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

[cardistry]

"That's not hugely reassuring!" he says. "What are you gonna do with it? Do you even know what it is?"

[alicornucopia]

"I can find out," says Keo. "I'm not going to touch it without your permission, but we can't let you out of the ward without rendering you non-dangerous, and it is making you very dangerous."

[cardistry]

"...So tell me what you'd do to it," he says. "In more detail than just 'turn it off'. It's not just a function module, it's tapped into all my systems. A technician who didn't know what they were doing could seriously mess me up trying to take it out."

[alicornucopia]

"I'm not a technician. I'm a unique jade dragon," says Keo, taking one of the room's chairs and sitting down. "I have your permission to examine it in more detail, then?"

[cardistry]

"Yeah. Sure."

[alicornucopia]

Keo goes looking.

This doesn't feel like anything either.

[cardistry]

So: the control program.

Brilliance is a magical device; his mind is not made of programs, exactly, but it's - built on them, intertwined with them. With the exception of a few subsystems, most of these various parts are under his control - movement, transformation, speech, the cosmetic details of his various forms, spellcasting, all of these things answer to his will.

Except that, in and under and around the connections that make that possible, another system has been grafted on. This one doesn't have his intelligence or autonomy; it follows preprogrammed instincts telling it to seek out planets and population centers that don't belong to the organization that created it, and destroy them utterly. It has access to all of the same systems and functions that Brilliance's mind does, and it is constantly pushing on them, trying to fulfill its orders. Brilliance is constantly pushing back. The contest is usually weighted in his favour, but it becomes more difficult under stress.

He is currently experiencing stress.

[alicornucopia]

"Your accessory is an addition, not an integral feature. I don't think it will disrupt anything about you if I disconnect it, or remove its initiative, or delete it entirely," says Keo.

[cardistry]

He experiences a slight spike of nervousness. "And you can just delete it entirely, and not take out anything extra by accident?"

[alicornucopia]

"I have more than enough finesse. It's very clearly marked."

[cardistry]

He hesitates.

But— they'll let him out. And he won't have to fight anymore.

If she's telling the truth, that is.

But what other choice does he have? If they leave him like this, if he lets himself think they'll leave him like this, he knows it'll only be a matter of time before he loses control.


"...Okay," he says. "Get rid of it."

[alicornucopia]

It's instant.

It doesn't feel like anything.

It's gone.

[cardistry]

It's like—like the moment right after being tortured. A sudden absence, a release of pressure.

The little box on the floor sparkles with relief.

But not all his problems have been solved. Not yet. Not while he's still here. He stabilizes to be less tense, less afraid... but still plenty of both.

[alicornucopia]

"I'll check you over again and if you're still fine we can let you out," soothes Keo.

It's only a moment, and then she steps forward and smudges the chalk.

[cardistry]

Brilliance teleports away, as far away as he can get, aiming for a minimum of the width of one medium-sized galaxy between himself and this room.

He lands in the middle of an extremely empty space which... seems to be mysteriously holding atmosphere, what's up with that, and regardless of his bizarre environment he takes a minute to just not do anything.

[alicornucopia]

<They will be able to send you back in the future,> says Keo's voice.

[cardistry]

It's not the kind of magical communication he's used to, but he adapts. <I have interworld transfer magic,> he responds, and tries it.

<...Or not. What did they even do?>

[alicornucopia]

<They summoned you at random in an ill-advised attempt to impress a classmate. It shouldn't have affected what magic you have, but depending on how your magic works, it might have made it less accessible - for example, wizardry, the kind they used to summon you, wouldn't work outside of this world.>

[cardistry]

Huh.

He tries a fast mass-finding spell to locate the nearest ten planets, adjusting for the fact that this dimension seems to have constant atmosphere even in deep space. That works just fine, and they're plenty far enough away, so he shifts forms (if Keo is watching, she may find that his emotions ripple strangely) and whispers the incantation that destroyed his creators' planet.

That also works.

<The rest of my magic doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it,> he says. <It's just interworld travel I can't do. No big deal, I guess. It's not like I have anywhere to be.>

[alicornucopia]

<I'm glad you aren't unduly distressed by the relocation. All the same, Korulen should be able to reverse the spell for you on her own after getting a familiar.>

If she notices, she doesn't comment.

[cardistry]

<I was pretty distressed at first,> he reminds her. <But yeah, a whole universe is plenty big enough for me. Especially now that I don't have to spend all my time trying not to blow any of it up.>

[alicornucopia]

<The school is responsible for you regardless, so if you need anything, you can ask me. I'll notice if you think my name deliberately and firmly from any distance.>

[cardistry]

<That's a weird kind of magical communication,> he says.

[alicornucopia]

<I'm pretty weird. But it's convenient.>

[cardistry]

<I guess.>

He estimates the coordinates to land on the other side of the door that he remembers led out of Korulen and Saasnil's room, and teleports back to the school.

<What kind of school is it? School of Weird Magic?>