chalk

[alicornucopia]

In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.

In unison, they complete their shared spell.

~~~

with Adarin (Aestrix)

with Ekador (kappa)

with Brilliance (kappa)

with the admin (kappa)

with Teah (kappa)

with Katran (lambda)

with Hall (kappa)

with Joy (kappa)

with Kalinda (Christy Hotwater)

Comments

[pyrophyte]

"...Do explain," says Ekador.

[alicornucopia]

"Y-you can't co-cast a reversal," stammers Korulen. "And neither of us has the CC for this spell by ourselves.'

[pyrophyte]

"Which I presume," says Ekador, "means that I will be stuck here for rather longer than two degrees?"

[alicornucopia]

Korulen nods, still pale.

"They're gonna expel me," whimpers Saasnil. "Probably not you but definitely me."

[pyrophyte]

"Perhaps," Ekador suggests dryly, "you will find it a valuable lesson in considering the possible consequences of your actions before taking them."

[alicornucopia]

"B-but if they expel me I'll never be a proper wizard and I won't be able to get a good job and what will I do what about my family they pooled house money for my tuition -" babbles Saasnil.

"They won't expel you. If they expel you you can't learn to get a familiar, that's the thing they'll have us do is get familiars, me first but you're backup in case it doesn't do enough," says Korulen grimly.

[pyrophyte]

"At what stage in this process will I be able to sit down on something other than the floor?"

[alicornucopia]

"That probably depends on whether Mom clears you to leave the circle or not. You're not going to murder us, are you?" Korulen asks dubiously.

[pyrophyte]

"I am not going to murder you," he assures her.

[alicornucopia]

"Then she'll let you out. But first I have to tell her. She's going to be so furious..."

"There has to be some other way. Can't we just send him back?" asks Saasnil. "And not have to tell anybody?"

"No - you can only send native creatures."

[pyrophyte]

Ekador observes their conversation.

[alicornucopia]

"But you're smart," wheedles Saasnil, "you could invent a way to co-cast a reversal and we could -"

"We can't. I have to tell Mom. I just need a degree to work up the nerve, okay?"

"I'm out of here," says Nemaar, shaking his head, and he lets himself out.

[pyrophyte]

There doesn't seem to be much value in hurrying them. Ekador ponders his block of wood. He was going to shape blessing symbols out of it, to be subsequently arranged on a string and tied into his hair, but now he has the more immediate practical problem of wanting to sit somewhere comfortable. Surely there is some way to design a structurally stable chair or stool that could be made out of this much wood. He just needs to apply more ingenuity.

[alicornucopia]

Eventually, Korulen says, "Okay. I'm going to do it."

"But I might think of something," pleads Saasnil.

Korulen shakes her head. She doesn't do anything visible.

The door opens. It's a green-haired woman, who looks alarmed. "Oh, Korulen. What have you done?"

[pyrophyte]

"Summoned me irreversibly to a strange place, apparently," says Ekador.

He is not especially upset about it, though.

[alicornucopia]

"Not irreversibly," says Korulen swiftly. "I'll get a familiar, Mom, I'm close to the right CC already..."

"But certainly for much longer than our visitor ever agreed to, which would be zero," says Korulen's mom. "I'm terribly sorry, Ekador."

[pyrophyte]

"It's appreciated," he says. "I would also appreciate a chair, and perhaps a meal."

[alicornucopia]

"Do you object to a minimally invasive scan of your mind? The fact that you've been disenfranchised through no fault of your own doesn't guarantee that the spell chose a non-dangerous target. If you do object we can certainly arrange for a chair and a meal within the circle."

[pyrophyte]

"...Define minimally invasive."

[alicornucopia]

"All I need to know is whether you're dangerous, so that's all I'll look for and all I'll find," says Keo.

[pyrophyte]

"Hm."

Well, the fact that she asked for permission is reassuring.

"All right."

[alicornucopia]

Keo tilts her head, then steps forward and smudges the chalk.

Korulen pushes a chair in his direction solicitously.

[pyrophyte]

"Thank you," says Ekador. He sits down. The much-travelled block of wood goes back to his pocket.

[alicornucopia]

"The school can take responsibility for you in the meantime," says Keo. "There are spare rooms, we can get you a cafeteria pass. The girls can send letters to anyone you want to contact, and summon any possessions you need, and additionally competent graduated wizards who will be able to undo what they have done can summon any of your friends or relatives who want to visit you here."

Saasnil makes an unhappy noise from where she's scrunched up on her bed.

[pyrophyte]

"I see," he says. "That sounds... convenient, given the circumstances."