Xavier Lundstrom
July 09, 2021 9:07 PM
Skate party by Xavier Lundstrom
OOC: Have made multithread so people can chat to each other or have lots of little interactions BIC:
Xavier glanced at the large cake, brimming with fresh strawberries and cream. What if no one showed up? What if too many people showed up and there wasn’t enough? He suspected the former problem was more likely, though he knew for sure that Oz was coming, and that he’d promised to bring Henry. Xav had told Alexei, and also mentioned it to whoever he sat by in classes, and also just told people to tell people that anyone in the beginners was welcome to come celebrate his birthday at a skating party in MARS after class. He suspected he was going to have to do a lot of explaining and tutoring, but that was okay. He just wanted people to show up for him. He’d made it clear that knowing how to skate wasn’t an expectation. He had mentioned there would be cake. Even if his own non-existent popularity or trying some weird unknown activity wasn’t enough of a lure, hopefully cake was.
That morning, opening the cake his parents had sent, and all his cards and presents, it had felt simultaneously very like his birthday and not at all like it. He had all the usual things, and all the reminders that the people who loved him loved him very much, but also that they were far away. Celebrating his birthday alone at boarding school was deeply weird.
Hopefully it didn’t have to be lonely though. Hopefully people would show up.
Subthreads: Why. by Henry Spellman with Billy Cobb, Reighleigh Mae Thorn, Oz Spellman, Rosalynn Tellerman
Cool. This is neat. by Hansel Hexenmeister with Xavier Lundstrom
I'm not supposed to be here. by Jezebel Reed-Fischer
I'll just be over here by Iris Cobb
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Xavier Lundstrom
Skate party
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 9:15 PM
Why. by Henry Spellman
For having gone a good chunk of his life with Oz pointedly not including him, Henry found it odd to be dragged along to something. He wasn't even sure why it was happening, but here he was. To go skating. For a classmate's birthday.Why?
People seemed to be milling about, so Henry decided to find a spot away from people. Except even if the whole school was in one room, it would be noticeable. It was just too small a crowd. And inevitably, someone approached.
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Henry Spellman
Why.
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Billy Cobb
July 09, 2021 9:21 PM
Why not? by Billy Cobb
Billy had no idea what a skate party was, but he was pretty sure he liked parties in general. This was was also a birthday party, and those were usually fun. There was a cake, and that was great. He wandered over to one of the other boys. "Do you know what skating is?"
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Billy Cobb
Why not?
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Hansel Hexenmeister
July 09, 2021 9:27 PM
Cool. This is neat. by Hansel Hexenmeister
Hansel had heard through the grapevine about Xavier's birthday party and that all beginners were invited. He might have skipped it, feeling a bit weird at turning up to a party he didn't have a specific invitation to, but then he had gotten one when he happened to sit next to Xavier in class, so that made it entirely not weird. So here he was.He hadn't had a lot of notice about a present, having just gotten the proper invitation earlier that day, but he'd had time to draw a card, and he handed that to Xavier as he arrived. "Happy birthday!" he told the other first year making an effort to smile like they were friends instead of just acquaintances who sometimes worked together. The front of the card - which was just a folded piece of parchment - read "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!" in large letters and on the inside, he'd written in smaller handwriting "(That's German for Happy Birthday!) Have a great day! Hansel" And he'd tried to draw some ice skates, though as he looked around the MARS room, he thought he might have made a tactical error in his assumptions about the planned activity for the day.
"Um, by 'skating' you did not mean the ice kind," he stated dubiously, looking at the available rack of skates. "I mean, I have never ice skated either, so this is fine, I just, was expecting to be cold." He took off his jacket.
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Hansel Hexenmeister
Cool. This is neat.
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Xavier Lundstrom
July 09, 2021 9:53 PM
I'm glad you think so by Xavier Lundstrom
Hansel was really sweet. Xavier hadn’t had a lot of interactions with him, but the fact he was in Teppenpaw was kind of a tip off, and he’d continually lived up to the associations.“Thank you,” Xavier smiled, taking the hand drawn birthday card. He didn’t really know anyone well enough to expect presents, especially as it was really parents who organised that kind of thing, plus he’d sort of sprung the party on them last minute. It did sort of suck to have a birthday with fewer presents, but he knew it was unreasonable to expect anything else. It was more the whole being-stuck-at-magical-boarding-school thing’s fault than his actual classmates’, so he was miffed at the school instead of them. Anyway, that meant that Hansel’s effort meant a lot. “That’s really nice of you,” he smiled, meaning every word.
“Oh, yeah. Most people seem to think that,” he reassured him. “I just figured it was quicker to let people see for themselves than try to explain. “Pads first,” he added. Holding an elbow one out to Hansel the right way up for him to put him on and holding up his own elbow so he could compare if needed. “And I’m happy to teach people. I think a lot of people won’t have done it before.”
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Xavier Lundstrom
I'm glad you think so
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Hansel Hexenmeister
July 09, 2021 10:06 PM
I do think so by Hansel Hexenmeister
Hansel dropped his jacket against a wall where he hoped it would be out of the way and took the 'pad' Xavier held out to him. He was able to figure out what to do with it based on how Xavier was already wearing similar 'pads' and attached it and its twin to his elbows, and then larger ones to his knees. This was doubtless prudent and smart, and he was glad the implication in having pads meant it was pretty normal for people to fall, because he was absolutely certain he was going to be spending most of the party on his rear end, or maybe sprawled out on his stomach."Definitely going to need teaching," Hansel confirmed.
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Hansel Hexenmeister
I do think so
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 10:16 PM
That's not a good enough reason. by Henry Spellman
Henry didn't stare at Billy because the kid didn't know what skating was, although the city boy in him did think that was odd. Instead, he stared for a moment because he was never sure if people really meant to be talking to him, especially if they were Oz' friend."You wear shoes with wheels on them and roll around on your feet," he said. "Like ice skating but on wheels." It was easy to be factual first so that's what he did. Plus, he always tried to answer the questions people asked, even if they didn't seem sincere; he'd seen too many times that people ignored the curiosity of others and people like Oz didn't get their questions answered just because people thought they were . . . whatever? Too smart-alecky about it? That was stupid.
"I'm Henry, you know," he added, just in case.
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Henry Spellman
That's not a good enough reason.
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Billy Cobb
July 09, 2021 10:23 PM
It's not? by Billy Cobb
Shoes with wheels? That sounded fantastic! He grinned excitedly at Henry, "Neat! That's kinda like the time me 'n Luke got a whole bucha sticks and tried to roll down the hill with 'em! We were on our butts in no time and had sticks flyin' around all over!" It had been great!He stared at Henry for just a moment, confused. Were they supposed to do this every so often? Oh well, why not. If that was how things worked. "Sorry, yeah. I'm Billy, Billy Cobb of the Kentucky Cobbs." Reintroductions seemed odd, but, it wasn't the weirdest thing around here.
"Anyway, we gunna go skate? I gotta try this out."
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Billy Cobb
It's not?
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 10:32 PM
Well, not for me anyway. by Henry Spellman
Henry grimaced, not loving the combination of sticks flying everywhere and then landing on your butt, but he couldn't help smiling too. Billy was being nice and his excitement was pretty contagious. He cocked his head though when Billy introduced himself like one of the kids with magic parents. Those sorts of dynamics were impossible to miss when you had a background like Henry and Oz; it was do or die in any social situation and reading the dynamics was the only way to do. Except Billy wasn't, he was pretty sure, one of those kids."No, no, I just . . . I wasn't sure if you thought I was my brother," he said, feeling stupid as he did. He supposed Billy, of almost everyone in the school, wouldn't get the brothers mixed up. "Why do you introduce yourself like that, by the way? That's what those 'pureblood' people do. The ones who care about who your family is and how much money you have. You're not from a magic family, are you?" Henry was pretty confident he was right about that, otherwise he wouldn't have asked. But then . . . when was 'pretty confident' good enough? He hoped it was in this case.
"Yes," he agreed a bit reluctantly. "Let's skate."
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Henry Spellman
Well, not for me anyway.
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Billy Cobb
July 09, 2021 10:52 PM
What would make it good enough then? by Billy Cobb
"Ha!" Billy laughed in a friendly tone, "You 'n Oz are as similar as an oak and an elm tree." He slapped Henry lightly on the shoulder. "I dunno though," he responded to Henry's question. "Ain't that just the way things are done?" He shrugged, "I don't got magial kin or any money at all, don't see why that'd matter. I'm still a Cobb from all the rest o' the Cobbs in Kentucky." He gave Henry a wink then went to find some magical wheeled shoes."How do you put these things on?"
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Billy Cobb
What would make it good enough then?
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 10:54 PM
Probably nothing would. by Henry Spellman
Henry's mouth rounded with unspoken surprise and confusion but nothing came out. He wasn't even sure what part of what Billy said he wanted to address first, so he just didn't address any of it. Did that make him the oak or the elm?"Just like shoes," he told Billy when he'd gotten the signal out of his brain to make his legs follow the other boy. "Take yours off and put your feet in those instead and then lace them up. And please don't die."
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Henry Spellman
Probably nothing would.
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Billy Cobb
July 09, 2021 11:02 PM
Then I guess we're good to go! by Billy Cobb
Like shoes. That made sense. Billy pulled off his own shoes and tossed them into a corner, then proceeded to pull on the wheeled shoes. They felt a little odd, this was gunna be fun. "Die? Naw, ain't happened yet." He looked over at Henry again, "Where are your pair?"
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Billy Cobb
Then I guess we're good to go!
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Xavier Lundstrom
July 09, 2021 11:11 PM
Alright, let's get you standing by Xavier Lundstrom
“No problem,” Xavier nodded. It had been a really long time since skating hadn’t felt like a natural set of motions for his body. He remembered learning, but that wasn’t the same as teaching. Having found that most of his classmates were unfamiliar, he’d flicked through a couple of youtube tutorials over break. Hopefully it would work out.“So, rule number one… If you feel like you’re gonna fall, try to fall on your knees. Most people think it’s natural to fall on their butt, but your butt’s not padded, and you can bruise your tailbone. If you’re losing your balance, try to tip forward. Honestly, falling doesn’t even hurt with all this on,” he gestured to his knees.
“And step one, is being able to balance. So, to stand you put one knee like this,” he knelt with one knee up. “Then push off that.” He placed his hands on his knee, pushing himself to standing. “Keep your feet at angle, and your body low. That makes it easier to balance.” He demonstrated. “You can keep a hand on the rack if it helps, but try to not rely on it. You should be holding your own weight.” Having something to hold onto was more a step to conquering fear—finding balance was something you had to do on your own.
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Xavier Lundstrom
Alright, let's get you standing
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 11:16 PM
None of this works the way you say it does. by Henry Spellman
Henry automatically held out a hand to help stable Billy, glancing around to try to find Oz so that at least the 'Kentucky Cobb' would have his roommate to die in the arms of. Not immediately finding him, Henry was then being required to get his own skates on. Ugh."Yes. My pair. Where are my pair?" He couldn't think of a good excuse in the moment so he found some and donned them. He wasn't going to be good at this. "So. Now we skate." He promptly slipped and slammed his knees into the hard floor, a whoosh, gasp, and pained grunt escaping him all at once.
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Henry Spellman
None of this works the way you say it does.
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Billy Cobb
July 09, 2021 11:37 PM
Sure it does, how could it not? by Billy Cobb
Billy stood a bit wobbly on his now wheeled feet. This was indeed going to be great, even better than those sticks. He took Henry's hand to stabilize himself and soon sort of got the hang of it while Henry put on his own skates.Henry then went down on one knee as he got started. It looked like a rather sudden movement and almost looked as though it had hurt a little. It seemed like an odd way to start, but perhaps from that position one could kick off easier to start moving. Billy tried to execute the same maneuver, but lost his precarious footing with both feet flying out from under him and landing on his backside and back. His lungs let out a whoosh of air and after gasping in a new lung full, simply stated "Ow."
He rolled his head over to look at Henry. "I don't think I did that right. Let me try it again."
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Billy Cobb
Sure it does, how could it not?
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Henry Spellman
July 09, 2021 11:41 PM
Well, when you look at it from down here... by Henry Spellman
Henry resisted the urge to reach out and smack Billy, a reaction to pain that was radiating through his shin bones and knees still. It wasn't really fair, but why did Billy have to go and fall down too? Now it was really obvious that Henry was on the floor because everyone would look over and see two of them on the floor. Ugh. That being said, he couldn't help feeling a bit bad because Billy had landed real hard. He was up again quickly though, which was more than Henry could say. He wanted to stay right there on his knees and crawl across to a safe corner where he could be alone. He might have if it wouldn't have hurt so much.Instead, he pushed himself to his feet again before giving a determined push off and making some good, if wobbly, forward progress. This had to be the stupidest activity.
"Maybe we should put the pads on?" he suggested, gesturing at where they were available.
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Henry Spellman
Well, when you look at it from down here...
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
July 09, 2021 11:47 PM
Nerds. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn
"Don't tell me you're going to actually wear that dorky stuff?" Ray asked, sauntering up to where Billy was 'skating' with another boy. She raised an eyebrow at them both although her good humor was pretty clearly directed more towards Billy since he was basically the one friend she'd managed to make. "Thanks for the invite," she added. "I saw you fall on your-- backside. Very smooth."
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
Nerds.
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Jezebel Reed-Fischer
July 09, 2021 11:56 PM
I'm not supposed to be here. by Jezebel Reed-Fischer
Jezebel went because Gus was going and Gus insisted that Jezebel was a "sad old hag" who should get out more. Jezebel thought that was rude but couldn't quite say it wasn't accurate. She was planning to hang out with Martin this evening and didn't want to stay long but it seemed rude not to accept a birthday party invite at least briefly. Gus had met her and they'd walked there together but he'd run off as soon as they'd arrived to the actual party part. Which was when Jezebel realized she was the oldest person there (at least that she noticed right off the bat).It was tempting to run across the room, slap her brother, and run back out, but that would be too obvious. A hex across the room could do it but that seemed risky. Instead, she was about to disappear out the door again, hoping to go completely unnoticed and just deal with Augustine later, when someone stopped her. Urgh, she was so close! The door was right there. If she'd just left a little faster . . . but no. She only barely resisted the urge to sigh or scream and turned to see who it was, wondering what the heck anyone could want from her here.
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Jezebel Reed-Fischer
I'm not supposed to be here.
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Oz Spellman
July 10, 2021 12:03 AM
Okay, break it up by Oz Spellman
Oz wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to bring Henry. Well, Xavier had asked, and it seemed rude not to, and Xav seemed like a good guy. Unfortunately, the invitation list didn’t stop at the three of them. When Oz arrived, Henry was sprawled on the floor, no pads on, next to Billy, and that annoying first year girl.Oz kind of knew his roommate was an idiot, but he had had a lot of reasons to suspect over the years that Henry wasn’t—that he had some sense, that he wasn’t as easily led as Oz was. Was Billy just super-powered at bad decisions to the extent they rubbed off even on someone like Henry, or were there some levels of peer pressure that even Henry couldn’t be protected from? Or, more like, wasn’t immune to. He could still be protected…
“Hey,” he said, as he made his way over to the group. “I didn’t think you two were friends,” he glared between Henry and Billy, not only making it clear he was surprised but also displeased by Henry ‘stepping on his territory.’ Because the likes of Billy was much more suited to Oz as a friend… “If you don’t know what you’re doing, go talk to Xav,” he rolled his eyes at Henry. Xav, who insisted on safety gear and was currently helping Hansel not break anything. “I can teach you,” he offered Billy. “You skate, princess?” he asked Ray, cos it would be rude to ignore her but he really hoped he could annoy her into going away instead.
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Oz Spellman
Okay, break it up
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Billy Cobb
July 10, 2021 12:20 AM
Oh, I can break stuff, that's easy by Billy Cobb
Billy pulled himself to his feet and watched Henry actually roll a bit on these skates, he started to figure out how they were supposed to work. Then Henry gestured towards the pads and he saw Xavier wearing them around his knees and elbows. Huh. "Alright," he responded to Henry. As far as he knew Xavier and Henry were the experts.However, as he turned he saw Ray wandering over. He'd wondered if she'd come, he smiled at her. "You better believe it." he responded to her, not quite sure what 'dorky' meant. "These things'll be great once I figgure 'em out." He pointed towards his wheeled shoes. "Aww.. shucks," He fired back at Ray, "You're just saying that to get me to like you. Maybbe you're just worried 'cause I'm so much more graceful than you." At that point his wheels decided to head opposite directions on their own free will, but he got them back under control by grabbing onto Henry.
"Oz!" Billy called out happily as the other Spellman arrived. "Sure we're friends, why not? He's doing great as well." Billy indicated Henry. "Come on Oz, Ray, grab skates." A sudden burst of light seemed to kindle in Billy's eyes, "I bet we can figure out something really fun to do with all four of us on these things!"
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Billy Cobb
Oh, I can break stuff, that's easy
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Henry Spellman
July 10, 2021 12:31 AM
It's fine, I'll break. by Henry Spellman
Henry's relief at seeing his brother approach was marred significantly by the tone with which he did so. Some random goth looking girl had already walked up and Billy was . . . flirting? It was gross and weird and Henry hated it. And then Oz was giving a good ole throwback to their days of avoiding each other, which seemed rude since the only reason Henry was here anyway was because of Oz. He hadn't even approached Billy anyway, Billy approached him. And now was clinging onto him."We're not really friends," Henry said when Billy said otherwise. "Friendly," he decided, not wanting to be terrible. "Friends by association. We both know you." Also there were like twelve people in the whole school but Henry didn't need to emphasize that for Oz; they'd both come from someplace where the bathrooms could hold as many students as attended the whole school here it seemed. "I'm not really friends with Xav either," Henry pointed out to his brother, pretty sure Oz was aware that Henry wasn't the type to just go 'yo, teach me how to skate, birthday boy'. "Can I just go back to my room?" he asked Oz in a low voice, not wanting to draw attention to how much he was super don with everything that was happening. The last thing anyone needed at a birthday was to be stuck with Henry Spellman.
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Henry Spellman
It's fine, I'll break.
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
July 10, 2021 12:37 AM
I only break hearts, sorry, boys. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn
Ray grinned at Billy. "Me? Like you? That's cute," she said in as sardonic a tone as she could manage, which was pretty stinkin' sardonic. "I didn't expect anyone to literally go tripping over me though." She pointed at the tiara she'd donned again for the special occasion. "Sorry, Bill, no one's more graceful than the princess."Which was when Oz approached and then he called her princess and it felt a lot less like a good thing the way he said it. He reminded her of those guys who sold hot dogs in movies about New York as a cover for some illicit schemes they were doing to try to earn money for their daughter to go to the ballet or something stupid. Oz had seemed like he had so much potential to be fun and it was disappointing how little that had panned out.
"Competitively," she answered stiffly, vaguely grateful that her mom had put her in those stupid pageants just for this. Talent shows were awful but at least she'd learned some good party tricks. "Why? Did you need me to teach you before you teach him, Professor Spellman?"
Billy seemed happy as ever, so she looked back at him with a more genuine smile. "You'll have to stay upright to make it work," she teased. "What kind of shenanigans are you thinking?"
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
I only break hearts, sorry, boys.
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Oz Spellman
July 10, 2021 12:47 AM
No, you fricking won't, Henry by Oz Spellman
They both knew him. That was the whole reason Billy was currently palling up with Henry. If that wasn’t the story of Oz’s life… Henry asked for an out. Oz was torn. He wanted Henry to have friends, and he wasn’t sure he did. He just didn’t want them to be his friends, because the kind of people that Oz attracted were trouble.Xavier was nice. A bit posh, but he seemed like he didn’t get into trouble. Oz could push Henry towards him. He wondered if he had drawn the lines so sharply that that would mean he would have to step away. In reality, it would be hard to. Xav was in his house. But if he actually became friends with Henry… Well, there was a chance Henry would offload about what a butt Oz was and then Xavier wouldn’t even want to be friends with him any more. It was nice, having someone in his life who wasn’t a disaster magnet.
“Sure, if you want,” he absolved Henry of the need for further social interaction. If he wanted out, that was probably the best place for him. And this wasn’t a Henry-ish activity. He was asking to leave. He didn’t want to be here… Right?
Ray skated competitively? As if. She was full of crap.
“Yeah? Show us how it’s done then,” he challenged.
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Oz Spellman
No, you fricking won't, Henry
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Billy Cobb
July 10, 2021 10:48 AM
Game on! by Billy Cobb
"What?" Billy exclaimed at Henry, "You're the second best skater I've seen! You can't run off yet." His gaze swept the room pausing just a moment at Xavier and Hansel. Obviously Xavier was the best, whereas Hansel and himself were... learning. Then his eyes went to Ray and Oz, who were still in their normal shoes. "I'm hearing a lotta talk outta some folk, but not much provin' it." he eyed them both up with an obvious challenge.He grinned at Ray's choice of words as he looked around the room once more. The obvious source of 'shenanigans' was the cake, but he knew better than to mess around with food and especially not cake. "I dunno 'bout shenanigans', but maybe more of a game of some sort. Maybe we can get Xavier and Hansel in on it as well. We pair up to make teams of people that're better at this, or..." he paused to eye up Oz and Ray again, "people who claim they are better at this, and someone who ain't so good. Then we find us a ball somewhere and play some version of 'keep-away'." He thought again for a moment, "The learner on the team is the only one that can actually move with the ball, the experienced one acts as attacker and guard. They gotta stop though as soon as they get the ball and gotta get it to their partner to move it towards their goal."
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Billy Cobb
Game on!
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Henry Spellman
July 11, 2021 12:57 AM
Now I definitely will. by Henry Spellman
Did Billy just want to get smacked or what? Geez, friggin' Oz had approved Henry's leaving - which hurt a bit actually but that was fine - and now Billy wasn't going to let it happen. And apparently Ray was going to go showing off while Oz laid out some challenges and Billy got everyone else involved in some non-shenanigan shenanigans. Great.Henry sighed and pressed his lips into a flat smile in Billy's direction. Neither he nor Oz (he suspected) was interested in enough in making a scene to insist in this particular moment that Henry leave, so he resigned himself to doing his best to disappear without actually disappearing. Maybe if he willed it hard enough, he could make everyone forget he was there and then he could leave and Oz could have his fun without Henry in his way. It would be for the best; Oz already got enough of teachers and older kids trying to tell him what to do and make sure he was behaving a certain way and he didn't need his brother making him feel like there was just one more set of eyes to keep an eye out, even if that wasn't Henry's intention.
His eyes returned to his brother to apologize silently and silent he remained as Ray responded to the challenge.
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Henry Spellman
Now I definitely will.
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
July 11, 2021 1:00 AM
Winning is not a team sport. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn
Ew. Drama. Between siblings no less. Ray was glad she didn't have any of those. Well, she did, but not any that really counted."I will," she said, grabbing a pair of skates from nearby, kicking off her converse, and getting herself adjusted in the skates. She took a breath because a lot of showing off relied on confidence and steadiness and then she was moving, gliding around the boys with ease. "Any last words?" she asked, throwing the question at Oz with a cocked eyebrow and half glare before smiling at Billy again. "Keep-away it is," she agreed. "We can team up since you're terrible. And you two can team up since . . . well, you know," she added to the drama twins. Honestly, they were so melodramatic.
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
Winning is not a team sport.
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Oz Spellman
July 11, 2021 1:13 AM
Whatever by Oz Spellman
It was like Billy had set himself some kind of personal challenge to prove on a daily basis that he was stupider than Oz. Oz would have thought that was pretty challenging but he consistently managed it. Henry didn’t want to be here. Oz didn’t want Henry here. Billy was suggesting they played ball on rollerskates even though none of them could skate.Was this how Oz came across to Henry? Henry could usually see the gaps in Oz’s logic that he failed to spot himself. But like…. Surely he wasn’t this bad? That didn’t mean that he wasn’t frustrating to be around though. Yet another reason why Henry would be better holed up by himself playing guitar than staying here with Oz…
The one silver lining in Billy’s disjointed plan was that it left another opening to get Henry out of there.
“We’re both new to this,” he stated. He hadn’t made any claims to be good at skating, only thrown doubt on Ray’s. They didn’t need to know that he’d hung out with Xavier and done it before. He tried to remember whether he’d mentioned it to his roommates afterwards but he wasn’t sure. “So, I trade Henry for Xavier,” he shrugged.
They were making their way over to the skates anyway for him and Ray to get some.
“Hey, we’re starting a game. You want in?” he asked Xavier.
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Oz Spellman
Whatever
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Henry Spellman
July 11, 2021 1:28 AM
*breaks* by Henry Spellman
It happened fast. All of it always happened fast. Henry was always too slow, no matter how many books he read or questions he asked or hours he spent preparing himself to be the best he could be. He was always too slow to catch the moment he was unwanted before it happened. Too slow to stop it. Oz didn't want him there, privately at first and then for everyone to hear.Oz' attention turned away. Ray was distracted. Billy was Billy.
And Henry was unwanted.
He sat back down and ripped his skates off, grabbed his shoes, and left the room as quickly as he could without running, but quick enough that he for sure was definitely not crying by the time he got to the door. He was in his socks still but he didn't care. He just had to leave.
OOC: (Henry going out of turn here, so I'm not posting Ray just yet).
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Henry Spellman
*breaks*
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Billy Cobb
July 11, 2021 8:44 AM
Huh? by Billy Cobb
Something weird was going on with Henry and Oz. What level of stupid was Oz going for? Tossing aside your kin like they were nothing? That weren't right. That weren't right at all. If Henry didn't want to play, he could just say so and go do somethin' else, why the heck was he askin' Oz for permission? City folk were weird. He had half a mind to go and have some words with Oz, but then Ray smiled his way again and for some reason those thoughts left his brain for a moment.When he looked 'round again Henry was gone. What the heck? Where'd he go? Didn't he want to hang out with them? Well, it was a shame, but if he didn't want to... Billy gave Oz something of a challenging look, "Well, now what? We ain't got even teams. We'll need another experienced skater, know any?"
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Billy Cobb
Huh?
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Rosalynn Tellerman
July 11, 2021 12:27 PM
Girls are underrepresented in this thread. I'll help. by Rosalynn Tellerman
Rosalyn arrived to the birthday party wearing a t-shirt with a cake on it (that she'd originally gotten to wear on her own birthday, but it didn't say 'birthday girl' on it or anything, so it would work to celebrate Xavier's too) and a pair of purple skorts that had confetti printed on them. She said hi and happy birthday to the birthday boy, and went about putting on pads and skates. Around the time she finished a group of kids mostly in her own year arrived to collect skates for themselves. She couldn't help over hearing part of their conversation. It sounded like they were trying to organize some kind of team game but were short a player who knew what they were doing, so she offered, "Hey, folks. I've skated before."She wouldn't consider herself an expert or anything, but she could make it around a rink without clinging to the sides, which given how shaky some of the others were probably qualified her as 'experienced'. Of course, this set up wasn't exactly a roller rink, but it looked fun, and she was willing to give anything a go. "What are the rules?"
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Rosalynn Tellerman
Girls are underrepresented in this thread. I'll help.
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
July 11, 2021 4:03 PM
Uh, I'd rather be the only queen thanks. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn
It wasn't that Ray didn't like girls - she even wanted to be friends with some of them - but she didn't like them when she was hanging out with guys. They always got weird. She didn't think too much about the fact that she was also jealous of the attention they got because that would have required a level of self-reflection she was decidedly not going to participate in."You're with him," she said, pointing to the remaining twin since apparently the other one was just not going to participate now. Fine by Ray. "Keep away?" she confirmed with Billy.
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Reighleigh Mae Thorn
Uh, I'd rather be the only queen thanks.
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Iris Cobb
July 11, 2021 9:04 PM
I'll just be over here by Iris Cobb
Iris had heard there was going to be a birthday party for Xavier, and that all of the beginners were invited. She had debated whether or not to go, in the end curiosity won out. However she wasn't quite sure what the rules were, she'd heard rumors of 'birthday presents'. Back home there weren't lots of presents and things, but that could be different here. There was also the problem that if she should bring one, she didn't really have anything that she could give him. All she had were her clothes and school supplies and she was pretty sure he didn't want any of that stuff.As such, she found herself entering the room empty handed. Thankfully it looked like she wasn't alone on that front, however it looked like Hansel handed him some paper. So, she wished Xavier a happy birthday and thanked him for inviting her. He seemed nice enough for a Pecari. And speaking of Pecaris... it didn't take her long to spot her brother. She watched from a safe distance as whatever was unfolding around him. She finally sighed and pulled her attention away from that mess and was immediately pulled to a more interesting thing in the room. The cake. It was covered in strawberries, it was beautiful.
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Iris Cobb
I'll just be over here
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