Oh my parents will be so proud on Cascade Hall

Selina Skies

November 22, 2019 7:54 PM

And the winners are... by Selina Skies

[OOC - overall scores are displayed at the end. The numbers are OOC but can be taken as representative of the gaps between the teams. The oldest player to post is listed, along with team captain in brackets if this is someone different. In reality, the captains would be present and listed, but this has been done for clarity and to give more of the credit to those who posted. This is a multithread, set up like class - i.e. you can branch of and reply in whatever groups, pairs etc you like].

The teams had been enjoying their parties whilst the staff compared notes and awarded bonus points. The party planning challenge seemed to have gone well for more or less everyone, and there had been impressive contributions all round. Selina was proud of the students, and their contributions - whether it was those first years who were already thinking about and showing that they could apply what they’d learnt, and making some nicely shaped plates, right up to impressive full on transformations by the advanced students. It had been a pleasant note to end on, and she hoped the teams were really enjoying the fruits (and shrimp and cakes) of their labour, and each other’s company, and not just fretting over the final scores.

The walls between the parties had been removed so they could see their friends’ efforts, and mingle a little if they liked, although she hoped the challenges had led to new friendships, which were now being celebrated. Once the staff had made their decisions and double checked all their numbers, she took to the stage at the front of the room. It probably wasn’t necessary to amplify her voice too much - she suspected they would notice, and the noise of partying would subside quite quickly.

“Congratulations to you all. We have been thoroughly impressed with all the skills demonstrated throughout these challenges. We hope you have had fun, and have learnt something about what you’re able to do, whether you are just starting out, about to complete your education, or are somewhere in the middle. We have seen every member of every team show us something, and you all have reasons to be proud of yourselves.

“We will be announcing third, second and first place. After that, a sheet with the scores for the final challenge and the overall rankings will appear on each table so you can see how you did. The winners will have their names added to a trophy which will be on display in the awards cabinet, and will each receive a small memento to keep for themselves,” she gestured to three large cups that were lined up behind her, one each in bronze, silver and gold effect metals. Each was surrounded by a cluster of miniature replicas. The cups all bore the Sonora crest and motto. The small plaque on the front of each individual cup read ‘The desert blooms, and so do you’ along with the student’s name, the fact they had come first, second or third, and the year of the challenges. “If I call your team number, I would like all members to make their way to the stage to collect their awards. You may also take the large trophy back to your party to celebrate.

“The scores of the final challenge have been very interesting, and I do urge all teams to look at them. Had it been marked on this challenge alone, the outcomes would have been very different, and I would like to reiterate how proud of yourselves you all ought to be.

“Taking into account all three challenges, we have…. In third place, team three,” she led the applause as Jasmine, Ruby, Ellie and their teammates made their way onto the stage, collecting the bronze set of awards. Their place had slipped a little after the second challenge, but that they had been doing consistently well.

“Team three did an excellent job throughout. And there are two other teams who have looked fairly unbeatable, dominating as they did in the other two challenges, and taking first place in one each of those. Both have performed strongly again today,” she smiled, trying to build a little tension. She could not make it a surprise that it was between those two teams, but they had to be wondering which way round they were…

“In second place, we have… team number five,” she smiled, as their head boy Kir McLeod led Nathaniel, Parker and their other teammates up to collect the silver awards.

“Which means that the indomitable force of team number six are this year’s challenge winners!” she beamed, welcoming Isaac, Dorian, Heinrich and the others up to collect their cups. She was very pleased, feeling them to be very worthy winners, and a good representation of the strength Sonora found in its diversity and openness. None of the older students on the team (who had put in the majority of the work) struck her as competitive or overly egotistical. They were a nice set of boys. She was sure she would have been happy and thought it a just result whoever won - after all, that was the moral really, those who put in the hard work, worked well together and tried were going to come out on top.

“Congratulations,” she smiled at them, as they took their awards, and she waved a wand, dispersing the scores for the final challenge and the overall rankings to each table.

Scores For Challenge Three
Bold text indicates awarding of bonus points

1st - Team 6 - Isaac Song [25 points]
2nd - Team 12- Simon Mordue [22 points]
3rd - Team 10 - Ivy Brocket [/Salali Bly, 20 points]
4th - Team 3 - Jasmine Delachene [/Florence Newell 19 points]
=5th - Team 2 - Amelia Layne [18 points]
=5th - Team 5 - Kir McLeod [18 points]
=7th - Team 1 - Emerald Brockert [16 points]
=7th - Team 8 - Tatiana Vortontsova [/Luke Powell, 16 points]
=9th - Team 11 - Winston Pierce [15 points]
=9th - Team 13 - Connor Priory [15 points]
=11th - Team 7 - Natalie Atwater [14 points]
=11th - Team 9 - Sylvia Mordue [/Victor Callahan, 14 points]
13th - Team 4 - Cleo James [/Gwen Fintoc, 11 points]

Overall Challenge Scores
1st - Team 6 - Isaac Song [81 points]
2nd - Team 5 - Kir McLeod [71 points]
3rd - Team 3 - Jasmine Delachene [/Florence Newell, 67 points]
4th - Team 11 - Winston Pierce [52 points]
=5th - Team 1 - Emerald Brockert [49 points]
=5th - Team 7 - Natalie Atwater [49 points]
7th - Team 2 - Amelia Layne [48 points]
8th - Team 12 - Simon Mordue [47 points]
=9th - Team 10 - Ivy Brockert [/Salali Bly, 46 points]
=9th Team 8 - Tatiana Vorontsova [/Luke Powell 46 points]
=9th - Team 4 - Cleo James [/Gwen Fintoc 46 points]
12th = Team 13 - Connor Priory [44 points]
13th = Team 9 - Syliva Mordue [/Victor Callahan, 40 points]

With that done, she stepped back, returning to a plate of the cupcakes and desserts they had taken from various parties to judge. The students could continue to enjoy their own, or other people’s parties for as long as they liked.

Subthreads:

Oh my parents will be so proud by Natalie Atwater

*scowls* by Topaz Brockert

Fix! Fix! by Martin Crosby V

It's all right by Connor Priory

Close enough by Ruby Brockert

We did it! (tag Jasmine) by Ellie Alperton

Well done team! by Simon Mordue

13 Selina Skies And the winners are... 26 1 5

Natalie Atwater

November 22, 2019 11:43 PM

Oh my parents will be so proud by Natalie Atwater

After a weekend of planning a party and executing it, Natalie was ready for it all to be over. In the future when she had to do so, she would have unlimited funds and an army of house-elves. Really, this challenge wasn't that much more realistic for her than the others. Fortunately, they did have catering options but they were limited. However, it was better than anything any of them would have been able to cook. Everything else fortunately used magic.

Professor Skies took the stage. Natalie had seen what the other teams had done as well but she couldn't be sure how things would pan out. However, she was under no impression that they had a chance of winning. That would involve a whole lot of incompetence on the parts of those currently placed ahead of them. And with her luck so far with the Challenges, those teams were full of skilled chefs in the making.

And....shocker. Those who'd been ahead, stayed ahead. As soon as the awards ceremony ended, Natalie walked over to look at the final scores. First, she saw the scores for the final Challenge, surprised that Ivy's and Simon Mordue's teams had done so well. Not because there was anything inherently wrong with either teams' skills, as far as she knew, but they hadn't done that well previously. And Natalie knew full well her cousin didn't cook. Peyton did, but her team had only gotten fifth. Which didn't seem fair, since she'd seen their exhibit and it looked rather impressive. Maybe all the eyeballs turned off the staff? She would have thought Headmaster Brockert would have been all about it though since he was sort of creepy. Rumor had it that he had instruments of torture in his office. The Pecari wholeheartedly believed it too.

Maybe their entry wasn't creepy enough for him? Or more likely he didn't do the marking. Natalie was pretty sure that he had had very little to do with anything directly having to do with the Challenges thus far.

Anyway, her team was tied for eleventh. Wow, way to fully illustrate how not like her sister she was. In a strange way, the seventh year was proud of that. Her parents wouldn't be though. Then again, it wasn't as if Kelsey had ever had a budget .

Now to look at the overall results. Huh, tied for fifth. Which was better than her sister had done thank you very much. But then, Natalie's team had done better at desert survival than party planning. Oh yeah, her parents were going to be so thrilled. Then again, they'd probably just blame her teammates.

11 Natalie Atwater Oh my parents will be so proud 371 0 5

Topaz Brockert

November 24, 2019 12:10 AM

scowls by Topaz Brockert

Topaz could not have cared less about "celebrating with her teammates" or anything like that. There was no reason to celebrate anything yet. She had been admittedly curious about what other teams had for their event but that was it. Unsurprising that Emerald got an engagement party which was nauseating. Ruby had an anniversary party which was overly sparkly and red and could have been totally interchangeable with the decor for a Valentine's party. Sapphire had a seventeenth birthday party and Allegra had New Year's Eve.

She was totally annoyed to find that Clown Lips and her team got Halloween. Even more annoyed that their party actually looked good. The Aladren was certain that the others must have done everything. Topaz actually had to appreciate all the eyeballs and the pigs in a blanket toenails. If she was judging and her mortal enemy's sidekick hadn't been on the team, she would have given them second. After herself, of course.

Speaking of which, Snotti-Ness's team honestly the most nauseating theme of everyone. Which was appropriate given Topaz found her sickening. Celebrating sports was even more disgusting than all the mushy love crap.

Finally, Professor Skies called out the winning teams. Topaz gave a scowl that would make her grandfather proud. Not only were they not in the top three, Ruby had beaten her. The Teppenpaw's team had been doing so the whole time but still. Figures the older girl and her team would have excelled at something like that. Even though Topaz found their display nauseating.

She marched over to the score sheets. Sapphire's team had gotten second place for Challenge 3? How in Merlin's name had that happened? Her younger sister was the only society pureblood girl on the team and she didn't exactly have the makings of a great socialite. Sapphire was useless and incompetent at everything! And their food had been something unidentifiable and simple catered dishes. It had been most unimpressive.

Ruby's nauseating display had come in fourth and Clown Lips and her team was fifth. Topaz wished she could feed the Pecari eyeballs and toenails for real. Emerald and her team got seventh....this just kept getting worse.

No, no, no! Snotti-Ness' team had tied with Emerald. Which meant they'd beaten Topaz's team in this event. That wasn't okay. Topaz had seen theirs and it was just as unimpressive as Sapphire's, if not more so. But then, they were celebrating something unimportant and Snotti-Ness had contributed to it so of course it sucked.

And there was her team. Ninth . And tied with Allegra . This was all so wrong. It wasn't her fault though. Topaz had gotten stuck with a team with two proper pureblood boys when boys didn't usually plan parties and two Pecari idiots who if anyone was ever dumb enough to marry them, would probably serve roadkill and have belching contests during the reception. Hell, they'd probably belch their vows.Jeremy had sat there sullenly like a useless lump, clearly unwilling to do "women's work" when previously Topaz had had to romp around a desert though to his credit, he'd followed directions others gave him. Even Winston had been little help given all he'd wanted for "his wedding" was her sister . Good thing Emerald would have a wedding planner. Even Owen had food ideas for his wedding to Jemina. Though Winston had at least come up with ideas for bonus points.

She wished she had decided to sabotage people.

The Aladren almost didn't want to look at the overall results but couldn't resist. Turns out they got fourth. Fourth . Okay yeah, that was the best they could have done considering that she already knew who got the top three spots but still.

At least they'd beaten most people that Topaz wanted to beat. Allegra's team had finished second to last. She'd have fun with that later.

11 Topaz Brockert *scowls* 1427 0 5

Martin Crosby V

November 24, 2019 12:14 PM

Fix! Fix! by Martin Crosby V

If one good thing had come from the challenges, it was their conclusion. Martin was delighted - or the closest facsimile to the word as was achievable for him - that the damn things were finally at their end. The whole thing had been an inane nuisance, forcing him to attempt to cooperate a handful of classmates with whom he had no compulsion to interact. Of course, he supposed no other shuffling of students would have allotted him a more interesting team, as he felt generally little appeal to speak to just about anyone between the ages of eleven and eighteen, strongly preferring the company of adults, and even then only the competent ones, who were surprisingly hard to locate as well. Nonetheless, this “school spirit” and “cooperation builder” or whatever they were presenting these challenges as - it was all a waste of his time.

He had cared very little, and his personal participation reflected that fact. However, all that being said, when the final results were announced, Martin prickled. Last place? Really? How the hell had that happened? Were his teammates really that incompetant? Sure, he hadn’t done much, but he was also the youngest member of the team - what exactly did they expect him to do for them? He could hardly be expected to carry the team on his back. He probably could’ve done something (or, really, anything) over the course of the challenges, but the Crotalus did not consider it his problem. But now his teammates made him look bad, which was mortifying.

He huffed audibly. “Well, that’s that, then,” he muttered, trying to cover the moment of escaped frustration in case anyone had overheard. Martin had to appear as aloof and uncaring as ever. His reputation was built upon it.

12 Martin Crosby V Fix! Fix! 1439 0 5

Connor Priory

November 25, 2019 3:18 AM

It's all right by Connor Priory

The Challenges were almost over and now it seemed people were enjoying parties. Connor didn't think they'd done too badly for celebrating New Years Eve towards the end of May. Anyway, most people were celebrating holidays in the off season. Like Peyton had Halloween and Cleo had Thanksgiving. Even Bridget's team was a bit late with Easter.

He awaited the results, more out of curiosity than any expectation of winning. Connor knew that was just not happening given that after the second Challenge they'd been second from the bottom. Still, the sixth year worried too. He was pretty sure Allegra was going to blame herself for their results if they weren't good.

After Professor Skies announced the top three teams, which was unsurprisingly not them, he went over to look at the score sheets. Connor scanned the one for the third Challenge first. Isaac Song's team was first and he wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised. They'd been at the top all along but the Crotalus usually associated party planning with pureblood girls and they only had one. Then again, Isaac had thrown a party before so he obviously had experience. Well, good for them anyway.

The next two teams actually did surprise Connor a bit, since previously they hadn't beeen doing that great. He was genuninely happy though for Beau, Bridget and Ivy. Especially as the second year had been seemingly upset by what happened during the planning meeting. Connor was usually the shoulder people he cared about cried on-though Sophia wasn't a crier, she was more of an angry ranter and tried to be independent and tough and keep her feelings inside anyway-and he'd consoled Bridget over the situation that had nothing to do with omelets vs Easter dinner and everything to do with her awkward family situation. That said, he did really enjoy the omelets.

Connor was even more shocked to find that Peyton's team had only gotten fifth in this event. For one thing, he honestly thought her team's was the best though he was highly biased. Still, the fifth year was an amazing chef and their food had been the best of any he'd tried. Plus, they had been so creative. Now Peyton was going to be so upset that she'd only gotten fifth in an event with a cooking component.

It turned out his team was tied for ninth place this time. His heart sank. Allegra was going to be upset too.

Connor turned to the overall scores and scanned to find their place. Twelveth. This was not good. He personally didn't care for himself but Allegra was totally going to blame herself. And Sophia's team was in last place. She probably wouldn't take it so hard personally.

He went back to his team and looked at them. "I know what the scores say but I am still proud of you all. We should still feel good. Some of the Challenges did not play to our strengths and were hard for some of us but we got through them and survived. We did our best and that's all anyone can ask."

11 Connor Priory It's all right 395 0 5

Ruby Brockert

November 26, 2019 6:15 AM

Close enough by Ruby Brockert

The Challenges were just about over. All that was left was finding out who won. Ruby was optimistic. Well, she was usually optimistic, but this time she had good reason. All along their team had really been doing well, even through events that were not their strengths. The Teppenpaw honestly hoped she never ever was in an actual survival situation. They'd done it and fairly well but it had not been her idea of fun. Nor did she ever want to run an obstacle course, at least not without using magic. Ruby honestly didn't understand how Muggles did it. Then again, there was no real reason in everyday life for someone to have to run an obstacle course.

But planning the party had been fun and Jasmine's ideas were really creative. The Teppenpaw had really enjoyed working with the other fifth year, even though some of the things they'd had to do together hadn't been things either of them were really into. She had liked working with the other girls too. Ellie seemed really sweet, maybe she and Sapphire could end up friends.

Ruby had spent the afternoon looking at other people's displays. It was so sweet that Emerald and Winston both had engagement/wedding themed events. The fifth year liked romance every bit as much as she liked babies. Finally, Professor Skies took the stage to announce the awards. She announced third place first...and they had done it! Ruby went up with the others to get their trophies. She wasn't at all disappointed not to do better, not when only one of the events played to their strengths. Plus, she was happy for Dorian.

"I can't believe it. I am so proud of us!" Ruby gushed as they left the stage. She had to wonder though how her sisters and Allegra had done though. Emerald had been right below her after the first Challenge but hadn't done so well on the second one. Topaz, on the other hand, had slowly climbed the ranks with her team.

She walked over to see the results, first looking at the last Challenge specifically. Ruby was surprised to see the teams that got second and third but she was very proud of Sapphire. Her own team had only gotten fourth but she was still happy. Emerald was tied for seventh with another team and Allegra and Topaz had tied for ninth. Ruby was sure that neither third year was going to be too happy about that. The former would blame herself and the latter would be angry that everyone else beat her.

Next, the Teppenpaw looked at the overall rankings. Even though Topaz hadn't done great in the final challenge, her team had gotten fourth overall. The Aladren should be pleased with herself. Ruby just hoped she wasn't pleased with herself to the point where she was gloating. Emerald had tied for fifth with Natalie Atwater's team and Sapphire's team's score in the final challenge had pulled them up to eighth. Poor Allegra though had finished second to last. She was going to be devastated. Ruby wondered if she should go comfort her or if she should return to her team.

11 Ruby Brockert Close enough 1405 0 5

Ellie Alperton

November 28, 2019 3:06 AM

We did it! (tag Jasmine) by Ellie Alperton

Ellie was really nervous about the challenge results. When they had started out, she really hadn't expected to do well at all. And then they had. After the first challenge, they had been in joint second. However, after that they had slipped to fourth, and she kept wondering whether there was anything she could have done better to avoid that happening. Of course, fourth wasn't really bad, it was just that scores were all relative - they had been doing better than that.

When the walls came down, she surveyed the other parties with renewed nervousness. They looked really amazing. Specifically, their food looked amazing, and that was a big part of what they were being marked on. It was what she had contributed. Ruby's flowers looked beautiful, and Jasmine's slide show was so clever. She felt like, if they didn't get a good score, it might well be her contribution which let them down. Maybe she was like... supposed to make the cupcakes dance or something? She hadn't even thought of that, and she wasn't sure she could eat dancing food, however much anyone assured her it wasn't really alive. It was like eating chocolate animals - you just felt mean. The rippling walls of the Cascade Hall reminded her though that there might be ways of making their party fantastic that she hadn't even thought of. She was still unsure of the scale she was working on. What would seventh years be able to do, and what feats of magic were beyond what was expected of them? She supposed it was up to the older students to think about those things. She supposed... She still felt like it might be her fault if their party wasn't good enough though. And neither Jasmine or Ruby seemed like they would be mean about it. They didn't seem like they were hung up on winning or would get mad about it but that just made her want all the more to do a good job for them.

She crossed her fingers under the table when Professor Skies got up, letting out a squeak of delight when they were named for third place. She even got to join them in getting their awards because the whole team went up, and that was sort of scary because it meant everyone was staring at her and she was pretty sure she was going as red as their party, but it was for something so, so good that she thought she might almost not mind.

She had never been the kind of person who won things. But then, she had rarely been able to be herself. Maybe Ellie was different. Maybe Ellie did awesome things like this all the time and didn't mind people seeing her. She did pretty much have superpowers, after all, even if everyone else here did too. The isncription on the trophy made her smile. She remembered that line coming up in the school song that she had been too shy to sing even though she could read music. She made her way down with the rest of her team, relieved and happy.

"I wish we could keep having challenges next year," she said, mostly to Jasmine, "I'm going to miss hanging out with you."

13 Ellie Alperton We did it! (tag Jasmine) 1456 0 5

Simon Mordue

November 28, 2019 9:26 AM

Well done team! by Simon Mordue

The final party put together by the team did not, in the end, bear that strong of a resemblance to Simon's actual seventeenth birthday party. The hors d'ouvres served at his mother's parties tended to have rather stronger French accents than German ones, after all, and everything was on a different scale even for a small party. At home, the silver and china were real, and the dress standards decidedly higher. The rooms were larger and the atmosphere more contained. But it had come together to at least look like a stage-play's simulation of a birthday party, and Simon, sitting in the center of the event, the actual watch his father had given him prominently displayed around plates with something of a clockwork motif charmed onto them, thought there was a chance they had done well.

He did not show this on his face, however, as Professor Skies droned on. There was, after all, no chance that his team would be among those top three which secured immortality in the trophy room - though this was not the case of the team which, in any other circumstance, he would have thought of as Kir McLeod's, with disapproval. Instead, though, he watched his cousin, with a slight frown which was more like someone trying solve a tricky bit of a puzzle than someone truly concerned about their relative.

He had heard, of course, about Nathaniel's sudden absence from classes, and had not been particularly surprised. For one thing, it had been obvious the poor fellow was on the brink of collapse for some time now; it had only been a matter of time before his health broke, and now Simon had to admit there was one faint silver lining to the fact that they had as good as lost him, as most people whose health broke under their nerves were never quite right again - as witness Aunt Cynthia. For another, a cynical part of Simon had to admit that if Nathaniel wanted to manipulate his women, collapsing would be a good way to do it. He was just glad to see that Sylvia had not seemed to rise to the bait. He was glad of that, of course, but he had noticed a slight shift in her, which he found difficult to read, and that made him wary by default. He didn't like not knowing what was happening in his family, or why it was happening, and especially not with his sister.

When score sheets appeared before his table, he glanced at them dutifully, not really expecting much - and then did a double take. Surely he was mistaken - but no. Right there, under Song's name, was his own.

"Well," he said, looking up at his teammates. "This is a pleasant surprise. We placed second for this challenge!"

He decided to omit their overall placement unless directly asked. Instead, he smiled at them all, a benevolent leader for the moment.

"Congratulations everyone," he said warmly. "And - how convenient we have some cake, don't you think?" he asked, indicating 'his' small birthday cake. "It might not be second overall, but I think we should celebrate."

16 Simon Mordue Well done team! 369 0 5