How in the world had it come to this? A question that Ryuko couldn't help but ask herself as she stood in front of a classroom in the college of Invocation. As if sensing her thoughts the woman's shadow shifted, rising to take the shape of the armor-clad lance-wielding dragoon. "Well, a Monarch is meant to lead and inspire, and what better way to do that than in a classroom?"

Ryuko couldn't help but tilt her head lightly to the side in sheer disbelief at these words. "Do they even realize who they hired for this class?" the words caused a childish voice in the back of the room to chime playfully. "The mighty Dragon Knight! Monarch of Dragons and summoner of champions." seated among the student seats was a young child, although the leather armor covering her scarred body suggested she was far from the usual student.

Ryuko heaved a little sigh at these words. "You're not helping." But it seemed the third figure would appear to be far more convincing. Seated at the window the robe-clad magus. "Well, see it like this Monarch: If you can perform well here, then perhaps you will show to be a responsible individual, and as a result Maple might become more inclined to agree to the notion of a heir."

Hearing these words the dragon girl's cheeks flushed up brightly, a swift shake of her head following as she attempted to dispel the thoughts from her mind.

"We'll see who shows up. If we get enough people I might be able to plan a little exercise for them. I doubt they like to just get the theory alone." To which the magus chimed in amusement. "Sounding like a real teacher already. I doubt anyone would believe us if we mentioned you're a village-torching, elf-lewding dragon tyrant.". Of course the death stare send her way was more than enough for the mage to go silent.

----

This will be an open lecture, I will keep the topic open for a week after which I will explain more, unless for some reason this fills up at void speed~ Note that while there will be combat, it will be quite different from the typical fights you deal with on the site.

Join if you like:

- Pokémon!
- Digimon!
- Cute dragon girls!
- Making me happy?
- want to possibly get mentored by Ryuko.

Momiji was a sprite among the halls of Amaforth Academy. Spritely, if not downright sprightly, for he'd be in one place than another in the span of a thought and the laughter of a whim fulfilled. Fae of various courts were welcomed into the learning institute regardless of their affiliation, as was principle for all races and ... creeds that the school upheld. Nothing mattered here but what you did here. Nothing stood out more than your efforts, your knowledge, and those green-bright eyes always around one corner or another. Momo was on his best behavior! He didn't want to be removed from the gaggle of students he found himself the center of, for what better life was there of a party than a boy up for ᵃ ⁿ ʸ ᵗ ʰ ᶦ ⁿ ᵍ ?

He formed a heart in his collective, various other young adults around his age either hanging off him or that he'd cling from, something of a ... polyamorous display in the communal cafeteria and various college dorms. He made liberal use of their recommendation to experiment a taste for every college despite his enrollment to Invocation; but he made sure to always come slinking back with white, bared teeth and the giggle of a hyena. He thrived in this environment: for now. It was a social community he had never been allowed in his cloistered upbringing -- oh, but Momo didn't care about that anymore!! He had բᵣᵢₑₙₔₛ. They all liked him very much. Momo thought they were very funny.

It was still fun.

The question of its subsistence was drowned by the pitter patter his quick, lithe feet made in his entrance to the classroom. Two things of note for Momiji were apparent within the moments of first meeting; A) the eclectic way he moved, always appearing in motion with an unsteady vibration to each limb and the flit of his eyes around a room - not nervous, not guarded, but ... active, and; B) his broken Fiorian in a thick Joyan accent, still within his learning years of the language since his relocation. He made due with both, having left a throng of his toys behind with every skip into today's instruction. His arms swung behind him, clasping suddenly in a cute arch of his back and a swivel of his head to take in the vision of the people inside. "Alo!"

"Momo is here!! Hai, hai, Momo is real good student! Good ... morning!!" He'd twitch and throw wide his arms, a hooray in a raucous display and carefree laughter. Momiji twirled in a short aboutface, bringing a leg up before slamming it back down. "Good morning for good Momo and sensei!"

Then he hopped, clapping his hands, to bring one to his lips with a finger pushing into his lower. "And more!? Wow! ᴹ ᵒ ʳ ᵉ friends for Momo?" A smile, slitting across his face.

She had to admit the arrival of her 'students' did not exactly go as anticipated. Sure, a small flock at gathered, but the first one to make a more dynamic entrance made Ryuko's gaze focus onto them. To most the woman's gaze was described as intense, no doubt due to her dragon-like eyes but her lips curved up into a smile as she nodded her head in a greeting. "A good day to you as well Momo." In the back of the room a soft childish voice chimed out in amusement. "I like this boy already. He takes as much liberty with sanity as I do~"

To which the robed witch at the window replied with a soft snicker. "You mean: on the verge of unhinged?" The scarred girl laughed off the remark and tapped the seat next to her. "Come Momo! Have a seat~" Clearly interested to interact with the young student the lass chimed softly. "You may call me Nam! Nam-chan~" Because clearly calling her by her title was not going to be a good idea. The second one to enter called out to her shortly after the hustle and bustle settled down. "-sama?" The lance-wielding woman hummed curiously as she watched the young man enter, the scent of a dragon unmistakably lingering on him. "Aha~ so even abroad the Monarch garners attention, Bahamut would be pleased." But Ryuko instead had been facing a dilemma: Who.the.hell was this guy?

Was it Nintendo? No, he wore a butler suit, and she could have sworn his name was Ittindi.... Then was it the man who had been fighting on the vanguard? Nay, she doubted it was him... Perhaps it was that demonic warrior Sonic? Ah wait, no she still vividly remembered his name: Knuckles, not to mention he clearly seemed to believe that everyone should fight on the frontline but.... A summoner who did that was usually a dead summoner!

Then that meant this lad was... "Ichigo! It's lovely to see you again~" Almost expecting him to feel dejected she soon grinned at him. "Just kidding~ I wouldn't be able to forget a promising lad like you Toga. Besides a particular dragon insisted I wouldn't forget it in the first place."

A soft smile lingered on her lips as she gestured toward the seats. "I hope you been doing well? If you're here for the lecture you arrived just in time~"

She took a moment to let the students gather after which she began:

"Ahem~ I am Ryuko, and I will be conducting today's Lecture about Summoning magic. Despite my best effort to keep the theoretical part as short as possible, I hope you will all stay awake till the end. To these who succeed in that quest I have an exciting exercise prepared."

A soft hum followed as she continued. "Although the art of Summoning has often been called 'Conjuration' in the past, that term is fundamentally flawed. You see, Conjuration implies creating something out of 'nothing', which for modern magic is considered simply impossible to accomplish. The reason behind this is that magic at its core demands a tribute, a sacrifice of sorts to bring into existence the spell you want to produce."

She paused as she approached the board at the front of the room and scribed three words. First she tapped the first word: "To create a summon the fundamental requirements are always the same: You begin with a 'Tribute', for most this is mana, but there are various alternatives as well, whether it is a catalyst, an object or even a sacrifice of some sort, you always need a Tribute. The greater your tribute, the more potent your magic can be."

She took a step to the side and tapped the second word. "Then comes the 'Concept', an idea, something you want to 'create'. This can be a lot of different things, take for example the ancient dwarves and their mastery over Earth Magic. They create puppets out of rocks, the fabled Golems. But for that to work they need to have a vivid concept in their mind. However, in some cases this can be changed by directing your thoughts to a person. While a practice that is frowned upon, demonology for example relies on the Concept of summoning a 'Demon', and the more clear your idea is of that demon, the more likely you would be in summoning it. Simply said, a Concept refines your spell, my magic is no exception to that."

As she addressed the class she waved a hand to her side, a shadow emerging from underneath her hand as it stretched downwards, revealing the obsidian-clad knight.

"In my case when I cast a spell my Concept is honing in on a particular being I want to summon. However, in most cases you need a link between the first two factors which brings us to the final piece of the puzzle."

She gestured at the third word: "An Invocation. It is the act of converting your tribute in a source of power, and using your concept to fine-tune and shape the summoning ritual, in the end, a Invocation helps you in manifesting your summon. Although most have some form of gesture or chant associated to them."

She turned around, her gaze lingering on Toga for a moment. "In a way the Dragonic Magic taught to mortals also applies this process Toga~ Although while a Lacrima is a tribute, and your spell a concept, the invocation is a bit different. But that is for a more advanced topic for another time."

A smile lingered on her lips as she chimed softly. "Any questions so far, class?"

A sting of jubilation aching in the rotten apple at her core, slithering the halls of her new hunting grounds. Mona didn't get the chance to attend a regular school as a teenager, far too... unrestrained in her revolt against authority and even more so once she was afflicted with this wretched obscura. That streak of rebellion only burned brighter, dyed now in a red that glimmered in her eyes when a vile, little thought took root. Just a thought, though. She was loathe to admit it but she was excited in her own way, even as she knowingly delays her arrival. She cared so deeply about her reputation, the theatrics of it of every action. Mona had to be perfect in her twisted way.

A crooked smile adorns her face, twinkling fuschia spills out with little sparks that burn out as briefly as they were born. Mona took great care to look the part of a proper schoolgirl; black blazer and a plaid skirt draped just below her thighs and hair tied in a neat ponytail that shadowed into the wilted lilacs that stained the fringes of her curls . She stands at the precipice of the classroom, adjusting her wide-framed glasses - another prop in the act, the last final touches before the curtains raise for showtime.

The door slides open in the middle of the professor's lesson and Mona shamelessly encroaches, index finger pressed against her lips just as rehearsed. A doe-eyed expression pleading an innocence that never existed staring blankly at the woman framed so perfectly by the widow panes. The hiss of her tongue and the slither that followed are choked down in restraint until only the pop of her lips remains. "Oh dear, oh my~ I'm so sorry, professor~ Tardy on my first day~" Pitched words, overdramatic and seeped in dishonesty. Mona was a terrible actor but she reveled in the performance regardless. "I hope you can forgive little old meee~" Eyelashes cascade from the vacancy, as falsetto breaches on overcompensation.

"If you don't mind, I'll be taking my seat now... Ma'am~" A hushed whisper that lingers on a fractured growl, something unstable swelling up as she inspected the woman from head to toe. Mona did not heed the  other students in the classroom in this moment, head turning with the coil of her ponytail to steal another petrifying gaze as she paraded herself to her seat.

She played the role of a good student from this point on, chewing the flanks of her mouth with the flowing curl of her locks spiraling her finger. It was genuinely an illuminating experience. The lecture, or at least the parts that Mona was privy to. She props upward at the invitation to propose a question, a great many, bubbling up, but only one that actually pertained to the class. Be a good girl, Mona. A hand slowly elevates. "Is any of this actually relevant for Maker Magic?" She rolls her eyes, not out of disrespect for once,  but of her own tactless choice of words. "What I mean to say is; would constructs follow this same principle. A little garden of snakes would just be adorable~!"

Momiji didn't need to understand the motive or interest behind the eyes and soft words that fell on him - all he needed to know was that they were directed his way, and each successive acknowledgement of his presence drew a bounding hop or skip around the perimeter of the classroom to circle closer these objects of attention. "ᴬˡᵒ! Hai! Momo is here!" He laughed along with the figures that giggled about him; his eyes bright, too bright, a searing green that shone headlights as they tumbled closer to the target that called him out.

"Na~m-chan?" He seemed to stall in his steps, wobbling in place in a pleasant sway and curious expression that tilted to and fro until it centered and his face split in a wider grin. "Nam-chan! Hai! Zank yu ~" His words bled as rustically assembled as ever, a mixing of newborn accents and the native Joyan playing well into the space. He flung himself at the little lass and spun his way onto the seat she indicated for him. "Momo is ... Momo!! You can call Momo ... Momo~ Momo-chan? Momo-kun? Momo ...," and he made a play show, straightening his back and putting on his best faux-serious expression, wriggling his nose a little higher, "₋ₛ ₑ ₙ ₚ ₐ ᵢ!" This did not last long; he devolved into giggles shortly after, taking his chance between hyena-like braying to survey the other students in attendance and the pink one most of all.

Their Sensei took a seeming interest and familiarity in this other boy, drawing Momiji's eyes in to a zeroed point. He'd lean forward, hands on his jittering knees, and part wide his cheery lips. "Awoah! Your hair! So pretty! T ... ₜₒ-ᵍᵃ? Toooga, you're pretty! Lik'a ... lik'a ... da! Hai, hai, Ryuko-sensei, an 'Ichigo'! Be friends with Momo, yeah, yeah?" He'd reel in excitement again, waving a bombastic hand in Toga's direction, taking his time to settle; until Ryuko called for the attention of her lesson and he had to fall into the role of a good, good boy for his teacher. He could have held an apple, as intense as the proposed halo shown behind him and his hands clasped over his lap. Twitch.

The instructions didn't fly over his head -- surprisingly, for Momiji's outward appearance, the inner workings of his mind - while chaotic - had full executive function. His choice of speech and the way he moved and interacted were conscious decisions. He understood better than the sparkling lights in emerald sights let on: beget not, for the sharpness and apathy that'd stutter across his eyes in odd moments revealed his 'better' nature. It didn't affect his speech, nor his approach, as he shot his hand up with his same overwhelming abundance of energy and wiggled it in the air until he was given the floor to speak by Ryuko. A good boy. "Are we summoning demons, Ryooohko-sensei?"

His lips popped, a chatoyant light to glint between each blink of green-bright eyes. "Momo ... ₐₕ, ᵃʰ! Momo creates out of Momo!" He'd clap his hands as if he discovered something in the process of trying to think through it, his face overtaken with an extended awe and a tilt back of his head echoing it through the room. "That is 'mana?' Mm ... iie, it hurts more than a swoosh-swoosh." He'd offer live theatrics with this, fanning out his hands to symbolize the flow of magic. "Life? Momo bets ... Momo's life!" He snapped his finger, head swiveling back with that cheeky grin. "That's why Momo's so good ~"

It was another voice speaking up that snapped his head another direction, his every sudden movement no different than a horror monster that turns on its axis like the cuts of an editing reel. He gasped, gasped, gasped -- and then stopped, tilting his head the other way in an abrupt end to his building excitement. "Mo ~ ⁿᵃ ~ Wow, wow, everyone is here." He studied her behind a twinkling glow, enraptured but unwilling to break from his imposed semi-stationary 'good student' pose. His heart beat. Thrum ... thrum. School was getting more and more interesting.

"Momo wants to in - vo - cat! It is like a song? Sing a little, sing a little ~!"

With Mona's dramatic entrance, which served as a minor disruption in her plan Ryuko merely made a light nudge with her head toward one of the seats as if to wordlessly tell her to take a seat. "Well, since you asked an interesting question I'll forgive your tardiness. Sorry class, we will not see any implements or dunce hats today." Despite the smile on her lips it was hard to guess whether she was being serious or merely jesting. "Maker magic?"

She paused for a moment, a hand raised to her chin as she pondered for a moment. "In theory it can apply. Maker magic is quite unique in that the invocation used is slightly altered, often even subconsciously. Most times people make their invocation with the intention of inflicting a direct consequence. Take for example a fire-element attack in the form of a ball: Fancy little trick, lights up the party, sometimes literally but once it hit its mark it goes 'poof'. Maker-magic is unique in that its invocation allows for a sustainable attack. Imagine that same fireball from before constantly banging against someone's head as long as you have the mana to sustain it. Quite a headache to deal with right?"

She chuckled softly as she explained further. "It is for that reason most experienced mages would seek to destroy the spell, the longer you allow that construct to exist the more problems it can cause you. In that regard basic summons and constructs are similar in certain ways."

She turned her gaze toward Momo who asked the next question. "Demons?" She took a step forward, followed by another as she leaned over the table and whispered into Momo's ear. "Are you that eager to be eaten, my dear student?" A sensual whisper, followed by the woman leaning upright again and calling out to the class. "Yes, while summoning magic can be used to summon demons, I'd highly advise against it. Most of you could likely only conjure a lesser demon like a imp and the moment you get exhausted they will turn onto you. Nay, summoning another being is a constant struggle for dominance, and if you don't have the means to keep hold of the leash... you might as well ask to get killed."

She shook her head firmly, clearly displeased by the notion. "Exactly Momo, while mana is a traditional tribute to offer, some mages specialize in using their very own life-force to supply their tribute: Warlocks they are called. But until you strengthened both your mana and body to such a level teaching you all the methods behind that is like... me just eating ice-cream in front of you all while telling you to just watch: Terrible right? But it is the same, you would be able to do nothing with that knowledge at this point."

A light shake of her head followed. "For today we will focus on the concept of summoning through normal tribute. But I did promise an exciting exercise for these who are able to last until the end of the class so~ Tell me class, imagine if you were able to summon ANYTHING you want, what would it be?"

She paused for a bit, a hand resting on her hip as she added with a sly smirk. "Also nay, you can't summon me, that would be cheating."

In the margin of the briefest moment, Mona would scour the classroom of her classmates, a bountiful orchard with ripe apples for the little devil to toy with. A faint hum as her tongue slithers along the keen points of her fangs fantasizing about the savory taste, the crunch, in the glimmer of magenta that dyed the sanguinary urges that shone through her eyes. That countenance would linger in the wake of her question and the dilation as they probed the visage of the redhead. "Pardon my manners~ It was difficult to pry my eyes away from our lovely teacher. An absolute pleasure to meet you. I'm Mona~" She'd tilt her head, doing her best to mimic her perception of an innocent expression, with a smile that was misshapen in her elation.

She'd lean backward in her seat, ponytail swaying in the recline as she peeked at Momo, the outline of a heart drawn in the waving of her finger. "Hihi, Momo~ Get into any mischief lately, hon? Mm. Don't worry stick with you dear Mona and we'll get into all kinds of fun together, hm?" She'd flutter her eyelashes, the shrillness of her voice reaching a peak in the serpentine purr of her excitement.

Mona adjusts her phony glasses and sits in her chair properly, a theatrical maneuver to stay in the teacher's good graces. "Oh my~ Thank you, Sensei~ You must be such a nice lady to forgive a little dunce like me~" A finger raises to trace the contours of her lips that curl to dryly sneer, hidden away with the way her face is molded by the touch. The lecture itself is a pleasant delight and Mona finds herself begrudgingly enjoying her humor. Mona would nod along conceptualizing the image of a serpent slowly constricting the life out of some poor soul. She'd even manage to interface with the chaotic Momo, answering his questions and mannerisms in a polite, playful tone and the serpent would simply benefit from the boon of knowledge that would be imparted.

A hand slowly drifts, then shoots up. "Mm, Sensei, Sensei~ It's no fair if you take yourself off the table~" She'd cup her face in both hands, a spirited and mischievous slip of her tongue in the jest. "Unfortunately I think my snake constructs are the limit of my summoning capabilities." She'd pout, a billow of predatory eyes lost in thought. "Hmm. So I think if I could summon anything I wanted, it would have to be something majestic; something terrifying to instill fear in your enemies. I'd like to put a proper demon on a leash if anything~"

Something too bright to be captured in a single glance. This halo of blonde, discordant from the green that peeked beneath each unkempt strand, shimmered gold and tousled in a breeze whisked by the sway of his head side to side. He was pleased with himself. He had a spot of enamoration for each face in attendance, quickly endeared to the tempest of the fae and finding the storm settled around them like an eye. He watched through squinted lids, giggling along. "You're fu~nny, Toga-chan. Friends, friends! Dragon, hai? Sensei said you're a dragon? Like, like, Rooooo~oooar? That's ᵀᵒ₉ₐ? Wahaha!" He threw wide his arms, enjoying himself in jest with perceived camaraderie shared with Toga.

"Wah? Wah? Momo in mischief?" He'd turn to address Mona, popping his lips open with a faceful of shock and eyes widened to sparkle and glitter as they shone over her. He'd even lean forward from his seat, his finger on his lips, and crease his expression. "Mis-chev-us boy Momo? Momo's a good, good boy, hai ~ See, even allowed in class! Mischief makers not allowed in school, no, no ~ Momo likes school." His eyes would flash, a brief stutter of something gleamed less innocent and more perceptive - piercing - and it passed, replaced by his cheery jade again. "Mona likes school, too? Thought you'd be too big. Mona-chan's big, big, ᵇᶦᵍ like a superstar, woooah~"

The weight of her personality was never lost on him, though it drew the fairy to flit about the chained villainess specifically. He liked the force. He enjoyed the gravity. It fought with his own, pulling two odd objects in a rotation that clung through the asteroid belt of their lives and balanced off the other around each stone. Let none be thrown. Momiji didn't think him that different from Desdemona; God could only have one favorite, is all. And divine grace spilled off of him more than the fetters that bit her skin. He liked this about her. He liked her. He『loved』her. "Momo wants to play after class! Heee?"

The teacher's attention was redirected to him in the wake of his eagerness for her lesson, drawing a slow gasp from what appeared caught off guard and instead spiraled out from excited teetering. "A demon could do that? It could ᵉ ᵃ ᵗ Momo? Ah -- what if Momo ate it first?" He'd kick his legs in the air off the side of his desk, having shifted in the conversation to sitting atop it instead of in a chair. He'd disappear and appear around the area a few times like this throughout the class, struggling to stay still even with his attempted restraint. "Can you do that? Does mana taste yucky? Oh, oh -- Momo doesn't want to. That'd be bad! Asking, just asking ~ Ehehehe."

He pulled his knees up to his chest in a sudden jut, tapping his fingers down the bone and tilting his head to click his tongue. "Momo can do that, too. Love is stronger than beasties. It eats and it eats and it eats and it eats you whole, and then it eats the bad guys, too! Hai, that's what Momo does." He smiled, toothily, and let his head fall in a decline to the other direction to watch Ryuko through half-lidded eyes. "Summon a - ny - thing? So many, so many things ... So many big mean scary things ... Momo would, Momo could, Momo should ..."

He'd tap his hand into his fist, swiveling back up straight and announcing his answer. "God!"

"Momo would meet God." So much to say, so much to see, so much to do ... so much to play with.