When You Made Wishes: start! (player plot)

[deuteranope]

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...
--
>> 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.
--
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.
---
[For more information on this plot, please see this ooc infopost!]

Comments

[nor_iron_bars]

[She has absolutely no idea what they're talking about. But it must be important if a familiar is telling her about it, isn't it? Althea's always helped her so much...]

Oh- no, miss Maddie. I've only been here for an hour, I think. [In theory Maddie is still a kid, but to an eleven-year-old a teenager is Cool And Mature, almost an adult. Therefore she gets proper respect.]

My name is Jasmine.

[Not a name Jail's ever mentioned- it's one she left behind her years ago. But if Maddie has her phone on her- and if she's set it to alert her for incoming texts- she might notice a new message from Jail, coming in a moment later.]

[shit's gone weirder than usual, compere.
lotta weird kids on campus outta nowhere.
met a couple that seemed suspiciously familiar.
you run into anything strange??]

[blackestwitch]

[ Jasmine can. Probably hear that being narrated out by her phone? And by virtue of using text-to-speech, she can hear the reply, too. ]

We just ran into a girl named Jasmine - comma - that's all, period. [ Naturally, that gets sent off as

We just ran into a girl named Jasmine, that's all.

Maddie sends that and then speaks normally to Jasmine again. ]

So, what brings you to France, Jasmine?

[nor_iron_bars]

[Normally, you might expect someone to be a little insulted by someone discussing them on the phone right in front of them? But Jasmine doesn't really seem very surprised- if anything, the idea of Maddie ignoring her to talk to someone else makes more sense to her than the rest of this.]

[Mostly, she's wondering if she's going to be in trouble for 1. being a weird kid that just appeared out of nowhere or 2. overhearing Maddie's conversation.]

[She's nervous about not being able to give a good answer, she should clearly know what's going on by now... but she can't bring herself to lie, either.]

I'm afraid I don't know. I was in America one moment, and here the next.

[She looks like she's considering apologizing again, but stops herself because she doesn't want to annoy Maddie and Zel by being too repetitive.]

[It probably doesn't help that Jail's next text just reads:]

[fuck.]

[In theory, she's pretty sure there are lots of kids out there called Jasmine. It's a perfectly reasonable name. But right now, when people keep turning up with child doppelgangers, and she's been feeling weird and off the whole day? Jail tries not to lie to herself, except when it's fun. She knows she's not lucky enough for this to be coincidence.]

[where are you, i'll be there in 5.
tell her to stick with you, ok?]

[blackestwitch]

[ And, into her phone, ] Somewhere between the dorms and cafeteria. [ Aaand SEND.

Placing her phone back in her pocket, ] Well, you heard the lady. [ Or Jasmine at least heard the text-to-speech robotic voice from her phone. Which is also a female voice so hey still works. ] We'll get this sorted out, probably.

Where in America are you from, anyway? I'm from Florida.

[nor_iron_bars]

[You know what, good enough. Jail's just taking off at a dead run, sprinting rapidly from her office to the general region in question, mostly by parkouring her way in as straight a line as possible from point A to point B. And frequently running on the ceiling to avoid colliding with people, because fuck gravity, she's got magic boots.]

[Jasmine, for her part, is just sort of relieved to have clear instructions to follow. She can stay put, she knows how to do that. She looks briefly a little awkward at Maddie's question, uncertain how to answer without making things weird. People don't really like hearing about how you're being shuffled from foster home to foster home, she's learned. It makes them feel uncomfortable.]

I'm living in Colorado right now, but I move around often, so I might not be staying there.

[In the hope of redirecting the conversation to something happier, she adds:]

I've never been to Florida, is it nice?

[She's a sweet, innocent child who's thinking of Disneyland and beaches, she doesn't know Florida Man is a thing.]

[blackestwitch]

No. It's hot and muggy and the entire state is pretty much a swamp and there's alligators everywhere and you should never, ever go there.

I'm going to switch to doing Jail's dialogue in bold after this tag, so we don't mix them up.

[nor_iron_bars]

Oh no, I'm sorry.

[It's unclear whether she's apologizing for asking, for the fact that Maddie has to deal with that, or for the existence of Florida in general.]

[A question that may remain unanswered, because the faint sound of footsteps echoing down the hall is their cue that this conversation is about to get interrupted: Jail's found them.]

[She slows to a walk instead of her scrambling dash as she turns the corner and catches sight of them, approaching with... uncharacteristic awkwardness.]

[Still a lot more casual and confident than her timid younger self, but there's a faint hint of unease to her typical good humor. She waves lazily as she reaches them, nodding amiably to Zel in passing.]

Hey.

[Meanwhile, Jasmine is just kind of uncertain about this strange, extremely shady-looking adult. But she's also going to be very polite, because she's still an adult.]

Hello, ma'am.

[To be honest, underneath all the learned disapproval of Such Scruffy And Improper Attire, she thinks Jail's outfit looks... really cool. But she's definitely not going to admit that to herself. Good girls don't envy an aesthetic that makes you look like you just stepped out of an industrial-goth nightclub in a bad part of town, nope, not at all.]

[blackestwitch]

Jail, meet Jasmine. Jasmine, this is Jail. Short for Jailbreak.

And now that we've all met can somebody tell me what's going on?

[nor_iron_bars]

We've, uh. [Jail chuckles, slightly unsteadily.] You could say we've definitely met.

[Jasmine is pretty sure they haven't- she'd remember someone who looked like that. But she's not willing to contradict her.]

[She's also quietly putting two and two together with those earlier remarks. Somehow, Maddie's familiar thinks she's... part of this woman? That makes no sense. They don't even... well, no, on second thought she supposes they do look a little bit alike- the same hair and eye color, the same skin tone. But certainly not enough to confuse a familiar, so he must mean something else.]

The short answer is "some really weird magic shit". We ain't exactly sure yet.

But there's a bunch of kids that showed up here outta nowhere, and most of 'em? Are real familiar to some people we know.

[She's not sure how to broach the topic of 'so hi you might grow up to be me' with Jasmine without giving the poor girl a heart attack.]

If there's a problem, may I help? I'd be happy to... [Translation: I don't know what's going on but I'll fix it, please don't be mad at me.]

[blackestwitch]

All right, well, I'm starting to get the... picture. [ Ah ha, she's blind. Laugh, Jasmine. ]

I'm curious as to how such a thing could come about. The work of... something from the Outlands, perhaps? [ Definitely not a thaumivore's work, at least.

The cat examines Jasmine closely, looking over her magic. Hm, well. No whiff of the Outlands, but more like a budding from Jailbreak. Interesting. He makes a sound like a 'hmm' but more catlike. ]

[nor_iron_bars]

Yeah, it's a real work of art, ain't it.

[Jail isn't thrilled by the situation, but at least she's not too rattled to be snarky. That would be deeply disturbing.]

Nothing I've seen before, but it's not like that means anything- there's all kinds of crazy shit out there, always something new.

[Unlike Jail, Jasmine is totally fine with lying to herself, and immediately represses the possibility that's starting to come to mind. She's... just very lost. That's all.]

[She doesn't object to Zel's examining her, just politely standing still so he can observe properly. She sort of wants to pet him, but that seems rude...]

[But that brings up one very important point. If these two knows about magic and their duties, if Maddie was chosen like she was, then she can ask...]

Excuse me, but... do you know if anyone else could have possibly arrived with me, when I was brought here? My familiar, Althea... he might be looking for me.

[Jail stiffens. Her reply is casual, but it has a strained note to it.]

Nah, don't seem like anybody who showed up brought a friend. But I'll keep an eye out for you.

[Notably, she doesn't bother asking what Althea looks like. Jasmine assumes that she doesn't care enough to do so. Really, there's just no need.]

[It's not as though she's ever been able to forget.]

[blackestwitch]

[ Oh... yikes. Maddie can put together those pieces well enough, and, well, yikes.

Still... she doesn't know what kind of magic or abilities are at play here. It's... it's possible, right? Well, even if not, no need to shatter any dreams or plunge her into despair. ] Well, Zel here can sense other thau- familiars nearby. So if he's around, we'll come across him, don't worry.

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jail appreciates your willingness to lie to small children, Maddie. It's a very big relief, under the circumstances.]

[Jasmine looks pretty relieved, too, smiling gratefully.]

Thank you, Miss Maddie. I'd hate to be any trouble, I just wouldn't want him to waste too much time looking for me.

[Given how little offensive power she has, Althea already does most of their fighting, when they work together. She doesn't want to put any more of a burden on him.]

So, uh... if you wanna hang around here in the meantime, it'd probably be good to stay in one place, so he can find you, right? How about we get you set up somewhere.

Oh, I couldn't impose-!

Nah, it's cool, we got plenty of space. It's a pretty huge school, lots of spare rooms.

[She looks over at Maddie.]

How 'bout it, compere, think your RA'd mind if we borrowed some space in the dorms for a while?

[blackestwitch]

Mmm, she might, but I'll deal with it. I've got some space in my room.

[ Just no playing music, okay bitty-jail? ]

[nor_iron_bars]

[Jasmine looks a little like she wants to spontaneously combust from being put on the spot like that, but she nods shyly.]

If you want to, then I don't mind... I promise not to be any trouble.

[You could probably just put her in a corner and let her sit quietly for the next couple days without getting the poor girl to complain, honestly.]

Thanks.

[Jail casually ruffles Maddie's hair, expressing her affection and gratitude while simultaneously being annoying, as is her way.]

Lemme know if I need to talk to anyone about this, I'll... explain some things for 'em.

[Well, she'll argue and exasperate them until they give up and let her (and Maddie) do what they want. That's practically the same thing, isn't it?]