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Visitor :  Dice Roller| Game Info| The Cast |
| Platform 9 3/4. Posted by Ronald Weasley. | Group: 0 |
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| Author | Message | Page: 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 ... 1 [all][bottom] |
She nodded at the fencing "See you have to react there far faster than your conscious mind can deal with it. There's two levels to it. You know when you are just out of range, and the person moves and you find you have already reacted. Like when you play really fast tennis. Well that's actually the slow level. You are still using vision but it bypasses thought. Master Ho said it was the bottom of the brain, not the front bit, but I forget the names. Once your blade is touching their's then it's all touch reflexes, and they bypass the brain altogether because the brain is far too slow. Touch reflexes are mostly done by your spinal column. They can be tricked if you know how, but that's why we practice..." "It would be cool if you could do buff spells, like on computer games, but I don't know any." She patted her case "I haven't done much fencing, but we could play if you want. Have to be épée though: that's the only one I saw that allows grappling, and if you can't grapple with the sword it isn't real is it? I should warn you I'll be using 'absence of blade' a lot" she gave a little laugh "You'd probably hate the balance of my swords. Western blades are all back close to the hilt, ours are much further down the blade. I've got my sword and armour in here.... " Her voice trailed off. All of a sudden the good feeling she was having left her. She'd started feeling better. Enjoying the chat. Talking to someone else who actually cared about something other than potions and charms. Remembering the good times. And then suddenly she'd got an image. Herself wearing the armour, sword against the neck of the Nightmare. Jack moving. The Nightmare laughing at her... She made a fist with her hand, nails biting into her skin as she tried to force the image away. "Yeah..." she said, eyes a little sad and voice suddenly a little hollow "Yeah we should move." she picked up her case "We must be nearly there now." | |||||
She was trying hard to focus her minds but it just came off as her mouth working like a fish as her eyes darted back and forth. Luckily, they started to talk about fencing and fighting and their comments were interesting enough that she blurted, "That's just because you don't trust your wand enough Jade. I mean, the martial arts might help you move out of the way of a spell, but a good wizard can use certain spells on muscle memory and thought alone. Not conscious thought, just instinct. Protego, Expelliarmus, etc should all be as easy as breathing to a skilled auror." Of course, BEth had always been more magically inclined than Jade was. She smiled brightly having managed to contribute then flushed again at being alone in a room with these two. Still, it was a good idea, "Yeah, we should find someplace less in the way. I would love a book club though, they might already have one though. it seems a common enough idea." In the compartments back a ways, James was on his own back foot as he seemed to have stepped on a viper's nest with his ignorance of history and cultures. He flushed and his grip on Claire's hand tightened for a second so he focused on Ganiah and Robert's question and let the talk of classes pass, "I want to be an auror, yeah? Professor Bones says my grades aren't good enough yet though, so I guess I need to work on that. They say a real live demon is teaching DADA this year though, and some famous American witch as well. Should be neat." He fell silen again not knowing what to say after that. About then, a wizard came along announcing 30 minutes to Hogsmeade. This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Wed 30 Sept 2015. | |||||
A glance to Beth as she shifted on her feet having not been stared at that for awhile and though it felt rather good, it also made her nervous. She didn't know what to make of it thought she looked over at Bao-Yu and wondered if this was going to be a problem. If she would be honest with herself, both of these young women were rather attractive. "My tennis instructor and fencing instructor always called it instinct and muscle memory. Tennis of course is not quite that as your mind processes some things but there is still a lot of memory there. As soon as the ball is hit, your mind is doing trajectories and your body is moving." She didn't know how to explain it either but she did love the freedom that such sports gave her. But she was interested in Tai-Chi due to the fact that it also focused on meditation. "And I have my own sword right here or actually three different ones." Patting the satchel that she had over her shoulder with a sense of pride and reverence as if it was something very important. Smiling she couldn't really argue with Beth either though at range spells were very effective but up close. "I agree that a well placed spell can be very effective but one you get close enough to touch. It takes little for someone to target pressure points in your wrist to disarm you. Or a quick shot to the throat takes care of being able to speak or a shot to the temples makes it hard to think. But blending magic with steel isn't exactly the worst idea, just takes a bit of work as well as knowing when to use each. I agree with the idea of defensive spells being good even for close up combat." She actually could see merit even in what Beth was suggesting and she figured that Bao-Yu would as well. Nodding to a car that she peeked into and found clear she pushed open the door as she waited for them both. "Well, if they don't have a book club then I say we start one La Femme Beth." She couldn't help but slip into a bit of French as she gave a slight bow along with a sweeping motion of her hand. | |||||
"If when you watch a fencing match for example, the first contact... that's the point that uses the instinct you were talking about. That moment is known as closing the gap. After the gap is closed the brain can't keep up. If you watch the blades move, without doing it in slow motion, you mostly struggle even seeing what happened. For the fencers, well touch reflexes kick in, and it's all about their body doing the right thing because of training. Many many attacks are so fast that the even the lower part of the brain, even instinct and muscle memory, cannot even sense the attack has taken place before a killing blow has landed. The only tool we have to deal with those is controlling the opponent's options and touch reflexes" "Wands are great when you and your opponent is at that 'gap' range, but then they are like a 'standard' usage of a wand. That's dueling, and it's great fun. But at that moment there's no mixing of martial arts and magical other than maybe footwork. There's just cast a spell, the spell hits the target or it doesn't. That's where spell parrying and expelliarmus works.. Lots of fun, but no martial arts. And that's why dueling is all started at range" "The moment you close that gap..." Bao-Yu shrugged "Almost all melee fights are resolved at 'grapple range'. 'Ground and pound' beats anything else because it just uses touch reflexes. Using magic has to slow you down unless someones managed to cast a spell without using their brain... without emotion or will being involved. You couldn't possibly cast a spell to block a punch, but you could use one to get out of a grapple maybe... But you aren't going to be holding onto your wand... so it's going to be hard" She suddenly realised that both Serena and her had said almost the same things. Which was interesting. It probably meant that Serena had had some actual practice. Maybe that fencing was going to be fun "We'll do that at Hogwart's Serena. " she wasn't for a bookclub, but she wasn't exactly against one. If Beth started one she'd probably go along, but mostly she would be looking for things that made her use her body. There'd be enough of 'sitting still and studying' in the lessons themselves | |||||
Sitting her satchel beside her she pulled off the beret that she was wearing to ruffle her hair. A small smile and then shrug as she hadn't intended to start something like this on Beth. She mouthed the words..."I'm sorry."...before she looked out the window then took a drink of the hot chocolate that she had gotten. Her attention was drawn back to Bao-Yu as she was spoken too though she had been listening quite intently really. "Sounds like fun and I look forward to testing myself against someone again, for fun of course. But we must maintain our edge." Back home she had sparring partners whenever she wanted which was quite often as it was a way to let off steam. Her parents had thought it also a good skill for her to learn after she had pointed out the inherent problems with magical dueling. "And you will let me know if you start that Tai-Chi club...as I would love to learn...I hear that it is good for meditation and staying limber. Maybe you both would be interested in a workout routine of some type?" She liked to run, do yoga and gymnastics was the other way that she worked on keeping herself limber. "Just in case it matters...I like to run every morning and do some yoga before to warm up. Then after I cool down from my run I usually do a bit of gymnastics. I hope that the school has setup some equipment instead of having to find alternatives." It had been a request from her as well as a tennis court and enchanted single hole golf course. She usually just use an empty area of the castle itself as a driving range and hit golf balls at the walls. | |||||
"I'll see you at dawn tomorrow then for a run.. assuming we can find a safe place. At SWI I knew where the Care of Magical Creature Crazy People were" Bao-Yu pronounced the capitals. "I don't want to run around a corner and see a blast ended scorpion dragon hybrid or something" she shook her head in disbelief. She'd never understood Care of Magical Creatures, and understood even less the people that seemed to revel in it | |||||
It quickened her breathing and had her chest rising and falling in quick succession as she colored a bit more. Crossing her legs at the ankles she took another drink of her chocolate to cover her embarrassment of it all. She really shouldn't be thinking such things about people that she didn't know that well. In a way, she blamed Beth for her reactions to her and for Bao-Yu being such an exotic beauty. "Yes...a run in the morning sounds wonderful and do you want to join me for yoga as well before the run? As for a safe place...maybe the quidditch pitch would be acceptable and safe." She really had no issues with the Care of Magical Creatures crowd but then she tried to get along with everyone. Even going as far as to try and stay on good terms with as many of the Slytherins that she could. "One of the Hornsnozzlers, Snozzwanger and Whangdoodles...would be equally troubling." A mischievous smile as she wasn't sure if the reference would go over the other two witches heads but she was wanting to lighten the mood of the Crazy CoMC People. | |||||
Bao-Yu was getting some funny signals from Serena, but she wasn't sure why. She revisited what she had been saying, and decided it was probably some cultural norm she'd missed. It kept happening: less and less now, but it still did. "Yeah sure. Yoga, a bit of Tai Chi and a run. Running in the Quidditch Pitch sounds better than any other use for it" this was partly aimed as a tease at Beth. Bao-Yu had never really 'got' quidditch. She got cheer leading though, and was rather hoping they did something similar at Hogwarts. "As long as there are no Whangdoodles" Bao-Yu added. She wasn't quite sure what they were, but if they were part of the CoMC creatures, they were probably lethally unpleasant | |||||
It didn't help that Jade's tirade about instincts and such had felt like a slap in the face. Why was it that some people felt that a thing being true should mean that it wasn't hurtful to say? She was just opening her mouth to say something when the train lurched and began to decelerate. "Oh!? Oh, I think we have arrived? Will it be cold this time of year? I have heard that Scotland is always chilly and damp. Should I wear my... Yes, I think it best just in case."<purple> Beth quickly stood up and then pulled out her wand to point at the compartment door, where the window went quickly black, then to the far end of their compartment where a screen erected itself. She stepped behind the screen and quickly changed into her uniform then pulled a cardigan over it. She checked her hair in her little mirror then stepped out and sat down. <purple>"Anyone else can use the screen if the wish." She smiled brightly, which was the smile that Beth always used to hide hurt feelings. Further up the train, the Hogwart's students all felt the familiar lurch and knew it was time to put on uniforms for the opening ceremony. Some, like James, always wore their uniforms to the train as they saw little point in changing at this point. It was usually awkward and privacy seeking after a certain age. Still, he helped anyone that needed it find a bit o private space to change before he took Claire's hand and pulled her along toward the exit, waiting for his friends to keep up. Strangely, Corinna did not come looking for Robert to ask him to ride with her in the carriages. As such, as soon as they stepped off the train, James motioned Robert to come along and led Claire towards a carriage. Along the way, he saw the bright red uniforms of a group of Asian looking students marching off toward a pair of limousines as well as the Durmstangs students moving toward a group of large horses. He had thought they had a magic ship or something. Robert, James, and Claire: that left room for one in their carriage as they climbed in. As always, James eyed the Thestrals darkly and recalled the death of Professor Malfoy two years ago with a deep shudder. Back at the trio of girls' cabin, Beth was the first to hop down onto the Hogsmeade platform and looked around. She grabbed her shoulders and smiled as she shivered. The sweater had been a good idea. She looked around then at Serena, "What do we do now? The Headmistress was going to meet us at the school." | |||||
She blushed prettily and was about to say something when the train lurched. With Beth making short work of setting up something for them to change behind she sighed. "An exercise program to maintain our physical health then and might have to try that hand-stand stuff. I do a little of it in gymnastics though so nothing too new except for walking on my hands...never done that." As for Beth's questions she wasn't sure what to say exactly without coming off like an idiot. "Well, it is usually cold this time of year so I would say most likely so." She had no idea what she was going to ask about wearing but she personally figured Beth would look good. When she came back out she waited a bit for Bao-Yu and then stood slowly as she pulled a few items from her satchel. She paused though at the screen to smile at both girls and she flushed again with a shake of her head. "I want to apologize to you both for my behavior. It is not something that I am always aware of as it is just a part of me. Please feel free to let me know if I get flirty and you don't like it...I am part Veela." It wasn't something that she usually told anyone but she was skilled enough in social settings to realize that Beth was hurting and she was a cause. Slipping behind the screen she quickly changed into her own uniform though she kept the pants she had been wearing over the skirt she could have worn. Over the blouse she had slipped on her Ravenclaw sweater before putting back on her jacket over her open robes. Coming back out, she was doing a twirling motion with her wand which was taking and braiding her hair in a neat French braid that a blue ribbon was being wrapped into. "And just so you know and don't think my comment was meant badly...I just think you should know that I think you both are cute. Only proper to let you know that I think and then you can tell me off if you need to." She could be polite or blunt as the situation demanded and right now she thought blunt was more important. Finding her seat once again, she crossed her legs at the ankles and slipped her beret back on with a smile. | |||||
He started to spout off again when the wizard came thru announcing 30 mins to Hogsmeade, he closed his mouth and looked over to Athene "Did you hear anything about a new teacher?. If they did bring one in then i suppose it means teaching the wand dark magic in dueling?." | |||||
"Thank you" Bao-Yu said to Serena's 'you are cute'. "But you should know that I am cute, while Little Miss Green and Purple here isn't. Goth's don't do cute". Bao-Yu looked at the uniformed Beth and took a step backwards "Who are you and what have you done with the real Beth" she challenged. She'd not seen Beth in anything so normal in ... well forever. To be honest she thought Beth looked good in them. Very school girl. "I guess it's my turn" she went behind the privacy screen and need a little quick change act. | |||||
Staying with Amanda who seemed to be the friendliest so far, and knew where they were going, Asuka made sure Oscar followed. She figured the others were likely with their Chaperone and would be fine. "I'm sure whatever you decide on will be great, Amanda. It is going to be interesting seeing the different cultures and what they decide is important to them personally. I had thought of something else, but someone said that my collection of ritual objects was not appropriate," Asuka nudged Oscar in the stomach a bit. Sure, it was ritual bloodletting devices, but they were close to her heart. And people always got the wrong idea with blood magic. So, she brought them too and would figure it out. Maybe she could share both. "Since we're new here and, unlike some schools don't seem to have the need to make a big production out of our arrival, how do you usually get to the school from the station?" She was glad they weren't making a big deal, being showy for the sake of it made no sense to her. | |||||
Like James, Athene had decided this year to just wear her school uniform for the whole trip. The desire to be carefree and wear clothes she actually liked lost out to the ease of not having to go and change clothes at the end of the train ride. She rolled her eyes at Robert when he went off on the subject of the "demon" professor. "Seeing as how there are going to be two professors for DADA this year and the other one is the Headmistress from the African school, that means the demon is Rashomon Sensei. So we are talking about a Japanese sentient species that humans have decided to call demons. It'll be no different from dealing with house elves, centaurs or merfolk." She stayed with the group from their two compartments as they got off the train. | |||||
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As the train came to a stop, she exited the compartment with the rest of her friends, walking next to Asuka and Oscar and continuing the conversation. “I’m looking forward to seeing everything as well and it seems as though your ritual object would have been a fascinating addition.” “The first years go by boat, but the rest of us ride to Hogwarts in the carriages,” she answered as she motioned towards them. “You’re welcome to ride with us if you don’t need to stay with the rest of your classmates.” Since she didn’t want to run the risk of the conversation turning to why she could see the thestral pulling her carriage, she decided to not mention them unless asked. Though, she did look to see whether or not the foreign students accompanying them reacted to the beasts. | |||||
It wasn't that she didn't want to do that as her family could use the extra presence but it did get a bit tedious after awhile. "I don't know...I think that Beth pulls off cute rather well and she doesn't look too Goth to me. And you do pull off cute well Bao-Yu..." She had turned to regard both as she spoke but left it sort of unfinished because she didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stay on top of the fact that her body just naturally took poses that were flirty. It had gotten her into no small amount of trouble but at least trouble that was easily handled. Rising from her seat, she slipped the strap of her satchel over her shoulder to move to the door of their car. "I sure hope that we see each other outside of classes." And she blushed a little at how that could be taken but covered it by opening the door for them. "And another year begins." She straightened her shoulders and was unaware of what effect that had on her overall appearance. Yeah, it was natural and she didn't seem to notice unless she was actually looking for it. But then she hardly seemed the type that slouched or hunched or had those types of bad behavior at all. | |||||
"They can find their way, it seems we're all separated anyway." She walked with Amanda and looked at the carriages. "Interesting animals, I've read about them but not seen." Really, for most of those in her world death was all to common. They'd seen it in the tribes, or just out in the world. There was so much unrest with politics in the muggle world alone. | |||||
As the train slowly pulled up to Hogsmeade he grabbed his satchel down from the overhead bin and looked at the hallways that was packed with many new students that he could not say he knew or had seen before. Softly he offered to James and Claire, "there are alot of new students this year, seems like it might be easy to slip in someone from the other team, add the fact that those two who had escaped from Ascaban and have not been caught yet...yes, it could be interesting once again this year." | |||||
Standing she took her small muggle suitcase, small enough to fit on a flight, and offered Beth her arm again: hoping that whatever she'd done was over. "Are there ceremonies on the first night?" she asked curiously "We have the locket giving, which is really cool" she had a silver locket around neck which was the only item of jewelry on her at the moment. | |||||
Hogwarts was famous in the wizarding world. However, as they approached the carriages, Beth gave a start and stared at the animals pulling the carriages. "What the fuck are those monstrosities!" At another location, James frowned at Athene's cutting remark to his best mate again, but that was how they were. He knew they would defend one another if push came to shove though. He squeezed Claire's hand and waved to Amanda and the others as well. They were a tight knit, close group of friends who had been through hell together. As horrible as they were, the Thestrals were a reminder of that shared past. Eventually, the carriages set off for the school. One more round here of postings. I will open the ceremony though at the same time. So wrap up here and post there. | |||||
“Hogwarts has a herd of thestrals. Though, since most students can’t see them, people tend to assume that the carriages move by magic.” Since it looked as though Robert, James, Claire, and Athene would be sharing one carriage, Amanda rode to Hogwarts with Kiri, Asuka, and Oscar chatting lightly with them about various topics as they finished their ride to the castle. This message was last edited by the player at 07:33, Mon 19 Oct 2015. | |||||
"I guess death is more common, or kids are more likely to be exposed to it instead of hidden away." She took her seat and looked around. This was so very different from her life, and it was wet in a much less pleasant way. It seemed they had gotten a bit too deep in their conversations, but Asuka definitely had a passion about her beliefs and her way of life. One that wasn't passive at all. | |||||
Letting the other two women slip out ahead of her she did her normal thing though and let it slide away. There was no reason to hold it against either of them for having attended a school with better graces. It was a small thing she guessed in the grand scheme of what her parents were trying to do. And yet you sacrifice again Serena for a dream that might not even be attainable for your family. Is it truly worth it? As she walked off the train she couldn't help the thought that often came to her about that. She always told herself that it was but often she found she wondered about it. With so much effort though already put into it, there was little reason to not see it through now. On the whole though she knew that she wanted this not only for her family but for herself as well. Is it petty of me to want this as badly as my family? Being a Black is a two-edged sword after all and which side will we be seen as? Thankfully Beth's exclamation brought her attention back to the carriages and more importantly the creatures pulling them. "They are kestrels...like horses but only those that have known tragedy...death...can see them. You have to look beyond their outward appearance though to see the true beauty that lies inside." She had often thought of that. Wondered if her own nature, beauty, hid the darkness that lay inside of her...or the ugliness. Pulling out a meat snack from a pouch she moved to the two kestrel that would be pulling their carriage and offered it to them. It was probably poetic that she was soon petty both of them though she leaned her cheek against the one, murmuring soft words. "I suppose that we should be off though as the sorting and feast will happen with or without us." She was not normally dragged down from her normal cheerful self but there were things to consider this year. And yet she helped both Bao-Yu and Beth into the carriage, it they wanted, and then got in herself. Pleasant conversation was on the agenda from her or answers to questions if that was more appropriate. | |||||
To think that being unconscious was the only thing that separated her from the others in their little social circle was both sad and good at the same time. It's not like she didn't know what death was, she'd watched lots of horror and action films after all. But for some silly reason that's all it took to see the thestrals, having seen someone die in person. |
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