Double trouble on Tumbleweed

Selina Skies

October 01, 2021 10:11 AM

Tumbleweed Trip by Selina Skies

The posters announcing the first trip to Tumbleweed had gone up shortly after the beginning of term. Parent/guardian signatures for such trips were gathered at enrollment, though a notification informing of the trip had also been sent out. It was not the ideal time for dress shopping, given that many of the students were likely to shoot up like they’d put in growth potion before the ball, and Selina had been sure to stress that they would have more opportunities to buy outfits. However, it wasn’t a bad opportunity, and certainly if they saw something they liked, they could take a note of the store and owl them for an accurate size later in the year.

Ill-fitted dresses and robes were the lesser developmental concern, compared to the fact that many students hadn’t outgrown their tendencies to be stupid or impulsive—a process which took a long time in most people, and which she suspect would be a perpetual state of affairs for some students. Whilst warnings had been issued that bad behaviour might result in suspension from future trips, she knew that teenage brains were spectacularly bad at reasoning the logical thing to do in the face of temptation. She would be keeping a closer eye on some than others.

Once they had travelled to town—by Floo for those who were used to it, and by a borrowed, self-driving car-ish type thing for those who were not—she gathered the students in front of the small tourist office.

“Alright, welcome to Tumbleweed! As we discussed at school, this is an old west ghost town. The main draw of coming here is to learn about life in a different era, from those who really lived it. As well as the town museum, you can visit any of the buildings, and chat with the resident ghosts. Today, there’s also a market in the town hall.” This was the main reason they’d chosen this weekend, as it added a potential source of ball outfits, snacks, and curios, over the usual ghost-themed souvenirs of the town. She'd also heard tell of there being a pet shop with, fortunately, live animals on the edge of the town.

“You will need to stick with a partner or group throughout the day. You are free to visit wherever you like in the town, but each area or attraction will have a designated staff member. Please check in with them on your way in or out of an area, so that we can keep track of you.” As she spoke, she passed out some town maps, which showed who the person responsible for each area was.

“Any questions? Everyone got a map and a partner? Alright, off you go, and have a good day.”

OOC: Welcome to Tumbleweed. This is a literal ghost town with an old west theme. Known places inlcude a saloon, which acts an all-ages-friendly refreshment spot, a museum, and town hall. The ghosts staff the towns and do historical re-enactment. You are free to invent buildings, ghosts or things that are occurring within the town, so long as they are reasonable and on-theme. It's primarily a tourist destination, so the ghosts are very used to people and are there to put on a show.

Any questions, ask in chatzy.

Subthreads:

Happy happy fun times! by Xavier Lundstrom with Hansel Hexenmeister

Outside the shops [Alexi] by Iris Cobb with Alexei Vorontsov

Spirits and shops! by Verdillia Scurlock with Lydia Priory

Looking to have some fun! by Anya Delachene with Ellie Alperton

Bro time! (tag Henry) by Oz Spellman with Henry Spellman

Double trouble by Stanley O'Malley with Wally O'Malley, Bonabelle Row

Hanging out [Lavender] by Valentine Duell with Lavender Brockert

This is less lame than most stuff. [Billy] by Reighleigh Mae Thorn with Billy Cobb

Ghosts of the past (tag Professor Brooding-Hawthorne) by Dorian Montoir with Mary Brooding-Hawthorne

Ann & Ann Apparel by Annabelle Pierce with Mara Morales, Morgan Garrett

Alexander, all the twins are pairing off and we’re siblings in the same grade, too by Mab with Alexander Pierce-Beales

I did the thing. [Val] by Bonabelle Row with Valentine Duell

Let's find some puppets! And museums! (Rosalynn and Lorena) by Isla Brockert

Want to hang? (Jezebel) by Bridget Ferguson with Jezebel Reed-Fischer

Of badges and babies... by Esme Brockert

Get in, cool people, we're going shopping. by Jessica Hayles

13 Selina Skies Tumbleweed Trip 26 1 5

Xavier Lundstrom

October 01, 2021 10:35 PM

Happy happy fun times! by Xavier Lundstrom

A literal ghost town. Of people who had presumably died normal deaths, not exploded in pent up clouds of magical angriness. Many points of his conversation with Professor Wright had stuck in Xavier’s mind, but a particularly prominent one had been the realness of the soul, and that some people’s hung around. The former point was, of course, something he’d always believed. The latter was a little more challenging to process, as he wondered whether it was possible to incorporate this knowledge into his own view of the afterlife without completely breaking it. Not everyone became ghosts, of course. But still, ghosts were very literally real and that just didn’t go with what he’d been raised to believe. And only wizards could become ghosts. Did that mean wizards’ souls were different? He hadn’t really been worried about that when he’d found out about magic. His family weren’t Bible-thumping ‘fantasy novels are the work of Satan’ extremists. Confronting actual ghosts though was… a bit weird.

He would have to be careful to keep that thought to himself though. Or write it down and burn it later. Everything in wizardland was the bestest and if he smiled and said so, then maybe they’d let him go back to his family at Christmas.

He didn’t quite manage to plaster a smile on his face as they arrived in Tumbleweed. He was too busy leaning against a wall trying not to feel dizzy and sick from taking the Floo (because he was totally acclimating like a good little wizard boy). And because his default expression since the start of term had just been kind of blank. He was managing not to be sad or angry on the surface, but he couldn’t find it in himself to fake actual happiness. His mind was so busy on things that were not the here and now that it wiped his face of its emotions.

So, basically he had a perpetual case of resting b...ored face, probably, to add to all his other social stigmas.

He managed to feel a little less shaken by the end of Professor Skies’ speech. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but he had to do it with someone. He tried to dig down far enough to find the part that cared about who he spent the day with. He guessed someone he kind of knew was better than someone he didn’t. Anyone who’d come to his birthday, or anyone from the LGBTQIA+ cafe was a pretty good bet. Anyone except Billy, who was honestly just… a lot. A lot of what, Xavier wasn’t quite sure. But he was a lot, and a lot felt like something he really couldn’t deal with right now. Seeing someone who met his requirements, he walked over, a ghost of his former smile on his face.

“Hey. Wanna hang out? I don’t really mind what we do,” he shrugged, hoping that made him an amenable option for a partner.

13 Xavier Lundstrom Happy happy fun times! 1529 0 5

Iris Cobb

October 01, 2021 11:27 PM

Outside the shops [Alexi] by Iris Cobb

Iris did not like Tumbleweed. She had known she wouldn't, but she had come anyway because it was a school trip and she was at the school so she went on the school trip. That was how that worked. The town itself was fine, but it was filled with ghosts. Iris did not like ghosts, there was just something terribly unnerving about them that she just did not like. It was irrational and stupid, most of them seemed nice enough, but that rationalization didn't help one bit when she was confronted with one.... or a whole town of them.

The other objective of the day was to see the dresses that Amethyst had talked about. She was still on the fence on what she was going to do about that. Most likely she would accept one to borrow for the ball from one of Amethysts relatives if they didn't mind, but that was still incurring quite a debt. From the sounds of things, the dress she might be borrowing would have cost way more than anything in the stores here, however since she was only borrowing it for one night maybe that might be about the same as buying a less impressive one here? She wanted to know how much these cost, just so she had some frame of reference. She just had to get past the ghosts.

Finding a group of students heading for the shops wasn't difficult, she tagged along with them, sticking close and watching the ground at her feet. If she couldn't see the ghosts, they weren't there. They reached the shops and she started browsing the dresses. Her heart sunk a bit more. Billy's stupid coin definitely wasn't going to cover these. She was going to need a bunch more of them. Maybe she could find some that were not quite as expensive? There were some, they were also quite a bit less impressive as well. She was doomed.

It was shortly after this realization that she made the observation that the group she had come in here with, wasn't here any more. Oh no! Professor Skies had been very explicit that they were to stay with someone or a group! Iris burst from the store hoping to find some of her group. However, as she looked about for them, she instead saw quite a few ghosts. Her eyes went wide and her legs went weak as she stumbled back against the wall of the store. Movement from beside her distracted her enough to tear her gaze away from the translucent figures. Someone was coming along the stores, Alexi! A wave of relief washed over her, he wasn't a ghost and she wasn't breaking the rules anymore! "Hi!" She managed to squeak out to him, "I lost my group, can I join you?"

2 Iris Cobb Outside the shops [Alexi] 1526 0 5

Verdillia Scurlock

October 01, 2021 11:29 PM

Spirits and shops! by Verdillia Scurlock

Verdillia liked ghosts an exactly normal amount. She had been raised around enough magic that she knew it was very silly to be scared of them, and she most definitely wasn’t. Not really, anyway. Not more than was reasonable, in that she didn’t want them to brush through her because that was the unpleasant sort of surprise and it was natural to be a little jumpy around that, kind of like how one might fear getting hit in the head with a Quaffle when people were playing catch. She also didn’t find them endlessly fascinating. Her family had taken her to plenty of historical sites and houses, and many of those had resident ghosts who would tell stories about the past. It was more interesting than reading information panels, but less interesting than looking at the display cases of jewellery and clothes and all the ornately decorated rooms. Her sister seemed to find the ghosts endlessly fascinating, and would have talked them to death had that not been impossible. Verdillia was of the opinion that most ghosts had one to two good stories, tops, and after that, it was time to move on before they got dull and repetitive. Of course, she would be polite to deceased magical elders, but she didn’t want to spend all afternoon with them.

She thought the proper thing to do was probably split her time about evenly between history and shopping. She did love learning about the magical world, and this was a time and a place she had very little knowledge of. It wouldn’t do to look unappreciative or uninterested. Perhaps a quick whip around the main sites, and then some shopping? Of course, they’d been promised many trips here, so she would have time to do the sights another day if needed. The most important part of the day was really having a good partner. By now, she had a fairly clear idea of who in class was proper, both in terms of bloodline and in how they behaved themselves. The latter was the most important factor, though the former made the neatly piped icing on the refined little cake.

“Hello,” she smiled, approaching someone fitting. “Would you like to partner up? It seems like we’d be able to get most of the main things done whilst we’re here, don’t you think?”

13 Verdillia Scurlock Spirits and shops! 1541 0 5

Anya Delachene

October 02, 2021 10:35 PM

Looking to have some fun! by Anya Delachene

Anya was excited about the first Tumbleweed trip of the year. It was always nice to get out of the school grounds and take in some new scenery. Away games for Quidditch were good for that too, but Jeremy hogged most of those and she generally had to wait for him to get sick before she could take his place as the reserve Seeker. She was certain she had never - quite literally - wished someone ill as many times as she had Jeremy Mordue, particularly in days leading up to away games.

Fortunately, her trip to Tumbleweed was dependent upon a signed note from her parents rather than anyone's poor health, and that had already been submitted in a timely manner. So here she was, stepping out of the floo, and breathing air that wasn't Sonora's. She'd need a partner but did not anticipate having any trouble locating one. She had quite a few options open to her. She was friends with Freddie (though she suspected he would prefer her brother's company today), Ellie, Theo, Stanley, and of course, her own boyfriend, Alexander.

She walked around the milling students, trying to spot any of those (though she figured she probably ought to give Alexander first dibs) and tried to decide what she wanted to do today. Probably not dress shopping. She wanted to have some fun today and that was the opposite of fun. It was un-fun. Besides, Mom would probably make her get something to wear to the ball over midterm anyway (ideally something less horrendous than what she'd been sent to Sonora with four years ago; which it should be because Anya might actually cooperate with her mom this time since she presumably had a date and a required prefect dance). So that wasn't on today's agenda at least.

Maybe an ice cream at the saloon. That was always fun and tasty. Perhaps do one of the ghost shows that had some audience participation.

"Hey!" she greeted with a smile as she spotted one of the people she'd be happy to spend the day with. "Excited to get out of school for the day?"

1 Anya Delachene Looking to have some fun! 1453 0 5

Ellie Alperton

October 03, 2021 12:30 AM

Yes! That! by Ellie Alperton

Ellie wasn't that excited for the day in Tumbleweed. She had seen enough of the ghost shows and historical buildings to know what they entailed. She had fond memories of dress shopping here, but that had been with Jasmine. She suspected she was going to be more lonely this time. Both her best friends had boyfriends they would probably rather spend the day with. She would probably end up with a choice between being a third wheel, a fifth wheel, or a left over. If she got any choice at all.

Anya was slightly less awful than Freddie for needing to spend all her time with her boyfriend. Freddie had joined gaming club just because Philippe did it, thus reducing his available free time even further. Anya wasn't so co-dependent with Alexander, but she also had a generally loose and chaotic approach to measuring time, which didn't make her the most consistent friend. And Ellie could have asked before the trip. She could have got in there before they made plans with their boyfriends. But she didn't just want to hang out. She wanted them to want to hang out. To choose her over them.

She choose the drive rather than the Floo. Even after all these years, she felt like she would rather only do it when strictly necessary. She wondered whether that was another thing that separated her from her friends, and whether it meant they would be all paired up by the time she got there...

Thankfully, that didn't seem to have happened. And when Professor Skies told them to pair up, Anya came bouncing right over!

"Yes!" she beamed, when Anya asked if she was excited, more because her heart was bouncing at the fact that one of her friends had chosen her. Well, maybe. Anya hadn't actually asked her to be partners. Maybe this was just a quick check in before she ditched her. "Were you looking for me?" she nudged hoepfully.

OOC: Ellie's views on how her friends are behaving to be taken with a pinch of salt. Let me know if anything crosses a line in terms of god-modding.

13 Ellie Alperton Yes! That! 1456 0 5

Oz Spellman

October 03, 2021 1:45 AM

Bro time! (tag Henry) by Oz Spellman

They were leaving school! They got to jump in a fire! There were gonna be ghosts! Oz was bouncing off the walls by the time they got the go ahead. The fire thing was properly wild, even more than any of the roller coasters they’d been on at Martian Land. Oz very definitely fell in a dizzy and slightly nauseous heap as it spat him out at the other end. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d banged his elbow so hard he’d scraped the skin off, either on the way there or when he’d hit the floor at the end. He checked, and yes! He was bleeding! Not like, actual dripping blood, but he had taken the skin off and red was visible. He had sustained a war wound. Cool!

Just about as soon as he’d had time to admire it, someone magicked it better. Which was sort of cool, because that wasn’t really a thing where he’d come from, but he hadn’t exactly minded, and maybe it would have scabbed and then he’d have been able to have fun picking it. Did wizard kids never get to know the joy of picking at a scab? Man, sucked to be them.

Professor Skies reminded them of the rules (he kneeeewww. Gawd. They’d said it like fifty times before letting them leave!). He’d had his partner picked out for a while anyway. It was sort of obvious that he and Henry would stick together in a situation like this. First off, shopping had been mentioned, and even if Mom had sent them some money so they could get an ice cream or something, it wasn’t a lot, and he wasn’t even sure about spending it. He had no desire to be humiliated if everyone else planned to shop and do fancy stuff that cost money. At his old school, it had been the default assumption that everyone was broke all the time, so it didn’t make you stand out. But if there was anyone else here as broke as him and Henry, they did a good job hiding it. Except Billy, but he spent plenty of time with him at Sonora.

More than that though, he just wanted to be with Henry. And Henry wanted to be with him. And they could just hang out, and be bros, and it would be totally dope.

“Hey!” he beamed, bouncing at Henry, leaning on his shoulder in a way that wasn’t a hug so wasn’t unacceptably uncool. “I saw there’s these ghost shows out in the streets, and they act out fights and stuff. Let’s go! Can you imagine, ghosts smashing the crap out of each other? Sick, right?” Right…? Except could ghosts do that, given that they were ghosts? But they were ghosts dealing with other ghosts. “Do you reckon ghosts can touch other ghosts? Either way, it’s either gonna be really cool, or some totally weirdo ghost mime fest. Let’s go!”

13 Oz Spellman Bro time! (tag Henry) 1514 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:05 PM

Double trouble by Stanley O'Malley

It took a long time, but things were finally okay again. Like, a really long time. Stanley was surprised how long Wally stayed mad at him. Almost as surprised as he had been when Wally literally punched him in the face. At first, Stanley didn’t understand why, so his only reaction was to be mad too. So for the first time in their lives, the twins didn’t really talk much or spend time together for a while. But then Stanley got over it - he tended to get over things pretty quickly - but Wally didn’t. And that just didn’t make any sense. He had to remember that Wally felt things very deeply, and while Stanley wasn’t sure why he felt the things he did, Wally was deeply affected by them. It was stuff like that where he was reminded how different they were. Sometimes Stanley just thought of Wally like another Stanley, because they were twins and they did almost everything together. But they were different.

Then, eventually, he found out why Wally was so upset about the way Stanley had treated Valentine. Then Stanley felt bad. Really bad. Between that and how clearly pissed off Bonabelle had been after he and Val broke up, it made Stanley do some thinking about stuff. He tended not to like to do that kind of thinking, because it just made you sad, but this time, he had to do it. And he felt bad, but he deserved it.

But some time had passed now, and things seemed to be okay. Valentine and Bonabelle seemed to be… doing well, so he supposed things were fine, although he did wonder what Wally thought about that but didn’t dare ask him, afraid to bring something bad back up again. Today, it was just fun times with his favorite twin brother. “Got the map?” he asked with a very Stanley smile.

12 Stanley O'Malley Double trouble 1491 0 5

Wally O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:05 PM

Trouble may be right by Wally O'Malley

It took a long time, but things were finally okay again. Wally didn’t like the way Stanley had treated Valentine - or the way Stanley had dated Valentine - but he couldn’t hold onto that grudge forever. Yes, he still had an enormous crush on Valentine, but Stanley was the only brother he was ever going to get, so he forgave him. It just took him a while. At least after he had finally explained why exactly he had been so upset, Stanley seemed to get it. There was a lot of emotional stuff that Stanley just didn’t seem to understand, but he was sharp enough to at least process what you told him. He just didn’t do well to pick it up on his own. And that was okay, because Wally knew that and was used to it. They might have the same parents and the same birthday, but the two boys were not the same by any stretch of the imagination.

They agreed to hang out for the Tumbleweed trip, so that was something. It had been a pretty long time since they did anything just the two of them. Even now that they were hanging out again, they often had Tommy or Theo or some combination, or Gabriel, or they asked Henry and Oz to hang out sometimes as well. So they figured a brothers’ day was overdue.

They were just about set to go, when Stanley asked Wally if he had the map. The Crotalus blinked. “You said you were grabbing one. When Professor Skies passed them out, you told me not to grab one.” He hadn’t actually verbally said it, because the professor was talking, but Stanley had put an arm in front of Wally and taken one himself. “What did you do with the map?”

12 Wally O'Malley Trouble may be right 1492 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:11 PM

Nononono by Stanley O'Malley

At first, Wally only blinked, and Stanley blinked right back. He had forgotten all about that interaction his brother described, but in any case, his hands were now empty, completely devoid of map. “Ah. Right,” he admitted, glancing around at his feet in case he had dropped it and not realized. That wasn’t a great start to his day with his brother. Wally had told him when they talked that he needed Stanley to be less careless, and he wasn’t doing a great job at that so far.

“Ummm…” he fumbled, trying to fill time. He could feel Wally getting annoyed at him. Or maybe he was just imagining it. He wasn’t great at picking up on nonverbal cues, but since he and Wally had their big talk, he was trying to be more aware and felt himself growing (comparatively) hyper vigilant. He really was trying, but sometimes Stanley was just…. Stanley. Forgetful and inconsiderate and dumb. Wally did say there was a difference between “careless” and “carefree” and that Stanley was both and one of them was admirable. But the Pecari wasn’t really sure if he understood the difference. He needed to get it figured out.

“W-well, it’s fine!” he chirped, forcing a grin back to his face as he ran his hand once through his smooth brown hair. “We’ll just wing it, huh?” That was carefree, right? “We totally got this. We don’t need a map. Come on!” And with that, he grabbed Wally by the arm and led the way to their adventure.

12 Stanley O'Malley Nononono 1491 0 5

Wally O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:24 PM

You're alright... for now. by Wally O'Malley

Wally suppressed a sigh. This was very Stanley behavior, and he supposed he should have come to expect it by now, so really maybe the fault was partially on him for not just taking a map anyway. Wally had the clearer head, and usually, the times they got into trouble were when he did what Stanley said.

He tried not to be visibly frustrated, knowing how hard Stanley was trying. Or should have been trying, anyway, since they had a big, honest conversation. They were growing up now, and there were things that they had to get worked out in their habits before they cemented into their adult personalities. Wally loved his brother dearly, but he really hoped he could figure out some common sense in the next couple years. Stanley wasn’t an idiot or anything, but he often stayed in his own little world and didn’t consider how his actions might affect others. A pretty typical young boy trait, in Wally’s opinion, that he had somehow skipped. Maybe Stanley just got all of it in the womb.

He was about to suggest they go back to Professor Skies and grab another copy, but Stanley was already gung-ho to go and grabbing his arm. Wally was physically led forward, and he supposed that meant their adventure was afoot. Hopefully they wouldn’t be able to get too lost, since there would be other students and Sonora staff around Tumbleweed as well. So he supposed it would be okay, although he did wish they had a map.

“Where do you want to go first?” Wally asked as they wandered. Mom was going to take them shopping for the Ball over midterm break, so they didn’t really need to look at dress robes or suits or anything like that, so most likely they would just be wandering around or getting food today. Probably both, many times.

12 Wally O'Malley You're alright... for now. 1492 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:31 PM

Phew! by Stanley O'Malley

Stanley grinned, happy to find that Wally was not (at least, as far as he could tell) getting mad at him yet. That was good. He needed to be good, and be a good brother. He hated not having Wally by his side - it was already lame enough that they had to be in separate Houses, so not having him to hang around with the rest of the time too was total crap. Stanley loved his brother. He wanted to do better.

“Not sure,” the Pecari replied. He hadn’t thought that far ahead, as often was his way. “We could just wander around for a bit, then maybe get some lunch?” Stanley suggested, unbeknownst to him of Wally’s exact train of thought providing the same answer.

“Hey, this ball thing,” Stanley mentioned with an attempt at being casual. “Have you thought much about it? I mean, it’s probably gonna be pretty lame and whatever, but it is the only one we get to go to.” The midsummer events rotated every four years, which meant there had been a ball before they came and there would be one after they graduated. “As students, I mean,” he added. They had come to one or two before when they were little tiny people, back when Mom was on staff. Stanley didn’t remember too much about it other than a lot of bright colors and swishy dresses. But the balls were apparently pretty special, since Mom and Dad had gotten together officially at one of theirs.

“What do you want to do for that? I mean, are you thinking about asking anyone, or do you wanna go stag and loiter?”

12 Stanley O'Malley Phew! 1491 0 5

Wally O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:37 PM

Yes, phew. by Wally O'Malley

Wally cringed internally at the question. Did he want to go to the Ball - their only Ball - with any particular girl? Well, yeah, duh. But Valentine was probably not on the market for a date, especially not a date with him. For one thing, he was the brother of the boy who dumped her. And two, she had, like, a girlfriend apparently now. From what Wally could tell, Valentine and Bonabelle were, like, dating now. And of course, Wally had no problem with girls liking girls - Mom had a cousin who was a boy who liked boys - but when that particular girl was dating a girl, it was sort of a problem for his own personal dating game. (Which, side note, he hated that phrase. Dating wasn’t a “game”, but he didn’t know a better way to think of it. His odds, maybe?)

“I don’t know,” he mumbled, thinking he didn’t really need to say the obvious. “Tommy’s definitely gonna go with Rosalynn, so I had the thought that maybe we could take her roommates so we could all just hang out? But there’s only two of them, so that leaves either you, me, or Theo out, and also one of them is a Brockert.” Wally was a little better at it than Stanley, but he could never remember how closely related they were to whom. Dad’s biological mom (not Grandma Jamie) was a Brockert. “I’m not sure what Theo will want to do though - I haven’t talked to him about it yet.” Maybe the best case scenario was for Stanley to take Lorena, Theo to take Isla, and Wally go hide in bed until the whole darn thing was over so he didn’t have to see Valentine dancing with Bonabelle instead of him.

12 Wally O'Malley Yes, phew. 1492 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:45 PM

Still not super sure about this, though by Stanley O'Malley

Stanley thought for a moment, listening to Wally weigh their options. He talked about it so pragmatically that for a second, Stanley almost forgot all that stuff he was thinking earlier about how deeply and personally Wally felt everything. This was a discussion about love! Kinda. But it was about dates to a school dance! So that was sort of like love, at least when you were fourteen anyway.

“Maybe Theo could take Lavender?” Stanley suggested. “And then we… hope it’s not weird to take Isla. Or we could ask Dad.” That would be a weird conversation to have. Hey Dad, am I distantly enough related to this girl to take her to the ball? But it wasn’t like they had actual romantic interests in her, Stanley and Wally were just trying to find the best way for their group to hang out without anybody being left out of a pair. Was that weird? It was maybe still weird.

They had been walking for a while now, making some sort of crooked or broken loop. Stanley thought they should have gotten back to the same spot they had left from by now, but that was not the case. “Uhhh, do you know where we are now?” he asked Wally nervously. Just then, his stomach gurgled loudly to announce its presence. “Maybe we should try to find a snack. I’d kill for a grilled cheese or something.”

12 Stanley O'Malley Still not super sure about this, though 1491 0 5

Wally O'Malley

October 03, 2021 12:50 PM

Now there may be trouble [TAG: Anyone!] by Wally O'Malley

Wally considered what Stanley said. His brother had a good idea, and it was nice to find a way to include Lavender, although she might want to hang out more with her friend Bonabelle than with them, and then that meant Bonabelle and Valentine might come join their group, and then things just got messy for a thousand and seven different reasons. Plus, it was in fact probably weird for one of them to take Isla. Distant or not, being knowingly related to your date was a bit of an off-putter for an evening.

Stanley stopped walking somewhat abruptly, and Wally narrowly avoided his shoulder colliding with Stanley’s. They had at last wandered enough that Stanley, mapless, did not know where they were anymore. Well, that was quicker than expected. But to be fair, looking around, Wally wasn’t exactly sure either. He combed one nervous hand through his messy black hair and glanced around, although his gaze was stolen back to Stanley when his stomach rumbled so loud that Wally practically felt it. Or maybe that was the twin thing. Wait, was he hungry now too? Ugh.

Wally looked around for something that might point them in the direction of food, but he didn’t see any helpful signs. What he did see was a familiar face from Sonora. Wally’s own stomach now echoed Stanley's stomach’s sentiment. Well, he hated to be the one to approach someone, but he was getting pretty hungry, and he just wanted to find the food as soon as possible. “Come on,” he said to Stanley, heading in the person’s direction.

“Excuse me,” he said very politely. “Can you help us find the food area? We lost our map.”

12 Wally O'Malley Now there may be trouble [TAG: Anyone!] 1492 0 5

Valentine Duell

October 03, 2021 3:40 PM

Hanging out [Lavender] by Valentine Duell

Valentine didn't have any great plans for the trip to Tumbleweed, well at least she didn't have any strong objectives in mind that had to be accomplished while she was there. She and Mama had already went shopping and had found the perfect one. She also had a wonderful girlfriend, now she just needed a boyfriend yet to take to the ball and she'd be good to go. Well, there were always a few accessories and such that would be nice if she could find some, so she'd be looking out for some of those, but they weren't critical.

The main focus of today was to spend some time with Lavender. Val felt really bad, between girlfriend time and clubs and schoolwork(which honestly overlapped quite a bit with girlfriend time) and boyfriend hunting, she hadn't had a lot of spare time for her other friends, and Lavender in particular. So, she had made arrangements to hang out with Lavender a bunch today. That was the main objective, anything else that got accomplished was just a bonus.

Val met up with Lavender before they left and traveled to the Ghost Town with her. She listened to Professor Skies attentively before turning to her friend. She gave Lavender a wide smile, "I don't really have anything that needs to be done, maybe look for some earrings for the ball, possibly find a boy to take to it." She shrugged, "Is there anything you'd like to do here in particular?" She stopped frozen for a moment, "I almost forgot," she resumed. "Ice cream is on the list. At some point we will need to get ice cream."

2 Valentine Duell Hanging out [Lavender] 1490 0 5

Bonabelle Row

October 03, 2021 8:28 PM

I'm looking for trouble. by Bonabelle Row

Bonabelle was left basically alone for today's trip, which she thought was really lame. Of all the times Val could have chosen to hang out with someone other than Bonabelle, she picked the weekend they were going on a trip and could have an ice cream parlor date? Of course, they were still planning to meet up later and Val had not-so-subtly suggested that Bonabelle might be able to use this time boy-hunting (she hadn't said it like that but Bonabelle thought it was an accurate metaphor) so she wasn't supposed to really be alone for long but still. She followed a group of students with no particular group as they headed into town, occasionally splitting off to join other friends they passed by or meeting up with someone else in the loner group. She was stretching herself up from the back of the group, looking around to see if there was anyone she might be able to split off with, when Wally approached her.

She was surprised by the touch but the fact that he was hungry suddenly made a lot more sense. She wondered whether the fact that her normally spiraling hair was not tumbling around her shoulders today but instead pinned up into a bun, meant to protect it from the sudden shift to desert temperatures and humidities. It would also, she thought, give her a better sense of what sort of dresses looked good on her since she thought she'd probably wear her hair up for that. She still wasn't sure if she was actually going to wear a dress but thought she probably would and this was a good time to look, although she hoped Ema might go shopping with her properly over the break.

"I can show you," she told Wally, swallowing a mouthful of nerves and trying to keep a cool expression as she glanced back to the nearest professor to get the nod of approval indicating she could make her way off with the smaller group. She then turned back to the twins, pointed vaguely in the direction she had in mind (having been here before to meet her uncle the first time, she was familiar with some of the town's setup), and led the way. With her nerves well and truly swallowed, she set her mind into a more logical position and focused on the task she had been set: find a boy or boys. Valentine had had mixed thoughts on Stanley but he was one of the only boys Bonabelle actually spoke to so he seemed an easier choice than some. "So, are you both single?"

22 Bonabelle Row I'm looking for trouble. 1488 0 5

Henry Spellman

October 03, 2021 8:59 PM

Brooooo! by Henry Spellman

Henry had been very much in favor of taking the car things but Oz wanted to do floo travel. Since Henry was pretty sure wizards would be bad car mechanics, he wasn't hard to convince and followed after his brother. There was a thrill that rushed through him as he swirled through literal flames and then appeared in a new place but he wasn't sure he could admit to it over the rising feeling of nausea that threatened to come out instead. He satisfied himself with a weak, mildly green smile at his brother before Professor Skies started talking. Henry listened because he was supposed to and because Oz might forget, but he was pretty sure it was all standard stuff anyway.

He smiled as Oz literally bounced around, bumping into him like he'd always done. The idea of ghosts fighting was less appealing than the idea of ghosts reenacting historically significant events from the area . . . he supposed this might actually be one activity that both of the twins could be equally excited about, if for entirely different reasons, and he nodded eagerly.

"I need a brochure thing though," he said, gesturing at one of the tourist boards where there were always like a dozen different ones and he grabbed one titled Battle in Tumbleweed before turning back to his brother. "Can we get something to eat first? I don't feel so good after that," he gestured. He was confident that they were on the same page about not spending the little bit of money they had on anything for the ball, or on any sort of knick knacks that could get stolen or broken or lost or . . . no. Money should be spent on things that were worth spending money on. Speaking of the ball though . . . "Hey . . . are you gonna ask anyone to the ball?"

22 Henry Spellman Brooooo! 1513 0 5

Reighleigh Mae Thorn

October 03, 2021 9:38 PM

This is less lame than most stuff. [Billy] by Reighleigh Mae Thorn

It would have been impossible for Ray not to know that the ball was on almost everyone's mind as they prepared to go to the first Tumbleweed trip of the year. She was pretty sure a stupid dance shouldn't have been the only thing that ever got them out of the school but that's how it worked so that's what they did. She dressed in one of the outfits she always liked to wear but which was usually hidden under her robes - black skull tights under a lace black skater skirt and a purple ACDC shirt, with a black cardigan and yellow converse - and packed a small sling bag with the money her mom had sent her for the trip. Her mother had made it very clear that she was not to use the money on a dress for the ball since she didn't trust that Ray would pick out an appropriate one (which she wouldn't have, by her mother's standards) but that didn't bother her; she had every intention of ruining whatever dress her mother picked out and this meant that she could spend money on more interesting things. She was also pretty sure that Billy basically wouldn't have any money at all so she was happy that she'd have the freedom to buy him stuff or buy them food or something. They'd agreed to meet up - she wasn't totally clear on whether Gus or Oz or anything would be there too maybe - and she was excited to spend time with him outside of the academic world. They were absolutely going to cause trouble and she might even show him how to steal stuff, although his poker face was terrible.

She took the floo (of course) and didn't listen to Professor Skies much (of course) and then found Billy and greeted him with the usual arm punch.

"You ready for this thing?" she asked. "I'm buying, so we're getting food and then we're going to see how you look in bowties and vests because I'm pretty sure it's going to be hilarious. Anything else you'd like to accomplish while we're out?"

22 Reighleigh Mae Thorn This is less lame than most stuff. [Billy] 1525 0 5

Billy Cobb

October 03, 2021 10:10 PM

Around here, or in general over all? by Billy Cobb

Billy was ready for this trip. It was gunna be his first official adventure! Even if it was going to be overseen by teachers and people. Still, he was going to get to leave the school and go somewhere that wasn't back home! He was gunna see some other part of the world, finally! As a bonus he was gunna do it with Ray. This was gunna be a blast! He wasn't entirely sure what the appropriate adventuring attire was, so he stuck with his tried and true overalls and some boots that were only slightly to big by now. They should fit proper soon. Since this was a fancy occasion he figured he should wear a shirt as well, the mostly white one didn't look to bad. He almost forgot to stick his galleon into his pocket. Rumor was that there was stores there.

He debated for a moment or two between the floo and the car. Figuring this was a day for new experiences he chose the floo. He landed on the other side and shook his head to clear it, that'd been a ride alright. He was definitely doing that again! The Professor talked some about stuff and while he was then looking around for Ray, she punched him in the shoulder again. He was starting to wonder if she liked him. "Heck yeah!" he replied with a wider than normal grin. She looked different without the school robes on, something inside him approved. Despite his surroundings, he found it a bit difficult to pull his eyes away from her for some reason.

"You're buyin'? I got money to ya know." He flashed his single galleon that he'd already shown her plenty of times so far. Food sounded great, but her next bit confused him. "Bowties and vests?" He tried to picture it in his head and had to agree, she was probably right. Still, turnabout was fair play. "Alright, I'm game, but..." he paused and everything about him got that mischievous look about him, "We'll have to try you in some dresses as well then." Wait.. wait... wait a minute. That was dance stuff, wasn't it? The mischievous look slid off his face to one of slight confusion. Was? Were they? "Which way is the food?" He finally asked, followed fairly quickly with a question that for some reason seemed to have a hint of hope in it, "We going to the dance thing?"

2 Billy Cobb Around here, or in general over all? 1519 0 5

Oz Spellman

October 03, 2021 10:23 PM

What do male ghost siblings say? by Oz Spellman

“Nerd,” Oz rolled his eyes, grinning and giving the word an affectionate emphasis as Henry collected a pamphlet to explain exactly why the ghosts were hitting the unliving snot out of each other.

Henry suggested food first, which was surprising, because outside food was a treat but the kind of food that ‘settled your stomach’ probably wasn’t ice cream. Buying boring snacks was definitely a waste of money.

“I have an apple. Or bread rolls,” he offered. There had been something about lunch being available at school after the trip, but that meant it was a late lunch, and Oz was basically permanently hungry. This had helped the habit of stuffing food into his pockets to never quite die out, and the idea of going to a tourist trap (where you absolutely did not buy Sustenance Food) had kicked it up a gear. “Sorry, wizards still haven’t worked out packets of salted pretzels,” he shrugged, knowing those were Henry’s favourite. “I would guess ancient wizard ghost dudes are even less likely to have them… Though maybe they have the big squishy kind like in the mall?” The kind that always gave out free samples. Those were good people…

He followed Henry’s lead on direction and food, staring at the town around them. It was weird. It was like, super old and full of ghosts. His head jerked back to Henry though when he asked a surprising question.

“Like-” Like a girl? Except Xavier was in his line of sight, and mom said stuff about not assuming often enough that he was able to quickly switch. “-on a date?” He tried to think about it for a minute but his brain just didn’t want to. “Probably not,” he shrugged. “Are you? Hey, if someone likes you, does that mean they like me too?” He pulled a face. He was all for them being bros again but there were some things he didn’t want to share. “That’s gonna be weird.”

13 Oz Spellman What do male ghost siblings say? 1514 0 5

Reighleigh Mae Thorn

October 03, 2021 10:23 PM

Both. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn

Billy looked at her different, she thought. Or maybe he just looked different. Or maybe she was crazy, but since she definitely wasn't crazy, it must be him. Boys were so weird. Wait . . . Billy was a boy . . .?

She cocked an eyebrow at the idea of trying on dresses for him and wondered what his tastes would be in girls' clothes. Probably not the same as hers. She had a sudden horrifying mental image of a black overall dress with a plaid shirt underneath. It was satisfying to imagine how much her mom would hate it.

"Food's that way," she answered, pointing at random in a direction where a lot of people were going because that seemed likely to be accurate. She hadn't been paying attention and she definitely hadn't grabbed a map. They might have started walking then if Billy hadn't continued. She wasn't entirely sure what he meant to be asking though. This wasn't exactly how she'd imagined being asked to a ball but then, she hadn't really ever imagined going to one. She hadn't even really imagined being friends with someone like Billy. "I think everyone is going, right? Or . . . hey, what do you mean?" she asked, grinning mischievously and raising an eyebrow again to show that she was totally not freaking out because she wasn't.

22 Reighleigh Mae Thorn Both. 1525 0 5

Dorian Montoir

October 03, 2021 11:23 PM

Ghosts of the past (tag Professor Brooding-Hawthorne) by Dorian Montoir

Tumbleweed was… small. It was amazing how, when he had been at Sonora, it had seemed like venturing out into the wide world. Now, having actually done that (in a way where he totally still lived with his school roommate, and had painted as many walls as possible bright yellow—but still), the town had shrunk.

It was a little harder than he had realised it would be to keep the ghosts here at bay. Not the literal ones, who - whilst they did try to attract his attention to come to their establishments or see their shows - seemed content to mind their own business, but his own personal ones. There were a lot of memories of a particular person tied to this place. One who wasn’t in his life any more. Dorian couldn’t say it had been a bad decision, or the wrong one. He felt like he had two families now, or maybe more. He’d finally settled into believing that he was not one misstep away from earning Lilac’s displeasure. His relationship with his Mama and Émilie was… well, not the same as when he’d lived at home, nor when he’d been at school. But it felt like the difference was down to where he was in life, not what he was. He saw them often. His dad sometimes too. And he had Vlad. Vlad suited him much better than Jean-Loup ever had. He just wished he could have got to that point without hurting someone good, or could know that it had worked out for the best for both of them… He liked to think that if he’d never dated Jean-Loup, then Jean-Loup wouldn’t have broken out of the rigid role set down by his parents. He liked to think he was better off having done that. But sometimes he felt like he’d pulled him away from the life he had only to abandon him.

Dorian also had Professor Brooding-Hawthorne. He’d seen her a number of times since graduating, but he wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to do it again. It was a challenge, when she spent so much of her life in a boarding school. Even if she was technically freer to leave than the students, it wasn’t always that easy.

She had flood him to tell him about where in town she’d be assigned, and he waited there, having snagged a bench in the shade. Next to him, sat a tea tray. It was the large, boxy kind used in gongfu tea culture, with an inbuilt box for draining the excess water into. Of course, he could vanish the water, and would do so afterwards, but the aesthetic and the movements were part of the experience.

He leapt up with all the usual excitement when Professor Brooding-Hawthorne (no, he was not going to ever relax into calling her by her personal name, though he would settle on an affectionate ‘Prof’ for short) appeared.

“It’s good to see you!” he grinned, hugging her and bouncing at the same time. “How are you? Tea?” he offered, gesturing back at his seat. He levitated the tray with his wand to make space for both of them to sit. “You tell me your news whilst I make it.” He began conducting with his wand, first pouring boiling water into the pot, and then having it tip itself into the cups to warm everything up, before adding the tea. There was another brief splash of water, to awaken the tea leaves, and this too was poured away, before he really put the water in to steep with. Occasionally, he caught a passing student who he recognised glancing his way, and he gave them a smile or a nod. He did not often feel like he was very grown up. Legally, he was a grown up. But he wasn’t like… a grown up grown up. However, sitting looking at the students, and conducting rather complex and fancy magic like it was just an act of every day life, he felt a little bit like one.

“Et voila—ni de chá,” he said, passing a small steaming cup of bright, clear greenish-yellow liquid to Professor Brooding-Hawthorne.

13 Dorian Montoir Ghosts of the past (tag Professor Brooding-Hawthorne) 1401 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 04, 2021 5:08 PM

I think we've all found it! by Stanley O'Malley

At first, Stanley was a little miffed at Wally because he was super lame, and Stanley was a manly man who did not ask for directions. He wasn’t sure why, but he’d seen it on enough Muggle TV shows when he’d had the chance, and the stereotype had ingrained itself in his young, impressionable brain. But then - “Wally, don’t!” he urged through his teeth - he realized who exactly his brother had, clearly without intention, approached.

To be fair, Bonabelle had been facing the other way, and she had her hair up, which she didn’t really do very often. Actually, it looked kinda cute. But that was besides the point, because Stanley was maybe slightly afraid of her. He didn’t really think Bonabelle would ever do anything to him, but after being as mad as she had been when he and Valentine broke up, he was pretty sure that if anything did ever happen to him, she’d be the number one suspect. On his most paranoid days, he carried a note in his pocket that said Bonabelle did it, just in case he ever turned up floating in the MARS water room.

Surprisingly, she was pretty cool about showing them the way, and she started to turn to lead them. Then, she dropped a nuke.

Had Stanley already acquired a beverage and snack, one or both of them would have likely flown out his nose at that question. “Wha-!” he half-shrieked before he could compose himself. He could see Wally too had gone stiff, and looked even paler than usual. “I, uh, yeah, we are?” And then Idiot Stanley returned, and before he could help it, he asked, “Why?”

OOC: I can go again if you want, but I think it probably makes more sense to do one post per author back and forth, and I'll just trade off on who's the perspective character as it flows. If you want Wally to do something next, though, let me know in Chatzy.

12 Stanley O'Malley I think we've all found it! 1491 0 5

Billy Cobb

October 04, 2021 9:02 PM

Am I included in that? by Billy Cobb

"Great!" Billy exclaimed when Ray pointed the way to the food and took a few steps in the direction before he realized Ray was answering his other question, but not moving at all. He turned back to face her with a bit of a confused look on his face. He hadn't really been listening to the announcements and all of the talk since then hadn't really focused on whether or not attendance was mandatory. Frankly, other than the fact that it was happening, he hadn't given it much thought. She had that smile again though. That usually meant fun times and probably trouble. He mirrored it back to her.

"Well," he drawled out a bit slowly, "If everyone's gotta go, I can't really think of anyone else better to go with than you." He gave her a wink. "It could mebbe be fun, you jus' never know." Now his mind was beginning to churn, what sort of shenanigans could they pull off at a fancy dance party thing? He'd bet his galleon that Ray already had some ideas. "How 'bout we go find that food, and figgure out some details?" He waggled his own eyebrows at her. "Then I guess we'd better see about what sort o' fancy duds we can find."

Wearing fancy stuff didn't really sound like the most exciting thing in the world, but if they were going to go to the thing, and maybe cause some trouble, it'd be best if they blended in somewhat. Plus, if Ray was wearing one of them big floofy dresses that the storybook pictures had of balls, who knows what they might be able to get into the dance unnoticed! There was probably all sorts of space under there! This might just be fun after all.

2 Billy Cobb Am I included in that? 1519 0 5

Annabelle Pierce

October 05, 2021 10:24 AM

Ann & Ann Apparel by Annabelle Pierce

In Tumbleweed's town hall, a variety of vendors had set up shop in an impromptu market. Ann & Ann Apparel had rented one of the booths for the day. This wasn't exactly one of their main venues (high end fashion not generally being associated with ghost town frontiers), but it was ball year for Sonora, and once they heard the school was planning a trip down for that weekend, they'd hurried to secure a spot. Ball years were always good for business, and this year it was particularly important to get out and be seen.

Annette wasn't showing yet, so Annabelle hadn't been required to do anything to prove they were two proper young ladies who were very definitely Not Pregnant. The only concession they'd had to make was that one of the water bottles they kept behind their table for hydration in the desert heat was subtly marked and actually contained an anti-nausea potion that Annette would take a sip from every now and then. They also had a bowl of crackers set on their table, ostensibly to draw in hungry potential customers looking for a free snack, but also giving Annette something to munch on if she got peckish. Annabelle enjoyed a few as well.

The stall's banner advertised their business as Ann & Ann Apparel, and they had photographs of some of the dresses and robes and jewelry they had designed and sold for past balls. A few dresses and jewelry items were also on display to give an idea of the range of products they sold. They primary catered to the wealthy elite, but especially with the simpler jewelry, they did try to offer items that the middle classes could afford as well. They had a well developed line of simple silver and gold chains that could be used as either necklaces or bracelets, depending on length, and a wide selection of charms to add to them: monograms, a whole name, a favorite animal, a heart shaped locket, or a semi-precious gem.

The two women behind the table had the same face, but weren't hard to tell apart. Annabelle herself was dressed in one of the more simple looking dresses they had for sale, her hair done up in a fancy updo, and an emerald necklace hugging close to her throat that accented the Sonora green of her dress very nicely. She was going for an understated elegant look, and felt she was pulling off very nicely.

Annette looked much more professional in a brown skirt and a white blouse. A fitted green blazer that matched Annabelle's dress brought them together as a pair visually without sacrificing their individual styles. Annette's brown hair fell to her shoulders, loose and straight. She wore less make-up than Annabelle had and her necklace was just a simple gold chain with the letter A on it.

"Hello," Annabelle called out, as one of the Sonora students approached their booth. "Looking for something to wear to the ball this year, or perhaps an accessory? We do custom designs, so if you don't see exactly what you are looking for on display, we can probably accommodate you."

1 Annabelle Pierce Ann & Ann Apparel 246 0 7

Reighleigh Mae Thorn

October 05, 2021 1:36 PM

I guess you're not too lame. by Reighleigh Mae Thorn

OOC: Time jump approved by Billy's author. BIC:

So Ray was going to the ball with Billy and it was kind of by default because he couldn't think of anyone else to go with. It wasn't too offensive to think about because she couldn't think of anyone she'd rather go with either, if she was going to go with anyone at all. They were going to go shopping together now and that was a weird thought. She'd been way more careful with food than usual as a result, not wanting sticky fingers as she sorted through items.

They'd picked a shop with a selection of items for all genders. There were an annoying number of classmates here and Ray made a point of glaring at anyone who made her feel self-conscious, just to make sure they knew to knock it off. Most of the dresses here were the sort that would make her mom especially happy and she grimaced at the idea until she realized she could make it into a joke. Grabbing a pink one with a high neck and flowy sleeves, Ray held it up in front of her.

"What do you think? Do I look ridiculous yet? My mom would love it," she snickered. Then, noticing the nearby items, she grabbed a pink bowtie and held it up to Billy's neck. "Hmm, I'm not sure that's your color." But maybe if it were blue or green . . . well, he wouldn't look awful in a bowtie. "What do you actually want to wear?" she said like she didn't care at all. "If we're going to go together, we should probably sell it and match or something, right?"

22 Reighleigh Mae Thorn I guess you're not too lame. 1525 0 5

Bonabelle Row

October 05, 2021 2:10 PM

Perfect! by Bonabelle Row

Bonabelle raised her eyebrow at Stanley. Okay, so they weren't best friends, but it didn't seem like she'd asked a question that was so next level weird that he should freak out about it. Perhaps it was just his stupid tendency to want all the attention ever. He seemed to recover with a surprising degree of intelligence as he followed up with a better question and Bonabelle sighed to herself, relieved that she'd have a chance to explain herself.

"Valentine and I would like to date a boy, together or each. For the ball at least." She shrugged, not wanting to push it beyond that since she suspected they'd need a moment to think. "I'm supposed to be trying to find candidates." She wrinkled her nose then though, thinking that Val probably would have preferred she ask it differently. "She's the romantic one, obviously," she huffed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she considered Stanley. Wally had never been particularly interesting, although he wasn't all bad and certainly more pleasant than his brother, but Stanley drew her attention without her having any say in that happening. She stopped outside the first food place they got to and gestured at it.

"I haven't kissed a boy but I think I could if we needed to test that out before you agree to go with us, if you want to," she decided.

OOC: If you want Stanley or Wally to say anything between Bonabelle's comments, let me know and I can edit.

22 Bonabelle Row Perfect! 1488 0 5

Stanley O'Malley

October 05, 2021 7:31 PM

Perfect, huh? by Stanley O'Malley

There were plenty of opportunities to interject - and in fact, Stanley was usually the king of interruption - but this time, he remained silent. He was absolutely and completely dumbstruck. Date a boy? Together or each? Look, Stanley knew a couple people who were not straight, so he wasn’t too shocked that Valentine and Bonabelle were dating each other. But he had definitely never heard of dating a boy while dating a girl. That raised some questions. What was considered cheating? Did you get to have one boyfriend and one girlfriend and everything was square?

Bonabelle spoke about boys (“candidates” she called them) and kissing so clinically that it almost didn’t sound fun anymore. Still, the Pecari had to admit, he did kinda like the idea of kissing her. He didn’t like it as much as he feared her, though.

Then he had another thought. If Bonabelle and Val both wanted to date boys - and it didn’t have to be one boy between them - then maybe this could work out. If Stanley dated Bonabelle, then the easiest and best solution to fill things out was that Wally would get to date Valentine!

A grin broke out onto his face. “Okay!” he said. Then he grabbed her, and in the next moment, unless she broke away, Bonabelle would find herself being dipped and kissed, perhaps a bit clumsily, by a boy who (among other things) did so to help his brother get to kiss a cute little blonde.

12 Stanley O'Malley Perfect, huh? 1491 0 5

Alexei Vorontsov

October 05, 2021 10:08 PM

I am also outside the shops. by Alexei Vorontsov

Tumbleweed was, in Alexei's opinion, a fun word to say. Tumble-weed. Tummm-bull-weeed. Tummlewed? It was two words made into one, with sounds that sort of tumbled around in one's mouth like smooth stones.

It also, it turned out, had a meaning beyond either 'a town name' and 'a mashup of two other words' - it also meant something like 'broken-off dry plant...stuff that forms into a ball in the wind and rolls around.' This seemed to Alexei to be a very, very specific term to have, which made him wonder just how many of those things were in this area, and how many he might see while he was outside of the school.

Setting foot in Tumbleweed the town, he didn't immediately spot any tumbleweeds the ground things, though he was admittedly distracted for a moment by concern for his roommate, who looked like the Floo had not agreed with him. "All okay, Xavier?" he said mildly. "Floo is very dizzy, no?"

Professor Skies had things to say, which meant Alexei had things to listen politely to, his grey eyes fixed on her, smiling faintly to look like he enjoyed listening. He was actually fairly neutral on the topic, but Katya and Tatya agreed that sometimes Americans might think someone was sullen or absent-minded just for looking neutral. Tatya, however, had shrugged this off more than Katya; he thought it was something to do with how Katya's English was better than Tatiana's, so she could focus on her face and listening at the same time. Alexei was even better, he thought, than Katya, but he remembered too Tatya's advice for going out into the world: if you have trouble, Alyosha, just blame stupid English.

He wasn't sure it would work as well for him as for Tatiana, since he did put in the effort to speak and write correctly instead of just comprehensibly, but it came to mind along with Tatiana herself as he looked around: some of the lady ghosts floating around had hats and ornaments that reminded him of his sister, though he had a feeling, somehow, that some of theirs might have been more...brassy...than his sister's when their owners had still been alive. It was hard to say why when everything was hardly more than tinted air, but he had spent his whole life around women who glittered when they walked, so he trusted his instincts on these things.

They were released into the world, and he floated after other people more than with them, listening particularly to historical ghosts, to the extent he understood them. Some of them spoke with accents he wasn't familiar with, or with old-fashioned English vocabulary he didn't know. Eventually, however, he determined he ought to float along with other people, lest he get in trouble; easy enough to talk his way out of it probably by being very enthusiastic about American history, but easier to avoid it.

He was interested, he supposed, in seeing what American shopping was like, too, but only mildly so. He didn't need to buy robes, and it never would have occurred to him to look at clothes just for pleasure, so he might have wandered right past that shop had he not suddenly heard his name coming from in front of it.

"Iris," he said, remembering just in time to pronounce it in a way that felt wrong. The flower, in Russian, was ee-ris, not ai-ris, but she wasn't a Russian flower, was she? She was not, and therefore ought to have her name pronounced as closely to how she said it as he could get his mouth around. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't ee-ris, either, which he felt was...better than nothing, anyway. "Hello. Uh - yes, if you want?" He was surprised by the inquiry. "Would you want help to find them? Who do we look for?"

16 Alexei Vorontsov I am also outside the shops. 1531 0 5