NT veRse - Bad End Guide 30 - Learn to Dance (Patreon)

After the first day all of you were placed into suits. They were skin-tight black suits that breathed surprisingly well. They had yellow stripes over them in spots, fitting in with the aesthetic. They were quite revealing. Milk commented that it felt as if she was wearing nothing at all while shaking her rear. You realized that if you spread her cheeks, the suites were definitely skin tight enough that you could see her asshole. One thing lead to another. Once you were done you wiped your mouth and stood up.
“Okay... We need to figure this out. Synra, Milk...” You stared at the brown haired girl that was Milk's thall.

“Nina.” She said, eating her ration idly.

Synra perked up. “Uh, yeah? You suddenly remember I'm here?”

“Don't get snippy with me, young lady!”

“Y-yes Master!” She gulped.

You lowered your voice. “We need to learn to dance. I've already decided.”

“How can we compete with Bees? They're literally born in heels and got some innate sense for dance. It's frustrating...” Milk grumbled.
“Meanwhile, Minotaurs and out Hooves...”

“That's fine.” You eyed her.
“Because we have a secret weapon. Something they will never expect. In terms of weaponry, it's the difference between a sword and a gun.”

“A what?” Milk and Nina stared at you. Synra seemed to understand.

You closed your eyes, trying to remember the routines that you saw from various music videos. “I'm gonna try to go through this slowly. I could never dance back home, but this body has good balance and sense, so maybe it could work off memory.” They watched closely as you stood still, breathing in and out as if you were about to perform some type of martial-arts maneuver. It began. Step, Step, Short step. You lifted your right hand while turning your upper body faintly, then brought it down while balling it into a fist as your stance widened. With both hands at your side you brought one leg up just a bit off the ground and spun on the other, landing forward. You turned your body right, bringing your left hand up only to thrust it down in a wave towards your side. You stomped with your left while faced your body forward again, shooting both hands to cross in front of your waist, bringing them up over your heart and wiggling your hips. You stopped, taking a breath.
“Something like that. How was it?” You blinked, noticing they were bent back, foaming at the mouth with blank eyes. You went around, trying to wake them up.

After a minute they recovered. “What was that powerful dance!?” Milk questioned.

“That's K-pop.” You announced.
“This world doesn't know about it, obviously. It's our secret weapon. But, typically it's down as routine with multiple girls, so I need all of you, as well.”

Milk furrowed her brow, nodding approvingly. “A dance with two people would become inherently more powerful. Adding more people would increase the strength. It would be like the weapon of mass destruction for the Bees, the Ballet, but concentrated with less participants.” She remarked.

“I'll take your word for it. That's why I need you all to try and follow me. Got it?” You looked to Synra, Nina and Milk.

“I'll do my best.” Milk smiled. Nina nodded.

“Does this mean I don't gotta do push ups for a while.”

“Yes...” After saying that, Synra was on board.
“There are three primary things I wanna work on to start. Expression, Unity, Positioning.” You seemed like they were taking notes, so you continued.
“Expression. I need to get that better... I think I was a little flat, but we need to portray emotion in our expressions while doing the routine and there's a subtle quality to the movements that also conveys subtle emotions. Smoothness and Explosiveness. Smooth movements into explosive movements over and over.”

“This is actually starting to sound a lot like Martial arts!” Milk said excitedly.

“I guess so... Pop Dancing where I'm from is more like that.” You shrugged, crossing your arms over your chest. Unity. There's a paradox here, because we need to worry about being in sync, but in reality the lead has some minor differences from the backup dancers, so we actually need to remain in sync with the routine and the beats. We can't just follow along.”

“Eh... I was gonna just follow because I got good senses. I guess it isn't that easy.”

“Definitely not. Lastly is positioning... This is complicated, because Milk is so much taller than all of us. It'll stand out too much if she's behind or off to the side and we don't have an even number of people  so we need two leads and... We need her to lead from behind.”

“M-me?” She questioned, motioning to herself.
“What do you mean lead from behind, Eve?”

“I mean that you're gonna stand out. This may be revolutionary, even in my own world... My idea is that you would stand out, even behind me. So for symmetry and logical positioning you are the lead dancer. I stand in front and Synra and Nina stand beside you. We move around, but we are going naturally return to that shape each time. You positioned yourself in front of her.
“I said behind, but it's actually going to be that you're behind me. Your left hoof is going to be between my stance in terms of distance. We'll be in line, but off-kilter which sets us apart from the two standing to our side between us.

“I feel dizzy... Why's there so much to think about when it comes to dancing?”

“We have to get it perfect. If we fail, we lose our weapon to them and we can no longer escape no matter what we do. This is our one shot.”

-

The four of you formed a crew. It seemed like the preferred method of doing things with the Beastfolk forewoman, Dierdre, also having her own crew. You got the impression the Dierdre was well on her way to ascending, and that it was only a matter of time. The girl was obsessed with order and never missed a chance to lick the Bee's boots. She gave you grief more than once, even though your ability to carry nectar was only behind Milk's.

While you were there you noticed a few things. The Hexagon pods within the wax loaves were sealed after the bottom was filled up. The nectar was fermented into honey, but in some cases the Bees would add other ingredients to some. You understood that there were various types of honey and if you wanted to keep your brain in tact you would not accept the ration of honey they gave out with the normal rations.

Despite keeping a tight ship in your sector, Dierdre either did not care, or could not stop gossip. You stood by, scooping the honey stuck to the walls of the bucket into Hexagon alongside some other Drones. You listened intently as they whispered without knowing your hearing was enhanced. Even if you could not use your strength, other abilities and skills were still open to you.

“Ugh... It actually sucks so hard that the Princess comes down here.”

“I agree. It can't be helped though.”

“What do you mean?”

“Word is, she lost a Dance Battle for succession to one of the other Princesses in the Upper Hive. As punishment from the Queen she accepted governorship down here.”

“Shit!” She looked around, noticing she raised her voice. She eyed you briefly, only to be met with a disinterested eyebrow raise. She shrugged and continued.
“No wonder she's so mean... I expect we're gonna have her taking out her anger on us for a while.”

“That's just Drone life in general. What can we do if we aren't even Ascended...”

“Speaking of, Dierdre refused ascension again.” One giggled.

“R-”

“Break it up!” Dierdri interjected, appearing out of nowhere.
“You got time to gossip? That must mean you girls aren't working hard enough!”

“S-sorry.” They bowed their heads and scurried off.

Dierdre looked at you. You stared at her. “What?”

“I never see you and your crew in the common area.” She mentioned.
“What are you guys doing?”

You huffed. “Sleeping... We're freaking tired from working half the day.”

“Hm.” She seemed to take you at your word.
“Fair enough.”

“Thanks I'll get-”

“But-” She stopped you.
“If you don't participate in after work activities the Mistresses get suspicious. So watch yourself, Newbie.”

You were surprised. She almost seemed concerned. “Thanks.”

“Drones gotta stick together down here. Do your job, keep your head down. Way to think about it... You were just gonna be working yourself to the bone out there, anyway.”

“I guess that's one way to look at it.” You thought of something.
“But I mean... Ascension. That's a ticket up and out, right?”

“Tch... Yeah.” She sounded displeased.

“You don't seem like a fan.”

“Mind your own business, Newbie. Keep your head down, remember?”

You both turned as a trumpet sounded. “Make way for the Princess! Royal inspection!” A woman shouted harshly. You blinked, looking around. Dierdre immediately dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the ground with the tip of her palms touching face down on the ground in front of her lowered head. You were slow to drop, and even then only to your knees with your head down as black heeled boots touched down. Then another set, and another set.

Dierdre turned her head and cursed at you. “Idiot!”

A Beefolk Woman with luxurious black hair and an attractive body stepped forward, eyeing the combs. She stopped in front of you. You made the mistake of looking up. You saw her sneering expression. She was wearing a small hanging gold chain with a jewel piece over her forehead that ran through her dark hair. Her Chitin exterior was shaped a bit more ornately, with her belly showing all the way from under her breasts to her pubic area. She cocked her hip, resting a hand on it. Her other hand held a riding crop. She pointed it beneath your chin.
“You dare look at me? A mere drone? Do you have a death wish?”

Dierdre spoke into the dirt. “Your Highness, this one is new and stupid and I have failed in educating her. Please punish me in her place.”

The Princess laughed. “Oh, is that it? Very well. First, my boots became dirty walking in this place. I trust you can handle it?”

“Of course, your Highness. It would be my pleasure.” She offered submissively, crawling forward. She licked the Princesses heeled boots to a shine, only to be whipped across the cheek once she was done.

You observed as best you could while correcting your stance. You lowered your head to the ground to avoid Dierdre getting it worse than she had already. She was shaking, holding her cheek while remaining lowered.  
“I'm sorry.” You mouthed at her.

She mouthed back. “Shut. Up.”

You observed four guards. Their boots were more delicate. For dancing. The Bees did not fight, so the guards and soldiers followed a logic that followed that ideal. Those who seemed quite dainty and toned and fit for dance were the Champions. Their garb was similar to a ballerina, rather than a warrior. Meanwhile, the Princess wore more martial, armored Chitin as a luxury. Things were backwards.
“Reduce that Drone's rations.”

“Yes, your Highness.” One of the guards bowed obediently, following her as she floated away to inspect more combs.

“Ugh...” Dierdre sat up,  touching her cheek delicately. She just scraped a finger along the inside of a nearby bucket and coated it over the scratch.
“If it's just normal honey, it's good as a disinfectant.” she claimed, tying her hair back. As you inspected her more closely you saw signs that she had trained at some point in her life. Her body was tight, small and lithe. She had tall ears with a bit of fuzz coming off the tip like a Lynx.

“I'm starting to think you aren't actually a big fan of the Mistresses.”

She glared at you. “Stop trying to get us in trouble, Newbie. I get that it feels different in the first weeks, but you should save yourself some pain and learn faster that there's no way out.”

For some reason you felt comfortable around her. Partially it was because she saved you from being punished. She also had a strange attitude. She was completely resigned to her fate and duty, but she did not seem happy about it. The exuberant support for the Bees as a drone may have been an act to protect herself and her own crew.
“I mean... What about dancing?”

She rushed forwards and covered your mouth with her palm. She brought her face close to yours. “Do NOT, talk about learning to dance? What did I say?”

“Afraid of what they'll do? When they already do that.” You pointed to her cheek.

She frowned deeply, grabbing your hand to drag you somewhere private. “You think that's what it is?”

“What else is it?”

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. I came here... I can't even remember how long ago. But I was with my Mister and Mother. They took our brother as well, as a 'flower'. Here's the thing, though...” She let out a nervous chuckle.
“We were dancers. A family of performers. We were considered among the best in Aoia, as well. Our clan valued for performance as Martial Artists were valued for war. That's why after we were captured and we figured out the secret to the hierarchy, Mother and Sister decided they would challenge some of the Mistresses to Dance.”

“They lost?” You leaned in, taken in by the story.

“No. They won. At first.” She shook her head.
“I decided not to our of fear due to something another Drone told me at the time. But, they wouldn't listen. So they danced and beat the bees at first. Then more came. They were better, they moved more fluidly. My family were professionals but these Elites were effortlessly good, and consider that the Princesses and Nobles rule by being even better. The Queen rules all of them. Her dancing is said to be godly.”

“What happened?”

Dierdre huffed. “You don't actually get punished if you get caught dancing. It's the opposite. You get selected. Slowly my Sister and Mother were groomed and brainwashed during their time as Drones. Then came the ascension.” She looked up.
“They're Bee's now. I- I think they joined the Elite. I haven't seen my Mother but my Sister comes down to check on me sometimes. She tries to convince me to dance again...” She held herself and shuddered.
“But I don't wanna... I don't want to ascend.”

“You're a dancer?”

“Yeah.”

“What if it's a dance that could beat a godly dance?”

“That's impossible. The only figure to ever defeat the Queen in a dance battle was the Heavenly Great Saint, Jhiana.”

Your face turned. `You gotta be kidding me...` You imagined Jhiana breaking it down, but shook off the though. It was probably just that her power was that overwhelming that it was able to break through the  passive hypnosis.
“I'm being serious.”

Dierdre rolled her eyes. “Everyone that has a few moves 'thinks' they can beat a Bee in a dance-off. Fine. Show me.”

You nodded, standing and making room. She watched you closely, ready to judge every step and miss-step. You had been practicing for over a week with the others, and your body moved rather intuitively with your cultivator body, so you felt confident. You got into a starting pose.
“Eh? What's this?” She asked in confusion.
“Is that a fighting stance.”

You smirk. “Just watch.” You stepped into the K-pop routine you all practiced. You had mastered the smooth into the explosive movements, you perfected the steps and the subtle movements that you remembered. When you were done you stared at a stunned Dierdre.

“That was... What was that? There is no dancing in this world that is like that.” She claimed, covering her mouth.
“The only reason I didn't lose consciousness is because of my senses as a dancer...” She looked deep in thought. You could tell that she was wondering if your dance could beat the Elite Bees. If it could not, the whole plan would fall apart. In that sense, her feedback would be incredibly useful.
“This might actually work.” Despite saying those optimistic words you saw she had a grave look.

“Why do you look like that, if you think it'll work?”

“Because it's not perfect. It's possible a strong enough dance to beat a Princess, but it's being held back.” She stared at you seriously.
“You're copying those moves from memory, aren't you?”

“You could tell?”

“I could tell because there are some things that are basically just logic to a dancer that you wont understand naturally unless you learn. Just with that repeated routine it could have the effect of beating an Elite...” She smiled.
“If you didn't just try to copy but instead learned to become a dancer you might even beat the Queen.” She slapped her lap and stood up.
“Alright. Your crew in on this?”

“Yeah.”

“Thought so. I'll teach you all.” She said confidently.
“But, it'll take more time and effort than you're allowed, so I'll have my crew cover for your labor.”

“But... Dierdre, if you join us-”

“Cut the crap... I'm not dancing. I lost that battle in my mind long ago. If I see my Sister or Mother I'll slip up, for sure. Then... I'll probably have to join them. I don't want that. You guys are new. You haven't been broken down by this place yet. It's actually perfect.”