Let The Games Begin

[magicademymods]

February Event and Intro Log Orientation Week/Magic Mayhem The campus of Diatu Magicademy stretches out before you, confused and chaotic and surging with energy. Where are you headed? To your dorm or suite, to get settled? Maybe you need some food now? Wherever you head off to as your first stop, you have to deal with the snow. Helpful or proud students are passing out various magical remedies to get you where you need to be -- umbrellas with a nasty tendency to dump snow directly onto other people nearby, an iron tube that projects fire but appears to have no off switch, snowshoes that keep you slightly too high off the snow and thus provide no friction for stopping... Familiar Follies Familiars do not harass or harm each other as a rule -- but that doesn't mean they have no pecking order, and the week of Orientation finds them all jockeying for status and position as suits them. This can take the form of pranks, displays, competitions, or simple physical assertiveness towards each other. The goal is simply to be seen as superior by the student body. New wizards especially may find themselves surprised at this behavior of their familiars... 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 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.) Furthermore, they request to perform a few spells on you for testing purposes. It is, quite regrettably, possible that if you consent to this testing, you will come away with a temporary side effect -- a slight change of hair color, traveling two steps for every one you take, one hand moving about a second behind the arm it should be attached to, or being ridden by a penguin. No need to worry, these changes won't last more than a day! Wonders Await Diatu Magicademy is open to you in all its glory. Have fun!

Comments

[king_of_egypt]

The shock on Kaiba's features was evident, and he seemed to be having difficulty in processing the situation. Not that he was alone in that regard, however it was far more peculiar to see the brunette displaying anything other than cold indifference outside of a duel. The significance of that was not lost on Atem, nor the fact that it had been Kaiba who last set out to reconstruct the Millennium puzzle. How strange, that after so much time he should start believing in at least some aspect of those Egyptian fairy tales he'd scoffed at so frequently in the past.

Atem had always appreciated the level of passion Kaiba possessed for dueling, and the challenge he presented but it did go beyond that. They shared a special bond between them, just like Atem and Yugi, both connections unique in their own aspects. Still looking for some reason in all this madness, he couldn't help but wonder if that in some way had influenced why they had been brought here. Also- he suddenly noticed the cat, which was a mild distraction from his internal thoughts. At least that worked in Kaiba's favor, as it prevented any question about the delayed response.

"That's a fair point," Agreeing easily with Kaiba on that score. "That is not a challenge Capricius...." Keeping the volume lower this time but the words were every bit as sharp. It was wise not to trust the creature when it was in this sort of mood. It was far to eager to prove it's worth. Capricius floated in the air between them, peacefully, as if it wasn't planning on causing anymore trouble.

"It's good to see you again, Kaiba."

[blue_ice]

That expression...it was almost (and he hated the word) friendly. Certainly nothing like the cocky grin he'd programmed into his state of the art AI, who paled in comparison to the very real, very alive man before him. He continued his advance, stopping at an arm's length away. What was it he wanted? Kaiba felt so many conflicting impulses in one moment.

Should he challenge him? Yell at him? Thank him? (Where did that thought come from?) He took a shaky breath, not certain what was going to tumble out of his mouth until he began.

"Is it now? After you left without so much as a word?" He was trying for his characteristic venom, but it was hollowed out by something else. Something else he didn't want to name.

[king_of_egypt]

Atem had always considered Kaiba to be a friend, despite all his resistance to the title so naturally he was pleased to see him. The cocky expressions would be saved for a more appropriate time, you haven't gotten rid of them that easily. Also, please do mention this highly detailed hologram of yours, it would be an interesting source of discussion at some juncture. Kaiba strode forward with purpose, so Atem awaited what might be said next with anticipation. The uncertainty was something they shared, neither knowing where this would lead. Okay, that one caught him off guard and his expression faltered showing his own surprise. "Kaiba..." What was this? Had Kaiba actually felt slighted by how Atem had departed so long ago? "If I didn't mean it I would not have said it." He tried to reassure the other.

[blue_ice]

Why yes, pharaoh. That slight was the catalyst for one emotionally stunted and unstable teenager with far too much money and power for his own good to unintentionally destabilize the entire universe. Hey, he never claimed to be reasonable.

"We hadn't settled the score! I waited for you, and the d...your friends came back, but you were gone! Did I really mean so little to you?"

It was unsettling, how easily those feelings bubbled back up within him. How easily his mask slipped. He sucked in a breath, shifting Sara back up on his shoulder and petting her in an attempt to ground himself.

"I went to a great deal of trouble to find you again, you know. And then, when all the pieces were in place...even then, you wouldn't come back for me. I took that hit and trusted Yugi to call you, it had to be the only way...and you vanished without a trace. Again!"

He could feel himself burning up. No, this wasn't good. He forced himself to breathe again, stiffly lowering his hands to his sides.

[king_of_egypt]

Kaiba had always been willing to go to extremes to obtain his ends, but this time he had taken it to a new and entirely unpredictable level. Beyond that he had endangered his own safety for it and potentially the aforementioned universe. What was it that could fuel that level of obsession and dedication? The pain Kaiba was feeling was etched deeply into his words and actions. What made it all the worse was that apparently he'd been harboring these emotions from the time Atem had left. Another pang of guilt shot through the pharaoh. " .... It wasn't that you meant so little, Kaiba." Their association had actually meant a great deal to him, and it was something he would always cherish. "The time had come, there was no delaying it." It was as simple as that. All time is limited and his had been no different. This was one of the first times Atem could recollect Kaiba being this candid about something like this. "I.... shouldn't have even been able to come back then." He tried to explain the difficulties involved in that instance but utterly fell short of his aims. "The world was in peril, Kaiba, and Yugi was not the only one who benefited from my involvement." It hadn't exactly been a social call, and as much as it would have been nice to visit with everyone he cared about once more it just wasn't to be. Their safety was more important. It looked as if it was taking all of Kaiba's strength just to hold himself together. What could he do, or say to ease a year and a half worth of everything Kaiba had been going through? "It hadn't been easy for me either..." but he didn't wish to elaborate. Leaving meant having to say goodbye to everyone he'd gotten to know and care about after having only spent a brief period of time with them in the larger scale of things. Knowing that he would likely never see them again. Sure, he had tried to meet that fact with dignity and control but it didn't mean he never thought about it in the afterlife or that he never missed those who he had left behind. Yugi had his own life to live, and it wouldn't do to have an ancient spirit sharing his body for the foreseeable future. Also accepting his place in the afterlife had meant reuniting with people he also cared about and hadn't seen for several millennia. Even if there had been a way to stay without imposing on Yugi's kindness any further, it would have meant choosing between two lifetimes worth of friends and family. What kind of decision would that have been?

[blue_ice]

"No one believed you could. No one but me..."

Kaiba knew on some level that he was revealing far too many vulnerabilities, but as always, Atem's presence drew emotion from him that had been sealed away for so long.

Part of his anger, he realized, was anger on Atem's behalf. If everything he said was true, that was a hell of a situation to put someone in. And for him to be jerked along by circumstance at every turn...it was enraging and terrifying. Kaiba's emotions on the subject seemed to come from a place deep within that wasn't entirely his, and that terrified him even more.

"Fate had no right! You did everything that could have been asked and more! For it to take and take from you...it deserves defying. And it looks like this magical nonsense answered the call."

He was still shaking, but he took a deep breath, desperately trying to claw his way back to equilibrium. What had driven him to chase Atem so far? It wasn't just the urge to finally win a duel, was it? He paled when he realized that.

"And if we can carve out our own fate here...maybe it won't be the worst thing to ever happen."

[king_of_egypt]

Those words lingered in the air after they'd been spoken, Atem feeling somewhat stunned by them. It was one thing to know that it was his rival who had been collecting the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, but somehow hearing this admission was entirely different. Kaiba had believed in him, when no one else had- not even Yugi. What he was feeling was also indescribable.

It was a difficult situation for anyone to be placed in, but Atem had always followed the will of the Gods and trusted in their divine wisdom. He tried not to impose on the others with his own fears and concerns regarding his own brief existence, and for the most part he thought he had succeeded but it was hard keeping some burdens strictly for himself. There had never been a period in his life when he could just think about himself, or his own aims. It was always what was best for his kingdom, and then later the world.

Kaiba continued to keep catching him off guard. What was this vehemence on his behalf? "It didn't only take, Kaiba. I also gained much through those experiences." His friends, important life lessons, more insight into what sort of person he wanted to be. "... perhaps more than I realized at the time." Which was a direct reference to Kaiba himself. As to the magic here, Atem couldn't say with certainty that this was a part of some karmic balancing or not. Was this a reward for his efforts, as it were, or was there more at stake? This could still end up being another mission for him to complete, but he thought better of even suggesting it at this juncture.

It certainly didn't sound like this was purely about dueling, but something much more.

"I- just don't know what to say Kaiba. I didn't know you felt this strongly," At least acknowledging those sentiments. "You've never been a firm believer in fate and destiny," Recalling fondly when Kaiba had managed to change his own destiny in the past. ".. If anyone can make a new start here, it would be you."

[blue_ice]

Kaiba had reached up to pet Sara when he'd finished his impromptu rant. Where had that come from? It was like everything he'd repressed for so long exploded out of him when confronted...

"I didn't know either."

His shoulders sagged. This...was going to take some processing.

"That goes for you too. If anyone will excel at this nonsense...it's you, but I don't plan to lose! And I still expect a duel once you've settled in. We'll just have to find a game."

There. That was normal. He straightened again, feeling somewhat more like himself.

[king_of_egypt]

The metaphorical walls were already starting to replace themselves, but there was no way to take back what had already been said. Seto Kaiba had virtually admitted that he cared. It would not be an outburst that was soon, if ever forgotten. To an extent, Atem had always assumed there was this connection between them but to see Kaiba lose his cool like that only served to validate that opinion. He smirked a little at the simple response, there was something decidedly endearing about it. "Then we've both learned something today." "You'd be disappointed if I didn't," What good would it be having a rival that fell short of your expectations? "It's a pity our cards didn't follow us here." Or stone tablets as it were, in his case. "... but I accept your challenge Kaiba, and I don't plan on making this easy for you." The opportunity was too appealing to ignore, and it would give him a chance to reinforce that he was the king of games... not just "game". "You've already become fairly attached to that cat, haven't you?" Throwing that in randomly to help Kaiba offset some of the previous awkwardness.

[blue_ice]

Kaiba realizes on some level that he's doing this to spare his dignity. He appreciates it anyway. There will be time for more of their games later.

He pets her, humming contentedly. "I never had time for a pet before, between Mokuba and the company. We have a mutual love of solitude, so it works well."

There's a hint of regret in his voice with regards to Mokuba, but he pushes it back for now. He has to stay focused.

[king_of_egypt]

Apparently there would be and the prospect was a pleasing one. ".... Want two?" Getting a discontented nudge from his magic rock. At least this time it seemed to realize this was an attempt at humor so it didn't retaliate in earnest. "I think a pet will be good for you Kaiba." It will give him something to look out for. Although it can't replace a brother, both cat and Kaiba will benefit from the company. Oh, it's noticed and even if it hadn't been Atem knew how much the other cared for his younger brother. It had to be tearing him up inside to be parted from him. "He's resourceful, you know..." The words slipping out in reference to the younger Kaiba. "Even in your absence, he'll find a way to keep moving forward."

[blue_ice]

Kaiba gave the rock a Look.

"No, I think he suits you perfectly." Both shining, both stubborn. He almost smiled, but the reality of the situation weighed on him too heavily for that.

He balled a fist. Mokuba...

"He's a Kaiba. I expect no less. But I'll find my way back."

As soon as possible was his wish, even if he was somewhat torn about it now. His deepest desire had been finding Atem again, right? Now he had, yet his loyalties were torn.