Zafflebrod's College and Preparatory School for the Magically Inclined

[Deathkeeper]

A Bench out Front

Isaac smiles. A big, warm, genuine smile. "Tab, you're our friend. We know you'd be careful. And like I said, it's no more dangerous than being around me when I try to learn my stuff. You've done plenty for me, if I can't speak for both of us. If it'll help you, I'd be glad to offer what I can do." he says, in a distinctly less paranoid manner than Tabitha might be used to.

[Slii Arhem]

A Bench Out Front

"It's... not just practice, no. It's more like... imagine that you're used to being out and about all day, but then you have to be locked in your house all day because something happened to someone else. It's... kind of like that. I used to hop around a bit, you know? But now I've moved, and I'm about to visit anyone who I don't know... but It's taken me a while to get to know anyone, and I've been feeling really cooped up!" Tabitha explains. "I've done some research on it, and I know that it can be dangerous, especially to the person whose dream is being invaded, but I'm always careful, and I certainly wouldn't do anything on purpose!"

A Bench out Front

Isaac smiles. A big, warm, genuine smile. "Tab, you're our friend. We know you'd be careful. And like I said, it's no more dangerous than being around me when I try to learn my stuff. You've done plenty for me, if I can't speak for both of us. If it'll help you, I'd be glad to offer what I can do." he says, in a distinctly less paranoid manner than Tabitha might be used to.

A Bench Out Front

"Well, before we get into this why don't you tell us what some of the dangers are, and what we could do together to mitigate them before we even start? If you don't know, we can do some research after last class." While Merissa is likewise not being paranoid, she can at least be reasonable about this. Dangers are dangers, intentional or not.

[Lost_Deep]

A Bench Out Front

"I don't know the details. I know that if properly done, someone can change the victim anyway they like. I don't know how that would happen, and I don't want to know. If I were to break something, I'd likely just give people random funky complexes, but I don't know. Some research is probably smart." She nods. "Most of what I know is from some internet searches, and then I thought about it. Often too much."

[Deathkeeper]

A Bench Out Front

"Well, not every source is going to work for you like it does. And usually really big fundamental changes are tough, so they're probably not doable if you're not very experienced. It's not really my field, but I'll help any way I can." Isaac says, grinning. Is he in a good mood, or just laid-back today?

[Slii Arhem]

A Bench Out Front

"I don't know the details. I know that if properly done, someone can change the victim anyway they like. I don't know how that would happen, and I don't want to know. If I were to break something, I'd likely just give people random funky complexes, but I don't know. Some research is probably smart." She nods. "Most of what I know is from some internet searches, and then I thought about it. Often too much."

A Bench Out Front

"Well, not every source is going to work for you like it does. And usually really big fundamental changes are tough, so they're probably not doable if you're not very experienced. It's not really my field, but I'll help any way I can." Isaac says, grinning. Is he in a good mood, or just laid-back today?

A Bench Out Front

Merissa looks at him sideways with a grin, "Okay mister, you're in way too good a mood today. What's gotten into you, besides the ears? Is it bodysnatchers? Are you a bodysnatcher? Because if you are, you should know that Isaac usually treats me to lunch, so it'll be important for you to do so to keep up your image until we inevitably foil your plot to replace us all with really awful duplicates." She's giggling by the end, clearly not believing her own words.

"And speaking of lunch, we should skip it and get cracking those books if we want to find anything before tonight."

[Lost_Deep]

A Bench Out Front

"Part of me wants to object to that, but I spent the last 30 minutes eating comfort food to psyche myself up for this, so I'm not hungry." That's oddly fortuitous.

[Deathkeeper]

A Bench Out Front

Isaac returns her smirk. "Well, if you're not sure, you could always test it like the movies and see if I kiss the same." What movies are those? "But sure, books sound fine. I ate in the city." he says (truthfully!) with a shrug.

[Morty]

[Lawn]

Batu can be seen sitting on the front lawn, legs crossed, immersed in a badgered, old book. Several other tomes are lying nearby. He doesn't seem to be paying much attention to anything other than the book in front of him. Surely nothing can go wrong with that.

[Slii Arhem]

A Bench Out Front

"Part of me wants to object to that, but I spent the last 30 minutes eating comfort food to psyche myself up for this, so I'm not hungry." That's oddly fortuitous.

A Bench Out Front

Isaac returns her smirk. "Well, if you're not sure, you could always test it like the movies and see if I kiss the same." What movies are those? "But sure, books sound fine. I ate in the city." he says (truthfully!) with a shrug.

A Bench Out Front -> Across the Lawn

"Maybe when we're not trying to help Tabby out, Bizzaro-Isaac. Come on, let's get the boring stuff done with so we can see if there's any risk. Then I really do have to get something to eat before next class. I accidentally vanished breakfast out of my stomach during CPR training this morning." Not even going to elaborate on that one. Magical CPR is a very delicate procedure.

Batu will likely notice the three walking by, if he was inclined to comment on a four-armed girl, a pointed-eared fellow, and their somewhat nervous friend.

[Lost_Deep]

Across the Lawn

Said nervous friend also has a large pair of wings.

"I can run get some granola if you don't want to wait to run and get food..."

[Arkhosia]

Batu and/or the trio may notice a certain olive-skinned woman in a seafoam green hoodie, jeans, and black boots with a crescent moon pendant hanging from her neck with her brown hair in a ponytail. What's she doing? Oh, nothing much. Just walking from a closing opalescent portal as she grins to herself, eating an apple and tossing up and catching a black gem.... which may be missed and end up tolling at the feet of the trio, causing Charlotte to run and dive to catch it and curse under her breath.

[Deathkeeper]

Across the Lawn

Isaac smiles.
"I've got some microwave pizzas in my freezer, as always. We can always hit my stash." he says. It's always smart to have a stash, especially with super giant lockers.

[Slii Arhem]

Across the Lawn

Said nervous friend also has a large pair of wings.

"I can run get some granola if you don't want to wait to run and get food..."

Across the Lawn

Isaac smiles.
"I've got some microwave pizzas in my freezer, as always. We can always hit my stash." he says. It's always smart to have a stash, especially with super giant lockers.

Across the Lawn

"Frozen pizza's fine. We'll just stuff it in my backpack and heat it up in the library." With easy heating spells, the library is practically used as a second eating hall when the cafeteria gets full since all the books have been treated with hydrophobic sprays. Merissa lifts her foot absently to let Charlotte get her gem, "Sorry, excuse me, we're kind of in a hurry." Hopefully she won't mind being brushed off, but they only have until lunch is over to do their research so they're kind of on a schedule.

Merissa will head for the dorm building. First to grab the pizzas, then to head for the books! Timeskip?

[Lost_Deep]

Across the Lawn

Timeskip!

The topic of dreamwalking is poorly documented at best. Tabitha's version doesn't work like the version in that move 'Inception,' so most of what there is is speculation.

What is known:
Dreamwalking is commonly either used as a spell or a supernatural power of a supernatural entity (i.e. certain kinds of succubi/inccubi or nightmare creatures).
Dreamwalking can be hazardous for the target, but is not innately so. How various people react to dreamwalking varies about as much as people's dreams, no way to guess ahead of time how.
Dreamwalkers are also at risk if the target can fight back.
Permantent mental injury from dreamwalking is actually pretty hard: You're in their dreams, not literally in their mind. A 'lethal' wound often just results in the individual waking up, shaken but unharmed. That said, people have been made brain-dead or into compeltely different people by dreamwalking over time. The how is unknown.
Some, but not all, dreamwalkers can take non-dreamwalkers with them into other dreams.

[Deathkeeper]

Library Things

Isaac seems satisfied with the research that they've gathered. There is some level of randomness, but it seems to be no more potentially harmful than any magic school.
"Well Tab, this seems to be potentially more dangerous to you than it would be for me or Merissa. If you still want to do your thing, whatever it is, I'm fine with it.
Do you have any idea what gave you this power, by the way?" says Isaac after a while.

[Slii Arhem]

Across the Lawn

Timeskip!

The topic of dreamwalking is poorly documented at best. Tabitha's version doesn't work like the version in that move 'Inception,' so most of what there is is speculation.

What is known:
Dreamwalking is commonly either used as a spell or a supernatural power of a supernatural entity (i.e. certain kinds of succubi/inccubi or nightmare creatures).
Dreamwalking can be hazardous for the target, but is not innately so. How various people react to dreamwalking varies about as much as people's dreams, no way to guess ahead of time how.
Dreamwalkers are also at risk if the target can fight back.
Permantent mental injury from dreamwalking is actually pretty hard: You're in their dreams, not literally in their mind. A 'lethal' wound often just results in the individual waking up, shaken but unharmed. That said, people have been made brain-dead or into compeltely different people by dreamwalking over time. The how is unknown.
Some, but not all, dreamwalkers can take non-dreamwalkers with them into other dreams.

Library Things

Isaac seems satisfied with the research that they've gathered. There is some level of randomness, but it seems to be no more potentially harmful than any magic school.
"Well Tab, this seems to be potentially more dangerous to you than it would be for me or Merissa. If you still want to do your thing, whatever it is, I'm fine with it.
Do you have any idea what gave you this power, by the way?" says Isaac after a while.

Library Things

"Actually, it sounds dangerous to all of us, if we're doing this often instead of as a single experiment. So I think that's what we should start with, just a night in each of our heads to see how we react. If the worst does happen, the staff's head chirurgeon can fix nearly anything, and we can legitimately say that we were studying into a very under-represented facet of magic if one of us goes temporarily brain dead." Merissa nods, glad that they have a way to talk their way out of trouble if they have to go to the school hospital.

"So, which one of us is first? We should decide either now or at supper, so we have time before we have to sleep. Do you need to be close to whoever you're entering the dream of Tabby?"

[Lost_Deep]

Library Things

"Not too close, our rooms are all close enough. I have a range of about a city block." She shrugs. "Well... Isaac, do you remember your dreams?"

[Deathkeeper]

Library Things

Isaac thinks about this. It might be important, so he focuses back for a few years as well as more recently when his powers became active.
He shakes his head. "No, not usually. Almost all the time they're just a garbled set of lingering images at best, and those rarely stay. I can only remember one or two that really stuck with me." he says after careful consideration.

[Slii Arhem]

Library Things

"Not too close, our rooms are all close enough. I have a range of about a city block." She shrugs. "Well... Isaac, do you remember your dreams?"

Library Things

Isaac thinks about this. It might be important, so he focuses back for a few years as well as more recently when his powers became active.
He shakes his head. "No, not usually. Almost all the time they're just a garbled set of lingering images at best, and those rarely stay. I can only remember one or two that really stuck with me." he says after careful consideration.

Library Things

"Well then, it's up to Tabby which one we do first. Can you do two in one night, or do you want to spend the whole time in one dream just to get your feet wet again?" Merissa is getting excited despite herself now, since they've actually firmly decided to go through with it. She's more cautious than Isaac is being, which is weird itself, but still thrilled to be helping.

[Lost_Deep]

Library Things

"I can do both," Tabitha says, "I think I'll start with you, Merissa, and then Isaac later." She hms. "From the looks of it, this isn't as dangerous as I thought it might be. Hopefully."

[Deathkeeper]

Library things

Isaac nods. He realizes what a huge invasion of privacy this would be if she didn't ask. I mean, what if Merissa or he was dreaming about their kiss? That'd be something terribly embarrassing for Tab to see.
"Well, I guess that's settled. I guess we should synchronize our sleep schedules, and then I'll see you tonight?" he says with a smile, resisting the temptation to wink as well.

[Slii Arhem]

Library Inquisition

Merissa whirls on her boyfriend with an accusing finger outstretched, "Oh no you don't mister, now that we've got her thing set up, we've got just enough time for you to tell us what's gotten into you. It's obviously a change and not just a good mood, or you wouldn't look different as well. So spill the beans mister confident."

[Lost_Deep]

Library Inquisition

"Yeah, really, it's a blatant change," Tabitha says, "Really, really obvious. compare you now to the you taking on that crazy woman... I'd think you two were bothers. Half-brothers. Not the same person."

[Deathkeeper]

Library Inquisition

Isaac blushes a bit, a self-conscious grin surfacing.
"Well, I met a fellow in the city who knew my name and asked if I would help him with a trial of a business he was opening. He'd take something and see if it helped me, and I'd get it back if it didn't. I asked him to take what was making my magic so unstable. I...really don't know what it was. He said my magic had roots in the natural kind, maybe that's why I have elf ears or something? I don't really know. But it worked, my transmutations are almost right now instead of being 180% wrong."
His blush intensifies as he considers his words for a moment or two.
"He, uh, also said he was your dad, Merissa. "
That's probably more of the attitude they were expecting.

[Slii Arhem]

Library Inquisition

Merissa sighs, though not at anything here, "Oh great, daddy's got an idea for another silly startup company? Here I thought he'd give up eventually and find some time to see me. He didn't threaten you, did he? I don't know how he found out you're my boyfriend, Zaff's is practically scry proof and we haven't really been together outside of it." Her head nearly steams as she begins overthinking things, but she shakes it with a violent cascade of red hair to get back on track.

"So he performed some... subtractive magic I guess. I wouldn't know what else to call it, but I don't know what that even means anyway. Maybe he took some of your caution, you've been really bold and that's the first thing I noticed. That combined with whatever making you more fit for natural magic might be it?" She shrugs, less concerned about the change now that she knows who's ear she has to ring to get it fixed if need be. She's always been able to talk her dad around when he's actually in touch.

[Lost_Deep]

Library Inquisition

"Usually the natural is countered with civilization or industry, depending," Tabitha muses. "Well, maybe you should see the school psychologist, see if you can pin down all the changes."

[Deathkeeper]

Library Inquisition

"Well, he was very convincing to get me to try it, but he didn't really force me. And he did say that he'd be awfully um, irritated if I made you cry, but I can't really think of a father who wouldn't say that of his daughter."
If he had a kid, he'd probably say that to any person they ever dated. And it occurs to Isaac that even as he is that would be a rather sizable threat, even if he couldn't have such a simple and effective punishment that Mr. Miles mentioned.
"Really, I don't think I want the psychologist poking around in my head. I feel fine, and if I don't I'll call him back and get restored. Knowing exactly what it is will probably only give me a placebo effect. I will admit I do feel a bit less comfortable inside with all the concrete and stuff, but I think if he's right about the magic it's nothing unexpected. And I don't think it'll be a problem. I've lived in the city too long for something this minor to suddenly make me dislike it."

[Slii Arhem]

Library Inquisition

"Well, it kind of sucks that Tabby can't do a before and after on your dreams to see if they're different, but I'm happy for you. Daddy likes to try to be helpful with his businesses, but he always loses interest in running them and winds up starting something new." Merissa smiles and lightly pecks Isaac on the lips, not wanting to make Tabitha feel like a third wheel here.

"Alright, lunch is nearly over. I guess we'll see you in our dreams tonight Tabby?"

[Lost_Deep]

Library Inquisition

"You should, but I'll be honest, I don't know if you'll remember it. I hope you will, but I can't guarantee." She looks at a clock and then stands up. "But I should be going, my class is on the other side of campus. See you two later." And unless the other two have something more to say, she'll leave.

[Arkhosia]

Dorm Hall

Charlotte can be found here, holding a clear purple gem that is utterly transparent but just gives a purple tinge in her hand upwards, examining it. It's the same gem usually around her neck, and it is certainly different looking than usual due to it's newfound translucency.
Charlotte is currently clad in a seafoam green t shirt and black skirt, a red scarf wrapped around her neck, sitting against a wall and open for interaction.