Event Blossom Ball - Trial of Apollo

INTERACTING: /

| OUTFIT

Alan, as he was dressed in an attire inspired by none other than pan, the god of nature as well as rustic music, had been perfectly fit for the trial of Apollo in which they had to sing, dance or otherwise show their skills or lack thereof. Alan himself had never really learned to play the pan flute and just had gotten one to serve as an accessory for his costume. But he knew full well that if he ever wanted to try the instrument out, why not do this here. He would start slowly, just testing out the different pipes and their sounds, to practice himself. But then he would move on to play a small, unpracticed melody. Of course it was not perfect, but Alan seemed to know at least enough about music to not make this sound unenjoyable. At least he himself perceived his attempt of playing the pan flute as something one could listen to.

He would not go as far as to say he would want to play it again after this trial, but he was at least proud at himself to not make an utter fool out of himself in an attempt to complete this trial. The fourth year hoped that Tiger was doing well, but again made himself no worries over the feline as he knew the cat would be capable to fend for himself if necessary.

ACTION | do trial
POST TRACKER | X | H H O H P A | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X

Interacting with @Everly Charlton
Trial Tracker: HADES | HECATE | ORPHEUS | HERMES | PERSEPHONE | APOLLO

At last, Starlee had reached the last trial. Now this one was entirely different from the other five. Sure, it could still be considered somewhat competitive, but this time it was about music. Not only that, but one could compete in groups, so Starlee waited for Everly to enter, since she would have to retrieve her violin for what they had planned.

The two had realized they both had a love for music a few months back. Starlee not only sang, but played the piano, and Everly could play the violin. The two had spent more time together in the rehearsal room practicing various pieces together, and the song they were about to play was one of them. It was quite apt for them to finally have an audience for their musings, as Starlee rather enjoyed the performances she used to do back when she had her muggle music teacher.

Sadly, there wasn't a piano around, so Starlee wouldn't be able to join in with her piano accompaniment, but she hoped her singing was enough. She was a part of the Frog Choir, so surely that meant she had a decent voice.

Starlee nodded at Everly after clearing her throat, signaling to her she was ready. Everly would begin to play. It was a typical pop song, probably one most muggles were familiar with, but the violin gave it a different quality, especially without the typical bass and other instruments behind the music. After the short intro, Starlee began to sing.

"Right from the start
You were a thief, you stole my heart
And I, your willing victim
I let you see the parts of me, that weren't all that pretty
And with every touch you fixed them
Now you've been talking in your sleep oh oh
Things you never say to me oh oh
Tell me that you've had enough
Of our love, our love..."

Everly's accompaniment was wonderful, in Starlee's opinion, and while singing some of the lower notes may have tripped Starlee up, she continued onto the chorus, her arms opening wide as she belted her heart out.

"Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough
Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again
It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts
We're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again."

This song had real passion behind it, and while Starlee hadn't really felt these kinds of feelings before, it did still manage to reach a place within her heart, her passion clear in her singing. In parts she would close her eyes and hold her hands clasped over her heart, almost lost in a trance.

The two continued on, finally reaching the end of the piece. Starlee was awoken from her melodic reverie, and she sighed. Her and Everly really were quite the musical pairing, and she was happy to have gotten to perform. Heck, she was happy Everly even suggested they do the trials, since it gave her an opportunity like this.

Action: Singing alongside Everly's Violin - Approved by Everly Charlton
Stats: Sta: 4 | Eva: 6 | Str: 6 | Wis: 8 | Arc: 6 | Acc: 5
Abilities: Healing Sage

Closed to interactions.
Wearing a deep plum chiton and cloak and grape headpiece inspired by Dionysus.
[1] [2] [3] [Hades] [Hecate] [Orpheus] [Hermes] [Persephone] [Apollo]

Music was a very deep and personal matter to Phaedra. The tastes a person had could reveal their absolute soul in a way words could not, and had she the option to sit back and watch instead, she would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. But alas, the Hero Trials were all about putting a person out of their comfort zone. She adjusted her headpiece as “Apollo” requested the mass to show their appreciation for the arts.

Dancing? Unfortunately, all of the dances she knew required a partner or a group. Besides, winging choreography was something only skilled dancers could pull off and she didn’t particularly like the music emitting from the Spring Festival just meters away. Singing? Oh, singing was absolutely out of the question. Phaedra found her voice to be hoarse and shaky, unwilling to land on higher notes without a struggle and seemingly foreign when atop a melody. Once, a music tutor had innocently commented on her Manc accent, and it instilled a secret insecurity in her vocal performance all these years later, even though previously, she hadn’t ever given it a second thought.

…An instrument maybe? Phaedra peered over the heads onto the stage. There was no piano that she could see. What a shame—certainly she wasn’t the only one affected by that strange oversight. But when one girl and Evelynn came with violins, an idea sprung into her head. Yes, why didn’t she think of that before?

“Accio bouzouki.”

It took a moment before it arrived, floating in air beside her, waiting for her touch. The instrument was custom made to work with her left handedness and beautifully carved, with a deep, rosewood body and birch facing. Sporting elegant abalone designs and rounded edges for a rich sound, a bouzouki of such detail and quality could only be a gift from her maternal aunt, Thalia. The woman was herself musically inclined; a skilled tambourinist with a deep love for her home. In fact, home was a good way to describe the way Phaedra felt with the strings between her fingers; a reminder of Greek summers and lively street-side performances.

Most others performed before she did. Violinists, flautists, singers, dancers, and poets all came and went in their attempts to appease Apollo, and by the time Phaedra had finished recalling placements on the bouzouki’s fretboard, she was one of the last still to perform. Bouzouki gripped tight in her hand and Phaedra feeling increasingly uncomfortable, she inhaled and took to the stage. It would be no different than playing for her mother, or tutors, or anyone else she knew, right?

Phaedra cleared her throat. Public speaking wasn’t difficult. Being prefect for so long ironed out any shame at that. But playing? Playing was different. Revealing, almost. “Both sides of my family are Greek; my father’s distantly so.” She paused and then clarified with a shrug, “Cypriot, more specifically, for his half. Needless to say, I’ve grown around this style of music.”

It was oddly intimate, exposing this about herself and her family, and much more than Phaedra would have normally shared otherwise. Perhaps the girl just wanted to offer context for why she possessed such a unique instrument. Or perhaps her nerves were making her ramble. Regardless, she dragged over a stool that was already on stage and took a seat, legs crossed to support the bouzouki’s weight.

“I hope to please you with this taste of modern Greece, if only for a moment.”

[Phaedra plays this at a slower tempo for her skill level (set to 0.75) with a few slip ups on the runs.]

No time was spared before she got to the meaty part of the piece, shoulders swaying to her own beat. Low and mid tones sang out deep and powerful, while those higher left a shrill “popping” sound that was not unpleasant by any means. Far less reverberating than a sitar, the bouzouki at its best was capable of seamless key changes that made more upbeat melodies possible.

Maybe too upbeat. Approaching a complicated run, Phaedra’s hands proved rusty. Her heart sank as her right ring finger slipped off of a string entirely, but with her superb sense of rhythm, she was able to jump back into the measure as if nothing had happened at all. Keep it together, she cursed with a bite of her lip, uncertain if she had the will to face any more mistakes in her playing. Concentrating eyes stared at the instrument as she played—whether this was to watch her own finger placements or pretend the audience wasn’t there, no one knew except herself.

There was ever a rare smile on Phaedra’s face when she finished. Turning to Apollo, she stood and gave him her best curtsy, heart still hammering in her chest. Despite this, she kept her outwards composure seemingly professional. “Thank you.” All that awaited now was Apollo’s judgment.

Action: Summon her bouzouki with Accio before taking the stage, perform with blips here and there.
STA: 7, EVA: 8, STR: 1, WIS: 15, ARC: 10, ACC: 10
Perfectionist, Perfectionist II, Spell Spread, Advanced Casting

Reducio

Interacting With | @Henry Knight as Charles Alluring
Mentioning | @Scarlett Aden | @Lucia Fox as Cassie Heather McGregor-Martin | @Ginevra Tsuichiya as Greg Erkens | @Elisabeth Erner

The Wampus raised his eyebrows. "You're going full-out on this bribe thing, aren't you?" Drew was just joking, of course. He smirked a little, but let Charles do his thing, trying to flatter "Apollo" with the gifts that he brought. "Ready," Drew said in response, with a smile. The two were all set and ready to do their performance, but Cassie beckoned them to join her own performance with them. Drew glanced to Charles and gave him a shrug that said "why not?"

Drew had to admit- he had never done the Macarena before. He hadn't ever done it before, and so, was winging it. Little did he know that they weren't really going to do the real Macarena, but instead, with lots of words that weren't quite... super admirable. Like hamburger toppings. Super elegant and eloquent. Drew's eyes followed Cassie's movements, mirroring her. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly this was, but he caught onto the movements and the words, and said it with her. He smiled at Charles, then joined in, with enthusiastic movements and saying the words loud enough for people to hear. Drew was a shameless guy, after all.

"Hamburger, cheeseburger, lettuce, tomato
Hamburger, cheeseburger, lettuce, tomato
Hamburger, cheeseburger, lettuce, tomato
Heyyyyyy, macarena!"

Hey, it might not have been entirely composed of them, but at least it was fun.

Now it was their turn. Drew gave a nod at Charles' words to confirm that they were now doing a performance together, with the two of them. He hoped they were allowed to do two performances. And if they weren't... eh, they were gonna do it anyway.

Drew nodded, and Charles led them into the music, starting the whole thing. Drew adopted the personality of the girl he was playing. "I've got it!" He exclaimed excitedly, then started singing.

"You need a partner in crime
Someone to share in the view
Why see all of the world and all of its glories
Without a friend to tell your stories to?"

Charles continued with the song. They weren't entirely choreographed. Charles put his arm around Drew, and Drew did the same, wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulders. Once Charles was done with his next part, Drew jumped back in again.

"Why not team up?"

Then, together, they said, "We've only got tonight!"

Charles went off to the side and had a dramatic mini-monologue, and then Drew did the same, looking off opposite of Charles, shrugging, and saying,

"Are we heard or seen or anything
without a friend around?"

Charles continued his monologue, and then Drew faced towards his friend, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, spreading his other arm wide.

"But this traveling fair could take the cake
because you get to share it!"

He grinned widely, then pointed both his index fingers at Charles, continuing the song. This was Drew's favorite part of the song, by far. Charles echoed Drew and it was so cool!

"You need a partner in crime
Someone to share in a laugh
Running a race without a pace setter..."

Charles delivered his line, and then they both said together, "Without my better half!"

"With you!"

Drew rolled his eyes a little bit as Charles ruffled his hair, a split second of breaking character, but then continued with his own part, enthusiastic and full of energy.

"And a choc full of surprises!
With you the line moves twice as fast!
And no one realizes!"

Charles delivered the last solo line- the rest they sang together.

"With two I finally feel somehow
that something isn't missing..."

Drew gave Charles a thumbs up, saying he was ready.

"I have a partner in crime!
someone to share in the view!"

With the word "view," Drew spread his arm out, as if he was gesturing dramatically to the view.

"Why see the world and all of its glories
without a friend to tell your stories to?"

The next lyrics weren't the song's lyrics. They had been modified to Charles and Drew's purpose.

"Last night for fun at the ball!
Sun's rising!
Tomorrow we're gone!"

Drew gave a grin and a thumbs up to his partner, signaling he was ready.

"You need a partner, a partner in crime!
Two extra fists in a fight!"

Drew bent over at his waist as Charles came towards him, bending his legs as the Durmstrang student went over him.

"Stuck in a sticky situation?
Lucky the trick's collaboration
Why should the road be long and lonely?"

Drew ran towards his friend now, picking up speed and momentum, and jumped over Charles. He grinned- they had done it!

"We've only got tonight!" He exclaimed with Charles.

"Last night for fun at the ball...
A partner in crime!
Sun's rising!
Tomorrow we're gone!"

Drew gave a wide grin to Charles, and wrapped an arm around him at the same time as Charles. He wasn't sure what to do with his other hand, though, so he just put it in an awkward finger gun towards Apollo.

"My partner in crime!"

That had been so much fun to do! He was glad him and Charles had done it together.

Drew made sure to clap for Elisabeth when she went, singing a beautiful song in her very pretty voice. And Greg did an amazing job, too, with his own performance. He would hear a whistle in the crowd as he finished, from Drew himself. Drew was certainly loyal.

For Moderation
More Information about Drew is here
Action: Doing the Macarena, Singing Partner in Crime (from Tuck Everlasting) with Charles Alluring (played by the awesome @Henry Knight!

[1] | [2] | Hades Trial | Hecate Trial | Orpheus Trial | Hermes Trial | Persephone Trial | Apollo Trial

posts i. ii. iii. iv. v. INTERACTION───────────── @ info─────── Reducio action | health | stats | sta 6 eva 7 str 0 wis 7 arc 4 acc 6 (first year stats) abilities | seer year 1 • 10% autododge, 10% autohit

trials i. ii. iii. iv. v. ────────────────MENTION @ Reducio link ───────outfit

For Everly's last trial, Apollo, she thankfully already had a plan in mind for this. At least she didn't need to be unprepared. Upon hearing the instructions, she had a moment of euphoria and an idea came to her - a duet! Starlee was here, too, and a few months ago Everly had discovered she could play the piano, as well as sing very well. This was something she had practice with, even though she hadn't necessarily known. Unfortunately, they would not allow a piano, so Starlee wasn't given the opportunity to show off her talent there. But! - Starlee still had a wonderful voice, so they could perform one of the pieces they had practiced together before, even without the piano. The song was not one Everly had known before Starlee had introduced it to her, but it was wonderful. After all, it was a Muggle pop song. It was still one Everly had memorized, so she could still play it well.

Once she had retrieved her violin, Everly gave a nod back to Starlee, indicating she was ready. With a breath of relief, as well as comfort, Everly lifted her bow, and began.

The piece sounded a bit odd to Everly, of course, as the piano was missing. Still, she knew it was just her - she was used to listening to it with the piano, but to outsiders, hopefully it wouldn't sound any different. The Slytherin girl was right on cue, joining in at the right time, and Everly immediately felt more at home. It was just her and Starlee, without all the other people. Starlee's singing was beautiful, as always, and Everly took this moment to admire her talent. Everly wasn't all that great with her voice, and she had never took the time to learn. It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts - We're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again. The lyrics, eerie and beautiful, especially with Starlee's voice.

Everly, like any other person, did mess up at some places, but hopefully it wasn't that obvious. And soon enough, it was nearing the end of the song. It had felt like a million years, but also like a single second. Everly ended her part with a flourish, a smile on her face.

[x]

Trial of Apollo Moderation

The Trials had begun and many an eager student flocked to them immediately. Others preferred to mingle with friends before approaching the challenges, perhaps a few of them goaded into it by said friends. Kazuo watched with fascination, truly they were his favorite part of what he and the others had planned. To see who chose to do the Trials and who didn’t, to see who was better at which Trials, and to see the wide range of emotions the Trials drew out of people. The Trial he was overseeing was not strenuous on a physical level like Hermes, nor was it so challenging to a person’s spirit as Orpheus. It did not challenge one’s knowledge as Hecate and Hades did, nor one’s wits as with Persephone. From the outset, Apollo’s Trial must surely look like a freebie. Yet to Kazuo - and it was the reason he’d asked to run this Trial in particular - Apollo’s Trial challenged the subtler elements of a person’s character. For what thing that humans did drew out emotions more than art?

Kazuo had many thoughts on what people might do, on how they might approach the challenge and how they might react, but they were theories, not expectations. It was with this lack of expectations that he would judge the contestants, with an underlying desire to be surprised by them, to see what parts of their nature they would end up revealing, whether intentionally or accidentally. There was no way to outright fail the challenge as long as one attempted it but there were ways to improve your chances and Kazuo had made it clear that he was not an unbiased judge. He was Apollo, beautiful, fickle god of inspiration. Who would dare to challenge his expectations for greater glory?

The first to present before him was the lovely Irina Afanasyeva @Lavinia Cloven who hailed from the Russian school of Koldovstoretz. She seemed a bit nervous when Kazuo explained the Trial to her and that made him smile a bit. A natural reaction to being put on the spot. As she began to speak his head tilted slightly in response, watching her with rapt fascination. “Unless there’s a twist hmmm?” He murmured the line she had come up with. “Very good, Miss Afanasyeva.” He congratulated her. ”Come collect your token, you have passed Apollo’s Trial.” He would hand her a small token with a sun on one side and a lyre on the other.

The next to present was @Dan Palmer a Slytherin who he met briefly in the winter during an errand. He arched a brow in surprise as the boy did the unthinkable - he put on a pair of shoes. Even in the frozen winter errand Dan had chosen to walk barefoot yet to appease Apollo, he was putting on shoes. Interesting. He snickered a bit when Dan complimented Dee, sliding a glance in her direction as Dan began to dance. It was impressive, Kazuo had to admit. He had never seen Irish Step dancing before and it had a catchiness to it that had his foot tapping unconsciously. It was clear that this was something Dan had much practice doing and his stage presence was delightful. There was no nervousness, only assurance that he knew his performance was perfect. Kazuo graced Dan with a smile and nodded. “Congratulations Mr. Palmer. Hermes would be most proud of your fast feet, I think.” He teased the Slytherin boy. “Claim your token, proof of your success.”

An inky black cat next presented herself, wrapped in shadows, surely a better fit for the Underworld than this brightly lit stage. Kazuo’s eyes narrowed slightly as @Xailah Alptraum presented herself, eyes locking on the higanbana that adorned her hair and accented her dress. A slight smirk of approval graced his lips.

"I'm afraid you both missed my performance," she hummed, "but its nice of you two to wait for my curtain call."

Reducio

Kazuo’s eyes widened and that slight smirk grew into an absolutely delighted grin. As Xailah gave her bow, Kazuo rose gracefully from his seat and applauded. “Oh well done!” He spoke with amusement in his voice. “Such a delight to see something unexpected, to see someone willing to risk losing everything to defy expectations. Don’t run off too quickly Miss Alptraum~ You need to collect your prize.” Kazuo would offer the inky black cat not one but two tokens as her reward.

Another visitor graced Apollo’s stage, this time one of the manly Durmstrang boys. Kazuo didn’t know much about Durmstrang except that it gave off the overwhelming odour of boys trying too hard to be manly men. Yefim @Flash Holmwood seemed particularly excited to be here and Kazuo arched a brow as he began to sing in Russian. It was not a particularly happy tune though it was about spring in its own morbid way. That he ended his depressing performance with another grin drew a chuckle from Kazuo. “поздравляю. Congratulations.” Kazuo spoke in his limited Russian. “Получите свой приз.Get your prize.” He tossed two tokens to Yefim. “Impressively loud and depressing.” He continued in English with a smirk. “You must be the life of the party back home.”

@Elena Jangleton stepped forward and produced a lovely Gaelic song about love. Certainly, love was rampant in Greek mythology and, more often than not, ended in tragedy. This song wasn’t the tragic kind but it was nice enough and Elena had sung it completely unaccompanied. He gave her a smile and a brief bout of applause before handing her a token. “Very nice, though I admit I don’t know what language that was. Congratulations.”

Following Elena was @Pericles Dralt and Kazuo watched him with curiosity, expecting that the director of the Frog Choir would certainly be able to perform on a stage with little to no nervousness. As Pericles explained his choice of performance, Kazuo grinned and nodded. A proper paean and specifically one to Apollo. A better choice couldn’t be made to match the challenge. He listened attentively to Pericles’ performance then graced the Ravenclaw with applause. “I am delighted that someone actually performed a paean. It was very nice.” He spoke to Pericles as he handed over two tokens.

A dance would follow the paean, performed by @Adlai Rod. Kazuo leaned forward a bit, enraptured by her movements. Though he was fond of playing music as expression, there was something about dance that felt so much more intense. Adlai certainly proved that with her outstanding performance. “You’re very good, I’m a bit envious of your talent.” Kazuo complimented Adlai as he handed her two tokens.

Another visiting student, Mikael Halldorson @Percival Rainwood, serenaded him with a Russian song that was both beautiful and a bit sad sounding. Kazuo’s fingers tapped against his leg, matching time with the older boy’s singing and he applauded politely when Mikael had finished. “поздравляю. Congratulations.” He offered with a smile, handing Mikael a token.

Jayden Holt @Andrew Vance stepped up with a duffle and a pair of boots and Kazuo couldn’t help but to raise a brow. He chuckled at her teasing reprimand then gave her a shrug. “One should always be prepared to entertain the gods.” He answered with a wink. He couldn’t say he was fond of country-style music but her tune was definitely catchy and her ability to play and dance at the same time was admirable. “Impressive!” He announced as he handed her a token.

The next showing was a bit of a two for one. Four students, of which Kazuo only knew one, made their way onto the stage. Though not evident initially it seemed there were two duos but the second duo was helping out the first with music. He hadn’t explicitly said no to groups, certainly wasn’t opposed to them, but he wasn’t entirely sure what this group was attempting. It started with Cassie Heather McGregor-Martin @Lucia Fox, @Scarlet Aden, Charles Alluring @Henry Knight, and Andrew Lycan @Rose Moon performing the Macarena though they didn’t sing it properly. Rather, they chose to perform with nonsense lyrics. Kazuo’s eyes narrowed in contempt. Then his eyes flickered to @Lily Cawthi when she decided to jump into their performance instead of doing one of her own. His lips thinned to a disapproving line. Once the Macarena was over, Charles and Andrew stepped forward, presenting him with gifts. Kazuo snorted, eyeing the sun-shaped gem and the Roman cakes. “You do know the theme is Ancient Greece, yes? And that Apollo is Greek, not Roman? The two cultures aren’t interchangeable.” Kazuo pointed out with a snort. He had implied that he could be bribed because he was curious to see who might attempt it. Unfortunately for the boys, he had no intention of rewarding them for their attempt. As they jumped into their own performance, he could at least say it wasn’t as offensive as the Macarena performance. “I’m not sure what either of these performances has to do with Apollo, spring, or the Blossom Ball.” Kazuo criticized, gazing at the now five students. His gaze shifted to Cassie and Scarlet. “If you had simply done the dance, I might have given it a pass but your nonsense lyrics are insulting to the creators of the song. I’m not sure how seriously you took this challenge but I think it’s an insult to the others who have performed before you and likely to those who will perform after you. I will not reward you for this.” His gaze shifted to Charles and Andrew. “I don’t know the song you sang but it was a fun performance, thank you for that. Your gifts were a bit lacking, however.” He gave Charles and Andrew one token each. Finally, he looked at Lily. “You did not perform for me. You simply jumped into someone else’s performance and hoped to gain the reward with no effort of your own put in. I cannot reward you for this.”

After the last performance, Kazuo had a deep frown etched into his brow. He hadn’t thought he would end up denying anyone, assuming the premise of the challenge to be fairly straightforward yet he also couldn’t bring himself to reward people who he felt hadn’t really tried. @Dealla Prince took this opportunity to rise and give her own performance. He banished the frown, giving her his full attention, a hint of a smile playing at the edges of his lips. It was not conventional. No music, no dancing, not even an attempt to rhyme some poetry. It did, however, play to his interests and there was definitely a performance to her execution. As she recited a variety of potions and their use in potentially swaying him, he couldn’t help but to laugh. “Fair Aphrodite, half-sister, while your favour may be worth a lot, I have seen the ruin it often leaves in its wake. Keep your favour and take these for your flawless performance.” He handed her two tokens and graced her with a smile.

Another duet approached, this one a dance number with @Lucia Fox and @Eun-ji Lee Hunt. Kazuo watched attentively, smiling at their song choice and nodding along as they danced. With polite applause he handed over a token for each of them. “A beautiful dance.”

Poseidon graced the stage next and Kaz smirked a bit as @Marshal Mozor greeted him and explained his choice of performance. He inclined his head slightly as the boy went on to recite a short poem. It started beautifully but the second verse dove deep into sadness. It was a moving piece and Kazuo wanted to applaud Marshal’s effort yet the solemnity with which it concluded made applause feel inappropriate. “Have no fear, Poseidon, poetry is also Apollo’s domain. There are many ways to perform and your poem was very moving. Come collect your reward.” He handed Marshal a single token with a smile.

The next act to cross his stage was another unexpected one. Florian Yves deRoy @Starlee Kennedy arrived with a pole in his hand and a fedora on his head. Kazuo watched with fascination as the visiting student tossed and spun and whirled the stick and the fedora in a chaotic yet exciting performance. He applauded vigorously as Florian bowed, tossing the boy a token for his hard work. “Sugoi (amazing). I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like that before. Your broom… Hm.”

@Evelynn Decipio stepped onto the stage violin in hand and Kazuo perked up immediately, eyes widening in delight. Her costume was what caught his eye initially, a stunning and unique choice. This was no costume store mock-Greek outfit, nor a stereotypical choice of god to portray. In fact, Evelynn had not chosen a god at all, nor even a hero. She didn’t bother with an introduction, merely brought the violin to her chin and began to play a piece Kazuo recognized. It was not an ode to Apollo, not to spring or flowers or light. It was a dedication to Apollo’s sister, Artemis and it made Kazuo smile. “Do you prefer the moonlight?” He asked with a smile in the silence that followed. He offered Evelynn two tokens for her effort. “It isn’t praising me but I suppose it will do.” He added with a bit of teasing in his voice. “Lindsey Stirling is very cool.”

The performance that followed Evelynn’s was quite a bit cheerier but Kazuo didn’t know the song. He listened attentively as he had with the other performances and clapped politely when @Elizabeth Erner finished, handing her a token for her effort. “Thank you for your lovely song.”

Gregori Erkens @Ginevra Tsuchiya was another visiting student from the American school Kazuo guessed based on his accent. He performed an old-fashioned sounding love song that Kazuo didn’t know. He applauded respectfully and handed Gregori the token signalling his success.

Another student of the American school followed, Melody Westmoore @Calypso Starling, with a performance from a musical Kazuo had heard of but never had interest in. He liked the concept of broadway and of musicals but he favoured the style of the Japanese stage plays he had attended back in Tokyo. He also had little interest in American history. He listened attentively nonetheless and applauded politely before handing the girl her token.

Next up was a cute looking boy in an outfit that was definitely not Ancient Greece in theme. Kazuo blinked in surprise at his outfit but his curiosity about the clothing was quickly replaced with awe when Arjan began to dance to the music that drifted over from the dance floor. Although dance seemed perhaps not quite the right term. He threw flips and cartwheels and acrobatics into his performance that genuinely impressed Kazuo. Once Arjan Oberoi @Serena Towers was finished, Kazuo would applaud vigorously and hand the Durmstrang boy two tokens.

@Lydia Cooper was someone he actually recognized very well. Not only had he played hockey with her but they were also on the dueling team together. He gave the older Hufflepuff a smile as she greeted him. Listening to her song made him smile, fingers tapping to the rhythm. “Lovely.’ He praised as she finished, applauding. He handed her a token with a smile.

@Anastasia Beckett was the next to grace the stage, choosing to perform a muggle song. Kazuo arched a brow at the choice, an amused smile on his lips. Certainly an interesting choice and the song itself was quite moving. “That sounded very personal.” He murmured quietly to the Gryffindor once she’d finished. He handed her two tokens with a smile. “Truly, what is music if not our expression, hm?”

The mood would remain somber with the next contestant, a Slytherin he knew by way of dueling. @Santario Martin would also choose a song that seemed to ring with deep personal meaning. Kazuo’s head tilted slightly as he watched, curious as he took in the meaning of the lyrics. “No, thank you for your gift. It was beautiful.” Kazuo replied, handing over two tokens.

@Serena Towers would lighten the mood with an impromptu dance number that had Kazuo clapping his hands in time with the music as he watched her seem to just let go and enjoy herself. If this wasn’t a true expression of what dance should be, he didn’t know what was. Her excitement was contagious and he couldn’t help but to grin at her. Her finale though, turned that grin into a look of surprise as she managed to cast the Bluebell flame without her wand. “Sugoi! (amazing)” He exclaimed again, clapping his hands in delight. “You must show me how to do that!” He said as he handed her two tokens.

Next up was another Hufflepuff he barely knew, @Ami Procoppio, with an act that would be hard to top. He could forgive her the dab at the end because the rap she managed to throw together was impressive to say the least. He applauded exuberantly and tossed her two tokens. “Sick rhymes.” He said with a grin.

@Rafael D’Spacito, a Gryffindor who was easy on the eyes with a reputation for violence, was the next to present. His choice was a poem, a Hymn to Apollo that made Kaz grin. There was something odd though, to the way Rafael delivered his words and it caused a furrow in his brow. Then he huffed a little as he realized what it was. Rafael was trying to pronounce the words without his accent. Kazuo gave the older boy a look that was understanding but also a bit sad. “It was very nice.” He replied slowly, fingers tapping against his thigh. “And would have been just as nice if you weren’t trying to cover your accent.” He added as he handed Rafael two tokens.

@Alan Vanes, whom Kazuo had met briefly a couple months back, played a seemingly improvised piece on a set of pan flutes. Kazuo listened with amusement as the older boy appeared to not really know what he was doing, though thankfully the song turned out okay in the end. Kazuo considered in that moment how lucky he was that everyone who had performed had at least some rudimentary skill. He shuddered at the thought of tone deaf singers. “Nice.” He complimented Alan once he was done, handing him a token.

Another duet graced the stage, this time made up of @Starlee Kennedy singing while @Everly Charlton played the violin. It was a song Kazuo recognized and he hummed along, applauding once they were done. “Wonderful.” He complimented them as he handed them each one token.

The last performer to grace Apollo’s stage was @Phaedra Stavrou playing a traditional Greek instrument that reminded him of his own instrument. He watched in fascination as she played with a calm demeanour, seemingly unbothered by the audience even when she stumbled a bit in her execution. Kazuo’s foot tapped along to the music and he smiled brightly at Phaedra when she was done, truly appreciative of the song she had gifted. “Thank you, that was very interesting. I’ve never heard music like that before. What kind of instrument is that?” He asked with genuine interest as he handed her two tokens.

Thus the Trial Apollo would come to its end, each performer rewarded as Kazuo saw fit. Soon the numbers would be tallied and the Crowns would be awarded.
Congratulations to all the Heroes who participated!