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

[darkenedmoon]

"It is not a surprise. Many people do. In fact, I would almost say it is a hallmark of being a person--and I am certainly guilty of doing such a thing myself, in the past."

Yotsuyu had certainly underestimated the Warrior of Light, when she had encountered them. And like Hien Rijin and her serpent's namesake, that worthy had treated her better than she'd deserved. She still wondered why...

"Assuming they do anything with it," she sighed. "I am not entirely confident in the intelligence of some of the people here, I must admit."

[treno_nobleman]

On that, they could also agree. Raising himself in Terra and then slipping to Gaia, in his first years, he had almost done the same. But it was a lesson hard learned in his arrogance, and one he would never repeat in practice. Those were not costs he was prepared or willing to pay again.

"I should like not to assume they will do anything with it. What they do now does not concern me, and if it does, I can always teach them their lessons again until they learn." He looked down and over himself again, admiring the new color of his clothing.

"If I consider dying this, I think I might make it this color."

[darkenedmoon]

That made her smile slightly--the words about his clothing. Yotsuyu dismissed the others almost as readily as Kuja himself did.

"I did do well, did I not? Even if it is not precisely what I had in mind. And I think it flatters you."

She did have an eye for that sort of thing, though she did not use it very much, any longer. She had no real need.

[treno_nobleman]

He hummed and turned his wrist, then let his hand drift back down to his side where it unexpectedly met Califleur's forehead. He looked down, found her looking at Yotsuyu with one eye closed where his fingers had fallen, and looked away again, shooing her, determined not to be bothered. However she'd ended up that close to him, he didn't know or care, but at his motions, she did a little shuffle and granted him some space.

"And again, I thank you. I may consider taking up this form of magic if they insist on keeping me around for another class. But for now, I do have a few things to attend. If you'll excuse me."

[darkenedmoon]

"Of course. I should likely be off as well." Though Califleur's antics had Yotsuyu giving her a slight smile. "You are welcome," she told Kuja, giving him another one of her polite bows.

"Your familiar is lovely...but I imagine she knows that." Her lips curved in something of an amused smile. She had not known what to do with Gosetsu, either, when she first received him--but she'd learned. Yotsuyu figured Kuja might, too. But it was a delicate process, and one they likely had to undertake by themselves.

"I shall hope I see you around. Good day." She gave him a nod, and strolled off in the direction of one of the classrooms--likely Fantastics, as it was about that time.

[treno_nobleman]

Califleur knows when she's being complimented, and she's eating it up as usual with a little squirm. As Yotsuyu turns to leave, he'll offer her a polite bow in return, then looks toward his familiar. The fluffy beast looks back at him, ears perked almost expectantly, but he shakes his head and turns to head back to his next class. He doesn't even gesture for her to follow; he already knows she will.

She always does.