Test Drive #4

[magicademymods]

Test Drive #4



The Scary Door

The classroom door looks different today, bearing a few small but noticeable scratches on its upper corner -- and also it happens to tremble, as if with excitement, the moment anyone reaches for the knob. That gives it away. This isn't the classroom door at all!

And it isn't the bathroom door. And it isn't the door to the staircase. And it isn't the door to the hallway. But wherever you go, there's this door that really, really, really wants you to open it, and it doesn't seem to take 'no' for an answer...

Acting in Concert

One thing anyone sharing a campus with Valhudor students must accept is that every once in a while a performance just appears out of nowhere, much in the way of a tornado and with the same ability to suck in anything nearby as collateral damage. Today what looked to be an innocuous group of musicians heading back from class turned into a flash concert without warning. Not a bad thing for a music-lover, actually, and listening to their pleasant tunes only got better as more students saw the opportunity and joined in.

Right up until the drama students showed up and promptly hijacked everyone nearby into a play.

So here you are, in Fantasticked finery, trapped in a bit part in front of a growing crowd. The two ringleaders of this disaster appear to be putting on an entirely improvised performance about two warring houses, because apparently they love stage-dueling (and have had three different scenes of it so far, each of them so sexually charged the allegory is barely allegorical), while the orchestra merrily matches music to action. As for your role? 'Improvise!' they said brightly.

And like that you're up, across from a partner who clearly did not enter this voluntarily either. Better think fast... the one thing uglier than a crowd who have a performance ruined is Valhudor students who have had their mating-dance-slash-play ruined.

Definitely Not Worrying

The spring day is perfect. Bright blue sky without a cloud in sight, sunlight that pushes the perfect temperature just onto the side of 'pleasantly warm', a gentle breeze that drifts over the grass and cools what the sun warms... it's bliss, if not outright soporific, and almost everybody is outside lounging in the grass and enjoying just how wonderful it is.

Then Headmaster Birony comes tearing around the corner of a building like the hounds of hells are at her heels. "Hello, students!" Despite her bright smile, she doesn't break her stride for a second as she zooms past. "Run like hell! Chaos bees!"

And that's when the swarm of chaos bees races around the corner after her, wings filling the air with a deafening buzz.

Now the thing about chaos bees is that they resist magic of all forms, and they have their own particular magic that makes the results of their stings... highly unpredictable at best. You might have your hair turn white, or your skin turn blue. You might blow up like a gum-chewing girl in need of juicing, or feel the uncontrollable urge to form a gang, snap your fingers, and have a dance-fight to drive the Jets out of town. Whatever happens, the effect is never permanent, but maybe Headmaster Birony has the right idea.

Late Night Party

Without a curfew (and with good sound-protection spells on the Towers), students don't always go to bed like responsible adults. This party is still going strong at 3 in the morning, lit by balls of color that float in the air and full of music and dancing and just-for-fun mage dueling that is just a little more dangerous than it should be thanks to it being far easier to talk someone into a late-night mage duel when they're tipsy. As spells crack against each other and feet slide over the grass in time with the beat, everyone's having fun! Even party-poopers can find another wallflower to talk classwork with while enjoying the snacks and the drinks. What a great place to meet fellow students and socialize!

((alternate post image))

Comments

Twilight Sparkle | My Little Pony Friendship is Magic

[horse_nerd]

Late Night Party

There's a girl curled up... like a quadraped in the middle of a bed, in a side room away from the party. Twilight had found a place for quiet where the party hadn't quite managed to reach, and thanks to some spells, she had allotted herself some privacy. For now. Sooner or later, the older students would break through and the party would resume.

But for now, studying! She was studying with her friends and she adjusted her glasses, going over her notes and the books she had withdrawn from her library as she munched on the punch and juice she had snagged from the party. "Okay, two more questions and then we'll rejoin the party," she said much to the relief of the party goers. "C'mon, we need to focus or we won't pass tomorrows exam!"

[postapocalypticraider]

While Makoto didn't mind studying, even she had her limits. So, after a moment, she placed her own book down with a bit of a tired sigh.

"I don't think studying this late at night will help much with the exams," she pointed out.

[horse_nerd]

Twilight looked a little crestfallen that they couldn't study, but more to the point that they were being forced to cram due to the situation at hand. With a resigned sigh, she nodded and closed her book. "I guess you're right. We're not making enough progress this way, and with the party this loud we're being distracted. I guess we should probably just finish right now."

[postapocalypticraider]

The other students who wanted to attend the party cheered, and quickly scattered to take part. Makoto, meanwhile, took her time to help Twilight clean up their study area.

"I am surprised the party is still going on though, to be honest. Isn't anyone getting tired?"

[horse_nerd]

"If there's one thing I've learned, is that parties can go on for hours from dusk till dawn and never stop," replied Twiight with a shake of her head. "I suppose it couldn't hurt partying just this once. Getting in more studying won't actually help this time. Not with the material we're covering."

[postapocalypticraider]

"Perhaps not, but lack of sleep might," she replied with a sigh. "Still, it might be nice to spend a little time relaxing. Since we're already up anyway."

[horse_nerd]

"You're right about that. I can probably find a place to nap later on if it keeps going into the morning as well," said Twilight.

"Did you want some punch?"

[postapocalypticraider]

"That would probably be a good idea."

With a small smile, she nodded.

"I'd love some, thank you."

[horse_nerd]

Twilight smiled as she went over to the punch and found a couple of bottles of local punch. Popping the top with a flick of her fingers, she brought it over and offered one to Makoto. "Here you go! Drink up! Cheers!"

[postapocalypticraider]

"Thank you." Taking the bottle, she took a sip, then hesitated a bit.

"What is that strong taste?"

[horse_nerd]

Twilight swished the taste around her mouth, tasting it for a long moment before swallowing. "Tastes like hard Sweet Apple Acres Cider to me."

[postapocalypticraider]

"...does that mean that this is alcoholic?"

Princess!Twi, right? >.>

[goalriff]

"Ugh, only you would prefer studying over a party," a voice complained out in the crowd somewhere. "C'mon, we're nearly up on stage too!"

Princess!Twi yes. I rolled for it. Gonna test SciTwi later /o/

[horse_nerd]

"Is it that time already?" Exclaimed Twilight, looking up at the voice which was clearly Rainbow Dash's. "I guess we should wrap this up."

Much to the celebration of the students who were more than happy to get out of the study session. Uncurling from her awkward sitting position, Twilight stretched her limbs out. "Okay, ow, I think humans aren't supposed to bend that way!"

[goalriff]

"Yup, we gotta get going!" Dash hurriedly threw her own books into her backpack. "We gotta do sound checks and everything else still."

She paused and glanced over at Twilight. "Has Sunset or Fluttershy given you the breakdown of the songs?" She extended her own hand out, knowing how shaky the princess was on two human feet still. "And no, humans aren't supposed to bend that way unless if you're really flexible."

[horse_nerd]

"Yes they have thankfully," replied Twilight, thankful for their foresight as Twilight shook the pins and needles out of her arms and legs as she took Rainbow Dash's hand to get out of the sitting position.

"I'll keep that in mind, it's comfy when you get in there but the pins and needles aren't worth it!"

[goalriff]

Dash mentally breaths a sigh of relief. "Good." She gently tugs the Princess up. "It takes a few minutes for the pins and needles to disappear. C'mon," She tugs on Twilight's hand to indicate that they should get to walking at least.

She's not the one to slow down, but she's not the one to leave her friends behind either.

[horse_nerd]

Which was good, because if Rainbow Dash had to carry her, it would be embarrassing! And yet, Twilight was sure she wouldn't mind that. Either way, the pins and needles quickly shook out as she followed Rainbow towards the stage where their instruments sat.

Picking up the microphone, she started to do soundcheck. "Check, check, one two three..."

[mithrarin]

Questions, notes, books, and quizzes just reminded Dust that he was a swordsman and a warrior, not a magic student. Square peg in a round hole didn't begin to cover it, and by now he was leaning against a wall, arms folded.

"Some of us won't pass anyway."

[horse_nerd]

"That's what the study group is for," replied Twilight. "But I guess it's getting late, and we can pick it up next time. We've gone over as much as we can because there's so much last minute stuff we can do."

[mithrarin]

"Yeah." Dust reached up beneath his hat to rub his face, frustrated and self-conscious. "Sorry. I shouldn't be so negative. This stuff is just... alien."

[horse_nerd]

"IT's all right. This stuff is sort of basic for me, but that's why we have study groups," replied Twilight. "To help everycreature learn."

[mithrarin]

"You had magic before, right?" Hard to keep track of pasts mentioned vaguely or guessed at through oblique evidence. "That really must make things easier..."

[burningbrighter]

"We love you for your dedication, Twilight, but we also kind of hate you for it," Sunset laughed. She'd been through this with the human Twilight more than once, and that the two were so similar never failed to make her smile.

"Why do you always have to be right?"

[horse_nerd]

"Because I've been reminded, several times in fact, that overpreparedness is kind of a thing I do." said Twilight with a sheepish grin.

"Did you know that the girls have given it a verb? They call it Twilighting now."