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

[outofyourshadow]

Horrible Spell of Doom

[If there's one thing horror movies have taught her, it's that if people are running in one direction, you don't go in the direction they came from. So with a lot of "nope", she starts to hightail it out of there as well.

...or not, as she's suddenly feeling very upset, and instead sits leaning against a wall tucked into herself and trying very hard not to cry.]

The Bala-inlota Parade

[While sports really aren't her thing, she is never one to pass up food. And the parade and the festival itself weren't so bad either.

So she takes the time to enjoy herself, looking around and taking part in the festivities. Nothing wrong with having a good time, right?]

Research On the Sundered

[She really should've known better, considering how well things went the last time. But she goes along with it anyway.

At first, the spell doesn't seem to do anything. But just as she's about to comment on it, she's suddenly hit by memories of her last few days before being pulled back into darkness.

And suddenly She's there, and Lena is gripped with fear.]

N-No... No...!

Wildcard

((Feel like doing something else? Go for it, or hit me up at usamichan13 to discuss!))

Research on the Sundered

[woo_oo]

[Sad/scared Lena? Not on Webby's watch.

Within seconds of seeing Lena break down, Webby SPRINTS to her friend's side, enveloping her in a hug and holding her tight.]

Lena!

[outofyourshadow]

...W-Webby...?

[Even as she automatically returns the hug, she can't help remembering the nightmare created by the Dreamcatcher, brought back to the surface of her mind thanks to the spell. And then all she could see was Magica returning...Webby hating her...and then -

And she knows, she knows it isn't real, but she can't help tightening her hold on Webby anyway, though it was a weak hold despite its desperateness because she was shaking too much.]

I-I...I'm sorry...She's gonna - !

[woo_oo]

Hey, hey, hey, she's not here.

[She has a very good guess of who 'she' is, after all. She pulls Lena in as close as possible.]

You're safe. You're free. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. Just focus on me, okay?

[She tucks her head on Lena's shoulder for extra reassurance.]

It's going to be okay.

[outofyourshadow]

[Swallowing the lump in her throat, she tries to force herself to calm down, though her breath still skips once in a while. But she holds on, trying to think of nothing but the sound of Webby's voice, and the warmth of Webby's body against hers, like an anchor to what was real against the shadows of her mind.]

...what if she shows up here?

[The thought had haunted ever since someone had suggested it when they all first arrived, at the end of the day when classes were over and homework was done, and she had nothing to think about but the fear that she would just show up again.

That even though she was safe now, she didn't know how much longer things would stay that way.]

[woo_oo]

[Webby tries to think - what would calm Lena down the best? Assure her that she's safe? Webby's not entirely sure herself - there's nothing here, as far as they know, that could prevent Magica's presence.

Webby can warn them all they like, prepare as best she can, but...

!]

Lena!

[Struck by what she thinks is a brilliant idea, she pulls back just enough so that they can look at each other.]

I'm going to make you another friendship bracelet... but! This time, it's going to be super powerful and magical! It'll protect you from Magica! I'll research and find every single spell that'll keep you safe!

[Who says such a thing is impossible? If there's a will, there's a way, and Webby wanted nothing more than to protect her best friend. With new conviction and resolution, her grip on Lena tightens.]

This time, I won't let her take you away from me.

[... that.

huh.

In her head, she meant to end the sentence with "take you away". Wonder were those last two words came from?

Eh. Probably heat of the moment, nothing to think about. It's a promise from one friend to another, right?]

research on the sundered.

[puzzlers]

Lena? [ he might not be in the best shape right now, because of the tests the researchers ran, but there's no way he can ignore lena. he kneels down beside her and hesitantly reaches for her shoulder. ] Lena, it's me, it's Yugi. What's wrong? Are you alright? What's happened? [ he doubts bombarding her with questions is going to get him anyway, so he slowly tries to draw her close to him. ] It's ok. Whatever you see... it's going to be ok...

[outofyourshadow]

[She tenses at the touch, and with a hitch in her breath she holds her head in her hands. She pulls away a bit, but it's a halfhearted gesture as she tries to swallow back a whimper.]

N-No...No, She...She's coming back...!

[puzzlers]

[ he doesn't know who 'she' is but if she's got lena this scared, then she can't be good news. ] I'm not going to let her hurt you, Lena. [ since she hadn't managed to pull away yugi inches closer, securing his arms around her and drawing her into his chest. he's not sure if, like him, she's seeing visions from home or if 'she' is really on her way, but he can't take any chances. he throws the dice belonging to his familiar, peregrin, who takes the form of a lion head, a phoenix body, and a tail of snakes. ] Peregrin, be on guard.

[outofyourshadow]

[Some part of her knows it's just the effect of the magic spell that was used on her. But that doesn't stop the small whimper that escapes from her throat as the familiar transforms. And as her fingers snag the fabric of his shirt, she can't help holding on, almost like her life depended on it.]

I...I-I don't... [Her breath hitches, her voice wavering.] I don't want to go back to the shadows...!

[puzzlers]

I'm not going to let her take you back to the shadows, Lena. Peregrin and I will protect you, alright? [ he keeps a firm grip on her, though he's reaching for his wand in the off chance that somebody tries to get the jump on them. ] Do you want to go somewhere else? [ since they were a bit exposed out here. ]

Bala-inlota Parade

[plusfivedex]

[Kamala may come from the same reality as Howard the Duck, but that didn't make seeing Lena any less surprising. It probably didn't help her surprise that she only came across Lena by accidentally bumping into her. Fortunately, this is Kamala, so things that might be strange to most are just interesting to her.]

Sorry about - Oh, cool. Hi there!

[outofyourshadow]

[She stumbles a bit, though manages to catch herself without spilling the drink she was holding. Then she glances at Kamala.]

Hi?

[When someone else bumps into her on her other side, she sighs.]

See, this is why I don't do big crowds.

[plusfivedex]

[Kamala moves her hands out to help steady Lena, but it sees the other girl is fine, so she just smiles sheepishly and lets her arms fall back to her sides.]

Not your kind of scene, huh? [And back up goes - well, one hand, anyway, as she offers it to shake.] I'm Kamala. Nice to meet you.

[outofyourshadow]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all up for a good party. But too many people kinda sucks up the fun of it.

[Glancing at the offered hand, she takes it after a moment.]

Lena. Likewise.

[plusfivedex]

[Kamala laughs lightly.]

I've been there... I think it depends on the kind of people. For me, anyway.

So, Lena, are you new to the school, too?

Horrible Spell of Doom

[scattered_rose]

[Daniel had the same instincts that Lena did, of getting the hell outta Dodge when someone is beating feet. But that doesn't mean squat if he sees someone in trouble and this case, it's Lena herself. Even though the strange cloud was uncomfortably close, over to her he headed and knelt down a few paces away.]

Hey, do you need any help?

[outofyourshadow]

I...I-I don't -

[Something like a sob worked its way up her throat, and with a sniffle she tried to wipe away the tears that managed to slip free.]

[scattered_rose]

[He's going to reach out to her but not touch her, though it leaves him open for her to make a move toward him, when she wanted to.]

C'mon. Let's find somewhere quieter, it'll be okay.

[His voice is firm but comforting, like he's done this before.]

[outofyourshadow]

[She swallowed the lump in her throat, but didn't trust herself with actual words yet so she nodded, and reached up to blindly grab his hand.]

[scattered_rose]

[He took her hand with his 'far' one, so he could step in with cloak in the 'near' hand, wrapping it around behind her as a barrier. Standing up, he started walking.]

Okay, one foot in front of the other, it's alright.

Research on the Sundered

[stillnewatthis]

Lena!

[Orisa takes the shortest and swiftest path to protecting Lena -- she steps straight over her so that Lena is beneath her body, surrounded by four legs. Down there, she can't see Orisa's narrowed eyes glowing bright red, but she can perhaps see or feel the omnic sweeping her fusion driver left and right swiftly.] Who is terrorizing you? I shall not permit this!

[outofyourshadow]

[The shadow that falls over her as Orisa stands above her, even for protection, seems to have the opposite effect as Lena's breathing quickens, and she grips her head in her hands.]

N-No...! Don't send me back...!

[stillnewatthis]

I will protect you, Lena! [The fusion driver jerks left, then right, as Orisa tries to figure out just who the heck she is protecting Lena from.] No one will take you while I am here!

[outofyourshadow]

Sh-She...

["She's not really here" is what she wanted to say, because she knows that was truth. But the images flashing through her mind are so strong and clear, and she can't manage the rest of the words.]