[zoo] hi, cuz (Mab first then anyone younger than Mab) on Fast and Furious

Selina Skies

May 20, 2022 6:45 PM

Fast & Furious by Selina Skies

Welcome to Fast & Furious!

This is a rapid fire posting event where word count rules are waived! Only got one sentence? Post it. Only got your character going 'Huh?' Post it.

You can continue existing threads or write in response to any existing school event, such as the zoo trip, Quidditch event, or classes. You can also just start brand new interactions, especially if you don't feel up to speed or confident with those events. You can literally just write your character walking down a corridor or sitting down for dinner, and wait for someone to come along and help you make it into something.

HOWEVER, please post under this thread - this keeps all the event posts in one place, and means there aren't a bunch of posts that don't follow site rules scattered about, which can be confusing for new authors if they find them 'in the wild.'

The event will run for approximately 48 hours, going Friday night - Sunday night in the USA. The usual cut off is 'when people get bored and go to bed on Sunday' rather than a strict 48 hours.

So, have fun, have at it! Any questions, ask in chatzy.

Subthreads:

To the penguins! [tag Piper] by Leviosa Scurlock

[zoo] hi, cuz (Mab first then anyone younger than Mab) by Lenny Pierce with Mab

Better go for high intensity then [Henry] by Xavier Lundstrom with Henry Spellman

Good [Henry] by Oz Spellman with Henry Spellman

Dancing teacups by Yaniel Ayala Velez with Claire Osbrook

You don't sound convinced [Yarielis continued from Zoo] by Iris Cobb with Yaniel Ayala Velez

I think I don't remember how to read now. by Graham Osbrook

13 Selina Skies Fast & Furious 26 1 5

Leviosa Scurlock

May 20, 2022 6:59 PM

To the penguins! [tag Piper] by Leviosa Scurlock

OOC: Continued from Piper and Levi's thread at the zoo. BIC:

Apparently, her own favourite trumped Piper's cousin's favourite. Which made sense, seeing as Levi was the one who was actually here. Still, it was really nice of Piper.

"Thanks," she smiled. She considered Piper's other point. She didn't really want to hang out in the same group as her sister all day, but it would be politer to Verdillia not to say so, and she wasn't in the bird group, so it didn't matter. It was being headed by their potions teacher, who it was also hard to object to, when she had such lovely hats.

"I think the bird group looks fine," she confirmed with Piper. "What else are you excited about seeing?" she asked, as they made their way to their group.

13 Leviosa Scurlock To the penguins! [tag Piper] 1545 0 5

Lenny Pierce

May 20, 2022 7:27 PM

[zoo] hi, cuz (Mab first then anyone younger than Mab) by Lenny Pierce

There were, unfortunately, a few holes in the twin brothers story Lenny had going with Cole. The obvious one was that they got on and off different wagons when coming or going to Sonora, but there was also the issue of their relatives. Some of it could be explained by the ‘divorce’ and them living on opposite sides of the country, so obviously the Boston Pierces knew Cole a bit better. They’d decided their branch was Boston because the California Pierces at school (who weren’t totally CA Pierces anyway - both having different last names and not being a part of the caravan) so they only kind of knew him in passing anyway so it wasn’t a stretch to see Mab and Alexander were much closer family to them.

Unfortunately, Mab wasn’t really playing along as well as Lenny might like so when people started to split into groups for the zoo and he saw her looking vaguely annoyed at needing to have a partner, he decided it was a perfect opportunity.

“Hi cuz!” Lenny greeted her cheerfully. “Want to be partners?”

1 Lenny Pierce [zoo] hi, cuz (Mab first then anyone younger than Mab) 1547 0 5

Mab

May 20, 2022 7:30 PM

Go away by Mab

“No,” Mab told the annoying first year who seemed to think she and him had some kind of relationship because he happened to have a distant ancestor in common with Cole. “We are not friends. Go away.”

1 Mab Go away 1473 0 5

Lenny Pierce

May 20, 2022 7:35 PM

Well, that didn’t go well (open) by Lenny Pierce

Lenny watched as the older girl walked away, kind of stunned that she was so blunt about her rejection. Usually when she was done with him, she just walked away without saying anything at all.

Well, he’d just need to try again another time then. Also in front of witnesses. Cole had recommended that and Lenny had definitely gotten the sense it was important.

He turned to another student, one closer to his age this time, and tried again. “My cousin is too cool to hang with a first year I guess. Do you want to be buddies?”

OOC: Post sort of assumes he’s talking to someone he considers his peer, but I’ve only specifically said the new person is younger than Mab so it’s technically open to anyone 5th year or less

1 Lenny Pierce Well, that didn’t go well (open) 1547 0 5

Xavier Lundstrom

May 20, 2022 9:50 PM

Better go for high intensity then [Henry] by Xavier Lundstrom

OOC: Continued from the zoo trip. BIC:

Oz wanted dangerous and flammable? Well then, Xavier wanted whatever the opposite of that was. Well, normally he'd have agreed that sounded cool, and he bet that Lorena didn't like that stuff, all of which was why it made no sense that Oz was here with her, when he should have been with Xav.

"Aquarium sounds good," he agreed, because it did sound like the opposite of where Oz would be, and also because maybe he could hurl himself in and let the sharks eat him.

"Me neither," he acknowledged about the magical zoo, though he suspected it came as no surprise.

13 Xavier Lundstrom Better go for high intensity then [Henry] 1529 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 9:55 PM

I mean. I don't feel that strongly about it. But. Uh. You do you. by Henry Spellman

Henry consulted the map before pointing the way towards the thing that seemed to be the closest parallel to an aquarium exhibit. He was pretty sure this was going to be terrifying. The shark tunnels were already terrifying enough without giant squids or something.

"I definitely underestimated how dangerous and scary this stuff would be too," he acknowledged with a grimace as they passed a sign that said something about grindylows.

22 Henry Spellman I mean. I don't feel that strongly about it. But. Uh. You do you. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 20, 2022 9:56 PM

Good [Henry] by Oz Spellman

OOC: Continued from the library thread with Henry BIC:

"That's actual law. It's different than teacher logic," Oz pointed out. They would say Henry should have reported it if he knew about it. That was why he hadn't told him. But he also couldn't fake that he wasn't losing sleep, and he'd promised not to lie...

"No," he assured Henry, when he asked if he was getting hurt. "No, it's nothing like that," he said, trying to inject his voice with as much reassurance as possible. Maybe if that was the line, then this was trivial and stupid, and he didn't need to tell Henry - not cos he was keeping a secret, but because it was the kind of 'secret' that didn't matter. If the line was whether he was in physical danger, then he wasn't breaking their agreement.

13 Oz Spellman Good [Henry] 1514 0 5

Xavier Lundstrom

May 20, 2022 9:58 PM

I don't have strong feelings. by Xavier Lundstrom

"So long as it's not where Oz is," Xav shrugged, then realised that had probably been a bad thing to say to Oz's twin. Henry would be on his brother's side, regardless of how stupid and ill-suited his date was. He didn't need or want to know that Xav wanted to fight with Oz about it.

"OHHEYLOOK," he said, gesturing at the nearest thing in a tank.

13 Xavier Lundstrom I don't have strong feelings. 1529 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 9:59 PM

So tell me yours. Then I'll have one too. by Henry Spellman

"I think they probably have to follow the law. I'll look into the magic ones but I'm not worried they're gonna throw me in jail or something probably." He was glad to hear Oz wasn't getting hurt but also was pretty confident that his and Oz' idea of what counted as pain were different.

"You know this is when mom would remind you that guilt, shame, and emotional pain are also hurts," he pointed out, making it a question to avoid his own 'mom voice,' since he was well aware his brother hated that. "Tell me your secret. My lips are sealed." There was no question for him of that; his brother needed him and there wasn't anyone else in this world he suspected either of them trusted enough to go to even if Henry thought it warranted that sort of action. The idea of tattling was the not on his mind, just of supporting his brother.

22 Henry Spellman So tell me yours. Then I'll have one too. 1513 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:02 PM

I'm not judging either way. by Henry Spellman

"In a tank? It wouldn't be the weirdest place Oz has shown up that he wasn't supposed to be," Henry quipped back. Enough of his own conversations and thoughts surrounded his brother that he didn't think too much of Xavier mentioning their mutual connection. He did look sharply at the tank the other student pointed out just to make sure it wasn't really Oz that was contained there though.

"God, it looks slimy even from here," he said. And right then and there, he discovered a squeamishness he hadn't previously been aware of. "Let's find the horse things."

22 Henry Spellman I'm not judging either way. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:06 PM

They're not great things to have by Oz Spellman

"They could throw you out though," Oz pointed out. He didn't want to be the reason anything awful ever happened to Henry.

He made a noise between a huff and a growl when Henry pointed out that hurt feelings were also hurts. But it wasn't aggressive, just annoyed. Mostly at Henry being right.

He sat for a while, trying to find the words. Other people probably would have interrupted, probed him with more questions which would have tied him in further knots. But Henry was Henry. He was quiet as a rule, and he could see when Oz was thinking, even when Oz pushed it as far below the surface as he could.

"Xav's been self-medicating," he said quietly, his tone careful and flat. "With stolen potions ingredients. He had to, you know nothing was working, and they made all those rules that he could only see his family if he got better," he reminded Henry, his voice taking on a slightly pleading edge. "I dunno why I'm even telling you," he huffed. It was Xav's secret really. Oz was sort of keeping it by proxy. But it was still a secret. And emotional hurts were still hurts... "It stresses me out," he muttered.

13 Oz Spellman They're not great things to have 1514 0 5

Xavier Lundstrom

May 20, 2022 10:10 PM

Really? by Xavier Lundstrom

"Is there an actual story there?" Xav asked, when Henry said it wasn't the weirdest place Oz had shown up that he shouldn't be. For all that he didn't really want to think about Oz, he couldn't help himself when the opportunity was presented. He didn't want to think about Oz on a date with Lorena. But cute stories about Oz's childhood, that let him know more about him than she ever would, and bond with the most important person in Oz's life in a way that she'd never made the effort to? Xav was totally down for that, and for the fantasy it let him indulge in, whereby Oz would wake up and see how much better Xavier fit into his life than Lorena.

"Underwater horse things or...?" he clarified when Henry suggested they moved on. They had to stay in this section, so he guessed he meant that, but he wasn't sure if there were underwater horse things. Other than seahorses. Which probably wasn't what Henry meant.

13 Xavier Lundstrom Really? 1529 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:15 PM

Well now you've told me so it isn't a secret anymore. by Henry Spellman

Henry was very quiet and then let out a lot of air all at once when Oz finished. He had a practiced neutral expression but this didn't seem to warrant that because Oz wasn't stupid and he knew it wasn't a neutral situation.

"That sounds really really hard," he said first, trying to think of what their mom would do. She was always empathetic first so he tried to start with that. "For you both," he added, because Oz wasn't stupid but sometimes he could be a little stupid and Henry didn't want him to dismiss the fact that it was hard for him too. "Do you want . . . advice? Or just for me to listen?" he asked. It was so hard to not be all over it with advice but he was pretty sure that wasn't a good way to keep their relationship good and Oz was telling him something big. He wanted things to be good.

22 Henry Spellman Well now you've told me so it isn't a secret anymore. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:21 PM

I... are you sure? by Oz Spellman

Oz tried not to wriggle or snap. Henry wasn't wrong. The sympathy just twisted uncomfortably under his skin because he didn't deserve it. He stabbed holes in his parchment with his quill.

"Yeah? Advice sounds good?" he said, when Henry offered it. He felt like it was one of those big stupid Oz messes that was beyond fixing but if Henry had something smart to suggest, he'd take it.

13 Oz Spellman I... are you sure? 1514 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:26 PM

Yeah who's got time to be judgmental about feelings? That's lame. by Henry Spellman

Henry thought back on the instances that stood out to him the most of Oz being in places he shouldn't be, sorting through the ones that could get Oz in trouble now and the ones that would be too embarrassing. He was pretty sure that there wasn't much wildness Oz had done that he wouldn't actually be proud of in front of a guy friend so that was a pretty slim category.

"You know the malls that have bubble drops for part of the year? We were just walking around after school one day and he decided he wanted to see where the bubbles come from, but he didn't know it would open that day." His nose wrinkled a bit as he realized that his brother's 'miraculous landing was actually probably magic. "He fell out the hole with all the bubbles but landed in a fountain and was fine." Henry didn't have any stories like that about any accidental magic. His was probably really lame and was stuff like the books he wanted always being available at the library when he wanted them.

"Yeah, they're like half horse and half mermaid thing. They've got a fish tail," he said, the name of the horse things failing him. "We'll find 'em. Let's look."

22 Henry Spellman Yeah who's got time to be judgmental about feelings? That's lame. 1513 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:32 PM

Yup. by Henry Spellman

Henry tried not to look too happy that Oz was open to advice because WOW he needed it. Not that Henry necessarily had the greatest ideas ever but he had a pretty good track record for decent ideas at the very least, and an outside perspective sounded helpful in this situation.

"So, first, you said he 'had' to steal stuff to do his own medicating, but like . . . that means that even if he found something that worked, he wouldn't be able to report it or whatever so it doesn't help any. I don't know how wizard CPS works but they're gonna wanna know how he's getting better and make sure he has the meds at home too, so it has to be official. Also, if whatever he's got isn't working, then we have a school full of weird magic geniuses who could help. Potions teacher or the nurse or something could definitely help."

He was hesitant to suggest outright that Xavier was abusing drugs recreationally and he didn't know the guy well enough to know whether it was him or Oz or both that weren't thinking this through all the way but his opinion of him was definitely getting a lot of qualifiers.

"The other thing, you said that he has to be better to see his family. But that means his family is making him worse, right? Or he's dangerous for them, but you said it's just really bad headaches and stuff? So it sounds like they're not safe. Remember Jaxton a couple years ago?" he said, recalling a foster kid they'd gone to school with for a few months. "He was in and out of his home, his foster home, another foster home . . . he had to get adopted. Stuff at home was worse. Is it really worth stealing stuff that could possibly kill him just to go see people who aren't safe? Can you just see if he wants to come to our place this summer or something?"

22 Henry Spellman Yup. 1513 0 5

Xavier Lundstrom

May 20, 2022 10:35 PM

So, you wouldn't care if I fancy your brother? by Xavier Lundstrom

Xav found himself grinning at Henry's story.

"How did he...?" he began, and then shook it off. "Magic?" he guessed, both as to how Oz got where he wasn't supposed to and also got out of it without getting hurt. "Yeah, he said he spent a lot of time falling off stuff and not getting hurt when we compared accidental magic stories. Though some of them, he's not sure if it was him or you looking out for him. It's kind of hard to tell if any of the times I splatted myself down a skate ramp and got away with it were luck or magic. Ditto any of the times the cookie jar was more in reach and fuller than expected. I don't have anything stand out spectacular that I can point to and be like 'oh yeah, I remember this thing that totally made no sense.' You?" he asked.

13 Xavier Lundstrom So, you wouldn't care if I fancy your brother? 1529 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 20, 2022 10:48 PM

It doesn't feel like it's going well by Oz Spellman

No. No, no, no. Henry was trying to logic things but all of it was wrong. Oz tried to push down the prickly feeling that made him want to shout at Henry. This was another part of why he didn’t let Henry in on problems, because Henry was always trying to apply this black and white logic that didn’t work with how messy and complicated the world actually was. Henry always believed there was a concrete solution, and so many times there weren’t.

“No,” he said, forcing himself to keep his voice even. “They tried. For the first two years he was here, the healer gave him every possible potion in existence, and none of them made a fricking bit of difference. He tried. He tried following all the stupid rules, but they were all broken, and no one had a clue what they were doing. And they don’t care. They haven’t made him prove anything… They didn’t say he has to be successfully medicated, they said he has to just never get ill again in the first place. They’re messed up.”

They were the bad guys. Not Xavier’s family.

“And think about all the people who mom told us not to answer the door to,” he pointed out, unable to believe that Henry, of all people, was defending CPS. “Cos they’d just see it as black and white and say she was a bad mom for being out or not being able to pay the gas. Sometimes families do bad stuff. I know.” They’d both seen enough evidence of that where they grew up. “But sometimes the people in charge just make shady bad decisions cos they don’t actually care about the people they’re dealing with and they don’t understand. They’re picking on him cos he’s Muggleborn. You should be on his side.”

13 Oz Spellman It doesn't feel like it's going well 1514 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 11:00 PM

Hard secrets never do I think. by Henry Spellman

Henry was quiet again, familiar with the quiet rage that made his brother's voice sound so different from his own sometimes. Henry had rarely managed to be angry the way Oz could and it was a trait he'd always been jealous of. Oz felt everything so much bigger than Henry did it seemed, and Henry felt small when the best he could conjure up in himself was resigned disappointment. Oz was the kind of person that would change the world; Henry was the kind of person who would perpetuate crap systems because changing the world was too hard.

"They don't make him prove anything?" he asked, trying to make it clear that he was on Oz' side and that the system was the bad guy, not him. That, at least, was easy enough to agree with. "I didn't know that," he added quietly, hoping to remind Oz that he was coming into this more than a little bit blind. He didn't even know Xavier that well and keeping track of all the vague things Oz told him about a complicated situation someone else had going on was a big ask. He tried but he couldn't be perfect. "That seems really messed up." Agreement. I agree with you. I believe you. I'm here for you. Please don't push me away again. Please don't make me be alone again.

He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"If they were really determined to take us away, a door isn't gonna stop them," he pointed out. He knew as well as Oz did that CPS definitely didn't seem to always have kids' interests at heart, but they'd seen people go to great lengths to hide their kids away and that never worked either; if the government wanted to take you away, you'd be taken away. "Still, if his family isn't the problem, then that's really freaky. It's not both? Like they definitely sound shady, but you're sure his family is good to him? I just wanna make sure. I trust you." He added a defense in preparation for an offense he knew was coming. "I'm on your side, Oz," he said quietly.

22 Henry Spellman Hard secrets never do I think. 1513 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 20, 2022 11:03 PM

Only because you clearly have terrible taste in men. by Henry Spellman

Henry blinked, his eyes round as he looked at Xavier. Oz said he wasn't sure if it was Henry's doing? He hadn't ever really thought about that. What if it was Henry's magic that kept his brother safe, not Oz' own magic? He'd seen proof, even fairly recently, that Oz was healing himself up and stuff, so he knew there was definitely some magic that was all him, but maybe it wasn't all of it. He found himself grinning back at Xavier, if for entirely different reasons.

"Hey, if all my accidental magic ever did was keep Oz from getting too bruised up, I'll call it a win," he told him, feeling a whole lot better about a thing he hadn't realized he was feeling bad about. "Hey, there's the horse thing. Hippocampus," he said, reading the sign. He rolled his eyes at the name. "Wizards should really read up on anatomy. Unless it was an on-purpose pun you think?"

22 Henry Spellman Only because you clearly have terrible taste in men. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 20, 2022 11:15 PM

Urgh by Oz Spellman

"I'm sure," he pressed, glad Henry seemed willing to listen. "At least... They've only done much as mom's ever done to warrant us being taken away. Maybe less." He couldn't swear Xav's family was perfect, though it sounded pretty idyllic. But he knew that Henry knew what he meant by that... You could have your own messy problems but still be better off together.

"The whole thing's a mistake. It's messed up. And he tried jumping through all their hoops and doing what he was supposed to and none of it worked. The only option left is figuring it out on his own. Except... not alone. Cos that would suck.

"I just want to help him," he stressed. Because when Henry had offered advice, it had to be advice that got them to where Xav needed to go. Or maybe Oz had never wanted that, he only wanted to be angry and be listened to. He wanted it fixed. He didn't know what that meant. "He needs someone in his corner, but it's just so hard when what he's doing freaks me out so much. I mean, I don't think he's about to die. Like, that was a thing I had to think about. But it's not... I just hate that this is happening, and I want to help, but maybe I'm not even doing that. And like.. how can doing the right thing feel so like doing the wrong thing? And I just miss him. Like... when he's medicated, he's all over the place. I just wish he was normal again. But normal was killing him, and meant him being ill all the time, and meant no one listening to him or believing him about what was happening... So," he shrugged hopelessly. Wanting it back how it was was selfish. He just really wanted to be out the other side, where none of this was a problem any more.

13 Oz Spellman Urgh 1514 0 5

Xavier Lundstrom

May 20, 2022 11:25 PM

On both my and his behalf, hey by Xavier Lundstrom

Henry was staring at him. He was looking like Xav was telling him something he didn't know. Oops? Or maybe he'd done a good thing. Henry looked pleased at the revelation. Xav was surprised he didn't know it. He was starting to get the feeling that for two people who had special telepathic twin communication, Henry and Oz were sometimes remarkably dense when it came to what the other one was thinking.

"That'd be a task and a half," he added, when Henry mentioned the job of keeping Oz from getting too bruised up.

"Oh. Horse mermaid things," he nodded, the visual snapping into place as they rounded the corner. The 'mermaid' part had sort of stuck with him, making him think a people-y element was somehow involved. Except then he wasn't sure where the horse part would have been. Like underwater centaurs? He hadn't been totally clear what he had been picturing, it had been fuzzy and not fully formed, but it hadn't been this. This made more sense though. Given that mermaids and centaurs were sentient beings, it would be kind of messed up to have them in a zoo. Not that he'd put it past wizards.

Henry was saying something about anatomy and something being on purpose. Hippocampus... the word kind of rang a bell, but not enough for him to be confident at what Henry was getting at.

"Could go either way," he shrugged. He was more interested in watching the creatures as they swam through the tank, pawing at the water with their hooves, fins flickering where their manes would have been. "They're awesome," he breathed.

13 Xavier Lundstrom On both my and his behalf, hey 1529 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 4:10 AM

Dancing teacups by Yaniel Ayala Velez

Dancing teacups. That didn't sound too hard. Yarielis was pretty decent at most of the movement charms they'd done, and possessed a decent sense of rhythm, though it was rarely used outside the bakery's kitchen. Dancing and baking went together far better than dancing went with other people.

Sure enough, within a few tries the Crotalus had the cup... well, moving. It was more a hasty frolic than a dance, though no one could really expect a teacup to be super graceful, right? The bigger challenge was keeping it contained, and Yarielis threw a hasty arm across the desk to prevent it gatecrashing someone else's space.

"Sorry," the first year muttered, though possibly quietly enough that they wouldn't even hear. "Finite incantatum." Maybe it would be a good idea to try again with something a little slower.

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Dancing teacups 1554 0 5

Iris Cobb

May 21, 2022 8:04 AM

You don't sound convinced [Yarielis continued from Zoo] by Iris Cobb

OOC: Continued from the Zoo thread. BIC:

Iris wasn't quite sure what to make of Yarielis so far. She seemed pleasant enough, but hesitant for some reason or another? Well, that might actually make sense if she played Quiddtich with Billy. Who knows what sort of stories he told Yarielis about her. Having an older, stupid brother was annoying.

She put on a pleasant smile, "Okay, do you have an preference on what you want to go see? I don't really so long as we make get everything done that Professor Skies wants us to." She indicated the papers they had received before being set free. "Oh also," Iris added with a slight roll of her eyes, "I dunno what yarns Billy might be spinning about me, but best not take them to seriously."

2 Iris Cobb You don't sound convinced [Yarielis continued from Zoo] 1526 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 8:35 AM

Oh, sorry about that by Yaniel Ayala Velez

"Whatever you want," Yarielis said, regarding what they should see. They'd see everything anyway.

"Uh, sure. I won't," the first year said, unsure what Iris meant by that, but it seemed to bother her.

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Oh, sorry about that 1554 0 5

Claire Osbrook

May 21, 2022 8:45 AM

Charming, huh? by Claire Osbrook

Claire was focused on trying to picture a dance (something she found a little difficult; when she thought of making the teacup dance, she thought of something like the dances the prefects had done last year, but she didn't actually know the steps to such dances) when an arm suddenly flew through the edge of her vision, near the edge of her desk. She looked up, startled, to find her first year neighbor - both in seating at the moment and in room arrangements - corralling her cup.

"It's okay," she said. "Good job getting it going. I'm still trying to picture a dance well enough."

16 Claire Osbrook Charming, huh? 1540 0 5

Graham Osbrook

May 21, 2022 8:50 AM

I think I don't remember how to read now. by Graham Osbrook

CATS were growing closer by the day, and yet, somehow, Graham was dismayed to find he was not getting better at studying as he did it more and more. Instead, as he slumped into a chair at supper, he thought he was getting worse.

"Pros and cons of running away and living outside of society instead of taking CATS?" he remarked to a neighbor, rubbing his eyes and reaching for a juice pitcher.

16 Graham Osbrook I think I don't remember how to read now. 1498 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 9:11 AM

Uh, yeah. by Yaniel Ayala Velez

"Oh. Um. Thanks," Yarielis said, hoping the older girl wasn't annoyed that the first year had got it moving sooner. "I don't know if it really counts as dancing. It's just sort of scampering."

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Uh, yeah. 1554 0 5

Iris Cobb

May 21, 2022 9:14 AM

I'm not sure I'm looking for an apology by Iris Cobb

Iris was getting the feeling that Yarelis didn't like her much. She wasn't sure why, had she done something wrong? Well, she couldn't think of what, she'd been nothing but nice.

"Alright," Iris did her best to respond to her partner's rather unhelpful response. She'd already said she didn't care. "It looks like that group is heading for the bird's. Let's join them."

Then in a desperate attempt to continue the conversation, "What do you think of the school by now?"

2 Iris Cobb I'm not sure I'm looking for an apology 1526 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 9:27 AM

Oh. Sor- um. by Yaniel Ayala Velez

"Sounds good," Yarielis said, when Iris suggested going to see the birds, offering a smile.

"School's good!" Yarielis said, showing a bit more enthusiasm. Not enough to not be cool, but it was probably the expected response amongst Crotali to be respectful about school. "What do you think of it?"

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Oh. Sor- um. 1554 0 5

Claire Osbrook

May 21, 2022 9:58 AM

Yeah, that was a pretty lame pun. by Claire Osbrook

"It probably counts," Claire said. "Get it to scamper in a circle, kind of, and you can even argue about it." She looked thoughtfully at her own vessel. "Though I do wonder how far it can go. Like, could you make these things do ballet, if you were good enough?" Her expression abruptly lapsed into a giggle. "Sorry, I just pictured that in my head and it was weird," she apologized. "Pretty sure you'd have to do more than one charm on it to make that work, it would just fall over if it tried to dance on two feet, you think?"

16 Claire Osbrook Yeah, that was a pretty lame pun. 1540 0 5

Iris Cobb

May 21, 2022 4:54 PM

Right by Iris Cobb

"Oh yes," Iris responded to the younger Crotalus. For some reason she still found it wierd that she wasn't the youngest, or even in the beginner class anymore. "School is fine and good." She sighed, "Do you miss the time you lose away from home?" That was a wierd question to ask randomly, where had that come from?

2 Iris Cobb Right 1526 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 6:43 PM

Right. by Yaniel Ayala Velez

Do you miss home? It was a hard question to answer. Yarielis always wanted to give the right answer, the expected answer but what was that? Saying 'no' made you look callous. Did saying 'yes' make you look like a baby? In situations like this, the Crotalus tended to edge towards the truth, because it was easier to keep track of than a lie. But what was the truth? Yes, it was hard being around unfamiliar people all day, it was hard not having games of baseball with papa, and then sitting down on the grass to eat quesitos.

But the juggling act of keeping both parents happy... That was easier to maintain by letter. There were certain pressures that were off.

Not that Yarielis felt settled and comfortable at school instead. Home was easier, in that the stresses of how to blend in were well practised, even if life did just feel like a constant itch breaking out beneath the skin. Yarielis wasn't happier at school, but it wasn't from missing home... It was because it was still so hard to get along with people. The Crotalus just wanted to glide through, but it was like there was friction and static, catching and rubbing like sandpaper in every interaction.

"Yeah. Sometimes," Yarielis admitted. Hopefully they would get to the actual birds soon, and then could fill the time with the worksheets and saying stuff like 'ooh, look at that!' Like, how in class, you could fill the void with commenting on work. Trying to strike up conversation from total cold with a total stranger was painful. Iris probably thought so too. She probably regretted asking Yarielis to pair up. "You?"

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Right. 1554 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 6:50 PM

No, it's great. Sorry. by Yaniel Ayala Velez

Yarielis nodded to Claire's assessment that it might be possible to argue the point that most anything was dancing. It might be. For someone who was bold and confident and would do that. Yarielis was much more an 'agonise over getting it as close to the stated brief as possible and then accept the teacher's decision without question' learner. The first year accompanied the nod with a sort of half smile that acknowledged it might be a joke, because Claire was also a Crotalus and Yarielis.... Well, Yarielis could imagine some of them being entitled enough to argue over grades, but some of them had to be somewhat similar, right?

"Probably," Yarielis agreed with Claire's assessment. Agreeing was always the safest option.

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez No, it's great. Sorry. 1554 0 5

Iris Cobb

May 21, 2022 6:58 PM

So...? by Iris Cobb

"Yeah." Iris replied as she watched the bits of the zoo go past that weren't birds as they walked. "I like school well enough, and I hadn't really thought about it while I'm here." She sighed, "But when I get home again... It's almost like... I'm not sure. My cousins have been together all the time I've been away, and I'm just not a part of that anymore when I get home." Iris had no idea why she was unloading on this poor first year that didn't even like her.

She wanted to talk about it to somebody, but there just wasn't anyone. Amethyst wouldn't understand, she wasn't sure about Ray either. The only one she could imagine even coming close was her stupid brother and that just wasn't going to happen. "Do you have a lot of family back home?"

2 Iris Cobb So...? 1526 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 7:07 PM

So...? by Yaniel Ayala Velez

"Oh. That sucks. I'm sorry," Yarielis offered a sympathetic smile, a little blind sided by Iris' very genuine confession. But then, some people were like that. They just spilt out thoughts and feelings like that didn't make you vulnerable.

"Um. Sort of... I have cousins, but none of them live where we do," Yarielis explained. The default answer to 'is your family big?' was 'no' but Iris had specifically expanded to include cousins. "At home, it's just me and my parents. But there's a lot of kids and families in the community that we know. Except I can't really talk to them about where I've been or what I've been doing." That was why Yarielis had kept up boundaries with all of them growing up. Had never let anyone in, or got too attached. Now it was supposed to be different. School was full of the people who would understand, and who the first year could form life long friendships with. Except some habits were hard to break.

Or maybe it had never been other people who were the problem.

"Oh, cool-parrots!" Yarielis gestured, as they entered the bird area. The parrots weren't super exciting but at least it was a convenient deflection.

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez So...? 1554 0 5

Iris Cobb

May 21, 2022 7:25 PM

I'm not sure, where were we when this started? by Iris Cobb

Iris wondered if maybe she'd been a little wrong about Yarielis. Maybe she didn't entirely dislike her for some unknown reason? She smiled back, "Thanks, and yeah I can't talk to any of my cousins about all this either. They're all Muggles and that just makes it worse. The only people I can talk about school stuff is Ma, Pa and Billy." She rolled her eyes at the mention of her brother again. "And naturally only when no one else is around."

"Ooh! Parrots!" Iris had only seen pictures of them in books before. They were super exciting. "They're beautiful! Are they normal parrots or some sort of magical type?"

2 Iris Cobb I'm not sure, where were we when this started? 1526 0 5

Yaniel Ayala Velez

May 21, 2022 7:33 PM

Going to the birds by Yaniel Ayala Velez

Yarielis nodded in sympathetic understanding. So Iris' family, or at least part of them, was non-magical. The cousins on papa's side were like that. The two of them had something in common. Probably something that a lot of people had and it didn't mean Iris would care or anything. The idea of further explaining about family caught in Yarielis' throat just a moment too long, and the moment passed, and there were birds to talk about now, and that was easier.

Yarielis skimmed the sign to answer Iris' question.

"Kind of... both?" The first year tapped the relevant part of the sign. 'Whilst the parrots themselves possess no magical ability, they come from a semi-wild group which lives near magical settlements. The parrots have become habituated to magical people, and thus have picked up a range of vocabulary that it would be inappropriate for them to say around non-magical people.'

As if to emphasise the point, one of the parrots fixed its eyes on them, sidling along the branch and clicking its beak in anticipation of treats, before letting out a loud 'wingaaaardium leviosa' and ruffling its feathers.

13 Yaniel Ayala Velez Going to the birds 1554 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 22, 2022 3:55 PM

You're not alone, brother. by Henry Spellman

Henry listened to Oz with the distinct feeling that he was missing something. Part of it was that, with the sheer volume of information he was getting all at once, it was hard to be sure he was even getting all the pieces of the same puzzle, let alone actually putting it all together correctly. Beyond that, Oz was talking about it like the biggest problem was he was worried about Xavier, but Xavier may or may not be risking death and be stolen away from his family? So? That seemed bad. A light bulb went off for Henry and he lit up with the grin of an idea he was sure he would work.

"Dude," he said, reaching out to touch Oz' shoulder. "Let me come with you next time he's gonna do it. Either tell him first or, if he doesn't want people knowing, we can fix my hair up and I'll pretend to be you. You could even take a 'bathroom break' and I'll come back in so he's already medicated. I know it's a little sketchy . . . but if it's for his own good, it can't be more sketchy than letting him do it in the first place, right? I might notice something you haven't noticed before or something and be able to help. I can do some research too. I know there's some good books around here on medication and dosages and stuff. When are you meeting him next?"

22 Henry Spellman You're not alone, brother. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 22, 2022 4:24 PM

Thanks. But figuratively will do. by Oz Spellman

Oz wasn't sure what he expected Henry to be able to do but so far none of what he was saying made Oz feel any better.

First, this was precisely why Oz had made himself look different to Henry in the first place - so that Henry was never in the position of taking the fall for Oz's stupidity. Then there was Xav... He didn't always get touchy, but Oz definitely didn't want Henry seeing that. And the thought of Henry pretending to be him... Of Xav raking his fingers through Henry's hair... His stomach squirmed.

"No," he said, the word carrying the force of a slamming door. "It's bad enough that you know. I don't want to drag you any further in."

13 Oz Spellman Thanks. But figuratively will do. 1514 0 5

Henry Spellman

May 22, 2022 4:27 PM

I'm not confused often but right now I'm confused. by Henry Spellman

Henry physically recoiled, not sure where Oz' sharpness came from. He was more confident than ever that he was missing something now, but he didn't want to force anything either.

"Okay," he said quietly. "I just wanna help is all."

22 Henry Spellman I'm not confused often but right now I'm confused. 1513 0 5

Oz Spellman

May 22, 2022 4:49 PM

Emotional support > physically jumping in by Oz Spellman

This was why keeping secrets was good. When Henry knew, he either wanted to fix it when he couldn’t, or help when he shouldn’t. Oz should’ve kept it to himself. How was it possible that he was driving a wedge between them again when all he’d wanted to do was bring Henry closer?

Screw up.

“Hey, you are,” he assured Henry, reaching out and gripping his shoulder firmly, like physically hanging on could stop all of Oz’s words and stupidity from pushing him away. “Maybe I just made a mess that’s too big even for your brain to sort out.” Again.

“I thought… Y’know when you said about sometimes you can break the rules for a good reason? I thought maybe this was that. That I was at least doing the right thing to help Xav, even if teachers and stuff wouldn’t think so…”

13 Oz Spellman Emotional support > physically jumping in 1514 0 5