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

[alicornucopia]

"There's a lot of kinds. I can do the checking thing because I'm a rare kind of dragon; I'm the only one right now. The kind that was used to summon you is called wizardry; this is a school of wizardry."

[aeskhyne]

"Huh," he says. "Cool. It doesn't really come in kinds at home. People ask for things, and sometimes they get them, but it kind of varies how. I've never gotten anything to work, but plenty of people don't, I'm not special that way."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, worlds can be expected to differ, that way. While you're stuck here, I can get you a room in the dormitories and a pass to the cafeteria," she adds. "And my daughter can take you shopping for anything else you need at her and her roommate's expense as part of their disciplinary process - and if you need to let anyone at home know what's happened, someone more competent with the relevant spells can send them letters, or even summon them reversibly if they'd like to visit."

[aeskhyne]

"I don't know anybody at home who'll miss me," he says offhandedly. "A room and a cafeteria pass sound good. And hey, I get to keep my favourite blanket." He snuggles it. It's so cozy.

[alicornucopia]

"All right then." Keo gets up and leads him out of the room, to the lift, which she directs to another dorm hall.

[aeskhyne]

Under the blanket, he proves to be wearing sweatpants in addition to the shirt. Naturally, however, no shoes or socks. He follows her serenely enough, wrapped in his blanket.

[alicornucopia]

She shows him to a room that looks just like the girls' except for being void of personal possessions. "What's your name?" she asks when they go into it.

[aeskhyne]

"Mm... Teah," he says, pretty obviously out of thin air. "You?"

[alicornucopia]

"Keo." The name's odd for his language, but not unpronounceable or anything; she doesn't comment. "When do you want Korulen to pick you up for a shopping trip for the essentials?"

[aeskhyne]

"Whenever's convenient." He yawns. "I've got my blanket, I'm good."

[alicornucopia]

"Okay. She'll come by this evening, then. If you need me for anything, just think my name very hard." She starts to leave, then pauses: "Can you think of any reason why you wouldn't have an empathic signature while you were asleep?"

[aeskhyne]

"What's an empathic signature?"

[alicornucopia]

"Green-group dragons -" she touches her hair - "are empaths, and everybody pings our empathic sense in a unique way. I didn't get one from you till you woke up and it flickered in."

[aeskhyne]

"Is... that a thing that happens? Or am I just weird? I have no idea, either way."

[alicornucopia]

"I've never seen it happen. It could have happened if you were behind an empathic ward, but you weren't, and I in particular can generally circumvent those with line of sight. But it could just be a thing in your world, I suppose."

[aeskhyne]

"I definitely couldn't tell you."

[alicornucopia]

Keo nods. "Lift will take you to the cafteria, just tell it so. Korulen will cast a translation spell on you when she comes by to take you shopping."

[aeskhyne]

"—huh, I probably should've been wondering how you spoke English," he says.

[alicornucopia]

"Dragons can speak any language," says Keo, smiling. "Any other questions before I leave you be?"

[aeskhyne]

"Guess not," he says with a shrug. "Thanks for, you know, being nice and stuff."

[alicornucopia]

"You're welcome."

She leaves him be.

[aeskhyne]

For lack of anything better to do, he curls up in bed and snuggles into his blanket and dozes off again.



The other Teah wakes back up, and immediately checks on any previous petitioners that seemed like they might need followup - the mage and priest and elder sister who encountered Kindness; the dragon council member who had a conversation with a flying notepaper; assorted ex-shrens and rescued dragon babies with their fluttery little companions. Oh, and what about that vampire thing? Maybe he has time to take another look at the problem now - anybody praying about it?

[alicornucopia]

The mage had found herself a spring and is having a drink. The priest is regrouping with the survivors of the lion-devil attack. The sisters are solemnly receiving explanations of what things are like in Esmaar. The dragon has located a dragon who is a wizard, and the wizard is peering intently at the notepaper. The ex-shrens are working on dissolving their institutions without leaving anybody completely uncared for; they're distributing a lot of children back to their parents. The vampire hearer he encountered earlier would still like it very much if her family didn't think she was out of her mind.

[aeskhyne]

Maybe he can apply miracles. He holds onto her prayer and thinks about it.

...And designs a choice.

To be offered to all vampires currently over the age by which the hearing has either come in or it hasn't, and to younger vampires and future vampires each when it comes in or doesn't: this is what you are (hearer or not), and this is what you could be (not or hearer). Specifically for the ones who are getting it now, he adds in the knowledge that every vampire of relevant age is being offered this same choice, with its attendant information about the validity of the magic.

That should shake a few things up.

And as an extra present for the vampire who started it all - a little winged circle of paper, with For you written in vampire on the front and the name Teah in Draconic on the back. It is currently flat on her desk, but is capable of flying around or pretending inanimacy at her request.

Prayer granted.

[alicornucopia]

She keeps her hearing.

She picks up the paper and speaks to it.

She follows it to a room, and knocks.