"I see... that dance, it certainly seems beautiful. Perhaps later, you can show me the whole dance...?" A slow smile on his face... was it an offer for a 'later'? And was that in characer or out? His smile was just a touch suggestive, but not unseemingly so.

"In the meantime..." His voice touched with a whisper, or maybe even husky... "Shall we dance?" A loud whisper, as he begins to guide her out onto the floor... a slow dance, it seemed, held very close, very tight.

A hand against the small of her back, once again, the fabric of his uniform teasing against her exposed skin. His breathing was hot, but soft, gentle... as was his touch as he held her, just firm enough to seem to hold her fast as he began to sway gently with her.

Bala smiles sheepishly at the thought of giving the dashing Captain a private performance of the Kathak dance. She really was an accomplished dancer. And boys really liked and seemed to get turned on by the dance. Perhaps she could coax a kiss out of this true gentleman. She would make sure that it didn't go any farther than that though. Propriety must be maintained. After all, she was betrothed to another.

Bala glides onto the dance floor with him. He was so confident and strong. She loved how he answered his own question, said in such a sexy voice, by guiding them to the dance. And a wonderful slow dance it was. His hand on her bare back, underneath the sari, held her tight. She only broke eye contact with him to look around the room to see if the other girls were watching them. Then she lay her head on his shoulder, quite content.

"Mmmm... you are quite a lovely young woman... why bless me so greatly with your presence?" His arm was tight around her waist... his fingers, she could feel them gently stroking the small of her back. They didn't wander down, as much as she might want them to... their presence and gentle touch working their way into her consciousness with every caress.

"I suppose... that's just rhetorical. Then, along with this dance, what else does this lady wish for?" A gentle whisper by her ear, now, as he moves with her, dancing slowly, feeling every breath of hers as they move. He was in no hurry, savoring the sensation, the contact...

Bala smiles and blushes, both at the compliment and the massage. Her blush becomes even deeper when he asks her what else she wants. She can't tell him about the kiss. That would be too forward. She stutters a bit before she can say her reply. "A walk in the garden would be lovely. It's such a wonderful night."

Just then a Prefect comes by and shoves a cup of punch into Bala's hand. She states brusquely, "this is for the Head Girl's toast." She then leans in so just Bala can hear and continues, "don't make our school look bad! Drinking to the toast is required. You don't want detention in the Basement, do you?" The Prefect then curtsies to the handsome Captain and with a sweet smile offers him a cup as well. She then rushes off to ensure the rest of Shokushu's students get a cup of the special punch.

"Well, it looks like I have a toast to drink to. It is nice that we're celebrating our school's founding. I guess your school was founded around the same time." It was more a statement than a question. She continues without waiting for an answer, "I hope we toast soon." And with that, Bala took her free hand off of the Captain's shoulder and used it to press his hand to her back. She wasn't going to let him move it away. She looked up into his dreamy eyes and thought, <just a kiss, Bala. Don't let him go any farther than that.>

"The garden?" That catches him by surprise, mostly because he didn't expect there to be one nearby... smiling, he kept his arm around her gently, noting the punch forced into his 'date's' hand, accepting the offered cup gingerly. Interesting... very interesting.

"Our school was... well, actually a little earlier I think." He laughs, sounding a touch embarrassed at not knowing. "But you know how it goes... better to hold one larger party than two smaller ones."

What surprised him the most though was her boldness. She wasn't being saucy, but she was insistent, close. As her hand came over his, he noticed her staring up at him... slowly, gently, he leaned down to look into her eyes.

"Something the matter?" He asked, deliberately softly, drinking in her beautiful features and flushed, attracted expression...

Bala laughs politely along with the Captain. She nods and says, "yes, one large party is definitely better. Especially the company." Bala stops for a moment and says to no one in particular, "did I say that last bit out loud. I'll have to be more careful." She blushes again when he asks her if something is wrong. She looks down and shakes her head no with a sheepish grin.

She looks back up at her partner and turns them towards the exit to the garden. "Yes. We have a beautiful botanical garden with a very interesting Japanese Rock Garden at its center." She guides them outside, stopping only at a table to put her cup down. She takes his with a smile and places it next to hers. She then guides him to the nearby garden, skipping next to him causing her anklets to ring. As they get further into the garden, a gazebo comes into view. Bala points it out with a wave and guides her date towards the open structure.

Once again Bala speaks as though she were thinking aloud. "I think that punch is spiked. But I've been to enough beer halls in Germany that I should be able to handle my liquor." She looks again at the dashing Captain with a look that shows she wonders if she said this aloud too. As she skips, she changes her pace to elicit different sounds from her anklet bells. "I just love the gazebo. One gets such a marvelous view of the garden from there."

Slowly, he smiled to himself, just walking along with her as they moved out to the garden. He was quite comfortable with her close, stepping out with her... a garden indeed. Actually impressed, he smiled down at her as she guides them out, surrendering his own cup easily enough to her gentle fingers.

"Mm... I see, beautiful..." He wasn't looking just at the garden though, grinning briefly to himself. The gentle jangle of her anklets made him shiver, Ico giving himself a moment to adjust to the new noise. It was strangely enticing... he tried to push it to the back of his mind, lest he do something before it was time...

After all, he's spent too much time preparing for this very thing. "Yes... that punch has a little bite." He whispers a bit lowly, taking it as an excuse to bring his lips closer to her ears. "It is a bit strong... some mischievous student undoubtedly was up to trouble." He doesn't comment about her thoughts of the gazebo, just stepping in close, moving up behind the lovely girl and holding her gently.

"It does have a nice view..." He finally said, and slowly leaned down. For a long moment, there was nothing, and then she felt him gently kissing the top of her head!

A cold shiver runs down Bala's spine as the dashing Captain whispers in her ear. Her heart races as she walks with the handsome man. He certainly seems to like Bala and she thought she was sure to get her kiss tonight.

After Jefferson kisses the top of her head, Bala spins in his arms and looks up into his beautiful eyes. She feels a real make out kiss is near. Then she becomes very frightened. She isn't scared of the monster holding her who intends to take her chastity, and would do so not very long from now. No. She is frightened of a real kiss with a real, human, boy. She quickly backs away from the Captain, out of his hold. She stutters for a moment. "I... I... I promised you a dance", she finally blurts out.

She begins to nervously sing a tune to get the beat. She seems more sure of herself the further into the song she gets. Comfortable with the beat, she stops singing and begins to dance. In order to avoid kissing the Captain, she dances a Kathak that she had hoped would entice a kiss from him.

The dance is all the Captain could have hoped for. Each move seems to put on display Bala's graceful form. Every so often, a white petal comes loose from one of the garlands on her hair and dances in time with her spins. More than her anklets provide seductive tinging... In time with her dance Bala, would bang her forearms in an "X", causing her bracelets to join the anklets in tinging. After four minutes of dancing, Bala comes to a stop, chest heaving as she breathes heavily. Her legs are spread and bent and her hands are above her head. The smile she had maintained throughout the dance turns into a beaming smile.

Such a sweet young woman. Icosagon felt her shiver, felt her excitement. He was, too. But he was also willing to play it all out until the very last beat...

His eyes met hers, warm, touched with curiosity and a slight intensity. Interest, desire? She couldn't be sure. But his breath drew in deep as he gazed into her eyes... and saw a touch fear? It was surprising, and he easily let her pull away, his hands dropping to his sides as he just watches her with a mostly-blank expression, touched with something else. Hurt, maybe?

And then an offer. A dance? He smiles faintly, encouragingly, but was still confused. Visibly so. He gives a gentle nod to her as she begins, stepping back a little more to lean against the gazebo's rail. A dance for him...

A dance he would remember. She swayed beautifully, enticingly, his eyes catching every curve as they turned away to hide or slid about to reveal themselves, or simply danced and teased his eyes. Accompanying it was the gentle fluttering ot loose petals or the soft chiming and jangling of her bracelets and jewelry, and her enticing dance had fully captured all of his senses.

Her finale isn't accompanied with an applause, but her beaming smile is met with his own. He steps forwards slowly... approaching her in a steady swiftness that brought her too him quickly. One hand reached out gently, to take hers... and his other moved up to cup her cheek gently. With a slow tilt of her head, his face stared back down onto her lovely features for a moment, eyes holding hers in their bright, delighted gaze...

"With your permission..." He whispers it, his head lowering to share the words with her clearly, and then lowering still more towards her face...

She had begun to recover from her dance when the Captain took her chin in his hand. Then her heart began to pound as their lips neared. <Such an honourable man>, Bala thought as he asked for her permission to kiss. Now the only dangers to her virtue were her own desires. She would hold them in check, despite melting in his eyes.

Their lips meet and Bala tingles all over. Unsure, her tongue dances with his. She reaches up with her free hand and lightly places it on the back of his neck. Bala loses herself in the kiss, yet starts to have a nagging feeling that something is wrong. As their kiss enters the second week, she starts to hear something. She reluctantly breaks off the kiss with a shocked look on her face and looks back towards the gymnasium. There a Prefect is calling out that the toast is about to happen and everyone come in for it.

Bala looks up at her Prince Charming and says, "we have to go. I'm not allowed to miss the toast." She takes a couple steps back towards the gym with the Captain in tow when she stops, gets on her toes, and kisses him briefly again. A few more steps and another kiss. She then quickly skitters towards the gym and says, "we have to go!" And quickens their pace to a jog, her charms tinging with each step.

A gentle kiss. A shiver, a delicate, pleasant sensation. He didn't pressure, instead he merely approached just enough for Bala to fall into it with her own hungers and desires. Tongues finally met, sliding close, and to his surprise she held him close. Aggressive, was her hunger... he wanted to explore it more, to see just how far she wanted to go of her own accord.

But then, an interruption. His eyes open as she breaks away, his own expression a blank look tinged with surprise. The toast, ah. Now, he knew, before she even said. It was surprising... she stopped, so suddenly, for this? To be proper... sorting out his confusion slowly, he smiles as she explains herself.

"Not allow-" He would have finished the question, but a kiss stole it form his lips. He smiles to her warmly... starting along with her, and being ambushed again with yet another kiss. Stepping close to his 'date', he breathes out a light sigh and walks quickly with her towards the gym. The sword at his side bounces against his side, a reminder of what was to happen... now, he needed to decide just what sort of game to play...

"But to be held back by a toast..." He whispers teasingly by her ear, walking swiftly beside and behind her, his quiet but steady footseps matching hers. "...I wonder if I should be hurt?"

His question cuts Bala to the core. Still walking, she looks up at him with a devastated look on her face. "No! Please don't be hurt. I'm really, really sorry. But they're really strict about the rules here. Not joining the toast would be disrespectful and I'd get detention." She wasn't sure he understood. "I know it sounds weird. But that's the way it is here."

She wasn't explaining it well. And his hurt look bothers the dusky woman. She tries to hurry him along but he doesn't seem to understand. When they get back to the table, Bala grabs their drinks, spilling some punch from both cups, and hands him one of them. "The toast will be over soon. And we can get back to". She pauses, trying to think of what to say. She doesn't want to promise too much. That wouldn't be fair to him. She finally settles on, "to talking. And I want the other girls to see me with a very handsome man." She had become so tipsy that she didn't even realise that her inner thoughts were coming out loud.

They do arrive in time. The Head Girl has everyone's attention and is about to make her toast. Bala grabs the Captain's free arm and holds him close. She alternates between looking towards the Head Girl and up to her Prince Charming. Bala is about to say something but stops herself in time. It wouldn't do to be seen talking during the toast.

At her hurt look, he can't help but look surprised! He watches her, listening to her stammering, embarrassed explanation, a faint smile starting to grow on his face. He couldn't help it. Her haste, her fluster, was an unintentional and humorous tease on her, and he easily let himself be lead to the table.

"Mm... perhaps we should steal the dance floor again... though I think your friends won't be the only ones feeling jealous." He says loudly, leaning over to get closer to Bala. He doesn't seem to mind, talking during the toast, but he quiets down enough to let the woman finish.

His eyes were twinkling with mischief, his gaze sliding from the Head Girl to Bala and back. An idea was forming... something that could be a bit fun. It would make up for the plot he had that he couldn't do...

Pursing his lips, he leans over slowly, the speech starting to finish. A lower whisper, now. "I certainly think you are beautiful... and it's my honor to spend more time with you. But, I must ask, why do you want to be seen with a handsome man?"

Her eyes grow wide as her date talks during the Head Girl's toast. Bala doesn't look at him but he can see her tense up. When she realises what he means by the jealous remark, her dark face turns a beet red. She snuggles even closer to him. She enjoys the heat from his body, even in this hot atmosphere.

With the completion of the toast, Bala downs all her punch in one swallow. She looks up at the Captain, face still red, and says, "I'd love to dance." She absently lets the hand holding the empty, clear plastic cup fall to her side. The cup slips from her fingers and falls to the floor. She doesn't want to answer his question and hopes he'll take her straight onto the dance floor.

With the toast completed, it won't be long until the lights flicker to the confusion of the students and the joy of the monsters. Every student in the school is in one of the four quadrants of the gymnasium. Their fates, like all the exits, are sealed. And Bala couldn't be happier with her Prince Charming. Heart pounding, Bala notices that some heads are turning as she and her Captain take to the dance floor.

He smiles faintly at the snuggling, gaze sliding over her with a pleased glint in his eye. Her embarrassment was pleasing, a tease and a delight. Smiling, he watches her down the punch... soon after this rushed act, he hears the cup topple away. It all meant she was tossing caution to the wind; she was throwing herself into the dance, into possibilities and little thrills.

Just how long was he going to play along? As long as he could, as long as it was fun. Taking her hand, he lead her out towards the floor...


The lights flickered just as she felt his arm slide in around the small of her back. Holding her possessively, close. But then it went dark a moment... and as the light returned, they were plunged into a nightmare.

Rippling, huge forms grew into existence. Tentacles rose into the air, carrying with it shrieking beauties and thrashing lovelies. Students were being plucked out of the crowd, clothing and costumes being ripped to shreds. Inhuman roars rose with the female cries, and a frantic pandemonium began as women began rushing in every which way to escape...

Bala's date was frozen, unmoving as he stared at the display. Perhaps he was too shocked by the sight, panicking silently. But his arms were still tight around Bala, as she herself would have to be the first to react...