Game Opening: May Ball

[undergroundmods]

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

It had to be done.

Welcome all to the Redbright Institute's May Ball! This evening is a celebration of the Institute's achievements over the past year. Students aged 16 and above can attend on their own, while younger students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Meanwhile, friends and guests of the Institute are invited as a gesture of friendship and harmony between the various factions.

Rules and etiquette
• This is a black tie event. Formal attire is required.
• No weapons. This is a school, there are children present. Any weapons or objects that could be used as weapons will be confiscated.
• No drugs or alcohol. Obviously. Don't try to sneak any in.
• No violence.

There is security within the school and present at the event. (In fact, if your character is a member of the Redbright Institute, you could have them acting as security if you want.) They will respond to and put a stop to any trouble.

Places to go
The main action takes place in the large Assembly Hall. This is where the Chancellor Sylvia Redbright will give her address. It's also where you can party later on. The disco is family-friendly – not exactly a rave, but the kids will love it.

Drinks and snacks are available in the dining hall. The drinks are non-alcoholic. Vampires, no need to worry about your cravings: blood cocktails are provided! They're given in good faith on the assumption that you won't be snacking on anyone else tonight.

Just off the dining hall, one of the classrooms has been converted into a chill-out area. The lights are off, the desks and chairs have been replaced by beanbags and there's a table in the corner with a chocolate fountain, marshmallows and strawberries. A video of young witches taking part in various night-time rituals (they mostly seem to involve chanting and bonfires) plays silently on the screen.

One of the lecture theatres has been opened up to showcase students' work from the past year. On the screen you can watch a slideshow of notable events and achievements. Strangely enough there aren't many people in this room.

Outside, there is a giant chessboard on the lawn. The pieces are made of plastic and can easily be moved around. Why, you ask? Why not, is the answer.

Finally, a large marquee has been set up in the quad. This is the adults-only area, with wine and cocktails served at the bar, nibbles available at a few high tables dotted around and a sophisticated atmosphere. No children under 18 allowed. (Note that the legal drinking age is 18.)

Timeline of events
20:00 – Doors open.
20:57 – Sunset.
21:15 – Sylvia Redbright makes her address in the Assembly Hall.
22:00 – Disco in the Assembly Hall. The DJ has atrocious taste.
01:00 – Disco stops. The event officially ends.

Comments

[mensrea]

It would have been the right thing to say, perhaps, but this is Stiles Stilinski—yet again, he totally misconstrues the meaning behind her words and fumbles. Ducking his head coyly, he focuses on not tripping over his own feet while dancing for a few moments. If Nancy did visit him back home, he could introduce her to Scott. He thinks they'd get along famously.

"Wait, what?"

Abruptly, he stops dancing. His jaw may have just hit the floor.

"The boys!?"

Holy shit, Nancy is a mom.

[stauncherhearted]

"Shut up!" She scolds, smiling. "They ain't mine- other kids Fagin's picked up along the way. He's been doing this for centuries." They grew up and got killed, more often than not, or just disappeared. It was awful, but she cared for them all the same. They needed someone in their lives that wasn't going to hurt them. And she was happy to be that person. She knew what type of man they lived with.

"If anything, I'm their sister." Though she did treat them like a mother would. She was paid back in Oedipus complexes.

[mensrea]

Cue Stiles metaphorically wiping away the bead of sweat from his brow; Nancy is not, in fact, a teenage mom! Thank god. He likes to believe he’s open-minded, but being vaguely attracted to a girl who has kids at his age just does not compute. So he sags in relief and starts dancing with renewed vigor.

“Big sis Nancy. I bet you just eat that up.”

[stauncherhearted]

He relaxes, and so does she.

"It's real sweet. They're good boys." They deserved better than they had. So she did what she could. And if that meant taking care of them? She was happy to do it. "You'll meet 'em." But he'd never meet Fagin, if she had her choices.

"You have any siblings?" His life was a whole lot more exciting than hers.

[mensrea]

Nancy, Nancy, Nancy... You really ought to pick up on the ideas you're putting in his head. Meeting the boys? Not only was this totally a date, but maybe they're also going steady... Stiles wets his lips habitually.

"Nope. Just me, myself, and I. My best friend back home is pretty much my brother though."

[stauncherhearted]

"I bet he's a great guy," she says honestly. "I'll meet him when I visit you." If she visited him. There was no push to do it one way or another. But Stiles was a friend. Not her date. And friends visited each other with no problem at all. So there.

"I bet your life is great."

[mensrea]

"It's...really not, but yeah, he definitely is."

Stiles doesn't know what he would have done without Scott in his life, honestly. After his mom died... Gaze averted, he dances a bit more sedately for a few beats, falling silent.

"You don't seem that enthusiastic about your own lot in life. How come?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Nowhere near as exciting as yours, I promise!" She's still happily dancing, even as the song changes again. "It just seems exciting, compared to what I'm used to." Nothing really exciting to talk about in her life, truthfully.

[mensrea]

He frowns a bit.

"Yeah, but... I don't know what's giving you this idea that my life is exciting."

[stauncherhearted]

"Your journal. And the fact that you came all the way out here. That's more exciting than my life." She tosses her hair back as she dances with him. "I don't like talking about my life."

[mensrea]

The reminder of the journal has him choking on air, because he remembers the way she'd arched a brow at him and asked about Lydia Martin. God. Embarrassing.

"Why not?"

Most people would have stopped pushing, but not Stiles. He's going to tease a loose thread until it's all come unraveled.

[stauncherhearted]

"It's not something I know to be a great conversation piece," she explained almost flippantly. If she plays it like it's no big deal, then it's no big deal. "No whacky hi-jinx or musical numbers. If there were, I'd tell you, because that'd be weird even for us." She hated to do it, but she danced in a little bit closer, moving her hips against his just slightly. New topic, Stiles. Please. New topic.

[mensrea]

Clever tactic, Nancy—he is thoroughly distracted now. Taking her movement as a kind of invitation, he slides in closer to meet her but does little else; he’s hopeful, not aggressive. Really, he simply looks for the world like he’s just happy to be there with her. If the dancing has his tummy fluttering a bit, well. He’s only human.

“Do you wish it was more interesting?”

Because Stiles has spent his entire life wanting that, only to come to realize that the excitement may not be worth the price.

[stauncherhearted]

She's good at dealing with men. Teenagers and grown men, they tended to work the same.

"Gods no," she sighs. "Simpler would be better." Are they done talking about this yet?

[mensrea]

Painfully true. Stiles is no better than any of them, really.

"Yeah," he replies quietly, and there's a weight to his words that has him at a loss of what else to say. "Yeah."

The conversation got heavy, without anything heavy actually being said. Awkward.

[stauncherhearted]

Very.

So she's just going to grab his hand and put it on her hips. "Let's just dance and drink."

[mensrea]

"Whoa, uh. Hi. Okay. Sure."

Works for him. He's not about to complain when his too big hand is cupping one shapely hip. This is nice. This is very nice. This is so nice that is brain is currently flat-lining and he's scrambling for something to say.

"So. Do you...like Chinese food?"

You had one job, Stiles' brain. One job.

[stauncherhearted]

She giggles, dropping her head to touch his chest briefly.

"Love it," she admits. "And I really love shitty pub food. Maybe tonight when this settles down we can see if there's one still open." Too much closed at midnight in London.

[mensrea]

Brightening, he nods enthusiastically. Man, Nancy has great taste. Most girls from his high school would have put on airs about hating pub food because of all the empty calories. He appreciates Nancy's honesty.

"How long does a party like this go on for, anyway?"

[stauncherhearted]

She needs the calories, to be fair, given her vocation. Or at least, the energy and blood sugar. She also tended to enjoy working out, so there you had it. Still, it had been a long struggle to get her to the point where she could actually eat a greasy burger and chips and down a pint and not feel guilty about it afterwards.

"Early morning- hate to be cliched but we tend to be night owls 'round here. We can cut out earlier, too, if you want. I know this is all really strange to you."

[mensrea]

"The only part of this that's strange is the tux, honestly."

And the fact that a pretty girl is willingly dancing with him. Naturally, that's when the song ends and dance partners part. Stiles takes a regretful step away, stomach still fluttering, and grins at her.

"Thanks for inviting me, Nance."

Nance. The nickname is tentative, but he's already attached to it.

[stauncherhearted]

she'll give him that. "it looks great, by the way." and she meant it.

the song ended and she slowed to a stop. "any time, Stiles," she promised him. "I'm glad you could come. Kenzi had a date, and I knew you'd want to see this. so thank you."

[mensrea]

Nancy is going to ruin him with all this praise. His neglected inferiority complex is devouring it all, taking in its fill. Stiles might even puff out his chest proudly. Just a bit.

"Oh yeah, Kenzi. You need to introduce me!"

[stauncherhearted]

Way to be cute, Stiles. Way. To. Be.

"Of course- you'll love her." She was sure of it. "I'll let you explore. Don't get into trouble." She even pointed at his puffed-up chest to make a point, ignoring the fact that she sounded very, very much like a mother.

[mensrea]

"Trouble, me?"

Scoffing, he gives her a little wave and then he's off to explore some more.