Post by Rowena Jones on Aug 17, 2017 21:38:33 GMT -5
She was happily surprised to hear a muttered curse as her plan actually somewhat worked. Both spells still missed but Rowena was buoyed by her success. She sidestepped his first spell, but her eyes widened as five more flew towards her. Fuck!
"Ascendio!" she quickly cast on herself, shooting up into the air and watching as Max's spells narrowly missed her foot. She followed her ascent with a quick Avis! combined with Oppugno! hoping the attacking birds would distract him long enough for her feet to get back on the ground. She was not good with heights!
Post by Max Kameren on Aug 17, 2017 22:02:33 GMT -5
Max grimaced as Rowena rose from the ground to dodge his spells. He pointed his wand at her to bring her down, but had to duck when he was suddenly attacked by a flock of birds. A Protego spell came out of him involuntarily with his surprise.
"HEY! NO SHIELDS!" Evie cried, shaking her fist at her brother.
"Oh for Merlin's sake..." Max took down the shield and braved the pecking of several beaks before he could get another spell together. "Ventus Trio!" Another swirl of wind blew the birds away, scattering them in every direction as they scrambled away from him. Finally free Max turned his wand on Rowena once again: "Carpe Retractum!"
A shining golden rope shot out of his wand and wrapped around Rowena. Max grabbed and pulled her to him back on the ground. "Muggle neighborhood, it's protected here but don't go above the trees!" He breathed, flicking out his wand to make the rope disappear. He closed the inches of space between them and pecked her on the lips as he pointed his wand at her core. "Depulso." The jinx knocked her back a few feet so their duel could continue. He followed up with another disarming spell: "Expelliarmus!"
Post by Rowena Jones on Aug 17, 2017 22:09:17 GMT -5
The golden rope wrapped around her and Rowena let out a relieved smile as Max brought her back to the ground. She'd cast the spell on instinct to get away from his attack and hadn't really thought through the consequences.
"Muggle neighborhood, it's protected here but don't go above the trees!" He breathed, flicking out his wand to make the rope disappear. He closed the inches of space between them and pecked her on the lips as he pointed his wand at her core.
"Depulso."
"You could have just asked me to move back," she muttered as she threw up a weak 'Protego' that disintegrated as soon as it stopped his Expelliarmus.
"And I think you ruined the whole, 'we're just friends' thing," she added referring to his unexpected but welcome peck. "Impedimenta!" She cast quickly as she thought desperately for more spells that wouldn't need her to target Max too specifically. She had the advantage in speed being used to casting with a wand and having to speak to do so, but Max was damn good with that aim. There was no way she would have been able to target any specific body area. Not from this far away anyway... So she needed to get closer...
A muttered Fumos Duo created a thick dark cloud of smoke around her and she cast two Reducto's in Max's direction before spinning on her heel and apparating behind him, Langlock on the tip of her tongue, wand pointed at where she thought Max should be.
Post by Max Kameren on Aug 17, 2017 22:34:58 GMT -5
"And I think you ruined the whole, 'we're just friends' thing," she added referring to his unexpected but welcome peck.
"She didn't buy it anyway." Max waved away the idea with a smirk, the taste of Rowena's lips still on his. Max was nearly ready to cast another spell in Rowena's direction but was caught off guard by her Impedimenta; he cursed as the spell snaked up his arm, slowing his movements inch by inch. He tossed his wand to his other hand, hoping to get more spells in before the jinx slowed more of him.
Rowena muttered another spell he couldn't hear as the clearing filled with red smoke. "Again?" He muttered, preparing another Ventus Duo to disperse it. Suddenly through the smoke a Reducto charm flew at him; Max was able to divert the first one with his wand, but the second Reducto sent him diving out of the way. "Reducto, really? Are you trying to kill me?!"
Max tensed as Rowena suddenly appeared behind him, her wand to his back. With the Impedimenta still overtaking him, Max didn't have the reaction time to stop her. He put his hands up, dropping his wand in the grass. He shook his head, the wide grin on his face giving away the faux-annoyance in his voice.
Post by Rowena Jones on Aug 17, 2017 22:52:51 GMT -5
"Yield."
Never had a word sounded so sweet and Rowena couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face. She'd actually beaten Max at a duel. Granted, he had been severely handicapped by the rules his sister had put in place and she'd just gotten lucky, but she'd still made him surrender.
"Don't be such a baby. Of course I wasn't trying to kill you. I like you too much to get rid of you now. And anyway, I'm one of the best Healers in the country. If I'd hit you, I'd have fixed you up easily," she smirked before cocking her head and looking at Max with a grin.
"So what do I win for beating you Mr Kameren?" she teased as she reversed her Impedimenta so that Max could move properly again. "I kind of cheated though. Didn't really do much target practice. So we'll just have to do it again another time right?" she said with a smile. She could grow to like this Duelling thing. There was a certain buzz to get from having spells thrown at you and being able to throw them back. It was cathartic, a good release from the stress and tension she usually built up at work.
Post by Max Kameren on Aug 17, 2017 23:41:29 GMT -5
"Yield."
"YES!" Evie leapt up from her place at the edge of the forest, joyously punching the air at Rowena's victory. She considered her limiting of Max's skills for a duel a victory of her own, as well.
"Don't be such a baby. Of course I wasn't trying to kill you. I like you too much to get rid of you now. And anyway, I'm one of the best Healers in the country. If I'd hit you, I'd have fixed you up easily,"
He shook his head and turned around to face her, still moving slowly with her curse. "Good, glad when I go through the pain of you blowing me up you'll at least be able to patch me back together again." "So what do I win for beating you Mr. Kameren?" she teased as she reversed her Impedimenta so that Max could move properly again.
He took advantage of his new energy to wrap his arms around her waist, clasping them at the small of her back. "We can figure that out later." From behind him Evie groaned loudly and made a raspberry sound in her hand; it was funny how it reminded him of her reactions to Curse and Arianna when she was younger. The sound reminded him of her presence and he called over his shoulder: "Evie! Go back inside." She plopped back down in the grass defiantly.
"I kind of cheated though. Didn't really do much target practice. So we'll just have to do it again another time right?"
"Anytime you want. Who knows, maybe eventually you'll be able to beat me when I'm actually fighting back." He teased, smiling mischievously down at her. In all honesty she'd done a good job keeping Max on his toes, but he couldn't resist poking at her. He'd forgotten how different it was, spellcasting without his Empathy; in his mind he didn't have to name spells or direct his wand. He could summon spells with feeling and cast them wandlessly. "You did good target practice, though. You got me, didn't you?"
"Evie!" A faint voice sounded from beyond the forest and a pang of panic went through Max. Violet was back from her sleepover. Evie would keep quiet about Max and his new 'friend', but Violet was a blabbermouth. They weren't ready to meet the entire Kameren family yet.
He turned to Evie, pushing his youngest sister back with his wand the the edge of the clearing. "Go! If you tell her anything..."
The youngest Kameren rolled her emerald eyes, pushing herself up and dusting herself off. "I won't, I know how Vi is." Her eyes darted to Rowena with a friendly smile. "You're alright, Ro. You can help train me when I get my wand next month." She smirked, waving goodbye as she turned on her heel in the direction of the Kameren house. "See you Sunday!"
Max shook his head, turning back to Rowena. He let go of her to check his watch. "We should probably get going soon, too. I've gotta be in the Long-Term Ward for daily doses in a half-hour, and - " He looked down at his now-dusty, smoky clothes " - I think I'm going to need to change."
Post by Rowena Jones on Aug 18, 2017 2:14:22 GMT -5
"Anytime you want. Who knows, maybe eventually you'll be able to beat me when I'm actually fighting back."
Rowena stuck her tongue out playfully at the slight dig. She wasn’t stupid enough to believe that she’d win that fight anytime soon, she was still a little in disbelief that she’d won this one.
"You did good target practice, though. You got me, didn't you?"
She shrugged, even as a pleased thrill went through her at his praise. She had gotten him with the Impedimenta, hadn’t she? She vowed to get some private practice in. Maybe she could surprise him with how much she had improved the next time they dueled. She grinned at the thought of startling him and even maybe beating him one day. Though she was going to have to figure out how to get around that pesky Wandless talent of his. But that was what books and research were for. She’d find a way. Somehow.
"Evie!"
A new voice called faintly from beyond the forest and Rowena glanced anxiously at Max. Meeting Evie had been unplanned and though it had turned out well, she really didn’t think they were ready for more. Max obviously agreed, turning away from her to make sure his little sister left and kept quiet. "You're alright, Ro. You can help train me when I get my wand next month."
Rowena grinned awkwardly. “Thanks. I’m not sure how good of a teacher I’ll be with offensive spells but I could show you a few tricks when it comes to Healing,” she said. Of course, that all depended on what happened with her and Max. She’d agreed to move at his pace but maybe they should discuss what exactly was happening between them. She was happy to keep the result of that conversation between them, but she did want to know if he thought this had the potential to become more serious or if it was all just a bit of fun. She knew her answer.
"We should probably get going soon, too. I've gotta be in the Long-Term Ward for daily doses in a half-hour, and - " Max looked down at his now-dusty, smoky clothes " - I think I'm going to need to change."
She chuckled as she properly looked at him. Her excessive use of blasting curses had definitely left their mark. “Sorry about that,” she said, not really sorry at all. That he’d gotten so filthy was a testament to how well the duel had gone for her. Then again, she thought as she glanced down at herself, she could also do with a little bit of a clean up. She had several meetings scheduled for today and she didn’t think smoky vest tops and leggings were going to cut it.
“I’ll see you at work then?” she said, her smile turning into a smirk, “Maybe we could further discuss the terms of your surrender at some point?”
She didn’t give him a chance to answer, reaching up to give him a quick kiss, then with a suggestive wink, turned on her heel and returned home.