5 Dec 2020, 03:23
Raven in the Grass
@Mars T'ien
Jackson peered across the courtyard from a distance, his steely gaze narrowed on the boy lying spreadeagled in the quivering grass. He watched Mars T’ien today as he did the days before, like a hunter analysing the profile of its prey. He noted durations of stay, how many people accompanied him, who he interacted with regularly and when he tended to be less busy. Funnily enough, Mars never seemed to be busy. It was as if he attended school purely to lay around in the grass and contemplate life.
Jackson had lost count of the number of days he had been watching him for, but every time he had worked up the courage to approach him while he was alone, one of his pesky Ravenclaw housemates would reach him at the last second.
Nonetheless, he didn’t feel under any pressure to shatter the thin glass that separated them. He had always been extremely subtle while observing his subject of interest, maintaining his distance and never looking with more than the corner of his eye.
On this day however, he lucked out.
“Hi,” he exclaimed with some of the pent up excitement that had lain suppressed within like an overgrown lion in its cave. Somehow, he had traversed the distance between them within seconds, which made him wonder really how far he had stood all this time.
“You’re Mars T’ien,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’m a fan of how you dance around during duels while your opponents slowly succumb to the effects of the Bogie Curse. It’s pretty clever.”
Clever was an understatement. It was downright innovation. Who would have thought that to win a magical duel, one could cast minimally. That was what had fascinated Jackson so much in the first place. Mars may not have been the most robust duelist in the tournament, but he was certainly one of the cleverest.
Jackson peered across the courtyard from a distance, his steely gaze narrowed on the boy lying spreadeagled in the quivering grass. He watched Mars T’ien today as he did the days before, like a hunter analysing the profile of its prey. He noted durations of stay, how many people accompanied him, who he interacted with regularly and when he tended to be less busy. Funnily enough, Mars never seemed to be busy. It was as if he attended school purely to lay around in the grass and contemplate life.
Jackson had lost count of the number of days he had been watching him for, but every time he had worked up the courage to approach him while he was alone, one of his pesky Ravenclaw housemates would reach him at the last second.
Nonetheless, he didn’t feel under any pressure to shatter the thin glass that separated them. He had always been extremely subtle while observing his subject of interest, maintaining his distance and never looking with more than the corner of his eye.
On this day however, he lucked out.
“Hi,” he exclaimed with some of the pent up excitement that had lain suppressed within like an overgrown lion in its cave. Somehow, he had traversed the distance between them within seconds, which made him wonder really how far he had stood all this time.
“You’re Mars T’ien,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’m a fan of how you dance around during duels while your opponents slowly succumb to the effects of the Bogie Curse. It’s pretty clever.”
Clever was an understatement. It was downright innovation. Who would have thought that to win a magical duel, one could cast minimally. That was what had fascinated Jackson so much in the first place. Mars may not have been the most robust duelist in the tournament, but he was certainly one of the cleverest.
Last edited by Jackson Valentine on 5 Dec 2020, 07:50, edited 1 time in total.
Discord: Valentine#6117
5 Dec 2020, 07:34
Raven in the Grass
@Jackson Valentine
───── ⋆★⋆ ─────
The air was growing colder, wasn't it? Mars sighed, twirling a piece of grass in their fingers as they stared up at the sky. Lazy clouds rolled across the pale blue backdrop, clear and bright as ever. But yeah, it was getting colder, winter approaching fast, faster than they'd like it to. There was still the business with winter break and going home, but it wasn't something they wanted to think about.
The shifting grass was cool against their skin as they lay there. It'd become routine by now—finish homework, do the extra credit, and then come out here to just exist for a little while, filling the days with fresh air and easy breeze. On occasion, a friend would pop up in their peripheral vision and they'd follow them to whatever new adventure awaited. But today seemed rather low-key. They'd probably get away with—
Hi. Oh. Well, apparently not.
Mars shifted, not quite sitting up, but turning enough to take in the newcomer. An unfamiliar face, something that was becoming increasingly rarer as time went by. Slim with a boyish face and glasses that only emphasized the youthful look. They wondered why he hadn't gone to a hospital to get that fixed. Maybe it was a magical accident, who knew?
It was when he started blurting out their name and the duelling flattery started that they raised an eyebrow. Huh. A fan... or a stalker?
Finally accepting that they need to look at the kid from a different angle than under the chin, they pushed themselves up, tucking their legs into a criss-cross position as they did so. He looked about the same like this, but it was easier to get a bearing on their thoughts, eyes roving over his form a few times.
"I—am," they measured slowly, still looking at him a little incredulously. Maybe their voice was a little higher than he expected, maybe he caught the silver they/them pin on their lapel, but regardless, they blew out a slight laugh, making sure to catch his eye.
"Y'know, most people start with their name first. Otherwise... you come off a little creepy, no?" They weren't quite sure what to make of the kid. He seemed genuine, sincere in his compliments, but it was so rare that they were approach by someone they didn't know. Especially someone younger than them. They assumed he was a First Year from his appearance. Ah well, what harm could he do?
"But thanks," they replied, scratching sheepishly at the back of their neck, "I wouldn't necessarily say I'm clever... but it is an effective strategy. And wicked fun too." They grinned up at him—ah, they already missed the rush of adrenaline, the feeling of magic flowing out of their fingertips. There must be a reason he'd come all the way out here to talk to them.
"You plan on duelling someday?" That was their best guess.
[ Home, they said. I should like to go home. ]
STA: 6 | EVA: 10 | STR: 3 | WIS: 9 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 10
STA: 6 | EVA: 10 | STR: 3 | WIS: 9 | ARC: 5 | ACC: 10
5 Dec 2020, 08:15
Raven in the Grass
@Mars T'ien
“Call me Valentine,” he replied to Mar’s earlier statement. As the Ravenclaw sat back up, Jackson lowered into a squatting position, his ash grey eyes trailing the movement of the older boy until they settled to a stop. Now they saw each other on even ground. Though they were far from equals, he hoped that his own nocturnal overthinking could suffice as fodder for casual discussion.
When met with a brush of modesty from the older Ravenclaw, the younger boy shook his head firmly.
“I don’t see anyone else doing it. Except White, who is also from Ravenclaw,” he objected. His hand rose and curled into a pointer as he jabbed it softly toward Mar’s chest. “You made it. It’s your secret weapon.”
When asked if he intended to duel some day, the Gryffindor hardly skipped a beat as he nodded his head vigorously.
“With all my heart. I don’t think they’re teaching us anything that could be more relevant in this school. Why did you join the duelling club?”
He’d asked this question to many before Mars. The reason was that duelling was a high risk sporting activity that often resulted in severe physical punishment to the body. During the duel he had spectated, he had seen Mars entirely untouched and unscathed by the curses flung by the opposing team. Yet in other duels, he had witnessed students being blasted square in the torso by powered up flippendos and others being set on fire. Pain was the name of the game. With that in mind, who truly would be willing to play?
“Call me Valentine,” he replied to Mar’s earlier statement. As the Ravenclaw sat back up, Jackson lowered into a squatting position, his ash grey eyes trailing the movement of the older boy until they settled to a stop. Now they saw each other on even ground. Though they were far from equals, he hoped that his own nocturnal overthinking could suffice as fodder for casual discussion.
When met with a brush of modesty from the older Ravenclaw, the younger boy shook his head firmly.
“I don’t see anyone else doing it. Except White, who is also from Ravenclaw,” he objected. His hand rose and curled into a pointer as he jabbed it softly toward Mar’s chest. “You made it. It’s your secret weapon.”
When asked if he intended to duel some day, the Gryffindor hardly skipped a beat as he nodded his head vigorously.
“With all my heart. I don’t think they’re teaching us anything that could be more relevant in this school. Why did you join the duelling club?”
He’d asked this question to many before Mars. The reason was that duelling was a high risk sporting activity that often resulted in severe physical punishment to the body. During the duel he had spectated, he had seen Mars entirely untouched and unscathed by the curses flung by the opposing team. Yet in other duels, he had witnessed students being blasted square in the torso by powered up flippendos and others being set on fire. Pain was the name of the game. With that in mind, who truly would be willing to play?
Discord: Valentine#6117