Strength In Our Bonds (The Strength in Generations Accompanying Book)

Balamb's Winter Ball

Every winter, the Academy would host a formal for fund-raising purposes, and it was always a big hit. There was music, food, and of course, the chance to socialize with some of the most influential people in the city's society. It was a grand night, filled with enough whimsy to almost- almost- make up for the fact that it never snowed in Balamb.

"The festivities start at 6:30. It is... 6:30, okay. Leiria!" Martine knocked on the bathroom door. "What's taking so long?! We're late!"

"I'm sorry!" she said.

Martine sighed. "I don't mind being late, but why have you been in there so long? Do you need help with something? I can come in and-"

"That won't be necessary!" Leiria objected.

Martine made a face. "Are you sure?"

When Leiria didn't answer, Martine twisted the knob- it wasn't even locked- and peeked in.

"You're not even dressed?!"

Leiria squeaked in surprise, turning behind herself to look at her husband, temporarily letting her dress fall back down her thighs.

"I'm trying to get dressed, Martine, but this dress won't go past my thighs," explained Leiria. "It fit fine when I bought it a month ago. I don't understand."

"Oh." Martine stood at the door, confused. Leiria had always been skinny; not being able to fit clothes had to be a foreign feeling to her. "Hmm. Can't you wear a different dress?"

"But I had my heart set on this one!" Leiria looked like she was going to cry.

"Did you try putting it on the other way? You know, over your head?"

"I guess I can try." Leiria nodded, and began to do so. "Even though the point of the zipper is to pull it over your legs..."

"Doing stuff the way it's intended ain't fun." Martine laughed as he helped Leiria pull the dress onto her arms. It easily slipped over her head. "See?"

"You are the king of easy fixes, Martine." Leiria smiled as she squeezed Martine affectionately. "Is my hair okay?"

"Your hair is perfect."

"Then, let's go and try to make up for some of the time we lost, okay?" Leiria smiled, zipping her shiny blue-green ball gown shut.

"Hold on there, honey." Martine pointed to her feet.

"Oh... I think shoes may be in order, yes." Leiria giggled.

~ * ~

"The decorative team outdoes themselves every time." Hope smiled, looking around at everything and everyone in the ballroom. His elder daughter stood at his side, doing the same.

"I agree; this looks like one of those televised socialite balls in Galbadia," Aurelie smiled up at her father. "I assume that's what you were aiming for when you gave the department their direction."

"All I did was give them the set of music that was to be played and provided a vague color scheme. The rest is entirely their conception."

"I'm always so in awe of visual types," Aurelie said enviously. "It's all I can do just to make my bedroom slightly visually appealing."

"Well, you picked out that dress."

Aurelie's dress was a strapless dark green velvet knee-length dress with a skater skirt. She was, at first, fiercely objective of her legs being exposed at such a formal event, but her sister had convinced her that it was the best choice. She wore her hair in a curly low side ponytail.