[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

[suplexer]

[ Make that two of them. Tifa also heaves out a relieved sigh, although this does mean they don't have any more information. ]

We can't just be trapped in here forever...

[ She walks back over to the yearbook to give it a closer look. ]

[abyssalwitch]

If it's anything like a Magik trial there's something specific we have to do to get out. Brute force isn't going to work.

[ unfortunately. ]

[suplexer]

A magic trial...?

[abyssalwitch]

They're what witches must complete in order to obtain the Magik's power. They might be something like showing the Magik a beautiful site, or besting it in combat.

[suplexer]

[ Just... confused blinking. ]

Magic is... an entity of some kind, where you're from?

[abyssalwitch]

It can take the form of one, yes.


I could show you but it seems like they've completely blocked that off, here.

[suplexer]

[ She sighs and shakes her head. ]

Of course. They took all my Materia, so I didn't even think to try...

[abyssalwitch]

Your "Materia"?

[ it's her turn to not recognize something! ]

[suplexer]

Oh! Well, if your magic works differently, I guess it makes sense you're not familiar...

[ Tifa uses her hands to make the shape of a small sphere in the air. ]

It's a condensed form of mako, which you can slot into gear, and it allows you to cast certain types of magic.

[abyssalwitch]

Oh, that's convenient. Does that mean anyone who has "materia" can use magic, then?

[suplexer]

Pretty much! Although it's pretty expensive, so most people aren't going to make use of it unless they have good reason.

[ You know, like being an eco-terrorist. ]

[abyssalwitch]

[ very valid occupation ]

Something like that sounds expensive. And sought after.

[suplexer]

I guess it's no surprise they took mine off me, if they don't want us causing trouble...

[ Crosses her arms and heaves out a sigh. ]

If you think this is some kind of trial, though, I wonder how we're supposed to figure out what to do. They haven't given us much in the way of instruction, other than...

[ Glance to the very large message written on the chalkboard. ]

[abyssalwitch]

As much as I hate to say this sort of thing ...

[ she looks between the doors, the windows, and the chalkboard herself, with a frown. ]


Without our weapons, without any magic ... And with us literally trapped in here, we may just have to wait.

[suplexer]

[ Tifa deflates at that, but she can't say that the woman is wrong either. ]

... Yeah, maybe so.

[ She flips to the front cover of the yearbook, which seems to have a scratched out or faded name on it, but it doesn't tell her much. She doubts that the profiles of her fellow captives will tell her much, but she goes to look at the entry belonging to this woman anyway. ]

Well, it seems like they weren't able to get too much info on you at least. But what's this about clubs?

[abyssalwitch]

[ she's going to settle on a desk cross-legged herself, evidently having had enough time with the yearbooks ]

I dunno. We didn't have a "fencing" or a "magic" club at the school I went to, so they might just be making things up.

[suplexer]

Yeah, I grew up in a small mountain village, so we didn't even really have a formal school like this. Definitely not any clubs.

[ And then, an awkward smile. ]

I don't really know why I'm "most likely to be Class President," either...

[beathollow]

Oh, it's the student who helps bridge the voice of the student body to the staff and teachers.

[suplexer]

[ Oh! If nothing else, Mafuyu seems to understand all the specifics of this school stuff. Tifa blinks. ]

So... I guess they think I'm responsible?

[beathollow]

Yes. ...

( leaning over, what does hers say-





cooking?! )

... I do like bunnies.

[abyssalwitch]

Rabbit would suit you as a name.

[beathollow]

... My friends compared me to a rabbit before...

[abyssalwitch]

First impressions and everything, but ... You give off those vibes.

[suplexer]

[ Tifa just chuckles. So it goes when you have to take care of yourself from a pretty young age... ]

I guess whoever's behind this thought so too. But it really does make me wonder just how much they know about us...

They know my birthday, but not my name?

[abyssalwitch]

... that's a good point. It's strange they would know that much information, without knowing our names.

Are our names special somehow?