diatuooc | Test Drive #1

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Test Drive #1

Test Drive #1

The Airship There

By carriage or coach, spellwagon or ship, perhaps even on the wings of magic, the Sundered heed the call to gather at the Tenzin High Dock of Vulbaria. On this, the appointed day, a great passenger airship sits in the dock, the seals of the six Houses fluttering from flagpoles along her length and her wooden planks atremble as if it is eager to be off. At last, the gangplank descends, and the Hand of Diatu opens her doors to the Sundered so they can take their first step on the path towards protection and salvation.

Inside, you may choose from long comfortable couches, broad circular tables surrounded by straight-backed, cushioned chairs, or viewing seats at the glass front of the ship. Sundered who need special accommodations are quickly provided for, ensuring everyone travels in comfort. Trays drift through the air periodically, offering snacks and drinks to the passengers.

This may be the first chance you've had to truly relax since being swept to this strange world. Certainly it is the first chance you've had to meet your fellow Sundered. As the airship lifts gracefully off from the High Dock, your journey to Diatu begins. Excited? Nervous? Simply angry? Or perhaps searching among the crowd here for a familiar face or some sign of hope?

Rain, Rain...

Welcome to Diatu Magicademy. It's raining.

Seriously raining. One of those downpours that feels like a curtain has dropped on you, that soaks to the bone within a second of stepping into it. Obviously, this won't do, and a civic-minded cluster of Purifeul students has taken it upon themselves to solve this problem. No sooner do you step through the gates then you practically run into a giant and complex runic diagram being drawn out with long staffs by several students, all of them speaking seeming nonsense about derivatives, limits, and equations. Magic! In action right before your eyes!

And yet, just as their mathemagics wind towards the center of the diagram and they all make their final stroke -- one student slashes his line off on a weird tangent, speaking an equation that sounds nothing at all like what his fellows utter. The spell completes... weirdly, as the students look in horror at each other. The temperature abruptly drops seventy degrees, and a cold wind begins to blow.

Welcome to Diatu Magicademy. Please get out of the blizzard before you freeze.

Thaumaturgy 101

After some fifteen minutes of grumbling from Professor Loshakle, followed by half an hour of theory and basics, the grouchy old man finally gets to drawing a magical symbol on the board. "This is straight out of Fundamental Principles of Wizarding," he says, writing Sense Magic next to the symbol. "As is everything you'll learn here. I'll emphasize yet again, you MUST know the name of the spell and the proper gestures. You can't simply wave your wand in any old pattern and say any old words. That isn't how it works," he says, glaring around the class as if daring someone to question him.

But he gives no one the opportunity, instead producing a wand and making the gesture to trace the symbol he'd drawn in midair. "Sense Magic," he intones, and the air and his wand both shimmer.

"Now. You all try." Just like that. What the Professor doesn't mention is that this spell can produce some very interesting results if the symbol is off, or the timing...

Bala-inlota Practice

Bala-inlota is the main interaction the Magicademies have with each other -- the sport of wizards! Two teams take the field, with the goal of heaving a ball through their opponent's hoop. The rules primarily revolve around not inflicting lethal injury, because bala-inlota is a free-for-all at best, where each team relies on both physical and magical might to win the day.

You kind of wish someone had told you this BEFORE you got hauled onto the field so the coach could see if you've got what it takes.

Now half a dozen players are charging down the field at your ragtag group of semi-willing recruits, while another half-dozen are preparing spells that you've been absolutely assured aren't as nasty as the ones deployed in actual play. On your side: the ball, your wits, your physical ability, and maybe three classes's worth of magical education.

On the upside, magic is pretty good at healing.

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Kaiba was already drafting a complaint to the headmaster in his head when the call of his name caught his attention. No one here had known of him, but when he looked to the side...he knew. Just his luck.

"Gardner?"

He hissed against the cold, grinding his teeth and hoisting the coat higher over his head. He even shifted it slightly to the side, enough that it would at least partially cover her too---but he wouldn't wait long. He started moving toward the entrance almost immediately.

"Whatever. Get out of this mess first, argue later."

"Small world, huh?" She replied a bit sheepishly, unsure if that phrase really translated well when you were in a separate dimension all together. Then she gripped her shoulders with both hands as she started to shiver in earnest. Even the brief pause had allowed her body to start feeling more of the effects of the frigid temperatures. "Can you believe this?"

At his words, and noticing the chivalrous act, she smiled to herself feeling a bit pleased to get a front row seat to Kaiba's kindhearted side. She knew it had to be hiding in there somewhere with how much he cared for his brother. Thinking better of fixating on it, since she didn't think Kaiba would want attention drawn to it she said her thanks and hurried along inside with him.

"Too small," he agreed, his anger thankfully directed away from Téa and toward the spellcasters who'd gotten them into this mess.

When they finally had a roof over their heads, he shook the coat out, nose wrinkling with disgust. It was sturdy and would survive, but he really didn't relish the thought of cleaning it. No. The school should, as their students caused it.

She was still there. He looked over his shoulder at her, swiping his sopping hair out of his eyes. "Didn't you make a whole gaggle of friends on the trip, or something?"

He was a little too exhausted to be as waspish as usual, but he tried.

"For once I have to agree with you," Realizing that his comment was directed elsewhere, her eyes briefly traveling over to the students still trying to make sense of what they did wrong. She wasn't exactly thrilled to have been caught up in the repercussions of this spell gone wrong.

Once indoors, she stepped aside to give Kaiba a little more space than he'd been granted when they were sharing the shelter of his coat, but she lingered nearby checking over some of her own effects to see if anything was ruined.

It looked like her things were fine for the most part, but when she got to her dorm room she'd definitely be taking everything out and spreading it out on the bed so it could air dry. Then she looked back up to Kaiba who'd been engaged in assessing his coat in a similar manner. "What, is that some kind of code for get lost Gardner?" She mused and smiled in spite of herself. "I think I did make a few, but I don't think you really want to hear about them do you?"

As drenched as he looked, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "You should really get out of those wet clothes, before you risk catching a cold."

"Heh. I always knew you were the smart one."

Relatively speaking, of course. It was said with an eye-roll, but he didn't seem to be insistent on it. Why was he even still speaking to her? Familiarity, perhaps.

He stood straighter in an attempt to hide his undignified shivering.

"I intend to speak with the professors first. They've risked our health, and if these studies are as critical to our survival as they claim, I expect a higher standard."

That was Kaiba for you, always trying to present a strong image despite how he might actually be feeling. It wouldn't kill him to let his guard down a little especially around Téa. She had nothing to gain from any presumed weakness and she wouldn't hold it against him.

"Couldn't you reverse that..?" Get changed first, then storm into their office? "If you're worried about not having any evidence, you have plenty of eye witnesses. I could even go along with you." Fully expecting her offer to be refuted. "I- just think it would be better to take care of yourself first". If Kaiba was here alone he didn't really have anyone else to look after him. Not that he really needed looking after, he could take care of himself but she couldn't help feeling a sense of moral obligation.

The nerd types were always worried about others before themselves. Couldn't they see what it did to them? Kaiba shook his head and was about to refute her with his usual blunt attitude when a drenched lock of hair slapped his forehead, falling in his eyes.

He angrily slicked it back and looked down at himself, grudgingly admitting she was right.

"Hm. I guess my own first impression is just as important. Fine. You with the scroll, Where are our uniforms?"

As soon as he has the directions, he gives Téa another glance over his shoulder and a nod. He'll allow it this time. It's only a short walk to the temporary dorm area, but he'd rather stop this undignifed squelching as soon as possible.

Apparently not, since from her perspective there was nothing wrong with thinking about others first. Sure, she was shivering too but she could spare a few moments to try and talk some sense into Kaiba. It was the right thing to do, and she would have felt guilty if she hadn't tried to do something.

Still, he managed to twist it into a strategic move instead of something for his personal well being. Oh well, she smiled to herself, just so long as it was accomplished it didn't matter for what reason. Besides, she could use this angle. "Mm, of course it is. They're bound to take notice when you march in there looking all professional." The way Kaiba addressed the other person gave her pause. He was still acting like he was in charge of.... well... everything and he could just order whomever around. She didn't approve but she just shook her head at this one and thanked the stranger for the information afterwards, albeit a bit apologetically. It was going to be quite an adjustment for Kaiba to realize he wasn't calling the shots here.

The short walk definitely felt longer while in these soaking wet clothes. This wasn't how she envisioned her first day of school in the slightest. "I wonder what houses they'll assign us..." Just attempting some small talk as they proceeded down the hall.

Edited 2019-01-22 23:50 (UTC)

Kaiba sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Right. Dormitory life, teamwork, and cooperation. He'd almost managed to put those out of his mind. But he was going to be getting a lot closer to others here than he ever wanted to be, so he'd have to be at least marginally cooperative. Or at least not openly antagonistic. In that respect, at least he already knew how to deal with Gardner.

"Either Purifeul or Gekronus Maius would be tolerable, I suppose, but I almost think they'd put me in Ka as a cosmic joke. To haunt me."

He tried to recall what he'd learned about the houses on the trip. She'd asked what he thought about her chances as well, after all. "You'd likely suit Valhudor with the other performing arts students. You're training as a professional dancer, right?"

Know thy enemy. At least, that's the reason he told himself that he'd remember something like that.

"Wow, you've really got a good grasp on all the different houses already," Sounding more impressed than she probably should have. Kaiba always had a head for details and it served to reason that he had more time to dedicate on the trip over to familiarize himself with as much information about the school as he could manage so he would have a leg up over the competition... er other students. Okay, that last part warranted a small laugh. "I hope for your sake, they don't have that kind of sense of humor."

"Yes, that's right," And there he was surprising her again. Téa had no idea that he would have kept up with something that must have been a trivial detail to him. "That's kind of the house I was hoping for, but I'm not really sure. I've heard some mixed reviews on it. I guess we won't really know what to expect until we get to see for ourselves."

"Every house has its downfalls. Prejudices, rivalries, ridiculous shortsighted focus. The entire system's full of holes. I'm not looking forward to it, but it is, apparently, what it is."

Yes, he was still in quite the sour mood, but seemed to brighten a little when they reached the dungeon. The cold, drafty dungeon, with towels and uniforms laid out and two privacy curtains.

"Well, we've made it. And they're not as terrible as they could be."

He held a uniform to himself, seemingly satisfied that it would fit, and stepped behind the curtain to change. Just drying off would take a few minutes---it was really astounding how thoroughly they'd been drenched. A breeze drifted through, and he shivered despite himself.

"H-have you felt any symptoms of the magical overload illness they described?"

"When you look at it that way, it's not really any different than any other school," Every place has it's cliques, weirdos and baggage. ".. but that means they'll each have their own positive attributes too. Maybe it won't be all bad, Kaiba. You might even find a few people you might really hit it off with." Trying to inject a little more optimism into the situation.

Conversely, Téa felt a smidgen more of apprehension when she looked around their new surroundings. "They really have their own dungeon? I.... don't know why but I thought they were kidding." It was being used for a different purpose than the name implied but it was still a little on the spooky side.

Parting ways temporarily, she moved over to claim her own uniform. The sooner she got out of these wet clothes the better. Then she went behind one of the other curtains and started drying off herself. It would take far too long to completely dry her hair so she just tried to pat dry it enough so that it would no longer be dripping cold droplets down her neck. Then she made a quick change and exited the changing alcove.

"Much better~" She said cheerily to herself. "Oh- not that I'm aware of. What about you?"

Edited 2019-01-23 08:11 (UTC)

"I find that unlikely."

Téa might be surprised to learn that he took a fair bit longer to get ready than she did. He agonized over his appearance, knowing he needed to protect his usual icy, perfectly pieced together exterior. And without a mirror it was that much more difficult.

He finally stepped out, neatly tucking in his tie. His hair was somewhat mussed up from all the drying, which irritated him immensely. But as much as he hated to admit it, she'd been right. He did feel slightly better.

"It's possible that I'm ill, or it might just be disgust with the situation. But I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Are you?"

"Unlikely, but not impossible."

She was beginning to wonder if the male uniform was more complicated than the female variety when he finally emerged. At least she had the good sense not to voice it. If things were different she might have been a bit more fastidious herself, but she wasn't getting ready to go out on stage, she was just headed for an impromptu visit to whomever was in charge.

"Looking good, Kaiba," She encouraged, though he likely didn't need the praise.

Was it really worth getting this upset over a downpour turned blizzard? Still, she had agreed to help so there was no backing out now. "Couldn't be more ready." She turned to exit the room when she realized they were going to need to ask for directions again. There were still a few people milling about the dungeon so she approached one of them. "Excuse me, but could you direct us to the main office?" Once that was sorted she returned to Kaiba's side and shared the information.

Edited 2019-01-24 00:40 (UTC)

Kaiba gave her a small nod that would have meant little from anyone else, but it was the closest to thanks Gardner was likely to get. She wasn't so bad.

"Not far then. So long as these staircases don't move, it's a straight shot."

His familiar confidence had returned to his step now, but as they ascended, he began to consider his approach.

"I've heard this world's magic is controlled by precision, something like an equation. In theory, that should be difficult to mess up so spectacularly, right?"

Picking up on the subtle cue, it was really all the thanks she needed.

"Nope, not far at all." Téa replied with a note of relief hoping he didn't just jinx them. I mean in a magical school anything could happen right?

"If that's really how it works, then yeah in theory it should be." She answered while continuing up the stairs with him. "This sort of magic should be a breeze for you when you actually start attending classes." Acknowledging his gift for the more intellectual subjects. Pleasant conversation aside she was starting to wonder just what Kaiba was going to lead with when they arrived at their destination. It's not like she wanted to be labeled a troublemaker on her first day.

Kaiba almost smiled. "I admit, I'm almost reassured by how structured and logical the system seems to be. Our experiences in Domino led me to believe that a lot more vague guesswork was involved."

He folded his hands together. "So...wouldn't it make sense for mathematics to be a mandatory course? The structure might make incidents like this less common."

"Believe me, back in Domino I think there was a lot more vague guesswork involved," She seconded, because after having seen what some of the Millennium items could really do there didn't seem to be a cut and dry reason for how their powers manifested. "The rest of us might have some catching up to do here." Thinking about some of her less logical, more instinctual friends... if they ever managed to make it here.

"Did you come up with a whole list of improvements the school could make on the trip over?" She looked up at him and blinked a couple of times in rapid succession. "Math is pretty important for a lot of occupations, I am kind of surprised that it's not already required."

One of the dweebs acknowledging that his position wasn't crazy? Kaiba would have to give her another respect point. A drop in the bucket that was his unending disdain for most people, but still a point.

"It's a work in progress. I'll have to experience classwork for myself before we can truly begin. But no, it's apparently optional."

Another grudging drop in the respect bucket for her.

"My aim for tonight is to ask about the frequency of these mishaps, and if there is any grave safety concern. Once we have a foundation in these arcane rules, we can advance the rest."

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Test Drive #1

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