pawnstorm | OPEN: but a fire within

Who: Lux Crownguard, and you!
When: Mid Delphine (July); before dungeon shenanigans
Where: Caissa
What: Monthly catch-all, I'll be adding to this as the month goes on! If you don't find a prompt that interests you, or have an idea for something fun, message me on

sheepyton so we can plot!
Ratings: PG for the most part, but will change this if need be.
Warnings: Accidental charming may happen, depending on the direction of the thread. Please let me know if this is something that you are okay with when tagging!

♕ o1. A CHARMING DISPOSITION (OPEN)

[ All she wanted was a nice afternoon in the city. A little window shopping, maybe treat herself to a bit of ice cream. Since her promotion a few days ago, she had been working hard, shuttling between the training grounds and the library like a woman possessed. And she was, really. How could she not be? She had power now, and she needed to learn how to use it.

Unfortunately, she learned a few other things first, before mastering her magic. ]

[ There was something about a Queen that was hard to ignore. And for some reason, people really liked to give you things. Like flowers, chocolates, random curios (seriously what is this thing, someone please tell her) and most of allattention. All she did was smile at a few people! Why was everyone suddenly so nice?!

It was getting to be a bit much, her arms were full, and yet, people she met kept piling it on. ~~How was she going to fit all of this in her room?~~ There was a girl behind that horde of things, rest assured, but she wasn't going to be able to carry much more without toppling over at this rate. Please help. ]

♕ o2. WITH HER NOSE STUCK IN A BOOK (OPEN)

[ She was no Bishop, but that didn't mean that Lux wasn't a voracious reader. As a newly promoted Queen, she had a lot to learn about how her new(ish) powers functioned. This meant that she would be hitting the books, hard, and the young Hero could be found in a number of places, buried in a book.

The library, a corner bistro, the cafeteria, the courtyard; in order to master her magic, she had a lot to learn. And not just from magic books—a good magician could draw inspiration from anything that they saw or read.

Which... might explain the odd-titled book she currently held, intently reading. They say that when inspiration hits, one should follow it, but this... was a little odd. ]

[[OOC: Feel free to either come up with a book she's reading, or I can random it for you.]]

♕ o3. MORE OF A CANDY CRUSH GIRL (OPEN)

[ Lux rather liked griffons. While she had never seen one in person, she had come across them in books (maybe some of the books she was reading earlier?), and often the authors romanticized them to be beautiful and majestic creatures. Graceful in the air, their plumage gold as the sun, they were like art in motion. She wished that she could witness such a stunning creature in the flesh.

And today would be her lucky day. ]

[ Today, Lux would learn all about griffons, for better or for worse.

How dirty— ]

[ Bad-mannered— ]

[ And how utterly unmajestic they could be.

They were told to just make sure that the griffons didn't make a mess of anything. Just steer them away from unsuspecting passersby (please watch your heads, that isn't rain you're feeling...), and do so peacefully. And at first she tried. She really, truly did.

But after lobbing a large number of handmade charms at the pretty pests, they still wouldn't go away! They seemed to like the color of her hair (somewhat similar to their own feathers). Or maybe they just liked trolling her, it wasn't actually that hard. Nevertheless! Surrounded by a clutch of beastly beauties, she seemed to be in a bit of a pickle. ]

♕ CLOSED TO ALLEN.

[ Her breath came out in short, measured bursts, her body moving with a rhythm she had nearly forgotten in this place, in her previous state. Since her arrival here, she felt weak. Vulnerable. Like she had lost a part of herself.

She was a Pawn, then. Ordinary. Disposable. The powerful, and at times somewhat wild and uncontrolled, warm and real and powerful magic that coursed within her—a feeling she had known since her childhood—was gone. Severed. And what was left instead was the power of a Pawn. The limiting, dull light of a Pawn.

As if losing her home were not pain enough.

But when she awoke a few days before, she felt something different. Heavy and weightless, tense yet freeing, a light that threatened to swallow her whole if she did not learn to respect it, to master it. It was a startling sensation, not altogether unfamiliar, but different—so very, very different. She had learned to control her own light, reign it in and make it hers. Like the heart of a child, playful and curious, she nurtured it, taught it to sing, to dance, to fight. It served her well.

But this feeling was different.

It burned deep within, fueled by some seemingly unending force that she could not name. Passion. Intensity. And something else... what was it?

She had become lax with her morning training since arriving in Caissa. She understood her body, understood its new limits, and was disgusted by her limitations. But now... She had purpose, she had a drive, she had power. Power that guided her. Power that protected her. Power... that terrified her.

The sun had yet to rise, but light danced over the training grounds, sweat dripping from her face. Her breathing slow, methodical, and her staff twirling in her hands, the crystals on either side shining brightly, she flung each bolt with every fiber of her very being, constantly moving in a dance, a pas de deux with the light. Her light. The light that threatened to burn her alive. The light that she would have to break, like a wild horse, lest it break her instead. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh!

[ This boy was from a noble family as well? It was so rare here, to have a Hero with at least a similar background to her own (although that might have been assuming too much, now that she thought about it...)! The surprise clear on her face, it quickly melted away, replaced with a beaming smile. ]

You're a noble as well? I had no idea! Most people aren't as concerned about things like that here. In that case, let me properly introduce myself. Lux Crownguard, the youngest daughter of House Crownguard. It's a pleasure.

[ Wait, he seemed to have something that he wanted to say? Blinking a few times, she tilted her head to the side slightly. ]

Of course, what is it?

[ He nods, acknowledging her statement. They can discuss their nobility, the best and worst aspects of it possibly, later. Right now... ]

I need you to hit me!

[ ... ]

When we're not both carrying things, of course.

[ That's how breaking out of Charm status usually works in Luxendarc, you see. ]

I...

[ Wait, you want her to do what!? ]

No, I couldn't! Why would you want me to do something like that?!

Because intentionally or not, I think you and your beautiful smile are charming people! Magically!

[ He's been hit by similar status effects before!

He quickly looks around for somewhere to place the admirer's gifts, and spots a nearby bench. ]

[ This is like the worst mixed message ever YEW WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER. ]

B-but I could never hit someone, intentionally or not! And even if that is the case, which honestly thinking about it seems at least somewhat likely, violence isn't the answer!

[ But if he does head toward the bench, she'll follow him. ]

[ ~~that's rich, coming from a league character~~

He does indeed go toward the bench though, and gently places the packages there. ]

It's okay! It doesn't have to be a punch or a kick! Even a slap will do!

[ THAT'S NOT THE POINT HERE, YEW. ]

[ ~~okay look schooling nerds on the field of justice is totally different~~

Placing the pile of ~~junk~~ gifts down, she looks just as mortified before. ]

A slap is even worse!

[ You're asking her to sacrifice her reputation as a lady, Yew. Well not really, but that's how she sees it. ]

Really? Okay. I guess we could go back to punches and kicks.

The point is, I think we both agree that this charm spell needs to be broken as soon as possible! Before I...

[ And this is apparently the first solution that comes to mind. He trails off at the end of his sentence though, with only one word (or name, rather) that's coherent enough to be heard through his mumbling. ]

...Magnolia...

[ He can't betray moon gf!!! ]

I won't punch or kick you either!

[ She was nearly in tears at this point. To ask a proper lady to do such a thing, Yew you're terrible! But seeing him in that state, hearing him mumble (was that a woman's name), Lux winced.

...She knew what she had to do. If it was the only way... ]

Th-then please forgive me!

[ It wasn't a slap, it wasn't a punch, and it wasn't even a kick. It was a blast of mana, enough to knock him back, right to the solar plexus. ]

Gah!

[ He lets out a yelp at being hit right in the solar plexus. Unfortunately, his fighting style depends on not getting hit, and he's nowhere near as sturdy as Tiz or Edea, so it knocks some wind out of him, but it isn't too bad because 1. he's taken worse and 2. he was warned, so he knew it was coming. He falls backwards at the force of the mana blast. ]

H-Haha...n-no wonder you're a Hero too...

[ Pressing a hand to right where he was hit, he slowly gets back up on his feet, and then looks right at her as he does so, trying to see if the Charm magic's worn off thanks to that hit to the gut. ]

And I'm sorry I...had to make you do...that...

[ "You should be!" she almost barked back, but restrained herself. Brow furrowing in concern, she rushed over, offering a hand to help him up. ]

Are you all right? I didn't mean to hit you so hard!

[ But after the constant passes that had been made at her, she may have had a little pent up aggression sitting. Sorry Yew. ]

I-It's fine. I've taken worse!

[ That's not the point here, but okay. He shakes his head, and takes her hand as support. The charm magic seems to have worn off, although whether that's due to Lux having actively used her mana for another purpose or due to the actual hit is hard to say, but he's not complaining. ]

And I'm not going to argue with results.

OPEN: but a fire within

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