[X] Spend the night outside with Luna, looking out at the stars and the moon
This feels like the most Shinji-Luna thing to do. Gazing at the limitless stars under the light of the moon.
[X] Spend the night outside with Luna, looking out at the stars and the moon
This feels like the most Shinji-Luna thing to do. Gazing at the limitless stars under the light of the moon.
On a side note, it's lovely how Grand Order is basically confirming the presence of Outer Gods and such, especially in America.
Though there were hints of that with Strange Fake as was, in the form of Prelati, as well as Zero, with Prelati's Spellbound, translated from the Chinese translation of the R'lyeh text.
Vote closed. Writing in Progress.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; December 27th, 2017 at 05:11 PM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Sorry for the delay. Here you go!
Chapter 71. Moonlight Sonata
In the great amphitheater on the Isle of Thule, two figures danced under the light of the moon, a strange, ethereal melody filling the air as they moved to a timeless rhythm, purposeful yet carefree, their movements seemingly effortless and meandering, for all that they never fell out of sync with the music.
One was a golden-eyed boy dressed all in white – white waistcoat, white starched shirt, white bow-tie, high-waisted white trousers, even white leather shoes – with a crown of white horn-like branches, a filigree of silver vines twined about his limbs, and trails of night-colored prana clinging to the contours of his form.
The other was a silver-eyed girl in a midnight blue furisode chased with a pattern of falling silver stars, with pure white ears like those of a fox peeking out from a head of silver-blonde hair, a fluffy white tail protruding from her derriere, and golden light trailing from her with every movement she made.
Their steps carried them across the ground – and when the ground grew uneven it was not they that moved to the world’s whims but the world that moved to theirs, with columns of earth rising to meet their feet, so no matter where they stepped, or when, they always had someplace to go, someplace to stand.
And then they left the earth entirely, stepping into thin air, with runes of light materializing to support them, and motes of foxfire, almost like fireflies, swirling round them, as their dance carried them higher, higher, higher into the sky in a dazzling display of light and shadow.
To everyone else, it was as if the two were suspended in the air twixt heaven and earth, spinning through a field of stars, heedless of the stares of the audience, the presence of spirits and various bits of magic making a record of the goings-on, or anything else besides.
Many who were watching were taken aback.
None of them had expected something like this from the British Representative, given how stodgy and mundane the last one had been, though with the rumors about this particular young man percolating about the media lately, it was hard to tell what was fact and what was fiction.
The only thing the audience knew for sure was that the fluid way the two moved, for all that it seemed free and spontaneous, and the sheer confidence and trust in each other that was so apparent, weren’t normally seen without many, many hours of training. And since most practitioners of witchcraft didn’t train their bodies as well as their minds, such a display raised questions as to why these two were an exception.
For that matter, non-verbal manipulation of magic in the manner they were displaying was…non-trivial by the measure of any school or society, especially for people at the age the British Champion and his companion appeared to be. After all, while displays of non-verbal magic weren’t exactly uncommon among adult practitioners, it usually required some kind of catalyst (say, the motion of a wand) or gesture, such as someone snapping their fingers, making a cutting action with their arms, or some such to act as a mental focus for the magic, but the onlookers could see nothing of the sort in what they were doing.
Unless, of course, the dance itself was some sort of magical ritual, like the Japanese kagura, but magical Britain had such traditions.
As such, those in the audience tended to be of two minds when observing the youngest Champion and his companion. The vast majority, who had no idea of how the two could possibly accomplish such a thing, were somewhat impressed, thinking there had to be some kind trick to their admittedly spectacular display. The rest, who either knew what they could do or had some idea, given their own countries’ magical traditions and the youngest Champion’s alleged ties with Japan, were more thoughtful, as they considered the implications of this demonstration.
From the moment that the list of Champions had been made public, Matou Shinji had been regarded as a joke. A British rabbit to be devoured among the wolves, particularly given his age and lack of training compared to the rest – his presence almost an insult to the other competitors.
And yet…
The boy seemed perfectly comfortable to be dancing with his companion in front of some of the most respected and powerful practitioners of witchcraft in the entire world, which implied that he was either an overconfident fool, or that he was better prepared for a competition of this level than most had been given reason to believe.
Or of course, that he was putting on an act to keep his peers from considering him easy prey – though this last thought was quickly forgotten as the duo continued their waltz, stepping off the runic platforms, with nothing under their feet but the empty air.
‘Is this…unsupported flight?’ was a thought that raced through the minds of some present. But that… ‘No. It has to be the work of talented special effects wizards.’
Or perhaps just a modified levitation spell, wordlessly cast on a harness hidden beneath their clothes. Yes. There were other explanations behind what they were seeing, after all.
Soon enough, the performance was over, with the two young people coming back to earth, flashing back and forth between each other’s positions before they came together in the end, with the girl dipped low, yet held securely by one of the boy’s deceptively slender arms.
Applause rang out, but even with the sounds of appreciation ringing out around them, it was easy to see that all they could see was each other, as if for the two of them, there was no one else in the world that mattered.
“An impressive first act,” Kaiduka Shiosai, Second Owner of Kyoto, commented to the person beside him – the lovely American brunette who went by the name of Rebekah Huygens. The kitsune currently wore the form in which he usually appeared when required to make public appearances – a black haired youth with blood-red eyes. “Would you not agree, Miss Huygens?”
“Given the individuals in question, certainly,” the spirit pacification specialist allowed, as her lips curved upwards ever so slightly. “Though it makes me wonder what else the British Champion is hiding.” She glanced over at the youth beside her. “Training from Mahoutokoro perhaps?”
“If he was, I’m certain I would know,” the kitsune replied, a reply that really said nothing about Matou Shinji’s capabilities.
“I’m sure you would, Master Kai,” the American commented wryly, using the name he had given her when they had met. “In any case, according to the program, my country’s Champion will perform next, and I do believe that will be a treat for the eyes.”
“No doubt. I recall her performance at the Quidditch World Cup’s quarter-final game well enough,” Kaiduka noted. “In fact, Chairman Tsuchimikado had nothing but praise for it.”
“Much as President Quahog appreciated the efforts of Mahoutokoro’s Sajyou Ayaka,” the other replied smoothly.
“Well, now that we’ve gone and told each other just what others thought of our country’s Champions, why don’t we see how they do today, hm?”
“Fair. I doubt either will fail to impress.”
“Ah, but being too impressive is just as dangerous as not impressing at all,” the kitsune pointed out. “After all, beyond a certain point, others in the audience are likely to dismiss something impressive as unbelievable, as a trick, as they will not believe someone so young capable of something of the sort.”
“Unless, of course, one wants to be underestimated. In which case, such a tendency isn’t as much a danger as it is an opportunity.”
Kaiduka Shiosai’s answer was a low, appreciative chuckle.
“Well said, Miss Huygens.”
‘Butterflies?’ Shinji mused, sitting back in the wake of the Champions’ performances. ‘I know Labelle used something similar at the Quidditch World Cup, but why else does they seem so familiar…?’
After the conclusion of his own act, Matou Shinji and his companion had retired to the area aside for the British representative and guest, where he had taken to watching the other Champions’ “talent demonstrations” for some clue about their preferences in combat, who they were as people, or any other useful details.
With a few exceptions, however, his efforts had proved unrewarding, as whatever combat potential most had shown off had been cloaked with spectacle enough to confuse his inexperienced mind.
The American Champion’s performance, just as an example, had been something like an idol routine, with a stage full of azure and pink butterflies wrought of lightning accompanying her, swirling around her as she’d sung and danced, her voice enchanting, every movement bewitching to the eyes.
‘I thought idols were a Japanese thing, but I guess an American Idol isn’t impossible…’
Sajyou Ayaka, Champion of Mahoutokoro, had done a traditional kagura dedicated to the god Tsukiyomi-no-mikoto, while dressed in the garb of a miko. With her hands, she’d spun the moonlight into fine silk threads, with the threads coming together as she moved, weaving themselves into the form of a weeping cherry tree which had grown and blossomed before everyone’s eyes, with the grand finale being the wordless evocation of a breeze to accompany petals of light drifting from the tree out to the audience.
Ramona Ahgeak and Ka’aukai Kapule – the latter of which Shinji vaguely recognized as the Killer Whale Animagus he’d encountered in Tahiti, had done a choreographed transformation routine, showing off the various forms they were capable of borrowing.
Olu Akindele had used non-verbal magic to sculpt doppelgangers of his fellow Champions out of sand, and had then proceeded to animate them, making them do acrobatic stunts and tricks that most humans would have…difficulty with.
‘…those splits looked…painful.’
Mischa Stukov had followed with a transfiguration-based act, changing the piles of sand that Olu left behind into a variety of bears, clad in tutus, who had proceeded to perform a selection from the Nutcracker. Shinji had been rather stunned to see bears dancing en pointe, as he hadn’t thought that was even possible.
The two Rachelles, Lestrange and Sondrol, had met blade to blade, with petite blonde and statuesque redhead showing their skill at the martial art of fencing. Lestrange had been dressed in white and red, wielding a silver rapier, while her opponent had worn all black, and had carried a longsword and a main gauche.
Two different styles had come together in a contest of skill, and as the two moved, flitting and darting about the stage, their swords had left behind trails of light, strikes coming one after another like a stream of stars falling from the sky.
It had been very brief, as battles often were, ending with the redhead bent but not bowed, eyes bright and cheeks flushed as the other disarmed her.
Libatius Müller had demonstrated his skills as a capoeirista with the help of his fiancée, a redhead apparently named Lily.
For the final act, Parambir Agarwal, Champion of Tamirsthana, had demonstrated his mastery of the Kalaripayattu martial arts by dual-wielding urumis – the infamous whip-swords that were nearly as dangerous to the wielder as to an enemy. Usually, they were nearly impossible to see as they cut through the air, but the youth had enchanted his so that they glowed, allowing the audience to witness the deftness and dexterity with which he wielded his blades.
‘Motion…he’s always in motion without stopping, making a bubble around himself…’ Shinji observed, frowning. Such a thing could be quite dangerous if he encountered the other in the field, even if the Indian Champion’s weapon was merely mundane, and not quite a dangerous as Lestrange’s soulblade Deuillegivre.
And then the Opening Ceremonies drew to a close, with Yumi Rosa Maria Picasso Suzuki, the previous World Champion (whose name, Shinji thought, was rather a mouthful), declaring the Potions Championship to have begun in earnest.
“Did you enjoy seeing everyone on stage, Luna?” Shinji asked, turning to his companion. “All those displays and performances from around the world.”
“Mm. There were all rather interesting. Sajyou-san’s was particularly enchanting, though I thought the Russian Champion’s was delightful too.”
“…yes, you would enjoy seeing bears dance the ballet, wouldn’t you, Luna?” he quipped, smiling warmly at his lover. “Did you enjoy his most then?”
“No…I preferred dancing with you,” came the dream-like reply, as Shinji felt a powerful surge of affection for the girl beside him. “Shall we stay here? Or walk around…?”
The boy only sighed.
“Well, as much as I’d like to just walk around, I think as a Champion, I’m obligated to attend the afterparty,” he said heavily, shaking his head. “The judges, CAS Representatives and other guests will be there, so I can’t just skip it.”
Well, he could, but not without consequence.
“How about we just go for a bit, and then we can enjoy the island together, away from the crowd and prying eyes?” Matou Shinji inquired. “I’m sure Zelkova can show up once I leave and pick up any gossip, right?”
‘…if you insist, Master.’
“Whatever we do is fine,” Luna told him, her silver eyes warm with trust. “I’m happy as long as I’m with you.”
Matou Shinji hadn’t known exactly what he was getting into with this afterparty being thrown by the International Potions Committee. After all, the only events like it he was familiar with were the gala reception that Professor Snape had gone to years ago (and the man had seemed very unhappy), the afterparty for the Christmas Concert, and the Gala at the British Museum.
The event here easily matched the last in ostentation and decadence, though with more of an obvious magical flair, and with a guest list of just over 50 people from all the world.
It only struck him then what a privilege it was to even be on the Isle of Thule – and what it had meant that he had almost lost his position as Champion quite a few times.
‘…I knew there were only 11 Champions, but…’
Just how exclusive a privilege it was to be here, even as a guest, was something he’d never really thought about, and for a moment, he found himself wondering what the stories of the others in the room were.
Who were they? How had they come to be here? Had they bought tickets? Did they know someone in the government of their nation – or were they themselves, perhaps an observer on behalf of their government?
Of those who weren’t Champions, he recognized only six: Professor Slughorn, who was here on behalf of the Daily Prophet; Kaiduka Shiosai, the kitsune who served the Maiden of the Tree – and was Sajyou-san’s master; Gabrielle Delacour, the younger sister of Fleur Delacour of Beauxbaton – and apparently a large fan of his; Andreas Tørnquist, the sandy-haired youth who was Commander of Banner of Ravens; Aozaki Touko, his former Master, who was apparently here on behalf of the Center for Alchemical Studies, and of course, Tomas.
It made him a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn’t as if he’d never walked into a situation like this before. The gala had been one such, though back then, he had come to the event under the patronage of the Director of Atlas, with the beautiful daughter of the Einzbern on his arm.
Here, he was one of the 11 Champions, which didn’t have quite the same status, especially given that of them, he was the youngest.
Still…
“I’m going to go speak with Kaiduka-san and Sajyou-san,” Luna murmured. “Find me when you’re finished mingling.”
With that, she walked off, leaving Shinji to the mercies of the crowd.
“Ah, Mister Matou,” a voice called out, with the boy’s head almost jerking as someone called his name. To his surprise, the one who had spoken was Elesa Labelle, seeming radiant in her dress of white and blue. The Champion of Ilvermorny was standing together with Ramona, the Champion of Qausuittuq, as well as the World Champion, whose name he didn’t quite remember. “Come over and join us.”
With nothing better to do, the boy agreed.
“Miss…Labelle, was it?” Shinji asked as he walked up to the trio. “That’s twice now that I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of your company.”
“And yet you’re uncertain of my name?” the blonde quipped, putting a hand on her chest and looking away dramatically. “How scandalous. I must not have made much of an impression.”
“Oh, oh, I…uh, not at all,” the boy hastened to respond. “I uh…it’s just…we didn’t speak the first time, and this time, on stage you looked so…” His words spilled out in a rush, with the boy barely able to help himself. “Heh…”
Elesa chuckled at Shinji’s entirely unfeigned antics.
“Relax, I was only teasing you,” she said, as her lips quirked with amusement. “I enjoyed your display tonight. It was most enlightening, Mister Matou.” She gestured to the two young women with her. “Tonight, I have to pleasure of introducing the Champion of Qausuittuq, Ramona Ahgeak, and the reigning World Champion, Yumi Rosa Maria Picasso Suzuki.”
“Just Yumi, if you please, Elesa,” the World Champion chimed in. The older woman glanced at the new arrival, noting that he was still in his “formalwear,” vines and horns. “You may call me that as well, Mister Matou, though Miss Suzuki also works, if you insist on formality.” She smiled, a bit coyly. “Or Onee-sama, if you insist on using Japanese.”
The boy flushed deeply at the implication.
“It is an honor and a privilege, Miss Suzuki,” Shinji said, dipping his head. “And likewise for you, Miss Ahgeak.”
“Ramona works well enough, I find,” the Champion of Qausuittuq noted mildly. “We’re all Champions here, aren’t we? We’re all going be living and working together for the better part of a month, provided we don’t all kill each other first.”
“Well said,” Yumi commented, favoring the Inupiat girl with a smile. “Though I rather hope none of you actually end up killing each other. There are dangers enough on this island without getting petty squabbles involved.”
“…does that actually happen?” Shinji asked, blinking as his lips curved downwards. “Champions killing each other, I mean.”
“Not often,” the World Champion explained. “It’s not exactly against the rules, but one is much more likely to die from a bad encounter with the wildlife, or from a brewing accident than from another Champion’s actions. There are only eleven of you, after all – and not even that, in years before.”
“How many were there in your year?” Shinji asked curiously.
“Only four,” Yumi Suzuki admitted readily. “Mahoutokoro, Castelobruxo, Koldovstoretz, Uagadou.”
“And how many died?”
“Two.”
Shinji froze for a moment. Two deaths, out of four Champions?
“I see…” the boy noted, glancing at his two competitors to find that neither of them were surprised by this piece of information. “May I ask who?”
“You wouldn’t know their names, but those who died were from Koldovstoretz and Uagadou,” Yumi elaborated. “Only the Champion of Mahoutokoro and I survived until the final round.” The young woman raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of Mahoutokoro, I wasn’t aware Britain had any fusion users at all. Much less two of them.”
‘What.’
“Oh, don’t be so surprised. My rival in the last Championship was one, and if you can’t guess, half of my grandparents came from Japan,” the World Champion stated.
“Only half?” the boy asked weakly. “I would have thought it was more than that.”
After all, Yumi was a willowy, modestly endowed beauty with snow-white skin and raven-colored hair, and dressed in a furisode, she seemed to be the very embodiment of the words Yamato Nadeshiko.
“Just half. I suppose I don’t show much of my Spanish or Portuguese ancestry,” she allowed. “Still, as I was saying, one of my grandmothers was even a fusion user.”
“…I see,” Shinji said, finding himself somewhat troubled that he’d been seen through so easily. “Though you’re not one yourself, I assume?”
“I am not, no,” Yumi replied evenly. “The secret of how one becomes a practitioner of that particular art is one that Mahoutokoro guards jealously. I understand it has something to do with the nature of Japanese youkai as compared to other magical beasts and spirits, but that’s about as much as I know.”
“Ah,” the Boy from the East eloquently, looking away.
“It’s no surprise to me that you have ties to Mahoutokoro,” Elesa commented casually, her eyes seeming odd in the light. “After all, you were in the company of their Potions Champion at the Quidditch World Cup, were you not?”
“…that’s not exactly a secret, is it?”
“Few things are, Mister Matou,” the Champion of Ilvermorny said lightly. “Though speaking of secrets, I didn’t know you had a…what is you Japanese people call it, a koibito? One that wasn’t the Etoile of Beauxbatons, anyway.”
“Hah…” Shinji laughed nervously. “I…well, that’s all…you’ve read the papers about me, huh?”
“Naturally,” the blonde asserted, crossing her arms. “It pays to know the competition, after all.”
“I uh…heh…” the boy sighed. “I don’t know exactly what was said in papers other than the Daily Prophet, but, frankly, things were…bad in Britain after what happened at the Quidditch World Cup. Tempers were a bit high at Durmstrang, and well, after the two other schools’ Champions were attacked, I stepped in to do what I could.”
“See, Elesa? The papers can be wrong sometimes,” Ramona said familiarly, receiving something like a swat on the side of the head for her trouble. “Why, if everything they said about either of us was true…”
“That’s neither here nor there,” Elesa offered as a rejoinder, before turning her attention back to Shinji. “I think we were complimenting Mister Matou on his lovely performance, yes?”
“Yes…especially the part where a British citizen has access to fusion,” the World Champion noted. “I find that most intriguing. I doubt such a thing would have been allowed, unless you had a family tie or some such, after all…”
Shinji, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the current line of questioning, tried to change the topic.
“Speaking of family,” he said, not at all subtly. “Do you have relatives still in Japan, out of curiosity? I mean, Suzuki is a very common name, but I was wondering...”
“Am I related to Yoshihiro Suzuki?” Yumi supplied, raising an slender eyebrow. “The Chaser for the Japanese National Quidditch Team?”
“…that was who I was going to ask about, yes,” Shinji admitted. “Not that I’m saying all Suzukis are related or anything, but—”
“Yoshihiro is my second cousin, though we’ve never met in person,” Yumi said in reply. “Perhaps one of these days, if Brazil meets Japan in the quarter-finals, though I’m not especially interested in Quidditch. Never have been, really.”
“Did you grow up in Brazil?” the boy inquired, his curiosity piqued. “I know you went to Castelobruxo, but they accept people from all over South America, don’t they?”
“They do, yes,” the World Champion quipped. “And yes, I grew up in Brazil, so I’m quite familiar with it. I consider it home, you know…after all, it would be quite a scandal if I were to represent a school or country I had no attachment to, wouldn’t it?”
“Yes, I’m sure it would,” Shinji agreed, though he couldn’t quite meet Yumi’s eyes. “What’s it like, out of curiosity?”
“Castelobruxo?” the older Japanese woman inquired. “A ruin in the rainforest. Something like an ancient temple. It is not the most pleasant place to be in terms of climate, but one adapts.”
“And since the school is the rainforest, you have all manner of flora and fauna there,” Ramona Ahgeak commented wryly. “It leaves you Brazillians well prepared for the Potions Competition. Much unlike those of us over at Qausuittuq, where we deal with permafrost for half the year.”
“Well, I don’t imagine any place with a name that means ‘the place where the sun doesn’t rise’ would be particularly rich in ingredients, no,” Yumi allowed, her expression growing somehow sharper. “Though it just means you learn to be extra creative with what you have.”
“True, but that’s the case wherever you go, if you want to be any good at Potions,” Ramona shot back. “Sticking to the basic recipes does no good.”
“My colleague from the north makes a good point,” a smooth baritone interjected, with Shinji taking a step back as another person joined the group – the dark-haired, smooth-faced Champion of Castelobruxo, clad in all black and holding a glass of some truly suspicious looking concoction. “Regardless of one’s circumstances, if one lacks motivation, one will never get anywhere.” The young man nodded once to the current World Champion. “Suzuki.”
“Müller,” she replied evenly. “Did you bring the fiesta with you?”
“Oh, ha ha, very funny, senpai,” the German Brazilian said sardonically. “As if I haven’t heard that one a thousand times.”
And as the author of Have Yourself a Fiesta In a Bottle! 2, he truly had.
“If you’ve endured it a thousand times, then why not a thousand and one?” Yumi Suzuki questioned, not entirely jokingly. “You know the press will bring it up again.”
“I-I shouldn’t even have to endure it once!” the other answered, his face screwing up in anger, then visibly relaxing, as if the young man was forcing himself to calm down. “No, sorry, senpai. You’re right. I can’t let my publisher’s questionable decisions get the better of me.” He smiled, a wan expression as he bowed his head. “After all, it would not be dignified for a Champion to lose his temper. Or a gentleman, for that matter.”
“Well, fortunately, you only have to worry about one of those,” Yumi quipped, tossing her hair. “After all, you’re hardly a gentleman, are you?”
Libatius took a deep breath.
“Good. If you’d actually snapped, you’d make us Brazilians look like ill-tempered Russians,” the World Champion quipped, glancing over towards another corner of the room, where the Mischa Stukov of Koldovstoretz was conversing with Olu Akindele of Uagadou. “And really, only a Russian should act anything that boorish.” She looked back at her younger colleague, and the drink he held. “Even if they’re about the only ones who hold their liquor anywhere near as well as we do.”
Libatius Müller laughed, this time more easily.
“As you say, Yumi,” he conceded, raising his glass. “Here’s to old rivals, new friends, and victory for the most deserving.”
“Hear hear,” the group chorused, as their glasses went up.
Later that night, after the party had begun to wind down and some of the other Champions had retired, Matou Shinji made what excuses he needed to slip away himself, and went to find Luna, who apparently had been speaking with some of the other guests and generally taking care of Gabrielle Delacour while he’d been busy chatting up his competitors.
“How was it? Meeting the others?” she asked him, with Shinji being uncharacteristically quiet, given that he usually always had something to say.
“I’m not sure,” he answered after some time. It had been a rather long day, what with travel, the performance, and the reception, and his mind wasn’t quite as sharp as it had been earlier, given how…intense some of the other Champions had been.
He wasn’t used to not being the most insightful person in the room, and in his conversations with the Champions from the Americas, he’d felt quite overmatched.
‘I didn’t expect them to know of fusion, or for the previous World Champion to be Japanese – or at least, of Japanese descent, given that she’s a Brazilian citizen living in America,’ he mused. ‘Still, I met a lot of interesting people tonight.’
The two of them brought Gabrielle Delacour back to the two Rachelles, who exchanged a few pleasantries with them and wished them well, before taking their turn to slip away from the party, stepping out onto an alien landscape illuminated by a blue, blue glass moon.
They walked for a while, heading nowhere in particular, just enjoying the solitude and the cool night air, after the presence of so many people.
“I’m a little tired,” the boy said quietly, as they meandered about the village, hand in hand. “But I don’t quite feel like turning in for the night yet.”
“What a coincidence,” Luna murmured, leaning against his shoulder. “Neither do I.”
“To the wall then, perhaps?” Shinji suggested. “I remember the view being quite nice from there.”
“Mm.”
Their feet carried them across the settlement, through a park, and finally to the ebon walls facing the greater bulk of the island, where at last, they came to a halt, with Luna stepping a little ahead of him, her silver eyes gazing out into the hazy distance.
Together, they looked out at the untamed wilds, the place where soon enough, one of them would be risking his life. In the moonlight, the sharp edges, and loud sounds vanished, replaced with soft shadows and pale silver glow, as if the moon was trying to smooth away the cracks in reality, to dye all the creatures on earth and all the plants besides a pure white.
Compared to the moon that night, any other type of light would seem ever so weak. No matter how bright the stars twinkled, no matter how much light the spirit streets of the town emitted, no matter fiercely candles burned in the windows of various buildings, nothing could match the all-enveloping moonlight.
Without noticing, Shinji reached out for the moon, but drew back his hand, knowing he would never reach it.
Was he wrong in coming to the island? Had he made a mistake in becoming a Champion?
‘No. Because Sokaris wished it of me.’
And because Luna was by his side and in his arms, his lover and accomplice through good times and bad, through thick and through thin.
He felt, more than saw, her sigh as she leaned back against him, the warmth of her reassuring on this cool, quiet night. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin atop her head, their breaths and heartbeats falling in a steady, even rhythm as they stood together.
The moon that night was very soft and warm.
Choice 246: Welcome to the first day of Preliminaries for the Potions Championship. As previously discussed, the preliminaries are generally a time where the Champions may show off their skills through various cooking/brewing/combat challenges, engage in social interaction with one another and with various guests, and of course, try to gather intelligence on the island or their rivals by whatever means they see fit. In the wake of his display at Opening Ceremonies, Shinji has won some measure of acceptance from his fellow Champions, yet it would likely be unwise to rely on that in the long term.
Also, while he may not be interested in finding employment after the Championship (given his young age, and his pre-existing obligations), it might not hurt to learn about how other parties see the world, perhaps.
There's a busy schedule today, with Shinji slated to compete in a cooking challenge and dueling demonstration (previously, you voted to let Shinji [x] Give his all for cooking, and to [x] Go with the battle's flow for dueling.)
Yet, there are some hours of break time, and time after dinner. What does Shinji wish to do during these hours (other than finally showing Budge his potion)? (choose one)
[ ] Visit the CAS Archives and read about the island
[ ] Mingle with his competitors (general)
[ ] Seek out (write-in)
[ ] Work on his ofuda
[ ] (write-in)
Choice 247: Also, the Tri-Wizard Tournament should be getting ready to start up again quite soon, albeit with some notable individuals absent from Durmstrang Castle. Whose perspective would you like to see? (choose two)
[ ] George Weasley
[ ] Fleur Delacour
[ ] Viktor Krum
[ ] Alleria Theramore, acting Commander of the Banner of Ravens
[ ] (write-in)
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; December 30th, 2017 at 04:55 AM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Hmmm, we might have over shown our hand this round, but on the other hand we have their attention and no longer the biggest joke in town. Well until they see his potion skills...
[X] Visit the CAS Archives and read about the island
I remember a time where Shinji walked into a forest being unprepared for its dangers. It would be advantageous of us to have Shinji learned about the island before he is thrown into it. But I can totally agree to working on Ofuda as that always needed. But really he needs more is the information on the dangers of the island and what he might face.
[X] Pansy
[X] Alleria Theramore
This new person option intriges me as well as getting an outside the Triwizard but still well informed view of Pansy that can give us a good rundown of the ripples being made.
[x] Visit the CAS Archives and read about the island.
While I think socializing is indeed necessary in the grand scheme of things, it will not replace knowledge when you're about to adventure in the unknown wilds. I too would have wanted to renew Shinji's ofuda stock (which we really should have already voted on in the past) but, I can't decently pick it over information about the setting. Hopefully there will be another opportunity to work on them. For now, let's try to increase Shinji's survival, and possibly give him an inkling on what ingredients could be useful, by gathering whatever hint we can from previous champions' exploration reports.
I'm pretty sure Budge would be most curious about it too.
[x] Pansy
[X] Alleria Theramore
It's a good idea to bring up Pansy pov because it should cover the essentials for each champion. Not sure what to expect from the second choice but, I have no specific reason to go against it.
246:
Partial write-in:
Visit the CAS Archives and, specifically, read the journals of past Champions (starting with Yumi's - also potential conversation piece) to look for the most common ingredients and food. Meanwhile, send Zelkova to speak with the trees (within the boundary field) about the wildlife or, if that isn't possible, ask Zelkova to make ofuda.
247:
Fleur Delacour
I want to see the view from one of the participants.
Pansy
Alleria would have an interesting Durmstrang-specific view, but Pansy will have the same outside perspective along with a better insight with respect to George/Fake-Shinji and Fleur/Fake-Lestrange.
Russian representative with bears, uh-huh. I wonder, is Mikhail showing some kind of self-irony, or on contrary, totally devoid of the sense of humor? Definitely not a product placement tho, the bear-branded United Russia party was formed only in 2001. Unless he's sponsored by Yaroslavskaya region administration, another bear guys...
[x] Visit the CAS Archives and read about the island
[x] Fleur Delacour
[x] Pansy
Choice 246: [x] Visit the CAS Archives and read about the island
Choice 247: [x] Pansy; TIEBREAKER needed for second.
Choice 248: You've chosen Pansy for one of your viewpoints for what's going on at Durmstrang / the Tri-Wizard Tournament? Who will the other be from?
[ ] Fleur Delacour
[ ] Alleria Theramore
Choice 249: While Shinji is busy with his many activities during the day (cooking/brewing/reading), what should Zelkova be doing?
[ ] Spying on other Champions
[ ] Reading in the CAS Archives
[ ] Mingling with others on the island
[ ] Spending time with Luna and Gabrielle Delacour
[ ] (write-in)
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Choice 248:
I'm still going with Fleur as I want a first-person view of the third challenge. We may also learn more about Lestrange's abilities or why she offered/accepted escorting Gabrielle.
Choice 249:
The spying is tempting, since any information on the other Champions would be useful from a competitive or collaborative angle; however, it is possibly dangerous for Zelkova (either actual danger or just showing one's hand) and there will be plenty of time for this later.
[X] Reading in the CAS Archives
The information from the archives is incredibly useful and is all directly relevant to wildlife threats - plant, animal, or other; survival - shelter and food; scavenging - ingredient identification and environmental location (e.g. damp, rocky soil without sunlight exposure); and potion making - what ingredients you can find and their properties or which can substitute for others (or combine in dangerous ways). This option also has the added benefit of possibly finding something about or from Touko, Tomas, or anyone else (competition or otherwise) that are at the CAS.
[x] Alleria Theramore
[x] Seek out Champions' familiars who would be willing to discuss an alliance
[X] Alleria Theramore
[X] Reading in the CAS Archives
Fun fact: While Libatius' fiancée goes by Lily, her full name is actual Elisabetha Engels. She prefers the diminutive Lily as its cuter, and matches better with Libatius (or as she calls him in private, "Liby")
Protip: If you are not Lily, do not call Libatius "Liby." The results may be unpleasant.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; January 1st, 2018 at 04:19 AM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
Just call him Fiesta-dude to his face and enjoy the meltdown.
Sounds like we can destroy any alliance "Fiesta-dude" makes with that tip plus some of our polyjuice or Zelkova's transformation ability.Originally Posted by alfheimwanderer
Well, if you think writhing in agony after he hits you with a time-delayed black fire curse is a good idea, sure, why not? Of everyone on the isle, he's probably the best versed in the Dark Arts, aside from Tomas.
Last edited by alfheimwanderer; January 1st, 2018 at 12:44 PM.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
It's okay, we can drain fire. In fact, it might be a good idea to provoke him so we can unleash dark fireballs during the competition.
That's good to know.
I guess it would be better to polyjuice as him (while Zelkova ensures he is away and alone) and instigate circumstances where someone else provokes him or maybe just avoid him as his hotheadedness might be enough of a disadvantage as it is.
[X] Reading in the CAS Archives
Thought I can't help but think that Zelkova's sensing abilities would be better spend elseehere but this information is too valuable at the moment.
I am going to abstain from voting on the other question unless I have to break a tie in that I am more than fine with either option.
248: [X] Alleria Theramore
249: [X] Reading in the CAS Archives
Choice 250: As both Shinji and Zelkova will be spending a good deal of time reading in the CAS Archives on the island, in the belief that knowledge is power. However, with records going back to the late 1400s, there is a massive amount of information to sift through. There are maps tracing the paths Champions have taken year after year, writings about the wildlife and fauna by CAS researchers, observations from the judges about the potions that have been made and properties of the island. There are even the reports written by surviving Champions about their experiences, some of the books used by Champions as they challenged the island (a few of which double as artifacts), and of course, the reports of follow-up investigation into the deaths of various Champions (which include likely cause/location of death).
What would Shinji like to focus on? What about Zelkova? (choose one for each)
[ ] The Catalog of Ingredients
[ ] Evaluations of Champion-created potions + effects
[ ] Journals / Records left by past Champions
[ ] Investigation reports (deaths)
[ ] (write-in)
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - A.A. Milne
[x] The Catalog of Ingredients.
We want Shinji (and Budge) to sit through the catalog in order to get a grasp of what kind of ingredients they can expect to find on the Isle. We have a potion to complete after all.
[x] Investigation reports.
The zones to avoid on the isle should also be checked, if anything in order to avoid the same fate. Or, if we feel courageous, to try to get a feeling of the kind of death causes he can expect while roaming through the area in question. As these no doubt would have either strong monsters to hunt and harvest, or are a source for rare materials.
I'm willing to swap the second if you guys want to go full potion focus by picking Evaluations as a choice. It would be a risk as we wouldn't know some of the areas which are higher on the murder probabilities, but, maybe that's a risk that is worth taking.
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