moonmoonacademy | TEST DRIVE MEME

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TEST DRIVE MEME - OCTOBER

OCTOBER TEST DRIVE MEME
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As the temperature drops and the leaves fall, the Academy reopens for a new term and classes begin. October’s approach has also brought with it not just a change in weather, but a rise in supernatural phenomena around the school and the neighbouring town of Soleil, as spirits rise in activity and excitement in anticipation for Halloween.

A. ELEMENTAL BLESSING
The more stressful things that have happened over the last few months have brought some new, strange visitors to Daybreak, possibly by the request of the higher-ups. As students adjust to their new classwork and routines, they may see blue and purple spirits fly through the halls and over the grounds of the Academy. The more avian-esque purple ones gather in places with strong winds and open air when at rest; the blue ones collect in the various fountains and ponds when not hopping through the Academy’s halls, happy to swim around (and alarm passerby who have never seen them before).

Though they’re capable of speech, and some might be particularly chatty, they tend to leave conversations for after use of their powers. Whether it’s a harsh breeze that blows away mental cobwebs or a soothing rain that melts away aches and pains, these spirits seem to know exactly what anyone encountering them needs to spend the rest of the day refreshed and strengthened for their trials ahead.

B. PUMPKIN PREPARATIONS
What’s a Halloween celebration without pumpkins to carve? No celebration at all, of course. But Halloween is only one night, and one does not simply learn to carve pumpkins in the space of one night. In acknowledgement of the fact that not everyone shares the same cultural traditions, pumpkin carving classes will be held regularly from the start of October to the end - students and staff alike are free to come along and practice their skills for the upcoming festival, or simply vandalise these poor pumpkins and make a mess. Those who are more culinarily inclined can reap the efforts of their fellow carvers and be taught how to use a treasure trove of seeds and flesh to be used in all sorts of recipes.

If you’d like to do something more difficult and traditional, a fine selection of turnips - and notable examples - are available. Though they might turn out looking less cute and more ...horrifying. But maybe that’s what you like? Nobody will judge you.

C. COSTUME CRAFTING
In preparation for Halloween, the secondhand market on the Academy’s grounds has set up shop once more. Throwing its metaphorical doors open to anyone who wants a wide range of reasonably priced attire, they’ve gone into special storage to pull out costumes, costume weapons, and other accessories fit for a Halloween celebration...some of them with strange or odd minor magics still lingering around them, courtesy of their last owner.
Everything is labeled appropriately, but those throwing on clothing with reckless abandon may find themselves victim of some very eye-catching special effects when they least expect it.

D. IRIS NETWORK
UN: reanimatorfan
Hey
got a question for all u spooky people
Whats your favourite kind of horror movie monster
(if you havent watched any you rly should)

code bases by tricklet

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Elemental Blessing
[Hazel has been on edge since she arrived on campus. She was here to help prevent Nightfall, but that didn't mean she trusted everyone here, oh no. She trusted them about as much as she trusted anyone--which was to say None of the Above. It made her hyper alert as she walked around campus, keeping her eyes out for the other students or staff walking by, on hand never far from the concealing gun in the holster in her blazer.

Until she passed under a tree and a sudden breeze curled around her face, fluttering her hair behind her. Suddenly, everything felt calmer. The world around her less threatening. The sky was blue and the trees were shades of fire. She blinked, not sure where the sudden change came from, before looking up into the tree to see two purple spirits nestling on one of the branches together.]

They did something to me.

[Someone please step in before she maybe shoots at the spirits?]

Pumpkin Preparations
[She had never touched a pumpkin in her life, and had come across the class under the impression the carving was something more...aggressive. If they were carving them, then they had to be using them for some rune-related purpose, correct?

Instead there were faces. Faces everywhere. And she was supposed to make one.

Hazel wasn't going to let something like this be her downfall at the school, so she was going to give it her all. Even if it meant wrecking some pumpkins in ways no pumpkin deserved. She sees someone staring at her creation.]

Isn't it great? I'm going for something different.

[Look at her, obviously she's been carving pumpkins her entire life! She doesn't even need this class, clearly.]

Costume Crafting
[When she was encouraged by the merchant to try on the cape and see how she liked it--never admitting she had no such money to pay for it--she didn't expect much. It just looked like a plain dull brown cape to her. The merchant took a step back, eyes wide.]

What's wrong? It doesn't look bad.

[It would be good for camouflage at night. Except that what everyone else saw was a floating flaming skull and she walked back and forth in front of the stalls.]

[What poor Flicker didn't expect as he realizes the Dragon Code of Chivalry forbid impersonations was clearly some kind of monster wandering around, leaping about six feet into the air before his wings spread, catching him]

BLAZING DRAGONS! Uh...

[Oh, he's the closest thing to a knight here - he'll have to do something!]

[Blazing dragon is right in that the sight of him in the air. She immediately jerks but, which all he sees are the flames of the skull flaring wider and brighter, but in reality she's reaching into her blazer for her gun.]

What do you want?!

[Her bullets may do nothing against a beast of the Outlands, but she won't go down without a fight!]

I'm pretty sure they don't mean any harm. [One of the nearby other students has decided to speak up and hopefully defuse the situation before it actually becomes one.] If they did, I think they would have already been dealt with by now.

[Hazel turns to look at the other student and stares. She remembers being informed that not all of the students were human, but staring at someone with horns and red eyes does not make her feel safe. It's a good thing the elementals are keeping her calmer than she normally would be, but she can't help the two steps back that she takes.]

No one asks them to do anything. I don't know them. [She doesn't know anyone here.]

[It's a reaction that some part of her has been expecting ever since she came here, and in response to it, Desidera steps back as well to put even more of a distance between Hazel and herself.]

Ah— [And though she did expect it, it doesn't really feel any less unpleasant.] No. No, I suppose you wouldn't.

[It's her first time seeing them herself, but she's read a few things that touched on them a bit, and heard a few other things from some other students that had already encountered them.]

[Is she looking weak? Is her caution looking impractical and unfounded? Hazel does not want anyone to assume she's a coward who runs from things that she fears, but she also does not want to be touched in some way by strange creatures that manipulate her feelings. She knows all about manipulating feelings to get something out of people. She doesn't trust these elementals.

But maybe she shouldn't be so obvious in showing it. She stands a little straighter, more controlled and confident in her demeanor. She even moves away from gun in its holster no matter how much she wants to reach for it.]

That's just how things are around here, huh? Never know when something will show up. I'll have to get used to it.

It keeps things interesting, but...I can see how it would be a problem. [Considering some of the things she's already been through herself.

Hazel might be trying not to look so on-edge now, but Desi's aware that she had only contributed to whatever discomfort the girl was already feeling. She considers just going and leaving the other girl alone.]

Interesting? [She can think of plenty of other words besides interesting to describe the intrusion of having your emotions manipulated by some otherworldly creatures. Was that something this girl could do? What kind of creature was she? She was keeping her distance, which was good, but Hazel did not know what to do yet. She doesn't know if she's trustworthy yet.]

They could make us mad enough to start a war if they wanted, too, I'm guessin'. That'd be really interesting, I'm sure.

[A poor choice of words on Desi's part, it seems, and the response mostly serves to reinforce her own discomfort and also adds a whole new layer to it, thanks to that being a real possibility that she honestly hadn't considered before now—not to mention how the very idea runs counter to what she had even come here for to begin with. She takes another step back.]

I— [And another.]

I'm sorry for bothering you. Please excuse me. [She turns with the intent to walk away now; she isn't helping Hazel or herself by being here.]

[She was leaving? That quickly? Had Hazel been the one to scare her away? No. Impossible. How could Hazel, a human who couldn't do much of anything without touching someone manage that?

Maybe she had pissed her off. Seems more likely. Hazel was coming across to strong and needed to tone down her abrasive behavior. It wasn't working to imply the strength she wanted.]

I--[She pauses for a moment before blurting out]--Sorry!

[Moving forward as if to grab her hand. Maybe if she could touch her, she could understand what she wanted. Then she could know how to behave.] I wasn't trying to insult you if you--uh--like the things. Really I'm sorry.

Edited 2019-10-18 01:19 (UTC)

[When Desi hears Hazel trying to follow after her, she slows down, and it is in fact enough to be able to grab her hand.

She's still concerned for those spirits, still thinks they really mean no harm, but beyond that, if anything, she's worried about what might be going through Hazel's mind; she already seemed to be a bit on edge, but then approaching her seemed to have made it worse. Desi thinks that she had made a bad impression and at a bad time, and blaming the latter on herself and the former at least partially on what she is. If she's making things worse simply by being here, then maybe she shouldn't be here, should go do something else. Maybe go to the library to bury herself in a few more books, or to to the cafeteria, or simply back to her room in the dorms.

And that comment about the possibility of the academy starting a war, the suggestion that she could be pushed into hurting others when her personal goal here is making herself less of a danger to those around her, that was something that legitimately scared her.]

It— It's fine. It's my fault for coming up to you without any warning, I just— I know what they're doing might not be comfortable, but they're really just trying to be helpful. Please don't be too upset with them.

[It's a lot, but it's good. Scary in some ways--she fears hurting others means she's strong enough that she could, but not Hazel if she can manage this well. Hazel doesn't want her to hurt others either--and calming in others. She's human...but not? Human enough. A human who doesn't like how not-human she is.

What is she?]

No, I was being rude. You've been hear so much longer than I have. You know more about what they do here than I do. I'm still learning.

[She looks up at the spirits again, still having not let go of the other girl's hand just yet.]

Um...do you think they might have books about them in the library? I saw it earlier and it's really big.

[Being unfamiliar with things would explain Hazel's wariness, for sure.

Since Hazel hasn't let go of that hand yet, she should be able to tell that the apology—or it's being interpreted as one, at least—is helping to alleviate some of Desi's concern about the impression that she had made. Some of that concern, but not all of it; she's still unsure of how Hazel might respond to learning that she looks the way she does due to a daemonic contract, one that wasn't even hers.

She is completely unaware that their hands touching means she's now inadvertently revealing exactly that.]

I've only been here for two months so far, but I've also spent quite a bit of time in the library since I'd arrived. Do you remember where it is, or should I lead you there?

I--[Her breathe catches in her throat and Hazel turns it quickly into a cough that she covers her mouth for. She doesn't want to let on in any way to what she just learned. Daemon? Not daemon? Half-daemon? What's the difference to being half-daemon or born marked by a daemon contract?

Was it the same daemon as the one that her parents summoned? The one that killed them and marked the other kids? Would that daemon come after her? Could it get on the campus?

She needed to respond. Her hand tightened slightly around the one she was holding, giving an awkward shrug.]

...I'm not sure? If I remember where it is. Could you show me? This place is huge.

[The added squeeze does register, and she reminds herself not to squeeze back, since that...would probably hurt a bit, even if she made sure not to do it too hard. The hand-holding is otherwise slightly awkward, she thinks, but it's harmless, so she won't mind it.

There's a sense of relief that she's being allowed to do this, despite the initial bumpiness of their encounter.] Alright. It's a little bit of a walk, but it shouldn't take us too long to get there.

[With that, she turns in another direction and starts off slowly as to not immediately jerk Hazel along.]

That's fine. Walking never hurt anybody.

[Calm. Stay calm. She takes another breath. She's trying not to let her fear show as she follows along behind the new girl, because now she can see how "daemon" is written all over her. But it's not her fault. No, someone did this to her. A daemon forced this on her.

Hazel can feel the heat begin to creep across her skin, tingling and burning and it's familiar. Familiar in the way that lets her know something is about to happen. She finally then lets go of that hand, rubbing her hands together like she's warding off the chill. Is it weirder now to let go so abruptly? Probably better than frying the other girl. She doesn't know if being part-daemon counts as daemon enough for the...Fire. She doesn't know what else to call it.]

[In the moment just before Hazel lets go, there's a brief "huh?" that gets cut off as soon as contact is broken. Either Desi had noticed something, or was just confused by the sudden movement, or maybe both.

Otherwise, no attention is called to it, and thinking everything still alright for the moment, she keeps going.]

[Hazel walks behind her, still taking in the campus, seeing which landmarks she recognizes from her tour earlier.]

How do you find your way around this place? It's like having a small town for your school.

Personally, I did a fair bit of walking around when I first came here, to familiarize myself with things. The places that I normally visit are easy enough to remember with how often I've visited them already, but for anywhere that I don't usually go, if I can't recall how to get there, then I'll ask for directions; most of the people I've met here so far are surprisingly helpful. [Maybe it's not so surprising to anyone else, but to Desi it is.

Another turn, and soon enough, Hazel may start to recognize some of the things that she had seen near the library itself.]

[It surprises Hazel sometimes too, but she knows that humans can be good if you let them. When she starts to recognize the landmarks near the library she moves a little quicker, walking next to Desi now instead of behind her. She keeps her hands tucked close.]

Do they have an um...[What's that thing called again that goes on a mobile phone? Oh right]...an app or something. With a "you are here" arrow maybe.

Honestly? I don't know.

I have a phone, but I've only used it for a bit of messaging on the school's network so far. [She's had it for only a few months now, and deliberately avoids using it most of the time. Pulling said phone out to look at it anyway, she sees that she has a small number of missed calls, all from the same individual in her contacts: Marise. No voicemails, though.

She briefly makes a face. Evidently, whoever Marise is, they aren't someone she wants to talk to right now.

Closing out of the missed calls list, Desi starts poking into the apps list, just in case anything like what Hazel asked about had already been put in there. Her being here is why she even got the phone at all, so it stands to reason that maybe somebody had the foresight to do so. ~~And then she would get to live with the embarrassment of having gone these past months without even using it.~~]

If I can't find one on here, I could try asking one of the professors about it later. If there is one and they tell me how to get it, I could relay that to you.

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TEST DRIVE MEME - OCTOBER

Hazel Mire | Original

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