Magical Teacher Professor Landry! - Episode 5: Amid the Ghost Blossoms

[Teal Mage]

"Not to her you won't," Jack snapped, turning to regard the dark haired boy with a glare. Alex glanced toward him out of the corner of his eye, a crooked half-smile forming on his lips. "And fine," Jack went on, throwing a vague gesture toward Alex's blond camera-girl, "I won't bludgeon you to death with your camera."

"I'm challenging you to a duel instead." The dark haired Wizard stated, forcing himself to adopt a looser stanc -

Like a soundless clap of thunder, darkness suddenly exploded from Jo's tournament bangle. Professor Landry's distinictive laughter resounded in the void for an instant, only to rapidly dwindle away as the blackness melted away. Bright and clear light fill a spaceous square chamber of pale grey stone - the walls of which rose several stories high into the air. Rectangular engravings, each nearly twice a person's height and width, covered the ceiling and walls. Each box bore the picture of a card - all in the style of Tarot Cards, though most were unfamiliar.

A blizzard of slowly fluttering ghost blossoms filled the air, as Alex Darrow - a faint frown on his face - slowly surveyed his new surroundings. A statue of pale blue crystal rested atop a high raised dias of stone, behind a tablerance baring the emblem of Amaranth and surrounded by carvings of leafed vines, with one arm upraised toward the ceiling. A veil of shimmering prismatic white fabric was set into the wall opposite the statue - which Alex sermized was the entrance to the temple-like space.

Distance had opened up between Jack, Jo and Alex. Where the three had been within arm's reach of one another before, now approximately ten yards of alterating brown and white marble tiles seperated them from one another. A second crystal statue - stance reminscient of the blond camera girl - stood a few paces from the room's north wall.

"Challenge accepted!" Professor Landry's disembodied voice cheerfully declared.

"Heh." Alex fell into a loose and relaxed fighting stance, a pair of thin bladed triangular fighting daggers suddenly in his hands. "Your crazy teacher's toys get crazier all the time, eh Jack?" His grin was cocky, "Too bad I won't get to kick your ass on Camera, but I'm sure I can find a way to have some fun anyway."

That the electronic screens of both Jack and Alex's tournament bangles were now full of static was probably unimportant.

((Action interuption. Everything after Jack's challenge is now void. Actual update will come later.))

[Dracorion]

"That's one way of putting it. I'd say she's batshit crazy." Jack responded with a shrug, before taking a stance. Sword her in front of him, standing sideways so only his right shoulder and leg were presented to Alex, he fixed his gaze on his opponent. He muttered a quick incantation, and spell circles formed over his eyes making them glow a green-tinted blue, as he studied the Director's aura and weapon.

Short, thin twin daggers implied a fast fighting style, one Jack probably couldn't match. But also not much in the way of defense, other than speed. If he could get an opening, Jack had only one possible advantage: he wanted nothing more than to bash Alex's skull in. "You know, I'm not even angry that you recorded that stuff about my parents. I already told Diana my story earlier. What really pisses me off is your attitude. You're such an asshole it makes me want to pound on you until you're a red stain."

[Girasol of Chaos]

Jo flicked the television on, and for the moment, Shin didn't care. Her eyes followed the miniature giant as a hospital gown was brandished from the closet. While the girl was distracted, Shin regarded the bedsheets. "Hold on a sec, don't look." Bringing some of the sheets to her mouth she bit one end and pulled with her arm in an arc, tearing a horizontal strip out of the sheet. Hoping the Jotuun was still busy, the oni used her teeth to hold the strip still as she wrapped the sheet around her chest with some effort. After a few wraps she tucked both ends and smiled. "It'll work."

"Haha!" Jo declared, heading back to the bed's side. "This should fit." Fashion Club's grueling lessons in estimating someone's measurements at a glance had paid off. "Now we'll just have to convince people you're a hospital patient."

"I'm missin a fuckin arm, what's to convince?" Shin made to roll out of the bed, paused, and then shoulder shrugged. "Sorry about this, thanks for all your help." With some effort she turned and offered her surviving arm to the sleeve.

Ensuring the gown was the right way out and finding the correct sleeve, Jo slipped it over the oni's brawny arm. "Oh it's no problem." Jo murmured distractedly.

It felt nice to have something on again, the oni reached to help with the tie in the back of the robe. "Hey, you okay?" The change of tone didn't go unnoticed.

Jo shook her head. "Sorry, I just punched a jerk."

Shin grinned at that and chuckled, "Don't be, Punch him again!"

Jo moved her hand to hide a smile. "Haha, I suppose I shouldn't be." She sighs and pinched the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "This is a complicated evening. I suppose I should have known better than to try and double-date."

Slipping the rest of the robe on, Shin scoots her way out of the bed and works herself to a somewhat unstable stand. "Well I dunno anything about that kinda shit, but if it makes things less complicated, punch the guy in the throat."

"You can't punch every problem." Jo says with amusement.

Finished fumbling with the knot in the back, she turned towards the Jotuun. "Yeah, but it's worth a shot." Her ears picked up on a familiar voice and she turned her face towards the screen, not quite realizing what was drawing her attention.

It was a lake, with a cloaked, white figure, and as it raised it's head, a mask of rather familiar quality revealed itself. Sao's voice rang through her mind as the Oni visibly flinched, then grimaced. "Oh that MOTHERFUCKER."

"What?" Jo asked head swivelling to look at the TV. "What is it?"

Shin snarled and pointed an accusing finger at the screen. "That FUCKING BITCH" Her hand reflexively pulled back and opened her claws as a nimbus materialized against her palm. A heartbeat later, her Kanabo was in her grasp. Unfortunately, it was clear that Shin didn't use her left hand for swinging as much, it took a moment to stabilize herself. "FUCKIN Snow-Shadow"

Her voice cracked a little. Was she nervous?

"Who?" Jo said, vaguely plaintitive.

The figure on screen tilted, then made for a lunge at the one beside the viewer. Shin couldn't peel her eyes away, and had she been able to think it, would have complimented on the fantastic camerawork, given the situation. "Bitch attacked me and Sao last night and is back for more!"

"Last night?" Jo said, still looking lost.

The Undine's knife was seen on the screen at last, sinking into the center of the mask "Right in the FUCKING face!" Swinging her club she hoisted it on her existing shoulder and turned to Jo, who was looking more confused and...was she distracted? By the minute. "Yeah, that THING sunk its claws into my arm, scarred up Sao's face and kh-" She stopped, knot forming in her throat as she thought of Morgan. She picked up her momentum again, roaring in anger. "It's after Sao again!"

"Why is it on the TV?!" the elaborately costumed girl almost wailed in reply, an element of hysteria entering her voice. She was a jotun on the edge. While televisions were basically magic to her understanding, this made no sense at all.

Shin glanced over at the screen again to see an enraged, familiar face lunge towards the viewer, "That Diana chick has a damn curse, and I think it's doin some SHIT to her. We are tryin to get rid of it, but she can't know, so we wanted her to film her own cleanin ritual shit as some halloween thing" Focusing back on the Jotun, it started to occur that maybe she was getting in trouble at the same time as Sao. It probably wasn't a coincidence. "Listen, DON'T OPEN ANY WHITE DOORS." Steadying herself, she had to try to help her friend. "I dunno what the hell is goin on with your clones but you need to get the FUCK out of there."

Jo ran a hand through her white hair, fingers snagging for a moment on the wolf eared headband she wore. "What, curses? White doors?"

Clearly frustrated, the oni glanced at the television, then the door, then finally Jo. Her brow furrowed as her limbs began to tremble, and she forcefully planted the kanabo into the ground with a loud thump. "Listen, I dunno what the hell is goin on either, all i know is that," Leaning forward she rested on the weapon, trying to stave off the weakness that started to overcome her, "That THING took my arm, and I THOUGHT we killed it." Grasping her weapon again for comfort, she regarded the stressed girl in front of her with a somewhat tired look. "It's eaten people before...I heard them. It'll do it again. It gets in your brain and comes out of white doors or somethin. I dun get it myself."

Jo stilled, her body bereft of motive and eyes looking at nothing in the repose of the inanimate. Her death-like stillness passed. She growled as if Shin was sharing the room with a wolf goddess in truth."I'm being attacked." Jo snarled.

Shin looked over her shoulder at the television once more, just as the creature began to struggle against the bites of a recognizable wolf pup. Trying to shake off her weakness, she made a silent prayer for the Undine and attempted to shoulder her club. However, the motion wasn't as smooth as she had hoped, it was now somewhat uncomfortably in the crook of her neck and she offered a nod. It seems the growl didn't spook the ogress, only added to her alarm. "Shoulda punched him harder. What can I do? How do we get there?"

Guided by an unformed whisper of intuition, Jo stepped over to the TV and changed the channel. The screen changed to a stone hallway, its floor a checkerboard of brown and white marble. Benches were set in regular circular recesses long the hallway, interspersed with archways leading onto fields of red grass. Lumpen crystalline statues filled the hallway. The only living things were Jo, Cassie and (arguably) a saber wielding robot.

"I don't know if it's anywhere."

Shin turned her attention to the screen once the channel changed and growled herself. "Nor was the stairwell last night. But Sao found me." Her thoughts began to cloud a little, fighting the guilt concerning the Fae that rescued her and trying to ignore that the girl next to her was also on the screen. "Let's see if we can turn him into a bucket of bolts." Allowing herself a slow blink the oni glanced around the room - things seemed to blur at the edges of her vision, but she tried to ignore it.. Her eyes fell on the bangle by the bed and it's familiarity roused her suspicion. "That thing got anythin to do with it?

Jo held up an arm, letting the sleeve fall back to reveal the black sparking bangle fastened loosely around her wrist. "Almost certainly." she muttered distractedly. "I stepped in to defend my friend and then that happened."

Sliding the handle along her arm for support and catching it-though none too gracefully- Shin offered her wrist. "Then what are we waitin for? Slap that on for me and we'll get goin." Jo wasn't looking all that great either, but it might have just been Shin's perception.

Jo looked at her. "You're not going."

Shin lowered her arm, as it was a little too tired for this. "Whaddya mean? Dun tell me you're makin me sit out of a fight too."

Jo slashed her hand in front of her body, as if to cut off Shin's argument. "You're in no condition to fight."

The ogress frowned, annoyed and being overcome by her body's betrayal. "Bullshit. I can fight until I drop, and I'm not about to let you take off without me." She only wished her statement sounded as confident as it did in her head.

Jo tilted her head to the side and back, looking Shin in the eye, her dark stare implacable. "How are you going to stop me?"

The frown morphed into a glower and she gave a small show of teeth in response. "This." Grasping her kanabo as firmly as her grip would allow, the oni moved to cut off the door with a vertical swing of the club.

There was a sickening crunch as the kanabo ruined the floor in the area it hit, and the rest of the Oni followed her blow. Arm giving out partway through the swing, it dragged her to the ground, forcing her to collapse onto her knees in an attempt to save face. Although she managed to put herself between the Jotuun and the door, she also had just confirmed her classmate's suspicions. Shin seethed in silence, attempting to collect herself.

[Aldurin]

Naomi felt kinda awkward for challenging Sieglind like that, especially with that wind adding dramatic effect. But what was more important was the cowgirl coming her way and the sniper supposedly aimed at her. She decided to take the recommended escape route just far enough to break most potential sightlines to her, then she turned to face down her pursuer. "Science-Fictiony? So uncultured." She taunted toward the cowgirl. "You should hope that you fight better than you understand classic references. Let's settle this with a duel!"

[Arhra]

Jo was in a blizzard. Petals danced in the air, falling around her like snow, their numbers and their pale blue glow giving her surroundings a foggy, luminous appearance. They vanished the moment they touched anything of substance. Jo looked up with suspicion, finding they seemed to appear in much the same way.

The floor was marble, a chequerboard of white and brown. Frosted glass lights on the wall put a harsh and cold edge to the hazy illumination of the petals.

There were arched doorways leading onto high walled courtyards. The grass was red. The sky was dark and filled with indefinite shapes. The full moon was absent. The resemblance in general layout to an exaggerated version of the festival stalls was not lost on Jo.

She turned and her sleeve brushed on cold crystal. A clumsy statue of blue crystal vaguely moulded into a human shape had replaced her friend. Jo gave a sigh of relief. Nikola hadn't been drawn into here as well.

Looking past the statue, Jo's eyes narrowed. Through the falling petals she saw a girl wearing black dress over a red robe. A veil covered most of her face, almost colourless blonde hair flowing down from under the red cover. She held a metal stick and a saber. Eight shadows fanned out around her like the points of a star. Jo wasn't sure who she was.

"As you wish." a voice said behind Jo, subtly synthetic.

"Who's there?" the other girl said as Jo turned. Jo could hear her walking, softly tapping her stick on the ground as she moved.

Wait. That cane. Blonde. Blind. And her voice sounded familar. "Cassie?" Jo said. "It's Jo Imirsdotter, from Strolling Club. Be careful! You're in a lot of danger."

An automation wrapped in white emerged from the recess coressponding to the booth it had hidden in at the festival. It had cable-like hair and carried a slender sword in the place of its kitchen knife.

"There will be no awakening from this dream."

"A dream?" Johanna said. She exhaled sharply, a short bark of mixed amusement and indignation. "More like a nightmare! Tell me, before we duel, what do you know of Ashley Terata?"

Things were taking a turn for the fatally cryptic, Jo quickly coming to the conclusion she needed more information. Clawing at any scrap of extra insight she could, yellow sparked about Jo for an instant as she sent a surge of inspiration through her brain.

* * *

Shin was in no condition to leave the hospital and in no mood to agree with that assessment. Glowering, she swing her kanabo at the door to block off Jo's escape route. Her arm gave out partway through the swing and the heavy club dragged her to knees as she tried to avoid following it.

Jo let the silence draw out. She walked over to the bedside table and picked Shin's tournament bangle, turning it over in her hands. "Just think for a moment." Jo said. Then, she dropped it and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl.

"You honestly can't stop me leaving." Jo said, slicing the apple with a paring knife in her other hand. "My body is snow and fate and spirit. If I release my spirit, it will return to snow."

Shin had managed back to a stand with the help of the club. Shortly after, she decided to dismiss the weapon, taking the opportunity to lean against the wall nearby and offer Jo the best irritated look she could muster at that point.

She popped a slice of apple into her mouth. "And if you go out there, you'll die." she added, treating Shin to a full stare from her inexplicably terrifying eyes. Jo didn't know what the ogre found so offputting about her eyes, but she was willing to use it to her advantage.

A sharp exhale was heard as Shin pushed away from the wall, then leaned back against it. She wasn't ready to give up her crutch yet. "I can't just sit here and do nothing." Shin forced a toothy smile, but reverted back to her rather pained state. "Bein weak is for someone else, not me."

Jo walked over towards her. "I'm currently in a field of marble. It mirrors the festival grounds, but it's bigger. There's crystal statues where some of the other people were. Do you know anything about that?" She offered Shin a slice of apple.

Shin waved her hand in decline for the apple. After a brief moment, she shook her head. "I think the statues are dead guys. Or at least people who lost." A frown appeared on her features, "It's not good, is my point."

"I need to know everything you think is relevant about the current situation." Jo says gently. "You're a lot more up to date than me."

* * *

"Now a guy like me..." Alex smirked, "...I can give as good as I get."

Jo gave him a disinterested look of vaguely sociopathic curiousity. It was an expression which she would normally reserve for an unexpectedly plucky insect that had survived it's first swatting. She opened her mouth to speak and-

-Jack interrupted. "Not to her you won't," he said, glaring at Alex. "And fine," Jack went on, throwing a vague gesture toward Alex's blond camera-girl, "I won't bludgeon you to death with your camera."

"I'm challenging you to a duel instead." The dark haired Wizard stated and then-

-was himself interrupted.

"Challenge accepted!" Professor Landry's disembodied voice cheerfully declared.

They found themselves in an expanded temple of marble, two statues marking the position of Madame Lala and Alex's camera girl. To her surprise, Jo felt her bond with her primary body return to full strength. This was all part of the same place?

"Heh." Alex said, daggers in his hands. "Your crazy teacher's toys get crazier all the time, eh Jack? Too bad I won't get to kick your ass on Camera, but I'm sure I can find a way to have some fun anyway."

"That's one way of putting it." Jack responded. "I'd say she's batshit crazy. You know, I'm not even angry that you recorded that stuff about my parents. I already told Diana my story earlier. What really pisses me off is your attitude. You're such an asshole it makes me want to pound on you until you're a red stain."

"Enough foreplay, boys." Jo said, looking pained. "Please, just get on with it."

[Riin Whitewind]

Still keeping her grip on Diana's free hand, Sao heard a quiet splash amid the growls of Puppy and the steamy hisses of her disrobed opponent. Taking her eyes off the grotesque figure for a moment, the healer felt a pang as she watched her ritual dagger sink beneath the lake, small ripples in the water momentarily marking its descent. It must have been knocked off the spit of sand in the fight, somehow.

Sao was dimly aware of Hermes' bark, but could spare no attention on seeing who - or what - had drawn his attention. He didn't sound threatening, so it was probably friendly.

Probably.

Suddenly turning toward Diana, Sao gently grasped the camerawoman's other hand - taking care not to jostle the shot. She looked over Diana's face for a moment, searching for something in her classmate's expression.

"Stay safe." The healer's voice was quiet, her own expression a mixture of sadness and grim determination. Giving Diana's hands a quick squeeze, the spirit released her classmate and dove into the cold, still lake - chasing her dagger down into the dark water.