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Zoicite breathed a sigh of relief as his latest partner left him. That girl was definitely NOT what he was looking for! Just the thought of her ear-piercing giggles sent shivers down his spine. Turning away as quickly as he could and planning to make speed away from her, he nearly ran into Nephrite. "Oh, hey, Nephrite ol’ pal! Let’s chat over here…" Zoicite began leading his friend in the direction he had been heading. Nephrite shook him off. "Come on, Zoi, get serious. I’ve got a challenge for you." Zoicite perked up at this. "A challenge, you say? On who’s behalf? Who would be foolish enough to doubt me?" Nephrite smiled at his friend’s vanity and in anticipation of getting to crush it a little. "None other than her royal highness, Princess Jupiter." His smile grew to a grin as Zoicite’s proud face fell. "She has a request for a friend, which she deems difficult enough to test your skills." Zoicite’s humility didn’t last for long. He continued the conversation with a confident tone. "And what could this possibly be?" "You must make her friend smile." Zoicite laughed outright. "Smile? Simply smile? How hard can that be?" "Well, my friend, it is not merely smile in the literal sense." Nephrite elaborated. "She must be having a grand time tonight, smiling and joking, laughing and dancing, and be in general happy and open." Zoicite’s conceited smirk beamed relentlessly. "This is going to be the easiest bet to win in the history of all bets!" His focus returned to the man in front of him. "And it is a bet, is it not?" Nephrite smiled, seeing a chance to make a bit of profit out of this endeavor. "Well… I might be willing to wager a bit…." he teased. "How much?" The plotting smile grew. * * * * Ami lost track of the couple as they swirled about the floor and found Makoto again only after she had taken up another partner. She frowned with a touch of worry. Her preoccupation was such that she didn’t even notice the man walking up to her until he was at her elbow. "Miss?" came at her ear. She jumped with a start and put a hand on her chest to slow her rapid breathing. "Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t notice you." She was almost too preoccupied to get nervous on several other accounts. "I’m sorry, miss, it really is my fault. I did sneak up on you a bit." She looked up to meet a silver-blue mask that almost matched her own beneath a shining mass of golden yellow hair that cascaded down the owner’s back. Her gaze traveled down to find several feet of flowing silver fabric adorned with blue trim that reminded her of a deep pool of water. "You’re a general!" she blurted out with surprise, then blushed and looked down at her lack of refinement. Now it was the general’s turn to be surprised. "However did you know?" The gentle princess blushed again and looked back up at the mask. "The way you carry yourself is very distinct. Not many things are past you, are they?" She let out before she could stop herself, and the blush grew. The young man’s eyebrows raised in what Ami was not sure was surprise or respect. But they came down soon enough as he answered her question about him. "No, I admit they do not." She nodded, returning her gaze downward, and his eyes drifted to the dance floor. He looked at her side-long, as if being stuck upon by an idea. "Miss, you look as if you are in want of company, and I am in the same position." Ami highly doubted that. "I wonder if you would care to dance with me?" Ami looked up sharply, her fears coming true. She was glad for her mask, that he could not see the trapped-deer expression in her eyes. She really could not tell this man how much she didn’t want to dance with him. She sighed to herself, however, and realized her only choice. Well, his words flow smoothly, she thought. Let’s see if his feet do as well. She put her small hand in his outstretched one and forced a small smile as he helped her out of her chair. * * * * Zoicite was beginning to see a touch of why Nephrite was so confident. This girl looked away from him far too much for his tastes, and he was beginning to wonder that she could be so aloof from him. Him, of all people! But he would get her in the end, he was sure. She would be falling at his feet by the end of the night. * * * * Ami was beginning to grow hopeful. This man – this general – had not stepped on either of her feet even once so far. Truly, they had not been dancing long, but she had known partners to injure her before ever reaching the dance floor, and this one was not showing any such signs of clumsiness. To be sure, he was looking to be quite graceful. She had tensed to a definite amount when he had placed his hand on her waist, and she was very hesitant when placing her own on his shoulder. Grasping her free hand delicately, he had whisked her about the room at the song’s tempo. Finally with a man who would let her set her feet to the music, she forgot many of her worries, and drifted around the floor with him, letting him take her where he would. She felt as if she where floating, drifting through an endless ocean. The color on her face deepened not by embarrassed frustration, but by exhilaration, the sweet princess unknowingly relaxed her face into the softest of smiles. Zoicite glanced at his partner with the smallest twinge of doubt. The girl had been quiet since he had asked her to dance, and he was beginning to wonder where to begin and how to carry himself. His dancing skills were superb, so he did not have to keep his mind on his feet as he led her about the floor. His thoughts strayed instead to the odd expression on the soft face before him, and what it could possibly conceal behind it. With his eyes on her, his eyebrows knit only the tiniest degree, and her shining eyes beneath half-closed eyelids and a silver mask, they glided and floated around the room. But only one of them was in any state to enjoy it and the care-free one was the opposite of anyone’s guess. As the music finally ended he slowed them to a stop, and Ami looked up at him, the thought occurring to her to wonder what to do next. The very same thought was coming to his confused mind, and he quickly tried to recover himself for the next move – whatever it might be. He quickly realized that he was not ready to send the girl on her way (especially with his money and reputation at stake). He stalled while he thought of what to do. Ami would have just as soon left her partner’s hold as quickly as she could – had it been any other partner. Her dancing reverie had not quite lifted, and she did not feel the need for movement, lest the peace within her be banished. It did not make much difference, since he had not released her, and did not seem as if he was going to. After a few moments, however, the euphoria of the dance was beginning to drain away and the anxiety that seemed so much a part of her began to take it’s place. As she tensed he took his hand from her waist, but only to take her other hand in his. He saw the enigmatic expression leave her face and realized that whatever it had meant, it was better than what she had started with, and if he didn’t do something all the progress would be erased. "My dear miss, we have shared this beautiful dance but have yet to share our names," he prompted. Her blush quickly returning, Ami answered the unspoken question. "I am the Princess Mercury." Ami could not see his eyebrows fly up and his eyes widen behind his elaborate mask, but she could feel his sudden drop of her hands. "Oh—oh, my Princess…" he began in tribute and started to bow when he saw the girl’s growing discomfort at his actions. He stood straight again and took up her hands once more, at which she settled back down to her more normal level of anxiety. Looking down towards her left shoulder, Ami realized that she still didn’t know who held her there. Too flustered to even glance at him, she wondered if he would tell her. His confidence in his ability to swoon this gentle maiden washed away, Zoicite’s mind was a smashed puzzle. He recovered himself enough to notice that the princess had not asked his name in return, and he had not been so gracious as to give it to her. He frowned at himself and did his best to recover his gentility. "I’m so sorry, Princess, but I still have not offered my own name, have I?" he apologized quickly. "I am General Zoicite." She looked up at him, now recalling her earlier statement. Remembering, also, the uncouth manner in which she said it, she quickly returned her gaze to the floor. Left with no obvious next move, Zoicite looked about himself for inspiration. His eyes came to rest on the food tables. He turned back to Ami. "My Princess, would you care for a bit of refreshment? I would gladly get you what you wish for," he added hopefully. Not even accessing whether or not she really did want anything, she nodded without looking up and said shortly, "A drink, please." The general spun away and made his way toward the somewhat distant tables. Free of his glance, Ami looked about herself, wondering what to do. She stood near the edge of the dance floor, where couples were already starting to flow to the music, not too far from a small door. She realized just how extremely uncomfortable she was in this situation and how much she really wanted to be somewhere else. A quick glance confirmed that Zoicite was just reaching the refreshment table. Building up her nerve – mostly by addressing her need to leave – she spun around and fled to the doorway.
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