Cham-Pain!!

Stormi, being a simple librarian, was not used to the culture that comes along with attending a seasonal ball. Especially one held by the richest succubun in burrowgatory. To put it lightly, she was nervous. Her nerves crept up on her, building upon itself and manifesting into the slight bounce of her heel on the ground. Of course she got looks from the other guests for this, which only fueled the fire. Eventually she decided to have a simple drink to calm her nerves. This did not, however, help her in the slightest.
A few sips helped calm her nerves, yes, and she did feel more at ease, but she has a tendency to overdo things, and so, she kept drinking after those few sips. She became tipsy and felt like she was the center of attention. This was very different from how she usually felt about her presence, and so she lapped up the attention she was receiving desperately–whether it was good or bad. 

She walked back and forth through the ballroom, greeting the other buns–some of which she knew, others she did not. She strutted confidently, not noticing her heels beginning to get caught up on the end of her dress. She loved the mermaid tail style, and normally it wouldn’t be a problem wearing a floor-length dress, but now that she was under the influence, it made it much more difficult to stay upright. She continued, unknowing of the danger that was before her. 

She spotted two familiar faces in the crowd and her face lit up, she began speed walking in that direction, and locked eyes with Jackal and Dove just as she slipped on the end of her dress. She almost caught herself, but unluckily, she dumped her champagne during the fumble and slipped on it, causing her to come crashing down–loudly. Her empty glass clattered to the floor and shattered at her side, causing all eyes to fall on her. 

She felt nervous, embarrassed, and a bit foolish to be completely honest. What had started out as a good time she had gotten carried away with, and now she felt horrible about interrupting the party. Dove and Jackal came running to her side, and helped her stand up. They whisked her away to an empty balcony, and for once this evening Stormi was thankful to be alone. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she tossed her fluffy shawl to the ground and began wiping at her eyes. That’s when Dove came to her side and placed a gentle hand on her back. “Are you alright, Stormi?”

Stormi took a deep breath and wiped her eyes once more. “Yes, I’m sorry for the trouble. I don’t know what happened, I just got carried away with myself.” Stormi noticed Jackal standing in the corner of the balcony, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. Stormi felt awful for putting them in this situation. She wished she hadn’t come at all.

Dove picked up Stormi’s shawl and threw it over their shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. What actually happened?”

Stormi explained her overindulgence on the champagne and how it did not combine well with a restricted dress that was just a tad too long for her short legs. Dove sighed and said, “I wish you would have told me sooner. I could have tailored your dress to be at your ankles. Or we could have even gone shopping for another.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t see you sooner either,” Jackal said.

“That’s right, we could have kept an eye on you. Please make sure to ask for help when you need it.” Dove said.

Stormi sheepishly smiled. “Thank you. I guess I was too nervous to be seen at first, and then all I wanted to do was be seen. I really appreciate you both coming to my rescue. I don’t know what I would have done without you two.”

Just then a figure was seen through the painted glass window leading to the ballroom. Stormi’s eyes widened when the door opened and she saw Angora. She looked absolutely stunning, with an air of glamor surrounding her. She’s everything Stormi was trying to be this evening, and it made her feel even more foolish. “Are you okay?” 

That completely shocked her. She didn’t think Angora would be the type to check on someone that had made such a scene at her event. She hesitated before speaking up. “Y-yes I am, thank you!” She said quickly. 

Stormi noticed Angora looking her up and down. “That won’t do. I can’t have a guest wearing a stained dress. Follow me.” 

Angora brought her to a grande looking closet, to which she picked out a sparkly gold colored ball gown. She handed it to her and pointed to the changing room at the end of the walk-in. Once changed, Stormi stepped out, teary eyed once again. 

Dove clapped their hands together, “Oh, you look like a princess!” 

Jackal had a smile on her face and nodded at Stormi. That’s when Angora chimed in. “You can wear this for the rest of the ball. In fact, keep it.” 

“Oh my gosh, thank you Angora, that’s so kind of you!” She said. 

Angora scoffed. “Kind? You’re mistaken. This isn’t a gift, it’s a loan. With interest. You’ll be working nights at my casino to pay it off. Oh, and that dress? It’s vintage.” She smirked, made a gesture towards the door, and bid the trio adieu.