Fantasy Malachi Mortoni's Wandering Alchemical Academy

[The Empress of Ice]

Spoiler

Purple = Npc Students


Orange = Player Students


Red = Cale {Sloane's familiar}


Green = Sloane


Blue = Professor Jalen

Spoiler

~ Sloane Armande Therin ~


Amongst the excited whoops and applause from the new years and the ever growing whistles from their seniors as Gwendolyn Valencia yet again welcomed another batch of students, a woman with long mahogany hair, with streaks of white, and soft curves stood in attention. Her gentle eyes gazed upon the students, her hands slowly clapping to the same speech she had heard for the past eight years. She was hidden in the shadows of the auditorium, and what a peculiar sight she was, as she sat down to be embraced by a large, twelve foot tall white tiger and a cup of tea at her disposal, one that she sipped from gracefully.


Many confused glances would be cast her way, and many chuckles could be heard from the surrounding students. Once in awhile, a third year would come and greet the large tiger, a small growl emitting from it whenever a male student came by. She, herself, would giggle sometimes, patting the tiger before gazing yet again over the new students. Her gaze filled with pride, curiosity and love. Love for her students, for those that she has known for years and those that she has yet to meet.


Golden, white, orange and green robes flocked about, some students taking their robes off now that the speech was done and over with. Some rushing to their classes, their dorms, their friends. One of these flocks, consisting of several fourth years Pyro & Aeromagois, headed right over to the woman, their bubbling excitement making her just the more happier. It was their last year, their last moments in this academy unless they choose to stay as a teacher, something that many did not.


A blonde with light brown eyes took the lead, her orange robe too big, nearly falling off her shoulder. She shoved her way to the front, and gave the tiger a large, glowing grin before turning around, smiling at the tea-sipping woman."Professor Sloane, are you teaching Arts again? Or are you helping out Professor Jalen with the Love Lessons?"


To say that the blonde did not like the love lessons was an understatement, her detest for the after school activity clear for anyone to hear. However, Sloane couldn't help but laugh, being known for shifting hobbies like she changed clothes, and the arts were not very different.


Sloane put her tea down, and got out of Cale's embrace with a sigh. She loved her job, she did, but it was a busy one with little to no chance of rest. Especially during the first day. "I'm not sure, Stephanie, I'm thinking about taking care of the Chess club but Professor Jalen may need my help... It seems those lessons have come to be very popular..."


Her smile was filled with amusement at the girl, this Stephanie that pouted and stomped away. This Stephanie that had been a very loyal girl to the teacher, a girl with a temper of a pyromagoi yet she was... In a word... Fun.


Girls... Aye, Sloane, never turn out that way. Ever. Or our relationship shall be merely that of a familiar and his master.


A thick, husky voice echoed in her mind and a chuckle escaped her lips as she walked down the audiotirium steps, spotting Professor Jalen's long hair in the air. He was ahead of her, with some female students around, his cheeks red and his eyes panicked. He was truly a gorgeous man, that Sloane could admit, though it came with the burden of gaining every female students attention.


You kid too much, Cale. Now... Before you continue to scare the rest of the first years, go back to your five foot size.


Pfft! These first years! Oh God, how I hate them, always thinking they have a chance with MY mate. I'll do as you say, Dear. But only because it is you.


A smirk came onto her face as Professor Jalen caught her eye, and waved her over. Slinking away from the students, apologizing and pointing at Sloane. "Vice Principal Sloane requires my help, I'm sorry girls. We'll talk more during class... Which you are late to, now go on!"


The groans and mutters were ear-deafening as he shooed them away, the guys staring at Professor Jalen with either admiration or jealousy as the flock of girls left his side, walking away to class. It was always a wonder, for Sloane, how they seemed to love a married man.


While Jalen was much like water, pure and innocent, healing even, he was not what many would call a player. But he was popular to the point where even some of them had his name on their robes, the official sign of them being apart of his Fanclub. One that kept growing every year.


His gray eyes were filled with light accusation as he walked over to the Vice Principal, her laughter echoing all over as he shook his head. "Kids these days, I swear!" He suddenly crouched, noticing that Sloane's boot was untied and tied it for her, an act of kindness that wasn't strange when it came to the man. But a mistake on his part as a growl, deep and loud echoed all over. So loud that nearly a fourth of the students gave them a shocked glance.


You dirty, filthy fly!


"Sorry Cale, no touching... No going near Sloane. Gotcha..." Even without hearing the insult, it was not hard to understand the beast, his large form going around Sloane in a protective circle. Though everyone knew that Cale could not do anything to them, without Sloane's permission, he had an air of fear around him. One that made people second guess their choice on threading on his nerves.


Either way, Jalen slipped a sly wink her way. They were good friends, those two, and while many students came to believe that they were... Beyond friends, they were not. Leaning on her familiar, flipping her white streaked hair back, Sloane pointed to another interesting sight.


"Isn't that Corain... With a girl?" They exchanged a glance, both of them thinking the same thing. "Hm, looks like it... Seems like someone isn't going to need my Love Lessons after all."


However they did not have the chance to discuss their small little discovery as Gwendolyn herself adressed the students, and the staff. Her voice, like every other time she spoke, was that of a leader, catching every single students attention. She spoke quickly, making the confused students even more confused before she left...


And the pushing and shoving began. Sloane groaned as she walked ahead, calming down the students and making them go in a file. One of the students shoved her away, ignoring her. "Oi! You're just a first year like us! Stand in line!"


The frown and concern on Jalen's face, the soft growl, more like a whimper, that came from Cale and Sloane's glowing eyes was all the young boy saw. "STAND IN LINE! NOW!" The effect was instant, the authority in her voice causing the students to go into a file before she walked right past them, all of them still as statues. Well, except for Jalen that comforted a terrified girl with sweet words.


The fatal mistake of ignoring Sloane was one with consequence, Cale already growing larger due to her anger. Once she had gone all the way down, she gave them a glance, her pure golden robe fluttering about. "What are you waiting for!? Come on, Headmistress Gwendolyn is waiting, and I don't plan on being the target of her wrath." Her voice was soft again. It was kind. Joking even.


Like a sudden awakening, the hundred students that stood in line came to life, mutters and sighs of relief echoing in the nearly empty auditorium. Their steps were like that of an army as they walked and headed over to the rear entrance.


They reunited with familiar faces of other students, some of them pointing to her and Jalen. Some of them squealing, joy in the air. Both Jalen and Sloane took their time walking over to Headmistress Gwendolyn and Micheal. By the looks of it, Sloane already figured out who he woke up as, and with a small slap on the back of his head, she joined the people she considered as not only colleagues but friends.

 

[Shura]

Lenny was a bundle of nervous energy as she looked around at her fellow Aero classmates. She had gotten in just in time to be considered on time, but not enough time to actually try to socialize. She was literally bouncing in her seat as she eagerly listened to the headmistresses speech she had been looking forward to attending school and learning more about her magic and how to develop it. She was even more excited to socialize and make friends with others like her self, she glanced around her wanting to talk to someone but remained silent out of respect. Before she knew it the introduction to the school was done and everyone was up and moving. Lenny grinned and sprung up from her seat along side the other students following the wave of students out of the auditorium. She fluttered along side them trying to chat up some of the students but it seemed most were already conversing with others. Her attempts to make friends was cut short by a thunderous voice calling for students to get in line raising over the dull roar of student chatter. Lenny squeaked softly and jumped into the nearest line not wanting to get on the bad side of any staff members on the first day. Getting a bad reputation before classes even started was the last thing she needed!


The fresh air which greeted Lenny was a big relief, she honestly wish orientation had happened out side as opposed to inside of an over crowded room, but something couldn't be helped. She hoped some of her classes were in more open areas but that was still left to be seen. The teen fluttered about the sea of colored robes trying to find where she was supposed to be. She spied a gathering of yellow robes and made her way over weaving between the small groups and crowds. As she drew close to the crowd she felt a tap on her shoulder and looked over her shoulder to see another Aeromagi who introduced her self. Lenny smiled brightly at the opportunity to make a new friend. "Hi! I'm Lenora, but most call me Lenny. Yeah it's really amazing! This is my first year but I really can't wait to explore the grounds." She introduced holding out her hand to shake.


@King Of Imagination

 

[Sol]

"Hello, miss Sloane, mister hotness, JALEN! I'm sorry, you know how affect the minds of girls and women alike. Mishi planted those words in my mouth...again. Now if you'll excuse me, today isn't my day. I just needed to make sure the idiot wouldn't do something stupid."


Once again, he had to apologize to the professor who could make people swoon just by staring at them. Well make most people swoon. It was normal part of greeting Jalen and Michael had already gotten used to it. Before he could get a word in, Michelle would take his tongue hostage and shoot some compliment instead of the man's name.


Afterward, he broke pace with the group and went off to the side, away from the public eye, drawing the hood over his head and concealing himself in his robes. A wave of intense pain washed over him once, twice, and then a third time which sent him to his knees. He bit back a scream of pain and tried to take his mind away from the his body which felt like he was being incinerated from the inside. Throwing up some blood was to be expected, his body couldn't take multiple transformations per day. It needed time to cool down, but he dare not intrude on Michelle's day. Any day with actual classroom study would be his while days that involved physical activity would be hers. Free days would alternate between the two. That was the agreement.


The change was always a rough undergoing. Michelle put a sleeved arm up to her mouth to wipe away the blood that stained it. Thankfully orange didn't look that much different from red. Either one of them would just have to wash off the dried blood on it at the end of the day. She got up on momentarily unsteady legs and then moved to rejoin the procession around the school grounds. It took some effort to regain her balance and not look like she was staggering instead of walking. She moved quickly through the length of the gathered student body until she reached and kept pace with the other teachers.


"Hi, sorry about that, where were we going again?"


Somehow, I think I should have just donated one of my other days to stop this idiot from being an idiot on the first day of the school year.


Losersayswhat?


Huh?


Damnit.

 

[MasterWarlockTyr]

Lounging in the corner of the auditorium was a man in black, a shade that stood out rather heavily in a room full of brightly colored robes. He sat reclined back into his seat, one leg folded across the other and his hands folded in his lap while a black walking cane sat next to him, an oddity for a man his age. His fedora was tipped forward, a wispy vaguely dog shaped creature wrapped around the top apparently resting as well. The brim was pulled down and covering his bright yellow eyes to shut out the light so he could catch a few z's. Maxwell had gone to school at Mortoni's and graduated only to turn around and become a teacher and by now he knew the routine by heart. As rude as some people might find it -- more than one student gazed over with either looks of amusement or annoyance -- it was better to break up the monotony of ceremony with the vast expanse of the dreamscape.


Alas, it couldn't last forever. The thundering applause and shouting that accompanied the end of the speech shook the man awake, jumping to his feet and pushing his hat out of his eyes as he clapped slowly, his gaze groggy and out of focus as his brain slowly caught up with his brain. The blurred mass of technicolored robes melted together into a single mass gave him an instant headache that only faded as his vision slowly focused. At this point Archimedes stirred, lifting his head and looking over across the crowd before unfurling and floating down to his master's side, knowing that they were about to leave soon.


As one mass of students leaves for classes, what was left hurried to get organized by color in order to meet their teachers for the semester. Maxwell snatched up his walking stick and began trotting down the row and along the edge of the nearest group of gathering students, Archimedes floating just in front of him. Despite the healthy looking stride he still felt the familiar sting in his left leg, trying to ignore it as he looked over the swarm of aeromancer students he was passing by.


As he kept walking he noticed the pushing and shoving going on around one older, quiet looking girl who just stood there trying her best to not get pushed out of the group. Seeing a chance for some fun, he stopped right next to this bundle, a big mischievous grin on his face as Archimedes watched on curiously. Max tapped his cane one on the ground before lifting it up, giving two good thwacks upside the head of a pair of students to get their attention. They looked rather mad and hurt until they spotted the man. Then they looked scared stiff.


"It looks like some of us are going to be introduced to early lessons this year," he said, voice dripping with pleasant smugness as he rested his cane on the ground and leaned forward on it to look over all the students he'd caught the attention of. "You see--" Almost as if on cue a woman's voice came booming from another part of the auditorium, her winds hinting that a similar situation was occurring over near the pyro newbies. Maxwell chuckles at the familiar voice, a sound that makes the aero students tear their eyes away from the red clad crowd and back to him again.


"You should feel lucky. I've heard of students going missing for pissing off the adjunctus in the past. You're all lucky I spotted you before her." Grinning from ear to ear at this point he stood up straight and idly adjusted his hat. "Now play nice, stop pushing and have a bit of spacial awareness before you crush this poor little blue bell." He points down at the girl who'd been getting pushed around before his expression turned deathly serious and he looked over all the other students gathered at the spot. "Understood?" None of the students spoke but the nervous nods the few of them offered said enough.

 

[SaphireTsuki]

Saphire looked up at the man who was almost a foot taller than her, noticing his green hair and hazel-brown eyes. His demeanor, while frightening, didn't quite rob her of her voice. For one, she knew she hadn't done anything to cause problems, and for another she rather liked the look of that flying dog-thing that she assumed was his familiar. It looked kinda cool to her, though she'd never admit it. Almost as soon as he had said something she felt the eyes of her classmates (those who weren't scared witless, at least) on her, which was unusual given who she was. She swallowed what felt like an unwanted bundle of nerves and said, almost timidly, "Thank you, sir." Once more reminded of the large group of people when one, she wasn't sure who, had gasped in surprise she waved at them and said calmly "Hi. My name's Saphire Tsuki. Nice to meet you." She prepared for them to ignore her like everyone else had.

 

[MasterWarlockTyr]

Maxwell was pleased with the results he'd reaped from this little scare as he stood up again, tapping his cane on the ground as the sly smile returned to his face again. "Well, I'm very happy we're all understood then," he said with the same joyful smugness before he half turned to leave. Before he could take a step he heard the quiet voice of the girl he'd helped thank him and he looked back over with a more opening smile on his face. "Don't mention it, Blue Bell," he said, chuckling as he reached up with his free hand to grasp the brim of his hat and tip of off to her. "Do try to speak up in the future or you really are going to get lost in the flowers." With this bit of nonsense he laughed and slipped his hat back on, not particularly caring that Archimedes had slipped inside of it and rolled up inside to end up rested on his masters head under the hat.


He marched up past the rows of students still left, each other step accompanied by the click of his cane on the floor as he made casual progress up to the front with the rest of the staff. His eyes darted from one to the other. Headmaster Gwen, head of the staff and the school. She was an interesting, inspiring woman to most. Max found her to be unbearably dull. Oh, he respected the hell out of her but she was the sort of person he was have avoided at all costs during his school days just to avoid falling asleep on the spot. 'Guess there's a reason why she's the headmaster and I'm an -assistant- professor. And speaking of assistant...'





Micheal. Or Michele. His superior in the same field. That alone gave him enough reason to feel spiteful towards him... or her. Thinking about -them- was certainly a quick way to get a headache. On the field of thinking of them as individuals he was split. On the one hand Micheal tended to hold the excitement and energy of a living wall of drying paint. On the other hand, Michele was the sort of person with so much energy and spunk that it annoyed Maxwell of all people. Maybe it was just jealousy. "And speaking of jealousy..."





Jalen. By all rights a nice guy. He was polite, he was considerate, never mean spirited and always seemed to want the best for people. "So why do I hate his stupid face damn much?" Even as he asked himself the question the answer was obvious. It was school all over again. Bad enough that he was a second banana in his school of expertise but having to walk around seeing Mr. Perfect followed by a gaggle of girls and women at all times made him steam. Was it spiteful? Without a doubt but Maxwell had never had a reputation for being otherwise.


Last of all who were present was Sloane. She... wasn't half bad. Especially for someone he'd just said killed students. Yeah, she was a bit of an oddball strategist and had the temper associated with the rest of her arcane group but besides that she was actually interesting. She wasn't coo coo bananas, she had a good heart and a good head, a decent sense of humor. All and all the worst part of trying to be around her was the ball and chain relationship she had with that cat of hers. As far as familiars went, hers was one of the nastiest. Archimedes wasn't particularly fond of the tiger himself and Archimedes was the sort of familiar that liked -everyone-.


Eventually Maxwell reached the front of the auditorium, taking his place near Michele -- wait, wasn't she Michele just a minute ago? Damn it, this was why working with them was so hard. He didn't have the energy or motivation to try remembering how both of them acted and switching his mind for the insanity accordingly. "Look on the bright side. Maybe one of these days they'll quit and I'll have the head professor job... I can wish."

 

[Sol]

Of course, the day had just begun and yet the her spirits were already dampened. None other than the jerk with the shit-eating grin took his place beside her. Obviously this man doesn't even know or care about the ceremonial traditions of this school. Michelle would have thought that her assistant would be decked in orange robes just as she was. Then again, she couldn't rely on him to do anything remotely responsible. To be fair, Michelle didn't care about traditions either but any reason to hate this man was a good reason in and of itself. Not even being in the presence of mister hotness himself could temper her hate for her assistant. There was something about him that made her want to him so hard. Michael just said that she just didn't know how to control her anger.


In fact, Michelle wondered how Michael put up with this one. Michael only ever knew the person by name, he was a student three years his junior and they became teachers at around the same time. That was what also annoyed Michelle, the fact that she had no life prior to being thrown into existence by Paralda. It was a cruel joke on both her and Michael to be honest and she would have preferred it if she was given complete control of the body, evicting the other thing in the world she hated so much. Michael. She had no doubt that he wanted her gone as well, she could feel it in the body under their collective consciousness. They had only cooperated because it was necessary.


Perhaps if Michael had been a little bit more incompetent and Maxwell got the job, Paralda would have split Maxwell in two instead of Micheal and then she wouldn't have to deal with being brought to the surface. She was Michael's shadow, the manifestation of all his hate, energy and frustration or so Paralda had told her. His memories were her memories but having them and living them were two very different things. It was like reading a textbook versus going out in the field and applying it. That was the burden Paralda placed on her, she knew what she was, when all others, even Michael or Diomedes, did not.


She drew the hood of her robes over her head and closer to her. She didn't want people to see her as she was right now, especially not that assistant who is only ever full of himself. She'd worked with him for a year and without a doubt he was an interesting one, he was also a slimy one. Geniuses have egos larger than Diomedes before the split happened and he was weakened and Diomedes was very large eagle who always entertained Michael's wishes to fly or so the memories had told her. Paralda even made it a point to utilize a large part of Diomedes in Michelle's creation. It had effectively reduced Diomedes to what it was now.


Maxwell, like Sloane, was a genius, the only difference was that one was assigned a degrading position beneath a slacker and the other was promoted to vice principal. She did not feel sorry for him but she was laughing at him when he wasn't looking.


She removed her hood and fixed her assistant a big smile.


"Well, good morning my dear assistant. How does the day find you? I do hope you'll continue your hard work. Assistant."


Michelle made it a point to antagonize Maxwell and laced each syllable with as much venom as she could muster and formerly being the shadow of a boy who had been on the receiving end of bullies for a long period of time. Well it was easy to inject it with a lot of venom and hate. At her core, she was the dark side of a person made manifest after all.

 

[MasterWarlockTyr]

Maxwell stood quietly at attention, arms folded behind his back as he waited for the introductions to get underway. He kept his eyes on the floor, not able to meet gazes with anyone but Michele and the stability of his sanity demanded avoiding doing just that. The other occultus made it quite sure that, at the very least, Michele didn't like him. Even as the silence between them continued a rustling in his mind spoke up, the voice quiet and subdued.


'I sense bloodlust.'





Maxwell grinned at this news, interested to hear Archimedes speaking up at all otherwise over a rather routine thing. 'That's Michele for you. I thought you would have picked up on that by now.' Archimedes had nothing to say about this in response. Just feelings. Worry over his master, annoyance towards the woman and the slowly plotting mind of an old thinker. 'Don't worry your head over it. It's not even going to get to me.'





As if to immediately test this unspoken claim Michelle pulled her hood back and began speaking her first words of the new school semester to Maxwell. Boy, was it one hell of a start. The grin on Max's face seamlessly slipped from a smile to a grinning grimace, a look of deep distaste and loathing easily visible through the fake smirk as he raised his head to look at her.





"It's good to see you, Michele. I'm doing just fine actually. You, on the other hand seem to have a bit of a faulting memory." Chuckling smugly, he idly started adjusting his hat, making an effort to slip the brim over his eyes to hide an uncontrollable death glare. He didn't want her to see that she was bugging him -that- much. "I suppose that's why you -need- an assistant after all. I'm sure there's some way to help you remember people's name..." In a short moment of silence a stroke of inspired genius struck him and one with one quick motion he moved his hat out of his eyes, his gaze sly as the genuine smile starting to spread across his lips again.





"You could always try writing them on the back of your hand, it helps most people. Oooh." He quickly puts a hand over his mouth as if just realizing that something was wrong. "I absolutely forget for a second, you aren't like most people. It'd probably just slip away when you changed skins. Ah well, hope the students like nicknames because boy are they never going to hear their real names while in class amiright?"

 

[Sol]

"Perhaps that is why I am in need of an assistant. ThoughIwonderwhycabbagetopwasgiventome. I mean being an Occultus is hard work for a slacker like me, I wasn't cut out for this. Notthatyoucouldevenseepastyourownnose. I'm actually feeling the pressure, might be that I'll resign this year. Infactwhydon'tyoumakemerightnow. However, I do still feel the need to straighten out the students here. Yourmotherwasahamsterandyourfatheramountedtonothing. Still though, being an assistant must be hard. Comonehitmeyoulittlegirl. Ah, I'm sure we'll survive this year and the next or I could die in the next field assignment. Andyoufinallygetyourwishyoulittleshit. Life is very unpredictable."


Maxwell was an assistant for a reason. He didn't know how to be discreet, Michelle thought it would be amusing to respond in kind. Most people like him don't seem to respond to any other kind of stimulus except when spoken to in their own language. If she couldn't fit the bill for Aero Occultus, this little broccoli had no chance. He was looking for a fight and she was more than happy to put him in his place.


He isn't worth it, Mishi. Stop getting worked up.


I'll tell you what he is. He's going to be dead in two seconds.


You've survived years with this little shit, you can extend it.


I'm not you.


Mishi do-


"ALRIGHT YOU AEROMAGI FRESHMEAT, TODAY YOU'LL EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW ON YOUR FIRST DAY. MY ASSISTANT OVER HERE WANTS TO CHALLENGE ME TO FOR THE POSITION AS HEAD AERO OCCULTUS AND HE WILL GET HIS WISH."


MISHI STOP IT!


Michelle used Diomedes to amplify her voice so that the entire auditorium could hear it. Especially the first years. They'd know who'll be in charge for the this year and the next one and the next one. She had put up with that little shit for two years but she did not have Michael's patience for the diarrhea coming from his mouth. Today she'd settle it.


"THAT'S RIGHT EVERYONE, YOU WILL BEAR WITNESS TO TWO AERO OCCULTUS DUELING EACH OTHER! AERO'S, WELCOME TO COMBAT APPLICATIONS 101!"


She was too angry to control herself and she allowed her fury and frustrations to carry her to this conclusion. Michelle was fed up with this man's presence and she felt the need to wipe the smirk off his face. If he wins, she either gets fired or has a large burden taken off her shoulders. If she wins, then she's vented out the excess steam in her system. She needed the workout and this little turnip would prove to be quite the warm up for the day.


Her stance went wide as she wound up to land the first hit on this little vegetable, all in the space of a second. Diomedes kept silent as he knew she would utilize him many times throughout this fight to augment her ability. Her leg lashed out at speeds too fast for the human eye, though if Maxwell would be done in by this kick, he had no right to be an Occultus. She didn't expect the boy to be hit though. No, she expected him to respond in kind.

 

[Stickdom]

-Gwendolyn-





She noticed the majority of her students were falling behind, staying sheltered in the auditorium's confines. "We have a schedule to keep, and we're falling behind," as she turned to notice her employed teachers challenging each other to a duel. She shook her head, their idiocy made her wonder why she kept them around. Because they're extraordinary at what they do, she reminded herself, despite her misgivings about their behavior. She clapped once, the noise resounded through the air and her familiar, in the form of a squirrel she had named Aster in her youth, flew from her shoulder and dissipated into a thick, green fog and seeped into the ground. The mist of her familiar rose out of the ground around the fighting pairs' feet, and a layer of stone covered them, making movement of their lower halves impossible. Michelle was stuck in mid-kick, while Maxwell's response never came, both rooted in their moment of folly. "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," she said, directing her voice towards the students who had gathered, wide-eyed and some terrified, "This is a perfect teaching opportunity. As you can see, we have displayed here a fine example of How to Upset the Principal."





She took a step back, showcasing her half-statued employees to their embarrassment and the students' surprise. She pointed to the students, then back to her monument of stupidity, "This is why things take so long for anything productive to be done." turning her back to the students, she shouted, "Now, we are not going to have a repeat of this episode, are we, Maxwell?! Michelle?!" Gwendolyn reached out her hand and clenched it into a fist slightly, the stones around their legs becoming tighter and more uncomfortable. Directed to the students, "This is an appropriate display of abuse of power, they want to fight for no reason. This is how students get expelled and faculty get replaced, is this lesson clear to everyone?" She closed her fist all of the way, the rocks tightened one last time before bursting off into little pieces, falling harmlessly to the ground. She relaxed here, her Familiar reformed on her shoulder, slightly smaller, but apparently not worn down at all from this display of magic. "Now, if we have had enough interruptions, we may begin the tour of the campus. All first-year Aspirants," She cupped her mouth with her hands here, magically amplifying her voice so that is was clear and loud enough for all in the area to hear, "Form groups according to elements, and line up behind your appropriate teacher. Pyromagoi, please follow Miss Sloane. Hydromagoi, with Professor Jalen. Geomagoi, to me, and Aeromagoi..." She hesitated for a moment, "Fall in behind me as well."

 

[Sol]

Shame, it couldn't even register to Michelle. She wanted to wipe that smug look off her assistant's face and he was saved by the principal. It was clear that they were let go by the principal and were no longer needed for the day. She was about to strike again before her entire body flared up in pain as her other half forced his hand and wrestled control of the body away form her.


She began retching and coughing as wave after wave of electric pain rolled through her and brought her on all fours. She stayed defiant at the breach of control but Michael would not allow her her way. The coughing began to intensify as the mental battle raged on before she was finally defeated by her other half.


"That is enough for the day, Michelle. In fact for the week. I'll have Diomedes keep you in check."


Michael said through clenched teeth. She may not have felt shame but Michael did, his other half was much too volatile and that was why he had opted to be in control when the classed involved theoretical studies. Because those classes meant she'd have to suffer through Maxwell and she was one of relatively low patience. However, the real one to blame here was Paralda, she lured him in and did this. It was supposed to be congratulations on becoming head Aero even if he never wanted the position, he would have gladly served as an assistant to a more capable aermagus. Instead, she amused herself by splitting Michael in two different personae.


He lifted himself up and stood on barely stable legs. A headache ravaged him but he grit through it, this was a stain on his reputation as an occultus but he had to roll with the punches. It was part and parcel of Paralda's curse. One day, he'd be free of it but today nor tomorrow nor next week wouldn't be the day. Michael made it a point to visit the infirmary after the school day was over.


As for his assistant, he offered a small apology then tuned him out. For now, it he had to catch up with the main group.

 

[HollyLeafForever]

Alex un sure of what she was doing, was standing in her dorm room and then she looked at her schedule, she had lectures first oh great. She had no idea what room she was supposed to go too and she kinda giggled to herself, "I guess this is what happens when im not with a group." She ran down the hallway, and stopped at what would be the office and asked the secretary where everyone else was. She just said they were getting to know there teachers, Alex just had a look of horror on her face as she ran she as looking for the teacher for her element and she thought she found it, she ran up to the group and thank the gods she had found it, she stood there like she was there the whole time and watched ad listened.


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Cameron, being the smart one that he was followed a big group and found his way to his group, and was listening intently.

 

[Traceless]

Scarlett looked around her after the other students in golden robes, when they got ordered to get in line behind their teachers. She saw a slightly larger group with robes the same color as hers, so she waved goodbye to Corain and jogged over to her fellow pyro-students. Her hair flowing behind her. She didnt smile, as she was somewhat terrified of the act the teachers had shown, and Gwendolyns' reaction.


She nodded a greeting to the other students and fell in line between two boys. They looked a bit younger than her, but then again, she was probably a bit older than most the first-years with her 19 years. She sighed and waited with mixed feelings of fear and excitement.

 

[SaphireTsuki]

Saphire stared, wide eyed, at the situation that her two teachers had done: made a scene. She supposed that was what proper Aeromagi were like, all impulse and little thought of the consequences. Somehow she knew she wouldn't like the la-man? Did he/she change form? She sighed, following the rest of her group before the Headmistress. That display was pathetic, but only because she had been raised with more discipline than that. And besides, she was just a student. She shouldn't judge her teachers. After all, they were probably teachers because they were really good at magic. And none of this indignation was due to jealousy at such talent. None at all. Maybe I'll start to believe it soon.

 

[Shura]

Lenny heard shouting and looked over to spot two other Aeromagi causing a lot of noise only to realize they were the teachers for the Aero arts. A fight for head teacher? Was that normal? She found the whole even odd but her musings were cut off as the headmistress intervened with the fight encasing both professors half in stone. She found the whole altercation fascinating and a tad bit intimidating.


The fight started just as quickly as it ended and order was brought back to the students. "Talk about first day excitement..." She muttered looking over to Alexandra. The sound of harsh coughing drew her attention back to the two professors seeing one of them on the ground having some sort of violent reaction to something. She moved to step out of the line and see if they were okay but by that time the professor seemed to have changed from female to male. The line started to move and Lenny was nudged to follow along, She glanced back to make sure she was sure of what she saw as she went along with the rest of the students. "Um... did... one of the professors just switched genders? I'm not seeing things right?"

 

[MasterWarlockTyr]

Maxwell kept on grinning slyly as Michele went on and on. The less than subtle insults thrown in didn't have as much bite as they did in the beginning and all they were showing at this point was just how short tempered she was. He could brush off half hearted jabs any day. That's when she took it one step further. She practically shouted right into his ear, the noise so wrenching that it took him a moment to realize what she'd actually said. His eyes went wide as saucers and a cold sweat formed on his brow as he quickly shook his head. "Hey, I never agreed to this! You know, as adults we should be showing that argument don't have to end in physical conflict, you sociopath!" He took a step back, trying to get out of range at the kick she was throwing at him. He didn't quite get there.


That had quite a bit to do with both of them suddenly being half covered in thick stone from the waist down. He blinked rapidly and looked down to spot... a squirrel. 'Oh please no...' As if to confirm his worst fears, the principal began speaking to the crowd that very moment. Maxwell grit his teeth and moved his hat to hide his reddening face, quite upset that she was treating him like -he- was the one who had violent tendencies. It only got worse when she turned to shout at the both of them, a softly muttered, "Yes, ma'am," being all he could produce. And to add injury to insult she even bothered making the stones clench down on their -- at least he assumed the both of them were being treated the same at this point -- legs. He cringed with pain at this, wondering if Gwen's mind had slipped on a detail or two.


After a few moments she let the both of them go, Maxwell holding firmly onto his walking stick as he waited for the pain in his left leg to go away. "Damn that hurt..." he mumbled, glowering down at the stones on the ground rather than the headmaster in case she caught sight of him and decided more punishment was necessary. By the time he was focused and looking around again he looked to the newly changed Micheal who offered and apology before walking off. Glowering at the back of his head, he glanced to make sure the headmaster was walking away to form groups before he gave Micheal a good thwack upside the head with his cane. "If you can transfer pain from one conscious to another or whatever, give that to her for me." He huffs as he lowers his cane again, idly flexing his left leg to feel if anything was hurt.

 

[animegirl20]

After the head master spoke Cosmo had been having trouble in the halls. People were pushing trying to get threw.Then trying to get outside for the tour was also a challenge then finally getting out there she saw everyone lining up and getting ready to do the tour. "uh oh looks like there lining up I better hurry." She runs towards the Hydro line and runs into someone and knocking the person over and her falling on top. "ow" She sat up and looked down. "Oh my I'm sorry!"


(anyone who is a hydro)

 

[AM Gray]

Phoenix noticed everyone grouping up for the tour. "Nice talking to you Paris but it looks like we need to get going, I'll talk to you later." with this he walked away to join with the other pyromagi. The excitement still grew inside him but the nerves where gone. Actually talking to someone helped. The other pyros seemed to be quite competitive, not different from Phoenix, but a fight wasn't something he wanted to deal with on the first day. The fight between the teachers themselves seemed to be enough for the others to deal with.

 

[Sol]

Michael bit back the urge to land a hard backhand across his assistant's face. Instead the slap turned into a vise grip on Maxwell's shoulder. He was tired but he had to say something to his assistant. To the thickheaded man he'd worked with for Paralda knows how long, something he had explained almost twenty times in the past year.


"Clean out the grit in your ears and listen, new blood. I've explained this twenty times in the past, I'll explain for a twenty first and a twenty second. Michelle has only be alive for as.long.as.I.have.been.teaching. What would you expect from a three year old child I wonder? Sure she may have my memories but that's just a reference book on what has happened the entire time I've been alive. She does not own those memories and more to the point she can't feel those experiences and the emotions. Now do you think that someone can effectively learn from a textbook? Only a genius can and if you think you're a genius, just say it and I'll resign later today, hand the reigns over to you."


He let go and turned back to form up on the group.


The fact of the matter was, his two coworkers were little children. Michelle may have learned a lesson today but he doubted Maxwell did. Perhaps a term as the Head Aero Occultus would straighten this little boy out. He quite wasn't there but he'd be as belligerent as Michelle given time. Michael wouldn't dare leave the aero collegiate under the incapable hands of either his other half or his assistant. The job was forced onto his hands and he could see why. It took a patient kind of person to tolerate the constant insanity of being an aero magus, especially with the large number of gemini on campus. Maxwell would drill fear into the hearts of those two faced students and they'd make his life hell. Most, if not all, gemini he's seen would never bow down to authority. The boy had talent but he has no maturity and Michelle may have been right, the boy may not be able to see past his own nose. A pancake for breakfast would have made a better aeromagus head than either of these two, but he went on to express his interest in resignation.

 

[Fus ro dah]

"Oh, well... nice to meet you." Paris reached for his cane as Phoenix left.


He wasn't exactly sure where he had to go but he got to his feet anyway and was shuffled along with the crowd, hopefully someone would grab him and drag him in the right direction. All the talking and sounds of people moving was loud and not helping him with his directions.


"Can any geomagoi help me go the right way?" He asked, hoping he was heard.

 

[MasterWarlockTyr]

Maxwell brushed the dirt from the stone that had clung to his legs, furrowing his brow at the mess that had been made just for the sake of an example. Geomancery was so messy and unsophisticated, not like nice clean aero magic. At least that's what Maxwell though. It did help that when matched up, geo had a natural disadvantage. Then again it was a huge wheel of cause and effect when it came to the elements, an endless circle that made up the very basis of alchemy. Even though each school of magic was taught their own field, understanding them all was key.


Max, a bit oblivious as he was lost in thought, was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder and look up Micheal, his gaze quickly glazing over at the first few words. Here we go again, trying to justify the psycho yet again. Micheal wasn't exaggerating when he named off the number of times he'd mentioned it. It seemed to have not drilled into his thick little mind, however, that Max didn't have half a damn to care. His attention nodded off slowly until a few key words caught his attention near the end, his eyes going wide at the mention of Micheal quitting.


"I just have to ask, huh?" he asked, smirking from ear to ear as he lifted his cane up, prying the man's hand off his shoulder with the end of it. "No offense but I'll have to decline," he stated simply as he turned on the spot, starting to walk away slowly towards where the crowd had. "I don't know what kind of man you think I am but you're right on one point. I am a genius." With these words he stops a few paces away from Micheal and turns on the spot, dramatically pointing his cane up at him with a grin on his face as he boldly declares, "A true genius doesn't take the easy path and I'm sure as hell not going to become head professor simply from being your second banana. I'm going to out-do you and take it, fair and square. And I'm sure as hell not going to let you quit, otherwise make you."





He turned again and began walking behind the throngs of students, walking right next to Micheal with the familiar sound of his cane tapping along every other step. Under his breathe he told him, "Sharing a body with a kid or not, you're not giving up whether you like it or not. You're going to do everything in your power to keep looking down at me even if all that keeps you going is your pride as a man, you hear me?"

 

[AM Gray]

Shortly after walking away Phoenix noticed Paris seeming slightly lost. He felt like a fool, leaving a blind boy to venture around aimlessly. He had never met a blind person before, he supposed it had to be a hard life to live. He walked back over to the boy with the stick and lightly placed his hand on his shoulder. "Sorry bout that friend. You look a bit dazed do you need a bit of a guide?" Phoenix said this hoping it wouldn't offend him. This boy seemed to able to hold his own. Phoenix put himself beside him, he was in a different group but he could make it back to the other pyros when he needed, besides it would be good to see what the other magoi where up to.


@Solitaire

 

[Fus ro dah]

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and heard the familiar voice of Phoenix. Apparently the other had come back and was offering help. Paris smiled and nodded.


"That'd be nice, if it's not too much trouble. I can't really see where I need to go." He laughed and waved his free hand in front of his face. "I'm sure it's fine for everyone else here. I'll get used to the layout eventually, but right now I'm... well..." He laughed again. "Blind."

 

[Sol]

Again, it was the same exchange for the past years. Michael tried to explain it to Maxwell so they avoid episodes like this but the thick headed vegetable didn't seem to register it at all. He seemed to be full of himself and only himself, which meant that his students could barely get the essence of the lesson if he taught. And that seemed to be the case every now and then for the past few years.


Teaching a class of geniuses was one thing Maxwell was good at, they were all stuck up in the same wavelengths. Michael had no doubt this man had potential if he only knew how to listen and read the students. His methods of intimidation may work but won't be as effective as getting down and comprehending and actually connecting with a student. Reading off a book and showing off talent was one thing, teaching the technique and possible workarounds was another thing entirely. No mage was made equal, all the more for aero's with their trademark flightiness that made them hard to comprehend.


Now it was Maxwell's turn to berate him and he had already memorized the words that would soon come out of his mouth. It was just as monotonous as Gwendolyn's opening speech every year. He didn't know which he liked better, the self-confident Maxwell or the gradually dull principal. Maxwell would tell him not to quit and that would be it. Soon enough the boy would be berating the students, he could already see it.


A smirk crept along his lips as he decided to push through with breaking the paradigm. He may be a teacher who tries to understand his students but Maxwell was one student he had long thought of giving up on. Today would be the day he would give up on that particular student. Regardless of how Gwendolyn would take it, he will retire as head aeromagus, he will insist on it and will not stop until they cave in. He will use the severance stipends to buy a unicorn and then he would reapply as an assistant aeromagus. He will test if Paralda specifically chose him to bear her curse or if it would transfer on to Maxwell who would most likely try to fight it or respond with increasing cruelty, the boy didn't look like he was the kind to accept things that weren't of his own designs. Such is the burden of a genius.


Regardless of outcome, handling an army of fickle students would no longer burden him. As much as it pained him to remove himself from the diversity of the collegiate, he needed to do this, to test his assistant.


He would watch Maxwell crumble under the pressure or he would watch him go above and beyond the clouds.


Regardless, he would condemn the entire collegiate to the hands of one of the most toxic people he's met so far.


Even Paralda would not expect this turn of events.

 

[AM Gray]

Phoenix helped Paris to his feet. "How exactly do I do this...?" he asked not sure of how he was going help the blind boy around. He wasn't sure what to say, he didn't want to offend him.