6 Sep 2020, 22:00
A Tisket, A Tasket
June 22, 2020
It was many nights after the strawberry full moon and the world was silent. The moon was large, but not full. The stars were hidden by the brightness of the moon and the grounds were lit by the moon's rays. It was a nice night to patrol. While it was silent, it was not unreasonably fearful. It was relaxing and calm.
Maya, patrolling the grounds, was not alone. She was scheduled to patrol with the Caretaker of the school, @Marcus Iwasaki. He was recently hired as extra help after the year they had. It was him and the new groundskeeper, Gargott Dunaid. The extra help in patrolling the school was very much needed and definitely made it a positive change in what can happen in the school.
Maya, carrying in her hands, was a medium-sized basket. She had a feeling that tonight was going to be calm. Or at least she hoped it was going to be. In her green and yellow basket was some fruit and pastries. Simple treasures to help her and perhaps her patrolling partner to get through the night. They had a long night ahead of them.
Starting at the edge of the grounds, Maya waited for Marcus to arrive. She, in her vibrant red cloak, opened her basket and took out a small red grape. She popped the grape into her mouth and felt the blast of juice. It was refreshing and delicious. When he arrived, she closed the basket and looked at him. "Ready?" she asked, "I brought snacks if we get hungry," she added slightly lifting her basket.
Stamina: 11 || Evasion: 7 || Strength: 7 || Wisdom: 20 || ArcPower: 15 || Accuracy: 10
5 Oct 2020, 17:13
A Tisket, A Tasket
It had been two days since Marcus Iwasaki had arrived at Hogwarts, and it had certainly been an adjustment for him. He had never served as caretaker to a place as large as this before. He knew the main duties were to keep the castle clean and to discipline the children, meaning patrolling the castle and making sure that the rules were being enforced. But he had recently been made aware of a darkness that had settled over the castle by the presence of unnatural beings - hence the new restrictions placed on the children. Although he did not have all of the details (yet), he took his job of patrolling the castle much more seriously. He understood why he had lately been assigned to patrol with others rather than on his own - particularly out on the school grounds.
From a distance, Marcus saw a red cloak that had become a familiar sight at the professor's table in the Great Hall. So this was Professor Galim, which he only deduced because she was the one he was scheduled to patrol with.
"Good evening," he said as he approached. She looked over at him and it was only then that he noticed she was carrying a basket. She asked if he was ready, and he nodded as she went on to explain she had brought snacks. "I didn't think to bring anything," he admitted, feeling a bit unprepared. He thought they would just stroll the grounds in a hopefully companionable silence - eating had not crossed his mind. But with the food in front of him, he wasn't going to turn it down. "Thank you," he added, offering a small grin.
From a distance, Marcus saw a red cloak that had become a familiar sight at the professor's table in the Great Hall. So this was Professor Galim, which he only deduced because she was the one he was scheduled to patrol with.
"Good evening," he said as he approached. She looked over at him and it was only then that he noticed she was carrying a basket. She asked if he was ready, and he nodded as she went on to explain she had brought snacks. "I didn't think to bring anything," he admitted, feeling a bit unprepared. He thought they would just stroll the grounds in a hopefully companionable silence - eating had not crossed his mind. But with the food in front of him, he wasn't going to turn it down. "Thank you," he added, offering a small grin.
@Maya Galim
Marcus' Intimidation is in effect.It is a sentiment that enters people's hearts when they are in your presence. They feel dis-ease when you are present, even if the interaction is casual or even friendly.
PC: Aaron Jones | iNPC: Madeleine Nakamura | Former staff account: Marcus Iwasaki
2nd Gen PC: Idalia della Torre
Best way to contact me? Discord or owl Idalia
5 Oct 2020, 21:34
A Tisket, A Tasket
There was something about this new caretaker. The closer he got, the more uneasy she became. Maya could feel as though there was a hole in her heart like something was missing. She swallowed, thinking her saliva would cure what is happening in her body. But alas, it did not work. From the looks of the caretaker, he seemed relaxed and "chill". The way he spoke sounded as though he was a gentleman. Did he have another side that she did not know about?
There were other professors who acquired this odd feeling when she got close. Maybe there was a coincidence, or maybe this was how she was when one on one with other men. Maybe the oddity was her doing and not the other way around. Maya often stayed on her own doing rounds, but with Hogwarts displaying stricter rules onto the students, there were new rules onto the professors. They could not do rounds on their own anymore; they needed a buddy system. So far, her buddy was none other than Nora, a relationship she doesn't know whether to hide under the rug or bring back. So perhaps the feeling was because she was with someone who was unknown to her.
"I used to do rounds alone and often wound up hungry towards the end. You learn that an empty stomach doesn't help with focusing on the task at hand," she said, the basket handles held with the insides of her left elbow. Her wand, although she did not need it, was in her right hand held tight.
Maya began walking, starting their patrol. It was going to be a long light, but not because of the company. More or so because they needed to be much more alert than usual. They needed to use more of their energy overnight than normal. It wasn't just a natural stroll and assume that all was fine.
Although the night was silent, there was a mild breeze of nighttime wind going against them. The breeze began to move the edges of the hood of her cloak. Maya took her wand hand and moved the hood down to reveal her brunette hair tightly pinned back in a bun. She had a few whispy bangs at the sides of her face, but most of her hair was tamed.
"H- How do you like Hogwarts so far?" she asked, knowing that he was new to the payroll. There were many colleagues that were new lately to help with security measures. Maya was pleased to get to know some of them thus far. So far, while still feeling a bit off being next to Marcus, she was content with meeting him.
As she was waiting for his answer, she kept her ears perked and eyes focused on the environment around them. In hopes that nothing out of the ordinary were to happen.
ROLLED: 1d20 = 10 || nothing happens@Marcus Iwasaki
Stamina: 11 || Evasion: 7 || Strength: 7 || Wisdom: 20 || ArcPower: 15 || Accuracy: 10
13 Oct 2020, 04:04
A Tisket, A Tasket
Marcus nodded at her explanation, agreeing that they might get hungry near the end of it all. The grounds of this place were huge, and there would be a lot of walking to do. Although he had drank a cup of coffee before coming out here, the food might keep him more motivated to stay alert.
Once his colleague set off, Marcus fell into step beside her - not too close, though. He always maintained a respectable distance between himself and others, given the uneasiness he seemed to inspire in them. He was used to not leaving the best first impression, even when he was perfectly cordial. Creepy. Unsettling. He had heard it all muttered about him after he walked away, by people who did not know about his exceptional hearing.
Professor Galim lowered her hood, prompting his amber eyes to glance in her direction. It was his first time getting a good look at the woman's face - and she was quite pretty. For some reason, he had expected the hood of her cloak to have been concealing a scar or something to that effect. He had known a man long ago who never removed his cloak hood for that exact reason, but it seemed like Galim was not that sort after all. "Such a red cloak you have," he commented, before his eyes followed her hand. The wand she gripped made him realize that he had left his own in his office. He was not used to relying on it so much, and knew he would need to adjust now that he was back in such a magical environment.
"H- How do you like Hogwarts so far?"
It seemed like she was the sort that would be more comforted by conversation than silence, and he was content to oblige her. Getting to know more of his colleagues would help him adjust to the dynamic in the castle. He had sat through quite a few staff meals so far, but he'd been pretty preoccupied thinking of his duties rather than socializing. Not that he was much of a social butterfly to begin with.
"It's uh.. bigger than I expected.. Of course, I was told it was large, but even dedicating the last two days to it, I still haven't been able to cover it all," he admitted to her. "I didn't attend Hogwarts, but I know a lot of other staff has - like Professor Browne... Did you?"
His eyes were back on the grounds ahead as he spoke, studying them for movement or mischief. He was starting to understand where the slopes were and what part of the castle they were outside of, but it was certainly a process. Hogwarts was massive.
Once his colleague set off, Marcus fell into step beside her - not too close, though. He always maintained a respectable distance between himself and others, given the uneasiness he seemed to inspire in them. He was used to not leaving the best first impression, even when he was perfectly cordial. Creepy. Unsettling. He had heard it all muttered about him after he walked away, by people who did not know about his exceptional hearing.
Professor Galim lowered her hood, prompting his amber eyes to glance in her direction. It was his first time getting a good look at the woman's face - and she was quite pretty. For some reason, he had expected the hood of her cloak to have been concealing a scar or something to that effect. He had known a man long ago who never removed his cloak hood for that exact reason, but it seemed like Galim was not that sort after all. "Such a red cloak you have," he commented, before his eyes followed her hand. The wand she gripped made him realize that he had left his own in his office. He was not used to relying on it so much, and knew he would need to adjust now that he was back in such a magical environment.
"H- How do you like Hogwarts so far?"
It seemed like she was the sort that would be more comforted by conversation than silence, and he was content to oblige her. Getting to know more of his colleagues would help him adjust to the dynamic in the castle. He had sat through quite a few staff meals so far, but he'd been pretty preoccupied thinking of his duties rather than socializing. Not that he was much of a social butterfly to begin with.
"It's uh.. bigger than I expected.. Of course, I was told it was large, but even dedicating the last two days to it, I still haven't been able to cover it all," he admitted to her. "I didn't attend Hogwarts, but I know a lot of other staff has - like Professor Browne... Did you?"
His eyes were back on the grounds ahead as he spoke, studying them for movement or mischief. He was starting to understand where the slopes were and what part of the castle they were outside of, but it was certainly a process. Hogwarts was massive.
@Maya Galim
PC: Aaron Jones | iNPC: Madeleine Nakamura | Former staff account: Marcus Iwasaki
2nd Gen PC: Idalia della Torre
Best way to contact me? Discord or owl Idalia
14 Oct 2020, 04:25
A Tisket, A Tasket
Aside from a very odd feeling she started to feel when they met up, she had a feeling that Marcus was a very cordial person who respected those around him. It was rare to find people who naturally had this ability. Granted, this was only a first impression. Who knew what lurked beneath his skin.
Maya kept her focus straight ahead. She had her moments when she eyed the Caretaker. She felt that she, herself, was being stared at. Was something wrong? Did she not give a good first impression? For some reason, she still felt uneasy. She still had no idea as to why.
"Such a red cloak you have."
Her cloak was her staple. It was a signature look that she had for over 10 years. She had reason for always wearing it. It was given to her by her childhood mentor, Professor Schine. She looked up to this man since she was a child. She learned cultures from all over the world because of him. As she was on duty in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) during the Lebanon War, he died peacefully in his home. While she never had the chance to say goodbye, he left her a red cloak along with many cultural books to remember him by. She was by far grateful and wore the red cloak ever since, symbolizing his philosophy: to never remember where she came from. Maya, just like Professor Schine, was a Muggle-Born. It was easy to be introduced to a new world and forget the old. He taught her to balance them both, and to never forget her true home.
"All the more to remember who I am," she replied.
He was not wrong to admit how large the castle was. When she was accepted the position to be their Muggle Studies professor, Maya did not know what kind of environment she would have been introduced to. Granted, although big, it gave more room for privacy. It would be something that maybe Marcus might realize and enjoy.
"The school's enormity comes with quite a big of baggage, though," she said, thinking of everything that had gone wrong so far. It wasn't even in her timeline here that things have gone sour. Just thinking of years ago when there was a battle here on campus. Then going even further back and there being unsolved murders. It was as though this place was cursed. But still, no one can fathom leaving it alone. Where the Ministry was in all of this was beyond her.
"I didn't go here, no. I went to Uagadou," she said, her eyes fixed forward. A part of her wanted to mention that she studied alongside Head of Slytherin, Hjørdis Jensen, but perhaps it would be something to figure out later. Unless he also knew that she was a student there. Though not many colleagues knew their history.
"With your last name 'Iwasaki', I take it you attended Mahoutokoro?" she asked, picking apart his name to define his culture. She didn't know many who went to the school located in Japan. "What was it like studying there?" Maya wondered if it was as brutal as Uagadou. She had yet to see another school as intense as the one she went to.
Seems like a quiet night so far... she thought to herself. Although conversing with Marcus, her senses were by far on alert. She kept her ears and eyes open, finding even the smallest of movement. The safety of the school depended on them two.
ROLLED: 1d20 = 7 || nothing happens
@Marcus Iwasaki
Stamina: 11 || Evasion: 7 || Strength: 7 || Wisdom: 20 || ArcPower: 15 || Accuracy: 10
16 Nov 2020, 21:48
A Tisket, A Tasket
"All the more to remember who I am." This was such a cryptic answer from Professor Galim, and Marcus wondered about the hidden meaning beneath it. Clearly the red cloak meant a lot to her - he had never seen her without it - so there must be a story behind it. One she clearly didn't intend to share with a stranger. Colleagues or not. Which was completely understandable, given she was not the only one hiding things.
When he commented on how large the castle was, Professor Galim agreed with him. She commented on the "baggage" that came with it, and he nodded solemnly. He had already heard a few stories of the disasters that had befallen this school, though nothing in detail. Talk of hags, giants, fires. More specifically, the bootleg Blossom Ball that had prompted the new curfew before his arrival. Yes, a lot of baggage for such an historic place.
"Uagadou," Marcus repeated in acknowledgement, his head turning to her when she mentioned the African magical school. His mother and her side of the family had all gone to Uagadou. He did not share this tidbit, unmotivated to talk more about himself at this time. Especially when she offered very little in terms of her own experience at the school.
"You guessed just from my name?" he questioned. There were such a mix of cultures and ethnicity in this country, and he had met more than his fair share of people who were born and raised in Europe while having foreign last names. Odd of her to immediately guess the correct school he had attended, but perhaps she was just observant. Or heard something. He had admitted that he didn't attend Hogwarts, so Mahoutokoro was a good next-guess. "You're correct, though, I did go there. It was... nice while it lasted," he said cryptically, unwilling to delve further into the details of his time there. Half of the short time he spent there had been miserable, while the other half had been some of the best moments of his life. And then he had been forced to leave it behind for a life of private tutors and frustration. No, he would not voluntarily share those details.
But perhaps she wanted to hear more about the school itself, not so much his experience there. "The classes were informative, it was a very respectable school," Marcus added upon realizing this possibility. "But it was much, much smaller than this place," he added, his amber eyes returning to the expansive grounds of Hogwarts. "I imagine things have changed since I was last there. Maybe they've expanded."
A moment of companionable (at least to Marcus) silence passed between them in this moment, before he spoke again. "Such a large basket you brought. What's inside?" he pondered, finding himself a little peckish as he thought about the possibilities. If she had brought small snacks, he would've expected her cloak be enough to carry them, but she had instead brought a basket. "The chocolate smells nice," he commented as a small wind blew the scent in his direction.
When he commented on how large the castle was, Professor Galim agreed with him. She commented on the "baggage" that came with it, and he nodded solemnly. He had already heard a few stories of the disasters that had befallen this school, though nothing in detail. Talk of hags, giants, fires. More specifically, the bootleg Blossom Ball that had prompted the new curfew before his arrival. Yes, a lot of baggage for such an historic place.
"Uagadou," Marcus repeated in acknowledgement, his head turning to her when she mentioned the African magical school. His mother and her side of the family had all gone to Uagadou. He did not share this tidbit, unmotivated to talk more about himself at this time. Especially when she offered very little in terms of her own experience at the school.
"You guessed just from my name?" he questioned. There were such a mix of cultures and ethnicity in this country, and he had met more than his fair share of people who were born and raised in Europe while having foreign last names. Odd of her to immediately guess the correct school he had attended, but perhaps she was just observant. Or heard something. He had admitted that he didn't attend Hogwarts, so Mahoutokoro was a good next-guess. "You're correct, though, I did go there. It was... nice while it lasted," he said cryptically, unwilling to delve further into the details of his time there. Half of the short time he spent there had been miserable, while the other half had been some of the best moments of his life. And then he had been forced to leave it behind for a life of private tutors and frustration. No, he would not voluntarily share those details.
But perhaps she wanted to hear more about the school itself, not so much his experience there. "The classes were informative, it was a very respectable school," Marcus added upon realizing this possibility. "But it was much, much smaller than this place," he added, his amber eyes returning to the expansive grounds of Hogwarts. "I imagine things have changed since I was last there. Maybe they've expanded."
A moment of companionable (at least to Marcus) silence passed between them in this moment, before he spoke again. "Such a large basket you brought. What's inside?" he pondered, finding himself a little peckish as he thought about the possibilities. If she had brought small snacks, he would've expected her cloak be enough to carry them, but she had instead brought a basket. "The chocolate smells nice," he commented as a small wind blew the scent in his direction.
@Maya Galim
PC: Aaron Jones | iNPC: Madeleine Nakamura | Former staff account: Marcus Iwasaki
2nd Gen PC: Idalia della Torre
Best way to contact me? Discord or owl Idalia
29 Nov 2020, 19:08
A Tisket, A Tasket
It was the first encounter for these two. It was obvious that there were quite a bit of tension in how much information to share with one another. Do they share their whole life experiences or do they keep them hidden? It seemed that both, Maya and Marcus, chose to keep moments to themselves.
Maya, definitely. Growing up she always used to make friends easily. She would trust them instantly and share so many details about herself. Over time, it changed. Her last group of friends was when she was in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). They spent days and nights together on the outskirts of Lebanon during the war. They were like family. And in an instant, they were gone. Since then, making friends and connecting with others quickly hadn't been her thing.
Perhaps she profiled him and it was wrong. But in her culture, profiling was a big part of security. Guessing their age, their race and their nationality was, while unfortunate, was very important in her homeland. It was a "skill" that she brought with her. "Yes, by your surname. 'Iwasaki' comes from Asian descent, does it not?" she asked, questioning him.
"Interesting that you didn't want to know more about Uagadou. Not many attend there," she said, questioning his quietness about her alma mater. She was at least interested to learn more about his school. It was one school that she had never visited in her travels. It seemed that the conversation moved on to her basket and what was inside it.
"Only to carry the best pastries," she replied. Maya looked at him confusing. While it was chocolate that was inside, it was definitely a scent that she could not smell coming out of her basket. Shrugging it off, Maya opened the basket and gave him a peak inside. "There's rugalach, sesame cookies and chocolate-oatmeal muffins," Maya smiled, moving the basket towards him ever so slightly to offer him food.
As she was moving the basket towards him, Maya thought she heard something stirring in the distance. She was unsure if it was the breeze that was making the noise or if something was nearby. Although one hand was holding the basket, the hand holding the wand was at the ready. Her brown eyes focused ahead of them.
ROLLED: 1d20 = 18 || something is stirring
@Marcus Iwasaki
Stamina: 11 || Evasion: 7 || Strength: 7 || Wisdom: 20 || ArcPower: 15 || Accuracy: 10
21 Jan 2021, 19:32
A Tisket, A Tasket
"Yes, it has a long history in Japan," Marcus confirmed the origin of his last name. Iwasaki was a good giveaway to his heritage - the only solid giveaway really. A glance in his direction usually just revealed a black man with perhaps foreign eyes, eyes that stood out in particular because of the amber color (they had not always been that color). And his accent when speaking English was a mix between European and Australian - he had been speaking the language long enough to not let his pronunciation give away his Asian descent.
"My mother went there," the Caretaker revealed, when the topic of Uagadou was brought up again. "As did the whole family on her side," he added as they walked. Marcus' eyes were staying sharp as they traversed the Hogwarts grounds, but it was a quiet night and there was nothing to see beyond the beauty of the place. It was certainly landscaped well, with the sight of the lake being a nice view. "She told me all about the place," the man said in a tone that finished the topic. His mind had finally processed what he was saying, meaning he didn't want to keep talking about family.
The pastries caught his attention instead, and Professor Galim explained that inside was rugalach, sesame cookies and chocolate-oatmeal muffins. He had no idea what rugalach was, the most appealing thing she said was the sesame cookies. He'd really enjoyed black sesame cookies when he was growing up, and he couldn't recall the last time he had eaten any. Although the aroma of the chocolate-oatmeal muffins was the strongest, he could pick up the nutty scent of the cookies now that he knew they were in there. They were slightly different than the cookies he had as a kid, but he expected (hoped) they tasted just as good.
"Don't mind if I do," Marcus said with a small grin, accepting her invitation to take a pastry. So the two staff members continued their patrol well into the night, speaking now and then about surface-level topics. Nothing deep or extraordinary. They paused once or twice to eat the pastries in the basket, but the night turned out to be quite uneventful and they parted ways once the night had passed.
"My mother went there," the Caretaker revealed, when the topic of Uagadou was brought up again. "As did the whole family on her side," he added as they walked. Marcus' eyes were staying sharp as they traversed the Hogwarts grounds, but it was a quiet night and there was nothing to see beyond the beauty of the place. It was certainly landscaped well, with the sight of the lake being a nice view. "She told me all about the place," the man said in a tone that finished the topic. His mind had finally processed what he was saying, meaning he didn't want to keep talking about family.
The pastries caught his attention instead, and Professor Galim explained that inside was rugalach, sesame cookies and chocolate-oatmeal muffins. He had no idea what rugalach was, the most appealing thing she said was the sesame cookies. He'd really enjoyed black sesame cookies when he was growing up, and he couldn't recall the last time he had eaten any. Although the aroma of the chocolate-oatmeal muffins was the strongest, he could pick up the nutty scent of the cookies now that he knew they were in there. They were slightly different than the cookies he had as a kid, but he expected (hoped) they tasted just as good.
"Don't mind if I do," Marcus said with a small grin, accepting her invitation to take a pastry. So the two staff members continued their patrol well into the night, speaking now and then about surface-level topics. Nothing deep or extraordinary. They paused once or twice to eat the pastries in the basket, but the night turned out to be quite uneventful and they parted ways once the night had passed.
@Maya Galim
Thread Finished
PC: Aaron Jones | iNPC: Madeleine Nakamura | Former staff account: Marcus Iwasaki
2nd Gen PC: Idalia della Torre
Best way to contact me? Discord or owl Idalia