The Synchronization Project

"Here he goes again." Dmitri.

"I don't get it, they're already dating?" Kassandra.

"It's romantic." Gilbert.

"..." It seemed that unlike their comrades, Lux and Haruki had nothing to say.

What exactly were they commenting on, anyway?

If one were to look at the center of the room, by the Arts table, they would see.

Aidas Magas, the gods bless his soul, was on one knee by the lovely Egyptian princess, better known as Amneris.

"I beg of you, fair lady, accompany me to the Fall Ball." He asked, removing his mask, which was made of broken mirror shards.

Amneris crossed her legs as the rest of her little entourage giggled.

Aidas reached up and kissed her hand. "Princess, I beg of you."

The darker-skinned girl looked down at her suitor, who had done so very much for her.

"I don't know why you bother, Aidas. No need to ask if we're already a thing."

"Amneris, you yourself being of the Arts, don't you wish to be asked even if we were already going?" Aidas looked disappointed with her lack of reaction.

"I won't go unless you agree to match with me."

"Amneris, damn it, blue is not my color."

Uh-oh. There they go.

~

As the combatants watched this, Kassandra yawned. "They do this every year, those two. Whatever, it wasn't as bad when Dmitri asked me a couple years back."

"You're referring to the time he slid on ice all the way down the hall and asked you on one knee?"

"Yeah, Ruki."

"I assumed you were talking about the time he asked you by accidentally hitting you with an icicle in the head."

Kassandra huffed at the memory.

Dmitri grumbled as it was brought up.

"But he'll ask me again, right, Dmi?"

"Mmm. Perhaps."

~

The Scholars table watched the scene as well.

"The Fall Ball is always the worst one. Everybody has to find a partner to go with for the rest of the year, if they're going." John explained to his table, while Taissa giggled.

John looked at her and sighed. "She thinks it's fun because her and Andrei have been going together since we were your age. It's not fun when you have to babysit your grown-up squad to make sure their leader doesn't accidentally get hit with an icicle."

Evelynn huffed, loudly. She wasn't amused by all this romantic corniness, and turned away from the scene to continue what she was doing. She hadn't even given thought about who she would ask. Pfft. No, it would be who would ask her. But that got her to thinking of the possible options.

"Oh, Trey! Isn't it so romantic?!" Mirage said, shaking her brother's arm. He was not impressed, but his sister didn't care in the least because she was too busy watching the scene. "Heehee, I almost wish someone would ask me like that!"

Trey grunted, knowing that he would be judging harshly whoever would dare ask his sister. He, himself, wasn't interested in petty things.

Erasai looked over to the scene, curious as to what was happening. How strange... It wasn't something she was used to seeing, and it almost seemed unnecessary. But at the same time, she found it somewhat enjoyable. It must have been nice for Amneris to be asked by a guy like that.

Feeling her cheeks growing warm, she raised her hands to cover them, and looked back to the table, trying to ignore it. She hadn't given much thought to the Fall Ball, but perhaps it was time? She did want to try something new, after all.

Similar to Trey and Eveline, Jenny wasn't too interested in the scene, having been drawing in her Sketchbook. In all actuality, Jenny wasn't sure she'd go to the ball orn ot. Even if she did there were very few guys she knew at all who would ask. Her little brother as well as Andrei were out due to relation and age respectively. She highly doubted Caleb would even consider the ball, and she only knew Nelis for a few days so they were written off the list of possibilities.

Jared was watching the scene. Like his older sister, he didn't know if he was going to go or who he would ask.

Of course Nelís would be the first to notice his instructor walk up oh-so-gallantly to Amneris before kneeling down and asking her to the ball. If the boy recalled correctly the two were already together therefore Aidas didn't have to go through the struggle of deciding. Nelís, on the other hand, was very eager at the thought of the ball, but when it came around to with whom he was indecisive. He was from a place where invitations for Balls were sent out every month and women, men, and children attended. Everyone knew how to dance from an early age and, yes, that would include Nelís though he hadn't attended one in so long.

Now all he had to muse over is who he would ask. He hadn't known anyone here any longer than a few days, but this was an opportunity to reach out to people, is it not?

Novo had been watching with curiosity. And then she decided she thought it was the best thing ever and quickly turned to Andrei. Wild fuchsia hair trailing behind her, and plopped down in front of the man, and... quite in an over acted manner, got on her knee and threw her arms around as she spoke. "Andray go with Novo! 'Cause Novo say so!" She closed her eyes and put on a pretend serious expression, lifting her head upwards.

She peeked through one eye to see his and everyone's reaction.

More than likely, she wasn't really serious. She more wanted to imitate what was happening around her.

JEnny chuckled some when she saw Novo's display. She had no clue if Novo knew what the Ball was or not, but thought her display was cute and funny. Had she been a bit less self conscious about being the center of attention she probably would've joined Novo in the over acting.

Andrei bowed to her. "My fair lady, I am already taken. But I will accompany you to the ball and give you at least one dance." This, he promised her.

"So what exactly do we do in this Ball?"Jared asked. He'd never been to a ball before in his life. He assumed that a Ball was similar to a dance but wasn't sure. All he knew was that the guys asked the girls out.

Evelynn glanced over at Jenny, a smirk coming across her face. "What's the matter? I thought you and Nelis would go for sure! I mean, you talk to him the most it seems. You were practically hanging on him the entire first day..." She gave a small laugh.

"No I wasn't planning on asking him, I've only known him for like two days by now. And only reason I clung to him so much is because he was one of the few genuinely good people that didn't come off as a rotten excuse of a human to me, until Novo and Elsa arrived. And in all honesty I don't even know if I'm going to go to the Ball."Jenny responded, not even bothering to look at Evelynn.

"Oh... no, my feelings," Evelynn said, feinting an upset look. She turned her attention to Nelis then. "Who, then, are you asking, Orlitt? Balls seem to be your sort of thing. Surely you have someone in mind."

Mirage would turn to Jared. "Ohhh, I think it is similar to a dance, except you get dressed up. I mean, really dressed up. It sounds like so much fun." She clasped her hands together and let out a dreamy sigh.

She wished she had someone to talk to. She felt a bit alone at the Combatant table, while the Arts table was full of students. The display that Novo gave was quite adorable, and she had to applaud the girl on her bravery. She didn't think she could do that in a million years. Though, she had made a deal with Nelis to try something new. Too bad she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do yet.

While Elsa sat alone, she saw that Erasai was sitting alone at the Combatants table. Elsa reached out with her mind to talk to Erasai.

"Are you OK?"

Erasai sat up suddenly, looking around. She thought someone had been standing next to her, saying something, but she didn't see anyone. She looked lost and confused, and in her head, she thought she was going crazy.

The boy wanted to sink in his seat, his ears regretfully open to the conversation that was going on beside him while he cheeks took on a deep pink hue. It wasn't often- matter of fact he'd never suffered this kind of embarrassment at all. He kept his eyes away from their direction completely as he tried to evade it all. His gaze drifted upon those at his table then to the other groups. Clearly, the Artists made up the majority of students thus far and it was the Combatants- just Erasai as far as Nelís was concerned- that dwindled in numbers.

He stiffened when he heard his name though he wasn't tuned in to the question. What followed made him sure that Evelynn asked who he was going to ask which he wasn't quite ready to share. "I suppose you'll see when the day comes," was all he offered, not willing to make eye contact with her or Jenny for that matter.

Surprisingly, Nelis' response was enough to get Evelynn to back off. "Oh, I see," she said, still smiling, but now curious. She was definitely one for gossip, so she didn't mind biding her time to get some information.

Through her words he could practically hear her smile that he refused to look at, but he could only wonder why she was. He'd always need to keep a close eye on Evelynn, or at least he felt that he should. "And you?" He decided to ask though he presumed her answer already. "Who are you planning to ask?"