This was it! Moment of truth, either the Whomping Willow had lured Oakey into the biggest false sense of security of his life, or the Tree was going to allow him to cut from it's bark. He wondered while he slowly moved his wand to the extended limb of the Willow if it enjoyed the Chant. Did he make it feel even more important than usual? "Diffindo." Oakey quickly barked and sliced off a piece of the Whomping Willows bark. Oakey backed up quicker and quicker until and eventually stopped. He was holding a small bit of the Whomping Willow in his hand, if the Tree was going to squash him, it'd have done it the moment Oakey sliced the piece right off.

-----------DADA OOC: Figured I'd give an Explanation of What Happened to Oakey--------------

Slow! Right got it! So Off Oakey went, while everyone started to Jog, Oakey went along with them, slow first, slow first...were they just going to jog around the Willow or move around the Grounds? Oakey figured they'd move around the Grounds so. He broke off from the group expecting them to do the same. Off Oakey jogged into the distance towards the Pathways, while everyone else ran around the tree.

They'll catch up to him eventually.

Lex dragged her feet on her way over to the Whommping Willow. It would cheer her up for sure, if not, she would through things at it until she felt better, that was how things worked. She stood at a distance, keeping her eyes locked on it's branches. The way it was swaying told her that it missed her.

She gave it a small smile then plopped down.

How many rocks would she get away with hurling at it today before it got fed up? Normally it didn't mind the first ten or so but what if it was in a bad mood today? She didn't know.

Lex took a rock and eyed it contemplatively for a moment before giving it a good throw. As expected it was swatted away...but not at her...?

Weird....

"That's really great!" GRIN. ... And... he was going to get a letter from Belle? Really? "That'd be awesome! I'll make sure to write to her too!" And maybe visit the Leciums over the holidays... if they wanted him to come over. Nodnod.

There was the sound of himself humming along to the Superman theme tune and then Minnie singing along to the kitty song and Wade... Wade was purring? It had something to do with the kitty song and the boy being Minnie's Kitty, yeah? And get him back? Alec let out a small chuckle, especially at Wade's words, before resuming the humming and the jogging flying...

... right...

... into...

OOMPH!

Tumble...

Alec shook his head and blinked up at the sky. So... they were jogging... and they had fallen? "Oh hey Ells!" GRIN. "Nice of you to drop by!" He then looked over at Wade and called, "SUPER HAIR RUFFLERS!" The boy also got a hair ruffle because... well... just because.

And where was Oakster going? Did he want hair ruffles too?

Okay...Good...no being squished yet. Oakey moved a step closer again to begin his thanks to the Tree again. Maybe the Whomping Willow really did tolerate him now.
"Wight if The Whomping Willow, accept my thanks.
Henceforth may your might be in this branch!..."

SMACK!

"Ow!" Holy Hippogriffs that stung like hell! Oakey rubbed his shoulder vigorasly to try and soothe the pain that was now stinging even more. "ow ow ow ow." What did? Did the Willow just pelt him with one of it's seeds or something? Oakey looked down at the ground and found the culprit. A rock?...What? How did the Willow get a hold of a Rock? Oakey looked around him and spotted something even more suspicious. Alexa...yeah that would explain it.

First he needed to finish his thanks. He held his shoulder and rubed the pain a little more before starting over.

"Wight if The Whomping Willow, accept my thanks.
Henceforth may your might be in this branch!
Magically bound to the bright runes, Sowilo, Kenaz and Raidho
Working my will with speed and wisdom."

Once he finished he gave the Whomping Willow a smile, twirled it's bark in his hand and moved over to Alexa, sitting down beside her. "You throwing rocks at my good friend?" Oakey asked giving her a sour lemon glare.

Lex grabbed another stone and got sent to hurl it when she heard...oh dear...She leaned to the side to get a better look around the tree and spotted an injured Oakey.

Oops...

Her first thought was to get up slowly then make a run for it but then...after hurting a Puffer one did not simply run. THAT was bad karma and she'd done well surviving this term so far...no need to acquire some now. NOPE. Instead she sat where she was and watched to make sure he didn't suddenly topple over from a concussion. So far so good.

But then he was walking over.

"I am, we're playing a game and right now I'm winning." She grinned up at him. Yup, she totally was. "You wanna jooooin???" And more grinning--oh! But see, now she also hopped up and poked his face. It was a habit that wasn't gonna die.

"You're game bruised my shoulder pretty badly" Yup Oakey was still holding his shoulder. No need to complain about it any further though. Healer Tillstorm herself said Bruises were not worth crying or fusing over. Or she said it some other way...ah well, Oakey wasn't going to complain. Yup none of that.

"So if you're winning now, how would the Willow win?" Oakey almost regretted asking that question as he turned his bark in his free hand. "Don't say getting Squished." He took his hand from his shoulder and grabbed his wand. He peeled off the top layer of bark of the Piece of Willow the broke the pieces of stripped bark into smaller pieces. "You keep playing your game. Just as long as the Willow really isn't angry with this game of yours." He broke the pieces down further and further, then took his wand and started to silently shave the pieces with simple Diffindos. Once he was down, he reached into his bag and pulled out a satchel filled with a few sickles. He emptied the sickles into his bag then poured the shavings into the satchel.

Lex stopped poking his face and scowled a bit. His shoulder? Instinctively she looked to his bruised shoulder. "Sorry about that. The willow has a wicked left hook. I've been caught a few times myself." Perhaps she should just start yelling before she threw rocks...for just in case reasons like these. "Nothing too bad, right?"

No?

GOOD!! Ooo and he asked a good question. "Easy! He wins if I get whacked. I throw rocks and win if it can't get me back. It wins too, it's favourite spot is square in my forehead!" Those were some good times, even if they hurt. "Not getting squished. I don't get close enough--but I want too!!!" Oh? Angry willow. "Nah, like I said, it's just a game and it helps us bond." BEAM.

"I take it you're doing Ancient Runes stuff?" She said, eyeing his bag of shavings. It had to be.

Oh good, so long as she isn't.."Wait you've been whacked in the forehead!" Oakey almost tossed his quill out of his hand as he heard Alexa tell how she's played the game. "It's probably okay that you're not mental I suppose. A few more whacks may do it, so keep winning." Yeah better than being squished. Oakey removed his parchment next and started to scribble down some lyrics on them, he needed to think of a song that the Willow would enjoy. Not that weird chant he did moments ago. "I touched the Willows trunk a few minutes ago" Oakey boasted. "I've been out here bonding with the Willow for a good hour I guess. Tell you what, if you put a stop to this game for now I may be able to get you close to the trunk if you want to help me a bit with my Home Work." He eyed Alexa not sure how she'd react to this offer. Yes that also meant he was working on his Ancient Runes Assignment.

-----------------------------and back at the badger jog-----------
pant pant pant wheeeze!

Water! Oakey needed water, and not his Veggie Drink! He finally reached back to the tree and saw a few of his Team still jogging around the Willow. While Wade, Alec, and Ella all were laying on the ground. "I go running around the whole grounds expecting to you all to be behind me..." pant pant wheeeeeze "... and you're lounging around on the ground?" Not cool dudes. Oakey worked his butt off just now. "hop to it, come on Captain, you're running this aren't you? Let's finish up."

He seemed a bit surprized to hear that. "I have. It hurts like whoa but it's a risk I'm willing to take in order to play with the willow. I told you we're best friends, right?" She was almost sure she did but in case she didn't she was saying it now. Hang on a sec..."I could go mental??? Kinda like the joker??? He gets away with stuff because of that you know--you think it'd be the same for me???" She wouldn't have minded. Think of the possibilities!!!

"I'll keep winning though because I've gotten real good. Wanna see?" Without waiting on a response she picked up another rock and hurled it. This one was shot right back but she hopped out of the way at the last second. "See? I'm an exper--YOU DID??? COOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!"

Lex bounced a bit, now looking to the tree again. "I wanna touch the trunk!!!" Bounce bounce bounce. "I can help!!!!!"

The Second verse wasn't so hard as writing the first. Just replace a few words here and make it sound as catchy as the first. "I guess your still here so the Willow probably doesn't really hate you." Oakey shrugged made sense, he was still here wasn't he. He just had to gain the trees trust without throwing rocks at it's base all the time.

Oh ho! did she want to get into Joker talk with him?!?! He was nut with Comics, "Yeah well the Joker is Mental!Evil, and your not. He doesn't truly get away with things, the Batman always nabs him in the end." Oakey wondered who Alexa's Batman was, and his mind kept wandering to Mo Branxton. That kid could tackle. "I think you're more like the Trickster, one of The Flash's Rogues. They all have a set of moral values to follow while spreading Chaos in The Flash's Home City. So where the Joker is deadly, the Trickster has fun." Did that make sense, Oakey liked The Flash.

He stood up and watched as Alexa threw another rock at the Willow and saw it swat this one away with ease. "Okay, but stay close. Touch the Willow only where it likes it." That meant not the small knot that immobilizes it. If she were truly it's friend she'd leave that alone.

Alexa looked over at what he as writing. It reminded her of the song she had to write for her own tree. It didn't turn out so well mind you but it was still a song and the tree wasn't complaining! She was about to ask to hear his song when he said that. It was almost exactly what Max and Vivi had tried telling her.

"I can be Mental!Evil if I wanna be." She could...or she could try... "You know, they tried telling me the same thing but from what I've seen he seems to win quite a bit." Just saying. "But I guess I wouldn't mind being the Trickster...he seems less likely to have his fun spoiled by an idiot running around in tights." And really, anyone beaten by someone running around in tights was questionable. Think about it.

Lex nodded at everything he said, just to give him the piece of mind but really, she was gonna touch the Willow wherever she wanted. There was nothing to stop her, she knew how to dodge branches.

"Mhm, anything you say Bossman!"

They who was they? Oakey was a tad lost at who Alexa was talking about there "Say what you want, but you're everything bit of mental minus Evil, Alexa. The Joker did get away with some pretty sick things..." That was sick as in sick, not slang sick like Totally gnarly sick. They weren't mutant turtles here. ...but in the comics I read the Joker ALWAYS gets shipped back to Arkham, despite what he's gotten away with."

At least she agreed to the Trickster terms. Still a bit villainous, but easily disposed of. Especially by the Flash. Yup The Flash was the best. "Okay Ms.Trickster follow my lead." It was very hesitant lead mind you, Oakey was still terrified that the Whomping Willow woould squash him just for the hell of it, and now he was putting Alexa in danger too. Great job Head Boy, real good looking out for the younger students.

After finally reaching the trunk of the tree Oakey took the pouch of shredded bark bits and scattered them at the base. Oakey even placed a hand on the trunk looking over to Alexa, she could do the same now too.

"All right! follow me if you want Ms.Trickster." Oakey took his hand off the Willow's trunk and started to pace around the bass of the tree. EHEM!

"WHOMPING WILLOW NONE TO HAPPY!
FWOOPER SITTING ON IT'S LIMBS LIMBS LIMBS
WHOMPING NONE TO HAPPY WHOMPS IT TILL IT'S
SQUISH SQUISH SQUISHED!"

Right this felt entirely weird, "come on Alexa sing with me! Lyrics aren't hard sing along." Oakey repeated the same verse again so that the Gryffindor could hear it. He had alread done about a lap and half around the Whomping Willow.

"WHOMPING WILLOW NONE TO HAPPY!
FWOOPER SITTING ON IT'S LIMBS LIMBS LIMBS
WHOMPING NONE TO HAPPY WHOMPS IT TILL IT'S
SQUISH SQUISH SQUISHED!"

Somehow...she could live with that. You know, being mental even if she wasn't evil. Besides, being evil took extra effort and wasn't worth it unless she would directly benefit. "Yeah but he's already done what he wants and will go back to jail reminiscing on the good times he had until he's able to break out again--you know he'll break out, it's just a matter of when." That was how villains worked. She knew these things.

Oh! Follow the leader now! She liked that game...but only when she was the leader. "Hey can I lead next?" They had to take turns. It was only fair so for now she followed in tow, humming while he sang.

She didn't know the words and didn't want to throw him off too much. La de dah de dah, mm mmmm mm m mmm. Don't mind her, she was just here for the entertainment. This was the closest she'd ever come to the tree. Lex reached out and touched it then squee-ed.

How VERY exciting!!

"Suppose you're right there." Oakey agreed with Alexa. "Only because we wouldn't have very good Batman Comics if the Joker stayed cooped up all the time in jail." Really, Super Hero comics wouldn't be very heroic without someone crashing their style all the time.

She wanted to lead? "Sure. Just don't go to quickly, I need to conserve some energy for my Song." right speaking of which now it was time for the second verse.

"WHOMPING WILLOW ALWAYS HAPPY!
LETS US BE IT'S FRIENDS FRIENDS FRIENDS
WHOMPING ALWAYS WHOMPING...BUT NOT US!
BECAUSE WE'RE CHILL CHILL CHILL"

He smilled at Alexa who was semi-singing along to whatever he had written down in a matter of a few minutes. It was cheesy but hey if it the Willow liked it, who was he to blame.

"WHOMPING WILLOW ALWAYS HAPPY!
LETS US BE IT'S FRIENDS FRIENDS FRIENDS
WHOMPING ALWAYS WHOMPING...BUT NOT US!
BECAUSE WE'RE CHILL CHILL CHILL"


Okay Alexa, can stop now...she can stop...STOP she can stop frolicking around the Willow now. He was done. Why was he still following behind her?

Hehehehehe, he said she was right, which was very true. You couldn't exactly keep the Joker locked up. It didn't suit him very well. The man was one of those who needed to be out and about and without him Batman wouldn't have much busines--what if Batman was the one always springing? Someone needed to look into that.

AND SHE COULD LEAD!!!!

Lex skipped in front of him and started a lively march around the tree. This was a brilliant way of getting dizzy but just look how much fun the tree was having while it watched!!

She began skipping, even after she was sure he'd stopped. "Come on Oakey, find your inner 5 year old girl!" Giggle. That always helped with the skipping. Did he know?

Well? Wasn't he gonna skip???

She was still going and Oakey was still following. He had already gone past the required three Clockwise walks around the Whomping Willow and was now closing in on his 5th or 6th lap. He starred up at the tree, it's limbs were no longer swaying dangerously close to him or Alexa. Guess it considered him a friend, or harmless. Both seemed pretty similar in it's case maybe.

"Okay, I'll try." Oakey switched his walking to an imitation of Alexa's skipping, and eventually passed by her finishing off the lap and stopping. "There, that didn't feel so bad." Oakey twirled his gandr-in-the-making in his hands and went into his bag pulling out a small wooden handled paring knife from a Runes Kit box he keeps in his bag. He smoothed it out a bit then set it down at the base of the Whomping Willow. "Take good care of it. It's still technically part of you." Oakey spoke up to the tree. It now just seemed preoccupied with a small bird that decided to land on one of it's limbs. Eh well, maybe the tree was remembering his song. SQUISH SQUISH SQUISHED

Another day with the whomping willow!! After taking care of her own tree she was quite use to this whole always visiting it kinda thing. It gave her a somewhat longer attention span.

"Come on Oakey, we can't keep the tree waiting!! It's expecting us!!" It had to be, this was their fifth day here. Still quite a lot of days to go but whatever, she liked spending time with the whomping willow so it wasn't exactly a problem. Oakey didn't let her play the game much while he was around. Once this was over they'd have fun together again.

"Remind me what'd we're doing?"

She couldn't be expected to remember everything.

He had not expected Alexa to become even more attached to Whomping Willow after their previous few visits and his smoothing out the his gandr each time. He was glad she had not played her game with the Willow, but really he didn't mind if she gave it a go. So long as she did it from a distance, good restraint on her part Oakey was happy. "We're here, to work on my gandr, remember." Oakey STILL very hesitantly moved to the base of the Willow, and picked up his Gandr-in-progress. Oakey brought back his piece of Whomping Willow and sat down. "You can play your game today, I'll join in after a bit of smoothing out the gandr." Maybe he was forgetting something.. "Oh ummm use smaller rocks than what you used last time. My Shoulder's still black and blue from the last one I got pelted with" He rummaged through his bag and took out the same wooden handled paring knife he used previously and started to smooth out his gandr some. He kept one eye on Alexa of course.

She never thought she would be spending so much time with the Whomping Willow when she first visited it nearly a month ago but now she was kinda glad she threw that rock and had it hit Oakey, otherwise she'd never have a reason to!! Now they were seeing each other and BONDING!! Wait til she told her Daddy--and Jeremy!!! He was terrified of the thing even though he'd never seen it.

"We're baaaaack!!"

Lex skipped up to the tree and took her now normal spot by the base where she could watch Oakey making his gandr smoother and smoother. Him not getting blisters was a miracle. Merlin knew that boy had shoddy luck!

Even though she was allowed to play the game she felt like taking a break. They'd played all week and she didn't think she wanted any more bruises for a while, thanks. Besides...Oakey might have appreciated the peace of mind, you know?

It was too quiet...a little too quiet. Oakey looked up at the Whomping Willow only to see it swaying it's limbs. It looked rather bored itself. Bored or not Oakey wittled away at his gandry smoothing it out just a bit more. "Seriously." Oakey said looking over at Alexa, "Do something that'd make me nervous, It's to calm. Not like you at all." Each visit they made she had been acting casually Un-Alexa. She had to be up to something, and waiting a whole month to do it, whatever it was Oakey figured it was going to be Epic.

He moved his hand across the surface of the Gandr, then stood up. "Come on just a few rocks. I've got the Gandr nice and smooth now. I'm sure the Whomping Willow will be just as excited to do something with us."

Anddddd they were on the ground.

Welp, the sky looked really pretty right now. Lots of fluffy clouds and Ella was tempted to just lay there, taking advantage of the view to do some cloud watching. It'd been quite some time since she'd done that.

And speaking of nice views... "Alecccc!" Giggle! "Are you two okay?" Cause Wade was down here somewhere too, yeah? Oh. Yup, he was definitely here and apparently, a super hair ruffler? Grin!


And then Oakey happened and Ella just stared at the exhausted looking head boy for a moment or two in silence before bursting into laughter. He'd been jogging around the entire grounds? But WHY? No one said to do that! Silly Oakey Worm.

"Alrightttttt, everyone!" She called from the ground, too tired to move. "Due to the recent crash that has occured, running is done and cloud watching will commence...now."

Water break and cloud watching with the team? YUP.

"Mmmmff.." Okay, so Wade didn't exactly think through on what would happen after the special delivery. Right now his slightly tired and slightly sweating body was under Alec, who after the collision fell back on Wade... whose face then fell on the ground. Grass didn't taste like pickles, that's for sure.

It didn't take long before Wade felt Alec moved off him. He got right up then, "Ah.." Sweet breath of fresh-HAIR RUFFLING! The ruffling attacks! "ah..aha..Ahahahahahahahaha..." Talk about a work out, before he beamed at the two of them. "You guys.." He then used his two hands to comence the- "SUPER DOUBLE HAIR RUFFLING!" for both Ella and Alec. What? You thought anyone could freely ruffle Wade's hair without getting some too? Heh. Wade's heart was still racing from that rushing earlier as he looked wildly for the others.. can they join them? Like say-Oakey, hello there. The head boy must have went on ahead to check on any escaping mooses around the grounds. Hmm? More jogging? Wade turned to Ella to see what she would say..

Oh, recent crash.. yeah, way to go Wade. He sheepishly grinned while rubbing the back of his head. Well...Ella didn't seem upset about it though, so Wade happily stretched his arms out before falling back on the grass. "Ahh.. what a great work out this was." Now they could just relax, and point out the floating hippogriffs and tigers in the clouds.. or at least Wade can. Heh.

Tobias hadn't noticed anything that was going on. After the others had crashed he had kept jogging and it wasn't until he faintly heard Ella's voice that he stopped and looked back.

...

Why were they on the floor?

Wow how lazy could you GET.

A mischevious smile appeared on Toby's face and he started sprinting, this time RIGHT at the players who were on the floor, nicely laid out. He ran and ran and ran super fast and then JUST at the right moment he JUMPED and landed on his front across all of them, as gently as he could. He was still pretty titchy, and spread his weight across all of them, so... eh, they'd be fine.

"You guys make a pretty good landing pad." Ehehehehe.

And shimmy shimmy so he was on his back, using the older members of the team as a bed.

So COMFY.

Oh?

Lex looked over at the usually over cautious Headboy. Her eyebrow raised and there was a hint of a smirk. "You're asking me to deliberately make you nervous? Well then. That can be arranged." She heaved off the ground with a wide grin and took a moment to size up the tree. It looked just as bored as she did. Oakey was really the only one with anything doing.

"Must be awful, huh?" She said, giving it a pat. This was still an odd feeling, touching the willow and not getting whomped but not something she would complain about.

Aiming her wand, she levitated a rock (no, Oakey, we're not listening you so it IS a big rock) then hurled it at the tree that swung into action immediately. Lex dived for the ground so fast, not seeing where it might have gotten off to and not caring. That was TOO BIG to hit HER. Her dear Headboy would be fine...he probably had good reflexes...of course...he was also unlucky....eh.