Circe's Manor THE NEXT

[Ookalf]

(New thread time! Last one's right here.)

[AmbushCat]

I guess that would be good, too...

(FL-Kaoru)
*nods* Hm... I guess this would all be a fancy way of saying that you'll do just fine, but you probably knew that already.

[Ookalf]

Yeah... *Meanwhile, Nozomi sneaks out of the changing room in a one-piece.*

[AmbushCat]

(FL-Kaoru)
Well, pleasure meeting you, Delilah. *dissolves the ice block and orients herself as she falls back into the water* Let's see how the teams work out.

*Across the way, first Joni and then Drew get tired of the splash-fest. The latter, with wet hair hanging in her eyes, looks as if she's trying to stop giggling long enough to catch her breath.*

[Ookalf]

*Delilah nods.* Yeah, sure... *Meanwhile, Penny has abandoned her raft to lounge in a poolside chair, and Madison seems to be hiding underwater to avoid all the splashing.*

[AmbushCat]

Drew: Hah... no fair... cheating... eh-heh-heh...

Joni: *talking to open air* That wasn't cheating... you're just a bad shot.

Drew: I hate you because it's true... che-hahahah... *looks up just as Nozomi sneaks by* Oh hey, we've got our eighth wheel. ... *takes another moment to recover, then turns to the side* Madison? Hey, Maddy? Splash-time's over.

[Ookalf]

OK! *Madison swims back up to the surface.* And did I hear you say something about wheels?

[AmbushCat]

Drew: Yeh, our sneaky wheel just rolled past. *eyes flick in Nozomi's general direction for a moment* You gonna let 'em relax a bit more before we start our game, or what was the plan?

[Ookalf]

*Nozomi is standing silently beside the wall, ninja style.* Oh, you meant a player... I think I'll see what everyone else wants. *Madison loudly claps her hands.* Can I have everyone's attention for a second?

[AmbushCat]

*Aside from Drew, FL-Kaoru and Joni also turn in her direction. Abby doesn't, staring off into space instead.*

[Ookalf]

Right... Well, everyone seems to be here, so we can get this game started whenever everyone's ready! So, what do you all want to do?

[AmbushCat]

(FL-Kaoru)
I'm all for it.

Drew: I was born ready. Let's do this.

Joni: Okay.

Abby: ...Eh. Whatever. *still hasn't gotten in the pool*

[Ookalf]

I'm OK if we start...

I say we get it going.

*Nozomi just nods. That probably means she agrees...*

OK, sounds like everyone wants to start playing! Now, how to decide the teams...

We could draw straws...

Uh, translation?

[AmbushCat]

(FL-Kaoru)
-She suggested that we--- *clears her throat* Whoa! Pardon me. She suggested that we could draw straws.

[Ookalf]

Oh, yeah, that sounds good to me. Let's do that. *Madison nods and gives Nozomi a thumbs up. The ninja maid nods in return and produces eight straws.*

These straws are of two lengths - four are long, and four are short. Those who pull the long straws will be on one team, while those pull the short straws will be on the other. ...Though, I'm not sure why exactly I'm explaining this. It's a fairly simple thing, and only one of you even understands me... *While Nozomi digresses, Penny and Delilah come to her and pick a straw each.*