fandomhigh | Summer Games, Wednesday Morning

Today the park was set up with the normal bleachers for observers, and also thoughtfully provided cheap plastic rain ponchos for people who wished to observe without being in the blast zone. There didn't seem to be a single adult manning any of the food stations, which could explain the choices: heavy on super spicy junk food and no salad to be seen anywhere.

The most noticeable difference from last week, though, was probably the weedy teenager with the, frankly, hilarious haircut wielding the megaphone today. He had a little ponytail and a braid looping down over his right ear. It was a lot of look. "Right!" he yelled. "So I woke up today with this set of instructions next to my bed: apparently I'm in charge of doing paintball today, which sounds surprisgly not-stupid for a school event! We're going to be in two teams, so listen for your name since I don't recognize...most of them."

He shrugged that off. Must be another weird Fandom amnesia day or something. And paintball was way more important than giant gaps in his memory, right? "Okay, this is Team Red: you wear the ugly red jumpsuits over there--" he pointed helpfully, "--and your paintball guns and don't forget your eye protection and blah blah don't poke your eyes out, etc. Team members are: Ahsoka, Verity, Kaidan, Miguel, Paris, Aloy, Vanessa, Peter, Jaylah, Peridot, Tip. Alec, Amaya, Steve, Cara, Seivarden, Tony, Sabine, Jason, Summer, and Theron."

He waited for those team members to get moving. "Okay. Team Blue is: Aphra, Astrid, Rosa, Jaina, Kanan, Eliot, Beaker, Liam, Hannibal, Manfred, Hera, Kathy, Sidon, Magnus, Uma, Cristina, Breq, Bobby, Wade, Reno, and me." He consulted his paper again, then made a face. "Okay, we were supposed to just stay in the park, but that sounds incredibly boring, so I'm going to give us five minutes to make a quick plan with our team and then say that the entire island is fair game for as long as it takes one team to take out the other team."

Complete anniliation. Surely that boded well for his future life choices! "Last man, woman, or--" his eyes drifted to Beaker, confused, "--other...standing wins for their team and gets to take home the--" he squinted at the paper again. "Terrifying fish thing?"

On cue, the fish flew into his hand. Over the past week, it had been modified again: now to smell like pumpkin spice, put off small fireworks and holographic projections of flowers with smiley faces as it flew, and telepathically project "The Song That Never Ends" into the minds of anyone too close to it.

Anakin hated this thing on sight.

"For the first time in my life, I'm considering losing," he said, staring at the fish. "Anyway! Teams, get together and plan! You have five minutes and...go!"

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"Meep meep meep meep," Beaker muttered to himself as he found himself swimming in the one-size-definitely-doesn't-fit-Muppets jumpsuit.

"Yeah, you said it," Caleb said, glancing at the other bo--oh. Oh boy. "Wow, uh, you'd think they'd have more sizes than that. Would you like some help with that jumpsuit?"

He was still totally avoiding putting his own on. If helping this other kid with his meant that he could stall a little longer with his own, he'd take it.

"Meep meep," Beaker said gratefully, handing it up.

Caleb gave him a warm little smile, and then started to roll up the jumpsuit's legs, first. Giving them a pretty sizable cuff, but at least making it possible to get his legs through.

"Here," he offered, "Get your legs into them this way first, and then we can roll up the arms to match, okay?"

"Meep meep meep," Beaker said, pulling the pants part on and then holding his arms up for assistance.

He looked very ridiculous.

He did! But so did everyone else in these suits, and this was technically safety gear, right? Caleb bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning outright as he slipped the sleeves over Beaker's arms, and then started rolling those up into cuffs, too.

The overall effect was a little bit like a saggy poodle, but at least he'd tried, and presumably Beaker would have use of his arms or legs until it all inevitably went horribly wrong.

"There," Caleb said, zipping up the front of the suit for the other kid before standing back to admire his handiwork. "How's that? Can you move okay now?"

"Meep meep meep," Beaker said, swinging his arms back and forth and then picking up the paintball gun and almost tipping over with it.

Put your money down on self-inflicted paintball wound here, Caleb!

Caleb winced a little, looking at the paintball gun in relation to Beaker's size.

"Unfortunately, I can't just roll the barrel up to make that more to scale to you," he sighed. "If you plant your feet a little farther apart, it might help you keep your balance a little better, though?"

"Meep," Beaker said, planting his feet and trying to look Very Intimidating.

It worked about as well as you'd expect.

"Well... it's a start," Caleb offered, gamely. "Keep that up and maybe you'll get the hang of it before people start shooting?"

He was a wee bitty optimist, at least.

"Meep meep!" Beaker agreed enthusiastically before tripping over his pants and falling over.

Caleb winced. Oh. Oh boy.

"That's the spirit," he offered, holding out his hand to help him up. "That much enthusiasm, and maybe a little bit more paying attention to where your feet are going?"

"Meep," Beaker agreed, giving him a thumbs up.

"There you go," Caleb replied, happily returning the gesture. "You've got this, buddy!"

Caleb so very wanted to believe in the impossible.

"....Okay, you're new," said Summer at one point, because...yeah. This was clearly the kid who says Meep that she'd heard so much about, and BDG's description so did not do him an ounce of justice.

Summer Games, Wednesday Morning

Re: Team Blue, Assemble!

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