Test Drive #7

[magicademymods]

Test Drive #7



Air Apparent

The fundamental principle of Sundering, that of breaching the barriers between here and there, often manifests as summoning. Simply open a portal and then bring through that which you desire to command. Today's lesson in the magic went slightly wrong, and now a strange creature called an "air imp" stalks around the campus, causing mischief wherever it can. Its powers are not terribly dangerous, but it is a trickster with the swift gusts of air it can conjure, and almost impossible to see since it is the very color of the air itself.

The faculty has made two important announcements. First, do NOT go commando under your robes while this thing is out there. Second, whichever student or group of students catches the imp shall earn five points for the Colormarch for their House or Houses, and shall be taught a special spell of Discovery personally by Professor Trammel.

This reward has the student body in a tizzy, and groups of eager imp-hunters stalk the campus after classes, each of them with a clever idea to get the prize for themselves. Quickly, find a partner and join them!

Only Shooting Stars

Thanks to some horrible twist of fate, a body-swapping magic has caught you in its claws and wrenched you into a form that is not your own. Perhaps you're a familiar now, a blobby owl or a sneaky cat. Perhaps you've taken over the body of that student next to you, who's now looking at you from the eyes that ought to be yours.

There isn't any easy answer for this. You're stuck, for the moment, anyway. All you can do is try to make the most of it... or just get through.

Another Fine Mess

The fervor of the day down Anastara way surrounds a shop that just released their new special product: Airsquiddlies. These curious little toys take the shape of a squid, and through some little trick of magic they catch the air when held up above one's head. Tethered by a string, they drift about a few feet up with their tentacles waving most realistically and slithering around to curiously investigate whatever, or whoever, they find.

By luck, you've managed to get one of these -- and as delightful as it might be, it does come with a couple of quirks. Has its tentacles gotten somewhere you'd rather they not -- a merchant's wares, the hair of a fellow student perhaps? Or maybe you're stuck dealing with a few people who are intent on getting their own Airsquiddly, any way they can since the stores are sold out?

Labwork

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.)

Comments

Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[notamascot]

Kaylin sighed as she wiped the orange slime off her face with the edge of her sleeve. "I'm in one of the hells, aren't I? Doomed to try and fail to do this ridiculousness forever. Admit it. I'd feel much better if someone did."

[zanarkandian]

"Nah, you're okay!" Tidus offered cheerfully. "Don't worry about it. It's always rough the first few weeks, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. Even I did, and I barely passed my midterm."

He's very earnestly cleaning up his own smoke, letting out a low whistle at the ceiling lamp he's unintentionally turned into a large pickle. Food's always on the brain.

[notamascot]

"A pickle." Kaylin sighed again. "I'd take a pickle over orange slime any day." Though she had to wonder if, after being eaten, it might turn back to a lamp. That would be unpleasant.

"See the thing is, basically, I got pulled from a world where I was totally failing to learn magic to an Entire. Magic. Academy." And away from everything that made her even willing to attempt magic. Except here the whole dread consequences thing was a fair motivator.

[zanarkandian]

"Hey, I was pretty bad at magic back home too. I only mastered two spells before I got here, but it's totally different here. You might be able to do it."

He's ever trying to be positive. "Even if you're not good at one kind, there's five others you can try."

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[immortal_cohort]

"If you are, kitling," Teela drawled, leaning back casually, clear of any mess, "Couldn't you have left me the ****s out if it?"

[notamascot]

Kaylin shook her head. "Oh good. Five other types to learn. I know you're trying to be helpful, but good gods."

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[notamascot]

"Hey, I'm not the one who brought us here!" Kaylin protested. "It was someone here!"

It wasn't her fault!

This time.

"Besides, you could probably make a killing betting against me ever being able to master any of this stuff."

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[immortal_cohort]

She stretched languidly. "That would involve finding anyone stupid enough to take that bet. Of course, it could always be worse," she said, face its usual blank mask, but amusement in those eyes. For those like Kaylin who knew what to look for, anyway.

[zanarkandian]

"Well you don't have to learn them all? Just the ones your house specializes in, and then you can try the others if you want to. Look, it's really tough the first few weeks, I know. But you'll get there."

He's not one to be deterred easily, sorry. "Here, want to try it again?"

[notamascot]

Part of Kaylin appreciated the attempt to be supportive while the other part considered how much trouble she'd get in if she broke one of these cannisters over his head.

Again. He was a glutton for punishment wasn't he. But then again, possibly exploding if she didn't figure this out somehow.

So, she tried it again. This time the slime was a virulent green and all over everything.

"Sorry?"

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[notamascot]

"You're going to have to learn how to do all of this too," Kaylin pointed out. Of course, knowing Teela, she'd wave a hand and all of her stupid spells would all work perfectly.

And she knew she'd be sorry, but she had to ask. "Worse?"

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[immortal_cohort]

Teela laughed. "Kitling, you say that as if I don't already know how. And yes, it could be worse. They gave you that device for making fire." Now she grinned. "It could have been an unlit candle."

[zanarkandian]

Tidus sucked in a breath and reached for two cloths, carefully cleaning when he realized it didn't seem to be toxic.

"It's okay. It's getting closer. But do you want to try taking a break and talking about something else for a bit?"

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[notamascot]

Oh, she didn't!

Kaylin just stared at her for a moment.

"I can't believe you would even bring that up here. Please tell me they're not going to make me call fire here."

[notamascot]

"Oh gods, yes," Kaylin said. "Anything else! I would love to take a break."

Re: Kaylin Neya: Labwork

[immortal_cohort]

"You can't believe it? And here I thought you knew me, kitling. Well, as much as a mortal could," she added. "Want to make a bet on how long before you are face to face with an unlit candle?"

Aziraphale | Good Omens

[temptationaccomplished]

Labwork

My goodness, Aziraphale thought, well, he had never had a miracle go quite THAT wrong! Spellcasting was a different beast altogether, then. No Miracle ever required this much MATHS. What even was this mess? It smelt of rotted fish and a burned Bentley, was the color of turmeric if turmeric had been added to an iridescent bath bomb and subsequently exploded in a vat of tomato juice. And it was on his robes. And all over the floor. And dripping ominiously from the ceiling overhead. It was probably going to stain, to say nothing of the lingering stench. It was all rather like some of the messes Crowley described the baby Warlock making in his nappy, if a bit more...glittery.

Face burning with embarassment, giddy and nervous smile plastered to his face, Aziraphale stood in the middle of his self-created diaster at the front of the classroom, feeling all eyes on him and a judgement almost as imposing as Heaven's. Fine! No problem! He could take care of this! This was totally fine!

TO-TALLY FINE.

"Not a problem," he babbled, voice pitched high. He pulled up on the hem of his robe now heavy with the sludge and, waving off any concerns, added, "Definitely not a problem." Who was he trying to convince, the classroom or himself? "This- This is all very fixable!" With a panicked flourish of his wrist, he tried to vanish the mess entirely.

A whole two seconds of silence. Nothing happened. Oh no.

He frowned around a nervous laugh and tried the Miracle a bit harder, snapping forcefully this time—like one might push harder to a button on the television remote control, as if it would force the dead batteries inside to operate again—before remembering he simply couldn’t perform Miracles here.

"Oh, for Heaven’s sake!" he sighed with a despairing pout as he surveyed the mess. The pumpkin had absolutely failed to turn itself into a cart, let along the carriage he had ambitiously imagined for its fairytale fate. Did that mean he was going to have to clean it all up ...by hand?

He gave the class a pained smile. Perhaps someone might take pity on him.

[bearshermark]

Eleven grimaced. The wards prevented any harm coming to the other students, but the mess prevailed.

"My fault," he volunteered. He'd tried to help his fellow student but he wasn't any good with numbers really and probably steered him wrong instead.

He stood from his desk and plucked up a few towels as he made his way over. His robes weren't as much of a mess, but he'd still need to change after class. Eleven handed a towel to Aziraphale with some chagrin.

"Sorry. I'll at least help clean up."

I'm so sorry, she's kinda mean

[darkenedmoon]

Yotsuyu looked down her nose at the man. Well, as best as one could when one was shorter. Her robes, as well, were spattered, and the stench--pfaugh, not even a dzo on a hot day was worse!

"My calculations were correct. I suppose the ingredients were imprecise?" Dry as the Sagolii. Yes, Yotsuyu was well aware that this was supposed to be above their skill level, but usually mathematical vectors simply did not...get this far out of hand!

She sighed, then. "At least I can probably get the stains out." Likely. Considering her House robes were base white, and she could not handle being stained or dirty if she could at all help it...

Please excuse my utter lack of icons rn

[temptationaccomplished]

Aziraphale's expression transformed into a pleased but appreciative smile. He accepted one of the towels and made an effort to wipe primly at his own sleeves first.

"Oh, you certainly don't have to," he said with the fussy tone of one objecting to help only because that is the polite course of action, but who absolutely did not really want the help rescinded. "But thank you, dear boy. I'm afraid I mucked that up plenty myself. Any idea where we got it wrong?"

She's nice compared to some people this one's dealt with

[temptationaccomplished]

He was familiar with that kind of disapproval and disappointment. Aziraphale swallowed guiltily and looked elsewhere than at her judgment. My, the walls in here were a lovely shade of stone! He hadn't noticed!

"I suppose," he admitted, "I may have added some..." then hastily, "but I thought it would only improve the results, not--! ...this."

Oh, but he knew a thing or two about stains on light clothes. By which he meant he knew about getting stains ON light clothing, not getting them off.. at least not the normal way.

"But, yes," he added, flustered but feeling somewhat vaguely confident he could at least solve this problem for her, "isn't there a thing one could use...? Something like...bleach, perhaps?" The word came with a rise of inflection, as if unfamiliar with the word, or as if he wasn't wholly sure bleach was what it was called.

[marchmadness]

March Hare was late to class: A mix of having to adjust to attending classes for the first time in hundreds of years, and of not being used to the consistency of time here in the Tenscore Kingdoms. What he wouldn't give for a good pocket watch!

But no matter! He'd gotten there in the end, and there was no Queen of Hearts here to worry about enraging by being late. March Hare was smiling in an embarrassed manner as he opened the door to the classroom, but the sheepish expression was soon replaced with a look of mild shock.

"Goodness, did I miss something fun?"

[temptationaccomplished]

"Ah, yes, well I wouldn't exactly call it fun..." Aziraphale trailed off, turning to acknowledge the latecomer. And not finding him immediately around eye-level, he looked down, and down a bit more until he found a rabbit-like creature dressed in human-style clothing.

Curious! Would it be impolite to ask him if he was a rabbit by birth, or had been transformed into such by accidental or intentional spell? Undecided on the matter, he finished up with, "But you certainly missed something. Though I cannot say what, and I even had a hand in the matter."

[marchmadness]

"So all of this-" he gestured to Aziraphale with one hand "-wasn't intentional? How very peculiar, although... Hmm."

He didn't want to say it, but he supposed no one would try to create such a smell intentionally.

"Well, no use crying over spilled tea, isn't that right?" March Hare concluded with a shrug. "We can clean up and move on from there!"

[temptationaccomplished]

"Oh, certainly not," he insisted as the rabbit-being asked about the mess being deliberate, especially as it considered his clothes and person. And though he did nod at the sensible suggestion to clean up, Aziraphale had been known to mourn the loss of a good cup of tea, so it wasn't perhaps the best metaphor.

A sigh. "I suppose we can. I mean, nothing has been destroyed outright, even if these clothes will require a very, very thorough washing. And a lesson has certainly been learned--how NOT to do that spell, even if," he admitted, "I still do not know how TO do it." He paused and looked askance at the other. "Do you? Or..." he added hopefully, "do you know any cleaning spells?" Trying to do things the human-way was certainly fun for clever things like hobbies, but chores were another matter entirely.