Roleplaying as Akira Shimizu from Mahoutokoro
Outfit: Navy Uniform

His shoulder accidentally bumped into another student's as he passed them in the bustling hallway. "Excuse me," he apologized reflexively, but the words came out wrong, almost sounding like sarcasm, eyes boring into the innocent passerby as if she had insulted him. There was no polite smile upon his lips, no apologetic dip of the head. Then, with a swish of navy robes, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving the poor girl wondering who she had wronged, and what she had done.

Akira was heading to the library to study after class, but he knew his mind was not in the right place. In fact, he hadn't been right in the past few weeks, ever since the foreign students left Hogwarts. He found himself more irritable, more impatient with everyone around him, and less likely to keep his attitude to himself. What had been so carefully hidden behind a mask of polite smiles was not so easy to accomplish anymore. There was something utterly and dreadfully wrong.

He saw the boys' lavatory down the hall, and decided to dive in. He could really use a dousing of cool water to calm his nerves; he needed to soothe that agitation, and revert back to the calm and collected person he strove to be.

With a few determined strides, he approached the nearest sink and turned on the tap. Cool water poured from the faucet, and he took his time to wash his hands, feeling the liquid run through his fingers, breathing in the clean smell of soap, then cupping his hands under the tap and letting the water pool before splashing it upon his pale face.

Much better. Momentary relief washed over him, and he felt more grounded in the present -- the here and now. No longer was he thinking about the 'what ifs' and 'what could've beens'. Not about the Hexwizard Mahoutokoro Championship that had so rightfully belonged to him, or at least Hitoshi-senpai. Because, it certainly did not belong to the undeserving boy that was Aryaan Shamsi. With a towel, he patted his face dry.

Akira heard someone else step up to the sink next to his and turn on the faucet. From his peripheral vision, he noticed it was someone with a darker complexion, and lavender robes. His heart almost skipped a beat. A quick glance confirmed his apprehension; it was none other than Shamsi himself.

It took everything he had not to barrage the boy with words of resentment: A gaijin (foreigner) boy, representing his beloved school? A boy who didn't even respect the rigor of their academics and the hard work that was so emblematic of Mahoutokoro; him in his lavender robes. Instead, his skin still cool from the water that had been patted dry, he spoke levelly. "Good afternoon, Shamsi-san," he said, tone polite and nothing more, with a faint quirk of the lips that did not count as a smile. He used honorifics with Shamsi for once; after all, he was speaking to the Champion of Mahoutokoro, whether he liked it or not. "How do you feel about your new responsibilities for the Hexwizard Tournament? It is quite the honor, isn't it?" he asked conversationally, biting back some bitter words that he would very much like to say.

There were a lot of things wrong with Mahoutokoro, from how not-chill the teachers were to how not-chill many of the students were. What was the point in obsessing over grades? Having navy robes – hell, having gold robes – did not make rainbows come out of your mouth. In fact, a lot of the more interesting students in mahout were the pink robes, or the lavender ones like him. He had not missed the lack of people judging your whole worth based on the color of your robes.

What he had missed were the toilets. For all that Britain different and exotic in its own way, the British experience left him feeling somewhat let down. He was using this chance to get to know the simple pleasures of Japan – and definitely NOT skipping studies – when he ran into Shimizu-kun.

Later, he would think about how appropriate it was that Shimizu-kun would spend his stuck in a toilet: his personality definitely belonged there. But, Shamsi was not the sharpest tool in the box, and would not think of this insult for weeks yet.

What he would notice was that the stiff-lipped Navy was actually talking to him. Politely. What the h-

“I don’t have the patience to deal with you Shimizu-kun,” Aryaan said shortly, attempting to cut off any potential drama before it began. “So just spit out what’s on your mind, and we can both be on our way, yeah?”

@Avery Chen as Akira Shimizu

Roleplaying as Akira Shimizu from Mahoutokoro
Outfit: Navy Uniform

His polite words were rebuffed by a very short-tempered Shamsi. Really, he shouldn't have expected anything more from a boy who had no way of controlling his big mouth and his even bigger ego. However, Shamsi could clearly see that Akira had more to say, and for that, the Japanese boy would give Shamsi some credit for his emotional intelligence. The Mahoutokoro Champion was not plain stupid, and that was some consolation.

"You're right, Shamsi-san," he stressed, thinking that he would go high even if Shamsi decided to degrade Akira with a '-kun', like a proper Japanese man would. "I have a lot on my mind." He turned off the faucet and patted his hands dry. "I see you're flaunting your new status already, as the representative for our school. Rude as always." His dark eyes flickered across the mirror to bore into Shamsi's own, taking in the Indian boy's reflection. What did anyone see in this boy?

"Pray tell," he continued levelly, "you must be so proud to be chosen as our Champion, but what makes you qualified enough to take on the helm? I really don't think your skill level matches what is required for this honorable title. I can't help thinking that whoever or whatever chose you had chosen wrong." There, he said it. There was no way to be polite about this, but Shamsi asked for it.

An impatient noise, and the Indian boy backed away. Where once he might have reacted with a joke and a laugh, there was clear frustration on his features now. He had dealt with this enough among the international students back at Hogwarts, and Aryaan had no intention of starting this here as well.

“So what,” he all but barked at the self-righteous Navy-robe; bitterness and anger mixed into one. “What does it matter, really? Even if you’re right, what would you have me do? Withdraw? Say it was all a stupid mistake, and that it should be Pride, instead? Then they’ll just say that I acted cowardly and brought dishonor to this stupid damn school.” Aryaan’s voice rose with every word he spoke until he was all but shouting at the end of it.

There was silence, broken only by the panting of the Indian boy. For all his antics and his unthinking actions, he had never quite lost his cool quite like this. Not in front of others, anway.

“Or.” He said finally, once he had had a couple of seconds. “I could put together a good team. Put up a good show. Make the best of this…” His words trailed off, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging between them.

Roleplaying as Akira Shimizu from Mahoutokoro
Outfit: Navy Uniform

He saw Shamsi tense with -- what was that? -- frustration, anger? The boy's voice raised several notches, and what was usually a jovial and nonchalant (but snarky) boy suddenly turned bitter, as if he was nearing the end of his patience. It was as if some sort of stress and pressure of becoming Champion was already getting to him.

He listened to Shamsi's words of protest, and Akira wondered -- really, what could Shamsi do in this case? Mathias Pride was truly no better. He was already the coward who rejected the Championship, and he was in no better position to represent Mahoutokoro, with his own blatant disregard of Japanese customs and order.

Akira regarded the Indian boy quietly as the other boy paused and made an actually reasonable suggestion. Put together good team, put up good show for the world. The Japanese boy narrowed his eyes at Shamsi in amusement. "I didn't expect you to take this responsibility seriously," he admitted. Akira had been hesitant about wanting to join Shamsi's team if the boy did not have a serious bone in his body, but it was beginning to seem that it wasn't the case.

"Yes, put together a strong team with talented individuals and a broad range of capabilities. Show everyone what Mahoutokoro can do. However, there are also ways to redeem yourself if you want to be a good representative of our school," Akira began, and gave the boy a pointed look while eyeing his lavender robes. Surely, there were ways in which Shamsi could actually make an effort.

"In fact, I can bring a lot to the table and would be a great addition to the Hexwizard team," he stated matter-of-factly, knowing that his dueling talents, confidence, dedication, and academic record would speak for themselves.

“And this is my problem with you!”

And the Indian boy went off again. Like a pressure cooker that had been building up steam, and then went off at exactly the wrong moment. “What do you mean REDEEM myself? What have I done that’s so wrong huh?” he threw back at Shimizu hotly. “I tried to find out what Hogwarts magic was like. I put my name in the goblet. Well, big whoop. You did that too. No, it comes down to just one thing in the end.”

Aryaan cursed, visibly struggling to not give in to the temptation to keep shouting. It felt so good to let it out. To just say all the things that had been bugging him ever since the Championship was thrown to him.

“‘He’s just a Lavendar’, or ‘He’s so young’,” his voice was the caricature of the speaking style of one of their more conservative teachers, before he continued on in his normal voice, bitter resentment overpowering the steam of anger that had him going until then. “It’s almost like you lot can’t see past the surface to the person. Their skills, their abilities, their happiness. People aren’t people to you lot, they’re just colors and years. Pinks and Lavendars must be a disgrace; rainbows and butteflies must come out of the mouth of every Navy. It’s nauseating. It's disgusting.”

@Avery Chen as Akira Shimizu

Roleplaying as Akira Shimizu from Mahoutokoro
Outfit: Navy Uniform

Perhaps heat led way to growing heat; Shamsi's frustration was like the roar of a hot stove, and Akira felt himself begin to boil, the flames tickling within. His own rage manifested slowly, beginning with the curling and uncurling of the fingers in his left hand, tendons showing through his pale skin. The conversation had detracted from his earlier goal of finding a way to get on the Hexwizard team, but he hardly realized the digression as his next words came spilling forth, riding the flames.

"Stop trying to compare yourself to me," the Akira spat back, scowling. There was no way the two of them were comparable. This lavender boy was losing his mind. "I put my name into the goblet, but I didn't break any rules at Hogwarts. I know when to shut up and obey, you don't. You simply can't see how the world works. Why are you turning a blind eye to reality? The world is built upon hierarchies, and everyone has their place. If you want to climb higher and get recognition, you need to work for it." He narrowed his dark eyes at the insolent boy, and sniffed, looking at Shamsi from the ridge of his nose. "Right now, you sound like you're complaining just because the world isn't working in your favor -- and it's only because you don't know how to play the game, so I suggest that you get better at it."

This was the reality as Akira knew it. The world was built with obvious rules and rankings; those who knew how to work within its system got to the top. You had to be crafty and dedicated to make it up there, and he would do whatever it took. All those who couldn't, be damned.

A blink. A surprised laugh, warm and honest and surprised.

“Hahaha. That’s aces, man.” Aryaan said eventually, the bitterness and hostility from a moment ago forgotten in favor of his general cheerful self. “That was AMAZING. Fantastic. Perfect. Dude, like…. you really crack. Me. Up.”

An amused shake of his head as the Indian boy turned away from Akira, looking at the Navy’s reflection in the bathroom mirror, a curious look on his face. It was not a look that Akira would have ever seen on the Champion’s face: the look of serious contemplation mixed with open curiosity, one that Aryaan got during intense snitch chases or adjusting Quidditch strategies mid-game.

The Indian boy mumbled something to himself, much too softly to catch, before shaking himself out of whatever new fascination he seemed to have developed with the mirror.

“You know what, my dude? Sure. I’ll let you join my team, if you feel so strongly about Mahou pride.” The Indian boy held out his hand, his signature cocky grin firmly back on his face. “All you have to do is get your head out of your ass far enough that my Pink and Lavender teammates actually want to work with you.”

@Avery Chen as Akira Shimizu

Roleplaying as Akira Shimizu from Mahoutokoro
Outfit: Navy Uniform

Akira stared at the boy in confusion as Shamsi laughed. It was not the reaction he had expected, though he should've known that Aryaan Shamsi could brush off anything and take anything that came along his way with a lighthearted attitude. It was 'amazing'? 'Fantastic'? Akira scowled at Shamsi for a moment through slitted eyes, wondering if the boy was simply being sarcastic, before realizing that his cheerfulness and amusement somehow seemed genuine.

As Shamsi gazed at Akira curiously through the mirror, the Japanese boy gazed back, his own reflection more confused than the contemplative look on Shamsi's face for once. It was honestly as if the Indian boy was having an epiphanic moment, and Akira himself was truly at a loss as to what that might be. However, somehow -- at that moment, Akira found himself beginning to calm down as Shamsi's light amusement washed over Akira's fiery resentment and better-than-thou attitude. Perhaps... there was something worth learning from this boy.

He cocked his head slightly to the side as Shamsi spoke. Was he really letting him onto the Mahoutokoro Hexwizard team? Biting back his surprise, Akira gripped Shamsi's outreached hand in his own. For a moment, a small, triumphant grin appeared on Akira's face, mirroring the Indian boy's cheeky smile. "I'm honored that you'll have me, Shamsi-san," he responded with a firm shake, features now back to neutral. "My head will be right where it belongs, thank you. I will do what it takes for our team to perform to the best of its capabilities. You can depend on me." Finally. He would have a chance to show the world how Mahoutokoro could stake its claim in the wizarding world as an elite wizarding school. He could personally take on the challengers from every corner of the world to give light to all his potential. It wasn't everyday that one got a chance for glory like this, on a stage so vast. His family would be so proud.