I never thought of myself as an inhibited individual on Cascade Hall

Elly Eriksson

April 22, 2009 1:41 PM

Say hello to the summer! by Elly Eriksson

Despite the fact that she was a prefect now, and so held a responsibility to set an example to the younger students, and despite the fact that she was old enough to know better, Elly’s end of year prank was going ahead as planned.

It was genius, really. Elly had become reacquainted with the inhibitor solution when revising for her CATS. She’d already planned to involve potions in some form for her prank (as transfiguration really wasn’t her thing and she’d overplayed the charms front), and the answer presented itself to her so beautifully that Elly had been unable to refuse. Using the allotted revision time in the potions classroom, Elly had successfully perfected the inhibitor solution to inhibit – and this was the brilliant part – inhibitions. She’d tried some herself, and it was like her brain was telling her it wasn’t right on some level, but she could quite easily tell that part of her brain to shut up and carry on anyway without worrying about the consequences.

Elly had often put her skills at potions down to being a good cook; it couldn’t be denied that the subject had a lot in common with baking, and nobody baked a better chocolate cake than the redheaded Pecari. Of course, chocolate cake wasn’t always popular (a truth that baffled Elly), so she’d decided to run with cookies, instead. Over the previous couple of days, Elly and those roommates who’d been willing had baked copious amounts of cookies in their dormitory, using a nifty heating charm. They’d been made to Elly’s detailed specifications, which included her secret ingredient: the inhibitions inhibitor.

On the last full day of school, the day before everyone would leave at breakfast, Elly asked her friends for help in transporting the cookies down to Cascade Hall. Most of them knew the cookies were spiked, but only Meredith knew the exact details and effects of the potion. Elly had likened the effects to feeling you shouldn't say or do something, but saying or doing it anyway, because the voice that would normally prevent this was sounding rather weak.

Before long, the cookies were distributed along the tables, with plenty for every student to consume at least one. To show willing, Elly helped herself to a chocolate chip; it wasn’t like she had a great deal of inhibitions anyway.

Subthreads:

Eat cookies! by Saul Pierce

Cookie Power! *tag Holly* by Mike Song with Holly, Mike

I never thought of myself as an inhibited individual by Daniel Nash II with Charlotte Abbott, Charlotte, Charlie

Hello Summer! [Tag: Devian] by Rosalind Rabindra with Devian Dupree

0 Elly Eriksson Say hello to the summer! 92 Elly Eriksson 1 5

Saul Pierce

April 23, 2009 2:51 PM

Eat cookies! by Saul Pierce

Along with Elly and the other Pecaris involved in the distribution of this year's prank, Saul helped hand out the cookies in the Cascade Hall. He wasn't entirely sure what effect the cookies would have, but he was sure it would be excellent. When he saw Elly eat one herself, he figured it couldn't be too bad, and had one himself to help allay suspicion.

He grinned brightly at the group of people sitting down at the table he was currently offering a platter of the cookies. "Eat cookies," he encouraged cheerfully, putting the plate down in the middle of their table. "They're really good, better than my mom's, but mom makes terrible cookies, and better than Maria's, too, and she makes really good cookies. They're tasty. Elly made them. They're spiked with something." His grin brightened even more, delighted by this truth but not understanding why he was telling them about it.

"I have no idea what they do, but I'm sure it'll be brilliant," he continued, his tongue continuing to speak on even though he thought he probably should have stopped talking by now. "I ate one already, so I know they still taste good, so I promise it's not a sour aftertaste and, my hair's not purple is it?" He grabbed a strand of his bangs to check, but his dark hair was the same color it normally was. "No, but I should've known that, because Elly ate one, too, and her hair's still red. But I figure whatever it is can't be too bad or she wouldn't of eaten it, right?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's a truth serum. Because I can't seem to stop talking. It's like my brain says Saul, shut up, but my mouth says, no, I don't want to. So I keep talking. But they are good cookies and you should totally eat them even if they do make you keep talking forever. Well, not forever, obviously. They'd have to wear off sometime, right? Oo! Pepperoni!"

He reached over and took a slice of the heavenly delicious nectar of the God's out of the hand of the nearest of the people he was talking to as he noticed them start to lift it to their mouth. "I love pepperoni. Pepperoni is great. I have a pet mouse I named after Pepperoni. I call him Roni. He does tricks." Saul stopped talking long enough to pop the slice of ideal perfection into his mouth and chewed reverently. "Mmmm."

His eyes popped open as something occurred to him. "Dude! I totally just stole that right out of your hand. Here." He leaned over the table to reach the serving plate with more pepperoni on it and gave two slices back to the victim of his theft. "That was totally rude of me."

1 Saul Pierce Eat cookies! 82 Saul Pierce 0 5

Mike Song

April 23, 2009 6:18 PM

Cookie Power! tag Holly by Mike Song

As far as last days of school went, this one was ending on a fair note. Mike had passed the entire day in self indulgence. The morning was spent swimming in the Gardens, the afternoon sluggishly packing (read as throwing everything into his trunk), and the evening in gorging himself on what would be his last 'normal' meal for a good while. Mike had nothing against his mother's cooking; but Korean food got old, and he liked variety. Plus, he was categorically against serving rice with breakfast; there were enough starches in the world that acted as breakfast food, and rice wasn't one of them.

He strolled into the Cascade Hall, sunglasses donned and lazy smile in place, trading the requisite greetings with housemates and undoing one of his sister's braids. Pleased with his three minutes of achievement, he threw himself down into a spare seat and began the lengthy consideration that every dinner meal required. The Prairie-Elves were an unmatched bunch when it came to culinary skills in his opinion. Not only did he have abundant choices from each food group, there were always generous options available in the best of the non-five groups: the Desserts and Deliciousness Group. On top of the banana-peanut butter pudding mix, white chocolate lava cakes, key lime pie, and ice cream bar, there was a huge pile of chocolate chip cookies.

As Mike did with all of his dinner meals, he started with his dessert first, and it was only midway through his second cookie that he began to feel different. He couldn't quite place the sensation; the chocolate mush caught in his mouth tasted normal- sugary and delectable- and his skin certainly didn't feel warm. But it was like he had just run the hundred yard dash; he felt unreasonably invincible- invincible enough to push back from his table, sweep his black hair from his forehead, and saunter on over to where a certain third year Pecari girl sat.

"Hi Holly," he said without preamble. "I'm Mike- we were in the play together, and you're pretty cute. Wanna hang out sometime?"

He knew her from the play. He knew her from his house's common room. He knew her from the occasional passing in the hallways or during mealtime. He knew her first and last name, and while he had certainly thought her cute from all those previous details, he hadn't ever considered letting her know this. She was older and all that, and she did seem like the really girly sort.

But heck, she was sort of his type- if eleven-year-olds had types that is. And so, Mike told her, and not for a second did he question why he would want to tell her at all.

0 Mike Song Cookie Power! *tag Holly* 0 Mike Song 0 5

Holly

April 24, 2009 9:51 AM

Um, Ladies? Help? by Holly

Holly had been tempted by the cookie, but swimsuit season had already begun and her perfect figure demanded some sacrifice. Maybe, as a personal treat in congratulations for finishing her third term at this place, she might let herself split one for dessert, but only after she finished her real meal - a healthy low-calorie salad.

She never got that far. Before she could clear her plate of the mound of lettuce, croutons, shredded cheese, cucumbers, and baby tomatoes, the First Year With The Spoons approached the table. To her great surprise, the kid addressed her.

Holly flushed as he spoke and she glanced at her friends, looking for clues about how to deal with a little kid with a crush on her. It was kind of flattering, and she supposed that with her fabulous role as Princess Nina in the play, it was only natural that people would fall in love with her, but that didn't make dealing with such encounters any easier. How did her mother deal with overzealous fans again?

Oh, yeah, she had her bodyguards toss them on their ears.

Holly didn't have bodyguards.

"Um," she said. Maybe her brilliant conversational skills would drive him away? No such luck so far. She gave another look pleading for help from the other Ladies. "What do I do?" she asked in a hushed and urgent whisper to them.

1 Holly Um, Ladies? Help? 123 Holly 0 5

Daniel Nash II

April 24, 2009 4:46 PM

I never thought of myself as an inhibited individual by Daniel Nash II

Daniel ate his cookie absently as he read the potions text he was trying to finish before the library demanded it back for the summer. He was largely ignoring his fellow students until it suddenly dawned on him, shortly after he finished the cookie, that if he stuck the book into his truck and brought it back to California with him, who was really going to care?

What was the librarian going to do? Hit him with a fine? Hah. Daniel was going to earn more over the summer than many adults did in the entire year. And that wasn't even counting what his parents gave him for allowances. What was a few sickles or galleons in library fines, compared to the luxury of reading the book at his leisure?

He put away the book, planning to chuck it into his trunk when he got back up to his room.

He glanced over the table and, in what he would later attribute to a sudden stroke of rebelliousness, took a helping of every kind of greasy food that he'd always passed over out of fear of getting fat and/or developing zits. (Over the next week, he would double the length of his twice daily showers and compulsively scrub his face with acne cream five times a day to appease his long standing paranoia of zits.)

But, for now, he enjoyed the fries, the burger, the potato chips, and the pepperoni pizza immensely.

Talking with his mouth full, which memory would later prompt paroxysms of shame and self-horror, he addressed the person sitting beside him, "Hey, does trashy food always taste like this, or is it just that elves can make even grease taste good?"

1 Daniel Nash II I never thought of myself as an inhibited individual 130 Daniel Nash II 0 5

Charlotte Abbott

April 25, 2009 1:11 PM

Me neither by Charlotte Abbott

Charlie was totally stoked about the summer. She was going to dance a cygnet in Swan Lake; her first professional part, now that she was twelve and so old enough to dance for money. She still had to pass the official audition, but the choreographer was a friend of Madame Gill, Charlotte's own dancer teacher, and had ensured her the part was hers. Since child performers still had a lot of restrictions in theatre, Cahrlie was only dancing for three weeks, and only four nights each week, but she knew she would love every second of it. She'd be rehearsing practically every other day of the summer.

Besides this, Charlotte couldn't wait to see Maggie and Becky and all of the other girls back home. It would be one sweet reunion. She guessed it might be okay seeing Julian again, too - she hadn't missed her brother as much as she would have gussed. That was probably because he'd been a total jerk over midterm. So he broke up with his girlfriend - didn't he notice that was a good thing? Allison was a total witch, and not in the Sonora way.

Of course leaving was sad, too. Charlie was going to miss her roommate Lita so bad. Those two had so much in common - it was fate that had put them together, for sure. Having to hide magic at home would be bogus, too. Some of her professors had even set her holiday homework - how sad was that?

Settling herself into an empty seat, Charlie scoped out what food was on offer today. Her stomach was sort of grumbly, which was probably due to the self-enforced diet of practically nothing the first year had been following so she didn't look tubby in a tutu. Her jeans were lose, so it had been worth the pain. Ignoring the tasteless-looking salad, Charlie deigned to reward her efforts and headed straight for a cookie. A small part of her knew she would regret it later, but the more of the sweet treat she ate, the less she cared. It was only one cookie - what harm could it do?

"Hey, does trashy food always taste like this, or is it just that elves can make even grease taste good?" The boy next to her was stuffing his face in a most literal way.

"It always tastes better when it's bad for you," Charlie told him with a sad smile. It was that Daniel kid in her year, who Charlie had only ever spoken to on a couple of occasions, but she'd heard gossip that he was a real-life Hollywood actor, and that was neat beyond all everything. In fact, Charlotte thought he would make exccellent boyfriend material. She was going to ask James Anthony, but he was a bit quiet for her right now. She needed someone who was going to stay in touch over summer and not forget about her with his nose in a book. She also like that Mike Song a lot, but his sister was totally stuck up.

"So it's been a whole year now and you haven't asked me on one single date," Charlie said, taking a couple of fries off Daniel's plate. "What gives?" This was a fairly normal conversation opener for Charlotte, but generally she got a bit nervous saying it. That was totally not the case right now - maybe she'd grown out of it already?

0 Charlotte Abbott Me neither 135 Charlotte Abbott 0 5

Daniel

April 25, 2009 1:57 PM

You know, this is exactly why I exist. by Daniel

Daniel nodded. He supposed it did make sense that the very fact that it were bad for you made the greasy food taste better. The novelty of it probably also helped, at least in his case. Pizza and burgers were anathema in both his parents' homes, anyway, and the rumors of their fattening and pimple inducing properties had made sure Daniel kept away from them in more public venues such as Sonora.

Then she stole a few fries from his plate, but Daniel didn't even notice because he was too busy staring at her. "So it's been a whole year now and you haven't asked me on one single date. What gives?"

"Uh," he said. "It didn't occur to me?" And now that it had, he considered what he knew of Charlie Abbott (she was a Crotalus who was not a pureblood witch, or at least, not the sort that Holly hung out with; she'd seemed nice and fairly intelligent the few times they'd exchanged words or nods in the hall or in class; she was reasonably good looking; she was not an actress so far as he knew; and Daniel could definitely do worse) and decided this was a major failing on his part.

"So do you want to go on a date? We don't have much time left before term ends, but there's still a few hours before curfew. We could take a walk in the Gardens." Genius struck. "I'll pick you flowers."

1 Daniel You know, this is exactly why I exist. 130 Daniel 0 5

Charlotte

April 26, 2009 1:22 PM

To make my dreams come true? by Charlotte

Honesty. Well that was fresh and new. Charlie had come to expect stock phrases such as 'you're not my type' or 'I don't want to be your rebound.' Boys could be such babies sometimes. Daniel admitted that it hadn't occurred to him to ask her out, which might indicate that he was a little slow on the uptake, but that was okay - Charlie had dated stupid boys before.

Anyways, it was all made up in an instant as he asked her on a date, right there and then. "I'd love to go on a date with you," Charlotte all but squealed her reply. She leaned in towards him and placed a kiss on Daniel's cheek, barely giving any thought to the action.

The cookie and the fries hadn't done much for Charlie's stomach; it was feeling even more squirmy than before, now with the added danger of emitting rumbling noises. She was more than happy to leave the food area and head for the sunshine. "Are you done eating that?" she asked her date. "That didn't sound right," Charlotte laughed, and quickly tried to amended the question. She wasn't sure her brain was functioning right - words seemed to be falling out of her mouth without her consent. "I meant are we ready to go on our date now?"

0 Charlotte To make my dreams come true? 0 Charlotte 0 5

Daniel

April 26, 2009 3:41 PM

Not quite, but we'll go with that answer. by Daniel

Daniel looked down at the food that he'd been eating with such gusto and decided he didn't really want it anymore. It would be the one choice he'd made today that he really couldn't fault. Not that he was going to regret asking Charlie out, exactly, but he was going to question his own sanity. He hadn't even come to a conclusive decision on whether he liked girls or not yet, nevermind given any consideration into his best dating options.

But, for now, he didn't even think about such concerns as he stood up and went with it. He offered a hand chivalrously to Charlotte to aid her rise from her own chair should she wish it. "Now's good," he told her, while a part of his brain told him that he got the line wrong. It should have sounded much more suave than that.

"Anywhere specific in the Gardens you want to go? My sister tells me there's a pretty nice stream out there somewhere." He wasn't entirely sure where it was, but how hard could it be to find it?

That unimportant part of his mind reminded him that if he couldn't find it, he'd look like an idiot, but he found it surprisingly easy to ignore it.\r\n\r\n

1 Daniel Not quite, but we'll go with that answer. 130 Daniel 0 5

Charlie

April 27, 2009 1:31 PM

No complaints from this corner by Charlie

Taking the offered hand, Charlotte allowed herself to be hauled from her seat and lead to the gardens. It was exciting; this was the first date she'd been on since last summer. She hoped she hadn't forgotten anything major. Darn it, Charlie knew she should have gotten a couple of dates in over the midterm break but there had been so much drama with Julian that she'd clean forgotten.

"Anywhere specific in the Gardens you want to go?" Daniel asked. "My sister tells me there's a pretty nice stream out there somewhere."

"I don't want to go to a stream, I haven't shaved my legs," Charlotte thought. No wait, she'd said that. Out loud. Oh, her face was turning such a becoming shade of crimson right now. "I can't believe I just told you that," she giggled, somehow finidng it funny even though she'd just committed some horrible sort of dating crime. She had a brief notion that Daniel would change his mind and walk off right there and then, so Charlie tightened her grip on his hand in order to remain holding it until they were safely in the gardens.

"You can pick me some flowers and we can just wander round together," she said. "Get to know each other, you know? Seeing as we're practically strangers." The laugh that followed was nervous; she really had to get a hold of herself and stop speaking before she'd considered the consequences. It was like she'd dropped several IQ points or something. Could starving yourself make you stupid, she wondered. And if so, which would be worse - fat or idiocy?

[OOC: see you in the gardens?]

0 Charlie No complaints from this corner 0 Charlie 0 5

Daniel

April 29, 2009 2:41 PM

ooc: moved to the Gardens (nm) by Daniel

1 Daniel ooc: moved to the Gardens (nm) 130 Daniel 0 5

Mike

April 29, 2009 10:10 PM

Help can wait. by Mike

"No no no- that won't be necessary." Mike sidled into the small space between Holly and her neighbor, flashing an easy grin. He ran a quick hand through his hair in what he imagined was a rakish way. Since his hand got caught half way, it looked more like he was fighting a losing battle with some sort of thick hair monster. His hand shook free, and he rested his elbows on the table behind him, barely missing a plate full of a pizza slices.

Admirably, he pressed on. "Cha. . . you don't need to ask them nothing. As I see it you're one of those older woman, mature and sophisticated and like-" He had intended to keep those particular observations internalized, but ignored the mental screw-up. His mouth and "-brain get mixed up, and stuff I don't mean to say ends up getting said. Like your hair smells," he sniffed deeply, "really clean."

For whatever reason, Mike did not explain why a clean scent was particularly appealing to him. It would have been an odd sounding explanation anyway, involving stories about his mother never using perfume and always smelling like soap and flowers from her shampoo, and how he used to have nightmares of his sister dying and so he'd hide in the bathroom with the shower running until he felt better and it was more of that soap and flowers smell that cleared his head and made the dream go away. "- so I'd sit there and by the time the mirror was all fogged up, it'd be okay again." Apparently he'd said it anyway. "You know, noona, you're a pretty decent listener. You like beaches?"

The question landed rather abruptly, and Mike barely waited for a response. "I live on an island- Key Largo, and my mom and uncle run this boardwalk food hut- it's all Korean food- you've really gotta come and visit some time. I'd show you the whole island and you'd could try these mandu balls my uncle makes. They're stuffed with pickled meats or veggies, pretty decent actually."

He grinned and tried the hair ruffle again. He was partially successfully, his fingers only catching the twice. "What you think? Up for the visit?"

0 Mike Help can wait. 0 Mike 0 5

Rosalind Rabindra

May 03, 2009 4:06 AM

Hello Summer! [Tag: Devian] by Rosalind Rabindra

It was the last day of school and everybody seemed to know it. Cascade Hall seemed much more crowded and rambunctious than usual. Rosie had arrived late due to her inability to do a packing charm. It was one of the few charms that seemed beyond her magical grasp. It was very disheartening, but it did lead Rosie to pack everything by hand, therefore leaving everything impeccably well placed. She sat down in her usual corner, realizing that she wasn't that hungry. But a plate of cookies caught her attention and she decided to indulge her sweet tooth. Grabbing an oatmeal cookie she began picking off little pieces and placing them delicately into her mouth as she let her mind wander.

Her thoughts started out fairly conventional: What does Mother have planned for the summer? How tall will Audrey have gotten and will her parents get her little sister that crup she's been talking of in her letters for the past 4 months. Rosie's grey eyes scanned the room and landed on the solitary figure of Devian Dupree and her thoughts skidded to a halt and made a sharp turn toward the more distant future. What was he going to be like as a husband? Should she be trusting her parent's judgment on something of this magnitude? What if they didn't work out? These questions had been running through her head since fourth year, when she found out, but this was first time the thought that she should voice her concerns out loud came into her head. She stared down at the mostly eaten cookie, concern leaking onto her features. Maybe her grandmother's teaching was coming into fruition. Maybe it was a sugar rush. Maybe she had been secretly poisoned.

Without realizing it, she had stood up and had starting walking in the direction of her intended. What were her feet doing? This wasn't at all like Rosie and yet here she was, walking up to the person who held her future in his hands to ask his opinion on the matter, bold as brass. She didn't even feel the slightest hint of a blush. Before it even entered her head that this might not be the proper setting to conduct such a conversation she found herself sitting down next to Devian. She inhaled deeply, taking in whiffs of cookie and something she couldn't quite place.

“Devian,” she said softly, but without a stutter or even a second thought. “Are you at all worried about our futures? Do you ever wonder what would happen if we just didn't work out? I've been going over the scenarios in my head since I met you and while you seem to be a lovely man: intelligent, attractive, well-connected, I can't seem to get rid of the dread of us not being good for each other. Despite what my parents say.” Here, Rosie took a breath and looked directly into Devian's eyes, both her small, pale hands lightly grasping one of his. It was the first time she had ever volunteered to touch him, but she took no notice of this.

The last time she had spoken to anyone for this long outside her immediate family, was to Kane. Years ago. Yet, she was unabashed by her sudden outbust. In fact, she felt wonderfully alive. To speak so freely, to feel no shame or apprehension while doing it, to not fear the outcome of such a speech. It was exhilarating. Maybe she should indulge her sweet tooth more often.

0 Rosalind Rabindra Hello Summer! [Tag: Devian] 73 Rosalind Rabindra 0 5

Devian Dupree

May 06, 2009 6:16 PM

It'll go by too fast by Devian Dupree

OOC: Since I don’t know what happens between Bella and Earl, what happens in the aftermath of anything, or if Devian would somehow find out, I figured that Earl, at least, taking an interest in Bella was a safe route. Feel free to ignore it if I’m wrong.

BIC:

For the last days of school, there had been ample space between Devian and any other student. It was like there was an invisible barrier that warned people not to get to close. If they did, they were risking their own head. He expected this to be the last day that he would ever see Bella. It seemed like the world was against him when it came to his interest in her. First, there was Ben, which made her off limits. Then, he had finally had a chance when Earl came along to follow her like a puppy.

Not to mention the one other obstacle who was now talking to him? Surprise registered on his face before giving her a sidelong glance. They never talked. He didn’t really know her reasons for not saying anything to him though every time they were together she seemed a bit jumpy. As for him, Rosalind Rabindra wasn’t really the type of girl that he took a true interest in. Oh, sure, he wanted to make sure that she made the right impression in order to make him look good.

But otherwise, he didn’t really care, so how was he to answer all these questions that she was suddenly throwing at him? He tried to keep his face steady as his blue eyes shifted from her face to the hands that grasped one of his larger hands. Why was she touching him? He had the odd sensation of being in control, yet not at the same time from it. Was that normal? Or should he be worried? Should he remove her hands so as to say that this was not okay?

For the time being, he left them and instead continued to stare at them while processing his answers. He couldn’t tell her the truth. No, that would ruin everything and then his father would be highly displeased with him. No, to ensure things went smoothly, he had to tell her what she wanted to hear, which also made it a really good thing that he hadn’t eaten any of the Pecari cookies. This was due to a natural mistrust of everyone.

“Yes, I’m terrified of our futures,” he answered. Had he just said that? He hadn’t meant to, but it felt like something that had been waiting to seep out. He just had to make sure that nothing else came bursting out. “But no, I don’t wonder about it not working out. It has too. How often does divorce happen with arranged marriages? Almost never. I suppose the best we can do is to try to make the best of it.” Wow, that was actually good advice.

Sometimes, he surprised himself, but then she had hit the nail on the head when she had called him intelligent. The attractive and well-connected parts were just a bonus. Though, in theory, she held those traits as well, which confused him as to why they wouldn’t be good for each other and he had to ask, “Why wouldn’t we be? Or better yet, maybe we won’t be good for each other, but isn’t it better than someone who would be worse?”

0 Devian Dupree It'll go by too fast 70 Devian Dupree 0 5