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

[joyfulnoise]

"Yeah, sure."

[alicornucopia]

"I'll get you some paper and a pen, then." They reach the lift, and she opens the door and ushers him in.

[joyfulnoise]

"Okay. Sorry to be a bother."

[alicornucopia]

"It's all right; like I said, the school's responsible for you."

[joyfulnoise]

"Well, yeah, but the school's made of people, and it's people who have to do stuff because I'm here and you're responsible for me, so..."

[alicornucopia]

"You didn't decide to be here," Keo says. "That's why the school is responsible for you. If you had wandered into the front hall and started asking for things we'd be having a different conversation."

[joyfulnoise]

"I guess."

[alicornucopia]

Keo directs the lift to a residence hall. Lurch goes the lift.

[joyfulnoise]

That's cool. In a lurchy kind of way. "Is this another magic thing?"

[alicornucopia]

"Yep. Don't go into the stairs; they get people lost. The lifts will take you to anywhere in the school."

[joyfulnoise]

"Okay. I'll remember."

[alicornucopia]

The lurching stops; the door opens on a different hall. Keo takes him to a room that looks like Korulen and Saasnil's, but less lived-in. "Does this look comfy?"

[joyfulnoise]

"Sure! I'm not picky."

[alicornucopia]

"Okay, then it's yours for the duration. You can will the ward on the door to admit or keep out anybody who you want to let in or not, although I and my husband - he's the headmaster - can override if there's ever a reason. Korulen will bring you your gemstones when she's found a spell for them and conjured them up. The lift will take you to the cafeteria if you want to go there for non-gemstone food and I've keyed you to it. If people hassle you, you can tell them to talk to me. If you need to talk to me, all you have to do is think 'Keo' loud and clear and I'll pick it up and," <we can talk, like so. Any questions?>

[joyfulnoise]

"I don't think so. Thanks for everything!"

[alicornucopia]

"You're welcome. There's also a library, if you get bored," Keo adds, and she lets herself out.

[joyfulnoise]

Ooh, a library! Libraries are pretty neat. Joy takes another look around his room, tests the comfiness quotient of the beds, and then goes looking for the library. (He guesses he can get a lift to go there.)

[alicornucopia]

A lift will go there!

The library: has books.

[joyfulnoise]

Books! Are any of them about interesting stuff? He'd better look at a bunch to find out.

[alicornucopia]

They're about all kinds of stuff! This funny square planet's got all kinds of countries, and magic, and animals, and history, and there are books on it.

[joyfulnoise]

Well, then, Joy is going to read about a lot of stuff.

And possibly lose track of time a little.

[alicornucopia]

People look at him, but don't bother him. Except Korulen, who spots him before she leaves to deliver the gemstones.

"Oh, you're here - I don't know what kinds you like so I conjured a bunch of different ones," she says, dropping a clinky bag of rocks next to his stack of books.

[joyfulnoise]

"Thanks!" he says, and he reaches into the bag and pulls out a stone and munches on it. Nom nom. "Mffis is really good! Can I learn how to do that?"

[alicornucopia]

"Probably not. I can check if you have a channeling capacity?"

[joyfulnoise]

He shrugs. "Okay. What's one of those? Is it the thing you need to have to do the magic that makes gemstones?"