CAMPUS WIDE EVENT: EVERYTHING AND THE KITCHEN SINK

[intercom_voice]

[Hopefully everybody likes waking up outside.

Because as it were, in the middle of the night when everybody had been asleep or lulled into a sudden one by the sheer weight of the air around them...the Campus disappeared in its entirety. Left behind was only the cool surface of the concrete foundation.

For now it seems the residents were left to fend for themselves in the wilderness of the island. Not even the voice from over the intercom would comfort them.]

((ooc: the school has disappeared, along with all the NPCs and everything that was inside! no opt-out areas this time around. The temperature is cool during the day, and colder at night.

The event will last until October 20th, and I'll post a closer to signify it. Everything will be returned to its rightful place then.))

Comments

[whiterosefoes]

[Harriet shows up in her armor, as he would probably have come to expect. She nods a greeting to him, although her orange eyes do slide toward the two-headed monster momentarily. It seems like Malik's self study is going along rather well. A result of her hints, she wonders?]

You're certainly enthusiastic... I take it you've prepared an offer, then.

[obeytherod]

The same offer as last time, Harriet. [He reaches back into his pocket, pulling out The Winged Dragon of Ra and showing the card face to her. It was a counterfeit, of course, not that she would know that.]

...I'll let you hold Ra--for the time being--in exchange for your lessons. [His expression remains stern, testing her gaze.]

[whiterosefoes]

[She comes over and eyes the card critically. If Harriet knew more details about Malik's criminal background, she may have smelled that lie coming. Unfortunately, she has no reason to suspect that he would have had a counterfeit prepared so far in advance... and with no resources to make such a thing in the Campus, she can only conclude that the card is indeed legitimate. She nods after a moment.]

My final condition is a ticket to the grand escape that you're planning.

[little does she remember that was what he offered her way back then, when they met on the roof...]

[obeytherod]

[Once Harriet has finished scrutinizing his counterfeit, Malik turns the card so it faces the ground, clearly relinquishing it to her.]

Keh keh...very well. Then when the time comes you'll return Ra to me, and the final part of our deal will be sealed.

[whiterosefoes]

Fine...

[she takes the card... and almost drops it from the feeling she gets from it. It's like all the magic in her body just physically recoiled at it and spiraled into a frothing rage. She hisses slightly.]

What the fuck?!

[obeytherod]

[Harriet's reaction had surprised him, even in spite of seeing what the counterfeit God cards had done to those who tried to summon them. After all, summoning the card and merely touching it were two different things.

His expression had almost betrays him before he coolly covers it up with a lie and his usual arrogant smile.]

Careful~ The Gods don't like being held by just anybody. Sometimes they'll bite at first, if your soul isn't worthy.

[whiterosefoes]

Ugh, that's some harsh judgment! I think this card hates me.

[She's being completely candid in her shock, but his lie was well timed - she buys it, if only because she couldn't imagine a fake giving off a 'vibe' of any kind. Ra must simply be one angry mother. She hurries to stash it someplace where it can't fraternize with her deck, and sighs when the feeling fades.]

[obeytherod]

Keh keh, it just misses me. Don't worry though, because I handed it over it shouldn't smite you.

[Hopefully that will keep Harriet from trying to summon it, because the last thing he wants is for his pawn to get killed. Even if she does come back, the deal would likely be over.]

Now that that's settled... I'll let you decide how we start.

[whiterosefoes]

Hmm... We might as well get in a lesson now, while we're both up here. Let's start with what I told you before.

[She looks at Twin-Headed Behemoth...]

Is this the leader you had in mind?

[obeytherod]

[His anticipated escape was closer than ever now. Malik can't help but grin as he glances sidelong at his "leader".]

That's right. I've chosen Twin-Headed Behemoth. Or should I say it's chosen me?

[whiterosefoes]

Has it? I suppose it's already taken up residence in your soul then...

[actually, she doubts it.]

You're going to bond that monster to your 'self' - it's your medium to the ancient power that's used in these duels. Once it's materialized as armor, it'll call the rest of the monsters and magic to their cards, and give you that telepathic connection to them. With me so far?

[obeytherod]

Hmhmhm...

[Malik reaches to his cargo pocket, pulling out his deck and looking at it with a confident smile.]

So instead of reaching into these cards myself and summoning the monsters within through sheer force of will... I'm making a pact with one monster who aids me in doing the same thing, is that it?

[whiterosefoes]

[Missed the sarcasm, did he? ...Well, she supposes after pestering her for so long and finally getting to this point, he wouldn't be so easy to knock from his perch.]

Right, and the stronger that pact is, the more you'll be able to achieve. The monsters are real, so every time you use them, they'll gain battle experience. Eventually they can be on a whole different level... we call that a "Promotion." The more promoted your deck leader is, the more powerful your summons can be.

[obeytherod]

...That's logical enough.

[Malik sifts through the first few cards at the top of his deck, pulling out Twin-Headed Behemoths.]

So, how do I go about making it materialize as armor?

1/2

[whiterosefoes]

Well, you could devote years of your life toward studying the strange cocktail of magics that go into this type of summoning; Corpus Hermeticum, Imbas forosnai, Druidic Pythagoreanism...

[whiterosefoes]

Or, I can do as old Simon did for me, and set up a summoning nice and proper for you. I show you the door, and you open it... though of course, this way carries more risk.

But come on. Even I don't care about that druid bullshit. Leave that to the old men, hm?

[she's not just talking about Simon. Rosenkreuz is the one who told her more about the theory, and it kind of made her eyes glaze over. She probably doesn't even understand a word she just said. But whatever, Rosenkreuz is a nerd. You don't want to do it the nerd way, do you?]

[obeytherod]

You know as well as I that I don't have or want to spend years on that. And if you aren't going to set up something "nice and proper", then what do you propose to do?

[Malik's patience is wearing a bit thin, because even with all he's accomplished today, the only person he can tolerate giving roundabout spiels is himself.]

[whiterosefoes]

Let's see... You are already able to summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in your own way and you're confident that it has chosen you. So why not a trial by fire to see if you're right? If you are, this should be fairly quick. I propose that you steel yourself!

[She mutters an incantation. A golden circle starts to form under their feet, just like the one that appeared in her duel with Henry, though it's not yet formed and more are starting to materialize in the air as well. While they're still incomplete, nothing happens, but magic power seems to radiate from them as their faces spin. She speaks as this happens]

These mysterious circles are the embodiment of a duel... when the eyes fall on your Behemoth, it should be compelled to act. You must open your mind and will it to come inside. Make its strength a part of your own - in mind and then in body, your armor will be like a second skin, existing as only is natural. Of course, if you reject it at all, it will hurt quite a lot... are you ready?

[The circles are formed, but the eyes in the middle of each one are closed. Harriet's focusing on keeping them shut.]

[obeytherod]

[Steel himself...?! This doesn't sound good. Malik's side-eying those golden circles when they appear, and although he's unsettled, he does a good job of not showing to what extent.

His turns his head back to Harriet at a moment, a hint of nervousness in his eyes. As she goes on to explain the consequences, he's not looking quite as confident as he had a few minutes ago.]

...How much is a lot?

[whiterosefoes]

[She gives him a flat look. Are you sure you want to ask?]

...You'll feel like dying. And really, you might.

[obeytherod]

...I see. [Malik shoots those circles another wary glance, and offers a similar look to Twin-Headed Behemoth. What was he thinking? Of course he could do this! He could dive into people's minds with the Rod, surely he could let a monster into his own!

He wasn't going to make a fool of himself in front of Harriet either. Then again if he failed, he'd look like an even bigger fool...

Malik feigns confidence amidst his real irritation.] Feh, with dangers like that, is this really the best method?

[whiterosefoes]

That's only if you fail. What happened to that confidence from before?

[obeytherod]

... [Is she teasing him?! She's teasing him!!!

Malik raises his voice a bit, barely holding back his agitation now.] Just get on with it!

[He'll never get through it if he keeps thinking about it.]

[whiterosefoes]

Focus, now.

[She gives him a moment to breathe and think, curling her hands in to absently look at her nails.

And then she flicks her wrist and spreads her fingers outward, opening the eyes at the same time. Their influence should stir something within the Behemoth...]

[obeytherod]

[Malik flinches as the eyes suddenly open up, the monster beside him tenses, its heads raised and alert. It all happens in an instant, but it feels much longer than that for Malik.

The door to the card--he was familiar with that--and the darkness beyond it. But this time he couldn't just reach in with his head turned away in childish fear, groping blindly for the power and monsters within. Right now it was as if his whole body was thrust forward into that darkness, suffocating him in a way not unfamiliar, and far too reminiscent of when his other half had been in control.

There's a faint glint and shift of mass as the Behemoth tries to bond with Malik and form his armor, but it's swiftly rejected as the Egyptian's mind cries out in fear. The half-formed armor rips away from him and causes him to cry out, shocking him to his core as he drops down to his knees and trembles.

Malik reaches up to grips his arms, but just as quickly pulls his hands away to notice he's covered in cuts, blood dripping down the exposed skin of his arms and midriff, as well as soaking through a few spots of his clothing.

One particular cut above his eyebrow had blood to pooling against his brow and eye, forcing him to shut it.

Shit...! What kind of magic was this?!]