#swyngiselle

[clio-of-hesiod]

Magnifique Brainstorming () [The Magnifiques]

In which the Magnifiques get to studying after a chastising by Professor Sanchez at the beginning of the semester...[takes place: evening January 6th]

@enchantedtomeet-giselle, @devyn-morey, @ariel-the-undiscovered, @blight-magic

[cw -- none]

()()()

AMITY: Amity’s head felt like it was filled with broken glass. 

The feeling had started as a weird fuzz around her face during Professor Sanchez’s speech as if her ears were stuffed with cotton. Then, her heart rate had steadily risen as the rest of her muscles became leaden and heavy. She had clenched her fists, digging her fingernails deep into her palms, unable to uncurl them. By the end of it, she couldn’t tell what Professor Sanchez had said at all. But the details didn’t matter.

The point was– he thought they were failing him. Half a semester, wasted. He was losing faith. 

And Amity couldn’t lose this.

So she sprung into action, booked the study room, and told everyone to be there during the appointed time. No time to panic. They could still fix this, they could turn it around– they just needed a plan. 

Now all the Magnifiques were assembled. Amity hadn’t sat down. She was gnawing on the side of her thumb, staring at a whiteboard she’d brought into the study room. 

“We need ideas,” she said. “Any ideas– all ideas. Good ideas.” 

()()()

[link here]

()()()

[king-magnifico]

Someone Praise Me for my Benevolence {{ [Magnifico and the Magnifiques]

In which Magnifico checks in with the Magnifiques about their research project...[takes place: first day of classes]

@blight-magic, @ariel-the-undiscovered, @devyn-morey, @clio-of-hesiod, @enchantedtomeet-giselle

[cw -- teachers being disappointed in you lmaooo]

{{ {{ {{

MAGNIFICO: Things were not going as planned, which was making Magnifico impatient.

There was a reason he had come to a specifically magical town, with a specifically magical college. Yale had had brilliant scholars, but they were almost too smart. They got hung up on hypotheticals. They weren’t creative enough. They weren’t magic enough. So, Magnifico had changed tactics. 

Magical problems needed magical solutions. 

So, as the Magnifiques (it was very cute they were calling themselves that, they didn’t even realize! Sweet things), filed in for their first day back at school after the winter holidays, Magnifico sat in one of the chairs in their small classroom, his lips pursed. A magical fire was crackling in the hearth, the room full of a few plush chairs and a small round table. There was a window with frost clinging to the edges. 

“Sit down,” Magnifico gestured, waiting for the kids to get settled before he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “I hope you all had a good, restful holiday. We are going to need to have rested up for this semester. We are coming up on our deadline with little progress.” 

{{ {{ {{

[link here]

{{ {{ {{

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo hadn't thought about it like that. She was on a mission and had a goal--and that was all that mattered. It didn't occur to her that...maybe Professor Sal really did trust her with this. That he looked at her and saw more than...another daughter. Another jewel for the crown.

She blinked a little and felt so grateful for Giselle, her heart swelled. Honestly, Kleo had never imagined herself becoming so close to a Mundus but...Giselle's point of view expanded Kleo's own and she appreciated her so much.

Reaching out, she took Giselle's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sure we'll find it--though...maybe back the other way? I don't think a lot of animals come this way." It was an eerie place, dead and still.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

The Tale of the Haunted BOOOOOOOOk () [The Magnifiques]

In which the Magnifiques break into the library's archives...[takes place: near to Halloween]

@blight-magic, @enchantedtomeet-giselle, @devyn-morey, @ariel-the-undiscovered, @king-magnifico

[cw -- violence by book]

()()()

AMITY BLIGHT:  In the restricted section of Pride University’s Library at the top floor, there were a ton of magically inclined books. Some of those tomes were grimoires donated by well-respected scholarly witches and wizards. Some were travel accounts about magical creatures from around the world. And others might not have magical content themselves but were enchanted– spells that made the books speak their content out loud, conjure pictures, or even, it was rumored, take hold of a person’s mind.

Apparently, one of those books was a diary of a witch who had claimed to have invented a spell that let her travel into a book. No one knew if her stories were true– in fact, loads of people called her a fraud. But for the purpose of Professor Sal’s class, Amity knew they had to get a hold of that diary and explore the witch’s story for herself.

And look, she’d tried to go through the proper channels. She asked if she could visit the section with supervision during the appropriate hours. But that specific diary was off-off limits. The librarians refused to say why. It was ‘confidential information’ that only the archivists were privy to. 

Sketchy as fuck if you asked Amity. 

But it wouldn’t stop her. 

So– what else was there to do but break in? Amity had run the idea past Ariel first– she seemed to have guts. Then together, they proposed the idea to Kleo, who agreed that they had to get a hold of it somehow. So they’d go after hours and use spellwork to cloak themselves. Somehow the idea got around to Dev and Giselle (ugh) too– well, Ariel told Dev who told Giselle (ugh) so yeah, yeah whatever– as long as Amity got the book, she didn’t care. 

So here they all were, huddled in the shadows of the library.

“Okay everyone, give me your hands– I’ll draw on our cloaking rune,” she said. Kleo would help too. 

()()()

[link here]

()()()

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo blushed a little. Both because she was not really used to getting compliments from anyone but her mother. And Nana sometimes...but that was about it. She didn't really know what to say.

And, she was also thinking about Linnet and how she had washed her hair and tucked her into bed the night she'd been attacked. How much she had missed crawling into bed with her sisters. Getting her hair braided by her cousins. She didn't get a lot of compliments but there was always someone around for a hug if she needed it.

She wasn't sure she was at the level with her friends here, not yet, but it pinched her heart a little. Thinking about it now. And Giselle's voice echoed the feeling.

"Yeah," she said, somewhat shyly, but it was lost as she opened the grand oak door to the Great Hall. "Let's go get some soup before it's all gone."

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

The Enemy of My Enemy () [Giopatra]

[lou-bonfightme]

Now, that was intriguing actually.

As one may guess, if they knew anything about Toulouse Bonfamille: it was that he had a soft spot for nannies and au pairs. His own Nounou had raised him, after all. She still was the person he went to when he needed advice, or just a good meal.

"Ah, I see. And where are you and the family from originally? London?" Considering the comment about the country air, that is what he would assume.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Isn't It Romantic? | Open

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo also perked up at the thanks. She was happy to help, pleased with herself for actually having been able to. After all, this was all pretty new to her too. She wrote a lot, but sharing her writing? That was something really new. Discussing writing with other people? She loved it, but she was just as unsure as everyone else.

"You're welcome, I'm glad," she said with a little smile. "I've got to go--" she was starting to get a headache "--but good luck!"

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

One Little Spark of Inspiration | Giopatra

[prince--thomas]

Tom yanked his hand away with a stern expression. He was trying to be as kind as possible here. He knew how horrible the Order was. And Giselle was just a young, confused girl. At the end of the day, though, Tom didn't care all that much. He wanted to be free of the Order. He had built a life here.

"I donnae want to talk to you and I never will. Stay away from me and my son. And while you're at it, stay away from my sister and Phillip too. I mean it."

With that, Tom stormed off to the playground to scoop up Levi and leave. He wouldn't feel better until he was home again.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

A Handsome Prince | Tomselle

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo threw Giselle a fond, thankful look as her friend started wrapping up the conversation. She wasn't upset with Giselle. It wasn't her fault that her roommate (and Kleo's ex-roommate) was a certified yapper and the absolute worst study buddy ever.

Hopefully, Linnet would take the hint and they could go back to the peaceful quiet that they'd had before she showed up. She hoped that Giselle didn't think she was being too mean...so far, she and Giselle had surprisingly gotten on rather well. Even though Giselle was a Mundus. And Kleo didn't want to ruin her relationships with the other kids in Professor Sal's research class. They were all going to have to work through everything together. And, so far, they'd all been getting along. But other people thought Linnet was sweet as sugar, Kleo knew, and in comparison she was probably a hard pill to swallow.

Kleo pushed those feelings down and went back to her computer. That was what mattered at the end of the day: her studies.

@euterpe-of-hesiod, @enchantedtomeet-giselle

Book Smart | Lillopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo grinned.

She had wanted Chippamunka's too. It was funny, because Kleo was not used to feeling so in sync with other people. Even her family. Sure, she loved them all but she had always felt a little...different from everyone else.

But with the Magnifiques? She fit right in.

"Perfect," she declared as they started out of Town Hall and down to the street. "Mm, I love the cool air," she said as they stepped outside. "I can't wait for spring, though. Do you think Professor Sal will throw an equinox party?"

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo fumbled with her wand and jar--though, she laughed at Giselle's enthusiasm, feeling her cheeks warm. She wanted to point out that they were looking for the flower and she'd done a bunch of research about the most likely place they might grow in Swynlake's environment. So, this was really inevitable based on the science--

But Giselle's smile was contagious.

"You might want to step back a little. If I do this wrong--well, it's poisonous." She pointed her wand at the flower, reaching for the nectar, the liquid, that she could feel inside the flower. Without waking up the flower, she coaxed the nectar out of the flower and into the procurement jar.

"There!" she said with a happy little shake of the jar, once the lid was properly secured. "I wonder what this tastes like. I've never had it before! I heard it has...mind-altering qualities..."

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo had her head down, trying to control her tears, knowing that crying was so immature and didn't help anything--

She didn't expect Giselle to step forward and hug her. For a moment, she just stood there, surprised. When was the last time someone had hugged her? In Ingary, with her family, she was always being touched. She cuddled with her cousins. She braided her sister's hair. Even her mother always touched her face, lifting her chin whenever they said goodbye. They all painted each other's fingers and toes. Popped zits. Unzipped dresses. They even bathed together sometimes.

Moving to Swynlake had cut her off from that connection and she hadn't even realized until Giselle wrapped her in a hug. Her smell was familiar at this point, from being left on Kleo's pillow whenever they hung out in the dorms and she passed them out for people to lean against. Or borrowing sweaters in the cold library.

She was soft and her hair was soft as it tickled Kleo's fingers as she reached up to hug Giselle back, burying her face in her friend's shoulder. "Thank you," she mumbled against Giselle's coat.

They stood like that for a few moments, but eventually, Kleo sniffled and stepped back, still looking down as she blinked away her tears--

And then, she gasped a little.

"A nightbloom!" she said, laughing as she cried and reached into her bag for her wand and vials. "I can't believe it!"

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

"More than my mama needs me to keep a freakin' war from breaking out?"

That was probably not going to happen but...well, if Emperor Belos didn't back down--what would be their recourse? They wouldn't have much of one. Ingary would have to do something or look like a laughing stock.

"I have a duty to my family, Giselle. My family is important to me. If they need me then...that's more important than Professor Sal. Or my future. Or...my friends." She looked away guiltily, but she set her jaw.

It was true. It was how she was raised.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

Kleo had never thought about that before--but she supposed it was true. Which made her blush a little, because she wasn't used to people knowing her. Or paying attention to her likes and dislikes. In her large family, everyone ate the same meals, wore the same clothes, and listened to the same music. They moved as one.

It was a little scary, realizing someone knew you, but she also thought she might like the feeling. Giselle looked at her and didn't see a Schreiber or a talented, promising young witch. She just saw--Kleopatra. Or, not even that, but: Kleo. A name she'd shyly started introducing herself as when she'd first moved here. No one in Ingary called her Kleo. Her mother would probably hate it.

"Definitely, it fills you right up and is so warm. Like eating a hug," Kleo said, and giggled shyly. She wouldn't usually say that, but Giselle was in her writing class with her. And...they were friends...maybe.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

The Enemy of My Enemy () [Giopatra]

[clio-of-hesiod]

"Yes," Kleo said, tilting her head back and blinking to clear the tears away. She took a breath of all that cool, crisp air. Listened to the sound of the river to ground her.

"Mama wants me back home to provide a united from. Things are--they're really bad."

They had never been this bad. Even from here, Kleo could feel the storm clouds gathering. Her mother and the other coven heads sequestered and trying to decide what to do. Most of the time, Ingary turned up their nose at the Boiling Isles. But--they still depended on their exports. They didn't want to lose them as an entity.

It was all just very complicated and Kleo--wanted it to be fixed. So that she didn't have to return. But that made her feel guilty. So many other people's lives were being properly ruined. Families torn apart and dreams crushed.

Kleo's didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

"I think...once the semester is over, I'll have to go back home to Ingary." Her mother wanted her at the Solstice Grand Ball. And she'd already missed too many.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra

[clio-of-hesiod]

"Ohhh, you're right--that's probably the perfect place!" Kleo replied, turning to start back down the river, that would then join with the path that would take them around the perimeter of the meadow. From there, she was sure they would find what Giselle needed.

And, for just a little while, she felt like she could breathe a little lighter.

@enchantedtomeet-giselle

Key Ingredients | Giopatra