26 Feb 2020, 23:58
Legacy
"No need to resent me for having fun," Jack answered, looking genuinely taken aback by how hostile Flash seemed to get over the simple term. "That's what kids our age are expected to do, you know? Especially on their birthdays. You could be having fun too, but you aren't. Why is that? What are you holding back for?"
When the brunet Slytherin straightened up to look down his nose haughtily at his peer, the redhead stared right back until he was finished speaking. By then, it was Jack's turn to display his disbelief.
"Really?" The boy cast Flash a half-lidded gaze of incredulity, appearing thoroughly unimpressed. "You're telling me that the person you are around Opeila wasn't and isn't, to your knowledge, any different from the person you are when you're around me and me alone?" With a soft snort, he shook his head. "Maybe you should take a look in the mirror sometime, Holmwood. Your face is being more truthful than you are at the moment."
Attempting to give Flash some time to recompose himself without obvious scrutiny, Jack took to studying his fingernails instead. "You're the one who mentioned a game the first time we met, remember? And whether or not you think of it as one, it doesn't change the fact that I know how to tell when someone is behaving differently than is natural for them."
He gestured grandly with an arm as he continued to talk. "I totally get it - I have a reputation to uphold and you have yours. It takes one to know one. But what is yours really doing for you, since it's obviously not making you happy? And to deny that it even exists...are you just trying to convince yourself of that? Because you're not fooling anyone else who has more depth to them than a kiddie pool."
Jack closed his eyes and put his thumb and forefinger to his temples and forehead as if to massage away an oncoming headache. "For example...I asked if you were having fun trying to be the person you're trying to be. The person you're aspiring to be - your ideal self. However, you brought up the term 'pretending'." Hazel irises darted to seek out light blue.
"There's a difference. I'm not pretending to be a trickster; I'm trying to be one. That includes the progress I've made. 'Pretending', though...that makes it sound like you don't ever expect to actually achieve becoming whatever it is you're trying to become. Like you're suffering from impostor syndrome or something. Am I wrong?"
His housemate was saying he thought the conversation was over and asking if he agreed. Jack wasn't smiling this time, noticing how the other boy avoided his gaze.
"If the birthday favor you ask of me is to agree, then I will," he replied. "But then I have to insist on walking you to the Hospital Wing. You don't look too good."
@Flash Holmwood
When the brunet Slytherin straightened up to look down his nose haughtily at his peer, the redhead stared right back until he was finished speaking. By then, it was Jack's turn to display his disbelief.
"Really?" The boy cast Flash a half-lidded gaze of incredulity, appearing thoroughly unimpressed. "You're telling me that the person you are around Opeila wasn't and isn't, to your knowledge, any different from the person you are when you're around me and me alone?" With a soft snort, he shook his head. "Maybe you should take a look in the mirror sometime, Holmwood. Your face is being more truthful than you are at the moment."
Attempting to give Flash some time to recompose himself without obvious scrutiny, Jack took to studying his fingernails instead. "You're the one who mentioned a game the first time we met, remember? And whether or not you think of it as one, it doesn't change the fact that I know how to tell when someone is behaving differently than is natural for them."
He gestured grandly with an arm as he continued to talk. "I totally get it - I have a reputation to uphold and you have yours. It takes one to know one. But what is yours really doing for you, since it's obviously not making you happy? And to deny that it even exists...are you just trying to convince yourself of that? Because you're not fooling anyone else who has more depth to them than a kiddie pool."
Jack closed his eyes and put his thumb and forefinger to his temples and forehead as if to massage away an oncoming headache. "For example...I asked if you were having fun trying to be the person you're trying to be. The person you're aspiring to be - your ideal self. However, you brought up the term 'pretending'." Hazel irises darted to seek out light blue.
"There's a difference. I'm not pretending to be a trickster; I'm trying to be one. That includes the progress I've made. 'Pretending', though...that makes it sound like you don't ever expect to actually achieve becoming whatever it is you're trying to become. Like you're suffering from impostor syndrome or something. Am I wrong?"
His housemate was saying he thought the conversation was over and asking if he agreed. Jack wasn't smiling this time, noticing how the other boy avoided his gaze.
"If the birthday favor you ask of me is to agree, then I will," he replied. "But then I have to insist on walking you to the Hospital Wing. You don't look too good."
@Flash Holmwood
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
27 Feb 2020, 01:40
Legacy
It’s never over… he never stops... Always pushing, always fighting back. Of course he was different around Burnett, he was always who he had to be. That was still him. With Opeila he could guide the conversation gently, like a paper boat in a calm stream. Talking to Burnett was like being a one man crew on a dinghy in the middle of a hurricane.
Behaving differently than is natural, another pointless observation. ‘Being natural’ had never done him any favors. He could go on and on about how unnatural Flash was being, but at least people liked him. The picture he was trying to paint wasn't attractive at all. Flash was starting to crack, starting to give things away.
What is it doing for me… Wasn’t it obvious, no, perhaps it wasn’t. It wasn’t Burnett’s business to know why. Yet here he was. This was the second time they had ever talked, how had it come to this? There were millions of reasons. To be someone of worth, to be recognized, to be important. Kids their age… the earlier he started, the better. No time should be wasted. Defiantly, Flash only began to feel more secure in his decisions. With that, a returned sense of calm.
Right. He didn’t have to worry about what Burnett was saying. He knew it was wrong. He didn’t have to prove anything-- Burnett was a nobody. He tricked Flash into showing him respect, for being able to control the conversations they had, and for reading him so easily. But he would never understand, even if Flash explained it perfectly. It didn’t have to make sense to anyone else.
”I’ll be somebody.” Flash’s voice was quieter, and his eyes looked out as if seeing something far away. ”What are your aspirations, I wonder. What would you do to achieve them... I suppose kids our age aren't supposed to think about things like that, right?”
When he said it, his face was blank and icy, his voice vacant, uninterested.
”If that’s how you see it, that’s fine. Your opinion means nothing to me.” Flash still wasn’t looking directly at him. If he did, he would only get mad again. ”I refuse your favor and your phony concern. Follow me around all day if you like. It’s your life. You seem determined to spend it wasting your time.”
@Jack Burnett
Behaving differently than is natural, another pointless observation. ‘Being natural’ had never done him any favors. He could go on and on about how unnatural Flash was being, but at least people liked him. The picture he was trying to paint wasn't attractive at all. Flash was starting to crack, starting to give things away.
What is it doing for me… Wasn’t it obvious, no, perhaps it wasn’t. It wasn’t Burnett’s business to know why. Yet here he was. This was the second time they had ever talked, how had it come to this? There were millions of reasons. To be someone of worth, to be recognized, to be important. Kids their age… the earlier he started, the better. No time should be wasted. Defiantly, Flash only began to feel more secure in his decisions. With that, a returned sense of calm.
Right. He didn’t have to worry about what Burnett was saying. He knew it was wrong. He didn’t have to prove anything-- Burnett was a nobody. He tricked Flash into showing him respect, for being able to control the conversations they had, and for reading him so easily. But he would never understand, even if Flash explained it perfectly. It didn’t have to make sense to anyone else.
”I’ll be somebody.” Flash’s voice was quieter, and his eyes looked out as if seeing something far away. ”What are your aspirations, I wonder. What would you do to achieve them... I suppose kids our age aren't supposed to think about things like that, right?”
When he said it, his face was blank and icy, his voice vacant, uninterested.
”If that’s how you see it, that’s fine. Your opinion means nothing to me.” Flash still wasn’t looking directly at him. If he did, he would only get mad again. ”I refuse your favor and your phony concern. Follow me around all day if you like. It’s your life. You seem determined to spend it wasting your time.”
@Jack Burnett
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15
27 Feb 2020, 02:13
Legacy
She was still a little bitter. As far as she could tell, few had wanted for the position of seeker, but she had been one of them. That was her role, wasn't it? Her position upon the Gryffindor Quidditch Team? Sure, she was merely a second string, forced to sit upon the bench and watch as her teammates scored the points and felt the wind whip their robes. But that was still her identity. Seeker.
Yet, here she was, padding along the halls, head swiveling this way and that as her mind raced through options. Of course, she was required to stay within the rules: somewhere easily accessible; nowhere that had any sort of restriction that would prevent the seeker from accessing the area. That was easy enough. The castle was filled with innumerable crannies and nooks, rooms and haunts. In fact, Evelynn suspected that the most difficult feat wouldn't be to find a place to hide, but rather to find somewhere that wasn't already occupied by others.
The potions class perhaps? No, anyone who knew even the merest whisper of her would know she frequented there. Which, of course, meant that the library was also out of the question. Neither could she cozy up in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. The Quidditch pitch came to mind then, and for a moment, Evelynn seriously considered racing in that direction. With how expansive the stands were, she was quite certain that a climb up into the scaffolding could leave her well-hidden for quite some time.
As she considered the logistics of it, however, another thought came to mind. Surely it was the wizard equivalent to the bleachers, and young as she might be, Evelynn had heard enough stories about what sorts of things when on behind the bleachers. She did not fancy settling herself down into hiding only to find herself voyeur to some sort of badly directed romance drama. Wrinkling her nose, she nixed that option. Nope. Not a chance.
Time was running out, though; she was sure of it. How many corridors had she hastened down, she wondered? How many classrooms had she passed? Surely the seeker would be beginning the hunt soon, and if the redhead wasn't quick, she'd find herself caught before she'd even made a decision. What an utter disappointment that would be. There was nothing to be done then. Evelynn turned to the next door that she passed and pushed.
It was the study room. Brilliant. Noone would question her arrival here. Grey eyes swept over the current occupants. Her stomach flipped. Although there was one unfamiliar face, there was one that was quite familiar, and once again Evelynn found herself wondering how it was that she somehow kept running into him outside of class. No matter. They seemed to be in deep conversation, and so she left them to their own devices, casually making her way to a far corner. Borrowing a book that had been left on a nearby table, she took a seat with her back to the door and pulled up the hood of her jacket to hide her red hair.
Hide in plain sight. That would be her M.O.
27 Feb 2020, 05:39
Legacy
The hunt was still going at a steady pace and she seemed to be winning, for she had already found Brionna, Fyriel, and even Jorah behind his quaint little snowman. She was outside for most of the time and decided to avoid the blistering snowy weather outside and came inside to find the others, but would return to the outside world soon.@Evelynn Decipio @Jorah Moussa
As she turned the corner of the entrance hall, she found herself at the study room where a few people seemed to be gathered. She took out her reference sheet of the people playing to see if she could find anyone trying to blend in, hide in plain sight.
After she looked, she noticed a red-headed girl in the midst of the bunch. She had to look closer to figure out her name was @Evelynn Decipio, trying to hide her bright hair in her hood.
"Once again, people try to trick me, but they will never avoid my piercing eyes!" Kara told herself.
Kara crept towards Evelynn sneakily and then ended up right behind her. She then pulled down her hood show now show her bright red hair in all it's brilliance.
"Hiya Evelynn, I think a found you!" She laughed.
27 Feb 2020, 16:21
Legacy
When the seeker had been chosen, Persephone had hardly cared. In her own thoughts, it was just the person to avoid; they were not lucky or fortunate to come upon the position. As she strode along the halls, Persy pondered and evaluated the most obscure hiding places, areas where no one would suspect her mindful presence. In all honesty, it wasn’t an easy task- all day the girl had wandered along the halls in search for somewhere unfamiliar, a foreign land in the school she’d resided in for a near full school year. It was at least more challenging than the Slytherin had anticipated.
The second floor was somewhat quiet at this point, students roaming about, wasting their free time on pointless and remedial tasks such as chatting with their housemates or studying. Persephone stifled a laugh, surprisingly more directed at herself than her peers; did the blonde really have the right to call their tasks pointless, when here she was playing hide and goddamn seek? The game was a taste of childhood that Persy hadn’t indulged in for years; her mind felt almost regressed to it’s oldest state of ignorance and happiness. In modern days, this mindset was entirely unknown, a new sensation that Persy was hardly adjusting to. No matter how relieving it was to once again feel like a child, the reins were grabbed and her posture straightened; it was time to hide.
On the first two floors of the castle, the only ones she'd scouted at the time, there were rather unfortunate in hiding places. Persy wouldn’t be checking the basements, the girl knew that would be too predictable of her, a lone-wolf Slytherin retreating to home base. That same logic pertained to the beauty of the Grounds as well, to her own dismay. Instead, she aimlessly drifted around the ground and first floors, emerald eyes scanning every nook she could squeeze her frame into. The Great Hall may have been crowded enough to obscure the seeker’s sight of her, but Persephone feared this obstacle may not have been sufficient. Besides, the young blonde didn’t have any chocolate frog cards; not that she needed them, but bragging rights were bragging rights, regardless of said brag.
There were a few classrooms along the corridors of the first floor, but Persephone was wary of those as well. Classrooms would very likely be among the first places the brunette seeker checked, aware of their size and abundance among the school. It would be difficult to conceal herself in such a popular setting. So, Persy had finally come to the second floor, repeating the old undying habits of looking silently into each classroom, quickly assessing it’s possibility as a thorough hiding place.
Before the girl could enter a room she’d named as an appropriate one (at last!), her back pressed hard against the wall, attempting to mask herself from the seeker, who’d just exited the room having presumably found someone who resided within, judging by her aura. Perhaps, to another participant, this would appear to be an improbable place then, but Persephone believed quite the contrary. Kara wouldn’t come back to a room she’d already searched and found someone in, would she?
With this mindset impressed into her thoughts, the Slytherin slipped into the room, moving with her best impression of grace and stealth, taking a quick glance around the study room to figure out where she would stay. Among the population of the room, which was much higher than expected, were three of her most despised fellow students; Burnett and Seilun apparently had business here with another nameless Slytherin, and Decipio had quite apparently had a similar idea to Persephone’s. It appeared, however, that the red headed girl had been found by Kara. Undoubtedly, her company made this spot even better; who would suspect her to willingly be around the people she loathed the most?
Avoiding the eyes of the other occupants, Persephone moved to the back of the room, busying herself staring intently at the wall. I’m not here…
The truth was, as logical as she had been about her hiding place, having lacked parts of childhood made her rather terrible at this game.
Don't talk like one of them, you're not. Even if you'd like to be. - Heath Ledger
Sta: 9 | Eva: 5 | Str: 7 | Wis: 7 | Arc: 5 | Acc: 7
27 Feb 2020, 21:01
Legacy
As more students began to pass Flash and Jack on their way to the Study Room, Jack began to wonder if they were better off taking their conversation elsewhere - somewhere private where Flash wouldn't feel like he'd have to be on his guard so much. Opeila hadn't seemed to have any plans to continue talking to the brunet Slytherin, so the redhead decided to take matters into his own hands.
Was being around so many other people why Flash was keeping so quiet? Was he lost in thought? Or did he just really not want to speak his mind for fear Jack would take his words and twist them or ridicule him for them again? The hazel-eyed first-year thought he could understand that, but he wasn't much for a mostly one-sided conversation, either. He had started to begin feeling ignored, wondering if Flash was just deciding to tune him out for the most part now. Even when the blue-eyed boy began to speak again, his gaze was distant, as if he weren't really meaning to speak to Jack more so than himself.
"You already are somebody," Jack told him matter-of-factly, as if trying to snap him out of whatever strange trance he seemed to be stuck in. "And kids our age think about all sorts of things; there is no 'supposed to' or 'not supposed to' because no one gets to choose what people should or shouldn't think."
He rolled his eyes at the proclamation that 'his opinion meant nothing to Flash', not buying it since his peer wasn't even bothering to meet his eye anymore. "Yeah, yeah...refuse whatever you want. But if you're not going to make me agree, then I won't. Just because you think I'm wasting my time doesn't mean I am." Glancing back the way they came at the Study Room and then further down the hall, he tapped his chin, considering something.
"Here. If you have no other birthday plans, could you come with me a minute? I want to show you something." He began to walk down a corridor a little, stopping to look back at Flash as he waited for him to follow. The cloak still lay limp under his arm.
@Flash Holmwood
Was being around so many other people why Flash was keeping so quiet? Was he lost in thought? Or did he just really not want to speak his mind for fear Jack would take his words and twist them or ridicule him for them again? The hazel-eyed first-year thought he could understand that, but he wasn't much for a mostly one-sided conversation, either. He had started to begin feeling ignored, wondering if Flash was just deciding to tune him out for the most part now. Even when the blue-eyed boy began to speak again, his gaze was distant, as if he weren't really meaning to speak to Jack more so than himself.
"You already are somebody," Jack told him matter-of-factly, as if trying to snap him out of whatever strange trance he seemed to be stuck in. "And kids our age think about all sorts of things; there is no 'supposed to' or 'not supposed to' because no one gets to choose what people should or shouldn't think."
He rolled his eyes at the proclamation that 'his opinion meant nothing to Flash', not buying it since his peer wasn't even bothering to meet his eye anymore. "Yeah, yeah...refuse whatever you want. But if you're not going to make me agree, then I won't. Just because you think I'm wasting my time doesn't mean I am." Glancing back the way they came at the Study Room and then further down the hall, he tapped his chin, considering something.
"Here. If you have no other birthday plans, could you come with me a minute? I want to show you something." He began to walk down a corridor a little, stopping to look back at Flash as he waited for him to follow. The cloak still lay limp under his arm.
@Flash Holmwood
Last edited by Jack Burnett on 28 Feb 2020, 05:16, edited 2 times in total.
PC: Jack Burnett | iNPC: Ginyami Midorimori
27 Feb 2020, 22:01
Legacy
Kara laughed to herself quietly. She was returning to the Study Room to go back and grab Persephone Barret. Persy probably thought that Kara wouldn't return because she had found Evelynn there. She had found many others and Persephone was one of the last four hidden that Kara hadn't found, even though Kara noticed her, just decided to come back later.@Persephone Barret @Jorah Moussa
Kara always double checked everything and would never leave a stone unturned. As she was returning, she wondered if Persy had noticed Kara look at her through the corner of her eye and had already left to go somewhere else.
Kara walked up the stairs, which had moved the wrong way for Kara twice already, which annoyed her. With that delay, Persephone could've disappeared by now, which angered Kara deeply.
"Damn those stupid stairs." She had cursed in her head.
As she turned the corner to see the Study Hall entrance come into view.
She neared it and saw Persephone still hiding in the back of the room from the looks of it. She came closer and closer till Persephone could probably see her now.
"I found you Persephone! You made it to the final four, impressive." She said as she stood right in front of Persephone now.
Persephone looked discouraged, but Kara didn't care that much. She said her goodbyes and then left to find the others.
28 Feb 2020, 03:43
Legacy
It seemed that when given the option multiple times, Burnett still didn’t want to leave. He didn’t even appear to be affected much by Flash’s cold indifference, even though the words Flash used dripped with bitterness. It felt like Burnett’s eyes looked straight into his heart, even when Flash himself didn’t know what was there. When you say you aren’t wasting your time… are you being serious?
He was, Flash thought.
A few girls had been running around in the distance, making noise as if playing some kind of game. It was a chilling, ironic reminder of the point Burnett was trying to make. Kids their age… having fun. Flash had felt an overwhelming burden, like a time bomb strapped to his chest, ever since he entered Hogwarts. He didn’t want to waste any time, he stayed fit, ate healthy, studied, and obsessively watched his classmates, trying to learn anything that would gain him an edge. He didn’t want to miss anything, he didn’t want it to slip through his fingers.
When Burnett twisted his words, reminded him of his careless childhood, teased him… it felt like an attack. He was so sure Burnett was trying to hurt him, to ruin everything he worked for. Still, part of him thought any association with him whatsoever was a hideous mistake. The other part softened. While he couldn’t agree with practically anything Burnett believed, there was a chance he had no ulterior motive to being nice to him. Perhaps he was just being nice.
But why... Flash had never done anything to warrant being nice to. At least, not to Burnett. In fact, he had been nothing but distant and frigid. Still, Burnett continued to insist on asking him to open up. The methods were crass, but the intention had always been clear. Stop pretending. Flash didn’t know where a command like that would lead him, but he was too curious to worry about whatever consequence it might have.
”Alright.”
@Jack Burnett
He was, Flash thought.
A few girls had been running around in the distance, making noise as if playing some kind of game. It was a chilling, ironic reminder of the point Burnett was trying to make. Kids their age… having fun. Flash had felt an overwhelming burden, like a time bomb strapped to his chest, ever since he entered Hogwarts. He didn’t want to waste any time, he stayed fit, ate healthy, studied, and obsessively watched his classmates, trying to learn anything that would gain him an edge. He didn’t want to miss anything, he didn’t want it to slip through his fingers.
When Burnett twisted his words, reminded him of his careless childhood, teased him… it felt like an attack. He was so sure Burnett was trying to hurt him, to ruin everything he worked for. Still, part of him thought any association with him whatsoever was a hideous mistake. The other part softened. While he couldn’t agree with practically anything Burnett believed, there was a chance he had no ulterior motive to being nice to him. Perhaps he was just being nice.
But why... Flash had never done anything to warrant being nice to. At least, not to Burnett. In fact, he had been nothing but distant and frigid. Still, Burnett continued to insist on asking him to open up. The methods were crass, but the intention had always been clear. Stop pretending. Flash didn’t know where a command like that would lead him, but he was too curious to worry about whatever consequence it might have.
”Alright.”
@Jack Burnett
For we dreamed a lot//And we schemed a lot//And we tried to sing of love before the stage fell apart
Sta: 9 ★Eva: 5 ★Str: 7 ★Wis: 15 ★AP: 3 ★Acc: 15