Happy Arbor Day

The Estate's meticulously kept gardens, including a hedgemaze that students have occasionally described as "sadistic" and a sizable rose garden. Benches in shaded spots are plentiful, and the gardens are popular to study in on pleasant days. The nearby stables are still maintained with a number of well-heeled equines.

Happy Arbor Day

Postby Narrator » Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:32 pm

There was a tree on campus, in a location where a tree normally wouldn't be on campus. That was peculiar.

It was also vibrating, as if it was trying to uproot itself. That was also somewhat peculiar. Perhaps even more peculiar than it just standing there to begin with.

((open))
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:11 pm

Nika is standing a couple feet away, eyeing the tree warily. It could just be a student and it probably is, but she can't bring herself to turn her back on this clearly suspicious tree.

"Hey." she says with a slightly raised voice, leaning down to pick up a small pebble and toss it at the tree.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:46 pm

"Gah!" the tree said, as the bark briefly flashed into something more fleshlike before returning to normal. "What did I do to deserve that?"
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Wed Sep 12, 2018 3:10 pm

"Nothing? Usually trees don't talk. Or feel pain."
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:38 pm

"Yeah, well, welcome to XU," the tree grumbled, continuing it's efforts to uproot itself, shedding leaves as it shook violently.
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:23 pm

"I mean... you look like a tree, you're gonna be treated like a tree. What if I'd decided to climb you?"
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:52 pm

"You throw rocks at trees regularly? Did no one ever read you the Lorax?

Under normal circumstances, I'd be fine with it, but these are not normal circumstances."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:48 pm

"I'll say, sitting around as a tree is hardly normal. I'm sorry I hurt you though, I guess."
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Thu Sep 13, 2018 10:03 pm

"And what's so not normal about sitting around as a tree?" the tree questioned her. "What's so wrong about that?"
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Fri Sep 14, 2018 4:43 pm

"Hey, if you want to be a tree, be my guest. But you probably shouldn't get upset about being treated like one."
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:18 pm

"That's not...urgh!" Will said, frustrated.

"I don't mind being a tree, generally. I mind being a tree against my will."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:57 pm

"Someone turned you into a tree?"
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:14 am

"Yes, that exactly. It was the other Will. I'm supposed to be following him around, and he just...left me here."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:52 am

"Other... Will? And he just ditched you here as a tree. How does that even work?"
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:23 am

"If I knew how it worked, maybe I wouldn't be stuck," Will complained.

"The other version of me, come back from his exile in crazy Miriam land. I was following him, and he just suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders and forced a shift.

He's a real...a real butthead, is what he is."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Sun Sep 16, 2018 12:47 am

"Want me to find someone who might be able to help you?"
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Sun Sep 16, 2018 12:48 am

"I dunno, you could try throwing another rock at me."
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Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:21 pm

"I could just leave."
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:18 pm

"Oh, I get it, ha ha. Make like a tree and all that."
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:33 pm

"What?" Nika blinks before it clicks into place and she groans at the accidental pun. "No I meant literally walk away. I'm sorry I threw a rock at you, but you're being really obnoxious about it. You should be glad I didn't use my power, really."
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:40 pm

"So, you hit me with a rock, and I'm the one being obnoxious?" Will sighed. "I apologize. Thank you for not using your power."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
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Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:14 pm

"Listen, you want help or not?"
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:16 pm

"Yes, please," the tree sighed. "I need help."
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Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:33 pm

"Because you're stuck as a tree. Would it help to uproot you?"
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:38 pm

"I honestly haven't a clue. I suppose it's worth a shot..."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:43 pm

"Hmm... I'd have to find a way to attach something to you that wouldn't cause you any pain."
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:51 pm

"Oh, you're not going to hurt me. Your rock was more startling than anything else. It's wood; you can't really hurt wood."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:02 pm

Nika tilts her head slightly and gives Will a disapproving look for a moment.

"Well, that makes it significantly easier." She opens the zipper on her tracksuit jacket and reaches inside, producing an anchoring bolt. "Heads up." The bolt seems to snap into an alignment in mid air as Nika uses her power on it and a moment later it shoots forward, right into the tree. "Ready?"
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:24 pm

"Gah! Little warning next time!" Will said, not expecting the power to be so, well, powerful.

"Alright. Now, be careful with this next bit!"
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:38 pm

"Don't think there's a careful way to do this, but I'll try."

Nika closes her eyes and focuses. Most of the time she just uses her power instinctually. A feeling of restlessness that travels out from her and into and object that's capable of holding it until it coalesces into a direction of her choosing. A constant jittery ball of potential energy that comes into focus along rigid lines and only requires the slightest push to tip over from potential to actual movement. She exhales and pushes her power into the anchor-bolt again. Not so much a question of whether she has enough force to do it, but rather a matter of not pushing too hard and simply tearing the bolt out of the wood. A careful push and the bolt jerks the other way. It's embedded pretty deep and the surrounding wood is tougher than the soil so in one sudden motion the Will-Tree is violently torn from the ground at a 45 degree angle.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:41 pm

Nika used the proper amount of force to remove a multiple thousand-pound tree from the ground, and she was successful!

The problem, however, is when that same amount of force is suddenly applied to a 150-pound lump of clay. What was enough to simply pull a tree out of the ground is more than enough to send the lighter mass rocketing straight for her.

Which is why Nika found herself smashed and briefly enveloped in a mass of squishy clay, as the tree deformed and shuddered from the force of the extraction.
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Out of Place, Out of Time
Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Wed Sep 19, 2018 2:33 pm

The bolt goes sailing off into the sky in a straight line after tearing free from the lump of clay. Not that Nika notices, having a substantial chunk of clay thrown right at her and stumbling backwards until she keels over and hits the ground.

"Little... little warning next time!" she echoes Will as she tries (more or less in vain) to pull handfuls of clay off of herself.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
Aspect: Secret Romantic
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:20 pm

The clay slowly began to pull itself together, gradually forming into a more humanoid shape on top of her.

"Ohmygosh, are you OK?" it said, as soon as something resembling a mouth began to form.
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Out of Place, Out of Time
Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:47 pm

"Just startled..." she says, sounding vaguely grumpy about being caught off-guard.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:21 pm

"Well, I apologize. I didn't expect the shift back to be so sudden, or I would have warned you. I don't want anyone to get hurt after all."
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
Aspect: Needs to be Useful/Used
Aspect: Out of Place, Out of Time
Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:26 pm

"Uh-huh. Here, hold this." she says, handing Will the rock she'd tossed at him initially.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
Aspect: Secret Romantic
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Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:29 pm

"Um, OK," Will said, holding the rock. "Is there a reason why?"
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
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Aspect: Out of Place, Out of Time
Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:35 pm

"Yup."

And then the rock, along with Will, assuming he holds on to it, goes rocketing off into the sky at a 45 degree angle away from Nika.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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Aspect: Rigid Rules

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Will Stanton » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:39 pm

"WHHHHHyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" Will shouted, as he was sent rocketing off into the distance.
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Will Stanton
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High Concept: Pillsbury Clayboy
Aspect: Needs to be Useful/Used
Aspect: Out of Place, Out of Time
Aspect: Unique Worldview
Aspect: Big Ball of Trauma
Aspect: Open-Hearted

Re: Happy Arbor Day

Postby Nika Novak » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:46 pm

Nika gives him a mock-salute as he goes flying off, a very satisfied smirk on her face.
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High Concept: Committed Bodyguard
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