October Event Log

[magicademymods]

October Event Log Fall Cleaning Suddenly and without warning, the lighting in or near every building on campus goes red. A second later, a deep alarm rises in volume as the buildings begin to shake. The faculty barely bat an eye as they direct students to get outside quickly. "Fall cleaning," they explain wearily to those students who have never experienced this phenomenon. Older students offer their own explanation as they move: at some point every fall the buildings of the Magicademy rearrange themselves so the cleaning golems can repair their foundations, tend to the ground around them, keep them from sinking into the caverns, that sort of thing. Totally harmless. Well, until you realize no one knows where your House tower went. Or till you need to get to class promptly except Kedrigan Hall is in the middle of a lake somehow. Or till the Library of Starchime is down in the middle of the lab caverns and you have to try to study while students practice magic in the aisles. But it's okay! This will only last for a couple of days! You can get by, right? The Bonfire To say goodbye to the warmth and hello to the frost, the Magicademy celebrates the changing of seasons with a great bonfire. A massive conglomeration of burning wood sends flame licking up some sixty feet into the air, and the warmth pouring from the huge fire wards off any hint of cold from those nearby. By tradition, the bonfire burns till morning, and many students have bedrolls or tents or even straight-out beds parked nearby so they can take their spot in keeping it lit. Others have brought food and drink, enough to selflessly share with everyone. The whole things is one big party, really; House rivalries and personal animosities and music duels are all set aside for a night as the campus unites in solidarity. It's one of the nicer times you could ask for. This Is Halloween Bad news. Terrible news. The worst news imaginable. Headmaster Birony has found out about Halloween. Diatu Magicademy is nothing but orange and black now. Carved pumpkins wander the campus and aggressively pose for anyone who glances their way (or doesn't...). Spiderwebs litter every hallways and passage, complete with spiders that patiently move their webs out of the way and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience with a sort of weariness that says they know exactly who to blame for this. A twelve-foot-high menorah sits in the Great Hall, leading some to suspect that the Headmaster's Intimations to learn more about the holiday did not produce universally-accurate results. Headmaster Birony herself patrols the grounds like a madwoman, slinging extra spookiness wherever she passes and occasionally Discovering costumes straight onto the innocent students she passes. "Spirit of the season!" she yells before fleeing, candy and toilet paper left behind in her path. If by this point you are questioning whether the Headmaster ever does actual work, rest assured you're not the first, nor will you be the last, to wonder that. Research on the SUNDERDOG! (Sunderdog!) SUNDERDOG! (Sunderdog!) This month's assignment, for those willing to undertake it: actually nothing disastrous! Instead, the researchers ask that you compare your world to another Sundered student's, then report back to them on the differences and similarities. They're most interested in magic styles, but anything you give them will have value!

Comments

[darkenedmoon]

Of course. Yotsuyu sighed. "I see you have escaped the Headmaster's, ah, exuberant celebration of whatever this is," she said, giving the big man a frown.

"I have never been a knight. And this is far too tight to be useful in a fight! Even I know that, and I've never lifted a real blade!"

Yotsuyu may be missing the point of this costume...just a little.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"So far so good for me." Jecht planted one arm on the wall, leaning on it to enjoy the view lazily. "Though I think this is pretty good for you. No one's asking you to fight, so just wear it knowing you make it work!"

[darkenedmoon]

"I should hope not...but you never know." Stranger things had happened on the campus of the magicademy, and Jecht well knew it. Hellfire, he'd been present for much of it, hadn't he?

"With our luck, the ghost dragon could come bellowing and billowing up from the catacombs and challenge me, dressed as I am. Kami forbid," Yotsuyu groaned. The bedamned thing had frightened her enough the first time, she did not want to deal with it. She certainly was not one of the students who'd gone chasing after the thing! She liked to think she had sense!

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Jecht let out a sharp bark of a laugh. "I don't think it cares much about what you're wearing! Besides, you wouldn't be trying to whack anyone with a sword in a real fight anyway. Tossing some magic in, sure."

[darkenedmoon]

"Perhaps not, but it certainly might go after those dressed for battling it, instead of, say, were I in my House robes or my kimono." She grimaced a bit, and yet looked down at her feet thoughtfully.

"The boots, however, are rather nice. Those, I'd like to keep, if I could."

Especially with the weather growing colder, Yotsuyu really ought to consider no longer wearing sandals about. A nice pair of boots truly would do the trick.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Oh yeah?" Jecht briefly showed a moment of interest as he looked down at them -- then frowned, as reality reared its ugly head. "Naw, boots are not a thing to surprise you with."

[darkenedmoon]

That off the cuff comment threw Yotsuyu. "Whatever do you mean?" Not to mention she thought that might be something she ought to do herself--though that gave her an entirely different idea. One that Jecht simply was not suited for.

"Surprise me? Whyever for?"

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"'Cuz surprising you with something nice is the kinda thing I'd like to do! Been looking for something good for a bit now since I started getting money." Bala-inlota was finally paying some bills, after all!

[darkenedmoon]

"I still do not understand it. I am perfectly capable of getting my own things, should I so choose." Especially since she'd had money to spend...practically since her arrival. An embarrassment of riches, even, not that she spread it around or made anyone feel bad about it.

"So why would you do such a thing?" Yotsuyu had a few ideas, but none of them were palatable ones.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"'Cuz it's nice to give something to someone and see them happy about it?" Okay, he could understand why she didn't get that, given her history and all, but why did she seem to think it was something.... well, bad?

[darkenedmoon]

"It is all fine to do that for others, but I do not need it." Nor did Yotsuyu really want to be reminded of her past. It was not as if she'd ever been given anything by another that was not a hand-me-down or inferior, or could not be taken away. She expected nothing that she could not procure for herself with her own two hands.

"Besides, I am sure you have things that you need, as well, do you not?"

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"You do it to me, ain't fair to say I can't do it for you. Besides, I'm pretty well set for stuff!"

Truth was, he didn't actually have a lot he NEEDED needed. And now that bala-inlota paid the bills, why shouldn't he kick some nice things in the way of people who'd been good to him?

[darkenedmoon]

"Pray tell, why not? You've seen my quarters. I am...'pretty well set for stuff' as well." Yotsuyu had no problems turning Jecht's words back upon him. "I dare say your quarters are far more spartan than mine!" She would never argue that she was not a creature of comforts, when she chose to be, and when she was able to. But she was content, nor would she demand anything of anyone. Certainly not him.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Yeah, you bring me things you think I'll need! Like food, mostly." Not that he was starving, but he got hungry and she always thought of him and brought something around. "I ain't talkin' about getting you just whatever. It'd be something you need!"

[darkenedmoon]

"And what of it?" Yotsuyu shook her head. "I cannot think of anything I need, and if I cannot, I should not think you would come up with something." Especially since she wasn't certain that he could make assumptions about what she needed.

Save for perhaps the boots, which he'd already discarded as a bad idea.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

At that, a slow and mischievous smile spread on Jecht's face.

"Oh yeah? That sounds like a challenge."

[darkenedmoon]

"It is not. This, I promise you." Yotsuyu frowned at that. "We are friends, but you owe me little, if nothing. You are certainly not beholden to me at all!"

She shook her head. This was difficult at best. Yotsuyu hardly wanted to discard their friendship--not at all! But accepting gifts was difficult at best.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Jecht's smile vanished as his eyebrows lowered slightly. Not mad, but actually serious for a change. "Hey, hey, Tsu, you got it all wrong. It ain't owing, it ain't 'beholden'. It's 'cuz I wanna make a friend smile."

[darkenedmoon]

"Have you no other friends to make smile?" Yotsuyu did not think that she was so bereft that she needed it, after all. Surely there was someone who could use such a thing more than she.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"Eh, maybe, but you're my best and you're not used to having friends, so you're top of the list."

Jecht said this so matter-of-factly, if a little puzzled that she didn't know that.

[darkenedmoon]

"Your best?" Yotsuyu snorted at that, just a bit. A part of her wanted to raise its arrogant head and say of course she was the best, but she suspected that was not what Jecht had meant.

"'Tis true I am not used to having friends, but I do not see why that means that you must go out of your way."

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"It ain't going out of my way, it comes with the territory," Jecht countered.

[darkenedmoon]

"I simply do not understand, then, I suppose. It certainly seems to me as if you're going out of your way. I do not need anything..." She shook her head at that.

"I suppose I do not know what to tell you."

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

"You wait and see." Oh, he was gonna show her! He even had a particularly wicked grin, already prepared.

[darkenedmoon]

"That only concerns me, you know," Yotsuyu said with a frown. "I find more comfort in that statement coming from you regarding bala-inlota." Because usually that meant that whatever chaos he was fomenting was directed at someone else...