daybreakacademy | When You Made Wishes: start! (player plot)

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When You Made Wishes: start! (player plot)

Imagine Wist's surprise when April rolled around and their plan for a great prank was foiled on account of all those students just...leaving??? Truly, they have become the April fool... It's what they wanted, of course -- for the pitiful humans to find freedom -- and sure there are some stragglers around, but...in the end, they decide to take the win and enjoy a short break of their own. Good thing, too, or they might have pulled out all their hair in frustration when Spring Break comes to an end and the swarm of students and faculty willingly return to their prison.

While settling back into the academy and resigning themselves to a routine, the people of Daybreak will be soothed by a gentle tune rising up from the forest. It isn't a song they've heard before, and yet, somehow...it's nostalgic, isn't it? The soft notes of the pan flute stir up something in their hearts, tugging at old memories and drawing forth a feeling of dissatisfaction and longing out from under them. Let the song lull them into taking a moment to withdraw from the hustle and bustle -- hey, turns out they sort of need it. Maybe they're coming down with a cold, or just some quick little bug...
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>> user M3G4M4G1CH4XX posted on April 6th, 2019:
Why did you come back? You don't have to live like this.

Weren't things better back then? Try to remember what it used to be like.
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The odd message from an iris account that doesn't exist isn't up for long before the spell kicks into the next phase. However they manifest and from when differs from person to person, but those affected will all have the bizarre experience of watching some ghost of themselves from their past be born from their soul's memory. Don't think there are those that can escape this fate just by returning at a later time, either -- Wist can keep up this panpipe nonsense all day, every day if they have to. If that what it takes to get their point across...

Good luck trying to comprehend whatever point that may be, because now Daybreak is the new home to a bunch of familiar-looking rugrats and has to contend with whatever complications they may bring along with them.
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[For more information on this plot, please see this ooc infopost!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Mm... Shuuya glances over at Michael the moment he's allowed to hop off the examination table and find his own feet. Taking him to the infirmary is one thing-- you don't leave a kid bleeding and dying and possibly having a concussion out on the street-- but taking him to a dining hall for food is definitely the definition of going out of one's way.

Is this kindness...

Or should he be more suspicious..... ]

Hey, sensei... [ He doesn't move, but instead, shoves his hands into his pants pockets and stares up at Michael. ] Do you know my mother?

Nah.

[It's, for once, the honest truth. She was dead before Michael would've had the chance. Not a loss he's ever personally regretted.]

Don't know many people in this country, except for the other teachers here, and I know you aren't any of theirs. Why?

[ A complicated expression crosses Shuuya's face, like he really isn't sure how to take that answer. He was expecting a "yes," a lie, which he could then throw back in Michael's face. But what is he supposed to do with a truthful "no"... ]

Because... then you have no reason to do any of this, right? You see somebody hurt, you call an ambulance and then leave. That's all you had to do.

[ Not heal him personally, and stay by his side, and offer to get food together. ]

[Lies, Michael thinks, are generally better when you stick closer to the truth. He doesn't know enough about Kano's mother to carry that off - so he's just a teacher who saw a strange bleeding child appear and stepped in.

Almost true.]

I like to handle things myself, when I can. Who knows what would happen with an ambulance?

[Both on practical life-saving levels and legal ones.]

And I did a better job, too. [Although...well, he was right there when the nurse did the examination.] I could have gotten the rest of it, too, you know.

[ The ambulance could have veered off the side of the road and crashed into a tree, true, but he can believe that more than a stranger helping a snot nosed kid off the streets. Though, yeah, the way his side stitched back together again and stopped bleeding, and his ankle had straightened out and the swelling had gone down, there's no way the most skilled paramedics in the world could have done that for him. Whether Michael is a teacher or a doctor, Shuuya's not sure what to think. He can't be human, though, because humans can't do magic, because magic is fake.

His head hurts.

He heaves a sigh, and finally steps forward again. Dining hall, or whatever, lead the way. ]

I wish I could be like that... Having the power to handle things all by myself.

[And isn't that exactly how so many Contracts start?

Michael eyes Shuuya sideways for a moment, uncertain. He could make an offer. Hell, he could make a gift - not like there's anything more he wants from Kano, certainly not at this age. But it's been a little fun to act like a normal human with him, just some kind-hearted adult who took an interest. Does he want to be a daemon again now?]

Yeah, well, you'll be older someday. Children are supposed to have people do stuff for them - they teach you that as in professor school.

[It's not necessary. Little Kano won't need power, because he'll be here, and if he can't be then he'll get another professor. Michael's already given Older Kano some offensive juice anyway, how much can he need?]

[ It is, because humans are weak and Shuuya— Kano— is no different. At this point in his life, especially, beating himself up over the loss of his mother and twisting it around to be his fault, if only he were stronger or smarter or had more power, right now is when he's feeling the most weak and powerless that he's ever felt in his life. Not once in his life has he ever felt that he had somebody he could go to for help, and so he always had to do everything by himself, or try his best at it, anyways. ]

I don't have people to do stuff for me, though. All I had was Mother, and now she's... [ dead, but also, he would never ask her for help; he would never burden her with his problems that he's expected to solve by himself ]

...and the things I need to do, I dunno if they're things people can do for me.

Well, just get a staff member around here if you need anything. That's what we're here for. You've just gotta ask.

[He wishes Kano would ever just ask. His own fault for not watching more too, though, isn't it?

Even Michael understands how that isn't really an appropriate response to Shuuya's mother being dead. But he doesn't know what would be, so he just tries to blow through the moment by dramatically swinging open the door to the dining hall.]

Okay! Entree's over there, soups and salads, sandwiches, desserts - what do you want?

[ He's absolutely terrible at asking, as Michael could tell throughout all the years he's watched Shuuya grow up to become somebody who feels more comfortable manipulating people into doing things they would have been glad to do in the first place if he'd just fucking asked. He grows up to become somebody who likes deals and promises rather than open-ended assistance, somebody who learns to find fun in mischief and spurring laughs and creating his own amusement, somebody who acts out and changes the subject so dramatically and thoroughly, that people can't help but be swept up in it— as Shuuya is now, mind immediately completely moved on from his mother to all these possible entrees and desserts that he's never seen before in his life.

Michael might not feel like he did a lot to look after Kano, but Kano's always prided himself in looking after himself. What he needed was somebody to look up to, and to him, Michael was that person. ]

Uh! Um. French fries?

[Michael, frankly, didn't register much of Kano's behavior as unusual when he was growing up. Daemons make deals and trick each other; the humans who summon them all try to do the same. Asking for help would be a sign of weakness. But here among humans, it feels different. People would help. Michael would help - to varying extents, perhaps, Kano's one of the few he'd drop everything for.

What is he supposed to do if Kano goes and dies, just because he wouldn't call for help and Michael wasn't paying enough attention?

He doesn't know. And as much as he's willing to help, he doesn't know how to offer it.]

Sure, there's fries over with the burgers. Real popular, but I'm told they aren't as good as American burgers.

[He starts wandering over to the grill as he talks, but there's crowds of students in here - some of them doubtless wondering what he's doing with a little kid. It'd be easy to lose track of said little kid among them. He's trying particularly hard to not do that.]

[ What was the point of learning Michael's and Hieke's summoning sigils if he never meant to use it, right? There really is no helping Kano, whether it's stubbornness or pride or just plain stupidity that keeps him from calling for help in the dozens of times a month he could use it.

Instead, he goes ahead and gets himself disappeared, leaving behind a past self that's so skittish around other people that he presses himself right up against Michael's legs so he can have something to— not quite hold onto, but a constant presence to keep right there so he wouldn't get separated. At least Michael is tall, and he'd be able to spot him if he does get lost, which seems scarily easy to become when there's so many sights and sounds all around that it's almost overwhelming, and the only way Shuuya can keep his head on straight is to keep his eyes to the ground and trained on Michael's shoes the entire time. ]

[Those little signs of nervousness are enough to make this something a little more familiar for Michael, at least. He gets dangerous environments. So he puts a light hand on Shuuya's shoulder - more as a sign of possessiveness than anything, but it's easier to steer him like that - and shoots a glare at any students who are staring. His human child now.

Once they get to the burger line, he just orders for both of them:]

Couple burgers and fries. It should just take a minute.

[That's to Shuuya. Michael himself has no reason to eat anything now, but he also doesn't have any reason not to. Burgers could be fun!]

[ Shuuya jumps a little when he feels the weight on his shoulder, but once he sees that it's just Michael's hand and that it's a good idea and he won't get lost now, he settles down again and picks up the pace a little, calming down and letting himself look around a bit.

How exciting... Like going to a burger place and getting to eat in, except there's no play place on the side he can sit and watch and... that sure is a lot of burgers Michael is ordering. A couple, jfc, he's pretty sure he can manage maybe half, but really just wanted fries. ]

...Ah! Right. This is for you.

[ Shuuya digs into his pants pocket and pulls out $2.37 in spare change. American coins that can't be used here, also his bus money, but he figures it should cover the cost of the fries. ]

[Well, one of the burgers is for Michael. Who is certainly not above consuming half of the other burger if necessary!

He turns to peer down at Shuuya, and then at the money in his hand. It's only because of the recent New York trip that he's even able to recognize the denominations of the American coins; he's always found money-based Contracts pretty dull, and used to make up for it by paying up in jewels or fine art or literally anything engaging at all.

And, of course, his prices have never been in money.]

What's that for?

[ ...It's really awkward holding out a fistful of money and the other person just staring at him like it's wrong, and he immediately feels self-conscious about it. ]

Um. It's... [ Payment. Is that not what people do? What even is the culture around here, he doesn't know. Stalling, he picks out one of the two pennies in his handful and holds up just that one, letting his other hand drop so it can rest. Bright and shiny, newly minted. ]

A lucky penny! It'll bring you good luck, so I want you to have it! For helping me out!

[That...is absolutely not what that was for, was it?

But whatever, Michael can roll with it. It's still a little too transactional for his tastes, but humans exchange things, don't they? That doesn't make it a daemonic contract. If payment were required for him saving Shuuya, they'd have agreed on it before the services were rendered.]

Sure, thanks.

[He reaches out to take the penny, and flips it lightly in the air with his thumb before catching it. And that's long enough for the food to come! Michael takes the tray and turns to consider the cafeteria. Crowded, huh...maybe there's a less occupied area off to one of the sides. Or else they could eat out in the courtyard, though he expects there's people out there too.]

Oh, drinks, there's a drink machine over here.

[are you ready for the fancy-ass French soda machines, Shuuya]

[ It's a human thing, but rather than a one-off exchange, it's cyclical—- it's paying things forward, and keeps people coming back, and maybe there's a more selfish reason why Shuuya wants to keep in Michael's good graces, thinking there had to be something worth keeping him around or else he'll be tossed off to the side like garbage. To keep from being thrown away, he's got to be useful, and if he wants to be useful, he's got to hurry up and grow up and be smart and strong and capable.

He breathes in and sets his shoulders. No way he can mess this up. He's pretty sure he's tall enough to reach the buttons. ]

I can get the drinks! Just let me know which one you want, and I'll come find you!

...I've got it.

[he's an adult????? he can get his own shit?

Michael balances the tray and pours himself, frankly, an abomination of a mixed drink. Then he steps back to let Shuuya go, because it hasn't really occurred to him that the kid might have trouble reaching the buttons. He's not always the best at thinking of these things.

He stays, though. He's not just gonna go get a table and leave him. Too crowded by half in here.]

[ It's going to be little Shuuya who fights Michael if he keeps this up, brushing off his help like that even though he's perfectly capable of managing without it. Shuuya puffs his cheeks in a pout, but at the very very least, Michael doesn't have enough hands to grab a second drink so that leaves Shuuya to get his own cup and... stare up at the machine.

Easy enough. Set the cup here, stand on the tips of his toes, and press the button and hope whatever this brown fizzy stuff that's coming out isn't too gross. See? He can reach the buttons just fine!!

He just cannot see the cup and has absolutely no idea how quickly it's filling up and how close it is to overfill already. ]

[Michael, agent of chaos, just fucking watches this happen for definitely longer than necessary.]

Got enough soda there, bud?

[ Shuuya opens his mouth to retort, but it's at this moment the cup chooses to spill over, and of course he startles, and of course the action of pulling his hand away knocks the cup over and spills everything onto the ground.

Of course!! Only him!!!! Only he could be so stupid, clumsy, useless—-

Sorry about your shoes, Michael. Also, sorry to Mario or whoever's going to have to clean all this up. ]

[Michael, ever the least helpful person, laughs.

But he's not the only person present, and at the sound of other students laughing, he whips around with a glare.]

Do we have a problem?

[Because we had best not.

Once the teens slink off, Michael turns back to Shuuya.]

Don't worry about it, we've got this magic janitor. I'm not actually...sure what his deal is, but he sure seems magic. Want me to get that...? [Maybe you can hold his Soda Abomination for him?]

[ Being laughed at is embarrassing, and hearing everybody else explode into laughter all around him makes him want to hole up somewhere and die, but what has Shuuya snapping his head up, fear flashing across his brown eyes, is the sharp edge to Michael's tone, the threat of danger he's so familiar with and hypersensitizes himself to.

This person, he thinks to himself, can be dangerous. Even if Michael's been nothing but kind to him, the reality of it is, he is still capable of anger. If he's capable of anger, he's capable of violence, and it'll be like his mother all over again, whom he loves with all his heart but also fears her to the core and he doesn't know what to do with that.

He bites at his bottom lip and shakes his head adamantly and decides he doesn't want to see any more magic anything. Everything from his hands to his pants are sticky with syrup but at least he can stand up as high as he can and reach up to the counter and hope he doesn't knock over the salt or whatever while he grabs a handful of napkins to throw onto the ground and start soaking up the soda. ]

[...well, that's not an answer to his question...

It must have been embarrassing. Michael turns his head again, to track the offending students as they wind their way through the crowd. He's always carefully hidden his vulnerabilities - with lies, with threats, and with actual violence if need be. Any daemon who lets themselves be seen as weak doesn't last long. Seeing his human upset makes him want to drag those two back here and extort some kind of recompense.

But that wouldn't really help anything. Instead, he finds a place to set down the tray, and pours a second glass of soda while Shuuya cleans up the puddle.

He stares at the fizzing bubbles as they rise. He's not...just angry. There's another, worse feeling in there. He wishes the kid had just sniped back at him somehow, the way Kano would have. Then everything would've been fine. He wishes he'd just gotten the damn drinks to begin with.

He sets Shuuya's drink safely on the tray and turns to look at the kid again. He's covered in soda now. He was covered in blood anyway, of course, under the illusion.]

I should have gotten you some new clothes at the infirmary...

[ Is it weird to Michael that the kid he'd grown fond of does not exist yet? There was a time, very early on, when Kano was quiet like this, skittish and uneasy and too eager to please, a time before he learned how to lie and pretend and act how he believes people want him to act: loud and bright and fun, so they wouldn't look at him the way Michael looks at him and thinks he has to be taken care of. That he's to be pitied. Because nobody's ever looked at him with concern before, but pity he knows and scorns.

The napkins get tossed in the trash, and Shuuya wipes his hands on the sides of his pants, because it's not like they can get any stickier. Breathe in. Breathe out. Smile. ]

...It's okay! I'll go wash off in the bathroom and then I'll be back!

[ No he won't. The life of a liar starts here and now. ]

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