xavier_institute_ooc | (no subject)

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*test drive meme

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THE TEST DRIVE MEME

This is for anyone wanting to test out their characters in the setting before the applications open, see what clicks. Multiples will be allowed for this post, and you can generally assume any threads are a self-contained continuity unless you feel like getting creative.

Just post a thread with your CHARACTER NAME and CANON NAME in the title with a prompt and others will reply. Prompts and threads can be action spam or prose or whatever. These threads can be used on the sample section of your application, as well. Go out and have fun!

We also ask that you please pardon our dust. We're working very hard to get this game up and running and hope to be open by September 1st!

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Despite leaving his office open out of habit - an odd habit to have around Fabletown, but he does it to seem more friendly - he hadn't anticipated anyone actually coming in. So being spoken to spooks him, and it takes him a moment to turn and face him.

"Everything's fine, I'm just..." he waves a cigarette lazily as he tries to figure out an excuse, "...Thinking on my feet. Works better in here where I can't disturb anyone."

Yeah, good one, Bigby.

...where he can't disturb anyone? Alric pauses at that, as it seems a bit backwards, but he is here to learn, after all.

"...ah. I'm... not certain I completely follow, but I don't mean to pry, of course. I... am a new arrival, but as I've a little time to kill, if there's anything I can do to make myself useful, please, don't hesitate."

He's not going to push for an explanation or explicitly say he doesn't buy it, but he'll certainly offer a way to accept some help if it's needed without having to actually say that help is needed.

There's a pause here, and Bigby considers this. If he doesn't follow... that means he doesn't recognize him. Which honestly makes his heart soar for a bit before he notes that the kid is going to have to figure it out eventually.

...He's been staring for a while now. He takes a drag from his cigarette.

"Nevermind. I... can't think of anything I need help with right now. Is there any reason you came in here, or are you just curious about the pacing?"

The kid does have a non-American accent. Maybe British or a bit German or something? Something European, anyhow. While Alric doesn't seem to recognize him (yet, at least), Bigby may or may not find Alric a bit familiar, depending on whether he keeps up with European politics at all, and particularly the smaller nations.

"Ah, my apologies, then, for the interruption. You seemed as though you might have been troubled."

He smiles contritely as though Bigby had been in the middle of something other than wearing a hole in the carpet.

"Oh, ah, and for my ill manners, as well. I am Alric Caelegart..." He pauses a half-beat as though he was going to say something different, at first, from what he actually says aloud. "...ah, a new student."

Despite being American, Bigby comes from Germany and notes the accent quickly enough. But unfortunately, he doesn't keep up with politics enough to get more than a vague sense of familiarity as far as who he is.

Alric, on the other hand, may be reminded of a few news stories about a serial killer from Germany nicknamed the Big Bad Wolf. As much as he's tried to make people forget about that.

"No problem.. I'm Bigby Wolf," he says his name somewhat hesitantly, "and I'm a combat instructor. I teach hands-on attacks for the older kids." he pauses, "Have I met you before?"

If he suspects, he's not letting on, except maybe with a heightened sense of curiosity. He knows a thing or two about people having rough spots with the law and polite society, especially people whose powers put them into positions the law was never designed to take into account.

"Ah... Mr. Wolf, then."

Alric smiles amiably... then falters just a little, himself, at that question. Not exactly troubled as such, but perhaps sort of sheepish.

"...mm... unlikely... although I have, I suppose, made it into European news from time to time." Ahem. "Particularly in Kaitheny."

One of those smaller nations sprinkled around Europe, this one in the northwest--and notable for its royal family being publicly known to include at least one mutant, the elder son of the present king.

He thinks it over, noting the shy reaction. Well, even if he did remember it'd be awfully rude to bring it up. He shrugs.

"I guess I don't, then." It's much simpler to deal with them both not being familiar with each other, he decides. "How old are you, Alric?"

"Ah... nineteen, this past April. Home schooled. Excellent tutors, but... well, there are of course certain subjects in which it's difficult at best to find a capable and trustworthy freelance teacher."

He flashes a half-restrained, knowing grin at that, since for all the hedging, it's pretty obvious what he's referring to, since he's here at the Institute.

"Big words for a nineteen year old." He looks pretty impressed. Part of it is probably that he's never spoken so eloquently in his life. "Well, that makes me one of your available teachers. You know, if you need help fighting off bullies or something."

He thinks a bit before continuing, "What are your powers?"

"Haha, well, thank you, Mr. Wolf, but I can only pass the compliment along to my teachers and my family, where any credit belongs. In particular, my grandfather started me on martial arts from a young age, so I certainly look forward to your lessons."

He smiles quite sincerely at that statement--then pauses momentarily at Bigby's question. He's not especially shy about it, but he's honestly never met someone he had reason to trust, but who didn't already know. Perhaps all too well.

"...ah... well. Here, the short form."

Ahem. He holds his right hand out--away from any combustibles--palm-up, and with a crackling hum and a actinic flash, a coruscating, violet aura flares above his hand, before congealing into an almost solid-looking sphere. It hovers above his palm, shimmering placidly save for the occasional arc across its surface, almost like a tiny purple sun, about the size of a tennis ball.

That is certainly impressive. And he's watching it the whole while as he drains his cigarette and presses the butt into the ashtray on his desk. For Alric's sake he'll wait a bit before lighting up again.. but in the interest of avoiding a sensory overload the place smells of basically nothing but black lungs anyway.

"Well, you seem pretty well in control of it. It's pretty... flashy." He has literally no idea what the sphere is made of, so he's just... quietly trying to pick up a scent from it without making it too obvious.

If there's any scent to it, it's a scent of ozone, like that of a violent thunderstorm without the rain.

The smile with which he answers is a bit thin, as though the reality is a little more complicated and less pleasant.

"...mm. I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Wolf... but my control is... primitive, in a word, and even that has been hard-won. I've learned discipline, and taught myself what I could about this..."

He glances at the violet sphere--then casually shakes his hand out as though extinguishing a match, and the sphere fizzles, breaking apart into a purple haze that quickly dims to red and disappears. The smell of ozone definitely kicks in more strongly as the sphere dissipates.

"...but I'm still far from mastering it. Although I do hope to rectify that shortcoming, in my time here."

His nose wrinkles as it dissipates; even in its contained form the smell was sharp, but now he definitely feels the need to pull out a new cigarette and light it.

"I guess it wouldn't be that comforting to say I'm in the same boat." he chuckles hesitantly, "There's a reason I don't teach power training. Which is to say.. it's easier on everyone if I use my powers as little as possible."

"Mm. I won't claim to have shared your experiences, of course, but I certainly can share that sentiment."

He smiles a little, reassuringly, at once sympathetic and confident--but restrains it quickly, as though realizing it's really not his place.

"I have had... the occasional slip-up, myself."

"I've had... less than occasional slip-ups." And he averts his eyes as he continues to smoke.

He'd like to think it counts as a slip-up as long as he feels bad for it.

"But at least you're here to learn, so you've got a better chance than me of getting it under control. Around here the point is to make mistakes and break things and lose control... as long as it starts getting easier not to do it."

He's not sure if that is precisely the point of hero school, but it sure makes it sound like something he needed as a kid.

Alric knows all too well how fortunate he was to have the support, education, and protection he did; he also knows very well the sort of unfortunately directions his life might have taken, otherwise.

"Well... I suppose I'll have to take your word for it, then, and hope that the training facilities are exceptionally sturdy." He pauses a moment. "...and well-insured."

At this, Bigby smirks.

"Well, if it's survived this long I assume Xavier's got the money to cover damages. You're not the first kid to come in here with some pretty destructive powers."

"Ah, no, I suppose you're right. I confess, I've never spent much time in the company of anyone with... well, with any other powers, actually. I'd be lying grossly if I denied it's a little bit exciting."

He pauses a moment. Ahem.

"At any rate... ah, the... martial training of which you'll be instructor, Mr. Wolf, might I ask what material you'd be covering? It is, of course, something of a broad field."

"I guess it is exciting..." He gets less of the excitement, since he was sheriff in a pretty mutant-heavy area before and the thrill of being near people like him is dampened by experience in what those powers can cause.

Alric asked him a question, didn't he.

"It's less martial arts and more... well, it's a general street-smart way of fighting. Nothing dirty or underhanded, but the point is to be able to turn a fight around in your favor if you can't use your powers for whatever reason. I guess in particular I'm gonna be focusing on fighting enemies stronger than yourself. Getting out of their grip, and using their size and strength against them effectively. Which... makes it a bit more like wrestling, with claws involved. For people who have them."

Alric smiles to himself and nods. He's argue that certainly qualifies as martial arts, although he was raised on classical European fencing, so he has a slightly different point of view on that subject than most people.

"I see, it sounds intriguing... grappling is, I admit, not my strongest area, but I quite look forward to it, Mr. Wolf."

As far as Bigby is concerned, martial arts is spiritual and generally self-defense. His form of fighting is more... beating the other person senseless so that they're no longer an issue.

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it before long. The point is to come in unexperienced." And this particular kid, he's decided he likes him. So Alric may or may not get some special treatment ~~unintentionally~~.

...well, destroying the other party's ability to do harm is a form of defense...

He chuckles at that prerequisite.

"Ah, excellent. That, I believe, I can do."

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