Mana Academy (IC) (Open, Fantasy)

[Neolvex]

Matthew's mechanical eye glowed "I am many things. A wanderer. A scientist. A mechanic. A bastard. But I have never been called a warrior before." His child form seemed to melt as more mature features formed. The child's body was then replaced by an adult's. Matthew was a teacher at the academy, his specialty being shapeshifting. "Now my future student, why did you ask me if I was a warrior?"

"Because I am looking for a friendly duel between equals," she replied as she straightened herself out. The fox leaping out of the backpack and takings it's spot next to her leg, "would you like to accept the challenge sir," Kichi said, bowing deeply as she waited for an awnser.

She hadn't thought of what would happen if a teacher had disguised himself as a student but it would be an interesting fight regardless.

Matthew raised an eyebrow "You regard me as an equal? I regard you as a pupil... Hey that rhymed..." He raised the sword and slowly ran his finger along the blade "Regardless I accept your challenge Miss...?"

[The Remnants a Flaming Dawn]

"Because I am looking for a friendly duel between equals," she replied as she straightened herself out. The fox leaping out of the backpack and takings it's spot next to her leg, "would you like to accept the challenge sir," Kichi said, bowing deeply as she waited for an awnser.

She hadn't thought of what would happen if a teacher had disguised himself as a student but it would be an interesting fight regardless.

Matthew raised an eyebrow "You regard me as an equal? I regard you as a pupil... Hey that rhymed..." He raised the sword and slowly ran his finger along the blade "Regardless I accept your challenge Miss...?"

"Kichi Ukita," she replied with a grin as she tossed her bag to the side. She reached for her iron bokuto as she braced herself, "I will prove I am your equal and beat you here."

Electricity crackled around her, arcs of lightning dashing across the rod of iron.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Aria Comnena

Aria couldn't help but smile as she heard the question asked. "I suppose we could just let it be our own little secret, between just the two of us..." she mused, gently kissing Henry on the cheek and blushing profusely. She pondered the possibility of going...further, but immediately pushed the thought from her mind. This one moment might change her future for decades to come, a pleasing thought to the person who had been alone almost her entire life. No longer would she need to worry about the Lords, nor the Maidens, nor her hellion sisters. "So, where to now?"

Henry Von Kressel

Clandestine happiness. It was the title of a story he read once, and it came back to his mind at that moment. The story itself didn't relate to what happened, but the title fitted it perfectly. The secret of "hiding" what happened only to find it out again in the back of his mind was one of the most pleasant thoughts that he could have.

"Maybe we can return to the fountain?"

[Rhomaia]

Aria Comnena

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's probably best. Just so that no one gets suspicious or anything of the sort." she said, stroking Henry's hair gently and picking herself up. Aria brushed the dust off of her lap, and stood. She was still a few inches shorter than Henry, something she was almost always conscious of, like nearly every other feature that she had. Hugging him one more time and kissing Henry on the cheek, she strolled happily in the direction of the fountain.

[Finsternia]

Allistor Abendroth

"It seems that people are ignoring me..." Allistor sighed and leaned on a nearly lamp post. He tried to say hi to his friends yet it seems that Tracy's the only one who acknowledged that he was there. Remembering that he needed to fix his stuff first, he picked up his things and made into the Aquo dorms. It was just across to where he is so he didn't get lost this time. When he entered, the lamps on the walls are turned off, the hallways as dark as always. Whenever he passed by a lamp it would burn with a bright cold blue flame, unsnuffable even by the greatest winds. He's been using his frostfire abilities more since the end of last school year yet in secret so that only he and his friends knew about it. When he reached his old same room, it was messy as always, his old roommate's things inside of neatly piled boxes at greatly contrasted the whole room. He sighed, remembering the only roommate that he liked. He pulled his sleeves, grabbed the nearby broom and started to clean the room.

[Luminesa]

So here I am...Here, in another Magic Academy...

I wonder...Why have I been sent here? I was fine at my old school...wasn't I?

I don't remember...

Everything in the last few days had been a blur for Soleil Rise. After the last school he was at was destroyed by some sort of dark magic, he had been forced to go elsewhere. Or at least that was what he had been told...All he remembered, in his dreamlike, vague memories, was standing numbly in the middle of a dark, sylvan place, where just a small bit of light and fairy magic lit a few questioning and stern faces.

Now, my little one, be a good dear and go...

You still have work...

Do not be afraid...Soon you will understand everything...

Those last words..."Soon you will understand everything..."...What did they mean? What would he understand? And why did it seem that every time he went back to that dark, mystical place, with the calm, elderly voice that spoke to him, he could not remember anything? Soleil was frustrated, and he wished he possibly knew what he was forgetting...

He carried just a few belongings in a small case. His clothes, toiletries, a paperback spellbook, and a small, handheld mirror. The one he had before had strangely disappeared...along with the spirit inside of it...

Hide, I wonder...what happened to you? Where did you go?

Are you here, somewhere? Did they send you with me?

What is happening to me? What do they want me to understand?

As he was thinking all of these things, he noticed the young samurai girl talking to who he presumed to be a professor. Not wanting to get involved, he put his suitcase down and climbed into a nearby tree. That way, he'd be able to watch, nobody would be able to see him, and he could relax. When people were around, his heart-rate sped-up, and he felt he needed to hide. Up in this secret place, all of that seemed to fly away with the breeze.

[Woodstovia]

Alexander was walking around the courtyard now. It was a sunny day but Alex really didn't care about that. What he did care about was obtaining some more books from the library. By the end of last year his room had been full of the various books he'd studied, and now he needed them back. As he walked he saw some girl dressed up like a samurai in big armour. He had no idea how she wasn't melting in the sun. Plus she looked pretty absurd, then he turned and saw some kid perched up a tree like a fucking owl. Were they all fucking dipshits? He didn't particularly like his year but they were fairly regular people. Had these new kids even interacted with other humans before? Alex's red eyes flicked between the two of them and he shook his head softly. Despairing at the state of humanity.

[Luminesa]

Alexander was walking around the courtyard now. It was a sunny day but Alex really didn't care about that. What he did care about was obtaining some more books from the library. By the end of last year his room had been full of the various books he'd studied, and now he needed them back. As he walked he saw some girl dressed up like a samurai in big armour. He had no idea how she wasn't melting in the sun. Plus she looked pretty absurd, then he turned and saw some kid perched up a tree. Were they all fucking dipshits? He didn't particularly like his year but they were fairly regular people. Had these new kids even interacted with other humans before? Alex's red eyes flicked between the two of them and he shook his head softly. Despairing at the state of humanity.

Soleil looked down and saw someone staring up at him disdainfully. Immediately, his face got red, his heartbeat sped-up, and he climbed onto a branch on the other side of the tree. He then tried to huddle his body as close together as possible, so he would not be seen and noticed again.

Just great. I haven't even done anything yet, and someone already hates me...

[Nulvelith]

Alexander was walking around the courtyard now. It was a sunny day but Alex really didn't care about that. What he did care about was obtaining some more books from the library. By the end of last year his room had been full of the various books he'd studied, and now he needed them back. As he walked he saw some girl dressed up like a samurai in big armour. He had no idea how she wasn't melting in the sun. Plus she looked pretty absurd, then he turned and saw some kid perched up a tree. Were they all fucking dipshits? He didn't particularly like his year but they were fairly regular people. Had these new kids even interacted with other humans before? Alex's red eyes flicked between the two of them and he shook his head softly. Despairing at the state of humanity.

Soleil looked down and saw someone staring up at him disdainfully. Immediately, his face got red, his heartbeat sped-up, and he climbed onto a branch on the other side of the tree. He then tried to huddle his body as close together as possible, so he would not be seen and noticed again.

Just great. I haven't even done anything yet, and someone already hates me...

The shaking of her chosen tree woke Aerinko up from what had been a relatively peaceful nap. Yawning silently, one of her eyes slipped open, and she leaned over to glance at who was climbing up the tree. Her attention veered off sharply, however, when the snake wrapped around her neck stirred.

This, of course, gave her a fun idea. Aerinko started to peel the cobra off her neck, gave it a kiss on the nose when it sluggishly tried to snap at her, and then she reached out her arm, carefully lowering the snake over the head of the new kid below her. Posessing an intense hatred of heights, once the snake realized what was going on it started to hiss and flail about - and slipped right off Aerinko's arm.

[Luminesa]

Soleil looked down and saw someone staring up at him disdainfully. Immediately, his face got red, his heartbeat sped-up, and he climbed onto a branch on the other side of the tree. He then tried to huddle his body as close together as possible, so he would not be seen and noticed again.

Just great. I haven't even done anything yet, and someone already hates me...

The shaking of her chosen tree woke Aerinko up from what had been a relatively peaceful nap. Yawning silently, one of her eyes slipped open, and she leaned over to glance at who was climbing up the tree. Her attention veered off sharply, however, when the snake wrapped around her neck stirred.

This, of course, gave her a fun idea. Aerinko started to peel the cobra off her neck, gave it a kiss on the nose when it sluggishly tried to snap at her, and then she reached out her arm, carefully lowering the snake over the head of the new kid below her. Posessing an intense hatred of heights, once the snake realized what was going on it started to hiss and flail about - and slipped right off Aerinko's arm.

Sol was of course horrified, to see something huge had fallen out of a tree, and on top of him. "GAH!!! Wh-What?! Get it off! Gaaa-Huh?" he paused for a moment, and he stared at the snake, carefully examining it. A cobra. Definitely not the sort of snake that slept in trees. No, this was a desert animal...

Which meant someone was also in the tree, and they were sitting above him.

Nervously, he looked up, trying to remain calm so the snake would not bite him. "...Umm...h-hello?" he asked, timidly.

[Nulvelith]

The shaking of her chosen tree woke Aerinko up from what had been a relatively peaceful nap. Yawning silently, one of her eyes slipped open, and she leaned over to glance at who was climbing up the tree. Her attention veered off sharply, however, when the snake wrapped around her neck stirred.

This, of course, gave her a fun idea. Aerinko started to peel the cobra off her neck, gave it a kiss on the nose when it sluggishly tried to snap at her, and then she reached out her arm, carefully lowering the snake over the head of the new kid below her. Posessing an intense hatred of heights, once the snake realized what was going on it started to hiss and flail about - and slipped right off Aerinko's arm.

Sol was of course horrified, to see something huge had fallen out of a tree, and on top of him. "GAH!!! Wh-What?! Get it off! Gaaa-Huh?" he paused for a moment, and he stared at the snake, carefully examining it. A cobra. Definitely not the sort of snake that slept in trees. No, this was a desert animal...

Which meant someone was also in the tree, and they were sitting above him.

Nervously, he looked up, trying to remain calm so the snake would not bite him. "...Umm...h-hello?" he asked, timidly.

Aerinko leans over, letting herself "fall" so that she is hanging from her knees, upside down. "Yo," she says as she reaches down for her snake back. A slight disappointment is apparent on her face that her prank failed.

[Luminesa]

Sol was of course horrified, to see something huge had fallen out of a tree, and on top of him. "GAH!!! Wh-What?! Get it off! Gaaa-Huh?" he paused for a moment, and he stared at the snake, carefully examining it. A cobra. Definitely not the sort of snake that slept in trees. No, this was a desert animal...

Which meant someone was also in the tree, and they were sitting above him.

Nervously, he looked up, trying to remain calm so the snake would not bite him. "...Umm...h-hello?" he asked, timidly.

Aerinko leans over, letting herself "fall" so that she is hanging from her knees, upside down. "Yo," she says as she reaches down for her snake back. A slight disappointment is apparent on her face that her prank failed.

"A-Ah!" Soleil exclaimed, as he saw the girl appear and take her snake back. She was cute-short, skinny, and having pale hair and eyes, all like him. Yet she wore a tricky grin on her face, and it worried him. "...Ummm...who are you?" he asked, quietly.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Aria Comnena

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's probably best. Just so that no one gets suspicious or anything of the sort." she said, stroking Henry's hair gently and picking herself up. Aria brushed the dust off of her lap, and stood. She was still a few inches shorter than Henry, something she was almost always conscious of, like nearly every other feature that she had. Hugging him one more time and kissing Henry on the cheek, she strolled happily in the direction of the fountain.

Henry Von Kressel

"Suspicious of what? Nothing happened here."

He said it almost laughing, in an unusual tone for him. He was still recovering from what happened, but he regained his usual posture and expression: Calm, with the hands behinds his back and his cape giving him the impression that he was floating around. And so, he followed Aria back to the fountain.

[Nulvelith]

Aerinko leans over, letting herself "fall" so that she is hanging from her knees, upside down. "Yo," she says as she reaches down for her snake back. A slight disappointment is apparent on her face that her prank failed.

"A-Ah!" Soleil exclaimed, as he saw the girl appear and take her snake back. She was cute-short, skinny, and having pale hair and eyes, all like him. Yet she wore a tricky grin on her face, and it worried him. "...Ummm...who are you?" he asked, quietly.

The tricky grin faded from Aerinko's face, and she just shrugged in response while the snake began to wrap itself around her neck - rather tightly, and still hissing furiously. "My name is Aerinko... if that's what you wanted to know. But if you really want to learn something, check out the ducks in the pond," she said, gesturing towards the fountain and it's necking couple.

[Luminesa]

"A-Ah!" Soleil exclaimed, as he saw the girl appear and take her snake back. She was cute-short, skinny, and having pale hair and eyes, all like him. Yet she wore a tricky grin on her face, and it worried him. "...Ummm...who are you?" he asked, quietly.

The tricky grin faded from Aerinko's face, and she just shrugged in response while the snake began to wrap itself around her neck - rather tightly, and still hissing furiously. "My name is Aerinko... if that's what you wanted to know. But if you really want to learn something, check out the ducks in the pond," she said, gesturing towards the fountain and it's necking couple.

"Aerinko...Soleil Rise..." he answered, still a bit shaken from having one pair too many eyes looking right at him. Yet when she mentioned ducks in a pond, he was confused. At least, he was confused until he realized she wanted him to leave. "I-I didn't know this was your tree...I guess I'll...try to leave, then..." he muttered.

He then hopped out of the tree, careful to avoid the boy who had been glaring up at him a moment ago, and he went to go see the ducks. While they were sweet and simple, swimming quirkily through the pond and being affectionate to each other, they didn't make him feel much better. He had not been here very long, and yet he had already been scoffed by one person and pranked by another. If only there was some easier way to make friends...I'm so bad at this...Who would want to be friends with me, anyway? he thought, despairingly.

[Neolvex]

Matthew raised an eyebrow "You regard me as an equal? I regard you as a pupil... Hey that rhymed..." He raised the sword and slowly ran his finger along the blade "Regardless I accept your challenge Miss...?"

"Kichi Ukita," she replied with a grin as she tossed her bag to the side. She reached for her iron bokuto as she braced herself, "I will prove I am your equal and beat you here."

Electricity crackled around her, arcs of lightning dashing across the rod of iron.

Matthew raised his sword and his pistol "Well then Miss Ukita, prepare to be defeated. Unless I find that mogwai, then this fight will have to go on hold." He aimed the pistol at her chest as his mechanical eye started glowing bright blue "Baby baby rock a bye..."

[The Remnants a Flaming Dawn]

"Kichi Ukita," she replied with a grin as she tossed her bag to the side. She reached for her iron bokuto as she braced herself, "I will prove I am your equal and beat you here."

Electricity crackled around her, arcs of lightning dashing across the rod of iron.

Matthew raised his sword and his pistol "Well then Miss Ukita, prepare to be defeated. Unless I find that mogwai, then this fight will have to go on hold." He aimed the pistol at her chest as his mechanical eye started glowing bright blue "Baby baby rock a bye..."

"Sounds good to me," she said with a grin as the electric arcs grew. She immediately jumped left and charged at the man, with the intent of trying to get close enough to him she could start dealing damage

[Penguinia-Tempor]

Aria Comnena
Today, as with all of her days, Aria became lost in thought, all alone as she trudged over to the cool, shaded area where she had once been.

"Err... I guess I'll catch up with you later." Tracy said, dropping from her hovering position to walk away with the birdcage and the wyvern still in tow. "Things have changed over the summer, that's for certain." She said to the little wyvern, which had now awoken and paced around the inside of the birdcage. With a smile, Tracy opened the door and let the wyvern crawl up on onto her shoulder.

"Aww, you just want some attention," Tracy said. Stroking the creature's back, she continued into the Aquo dorms, hoping to find another person to talk to there.

[Luminesa]

Matthew raised his sword and his pistol "Well then Miss Ukita, prepare to be defeated. Unless I find that mogwai, then this fight will have to go on hold." He aimed the pistol at her chest as his mechanical eye started glowing bright blue "Baby baby rock a bye..."

"Sounds good to me," she said with a grin as the electric arcs grew. She immediately jumped left and charged at the man, with the intent of trying to get close enough to him she could start dealing damage

Soleil's ears pricked, as he heard the sound of electricity crackling behind him, along with the cocking of a gun. Whirling around, he was horrified to see the teacher pulling a gun on the samurai girl. Wh-What? Wh-What are they doing?!...Is he going to kill her?!... he thought, in a panic.

[Rhomaia]

Aria Comnena

Aria's warm smile returned to her pale face, once again igniting that soft, beautiful glow in her eyes. Despite the fact that Henry could not see it, the old orange eye she had inherited from Signas' shenanigans remained, though she managed to conceal it using a colored contact. That one little asymmetrical feature had brought her so much unwanted attention, and yet it had been so prominent as of last year, Aria was pleasantly surprised that those around her forgot about it so quickly. Leaning on the base of the fountain, Aria looked out to see some of the new students conversing with one another, with more than a few interesting ones in the bunch. There was even a sparring match going on, which definitely gained Aria's attention.

[Luminesa]

Aria Comnena
Today, as with all of her days, Aria became lost in thought, all alone as she trudged over to the cool, shaded area where she had once been.

"Err... I guess I'll catch up with you later." Tracy said, dropping from her hovering position to walk away with the birdcage and the wyvern still in tow. "Things have changed over the summer, that's for certain." She said to the little wyvern, which had now awoken and paced around the inside of the birdcage. With a smile, Tracy opened the door and let the wyvern crawl up on onto her shoulder.

"Aww, you just want some attention," Tracy said. Stroking the creature's back, she continued into the Aquo dorms, hoping to find another person to talk to there.

As they were walking by, a tall, odd person walked by from the opposite direction. They were wearing a white kimono, long red trousers, black sandals, and, most bafflingly of all, a white-and-red rabbit mask. They were pale and had long, straight white hair, only adding more to their odd appearance. As soon as the person walked over to Tracy, they smiled and asked politely, "Tell me, little girl, have you ever been in a cage?"

Before Tracy could answer, however, the person disappeared. In their place, Tracy would see nothing, but when she looked up at the sky, a group of sparrows flew overhead.

[Charlia]

But wait... if Dr. Lazarus was the same person as the writer... then Lazarus could very well have meant... but then there's Steven, he'd do that just to mess with a few heads...

Her mind continued to spin as Kasumi sat back, seemingly staring intently at a student who was watching the sparring match--she didn't even blink--but in reality she didn't even see him. She was just deep in thought.

---

Hikari stood on the other side of the match, watching it, her eyes glittering with excitement. She wanted to join in.

Ah... Hell will freeze over before I stay out of a fight.

Tossing a fireball in her hand, she tossed it at the girl with the electric rod, and stifled a laugh.

This'll be fun. Geronimo!

[Chrome Legion]

Catherine de Sanguine Vivere

Catherine saw Henry and Aria together. It was hard. She knew as well as anyone that you can't change someone else's sexuality. She wan't angry, but an old emptiness returned to her. She tried to feel happy for Aria, hell, she tried to feel anything. Catherine couldn't feel anything. No impotent rage, no happiness, not even envy. Blood boiled out of her back, forming once again her raven wings. Even the joy she normally felt soaring above the school was muted to nothingness. The Arcane marks covering her body had dulled as well, all the color of ash now.

[Woodstovia]

Alexander slowly walked around the dark library. Since he'd visited so often last year they'd just given a key. He was probably supposed to have returned it but oh well. He only turned on a few lights so nobody would come and investigate, and so that none of the new students would think of disturbing him. He didn't need those socially braindead whack-jobs trying to distract him while he was in the midst of very advanced and complex studies.

Alexander stalked down the darkened rows, not looking for any book in particular or even a specific author to study the works of but instead he merely prowled down rows of shelves, his piercing eyes flicking between covers to try and find something which caught his eye. Or at least that was what he usually did but now though a little voice was niggling somewhere inside his brain. "This way, this way". He was slightly amused and followed it.

It all seemed to lead up to a book which the voices seemed fixated on. They had never been wrong in the past. He'd reflected, always encouraging him and pushing him to get better. They always looked out for his best interests... So why not now? He took the book from the shelf: "Foresight and destiny". Alex had to stop himself from rolling his eyes but resolved to read it anyway. At the very least it could be amusingly stupid. He sat down at a darkened table and began to read.

[The Isles of Lux]

The Front Gates
A curly brown haired boy strides swiftly through the gates of the large complex, a single suitcase rolling behind him and a bookbag on his back. In the hand not occupied with the rolling of his suitcase, the boy is holding a normal looking brown leash. The only strange thing about the entire scene is what is on the end of leash. Instead of finding a dog, there is a strange, black and brown furred, long horned, sharp toothed deer like creature trotting alongside.

Once through the gates, the boy stops for a moment to look around at the vast expanse of the campus. "Well, here I am." He speaks quietly to himself, then looks down at the centicore currently munching on the grass where they stand. "Where did they say my dorm was?" He looks at the animal as if talking to it, but his gaze quickly flicks away and towards the students wandering around and doing their various activities.

For a moment, he considers asking someone for directions. He quickly changes his mind, however, and starts walking in a random direction. Hopefully he'll find his way.