A talent show-? Vague panic struck him as the spotlight fell on them.

What could a moth even do? It could... fly, and walk, and get confused by lights, neither of which seemed particularly 'talent'-ey. Oliver looked around, trying to find any sign of something they could use. The props were all too big, but... maybe the glitter falling from the air?

Okay, he thought at the moth, inspiration striking alongside his nervousness. Try to follow my lead...

Guided by the bird-dog's focus, the dust moth took flight. It cascaded up in a fluttering arc, flapping through Nemean's falling glitter, before doing a little flip and settling into a quick spiral. It seemed to trust Oliver's guidance well enough, and soon enough had spun enough glowing lights through the air (with the glitter) to spell out the name NEMEAN. It wasn't VERY well done, and the second 'e' looked more like an 'i,' but it was enough to serve as a 'talent' of sorts, and Oliver breathed a sigh of relief.

(Thankfully 'NEMEAN' had been broadcast all over, today, or Oliver wouldn't have known how to spell it quite right.)

Score: 7 (fixed b/c i can't math)

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Podiums appeared out of nowhere, prominently featured in the center of the forum. The middle was the tallest, with a big "1st" on it. The second was shorter, the third-place podium shorter still. All three were pink and gold, with confetti falling all around them, illuminated by spotlights.

A drumroll pounded and one by one, as they were announced, the winning Gembounds and their Lessers were guided to the correct podium.

"IN FIRST PLACE..." (drums, of course, and trumpets for some reason) "WE HAVE... EAST AND HIS WEIRD DEEEER!" Applause from a half-phantasmic audience roared. Both were handed matching jewelry pieces, seemingly formed just moments ago to match them: steely black and white, with glowing golden "1st" engraved upon them. East's was a ring that would fit neatly around his hat like a hatband, and could be removed or replaced at will. The deer's was similar, but intended to fit around one twisted antler, neatly slotting around its Diopside gem. Either item could be focused to create a thin beam of light at will, colored gold, like a tiny flashlight.

"IN SECOND PLACE... OLIVER AND A FRIGGING MOTH! Seriously, how did a moth--I MEAN, CONGRATULATIONS!" These two were given a hot pink and silver matching set: an absolutely miniscule bracelet for the moth, a "2nd" glowing on it; and a ring for Oliver with the same. These items could give off a thin beam of silver light.

"AND IN THIRD... SAIR, AND TRILL!" Black with bronze, for these two: a loose band for fetlock and for wrist. The "3rd" glowed bronze, and could give off a beam of thin bronze light, too.

---

Gembounds may post in Update Me to claim their prizes and Achievements.

1st: East
2nd: Oliver
3rd: Sair

Prizes:

1st Place: 500 Magicka OR Conjure Familiar OR Familiar Forge
2nd Place: 400 Magicka OR Familiar Forge
3rd Place: 250 Magicka OR Familiar Forge

Final scores:
Anala & Ragnar - 3 points
Sair & Trill = 4 points
Mocha & Nori = 3 points
East & Tunnel Runner = 7 points
Miriam & Claude = 3 points
Richter & Harvey = 2 points
Oliver & Moth = 7 points

Note: double-posting was allowed, but triple-posting was not, so unfortunately Kaizer was disqualified. However, as they posted until the end, they may also claim an honorable mention prize of 250 magicka.

@Anala @Sair @Mocha @East @Miriam @Richter @Oliver

Mocha

'Cause I'm having a good time

They hadn't done as well in the second game of the day, but Mocha was still more than proud of his little Nori. He had done really well in some parts of the event, he just got a little shy on stage! No one could fault him for that. "That's okay buddy! There's still one more! Maybe you're still just hungry? Or you need a better nap? Let's wait for the next event over there." He reassured his new friend, ushering the lizard away from the crowd and the podiums. He would have loved to stay and chat, but his familiar needed him right now.

/exit

Sair

Third certainly wasn't first, but Sair was also in no mood to complain. Trill had tried her best, and in turn, still won a place. It was something worth celebrating, and he was more concerned with convincing Trill of that idea than mourning the lack of another gold prize. Their matching bracelets were still nice, as were the magical rewards that Nemean offered. To keep Trill permanently? He was quick to take her up on it.

"You did well, my friend." He approached her slowly, avoiding the grumpy lesser's snaps of irritation. "Look at what you won up! Don't you see how it makes your scales shine? You're glowing!" It seemed that praise was the easy way to Trill's heart, as she slowly started to perk up and stare at the bracelet in awe. "You wouldn't want too much gold to outshine you!" He added, and the firetongue was quick to shrug off the first-place ribbon from the obstacle course with a hum. "There's my girl. Now let's go get you rested and ready for the fighting, yes?" Another hum and chirp followed before she hopped off the podium, bee lining for the concession stand.

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC: /exit

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants

ANALA
From a spark to a flame

Well... Ragnar had tried, at least.

Anala did not take losing well. The first event had already gone poorly, and she had given the rat back to its home (she assumed, lest it die in the imps' hat) in hopes that her next companion would be a little better suited for her, and she had gotten a dinosaur. A dinosaur. What better of a familiar could she have gotten? And yet here she was, staring at three pairs on podiums that did not include her.

Surely the battles would be better. Anala was built for those! Ragnar was a dinosaur! What else could be said? There was no way that they could lose in the battles. Not one.

Ragnar attempted to comfort her, and Anala leaned into it, cooing at him in return. She was glad that someone cared. "We'll win the next one, I promise. We can do that, right?" She nodded, steeling herself for the last event. "Let's get you something to eat. We need to keep your strength up!" Ragnar chirped happily, using the comment as permission to full sprint towards the concession booth. A lesser after her own heart.

OOC Notes: /exit

"Congratulations," Oliver offered to East, and then to Sair.

He examined the prizes, and tried to show the moth--but the little creature was a moth and not a crow, like Oliver half-was, so "shiny object" wasn't as interesting as "bright lights." The moth fluttered off, and Oliver hastened after it. "Wait-... Hold on," he said, hastening after it.

"You forgot your-..." Oliver paused, staring at the tiny dot of an item he'd received for the moth. "...Thing." He paused, looking back and waving up toward Nemean. "THANKS! It was fun!"

exit Oliver