Battle Buddies [Nuri]

[Rowena Jones]

Rowena paced backwards and forwards anxiously looking at the parchment in her hand. It had been just under a week since the Earthquake had hit Hogsmeade and things were mostly getting back to normal with the exception of the completely ruined Shrieking Shack. But there was still a decidedly uneasy undercurrent in the air. Why had it happened? What did it mean? Was it the start of something bigger? And where was that boy, only six years old and not seen since the day before the Earth had trembled. Something was brewing and even now, almost a month since the Morrison attack, they knew practically nothing.

It was enough to drive anyone insane, but Rowena was feeling particularly angsty. For half that time, she been unintentionally, or was it intentionally... either way she'd been coerced into helping whatever it was. It had come into her home, targeted her specifically, said she was meant to help it and then had threatened her parents if she didn't. The thought that she'd contributed to the Earthquake made her nauseous, but that was why she was here.

Now that she was freed from it's control and had taken measures to protect her remaining family, she was ready to truly fight it. Or at least do whatever she could to learn how to while they still tried to figure out who the enemy even was. And while she was thankful for Max's help in learning how to duel, she'd been glad when he'd brought up the potential of her training with someone else. She'd enjoyed her lessons with her boyfriend, but as such, there was a certain familiarity between them that did not make for true fighting. She could not truly learn the reality of fighting another witch or wizard when Max took it easy on her. She didn't begrudge him for doing so, but the time for taking it easy was disappearing too quickly. The enemy didn't take it easy. No, it tore eyes from innocent people's faces, mutilated bodies with runes and dark magic. She didn't think it would let her win because she'd suddenly felt too tired.

Which was why she'd gotten Max's friend's details from him and sent her a quick owl. The reply had told her to meet this Nuri here and at this time, so where was she?

[Nuriko]

A large form dropped out of the sky, the whooshing of wings blowing aside grasses as Nimbus landed at a run, trotting to a halt in front of Rowena. "Ro?" Nuri asked, shoving her tinted goggles up on her face. She grinned at the taller woman from under a windswept mop of spiky blue hair. "Sorry I'm late! There's still so much work to do! Ready to start?" she held out a hand as Nimbus stretched her wing up and forward so Rowena could mount behind the wing. Nuri rode bareback, hooking her legs around the wings.

[Rowena Jones]

Whatever Rowena had been expecting, it hadn't been anything like what flew down from the sky and landed by her. The Pegasus that trotted to a halt in front of her was a thing of beauty and Rowena's face lit up in a way it rarely did. Cats and horses. Two things that could awaken a childlike awe in her like nothing else. Except maybe chocolate. She was so distracted by the glossy coat and arching wings of the animal that she barely registered the woman sitting astride it.

"Ro?" A spiky blue-haired woman asked, shoving her tinted goggles up on her face. She grinned at the taller woman from under a windswept mop of spiky blue hair. "Sorry I'm late! There's still so much work to do! Ready to start?"

Rowena grinned, anticipation and excitement coursing through her. It had been too long since she'd ridden, and now she was going to get on the back of a Pegasus. It was exactly what she needed, knowing what was to come the next day. If anything could distract her from the horrors of her current life, and the sadness that awaited her when she would say her final goodbyes to her mother.

"Absolutely!" she said grabbing the outstretched hand and mounting behind the other woman. "So what are we doing exactly?" Rowena asked.

[Nuriko]

"Absolutely!" she said grabbing the outstretched hand and mounting behind the other woman. "So what are we doing exactly?" Rowena asked.

Fitted snuggly behind the wings was a girth with a handle at the top, something she only used when expecting a passenger. "Hold tight," Nuri said, twisting to hand Ro a spare set of goggles. "Its a bit more dangerous than riding a horse.

Pulling down her goggles Nuri clucked to the aerion, leaning forward to hold her mane. "Lets go, Nim." the horse launched forward, quickly transitioning into a gallop as she pumped her enormous wings. Soon they were soaring into the sky. Once Nimbus leveled off Nuri leaned back, speaking over her should. "Sorry you had to wait out there! They've got debris and building material blockong my road. The store's still a huge mess and we're still missing a lot of animals. Rupert's out hunting them down, so you're gonna help me repair the stables." soon enough they were,circling to land, Nuri leaning back as they touched down. She swung a leg over Nimbus's neck and hopped down. Next to the tall bay, she looked even shorter and stockier.

[Rowena Jones]

"Sorry you had to wait out there! They've got debris and building material blockong my road. The store's still a huge mess and we're still missing a lot of animals. Rupert's out hunting them down, so you're gonna help me repair the stables."

Rowena frowned from her position behind Nuri. Repairing stables? She'd thought she would be training for War, not cleaning up debris. How was that going to help her fight? Before she could voice her opinion they were landing and Nuri was jumping off the Pegasus.

As Rowena dismounted she thought hard. Max had recommended this woman and she trusted Max's opinion. Gone were the days where Rowena would assume she always knew best. As her boyfriend had shown her in their dueling practices, warfare was decidedly not her strong point. If Nuri thought repairing stables would help - though Merlin only knew how - then Rowena was willing to try.

"Urm, Nuri? I haven't ever done any of this before..." she said. She'd been raised in luxury and though she'd been around stables for much of that time and could care for a horse with her eyes closed, actually rebuilding a stable was a little out of her comfort zone. "You're going to have to tell me what to do. I'm a quick learner though!" she added, not wanting to look completely useless.

[Nuriko]

"Urm, Nuri? I haven't ever done any of this before..." she said. She'd been raised in luxury and though she'd been around stables for much of that time and could care for a horse with her eyes closed, actually rebuilding a stable was a little out of her comfort zone. "You're going to have to tell me what to do. I'm a quick learner though!" she added, not wanting to look completely useless.

"Well, I'll be doing the repairing," Nuri admitted, stripping the tack from the made and dropping it on a convenient branch. She dusted of her palms, handing a pair of leather gloves to Ro. She pointed out the stable and started moving that direction. "You need to improve your endurance, right? Nothing better than good hard work." The sturdy witch hefted up a long two by four, balancing it on a shoulder as she carried it over to a pile of wood. Dropping it down, she turned to Rowena with an impudent grin.

"Just move out the debris and sort it. Got any questions?"

[Rowena Jones]

"Well, I'll be doing the repairing,"

Oh. Rowena looked around, absentmindedly taking the gloves Nuri handed her. What was she going to be doing then if not helping to fix the stables? At least she knew what stables were supposed to look like. Something familiar in what was promising to be a day full of new experiences. The witch followed her new acquaintance warily as they walked towards what had been the stable, still trying to figure out what Nuri had planned for her exactly.

"You need to improve your endurance, right? Nothing better than good hard work."  Rowena's eyes widened as the other witch hefted up a long two by four, balancing it on a shoulder and carried it over to a pile of wood as if it was nothing. Dropping it down, she turned to Rowena with an impudent grin.  "Just move out the debris and sort it. Got any questions?"

So many. So many questions. Was she supposed to do it by hand? That demonstration and the gloves suggested yes, but... she couldn't do that! How did you do that? Why would you do that when you could use magic? Rowena bit her lip as she considered. The other woman hadn't said not to use magic... "Nope, got it thanks," Rowena said with a cheerful grin. She had levitated her boyfriend up several stories high and the main difficulty with that had been line of sight. That wasn't an issue here so surely this would be a piece of cake.

Oooh, and sorting it? Was it strange that she got a thrill out of organising things? Even apparently debris. But how to arrange it? Salvageable pieces should obviously be put to one side, and they could be organised by material and perhaps by size? Rowena shook her head. Size wasn't really an important issue here. Maybe how useful they might be for reconstruction? Did she have the knowledge for that? Hmm, she'd have to come back to that train of thought. As for the items that couldn't be saved, material again obviously for recycling purposes. She should also put the hazardous pieces with sharp jagged edges somewhere so that no one got hurt accidentally. 

With a satisfied nod for now, she took her wand from her pocket and started her task. For several minutes she was content, lost in spell work, several small piles growing around her as she directed the debris into it's designated pile. Then she came across a large wooden beam, frowned for a second as she considered where to put it and then flicked her wand to levitate it. It rose all of 10cms, and crawled towards her at a snail pace. Rowena cancelled her spell with a growl and tried again. The same thing happened. For fucks sake, what was this thing made of? The third time she tried, channeling more power into her spell the object lifted in the way she had expected and she directed it to it's pile with a triumphant glare. Take that you stupid piece of wood, she thought even as she sagged a little once she released the charm. 

Not to be deterred she returned her attention to seemingly never ended pile of debris, caught sight of an semi intact looking window frame and unthinkingly cast a quick Accio. She barely had time to throw up a quick shield as window, glass and all raced towards her, the shards glinting dangerously in the sunlight. "Shit!" she cursed loudly, ducking instinctively as the glass hit her shield. Maybe she should clear the more dangerous objects by hand?

[Nuriko]

"Nope, got it thanks,"

‘Riko grinned in response, heading round to the other side of the stables. “Let me know if you need anything!” Opposite Rowena was the more intact portion of the stables. Fortunately the hay loft was here, and she had only lost a few bales to the collapse. There were few remaining and those were moved to the covered storage she’d set up. The loft might still be standing, but it certainly wasn’t safe. After the last of the hay was moved she busied herself picking tack out of the rubble.

----

"Shit!" she cursed loudly, ducking instinctively as the glass hit her shield. Maybe she should clear the more dangerous objects by hand?


“Be careful princess!” Nuri grinned as the glass tumbled to the ground. “Not as easy as you’d think, yea?” She flicked her wand as the other woman lowered her shield, shooting a dancing jinx at her.

[Rowena Jones]

“Be careful princess!” Nuri grinned as the glass tumbled to the ground. “Not as easy as you’d think, yea?” She flicked her wand as the other woman lowered her shield, shooting a dancing jinx at her.

Rowena had been about to reply when a spell came racing out of nowhere and suddenly Rowena found herself tap dancing, her feet carrying her around the area even as she desperately tried to stop them. "NURI!" she yelled. Damnit. Why?! She thought she was clearing, not dueling. This wasn't fair! She hadn't known she was supposed to be defending herself against magical attacks too! She'd been doing a damn good job of hurting herself all by herself.

"That's not fair!" she said, as she finally managed to counter the jinx and her legs stopped their dancing. Rowena huffed, brushing stray hairs away from her eyes as she glared petulantly at the other Witch. "Give me some warning next time!"

[Nuriko]

"NURI!"

She couldn't help a laugh as Ro started jigging uncontrollably. When Max had asked for her help she hadn't known it'd be this much fun.

"That's not fair!" she said, as she finally managed to counter the jinx and her legs stopped their dancing. Rowena huffed, brushing stray hairs away from her eyes as she glared petulantly at the other Witch. "Give me some warning next time!"

"Yeah? And you think they'll give you any?" Nuri suddenly sobered, drawing near the taller woman and staring her straight in the eyes, her eyes shading orange as they glinted up at Rowena. "You want endurance? You want training? I'll give it to you. But most of all, I'll teach you to never expect fair." The demons hadn't been fair. Mosrael and her cowardly crew hadn't given any warnings, and from what she could tell this was worse. Fair and good and right went out the window in war. There was only survival. Only trying your best and still falling short. She'd been at Godric's Hollow. She had been tasked to watch Max and she had been one of those to fail. Her best friend nearly lost his life to a werewolf, the house destroyed, Max kidnapped. No, fair wasn't how any of this worked.

"I was there, did you know?" She found herself saying. "I was there and I was a child but I fought. And you want me to be fair. Well, life isn't fair princess, and war is ruthless." She raised her wand and shot a body-bind at point-blank range.

[Rowena Jones]

"Give me some warning next time!"

"Yeah? And you think they'll give you any? You want endurance? You want training? I'll give it to you. But most of all, I'll teach you to never expect fair."

Rowena blinked, her toe still twitching in the after effects of the jinx and distracting her as the other woman berated her. She shook her foot before turning her attention back to Nuri still confused as to where this was coming from. She'd just been moving the debris as she'd been asked. Was it really that crazy of her to ask for a warning if they were going to duel?! "I just meant..-" Rowena started before she was interrupted. 

"I was there, did you know?" Nuri said. Rowena shook her head slowly. She hadn't known. It made sense though. "I was there and I was a child but I fought. And you want me to be fair. Well, life isn't fair princess, and war is ruthless." Nuri raised her wand and that was the only warning Rowena got as the shorter woman shot a body-bind at point-blank range. it wasn't enough warning and for the second time in less than 2 minutes Rowena found herself a victim of another's spellcasting. It wasn't something she enjoyed, she decided as she fell to the ground as her body froze and she lost her balance. And did Nuri know how dangerous casting that close was?!

Screw this. Rowena was fed up of people treating her like she was completely naive. She may have not been around for the first war but she wasn't stupid. "Damnit! You can't cast spells that close! You can hurt people like that! And I'm not a princess! Don't you think I know this isn't fair?! I've already seen enough this past month to tell me that much! I've seen a child bleed out in front of my eyes because I couldn't work quick enough. I've seen my friend's body defiled for someone's sick sense of enjoyment. I've been threatened and used. I've lost people I cared about. And this is just the beginning. I know ok? Sorry that I wanted to believe that the people on my side wouldn't be so quick to try and hurt me too."

The rant had slightly less impact than she would have liked, lying on the floor as she was, but Rowena hoped her frustration and ire would get the message across sufficiently. "Now take this stupid spell off me unless you want your stupid shed to remain a mess."

[Nuriko]

"Damnit! You can't cast spells that close! You can hurt people like that! And I'm not a princess![...] wouldn't be so quick to try and hurt me too."

Nuri listened to the rant silently, her eyes flat as she rested her wand hand on her hip. A brief quirk showed on her lips when Ro complained of not being a princess, otherwise her face was still.

"Now take this stupid spell off me unless you want your stupid shed to remain a mess."

She cast the counter, but crouched down before Ro could stand, eyeing her intently. "You know here," she tapped Rowena's head. "Its horrifying, and I'm sorry." Nuriko's expression softened. "But you need to know. Here. Instinctively." she tapped the other woman's chest, over her heart.

Suddenly she looked very tired. She had never wanted this, had wished for peace and an end to war. But it was here, and she would protect what was hers. "It has to be the base for your every action. Because evil is never fair." Suddenly she was blazing, hair, eyes, and skin flickering rapidly between colors as she held out a hand to help Rowena up.

"When they come for you and yours, you will be ready." as Rowena reached for her hand Nuri clasped it firmly and levered them to their feet.