trans_9 | On your broomsticks! [OPEN]

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On your broomsticks! [OPEN]

Following the instructions given to him by crew members here and there, Cedric stepped through a green archway tucked on a corner of the fifth floor and entered a grey void. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the sort of place that would be perfect for a day of flying. He imagined a bright grassy plain, a large lake, and a forest off to the side. Vague memories turned into vivid images surrounding him, so thoroughly convincing that he really believed he'd been taken from the ship and placed on a field back on Earth. It was quite a convincing illusion
.
All it needed now was the key piece: a group of brooms. He thought for a moment on which brooms to provide them with. Firebolts were the world standard, but he'd never known one well enough to be able to picture it accurately. The school brooms, Shooting Stars, were nice and safe for new riders but not quite reliable. In the end, he knew his own broom best: a sleek Nimbus 2001, gifted by his father. As long as he instructed the fliers to go slowly, they should be safe on those brooms.

Visitors would find Cedric side-mounted on a broom in his black and yellow Quidditch robes, gliding just slightly over the grass. As soon as he spotted them, he'd greet them enthusiastically and move to touch down. "Hi!"

((ooc: wide open for everyone to join in! We'll be doing some group exercises too, so thread around! Fly as a group when you're ready!))

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That was just horrifying. He clenched a fist into the towel, imagining how well that must've gone.

"And it's not going well. I'm sorry, but...in a way, I do understand. Many of us haven't had the easiest lives. I was the exception up to...you know, that point. Some days, I'm not exactly sure how I'm still going. It would be so easy for that to happen."

"Well I'll tell you what," Kaya said, playfully flicking some water at him that turned to steam. "If it gets to a point where you go crazy, or feel like you are, tell me, ok? And likewise, if I'm close, try to make sure I keep sane."

Really, they should try to cheer up a bit!

"So tell me more about this Cho girl. She must have been pretty special."

"Thank you," Cedric whispered, running his hand through the steam in wonder. "And you have my word on that."

He shook his head with a laugh. Was she just trying to drag his memory down every path? As he spoke of her, Cedric leaned back, closing his eyes at points to call something to memory.

"As I said, she's a Ravenclaw. In the year below me, actually. We started to talk in my fifth year, when we were rival Seekers on our House's Quidditch teams. She always had a sharp retort when we taunted each other, and her technique...it was something to see. She thinks about the bigger picture, her game's something unique. Then we met more often in our studies, and our skills complimented each other. We laughed so often that Madam Pince just about threw us out!"

She nodded, making sure her towels were tied good and tight, so there was no awkwardness.

If he hadn't tried to figure it out already, she was trying to get him to think of better times for himself. The idea that he would have to stay miserable all the time knowing that he had been killed before bothered her. She really hoped that wherever Cho was, she would come to the ship soon.

"Sounds really nice, what the two of you have," Kaya said, smiling. "I'm sure she's a very sweet girl. You never know: you might see her here on the ship. In any case, like many people on this ship, you'll find memories you can make here too, even if life will be a little different."

"A 'little' different?" Cedric had to laugh, though it almost sounded bitter. "It really depends on when she comes from, doesn't it? If it's before...she might still want me, we might be all right. But if it's after, she was devastated, I've heard. And undoubtedly she moved on."

To expect a sixteen year old to mourn him forever was absurd. She needed someone else to love her, and that was that.

"In that case, maybe you should just take this time to figure out where you are. Do things by yourself, enjoy what this ship can give you. If you happen to find someone on the ship that can take you to the place where she made you feel how you did, all the better for you. If not, there's still time to do what you want for yourself."

That was what she thought anyway. She brought out some water and had it hit teh rocks, adding more steam. "There's still so many questions I have about being on the ship and all these other universes anyway, and I've been here a very long time."

"I was planning on it," Cedric said softly, looking thoughtful. "I don't think I'll be looking to go on more dates, but I want to see what I can learn. How I can be at my best during the war."

He sobered, looking questioningly at her. "It seems like the truth's hard to come by. And I can't blame you for still wondering. But I'll help you if I can, all right? Better than dumping all of my problems on you," he added somewhat self-consciously, awkwardly folding his arms.

No, he certainly didn't need to go and search for dates: she hadn't really been doing that, and yet she'd still found people who cared about her. It was likely that Cedric could do the same. He was a nice enough person.

She laughed. "Cedric, I really don't mind that. Everyone on this ship has problems, and it helps to have someone to talk about these kinds of things with. No one gets to deal with the everyday things that happen here without at least finding some kind of a punching bag for themselves."

"Punching bag?" He made a face. "You're no punching bag. I rather suspect that I'd be the punching bag in that relationship," he suggested with a smile.

"I'm not always so dreadful," he went on to say. "I've just had a bad case of memories today."

Kaya laughed. "It was just a metaphor! Besides, we don't need to argue over who's a punching bag and who isn't. The only thing that matters is that you're here now, and there's lots you can do."

She exhaled happily. "And though this isn't quite like your Prefect bathroom, I do love it. In my world, only certain spots had some places like these, and only people with renown or money were able to go if they weren't firebenders. Like I said, we have a chance to make plenty of good memories."

"And I'm grateful, believe me," he smiled, absorbing some more of the steam. It was rather hot, wasn't it?

"How long can you stand to be here? Does it feel different to someone with your powers?"

Kaya exhaled, allowing the steam to seep into her pores. "I'm glad you are."

She chuckled. "My powers doesn't make me invulnerabel to heat, Cedric! I told you, I lived in the Poles. Dealing with this heat is something that I only learned to do on this ship. Otherwise, I'd be much happier in the snow."

"Right. So I think you would've liked Hogwarts," he recalled. "It's far north, only warm for a few months in a year. We have snow for long stretches of the year."

He lifted a hand thoughtfully. "Think we've steamed out?"

Kaya gave him a pointed look. "Cedric, if you think the only reason I would have liked Hogwarts is because of it being cold, you obviously haven't been listening to me gushing like a lovesick schoolgirl...or so I hear, anyway."

She laughed. "Is it getting to you hun? If so, we can cool it down."

"No, I've known lovesick schoolgirls. They kept appearing in the hallways for some reason, especially when the holidays were approaching. You're more of a curious learner."

Cedric nodded, flicking his hair over his ear. "It's just on the border of highly uncomfortable. I couldn't stay in much longer like this, and...well, I don't want to collapse on you."

Kaya laughed. "Well I hope not! I'm more tying to capture the whole 'I love this place and wouldn't dream of leaving,' sort of vibe. It's all just interesting."

She nodded. "We can always just go to the baths and cool off, if you prefer."

Cedric laughed at that. "We could, maybe we weren't using the best ones. Didn't you say this friend of yours was clever?"

She nodded. "Well sure, but the sauna IS a sauna, all that steam is what its meant to do. Granted, I might have added a bit more, but its supposed to relax you and keep the heat and all."

The two of them exited to the baths, where Kaya made made sure to change into her wrappings again before joining him.

"Better?"

"Aha...of course," he laughed awkwardly, disappearing for a few moments to snag his shorts. They settled back into the cooler water, and here there were bubbles to play with! He immediately got started.

"Yeah. Sorry about that, I'm just not used to a luxury quite like it." But he was used to bubbles, and he playfully blew a few across the bath. That was fun!

Kaya laughed. "Play as long as you want. I know you must have had that luxury as a kid, so its not that big a deal. Be more careful with those, huh?"

She smiled. I'm glad you feel better though. Becautious, ok?"

"Sorry about that," Cedric quickly apologised, blowing the bubbles on his side of the tub. There was plenty for him to make shapes with, and plenty of magic to play with as well. He amused himself with a colour-change charm, turning the bubbles into a rainbow.

"What should I be careful about? More hazards of living here?"

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On your broomsticks! [OPEN]

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