houseofcards_rp | challenge - I must be a mermaid, I have no fear of depths.

The challenge was marked for 8:30am. The pool was open by 8:00am. Lasandra was there by 7:55.

The indoor-pool is Olympic length and eight lanes wide divided by boomers. One wouldn't quite call it state of the art, but it's well maintained and the tiles are pearl white, the water crisp with the smell of chlorine, and plenty of sunshine comes in through the glass windows.

Lasandra, Six of Hearts, stands posed on a lift, adjusting her nose plug. Her thick black hair was braided and then stuffed into a black swimmer's cap and she wore goggles that matched the hot pink lines to the technical swimsuit she wears. She made no quips about that purchase, that was an investment and her first month of Seven will certainly replace the cost. She finds herself one lane opposite from her opponent, Sorcha MacNamara. Sorcha is a friendly enough girl, taller than Sandy with flaming red hair that doesn't quite all stay under her swimming cap, chocolate brown eye, and really quite pretty with an open smile. She seems to be in high spirits compared to Sandy's quiet determination.

Sandy looks at the crowd only once, only looking for the face of Sunnae. Her aunt's face lights up and she waves to Sandy. No signs of pressure, no forcing her to smile or to be anything that Sandy isn't feeling now. A deep breath and her gaze turns away. She's... not ready to face the people she's been... do distant to lately.

"Ladies. At attention!"

The murmuring of the crowd is silent and both Sandy and Sorcha turn to face the Royals as the announcer and judge drones on. The intention of the contest is simple enough, whomever reaches to the end of the 50m lane first is declared the winner and times will be announced. There will be judges at the side of the pool to make sure both women retain their breaststroke position while a judge at the end of the pool will be keeping time. If either woman fails to keep with acceptable form, they are disqualified. Sandy's gaze flicks up to find Uncle Frederick, who had found out a few weeks prior about her secret training. Yup, there were corrections in her position but now... she would do well enough. She gives him the only smile she's given out that morning and he returns it.

"Attention!"

She stands at attention.

"Get set."

Her knees bend and she assumes a forward tipped angle.

"GO!"

And she in the water with the plan of staying long and streamlined increase her gliding speed before her hands and arms press into a y position. Her arms don't press too hard, using the flow of the water and her momentum to keep the speed. Her arms move like a blade, and draws her body forward Head always reaming straight.

Elbows remain at eye level and Sandy's movements are sharp and aerodynamic. She doesn't need to lift her head to breathe, despite what it looks like, her head remains aligned with her spine. It's just the movement that pushes the body out of the water as her arms cut through the water. Then she dives forward again, attempting to maximize her stroke length despite her height. She finishes her in-sweep so her front torso reenters shallow, gaining the speed. Again, her body returns to the long streamline position and legs, more powerful than given credit for, push her forward her.

She repeats this in the cool cutting water. She's barely aware of the sting of the water on parts of her nose that aren't completely healed and that manage get past her nose plug She hears quavery voices under the water. But her only focus is on the red X at the end of the pool. It feels long, so long. It feels like it takes forever. She has no idea how far or behind she is. All she knows she's getting closer but not fast enough.

Her hand strikes the red cross and she stops. Everything becomes still in her mind as she raises herself out of the water. She begins to take off her goggles to look around, just when Sorcha just touches her mark.

When Sorcha takes off her goggles to look around, she looks shocked to see Sandy already there and staring back at the redhead. Sorcha's friendly face hardens, but even with the dark look shot at her and the undeniable fact she was first, Sandy can't believe it when she hears the judge announce to the Face Cards: "Lasandra Adare, 48.90 seconds. Sorcha MacNamara, 52.34 seconds. The challenge is won by Lasandra Adare for the Rank of Seven."

And with these words, motion reawakens in Sandy's mind.

Then the judge turns to Sorcha and Lasandra, both clinging to the edge of the pool. Sandy has a look of delight that's tempered by knowing that Sorcha will counter challenge her. Glass etching? Not a problem. She can feel the redhead's gaze burning into her. She can't blame Sorcha, Sandy was a laughing-stock.

Too bad the counter would delay nothing but the inevitable.

"I, Sorcha MacManara, declare the second chance to keep my rank of Seven." The other woman tells the judge firmly. "I counter challenge Lasandra Adare to Poker in the best in three rounds."

Sandy freezes in the water. She swallows everything but somehow, her voice doesn't fail her. "… … … I… don't … I request five days to practice learning the said game. I've never played it."

She feels the other woman's sharp gaze. "Terms are agreed to."

Slowly, Lasandra pulls herself out of the water, an automatic gesture as Sorcha quickly drags herself out and towards her much larger support group. Doesn't matter, Sandy isn't aware of the congratulations from her family. She smiles, she nods, she admits she's tried. And she'll show a worn smiling face that could easily be called a 'Diamond mask'.

[Notes: The Face Cards, if they're going to congratulate, should catch her before the breakdown. Friends or enemies can catch her prior to the breakdown. Friends can after the breakdown.]

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It was alright to cry. That was why her shoulder is being offered to cry on and her settling into the bleachers showed they can be there for a long, long time if needed. It was alright to put her own frustrations above others because why shouldn't she? They were her frustrations, her struggles. They deserve release and attention just as much as other people with their own issues do.

"Take your time, dear. You have all of it right now." Her voice holds a patient sincerity to it. She was willing to wait until Sandy could talk again, could take a breath and feel like the world won't fall apart around her like the most fragile glass. It make take some time but that was okay. This will be okay soon. But first. The Small Steps. "We'll be here for you. We'll wait."

But it wasn't. Maybe it helped having a father from a blue collar family that finally became white during Sandy's early childhood who thought emotions should be held back. Maybe it was because of the pain of others in her life suffered. She took the offered shoulder, crying, clutching a towel as she sobbed. The need less urgent now despite feeling the guilt.

"But..." She hicks between sobs as she calms down, "I... I don't. I'm fine, really."

Maybe. Maybe it was but for now those can wait. If Andrea had to, she'll make everyone and time wait for Sandy until she feels better. The other hand reaches out to stroke the young Heart's hair, fingers running through the damp strands as she hums a ditty under her breath in an attempt to be comforting while she wills away that odd, painful tightening in her chest.

"Sandy." What should she say in this? ... Will a quote be okay? "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. "

There's more crying, though not has hard as before. A gradual softening of what needed to be shed and she kept close to the warm comfort. "It... I'm trying so hard to be mature. And just ... I could usually roll with everything. This is the first time in years that I-"

A shuddering breath, "I think I could take losing better than this."

"You worked so hard for it, sweetie." Her fingers curl in Sandy's hair, her hand cradling the heard now gently as she could. "But. Lasandra..."

Lasandra. Her real name being used with such a serious tone to it. " I've been in a place like yours before and I know it can be so hard at times. To not be taken seriously by people. To try and prove yourself to them. It's frustrating so it's okay to feel unhappy with the outcome if you gave it your all and something tries to ruin it. You have a right to be upset at the moment and at everything else that's been happening."

"However. Please. Please please please don't force yourself to go so fast you end up breaking yourself. You shine so brightly, like a star, and it'll be a tragedy if the light burned out so fast as well. Trust me on those words. It's. Not a fun place to be in at the end."

She closes her eyes for a moment, biting hard into her lower lip. No one did take her seriously, always the child, always people believing she couldn't be any other Suit but the Hearts. She didn't want to be in Diamonds. Never wanted to be Clubs. And even if her Aunt hadn't made her afraid of Spades for so long, she wouldn't want to be in them either. She wasn't in any of those suits not because she would be bad, she wasn't because she didn't want to be in them. "But... I'm still alive and my mind's still functioning properly. I... should be." There are a lot of shoulds, but emotions are unfair like that. If they were fair, people would break down much more easily than they do.

"I'm... I'm not that fast. Not like some others. I think I do okay." There's a tiny smile though, at being called a star.

People who thought anyone could just be in a Suit was rather silly. It took more than just papers and a transfer, an adjustment period. Some people flourished in other Suits, like her cousin, but others also were content with where they were despite appearances. Willing to make the future paths there despite thoughts.

"You should be what? Should be a...?" Doubts and fears. Perhaps the biggest challenges for anyone in their lives. And Sandy's last words gets a small laugh from Andrea in reply. A well-meaning one, not mean spirited, and the Four smiles a bit sadly. "You are to me. You're so young but look what you achieved. Court Artist and soon becoming a Heart Piquet soon. But what else are you worried about, Lasandra?"

In the end, if Sandy has to say, it's only the person who can decide what Suit they want to be in. Do they fit? Do they not fit? The only person who has to decide is the person who made the choice. And yes, some people who stay in their suit to change the future.

"I should be thankful I'm alive and whole, even if... I got challenged to a game of luck." She sulks for a moment longer, wiping her eyes now with her wrist. "Zoe was this rank before she turned 21. Hadyn, too." She keeps forgetting that she's started late. Both Hadyn and Zoe began at 15 while she began at 19. Within five years, both Hadyn and Zoe became Seven, within five years, Lasandra is close to Seven. "I... I'm worried about being seen as weak, as silly as..." She sighs. "I'm so tried."

"If people see you as that, it's their issue if they're so willing to judge someone by their outer appearance first." A slight wince when she says those words, remembering she used to be one of these people. "And I'm sorry you got challenged into that of all things. But you'll prevail. I know it."

"And I have a feeling if Zoë wouldn't have thrown herself so fast at it." It could just be Andrea projecting her experience on someone else. Starting at 18 and so close to becoming a 7 or even 8 at the age of 20. Most of the ambition stemmed from her parents' pressuring to be worthy. She starts to smooth out Sandy's hair again, the motions trying to be comforting and sure. "For now. Rest yourself for a little while if you're tired. Everything will be alright. You can do this. You won this challenge. You'll win the counter too. I can help you in poker if you want."

"... but when they have the power or the influence, there's... not so much I can do about that." Her voice is raw and she sounds so tried. She's going to creep into her bed, text her father about the outcome before shutting off her phone and sleeping for the rest of the day. "... I don't. I don't know how. I mean, Poker and... all of that.

Another shrug, though Charolette put the pressure on Zoe. But... so many parents did on Deck. She winces, but not in a bad way. The last time someone smoother her hair like this had been her mother. "I'd... like all of that."

"They're nothing but close-minded bullies then." Try to ignore that dull throb in her chest. Try not to wonder what this will be like if Sandy was smaller and had green eyes and her hair or his smile. "Don't let them get the best of you or push you too hard. It's what people like them attempted to do to so many people in the Deck in the past."

A sigh and she hugs Sandy tighter. A lot of people were still pushed down or sat on. Only a lucky few wiggled out to become something great. Andrea knew Sandy will be one of them. "Then it's settled. I'll help you then in Poker. If I can talk to my mother, I'll even get my old cards and games teacher to help you."

challenge - I must be a mermaid, I have no fear of depths. - ota

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