July Event Log

[magicademymods]

July Event Log A Reading Rainbow Though the publication is ordinarily drier than dry toast Modified to be drier than dried toast, this quarter's issue of Thaumaturgy Today is all the rage around campus. The reason: a series of advances in motile spells! Easier and more powerful than those found in your standard book of spells (any grade), these spells achieve their power by specificity. One spell for lifting fruit, one for lifting laundry, one for lifting books, the list goes on. Though Professor Loshakle is deep at work writing a blistering reply criticizing every nuance of these spells, outside of his wrathful gaze the spells flourish as people practice them on everything they can. Copies of the issue are easy to get your hands on, if you want to give these new spells a whirl. On the other hand, your stuff or you yourself might fall victim to the spells of other students, whether by mistake or cruel jest. And woe betide those not human -- since no spell explains how to lift an anthropomorphic duck or a robot, for example, enterprising students are particularly eager to come up with one on their own, and there's only one way to test such things... It's Raw, You Donkey! There was an incident. Mistakes were made. Rice balls were detonated. Puddings were animated and sent on rampages. A cheesebread was found lodged in Makerion Keep, sunk to a depth of three feet in the walls. Whatever happened, and no one seems to have details... the Great Hall is closed and no food is being served. So... what're you going to eat? Several pop-up stands have emerged, as enterprising students try to cash in, but that costs money and who knows how the quality is. Headmaster Birony keeps showing up with pies, having made several savory ones that taste really good, actually, but can you really live on pie alone? (And do you really trust Headmaster Birony?) Some students have taken to the ultimate last resort: cooking. As it happens, the skills of the chef and of the aspiring mage are not exclusive in principle, but generally learning the one means little time to devote to the other. Faced with an oven or a grill, can you muster up the capability to make something edible? Or will you burn the water and turn bread back into grain, and thus have no choice but to avail yourself of pricey booth cooking or Cam-pies? Of course, the Great Hall will PROBABLY be open again soon, you might be able to last until then... The Defense Association In light of certain recent activities, like horrible monster attacks, Professors Trammel and Kith have teamed up to provide self-defense lessons to students who so desire. Purely optional, this extra class at the end of the school day promises study in shields, wards, basic attack spells, and mobility spells (because sometimes the best thing is to run like heck). Needless to say, these classes are quite the adventure! Students find themselves in dueling circles quite frequently, expected to carefully deflect each other's spells. Hopefully you've got the knack of it; the practice spells they have taught you don't cause any harm, but they sting like the dickens! Research on the Sundered Conflict. Conflict seems to be key. As near as the researchers can tell, all the Sundered lead lives that are simply not ordinary, and their experiments in conflict from last month produced results they didn't expect (as you all have learned) but that are most promising. Professor King herself has taken the lead on this experiment, and she warns anyone who volunteers that it is likely to be very dangerous, and they will be taking this very slow. They are, she explains, going to try to bridge the gap between you and the world you came from. A SMALL bridge, a proof of concept, no portal home and celebrations yet. But they hope it will work, and be the first step towards getting you back where you belong. If you agree, they get to work. Any student who undergoes this process immediately regains a power of their choice. It does not have to be on their application, and you do not have to provide proof during AC. It's here now. Only if you do not have a power to regain, you may regain an item instead. The price? For the next three days, you will be haunted by visions of your greatest enemy, your most hated foe, or the person you least wish to see in the world. Perhaps you hear their laughter in the darkness of your room at night. Perhaps you see a fellow student as them. Perhaps they are taunting you from just behind your shoulder... Whatever form it takes, for three days, you will be at their mercy. Or the mercy of your own mind's imagining them. Or perhaps a combination of the two. Who can say...?

Comments

[blue_ice]

It's my---the man who 'adopted' me. He's back, and I'm not letting him pull this again.

[ Think you can stop me, boy? Hah. The laughter rings out, and Kaiba retreats to a quiet corner. Maybe he can ground himself here. ]

Have you learned exorcism?

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

Oh. [At that, she bit her lower lip. Isabel was lucky enough to have a loving, if rough-and-tumble (and a bit ridiculous at times!) family. She was well aware that not everyone had, and, well. Here it was writ large before her.]

As a matter of fact, I have, but I don't have--wait, I do have blessed salt in my room at least--Chaos! [Not that the Maine Coon is ever far away, but the rather large shadow-and-silver beast slinks up, giving Isabel a silent meow.]

Go find that bag I put the rock salt in and bring it back to me? It should be on my nightstand, where the sun and moonlight can shine on it. [Chaos just blinks wide copper eyes at her for a brief moment, before disappearing into the nearest patch of underbrush.]

I'd go myself, but I'm not sure I ought to leave you alone right now...

[blue_ice]

I'm fine. He's not hurting me.

[ Not outright, but the memories are far from pleasant. ]

I won't give him the satisfaction of winning.

[ He sneers at the apparition, then finally looks at her. ]

Do you need to know more about him to do this?

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

It's not necessarily about whether or not he's hurting you... [Isabel just shakes her head at that.] I mean, I could blather a movie line about the past hurting and how you can run from it or learn from it, but in this case I'm not sure how much learning there is to do. You know?

[Isabel shook her head, then, when Seto asked if she needed to know more.] No, not at all. His name would probably help, but beyond that--I've done this before. Not here, but I imagine the theory is the same.

[blue_ice]

Gozaburo Kaiba.

[ He spits it, glaring at the laughing apparition. ]

I don't know if you know Noa, but...we weren't raised together. It's likely different for him.

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

I do know Noa... [Isabel murmured that, brows furrowing and lips thinning. She could see a telltale rustle in the bushes. Chaos was back, and that was good, but...]

I'm not sure how different it'd be. Usually if a parent is abusive it's across the board, but...yeah, I can hope it's different for him.

[Even if she suspected it wasn't. As her familiar approached, a green silk bag in his mouth, she reached out to take it from him, ruffling his neck fur affectionately.]

Thanks, buddy. So, you ready to do this? I think denouncing him a bit might help, assuming my kind of exorcism works here. [Isabel knew darn well there was always a chance it wouldn't, since magic was different here...]

[blue_ice]

He was the favored son for a long time. I was merely a substitute. But the rest is his to tell.

Indeed you were! We're finally getting somewhere.

[ Kaiba nods grimly. When he speaks again, his voice is deadly quiet. ]

A substitute who's had it with the likes of you. I've run the company with more honor than you ever have, and I'll protect him too. You're nothing but a coward, Gozaburo---a real man would have led with dignity, not by brute force.

[ He looks up, burning with anger, and hoping this works. ]

I condemn your memory to the ashes where it belongs.

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

[It sounds...well, it sounds really shitty, and it only fuels Isabel's anger and resolve. Nobody deserves that. No one. Isabel closes her eyes and reaches a hand into the bag of salt, throwing it liberally around Seto as she walks a circle around him. She could wish she had a set of shrine bells with her, but she hadn't even found a set in the markets. So she'll have to do what she can with what she has.]

Spirits of the land. Spirits of the air. Spirits of growing things and water, of the great primal unseen that holds those waiting on the wheel for rebirth...attend me now, I beg you!

[Sorry, Seto, this part has to be done. You get a handful of that salt over your head, too. She's more scattering it, not throwing it hard--at least it'll wash away?]

I speak the name of Gozaburo Kaiba, who denies his rightful place in the beyond and troubles this man! Hear me, spirits, and take him back to the place where he was at rest! Let him trouble Seto Kaiba no more!

[Though...save for a prickle at the hairs at the back of the neck...nothing seems to happen?]

[blue_ice]

[ The wind howls in his ears. More cruel laughter. Kaiba hunches over a little. ]

Did you really think to turn to witchcraft? What happened, Seto? Your skepticism was really your only redeeming quality. Guess you've given up trying to be the best, haven't you?

Shut up!

[ He balls his fists, shaking his head...before he distantly remembers Isabel's presence. ]

Not you. He's still there. I'll just have to manage it.

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

That's not--it should have worked, unless he's not a ghost. [Isabel scowled at that. If Gozaburo wasn't a ghost, then what in the hell was going on?]

Well, Seto, honestly, if anyone can, it's you. You're one of the strongest people I know, at least mentally, and that's no small feat.

[She's not the type to blow smoke, either, but she figures a bit of support here surely can't hurt...and if she could see Gozaburo to scowl at him, she certainly would be!]

[blue_ice]

Maybe he's not. But I...

[ He tries to breathe. ]

I won't let him win.

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

[Isabel stepped over to glance at Seto, now.] One, you're not him--you're a better person than he was. And if you don't think you are quite--well, he's gone and you're still here, right? So you still have a chance to get to where you envision yourself! And all he can do is suck it up. He can rant and rave all he likes--you don't have to listen to the old windbag!

[She grins at him, then.] Besides, my mom likes to say 'the best revenge is living well'. Feel free to interpret it how you like, but I sure think you're managing. Normally, you look content, at the very least, you know?

[Isabel may not try to be all up in her friends' businesses, but in the past three months or so, one Seto Kaiba has looked more content. She'll just point that out, and not ask why. He can fill in his own blanks, AND keep his secrets! Win/win, in her book.]

[blue_ice]

{ Even as off-balance as he feels right now, he can hear the truth in her words. He clings to it, and the pained expression eases a little. There might even be a hidden smile.

He nods. ]

I will. That's the principle that has guided me all this time, and I'm not stopping now.

{ He's reminded of newly forged friendships, one new bond in particular...and he lifts a hand to his heart, determined to cling to that light. ]

Thank you.

[hyperdrivemonalisa]

Ahh, it's my pleasure. I like putting smiles on my friends' faces. [She makes a gentle punching gesture at Seto's shoulder.]

Besides, I'm sure you'd do the same for me if I needed it. That's what friends do!