Festival: Monster Race

The night looks festive: lanterns illuminate the festival grounds, both large affairs hanging from poles and shacks, as well as merchandise stands, and many visitors celebrate by carrying around their own portable versions. Festoons have been hung around, and decorative items like fake zombie arms or skeleton scarecrows dot the fenced paths visitors are supposed to stick to. Monster Handlers are getting ready, taking care of the last preparations at a safe distance from the general public; this is especially true for the pen where those who are taking part to the race but do not yet have their own mount can temporarily borrow one (which must be returned afterwards -- no exceptions).

"You simply -cannot- deny me this time!", Uta yells at the racing official sitting across from where she's standing, as she slams both her fists on the table. She is dressed in a dragon costume, its scales in a gradient of reds, and possibly some blue too, although it's hard to tell under the nighttime lighting conditions. "I have submitted all my papers on time! I showed up early enough! My ride is right here!", she gestures, livid, each stressed word underlined by a new act of violence against the wooden surface.

"I, Mister Clerk, regret to inform you that-"

"WHAT IS IT THIS TIME!" Uta slams her hands so hard that all the paperwork that was sitting on it goes flying in the air, before fluttering back into exactly the same place as it was before. Few tense seconds follow, during which Uta breathes in and out from her nose, visibly agitated.

"Ma'am, this is a Monster Race. You have brough a Peko."

"Oh," Uta says, turning back to look at a large yellow bird in a shimmering golden jacket behind her, which, cants its head at Uta..

"Nice dragon costume though."

"Thanks... It's a Twilight Dragon. I'm trying to learn more about it."

"What's the peko supposed to be dressed as?"

Uta cants her head at the bird's golden jacket, its sequins the size of coins.

"My hoard?"

    Monster racing is fun and entertaining. What's the worst that can happen? Fuka could, for example, get eaten. Or gored then eaten. Or trampled then eaten. Having had plenty of fun with peko racing, Fuka's agreed to participate in the monster race. The race run by monsters that is, not the race who are monsters. That's something else entirely. And as someone with no actual Monster Handling experience, well, she's going to be riding with a trainer who will handle her mount and she'll just have to be her normal magical and sparkling self. See, nothing could possibly go wrong!

    Of course she first had to select a monster, one large enough for a second rider. One that suited her, one that was fast. "Got any Pekos?" "That's not a monster." "How about dire centipedes? They must be fast with all those legs." "Sorry, not right now." "What about giraffes?" "Not a monster." "Uhhhh... DIRE giraffes?" "Get serious..." "OKAY okay... how about a unicorn?" "Not a... actually, you know? I think we got just the thing for you. One 'unicorn' coming right up!"

    And so this is the story about how Fuka got conned into riding a giant rhinoceros beetle. "This isn't a unicorn!" Fuka wails as the start of the race is announced. "Sure it's got one horn but that's not.... FINE! Let's get this race started!"

Peko Races? Check. Monster Races?! Double check. Baru heard about another oppotunity to go racing and he is out in not-so-rare form. Normal form. Standard form. Form 95c by Ninetails standards. So that is the navy jacket and denim pants with the always present monocle. For his monster he has summoned out Won-qu, who is a large blue lion-like monster with a strong affinity to Water. He has not been giving Won-qu enough attention these days in favor of his Fire or Earth summon, so a little time to stretch his legs and bond with the Summoner is just what the Artificer ordered. He is already aware of how to handle monsters, so doesn't require Lander assistance. However anyone NOT with that talent would certainly need one so it doesn't go nom nom nom on the rider. That wouldnt be fun. Funny, yes, but not fun.

"So close, Uta," Haru says atop of his mount, padding majestically towards Smaug-uta. "You should still get that entered in the costume contests." He laughs a bit, knowing that at this point it would be more a shocker if Uta /did/ get into one of the races.

    Merek of course will be with someone that is taking the time to bring him his dire cat that he asked for. Then he's nodding to Uta, "It is good to see you," he is dressed like a slime again. He has been a while. He has two slimes placed along the back of his cat, and he mounts up with the rider. "Slime cat!"

Yeowang has, in her association with the peko ranch, come to be the one organizing the betting here. Also, she knows a bit how betting works in horse races in RL, and it's a plan that means the house never loses money if the race turns out with an unexpected result. She's got a few mathy people calculating the odds, and a few clerks taking bets and issuing handwritten tickets, which they stamp to make offcial.

She's not personally involved with that part of the goings on, though, nor is she gambling, as she's a racer, and she will arrive riding double on a fairly thickset dire puma which strides smoothly up to the gate, a young Monster Handler at the reins. The closest she's done before this is riding double on her friend's bike, and while Moon Young was amazingly fast on a bike, this is already turning out to be different than she expected. She peers at Uta, arriving in a costumed Peko, and calls out helpfully, "The costume Peko race was several days ago." And in another location.

It's a Nightmare Inception!

Sure none of the Landers are going to get that joke, but the other Adventurers should at least see the connection with Kauchemar, a Nightmare Were Fang, riding on her monster mount Nightmare, Threnody, while once againg wearing a fitting costume though this time she's just Princess Luna instead of full on Nightmare Moon.

And while they passed the pens holding the waiting rental monsters Kauchemar made sure to stop long enough to stick her tongue out at a certain kelpie. No trying to drown her this year!

It's hard to tell if this year will be different. Threnody looks pretty dour. Though he always looks dour, so that might not have to do with having to race. I'd be wary of the way he's eyeing up the other entrants though. Until Kauchemar gives him a jab in the side with her hoof. "No eating the other contestants." Pause. "Now, if you want to scare them a little, that's entirely different."

    HALLOWEEN.

    It is THE BEST HOLIDAY because YOU GET TO COSPLAY.

    And, after what she's learned about herself over the past months, there is one costume Mizuki just HAD to do. She has secretly wanted to do this for /15 years/, dammit.

    Although, it doesn't seem like anything special as she's hanging out before the race, in human form for once, wearing a perfectly ordinary serafuku, with her hair died purple and wearing a red alice band in her hair that has a star decoration on one side. The monster handler Adventurer has dressed in something at least made to resemble a jacket and shorts over a white hoodie, with blue armbands and sneakers. He's tending to a great grey wolf.

    "There are COSTUME CONTESTS?!" Mizuki is suddenly near where Haru is talking, eyes sparkling, fists held against her collar. "Oh, I love your costume, Uta!"

So what is Gwen up it's Halloween people should have to wonder what she's doing? Why she's in a costume today, her costume is of Haru. Yes she's cosplaying as another friend this year Gwen adjusts the monocle she has for this costume as she looks over to Haru.

"What chased by a slime or riding one somehow?"

"It's okay, Not Stolen," Uta consoles her Peko, with pats on the jacket as she leads it away. "You'll always be a champion to me."

"Oh, hi Mizuki! Thanks!", she smiles. "I'm trying to be a walking advertisement billboard for my current research. Do you know anything about a creature called 'Twilight Dragon'?", she asks. She blinks at the mention of contests (on both Haru and Mizuki's behalf): "Wait, there are costume contests? Where?"

"Hi, Haru!", Uta waves and smiles at her Artificier friend. "Hi Other Haru!", she waves to Gwen.

Ready, set, go! A magical explosion marks the beginning of the race!

The track runs through a previous Adventurer settlement, now overrun with a nasty breed of monster which inspects as << Red Tape >>: flat ribbons the color of blood so long to be able to completely wrap an Adventurer multiple times, like a boa constrictor, they slither around the place like a whrithing mass. Apparently lacking eyes, their aggro distance is remarkably short -- they seem, however, to have an extraordinary sense of Law, and any kind of infraction, no matter minor, draws them in, to coil around and sap the energy of the perpetrator.

The issue is, this place, being a previous Adventurer settlement, is littered with street signs: one way, speed limits, wrong direction... something has wrought destruction, and some signs lie on the ground, or are covered with overgrowth, making a fully legal navigation of the place tricky.

(Roll Law)

Haru looks to Gwen, dressed as Haru. With Haru dressed as Haru. "The jeans sell it," he says after a figurative and literal Appraisal. Five stars and a thumbs up on the monocle. He makes sure he is standing next to Gwenaru when talking to Uta, offering a wave.

Off to the races! Ready, set, go go go. Won-qu snaps at the air and jolts forward. It is a different experience riding Karen over Won-qu. More legs, for one. The Artificer leans forward, white hair whipping about as the pair rush through the old settlement. The red ribbon monsters get an inspect and a laugh. There is only one thing you can do with red tape.

"Objection!" Haru points with one hand as the other grips onto the blue lion. No! Not an objection! Hiss!

    "Onward my horny mount!" Fuka cries out as the race starts.

    Her 'driver' turns to look at her. "Don't ever say that again."

    The rhino beetle does charge forth however, and since Fuka is wrong on so many levels she attracts red tape like it's a fashion statement. Drawing her sword she cuts through all the red tape, allowing them to proceed... though this doesn't stop the odd monstrosity from sapping a great deal of the little sylph's stamina. Not a promising start!

    Merek points to the many places for the person that's riding the cat with him to follow, "That way!" They end up probably meeting about every single place that they shouldn't be. Eventually, they come to be in the main path, "We are winning!"

Gwen is ready for t race she's got a Dire Bun Bun, wait? Is Gwen off her rocker, has hse let Morri make her outfits or set her up on a date? Who knows about the current cosplaying as Haru Gwen. What is clear though Gwen knows the Rules of the road. She also pleased at how well Haru took the cosplay. As she's riding arlong she'll call out.

"OVER RULED!"

Someone else likes a certain game about Laweers that is SET IN JAPAN NOT AMERICA. Away she goes as she seems to be getting her Law on...

Yeowang is off to a rocky start, her rider missing the start indication from rubbernecking at the costumes. She nudges the /rider/ in the ribs, and they take off, though caught quickly by the red tape. Not for long, as Yeowang is quite butch, but they take a substantial time to realize the roadsigns are what cause the Red Tape to aggress, and Yeowang quickly checks the signs coming up for anything that will slow us down while the handler keeps the dire puma from playing with the tape or eating anyone.

Threnody gives his rider an 'okay fine lets get this over with' look and turns to gaze forward again. Snorts a plume of acrid fumes from his nostrils. But he's ready enough that at the magical flare he doesn't need to be spurred into action, bolting from the starting line. No real surprise that he proves to be pretty fast, being both an equine and a voracious predator.

Oh, ho, 'Red Tape'. Someone is starting off this holiday race in full form. And of course, one of the fastest paths through the abandoned town is down a 'Wrong Way' street.

"I saw the sign, and it opened up my eyes~" Kauchemar chimes to herself as she reachs out to slap the sign as she passes, causing it to spin around until it points the other way, in the direction they're riding. Visually pointed a certain direction with the warning on it seems to be enough to at least confuse the Red Tape over if it can act or not long enough for them to gallop past unaccousted.

    Twilight Dragon? Mizuki shakes her head. And then racers are called to the starting line, and she runs back over to where her mount and handler are waiting, "Athena...!" midway doing a twirl as if doing a tear-away clothes swap but actually hitting the menu to swap equipment, revealing her actual costume:

    The hairband is the same, but the rest... over a base of elbow/knee-length white sweatclothes, she's wearing a red sleeveless tunic tied at the waist with a long golden sash and and slit down one side from waist to thigh, with matching red legbands on her calves, fingerless gloves, and boots, the outfit completed by a necklace of oversized purple jewel-like beads that match her hair.

    "...Ikimaaaaaaaasu!"

    As she runs towards the wolf, the trainer next to it gets hype, then turns with a big smile and arms outstretched as if hoping she'll leap into them. "Athena! <3" Mizuki screeches to a halt and puts her hands on her hips, looking away. "Mou... hazukashi na..."

    ...That seems to just be a bit, as she then runs up to the wolf, high-fiving the trainer as they both leap on. "Let's show them what Team Psycho Soldier can do!"

    As the race gets underway, the trainer quietly points out, "Not that I'm complaining, getting to ride with a cute girl," Mizuki blushes and leans forward a bit more into the wolf's fur as he continues, "I love old videogames as much as the next guy, but if the wolf is Shikamaru wouldn't it have made more sense to be Nakoruru?"

    Mizuki replies, "Shh. I've wanted to do this for..." she does some mental math. "...more than half my life. Besides, *you're* the monster handler, shouldn't *you* be Nakoruru?"

    "Pff. I can be Galford--"

    "I already *do* that reference though, the peko I ride in the normal races is named Poppy!"

    "Wait, really?"

    "My eyes may be blue," and then the handler joins in as they both shout at once,

    "But I've got Samurai Spirit!"
    "But I know samurai's spirits!"

    They're both grinning, but then look puzzled. "Wait, was that the line, or..."

    'Kensou' points ahead, "Eyes front, the first challenge!"

    But they don't even realize what it is until it's too late, as what they thought were festival ribbons wrap around girl, boy, and wolf after they speed through a stop sign and are left struggling.

    Mizuki struggles. "Gch, failed to tech out of the grab... half circle back x2, but I have no super meter..." The trainer scoffs and rolls his eyes. "This isn't ACTUALLY a fighting game!"

    "Oh right." Blushing a bit again, Mizuki takes a deep breath, and then kiai shouts, "HahhHHHHHH!" as she breathes out flame that surrounds her in an aura, burning the ribbons, and then briefly transforms to help free her companion and wolf with her claws.

    They speed through the street, but that cost a lot of time...

The Adventurers reach the outskirts of the abandoned Adventurer settlement, some sort of outlying villa, and ride into what looks like an open air social gathering for posh skeletons. Tables with tattered cloths bear rotten carcasses of who knows what kind of creature, with the concerning part being that more than a few of them look humanoid. The others are best described as the 'stuff of nightmares'. Skeletons in worn out formal wear hover around, picking bits from the platters and chattering between each other (yes, chattering, as in, chattering of teeth. They're skeletons, they don't do much). They seem mostly unconcerned with the Adventurers as they approach, but this is probably going to change in case the Adventurers prove to be a nuisance, or perhaps to be wearing the kind of socks inappropriate for the occasion. Be ready to be silently judged if this is the case, where by 'silently judged', of course, one means 'be physically assaulted by a horde of skeletons.'

(Roll Etiquette)

An open air social gathering? Haru is positively jubilated at seeing the undead enjoying themselves so. "Sir," the polite man introduces as he dashes through the horde, "Sir. Sir. Doctor. Miss. Sir." He mixes up a few of those on the way in, causing a small group of 'offended' skeletons to get pulled in his wake. They do the bone rattle of 'get off my lawn' along with the stares of judgement. "Its not quite a Wake party, but maybe because they are dead is it a 'wake'... party?" he asks Won-qu. The icy lion has nothing to say about this. Just a snort of cold air that emits in a mist as he is bothered to keep the two of them out of harms way. Again.

Yeowang's rider pours on the speed as we get clear of the red tape, though she looks worried as we head towards the skeletons' garden party. Yeowang's had to attend a few of those, herself, but knows the ins and outs. Or, rather, she knows where it's least likely to be siletly judged. Whispering guidance to the rider, she will choose a route that tangles least with the mingling 'guests' and avoids the high traffic areas. It's a bit longer, but makes so much better time.

    Slowly recovering from her assault on law, Fukaziroh, her handler and her 'unicorn' make their way through the monstrously unfair racetrack. She spots the skeletons ahead and boggles, standing up in the two-seater stirrup to get a better look. Her handler considers tugging Fuka down but his job isn't the 'racer's' safety. Adventurers are weird, and this could be some kind of clever tactic. The handler is here to keep the dire beetle going in the right direction and not eating anyone, while Fuka's job is to handle the race and all its peculiarities.

    "I do say!" Fuka abruptly chips in. "I do believe those skeletons are in costume! They're dressed like H!" she cries out. "Hip hip, jolly good! Coming through my good chaps! Make way, tally ho and all that!"

    Perhaps surprisingly it works. Not swiftly, but it does work... Fuka's not attacked, and with a little care and discretion she's able to proceed, if perhaps not as quickly as is optimal, at least she doesn't have to worry about depleting her already low reserves with battle!

Well how appropriate that Kauchemar is costumed as the Equestrian Princess of the Night. But she sees an oppritunity, and actually coaxes Threnody to slow down a bit, to a more 'polite' trot. Clip-clopping along until she spots one of the fancier tables, and guiding him to it. There the nightmare stops, and the Nightmare Were Fang leans over to dapper tophatted skeleton. "Pardon moi," Kauchemar states in the most posh Old English accent she can, "But doth thou have any Grey Poupon?" The two skeletons stare at her, having no idea what that is. "Alas."

Threnody opens his mouth wide, wider than should be possible but nightmares in ETO can do that whole unhinged jaw thing, and gulps up part of their carcass meal. Then jumps over the table and gallops off to rejoin the race. "Tally ho!"

    Merek takes time to look to the skeletons and waves to them, while he smiles. "Well, are you all doing alright?" he asks. Then, next thing he knows the cat looks to be chased by skeletons. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Well, they eventually make it back into the race while they zig zag through the whole place. It is unlikely that the two are going to win!

Gwen is focusing on th race at this point as she gets past the strange old street sign hell? She ends up somewhere worse. Sadly they don't take well to Gwen's cosplaying at all. Gwen gets dogpiled by them she cries out and her acceent goes full texan at this point. One might here something ab out City Slickers having not fashion sense and other colourful things as she fights her way through.

    NIGHTMARE SKELETONS. Mizuki's grip tightens and she leans into the wolf's fur a little more, muttering, "Just go, go, go...!" to it and trying not to look. The trainer looks concerned, "Are you alright? AAH!" Just then, Mizuki's distraction drives them right through a table, which is a MAJOR breach of etiquette, for sure! The wolf growls and prepares to fight as skeletons surround it and start to swing bony hands ominously at the riders.

    Jolted back to attention by SKELETAL HANDS TRYING TO TOUCH HER, Mizuki lets out an embarassingly girly scream, "KYAAAA!" and kicks at that skeleton with her boot, then blushes when she realizes what she just did and transforms, sliding off the wolf to engage the skeletons with a series of punches and albow strikes and kicks with kiai shouts, rezzing a sword to her hand and doing a big sweeping strike and leap into the air, "PSYCHO SWORD!" while making ninpo signs with her other hand to trigger flashstep -- but instead of leaping higher, she surrounds herself in flame again, "PHOENIX!" and leaps DOWNward, curling into a ball to ram skeletons and then supporting herself on her hand as she stretches out into a kick from the ground, "ARROW!"

    That's got them some breathing space. Mizuki tries to maintain it, shaping fire into a damaging-rather-than-protective 'shield' in front of her to hold them back!

    This gives the trainer a chance to get the wolf under control and have it help out. He points dramatically, "MEGA DOG STRIKE, GO GO GO!" and the dire wolf... does NOT imitate any game moves, but it is a big monster with big paws and teeth and it helps take down more skeletons.

    Mizuki is looking around for her next target, and then remembers THIS IS A RACE, and now that they have a chance to break free, leaps back onto the wolf's back. "Shikamaru... go!" The trainer nonverbally urges it to make a break for the other side of the gathering area!

With suspicious sandiwches and dubious vol-au-vents likely still sticking to their face, the racers dash through a stretch of countryside, and reach a dilapidated brick building some distance from the abandoned Adventurer settlement. It turns out it is an old warehouse they must go through. Their rides' step echo inside the massive space, which used to be a storage for furniture, which lies scattered in hapazard piles. All seems to be going smoothly until a Chesterfield flies right past the head of one of the participants. When the Adventurers turn to look, they will find out that the place is haunted by a malevolent poltergeist which selectively hurls armchairs and sofas. Adventurers have taken to call it, in the terrified whispers that tell of its legend, "The Upholstergeist". Shielding against the momentum of a couch while, at the same time, riding on a monster that requires constant handling is probably not the wisest course of action, so dodging is what people will have to go for in this particular case. (Roll Evasion)

Haru and Won-qu are making good time through the street of the old village. A trail of cold mist follows behind them with all the frosty sparkle animations one can expect from a cold creature. A building to run through! Haru pats on his Summon and says, "Up for a little agility training?" The creature emits a growl and a grunt. Thats is as good as a 'Yes, fine, if I have to' as one gets from the lion. The Artificer draws his four ioun stones around him and sends them out ahead. A pane of red appears, hopping on as it rotates from a floor to a wall. A leap out as another pane of yellow. Finally a shell of blue that is used to get the high ground and ride on top of a table. It becomes a skateboard as the two Tony Hawk down a warehouse railing out and onward. "Five stars, buddy!" 20x Combo!

Yeowang is luckily not the target of the first thrown sofa, and takes the warning in stride. As the rider guides the dire puma with reins and leg pressure, Yeowang guides the Handler with her hands on the rider's sides, using her awareness and alertness to spot incoming threats and avoid them adroitly. They make good time through the haunted furniture warehouse, able to leap tall countertops in a single bound, continuing her hard pace for as long as the puma has the guts. The rider's nerves are a bit raw, as Yeowang has a very precise idea of where attacks are coming, and only allows the minumum diversion to avoid them. The margin is small, and not for the faint of heart.

    As they head towards the warehouse, Mizuki finally glances around. "Are we in LAST PLACE?! Come on!" She ninpos up a gust of wind to help Shikamaru run faster, but not controlling the wolf herself, she can't really help it dodge, and is soon buffeted by THE UPHOLSTERYGEIST.

    "Oh, COME ON!" Mizuki shouts.

    She starts flinging firebolts at the furniture, trying to encourage it to keep away or just burn to ash; not ACTUALLY bothering to shape bigger, slower projectiles, but still calling out, "PSYCHO BALL! PSYCHO BALL! PSYCHO BALL! PSYCHO BALL! PSYCHO BALL!"

    The handler, just trying to keep the dire wolf moving closer to the warehouse's exit, mutters, "At least you're not the '97 voice..."

Kauchemar ducks her head down to not bang it on the entry frame of the warehouse. What, she's a tall person on a tall horse monsters, that could of been a serious concussion. Everything is going fine, until a chair comes skidding across the floor. Fortunately Threnody sees it soon enough to leap over, and then give it an extra kick with his back hooves as he lands to send it careen off somewhere else.

"Pathetic performance," Kauchemar notes even as she leans away from another piece of sailing furniture. "At least shout something like 'TAKE A SEAT' when you hurtle sitting devices around. But I will just have to," she grabs the padding from the chair that just passed, and throws it in the path of another, "CUSHION your blows."

Everyone else just hopes she reachs the exit before any more horrible puns.

Gwen is just haviung a bad time of thing, she escapes them finally. She's still furming though. The Skeletons insulted her on such a level she'd team up with Morri to get revenge. This will pass by the time hte race is over one way or another. She gets hit right in the face with a freaking love seat and is sent crashing ot the ground. It's going to take her a bit to get back into the race. Maybe this sort of thing is why Gwen rolled a Tank?"

    Eager to finish the race, or at least to get away from bony versions of Haru without the accessory forger's charm, Fuka directs her handler to run faster! "We've only got six legs." the handler points out, though gamely tries to coax more speed from the rhino beetle. Fuka stands in the saddle to point forward, directing them, only to see an upholstered piece of furniture hurtling towards her. If it were to hit, surely she'd be knocked from the saddle. But not for nothing is Fuka one of the fastest (and smallest) of mighty battle fairy race participants! She ducks the flung furniture. "You'll have to try harder than that!" she cries out, drawing all the aggro she can so the upholstergeist targets HER, not her mount or handler! "Chairish this moment when you can tell the other ghosts you *ALMOST* got me! COUCH it in simple terms though. You tried, you failed!" She laughs, giving a fierce thumbs up to Kauchemar. "Take a seat! Good one! Uh, FURNISH me with the victory!" she cries, preparing either to dodge further flung furniture fortuitiously, or fail flashily.

    "We get free furniture?" Merek asks, then he tries to tell his rider to drive to the side. He holds up both of his arms, then he tries to catch an incoming armchair. Only for him, the rider, and his three monsters to all take to the ground. When he does, it does take a moment to get back on, then they're off, and he has a free furniture!

Howling in the wind, aethereal sheets flutter about, filling the air. Their number is massive, and it is nigh impossible to proceed without bumping into at least some of them, especially considering their erratic motions: each of them seems to follow its own rules for moving; some actively chase the Adventurers, some seem to run away from one of them (but bump into another), some seem to meove at random, and some seem to enact some suspiciously clever ambushing strategies. And then there's that curious yellow creature off in the distance, spherical with a huge wedge-shaped mouth, chasing motes of light to chomp them. That one probably isn't important, though.

While the damage that each gost does is moderate enough that some people might choose to simply take the hit and go through them without bothering to defend or flee, the monsters seem scared of them, and it will take an extra helping of Monster Handling to keep them on track -- especially for those Adventurers who are riding with the help of a beginner Monster Handler! (Roll Handle Monster)

Spooksy building is spooksy. Won-qu isn't as spooked, though. It is a good team building exercise in trust as the big lion is evading blows and getting the occasional bit of erratic motion to distract him. Enemy? No. A pat on the creature's mane is all it wakes from Haru. No words are needed. Relentless the two make their way through the sus ghost situation. A few hits the monster takes, which is par for the course when he is working with Haru. A good chomping snaps at a particular ghost, but being a ghost it does naught more than to deter further harassment.

Yeowang's dire puma and monster handler, doing well so far, is not able to cope with the phantom attackers. While Yeowang, herself, has little enough fear, she also doesn't have the sort of presence that can calm monsters or people, and her urgent exhortations for the rider to maintain her composure and ride hard are met with erratic dodging and weaving that travel farther side to side than forward. She loses a lot of ground to the frontrunners, and is frustrated by her inability to do anything about it. But what /could/ she do? She's no monster handler, herself, and she looks around, but at least she hasn't lost /too much/ ground. She will have to make sure they push hard in the home stretch.

Of course people were expecting there to be Ghosts. Maybe not specifically Ghost Monsters though. Now each color had a specific movement pattern they follow... but who has time for that, when Kauchemar spent most of her time on the DDR machines. So the Nightmare Bard opts instead to do things her way, pulling out her lute and starting to play... is that Country? It doesn't sound quite the same as on a guitar, but she's trying. Whatever she's starting to play though, it's having an effect, as several more equines, ghostly translucent ones, gallop into being around her and her nightmare steed.

" o/~ Now the race is on, and here comes Pride in the backstretch
Heart Ache is goin' to the inside
My Tears is holding back, they're tryin' not to fall!

My Heart is out of the running, True Love scratched for another's sake
The race is on and it looks like Heart Ache's... And the winner loses all o/~ "

But there is a method to this musical madness though, as being coralled by a ghostly herd spawned by a heart breaking lament keeps the dour nightmare on course while driving the other ghosts away, because he's not about to let a couple of ghosts outdo him!

    Running through a maze filled with ghosts? Well that doesn't sound familiar at all. While Fuka *can* tank attacks in general, especially attacks which do little more than just drain a little spirit so to speak, she's stymied by her mount's reluctance to proceed. "Come ON!" she calls out as her handler struggles to drive the dire beetle forward. "Do I need to smack its butt with the flat of my sword? Will that help get us moving?" Fuka asks, more than a little desperate.

    "That would be monumentally stupid." the handler advises the battle fairy.

    "Sure but do I need to?" Fuka replies, exasperated. DNF, here she comes... "Do beetles even have butts?" she wonders aloud.

    After a bit, just channeling some basic magical energy to assist the handler, Fuka and co do manage to assert enough control to get the rhino beetle moving again. At least no DNF this time! But ... this is not looking good!

    Finally free of the UPHOLSTERYGEIST, Mizuki rezzes a flask to drink some water, and shares it with 'Kensou' before they reach the next challenge, both grinning when they recognize it's a pac-man reference!

    The trainer speaks up, "You know, I was pretty good at pac-man in the outside world! Did you know each ghost has a different strategy?"

    Mizuki nods, "Yeah, but I don't remember what they are."

    Excellently guiding 'Shikamaru' between sheet-ghosts, the trainer explains, "Pinky tries to go just ahead of Pac-Man, but due to a bug in the game's code, when Pac-man faces up, their target is offset to the left. Blinky just goes straight for Pac-Man. Inky aims for a mirrored position from Blinky on the other side of Pinky's target, so that it kind of looks like they're working with the other ghosts to surround and ambush Pac-Man. And Clyde goes straight for Pac-Man until he gets close, but it's a fake-out to confuse the player because they'll never touch Pac-Man intentionally; when they get close, they turn around and flee as if Pac-Man had eaten a power pellet."

    Mizuki nods, listening with interest as the wind blows through her hair.

    As they near the edge of the sheet-ghost area, the trainer quietly adds, "I wonder if I'll ever get to play arcade games again..."

    Mizuki looks back at him with a smile, "If there's a way to get you out of here, we Scales will find it, one day!"

Gwen is back on her Dire Bunbun all seems better now but this is not the case for the mistress of fashion. Nope it's like the universe is having fun using her as a chew toy today. For her suffering is far fro m over this time hty are beinf chased by something. It's ghosts wit? What? Gosts?! It goes badly both rider and mout gets pretty arked up and her monster are going wildy off track at this point.

"OH GOD WHY!?!"

    Merek will ride along with the assistance of his rider, "Alright, well we might not win in the classic way, although you seem to know what you're doing." When the rider looks to be in control, well it looks like they are actually doing well. The cat seems to be managing well within this place while he works.

The air teems with colorful magical currents. It is like torrents of wind, flowing all over the place, interwining, separating, twisting and turning, and occasionally pooling in eddies and whirpools before splitting off again. This ever-changing cat's cradle of Magical energies is ripe with opportunities and pitfalls -- magically inclined types will be able to spot the ones able to give them brief boosts in various forms, for instance elemental effects or buffs for speed, strength, or endurance -- while choosing poorly will lead to some random (and possibly embarrassing) debuff. (Roll Magical)

Wakka wakka wakka. Getting around the ghost with big blue proves to do more than gain some speed. It goes as far to electrify the lion-like mount. Little sparks add in with the cold mist as Haru lowers himself down for the finishing stretch. "Do you see what I seeee o/`" singsongs Haru offkey. Magical energy. He sends his Ioun Stones out ahead like small golf-ball like projectiles. They gather energy so that when Won-qu passes, he is bolstered with a mobility buff. He trusts in his companion's own endurance and resistance across the maelstrom and supports as an Artificer does, with status effects. Fwoosh!

"We're almost there..." Kauchemar's eyes flicker brightly in the night, the frames of spectral fire flaring to life around them as she detects the surge of magical energies ahead. "Oh, this is going to be interesting." Letting the ghostly herd fade away as that spell ends, she leans in to direct him through various speed and endurance boosts, and while the dark stallion is pounding down the last leg of the course plowing through the rest of the conjured currents with little issue she starts to play something different but fittingly familiar to the last rush using amassing invincibility power ups. ( https://youtu.be/zaTjDoVnksQ )

Gwen is just having one of those days as she gets back on her mount and move on but when next hazard comes? Well? Gwen's able to see through it and make use of the proper ones. She's got a chance to gaiun some lost ground, she's not going to win but hey maybe she can keep out of dead last and save what little dignity she has left?

Yeowang comes into the home stretch in good position. Not in the lead, but not far off it, and while she doesn't do the magical business in this game very well at all, she has a discerning eye and a quick-witted alertnenss when looking for opportunities, and she siezes each speed boost she can find, though she'll skip the ones that are too far out of the way, and she'll dodge the debuffs as much as she can, slowly catching up to the lead, pace by pace, in a furious sprint.

    Seeing what's ahead, Fuka blinks. "Okay, that's weird!" she chirps, trying to figure out what's going on with the upcoming hazards and, if her mana sense isn't entirely deceiving her... boost pads? "What is this a video g...ah!" she cries out. "Up!" she demands, pointing forward. "Up! Down! Down! Left, right! Left, right!"

    The handler looks at her. "You've got to be..." "Just do it!" Fuka cries, directing them to speed up or speed down, to catch a stream of mana as it shifts from one state to another. Of course she also totally wastes time going around things that don't need to be gone around, and missing easy boosts that they could have hit if she had interpreted it correctly. Fuka's good at magic, but she's not a true master of the mana arts. Still she's having fun, and isn't that the point? Also she finishes the actual race, and in a surprisingly respectable position for someone with absolutely no business being in a monster handling contest. So she's got that going for her too!

    Mizuki looks back at the trainer, a young man (at least, in this body) trying to force a smile at her words. He's working so hard so she can have fun with this race... if only she could lift his spirits more.

    Up ahead, the air teems with colorful magic currents! And Mizuki... makes sense of it, somehow! For a moment, she feels like she's doing well in the videogame, she's found her groove, and she points which way for the trainer to guide his wolf.

    Her own spirits lifted, Mizuki feels like singing! And... right now, dressed like this, there's really only one obvious choice, isn't there?

    o/~ Athena's name is magic
    o/~ Mystery, is what-you-see
    o/~ Her crystal is the answer
    o/~ Fighting fair, to-keep-us-free
    o/~ She's just a liiittle girl with pow'r inside
    o/~ Burning bright
    o/~ You'd better hide if you are baaaaaaad
    o/~ She'll get you!
    o/~ She'll read your mind and find if you, be, lieve in right or wrooooong!

    o/~ Fire, Fire! Psycho So-ru-ja-aaaa!
    o/~ Fire, Fire! Psycho So-ru-ja-aaaa!

    Mizuki is positively beaming as she sings, pointing the way forward and riding the winds! Even if she's in last place... she's having fun right now!

    The trainer's spirits are lifted too, grinning happily as he follows her guidance and listens to 'Athena' singing her theme song!

    Merek will take the time to ride along with the person that's riding for him. Then eventually they will guide about using the magical ability which they use to get along to the next place of that race.

The race is close! VERY close! Among a cheering crowd, Kauchemar, Haru, and Yeowang cross the finish line so close to each other that most of the audience has trouble telling who the winner is -- and there even is a murmur among the judges about who actually came in first place. There is debate, and discussion, and it seems like this will go on for some time. The closest batch of racers follow closely; it's a bluring stampede, until it's time for the people in the last places to come in singing. It feels like a party, and their festive contribution reminds everyone how this is not about reaching first place, but having fun.

A table with a feast is already waiting the contestants off to a side, and the rest of the evening promises lots of food, fun, and music.

Yeowang's bookmakers will have to wait for the final results from the judges before honoring any of the bets. It's a bit tense, since many of the bettors insist it was 'obvious' that their racer won. This happens more from the people who bet on Kauch than the people that bet on Mizuki, but there's always someone who tries. Yeowang hops off her dire puma and will let the handler walk it around to cool off, nodding to the other racers. When the final positions /are/ announced, the tickets will be paid off, with a small cut to the Peko Ranch, of course, as a fee.

They finished in the lead group. The specific ranking really isn't that big of a deal. It's the experience along the way.... Though with that boosted finale, they have to keep running for a bit past the finish for the buffs to finally wear off before Threnody finally slows down to a casual trot. "Racing with a monster one has had time to work with personally certainly seems to make a difference, doesn't it?" Threnody just snorts in what may be a dry agreement. "No, the winner doesn't get to eat last place. Or their mount. Stop it."

At least he's not constantly side-tracking from the race to try and drown her.

Eventually Kauchemar slides off from his back, and with a ripple of darkness the nightmare flickers off into the shadows of the evening until he's needed to ride home. While Kauchemar goes to check out this feast. Monster jockeying works up an appetite with all that force of will and what not.

    Mizuki may have come in last, but she finishes with a smile, and the trainer is grinning at her song. They dismount and shake hands, and she pulls him into a hug, and then hugs the wolf (with the trainer frantically keeping it calm). "Even if we didn't win," he notes, "That was... pretty fun!" Mizuki nods, "Yeah!"