April Event and Intro Log

[magicademymods]

April Event and Intro Log Plants Off The Path Green grass and radiant flower gardens bracket all the major walks on campus, and fragrant scents fill the air all around. Note the key words "major walks" there. Move off the common paths and onto 'shortcuts' or less frequented areas of the vast campus and things are quite different. Here, the plants grow just as experience with this chaotic and often dangerous school would lead you to expect. Broad-leafed stalks stretch upwards, petals unfolding to reveal long jets of fire instead of a sensible stamen. Bushes have large toothy mouths, and viciously swallow anyone who comes near (though they are still just bushes, and the victims end up on the their other side just a few scratches worse for wear). A tree grows quills instead of needles; another sprouts paper airplanes instead of leaves. An extremely aggressive pitcher-plant wanders the pathways, mugging students at knifepoint. It's a jungle out there. Bullies, Of Course Surely a Magicademy, with many students already adults and with such an emphasis on learning and control, wouldn't have those who used their magic for such petty ends as making others suffer? Uh-huh. A pack of bullies with more spell experience than wisdom has banded together to take delight in the suffering of others. They overtly pick on the small, the meek, and those with less magical skill; they torment the larger, the bold, and the powerful in secret. Worse, they are the clever sorts of bullies, who go out of their way not to get caught and not to do anything that can't be played off or explained away. Maybe you attracted their attention by looking weak enough to pick on. Or strong enough to need to be taken down a notch. Or weird enough that you were the Other and thus lesser. Or pretty/handsome enough that you needed to look less attractive so they would look more so. They are pretty good at justifying picking on anyone, really. Are they pestering you by magical tripping or property destruction? Playing keep-away with your class books? Better be careful how you respond; their fathers might hear about it. Wind At The Docks (aka The Prompt Where You Don't Get Mugged) The winds of spring bring something of a dark pastime to Anastara -- dockwatching. Aware that a sudden blast of air can rip across the island at a moment's notice, crowds gather at the docks with the air of those expecting spectacle. All too often, they are rewarded -- in the wake of a sudden wind, airships list violently, or bump into each other, or desperately pull sails and power up their flotation cores to avoid a worse collision. Curses fly through the air, and sometimes even spells. With luck, the audience might even see a pair of vessels engage in an all-out air duel, as two captains driven by pride or vengeance refuse to back down. Now, to their credit, the assembled people aren't heartless. If a ship truly looks to be in trouble, or if it's smashed to the ground or into a dock, the people of Anastara don't hesitate to help those on board to safety or ensure that they don't go down with their ship. But mostly it's watching the chaos. It IS quite a show... 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 Glyph designed to detect any influence of the magic on you. Painted on your arm, it will shine with a bright light when a Sundering effect attempts to influence you. They explain that they believe the Sundered are still subject to either the spell that brought them here or new ones, because they have detected remnants of Sundering magic in the wake of students who have mysteriously disappeared. They ask only that you report back when it lights up. Problem: when the Glyph erupts, either because of the Glyph itself or the spell it has detected... those who bear it find themselves no longer where they started. Perhaps they find themselves in a classroom late at night. Or the wrong dormitory. Or in the Great Hall in their nightshirt. Or for the utterly lowbrow amongst you, a restroom occupied by the wrong gender. Whatever the case: sorry. 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 some sort of regain this month!)

Comments

[woo_oo]

And did Magica tell you that it's your favorite color, or did you decide it because it you thought it would be make me trust you more...

... Or do you like it because you like it?

[outofyourshadow]

[The conversation is going where she thought it would, and she sighs softly.]

Webby...there has to be more to who I am than what my favorite color is.

[woo_oo]

Of course there is! But it's a starting point!

You've been "alive" for years and years and years! You can't tell me that every single second of that time was devoted to getting the dime. You found things you like, things you don't like, and you made yourself! Magica gave you a body... but you made your own heart.

[With that, she gently takes Lena's hand.]

That's the Lena I care about. And she likes purple.

[outofyourshadow]

[She looks at their hands for a moment, before sighing and glancing away.]

...That's...just it, Webbs. I thought I knew who I was. I spent years wanting nothing more than to be free from her. The reason I went along with her plan in the first place was because she promised to free me if I did.

I thought I knew myself, but... [She gently squeezed Webby's hand.] Being friends with you...changed everything.

[woo_oo]

... Maybe it didn't exactly change things. Maybe, instead... it brought something out in you that was already there.

[she lifts her hand, trying to touch lena's cheek and make her look at her.]

You were one of my first friends, but... I guess... I never realized I was one of your first friends too.

[outofyourshadow]

[Webby's touch does have her looking up, holding her gaze for a moment.]

I don't...I don't know what to think anymore, Webbs. I wasn't...I wasn't made for this. [She gestures at the space between them.] Even when I was trying to make my own identity, I never thought wanting or needing friends would factor into it. And if this was something that was already a part of me, all the more that I don't know who or what I am at all.

[With another sigh, she takes Webby's hand again, bringing it away from her face to hold in both of her own hands.]

And I'm not saying it's bad. Being friends with you is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm just...confused. Sometimes, I'm still not sure what I'm doing. And I'm trying, but...I still need to figure some things out.

...I want to do better. To be better. And sometimes, I'm gonna need your help. But there are times when I also need to do things on my own. So I can learn more about who I am...and who I want to be. And I just...I just need you to be patient with me, at times like that. [She hesitates, glancing away again.]

Can...Can you do that? Can you wait for me?

[woo_oo]

[Webby bites her lower lip. Unfortunately, this isn't some sappy half-hour TV special where everything wrong gets fixed in less than thirty minutes. She swallows, wishing she could do more, but unable to think of how.]

... We both know I'm not very patient.

[Poor attempt at a joke, judging by her weak smile.]

But... for you, I'll do my best. Just... be careful, okay? You're not alone anymore. You can come to me or Louie if you need help. Or just to talk. Or... whatever.

Don't think you have to do it alone just to prove yourself. I want you here... all of you, even the parts you're not sure about.

... No more secrets, though.

[She holds out her pinky finger.]

Promise?

[outofyourshadow]

[She laughs softly, though doesn't voice how she's not sure Louie would be up for helping her all that much. Instead she nods, hooking her pinky with Webby's.]

That, I can promise.

[And she'll make damn sure she'll keep it this time.]

[woo_oo]

[Relieved, she squeezes Lena's pinky with her own before letting go.]

... I do think we should tell Louie about the wand, though. We don't have to spread it all around the school, but the three of us are from the same world, we're a team, and we should work together.

[.... ABOUT THAT-]

[outofyourshadow]

........








[She sighs.

Well, they did just promise no more secrets.]

...He...kind of...already...knows.

1/3

[woo_oo]

...

WHAT.

[She immediately clenches up, and it is clearly taking every ounce of strength not to FIND LOUIE AND STRANGLE HIM.]

2/3

[woo_oo]

You told him before you told - he knew all this time and - you two - !

[Momentarily short-circuiting. Anger, annoyance, sadness, all of it mixes together. BUT. She just told Lena she'd be patient and understanding. And Lena needs her now.

Deep inhale. Deep exhale.]

3/3

[woo_oo]

[However, she did NOT tell Louie she'd be patient and understanding. And he needs to pay.

So, wayyy too calmly, she plops her hand on Lena's shoulder.]

... Wanna know his real name?

[outofyourshadow]

[Lena blinks at her, not understanding what this has to do with anything at all.]

...I always just kind of thought it was Louis?

[woo_oo]

Nope.

[Leans in...]

... Llewelyn.

1/3

[outofyourshadow]

...........

2/3

[outofyourshadow]

[*Snerk*.]

3/3

[outofyourshadow]

[PFFFFFFFFFFHAHAHAHAHA]

W-Wait...that's a real name?

[woo_oo]

[Ah, music to her ears. Now all is well... Or at least better than it was before. A subtle revenge.]

Apparently! I learned it from Storkules. Louie almost went on his knees to try and make him stop saying it out loud. Didn't quite work out.

"Llewelyn~."

[outofyourshadow]

[She's still laughing, but eventually she tries to calm herself down.

........

Hang on, a little more.










Okay, breathing. Wiping a tear from her eye. There we go.]

M-Man...poor Louie.

[Okay, one more giggle, but then she's done, she swears.]

...but hey, for real, cut him some slack. He didn't actually know that I hadn't told you, and when he found out he actually tore into me about it.

He really didn't do anything wrong. The only reason he didn't tell you was because it was my responsibility. Not his.

[woo_oo]

I am going easy on him - that's why I'm only telling you, and not, say, putting a message about it on the board where everyone could have seen it.

[Apparently the temptation was there.

... wait.]

... Is that why when you two finally got back to me at the concert, you two were kind of... acting weird?

[outofyourshadow]

...Yeah. We kinda got into an argument about it. I knew he was right, but I was being dumb and stubborn about it.

......I should....probably apologize to him too.

[Probably.]

[woo_oo]

... When you can, okay?

You two are my friends, my best friends. I want you to get along. So, just... when you feel ready for it, at least try.

And if he doesn't listen to you the first time, I'll make him listen the second time.

[And she will. By force. We all know this.]

... A bad person wouldn't feel guilty about all this, you know.

[outofyourshadow]

Yeah. I will.

[Probably soon, but...they'll see.]

...I guess. [But that didn't necessarily make her a good person either.]

[woo_oo]

... I am glad you told me everything.

[Even if she wound up being mad about it. Feelings are complicated.]

... I guess all we can do now is... take it one day at a time.