Fear Incarnate

A Disastrous Ball

Innoak lifted Entrapta into the skiff as he watched Perfuma, Bow, Adora, and Glimmer leave for the Princess Ball. Entrapta sidled into her sensor control seat as Innoak used his immense bulk to navigate the anti-grav vehicle's strange steering mechanism. He also enjoyed having access to the laser cannons underslung on the hull of the craft. With a satisfying thrum the vehicle went aloft and sped off. "This vehicle's functions are more than satisfactory Entrapta!" Innoak said, raising his voice to be heard over the wind and engine. "R-Really! I mean, I thought the engine was a bit too loud and maybe the lasers weren't the most accurate and then there wa-" Innoak interrupted her, "Entrapta, you did a fine job. There is nothing more to be said." She beamed at the approval, and Innoak found himself smiling with her. She had clearly not experienced much human interaction, and the approval of someone she considered a superior must have been new. Or did she consider him a friend? Innoak shook his head, he was a Space Marine, and Space Marines are not granted the luxury of friends beyond their own brothers. So the two rode in silence for the rest of the trip to the Ice Kingdom.

"Wow! It's bigger than I thought!" Entrapta said as they approached the Ice Palace, Innoak chuckled. The castle was no bigger than a luxurious Imperial chapel, and even the smallest Fortress Monastery dwarfed the palace. Innoak ceased his musings and sidled the skiff into a shadowy corner, spotting the Bright Moon entourage already entering the palace. "Go ahead Entrapta, I will remain here to...guard your work." Entrapta cocked an eyebrow at his reluctance and after a second smiled. "Don't be shy Innoak! I'm sure they'll love you here!" She grabbed his arm and attempted to haul him over to the door, the strength of her hair appendages surprised Innoak and he was dragged a few meters before stopping himself. "I do not think I received an invite." he said hoping to stop the determined princess. Then he realized Princess, she is a princess without a plus one. Throne damnit. "It's fine! I'll take you as my plus one! You did read the rules right?" Innoak slapped a gauntleted hand to his helmet's false face, he had memorized the whole thing out of boredom while being tortured with endless fashion experimentation by Adora and Glimmer. "I did." he said hopelessly. "Good! Nothing to worry about then. This social experiment will be soo fun!" Innoak felt hopeless but also strangely...happy.

Innoak hesitantly handed his force sword to the guard in the weapons hold, luckily they did not notice his pistol, in their eyes the strange device couldn't be a threat. It was too alien to understand. Innoak wouldn't have cared anyway, his most powerful weapon was himself. Once entering the palace's large doors he found many staring at him strangely, he realized he wasn't dressed at all for the occasion and he found himself regretting being coerced by Entrapta. How had he yielded so quickly to her? Perhaps the time spent on this world was making him soft. He pushed the concerns aside and strode into the line to greet the hostess. Entrapta was by his side in seconds, a pouch full of small foods clasped to her side. "How did you find so many in this brief time?" he asked, confused. "It's a secret." she whispered with a wink. Innoak laughed softly, the Emperor had strange plans for him and saddling him with Entrapta was the strangest. Then as he neared the ice princess's throne he heard a distinctly glittery whisper. "Innoak? Innoak! What are you doing here?" Innoak turned his head to look at the furious face of Glimmer. He cocked a thumb at Entrapta, who looked at him, then Glimmer, and smiled while waving. Glimmer was about to say something when she was cut short by it being Innoak and Entrapta's turn to greet the hostess. As he bowed he decided to speak to the clearly offput child. "Honorable hostess, I apologize for my appearance and that of my princess. We do not possess clothes or garb to properly fit this fine event. I beg for your forgiveness." Innoak would have sooner shattered his own arm than prostrate himself before a child. But the laws of this event were clear, and he had to adhere if he wished to not slaughter an entire ball's worth of people. "You are forgiven, we don't all have the luxury of nice things. But don't do it again or I'll throw you out for being an eyesore." Innoak nodded and rose, enjoying the fear on the pompous princess's face as his skull helm bored a hole into her composure. "My thanks honorable hostess." Innoak stepped off the platform and found himself looking directly into the eyes of a furious Glimmer, a confused Adora, and an indifferent Mermista. "What?" he asked, knowing clearly what they wanted to know.