Asher Tallow
April 24, 2005 3:47 PM
*smirks* I've got a tactician! Beat that! by Asher Tallow
There was an art to the making of paper balls. Nothing like that origy-whatsit; but there was most definitely a fine manner in which a paper ball was to be made. If rolled incorrectly, the ball might uncrumple half way through its flight. If packed too tightly, the ball could be easily overthrown. No, if Asher wanted to leave a stinging red mark in the middle of the traitor Earl Valentine's face- and Robbie's as well for that matter- she would need to employ the much secreted Tallow Tactic. In the last great Tallow War, just three months earlier, the double T was at last mastered. The idea originated with Jamie, but it was Asher who came up with the finer details. Yes, indeed, this was the supreme master of all paper ball making skills.And this was to be her first solo trial.
She smoothed out the first sheet of parchment and placed it directly over her palm. Moving her fingers in perfect conjunction, she fisted the paper into her palm, drawing the outer edges in like wound orange peels. She scrunched the ball between both hands for a more compact fit and then set the ball aside for the final touch. This was the source of the Tallow Tactic's success. She dug back into her satchel and withdrew a penny pouch. She counted out six cents- the perfect weight as tried and tested repeatedly- and stuffed the six copper coins into the center of the ball. Her hands scrunched the ball yet again, tucking in any loose ends.
The ball wobbled a bit on her desk top before settling as the weight shifted into a more comfortable position. Stage One: complete.
Stage two was much faster. Her fingers undid the elastic that held her braid in check, and quickly reworked the black band over her thumb and index finger. Asher grinned. Stage Two: Complete
Stage Three- aim and launch.
She picked up the loaded paper ball, pulled it taut against the band, and lifted her hand eye level. A quick glance showed that Dai Oni was otherwise occupied, and that Laura had just sent an impressive missile into the boys' weapon arsenal. She closed one eye, blew her bangs out of the way, and gauged the distance from her hand to Earl Valentine's forehead. She pulled back on the band once, twice, and then-
FWACK!
"Take that, Earl Valentine," she crowed as her masterfully crafted- and weighted!- ball made a perfect arch across the open space. "Like to see you duck that!"
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Asher Tallow
*smirks* I've got a tactician! Beat that!
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Asher Tallow
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Connor
May 05, 2007 9:00 PM
It's all overrated, anyway. by Connor
Connor decided to take Briony's statement as confirmation that she, too, was alone and had no objections to working with him. He had two sisters and Gwen, but he was still a long way from fluent in Girl-ese. If any non-girl was, he wanted to meet the fellow. The language of girls was more complicated than a seventh-year Transfiguration final, or what he imagined a seventh-year Transfiguration final had to be like in terms of confusion for him. There were more factors, such as the amount of stress involved, that made him prefer Gwen in her worst mood to even an easy exam in Transfiguration."Sure," he said. It seemed kind of obvious to him why he was there - what would be the point in just walking over and asking if someone had a partner if he wasn't looking for one himself? - but girls had a set of social rituals that went along with their language. Two things were too far out of the question to consider with most, and those were straight answers and taking things as they were. It wasn't all of them - Beverly was about as political as a Mack truck, and there were a few girls at this school he would never think of like that - but enough were to make someone take notice. "Right nice meeting you, Briony."
He glanced at the page, and noticed, to his surprise, that he knew something about what was on it. How often did that happen? "I remember learning stuff about the guy who wrote that," he said, not sure that counted as an idea. "He went all over the place because the Muggles didn't finish their Revolution the way he wanted, and everywhere he went folks started rebelling...France, I think, and somewhere down in South America..." He trailed off, forgetting details. Paul had been studying for an American History final over break and had coerced his siblings into quzzing him, and stories like that were the kind that stuck in Connor's head.
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Connor
It's all overrated, anyway.
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Nicodemus Sawyer, Crotalus
April 29, 2011 3:26 PM
I interpret your approach as an intent to be partners by Nicodemus Sawyer, Crotalus
As a rule, Nic didn't really like substitute teachers. He could not rely on his past actions to color their impressions about him, so he had to try extra hard to be an unremarkable student. Still, when he came into Divinations today, and found there was a substitute, his first and only reaction was relief that it was not the same guy they'd had the last time Professor le Faye couldn't make it.He could potentially be wrong about this, but he thought a person ought to believe divination was possible in order to teach it, even as a substitute. And for all the other issues he had with the subject, Nic did believe that divinations was not only possible but that he'd probably be cursed with the Sight given that both of his parents had it.
He did actually need to learn this stuff competently if he was going to stay sane once that kicked in. If it ever did. Which he kind of hoped it wouldn't. It was bad enough having parents as Seers.
As she spoke, Nic became even more assured that the school librarian was a far better substitute than Snughardt could ever hope to be. Not least because she'd actually studied it in college, but mostly because what she said completely agreed with the one thing his folks always said about the subject, and their biggest argument for why he had to take the class when it was heredity alone that would seal whether or not he had the Sight: Interpretation was everything. That was not inherent. That had to be learned.
He took down notes as instructed, not because she said to, but because he thought this may possibly be the lesson he most needed to learn in his entire life. He probably shouldn't even attempt to look dumber than he was this time, which was bad because she was a substitute, and might make her first impression on him when he thought it was more important to learn her lesson than avoid looking like a nerd.
Maybe if he just did it quietly in the back corner of the room?
He was torn on the partners question. It was a good idea to find a partner because (a) they were supposed to work in pairs, and (b) he could maybe shift the credit to the other party instead of himself. He kind of wanted to work alone though so nobody would see him trying.
At least this was Divination. Most people didn't respect divination as an academic subject. Getting one good grade here probably wouldn't change anyone's opinion about him. He hoped.
It apparently wasn't his choice anyway. Someone was coming toward him carrying a packet.
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Nicodemus Sawyer, Crotalus
I interpret your approach as an intent to be partners
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