02. [video] Air Bud

[mech_and_mutt]

Alright! Who else is excited for the Blitzball tourney this month?

[The backdrop of the view is a beautiful, wispy blue sky, taken from a vantage point above a patchy sea of clouds. There's a soft roar of wind in the backdrop of the entire broadcast, and an airship's wing visible on the deck behind him-- not that any of it distracts Red from taking center stage with a toothy grin and a blitzball spinning on his finger. One has to wonder how long he had to practice that before he turned on the camera. He's even got a towel across his shoulders and attire that makes him look ready for a dip in the water.]

Never even heard of it 'till I came here, but you gotta check it out if you haven't yet! It's like Flying Disc, only underwater-- and you can pound the heck outta the other team! Just so happens Cloud City's got its own team for it, too...

[That grin gets wider as he pops the ball off his finger and tucks it under his arm, jerking a thumb toward his chest.]

...And you're lookin' at its newest member! Introducing: Red Savarin, the newest member of the Cloud City Dragons!... reserve team. Hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? But just watch-- I'll be in the big leagues before ya know it!

(It'd help if you'd stop trying to catch it in your mouth, 'po.) (Just hold the iMog!)

[He momentarily leers at his cameramog before clearing his throat and catching his stride.]

So if any of you need me, you can find me at Cloud City. Just look for the orange airship parked a mile outside of town!

Comments

[mythmaker]

Wolf-kun, congratulations!

[She has her iMog set up against a stack of magazines in her room. The video captures her clapping and also wearing a very tiny hat with a dragon on it.]

How do you play? If it's underwater...do you maybe hold onto a Zora? Or maybe you wear heavy scuba equipment?

[suigojin]

Do you really try to catch the ball in your mouth?

[Yes, out of everything else in the video, that's what he chose to comment on.]

[mech_and_mutt]

Why wouldn't I?! It'd make sense for this kinda game!

But it turns out you gotta use your hands instead. Weird, right?

[suigojin]

Not if you're playing underwater. That's how you drown.

[mech_and_mutt]

Why thank you! [A wolfish grin.] Lucky you, gettin' to know me before I made my big break. Nice hat, too! You already a fan of the Dragons?

And nope; you just hold breath and dive right on in! It takes some gettin' used to, though.

[mech_and_mutt]

What?! No! It's not like I'm actually trying to breathe while I do it! It's just how we played these kinda games back home-- it's a reflex! Besides, I only tried to do it a couple times.

[And attempts three and four were mostly an attempt to show off.]

[suigojin]

I suppose it makes more sense if you're doing it on reflex. I can't imagine trying to catch a blitzball with my face, though.

[It probably doesn't help that he's not a dog...thing like Red is.]

So you're too new to be participating this month, right?

[mech_and_mutt]

Yeah, I learned that lesson pretty quickly.

[A quiet whisper hits the iMog's mic.] (He's lucky he still has all his teeth, 'po.)

Nah-- this month's tourney is the big leagues. Hate to admit it but I'll probably be watchin' the whole thing from the bench. Still, it's ONE way to get a front row seat!

You a big fan of Blitzball?

[zanarkandian]

Congrats, man!

I'm Tidus, from the Myste Aura Merrows reserve team. We'll definitely have to face each other on the field next year! I'll be watching your team, working on strats, y'know, the usual.

[mythmaker]

My, my. Before long, you might even be as famous as I remember being...I'm going to have to work harder, aren't I?

[She takes off her hat after tipping it and rests it in her palm.]

I'm already a fan of you, but this hat is from the first outfit I performed in. You look like you're dressed and ready to dive in, too.

[promisedtolive]

I've never heard of Blitzball, or Flying Disc before. [ What are games??? :o ]

But congratulations. How do you breathe underwater?

[mech_and_mutt]

You've never heard of Flying Disc?! Oh man, it's the best! There's a small, lightweight flying disc and you have to catch it in your teeth. It gets crazy.

You should check out blitzball, though! It's The sport in this world, as far as I can tell.

--oh, breathing? Y'dont. Half of my practice sessions are just workin' on holding my breath!

[mech_and_mutt]

Of course I know who you are-- I first heard about this sport from you runnin' your mouth on mognet! And watch us all you want, but it won't prepare you for when I dive in next year!

[The cameramog can faintly be heard sighing.]

You played Blitzball back at home, right? How do these big tournaments tend to go?

[mech_and_mutt]

Well, I don't have my face on a biscuit box yet, but give it a year or two.

[He takes closer look at her hat through the screen.] Oh, right- you were a part of that Dragon King's Beauties thing back home. Is that your old uniform? Mine's just what some of my team suggested. Apparently this sort of style's really popular...

People around here must really like their belts.

[suigojin]

[Pfft, his Moogle companion is clearly not on his side.]

I consider myself one. I only got into it a couple years ago, so it's not like I'm a lifelong fan. I'm going to watch the tournament, though, since it's practically in my back yard.

[That may or may not be why he has a place in Ka'Pandol. Well, that, and it's sort of cool living underwater. Dangerous, but cool.

Fewer birds.]

[mythmaker]

A biscuit box? Goodness. You're certainly going to be popular in one crowd if you aim that big.

[Does he want to be an inspiration to dogs? She giggles, but she doesn't elaborate. She'd love seeing him on a biscuit box, too.]

That's right. Ryuuguu Komachi. My costume only has one belt, but...are you sure some of yours aren't collars? [Is there a difference, she wonders?] But my~. At least you don't have to worry about your arm falling off, hm?

[einspine]

[Papyrus' eye sockets... metaphorically light up, since, naturally, they're usually in an empty, black state minus the moments when they get all googly. But boy oh boy is there a smile on his skeletal face. Wowie! A sport! How exciting!]

WOWIE! AN UNDERWATER SPORT!!! THAT'S SO THRILLING! SO UNIQUE. I BET UNDYNE WOULD LOVE IT!!!

[mech_and_mutt]

Oh, d'you live in Ka'Pandol? I was givin' some thought to that place, but... y'know, can't exactly park an airship by it.

Didja catch it last year? Was it any good?

[mech_and_mutt]

Well, s'what happens when you hit it big, right? And why does everyone keep askin' me about collars...? [seriously, this was getting kinda weird.]

Nah. Those guys hit hard, but I'm pretty sure ripping an arm off would be a foul.

(I wouldn't count on it, 'po.)

[mech_and_mutt]

You should see some'a these pros in action, too- they can hurl that ball through water faster than most people can through the air!

Undyne? Bring 'em along to the tournament! And tell her to root for the Dragons while you're there.

[zanarkandian]

Hah. We'll just see about that, but I'm sure it'll be a good fight.

[Zunne is almost equally unimpressed.]

They're huge! All the lights, the cheering fans...it becomes a craze for a little while. Playing to a crowd like that is amazing. Just wait 'til we do it next year.

[mythmaker]

Mm...I can't say I've ever promoted a food item myself, but I've promoted other things before. There's one sort of company that hires me over and over, actually.

[She sounds a little embarrassed at that, and she laughs in a way that says she'd like to move on! Talking about such things is bad luck, anyways.]

Is it really that dangerous? I hope you'll be careful for me.

[mech_and_mutt]

...That does sound pretty good.

[He tries to play it cool, himself but Mocha tips the camera down with a quiet snicker; his tail's wagging like crazy.]

How was it being a big-name player? Y'get a lot of fans, a lot of merch deals...?

[mech_and_mutt]

Lucky you! What kinda company? [Unfortunately for Azusa, Red- as usual- is either oblivious or simply apathetic to such cues.

At least the other subject offers her an escape.] Oh yeah, the game gets pretty rough. You've got the ball hits and the tackles, sure, but some'a these guys know how to hit so hard they'll put you to sleep! Or poison you. Somehow.

[mythmaker]

[Everything is quiet for a moment.]

Well, you know...I'm very popular with bridal companies, especially with fashion designers...

[She'll answer the rest of his reply in a second. For now, her voice is grave, the situation dire. Her expression is full of despair.]

But wearing a wedding dress when you're not a bride is bad luck for marriage, did you know that?