, she'd been burdened with the task of finding her way to the lounge. Now that she was here, it didn't seem such a terribly confusing journey, but her absent-mindedness had always been her undoing. She bit her lip, scanning the crowd. People caught her attention: A pretty girl who seemed a little irritable talking to a boy with dark eyes, someone shy with an outgoing friend... Seeing a little girl in nightclothes, she stopped, reminding herself that these people were not parts of her subconscious to be cut and dry. Three dimensional people required real attention. If she dismissed the scenes for what they seemed, she'd never get on in a place where she knew for a fact everyone had something deeper than their eyes. The humbling thought made her realise she was shorter than most of the people in the room, which made her relax. Shorter was cuter. She was cute. 

Unfortunately, no level of cuteness could excuse bad behaviour. Now she was facing the punishment for tardiness! It seemed everyone was already caught up in some conversation or another... As she was about to despair, her amber-coloured eyes were drawn to the singer's list. So, she wouldn't be bored after all. She scurried over to add her name before noticing the striking girl who seemed a little awkward on her own. Slipping into her field of view, she opened the conversation with a smile: "You look stunning, darling," she announced, her high, sweet voice revealing hints of an English accent. Her eyes widened for a moment as the startled girl looked up-- well, down-- to see her. Alice smiled softly, looking straight into her eyes with a typically confident demeanour. Having already surveyed the girl in the few minutes it took her to walk over, she could see the signs of someone who didn't wear dresses often. For all the effort, the grey-eyed girl was carrying it off beautifully, and Alice wasn't the type to let people go without praise. "I'm new," she explained hurriedly, extending a hand and an apologetic smile. "Alice Cahill. Very pleased to meet you."  

Boy. He was late and this party had not even hit a rhythm yet. Pathetic.

Then again, he might be biased. His parties devolved into crazy shenanigans pretty quickly. He hefted a nondescript grocery bag in one arm. Sticking out of the top were a couple bags of chips, mostly there because he knew that the other contents couldn't be looked at too closely if they fell into 'general snackage'.

As he walked into the student lounge, he commented to his assistant, "This is it. Get the stuff in the fridge and you'll be off the hook for the pendant. It'll stop working around midnight, Cinderella, so enjoy your vacation from horny forest animals until then. Seriously, that's your power?" He rolled his eyes at the boy, who offered a bland shrug in response. "Here you go."

He handed off the grocery bag and cast his gaze around the room. "How's it hanging, Chase?" The guy from the Power Training class (and the exploration at the farm) was one of the nearest people he knew and it felt appropriate to greet him even if he was already talking to a lovely young lady. At the boy's demeanor, he arched an eyebrow and commented, "Leaving so soon? I didn't take you for a wallflower."

So many girls were dressed to the nines. Even Sandra seemed to be wearing a higher-quality set of jeans than normal (yes, he noticed that- he would notice that sort of thing). For his part, he was dressed as carefully as usual, but with a casual bent. He couldn't sneak booze in dressed in a flamboyant manner. He wore a tailored gray-green button-up that had an effect of making it seem like he was standing under a sunlit tree. Light and shadow danced subtly over his shoulders. He also wore jeans over classy, but unremarkable black shoes.

--~0~--

Wes took the bag, along with the one he'd already been carrying. The glass bottles on the bottom of each were heavy enough to make his arms strain with the effort as he wandered across the room. Once in front of the refrigerator, he knelt on one knee to start moving things around. He wasn't sure how Felix had procured the beverages, but he wasn't about to start asking questions. The guy didn't give off an overtly menacing demeanor or anything, but he did seem to know things most people did not.

He shifted things around to put the alcohol in the back of the fridge, behind some similarly dark-bottled root beers (even the alcohol had misleading logos that only revealed the content of the container at close inspection). Once upon a time, he might have felt guilty or nervous about being an accomplice in this act. However, he was so relieved that the birds and small rodents were not following him (and that he wasn't inadvertently altering the feelings of those around him) that he felt nothing about finishing the task at hand and depositing the chips near the pizza.

He smoothed his plain white t-shirt and looked around the room. Good thing there was a chick in pjs or he might have felt too casual with his well-worn jeans and lack of shoes. The white of his shirt showed off the golden glow of his tan, as did the fact that he positively radiated good health and an amiable demeanor.

The only thing that he wasn't used to wearing was a cord around his neck with a smallish pendant hanging beneath his shirt. The pendant was the thing Felix had tossed together for him last-minute, to dampen the effect his power had on other people (though he'd explained it as a way to keep the animals from following him inside). Made from soapstone and crudely shaped like a feather or a leaf or something, it wasn't terribly feminine.

He looked around at everybody present, not really spotting too many people he felt familiar enough with to accost. So he grabbed a slice of pizza and settled into a seat to people watch. Wes was sociable, but not reliant upon interaction to feel at-ease.

--~0~--

"I c-can't believe you signed me up for this, Sam." She kept her tone hushed, but she was undoubtedly irate. "And b-blackmailing me to attend is the w-w-worst thing you've ever done."

If anybody without the power to control the weather could conjure up storms with a mood, Lucy would be that person. She held herself in an uncharacteristically combative way, practically stomping through the door her cousin held open for her. She was wearing a black pleated skirt, a dark red blouse with subtle gold stitching, and plain black shoes. Her dark brown hair fell in heavy curls around her face, framing her soft features and large, dark eyes. She was pale, despite the season, since she was awake more often at night than during the day and things still needed cleaning-up after the events of the winter.

She subsided a little once in the lounge, social awkwardness rapidly moving to the forefront of her attention. She knew a couple people, and had seen some of the others in passing. Miller was the only one she might have considered talking to, but she really didn't have anything to say. Their one interaction had involved people shooting at them out at the port. She was pleased to acknowledge that her sleepwalking had petered off since then. It wasn't completely over, but she hadn't shown up in town since that night. What was she going to say anyways?

Remember that time you pulled me out of the water in the middle of the night? Fun times.

You remember those people we overheard? They were worse scum than we thought, huh?

I heard that you were kidnapped by that lady. That definitely sucks.

That night had left her with a lasting scar on her shoulder. Gunshot wound. While not the worst thing that had ever happened to her, it wasn't an attractive sight. It was another reason she didn't wear super-summery clothing or go swimming when others were around.

Sam stood next to her, looking around in a similar fashion. Her cousin was also a creature of habit, dressed in his usual trousers, collared shirt, and waistcoat. Despite this, he did seem to tone it down slightly by rolling up his sleeves and leaving his jacket and tie in his room. He'd tied his long, black hair back in a queue and his emerald eyes practically sparkled. Unlike Lucy, he had spent some time out in the sun this summer and, thus, a faint tan graced his skin and made him seem a little less like a vampire than usual.

He gestured out at the room, arching an eyebrow at her. She wandered away from him in a huff, going to retrieve a drink from the fridge in order to have something to do that didn't put her in direct contact with somebody. She grabbed something from the back, not really looking at it. It didn't really fill the void normally occupied by her violin case.

That's how she was here. Sam had taken her violin, promising to return it at the end of the night if she stayed the length of the party and socialized some. It was one of the shittiest things he'd done to her, and it was not the first time he'd done it. She glanced over to see him take a seat next to another guy from Emerald with leaves sticking out of his golden hair. Wes was his name, she was pretty sure, and she always felt really weird when he was around.

--~0~--

Jeremy arrived at the heels of a couple people he wasn't really familiar with. He knew the girl belonged to his dorm, but she kept to herself and he just didn't feel motivated to socialize as much anymore. He glanced around, but nothing really sank in. Hum of conversation, the friendly atmosphere... it was so weird to get back.

He'd spent the time since his return to the school trying to build his muscle back up and avoiding too many extraneous social interactions (it was too difficult to explain the scars and the jumpiness), while also dealing with a couple inadvertent trips off the island. He hadn't meant to dreamwalk so far from the school, but he was always running from something.

Rest was still at a premium. Too often did he come to himself in a panic, trying to remember if he was in the dreaming or in real life. The lines were so indelibly blurred these days.

Jeremy looked significantly better, though. There was a recent weal on his left cheek from an incident in the dreaming, but the other scars on his face were fading and he'd spent enough time outside to regain a healthier color. He'd also managed to regain some of his muscle mass, another reason he hadn't really done much socializing. His System of a Down t-shirt draped over his torso less loosely than it had a couple months ago. His jeans weren't sliding embarrassingly down his hips despite the belt anymore. He'd had a couple hair cuts since then too, and it was the length it had been before his kidnapping.

Once in the lounge proper, he shifted from one foot to another, unsure as to what to do with himself now that he'd arrived. He closed his eyes and took a breath, reminding himself that, once-upon-a-time, he would have enjoyed an event like this. That's why he was here, right? To try to recapture some of his old personality?

He opened his eyes, glanced around, and spotted Lisette. His stomach twisted with a pang of regret and he avoided her by going to get a drink from the fridge.

Kaeru signed her name on the karaoke list with eager anticipation. She threw the pencil behind her, oblivious to whoever was unfortunate enough to receive the blow. She looked over the lounge, pondering on what to do next. Mostly everyone wore fancy dresses or clean-ish shirts. Most of the party members were only welcoming each other as expected at the beginning of a party; she did hear “sword-arm” among the chatter though, which pike her interest for a moment before spotting the fridge, with any other thought being forced out with the ideas of party food.

Avoiding contact with the other guests, Kaeru slipped through the lounge to the fridge and opened it without any hesitation. The eyeful of drinks, snacks, and boxes galore; Kaeru nearly jumped in delight. Taking time to look over her shoulder, she checked to see if anyone was looking. Then, Kaeru reached in and grabbed a carton of orange juice with one arm, and a jar of pickles in the other. She edged her foot and close the fridge, then sat down to begin her conquest. It wasn’t long until Kaeru was chugging down the carton.

Sure enough, she was soon approached by another student.  Two others, in fact.  One of the girls offered to let her sing first.  "Your mate seems pretty insistent that you go first.  Perhaps I'll go after you, though," she said, shaking her head. "But it looks like you've got a taker."  She gestured at the young girl who had signed up and flung the pencil over her shoulder carelessly.  

Soon afterward, another girl came up to her, who by her appearance, seemed to be around her own age, if not a little younger. The first impression she made was a good one--the other girl was English as well, and opened with a compliment. Lisette smiled--it was nice to see that Felicity was not the only Brit here. "Thanks very much," she said. "Lisette Hayes, pleased to meet you as well." It was also nice that someone appreciated the act that she'd dressed up for the occasion, which she rarely did (dress up, not appreciate dressing up). "You look adorable as well," the girl added. The compliment was an easy one to give, since it was true.

With every noise that signaled someone new was arriving, she directed a quick glance at the door. There was one specific person she was hoping to see. It seemed as though Jeremy had been avoiding her for the past few months, since she'd started asking more persistently about the origin of his scars. She'd been so bloody idiotic; she should have just left him alone about it. But no, of course she couldn't have done that. When he walked through the door, she almost got up to go speak to him, but she told herself he probably didn't care to see her anyway. If she had just looked in his direction for one more second, she would have seen him glance at her, but she turned her attention back to Alice too soon, a sliver of anger at herself having wormed its way into her heart.  

~

As she was speaking to the boy, another young man came up to them, revealing his name.  "Chase here is nowhere near a wallflower, isn't that right?" Marina said, a single thin eyebrow arched at Chase.  "And what's your name?" she asked the other boy, tossing a lock of brown hair over her shoulder.  Chase had mentioned his ability being part of the reason he'd acted the way he had at the lake.  What kind of ability did he have?  Some sort of power that enhanced other's abilities?  If so, that was kind of a terrible power.  It had no benefits for its possessor, and could be potentially dangerous for the person.

~

Braedyn laughed at Esha's comment.  It was a valid point; he didn't really tend to consider what he was saying before it came out of his mouth.  "That's true," he said. "But now I can call you Esha instead of 'stranger'.  I'm Braedyn, nice to meet you."  At her declination of his offer for a soda, he shrugged and took a sip out of his own Sprite.  He didn't think he could live without soda.  Of course, he didn't drink it every day, because even with all the exercise he got, that was a lot of calories to burn and calories that would be detrimental to his physical condition.

The boy chose to ignore the glance she cast toward whatever was behind him, mostly because he wasn't sure if she had actually looked away, or if his brain was playing tricks on him.  "Anyway, how's Foresta been for you?" he asked this question with a hand ruffling his hair, which was still wet from the ocean water.  He probably smelled like saltwater, but it was so familiar he barely noticed.

~

Casper muttered something incoherent under his breath at the one girl's continued apologies and the other's insistence on getting him involved in the party.  What use was he at a party?  He was finally released from the younger girl's grasp.  Well, if he was going to be forced to be here, he might as well get some food or something out of it.  He hadn't had pizza in... too long a length of time to remember.  The taste was familiar and pleasant, like visiting extended family over vacation.  Pizza had always been Sebastian's favorite food...  And the chips lying beside the boxes Katerina's.  It was like there was always some sort of reminder of what he'd lost, what he'd never get back until the day he died.  

After he grabbed a random soda, another food that should have been familiar, he surveyed the room.  There were no more empty seats.  Resignedly, he headed toward the one that was least crowded with chatter.  It was currently occupied by a girl with dark hair and unusually pale skin, and a boy who had... leaves sticking out of his hair.  "You look like you don't want to be here either," he observed.  At least maybe he wouldn't have to socialize too much, if he chose to speak to someone who was in a similar situation to himself.  Doing so might also discourage other social butterflies from coming to seek him out.

~

The blonde girl, dressed in her normal everyday wear--a tan blouse and and a nice pair of unripped jeans--walked into the lounge hesitantly.  It was already quite filled with people, both social and not.  She wasn't here to attend a party of any sort; she'd simply lost an earring yesterday.  As she walked over toward the refrigerator, she noticed a boy glancing at--she followed his gaze--a girl sitting by the television.  Zoe hoped she wasn't witnessing some tragic romance.  Not because it bored her, but because it was a terrible thing to have to go through.  Perhaps she could find something in her to tell him to go seize the day, whatever.  Love wasn't something easily found, but it could be easily lost.  Through physical or emotional reasons--she had experienced the first.. well, firsthand.  There were so many things she would have told him if she'd known what fate had in store.  Scanning the floor, she didn't see her earring, so she moved on to the next section of the room.

Of course, Iris would find just about every excuse possible to duck out of her attempts to get her to sing. It was mostly the crowd wasn’t it? Well, in her efforts to try and get her friend singing as soon as possible the number of people in the room quickly doubled. Well, there went that plan. Getting the girl to overcome her stage fright was going to be much harder now. It was never going to be all that easy to begin with anyway. Perhaps she was trying with too much blunt force? Impossible, Sandra and blunt together?

As a nearby girl that Iris had wrapped into the conversation had pointed out though, they were already too late to capture the first slot. Some younger girl that Sandra hadn’t seen before was busy signing her on the sheet before she could convince her timid friend. Iris provided her with some boundaries when it came to song selection. She preferred the Beatles and told her to avoid rap. Iris rapping was a funny little image though, but other than that Sandra agreed with her. She wasn’t one to be knowledgeable enough in rap anyway, she much preferred the disco era. She knew of a few songs by the popular band, but not enough of them off the top of her head, though most of the choruses she could follow. She supposed that could work, which song in specific she wasn’t certain about.

As she pondered, the eraser head of a pencil conked her directly in the temple. The force caused her head to flick around the room in confusion. “What the hell?” she questioned quietly to herself as she continued to search for her quarry. It wasn’t until she spotted the writing utensil on the ground that she identified the weapon. “Ugh, I guess if we can’t go first it doesn’t matter when we go. As long as we actually do end up going. Speaking of which, what’s your best Beatles song? If it’s not one of their big hits I’m gonna need a bit of a sample.”

---

It was odd that a group of new faces entered all at once. Some were faces that Miller should have recognised, but he didn’t. In fact after a brief glance at them he barely made a reaction toward any in the groups. It didn’t take too long for his attention to focus back onto the woman beside him. Her reaction to him was unique, hardly fearful of him and in fact she seem to have some sort of wicked spice to her tone. On top of that, it had been years since he had last heard the term barmy. She was different and interesting, unlike a majority of the humans on this island.

He stepped forth and began to lean against the couch the woman was seated upon, tossing his sword away beforehand so as to avoid any unwanted mishaps to fall upon this specimen. “I’m not saying you should fear me, I’m just saying that it is… different for someone to casually approach me in the same manner you have.” He listened on as the other girl continued to speak. She seemed to have an endless flow of words spewing out her mouth for a good while, but she eventually came to a conclusion. Laying his real arm along the top of the couch he peered down at the woman with his gigantic eyes. “They don’t run at my wake, they just never approach me. Being bold enough to address me is something to be rewarded though. I never wish to seem so opposing on others, but given my appearance I have no choice on the matter. I could be as friendly as possible and it still wouldn’t change the fact that I’m over six feet tall and one of my arms is a giant impaler.” While being on the subject of his blade, he peered back to it. Of course she was curious about it, who wouldn’t be. He was still quite curious about it himself. “It rarely sees use, I assure you. It is too much of a bother to get rid of considering my nerves have already dug themselves into the metal on the blade.” He stated this trying to sound intelligent on the matter, but he wasn’t sure if that was actually true about his blade, he only assumed it was.

---

While Esha wanted to keep her interest on Braedyn and continue speaking with him, Chase being there almost made this impossible. Actually not Chase, rather the other people who were speaking with him and delaying his leave. She was trying as best as she could to listen in on what was being said, but there were too many chatty people in the area for her to eavesdrop on the exchange. She kept one eye on the happenings while her other was focused on the boy in front of her.

She was quick to realise that Chase watching her speak with another man was probably just as agonising as her watching him speak to another woman. The difference was though, she was just speaking with her guy, the girl speaking to Chase was quick to get touchy feely. It shouldn’t matter anyway, they had their chance and it didn’t play out well. Regardless of whose fault it was, she had to ignore it and move on. The were-cat could be dealt with another time, she had freedom from her quills and she should enjoy it while it lasted.

Esha returned full focus on Braedyn as a second boy quickly occupied the touchy girl’s attention. She would be the kind of girl to break her attention as soon as a new man passed by. Was she really being that judgemental when she was ignoring Chase with another man too? Anyway, Braedyn, right. He posed a question to her. How has Foresta been for her? Well, within the span of a few weeks she had been attacked by a gigantic cat in more ways than one and she had revealed her secret to a small group of people already. “Good, its um-a bit difficult to adjust to a new uh-culture” as she made her reply she placed a hand on her slim and bare hipbone. The sweet smell of salt water couldn’t be missed off the man. It reminded her a bit of home, though he didn’t smell like the oceans in India. Still it didn’t go unnoticed by her. “You uh-must know more about culture around these parts. Perhaps you can show me the ropes?” As she posed her question her head quirked to the right and allowed her deep spring coloured eyes to shimmer in the light.

To the skittish girl's utter relief, it seemed as though, despite declining her offer, the other female pointed out that another girl had taken up the position for going first for karaoke.. What a relief. Iris nodded and smiled sheepishly, murmuring gently, "O-Oh, okay... Th-Thanks." It only seemed natural that she should thank the other student for helping them, even if Iris had nearly dragged her into a potentially undesirable situation. But, if she didn't like to sing, why would she attend a party with karaoke? The thought caused her to briefly frown, seeing that despite enjoying singing, doing so in front of numerous people was certainly not something she was too keen on doing. Nonetheless, with Sandra's persistence, she would most likely cave into her desire to perform a song or two. Peer pressure strongly influenced the young woman, which really was no surprise to anyone who was remotely aware of what Iris was like.

It was then that Sandra admitted that even though they didn't have the pleasure of being the first to sing, she'd be satisfied so long as they sung at some point. This was a fair compromise, and Iris nodded earnestly in response, "O-Okay.." At least the immediate fear might be dissolved by seeing someone else's performance too, so that the girl could take mental notes on just how to act or what would be acceptable when on stage. However, hearing Sandra's next words in relation to the Beatles, she tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. It was a bit odd to meet someone that didn't know too many songs from the widely renown band, but then again, she was fairly certain that their tastes varied greatly when it came to music. "W-Well," she began hesitantly, biting her lip as she wracked her mind for the most ideal song to perform, "I-I usually s-sing B-Blackbird, and I-I think th-that was a f-fairly large h-hit, but... I-If you d-don't know th-that song, w-we could a-always do Here C-Comes the S-Sun or I-In M-My Life o-or something l-like that.." As usual, Iris didn't mind conforming to her friend's preferences on the band, especially since she'd been given the wondrous opportunity to actually choose the band in the first place.. It was only fair, really. "Wh-What s-song sounds g-good to you? W-We can a-always do a-another band i-if y-you want.." Of course, she always left the option open for a complete change in plan to appease Sandra, and this was no exception.

--

As more people entered the lounge, Felicity took a quick survey of the various people attending the party. Most of them seemed to be around her age, save for the youngest girl that swiftly reserved a spot for herself on the karaoke sheet. She wasn't familiar with the majority of the students attending, but that wasn't an issue. In fact, it would help prove her point to Braedyn, and even though he was currently engaged in his own conversation, she would be able to relay her updated position in the argument next time she could seek him out alone. Not being known by anyone would ultimately give her the chance to introduce herself and "attempt" to make friends, and, in conclusion, display just how detrimental friendships could really be. If she scored enough delinquent-like people as acquaintances, that could certainly be a useful tactic in defeating her "opponent".

Her attention was quickly redirected back to Miller as he attempted to explain himself. Really, she had no reason to be this irritable with him, but the thought of losing to someone as cocky and downright annoying as Braedyn had her mood turned sour. One of her brows lofted inquisitively at his first statement, and she ventured to continue, ".. So people don't approach you often? You must meet a lot of blinkered jerks if they judge you on nothing but the exterior." Felicity wasn't an idiot; she knew when she needed to stop or when situations became dangerous, but she was honestly unfazed by this guy's freaky appearance. If he was this worried or accustomed to that kind of reaction from others, he either had to stop caring so much or just boost up his confidence and get out there.. Unless he was like her and preferred not to interact socially. But, seeing that they were both placed into a social event, that would simply have to wait for another time, and she would continue speaking with him. Her hand waved dismissively as Miller said that she should be rewarded, rolling her eyes ever so slightly, "You don't need to go that far, and really, if you're that chuffed when someone talks to you, just try to talk to people like Braedyn over there. He's mildly irritating, but he's a people person... Network through the socialites instead of praising the one bold person that dares to engage in conversation with you." She was unsure as to why she was now giving this guy some sort of life lesson, but the thought of him actually trying to come up with some sort of reward for someone just for speaking with him was a bit more than ridiculous. "Once again, just put yourself out there and try not to cock up and you should receive more satisfactory results despite your.. Unique appearance," she said with a sigh, as if this was obvious to anyone with half a brain. And, based off of Miller's bizarre demeanor coupled with an equally odd look, she wouldn't be surprised if he actually did.

When they delved into the juicier and more interesting angle of the conversation, Fel narrowed her eyes and nodded a couple of times. It didn't seem physically possible that one's nerves could embed themselves into metal, but at Foresta, even the impossible had been achieved. "Hmm, interesting," she murmured with a surprisingly thoughtful tone that gradually became increasingly sharp, "I certainly wouldn't get rid of a tool like that.. With a weapon that's physically attached to you, I suppose it'd be difficult for anyone to take advantage of you or anything of the sort. Perhaps you should attempt to train yourself a bit, even if you don't intend to use it too often. Preparing one's powers should be prioritized at Foresta, should it not?" She was fairly certain that most students attended Foresta to get a better grip on their powers, and disregarding them completely certainly went against that. Felicity then continued on, eager to discover more about the other's power to add to her mental database, "If your metallic arm is filled with your nerves, does that mean some materials are too painful to cut through? Or perhaps using a certain slice or some sort of movement would inflict pain upon you?" This was the first time the girl had ever heard someone being able to fuse nerve endings with metal, and her intelligent mind was anxious to learn more about this mysterious phenomenon.

--

Just as the opportunity to make a hasty retreat opened, it seemed as though his luck was turning more sour by the minute. Chase actually exhaled a long breath of vexation, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as he surveyed Felix coldly. It wasn't as if he could convey the depth of his displeasure, but his steely stare was mildly unnerving to say the least, especially coupled with his terse words, "I need to leave." But, even as he said this, the boy couldn't help but feel tempted to take back his words as he continued to survey Esha from a distance. If anyone had to be in lethal danger from his presence, he certainly wouldn't mind if it was the young man she was engaging in conversation with.. He reverted his focus back to Marina and Felix then, somewhat relieved that he wasn't trapped alone with the manipulative siren anymore. Felix had been a fairly nice guy from what he observed back at the Power Training class, although at this point, despite his friendly nature, Chase really wished that he would mind his own business.

"I cannot--" he began, although he couldn't help but pause as he thought that, just maybe, Esha's eyes might've lingered towards him for a moment. His oceanic gaze was glued to her, and being no master of subtlety, it was written all over his face. Was this perhaps a sign that he was intruding? Or was it a safe sign, one that said that he was free to approach her? Though the latter was far more appealing, he was fairly certain that she still wasn't comfortable with his presence. She hadn't outwardly acknowledged him as he would've expected her to if she wanted to speak with him, and there was no way that he was going to try and approach her without a clear approval. His eyes continued to shift between Esha and Braedyn, as though looking away for too long would result in them slung in one another's embrace. The mere thought of this sent chills down Chase's spine, and he shook himself out of his brief trance. ".. I have no musical ability, nor can I take part in spin-the-bottle," he concluded, alternating his cold gaze from Marina to Felix as he pressed his point further, "Therefore, I have no reason to.. To remain here.." Once again, he felt his eyes drawn back to Esha in the all-too-obvious manner, seeming faintly displeased with the coquettish tone she used with him. Was that how she'd been interacting with every male she encountered? A growl nearly slipped from his lips as he considered that thought, though the only visible difference in his face was the subtle harshness now lingering around his jawline.

As the pretty (British!) girl standing opposite her offered her a compliment, Alice giggled pleasantly before another group of students entered the lounge: specifically, the girl in red and black. Her laser-like eyes lit up at a chance eye-contact with this girl, but she didn't even have time to cast her a grin to let her know what she was in for before noticing the boy that seemed to have caught Lisette's attention. The sudden influx of interesting energy in the room pumped into her head, the gears turning almost visibly in that clockwork inferno. Unlike her own diversion, the look of her conversational partner signalled something deeper than recognition... Anticipation? Regret? The thoughts were dismissed immediately after bubbling out from her subconscious. There was no reason to shrink someone she'd just met. "It's a pleasure," she bubbled, her eyes widening slightly as a charming smile lit up her face. 

As for the girl in red, Alice resolved to sing with her before the end of the night. Judging by her reluctance to be here, she'd have to say something soon... Especially if the boy headed to the fridge meant what she thought it did. All this in mind, she glanced back at the signup sheet. "So, Miss Hayes, do you sing?"

***
The twins, making their way towards the lounge, were startled to see a confrontation like this so early in the night. The fact that the pretty brunette and the two boys standing opposite each other were so assured gave Mikhail the impression that alcohol wasn't involved. Soft blonde curls falling all over the shoulders left bare by her little pink dress, Annika turned towards her brother a little ways before reaching the three in the hallway, a worried expression on her face. Shaking his head, he gave her a reassuring push on the shoulder, towards the entrance to the lounge... and, inevitably, the group standing outside it. 

The dark-haired youth, outfitted in smart jeans and a blazer over a white t-shirt, looked together enough to fit. While the specifics remained unclear to him, any idiot could tell that the taller boy was trying to extricate himself. While he didn't know exactly how things worked here, he figured if he could help, he should. Besides, Mikhail wasn't one to take social cues from his peers: he approached the group, clearing his throat to announce his intent. 

By the time he got to them, it seemed that their points of view were more in line than before. It seemed the situation would dissolve without interference, but Mikhail's big eyes and relaxed manner made him a further pacifier. He made subtle eye contact with the three of them--first the girl, then the shorter boy, before speaking to the one who seemed to be cowed past the point of friendly discomfort. His expression was friendly, calm, and oblivious, and he spoke very gently: "Is anything the matter?" he asked, looking slowly back between the group. Mikhail's interference, as he saw it, provided the boy with an opportunity to decide for himself what his next step would be. 

Annika held her place next to him with her own quiet, assured manner. From this place, she saw something different: the Indian girl standing across the room. Were it not for her composure, she would have smiled softly. The tall, blue-eyed boy would stay, and probably be fine... It was the other boy who worried her, the one who seemed closest him. She looked up at him quizzically, in a Russian-apology sort of way: I'm sorry for intruding. I hope you aren't extremely upset, said her look. And then, in the typical style of her forefathers, it added: I don't really care either way, for a somewhat mischievous effect. 

Felix grinned at the fetching young lady and he commented, "You never know about a person. Maybe he's a wallflower in remission." He glanced at Chase, an easy smile playing over his features and his demeanor just as casual. "Felix, though I answer to lots of things," he replied to her question, his red-brown eyes sparkling with good humor. He was in a phenomenal mood, especially since he was no longer in ermine form and he'd gotten a recent uptick in his business.

Plus, social interaction on large scales suited him more than being one-on-one with people. Unless it was the sordid sort of one-on-one, which seemed to be be at a premium these days. Maybe it was the limited variation of company here on the island?

What put a slight damper on his mood (though with no outward effect) was the arrival of slightly younger fellow and a girl Felix immediately assumed was related to him. The way they stood next to each other didn't smack of a romantic relationship, and he would have recognized them had they been at Foresta very long. And, since it was rare for close friends to transfer here in close succession, he felt justified in his assumption.

He tipped his head at the kid, measuring him up in a glance and immediately dismissing him as another boring, interfering do-gooder. "That's an odd thing to throw out there, even if there was clearlysomething the matter. Perhaps by acknowledging the fact that you think there is something the matter, you're subtly altering the tone of the social dynamic to cause a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Felix turned right on back to the issue at hand and replied to Chase in a relatively quiet tone (so as to not attract any more attention from well-wishing young people), "A party is more than the sum of its parts and there is absolutely no requirement that you do either of the things you mentioned. However, running off now implies more about you than you might want implied. You get what I'm saying?" He leaned back, shrugging casually. "But hey, what do I know? Or care, for that matter? Go ahead and do what you like." He cast his gaze around the room, looking for his next target.

"Excuse me," he said to the four, wandering off towards Sandra and her companion.


--~0~--

Lucy started at the voice addressing her. Turning to see who it was, her mouth parted slightly in partial awe that a person that attractive would deign to talk to her. She abruptly turned away, pretending to people-watch while a vivid red color rose to her cheeks and ears. "I-Is it that obvious? How d-d-did they coerce you into coming?" She tried to act nonchalant about it, bored in a casual way, but the entire effect was ruined by the reemergence of her stutter and the fact that her broke broke slightly halfway through that question.

She'd chosen a table nearish to her cousin and his friend from the emerald dorm, but she'd exhibited her desire to sulk and display her displeasure with Sam by not sitting at the same table (though Wes had tried to draw her out briefly before returning to Sam's table). What a fantastic idea. Despite her interest in being left alone, it had only assured there'd be space enough to allow another person to sit with her.

She took a swig of the mystery drink in her hand only to spit it out across the table in a gut reaction to the distinctive burn of alcohol. Instantly, she regretted her entire life and every choice that had led to her showing up at this particular party.