Royal Academy of Magic (Jump-In!) - IMF&M ended; Current Class: Dragonology

[The Wandering Magus]

Bacon decided to look up a few things, so she looked at her map to find the library. after she located it,  she started on her way there. she still couldn't understand the magic door. it just seemed to blink out of existence.

The library was somewhat like a normal library, but... different.  Due to the Academy's nature as a research institute as well as a center of learning, the place was constantly getting upgrades, and, well, Spatial research students loved working with Architecture students whenever they wanted to expand the place.

The first thing one noticed upon entering was that the room was far larger inside than outside, like the dorm rooms, and that like other rooms the "doors" were more like portals than anything else.  The second thing one noticed was the sheer volume of books, and the fact that a large portion of these books weren't actually on ordinary, bolted-to-the-wall shelves, but floating in midair or appearing and vanishing as various unicorns summoned or dismissed them.  Somepony had apparently gotten tired of using ladders, and it was entirely possible, and encouraged, to walk up the walls if a book was out of reach on predefined pathways, or take the impossible-seeming bridges that spanned the room at intervals and could be used on both sides.

Ambient lighting was provided by magic, of course, and despite the... oddity of the place, it was very well organized and tastefully rendered architecturally.  Much of it had a Sun or Moon motif, although more recent additions and renovations introduced motifs representing the Elements: butterflies, lightning bolts, diamonds, apples, balloons, and stars, depending on the subject.

Books were organized according to the Dewey Decimal System, but could be easily searched through at arcade-like spell matrices called "Spell Catalogs" that one operated with a special keyboard and cursor fitted for hooves, like a typewriter's keyboard.  Searching for a particular word or subject or phrase would summon the appropriate books, or an illusory copy of the book.  Older books were of the traditional hard-cover type with hundreds of printed pages, but newer additions from the Academy itself were often single sheets of enchanted paper, folded in half, that literally held entire volumes between the two sides.

Spatial magic was weird.

[PPBG]

Shard nodded, and levitated a copy of the review paper over to Mage and Flare. "Yes, you're actually not too late, considering I'm rather off schedule myself. I was only mentioning that we are going on a five minute walk to meet a dragon, although you can go to the library or to a study hall if you don't want to. Just tell me so I can write you a pass."

[Bravo 658]

Wavelength raised a hoof, waiting for Shard's confirmation before speaking.  "Will this encounter have any dangers involved?"

[Winds]

So her first class finally began. She took a moment to look at the two students that had just arrived, she smiled and waved in their direction, before taking a look at the paper give  to her by the teacher. After a short moment, she raised her hoof fo catch the teacher's attention. "Excuse me, Mr. Shard. Are these two different types of dragons able to cooperate if they ever meet or are they more like focused on their own? The young pegasus began speaking, her eyes sparkling with hunger for knowledge, even if it seems useless. "Can you tell me what would they do if in the presence of competition or danger? Perhaps even when somepony is nearby?"

[PPBG]

After acknowledging and listening to a student's question, the unicorn replied,"Yes, as any encounter, there is always the possibility of danger, just as there are always dangers in a chemistry class when doing an experiment. I cannot guarantee your safety, but I doubt any harm will come to you either. We are meeting a friend of mine, who is also an oriental dragon." The stallion turned to the class and said, "Still, if you are uneasy, I don't mind you missing this at all. There will be other opportunities to meet him, and I wouldn't want anypony to become ill or faint."

He then looked to a female pegasus. "Ah, not really. They rarely meet, and Equestrian dragons tend to be aggressive and dominant while Orientals are submissive. They live on different sides of the world as well, although dragons do migrate, they tend to migrate with their own type," he paused, and realized the long tangent he was getting into. Purposely skimming over her second question, he continued, "Heh. We'll get to that another day, or after class if you're dying to know. About somepony being nearby... the dragons we know of, Equestrians, either remain hidden and stalk us or attack in defense. Orientals are a bit more complicated, seeing as it is believed that they have more intelligence. However, let's focus specifically on what we are to be doing today. Meeting a particular oriental dragon. He will just be on guard if the pony was a stranger, although, you all will be with me, so he should be somewhat relaxed. Just please, please don't provoke him, and we'll all be fine...

"Any relevant questions or concerns? Or hall pass requests?"

[Winds]

Whispering Winds nodded at the teacher's answer, and relaxed more on her seat. She had nothing against meeting this oriental dragon, although going there wasnt her choice alone. She was going to ask something else too, but she forgot... great.

Since she was on the back of the classroom, she believed that she didnt draw any attention, so she opened her wings and flapped them slightly.. Been a while since she used them.

Now, it was only a matter of waiting for the other students.

[Bravo 658]

Wavelength shrugged and made no motion to head for the library.  He was content enough knowing that the dragon was a friend of the professor.

[LostSanity]

Shard nodded, and levitated a copy of the review paper over to Mage and Flare. "Yes, you're actually not too late, considering I'm rather off schedule myself. I was only mentioning that we are going on a five minute walk to meet a dragon, although you can go to the library or to a study hall if you don't want to. Just tell me so I can write you a pass."

Mage and Flare breathed a sigh of relief. They then looked at each other with a determined look in their eyes.

"No that's okay. We'll go" informed Mage confidently.

[bauccgia0]

Earl Grey went back through the entryway door, through the outside, carrying an abundance of plant life in his forelegs.

Excuse me, Ms. Quill, but is it all right if I keep these here? They're for my class. And if I can... is there an easier way to get them to my room?

[Voidwalker]

Cloudy Zenith raised a hoof.
"Mr. Shard, does your friend enjoy riddles?" She inquires.
"I've read that oriental dragons are particularly skilled when it comes to word games, so I'm wondering if I should ask him one."

[Bane Emural]

Bane heads back to the tower, then back to his classroom. He sits behind his teacher's desk and places a small cube with strange markings on the goldish metal box. He taps the top of it and the top of the box opens up. A filly-size Ancient bot came out of it and became activated. "Make sure all the preparations are complete. I want to make sure this place looks good enough for the students who will arrive in this class. Oh and prepare the rails and several buckets of water." The bot follows the commands and begins setting up the rails which will be close to the classroom ceiling.

[PPBG]

"Yes, he does enjoy riddles." Shard replied. He caught the eye at a nervous looking unicorn near the back of the class. He turned away from the class to get his saddlebags while discreetly writing the young unicorn a library pass. Shard smiled to the class as he turned back around. "Let's get going, then. It's about a five minute walk --four if you walk quickly," he said, slipping the pass to the student who gave a relieved smile in return before getting up and walking out the door with the class, although, the student had a different destination in mind.

The door led the class out a back door from the academy, and into an area dotted with trees. After a short walk, they'd reach a meadow where a dragon lay in wait.



He lay down, looking at his new-found acquaintance. Silvery hair and his pale blue body contrasted with his warm brown eyes. "Where are you from?" he asked.

((For GalvinRoe.))

[LostSanity]

"Yes, he does enjoy riddles." Shard replied. He caught the eye at a nervous looking unicorn near the back of the class. He turned away from the class to get his saddlebags while discreetly writing the young unicorn a library pass. Shard smiled to the class as he turned back around. "Let's get going, then. It's about a five minute walk --four if you walk quickly," he said, slipping the pass to the student who gave a relieved smile in return before getting up and walking out the door with the class, although, the student had a different destination in mind.

The door led the class out a back door from the academy, and into an area dotted with trees. After a short walk, they'd reach a meadow where a dragon lay in wait.

Mage and Flare were speechless. There were in awe at simply being able to witness a dragon first-hand.

[Bravo 658]

After Wavelength's first glance at the dragon, he regretted not unpacking his helmet's camera attachment or a quick documentary.  He did his best to commit the experience to memory instead, and waited for Shard to initiate the contact.

[Winds]

Whispering Winds was flying only slightly above the ground, finally some exercise for her wings! Even if a little. She was right behind the professor, and landed as soon as the dragon came into view. What an amazing creature! The light green pegasus wanted to run there and take a closer look but she knew it was wise to wait for the one in charge to make the first approach, and contained herself.

[GalvinRoe]

He lay down, looking at his new-found acquaintance. Silvery hair and his pale blue body contrasted with his warm brown eyes. "Where are you from?" he asked.

That filly just stared into the dragon's knowledgeable eyes, it had been so long since she'd see eyes like that over here in Canterlot or anywhere in Equestria really. Made her think of home, made her think of all those broken bones and painful beatings. Being a street filly was hard work and you signed up with one gang or another, at one point.

"Sup, Big Kyu. Yea' yea, I'mma froma them places up north. Kuushi, yah-knows it werent no paradise an' hard work for a street filly ta take care o' her poppies but mah family got along fine. See'n as I was da only memba o' tah family. Pichaw, Kyu, pichaw it werent that bad. Da city o kuushi sa mainly sa open city. Lots o' da trees an' all that green. Made da winters cold dah, you know bout them winters Kyu. Cold wintas." It couldn't be said this conversation wasn't lively, besides the rather strong inflections the girl put on her words her gesticulations were all over the place. Her entire body going slack at moments , as she made an exaggerated depressed movement. Or arms hugging about her as she talked about the cold winters, but all through it her eyes stayed the same. Mirrors and dirty, lazy windows. Window that forgot how to show what went on within and only revealed the same plain expression over and over again.

The girl's crimson beret was tightly affixed to her hair, which was thrown into several ponytails, only the first two visible underneath the hat. A white tank top covered her upper torso and large poofy black pants fluttered around her hooves and hind legs.

"Yah, is good ta meet you Big Kyu."

[blobking156]

Bacon decided to look up a few things, so she looked at her map to find the library. after she located it,  she started on her way there. she still couldn't understand the magic door. it just seemed to blink out of existence.

The library was somewhat like a normal library, but... different.  Due to the Academy's nature as a research institute as well as a center of learning, the place was constantly getting upgrades, and, well, Spatial research students loved working with Architecture students whenever they wanted to expand the place.

The first thing one noticed upon entering was that the room was far larger inside than outside, like the dorm rooms, and that like other rooms the "doors" were more like portals than anything else.  The second thing one noticed was the sheer volume of books, and the fact that a large portion of these books weren't actually on ordinary, bolted-to-the-wall shelves, but floating in midair or appearing and vanishing as various unicorns summoned or dismissed them.  Somepony had apparently gotten tired of using ladders, and it was entirely possible, and encouraged, to walk up the walls if a book was out of reach on predefined pathways, or take the impossible-seeming bridges that spanned the room at intervals and could be used on both sides.

Ambient lighting was provided by magic, of course, and despite the... oddity of the place, it was very well organized and tastefully rendered architecturally.  Much of it had a Sun or Moon motif, although more recent additions and renovations introduced motifs representing the Elements: butterflies, lightning bolts, diamonds, apples, balloons, and stars, depending on the subject.

Books were organized according to the Dewey Decimal System, but could be easily searched through at arcade-like spell matrices called "Spell Catalogs" that one operated with a special keyboard and cursor fitted for hooves, like a typewriter's keyboard.  Searching for a particular word or subject or phrase would summon the appropriate books, or an illusory copy of the book.  Older books were of the traditional hard-cover type with hundreds of printed pages, but newer additions from the Academy itself were often single sheets of enchanted paper, folded in half, that literally held entire volumes between the two sides.

Spatial magic was weird.

Bacon wasn't as surprised as expected. most magic could be emulated or enhanced with the use of technology. she walked in nonchalantly, a black sheep amongst these unicorns. she walked over to the shelves and grabbed a couple books. she put them into her bags. Then, noticing a gravitational distortion, she stepped right up to a bunch of books. they were fairly big and her bag didn't budge (they were bigger on the inside)

[PPBG]

"Yes. Very cold winters," the dragon replied. He smiled down at the filly. Well, he thought it was a smile. It was the best he could do; he was only a dragon after all. And while he wasn't large, he was still considerably larger than a pony. He was about the length of an Equestrian dragon, nose to tail tip, and as tall as Celestia while lying down with his head up.

As Shard and the group got closer, he motioned for them to stop. He went several paces ahead before stopping and staring at the dragon's eyes, waiting for the beast's attention to turn to him. Once he had waited a few moments with no response, he muttered, "I know you can hear me, Kyslu." The only reply was an exhale and brief eye contact at first. A small, light blue fireball was launched toward Shard, and the unicorn simply picked up a rock and threw it toward the fireball using magic. The rock shattered and the fireball dissipated. The unicorn turned back to the class. "He's just messing around. But seriously, he may not look dangerous, but you can't judge by looks. Same goes for young, wild dragons. Anyway, come on," he said, turning back toward his friend only to find that the dragon was off talking to some filly that the unicorn hadn't noticed earlier. No one he had seen before. He figured he would have remembered somepony dressed like that. He walked towards the girl and stopped once he was standing near the dragon's hindquarters.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" he asked, hoping that any excess curiosity and suspicion couldn't be heard in his voice.

[Voidwalker]

Cloudy Zenith glances towards the dragon, then goes back to trying to concoct a riddle for him.
Cloudy is having a little difficulty with this however, as she keeps thinking up riddles that she has read.
What vessel lies without hinges, lock or lid? Inside a golden treasure hid... No that one is an old chestnut.
I must have read it several times now, I need to come up with something new.
She chastises her own thoughts before looking up to notice a filly near the dragon.
After a short burst of curiosity over the filly, Cloudy continues straining to devise a riddle.

[LostSanity]

"Yes. Very cold winters," the dragon replied. He smiled down at the filly. Well, he thought it was a smile. It was the best he could do; he was only a dragon after all. And while he wasn't large, he was still considerably larger than a pony. He was about the length of an Equestrian dragon, nose to tail tip, and as tall as Celestia while lying down with his head up.

As Shard and the group got closer, he motioned for them to stop. He went several paces ahead before stopping and staring at the dragon's eyes, waiting for the beast's attention to turn to him. Once he had waited a few moments with no response, he muttered, "I know you can hear me, Kyslu." The only reply was an exhale and brief eye contact at first. A small, light blue fireball was launched toward Shard, and the unicorn simply picked up a rock and threw it toward the fireball using magic. The rock shattered and the fireball dissipated. The unicorn turned back to the class. "He's just messing around. But seriously, he may not look dangerous, but you can't judge by looks. Same goes for young, wild dragons. Anyway, come on," he said, turning back toward his friend only to find that the dragon was off talking to some filly that the unicorn hadn't noticed earlier. No one he had seen before. He figured he would have remembered somepony dressed like that. He walked towards the girl and stopped once he was standing near the dragon's hindquarters.

"Hello. What are you doing here?" he asked, hoping that any excess curiosity and suspicion couldn't be heard in his voice.

Mage and Flare were now thinking twice about their decision after what they just saw. It was too late to turn back now. All they could do at this point was be extra cautious, and, most importantly, try to make sure they didn't do anything to anger the dragon.

For now though... they simply watched to see what would happen next.