March Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

March Event and Intro Log Golem On The Loose The rain never stops. Water and mud track all over campus. Diligent cleaning golems stomp about, mopping and scrubbing and polishing and then going back to do it all over again, and again, and again... One of them seems to have had it. The renegade golem bursts into Kedrigan Hall -- interrupting classes and disrupting labwork to furiously seize students and scrub every last scrap of mud and dirt off of them. All the halls have been locked off with "Under Cleaning" signs, and anyone who enters them meets with the golem's wrath, as it violently plays a pre-recorded message about not interfering with groundskeeping and deploys a giant claw-like tool to grab the interloper and put them back on unforbidden ground. The professors, who are after all completely immune to the golem's attention by its very design, seem to think this is a good learning opportunity for students. Is it? Horrible Spell Doom? "Are you sure you're ready for the test on Advanced Gaseous Discovery?" one upperclassman asks the other. "Of course I'm sure," the second says confidently. Whipping out a wand from a holster on her belt, she sweeps her wand through the air gracefully, pronouncing several Osmarian sigils as she draws them. Probably. "See, that's a blue cloud--" Said blue cloud, which puffs into being as the last syllable left her lips, abruptly doubls in size. Then it doubles in size again. And again. The upperclassmen, who have been in Diatu for several years and know exactly what this sort of thing means, don't hesitate. Not even stopping to share a glance between them, they run like crazy, leaving the growing cloud behind just as classes let out and students begin to enter the halls. But... surely it doesn't have any weird and wacky side effects, right? The Bala-inlota Parade (aka The Non-Horrible Prompt) To celebrate the start of the Bala-inlota season, Anastara spares no expense. The great parade and associated festival stretches the whole weekend, and the whole city puts on their colors and turns out for the fun. Enterprising vendors sell food, drinks, and souvenirs ranging from small and crude figurines to magical constructs that shine field displays onto flat surfaces so you can watch the action up-close! (Good luck affording that, students.) Practically any sort of entertainment you could want appears on the streets and canals of Anastara, and food and drink flow freely. 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 team has developed a Sundering spell that they warn is crude and unpolished, because the Curriculum is so unpracticed. They hope it will connect to your home worlds and establish a magical link they can build off of to open further passages. No promises! And to those who do undergo this spellwork... it has a certain side effect of confusion, as brief images from your home world flicker across your vision for a few hours afterwards. Wonders Await Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. Have fun!

A Special Note

If you thread out one or more scenes based on the confusion from "Research on the Sundered", respond to the comment on this post with a link to that thread. The results of this will be revealed next month! (It is, we're afraid, not a regain, lest your participation be based solely on that hope!)

Comments

[unswervingcompanion]

"I obligated myself." Hendrik said, stopping abruptly to turn to face the Luminary. "And I do understand that you carry a heavy burden in restoring light to our world. But know this, you do not walk alone here nor did you back home. You have friends here and you should cherish those that you have while you can. And mayhaps we can find a way to defeat the darkness here."

It was his clumsy way of telling the Luminary that he wasn't alone and that he would try to share in the burden. "Start where you are, and work from there. Here is all that you have, and for now, make the most of it." It was something similar to what he had told Yotsuyu when she had told him of her plight and how things had gone for her back in her home world.

And not ginger.

[nobodys_puppet]

A tree communicating...? Well, she had seen weirder things, she supposed. Though that the moment she couldn't quite think of what. But she had to have, right? Maybe?

"A tree.. can tell you,... what the right choice is?"

That was something Xion had struggled with. Riku had been on her case to make the right choice... but had never been able to explain how someone knew what the right choice was. But a Saïx tree seemed like a weird answer to her. "Protect them from the rain?" What else could a tree protect someone from?

She was so very VERY confused.

[woo_oo]

They'll definitely see! Teamwork! We WILL bring Blitzball here!

[bearshermark]

He would have laughed if he didn't know she was serious. Still, the amusement curled his lips.

"It's more of a feeling. She grants visions to those that have Her favor, but sometimes Her will is less clear. But Yggdrasil is Light, so She can offer protection from darkness. A lot of the monsters in my world are born from dark magics, so Her blessings can shield them from harm."

[bearshermark]

Eleven looked up at Hendrik, not quite expecting him to stop to offer encouragement or advice. For the first time, he found himself grateful for the knight's presence. He might not need a protector, and Hendrik might not be one of his friends, but he understood.

For now, that would be enough.

"Mm," he said, voice echoing into his beer glass as he ducked his head back to it, "I'm doing that, I think. I know what I have to do and I'm not going to forget that, but I would appreciate it if you could call me by my name, here."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Light....?"

None of this made sense to her. She lifted a gloved hand to her head over her hood. She would have sat if she could spare the brain power to look for a seat.

"I'm not understanding..." she admitted. Because when she admitted that to Axel, she often got answers, and when she admitted it to Saïx, she usually got shoved aside, and so far he hadn't shoved her aside, so... maybe he could make this make sense?

[blue_ice]

[ He blinks. ]

...Nice shot, but it's unbelievably sturdy. Must be magic.

[ He scrunches his nose andd still hates that word. ]

I'd suggest retreating and regrouping before it charges us.

[burningbrighter]

When I can, yeah! Having so few rules gives you a lot of room to try new strategies, and that's so different from any game I've seen at home.

[ Hey, a team's a team. ]

My friend Rainbow's the athlete, though. She'd be tearing up the field with you if she was here. Faster than lightning.

[burningbrighter]

[ Sunset smiles anyway. ]

There! See. Not so bad. It's really fun if you can get a group and all laugh with each other, but if not, that's okay.

[blue_ice]

If there is it's definitely not through them. I'm done helping them.

[ He growls. ]

But I'm not giving up. If there's anything I can teach myself, any artifact out there to find...I'm going to find him. For everyone else, too...I'm sure you had something better to do.

[burningbrighter]

Definitely. On the other hand...

[ She looks thoughtful, then devilish. ]

If we could weight ourselves, like the way they weight balloons, maybe we could move around some more.

[ She tries to conjure a balloon string and immediately floats higher, to the maximum length it allows, about a story above the ground. ]

[burningbrighter]

"Oh wow! I'd love to hear more about that. You could replace projections with it, right?"

Sunset's still doing her best. He's keeping her on her toes and she appreciates that so much.

[bearshermark]

Eleven raked a hand through his hair and breathed a sigh. Looking her over, he wondered how else he could describe faith. It had come so naturally to him as a child that it seemed nearly foreign that it should even need to be explained.

He stood and circled around the desk to stand beside Xion, then slowly reached for her hand.

"Close your eyes," he requested. "And think of light. Warm and radiant- like sunlight on a spring day."

His own eyes fell closed without thought.

"Tree branches stretch to the sky, leaves green with life and blowing gently in a pleasant breeze. Soft, golden light shines from within- the source of Life itself."

Eleven took a moment to clear his throat as his voice threatened to waver.

"A new leaf blooms every time another falls in an endless, eternal cycle. ..And that is Yggdrasil."

[nobodys_puppet]

She let him take her hand, though she did tense, expecting a blow. She hesitated a moment, then tried to do as he said. She could imagine warm light, like she was on the beach. But then he mentioned trees, and she had to try and change the mental image. Which tripped her up mentally and by the time she had realigned her mental image, he was talking about falling leaves and... yeah... she was still confused.

But she still obediently had her eyes closed, head tilted slightly upwards. It wasn't quite trust... but it was... something.

"I... still don't understand," she admitted, half sure she was about to be struck or worse for her ignorance.

[unswervingcompanion]

"I shall try." But really Hendrik couldn't make any promises. Luminary came to his lips faster than anything else. And probably at the speed at which the current subject was consuming that beer. But Eleven was an adult in their world, and besides, there was the whole saving the world burden.

So he sighed and figured if the Luminary was going to drink, he wasn't going to do it lightly. Let him learn and at least Hendrik could carry him back and let him sleep off the effects of the alcohol. This, of course, wouldn't save him from the hangover that would plague him in the morning, but live and learn, or tough love.

The knight grabbed another round for the Luminary and handed that to him. That should keep the other busy and quiet, but somehow Hendrik doubted it.

[bearshermark]

He held the image in mind for one lingering moment before Eleven opened his eyes and let it go. Yggdrasil didn't exist in that state anymore, no matter how his heart wished for it.

He lowered their hands and offered a gentle, reassuring squeeze as hers seemed to tense.

"Hm.. I guess it's hard to describe something if you've never seen it, but that's what I think of when I pray. Yggdrasil is Light and Life, so when I feel lost or weak, I'll ask Her to guide or strengthen me with either of those things. ...Does that make sense? Or if it doesn't, what part are you having trouble with?"

[nobodys_puppet]

What part was she having trouble with? All of it.

"But... how does a tree guide you? How does any of that help you know what the right choice is....?"

Just to start with her questions....

[bearshermark]

Eleven laughed brightly, accepting the fresh beer with a grin. "Now you're trying to get me drunk."

He'd intended to slow down, but now that he had another glass waiting, saw no reason not to polish off his second. It went down nice and easy, and he was pretty sure he was starting to feel it.

But that was fine. Getting drunk sounded like the best idea he'd ever had. A shame he hadn't been able to do it sooner; it would have made the Fall easier to deal with.

"You're a decent guy, Hendrik. ..We should've been allies sooner."

[bearshermark]

Eleven huffed an amused sound.

"I think you're stuck on the fact that She's a tree, but She's not an ordinary tree. She floats in the sky and communicates Her will through visions.

When I ask for Her to guide me to the correct choice, it's.. more often a feeling. She'll give me signs if She wants me to tread a particular path, or help to broaden my understanding of the choices that lay ahead and the consequences they might have."

[unswervingcompanion]

Nope, Eleven shattered the quiet thing right off. "Better to make sure that you're safe instead of being in a dangerous place while you are not thinking clearly." In other words, Hendrik could keep an eye on the Luminary while he drank. And then the knight would be able to carry him safely. It was better than the other being off by himself or to get into who knew what trouble either by himself or someone else.

That last comment got a 'hmph' out of the taller man. Hendrik had wished that himself, that he'd known a great many things about Jasper, the King, and the Luminary being the Luminary and not the Darkspawn as he'd been fed. And then there was the whole matter of not knowing Princess Jade was alive and well.

The knight clenched his fists as he walked and spoke his next words."To think of how loyally I carried out the King's orders then fills me with shame. But my regrets are worth naught now, and no apology will suffice."

He stopped and gazed off into the distance for a moment before continuing with a small shake of his head. "No, all I can do now is fight alongside you in the battle against Mordegon. I vow that I will defend you with my life if needs be."

[bearshermark]

"I'm still thinking clearly," he defended, though he was aware that would probably change soon. Still, he thought it was important for Hendrik should know he wasn't that drunk yet.

But he bit his lip, eyes lowering to watch his feet. He was relatively sure he was still walking just fine- another good sign. His shoulders hunched.

"It won't be. I'll be strong enough, this time. I have to be."

[nobodys_puppet]

And for just a moment, as if he were Axel or Roxas, she actually said sourly "I think I'm stuck on the fact that you're not making any sense."

Her hands flew to her mouth as soon as she realized she probably should not have said that.

[unswervingcompanion]

With a sigh that he couldn't dwell on this, Hendrik turned to look at the Luminary, nodding at his words.

"No one can predict what lies ahead, but we can make sure that we are always prepared for battle. And you will do well when the time comes. Of that, I hold no doubt."

The knight then looked at the Luminary trying to figure out if the other was going to collapse or not. "Are you still able to walk?"

[bearshermark]

Eleven stepped back, surprised, then glanced off and massaged the side of his neck with a frown.

"..Sorry," he said finally. "I don't know how to explain it any better. I wish I could show you."

[nobodys_puppet]

"I'm sorry. I should not have said that." She turned towards the door. "I'll go. I'm sorry I bothered you."

She should have known better. She should have.