7 Apr 2021, 00:49
Under the Surface
@Illowy Magnard
Two. Two losses. How could that be? Was Opeila actually that terrible at what she was doing? Or was it Adonis' fault? Or were they simply a terrible team. It was probably a good mix of all. Both of her duels had been happening a few months ago already, but Opeila had done her best to appear as a fair loser. She didn't want to ruin her opponents' victories, not at all.
That didn't mean that her frustration was non-existent of course. It was just buried deep down and Opeila tried very hard to forget that it was there. Usually that worked pretty well. Opeila was not the best actress, but hiding feelings like anger or frustration was something she didn't find that difficult. It was different with sadness or despair.
However, today even that didn't seem to work that well. Since the second year had gotten out of bed, she felt frustration and nervosity stinging inside at the thought that the last duel of the year was not that far away anymore. Opeila felt like she could not afford another loss. If she lost all three duels... it would be humiliating. Opeila was no bad witch. She knew her spells, but... when she was in a duel, it seemed that there was something she was lacking, more than the others. Was it speed? Was she too slow when someone came at her with a spell?
All those feelings and doubts drove her to the duelling club today. If there was anything she could do, it was to train. If she only trained enough... Everything could be improved, right?
And so the young Slytherin showed up in the training rooms short after lunch, dressed in black leggings and a dark green t-shirt, her hair tied back and braided so there was no chance of it getting in the way.
Entering the room she frowned, turned around and opened the door a little. The room smelled like a gym. Well... it was comparable but... was there no spell to conjur some nice scent? Well, Opeila didn't know one, so she settled on leaving the door open. The little girl watched the other training students for a few moments, looking for a nice spot for herself to train.
8 Apr 2021, 03:18
Under the Surface
Illowy could hardly consider herself on a "losing streak", after all this most recent defeat had only been her first loss; but Illowy hated losing. Granted, the other team beat them fair and square, and not without a good fight... however that didn't change the fact that it was still a wound to the ego. The snake prided herself on being a strong caster, with dreams of being a great duelist.@Opeila Winters
One just had to keep the idea in mind that every loss was simply a lesson for a future duel.
This time, the lesson was she needed to work harder, train harder, and get her head back into the game. She'd let her focus waver being too concerned over her former teammate. Now she had a new partner, and a first year no less. That carried a different burden of feeling the need to look out for the underclassmen, but Illowy had to keep in mind that the girl would have to learn to take a beating and carry her own weight if she was going to be Illowy's partner. She couldn't stand to see someone try less than their best.
Mauling these thoughts over, Illowy started towards the dueling club practice room, a place starting to feel as familiar for alone time as the Library or Rehearsal Room; though far less quiet... and a bit smellier.
The Third Year wandered into the room, pulling closed the door having been left ajar, and fiddled with her wand holder, making sure it was secure around her waist as she smoothed back a messy curl. Taking a glance around the room at others who were training, a familiar face caught her eye, "Hey." Illowy made a small, lazy hand gesture towards Opeila as she approached, "Training or blowing off steam?" she inquired casually, offering a small smile before starting towards a pair of practice dummies that weren't currently being used.
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
23 Jun 2021, 00:56
Under the Surface
@Illowy Magnard
Opeila had settled for a place rather close to the open door. It was always nice if the little breezes that blew in from outside reached her while training every now and then. The Slytherin was just no big fan of sweat. It reminded her of long schooldays in summer and the rides home in crowded schoolbuses. There were nicer things, no doubt.
The second year twisted her hair into a bun and wrapped the hairband she always wore on her wrist around it. She didn't really own an outfit for sports, but the light green t-shirt and black leggings she had decided to put on did just well anyway.
Opeila first didn't notice that anyone entered, but she did hear the door close. Her first reaction was annoyance. Doors did not always have to be closed!
Her elementary school maths teacher would disagree for sure. Opeila could still hear him comment "Oh, another person who grew up in a train" when the last person coming back inside from the break forgot to close the classroom door. Well, the Slytherin would not make that joke here. Besides, the Hogwarts Express didn't have automatic doors and last time she checked that was a train too. So the joke would be lost in that case.
The little moment of annoyance ended when she looked up and saw who entered. A familiar, Illowy Magnard, the girl who Opeila had tried to explain the internet to. An interesting conversation that had been.
Illowy seemed to have recognized Opeila too, she walked over and greeted her. "Hi", Opeila greeted her back, "A mix of both, I guess? There's only one more chance to win a duel this year, I can't lose again." She really wasn't sure if Jones wouldn't throw them all off the Astronomy Tower if they dared to lose as house.
6 Jul 2021, 02:40
Under the Surface
A short laugh escaped her after Opeila made her statement, "I get that." she agreed. Dmitri certainly was a force to be reckoned with; both as a peer and as a team captain. He was relentless and sometimes brash or downright frightening, but the team seemed to respond on the strange method and moral wasn't falling short from what she'd observed so she couldn't complain much.@Opeila Winters
"Tharaldson's left after our last loss, so now I'm with Kennedy which will be... interesting, to say the least." she sounded less then excited about the prospect of a duel with a first year at her side, but it is what it is. However, it wasn't that she didn't like Starlee, quite the opposite, she though the child was a fluffy delight. Like a little pygmy puff. Illowy also wouldn't deny the girl could be tough when she had enough conviction, and had a lot of promise to her. Overall, the older snake's worry didn't have anything to do with Starlee herself, but with the prospect of the ill-equipped witch being put up against older, more experienced casters.
Taking a place before one of the dueling dummies, the Third Year shrugged, "At this point, nothin' left to do but try to sharpen up though in case things get dicey, ye'know?"
I was told I was dangerous. When I asked why, they said, "Because you don't need anyone." That's when I smiled.
22 Sep 2021, 20:53
Under the Surface
@Illowy Magnard
Illowy told her that her former teammate- Tharaldson, a name that Opeila could connect with a face, at least vaguely- left after their last duel, so now she was stuck with someone called Kennedy. "Kennedy... Kenne- Oh! Isn't she a first year?" Opeila's eyes widened a bit. She was no one to say that all first years were bad duellists, but they just were the least experienced in most cases. That had to be a change after Tharaldson, who was a third year. "Good luck then. I'm sure it won't be too bad."
Opeila was only a second year, so it couldn't be that much of a difference either right? And duelling was still a new sport, so none of them had much practice. But at least Opeila had some more tricks in her pocket, having had one more year to learn spells. But Illowy was of course right, at this point all they could do was to train. At the moment Slytherin didn't look bad at all in comparison with the other houses, they actually stood a fair chance. They only couldn't mess up the final stage...
The second year stood in front of another duelling dummy next to her housemate. "Our team has not done bad so far. I think this year might even be ours, we just need to get through that final stage..."