in every rose (closed to Kaiba and Yugi)

[blue_ice]

You'd think that Seto Kaiba would know better by now than to poke his nose in every available trace of dangerous magic. Self preservation is a valuable instinct to have.

But you'd think wrong. Emboldened by another recent discovery, that tower entirely encased in thorny vines seems more like a guardian of a secret than an obstacle best avoided. What better way than to demonstrate his growing competence than to clear the path?

He's at least sensible enough to wait for a willing companion---Yugi, in this case. He squints up at the top of the tower, arms folded.

"I've tried every spell I know, and several enchanted artifacts. It resists them all. Yugi, do you happen to have a green thumb?"

Comments

[puzzlers]

Hm. It didn't seem like magic was going to be able to help them, but it's not like they'd always had magic at their disposal, so they should be able to think of something else. "If we could find a match or a lighter we could try setting it on fire, but that could be pretty dangerous, especially if we're trying to maintain a low profile." They didn't need to be the reason part of the campus went up in flames.

"Peregrin, I need your help." He cast the dice to reveal a snake, ???, and a cat... and when the dice unfolded Peregrin stepped out with a snake head, gryphon body, and lion tail. "Do you think you could fly to the top of the bell tower and see how things look from up there?" Peregrin flicked his tongue at Yugi, his head turning to stare down Kaiba before he beat his wings and took flight. "H- Heh. He'll get used to you, Kaiba." It seemed like his familiar could tell there was something different between them.

[blue_ice]

Kaiba just barely refrained from rolling his eyes at Peregrin before he left. He needed the creature's help, as loath as he was to admit it.

"One of my artifacts creates fire, but you're right. It's too eyecatching. Hm. Maybe if the magic didn't touch the plant directly, but wrapped around some part of it, or underneath it...."

He glared at it. "And we'll need thick gear at the minimum. I don't trust those gleaming leaves."

[puzzlers]

"I don't think we want to accidentally burn it to the ground either, so we should probably be careful. Besides, I think Peregrin's got this." When his familiar returns it's a game of charades to try to figure out just what he found, but Yugi and Kaiba eventually come to the conclusion that they can get to the top by climbing the side of the tower.

"I can make a rope no problem." He takes out his want and begins drawing sigils as he chants the incantations under his breath. He creates a lengthy rope that he passes along to Kaiba. "Now we just need to get it up there and then, h- haha, yeah, avoid all the leaves, though that might be easier said than done. I could probably cast a protection spell, like a barrier of sorts, to protect us, but it might make climbing awkward."

[blue_ice]

"Well it's better than climbing hair."

Kaiba sits in thought for a little while. A grappling hook is simple, mechanically, but he were to fortify the end of it as well as the rope with enchantments, it'd be even safer to proceed. It's a long process of gathering the parts and bending them in to shape, requiring some precise spell calculation, but eventually he has a rope leading up the tower.

"We'll need gloves with solid grips. I'd prefer to use as little magic as possible for this part."

One quick trip to town later and he has those. "I'll go. If it can hold my weight it'll definitely hold yours."

[puzzlers]

"Heh."

Yugi leaves the next part to Kaiba. He's more skilled with that kind of magic besides. Yugi still has a lot to learn, though he's been doing his best. Math can be a bit tricky though. "Nice job." He smiles, looking at what he's made. "Oh? well, ah, alright." He supposes the plants didn't react much to magic, so using as little as possible would be for the best.

He sticks around and lets Kaiba get the supplies, his eyes combing over the tower a few times as he imagines what's inside. When he comes back with gloves Yugi can't help but frown. "Ok." He doesn't like the idea of Kaiba going first, but he's not sure he's going to be able to convince him otherwise. "I'll be right behind you. I can reinforce it if you think it won't hold the both of us."