And what happened after..

    Elly doesn't say anything on the way down. She's too upset. She hates being upset. It leads to things like messed-up makeup, messed-up plans, and worst of all, messed-up relationships. Only when the flying fort's shadow hangs over her does she finally speak.

    "I.. apologize for that."

    She lets her posture slip. Or perhaps simply slouches her shoulders intentionally. There are few gestures she makes by accident.

    "I should not have let that happen."

Chikako shrugs. She just turned about and followed Wake when the Baroness left. Soldarity is a thing with her, even when she has her own thing to do. "Shouldn't have what? Rage-quit? It's freaking noodle-boy, getting under your skin is what he -does-."

She shakes her head. She's had too much experience with people who do that. She's still not good at actually taking her own advice and handling it like a sensible adult, but then, most adults don't, either.

"We've got a job to do, here, and it's not to cater to idiots."

    Elly pauses in her step and turns back to Chikako. She just.. hangs there for a moment. And then she's throwing a hug around her friend.

    "I.. thank you." She manages a rough laugh. "How come you know how to make me feel better and I don't? I'm supposed to be the smart one and all that."

    She lets go after a bit and shakes her head.

    "You know what? You are right. Screw him. Let's do something fun!"

The oni grins and laughs. "Sounds like a plan to me!" It's what she does, she tells the world to frak off while she does her own thing. "... unless you mean it literally, in which case, no way. You're welcome to him if that's what you want."

She's not serious, is she? No, not with that grin, she isn't. "Gotta be something fun to do around here."

    "Ugh, no thank you. That kid has more baggage than either of could carry. It's why he's so goddam frustrating. Besides, if it's a guy he needs to be stronger than me. You know, like that Red Sonja thing?"

    Elly has pushed aside the baroness thing for the moment, it seems. "It's a shame there's no decent music in this world. I'd love to hit a club, but the songs of this place are just not going to cut it."

Chikako laughs. "Ain't no guy stronger than me," she boasts. It's certainly not true, but she's claimed it before. She's never shown interest in 'relationships' much, before, aside from a couple of friends from outside who she hangs out with now and again. "Going clubbing, huh? Been too damn long since I could get up and dance properly. Proper music, to bang your head to." She grins. "Yeah, that'd be cool if we could."

    "I can't make the instrumental music, but.. I did learn a few new tricks."

    Elly grins at Chikako conspiratorially, then reaches out to grab her by the hand.

    "Let's get away from this place. I don't want some clumsy idiot to fall on me. Like, seriously, what kind of morons build a floating castle without any thought of safety? I swear, the designers of this game were complete dicks."

Chikako nods, grinning. "They're game designers. By definition they're nerds." She laughs as she's tugged along. "Besides, it's a tradition. Star Wars and all, remember? OSHA only exists in the real world."

    "So true."

    Elly leads a fair ways off. She just grins back at Chikako from time to time until they burst into a clearing. It's no Eas vista, but.. Eas is a long ways off.

    The Baroness, dressed to kill, gets her gloves back on and with a flick of her fingers, calls to life a light show around herself. It's her element, obviously, and she can do some pretty awesome stuff with it.

    "I have a confession to make. I studied song and I'm mastering light just to put on a concert. To be the ultimate diva."

    She laughs and steps up to Chikako, holding out a gloved hand. "Care to dance? And don't get too excited. Just a dance."

Chikako smiles lightly and holds out her hand to take Elly's. "Sounds to me like a more worthwhile project than some I've seen proposed," she declares it.

"Nice light show," she muses, folding her fingers around Wake's. "Let's hear the song." She slips closer, reaching her free arm up to slide around Elly's waist. "Shall I lead, then?"

    Elly laughs, bouncing slightly on her toes. She likes dancing, she likes singing, and Chikako really proved how awesome a friend she is. What's not to be happy about?

    "I would love to have you lead."

    There's no excuses. None of the usual things someone nervous might say to excuse a lack of a perfect performance. She just sings.

        We're the same and you don't even know it
        We're afraid and we try not to show it
        And you're tired and I am too
        So there's only one thing you can do
        You've got to hold me and tell me what you need

    It's a romantic song, with a slow tempo. She's clearly sung it before, and she's got talent. She also has full control over the light show, and it reacts to every word, the color and brightness, the motions all tethered to whatever is in her head and heart. It's a mix of warm reds, golds, and pinks at the moment, gliding in an aurora that flows with the tempo of her lyrics.

Chikako smiles lightly, taking a moment to listen as the song begins. She closes her eyes as Wake sings, until she can catch the rhythm, then she smiles. She leans in, her hand resting at the small of Elly's back, and she starts to sway with the beat.

She humms along with the music, though she doesn't know the words, just letting the music guide her movements as she draws the singer along with her.

    Elly seems to be quite content with this. Sure, she'd love to have some club music, but she hasn't invented the instruments for it. Yet. But she does have her voice with her at all times, and the light show. Which isn't so bad!

        When we're apart
        I still feel together
        I still believe in a thing called forever
        But we're drifting apart
        It's true
        And it's breaking my heart in two
        You've got to hold me and tell me what you need
        And don't be afraid of what you're feeling when
        You know me then I'll never want to leave you just
        Hold on to me

    She can dance, of course. With knowledge of music and etiquette, she has no trouble following. And she is absolutely enjoying herself. Whatever happened earlier is quite comfortably forgotten.

Chikako's dancing is more of the 'enthusiastic amateur' sort, but she's agile and has a decent sense of rhythm, at least. She has no trouble simply carrying on, letting the past fall behind, and enjoying the moment.

    And that's all that Elly really wants. Someone who likes to dance. And is willing to indulge her when she needs a little fun. It doesn't last long, really. The first song ends, and another follows. The second is yet another love song. Elly seems to know only love songs! But it has a bit more energy to it.

    In the end, she is smiling and laughing. She's obviously more relaxed than normal.

    "I like that. Just having fun. And, really, Chikako, I appreciate you so much right now. Seriously."

    And yes, she uses her light artes to send grateful little glowing hearts dancing around her friend. Which, considering Chikako's Oni theme, is pretty hillarious counterpoint.

Indeed, the Oni can't help but laugh, cheerful and merry as she continues dancing. That it's a love song from soemeone who isn't interested in her in the slightest doesn't seem to matter -- there's light and music and a fellow dancer to watch their troubles drain away.

"My pleasure," Chikako answers. "I get to dance with a gorgeous idol, after all." She grins and waggles her eyebrows, and keeps on dancing the night away.