Marathon!

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya had trained faithfully, just like she promised (and despite her period starting a few months after that promise. Really? She didn't need that!). The weights had been added by about the second month of training and she was really, really proud of her stamina!

And the marathon they'd chosen as their first was coming up this weekend, with fund raising as done by Elcy...and yeah. "Don't tell me you have to cancel!" she said into the phone, pulling one foot up to stretch out her thighs. "Don't! I can't go and do this alone!"

Comments

[mitochondriaaya]

"One suspected in New York during the twenties?" she answered after a moment of thought. "But it wasn't proven and he was weird by all reports. Kind of bad crazy feral? Didn't share well and didn't talk to his clan..." He stood out because he was the only katzu she'd encountered in her studies!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yeah." Dilan said, "That's about it, as far as I know. Nobody with good ties to Clan has ever gone bad that we know about."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Because the clans have other things to worry about!" she stated firmly. That and the clans might have the same risk of mental illnesses such as sociopathy, but the lower birthrate and smaller population in general helped them beat the odds! "So unless it's a horror movie...katzu are generally safe to date."

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yup!" Dilan agreed, "And you know him already, and you know his mom, and she'd kill him if he hurt you."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I don't think I'm that easy to hurt." She really couldn't comprehend heartbreak and the like yet. No, not yet. "And Haran's mom is awesome! She helps gather aloe plants for us!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"I know." Dilan said, grinning at her, "So...it's something to think about! Haran's your age, so he'll still be short, too."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I promise I'll think about it! And maybe write to Haran!" She just might at that! "And it'd be weird if I needed a ladder to kiss a boy..." no offense to the tall people she knew and loved, but, she was tiny still!

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan laughed a little and said, "It's different...but it still works out okay."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I'll keep that in mind!" Aya laughed. "For when I start dating. If." If she started dating! "How did you guys just know all this stuff?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"I didn't." Dilan said, shaking his head, "The girls taught me. I dunno how Braig knew...I think he was born knowing. You're gonna date sometime, Ayay. You're too special not to."

[mitochondriaaya]

"And they didn't get upset if you messed up?" She was more worried about upsetting people because she was an idiot than anything else? "Braig...yeah. He would know wouldn't he? Do you think he'd give me a list of stuff to study or something if I asked?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Nope. Figuring things out is also fun." Dilan said, shaking his head, "He might? But I really think you'll have more fun if you just try things."

[mitochondriaaya]

"You guys are better at figuring things out than I am!" They were! It was inherent in the genius thing! She just had smart people she could ask! "I'll try. And think about it."

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yeah, but still." Dilan said, "I think you'd like it better."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I'll remember!" Aya laughed and waved a mermaid purse at him. "And I"ll think on it! You know I think about what you guys say! I promise!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"I know, Aya." Dilan agreed, flicking some water at her.

[mitochondriaaya]

Ack! Water! If he wanted to play that way it was totally fair to splash back! "Shame on you for distracting the savior of tidepool denizens everywhere!"

...

...

Yeah, helpless, tired giggling.

[sliceitwithwind]

"Aww, Aya, you sound exhausted." Dilan said, "Do you need to nap?"

[mitochondriaaya]

"Maaaaybe," she admitted after a moment. "I ran a marathon. And swam." One lap! "I need to learn how to use batteries or something..."

[sliceitwithwind]

"You need to go stretch on the towels, sweetie." Dilan said, making shoo motions.

[mitochondriaaya]

She stuck her tongue out at him and grumbled a bit but went to go do as he said because really, yeah, tired. And if she napped now she could stay up with the boys later! "Don't let me sleep too long?" She asked, laying out some of the towels in a shaded area behind a rock. By the angle of the sun, well, it wouldn't end up in sun before she woke up!

[sliceitwithwind]

"I won't." Dilan promised, going to do another couple of laps.

Eventually he and Braig dragged themselves from the water and dried off, then Braig poked Aya, "Ready to go, monkey?"

[mitochondriaaya]

In answer to that Aya rolled over and wrapped herself around the hand doing the poking. "Mrrrrrrgh." She didn't want to get up! She was comfy and it was warm out and...."YEEEEEEEP LEG CRAMP!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Oh, ick. Okay. Stay there." Braig dropped to the ground so that he could start gently massaging her leg, "Let me get that for you...just try to relax."

[mitochondriaaya]

Flail flail flail POUND THE SAND WITH A HAND YES! Leg cramps sucked! And it was the twitchy, cascading kind of cramp that moved down her legs! Ack! "Teach me...to not stretch before a nap!" ACCCCCK!

"Killll meeee...."