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Unsurprisingly, Dione had contemplated marathons and runs before but never committed. She wasn't against them in any way and if nothing else she had cousins or her sister to run with, but it just didn't seem to happen. Now, as she was about to do something so many levels beyond that, she kinda wished she had such things under her belt. It could be training, even if the last marathon she had agreed on was maybe two years ago. Oh well! At least she was fit and she exercised on a regular basis. Di couldn't pass this kind of thing up anyway. It just looked too fun, the kind of energy she loved. And even if she didn't get far in the end, she would try her best. Heck, and if she wiped out before the finals, she could cheer others on.

In the moment, though, she felt plenty excited but also so, so nervous. Talk about a thrill. Even with the nerves running through her, Di was amped to get going. And, maybe after, she would finally try out some marathons!

She concentrated on breathing while waiting for her turn. Mere seconds to go before her run... Di exhaled. All right. Let's do this.

((Dione will be wiping out on the SPIN CYCLE, aka part 5 of round 1))

Di leaped from the last bumper, and grabbed for the Big Dipper bar. For a second, she prayed she wouldn't miss. The moment her hands got a grip, she hung on for dear life. Giving under her weight, the bar slid down the track, taking her with it. The ride, wind in her hair, was all such a rush! Almost enough to distract her from the ache in her arms from the force. Was she that heavy? As she careened down, her hands didn't slip and her arms didn't fail her. She could deal with the slight wear and tear. Just had to time her next jump-!

STAT: STR

The moment she landed, the blocks started to shift and turn. Dione crowed in surprise. She struggled to stabilize, jerking her ankle as she did. Okay, okay. It was just a tweak. Di grit her teeth and forced herself forward. She wobbled on a few blocks, and it kept irritating her ankle more and more. Pain began to blossom in a few places, between her arms and shoulders, as well as her foot.

She could push through this! She had to. It couldn't be any worse than an intense workout, right?

Di struggled on, her speed basically diminished. She had to get to the end of this track and jump onto the wheels up next! She was so, so close to the end...

STAT: STR

Similar attire for the afternoon hadn't been a conscious effort, but an overlapped sense of fashion and a happy coincidence. Her slight frame was draped in a white romper with lace detailing along the front and just and just above the hem of the shorts. She too had pale skin and dark eyes, but where his were warm, her's were cool, along with the silver braid curling over one thin shoulder. Jewelry was minimal, kept to a single, thick linked gold chain around her throat and a solid cuff bracelet around one delicate wrist.

She made her way down the bleachers with care on medium heels, following her tastefully dressed companion down to a row with an stretch of open bench.

Her eyes flicked up as she reached him and his voice floated up to her, following the progression of the agile woman as she speed her way through one obstacle and to the next with minimal obvious effort. "Perhaps he should have signed up as well."

Taking a seat beside him, she crossed her legs demurely, hands folding on the top of her thigh, and looked back to her dark haired peer. "Are we speaking of winning over all in the entire competition, or in a more personal sense of simply completing the course?" It made a difference.

She glanced back at him sidelong and contemplative before remarking. "Ah right, he's still on a bit of a short lead. If the opportunity presents itself again, I do not mind holding the leash." There was only the briefest of pauses. "Temporarily, of course." Aelius wasn't her peer, but he wasn't her subordinate, either.

But today wasn't about Aelius. It was about this competition and trying to forge a better bond with one of her teammates. So Delphine returned her attention to the race.

The girl, Dione, was moving swiftly through the obstacles laid out before her. If they were to make any sort of guess as to whether or not she'd complete the course, they'd best make it now before she got too far. "I think she'll make it. She seems quite fit, and so long as over confidence doesn't trip her up I see no reason why she couldn't reach the end." Unless her endurance boiled over at the start and dried up midway through.

She tipped her head so she could better hear him, and realized she'd misspoken. Now it was her turn to speak softly, murmuring beside his shoulder so he could hear but no one else could. "I only meant the competition would linger longer than you'd be able to attend, and he wouldn't be permitted to linger unattended." Though she supposed that could have changed. "But I am offer, yes."

Whatever the need, Delphine was there to offer assistance in one way or another. It was odd, having so many bodies to show a measure of loyalty to, but she found she rather liked having them.

Most o the time.

Delphine looked back down at the contestant as Eion mentioned her again, and a little smile graced her lips as she watched. "It does seem likely, though there are still obstacles to stand in her way."

Eion shifted toward her, their closeness unremarkable in the crowd, and solidified their intimate sphere of conversation. He could smell her breath on every parting word — grapefruit parsed with greens. His return sounded harsh against her demure backdrop. "He could've stayed unattended. I wouldn't mind if he disqualified and drowned. Better that it isn't on your head."

Her offer was noteworthy, however. Whether she actively sought team relationships or she had an affinity for babysitting, her connection already proved more beneficial than Quartz or Chrysocolla.

The contender's splash roused empathy from the crowd, some clapping while others bemoaned her near-victory, and Eion shifted from his closeness to his companion. He contributed a few claps into the conciliatory applause. How predatory of us to want someone to lose. To feel glee in watching that tumble from victory. To tell ourselves we can do it better.

She waved, but it could've been to any member in the crowd — a friend or a lover or a family member or simple crowd endearment. He stood, then, and ushered Delphine up. "We should go — unless you're feeling charitable."

Eion withdrew the small pocket watch from the inside of his tunic pocket. 1:30 read the clock, two hours past current time. "We've an hour and a half." It slid back in quietly, covered by the mixed roar of the crowd.

Sidling through was nary a trouble for one ballet dancer under five feet and one youth still far from adulthood. And while he did not return her smile, lost as it was among his other social mores, he assented to her offer. How long had it been now since he sat at a restaurant, especially one with a bar? Since he was served with company at his side? Even with Yuuri, they each settled down for a coffee rather than cocktails. But any risk, even being caught underaged, seemed paltry when he had no personal stakes.

Eion felt for the keys in his pocket. He spared a last curious glance over his shoulder at the competitor — voluminous hair, tall, dusk-skinned, and sought to remember her face against the many seen that day. Would they cross paths again? Doubtful.

He wholly stopped for a moment and blinked. There, on the screen —

Eion smiled then, averted his eyes, and followed Delphine back to the car.