Camera 1>> You say, "The participants for round one are Aina, Cirrus, Pyralis, Tategoi" Featherwing cheers for Cirrus and Tategoi. Morticon says, "There. Much better." Morticon says, "and there's five for the second group. Then... four for the final." Austin says, "OK. We can probably manage that." Morticon says, "We'll take the top two from each group." Camera 1>> Tategoi dips his nose in agreement. Zair nods at Niny'ah. "Sorry - missing context can do that sometimes." Samnang is gnarly with that Camera 1>> You say, "Two rounds each room! I'll show you the obstacle again." Camera 1>> ( There's something suspicious in the water! Sharks! Or are they? Closer inspection reveals them to be robo-sharks. No teeth, though, but they are large and swim fast, easily becoming an obstacle all on their own! The body is covered in rubber, meaning a collision with them won't really hurt. The large tail propels them quickly through the water, intercepting swimmers and knocking them off course. ) Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes! Go! Camera 1>> Tategoi with strong strokes of his large tail, moves through the water, giving a burst of speed to carry him between two advancing sharks. As he is relatively small (though not by any means tiny) he has some advantage in this. Camera 1>> Aina' does the front crawl, staying somewhat above the surface. She's a machine at this, making pretty good progress, though probably not as fast as a fish. The shark spots her and moves in for the hunt. Camera 1>> Cirrus on hearing the buzzer, rockets ahead with his feathers trailing a blue glow... though he soon loses stability (that's meant for the -air-!) and spins out, smacking right into a shark! After recovering, he surfaces, catches another breath, then swims in a rather fish-like manner, using his neck and body's motion to drive while his wings steer, letting his streamlined body gradually accelerate via low drag. Camera 1>> Pyralis hrfs, settling to the bottom... she digs into the bottom with her claws, four-legged running animal style by digging into the bottom, her spikes glowing... for now, she headbutts her way through the sharks, ramming one aside, then the next, then firing an odd projectile of magic, bubbles trailing, which pops next to the next one, knocking it away before it hits. Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes. Final round for this room. Pose! Edison gasps and awws behind his paws. "I hope the sharks are okay!" Zair leans forward on her seat. "...You sure those are sharks?" Edison oo's? "Do you think they're Captain Nemos in disguise? Couldbe..." Niny'ah peers at the screen, "I dont see any mouths. I think those are just drones." Camera 1>> Aina' is being chased by a shark! She kicks at it, splashing quite a bit, but the robotic thing bumps at her quite roughly, losing her some distance! She's behind Tategoi for sure, probably near the back. Edison says, "People without mouths are still people." Edison says, "Or sharks." Morticon curses, "I thought it wasn't supposed to attack Ainata." Samnang scribbles something about point off for illegal use of outside allowance. Tamara otts and watches. "Robots." Zair says, "Makes sense. They're hazards, not predators." Guest1 is behind, having been very startled by the appearance of the sharks (despite having seen them once before somehow)! He tries to go over them but is knocked upward to the surface, disrupting his strokes. It doesn't look good! Guest1 then realizes he's not in the race! Morticon giggles. Guest1 facefins. Niny'ah pokes at Guest1. Edison says, "It's good practice, though!" Edison says, "Get your game on!" Guest1 is apparently flailing to himself in a corner! Zair says, "Dedication and spirit. I like it!" Featherwing grins atta Wallaby. Sally :> Guest1 . o O ( It's all so exciting I forgot I wasn't in the action... ) Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes. Waiting on Tategoi, Cirrus, and Pyralis. Camera 1>> Pyralis grins, firing another said projectile from the spikes at the back of her head. She begins using these to send shockwaves through the water, cavitated bubbles rising to the surface, making the water look as if it's boiling... she actually sends one concussive projectile each towards Cirrus, Aina, and Tagtegoi! Aiming to stun them, if not blind them with bubbles... she snickers, keeping on a straight course... well, more scrabbling on the bottom than swimming. Not the fastest, but she isn't expecting to win by speed alone. Camera 1>> Cirrus seems exceptionally evasive, ducking around one shark after the other, tricking them into ramming one another. A bubblicious pop sounds out in front of him from Pyra's magic... he comes through the other side, barrel rolling out a helix of cavitated bubbles from his wingtips. He looks back and fingerwags at Pyralis with a grin, ducking down to the bottom, up to the top to belly-slide for a breath, then back down, briefly petting one of the sharks as it narrowly misses him. He has to turn a lot though, and each turn costs him speed... but on those few straightaways, he makes excellent time... until he bumps into more sharks! Morticon wows.. "I can't believe he just did that!" Camera 1>> Tategoi reels back from Pyralis's shockwave, momentarily turning sideways and almost upside down before righting himself. Eventually he makes it, pursued by a shark. Camera 1>> Plenum Pool(#24007RC) Camera 1>> The Plenum Pool is a large torus-shaped space, spacious and open, with a metre or so of breathing room at the top, and lit from above through the glass blocks that comprise the ceiling. These same blocks are also the paving for the plaza area around the grand fountain, and the roots of the fountain itself form a thick column in the centre of the Plenum Pool. Through the glass block ceiling you can see the dark shapes of land dwellers walking about over your head. Partway up the column of the fountain is an underwater opening that leads via a very short tunnel into the bowl of the fountain. It's possible to use this to pop up in the fountain and watch the land dwellers. The floor of the Plenum Pool, some ten metres down, is comprised of coarse white sand. This forms the top layer of a large sand and organic filter that keeps the water in the tunnels fresh and clean. If you hold still in the pool, you can feel the water flowing slowly into the pool from the tunnels, drawn by the filter pumps. On the bottom, a small bug-like trundles about, sucking up anything too big to be filtered through the sand. Spaced around the periphery of the Plenum Pool are a number of tunnel mouths, each decorated with a different colour scheme in glass blocks, and each leading to a different destination, spelled out by a sign that arches over the opening. Dolphins, seals, mermaids, and otters, along with less-likely creatures, are constantly popping in and out of these. Camera 1>> Obvious Exits: [F]ountain, [H]all of Games, [O]lympic Stadium, [S]wimatorium and Beyond, and Shooting [R]ange Camera 1>> Contents: Cirrus, Pyralis, Tategoi, and Aina'(#9668CJX) Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes. End of the room! Head to 's' Camera 1>> Pyralis swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Pyralis enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Pyralis has left. Camera 2>> Pyralis has arrived. Camera 1>> Cirrus swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Cirrus enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Aina' swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Aina' enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 2>> Complex Pool(#24032RC) Camera 2>> The Complex Pool is a mid-sized oval space, with a metre or so of breathing room at the top, and lit from above with dim artificial lighting. The floor of the Complex Pool, some ten metres down, is comprised of coarse white sand. This forms the top layer of a large sand and organic filter that keeps the water in the pool fresh and clean. If you float quietly in the pool, you can feel the makeup water flowing slowly into the pool from the Beach Tunnel, drawn by the filter pumps. On the bottom, a small bug-like trundles about, sucking up anything too big to be filtered through the sand. The Complex Pool has a tunnel at each end, one leading to the shallow waters near the beach, and one leading on to the larger central Plenum Pool. A third opening leads upward, to the Swimatorium. All are marked with inliad glass tiles signes over the entrance. Dolphins, seals, mermaids, and otters, along with less-likely creatures, are constantly popping in and out of these. Camera 2>> Obvious Exits: [B]each, [P]lenum Pool, and [S]wimatorium Camera 2>> Contents: Aina'(#9668CJX), Cirrus, and Pyralis Camera 1>> Tategoi swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Tategoi enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Tategoi has left. Camera 2>> Tategoi has arrived. Sally sighs as she notices another spelling error. Camera 2>> ( In this section of the tunnel, there is a large whirlpool of sorts, created by some sort of machine planted on the sandy bottom. The whirling water consumes a good portion of the room, but it's possible to get around it if you do things right. (NOTE: If you are sucked in, you will be propelled forward, past the whirlpool, disoriented but unhurt.) ) Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! Pose for round 1! Guest1 sits on his hands so he won't try swimming into the monitor again. Camera 2>> Aina', stunned from before, manages to get into the next part of the tunnel after having lost a lot of distance. She sees the mess of water above, and decides to dive to the very bottom, to sneak past the machine. It does pull on her a little, slowing things down, but it works. Tamara watches and says, "Tricky tunnel." Camera 2>> Tategoi swims forward fast before noticing the whirlpool, then backfinpedals... he then tries to go around the whirlpool at the edges of the tunnel but it consumes a great deal of effort judging from how hard he has to thrash his tail side to side to stay going forward. Niny'ah hmms, nodding at Tamara's comment Zair says, "Watch - it could spin someone backwards!" Featherwing oh nos! Edison says, "That looks fun!" Morticon chuckles at Edison. Zair says, "Sneaky way to eliminate someone. Go 'round a few times, can't tell which way is the right way." [OOC] Morticon says, "Clearly the two sets of swimmers was the right choice, as would be some sort of pre-game signup. But hindsight is.. well.. with glasses..." [OOC] Edison says, "It's all good, Morti! :) You and Sally doin' an awesome job." NBC bobs his head. Camera 2>> Pyralis skids to a stop, and grins... she crouches... a couple moments pass of her doing nothing and going nowhere, building up a light between her hands... she sends it forward. It arcs up, over, then behind her... ka-POW! Her own blast catapults her upwards, rocketing through the water, up to the surface, briefly flying like a brick before splashing down again... right in the center of the whirlpool. She'll be clawwing her way out of that mis-aim, literally! Good thing she's got the stonelike composure to get good traction down there. The current's too strong for magical tricks in the whirlpool though! She's likely to end up alongside Aina sooner or later,,, or at least within sight, giving a brief wave before carrying on. Camera 2>> Cirrus fans his feathers, taking into the edge of the whirlpool... ruffling his feathers like an airbrake in water, he tilts right nose up, flipping belly up as the current takes him. He actually angles around the periphery, half way towards the center, but not quite crossing it... using the speed of the current to navigate towards the other side with another 180 pitch. His streamlined form lets him carry the speed of the whirlpool current! Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round two! Pose! Featherwing tailtickles a Totodile, just cuz. He then cheers for Cirrus. Zair nearly falls out of her seat. She was watching the race and totally not ready for that. Sally giggles. Zair says, "Gack!" Niny'ah ooohs, and nudges Tamara, pointing at Cirrus's stunt. Tamara nodnods! "I like!" Camera 2>> Aina' makes it to the other side, emitting some bubbles when Pyralis flies by! SHe rises too soon, however, and is caught by the whirlpool, being sucked in and spit out in front, not sure which way is what! She floats motionless, but soon surfaces, coughing! Seeing the end, she does a front crawl again, weakly. Just a little ahead of Pyralis perhaps, but behind the other two. Zair catches the tail end of Cirrus' whirlpool trick. That IS neat. Camera 2>> Tategoi manages not to be pulled in by using his narrowness to his advantage and sticking to the edge of the tunnel... but so much effort has tired him and he can't regain the ground (or water) he lost in the last round. A combination of being hit by a shockwave and having to fight a whirlpool has tired him, though he does still have innate swimming strength and grace going for him, so perhaps he'll catch up. Featherwing phews a bit at Tategoi's recovery. [OOC] Niny'ah likes how much the participants are playing off each other Camera 2>> Pyralis bides herself, taking it easy as she crawls towards the end of the whirlpool. Aina likely gets quite far ahead... especially as she pulls that robot off her spikes. Apparantly it mistook her for detritus? Either way, she grins, crouches, then... a wave of heat blasts from her back, vaporizing the air behind her and sending her exit-wards ala steam rocket! This may, or may not take her into a better position... imprompru rockets are so unreliable! But from there on out, she's quad-scrabbling into the tunnel. Camera 2>> Cirrus fish-swims up, down, up again, briefly breaking for a breath, barrel rolling once in the air... sending up a nice arc of water, pooled from his wing. He splashes down with the flung water behind him, forming an arrow on the water's surface, an arrow which he follows, telekinetically thrusting a bit as he moves exitwards. Zair says, "Anyone after some snacks? I could go grab some snack- oh, wait. Probably a bad idea before you all take your turn on the course." PatchO'Black has disconnected. Guest1 says, "Think I better pass, thanks! Gotta be in peak condition! Uh, and wait my turn ha ha ha!" Edison tummygrumbles. "Count me in for some snacks! Gotta carb-up for energy." Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Area complete! Head to the swimatorium (the pool). Camera 2>> Pyralis swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Pyralis pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Pyralis has left. Camera 3>> Pyralis has arrived. Camera 2>> Cirrus swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Cirrus pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Tategoi swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Tategoi pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Tategoi has left. Camera 3>> Tategoi has arrived. Zair jots on a notepad. "Looking for something sweet? Salty?" Camera 3>> Kinsor has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Kinsor has arrived. Camera 3>> Kinsor leavess the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Kinsor has left. Camera 3>> Camera 3 is about to notify everyone their believed relative place. One moment. Edison says, "I would like two pizzas, both with double anchovies and pineapple. Too, a nutella milkshake, served in an open Animaniacs lunchbox." Edison says, "Please." Camera 4>> Kinsor strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Kinsor has arrived. Zair says, "If I can find anyone out there who sells that! I can go have a look." Niny'ah glares over at Edison, stretching her arms behind her head. Smooth and toned, she is. Kinsor has arrived. Camera 4>> Kinsor has left. Tamara otts! "Fish are better." Edison says, "Anchovies is fish!" Zair says, "I think I saw salmon on a stick..." Camera 3>> Camera 3 plays some elevator music. Edison says, "But I'm glad Tategoi wasn't here to hear you say that, Tamara." Camera 3>> ( While we wait, here's the obstacle here: A wave machine on the side of the pool creates huge choppy waves and lots of wind! Even below the surface is a bit turbulent. ) Tamara blushes. "Sorry. I forgot." Otters like their fish! Camera 3>> A lot of fans are wearing pink plastic hats that look like fishheads. Featherwing says to Edison, "Well, it depends on the context that Tategoi perceives..." [OOC] Niny'ah thinks this is more like the X-Games than the Olympics! Zair ducks out for a bit to find the snack cart. [OOC] Morticon grins, "It's me! I never do anything too ordinary or normal when running RPs." [OOC] Zair is leaving herself here to keep watching, but counts as 'gone' for a few minutes. [OOC] Edison says, "Totally x-treme, for true!" [OOC] Zair grins at Niny'ah. BunnyHugger says, "Ooh, that makes me hunger for...... EXTREME OREOS! Fortified with HELL SUGAR!!" [OOC] Niny'ah metaswats Edison Inside Swimming Race Viewing Tent Inside the dim tent, there is an array of huge, bright screens showing the activity going on in the race. Each screen shows a different part of the course. Comfortable benches and chairs of different sorts are spread out, for the judges and observers. Obvious Exits: [O]ut, and [S]can (look) Outside Contents: Kinsor, Guest1, Edison, Featherwing, Tamara, Niny'ah, Sally, PatchO'Black, Jaxen, Zair, Austin, Chitter, BunnyHugger, Morticon, and Samnang Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes. Seems the positions will have to wait. Round 1. Pose! Camera 3>> Swimatorium(#5453RC) Camera 3>> From inside the Swimatorium, you can see the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of irregular polygonal surfaces where the transparent bubbles that comprise the dome meet one another. Each reflects, and refracts, the light to some degree, so that the view through the bubbles, transparent though they are, eventually fades off into dim whiteness, like fog. The at the centre of the Swimatorium is surrounded on the two long sides and one end by rows of plastic seats in the Swimatorium's pastel colour scheme. The remaining end contains the judges' tables, the , and the entrances to the showers and dressing rooms. Along one side of the pool, a transparent partition marks off a spectator pool for aquatic creatures such as dolphins, mermaids, and the like. An underwater allows access to this. Signs are posted every so often in the spectator pool reminding people not to splash excessively, as it creates unwanted choppiness for the swimmers. (N.B. - Things marked with can be looked at.) Camera 3>> Obvious Exits: [O]ut, and [U]nderwater Tunnel Camera 3>> Contents: Tategoi, Cirrus, and Pyralis [OOC] Niny'ah says, "if we do this again in subsequent years, I really think it should be badged and billed as X-Games" Camera 3>> Slowly, the bubbles of the Swimatorium change from pale pink to pastel green. Edison's stomach overhears the mention of Xtreme Oreros and resounds with a Sinistaresque, "I -hunger-!" ( oreos ) Camera 2>> Aina' swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Aina' pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 3>> ( Tategoi first, Aina second, PYralis third, Cirrus 4th. ) Camera 3>> [OOC] Camera 3 says, "That is the current ranking, which may change!!" Camera 3>> Tategoi does the classic goldfish move for distressing water conditions: he dives down very low, then with a rush pops up above the surface, momentarily flying above the waves. He repeats this procedure to try to keep out of the most turbulent area in the middle of the water. Sally goes to turn down the Swimatorium ambience... Sally has left. Camera 4>> Sally has arrived. Camera 4>> Sally leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Sally has left. Camera 3>> Sally has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Sally has arrived. Featherwing simultaneously yays and awws as he sees the rankings. Camera 3>> Sally says, "Pardon - OOC visit." Niny'ah rubs her hands together, grinning at Tamara. "Shore chop is a treat." Camera 3>> Sally leavess the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Sally has left. Camera 4>> Sally strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Sally has arrived. Sally has arrived. Camera 4>> Sally has left. Camera 3>> Aina' isn't used to this sort of choppy weather! She gets a few mouthfulls of chlorinated water before realizing underwater is better. But even there, it's hard swimming. She makes slow progress to the other side of the pool, definitely falling way behind. Tamara grins. "Easy swim. Cat not made for water." Samnang scribbles more notes. Niny'ah humphs quietly in agreement to Tamara Camera 3>> Cirrus was idly and happily mosying along until he hit the barrier of that wave zone... as if hit by a blast wave, an eddy of turbulence sends him nose up, tumbling back! ... Only to a moment later, struggle back ahead. He soon gains his bearings, and starts... feeling his way around the eddies. Turbulence in air was one thing, turbulence in water was something else! A few concepts still hold true though. He noses up, catching the bottom of one eddy, then the top of another nosing down... those spinning currents spin forward sooner or later. Each transition risks loss of control, but he braves it, using the forward sweeping regions to gain momentum as he beelines for the far end. At this point he's just focused on reaching the far end period! Somehow, he manages to make good headway without losing control, but he knows it's still an iffy proposition at this point. Camera 3>> Pyralis, already on the bottom, hunkers down just pulling her way forward. At least she isn't that affected by the torrent, but she does seem to divert some energy away... letting a deep growl sound through the waters atop the rumble of the machines, she lunges forward, firing a much more massive concussive bolt at Tategoi, the one in the lead. She eyes it, aiming to guide it in. The glowign white missile of a bolt leaves a trail of bubbles as it streaks through the water, though the eddies may yet spare Tategoi as it zigzaggs in the current! Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes! Round two! Pose! PatchO'Black has connected. PatchO'Black sings a few notes and the air around him darkens. When it clears, he has changed... Zair returns! No pizzas, but she found Edison's shake. And a couple of sticks with grilled salmon on them. She offers one to Tamara, and the shake to Edison as appropriate. Samnang takes a breaths and makes more notes. Niny'ah oohs at the grilled salmon Zair oh's! Other stick for Niny'ah, then. She can go get more! Edison faceplants into the lunchbox and slurps sloshily. Once he's sufficiently messyfaced, he remembers to thank Zair with a whoop and a cheekslurp. "Much obliged, chum!" Zair says, "How much did I miss?" Tamara's muzzle waters!!! She noms it! Zair makes sure she's well out of Edison's splash zone. This is her good shirt - it looks like every other shirt she owns! Camera 3>> Aina' surfaces occansionally for air, gasping as water gets in her muzzle. Diving back under each time, she does something resembling a butterfly or breaststroke, just trying to use brute force against the currents, not having been trained on water this rough. The results are mixed. Sometimes she can surge forward, other times she veers off course. If Tategoi gets zapped, she has a chance of getting to second place, probably behind Cirrus. Camera 3>> The bubbles of the Swimatorium deepen from a pale pink to a sudden, intense red. The building seems to glow for just a few seconds. Camera 3>> Tategoi gets knocked sideways as a bolt brushes his side, confusing his sense of direction for a moment as it vibrates his otoliths. (Look it up!) Although he rights himself, this loses him some ground, putting him in range to be passed. Niny'ah indicates the screen with two thirds of the fish on a stick, "Tategoi is doing well, but Cirrus seems to be getting the hang of the water. Aina's having trouble with the currents, and that bulky one on the bottom just tried to blast Tategoi." Morticon nods. "I see I need to get 72 trained in varying water conditions. Clearly a big gap in training." Niny'ah ahems to Morticon, and indicates herself and Tamara NBC keeps an eye on all monitors, jerking his head quickly between them to check for any signal loss. Tamara tries to nom that pointing fish. "Use current to work, not go against." Zair says, "Cirrus looks more at home in the air. And I am NOT telling Tategoi about the snacks." Morticon tilts his head, "What, you're... offering?" Tamara otts. "Fun to train!" Niny'ah flicks the fish back to her own mouth, biting with her back teeth. "Hai, you've got your own," she admonishes with a grin. Tamara giggles, not getting the second snack. Edison says, "I don't see why training enters into it. Just stick a propeller on her, voila!" BunnyHugger says, "The odds are that's not the same species of fish as Tategoi, what you're eating. Unless you got goldfish on a stick there. In which case nevermind." Zair ducks out quickly to get another salmon stick for herself. As soon as she's got it she dashes back in and drops into the same chair she had before. Camera 3>> Cirrus doesn't realize he's made a mistake 'till it's too late. His impulse when running into bad air is to climb above it. A bad impulse to have here, as he pokes up, catches air, then gets smacked in the face by a rushing wave, knocked back head over tailfeathers! He splashes down again, disoriented briefly, potentially bumping right into Aina... at least he's feathery soft if it happens, even when wet! From there, he takes a more conservative approach, navigating ahead from one eddie to the next in sequence. Camera 3>> Pyralis grins and snickers at seeing Tategoi get popped, even if it wasn't full force. She tries the same steam rocket afterwards, though it mostly ends with her going sideways and slightly forward in this current. The hot water rises, causing further eddies and only making things worse, but at least she has a good handhold, leaving a nice trail of scratches on the floor as she scrabbles ahead. If she somehow manages to catch up to Aina, likely she'd snag the cat and throw Aina back to push herself forward. Niny'ah thwacks Edison's shins lightly, "Even if she had a dive-thruster, she'd have trouble if she wasn't using the currents properly." Niny'ah lightly with her tail Edison nudges away his bag of Goldfish crackers before they are noticed by anyone who may tell Tategoi. Camera 3>> Swimatorium(#5453RC) Camera 3>> From inside the Swimatorium, you can see the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of irregular polygonal surfaces where the transparent bubbles that comprise the dome meet one another. Each reflects, and refracts, the light to some degree, so that the view through the bubbles, transparent though they are, eventually fades off into dim whiteness, like fog. The at the centre of the Swimatorium is surrounded on the two long sides and one end by rows of plastic seats in the Swimatorium's pastel colour scheme. The remaining end contains the judges' tables, the , and the entrances to the showers and dressing rooms. Along one side of the pool, a transparent partition marks off a spectator pool for aquatic creatures such as dolphins, mermaids, and the like. An underwater allows access to this. Signs are posted every so often in the spectator pool reminding people not to splash excessively, as it creates unwanted choppiness for the swimmers. (N.B. - Things marked with can be looked at.) Camera 3>> Obvious Exits: [O]ut, and [U]nderwater Tunnel Camera 3>> Contents: Aina'(#9668CJX), Tategoi, Cirrus, and Pyralis Niny'ah takes another bite of salmon Zair says, "Nah, it's salmon. Can be nice with lemon and pepper, if you like dressing 'em up." Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes! End of area. Head to 'u', for room 4! Almost done! Camera 3>> Aina' dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Aina' pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Tategoi dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Tategoi pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Tategoi has left. Camera 2>> Tategoi has arrived. Camera 3>> Cirrus dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Cirrus pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Pyralis dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Pyralis pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Pyralis has left. Camera 2>> Pyralis has arrived. Camera 2>> Complex Pool(#24032RC) Camera 2>> The Complex Pool is a mid-sized oval space, with a metre or so of breathing room at the top, and lit from above with dim artificial lighting. The floor of the Complex Pool, some ten metres down, is comprised of coarse white sand. This forms the top layer of a large sand and organic filter that keeps the water in the pool fresh and clean. If you float quietly in the pool, you can feel the makeup water flowing slowly into the pool from the Beach Tunnel, drawn by the filter pumps. On the bottom, a small bug-like trundles about, sucking up anything too big to be filtered through the sand. The Complex Pool has a tunnel at each end, one leading to the shallow waters near the beach, and one leading on to the larger central Plenum Pool. A third opening leads upward, to the Swimatorium. All are marked with inliad glass tiles signes over the entrance. Dolphins, seals, mermaids, and otters, along with less-likely creatures, are constantly popping in and out of these. Camera 2>> Obvious Exits: [B]each, [P]lenum Pool, and [S]wimatorium Camera 2>> Contents: Pyralis, Cirrus, Tategoi, and Aina'(#9668CJX) Zair's teeth are not made for chewing. She just bites the salmon off in small bits instead. Camera 2>> ( The water level has been raised all the way to the ceiling for a short part of the tunnel, meaning everyone has to swim underwater. The water has only a slow current otherwise. ) Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round one! Pose! Niny'ah's front teeth aren't either - they're for grabbing and holding slippery, wiggly fish! but her back teeth are tall demi-canic molars. Zair is all pointy croc teeth. They don't change much. Edison's single bucktooth comes in handy for opening cans, and savagely ripping cotton candy off its stick. Camera 2>> Tategoi surveys things, a bit too cautious after last time to initially burst straight through, but after observing no obstacles, picks up speed rapidly, jetting through the water in quick bursts as his tail does all the paddling. Camera 2>> Aina' pauses at the new challenge. She treads water and takes a really deep breath and dives down! Luckily the water is a little nicer here, and she can focus on going straight ahead. She's got good form here, though it looks a little .... desperate .... wanting to clear this room before her air runs out. The stroke is very regular and clearly a result of lots of training. Zair says, "It jsut me, or does the one on the bottom really like to blast people?" Morticon teases, "Just you." Edison says, "Well who doesn't like blasting people? In good fun." Niny'ah smacks Edison's shins a bit more. Niny'ah isn't even looking when she does it. [OOC] Morticon says, "I suspect this event will run a little late... but I wil ltry and keep it mostly on time. I really apologize for that. It's rare I'm so surprised like this." Tamara's tail smacks him too! Lightly. Zair crosses her arms. "There's a time and a place for everything. Including blasting people." Niny'ah asides to Zair, "And this isn't it?" Edison owies!, omg. Zair says, "I ... thought there would've been rules against shooting your competitors, but maybe I was wrong." Camera 2>> Pyralis grins... she hasn't cought breath once. The truth be told she has other means of metabolism that don't need oxygen. How else could she live in a magma pocket? Seeing this, she just scampers ahead, leaving a trail of bubbles in her clawmarked wake. A straight run from here, she just makes a running break for it, aiming to snag Aina and pull her back if at all possible... though odds are a swimming cat could outrun a crawling leech. She's not too hot on the straightaways! Unless Aina hits some really bad luck odds are Pyra's just gonna be crawling. Camera 2>> Cirrus pauses... and looks up. He'd been holding his breath on the last one expecting to surface immediately here. A few bubbles escape his mouth as he tries to pick up a top speed heading to the other side... though he seems to be in a bit of pain. In fact, the way he feels... he may not even reach the other side, not without swallowing water at least. He visibly stifles the impulse to try to breathe underwater, a slight whimper heard as he tries to add a psionic boost to his wiggle, expediting his trip... though he may only be burning even more energy out of desperation in doing so. Morticon says, "Well, they will be judged acoordingly." Tamara grins, "Teamwork!" Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round two! Pose! Niny'ah lowfives Tamara, and glances at Zair's apparel, "That shirt looks like it'd be a liability in the whirlpool and waves, friend." Niny'ah ohbytheways to Zair, "Niny'ah." Zair says, "Oh, I'm not competin'. I came by to watch." Samnang scribbles some notes down. Zair offers a hand. "Pleased t' meet you. I'm Zair." Camera 2>> Tategoi has no trouble this round as he is a water breather, of course. His only concern is gaining as much ground as possible as he approaches the end of the race. Though tiring, he shows signs of renewed energy as he sees the end of things in sight, and he goes for all he's worth, trying not to worry who might be on his tail or how the others are managing... Camera 2>> Aina' does keep ahead of Pyralis. Her lungs beginning to burn for air, her form suffers only in the fact it's much less perfect, and more get-me-to-the-other-side-quick. She doesn't quite reach the end, falling behind Cirrus and Tategoi as her vision blurs and becomes tunnelly. She does the equivalent of a swimming limp to the end, bubbles starting to rise up. There's a chance Pyralis could grab her at the end, here. Niny'ah clasps Zair's wrist for a 'handshake' Tamara looks over at Zair. "Underwater dragon!" Her eyes widen. "Not seen one here before." Zair mm's? "Dragon? Oh, no - I'd be closer to the crocs and gators, I think." Samnang strokes his wispy beard. Tamara ohs, "I'm Tamara." She offers to shake the strange creature's paw. Zair accepts Niny'ah's shake, too. Once her hand's free she then gives it to Tamara. Morticon stares at the screen. "I hope she's not going to drown in there." Zair says, "Mighty fine diving yesterday, too. For both of you." Camera 2>> Cirrus seems to suddenly slow down a lot... he burns a lot of energy by his physiology, and that means running out of breath, quicker than ever! He's really starting to regret not having a water move in his reportoire... if only he'd picked up Surf... but he's a dedicated flier! So, he forces himself to trudge ahead. Lesson learned... being a flier doesn't help as much as one would think. He's likely to make it to the end alright, even if only barely, his psionic boost fading long before. Camera 2>> Pyralis grumbles, potentially catching up to Cirrus, though being as slow as she is on a straightaway, odds are she'd be far too far behind Aina to even reach for her. She could send out another bolt but it's already decided anyway. As for Cirrus? No need to drown the guy. She lets out a bubble-filled sigh, recovering herself enough to steam-rocket the second half straight ahead, though likely that wouldn't even be enough to catch up to the crowd at this point. At least it leaves a nice line of bubbles and hot water boiling to the top though! Morticon reconsiders his swimming race obstacle course! Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! Area complete. Type 'b' for the final part of the race! Camera 2>> Aina' swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Aina' pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Cirrus swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Cirrus pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Pyralis swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Pyralis pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Pyralis has left. Camera 4>> Pyralis has arrived. Camera 2>> Tategoi swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Tategoi pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Tategoi has left. Camera 4>> Tategoi has arrived. Camera 4>> ( Out here in the bay, the water and wind is calm and the sun is shining pleasantly. It's smooth sailing up to the finish line! Following the buoys from the tunnel exit to the floating, lime green finish line up ahead should be easy. Just a few hundred meters to go! ) Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! Round one! Pose! Zair hums. The monitors are showing familiar terrain! Alderem has arrived. Alderem spirals in! Camera 4>> Tategoi chants to himself, murmurs that can only be heard by those underwater, though others may see his mouth moving. The concentration of this slows him a little, so any lead he has is narrowed, though he does keep moving forward. Edison says, "Howdy Al!" Featherwing watches intently, so he knows what to do... He then notices Alderem out of the corner of his eye and clawwaves. Niny'ah has disconnected. Niny'ah has connected. Camera 4>> Aina' emerges, gasping for breath! She looks totally drained, panting as oxygen goes back into her blood. But she's determined to finish, maybe even place! Narrowing her eyes, she starts a front crawl, giving it all she has to pass Cirrus to possibly get second. It's slow at first, her body aching, but as the meters close, she speeds up by using her internal drive to succeed. Camera 4>> Gilead steps off of the floating disk that carried her up. Camera 4>> Gilead has arrived. Camera 4>> Gilead leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Gilead has left. Camera 3>> Gilead has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Gilead has arrived. Camera 3>> Gilead leavess the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Gilead has left. Camera 4>> Gilead strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Gilead has arrived. Camera 4>> Gilead leaves the shallows off the beach, heading out into Olympic Bay and the Glimmersea. Camera 4>> Gilead has left. Camera 4>> Gilead steps off of the floating disk that carried her up. Camera 4>> Gilead has arrived. Camera 4>> Gilead is carried away when a runaway sputnik rams into her. Camera 4>> Gilead has left. NBC squawks and rustles feathers as the camera is obscured by an otter. Edison says, "It's okay, you can fix it in post!" NBC chimes. Gilead has arrived. Gilead nuzzles. Featherwing says, "Got him."" Tamara otts! She waves to a fellow otter. Sally winghugs her otter. Camera 4>> Cirrus immediately surfaces, catching his breath with a loud gasp, then a sigh, spending a few moments clearing the dizzy from his head... ah, how tempting it would be to just fly fly fly to the end! But then, this is a swimming contest. He nods. He's a lot of things, but a cheater isn't one of them. So, after he recovers, he takes a breath once more, this time dropping down, aiming to quickly gain speed, and swim under the others. Soon, he regains his rythm, flashing a grin, occasionally speeding upwards, flying up from the sufrace, catching his breath as he briefly arcs through the air, before nose-diving down with a surprising lack of splash. If he manages to somehow pass any of the other two... he gives a smile and a wave! Camera 4>> Pyralis on the other hand is a little less afraid to bend rules... she grins, sending ahead a bluish blast ball headed right for the beach, aiming to fill the water with muck and blind those ahead of her. She herself? Her kind can sense their way through Earth. There's little difference with this! Claws throwing plumes of dirt up behind her, her tail wags as she dog-runs for the finish! Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes. Round two (final)! Pose! Camera 4>> Tategoi swims underwater to avoid the waves. He seems a bit slower than in the previous round, wearied, but makes a final burst of effort as he sees others doing the same. As he reaches the finish line he pops up above the water to "cross" it properly, then plunges low with exhaustion, not even looking at first to see how he finished. Camera 4>> Aina' isn't affected by Pyralis's trick, as she's on the surface. Easily keeping ahead of the cheater. She gasps as Cirrus gets neck and neck with her, noting this during one of his breathing flights. Looking determined, she gives it all she has and manages to push ahead some. Camera 4>> [OOC] Aina' crosses the finish line, of course. Whoops. Should have posed that. BunnyHugger says, "It's a photo finish!" Niny'ah watches Aina with some concern, scowling at Pyralis's behavior and grinning at Cirrus's antics. Samnang whuffs, "I don't think a photo would be needed unless we need to have a picture of what not pacing ne's self looks like." Zair definitely supports Cirrus herself. Pyralis may be frowned at later. Morticon grins. Thinking there's a chance she gets second! Maybe. Featherwing phews in relief as both of his teammates finish. Camera 4>> Cirrus arcs over Aina, grinning and waving down as a trail of droplets sprinkle down, followed by his own diving in! He then... blinks... a plume of dirt from the beach soon envelopes him! Fortunately, even if half his aerial tricks don't work here, his sense of direction does. He's had plenty of experience flying through fog, and has aquired a sense for attitude, both from a psionic feel and simple dead reckoning. Unfortunately, the muck does get in his feathers, ruining a bit of his aero-now-hydrodynamics... but, at least swimming as he does still works the same. At least the finish is right there! Seeing it as he approaches the surface, he skims the surface, breathing freely and skidding like a jetski, sending out a wake as he approaches... once he crosses, he hovers up, looking around as he rolls over the surface. Camera 4>> Pyralis notes that this one didn't work... hmph! She smiles once more though. Bubbles would rise to the surface as she scurries along, soon punctuated with a large bubble plopping to the surface as she rockets up through the finish, leaving a hot trail as she buzzes past the hovering Cirrus, plopping back down like a brick tossed overboard! Camera 4>> Dragoncat steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Camera 4>> Dragoncat has arrived. Camera 4>> Dragoncat leaves the shallows off the beach, heading out into Olympic Bay and the Glimmersea. Camera 4>> Dragoncat has left. Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! Race over! What place do you four feel you are at? Camera 4>> Aina' thinks she's in third, by the looks of things. Niny'ah reeeeally seems to dislike Pyralis, but she's trying to be a good sport about the bad sport. Camera 4>> Pyralis almost certainly came in last. Camera 4>> Cirrus is unsure, but likely not first! Close one with Aina Camera 4>> Dragoncat strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Dragoncat has arrived. Dragoncat has arrived. Camera 4>> Dragoncat has left. Dragoncat says, "Yay! Found everyone!" Zair stands up to give applause for the competitors! Featherwing chuckles. "I had that summon ready just in case..." Dragoncat giggles. Camera 4>> Tategoi tends to think he is finishing first but is correctable on that belief. Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! "Competitors may enter the tent, as you are finished for now. Edison, Featherwing, Niny'ah, Tamara, and Guest1! Head to the first room." Niny'ah has left. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 4>> Aina' gets out of the water, looking sore... and dripping! She shakeshakes and goes into the tent. Camera 4>> Niny'ah leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has left. Camera 4>> Niny'ah strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has arrived. Dragoncat says, "Good luck!" Camera 4>> Niny'ah leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has left. Pyralis has arrived. Camera 4>> Pyralis has left. Aina' teleports away. Aina' has teleported in. Camera 4>> Tategoi jumps into his transport bowl which waits on shore. Dragoncat pets Featherwing. Aina' plops. Tategoi has arrived. Camera 4>> Tategoi has left. Tamara has left. Camera 4>> Tamara has arrived. Camera 1>> Niny'ah pops out of the Fountain tunnel. Camera 1>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 4>> Tamara leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Tamara has left. Camera 1>> Tamara pops out of the Fountain tunnel. Camera 1>> Tamara has arrived. [OOC] Zair's cue to switch PCs. Back soon! Zair has disconnected. Guest1 says, "Alright, see ya!" Guest1 has left. Camera 4>> Guest1 has arrived. Edison shuffles back into his inntertube, water wings and flippers, which he probably should've waited to don until after he'd run to the race. He faceplants on several falls, but eventually. Camera 4>> Guest1 swims into the tunnel in the end of the pier. Camera 2>> Guest1 pops out of the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Guest1 has left. Camera 2>> Guest1 has arrived. Camera 2>> Guest1 swims into the tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Guest1 enters the Plenum Pool from the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond]. Camera 2>> Guest1 has left. Camera 1>> Guest1 has arrived. Edison has left. Camera 4>> Edison has arrived. Camera 4>> Edison swims into the tunnel in the end of the pier. Camera 2>> Edison pops out of the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Edison has left. Camera 2>> Edison has arrived. Camera 2>> Edison swims into the tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Edison enters the Plenum Pool from the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond]. Camera 2>> Edison has left. Camera 1>> Edison has arrived. Camera 1>> Room: Plenum Pool Camera 1>> -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- Camera 1>> Edison Guy Spotted Hyena Camera 1>> IC Guest1 male Mer-Human Camera 1>> IC Tamara Female Spotted Otter Camera 1>> watr Niny'ah female Seirmerine Camera 1>> ---[ Found 4 characters. ( 4 Awake ) ]---------------------------------------- Samnang readies his note board. Morticon says, "Featherwing? Did you still want to play?" Featherwing is heading that way Featherwing has left. Camera 4>> Featherwing has arrived. Zair has connected. Dragoncat chuckles. Morticon grins. Camera 4>> Featherwing leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Featherwing has left. Cirrus mrrmfs... and shakeshakeshakes out all the water, luckily before he enters! He feather-floofs before heading in. He gives Dragoncat a wave! Morticon pats Aina. "You did good." Camera 1>> Featherwing pops out of the Fountain tunnel. Camera 1>> Featherwing has arrived. Aina' grins. Camera 1>> Niny'ah fives Tamara on her way in, hugging otteress and conversing quietly, planning Camera 1>> Tamara otts, looking around, eager to start! Tategoi rests on the bottom of his bowl. Camera 1>> Tamara hugs! Otting, listening! Pyralis hrf-rrrrf-rrrfs... a bit frustrated with that, but oh well. She sits down and crosses her arms. PatchO'Black wakes back up, "Nachos!" Camera 1>> Room: Plenum Pool Camera 1>> -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- Camera 1>> drg Featherwing male silver dragon with black feathered wings Camera 1>> Edison Guy Spotted Hyena Camera 1>> IC Guest1 male Mer-Human Camera 1>> IC Tamara Female Spotted Otter Camera 1>> watr Niny'ah female Seirmerine Camera 1>> ---[ Found 5 characters. ( 5 Awake ) ]---------------------------------------- Zair greets Cirrus and offers congratulations to all of the first round participants. Camera 1>> ( There's something suspicious in the water! Sharks! Or are they? Closer inspection reveals them to be robo-sharks. No teeth, though, but they are large and swim fast, easily becoming an obstacle all on their own! The body is covered in rubber, meaning a collision with them won't really hurt. The large tail propels them quickly through the water, intercepting swimmers and knocking them off course. ) Zair says, "Nice show out there, alla you." Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes! Round one! Pose! Dragoncat says, "So... What heat are we on?" Cirrus grins, and floats over to Zair, "Hello Totodile... person?" He tilts his head for a moment... but keeps a smile. "Thanks!" Austin says, "Second heat, Dragoncat." Dragoncat nods. Camera 1>> Tamara dives into the water, closely following Niny'ah as they try and cross this hazardous stretch. SHe's slinking through the water as only an otter can, lungs full of fresh air. Three sharks notice the pair and start to head their way. Camera 1>> Guest1 gets the feeling he's done this before. Maybe even on dry land for practice! He tries to go over the sharks but one comes up underneath him and knocks him into the air for a moment... then he lands facing the wrong way! He swims a few strokes in the wrong direction before he realizes his mistake and turns around. Oops! Zair ponders this! To Cirrus: "I recognize your species, but I never thought I'd see one of you in person. Rare sight indeed!" Austin heehees. Zair says, "Good show in the water, though. I imagine it's probably a bit of a drag on people used to flying." Camera 1>> Edison reasons shrewdly that these sharks will not attack one of their own, so he tries to blend in, rawring and chomping as he splish-splashes at a slow pace. His performance is, against all odds, unavailing, and his booty in the center of the innertube makes an easy target for a shark. With a timpani-bonk sound, he's launched into the air!, whistling over the heads of the competition. He lands, kersplash!, facing the wrong way, smiling and waving to the fellow contestents as they race past, leaving him in a stalled spin. Camera 1>> Featherwing kicks off from the air pocket, then glides down through the water, legs kicking steadily to propel himself. He attempts to dodge the sharks with good effect, tail brushing against each one harmlessly. However, one shark seems to be attracted to the dragon. His eyes widen a bit, uncertain of whether or not he'll collide with the robo-shark. Gilead RainbowSplash says, "I hope he doesn't jump over the shark, that's worse. :-(" Kinsor skriters, "Not as bad as failing to jump over the shark!" Skyler has teleported in. Skyler has arrived. Camera 1>> Niny'ah pulls powerfully in the water, occasionally bunching her legs up to kick solidly at a shark's side as it passes through the space where she just was! Working closely with Tamara, she's able to use her larger frame to keep the sharks from impeding her teammate's progress. Sally greets. Kinsor waves a wing! Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes! ROund two! Pose! Cirrus says, "Literally." Cirrus chuckles, "I thought I'd be as hydrodynamic as I am aerodynamic but I guess not." He floats around Zair, before chucklinga bit to Gilead. Jumpingthe shark! He settles down near, though not too near, Zair. Content to watchfor now! He nods to Sally, waving! Dragoncat says, "If any of the sharks knock themselves out, can I have them?" Camera 3>> Ronnie has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Ronnie has arrived. Zair says, "Can you handle the care and feeding of a robot shark? It's a big responsibility." Camera 3>> Ronnie dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Ronnie pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Ronnie has left. Camera 2>> Ronnie has arrived. Camera 2>> Ronnie swims into the tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Ronnie enters the Plenum Pool from the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond]. Camera 2>> Ronnie has left. Camera 1>> Ronnie has arrived. Dragoncat says, "Oh... I was hoping for robot sushi..." Camera 1>> Tamara looks thankful, and pulls ahead of Niny'ah as her teammate keeps the sharks at bay. Using all four limbs and her body, the ottress cuts through the water as if air, her tail providing direction. Niny'ah is left to defend to ensure the team wins. Zair edges forward on her seat again. Otter's putting on a good performance! Samnang scribbles notes Camera 1>> Edison, bringing up the rear, is the perfect target for a crew of opportunistic sharks. The hyena gulps. "Guess we can't hug it out, huh guys?" They speed up. He yipes!, and in a panic clings to the very tip of Niny'ah's tail (assuming he can grab it in a swipe) and tags along for the getaway. Camera 3>> Tottle has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Tottle has arrived. Camera 3>> Tottle leavess the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Tottle has left. Camera 4>> Tottle strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Camera 4>> Tottle has arrived. Dragoncat bounces up and cheers on Featherwing! Tottle has arrived. Camera 4>> Tottle has left. Morticon ooos. "Edison may get third place like that!" Camera 1>> Guest1 gets himself facing the right way and tries to make up for his blunder. He's half fish and has that going for him but it's not the nice big tail that the fish from the other round had, it's a betta tail which is gossamer and not really for speed. So he does alright making up some ground but not great. Camera 1>> Featherwing meeps as another shark gets directed towards him. A muffled "Hey!" can be heard, as he coils his frame around the advancing sharks, kicking hard to gain speed to get through. He attempts to pass Niny'ah, a determined look on his face. 'You won't get away with it *that* easily.' He thinks to himself. Zair seems alright with Cirrus around. It's a somewhat familiar presence, even if she's never met the guy before personally. Camera 1>> Niny'ah manages to keep several sharks busy at once, letting Tamara forge ahead while she darts and grabs at several fins, to direct them at Edison, and once they're rediected, she snaps her tail down, sending her to a deep-cutting dive and gliding close to the bottom. she's lost time, but she's put Tamara ahead handily. Camera 1>> Camera 1 buzzes! End of area! Type 's' Camera 1>> Guest1 swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Guest1 enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Guest1 has left. Camera 2>> Guest1 has arrived. Camera 1>> Tamara swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Tamara enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Tamara has left. Camera 2>> Tamara has arrived. Camera 1>> Niny'ah swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Niny'ah enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Niny'ah has left. Camera 2>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 1>> Featherwing swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Featherwing enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Featherwing has left. Camera 2>> Featherwing has arrived. Cirrus figures if he's going to settle down near someone it might as well be a fellow poke'. He smiles, tilting his head slightly... he thinks the sharks are kinda cute to be honest. Camera 1>> Edison swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium and Beyond] Camera 2>> Edison enters the Complex Pool from the Tunnel marked [Plenum Pool]. Camera 1>> Edison has left. Camera 2>> Edison has arrived. Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round one! Pose! Camera 2>> [OOC] Camera 2 says, "One sec!" Camera 2>> ( In this section of the tunnel, there is a large whirlpool of sorts, created by some sort of machine planted on the sandy bottom. The whirling water consumes a good portion of the room, but it's possible to get around it if you do things right. (NOTE: If you are sucked in, you will be propelled forward, past the whirlpool, disoriented but unhurt.) ) Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round one! Pose! (now you can!) Zair says, "I liked this one better than the wave machine. Tricky trap." Ronnie has arrived. Camera 1>> Ronnie has left. Camera 2>> Guest1 says, "Uh oh, what's this?" He sees the churning in the center of the water and tries to dive under it but that's a mistake because it just gets him closer to the machine. He's sucked in and spun around and comes out the other side again, propelled ahead nicely but ... facing backwards again! Oops! Dragoncat suddenly is dressed in surfer gear with a surf board. "Like, you could totally hang 10 on those seriously knarly waves, dude!" Camera 2>> Edison caroms from shark-to-shark as he loses hold of Niny'ah's tail. The robotic beasties toss him about like the plaything of porpoises, which sends him careening wildly into the next area. "Wheeee!", he calls, throwing up his arms and letting the vortex carry him in a tightening spiral. Evidently he has misunderstood that this is to be avoided. He reaches the center and begins to slip beneath the spinning water, laughing, "It's like swimming in a big toilet!" He sinks, then moments later arises in defiance of hydrodynamics to clarify, ahem, "Not that I'd -know- what that's like, of course," then promptly plummets out of sight, sucked down. Camera 2>> Tamara goes to one side, opposite of Niny'ah, and dives right to the sand. She works to crawl along the very edge, tucking her tail in. It starts to pull her anyway, and the otter swims inside, wriggling mightily to overcome the current! Finally past, she stays along the bottom for a while before rising, to avoid the upper part of the whirlpool. It's slow going and she's lost some of her lead, but slow and steady wins in this room. Camera 2>> Featherwing hmms, he remembers his teammate doing something in this that got him through it better and ponders replicating it. He decides not to, then glides out to the outer part, one wing getting tugged a bit, but not nearly enough to be sucked all the way in. He kicks harder, tucking his wings as close to his body. He proceeds towards the (not-exact) middle of the area. Camera 2>> [OOC] Tamara says, "otter swims instead. Not inside. :)" Camera 2>> [OOC] Camera 2 says, "Of note, the final round will be a simple one room race in the bay. So for those worried about time, it won't go too far over." Camera 2>> [OOC] Niny'ah says, "but I was looking forward to the wavepool" Camera 2>> [OOC] Camera 2 says, "You will ahve it. Just not for heat 3." Camera 2>> [OOC] Featherwing nods in acknowledgement. Camera 2>> [OOC] Camera 2 says, "Heat 3 is the winner take all part, combining the winners from heat 1 and 2. Anyway, waiting on Niny'ah's pose. :)" Dragoncat says, "So I really did miss my chance." Morticon nods, "Sorry, Dragoncat." Camera 2>> Niny'ah surfaces briefly for air and then cuts down towards the bottom, kicking and sculling with her tail, watching Tamara's progress as she grabs for the sandy floor, ears pinned back agaisnt her head as the current sucks at her mane, her large frame not quite able to completely avoid the drag of the whirling flow, so she vents all the air from her lungs in a calculated risk, hands hooked into claws as she drags herself along the floor, her reduced bouyancy giving her the edge she was looking for and allowing her to work past the whirlpool Morticon hugs. "Next time! There's a lot more events." Dragoncat says, "It's ok. I was late." Dragoncat nods to Morticon. Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! Round two! Pose! Dragoncat does wish he manages to catch that arial acrobatics event. Camera 2>> [OOC] Niny'ah says, "is this all being logged? I hope so, this'll make good reading later" Dragoncat wonders for a moment. "Is it ok to bring my vial of balloonballs to that event?" Zair . o O ( Would've been nice to see, but my player was out watching Batman be Batman. ) Dragoncat says, "And before you say anything, no, it does not involve getting smashed on the head with a... heavy thing." Ronnie chuckles... [OOC] Zair missed today's noon event due to movie. :p [OOC] Dragoncat pets Ziar. [OOC] Pyralis was at work :/ Camera 2>> Tamara, free of the major part of the whirlpool, beelines for the surface to catch her breath. Gulping in lots of air, she dives back down. A quick glance at Niny'ah shows the bubbles are part of the plan, so the otter slinks through the water to the end. She's not going as fast because the whirlpool really has a pull on the whole tunnel, and she doesn't want to get tired out so early. Someone may even be able to pass her. PatchO'Black goes and sits by Nbc. Zair, on the edge of her seat. "C'mon, otter!" Camera 2>> Featherwing banks back towards the middle of the back end of the pool. He seems a little tuckered out, but managing all the while. Coming up for air, he looks to see where he is in the race, then kicks fervently back to the bottom of the pool, ready to depart, hopefully in the lead, but who knows? He just may be in last for all he knows... Dragoncat says, "You can phone in Mike Waldon if you want though." Dragoncat turns his attention back to the race, watching Featherwing with anticipation and excitement! Camera 2>> Edison is flung out of the whirling water on a powerful spout, shooting ahead to keep a competitive spot near the back of the race. When he lands, he is all upsy-daisy, flipper-clad foots flailing. The momentum of the flight keeps him sailing on. He tries to motorboat with his underwater tongue for added velocity, but to little gain. Camera 2>> Guest1 starts swimming after he is thrown up to the surface, but as he is facing the wrong way he crashes into Edison headfirst as HE surfaces! There is momentary confusion as he splashes his human arms around and tries to figure out which way is which, then he gets himself facing toward the exit again and keeps going but obviously having ended up pretty behind. Morticon laughs. "What, are half the competitors toons in this race? Funny, though." Camera 2>> Edison's cranium, just for the record, makes a cymbal crash when struck. Aina''s napping. Her paws twitch. Camera 2>> Niny'ah, once she's clear of the main cut of the vortex, snaps her arms back in a powerful thrust for the surface. Her gambit worked, mostly, and while she's clear of the pull, she's also gasping for air as soon as she hits the tunnel pocket, lungs cramping in her chest. Avoiding the collision between Guest and Edison, she works her way along the surface, moving to the wall to brace agaisnt it for a short reprieve as she reoxygenates her body, willing to give up the minor advantage the collision would give her in favor of keeping her stamina Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! End of area! Type 's' BunnyHugger says, "That looked pretty painful." Camera 2>> Tamara swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Tamara pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Tamara has left. Camera 3>> Tamara has arrived. Camera 2>> Edison swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Edison pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Edison has left. Camera 3>> Edison has arrived. Camera 2>> Guest1 swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Guest1 pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Guest1 has left. Camera 3>> Guest1 has arrived. Camera 2>> Featherwing swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Featherwing pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Featherwing has left. Camera 3>> Featherwing has arrived. Zair says, "Sounded like it too. Heads aren't supposed to sound like that!" Camera 2>> Niny'ah swims into the tunnel marked [Swimatorium]. Camera 3>> Niny'ah pops up in the Spectator Pool. Camera 2>> Niny'ah has left. Camera 3>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 3>> ( A wave machine on the side of the pool creates huge choppy waves and lots of wind! Even below the surface is a bit turbulent. ) Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes. Round one! Pose! Camera 3>> Guest1 comes in behind others, but has a plan this time. He dives low under the surface to try to miss most of the waves. His fish half helps him out with this part. He swishes his betta tail and does a sort of breaststroke with his human arms near the bottom. Maybe he can make up a little distance this way. Room: Inside Swimming Race Viewing Tent -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- IC Ronnie[3m idle] male Cheetah F- Tottle[22m idle] Male Hare Skyler[3m idle] male cartoon bunny IC Tategoi[8m idle] male goldfish-koi cross Pyralis female Planet Leech Dragoncat[5m idle] male Snivy Gilead[2m idle] Female My Little Otter RingyAlderem[46m idle] male Ringtail Sally[25m idle] female Golden Eagle IC Kinsor[25m idle] male Fruitbat IC PatchO'Black[7m idleMale Jellicle Cat ODD Jaxen[7m idle] Male Aqua-colored, Anthro Grey Fox Zair[2m idle] Female Totodile 'Morph NBC male peacock Ph.D.Austin[4m idle] male Elastic Coati IC >Chitter Male Squirrel |BunnyHugger BunnyHugger[3m idle]female Devilbunny IC Morticon[2m idle] Male Wallaby !kraBSamnang Male Afghan Hound ---[ Found 19 characters. ( 18 Awake / 1 Zombie ) ]--------------------------- Camera 3>> Tamara gasps! When did a pool look like this? It's even worse than on the monitor! Luckily, she's quite good at storms, having swam through plenty before. Looking at Niny'ah's hand motions, the otter takes a breath and dives, cutting through the water as fast as she can! The currents make it tough, and the machine is making them a lot worse than she's found in most oceans. This slows her progress. Slow, but steady. Niny'ah might have a chance of passing her due to raw strength. Or someone else, who knows? Camera 3>> Featherwing yikes. First a whirlpool, now this? What has the olympics come to these days? Nonetheless, the dragon pushes on kinda like a dolphin, breaching the waves every now and then in a semi-graceful hop to about the middle of the pool where he looks over his shoulders to see where he is. Camera 3>> Edison squeakies against the plastic of the innertube as he flips himself over, then hops into a wobbly stance upon it. From somespot or another, he's fetched not only an oar, but a handsome bicorne. Belting a jaunty song, he paddles on, not bonking anybody with his oar - on purpose. "Ohhhh!, a sailor's life is the life for me, how I love to sail o'er the bounding sea...!" He keeps pace with the last two racers, but at this rate won't take the lead. Morticon says, "I should make a medal for best toon participant. Edison wins that. Maybe an honorable mention on his copper. Hehe." Camera 3>> Niny'ah takes a great lungful of air, and then hurls herself headlong into the chopping surf, body flexing as she feels the flow, bending herself to minimise the buffetting, long arms reaching for the leading edges of the small currents and grabbing onto them boldly with her handwebs. She's larger, yes, but she's also trained for the shorework and has been holding herself in reserve for the last two obstacles. She works a combination butterfly stroke and spiral into her swim, now surfacing with her stomach for a breath of air, and then a few strokes later, half of her upper body breaches from the water to get blown somewhat sideways in the lashing gale above. Zair says, "Did he eat his spinach?" Skyler grins. "Yeah, no kidding, Morticon. Sally says, "He's entertainingly strange." Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes! Round two! Pose! Camera 3>> Tamara sees Featherwing pass her from before as he takes advantage of being in the air. But that only encourages her to try harder! The ottress surfaces for breath and slinks down, this time trying to flow with some currents, and slink to the side to avoid the worst of others. It looks like she's weightless, her whole body one swimming machine! That tail of hers works more activly to keep her going straight. The thought of someone that's not her teammate getting ahead motivated her! Camera 3>> Guest1 seems distracted. "Wait, a sailor? Uh oh, merpeople always gotta pay attention to sailors! It's our notorious weakness!!" Despite (er, presumably) being ahead of Edison, he turns around to watch him, which loses all kinds of time. He waves! "Hi sailor!" This loses him all kinds of time and eventually Edison passes him obliviously, bonking him with the oar. Guest1 splashes around, then surfaces, realizes he's supposed to be in a race, and thrashes his tail to try to get his place back! BunnyHugger facepaws. Camera 3>> Featherwing, realizing he may be behind, dives down and does a bit of a freestyle stroke, legs kicking up and down to gain as much speed as possible. He heads for the exit anxiously, and a little breathless, even after taking multiple breaths during his dolphinhopping. Camera 3>> Niny'ah is likely making up quite a bit of time against those ahead, but not enough to pass with, her aggressive drive and large frame crashing loudly even over the synthetic storm-driven chop! Morticon smirks, "Guests aren't known for being all that bright. Until they get a character, that is." Dragoncat giggles. Chitter says, "Well he is a little kid, did you look at him? He's like, nine or something." Camera 3>> Camera 3 buzzes! End of area! Type 'u' Camera 3>> Featherwing dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Featherwing pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Featherwing has left. Camera 2>> Featherwing has arrived. Camera 3>> Tamara dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Tamara pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Tamara has left. Camera 2>> Tamara has arrived. Camera 3>> Edison's makeshift ship is too sluggish even for the hyena. He gets serious now, the wind tearing his hat away while his expression grows as grim as a perfect storm. In a gesture of determination, he takes his oar and smashes it over his knee. "Ouch! Owie owie - time out!" Camera 3>> Niny'ah dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Niny'ah pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Niny'ah has left. Camera 2>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 3>> Edison hunkers down and tail-motors on. Camera 3>> Guest1 has disconnected. Camera 3>> Guest1 is surrounded by Pac-Monsters and chomped! Camera 3>> Guest1 has left. Camera 3>> Edison leavess the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Edison has left. Skyler says, "Edison, Chitter?" Camera 3>> Edison has entered the Swimatorium. Camera 3>> Edison has arrived. Camera 3>> Edison dives with almost no splash, and swims into the exit tunnel. Camera 2>> Edison pops out of the Swimatorium tunnel. Camera 3>> Edison has left. Camera 2>> Edison has arrived. Camera 2>> Camera 2 looks for guest. Austin oops. Camera 2>> [OOC] Edison says, "Got disconnected awr!" Camera 2>> [OOC] Edison says, "Guestie did." Camera 2>> Guest1 has arrived. Camera 2>> ( The water level has been raised all the way to the ceiling for a short part of the tunnel, meaning everyone has to swim underwater. The water has only a slow current otherwise. ) Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! Round one! Pose! Camera 4>> Ping steps off of the floating disk that carried her up. Camera 4>> Ping has arrived. Camera 4>> Ping bounces in. Jaxen watches Ping, afar! Camera 4>> Jaxen watches Ping, from afar! Ping has arrived. Ping bounces in. Camera 4>> Ping has left. Dragoncat hugs Ping. Ping waves. PatchO'Black meows a bit. Ping apologizes for being terribly late. How's the race? Samnang half expects Niny'ah and Tamaa to touch fingers and say go team venture in a minute Jaxen can no longer conduct distance mouse observations. :( Cirrus settles down and offers his fuzzy feathery back for Ping or any other small person to settle down in. Dragoncat says, "Going good! Chaotic as can be expected." Camera 2>> Guest1 looks at himself as he reinstantiates and to his relief finds he's still a mer-creature! Would've been really bad if he suddenly turned into a neon bat or something! Anyway, he is happy about this part because he has no problem at all being underwater. For a change he swims FORWARD and without bonking anything and maybe makes up for some of his blunders, he hopes. Camera 2>> Tamara grins. Easy! The ott surfaces, taking a few large breaths, then dives just a few feet down and takes off! Her limbs work in perfect synchronization, torso and tail keeping her moving straight ahead. She's really speedy in this part, showing off her strength, speed, and instinct. Camera 2>> Camera 2 will wait for Edison this time. Truely an accident! Zair isn't that small, or she'd totally take Cirrus' offer. Camera 2>> [OOC] Edison says, "Oh gosh, don't give it a second thought!" NBC squawks with a mild scolding tone at Camera 2, like a mother hen. Cirrus does make a good pillow either way! Ping hops up on Cirrus' back, and watches the race. Camera 2>> Edison, bouyed by an excess of floatation devices, is caught between the water and the tunneltop, squished nearly flat. "Oof!", he warbles out in a mouthful of bubbles, coming to a sudden halt. This calls for drastic action, so with a few sharp tugs on his tail he starts-up the tailwag motor, and chugs along, slowed by friction - but still moving at least. Camera 2>> ( tugs on his tongue ) Camera 2>> Niny'ah, once she's clear of the massive wave action, pops up for a quick breath, and forges ahead into the pocketless space in the tunnel, likely near behind Tamara by this point. The set of her shoulders gives away how much the drive through the wavepool took out of her though, and it's simple determination that allows her to pull even with Tamara's feet, legs and tail working together as the Otter's are, nearly two of a kind, from different origins. Zair'll just lean against his side instead if he's close enough. Camera 2>> Featherwing looks forward, 'Oh, jeez.' He thinks to himself as he propels himself quicker through the water. He looks back, sees an otter getting closer, then eyewidens and accidentally lets loose a little burst of wind aura whichh spurts him a little bit further ahead, but not enough to really make a big difference. He looks back with a look of 'Sorry, didn't mean to blast ya like that.' in his eyes. Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes. Round two! Pose! Samnang looks at his notes, then rearranges a few marks Cirrus can float close enough. He fluffles a little then settles, lowering his head to give Ping a good view... feathery warm and soft! He seems quite happy like this. Camera 2>> Tamara finds a cloud of bubbles and turbulance from seemingly nowhere! She lets out some bubbles of her own in surprise, slowing down as she tries to avoid the mess. This gives Niny'ah or Guest a chance to surge ahead, hopefully avoiding a similar fate if she's not too close. The otter decides to push through, tossed about the water a little until it calms down. Once it does, she's back to full speed! Camera 2>> Guest1 gets a little more serious now and tries to catch up with Niny'ah and the others. He is a good swimmer, not so good probably as the otter or the seirmerine, but he doesn't tired at all from being submerged at least. And his tail and dorsal fin help him along and keep him cutting through the water pretty well. Camera 2>> Edison, falling far behind, must resort to even more desperate measures. Running out of bubbles to breathe, he fishes a paw into a hyenaspot and claims a single needle. He kisses the off-model face of his innertube character farewell, lids his eyes, and reaches back. Pop!, woosh!, and he bounces along against the tunnel's top, his head knocking against it with an impressive variety of sound effects, leaving a trail of bubbles and shed hyenaspots behind. He just barely reclaims a close last place by the end of the segment. Camera 2>> Niny'ah is too close beside Tamara, and has to veer off hard to the side when the otteress gets disrupted, but it doesn't take long for her to realign and continue forging ahead with a quick twist of her head to check on Guest1 and Edison. Camera 2>> Featherwing sees the end of the tunnel ahead of him, then goes belly up, and does a powerful backstroke, legs kicking at a slightly slower pace, but fast enough to where things can pick up should the need to do so arise. He cranes his neck back a bit to check that the unintentional blast didn't hinder anyone *too* much then proceeds to the exit. Camera 2>> Camera 2 buzzes! End of area! Type 'b' for the final place! Camera 2>> Edison swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Edison pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Edison has left. Camera 4>> Edison has arrived. Camera 2>> Featherwing swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Featherwing pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Featherwing has left. Camera 4>> Featherwing has arrived. Camera 2>> Tamara swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Tamara pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Tamara has left. Camera 4>> Tamara has arrived. Camera 2>> Niny'ah swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Niny'ah pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Niny'ah has left. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 4>> Room: Beach Camera 4>> -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- Camera 4>> watr Niny'ah female Seirmerine Camera 4>> IC Tamara Female Spotted Otter Camera 4>> drg Featherwing male silver dragon with black feathered wings Camera 4>> Edison Guy Spotted Hyena Camera 4>> ---[ Found 4 characters. ( 4 Awake ) ]---------------------------------------- Camera 4>> Camera 4 waits on Guest. Camera 2>> Guest1 swims into the tunnel marked [Beach]. Camera 4>> Guest1 pops out of the end of the pier into the shallow surf just offshore. Camera 2>> Guest1 has left. Camera 4>> Guest1 has arrived. Camera 4>> ( Out here in the bay, the water and wind is calm and the sun is shining pleasantly. It's smooth sailing up to the finish line! Following the buoys from the tunnel exit to the floating, lime green finish line up ahead should be easy. Just a few hundred meters to go! ) Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! Round one! Pose! Camera 4>> Guest1 swims along the surface this time, tail kicking underwater but arms swimming the crawl up above. He tries to close the distance between himself and Niny'ah, making it a closer race at least for that place than it's been. Some excitement for the spectators, right? Camera 4>> Tamara's goal is to pass Featherwing and Guest, but they're tough to beat in these most ideal of conditions! Taking another large breath, she dives and just goes all out! This is where it counts! Staying along the bottom to avoid any more blasts, her muscles work in overtime, sometimes pulling along a rock if it gets close, making a whirl of water behind her. Running out of air several times, she has to angle upwards to gulp some, then dives right back down in one fluid motion. Ronnie heads out for the night Ronnie is glommed down and swept away by a plastic hippopotamus mouth. Ronnie has left. Camera 4>> Niny'ah sucks a deep lungful of air, and flexes her back, again favoring the fast butterfly stroke for surface work. Each time she descends, she can see Tamara's progress in the moment the bubbles clear, just before her next upstroke. Her arms are massively tiring by now, and each stroke burns in her shoulders as she digs deep for the stamina to reach the finish line. Camera 4>> Featherwing pops his head up, panting a bit, but catching his breath regardless. Seeing the finish line ahead, he thinks, 'Hmm, should I? Maybe, we'll see.' He does a breaststroke for at least the first 100 meters, waiting to see what happens. He gives occasional glances over his right shoulder to check the status of his fellow competitors. 'Almost... There!' He thinks to himself, each stroke being just as fluid as the last. He seems tired, but that belies little about his true energy reserves. Camera 4>> Camera 4 pings Edison. Camera 4>> Room: Beach Camera 4>> -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- Camera 4>> Guest1[5m idle] male Mer-Human Camera 4>> watr Niny'ah[2m idle] female Seirmerine Camera 4>> IC Tamara Female Spotted Otter Camera 4>> drg Featherwing[3m idle]male silver dragon with black feathered wings Camera 4>> Edison[11m idle] Guy Spotted Hyena Camera 4>> ---[ Found 5 characters. ( 5 Awake ) ]---------------------------------------- Camera 4>> Camera 4 waits just another minute. Camera 4>> Edison surfaces with a beached-whale gasp, riding his popped innertube, skipping on the calm water like a flat stone. The last of his speed toots out from the frayed, floppy plastic with the noise of very polite flatulence. He abandons ship, leaping into the sea amidst the other racers. His flipperkicks are a blur, churning-up the water in crashing sprays. His arms fly, one over the other, paws dipping low to pull him onwards through the briney drink. Samnang slouches back in his chair then scribbles another note Morticon uh ohs... "he might use toon powers here, and actually win!" He laughs. Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! Round two (final)! Pose! Tottle is glommed down and swept away by a plastic hippopotamus mouth. Tottle has left. Camera 4>> Tamara swims along the bottom as insurance in case something happens to Niny'ah up top. Running out of air again, she angles up and runs into Edison! THere's a bit of surprised splashing, but she takes another deep breath and dives as quick as she can, with just a little time lost. The ottress gives it all she has for this last section, not going too deep so she can be on top as she crosses the finish line. She tries to surge ahead, hoping to overtake Guest and leaving Niny'ah to beat Featherwing. Camera 4>> Guest1 continues swimming steadily, cutting a white trail through the water with his dorsal fin. He's done a good job catching up after his bad luck and bad moves earlier in the race but he's certainly not in the lead! He swims as hard as he can in hope of a third place finish or even a third place tie, but with all the splashing being kicked up right now it's a little hard for him to tell exactly where he is. He gives a last burst of speed at the end, leaping up over the finish line showily ('cause he's a mer-guy, mer-folk are usually pretty vain like that). The End! Camera 4>> Edison sputters as he's launched flippers-over-nose, up and out of the water, landing with a splash, perhaps on another racer he might ride to the end, yahoo!ing like a rodeo cowboy. If not, then he is content to continue leisurely, with a backstroke, holding a reflective sheet of mylar under his chin to catch some rays. Camera 4>> Niny'ah spots Guest1's progress, coming up beside her, and really works to drive any small advantage she may have, and that extra effort, by the time she reaches the line, has her ready to just collapse if someone doesn't help pull her out. Camera 4>> Featherwing look down and sees Niny'ah start to pass him, "Gah!" he says, then thinks, 'Yep, we gotta.' He then kicks extra hard, cutting through the water with near laser-precision, he actually blasts forward quickly, but not for the same reason that propelled him ahead earlier. The dragon brings the last of his energy out to show people/creatures what he's really made of. He cuts across the finish line then skids to a stop, where he floats and waits to see where he placed. Camera 4>> Camera 4 buzzes! End of race! Camera 4>> Tamara pantpants, "Niny'ah!" She swims over and tries to help her teammate to the shore. Camera 4>> Guest1 says, "Yay!" Camera 4>> Edison washes ashore at the end, and flops about like a fishy, walleyes bleary. Camera 4>> Guest1 does a sort of dolphin leap in the water. Camera 4>> Camera 4 announces. "Come into the tent 'enter' to learn who placed where, and who is going into the final, quick third heat!" Edison has arrived. Camera 4>> Edison has left. Dragoncat cheers as the race finished, then asks, "So... Who won?" Guest1 has arrived. Camera 4>> Guest1 has left. Camera 4>> Tamara half drags Niny'ah in, finding her something to lay on. Tamara has arrived. Camera 4>> Tamara has left. Edison says, "We all won! Just some of us faster than others." Camera 4>> Niny'ah weakly grasps at Tamara's arms, struggling onto the shore and wobbling her way to the tent. Guest1 flops on in. Niny'ah has arrived. Camera 4>> Niny'ah has left. Samnang looks at Austina nd Morticon. I got first, they got second and third respctive. Dragoncat says, "Oh! That makes sense!" Guest1 hi5s Edison! Camera 4>> Featherwing swims into shore and into the tent. Morticon looks to the judges. "We'll announce the results of both heats, and the top two of each race for the final!" Featherwing has arrived. Camera 4>> Featherwing has left. Niny'ah sinks to the floor, leaning back agaisnt a table. Morticon says, "It's an abbreviated one, just three rounds out there in the bay. We can even go outside and watch." Featherwing breathes heavily, a lot having been taken out of the dragon... ~.~; Cirrus seems rather excited, grinning for a moment. Pyralis... not so much! Niny'ah gives Morticon a "Do I gotsta?" look. Morticon says, ".. Judges? When you're ready." Edison has at least one congratulatory slurp for all present. Dragoncat hugs Featherwing! "You were great!" Tamara hugs, helping her friend against the table. Exhausted herself. Samnang whuffs, "Well boys and girls, we want the first two places from both heats to race. So rest up quickly." Zair applauds the return of the second heat competitors. Tamara and Niny'ah especially. Tamara grins! Morticon nudges Aina awake so she can hear. Ping clapclaps. Samnang whuffs, "They are in no real order." Aina' yawns, still sore! She sits up, ears perked. Tategoi says, "Very good swimming, Featherwing, you have done our team proud, I am sure." Gilead claps. Edison wrings out his tail, then coughs up a hermit crab. Morticon says, "And to all, I apologize for this running an hour late. Tottally my fault. I've learned a lot from this." Zair says, "Hey, it's been a very good hour!" Morticon is way past his bedtime, but it's penance! Austin says, "Ah, yes. Sorry. The winners:" Niny'ah had fun! and that's the important bit Featherwing has as well. Austin says, "Featherwing, in first place. Niny'ah, in second. Tamara in third place. Guest1 in fourth. Edison in fifth place. With the note ... " Tamara leans against Niny'ah, relaxing and listening. Still sopping wet. Samnang wags "You also have the choice of doing it now or waiting tomorrow to finsih so everyone is rested. Dragoncat cheers and hugs Featherwing tightly! Guest1 says, "Aw shucks." Austin says, "We wish to grant Edison a blue ribbon for his overall performance and for making the event such a grand affair." Jaxen nods to Morticon. "It was new. Murphy's Law reigns supreme. You battled well." ;) Morticon says, "If the winners from the heats are all available tomorrow for sure or soon after, then we can, yes." Morticon says, "If we can all stay up an extra 15 minutes, then we can do it now. It's just three rounds." Niny'ah gives a weak thumbsup. Edison dawrshucks. Ya ought notta! It takes everybody and you were all a hoot. :) But thanks so much! Morticon says, "And the first heat results?" Samnang gets his cattle prod up. "Niny'ah you say you're ready to swim again? Awesome!" Tamara grins, "You won!" She hugs Niny'ah. Niny'ah gives Samnang Such A Glare. Zair is a bit leery about things like prods. They're electric. Samnang whuffs, "First heat Was Tategoi, Aina, Pyralis, Cirrus." Niny'ah sortof 'collapsehugs" Tamara Samnang whuffs, "That order, 1st to 4th" Aina' grins. She placed! Featherwing hees, "Tategoi! We both did it!" Zair seens a little surprised by first heat standings! Niny'ah eardroops, really hoped the little flying thing had done better. Zair seems, rather. Austin says, "Yes, that." Tategoi says, "Indeed, and that means we are sure to have a medalist, I think." Pyralis headtilts, "How'd I come in third even? Mmh, whatever, I'm one of the three losers anyway." Austin says, "So the finals will be, Tategoi, Aina, Featherwing, and Niny'ah, when they're ready to swim." Morticon looks to Tategoi, Featherwing, and Niny'ah. "Race now... or...?" Aina' is well rested! Getting her catnaps in! Tategoi says, "I am ready. I can go now or later. I will go with what others prefer." Tamara ooofs, holding Niny'ah up. Cirrus yawns, "Well, it's been fun at least." Zair gently elbows Cirrus. "Was still a good show on your part. Be proud." Morticon looks to Featherwing and Niny'ah. Featherwing snugs Cirrus, "You did awesome too, my Latios friend." :3 Then to a wallaby. "I'm kinda worn out, dunno how I'd function in another race, even though it is just outside in the bay..." Niny'ah glances at the other finalists and gives a soft groan. She really beat herself up in the wave pool and now she's paying for it. Morticon says, "OK. Are we all able to meet up tomorrow, at the same time (7pm server) to finish it? A makeup date would be Tuesday, same time." Morticon says, "It would be about 20-30 minutes." BunnyHugger says, "Let me give out the copper medals to those eliminated before we all break up for the night, too." Dragoncat chuckles. Morticon nods, "thanks, BunnyHugger." Austin nods. Samnang whuffs, "I'm thinking we should wait, after all it would be the advantage of those who did the first heat over the second since the first heat had time to rest." Niny'ah also waves to Cirrus. "THought you did better than that." Morticon says, "We could do 8pm server if that works better." Tategoi says, "That is fine for me. Either time." Morticon says, "The final round will be shorter for sure. Unless everyone really wants to do the obstacles again." Cirrus smiles at Zair, "Aww, thanks!" He then giggles, and awws once more, nuzzling against Featherwing, "Thanks! Well, I tried... next time I should snag a few HMs before doing something like that." He chuckles. "Congratulations, Featherwing, Tategoi." He grins, also nudgenuzzing Tategoi, "It was fun, thanks for the run!" Edison says, "Big up to all the judges and organizers!" Morticon OKs. Tategoi and Aina can do tomorrow. Niny'ah and Featherwing? Featherwing can do tomorrow as well. Zair mm's? "Well, I think there was a copy of Surf in my luggage... I'll have to check, make sure I didn't leave it behind." Tamara looks tired. Happy her team placed. Niny'ah thumbsup. Morticon says, "OK. And before we end for the night, do you four want to do the obstacle course again, or a straight out three round race in the bay?" Dragoncat pets Tamara. "You did alright too." Tamara smiles. "Niny'ah helped. Teamwork!" Niny'ah has gotten some of her wind back, "Slalom in theopen? Edison says, "I would vote for undersea gladiatorial combat to settle the finals, but it's not for me to say." BunnyHugger hands Copper Medal for Swimming Race to Tamara. Dragoncat says, "Wait... How are we gonna give Guestie a medal?" Aina' thinks. "Open." Less chance of her drowning. [OOC] Zair huh. That IS a good point! Sally says, "That's a good question." Edison says, "Maybe Guestie would like to donate it to an orphan? Preferably a sickly one?" [OOC] Niny'ah thinks Guest1 should make a name if he wants to continue to participate [OOC] Morticon says, "He can have a medal. A wizard can put it on him. And confuse the next guest." Dragoncat says, "It might disappear on him." Sally snickers. Dragoncat says, "Yeah! Get yourself a name and a body, or just a name, and the medal won't disappear on ya!" BunnyHugger says, "Here, this is for Guest1." Morticon says, "Two for open.... Featherwing and Tategoi?" BunnyHugger hands Copper Medal for Swimming Race to Morticon. Morticon says, "This is for the guest? Lemme see.." BunnyHugger hands Copper Medal for Swimming Race to Edison. BunnyHugger says, "Edison, yours has a special engraving for honorable mention for tooniness, per Morticon's instructions." Edison bows his head to accept the medal 'round his stocky spotted neck, and raises a fist in protest against his country's continued occupation of Wackyland. Morticon says, "There, he's got a medal. I hope." [OOC] Dragoncat says, "So... Future guests will have a medal for olympic swimming? Cool!" Gilead claps. Sally applauds! :> BunnyHugger can't hand anything to Pyralis. Morticon just needs an answer from Featherwing and Tategoi and we'll be all set. Featherwing hmms. "I think just the 3-rounder would be lovely." Morticon says, "OK... three for open! Unless Tategoi is really unhappy about that..." PatchO'Black mews, "Good night, folks..." Tategoi says, "Sorry. Open is fine." Edison instinctively attempts to unwrap the medal to get the chocolate goodness within. Tategoi says, "I am a little tired and not devoting my best concentration. Please accept my apology for inattentiveness." Morticon says, "OK! See you tomorrow at 7pm server time! For about 30 minutes." [ ... ] Beach(#23682RLC) A narrow strip of scarcely dry sand, and a narrow strip of shallow water, with the boundary between them constantly changing. Such is the beach. On the dry side, there's a , a , and some showers and changing rooms. On the wet side, there's a buoy marked , and a bit further out some are riding at anchor. Both sides are filled with their respective denizens, everyone in an at-the-beach mood, and more than a few just watching what the other half is doing. A longish sort of concrete runs out from the shore, with the end out far enough that it's always in a few metres of water. The end of the pier is open, and forms the mouth of a tiled that leads to the aquatic network that underlies the entire Olympic Complex. Mermaids, Seals and other sea creatures can be seen swimming in and out. Further out, you can see the open waters of the Glimmersea. Stars still shine in the dark western sky, but they fade around the zenith, and the sky turns blue with a ribbon of red on the eastern horizon. The time's something like 6 am. Obvious Exits: [A]quatic Complex (n), [O]lympic Bay, and [U]nderwater Tunnel Contents: Zair, Gilead, Samnang, a tigress soldier (Aina'), a sparky, wobbly, non-CHON black dragon (Premchaia), A tawny-furred manticore (shapeshifter) (Featherwing), Niny'ah, Tamara, Guest1, Dive Light Mitts, Compact Rebreather Aqualung, small satchel, Camera 4, and Swimming Race Viewing Tent ## There are possible hidden listeners here. Niny'ah shakes her shoulders out and starts stretching, remembering how much the Storm wavepool beat her up on last night's event. NBC alights on his portable camera. Austin steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Austin has arrived. BunnyHugger has arrived. Chitter has arrived. BunnyHugger enters, with a nonanthro Eastern gray squirrel (Chitter) [Chitter(#5713XZ)] walking along next to her. Austin is carried in by a nonanthro white-and-black rabbit (BunnyHugger) [BunnyHugger(#12431PKBXM2)]. Austin says, "Chulo, all you happy entities." Aina' stretches before coming, so only does some light stretching now. It's been on her mind all day! Tategoi steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Tategoi has arrived. Gilead wants gold. Austin says, "Hiya, Tategoi." Guest1 says, "I got mine!" Guest1 holds up his copper medal! Tamara watches Niny'ah. "You win gold, yes?" Samnang wags "I think we're all here now Niny'ah lifts Tamara and nosebumps, "I'll give it my all!" Tamara grins and noses back, playfully! "Good! No other way to give!" Zair says, "Everyone's ready for round three, eh?" Tategoi emerges from the tunnel and begins chanting to himself with concentration, not paying much attention to others. Samnang whuffs, "Well except for the race manager, but you cna pelt him with rotten fruit in a sec" Aina' finishes, looking set on the prize. But where's her boss? She walks into the tent and comms him. "Morticon, everyone is here." NBC chimes G, E, C. Gilead chirps, "Float like a butterfish, swim like a breem." Austin says, "I'll say I am. Tis is the round where they berate a poor mynah bird for knowing Clark Kent is Superman, right?" Morticon shouts "The final heat of the race is about to start! Feel free to come watch by typing 'park'. No weird tent this time, either!" (Public-shout) J.P. steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. J.P. has arrived. Morticon steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Morticon has arrived. Cirrus steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Cirrus has arrived. Morticon hops in! Guest1 says, "For the glory of the Guest Team! Did you all see my message that I had someone post for me? We're recruiting so we can get more medals and have more fun and stuff!" Zair has one of those giant foam fingers. It has no writing on it at all. though. Aina' walks over to the judges, "Am I allowed to wear flippers?" Jaxen steps off of the floating disk that carried him up. Jaxen has arrived. Jaxen waves hello. NBC adjusts the camera to look at the course. Samnang conferrs with the fellow judge Morticon gives the modified rules. "Unlike yesterday, there is only one area - that bay out there (but we'll all pose from this room). There are 5 rounds instead of the two from before, but the concept is the same. The camera will buzz like before to keep track of things. The sea will be calm, just a light chop and wind. Easy, yes? All you have to do is cross several hundred meters to the finish line buoys." [OOC] Featherwing thought it was 3? Tategoi says, "Understood." [OOC] Morticon says, "I changed my mind. We're starting on time, and it won't take very long with four people. Makes it more dramatic, yes?" Niny'ah shades her eyes, squinting out at the course and lifting her ears to test the wind. Gameface on. [OOC] Featherwing giggles. "Okies. Just checkin'." He has no real objections, just curiousness. Tategoi looks a little stressed. [OOC] Morticon says, "Yeah, I know. I'm weird like that. Always mixing things up, for better or worse." Zair pokes Cirrus! [OOC] Morticon says, "It's the same distance, really, just more room to pose." Zair . o O ( Or is it pok? ) [OOC] Zair gah. Game can't take high ASCII characters. ( The wind is just a few miles per hour, generally moving towards the racers (so they are swimming into the wind). ) [OOC] Morticon says, "It will in a few weeks" [OOC] Zair aha! Sally strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. Sally has arrived. Sally :> Aina' looks to the judges, waiting patiently for an answer. Gilead chirps, "No, Zair. They make the characters whiz in a cup, and test them for drugs." Niny'ah frowms thoughtfrully as she turns her head, measuring the wind. Samnang looks intot eh wind and gets the gentle hair blown awesome look [OOC] Featherwing oohs, Can't wait, need the accent mark over the e in Pokemon one of these days. Zair didn't say anything to Gilead. Austin says, "Answer to what, Aina'?" ( The chop is light, just enough to be annoying, but not enough to impede progress. The currents are normal - very few, as it's in a calm bay. ) [OOC] Niny'ah [OOC] Niny'ah says, "darn" [OOC] Niny'ah says, "." Gilead chirps, "42." [OOC] Morticon says, "It's possible to catch a current, but you'd have to be good at it." Tamara looks to Niny'ah. "Everything good?" Samnang whuffs, "Well, I think the racers should be as evenly matched as possible, flipper wise at least. Beyond that is strength and generla skill. So, I htink maybe small hand and foot flipper that do not exceed more than one sqaure foot in total coverage." Niny'ah nods to Tamara with a grin, "It'll be a close one, that's for certain." Samnang whuffs, "For those without natural flippers or webbing that is." Niny'ah nods agreeably to Samnang Zair has disconnected. Aina' nods. "Thankyou, sir." She goes to slip on flippers for her feet and a sort of webbed glove for her paws. And soon is ready! Morticon looks around, "You four racers ready? If so, swim out to the starting line." Zair has connected. Jaxen grins, tail swishing. [OOC] Niny'ah says, "we need more descrip, Morticon!" Tamara grins, "You will do good, Niny'ah!" Zair has disconnected. Samnang would add weights to make sure everyone is the same weight but that's jsut being mean. [OOC] Morticon says, "Oh? What questions do you have?" [OOC] Morticon says, "If anyone needs to know anything extra, now's the time to ask!" [OOC] Niny'ah says, "what do the start/finish lines consist of? bouys? strings of lanefloats?" Zair has connected. [OOC] Zair says, "I'm not sure how, but I actually managed to crash my client." [OOC] Cirrus says, "Welcome Back!" NBC pans over the course and then back to the swimmers at the starting line. ( The starting line has buoys, and each swimmer floats between a set. There are no bars are anything behind to push off of, and it's in the middle of the ocean so feet can't touch the bottom. ) Featherwing jumps in, then floats in the water, buoyed until the start by water aura, which he'll dissipate at the start signal... ( The finish line is as before - it's marked off by buoys and has a line of sorts that one can swim across. Cameras take pictures for the judges. ) Guest1 waves a little flag for the Guest Team, even though no Guest Team members are in the race. Maybe he just likes waving things. [OOC] Zair says, "I think I made the regex parser barf." Samnang heasd to the judges tent Samnang has left. Tategoi is ready. He is still chanting softly to himself underwater. Aina' walks into the water, swimming to her area of the starting line. Camera 4 test. Plays G E C. NBC nods proud approval. Featherwing waits until Tategoi is done, then says, "Good luck friend." Aina' stares across the water at the end goal, treading water in place until the buzzer sounds. Morticon says, "Anything else, Niny'ah? " Niny'ah wades in, highstepping till the water is too deep for that, then flips to scull up to the line, just under the surface. She gives Aina a friendly but competetive nod, treading water Aina' nods to Niny'ah. Certainly respecting her. Camera 4 counts down... beep beep beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Round one! Pose! Austin has left. BunnyHugger has left. Chitter has left. BunnyHugger leaves, with a nonanthro Eastern gray squirrel (Chitter) [Chitter(#5713XZ)] walking along with her. Austin is carried off by a nonanthro white-and-black rabbit (BunnyHugger) [BunnyHugger(#12431PKBXM2)]. [OOC] Niny'ah doesn't think so, unless you plan to give a 'weather report' at the end of each pose cycle to give us something to play off, beyone each other Tamara cheers! [OOC] Morticon says, "Nope, the weather is constant. It's all about the swimmers for the final." Zair does something to the giant foam finger. Now it's got a picture of a salmon on it. J.P. grins. Aina' starts with a front crawl as before, modified somewhat to take advantage of her flippers. Powerful legs really work the bottom flippers, and to the observer she's accelerated quite fast, putting quite a bit of energy into a strong start. She's just going straight ahead to the finish line. Tategoi leaps into the air briefly to start, then falling back into the water, begins swimming under the surface. It is difficult for spectators to even see him or gauge his progress under the green and white surface of the sea. He tries to keep a steady, quick pace under the waves. Tamara glances at the foam finger several times, mouth watering. She tries to ignore it, but can't help and look. Guest1 giggles at Tamara. ( One of the TV monitors is set out of the tent. It's of camera 4, which has an underwater view. ) Niny'ah flips downward at the sound of the buzzer, rippling her body in tail in a relatively slow but very efficient scull, pacing herself with her ears back and arms at her sides, feet stretched out behind and toes spread to give her fine control as she watches Aina'72 bolt off the line just above her, keeping herself less than a yard from the surface, popping up momentarily for a lungful of air, and dipping back down in a slide of slicked-back mane. NBC bobs his head. Featherwing pops the water aura, and goes into a brisk breast stroke, he swims out a few meters before breaching the surface to paddle. His strong legs kick-kick-kicking with a grace rarely seen with dragons *his* size. He seems to zoom down toward a moderate depth, and puffs a bit of wind aura behind him, to give him a small boost, as it seems he may already be slightly behind... 'Hmm,' he thinks to himself, hoping he's near his teammate Tategoi for support. Camera 4 buzzes! Round two! Pose! Zair huh's. "It's not real, Tamara. Buuut consider it a show of support!" Beltrami steps off of the floating disk that carried her up. Beltrami has arrived. Roofus_roo has arrived. Beltrami brings Roofus_roo with her, holding hands. Beltrami smiles and waves hello! Roofus_roo squeeks. J.P. pets Roofus. Tategoi steadily works his tail side to side, the broad paddle moving him forward a burst at a time. An unexpectedly high wave tumbles him momentarily but with a splashing little leap he gets himself back on course, plunging deeper underwater. Aina' is easy to see from underwater - all that white and orange stripy fur! Being the only other one on the surface, the extra gust of wind affects her in a bad way, the wind resistance slowing her down, short mint hair blowing around. Deciding she can't risk waiting for the wind to dissipate, she takes a breath and dives, doing a slightly modified stroke to take advantage of being underwater and with her new flipper gear. This lets her bypass the wind above, hopefully letting her pass Featherwing. She has to come up for air after a bit, and she uses that to check her progress. BunnyHugger has arrived. Chitter has arrived. BunnyHugger enters, with a nonanthro Eastern gray squirrel (Chitter) [Chitter(#5713XZ)] walking along next to her. Featherwing sees Niny'ah starting to pass him, then furrows his brows, kicking his legs to get speed. After a bit of that, the dragon starts his dolphin strategy for the next bit, giving him ample time to catch his breath for a burst of speed that doesn't involve using his latent abilities. He keeps his eyes forward, making sure to keep some energy in reserves. Beltrami smiles to the Lord Mayor and Deputy! BunnyHugger waves. "Decided the view is better out here." Morticon says, "Yeah, those are TV screens only NBC could love. It's like being in a control room in there." NBC chimes. Camera 4 chimes back. Zair says, "They're communicating!" Zair says, "They're going to take over the planet!" [OOC] Featherwing giggles as both the camera and a certain peafowl chime. NBC nods sharply. Zair says, "IF I had hair I'd be pulling it out right about now." Niny'ah starts kicking her legs in a measured beat now, hands twisted out slightly to give her roll sstability as she glances ahead to see Tategoi making good headway, before she pops up for another breath of air. She's only coming up once every 50 feet or so, dive training and swimmer nature showing as she brings her hands forward and snaps them hard back to give her a short burst of speed to pull away from Featherwing's gain, not wanting to turn her head more than a few degrees to either side. She's sleek in the water, moreso than her large frame would suggest. Beltrami smiles and waves to Guest1! Camera 4 *** buzzes *** . Round three! Pose! Guest1 says, "Hiya! I'm a mer person too! Right now anyway." Beltrami nodnods- she pats herself and holds up two fingers. Aina' is just like a cat in water, her grace not as good as on land. Surfacing, the wind seems to be gone, but Featherwing (and Niny'ah) are still ahead! She can't see where Tategoi is. Redoubling her efforts, her limbs become a blur of stripes as she speeds up, giving 110%! That may cost her later on, though.... Room: Beach -Stat-Name----------------Sex---------Species--------------------------------- IC >Chitter Male Squirrel |BunnyHugger BunnyHugger[5m idle]female Devilbunny ... Roofus_roo[8m idle] female Spacey Fairy Princess Kangaroo IC Beltrami[2m idle] female Balloon Mermaid Sally[25m idle] female Golden Eagle ODD Jaxen[2m idle] Male Aqua-colored, Anthro Grey Fox >Cirrus male Latios (Pokemon #381) |Pyralis IC Morticon Male Wallaby SQRL J.P.[8m idle] male Winged Eastern Grey Squirrel w/bunnyears IC Tategoi[8m idle] male goldfish-koi cross NBC male peacock Zair[3m idle] Female Totodile 'Morph Gilead[23m idle] Male Otter IC >Aina' Female Tiger |Morticon whr Premchaia[12m idle] female black dragon drg Featherwing[3m idle]male silver dragon with black feathered wings watr Niny'ah[2m idle] female Seirmerine IC Tamara[14m idle] Female Spotted Otter Guest1[2m idle] male Mer-Human ---[ Found 19 characters. ( 16 Awake / 3 Zombies ) ]-------------------------- Tategoi seems to be tiring just a little. He pops to the surface for a moment and his mouth looks to be moving quickly as though gasping... but perhaps he is actually chanting again. If so it can't be heard over the waves. Whatever it is does seem to be taking part of his concentration, so though he swims well (he is after all a large fish) he has slowed a bit. Featherwing sees he's falling behind, then says to himself, 'Boy, I need to catch up to Tategoi!' He then goes a little lower than most of the competitors and goes belly up, doing a deep backstroke. He kicks fervently to try to pass the Seirmarine from underneath, then coming up for air when he thinks he's passed her enough to warrant it without impeding movement. He keeps an eye out for his teammate as he goes along, ready to aid as best as he can. Guest1 waves his Guest Team flag but shouts "Go fish!" anyway. Family allegiance maybe. Tamara nods! "Fish." Pausing. "Go Niny'ah! Go for gold!" Niny'ah kicks it up a notch, and momentarily hits the surface, hands digging deep in a butterfly stroke which she only maintains for about 5 cycles before dropping back under the water, having tried to draw herself ahead of Featherwing in a 'nitro burst'. She does this several times, about 50 feet apart, as the butterfly stroke is fast, but incredibly tiring on the arms, and she is trying to hold back enough for the final sprint. Camera 4 *** buzzes *** . Round four (of five)! Pose! Aina''s extra effort is paying off. She finally catches up to Featherwing, passing him by just a few feet. It's using all her energy, and she's going to fade fast soon. Striped tail streams behind her, splashes kept to a minimum to insure maximum water is being moved. She's gulping air as if drinking it, mind focused on one thing: Swim to win! Her eyes only glance up occansionally to make sure she's still on track. Tategoi returns to swimming low underwater, heedless of who might be near or overtaking him, concentrating only on his almost mechanical side-to-side tail strokes. His pace is slower than at the beginning of the race although it does not seem to be slowing any further. His gills are moving very quickly, though, suggesting great exertion. Featherwing, after grabbing some air, dives down and proceeds further with his backstroke. He seems to be tiring a bit, but is managing to at least keep pace with Niny'ah (and possibly Aina') if not staying slightly ahead of them. He noses Tategoi underwater, giving him a small nudge forward, then kicks quickly to regain speed lost by doing so. He sees Aina' start to pass him then uses a bit of wind again to spurt forward. PatchO'Black strolls onto the beach from the Aquatic Complex. PatchO'Black has arrived. Beltrami waves to PatchO'Black! Niny'ah, having held back, starts into a steady breaststroke, webbed hands biting deep in the water with almost no splash as long years of practice take over, hands entering the water folded but snapping open just under, to avoid the power-robbing mass of bubbles of entry, then biting deep and wide as her feet snap and thrust, tail sculling hard as she feels the burn in her shoulders. Camera 4 *** buzzes *** . Round five (the last)! Pose! Aina''s motions are interrupted by the sudden gust of wind near her! This sends a bit of water into her muzzle during a breath in an already difficult to breath environment. She coughs and slows, totally losing her concentration and that extra 10%! Featherwing passes her, and it takes a moment to get her groove back. The tigress starts her stroke once again, but she looks tired, her whole body aching from the extraordinary effort of trying to keep up with native swimmers. Her speed is not what it was, but as she nears the finish line she gives it everything, crossing with her head lined up somewhere along Featherwing's body, if not ahead of it at the last minute. She wants to beat this air-blowing dragon!! Featherwing sees the end in sight and puts every last bit of energy he has left into a surface breaststroke himself, scooting past Aina' and attempting to nose out Niny'ah. He kickkickkicks with everything he's got, hoping he at least finishes behind just Tategoi. A last bit energy makes him cross the finish line, where he uses the fumes of energy he has left to buoy him so he doesn't drown before getting out. Tategoi tries to give a last burst of speed, pectoral fins clamped tight to his side, dorsal fin erect to give the stability needed for his powerful forward darting. Still, Featherwing and Aina are both coming very fast and are in danger of overtaking him. It will take a close look by the judges to determine the winner this time. Niny'ah pulls out all the stops for a diving butterfly stroke for the final leg, nearly lifting her entire torso out of the water at each stroke. THIS is what she was holding back for, and she surges forwards, eyes slitted against the cascading water from the splashing she's having to send up to give the aggressive stroke all she's got left. Camera 4 ***DINGDINGS!*** The race is over. Judges are now deciding. Aina' looks exhausted. She doesn't even swim back... in fact, she's having trouble staying afloat. Tamara cheeers! Tamara ottott! BunnyHugger says, "Another photo finish!" Zair hands the giant-foam-finger-with-salmon to Tamara. Sally applauds. Guest1 says, "Yaywooooo!" Featherwing floats out in the middle of the sea, giving a little bit of that buoyancy to Aina' "Well raced," He breathlessly says. Aina' manages to stay afloat with that... "Thanks." She pants. Eyes a little unfocused. Niny'ah is breathing hard, but she's able to drag Aina's arm over her shoulder, bouying her up with kicks of her legs. That last surge was all-arms. Tategoi moves himself closer to the tunnel where the water is a little less brackish. Tamara stares at it, otting! Then waves it frantically! Aina' is held up by Niny'ah, and hopefully brought to shore. Clearly she'll need some time to recover! Morticon peers out there. "Aina? Did she pass out?" He looks concerned. Zair waits on the judges' call! Featherwing slowly but surely floats towards where Tategoi is, "Well raced, friend. I think you beat me." Tamara sees trouble, and dives into the water to meet Niny'ah! Tamara otts. "Trouble? Need help?" Floating right up next to Niny'ah. Niny'ah kicks slowly towards shore, using a lifegaurd-tow to bring Aina' with her, and gives Tamara a grateful wan smile when she's near enough, signing {tired sick} and indicating Aina Tamara takes over the task, towing Aina' so Niny'ah can concentrate on getting to shore. Not having just raced, this is easy for her. "Good job on race!" Aina' struggles a little bit, but not on purpose. A little unsure of what's happening. Exhausted beyond everything. Niny'ah smiles, and divesigns a thanks to Tamara, then concentrates on getting herself to shore PatchO'Black sets out a tray of marshmellows. Featherwing floats to the shore, then plops down, exhausted. Tamara gets Aina' to shore, putting the tiger's arm over her shoulder. Walking the shorter feline to dry sand, she gently sets Aina' down and then goes to help Niny'ah if she needs it. Niny'ah signs simply {please} when Tamara comes back out Morticon rushes over to Aina. Whispering a few things to her, he nods. "You'll be alright. Just rest there a moment, OK? I need to check with the judges. I'll summon some help. Morticon ducks into the tent to check. Tategoi says, "May I assist in any way? What is the trouble?" Tamara helps her teammate, an arm around Niny'ahs body to help tow. Then, when it's walking time she lets the Seirmerine lean on her. Zair says, "Tiger's all worn out, looks like!" Austin has arrived. Samnang has arrived. Austin is carried in by Samnang(#13605PBJ). Austin snugs Samnang and hops down. Morticon walks out of the tent as well. "We have our winners! Judges?" NBC closes up on the judges. Austin says, "All right. In fourth place we found Aina'." Gilead chirps, "Guilty." Austin says, "Third place went to Featherwing." PatchO'Black mews, "Hello, Austin." Gilead chirps, "Oh, wrong type of judge." Samnang cheers! Gilead claps. Niny'ah staggers onto the shore, and drops to her knees next to Aina, panting hard, "She need... 'lytes. who got?" Austin says, "In second place, Niny'ah; and in first place, Tategoi. Congratulations to all." Sally yays! Aina' hears this, ears flattening. More training is needed, apparently, and more technique. Tategoi remains expressionless, or at least hard to read. Tategoi says, "Thank you." Morticon earperks, "I have Sora flying stuff over. I've got her taken care of." Samnang whuffs, "Well you were swimming against pretty much natural born swimmers. So, you did excellent if you ask me." Tamara hugs Niny'ah! "Second! You did good!" Concerned about Aina, but her friend won! Sora steps off of the floating disk that carried her up. Sora has arrived. BunnyHugger says, "Hooray!" Niny'ah hugs Tamara somewhat weakly, arms still feeling like noodles, to judge by the way she's letting them sag. BunnyHugger says, "I have medals to give out..." Sora streams in at high speed, diving down to land softly on the beach. She has some medical supplies and drinks. Premchaia squints toward Aina' worriedly. She wobbles, but there doesn't seem to be much she can do. She _could_ actually bleed something like mineral water if absolutely necessary, but it would be inadvisable. BunnyHugger says, "Also, I'd like to note that one of the ones I gave out last night has ended up back on my person, so if anyone is missing a copper medal from last night please tell me." Sora salutes at Morticon. Morticon says, "Probably the guest. ::snicker::" Guest1 says, "Nope, got mine!" Guest1 holds it up proudly. Tamara helps Niny'ah over to BunnyHugger for medal time! Morticon huhs! BunnyHugger says, "Someone failed to chown one last night. Oh well." Featherwing sprawlydragons. ~.~; Then perks. "First AND Third! Goo~" He plops his head down, then finishes, "Dragons~" Zair says, "Oops." BunnyHugger hands Copper Medal for Swimming Race to Chitter. Premchaia raaars at Featherwing, and dragons at him appreciatively. She headbobs! Morticon grabs the medical supplies, giving Aina an injection, followed by some sports drink in her muzzle. "You'll be OK. Just need to nap for.. a week." BunnyHugger goes to hang the medals on the winners! Niny'ah gets to her feet somewhat unsteadily, and takes a slow breath, eyes closed. Ok, she's steadier now. "Morti.." Her tail twitches over, "Tag." BunnyHugger hands Copper Medal for Swimming Race to Aina'. Zair says, "Because there are like a hundred more of her, yeah?" BunnyHugger hands Bronze Medal for Swimming Race to Featherwing. BunnyHugger hands Silver Medal for Swimming Race to Niny'ah. BunnyHugger hands Gold Medal for Swimming Race to Tategoi. Morticon helps AIna sit up for her medal. Totally forgetting about Niny'ah being so close. He gasps! "What? Tag...?!?!" His eyes narrow. BunnyHugger says, "Congratulations! Please @chown medal=me, @link medal=me, and @set medal=!C." Tamara ott-growls at Morticon. No way is he going to tag Niny'ah right now! Zair makes sure there is plenty of applause for everyone. Beltrami nodnods. Featherwing meeps, too many medals here, hard to @chown. Niny'ah grins tiredly at Morticon, "You never set a hold." She accepts the Silver happily, and gives BH, then Tamara solid hugs. Morticon smirks. "Next time... next time...." Aina' begins to feel good enough to stand, wobbly. Sora comes over to give the tigress someone to lean against, the soldier helping her comrade get home..... BunnyHugger says, "Pardon me, for my Olympic records... which Aina are you, again?" Samnang whuffs, "I'll take any medals no one wants" Aina' says, "72, ma'am." Roofus_roo has disconnected. Morticon says, "Gonna melt them down, Samnang?" BunnyHugger says, "Thanks! Sorry, I know we've met, so I'm embarrassed I forgot." Beltrami blinks? Samnang whuffs, "Heck naw, hang them in a shadow box for memories" Tamara hugs back, tight! Ott! Morticon laughs. "That's an interesting use." Aina' is helped out of the olympic park... Tategoi has the medal hanging over his body. Aina' leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Aina' has left. Sora leaves the beach for the Aquatic Complex. Sora has left. Niny'ah seems to be feeling better, thank goodness for a rugged metabolism and fatigue training. Morticon looks around. "Seems I have stuff to clean up." Tategoi says, "I have finally perfected my spell to transform salt to fresh water in my vicinity. It failed during the last race I entered two years ago." Zair says, "Hey, it was still a good event!" Tategoi says, "But it takes concentration and kept me at times from swimming as well as I might have." Featherwing phews and maneuvers over to Tategoi. "Well raced, friend. I thought I had you!" ;) Morticon puts on an oxygen tank and mask fitted for wallabies. "I'm going to clean up all my cameras. Thanks for participating. I hope everyone had fun, despite my mistakes in organizing it!" Tategoi says, "I am happy, because now I will be able to set out on my next project, to explore the Glimmersea." Tategoi says, "Thank you, Captain Featherwing." NBC chimes to Morticon. Beltrami nods to Tategoi? Morticon says, "Be sure to attend the other Olympic events, both mine and others!" Camera 4 chimes!! G E C echoes over the bay. NBC replies G, E, C.