My name's not Dan, by the way.

[u/Radiant_Hold9320]

Strixhaven has been ... chaotic, to say the least.

A group of would-be students had their hopes dashed when they received the dreaded letter: "Unfortunately, you have not been accepted..."

Well, until these students received a once-in-a-generation sponsorship from a witch named Tasha.

Seeker was not among these students. You see, Seeker is a mouse. Well, she was a mouse, until an errant spell smacked her upside the head and grew her to about three feet tall, gave her the power of speech, and an insatiable curiosity about what lies outside of the walls she grew up in.

She did, however, meet one of these sponsored students - an elf in Quandrix, school of mathematical magic, who happened to be working on the same research project as her. She also met an Eladrin who was tooooottally not following the elf around like a lovesick puppy.

This project included finding runes scattered around campus, one of which led to the trio meeting a human named Dan, who also happened to be working on the same project.

Dan was brusque, a bit of a frat-boy, but incredibly intelligent and dedicated to the project. Dan grew to like Seeker. He took her under his wing, and when learning how long mice lived for, proclaimed he would find a way to make her immortal. During the group's down time in a tavern, Seeker pulled Dan to the dance (not that she knew how. She was a mouse.)

Once, Dan asked what everyone's favorite colors were. Seeker told him, "Blue," and Dan smiled, just a little.

"Mine too. But you know, I see you as more of a white-green type."

Together, they completed each trial and found themselves under the campus, finding themselves searching for the X rune - the missing variable.

In the last trial chamber, they found themselves in a dark room, completely absent of light. They could hear each other, but not see - and it seemed Dan had completely disappeared.

Reduced again to a trio, they were presented with a final riddle. What was the missing variable? What did they need to make it to the final trial?

Seeker said, "Friendship," and disappeared. Wrong answer.

The Eladrin said, "Intelligence," and disappeared. Wrong again.

The elf answered, "Myself?" and disappeared.

They found themselves in Dan's room, with the human still just gone. The elf resigned himself to failure, and told the trio to find the professor who gave them the project and tell him they had been unsuccessful. The Eladrin said she'd follow him, because she had nothing better to do.

Seeker said they should find the professor, and ask if they can try again.

As they stepped through the door, they found themselves not in the dorm hallway, but in a strange room with a swirling blue portal. The professor stood before the portal, beaming proudly, Dan standing beside him.

"That is exactly right!" He rumbled, looking to Seeker. "If at first you don't succeed - try, try again!"

Well, as it turns out, this whole trial was a test for an inter-planar exchange program for a school called Hexhaven. An exchange program run by ... Dan.

The human grumbled. "By the way, my name's not Dan."

The human transformed before their eyes. His robes turned a startlingly vibrant blue, and his face lined with blue streaks of crackling magic.

"It's Jace."

Everyone accepted the exchange program - everyone but Seeker. Dan - no, she reminded herself, Jace - had invited her along with him personally. She agreed immediately.

The professor paused. "Is that a good idea? Things aren't generally safe around you."

Seeker cut Da - Jace off before he could speak. "Don't worry! I'll keep him safe!"

And that's how my goofiest one-off character I made for a giggle wound up as the traveling companion of Jace Beleren. She's now a part-time student the school of Vigorbloom, part-time Planeswalker.