It was gloaming, beautiful glowing twilight [sparkling] with flickers of lightning bugs in the gardens that preceded the huge house before them. It rose like some tower of old, a stately home where many people were headed this night. Small crowds were emptying out of cars, some arriving even on horses or in carriages drawn by a team of two or three. The entire scene had a glamorous feel to it that didn't exclude people with its ritzy nature. Rather, it drew everyone together in friendship as they nodded and smiled to one another in anticipation for what was sure to be a fun event.

All except for the man beside her, that was. Elly flicked her ears back and poked the grumbling swordsman at her side. Zoro grunted and [clasped] her hand in a firmer grip. He was frowning, looking around the crowd and blushing when his eyes wandered back to the cut of his wife's dress. It was rare she wore something of the sort; a glittery barely-there number that caused him to choke every time he saw how the lavender fabric accentuated her voluptuous figure. They'd had to cut slits in the back for her tail, but that hadn't ruined the look at all. He tugged on his suit jacket, obviously not comfortable in his own finery.

"Relax, it's not that bad," she murmured.

"I hate parties," was his gruff reply as they approached the opulent mansion. Jess was at the door greeting people and the young [brunette] girl smiled warmly at everyone as they entered. Her bunny ears bobbed on her head as she smiled and nodded to them when they showed their invite.

"Go on in! There's a big gathering at the pool right now. You might want to start there." She grinned as the married couple passed her and she saw the chesire cat's double tails curling around his sword hilts. Daddy had wanted to restrict weapons into the mansion but in the end she'd gotten him to relent "just this once". She'd known Zoro wouldn't go anywhere without the swords and the cat wouldn't go anywhere without her man. And we want to have as many people at this party to make this the biggest one Roliana has ever seen! Jess's train of thought was interrupted as she heard familiar voices greeting her and she turned back to her duties as hostess with a bigger smile than before.

"Oh my god," Elly gasped as they walked into the hallway beyond the carved doorway. "It goes on forever!"

"Better hope not," Zoro snorted. "We have to walk it. Wait. There's a sign that says the pool's that way." He pointed off to one side and they hurried along. Even the hallway was something like they'd never seen before. Chandeliers hung suspended from dainty chains along the ceiling, sparkling and shining gold and casting soft light down upon the rich tapestries and paintings covering the walls. The floor was swirled marble, polished to an almost mirror-like brightness. Elly noticed with some amusement that her husband looked down only once before blushing even harder and tugging on her hand to make her walk faster.

"I'm wearing [heels], slow down!" She could barely keep from laughing as they neared the sound of bright conversation behind one of the open doors that lined the hall. His reflection hadn't bothered him but hers was a different matter.

"You had to wear a dress."

"But that's formal wear!" Now she did laugh, and loudly enough that as they walked in most of the crowd gathered around the bright waters of the pool glanced their way. Zoro ushered her in with a scowl, seating her gently in a comfortable chair by the bar. He didn't sit but hovered protectively beside her as he'd caught a glimpse of glowing red eyes from a dark corner.

"Isn't that...?"

"What?" She swiveled an ear around. "Oh! I hear Juni and Missy and Phee and..." He was bowled over by the wriggling cat girl as she scrambled out of the chair and rushed off to where she heard her friends talking.

"Great." Zoro shook his head, earrings jingling. He sat down and watched her for the rest of the night (all except the part where she dragged him off the chair to try and get him to dance). It was good to be around friends. It didn't matter if they had expensive things or not - they were the same people on the inside as anyone else. He thought about this as Elly flitted around the poolside laughing and talking to as many people as she could and when they were headed home to the docks he thought everything was worth it when he saw how happy she was. She shined and glittered more brightly than the dresses and lights in the mansion had. He shrugged. She always would to him.