PatientBean

Strange Academy: Journey into Mystery

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Location: Hall of Ancients, Strange Academy
Grimoire: N/A
Skills: N/A

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Cassie observed the others that followed her, noting the different ways they used their magic to grab a fish. Part of her wanted to ask an assortment of questions ranging from the more serious ("How do you make an animal friend appear out of nowhere?") to the....less serious ("Does your magical animal friend...umm....poop?"). She was especially interested in one of the students who walked around like he knew the place. "He must be a returning student here," she mused to herself.

He was quite handsome. Cassie pictured him in a romantic comedy as the type of guy the main girl would fall for but end up being a bad influence on her until she realized the boy she had such a strong friendship was the person she was meant to be with. Cassie paid special attention to him (what it's not weird!). As he reached for a fish she wondered what he would do. What sort of spell. Instead, she saw his hand shift and move and contort into a...what is that..is that a...claw?!? Cassie's midn race through the rolodex of romantic films she watched. Was this man a werewolf perhaps? No, the claw seemed not furry enough. Vampire? Did they have claws? She knew they sparkled and produced odd looking children, but nothing much about claws. As her mind spun the man pulled out a fish from one of his claw fingernail things. Was that magic? She couldn't judge. Lots of new things were happening to her.

It sort of thrilled her. She was in a new setting with new people. All sorts it seemed. Some more confident, some looking just as nervous as her. Another figure approached the tank and Cassie kept an eye on her too as she ran into it. Cassie couldn't quite tell, but perhaps the girl was blind? Or just a klutz? Either way, Cassie liked her immediately. Especially as she summoned a cute looking thing to help her with her fish.

Cassie was out of her depth, that much was certain. Did everyone here know how to control their magic? Her's terrified her and enticed her. She knew it was dangerous if left to its own devices (she blew a friggin' hole in her parent's wall!) but could she control it? Surely this was the place to do so.

Before she could approach anyone another figure entered the room. There was a sort of finality to it also, as if anyone else who wanted to enter would be forbidden because this was it ladies and gentlemen. She spoke with the confidence Cassie could only dream of and commanded the room. This was the headmistress. Cassie was disappointed, if she were being honest. She sort of hoped Doctor Strange would be here so she could speak to him, admit her thanks, possibly chew his ear off about how to go about managing her abilities and if she could be hidden away from her parents that would be just super thanks!

But, that was not to be. Not yet. Instead, she listened intently as this woman spoke about the magic of sisterhood, though she also spoke with a sort of flippancy? Was this normal?

Covens were something she knew about from fiction really, but of course if magic was real and magic schools were real then it stood to reason that covens were real too. And she was about to be placed in one! What a day she was having. She scanned the room, seeing if anyone else was as excited as her (note: they were not).

At the snap of a finger she felt a small tug on her top as she looked down. A purple sparkle eminated and soon made way for something attaching to her shirt. She noted the colors instantly and saw a pin that looked like a dragon. She lifted it a bit closer and fought the urge to squeal. It was so cute!

She glanced around the room again, quickly, to see who else had the same pin. Her eyes clocked the handsome man with the claw hand and tried to see what was on his shirt, but couldn't make it out. He had his arms around two other men. Cassie was nervous to approach but she built up the nerve and stood up, walking over to them, but soon instead of the trio, the handsome man was alone. Cassie quickly stopped and turned around and walked back to where she had been previously sat. She hoped no one caught that. It would have been so easy to talk to him with the others around, but alone? No, not yet. She looked around to see if she could catch anyone else. The girl from before...did she have...she did!

Cassie approached Willow, "Hello! Umm sorry, but I see you have the same pin I do, so I think that means we are sisters! Or whatever the term is with Covens. I'm Cassiopeia, but you can call me Cassie. It's nice to meet you!" She held out a hand and held it there before she remembered the girl bumping into the tank and how she may be blind and she put her hand down again.

Way to go Cassie.

Persona - Black Crown [IC]

Nevermind.

Château de La Lune

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Millicent

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Location: Château de La Lune: Miguel's Bedroom
Skills: N/A

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Millicent had more or less taken the lead as they made their way to Miguel’s room. Did she knock? At this point, with all the noise and movement if Miguel was in there he would definitely be up. So she did a quick rap on the door and entered.

Miguel was not here. His things were though. She didn’t hear any sounds from the bathroom (not like she was about to check anyway). Millicent did notice his camera was not there. Did he get up early to take pictures? Or did he sneak out again last night to do some investigating and never made it back?

If so, where was he now then?

Sam followed behind Millicent, waiting until she'd gone into the room before entering himself. He was certain had she found another body she would've told him or at the very least screamed. But nothing. So he took that silence to mean he was safe to go inside. Miguel, however, was missing. He doubted he was killed as well, or if he was it wasn't in his own room given two pieces of equipment were missing amongst his belongings. His camera and his spirit box. It struck Sam as odd, but also as if it was a sign. A signal of his worst fears possible. ”One second, I want to try something.” He told her before going back towards his room and opening his case of equipment.

He'd considered using a Spirit Box himself, but decided to use something similar but slightly more high tech. The Ovilus. A device capable of allowing Spirits to contact the living while the machine itself showed the words being spoken so there was no guess work like with the Spirit Box. Sam quickly returned back into Miguel's room, turning the device on and placing it on a counter near the door before stepping further in. ”He took a spirit box. Maybe he's investigating, or maybe it's a clue. Either he saw something, or…he did something. Either way –” Sam was cut off as the unattended device suddenly came to life. A two toned beep before a voice spoke. “Murdered” Then, silence. Sam made his way towards the device and held it up, turning it so that Millicent could see the word on the screen.

Millicent watched Sam get to work, slightly impressed. So Miguel took a spirit box with him, which likely meant he was doing more ghost hunting. From what he told them last night, he was pretty much dead-set on doing it here. Miguel didn’t trust the family, and to a degree, she didn’t either. And now they had a dead person and a missing one.

Sam worked his device and Millicent didn’t want to discourage him. But soon, the device chirped and said something. Millicent stepped closer to hear it. Murdered? Was it saying that Renee was murdered? Or Miguel?

Or both?

”You’re the expert here, what does that mean?”

Sam waited a bit, hoping to get more information from the device, but it had since fallen silent. He placed it back down near the doorway on a counter before finally speaking up. ”Hard to say. Usually in an investigation we'd be asking a question and waiting for a response. But…I have my theories. Either Miguel saw something he wasn't supposed to and took his Spirit Box with him as a clue for me to use mine in hopes of an answer, or Miguel is on the run or dead. With how close we are to Renee's…to um that scene out there, it's possible she may be trying to break through and contact us to let us know this wasn't an accident.” There was of course, the third option Sam would never state aloud. That he had gotten an attachment at his last investigation and it was slowly murdering those around him.

That thought wouldn't leave the back of his mind. Not since this morning. It felt like a constant reminder of what he'd done, or failed to do. But no one here needed to know about this. ”What about you? What's your take? The device just took in some form of energy or interference and the result was a singular word, Murdered. What do you think it means?”

”Well, I believe I said it last night, but I can say it again. There’s way too much happening at this place during a simple award. Eleanor was acting very sketchy and cross with Renee, though I don’t think Renee was murdered, if she was, because of some steak sauce during dinner. I think, much like us, we all have some looming threat here. Perhaps Renne confronted the person and they pushed her. Miguel wanted to look into this place more and the family, so maybe he’s….been taken care of also. Or he’s out investigating and he’s perfectly fine. Either way, bad things is happening here and I don’t trust this family enough to not sweep it all under the rug and pretend everything’s fine.”

She didn’t say ‘I told you so’. It was not the time for that. But she called it.

For a moment, when Millicent had mentioned the looming threat, it had almost felt as though she was talking about him. A horrid thought dashing across his mind that the family may know for certain whether or not he had an attachment, and worse, that they were using it as a means to cull those they deemed unworthy. But then why all this charade? From the things they'd spoken about the night before, none of the evidence or ‘blackmail’ was something significant. Petty theft here, a dead relative there, it didn't add up. Nothing was adding up. ”Or maybe it's as simple as this. Lawrence didn't like how Renee or Miguel disrespected him and embarrassed him in front of everyone, and while having a heated argument with Renee, Miguel saw as Lawrence, either on purpose or accident, pushed Renee down the stairs and killed her.”

”Lawrence is too obvious. Yes, I realize I am using murder mystery logic here. If anything, he would have went after Miguel, which may explain why Miguel isn’t here, though not so much the missing Spirit Box. We haven’t even considered the other family members. Or, the other award recipients.”

Millicent thought about it more. ”Follow my logic here. We all come here with the promise of a potential windfall or, at the very least, a free vacation. We get here to assigned rooms so the family and other guests know where each person is. In our rooms are notes about things of our past, worries we all have and hold secret. Those have to be from a family member or, perhaps, one of the guests is in cahoots with a member of the family. After all, the family members get to pick the nominees. Eleanor has final say. I doubt all of this is over steak sauce at dinner or a potential slight so my thinking is that it falls back to those secrets. Maybe Renee had one that was so scary she intended to find out who and was killed in the process. So, I think we need to figure out two things. One: Who picked us to come here? It would stand to reason whoever had gathered us all here would be the one to have given us those warnings. Two: What was Renee’s secret?”

“I don’t trust anyone else here right now.” Millicent didn’t add “except you” though she did trust him a certain amount. But for all she knew, Sam was hiding more. ”I’ve shared all I have and I assume you have also. So…partners?”

Sam held out his fist for a fist bump. ”Partners. But…what could a school teacher's secret even be? Unless…nope. Don't even want to consider it. But you're right, maybe finding out or nominators would tell us more about what's happening around here. I may just know a few people to ask too. Ivanna seems to be fond of Felix, so maybe they can have him snoop a bit. Meanwhile there was a maid or two that seemed fond of me so maybe I can ask them to investigate in places we can't. After all, the ‘help' always hear more than they should and move unnoticed in places like this. Like our very own Kingsmen.”

Millicent returned the fist bump, happy to have some help here with someone she actually liked. ”I know I just used murder mystery logic but I am also about to ask if we want to break a horror movie rule. Should we split up? I can go ask Ivanna and you can check in with the maids? Or we can go together, though if I am being honest I don’t think the maids like me very much. I was definitely a bitch to them when I first got here.”

That tracks. Was all Sam could think. She wasn't exactly pleasant to him either upon first meeting, but it was his own fault. ”I doubt we'll get got in broad daylight. So if you want to tackle Ivanna by all means, I'll see if I can convince the maids to help.” His stomach grumbled as the scents of food began wafting in. ”After Breakfast perhaps.”

”Breakfast sounds good, despite everything. Hope we don’t have another gathering for it though. I really don’t relish sitting with this family any more than I have to.” Millicent looked around the room one last time before heading to the door and waiting for Sam.

”I think given the circumstances its buffet style. Or Continental or whatever it's called. Basically we'll all be wrangled together while the family tries to figure themselves out.”

Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️

Sabine Bassard

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Location: The Kingston-Gray Household
Skills: N/A
Powers: N/A

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Thankful the attention was safely put away from Leah and Sabine potentially marrying, Percy and Dorian began speaking to each other in other languages. She happened to catch some French in there before Dorian tacklehugged Percy somewhere else. Sabine didn't need it painted for her to know what those two would be up to. April appeared to enjoy it also and it warmed Sabine up to see her smile again. After a lot of pain (especially from her) it was nice to be together and not have some major catastrophe happening.

And then another noise shot through the room. Something Sabine hadn't heard before. What was it? Laughter surely, but from an unusual source. Sabine turned to see Leah cracking up. For the first time in a while (possibly ever) Leah was laughing and seemingly enjoying herself?

Sabine had to mark this day down. It was one for the books.

"I mean, sleepovers in my experience go this direction. Sometimes there's tears, sometimes there's break-ups, but usually things don't go as far as maybe making out? But it seems Percy and Dorian rounded third base and are taking it home."

But now Sabine had to answer the question. "Okay, so I would fuck Miles Morales because he's very cute. Marry Spider-Gwen because that would fucking rock. And then kill Spider Man, but like there's so many of him in various forms running around so would one really be missed?"

Sabine turned to face Danni, noticing some uncomfortable feelings evident on his face (on top of the fire).

"Danni, calm down, we don't need your parents' home going up in flame. If you aren't comfy with answering, that's fine. We can move on. Clearly Gideon is ready to." She stared at Gideon and then at Andy, checking to see if Andy was comfortable with the attention. "We get it Gideon, second verse same as the first. I'm down to move on after this but let's see what everyone else is feeling."

The Season of the Enlightened

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Lord Poe rested on one of the chairs as he received the introductions he asked for from the three young pupils before him. He enjoyed these introductions, gauging each of the new faces who joined the school. Eager to see their potential. What truly concerned him, equal parts worry and excitement, was their Enlightened abilities. Oftentimes, it was these skills that showcased what type of student they would be: those with more combat-focused skills tended to enjoy weapon classes, fighting, exercise regimens, possibly even history, while those with mental-based skills enjoyed logical pursuits, classes in strategy or mathematics, science, etc.

Though sometimes an Enlightened ability showed up that surprised him. Chess pieces used to support others were fascinating. "Lady Nightingale, truly a pleasure. I also offer my condolences. Please know that if you need support in that matter, we have staff on hand who can be of aid. Your Enlightened ability sounds intriguing, and I am excited to see how we can expand your knowledge on it. I believe I know a professor here who would be very helpful in this endeavour. Once you get accumulated, with your blessing, I'd love to introduce you."

His attention turned to the next man who spoke up. Lord Blackmore. "Yes, Lord Blackmore, I received your father's letter. Please give him my best when you next speak to him." Lord Poe observed his use of his ability. Interesting control in the face of the headmaster. Lord Poe had a feeling Lord Blackmore here rarely, if ever, heard the word no. "We have a few students here who master ice and snow also. I know they enjoy spending time together in their off hours, so perhaps you might find friendship with them. I look forward to seeing your progress."

Finally, the last student. While he welcomed students who sought out the school rather than those who were enlisted by him or those in his staff, there weren't too many. Still, upon seeing Jo's ability, he was reminded that the school welcomed all, no matter their gender, their station, or their desire for learning. "Impressive young Jo. I hope you find the school to your liking, and I am anxious to see just what you can do. I think the school could use a little bit more tricks, if you catch my meaning." He offered this with a wink before he continued. "Of course, we can speak privately after. That goes for both of you," he said, referring to Selina and Edward, "My doors are open if you have any questions or concerns. I am usually in, but in the off chance I am not, you can speak to any staff member and they will let me know."

"If you will allow me a brief moment here before I let you leave to finish getting settled in, but I am very glad to have you all amongst our ranks. I encourage you to observe inwardly while you are here. What I mean by this is, recognize what goals you have for your time here, but also see what opportunities arise. The history of our country, really our world, has enjoyed putting people into tidy boxes of expectations. That is not the case here. I encourage everyone to explore their interests here. You will not be denied an opportunity due to your family history, your station, your gender, or anything else. These halls have seen many men, women, and others take the opportunities presented to them and go on to do great things. As always, we are here to support you."

Lord Poe allowed them a moment to finish their drinks and sweets before he stood up. "With that, I will let you go to get settled in. Your rooms should be ready and your class schedules should be finalized. If you need to change any of that, please speak to Ms. Pennyford in her office as she is in charge of all of that. Beautiful mind in that one, truly the school would fall to pieces without her. And Jo, please stay behind so we may speak privately."

Once Edward and Selina had exited, Lord Poe beckoned Jo to follow him into his office proper. Inside, he offered Jo one of the chairs in front of his desk while he took a seat in his. Once settled, he gestured. "Please, speak freely. What do you wish to discuss?"

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Staff lodgings were set up to provide more comfort for those employed. While students were offered comfortable amenities to help support them, staff were given more space. Typically, a bedroom, a study, and a central sitting room were provided. Meals were taken in the kitchen and dining room, though there was an option to have meals outside of the school if that was preferred.

Students often did not find themselves amongst the staff rooms, but occasionally they would explore and find themselves face-to-face with their professors. As Edmund sat in his study, preparing for a new round of students to be subjected to, he would hear the faint sound of voices.

"-did she mean by naming those other girls though?"

"Nothing, my love. I promise, I have no idea who she is."

"She seemed awfully sure. I think..."

Soon, a short shriek echoed amongst the walls. If listened to carefully, the soft sound of whimpering and crying could be heard as well as the voice, now more sinister. "I said she was wrong. Do you understand me?"

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Ms. Pennyford often found herself wandering the halls when she did not have any work to be done. She particularly enjoyed going into the kitchen to see if there were any sweets she could pick up (she had a terrible sweet tooth).

On this particular day, carrying her parasol and spinning it in step, she found herself passing the gardens. Her eyes landed on a lone figure there, recognition apparent on her face. Ms. Pennyford stepped into the floral space and moved closer to Charlotte. "Ms. Waldegrave, I see you are enjoying this beautiful day amongst the flowers. I hope your classes are going well and are to your liking?"

Ms. Pennyford was a recognizable staff member among teachers and students alike. A relatively new hire, she took to the job quickly and helped establish herself as a main go-to for those who needed aid in fixing their classes, changing times, or just anything that needed further scheduling. Lord Poe often remarked on her mind and, with his ability, figured out that her Enlightened ability allowed her to process information quickly and remember pretty much everything she was told. A useful tool to have in his school. Ms. Pennyford was also a figure of kindness, never having a bad word to say about anyone. It took an awful lot to ruffle her feathers (and many have tried).

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Aoko chuckled lightly. "Oh yes, the new students. I am eager to see their fighting styles. Especially those of noble lineage. There is always one who feels that because their father gave them a sword at a young age that they are masters. Is it so bad I enjoy putting them in their rightful place?" she asked, a small grin on her lips.

Aoko came from Africa after her parents were slaughtered, though she rarely talked about it. What Lord Poe appreciated most was how trained Aoko was in weaponry and battle without any Enlightened abilities. He found people underestimated her due to this, but no matter what someone threw at her with their powers, she handled it with grace and strength. It was one of many reasons he hired her, and she was highly sought out for training, mainly among women who were interested in learning to defend themselves, but also some men who either felt they could best their professor or those who did not care about gender roles.

"What of the rest of your day, Sylas? I have some time before my next class and I love watching you work. Perhaps you would honor me with a duel?"

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Big Bulma smiled warmly, helping only with what she expected. She had enjoyed Alphonse's performances, though she could recognize that he judged himself harshly. It was easy, she felt, to judge oneself compared to others, even those you shared a stage with.

"Oh, I do so enjoy your juggling, but if that is what you feel is best, my lovey. Don't overextend yourself. We may provide dreams, but that does not mean extinguishing your own." Bulma had dreams, ones she shared freely and ones she kept closer to her heart.

"Perhaps one of the other performers could help? Take some pressure off yourself while helping others. I could ask around if you want." Bulma hated seeing her family struggle. Many would jump at the chance to help out, some not so much. It took all kinds to run a circus. "Mr. Maleficar may run a tight ship, but even he would not want to see you struggle, love."

In truth, not many people knew Mr. Maleficar's motivations. He wasn't unkind in the open, but rumors still spread around. It was hard to separate fact and fiction.

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Mr. Maleficar left his office and made his way to the storage tent, where he knew his boys...correction, his man...would be, training and getting ready for tonight. The Eclipsed Born he called them. Their parents, fickle beings, damned them to death, but he saw potential. Greatness. If there was one thing Maleficar knew, it was talent and his Eclipsed Born were brimming with potential.

He waited a beat, trying to give him some privacy in their moments, before he gently knocked and stepped in. Maleficar watched them a moment, taking them in. He was not blessed with children, didn't rightly know if that was ever in the cards, but he sometimes saw those under his care as his own flesh and blood. Cassiel and Obasi were his. Sometimes he had to run a tight ship, which meant he had to have a firm hand or word; that was just how it had to be. He relied on some of the others to help, like Bulma.

"You ready for the big show?" he asked, stepping forward to clamp a hand on Cassiel's and Obasi's shoulder. "It's a big 'un tonight. And, truth be told, the start of a lengthy season for us here, so don't put it all on tonight. Save some for the rest."

Maleficar glanced around the storage tent. "I know you like to practice here, but you can do so out on the grounds if you prefer. Anyone gives you a hard time you point me in their direction. I will not stand for any of my own being messed with, even from kin."

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Mayweather bustled around a bit, tidying up as was her want. "Oh, I don't know about that missus Melody. I see the work ya do for the young'uns and by all God's graces and virtues you are a saint amongst many." Mayweather kept to herself a lot and that included secrets. She was sometimes a trusted ear from those who needed to vent or confess. She kept a tight lip.

"Lady Rosemarie did not appear too concerned, if I may so say, but you are right. Usually spells trouble." As she prepared to leave Melody to her services, she turned to respond. "I reckon I do not know too much how Mr. Morris works, but I would imagine he is in his lab doing Lord knows what with his tools. If you do not find him there, perhams young Prudence would know. She seems close to him. Shall I send word for him missus?"

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^{Skill Used: Stealth}

Prudence blew a frustrated breath out. It seems most of the staff had little use for her. There was also a lot of mistrust amongst them towards her, ironic given the services the Haven offered. "All right, if you say so." She could not hide her disappointment much.

Prudence turned to leave, but had a thought. Morris was as close to a friend as she had here, but did she trust him? Did she trust anyone? She never knew his work to its full extent. What did he do here? Lady Rosemarie trusted him, and that seemed to please everyone, but Prudence did not give hers so readily.

"Do send for me if you need me, however. I have bundles of time." She stepped back a bit and closed her eyes, summoning her Enlightened ability.

Her ability allowed the use of illusions. She had practiced enough to know she could control them and shift them if needed. In doing so, around her body, she could make it seem like she was invisible to the untrained eye. She concealed herself and crept along, closer to Morris' workstation, and settled herself close enough to hear him, should he speak.

This was necessary, she had to tell herself. If she was going to be a part of the Haven, she needed to learn who she could and could not trust.

Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️

Sabine Bassard

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Location: The Kingston-Gray Household
Skills: N/A
Powers: N/A

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Sabine would have been more than fine to move on from the conversation about marriage. Really, they were supposed to be joking around and talking about random figures they wanted to sleep with and murder. But April had to bring it back up. Was it that important? And why did she ask Leah and not her? Did April assume Sabine had no thoughts on it or was fine with it?

And Leah was fumbling her response, clearly not wanting to talk about it more. "Okay, well we are still young. That's a converation for later. I mean, I haven't even decided if I want to be married. My father doesn't make it look so great. I'm not against it though! Just...move on." Sabine felt herself getting stressed and panicked, so she quickly moved on to April's next round.

"Oh, fuck Loki for sure. I have a feeling he would be more fun than Venom. He is the trickster god, I bet he can get into all sorts of michief. Umm, marry Mystique because that would be a fun marriage. And kill Venom because...I mean ick."

Sabien fought an eye-roll over people still getting hung up on possibly sleeping with or marrying genders they weren't attracted to. It was a GAME. It wasn't like this would ever be a thing.

Strange Academy: Journey into Mystery

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Location: Hall of Ancients, Strange Academy
Grimoire: Tiara of Jagged Glass
Skills: N/A

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The motel room was centered in a snug little alcove next to a 7-Eleven and some random Chinese food place. It was not, she realized, where she saw herself when she had abruptly run away from home after blowing a hole in her bedroom. She expected every siren she heard to be one looking for her, but so far she had remained safe.

After she woke up from a horrendous night's sleep, she threw the covers off and sidled out of bed. As she walked to the bathroom, her foot hit something and she nearly tripped. She collected herself and glanced down to see a strange box. She picked it up and moved it around. On the box were some bars. She touched one and a melodic sound echoed out. She pressed another one and, suddenly, the box got smaller. She nearly panic-threw it against the wall, but she held on.

A magic, puzzle box.

Holy cow, this was it!

She had intended to just show up at Strange Academy and beg acceptance. She had her story all lined up too. Full of tear-jearky moments and her, the true heroine, against all the odds! Plus, if Doctor Strange was there perhaps he could vouch for her? He knew her, to an extent.

Cassie sat on the bed and put the box down. She had to get this right. She pushed the bar she did the first time and heard the note. She tried another and the box shrunk again. She cursed inwardly (though not really since she said 'fiddlesticks'). The song had to be something, right?

She pushed another bar, then another and this time, it didn't shrink. She pushed another, each time a bar fell away. Each push grew her confidence. Each one made her more excited. Eventually, the bars fell away and something fell out. Cassie let out a loud 'whoop' and was scolded by her neighbor in a colorful mix of slurs and what she assumed was...Spanish?

She took the letter and read it. Then read it again. Finally, she put it down and jumped all around the room.

What a fantastic birthday present.

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Strange Academy was breathtaking as Cassie entered the soiree that was happening. She tried not to look like some starry-eyed newbie, but she could hardly believe she was here. She looked around at some of the other students, trying to size them up. Some had to be new here, too; it stood to reason. She saw some ghostly hands serving nourishments and food which she didn't partake in. Her stomach was too busy doing flips for her to get anything down yet.

She noted a couple other students all heading into one room in particular. Cassie remembered the letter said the Hall of Ancients was where she would find her room and Coven, whatever the heck that meant. She didn't want to ask for help, but she followed some through the third door, where she noted there weren't many other people inside. Was she to be in an exclusive club?

The room was decorated beautifully. She noted the choice of fabrics and color to convey what she was sure the intention was: this is the top. Anyone who is anyone is here.

The fish tank in particular caught her attention. It was made of crystal and housed an assortment of fish that blended in a kaleidoscope of colors. They shifted shape and form. It should not have surprised Cassie as she was standing on the precipice of magic school, but it was grand either way.

After spending what could be argued as an incredible amount of time basking in it she noted the sign close by. Catch One. Wow, magic school was wild. Was she to catch her dinner? Or was this a test perhaps! Like whatever fish she caught would be a test, or possibly sorting her into some school-based group where she would make lifelong friends and possibly an enemy or two.

She debated how best to proceed. It was pretty evident this wasn’t something as simple as grabbing a fishing pole or just dunking your hand in. If this were a magic school, she would need to do some magic.

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Her magic was….intense. Chaos incarnate if her parents were to be believed (and, she noted, they were correct in this aspect). So, how to catch one of the fish? Cassie walked up to the crystal encasement and lifted her hand as a faint, red glow reverberated out of her palm, her eyes glowing darker as she summoned a spell she had used before.

Her eyes landed on one of the fish that went from a light, green color to gold. She waved her palm and uttered an incantation under her breath as her spell was sent forth. To the trained eye, an image would appear over the fish’s head: an adornment of glass and thorns. A tiara sent spiking through its skull, implanting itself in its scales. The fish wriggled a bit, aghast at the damage done, but soon, it stopped and paused there, uncertain.

Still using her spell, she uttered a command to it: ”Come to me.” Simple, yet effective. The fish started swimming up to the top and, as it neared the cusp of the water, Cassie reached in quickly and grabbed the fish, taking it out of its home. It didn’t squirm or fight. Instead, it seemed to accept its fate.

“Wonderful. Another Gray student. Everything we needed.” Professor Croan tsked. “Perhaps our illustrious headmistress will graciously take her off our hands.”

“That was an excellent casting, dear! And the flair, the tiara, gorgeous. Magnificent!” Professor Mikkail cheered.

“There has seemed to be an uptick in this magic type recently and we should be concerned, Mikkail. However, her technique did show excellent potential and danger hasn't stopped me before.” Sariel extended her hand to shake. “Professor Sariel, artificer advisor. If you ever want to explore the true limits of your powers, do not hesitate to knock on my door.”

Cassie hadn't quite noticed the other people there, standing in obvious attention to those who went after a fish. Cassie looked and her fish had turned into a key. She noted it and put it aside for now as she shook the woman's hand in front of her. "Oh gosh, umm. Thank you! I would love to learn more. Thank you, all of you!" though one in particular wasn't happy with her, it seemed. What did they mean by 'Gray'? Was it a mark on her record already?

Satisfied somewhat that she had made a good starting foundation for her time here, she shuffled off to the side. Some people were around, but she didn't know if they were old friends or whatever. She hoped she would not be the only new person here. She desperately wanted to fit in. Well...as well as someone that can bend and shape chaos to her will can fit in.

Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️

Sabine Bassard

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Location: The Kingston-Gray Household
Skills: N/A
Powers: N/A

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Sabine took in the chaos she had brought, the day's earlier events slowly wiping from her mind. It reminded her a bit of her early childhood, before she could fully grasp the ramifications of the loss of her mother, her father's fear of her, and everything that came with that particular Pandora's Box.

But fuck it, she was here with friends, and that is what mattered.

First, Dorian had to be logical about it. Oh, can't possibly do it because Captain Marvel is a girl! Andy was no-nonsense about it, which tracked. "Ugh you guys are being lame! A good Fuck, Marry, Kill is supposed to make you question your life choices and what your morals are. Sexuality is thrown out the window because, Dorian, what if I gave three women? Can't just abdicate, that's not in the spirit of the game!"

Then Leah started. Sabine didn't know what to expect, honestly. Leah didn't have a childhood like the others. Granted, most of their childhoods were not the best, but at least they had something. Leah had...well, she had a lot. And most of it was not good for her. So Sabine hoped Leah would let her guard down a smidge and take part. Hell, she already had a milkshake and was sticking around for the sleepover.

And then Leah answered. At first, Sabine didn't catch the comment. It slipped past her, but she felt something in her stomach, like it was twisting around. Not from anything bad, but like..butterflies. Then it hit her. Leah had said she would marry Sabine. Granted, it was in the context of the game, but that wasn't normally a part of it. Did Leah want to marry her someday? Did she want to marry Leah?

Thankfully, Danni interjected, bringing her back into focus. His answers were expected. "Okay, now we're getting into it." She looked at Leah again, a million questions on her tongue, but she only smiled and returned her attention to the others. She was expecially interested to see how Vicky would answer.

Château de La Lune

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Millicent

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Location: Château de La Lune: Outside Hallway
Skills: N/A

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Millicent looked around to see if Miguel would show up after all the commotion. Surely hearing everyone would have woken him up no matter how late they stayed up. But he never appeared.

Millicent had chosen to trust him and she was now second-guessing herself. Did he know something? He unloaded his secret with them last night and seemed prepared to go investigate this family and the reason they were all there. Did he leave? Was he all right?

No one else seemed to care, which given that Renee's body was being removed didn't seem out of the ordinary.

But surely someone knew. Sam had finished doing whatever it was with Tony so she walked up to him. "Sam, I haven't seen Miguel since last night and I am getting a little worried. I was going to go check his room and see if he's okay. Would you want to come with?" It was more so for protection and safety in numbers. For all she knew, someone had hurt Renee and were still walking around.

Camp Athens - Closed

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Make sure she has a bed tonight? God, she was adorable. Roxxy had dated a decent amount. Her journey of coming out was easy compared to most. It wasn’t like she had parents to be disappointed in her, so when she discovered she liked girls at the age of 9, it was simple. Then she started getting crushes, hanging out, and kissing. Few foster parents cared enough to ask.

Roxxy didn’t lke to think she had a type. She dated a biker with dreadlocks, a nerdy botanist, and a preppy athleisure model who was a virgin. Tess was something special. Was it because she was in a similar boat to herself? Perhaps. But her stumbling over her words made her feel a little tingle.

”Sure, we can go check it out. Shouldn’t be a long trip.” She mentally thanks whoever was looking out for them that Forest had decided not to tag along and was in conversation with another man who walked up. Roxxy stood up from the chair and waited for Tess.

Tess eyed the bottle of mead that Forest had offered, one hand still placed on the bar as she considered bringing it. She didn't want to seem rude by denying it, already feeling a slight warmth pulse beneath her chest. At the same time, the last thing she needed was to end up wasted and at the mercy of a bunch of strangers (even the gorgeous ones). Tess instead offered a nod of thanks for the well wishes to Forest, before she too slid from the barstool.

As she took a few steps with Roxxy, she felt her heart rate spike. This was unfamiliar waters. While Tess didn't have many friends, especially in recent years, she had met other demigods. She had shared a few fleeting moments of intimacy with some, but it was always a spark in the pan. This, surely, was just another cracking ember. This moment too, would pass. But Tess hadn't felt this tight nervousness in her stomach before. They were treading unfamiliar waters in a strange new environment.

”We don't have to be quick.” Tess, yet again, seemed momentarily unfamiliar with the connotation of her statement, the same frayed nerves more evident on her face. Tess looked back at the crowded bar, feeling a bit more comfortable the more she moved from the others. ”I'm not really used to crowds. Especially not with… well, people like us.”

Roxxy intended to take her time, but she also didn’t want to pressure Tess. ”Works for me.” Roxxy fell back as Tess caught up. She looked around, ensuring they were heading in the right direction. ”I don’t mind crowds, but people can be….a lot. Especially the ones like us. Never met any before coming here. I thought I did once, but he turned out to just be some buff dude who said he was “like Zeus”. If you don’t mind me asking since we have some time, what made you decide to come here?”

Tess rubbed her hands together, less for warmth and just more from an uncertainty on what to do with them in this outfit. ”I'm trying to find out.” Her response remained terse for a moment, as she weighed her options. Relative honesty seemed like the best strategy for getting clear answers in return. ”I've been training for… something, but I'm not sure what. Got a letter from my mother, telling me this is where I need to be.” It sounded dumb, even ridiculous. Tess treated it all as gospel. ”You?”

”Well, I don’t really know. Never knew my father or mother, got bounced around in the foster care system until they were legally allowed to throw me out on the curb so I made it for myself. But there was always that…tug. Like…I knew something was missing and, obviously, I could do things normal humans couldn’t, so I wanted to find out why. And when I found out who my father was I got more curious. So after doing some research, I found this, and here I am. I don’t expect my father to show up, of course, but I figured I could get to know some people like me, maybe meet my siblings, though I won’t hold my breath.”

Tess nodded, settling on shoving her hands into the pockets of her high-waisted slacks as they walked. ”Oddly… I hadn't even thought about having siblings here.” She hesitated a moment, playing Roxxy's words through her head. It was better to be safe than sorry. ”Who is your father?”

”Good ol’ Ares. I don’t know much about him apart from what I picked up in a library or two, but I imagine they don’t always get it correct.” Admittedly, learning more about Ares made Roxxy not want to meet him. Dude was not well-liked. But she was here to see anyway.

”What about yours? Surely a goddess of beauty or something similar.”

Tess’ blush returned as she sheepishly looked away. ”No… Artemis.” From everything Tess had read, Artemis wasn't a goddess of beauty. Her father would have almost disagreed, based on his drunken ramblings on late winter nights. Roxxy was clearly just being sweet, and it was definitely working.

”Artemis, goddess of the hunt. She’s pretty badass from what I know. Any special talents associated with her?” Roxxy felt her flirting was doing its job, but she couldn’t be totally sure. Tess could just be incredibly shy and too afraid to push off her advances.

”For her… shifting into animals. Turning other people into animals. Talking to animals. I don't think I inherited any of that.” She looked up into the sky for a moment, catching a few stars in her sights as they walked and subconsciously charting the cardinal direction they were travelling. ”Ares… the god of war, right?” She wasn't quite sure how to replicate Roxxy's own question back, settling instead to let her simple question be an offering for further elaboration.

”Among other things, but that seems to be the biggie. Makes me a good fighter, really strong, and can summon weapons to use, though I haven’t used that one much. The strength comes in handy at my shop and I’ve never lost a fight, though many have tried. So no drawbacks as far as I can see.”

Tess nodded, facing Roxxy as a small smile formed on her lips. ”You haven't lost a fight yet.” She bit the corner of her lip after she spoke, her eyes bright with excitement. She hadn't met a proper warrior before, and an opponent with actual powers was an exhilarating prospect. But under the surface of her words, there was a playful yearning. She wanted to spar with Roxxy, sure, but that wasn't the kind of physical contact she was looking for tonight. Tess was hoping for a far more intimate tussle.

Roxxy grinned wickedly. ”Is that a challenge? I’d be down, but I wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face.” Roxxy drew nearer to Tess. She didn’t have a battle in mind, though if she had her way they would get tired and sweaty. ”Perhaps after tonight. For today, something better?”

”Better?” Tess asked playfully. She didn't back away from Roxxy's approach, a mixture of pride and excitement flushing through her system. ”And what exactly did you have in mind for tonight, Roxxy?” Her tone was a bit more direct now, removing her hands from her pockets.

”Well, let’s see. What can two attractive, well-intentioned women get up to in a cabin in the middle of camp all alone?” Roxxy knew what she wanted, but if Tess just wanted to talk more, that was good too. ”Let’s get there and see where the night takes us, maybe?”

They neared Roxxy’s chosen cabin and she stepped towards the door. She opened it and looked in. ”Well, fully furnished. And in a style I actually like.”

Tess’ eyes scanned the cabin, noting how modern and borderline suburban it felt. It was a far cry from the more cramped and rustic cabin that she had, but it was not altogether unwelcome. Roxxy's approval of the place said a lot about her. ”It is nice. It suits you.” Tess took in the space for a moment, before turning her gaze to Roxxy.

They had been dancing around something unspoken, and Tess was not particularly good with words. She had hoped that her racing heart and perspiration were just a response to the crowd of people… but they persisted even now in relative isolation. Tess cared not for pleasantries or small talk. ”I'm sorry… I… well… I want to kiss you.” Her request was awkward and stilted, but it was the most clear she could possibly be.

Tess was right, it did suit her. And normally, Roxxy would question how that could possibly be. Did she just happen to pick the right cabin that suited her tastes or did she pick it and, by some magical force, it furnished it with things she would like?

But an attractive woman just admitted she wanted to kiss her and Roxxy didn’t need more of an invitation than that. Pulling Tess in and closing the door, she pulled Tess in and kissed her. Intense and passionate. She had been wanting to do that since she first laid eyes on her. ”I wanted that the moment we met.” She leaned in more, allowing herself to taste and enjoy the moment. The world around her blurred and faded. She savored it a moment longer before settling. ”What do you know? I’m seeing fireworks and the New Year hasn’t happened yet.”

Tess was left speechless, her hands reflexively pulling Roxxy in close as the two kissed. The feeling had been mutual, even if she hadn't been able to clearly vocalize it. But she tasted sweet, most certainly from the mead. When their lips parted, Tess slowly took a half step back to be able to look at Roxxy through her lashes. ”Fireworks?” Her confusion melted, however, as her brain began to process Roxxy's own confession. ”I… guess it's a good thing I came when I did. I didn't realize people celebrated a new year, and I almost slept through it. We never really did holidays, my dad didn't see a point.” Tess paused a moment, her hands flexing on the small of Roxxy's back as she refocused on the moment at hand. ”That was good. I liked it.”

Roxxy moved in to her cabin now, resting on one of the chairs and gesturing for Tess to follow. ”The way I grew up, holidays weren’t really a celebration either. Hard to celebrate with people who didn’t want you.” Roxxy kept quiet about the many Christmases where she was gifted second-hand clothing or toys while the others (the correct children one of her fosters had said) were given actual gifts. Or the Halloweens where she was forced to stay home and hand out the candy while the others went out Trick or Treating. And every New Year felt the same so why bother hoping?

”Well, perhaps this New Year will be different for both of us then? It’s already shaping up to be pretty spectacular.”

A small pang of pain shot through Tess’ chest. She followed Roxxy, taking in her words and standing beside her as she sat. She looked about the room more carefully, taking in the details. Without realizing, she had lifted a hand to Roxxy's shoulder to give a reassuring squeeze. ”It has been the most exciting New Years Eve for me so far.” Tess looked down towards Roxxy, crouching down a little to get more in her eye-line.

”This seems like a good opportunity to get a fresh start. Do what you want. Live.” Was she speaking to Roxxy, or herself?

Roxxy wrapped her hand on Tess’ own on her shoulder. ”Then, to living.” Roxxy scooted closer, taking Tess and bringing her in again to kiss her gently. She wanted more. ”Do you want to take this further? I’m good with wherever you are at.”

Tess softened under Roxxy's touch, and nodded at her words. Crouching wasn't going to work. So, she hooked one knee up on the couch next to Roxxy. Her other knee settled on her other side, until Tess was straddled over her lap. She turned her hand up to lightly tug on Roxxy's wrist, guiding the hand over towards the buttons of her black blouse. ”I don't have a lot of experience,” she explained, guiding Roxxy's other hand up towards her shirt. ”Only kissed a few.” Tess coaxed Roxxy's hands to slowly thread the top button from its hold. Her breath caught slightly at the sensation. ”So we can go slow. Maybe you can show me what you like.” Confident that Roxxy understood the message, Tess lifted her hands up to bunch up her long brown hair to keep it out of the way. ”I'm a quick learner.”

Roxxy liked a girl who knew what she wanted, but she enjoyed showing her the ropes also. She worked, undoing the buttons on Tess’ top, starting to believe the shy, stumbling-over-her-words woman from before seemed to grow a touch more confident in private. Not that Roxxy minded. ”Well, I like long walks on the beach and getting lost in the rain. But since we have precious little of that here, why don’t I just show you what I like and I can reciprocate in kind? I’m a giver like that,” Roxxy said, allowing herself to get lost for a moment, not quite believing she landed a beautiful woman her first day here.

Roxxy moved a bit to take off her jacket and bring her top over her head. Taking in the sight before her, Roxxy said a small bit of thanks to whoever is watching out for her.