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Alya had a very good game plan going on. Ever since the festival they all had become more protective over Marinette than before. They knew she missed Chat Noir more than she let on. Even if they couldn’t find him for her, they could make sure she had a good time.
“Alright guys, Operation ‘Fun Time For Mari’, alternatively Operation ‘Adrienette’ or ‘Ladrien’ is a go. We have to make sure Lila and Chloe don’t disturb Marinette and Adrien whatsoever. Somehow the little devil can’t recognize Mari but it doesn’t matter. We just have to keep her away, for all three nights of the Gala, while having fun ourselves. Capisce ?”
The group nodded eagerly.
“It doesn’t matter how we do it, we have to make sure they stay away.”
“Um,” Nino interjected. “Make sure you don’t directly piss off Lila, I’m pretty sure she’s the type of person to hold a grudge and the Kingdom doesn’t need enemies. “
“Yeah yeah,” Alya agreed. Her prime concern was Marinette. “Alright, Max. Tell me what is the most efficient way to make sure Lila and Chloe are occupied ?”
“Umm,” the smart boy nervously thought about it for a few seconds before replying, “A Conga Line has 100% chances of success. If not 100, I’m certain 90%. However it is extremely inadvisable because this is a high class party of the elite, and we are to be on our best behavior in front of the foreign dignitaries.”
“I like the sound of that.” Kim was always ready for some chaos and action.
“Hmmm,” Alya thought for a moment before grinning. “What would the consequences be if we did make a Conga Line ? Ivan and Mylene can’t distract Lila and Chloe forever.”
“We would probably be unwelcome at the palace forever.”
Alya shrugged. “I’ll worry about that when Mari’s queen. She can’t keep her best friend away for too long.”
Everyone stared at her.
“Since when is Mari becoming Queen ?” Alix questioned Alya’s sanity and train of thought.
“Oh please, It’s not like you haven’t noticed how smitten the Prince is with her. And if not ? Well, its not like we have business in the palace anyways so win win. Besides, imagine the faces of the stuck up dignitaries when they see us.”
Everyone looked at the ombre haired schemer with slow grins spreading across their faces. Most of the people in attendance were teenagers around their age. The few adults that were in attendance didn’t stay in the ballroom too long, preferring to sit and talk in one of the King’s separate sitting rooms where the noise of teens intermingling wasn’t as loud.
“Okay,” started Nathaniel apprehensively, “say we do follow this idea. What’s the plan ? And how do we make it so we’re not caught ?”
“Umm…Max ?”
The dark skinned boy just sighed. He didn’t like where this was going but the best thing to do in such situations was give information the best to his ability, and see everything erupt in chaos.
“You would need the musicians to play an upbeat tune. Someone would have to go to the middle of the dance floor and yell for the start of the line. After that it would be more difficult to distinguish who started the line when everyone joins in.”
“Perfect. Who’s starting the line ?”
“I will !” Kim was excited.
“Kim you’re like a lighthouse. Everyone would know its you.”
“Exactly, which is why everyone will also come join me like ships in need of light.”
Alix snorted and began to laugh uncontrollably at that.
“Kim with you in the mix, everyone will crash onto the rocks, which is to say, we’ll all get caught.”
“I would never rat anyone out.” He sounded wounded.
“You don’t need to. Besides you’ll get kicked out too easily.” It was true. Anyone who saw Kim’s face could tell when he did something intentionally. Alix and Max were usually left to bail him out and sweet talk their way out of the trouble.
“Guys can we hurry it up a bit. The dance is soon ending and Lila and Chloe will find it easy to separate with their current dance partners soon.” Nino shook his head solemnly, “Those poor men, who have to endure five minutes in their presence.”
“Forget presence Nino,” Theo corrected, “within close proximity.”
Everyone shuddered at the thought.
“Alright so lets speed this up then. Alix is the shortes-”
“Hah !” Kim gloated. Alix rolled her eyes.
“As I was saying,” Alya glared, “Alix is the shortest and least obvious. So, Alix, you up for creating mayhem ?”
“I’m pretty sure the rest of you are too scared to dare to do it so its got to be me. Nino, get the musicians ready.”
The pink haired girl simply straightened up and stalked off. Nino immediately made his way to the musicians. He tapped the conductor on the shoulder right as the song ended.
“Sir, a young lady requested a fast paced song. Please play that before starting the next waltz.”
“Of course young Sir.” The conductor nodded and flipped his song booklet open. A silent ‘aha’ and he started directing the musicians through the sheet music. Nino walked back to the others, a self satisfied grin on his face. He watched as Alix stood at the edge of the dance floor. The other’s were positioned together, ready to dance and join Alix at her cue so no one would get caught.
Nino admired her bravery as he led Alya through the fast paced musical number. Just like him, Alya’s peripheral was locked on the steadfast girl. They watched as she boldly made her way to the middle of the floor. Couples whirled around her, barely paying her any mind.
Nino winced slightly as he saw the petite girl open her mouth and yell “Conga Line !”
As planned their group immedietly started to dance. Three steps forward, left foot out, then three steps forward and right foot out. It was surprising how quickly everyone joined in. Nino saw a prince with dark hair and olive eyes eagerly pull his acquaintances to join. Their eyes lit up in excitement and within no time the dance floor was made up of one long line of people dancing around the room.
The boy nearly burst out laughing as he saw Chloe look confused before she started to stalk off in disdain. That didn’t work though as another person enthusiastically pulled her in to join the line. Her dress was extremely poofy so Nino knew it was probably uncomfortable for her to be shoved and jostled among a bunch of others.
‘Serves her right,’ thought the boy stoutly. Her dress was too over the top and, while well made, obnoxious as compared to the lighthearted and modest ball gowns of the other ladies in attendance.
Nino almost missed seeing Chloe grab on to someone trying to pull herself out of the line. It was Lila who looked horrified and disgusted at the behaviour of her peers. The Prince’s best friend almost burst out laughing when instead of managing to pull herself out, Chloe pulled Lila in. Both girls looked seriously disgruntled as they shrieked angrily but it went unheard over the laughter and loud music.
Three steps forward. One step out. Three steps forward. One step out.
They rounded the ballroom a total of three times before an adult finally came to see the noise. The look on the nobles’ face was hilarious as they saw everyone in the hall dancing around like this was some common village festival and not a prestigious ball.
Someone even had the audacity to try and pull one of the elder nobles in for a dance. Luckily it was a foreign noblewoman who had tried to have her father join in. It didn’t go so well.
“STOP !”
Nino saw Nathalie roar. She looked around furtively as if scared the king might enter any minute. “What is the meaning of this ? This is a prestigious Gala not, not some…some-” The poor woman was so furious she could barely come up with any words.
“Where is the Prince ?”
“He went out to get some fresh air,” Nino supplied helpfully. He tried to calm the woman down by further stating. “Now Nathalie, there is nothing to worry about. I’m sure everyone here will think twice before um…dancing the Conga again.”
Nathalie looked at him, at the silently amused faces across the ball and sighed.
“I’m too tired to deal with this Nino. I shall escort the nobles out, we shall pretend this never happened and something similar should not happen again. Understood ?”
The young minstrel nodded. The older woman pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head as if begging for patience. With tired eyes and an apologetic smile she turned towards the still gaping nobles.
“Good sirs, I apologize deeply for this inconvenience. The Prince’s personal assistant and best friend has promised it won’t happen again. It would be best not to disturb the King on such trivial a matter. Let us head back to the sitting room. Our chef has just finished preparing his famous Celestial Soup.”
The nobles allowed her to lead them away and chatter started up in the ballroom again. Barely containing his laughs he made his way back to Alya and the others who were just as hysterical.
“Where are Lila and Chloe ?” Mylene allowed herself to giggle more freely now that the apparent danger was gone.
“They went to fix their hair and makeup.” Juleka giggled. “I should go help them,” she said, her voice quiet but amused. “I can easily keep them occupied for another twenty minutes,”
She wandered off her dark hair swinging down her waist, contrasting beautifully with the dark colors of her gown.
“Well Max, that was an excellent plan.”
“It was calculated to have 100% success rate. And even then the King’s assistant went easy on us.”
“Poor Nathalie,” Nino mumbled. “She’s too tired to make a big deal out of this. But I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun at one of the King’s parties ever before. She won’t rat us out.”
“Yep. Now, this Gala is certainly one people won’t be forgetting so soon.”
The group laughed.
“Well, Nathalie didn’t say we couldn’t dance some more,” Rose spoke up. “Let’s go enjoy ourselves.”
“Yep…,” Alya nodded satisfied. “Mari and the Prince owe us big time.”