OOC: Unless otherwise indicated, your character's response and answers should be roleplayed and posted in this thread rather than PMed to the round host.

The Department of Magical Games and Sports
Hosted by: demented_death_eater

You step inside the room and notice how stark and bland it is – plain wooden flooring and beat up grubby white walls. Wait one second – beat up walls? What in Merlin’s name….? Before you can finish the thought, you are greeted by a rather sour looking man who points to the only modern looking item in the room – a sleek, steel framed portrait that is over 6-feet tall. You do as told and have a seat on rusty folding chairs that creak under your weight. Peering at the frame, you recognize the arrogant face with intense eyes smiling back at you – it’s Rex Vindictus of the Department of Magical Games and Sport! Suddenly, the portrait begins to speak and you listen and watch intently.

“Broomsticks, magical paper and gobstones have more uses than the normal witch or wizard realize. Did you know that if used correctly in a life-threatening situation, these items can save your life? The broomstick is the most obvious and our friends at the Japanese Ministry of Magic are experts in teaching these techniques. But I digress. Broomstick defense can be used to protect yourself and your family in times of attack. Various elements of self-defense techniques include striking, throwing, joint locking and use against multiple opponents. There is a crucial point for you to remember – try to retain hold on your broomstick – don’t lose it. This is crucial. A broomstick is only useful if it is in your hand.”

Rex stopped talking and began to demonstrate the various moves – striking, throwing and even joint locking. He then gave his audience an arrogant smile. “Never use the tail twig end of a broom – it is the weakest point and it is easy for the attacker to grab hold of it in an attempt to disarm you. Now let’s move on to magical paper.” He held up a seemingly harmless piece of parchment. “Never underestimate the uses of magical paper. Did you know that the paper can react to the specific instructions you write on it? For example, if you wrote the words ‘keep on hitting little Max on the back of the head each time he mutters the word whatever’ the paper would do it? It’s true! The paper is also fantastic for writing down hidden messages so you don’t have to use invisible ink – all you need to use to read the message is the Aparecium spell. One use you might want to keep from your kids is that magical paper makes for excellent paper airplanes and spit wads. “

Another arrogant smile and Rex moved on to the last item. “Gobstones. You can throw them at your attacker – just aim between the eyes. Or if you’re not that good of a shot, then clack two of them together and squirt the attacker with the goo squirting out of the gobstone – just make sure the squirting end is facing your attacker. Another annoying use of gobstones, is to scatter them on the floor and watch as your attacker goes slipping and sliding.”

The portrait of Rex now clapped its hands and the sour-looking man handed each person a parchment scroll. “You have one minute to read what is on the paper before it explodes in a small display of purple sparks. Good luck.”

And the man in the portrait vanished.

Mr. Vindictus did not look too happy.

Well, he would not, not when he looked THAT sour. Marina shook her head at the thought - well, she would have, if she had not cared about appearing non-professional. But she did care, so she did not shake her head, only imagined it - then settled herself more comfortably in her chair - meh, rickety chair! Not a nice one to be seated in!

Broomsticks, magical paper, gobstones? Marina listened carefully, and then rose to her feet, to accept a parchment scroll.

She read it, frowned a bit, read through it again, frowned a bit more, and -- and the parchment was gone, in a mini-explosion of pretty purple sparks. Marina looked around, and raised an eyebrow - an obstacle? She couldn't see anything but the chairs and the portrait, here!

Time to get down to work.

Or at least try to.

Benjamin stepped into the room and looked around. When he saw the magical games and sports head he imedietly thought bludgers as he saw the beat up walls. But alas, he was wrong. As he listened to him talk he was rather confused about what he was going to do. And when he recieved the paper, he got even more confused. He quickly memorized it before it disappeared.

He looked around. The obvious obsticle was the portrait, but there was no magic allowed, so he really wasn't sure what to do. He decided to wait for someone or something else to appear. Because in these challenges, something usually did.

This was one of the strangest things. Attacker? Obstacle... And where were these things they were talking about. He certainly hoped he wouldn't have to be fighting anyone. Not that he couldn't, but if there was anything he wanted a break from, it was fighting. He crumpled the parchment and tossed it forward to let it destroy itself and so he could go about studying the room.

Ronan listened intently to the portrait of the sour puss man. He reminded him of his father and the young man clenched his jaw and his fists at the thought.

Reading the piece of parchment that was handed to him, Ronan looked around in alarm for some sort of obstacle wondering what it could possibly be. And no magic allowed?

'Of course, he wants us to use these three sort of types of magic.' he thought preparing himself mentally for anything that may be coming his way soon.

While observing the portrait that the man just left, he realized that it was canvas he was on, it was magical paper. That's something... He peeled it off and flipped it over to the blank side. He took out a pen and clicked it so he could write.

'Find me a way out of here that is different than where I came in.

He tapped it with his wand and waited for it to go.

Finally, his own department Skander thought as he saw that it was Rex in the portrait. He looked at the portrait and listened intently to what he was saying. Skander had already known about the broomsticks and gobstones but he'd had no idea a piece of magical parchment could do so much.

Quickly skimming the parchment he was handed by the sour looking man Skander waited for it to burn before looking around the rest of the room. They needed to face an obstacle course and there would most likely be attackers but first he needed to find the course. Grabbing another piece of magical parchment Skander quickly scrawled the message, show me the obstacle course. He hoped that it would work.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should really learn how to follow directions," purred Xylia and her violet eyes narrowed. "No magic allowed and a wand is technically an instrument used when performing magic."

Sadistic grin.

"Sure hope that you love pain," hinted Xylia and she stepped back ten paces. She positioned herself for an attack. "I do."

"BOO!" taunted Xylia as she flashed her sadistic grin at the woman. "Let's see if either of you has learned anything."

A deep chuckle announced his appearance and a surly-looking Alistair Cleaver approached the three. However, he strategically stopped seven feet away from them. "Here I am. And what you need is unfortunately over there," he taunted and pointed to the opposite wall. Several broomsticks were lined up and a small table contained a pile of gobstones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alistair Cleaver

A deep chuckle announced his appearance and a surly-looking Alistair Cleaver approached the three. However, he strategically stopped seven feet away from them. "Here I am. And what you need is unfortunately over there," he taunted and pointed to the opposite wall. Several broomsticks were lined up and a small table contained a pile of gobstones.

Listening to the man who was speaking Skander darted over to the gobstones, grabbing around three and putting them in his pocket before swiping the broom closest to him. Walking back over to the man Skander held the broomstick firmly in a position perfect for blocking any attacks. If this man was the obstacle then Skander knew he couldn't let his guard down for too long. He needed to be ready to both defend and attack.

Alistair let out a grunt of approval. The man was listening and he grabbed a broomstick, too.

He held it horizontally with his hands shoulder-width apart on the broom handle. Even his stance mimicked his upper-body positioning. "Let's see what you've got."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alistair Cleaver

Alistair let out a grunt of approval. The man was listening and he grabbed a broomstick, too.

He held it horizontally with his hands shoulder-width apart on the broom handle. Even his stance mimicked his upper-body positioning. "Let's see what you've got."

Eyeing the man's stance Skander tried to discover any weaknesses, he couldn't see any right away though. But it would do no good to stand here all day and wait for the other man to make a move. Thinking back to what he could do Skander decided that he would try striking. It would give him a better feel of the other mans strength as well.

Changing the position of his broomstick Skander kept the twig end close to his body before quickly raising the stick and crashing it down on that of the other man's. He used only half his strength and as soon as the move was done he locked his muscles, making sure that he was on balance while watching to see what the other man would do.

Just. Great. Everything in Armand changed as his mind mentally prepared itself. He'd used daggers and firearms before... as well as anything around him. After all, you couldn't rely on a wand all the time. Actually, you couldn't rely on being armed at any given moment. He darted over to grab one of the brooms and a handful of the gobstones, never letting the other man leave his sight. Feeling prepared (well, woefully unprepared, actually) he shifted and waited in a defensive stance, the broom held so it was balanced in his left hand, the handful of gobstones in his right, cautiously watching body language.

Ben looked up to see people in the room. And his eyes widened. Oh, crap. He quickly dashed to the gobstones and threw a load of them at his attacker and he put some in his pockets. He quickly wrote on three pieces of magical paper really messily the same thing.

'Attack with a broomstick whatever I attack until I say to stop.'

After writing that, he threw one gobstone at his attacker and watched the magical paper grab a broomstick each and start to hit his attacker. Ben smiled to himself. He then wrote it again and again on other pieces of magical paper, throwing a gobstone after a few pieces of paper were written.

After about ten broomsticks were whacking his attacker Benjamin grabbed a broomstick and went into the battle himself. he didn't attack, but he waited for his attacker to give up. "Give me the key to the next room," he demanded.

Xylia started laughing manically at the man. "Writing on magical paper only makes the paper do the task," she sneered and did a fake lunge at him with her current weapon, a broomstick. "You clearly weren't paying attention to the lesson. Now, be a man and fight."

"You obviously can't see the fact that paper can wrap around things," he said with a wink as the paper was wrapping around the broomsticks and swinging.

Xylia laughed again as the paper ripped into pieces because it wasn't strong enough to hold objects. "You clearly misunderstand this challenge. Quite unfortunate, now quit acting like a coward and FIGHT!"

She grabbed a second broom and swung one with exact precision at the man's clearly unblocked midsection.

Oh crap. He thought. He figured if it was magical paper, it would have magical qualities. How could I be so stupid... But as soon as his thought was finished he saw the woman move in a way that would suggest that she was going to attack him, and unfortunately, his hunch was right.

He tried to side step out of the way but the broom still caught him in the waist. "Dammit," he said grabbing a broomstick near the bristles. He held his side for a second before figuring out his plan in slow motion.

Please let my 4th grade fencing lessons come out. Okay, start with a large swing down... Ben charged and did so... Then squirt gobstone in eye... He reached into his pocket and squirt a gobstone in his attacker's eyes as he swung.

Eh.

Well, this was new -- a lady attacking a lady! Or should she say, a beastly!thing attacking a lady. Beastly!thing because -- because well, attacking a lady was not good.

"You asked for it," Marina said, kicking off her high heels - hey, they were going to be a hindrance, you know - and grabbing the nearest broom at a run. She swiped it at the 'attacker,' as she tried to grab a handful of gobstones, and managed to shoot one right between Xylia's eyes -- if the broomstick missed, maybe the gobstone would not.

... and maybe, just maybe, all those evening Taekwondo classes were finally going to come in handy, today.

Ronan's eyes narrowed at the sound of a masculine laugh as the man that was supposed to be their obstacle stood before them. He looked over to the wall as the man mentioned it, and then to the objects that they were supposed to use as weapons in order to get past him.

Hurridely, Ronan grabbed about three or four gobstones, putting them into his pants pocket before reaching for one of the broomsticks. He turned his attention to the man and stared him right in the eyes. "Don't think you're as tough as you make yourself to be." the young man said trying to show that he wasn't scared of the surly man.

Xylia turned her head and cackled manically as she raised her broom to block the incoming blow. The Gobstone goo landed on her shoulder. "Not bad for starters," she taunted and pushed herself backwards. She began to twirl her broom. "Rule number one in combat is to keep it simple and protect your weak areas."

She swung the broom handle towards his head.

As she swung her broom at the man, Xylia bent her body sideways and the Gobstone ricocheted off the wall. The goo made a slimy puddle on the floor behind her. The broom missed her by inches.

"Not bad but never tell the person you're about to attack that you're coming at them," she hinted.

Sadistic grin.

"Two against one. If I had your odds, I'd partner up because this is starting to feel like child's play."

Alistair raised his broomstick to block the blow.

CRACK!

He pushed forward with his broomstick and took a step back. "Good. Try moving your feet and watch your fingers. Again!" he encouraged the man.

He glanced over at the man. "Get alongside your fellow Ministry employee and coordinate your attack," he suggested.

Alistair laughed. "Gobstones in your pockets? You just gave me a really good target to aim for. Join the other two and coordinate your attack. Make the odds three against one, and perhaps all of you will learn a lesson or two."

Ben raised his broom to block the incoming swing. He then grabbed his attacker's broom and pulled her towards him swinging his broom at her stomach.

A group event. Well, lovely. Though after having to fight for his life over and over again, he wasn't interested in learning something from a man whose goal was to play with them rather than killing them. He watched carefully when the man was attacked, taking in how he moved. Admittedly, he was glad this wasn't another individual challenge as he had expected, and wished he'd known that ahead of time. He glanced over to Ben, who had been by his side through most of the challenges. Were they allowed to make this five against two? He hated rules... playing by the rules meant uncertainty until you knew what all of them were. Right now it felt a little akin to playing fizbin: You were relying on the enemy to tell you the rules as you went along, and had to hope they weren't making it up on the go.

He moved closer to the others, but kept back. He didn't know their style any more than their opponent's. He could have done anything on the fly with Slade... either of them would know what the other was thinking and move with it. But since then, he hadn't trained with anyone else. Perhaps he would arrange for that once they were out of the challenge. He needed someone he knew he could stand by, and could stand by him.

'Try moving your feet and watch your fingers.' He watches everything and is going to look for places to give pointers. 'You just gave me a really good target to aim for.' See if you can use that to your advantage. Make yourself open, play a weakness.

Thanks. Now, how could he relay that to the others... he needed them closer, or he needed to hope they caught what he was doing. He watched all three of them, seeing if the others would shift their attention to the 'team,' or if he would have to try and lead by example. It'd be much easier to just talk with them... then he could get their ideas on it.

ooc: cookie to whoever knows the fizbin reference (by PM of course)

Marina raised an eyebrow. This woman was over-confident, if you asked her. She gave a roll of her eyes, swung her broom at the woman again, eyes flicking towards Benjamin -- she was distracting this lady, if the man was clever, he would use that to both of their advantage, and shoot a gobstone, or maybe swipe a broomstick, at Xylia, while the woman's attention was directed towards her, Marina.

Because, after all, Xylia wasn't a supernatural creature, or anything. She couldn't possibly just duck them, every time they tried to have a go at her - unless she really was supernatural, or something.

Ah, well.