|  Author | Topic: The Downfall (Read 48 times) |
Rowland Townsend
Part-time Student
Iuvant
Sophomore
member is offline
![[avatar]](http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p313/celerum/Students/Rowland-BrickIcon.jpg)
Let's Fight
Joined: Jan 2007
Gender: Male 
Posts: 61
|  | The Downfall
« Thread Started on Jul 16, 2009, 11:48pm » | |
[June 15th]
Who ever remarked that the grass could be soft had never fallen from a two-story platform. Repetitively.
“Again!” Optimus ordered.
“This has to be torture,” Dodger said.
He stood above Rowland, brushing dirt from his clothes. It did nothing to improve his appearance. A dark stain spread down his jeans from his right knee. His forearms were covered in rising bruises, still shallow and yellow hued. Mud stained his chest and face.
Dodger had a black eye as well, but that was from Rowland.
Several months had passed since the confutation on the bridge. A full season. Spring semester had only ended two weeks prior. It would be nice to say that after the fight the boys had gone back to normal. Kira herself had had a vision attesting to their fixed friendship. Surely that was proof enough to let bygones be bygones.
“I think,” Rowland grunted, pushing himself up, “that by volunteering for summer drills, we gave consent.” He spat dirt onto the ground. Spittle flecked Dodger’s boots.
If this was a story, they’d be fast friends again with everything resolved and forgotten. They would have helped each other up, jive about falling techniques. But sometimes even though you love your brother, you could hate him too. Dodger was closer than family. That didn’t mean Rowland didn’t want to punch him some days.
They joined the queue for the latter back onto the platform. Majority of the Auror Academy had signed up when Optimus had offered summer drills. If Optimus had his way, they’d never stop training. Eric wasn’t with them this morning on the first day of drills. Rowland wondered vaguely if the other man had actually believed Optimus to be putting forth a mere suggest. But Eric and he weren’t exactly on perfect terms anymore either.
It seemed that once he finally secured Dakota again, Rowland lost everybody else for whom he cared. As he climbed the latter, he tried to convince himself that she was enough. He had fought so hard to capture her and keep her. He thought he’d be willing to sacrifice everything for her. But he missed his friends. Rowland missed the effortlessness. Now he guarded his words. This only made him tensed and agitated, so he became explosive. Which explained Dodger’s black eye. Not that the other man was much better. Rowland ran his tongue across the cut in his lip.
In Optimus’s presence they were almost normal. They’d complain, gripe, run through the obstacle course. They’d push themselves to be better than the others, better than each other, better than Caden. At water breaks they could easily mock the worst times, laughing at stupid mistakes. It was anywhere else that gave them issues. They weren’t distracted enough to not remember that they hated each other. If Optimus noticed a deficiency in their partnership, he didn’t draw attention to it.
At the top everyone bunched together in the center as though fearful Optimus might start pitching him or her off for incompetence. Then again, Rowland figured, as he sandwiched himself between Dodger and female Iuvant, the Auror students had suffered worse in previous drills.
“I’m not asking you to tame dragons.” Optimus paced slowly along the edge. “Merely jump from the platform and apparate into the target before hitting the ground.”
He gestured off to the right were a evanescent oval indicated their intended landing zone. It was twenty yards away. When they had first climbed onto the platform, everyone has laughed at the ease of their instructions. “You’re to apparate from here to the there without touching the ground.” Too simple. They should have known better. Nobody had succeeded yet and the had thrown themselves off the platform at least two dozen times now. Rowland was the closest. He had splinched himself three times now; Dodger, only twice.
“Jump then Apparate. Not flail in the air, Hurst!”
Rowland and Dodger snorted. Hurst, the poor sod, was scared of heights. Each time he jumped, he squealed like a schoolgirl finding a spider. The boys grinned at each other. It could have been any other semester. Rowland looked for Eric to congratulate him on not being the worst, but couldn’t find him. His face fell. Dodger looked away.
Was it always going to be this way with his partner? They trusted one another. Well… Rowland trusted that Dodger did not want him dead. But this half-assed partnership was starting to talk its toll. Rowland missed his best friend. His brother.
|
![[image]](http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p313/celerum/Students/Rowland-Brick02.jpg) |
|
Dodger Hammond
New Student
Faciunt
Sophomore
member is offline
![[avatar]](http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p313/celerum/Students/DodgerNew03.jpg)
No Day But Today
Joined: Jan 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 41
Location: Bohemia
| | Re: The Downfall
« Reply #1 on Jul 17, 2009, 1:49am » | |
"I've never cheated on an exam here at Celerum."
Dodger groaned, his head lolling forward until it was buried in his arms. The tip of his bottle of firewhiskey nudged his ear from where he was clutching it at the neck in his right hand.
"I wish I'd never met you, you golden boy bitch."
Sean actually smacked his lips together.
"Mmm. Tastes like victory." Dodger took a long gulp of his firewhiskey and glared around the table. Sean was doing remarkably well, but then again, he and Eric were passing around a bottle of very weak ass vodka. Sean smirked at him and went on. "Dude, you asked for a bit of distraction from a routine summer, so here you go."
Hmm. Routine summer--that was the nice way of putting it, Dodger supposed. In fact, the entire year had been routine, mishaps with cousins and supposed best-friends aside. Quite plainly, Dodger was bored.
No, really.
Always one for biting the hand that fed him, Dodger had, at the beginning of the year, continued his Auror training, despite the fact that Optimus had nearly ended the deal with that little vampire incident. Dodger was in no mood to get further into the man's hair than absolutely necessary; he was still nursing wounds from that excursion in the woods before the four of them had ditched the popsicle stand had hid in the past for the duration of the hunt. That training session had been utter bullshit, verbally and physically. His reflexes were still off and his pride still bruised from the lashing that Optimus gave him.
Sure, Dodger respected Optimus. Hell, he knew the man was twice the Auror that he'd even hope to become. To stand in Optimus's shadow was a privilege; he was being taught by the very best Aurory standards.
He was just in no mood to get his ego handed to him on a silver platter again.
So, in the spirit of not causing undue trouble to himself or to his respected teacher, Dodger decided that he would spend this particular term at Celerum furthering his Auror education by studying the more theoretical aspects of the AMA, the mechanics of raids, the intricacies in planning reconnaissance and espionage. It was time for less action and more reading. Besides, he'd been putting off the more academic side of becoming one of the Aurory's finest for too long.
Dodger soon discovered that Aurory protocol inside of a classroom was something else entirely when compared with the action-packed trials and exercises that Optimus would put them through in practicals.
After nearly falling asleep in during one of Optimus's protocol lecterns, Dodger decided it was time to rectify the boredom situation.
Sadly, there was nothing happening. Nothing. Silas and his brood had gone practically underground after that Hunt business. The shady side-deals and under-handed business transactions in Oxbay were dull and simplistic. Hell, there was even a pause in action on the mainland: the werewolves and the vampires had temporarily ended their skirmishes to convene at a conference with the President's cabinet, hoping to settle some of their differences.
So there was, quite literally, not a damn interesting thing happening these days. The Peace and Prosperity Scare of 2009, Dodger sarcastically called it in his head.
And it was driving him up the fucking wall.
"Do you think we could take 'em?" Dodger had asked Sean one afternoon after a way-too-easy final exam in Magical Fauna.
"Take who, dude?"
"The vampires," Dodger said certainly. "I mean, Celerum and the Headmaster are back on the playing field again after that disaster with the Hunt. Nobody here was really hurt. We've got the numbers. Do you think we could handle a good period of ass-kicking with the blood suckers; stir things up a little bit?"
Sean had frowned.
"I don't see how this is relevant, Dodger. There isn't a hint of a vampire battle on the horizon."
"Well, Sean," Dodger said slowly, seriously, "if I don't get something to do soon, I just might start one."
Problem was, he was as serious as a heart attack, and Sean knew it, too.
Hall, bless his heart, had tried everything to distract him. They, sometimes along with Eric, frequented the Cellar Door, drinking and dancing until they passed out. They walked through Oxbay at night, wands at the ready, even though Hall didn't want to have anything to do with it, but not one sailor or merchant gave them a look. Hell, Dodger had even talked Hall into having a picnic in Dante's Woods and waiting for a stray manticore to pop up.
Nothing worked, and Dodger itched with unused adrenaline.
Thankfully, Kira was there to help him work off excess energy, but something about her had seemed a little bit off since the bridge incident. Dodger was going through life like nobody's business (he was not going to let Row, that son of a bitch, and Dakota ruin his year by their little hissy fit) but Kira had been affected by the goings on. Moreover, that little bout of her playing oracle wasn't an isolated incident. Sometimes, she'd wake up, covered in sweat and murmuring in a language that sounded distinctly Russian before Dodger had to snap her out of it. She was being distant and secretive, and the episodes of future flash-forwards were becoming more and more frequent.
Dodger was concerned, but Kira continually waved him off, not wanting to discuss what she'd Seen. He couldn't blame her, really; it must've been one helluva burden. He was there to hold her at night and there to kiss her in the morning, but beyond that, Dodger didn't overstep his boundaries. He knew Kira was a very independent girl--always had been--and when she was ready, she'd have a little sit-down with him. But until then, there was little Dodger could do to help.
He started to wonder if the future visions had anything to do with what had happened on the bridge. After all, she'd said she'd Seen he and Rowland make up. But even though the loss of his friendship had affected them both, Dodger didn't seriously think it was enough to give Kira nightmares.
He waited patiently for his fianceé to be ready, and meanwhile distracted himself with Eric and Sean.
Merlin above love them, they were sweet kids. They weren't Rowland--hell, nobody could replace Rowland fucking Townsend--but they'd have to do. Sean had started out as a sycophant, but was learning to become his own person. Eric, who had to be the most wussy guy he'd known, was slowly growing a set. Dodger, secretly, had felt pleased with himself that the boys had chosen his side more often than not. Sean and Eric really harbored no illwill towards Dakota, and Dodger didn't begrudge them that, but they were with him almost constantly when they weren't in class or buried in books, which meant that they didn't see much of Row.
It was a silent, unspoken victory, the winning over of the two men to his side, but Dodger was sure to let it shine in his brown eyes whenever he and Rowland pretended to acknowledge each other in passing.
But as a dull spring term slowly morphed into an ungodly boring summer, Dodger began to feel Rowland's loss more keenly. Every now and again, he caught himself wanting to make a witty statement over his left shoulder to Row only to find that the boy wasn't there. When he was with Sean and Eric, there was a feeling of incompleteness, of something very vital missing, and it was only growing as time passed.
But boredom and missing his friend aside, Dodger was making due. He and Kira were spending the summer on Celerum--at least, the first part of it--Kira doing research and Dodger just chilling out, because seriously? Things would've been even more boring at home, and he wanted time to spend with his girl.
Unfortunately, the boredom and inactivity from the term only passed over to the summer, and by the last week of May, Dodger was ready to beat his head against the wall.
Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck was going on with the world?
So one very dull Saturday evening, the trio had headed down to the Astronomy Pavillion for some booze and some guy-time. Games of poker had slowly morphed into the ever-popular Academy game of 'I've Never'.
It was such a female thing to do, but hell, it was a change of pace, so Dodger allowed it.
And currently, he was getting his ass handed to him. He'd simply done too much, lived life. Hall and Pearson were in diapers compared to his life experiences, and Dodger had never wished so much for Row to be there with him to even the odds.
He was halfway through his second bottle of firewhiskey and the other two were still nursing half a bottle of vodka between them. Suddenly, a thought came to him, and Dodger smirked.
"I've never lived outside of the United States."
This time, it was Eric's turn to groan, and he gingerly took a gulp of the vodka. Licking his lips, he grinned. "Genuine imported stuff--Sean, you're a magician."
"Or just your average businessmen."
"How can you drink that stuff?" Dodger made a disgusted face.
"Don't knock it 'till you've tried it, Hammond."
"I have tried it, and it taste like exhaust-engine coolant."
"Heathen," Eric snapped before thinking. "I've never had sexual fantasies about a professor."
"Son of a bitch, are you two trying to get me drunk?" Dodger snapped irritably before downing another gulp.
"And they say the Irish can hold their liquor," Sean murmured.
"I can, idiot. I'm just saying--ganging up on me isn't nice."
"Come on, Dodger, don't be a killjoy. You wanted something different, so here it is."
Dodger glared at Eric, and then smirked.
"I've never cheated on the woman I love."
Ah, that got him. Eric's face crumbled like a chocolate bar and he buried his face in his hands and muttered a weak little, "Jesus," from behind his fingers. Sean patted him on the back affectionately.
"Still haven't told her, have you?" Dodger shook his head. "Row was right for letting you have it. You deserved it."
"Come on, Dodger. So he made a mistake--Row laying a fist into his jaw doesn't make it better, especially since Rowland is kinda the pot calling the kettle black."
"That wasn't a fist he hit Eric with, Hall," Dodger said, slurping at his alcohol, "it was irony."
"God, what am I gonna do?" Eric asked no one in particular.
"Eric--Eric! Look at me, dude." Slowly, Eric lowered his hands from his face, and his eyes met Dodger's. "Here's what you do. You march your rear into the Infirmary and grab the nearest Healer. Ask him to find the ghostly outline where your balls used to be and then plead with him to stitch another pair back on."
There was silence for a moment, and then Eric's face grew red. Just as he moved forward, Dodger stood up and shook his head.
"You're pathetic, man. Thanks for this, but I'm done. And don't even try to hit me, Eric. I'll wipe the floor with your ass."
And with that, Dodger stalked off, irritated.
God, he missed Rowland.
After that bout with the boys, Dodger left himself to his own devices. He scoured the school, looking for something, anything, to alleviate his boredom. Two afternoons later, he happened upon the Dark Arts building to find a flier posted to the bulletin board.
Dodger stared at it for a moment, eyes scanning it, and then he sighed.
Oh well. So much for not biting the hand that feeds him. Dodger was signing his name to the bottom of the sheet within seconds, muttering an apology to whomever was listening for lying about staying out of Optimus's hair.
Just as he was turning to go, he nearly bumped headlong into Rowland, whose eyes were fixed on the bulletin.
For a second, Dodger's heart didn't beat. A flurry of emotions danced through his body, and until the wind settled, he didn't dare speak.
"Hey." Rowland's tone was almost dead.
"Hey yourself." God, this was awkward. "Er--you gonna sign up?"
Rowland gave a half-hearted shrug, then reached for the quill tied to the board.
"Why not? I need a distraction." When Rowland was finished signing his name, he lingered.
They stared at each other. Then, they began to talk.
Unfortunately, they weren't really saying anything.
In hindsight, Dodger wasn't sure how it happened. He couldn't even remember what it is they were not saying, but whatever it was, it pissed him off.
He uppercutted the ever-loving fuck out of Rowland's jaw.
Rowland barely staggered. Dodger stepped back, surprised at his own anger.
Rowland wiped the blood away from his lip and looked at Dodger.
He blinked.
Dodger blinked back.
So did several freshmen and sophomore students who happened to be in the vicinity.
Rowland, for an instant, looked like he wanted to retaliate, but he only rubbed the back of his neck and then turned and walked away. Dodger stared after him, and then he shook his head.
Jesus fucking Christ, they weren't meant to fight one another. They couldn't even do it properly!
Dodger decided to dine in Cenaculum with the remaining student body, but he showed up to dinner a good ten minutes late. Nobody looked up when he entered--word traveled fast during the summer months because there were usually less than a hundred students that hung around to endure the summer at the school. However, nobody even looked up at him when he came in.
In fact they all, quite pointedly, did not look.
Dodger scanned the cafeteria until his gaze met Rowland's. Row was seated at a table with a few other Iuvants, Dakota nowhere in sight.
Dodger glared at him. Rowland blinked innocently and shrugged. Dodger decided to let it go. After all, it wasn't Row's fault that he decided to pitch a spaz in front of a bunch of underclassmen chatter-boxes.
The next time they spoke to one another was at Optimus's first little shindig. The first day had been rather like a summer camp to Dodger--well, as summer-campy as Optimus was ever likely to get. He outlined what he would try to teach them over the summer, what their focus would be and how it would correlate to real-life situations, and Optimus had called it to an early end.
Dodger blinked. Optimus hadn't even made them do drills.
Was the whole fucking world going insane?
This time, Rowland approached Dodger. His face was open, although it wasn't warm or welcoming.
For a minute, he and Dodger just stared at each other.
Then, there was the soul-shattering pain of one of Row's talented fists connecting with his eye. Dodger staggered and clutched his face, looking up blindly at Rowland, who again, only shrugged.
"Payback's a bitch."
And then, like the fucking Matrix, he was off.
Dodger knew he should've been angry. He should've been seething. But instead, he only chuckled and headed to go visit Kira, who turned out to be angry enough for them both.
It was too familiar, Dodger realized during another lesson of Optimus's. This time, they were having to hurl themselves off a two-story high platform, apparate in mid-air, and then land on the ground without touching it first.
...Um, yeah. Okay.
But it was too familiar, and Dodger knew it. They were picture perfect during class, the usual dream time, but after that mea-culpa with the eye versus lip thing, Dodger had actually gone for a walk with Rowland, Hall flanking them, as if mediating the meeting. There, again, really wasn't much said, but they didn't lay hands on one another. They did get into a bit of a shouting match, though, but even still...the familiarity was startling.
Even when they were fighting, he and Rowland were falling into a perfect kind of unity. In a crazy way, they worked. It was their MO, really. Dodger shot, Row dodged. There were constant do-overs and then the fight would end with an errant student busting it up, Sean starting in with the trade-mark commentary, or a professor coming by and nailing their asses to the wall, so to speak.
Even though it worked, it wasn't the same, and Dodger knew it. What Rowland did to him still hurt, but Dodger knew it was more pride than anything else. He was angry that Rowland hadn't trusted him, that he had chosen Dakota over him.
But as Dodger studied his friends face as the line progressed, back onto the platform for another free-fall experience, he realized that maybe, just maybe, Row missed him as much as he missed Row. He certainly wasn't as happy as he had been before everything had fallen apart.
Dodger wasn't sure what to do about it. A part of him still wanted Dakota's blood in a goblet and Row along with it, but another part of him was just too damned tired of being bored. He wanted that excitement of having his other half around back, and he was tired of being petulant about it.
But was Dodger going to be the first to speak seriously about a reunion?
Fuck no.
"Hammond!"
Dodger winced, and from behind him, he was sure he heard Rowland snort.
"Some things always stay the same," Dodger muttered before stepping up to the edge of the platform. He closed his eyes.
"Are you preparing to dive or to apparate, Hammond? Enough with the theatrics! Jump!"
Dodger sucked in a deep breath and hurled his body off the platform.
For a second, the world compressed as if it were going to work, and then--
THUD.
Dodger was eating grass. He turned over, his ribs practically crying from the pain, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Optimus rub at his right temple with a finger.
Dodger's eyes scanned the platform to find Row looking down at him, trying not to laugh.
Dodger, in spite of himself, grinned.
Damn it.
|
![[image]](http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p313/celerum/Students/DodgerNew01.jpg)
VIVA LA VIE BOHEME |
|
Eric Pearson
New Student
Iuvant
Sophomore
member is offline
![[avatar]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/13blackroses/Eric2.jpg)
Learning As I Go
Joined: Mar 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 42
Location: Canadia
| | Re: The Downfall
« Reply #2 on Jul 17, 2009, 8:28pm » | |
Eric panted as he ran back up the steps to the top of the platform.
This was the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Well, that explains a lot. Optimus is just insane. It's all making sense now. He thought as he chuckled to himself, causing him to slow down slightly and earning him a "Pearson if you don't get to the top in 30 seconds I'm dropping you from the program" from Optimus.
For a name like that he sure didn't make people feel optimistic at all.
It actually proved to be a bit of a let down for Eric, he'd been hoping his freshman year when he signed up he'd end up with some nice, friendly, encouraging teacher who saw the best in everybody...
"Pearson! Move it!"
Another reason to switch majors. I think too much for this, it slows me down. Well, admittedly it about a lot of random things that don't matter, actually this train of thought is kind of a great example... And great, now that I'm at the top I can fall dramatically and threaten to break my skull open... again. Just what I wanted to do with my morning. I hate this class.
Luckily for him he was a good healer because he wasn't even attempting to apparate anymore. If Rowland couldn't even do it there was no way he was going to be able to, so why bother splinching himself again. After all, it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. But, then again neither was crashing to the ground off a two story platform... but his options were few to say the least.
This is how he found himself repetitively jumping off a two story platform and smashing into mother earth. Maybe Optimus wasn't the crazy one. Maybe it was him.
"Gah! Jeasus Murphy! Fuckin' Damn It!" That hadn't been a good one. During most of his falls he'd managed to just break a finger, occasionally an arm, this time however he landed smack on his face and he felt his nose snap against what appeared to be a particularly knotty root.
His eyes watered as he reached up to feel the bloody geyser his nose had magically transformed into when it came to that abrupt halt. He laid there for a minute before literally rolling out of the way so the next victim could fall violently without landing on top of him.
The pain was blinding. There really was nothing worse than breaking your nose. Seriously, there was no way any woman would agree to getting pregnant more than once if childbirth was even half this painful. Hell, Tiger would probably kill him if contributed in any way to pain like this.
Tiger. Shit. What the hell had he been thinking? It was as he lay there curled up on the ground that he realized it. He he was definitely not insane. He wasn't doing this expecting a different result. He expected to hurt himself every single time, to break bones, and quite frankly he deserved it. Dodger was right. He needed to man up and tell Tiger. And until he did, he sure as hell wasn't going to make being a coward easy...
But fuck did his nose really did kill.
Just then a leg appeared to the right of the tree in front of him. Just a leg. Had to be another splinching. Optimus appeared, snatched it up and yelled, "For Christ's sakes Pearson, get up, it's a nose. Fix it already." He strode off muttering as Hall walked over and magic-ed the geyser that was his snoz back to normal. He could feel his bone align with a painful snap that made his eyes water once more more.
"So, who was it this time," he asked Sean as he wiped the blood off his chin and onto the sleeve of his robe, looking towards the figure Optimus was leaning over.
"Caden, he was close but not that close." Sean replied, before adding pointedly, "At least he's trying though."
"I am trying!" Eric said defensively.
"Ya, whatever you say man." Was all he got from Sean as left to make his way back over to the platform again.
He continued staring at the scene as a dizzy, disoriented, Caden was led towards his tree to rest for a minute by an agitated Optimus.
"If your not going to try you can at least hold him up for a minute while he comes to." Optimus said as he shook his head disapprovingly and handed Caden over to him.
"Honestly, mudblood..." Caden choked as he began to cough up the tiniest bits of blood, "Why do you even bother?"
"You realize I'm the only thing holding you up right now, right?"
"You'd never drop me." Caden spat, "You don't have the nerve."
And as much as he wanted to disagree, Eric knew he was right. He didn't think it had to do with nerve though, as much as basic human decency. "I think it might be worse for you to have to touch me. Mudblood remember? Who knows it might be contagious."
Eric smirked as Caden jerked away from him as he regained strength. Leaning on the tree for support now he said, "Why are you even here? Your own friends, and I use the word lightly, know you are never going to make the cut. Your pathetic. No nerve."
Caden limped away back towards the platform, ready and willing to throw himself off it again. Insanity.
He couldn't help wondering why everything always came back to courage with him. Was he really that much of a wimp?
Ya. The answer couldn't have been any clearer.
At least before he'd fucked up with Tiff, he'd had respect for his morality. A wuss, but a cute, sweet wuss. Now he was an idiot and a coward. Just what he'd always wanted.
He new he had to tell her. He couldn't live this way. Avoiding her because he felt so guilty. He had to break out of this cycle. He wasn't going to play this insane game anymore. No more living a lie, and no more jumping just to fall.
He had to set everything straight. Start with something simple. Something easy. Something more manageable than talking to Tiger. Like his major. He wanted to heal, no matter how stupid people thought it was, he liked it. He didn't want to do this anymore, if he ever really had to begin with, and it was time he fixed that. Time he made his own choices.
He felt just a little better as he strode across the lawns back towards the school in the middle of the lesson. A little more in control of his life. He was done trying to be what everyone else was.
He couldn't help but laugh a little bit though as he heard Hurst yelp in the distance - he was terrified of heights poor guy. But Eric had to admit it was kinda cool that people would no he didn't just quit because he was worst, cause today that was definitely Hurst's title.
|
![[image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/13blackroses/EricBanner2.jpg)
~these are the best years of our lives~ |
|
Rowland Townsend
Part-time Student
Iuvant
Sophomore
member is offline
Let's Fight
Joined: Jan 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 61
| | Re: The Downfall
« Reply #3 on Jul 19, 2009, 12:12am » | |
Optimus turned his hawk eyes upon them. Those at the front of the crowd took a step back, treading on their peers’ feet. Sometimes Rowland wondered if Optimus wasn’t a dark wizard masquerading around as a first rate Auror. He seemed to get too much joy out of torturing them. Perhaps it was their final test, defeat their professor and drag him into AMA for instant acceptance into the AAA. Not that there was a chance in Hell that Rowland would voluntarily duel Optimus. He currently enjoyed the attachment of all limbs.
So, it was with these thoughts that Rowland willed himself to shrink a few inches and try to hide behind Dodger’s thicker build. Just as he ducked down, Optimus spotted him.
“Hammond!”
Dodger started as if slapped. Rowland snorted with delight.
Dodger shuffled through he group to the edge of the platform.
Sean filled his vacated spot. “Think he’ll manage it this time?”
“There’s no way.”
“You sound sure.”
Rowland nodded. “I know he won’t.”
Sean arched an eyebrow. “Put coin on it?”
“A Gold.” Rowland stuck out his wand hand.
“A Gold.” Sean put out his hand then pulled it up. “By the end of today’s lesson.”
“Deal.” They shock using their wand hands. “Thanks for the money, Hall.”
Optimus snapped at Dodger to get on with it. Dodger jumped off from the platform, pushing away as if leaping into a swimming pool. Sean and Rowland elbowed their ways towards the platform’s edge and looked over.
“He’s gonna do it!”
For a spilt second Rowland thought he might be out a Gold. He knew Dodger’s spell signature. Knew the essence of his apparation. Rowland sensed it flare. That prick was going to do it.
Thud.
“Not today.” Rowland laughed.
Dodger had landed rather awkwardly: face and chest pressed into earth, while his ass was pushed up. Rowland bit his tongue to keep from calling down a comment. For one reason, Optimus would pitch him off next. And another, he hated Dodger, he reminded himself.
Down on the ground, Dodger moaned and rolled over to look at from where he had fallen. Next to him Sean was scowling, clearly disappointed in Dodger’s performance. Rowland fought to control his features. Neutrality was best. Dodger rubbed at his chest and then—Rowland wasn’t positive, but he thought that the other man grinned back.
Was that allowed?
Rowland looked to Sean for conformation. And found Optimus.
“Find something amusing, Townsend?”
“No, sir.”
Sean flitted away. It was only him and Optimus now along the platform’s edge.
“Then you are bored, Townsend?”
Rowland swallowed. “No, sir.”
“Well your boyfriend is lonely down there. Care to join him?”
There were muffled (sort of) snorts and laughter from the group.
“Sir…yes, sir.” Rowland didn’t even wait. He threw himself off, only slightly hoping the fall might kill him.
A part of Rowland thought the platform wasn’t high enough. Two stories of freefall wasn’t enough time to gather himself together enough to apparate away. But maybe that was the point? Well, he’ll be damned if he couldn’t say he tried. Flailing his arms, Rowland tried to upright himself. He had always apparate standing before, never lying about, so this made sense. Trying to ignore the rush of wind at his ears, Rowland concentrated on pushing himself out of existence. There was the pressure. He checked his height.
Too close!
He acted, throwing out his arms and magically slowing his decent. With his own thud Rowland hit the ground and then rolled several times until he came to a stop.
The world spun. There were vague noises. It might have been Optimus yelling at him. He flopped over then pushed himself up. He had gotten very close to the target.
“This is not gymnastics!”
Tumbling got him no points. Rowland swayed on his feet and had to prop himself against a tree where he sneezed and coughed until he snorted a blade of grass out of his nose.
“That can’t be healthy.”
Across the field, Dodger was bent over, hands on his knees. Rowland wasn’t sure if he was catching his breath or laughing. The latter most likely.
Rowland staggered towards him. Not to joke. But because his direction was closer to the platform. At the top, Optimus was calling students forward to jump. They fell in single file like chicks pushed from a nest. Optimus wasn’t even watching. He simply waited for the sound of body compacting into earth and called the next person forward.
Sean wobbled over to them, fixing his own bleeding nose. “The rumors better be true.”
“What have you heard?” Rowland asked.
“We’re getting out-fitted for brooms come Fall semester.”
“Really?” Dodger asked, stepping closer.
“So I’ve heard.”
The three of them looked to Optimus. Brooms. Auror standard brooms. Dodger and Rowland had big, goofy grins on their faces. None of the brooms on the market even compared to those issued exclusively for the AAA. Rowland had been iching for a new one, too. His use to be top of the line, but it was years old now. Same with Dodger’s. Which the other boy better remember Rowland had gotten for him several Christmases ago.
“Dismissed!” Optimus called out.
It looked like a battle field. Bodies littered the ground, all of them moaning and twitching. A few had managed to splinch themselves nicely. But everyone seemed grateful to be done for the day.
Rowland cracked his neck. He was looking forward to a nice hot shower then crawling into bed where Dakota could work him loose again.
“Wait.”
Sean froze a few steps from them.
“You owe me a Gold.”
Sean cursed.
Rowland caught up with him, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “And I think I want it in the form of a stiff drink. To the pub, my good sir!”
He looked back to Dodger. “You coming?”
|
|
|
Dodger Hammond
New Student
Faciunt
Sophomore
member is offline
No Day But Today
Joined: Jan 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 41
Location: Bohemia
| | Re: The Downfall
« Reply #4 on Jul 19, 2009, 1:21am » | |
Dodger rose to his feet with all the grace of a train-wreck. After that ever-so-lovely fall from the platform, every bone in his limbs felt akimbo, even when he tried to hold them straight. The fall disoriented him, along with that split-second feeling of being shoved in plastic-wrap that heralded in apparation. He felt awkward.
Or maybe it had something to do with Optimus calling Rowland his boyfriend.
Yeah, that'll about do it.
One day, Dodger swore that he was going to give that man a piece of his mind. And in exchange, Optimus would probably hand Dodger a piece of his ass.
Oh well. Cést la vie.
Rowland landed with a flop next to him and proceeded to roll until he hit a tree, like some odd Floridian bowling ball. And of course, Optimus was there with the commentary, making them all feel like Class A failures. Dodger snorted as Rowland coughed up a piece of grass.
It gave him a bit of a thrill to see Rowland failing just as badly as he was at this--not because of any sadistic pleasure at the boy sucking, but just at the fact that they were, once again, the underdogs, pitted against Optimus and his torture sessions. Failing by yourself was no fun, but with Rowland doing just as badly, it made Dodger's mind immediately fog over with images from their past classes, them duking it out with the rest of their classmates, trying to please Optimus. It was a sense of camaraderie that only he and Rowland shared, and it was nice.
Well, it would've been nice, if Dodger still wasn't considering strangling him.
But apparently, he wasn't the only one experiencing sensations of old, because when Sean approached, he didn't just look at Dodger or at Rowland, but at both of them, as if they were one unit, one team, one mixed up person that was somehow better than each on their own.
Rowland had even shared a grin with him at the mention of the Triple A-grade brooms. Ah, there was a piece of wood he'd like to wrap his hands around and--
Dodger paused, his mind drifting up Optimus's accusation of homosexuality. He stopped the mental metaphor in its tracks and shuddered.
Ick.
“Dismissed!”
Dodger nearly winced at the stony edge in Optimus's voice. They had gotten off safely today, but even Helen Keller could see that Optimus was seething. Of course, far be it from a simple Boston boy to point out the utter impossibility of them apparating with only an approximate two-story length and distance to get it done in whilst falling through empty air. Apparating, by nature, was the art of moving through space and time. Ordering your students to move through space and time to a different location whilst falling through space and time made about as much sense as a leopard giving you a facial.
But would he tell Optimus that? Oh, no.
Dodger shook his head and watched Sean start to head away from the training area before Row waylaid him.
"Wait. You still owe me a Gold."
Dodger was about to ask what for, but he closed his mouth. He was not Rowland's friend anymore, and what did it matter?
Sean, however, looked sheepish and more than a little perturbed. Rowland through his arm around him and ordered them to a pub to spend his apparent winnings.
And then, with all the finesse and subtlety of a snake, Row tossed his head Dodger-ward and asked,
"You coming?"
Dodger looked at Rowland. Was this Rowland offering him the olive branch? Was he extending an invitation for old friends to maybe catch up, or was he just planning on giving Dodger another black eye for his trouble?
And what the hell did it mean?
However, luckily (or unluckily) before he could answer, another voice cut through the silence.
"Hammond."
Dodger winced. Of course he just couldn't make a clean getaway. He spun to see Optimus standing in front of him. Oh, he looked so pissed.
"Professor?"
Optimus inclined his head elegantly.
"You dropped your wand after that graceful display of flailing midair. Go retrieve it."
Dodger nodded and moved past Optimus.
Yes, sir. Just bend over a moment so I can dislodge it from your posterior.
Dodger's wand, which had been in the back pocket of his jeans, lay in the grass where he had fallen. At least he wasn't broken. Thank Merlin for small favors.
"Your performance today was quite appalling, Hammond. That goes for you, Misters Townsend and Hall as well."
Dodger, tucking his wand ruefully in his back pocket, moved back to where Optimus was standing. How come he had called them 'Mister' and he just got the Last-Name-Only Treatment? It's not like their falls were any more ugly than his had been.
"It's impossible, sir." Sean sounded sad. "I don't think anyone can do that."
Rowland crossed his arms and pressed his fist to his brow, shaking his head. Dodger sighed. Sean was such an idiot.
"Really, now." Optimus's words were light. His slate-colored eyes danced to Dodger, who tried not to squirm under their unyielding glint. "And you, Hammond? Do you think I would assign my students an impossible feat?"
Dodger blinked.
"Do I look stupid, Professor?"
Optimus looked at him. Dodger bit his lip.
"Maybe I should rephrase that..."
"Clarification would be welcome, Mister Hammond."
Oh, I hate you.
Instead, Dodger wisely said, "I don't think you'd give us a task that was impossible, sir. But still. It's very hard."
Optimus studied him as if he were a fascinating experiment under a Petri dish. After a moment he sighed, and with a blink and a crack, he disappeared.
Dodger looked up towards the platform to see Optimus standing there. With his scarlet robes billowing about his frame, Optimus jumped. After only a second in the air, he vanished with another crack, only to materialize in a heartbeat on the ground below the platform.
Dodger glanced over at Sean. He was staring. From his left, he heard Rowland snort again.
"Committing yourself to the Aurory also means committing yourself to absolute excellence," Optimus said, approaching them again. "While the task is daunting, it is only one of many that you will face when being tested for entrance to the agency. Apparating in mid-air requires quick-thinking, agility, and complete control over your magic--as does many other tasks you will face."
Dodger rubbed at his temples. He was starting to get the kind of headache he usually reserved for vampire attacks.
"Yes, sir. It just...seems silly, having twenty people jump off a two-story platform for as a precursor to Triple A exams. A lot of bad things can happen. Murphy's Law, after all."
Optimus raised an eyebrow.
"I am unfamiliar with the reference."
"If anything can go wrong, it will," Rowland supplied.
"A fine example of twentieth century muggle pessimism," Dodger added.
Optimus was giving him that Petri dish-look again.
"Are you a muggle, Mister Hammond?"
"No, sir," Dodger bit out from clenched teeth.
"Strange. Your attempts at wizardry moments ago were absolutely horrendous, and here you are invoking bizarre muggle mantras. Are you certain?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. I would hate to think I was wasting my valuable time instructing the talentless." Optimus paused. "And this Murphy of yours, whomever he was, is an imbecile."
Dodger heard Sean chuckle. He gave Optimus a half-smile, and it was almost returned, letting Dodger know that all was forgiven.
"I expect to see you at my next session--all of you," Optimus said firmly, looking down his nose at the trio. "And I sincerely hope that your performances next time will not be as dismal. Perhaps I should outlaw all healing spells for the duration of my drills. Maybe that will prove incentive enough for my students to get it done properly."
Dodger absently rubbed his bruised stomach, a swirl of foreboding entering his body.
"Next week, gentlemen," Optimus said, and with another crack, he vanished.
The three boys all breathed sighs of relief.
Dodger was silent for a moment, and then he turned to face Rowland, whose face was carefully not betraying anything.
"So...let's go get our drink on, Row."
For the briefest of moments, Dodger saw his (ex) friend's muddy eyes warm familiarly, and he couldn't stop a goofy grin from appearing as they set off towards the courtyard.
Well, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
|
VIVA LA VIE BOHEME |
|
Rowland Townsend
Part-time Student
Iuvant
Sophomore
member is offline
Let's Fight
Joined: Jan 2007
Gender: Male
Posts: 61
| | Re: The Downfall
« Reply #5 on Jul 21, 2009, 11:33pm » | |
The waitress brought their second round. She stayed bent over their small table longer than necessary. Dodger and Rowland ducked around her exposed cleavage for their beers. Sean stared. Mouth going slack.
When she left them with a smile, the other two snorted at Sean. He shrugged. “I’m not tethered to anyone.”
Sean froze then busied himself with his beer.
Dodger and Rowland looked away from each other. It took some effort and was not at all decrepit. The pub was surprisingly full this afternoon, filled mostly with men recently released from work.
Rowland sat next to Dodger. Hard to avoid when it was only the three of them. The table had room for their drinks. If he wasn’t careful, Rowland bumped elbows with Dodger or knees with Sean.
The alcohol did its job, loosening limbs and relaxing defenses. They had been here a full half-hour and so far Rowland had not punched Dodger or vise versa. It was their most successful encounters to date.
Well it was. Stupid Sean.
Good for him for looking, but did he have to bring up their girlfriends? Dodger and he were only on good terms with they stuck to strict list of topics: Alcohol, hatred for Optimus, brooms, Eric’s stupidly in drills, alcohol, hatred for Optimus, etc. The list was small. They had to repeat topics often.
Note, girlfriends were not on the list. They were number one on the Do Not Talk About list. Well, really it was Dakota since Kira had done nothing wrong.
Rowland drank his beer. Nothing wrong. If Rowland was honest with himself most of his anger at Dodger stemmed from jealously. Dodger must know he was a lucky son of a bitch. He’d never have to make the choices Rowland had. Kira would never jeopardize her life for selfish reasons. The need to save Kira’s life would never flit across Dodger’s mind. He would never fight with himself over the decision to do so.
Yes, he was jealous. They had met each other’s families. Kira slung long necks to costumers at Dodger’s family pub in Boston. Dodger had stayed at the McOran estate in Ireland.
Rowland had never been to Texas. And there weren’t any parents in Florida for Dakota to meet. He supposed his grandparents would wish to meet her, but he had a difficult time imagining Dakota in the foyer of the Townsend Manor. There were maids and house elves and more rooms than people. Not to mention the society matrons his grandmother had tea with. Rowland shivered. They were very glib for old women.
Although he could accurately picture her there, Rowland did have the sense of pride he’d feel upon introducing her. But maybe parental introductions were something that only happened with fiancés. Dakota and he weren’t engaged. Now that Rowland had her, he wasn’t ever going to let her go. But there was something off about Dakota Sawyer, Fiancée.
Besides it would look hollow and gilded following the Engagement of the Golden Couple.
Of course Dodger would never understand Rowland’s choices. It was hard to understand something he’d never experience. Why did Dodger get all the luck? Was he brewing Felix Felicis?
Rowland sighed and set down his beer.
Stupid Sean. Was he compensating for Eric’s absent?
A thought occurred. “Where’s Eric?” The guy lived on the other side of the joint bathroom from him and yet Rowland hasn’t seen him in weeks. Not since that fight when Eric clipped him across the jaw. Why were his friends beating on him?
“I haven’t seen him. Did Tiger kill’em?” There, that was a safer topic.
|
|
| |
|
![[Home]](http://i12.tinypic.com/2ag9gsi.jpg)
![[Help]](http://i10.tinypic.com/43wzewo.jpg)
![[Search]](http://i14.tinypic.com/3ye4spx.jpg)
![[Login]](http://i13.tinypic.com/4hx4het.jpg)
![[Register]](http://i10.tinypic.com/334q9tz.jpg)
![[Search This Thread]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/search2.gif)
![[Send Topic To Friend]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/sendtopic.gif)
![[Print]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/print.gif)
Logged