You do not belong.

He sat up as he heard the clatter. The rattling of footsteps on tables captured his attention, and Ergot stood up. The gasps, the yelling, the turmoil about the ball was typical. He had seen this countless times before, and it never affected him or captured his attention.

But the rattling from boots.

Clinking against the table, they caught his attention, whirled it around and refused to let go. So Ergot looked up to meet the same eyes he had seen high up. That seemed like an eternity ago, and he almost didn't recognize them.

He heard the tales. The Larkin being a corrupted ruler. He heard the accusations, along with everyone else in the crowded ball room.

They didn't mean a great deal. He had heard them all before, always some meager fool looking for something and accusing the political leader. Ergot sighed, nodded his head at his own deep thoughts. This wasn't it. This was different. No one was brave enough to announce such things to the leader, to a crowd, with such bold, undying accusations that tore apart whatever reputation and trust Larkin had. The things were sickening, and at the ‘molesting’ Ergot cringed inwardly, just at the thought. Of course, his mood changed in an instant, unlike the rest in the room, found himself snickering, oblivious to the anger flowing between individuals and disgust, hate, fear. Larkin was fucked.

Then his paranoid thoughts crept in, poisoning the few thoughts of philosophy and pondering he had possessed for a few short moments.

Ergot looked around with studying eyes, looking around for dangers and escapes. The same eyes were watching him, but he couldn't figure it out. He saw the crimson girl; he saw sorrowful violet, and other colors. Standard humanoid colors of eyes, but they twisted themselves and were things of beauty. Sculptures of color. No exits, guards and danger and weapons. Ergot wished he had something other than liquor; needed to fade out into an entirely new scene.

He waited for the scene to evolve as he stood along with the rest looking for some interesting things to happen.