Newsflash!
Stinging ankles. The first thing to strike the Spinks girl as her consciousness snapped back into place was her damned stinging ankles. The pain was just a whisper now, but memories of the duel sent phantoms across her skin, just as red hot and ruthless as on the piste. Had she really been .. knocked out? It was not at all like she expected. There had been no fading slowly into the light, no hand to forehead swoon. The whole ordeal was more like flipping a switch off, or pulling the plug on a muggle television. Everything just kind of ... stopped.──────────────────
| Stamina 8 | Evasion 7 | Strength 4 | Wisdom 7 | Arcane Power 7 | Accuracy 8 |
Hospital Wing, 18th October 2025
mentioning: @Robin Marie @Archer Duncan
| speaking | thinking | all other dialogue |
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Now, as Adeline sat up in the hospital bed, the second thought to creep into her mind was one of shame. Addie's last memory of the duel was fogged with pain and exhaustion. What remained clear was the sound of her and Avis' voices merging as they cast twin spells, and the red hot buzzing at her feet before the crash. Had they even hit him? Would it have been enough? Archer had cast a horribly potent spell the girl's way, and considering her current situation, she concluded it had to have done them in.
Her blue eyes shift to the cot beside her. Adeline was pleased to discover that whoever had hauled her here had done her the solid of allowing her to wake next to Robin. The girl looked peaceful. Cherubic. A softer version of the Robin that had put it all out there on the piste. Adeline considered waking her, but decided it best to allow her the peace.
Pushing messy curls behind her ears, Adeline drew her knees to her chest and rested her chin between them. Self pity served no one. She knew that. But here, in the solitude and safety of the hospital wing, it felt safe to allow herself a moment of sadness. No facades. She toyed with a stray seam on her clothes and peered aimlessly out of the window, a hearty sigh escaping from deep in her chest.
Newsflash!
Maisie Gemmell had a short period of time to do what felt like a lot: check in on three, if not four, people in the very worst place in the entire school. But however uncomfortable she may be there, she knew it was nothing like the pain that would come over the people waking from their duels. And they'd been soldiers on the piste and in the stands. They deserved to see at least one friendly face.
As she entered the Hospital Wing, which looked as it always did with bed running along either side, the very first person Maisie noticed was Adeline. The Ravenclaw was sitting up, pensieve as she looked out a window. Maisie suspected she was trying to recall what exactly had happened. And that was when she realized the other girl might not even know! Or, perhaps someone earlier had told them and she was processing. She couldn't be sure from the girl's countenance.
"Addie! Oh, Addie, hi!" she called as she walked over, trying to get her housemate's attention. As she came nearer, she could see Robin still appeared to be asleep. And somewhere in here had to be Aislin—Merlin, she still felt such guilt about that—but one thing at a time.
As she stood at the foot of Adeline's bed, it suddenly dawned on her she had no flowers or anything. She'd come straight from the duelling club. "How are you feeling?" she asked trying to make up for the lack of gift with care, "Those crackers were awful. I got hit with them too, but at least you guys made it. I couldn't believe it! It was amazing." More than made it—they owned it. They had crazy spells thrown at them and they won. Hopefully her awe (though tinged with jealousy) would confirm their victory.
"How's Robin? Any chance she'll wake soon?" she queried. It had been an easy Flipendo that had knocked her biggest supporter out early. It had never been a fun spell but nothing as bad as a lighting strike or the multitude of spells Maisie had endured at the hands of the Hufflepuffs—over, and over, and over again. She frowned.
But after a beat, she reconnected her glance with Adeline, glad her friend was okay.
No, glad her friends were duelling goddesses.
@Adeline Spinks & @Robin Marie
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Newsflash!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Newsflash!
Newsflash!
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Interacting w/: @Adeline Spinks @Maisie Gemmell
Date: 18.10.25
WC: 385
#38466B, #1A1A1A,#806251
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Interacting w/: @Adeline Spinks @Maisie Gemmell
Date: 18.10.25
WC: 385
#38466B, #1A1A1A,#806251
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[quote][quote]The world moved as if in slow motion as Robin readied her wand, trying to stay light on her feet as she attempted to cast one... more... spell...
In an act of pure desperation and anger, she attempted to hurl one final spell at her older brother as his next attack simultaneously struck her square in the chest, sending her flying across the room. As she flew, Robin shrieked at the top of her lungs, panic filling her chest as she exclaimed the simple spell she'd practiced millions of times.... "FLIPENDO!"
In a moment of shock and pure panic, Robin realized she was in a bed, sitting straight up, eyes wide open, and heart racing. It took a few seconds for her to realize that she had been dreaming – her heart slowed as she took in reality before her - Adeline in the bed next to her, and Maisie at the foot of her bed. It seemed as if all eyes were suddenly upon her, clearly startled by her abrupt awakening. Robin blinked twice, almost comically, as she tried to remember what the hell she was doing in the hospital wing.
And then she remembered Duncan's spell hitting her - the spell she'd mistakenly dreamed as Jeremiah - her Muggle brother- had actually been one of that brooding third-year girl on the Slytherin's team.
Realizing she'd just screamed an offensive spell at the top of her lungs in the middle of a room full of injured people, Robin mumbled an apology to the nurse and turned her attention to Adeline. Her heart sank as she realized what the other girl's presence meant for her team.
"Shit," Robin cursed quietly, immediately throwing the blankets off herself and turning her legs over the side of the bed in an attempt to leave. "It was that Duncan girl, wasn't it? Damn, she's good..." Robin commiserated, thinking of the way the three Slytherin girls had bragged about "burning the crows." Eyebrows furrowed, Robin turned inward as she chuckled in embarrassment. She didn't even last the entire battle, she thought miserably. Pathetic, really, after the amount of effort she'd put into practicing. She knew the next few weeks in between now and her next duel would be the most critical - she had to get better, or she thought that she might die.
In an act of pure desperation and anger, she attempted to hurl one final spell at her older brother as his next attack simultaneously struck her square in the chest, sending her flying across the room. As she flew, Robin shrieked at the top of her lungs, panic filling her chest as she exclaimed the simple spell she'd practiced millions of times.... "FLIPENDO!"
In a moment of shock and pure panic, Robin realized she was in a bed, sitting straight up, eyes wide open, and heart racing. It took a few seconds for her to realize that she had been dreaming – her heart slowed as she took in reality before her - Adeline in the bed next to her, and Maisie at the foot of her bed. It seemed as if all eyes were suddenly upon her, clearly startled by her abrupt awakening. Robin blinked twice, almost comically, as she tried to remember what the hell she was doing in the hospital wing.
And then she remembered Duncan's spell hitting her - the spell she'd mistakenly dreamed as Jeremiah - her Muggle brother- had actually been one of that brooding third-year girl on the Slytherin's team.
Realizing she'd just screamed an offensive spell at the top of her lungs in the middle of a room full of injured people, Robin mumbled an apology to the nurse and turned her attention to Adeline. Her heart sank as she realized what the other girl's presence meant for her team.
"Shit," Robin cursed quietly, immediately throwing the blankets off herself and turning her legs over the side of the bed in an attempt to leave. "It was that Duncan girl, wasn't it? Damn, she's good..." Robin commiserated, thinking of the way the three Slytherin girls had bragged about "burning the crows." Eyebrows furrowed, Robin turned inward as she chuckled in embarrassment. She didn't even last the entire battle, she thought miserably. Pathetic, really, after the amount of effort she'd put into practicing. She knew the next few weeks in between now and her next duel would be the most critical - she had to get better, or she thought that she might die.
Newsflash!
"Addie! Oh, Addie, hi!"──────────────────
| Stamina 8 | Evasion 7 | Strength 4 | Wisdom 7 | Arcane Power 7 | Accuracy 8 |
Hospital Wing, 18th October 2025
mentioning: @Maisie Gemmell , @Robin Marie
| speaking | thinking | all other dialogue |
──────────────────
A familiar voice rang through the still, cold air. Adeline was relieved to meet big brown eyes, and the comforting presence of a friend. Maisie's warmth was simply contagious, and much appreciated in this moment. Pale pink lips turned upwards in a soft smile as her friend drew closer.
When asked how she was doing, Adeline simply shrugged her shoulders. Better now, but still deflated from the loss. "I'm okay." She meant that. Maisie continued with more cheerful chatter. "Those crackers were awful. I got hit with them too, but at least you guys made it. I couldn't believe it! It was amazing." Wait. What was that? Adeline's blue eyes widened, and her already pale face washed snow white. Maisie's words rattled around in her head - but at least you guys made it. There was simply no way. Adeline must have really smashed her head on the final fall. She went silent, head spinning with this new revelation.
She hardly registered Maisie's question about Robin, too wound up in her previous remark. When the Gemmell girl's eyes fell back on Addie's, it came as a struggle to actually speak. Her tone grew serious as she croaked the words out, "Maisie, you don't mean to say that we wo-"
Adeline's epiphany was interrupted by a suddenly revived Robin. "FLIPENDO!" The girl shouted, shooting straight up in her hospital bed. Adeline couldn't help but grin just a bit as the young Raven huffed, eyes blinking into focus. The groggy girl muttered a curse word under her breath and flung the sheets to the side of her cot. Firey Robin was back. "It was that Duncan girl, wasn't it? Damn, she's good..." she seemed dejected- Adeline understood that more than anyone at the moment. it seemed, however, that the girls may have been mistaken.
"I wouldn't speak too soon, Robin." Adeline's big blue eyes turned back to Maisie's. "I know I got hit pretty hard but I don't think I am hearing things." She gulped, half serious. she looked between the girls. "If I am not mistaken, Maisie says we..won?"
Newsflash!
Relief washed over her as she heard that Adeline was recovering well. The onslaught of spells that came at you during a duel could be painful indeed. But she was smiling—that was a good sign. And it was deserved: they'd out performed Maisie (not that this was difficult).
Adeline seemed to be asking a question when—
"FLIPENDO!"
And with that, Robin sat up in her bed, seeming orienting herself for a few moments. "Bad dream?" Maisie asked, hoping she'd not see Costanza's face in her dreams any time soon. That was especially true since the third year had made it extremely clear to the whole piste and everyone watching she never wanted to see Maisie again. But these girls deserved sleep without nightmares.
Robin seemed upset, particularly at Archer, which wasn't unreasonable considering what Maisie had witnessed in their duel. And that was when Maisie realized that, indeed, it seemed like Robin didn't know. But Addie was quickly putting together the pieces. "Yeah, yeah, you did! You won!" A beat, she wanted this truth to set in. Then the explanation: "Addie and Marlong hit Archer with Flipendos, and basically he looked well worse than Marlong. So, they called it for Ravenclaw." As she said it, she realized the Slytherins were probably in here somewhere, but she didn't care. This was the first time she had something to celebrate in duelling and she wanted to be there for her friends. "We should celebrate once you're out of here," she added with a smile.
@Robin Marie & @Adeline Spinks
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Newsflash!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Newsflash!
Newsflash!
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Interacting w/: @Adeline Spinks @Maisie Gemmell
Date: 18.10.25
WC: 543
#38466B, #1A1A1A,#806251
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Interacting w/: @Adeline Spinks @Maisie Gemmell
Date: 18.10.25
WC: 543
#38466B, #1A1A1A,#806251
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[quote][quote]"Bad dream?" Maisie asked after Robin's muttered apology to the staff. The girl shrugged in response, immediately attempting to stand up and promptly falling right back down onto the cot in a sudden dizzy spell. The growing anger inside her chest was only being made worse by her body's inability to perform correctly.
"I wouldn't speak too soon, Robin." Adeline said, causing Robin to stop trying to stand and turn halfway to face both girls. "I know I got hit pretty hard but I don't think I am hearing things." Addie looked between the two girls, bright eyes luminous from the radiant hospital atmosphere. "If I am not mistaken, Maisie says we..won?"
"Really?" Robin's head whipped toward Maisie, her heart jumping into her throat. The thought was intriguing, yet a part of her almost wished that her teammates had done as poorly as she had just so she didn't have a reason to feel so terribly. Yes, it was a part of her she despised, but she couldn't help but feel a slight bit of resentment bubbling in her stomach - a feeling she promptly pushed down. Deep, deep down.
"Yeah, yeah, you did! You won!" The half-woozy Raven let out a scoff of disbelief. No way they'd won with both Addie and Robin knocked out and in the hospital wing. Stretching her neck, she attempted to find the Slytherin girls from the duel - if Ravenclaw had won, they'd have to be in there too, wouldn't they? Without any success, considering most of the curtains in the room were drawn, she finally focused on what her friend was actually saying.
"You're kidding!" She said, a tinge of disbelief still resonating in her voice.
"Addie and Marlong hit Archer with Flipendos, and basically he looked well worse than Marlong. So, they called it for Ravenclaw. We should celebrate once you're out of here," Maisie finished with a genuine grin. Robin returned the grin, eyebrows perched at the top of her forehead, and laughed again, this time with adamant humour at the entire situation.
"Wow..." Robin thought, scrunching her eyebrows as she processed the news. "I thought we'd be done for sure. I didn't even land a single hit on any of them," She said, immediately looking to the floor in shame. By the end of the match, Robin had felt reduced to a child, unable to help her team in any way that would contribute to the win. She almost felt jealousy toward Maisie for the way the girl's own duel had turned out, despite the Hufflepuffs claiming the victory. Maisie had made it to the end and had been a massive contributor to the other team's struggle. Nobody would - or could - doubt that Maisie was a fantastic dueler. But Robin? She sighed in defeat and flopped back onto the bed, shoving her pillow over her face. She didn't even feel like she could complain, considering Ravenclaw had taken the victory, and that only made her feel worse. The eyes of her friends felt like heavy weights on her chest.
"I feel like I need to bake a cake or something for Marlong," she mumbled, muffled through the pillow. "You, too, Addie. You did amazing." And Robin meant it, despite her usual fire being doused. Addie had kicked ass. Avis had kicked ass. Maisie had kicked ass...
Embarrassment was too small a word for what Robin felt at that moment. Here she was brooding and feeling all of the wrong feelings when she should have been celebrating her teammate. Groaning into her pillow, Robin pretended that she no longer existed.
"I wouldn't speak too soon, Robin." Adeline said, causing Robin to stop trying to stand and turn halfway to face both girls. "I know I got hit pretty hard but I don't think I am hearing things." Addie looked between the two girls, bright eyes luminous from the radiant hospital atmosphere. "If I am not mistaken, Maisie says we..won?"
"Really?" Robin's head whipped toward Maisie, her heart jumping into her throat. The thought was intriguing, yet a part of her almost wished that her teammates had done as poorly as she had just so she didn't have a reason to feel so terribly. Yes, it was a part of her she despised, but she couldn't help but feel a slight bit of resentment bubbling in her stomach - a feeling she promptly pushed down. Deep, deep down.
"Yeah, yeah, you did! You won!" The half-woozy Raven let out a scoff of disbelief. No way they'd won with both Addie and Robin knocked out and in the hospital wing. Stretching her neck, she attempted to find the Slytherin girls from the duel - if Ravenclaw had won, they'd have to be in there too, wouldn't they? Without any success, considering most of the curtains in the room were drawn, she finally focused on what her friend was actually saying.
"You're kidding!" She said, a tinge of disbelief still resonating in her voice.
"Addie and Marlong hit Archer with Flipendos, and basically he looked well worse than Marlong. So, they called it for Ravenclaw. We should celebrate once you're out of here," Maisie finished with a genuine grin. Robin returned the grin, eyebrows perched at the top of her forehead, and laughed again, this time with adamant humour at the entire situation.
"Wow..." Robin thought, scrunching her eyebrows as she processed the news. "I thought we'd be done for sure. I didn't even land a single hit on any of them," She said, immediately looking to the floor in shame. By the end of the match, Robin had felt reduced to a child, unable to help her team in any way that would contribute to the win. She almost felt jealousy toward Maisie for the way the girl's own duel had turned out, despite the Hufflepuffs claiming the victory. Maisie had made it to the end and had been a massive contributor to the other team's struggle. Nobody would - or could - doubt that Maisie was a fantastic dueler. But Robin? She sighed in defeat and flopped back onto the bed, shoving her pillow over her face. She didn't even feel like she could complain, considering Ravenclaw had taken the victory, and that only made her feel worse. The eyes of her friends felt like heavy weights on her chest.
"I feel like I need to bake a cake or something for Marlong," she mumbled, muffled through the pillow. "You, too, Addie. You did amazing." And Robin meant it, despite her usual fire being doused. Addie had kicked ass. Avis had kicked ass. Maisie had kicked ass...
Embarrassment was too small a word for what Robin felt at that moment. Here she was brooding and feeling all of the wrong feelings when she should have been celebrating her teammate. Groaning into her pillow, Robin pretended that she no longer existed.
Newsflash!
The confirmation of their impossible success left Adeline light headed and stunned. Relief, disbelief, and much to Adeline's surprise, pride filled her to the bone. Pink contentment washed her face as her friends recounted the showdown. The two were elated at first, until a tinge of disappointment weighed on Robin's usual firey attitude. Adeline's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing her friends voice fall after mentioning her unsuccessful casting. Moments later the girl plopped herself face down in her pillow before semi-sarcastically suggesting a cake to be baked for Avis and Adeline. Not a bad idea.──────────────────
| Stamina 8 | Evasion 7 | Strength 4 | Wisdom 7 | Arcane Power 7 | Accuracy 8 |
Hospital Wing, 18th October 2025
mentioning: @Maisie Gemmell , @Robin Marie
| speaking | thinking | all other dialogue |
──────────────────
It didn't take long for Adeline to speak up. "I think you may be underestimating how much of my motivation was sourced directly from you." She reached across the space between cots and nudged Robin on the shoulder. "You don’t get to decide you were useless when I was still standing because of you." It was true- Robin's fire was contagious, and had spread to Adeline as the duel unfolded. Even though Robin had not been the ultimate sharp-shooter, she had successfully held Slytherin's attention long enough for Adeline and Avis to find their footing, and gave them a reason to win. If it hadn't been for her stubborn bravery and brazen words of motivation, the outcome very well may have been less than satisfactory.
"I think we all put it on the line." Addie shifted her gaze towards Maisie. "Especially you, Maisie." Adeline offered her a sincere smile. "Even though your match didn't end in your favor, you really shone as a leader out there. I meant to mention it before this but.. I thought you were very brave." Her voice was soft but true. The Ravenclaw girl had been left alone on the piste, an event that would shake any duellist. Despite the bitter reality of her situation, Maisie never relented.
Part of her really did consider the cake - a big celebration of some sort would have been wonderful after a day like this. In her heart, she knew that if she wanted to taste another win and see the looks of pride on her friends faces, the work was just beginning. Before they knew it, the next match would be looming ahead of them. She had to be prepared.
"I think I will be celebrating this evening with the practice dummies. I've got to stay sharp." Adeline slipped her hair into a ponytail and stood from the cot. "You are both welcome to join me, if you are feeling insane as well." A subtly sly smile slipped over her lips.