June Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

June Event and Intro Log Diatu and The Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Sundering Midterm Results It turns out that inadvertently summoning a horrible demon of immense and terrible power is still worth a passing grade: minus a lot of points for summoning the entirely wrong thing, but enough extra credit for successfully doing something so incredibly over-the-top to make up for it just a little. Meanwhile, something something power of running water, there's a demon imprisoned in the fountain, locked behind a massive magic circle of protection. Its flames neither evaporate the water nor are quenched by it, its lashing pointy tail stabs futilely at the stone in an attempt at petty vandalism, and otherwise it squats with otherworldly patience, claws drumming on its thighs. Till someone comes close, and then it calls out. "Come! It is in my power to grant a wish to those who ask! Speak your desire and I shall grant it!" Of course, the demon's ability to interpret wishes in an extremely jerkass manner is unparalleled by mortal malice. Still, this doesn't stop those students who think they're clever, can outwit a demon, have a background in legal jargon, or just want a turkey sandwich on rye bread with lettuce and mustard and-and they don’t want any zombie turkeys, they don’t want to turn into a turkey themselves, and they don’t want any other weird surprises. Needless to say, it has gone well for none of them -- but will you be the one to break the streak? As for the circle, it is specifically warded against meddling, so no freeing the demon (accidentally or otherwise). Those who try to touch it or cross through it are promptly hurled with pinpoint accuracy into a nearby pond that has been put there explicitly for this purpose. (Except for Minamimoto -- if HE messes with it, his pants rip themselves off his body, wrap around his head, and haul him away while shouting the multiplication tables incorrectly.) Potent Potables Students work hard, and they play hard. Around midterms, this often takes the form of picnics with unreserved and unrestricted access to not just copious amounts of barbecue and potato salad, but also alcohol. From fine wines to barrels of beer to Liverpunch Whiskey, all sorts of offerings pop up at the parties that occupy space along the Walk or outside the Towers and Keep. Anastara, you see, has no legal drinking age; like most of the Tenscore Kingdoms, children grow up with alcohol, and generally its consumption is seen as no major event and no special treat. And it simply hasn't occurred to anyone that other cultures on other worlds might not function the same. So enjoy a picnic, but also enjoy your free access to the wonders of intoxication. Physical Challenge (aka the Prompt Least Likely To Cause Suffering) Healthy body, healthy mind, the saying goes. Professors Trammel and Kith, adherents to this philosophy, have begun holding extracurricular exercise groups during the off hours. Students can learn proper weightlifting techniques for endurance as well as strength, jog around the campus in groups, play impromptu games that get the body moving, or even just practice slow stretches and what other worlds might call 'yoga'. Captain Lominia aggressively prowls the area, looking for people to scoop into bala-inlota exercises -- far more grueling and dangerous to succeed at if you don't want to be badgered onto the student team, but amazing workouts either way. And Headmaster Birony has set up a fairly extreme obstacle course straight out of a ninja challenge, overseen by Professor Porfsin from behind a cannon which magically flings beanbags at the participants. Those who make it through receive a pie from the Headmaster, who it turns out apparently can make a really darn tasty pie. Research On the Sundered With the arrival of the Sundered come those wizards engaged in research on their presence here, now set to investigate what brought them here and how to get them home. All newly-arrived Sundered students are asked to meet with representatives of the research team, to introduce themselves and relate what they will of their homes. In addition, the team requests samples of blood, hair, and skin -- carefully magically collected, and the researchers will sign in the presence of the Sundered a Glyphed contract that forbids them from using the samples for a purpose they know will be harmful. (They quite understand your reasons to be suspicious of this collection! And they will not compel anyone who refuses even given these conditions.) This month, the researchers wish for you to engage in some sort of conflict, clash, or battle with your fellow Sundered. Spars with blunted weapons are the obvious choice, but games of strategy like go, shogi, or Fantastic Foils are also an option. A rousing debate will do as well -- anything that raises passion and energy. The team explains that they've found many of the Sundered who they interviewed have recently been through some sort of conflict or trouble on their world, and they wish to see if there's any magically-measurable aspect they share when challenged. Wonders Await Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. Except for the fountain. You can't swim in the fountain till they figure out how to banish the demon.

Comments

[twilightskey]

"Huh?" No hood? That hadn't seemed like an issue before... but he listens to her explain things despite his confusion.

"Sora was here??" He perked up, surprised. Sora was here? But how? Hadn't he vanished after rescuing Kairi? He would ask, but then Xion continues, and mentions Axel, and Saix... or, Isa.

"That's what Axel kept calling him." During that moment in the Keyblade Graveyard, and afterwards back in Twilight Town. But he frowns again.

"Well, yeah... has he tried to again? I thought he wasn't doing that anymore since he became whole again."

[nobodys_puppet]

"He.... really... is then?" she asked softly. She looked down at her free glove. "A heart... can really... change us..... so much?" she whispered.

[twilightskey]

The question makes him pause in his steps, looking at her with a puzzled look. What sort of question was that?

"Yeah, but... I thought you knew that. We all learned that, after the fight in the Keyblade Graveyard." It was almost as if she didn't remember. But how could she forget?

"...you don't remember?"

[nobodys_puppet]

She shook her head. "Apparently we all come here from different times," she whispered. She swallowed and closed her eyes. "The last thing I remember before arriving here... was watching you forget who I was," she whispered. "I thought I was ceasing to be. When I got here... I thought I had failed."

[twilightskey]

"...what?"

That thought shocks him more than he thought it might. It's not necessarily because he doesn't believe her, but rather because he had thought time shenanigans were something he didn't have to think of anymore.

"So you... don't remember anything beyond that?"

[nobodys_puppet]

Another shake of her head. "Axel.... has told me some," she said softly. "But... it is a lot to take in. I'm still not sure I understand even half of it."

[twilightskey]

Wow... of all the things Roxas could have expected, this was certainly not one of them. It was hard enough living through it, but to have to explain it again?

He lets out a slow breath, his fists clenching and unclenching as he looks back up at her.

"There's... a lot to go through. But maybe we should see Axel first." And figure out just what he knows.

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded. "We'll check the dorm first, and if he isn't still there he told me where he'd probably be today," she said, walking a bit more swiftly now. "We'll have ice cream at sunset," she assured him quickly. "I found a great place for it, back when it was just me here. IT can be our new spot, for the three of us."

[twilightskey]

"Okay."

He follows after her, keeping pace with her. Though, he can't help but grin at the mention of ice cream.

"They have ice cream here too?"

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded. "We found a really good place, and I've been earning munny, so that we can have some each evening." With one bought for you, Roxas, every time.

She frowned a bit though. "Are there really worlds with no ice cream?" She never thought to look before. So long as there was a beach, ice cream only mattered with her friends at sunset, but his surprise made her wonder, for the first time.

[twilightskey]

"That sounds great." Really, it did. Ice cream did help with those long talks, after all.

"I'm not sure. But if there is, I wouldn't want to stay on it for long."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Not like we ever had a choice with most worlds," she said softly.

[twilightskey]

Roxas frowns at that, and he can't help the next words that come from his mouth.

"Well, it's good that that's changed."

Xion might not understand right now, but he'll get her to see that their future isn't so restrictive anymore. Things are different, now that Xehanort is gone.

[nobodys_puppet]

"Yes, now we only have one world. This one." But stuck together on one world was better than missions alone on an infinite number of worlds.

[twilightskey]

"...at least we're here with our friends."

It's not much, but it's what he can offer. He brushes his shoulder against hers as they walk.

"Come on. Let's go see Axel."

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded. "Better here together," she whispered softly as she let them into the dorm. "Our beds are downstairs, come one. We don't have seperate rooms, so it is" harder to sneak out at night "odd." But it means that she knew when she woke up that Axel was still there. And that they wouldn't have to go far if she fell into one of her several days or longer sleeps again.

And now that Roxas was here... she might.

[twilightskey]

"We don't?"

That would be weird, sharing a dorm room with strangers, but he really doesn't have a choice, does he?

"Are we all in the same place? They said I was put in a house..."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Why wouldn't we be in the same dorm?" Of course they were all in the same dorm.

She led him down and into the room where the beds were. Some were made, some not. Most probably had stuff around. But one would probably stand out to him, and it was right where she was leading him.

"If you want to swap and take the bed in the middle we can trade," she said softly. She pointed to three beds. "That one is Axel's." then to a bed that cleary has not been unmade in ages, next to it. "That one is mine." Shocking no one she still sleeps on top of the blanket with her boots on. And without dusks to tend the room, it shows.

And then the bed that probably stood out. "Yours, unless you want to trade." The bed was COVERED in seashells, most of them brightly coloured, but some were plainer in color but interesting in other ways. "One shell for every night since Axel arrived that you weren't here," she said softly. "I know you like to keep count. I'm sorry I didn't count for you before he arrived." She looked down at her gloves, one still holding his sleeve, afraid he'd be upset about her lack of counting for him.

[twilightskey]

Well, Roxas isn't sure how things work here, so he'll take xion's word for it.

He looks around the dorm room, and looks over at the beds. He chuckles softly, spying Axel's bed, though her bed makes him raise an eyebrow. It looks hardly touched...

Of course, his eyes widen as he spies the third bed, absolutely covered in seashells. He stares for a moment, then looks to her.

"You went and got seashells for me?" He turns back to the bed, his voice full of wonder. "Just like back in the Organization..." He remembered, all those days ago, when he woke up from his pseudo-coma and found seashells littering the side of his bed. He was touched by the gesture then (even if he didn't understand it) and was touched by the gesture now.

"You've been waiting a long time, haven't you?"

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded. "Every night, I went to the beach to find one for you," she said, softly. "So you could count. I knew you would come. Axel and I are here. Even if you didn't remember me, I knew you'd come. No matter how mad you were at him. That's... that's what best friends means, right?"

[twilightskey]

It's hard, remembering those days back in the Organization. How close they were, and how they had been torn apart at the end. But despite the unpleasant pain in his chest at her words, he nods, smiling softly.

"Yeah... that's what best friends mean."

[nobodys_puppet]

She smiled warmly at him from under her hood. "Like I said, if you want to be in the middle, we can swap beds."

[twilightskey]

"I'll keep that in mind." He said with a nod and a grin.

"By the way, where is Axel, anyway?"

[nobodys_puppet]

"I was hoping he'd still be here. If not there are a few other places he said he might be today that we can check." And if all else failed, there was sunset.

"Let's go find him, okay?"

[twilightskey]

"Alright. Let's go find him."

The sooner they find Axel, the sooner they can figure out what's going on. And besides, Roxas is eager to meet his other friend.