In Search of a Broom

Victoria dropped her goggles into place. "Let's take off together," he told him. "Then I'm going to get in front and you follow. Stay back about 4 meters and about a meter to my right." She lifted her feet off the ground and took off without further instruction.

Kerry nodded to himself as he popped his goggles into place as well. As Professor Salomon flew off Kerry pulled up his feet and urged the Nimbus after her.






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

14

You love those shaky take offs, don't you?






GM Emma carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

45

Well, waddaya know? Crash and burn!!!

Once more Kerry flew forward--and once more Kerry drove the broom right into the ground and face planted. Damnit! This is getting old!

But no point in worrying about it. He saw Professor Salomon about 30 meters off looking back, waiting. A little frustrated, Kerry mounted the broom and took off after the her.






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

59

Lets try this one again....

The member 'GM Emma' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'D100' :

Result : 7

*Yawn* Okay, Slick; go fly your broom.

As soon as Kerry was flying he saw Professor Salomon take off. He moved into position as she'd ordered, and began following her movements, which consisted of her pointing to her left or right and then turning in that direction.

Kerry handled the turns well. He also noticed she was throwing in a few altitude changes here and there. On one turn they climbed about 6 meters, then held that for a few turns, then floated back down to about 2 meters before pulling a 180 back across the pitch.

This went on for about 10 minutes, Kerry in hot pursuit, keeping the broom under optimal control. Yeah, there was a bobble here and there, but no crashes, no burns, no tumbling hard across the pitch.

Then Professor Salomon came over the headset. "You're gonna need to put on a little power here, Kerry." He saw her point up, then put her broom into a fairly steep climb. Kerry pulled up on his broom and did the same thing--






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

26

The member 'Kerry Malibey' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'D100' :

Result : 18

Just a little hesitation but she's doing as you command.

There was a moment when Kerry thought the broom was gonna pack up on him, then suddenly he was chasing Professor Salomon up into the blue and gray sky. And up . . . and up. They finally leveled out after a few seconds, then the Professor slipped her broom into a long, looping left hand spiral. She held it for a double-beat then turned back towards the ground.

It was only as he turned and followed that Kerry realized they'd climbed to maybe 60, 70 meters before diving--






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

80

The member 'Kerry Malibey' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'D100' :

Result : 35

And here I was hoping you were going to turn your broom into a planted tree.

Victoria put her Firebolt through a series of climbs and dives, throwing in a turn here and there as well. Every minute or so she'd look back to see how Kerry was doing--or if he were still there--and sure enough, there he was, sticking to her 4 to 5 meters back. On me like glue, she thought, smiling broadly. And he probably had no idea how fast we're going now.

Without saying a word she pointed upward, jabbed her fingers a couple of times, then launched the Firebolt in a near vertical climb. Victoria was half looking back, her wand ready, just in case Kerry lost it and fell.

Kerry had been following along, following Professor Salomon, parroting her every move. He noticed they'd been picking up speed a little: not only on the climbs and dives, but when they got closer to the ground the sensation of speed was obvious. Kerry was guessing they were moving along at about 45-50 miles per hour now, not the 25-30 they'd started with.

Suddenly Professor Salomon jabbed the air above her head and took off like a fighter pilot, almost straight up. Oh, crap! Kerry hung on as he pulled the nose up and smoothly turned on the power.






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

52

The member 'Kerry Malibey' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'D100' :

Result : 20

Room for improvement, but... yeah, you got this one.

Victoria held her climb for nearly 5 seconds, looking back under her arm the whole time. She'd really half expected Kerry to fluff something, but no, he hung on and was right there, maybe 7 meters back now but keeping pace.

Time to give him a break--and see how he handles this next. She leveled out then began to slow, waiving her right hand back and forth over her head, her wand still ready. Sometimes they freak out when they see where they're at--

Kerry saw nothing but the Professor and her broom in front of him. He wasn't sightseeing; he was flying. As he'd brought the Nimbus into a steep climb Kerry had laid close along the shaft, mimicking the Professor's actions. It only made sense: he figured out pretty quick that sitting up on one of these as you performed a steep climb was a good way to fall off.

They leveled out a few seconds later and Kerry saw the Professor slow, her hand waving back and forth in an indication he should do the same. Time to bring it to a stop-- Kerry didn't think about where they would be hovering, though.

Not just yet.






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

96

The member 'Kerry Malibey' has done the following action : Dice Roll

'D100' :

Result : 72

Enough of this BS... You're borin' me, kid.

I'll go check on my sister, see if she needs help torturing the crazy kid.

Kerry brought his broom to a halt alongside Professor Salomon. He smiled as he said, "Wow, that was really great. I like this--Holy Crap!!!"

Kerry, finally catching a glimpse of where they were, realized just how far away the ground now was.

Victoria laughed. "Quite a view, huh?" She looked around. "About 150 meters, if I judged our speed right." She turned to her right and pointed out they were almost twice as high as the Clock Tower. "Up here you do get a great view of the mountain, though." There before them was the flanks of peak which was already starting to show a dusting of snow near the main summits.

She gave Kerry a quick check. After his initial "Oh, Shit!" moment, he seemed to have settled in, looking about the campus. He's getting his bearings, memorizing the layout, she thought. Like any real pilot would. "Kerry, I'd say you found your broom." She nodded towards her left. "Come on. Let's hit the stadium and talk."

Kerry was about to follow when he remembered-- "Professor, I can't," he said over the headset. "Annie's at Memory's End seeing Professor Arrakis, and she said she'd come over to see me when she's done." He slowly floated over to Victoria, who had already commenced her turn before he spoke. "If we go over there, she's going to miss me."