[Bishop-chan's notes: Yes, this took way longer than would be acceptable, and thus would like to apologize by archiving multiple stories at once this time.]

Lessons in Beauty
by aightaight2

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"Come on, papa! We don't want to be late!" The dark haired girl strained as she pulled on the Spriggan's hand like a tugboat towing a tanker.

"Ahh Yui-chan, I'm sure your new friends won't mind if we're a few minutes behind." Kirito glanced to his left, smiling at the chestnut haired Maeve whose arm curved gently around his waist, matching his pace.

It wasn't often that he and Asuna had the opportunity to amble down the ore-lit streets of Arrun like a young couple out for an evening stroll.

"Don't be lazy, papa. Irene-sensei said seven o'clock, and that's only 311 seconds away! 310, now!" With an enthusiastic pull, the girl failed once more to speed up their progress.

Yui frowned. Papa was going to make them all late, and she'd be the one to get in trouble! Pulling on his arm was clearly Futile. Wait, what was it Irene-sensei had said last week about completing tasks? When an obstacle is too big to get past on your own, you need to Co-operate.

Co-operate… matching… AH! What she needed was an Ally. Yui looked up towards her mother expectantly.

Asuna smiled down benevolently upon daughter, quirking a slim eyebrow in response as she held up the bag in her off hand. "I'm sorry, Yui-chan. I promised your papa that I wouldn't hold sandwich-san hostage tonight."

Yui looked at her mother in Disappointment as Kirito stopped, gazing deeply into mama's eyes in a mixture of admiration and thanks.

Only 300 seconds left, and now they'd gone from moving to Velocity = zero!

Something needed to be done. If physical force and bribery weren't working, what else could she try? Mama had told papa last week that a good strategist should have a Plan A and a Plan B ready for every important task…

Her primary logic cluster finally completed the pattern match for Moving Large Objects. Memory retrieved.

"Papa, do you remember when we helped walk Fluffy-san for Cattleya last week?"

Kirito finally glanced down at her again. "Fluffy-san?"

"Yes. Remember how we finally managed to pull him away from that lamppost?"

With that, Yui let go of the command that kept her wings locked away.

"Wait a sec, Yui-chan-"

Asuna quickly dropped her arm, releasing Kirito to their daughter's custody with a smile at their daughter's ingenuity.

"Off we go, papa!" with a flick of her oversized wings, Yui took off for the sky, a trail of white motes drifting after her, following the curve of a least-time trajectory to Arrun Home.

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"I'm so glad everyone could make it!" Irene-sensei praised the cluster of Faeries before her.

The girls of Arrun Home watched her giddily, waiting for the fun to start. Several of the boys looked around surreptitiously as if calculating the chances of making a clean getaway if they made a run for it, while others looked down at their shoes in resignation.

"And a big thank you to all the volunteers who've agreed to help out, including the members of the lovely band Midsummer's Dream who'll be providing the music tonight." With a quick wave she indicated the Puca quintet who'd just finished setting up on a temporary platform at the edge of the yard.

She turned, waving to the buffet that was just taking form under the porte cochère at the front of the building. "When we're done, we can all enjoy the refreshments that Asuna-san helped organize."

Yui squirmed as her teacher praised her mama in front of everyone. Her mother was so fantastic, without her help, papa might not have agreed to The Plan!

"Since we're all ready now, everyone should find a partner and we'll begin the dancing lesson!"

Following her words with action, the Undine teacher glided elegantly towards a svelte Sylph. "Saito-san?"

The young man, dressed in a dapper suit with tails, bowed gracefully over her hand in acceptance of her choice. "It will be my pleasure, Irene-san."

Balandene sighed at the sight. So romantic!

She looked towards her own desired partner. If only she had enough courage to approach him like Irene-sensei!

A second later, Yui-chan was at her side, tugging on her arm with all the confidence that she herself lacked.

"Yui-chan! We're supposed to pair up with one of the boys!"

"I know that, silly. I'm choosing you for my papa! No one else here is good enough for Ban-chan!"

"But, your papa -" isn't he going to be old?

Before she could complete the complaint, Balandene found herself looking up at the most amazing sight. Yui was placing her hand in that of a Spriggan. A Spriggan who looked even more athletic than Takai-sensei, dressed casually in black, shirt open at the neck, with his dark hair all spiked up. Her heart skipped a beat. This was Yui-chan's father?

"Papa, this is my friend Ban-chan. You'll dance with her, won't you?"

Kirito looked away from the blushing pre-teen, gazing helplessly at his wife Asuna who nodded reassuringly to him.

Well, at least he'd had plenty of time to practice with his sister Leafa.

"Of course, Yui-chan. If that's what she wants. I'm Kirito, and I'd be honored to dance with you this evening, Ban-chan."

With a quick nod, the pairing was confirmed.

Seconds later the band struck up a waltz, and the various couples started swirling slowly around the grounds as they turned Irene-sensei's earlier instructions into practice.

"If it's difficult for you, Ban-chan, you can always close your eyes."

Starry eyed, Balandene watched on as Kirito-san slowly blinked, looking blissful as he led her in a box step. Oh.

Perhaps it would be less embarrassing if she accepted his advice. Eyes shut, she focused on counting the steps as she swayed from side to side.

It only took a minute or so before she finally got the hang of it. She felt lighter and more graceful already.

As the seconds passed, she relaxed in the Spriggan's arms, turning in place as they danced. She felt so light now, it was almost like she was dancing on the air. Even the music of the waltz seemed more distant now, softer, gentler, like it was truly being played as part of a midsummer's dream.

With a whisper, Kirito-san put words to her thoughts.

"Dancing… it's sometimes like a dream. The moon and stars above, the lights surrounding us, the winds of music whispering just for us. Will you open your eyes, and join me in watching the magic around us?"

She wanted to stay as she was, accepting the grace that she felt in the midst of the dance, but when it was put like that…

Finally, Balandene opened her eyes.

Far away, the yellow ore lights spiraled about slowly like strands of jewels as the streets of Arrun turned slowly below them. Around her, motes of grey sparkled from her companion's wings, limed with light as they kept them aloft. Above, the moonslight sparked through the leaves of the World Tree, tracing pattern of azure and crimson that nearly took her breath -

Wait – WHAT was going on?

They must have been over a hundred meters high!

She wanted to be angry, but her shock instead gave way to awe as the beauty swirled around her.

Looking up at her dance partner, she gave a shy smile. Perhaps there really were some things worth seeing in this world too.