Grand Opening Ball Part 1
By: Bluetopaz, Carriebaby and Jackie
This DUW was written by Bluetopaz, Carriebaby and Jackie. (I
believe Amuse helped CB with some of the ‘mushy’ parts
as well.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DECORATION COMMITTEE
The sun was just peeking over the hills to the east of Deb U when
the decoration committee arrived loaded down with the decorations
they had been working on for the Grand Opening Ball.
Sairah, ShaeSong and Amyrlin had made streamers, Surabufix, Tabu
Minstrel and Antares had done flower bouquets for the tables,
WarriorKing had been in charge of blowing up balloons with the
able assistance of Cleya and Joxer, who were nowhere to be found
on this beautiful morning.
WK: “ Where are those two when we need them.
First Joxer breaks half the balloons trying to blow them up and
now they don’t even show up to help set things up.”
Sura: “Lets just get this stuff in and arranged, I’ve
still got to finish the trim on my dress.” Sura grabbed the
ornate knob on the front door and tried to turn it one way and
then the other. Finally she shook it rattling the whole door but
it wouldn’t budge.
“Now what?” Antares said, while trying unsuccessfully
to juggle flowers, vases and greenery.
Sura: “Its locked”
Sairah: “Great, just great....I’ll never get my hair
done in time if we have to spend all day waiting for someone to
let us in”
Just then Ldy Pegasus landed with the key. “Sorry”, she
said, “The Chancellors sent me on an errand to the village
and I just now got back.” she fitted the key into the lock
and pushed open the heavy front doors.
“Hera, Hermes and Hephestus”, Antares swore, as she and
the others looked into the room, “Somebody had a serious
Hoolie in here!”
There were chairs overturned, tattered decorations hanging from
the walls and ceiling, and the remnants of a very ripe smelling
buffet littered the floor, and the tables that were still upright.
Beneath the Buffet Table the loud, contented and well inebriated
snores of two men vibrated.
“What happened here?” the committee cried in unison.
“The Chancellors saw a chance to make a few extra denars by
renting the hall to the village chapter of LOL for their
installation ceremony last night. Well, that’s one security
deposit that won’t get returned,” Ldy Pegasus remarked,
kicking aside a wilted pile of soggy green stuff which may have
been a salad several hours ago.
“The who?” ShaeSong asked.
“That’s RV’s line,” WarriorKing replied,
trying to keep a straight face.
Ldy Peg explained, “ The village mens lodge, LOL, you know
The Loyal Order of Louts.”
Tabu, *sigh*, “I guess we’d better get started cleaning
up. These two," poking at the sleeping LOLs with her toe, "aren’t
going to be any help!”
WarriorKing, grabbed one LOL by the ankles and Sura and Shae took
one leg each of the other one and dragged them out the back door
where they continued their nap in the alley connecting the Ball
Room to the kitchens. The other committee members picked out
brooms and mops, Amyrlin opted for a shovel, and began to put the
room back in order. When the floor was clear, Sairah got a tall
ladder and climbed up dragging behind her the streamers to attach
to the mirrored ball in the center of the ceiling. Just then a
loud slightly off pitch voice was heard by all,
“I’m Joxer the mighty.......”
Joxer and Cleya entered the room to a chorus of “Where have
you been! Just like you to show when the dirty work is done!”,
and other pleasantries......
Joxer: “Let me help you with that ladder, Little Lady”.
Cleya shouted, “Joxer! The streamers!”, as Joxer
stepped on the trailing streamer and loosing his balance fell
into the ladder knocking it out from under Sairah. Quickly the
other committee members ran to the center of the room.
WarriorKing, Surabufix and Antares boosted Tabu and Amyrlin up on
their shoulders and then assisted ShaeSong in climbing up on Tabu
and Amyrlin’s shoulders, forming a human pyramid just high
enough for Shae to catch hold of Sairah’s legs and ease her
down to the arms of Cleya and Joxer waiting below.
After everyone caught their breath and Cleya explained for the
tenth time that the whole thing really wasn’t Joxer’s
fault, they all got back to the work at hand and soon had the
room decorated.
Leaving by the back door, past the still peacefully sleeping
LOLs, small snatches of conversation could be heard;
“Does
anybody have an extra pair of white gloves I could borrow?”
“Maybe, I’ll wear my hair up tonight. What do you think
about weaving flowers in it?”
“Joxer, watch out for the corner of the building!”
The Debs were getting ready for an evening to remember..........
THE REFRESHMENT COMMITTEE
Cherub Child was awaken by the sound of soft footsteps in the 4th
floor hall. She heard them stop for a second at her door and then
fade away. A minute later the elevator door opened and then all
was quiet. Getting out of bed she walked quietly to her door,
opened it a crack and on the floor was a piece of lavender paper
folded in half. Picking it up she read, *Meet me at 8:00 a.m. in
the Ball Room*.... rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she glanced
at her *Sun-x*. "It's 7:45 now!" she exclaimed as she
shut the door and hurried to dress. Minutes later she ran out the
door and collided with her neighbor, Castalia.
"Murumpf?" said Cas, and then added, "Watch it, C.C.,
I'm late for an appointment!"
" "You got one, too!" said C.C. noticing the lavender paper grasped tightly in Cas' hand.
Cas asked coyly, "Does yours say meet me in the
library at 10 a.m.?" "
"No," Cherub Child answered,
"Mine says the same as yours, 8 a.m. in the Ball room".
"Aww, you peeked at mine, ;)" Cas answered. When the
elevator car arrived they were surprised to see Julia, Kyrea,
Chandra, Orlena and AMuse already in the car. They were all
waving lavender pieces of paper at each other, and talking at
once.
"What's this all about?", Julia asked.
"How can we
ALL be having a mystery date in the same place at the same time?"
added Amuse.
"We'll get to the bottom of this, and find out
who's playing a joke on us!" said Kyrea.
As the door was closing running footsteps were heard, "Hold
the door! Wait for me!" shouted Taurus Brat.
"You got
one, too?" said Orlena grabbing the paper from TB's hand.
"It says the same as ours," remarked Chandra, reading
over Orlena’s shoulder.
The elevator door opened just then and the group
headed for the Ball Room. It was Salmonious who greeted the
group, "Welcome, my little helpers. Just follow me, and all
will be made clear." You have been appointed to the
Refreshment Committee and I am your leader." said Sal
rubbing his hands together. "All the supplies are in the
kitchen. Each of you will be assigned a task. Together we will
prepare a feast fit for the gods!"
"You ", Sal said, indicating AMuse,
Castalia and Chandra, "will be preparing a lovely Pate'.
Here are all the ingredients and the recipe."
Looking at the
slabs of raw liver, AMuse said , "Do you have any idea what
we’re supposed to do with this?"
"Follow the recipe, I guess, and hope for the best".
replied Chandra. Cas didn't answer as she was very busy trying
not to be sick at the sight of the raw liver.
"You two," Sal said to Julia and Kyrea, "will fix the fruit plate." Audible groans could be heard from both as they saw that most of the fruit consisted of grapes.
"You three being Level 4's are charged with making and
filling the creampuffs", concluded Sal. Orlena recognized
the gleam in Taurus Brats' eye and made a mental note to stay out
of range when the *cream* part of the puffs was being prepared.
Each team got to work on their menu item, but soon noticed that
their *leader* was casually leaning against a column eating an
apple.
"These grapes are too ripe to use",
said Kyrea, as she tossed them over her shoulder and scored a
direct hit on Sal's head.
"Hey, watch it", he shouted.
As an over ripe melon followed the grapes and found the front of
his, up 'till now, spotless toga.
"Ooops, sooo sorry, Sal",
Julia giggled.
"This liver smells funny. what do you think,
Salmonious?" asked Cas as chunk of liver followed the fruit
to land on target.
"And how about this whipped cream?"
Cherub Child added, determined not to miss out on the fun...
After about ten minutes of mayhem the entire
kitchen and its occupants were covered with assorted goo, sliding
around the floor, and laughing so hard......
Finally, Orlena yelled from behind a cabinet door where she had
found temporary shelter, "Enough, already! Look at this
mess, we'd better get it cleaned up before the Chancellors come
to check on us".
"It's just a little late for that," said a voice from
the doorway. Chancellor Astraea was barely recognizable under her
new Fruit Plate and Liver tunic. The room got very quiet as she
continued, "You were supposed to keep them under control,
Sal. Get this cleaned up now, and this time you help."
Astraea drew herself up to her full height, made a swipe at some
of the fruit dripping down the front of her gown and stomped out
of the room.
"Well, you heard her, lets get moving, said AMuse. "You
too, Sal, no loafing this time."
"I was about to begin
the Punch, my little cupcake," Sal said, dodging one last
bunch of tired grapes.
Taurus Brat grabbed the sprayer from the sink and hosed down the
room and the occupants and then they all got back to work.
"Be careful of that tray ", Julia reminded Kyrea.
"Doesn't it look beautiful", said Chandra, as the
committee carried the refreshments into the Ball Room.
"It sure does", sighed Castalia, "and the colors
will just match my dress."
"Mine, too," said
AMuse, "I hope they aren't too much alike".
"We'd
better get going", said Orlena, "I've still got to
decide how I'll fix my hair for tonight. What do you think C.C.,
up or down?"
"I don't Know", she replied, "What
should I do with mine?"
Taurus Brat: (to himself) "I'm sure glad I don't have to
worry about that stuff! All I have to do is show up and have a
great time!"