A SAVAGE LAND FOR A SAVAGE NIGHT

[professorlionface]

WHO: EVERYONE OF ALL AGES
WHERE: The Xavier Institute
WHEN: June 15th, early evening to all night long!
WARNINGS: Who knows! Language is likely, violence is possible, dancing is mandatory.
SUMMARY: prom night prom night gotta get down on prom night
FORMAT: MINGLE

As you enter through the doors of the Danger Room, the sound of cicadas chirping clues you into your arrival to a tropical paradise. Red and orange lights show a room transformed, vines all along the walls and trees that seem to reach the beyond the ceiling. There's no doubt now, you're deep in the heart of the jungle. You can almost feel the heat of a distant volcano, the humidity wafting in from a river just outside, but that's only your imagination. Luckily, someone had the foresight to bring an exterminator into this jungle beforehand, as there isn't a bug in sight.

Fierce papier mache dinosaurs look down on your throughout the room, some perhaps planning their next meal, others regarding the intruders to their home with something not unlike fear. From the stage, the gleaming jaws of a downed Tyrannosaurus look on at the partiers, hungry even in its taxidermied stated.

But there's one ornament that stands above them all: the mirrored surface of what appears to be a pterodactyl man, reflecting the lights all across the room in ways most disco balls only wish they could.

Welcome to the Savage Land. Hope you survive the experience!

quick links!
DANCE FLOOR
REFRESHMENTS
SIDELINES
OUTSIDE

Comments

[swordedpast]

Nothing is wrong.

[Is he blushing...?]

[promised_victory]

[And ye olde hand on the forehead. Even if she practically has to stand on her toes to reach.]

You don't appear to have a fever, Archer. Are you well? [Red face means fever, right? Because surely Archer can't be blushing over her wearing a dress and no stockings.]

[swordedpast]

No, I--

[Is she touching him? Yes, yes, she's touching him, and that's not right, distant stars like Saber, king of knights, don't touch this knight.

He quickly leans back.]

You'll mess up my hair.

[promised_victory]

As long as you are well, then, Archer. [Then again, even she isn't sure if Servants can get sick or not. She assumes not, but with how strange this City is you never know.]

Though, you should not worry about your hair. You do look handsome tonight. [One of the girls from work said to tell people at prom they look good. Calling Archer handsome surely can't be that strange!]

[swordedpast]

[It so can be that strange. Archer looks at her hard.]

Saber, did you allow Rin to put a geas on you? "Act like a normal girl at this party," or something like that?

[promised_victory]

No, I did not. I feel strange in this dress, but there is no enchantment upon it or myself to cause my behavior to change.

Am I really acting so oddly? I apologize. I did not know the proper etiquette for a 'prom' and asked advice. Perhaps I am being too heavy handed with it.

[swordedpast]

It's probably too short.

[He means the dress, of course.]

I suppose you're not acting so oddly for a prom. But you're acting oddly for a knight. Will you be ready to defend the other party-goers if it comes to that?

[promised_victory]

[She gives him a flat look and then recites the following:]

There are five known exits out of here, and an additional three outside. The person who is the greatest threat in this room is unknown, but the greatest known one is standing next to me. Rin and Shirou are there and there. [She points to the both of them, easily picking them out of the crowd.] Since I can summon Excalibur and my armor at a moment's notice I am never unarmed. Potential ways enemies can come is by either as dance attendees, or bursting in through the windows, or simply walking into the doors. If such a thing happens, the chaperones are capable of managing an evacuation and defending the students, which I will happily assist in.

[She turns to Archer with her free hand on her hip and a flat look.]

Archer, I have had to switch between being a courteous host to a fierce warrior in the blink of an eye before. Please do not insult me by implying I ever stop being a knight. That is the very core of my being and you have no right to decide if I am acting appropriately or not for a knight simply because I am trying something new.

[Oddly enough, the dress being short she had no issue with. No, what she takes issue with is how tight the bodice is.]

[swordedpast]

[It's a relief. Even if she's chewing him out, it's a relief to hear her speak like a soldier. It better fits the distant, sad memory she had become to him, before he began to see her warmer side here in the City. Yes, it's not even bad that she's scolding him. It's familiar. It's like he did something stupid like telling her not to fight. He can always count on himself to do something stupid, and Saber to tell him off for it.

His stiff shoulders relax a little as she speaks. Some of the tension goes out of his face.

But still, he finds himself only able to say one thing when she's done speaking.]

Regardless, it's too short.

[promised_victory]

What's wrong with it being short? [Rin's worn shorter. If anything, Saber begins to tug on the top of the bodice a bit.]

I am more concerned about how tight it is. If a battle breaks out I will have to change into my armor immediately, which will slow me down.

[swordedpast]

You'll--change? Right here?

[Of course, she'll do it as a Servant. Of course, it'll be magical. Of course, nothing untoward will be seen. And yet--

He can't grasp that right now. Archer only stares blankly at Saber, a horrified look slowly dawning over his features.]

[promised_victory]

Of course. I can summon my armor at any time....

[Okay, that look is getting downright insulting here!]

Why are you looking at me like that? Does it truly disturb you so much that I choose to dress differently for one night that you look at me with such disgust?

[swordedpast]

--disgust?

[And for a moment, he looks honestly surprised.]

You could never disgust me, Saber.

[So it slips out.]

[promised_victory]

[It actually touches her heart to hear that, which is what makes her tone less harsh when she speaks.]

Then why do you keep acting like there is something wrong with me?

[swordedpast]

Knights don't wear dresses!

[promised_victory]

[A blank look.]

You've seen me do battle in a dress and you say this now?

[swordedpast]

Hmph, that was armor.

[He gestures at his own hips.]

Like my coat and cape.

[Not that he's wearing them now.]

[promised_victory]

Oh, it's a cape? I had thought it was fashionable where you came for men to wear a skirt.

[Childish? Yes. Something she's wanted to say for a while? Definitely.]

[swordedpast]

It's a mantle.

[promised_victory]

It looks ridiculous. Be glad you are skilled as an archer, as anyone getting in to close range with you could easily use it as leverage against you.

[Though, to be fair, they'd have to get behind him first.]

[swordedpast]

I won't be taken from behind like that, king of knights.

[--so it slips out like that, as he sulks.]

[promised_victory]

[She crosses her arms and tries to keep from feeling triumphant at making him slip. Instead she decides to press it. Just to get a little revenge for him being so weird about her being in a dress.]

I see you've decided to take your guess as to my identity.

[swordedpast]

...!

[For just a moment, a guilty "OOPS" look passes over his face. No, not even a moment. A second.

Then it's gone, and he's crossing his arms and letting out a little huff of breath.]

Have I? You're a knight among knights so it's natural I'd call you that. Or are you admitting that it's more than a turn of phrase?

[So he tries to salvage this, his cheeks red.]

[promised_victory]

Archer, I've told you before. If you wish to make a guess as to my identity, I will not lie if it is right or wrong. You are an intelligent man. [Intelligent enough it gives her hope for Shirou.]

With how much time we have spent together since arriving here I would be very surprised if you did not at least have an educated guess by now.

[swordedpast]

Very well.

[He lifts a hand to point at her most dramatically.]

King of Knights, do you wield Excalibur here?