Preparing for the Storm

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Ryu the Reptoid

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Oct 28, 2013
154
It was a calm, cold night. Of course in the middle of winter the weather was always cold, so that was no surprise. While it was far, far later then most students at the school dared to stay up those sound asleep didn't know what they where missing. Up in the sky the view from the rooftop was as breathtaking as ever; stars shined brightly in the sky like silver beacons among the blackness of space. For anybody else the scenery would have been enough to capture their gaze but for Alice there was much more entertaining and important things to be done on her extremely high-end, ultra-sleek laptop computer that sat in her lab.

Like a zombie, totally oblivious to the beauty above her she sat, her eyes fixed on the screen as it let out it's unnatural glow into the night. The cold weather seemingly had no effect on the young girl and the reason for that was obvious; she was wearing a rather large, luxurious-looking fur coat and had replaced her normal black rabbit ear-hat with a similar white one that was made of the same expensive fur of her coat. Seemingly focused on her computer nobody could really tell what she was doing. While she was a gamer, it was obvious she was not playing a videogame. If Alice was doing that she would have her trusty headset and probably be talking non-stop into it in her usual energetic matter.

No, this time, Alice seemed very different from her normal outward personality. She wasn't bouncing around or rocking back in forth in her spot as usual. In fact, she looked quite focused, something that Alice rarely ever appears to be. There was a reason for this was far more -sinister- then one would imagine, of course. Alice had big plans and soon they would come to a head. On her screen was not a game, forum or even facebook but a complex series of mechanical diagrams that she had seemingly created herself. They looked quite advance, far more then anything that normal earth technology could provide and Alice was reviewing and seemingly tweaking them for some unknown reason.

On her face she was wearing a twisted grin as she fiddled with the designs. Yes...when these are complete, I'll not only get a metric ton of magic energy out of that William boy, but I'll be able to control his powers too! Heh. I really am a genius, aren't I? Only 14 and I'm already the ruler of a multi-planar empire and the richest person on earth!...and soon, I'll have the power to destroy the world at my command! I'm such a clever girl; I never cease to amaze myself! Alice thought to herself as she gleefully worked on her designs, giggling a bit at the thought of her upcoming operation.

However, her sinister work was quickly interrupted by what sounded like another person up on the rooftops. "Somebody's actually up this late!? SHIT! Alice thought to herself as fear raced through her mind. She couldn't be discovered. After all, the operation regarding William required her to remain anonymous until the proper time. She couldn't risk being discovered this early. She tried as fast as she could to save her progress and close out of the genesis network program, switching the page to mangastream.com, one of her usual web haunts. Opening up the latest chapter of Naruto she began acting just like her old self, reading the manga while kicking her legs back and forth energetically hoping that the other person had not caught a glimpse of what she was doing before,
 
Thirteen

Thirteen

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Nov 15, 2013
466
Something was wrong.

No, so was that. Something was always wrong. With her teaching methods, with her hair, with something. It was all planned out in advance, and often, Aurora did not worry about such trivial matters of time and entropy. That said, what she was feeling this evening at school was not trivial. Not in the slightest. In fact, she had one hell of a headache, one that she did not get unless something was seriously wrong with the temporal horizon. And when she had gone to her sanctum to look, there had been a warp where there should have been a stream.

Something was wrong...and entropy was leading her to look at the stars. Of course, the mage wondered why, but Thirteen was not one to ignore fate's words.

Dressed in heavy deep red and golden robes, Aurora made her way to the school's rooftops with Lachesis, the temporal staff that had been part of her person for well over a hundred years. And yet still, it looked brand new. Atropos' hilt hung at her side, always carried, but never used. At least, she hoped she would not have to again in anger for a long time yet.

She clicked open the door and stepped out into the cold to go stargazing for a few moments when Aurora was surprised by something else. A glow, and someone resting with what appeared to be a laptop. Reading manga. Strange...is this why fate had lead her up here tonight? Or was this just another of its random branches? There was a small clang of metal on the rooftop as she set her staff's end to rest, three small and blue orbs orbiting another, larger in its center.

"I was not expecting company for stargazing tonight."

A partial lie. She had been expecting company, but not of the type she had discovered. Was this...whomever what was wrong with the timeways? Anything was possible, but a significant amount of investigation would be required before making any final conclusions.

"It's awfully cold out, and you don't need a laptop, an expensive one certainly, to watch the stars. Wouldn't it be more comfortable inside?"

Thirteen maintained her quite and polite demeanor. She had no intention of angering or threatening anyone...or even making accusations for something she had no right to interfere in. At least yet.

"Unless you wish to keep me company tonight...?"

Or the other way around.
 
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Ryu the Reptoid

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Inactive
Oct 28, 2013
154
This young woman looked somewhat familiar. While Alice had never had class with her, she could remember passing by it once. She was an odd one for certain, a teacher that looked like she should be a student. Yet, Alice knew there was more to her then meets the eye and that, despite her youthful appearance she was far –older- then she looked. This information all coming from rumors and talk among students who had her classes. Alice, after all, keeps her ears to the ground while at school as rumors and gossip at this school often tended to lead her to people and things useful to her scheme; this girl being one of them. Thirteen had knowledge, and rumor was that she was some kind of immortal time mage. While Alice already had time-space warping technology Thirteen’s abilities could none the less prove useful to her, so Alice was going to pry as much information out of the teacher as she could before she left.

I suppose it’s a little chilly but I don’t really care. I didn’t come out here for the stars though, they just happen to be a nice backdrop. I just have a surplus of energy and didn’t want everybody up so I came out here! I kinda have issues getting enough sleep….its not that I can’t fall asleep, it’s just I have so much energy I find it harder than most people. My name’s Alice, by the way, and I’m sorry if I’m rambling on too fast, it’s a bad habit of mine” Alice blurted out in her typical fast, energetic pace. After her statement she let out a slight self-deprecating chuckle and continued to talk.

“You’re welcome to stay if you like. I don’t know your name but I’ve heard a bit about you from other students. They say you’re a teacher. Would you mind telling me your name and what kind of stuff you teach?” Alice said to Thirteen with a smile.
 
Thirteen

Thirteen

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Nov 15, 2013
466
"Never minding the cold, I suspect if you aren't here for stargazing, that the gym would be a better way to let off energy. I can't imagine the wifi signal to be too great through the roof."

Aurora was often let off as antiquated, dated and rather obsolete with her views, but factually, she was pretty well versed in engineering, if her workshop was any indication. Of course, there wasn't anything so much as modern as Alice's laptop, but the magitech contained in that room was still something quite special, if at least to herself. Aurora walked out onto the roof, staff clicking with every pair of steps taken towards Alice.

"The rambling is quite alright. My name is Aurora. I'm SA's musical director. Pleasure to meet you, Alice."

Of course, there was more to it than that, but that was a conversation for just about no one. To be honest, Aurora wasn't quite sure if this meeting was a pleasure or not. She had come up to the roof to figure out something regarding a dream she had...well, closer to an epiphany if you will. So far unfortunately, she had found very little except for a girl with a laptop, out in the cold, away from just about everything. It was a bit strange to be honest. A statistical improbability.

And yet Aurora couldn't find reason to tear into the girl's past.

"What have you heard from the other students now?
 
R

Ryu the Reptoid

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Inactive
Oct 28, 2013
154
Alice decided that now she would start her slow inquiry into Thirteen’s true nature. Alice let her aura of trustworthiness out. It would be unnoticeable to all but the most skilled of mind-mages and psychics, so she was almost positive Aurora, being a chronomancer would not notice the ability. With my little aura Aurora will come to trust me more, and hopefully let out some useful information! Alice thought to herself as she addressed Aurora’s question.

“You’re the music director? That must be a pretty fun job! I like music. I’m not that good at making it but I like to listen! What kind of music do you like? I like all kinds of stuff but especially music from videogames and anime ! I’ll listen to almost anything, though! I think the only kinds of music I don’t like are rap and country. As for what the other students say about you, well…they say all kinds of stuff! Like that your some kind of immortal time mage who looks like one of the students but is really 10,000 years old or something like that. They also say you’ve got some pretty powerful magic. I’d personally like to know if what they say is true! It would be nice to know that the school is in strong hands! ” Alice said in an upbeat, energetic tone.
 
Thirteen

Thirteen

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Inactive
Nov 15, 2013
466
"It is indeed a fun job. I don't expect we'll be playing or singing anything from anime or video games, but you still might have a listen come concert season."

She didn't expect it, but sometimes the mix of visual and acoustic arts produced extraordinary performances. If the students she had requested such music, and they were into it, then denying that experience from them would be nothing short of insane on her part. Of course there would still be the classical, but the best students were motivated ones, regardless of their talent or lack thereof.

As for Alice's rumor mill. It would have to be shot down.

"I'm afraid then that your sources will be quite disappointed; I am none of those things. I'd suggest finding better sources of information."

Well, that wasn't entirely the truth, but it was actually pretty close in Aurora's mind. She was a time mage, but certainly not immortal. Her magic being powerful was also extremely subjective. The manipulation of time and fate would likely be regarded as two of the more powerful abilities in the school, but up until now, she had only actively used them once in defense against what could only be described as an undead menace.

The 10,000 year old age mark was also well out of whack. Probably a joke. It did get her wondering if there WAS someone that was 10,000 years of age in the school. Unlike anywhere else, it was actually quite likely.

Even then, she had not taken her magic beyond any visible level; anything she had done simply looked lucky on her part.

On another note, the school was not in Aurora's hands. The standard timeline was. If it was willed by time that the school would fall to a 'natural' force, then she would have no hand in stopping it. Otherwise, its defense was necessary.

"I'm sure one of me isn't worth more than the students in this school either, yeah?"
 
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