Stepping into the ballroom proper a fleeting sense of relief washed over the small lady, thought her stiff posture did nothing to let on. At a quick glance everything seemed to be in its place. Finally after four years things here were beginning to feel familiar instead of utterly nerve-wracking. Though just as soon as the relief settled in did her heart skip a beat at the sound of her name being called over the melody of orchestral music.

Spinning to locate whoever had beckoned she heard her name again, this time much closer and it only took a moment to identify it’s owner. “Hello Shy, you look wonderful.” She smiled gladly beneath her mask at the girl in green who had appeared out of the crowd. “What gave me away?” She laughed to cover her sudden worry over whether or not she had made the concealing charms she wore strong enough. Then again, Shy was very familiar with her and anyone who knew Liana quite obviously knew Mog.

Mog who now sat impatiently at Liana’s feet, one paw lifted as if to tap her leg should she need be reminded that he was hungry, and the food here was his soul motivation for agreeing to risk being stepped on at any given moment.

Liana’s vision flitted to the taller woman wearing roses who had followed behind Shylarah. Her angelic wings and strong aura reminded Liana of an angel she had met previously, but that angel had been very blue and this person was very obviously not. Still, concealing spells and transformative magics were not particularly difficult to learn. It couldn’t hurt to ask, could it? “Um… Kyriel, is that you?”

Momentarily her attention wandered toward where she had heard he name called the first time. Searching hopelessly for a familiar hairstyle she knew she wouldn’t find. Unable to decipher clearly who the caller had been she refocused on the ladies before her. Forcefully unclenching her fist from around the bit of skirt she had been unconsciously squeezing.

"Your magical signature," the girl replied, totally missing that it was a rhetorical question. "And I hear Kai, and he feel nearby too. Is harder to find now, with short hair. I think also sense man he like. Is name...uh..." She hesitated as her violet eyes swept the room, searching for the pair. "Fighter, I think?" Shylarah didn't sound certain, nor had she remembered Archer's name correctly.

Jean's gaze wandered the room before settling on a small group. Angel wings, the dapper gray cat...and that sudden flare of cape apparently wasn't a cape but a set of fairy wings? She still didn't see any heads sporting magnificent dreadlocks, but she was fairly certain that was part of the group her friend had mentioned, so she made her way over. "Hello," she said, addressing primarily Kyriel, since the other two women seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. "Are you perhaps Kyriel? I'm a friend of Cinderrin, and he mentioned that there was a group of people here I should meet. I apologize if I am mistaken, his descriptions were admittedly rather vague."

Archer watched as the young woman was joined by two others that seemed vaguely familiar to him. "More of your friends?" He asked Kai. "Shall we do the obligatory hellos?" He asked and grinned, leaning in to kiss Kai's cheek.

"I'm not sure," Kai admitted. "Masks, you know?" He squeezed Archer's hand, keeping firm hold of it and heading over to where Liana had been nearly surrounded.

"At the risk of being incredibly rude, I'm going to make the terribly forward assumption that I know at least a few of the people here," Kai said as they approached. "I hope you'll forgive me and take it as a compliment that everyone's masks are having precisely the disguising effect that they were designed for." He blushed faintly behind his own mask, though his mild embarrassment was best conveyed through the politeness of his words. His grip on Archer's hand didn't loosen.

In one fell swoop Liana’s heart went from her throat into the heels of her designer shoes. Quickly she made a mental note to ask Shy later, privately, what parts of her charm spells needed tightening up. Whatever flaws they had maybe the other magically adept girl could help point them out. Swallowing the lump that had grown in her throat Liana jumped slightly when another masked lady approached.

Suddenly Liana began to feel quite overwhelmed. A small touch on her ankle reminded her to breathe. Quickly she bent to scoop up Mog into her arms and hold him close to her chest. Fur on her black ensemble be damned, sometimes you just had to hug your cat for some support. How lucky that they let animals in here in the first place… “You mean Archer.” She corrected and laughed slightly, tension ebbing. She was beginning to remember why the masquerade enticed her to have a drink.

His ears must have been burning. A man in red stepped in from the side and as soon as he spoke any question in her mind about who he was vanished. Well, besides the fact that he was attached to a tall handsome man who looked dashing in white. Replacing dreadlocks for arm candy wasn’t such a bad choice. Identifiable either way, but Archer made a much better conversationalist than a hairstyle. Their appearance seemed to lift Liana’s spirits. Hugging Mog even closer she blushed slightly, embarrassed about how happy she was to see Kai again. Not quite able to think of what to say.

The angel was startled out of her search (again) by not one, but two people mentioning her name. She blinked, glanced around, and then smiled sheepishly. "I'm Kyriel, aye," she answered, blushing again. "I've uh, heh, obviously made a rather... Significant change or two since last I saw any of you. Or Cin," she added, almost as an afterthought. Absently, perhaps out of nervousness, perhaps out of something else, she cradled her right arm in her left, protecting the wrist from any sort of risk of harm or even simple contact. "My apologies if I've made things difficult for anyone..."

Zahyl was now wandering the ballroom, looking at each of the people in the room. One more person of interest entered the ball, wearing black, and was that a cat he saw? He then decided to give it not much though. The demon once again felt the light almost upon him then, once again, retract. At that point he finally just decided to give up. He sauntered towards the group of people, cutting through the dancing floor. He slithered through the spaces between the dancing couples, narrowly dodging each of them. He finally got through the dancers, and emerged from the edge of the dance floor. He strode towards the group and put on his best smile, his slightly sharp teeth glinting in the light. "I hope I'm not intruding on anything." He said, his golden eyes observing each of them.

"Kai! And Archer. Is good to see you." Shylarah greeted the pair with her usual enthusiasm and a bright smile. "Face not only thing to look for," she added with amusement, flaring her wings a few inches before she settled them again and tapping one of her pointed ears. "But however you look, yes is us. You two do well?"

"I wouldn't know if you're different," Jean replied to Kyriel easily. She noticed that the woman was holding her right arm. Had it been injured recently? She didn't know, nor did she wish to draw attention to it in the middle of a group. Her thoughts were interrupted by the addition of yet another person, preceded by Sihr's nervous, He's coming this way! That man! "I doubt you are, certainly no more than I was," she answered him, "but you'd have to ask them."

((I realize now that Jean never actually said her name so I edited my post above. Derp. ))

Mog became fidgety and struggled free from Liana’s grasp. Landing with a thump on the ground his tail flicked and he set to work grooming his mussed fur. Liana then began hastily brushing bits of black and white fur from her garments. She wasn’t the only uncomfortable person present, oddly enough the realization made it easier to stay calm. Watching Kyriel closely Liana nodded. “Crowds make me nervous.” Not wanting the other lady to assume Liana’s behaviors had anything to do with her in particular, she felt it was necessary to admit. Although doing so set her heart aflutter.

If all the friendly attention was pushing her limits the introduction of a dark presence was just about enough to send her over the edge. She felt the demon approaching before she spotted him. When he spoke her hands grew very cold despite the length of mesh gloves covering them. “I think, I need a drink…” Liana bit her lip beneath her mask thinking that she sounded quite like another person she knew. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good instead…

It was rude of her to begin with, attending a social function when her own social functions were limited to none. She couldn’t help but feel like she was dampening the mood. Suppose that meant her choice in color for the evening was on point. Glancing down at Mog he let out a chirp and pointed his nose in the direction of the Lounge.

Archer smiled at Liana. "I believe i might need one as well. Would you mind accompaniment my lady?" He asked giving Kai's hand a squeeze before letting go of it and offering his arm to Liana.

Kai's eyes widened slightly behind his mask, surprised at Archer's actions, but he smiled and nodded without remarking on it directly. "I think I still have a few dances in me before taking a break. I'll catch up with you later?"

He inclined his head to the others. "Those of you I am acquainted with, it's wonderful to see you again. Those whom I am meeting for the first time, it is truly a pleasure." Kai's smile was warm and inviting as he offered a small bow to the group.

Jean bowed in return, a hint of gray moving at the nape of her neck as she straightened up again. "Formal manners...would I be correct in guessing that you are Kai?" she asked, fairly certain in her conjecture. "My name is Jean Marzena. I'm a friend of Cinderrin's, if you remember him."

"Nice to see you again, too," Kyriel managed to say to Kai, before she felt the need too great to address the demon's presence - for now that it was so close, she could tell quite easily who and what it was. "Intruding? Perhaps not, but you are making some of us... Uncomfortable," she told him, eyeing him warily. Without even thinking about it, the angel shifted her position slightly, moving to a more defensive stance (not that it could really be seen under the flowing dress she wore) and standing where it would be easy to get between him and her friends, should it come to that. "May I inquire as to what business you have with us?" she asked, and added silently to herself, If any?

Rather unexpected but not at all unwelcomed Archer’s offer caught Liana by surprise. Kai didn’t seem to mind, but it was honestly hard to tell when he was being polite. Seeing no other way out Liana nodded and accepted Archer’s arm. Turning to the rest of the group she bobbed a small curtsey. “It was good to see you both again, and a pleasure to meet you two as well.” Her gaze lingered on Zahyl longer than was perhaps necessary. “Please excuse us a moment?” Looking back at Shylarah she added. “Save me a dance OK?”

Only after she and Archer had put a few steps between themselves and the others did Liana lean closer and whisper a small “Thank you.” Her heart still beating noisily inside her chest. There would be lots of time for catching up with old friends. It was a positive experience even if it did set her nerves on fire. Stifling a small cough into her free hand she put on a smile and spoke softly. “I wonder what new things they have this year.”

Archer smiled and patted her hand. "Do no worry about it. You seemed tense and I have a niece who tenses up similarly when she is in crowds." He lead them into the lounge, making sure the cat was still with them.

"Besides, I find that I also need a quite moment to myself to think," Archer said with a smile patting and lump in his pocket.

(( I notice that Kai and Archer are wearing matching rings. Are they engaged now?))

(ooc: Nope, they are not :) Coincidence)

Zahyl smiled, "That's good to hear." He said to Jean. As he spoke he took a quick 'spiritual' look at everyone. He could sense the timid faeling's reaction to him, along with Liana's and even a little bit of the angel's. He turned to face Kyriel as she spoke, "This small group of individuals simply seemed more interesting than the rest, and you have my apologies if you are feel uneasy." He then mentally spoke to the angel, I mean no harm as well, holy soldier. He turned back to the group as a whole, at least what's left of it after Archer and Liana, who he could feel staring at him, left. "Where are my manners? My name is Zahyl, baron of the second circle." He said with a bow.

"It's lovely to see you again, Kyriel. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Marzena, Baron Zahyl," Kai said, trying not to look completely startled at the oddity of the assumption that a certain level of formality was enough to be recognizable to someone whom he had never met. "My name is Kai Ashworth. I apologize, my lady; the name sounds familiar, yet I cannot say I know the person of whom you speak."

Had she mentioned Cin, the odd guy that Kai had seen around here and there, he would have understood; Cinderrin, however, was not the name by which Kai knew him. As for Zahyl, Kai wasn't sure what to make of him. There was something about him that made the hair on the back of Kai's neck stand on end, rather like being too close to an electrical source. That, combined with how it seemed like Kyriel had little trust for Zahyl, as well, warned Kai to avoid more than polite, noncommittal interaction with the dark man.

Shylarah felt the demon's supernatural regard, and immediately strengthened her mental shields, looking at him sharply. She was familiar enough with the language by now that it wouldn't adversely affect her ability to communicate in any significant fashion. If he had any sense for magic, she had quite the strong signature, and now she was using all her senses to inspect /him/ closely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Jean. Everyone does," the woman replied, smiling brightly. "Cin said he wasn't as close to you guys as some members of your group seemed to be." Jean shrugged. She looked at Zahyl as he introduced himself, very aware of Sihr's quivering and warning of He's got magic! He's looking at us with it! I don't like him, can we go somewhere else? Please? "It's nice to meet you, Zahyl," Jean said aloud, smiling at him as well. However, she figured that moving away for a bit so the faeling could calm down would be a good idea, and turned back to Kai. "You mentioned that you were up for a few more dances. Might I have one of them?"