♫2♪ [Voice/Action]

[bridal_idol]

[Today is a magical day, Luceti. Azusa has been wondrously confused and amazed by all of the things she's seen around Luceti...but it's her turn. She doesn't remember putting it on, but she's wearing a dress made of rags...and she's cleaning her apartment. Repeatedly. The journal is fortunate enough to pick up her singing just as she goes to make

Comments

[13th_captain]

[Formal parties and dances are SO not Arumat's thing, which is why he's just going to be standing in a corner looking awkward and tugging at the formal clothing he's wearing for some reason that he doesn't quite understand. Ugh, why does it ITCH so much? Is this party over yet? Can he go home?]

[bridal_idol]

[Balls are so exciting, though! Or so Azusa-rella thinks. She's never been to one, and she's alternating between confused and really excited. At least she's wearing a formal gown now, as opposed to her rag dress from earlier. She's used to formal wear, thanks to photo shoots.

Arumat is such a wallflower, though, that Azusa doesn't notice him at first. In the dark, she just walks right into him.]

Ah, I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going.

[13th_captain]

Watch where you're--

[The response is automatic, escaping his mouth before he even thinks about it or gets a glimpse of just who it was who bumped into him. It isn't until he looks down that he's able to get a good look at the girl who just ran headlong into him, and...

... oh. She's... awfully pretty. Wait, since when has he paid attention to pretty girls? He isn't sure, but he's very sure that he's noticing it now.]

[bridal_idol]

[Ouch. That hurt. Azusa has to pick herself up off the ground, because he's a brick.]

My, my, I really need to keep my eyes open. [And then she meets his eyes. He has weird robotic things on the side of his head, his hair is white, there's a scar across his face, and his musculature is kind of weird for a formal suit.

Azusa has never fallen in love so quickly. Her cheeks blush slightly.] I'll...never know what I might be missing, otherwise.

[13th_captain]

... are you injured?

[Now he's feeling bad, even though it wasn't really his fault at all. The very least he can do is make sure she's all right-- she landed pretty hard on the ground there.

He's totally not blushing, either.]

[bridal_idol]

I'm fine, thank you, Prince Arumat.

[Yes, that's right. The prince of her kingdom! How could she have been so clumsy, this is the person who the ball is being thrown for! He's looking for a noblewoman to marry!

She can't possibly waste his time any further, even if her polite smile says otherwise. The cold air does nothing to calm the red in her own cheeks.]

My, my. I should be on my way, I'm sure you have plenty to do.

[13th_captain]

You could at least give me a dance before you leave.

[It's hardly the most romantic request, if it can even be called a request rather than a demand. He is here to find a wife, after all, so he might as well at least pretend to look. And there's just something about this girl that intrigues him...]

[bridal_idol]

With...with me? I couldn't possibly...

[It's still the most amazing thing that's ever happened to Azusa. It's late, and she knows she's running out of time...that's the other issue. She can't say no, though.]

Just one, then. It would be my pleasure.

[13th_captain]

Just one.

[It's not like he WANTS more than one, anyway. He thinks. Actually, he isn't really sure what he thinks anymore.

So. Um. Dance. He'll hold out an awkward hand to her, praying that she actually knows how to dance, because he sure as hell doesn't.]

[bridal_idol]

[Azusa does know how to dance. Usually it's choreographed, but she knows how to slow dance as well...and she'll start to lead Arumat in time to imaginary music, barely able to maintain eye contact with him. She just blushes--it's not like she can introduce herself.

Though, part of her is wondering why that is, and why exactly she's dancing with someone who looks like he could snap her in half.]

You're very good at this, Prince Arumat.

[13th_captain]

[Being able to snap her in half is exactly why he's holding her the way one would hold a porcelain doll-- very carefully and more than a little awkwardly. But at the same time there's something nice about this, and he can't deny that there's something that just feels RIGHT about being with this girl, though the more rational part in the back of his mind is screaming at him for this.]

So are you. Have you had lessons?

[bridal_idol]

["Yes," she answered, explaining her history as an idol as she continued to dance. Her love of performing, her success, everything.

Or so she wanted to do. Instead, something else comes out, though she's still leading the dance.]

This is my first dance. I've always wanted to dance under the stars like this, though.

[13th_captain]

Not bad for an amateur.

[... it's meant to be a compliment, really. Arumat just isn't very good at things like that. In fact, this is probably the nicest he's been to anyone in quite a while.]

[bridal_idol]

I think it's the magic of the night, don't you?

[She doesn't, not really, but before her Prince can give her a harsh reply, there's a chiming sound. Or maybe something fell down, or it was a screeching cat...It doesn't matter. Azusa suddenly looks like she's seen a ghost, and she backs away from Arumat without another word.]

W-which bell was that? What time is it?

[13th_captain]

[Arumat's only response is to stare down at her, one eyebrow raised as if he's wondering why she can't recognize the clock's chime when she hears it. Isn't it obvious?]

That's the clock chiming midnight. You haven't ever heard it before?

[bridal_idol]

I knew it...I just...

[For some reason, this is now the worst place to possibly be. She has to leave. If she doesn't get home, something awful is going to happen. ... ... It's also really cold, and she doesn't want to be out here without a jacket.]

I have to go. I'm so very sorry!

[She bows, then looks around her before starting to run off.]