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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 21:59:16 GMT -5
Brindle had calmed quite a bit from her first week at Hogwarts. It was so different from SWIM, with its open pathways and so-called easygoing nature. This school actually taught defense. A little late for Markise, but what could you do about it?
She was keeping busy, and was satisfied enough for now. She'd been sneaking out to continue her training, and keeping a far closer eye on her brother than he'd appreciate. She'd known something would happen with that Ariel guy on the train, and her conversations with Markise, no matter how he tried to hide it, just proved to her that she'd been right.
Right now, Brin was standing just a bit from the lake, half shielded by a cluster of straggling trees. She bowed to her imaginary opponent, then began a series of slow, purposeful motions, echoing the ones she saw in her mind's eye. It wasn't going to happen again.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 22:04:07 GMT -5
Michael was surprised when he stepped into the cluster of trees to see Brindle there making motions he hadn't seen in a long time. He crossed his arms and watched her for a minute, remembering back years before to when Emilian had been learning and, by association, Michael had learned as well. He had never been as good as Emilian, had never cared to be, what was the point when he was so good with his wand? Though he knew that she was Markise's sister, he made himself stay, she had done nothing against him.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 22:12:20 GMT -5
It was quite a while before Brindle felt someone's presence. She still had to concentrate quite a bit to get things right, and with the thoughts that usually accompanied her practice, it was a wonder she'd noticed at all. Brindle opened her eyes and turned, looking at the boy who was watching her. He was familiar, and she thought she should know his name, but she couldn't remember. Had Markise... Michael, she remembered. Dare's... boyfriend. Brindle couldn't think of a thing to say just then.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 22:20:35 GMT -5
Michael nodded his head lightly to her in greeting. "How long have you been learning?" he asked, gesturing with his head toward her hands. She seemed to know what she was doing, but then some people were much faster learners than others. He hoped that maybe he could like Brindle, then at least he wouldn't dislike both of Dare's friends. He tried to push away the memories of what Markise had asked, and focused on the girl standing in front of him.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 22:27:40 GMT -5
Brindle looked almost guiltily down at her hands, then tugged lightly on her arm warmers. "Couple of months," she said, as though she didn't know exactly when. "Beginning of September." Practically the beginning of term. But then, when Markise had made his decision, he wasn't about to waste time putting it into action. "Do you know anything about Martial Arts?" she asked, looking at Michael curiously. Some did and some didn't, but the general consensus in the wizarding world seemed to be that it was useless when there was a wand available, no matter who was in possession of it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 22:31:15 GMT -5
"Yes, I have..." he paused, unsure how to label Emilian even after so long. "An old friend that I grew up with, he studied it a lot, better at it than a wand, so I almost had to learn at least a little." Michael had learned more than a little, but that didn't mean he was any good at it, he couldn't throw a decent punch or kick if he tried. He uncrossed his arms and tucked his hands in his pockets, wondering absently what she thought of him and Dare, was she the same as Markise? It didn't seem like it, but looks could be deceiving.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 22:37:34 GMT -5
Brindle inclined her head, interested, but still very unsure of her footing. She'd seen the fight in the corridor, and she'd gotten a play-by-play from Markise about his so-called epic apology, but practically the next day he'd been back to telling her that Michael hated him. He was so melodramatic. "I'm taking lessons in Diagon Alley," she said, laying the information out for him to judge or discard as he would. No, she couldn't apparate, and no, she didn't strictly have permission to be going anywhere past Hogsmeade, but she did, and it was for a worthy cause.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 22:42:31 GMT -5
Michael nodded, not really finding it odd that she was going so far off, but considering the small circle he stayed with, going to Diagon Alley to learn martial arts seemed very tame. He went silent then, licking his lips as he thought. There wasn't much else to say about that, not that he could think of, and so he paused, looking away from her as he debated, then finally spoke, "What do you think about me and Dare?" He knew it was random, but he wanted to know her stance on the whole thing.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 22:44:08 GMT -5
Brindle blinked, surprised by the question. She'd been deep in her own thoughts when Michael had arrived, and hadn't strayed far at all through the brief conversation they'd had, but this... "I don't know," she said honestly. "It depends on if he's happy." She didn't mean to slight Michael, and it must have shown in her eyes, but that was the truth. If Dare was happy, then she wouldn't begrudge him Michael, not for herself, and certainly not for Markise. "Why?" Does my opinion really matter?
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 22:49:33 GMT -5
Dare was happy, if Michael took away what had happened, he was, and they were happy together. He licked his lips again and brought his eyes around to Brindle's. "I wondered if you felt the same as your brother." Then his eyes dropped again, unsure how she would take being compared to Markise. He had hoped she hadn't, but how far did sibling loyalty go when it came to things like that? Dare had been so angry to find out about Dru and Silver, Michael didn't know if Brindle would be the same.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 22:59:12 GMT -5
So that's what this was about. Brindle sighed heavily. "Markise is over that," she said. "He was over it the day it happened. He's more worried you're going to hex him to hell than anything right now." Brindle's gaze dropped, and she twisted her fingers against one another, the memories coming back unbidden. She mentally shook her head, pushing them away to grasp at the conversation. "He said something about seeing you together and knowing how good you were." He'd said it with a long, resigned sigh, but he'd said it and meant it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 26, 2008 23:02:58 GMT -5
"The last time we met up he said some things...asked some things..." Michael said, sighing. "And I didn't react the best." But he certainly hadn't planned on attacking Markise, he could hold his temper at least well enough to resist attacking his boyfriend's best friend. Still, Markise had had no right to ask those things, and Michael stood by his answers, even if he could have given them in a better way.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 26, 2008 23:14:30 GMT -5
Brindle continued looking down at her fingers, the chipped paint on her nails not standing a chance as she picked shards of it loose. "He's a little paranoid, since..." Since she didn't need to tell Michael that, especially when it would just sound like an excuse for her brother's behavior. Brindle shook her head. "Anyway, he'll be okay, it'll take him a while to get completely over it, but he's apparently moving on." She said that last with a sigh. Ariel was straight, Markise insisted. There was nothing going on between them. She'd believe that when he could look her in the eyes while he said it.
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Post by Michael Blackwood-Hardt on Oct 27, 2008 12:45:30 GMT -5
Michael nodded, though that really didn't help the ideas he had about Markise, first impressions for him were hard to get rid of. He really did want to be able to get along with Markise, if only for Dare, but it was going to be so hard. "I hope he's moving on," he said, "I mean...it's me and Dare-" He stopped then, and tilted his head at her as he finally brought his eyes up. "Did you know about Dare?" He couldn't really remember her reaction from the introductions, he had been focusing on Markise.
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Post by Brindle Sterling on Oct 27, 2008 12:57:59 GMT -5
Brindle blinked and looked up, then shook her head determinedly. "I didn't know until Markise told me in the hospital." Brindle winced at herself, then tried to leave the subject behind by plowing on. "They were friends as far as I knew, I mean Markise wasn't that huge a shock, but Dare...I thought he was pulling my leg." Brindle gave a light pout and toed a pile of fallen leaves with her boots. "I had a huge crush on him when we went to the dance, but he'd just broken up with big-mouth Amber and I was Markise's kid sister." Brindle stopped herself and looked at Michael then. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell him that. I'm perfectly happy to have him stay oblivious."
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