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Description

That Chateau Romani went down smooth and left a sweet coat on the tongue that hung around. And Flora wasn't kidding about its effects; Seste finished the mug and felt like she could swim all the way back to the Trading Post. The laundry crew had disbanded (or fallen asleep) for now, and feeling freshly reinvigorated Seste had done some laps around the inn to make small talk, look out the windows, and get to know the place.

Everyone was well into their meals, their chilling and their merry-making. Outside the storm was raging ever stronger, to the point it could be heard distinctly now over the low din of the bar. But inside, the musicians had stepped up to the little wooden stage and were playing away. Three of them, none of whom Seste knew, had been keeping spirits up and the gloom of the storm at bay all night.

The violinist and flutist played off each other very well and did a few duets here and there, while the girl with the mandolin got a couple solos in between their sets. Seste found it fascinating; she'd not seen a live performance since arriving in the South Sea. She distinctly remembered what music was, and even remembered a number of songs herself that she liked to whistle. But she had no memory of ever seeing live instruments before now.

'I definitely wasn't a musician in my past,' she thought. 'That looks impossible.'

Watching their fingers move so deftly across their instruments was like trying to count grasshoppers in motion. She could barely process it.

'I wasn't a musician.. but maybe I was a dancer,' Seste thought more, bringing a smile to her own face at the notion. As the music played she couldn't help but sway in her seat with the rhythm, or tap her feet or hands against her thighs. She looked around the room as she did, and despite the upbeat music, not a single person was on their feet. Including her! To the beat of the song she slapped her hands on her thighs and pushed herself off her seat, bobbing in place and eliciting a couple chuckles from the people sitting around her. Then she shimmied her way to the other side of the room. She'd noticed someone when she had been looking around, someone she'd promised to see later. Looks like later was right now.

Keaka was sitting alone gazing off into their own thoughts. Perfect. Seste made her way over and wriggled around near Keaka's table, but they still didn't notice her. So she put her hand on the edge of the table and leaned against it. "Yo."

Keaka blinked back to reality and looked up at her quickly. "Oh I- hello again."

"Hey! I'm glad you made it here in one piece," she laughed. "But you don't look like you're relaxing like you're supposed to be!"

After their encounter in the wash room, Keaka was catching on to Seste's attitude, so in response they smiled politely rather than show any outward discomfort for being called out. It was true though, they were tense and Seste could tell. Why though, she wasn't quite sure. The crowds? The storm? Something else?

Whatever it was, she felt, the best way Keaka could deal with it would be with a good mood to back them up.

"I may not be reveling with everyone else, but I am enjoying the atmosphere."

"Well good!" Seste beamed. "Do you want to be by yourself? Do you want some company?"

"...I would not mind it, if you're offering," Keaka replied. Seste beamed some more.

"Do you want to dance??"

"Ah-" Keaka was a little surprised at the sudden offer. This escalated fast. "I- ...I don't know how," they said plainly.

"Pff neither does anybody else here," Seste said with a dismissive wave at the rest of the inn and all its seated, non-dancing patrons. "Including myself! But that's- never- stopped- me!" She swung her hips back and forth with each word. Keaka broke a small smile, and Seste felt accomplished to see it.

"Well, I suppose if you're offering, who am I to say no?"

"Great!!" Seste held out a hand and Keaka took it, and she jogged with Keaka in tow toward the front of the room where there was some space before the stage.

The three musicians, Violet, Lester and Serena, all smiled to see a couple people come up to dance to their music. They started the next song, something with an easy beat to pick up and move to. Seste danced, fluidly with rhythm but obviously no formal training. Well none that she could remember anyway. Wide steps back and forth, the movement rolled smoothly up her legs, her torso and to her shoulders where she rocked them up and down to the beat.

Keaka watched her for a few moments before glancing away, suddenly feeling a little put on the spot knowing they couldn't dance, yet were up here in the spotlight.

"Come on!" Seste held out her hand and again Keaka tentatively took it, and was briskly pulled in. Seste held both their hands out at their sides and led them to step left, then right, then left again.

"OUCH!" she suddenly let go and jumped back, and Keaka did too. They both looked down - Keaka's talons had nicked Seste's feet.

"Oh I'm so sorry-" Keaka said, but looking back up at Seste found she was smiling again.

"Haha, oops!" she said, and she took Keaka's hands again to get back into the same steps. Left, right left, right-

"OW!!" She jumped back again, with a bright red scratch on the top of her foot from Keaka's talons.

Keaka put a hand over their mouth. "I'm so sorry." Seste stared hard at them.
"Okay." Seste said. "One more try."

She dropped into a horse stance, feet wide apart - too wide to step on now - and knees at a right angle, a powerful squat. She looked more ready to challenge Keaka to sumo than to dance with them. She shuffled left then right, then back and forth again but this time with her hands up at eye level, shoulders rocking back and forth. A truly modernist dance.

"I call this one 'the crab.'"

Keaka looked at her a moment then snorted loudly, turning their face away as they covered their laughter with their hand. The musicians were laughing too, and the violinist called over to the two would-be dancers.

"You don't have to do that to avoid getting stepped on," Serena said as the two moved over to her.

"We'll play a triple meter, which means there'll be three beats at a time to follow. One two three, one two three. Just follow that with your feet. Left right left, left right left. For the first three, step backwards, then for the next three step forwards." She addressed Keaka. Then Serena looked at Seste, "And you do it in reverse. When she steps forward with her left foot, you step backwards with your right. Got it?"

"Yea- uh." Seste stared at the floor as she visualized it. "Oh, yea, yea got it."

Serena stroked her bow over the strings of her violin. "Ready?"

Seste took Keaka's hands and nodded enthusiastically. Keaka nodded too, a little less so. The music started. Keaka squeezed Seste's hands, looking down at their feet, already fumbling their steps.

"One two three, one two three," Seste started counting like Serena had, "Left right left, left right left. Left. Right. Left. Right." She slowed it down, and Keaka started stepping, once per three beats. Much easier, much smoother, soon the two had slowly picked up a dance. Keaka, eyes still on their feet, started smiling. Once you got the hang of it, it wasn't so hard after all.

Seste stepped faster back on the beat, small steps that didn't throw off their movement. Keaka started to match it, and just like that the two of them were dancing. Keaka glanced up then immediately back down at their feet, but Seste got to see a moment of their face, the smile of someone enjoying themself.

She led and started to turn, just a little, moving them around in the space between the stage and the tables. Keaka picked it up easier and easier. They spun like a waltz, Seste's grin giving way to laughter as she pulled them along, keeping the rhythm with her feet like it was second nature.

Hair and draping clothes swirled around them, the gold both of them wore glinted as it caught the light. Seste's laughter joined the music weaving around the bar, and finally some others were drawn to their feet to join in on the dance.

Seste stifled her laughter for just a moment to catch Keaka's eye.

With a wide grin and a cheeky wink she said, "We should do this again some time."

Keaka smiled back, "Yes, I'd enjoy that."

The musicians at play by tachibana-chan

A Party at Lon Lon #2 <<-- -->> A Party at Lon Lon #4

----

Seste sure does like to dance... :v c
One more picture down.. one more to go. Can I do it in time, before the deadline for this chapter in three days..?? Like, probably but also I'm gonna be super busy tomorrow and the next day so it's gonna be cutting it right down to the wire. Tragically I might have to skimp on the quality for my final piece just to get it done in time :,D But like, I did this one here in two days, including a lot of breaks cuz I've been sick and really feeling the worst of it the last couple days. So.. I think I got this >:y I also feel myself getting unsick, slowly but surely, so that's a big help.
Anyway onward to more partying! Sending my good party energy to the poor crew on the ship desperately trying to survive pirates right now.

----

Characters:

Seste
Keaka
Violet
NPCs Lester and Serena

Description

That Chateau Romani went down smooth and left a sweet coat on the tongue that hung around. And Flora wasn't kidding about its effects; Seste finished the mug and felt like she could swim all the way back to the Trading Post. The laundry crew had disbanded (or fallen asleep) for now, and feeling freshly reinvigorated Seste had done some laps around the inn to make small talk, look out the windows, and get to know the place.

Everyone was well into their meals, their chilling and their merry-making. Outside the storm was raging ever stronger, to the point it could be heard distinctly now over the low din of the bar. But inside, the musicians had stepped up to the little wooden stage and were playing away. Three of them, none of whom Seste knew, had been keeping spirits up and the gloom of the storm at bay all night.

The violinist and flutist played off each other very well and did a few duets here and there, while the girl with the mandolin got a couple solos in between their sets. Seste found it fascinating; she'd not seen a live performance since arriving in the South Sea. She distinctly remembered what music was, and even remembered a number of songs herself that she liked to whistle. But she had no memory of ever seeing live instruments before now.

'I definitely wasn't a musician in my past,' she thought. 'That looks impossible.'

Watching their fingers move so deftly across their instruments was like trying to count grasshoppers in motion. She could barely process it.

'I wasn't a musician.. but maybe I was a dancer,' Seste thought more, bringing a smile to her own face at the notion. As the music played she couldn't help but sway in her seat with the rhythm, or tap her feet or hands against her thighs. She looked around the room as she did, and despite the upbeat music, not a single person was on their feet. Including her! To the beat of the song she slapped her hands on her thighs and pushed herself off her seat, bobbing in place and eliciting a couple chuckles from the people sitting around her. Then she shimmied her way to the other side of the room. She'd noticed someone when she had been looking around, someone she'd promised to see later. Looks like later was right now.

Keaka was sitting alone gazing off into their own thoughts. Perfect. Seste made her way over and wriggled around near Keaka's table, but they still didn't notice her. So she put her hand on the edge of the table and leaned against it. "Yo."

Keaka blinked back to reality and looked up at her quickly. "Oh I- hello again."

"Hey! I'm glad you made it here in one piece," she laughed. "But you don't look like you're relaxing like you're supposed to be!"

After their encounter in the wash room, Keaka was catching on to Seste's attitude, so in response they smiled politely rather than show any outward discomfort for being called out. It was true though, they were tense and Seste could tell. Why though, she wasn't quite sure. The crowds? The storm? Something else?

Whatever it was, she felt, the best way Keaka could deal with it would be with a good mood to back them up.

"I may not be reveling with everyone else, but I am enjoying the atmosphere."

"Well good!" Seste beamed. "Do you want to be by yourself? Do you want some company?"

"...I would not mind it, if you're offering," Keaka replied. Seste beamed some more.

"Do you want to dance??"

"Ah-" Keaka was a little surprised at the sudden offer. This escalated fast. "I- ...I don't know how," they said plainly.

"Pff neither does anybody else here," Seste said with a dismissive wave at the rest of the inn and all its seated, non-dancing patrons. "Including myself! But that's- never- stopped- me!" She swung her hips back and forth with each word. Keaka broke a small smile, and Seste felt accomplished to see it.

"Well, I suppose if you're offering, who am I to say no?"

"Great!!" Seste held out a hand and Keaka took it, and she jogged with Keaka in tow toward the front of the room where there was some space before the stage.

The three musicians, Violet, Lester and Serena, all smiled to see a couple people come up to dance to their music. They started the next song, something with an easy beat to pick up and move to. Seste danced, fluidly with rhythm but obviously no formal training. Well none that she could remember anyway. Wide steps back and forth, the movement rolled smoothly up her legs, her torso and to her shoulders where she rocked them up and down to the beat.

Keaka watched her for a few moments before glancing away, suddenly feeling a little put on the spot knowing they couldn't dance, yet were up here in the spotlight.

"Come on!" Seste held out her hand and again Keaka tentatively took it, and was briskly pulled in. Seste held both their hands out at their sides and led them to step left, then right, then left again.

"OUCH!" she suddenly let go and jumped back, and Keaka did too. They both looked down - Keaka's talons had nicked Seste's feet.

"Oh I'm so sorry-" Keaka said, but looking back up at Seste found she was smiling again.

"Haha, oops!" she said, and she took Keaka's hands again to get back into the same steps. Left, right left, right-

"OW!!" She jumped back again, with a bright red scratch on the top of her foot from Keaka's talons.

Keaka put a hand over their mouth. "I'm so sorry." Seste stared hard at them.
"Okay." Seste said. "One more try."

She dropped into a horse stance, feet wide apart - too wide to step on now - and knees at a right angle, a powerful squat. She looked more ready to challenge Keaka to sumo than to dance with them. She shuffled left then right, then back and forth again but this time with her hands up at eye level, shoulders rocking back and forth. A truly modernist dance.

"I call this one 'the crab.'"

Keaka looked at her a moment then snorted loudly, turning their face away as they covered their laughter with their hand. The musicians were laughing too, and the violinist called over to the two would-be dancers.

"You don't have to do that to avoid getting stepped on," Serena said as the two moved over to her.

"We'll play a triple meter, which means there'll be three beats at a time to follow. One two three, one two three. Just follow that with your feet. Left right left, left right left. For the first three, step backwards, then for the next three step forwards." She addressed Keaka. Then Serena looked at Seste, "And you do it in reverse. When she steps forward with her left foot, you step backwards with your right. Got it?"

"Yea- uh." Seste stared at the floor as she visualized it. "Oh, yea, yea got it."

Serena stroked her bow over the strings of her violin. "Ready?"

Seste took Keaka's hands and nodded enthusiastically. Keaka nodded too, a little less so. The music started. Keaka squeezed Seste's hands, looking down at their feet, already fumbling their steps.

"One two three, one two three," Seste started counting like Serena had, "Left right left, left right left. Left. Right. Left. Right." She slowed it down, and Keaka started stepping, once per three beats. Much easier, much smoother, soon the two had slowly picked up a dance. Keaka, eyes still on their feet, started smiling. Once you got the hang of it, it wasn't so hard after all.

Seste stepped faster back on the beat, small steps that didn't throw off their movement. Keaka started to match it, and just like that the two of them were dancing. Keaka glanced up then immediately back down at their feet, but Seste got to see a moment of their face, the smile of someone enjoying themself.

She led and started to turn, just a little, moving them around in the space between the stage and the tables. Keaka picked it up easier and easier. They spun like a waltz, Seste's grin giving way to laughter as she pulled them along, keeping the rhythm with her feet like it was second nature.

Hair and draping clothes swirled around them, the gold both of them wore glinted as it caught the light. Seste's laughter joined the music weaving around the bar, and finally some others were drawn to their feet to join in on the dance.

Seste stifled her laughter for just a moment to catch Keaka's eye.

With a wide grin and a cheeky wink she said, "We should do this again some time."

Keaka smiled back, "Yes, I'd enjoy that."

The musicians at play by tachibana-chan

A Party at Lon Lon #2 <<-- -->> A Party at Lon Lon #4

----

Seste sure does like to dance... :v c
One more picture down.. one more to go. Can I do it in time, before the deadline for this chapter in three days..?? Like, probably but also I'm gonna be super busy tomorrow and the next day so it's gonna be cutting it right down to the wire. Tragically I might have to skimp on the quality for my final piece just to get it done in time :,D But like, I did this one here in two days, including a lot of breaks cuz I've been sick and really feeling the worst of it the last couple days. So.. I think I got this >:y I also feel myself getting unsick, slowly but surely, so that's a big help.
Anyway onward to more partying! Sending my good party energy to the poor crew on the ship desperately trying to survive pirates right now.

----

Characters:

Seste
Keaka
Violet
NPCs Lester and Serena