Joker paused as he stood outside his door, his ears catching the music that still played from the ballroom below. Aside from that, no other noises were to be heard, none of the doors beside him seemed to be in use and before he could confirm this a throat cleared itself behind him.

"Sir... Joker," the butler seemed to have trouble with such an inelegant name, "the clothing does you credit. Now if you please, there are refreshments downstairs," as he said this he stood back and bowed, his arm pointing in the direction he wished Joker to take.

"Ara, are there no other people? Joker hasn't heard anyone else arrive here," he queried as he moved towards the stairs, looking down the elegant length to the floor below.

Standing straight once more, the butler gave a thin smile, "There are always guests in Master Diedricht's house. But please, do not travel beyond these rooms. There would be a slight health hazard involved if you were to do so."

Blinking at that warning, Joker turned back only to see the man had vanished, "Joker would think he could also make portals to disappear..."

Snorting, he made his way down and admired the artworks adorning the walls. With his own rich upbringing, Joker was well accustomed to art and the finer things in life and could tell all the things before him hinted at the sort of money this Master Diedricht was rolling in.

"Now Joker wonders what sort of person he is and what he would want with Joker in this place... he couldn't know Joker's family and Joker's family isn't this rich..." murmuring to himself, he reached the end of the stairs and turned to the ghostly ballroom.

Still the ghosts danced, revolving around one another and laughing as the music played elegantly upon the air. Some saw Joker and the women winked and smiled at his handsome dress, to which Joker grinned in return.

While there were rare occasions, Joker himself did enjoy to dance yet lacked the sophisticated company with which to do so. Now he found himself surrounded by people with whom to enjoy himself and he could not pass up the oppurtunity, regardless of the inability to make contact.

Surveying the walls he saw the table surrounded by others and made his way there, pausing before a woman with raven black hair and gold eyes.

"Would you care to dance with Joker?" he asked politely, extending his hand before him as he gave one of his more elegant bows.

The woman laughed lightly, confusion on her face, "I would love to sir, if you could contrive a way for it to be done!"

Joker smiled, "What is a dance but going through the motions? If both people know the dance well, it is a small matter to get through it without once requiring to lead or touch."

The woman was intrigued and extended her hand, Joker merely placed his beneath it and pantomimed holding it and kissing it before guiding it to his arm where he then led her to the floor. He noticed the woman beside the one he had approached, with long purple hair and a crimson dress had noticed the exchange and watched them both curiously.

Joker then led his partner into a beautiful waltz, her hands just hovering over his own and his shoulder while he did the same for her waist and hand. Neither touched during the dance, yet they both moved together elegantly with no mistakes or trouble. It was the kind of movement that spoke long practice and no one watching would have been able to tell him apart from all the other dancers.

__________________

RIP Duke
BA Characters:
Joker Kyralie Calista
Artwork - No requests =(