lap five // day 198 (open)

[amphibian]

Who: Aoi and anybody!
Open: Open!
When: Day 198; late afternoon/early evening.
Where: At Aoi's new pool.
What: THERE'S A POOL HERE! A POOL!!! A POOL!!!!!
Format: Action tags, please!
Warnings: N/A, probably

THE POOL'S HEEEEEERE!

[—is what everyone is going to hear as Aoi sprints across the Bastion. She flings her sweatshirt off, leaves it on the ground as she goes, and launches herself through the doors of the new building not far from the forge.

Anyone nearby will hear a resounding SPLASH through the doors, left wide open, as Aoi cannonballs into the deep end of the pool, shorts and tank top and all.

If anyone checks in on her, she's swimming rapid laps from one end of the pool to the other down the middle of the center lane, pausing at the ends every now and again to laugh, absolutely delighted, and wave at anyone who's shown up.] C'mon in, the water's fine!

Comments

[coolerthansora]

[Chocobos don't understand words to comprehend that announcement, but splashing, splashing they get. It has not attracted the interest of all three birds, but a certain blue chocobo wanders over, following the girl inside since she so kindly left the doors open.

It's probably only big enough to accommodate a child-sized rider yet, but that's still a big bird. A big bird that is now circling the pool in fascination. It's never seen indoor water this big. Not since it was much smaller and the bathtub seemed gigantic.]

Kwehh..

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko does not understand what the excitement is about. In fact, she doesn't understand the point of this new building at all. She doesn't step in from the doorway, just glancing around from there.]

What was wrong with the lake?

[amphibian]

The lake's nowhere near competitive regulations! It's irregularly shaped, the depth is inconsistent, it doesn't meet regulated length, there are fish living in it, and there're no marked lanes! [For each item on her list, she holds out a finger, then pushes herself off the pool wall a short distance closer to the doorway and Zuko from the pool's opposite end. Despite all that swimming, she's full of energy and blabbering at a mile a minute.]

I like the lake, but I'm an athlete! I need structure and chlorine! Plus, plus, what if the weather's bad? A little rain never hurt anybody, but what if it snowed?! It's dangerous to swim if it gets too cold! If the lake froze over and I didn't have anywhere to swim, I would just die!

[daughterofursa]

We don't have weather here.

[And who's going to ask for snow?]

I'm pretty sure there aren't any 'regulations' either. Who are you expecting to compete with?

[dragonform]

[Well, this is a sight. Ryu's never seen a swimming pool before, let alone one that's indoors. There's also the matter he can't swim very well, but he's excited for Aoi all the same!]

Did you get this from your shards?

[amphibian]

[This actually makes Aoi stop and gently tread water in the center of her lane. She's seen these huge birds around before, of course, but never up close.

Does it...want to go in the pool? Is that safe or sanitary? Does it know how to swim?

...Well, her lifeguard training could probably apply to hauling a giant bird out of the water, right? Grinning, she makes a clicking noise with her tongue and backs up, making adequate room for the bird to jump in.]

[coolerthansora]

[Wow, rude. This bird was built for swimming. Well, more like running across water at high speeds, but it can also swim really well!]

Wark!

[So it can't read minds, but it sounds almost indignant that she thinks it needs her invitation. It jumps from the edge of the pool, flapping its wings a little so that it lands in the water without making too much of a splash. Then it folds them and attempts to look dignified. Because it is now in its element and dignified is what it is okay.]

[amphibian]

[For a brief second, there's a frown on her face—she forgets sometimes that they don't have real weather, just a girl who sometimes makes weather happen, only because the thought sits at the very back of her mind—but she's right back to her energy-filled self.]

Well, anyone! I bet someone's gotta be interested in competition swimming! Maybe we could start a real team!

[daughterofursa]

What, isn't that just racing?

[She can't imagine how else you could make swimming a competition, and she doesn't know how that warrants a team.]

[amphibian]

Yeah! What, don't tell me you've never seen a swim meet before!

[amphibian]

Sure did! [She props her hands against the floor at the pool's edge and beams.] I've been saving 'em up for a while. I can't believe I didn't get a pool earlier!

[daughterofursa]

What's a swim meet?

[amphibian]

When a bunch of swim teams get together and compete! You've really never had swimming competitions where you come from?!

[daughterofursa]

We were at war. We had bigger things to worry about.

[amphibian]

[She turns away and puts her arms over her face in preparation for a splash, and very tentatively turns back towards the bird when the anticipated face full of water doesn't come. It...looks like it's doing okay? What even is this thing.]

Well, aren't you a pretty birdie? [With a giggle, she flicks a tiny splash of water at it—not more than it stirred on its landing, of course; she's not going to go bullying an animal!]

[amphibian]

Oh. I'm sorry. [She frowns, all that energy sapped out by sympathy—and while it doesn't come back in its full overwhelming swing, she does smile again, and push and paddle herself to the edge of the pool so she can fold her arms against the edge.] But it's safe here! So...we can be comfortable enough to do fun things like have swim meets!

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko continues frowning, but... maybe less so as she realizes that this is probably Aoi's way of remembering her home, as odd as it seems.]

...yeah. I guess you could.

[amphibian]

[Cue one excited beam as Aoi becomes all energy and cheer again. She places her hands flat on the floor and pushes herself up so she can lean forward, grinning at Zuko.]

Hey, hey, can you swim?! If you can't, then I can teach you! We can't miss out on this kinda opportunity!

[coolerthansora]

[It gives its head a shake at the splash and warks again, but this time it doesn't sound upset about it. It's pretty sure whatever she just said was a compliment.

It swims around a little bit to test out the water, paying no heed to the lanes, but after a few minutes it makes its way nearer to one end of the pool and looks back at Aoi expectantly.]

Warrk?

[daughterofursa]

[Where does Aoi get all that energy? And that sure is a wet tank top, uh.]

O-of course I can swim.

[amphibian]

[Aoi shoves herself backwards and kicks off against the pool wall in one movement, sinking under the water for a quick moment before popping right back up, allowing enough space for Zuko to dive right in.] So what're you waiting for?!

[daughterofursa]

[Wait. Did she just agree to something?]

Well...

[She eyes the pool uncertainly, but it's not like she was doing anything just now. It couldn't hurt, could it? But she's not jumping in with all her clothes on. Zuko sits down by the edge of the pool to pull off her boots and arm bands before sliding into the water.]

Just don't take this as signing up for your swim meets, all right?

[heptagram]

[Seeing Aoi so energetic always kind of pleases Patchouli. It means things haven't gone completely belly-up. She follows after her slowly.]

Wow. This must have cost quite a bit...

[amphibian]

[Aoi knows a challenge when she's given one! She paddles to that same end, putting one lane between them, and gets herself in a race-ready position against the pool wall. She can hardly remember her last race, between Hope's Peak and the more recent apocalypse; the urge to just go is stronger than thoughts of how totally weird it is that she's about to have a swim race with a bird.

She nods at the bird, only briefly acknowledging to herself how unreasonably ridiculous it is that she's waiting on a bird to give her the "go" signal.]

[amphibian]

A small building's five hundred shards! [She doesn't pause her backstroke as she speaks, but she waits until she hits the end of the pool nearest the doorway to flip herself back around and face Patchouli, grinning, before she continues.]

Honestly, I have a lot and I haven't been sure what to do with 'em... But I wish I got this earlier! I've missed pools!