Chapter 25:

It had been a week since Willow's visit to the UpperWorld. And tonight it was the ball. 

"Eek!" Alicia said, as Willow reluctantly walked out in her dress. "Look at you! You're so pretty! Look at yourself in the mirror."

Willow slowly turned to the mirror.

The dress was gorgeous.  It was a deep blue, royal blue, and had an A-line fit. It was backless, exposing her shoulders as well.

The back of the dress was the most stunning, though. Hanging from the top was a drape of sheer deep blue lace. It extended down and hooked to Willow's white gloved finger (Willow loved the white gloves, it made the dress look even bluer). The dress was light and flowy as well. It was comfortable. She had never considered herself ugly or pretty of even average. It always depended on the day. Some days she felt as if she was the ugliest person in the world, and other days she thought that she looked really good. This dress made her feel more than she looked really good, it made her feel gorgeous and royal-like.

Willow's hair was done up in sparkling pins from the Elves and Alicia had stolen some makeup from the UpperWorld and put a generous amount of eyeliner, making her eyes shine brighter than usual.

For the first time ever, she thought maybe the ball wouldn't be such a disaster after all.

* * * * * * * * * * 

Michael had joked about his good looks earlier, but Willow couldn't help but admit that the suit he was wearing made him look quite good. The entire suit was pitch black, making his golden hair and eyes stand out clearly. It fit his body tightly, and instead of the boring dress pants, he wore regular black denim jeans. He didn't wear a tie, which made him look much younger. 

He looked much more than 'quite good', but Willow couldn't find a strong enough adjective to match it.

Willow on the other hand, had already tripped twice in her heels. So, Alicia had decided to change from her five-inch heels, to just plain silver flats. She was not a clumsy person in general, but this was probably one of the first time she had ever worn such tall high heels. 

Alicia wore a purple dress, it fit her body tightly and was covered in gems. She was so pretty, Willow wondered what the point of dressing up was if Alicia was too. Her hair was down,  and had a few gems in it. She had little makeup, just eyeliner like Willow.

Chelsea wore a light, flowy and plain yellow dress. 

Willow came out with her blue dress, and Alicia had gushed about how beautiful she looked. Well, Willow didn't know if she was talking about her, or the dress. Chelsea had smiled and said that she looked very pretty and Chris had given her a pat to the shoulder and had said, "You survived Alicia, congrats." Michael had looked at her for a moment, then had turned abruptly away; she didn't know whether that was a good thing or not.

"Alright, let's go, or we'll be late." Alicia said, and threw a portal to the ground and walked through without hesitation.

Then, Michael went in and Chelsea and then Chris turned to her, “The balls aren't as bad as you may think they are, don't worry.”

Willow smiled, “Thanks.” Even though it was just a few words, it comforted her. She wiped her sweaty palms on her hips and walked through. 

In second she could feel a smooth marble floor underneath her. She looked up, they had arrived in a large hallway that could probably fit more than a thousand people in it. It looked basically the same as RiverPlain, medieval with brick walls and dimly lit with candles and chandeliers. 

Conversations flowed from ahead of them. She also heard elegant music that flowed with such honey like silk; she wondered what instruments they were playing. Maybe they had violins in the UnderWorld? 

When Willow entered, it wasn't at all how she had imagined the scene.

She had imagined it to be all elegant and royal with Ganashes greeting each other politely. Large ballgowns, and braided hair. She had imaged golden drapes and powdered faces. 

It was the opposite. Ganashes were running around, laughing and talking animatedly to each other in the sidelines. Even the adults seemed to be fooling around tonight. The dresses were more of how Alicia, Michael, Chelsea and Chris were dressed. Fancy, but more casual. 

Maybe this wouldn't be all that bad after all.

* * * * * * * * * *

She was wrong. 

An hour into the ball, Willow felt dizzy. All the spinning, colorful dresses, dancing, music, noises and even the high walls of the room gave her a headache.

The place was enormous. It was just how you would imagine a ballroom to be, gems encrusted into the walls and old paintings hanging high with bronze casing. The place was filled with windows. They stood high and wide, dwarfing the walls. 

Willow needed fresh air, but Alicia, Chris and Chelsea were dancing with some of her friends. Chelsea seemed to have noticed Willow looked a little lost and she motioned them . She shyly walked up to them. A few glances and stares, but other than that the other Ganashes were polite. 

“Dude, Chelse,” one of the girls that had golden hair that came to her thighs said to Chelsea. She looked like Rapunzel, her hair was so long, some of the longest Willow had ever seen. “Did you try this green sparkling drink? It's from the Dwarves, made by some kind of crystal. It's awesome and makes your teeth glow!”

At that Willow couldn't help but to examine the girl's teeth. They did, in fact, glow slightly. Chelsea laughed, “I'll get some now!” She then looked over at Willow, “Come with me.”

Willow obediently followed Chelsea to the drink table. Chelsea poured from of the green drink into and small cup and then gave it to Willow. 

Willow examined the drink, “Makes your teeth glow, huh?”

“Yeah,” Chelsea replied. She poured some for herself and then turned to Willow, “You don't have to worry about those girls, they don't hate you.” 

Willow blinked in response but Chelsea was already walking back with Willow shuffling to catch up. 

The comment Chelsea had made had actually comforted her, and she felt much less awkward around the girls. 

She finished the green drink quickly, it was delicious. A mixture of sweet and sour. She had even gone back to check out the other drinks they had. 

“So, Willow,” one of the girls said, addressing Willow, which was the first time that night which one of the girls directly addressed her. “You slaying the dragon, right?”

“Attempt to slay the dragon,” she corrected. They found that funny for some reason and all started laughing. 

“Ah,” another girl said. “You'll make it. There is something different about you. You would look cute in armor.”

They all laughed again. 

Even Willow found herself laughing. “That' why.” She said. “The dragon will look at me and think, 'Oh em gee, that girl will look fab in armor, let me just kill myself.'”

One of the girls choked on her drink she was laughing so hard. Willow didn't know it had been that funny, but she guessed it was a good thing that they found her entertaining. 

They all talked for a little bit more, and within minutes Willow felt completely at ease with the girls, as if they were all her friends. 

That was when she noticed the blonde head she was looking for. She would never admit that she had been looking for him every since he had disappeared. He was now leaning against the doorway casually talking with a guy. 

She was disappointed that he was talking with someone, she wanted to go up to him and say something though she wasn't quite sure what yet. 

She watched as he conversed with the boy, they seemed to be talking about something serious. 

“What are you staring at, Willow?” One of the girls said, snapping her fingers in front of Willow and trailing her eyes to Michael.

Willow flushed, feeling ridiculous.

“Oh,” another girl said. “Michael Midnight.”

Another girl giggled, “It's on my bucket list to do him.”

Alicia slapped the girl's arm, “Quit being so perverted.” 

“It's not like it'll ever happen, Lydia.” A girl whom Willow recalled to be Yalee said. “We've all tried.”

Willow couldn't help but feel slightly angry for the girls hitting on him, she wasn't sure why, though. Jealousy? Despite the fact that they had all called her off on it, she continued to glance at Michael. 

It wasn't that she wanted to, it just happened, like it was uncontrollable.  That was when Michael glanced back at her and their eyes met across the dance floor. She should've looked away, but she didn't. Instead she met his eyes and couldn't look away. 

Another girl laughed, “Oh my, Michael stared at Willow for more than a second! He is totally in love with you.” She said it with a hint of irony. Willow looked away from Michael and back toward the girls, trying to pretend that nothing happened. 

“Oh, Jocelyn,” Lydia said. “That doesn't mean he loves her.”

“We should so invite him over here!” Another girl said, jumping up a little. “Him or Aaron. Aaron is to die for and seems to actually be interested in a relationship.”

“No, Cristobal is definitely the second hottest.” 

“Aaron definitely, Chiara.”

“We should sent Willow to invite them all over!” One of the girls exclaimed. Willow jumped a little at what they wanted her to do. She wasn't used to this, her only friends that were girls at school were the “Socially outcast nerds”, or that was what they called themselves. She had never had the opportunity to be part of the “popular” group or the “girly” group where girls talked about boys, but for some reason, she was enjoying all this talk about boys. 

“Yeah,” Chiara said. “She's so good with the boys! I mean, look, she got Michael's attention. That's like destroying the world with a sneeze!”

Willow didn't quite understand the last line, but she would take it as if it were a impossibility. 

Alicia laughed, “Who's going to get Aaron so we can flirt him up?”

“Lydia should so do it.”

“No, I think Willow should go get him, too. He'll like her.”

“Willow again?”

“No, cause then Michael will think she's a two timer and then ditch us. We shouldn't waste the opportunity of actually talking to him by a stupid mistake like that.”

“You're right, I think Chiara should do it. Or Heather.”

“I'll do it!” The girl whom Willow guessed was Heather said. 

One of the girls grabbed Willows shoulders and turned her around, “Go get him.” She then pushed her rather roughly towards him. Michael glanced over and started laughing at Willow's confused face.

She felt that her face was red and turned around to look at the girls. Alicia rolled her eyes and went up to Willow and grabbed her wrist. “C'mon, I'll go with you.”

Alicia dragged Willow behind while stomping towards Michael. The drink she was holding spilling slightly on the floor. 

“Michael!” She said. Walking up to him. “Talk to Willow. She has something to say to you!”

Michael seemed really amused his eyes glancing up at Willow who shook her head at him. Trying to tell him that she didn't have anything to say. The boy Michael had been talking with laughed and punched Michael in the arm jokingly, and she heard him say, “Good luck controlling the women, man!” He left. 

Alicia pushed Willow towards to Michael and without another word left.

Willow blew out a breath, “They want you to come over there and talk to them.”

Michael nodded, “And why did they send you?”

Willow shrugged, “I don't know. I wouldn't go if I were you though, they're all pretty eager for quite a couple reasons.”

Michael laughed, “I guessed as much.” Willow went and leaned against the wall next to him. 

“Where were you?” She asked him, referring to the fact that he had disappeared for most of the night. 

“Why? Were you looking for me?” He didn't look at her as he asked, though there some emotion in his voice. An emotion Willow couldn't quite place. 

“No...” she said, trying as hard as she could to look natural.

“I was outside, if you must know.”

“Why were you outside?” She felt like she was prying, but she couldn't help it. 

“Big parties like this aren't my thing.” He sounded neutral, as if he had been stating this fact since young age. 

“Are these all the Ganashes?” She asked, looking at the massive room and all the Ganashes that were laughing and dancing and playing around.

“Those who aren't mission,” Michael replied. 

“Is your family on a mission?” 

Michael looked over at her, before answering, “They aren't here.”

It wasn't much of a question and it left Willow wondering if they were either dead or just not into big parties like this. She remembered vaguely Chelsea saying they were dead, but she couldn't be sure. 

“Do you want to see something?” Michael asked her, his eyes eager making Willow want to laugh. 

“Sure, what is it?”

“You'll see.” Michael replied. He grabbed her hand and walked her out of the ballroom. The music and laughter becoming dimmer every step they could. 

She knew that the gossip between the girls had probably risen, but first time, she didn't care. She was flattered, a weird feeling of pride and surprise. 

They walked for what felt like hours, didn't talk about much, mostly because Willow was too busy craning her neck looking out the windows. CarvesWay River had an even more beautiful view than RiverPlain, if that was possible. 

She was so busy trying to peek out the windows for more than a couple seconds that she ran right into someone. 

She knew before even looking up that it wasn't Michael. This man's shoulders dwarfed the Michael's. He was much taller and stiffer. 

Willow pulled away, “Sorry.” She said, trying to act like it was natural. 

The man only smiled and then looked over at Michael who nodded at him, “Zanleas.” He said, his voice projecting obedience. He then turned to her, “This is Zanleas,” he told her. “He's our current leader, or what you would call in the UpperWorld president of the Ganashes.”

Willow didn't know why she felt the sudden urge she had to bow down to him, Michael hadn't done it, so she guessed she didn't have to although she wanted to; how often did you get to bow to royalty? 

Zanleas smiled, “You must be Willow. Willow Glasspiers. Willow Paenula.”

Willow literally jumped in horror and surprised, she took a step back from him, examining him, trying to see if he despised her. 

“Of course I would know your father is Machire,” Zanleas said as if it were obvious. He laughed at little, and that was when it struck Willow how young Zanleas was. He looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-seven years old, she would have imagined the leader of Ganashes to be a lot older. Zanleas had blond hair as well, but it was the golden color like Michael's, it was like a silver blond. His eyes were narrow and thin and he had very little eyelashes. His eyebrows were dead straight across his forehead. 

She nodded at what he had said. Of course he would know Machire was her father, she doubted Cirestain would keep that from him. 

Zanleas turned to Michael, “And what are you doing out and about with Willow.” His words were striking and sounded like he was questioning a criminal.

Michael hesitated, she saw how uncomfortable he looked, was it because he was embarrassed to be with her?

“He was just showing me where the bathroom was.” Willow replied, taking a step toward him. She didn't know how dangerous it was to be lying to the leader of Ganashes, but she continued the act up anyway. “The other bathrooms in the ballroom are really dirty and plugged up. Kids, you know? Getting crazy with the drinks...” The more she talked the more she felt uncomfortable. Michael was obviously keeping a secret wherever he was taking her, and for a minute she began to believe that them being together was forbidden. 

Zanleas knew they were lying, Willow could tell that he knew. He looked up at Michael and then back at Willow. Willow decided then that she didn't like Zanleas too much, he reminded her too much of her father. 

“Well, run along, children.” He said, shooing them away. Willow saw Michael wrinkle his nose at the word 'children'. “And be careful where you tread, Mr. Midnight.”

Michael waited until Zanleas was completely out of view before taking Willow's hand once again and pulling her behind him as he walked down the hallways. 

As they walked Willow couldn't help but ask, “Are you embarrassed that you're hanging out with me?” She had always been a pretty straight forward person when it came to her thoughts, and she wasn't going to be any different now. 

He seemed genuinely surprised by her comment. It wasn't a oh-no-she's-onto-me surprise, more like an why-would-she-ever-think-that surprise.

“I'm not embarrassed,” he responded. He sounded truthful, and although Willow hadn't known him for long, she couldn't help but trust him. 

They walked silently until they reached large glass doors. The moonlight shone through the window panes and gave an eerie, magical feeling. 

Michael was smiling now, a wide smile that lit up his eyes and made her laugh slightly. He opened the door proudly and gestured for her to go outside into the bright moonlit night.

She thanked him for opening the door for her and he followed close behind her as she walked out.

It was a garden. A large fountain set in the center of the marble walkways. The water seemed to glow, leaving sparks of electricity that danced around the air. The moonlight almost looked as if it were spotlighting the dancing electricity, its lights sparkled off of droplets like diamonds. "It's so beautiful,” was the only thing Willow could say. 

Behind the fountain was a forest. It wasn't a wild, overgrown forest, but a carefully kept and pristine forest. The trees were all neatly trimmed of all extra, out of place branches. The leaves  were a deep green color, an emerald, like Michael's eyes.  

Michael laughed at her comment and awed face, "This wasn't even what I was going to show you," he said, looking so amused that Willow couldn't help but grin brightly at him. It felt like there was a bubble in her chest, a bubble that seemed to hold all the emotions she had right now. She mildly wondered if the bubble would ever pop.

It was dark, but he guided her through it all. "Here we go." He said, and Willow looked up.

And -just like she did on the ledge- she gasped, because there were no words.

"And that's how we know our world isn't under yours."