Starting off. on Quidditch Pitch

Coach Olivers

January 17, 2014 12:26 PM

Quidditch Game III: Aladren vs Pecari by Coach Olivers

This was the last Quidditch game of the term and Florence was looking forward to seeing who won. She had gotten surprisingly invested in the games and had some idea who the favored team was to win this match given their extensive history of Quidditch Championships at this school, though she didn't want to say anything. The weather was awful today and terrible for a game. It was pouring rain; the rain was coming down so thick you could hardly see someone from a distance. It would be potentially dangerous if students couldn't see bludgers coming at high speeds or each other. But it would definitely make for an interesting final match.

Florence had her umbrella with her, but the only part of her it protected was her head which was covered by the scarf she had draped over her short brown hair. She had worn waterproof clothes and prepared for this rain, having looked at the somewhat reliable forecast the night before. It didn’t look as though the rain would stop anytime soon and so she had provided rain goggles for all the players with a charm on them that wouldn’t allow the goggles to fog up and stay clear in the rain. This was, indeed, spring weather, and Florence sighed, wishing for summer.

She had given the goggles to the captains to disperse among their team and hoped the players had been prepared for this kind of weather. Florence waited for a couple minutes, allowing the captains to make their speeches, but cut it shorter than the last. She didn’t want everyone to have to stay waiting in the rain for this game to begin. With her voice amplified, she extended one arm from under her umbrella. “Welcome to the final Quidditch game of the year,” she announced. “And props to you all for coming out here in this weather. Today we have Aladren, led by Thad Pierce, against Pecari, led by Amira Thornton. Captains, please shake hands. The game will begin with my whistle and end with the capture of the Snitch.” Florence released the Snitch and let it disappear into the rain.

She removed the Amplifying Charm and nodded at both of the captains as she had last time. “Let’s have a good, clean game,” she reminded them, “and good luck.” She picked up the quaffle and looked at both teams. “Keepers, to your posts, please. Players, mount your brooms. The game begins in three, two, one—tweet!” She blew hard on her whistle and kicked the quaffle into the air, an impressive feat with an umbrella in one hand and her rain boots on her feet.

The final game had begun.

OOC: Stay real, stay clear, and don’t forget detail! Remember to keep to the rules. And please distinguish your name by team color. Instructions are on the same page as the Quidditch rules. Pecari is tan and Aladren is blue. If you have any questions, refer to the rules or tag me on the OOC board. Happy posting!

Subthreads:

Starting off. by Adam Spencer, Chaser with Francesca Wolseithcrafte, Anthony Carey, Chaser, Liliana Bannister, Keeper, Cap. Amira, Pecari, Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren

Almost a Final by Captain Pierce, Seeker with Jade Owen, Seeker, Jay Carey, Beater, Rupert Princeton, Beater, Coach Olivers

Thoughts of soup by Theodore Wolseithcrafte with Liliana Bannister, Keeper

0 Coach Olivers Quidditch Game III: Aladren vs Pecari 0 Coach Olivers 1 5

Adam Spencer, Chaser

January 19, 2014 3:08 PM

Starting off. by Adam Spencer, Chaser

As soon as Adam had woken up he had looked out the window to find it pouring rain. Rain was something Adam was no stranger to, coming from London, but he had never played in such terrible weather. It was frightening, if he was being honest with himself, though he wouldn’t admit that to anyone else. He went down to breakfast with the rest of his team, wondering if any of them were as nervous as he was. Liliana ought to have been nervous as well and so he smiled at her, pretending he wasn’t nervous at all. He’d always found comfort in comforting others.

This was the final match and Adam knew he couldn’t muck it up. He’d have to make every catch, every pass and, if he had a chance at the hoops, he’d have to make every attempt count. Losing didn’t matter too much to Adam, but he knew it would to the rest of his team. He’d asked his sister to watch in the stands though she was in Crotalus, and he didn’t want to disappoint her either. He swallowed down his orange juice nervously, his stomach refusing to find any food appetising. The last match he had eaten too much; this time he was eating too little, but Adam didn’t want to risk the chances of a horrid stomach ache.

The rain was really coming down as Adam realised when he stepped outside. He was soaked through in an instant and could hardly see across the pitch. He took one of the goggles and put it on as Amira gave her captain’s speech. He wondered briefly who would be the captain next year once she graduated, and though he had an inkling he couldn’t see what practises would be like several months from now. He had liked the idea of open positions and the building of a wider range of skills, though he knew there were several others on the team who didn’t particularly appreciate Amira’s more liberal methods of training.

Goggles strapped around his head and a heart beating rapidly in his chest, Adam’s fingers played a rhythm against the stick of his broom, waiting anxiously for Coach Olivers’s whistle.

He mounted when she gave direction, and then rose quickly at the whistle to be one of the first to reach the Quaffle before gravity had a chance to pull it back down. With the leather ball under his arm Adam made a line for the hoops. It was dangerous, playing in this weather, but invigorating in the strangest way.

When Adam saw one of the Anns, he thrust the Quaffle at them, not caring which one it was as long as she received it. The rain was coming down hard and it would be difficult to make distant passes. He didn’t want to take any chances. He left the Quaffle in her hands, if it had indeed made it to her in that short distance, and flew ahead to keep himself open closer to the hoops. He’d have to keep an eye out for bludgers as well since the rain made it difficult to see despite the goggles. The rain, too, would make it difficult for Beaters to hit their mark spot on, and at least for that, as a Chaser, he was grateful. Never in his life would he ever want to be a part of the professional Quidditch leagues.

0 Adam Spencer, Chaser Starting off. 0 Adam Spencer, Chaser 0 5

Captain Pierce, Seeker

January 19, 2014 10:22 PM

Almost a Final by Captain Pierce, Seeker

Though the season ran a little differently this year without Teppenpaw playing, this final game of the year was still going to determine the overall winner as both Aladren and Pecari were going into it with one win under their belts. Honestly, Thad would have preferred for Crotalus to win the year's second match, and not just because Cepheus was a friend of his. Had Jade come into today's match with a loss behind her, the best she could do for her team was tie them up, and that would have given Thad at least a small psychological advantage at least.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Worse, it was raining buckets as well.

Thad hated playing in the rain.

It was spring, so it wasn't freezing, but they would still be flying at high speeds while wet, which would make them chilly. Wet robes were uncomfortable. Wet brooms were harder to hold on to, and therefore harder to maneuver. Visibility was reduced. Thad's dark hair - which had just enough curl that it normally stayed out of his eyes - would lay flat and become annoying. The darker blue of wet Aladren robes would be harder to spot as compared to the dry lighter blue they normally were, which could work in their favor if they were smart about it, but could also work against them. Pecari's brown wouldn't be any easier to see when drenched dark either, which was definitely a negative. Rain was just all around bad news.

There were the charmed goggles that he passed out to his team as they arrived, which would help somewhat, but they weren't going to fix all - or even most - of the problems associated with this dreary weather.

Of course a lengthy vituperation of the ills they would soon be suffering would help nobody, so he kept his pre-game speech short and to the point. "We beat Crotalus, now let's do the same thing to Pecari. And quickly. Today's post-game party will definitely include hot beverages." He left it implied that he had no doubt it would be a victory party. Aladrens were smart, he didn't need to spell it out that defeat parties were rather senseless.

Minutes later, as he shook Amira's hand as instructed - again with no pithy witticism because the ability to come up with those was apparently linked to the creativity gene he didn't have - he just hoped his second real game as a Seeker would prove as successful as his first and he could back up that verbal confidence he'd just offered to his team and not let them - or their expectations of hot beverages - down.

He'd really like a steaming cup of hot cider himself.

There wasn't anything much he could do about it now, though, except set his goggles, ready his broom, and kick off as the whistle sounded. He would admit that the goggles were at least good for keeping his hair out of his eyes anyway, and as he flew upwards, the dark strands stuck to his forehead but didn't impede his vision at all. The sheets of rain did that quite well on their own.

Step one, he decided, would be to find Jade. If he couldn't find a fifth year girl, he was fairly well doomed at finding a tiny snitch, and he may as well admit defeat right away if he failed at that. On the other hand, if he did find her - which was the more likely outcome anyway - he would confirm that the weather didn't make locating anything in it completely impossible, and then he'd be able to watch her to see if she'd spotted anything in the downpour. She had a school broom, so he thought he was at the advantage in chasing down the snitch once it was spotted. That hadn't helped Cepheus though, so he would certainly need to remain vigilant himself. It was always better to be the one who actually spotted the snitch first.

0 Captain Pierce, Seeker Almost a Final 0 Captain Pierce, Seeker 0 5

Francesca Wolseithcrafte

January 20, 2014 2:15 PM

As you mean to go on? by Francesca Wolseithcrafte

Aladren always seemed to get the rainy matches. Francesca was very good at seeing things from a number of different perspectives and thus she saw the fact that this practise was perhaps an advantage. However, most of her really did not relish the thought of being wet through. It made the match harder for everyone and was just plain unpleasant. It was a good job she'd got her friendly banter with the Anns and Adam in during the week running up to the match too, as calling out in this weather was just asking for a mouthful of rain water and might not even be heard above the noise of the drops drumming on every available surface. She had, in the most jocular of tones, spent the week reminding them that being friends wouldn't stop her trying her hardest to thwart them, especially now that they were gunning for her brother – blood, after all, was thicker than water. She grinned and waved at the opposite Chasers as the teams stood face to face. She really wouldn't have had the final match any other way. It was always more fun playing against her friends, and the fact that they'd both won their matches made it feel more like a final than it would have done otherwise. If they'd been trying to beat Crotalus by playing against Pecari, she was sure it would have felt a little strange.

She was grateful for the goggles that were passed around, even though the rest of her was already wet and cold. They didn't break through the haze created by the sheets of rain but there were a few inches in front of her face that she could see, and it was a relief not to have to choose between squinting and getting rain in one's eyes. Thad kept it short and sweet and she tried not to let her mind drift towards thoughts of a well earnt hot chocolate. Even if they weren't celebrating, she would definitely be having one after the match. Victory would just be the whipped cream and marshmallows on top.

She kicked off as sharply as she could on the whistle, which wasn't very. The wet pitch was muddy and determined to create suction around her feet. The kick was strong enough to wrench them free but not without a large squerch. Her robes, though somewhat weather-resistant, were not entirely wind nor waterproof, and were already somewhat heavier with rain. The amount was not a huge one but she was so used to how her broom handled, when to turn, brake and how much to lean forward to accelerate that even a small change threw how natural it felt. She could still fly and fly well but it took more concentration to do so. She also put risky stunts to the back of her mind. It would be far easier to misjudge them in this weather. Slow, steady and stealthy would be the way to play.

With this in mind, she set off after the hunched figure she had caught sight of. They were heading very purposefully for the goals, which made her suspect that they might be holding the Quaffle. She scanned around, waiting for another tan blur to appear out of the rain, and when she spotted one, she veered in closer to them. It was well timed, as the Quaffle came soaring towards the player she'd just marked and she leant as far forward as she dared, managing to snatch it out of the air. Gripping both the Quaffle and her broom as tightly as she could, she pulled round and down, hoping to arc under the Pecari players and bring herself round to the right direction without leaning into too much of a hair-raising angle.

Once she was facing the right end of the pitch, she darted forward, on the look out for Bludgers and fellow players, as much as the rain would allow. Spotting a blue blur ahead and slightly lower, she hurled the ball forward, letting gravity do its bit to help with the pass.

13 Francesca Wolseithcrafte As you mean to go on? 250 Francesca Wolseithcrafte 0 5

Theodore Wolseithcrafte

January 20, 2014 3:45 PM

Thoughts of soup by Theodore Wolseithcrafte

Theodore was not prone to complaining. He permitted himself a little sigh as he looked out of his window on the morning of the final match. As he met his sister in the Common Room, and she asked whether he had seen the weather, he responded with a slightly resigned 'yes,' that conveyed his displeasure without voicing or griping about it. It was raining. He was not a powerful enough wizard to do anything about that and thus he would just have to deal with it. Complaining was not going to make it go away or make it any more pleasant. In fact, it would probably just make the general feeling more gloomy.

He had breakfasted well, even though he felt somewhat nervous. There was no sense in being wet, nervous and hungry to boot. He and Francesca both ate porridge with sliced banana and brown sugar, which warmed his insides nicely. The feeling just about lasted through the Captain's speech, by which time – although the air itself was not cold – the rain had done a good job of making eating warm, comforting porridge a dim and distant memory. He was bolstered by the warming charm Francesca had placed on him and thus most of his discomfort came from the sensation of being wet. Still, Thaddeus' speech stirred some sentiment in him. He was not a fan of hot drinks really but if you stretched that description to include soup (and he thought that you very reasonably might under normal circumstances and really jolly well should if the person wanting the definition stretched was a member of a victorious but damp Quidditch squad, however a minimal part they might have played in said victory) well, then he could most certainly get on board. He tried not to lose himself in thoughts of soup, and of what would be his preference right now. Something smooth, so that he could drink it from a mug, and simple and warming. He was very fond of carrot and corriander, and of oxtail but neither seemed like a drinking soup... They both demanded a bowl and a crusty slice of fresh bread. Chicken broth or cream of tomato... That was what you wanted a mug of. Today, he thought, might be more of a chicken day....

He was roused from his reveries by the coach, shouting above the rain and sending the Keepers to their posts. He kicked off, his feet skidding against the mud that was already coating the pitch, and causing him to stagger off at a bit of an angle. It was lucky that it wasn't a matter of the utmost urgency, the Keepers having a window to get there before play proper commenced after all. Pulling himself straight, he headed to the goals, and began looping them, switching patterns often so as to not make any goal an obvious target.

He squinted out into the rain. The goggles made him more comfortable but it was still hard to see what was coming, and he was keen to have as much advance warning possible of anything that might be coming his way. There appeared to be no particular threat at present, not close enough to see anyway, which probably meant to close enough to worry about. He continued to keep a vigilant watch though, in spite of the fact that craning his neck forward opened up a nice little gap for the rivulet that was running off his normally neat brown hair to make its way inside his robes and down his back. He gave an involuntary shudder. However quickly the Snitch was caught, it was going to be a long match...

13 Theodore Wolseithcrafte Thoughts of soup 270 Theodore Wolseithcrafte 0 5

Liliana Bannister, Keeper

January 21, 2014 2:51 AM

Mine are of tea. by Liliana Bannister, Keeper

As it was the last Quidditch match of the year, Liliana was determined to prove herself. They had won their last match, but that had mainly been because Jade had caught the Snitch. She was excited because even though the weather was rainy, she played best in the rain anyway. Though it made it a little difficult to see, she was at home in the rain and enjoyed the cooling feeling it provided in contrast to the hot, sweaty feeling she got from flying.

While Coach Olivers began the match, Liliana found herself staring at her year-mate and Keeper of the Aladren team. She had heard that Alarden usually won the Quidditch cup and was nervous to see if perhaps Theodore was a better Keeper than herself. She had seen his match against Crotalus and thought him talented. Today though there was an odd look in his eye- Liliana didn't know if he had been spacing out or thinking of ways to cream their team, so she flew into the air quickly to man her post in front of the hoops when Olivers gave the signal. She wasn't about to let Wolseithcrafte beat her to that even if his team did win the match.

From her post, she watched her teammates and the Aladren team flying across the pitch. She cheered when Adam was the first to catch the Quaffle and held her breath as she watched him zoom off towards Wolseithcrafte and his hoops. She really hoped that Adam and the Anns would score. She gripped her broom tightly, shouting encouragement as she watched them praying with all her might that whichever Ann (she couldn't tell from the distance she was at) would catch the Quaffle that Adam had lobbed. She let out a gasp as she saw Wolseithcrafte's older sister snatch the Quaffle out of the air and head for her end of the pitch.

Gulp. Now the previous excitement she had felt turned to nerves and Liliana could practically feel the adrenaline rushing through her body. Now she was glad for the hair charm her mother had taught her over the to keep her hair tidy and for the rain goggles provided to them by Olivers. What she needed at this moment was a nice, steaming cup of chai tea to calm her nerves and help her stay alert.

A happy place, she told herself. Go to your happy place. Unfortunately, the only happy place Liliana could come up with at the moment was the sweet little tea house in Southeast Asia she had visited with her father for her birthday one year. This only made her more anxious for the game to be over so that she could drink up. Stop it, she scolded herself. Pay attention and then you can have all the chai that you want!

10 Liliana Bannister, Keeper Mine are of tea. 274 Liliana Bannister, Keeper 0 5

Jade Owen, Seeker

January 24, 2014 3:06 PM

It's Good Enough for Me by Jade Owen, Seeker

Quidditch was invigorating; it was energising. It could give a feeling of weightlessness, of invincibility, and of triumphant jubilation. It could also be exhausting, unforgiving, and soul-crushingly demoralising, to the point where an endless spiral into a black pit of nothingness might be favourable to the feeling of failure that threaten to overwhelm players of the losing team. That was Jade’s experience of the game, anyway, and a large part of why she loved it; the sixth year relished the dichotomy of victory, never so sweet than by her own hands, and defeat. Naturally, she would take the glory and giddiness of a win over the alternative any day, but she could still appreciate the bitter misery of a loss in its perfect juxtaposition. To hate the game simply because she didn’t win would be a farce; Jade loved Quidditch in all its capricious magnificence.

A game day, especially a championship day (which Jade concluded this was, despite the composition of its arrival being somewhat deviated from the norm), was sure to see the Pecari Assistant Captain in a positive mood, although her pre-game mentality might occasionally lead those around her to conclude otherwise. Excitement made Jade yet more unpredictable, more antagonistic and less patient than usual, resulting in an increase in the number of jibes, barbs and insults that left her mouth, although they were often well-meant and not at all intended to cause serious offense, despite how they might have been interpreted by the variety of recipients she targeted. The first year, for example, she told to move out of her way or she would curse his toenails to grow inwards for all eternity should have understood that she was just jesting with him. Similarly, the scowl she expressed when one of her teammates dared to question her beverage choice – yes, she knew not everyone liked black coffee, but that, in all honesty, was part of why Jade drank it – was symbolic of unity and sportsmanship, obviously.

Largely oblivious to how others were to interpret her actions, should they make any attempt to do so in the first place, Jade drank her coffee, and ate with animated gusto a cheese and mushroom omelette, one croissant with blueberry jam, and a small Satsuma. Already adorned in her Quidditch wear, including highly unattractive but usefully thermal undergarments, Jade then made her way out to the pitch, trudging through the falling rain. She realised that it would be inevitable that she would be completely soaked through by the end of the game, so she didn’t see any point in trying to stay dry; her dark hair was already clinging to her cheeks and neck in damp ringlets that had escaped from her ponytail by the time she had located her broomstick from the school’s shed. Her feet, encased in ancient sneakers, were mercifully still dry thanks to the number of charms Jade had applied to them to hold the shoes together, and the extra spells she had added that morning to keep them waterproof, but her hands were damp as she forced them into her battered Seeker’s gloves. As threadbare and slightly too small for her as they were, they were inevitably going to be an advantage over hands with no gloves today, considering the awkward side effect rain had of making everything slippy. It would be immensely frustrating to catch the Snitch but then to lose again due to lack of friction.

Jade wouldn’t have been surprised if nobody at all turned out to watch the game today – she didn’t often enjoy sitting out in the rain for an indeterminate amount of time when she had the option of staying indoors in the dry – but there were some spectators in the stands doing his or her best to keep relatively dry. Jade couldn’t conceal her smile; it was yet another testament to the greatness of this sport that it kept people outdoors in all weathers, when most people were generally otherwise adverse to the less forgiving elements. It was one matter that the players were crazy enough to want to be out in the pouring rain, but quite another that there were people willing to do the same just to watch them. The sixth year felt an unfamiliar rush of admiration for her fellow enthusiasts; she rarely attributed positive qualities to anonymous groups of other people, but that was perhaps simply one more example of the prominence of Quidditch.

Her good mood with-holding even through Amira’s speech (it helped that Jade knew this was the last time she would ever have to listen to one; a joyous and momentous occasion that she relished), Jade took a little time in finding a good spot on the sodden earth from which to kick off. She didn’t want to slip and slide all over the place when she could be rising through the raindrops at the first blow of the whistle. Throwing a lanky leg over the moist broomstick, Jade completed her final few pre-game checks, and was ready when the coach signalled the start of the game. She kicked off well from the ground, and shot upwards, savouring the spattering of cold water onto her face as though it were a refreshing shower rather than a drenching downpour.

While the rain didn’t bother Jade in essence, she couldn’t deny that it was going to make seeing the Snitch more problematic than usual, never mind catching it. She really hoped to win this game, not just because it would win Pecari the championship, and not just because she would finally beat Aladren again, and not just because she liked to win, but also because it had seemed sad and lame when Cepheus had lost to Thaddeus, even though the Aladren Seeker was new to the position. Jade did not especially want to place herself in a similar state of pity, and while she would adamantly defend that she was the better Seeker by far, she could not deny that luck often played a large factor in which team’s Seeker managed to catch the Snitch. Today, that would be more true than usual, as poor visibility rendered incidental proximity to the Snitch absolutely crucial. If it renewed its presence next to Thad, on the other side of the pitch, Jade wouldn’t know anything about it until the game was barely over. She could barely see her opponent in the rain, let alone their target. With this in mind, Jade was reluctant to stray too far from Aladren’s Captain and Seeker. She kept him in her sight as she moved more slowly than usual around the constraints of the pitch, searching desperately through the rain for any hint of a glint of gold.

0 Jade Owen, Seeker It's Good Enough for Me 0 Jade Owen, Seeker 0 5

Jay Carey, Beater

January 24, 2014 7:40 PM

Give me that old-time Quidditch game by Jay Carey, Beater

The rain was already, despite the layer of thick, curly hair which should have been between it and his head, drumming against Jay’s scalp and trying to run into his ears by the time he got to the Quidditch Pitch, but he was in something close to good mood as the team gathered and Thad quickly tried to bolster the team’s fighting spirit with promises of hot drinks afterward if they got to have a victory party. Jay was perfectly willing to work for hot drinks these days – between the pressure of being expected to manage all his siblings, the pressure of knowing his family felt he had failed to do so to an acceptable level, and the pressure, when he could find the time to even think about them, of his impending CATS, he had discovered he no longer really had the ability to function much longer than two hours without a fresh cup of coffee, which was another source of pressure in and of itself, as he’d have to break the habit before the very long exam sessions where he was sure he wouldn’t be allowed to bring a carafe – but that promise wasn’t the reason he was in a good mood now. His thoughts were far more basic. In a few minutes, he would have an opponent again.

He had been looking forward to this since about the second day after his return to school, once he’d realized just how badly he missed what had been his main occupation over the whole of midterm. When he’d had free time over the holidays, when he hadn’t been tutoring Henry and Brandon or making explanations to the adults or being dragged to tedious social events or stealing mismatched beads from Diana to make Aria a bracelet, he had spent most of it fencing with Arnold, to the point where Arthur had suggested he and Arnold both needed to go get drunk and seek the company of loose women before one of them, as they were both overly-enthusiastic and out of practice, lost an eye. It had been a good way to vent his many frustrations with life as it was recently and he had missed it ever since he returned to school, where Jay Carey didn’t do that kind of thing and everything else had been getting progressively more stressful. Beating wasn’t as good, too remote, hitting things was more how Henry dealt with his feelings, but for the first time, Jay was really glad about his new position on the team. He had spent as much time as he thought he decently could just hitting Bludgers around, but it wasn’t the same as having an opponent to think against. He wasn’t even so much interested in hitting the Pecari players, though he knew that was the goal, as outwitting and out-hitting the Pecari Beaters.

He was not, though, so eager for a duel that he had stopped thinking about the bigger picture altogether, and he knew it really would have better for everyone if they had drawn a clear day instead of this one. This weather was going to be awful to play in, goggles on or not; the bats and brooms and balls were all going to be slippery, it was going to be hard to get anything done, and he had to admit, Thad’s chances were not as good as they might have been. Jade Owen was good. Arnold had lost to her once, and from what Jay had overheard in a few different conversations, Grandfather’s most un-South Carolina-ish willingness to pay people off to smooth processes out might not have even been necessary to get Arnold into the League as a reserve. She had never beaten him again, but it had happened, and she had beaten Princeton, too (Jay, observing that his sister was upset about her boyfriend being embarrassed twice, had tried not to be too visibly pleased about that). She would pose a real challenge in good light. Jay had decided to be optimistic and say the rain would act as an effective handicap, putting the two on equal footing, but still, this was going to be a tough one.

The Seekers, very sensibly, under those circumstances, gravitated to positions not far from each other, and Jay started looking for an angle from which, if he got a Bludger, he could hit it at Jade without substantial risk to Thad. Or himself, given how the rain was going to mess everything up. He was not sure he’d ever played in this much rain; it was one of the things Aunt Lorraine forbade, on the basis that she had to deal with the results unless they were truly severe, in which case they’d want to deal with Uncle Adam or the Little Empress even less than she wanted them to. He was rapidly, however, grasping that a disadvantage of it beyond even slippery equipment and an invisible Snitch was that the audio cues which would normally suggest a Bludger were going to be, unless they were the 'someone else just hit it' ones, impossible to make out, meaning he had to look as much for his own safety as for his captain's at the moment.

Well, he had wanted a challenge.

0 Jay Carey, Beater Give me that old-time Quidditch game 0 Jay Carey, Beater 0 5

Rupert Princeton, Beater

January 25, 2014 12:59 PM

You asked for it. by Rupert Princeton, Beater

It was pouring outside and Rupert could hardly wait to get out in the rain. Game days always excited him no matter the weather. It wasn’t ideal to play a match in, but Rup had trained in rain and shine, in mud and sand even. His goal was greater than simply winning match after match with Pecari; he wanted to make it to the professional leagues. The wrist he had broken over the winter holiday had healed, though it had taken a bit longer than usual after straining it during the last match against Crotalus. Bludgers were not friendly, but Rup was determined to make every iron ball obey his command, and he had gotten quite good at it too for his age.

With his wrist healed, Rup had spent countless hours each day outside of Pecari’s usual team practises hitting bludgers in the MARS room to strengthen his arm to what it once was. He had attempted to train his right arm as well, realising the importance of being able to use both in case his wrist or his left arm was broken again during a match. He didn’t want to be completely useless because of a silly break and he supposed he could deal with the pain once his adrenaline was pumping. It was a long process getting his right arm to match the strength and coordination of his left, and he still had a long way to go by the time the final match came around. He would simply have to be careful to keep his left arm from getting hurt or else he would have to sit out for the entirety of the match and that would not do.

Quidditch was Rupert’s passion and that was it. Even Muggle Studies couldn’t compete in vying for Rup’s full attention. Winning and losing didn’t matter to him and Rupert respected people who thought the same. It was a game; there was a winner and a loser in all sports and everyone was bound to end up as either one or the other. Rupert just trained hard so he wouldn’t let himself or his team down. Losing showed nothing for his skill, though it could vouch for his character depending on his reaction. As a winner, he would not only receive the trophy along with his team-mates, but his growing track record would gain the attention of anyone looking to recruit students into the Leagues. And that was exactly where Rupert wanted to go. It didn’t matter to people like his brother Cepheus who had only looked to win. Cepheus would graduate and have all the money in the world to do whatever he liked so long as he stayed true to the family. Rupert had nothing and no one but himself to watch out for, and maybe Leo, so that’s what he did. He had chosen Quidditch and he was blooming good at it.

At breakfast he sat next to Jade, listening to her insult some first year and smirking behind his toast and jam. He had been on the team with her long enough to know her antics by now, and while he’d rather avoid her pre-game antagonism, he did enjoy listening to her. He respected her for her loyalty to the match, though he did not wholly condone her attitude towards Amira. Their rivalry had simmered down loads, but it was still a position of animosity Rup hoped he would never find himself in. He was so laid-back off the pitch he hardly found himself in conflict with anyone, even his ill-tempered old grandfather. Rupert on the pitch, however, was a completely different story. He hoped one day to be known as the feared Beater of Sonora, the friend of everyone at school, but one not to be taken lightly on the pitch. It was a big dream and Rup was already a fourth year, but he was building his arm muscles and his shoulders were already as broad as they were going to be. He was never going to be as tall as Cepheus, but at least he could have the brawn to go along with his imagined image. But, after all, looks weren’t everything and these matches were the time Rupert could show what he was made of.

The goggles helped slightly; at least he wouldn’t have to worry about constantly swiping his hand across his eyes. He’d made the wise decision to slip on his Beater’s glove before stepping out into the torrent, and the charms he had cast onto it in order to make it waterproof had been sensible. His custom bat Cepheus’s former betrothed had gifted him was in hand as always, though it was getting worn from use. He followed Jade once she rose into the air, keeping his dark eyes open wide for any sign of bludgers. Because of the thick downpour, he would have to be extra sharp in order to protect his Seeker and take opportunities when he could.

Rup straightened up on his broom and slicked back his sodden bright blond hair. He liked to keep it long enough where his fringe bothered his eyelashes, but it wasn’t going to help him in any sort with this weather. If he had to keep swiping it out of sight it would become a distraction and there was no room for distractions in matches like these. As Rup had learnt over the holiday, any sudden moves or an eye off the bludger for one second could be detrimental.

At that moment the sound of approaching iron came and Rupert kept his eyes wide open for any sign of it. It almost took his leg off when he finally saw it, but he dodged it just in time, though it left his heart pounding wildly at the close call. He followed it now that he had sight of it, looking back only once to see if his opponent had taken advantage of his absence. He beat the bludger closer, and with a firm thwack! aimed it right at Thad and hoped the slippery side-effect of the rain wouldn’t divert the iron ball too significantly. There was a time Rup would have attempted to knock out the Beater first, but he had come to realise doing so would only initiate a tennis match or something similar between Beaters and that was unnecessary. Going straight for the prize would be a distraction enough for the opposing Beater.

Rupert hurried back to his post near Jade, keeping close to her but not close enough to distract her. He’d never been very good at lurking in corners invisible and observant, but he was good at beating any danger away.

0 Rupert Princeton, Beater You asked for it. 0 Rupert Princeton, Beater 0 5

Anthony Carey, Chaser

January 29, 2014 10:15 PM

We seem off to a good start by Anthony Carey, Chaser

Anthony was used to thinking of himself as the only one of his parents’ children who had inherited the ability to lie very well, but as he stood on the Pitch and tried to ignore the sheets of rain coming down on him and everything else in the range of the school’s charms, he thought he might have to reconsider that assumption. He was equally used to assuming that Arnold was the worst liar of the three of them, as he seemed to lack both the desire to lie and the habits of mind which would let him hide it well when he had to lie anyway, but his older brother had always insisted he’d liked playing in the rain before he and Fae got together, and Anthony just didn’t see how that could be true. How could anyone actually enjoy the thought of being out in this at all, never mind in the air, and, in Arnold’s case, looking for something as tiny as a Snitch?

He felt for Thad, he really did. Admittedly, as Jay had pointed out at breakfast, it was hard to say either Seeker was really at a disadvantage when the weather was doing so much to make the job impossible for both of them, but Anthony was pretty sure that would be cold comfort, unless there was something about the very position of Seeker which made anyone who took it go insane and like for tasks to be more difficult than they had to be by their very nature.

Though, Seeking was hard on its own. He wondered if there were any statistics about the number of Seekers who were also overachievers in their general lives, taking on more than they had to just for the sake of the challenge. Arnold had done that, though not for love of it, Anthony thought; he knew his brother had spent most of last year frazzled and angry, though trying to hide it. Between him and Jay, Anthony had the idea that getting older was actually going to be worse than being younger had been, though he was still trying to hold out some hope for the future. His case wasn’t really much like either of theirs, after all.

They kicked off, which wasn’t easy in the puddles of mud the Pitch was turning into, and Pecari got the Quaffle. At least, Anthony assumed so, since they were going that way, and he was guessing it was one of the Aladren girls because they then turned the other way. He squinted, feeling as though he needed to even with the goggles, looking for the Quaffle, and spotted it just before it started flying toward him.

Anthony got it, but only with a fumbling effort that, in better weather, he was sure would have resulted in a Bludger hitting him. He was writing Arnold as soon as this was over to tell him that the gig was up and he was either a deliberate liar or else just suffering from terrible nostalgia for the days before he’d had someone both at home and at school to chide him for doing stupid things that ended in broken bones. Getting the best grip he could, he flew on, zigzagging a few times in the hopes of throwing his opponents off and betting on his teammates’ brilliance and sharp vision to continue to distinguish him from the other dark blurs on the field. When he thought he distinguished one of them, he squinted again before throwing the Quaffle toward them with more force than was strictly necessary, hoping it would travel quickly and surely.

0 Anthony Carey, Chaser We seem off to a good start 0 Anthony Carey, Chaser 0 5

Francesca Wolseithcrafte

January 31, 2014 3:35 PM

It's sort of carrying on.... by Francesca Wolseithcrafte

The pass made it to Anthony, which caused a small, tight-lipped smile to flicker over Francesca's face. Further to this, a quick scan around revealed that no one seemed to have been knocked out of the sky in the intervening period, which was probably, on balance, a good thing, given that over fifty percent of the people on the pitch were ones she did not want to see injured. It was the game and she knew it but she thought she might find it a little distracting if Adam or one of the Anns was in the small white tent below in a condition unknown to her. And clearly she wanted her own team to continue with seven players.

Having passed the ball successfully, she bolted down the pitch as straight as she could, allowing for avoiding hazards and trying not to pick up a tail. Anthony took a more evasive path, meaning that she had easily passed him and was available for him to return the ball to when he decided that he was ready to pass. She flew in tight, lining her body up with the shot. Even with the gripping charms, the Quaffle became slippery when wet and thus she didn't want to be relying on the tips of her fingers to make the catch. Her current position would allow her to bring scoop it in easily to her stomach and-

Oof. The ball slammed into her much harder than she had anticipated Anthony would throw it. Her broom wobbled slightly as her focus was occupied with having been winded by the Quaffle rather than on where she was going. One hand had stayed firmly gripped on the handle meaning that she was in no danger of falling or over-balancing. She just needed to get her breath back, which was a slightly painful process.

As she regained her focus, she picked up her speed, although she was aware that even the few seconds of poor to non-existent acceleration were probably enough to get her a close Pecari tail. Still, they'd made good distance.... She wondered whether she could make it to the scoring area without being clobbered out of the sky. It was probably a better shot than making a pass after having been slow off the mark. She flattened herself against her broom, shooting like a bolt towards the goals. She had barely crossed the line to mark of the scoring area and neither slowed nor changed direction before hurling the Quaffle forward with as much brute force as possible, hoping to catch the Keeper off guard and/or make the ball too fast and hard to catch. There was a time and a place for careful feints and calculated shots but this was not it.

13 Francesca Wolseithcrafte It's sort of carrying on.... 250 Francesca Wolseithcrafte 0 5

Adam Spencer, Chaser

February 01, 2014 1:40 PM

Not in the way I'd like. [tag Liliana] by Adam Spencer, Chaser

Adam was disgruntled when Francesca had received the Quaffle instead, but he had already flown too far to the Aladren goals to do much good. As he turned back to follow her, she had passed it once to Anthony and he had passed it back to her. He looked at the Anns, wondering what was taking them so long to make a good snatch in between, but pressed on to reach Francesca before she made another pass. She had slowed slightly and he caught up quickly enough, however, just quick enough to catch her throw the Quaffle at the hoops.

If Adam had been more dedicated to this sport, or was about half as serious as his cousin was, he would have hurled himself off his broom to snatch that Quaffle out of the air. He very well would have caught it too or at least would have hit it out of the air. Adam could imagine Rup doing something mental like that. But instead Adam took the time to readjust his broom, though it took a second, and fly right towards it to swipe it out of the air while it was still a slight distance away from Liliana, but his hand was a second too late.

That would be no doubt one of the poorest blocks known to Quidditch and Adam was slightly embarrassed. Not embarrassed enough, however, to brood in it. Instead he looked over at Liliana hoping she would rise up and become Pecari's best Keeper they'd had in years. It was fanciful dreaming, but in any case he hoped she blocked the Quaffle and didn't kill herself doing it.

The worst position Rup had ever seen a Sonora Keeper in was when Leo had gotten a Quaffle straight in the mouth. He'd never forget it; neither would Leo. And Adam cringed a little at the thought of that happening to poor Liliana. He hoped she wouldn't loathe the sport afterwards, but he could only watch and ready himself for a pass from her whether or not she blocked. She had looked well enough during the practises. If only that would manifest itself now in the heat of the match even if this was only the first goal. Adam sincerely hoped Jade would catch that Snitch soon.

0 Adam Spencer, Chaser Not in the way I'd like. [tag Liliana] 0 Adam Spencer, Chaser 0 5

Liliana Bannister, Keeper

February 02, 2014 11:12 PM

I'll try not to let you down! by Liliana Bannister, Keeper

Liliana's fingers were tightly grasping her broom when she saw Wolseithcrafte's older sister racing towards her on her own broom, Quaffle in hand. She couldn't quite see the Anns, they must have been out of her range of vision but she did see Adam Spencer racing right behind Francesca- reaching, reaching, reaching. He caught up with her and Liliana allowed a breath that she didn't know she had been holding to leave her lungs. Adam would save the day, she just knew it!

Not quite so.

His hand only just missed swiping the Quaffle out of the air and Liliana found herself wishing that it was Levi on that broom as she knew her beloved cousin never would have let her down. No matter, it was time to prove her place on the team. She had done well in practice- thought that was nothing compared to the adrenalin rushes she received while on the field playing other houses. A million and one thoughts were racing through Liliana's head as she prepared herself for the Quaffle. All she had to do was block it. Block it with anything- hand, foot, broom, head even! It didn't matter as long as the Quaffle didn't go through the hoop!

Liliana saw the Quaffle getting closer and closer and soon realized that she was not stationed in front of the right hoop and that If she didn't get moving soon then Aladren would score and Pecari would be down. She set her eyes and crouched down to her broom deciding that the best plan of action would be to fly in front of where the Quaffle was headed and just block it with her body. Once the Quaffle started falling she could fly down to catch it- if able, or Adam could. She hadn't thought that far ahead into the game yet and frankly didn't care. Eyes set on the prize Liliana smiled sadistically at the ball she so badly wanted to destroy and flew off.

Contact, she felt contact. That was good, wasn't it? Indeed, the ball was now falling below her, but that had not been the only contact- her broom handle had hit the goal post and she saw the end of it splitting in the slightest. Oh well, it had been a save and that was what mattered. She could fix the broom later. She added that to her list of things to do and she tried to direct herself towards the falling Quaffle, her left arm sore from save and her less dominant one desperately reaching out to catch it though she was not even within catching distance of the dratted thing.

How she hoped an Aladren player wouldn't reach the Quaffle first. If they did then Liliana would surely not have enough time to block the ensuing assault on her beloved hoops.

OOC: Sorry, Aladren! I did a coin flip to see if Liliana should save it and Pecari won heads 3 times and Aladren only got tails once... I promise it was a fair flip!

10 Liliana Bannister, Keeper I'll try not to let you down! 274 Liliana Bannister, Keeper 0 5

Adam Spencer, Chaser

February 03, 2014 1:29 PM

Keep it up! by Adam Spencer, Chaser

The moment Adam had seen Liliana brace herself he had subconsciously braced himself as well. He had righted himself after the pathetic swipe for the Quaffle and was sitting up in the rain, near the hoops, watching as the Quaffle made its way through the torrential rain. It felt dramatic, like something straight out of a fairy tale. But Liliana came through and Adam winced first at the hit and then cheered.

"Nice one, Lil!" he exclaimed before diving down to catch the Quaffle. The nickname had slipped out without a thought. It was a name he called his youngest sister and Adam thought it funny that it would slip out now. The force of Francesca's throw had to have hurt and Adam was sure she'd need to nurse a bruise afterwards. Spending time in the Hospital Wing after a match seemed inevitable for everyone, though perhaps less frequently for the Beaters who were allowed to carry weapons to protect themselves and their team. It was lucky in that aspect, being a Beater, though approaching bludgers and coming into contact with them as part of one's job was enough to give Adam chills.

Snatching the Quaffle out of the air was easy, though he fumbled slightly in getting a firm grip on it. It was slippery and the rain made it slightly difficult to see properly. Adam's goal was to get it as far from the Pecari hoops as possible without getting penalised for flying too long with the Quaffle. He'd never had that happen before to him, but with this he would have to take his chances. Adam made eye-contact quickly with one of the Anns, hoping she would follow his lead, and pushed on through.

He'd made it about a third of the way down the pitch, maybe a bit more, and he knew he'd have to pass the Quaffle to someone else. Adam looked around for brown robes, though the colours were muted in the rain and difficult to see properly. He spotted his team-mates well enough after a moment of flying and searching the air with his eyes. He readied himself for a pass, and at the last second decided to feint and made as though he was going to toss it to one Ann before hurling it towards the other. Adam hated feeling closed in on by the Aladrens and feinting would hopefully throw them off and send them to the wrong Ann if at least for a second. They looked identical anyway; maybe they could use that to their advantage one day and confuse the Aladrens silly.

Adam flew on ahead once more towards the Aladren hoops after his pass to leave himself open to receive the Quaffle. He still stayed alert and on his toes—metaphorically, of course—, ready to dive for a mishandled Quaffle or to race after an Aladren Chaser who'd reached the ball before the Anns did. His pass had been a bit risky given the factors working against it.

0 Adam Spencer, Chaser Keep it up! 0 Adam Spencer, Chaser 0 5

Jade Owen, Seeker

February 03, 2014 3:57 PM

I never got that pony I asked for. by Jade Owen, Seeker

Jade had noted before that their practises in the rain didn’t often tend to last as long as the team meetings held in fairer weather. The sixth year had often suspected that this was largely due to most people’s preference to limit their time being drenched by the elements, but the current game conditions led Jade to acknowledge that there might be more to it than that: playing in the rain was harder, and worked both her physical and mental capacities to a greater degree than did more clement weather. Plus it was harder to see one’s team members in the rain, and instruct them, and so forth, due to the reduced visibility.

Games, on the other hand, were prone to last longer in the rain, due to a similar set of reasons. The players worked harder, the balls were more difficult to control, your teammates were almost inseparable from your enemies, and Jade could also attest that steering was harder in the rain – on her particular brand of borrowed broomstick, anyway – due to imperfections in balance created by uneven weight distribution as folds of fabric and clumped tail twigs collected rainwater that slid neatly off the polished broom handle. If they could play (and win) successfully in the rain, it was a greater demonstration of the teams’ skills and talents than when compared to anything they could accomplish on a fine day.

Having acknowledged that, Jade tried not to be too disheartened that she didn’t seem to be making a great deal of progress in the game so far. She thought she had seen Rupert duck in and out of her vision, but she hadn’t heard any sound of Bludgers around her (which was disconcerting, to say they least; being able to see the balls was going to be incredibly difficult against the downpour, and Jade had been relying on being able to hear them to help her avoid painful injury. With these two important cues removed, there was simply no telling at which point she might be unceremonious unseated and potentially destroy Pecari’s chances of winning the cup this year). She was also finding it more difficult than she had anticipated to watch Thad whilst keeping her distance, and was torn by the conundrum of whether she should fly closer to him, or continue to hope that she was simply lucky enough to see the Snitch first.

While she tried hard not to let prejudices blind her (if someone else brought their issues to the table then Jade would jump on their bandwagon to cause ridicule and upset, but she never wanted to be the one making any judgments in the initial instance), Jade couldn’t help but feel as though Aladren had – had previously, and still possessed – the advantages of class and cash on its side. Admittedly, the Anns and Rup could hold their own in that field, but Jade somehow didn’t think of them as belonging to the same collection as the likes of Thad and the creepy Wolseithcraftes (with whom Jade, thankfully, was not overtly familiar, thanks to their age group discrepancies). This was possibly because she was simply more familiar with her own teammates, or, equally as likely, the attributes that had landed the whole team in Pecari together were those that Jade favoured over whatever traits she shied away from in Aladrens in general. It made sense, she supposed; she did, after all, get along much better with her sister, Josephine, who had also been in Pecari House, than with her brother, James, an Aladren Alumus. When it came to Quidditch, Jade viewed all the Houses as opponents, naturally, but it was only in her games against Aladren that she got particularly riled, despite attitudes being yet more pompous amongst several of their Crotalus counterparts. She occasionally gave two seconds to wonder why that might be, but, by and large, she genuinely didn’t care.

Her personal issues took a backseat in her mind for a moment as Jade twisted her head sharply to the right, conducting a double-take as she thought she might have seen a glimpse of gold towards the emptier end of the pitch; the Chasers seemed to be congregating towards the other end, hopefully with Pecari’s aristocratic newbie Keeper pulling her weight against the similarly privileged Aladren Chasers. Jade tilted her broom a little, trying to located Thad, look out for Bludgers, and establish whether that gold glint had been anything worthwhile investigating, all without looking suspicious. This, perhaps, was the only feat made simpler under the cover of rain.

0 Jade Owen, Seeker I never got that pony I asked for. 0 Jade Owen, Seeker 0 5

Cap. Amira, Pecari

February 03, 2014 6:16 PM

Conceal, Don't Feel by Cap. Amira, Pecari

Amira had been sick for their first game of the year, but that not only didn’t stop her from playing (especially since there was the fact that if they didn’t win this game, it would be her last ever at Sonora), but it also hadn’t stopped her team from winning. She was very proud of them and how they managed to work together, though by the end of the game she’d sufficiently had it and spent the next few days in bed.

This, she knew, would be it. Her last game at school and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Getting old and graduating was something that hadn’t (in all manners of speaking) crossed her mind. Sure she knew it was coming, but it wasn’t in the forefront of anything. The last game, HER last game, was.

Amira’s brilliant red hair was up in a ponytail at the back of her head and even though it was Springtime it was still slightly chilly. Underneath her robes, she wore her thermals, knowing that even if she was slightly warm, they would help her in the long run and when she looked out the windows, she was glad she had put them on after all. The rain was coming down in sheets and Amira sighed.

Her whole career led up to this day, this game and of course Mother Nature made it rain. “How appropriate…” she said softly to herself as she walked into the Hall for something to eat before the game. She didn’t eat much, just some oatmeal, toast and a glass of orange juice, but she’d learned that eating too much before a match wasn’t the best thing to do for her body.

The others chattered around her, but Amira stayed silent, trying to be sure of what she was going to say in her speech. They’d worked together pretty well in the game against Crotalus to the point where they’d even won and though this game was against Aladren there was a much different dynamic. There was no more Arnold and Arthur to contend with and she and Thad were the big kids on the pitch. It just felt weird to her.

Jade, from the sounds of it, was in rare form and Mir was glad she didn’t really need to pull her aside before the game. Her assistant knew what her job was, in fact, she was pretty sure the whole team did by now. She only hoped that they gave it their all and sent her out with a bang.

Amira and the others left the hall and when they all got to the Pitch, she beckoned her team to her. “Okay. First thing, Coach has given us all a pair of goggles to wear, please collect one from me.” she said, pausing her speech to hand one out to each of them. “Good. Now that we’re set with being able to see, I have a few things that need to be said. This is not something that is easy for me to say, and I want you all to understand that. This game… This game is my last one here at Sonora and I know that next season all of you will continue to make me proud under Jade’s leadership. Things will change, I’m sure, but Jade knows what to do and I want you all to listen to her. She’ll lead you to more wins, I know it.” she started, looking to Jade, mainly so Jade knew that she was telling the truth. They may not get along as people, but Jade really did know the game and had the drive to win as Amira had said.

“We have worked very hard to get to the final game of the season, we’ve already won a game, and I know we can win this one too. I am proud of each one of you for your hard work this season and for some, seasons. All of you have come so far and learned so much. I ask that you keep your knowledge with you and it will help you all learn and grow to be the best you that you can be.” she paused. “I know its corny, and I’m sorry, but its totally true. We have had the practice time, we have the teamwork, talent and the drive to win, but we have something else too. The need to win. Right?” she asked them, waiting for any signs that they’d heard her.

“Clara, Atlas and Brandon, cheer like you’ve never cheered before and keep your eyes up and trained on the game. The weather isn’t pretty so its especially important for you to watch. You never know if one of you may need to jump into the game.” she said, glancing to her alternates before turning to Jade. “Jade, you’ve caught the Snitch quite a few times now and today would be a wonderful day to do that again.” she said, looking to the other five starters.

“Lilliana, you’ve shown us already that you’re a great Keeper, now its time to show Aladren what we all know, what Crotalus knows. Tell it to yourself as many times as you need to, because I believe in you, WE believe in you.” she said to the first year before moving on to her Chaser Team. “Annabelle, Annette and Adam, the three of you have been working together for quite some time now and this is the test of all that fluidity. You can use that to Pecari’s advantage, Aladren’s Chaser Team hasn’t worked together nearly as long as you have. I know you can do this. I always have.”

Taking a moment to put herself back together before she spoke to Rupert, Amira took in a deep breath. She and Rup had been working together for a long time now as well and they had a silent agreement in who would take care of who when on the Pitch and she believed in the younger Beater very much. He had so much drive and desire in him to better himself, to be something to go somewhere with his life and she admired that greatly about him. “Rup… You and me, we’ve done this a million times before, but this one, this one is even bigger than ever before. This one sends me out with a bang, this one will lead you to being the head Beater and-” she stopped there, to take in a deep breath. For some reason, this one was the hardest for her to say and it scared her a bit. “And this game will show you who you are and that you, all of you, can be anything you want to be. You just have to try for it.” she said, turning back towards Clara for some of the strength that she’d recently lost in her speech which basically was her saying goodbye to her team, a part of her family and she wasn’t sure really, how to deal with it. She’d never been the sentimental one of the family, but it seemed that her leaving school and suddenly being thrust into adulthood was forcing that right on top of her.

Amira looked at the whole team in front of her and shook her head to bring herself back to reality. “This is the finals everyone. This game will show Sonora who we are as players and who Pecari House is. I KNOW we are winners, but the question I have for you, is, do you?” Mir put her hand in the center of the team. “Hands in everyone. One, two, three, PECARI!” she called out as loudly as she could and brought her hand back out of the hopeful pile of hands.

Coach called for the Captains to go to her and she did as she was asked to shake hands with the other seventh year. This game was going to be much like the last, two seventh years facing off against each other and Amira hoped the winning team would be hers. The red-head shook Thad’s hand silently just as she had with Linus in their last game and Coach spoke as the Captains went back to their teams. The Snitch was released and she reminded them about having a good, clean game as she picked up the Quaffle, sending the Keepers up to their posts. Mir mounted her broom as Lillianna flew upwards towards the hoops and giving one more nod to the others, flew upwards as well, reading to keep watch on her Chasers and Keeper, as usual.

The final game had begun.

Adam caught the Quaffle and Amira cheered for him inwardly. She knew he had it in him, though she also knew that he wasn’t particularly competitive like so many of the others were, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to win as much as the others!! When Francesca stole the ball from him on his attempt to pass to one of the twins, Amira’s smile turned into a frown as she watched the ball pass back and forth between the Chasers until it made it all the way into the scoring zone on Pecari’s side! “COME ON LILIANNA!” she called out, cheering as the first year blocked the throw and Adam caught the rebound just as she heard the telltale sign of the metal Bludger. I’ve got this… she thought to herself as she prepared herself for the metal on wood that she knew would come.

It was hard to see and hear since it was raining really badly, but she still saw the Bludger coming and she readied herself for the contact. The black ball hit her wooden Beaters Bat and with as much power as she could put into it, she smacked the Bludger right at one of the Aladren Chasers, she couldn’t really tell which one it was, but she hoped to all get out that it wasn’t her own sister!

Amira saw the bit of broom fall and noticed that her sister’s broom wasn’t in one piece anymore and her heart plummetted to the ground while the rest of her still flew in the sky. “I have a game to finish… If she’s not okay she’ll ask to be pulled out… She’s okay… She’s totally fine…” she said to herself, taking her energy off her sister and putting it back into Bludger hunting.

ooc: Sorry about the coloring of her name ((And of Andri's too)) I'm still having a bit of trouble in that department...

0 Cap. Amira, Pecari Conceal, Don't Feel 0 Cap. Amira, Pecari 0 5

Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren

February 03, 2014 6:20 PM

Put on a Show by Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren

Andrina was worried, this game was turning out to be family against family, and she was afraid that it would end up much like what she’d read about the American Civil War. Thad’s family was on Pecari, as was her own and she worried that the two teams wouldn’t go so easy on each other. She knew Thad wanted this win, he’d been very clear, but then, so had her sister. Her sister was graduating and she knew how desperate Amira was for a win. She didn’t see this going in any good way at all.

The worst part, to her, was that now she was playing one of the Chasers instead of the Keeper. She’d gotten to replace Kitty afterall and she wasn’t too thrilled with the prospect…

There was something about replacing one of her friends who’d been injured so badly that she couldn’t come back to school that put a bad taste in the Aladren’s mouth. The crazy rain she’d woken up to didn’t help the awful feeling both in her heart and the pit of her stomach.

The red head felt the butterflies fly all around inside of her and kept telling herself that there was no reason for her to feel that way. She knew what she was doing and after all, Andri was the sporty one of the family, why was she suddenly nervous about this game? The red-head took in a slow breath and rubbed the small kink on the back of her neck to try to relax as well.

“This won’t stop me from playing… It won’t…” she said to her reflection in the mirror, just about telling herself that she wasn’t going to give up. “They need me, I won’t be a failure to my team.” she said as she washed off her whole face and put a damp towel on the nape of her neck to try another way to calm herself down. She shivered, knowing this was going to be a long day and she sighed, taking the damp towel off her neck and drying herself off.

She skipped going to breakfast completely, wanting to be alone. She didn’t even go to the Hall with the others. Instead, she slowly walked out to the Pitch in the rain, letting the rain drops pelt down on her, knowing that it might just take her a little bit more time than usual to get her head into the game today, for Kitty’s sake. If she felt better afterwards she’d eat a good lunch or supper, depending on how long it took for the game to end.

Andri took deep breaths in through her nose and let them slowly out her mouth to try to feel better. It worked at least a little bit and that helped a little bit as the others came up behind her. She smiled to them and stood, listening to Thad’s speech. She knew that the weather wasn’t going to help, and apparently so had the Coach and Thad, as he’d passed out the goggles for the team. She took hers and put it on, thankful to be able to see and at least have a part of her face covered completely from the cold raindrops as he spoke. Thankfully Thad’s speech was quicker than it seemed her sisters was, but then again Andri knew her sister was basically saying goodbye to her team too and she didn’t want her not to get that chance. Though the younger sibling wanted this game to be over as quickly as possible and she hoped that her sister would hurry up…

One thing he did say though, that made her feel even better was that the post game party would include hot beverages and she smiled at the thought of a hot drink after the game, she did love mulled hot apple cider almost better than anything else when she was cold. Andri knew what she had to do and she was glad that Thad didn’t explain it all over again. She may not have wanted to play Chaser, but that was her position this year and she was going to do it as well as she could.

The Coach let the Snitch go, the Keepers flew upward and she looked at Francesca’s little brother with a bit of longing, wishing she was there instead of him right then, but holding no grudge on the boy for it. The rest of the team mounted and she did too, but in a bit of a slow motion from the others. She didn’t see who had gotten the Quaffle, but she saw it passed a few times before she even caught up with the others. By that point in time the Chasers were all headed towards Pecari’s hoops and she felt really stupid and totally out of it. The girl wondered why she didn’t just have one of the alternates play for her, but she didn’t have the time to wonder at the thought.

When the Aladren Chaser heard the sound right at her side she knew it was far too late for her to move out of the way of the metal ball. It came at her from the left and as she scooted her left hand down her broomhandle to try to correct her flying pattern the Bludger hit the thumb of her right hand and the front of her broomstick head on. She thought she felt something crack in her thumb and watched as the tip of her broomstick fell beneath her from the impact of the hit, but it could have just been the broom handle too.

She moved her right hand to try to put her hand around the remaining part of her broomstick and immediately saw stars. “OW OW OW OW!” she moaned, gently pulled her right hand close to her chest for a moment. “This won’t stop me… It won’t…” she said softly, both to tell it to herself and to almost force her to go on. “It’s probably just bruised, the ball got the broom worse… Yeah… It got the broom worse…” she told herself as she flew onwards with the other chasers, trying to get the Quaffle.

When Adam passed the Quaffle, Andri knew he was trying to get it to one of the twins, but she flew upwards at just the right moment and intercepted it, seeing stars again when her right hand hit the ball, but she pulled the ball into her chest and holding tightly with her legs, shifted the ball away from her thumb as she flew, spotting seconds later either Francesca or Anthony and passed it, hoping one of the two of them got it and not an intercepting Pecari.

ooc: Apologies for the color in the name!!

0 Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren Put on a Show 0 Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren 0 5

Francesca Wolseithcrafte

February 04, 2014 9:40 AM

Not sure I can sing and dance right now... by Francesca Wolseithcrafte

She had been right about assuming a close Pecari tail, it seemed, as Adam blurred passed her, making a valiant attempt at knocking the Quaffle off course. It was a long shot, and one he didn't make, but you didn't get anywhere in Quidditch by not fighting for every last inch; it wasn't over until it was over. The rookie goalie managed to get it though, or at least bounce it off herself. It wasn't like there were points for style in Quidditch, and a save was a save. She hadn't been hopeful of the goal going in but it was always a bit of a let down when it didn't.

Adam scooped the falling ball out of the air and was off. Francesca followed in not entirely hot pursuit. Her team mates were bound to end up in better positions to intercept, so she was best off taking a slower pace down the pitch to try to meet them on the return journey. After having the wind knocked out of her and making a frantic attempt on goal, it made sense to take a moment to collect herself and make sure she was focussed for the next pass. If the Pecaris exchanged it successfully, well then she could hammer down after them.

She saw Andri intercept the Quaffle. Her attention had been diverted when her team-mate had been caught out by the Bludger – she was just aware that she hadn't been in the action much so far, but was glad to see her getting stuck in now. She sped up a little, hoping to get to Andri before the Pecari closed in. As she drew near, she held out a hand, scooping Andri's pass into her chest (much more gently and less painfully than last time, luckily).

Pointing straight down, she dove. She'd still been heading back towards her own brother when she caught Andri's pass so now needed to get herself turned around without getting tangled up. She'd have preferred to go up but there was the risk of getting tangled in with the Seekers and their Beaters. She pulled her broom around in a tight curve, and began to climb again, heading back towards game height and in the right direction.

Her manoeuvring meant that she didn't want to risk holding onto the Quaffle for too long. It had been worth the gamble last time but now it seemed wisest to pass. Seeing another blue up ahead, she continued her flight towards them. She allowed herself to draw relatively near before passing, as this time she had gravity working against her. When she judged it to be a distance she could make, she threw the ball forcefully towards the other player.

13 Francesca Wolseithcrafte Not sure I can sing and dance right now... 250 Francesca Wolseithcrafte 0 5

Theodore Wolseithcrafte

February 04, 2014 9:56 AM

Milk and sugar, mademoiselle? by Theodore Wolseithcrafte

Theodore looped his goals, keeping watch over his territory and as much of an eye as he could on the rest of the game. The Seekers and their attached body guards were a world apart from him unless one decided he was a more convenient target and took a pop at him. He included frequent scanning for Bludgers in his observations of the field to guard against this but so far no one had decided it was advantageous to try to dispose of him.

He strained his eyes down the pitch, curious as to how his counterpart was doing. As they were both first years from magical families, it would invite comparison and he most definitely did not want to come up wanting (though he was sure his mother would be pleased on some kind of political point-proving level if he was bested by a girl). He also felt he ought to make the effort to speak to Miss Bannister in class. She was a Quidditch playing female from a good family – a rare and laudable thing. He did not want her to think any kind of snobbery or house rivalry was causing him to treat her with indifference. This was far from true, he was merely reserved and not particularly prone to seeking the society of others without good reason. Which he supposed he now had, in as much as not wishing her to think he thought ill of her was a reason. That was one of the problems with people – if you made no special effort to befriend them they assumed it came from an underlying motive of dislike, rather than neutrality. He would therefore have to go out of his way and be more friendly than usual in order to stop this opinion being formed.

He looped the goals, scanned for bludgers and cast his eye over the game. The Quaffle was in Pecari's hands again but it was still too early to get very excited about that. When he had played his first match, he had tensed, ready to spring into action, every time the opposition got anywhere near the centre line, only to find that his adrenaline was being pumped for no good reason most of the time, which left one feeling rather strung out. There – it was off again, back away from him. He was well out of the action here, most of the time, left to himself and only called upon very occasionally. He knew that was why some people found the position dull but it suited him just nicely.

13 Theodore Wolseithcrafte Milk and sugar, mademoiselle? 270 Theodore Wolseithcrafte 0 5

Adam Spencer, Chaser

February 04, 2014 5:25 PM

Don't think it would do much good anyway in this rain. by Adam Spencer, Chaser

The pass had been intercepted by a girl with a broken broom handle and Adam had been slightly horrified at the thought that a bludger could have done that. His ears were less effective in this rain and he was having trouble keeping up with all the activity going on around him. Adam was quick to follow, but he didn't follow the Quaffle very closely when Francesca received Andri's pass. With it she dove and Adam refused to do such a daring thing and risk his life perhaps in the process. He left that to one of the Anns and followed from above. Looking down through the rain was a little better than trying to look through it and he was able to follow Francesca's slow ascent.

From her position she couldn't have been hoping to suddenly veer upwards and toss the Quaffle at one of her team-mates without a hitch so Adam positioned himself to be ready to intercept that pass. He descended a bit, though not too much, making sure he was right above her in order to swoop in whenever she decided to throw that Quaffle up.

Adam had caught her eyeing one of her team-mates and had a good idea of what she was thinking. But what he hadn't thought of was the speed he was going at nor the proximity in which she would toss the Quaffle. He had fallen a bit behind, not wanting to crash into anyone he hadn't seen, but when she threw the Quaffle up, Adam, without thinking twice, zoomed forward and unintentionally collided hard with the opposing Chaser.

His upper body had slammed into theirs and his broom had gone under and almost slipped away from beneath him. If the impact had been any harder they both would've tumbled off their brooms. Either way he had slipped back quite far on his own broom and was in danger of of falling off the back of it. The Quaffle had hit his arm in his attempt to shield himself from the other person's body in the last second and was now falling into the abyss. "I'm so sorry," cried Adam, feeling bruised all over. He scrambled back up on his broom, the fear of falling heavy on his mind and causing him to stay eerily numb and alert until he was sitting right in the centre of the stick again with no danger of falling off. The adrenaline had started his blood pumping and he began mildly panicking now that the ordeal was over and he was relatively safe. "Are you alright?" he implored, breathless, trying to see them clearly through his goggles and the rain. "I honestly didn't mean to crash into you."

The collision couldn't have looked like it was intentional or anything from below, at least he hoped. Ending the season with a foul on his record wouldn't begin the next year very well. Remembering the Quaffle then, Adam looked to see who'd picked it up. He was sure the other Chasers had been following closely and he dearly hoped the Anns had taken hold of it and Francesca hadn't happened to pluck it out from where she had thrown it. Otherwise that unintentional collision would have been for nothing.

0 Adam Spencer, Chaser Don't think it would do much good anyway in this rain. 0 Adam Spencer, Chaser 0 5

Jade Owen, Seeker

February 05, 2014 4:02 PM

But then this is better. by Jade Owen, Seeker

Darting under cover of sheets of icy rainwater, Jade made progress towards her destination as quickly as she dared. As she drew closer, she became increasingly sure that the gold glint she had seen was, in fact, her target. Still, it wasn’t all good news; she wasn’t sure exactly where Thad was on the pitch, and she did not want to waste time, nor draw attention to herself, by looking for him. She simply had to continue onwards through the deluge, ignoring her freezing fingertips and the trickle of water making its way down the back of her neck.

Yes – that was it! Jade was suddenly sure. She had seen the shimmer again, and its darting movements couple with its position on the pitch sufficiently far from the crowds for it to not be mistaken for anything else shiny (besides, the sun wasn’t even out today, so glints of spectators’ jewelry and other such cumbersome distractions were not very likely). It was no longer the time to play it safe; Jade’s broom would not match up to Thad’s if it came down to a race. She had always known that she would have to outwit or out-manoeuvre him if it came to a showdown, and it seemed she might have to employ her arsenal of skills, after all (then again, the opposing Seeker could be hopelessly at the other end of the pitch for all she knew… he could just as easily be right behind her, gaining on her every second).

Abandoning all pretense and subterfuge, Jade lay flat on her broom for the required burst of speed that brought her right into the enviable vicinity. She tore through the torrent, relishing the sting of raindrops on her face as the wind whipped lashings of water against her. These were the moments she lived for: when it came down to a chase, or a battle, where the victor would be decided in a few short adrenaline-fueled moments. Jade decided that it would be her. No way was she prepared to forgo victory to a first-time Seeker who was only captain of the team by default. Losing was bad enough, but Princeton’s defeat had just been humiliating.

With as much determination as she could muster – which was plenty; Jade didn’t have enthusiasm for deadlines or grades, but for things she actually cared about her drive was insatiable – the sixth year kept her eyes on the prize as she drew ever nearer. She lifted a steady hand from the rain-slickened handle of her broomstick, and swept the tiny golden ball out of the air without a second’s hesitation. She cheered, hollered, and temporarily forgot about the rain as she flew a victory lap, the happiest she had been all year.

0 Jade Owen, Seeker But then this is better. 0 Jade Owen, Seeker 0 5

Coach Olivers

February 05, 2014 5:10 PM

Pecari wins! 150 - 0 (nm) by Coach Olivers

0 Coach Olivers Pecari wins! 150 - 0 (nm) 0 Coach Olivers 0 5

Coach Olivers

Quidditch Game III: Aladren vs Pecari by Coach Olivers

<font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

Starting off. by <font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

<font color=blue>Captain Pierce, Seeker</font>

Almost a Final by <font color=blue>Captain Pierce, Seeker</font>

<font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

As you mean to go on? by <font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

<font color='blue'>Theodore Wolseithcrafte</font>

Thoughts of soup by <font color='blue'>Theodore Wolseithcrafte</font>

<font color='tan'>Liliana Bannister, Keeper</font>

Mine are of tea. by <font color='tan'>Liliana Bannister, Keeper</font>

<font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

It's Good Enough for Me by <font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

<font color="blue">Jay Carey, Beater</font>

Give me that old-time Quidditch game by <font color="blue">Jay Carey, Beater</font>

<font color=tan>Rupert Princeton, Beater</font>

You asked for it. by <font color=tan>Rupert Princeton, Beater</font>

<font color="blue">Anthony Carey, Chaser</font>

We seem off to a good start by <font color="blue">Anthony Carey, Chaser</font>

<font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

It's sort of carrying on.... by <font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

<font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

Not in the way I'd like. [tag Liliana] by <font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

<font color='tan'>Liliana Bannister, Keeper</font>

I'll try not to let you down! by <font color='tan'>Liliana Bannister, Keeper</font>

<font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

Keep it up! by <font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

<font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

I never got that pony I asked for. by <font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

Cap. Amira, Pecari

Conceal, Don't Feel by Cap. Amira, Pecari

Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren

Put on a Show by Andri Thornton, Chaser, Aladren

<font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

Not sure I can sing and dance right now... by <font color='blue'>Francesca Wolseithcrafte</font>

<font color='blue'>Theodore Wolseithcrafte</font>

Milk and sugar, mademoiselle? by <font color='blue'>Theodore Wolseithcrafte</font>

<font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

Don't think it would do much good anyway in this rain. by <font color=tan>Adam Spencer, Chaser</font>

<font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

But then this is better. by <font color="tan">Jade Owen, Seeker</font>

Coach Olivers

Pecari wins! 150 - 0 (nm) by Coach Olivers