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]

And then the door opens, and there is a pale human woman with jade green hair standing there.

"Hello, Joy," she says, approaching the circle. "I'm Keo. Do you mind if I do a minimally invasive scan of your mind to make sure you're safe to let out?"

[joyfulnoise]

"...Huh?"

[alicornucopia]

"I have a lot of mind magic. I can let you out of the circle, as long as it's safe, and then you won't be stuck there while Korulen works on being able to send you home," explains Keo. "I won't look at anything that doesn't have to do with whether you're going to hurt people or break laws or things like that."

[joyfulnoise]

"Oh. Okay, sure, I guess."

This is not the face of someone who expects to pass this test.

[alicornucopia]

There is a silence, and then Keo smudges the chalk. "All right, you have the run of the world till Korulen can put you back where you go," she says.

[joyfulnoise]

"...cool," he says, brightening. "Thanks." He gets up and gets out of the circle. "...Can I have some gemstones now?"

[alicornucopia]

"I'll - go to the library and look up a spell for that?" says Korulen.

Keo raises an eyebrow at her child. "Yes, do."

[joyfulnoise]

"I eat them," Joy explains. "They're tasty, but a little hard to come by sometimes."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, that won't be an issue here, Korulen and Saasnil have drastically inconvenienced you and can certainly spare some time out of their schedules to conjure you gems. Is that all you eat?" asks Keo.

[joyfulnoise]

"No, I eat regular pony food too. I don't know what counts as regular people food around here, though, apparently you eat animals sometimes and that's weird."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, not everyone eats animals," says Keo. "What's a pony?"

[joyfulnoise]

"Almost all the people who live in Equestria are ponies. They're... ponies. They have four feet with hooves and ones who have horns are unicorns and ones who have wings are pegasi and ones who have neither are earth ponies and ones who have both are princesses. And they don't eat meat. Because they're ponies."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, you can eat all the gemstones you want and there's plants to eat in the cafeteria too," says Keo, "while you're here. I'd put you in a dorm room but I'm not sure the students wouldn't consider you an odd curiosity and give you a lot of unwanted attention..."

[joyfulnoise]

"Oh, people do that all the time anyway, it's fine. Where would you put me that's not a dorm room?"

[alicornucopia]

"I'm not sure, or I'd have skipped to suggesting it; you'd probably have the same issue in a hotel. If a dorm is fine that's certainly easier. Follow me?" Keo says. She looks over her shoulder at Saasnil. "You, I will deal with later."

"Yes Keo," squeaks Saasnil.

[joyfulnoise]

Joy glances back doubtfully as he follows Keo. "I don't want anybody to get in a lot of trouble because of me..."

[alicornucopia]

"You didn't do anything. They cast a spell well beyond their ability to responsibly handle and they're in trouble for that. While they work on being able to repair their mistake, the school is responsible for you."

[joyfulnoise]

"I guess. Okay."

[alicornucopia]

"Is there anything else you're going to need besides gemstones and plant-based food and a place to be?"

[joyfulnoise]

"Not really... well, can you send a message back to Ponyville to let everypony know I'm okay? Otherwise they might worry."

[alicornucopia]

"Yes, we can do that. We can even summon people from your world - with appropriate safeguards so they can go home again - if they want to visit you."

[joyfulnoise]

"Nifty!"

[alicornucopia]

"Do you want to write the letter yourself?"

[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.