It's been a long few months for one blue haired magician.
It all started when he went to track down his wayward sister, Kaolinite. Finding that she was sitting on a hotbed of magical activity was cool, one that you intend to explore yourself. Yet, finding out that his beloved sister was into forbidden arts such as necromancy was more of a downer; sucked even more when Azurite found out she was notably dead and cremated.
The ensuing trip back to your family was a rough one. Grief mingled with outrage and curiosity about her death and this Mugen Academy dominated, weeks and months going by as the family coped. Finally, Tanzanite, your grandfather, asked you to go back to keep an eye on this academy, as well as perhaps finding out what dark paths led her to such terrible arts.
Thus, your trip to Tokyo began again.
---
Damn it.
It figures that on the day you come back that a small snowstorm is falling, with an outright blizzard promised tomorrow. It takes a bit more time to get back to Kaolinite's old apartment than you had desired, nearly noon before you sit on the couch there.
You can't really even linger inside the soon to be warm household, either. Mugen is open today...and even from here, you can feel the pulse of magic from it. If anything, it's stronger and more defined than it was months ago. Winds coming from the direction of the school carry the faintest taste of such great magics, giving the snow laden air a truly mystical feel to match it's dreamlike fall.
“Ok, I have two options,” Azurite mutters, staring out the window. “One, I could go ahead and trudge through this winter wonderland and, hopefully, straighten some things out at Mugen. Or I could stay home and get snowed in by a blizzard and deal with the paperwork later.” Watching the white bits of frozen precipitate fall not-quite-slowly outside, he nods.
“Staying in it is!” The blue-haired young man begins a cursory inspection of the house, which is terminated quite quickly by a force even stronger than the pull of magic. A hardy rumbling signals the next room to be inspected. Sadly, several months without an occupant does not a stocked kitchen make. Defeated, he gathers his winter wear together and begins a trip toward the school, as he might as well go there if he’s going out anyway.
After a short but warming meal at a local cafe, you head to Mugen. The towering edifice is as it always has been, the wet and heavy snow swirling in the air like white starlights dancing in the gray air. The place throbs with magical energy; it's now the clear and away strongest source of power in the Tokyo area.
Quite frankly, it's almost surprising to see it as a place on Earth and not some faraway, fey land, it's so drenched in the powers that most humans cannot or will not comprehend. School is still in session, only a few people out in this weather as you approach.
A low whistle escapes Azurite’s lips at the ‘sight’.
“Man, what did I miss since I’ve been away?” He opens himself more fully to the magic aura, basking in it.
Perhaps coming back to school today wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
He enters the building, heading for the office to go see about classes. Again.
Entering inside, you soon find your way to the front offices. It's not a hard trip, as the way is clearly outlined to lead guests from intruding in the classroom areas. The flows into a trio of middle aged women - a receptionist, a secratary and a page - to deal with you and your coming requests.
"So dearie," the secratary says, graying and tied back brown hair complimenting her chain and glasses, "What do you need?"
“Good day, ladies,” Azurite begins, smiling more from the magical ambiance than anything else. “I had transferred out some time ago due to a bit of family related business and need to transfer back now that it has been taken care of.”
He rocks back on his heels, hoping that this wouldn’t take too long.
"Right," the secratery nods once. "Dear, you'll need to fill this out," she yanks out a four or five page sheet, full of papwerwork headaches. "And talk with a conselor for placement. You already passed your entrance exams, yes?"
All three eye you as the spectre of bueracracy looms over your shoulder...
“But of course,” he says, bowing slightly and taking the paper. After a time he returns it, having filled out transfer papers twice already; once the first time coming to Mugen and the second when going back home. Boring it is, but better to get it out of the way now than later.
“So, I need to see a councilor now, yes?” he asks, wanting to get it over with.
The glassed woman nods, taking the form and looking it over. "Alright...Azurite? Hum. Hey, Beiji, check the file for that name, would you?"
The page woman, long haired and starting to really show her age, nods and goes to pull out a thin manilla folder from a nearby file cabinet. "Just hold on a moment, dearie. I think your name might be red listed - which means Headmaster Tomoe or a representative will wish to speak with you directly." With the warm smile she gives you, it almost can dispel any fears you may have obtained just now.
“As you say,” he nods gratefully toward the older woman. It probably would be easier to explain his leave to the professor anyway, as he’d have to do so eventually anyway.
“Two birds with one stone,” he says quietly to himself, taking a moment to study the room as there isn’t really much he can do while waiting.
A few moments later, "Yeah, he is," one of the women confirm, which causes the secratary to smile at you again. "Okay..." she nods to a few decent seats over in the waiting area, "Go ahead and sit down. We'll send a call upstairs to administration and they'll send someone down."
“Thank you,” he tells her. Azurite moves to the waiting area, his mind not pondering anything in particular.
“I should have brought a book or something,” he finally decides.
There are a few brochures and a student guide on a small corner table, neither of which give much of note or interest; pure fluff pieces. It's about twenty or so minutes before Professor Tomoe himself enters, his daughter with him. They look to be freshly out of the snow, both still wearing snow boots and heavy jackets/overcoats. The girl is carrying a white cat, a cresent moon mark on it's forhead. "Go ahead, Hotaru," he smiles to her, then turns his gaze to you as his child goes off. Of note, all three seem to be some of the many sources of power here.
After that, he nods to you, soft, dark eyes studying you. "Come on...let's go upstairs to my office."
Yes sir,” Azurite says, rising to his feet a little less swiftly than normal, not so much staring at the professor but studying him nonetheless. He picks up his winter coat, folding the heavy material across an arm.
A few steps later and the blue-haired youth falls in behind the older man.
It's a short trip to an elevator, and a not too long trip to the Headmaster's office. Dark and as warm as you remember, Tomoe takes a few moments to get out of his boots and overjacket before sitting.
"I'll call up some tea - the weather is truly unpleasant," he notes, doing so with a short phone call. "So," he begins right after, "You're back."
Rubbing the back of his head, a nervous habit, he waits to be seated.
“Yes sir.” Not exactly sure if elaboration is called for, he waits for the professor’s reply. His eye’s focus on the older man’s, hoping to at least get a glimpse of what’s going on in his mind.
They say the eye is the window to the soul, after all.
His eyes are perfectly neutral, not particularly cold or warm. Business eyes, almost. "If I recall, you mentioned that your family wished for you to come back when you left last," he goes on, probing onward. "Again, I am sorry for your family's loss. How have things gone there?"
Professor Tomoe is still composed - he's just not giving any cues at all right now.
“Well enough, I suppose,” Azurite says, finally giving up on that avenue. “They were notably upset, both about her death and certain… concerns about the research she might have been involved in.” He pauses a moment to clear his throat, not particularly happy to recall the verbal battles surrounding that last point. “But they’re strong people. They’ll cope.”
“So they finally let me come back. And, well, here I am.”
Nodding dimplomatically to the information, he takes a moment to push up his glasses before replying. "I can understand that - some of her work she fell into near the end is most regrettable." Voice schooled into polite neutrality, he presses on. "Again, extend my most heartfelt condolences to your family from Mugen Academy."
If we'd only known about this family, would Kaolinite still be with us? Even after she took Pharaoh 90's power directly?
"I assume from this you wish to pick up your studies, yes?"
Azurite nods. “That was the plan, yes. If you’d allow it, I like to return to my studies.” He glances around a bit, his magic sense open.
“Though it seems I’ve already missed something important,” he says more quietly.
"Things happen around here," Professor Tomoe says blandly enough. "If you wish, we can get you reregistered in a few days." He pauses at that, as the door is knocked on. A haircapped woman from the cafeteria brings in a pot of tea, serving it to the both of you before leaving.
After taking a sip of the warm brew, "As I was saying, if you are so inclined, it should be a simple enough matter to register you."
Now there’s an ambiguous response if ever I heard one.
“I am so inclined,” Azurite says, taking the refreshingly warm beverage in hand and sipping from it. He sighs pleasantly; this certainly wasn’t the worse cup of tea he’d had.
What a difficult man to read.
"Good," he gives you a tiny nod of his head to confirm that. "As a matter of-" Cut off a second time, this time by his door opening to admit his daughter.
"Hi, Dad," she smiles, appearing in body to be nothing but a child on the border of beginning adolesense, yet still with the charming cuteness of childhood. Yet her aura...
* Hatbot --> "Azurite rolls 2d6 and gets 8."
Peering, you can sense a great power in her - far and away something you wouldn't want to face if it was gong full tilt.
"Hotaru," he smiles to the girl, "You've met Azurite before." To that, the girl smiles and bows to you. "Mr. Azurite? Ami mentioned you just now."
What is it with this place and super magical people?
A lopsided grins forms and he stands, bowing more elaborately to the younger Tomoe. “Hello, Tomoe-san.” He pauses and blinks, the lopsided grin expanding even more as he processes what she said. “Mizuno-san is here? And she still remembers me, eh?” He looks toward the sky and assumes a not-quite-dramatic pose.
“Hah! My first impression was better than I’d hoped!”
"Hello," Hotaru smiles back at you, blushing slightly. "Ami-chan is do-"
That stops when Azurite starts posing. "Um....she does seem to, yes," Hotaru manages, rather taken aback by that. "If you two are friends, I could take you downstairs to meet her? She should still be in the office."
Azurite turns toward the professor, awaiting his judgment.
Oops. What an inappropriate time to do that.
Professor Tomoe is smiling slightly at the entire display. "If you wish," he says, chuckling.
Ami deserves someone paying attention to her, after all.
"Go on - most of what's left now is meaningless paperwork, and I can talk to you in a day or two." Waving his hand in dismissal, "Go on if you want."
Bowing toward the professor in a more professional manner, Azurite breaths a mental sigh of relief.
“Thank you, sir.” He gathers what little he has, and gestures toward Hotaru. “Would you mind leading me there? I have kinda been gone a while.” He chuckles to himself, scratching his head in embarrassment.
"Alright," she nods, leading you out of the room. As you head out, you again sense the magic that rests in her - a slight stir in it, enough to cause the entire floor's power to fluctuate.
"You're going to go to Mugen again," she asks, as she leads you out of the offices and to an elevator. Her purple sweater and sweat pants are pretty enough, going well with her short, pageboyish hair cut. "Aren't you Eudial's brother or the Twins or one of their's?"
“Huh?” Azurite blinks, caught off guard a bit with that line of questioning. “Eudial… my sister?” A snicker escapes his lips as he tries not to laugh.
“No, definitely not my sister. No, I’m not related to any of the witches. My sis used to work here, though, if that’s what you mean.” He studies her as they walk, deciding finally that the girl would definitely grow into a real beauty one day. He tries to peer further into her power, the sheer strength of it drawing his attention like a lighthouse beacon.
"Oh," she says, quieting a bit. "What was your sister's name, Azurite?" Hotaru asks, curious despite it. Thought, as she turns her gaze to the floor in embarrassment, you can also see her aura...
* Hatbot --> "Azurite rolls 2d6+2 and gets 9."
It's deeply powerful, a wellspring of a negative power - destruction. Not evil, you think, merely like destruction welded into a force. It's as neutral as a kitchen knife or a screwdriver.
Only destructive power. How sad.
Paying more attention to the cute girl beside himself in a less magical sense, he notes her embarrassment. “Kaolinite. I think she was the professor’s assistant before… but never mind that,” he hurriedly says, not wanting to take the conversation into such a depressing direction.
“You seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know a bit about me, and yet I know nothing about you. I didn’t even know the professor has such a cute daughter.” He sighs a little. “I’m always the last to know these things.”
"Kaolinite," Hotaru murmurs, slowling. "I see..." the girl says, as you get out of the elevator in a rather shadowy part of Mugen.
....I'm sorry....
"I'm the Headmaster's daughter, and...you know about what I was before with your sister," she says quietly, mood dropping like a rock. Leading you on, she seems to clam up with a certain defensive depression.
Awe crud. What’d I do wrong this time?
“What you were before? With my sister?” Azurite asks, confusion evident.
She couldn’t mean…
He dismisses that thought quickly.
Ok, what did dad always say? No matter what its your fault. Right, now to apologize.
“I’m sorry, I really don’t understand. Did I say something wrong?” He kneels down to her height to look her more fully in the eye. “If I did I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”
OOC - I giggle at the dangling tag, Panda. ^_^
IC:
Hotaru stops, still looking away and not meeting your eye, regardless of your efforts. "It's alright," she says softly, quietly. "The office is right down this hall," she gestures a moment later. "I should get back to my Dad now."
If anything, she looks pale and sad - depression writ large, if she was wearing black, she'd be a perfectly poster goth child.
“I… ok,” Azurite rises anxiously. He wasn’t sure what could have gone on between his sister and this little girl but it seemed to be affecting her a lot. He wasn’t sure he could cheer her up. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.
“Tomoe-san,” he says before the girl could go too far. “I don’t know what happened between you and my sister, but if you ever want to talk about it…” He leaves the invitation open.
Hotaru stops and turns, still wan. "Thank you." Bowing slightly, "Until later." With that, she is indeed and f ully gone, leaving you with only directions in this dim and confusing hallway.
Azurite proceeds to the room, subdued and lost in thought.
"I'm the Headmaster's daughter, and...you know about what I was before with your sister."
OOC - Transferring you over to Ami's thread now. (Mercury blues.)