Disclaimer: I own none of the DL characters. (Though I am trying to abduct Dally.)
Armies
The next morning, Raistlin and Dalamar emerged from their garage, Raistlin in a black Corvette like Jess's except with no flame markings. His license plate read 'evilone.' He was wearing black jeans and a tight black short sleeve shirt. His Glamour was much more elaborate than Dalamar's. His appearance looked much the way it did before his Test; shoulder-length auburn hair, blue eyes and pale skin. He also made himself a bit more muscular and less gaunt looking.
Dalamar was still riding his motorcycle and was dressed in much the same way Raistlin was, but his dark wavy hair was pulled back in a horsetail, not falling free the way Raistlin's did. They met Maegith and Jess at school. With a bit of magic, Raistlin ensured that Dalamar's schedule would stay the way it had been, and that he would be following Jess's schedule. That way, none of them would be caught alone.
While waiting for school to start, Jess saw Catalina and her cronies gesturing violently. Dalamar listened in, summarizing what they said. "They're saying it's not fair that so many new hot boys are here, and immediately joining the (no offense girls) 'geeks group.' They seem quite angry, and agree that you ladies must be seducing us, and keeping your usual behaviors hidden." Everyone got a laugh at that, as Maegith and Jess new more about Raistlin and Dalamar than they themselves did, and Raistlin and Dalamar found it easy to relate to people who knew so much about them.
In first period, Raistlin sat down in the same row as Dalamar and their Earthling friends. Takhisis (Miss Virago), started to call the roll. She looked up and smiled softly when she hit Raistlin's name. "Majere, Raistlin." Raistlin nodded, not needing to let Takhisis know where he was. In his eyes was a silent challenge. At the sound of his name, a couple of people looked up, surprised. Raistlin looked around, taking in who would figure out the truth soon.
Later on the list, for only the second time, Miss Virago looked up. "Silver, Daniel?" Her eyes met Dalamar's, boring into his soul, telling him she knew exactly who she was. He was powerless to look away. After a couple of seconds, Takhisis let him go as she went on with the roll.
After she was done, Takhisis smiled. "Now, why don't I change some of the seating, to help me remember your names?" She smirked at Dalamar and Raistlin. When she was finished rearranging the room, Dalamar was sitting next to Catalina in one corner of the room. Raistlin was next to another of the popular girls, in the opposite corner. Maegith was banished to another corner, next to yet another stickly blond. Jess was in the last corner, next to the girl who had laughed at them in gym. Pitying looks were thrown around the room from both groups.
"Now class," Takhisis snickered. "Why don't we have a little pop quiz? Just so I can see everyone's ability level." The way she said it, it obviously wasn't a question, and the Goddess of Evil started to hand out pieces of paper. To Dalamar and Raistlin's surprise, both Maeg and Jess groaned. When they saw the test, they echoed the girls thoughts exactly. However, most odd, when everyone in the 'cool' group saw the test, they sighed in relief. It was then that the mages realized that Takhisis was going to do her best to fail them, as well as anyone friendly with them.
After a truly grueling test, the bell finally rang. Maeg and Jess met up with the Black Robes as they left the classroom. "That was horrible!" Jess was shocked. "History's one of my best subjects, too. Especially this time period!"
Raistlin smiled cynically. "You forget, she's Takhisis, not just any substitute. Don't be surprised if you two fail the class this last month or two. Unless you wish to join up with her, and see your world become an empty shell of evil, and all of those you care about hurt or killed. If you want that, maybe you'll get to pass." The girls snickered with him, but were considerably upset at this.
Maeg stopped at her locker, and as she turned back towards her first period class, she saw 'Miss Virago' talking with Catalina. "Uh, Dalamar?" She started to ask him to listen to the conversation, but he quieted her, leaning against the lockers in a casual fashion. He was already eavesdropping, and relayed their conversation.
"Catalina," Takhisis crooned, "Come in for a minute. Don't worry, you won't be late." Catalina followed her in, and Dalamar shook his head in frustration. He couldn't hear through cinderblock walls. However, Raistlin had managed to get a locker only a meter or so away from the class, not three or four as Maeg's was. They went to his, all listening closely, though through the noise in the hall, Dalamar was still the only one able to hear anything much. He continued to relay the conversation.
"Now, dear," The goddess's voice was honey-sweet. "I noticed you're a bit jealous of Maegith. Why is that?" She clicked her nails on the desk.
"Why do you care? What could you do about it anyway?" Catalina's voice was sharp, almost bitter.
"First, you'd do well to show me a bit more respect. My patience has limits. However, I shall answer you questions. Also, all shall be revealed in due time, and most importantly, I can do plenty – that's what I wanted to talk about. Now, answer my questions." Maeg and Jess practically felt the power of her gaze through the wall.
Catalina apparently blanched as well, because she now answered without pause. "Well, we used to be friends. Then, she got geekier, and so I had to end that friendship to keep my social status up. Then, it seemed as though she always got what I wanted – better grades, and now even that new kid- Daniel. It's not fair. At least I'm still more popular." However, she didn't sound particularly comforted at that thought.
"Oh, poor dear." It was hard to tell from sound alone whether Her Dark Majesty was being truly compassionate, or simply sarcastic. "Well, we may be able to do something about that." Dalamar's elven hearing barely picked up her whispered spell to make the doorway look as though no one was in the room.
"You've read the DragonLance books, no?" Takhisis' tone was now conversational.
"Um, just the Chronicles. They were pretty good. Why?"
"Well, dear, what would you say if I told you they were true? You'd likely think me insane, and how did you so quaintly put it? Geeky? Like that little girl Maegith. But, what would you do if I showed you proof? Do you want to see something?"
Takhisis didn't wait for Catalina to answer, and presumably changed her form to that of the five-headed dragon, judging by the soft shriek that was the next thing that Dalamar heard. Takhisis shifted back. "Believe now? I thought so."
"Now, I have a proposition to make. I will grant you magic powers for a while, and you help me to take over this world. After that, you will be one of my viceroys, and Maegith will be your servant. You will also have any man you want. I will give you even more if you recruit the rest of your little group to help me." Dalamar told the girls and Raistlin that it sounded as if Takhisis was using her magical persuasion to help.
"Well, I guess. Yeah. Alright." It did not take much persuasion to get Catalina to acquiesce. Dalamar, Raistlin, Jess, and Maeg looked at each other with identical expressions of dismay.
Jess was horror struck. "They have one of the biggest cliques in the school! How will we ever get that many people?" They dashed into the English classroom, just before the bell rang.
Unfortunately, there were no more seats near Dalamar and the girls, so Raistlin had to sit across the room. He made a face as he saw that the only open seat was next to Catalina. When he sat down, she passed him a note. 'Game's up, Majere. I know. However, I might join you with the correct ... persuasion.' She hand touching his leg made her intentions clear.
Raistlin simply raised one disdainful eyebrow, and dropped the Glamour on his eyes for a second, allowing for the full intimidating effect of his eyes to take hold. He waved a hand, and his pen started writing an answer by itself. He'd found out that since the gods of magic held little sway here, magic worked differently here because it was enough to simply channel the power with the power of his mind. A mage of little power would still need spells, as would any mage doing anything complicated, but for small thing such as this, in this world, mental strength was enough.
His reply was clear and disdainful. 'I know you know, and I would not align myself with one such as you, who will use only the base instincts of men as persuasion. I'm not interested.' Raistlin's pen finished it's phantom path as the teacher got to his name on the roll, and he raised his hand gracefully, as though nothing had just happened. Catalina didn't try to talk to him again for the rest of the class period.
While walking to math, Raistlin told the others about Catalina's little trick. They all got a good laugh out of it. Her ignorance of Raistlin's personality made it even more hilarious, and they were still chuckling as they walked to math.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful up to chorus. At this point Dalamar looked at the girls, unsure of what to say to his Shalafi. To his relief, he could see that the girls were thinking the same thing. They looked at him as if to say 'You know him best! You say it.'
Dalamar returned the look, clearly thinking 'As if I'd say anything! I have enough wounds, thank you very much!'
The girls looked at each other, Jess's look saying 'You're the peace- maker!' and Maeg's showing 'Yeah, but he's your favorite character!' Finally, it was Jess who spoke. "Um, Raistlin, we have chorus next." At his raised eyebrow, she went on. "Um, no offense meant, but will you be able to sing? With that cough and all?" She winced as soon as the words left her mouth, obviously wishing she weren't the one left with the task of asking.
However, Raistlin merely shrugged. "Thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine. I'm able to sing softly without hurting my throat." His statement proved true, and his singing voice might even be called pleasant. He ended up in the tenor section with Dalamar, and admiring glances at both young men's voices were thrown around the room.
Later that day was lunch, and with the consent of Dalamar and Raistlin, the girls were going to tell their table the truth. The girls sat down, nudging their friends to make room for the mages. "Guys, I'd like to introduce you to Raistlin Majere." At that, Rebecca smiled.
"Yeah, yeah Maeg. What's his real name?" She and the others rolled their eyes.
Maeg took a deep breath, and Jess got up to stand at the end of the table, casually blocking the mages from the sight of the other tables. "Um, girls, we have something to tell you. See, that really is Raistlin, and Daniel, that's not his real name. He's actually Dalamar."
At this statement, Joan and Maria traded glances, and Rebecca smiled indulgently. She was obviously the only one of the group who'd read the DragonLance books. "You found a kindred soul then? Come on, tell us his real name." She was obviously loosing patience for the short human.
At this point, Raistlin took over. "She speaks the truth." After a period of chorus, his voice had its famous rasping quality. Rebecca didn't seem impressed, and just raised an eyebrow. Raistlin sighed at the earthling's skepticism, and he dropped the Glamour on front of his body. Jess' positioning was useful in making sure that no others would see.
At the shock that shone on each girl's face, Raistlin nudged Dalamar, who muttered a spell under his breath. Suddenly, the table seemed to get quieter. Maeg then realized that they were enclosed in a sound bubble. She surmised that someone trying to listen to their conversation would hear ordinary talk, about things such as school and the movies. Raistlin smiled, slightly cynical. "Now, we can talk freely."
"As you can see, I am the Archmagus, Raistlin Majere – Master of the Past and Present, likely most powerful magic user on Krynn. This is my apprentice, Dalamar Nightson, formerly of the Silvanesti forest." At his introduction, Dalamar dropped his Glamour as well, and his finely pointed ears were visible through his thick, dark hair.
For a minute, both mages were silent, allowing the young women to absorb the fact that true magic had just been performed in front of their eyes. Then, Raistlin spoke once more, his voice sardonic. "Any other doubts?" At the unsure looks traded, and Rebecca's frantic negating gesture, he smiled slightly and continued. "Good. Now, Maeg and Jess have informed me that you are all trustworthy and dependable. I'm sorry to be the first to inform you, but my apprentice and I had been experimenting with portals, and this allowed the Goddess of Evil from our world to enter your plane of existence after us. I have been asked – rather, forced – by the gods of magic to help rid your world of her, and have permission to gather an army for my purposes. It would be only to your own benefit if you join, though you do not have to. If you do, you will be granted temporary magical powers, with the condition that you must fight with them if you accept." He looked at Maeg, who nodded. "If you wish to join us, be at Maeg's mouse after school."
Raistlin started coughing violently after such a long speech, and as per usual, there was nothing to be done to help it. Once he recovered, Raistlin lifted his Glamour once more, and indicated to Dalamar that he should do the same. After that, the bubble of sound surrounding them dissipated. "One other thing." Dalamar spoke this time. "Please refrain from speaking about this until you're at Maeg's house, or at least out of school, where She has some power to listen."
However, the warning was unnecessary, as only shocked silence greeted the completion of the mages' speech. Jess smiled slightly at the dazed expressions on her tablemates' faces, and sat back down. Surprised though they were, their curiosity had been ignited, and as one, they spoke. "I'll come." Maeg smiled. "It's settled, then."
Jade: Lets say this: it's a self-proclaimed Mary-Sue, but except for the fact that it takes place in a two or so month period that shouldn't exist on the DL timeline, it is not an alternate universe. Hope that answered your question without giving too much away.
Guan: No problem, and I'm sure your story is very interesting, the only reason I haven't read it is I've never heard of the book/TV show you've based it on.
Alien21xx: Thank you! Truth to be told, I was worried that once I came out about it, I'd get a flood of flames as my friend Rivin did in hers. LOL about the Disney thing. About Raist, hopefully he'll get in a bad mood soon, and I'm glad you think I did that well. Hmm, about your other review – thanks for going back! That's nice of you. I'm glad you liked my little interlude, and I'll take your suggestion into consideration. Maybe I'll have Raist tell us a bit about it, or if I'm ambitious, I'll re-write that chapter. Thank you for your logical imput.
Meg: Thank YOU for reviewing. Bad news – now that I've done my (relatively unhelpful) research on the Elven castes, I believe I'm going to work on Shades of Grey a bit, but you never know.
Umi Mikazuki: Thank you. D'you know how much of a pain it is to type your pseudonym? Just kidding – anything for a reviewer.
Childlike Empress: Thank you for giving a lovely review! I'm very glad you enjoy my style. Love your name, by the way.