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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Astral Plane of Sweden
Age: 33
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It wasn't the cool sort.
Anyway, I thought I'd share something that for once seems funny. I hope it is because I LOL'ed a lot while writing this. I really need some feedback on this, please.
Spoiler for Spying on memories:
“If you were to have any faith in the gift of arcane magic, Matron Quenthel, now might be the best of times,” Gromph told his sister whilst they were inside Miyazaki's room.
The girl was asleep and unaware of the two's intrusion. The room had once belonged to a Baenre named Maevra but she had been killed by rebellious kobolds during a slave uprising that was the start of the Underdark War of the North more than twenty years past. So the room had been given to the human upon her arrival.
Gromph had also noted the cleanliness of the room; His nephew Prath, a student now in his 14th year in Sorcere – the wizard school – had kept a very tidy room in comparison to Gromph. The archmage had been very sloppy as an apprentice, usually sneaking in a bottle of wine every now and then but failed to keep his room clean. By drow standards, Prath had been very efficient in keeping things in order.
By comparison, this room made Prath look like an utter slop.
Where did she find the time to clean up? Granted she had a personal slave but even they were not this thorough. Had there been any light in here, the desk would have sparkled. The books were in perfect alphabetical order and every quill were collected neatly and stored in a box with two inkwells next to the box on the desk. Most shockingly of course to his sister was the lack of spiders.
Every drow had spiders in the ceiling of their room. Odds of getting bitten were ridiculously low and that was mainly due to them having an innate affinity for the arachnids. Here even the webs were missing.
Now all of that was not important if they couldn't fix her eyesight. “You are at least a better choice than Pharaun Mizzrym, brother,” she told him. “He was an excellent wizard but a very poor companion and servant.”
“Oh, I had simply no idea,” He said in monotone. “I should have picked somebody else to come alongside you on your secret mission for the good of Menzoberranzan.”
“Watch it,” she warned him and he kept quiet after that.
Nodoka was heavily asleep and the honey badger was watching the two guests with curious eyes. It hadn't bared its teeth yet but it had shifted into a position that allowed it to jump onto either of them if it came to it. Little runt was willing to take them on, no matter what.
“So how does this spell of yours work?” Quenthel asked after a beat.
“We will travel to view her memories. I wrote the spell specifically to seek out memories beginning with magic events happening that day in her life. We should in theory travel directly to the start of the day when magic happened to her. Or when she first came into contact with it.”
“In theory?” Quenthel asked him. Those two words had always meant that things would not go as planned.
“It just means we won't go to where we would like to go,” he explained. “We will see the moments where she comes into contact with magic.”
“Let's get it over with,” she told him. “The sooner we shift through this, the sooner we can save Menzoberranzan.”
Gromph started with the gestures of the spell, before the words were spoken. The arcane words being spoken in Draconic were each a beautiful syllable, calling back to an ancient time. As he spoke them, the whole room lit up and the two drow felt themselves drawn into someplace else.
====
The first thing they heard was an irritating buzz from a little box of unknown material in a small, sunlit room.
And they saw Miyazaki stretch out her arms with a yawn. This was a much younger version of how they had seen her, but now they saw that her hair bangs hid her eyes. The girl wore simple nightclothes that consisted of frills and pants too short to cover her legs.
“Is this her?” Quenthel asked. “She doesn't look like much.”
“Yue, wake up,” Miyazaki called to someone in the room as well. “Today's when we get the new teacher.”
“Mmm... two more minutes, Nodoka,” Yue replied half-asleep. The drow saw a girl shorter than Miyazaki with a clear forehead and underdeveloped more than expected.
“Good morning!” Someone else came in through the wooden door and this one was more busty than the two first. Long hair, glasses and two strands of hair standing out above the rest of it. She wore something more akin to a uniform “Hey, sleepyheads, what's up? We get the new teacher today.”
“I'm getting ready, I'm getting ready,” Nodoka told her and swapped out of her nightclothes to get into her own uniform. After that she helped Yue get into hers. “Yue, we're gonna be late at this rate.”
“Alright, I'm awake,” Yue said. “Haruna, care to join us for breakfast?”
“Please tell me that time is stopped for our real selves while this is going on,” Quenthel said through clenching teeth.
“It is,” Gromph assured her.
It took more than half an hour to get breakfast over with. The two drow at least learned who the other two were: Yue Ayase and Haruna Saotome, both members of the Library Club like Miyazaki. Yue was a more controlled and calm person while Haruna had a personality much like their younger brother.
Those two were her best friends, so their lives should be preserved.
Now they were in a confined space, filled nearly to the brim with girls their age in the same uniform and wearing warm coats over them. They were talking about like it was the end of winter and the snow had just gone away. Quenthel had seen snow before, at least.
Then a powerful gust of wind came out from nowhere and many a skirt went flying (along with girls screaming) to reveal the contents underneath. Gromph was unaffected by the sight.
Then doors opened out of the confined space and the girls all rushed out, Miyazaki included, with her friends in tow. The space in front of them was cramped with girls, some used a board that had wheels underneath (weird) and at least one had a... mechanical horse of some kind?
The rush was fast and didn't last long. The girls changed their shoes to indoor (Odd) and then headed into crowded rooms up the stairs. Easily recognized as classrooms, the rooms were filled with girls of the same age as them and the one Miyazaki was in had a peculiar collection.
A young girl with long blonde hair, one the same age as them but with ears longer than even elven ears and green hair, a dark skinned girl taller than the rest and carrying a dangerous air to herself and two twin girls as if they did not belong there.
Most of the girls in the room were incredibly beautiful for their age, some even by drow standards. “These girls are all the same age as Miyazaki?” Quenthel asked rhetorically.
They settled down, Gromph and Quenthel standing by the door. They heard that there was going to be a new teacher and they noticed a redhead was not being happy about it. And then the door opened.
A black light bar came down first and went past the drows' heads to stop slightly above a young boy's head. Then it continued and landed on his head, revealing white dust. Then the boy unleashed the rest of the trap, falling forward to the teacher's desk.
“Ah, the teacher let his apprentice go first to unleash the traps,” said Gromph. “Clever if a bit cruel to the apprentice. Unless this is part of learning to become a teacher.”
“A kid?” someone in the classroom asked and walked up to the boy. In fact, a few of them did. “We're sorry, but we thought that you were our new teacher.”
Then the beautiful and tall blonde woman [Yes, she is blonde] spoke up, “Oh, but he is your new teacher. Please allow him to introduce himself.”
“What,” said Quenthel and looked at the boy as he reassured himself by the desk.
“I'm Negi Springfield and starting today, I will be train- er, teaching English here at this school. I will only be here for the third term but I look forward to getting to know all of you.”
“Wait, that's-” The matron started.
“Him!?” The archmage finished and the two looked at each other. “You knew of him, too?”
“I'm surprised you are shocked of this event, too,” she defended herself and then the class exploded in what could be best described as a child finding something it liked immensely. They all rushed at the boy and proclaimed that he was cute and bombarded him with questions about him.
“I can already tell that this will be a fun experience,” Gromph said flatly.
====
“Okay, so she didn't tell us how old he really was,” Quenthel said in their discussion after the lesson Negi had held. “How come that a child his age was able to be made a teacher?”
“She did tell us that he was a mage, didn't she?” Gromph said as he watched the younger Miyazaki walk down the causeway to a great building on the island in the middle of a lake. “It could be seen that he is doing the job as a teacher to become a fully licensed one.”
“And just why would he need a license? It's magic. It's something you just do if you have it.”
Gromph defended his case with a logical observation. “In the human country Cormyr on the surface, all magic users has to register themselves before being allowed to use magic. And in the city called Baldur's Gate, there is an order of mages that arrest those who use magic without a license. It should stand to reason that the mages on Miyazaki's world undergo a field test after training from school to ensure that they can work in the normal society of their world without it for periods of time. After which, they gain a license.
“Personally I find it ridiculous that one should undergo such tests but we are not in a position to argue with them how they go through with it.”
They left it at that and then they found that Miyazaki had entered a library. Except that this library was larger than the Baenre library and it went on further downward with students actually walking on top of the bookshelves. “She did not make up the library experience,” Gromph said softly.
It took them an additional hour for something to happen. It gave them time to look around the complex of this academy. It was grander than anything they had seen before and do trees really get that big?
Then it happened. Miyazaki was carrying a large pile of books and walking down stairs when she fumbled her step and lost her balance to fall over the edge. The landing would have snapped her neck...
if it weren't for the gust of wind that stopped her fall and the Springfield boy diving in to catch her. “Okay, so that is where it started,” said Quenthel.
Then they noticed that redhead girl from class staring at the boy. Just as Miyazaki was waking up, the redhead, named Asuna from what they recall, grabbed Springfield and bolted for the woods. “No! Damnit, we can't follow them,” said the archmage. “We're stuck with Miyazaki.”
“Another flaw in that spell you pulled, brother?” Quenthel said with anger. Then she shook her head. “We can't stay mad at each other. But now we have found a conflict. That Asuna girl knows that he is a mage, or at least now she does. She could be a problem for us.”
“Yes, she could be. Now we should ensure to remember the faces of those we meet and ascertain what role they play in Miyazaki's old life,” said Gromph. He was certain that they would be most important in finding out just how they could save their city.
====
“Evangeline-san!” Springfield exclaimed in shock as he saw that young blonde girl from class reveal herself.
“Hmm, such power at such a young age... you really must be his son,” Evangeline said and procured two vials.
“His son?” Quenthel asked. “We're missing a few details here.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Didn't you know? There are both good mages and evil mages,” Evangeline said as she threw the vials at Springfield and the spell blew up in his face. He was able to block it but he could not do the same for Miyazaki's clothes. Those were ripped to shreds until she was practically naked.
“They actually have spells that do that?” Quenthel said. “They must believe in that displaying nudity in public is a bad idea.”
Gromph kept quiet, because that did sound like hypocrisy. Drow did have laxer nudity standards than humans but even they knew it was dumb to just walk in a square without clothes. Yes, keeping quiet was the smart idea.
“Negi-kun,” came Konoka, the brown haired girl Springfield was working with and Asuna was with her as well. “What happened?”
“What the-” Asuna was more concerned with Miyazaki. “Honya-chan!?”
“You're the vampire, Negi-kun!?” Konoka asked the boy and Quenthel committed the traditional facepalm.
“No, it's a mistake!” Springfield called against them, then looked over to the smoke where Evangeline had disappeared.
“Hey, who was that?” Asuna asked.
“Asuna-san, Konoka-san, please take care of Miyazaki-san! She's unconscious, but otherwise fine,” said Springfield as he strapped his staff to his back.
“Hup, there he goes again,” said Quenthel. “At least it's not as bad as that incident in the library he had with her.”
“I'm going to pursue the one who did this. There's no need to worry, you two go on home.”
“I am definitely refining this spell,” said Gromph. “We need to be able to move about with more freedom if we are to learn anything at the rate this is going.”
“How long until she learns?” Quenthel asked.
“I'd say a month or so.”
Then Springfield sprinted away at a ridiculous speed. Asuna followed shortly after.
====
They looked on with very blank faces as Springfield left the room and followed by Asuna who said simply that he really needed to find a partner. Someone next to Miyazaki said that if she were to become queen-
“So she told us the truth about him being a prince as well,” Quenthel said. “He doesn't look like one to me. Princes of the human lands have servants, regalia and weapons to fight the greatest of opponents. A vampire should be an easy match for him if he was one.”
“Send a child to fight one of the most powerful undead beings in existence?” Gromph questioned her logic. “Yes, I can see that being a clever reality with humans.”
Every girl in class argued about who was going to be the more suitable girl for Springfield. The boy was going to have his hands full.
====
“They actually make swimsuits that small?” Quenthel asked as they saw the girls trying to cheer Springfield up in the public baths. “I'm buying one when we get there.”
====
Finally, the drow caught a break. Miyazaki had gotten a note from the boy a few days after her attack by Evangeline, saying that he would like her to be his partner. She was waiting for him behind the dorm building.
“Seems a bit peculiar, but it seems we finally get somewhere with this,” said Gromph.
“Now we get to see some magic of this world. All we need is Springfield.” Quenthel felt satisfied with this event that was coming.
“Oh, there he is,” he said as Springfield came flying in and landed behind the bushes before coming out.
“Miyazaki-san,” he called out running to her. Wait, is that the little weasel from yesterday on his shoulder? “Are you okay?”
“Sensei...” Miyazaki said in reply.
“That's all she's gonna say?” Y'all got three guesses as to which grumpy lady said that and two of them guesses don't count. Ye get it wrong, I have a frying pan to beat ye ta death with.
“Huh, where are the thugs frying you?” Springfield asked all of a sudden and guess which male made a facepalm this time as the conversation went on with him asking if she was attacked.
“Well, Negi-sensei... do you really... want me as a partner?” Miyazaki asked him and he went into whispering with his weasel in frantic. The drow picked it up as the rodent being his familiar. “Um... I heard that you helped me again, the day before yesterday when everything was happening with the vampire. I feel like I'm causing you so much trouble. I'm so sorry.”
“No, you're not trouble!” Springfield said in reply. Gromph felt sick just hearing that.
“So if there's anything I can do for you in return,” the bookworm said while Quenthel tried to commit suicide by strangling herself, “I'll do my best to do it. So please ask me for anything.”
“Blagh, this is what we're expecting for the next few weeks?” Quenthel asked out loud. “Please tell me that we get to see something. We've been waiting for weeks for something to happen!”
They did see the familiar about, making something on the ground. Then he shouted, “Pactio!” and the whole circle lit up in magical energy.
“Finally!”
“This is a magic circle for creating a probationary contract with a partner,” the weasel explained. “You make the contract and then the new Minster Magi helps and protects the wizard. In exchange, the Minister Magi receives magical power that doubles her blood circulation and physical energy! And it makes her skin silky smooth! It's a big power up both physically and mentally. Good stuff all around!”
“It would be like as if he knew someone would be watching this,” The archmage said, finally satisfied with watching the memories.
“However, you're just a kid, aniki, so you cannot make a formal contract. It's pretty hard to choose a Minister Magi, so you're not gonna be so sure, y'know? And that's why we have the probationary contract system. Basically, it's a trial period! Puts a considerable limit on the benefits – shorter duration time, etc. - but you can have as many contracts as you like. Usually, only one person will have the formal contract, but the number varies on the wizard's capacity,” the weasel explained further.
“Oh, good to know,” said Quenthel. “Even with such limits, that kind of power could be what establishes us permanently as the 1st house. The others would be forced to obey us.”
“Wouldn't that go against Lolth's will?” He asked. Lolth did look out for too much order. The Spider Queen was a being of Chaos and if too much cooperation between drow was found, she stepped in. Likewise, she watched out for too much chaos. Chaos that could tear the drow apart. Would the houses of the city accept the permanent rule of House Baenre? Would they tolerate a queen at all?
“Wait, I have to kiss her?!” Springfield exclaimed with shock.
“It's the simplest way to establish a contract. There are other methods but they're a hassle...”
“No wonder,” said Quenthel. “We just need to find those other methods. I would not like to give a kiss to someone so lightly.”
And just as Miyazaki and Springfield were about to... Asuna came and smashed down the weasel, breaking up the contract circle. Just like the human children fell over, so did the drow.
“I am going to kill that Asuna bitch,” said Quenthel. “I don't care what your Good aspect says, I am going to kill her for some reason.”
“Assuming it is a really good one,” said Gromph.
And then they heard Chamo's sad, sad, story and then Springfield started to cry.
“Oh, cry me a river! What about us? This was the only good find for weeks and now we're stuck with it until something else happens to this girl! Do we look like we can follow you? NO!”
I'm not going to say who it was who yelled that at the humans.
“I am not happy right now.” Neither on that one.
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