Test Drive #1

[magicademymods]

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.

Comments

Tenn Kujo | IDOLiSH7

[perfectenn]

The Airship There

The pale teen sits tucked in a window seat away from the others, holding a small item as alien here as magic is on his world. Miraculously, his smartphone made it across dimensions. And much as Tenn tells himself he's only running the battery down, using up precious hours he cannot regain by something so foreign as a wall outlet, its presence soothes him. His gaze keeps drifting to the signal bars, in lingering hope that maybe this is all an elaborate scheme.

A levitating tray and sparkle of ice in beverages has him putting the phone away into his pocket. Hm, the tray is completely level... the speed is consistent, as well. He runs a finger along the edge - no strings or wires. Reaching past, his hand touches only air. And this scent... it's lightly sweet, but not anything he can put a name to.

When someone approaches, his hand stills in the act of selecting one of the frosty glasses. "Excuse me, have you tried this?"


Rain, Rain...

Tenn had been very lucky in regard to school transfers in the past. Even when he could barely speak the language, people were quite open to and accepting of him. His looks tended to gain favor and - more notably - no one had ever pranked him on the first day of school.

Once magically whisked to the nearest building, Tenn carefully and with shaking fingers eases off his backpack to brush away the snow. His silence feels cold as a protest as his glare is directed downward, making sure his belongings are dry. With his hair plastered against his neck and eyes narrowed to slits, Tenn raises his head and focuses on what really matters.

"I would like to file a complaint with the administration regarding the conduct of the welcoming committee."

Rain, Rain

[thezekeinator]

"I think they had it worse than us!" Zeke waved off the concern with a flutter of his hands. Of anyone, he ought to complain, being as he wasn't wearing a shirt, but the whole escapade had just brought a grin to his face even as snow slowly melted in his hair. "It was obviously a mistake. They're students, yeah? We'll be screwing up like that too in no time flat!"

[perfectenn]

"That," Tenn murmurs while he brushes snow out of his own hair, "did not look like a mistake." Everything up to that point was too rehearsed, too coordinated. If the student had forgotten their incantation or move, they should’ve looked to their companions and followed their lead.

Tenn pauses mid-criticizing to look up at the man. His tone drops some of the coolness. "Are you hurt?" He’s pretty sure there was some hail mixed in with that surprise welcome.

[thezekeinator]

"Ha ha!" Zeke really emphasized that laugh, putting his hands on his hips and leaning back to bark it to the sky. "Compared to Genbu, this was a summer day. Thanks for worrying, though!"

[perfectenn]

“I wasn’t worried. You’re from a northern country?” Tenn regards the man’s attire with doubt. (And maybe a little envy that, indeed, he doesn’t look cold.) Though free of snow, Tenn is still soaked through and his natural paler fast sliding into unpleasantly-pale. If he could only get dry… surely there’s magic for that, too. That will have to come before the complaint department.

[thezekeinator]

"Oooh." Zeke rocked his weight onto one heel, rubbing a hand through his hair. "The thing is, in Alrest, we did't live on land like they have here. We make our homes on, or in, Titans. Giant creatures, bigger than this whole island easily, most of them. My home Titan was a cold one. Genbu had pretty poor circulation."

[perfectenn]

Of all the things he's heard since arriving, that is one of the few to render him speechless. (No, the Sundered are from all sorts of worlds; he should get used to this.) Tenn quickly corrects his gaping with a light cough.

"I see. D-" He's cut off when a sneeze finally overtakes him. Ugh. This is no way to start the school semester. "Excuse me. There was such a legend on my world, though we did live on continents over water."

[thezekeinator]

"Well, we've got it the other way around. Just recently had one of these 'continent' things passed to us by the Architect himself. Dashed big change I must say. And here I am missing it all!"

Poor guy. Wonder if magic could cure a cold?

airship

[sorewatopsecret]

No, Takane has not, in fact tried it. However, it does not mean she wouldn't have an answer. Where Tenn exercises hesitation, she does not, as her arm reaches out and takes one of the glasses---one with a caramel-colored beverage with a foamy top. Elegantly holding the side of the glass with one hand and resting its bottom with the palm of the other, she takes a dainty sip. She lowers the glances slowly, and after a moment of contemplation---

"... It tastes of butterscotch and cream," though her face is blank as she stares straight ahead, her voice is one full of awe and her eyes have a slight twinkle to them. "It is bubbly, with undertones of cinnamon and nutmeg. Though frosted, it is strangely quite warming simultaneously, like a gentle fire in mid-winter."

[perfectenn]

Tenn watches intently, but it’s her voice that leads his tension into wide-eyed interest. A holiday spice? Some sort of iced coffee or tea? When the tray starts floating forward, Tenn reaches out to stop it, anticipation masked behind a calm tone. "I see. It sounds delicious."

But he won't know how delicious until he tries it, which he promptly does by choosing an adjacent glass of the same. The bubbles at the top remind him of something... a float? He takes a sip, feeling the foam tingle against his lips before the sweet taste. His eyes are closed to savor it, then open in surprise.

"It seems to be a float… similar to root beer or cream soda." It's been a while since he tried one, but he remembers the flavor. Close, not exact. Perhaps with the right ice cream... something to try next time he's in his kitchen.

[sorewatopsecret]

A float... Takane remembers Ami and Mami introducing her to that sort of dessert-beverage fusion, and finding it quite interesting. But, she felt something was missing from this. This was good in itself, but she felt as if there could be something more than can be done... Something that could elevate it to an even higher level...

Suddenly, her eyes sharpen with focus with an absurd amount of seriousness, as if suddenly struck with a great epiphany.

"The miso-caramel 'iced cream' from Ouha in the Shibuya ward," Takane concludes out loud abruptly, with little to no context, her pronunciation of 'ice cream' rather stilted and awkward. Yes, that flavor would indeed pair well as a topping for this buttery drink... whatever it is.

[perfectenn]

Also processing this potential, Tenn considers the beverage between eager sips. It would be best to put the nutmeg and cinnamon in himself to tailor the spices to his liking. Should he mix the butterscotch himself? He could rely on a butterscotch ice cream for the flavor. Miso caramel isn’t a bad idea either.

"I've been to Shibuya, but I haven't-" and cuts off as something much, much more important jumps to the forefront. His fingers clench around the glass, posture alert as he stares at her with renewed interest.

"You’ve been to Japan."

[sorewatopsecret]

Takane was content with finding a seemingly kindred spirit, one who could fully appreciate the culture and nuances of food and beverage. She resumes enjoying her drink; but pauses mid-sip when she hears him mention one word: Japan. That actually earns him her full attention as she turns her head to him rather quickly, eyes finally meeting.

"It was where I was before being abruptly whisked into this realm," she replies evenly, despite her eyes being slightly wide with interest. "I maintain a small journal, in order to keep record of various eateries and such to sample if I happen to be in an area for any 'Lives' or 'Events'. It is in my pocket right now, actually..."

[perfectenn]

"I was as well." He maintains eye contact over the rim of his glass, studying her reaction. She's given no sign of recognizing him. And if she was in Japan, it would've been difficult to travel through the major cities without seeing his image. So, she's either doing him a courtesy (always much appreciated) or there’s something he’s missing.

"I post photos of desserts to social media. It provides advertising for the businesses and serves as a reference." He won't be doing that for a while. No more selfies with food. Oh, well. Tilting his head curiously, he prompts, "Where were you in Japan? Do you remember which event you were scheduled to attend?"

Rain, Rain

[revidolize]

As if the heavy downpour wasn't enough— a picture perfect melancholy scene to welcome her to her newest new life of misery and bad luck. Then, there's the magical mishap that causes it to change to a freezing snow, and she watches everyone screech and scramble and panic, but not her. It's cold and it's uncomfortable, but it isn't unexpected. She continues her slow, steady walk towards the building, ice building up in her hair and on her clothes and on her skin, but none of it really matters.

She follows a parade of students inside, but she has no goal in mind for herself. She's simply awaiting further instructions. That's when she hears this boy's grumbling, and she looks over. He's really upset.

"In that case, you can take your complaint up with me," she tells him straightforwardly. "Since it was my fault, after all."

[perfectenn]

He's not facing her at first, busy hanging his head to shake the snow out then buried in a towel trying to stave off a cold he can feel incoming. His voice, however, remains clear and sharp.

"Were you paying attention at all? One of the students sabotaged the performance." Tenn trails off in his sulking as he surfaces from the linens and turns to look at who's speaking, a startled blink interrupting his glare. Oh… the blizzard was not kind to her. His hands tighten on his own towel, then he reaches out to fetch a fresh one and hands it to her with a tempered tone.

"Here. You’ll feel better once you’re warm."

[revidolize]

Warm, cold... What's the difference to a zombie? She takes the towel, though, staring it down for a moment before lazily dabbing it at her hair. He's wrong; she doesn't feel any better, not even with his insistence that what happened was deliberate. Maybe it would look that way to the untrained eye, but it's the predictability that settles it for her.

"The result is still the same. Everyone underwent an unfortunate experience," she explains further, but with little detail. "You're disappointed, aren't you? You're angry? It's all the same to me, so you can tell me how you feel."

[perfectenn]

He studies her, concerned for both her physical condition and frame of mind. It's not the first time he's seen someone overwhelmed and acting illogically since the incident.

"You seem more distraught than I am." Yes, he is angry. Though the presence of a girl in distress makes him want to look less so. "It's true that I've been frustrated since I was brought to a foreign land without my consent, but that isn’t your concern. I'm sure you and everyone here has been through much the same." More firmly, he adds, "I won't take it out on the others here."

[revidolize]

Why? Why is he being so kind? The guilt in her heart flares up, and she wants to be different. She wants to be that girl she saw when her memories of being a zombie returned to her, but it's impossible now that she's regained the memories of when she was alive. It's impossible because it's already happened again, even though she had made such good friends...

"I can't really be angry," she replies, "when I have no one but myself to blame. It was an accident that brought us here? What sort of misfortune would be required for one of such magnitude? I'm here, so I know the answer for that."

This whole time, she's been tough about the situation and tough on herself, but everyone she encounters is so kind and positive... It really makes it harder. She wants to cry, but she can't push past her own numbness to even display the depths of her sorrow.

[perfectenn]

"Someone made a foolish decision to play with magic beyond the realm humans are meant to comprehend." Though it’s hardly comforting, the explanation they were given was sensible, and Tenn has no desire to debate it until he knows more. That no one has blamed them for the incident is a relief; it means they have the leeway to investigate without undue suspicion.

Tenn ruffles the towel through his hair then wraps it around his shoulders, fingering through his silvery hair. The towel dried it strangely fast... is everything here going to be enchanted? It brings to mind that, as morose as the girl seems, there may be a reason. Calmly, without accusation, he adds, "Unless you were conducting interdimensional experiments of your own, I do not see a reason to blame you."

airship, as I'm late to the party?

[darkenedmoon]

"I have not." The imperious tones are dulcet, and yet clipped and proper. The reason why she demurs is clear in her hands, however--she's holding a cup of tea.

"However, I have already tried the tea, so I can tell you truly that they're not attempting to poison us, yet."

Isn't Yotsuyu just a little ray of sunshine? She looks askance at the scenery passing by outside one of the windows, brows furrowing slightly.

"It is rather good, though. The tea, I mean." That part, however? All awkward. Unused to making small talk, she is. One might think, by her tone, that she's used to giving orders, instead.

I, too, am late

[perfectenn]

Fortunately, she is speaking to someone who's used to being around powerful idiots who shout orders, but this woman seems like less of one, so Tenn isn't in the least offended. (He is looking around for the tray of tea now, because whether a soothing herbal blend or bracing spices, tea would be much appreciated.)

"I see. Have you been given reason to believe someone would try to harm you?" Spoken in a casual tone with an expression that's more curious than concerned. He doesn't want to give her further ideas if the answer is no.

[darkenedmoon]

"Should they know my history, I dare say, yes. If not, they claim what brought us here was banned magick...should those in charge decide to cover it up, it would not surprise me if they just got rid of us. Somehow."

It was what Yotsuyu herself might do, when faced with such a thing. Certainly the Garleans had taught her well. But the Anastarans haven't so far, and so she shrugs, just a little, and gestures to yet another tray full of teacups floating by.

At least she's not ranting around the airship and demanding to know if people know who she is--assuming that meant anything, anyway.

Another tray whizzes by, this one filled with what looks like an assortment of pastries from a number of countries arrayed upon it. Yotsuyu stops it with a hand, and then wrinkles her nose.

"Ugh, dango. How dreadful. Do you see anything you'd choose here?" Though she disdains the dango, Yotsuyu selects a small cup of persimmon pudding and a spoon, gracefully juggling them into position in her lap. Finishing her cup of tea, she sets it, too, on the tray.

[perfectenn]

It is a mercy to be going incognito for many of them, surely. But the second part… that he has turned over in his mind since arrival.

"If they wanted to be rid of us, they would not waste this extravagance on us." Tenn motions to the cabin, and airship, in general. "And they would be disinclined to transport us in such a display of power and comfort unless they wanted favorable opinions."

If she hadn't stopped the tray, he would have, with wide-eyed interest. These are pastries, so of course, he must try them, taking three plates of varying desserts and arranging them around him with precision like he does this on the regular basis. While a smile flickered over his lips at the sight of the treats, he regards the dumplings with skepticism of his own. "I do like dango. But I did not expect to find familiar foods here." Unless it’s not truly made from mochiko. Well, adding this plate to his collection, too. For research.

[darkenedmoon]

The young man makes a valid point. The airship is nothing if not extravagant, a stark contrast to the ones she's seen before. Garlemald values efficiency--no servants, magickal or not, would serve tea and treats on one of their airships, Yotsuyu knew.

"Mayhap they want us to work for them, then." That idea doesn't seem to suit her any better than her paranoid poisoning one did, though. She stirs her pudding into a mess, but eats it in the end, with dainty spoonfuls.

Yotsuyu sighs, then. "Nor did I, but I suppose that it is a comfort that we have." She isn't about to go plate for plate with him, however. His metabolism might be able to handle it, but Yotsuyu simply doesn't want to have to deal with the necessity of burning all those extra calories off, later!