Welcome to Gaia! ::

Howl usually looked forward to meetings with magical folk. He looked forward to meetings with wizards, witches, enchantresses, nine lived enchanters and the like. One had to draw a line somewhere, and the great wizard Howl had gone and drawn a rather thick one.

He did not like witches who were witches and pretended not to be. He didn't like people who denied being witches when they really were quite powerful, redheaded ones. It wasn't fair, not fair at all. She had lied to him. She had tricked him. She had charmed him. Him! The greatest wizard in all Ingary or anywhere else.

This meant war.

"Hello, Kalypso." Howl would take his revenge, and take it properly. If she wanted to annoy him by using his full name, he would do the same. "Not long, perhaps ten minutes. I've summoned you here for a purpose," he said, using an air of mystery to his advantage. No, the odds weren't looking good for Howl. He was much younger than the girl he was about to challenge, shorter, though undoubtedly more talented; even if he still had yet to grow into his full power.

"A challenge, really," the young wizard added. "Not a duel, no. Those are petty. One of talent. I enchant something, and then you. No stealing each other's ideas, no using magic against the other, unless it's unintentional. No use of familars including firedemons is allowed."

"Please don't call me Howell," he added rather quickly. "It's Howl. I'll call you Kali, even. We can be frenemies, if you'd like. Let's have our contest. If you win, I have to do what you say. If I win, you have to go on a date with me."

"Excellent," Howl said, rolling up his sleeves. "Witch, enchantress, or mage, know that I will not be going easy on you." He wanted that date, if only to taunt her afterward. If Sophie hassled him about it later, he figured he would tell her the truth; he was teaching Kali a lesson. That was all. Really.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing that she should make the first move. If he lost, it was worth it just to have seen her expression when he had given her his terms. That'd teach her to charm unsuspecting wizards. "Amaze me. I've never seen a Gaian wit--mage's abilities."

After saying his piece, the young wizard seemed to be practicing his spell work. He knew his levels of magical ability were much lower than they had once been. Though his eyes were focused on Kali, his hands moved with adept skill. A dove sat in his cupped hands, until he released it. A canary took it's place. Then a robin. Then a hummingbird--

He sighed.

"Are there snipes on Gaia? I can't seem to summon one."

In truth he was attempting to distract the teenager. Rule ten when it came to duels. Never allow your opponent to distract you.

"There's no rule saying I can't distract you," Howl pointed out smugly. "Though I will refrain from it in the future." It was only polite, after all. He was rather impressed with her illusion; and there was only one thing to do when he was impressed. "By the way," he said, "I'm changing the terms of our challenge. If I win, you have to let me teach you. And take me for icecream."

She was talented in illusion; Howl would give her something real. With a barely audible word and a gesture, Howl was gone. In his place was a kitten. A pale orange tabby, the wizard reflected with disgust. Couldn't he have made himself something less common? He wound himself around Kali's legs, purring. If cats could smirk, he would have been. "I can also do dogs," said the kitten, before moving away from Kali and standing on its hind legs. It morphed into Howl, who was grinning.

"Your turn."

"And you've got to hold my hand, the entire way there," Howl mused aloud, clearly not realizing that he had done so. Or perhaps he was acting, to hide the fact that he was impressed. He had never been very good with flowers, really. That was Sophie's field. Flowers, clothes, and hats. "Can you teach me that?" he asked, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. Then he seemed to remember they were in the middle of a magical challenge. Oops.

He put his hands together as if to clap, and then opened them. Spinning slowly, almost lazily in midair, was a minature version of the sun. Not nearly as bright as it should have been, but it was obvious what the wizard had meant it to be.

Howl's eyes widened in horror. He went pale at the thought of himself in a dress. "That's hardly fair!" he complained, sticking his lower lip out and pouting, crossing his arms for added effect. "I didn't tell you you had to do anything embarassing and-- Do you know that Sophie would never let me forget that? She'd laugh at me!"

He frowned, and watched as the clouds blocked his sun. He dropped the spell with a sigh. "Even if you do win," he grumbled, "I am not wearing a dress." Never. Not in a million years. Not even if she paid him well. Not even--not even if it were Sophie asking him. Not even then.

He admired her skill with illusion, though Howl himself preferred the real thing. With a gesture, music started to play. He smirked at her, silently vowing for revenge, before giving the older a polite bow. "Dance with me?" he asked.

Howl frowned at her lack of response. If he did lose, and she tried to put him in a dress, he'd just turn her into a toad. He decided a politer approach would be the best solution. "Please don't make me wear a dress?" he asked, on the verge of begging. "I'll do anything else for you if I lose--" He hesitated. "I'll let you dye my hair," he decided. If he didn't like the color, he could always fix it... He hoped.

He stared as his frenemy shrunk in front of him. Envy sparked in his eyes. That was a spell he needed! "Teach me how to do that!" he said excitedly, forgetting the challenge altogether. The music stopped mid note. "Teach me that. I've wanted to learn that spell since they did this to me," he gestured at himself. "Please?" he added.

He was completely oblivious to the fact that he hadn't taken his turn.

Howl did so like draws. It meant he didn't have to admit losing. It meant he wouldn't have to wear a dress! He wouldn't have to have his hair dyed some horrid color. He nodded in agreement.

"Deal," he said with a smile. "You teach me what you know about flowers and height, and I'll teach you about--well. Anything you want to learn about, really." His eyes widened in absolute childish glee, another smile lighting up his features. "Ice cream, really?"

"Let's go!"