PLOT THREAD & SIGN-UP | RULES & SYNOPSIS | LAST YEAR'S GAME

The rules may be tweaked a little bit-- it will be posted about here! Please begin by having your character approach the field/their assigned teams. Fauna is in charge of handing out color-coded bandanas. Tulojow is joining the game, but will be on hand for anyone who needs emergency assistance.

Anyone who would still like to join is more than welcome to do so. Please post in the plotting thread and you will be assigned to a team. I added everyone who voiced interest in the plot thread. If I left you out by accident, or if you would like to be removed from the game, please let me know!

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TEAM ONE              Trent Vulpes Emmylou Dax Demetria Erik Tynan Mairead Nikolas Mysti Josh Simon Huxley Jazelle Mary Beth Church Drea Aurora Tulojow

TEAM TWO Neely Fauna Beatrix Dion Erin Sasha Noami Georgiana Cyhirae Eirene Heliotrope Pax Waker Norika Charles Morvin Gracie Philo George

Neely was out for blood ruining someone’s sad, basic shirt. Really, she was too generous sometimes. Wand titled at her hip, the spritely Slytherin stomped her way to the field like a military trainee whose color coordination skills trumped the tired fallback of camouflage. Couldn’t someone design functional sportswear that didn’t suck? Wasn’t that what a recision was for? Golly, innovation had disappeared from the world. In Neely’s day...

Well.

In Neely’s day, she was a Wizarding Paintball pro, and that still rang true. Now she was a seasoned seasonable veteran, but not the old kind (ew).

Leaving one’s dorm just shy of curfew was no small feat, but it helped to know that a couple dozen upperclassmen were on her side. What were they going to do, hold back everyone and throw the House Cup into the lake? Neely didn’t think so. If she was going down, she was taking everyone with her (and then crying that they made her do it, and it wasn’t fair, and wasn’t she too cute to suffer like this?)

So it was like that, all stompy but glidey and sure of herself, that Neely Woolfolk approached the battlefield. A few people loitered about, but they obviously weren’t the fashionably late sort (she wasn’t late), nor the savvy early sort (judging by their plebeian shadows), so Neely crossed her arms, taking up the half-pouting, half-aloof, obviously-too-cool-to-tell-anyone-if-she-was-in-on-it stance. It was a good  look on her. This wasn’t like last year, when she didn’t know who had the sent the invitation or where to queue up. (She still didn’t know who had sent it, and as word got around this year, she had tried to poke around and find out... but she hasn’t tried too hard, because the mystery of it sort of made it fun; even Neely had to congratulate the invisible face behind the game. She was properly intimidated.)

But it wasn’t long before more people started to show up, and Neely grew antsy with anticipation. She was a fifteensixteen-year-old girl. “Has anyone seen this year's bandanas?” She asked no one in particular. If the rumors were true... “Hopefully it goes with my...” She looked down, shrugging. “Me.”

Paintball was fun in the Muggle world. Church had done it a few times over the breaks with his friends in London. So when he heard the whispers about Wizard Paintball, he had to join in the fun. After all, Church was fairly adept at it when it was using actually guns, and worrying about bulky ammo, and reloading. Taking all of that out of the equation should make it much simpler.

So on the night of the match, instead of making his way up to Ravenclaw to do whatever he felt like doing, Church loitered around the grounds, being sure to stay out of sight until curfew came around. Then calmly he made his way down to the meeting place. From the looks of things he was the second to arrive; a girl he recognized as a Slytherin to be the first.

"The bandanas?" Church repeated, assuming she referred to what the teams would be using to identify themselves. "I'm sure they will clash horribly with everyone." Smiling he looked over his shoulder at the others who had arrived.

"So does anyone know the roster? Who's on which team and all that?"

Jazz skipped out onto the lawns in glee.  It had been too long since she went paintball-ing and was eager to get down and dirty.  Though she usually played with actual paintball guns, she figured using a wand would be essentially the same.  Being exposed to Paintball-ing at a young age by her brothers, and continuing the game throughout the years with some of her friends, she was fairly adept.  Jazz smiled brightly at the sight of people already waiting.  One of them was her good friend Church.

"Hey hey hey!" she called out humorously and came upon them quickly.  "Isn't this a beautiful night?  I'm fairly certain I'm going to pwn some unsuspecting suckers." she said joyfully, wondering about the teams, and if she'll have to fight against Church.  A devious smirk played at her lips at that thought.  There was something guiltily satisfying about pwning a friend in fabulously colored paints.  "Let's start this mother!" she added in enthusiasm with a few punches in the air.  "There will be blood tonight!"

Alright, so Jazz was excited.  Perhaps overly so, but she needed something to express her suppressed rage from the past months.  Paintball-ing seemed like a perfect outlet, and she was going to give it her all.  She wasn't afraid of getting down and dirty, in fact, she preferred it that way.

George was giddy and content. He was in working order again, and that was what counted. Plus, he was in some... sort of weird... spot with Waker, and it wasn’t all anger and disappointment. Hence the contentment. Smirking to himself, he strode out towards the lawn. With only one more day left on the N.E.W.T.s, George felt confident. He was finally getting out of Hogwarts.

What lay ahead of him at that point, he wasn’t too sure. There were few options and a number of different paths he could attempt. For now, he wanted to just focus on the present and get what he wanted. Was that so much to ask?

George was still not sure what was going on with Waker and him, but he could easily go out for some wizarding paintball. Again. What a fun idea for the end of the year. His wand was aching to let a few things out before he was out in the real world. Before he was in too much trouble for doing something he shouldn’t.

As long as Edmund didn’t show up, he didn’t expect to be very out of sorts.

Nearing the Forbidden Forest, he saw a familiar blonde. Grinning to himself, he slipped up behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist, picking her up for a backwards hug and spin. “Neely!” He was leaving Hogwarts, and her, behind in just a few days. It was kind of sad...

Setting the girl back down, he adjusted his trousers and looked around. “What about bandana’s?” Nodding a greeting to his fellow Gryffindor, George crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

Mary Beth had slipped the boundaries of the school fairly adeptly, her tiny limbs snaking around corners and her tiny eyes peeking under doorways. With all the precision of a seasoned ninja, she had tumbled and snuck and tiptoed her way out of the building and flitted to the grounds. None of her pageantry was necessary, of course: all hallways had been empty and no one would have noticed the four foot wonder anyhow.

She had been entirely unsure of what would constitute appropriate dress for such an event, and had perhaps chosen the wrong thing to wear- she was pretty in her starch-white little dress, but the more she thought about it, the more she was certain that:
a) she'd never be able to get the paint out on her own as she was still horse shit with a wand
b) she would be embarrassed asking an older kid for help when it had been her dumb mistake in the first place
c) the blazing, clean white would surely be easy to spot
AND
d) her mother was sure to wring her neck when she returned with a technicolor dress.
Regardless, spirits could not have been higher as she quit the castle and traipsed down the grounds merrily. The sun was out longer in the early summer days, which were beginning to become dog days, she noted, already beginning to sweat a little.

A group of students was evident at the clearing just before the Forbidden Forest, and she took a fleeting look over her shoulder before sprinting the rest of the way down. The size of the kids seemed to rise exponentially as she approached, and she was quickly dwarfed by what was currently a small forest of upperclassmen. Most would be intimidated by such a height difference, but she noticed with a smile that she seemed comfortably and snugly in their blind spots.

Mary Beth had jammed her wand into the ribbon sash on her dress, and it prodded her hip uncomfortably as she moved. She hoped she'd be able to figure out a better solution. "Hullo," she said finally, her tone unflinchingly cheerful. "Hope yis ready to get yer arses undone," she grinned, a small giggle escaping her.

She knew a handful of other firsties were planning on paintballing with them, and she hoped to see a more familiar face soon. At least another Hufflepuff!

Unfortunately for Mary Beth, Gracie was neither a fellow first year nor a Hufflepuff.

Decked out in a black sports tee and denim shorts (as well as a hat to top it all off), the fifth year Slytherin materialized under a nearby tree, the very picture of rough-edged poise and vaguely fashionable guerilla warfare as she stood beneath the leaves. Smiling faintly to herself, she watched the students (–no, players) begin to appear. Almost forty people were supposed to be in this, she recalled, idly taking note of who came and who hadn’t yet. In the case of the other team, that was at least ten people too many.

But that was okay. More people meant more enemies, of course, but that was just another way of saying that there were more targets to go after.

No, Neely wasn’t the only one out for blood.

“I should think bandanas are the least of anyone’s worries,” she said dryly, coming up to stand a little ways from Church and Hawke. “Who’s on whose team, more like.” She looked around the clearing, spotting a familiar face here and there, spotting others that weren’t. Her wand stuffed into a back pocket, Gracie wondered when they’d get to start. She was already measuring up the others, trying to decide who it’d be best to take out first. “Dunno how it’s done myself.”

((OOC: This is my big 'all my characters showed up' post. In the future each character will be their own post and I'll avoid back to back posts between them.))

"...and just show up by the forest? It's all so suspect," said Obderedria as she and Helio snuck across the grounds. She was sure about tonight, she had planned to snuggle with Puddin' some before going to bed. Her Hufflepuff sisters had been absent from the dorm room this evening, their disappearance confusing the polka dotted haired girl. Until Heliotrope had shown up.

"Where is everyone?" Obderedria had asked.

"There is shooting of balls of paint in the forest," Heliotrope replied. The young part-mer had returned to the room to change, shrugging a blue shirt and shorts over her ever present lycra swimsuit.

"Balls of paint? Paintball?" Obderedria said. She'd heard of the sport, shooting people with paint instead of bullets. It sounded horrendously violent. "How did you find out?"

"Someone told me so I am going," said Heliotrope.

Typical Heliotrope, doing whatever anyone told her. "But it's late," Obderedria argued, "how would you get out of the castle? It's past bedtime."

"I will flush myself down the toilet and follow the pipe to the lake."

Obderedria sat there stunned until she remembered that Heliotrope was always honest in her intent. She knew her roommate was flexible, sometimes sleeping under the bed, but how could she be that flexible??

"What? No, no one's flushing themselves down the toilet!! I can't let you go out there alone, this all sounds too fishy."

"If you come it will be difficult to flush ourselves down the toilet," Heliotrope stated. "No one said there would be fish."

"Enough with the toilet!! I know I won't fit, I don't even think you will fit!! Honestly!" Passion flared, Obderedria gripped the clammy hand of Heliotrope and guided her from Hufflepuff House, the going fraught with telling Heliotrope not to parade about directly to the forest, to use stealth.

Obderedria was able to think better once there were outside, away from the confines of the castle. Just what was she getting herself into? Running around at night was stuff Helio did, stuff Beverly did. Obderedria could easily imagine Beverly being excellent at paintball, dodging every shot and splattering her enemies with goo. Obderedria didn't think she had the heart for it. But she was out here now, and she had promised Heliotrope she would go with her, in a convoluted way, even if the stringy first year didn't reciprocate the gesture. In fact, Heliotrope was breathing deeply.

"What are you doing?" Obderedria asked.

"I am smelling the air," Heliotrope replied. "Do you not smell that?"

Obderedria inhaled deeply. What was she supposed to smell? There was a wet dankness about, moss or mold from somewhere, dirt...and something that caused her tongue to water, as if someone was baking cake out by the Hospital Hut. Cinnamon and cream cheese...

"Ass-Bollocks!" something croaked in the night.

"Eeep!" Obderedria shrieked, dodging behind Heliotrope. They were caught, that was for sure!! Drea remembered reading about some of the strange creatures in the magical world and imagining what they were like. It might a Jarvey, nasty tempered weasel like things that spoke horrendous english.

Instead, it was that glum looking Ravenclaw boy. Philo, wasn't it?

"Err, sorry," Philo said. He too had seen a few of his housemates whisper conspiratorially about the paintball event. He thought he could at least watch. He appreciated the strategy of the game more than the actual sneaking about and getting shot at. Coming from his direction from the castle, Philo had noticed the shapes of two young Hufflepuffs. Heliotrope LeJean and...Obderedria. Were they joining? If there were, Philo would join and hope that he was on the same team. He was about to ask when Arlaug decided to break the ice for him.

"You have that frog, don't you?" asked Obderedria, realizing where the swear had come from.

"Yeah, Arlaug," Philo said, shrugging under his satchel bag. How did he always forget to check for his stowaway pet whenever he grabbed his bag? "Y-You joining the game?"

"Yes," said Heliotrope before Obderedria could open her mouth to speak. The chubby Hufflepuff just nodded her head, green and brown hair obscuring her face for a moment.

"I've noticed that a lot of people in our year were talking about it," Philo said as the trio got closer to the main group. "It shouldn't be too hazardous."

That comforting notion did not even get a chance to take root, as from the crowd gathered they heard the rallies of "Let's start this mother! There will be blood tonight!" and "Hope yis ready to get yer arses undone!" Obderedria whimpered behind Heliotrope until the algae-stained blonde walked further into the group, entranced by mob mentality.

"Should be fine," Philo tried to reassure again, although now he didn't have the heart in it.

Obderedria had recognized the voice that promised undone arses. "Mary Beth!" Obderedria said, crossing. Mary Beth was tough so no doubt she would do well with this game. Her presence and skill brought a bit more comfort than Heliotrope's instinctive but detached nature.

"Ey-up, nerds!" Huck called as he approached the throng. Everyone else had dressed very cool and appropriately- well, all except the first year that looked like she was going to her confirmation- while he had chosen to eschew the combat theme and show up in a wifebeater and bluejeans. He figured everyone else would be a sweaty mess by the end of it, while he would be cool and comfortable and sexy.

Picking Gracie out of the crowd, he swaggered up to her and threw his arm across her shoulders. "Fancy meeting you here, lovebug," he grinned toothily, twirling his wand between his fingers. "Don't worry about a thing, hinny, I'll keep you safe from paintballs with me big, long, hard.... wand," he finished abruptly, his features a frustrating smirk.

Upon hearing about the "paintball" game taking place that night, Naomi decided to go out early and amuse herself properly before seeing whether the game was worth it or not. Every moment was a precious thing, and a night out breaking a few rules shouldn't be wasted.

First, of course blatantly disobeyed the curfew by walking straight in front of every painting and suit of armor, between her and the exit, moving with all the poise, grace, and ego of her Runes professor... Well, she also had her professor's face, which made walking out of the castle ridiculously easy, as long as she didn't turn a corner and see a reflection. Once out of the castle and into a dark secluded huddle of trees the witch molded herself back into her dark-skinned curly-haired self and pocketed the professor robes back into her magically extended pockets.

With light and silent steps, Naomi stalked her way to the Forbidden Forest where she spent some time exploring. Finally, the sky dimmed and the shadows fell away into the dark blanket of the evening, signaling the start of whatever nonsense was going on.

There was some mention of bandanas, and Gracie was admiring the crowd like a hungry shark as she spoke.

A slim hand reached across Gracie's back, dabbed her shoulder with a finger and then playfully swatted at her hair, "Well yer first on my list fi we're opposing ," Naomi lilted off with a ghosting smile as she emerged at the older girl's side and rolled her eyes at the other Ward sibling. She'd rather put the boy in a tea kettle than listen to him when there were other things to be done than getting high off of hormones.

Unsure of what Gracie meant by "how it's done," Naomi answered with a short, sweet, and dangerous jest, "S'like hunting, jus' wit' paint for fire[1]." The little witch herself, had never played paintball, but she had heard the odd muggle conversation or two about the game, and inferred how the game was played from there.

1.	instead of saying ammo (:

Erin ambled down towards the woods, pleased with life's lot. He'd done this last year and it'd been wicked, but of course that had been last year and so might as well have been another time and country as far as Erin was concerned. This was the sort of activity at which he excelled, all physicality and instinct and speed. His wirey Seeker's build suited him well, and he was impatient for the game to start. Since last year there'd only been Storm's class barrel stealing and Erin had gotten the shite beaten out of him by Dax Fayette during that. (Fortunately he'd been able to return the favor, and coming onto summer it stood to win first place for brawl of the year.) If this event was as much fun, he'd be a happy bloke.

To his deep disappointment, everyone was still milling about by the time he reached the meeting spot. That was okay, because for once Erin's entrance would consist of more than him sidling sidelong into a group with a reckless wand and a ready scowl. He had the list.

Kind of unexpected, really. He'd thought when he'd found it, all neatly drawn up and stuck to the long drooping nose of the Humpbacked witch, that it was some mass-produced thing, like the fliers a while back everyone pretended they didn't know came from Kitty. Empty hallway, list, Erin. Of course he was going to take it. He'd unstuck it for the date and time 'cos he forgot stuff like that, but now he felt important. Slightly paranoid, too, thinking back to that conveniently deserted hallway... but oh, well. Erin didn't mind being a pawn for paintball. He could be the vehicle for the list. Covertly he tried to smooth the wrinkles out that came from being in his pocket for an indeterminate amount of time, then flicked the parchment out and between his fingers, sauntering deeper into the amorphous mass while pretending to consult it.

"Say," he drawled, in a carrying tone. "You mean you don't already know what teams you're all on?" In his head, he started a countdown to how long he had before Neely someone snatched the list out of his hands. 1, 2...

(( If we have a list already magically scheduled to appear somewhere/from someone else, I'll change this post immediately! I just thought since all the charries were wondering about their teams it was about time to introduce it.))

'You have the list?!' Pax exclaimed, popping up behind Erin. He had been making his way down to the 'battlefield' a little ways behind the Slytherin, but hadn't wanted to annoy him by walking too close. Dressed in old jeans and a worn black hoodie (clothes he didn't mind getting dirty), and even sporting a black woollen hat in an attempt to be more camouflaged, Pax went unnoticed easily enough. Now, however, Erin had a sheet of parchment in his hand, and a knowing tone in his voice, and Pax forgot about trying not to be annoying.

'Is that the list with the teams on it?' he chirped, not rude enough to take the paper from Erin, but straining on his tip toes to get a look all the same. 'How many teams are there? Who's on which team? It's not divided by year, is it?' Pax spotted Mary Beth and Drea, and grinned and waved enthusiastically. On the one hand, he hoped to be teamed up with his friends, most of whom were in first-year. On the other, first-years were going to have a hard time holding their own against the older, more experienced students. Pax had never played Paintball before, let alone Wizarding Paintball. He didn't know a great deal about how it worked aside from the basics. That didn't stop it from all being very exciting, of course.