cyclicality | [OPEN] Let the races begin

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[OPEN] Let the races begin

January 10th is a big day for anyone interested in the races. Or rather, interested in a little bit of gambling. Located in the Southern Water Tribe, the penguin sledding races are the place to make it big or lose everything! Races will be held from dawn until midnight with stalls selling food and souvenirs are set up around the event area. Everyone is free to take place in as many races as they want on one condition — they have to catch their own otter penguin, which might be a bigger challenge than actually sledding through the race track. They take this rule very seriously! Those who hire others to catch their otter penguins for them will be disqualified if they're caught. Just remember that this is the South Pole. The event area isn't around any residential areas, so bring warm gear when you hike to it in the cold.

There's fun in Republic City, too. It's snowing, at least, so a few otter penguins have been shipped in for racing around a smaller track. There's stalls set up in the city, too, selling knickknacks and Water Tribe cuisine. People are free to place their bets here as well, but any penguin sledder who's anybody is probably already in the Southern Water Tribe where the big fish are.

So there are options. People who have free time and money to travel can take a ship to the Southern Water Tribe to see what there is to offer. People who are short on time or money can stop by the penguin sledding arena for a few minutes to see what's up.

[ OOC: Feel free to include a variety of scenarios in your tag. It's an all-day event, so if you want to include scenarios for travel, otter penguin catching, sledding or just spectating. Whatever floats your boat! ]

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She smiles and grabs for his hand.

"Well I think your smile outshone my own."

There's a spring to Bumi's step and a jaunty tune in his heart as he tosses his Seabag from the ground into Appa's saddle.

Appa's Saddle.

He chuckles and shakes his head as he climbs up the familiar tail and flops into what was always his usual spot in the bison's saddle.

Edited 2015-01-16 01:47 (UTC)

[Mia wasn't actually aware of the otter penguin races down at the South Pole until just short of the event. It's only once a few radio broadcasts had declared that there was going to be a similar event in Republic City that she even became remotely interested in it. And it wasn't until she had another talk with Aang until she found out that she could go to the actual event at the South Pole.

[Having never been, it sounded like a ripe opportunity to see another part of the world and return back to Republic City soon thereafter. Of course, doing so served other more personal purposes as well, but while she was there, she might as well try her hand at racing.]

A. Souvenir and food stalls

[Mia has a little bit of time in between her obligations to spend time at the souvenir shops, looking to see what things the Southerners are selling. Of course, she'll be frequenting food stalls as well, but her main interests are in the craftsmanship of the souvenirs as maybe she'll pick up a trinket or two from it.

[She looks down at a rather lovely brooch that piques her interest, though is sadly a little more expensive than she ought to spend for the time being. She'll put it down and say her thanks to the shopkeeper. Interrupt her for a chat?]

B. Catching an Otter Penguin

[One would think, having a koalaotter, that being able to tame an otter penguin would be an easy task; however, it's proving quite difficult! Short of actually trying to waterbend one into an ice pen, which she hasn't tried yet, all her efforts of coaxing one close and grabbing them have been unsuccessful.]

C. Racing down the Slopes

[She's finally managed to catch an otter penguin, and she's zooming down the slopes. It's crazy fun, and to be honest, she's more concerned about having fun than winning, and so she'll be screaming out with joy the entire way down the hill, even if she's lagging behind the leaders.]

Edited 2015-01-16 09:24 (UTC)

So far Mia has had little luck at catching an otter penguin, and clearly her technique isn't going to win the day. As she's out searching, she sees Aang off in the distance looking for his own. Seeing as how the young airbender was the one that hoisted her onto a sky bison to make the voyage down to the South Pole, it seems only fitting that she offer a hand (or even ask for pointers).

"How's the hunt going?" she calls out happily.

After the race is finally over, Mia happens to see the water tribe warrior as he's heading off away from the crowds. It certainly strikes her a little funny that, only now does he seem to be heading off into the great wintry expanse, as if to go searching for an otter penguin now that none of them need to be caught. Having the assurance from her ride that he'll be sticking around for a little while longer, Mia hurries off after him, running to catch up with him.

"Leaving the festivities already?"

Bolin hasn't had the chance to talk to Opal in a while, and he's sort of in doldrums about it. With the right invitation, he would have dropped things and headed off for a Southern vacation easily, but while invitations were received, he didn't get one from someone that would have convinced him, so he's staying in Republic City while some people head off to the South.

Being in a rather depressed mood, he's come here to cheer himself up. He actually does not believe that Opal will show up, and so he's at the penguin sledding rink ready to race on his own. Of course, he's perhaps a little too big to possibly win, but he's going to milk this for all the fun he's got.

And it just so happens that he's going to be zipping past Opal about the time that she's passing by.

And Bolin is holding a box of noodles filled with some seafood, and he's practically just giddy with joy from the deliciousness. "Oh man," he says with his mouth still half full of the first bite of noodles, "this tastes just like the stuff at the South Pole! Man, I love Water Tribe food so much! Beats Earth Kingdom cuisine any day of the week."

He pulls her up. "That's hard to believe! But it shouldn't matter which smile shines more. Just that they shine at all!"

And Opal doesn't notice at all until the starting line up is called. And by that time it really is WOOSH and there he goes!

She blinks a time or two in surprise, glances to the rest of the crowd, and then shrugs her shoulders gently. Everyone else is cheering and she might as well too, right? She's tried to cheer for him before when it came to metal bending attempts.

So as everyone else shrieks when the riders make a loop, Opal joins right on in.

[Aang gives his own laugh as Bumi boards, taking his position by the head of the bison. He flashes him a cheery smile.] Ready to sail off, Mr. Bumi?

"It's going okay!" He quickly gains a smile as Mia nears. "I'm just waiting to try to find the right one..."

Congratulations! Lady luck is on your side and your 2 yuans have turned into 16 yuans!

She smiles more at that and quickly pulls him into a hug.

"no truer words have ever been spoken, Aang."

12 yuans

~~then cross his fingers and prays~~

Meanwhile, Wan, who has absolutely no intention of racing, has a small crowd of otterpenguins around him and is happily petting them and chatting with them like they're friends he hasn't seen in ages. He's off to the far side and most people who are catching their own have left him alone because, well, he's the one that 'caught' them. All of them. It was very unfair to hog, but no one could exactly call him on it. The best they could hope for was that he'd pick one to race with soon so the others could be free game again.

Wan, of course, didn't care in the least that he was hogging attention. He did, however, call out to one of the people he knew from Republic City when he saw her trying to talk one into coming near.]

Have you tried fish yet?

Aw. He hugs her right back! "Thanks, Jin! I put all my Avatar wisdom into that one."

Mia can't help but be amused by the young monk, but she just nods and tries to keep her giggles to herself. "The right one, you say? I think I'd settle for just being able to catch one. They're quite the elusive creatures!"

[Mia had, generally speaking, been avoiding the man who seemed to have an entire armada of otterpenguins around him. After all, rules were rules, right? She hadn't paid attention to whom it was who had "captured" them all, but only after trying to find one and failing does she head back over because clearly, this guy is the otterpenguin whisperer, and she must have his secret.

[Only to discover it's Wan.

[He clearly is a mystery of a person.]

Oddly enough, I... haven't actually tried that yet. I figured they'd be as easy to catch as koalaotters, but that doesn't seem to be the case, really.

... Will it work?

She giggles a little more and gives him one more squeeze before letting him go.

"This is exactly why I feel you're an amazing Avatar, Aang. You're around my age, but you're still so kind and wise."

"Thank you, Jin. That.... that really means a lot to hear. I'm so wise... because I have lots of great friends who support me and give me good advice. I wouldn't make it without people like you.]

Well, I've never tried catching koalaotters. Or otterpenguins, for that matter. I'm just making friends. As for the fish working...

[Wan lifted a hand and tossed a fish over her way. Three otterpenguins broke from his group to waddle after it.]

Three of them think it will.

[The absolute nonchalance of Wan's reply just floors Mia, and she breaks out into laughter at it.]

Okay, okay, I'm a believer, I promise.

[She sounds incredibly mirthful at that, and that just gives her the best of ideas.]

Well, pulling a fish out of water doesn't seem that difficult to do. All it takes then is to find a hungry otterpenguin after that. Hopefully at least two of those three are still hungry by the time you're done. [She gives him a wry smile at that.]

Lin was passing through through some of the stalls. She was only around as a measure of security as it was. No event could go without a few people out and making sure no one started trouble. With everything still not lining up properly to her either it was only right to try and keep an event from having any situations get out of hand.

Spotting Opal was a pleasant surprise. Pleasant enough that she'll go over with a little grin. "Hey, didn't think I'd find you around here." She's relieved. Opal around the city did mean one less person she had to worry about.

News had begun filtering down pretty quick that the Chief of Police was back in action. Among training and her own worries, Opal had woefully neglected to check in with her aunt. The realization only now hit her as she came face to face with the woman.

The airbender starts forward as if she means to hug the older woman, pauses a moment in consideration... and then does it anyhow because whatever. Endure it, Lin.

"Aunt Lin! It's so good to see you again!"

She smiles more and gives him a gentle nudge.

" You're going to make me blush if you keep complimenting me like that, Aang."

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[OPEN] Let the races begin

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A.

South Pole

B.

I can't remember if we kept our test drive thing, but...

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BETTING

B

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/forever late

There's no such thing as late, my friend.

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