daybreakacademy | WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START

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WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START

WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START
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The snowfall has only intensified as Daybreak moves into the first day of Winter Term classes. A school-wide orientation will be held in the auditorium, followed by an open period where tours will be given to new students by student volunteers. After a noon lunch in the main hall, short introduction classes will be held where the syllabi will be distributed and professors can give a brief overview of what they’ll be covering over the term.

A. ORIENTATION ASSEMBLY

With a new school year comes a fresh address. The orientation assembly is one of the few times that the Headmistress and High Seer, Mila Duchene, speaks to the gathered faculty and students about their purpose and why they’ve been found and gathered here. About how Nightfall looms ever closer, and how together they will be the flames who light the coming darkness.

It is, in the manner of many orientation speeches, fairly long-winded. Those who have been here for more than a year have likely heard this speech before, though it’s slightly more urgent this time. Maybe it’s a good time to get to know the people on either side of you a little better while the Headmistress talks, because you’ll be here for a while. Or maybe you’ve planned ahead, and you have something to entertain you at orientation - much to the shared entertainment or dismay of others in your vicinity, perhaps.

Or you could actually be listening to the speech. It’s up to you.

B. SCHOOL TOUR

For students fresh to the academy, the sprawling nature and architecture of Daybeak Academy can be quite intimidating. Fortunately, helpful student volunteers have been tapped to help escort the new students around and give them a feel for campus. Student volunteers are typically chosen for both their experience on campus and helpful nature. While some scripts are provided, students are encouraged to ad-lib and put their own spin on campus and what they like about it. New students are, of course, encouraged to ask as many questions as they can to make sure they fully understand and familiarize themselves with the campus as quickly as possible.

C. SNACK STATION

During the first three days after the Holiday break, throughout the campus grounds are small stations manned by the kitchen staff and volunteers, the smell of hot chocolate, cider, and frying bread fills the air, stirring the appetite and promising warmth on this cold winter’s day.

Every booth has hot chocolate, some spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, others rich and creamy, but always with an option for marshmallows, peppermint bark or caramel drizzles - with non-alcoholic hot cider for those with an allergy to chocolate. For food options, naturally being France there are crepes of all types and beignets on offer, with jam- or custard-filled berliners, while those looking for a more savory fare will be treated to rissoles - a fried bread stuffed with minced meat or bechamel sauce and cod.

While the drinks are on tap and readily available, it may take a few moments to get the treats out, so might as well make conversation while a fresh batch is made.

code bases by tricklet

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...How are you expecting to read a book if you can't read the titles?

*None of the books are magical, none are humming in her ear in any way that would make it clear that the book has power. Just... books. So all she could do is just read what the sections are. As unlike some idiots she can read French.*

These are... history books. About what really happened behind the veil during the 17th century.

It's a magic school! I was expecting there to be magic things. Like I'd touch it and it would reveal its knowledge to me! Or something like that.

[The history section was probably not where he wanted to be.]

Where would we find... memoirs?

[He's not sure that's actually what he's looking for.]

None of the books sound magic in here. They're just books.

*If there were magic books, she'd hear them if she got near them. Even with all the sound he was making.*

Can you read them?

You can hear magic? That's awesome!

[He laughs a little, because yeah, he probably won't be able to read the memoirs either.]

You never know~! Even if I can't read them now, I might be able to later. Or, you know, one could be magic. It's not-

[He was running down a long corridor with much open space between the walls and the ceiling. The edges were dark, they seemed so far away. The ceiling had panels of fluorescent lights like a basement, only the were bright pink. Up ahead, the corridor split off in two directions. Upon entering the left hallway, he was stopped abruptly by the sudden appearance of a lime green brick wall. Turning back, the original corridor had also been replaced by a wall, one with a strange mural consisting of a blue preying mantis wearing a crown. In the background was a battle scene, ants with spears and swords, some fighting each other, some already dead and dripping yellow blood. He looked to the right corridor, which also no longer existed. It was another green wall. There was no exit. The mural wall inched closer, a clicking sound accompanying it, like it was on a track. The other walls followed, closing in. The ceiling was lowering, pink lights flickering off and on. The preying mantis began chanting some strange archaic words that meant nothing. The walls and ceiling were closing in faster; and he could no longer stand up. The fluorescent lights flickered faster, flashing in several different colors. He was kneeling and hunched over, and could feel the ceiling touching his spine. He tried to slide down onto his stomach, but the walls were too close and he had no room lie down. The chanting was rising in volume, a jarring crescendo. He was panicking; the walls and the ceiling were touching him and kept inching closer still. He felt a rib snap under the pressure. The lights were still flashing and making him dizzy. There was no air. He heard something snap, but couldn't determine which bone it was...

...and he's screaming in the middle of the library, kneeling and clawing at the floor. When he can finally catch his breath, he's sill very freaked out.]

I-I'm sorry...

*His magic suddenly screamed around him. Scream was the best term she could use, it sounded like someone played a whole concert all at once. Not exactly all at once, several parts were definitely in the wrong order. It was coming from him.*

*She can keep the scream, the physical scream not the magical one, contained to just them and not draw too much attention. Silencing an area doesn't help her, but it should keep anyone from, well, noticing. Maya's quiet a few moments after he speaks.*

...That's why you want books on visions?

Yes.

[He gets up off the floor and leans against a bookshelf. He's still shaky, and embarrassed that he can't control any of it.]

I don't know if what I see is normal, or well, normal for Seers... or even if there is a normal. I just wanted to know if there were accounts that were similar.

[He speaks quietly, and that's very rare.]

Did... did you hear weird things? Is that how it works?

It sounded like complete chaos, it mostly just hurt.

*She has softened and there's a bit more concern in her eyes at hearing that.*

I'm not a seer, but that definitely sounded wrong to me.

[Complete chaos and pain.]

That's exactly what it's like for me too.

[At least he's not the only one who thinks something's off about it. He's debating whether or not to tell her about the daemon. It would probably help with perspective if they did find some useful books. It's not the thing he wants to bring up after just meeting her, though.]

Does it hurt just being near me, like right now? Because you don't have to help.

I was just in a room with a bunch of people who all have unique powers and make unique sounds. I'll live.

*The chaos of a room was bad, the chaos of a room full of magical people was worse. But she managed well enough. By ignoring the speech and slamming her ears with pop music.*

Not sure how books you can't read will help with this.

They probably won't~!

[He doesn't know what will, or if he should even be worrying. It was a new development after all.]

I think I'll just wait it out for a minute. I don't want to do something stupid on my own and make it worse!

[Because that's likely what messing with books he couldn't read was going to do.]

So, where's that door?

Are you lying or just have no idea what you're doing?

*Maya asking someone if they're lying isn't really going to get you anywhere? She takes a moment to listen, she's centered herself off some specific magical sounds in the school that are stationary.*

The door is back behind me, but we need to go through a few different shelves first to get to the central hall of the library. How often do visions happen, for you?

No idea what I'm doing!

[He wonders what a door sounds like to her.]

Okay, I remember the central hall.

[As for her question, there's not a pattern time-wise to come up with an average.]

I've had five since I got here, including today. And um...

[He's keeping count on his fingers while trying to think of every instance in the three week span before coming to Daybreak.]

Seventeen before then.

*Nothing, she knows where the door is.*

And they all sound like that? Always... chaos?

...I couldn't handle years of that...

I guess they would! It usually looks like chaos; too many bright colors and surreal weird things, and then it just... ends badly. But sometimes! It's like a little flash thing. Like at the banquet, I saw little red spiders hatching from eyeballs! But it was from the kid who sat across from me; he'd been bitten by a blighted spider. That one made sense!

[Her second comment inspires nothing but fear. Years of that. No.]

Years~! That would be interesting! It's only been like a month. How long have you... heard things?

*She does not trust your 'that would be interesting' at all. But at least it explains the research if his powers are new. Like that.*

...four years.

I just thought I was crazy. My silence, I guess, kept anyone from figuring out I was a candle or whatever. Maybe if I was found earlier...

*She shelves that line of thought and moves on. No point dwelling on what she couldn't do, and how her own powers kept it from happening.*

Nevermind.

[Alas, she's talking with someone who can't take a hint.]

That's horrible; not knowing what's happening! You must have been so scared!

[He's barely restraining himself from hugging her, because he's certain she's not the type for clingy physical contact.]

If the silence thing stopped them before, then how did they find out?

*She thinks of all the days she was numb to the world, just- accepting that she was insane and how little she could do for anyone around her in need.*

Scared isn't the word.

*She freezes, no her usual pauses, or slow responses, freezes and actually looks terrified at the question. Flashing back to the roof, the night she was found. The pills she'd stolen... the hospital she woke up in... eventually she pushes the thoughts away.*

Some hunters finally figured out there was demonic activity at my school. While hunting for the demon they found me. But- their seer couldn't see me, they were coordinating from a van in the parking lot? So... it was clear I had powers, they just couldn't tell what exactly.

But if your powers are not being noticed, nobody quite sees what's going on with you.

[He regrets asking now, because she looks more than scared. Haunted, maybe. If the daemon hadn't been there, would they ever have found her? And even though they had, she's still spent years not knowing what was really going on. He can't image what it would have been like without any idea what was happening; they'd found him right away.]

I'm sorry...

[He can't express his feelings with words beyond that. Instead, he goes for the hug anyway, because he just wants to make her feel better, but doesn't know how.]

It's fine, nothing irreversible happened.

*That day.*

I've gotten pretty good at interpreting most of what I hear. And the constant noise isn't as bad as... that. Let's get out of here and find somewhere else to be.

*Maya's bad at pity, at the looks, treating her like she's made of glass. She got some of that while she was in therapy, friends who wanted to visit. Friends who didn't have time for her before, but suddenly now that she was- it didn't matter. They were a world and a life away.*

[Somewhere else was good. He generally preferred to go with the “It happened. Move on.” thing too.]

Yeah, okay. Where do you want to go~?

I'm hoping to get away from people for a little while.

The assembly was a lot to process.

*Literally it was like sitting in a room with every song on spotify playing at the same time. And one incredibly boring TED talk.*

Alright~! I'll talk to you again sometime!

[He waves and decides to head back to the dorms. He's going to let her do her thing, and hopes he hasn't annoyed her too much.]

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WINTER TERM OPENING CEREMONY AND CLASS START

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cw: claustrophobia

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CW: Mentions of suicide.

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