The Mistletoe Spin Group #7 Summer Camp 2024

Japanese & English
Ency

𝕯𝖊𝖘𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

LC TP

Reducio

Slighlty toussled/ styled curly black hair, japanese descent features. Dark eyes. Sharp features with an evidently burly built. Naturally down turned eyebrows that make him look angry all the time. Usually a resting small scowl on his face. Often misinterpreted as him being in a bad mood. Brown leather jacket. Grey sweater. Black belt over black belt. Usually an unremarkable set of clothes, but with his activated abilities ( Lovely Creature & Terrible Presense ), it’s almost offensive it still looks good.

Sara’s appearance often draws attention, no matter how much it makes him squirm. As if he was a fictional character came to life. He shouldn’t be here, and yet he is.

* OOC NOTE: feel free to base your characters description of Sara Kohana off this.

Red ®: 112
Green (G): 95
Blue (B): 165.

Sara blinked at the boy’s straightforward reply about not wanting to kiss him. A tint of red dusted Sara’s cheeks in embarrassment as whatever was left of his confidence in front of the boy faltered. “ I... I’m sorry I didn’t mean to assume, I didn’t think- I mean- mistletoe and...culture..” each word trailed off a little softer despite the natsterngruff in his tone. He coughed in his fists for a moment, to gather a bit of his witts together. “Sorry”. He was a good height taller than the boy. This was why Sara leaned down just slightly to make himself a little less intimidating on instinct. But somehow Sara felt that he could stand up straight, and the boy wouldn’t be intimidated at all. In fact, he’s probably the more intimidating one. Such a sharp tongue. Sara didn’t dislike him for it, really. Just honestly a teeny bit nervous. At least Sara could be at ease that he didn’t feel bad about not being kissed.

It was then the boy mentioned a…good point about whether or not Sara’s relationship with Ginyami was serious or not. “It is” he found himself defending Ginyami, an evident frown on his face. Trying desperately not to look as upset as he already was. “ It is… it’s just.. He’s .. getting me into new things and he’s busy talking to his..friend..” the tension in his mumble grew the more he attempted to justify Ginyami, his eyes darted for a moment at him before returning back to the boy, with his shoulders tightened. The uncomfortable pit in his stomach grew at how similar his words were when he was justifying why Ginyami purposely put the mahoutokoro peers, including Sara, in a tent they all hated. Why did he need to remember that? He placed his hands in his jacket, hiding how they tightened as a reflection of the way his thoughts were going. If Ginyami had heard this, what would he have wanted Sara to say? No, scratch that. If Sara really were to believe the words he told him before, Ginyami would have wanted Sara to find his own answer. But what if that answer wasn’t what Sara wanted for himself? What if the answer made the stable foundation they built to ruin? Even worse - what if it’s always been shaky and Sara refused to see it?.

“He wouldn’t.. . do things without a good reason. That..that includes getting into a relationship..with me” he said with a less tense tone this time, as if it was the one truth he clung to. He didn’t spend this whole month replaying Ginyami’s words in his head like a daily mantra just to be swayed by the opinions of strangers. At the moment it was just.. Too fast... And too much information... And everyone involved was too close yet too far. It stirred uncomfortable thoughts, but one thing he could appreciate about the strange short but intimidating boy was how he unintentionally helped Sara remember a core belief, despite everything happening around him. He trusted Yami. He found himself being able to breathe a little easier, and the tension in his shoulders softer. If he could, he would have smiled at the boy. He did however give him a softer look now, a hint of gratitude in his dark, sharp eyes. “ I appreciate your words. You make me ..remember something important,” he confessed, his eyes briefly glazing right at him. Sara tried often not to look people in the eye. He had many memories of people freezing or showing evident discomfort when he did. But he found ease in seeing the boy exhibit none of it.

“ If..you don’t mind me asking... Why are you here, then? If you don’t seem… fond of the mistletoe tradition? Why do you stay?” he sincerely asked before saying his next words.” Ah.. you... don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I am just..curious… is all”. Oddly enough Sara didn’t even know why he continued to talk to the boy. Was he somewhat refreshing, despite intimidating Sara a bit with his sharp tongue? Was it the way he unintentionally had Sara feel a little better? Was it just desperation on Sara’s part to distract himself from his turmoil? Was it because he wasn’t someone Ginyami seemed to know and act so familiar with? One thing for certain, Sara had yet to dislike talking to the boy. It was rare enough to find someone able to speak so bluntly to him. It was..refreshing.

Interacting with : @Akari Kato Enzo’s Delacroix (a.k.a Hana’s man)

Running away from Previously Interacting: @Jack Burnett's INPC @Ginyami Midorimori,

Banner by Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood

Roleplaying as Ginyami Midorimori from Mahoutokoro
"English | Japanese"

Unlike most people, Ginyami was very aware of the drastic difference between envy and jealousy. Envy was a negative feeling of desire for something someone else had. It wasn’t something Ginyami felt very often throughout his life since he had been born into a wealthy, pureblood Japanese family which he had been taught was the very best sort of family to be born into. He hadn’t wanted for almost anything at all, and what he had wanted, he had quickly learned how to obtain. Thus, he didn’t usually end up coveting or envying what others had due to the confidence that he could very well obtain whatever it was for himself if he ever chose to do so.

Jealousy, however, was different. Jealousy was the feeling of being fiercely or protectively vigilant of one’s rights or possessions – or, at least, of what one viewed as one’s rights or possessions. It involved the fear that someone or something would come along to take what already belonged to them. And Ginyami, for all his confidence, had become familiar with that feeling all too well - ever since he had originally come to think of Valentin as his. Mistakenly so, as it turned out. But due to that incident, he had been consequently introduced to two other significant, previously unknown feelings: that of loss due to having felt he had lost Valentin to Romeo, and the feeling of shame due to having felt he’d been deceived by Valentin.

The introduction of those feelings revealed to him even more things about himself, however. Firstly, he developed an intense determination never to feel those things again – jealousy, loss, and shame – at the hands of someone else. Secondly, whether he had always been that way and never before realized or if the incident with his Durmstrang peers had changed him, Ginyami became wildly possessive. Abnormally, obsessively so. But most of all, Ginyami discovered that, when wronged, he was an extremely vindictive, spiteful individual.

When he was hurt by someone, he became adamant that, no matter what it took or how long, he would return the favor and then some by inflicting pain upon his assailants at least ten fold. As miserable as he had been returning to Hogwarts with the promise of interacting with Durmstrang students once more, he had been ready to take out his agony and anger on anyone he could, including his own schoolmates. He had wanted to bully others to the point of inciting them to pick fights, bring others down with him; to make them hurt like he was hurting. To lash out and cause as much psychological and emotional damage to whomever he could manage. However, the focus of his ire remained Valentin and Romeo.

Perhaps he might have possibly been able to forgive them both if they had been wise enough to realize their feelings for each other, reconcile them, and keep from pulling anyone else into their twisted love dynamic. But as soon as Ginyami had seen Valentin without Romeo at that checkerboard of a dance floor, he knew they had not. Thus, his rage had rekindled so strongly that even his awareness of Sara at his side had been threatened; continued to be threatened. Because for someone as possessive as Ginyami had become, jealousy - whether past or current - was no trivial matter. And he was determined to make that fact known to anyone who dared cross him that summer.

“I’m not pretending, Ginyami. This is how I want to dress right now, and I take full responsibility for my choice. Actually I thought it was a clear message about how I’m feeling.”

"...A 'clear message'?" the black-haired teen repeated, making a show of looking the quidditch captain up and down. It could have just been a trick of the flickering candlelight, but it almost appeared as though his polite smile had become somewhat mocking in nature. His words certainly retained much less such subtlety. ""And what, prey tell, did you mean for that to be? That your morals are as loose as your flimsy fabric? That your standards are as low-hanging as your gaudy jewelry? Or perhaps you meant to present yourself as a tragic hero, exposing yourself to the world with your open front as you desperately bear your bleeding heart, pleading for someone to take it in exchange for filling your Romeo-shaped void." He paused, as if in real surprise. ""Only...no matter how many seek to claim that messily-bleeding heart, no one can quite fit that void, can they? None but Romeo himself, that is." He brushed some stray fallen snow off his kimono as if brushing off any concern he might have previously implied having for Valentin by speaking out against Gellert.

"Nevertheless, you encourage them; egg them - lead them on. Because you know you love the attention. Can't ever seem to get enough of it, can you?" He gestured to the mistletoe in Valentin's hand. "All it would have taken was a simple Summoning Charm to call that to you - but no. You simply had to show off your amazing physical prowess. Just like you can't resist doing at any possible chance you might be able to seize."

“Yami, even if you’d been terribly disfigured when we met, I still would have loved you just the same. Please don’t cheapen what we had like this. It deserves the respect of being remembered truthfully… even if you decided to give up on it so soon.”

"What are you going on about regarding disfigurement?" Ginyami asked, laughing sardonically yet again. "Is that a threat? And - loved me?" No, you don't get to talk of loving me. As for cheapening what we had, that doesn’t matter, because whatever it was, we don’t have it anymore. And I’m inclined to doubt it was ever real in the first place, particularly with how much I’ve seen that you seem to enjoy deluding yourself along with everyone else around you."

Up until that point, even if the fox-eyed student's smile had dropped upon hearing the word 'love' fall from Valentin's lips, he had still managed to maintain a certain degree of composure. The instant he saw the seeker look away and realized he was looking at Sara, however, a flash of fury imposed itself upon the keeper's countenance for a fraction of a second. Then, just as soon and suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone, and Ginyami's expression assumed peaceful features once more.

They exchanged more words and it was all the Midorimori heir could do not to roll his eyes as Valentin suggested he might have been 'too afraid to show him more of himself'. Perhaps that might have been true once, yes. But no longer. And indeed, he did blame Valentin for certain things...but that was not one of them. Even so, despite the quidditch captain's beseeching, he answered, "I might have corrected you if I thought there was any point. But with how little you know yourself, I can hardly expect you to understand anyone else no matter how much one attempts to explain. For example...whatever gave you the impression that anyone wanted you to be of service to them? Is that simply an assumption you automatically make of everyone? Or is it something born of your absurd, pitiful, desperate desires to be of romantic use and purpose to someone?"

When Sara's name left Valentin's lips, Ginyami's eyes widened and his whole body stiffened, hands clenching into fists at his side as if he longed to punch the pale, ivory countenance until he saw it reveal crimson. However, he managed to keep himself physically in check as he uttered, "Don't you dare utter that name. He gave you no such permission and you have no right. If you absolutely must insist on referring to him at all, that's 'Mr. Kohana' or 'Kohana-san' to you."

The way Valentin's gaze found and held Sara's made Ginyami want to slap the former silly. He hated the way the Durmstrang albino seemed to bat his eyes at every new soul he happened to chance upon, surveying them each like they were some prospective new project or even a new potential love interest. Well...if he thought he could go after Sara, he had another thing coming. Sara was his and his alone. And if anyone needed to establish or expand their understanding of that particular fact, Ginyami would have been more than happy to make it known in any way necessary. But that would have to wait just then because, once more, the music started up and they were all sent to disperse as the various dance steps dictated.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

Upon first realizing what Valentin had done in regards to snatching their mistletoe, Ginyami was filled with confusion. Out the corner of his peripheral vision, while still bent in his bow to Della, he watched the seeker smile at the sprig in his grasp once he had caught it, the Japanese teen's own brow corrugated with concern and curiosity. Had the hoarder wanted it for himself for some reason? Did he plan to use it to persuade another to kiss him?

Despite not understanding the reason behind the behavior, the kimono-wearing student decided to taunt his peer nevertheless. Valentin's pleasure transformed into something else, but Ginyami got the feeling that particular change hadn't been due to his words. The snowy prince's helpless face touched with signs of guilt and remorse only served to bewilder his addresser more than ever before, but Ginyami refused to ask about them aloud.

Valentin's subsequent and apparent relief did not make matters any clearer to the black-haired pureblood. However, that didn't last long, either, as, when he took a step closer to him, the attention-seeking masochist swiftly changed his expression yet again. His alabaster complexion betrayed pink while it was his turn for his brow to furrow and it was Ginyami's smile that was renewed then. Even if the other expression changes had puzzled him, he knew what that kind meant, at least. His words had struck true. And however Valentin endured whatever pain and hardship came his way, Ginyami knew his peer had actual, tender weak points - and he had just managed to hit at least one.

“My friend’s heart is pure. She is like an angel. I know she only wanted the best for me, and she probably thought this would help me attain my dreams in a way that I couldn’t reach through my own methods. I don’t know if she really understood the true nature of this event, but I know Greta’s spirit, and I believe in her.”

"Oh, so you know who did this to you. And you defend her even still! 'Pure', you say? If she's so pure, why would she sign you up for a game you're so clearly convinced is vile and evil? Does she even know you? Can you really call her a friend if she does not?" the fox-eyed teenager asked. "This is why you are constantly finding yourself in such horrible situations all the time, whether it's being held captive against your will by someone wearing your father's face or being signed up for participation in an event to partake of a tradition you don't understand, much less believe in. You are always, constantly making excuses for and forgiving your abusers."

Ginyami was getting almost a sense of almost déjà vu and he tried to understand why, when, and where he had chosen to mention a point along those lines before. He glanced Sara's way. Oh...yes. That was right. He supposed they were similar in that way, at least. The keeper turned back to Valentin.

"I am amazed it took me so long to realize what a foolhardy idiot you are. Just because you may think you know someone or even might want to doesn't even come close to meaning you do. 'Attain your dreams'? Ha! And what dreams, prey tell, are those? Kiss someone until you find your 'one true prince' to sweep you off your feet and whisk you away?" He shook his head. "Whether or not your so-called friend understood the nature of this event in its entirety, I'm certainly sure she understood it better than you. Enough that she knew what she was doing. And, I think deep down, you know that, too."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm...you say your friend is like an angel. Not that I believe in that religion, but I did study it due to finding the stories fascinating... Wasn't it true that the most evil entity in the bible was supposedly the 'brightest star in Heaven'? Something about him also being 'God's favorite angel'?" Chuckling, he shook his head. When he looked up at Valentine again, it was with a face that suggested he might not have necessarily been only talking about Greta anymore. "Funny how the mighty fall, isn't it? Or perhaps the more appropriate English saying is 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'?"

As Valentin stretched his neck and blinked back at Ginyami, his tone deepened upon his continued words. “As for such knowledge about the inner workings of my heart… what good does it do if one does not act on it decisively? Or was my true nature precisely what turned you away from me, too strange and inhuman for a humble plant keeper?”

"It was not me who turned away from you," the Japanese pureblood contested calmly. "At least not before you did so from me. Call it your true nature or whatever you wish...but I still believe I am far more aware of said nature than you are of yourself." His brows shot up as another laugh escaped him. "Oh, a 'humble plant keeper', am I? So that's how you've seen me as all this time? How very good to know." Still grinning, he once again shook his head; this time to himself. "...If only I'd realized that much sooner. A shame...but it is what it is."

It was fantastically thrilling for the vindictive, narrow-eyed pureblood to watch his Shakespearean quote of a question seep into Valentin's comprehension. His grin broadened the tiniest degree, but whether it was in amusement or anger was anyone's guess. Perhaps even both.

“I didn’t sign myself up for this, and it’s because I lack faith in myself. I didn’t, still don’t, believe that I’m perceptive enough to recognize true love when it is before my eyes, as opposed to an illusion constructed by manipulation. Tell me, Ginyami. Have you felt true love? Do you love this boy that you took to such an unusual event for one honestly dedicated to their partner? Did you mean to test him, or was this all for your own amusement to see what your games would do to him? I may feel the flames of desperation licking my heels...”

Ginyami watched the quidditch captain's shawl fall over each of his arms as his conversation partner moved in even closer. His own heart thudded madly in his chest as adrenaline coursed through his veins. It was almost as if he were an animal participating in a hunt - but whether as the hunter or the hunted seemed to be changing from moment to moment.

“…But I am here standing in the fire without dragging others into it with me. When I realized that I was hypnotizing Romeo, I let him go. Are you living out your true wish with Sara, or is he just as innocent and ignorant as was my victim? If you don’t love Sara, truly love him, I demand that you release him at once. I will fulfill your wish, Ginyami, even if I must make you struggle to attain it.”

"Me?" the dark-eyed and haired young man chuckled softly between their intimately close proximity by then. "What does love, true or otherwise, have to do with any of this? I signed up for this event for fun. Before I asked Sara out. Not that the nature of my relationship with Sara is any of your business," he added with a bit of a warning edge to his saccharine voice and a sharpness to his white-toothed grin. "But now I'm curious. Why do you believe I would have reason to test him, hmm? Or that I derive any amusement from any of this? What 'games' might you be referring to?"

It was only upon hearing Valentin speak of what he said he had been doing to Romeo that Ginyami's serenity was broken once more by yet another bout of laughter as his eyes widened before casting the alabaster youth an incredulous grin.

"Hypnotizing him?! Don't flatter yourself! For goodness' sake, Mr. Schnell, just how much power over others do you believe yourself to have?! I knew you were disproportionately delusional, but I didn't realize the sheer extent! It's seeming more and more to me that you are exhibiting chūnibyō, or 'middle school syndrome'. It usually refers to those in their early teens who have embarrassingly grandiose delusions, are desperate to stand out, and have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers. As a result, they manifest delusional behavior according to the belief that they have special powers no other person has. Powers like being able to 'hypnotize people' without even realizing it, much less meaning to."

He offered Valentin a pitying smile. "Typically, such a syndrome is most commonly diagnosed among 13 to 14 year olds...but considering the loss of both of your parents and the fact that you are an only child bearing the responsibility of your entire household and family name, I wouldn't find it difficult at all to understand how your particular case might have gotten so bad as to persist as part of your mentality even now. " Ginyami reached out as if to pat the seeker consolingly on the arm. "As I'm not sure it's as commonly known of outside of Japan as it is within it, it's plausible that it simply went undiagnosed for so long. I sincerely suggest you get yourself examined for such a thing as soon as possible, however, Mr. Schnell. For your own sake as well as everyone involved in your life."

Removing his hand, the Japanese quidditch player went back to his previous topic of conversation. "Regardless of whether you choose to get diagnosed or don't, I've seen you and Romeo interact. I'm certain you could no more hypnotize Romeo than that sprig of mistletoe you have could hypnotize me. But go ahead; believe what you want. You always did seem to choose to see what you liked, anyway; rarely what was actually there. You're far too idealistic and romantic for that, with stars in your eyes and your head in the clouds. Too much of a dreamer to genuinely be in touch with reality or truth." His dark orbs bored deep into the bright starbursts of gems that were Valentin's irises. "If you think I'm wrong, let me prove to you how deluded you're being: hypnosis is not brainwashing. Even hypnosis cannot force someone to do what they, at their core, do not wish to do. So whatever concerns you may have had regarding Romeo are completely unfounded."

Narrow fox eyes narrowed further as Valentin commented 'living out his true wish' and mentioning Sara. Using the terms, 'innocent and ignorant'. Saying, 'my victim'. Demanding that Ginyami release Sara at once. And, finally, proclaiming that he would 'fulfill Ginyami's wish even if he had to make him struggle to attain it.'

Something of a trigger switch seemed to be flipped by the time Valentin's final word was said. The indication of its effect was extremely subtle - no more than a miniscule change of microexpression; a slight twitch at the corner of Ginyami's politely smiling mouth. However, the words that continued to come out of it from then on took on a severely more sinister tone.

"...Among the many things you so rudely seem to be implying from your scandalously inappropriate questions, you seem to be assuming that you and I both have 'victims'," he said, slowly and purposefully. "Make no mistake, Mr. Schnell. We are not the same. If anything can be said about what we are to each other at all, we are opposites." His voice was hard with scorn and derision for once; his cheerful, positive facade almost completely stripped away. Beneath that facade, however, there seemed to be something of another figurative mask apparent in his controlled choice of words and the limits of his maintained composure marked by barely-restrained emotions.

"...Earlier, you 'beseeched me' to 'tell you the truth'. You want the truth? Very well." He inclined his head with a dry look. "The truth is that it doesn't matter what I feel because I'm not stupid enough to mistake this event as something that could potentially make or break my relationship with Sara. It's just silly, whimsical childish nonsense; nothing more. It does not necessarily involve declarations of love, verbal or otherwise, or anything else of that magnitude or nature like you make it out to. It's simply meant to be pure entertainment." While the formality of his word choice seemed to lessen briefly, said word choice still maintained some degree of decorum, perhaps suggesting the status of his mental state.

He gestured to the mistletoe sprig in Valentin's possession. "These are plants. Plain, unmagical plants. They can't do anything to us so long as you don't consume them. If you trust no one else about this, I would think you could at least trust the 'humble plant keeper' who was raised from birth to know and be aware of such facts." The young man crossed his arms over his chest.

"This event is a chance to meet others; something I believe Sara could potentially benefit a great deal from. But whatever we have between us, it's ours and we both know it. That's enough for us. We don't need anyone else to understand or acknowledge it. We aren't so weak-willed that we have to worry about others interfering with or influencing what we think of each other. We are confident enough in our own history, experiences, and knowledge of each other having been together since, I daresay, long before even you and Romeo met. We are secure in our feelings for each other and that's all you need to know."

Once more, Valentin's shift of attention away from him caused the kimono-clad student to follow his gaze to Sara. He thought he could make out just enough words to understand what his classmate was saying, but in any case, he thought he could guess. They hadn't known each other for so many years for nothing, after all.

It was so, ridiculously strange - Ginyami was standing almost perfectly still, but the mere boldness of standing in such close proximity to Valentin, especially after having been away from him for so long, seemed to have his heart still working overtime, running that adrenaline through his system and forcing his breath to come harder and faster as if he himself had been physically running. Emotions were such troublesome things. They were annoying enough when they clouded one's sense of logic and impaired judgment, but they were particularly irritating when they began to influence one's physical body. And especially so when many emotions could be confused for others due to them having similar influences on ones' features. Were flushed faces a sign of inebriation, anger, embarrassment, attraction? Were racing pulses a suggestion of positive or negative stress? Was it possible for even the person experiencing such feelings to be certain of the reasons, especially while experiencing them? Ginyami didn't even dare try. He made no move save for the flickering of his void-like irises to amethyst ones.

“I missed you, but whatever your reason for giving up on me… if you really love this boy, then don’t you dare give up on him.” Valentin's way of speaking did remind Ginyami how his voice could potentially be considered hypnotic in a way, to an extent - but more in a poetic or figurative sense rather than a literal one, so far as he was concerned. Still, the draw was there, undeniable even to one who refused to be drawn in as everyone else seemed to be.

Ginyami took a deep breath, closing his eyes before exhaling for a beat longer than the amount he had inhaled with. "I missed you too," he uttered quietly as he stared at the checkered floor; so quietly that had Valentin been even more than a handbreadth away than where he already was, he might not have caught all the words. "But that doesn't matter. It stopped mattering once I realized why I had to give you up to begin with. Know this: I didn't give up on you - I gave you up. There is a difference, whether you recognize it or not. As to why, it was a fruitless effort and anyone else who can't see that is either deluding themselves, ignorant, or obliviously blind. I fear you may be all three."

When Valentin stepped away from him, the Japanese pureblood noticed that he was careful not to touch any part of him; careful not to let them come into any form of contact even accidentally. Good. Perhaps he was starting to learn to stay away from Ginyami - to learn how to keep away from what was dangerous - for his own good. Ginyami kept his head held high as he watched Valentin’s back when the seeker turned away. He was about to return his full attention to Della when Gellert spoke up again. The mere sound of his voice was impossible to ignore, like particularly long, jagged fingernails dragging down a metal chalkboard. Ginyami grit his teeth in aggravation, but forced himself to refrain from revealing any other form of emotion that he could control as he listened.

The silver-haired nuisance asked a few questions of Valentin and the quidditch captain replied. The Midorimori heir watched them out the corner of his peripheral vision and happened to notice Valentin glance back his way as well. It was almost as if he were asking Ginyami the question of, ‘how could I not detest this social engineering?’ Well…if he wanted an answer that innocent and he thought the keeper could provide him with one, who was Ginyami to deny him?

"Maybe you could ‘not detest it’ by taking it as it’s meant to be taken - as simple fun, rather than making a big deal out of it. You’re throwing a tantrum over nothing. No one said this has to have anything to do with love. It’s just a silly tradition that some people enjoy. How very unbecoming of you to put down a bit of harmless fun that might make others happy, guilt-tripping them for finding entertainment simply because you don’t agree with it. You’re behaving like a child. Perhaps if your parents were still around, you might not have turned out this way - so lacking in social etiquette, consideration for others, manners, understanding, and tolerance for beliefs other than your own."

He watched as the Durmstrang student took a deep breath upon peering at the mistletoe he still held. Valentin proclaimed that he hated the game and why. Ginyami responded with his own sigh. "Even if one entertained your eccentricities regarding the matter, Mr. Schnell, think about it. This is not even considered a proper game or a competition with a prize. This is a game of pure chance. No one is being shackled or bound to participate against their wills; it’s not even mandatory to actually kiss if both parties aren’t comfortable with it. And there are varying forms of kisses. Even you have to admit that kisses other than those shared between two pairs of lips would be permissible and acceptable by your standards for a silly tradition such as this, yes?" He tipped his head with a knowing expression. "If I recall correctly, you seemed to allow such behavior amongst your friends at the last ball we attended together. Why would it be fine between them and not here?"


He shook his head at the final claim the daredevil made of the event. "...Mr. Schnell, how could it possibly get in the way of finding real love? Give me a scenario in which that might occur - I implore you. If one’s love is real, then there’s no way something as inane, frivolous, shallow, trivial, inconsequential, or extraneous as this event would get in the way of it. You may not be an expert on what real romantic love is and neither might I, but we can at least agree on that much, can’t we?"

Though he had previously felt Gellert’s eyes on him and Valentin together, Ginyami had ignored the relatively unknown Durmstrang student for the most part. He had nothing to say to him, though the silver-haired eye-sore did seem to reference Ginyami at least a couple of times when he spoke to Valentin again. Curious.

As Gellert continued to speak, Ginyami didn’t really bother to listen much except for being unable to ignore the snatches of his own name and what Valentin responded to him. In the Japanese heir’s eyes, Gellert was speaking such a degree of nonsense that he no longer warranted even being listened to. Apparently others were, though, because at least a couple of spells were attempted with the silver-haired teen as the target. A shame none seemed to meet their mark, but there was always next time, he supposed. He knew he wasn’t going to bother wasting the effort on someone he believed so far beneath his attention.

“You were right Ginyami, I still haven’t chosen Valentin as a person, I’ve chosen him as mine.”

…And then the little flea expressed the gall to actually address him directly. By his first name, no less. Perhaps Gellert didn’t know or understand Japanese culture or the fact that one was not supposed to address another by their first name or without an honorific unless given explicit permission or it was considered extremely rude. However, Ginyami wasn’t going to bother correcting him. Because even if he had been worth correcting, he doubted the brainless oaf would have had the mindfulness to remember it, much less exercise it. Besides…to tell him he was doing something wrong would have alerted him to Ginyami’s annoyance and the quidditch keeper wasn’t about to allow him the knowledge that he had negatively affected the Japanese pureblood in any capacity. Not if he could help it, at least. Emotions made that extremely difficult.

Well…the fact that the impertinent silver-haired student had had the guts to address him in the first place - even if it might have been born of sheer stupidity and ignorance - was something, at least. So instead of outright ignoring him, Ginyami looked back at Gellert…and smiled so brilliantly that it outshone anything he had offered even Sara or Valentin that evening. It was so free of malice that it was hard to say if he even understood that Gellert was trying to cast him a ‘predatory’ look. He didn’t even bother acknowledging the sarcastic bow as he asked cheerfully, "Is that so? How nice for you! Though I’ll admit, I’m afraid I’m not certain what good simply choosing a person to be yours will do you. It’s not as though that’s the same as actually claiming them, now, is it?"

To a complete stranger like Gellert, Ginyami’s joviality might have seemed extremely friendly, his demeanor amicable and warm. To those who knew him better, however - particularly those who had seen him reveal a darker side within the Mahoutokoro tent that he had signed all his tentmates up for - that perceived cheerfulness and glee portended worse than any furious glare, profound frigidity, or fit of explosive fury might have instead. At least with those other three, there was some sort of warning before the storm. In this case, however, there was none.

As far as Valentin was concerned, Ginyami thought he was wasting his time trying to get through to those obsessive, empty-headed tunnel-visioned fanatics who would never listen to reason and could hardly reason themselves. He doubted they were capable of comprehending the most basic, simple terms, let alone the poetic metaphors the albino captain was using. With zealots and other extremists like those, there was only one way to deal with them – a show of power. And Ginyami intended to give Gellert one he wouldn’t soon forget if he ended up crossing him or otherwise getting in his way.

But for now…Ginyami would leave Gellert alone. As Gellert seemed to be one of Valentin’s loyal little disciples, the Japanese youth would let the Durmstrang seeker shepard his little lamb as he wished…so long as it didn’t stray from him with the foolhardy belief that it could confront a hungry fox and live.

He left the foreigners to their flowery, purple prose language of whimsy as he tried to return his attention to the girl before him. By that time, however, Della had already struck up a new conversation with Valentin, seemingly having come to disregard Ginyami entirely.

It wasn’t so much being disregarded that bothered the Japanese student so much as the attention Della then was giving Valentin. The pale thrill-seeker already seemed to be under the delusion that he had some sort of hypnotic power over people, and while Ginyami believed that ‘hypnotic power’ was likely no more than mere charisma of the sort that anyone might have possessed, Della’s attention was only likely to feed into Valentin’s delusions. Charisma or not, she seemed to have become enthralled by him, much as he had first been enthralled by Valentin when he first met him. After all, who could ignore someone who showed genuine interest in wanting to get to know them? So he really couldn’t blame her. Especially when he himself had ignored her in favor of conversing with others.

Well, that had been his mistake. He would have to do better next time. She wasn’t Japanese and not likely a pureblood, anyway, though, so he was hardly troubled by his loss of the opportunity to get to know her better. Completely blocking out the exchange between Della and Valentin, Ginyami was left with a lingering sense of disgust for the speed-chaser. He really didn’t seem to care who he was able to obtain attention from as long as they were willing to give it to him.

Eager to get his thoughts off of those who irked him so, Ginyami sought out Sara - only to discover a new form of headache. Sara was facing a young man with hair the color of honey and eyes the deep blue of ocean depths. They had both been stopped beneath a sprig of mistletoe. The fox-eyed student tensed, watching and listening to determine the dynamic between them. Somehow, though, it seemed poor Enzo had received the short end of the stick. Because even though he hadn’t tried to flirt with Sara or treat him kindly, which surely would have incited Ginyami’s wrath by endearing himself to Sara, he did something that may have been just as bad if not worse. He was rude to the older student.

Ginyami did not have the time to process his fury and he hardly even had the words, for once. In fact, there was only one. With an almost automated kind of grace, he whipped out his wand, pointed it toward the offending party, made the required movement, and uttered, "Calvorio."

Why the Hair Loss Curse was what he had reacted with, he couldn’t have been sure. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the foreigner’s honey-blonde hair was the most obvious sign that he not Japanese (and thus, in Ginyami’s eyes, lesser) that had caused Ginyami to believe he should be parted from it. If he had actually considered his decision, he would have taken very different actions - including making more precise wand movements in order to cast it more successfully because the way he’d done it, the spell almost instantly fizzled out, failing.

Well, that was fine. If the rude blonde had noticed his attention, then at the very least, the failed spell could have served as a warning. Ironically, if Ginyami had actually been thinking, he might have chosen the Instant Scalping Hex instead. The Instant Scalping Hex - despite being called a hex, which were supposedly lesser than curses - was likely much more painful and damaging than the Hair Loss Curse. Ginyami wouldn’t have wanted to cause an unnecessary scene, so if the blonde underclassman had seemed to get his message, he would leave him be…but if he did not, he would simply be inviting another attempt on his hair; a different sort this time. It almost made the Japanese youth hope the stranger gave him a reason to try again. And if the scalping didn’t work, there was always the possibility of gouging out those blue eyes that they might not dare to look upon Sara again - much less with such irreverence and ingratitude.

While thinking such gruesome, gory thoughts, Ginyami raised a hand, beaming, and cast the honey blonde a jolly little wave as if he hadn’t just tried to place a curse on him - or as if he’d had no idea what he and Sara had been saying. It was true the keeper hadn’t heard much due to going into something of an auto-pilot once he’d understood that the younger boy had been disrespecting the older one. However, he’d heard enough once he’d calmed down a bit and he had mixed feelings about the conversation.

Before he’d had time to sort and process those feelings or call out to Sara, however, someone was speaking to him again. This one was, fortunately, more familiar and yet did not immediately incite notions of rage with either the memories it summoned, nor the meaning of the words it spoke. Well…there were some uncomfortable memories, but it was not the fault of the Hogwarts student before him that they were uncomfortable. Ginyami mellowed his maliciously broad smile into something more polite and reserved once more as he dipped his head to Kim. He had only met him on two occasions before - the Thrills and Chills Bash of October 2022 and the Sato Yule Ball of December 2022. Neither had given him reason to dislike or think particularly badly of the teenager.

"The feeling is mutual, Sato-san," he answered genially, politely dipping his head. "Or was it still ‘Aoki-san’ you wished to go by? I’m afraid I never quite got the story behind that."

Clasping his hand behind his back, he leaned forward, smiling. "Last I recall you addressing me, it was simply ‘Ginyami’. Was there something that changed that?"

HP: 1100/1100
Stats: STA 11 / EVA 12 / STR 5 / WIS 8 / ARC 6 / ACC 19
Abilities: Charmer / Fearless / Foulplay / Evasive Maneuvers / Evasive Maneuvers II / Impartial
Action: Eventually going to cast Calvorio on Enzo.
Interacting with: @Della Barfield, Sara Kohana (@Hanako Tone), Valentine Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood), Hiro Bakugo (@Kim Sato), Enzo Delcroiz (@Akari Kato) & Gellert Schroeder (@Tristan Theramin)

Group 7

MODERATION POST

This author asked for the present group to bring the drama, and they succeeded BEYOND wildest expectations. Let's break it all down, shall we? First, Gellert Schroeder turns from ice last round to fire this one and attempts to cast Incendio Tria on the mistletoe above him and his partner. Unfortunately, there are so many pretty people around that something or someone catches his eye, just barely distracting him enough for his spell to fail. Nearby, Jack Burnett tires of Gellert's antics and attempts to cast Langlock on him, and while his spell does succeed, Gellert's nimble feet dance him out of the way. No tongue-tiedness for the present moment! And Hanako Tone agrees with Jack as he tries to send a Hair Loss Curse Gellert's way, but his cast just barely fizzles out, also probably due to the unexpectedly high level of beauty surrounding the group. No luck, and Gellert gets to keep his hair.

Meanwhile, Haven Bohannon and Tone Bakugo team up to get rid of the candle that's dripping wax on them from above. Whilst Haven's Avifors doesn't quite make the cut, falling just shy of a successful cast, Tone manages to freeze the candle into a small ice block, stopping any further wax from ruining his partner's lovely blonde hair. Good job! And one more attempt at a Hair Loss Curse comes this time from Ginyami Midorimori, towards Enzo Delcroix, but just as before, it fizzles out before it can be properly cast. Everyone gets to keep their hair! How exciting.

With nothing but talk from Della Barfield and Valentin Schnell, as well as similar chatter from a not-bald Enzo Delcroix and Sara Kohana (who REFUSE to kiss each other point-blank), that's it for this group!

The music starts back up again, and the spell whisks everyone away to find a new partner... and by the time the violins fade out once more, each skilled dancer is paired with someone very new, in a situation that is either also new or vaguely familiar...

THE DANCE FLOOR HAS SPOKEN:
@Della Barfield and Enzo Delcroix (@Akari Kato) end up under the mistletoe!
@Kim Sato and Tone Bakugo (@Kim Sato) end up under the mistletoe! I apologise
@Hanako Tone and @Haven Bohannon end up under the mistletoe!
Ginyami Midorimori (@Jack Burnett) and Gellert Schroeder (@Tristan Theramin) end up under the mistletoe!
@Jack Burnett and Sara Kohana (@Hanako Tone) end up under a candle.
@Jacob Harman and Valentin Schnell (@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood) end up under a candle... that is dripping wax on them!

For any questions or concerns, please owl the moderator of this event, @Aly Salinger.

Also and very importantly, please make sure your action is clearly visible and separated from the rest of your post. Preferably put it in a quote at the bottom but as long as it's separate that's fine. I would also appreciate an inclusion of any stats and abilities you may have in your posts. Makes it much easier to mod!

One final note: if you have not posted yet in the Spin, you must post within the next week or risk being removed from the event temporarily (e.g. you will no longer be matched with partners) next Saturday. This is to make it fair to those who are being consistently active. If you come back later and wish to be active, you may rejoin at any time, but note that you'll be #dancingonyourown until the next mod post.

Click HERE for Ency

Appearance when white shawl is off:

Reducio

Right as Valentin was arriving in front of Della, the telltale flare and cry of an incendio tria [sic] drew the seeker’s eye to Gellert, who was apparently not a fan of the mistletoe he’d found himself under. This proved quite interesting to Val, who watched for the other’s reaction for signs of why he’d decided to attempt the spell – as well as why it had failed. Watching and listening intently, it was clear that he truly hoped to understand the other boy better, but eventually he still needed to turn to greet and interact with his dancing partner.

While Valentin was talking to Della, however, it seemed multiple people were in the mood to pick on Gellert after his heartfelt speech. A red-haired boy attempted to silence him but missed while the Parselmouth who had issued Romeo a death threat [Hanako] was trying to make the platinum blonde’s luxurious hair fall out. With both of the pranks failing, there was no need for Valentin to do anything but turn his head to watch the scene play out. Gellert’s wish had mentioned undergoing trials to show his worth to Valentin, and so the seeker decided it would be wrong to interfere with that. Besides, he was putting on his own trial at the same moment for Gellert’s sake. Would the young man really go through with what he was saying, or was he just as fickle as the rest of humanity was turning out to be?

With a quiet tsk Valentin thought to himself that it was a shame that both prank spells had failed because maybe then he could have demonstrated to Ginyami once more that looks and charming words didn’t really matter to him – except in special circumstances. He didn’t know why, but Valentin turned his head to look at Sara then. Assuming it was an intuition, Valentin tried to listen in but could only overhear a handful of English about what his dancing partner and Ginyami wanted out of the event. Unsatisfied, Valentin shook his head to dismiss his momentary distraction before refocusing on Della. The way her tone lifted with hope could not fail to draw out Valentin’s enthusiasm.

“Why yes – I am on the quidditch team.” Responding in English, Valentin made no fuss about juggling topics, as he often had this effect on people. The Quicksilver Seeker tended to jump across topics as freely as the winds swirled through the skies and he was savvy enough to keep multiple lines of thought in his head at one time. He simply hoped he hadn’t been rude, as his speed sometimes made him get ahead of himself. In fact, the topic of possibly sharing a bloodline was considerably more interesting than even broom sports. Smiling, Valentin made a note to himself to look her up on the broom sports rosters later.

Reaching out both hands, the tall young man nodded in response to Della’s Parseltongue. If she accepted his gesture, he would squeeze both of her palms with soft affection.

“Yesss, that’ss the one.” The pale boy’s cheeks turned bright scarlet in the instant he heard his own words come out in a pathetic hissing English. He could have buried his face in his hands were he not in the middle of a conversation. “I’m sssorry, I… My blood is thin. I undersstand you perfectly well, but my tongue is broken. I’m an embarassssment to my ancesstors, I’m ssure.” Shaking his head in abject shame, frustration and sorrow furrowed deep into his brows. “Ssso misstletoe itsself issn’t a magical plant? A tradition, you sssay?” Trying and failing spectacularly to complete his responses in the tongue his ancestors had spoken fluently, Valentin grimaced with effort. “I ssuppose you’re right and that the plannerss could have sstill enchanted them.” With all the effort at failing pidgin Parseltong-lish, Valentin’s usually suave mannerisms corroded. Sighing, Valentin’s eyes returned the hopeful expression that Della had issued him only moments earlier.

“Ssso sorry. Please believe me. I know I’m a failure but my words are true. Yours are very like the words of my mother.” Only candor glimmered in the boy’s eyes, but grasping onto another angle, the seeker hoped to keep the conversation going. He knew from the hope in Della’s voice that this was important to her somehow, so he would do his best. A melodic, even hypnotic string of harmonious tones then seemed to shimmer into the air as the snowy-haired boy spoke again.

“Ha'll oafaa'au a'll, oa iya'au aucomsoac rlo?” “How about now, can you understand me?” His eyes were pleading, almost begging for the girl to understand his words in the Veela language. Returning to English, Valentin’s head tilted to the side as he tried to understand where Della came from.

“Do you know much about your ancestors? I’m trying to understand mine better. My parents passed away, and now all I have are memories, books, and some other scraps of history… It breaks my heart. I wish they could have lived forever. I feel so bad that I didn’t save them. Ah…” Suddenly Valentin realized his words had run away with him and he was admitting to things that his butler would definitely not want him saying to someone he had just met, let alone in such a public and audible space. “I apologize if I’ve been imposing. I just thought you might be wanting the same.”

At some point Della and Valentin would have to part ways once more, but as he was whirling away his words trailed behind him – “Don’t be a ssstranger! You know where to find me!”

Landing in front of a boy he didn’t know [Jacob], Valentin didn’t recognize the apparent Hogwart from the captain’s encyclopedic knowledge of quidditch. In fact, Val was getting the distinct impression the boy wasn’t all there… at least in some capacity. The champion wasn’t impressed, and the other was not succeeding at triggering Valentin’s gaydar. Shrugging, Valentin did not know what the other might have in mind other than getting kissed by coming to an event like this one. Unsure of what he could possibly offer his newest dancing partner other than a courteous greeting, Valentin tipped a hand to his head in salute with a quirky “hello there.”

Much more interesting to Valentin was the candle dripping wax on them from above. Was that intentional or simply careless on the part of the ball organizers? He would have loved to know what they were thinking. If the candle were to drip on Jacob, Valentin would try to press the other boy out of the way, gently but assertively using his bodyweight to protect the other by taking his place. If the other weren’t in the wax’s path in the first place, then Valentin would still perform the rest of his action. Walking directly below the dripping candle and reaching his arm out, Valentin tried to get the presumably hot wax to run into his right palm and then cascade down his forearm. If anyone tried to deter him from this, he would resist.

Of course Valentin had seen other pairs’ efforts to avoid the wax, including both freezing it and Hiro’s frankly adorable effort to push the alleged Gellert of Durmstrang out of the way. If he’d wanted to stop the candle, Val could have conceived of any number of other ways to do so as well. However, Valentin had his reasons for wanting to feel what it would be like to encounter the wax firsthand.

Basic Stats:
STA 8 - EVA 20 - STR 3 - WIS 20 [24] - ARC 1 - ACC 17
Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Languages: Parseltongue & Veela
Inventory: A golden locket, a silver earring, a golden ring on his middle finger, a wand, and an Oakshaft 79.
Broom bonus stats (when flying): +4 ACC, +4 ARC
Charmer recipients: literally everyone

Action: If Jacob is below the candle, Valentin tries to press him out of the way of the candle’s dripping so that the hot wax only falls upon himself. He raises his arm and tries to get it to run into his hand and down the length of his right arm.

Interacting especially with: Sara Kohana (@Hanako Tone), @Della Barfield, Ginyami Midorimori (@Jack Burnett), Gellert Schroeder (@Tristan Theramin), Hiro Bakugo (@Kim Sato)

Click HERE for Ency

Appearance when white shawl is off:

Reducio

Interacting with: Ginyami Midorimori (@Jack Burnett)

The fast pace of the ball had swept Valentin away from completing his conversation with Ginyami, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have plenty to say in return. No, the captain’s mind was sharp and his memory ample. Spinning between conversation partners only gave Val more time to stew on his responses to the fox’s clear attempts to bait him. Ginyami knew that the Hell-Chaser liked to play with fire, loving even those moments of getting burned and the Japanese boy was dishing out plenty of sick burns. At the end of the round after interacting with his questionably conscious dance partner [Jacob] but before being spun away into another square, Valentin seized the moment to approach Ginyami once more to finish what they’d started.

“Midorimori-sssan,” hissed Valya with severe pleasure sinking into him. “I won’t let your questions go unanswered. Even after all this time, I still want to see your wish granted. If I am not welcome to meddle in your affairs, then please say so and I will respect your space. If you have either given in to laziness or simply want the challenge all to yourself, I can do nothing to mend the nature of your heart’s desire. However, as for your boyfriend, I was of the understanding that we are like equals, unspoken comrades in the world of quidditch. Yet, I will humbly admit that I am still learning the nuances of Japanese polite conversation. If I have been disrespectful to Kohana-san then I should afford you the same deference, with my apologies for misunderstanding.” Valentin regarded the mistletoe that he still held delicately in his hand, then looked back up at Ginyami.

“Similarly, I never understood this ritual plant, to be honest. Could you tell me, though, if this mistletoe has been enchanted to embellish the ‘atmosphere’ of this event, possibly for the amusement of its organizers? If this ball is simply a means of meeting others without the romantic insinuations I’d assumed from the importance it places on kissing, then I again admit that I am but a stranger in a strange land hoping to learn the truth and how to respect others’ traditions. It seems that my friend Greta understood this better than I did if what you say is true about this simply being a casual meet-and-greet. Therefore, my angelic friend is indeed no abuser, and so there is no excuse for me to make for her care and consideration. After all, she knows I am a very social person who loves to meet new people. Thank you for your explanations, Midorimori-san, and I will do my best to continue learning from you.” If the fox had been expecting Valentin to lash out in violent retaliation for all the scathing remarks Ginyami dished out, then he did not understand the nature of the pain-eater. Every time the Japanese boy attacked him, it made Valya happy – and the more savage and true the criticism, the better. Not only could Valentin grow ever stronger from considering each remark and making improvements to himself, but he could also indulge in the sweet pleasure of providing himself as the prime recipient of Ginyami’s wrath, giving the dark-haired boy's clearly intense pain a cathartic outlet. If Yami could vent it all in a raging fire aimed directly at Val, then others were less likely to be targeted and – most importantly – the void-eyed boy might begin to heal. Such an interaction was more enticing than any honey, and so it was all too predictable that Val would fly back quickly for more.

“I believe you had other questions for me, so please forgive and help me if I’ve missed one – I am doing my best to remember it all. You first asked about my outfit, yes? My morals are not loose, nor my standards low, despite being the victim of manipulations that made me do things I would not normally, willingly do. I am not a tragic hero, either, however. I admit to having been weak enough to be used by others, but I am trying to do better at detecting such machinations.” Valentin’s eyes batted coyly, communicating that he knew what Ginyami was doing to him and was still signing himself up to participate.

“To be honest, none but Romeo could fill a Romeo-shaped void. However, that is neither my problem nor my message. Before you gave me my first kiss, I had completely let him go. I was committed to giving you and only you the entire stage of my heart, and while you danced across it so beautifully, you did not choose to stay for Acts II nor III. Despite being ready to give everything I was to helping you live out your dreams, it seems not even this was enough for you. Was it only novelty, or the accomplishment of making me a trophy that made you give up on us so soon? Without any effort from you to reserve that space, I understood that you didn’t really want it after all. Now I am here, wearing this outrageous thing, with the simple message of ‘look: I am finally free. I am not ashamed of my body anymore, and no one can tell me what to be.’ To be perfectly blunt about it, I did this in symbolic revenge against my over-controlling butler to prove to myself that he doesn’t own me. Isn’t that funny? If you’re the only one who got to hear the message correctly, then at least maybe someone got to enjoy a glimpse of something fun. As for what you said about me loving attention… well… I will simply have to agree with you, both about that and enjoying my ‘amazing physical prowess,’ as you say.” With a mischieveous giggle, Valentin’s Turkic eyes curled upward at their corners – obviously pleased to receive Ginyami’s backhanded compliment. After a lifetime of chronic self-deprecating remarks, Valentin could finally enjoy mocking himself by indulging in a bit of half-sarcastic showmanship. “You said you’re having fun, Midorimori-san, but I hope that I can make this even more enjoyable for you.” Smiling with genuine affection, Valentin’s eyes half-closed before turning to look once more in Sara’s direction. “You don’t seem overly attached to that boy and I’m worried for you. Both of you. If I can be of some help… would you tell me? Like I keep saying, I simply want your dream to come true, and I wonder if this is really the right path for you two. I don’t assume that everyone wants my help, but I can certainly offer it to others if I think they are in need, as well as respect their right to decline.”

Valentin raised the mistletoe to examine it once more. He had no idea whether it was enchanted with a seduction spell or not, but he knew that consent was a key element of his own efforts to grant peoples’ wishes.

“Despite enduring several romantic schemes unwittingly, it is not such enchantments I have a problem with, but rather a lack of free will. This plant itself and even its apparently innocent tradition are quite cute, really. In fact, were we in love and consenting, I would just love to get drunk together with someone on a delectable amortentia-laced beverage. Perhaps I’m already passionate enough that it’s overkill, but maybe I like pushing things to their most rapturous extremes. If this plant is neither enchanted nor affecting peoples’ minds in a manipulative or obligatory way, then maybe I like it after all as a form of invitation. You suggested the associated kisses were a form of entertainment, and in my ignorance I will simply take you at your word. If this indeed does not ‘have anything to do with love,’ then I simply cannot participate in kissing. I apologize if I have unknowingly breached etiquette and hurt others with my own cultural beliefs. For me, a kiss necessarily means some kind of love, and to give one without meaning that is to tell a lie. As for whatever state my manners are in with the absence of my parents, it was not like they had a choice when being murdered and leaving me alone, so I take full responsibility for my ignorant behavior. If indeed everything I thought I knew about this event is wrong, then maybe some cute little sprig couldn’t stop someone from finding true love. However, I do worry that it could distract from what really brings people together. If something ‘frivolous’ and ‘shallow’ is used as an excuse to take what one can get instead of putting in the hard work of what is farther out of reach… then I think this event is not as harmless as it may first appear. Unfortunately you and I will have to disagree, as I think that frivolity is often enough to lure a fickle human heart away from what they once swore to be their dream. This is why I insist on knowing if the love you have for Kohana-san, and if the love Gellert says he has for me, are really that durable under the winds of caprice. People are only alive for so long. It would be terrible to waste the few years we have on chasing the frustrations of false love.” With a sigh, Valentin’s amethyst eyes scanned Ginyami once more for any tells about how he might really be feeling about his own situation.

“You inquired about my dreams today, too. Do you blame me for my interest when you inquire about mine, too? In fact, you asked me long ago as well, but I understand that most people don’t tend to remember wishes the way that I do. I will repeat it for you again, as it has been several years. When we gazed into the crystal orb, I began to dream...” A wistful shimmer of Valya’s eyes marked his passage through his mind’s eye back into his exquisitely preserved memory.

“…….A boy is there, and he reaches out to me. His hand passes into my chest and draws out a gleaming blade from inside me. Using this unbreakable edge he defeats the reaper by using me as his blade of immortality. When he returns he does not relinquish the sword but will wield me forever because he truly loves me. He tells me to draw the blade that lives inside him so that we will remain together for all eternity, and we kiss, living for one another because we both need each other to burn forever. So you see, this is a long-winded way of describing my enduring dream of living out true love with someone.” Exhaling as he blinked himself out of the reverie, Valentin returned to the present moment where he stood with today’s Ginyami.

“As you can see, my dream has nothing to do with kissing my way through a numbers game until finding my ‘one true prince.’ If he is a prince, then surely he is a knight at heart whose virtues extend far beyond any mere power to charm. You also spoke of angels, like Greta, and ‘the brightest star in Heaven.’ I am but a humble Tatar boy and know little about the Bible, but angels come in different forms across cultures. Greta is akin to a Valkyrie, a warrior angel, and she might be the most beautiful of all women on Earth. I don’t know why a god would have a favorite angel if it were all-loving beyond limits, as I thought a Christian god was meant to be. In fact I wonder about the validity of my all-too-human favoring of certain people over others. For me there is even an angel higher than my dear Margarethe. It’s ironic – the one who addressed me as his angel and a brighter star than any sun – I find this one to be the most luminous in all the universe and my favorite angel. I will agree that the highest heights may lead to the most brutal fall, but this is not fated, nor necessarily permanent. I was told that Christians believe that being consigned to Hell is permanent despite their god being omnipotent and loving and therefore capable of forgiveness. I do not understand why one would routinely send people to hell without the possibility of redemption, as it does not seem very loving. It sounds more like a threat, like coercion, rather than anything angelic. When I was at my darkest low, however, a loving hand pulled me back up – and to even greater heights than I had ever known before. This is the kind of love I can believe in. Therefore, no matter how far someone falls, I know that for someone I love truly, not even hell itself could divide us. After all, it is actions that define a person, not fatalistic labels that write people off as monsters. To not be able to love someone written off as evil would be quite a bitter limitation for me to swallow. It would be especially unfair for me, who has been described both as a monster and as an angel, to shackle the true love I swear to in aspirations.”

Valentin stretched his neck. Luckily he hadn’t had much to say to Jacob, so there was ample time now to make up for lost moments with Ginyami. It was stimulating to see him again – he’d forgotten just how fun their interactions could be.

“Now, you said that I turned away from you before you turned away from me, but I do not see it that way. Please tell me your perspective, since I always hope to learn from others and alleviate my personal blindspots. To me you are far more than a ‘humble plant keeper,’ of course, but you saw that firsthand… although I will admit that your grapes were the best I ever had. I always wondered why you stopped writing to me. In the end I concluded you were done trying me out and decided that I wasn’t the one for you after all. This is why I figured you might be testing Kohana-san by bringing him here. I admit to not knowing much about romantic games people play – as you have seen, my understanding of even the mistletoe ritual is quite troubled. Perhaps you could enlighten me about the nature of your relationship with Kohana-san, and if it is really making both of your dreams come true.”

It had been a while of holding the mistletoe in his hand, which had now come to be a bit sweaty over the course of the last two topics. Deciding to trust Ginyami about the harmlessness of the plant and its inability to exert control over people, Valentin took the risk of pinning it inside of one of his open shirt clasps. Surely this was a more delicate handling for the mistletoe, which seemed ever more blameless by the moment.

“Now then, on the topic of hypnosis… I’m afraid that you have been denigrating the power of subtle things. You seem to see even the mistletoe as trifling, but something as small as this plant could transform peoples’ lives and cascade into a series of consequences that echo through history. Perhaps after today everyone will go home and have a chuckle about a fundamentally silly bit of entertainment they had, or maybe the gentle influence held by a darling little plant could change a person forever. It is easy to dismiss what is small, what lacks spectacle and charisma, what is humble. You doubt my power, but the tiniest spark within a human heart can ignite flames devastating enough to bring nations to their knees in war, to consign an entire people to slavery, or to leverage the slightest difference between people in the manufacturing of an enemy. Revolutions are born from seeds planted by quiet whispers in the mind.” Patting the mistletoe at its base, gently, Valentin gave Ginyami a wan smile.

“You accuse me of delusions of grandeur, but it is not me that is the true cause of hypnosis in people. What I offer is the power to make their wishes come true, if they will work for them. It is not me, the boy Valentin, who overtakes peoples’ hearts. Peoples’ wishes themselves find power hypnotic, and I simply offer to help. I am not so arrogant as to believe I have a special ability no one else has. Rather, most people are not actually interested in the wishes of others as much as they are in their own. I am unusual in both the degree to which I offer help, as well as the amount of power I have accumulated over the years and am able to offer them. However, I am just one more wishing star in a sky. It is good that I am not the only one who strives to grant wishes, for I am but one small man and I can only do so much. This is, honestly, the reason behind my own wish to devote myself to one person. I simply cannot do it all. Maybe for one person I could, and so that is what I am trying to do. Whatever is left of me thereafter is then on offer to others, like those I might find here at this ball… but please don’t think I am only speaking theoretically.” Crossing his arms as he squeezed himself to pop an ache in his back, Valentin's mind began to wander onto what someone else was doing at this particular moment... But, squeezing his left hand to relieve its tension, Valentin resolved to devote his best to this moment and finish what he'd started.

“I am too honest to derail you from the truth: I know magic that beguiles. It is in my blood, and I know of no way to switch off all of my ancestral gifts. This is surely why the topic of mistletoe, of amortentia, of manipulation and seductive nymphs of old occupy my worries so much. Fundamentally, I am one slip away from using my powers to influence peoples’ wishes themselves, but for the sake of free will, I must not. I need no diagnosis to determine if the power to control others is easily within my grasp. Neither do I need a doctor to tell me about the ability of power to corrupt its wielder’s mind with delusions and detachment from reality, as the legends have been warning me of such perils from my earliest days. If you do not see the effect that I’ve had on Romeo nor any reason for concern, then I’m afraid you simply have no idea what state he’s in today. You could do for a bit more humility yourself, like me, and would learn quite a bit by asking rather than jumping to conclusions from insufficient evidence… possibly driven by emotional reasons more than the logic you pride yourself on. You said I am too much of a dreamer to be in touch with reality, but it is precisely by being a dreamer that I reach for the truth. I will admit to idealism and a proclivity for the romantic, but it is only in reaching for truths that seem starry-eyed and foolish to the narrow-minded where I transcend self-imposed limits. A famous muggle once said, ‘Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.’ Yet, I don’t suppose you would really consider such words. I never got the feeling you thought much of muggle contributions to the world.”

Looking around, Valentin knew that he had lost track of time, but he sensed that at any moment their conversation could be broken up again by the onset of dancing.

“As for hypnosis not forcing someone to do what someone at their core does not want to do… then perhaps the power of my ancestors was even more dangerous than hypnosis itself. I do not know what I, little Valentin, am capable of… but I have read my history books. You say you and I are not the same, even opposites. How are we, really, Midorimori-san? What is so different about us? You said you didn’t give up on me, but gave me up… Why? What do you mean? If you gave me up for someone else’s sake, does this mean you don’t want me involved with your wish anymore?”

Basic Stats:
STA 8 - EVA 20 - STR 3 - WIS 20 [24] - ARC 1 - ACC 17
Keen Eye / Charmer / Evasive Maneuvers / Fearless / Comprehend Languages: Parseltongue & Veela
Inventory: A golden locket, a silver earring, a golden ring on his middle finger, a wand, and an Oakshaft 79.
Broom bonus stats (when flying): +4 ACC, +4 ARC
Charmer recipients: literally everyone
Greta, Romeo, Sara, Nikolai, and Gellert were mentioned
Action: No additional action; talking only.

Interacting with: Ginyami Midorimori (@Jack Burnett)

❝ Interacting with: Sara - @Hanako Tone, Ginyami - @Jack Burnett & @Della Barfield| Mentioning: Hanako ❞

French dialog: #4d6284 | English dialog: #262d5e

the ency

The softness that this boy in front of him displayed was rather endearing, not that Enzo would admit it but it amused him that instead of reacting to him defensively as most would when they were faced with Enzo’s bluntness, he accepted it.

Enzo fought the urge of rolling his eyes to the back of his head as boy came up with excuses for why his “i think” boyfriend was actually a serious relationship after all. Clearly there was some eggshells about to be stepped on and Enzo wasn’t buying it. ”Sounds like you are convincing yourself not me. I could not care less about him and his good or bad reasonings” He replied coldly, after the boy went on and on providing explanations and justifications Enzo did not ask for. He did not even know who this boy was nor his “boyfriend”, he was only stating a fact that any normal person would think upon hearing the uncertainty in the boys voice.

Enzo again wanted to desperately let out the biggest scoff when the boy essentially thanked him for his words as if he was some preacher. ”Simply stating the obvious” He responded, sarcasm lacing his tone but no visible reaction was noticeable.

”I was bored, why else would I go to such an event” Enzo said as if the boy had asked him the most foolish question in the world, and something that should have already been quite apparent. At this point though Enzo’s eyes could not help but wander slightly, almost as if they were searching for someone amongst the crowd. He quickly snapped back, a little horrified that he was finding himself looking for a certain stupid boy. It was then before he could even elaborate (not that he necessarily wanted to), Enzo was distracted by the casting or rather failure of some random lad.

Enzo was not stupid however, and he almost immediately began piecing together what was going on. He looked the boy up and down, staring coolly at the wave the suspect gave him before then turning back to tall boy in front of him. Embarrassing really, the boy had the audacity to act so confident after missing a childish spell. What the hell was his problem? Enzo wasn’t even talking to him, no need to get all territorial, and make a weak attempt at taking the pretty hair off his head, he wasn’t due for a haircut yet thank you very much. If he was jealous he should just say so. ”So that’s the boyfriend you kind of maybe think are dating? You have… incredibly bad taste…” But before Enzo could really do or say anything more he was once again yanked away forced to dance across the floor until he was dropped in front of yet another person.

Enzo looked at the new girl before him then quickly glanced up and was not surprised that the stupid plant had followed him once again. Third time in a row now, how utterly ridiculous! ”Goddamit this plant is obsessed with me” He huffed though vengeance loomed and he had not yet moved past the fact that someone had failed miserably at embarrassing him. ”Excuse me one moment please” He told the girl and then without even a word or further hesitation Enzo drew his wand from his inner pocket swiftly, turned around and pointed it at the previous culprit, casting Mimblewimble without incantation, hoping to catch him off guard. The fool cannot cast if he cannot talk.

Whether or not the spell succeeded, Enzo then immediately turned back and almost instinctively offered the pretty girl his hand.
”My apologies, I don’t like when people test me” He would continue, and if she were to accept he would bend forward and gently place a peck on her hand.

action: non-verbal magic in effect - casting mimblewimble at ginyami and attempting to kiss della’s hand

Stats: Stamina • 5 | Evasion • 8 | Strength • 5 | Wisdom • 16 | Arcane Power • 14 | Accuracy • 11
Abilities: Comprehend Languages, Terrible Presence, Fearless, Perfectionist, Nonverbal Magic

𝕯𝖊𝖘𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

Rosewood wand wood Hana’s natural charm

Reducio

shoulder length wavy black hair. Dark honey brown eyes. Feminine japanese descent features. Looks approachable and sweet from afar. Will make you think twice about it when he opens his mouth.

* OOC NOTE: feel free to base your characters description of Sara Kohana off this.

Red ®: 112
Green (G): 95
Blue (B): 165.

The number one duelling is to keep your eye on the target. That was primarily a constant reminder in his head. Hanako practised spells with a sense of perfectionism alone. But on the dueling stage, or out in the open- his mind was open to distractions. And much to his great annoyance, that was due to the fella standing before Enzo. What was it that Hanako was trying to achieve? That he appeared unaffected by their earlier encounter? That he couldn’t care less? It was incredibly downright frustrating to have someone like that in front of Enzo. The Japanese-looking student looked unreal. Like he shouldn’t even be here. He had the simplest of clothes and yet it was like he was destined for eyes to be on him wherever he went. And to have that sort of person in front of Enzo… part of hanako wanted to direct his wand to them instead. The only problem is he couldn’t decide who his target should be. The hunk, or the douche.

Alas, that was a mistake on his part because right as he took his glance off the pair, he realised his spell just almost worked, but didn’t. Neither did Jack’s. Their spells fizzled out, earning Hanako a scoff. “ I often cast way more damaging and powerful spells than that anyway.” He made a shrug, the tiniest tension in his smile betraying his annoyance. “What's your excuse?” he teased the other boy.

—-

Insert response to jack here

—-
Its somewhat unfortunate really that the music started again. He would have proposed a round two on shutting up lover boy. But alas he supposed it wasn’t meant to be. Up to this point, Hanako had only been with people he already was familiar with. He was bashed with the realisation that there were people he actually hadn’t met yet. Well it was hard to say he hasn’t met this person yet. Perhaps not formally, but being classmates for several years- whether Hanako wanted to or not, he would have gotten used to a few familiar faces.

And this one in particular… he wasn’t complaining. Not entirely.

“Hey” Hanako greeted with a practised charming grin, his voice smooth, hardly any trace of his earlier annoyance. Nevermind the fact she was a little taller. But unfortunate for the girl, as much as Hanako wanted to have silly fun and simply charm her socks off (at least the best he could), there was still that icky feeling of wanting to strangle a certain blonde french dude. And he feared if he didn’t get at least a little steam out, he would have it lingering in their own tent. And Hanako preferably rather pisses him off from afar, not when they’re in a tent together. Alone.

“ Hanako Tone.” he extended his hand for her to shake, “ Hana. Slytherin, aquarius, and very pissed at someone right now” he confessed in a playful tone, accompanied with a sweet smile that still quite showed a lingering tightness to it. “ You seem sweet. Mind helping me out with a little favour? I promise I’ll remember to return it if you play along”, he said vaguely, his eyes scanning hers to get a gouge of her reaction.

Action: ok NOW interacting with Haven

Interacting with : Jack Burnett

mentioning : @Akari Kato’s inpc and Sara Kohana

Hopefully (?) staying away these INPC’s: @Jack Burnett,

Japanese & English
Ency

𝕯𝖊𝖘𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

LC TP

Reducio

Slighlty toussled/ styled curly black hair, japanese descent features. Dark eyes. Sharp features with an evidently burly built. Naturally down turned eyebrows that make him look angry all the time. Usually a resting small scowl on his face. Often misinterpreted as him being in a bad mood. Brown leather jacket. Grey sweater. Black belt over black belt. Usually an unremarkable set of clothes, but with his activated abilities ( Lovely Creature & Terrible Presense ), it’s almost offensive it still looks good.

Sara’s appearance often draws attention, no matter how much it makes him squirm. As if he was a fictional character came to life. He shouldn’t be here, and yet he is.

* OOC NOTE: feel free to base your characters description of Sara Kohana off this.

Red ®: 112
Green (G): 95
Blue (B): 165.

Again, it was oddly refreshing to be talked this way. Not pleasant, persay… or calming in any way. But it was always better than people stuttering and being nervous around him. Even when the boy didn’t look particularly pleased at the words Sara sent his way. Even expressed very…openly about his thoughts on Ginyami, even before meeting him. Okay, perhaps it was a little less refreshing now. Still better than shaking in fear, Sara supposed. The only thing the other boy said that Sara didn’t respond with a mere somewhat sheepish expression was the part talking about him being bored, which caused Sara to look a little confused. He watched with an unintentional interest as the other boy scanned the crowd, somewhat reminding Sara of when his own eyes tried to find Yami. The boy seemed so..uninterested in conversing with anyone. Sara found himself wondering why he was even here if he didn’t at least know someone. In the end, he didn't say much and simply nodded. It was not really his place to pester the boy with more questions. Grateful enough for their conversation as it is.

But then the boy zipped his head in a certain direction, which Sara instinctively followed. His gaze met Yami’s. With his wand..pointed at them? If it hadn’t been for the other boy paying attention, Sara might have completely missed it. Was he done talking to Schnell? How long had he been watching them talk? Furthermore, why was a spell cast necessary? The momentary respite the boy provided vanished as Sara found himself with more questions than answers once again. Even more so that Yami merely waved at him. Instinctively, Sara hesitantly waved back. God, he didn’t even know what spell it was. His gaze darted back to his dance partner, a twinge of worry in his eyes as he did so.

”So that’s the boyfriend you kind of maybe think are dating? You have… incredibly bad taste…”

“I...I’m really sorry..I'm sure he has some sort of..explanation f--” he felt himself mumbling but it was entirely useless as they already as the dance started again. He felt like groaning internally. Though perhaps still somewhat grateful the dance commanded their fees once again. He was … really worried about what the boy would have done given the time. From Sara’s short interaction with him, he could tell the other boy had no ..issues per say about letting people know how annoyed he was.

As if the fates wouldn’t let him catch a break, he was paired up yet again with another stranger. This time a mischievous-looking red-haired boy. Sara let out a sudden sigh, starting to feel exhausted from generally… everything. “...Hello..” he managed to say, the tension evident in his voice though. Feeling guilty for appearing in such a state in front of someone new. Someone who had nothing to do with the core reason for Sara’s mood. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure what to say next. “Sorry... I.. I was just thinking of leaving. I hope you don’t mind... it's not you, it’s just..” his head involuntarily scanned the other participants thinking his eyes would land on Ginyami, Val, or even Hiro. Instead, perhaps by luck ( or misfortune ), his eyes landed on the boy from earlier. More particularly the way his wand was out of his pockets and pointed in a certain direction.

In a split second, he followed the line of the wand’s direction and met Ginyami’s position. For a moment it felt very still. Sara didn’t even process how Schnell was still seeking out Ginyami, sharing so many words like the world only involved them. It was only for these few seconds that somehow his worries and anxiety seemed insignificant and so small. Sara was well aware he wasn’t the best with spells, unable to recognise most of them at first cast. His mind registered that even if he tried, the other boy said absolutely nothing- yet a spell was cast. It could be anything. A jinx, a hex, or even a curse. And not knowing things often makes Sara frozen in place.

He was often the one freezing in situations in general. Whether it be someone showing initial fear to him, challenging him, or heck- even in a room filled with more than 5 people made him stiff and not eager to move. He was not the type of person to jump into the fray. Do not think first before doing them. Avoid things, like he was a skittish flightless bird in the face of stress. Even in quidditch, he had trained to avoid incoming things.

It was all the more reason that all he wanted to do was go back to his tent. Hide under the covers, like it shielded anything that caused him harm. But someone…it just felt so..insignificant at this second. There was only 1 anxious thought that preceded above all else in Sara’s mind. That he didn’t want that spell to hit Ginyami. Without even another breath, his body moved on its own accord. Stopped in between where the boy and Yami stood right as he saw the spell spark at the tip of the other boy’s wand.

Action: Attempting to bodyblock Enzo’s spell [whether or not it succeeds, Sara has moved away from the spot where he last danced] ( sorry enzo, we can be besties another time )

Interacting with ( or at least was) with @Jack Burnett
Mentioning: Valentine, and @Akari Kato's INPC
Running away from: No more running away!