Magical (A Quest of Vacations, or Starsigns, or Something Else)

[SeekerofDreams]

...You suppose, if nobody else is paying attention, you probably should, just so there's somebody in the area who has all the presented information. Also because it means you won't have to watch whatever that student who appears to be a pot is doing to those poor blades of grass.

"After a series of incidents last year, the necromancy lab has been closed to students until further notice. To the ones who caused this: You know what you did."

"Wait, since when did we have a necromancy lab?" You hear another student ask nearby. You can't see who it is, however, with how large the crowd is.

"In addition, the library has received a new shipment of books. Users of fire magic should be extra careful until we can get them properly fireproofed. No, just lining the inside cover with stickers is not enough. Like always, those with copies of the most recent yearbook are invited to make donations, but do not attempt to do your own fireproofing unless you have passed at least three object enhancement classes."

They fireproof the books here? You hadn't even realized that was possible- everything you've ever tried to infuse with magic comes out waterlogged. You'd assume that's why it takes so many classes.

"If you happen to be sharing any of your classes with Mokka, do not worry. He's supposed to be studying there, your teacher isn't being suddenly inspected. Unless, of course, you are in Mister Paprika's class, as he is still on probation. Anyone who has concerns about him or another member of staff can leave a note in the anonymous drop boxes located in the meditation rooms, the library, and all faculty offices. If you would feel safest leaving them in multiple boxes, do so. We do not need a repeat of 'Lady' Basil."

You sort of wish, at this point, that you were with one of the older students, just because they could probably give you context for some of this. You're sure it would be an interesting story. Anything that can make you hear air quotes generally is.

That or the Sound Spirits just inserted it because they could, but that still probably says something about how interesting the story would be.

---

You zone out at about the time the principal starts outlining how the cafeteria planters are not for student use, and come back to reality at about the same time everyone breaks for lunch.

Well... of the ones that stick around for lunch. There's no afternoon classes yet, so the commuter students who have already caught up with their friends or don't have any to worry about yet, are able to go home. But even with them gone, the cafeteria is more full than you ever remember it being.

The food is higher-quality, too. No more relying on prepackaged sandwiches! But now you need to find a new place to sit, since your old table seems to have been swallowed up by the crowd.

Still, maybe you can sit with some of your classmates now. There seems to be an open seat by...


[ ] Caramel and Bel.

[ ] Nutmeg and Raspberry.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You spot Raspberry and Nutmeg first, an impressive feat considering that Raspberry's hair is longer than she is tall, and while Nutmeg is a bit larger than usual for a young vox, it's not by that much. Still, you can see them, there is space open near them, and you already know who they are, so you may as well try to sit here.

"Do you mind if I join you?" You're hoping they don't, you don't have any better ideas, but it's still best to ask.

Nutmeg only takes a moment to glance at you before saying, "It's fine. I mean, you aren't Bel, so..."

Raspberry sighs. "You know you'll have to learn to get along with him eventually. Otherwise, Sir Mustard will just keep putting you in the same group for assignments- and most of us get to pick those." You get the feeling that they've had this conversation before. Many times, even.

"So... why don't the two of you like each other?" Something tells you that saying this might not have been the best idea.

"Well, he gives up on things too easily. Goes around with his head in the clouds, jumps right into fights he can't even be bothered to finish..."

Raspberry shakes her head. "I know people of opposing elements don't always get along that well, but these two really take it over the top. It's so bad, I can't even involve them in any of my projects." It doesn't really surprise you, how upset she sounds by that. The one thing that really stands out about her is how passionate she is about her art.

"Oh, yeah, you never told me what your latest project was going to be. I mean, I assume you have one, you wouldn't be going around asking people for references otherwise." You're pretty sure Nutmeg knows full well what Raspberry's doing, and she's just looking for a change in subject, but you're not going to say anything about it just yet. And not just because you're currently eating something.

"It's... sort of a group portrait? I mean, not really, because I can only see one kind of spirit, so I'm working off of others' estimations, and I can't really tell if they're good artists or not. But I'm going to paint all of the kinds of spirits together, because they're one of the two major sources of magic." She sounds really excited about it, even if you know she's nowhere near having everything she needs to get started.

Still, this brings up a question. "Will you do one with Starsigns, too?" You ask. She shrugs.

"Maybe as a warm-up. I mean, everyone already knows what the Starsigns look like, it's something that just about every major artist has done at least once. May as well get it out of the way now..."

"If you put the same amount of effort into both, you could say they're part of a set," Nutmeg suggests. "Though the only thing that really changes about Starsign pictures is the backgrounds, isn't it?"

Raspberry nods. "And nobody really puts much effort into them. The closest was Cider Rainbow painting the symbols over a picture of the night sky, and... everyone says that's the best it could ever possibly be." You can almost literally see her enthusiasm draining away. Is the new librarian really that talented? In that case, why did he come to the Academy?

"That doesn't mean you can't try it yourself," Nutmeg points out. "How would they know it can't get any better if nobody ever tries?"

"I... suppose." She's just picking at her food now. You think a change of subject- even a slight one- would be appreciated.



[ ] Just how famous is the librarian, anyway?

[ ] Did Nutmeg ever get around to talking to Mokka about his old class?

[ ] So, what will you have to expect from the start of classes?

[ ] What sort of projects has Raspberry done in the past?

 

[SeekerofDreams]

"So, classes are going to be starting soon." Is that too drastic of a subject change? You don't know, you've never had actual classmates to interact with before, your family is traditionally homeschooled. "And this isn't either of your first terms, so... what's it going to be like?"

You think they can both tell you were trying to change the subject. It would be sort of concerning if they couldn't, actually, with how different it is from your previous topic of conversation. Fortunately, neither of them ask you about it.

"Well, Sir Mustard will likely start by making sure everyone can get along. Not to the point where they can all reliably recognize each other, but more to make sure that they won't kill each other." Raspberry barely manages to avoid glancing at Nutmeg, or at the nearby table where you can see Bel and Caramel talking about something. "He may also try to ascertain everyone's preexisting capabilities."

It takes a few moments for you to parse that sentence. "So... like a test?"

"Exactly. He leans more toward the practical than the theoretical- that is Miss Ketchup's area of expertise, and he recommends that his students all take at least one of her classes- but he says it's to make sure everyone will actually be learning something."

"Caramel thinks it says something about how the staff is paid here," Nutmeg adds. "But he also doesn't want to look into it." Her next stab with a fork is stronger than it strictly needed to be, as though her food had somehow offended her personally.

Raspberry sighs and shakes his head. "Yes. This is why nobody's ever told to listen to Caramel."

You blink. "...Does he know you say those sort of things about him?"

They don't answer you, but you're pretty sure you know the answer already. Of course he doesn't. They know better than to let him know that.

Still... you remember encountering Nutmeg with Caramel, and that she'd agreed to help him with something. So maybe she doesn't agree with Raspberry about this? Or maybe she just can't back down from a challenge.

This could bear some looking into.

---

Sir Mustard's classroom is on the west side of the building. It's one of the longest-used rooms- apparently, it was reassigned to him after Miss Madeleine decided she wanted something a bit more central- but it doesn't really look it. The desks appear to be brand new, the blackboard is completely clear, most likely due to being washed over the break, and the floor- made of light brown stone rather than the turquoise carpeting that lines the halls- is polished so well you can see your reflection in it.

"You might not want to get used to this," You hear Caramel mutter. "I guarantee, this is the only time it's going to be so clean, and it's all because his sister makes him do it."

You can barely see it from here, but there's a door on the other side of the room, next to the blackboard. It opens, and your teacher comes out, still-burned hat slightly askew as he carries a pile of papers.

"Hello, come on in, sit wherever you'd like... Actually, wait. Returning students go back to your old seats, new students can sit wherever. That way, I can give back the end of year essays... well, most of them, there was a bit of an incident..." At his words, the returning students swarm the classroom, as though they were waiting for that moment. There does seem to be a bit of confusion, but not much of it.

Once they've sat down, however, it's time for the newer students to do so. And you don't actually know what a good place to sit would be. Eventually, however, there is an empty seat that sticks out to you.


[ ] It's by the window, behind Raspberry and in front of Caramel.

[ ] It's close to the front, with Bel and Nutmeg on either side of you.

[ ] It's in the back. You don't know any of the students there, but you've still got time to make friends.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

One of the things you've noticed about the previously-established seats is that Bel and Nutmeg are sitting fairly close to each other. This would be a good chance for you to spend time with friends... except that it's Bel and Nutmeg. You decide to look for another seat, if only so you aren't sitting in the middle of a maelstrom of passive-aggression.

Fortunately, it doesn't take much looking to find another seat near people you know. Raspberry and Caramel are both by the window, Raspberry sitting on a pile of books so she can actually see over her desk.

That looks like a nice enough spot. You hurry over there before anyone else can take it.

Once things have settled down, and everyone has chosen a seat, Sir Mustard leans back against his desk. "I see that you've all gotten situated... and that none of you wanted to sit between Mister Pepper and Miss Boulderfall. Sadly, there wasn't any room in my budget for an extra desk." You aren't sure, but you think he's looking at whoever was unfortunate enough to get stuck with the last seat. "If your neighbors start to make you uncomfortable, tell me and I'm sure we can work something out."

Somehow, this doesn't seem like it's the first time he's saying this sort of thing. It wouldn't surprise you if it isn't.

Still, your teacher straightens up a little- but only a bit- and turns his attention back to the rest of the class. "Anyway, I suppose I should introduce myself, for the benefit of the new students. My name is Mustard. My sister and I were foundlings in a magicless community, up until we were banished because they were scared of us. My magical talents are a well-kept secret. No, I will not tell you what they are. Yes, I was knighted. No, you will not be told why. Any questions?"

No questions are forthcoming. "Very well, then. I suppose I should continue. I prefer to ensure that my students are capable of doing things, rather than simply knowing about them. In the real world, people aren't going to expect you to know some random piece of obscure trivia." He pauses. "...Well, most of the time, anyway." There's probably a story here.

Raspberry is already taking notes. Or doodling, you aren't sure which.

...She's probably doodling.

"This classroom is also largely cooperative. That is, I expect you all to be capable of working with others... or at least tolerating them. If there is someone you feel you cannot get along with, distance yourself from them at the first opportunity, or else you will have to learn to work together anyway. Theoretical work will often be done in groups, so you should be extra careful when taking notes- odds are it won't be just you working from them."

This implies a lot of things about Bel and Nutmeg. You're not going to think about that right now, though. It's not really your problem.

"Now, to start off the year, I should inform you all that I have plenty of room for flexibility in the syllabus. When it comes to matters of magic, there is very little that I am not qualified to teach, and the rest of it can easily be made up for with adequate research material. So if anyone has suggestions for things they would like to learn this year, please write them down on a spare piece of paper or an index card and pass them to the front of the room."

You do, in fact have plenty of spare pieces of paper tucked away inside your desk, as well as a stack of index cards in the corner. The only question is if there's anything in particular you'd be interested in learning about.



[ ] Weather control and other advanced techniques.

[ ] Proper etiquette when it comes to matters of spirits.

[ ] The ways different kinds of magic interact.

[ ] Magical history.

[ ] Nothing really comes to mind.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

You decide that you want to learn more about how to interact with spirits.

You know you don't entirely need to. The Water Spirits are beings you've been around all your life, you know the basics of how to coexist with them. But it comes to mind that, in a life surrounded by spirits, you've only gotten one Offer, with a price tag attached you aren't sure how you could ever pay, even if that particular spirit would take payment in equivalent amounts of Crescent silver.

But you want to learn. People don't make spirits manifest on a whim, and it's rare that a place can bring them to full power unless they are sitting on top of an old mine or something. But this place... even if you can't see them, there's probably a lot of places where spirits roam.

And Sir Mustard is, reportedly, an expert on spirit-based magic. What better chance will you ever get?

You write down that you want to learn the customs and behaviors of various kinds of spirits, before passing the index card- and the writings of several other students with Opinions- to the front of the class. Raspberry's doodle sheet goes up as well, covered in just as many words as there are pictures.

Sir Mustard waits for all the suggestions to be gathered at the front of the room before collecting them, starting on the east side and working his way west. You can't see, from here, his face when he glances at the gathered pages and cards, though you're sure he must see what's written down on them. It's not like anyone would use their magic to hide their words from his eyes, not when he's the one that asked for them.

Once he has everything, he returns to his desk, flipping through everything he was given. "You kids just want everything, don't you? Interactions between magic and technology, differences between Starsign and spirit-granted powers of the same element, magic-based healing... I could probably do a course on that, actually, so long as no one purposefully gets themself injured..." He glances toward the east side of the class, for some reason, and then back to his papers. "...Spirit interaction. Well, isn't that a minefield and a half?"

You don't disagree with that sentiment. Even growing up knowing it, you can't really explain why the Water Spirits dislike people who eat greasy foods, or why you are guaranteed safety from drowning if you carry certain oils with you when crossing a river. It's just how things are, and no one's ever been able to come up with a reason for it.

Maybe it's just because most people don't understand the spirits. Maybe it's that everyone's afraid to ask. But learning how to deal with spirits would probably end up less trivia and more a practical survival course.

Sir Mustard places the pages down on his desk. "Well, that's a lot more suggestions than I was expecting. I'll have to look through them so I can come up with a curriculum that both satisfies as many of you as possible, and doesn't get my teaching licence revoked. This is literally the only job I know how to do." You don't think he's joking. "So, for now, I think you should talk among yourselves. Sort out any personality conflicts beforehand, come see me if you think there's something you can't handle. No blowing up the classroom."

It sort of scares you that he thinks he had to say that out loud. Maybe he even did. This is a decently-sized class, and you only know five of your fellow students. There could easily be somebody here with explosive tendencies.

The room immediately descends into chaos. Sir Mustard doesn't seem to mind, already being busy working out some kind of lesson plan. You suppose you may as well talk to the people around you, it is what you were told to do, after all.


[ ] So, did Caramel ever get his lyre back?

[ ] It looked like Raspberry made a lot of suggestions, earlier...

[ ] Maybe you should talk to your neighbor in the seat next to you?

 

[SeekerofDreams]

Caramel and Raspberry, you figure, are both capable of carrying on their own conversations. They do it with each other all the time, and while you can already see some good talking points, you should maybe make sure your other neighbor isn't going to go against Sir Mustard's wishes and blow up the classroom.

It doesn't particularly look like she will. Said neighbor is one of the rabbitfolk, with fur patterned in shades of gray. She wears her ears sort of like how young female humans wear pigtails, at least from what you can tell. Children who are around school age don't spend a lot of time around hot springs. Her eyes are hazel, and she is already trying to stuff paper back into her desk after it spilled out earlier.

"...Do you need any help?" You offer, watching as the paper seems to keep spilling out no matter what she does with it.

"Don't worry, I'll manage it eventually!" She insists, only for a blue gummy frog to wiggle its way out of her desk. "No! Stay inside!"

"...Why do you have a frog in your desk?" You haven't been speaking to her for a full minute and you're already confused.

Your neighbor glances at you in horror before shoving the frog into her drawstring pouch. "Frog? What frog? I don't see any frog. Do you?" You suppose that she doesn't want you to talk about the frog. "Anyway, I'm Paprika Kismet, I talk to the Beast Spirits..." Her pouch starts wiggling. "This is not the time, Zulian!"

"Rye Seabreeze." You decide, for not, to ignore the fact that your classmate apparently brought her pet to school, despite the fact that a lot of people eat gummy creatures. They carry so much energy within themselves, they've always been a lot of cultures' first choices for food. "...Zulian?"

"Nobody. He's nobody." She's still glaring at her pouch. The pouch is still wiggling. You think she'd be better off investing in a terrarium. "And he's especially not getting any extra flies tonight." You literally have no clue whether Zulian is supposed to be a secret or not. You're going to assume he is until proven otherwise.

Still, with the supposedly-secret frog out of her desk, Paprika does a bit better in putting the papers back. They're still lopsided and messy, but at least they aren't falling out with every second as the creature hidden inside plans his grand escape, probably onto someone's dinner plate.

"Um... All right, then." This is probably the weirdest introduction you've ever had to somebody, and Uncle Al's presentation when your cousins were born was... something to remember. "You know, I can talk to Water Spirits."

Paprika jumps right onto the change of subject. "Really? So how do you handle the quiet?" You glance at her in confusion. "You know, when there's no water around."

"It... doesn't really bother me?" Sure, otters on Cassia are supposed to be fairly aquatic, and you've been on your fair share of fishing trips, but it's not like you've ever had a problem with being away from the water. "I mean, I'm away from water most of the time."

Your classmate's face is a look of abject horror. "That long away from spirits?" You aren't sure whether she's scared of you or pitying you. It could be either.

"Honestly, it'd be sort of weird if I was surrounded by them all the time," You admit. "Are Beast Spirits around a lot of places?"

It actually takes a while for you to get your answer. As if Paprika doesn't even know it. "You... could say that," She finally decides. Her pouch, once again, tries to get away from her. "Really, they're... just about everywhere, if you know where to look." She nervously laughs a little as she tries to slip her pouch into her desk.



[ ] ...Does she need any help with her frog?

[ ] Continue talking about powers.

[ ] Try introducing Paprika to one of your other classmates.
-[ ] Introduce her to Caramel.
-[ ] Introduce her to Raspberry.

[ ] Stop talking to Paprika for the time being.
-[ ] Talk to Caramel.
-[ ] Talk to Raspberry.

 

[SeekerofDreams]

At this moment, probably the best thing for you to do would be to not talk about the frog.

Actually, you think that the best thing for you to do would be to get as far away from the subject of the frog as possible. At least, if you want to stay relatively sane.

"Anyway, do you know a lot of the other students?" Paprika asks, clearly grasping for a change of subject that doesn't involve her pet. And you're fine with it, because this is a subject you can go along with. "I haven't gotten much chance to meet them yet."

You nod. "Would you like me to introduce you?"

"That would be great. Thanks!" She grins brightly, and brings up her paw to stop Zulian from making another daring escape attempt, never mind that he's already trapped inside a drawstring pouch.

You take this moment to examine your other neighbors. Caramel appears to be using his magical abilities to hold a conversation with somebody on the other side of the room. You don't think you want to interrupt that.

Raspberry, meanwhile, is doodling again. She doesn't seem to be drawing anything in particular, just... she's without anything else to do, you guess. For now. Not for much longer, though, if you have anything to say about it.

"Raspberry?" You consider tapping her on the shoulder, but don't need to, as she perks up as soon as she hears you say her name.

"What is it, Rye?" She doesn't turn around. You guess it would be difficult, with all the books she's sitting on. She does, however, start folding the piece of paper in front of her.

"Have you gotten any references on the Beast Spirits yet?" You still aren't sure what kind of powers the Beast Spirits can grant, it's something that's never been discussed where you come from, but they are still a kind of spirit that can be harnessed, and thus are something that she could be looking for.

She shakes her head. "Why? Have you found one?" There is tangible excitement in her voice.

"Well, I've found someone who can talk to them..." What follows is several seconds of desperate struggle, during which all of the books that Raspberry was using for support fall from the chair and scatter along the ground with a mighty clatter, along with Raspberry herself.

One of the heavier-looking books lands on her braid. You suppose you're lucky she hasn't been squished by any falling objects yet.

Paprika is quick to move, quickly being on the floor next to her. "Are you all right? Here, hold still." Raspberry holds still. Paprika removes the book, and starts struggling to return it to its rightful place. Raspberry sighs.

"Just leave it... I can fix it myself." Given that this whole thing happened because of how small she is, you have your doubts about this. Still, Paprika doesn't seem to be doing all that well at getting the books to stay on the seat, either.

In a pouch in Paprika's desk, Zulian starts squirming for another escape attempt.


[ ] ...Do they need any help with that?

[ ] ...Maybe stop the frog from running away.

[ ] ...Right! Proper introductions!

 

[SeekerofDreams]

...You're not sure, but you think Paprika and Raspberry can probably handle the book issue by themselves. However, you're pretty sure that, if that frog gets out, he's just going to hop away and you'll never see him again.

Honestly, you sort of have doubts about Paprika's qualifications for pet ownership, but maybe being a friend of the Beast Spirits means she can talk to animals and actually take requests or something. Even if that's not going to matter if Zulian gets away.

The drawstring pouch itself attempts to take a flying leap out of the desk. It makes it as far as the chair.

Shaking your head, you reach over and pick up the pouch by the strings. The pouch tries to wriggle away, but doesn't make it very far on account of being suspended in midair. You glance at the others, to see them precariously balancing a new tower of about four books. They are having more difficulty with it than they have any right to.

Sighing, you try to get Paprika's attention. "He tried making another run for it," You sigh, wondering exactly how you ended up in this situation.

Raspberry blinks. "...What's in the pouch?"

"Nothing! There is nothing in the pouch!" Paprika hisses, snatching it away from you. She mutters something at Zulian under her breath, and he stops moving. She places the pouch back in her desk. Raspberry mutely nods along with her words, as if frightened into silence.

You don't even get a thank you in return. Still, it sort of begs the question of why anyone would bring their pet frog to class. Rabbitfolk tend to be impoverished, but she still has to have someplace to put him, right? Otherwise, why have a pet at all?

People your age are confusing.

---

A few minutes later, Sir Mustard makes an attempt at regaining the attention of his class. By this, you mean that he plays a few notes on a kazoo so loudly you wonder if he has spiritual assistance. You're mostly unsure because it's hard to imagine a self-respecting spirit of any kind choosing to inhabit a kazoo. You've seen small children run around with them before, and it's an absolute terror.

This also triggers another round of Zulian trying to escape. Fortunately, by this point Paprika is firmly situated right back at her desk, so she can easily grab him before he gets away.

"So, now that I have managed to sort out some things that I can arrange into a curriculum..." He takes in the class before him. You don't think he's really looking your way, though. In terms of your position in the class, you're about as out-of-the-way as it's possible to get. "I suppose it's time to see where everyone is at, magically."

A test? Is he giving you a test? Nearby, a student you don't know groans, face buried in their hands. "I hate this part..." SIr Mustard does not seem to hear that comment.

"Now, for the sake of not destroying the classroom my sister helped put back together after the mess that was the most recent graduation party, we are going to do this outside. Everyone, please remember to stay in sight of the rest of the class. We don't want anyone getting lost." You can't tell if he's trying to be funny or not. His word choice implies that he is, but... you don't know. It's just odd, that's all.

"Now, follow me." Sir Mustard turns and walks out the door. Slowly, the class that he's trying to teach trails out after him.

---

The class gathers on a section of the school lawn near the classroom, if near meant that you can see your own desk by looking in the nearest windows. From afar, the grass looks to be pristine and untouched, but when you get a bit closer, it's clear that only wood magic is keeping the lawn intact. You all line up in front of the windows, smaller students like Raspberry struggling to reach the front of the crowd.

Looking around reveals a few small inanimate pots of water nearby, as though left there for those who have not yet learned to conjure their own water. There are also cages with the more common varieties of insect and rodent kept inside, as well as differently-colored candles, and these are only the aids that you can see. This is sort of explained by a nearby wooden door that you think would lead to the same room that's attached to the classroom, or one quite near it. The door is securely locked.

"What I am going to ask of you is very simple. You just have to listen when I call your name, come up here, and demonstrate one piece of magic that you are capable of performing. If you don't have any proper spells yet, then you must simply display proof of your magical talent. For the sake of things not becoming underwhelming, you will all be called up in reverse order of when you signed up to join my class."

That puts you close to the beginning, you think. There weren't many spots left when you joined. And you don't really have any proper magic yet, just basic control of the element that responds to you.

The question, therefore, becomes how you plan to display that control.



[ ] You could just... empty one of the pots. It'd be simple, but effective.

[ ] You might be able to exchange water between multiple pots. Give them a bit more of a show.

[ ] Try and make up something impressive. It'd be difficult, but if you succeed...

 

[SeekerofDreams]

While the planet's rotation was generally good to it, there were some sections of Kovomaka where it was almost always night, even outside of the Realm of Darkness.

As a child, PIstachio hated those places. He'd been a timid child, and the shadows that moved every time a leaf would rustle were unnerving even when he didn't realize it was meant to be the middle of the day. He'd grown braver, over time, more adventurous, but it was still rare that he would step into a place that had been so consigned to darkness.

And yet, that was what he was doing now. Walking through a thick forest that hadn't seen an active sun in months, but was still as lively as those who got to see sunlight almost daily. Or, at least, that's how it seemed from all of the leaves and vines in the area. Pistachio had yet to see a single Wood Spirit, and he considered himself to be very good at spotting them.

Something wasn't right. "Isolde," He whispered, his magic powering the summons just as much as the spirit's name did, and the spirit of Mimolette Forest appeared over his shoulder. Despite being such a powerful spirit, Isolde was a small one, having originally been the spirit of a pinecone before growing into something more in a rare transmutation. She was still yellow, still covered in a bristly green fuzz in places, but had moved from a larval form to something more vulpine in shape, about the size of her vox friend's head.

"Is something the matter?" She asked, landing gracefully by his heel. "This isn't the Realm of Darkness, is it? You know how much I hate it there!"

Pistachio shook his head. "Something doesn't seem right, here, and I can't see any spirits to ask about it. I'd try to draw them out, but I ran out of pinecones yesterday." In hindsight, he should have kept at least one on hand, but magically-conjured seeds tended to suffice for anything short of convincing a spirit to appear when they didn't want to.

The spirit's ears twitched, and she made a big show of sniffing the air. "Well, there's definitely spirits here," She declared. "Though, that much was obvious. You can't have a forest without Wood Spirits, whether or not the forest has a spirit of its own, and definitely not one this overgrown. It's just that..."

"Is something wrong?" He glanced around the dark forest, searching for any signs of yellow or green in the tree branches. Isolde nodded, padding up to a particularly thick bramble.

"They're all scared." Her voice was low, quiet, as if she were letting Pistachio in on the world's biggest secret. "Because of the fear of a child hiding here. A child who bears the blessings of Gren. And I cannot make them tell me more. The power of the planet Gren is holding these vines and their spirits in place- even your telekinetic abilities would be hard-pressed to break through."

Well, yes, but it wasn't like PIstachio made his living as a psychic, now, was it? There wasn't even anyone out there who could teach such abilities. For all he knew, he was the only person to have that power since the fall of the Espresso civilization.

"And if I augmented them with magic?" He suggested.

"...Call a few more of us. Your powers lend themselves to new growth, and it's near-impossible to work against your talent without having other abilities to augment it." Which he had, of course, his telekinetic prowess being mistaken for magic the only reason Biscotti had invited him to attend Will-o-Wisp in the first place, at least as far as anyone could see. He had no idea whether the immortal man had ever encountered other psychics or not. Biscotti certainly wasn't telling.

Still he nodded, and reached out with his magic to call more spirits who would augment his powers.

---

After a powerful display of abilities both mental and spiritual, Pistachio's spirits faded back to their homes, and he stepped into a clearing containing a young pale green salamander dressed in the male fashion. The boy glanced up at him, shaking but defiant.

"Who are you?" What was left of the brambles began to move, as though the wizard from a magicless race was planning to eternally trap himself in a briar patch of his own creation.

"I am Pistachio Maplewood, professor of magical sciences and history. What's your name?" He had to be gentle. Children with thorns as their magical talent tended to take on their barbs for a reason, and he wouldn't want to accidentally stab himself through.

"Leafgreen. No given name." The boy did not back down. "What are you doing here? Did the den send you?" Honestly, given the circumstances he was inclined to never let this child near a salamander den again.

"I was just taking a walk, and the spirits told me something was wrong. I have never been permitted to enter a salamander den." He'd heard that the dens on Gren tended to be more open to those with the potential for magic, but that wasn't necessarily saying much, and he'd never left Kovomaka to begin with. "You know how they are?" Was saying that a bad idea? Saying that was probably a bad idea.

The boy nodded. "Wizards do not belong among the salamanders." The line sounded rehearsed, as if he'd been made to repeat it until it stuck in his brain. "And so, the salamanders will never turn to wizards."

And, of course, the wizards didn't need the salamanders, allowing for two circles of beings that would never, ever overlap. Until, of course, they did.

Pistachio may have favored advanced classes and concepts, but at heart, he was still a teacher. He was sure he could figure out what to do with a teenager.

---

If there was one thing the Realm of Light held that Pistachio enjoyed, it was the fact that it was covered in forest. Leafgreen seemingly preferred the fact that it was always sunny and that there was nobody around who would force him not to bask. Spending just a day in the sunlight was enough for his scales to darken to a healthier-looking color, though at least he had the excuse of hiding out in a place where it was almost always night.

Still, there were things that needed to be done as soon as possible. Such as finding something else to call him. "People are supposed to have given names." Pistachio didn't think he should have needed to explain it, but then, he was used to having to give explanations. Not only did he have to tell people that only half of the things he could do were actually magic, but he had gone into teaching roughly the instant he graduated.

The boy took a look at the menu for the cafe they were eating at. "How about this?" He asked, pointing at a word seemingly at random.

"...Chai? Do you like the way that sounds?" Pistachio had his misgivings about picking a child's name based off of a menu of all things, but it did actually sound like a name.

"...Sounds pretty cool." He still wouldn't make eye contact, but he seemed happy enough.

Pistachio was beginning to get the suspicion that Chai couldn't read. He supposed he'd have to take the time to fix that.

---

Almost a year later, Madeleine showed up with Biscotti's bicentennial job offer. Pistachio had been avoiding Will-o-Wisp for a while, only partially out of bitterness for the war he was orchestrated into being a soldier in, but he could see certain benefits in taking the position now.

"I'll do it," He declared, glancing over to where a salamander was curled up in a briar patch. If his old teacher was surprised by him actually accepting, she didn't show it. "On one condition."

 

[SeekerofDreams]

All right. You have some sort of idea of what you plan to do. You've figured it out near immediately, and now you can pay attention to whatever happens until your name is called.

The first name out of Sir Mustard's mouth is, "Paprika Kismet."

Paprika bounces up, her feet skimming across the grass, seemingly uncaring about the way that her ears flop around. For all her excitement, her display isn't all that impressive- she identifies a shrew hiding in the grass, convinces it to climb up onto her shoulder, and manages to have a sort of conversation with it. You suppose that it shouldn't surprise you that friends of the Beast Spirits can talk to animals.

The next handful of displays are a fair bit less interesting than that- some lit candles, a hand dripping with icicles... And, eventually, you finally hear it.

"Rye Seabreeze." All right. Time to get started.

Having the entire class staring at you is... a new experience, and one you're not sure you like. You're scrawny for an otter, but even you can't shrink away into nothing. You think a few users of dark magic might be able to do that, but water isn't that kind.

Like the ones before you, you aren't going to do anything too complicated. Instead, you glance at the pots.

There are five small pots of water, all painted in shades of dark blue n the outside. You aren't sure if this is to differentiate them from any animate pots that Sir Mustard might one day have as students or not- it is very rare that a pot develops a magical talent, though not unheard of. From this collection of pots, you select two- one with a light green inside, and one with deep red. You place those pots on opposite sides of the table.

This water has no attached spirits. There is nothing here that would assist you, but also nothing to fight. You reach out to those two pots, apart from all the rest, and you lift.

The water becomes detached, first from the pot with the red insides, and then from the green. Two small balls of water float in the air. For a moment, you consider actually making them float past each other, before realizing just how badly that would go. It's tiring to keep them in place as it is, this isn't the time to try and make them move.

But you can hold them in place, and you still want to try and impress people. So you go back to the table, still holding the water in place, pick up the pots, and switch them around, before gently lowering the water into the opposite pot from the one it came from.

You aren't sure that anyone fully appreciates this, but it's the best you can do.

Once you've finished, you shuffle yourself back into the pressed crowd of students, ending up, once again, next to Paprika. You suppose you could talk to her, if you think she's more interesting than what the other students can do.


[ ] Watch what the other students do.

[ ] Talk to Paprika.
-[ ] About your powers.
-[ ] About Zulian.
-[ ] ...So, she was the last one to join the class?