[KENKOU]

[detentionroom]

[You needed an escape.

For a moment– however brief, or however not– you longed to get away. Perhaps you envisioned a vacation upon sunny, beachy shores, palm trees at your back and seagulls floating in the air. Perhaps you envisioned nothing at all, and merely accepted that anywhere but here would do. Either way. . .?

You blink. . . and you wake up slouched on a school desk, arms folded with head resting between. You lift your gaze and realize that you've woken up in the middle of a classroom, seated in one of the. . . uh, very few functional desks that remain. The others have been broken into pieces, with legs and splinters of wood scattered across the floor. Deep claw marks decorate the walls, having gouged the sheetrock with jagged, violent gashes. The window curtains are closed, but they too have been torn and ripped to shreds, with holes showing a dark and unidentifiable landscape beyond the four walls which trap you.

And written on the blackboard, in large, white letters that seem to glow in the midst of the dim room lighting, is a warning]

DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR NAME.

[. . . you are not alone]

[Each and every new arrival awakens dressed in a high school-issued track uniform. The design is up to the players, but each uniform is already color-coded to match the group at large. Somewhere on your body is a new marking: a mysterious floral design shaded the same color as your track uniform. It is glowing very gently. And in your pocket you feel. . . something warm. Further investigation reveals a tiny little omamri, tucked away in your outfit, for safe keeping. Huh! What a nice gift!]

[For now, the front door to the classroom is locked. No matter how hard you try– with physical prowess or otherwise– the door cannot be opened.]

[But hey! You can poke around the area, if you'd like! Maybe get to know your new classmates. . . ? Try not to panic. For now, everything is. . . calm]

Comments

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[brokenlance]

Come now, the certification exams aren't so terrible.

At any rate, I don't believe we've been transported here to be tested on our academic learnings. So you can put that one fear to rest.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[abyssalwitch]

[ she seems to take a proper, second look at her surroundings at that, and her mood does improve a tad ... ]

Yeah, the place is too wrecked for it. We're probably gonna have to tackle a big Majik together.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[brokenlance]

[she makes it sound like some kind of Demonic Beast?]

I'm... unfamiliar with the term, as you use it. Could you elaborate?

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[abyssalwitch]

You don't know what a Majik is ...?

[ maybe he lives in the boonies ... ]

Essentially, it's a creature made up of magical energy. As a witch, I can make use of its magical power if I pass its trial.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[brokenlance]

You describe a being that sounds as though it comes from legend, or stories. I marvel at the idea that they could be so plentiful as to be the basis of your schooling. There's certainly no such test for mages at the Officer's Academy.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[abyssalwitch]

It is pretty cool, isn't it?

[ she does not seem shy about this. ]

Buuuut these trials aren't easy! So something like this ... it'd probably be a final exam.

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING]

[brokenlance]

[it is cool........]

A final exam...? Well, as one who has no gift for magic, I hope I can still be of use. Though normally I'd prefer a lance or sword in my hand.

[he's scrounged up a metal desk leg to use as a weapon at least]

Re: [ARRIVAL MINGLING] [1/2 ]

[abyssalwitch]

Don't worry. You can still be back up for the super talented witch --

[ she waves her hand in front of herself, clearly with some sort of expectation something will happen -- ]

[2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ nothing does ]





Huh?

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

[waiting patiently]


...Is something the matter?

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ waves her hand again


waves her hand again

wavers her hand agai -- ]


It's not working???

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

Is your concentration being disrupted? Or-- a blockage of energy?

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

I can't feel anything! Nada!

[ shakes her hands as if she could shake the magic back into them ]

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

[maybe that's a special witch technique...]

Please, try to remain calm. Has this ever happened before?

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ the special witch technique doesn't seem to be working ........ she becomes despondent .... ]


No, not even once before ... Ever since I was young I've been able to use magic, at least a little bit...

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

[oh no]

I don't have your expertise, but - is it possible that there is some greater force suppressing our power?

It seemed strange that neither I nor the other young woman could budge open the door, even with our considerable strength.

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ she lets out a sigh ]

That's probably it. I mean, there would have to be a "greater force" to be involved in something like this, period.

It just feels like salt in the wound.

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

I'm sorry... I can't imagine the depths of your frustration. You've clearly worked very hard to become such a capable mage.

...Would you care for a table leg?

[holds out]

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

Yes. I will take a table leg.

[ she holds it -- the way she holds it is almost like a fencer's staff, even if the form of a table leg doesn't quite match up to a rapier ]

It'll definitely be better than nothing if we have to fight whatever smashed this place up.

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

This was exactly my thinking.

It's quite heartening to have yet another person with combat experience, should it come to that.

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ nod! ]

We've got quite a few fighters, it seems like. But now I'm wondering if we're getting out of this with a fight ... or just answering that question of theirs.

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

It stinks of a trap. To offer us so simple a solution after we've been confined and placed at their mercy... they must think us fools, unable to see beyond our immediate fears.

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

It's far too easy. There's no way in hell I'm giving them my name -- I hope everyone's thinking the same thing.

Re: [2/2]

[brokenlance]

We must convince them so, if they're of differing minds.

That said, it does make addressing each other rather difficult. Do you have something you'd prefer to be called?

Re: [2/2]

[abyssalwitch]

[ she gestures to Mafuyu, ]

She's assisted me with a nickname in the meantime. You may refer to me as Hoshimi -- it means a shining, radiant star.