2 Aug 2020, 23:11
Asking a Favour
When Opeila entered the Great Hall for supper, the tables were partly filled already. It was not like she was particularly late, she just wasn't early either. After todays' lessons, she had been exhausted. For at least half an hour she just stayed on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Questioning what she was doing. Looking for a way out of that misery she had partly caused herself, just to get lost in that labyrinth once more. There was a note attached to her bed even. Find the exit. She had written it a few nights ago and somehow the text of the song Nico sang at the talent came to her mind. One line, that she had written below. I reach out ahead but can't make it through the room in time.@Selim Faust29th of April, Supper
The problem of that line was easy to the Slytherin. It was not that there was not enough time. They just started too late. Just like Opeila had realized what she had done way too late. Now she ran after the stones she had caused to start rolling down the hill, always steps behind them. Had she just seen earlier... She could have supported the blockade instead.
Opeila had always liked metaphors. They sometimes seemed to express feelings so much better than getting to the point did.
The past days had been so full of guilt and more problems. Opeila was aware that she hadn't forced anyone to come to the Blossom Ball, that it would be silly to put that on herself, but she couldn't get rid of the feeling that she should have told the planners about the bad feeling she had. Of course she had told Aaron that there was something going on, but in the end that hadn't been enough. She had told some of her housemates and not even one part of her plan had worked, Vladimir had seen through her within minutes. And then Rafael D'Spacito and Willow had interfered, stolen his bag. And then the mosps. And the fire. Vladimir attacking Willow and Flash. And then Opeila trying to be of help, but instead hurting her own friend.
Before the ball. When that idiot Jack Warren tried to physically intimidate her to the point of where she felt threatened. She had punched him and broke her hand in the process.
It stressed Opeila a whole lot, that she turned into a useless bystander as soon as wands weren't of help. She had to grow stronger. And she had a vague idea of how to achieve that.
Her broken hand had been mended within a few seconds in the hospital wing, the annoyance about herself had not in the past week.
Opeila stopped near her housetable and let her gaze wander over the benches, looking for a place to sit. It stopped at a certain Slytherin that only a few weeks ago had held a knife to her throat. To be fair, she had slammed his head on the table and threatened to set his hair on fire, but again, he had almost killed her a month before. She remembered the pain too well. How she almost collapsed in Charms so Burnett had to drag her out.
And then it had ended all differently. He told her what had happened to the cursed blood he took from her and in the end she had offered him to use her to get more information. She still got a slightly sick feeling in her stomach when she though of what she had agreed to, but it was done and too late now.
The Slytherin walked toward the blackhaired boy and sat down opposite him. "Hey", she muttered and grabbed some toast. Where should she start? It was a weird request she had and possible- actually it was quite likely that he said no. Maybe asked for her intentions first if she got lucky. Selim seemed like the paranoid sort. Opeila was almost sure by now that he lived through something terrible, something that she couldn't even imagine. She was sure that Selim was responsible for Jack's numerous cuts and injuries and the fact that he had brought knives and syringes to school... Opeila would lie if he said that she could tell for certain what was normal and what was not, but that behaviour was certainly not normal.
He would assume the worst. That was the reaction that Opeila thought was most likely. And still she had to try.
She cleared her throat. How did one start a conversation like that? How did one ask a paranoid person to teach them to fight? "Selim?", she started. "I just wanted to know... What you did in the common room. When I pressed you head on the table and you just... got free. Where did you learn that?" A personal question.
Opeila kept her eyes on her food- how did one look unsuspicious? She didn't want him to think that she wanted to harm him.
6 Aug 2020, 00:39
Asking a Favour
@Opeila Seilun
Warning, mildly disturbing imagery ahead.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Selim had decided to actually attend dinner today instead of asking the kitchen elves for some extra food to munch on alone in the dark. His mind was a haze, thoughts whirring through it day and night until he barely even got a wink of sleep for days at a time until he basically went unconscious, body giving out on him.
It showed, his face looked gaunt, cheeks seeming slightly more hollow, eyes sunken ever so slightly into their sockets, bags basically outlining his eyes, in a mockery of the eye shadow he wore to the ball.
He was sitting at the table, he was there, but his mind seemed to be somewhere else, far away, away in the future, when he went back to the clan compound, when he'd cause another human pain simply because his father commanded him to.
It had been niggling at the back of his mind for a while now, chewing away at the fringes, keeping him awake with images of what he had done to Jack, and how he'd do the very same thing to a stranger, one he didn't know.
Who was he, to judge when someone should suffer or not? Was that not up to the God, or gods that watched over this world? Commanded it? Why was he, a mere mortal, ready to inflict suffering on someone he doesn't know? Just because his father told him to?
He cast his fathomless yellow eyes down to the plate in front of him, blinking at it as he eyed the sushi resting on its surface. Suddenly, it didn't look appetizing.
His gaze turned from his untouched food to a distant corner of the great hall, where a tall, lanky, eldritch creature stood, unnaturally long limbs hanging in down as his floated, fading in and out of existence as its bulbous milky white eyes gazed at him.
It had gotten bigger since he first started school, taller, more inhuman, and amalgamation of the demons that had begun to whisper mutely in the back of his mind. They spoke as if they were underwater, but they were always there, incomprehensible still, but he felt that wouldn't be the case for long.
His blank face twitched as the creature grinned at him, with sharp jagged teeth shining in the shadows, stained red and yellow.
Something in his chest tightened- fear(?)- and Selim turned away, going back to staring at his food with expressionless eyes.
Then, someone sat beside him, spoke to him, and an odd feeling hit him, as if he had been deprived o human communication for years, until this point, a feeling of relief that he wasn't just a tortured soul, drifting, unseen by all, unheard by most, never to sleep again.
He looked over as a girl spoke, one he recognized as his housemate who always seemed so wary of him, rightly so.
Her name was Opeila Seilun, if his foggy memory was correct, and she asked him where he learned how to defend himself, and disarm those who attacked him.
He blinked at her, pale yellow eyes seeming even flatter than when they first met, he probably looked like a walking corpse, or something just as similar.
He eyed the girl, the one who had offered to be his test subject (Which he had yet been unable to get around to, due to everything that had been battering him metaphorically and literally for a month straight.
He eyed her, and did, indeed, question her motives. Perhaps in the past, he'd think her a planted spy of the Kuroda Clan, but after she offered herself up as an experiment that suspicion was largely washed away.
He could go into detail, answering the question clearly so he could go back to vegetating, but he still had a good dose of paranoia, slowly building up despite how he struggled to keep his mask on.
So he decided to answer simply, with that same, near-toneless voice, reminiscent of a robot, or perhaps a soulless husk.
The later was an apt description, he supposed, he had probably lost his soul a long time ago, be it when he was snapped out of his childhood by his parents, or mentally broken by his kidnappers.
"I learned it from my family, we have a rich history that includes martial arts, and it's tradition to pass on such skills to the younger generations when they become of age."
His voice was flat, as if he were simply remembering the answer from a textbook.... though perhaps he was?
"Why do you ask, Miss Seilun?" He said, still polite despite seeming like a hollowed-out vessel of a human.
Merely empty, perhaps once containing a personality, even a shred of spirit, but now simply a shadow of a living being, a child that had lost a spark of... something.
A ghost wandering the halls, maybe one of many, maybe not.
No matter, it was obvious to everyone, Selim was barely even human anymore... no...
He was more like... a doll, mistreated, forgotten, alone, left to collect dust in the shadowy corners of society.
Yes.... a doll.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Stats & Abilities:Reducio
____ ____ ____
/40
Stamina: 5
Evasion: 10
Strength: 5
Wisdom: 7
ArcPower: 3
Accuracy: 10
____ ____ ____
"False Face must Hide what the Heart Doth Know." -Macbeth
S.F
6 Aug 2020, 01:07
Asking a Favour
When he looked at Opeila, she first realized how bad he looked. She frowned a little. Was she worried? Maybe. A little. "You look like you could use some food.", she said, glancing at his plate. "Or sleep. Rather both." For a short, very weird split-second she felt the urge to chuckle. No joyful chuckle, merely mildly amused. A few weeks ago, Jack had referred to her as an Insomniac, like Fangs. Did Jack honestly have so bad luck when it came to finding friends? Or... whatever he called the people close to him? Or did he simply just look after people?
Second thoughts... maybe the reason for him pushing her away in January were after all very easy.
She looked at him. He did look bad. On the outside and Opeila had a feeling, that it didn't look a lot better on the inside. She barely knew anything about her housemate, but where she had said things to Flash about being scared of being broken, one look at him told her that she was talking about things she had no idea about really. Selim looked lost. Broken. What is it? What happened to you? She wondered why she had not seen earlier what she saw now. Was he so good at hiding his feelings? Or- much more likely- had she been too caught up with her own problems to care?
Selim explained his family's tradition and then- like she had expected- asked why she wanted to know. The first year took a bite from her toast and thought about her answer. "I want you to show me, how to fight. You are obviously extremely good at it and I am not."
She still remembered the pain in her broken hand after she had punched the Hufflepuff prefect. Her hand was fine now, but her pride was still hurt. "I hurt a friend because I don't know how to fight. I can't become useless as soon as wands do.", she added, thinking of Flash.
"Would you do that?", she asked, looking up from her plate.
Second thoughts... maybe the reason for him pushing her away in January were after all very easy.
She looked at him. He did look bad. On the outside and Opeila had a feeling, that it didn't look a lot better on the inside. She barely knew anything about her housemate, but where she had said things to Flash about being scared of being broken, one look at him told her that she was talking about things she had no idea about really. Selim looked lost. Broken. What is it? What happened to you? She wondered why she had not seen earlier what she saw now. Was he so good at hiding his feelings? Or- much more likely- had she been too caught up with her own problems to care?
Selim explained his family's tradition and then- like she had expected- asked why she wanted to know. The first year took a bite from her toast and thought about her answer. "I want you to show me, how to fight. You are obviously extremely good at it and I am not."
She still remembered the pain in her broken hand after she had punched the Hufflepuff prefect. Her hand was fine now, but her pride was still hurt. "I hurt a friend because I don't know how to fight. I can't become useless as soon as wands do.", she added, thinking of Flash.
"Would you do that?", she asked, looking up from her plate.
@Selim Faust
6 Aug 2020, 02:45
Asking a Favour
@Opeila Seilun
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
The girl mentioned his health, causing him to blink, a hint of confusion leaking into his expression. Why did this girl care about such things? She disliked him, barely knew him, and he was going to end up experimenting on her. Everything should, logically, point to her ending up not caring about his health.
Truly, there were only two people he knew that cared about his wellbeing, his older brother, and Jack... he thought it would stop there, and eventually the two would give up on him, realize that he was way beyond help.
Was this.... normal, for people to do? Care about people they didn't know? That seemed unlikely, everything in his life had proven otherwise.
Sighing, he rubbed at his dry eyes, deciding to dismiss such a confusing notion and pinned the odd idea as being a one-time thing.
"No need to worry about my health, Miss Seilun. You have enough to worry about, with that troublesome curse..." Despite his words, he did, reluctantly, grab a piece of sushi with the provided chopsticks, picking it up with skill that spoke of years of practice, and plopping it in his mouth, chewing despite his rolling stomach.
As for sleep? That was beyond his control.
The girl then asked him to teach her how to fight. He paused for a moment, glancing towards her from the corner of his eyes, before finishing his mouth of food and setting down the chopsticks. He turned to her, with those tired, expressionless eyes, answering briefly, he knew this girl, knew he could teach her, teach her just enough for him to still, ultimately, be better than her so she couldn't turn the skill against him, but there were a few 'concerns' if you could call it that, tied to such a possibility, and a few things that would need to be straightened out. "The way I was taught how to fight is rather... brutal, compared to normal dojos and fighting chains. Often it ended up with me passing out from the amount of physical exertion that strained my body to its limits." He studied the girl, eyes sharper, calculating, but still tinged with a weariness that went beyond the physical. "Due to the curse and the fact that you weren't conditioned at a young age like me, I have some concerns about how healthy that would be for you."
Selim took this sort of thing seriously, if Opeila insisted on going through training under him, then he wasn't going to be careless about her health... like his teachers had been with his.
He grabbed another piece of sushi after picking up his chopsticks again, nausea now lessened, probably because his stomach had something in it... perhaps a croissant and apple slices weren't the best breakfast..... skipping lunch to train probably wasn't the best idea either...
He glanced back at the girl, "I wouldn't be surprised if the black patches on your skin were some sort of signs of the skin being essentially dead there, which would lead to you getting fatigued quicker. It's a possibility that if you push it, you could become chronically fatigued." The black-haired boy hummed, "Though I'm no expert in biology yet, much less the medical sides of things."
He said that, but in all honestly, he was almost above college-level in biology, though on the medical sides of things, he was maybe... first-year level if he was metaphorically in a doctoral course in a muggle university...
"Still, it's a risk... are you willing to take it?" He gazed at the girl, face expression less absent and more serious.
He's read about chronic fatigue, and from what he's read, it's nothing to scoff at.
It basically disables someone for the rest of their life, and even if it's only a slim possibility, it's still a dangerous risk to take.
Selim didn't want to inadvertently cause such a thing to anyone.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Stats & Abilities:Reducio
____ ____ ____
/40
Stamina: 5
Evasion: 10
Strength: 5
Wisdom: 7
ArcPower: 3
Accuracy: 10
____ ____ ____
"False Face must Hide what the Heart Doth Know." -Macbeth
S.F
6 Aug 2020, 11:15
Asking a Favour
For a moment there was confusion on his face. Well, why would he not be confused, the last times they talked had not exactly been pleasant. He had almost killed her in February. No, she didn't really have a reason to care. And then the moment was over, he brushed her concern of and told her that she had enough to worry about with the curse. "Slowly getting tired of worrying about it..." was all she had to say to that.
Then Selim told her how hard he was taught. And that he was concerned that it would harm her.
"So you would teach me in a... similar brutal way like you were taught?" If she was honest, that was part of the reason that she had asked him to teach her and not for example Aaron, who she knew was in the Martial Arts club. That club had tried to increase the safety at the ball.
Opeila asked Selim because of two things. One- The best teacher was the enemy. Selim wasn't an enemy maybe, but he could be one. He was reckless and didn't hesitate to hurt her to get what he needed.
That was the second reason. Selim seemed to be one of the people, who focused on the endgoal and got there by all means. Being taught by Selim would likely not be the most pleasant way, but maybe the most effective. Which was what mattered more to her. She wanted someone who didn't care so much.
He went on about how he assumed that the black colour of her skin could mean that it was essentially dead there. Opeila had never been very interested in biology, so she couldn't say whether he was right or not, but she doubted it. "Disagreed. When the spider bit me, darkness went through... my veins, I guess, and that's where it still is. I believe that simply the venom's colour is black."
Selim seemed to have more knowledge in that area than she did. He started about her possibly getting chronically fatigued and although Opeila didn't quite know what the effects of that would be, her stomach tightened at the thought of destroying her health even further.
He asked her if she was willing to take the risk.
Opeila forced herself to calm down again. She had known that there were risks before she asked Selim. No reason to panic.
"I am."
She doubted that she would ever get to Selim's level. Or rather that he would allow her to reach his level. But even if she got only half as good as him someday, it would be a great accomplishment.
@Selim Faust
Then Selim told her how hard he was taught. And that he was concerned that it would harm her.
"So you would teach me in a... similar brutal way like you were taught?" If she was honest, that was part of the reason that she had asked him to teach her and not for example Aaron, who she knew was in the Martial Arts club. That club had tried to increase the safety at the ball.
Opeila asked Selim because of two things. One- The best teacher was the enemy. Selim wasn't an enemy maybe, but he could be one. He was reckless and didn't hesitate to hurt her to get what he needed.
That was the second reason. Selim seemed to be one of the people, who focused on the endgoal and got there by all means. Being taught by Selim would likely not be the most pleasant way, but maybe the most effective. Which was what mattered more to her. She wanted someone who didn't care so much.
He went on about how he assumed that the black colour of her skin could mean that it was essentially dead there. Opeila had never been very interested in biology, so she couldn't say whether he was right or not, but she doubted it. "Disagreed. When the spider bit me, darkness went through... my veins, I guess, and that's where it still is. I believe that simply the venom's colour is black."
Selim seemed to have more knowledge in that area than she did. He started about her possibly getting chronically fatigued and although Opeila didn't quite know what the effects of that would be, her stomach tightened at the thought of destroying her health even further.
He asked her if she was willing to take the risk.
Opeila forced herself to calm down again. She had known that there were risks before she asked Selim. No reason to panic.
"I am."
She doubted that she would ever get to Selim's level. Or rather that he would allow her to reach his level. But even if she got only half as good as him someday, it would be a great accomplishment.
@Selim Faust
6 Aug 2020, 19:14
Asking a Favour
@Opeila Seilun
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Selim simply shrugged at the girl's response to his suggestion about worrying about her curse. Though her next inquiry made him glance at her sharply, brow raised. "I'd prefer not to push you that hard, from my experience, it isn't very pleasant, and you could very well end up falling behind in classes because of the strain." He picked up another piece of sushi and ate it swiftly, swallowing before answering, "But I suppose that's up to you, Miss Seilun. Do you want to push yourself to that point?"
Her rebuttal about the venom remaining in her veins and not affecting the cells around it that are fed by her blood made him look at her dryly. "You mean the veins that are supposed to be providing your skin and muscles nutrients they need to remain healthy? Those veins?" It was obvious in his words that he was rather unimpressed with her theory.
She then responded to his final big question with an affirmative. He stared into her eyes, looking for that glint of determination he knew she'd need to get through this, then sighed, placing his chopsticks down. Briefly, he grabbed a napkin, wiping away any remnants of his meal, then responded to her affirmation.
"Very well, Miss Seilun, if you truly want me to train you, I will." He glanced at her, "Just remember not to blame me if anything unfortunate happens to you in the process."
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Stats & Abilities:Reducio
____ ____ ____
/40
Stamina: 5
Evasion: 10
Strength: 5
Wisdom: 7
ArcPower: 3
Accuracy: 10
____ ____ ____
"False Face must Hide what the Heart Doth Know." -Macbeth
S.F
8 Aug 2020, 00:33
Asking a Favour
Selim said that he would prefer to not push her to that point and then asked her if that was what she wanted. Honestly, Opeila did not. While she wanted to push her limits, she didn't want to go beyond and certainly not to the point where it harmed her. So she moved her head a little, merely hinting an unwilling headshaking. "Rather not. At least not to that point. I just need to get better than I am now. So by all means, feel free to push me, I'll definitely try to." She still had the three months in mind, where her dad had tried to get her to run with him every week. Opeila had hated it and eventually they had both given up. That couldn't happen this time.
Once more it got clear how very basic Opeila's knowledge of biology was, when Selim started about the functions of veins. The girl opened her mouth, and closed it again. She really should just not say anything when she had no idea. "Yes... I guess those veins...", she then said and sighed. "It doesn't matter. I think it is worth the risk."
Selim stared at her for a moment, seemed to look for something in her eyes, then agreed. Though he asked her not to blame him if it did harm her in the end. Again Opeila nodded. "I do want you to train me. And I am aware that I am taking a risk. You wouldn't be held responsible for any of it, except positive results.", she said.
@Selim Faust
Once more it got clear how very basic Opeila's knowledge of biology was, when Selim started about the functions of veins. The girl opened her mouth, and closed it again. She really should just not say anything when she had no idea. "Yes... I guess those veins...", she then said and sighed. "It doesn't matter. I think it is worth the risk."
Selim stared at her for a moment, seemed to look for something in her eyes, then agreed. Though he asked her not to blame him if it did harm her in the end. Again Opeila nodded. "I do want you to train me. And I am aware that I am taking a risk. You wouldn't be held responsible for any of it, except positive results.", she said.
@Selim Faust
19 Aug 2020, 00:22
Asking a Favour
@ @Opeila Winters
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Selim nodded to the girl's responses, listening as her last words spoken in the assurance that Selim wouldn't be held in the wrong if she gets injured during training, only positive results.
"As you wish. When do you want to meet and where, Miss Seilun?" He asked calmly.
He wasn't sure his father would approve of this... but he found that... he didn't care. That caused him to blink in mild shock.
...Was there something in his sushi?
He picked up a piece and examined it scrutinizingly, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Then he put it down warily, switching from eating to sipping some calming cinnamon and mint tea. His muscles eased slightly, but sadly, tea wasn't a miracle worker, so he still looked like a walking corpse.
"Personally, I'd say every day during break, but I'm not sure if that schedule would suit you. It's usually during the break that I myself train though."
He put his tea down, sending a questioning glance to the girl. The scent of cinnamon began to fill the small area around the two students, only relaxing Selim further.
He never expected to be a sensei at such a young age, but he supposed it would be a good experience.
Now he just had to make sure he didn't grow attached to the girl during his time teaching her.
Should be easy enough.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ ||~♟~|| ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁
Stats & Abilities:Reducio
____ ____ ____
/40
Stamina: 5
Evasion: 10
Strength: 5
Wisdom: 7
ArcPower: 3
Accuracy: 10
Ability: Martial Artist
____ ____ ____
"False Face must Hide what the Heart Doth Know." -Macbeth
S.F
26 Aug 2020, 08:19
Asking a Favour
When Selim agreed, Opeila's face lit up for a moment. She was as relieved as she was surprised. This had been a lot easier than she had dreaded.
Actually, she had been so worried about convincing him in the first place, that she hadn't spent much of a thought on the time or place.
"I don't know... I suppose you know better than me what places are good for training.", she said. The grounds maybe? The ballroom for bad weather? Or- would he want to train outside no matter what the weather was? Would that maybe even be a good additional difficulty?
Selim suggested the breaks. "You mean during lunchtime?" Her first impulse was to ask for a different time, but then she changed her mind and nodded.
Then she maybe just had to eat more in the mornings anf evenings. She could do that. "Yeah, why not. That works for me."
When Opeila got her letter from Hogwarts, she would have never thought in a thousand years, that she would ever end up where she was now. Involved with dark magical attacks and asking a student, who had almost killed her only a few weeks ago, to teach her how to fight.
What had happened to her world?
"Thank you."
@Selim Faust
Actually, she had been so worried about convincing him in the first place, that she hadn't spent much of a thought on the time or place.
"I don't know... I suppose you know better than me what places are good for training.", she said. The grounds maybe? The ballroom for bad weather? Or- would he want to train outside no matter what the weather was? Would that maybe even be a good additional difficulty?
Selim suggested the breaks. "You mean during lunchtime?" Her first impulse was to ask for a different time, but then she changed her mind and nodded.
Then she maybe just had to eat more in the mornings anf evenings. She could do that. "Yeah, why not. That works for me."
When Opeila got her letter from Hogwarts, she would have never thought in a thousand years, that she would ever end up where she was now. Involved with dark magical attacks and asking a student, who had almost killed her only a few weeks ago, to teach her how to fight.
What had happened to her world?
"Thank you."
@Selim Faust