Let the Wooing Begin [Open]

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Edgar had managed to make his step from the World of Ruin into the other worlds. There was enough magic in the world for him to get from one location to another. Though, how it worked and how to really use it was lost on him. All he knew was that he had made his way from his own kingdom to the world he was standing in currently. It was a tad bit dark outside, so this had to mean it was evening now.

As the King walked through the streets, a castle was lit up in the distance. It was quite a magnificent looking establishment. However, he enjoyed his mechanical city over anything he has seen yet so far off world. The man was walking away from the castle to speak to the townsfolk before he overheard a conversation. This peeked his interest more than anything else. The woman that was speaking was fixing her gloves and was rather attractive looking. It seemed there was a ball happening in town and all the women in the kingdom would be there.

This surely peeked his interest. He moved over a bit closer, proceeding to flatter the woman in the stunning dress. He bowed softly and began to talk her up. It was not long till she was giggling and telling him everything he wanted to know. "Well, thank you my dear. You enjoy your evening. I do hope I see you there." He smiled at her before making his exit.

He started toward the castle now. "I can resume my search for the cause of this chaos after I learn more about this engagement." He told himself, walking off. He was unaware of who he'd wander into this evening.

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Ugh, so boring! So droll! So hideously story-book! This place is even worse than the last world Kefka had the misfortune of stumbling upon. At least there, he had the opportunity to roast a few fools before he got bored enough to be stricken by apathy.

Here? It wasn't even worth it to do that. Not yet, at least. It was a stunning, starry night for a ball, apparently, and everyone had on their Sunday best to attend and outdo the others in terms of outright flashiness. Of course, Kefka would have had them all beat... when it came to the best dresser, there was no topping the master! Hee hee! All the men were stiff as boards in their starchy uniforms, all the women like miniature, multicolor zeppelins tugged around by the tethers of their own egos, tittering to whomever would listen. Pah! Popularity contests were such travesties, even in Vector.

Kefka knew that he really should start setting fools on fire, but some odd feeling said that he really ought to wait. That the destruction he was planning would only be complete if he did it at a very critical moment and not a second sooner. He hated waiting, hated it almost as much as this insufferable ball! But... his lust for death was more overpowering than his impatience. So, for now, he would wait, and see what became of this little fiasco.

The Gods must have had a queer sense of humor, because not much longer later, Kefka spied with his little eye someone very familiar sauntering towards the gate of the palace. Green and blue cape... girly pony-tail... insufferable boyish good looks? The King of Figaro had come a-callin'. Just what was that oversexed Lothario doing here? Not that it mattered, his appearance had been just what Kefka needed to break his apathetic spell! Now was the time for the killing to begin!

But wait... he stopped himself before he opened up his mana reserves. Why did they need to dance the tune of destruction quite so early? Why not... have a bit of fun with the pretty-boy before turning on the fireworks? Oh... OOOOOH! Kefka just had the most diabolically delicious plot forming in his twisted mind at that moment. What better way to fool the sand-blasted King than to play his lust against him? How brilliant!

Stepping away from the shadows of the gate where the mad sorcerer was reclining, Kefka looked into a nearby reflecting pool. The reflection stared back like a sexy Adonis, and he gave himself a playful wink. "Such a handsome devil," he muttered to himself. But, for this deception, he had to play the part of the plain, mundane populace. Snapping his red nails together, Kefka activated his Illusion ability, and immediate shifted his form. Jester attire made way for a dazzling ballroom gown of purple, yellow and red. Straight blond hair transformed to lush, curly golden locks that framed a heart-shaped face. Green eyes smoldered with intense desire and luscious lips gave a cruel smile at the handiwork. Kefka even put magnificent curves in all the right places, something for the boys to get a grab on. All in all, he'd say it was the pinnacle of mundane beauty.

Still, such beauty was only skin deep. In this case, not even that much. So with a final wink to the reflection in the pool, the transformed beauty walked away, making sure to sway the hips in time with her walk. Timing it just as Edgar was walking past, the woman Kefka gave a low whistle and said in a seductive voice, "My my, what a tall glass of water come to enjoy the festivities..."

(Spell Cast: Illusion, Form Of: Bringing Sexy Back, Duration: Until everyone notices)

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Honestly, this was the sort of thing that the King needed. It had been quite some time since he'd had a moment to enjoy his surroundings. As King, his subjects came first. During the chaos on the World of Balance, he had to focus on saving the world and protecting his comrades. Then, after the World of Ruin had calmed, he was forced back as King to bring his city back to it's former glory. There was plenty of things that needed to be tended to in that large city. There were many mechanisms that needed tweaking. So, he'd spent much time rebuilding the city.

Now, he was about looking for a cause of the chaos and magic returning to Figaro. He had run into a few of his comrades while travelling. But, he'd hit a dead end and was tossed from his world. It was then he learned it was not necessarily Kefka that had caused this. They had killed him and it was over. Now this, this was a new threat that wasn't just attacking the World of Ruin. It was threatening every world he had traveled to and then the countless ones he had not explored.

The King smiled and bowed to a few of the women. Some of them giggled and quickly moved to continued on their path. The other would simply turn their nose away. He never striked out this badly on his own world. He wondered what was so spectacular about this ball that the women were turning his advances down. It was hitting his ego a bit hard now that he thought about it. He was still rather attractive if he did say so himself. At this point, he was almost trying to prove a point.

That was when he heard a strange voice. He turned, knowing someone was flirting with him instantly. From the voice, she didn't sound as attractive as she looked. But once he spotted her, he smiled. "Now I know that was directed at me." He stated in a soft voice, bowing slightly to the woman in respect with one arm over his abdomen. He stood up straight and offered a hand to the woman, a bright smile on his face. It seemed he'd managed to win over one of the most attractive women in the area. Unfortunately, Terra was far more beautiful in his eyes. But, she had no intention of taking a chance with Edgar. She had stated that he was too much of a ladies man. Well, if she only knew the truth she might.

His mind was in the moment as he awaited her to take his hand. "You obviously have quite an eye, I like that in a woman." He flirted, cracking his patented smile that he was well known for in Figaro. "My name is Edgar. By what name should I call such a gem as yourself?" He asked. He had been fooled by the illusion Kefka had put up. He'd be disgusted at himself later if he found out who it was.

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Kefka could have laughed at the spectacle. It seemed the dim-witted King had bought his disguise hook, line, and sinker! Though the jester's voice seemed to put him off a little (and a shame at that, Kefka prided himself as his improv abilities! What a philistine!) all it took was one look at Kefka's new form to drive any and all doubts from the fool's mind. Completely led by his lust, any and all thought of seeing this as an Illusion was wiped from his mind the second he clapped eyes on the attractive facade. Uwee hee hee!

Giving a titter, Kefka made the act of biting his lip and raising a coy eyebrow at the King's forward remarks. "I call them like I see them, sweet thing. And I must say, you're the first attractive thing that's walked through these gates all night. Was starting to get bored, every one of these men look them same..."

His smoldering green eyes intensifying, Kefka laid his own hand on Edgar's, and gestured that they should enter into the castle. "But now that you're here, dove, why don't we show all those stuffed shirts inside what a real ball can be?" He flashed a playful wink sidelong at his new "partner" as they walked in through the gates and up the concord steps, in the direction of the ballroom. As they did so, Kefka started to wonder how long he planned to keep this ruse going. Oh, it would be such a hoot to switch back just after a very compromising situation... Edgar would probably toss his cookies right then and there! Ha HAH! What a riot he could cause this evening! But, pleasure before business, he had to keep up appearances, after all.

He almost didn't notice that the King had asked his name. "Call me Karla, dear... or call me whenever you like." He gave another titter, and continued, "And what about yourself, stud? What do I call an impressive man like you, in case I want to make the other belle's inside jealous?"

[Deleted]

The King always did have quite the weakness for an attractive woman. He even had the moments where he'd flirt a bit with children. However, that wasn't a line he would cross. They had to be eighteen and older before he'd make an advance. This woman was well over the age of eighteen, so there wasn't a thing to worry about on that front.

He found her speech a tad odd, but he didn't think it'd be polite to ask about it. But the compliment made him smile again. "I was beginning to think the same thing about all the other women as well." He was actually being out flirted. This was a rare feat indeed! She definitely knew what she was saying but at the same time, she wasn't hearing everything either.

She eventually took his arm and he could tell her look intensified. She definitely was quite attractive. He had to keep telling himself that because her voice and terms were putting him off a bit. It was a bit annoying that something so simple was bugging him. He nodded in agreement. "It would be my deepest honor to escort you to this ball, my dear Karla." He flashed a charming smile, placing his free hand on her own as he started them walking toward the castle.

"You can call me Edgar if you'd like." He repeated, leaning a bit closer to her ear to state it, figuring that the flash and dazzle of this party had honestly distracted her enough. She seemed not to have attended a gala such as this before. He planned to make sure she enjoyed her evening. Had he realized it was the clown, he probably would have been sick already and needed to wash his eyes out and burn his own clothing.

Once they had made it inside, he leaned closer to speak over the crowd. It was definitely quite magnificent in here. Though, no as impressive as his own castle. "Would you like to dance?" he asked.

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Ah Son of a Submariner! Kefka had been so caught up in the giggles of Edgar buying his little disguise that he asked his name twice! That was ditzy even for the likes of him... but too late to let it be noticed by the likes of him. Besides, the fool King was probably so concerned with the Illusion's chest region, it hardly registered that the slipup might be something more sinister. So Kefka rolled with it and said in a sultry voice, "Then, Edgar, I'll be sure to keep it on my tongue for the rest of the evening, hee hee!"

They entered into the main ballroom, and already colorful ballgowns were the craze of the evening. It was hard to find any elbow-room with all these balloon sized ballerinas pirouetting off the walls like soccer balls on parade. The men were ramrod straight and formal, save for a few who made discreet forays to the women's more private regions at subtle times, which often either ended with a playful slap away or a knee to the crotch. Might have been entertaining for the latter, but Kefka would have preferred more blood added to the sport.

The clown saw his partner move closer to him and whisper into his ear, asking for a dance. Seductively as he was able, Kefka smiled back in his female form.

Quicker than thought, he snaked his hands around to firmly grasp Edgar by the shoulder and waist, respectively. The music had started to pick up in a spicy number just as they had entered through the grand doors. How coincidental for them, and how lucky for Kefka...

"Hope you don't mind if I take the lead for this number, doll," Kefka whispered back to Edgar in a smoldering voice as they stalked to the tone. Kefka's movements were aggressive, bombastic, almost primal as he led Edgar through an array of movesets that would leave any normal person breathless. Where the men were in full control of the other couples, Edgar would have to wrestle with Kefka to take the lead, and his female guise kept winking coyly if he struggled, leading him on to the suggestion that if he wanted the advantage, he would need to fight for it. Finally, the music wore down into a slower number as Kefka drew closer to Edgar, whispering back in his ear.

"Now, handsome... that was a novel experience, wasn't it?"

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Elsa smiled as she entered the ballroom. It'd been a little while since she'd had the opportunity to attend one, and she was grateful that their troupe hadn't minded her little request. They're let her go with their blessings, freed from her duties for the night. Free to enjoy herself, for the first time in a long time.

Not that she didn't enjoy their company, of course, but a ball was one of those stereotypical things that royals like her couldn't help but enjoy. And, given her history and her limited chances to attend them even back in Arendelle, she relished this one breath of old air, this short dip into nostalgia.

She couldn't help but smile as she turned a few heads at the door. Men looked away from their partners to observe the Snow Queen -- of course, she wasn't known by that name in this world, which she'd never visited before now, but even though tonight she would be just 'Elsa' to the world, her outfit made it more than clear what element her heart held dear. She'd made a few lavish modifications to her Snow Queen gown with her magic: her glittery chest and arms sparkled with real snowflakes; her glitter cape had grown in length and its patterns in complexity, long, elegant waves that mimicked the beautiful curves of her magic trailing her every step; the gown itself, still a crystal-blue colour, was decorated with faint fractal patterns sprawled across her chest and the long, flowing material that swished across her legs; her high-heeled shoes, once reflecting the creeping nature of her ice as it scaled buildings out of fear now burst from her feet in beautiful spiralling patterns that wrapped around her lower thighs, giving the impression that she was wearing extraordinarily elaborate winter boots; and, finally, her hair had been given a complete make-over -- her wild look slightly subdued, except for her bangs, which still swept back in long, thick waves, was tied back into a sizeably neat bun at the back of her head, while a beautiful hairpiece, a little bead of ice that burst from the back of her ear into long, spindly arcs, nestled amongst the tamed blonde.

Elsa might not be a queen here, but she certainly felt like one. It made her long for Arendelle and days long past, but she cast aside the budding emotion and let her smile grow across her lips. She returned the jaw-dropped looks of the men as she passed them, offering them little nods of her head in silent thanks, as she descended the stairs onto the dance floor. Of course, she had no partner with her, and thus began the more arduous part of the evening: finding someone who would dance with her and tolerate her... fluctuating personality. Though, at least tonight, she felt she had the latter under control.

She beamed at the gathered couples, unwilling to separate them, as she made her way carefully across the dance floor, subtly sidestepping those who waltzed into her path. The music had slowed from the blistering tempo it had boasted when she had been standing outside, perfecting the last of her magicked outfit. That fit Elsa's tastes: the slow melody reminded her of calmness, of peace and, strangely, of her ice -- powerful, meaningful, steadfast.

Elsa had seen him past a few couples blocking her way, who she spun away from as they passed her. Long blond hair, hanging over the same shoulder as hers had only earlier today. He wore a suit fit for a prince: prim, proper and with decorated shoulders that caught the young queen's attention. He was quite the man, in fact, and Elsa impressed even herself -- how often was it that a man -- that anyone -- had interested her in such a way?

Quite rare it was indeed, she realized. The last ball she'd attended had resulted in her being asked to dance by a slimy, lowly Duke, asked to bless the marriage of Anna and her newfound 'fiance,' and then revealed her icy abilities to the whole of her kingdom, which had led to another whole list of unfortunate events.

This time it would be different.

She stopped just short of them. He was dancing with a rather fetching young blonde woman in a purple, yellow and red gown. The woman was saying something, but Elsa couldn't catch the words over the music and didn't want to appear rude. Customary to what would have been a clear sign of awaiting a switch in partners in Arendelle, Elsa politely stood to the side of the hall on their left, her hands clasped in front of her.

When the song ended and everyone clapped, she took a step forward, waving.

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Edgar smiled fainting at her as she spoke up. As she finished her statement, she let out this laugh. Her brief little giggle made his skin crawl. There was something either strange of familiar about it that creeped him the hell out. It was this moment that he should have taken off running.

Then again, it was probably just a shallow defect he needed to stop paying as much attention to. She was beautiful and something a trivial as her voice and her laugh could be forgotten. He smiled politely at her comment about his name and ignored that giggling. "I'd feel extremely honored by that, my dear Karla" He responded in turn, walking the blonde goddess into the large ballroom. He really did believe this place was immaculate. Then again, he guessed it was a lot easier to keep a place like this looking wonderful when there wasn't sandstorms and palace guards tracking everything inside because they forgot to wipe off their feet outside.

When Edgar asked the young and lovely Karla for a dance, she agreed. The smile on her face was rather attractive, making Edgar glad he'd pursued her advances earlier. He released her arm, stealing her hand as he moved to face her. Karla placed her hand on his shoulder, Edgar moving his own to her waist. It was then that the music changed to something a little fast paced for something Edgar would normally dance to. But, he had every intention of dancing with the beat and enjoying himself. That's when things turned a bit oddly, almost putting Edgar off.

Karla took the lead, Edgar being forced to follow. It was traditional that the man lead in the dance. However, the king surely would not speak a word of it. He kept a smile on his face, no matter how uncomfortable it was. By the end of the dance, Edgar was having a tad bit of issue catching his breath. It had been quite a long time since he'd danced at that pace for that long. Honestly, he wasn't sure he could think of a time. That was more exhausting than any comparison that he could think of. The King had never been so pleased about a song ending before. It meant it was slower and he didn't have to fight to get air in his lungs.

If this woman wasn't so attractive, he might have made an excuse to leave and duck out already. As if on cue, the woman leaned forward, whispering a bit seductively to him. Phew, she was so worth it. "Quite novel, indeed....." He said between breaths. "I can honestly say I've never had a night quite like this." He smiled, whispering back in her ear, lingering a bit until another woman caught his eyes.

Sabin had always told him he would get himself in trouble. Edgar did like to flirt, but knew better. However, the woman across the floor was quite attractive as well. She was definitely of age if she was attending an event such as this. She had equally radiant blonde hair with an extravagant gown to boot. She moved across the floor and he watched her from his position. The King knew when someone was watching him and there was no question whether Elsa was watching him. It was obvious. He had also taken many lessons over his years being prepped for King. She was waiting for a change in partners.

"How about I get you enjoy another dance while I take a moment to catch my breath." He smiled towards the disguised Kefka, squeezing her waist a bit before releasing her. He certainly felt a second wind. He bowed softly and left her to get something to drink, if there was anything. Maybe, with his luck, someone would ask Karla to dance and he'd get his shot at asking the lovely snow themed darling to dance. As if on cue, one of the men that was standing far too straight for his own good approached Karla to ask for a dance.

As he walked toward Elsa, he spoke up. "I have heard that hot and cold do not normally mix. However, would you be open to testing such a theory?" His charm was going to get him in trouble this evening. It was one thing to hit on multiple girls in one night, it was another to dance with one while the other was watching. He planned to sneak a short dance with Elsa, flirt a bit, then return to Karla. The woman he'd come with seemed to be the one to enjoy the remainder of the evening with. Karla definitely had a sort of fire about her that kept Edgar interested.

What could go wrong?

[Deleted]

Well, things were progressing quite nicely, if Kefka had anything to say about it. He had that fool Edgar in his clutches thanks to this clever disguise. But he could definitely tell that the king was starting to develop some inkling that things were a little off, even if he tried to hide it behind faux sophistication. That was just peachy with the mad sorcerer. Let the unease sink in slowly, and then he'd do something incredibly dastardly, and then- KABLOOIE! He'd raze the whole ballroom and everything in it!

But what should that final act be? Something that attacked the young king's pride, definitely... something to truly shame him to the core, ruin him indefinitely. Oh, ooooh, now an idea was coming to him! That'd wipe that smug, devilish smile off that grease monkey's face...

...And then suddenly he was being traded off. Kefka gave a wide eyed look as Edgar begged off a new dance and went off for another partner, and the clown in his female form just stood there dumbly for a few seconds, letting it all process. It certainly didn't help that he caught a glimpse of who the new girl who had stolen Edgar away was... the ice queen, his new best friend and favorite playmate, Elsa.

That made Kefka mad. Oh, it brought his blood to a boil to be passed off like the fat kid in gym class. He blatantly ignored the other schmuck who was trying to court him for a dance as he just glared daggers into Edgar's back and at the regal ice queen. Again, AGAIN, she was ruining his plans for a lovely evening!

But we couldn't have that. Not at all...

The newest number started up, a grand waltz, that cut through the past melodic song like a knife through butter. Taking the cue literally, Kefka sped up quicker than his skirts would make him seem and skilfully grabbed Edgar into a spin move, simultaneously and unceremoniously bumping Elsa off to the side in a not-so-soft manner. "Cutting in, dearie!" he called back cheerfully as he spun speedily away with his prize, leaving her in the dust. Oh, he wished that she could sprawl across the floor and get her face stomped in by high heels, that would just be a hoot!

As it was, his attention was back on Edgar, and his grip was iron on Edgar's arms and shoulder, his pretty new face leaning in close to his ear. He overrode the king's obvious protests with a subtle whisper, "Now, Eddie-boy, don't you be leaving me by myself again. Or else things might start to go south... in a way I'm sure you're quite familiar with." His low voice then changed to his male one, whispering softly so only Edgar would hear. "Remember Figaro, Eddie? How your towers fried... and your people roasted? When you tried to hide my prize from me?"

He continued, "Now, here's the deal, gear-head: you try to attack me, you even give an inkling that we're nothing less than a dancing couple... and the fireworks start. Maybe you'll kill me, doubtful but maybe... but I guarantee some collateral damage before we're through. And more than a few body parts lost. Now, the only way we avoid that little tragedy is by dancing to the tune. Shall we?"

(Illusion lifted for Edgar, still up for everyone else)

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Elsa watched from the sidelines as the man caught her eye. He stared at her over his partner's shoulder, and Elsa made sure to smile as he did. She watched the two of them dance ferociously to the extraordinary tempo, the woman leading. Elsa thought it was a bit unusual, but the woman in question seemed to stand up to her looks in terms of her personality -- she was as confident as her choice in gowns seemed to indicate, and skilled on the dance floor to boot. Elsa wondered if even she'd be able to keep up.

When the song came to an end, couples separated and a wave of applause rippled through the crowded hall. Several women stalked off, their partners in tow, sweat glistening on bare arms and V-neck chests. Several of the men around her bowed to their lady partners and disappeared into the corner of the hall, no doubt seeking refreshments. Only a few brave couples stayed together, pressed against each other, chests heaving, breaths mingling. It was romantic, Elsa thought. The way they stayed together, even after such a rigorous number.

Her eyes returned to the princely man and his partner. They were leaned into each other, whispering to each other. Her prize looked like some of the men who had run off to the refreshments table -- soaked with sweat, breathing heavily, a forced smile on his lips. Even still, he didn't seem to want to separate from her. A pang of guilt tugged at Elsa's heart. She had half a mind to turn away and find someone else when she noticed his hands leave hers to squeeze her waist, motion to one of the men standing awkwardly to their right and then settle at his sides as he made his way slowly -- awkwardly -- towards the refreshments corner.

One of Elsa's hands raised instinctively to her chest. She wondered if it would be alright to approach him on his way to the table, to ask if it was alright if she stole him away from his partner for one quick dance, when he glanced around and found her gaze already settled on his.

She jumped a little, surprised. He smiled a charming smile and approached her.

"I have heard that hot and cold do not normally mix. However, would you be open to testing such a theory?" he asked.

She didn't need a mirror to know she was blushing. Her cheeks felt hot, and without meaning to, her eyes dipped down to settle on his neck as he came to a stop before her. He was even more handsome in person: a soft jawline, bright green eyes, the same wild hair as her own. He looked strong, as well. She could tell by the way his arms filled the sleeves of his uniform, the fabric stiff and perfect enough to be that of a royal.

Maybe he was royal.

Maybe this was her chance -- her first, real chance.

"Of course," she said. She reached down and pinched her dress between her fingers, lifting it up into an elegant curtsey. Her dress flared into a wide banner of glittering snowflakes as she did, the lights above making them sparkle like real snow on a bright winter's day. The glow from her dress illuminated her fair skin and cast dancing beams of light across her blonde labyrinth of hair. Her glitter cape swayed gently behind her. She smiled shyly. "After all, even if we don't mix for long, at least we should make some steam, no?"

The next number, a grand waltz, flared up behind them as the orchestra returned to its duties. Elsa reached up and placed one hand on his padded shoulder, while slipping the other into his free hand. Her smile widened when she held his hand join hers and his other one came to rest at her waist. As they began to dance, spinning slowly around one another, Elsa glanced up at her catch. Their eyes only ever met briefly, but when they did, she could feel her heart do a little somersault in her chest. And it wasn't the sort of somersaults that accompanied the rage of her storm or the devastating howl of her magic -- this was a short, warm somersault. One she hadn't felt in a long time.

She hadn't bothered to glance back at the man's ex-partner, wasn't even aware of the eyes that pierced through her partner's back like daggers at her, didn't think that she might still be watching them. Instead, Elsa pressed herself closer to the man, her cheek almost leaned against his as they spun around the room. Their breaths met in the little air that separated them. His was warm and lingered on Elsa's cheeks. She let him lead, having seen the insanity of the dance before this one, and enjoyed the rhythmic pace he kept with her, gently pulling her across the dance floor as they moved, one piece among hundreds, like a whole. It was beautiful, their synchronicity not only with each other, but with the rest of the hall as well.

It felt nice to be small. Nice to be just her and another, ignored by the rest of the world but not isolated. This was her perfect place. Right here, right now.

With him.

She gathered enough courage to look up at him for more than a few fleeting seconds. She smiled her best smile, and tried her hand at being flirtatious.

"So, Mr. Hot," she said, "I don't even know your name yet and yet you've already manage--"

Another pair of hands joined with theirs just as the man opened up his arms to allow Elsa to twirl. A woman's hands.

Before Elsa knew what was happening, her grip on the man's hand was gone. A hip met fiercely and unceremoniously with her own. She gasped and stumbled across the dance floor, colliding with several couples who gasped and pushed her away as she tried to regain her balance on her heels. Flustered and discombobulated, Elsa glanced around wildly, her brow set in a frown, determined to find who had so rudely stolen her partner away and sent her flying across the room.

It didn't take very long to find a familiar, slender body in a striped gown pressed up against her partner. The same woman from before, once again with her mouth pressed close against the man's ear. The man's face screamed of protest, which struck Elsa as odd -- were they not a couple? If they were, the woman had every right to be angry that he'd left her to dance with Elsa, she supposed -- but it wasn't quite enough to quell her own anger.

The woman could have asked, tapped her on the shoulder and given her a look, anything but hip-check her away and into other dancers.

Fine, she thought. She sighed. Be that way.

Disappointed, Elsa removed herself from the dance floor to regain her composure. She adjusted her dress and smoothed out the material with her hands on the side of the hall, all the while glancing up at the couple, who were now pressed together intimately, as she had been only moments prior. Bitter, Elsa raised a finger at them as she worked, shooting a subtle jet of ice onto the dance floor, right underneath where the woman's left foot was about to come down.

If hip-checking was allowed in this game, so was this.

[Deleted]

Edgar had already lit the match and everything became a domino effect from his actions. It was a gift and a curse at the same time. The intelligence he gained from his philanthropy had saved lives. Yet, it was a dual edged blade. The things that flared up in response to his flirting tended to put him between a rock and a hard place. The King really did throw himself into the first sometimes. This instance was a perfect example of that.

Elsa had reacted positively to his very dry pick up line. It had definitely made the royal smile in response. However, what really made him smile was her response. The man let out a hearty laugh at her comment. "Hahaha. Well, you definitely have a sense of humor." He was quite impressed with the woman. She was rather attractive, almost as stunning as Terra. There was something special about her that did remind him of Terra. But, she was not Terra.

The woman had accepted his proposal to dance and he accepted her hand to walk her to the floor. He placed his hand on her waist, the other holding her hand as they moved to the music. It was quite impressive how well she knew to dance. There was something out of place here about her. She didn't seem to be like the other women here, nor did Karla. But, he didn't let that bother him. He planned to enjoy this dance with the lovely blonde in front of him. Hm, maybe he had a thing for blondes?

Edgar smiled faintly as she called him Mr. Hot and had begun to ask his name. As he opened his mouth to respond, he felt like the air had been knocked out of him. It was Karla's voice. He had been stolen off and he was more than lost at the moment. He'd started to object, to find out what her problem was. That's when she spoke up, cutting him off. This was completely uncalled for. He had every intention of it, until her actions now. That's when it clicked in his head. This woman had called him 'Eddie-boy'. That was very unlike her and seemed reminiscent of something familiar in his past.

When her voice change, the man felt himself tense up. It all made sense now as he shut his eyes, feeling rather sick. How had he not realized this!? Karla....Kefka....Blonde with a yellow, purple, and red dress? All her words and that laugh!? He felt like the biggest fool on the face of the planet. "....I think I'm going to be sick." He stated, moving in time with the clown.

He remained silent for a moment, his body language a bit different now in this scenario. He did attempt to feign interest in the 'woman'. But it was hard to even think about him that way now. That had to be the worst day of his life. He was on a date with the psycho clown who had destroyed his planet.

Kefka's date was silent for a moment before speaking up. He took the lead this time, attempting to take charge of the situation. "What is stopping you from destroying the place now? I doubt my company is that interesting. What are you after..." He asked, not sure how tormenting Edgar was more fun then burning down a building. Did he really want to destroy the man's ego? Honestly, Edgar wasn't sure he'd ever flirt with another girl again....till tomorrow.

He hadn't even noticed the patch of ice.

[Deleted]

Kefka could have rolled on the ground with laughter as realization suddenly dawned in Edgar's eyes as to the real identity of his mystery partner. Oh, he started going green with disgust at what he had fallen for, even admitted as much when Kefka chuckled at him. "Oh come on, Eddie, I can't be all that bad a looker? I'm wearing even less makeup than most of the cows here! Uwee hee hee!" Conversely, while Edgar looked like the most miserable belle of the ball, Kefka was having the time of his life.

At Edgar's question about the meaning behind this, the mad mage looked at him sidelong before replying, "You really need an answer for that? From me of all people? Pah, I took you for better brains than that, grease monkey!" He smirked. "Simple. One of my last memories is of you and my darling green-haired witch smiting me down from my tower, my beautiful monument to non-existence... you killed me. It took a small army of you to kill a God, but you did it anyway. And now here I find you as if nothing ever happened. Why wouldn't I stop in and try to humiliate and break down one of my great adversaries? Mass destruction has a certain appeal, I'll grant you..."

Leaning in, Kefka whispered devilishly into Edgar's ear, "...but I find personal torture to be even more enjoyable. Let's you savor every last moment." To drive home the fact, he gently nibbled on Edgar's earlobe, enough to give the stuffed-shirted onlookers a good view. Of course, according to all of them, he still looked like Karla, not some clown-faced maniac feeling up another dude.Beauty was truly in the eye of the beholder.

"And besides," Kefka continued, "why are you complaining. Would you like for me to start the massacre early? Why Eddie-boy, I do believe you're more insane than- GYAH!" It was the damnedest thing: one moment Kefka was dancing with Edgar, a tug of war between two men on the dance-floor, and the next he was flat on his back, Karla's skirts splayed out every which way. Shaking himself bewilderedly, the mad clown looked down to see a small ice slick on the floor.

Elsa...

That pompous, impudent, little brat! How dare she interfere again after Kefka had kicked her to the curb! Where was she? Where was she!? Ah, right across the audience, the most sickening look of defiance on her pretty face. Karla merely gave her a seething glare, shot back up and took Edgar forcefully into her arms. The waltz had begun again, and this time Kefka moved both of them around the periphery. Discreetly enough, he took aim and fired a small Thunder right at the ice queen's feet. Not enough to kill anyone, but enough to fry her and make her jump.

You wanna dance, Snowflake? Alright... let's tango.

[Deleted]

PETE HAS ARRIVED

Ready or not, here he comes!

Day one. This was Pete's very first day on duty in his new gig, and naturally he was rather nervous. His new job description stated that he was to cause chaos and unrest on...any world he felt like causing chaos and unrest. Pete was a bonafide agent of chaos, and that did not sit well with him at all. He was used to stirring up trouble, but stirring it up randomly and without purpose? He wasn't sure he had the guts. And yet here he was, opening a corridor to random world. Though he lacked confidence, the dark cat was not going to just put off his duties! This job was his one chance to finally obtain some darn glory and he wasn't going to screw it up by sitting around asking What Ifs. It was time to get going; with his corridor formed Pete confidently stepped through to face his first target.

And what a target it was. The world Pete arrived on was not familiar to him, but he must have visited it at one point otherwise the corridor wouldn't have taken him...here. The corridor had transported Pete into one of the thousands of bedrooms hidden in the Castle of Dreams. Pete exited said bedroom in a stealthy fashion (and by stealthy I mean clumsily rolling out into an empty hallway) and proceeded to explore the castle. Pete increasingly became confused as his spelunking went on; Where was everybody? Every hallway he turned down was empty! Not a maid or guard to be seen! The castle was nice and seemed to be well kept, so you'd think there would at least be-ugh why was he complaining? If anything this made his job easier.

Pete wandered around a tad more before finally coming upon something that wasn't a straight hallway with doors! It was a straight hallway without doors! "I betchya Maleficent would 'of loved this place." Pete mused to himself. She probably would have been able to take it over within at least a week. Man this place would look awfully great with a splash of darkness on i-gah, concentrate! You're not working for Maleficent anymore Pete, it was time to look to the present. He marched around a while longer before coming upon a set of small stairs. He went down the stairs and at came upon a single door. From behind the door, Pete swore he could hear an orchestra playing. Not having many other options, Pete opened the door and stepped through.

He came upon a room. Within this room sat a fat man in an extravagant costume. Seriously, it was rather ridiculous: all red with an odd Victorian suit with a big cloak and matching big hat (complete with a giant puffy feather). The man seemed to be half asleep, but he certainly heard the door open as he spoke out, "Ugh, whoever you are I am not complying. I've said it AT LEAST a hundred times, I'm not performing until-DOH!" The plump oaf made the mistake of opening his eyes, nearly jumping out of his skin upon seeing Pete. Pete rolled his eyes and stomped forward. The man stood from his sofa and backed away. "W-whatever you are, I mean no trouble! I'm just a humble opre-" Boof! Pete knocked the man out cold with a swift bump on the head. He shook his head at the puffed man and took a good look around the room. Very luxurious, very comforting...not worth describing. The curtains on the other side of the room, however, were very notable. Pete approached the purple hanging fabric and gingerly parted them just enough for his eye too peek through.

Through them he spotted the source of the orchestra: There was a ding-dong shindig going on! A regular hootenanny, and here was Pete looking for something to mess with! Pete examined the room for a moment more. Currently, an odd duo was really ripping up the dance floor. They must be in love...Pete will put a stop to that! He was about to storm out and cause a commotion-but quickly stopped himself. His darn brain decided to throw logic at him: Though barging around and begin a brute was his usual area of expertise, that strategy was best used when working for Maleficent. He was a new cat now, working for a new mysterious employer! Said employer may not appreciate the barging and booming, he might in fact appreciate his minions using a tad more finesse or trying a more dramatic approach. Point was, this was the perfect opportunity to switch up his routine! Experiment, try something new y'know? Deciding this was a grand idea, Pete backed away from the curtains and began thinking of how he may spice up his usual antics. He was rather stumped for a while...until his eyes rested on the knocked out fat man.

Cut to a couple minutes later, and Pete would now be donning the man's cloak, hat, and coat. Ignoring the fact that the coat fit rather to well, Pete was satisfied with his new costume and would swiftly exit the curtains. Pete stumbled a few steps as he walked out; for whatever reason his brain did not register that he was up on the second floor looking onto a balcony when surveying the area. His stumbling knocked over a music stand, but he quickly regained his composure and looked downward. His new hat obscured his face, but was tilted upward just right so that he may still see (though in a shaded light). Then, all of a sudden, a cluster of oddness took place.

Pete's clumsy stumbling attracted the attention of the orchestra's conductor. Mistaking Pete for the fat performer, the poor conductor panicked and abruptly waved his players to be silent. He made a few hand motions to prepare for the performer's song, but would be further distracted by the sound of intense striking static slicing through the silence. This striking static attracted a good deal of attention from the ballroom's residence, each one turning to look upon an attractive blond woman charging up to a woman in blue. Pete looked upon this scene with the slightest bit of curiosity. He had the privilege of seeing the thunder spell fully executed and from above. His plan was to simply jump down and be all dramatic and foreboding but with this development it may be smart just to sit back and watch for a moment. See where this goes. Luckily there was a single chair on the balcony, which Pete dragged over near the edge to sit on and watch the events below in.

[Deleted]

Elsa couldn't help but feel a sense of justice as she watched the lush woman's foot come down upon her little slick of ice, only to fly forward and upwards into the air, the rest of her body following through until she was splayed out on the dance floor, her dress flared out at her sides. The Snow Queen didn't smile at her work, nor was she particularly proud of her underhandedness, but given the woman's response to Edgar asking her to dance, Elsa couldn't deny that a little hit of revenge felt good. It was enough to embarrass the woman for her rude behaviour but not enough to injure her or ruin the rest of her evening. The ice would melt swiftly with all the warmth of the bodies crowding the full hall, so Elsa wouldn't have to wait long before all evidence of her ministrations disappeared into a puddle.

She sighed. So much for a nice, uneventful evening. It seemed the only dance partner she was ever likely to find was trouble.

Her own dress adjusted, the beautiful silk fabric and elegant snowflake patterns glistening, she turned her attention to another couple not far from Edgar and his partner. She eyed the man: tall, with dark hair and a slender build, albeit a small bulge at his belly. He wore a dark suit with an odd, pleated collar and white gloves over his hands. He shuffled uncomfortably after his companion, a somewhat plump woman in a red dress whose laugh, which sounded like the sound a donkey might make, reverberated against the walls, even above the music.

He looked alright, she supposed, disheartened. He lacked Edgar's royal appearance and mannerisms, and the bulge in his stomach didn't quite match up to the other man's muscles. She shook her head. Her eyes flicked back to Edgar and his partner. Edgar looked green in the face, his features distorted into a sickened expression. Elsa didn't blame him -- she'd probably feel the same way after having her ear bitten by such a rotten person.

The woman, his partner, had sat up and was glancing around the room, fury in her eyes.

You deserved it... Elsa thought bitterly. The iciness in her voice surprised her.

Then their eyes found each other. Elsa's sapphire orbs glimmered defiantly. This vile woman might have thrown her across the dance floor, but Elsa wasn't about to just let her stand up and walk away with her victory... even if, in the end, Elsa knew she had won. He had been her prize from the beginning. It had been Elsa who had entered the mix, attracted Edgar's attention and tore apart their partnership. She was the villain here. But villain or not... she had earned a dance with a man of her choosing, hadn't she? After everything she'd been through lately? After being stolen away from home, tricked and lied to, fought and defeated and subdued... wasn't she allowed one little dance?

The woman's eyes provided her answer. A glare like no other bore into her own, bearing nothing but hatred and disdain.

Elsa cringed at the look once the woman peeled her eyes away, jumping to her feet to reclaim her prize and cement her victory in the Snow Queen's face. The two were together again and Elsa, unbeknownst even to herself, was left alone on an empty patch of dance floor, not even realizing that she'd been slowly moving back towards them as she'd been watching them.

The music began to play again. Another waltz. Boisterous notes blared and covered the commotion on-stage as a strange beast dressed in an even stranger costume stumbled across the raised platform, knocking over music stands and flailing its arms.

Elsa only watched Edgar and the woman dance, oblivious to the shenanigans happening only a few feet from her.

She did notice, however, when the music stopped and heads turned towards her and another woman across the hall. Little did she know it was the same woman who had stolen away her prize for the evening.

The same woman who had just fired a Thunder spell at her feet.

With no music to drown out her voice and the eyes of the entire hall on her, Elsa shrieked in pain as every nerve in her body lit up, as if she was on fire from the inside-out. The lightning rattled her entire frame, made her body shake and twitch uncontrollably, if only for a few seconds before it ended. She stood, clutching her left arm, which pulsed painfully along with her shocked heart. Her skin felt as though she'd been left to cook in an oven and was removed just a little too late. Her breaths came in short, painful bursts that made her chest shudder.

She looked up at the woman still grasping Edgar's hands and frowned, a little bit of hatred seeping into her own eyes.

... Is this how it's going to be? her eyes asked.

[Deleted]

Edgar hated how much this amused Kefka. The man annoyed the hell out of him. The King knew how dangerous the clown could be and he did not want to unleash a battle in the middle of the ball. There would be too many innocent lives lost if he did. So, the best bet was to play along and try to think of a way out of this that wouldn't get him or anyone else killed. His mind was far from anything else as he'd snapped out of his philanthropy back to his more serious expression. He needed to figure this out and fast. He wouldn't have much time when Kefka decided to start the battle. "Less make up or not, you haven't ever been much of a 'looker', Kefka."

The clown spoke of how Edgar and the group had killed him and it was the last thing he remembered. The man was a little frustrated now. So this was some sort of revenge plot? Was Edgar being targeted from the beginning. "I suppose I should take that as a compliment." He replied. "It's not every day a psychopathic clown decides to make me their first target." He replied. He hated keeping the clown as close as he was. If he could summon his spear now, he might be able to run the clown through and give himself a lead. Kefka would focus his attack on Edgar, and most of the guests in the room would be able to make their break for it.

What made his skin crawl was when Kefka nibbled his ear. He felt his stomach turn as he leaned away from the clown. By the end of this evening, he was worried that he might have a few white hairs on his pretty little head. The clown started up again about a massacre when suddenly the clown slipped and fell flat on his ass. Edgar couldn't help but laugh, a hand darting to his mouth. He couldn't set the clown off. He was sure that the magic would start flying if he did. Since his eyes were on the clown, his magic casting was quite obvious. The King of Figaro wasn't fast enough, gripping the man's arm after he'd cast it. "Stop this." He stated, not sure what he was doing.

Nothing else mattered in the room until he heard the scream. His eyes moved over to Elsa to see she was the source of the pained noise. Was there a reason Kefka had attacked the young woman? Was it simply because he had taken interest in the woman? He felt as if his hands were tied. "You use another ounce of magic and I'll skewer you here without a second thought." He threatened, his tone low. That was about the extent of his power, to threaten if Kefka kept it up. "This is between you and I, not anyone else in this room."