this is Salem, a land filled with magic and maladies. It is a place where witches and their elemental familiars gather, a home to legend and
lore that predates time itself. Yet of all the wicked and wonderful stories the past can tell us of, the most magical are the ones yet to happen.
This is Salem - this is the start of your very own journey. Welcome to starfall
Starfall is an animaga witch roleplay set in mostly modern times. Members play as witches in a world plagued by monsters, where the only safe spots are walled cities. Starfall strives to be a character-driven roleplay with expansive lore and a highly interactive plotline. We want to allow members to
create and look back on a magical journey, and mold the site and its plot as their characters grow.
The situation is this: Beaivi Hospital has allocated rooms for forty of the witches who have been sleeping since the last day of the Empyreal Cup. Though their bodies are as healthy as the average person, no one has been able to wake them. Attempts to purify the dream-spell resulted in alarming drops to their vitals, so these efforts were stopped immediately in favor of the health of the patients.
[break][break]The situation is this: you're not even twenty years old. People in high places don't come to you asking for help in matters of life or death. And yet, the Helios Knight seal and signature of Lunacea Joyheart on this missive are very much real. In the letter she apologizes, because dozens before you have already tried to wake these people -- purifiers, athenians, weavers, alchemists, masters of their craft -- and yet not one has woken. They are on the verge of exhausting all possible methods at their disposal, and frankly, they are getting desperate. The situation is this: they need a seer.
[break][break]Entering a magically-induced dream made by someone this strong is a risk, of course, but that's why you'll have an anchor...
You receive an unexpected letter from Bailey Renico, magical prodigy of his generation and the current head of Lux University. He has been doing research on the affliction caused by Thalia Vesper on the last day of the Empyreal cup, and he thinks he has a solution... at least, in theory. The dream doesn't seem to be nightmarish like some of Thalia's other displays of power, but rather something more akin to a person's personal paradise.
[break][break] Though at first you probably wonder why he's telling you this at all, it quickly becomes clear that the dreamwalking seer he mentions later on in the letter is Charani Petrov, and the weaver with a "close emotional connection" to act as an anchor and pull him back to reality is you. The presence of a masterfully-made intangible thread within the envelope dispels any doubt of this fact.
[break][break] The goal, of course, is to try to wake those who are stuck in the dream, but if Charani is at a risk of delving too far in before that goal is reached, the wellbeing of your two takes priority. Even information on what the dream is like would be helpful to those trying to counteract it. It is especially important to note that you should be wary of being pulled too far in yourself. After all, thread can be pulled from both ends.
[break][break]
[attr="class","stafftemptitle"] ooc instruction
Each character has been given a mission which will result in a promotion to Acolyte if completed to the satisfaction of the governing body which hired them. Post as if this were a normal mission thread -- staff will post only if/when necessary, so there's no need to wait for them. If you'd like to use an item to gain insight into a spell / npc, please tag fall. There are no time limits, so you may begin at your leisure.
It is not every day that someone as powerful as Lucy Lu... er Lunacea personally asks for you to partake in a mission. Well via a letter but that was as personal as it would probably ever get with someone of her stature. Right? Right.
The hospital grounds had grown familiar to him. His time spent here now fairly often as he recognizes some of the staff caring for the 40 or so witches in essentially a coma. It is frightening the power that woman wields... to effect this many people so long after the event. There had to be some kind of trick to it. Some loophole that kept them from exiting the dreamlike state. What could it be.
Purification, Athenians, even Herbalists and potion masters had all fallen before her spell. How? What could he hope to do when others couldn’t? But he would try. He would try because he was asked. Because it was required of him. Because it was the right thing to do.
They were to meet at a patients room. He was young, probably only a couple years older than both the boys sent on this mission. He looked somewhat familiar, tanned skin with light brown or maybe dark blond hair. They had probably seen him in the hall at some point.
"Patient designation: Alpha Thirty Two. Real name S̷̻̠͎͖̬̩̃̀̄̓̐͒̑͋̕͜ͅi̷̪͛̍̇̋̄͠ḿ̴͔͓̩̦̽̒̈̈̈́̓̔̕o̸̧͈̰͚͌͛̃̀̊̅̕͘̚ṅ̸̡̩͊̈͜ ̷͉̀̉͌̓̈́̌̾̆Ḁ̵̧̨͖̗̭̜͎̊̏̇̑̕͝s̷͔̘̰̽̔̐́͐͠ţ̷̨͈̺̹͙̝͍̺̍͗̃̽̋͊̽̆̚r̵̨͍̯͔̈́̿̕ô̸̝̺̖̖̗͐́l̶̢̙̣̀͝a̷̡̨̜̳͚̍͋͋́̑̑͘͜“ came the voice he couldn’t quite remember. There were plenty more instruction and explanations why this young man was chosen as the test case. Young, from a moderately successful family, novice rank skill and well liked. They had to start somewhere. Charani’s canine familiar hung next to his leg as all this was explained. A red headed boy would be his tether. A tether that, while the familiar hated to admit, was the best bet for his master.
Charani hummed with a bright smile when Aiden had graced them with his presence. It was familiar. He knew nothing to bad would happen. Aiden wouldn’t let anything happen to him. Through all of this uncertainty, pain and mix of teenage hormones... he was sure of that fact.
”I’ll be counting on you Aiden. I know you can do it.” He would wait for confirmation. The nervousness obvious in his body language. He wanted to reach out and grab the boys hand for comfort. He wouldn’t. He shouldn’t. He wanted it. All he had to do now was focus all his power in the dream spell. Enter into Paradise, though he didn’t quite know it yet. Soon. There mission would begin.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
The emotional ride that was Bailey Renico’s letter is long since processed and set aside. From the initial excitement to the dawning cold to finally a stern sense of…something important. He’d been afraid, recognizing Charani in the letter but it had lessened slightly. He wanted to be there. He needed to be there. Aiden would be lying if he said he hadn’t already analyzed the thread Bailey had sent him, fearfully not wanting to damage it. He doubted he would, at his level. As he made his preparations, bowed his head to his patrons, and visited his grandparents, he began crafting and reciting three vital tenets in preparation for this most dangerous affair: [break][break]
1) Amelia Cunnigham was dead, and you saw her die. [break] 2) That unspeakable mix of emotions you felt for Charani Petrov was worth protecting, and [break] 3) You would both come back. [break][break]
Aiden Emerson walked into the hospital, clutching these three unchangeable truths to his chest, guarded by the family crest pinned to his neck. His clothes were proper, immaculate, a requirement of Marjorie before heading out on such an important task for the Knights and Lux University. Ah, and he would do well because he had to do well because so much was on the line wasn’t it? And in turn, both Emerson and Petrov clans would be elevated, and she just adored the thought. But this was the least of his worries. What floated around in his head was the fear of losing himself in that dream, that intangible paradise that lay ahead. A person’s true paradise. He thought he knew what his was. He’d thought long and hard about it, but he knew something was missing. He knew he couldn’t know the more of it because self-reflection was something he was horrible at. But he had a few thoughts, a few things that might trigger a panic if he encountered them. What worried him more was Charani, and if he would be able to bring him back with him. And if he should fail, what should happen to him? [break][break]
That lay heavier on his conscious than any mere matter of reputation of salvation of innocent witches. He was selfish in that respect. But he was ready. Marjorie has done her damndest to make sure of it. Mana pulsed through his body with every echoing step as he made it towards the patient’s room. Spells were carved into his very body, one after another after another. Everything to make him stronger, faster, unbreakable. Because he was so, very, valuable to Marjorie alive. Especially when she was too old and too tired to go looking for her son. Especially when it seemed like Aiden was still on a slow but steady spiral into his own destruction. Two birds with one stone, something Aiden was oh so very sure of. Positive even. But he couldn’t know. He couldn’t not know either. Whatever the case, he was as ready as he ever would be. McKenna walked with him; her form tinged a little more darkly in certain aspects. Her hooves usually soft grey and emitting a soft haze, were now black with obsidian hooves. Every so often, she would step, and little sparks would flicker out from under. The smoke she blew was dark, almost black. Her eyes were still the same blind gray as ever though, and her temperament remind the same. She padded next to her witch in an attempt to comfort his roiling thought. He needed to be at peace and in control. If not for his sake, then Charani’s. [break][break]
When he’s greeted by an old friend with a nervous smile, his cold expression melts into one of sympathy. In any other circumstance Aiden would’ve been elated to be chosen for this mission. Now? Now he was worried, guarded. “I’m just here for emotional support.” The ginger said bowing his head as he retrieved the intangible Bailey had given him. He began to wrap it around his pinky finger tying and retying and tying once more a knot. Once satisfied he wrapped the sparkling red thread twice around palm before gesturing for Charani’s own hand to repeat the process on him. The little thread shimmered before is snapped taught between their hands, establishing the connection it meant to protect before going slack once more. “Tug on it if you need me, and I’ll be able to find you. I’ll do the same. This doesn’t break.” He explained. At least, that’s how he assumed it worked. He wanted to say something reassuring, but he was unsure what. Every time he had tried to comfort Charani it had been stilted. He, to this day, still didn’t quite understand much about seer things. That brief taste of it during the battle with the old god, Jahr still confusing as ever. Unable to come up with anything particularly heroic or confident, he simply offered the blonde a smile and a nod. Dreamwalking. He hadn’t had a very good experience with it the last time. He remembered how he’d died in that dream, and how him and Charani had shared a deep and unspoken intimacy that proceeded to be the source of their break for months. They were better now, but he wasn’t fond of that magic. Still, if they believed it would help then he would be Charani’s anchor. He would bring him back.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
“Oh nice thread. But I mean we could maybe hold hands too?” Charani pouted and made grabby hands at the red headed boy. Stay strong Aiden. Stay strong. You’re weakness is showing so early in this fight.
Back to the subject at hand. The dreamspell would work better with their telepathic connection in tact. He could show Aiden what was going on instead of pulling him in directly. Sort of like a voice in his head to help guide him. The oracle or Alfred to his Batman. Of course the option to be pulled in accidentally was not off the table.
“Okay. You’ll be able to see what I’m seeing with my telepathy. This’ll be simple. Just pull be back when I give you the signal.” This would be fine for the moment. They would be able to get in and out quickly. They just needed to find the disturbance and help get rid of it. Or rescue the person trapped. He wasn’t sure which one would work better or be quicker.
“Oh well here we go.” He places on hand on the patients forehead and get him mana surge to life. Within a few seconds his eyes shut and he mind wandered into the dreamworld. Aiden would see it not long after inside his mind as the mental link took hold.
The place he was in looked like a city. Tall, towering buildings covered up most of the sky. There were people busting and roaming everywhere. There was the smell of metal and oil as strange machines zoomed by. People packed like sardines flowed past him. There was a set of keys in his hands. Where is this place?
‘Testing testing 1 2 3? Aiden can you hear me??’ He couldn’t feel the link himself... then again this whole world felt utterly devoid of magic. Well mostly. It was like magic was dying in this world to be more accurate. MADE BY SUNBUNS
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Aiden’s eyebrows knit together as he opened his mouth to explain Bailey’s thread, which he hoped would survive the duration of this mission o that he could dissect it himself, and simple smiled and gave a nod. “Umm…sure.” The redhead mumbled as he pulled up a seat near the seer. Didn’t want to fall and knock his head on the ground, right? With that Charani set to work and slowly but surely more and more pictures entered him mind through that mental tether. His vision flickered and he slowly forgot he was holding onto his chair and digging his nails in. McKenna took her spot near her trainer, laying down and leaning part of herself on one of his legs as a source of comfort. The images felt like visions, pieces of them that Charani had shared with him before. It was always disorienting to get this in their connection. He much preferred messages that were simply the other witch’s voice. Then, slowly but surely, he forgot he was in hospital, too engrossed in the world they were trying to enter in. [break][break]
Was this Paradise? Was this their patient’s paradise? It felt….shit. Like amplifying the energy form the Hovel times 100. Aiden could only look around before beginning to get jostled by the flow of people. There’s shouts and grunts and even curses and shoves as the boy made his way to the edge of an alley, eyes darting around wildly. He was adjusting, slowly but surely. ‘Uhh- I- I- hear you, Charani.’ He thought trying to keep his vision steady and waiting for that strange dream blurriness to kick in. Though, so far everything seemed sharp, and stable. “This shit sucks. Right McKenna?” He vocalized waiting to see if his familiar nudged him or something. Nothing. [break][break]
The tether that usually snapped into place when he moved farther or closer to Charani also didn’t really…feel like much of anything. He supposed that made sense if they were technically two feet apart in reality. In here though, this weird Dreamworld, Charani could be anywhere. Or would distance not matter since they were so close by in the waking world? He didn’t know. He tugged at the string they’d been given, and it still goes taught when he does. At least that was intact. He could feel that. He walled his fist around it like a warding charm. ‘Do you see anything big near you? We can try to meet up like that- if I can get past these crowds.’ Aiden added, looking at the city skyline. He didn’t see any particular decorations or signs that an event going on so maybe this place was just that overcrowded. Gross. This had to be worse than Mirrorlight. It definitely smelled worse than them.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
”Okay good. This place is very crowded so I pretty much just see tall buildings.” There were large buildings made of mostly glass and steel from the looks of it. The street there were on made of stone so it had to be a richer city. No dirt path like one would find in some places of the Hovel.
What could he see that would be an easy landmark? Something large and probably easily distinguishable. There was a large red and white tower in the distance. What about there? It looked vastly different than the sloth of glass and steel that towered over him. What about that? Sure that will work.
“How about that tower?” The mental image would pop quickly into the other boys head. It looked somewhat far from where he was. There was a large crosswalk with hundreds of people near him. Tons of signs that lit up with something other than magic. Strange.
“Okay. Let’s get going me. Okay me. Great idea me.” He hummed to himself. He could send that to Aiden with telepathy but that would be weird. Not that this wasn’t weird. Maybe he was just overwhelmed by how alien this place seemed. He could barely feel any mana around him. It was kind of sad. On the other hand all these strange contraptions and things seemed so powerful and alien despite the lack of mana.
The walk wouldn’t be much. It was just getting around the people and going with the flow. Eventually they’d bump into each other. Maybe even before they got to the tower. Who knows? He sure didn’t. On the downside since there was a lack of mana in this dream it meant they probably couldn’t use much in the way of magic. The plus side was that meant whatever they’d have to face would have the same limitations right? Hopefully they could gather enough of this dreamworlds mana for a divination spell or two to help find the target at least. The telepathy was at least doing well though that was probably more to do with their real bodies doing the spell casting.
‘This place looks very weird. There’s so many people.’ He would see the redhead soon. He hadn’t even noticed his own body yet. He was a tad younger than he was in reality. He looked to be a good couple years younger with all the baby fat still in his face and possibly even shorter than normal. Not that it was hard to be short. His clothes were plain and a bag on his back. Is... is that a school uniform??? MADE BY SUNBUNS
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Much like in a previous dream walking state with Charani, he felt conscious, lucid, but not quite in control. Sure, he could move about and see clearly for once, but he wasn’t in control of his mana. He could barely feel his connection to McKenna, even though in reality she was resting right beside him in the outside world. He thought he would’ve felt conscious of something in the real world, but he supposed his only tether to it was the three mantras he’d memorized, and the way his string would go taught when he yanked on it to pull himself closer to Charani. At least he could still feel that. However, how was he going to get them out of here in the end? What did they mean by getting pulled in? [break][break]
It was a weird game of Marco Polo as Aiden couldn’t rely on the innate connection of their mental connection to lead him to a location. No to mention it had gotten harder to see around him. Had the people gotten taller? Or was he just shorter. His hands looked softer, less calloused and scarred up. He caught part of his reflection in a nearby storefront and did a double take. Slicked back, bright red hair, unnaturally saturated, dyed. He knew where to naturally look to find the roots that reflected black back at him. He had a bandage over his nose covering a new scar, an open jacket with a graphic t shirt underneath and slacks with a chain wallet attached to one of the loops safely attached to it. To top it all off was a pair of stuff cuffs on his wrists and a matching collar to match. Who had dressed him today? What was he carrying? He had on a light backpack, and he could see the end of an aluminum baseball bat sticking out. He almost felt embarrassed how much he stuck out. [break][break]
He shook it off quickly, expression tightening as he walked faster trying to find the blonde again. ‘Charani?’ he prodded to see if the connection got tighter. It didn’t, but he could hope. The attachment to Charani upon finding him is immediate. Aiden is visibly relieved to find his friend and is quick to snake his arm around the other boys as they fell into step with each other. He took a moment to eye the seer noting his different appearance as well. It wasn’t anything too drastic, but a lot of his more….out there, fashion choices had been replaced by a relatively normal looking outfit. Not that he was one to judge. His clothes had gone from that uniform suit and collar to…this disheveled looking school uniform. “What the plan? It smells like garbage here, and I definitely can’t summon McKenna.” He asked as they ambled closer to the big tower Charani had pointed out earlier. Anything to get out of this sea of people. ‘I thought this place was supposed to be paradise. I just feel uncomfortable.’ He added.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
”Paradise is in the eye of the beholder.” This world could easily be the product of someone without much magical power. Someone who felt powerless in the real world. This world had little mana so having any power would be high above what any native has. He can feel little to no mana in this fake dream populace.
Most of these people barely have faces. Reused parts that fade and blur from memory as soon as they are out of sight. Probably a byproduct of the dream world itself. A way to ‘save on data and power’ to fuel the dream. He sees hair dyed red. Much redder than it normally would be. Disheveled clothes that remind him of before he invaded Aidens closet and wardrobe. Chubby cheeks thick with baby fat and a more visible height difference between the two. Aiden had obviously hit his growth spurt earlier than he had.
“You look like a delinquent babe.” There was an audible laugh at the thought as they got close enough to actually verbally talk. There was a bell chiming as they got close to each other. One ring.
“We need to find the dreamer first. They should be one if the only other people with an aura here. Everything else is a creation of the dream without a soul.” He was sure that would be the easiest way to tell. It would cost very little mana to find them. Though perhaps whatever was keeping the person in the dream could also fake that. They’d find out later. Another bell chimes. Two rings.
“This place seems so full. But I can hardly feel any magic here. It’s very strange. Hmmm where should we start...”He knew they couldn’t just wander around the city waiting to find them. They also didn’t know how big this dream world actually was. It was hard to tell what should happen next. There was a chime once again. The final ring. Mana hummed in the air around the two. Something is coming. MADE BY SUNBUNS
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Who would find joy in a place so dreary? To note, everything just seemed gray. Even a glance upwards revealed overcast skies and dark clouds that drifted by ominously. ‘You’re shorter than I remember…’ Aiden returned, eyeing his partner quickly. “Well we have a profile of them, right? Young, popular. I doubt they’d lose that in this dream.” Aiden murmured. He wondered if their dreamer had something to do with their changed appearance or if it was just magic forcing them into roles once they’d entered. If that were the case why make them younger, and not keep them as they were? Then again, dream logic didn’t ever really make sense. It just kind of was, and it showed what the dreamer wanted to see. Most of the time. [break][break]
He glanced around, wondering if he was hearing things before turning back to his companion. “If he’s the only person with mana, we can probably catch him by wandering around right. Maybe we just have to find a pocket or particularly complicated dream. I’m sure it’s accommodating us, but the main protagonist probably had something more colorful to exist in, right?” That kind of thing should be easy to see from a distance. They just needed to get out of the crowds. There’s a change in the air, and he felt the hair on his neck stand up. ‘Is he coming? Or is it something else?’ the redhead sent quickly glancing around as they began crossing the street. There’s a noticeable spike in energy around them and considering how little experience he had with dream magic, it was definitely not him. ‘This isn’t you is it?’ he added, tensing as paranoia racked his brain. [break][break]
Maybe they should pretend to be part of the dream. Slightly more colorful NPCs. Quest characters that you don’t have to interact with, but they have a cute side quest if you want to see it. “I’m feeling crepes today. What d’you think?” he said as a spot on his back burned. A phantom pain that transcended every level of consciousness just to scare him. The tower loomed before them still a distance away, but reachable, if they ran. He wasn’t sure how safe it would be inside a dream, but at least it might be clearer than the middle of the sidewalk. The base looked a bit more open, and maybe, who knows, it was somehow a safe space. Anything could happen in dreams. The noise of the city seems to dull slightly as power starts spiking, slowly but surely. He felt a tremor in the earth. ‘Do you want to run or stick around?’ he asked, preferring to avoid trouble until they could figure out more about this person’s head. Then again, Charani had more experience with dream walking and Aiden was ready to follow him, if only to make sure he could come back out.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
”You look way tanner than I remember.” They were blended into the populace after all so their appearance would fit the world. “Agreed. They will probably fit something close to that here. Wherever this place is supposed to be.” Popular and young. An idol perhaps? Or some kind of school rocker or president or something perhaps? Who is to know.
“More than likely. Though the spell caster probably left something behind to protect the dream from outsiders so it will have a mana trace as well. We should avoid that if we can.” The guardian of this dream world in a a sense. He didn’t know how closely it followed this worlds rules or hoe this worlds rules worked. Usually anything inside a dream world was stuck obeying the laws of the dream. Without magic designed around that they were no exception.
“Nope. It is not me.” There was three rings almost like a large bell. A bell Aiden would recognize from his college classes perhaps. A school bell slowly getting louder with each of the three rings. Almost like the area was shifting around them. The dream moving things around to get them where it wanted them to be. There were a pair of gates next to them. Were they there before? They opened as if asking them to walk in.
“Crepes sounds good but I think they’ll have to wait.” He was very certain that those gates were not there before. The area behind the gates seemed normal to the naked eye. They hummed with energy though. Almost like an eluvian mirror with how they seemed to distort space just a bit behind them.
“Well. I think the dream wants us to go through those gates. Should we?”He reached out for the other boys hand. The other side he didn’t know what it would be. Or if they should even go. It was up to the redhead to decide. The gate would lead them right onto a school campus. Ignoring or leaving it would transport them back into the city at the giant crosswalk. Which do you choose.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Again, the faux redhead eyed his appearance on a passing storefront. He could understand enough about the role he needed to play in this world. Hopefully he didn’t miss some glaring intricacy that got them attacked. By what? He wasn’t sure. Whatever the guardian of this dream was. “Maybe as long as we play our roles here, we won’t alert whatever that is right?” he asked. Otherwise, there would be little point in him blending in with anything. He did his best to keep alert as the landscape changed. It wasn’t like before where blocks were being set together as they moved, but more complicated. Like every blink the place shifted seamlessly. They were walking where the dream wanted them to go now, too close to that thing to get away from it. Maybe their parts were coming up soon. The school campus stretched out before them and he didn’t have to pretend for this. “Tch. I was hoping to skip.” Dream school was probably the worst kind of dream. Monotonous and easily forgotten. [break][break]
He squeezed Charani’s hand, acting casual as his heart began to slowly pump just a little harder. “Don’t wanna be late right?” Not that it seemed that would be out of character for him. He doubted a delinquent with a bat was much for punctuality. Charani on the other hand…looked normal more normal. Probably better to help him keep in line. “Hopefully that’s just a warning bell and not first period.” He added with a shrug as he led them through the looming gates. He tugged at the string between them, reassured by the unmistakable presence of it. It was one of the few real things in the dream and it eased his nerves just a bit. [break][break]
There’s a weird feeling hanging in the air and he’s not sure if it’s the surge of mana or if the dream is trying to ignite some sort of urgency in him from his impending tardiness. He could see a few stragglers moving quickly through towards the entrance of the building. There was even a young girl he spotted that almost tripped and lost a piece of bread hanging from her mouth. He tilted his head slightly, wondering how exactly the bread hadn’t gotten soggy and fallen off on its own. Dream logic was weird, I guess.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
”It probably knows we are here. It probably will have a hard time pinpointing us if we blend in. It would disrupt the dream world if it aggressively searched for us.” They’d have to try to stay somewhat blended into the populace here. Otherwise they’d draw whatever was protecting this dream towards them quickly. The name of the game was stealth... or at least scope out as much as they could without mana. “We should keep spellcasting to a minimum. It’ll probably alert the dream if we use to much mana.” There was mana in this world at least so magic definitely exists here. It is very low compared to the real world or so it feels almost as if mana is leaving. More than likely it’s just an effect of the magic fueling the dream. Since the dream spell uses so much mana the world it creates has less to use. Or something like that.
“Yes let’s go. I’m curios how this school will be.” The world had little magic to it so it was doubtful any class would be about that. Maybe math? Eew. He hoped it wasn’t math. He takes personal offense to math because of his gayness obviously. Totally.
There was some weird girl running while eating toast and some straggler kids as he pulled Aiden towards class. There was a group of kids dressed similar to Aiden near the entrance smoking. They had wild colored hair and few looked to have tattoos. Probably fake given their age this world. A few of them waved at Aiden trying to wave him over perhaps? One made an obscene gesture and a whipping motion at the boy even.
He was certain the dream was trying to separate them here. They had the mental link Aiden kept tugging at though so they could always contact each other. The group of delinquents looked to be friendly enough at least? Or at least seemed to like Aiden enough to rib on him in public. Charani was the odd one out. The dream was probably trying to steer him to class.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
The witch nodded. “I’ll refrain from practicing my dream magic then.” He said. He hadn’t been quite confident in using his abilities in the dream world anyway. He remembered one spells form the previous dream he’d experienced, but who could say it was the same rules. It wasn’t Charani’s world after all, but the menace that had appeared during the Empyreal Cup. “Boring.” Aiden returned with a shrug, not excited in the least for school. He seemed to perk up feeling a bit of camaraderie from, of course, the delinquents of the schools. They seemed to perk up around one of their own. The edges of his mouth began to curl into a grin before stopping as he began to turn bright red. Keenly aware that he was still holding onto Charani he immediately dropped. “See you at lunch?” he asked, breaking eye contact with his dream pals and looking back down at Charani. His own hands had been firmly shoved into his pockets. [break][break] ‘I’ll let you know if I find anything interesting.’ He added fidgeting awkwardly, still very much aware of the eyes on him. As he began to lean down, he could hear a couple of them heckle him, one even taunting him while others laughed. He felt himself boiling under their jeering half frozen with embarrassment. It was like trying to say bye to your date in front of your parents embarrassing. “I-Ignore them.” The ginger huffed, though it was probably more so directed at himself than at Charani. His resolve for a kiss weakened, he settled for grabbing the other boy’s head and giving him a quick kiss on the temple before turning away and rushing off to join his pals, who were by now, hootin’ and hollerin’ up a storm while Aiden yelled back at them. [break][break]
“Everyone one of you is just jealous!” he snapped trying to act tough despite the echoing laughter around him. As he caught up with the group, he got the feeling classes wasn’t typically something they attended. He mentioned as much to his partner as he nodded along, moving with the pack as they moved to avoid authority figures from demanding they attend the snooze fest that was class. He declined the offer for smokes, preferring to eat breakfast he found stashed away in his backpack. His eyes flickered to their surroundings when he noticed his friends look around to, keeping an eye out for snitches as the bell began ringing once again. “Did you manage to get answers for the next test?” “Yeah but try not to get every question right or its more obvious…” He vaguely followed along to plans laid out for the week. “Don’t skip Home Ec, it’s cookies day.” Aiden found himself saying, the information bubbling out of nowhere.
"I just came here to the party for the drugs Not here to make a friend or fall in love"
”Just be careful. Okay?” The boys looked rather harmless but you could never be to careful. They just looked like outcasts trying to be wannabe gangsters without much idea of what that actually means. It’s like they had a look but that was it. Some school kid version of delinquent behavior like skipping and smoking cigarettes. That’s it. “Okay. I’ll see you then.” There was a smile on his lips like he knew where they would meet. Where they always met, outside his classroom of course. That memory was not his. It was a fabrication that seemed to weave its way into his mind. That is how dangerous some of these dream spells could be. It made you question things without realizing it. He got a little kiss goodbye and Aiden running his hand through his hair. That was good enough for now.
The young man walked into the school, a backpack on his shoulder as a girl came to walk by him talking about something. He doesn’t know what. All he knows is it sounds familiar. The weight of the backpack does too even though it wasn’t there moments ago. No doubt an addition to the world by the dream.
Classroom 1-B opened its door for him. There was a feeling that he should go inside of it. That this was the normal course of his day. His desk was inside of course and they’d begin lessons. That was what the dream was putting into his head. Follow it and stay alert.
He chatted a bit with two people his dream memories recognized. The girl from the hall and a boy who sat in front of him in class. Perhaps they were cast as his friends in the dream. Before long the lesson would start.
In classroom 2-A there was an empty seat where Aiden should be. It had seldom been used it looked like. No doubt from the skipping and delinquent behavior. Nobody seemed surprised by the handful of empty seats no doubt from his dream friends or at least a few of them. No doubt they were scattered amongst the groups of classes. One seat though looked different than the others. Why was that? Oh well onto class while Aiden probably gets heckled or talked to about his “little girlfriend”. Partially to tease Aiden and partially a jab at how feminine Charani looks in comparison. Plus they were all virgins so he was like the only one who even kissed someone let alone anything else. He was right they were a bit jealous.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Aiden Emerson doesn’t have to work hard to be one of the group. The easy demeanor, the tough posturing, the rowdy behavior- it all came naturally. That’s what he was after all: a delinquent pretending to be an heir apparent. This vibe is familiar, and a welcome relaxed encountered compared to every other meeting with the elite of the Helios Knights. As much as he said he was used to it, the manners still chaffed, and the leash bound around his neck still itched. It was good to let loose. He understood why rich kids often did. Though he wasn’t rich here, judging by the fact he wasn’t exactly leader to anything. They didn’t really have one it seemed, moving easily in tune to whatever suggestion was thrown out there. Fickle, and unorganized. Friendly. At least to each other. [break][break]
He easily takes the jabs, still blushing hard as they jostle each other on the stairs heading up to their homerooms and then immediately past it. A few of them, Aiden included dart in before the teacher arrives to drop off their bags. Aiden is quick to set his stuff under his chair and hearing his friends rush out he’s followed behind, but not before smacking himself into another abandoned desk. “Fuck!” he hissed, rubbing his hip as the desk screeched against the vinyl flooring. He quickly righted the desk, vaguely wondering who sat there. He had the urge to mess with it. It just looked…so pristine. Maybe later he’d draw a dick on it. The redhead managed to open the top for a moment, to peer through at books for a hint before remembering he needed to go. “Bathroom!!” was the vague excuse he gave as he whizzed by a teacher as she entered the classroom. [break][break]
He didn’t have time for this after all. No, it was time to laze about in an abandoned classroom with the picked lock and the blacked-out windows. As long as they were quiet, they usually went unbothered. He shoved another boy, as he sat down while another proceeded to show test answers for, of course, math class. Collectively their worst subject. He easily took photos to memorize later. As they passed time for lunch, the redhead lazily tapped into his mental link again. ‘Nothing weird here. I think someone from my class is absent, but I didn’t get a name.’ He noted the dream didn’t provide him a name meaning they were irrelevant to his role’s interests. ‘Who are we looking for again? The name I mean. I remember their face. Sid? Simeon??’ He added as he studied each of his friends. None of them were particularly striking to him. Some when he focused seemed a little blurrier than others before coming into clarity. [break][break]
He perked up at another bell rang, standing up quickly unable to keep himself from grinning. “Visiting your girlfriend Aiden?” the taunts naturally came. He sneered at his companions as he headed for the door sending back a quick, “Least I have one!” before closing the door behind him and rushing out. The route was muscle memory at this point as he quickly moved through halls and down stairs before slowly to a casual walked as he approached the classroom. Cool, casual, collected. All things that Aiden was not, but he’d do his best to pretend he was. Sauntering into the classroom like he owned it, he took a moment to look for the boy, snarling a sudden “Move.” When someone bumped into him.
