<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
May 10, 2012 9:30 PM
Game One: Crotalus vs Teppenpaw by <font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
As she was looking over her notes of Sonora's past few Quidditch seasons, Coach Amelia Pierce had noticed that she had, at some point, fallen victim to an alphabetical bias to put Aladren on the pitch first. Having made this discovery, she immediately eliminated the Hawks as one of her options for the first two teams to play.She also decided not to have Pecari go first since their roster was the last to come in, and she wasn't above petty retaliation for its tardiness.
That left Crotalus and Teppenpaw to play first, and she vaguely wondered if maybe she should make a habit of putting the two finalists up against each other during the next year's elimination rounds. It had shaken things up nicely last year, even if she would have preferred for her own house to make it further than they had.
She couldn't think about that today, though, because she needed to remain impartial while Crotalus played Teppenpaw. With Marissa Stephenson's graduation, Captain Melcher was now the most experienced captain leading her team and Crotalus would be fielding an untried Seeker. It was, Amelia thought with forced impartiality, going to be anybody's game. Neither team had won a game last year. Crotalus would be looking to redeem themselves. Teppenpaw would be even more eager to prove that they could win at all.
It was also anybody's game in beautiful weather. Amelia paused briefly to enjoy the warm sunlight, then continued carrying the trunk of Quidditch balls out to the center of pitch. The two teams were already gathered in clumps, listening to their captains' pre-game speeches. She gave them as much time as they needed, then called the two captains over.
"Today, we have Captain Kirstenna Melcher leading Teppenpaw and Captain Sam Bauer leading Crotalus. Please shake hands." After they had done so and returned to their respective teams, Amelia continued as she released first the snitch, then the bludgers, "Goals are worth ten points. Game ends when the snitch is caught, which is worth 150 points. Game begins with my whistle. Let's keep it clean, folks. On three." She picked up the Quaffle and readied to throw it into the air. "One. Two. Three. Tweet!" She blew into her whistle and tossed the Quaffle as high as she could.
She picked up her own broom and followed the balls and the players into the sky.
OOC:
Quidditch rules and FAQs are available on the wiki. As always, minimum posting length applies, and clear detailed posts help everyone understand what is going on. Any additional questions should be asked on the OOC board. Have fun, folks!
Subthreads: Let's go, Crotalus! by <font color="red">Captain Sam Bauer, Chaser</font> with <font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>, <font color=yellow>Marcus Crosby, Chaser</font>, <font color = red>Renée Errant {Chaser}</font>, <font color=yellow>Derry Four, Beater</font>
Gulp. by <font color="red">Cepheus Princeton, Seeker</font> with <font color="red">Gareth Whitebriar-Beater </font>
Let's win this time! by <font color=yellow>Captain Kirstenna,Keeper</font>
From the Bench by <font color=yellow>Brielle Thornton,Reserve</font>
Recentering and Recap by <font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font> with <font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>, <font color="yellow">Kate Bauer, Seeker</font>, <font color="red">Paul Bennett, Reserve</font>
1
<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
Game One: Crotalus vs Teppenpaw
20
<font color=silver>Coach Amelia Pierce</font>
1
5
<font color=yellow>Arista Thornton, Chaser</font>
May 21, 2012 1:10 AM
We'll see about that! by <font color=yellow>Arista Thornton, Chaser</font>
Arista wanted nothing more than to win this game for Teppenpaw, for Kirstenna, for HER too even. She’d tried to take a shot on the hoops, but by the sounds of it her attempt didn’t go in. She’d dodged Topher’s first Bludger shot and flew a bit around to lose it. She saw some of the rest of the game around her and wondered whether the Snitch would be caught soon. Part of her hoped it would and that it would be Kate that got it.Kate was a good seeker, the problem was the Snitch didn’t always want to be found! The all too familiar sound caught her ear once again, but by the time she realized what was going on around her she couldn’t move all the way. The black Bludger didn’t catch her in the chest or ribs like it could have, instead it only nicked her right hand. She dropped a few feet in the air before she regained control of the broom once more and flew back upwards.
Some people wouldn’t have had any reaction to the Bludger hit like that, lightly or hard, by the ball. But Arista had problems with her wrist to begin with. The throbbing pain which started in her tendonitis-ed wrist from the hit got sharp, then dulled, but got sharp again. It wasn’t going to stop her from playing though. Ris knew that it wasn’t broken as she could move her arm and wrist, but it was all in the tendon.
Arista heard Brielle shout her name and she glanced towards her chalk white sister and shouted back, “I’m FINE!” she flew on, even though she felt like crying.
Just as suddenly as she’d gotten hit by the last Bludger, she heard another one and dodged it altogether by dropping a few feet and then circling around it straying a little bit higher in the air. She watched the game as she flew above it to see if she could spot the Quaffle again and go after it.
She spotted the red ball in Sam’s hands and pushed her broom as fast as it would go so she’d beat him and intercept his pass. The broom flew fast and quietly as she’d practiced hundreds of times with her sisters and flew up out of nowhere again to retrieve the ball instead of his fellow red robed Chasers and she flew right back towards Nic’s side of the Pitch. Veering in any direction she could to avoid red-robed anyones, she held tightly to the ball and kept her eyes out for her fellow yellow clad Chasers to pass to.
Finally spotting an opening with one of the boys, she flew close to them and practically handed the Quaffle to them to avoid an interception to the best of her ability and flew nearby them so that they could pass too. Her hand hurt, but she wouldn’t forgo a pass for it.
Never.
Arista Rose Thornton was a winner and always had been, nobody would stop it, not even Crotalus House!
0
<font color=yellow>Arista Thornton, Chaser</font>
We'll see about that!
0
<font color=yellow>Arista Thornton, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>
May 22, 2012 10:50 AM
Hmm, nice try by <font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>
Linus felt like cheering as his pass went neatly to plan; Sam caught it and continued to carry the Quaffle up the pitch. They were finally functioning well as a team – for some reason it had taken them longer to master this game than usual, but Linus was secretly getting an increasing suspicion that Teppenpaw didn’t stand a chance. This feeling swelled yet further as he witnessed a Tepp Beater aim a Bludger ay Sam, only to be thwarted soon thereafter by Topher. Yes, everything was going their way.Instantly, he reminded himself not to have such damning thoughts mid-game, for just as he’d convinced himself that all was well, Linus watched in horror as the girl Tepp Chaser stole the ball mid-pass. Infidel! That most certainly was not part of the plan, and the third year couldn’t help but feel like his optimistic thought process has sorely tempted fate to defy him, and so he felt some inexplicable responsibility for the breakdown in Crotalus’ Chasing volley. This self-blame was undoubtedly the reason he rapidly curtailed his goalpost-wards journey, spinning his broomstick round to follow after Arista and prevent her from causing any further damage. The very small part of his brain currently engaged in rational thought spared a moment to hope she didn’t try to carry the Quaffle too far; that would make it all the more difficult for him to redeem Crotalus’ loss.
Luckily, she didn’t seem to want to make an inspired dash the full length of the pitch, and it wasn’t too long before she seemed about to pass. The only trouble was that she was hedging her bets against interception by drawing far too close for comfort to her fellow Chaser. Normally this would have put any sane person off trying to steal the ball. Maybe it was his sense of responsibility; maybe it was Renée starting to rub off on him, or maybe it was some other peculiar reason to do with honor and team spirit. Whatever the reason, Linus didn’t feel the inclination to draw away. He was getting ever closer; from a distance it would no doubt look like he was on a collision course, although the last thing he wanted right now was to commit a foul and offer a free throw to the opposition.
He knew he should back off – wanted to, even – but Arista was about to make the pass. She lifted the Quaffle, it left her hand, and without any conscious decision, Linus urged his broom forward, coming breathtakingly close to sandwiching himself between two Teppenpaw Chasers. The very tip of the handle of his broom nudged the Quaffle just slightly, but at a coincidentally perfect angle, bouncing the ball backwards, sending it flying mere millimetres past Linus’ cheekbone. On reflex, he jerked his broom to halt its progress, and flung out his right arm, nearly unseating himself in the process, but successfully palming the Quaffle. Then, after what felt like an eternity but was really only one second of fumbling, he managed to gain a firm grip of the leather ball. Barely believing his luck in what had to be the most spectacular fluke of his life so far, Linus dropped his broom a couple of feet as he set about turning back to face the proper direction once more.
He dimly registered that his heart was thumping faster than usual, no doubt due to the adrenaline coursing through him following his uncharacteristic desperate fight for the Quaffle. He didn’t mind; his body could probably use the extra kick to help him accomplish his task of passing the ball on to another Crotalus player (and, ultimately, to go bother Kirstenna with it). So having made back up the ground they’d lost to Arista, Linus, still giddy from the excitement of moments ago, lined himself up to pass to one of his teammates.
At the most opportune moment to his humble reckoning, the third year Chaser drew his right arm back, cradling the Quaffle in his well-practised fingertips, and made what looked as though it might be yet another clean, neat pass. He might not be skilled at fancy or elaborate feints and throws, but nobody could deny he had a good throwing arm, and if that was the most that could be said for him as a Chaser, then so be it. Of course, after his last reclaim of the ball, anyone spectating might have been fooled into believing that was down to some previously hidden talent, and that couldn’t hurt his image. Even Sam, with whom Linus would be more honest, couldn’t deny that he’d been successful in recapturing the Quaffle and, fluke or not, that had to work in Linus’ favour.
Maybe he wouldn’t get kicked off the team after all. He had already begun to idly look at broomsticks in the assorted Quidditch magazines that lay around the common room, fantasizing about which of them he would own if he survived another year on the Crotalus team’s starting line up. He was sure his family had sufficient funds to afford him a relatively decent broom without causing too much damage to his prospects of going to college (Did wizards go to college? Linus assumed they must, as they engaged in regulated professions such as teaching and Healing, but he’d yet to research the topic to know for sure. He’d remember to add it to his to-do list after the game). The school brooms had served him well up until now but, Linus considered as he looked to see whether his pass had successfully made it into the hands of one of his teammates, it would be pleasant to have one that was all his own.
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<font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>
Hmm, nice try
0
<font color="red">Linus Macaulay, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
May 22, 2012 5:16 PM
Inadequate, though. by <font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
Sam had seen the Bludger coming, and been tensed to try to avoid or take it, when then, Topher had appeared and sent it back toward the Teppenpaws. That it hadn’t hit anyone was not, he thought, terribly important compared to the demonstration of how on the ball the Crotalus players were. Some of them – maybe even all of them; he didn’t think he had been, too much, but if he knew everything about his subconscious, it would just be his conscious, which would kind of defeat the whole point – had, he figured, been a little arrogant when they came out of the gate, not taking Teppenpaw seriously enough to put together a good game, but now they were back on form and the game was theirs….…At least until he passed, and that Thornton chick got in the way again. Sam made a face in frustration, pushing away momentary fantasies of just crashing into her, since his Beaters were apparently finding her difficult to flatten. That would just earn Teppenpaw a free shot, and he wasn’t going to do that, no matter how much Nic had improved. It was the principle of the thing, after all.
He flew after her, too, looking for a chance to intercept, and saw Linus doing the same thing. When he saw how she was playing it, though, he expected the younger guy to come to the same conclusion about how likely they were to get it this time that he himself was coming to: that it was time to withdraw, let Topher hopefully handle it and catch the ball as it fell if all went as he’d like and get it in the next interception if it didn’t. They were, after all, neither of them exactly on the best brooms available, and a crash would probably hurt them as much as it did the other guys unless it was just between them and one of the little ones, with that still not being exactly a desirable situation.
Instead, Linus spontaneously decided he was an Aladren and made one of the craziest-looking interceptions Sam had ever seen in the game, a move that, seemingly miraculously, ended with Linus holding the ball and Sam laughing out loud at what he imagined the expressions on the Teppenpaw players’ faces were, feeling a little feverish himself with the triumph of it all. Maybe the Crotalus Chasers weren’t the terrifying force they had once been, but they did still have their moments, damn right they did.
He worked to concentrate again, but still had a vaguely smile-like expression as his mind continued to giggle when Linus made the pass – nice and simple, but strong; that could work as well as anything else – and Sam snatched the ball out of the air and they continued their progress toward Kirstenna. Two more moves, maybe three, and he thought they’d have it; he flew further and faster than he might have normally, noting that they only had one Beater to deal with down here now, before closing as much of the distance between another Crotalus and himself as he felt safe doing and using both hands to toss the ball in an arc, making it harder to intercept from below. They had this one; he could feel it in his bones that they had this one. With a pair of crazies playing with him and maybe rubbing off on him before it was over, how, exactly, were they supposed to lose?
Except, maybe, for those Seekers, which at the moment, having swung so quickly from frustrated to delighted, Sam wasn't thinking much of. Other things were on his mind just now.
16
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
Inadequate, though.
163
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
0
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Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
May 22, 2012 11:35 PM
I trust that this is adequate? by Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Arista had done it again. She’d intercepted Crotalus’s pass of the Quaffle and then once more, passed it herself. The fifth year sent it a few feet towards one of her fellow yellow-robed Chasers, but not even a mili-second later Linus was between her and whichever of her fellow Teppenpaw Chasers was there, AND he had the red Quaffle!She was so mad she could have spit (if she didn’t already know that it wasn’t exactly lady-like to spit, anyway)! “You’ve gotta be kidding me?!” She mumbled as she inwardly roared in anger. Linus sandwiched himself in between herself and whichever yellow robed Chaser she’d been trying to pass to and the tip of his broom handle nudged the Quaffle. The ball bounced backwards and right towards him! What the-! she thought to herself as he flung out his arm and brought the Quaffle right into his hand with what looked like a firm grip. Linus dropped a few feet on his broom and turned around to go back towards Kirstenna again. That’s what you think… she thought as she dropped a few feet too and rocketed after him. Arista trailed him until about the point where she’d gotten the Quaffle back herself and saw that Linus was lining up to pass again!
The red-robed boy drew his arm back and Arista watched with anticipation of her chance to get the ball back in her court. Linus passed and Sam snatched the Quaffle right out of the air before she got to it. Damnit! she thought as Sam flew fast away from her, but his speed wasn’t going to be something that stopped her! The Crotalus Captain threw the Quaffle in an arc above most of their heads. Sure, Arista had been a few feet below Crotalus’ Chaser, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t override the tendency to have trouble intercepting the red ball.
Arista swept upwards through the crowd of players and swiped the Quaffle right out of its arc and pulled it tightly into her chest so she wouldn’t and couldn’t lose it.
GOT IT! she said triumphantly to herself and leaned into her broom speeding upwards into the air and turning back around to be headed in Nic’s direction at the Crotalus hoops.
She didn’t want to make the mistake of trying to pass and then losing it, but she also didn’t want to be as if she thought she had to roll the whole game on her own either. Her mind flew fast, almost as fast as her broom did to cross over the center line.
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
I trust that this is adequate?
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Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
0
5
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
May 22, 2012 11:44 PM
AND this is better, still! by Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Arista crossed the center line and forced her broom forward, faster and faster so that everything around her was blurry to her eyes. I can do this. I can help get a win for Teppenpaw, FINALLY the whole of Sonora will know what we Teppenpaws can do! she thought to herself as she pushed herself faster and faster, closer and closer to the goal in front of her. It was like a carrot dangling on a wire in front of a horse who was training to ride with a rider on top of them.The win was Arista’s carrot and she would get it. Her life and happiness depended on it!
She didn’t care personally if the win was all because of her or just part, she just wanted more than anything to be a part of a winning team finally! In the five years she’d been on the team they hadn’t won once and she was determined to change that luck. Today it would change!
Period.
Nobody could change that, not nobody, not no-how. she thought, just as the Wizard of Oz had said in the movie titled the same name. Arista shook her head at the realization of what she had just thought of. Who am I? Brielle? she thought to herself as she chuckled. She felt like she’d channeled her younger sister and wasn’t too sure how to go about taking that information. She normally didn’t come up with things like that, that was more B’s line of fun than hers.
Oh well. With a shrug, the 16 year old red-headed Oregonian flew passed a few blurs of red and yellow, but didn’t stop through the couple of football lengths of the Pitch. She knew it was crazy, but she didn’t want to take the chance that someone would intercept her chances again. Especially since it looked like Linus and Sam were already reading her ways of playing. It wasn’t that Arista didn’t trust Marcus or Solomon, because she did. It was more along the lines of the fact that she didn’t want an interception by Crotalus before Teppenpaw had another chance to get points!
She wove her way this way and that and managed to finally (in a roundabout way) make it to Nic and Crotalus’ hoops. She feigned a shot in the center hoop, then the one on her left before actually shooting the red ball fast and hard at the hoop on her right!
She didn’t hang around to watch if her shot went in, but she circled behind and down before steeling herself for a catch of the ball as it hopefully fell through the hoop.
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
AND this is better, still!
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
0
5
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
May 23, 2012 2:23 AM
...Nah, still inadequate, sorry by <font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
Ha, Topher had thought, if not with complete satisfaction, when the Bludger had made some contact with his irritant of the moment. He had been aiming for her entire arm, but would take messing her hand up as a start. He could break it the next time she got in the way, then hit a joint in the other arm on the next hit if she still didn't get the hint, and then Teppenpaw would either suck more than it already did or they would pull her and replace her with whichever of her somewhat interchangeable, to his not-really-into-clannish-redheads mind, sisters was playing reserve, in which case...Teppenpaw would still suck more than it already did. It was a win-win for him, really.And it would, if the game went on long enough, happen, or something like it; he was being facetious about the details, and would truly be shocked and honestly a little weirded out if it did play out exactly that way, but it was an article of faith with him that sooner or later, the luck of every single player on the field ran out, and ran out in more interestingly violent ways for those who didn't have bats. Look at Arnold Carey; man had been unstoppable, regardless of injuries, for three years, only to be beaten by a firstie Topher was pretty sure had been on a school broom while he wasn't even really beat up enough to make the girls all upset. Luck was fickle; luck smiled at a guy, or girl, one minute, then turned bad and kept smiling while the same person got struck by lightning the next. She'd been lucky so far today, but sooner or later, if she kept playing, she was gonna get her head knocked off by somebody. It was just a matter of time.
She dodged his next Bludger, but the ball quickly moved back into Crotalus possession thanks to some truly crazy stunt work by Linus, then went from Limus to Sam, and then -
Ah, curses. She had it again. If the Seeker game had not, at a quick glance, looked pretty intense, Topher would have considered signaling Gareth to come over so they could gang up on her, deal with the problem more directly than philosophy could, but the other Beater looked pretty busy, especially since Derry had appaently decided someone needed to look after his girl and try to take out Crotalus' boy.
Instead, then, Topher took a long shot at her, made a face as the Bludger went just enough off-course to miss her, went after it, began bouncing it in front of him, thinking to make his move from a closer position, and -
Topher's eyes widened when he saw what she was going to try. Sam was probably going to eviscerate him for this, if Nic didn't decide to help a busy roommate out and do it while Sam was doing whatever it was prefects did. In a last, desperate play for the preservation of his entrails, Topher pulled his bat back and slammed it into the Bludger as she headed down, aiming to hit her hard as she tried being sneaky about playing the ball twice this time.
Hit or no hit, though, he was determined of one thing: if Nic got the ball to pass it back to Crotalus, she wasn't going to intercept it. If she came back up, it would be after going through him, which wouldn't be easy with him getting right in her way even if he didn't have a Bludger on hand to hit her with. He was functionally an only child, which made him think it was likely that the birthday present his parents could occasionally spend on went faster than whatever her folks could afford for one kid when there were at least three or four other kids playing the same game.
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
...Nah, still inadequate, sorry
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
0
5
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
May 23, 2012 5:17 PM
We'll see about that. by Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
Kirstenna cheered silently when Arista got the Quaffle. The fifth year seemed even more determined today than she herself was. That was a good thing, really. Most of the other teams seemed to prize themselves for their win at all costs behavior, which the sixth had always felt was just a tad bit obnoxious. Kirstenna hated how cocky people got and while she ran all the necessary drills with her team, to make sure they were at their very best, she wasn't mean to them.Still, she did really did want them to win. It was just that the Keeper didn't want to become something that she hated. Kirstenna already felt like she was beginning to change in that direction and she didn't like it one little bit. The Teppenpaw was sure that it was a ploy of the Imposter's. She didn't put anything past that woman.
Kirstenna watched as Linus took the Quaffle from Arista in what appeared to be a completely sneaky maneuver that she could only hope lead to a foul and a penalty shot. She couldn't help enjoying it if Crotalus shot themselves in the foot like that. Which made her somewhat hate herself, taking joy in the misery of others. It was just that Kirstenna was so blasted sick of everyone being down on Teppenpaw. That they were weak, that they sucked. People often made that mistake, taking kindness for weakness. She wanted to correct that assumption.
The Quaffle changed hands once again as Linus handed it off to Sam and then Arista intercepted it again and made for the other side of the pitch where Nic was tending the Crotali goals. Kirstenna really had to hand it to the fifth year, she was certainly doing her job today. As much as the Captain was loathe to admit it, because she didn't believe in treating people differently from each other-after all, that was what her uncle and grandparents did, including her based on the purity of their blood-she really did expect more of Arista as a Chaser than she did either Solomon or Marcus. She had experience while the other two did not.
Kirstenna held her breath as the fifth year went for another goal. Nic seemed to be doing well today but hopefully, he still sucked at Keeping somewhat. She winced as one of the Crotalus beaters, Topher she thought, hit the bludger at Arista again. He really seemed to have it in for her today, but then, she'd been the Teppenpaw Chaser who'd had the Quaffle the most and the other Crotalus Beater seemed to be covering their Seeker, so honestly, Kirstenna supposed she would have done the same in his place. That didn't mean that she was very happy about it though.
11
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
We'll see about that.
161
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
0
5
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
May 23, 2012 8:06 PM
It should be easily proven. by <font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
If he had been even the tiniest amount less aware of how much his broom cost, or the tiniest bit less willing to give Teppenpaw a free shot at Nic, Sam would have slammed into Mouthy Girl when she swept in to steal from them again, or at least very seriously considered it. Instead, though, he just turned and went after her, resigning himself to one of those games if Topher didn’t suddenly morph into Edmond any old time now.Once he realized what was happening, he kind of wished he had done it after all, since clearly she was going to get in a free shot at Nic anyway. One day, he thought, he was going to have to try one of those long runs; all logic, all common sense, said that it was a stupid move, the kind of stupid move that first years pulled, a move that would end with the mover in pieces, but somehow, that never seemed to happen, no matter how hard Beaters tried. It was like there was some spell they cast on themselves or the Pitch to break the normal rules of the universe to suit them and work in their favor or something. If them, then why not him, right?
He sped up, going as fast as he could, gesturing to Linus and Renée to hurry it up, too, not caring if they passed him or not. The important part was that they had to get to that goal and ring it. An interception would be ideal, of course, if Renée could get there in time – she had the best broom of the three of them, he was pretty sure – but if not, then they needed to put a circle around that goal, so that they could get it back quickly, Nic have as many options as possible for getting it back to them, and someone be in a position to try to steal it back from any Teppenpaws who tried to intercept it that way.
He saw her head downward, and Topher follow – good man, if he could actually hit her enough for it to make a difference – and looked wildly for the Quaffle, trying to figure out where it had gone, who had it, what direction he even needed to be pointed, what he needed to be doing, right now to do his part to make this work better.
16
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
It should be easily proven.
163
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color=red>Nic Sawyer, Keeper</font>
May 24, 2012 8:25 AM
The proof is here. by <font color=red>Nic Sawyer, Keeper</font>
Nic watched the players abandon him and a felt a small surge of pleased smugness. He really was well suited to playing Keeper. He couldn't think of any other position on any other sport where he could get away with telling his teammates to get lost and they'd consider it part of his job rather than getting offended and accusing him of not being a team player. It was better than seeker really. Seekers had to deal with the other seeker and probably a pair of beaters. Keepers, if their chasers were doing their jobs right, didn't have to deal with anyone, and when the did, it was generally only in short spurts and then they would all go away again.He took a few moments during his current lull to scan the stands for Rachel Bauer. He hoped she'd seen him being awesome. Unfortunately, at this distance, all the faces sort of blurred together, and the voices all sounded like one great beast rather than a collection of individual ones. Not even Rachel Bauer could stand out.
Then the oldest Teppenpaw chaser interrupted his musing.
He'd seen her coming, of course. There was no way he couldn't have, with her being the kid who stomped on a wasp's nest and the swarm following after her. He was mildly irked by his team. They were supposed to be bothering Kirstenna. He'd told them to do that, and while they had seemed eager to follow his directions, they hadn't even made it to her. This was Teppenpaw, not Aladren. He wasn't supposed to work this hard in a Teppenpaw game.
He felt even more irritation for the yellow robed girl coming at him. She'd just run most of the Pitch in one fell swoop. She didn't pass or try anything more complicated than a route that was hard to predict. It was more difficult to spot which hoop she was going for than it had been for the kid, and he would have been suspicious of any goal she seemed to fixate on since she was an experienced player and for more likely to feint like that, but he thought he figured out the one she was edging toward, that her eye was drawn to more than the other two.
He hedged, as he usually did when he wasn't absolutely certain of her choice (which could still change, of course, and he wanted her to take the one she'd planned so he didn't get too close yet).
Then she feinted to the center, which was dumb because the center was the easiest to get to from where he was, so he wasn't really expecting her to go there, especially since that had been her aim last time and folks rarely went for the same hoop twice. Then she made as if to go for the right one (her left), and that made his heart jump a bit because though he was actually a little closer to it than the right, his momentum was wrong for getting there in time. He had timed his aerial pacing for - yes! That hoop! He'd guessed right!
The ball left her hand and Nic's broom surged. He leaned forward, extending his arms fully ahead of him and closing his hands into fists. Arista tended to throw hard and extended fingertips would only hurt him. Instead his fists punched the ball off course, like Superman colliding with a bird that he hadn't notice because he was too busy watching Metropolis as he searched for Lex Luthor.
The Quaffle clanged against the outer ring of the goal and for one terrible second, Nic thought it might have ricocheted right on through but when he turned his head to see where it had gone, it had bounced off at an oblique angle and had flow off the outside instead. That had been way too close.
He went after it and came up with it a few yards to the outside of the goals. He flew back to the middle, in case Teppenpaw tried its double attack again (though, Topher seemed to know his job here was was taking care of the one most likely to do so). He looked around for a clear opening to a Crotalus player and made the toss.
He didn't even bother with a verbal "Get Lost" this time. It was implied loudly enough, he thought.
1
<font color=red>Nic Sawyer, Keeper</font>
The proof is here.
165
<font color=red>Nic Sawyer, Keeper</font>
0
5
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
May 24, 2012 3:23 PM
The proof is in the pudding, not here. (WoTW) by Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Arista was still smarting from the Bludger hit, but she wasn’t going to let it stop her from trying to help Teppenpaw to win this game! She knew that all her hard work would show Kirstenna that she took her role on the team seriously and also wanted Teppenpaw to win as much as their Captain did. Ris wasn’t doing it just for that, or that perhaps Kirstenna would see her hard work, she was doing it so that Tepp could win, so SHE could win.Her hand hurt, and she could tell that it was swelling up, but there wasn’t anything that she wouldn’t do to win this game. Arista’s verve was the only thing that would keep her going through the ridiculous pain in her wrist and thumb from the tendonitis which had left pretty much but had come back hardcore after the Bludger hit. She’d dodged Topher’s next Bludger and when the Quaffle went back into Crotalus hands, she chased after it faster than a dog would chase their tail. She’d have it in for Linus for doing that, there was no way she was expecting that from anyone NOT in Aladren, and now she was madder than mad.
Arista intercepted again both in anger and desire to win. She wondered where Marcus and Solomon were, but then decided that didn’t matter so much. She could get a goal all on her own if Topher’d just leave her alone. Instead, he took another shot at her and thankfully missed. She flew on faster and faster, hearing the familiar sound of the Bludger behind her. She swerved out of the way of the black ball and thankfully it didn’t follow her. How I managed to get away from that one I’ll never know… she thought to herself as she feinted the shot towards two of the hoops before throwing it towards the third.
No luck.
Nic punched it out of the way. REALLY?! she thought to herself. What the bloody hell… All the fifth year had to say was that. She knew that her attempt at going all the way across the Pitch was probably stupid, but she wasn’t sure where the boys were and every time she tried to pass the Crotalus Chasers were right there. She wasn’t going to have that play out again, not if she could have had a chance to make the shot.
The Quaffle clanged against the outer ring of the goal hoop and Arista, even for just a moment, wondered if perhaps his punch of the red ball would be a help to her. Come on… You can go in! she thought as she watched it bounce away from the hoop. NUTS! she thought as Nic went after it. Crotalus’ Keeper sent the Quaffle towards one of his own Chasers, but she wasn’t going to let one of them get it.
She snatched the ball right in the middle of the toss, and spotted Marcus. With a clear opening she flew right at him and practically handed him the ball. "Go for it!" she said to him as she flew off, pretending to still have the Quaffle in hand to pull the other Crotali away from the hoops to give Marcus the shot to get passed Nic.
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
The proof is in the pudding, not here. (WoTW)
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
0
5
Marcus Crosby, Teppenpaw Chaser
May 24, 2012 3:45 PM
I like pudding! by Marcus Crosby, Teppenpaw Chaser
Quidditch was really hard, Marcus kept finding out. He was often really close to catching the ball, but somebody always got there first. It definitely wasn’t the broom’s fault—it was a recently released model from a respectable brand, pricey—so he figured he had work to do before the next game. He didn’t realize that if his team lost, no game would happen until next year.Of course, his team was probably not going to lose. He had faith in his teammates and how very talented they were. The blond was young and perhaps a bit naïve, but he knew Teppenpaw could do this. All of them were so, so good! Maybe he wasn’t so great yet, but he had time. At eleven, possibilities were endless. He didn’t know if he’d play every single year, but he wanted to do his best and have fun when he did.
The ball got really near the hoops, but the length Crotalus Keeper punched it out of the way. Marcus wasn’t sure if he thought it was fair how long that boy was—he could, it seemed, block all of the hoops at once!—but then again, it wasn’t really his fault. Height wasn’t really a choice. It just kind of happened. So far, the first year didn’t show a lot of vertical promise, standing a few inches under the average for a boy his age, but there was time. Maybe one day he would be really tall!
Arista found her way to possession of the Quaffle, and Marcus grinned. Then she, like, sat the ball in his hands and told him to “go for it”. Well, he wasn’t going to not do what she said! She was older and more experienced, so he trusted her judgment. “Okay!” he beamed, racing off like a bullet towards the hoops once more.
Red orb held tightly, he decided going straight would be a less good idea. Instead, he swerved a little, his speed slower now. Marcus flew in casual curves, hopefully disarming and hypnotic zig-zags fun for him and maybe even effective. Lazily he turned, leaning this way and then that. It was good practice for steering and stuff. He giggled to himself at that thought. Usually practices were to make games better, but here he was, doing both at once.
Nearest to the left-most hoop and going slowly, it was quite likely it seemed that was his target. However, he suddenly kicked forward with all of his childhood might, accelerating towards the right-most one. The ball left his fingertips with accuracy, and he really, really, really hoped this one went in.
12
Marcus Crosby, Teppenpaw Chaser
I like pudding!
225
Marcus Crosby, Teppenpaw Chaser
0
5
<font color="yellow">Laurie, Beater</font>
May 24, 2012 4:00 PM
Pudding is awesome by <font color="yellow">Laurie, Beater</font>
Beating.beating.beating.Laurie couldn’t get his ahead around how much he had missed playing this position in the first place. Yes, chaser was fun and exciting, but nothing could be compared to the power that came with beating. Being able to control them – in a way of course – made him very happy. The redhead wasn’t prone to violence, but since the balls were stronger than him it gave him a sense of exhilaration just like when he helped out with the bigger animals at home. The bludgers were some kind of deadly animal looking to unseat any players they could find, and he was one of the keepers! It was so much fun.
It seemed Laurie and Derry had an unspoken agreement to stay on their players. While he was keeping tabs on the seekers, Laurie had the responsibility to keep tabs on everyone else. Derry’s job was really important, especially because the seekers were the ones that won the game. Also, the Crotalus Beater was huge and Derry was older than him.
The younger Teppenpaw could hardly keep up with was happening between the chasers or the seekers; his prime objective was locating the bludgers and sending them away from the yellow players. His sole focus was on those two bludgers.
But he caught of a glimpse of Topher Calhoun aiming repeatedly at Arista. Laurie frowned and searched for the nearest bludger to send to the other beater. If the Crotalus team was minus a beater it would be easier to take care of his teammates and do more damage to the other team.
The redhead swung his bat with every inch of force he could muster and aimed the bludger at Topher. Laurie could hear the swish of the wond as the bludger’s direction had been changed by his swing. It was one of the more beautiful noises in the world, because it meant that he was taming them.
0
<font color="yellow">Laurie, Beater</font>
Pudding is awesome
0
<font color="yellow">Laurie, Beater</font>
0
5
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
May 24, 2012 4:24 PM
Yes, it is. Chocolate or Vanilla, or more! by Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Arista had basically handed Marcus the ball and told him to go for it. The look on his face told her that he understood what he had to do and she beamed at him before she flew off. She was determined to let him get his shot before someone could intervene! She stuck around long enough to see that he had taken hold of the ball and went zigzagging away towards the hoops again and with a smile on, she held her hands like she had the ball, and flew around the other way. She only hoped that perhaps Topher and the others would follow her, NOT Marcus.The fifth year Teppenpaw girl could care less if Topher tried to hit her again as long as Marcus made at least the attempt at the goal. Then again, if an attempt was made, perhaps that meant that a goal could be scored too. Hm… she thought to herself as she flew on her broom and turned around fast to hopefully see the others were following her.
For anyone who was following her, they got a rude awakening that she didn’t actually have the Quaffle and that hopefully her mini-chaser had gotten the ball passed Nic. If Nic had made another save, it was at least a chance that he wouldn’t have had. Arista sped up and with a huge grin on her face showed all behind her that she was ball-less.
Then she pushed her broom faster than ever to get back towards the Crotalus hoops to try to get to the Quaffle from Marcus’ shot. This game could be ours. It really could be. Come on Kate… Find that Snitch! she thought to herself as she flew faster and faster to catch the rebound whether the ball went in or not.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Laurie, hitting a Bludger right at Topher. That’s right kiddo… she thought, smile widening on her face as she didn’t stop to see if Topher got his medicine handed back to him or not. She was going to help Teppenpaw win to the best of her ability.
Period.
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Yes, it is. Chocolate or Vanilla, or more!
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
0
5
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
May 24, 2012 4:35 PM
The pudding is a lie. by <font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
One minute, everything had been going great. Well, as great as it could when some Teppenpaw decided to do what Teppenpaws sometimes did and make long runs and survive because the higher powers had a thing for annoyingly chirpy people who favored too-bright colors in their decorating and let the Bludgers always just miss them. Nic had saved, he had called his people in so someone could get it, Topher had been very clearly blocking the way of Crotalus Annoyance Number One, and then, somehow, the brat had gotten ‘round Topher and somehow gotten the ball again and, er…what was she doing with it?Teppenpaws. Sam officially gave up. Kirstenna was all right, even if he couldn’t help but be awkward around her since that date thing, but the rest of them were clearly not right in the brainpan. Too much help from those higher powers frying their reasoning skills, he guessed. She had gone right over to Triumph Midget, and why, exactly, would she fly away from the goals she was supposed to be shooting for if she still had the Quaffle? If she really wanted to go to the other end and score a handful of goals for Crotalus, Sam would not object to this in the least, but he thought she was nuts, not completely stupid.
So instead of following her, he did what he thought a smart person would do and watched the one she had handed the Quaffle to, feeling pleased as always that his team had the red robes and happy today that Teppenpaw had the ones the Quaffle showed up the most vividly against and then…watched as Triumph Midget wove around like he thought he was at a dance party. Okay, then….
For a moment, Sam entertained the idea that he had eaten some bad mushrooms at supper last night and was now having an extremely weird dream thanks to his stomachache. It made a lot more sense than anything that had happened today being for real, really….
Then he shook his head and got a good, close eye on Triumph again. He wasn’t too perturbed when he went left even though that wasn’t the direction Sam was in, since he trusted Nic and the other two to get it back as well or better than he could, but when the kid went right, Sam didn’t pause to think. Instead, he threw himself forward on his broom, only just keeping his seat, and intercepted it en route, just as the Teppenpaws kept doing. He allowed himself a grim smile for about half a second because of that. Then he turned and flew through the air as fast as he could toward the Teppenpaw goals, imagining for an indulgent moment that he was a blur like Superman as he covered ground like an avenging giant set to bear the torch of Crotalus’ honor, or something similarly high-flung and grand sounding.
Unfortunately, this meant he was moving in the same direction as Crotalus Annoyance Number One, so he had another thought as he lined up with another red robe after slowing down to a more reasonable pace and attempting the pass: if she got in the way one more time, he was going to have to think seriously about the possibility that he could stop being Superman and turn into Don Corleone as far as Topher was concerned. He would take the penalty gladly if Topher would just hit her directly with the bat instead of bothering with Bludgers, which needed space and time that gave her time to exercise that preternatural luck of hers....
Which had just run out, because as he looked around, the air was empty of her. She'd gone back the wrong way. Maybe Topher really was doing his best; he was going to yell at Renee, though, if it turned out that he was practically on his own here because she was in one of her moods and was off staring at the sky or something.
16
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
The pudding is a lie.
163
<font color="red">Sam Bauer, Chaser</font>
0
5
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
May 24, 2012 5:02 PM
A big, big lie by <font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
There she – and how was she –Topher’s mother would have raised an ominous eyebrow if she heard some of the things he said under his breath as he realized that Chaser had gotten around him again, but the truth was, he’d learned most of them from her. She just didn’t use them unless she was angry, as he was in a very big way right now, and usually didn’t use so many of them in one sentence. He swung back into the game, planning now to disregard caution and do his best to hurt her next time. It looked like the only way, and besides, if he aimed for the back of her head, he’d call it lucky if he broke her arm.
He looked, scowling in a way that should have made any Teppenpaw who looked in his direction back off a little while he searched for his next opening, suspiciously at his bat for a second, but since it didn’t seem to be damaged in any way, he could only conclude that Teppenpaw had fixed the Bludgers, because he was not bad at what he did. He had three years of evidence to support that, and flukes like that did not happen. It was more likely that Kirstenna Melcher, or maybe Kate Bauer, would do something that underhanded in their desperation not to be the worst team in the history of the school than it was that he’d just suddenly not be able to so much as tap anyone today.
His expression softened slightly as he cheered for Sam’s interception of one of the less important Chasers’ attempt at a goal, but went very close to back where it had been when he began looking again for a Bludger –
- And then heard a whistling noise behind him, and looked over to see that the new Beater, Laurie Stratford, was just handing him one. How considerate of him; Topher was going to have to get him a stylish yellow hat for Christmas or something, if the guy was going to be nice enough to just hand him something for nothing like that. That was the nicest thing anyone had done for him all day. That was really decent of Laurie, really decent indeed, just to hand another Beater the means to act against the other guy’s own team.
…Or else to mock him for how things had been going so far, but Topher chose to look on the bright side. Optimism was what made the world go ‘round, that was what his mother always said. Moving out of the way to avoid being hit by the gift he had just been sent just when he wanted it, he took the opportunity to wave at Laurie and yell “Thanks, pal!” before happily hitting the Bludger as hard as he could toward the nearest yellow-wearing, bat-free robe, not caring at all which Chaser was in it at this point, so long as he got a good, solid hit on them.
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
A big, big lie
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
0
5
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
May 24, 2012 5:14 PM
The Pudding NEVER lies… by Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
Arista had been hoping that the Crotali would follow her, but it looked like Sam hadn’t followed her at all. She wondered sometimes about that boy. Ris wondered what Teppenpaw would have to do to stop being treated like they were vermin. They were certainly NOT vermin. Sure, they were nice, but that didn’t mean they were bad. And NOW, the red-head was MAD.Marcus had clearly tried to make the shot as she’d told him to, so when she turned back she smiled towards Marcus to tell him he’d done what she’d asked him to and he wouldn’t be penalized for it not going in since Sam had clearly intercepted his throw. Meanwhile, Arista took her broom ever faster closer and closer to Sam’s run across to Kirstenna. She leaned into the broomstick and felt herself move faster and faster to catch up to him.
Sam lined up with another red-robed Chaser and attempted another pass. That’s what you think… she said to herself as she forced herself between the two red-robed Chasers just as Linus had done with her. She scooped it up and ducked out of the way of both Crotali she’d flown between and felt a rush of adrenaline as she’d never felt before. She turned fast and in a zigzagged pattern, flew even faster back towards Nic’s hoops, Quaffle in hand once again, a look of triumph on her face. She didn’t care how mad that made Sam or the rest of Crotalus. Teppenpaw would get their chance. Their win was just around the corner.
Crotalus was about to find that out.
Then she heard the tell-tale sound of a Bludger behind her, AGAIN. She ducked out of the way and veered off to her right, and then she dove downwards until she was almost at the ground. Only then did she fly up fast and hardcore right towards Crotalus’ hoops once again. That’s what you think Topher! she thought as she slipped up the pole towards the hoops and shot the red Quaffle harder than ever before into the hoop all the way on the left.
Arista didn’t care what Topher or the others thought about her, she only cared that she had a chance to shoot the ball right into the hoop that Nic wasn’t anywhere near. Teppenpaw meant more to her than what other people thought of her. A Teppenpaw win would solidify that both for her and for Kirstenna. The oldest Thornton girl could care less if people liked her or not. She was sixteen years old, what did the rest of it all matter? She was who she was, and nobody was going to change her, BUT her.
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
The Pudding NEVER lies…
0
Arista Thornton, Chaser, Tepp
0
5
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
May 24, 2012 6:49 PM
Because it doesn't have a mouth? by Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
Kirstenna groaned inwardly when Nic blocked Arista's shot. This was unbelievable . He was not that good a Keeper. Sure, she expected the other sixth year to get a little better at his position, like she had at throwing, but really? This had to be the work of the Imposter. There was no way he'd gotten that good that fast. He had to be Imperiused.Fortunately, when Nic threw the Quaffle, Arista was right there to get it again. Admittedly, had the fifth year not been on the same team as Kirstenna, she would have assumed the younger Teppenpaw had gone crazy and that it too, was due to the Imposter's...manipulations. The Quidditch Coach was a sneaky one-most of the time, other than hexing that firstie, which showed the Imposter was getting a bit too cocky, which was both comforting and terrifying at the same time, the latter because it meant she might be ready to do something big that took down everyone but the former because it might get her caught.
However, as Arista was on Kirstenna's team, she really appreciated all that she was doing, even though the fifth year still sort of appeared insane. The Captain had to admit that the other two Chasers weren't doing all that much. Marcus at least seemed to be right in there, but she had no idea what Solomon was doing or where he was so Arista's...madness was really much needed.
Besides, Kirstenna was somewhat beginning to believe that Quidditch affected people's brains. Sort of like WAIL believed, but not in the way they did. It didn't turn girls into lesbians-the Teppenpaw most definitely liked guys, her eyes flickered briefly towards Sam-but made them well, risk life and limb for the pursuit of glory or at least to avoid humiliation. Really, Kirstenna was aiming for the latter. If they won today, they'd have to play in the finals and while she would strongly preferred to win that, what she really just wanted to win a game and make it.
Arista passed the ball to Marcus and the first year went for a goal. However, before the goal had a chance to reach Nic, Sam intercepted it. He threw it to a Crotalus Chaser, as Topher Calhoun tried to hit Arista again , he was also apparently going completely psychotic (or was under the Imposter's mind control), and the fifth year wedged herself in as Linus had earlier and tried for another goal. Kirstenna held her breath, hoping this time it would be successful.
If Nic caught it again, then she'd be sure he was under Imperius.
11
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
Because it doesn't have a mouth?
161
Kirstenna,Tepp Keeper
0
5
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
May 25, 2012 4:41 PM
Because <i>there is no pudding</i> by <font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
In…and out. In…and out. In…and out.For a moment, Topher concentrated on that, and on getting his mind back into the proper lines. This was not personal. It never was. That was the thing to remember, the thing to always remember: no matter what happened, Quidditch was not personal. He swung at people, he knocked them out of the air if he could, he shrugged it off and went to the next target if he couldn’t. He did not. Take it. Personally. When he started to get emotional about it, when he started to get frustrated with a specific target instead of just aiming for her because she was the biggest problem his team had on this field of play, then he had a problem. His job was to get in there and wreak havoc on the other team, but always to keep his own head out of it and on the job.
For some people, the game was fun, for others it was desperate, for some it was just a family thing; at the kind of level they would play against Aladren in the finals, even without Edmond, it was definitely a job. This was the practice run for the job. Chasers got frustrated and happy and generally emotional, and that led to some good moves and some bad ones; Beaters just did a job, keeping in mind the positions of everyone around them and maintaining their strength so they could keep playing as long as it took the Seekers to finish up. If a Beater got all emotional, he was going to hurt himself and endanger everyone around him, instead of just the people he wanted to endanger, and that was no good.
This, he focused on, resisting the urge to rub his shoulder, which was definitely starting to complain about how much he had been using it recently. He had to take a minute here, or he was going to tire out before the Snitch was caught, since another look in that direction made him think that neither Kate nor Cepheus was anywhere near it. So the object of most of his efforts was making another run; she had all the subtlety of a raging boar, so he expected Nic to save it, just like he had all the others she’d attempted because she either didn’t know how to play a team sport or had just come to the conclusion that she really couldn’t trust her incompetent sidekicks at all. He did not have to take her out just for the sake of taking her out; Sam would get that, once his head cooled off and he no longer wanted to wring the girl’s neck. When the ball went back out, he’d aim at any Teppenpaw Chaser who happened to be in the way, either to hit her as she carried the Quaffle or tried to intercept it or to hit one of the other two to cut out her passing options, but for now, he was going to not ruin his shoulder lancing at shadows.
He glanced again at the Seekers, willing Cepheus to go ahead and catch the Snitch already so they could all get off the Pitch and go try to party, though. He didn’t think anyone had been expecting a workout like this from Teppenpaw, even knowing that their Seeker was a disadvantage to them, and it was getting old with Arista suddenly deciding to have become untouchable after years as just another anonymous face playing for a throwaway first-round team and keeping anyone from ever getting anywhere. Frustration out here was really just a by-product, he thought, of boredom and creeping tiredness.
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
Because <i>there is no pudding</i>
0
<font color="red">Topher Calhoun, Beater</font>
0
5