diatuooc | Test Drive Reloaded! #1

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Test Drive Reloaded! #1

Test Drive #1

Welcome to Diatu (I Like Swords)

The Arrival Hall is all aflurry with activity! No one had expected so many Sundered to suddenly pop up, the staff find themselves desperately scrambling to keep up with the influx, and a bunch of new arrivals find themselves hanging out in the Hall lobby, waiting to be seen, sent home if possible, or counseled and prepared for student life if not. Rumors run like wildfire: some people believe they've been kidnapped by aliens, a worryingly persistent suggestion that this is a setup for a murder-tournament keeps circulating, and one or two nutcases insist that a dragon tinkered with the rules of magic and now they have to study at a magic school to survive. Pie stocks are grievously low, and thought Headmaster Birony herself appeared and began violating the rules of space and time to summon pies from the future, a second Headmaster Birony with an eyepatch, several war scars, and a wild hairdo appeared and promptly yelled at the first Headmaster for stealing her pies. A pie fight erupted. Pie stocks are even more grievously low now.

Still, here's your chance to talk to your fellow arrivals. Or aggressively attack the nearest target in an outrage (they set up a target dummy and labeled it VENT AGGRESSION HERE, and are trusting you guys on the honor system). Staff don't have time to talk, but they promise they'll get to you soon!

A Day In The Life

The sun is bright, the air is warm, a cool breeze blows across Anastara, clouds keep drifting directly through the island and engulfing people... it's summer on Ascelion, and the day is ripe for learning. Or as ripe as Diatu Magicademy ever can be -- though no one would trade the character and charm of the lively campus for some stodgy, regimented school more interested in forcing students into the mold than encouraging them to be their best, sometimes conditions in the Magicademy are a little inconvenient.

A toilet in Kedrigan Hall keeps clamping onto the butts of those who attempt to use it. Thus far, half a dozen students have been freed from its clutches by their friends, while reports of singed buttocks have increased twofold. (Yes, only twofold. Think about that for a minute.) Staff are on the lookout for a prankster rather than a commode, so as of yet the treacherous toilet has gone unpunished...

Not far away, a group of cleaning golems has occupied the promenade as part of an ongoing strike. As they possess only rudimentary intelligence, they believe this involves seizing objects from anyone who passes nearby and hurling them at a set of bowling pins. Meliandre Tomekin, Head of Groundskeeping, has set up shop across the Promenade; any student who wanders too close gets a big block of ice shoved into their hands, along with instructions to hold it still while she shows those reprobates what-for...

In the Great Hall proper, school clubs and activities have, as was inevitable, escalated competition for new students to yet another level which only isn't a war crime because it isn't part of a treaty yet: they've conscripted geese. Horrible geese, to be precise, who dispense flyers for various clubs with less subtlety than a nuclear holocaust. Some of them fight for dominance, others have teamed up to pin down innocent students and stuff leaflets down their throat, and one has a wand and is somehow casting Discovery spells?!

A Forgery!

"I tried a mass-Forging technique," the older student says, showing off the briefcase full of identical wands and a sign that says 'FOR $ALE CHEAP'. "Some of them are exactly what I intended, they self-correct runes, but the rest, well.. . I don't know, I can't tell, and I'm not really interested in finding out one by one, so... you buying?"

All sales final. No refunds. Caveat emptor. As for what the wands do, well... there's a reason he answered with an ellipsis when asked. On the other hand, maybe the effect isn't too terrible? Maybe it's even beneficial! Maybe the wand shoots out rainbows and muffins! Or maybe it just animates and strikes you vigorously about the head and shoulders...

Three Dragon War

Someone, we're not naming names, canons, or the color of eyes and the dragon to which they belong that forms said person's obsession, may or may not be indirectly responsible for the latest game craze sweeping Anastara: Three Dragon War, a collectible card game that features players as dragons, deploying spells, creatures, and Sundered against each other to destroy each and avoid the machinations of the Third Dragon. The awesome thing about the game is that the Third Dragon comes in all different forms: classic bundled-with-the-starter-pack Ire, super-rare Anastara Diatu, suspiciously-rare Cam Birony, ultra-common Large Eagull, and more. The concept of an outside force adding randomness to the battle and being manipulated in turn by cards means Three Dragon War is the hottest card game that's come along since the last card game that was the hottest that had come along came along.

Face-to-face, you find yourself in a duel over these cards and the magical images they summon. Can this untested deck come through if you believe in it? Or are statistics and probability actual things that actually happen? Dragon Battle! Jiao Long Fu!

There's One in Every Test Drive

Not every magical disaster is caused by some wayward student you don't know. Many of them are caused by you instead. To wit: you're on the spot in one of the magical labs, being called on to demonstrate a technique more advanced than others you've mastered so far. Failure is expected, and the wards should prevent any injury to others from a miscast spell. But will the sparks of your magic just sputter out and die? Or will you inadvertently mispronounce, misform, misshape, or miscalculate in a way that brings chaos to you and your lab partner?

(You could also manage to succeed in casting the spell, but that isn't very fun.)

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[ Oh hey, there's someone with hair more wild than hers! Has she seen him around already, though...?

Maybe. But that's what happens out in the great wide universe. She smiles and approaches, dressed in robes of light and dark blue. ]

Nobody gave you the rundown, really? Either they're slacking off or something bigger's going on. I hope it's slacking off, we really don't need another crisis.

[ Awkward laugh. ]

Anyway, welcome to Diatu Magicademy! You're here because someone's sundering...er, moving things across dimensions, to put it simply...went wrong, and now you're so full of magical energy that you need to learn to channel it properly or you'll explode. But it's really not as scary as it sounds!

"Wow, I've never heard of a fire breathing dragon before! Although where I'm from, there's not much fire anything, since..." Wait, he should probably mention that he's a sea monster before he mentions that he lives in the Ligurian sea. "Well, you're looking at a real life sea monster. Although I don't look like one right now, since I'm on land. I turn back when I get wet."

"Sea monster, huh?"

Spyro tilted his head further, but upon seeing how well the shape holds up, he slinks around the kid like perhaps a cat. "... I've met fish people and seahorses, but no one that could turn human."

Consider him pleasantly surprised as he sits back down onto his haunches.

He made a few mmms of agreement and resolved to tell him the world was already saved by Adam over their meal. Crowley deserved to know that despite everything, all their mishaps and quarrels, it worked out in the end.

The rambling into their silences was what made Crowley Crowley, and Aziraphale wouldn't have it any other way. He was as much an encourager and contributor to the off-tangent conversations they had pursued over the years, and couldn't very well begrudge Crowley a little rambling to fill the awkward spaces between them. It was always just nice to listen to that familiar, comfortable voice.

The question took him by surprise and the happy glow faded into charmed blush. He had been human, once, in his world-hopping travels, and there was no escaping the knowledge that carrying another's books was somewhat of a school-sweethearts tradition, and it was very in line with Crowley's nature, like holding a door, or carrying his shopping, or miracling a puddle away so he didn't have to step in it. He looked down the path, unable to hide his smile.

"If you like. I wouldn't say no."

He's quick to adapt. Its not as if this is the first time he's been to an entirely new world. Its....strange. And he's not sure entirely what he wants to do, since world domination has lost its appeal. He's not even sure he's upset he's been taken since an existence as a shadow isn't the best.

Better now, with acknowledgement, but still. Not the most thrilling.

He has a lot of existantial questions and isn't prepared to deal with those. So he works on just fitting in. Well, fitting in in a way he'd enjoy.

He's also very good at catching pies that miss their targets and use them for his own ends. Its hilarious to get people with pies from above, but he does miss at times.

And then he sees who his errant pie almost hit. Already done with the hijinks, and looking so like-

Him. Because it is him.

There's a clatter of a pie tin not far from Vio as he just stares because-

Because existantial dread he can blow off. Vio, a whole lot less so.

Isabel was always such a diligent student, even if she did play hooky (one had to, now and again. Aziraphale had been playing hooky from work for almost as long as his job existed). He knew first hand that she was a very reliable teammate in a pinch, too, so her studies had been paying off. Perhaps a small blessing wouldn't hurt, just something to make sure she always had a friend to borrow notes from, should she not show up to a class.

"I hadn't thought of that." Piecing it out did make sense, now that he considered it. After all, a painter didn't just throw color on a canvas. There were layers.

He wrinkled his nose with concentration. "Let's try this again." When he completed the motions of the spell, the bowtie was dotted with stars. They weren't exactly what Ms Yotsuyu had done, but it was much closer. He laughed in triumph and clapped his hands together. "Marvelous!"

He changed so slowly, but perhaps...after everything that happened, he could take a few risks, try out a bit of color. It might be fun, and he could always, theoretically if the spell worked alright, change it back.

"Oh. I just followed the instructions in this book I found in the library." He pulled the book out of his bag and opened to one of the many bookmarks he had placed throughout to highlight key concepts. A detailed spell explanation told how to transform an entire wardrobe in one go. "Though perhaps the technique was a bit too advanced. There were a lot of components and some of the specifics were thoroughly baffling."

Luca turns his head, watching Spyro circle him.

"Yeah, my entire species can do it. We become human on land and sea monsters in water. It can come in handy when you live close to humans."

Since humans have history of hunting them.

In that smile, he knew. El knew. They both knew, and even though somewhere, sometime, there was an Erik who was a lucky enough bastard to know what it was like to succeed without losing a teammate, at least El didn't have to carry that burden alone.

And wasn't that what Erik was sent to do? To help his friend, the Luminary?

"See? Exactly. You should really listen to me. I know a thing or two." His expression softened. "Hope you gave her a hug from all of us. Just...don't tell her I said that."

"Sounds like it. Maybe I should look into having a trick like that too...!"

While the prospect of being wingless and flameless for extended periods of time isn't very exciting to reminisce on, being as comfortably bipedal as the elders of his kind proved its uses.

"Maybe, although I have no idea how you'd learn it if you can't do it naturally. Although...there's so much magic here I've never even heard of, I'm sure there's probably a spell somewhere that'll let you do it, too."

And while this place is much more monster friendly than he's used to, he can see how having a human shape in a place designed for humans could be useful.

"Hey! Pick on someone in your own biological family!"

The geese have been pesky for Della all day, but seeing a child being chased down by them was the last straw for Della. She's gone into full Mama Bear - Duck? - Mode now, as evidenced by her jumping between Luca and the birds. She has her wand, but instead the move she makes is to scream loudly as she runs through the flock. She might even land a few punches. (Waterfowl-on-waterfowl violence isn't pretty.)

Once the geese have dispersed, Della looks over her shoulder at Luca with a bright smile. It's quite the contrast to the rage she just had on display.

"You okay, kid?"

It takes a second for the other voice to register with Sylv too, but when it does, he all but does a double take before lighting up. "I don't believe it!", he said. "Darling, is it really you?!"

Sylvando scurried over for a closer look. "It is you! Really and truly!" Hopefully El was looking to get swept up in a hug, because that was exactly what happened next. "It's so wonderful to see you again! I thought you were lost to me forever, but now here we are! Imagine meeting again in a place like this, huh?"

Well here was a familiar face. At least potentially; who knew if she'd remember him. One way to find out, he supposed. "Hello there, Mal darling," he said. "Love the new look. Very sharp." Yep, he totally just made a pun based on the added spikes.

Normally, Della's all for quirky people and weird shenanigans-- But right now, she's not in the best of moods. After all, she's been taken away from her family, her children. Again!

The duck puts a hand on her hip and gives Roisin a flat look. "Look, I like a good pie as much as the next guy, but do you really think that's the biggest problem here?"

She knew that voice. And clearly he knew her. She spun on her heel and gave him a mildly amused smirk.

"This is a new place, no one here knows you yet. Keep calling me that and they'll get the wrong impression."

It seemed to be a day for familiar faces. Though did Hendrick truly recognize him, or simply know him as the famous entertainer he was? Given that Hendrick had always been a tiny bit slow on the uptake, he was guessing the latter, but there was only one way to find out. "You never can tell where the Great Sylvando is going to turn up," he said. "Though I will admit, this is one venue I wasn't expecting to be playing."

It was a relief to see the Luminary at least because that meant that he had not failed in his sworn oath to keep the boy safe. But at the other's comment he 'hmphed'. "Perhaps they have changed things to a lighter note than last we encountered." Having said that, his head turned to gaze at the pie that now lay in an undignified heap with the tin having flipped over halfway onto its side and the whole thing looked like it was melting onto itself.

Chaos and this place went hand in hand for the tall knight who wasn't as well versed in magic as Jasper. Sure Hendrik had magic, but it was mainly to heal, buff and protect.

At the Luminary's suggestion he nodded. "Leaving might save us the trouble of having to dodge more of their sugar filled confection." So he walked alongside the other in a companionable silence, not unlike how they did back home. But as they reached the out of doors, blue eyes looked to his oath sworn charge.

"I take it you have just arrived."

"Yeah, thanks!" he says, grateful to be rescued from the flock of overly forceful birds. "I just wanted to know what kinds of clubs this school had and...well..."

All that happened.

"My name's Luca, by the way."

"Well, that's all the more reason to let them know what to expect, isn't it?", Sylv said. "The Great Sylvando, ready to entertain and impress the audiences of a whole new world!" He made a sweeping gesture, as if to encompass an entire new world of possibilities for entertaining. "Doesn't that sound wonderful? And of course, I could always use a lovely, fiery young assistant, if you're interested."

He gave her a wink to let her know he was mostly joking. Of course, if she was interested, he'd be glad to have her, but he somehow doubted it.

She snorted. "There was some weird girl with red and yellow hair looking to start up a drama club or some such nonsense. You can go bother her about it. I'll let you hire me to paint sets so long as I don't have to play nice with your cast."

A duck. A talking duck. Somehow, Rosh doesn't think that this is the end of 'not within your philosophy, Horatio' today. This week. Maybe even this lifetime. But it's not the first weird thing she's seen, either...

But first, she gestures at the woman who says she's the Headmaster. "Nah, that's this'n's get-up. I'm a little more perturbed that I used to be in the States and now I'm in...a school? An' yer a duck, an' I'm certain sure I'm not drunk."

But god she wished she were!

Sylvando looked up when he heard the familiar voice, smiling. "Well hello there, Harry darling!", he said. "Fancy meeting you here."

To the would be salesman, he said. "There you have it then," he said. "My young friend here has a far better eye for wands than myself, but since we both agree, perhaps go for quality over quantity next time, eh?"

She heard that voice and spun quickly. "Eleven!" she said, startled. She also sounded a little, pleased. "I knew we'd find a way to get back! Now we can find the others and you can come onto the train with us!"

She grinned a bit wickedly. "Am I really so scary?" she crooned. Good. "Don't worry, I can find a use for you."

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Page 11 of 46

Test Drive Reloaded! #1

welcome

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The ptetodactyl screech I made-

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A Day In The Life

Re: Forgery

Re: Sylvando | Dragon Quest XI (SMK CRAU)

Welcome to Diatu...

Re: Sylvando | Dragon Quest XI (SMK CRAU)

Sylv's canon point is shortly before they meet up in Act 2, so should be interesting. X3

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A Day In The Life

Re: Sylvando | Dragon Quest XI (SMK CRAU)

Re: Sylvando | Dragon Quest XI (SMK CRAU)

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Re: Forgery (Let’s play with Avalon/SMK CRAU!Harry)

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