Don’t worry about the future.

[mansionstaff]

Who: EV ERY ONE
What: Graduation. Prom.
When: The evening of May 31st.
Where: The Stadium.
Warnings: WHO KNOWS

It's a beautiful spring evening at Smash Academy, the barest hints of summer just beginning to touch the stadium floor, which had been rearranged into a platform overlooking neat rows of chairs meant to seat the gathered crowd of faculty and students. Towards the other end of the complex was the arrangement for the prom that was to follow. Food and drink, chairs and tables, each with a floral centerpiece, and, of course, a dance floor.



Before everyone could get their party on, however, there was the main event of the evening. From his place at the podium, Master Hand watched students and staff alike find their way into the stadium. With the recent shadow bug invasion, there seemed to be tensions in need of dispelling. If the Headmaster knew one thing, however, it was that some silly antics were not going to ruin this esteemed event. Not tonight. Not if he could help it.

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HEY DUDES! Here's how stuff is going to work. We kick off the log with GRADUATION. This part of the log will be divided into separate threads. I'll post them all at once, so feel free to hop around, mingle, post whenever, wherever.

HOWEVER, once the PROM starts, it will be up to you guys to post your own threads. Please check out last year's log if you'd like an idea of how this works. Everything after the thread titled "DISMISSAL" (I will post that in a bit, so don't post prom threads until I have that up!) will be considered prom, though don't let that stop you from continuing to post in the graduation section.

Please label all your threads appropriately! (Examples: "SHENANIGANS AT THE FOOD TABLE", "DANCE-OFF", "THE PUNCH IS SPIKED", "BOTHER X" In general, a location + what is going on in the thread is the way to go. Obviously, more than one thread can take place at the same location. 

Linking back and forth when and if you thread hop is very much appreciated. If things start to look a bit laggy, we'll bump to the next page. Most importantly, TAG YOUR DUDES, HAVE FUN, and let a mod know about any problems or concerns you might have!

Comments

[forgetbeam]

"Of course! I practiced in the mornings and the evenings to make sure I wouldn't forget!"

He had this in the bag, as far as he was concerned. The real issue was working up the nerve to actually ask for a dance. One dance, that was all he had in mind.

"So, have you studied extensively as well? This is the kind of thing where a lack of confidence will cause the greatest slip-ups!"

[punchtheflute]

"I tried. I had my job and Ukulele practice and stuff too. So, it's been busy! But I got in at least a few practice sessions. Just watching myself do it in the mirror."

He did a few steps, still looking down at his shoes.

"Hopefully I'll have more confidence when Voile is actually there."

[forgetbeam]

"Oh, so she is your date?" He'd spoken with Voile briefly, and she seemed alright. Wasn't a troublemaker, which was all that really counted. "Well, the key to impressing a girl is to be bold and direct! There is no mere hoping!"

Romantic advice from Kiyotaka Ishimaru, what had the world come to. He knew absolutely nothing about impressing girls. But Aoi liked him well enough so it must have been pity the bold and direct thing at work, right?

[punchtheflute]

"It's best to be bold and direct?" Sonny replied, stopping in his practice steps and looking at Kiyotaka concernedly.

"Isn't the kind of... well. Forward? I don't know. Unless I'm battling, I'm not really a bold or direct kind of person?"

Give him your advice, love guru Ishimaru.

[forgetbeam]

He was probably the last person in the world who should have been enlightening Sonny on the ways of women, and he knew it. But he still believed in being forthright in general, so he was sticking to those guns.

"Well... honestly is the best policy, after all! There's no point in beating around the bush," advised the guy who spent months on end doing that exact thing.

"Say exactly what's on your mind, loud and clear! Let there be no confusion in anything!"

Not love advice. Life advice.

[punchtheflute]

"Hmmm. That's probably useful advice. I spend at least some of the time kind of confused."

He was an honest person generally speaking. When it came to his own feelings about things like love and romance and crazy Brother v Brother love triangles... no, wait, two sides didn't connect in THAT way. Love... 'V's. Then, he was less honest. But only to avoid hurting feelings. There was nothing he hated more than hurting the feelings of those he cared about.

"I should probably do as you say more often. Don't you find that hard, though? It isn't always easy to say how you feel! Especially if it might not be the best thing for everyone."

[forgetbeam]

See, the thing about Kiyotaka was that he put speaking his mind and being open about his feelings on two entirely separate planes from each other. Even if he'd been a little better about opening up to people he was close with lately, he still had a long way to go before he could be considered a properly functioning human being.

He was silent for a moment, staring at Sonny and debating with himself about how open he should be now.

"That kind of honestly... is the most difficult of all. No, it's definitely better to consider whether talking about your feelings will actually benefit anybody in the long run or not!"

A LONG WAY. TO GO.

"But it's still possible to be direct without getting personal! For example, if you want to dance with your date, just say it! 'Hey, let's dance!' That's all there is to it!"

[punchtheflute]

Well, he wasn't wrong. That kind of honesty WAS the hardest kind of all. And it was hard to know whether being completely honest was going to benefit anyone in the long run. He wasn't a psychic types, after all. Future sight was hardly in his movepool.

"I'll do my best. 'Hey, let's dance!'.. or maybe 'Hey. Should we dance?' would be better. Well, I'll think more about it. Thanks, Kiyotaka! You're a good friend."

[forgetbeam]

Whoa. Official friend status, achieved just like that. It was staggering how different things were here compared to back in Japan. It made his heart swell and he couldn't help but grin a little. "Ha ha ha! Helping each other out is what friends do, after all!"

Which was why he was going to push all of his sage wisdom onto Sonny whether he wanted it or not.

"However, don't change it to should we dance! That makes it sound as though you're doubting it and will only foster doubt in others as well!"

[punchtheflute]

To be entirely fair, becoming Sonny Moe's friend was about as easy as saying 'Hi! let's be friends!'. But come on, you don't just watch friendship ponies with a guy and not form some sort of bond. That's not how it works.

"If there's ever anything I can help you with, just ask me!" he offered with a huge grin. "And OK, I'll be sure not to say 'should we'. I guess I'm just used to asking stuff like that instead of making suggestions. I'll try to be more decisive!"

[forgetbeam]

Kiyotaka was the kind of guy who formed deep soul bonds literally overnight so they were actually a pretty good combination.

"Don't just try! Do it! Now go out there and tell her you're going to dance with her right now!"

And he would. Watch. And continue to be antsy about asking his own date.

[punchtheflute]

"I think we're going to hit the snack table first! But right after that I'm going to do it!"

He gave Kiyotaka a thumbs up and a huge, toothy grin.

"I bet you have a great night with your date too! Oh! Who did you ask?"

[forgetbeam]

Dancing on a full stomach did not sound like a fun time. But then again, Sonny was a Snorlax. They... seemed to have to do everything on a full stomach.

"I, er..." Jeez, he could talk a little about other peoples' dates, but when it came to discussing his own love life he wanted to clam right up. Which was DUMB. He cleared his throat. "I asked Asahina, of course!"

[punchtheflute]

"Ohhhh! She's so nice!" Sonny said, clapping Kiyotaka on the shoulder gently. "I think she's so cool! She can really eat a LOT of donuts! And she's nice to talk to."

He hadn't spent a great deal of time with her, but they were friendly acquaintances. And anyone who can impress a Snorlax by eating a lot of donuts has to be someone really very special.

[forgetbeam]

"Right?! Not only that, but she's dedicated and hard-working, too! She puts so much into everything she does, and that's admirable!"

Of course that was his type. Of course. At least he felt more comfortable opening up when it came to that.

"We... we went to the same school together in Japan, but did not really get to know each other until we came here." Not that there was really... time... to get to know each other back then.

[punchtheflute]

"I'm glad that you got to spend more time together at this school, then. That's really great!" Sonny replied with a nod. Some people had problems when they came here. A lot of people had come here without meaning to and he could only imagine how something like that could mess up your life. But it seemed like it had worked out well for Kiyotaka.

"I know she's a hard worker. She's good at lifting!" he said, miming lifting a dumbbell. "I think you're really lucky to take a girl like her to Prom. I bet you both have a really nice night!"

[forgetbeam]

"Lifting..."

Oh no, he thought, he had to protect her from Max AT ALL COSTS.

"Y-you're right! I won't let anything ruin this night! Let's both do our best to make it enjoyable and memorable for everyone!"

It would be in all the wrong ways. For everyone.

[punchtheflute]

Aw Max is so nice, though. He just wants your girlfriend to have 48 inch biceps is that so wrong?

"Agreed!" Sonny replied, holding out a hand for Kiyotaka to shake.

That was how a deal was made, after all!

[forgetbeam]

So wrong.

Oh, right, the handshake thing. This really wasn't a business venture, but he accepted anyway.

"It's settled! Now go out there and assert yourself!"

[punchtheflute]

"You too!"

And there he went, off into the great blue yonder.

[forgetbeam]

Godspeed, Sonny.