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Echo had no sooner missed Dominik Knapp before she redirected the bludger smack into Galen’s broom. She partially wanted to chase the bludger and give it another shot towards taking Knapp down, when she spotted the other black side beater–another Knapp, as far as Echo knew– following up with the other bludger. What did Galen do to the Knapps?

Either way, part of her job was to protect the team and Yari had never let a bludger hit Echo so there was no way Echo was letting her own team down. She flew her broom between Zack and Galen, smashing the bludger away as she came out of her barrel roll. Style points. Hah.

She turned to make sure the other bludger wasn’t making its way back as Galen complimented her save. Instead, she was met with an empty broom. Echo had her wand out and pointed down for a falling body before the rational, selfish part of her could be bothered that pulling a wand out in the middle of a Quidditch match, even to save someone, even during an informal pick-up match, was strictly against the rules. Then again, Echo didn’t seem all that concerned about rules this year.

It was futile anyways– by the time she spotted him through the light rain, it was only to see his arm crack against the ground. Oof, that was cracked if not broken. Maybe someone else had caught his fall, otherwise there would definitely be more than damaged bone. Instead of a cry of pain though, Galen himself was silent, limp against the ground, his skin flickering colours non-stop like a camouflaging octopus.

Echo’s brain racked the possible reasons as she drifted towards his broom, He’d been fine–calling out compliments to Dominik Knapp for the first bludger. The second bludger hadn’t even hit–she’d knocked it aside, careening towards Mattie to help knock someone else down. She's heard him comment on her stylish save.The bludgers hadn’t caused this. And what in the world was with the sudden color-technics?

Madam Kavanagh was immediately on the field, conjuring up a stretcher and leading them up. Ben was called in, and got immediately to work trying to steal. Echo sighed as she heard Professor Liu yelling up at her again. At least she didn’t call a foul. “Yes, yes, understood Ma’am!” she called, tucking her wand back into its loop on her belt. Echo tossed the bat back to her dominant hand and focused back on the game. Whatever happened wasn’t her concern anymore.

She spotted a bludger and went towards it, but Dominik got there first. Another Double-Knapp attack? Honestly it was a good idea. Of course Dominik would be the one to think of it. Clan of dirty, no good hair-cutting– she cut her curses short to shout out to Mattie–”Harper! Defend Strife!”

She focused on getting in the way of the bludger, barreling towards Stife fast enough to smack one of the bludgers away at least, right back for Dominik.

Echo seethed as she pulled up next to Mattie on the other side. ”They’re doubling up on bludger attacks. Hold back to defend, then redirect everything they throw at…”Echo glared across the pitch, her hatred picking out Dominik Knapp against the rain. But the other Knapp was a few years younger. And Dashwood was a real threat if they couldn’t eliminate her.

Calculations–risk and opportunity costs–flashed through Echo’s head. Dashwood would be their priority target. Eliminating Dominik would get rid of the biggest threat– but while they focused on Dominik, Dashwood could end the game.

It was only a couple seconds, but Echo her teeth. ”--at Zack. He’s the weaker link, and she can’t be everywhere at once. Take him down first, then we’ll get her.”

She spun over to her chasers: Brianna wasn’t bad--Echo thought she was surprisingly good for a third year to have made the starting lineup, but she was young. Olson–it was absolutely infuriating that Echo had to play with an Olson but it seemed to be the will of probability–had the same issue. And Luney was even younger. ”Stay close and don’t let them steal from you without at least harassing them with everything you’ve got. Harper and I will keep you flying, just focus on the quaffle.”