<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
July 31, 2011 1:36 PM
Game One: Aladren vs. Pecari by <font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
Normally, the first Quidditch Game of the season would have already happened, but little Benjamin was still new to the family and Gabby and Derry were just starting to ease back into their normal work schedules, so she'd been running back to Boston on the weekends to babysit and help out with the things Derry and Gabby just didn't have time to do anymore. That's what grammas did, even if Amelia was being very insistent that nobody EVER called her that. Benny would be calling her Aunt Amelia, just like Bel was Aunt Bel, and if that wasn't technically accurate, Amelia did not care.But she'd put off the game as long as she reasonably could, long enough that the second game of the season wouldn't happen until after midterm, and it was already starting to get chilly out even when the sun was shining. So she'd told Derry (her son, Derry, Ben's dad, not the Derry living over in Teppenpaw) that she just couldn't make it out this weekend, but she'd definitely be back next weekend.
Derry had sounded frazzled, and Benny had been crying in the background, but he seemed to understand.
So here she was, and so were the teams for Pecari and Aladren. She was wearing one of her heavier robes (red and silver, the colors of Crotalus since they weren't playing today), and a winter hat, though she wasn't yet breaking out her scarf or gloves. It wasn't cold enough to worry about frostbite yet, and she'd rather have cold fingers and full dexterity than warm fingers and a risk of dropping her wand. Aladren was playing today, after all.
She let the two captains take their time with their pre-game speeches, then called them over once both seemed to be done. "Welcome, everyone, to the first game of the year," she announced, with the assistance of a Sonorus charm. "Today, we have Pecari, led by Captain Jose Hernandez, up against Aladren, led by Captain Daniel Nash. Captains, please shake hands."
The two boys did so, then returned to their teams, while she released the bludgers and the Snitch. Lifting up the Quaffle in one hand and making sure she had her whistle around her neck with the other, she continued, "Game starts on my whistle, and ends when one of the Seekers catches the Snitch. Players, ready. Three. Two. One." She blew the whistle and threw the Quaffle up toward the clear blue sky.
Subthreads: Starting Strong by <font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font> with <font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>, <font color=brown>Jhonice Trevear, Chaser</font>, <font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>, <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>, <font color=”blue”>Kitty McLevy – Keeper</font>, <font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>, <font color="brown">Sophie J. Keeper</font>, <font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>, <font color="brown">Demelza, Beater</font>
Seeking Something Shiny by <font color="blue">Arnold Carey, Seeker</font> with <font color="brown">Demelza Eagle, Beater</font>, <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
Seeking to succeed! by <font color="brown">Amira Thornton</font> with <font color="blue">Arnold Carey, Seeker</font>, <font color=brown>Amira Thornton</font>, <font color=brown>Amira Thornton, Seeker</font>
Recentering and Recap by <font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font> with <font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>, <font color="blue">Arnold Carey, Seeker</font>
1
<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
Game One: Aladren vs. Pecari
20
<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
1
5
<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
July 31, 2011 2:20 PM
Starting Strong by <font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
The announcement for the first game of the year had taken longer to appear than normal, but Jose figured that was just because of the Jousting thing. When the first game was declared for the weekend following that, Jose figured he must have been right. He certainly hadn't minded the extra time to work with his team. He had three first string first years, after all. Every hour the game had been delayed only helped Pecari.He wasn't too worried about Aladren. Sure, they'd won the Cup last year while Pecari had come in last, but Aladren had done it with half a team of first years, and now Pecari had a similar line up - all first and second years except one large Beater and one large Chaser. Plus, Pecari was fielding a more experienced Keeper and Edmond Carey was actually going to have competition close to his own size this time around.
And if Jhonice couldn't really fly in a straight line very well yet, Pecari would deal with that. At least she'd be unpredictable.
"Okay, guys." He realized his mistake as he looked around the rest of the huddle. Right. He didn't even have Neal anymore. "Er, girls. Don't be afraid of what you've heard about Aladren Quidditch. They've really only got two older kids. Mel, you're our secret weapon. None of the teams Aladren played last year had a good beater, but we do. You're on Edmond. I'll cover Daniel." True, that put both of them against a person with a year on them, but one year hardly made a difference. Edmond hadn't even started as a Beater.
"Everyone else is up against first and second years, so you're all on even footing. Aladren was undefeated last year, but they didn't face us. We are going to end that streak. Sophie, you're the way better Keeper, and Demetra can totally take on Preston. Amira, you're up against Arnold Carey, but he's only got one year on you. You can do this; he was the underdog last year, and he won both times he played. You can do the same thing. Mel and Dem, I have every confidence in Amira, but if you see an opening to take out Arnold, go for it. Let's do our best out here today, and we can win. Go Pecari!"
Once the cheer ended, Coach Pierce called him over and Jose shook Daniel's hand with a grin, and cheery "good luck!" Then he returned to his team, mounted his broom, and was totally ready for it when the whistle blew. Maybe he was faster off the mark, or he was standing a little bit closer to the Coach, but the Quaffle fell into his hands as he took to the sky.
Directing his broom over toward the Aladren goals, Jose picked up speed and altitude, and made a pass to one of his first year Chasers as he started to level out.
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<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
Starting Strong
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<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
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<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
July 31, 2011 2:57 PM
So you'll go downhill from here by <font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
Daniel had been anxious about this game for weeks. Not because he thought Pecari had a chance (the only thing they really had going for them was a beater as tall as Edmond - from the intelligence he'd been able to gather about their practices, at least one of their Chasers barely knew how to fly, they were fielding an untested Seeker, and their best Keeper had left the school this year ... and that wasn't illegal spying unless he got caught, which he hadn't). Plus a fair number of them, including their captain, were still using old school brooms. So he was confident that Aladren would win easily.The reason he was nervous was that Aladren now sort of had a reputation to maintain. Despite being the nerd house and being filled with first years, they had dominated the Quidditch field last year. Now they had to prove it wasn't a fluke and they really were that good.
The only change to their roster was the loss of Samantha as Keeper, so if they didn't do as good, they didn't really have any solid reason for it, so last year would be seen as a fluke. They didn't just have to win this game against Pecari, they had to crush Pecari.
He was pretty sure they could do that, but it still left him nervous.
He didn't show that at all, however, as he stood under blue skies on the pitch just before the game, facing his team who all had outstanding brooms and great practices behind them. "There is no question here that we will win," he stated, fully confident of that. "But don't underestimate Pecari. They're unpredictable and they don't scare easily. They'll put up a fight. Edmond, you're up against a beater your own size for once, so keep an eye on her. Otherwise, Beaters, go for the Seeker, the Captain, and the Keeper. They have a seventh-year reserve, so injury not full removal, especially for the Seeker who's new. Chasers, keep the Quaffle away from Jose as much as you can, he's the only one with real experience on their chasing team. Arnold, you've beaten much better Seekers than this one, but don't get overconfident. Kitty, just keep your eye on the Quaffle and you'll do great. We've got this one in the bag, guys. Let's do this."
He shook Jose's hand when told to do so, and shook his head at the offer of luck, "You need it more than we do," he returned, and headed back to his team. He mounted his own top of the line broom that he'd spent most of yesterday cleaning and restoring to mint condition.
Somehow, though, when the whistle blew, Jose got the Quaffle first. Daniel hung back in his blind spot while the Pecari Captain climbed up to normal playing height, then he shot forward as the sixth year made a pass. Daniel was snatched the red ball out of the air, made a tight u-turn and headed back the other way, toward the Pecari goals.
He made it about halfway across their territory before an opening to pass to one of his teammates presented itself, and he threw the Quaffle to the second year.
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<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
So you'll go downhill from here
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<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
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<font color=brown>Jhonice Trevear, Chaser</font>
July 31, 2011 3:51 PM
Going up! by <font color=brown>Jhonice Trevear, Chaser</font>
Jhonice was excited and nervous, it was time for her first Quidditch game! This was her chance to get in good with everybody, she just had to be amazing. No problem. She had been training with the team as much as she could and now it was time to shine! Her biggest accomplishment had just occurred at their last training session, she had found one of the school brooms that didn't hate her. She wasn't entirely sure it liked her, but at least it hadn't tried to throw her off midair. She just had to make sure that she managed to get that broom, she had tied a small piece of ribbon around it after the session so she could find it again amid the rest of the school brooms. To that end, she arrived on the pitch early.She wanted to take some notes before the game got started, who got their first, how the reacted and such. But first, she had a broom to claim. Sorting through the school's brooms she found her piece of ribbon, laying on the ground. A chill shot through down her spine. Without the right broom she was going to let down Captain Jose! Maybe she could recognize it anyway... rummaging around she began to panic and she heard Captain Jose start calling the team together. She grabbed a broom and prayed it was the right one as she dashed out to join the team.
Captain Jose's speech was wonderful, she was ready to bring down these Aladrens. He hadn't given her any specific instructions, but that was okay, she knew what to do. She was supposed to get the Quaffle ball through the goals. Specifically the ones guarded by the Aladren keeper, not the ones that Sophie was guarding like they did during practice. That was very important, Captain Jose had explained it all to her very well. She was ready, hopefully her broom cooperated.
As Captain Jose went to meet with their opponent's captain, she mounted her broom and got ready for the game to begin. Mat... Coach Pierce looked downright regal as she officiated the beginning of the game. Her red and silver robes swaying in the chilly breeze, she didn't even seem to notice the cold. She was amazing. With majestic throw, the Quaffle ball was in the air and soaring gracefully, her whistle chimed out a beautiful note and Captain Jose took to the air. He caught the ball and raced for the opposing goal. The game had started.
The game had started! Right! She kicked off the ground and whispered another quick prayer that the broom wouldn't hate her. So far so good... now to edge forward a bit and catch up to Captain Jose. She had learned that a chaser shouldn't hold onto the ball to long. It would go badly for them, so he would need to pass it, she would be there for him! Her broom had other ideas.
It went forward, fast, but arced back towards their goal. She struggled a moment and was able to steer it back to something resembling the right direction. It hadn't slowed down at all though, that was the next thing to reign in. She knew how to do it, she just had to... and that's when she was hit by a ball. It stunned her for a moment, it hadn't felt like those awful Bludger balls. She'd had quite enough of those during practice. She spotted it a moment later, it had been the Quaffle ball! Had Captain tried to pass it to her?! She hadn't been ready! She watched as it fell and someone else caught it and flew off. She had to stay with it, so she began pursuit.
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<font color=brown>Jhonice Trevear, Chaser</font>
Going up!
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<font color=brown>Jhonice Trevear, Chaser</font>
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<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
July 31, 2011 5:36 PM
Yes, you did make that necessary for me to do by <font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
Arthur could appreciate the aesthetics of winter, but his time at Sonora, and even more his brief trip to Connecticut last year, had only added to the sense of unending mild inconvenience which had made him never be really fond of it. Places that were not South Carolina and either were or were charmed to reflect climates where snow happened were cold, a kind of cold he had not fully imagined before last year.Given the choice, he would have spent today sitting in front of a fire, possibly still with a heavier set of robes than usual, but it was the first Quidditch game of the year, which meant he didn’t really have a choice in the matter. Seeing the Coach’s hat made him sigh slightly – she was from Boston by way of New Hampshire, so if she thought it was cold, it was, in fact, cold – but he supposed exertion would warm him up in a little while. His main worry was that wind chill, combined with vigorous use, would make his hands and knees hurt before it had a chance the way regular chill occasionally had in the very last bit before midterm last year. To prevent this, he had decided not to wait until it was already happening to do something about it, but to take a mild pain potion thirty-five minutes ago and hope it could stop pain from happening as well as just stopping it. As far as master plans went, he didn’t think it was his best, but it was better than nothing. He could, as he’d established last year, get by when things were bothering him, but it was definitely better not to.
He listened politely to Captain Nash’s speech, hearing nothing that he didn’t expect. He wasn’t sure if Preston and Edmond had enough…self control to refrain from flattening anything that came into eyeshot, of aiming to injure instead of remove, but that was their concern, not his. He just had to keep the Quaffle away from Jose Hernandez.
He failed at that, but thought he was about to redeem himself by successfully holding up his end of a pass when – out of nowhere – one of the two first year girls sort of appeared from nowhere, not so much intercepting the pass as colliding with it by what looked like complete accident, especially when the Quaffle bounced harmlessly off her chest and fell. Making an irritated sound in the back of his throat, Arthur went down after it and caught it before any of the Pecaris could and continued its movement toward the Aladren goals a respectable bit further before checking for opponents, feinting slightly – Jose Hernandez wouldn’t fall for it, but he was willing to guess the girl he had run into, at least, would – before passing to another Aladren Chaser.
Really, he didn’t understand why Arnold was so excited about this. It seemed to be business as usual to him. Was he misreading a situation again? He hoped not.
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<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
Yes, you did make that necessary for me to do
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<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
July 31, 2011 11:28 PM
Back and saner than...last time, anyway by <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
Edmond had been afraid to come back to Beating after last year. Well, to be strictly accurate, just after the Quidditch final. His memories of that afternoon weren’t as clear as they might have been, a fractured series of impressions and images and a pervading sense of being terrified and self-loathing throughout, but it seemed to have involved him going on a rampage during which he tried to do the maximum amount of damage to everyone wearing the wrong color robe, or possibly just everyone anywhere near him and it had just been luck that he hadn’t hit other Aladrens. The thing he was completely sure of was never wanting anything like that to happen to him again.Because of that, he had rather wanted to switch back to Chaser, but the team needed him as a Beater. He was good at it, and that was part of why they won. Even Daniel’s speech pointed that out, bringing up how their usual total advantage in that area was slightly reduced by Demelza Eagle’s presence on the Pitch. Arthur could Beat well enough at the Reunion, where hitting your opponent’s head instead of a Bludger was a perfectly legal move, but he did better here as a Chaser. He had to think about the best interests of the team and work toward that, and not let fears get the better of him anyway.
He wasn’t afraid of Pecari, which was at least a start, despite Demelza. She was tall, yes, but he would still wager on his arm against hers. The rest of the team didn’t trouble him as much as she did. He, too, had heard that they were having problems with their first years, and they had not been a fantastic team even before they lost their Chasers and Keeper from last year in favor of new ones. The trick was going to be how to hit to just irritate rather than remove from the game. He honestly didn’t think he’d meant to nearly kill Nic Sawyer last year, after all. Bludgers were…unpredictable. They would go more or less in the direction he hit them, but they would veer off at the mere hint of a warm body nearby, and might get pushed off course somehow else en route to his intended targets even if they didn’t.
From his position, he could see some kind of exchange take place between Jose and Daniel and wondered what it was, but was soon distracted by the rise of all the players into the air. He flew out as Pecari took the Quaffle, absently enjoying the rush of the air against his face now if it did bother his sinuses now, then wheeled around when Aladren took it away from Jose. There was a brief moment of confusing over what was going on when one of the new Chasers – Miss Trevear, he thought, but wasn’t completely sure at this distance – ran into the Quaffle and the action dropped lower for a moment as Arthur retrieved it, but then things began to move along again.
The Pecaris were not, as Daniel had said, going to just give up, though. Hearing the whine of a Bludger coming his way, he aimed more or less for Jose, heeding the Captain instruction, but thought he would be just as satisfied with just driving the Pecari Chasers a little further away from the Aladren Chasers and the Quaffle, especially since it seemed Arthur was going to pass. An interception that close to the goals would be a bit of a morale blow, and they’d rather avoid that.
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<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
Back and saner than...last time, anyway
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<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
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5
<font color=”blue”>Kitty McLevy – Keeper</font>
August 01, 2011 12:39 AM
Keeping it real by <font color=”blue”>Kitty McLevy – Keeper</font>
OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!!!! It was really happening, after a seemingly endless string of practices (not that Kitty minded those, as they were the most exiting practices she’d ever experienced before) they were finally FINALLY going to have a game. As the year went on Kitty had begun to think a game never happening. But now it was time, now she would prove to everyone that she was going to be the best Keeper ever.Pulling a bright blue turtleneck sweater on Kitty couldn’t stop moving, bouncing, pacing and generally making an extreme nuisance of herself to anyone within a fifteen foot radius of the tiny girl. For such a small thing she seemed to fill up an extraordinary amount of space with her energy. Many people who came across Kitty when she slept, or was reading suddenly realized how very small she was. When she was up and about, moving, talking, and just radiating life she seemed a lot larger than she was. It was easy to forget that she was short, and slight when she flung herself without care at the world. The saying dynamite comes in small packages was perhaps created with Kitty in mind.
Kitty didn’t even bother with breakfast, eating simply wasn’t an option at this point as excitement crashed with nervousness. Ever sense making the team Kitty had boasted about it to everyone who stood still long enough to listen. Now….now she would have to live up to those boasts. She would never admit it to anyone, but Kitty was feeling just a tiny bit nervous about playing. After all, she was tiny, and a girl, and a first year. Being Keeper was a pretty important position, and Kitty was determined to make her team proud. Proving that she was the right choice for the position made Kitty feel almost sick as she made her way down to the Pitch.
It’ll be fine…everything will go smashingly and the crowd will cheer and Aladren will still be the very best! Kitty told herself firmly, and believed it wholly. There simply wasn’t any way they could lose. Not with all the Carey’s anyway. During practices she’d seen how good her team worked together and felt pride in all of them swell in her chest as she stepped out onto the Pitch.
Nervousness was washed away on a wave of excitement at the sight of the crowd filling the bleachers. This was what Kitty had been missing. Practice was great fun, but it didn’t have this. The crowd that would cheer them on to victory. She was so caught up in the sight that she almost crashed right into Edmond’s back when the team came to a halt. “Sorry!” Kitty whispered as she bounced lightly on her feet. Icy wind whipped around them, but it barely even touched Kitty, she was so wrapped up in the moment that there could be a blizzard and the young girl probably wouldn’t notice.
An exited sound of agreement was pulled from Kitty when Daniel told her to keep her eye on the Quaffle. She was so excited that the ability to form coherent words had momentarily been lost. Suddenly it was time and they all took to the air. Wind howled around her as Kitty speed towards her goals. Not a single Quaffle shall pass! Kitty thought with a wild laugh, bright blue eyes glued to the Quaffle as it came into play.
It looked like the other team started with the ball. She frowned, blue eyes narrowing slightly as the captain of the other team grabbed the ball. The excitement built as he flew in her direction, but an attempted pass ended in the ball being taken by Daniel. Kitty gave a cheer that turned into a full blown laugh when one of the first years from the other team got in the way of Daniel’s pass without catching it. The ball fell, before being snatched up by Arthur. While the game was exiting, Kitty almost hoped the other team would get the ball so she could show off her skills. “Go team GO!” She cheered, needing to ease her excitement somehow.
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<font color=”blue”>Kitty McLevy – Keeper</font>
Keeping it real
0
<font color=”blue”>Kitty McLevy – Keeper</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
August 01, 2011 3:40 PM
Taking a shot. by <font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
When he’d joined the Aladren Quidditch team, Russell hadn’t really entertained any dreams of glory. A single glance at the dorm room he’d found himself in was enough to establish that Aladren had variety, but Arnold was the closest, when Preston wasn’t in one of his crazy moods, to fitting the athletic type, and he still wasn’t a perfect match for it. Plus, as another look at that dorm would have ascertained, they had all been first years last year, which meant the majority of the team had been in Beginner lessons and actually still was. He’d expected a few good stands, but no outstanding successes last year.He’d…been wrong to expect that.
Aladren had won twice, after completely grinding its competition into the dust both times, once in a storm, once against a team as violently determined to win as theirs when the stakes were high. It hadn’t been easy, but they had done it, first with Teppenpaw, then with Crotalus. He was still a little surprised when he realized he’d been part of it, really, especially when he remembered how savage the games had been – enough that they still came up in conversation, and one person shy of a full team had ended up in the medic’s tent in the first game. It didn’t seem quite real to him, even now, as they were preparing to do it all again.
They hadn’t faced Pecari last year, but Russell thought it was logical not to think that was something to worry about, considering how thoroughly Crotalus had humiliated Pecari when they played. Practically, he was still a little on edge, but that was because he was always nervous when he was about to do something in public that was at least partially dependent on chance. Yes, they had better brooms, and he doubted even Pecari could turn out someone was nuts about a Snitch as Arnold, but if Amira Thornton was in just the right place at just the right time….
The Seekers would have to settle that, though. He just had to keep the Quaffle away from the Pecari Chasers, and get it past the Pecari Keeper. That was his job, that was what he did. It wasn’t an ill omen, after last year, to feel at least modestly confident in his ability to do it, either.
So when, after some hiccups involving two of the Pecari Chasers, the Quaffle came from Arthur to him, Russell refused to concentrate on being nervous, instead locking his eyes onto the goal just ahead of him. Picking up speed on the top-of-the-line broom Daniel had provided, he moved as though he were going to go for the center, then sent it toward the left instead, crossing his fingers as he turned that he would score the first goal of the game instead of just being the first person to reach the goals in the game. He wanted this to get off to a good start for them and just keep going.
16
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
Taking a shot.
183
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
August 01, 2011 7:28 PM
Roll over minutes by <font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
Daniel came out of nowhere. One second Jose had a clear field and was passing to Mellie, and the next, bam! Aladren Captain has the ball and is running back the other way with it. Jose cursed quietly (anyone who overheard might have been confused because he'd called Daniel a Brazen-faced Drigger, but there was little chance of that) and forced his broom around. He didn't have Daniel's speed and even though he tried to keep up, he found himself falling further behind.Jhonice gave him a chance to catch up though, and he cheered the interception as though it had been on purpose (though he had serious doubts on that score). He didn't really have time to get to the Quaffle himself before Arthur did, but he was able to put himself into a position to stop the next pass.
Unfortunately, as Arthur threw to Russell, Edmond hit a bludger at Jose and he was given the option of taking a serious hit or getting out of the way. This early in the game, the Pecari captain opted for the latter. He rolled and the bludger followed, but a few sharp maneuvers later he'd managed to shake it. By then, though, it was too late.
Russell had made an attempt at the goal and Jose was much too far away to do anything but yell Sophie's name in encouragement. He could shift forward a few yards to open himself up for a pass once she made the save, though, so that's what he did.
0
<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
Roll over minutes
0
<font color=brown>Cap'n Jose, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="brown">Sophie J. Keeper</font>
August 02, 2011 12:15 AM
</font>Don't give up, team! by <font color="brown">Sophie J. Keeper</font>
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, beating on her ear drums as if it would make music. Her breath felt strained, and she hadn’t even done anything yet. Her fingers twisted in her blonde ponytail, and she bit her lower lip as she hovered in front of the goals. Sophie was nervous, and it was… not normal.She had never been nervous before. Quidditch was a sport, which meant above all else it was about having fun, which she always did. Practically just touching a broom resulted in the feeling of stress and trouble being expelled through her fingertips. Thus far, her team had not won, but she still had fun. Winning was great and even more fun, but just playing was astounding.
So why was she nervous? This year she even got to play the position she wanted! That had to be it. Maybe her nerves were because if she didn’t do well, she was afraid Jose would put her back as Chaser. Sophie’s passion was Keeping, so she had to do this right. She’d had the practice. Now it was time to shine.
An initial “Whoop!” had escaped her as Jose snatched up the Quaffle after its toss. She pouted when after that things started to go sour. Now here she was, Jose’s voicing shouting her name, nervous as she anticipated where the ball would go when this charging Aladren shot it. He seemed to be coming up the middle, but that was too simple. There was no way a complex smarty like Aladren House’s members would go that route.
Untangling her fingers from her hair and pulling her glove up her wrist a little higher, she prepared. Left or right. Those were the options. She chose left, which was probably luck. In any case, the fourteen year old felt her fingers wrap around the ball and squeeze. After straightening her broom and herself up, Sophie snapped it back to one of her team’s Chasers.
12
<font color="brown">Sophie J. Keeper</font>
</font>Don't give up, team!
34
<font color="brown">Sophie J. Keeper</font>
0
5
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
August 02, 2011 6:53 AM
We can do it! by <Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
Jhonice raced along behind Arthur Carey after he recovered the Quaffle ball. He was very good at this, she would have to make a note. He suddenly moved to pass, she had to change direction... her broom didn't change. She spun around and watched as he passed the ball to Russell. No! She had to get that back, but Russell was gone. His broom was really fast, hers was not so much.She gasped as Captain Jose heroically tried to move to intercept, but had to gracefully dodge out of the way to avoid the bludger ball. She really had to find a broom that liked her if she was going to help more during these games. Russell took a shot at the goal and she held her breath, but Sophie stopped it easily. "Yeah!!" She cheered. Then she saw the Quaffle ball coming her way. She caught it and looked around her. Nobody was near, cool. Now, to head back the other direction. Come on, stupid broom! The Aladrens were closing in fast! She finally convinced her broom to move turn around and started moving, slowly. Crap!! No choice, she threw the ball to the closest Pecari and hoped they'd have better luck.
2
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
We can do it!
209
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>
August 02, 2011 11:47 AM
Go, team, go! by <font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>
The game had been going on for less than five minutes, and already, Mellie had the vague, not-quite-panicky feeling that she had no idea what was going on.A few things were obvious, though, and she tried to concentrate on that to deal with the surprisingly overwhelming feeling of the combination of so many people moving really fast and the crowd being really big and this really not being the park. For instance, Aladren had handled them like drugged kittens in a sack so far, and that was why Russell was taking a shot against Sophie. She also caught on that Sophie had saved, and clapped her hands in relief, though that vanished when she realized another thing: that the Quaffle was heading back toward Jhonice.
Mellie liked her roommate. She had some quirks, but they hadn’t clashed so far about sharing living space, which was really good. But while she wasn’t very good at this, Jhon was…worse. Much worse. Bad enough to make Mellie look half good at it, sometimes. Like right now, when her broom wouldn’t turn. Mellie was half-surprised one of the Aladrens hadn’t just come up and taken it out of her hands. Maybe they thought it was a trap.
But she managed to pass, and Mellie, to her amazement, caught it. For a second, she, too, froze, then started flying really fast, faster than she really felt safe going, in the hopes of leaving maybe at least one of the Aladrens behind and avoiding any Bludgers they might be aiming at her head even right that very second. She’d been having interesting dreams about Bludgers recently.
Suddenly, she saw one of them zoom past and did the only thing that made sense: she looked around frantically, found another brown robe, and tried to pass to it. She had gone further than she had thought, further than was advisable. It seemed Pecari was having some luck today, that neither she nor Jhonice had gotten their heads bashed in yet. Maybe they could even win after all!
16
<font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>
Go, team, go!
206
<font color="brown">Mellie Goodwin, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
August 02, 2011 4:26 PM
Going the other way by <font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
Arthur’s mother had a theory that the way you looked at a situation influenced how it turned out. If you believed things were going to go well, then they would, but if you looked at the full situation and admitted the possibility of failure, unforeseen contingencies, or anything like that, then it would all go wrong, and that was what you got for not being a perpetual blind-idiot optimist.Arthur felt this theory reflected the intelligence of an especially dim four year old, and had, for his sanity’s sake, forced himself to believe that his mother was merely dumbing down some more complicated system of thought to a level she thought was appropriate for a twelve-year-old. His mother was an intelligent, educated woman, and he honestly didn’t believe anyone could be so stupid as to believe that walking into a situation confident that things would go well without making contingency plans for as many outcomes as they could come up with was a good idea. If there were such people alive....
He, though, was smart. He looked at all the angles and tried to plan for them. But today, hopefully just this once, he had fallen into the trap of being sure about something, and look what it had gotten him. He could have had the Quaffle away from one of the first year girls while she was trying to figure out how to turn her broom, but because he’d been too confident in Aladren, of how this Keeper who’d just saved against Russell would be defeated in a much shorter time than Kirstenna Melcher had been, it had gotten away, and the other one had taken it a good way away from the Pecari goals.
He followed closely, and when she started to pass, he swept between her and the other Pecari Chaser and kept going once he felt the Quaffle in his hands, picking up speed and moving ahead of the Pecaris before making a wide turn to head back toward their goals so he didn’t get tangled up in the other players. Finding his fellow Aladren Chasers, he positioned himself between them to set up for a pass a little further down. He just registered his brother and the girl shooting overhead very close together, so it might not matter, but Seekers got into chases and feints all the time without the Snitch being caught, so it might matter very much.
Halfway back down the part of the Pitch the Pecaris had covered, he lifted the Quaffle to his chest with both hands, turning slightly one way as though to pass before actually going the other, hoping to foil Mr. Hernandez if he was in the area again and Edmond or Preston was not. His elbow turned in a way that wasn’t exactly comfortable as he did, but he shook the arm and ignored it. He had to keep up with the Quaffle. That was all he really had time to pay attention to right now. Everything else was, until it stopped him from doing that, irrelevant.
0
<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
Going the other way
0
<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
August 02, 2011 11:32 PM
Going the rest of that way. by <font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
Russell came as close to swearing as he ever did when the Pecari Keeper saved his shot, making an inarticulate sound of frustration while scowling fiercely, but there wasn’t much time for that as the ball passed back into Pecari possession and somehow stayed there despite Mellie’s roommate Jhonice not quite mastering the whole ‘turning’ and ‘going’ concepts. What kind of training did Jose Hernandez run, anyway?As he, along with the other Aladrens, followed Mellie’s longer than expected run with the Quaffle, he considered that thought and glumly concluded that he was going Quidditch-crazy again. He didn’t think like that. This game was not in his best interests, not at all. What if one time, he didn’t come out of it when the game ended, and was just stuck spending the rest of his life acting like…like…he started to think of Arnold, but even Arnold was usually agreeable enough off the Pitch, just a little high-strung, so he amended it. Like some person who had no life outside this game and was totally obsessed with it and ended up sitting in a blue-and-black room like ten years from now still regaling his thoroughly bored younger cousins and friends and random strangers with tales of his glory days as an Aladren Chaser.
That, he thought, was a horrible thought. A truly horrible, horrifying thought. He liked being a reasonable human being with varied interests and an ability to kind of, he thought, keep things in proportion.
Right now, though, it didn’t matter, because Arthur had the Quaffle back, and Russell was covering him, and that was all there was to it, really. He was on the chase.
The pass, to his surprise, came to him, and he nearly fumbled before getting a grip back and flying on, covering the remainder of the territory they’d lost to Pecari and flying into the scoring area and aiming for the left again. He was hoping that she would assume he wouldn’t be so dumb as to repeatedly go for the same hoop, but already planning, if she didn’t, to go right next time, once she thought she had a pattern down for him. At least it would sound a little better if he could twist failure into a strategy for winning a few minutes further down the line. At least, he thought it might, though it did occur to him that it would make it sound like he was throwing away this shot, which might get him killed. Anyway, he hoped it didn’t come to that at all and he just scored right now and two minutes ago was totally forgotten and it was all good and Arnold would catch the Snitch and they could go home with Russell not failing to score again. He had his fingers and his toes crossed as the ball soared away from him in an arc that could end any way, possibly even ones he hadn’t thought of yet, but was fully meant for the left hoop.
16
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
Going the rest of that way.
183
<font color="blue">Russell Layne, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
August 03, 2011 12:31 PM
Feinting by <font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
Daniel had sort of stalled for a moment when his first pass of the game was not so much intercepted out of nowhere as . . . collided into out of nowhere. Fortunately, Arthur recovered faster than he did and reclaimed the falling Quaffle for Aladren, passed to Russell, and Russell made the game's first attempt to score.Unfortunately, the Pecari Keeper did seem to know what she was doing - unlike the girl she passed it to. Daniel lost a few more seconds he could have been using to advance Aladren's control of the Quaffle trying to figure out whether or not she was trying to trick them or if she really was that bad - and eventually concluded that he didn't know since the strategy (if it was a strategy) apparently worked and she'd successfully passed it to the other first year Pecari Chaser.
Daniel and the other two had followed after her, Daniel keeping an eye on Jose as much as the ball now, since he was the most likely candidate for a pass given the trouble the other one was having making her broom move. He kept pace with the eldest Pecari, flying about ten feet above the other Captain, ready to make a diving intercept, but Arthur got there first, intercepting on Mellie's end rather than Jose's, so Daniel just turned and made a shallow dive back to the Pecari Goals, letting gravity lend extra speed to his already fast broom.
Arthur passed to him - no, Daniel realized a moment later when no red ball fell into his hands - Arthur passed to Russell, but if Daniel had been tricked by the feint, others might have as well. He hugged an imaginary Quaffle close to his chest and headed for the right goal with all the determination in his face and stance as if he really had the ball and was going to attempt a goal.
Around the same time Russell threw the real Quaffle at the left hoop, Daniel threw his imaginary one at the right hoop.
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<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
Feinting
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<font color=blue>Captain Nash, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color=brown>Sophie, Keeper</font>
August 03, 2011 2:47 PM
Not falling for it... that much. by <font color=brown>Sophie, Keeper</font>
Yay for Chasers! Sophie was so glad when Jhonice managed to catch the Quaffle, and she was equally glad that Mellie caught it. But when Mellie passed it… someone else caught it. Boo that Chasers were first years and not that experienced yet.Then--Crap!--the Quaffle was headed her way. The boy who shot before was coming at her, but then….so was their captain? He seemed to have a Quaffle too. How did that work? One of them was faking, and she knew it. She didn’t have too much time to think, but she could see the true red color against Russell’s blue robes and not Daniel’s, so her blue eyes stuck on the younger Chaser.
Left or right? She currently floated in the middle as time seemed to go in slow-motion. He’d shot left last time, so shouldn’t she assume right? Or what if that was his plan? Was he going for the same hoop because he assumed she would go to the other? Her head hurt from thinking so hard about it.
The blonde started to go right, but she saw he was indeed going left and zoomed over as fast as possible. She got there just in time to knock the ball down with her fingertips, jamming her fingers, but couldn’t catch it, which meant unless a Pecari Chaser got to it before the surrounding Aladrens, she would be in trouble again really fast. "Take it the other way!" she shouted to her team's players.
12
<font color=brown>Sophie, Keeper</font>
Not falling for it... that much.
34
<font color=brown>Sophie, Keeper</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
August 03, 2011 3:17 PM
Falling...don't people do a lot of that these days? by <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
So far, Edmond had prevented two moves that would have hurt his team, but hadn’t injured anyone. He was okay with that. More than okay, really. If they could get through this game without anyone needing to spend more than a few minutes with the medic, that would be great.Aladren, he noticed as he looked for another opportunity to move against someone and help Aladren out, had the Quaffle again and was approaching the goals, Arthur passing off to Russell. Interesting, since he’d taken the last shot and missed, but it had been a good feint, and Daniel was moving as though he did have the Quaffle, so maybe that would work out well for them, if the Pecari Keeper was confused or overwhelmed or intimidated by the fearsome reputation Aladren had somehow picked up without him really noticing….
Or not. It seemed the only House where they could count on the Keeper being a weak player who the team’s primary strategy was to protect was Crotalus after all. It had been worth a hope, he supposed, that the loss of Miss Gregory would weaken Pecari in the same way, but there was no time for that now, and there was perhaps an opening for them here, since she hadn’t succeeded in catching the Quaffle and seemed to be shouting at her teammates. That didn’t generally happen when things were going according to plan.
He swept down on a Bludger, raising his bat before it could turn on him and hitting it toward the Pecari goals. It wasn’t as hard as he could have, since Daniel had asked him to hold back and a good number of Aladrens were in that general vicinity as well when he wasn’t completely confident of the wisdom of a play, but it would hurt if it hit. If Pecari didn’t recover the Quaffle, then it could remove her just long enough for Aladren to take advantage and score while she was falling or running. If it didn’t, then he’d aim for Jose again.
0
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
Falling...don't people do a lot of that these days?
0
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
0
5
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
August 03, 2011 7:33 PM
I've tried it... it's not as fun as some make it out to be by <Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
Jhonice cheered at Mellie as she flew away with the Quaffle ball, she was awesome at this game! Nothing compared to Captain Jose, but awesome nonetheless. Then Arthur stole the ball away from her and started bringing it back towards them! That wasn't fair, it was just over in this area! She watched as Arthur passed it to their captain. Both him and their other chaser made a run for Sophie at the goals. What were they doing? Were they going to attack her? Was that allowed? She was fairly certain that Captain Jose would have mentioned something about it if it was. She had to help! Good thing her broom was already pointing the right direction.She kicked it forward, and for some reason, it started losing altitude as it moved. Sophie was the other direction! Up! Stupid broom! She watched as the other chaser threw the ball towards the goals, their captain must have passed it at some point, and cheered again as Sophie stopped it a second time! The ball was falling, she had to catch it. She never would have been able to if she had been at her previous altitude, but down near the ground, she snatched it lightly from the air. "Woo-hoo!!" She shouted aloud. She had the Quaffle ball again!
That was the point at which she noticed not only all the other players, but also another ball hurtling though the air towards her. Bludger Ball! Crap, she had the Quaffle ball now! Without thinking, she spurred her broom into action and careened across the field just off the ground, unintentionally swerving side to side and she fought the broom for control. Luckily this seemed to make it difficult for the pursuing bludger to catch up to her, but it got closer every moment.
She looked up and saw one of her chasers above her, and she tossed the ball with all her might. A moment later the bludger struck her in the back and sent her and the broom tumbling across the ground. She laid on her back where she landed for just a moment, "Ow." The she sat up, collected herself and looked around for that stupid broom. Spotting it, she grabbed it, hopped on and headed back into the game. There was no way she was going to let Captain Jose or Coach Pierce down!
2
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
I've tried it... it's not as fun as some make it out to be
209
<Font Color="brown">Jhonice, Chaser</font>
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5
<font color="brown">Demelza, Beater</font>
August 03, 2011 10:53 PM
Saving the day! (a bit late) by <font color="brown">Demelza, Beater</font>
Demelza's amazing hit didn't even get the chance to reach Aladren's seeker because Edmund (grawr) hit her bludger in the other direction. She cursed under her breath, but then pursued onward. The game continued, and Mel took advantage of more bludgers coming her way. Her new technique had definitely worked, which was a positive, so she would try it out again.Zooming around the pitch in search of dangerous bludgers, she jumped when Edmund shot another one towards Sophie and several other chasers. Following everything that was going on with the chasers, she immediately threw herself into the play as the bludger tried to knock out some Pecari brains. Not on my watch!
She was extremely confused, however, when a bludger hit Johnice. She hadn't seen one sent as low down as she was. She cursed herself, but decided that she needed to send the bludger Edmund sent back at his own team since Johnice was able to get right back up. More than a little worried for Johnice and the rest of the team, Mel wasn't able to bunt the bludger before hitting it this time because too many people were around, so she just swung her bat back and redirected the bludger towards an Aladren chaser. Since she was closer to the huddle of chasers around Pecari's hoops, she was able to get a good angle and good aim on the ball, her usual strength behind each hit.
Mel let out a sigh of relief, but she wouldn't let her guard down. How could she let one of her players get hit? After all extra practices, the Quidditch camp, the perfecting she put into each hit--and yet, she failed. Her green eyes narrowed and glared at every Aladren player, wishing they would all crumble with each bludger she sent their way. Especially Edmund. She didn't have anything against him personally, but when it came to Quidditch, everything was personal.
0
<font color="brown">Demelza, Beater</font>
Saving the day! (a bit late)
0
<font color="brown">Demelza, Beater</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
August 04, 2011 11:25 AM
If you're late, it's not really saving the day, is it? by <font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
The possibility that the Pecari Beaters would object to him blithely taking out their players was, of course, one Edmond had considered. Beater was odd in that it was both an offensive and defensive position, since just as much of the job was protecting your players as it was attacking the other team’s.Some, he knew, didn’t quite see it that way. Some Beaters were in it for the violence. He considered such people mental cases who ought to be closely watched and possibly medicated against turning Dark, but he didn’t think Sonora had too much of a problem in that regard. Sometimes he worried about Preston, and last year had worried about himself, but overall it wasn’t a problem. Most of them protected as well as offended.
He tended to lump Demelza Eagle in with the group that might someday be a reason for concern, but he wasn’t familiar enough with her or her style of play to be sure of anything but the fact that she alone of the school’s other Beaters came close to him in size. Therefore, he kept an eye on her position and moves, as Daniel had suggested in his speech. After Miss Trevear was knocked off her broom, somehow so close to the ground she didn’t even really seem to hurt herself – Preston’s work, perhaps? Certainly the Bludger hadn’t hit very hard – he watched the other Beater until she redirected a Bludger toward an Aladren, and then redirected it toward a Pecari again.
Luck, he supposed, that the Seekers had gotten too tangled up with each other to be worth the risk of attacking right now and were far from the rest of the game at this exact moment anyway, which was why he was here to see that and handle it. He watched for attempts at further Pecari interceptions, though, and for whatever was going on with the other Bludger, since everyone was so thrown together at the moment that it was entirely possible Miss Mason could enter into things at any time, or that Miss Eagle could get in the way again. It was still early in the game; if Arnold and Miss Thornton didn’t stop doing…whatever they were doing over there, likely annoying each other more than really Seeking, then anything might still and, if the patterns of last year continued on into this one, most likely would happen.
0
<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
If you're late, it's not really saving the day, is it?
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<font color="blue">Edmond Carey, Beater</font>
0
5
<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
August 04, 2011 11:29 AM
Lying in wait by <font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
When Miss Jamison only barely saved, Arthur exhaled a little sharply, a sound of mild irritation, but that was all the display he allowed himself. He was determined to keep his emotions in check this year, not to get carried away the way he had during the final last year. If Mother had ever gotten any hint of how the two days after that game had gone, she would never have let him anywhere near a broom again, and he doubted he could keep it up again. He preferred not to even think of those two days, or of how his classes had gone during the Monday. It was a small mercy – maybe a small miracle – that he hadn’t had an exam that day.The stranger of the two first years got the Quaffle again, and did a little better at getting out of the area this time, perhaps because of the Bludger tailing her with particular focus – though that could have been because no one else was going to throw himself in the way, which left her still as the closest target. She was also losing altitude fast.
That caused Arthur to grimace again in frustration. It might be possible, he supposed, to swoop in there, but he was no Seeker, used to diving down, pulling out of it so his toes skimmed the grass, and then speeding off back into the air, and he wasn’t sure how he’d fare if he tried to intercept her upward pass from so close to the ground. He doubted she’d even really bruised herself too much in her fall at that range, but he didn’t want to find out by testing a similar fall on his own break-and-bruisable bits. With Edmond and the very large Pecari Beater floating about in the same vicinity, he thought he was likely enough to do that without taking any unnecessary risks.
Instead, then, he set himself up for an interception if one of her teammates decided he or she was more agile than Arthur or a pass if one of his teammates decided the same thing. He could be the support on this one, he thought, without any real loss of face. Someone had to assume that role, so it might as well be him at this particular moment as it might be anyone else. He still had five and a half more years, not to mention the rest of this game and the final this year, to make all the main moves he cared to when he was in better positions to make them than he was right now. The key was to not get emotional, not to take things personally, and think. That, all his tutors and readings had assured him for years and years, was what rational people who ultimately did well and achieved their objectives did when they were confronted with a situation, and he had no reason to disbelieve it. Sometimes risks paid off, but even then, thinking first was best.
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<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
Lying in wait
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<font color="blue">Arthur Carey, Chaser</font>
0
5