Games of the XIII Olympiad RP Thread

[Free Republics]

Day 20 Cutoff

OOC: I posted an RP over in the WBC thread about travel bans and why the FFR hasn't deported Sister Polus yet.

[Kriegiersien]

A title lost:

Triathlon

Mystic Fighter, Gold medal winner in Novonaya and Provinsk, couldn’t defend his title.
“I had an okish start in swimming, then some problems getting on the bike, a technical problem after 10 miles and after the first mile running I didn’t feel so well. Oh and then the stone in the shoe. But in the end I am happy that I finished. I have kids, I have a wife and I am not getting younger. That all takes time and strength from training. Not that I want to complain.”
After only being third at the Kriegiersien championship, he needed a wild card to start at the Olympics, which the NOC granted him being title defender. He ended on place 22 in 1:50:51.58.


A title hope:


Pivot Patricia Chan, Topscorer of the Kriegiersien team




With the win over Laeral the Handball ladies avenged the 3X3 Basketball team, who had lost their semis against the same nation, who later won Gold.
The Handball team is now without losing points in the final against West Phoenicia, who had an easier opponent with Krytenia, a nation some are calling already “non-existent”, after you hear nothing from their fans.

“Handball is a sport far behind Football and Rugby. We are still mostly amateurish organized and now is our chance to get into the spotlight. We have the quality. We always wanted Gold, even when no one believed in us”, said Centre backcourt and captain Xenia Ypsilanti.

They may say that they have no stars, but even it is true that, like other sports, they have profited from the “bring the big guns” initiative that brought bigger players to certain sports (like also Basketball or Volleyball), making their defense better, with strong and strong-nerved seven-meter thrower Patricia Chan, playmaker Ypsilanti and trick-thrower and left wingman Jenny Vernyl they have a dominating trio on the field.

“Playing international competitions outside the Olympics, that would be a dream”, commentated the captain the isolation of the Kriegiersien sport outside of multi sport events.

[Cassadaigua]

Joe Farley’s Emotional Rollercoaster,
by Hannah Marshall, Olympic Correspondent

For Joe Farley, the Olympics has truly been anything but ordinary. He is here representing us in one of the demonstration events, the Men’s Trading Card Game in E-Sports. Farley was elated that the Olympic Committee of Cassadaigua agree to send the maximum allowed contingent for E-Sports to Republica. The journey for Farley began a few months prior to the Olympics when Megan Criscone, President of the Cassadagan E-Sports Federation announced that there would be a series of tournaments in different cities throughout Cassadaigua. The top-tow finishers in each of the regional tournaments would qualify to the national tournament in Concord Heights, which would send our finalists to the Olympics. Farley, who lives in the southern suburbs of Brattleboro, thought he had a good chance, so he gave it a shot. “I was competitive in many different e-sports. I do like the first person shooter games, but I guess I am only average in that. I was always really good at Harlot, which us games now is the premier trading card game in Cassadaigua. I was ranked 7th online, but since I never tried to cheat or exploit a glitch in the game, I felt I had a really good chance,” Farley told me. Farley won the Brattleboro competition, sending him to Concord Heights for the rights to be an Olympian. Farley would win that title, and for him, it was off to Republica. “I had never traveled outside of Cassadaigua before,” he said, “in fact, I really had never been even more west in Cassadaigua then Rutland. I had heard a lot about the Free Republics, and knew it was a place I would love to visit, but I had no idea how I would pay to go there. Then, Mrs. Criscone told me that they were paying all of my expenses, and that they were doing that for all of the e-sports players. That really blew my mind, we were really being treated like real Olympians,” he went on to tell me.

Farley spent the time between that and officially heading to the Olympics, training, just like any other Olympian would. “You can call it that,” he said, “put it was important to try and learn the strategies, and play some similar games that I might not be as familiar with, just to make sure I would be able to tackle anything I faced in Republica. My family was very supportive. It was the first time in a while that they actually didn’t tell me stop playing games and to go out to bars and stuff like that. They were actually making sure I was continuing to play.” That fateful day ended up coming, and he would meet people like Rodney Kimble, and other members of the E-Sports team as they boarded their Dagan Airways flight to Republica. Upon landing, Farley, who had hardly traveled much within Cassadaigua, right away had that Olympic feeling. The first couple days of the Olympics went by with many people just getting to know each other. He was honored to be able to be a part of the opening ceremony, even if the e-sports participants were all at the back of the line of our delegation. He had been given money for food and meals, but did not have much other spending money.

Then, came that fateful day, where he and Rodney Kimble were minding their business, and were approached by gymnasts Stacie Morrow and Cara Clements. Gymnastics is a big deal in Cassadaigua, so they were known figures who did not really need to introduce themselves. “I should have just kept walking,” Farley said, “but they knew what we were here for and wanting to let it be known that they didn’t feel like we belonged here. That’s tough to hear, you can’t just ignore it. Up to that point, I had really been enjoying myself, and not really bothering anyone, and they start acting like that. Then, the wrestler (Rachel Courtney) comes up from behind me and starts egging them on.” Morrow and Clements had quite a bit of extra cash, since they each had endorsement deals to go with it. It would then begin, Stacie told the two she would give $200 to the winner of a race, but it would require Farley and Kimble to strip down to their underwear, and bark like dogs as they raced down the hall. Morrow dangled the money in front of them, and from behind, Rachel Courtney began recording. Farley says of the decision to have participated, “I really hated it, but I at least thought she was going to give us the money. You know, just one of those things where they have a little fun. I didn’t realize the other one was recording. To win that stupid race, and then for her not to give me the money made me feel real low, then I see it posted on Spacebook, and it go viral.” Farley shook his head, “The hardest thing was just seeing it go viral. If it didn’t have to be shared, no one really would have known and it could have been over with.”

When the group stage began, Farley struggled a little bit. He didn’t seem focused, and he acknowledged that some of the other e-sport players mainly from other nations, kept referencing him as “the dog”. It was a mind game, and all of the training that Joe put into it leading up to coming to Republica seemed to be wasted. Though as the days went on, the incident began to be mentioned less and less, and Farley was able to focus more on the card games. He would see Rachel Courtney win a medal, and then Stacie Morrow win two, and right then and there, Farley became motivated. “When Stacie won her first bronze medal, I had my motivated, and even more when she won her second. By that time, I was into the playoffs and really feeling as though I was on top of my game. I wanted to finish higher then Stacie. Her and Rachel each have a bronze. I wanted to get more.”

While Morrow and Clements have not sincerely apologized for their actions, Farley does want to mention and show his appreciation for the amount of support that he has received during the ordeal. Many of his gamer friends and even rivals back home sent him letters of encouragement, and he says that other members of the Cassadagan delegation sought him out, too. “It took a little while, but eventually the support from the other athletes here, especially swimmer Brittney McDonald, has been really appreciated. She won two golds and really let me know that everyone here belongs here. I also got close with Erica Rhodes, one of our mixed martial arts fighters, who let me know she was in my corner if I had any further problems. It was good to earn their friendship. Things started to get better, and I am not really worried about what happened anymore.”

Farley has now surpassed anything that Morrow, Clements, or Courtney have accomplished in Republica. The best any of them were able to do was win a bronze. Now, Farley gets a chance for a gold medal with only Luis Costa, of the Free Republics, in his way. This will allow him to participate in the demonstration medal ceremony in Concord Heights prior to Game 1 of the World Baseball Classic champion series. In that, he will be awarded either a gold or a silver medal. Right now, he is only thinking about defeating Costa. “It’s all about who gets the better breaks now. He’s a great player, and you can never tell how the cards will fall. It will be fun, I look forward to the match and know that he wants to win for his home fans. Surely, there are many gamers in the Free Republics rooting for him even though what we do is not something made for TV. I want to bring it home, too. Do it for everyone who believed in me and supported me, not just after the video debacle, but before that, too.”

Joe Farley said that none of the three “mean girls” have reached out to him to try to apologize, and quite frankly, he doesn’t even care about that anymore.

[Diarcesia]

It is an interesting chapter of life for the Heptarch-King Adrast. In a way, he is glad he is free from actually governing Chiyginia. In a way, he grimaces his decision to run for a seat in the Archonate. There is too much paperwork, tedious meetings, and the daily minutiae that comes along with being an Heptarch. Not during the Olympics.

Sports has been one of his foremost causes for much of his life. He had toured throughout Diarcesia since his youth, an avid outdoors person with an athletic lifestyle. The Republica Olympics allowed him to help discuss and plot Diarcesia's future trajectory in competition.

It is 7 pm, in the middle of rush hour in the streets of Chiyginia City. The bustle of the employees heading home or to the taverns are all around its streets. Meanwhile, Adrast is walking by one of the public parks, in discussion with the Olympic committee president Tom Cole over the progress of the games in general and the results of this day in particular. Here are some of his words from that conversation:

On the remaining canoers: "Three of five teams will proceed to the semifinals, this bides well for the sport. It's clear that the spotlight has been expanded to more disciplines? Just a few weeks ago, people all around are gushing about Tennis or Fencing. Now, they are learning that we have one of the best judokas, canoers, and gymnasts around. I am excited for the future."

On the Diarcesian male gymnasts who competed today: "They're one of the youngest in the finals group. Some mistakes in their routines were made. I'm a little surprised on the amount of points that got docked off them"

On Glaucy Görög Annis Van Der Beek: "I was in Mercedinian Open and watched them there from the sidelines. They never fail to entertain their fans with a good game. This one? They lost, but the margins are razor-thin. I congratulate them for their silver in their Olympic debut."

On future plans of the Olympics: "Oh, you mean some of the more particular details, Tom? Interest in competing internationally is rising in the Monarchy. I would be surprised if our next delegation falls short of 250 members."

[West Phoenicia]

Wrap Up

(Wrap up is a 30 minute entertainment program created for these Olympics and will feature on WP Sports 1. It will feature a panel who will dish out the good, the bad and the ugly of the XIII Summer Olympic Games, as well as feature interviews with selected athletes and highlights of the best and the worst.)

Panelists:

Trey Devlin: Has been a sports journalist for the last 30 years. He has been a main reporting feature at the last two summer Olympic Games that West Phoenicia has attended.

Roccio Salvador: Olympic gold medalist in Women's Sailboard .

Susanna Hezzlebeck: Popular host of Good Morning West Phoenicia.

Dr Peppermint: Comedian



Trey Devlin: Another fantastic day at the Olympic Games in Republica. As you may have seen first hand or through our highlights we pulled in another two medals today. Elise Dances took out the silver in the 50km walk and Kamal Dallas and Tiffany Love fought a hard battle to claim the gold medal.

Roccio Salvador: Three medals in total he has won these games! Men's Singles, Men's Doubles and now Mixed Doubles. Hands down the best male tennis star we have.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: He is truly a talent. He pulled in two at the previous games. It's puzzling how he bombs in the international tennis circuit, but does so well at the Olympics. With these three wins that is sure to lift his portfolio moving forward, and that of Tiffany Love.

Trey Devlin: I had Miss Love pegged for the gold in Women's Singles too.

Dr Peppermint: Don't let Renee Richardson hear you say that. No telling what she would do to you with her racquet.

Trey Devlin: I think the lesson that Renee Richardson can take away from this moving forward on the international circuit, when you cut out all the drama and play a decent game it pulls in results.

Dr Peppermint: I doubt that will happen, she loves the melodrama on the court. Even if she says it causes her stress, she loves it at the end of the day. But fans love her bad behaviour.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: Elise Dances is such a sweet lady. I first interviewed her in
Krytenia during an Athletics Championships where she took out the Bronze. So it's great she is finishing her career on a high.

Roccio Salvador: Yes I heard she is one of the many that will be retiring after these games.

Trey Devlin: Over 300, that is alot of sporting talent that we will need to replace. I hear once these games are over the search and training begins to build up our sporting army. We also had some great wins in our Demostration Events, 16 Year old Cookie Douglas, took out the Esports card trading game, Men's Softball and Jason Nu who saved us from wiping out in the Squash. Let's cut to some highlights of those events as they earnt their placings.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: I'm going to say it. Esports should not be in the Olympics. They need their own version. Im glad its only a Demonstration event. Can you picture if it was a medal event? What did you win gold in? Super Mario Kart. Please, it's about getting teens off their bums. Encouraging them to play Esports, is supporting bad health and bad parenting.

Roccio Salvador: I agree, sports gets kids in the fresh air and keeps them fit. Not stuck on a coach, drinking soda and eating chips and chocolate.

Dr Peppermint: if eating potato chips was an Olympic Sport, I would be pulling gold. Have to say if I was Cookie Douglas, I would shoot her parents. Not trying to body shakes but it's not good when one is overweight and named Cookie.

Trey Devlin: Let's move on. Jason Nu played a great game of squash. Let's take a quick look at his finals game against Bulat Tokaryev of the Free Republics.

Dr Peppermint: He did what Arabella Tennessee couldn't do, he actually won. I will also say, some nations athletes have the weirdest names, Bulat? Sounds like a Turkish dessert or a Russian gulag.

Trey Devlin: Okay Peppermint, we better move on fast before viewers calling in screaming racism.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: Speaking of squash, it has been confirmed that Arabella Tennessee and her coach have filed a grievance report with the West Phoenician Squash Federation on the ground that anti- West Phoenician umpire helped throw the match.

Trey Devlin: I doubt it will stick, Josie Blackburn just played a better game on the day. We won during the pools, but she won wear it mattered. Won't be the last we see of them, but West Phoenicia needs to ignore the grievance and focus on ensuring Squash continues to be front burner so it can be picked up at the next games.

Roccio Salvador: Or cut back some of the Badminton Events and include Squash.

Dr Peppermint: Did you see the singles badminton today. We won gold in both events last Olympics. Granted we had Toan Le and Thuy Le'Cell in the driver seat, but Qi Dai and Nathan Tonics are fierce competitors.

Roccio Salvador: Thuy Le'Cell still in the Women's doubles. She is the better player of the pair, we also have Jann German/Sinje German in the mixed pair.

Dr Peppermint: Up against the home team is always rough. I predict them playing in the bronze match. Our players have the skill, but the backing of the fans comes into play also. We just don't have that many fans in the audience for games like Badminton and Squash.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: Let's talk team sports. We put so much funding into Basketball and Hockey. And it really hasn't got us anywhere. Best we placed was 4th in Women's hockey.

Trey Devlin: I agree, time and time again the West Phoenician Olympic Committee has tossed money at these sports and they are not bearing fruit.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: What is bearing fruit is our Water Polo teams. The Mermen and the Sea Hags are in excellent form.

Trey Devlin: The Mermen were great at the Water Polo International Championships. Than the boycott razzled them and they haven't been the same since. I think it's there way of saying we are back. Now one team that needs a mention, can you guess what I'm thinking?

Susanna Hezzlebeck: Women's Handball? We took on Krytenia in the semis, and who would have thought we would win. We now take on Kriegiersien in the gold medal match.

Roccio Salvador: Win or lose, they still win.

Trey Devlin: Who would have thought that a tram that West Phoenicia dismissed, reduced turning and was filled with university ladies could pull off such skill and wonderment.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: They definitely are trying to prove a point. If they take out the gold, it's a slap in the face to the West Phoenician Olympic Committee. And look the men's handball drove their way home to the quarter finals, that was an amazing effort. Even though we lost to Laeral I hope they bring home the gold. Im getting tired of hearing the Free Republics and Cassadaigua anthem.

Dr Peppermint: I'm sure nations say the same about our anthem.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: But our anthem is good, it doesn't sound like someone's smacking around a donkey in the thought candy will pop out.

Dr Peppermint: Savage, but Cassadaigua has heard our anthem more. A few more days we just need to hold the second spot. They may have more medals, but they will still be ranked third if they don't pick up a few more gold.

Susanna Hezzlebeck: And we need to pick up a few more gold to hold them off. I dont know if that is possible.

Trey Devlin: That is all from us today, please tune in again tomorrow for all the highs and lows.

[Todd McCloud]

After viewing the latest reports from the athletic performance of the vulpine nation, Riyna Yovisktre was in hot pursuit to meet up with a ride in order to quickly board her plane bound for Republica. Being the chairwoman for the Vekaiyun National Olympic Council wasn't an easy life, and if she could just trust more people around her she'd have more free time to delegate responsibilities, but it was during these games she found her opening to speak to her government and draft reforms for the Olympic committee. Nothing daunting, of course, but several questions remained - a possible Winter Olympics entry, what to do with the potential of defecting Listonian athletes (should they decide not to participate in future Olympiads), recruiting help on establishing more fair criteria for selecting their delegation, and so on. The rest, well, rested in the folds of her notebook and in the hardware of her laptop.

"Kivio Yslevestri!" Of course, what was one more quick conversation? She could have spotted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ehjy Yslevestri, from a mile away - his trademark slicked-back black hair complimented the thick frames of his glasses, glasses that he had paused to remove and clean with a white handkerchief. "Honorable Kivio Yslevestri, could I spare a moment of your time?"

His head didn't move as he looked up to his eyebrows in order to view Riyna from blurred vision. "Kivia Yovisktre? Eh, I suppose. Should we meet in my office? It's just down the hall."

"No time, unfortunately. I was wondering if you had any plans for the developments in Amuaplye?"

He set his glasses back on the bridge of his muzzle. "No. And the nation doesn't really ring a bell. Something to do with the Olympics?"

"Yes! They're the nation that has witnessed a deluge of terrorist activity aimed at their athletes!" She was careful not to step forward, though her thoughts were going a mile a minute.

He shrugged. "Oh yeah, that nation. What exactly do you want me to do about it? Did they bomb any of our countrymen?"

"No."

"Do we believe our countrymen are in any particular amount of danger?"

"Well, no."

"Did they find any ties to a state-sponsored killer?"

"No, but this is a clear indication that their nation is unable to handle themselves in accordance to the decorum and respect required for a participating nation of the Olympiad!" She was careful not to speak with such urgency after hearing stories about how the minister tended to "shut-down" in heated conversations - "shut-down" as in quickly dismiss in order to avoid confrontation.

He shook his head while he chuckled. "Kivio Yslevestri, there's very little I am willing to do about that situation. It doesn't pertain to Vekaiyun affairs, so why should we insert ourselves in this needless display of diplomacy? Events and attacks happen around the 'verse routinely at any given day - are you aware of how many men and women I have relaying cables back and forth between our Foreign Officers and news reports as they come in? Well, it's probably higher than however many people are in your committee, and I don't mean that as an insult." He paused to lift up his brow. "We are a nation, not a warden."

She followed the man as he continued to walk down the hallway, towards his office. "But a hard-lined stance will show Vekaiyu unequivocally will not tolerate terrorism during sporting events under any circumstance! I personally believe we should at least issue some sort of statement at the very least, perhaps even issue some form of travel restriction!"

"Why would I ever do that?" he asked with the slightest amount of frustration in his voice. "Kivia Yovisktre, have you ever seen a cartoon called Tom and Jerry?" He watched as she shook her head. "It's a cartoon that was once popular among Codexian-speaking individuals. Anyway, there was an episode where the cat, named Tom, was antagonizing a mouse, named Jerry, but this Jerry had happened upon an alliance with some nameless dog. Don't read into the species - there's no real symbolism to glean from it. Anyway, this dog apparently fell into some trouble and had to be tied to his house. The cat, now freed from the burden of the dog, flicked the dog in the nose, and the dog naturally began to chase him until his rope ran out. When he did, he sort of made a yipe noise and slammed his body on the ground." Ehjy made a motion with his hand to better explain his analogy. "The tables were then immediately turned, as Tom now knew exactly how far the dog would go before he'd stop being a threat. In short, he could antagonize the dog with whatever he wanted provided he was able to outrun him and remain safely past the length of the rope."

"Codexian cartoons sound confusing," Riyna confessed. "So what's the point of that?"

He smirked when he reached the doorjamb to his office. "Never show the length of your rope. Good day, Kivia Yovisktre." Ehjy slowly closed the door behind him.

[Ioudaia]

Olympic Velodrome, BMX course

Sela ben Assaraeus slumped over the handlebars after finishing his race. What a crappy race! I'm amazed I made the finals! He ran his eyes over the course. Yup, screwed up that jump, damn near knocked myself out of the race with my landing. But the S-bend transfer worked pretty well, then... ugh! That didn't work either... But I kicked ass on the rhythm section.

He glanced up at his time. Counting all that, fourth place is pretty high. If I'd heard that a guy who rode that badly made the finals, I'd say he was in seventh or eighth. Man, did I get lucky!


Ioudaia Olympic Committee Headquarters, Ioudaia

The Committee took advantage of the mass athlete returns following the Dinner of Champions to hold a group hot wash-up, to get comments and observations about the teams' performances, and their competitors' performances, down on paper before they were forgotten.

The debriefing was uneventful, but as the sessions were breaking up for the day, Khryseis Ariav caught up with Peneleos ben Chadad. “Were you in the Colder War, Peneleos?”

“Did somebody say I was?”

“No, but since the rifle finals, Ayal's been a little off, and we pulled a little out of her and Raz. They're pretty sure you were in some fighting overseas.”

With a disgusted sigh, Peneleos stopped dead in his tracks. “Officially, of course, there was no such conflict. But I've heard some good tall tales during my years of service to the country, and some of them might even be true.” He flashed a knowing smile.

His non-denial spread quickly, and almost as quickly, a couple of dozen former olympic competitors were gathered in a private room at a nearby restaurant.

Peneleos did his best to find a good story-telling voice. “There was a forward airbase. Somebody was operating VTOL airplanes and helicopters from it.--

Gabi bat Nemerte raised a finger. “I've heard that we don't have anything like those planes. What's your opinion, should we get some?”

“All nations fight according to their histories and strategic needs. Our history teaches us to use artillery for the same purpose, and reserve planes for reconaissance and attacking things artillery can't reach.

“Anyway, the airbase was a very hard target: there was a high berm with wire about 3 klicks out, patrols beyond the berm, and inner fortifications made of stacked concrete blocks, including revetments for the aircraft and bunkers for fuel, ammo, barracks, and so forth. And the usual active defenses: machine guns, a couple of mortar pits, like that. It was a solid base.

“The aircraft operating out of this base were cramping the style of some very nice people, so something needed to be done about them. Some skilled soldiers came up with a plan to do that, involving the very nice people carrying out some night attacks to keep the base active all the time. VTOL aircraft make a lot of noise, and that's what made the rest of the plan work.

“So, one snowy night, some unfortunate things happened to a couple of patrols involving lots of knives. That allowed some of the skilled soldiers slip over the berm and even just get over the concrete blocks before the plan went wrong. Pretty much all plans do, but the plan got them that far, so it was better than nothing.

“The skilled soldiers were spotted, and a firefight broke out. Fortunately, they were really good shots, and operating airbases tend to have a lot of explosive and flammable things out in the open, which confused matters a lot. That let them carry out a backup plan, involving killing as many pilots as they could. So they did some unfortunate things to the barracks with thermobaric charges. And a few of them lucked out and managed do very fiery things to most of the fuel bunkers.

“Then the plan went really wrong, and the skilled soldiers ended up pinned down by heavy fire in the airfield. It turns out that some of the guys flying the VTOL planes didn't like having their buddies blown up, and they had both the high ground and some very big guns... at least as far as infantrymen are concerned.

“But anyway, a few of the skilled soldiers covered the retreat from the airbase, and one of them held his position until everybody else was out, even the wounded, despite himself being wounded. He got a shiny medal for that.”

Raz ben Tebaeus leaned towards Peneleos. “He wouldn't happened to have gotten sprayed with fragments from airplane cannon fire, would he?”

Peneleos shrugged. “Might have been. Details of war stories always get exaggerated in the telling.”

All eyes turned to Raz, but he demurred with, “Oh, I just happen to know an old soldier with a lot of little scars.”

Raz winked at Peneleos, but Peneleos ignored him and went on. “Regardless, the people who owned the base were pretty pissed off, and they needed the base, so they kept attacking out of it, though just with their surviving aircrews. But the skilled soldiers kept up harrassing attacks, even as the base was being rebuilt and reinforced. The harrassing attacks eventually allowed other skilled soldiers and some of the very nice people to sneak a flock of surprisingly large rockets in range of the base and, well... what happens next is another story for another time.”

The crowd groaned, and started to demand that story too, but Endymion ben Nehorai came to Peneleos' rescue. “I've got one, but nothing blows up in mine. I helped recover the Margarlos, sunk in the Eastern Seaboard War.” And he launched into his tale.

(OOC: I used the London 2012 Olympics BMX course for Sela's description, since there isn't one given IC.)

[Main Nation Ministry]

A Creator's Demise

Jason Masami arrived at the airport, after getting out from his taxi ride. It was still around the afternoon, though it didn't appear that around was near the blimp. It looked like no one was nearby, seeing how it could be possible no one was planning on leaving the nation for a while, since the Olympics were still happening. Jason looked around and noticed the blimp ahead of him. Was Sorrento in there? Masami wanted to find him to give everyone some truth, once and for all. He walked towards the blimp, seeing the door to the large carriage that the balloon was under. Walking over to it, he tried to get it over, but the door was already locked. He peered through the small pothole window on the door to see if Sorrento was inside. "Damnit! Where is he?!" Masami was about to step back, until he realized that there was someone behind him. Panicked, he leapt back against the door, thinking it was a security guard or Sorrento himself.

"I'm just looking for someone, I swear!" Masami yelled, nervous. "Shh! Relax. I'm just trying to get out of here." a woman said, as Masami recognized her. "Wait, aren't you that lady I saw from an early day?" Masami said, noticing Daphne during several days before. "I need to get back to Main Nation Ministry. I gotta find my...friend Napier." Daphne decided to say, seeing how a teenager was now technically her husband, which would be extremely awkward for her to say, despite Masami not knowing who Napier is. "Don't expect me to fly a blimp. I'm trying to get in, since I think the guy who owns it is responsible for possible terrorism and sabotage." Masami explained. "You need help with the blimp? Looks like the door locked? I do have a hair pin, if you need it." Daphne said, digging into her hair, pulling out a small metal pin with one hand and keeping a part of hair clenched with the other.

Giving back the hairpin to Daphne after getting the door open, Masami and Daphne stepped inside to see if Sorrento was in the blimp. "He's not in here? Could you check the back?" he asked Daphne. "On it!" "Ok, Sorrento. Let's see what you have been up to." Masami said to himself, as he checked the cockpit first. Taped near the controls was a map of the host city in Free Republics and a timetable of the events that were happening in the Olympics. Circled in red were several events on the time table. "This must be how Sorrento knew where everything was. He must have known where the training area for Yamuna was also." Masami exited the cockpit to the seating area, where Daphne was checking the storage room. "What is this?" Masami saw the camera that was used to film footage from the air and saw the laptop near it. The screen flashed "Download Complete!" in white, where Masami examined the footage. "This is all of the footage that Sorrento took of the sporting events. What's this?" Masami saw several files, where he grew worried. "You still checking? I think I found some evidence of something creepy.." Masami asked Daphne. "What is it?"
"It looks like he's spying on several people from the nation who are here for the Olympics. My name is here. Yamuna. Taichi. And even Madden? Why is Madden there?" Masami said, as there seems to be a folder of her.

"Madden? You mean Jessica Madden? She is a bit inappropriate, but she seems like a nice young girl." Daphne said to Masami, as an already worried look becomes more worried, as he checked what was on the folder. "I actually feel bad for her. She might try to drink actual alcohol if Sorrento shows this information to her fans." Masami said. "Wait, I think I found something interesting?" Daphne called him to the storage room, where Daphne opened up a metal cabinet, where Daphne held a black sphere-like object. "I knew it! That rat was the one who had Lee bomb Yamuna's car!" Masami said, as he saw an unlocked case at the bottom of the cabinet. Opening it, Masami was quick to recognize it as a detonator. "The hell are you two doing on my blimp?" Sorrento demanded, as he was putting a flash drive in his laptop, as he held out a flare gun to the two. "It's kinda ironic how you used that word." Daphne said to Sorrento.

"Sorrento! The gig is up!" Masami said to Sorrento, as an assistant entered the blimp to watch the progress of the flash drive getting the information from the laptop.
"Gig? What gig? The only thing I see are two trespassers."
"Why did you have Yamuna's car sabotaged? Did you try to kill her?"
"Not really. I knew that her father lied about the test results, since I was able to recognize it, since I used it as a part of a challenge in DoubleThink. Karen is an interesting woman. I was expecting her to kill you to make things interesting, but it's a bit of a shame."
"So you tried to get Yamuna to kill me? Was that your plan?"
"No, I just wanted everyone in Free Republics to watch my show after the Olympics end. I'm just trying to help the nation with television, Masami." Sorrento coldly stated.

"Wait, so the reason you doing all of this is just for what? Viewers? It makes sense from where I'm from, seeing there are a lot of greedy people." Daphne said.
"I don't think there are greedy people in Main Nation Ministry? Aren't you talking about what happened at Kahe Island?" Masami asked Daphne.
"Wait, technically- Nevermind."
"It looks like I'm done. It's best you two just head out and let me head back to my hotel to alert my superiors of your misdeeds." Sorrento said, pointing the flare gun at Masami, while taking the flash drive. "Hang on, can I negotiate?" Daphne suddenly stepped forward to shield Masami. "How about we talk a bit? I know that you are probably part of a TV show, but I recommend you that reconsider. Knowing that our consequences will eventually catch up of us. Don't make the same mistake I did. I know it's hard to avoid it, but with my help I can just calmly-"

Sorrento immediately shot the flare gun at Daphne, expecting her to get the flare jabbed into her chest to light up, but when he blinked, she..caught the flare in her own hands? "What?!" Sorrento said, surprised as Daphne proceeded to put the flare out with just her hands. "Ok, I tried to stop you, but I guess I gotta do this by myself." Daphne said, acting serious though with her cheery attitude. Sorrento immediately darted out of the blimp with the flash drive in his coat pocket, going all out in a full sprint to get back to his hotel. Masami, who are at first stunned at what he witnessed, was come off-guard when the assistant tried to throw him off the blimp. Daphne jumped out of the blimp, as she saw Sorrento running away. "He's lucky I'm not the fastest, but he better be!" Daphne thought, as she became to have a bit of an uncontrollable intent in her mind.

Meanwhile, Masami was trying to fight the assistant, who however gotten the upper hand. Grabbing Masami, he managed to shove him out of the blimp and shut the door on him. Masami tried to get the carriage door open, but he felt the blimp starting up. "No! Open the door!" Masami banged on the door, as it started to hover from the ground. Then, Masami saw something that made him wanted to scream to the man to stop flying. "Stop! There's a bomb! There's a bomb!" Masami screamed, as he took notice of a large device strapped to the underside of the carriage, which Masami can see the explosive charges along with a tank with some sort of chemical. As the blimp was starting to float away, Masami tried to run back to his hotel to alert security.

Back at the scene with Sorrento and Daphne, Sorrento was actually trying to flee near where the athlete village hotel of where Main Nation Ministry was. Daphne was in a jog, but she was starting to catch up on him. Sorrento took a sharp direction and ended up in a street with a large road. A large truck was moving towards where Sorrento was running, where the driver didn't seem to notice. Just as Daphne was about to get to Sorrento, a passerby which Daphne immediately recognized as Jessica Madden saw Sorrento and Daphne running. "Catch him quick!" Daphne yelled at Madden, but Sorrento was planning on overtaking her. "The fuck you doing, Sorrento?" Jessica tried to trip him, just as Daphne was an inch from catching him, until Sorrento did something rather cruel. As an attempt to get Jessica away from him, he grabbed her and pushed her in the path of the upcoming truck, just as he was off the sidewalk.

Daphne felt a slow-motion moment happen, as she saw Jessica and Sorrento in a difficult situation. She can catch Sorrento, but Jessica was about to get hit. The driver didn't seem to see that they were about to hit Jessica. Then, that uncontrollable intent was back in Daphne's mind. It came with an urge of hunger. "It's been so long since I arrived from down there." Daphne thought. She was getting hungry. The room service food and energy drinks that Taichi had weren't good enough to satisfy. In a moment of letting her instinct get the best of her, she dove towards both of them.

The truck was forced to jerk to a complete stop, as it felt like it hit a cement wall. Several people, most of them who were just some athletes shopping from Main Nation Ministry for a little tourist memento, saw what happened and were surprised to see someone that didn't look human at a second glance. Jessica had her eyes closed in a panic, where Sorrento was in a daze as he felt himself being entrapped by an arm that felt like it belonged to a bodybuilder. After the truck fully stopped, Sorrento turned his head to see a rather fearsome head of a pissed off beast, staring at him with a teeth of two fangs to rip his face-cream covered face to pieces. Unable to get away from a strong grip, the beast lunged forward for some food.

"Holy shit!" Gerald, who caught up to find Jessica saw a rather gruesome sight. He couldn't really describe it, but that man that beast was eating didn't look like he had a face anymore. Jessica, who finally opened her eyes and seeing how she felt unharmed, turned to see a rather terrifying creature devouring Sorrento. "Woah.. This is so awesome!" Jessica said, amazed where the beast took note and turned away to see Jessica. "Is that you? I.. I like your eyes? No, seriously! The color of your eyes fit your jacket!" Jessica continued, where Daphne realized what happened. "Oh dear! Hang on a second." Daphne said, looking like a monster, where she reverted back to her human form in just a second. "Hope that you're ok. That truck went towards you a bit hard." Daphne said, as her mouth was covered in Sorrento's blood. Several soldiers who were from the hotel immediately ran to the scene to point their guns at Daphne. "Hands in the air and step away from the body!" a soldier yelled, as Daphne stood up. "Don't arrest her! She saved my fucking life!" Jessica yelled, trying to get in the line of fire. "Please don't do this. I can take it from here." Daphne said to Jessica, as Gerald helped her away.

Ryuu Taichi immediately caught up to the scene, getting ready to handle the scene. "What in the blazes happened!?" Ryuu said, as he saw Daphne covered in blood. "I really need to get back to Main Nation Ministry! I'm a bit reckless as you could see." Daphne explained. "How is Xavier Sorrento in your mouth?" Ryuu said, as he saw the corpse, where Daphne briefly showed her demon form, which led to some more aimed guns, yet there wasn't any gunfire. "I'm not a part of the so-called northwest, but I know an anomaly when I see one. You are willingly to cooperate?" Ryuu asked, where Daphne agree. "Just take me to Main Nation Ministry! I need to get back!"

"Guys! Guys! There is a bomb! Another bomb!" Masami caught up to the scene finally, as Masami saw the corpse of Sorrento. Or what was left of him. "What happened to him!?" Masami said, confused and terrified. "A bomb? What bomb?" Ryuu overheard. "Guys! The SportsLife blimp! There is another bomb! It's strapped to the underside of the blimp! The pilot is flying away!" Masami explained. "Can't we just shoot it down?" Ryuu asked. "No! I don't think this is just any type of bomb! I saw some sort of liquid in the tank of it! I think it's a biohazard!" Masami explained what happened after he got shoved out of the blimp. "I guess the days here are ending on a high note. I'm making sure that this woman is back to Main Nation Ministry, where I get a scan from the authorities on where the blimp is heading."

"Hang on, one more question. What happened to Sorrento? He was the one who sabotaged Yamuna's car." Masami said. Then, Daphne put a hand over her mouth to not belch. But something came up in her mouth. Spitting it out, it was a pair of sunglasses that were stained in blood. "He did taste rather unsavory." Daphne said as a joke, where Masami appeared in a state of horrified confusion, where he also felt something come up to his mouth. "I think I'm going to puke!"

[West Phoenicia]

“ Micah dead? Impossible, he was getting better,” Glaphyra cried out, dropping the clothes she was carrying to her suitcase.

“Nurse found him, dead with a pillow over his face. He was murdered, prove my by suffocation."

“No, not Micah…” Glaphyra fell silent “I'm the last one left,” a new look of terror shined in her eyes. “I'm getting the fuck out of Dodge.”

“You will be safe. I need to get over to the hospital to check the scene. I'm going to arrange for Special Agent Stacey Scro to come look after you.”

“Safe?” Micah was promised the same thing, now he is dead!”

“ If you had been more upfront to begin with, we would not be in this position. Since you have been at these games have you crossed paths with Noll South?”

“This isn't my fault. And no, I haven't recognised Noll South, it's been a few years now. His probably slim and toned, clear skinned and good looking these days,” Glaphyra shrugged her shoulders.

“I'm going to send Stacey Scro over here to look after you. I won't be long, I just need to step out to the hospital and speak to the staff and the guard on duty. Lock the door after me,”

Glaphyra walked over to the window, the same window she had been looking out of, the night Livia had been gunned down. She would never forget that horrible night. Livia had been such a good friend, it was a shame the two of them looked so similar.

Glaphyra nearly jumped out of her skin when a man emerged from the bathroom, “I thought the agent would never leave,” the man said running a hand through his butterscotch coloured hair as he looked intensely at her. “It's only you left now,” he slowly started to approach her.
“An agent will be here soon, a special agent Stacey Scro,”

“We have enough time,”

“So I take it your plan worked Noll South, how do you feel?”

“I feel bloody fantastic. And please call me Oliver North that's my name now,”

Special Agent Franco Genoa left a message with his team member Agent Stacey Scro to drop what she was doing and to head over and protect Glaphyra Cappadocia, while he went to check the hospital. The killer had made their first big error, hospitals had security cameras.

He bit the hospital security office first, he was harsh demanding the footage for the last few hours, that would give him a good view of who was coming and going.
He had instructed the hospital not to remove the body, he needed it for evidence.


The guard was an emotional wreck, he was in the visitors area. A nurse had just walked in with a cup of coffee as Special Agent Franco Genoa arrived on the floor.

“I swear on my life I did not let anyone in the room but two nurses. The first one was male and the second was female. They both were not in the room that long.”

“That's not true,” the nurse said.

“I'm not lying. That is all I let in the room.”

“I didn't suggest you were lying. I'm only saying that ward does not have any male nurses in it. There are male nurses on other wards and floors, but there would have been no reason for them to have gone into the room of Mr True-Path.”The nurse relayed.

“Thank you so much, when my team arrives please let them know I will be with security. We are so close now to solving these murders.”

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Death, it's beautiful finality shows in every aspect of life. We act in a certain way, part of our minds on how we will be viewed when we die. When our families and friends die, we adopt a view of them which is often at odds to our view of them in life: the lense of death showing everybody in a golden light. When death comes to claim us, however, we are all the same: we cry for mercy...for our mother's touch...for some release save the final one. Because death equalises all: it visits princes, priests, poets and the poor with out concern for station or connections. It cares not who you are, but only that you are...and resolves to change that.

Death's agent was experienced as she walked through the Republican night towards her next appointment, the small handgun hidden about her hooded figure to avoid raising suspicion in this huge metropolis. She seemed sure both about her actions and about the jjustification behind them: one more time introducing another to death was nothing to her; and so she moved silently but purposefully, her mind totally at peace.

King Blacksen's window was beside his bed; the ground-floor room affording a myriad of possibilities and minimal security. The King was inviting her in: he wanted this...and in her mind he needed it. She would oblige, charitable as she was; she would find doing so easy. A silenced gun is not truly silent, but would not split the night as one without such a feature would. A moderately-loud retort was the end of the King, blood darkening his pillow; for Maria Schtenko, just another day at the office.

[Free Republics]

Day 22 Cutoff

[Vilitan Union]

The Report from Republica :: Vilitan Union Still Optimistic of reaching medals goal

Republica, Free Republics :: As Day 18 of the Olympic Games wrapped up the delegation of athletes from the lands of Vilitan Origins - otherwise known as the Vilitan Union, appeared to be well on their way of reaching their goal marks of 14 Gold Medals and 44 overall medals at the XIII Summer Olympic Games in Republica. Having appeared to have won two gold medals on Day 18, the Vilitan Union was just two back from their target having amassed 12 Gold Medals despite a slow first week of competition as the delegation struggled to get out of the starting blocks. But a strong middle 10 days appeared to put the Vilitan Union right back on track until they woke up on Day 19 one medal further away than they had been the night before. The loss not only of the Gold Medal but of any medal at all in the Women's Gymnastics Vault competition seemed to have an unexplainable effect on the entire Vilitan Union delegation who have failed to recoup that lost Gold Medal and remain stuck on 11 Golds despite some near misses over the subsequent four days of competition. Now, however, there are just two days of competition left and with 11 Gold medals and 40 overall medals, the Vilitan Union remain short of their target marks. It certainly has not been for a lack of trying, however as all of the delegation Athletes have been pushing hard to get back on top of the podium in Republica.

The Women's Track and Field events on Day 22 were the epitome of "Thrills and Spills" and the Vilitan Union athletes were right in the thick of it. The first of the 'Thrills' came in the Women's 5000m Final where after nearly fifteen minutes of strategic jostling a pack of three had broken away at the front of the field with the host nations Arianna Ricci leading Creusa Adamit and the Vilitan Union's Reeiki Rohaha. Whether Adamit and Rohaha were purposely storing something in the tank for the final stretch or the Republican athlete simply ran out of energy, the duo broke out around the outside of the local runner much to the audible dismay of much of the locally furnished crowd. It left Rohaha and Adamit in what amounted to a three-quarter sprint to the line with the Vilitan Union athlete being bested only by the outstretched nose of her opponent. Ricci came across the line a few seconds later to salvage a medal for the hosts but it was Reeiki Rohaha left in the position of wondering if there was anything else she could have done to recover the 0.01 second differential which was shown on the scoreboard after the photo finish was resolved. While the finish was a great personal validation for Rohaha, a former Silver medalist in the 10000m who had struggled internationstatally over the previous two competition seasons, her second career silver medal showed both that she was back amongst the elite female runners in the multiverse but yet agonizingly at the same time affirming that - if only by 0.01 seconds, she still was not the best. Over in Wrestling, Okankao Rekajaleaa had already assured an improvement over their Bronze placement in Kelssek and Vekaiyu by advancing to the Gold medal match but would fall just short of the Ultimate Prize as it was instead Anton Musar of the Free Republics who continued to stretch the host nations modern-day record haul with their 44th Gold Medal of the games surpassing the Vilitan Union's total haul to this point.

Another grouping of 'not the best' could be handed out to the Silva family notching one in the 'Spills' category for their performance in the Women's 4x100m Relay Final. The Silva's have a history of performing well in international competition but failing on the biggest stage - the Olympic Games. Perhaps no race epitomized this history more clearly than the 4x100m Relay at the Gem of the Oceans Stadium as Lightenina Silva was fast out of the gate in lane two. The handoff to Sprinta Silva was disrupted however as the Sargossan athlete Alba Cazalla failed to maintain her lane after handing off to Carolina Amengual for the run down the back straight. Despite the set back, the second Silva was determined to recover and got back in their groove down the straight. Sensing the time they had lost in the first hand off, Winda Silva tried to get a bigger jump to catch up forcing Sprinta Silva into a desperate reach to find her siblings outstretched hand. While the baton made contact with the hand an off-balance Sprinta quickly tumbled to the ground, her outstretched hand clipping Winda's left heel and the Baton flew momentarily into the air. She attempted to re-claim the Baton without exiting her lane but was barrelled into by an unsuspecting Daisy George of Liventia ending the chances for both teams in a chaotically thrilling and comically spilling end to the Women's 4x100 Relay which was ultimately won by the team from Kelssek.

Despite the folly there is still some optimism in the Vilitan Union camp heading into the final two days of competition that their Medal Targets may still be in reach. If the Vilitan Union is to reach its medal targets, however, they will likely have to rely on one of their top performing Olympic athletes of all time, Lkana Morala. A Bronze medalist in both the K1 and K2 500m Sprint events in Kelssek and Vekaiyu, Morala is once again looking to add to their career medal haul in Republica having qualified for the C-2 final along with teammate Bikala Rutato and the K-4 Final with Rutato, Keluaki Murasja and Rinurinu Mkoavera. Rutato and Morala narrowly missed out on the medals podium in Kelssek and Vekaiyu having finished fourth in the C-2 500m event but may be favored in Republica as none of the Top 3 from the previous games have qualified for the final with reigning Champions Eldarsdottir and Vengler eliminated along with Ts'ao and Duncan of host nation Free Republics in the other C-2 Semi-Final. While Rutato and Morala did win their Semi-Final heat they did so with a slower time than the first heat was won by Maresa Parmentier and Lindsey Donnell of Kelssek so will certainly have to step up their game on Lake Rydia to stay ahead of the pack to claim the Gold Medal in the final.

Another team who will still have aspirations of gold will be the Men's Rhythmic Gymnastics team who have narrowly squeezed their way in as the last team through to the Final in 8th place besting the Teremaran Unified Team by a quarter of a point. While the Vilitan Union delegation will likely be considered a long shot going into the event, having never previously won a medal of any color in Rhythmic Gymnastics, there of course the notion that you have to be 'in it' to 'win it' and the Vilitan Union men have already accomplished that despite not being favored to so will have minimal expectations to burden on their shoulders and will be able to go out with a free spirit and perform to their best and perhaps, on their best day, could end up on the medal podium. The teams from Cassdaigua and Vekaiyu along with the defending champions from Eastfield Lodge and the crowd-favorite host nation Free Republics are all expected to contend for the Gold Medal.

Whether the Vilitan Union are able to meet their target medal tallys or not over the final two matchdays, their athletes can be proud of their performance which include many personal bests and even an Olympic Record. While the Vilitan Union struggled in some of the team sport events it has traditionally excelled in, they have picked up some great individual efforts to remain inside the Top 10 in the overall Medals table. With just two Days of competition remaining, it has been a respectable games for the Vilitan Union and the entire Vilitan Cove region as the Cocoabo Forest delegation has already surmassed their best ever Olympic Games including the first ever Gold Medal earned by a Cocoabo Athlete. While athletes from Cassadaigua and other competing countries may have initially reacted with sour feelings upon being defeated by a Cocoabo on the world stage, in time there is hope that Cocoabo acceptance will be embraced multiverse wide the way that it has been throughout the Vilitan Cove region.

[Cassadaigua]

What’s Love Got To Do With It?
by Hannah Marshall, Olympic Correspondent

For many athletes, the time spent in the Olympic village is also a great chance to mingle with the opposite sex (or same sex if one prefers) and pursue a relationship. It could be a relationship for a day, a couple hours, or maybe a sincere attempt at long term romance. That is for the single athlete. While we would like to say most of the “get togethers” are looking for something more romantic, it is mostly very casual in nature. Of course, not every athlete is single. Some are married, some are engaged, and some are simply in long term relationships. For them, there could be some temptation, but we would hope that when one truly loves their partner, that they can keep their focus on the game at hand. As time winds down now in Republica many of those short term casual flings will come to an end, but for others it will be a chance to seek their loved one.

Olympic gold medalist Tara Bantle, a freestyle wrestler at 48kg, is one of the veterans of the delegation. The 33-year old is married, with three kids (ages 11, 8, and 5), and being away from them has been extremely difficult. “I knew what I was getting into by coming here, but that doesn’t make it any easier,” Bantle told us, “We wanted to bring them, but we also have them enrolled in summer programs at home. I would love to take them to the Free Republics on a vacation, but this is most definitely not a vacation. We have been doing a lot of Facetime and that sort of thing to keep in touch.” Bantle did say though that the kids stayed up to watch her, “Yeah, they love seeing mommy wrestle. I think they just think its weird for me to be doing some of the moves that is needed, and all that. They don’t truly understand wrestling yet. When they think wrestling they think about that performance stuff. Until recently, that’s what they thought I was doing!” I also took the time to ask Tara about the extracurricular activities that take place in the Olympic Village, and how it is to be one of the older and more mature athletes around, “Well, no one really hits on you. I think the younger guys get it, they see an older woman walking around and just don’t bother her. I make sure to wear my ring at all times. I hang out with either my wrestling friends, or the other older athletes here. It is not really difficult to tune out what the younger ones are doing.”

You looking for something to love? How about Joe Farley! Yes, it came full circle today, and he defeated Luis Costa for his own gold medal. Farley was seen afterwards in an extra long embrace with mixed martial arts representative Erica Rhodes as part of the people that were watching him. Farley told reporters how much this meant to him, though Rhodes was a little more to the point, “To all you people out there getting bullied out there by people who think they are better then you, look at this man right here. He stepped up, overcame it all, and is the champion of his event! Who the heck cares what you think of his event, he just proved that he is the best damn person at what he does. He is a champion!” Two-time gold medalist Brittney McDonald also chimed in, “I want to congratulate Joe Farley. Think about what this man was put through. You know, bullying is a problem in Cassadaigua. It really is. It’s like our deepest dark secret as a nation. But this man right here, put that aside and stepped up. So proud of him.” None of Stacie Morrow, Cara Clements, or Rachel Courtney have acknowledged Farley’s win, and have not returned my request for a response in regards to it.

We had a day to love in track and field, as Lawrence Anderson and Dwight Larimore had a 1-2 finish in the Hammer Throw, and our men’s 4x100m team won a gold. Rhythmic gymnasts fared very well, too. Check out all of this and more on our website!

[Anollasia]

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Mehmet said as he revealed the bouquet of flowers behind his back.

"Oh my God," Sara was surprised. "You're so sweet! I love roses!" She exclaimed as she received the bouquet.

"Only for my darling." He said, grinning.

She kissed him on the cheek, causing him to smile and blush.

"Wait, there's more!" Mehmet said as he went into the next room. Sara followed him there and was greeted with a table adorned with a white tablecloth, wax candles, and exquisite porcelain and silverware.

"Did you do this?" She asked. Mehmet nodded. Sara was blown away by his thoughtfulness and thanked him. They sat down and started their romantic meal. All the meals were served by a stereotypical-looking chef and were served in silver platters. After the meal, Sara was ecstatic. "That was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much, Mehmet! In return, I have a little something for you." She smirked.

"What is it?" He asked inquisitively.

"Follow me and you'll find out." She got up quickly and Mehmet chased her. They went down the hallway, up the stairs, and she opened the door to her own room. She wagged her finger, seductively gesturing him to come in. He took the bait and soon they were in her bedroom. She started to take off her pants, followed by her shirt, leaving only her underwear.

"I like where this is going." Mehmet joking said and she responded in laughter. He also took off his clothing, and was left in his boxer shorts. The next thing he knew, he was smacked with a pillow.

"Gotcha!" Sara shouted, holding the pillow.

"Nice one. But now it's my turn!" Mehmet swiftly grabbed another pillow and hit her in the side with it. She retaliated and soon a pillow fight had started.

After the pillow fight, they were exhausted, so they plopped into bed together. They were just lying there, staring at each other without a word. It was probably 15 minutes before Mehmet said something, though it felt more like 2 minutes to him.

"I haven't done one of those in a long time. That was fun."

"Yeah." Sara responded.

They continued looking into each other for some time until Sara said, "I never expected to find love here."

"Me neither." He replied.

"It's strange how this all happened. We're basically coworkers in a way, and I didn't really feel this way about you back at home. But something changed and now I do."

"I didn't think of you as anything but a tennis partner until you revealed your feelings for me. Then the seed was planted. You slowly took over my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about you and I was eliminated from my matches." He slightly frowned, but this soon turned into a smile. "It's okay though, we won a medal. Together. We worked so great as a team. And I want to thank you for always being by my side, on the court and off it."

"I want to thank you too." Sara started, "For accepting me and my feelings and loving me. I've told other guys about my feelings before but it only ruined everything. I wouldn't have done that with you but I just couldn't hold it in any longer. But I also have thoughts in the back of my head that we shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?" He asked.

"It's not very professional."

"Professional? What are we, lawyers?" Mehmet joked. Sara wasn't laughing or smiling this time. Mehmet got serious. "Okay, I get that you're a bit conflicted but just remember...Nothing can stand in the way of love." He was staring deeply into her eyes.

"I hope that's true." She said, to which he replied, "I'll show you."

He leaned in, and so did she. Their lips became tightly locked as they performed an intense and passionate kiss.

[Laeral]

Liu Mei-han (@LiuMei-han)
Just now from Laeralsford, Laeral

我非常高興看到和國的足球運動員在Teremaran的奧運決賽中晉級！與Free Republics的比賽令人嘆為觀止，到目前為止比賽令人興奮。後天我們都可以聚在一起觀看我們的男孩們的比賽。我將出席比賽，雖然我通常不會為郝江和Laeralsford AC（ 臺灣總是在我心中的第一位）歡呼，但這次我必須先讓和國為他加油。為和國萬歲，為我們所有的奧運選手萬歲！

J'étais tellement heureux de voir les footballeurs de Laeral se qualifier pour la finale olympique contre Teremaran! Le match contre Free Republics était à couper le souffle et le tournoi a été passionnant jusqu'à présent. Nous pouvons tous nous réunir après-demain pour regarder nos garçons jouer. Je serai présent au match et, bien que je n'encourage normalement pas Hao Jiang et Laeralsford AC (Neidong est toujours le premier dans mon cœur), cette fois, je vais devoir mettre Laeral en premier et l'encourager. Hourra pour Laeral, et hourra pour tous nos athlètes olympiques!

I was so very happy to see Laeral's footballers advance to the Olympic final against Teremaran! The match against Free Republics was breathtaking, and the tournament so far has been exciting. We can all come together the day after tomorrow to watch our boys play. I'll be present at the match, and while I'm normally not cheering for Hao Jiang and Laeralsford AC (Neidong is always first in my heart), this time I'll have to put Laeral first and cheer for him. Hooray for Laeral, and hooray for all our Olympic athletes!

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[Ioudaia]

Runcast

This is Runcast, and I'm your host, Gabi Charis. This is Edition 9.35 of my video podcast, for Day 22 of the XIII Olympiad. Today's big news was the runners' duel in the women's 5k. The end of this race just amazing!

Heading into the last lap, three runners were ahead of the pack, the Free Republics' Arianna Ricci leading Ioudaia's Creusa Adamit and the Vilitan Union's Reeiki Rohaha. But as they enter the final straightaway, Creusa and Reeiki pour it on! Boom! They were practically sprinting into the finish, but they're keeping pace with each other perfectly. It's even more beautiful in the official slo-mo, where we can see them moving with the sync'd-up grace of a practiced dance team, strides precisely matched. Wow! The photo finish makes the race perfect, with Creusa leaning forward and stretching out to finish just .01 ahead of Reeiki! What a race!

That's also the second gold medal for Ioudaia's women, after Shachaf bat Demetria's amazing finish in the steeplechase. Those two races are great contrasts for the long-distance olympic races: a break-away in the final kilometer vs a stride-by-stride contest going right down to the wire! I'm really looking forward to Ioudaia's next regional races, to see what our long-distance runners and their coaches will have taken away from these races.

We also had another running duel today, dueling 4x400 relays, men's semis and women's heats. The women showed how it's done, running a nearly flawless race, and finishing with the third-fastest time on the day.

The guys... not so much. There the blame can be laid squarely at the leaden feet of Kedem ben Damian and Or-Chai ben Adeimanthos. Those two ran the slowest legs of the day, even slower than they did in the qualifiers. Chromius Liran and Moti Kerkyon did their level best to make up for Kedem's slow leg, and got Ioudaia into first place at the last hand-off. But Or-Chai just couldn't hold it.

On the plus side for the men, their hand-offs were textbook, right in the middle of the box! I've got the video for today's hand-offs side-by-side with the hand-offs for the women's 4x100 relay from a few days ago. The difference is night and day. Today's men hit right on their marks: runner in the box starts to go, the previous leg enters still at top speed, and the hand-off is made just as the runner in the box hits his pace. Perfect!

The 4x100 women, well... bobbling the baton, not quite matching speeds at the hand-off, lousy timing. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy! Today's 4x400 women were almost as good as the men, but side-by-side, the little mistakes really show. While they outran the men, all our women relay runners need to take lessons from the guys in passing the baton. Maybe we can get our slow men to get tips from the women.

Tomorrow we have the men's 1500 and 5k, and Ioudaia has two runners in each, Koral Panaetius and Phanias Zephaniah in the 1500, and Palaemon Dovav and Aviv ben Stesagoras in the 5k. And there's the women's 4x400 relay finals, so I'm looking forward to a good day of racing. Until then,

Keep on runnin'!

[Diarcesia]

Ryan Mills let a shout of victory after crossing the finish line. "Yes!"

"Yeah!" Limbani Lund repeated. "We're going to the finals!"

The clock is at 3.41. The nearest competitors behind them are still a few seconds behind.

"I'm surprised, Ryan, we just pulled ahead from the most of them."

"And don't let get that in your head."

"I'm trying not to. This is just surreal. Something unprecedented"

"Yes, Limbani, and I hope we repeat this performance next time."

"Tough act to follow, as the other canoer compatriots were wildly inconsistent, except for that Stana lady."

"That means it's not impossible. Wait... the wind's picking up."

"Oh crap it just blew hard all of a sudden..."

As luck had it, the cameramen of many international networks have their shots including Limbani and Ryan's happy banter as the wind picked up and capsized their stationary canoe. They recovered quickly, but a comedic scene has already been made. As the cameras focused on them, both men have surfaced are seen laughing over their predicament.

[West Phoenicia]

After hearing one of the ward nurses deny there was a male nurse on that ward today, Special Agent Franco Genoa knew he was close. He hurried down to the hospital security office wanting to view the footage. He has received confirmation that Agent Stacey Scro was on her way to protect Glaphyra Cappadocia. The other agents had been advised to head to the police station to fill in Republica law enforcement on the updates and await further instruction.

“I need to see the security footage now of Ward B,” Franco said the moment he entered the office. The security guard stationed there was one step ahead, they were in the process of rewinding the footage when he walked into the room.

It only took a few moments to rewind back to the time that the guard protecting the room said he had the encounter with the male nurse. The footage arrived at the crucial moment, Franco felt like banging the office desk in frustration, a male nurse had arrived on the scene but he had his back to the camera as he walked into the room. The killer was in the room for about 5 minutes, Franco knew at that moment the life was being drained from Micah True-Path.
His knuckles paled white as he held onto the desk, waiting for the moment the door opened and the male nurse stepped out. He prayed to the gods that the nurse would not back out of the room.

“Come on, show us that mug of yours,” he whispered.

***

“Special Agent Stacey Scro will be here any moment,” Glaphyra said gazing at Oliver North as she stood near the window.

“I better make this quick than, shouldn't I?” Oliver said as he walked towards Glaphyra.

“Yes you better,” Glaphyra replied flashing a slight smile.

Oliver North moved closer. Glaphyra didn't recoil at her approached, instead she stepped forward, letting Oliver take her into an embrace as he ran his lips over her lips, the two shared a brief kiss.

“We did it baby, “ Oliver whispered laying his cheek against her head as she snuggled in closer to him.

“The plan worked perfectly,” Glaphyra smiled, “We even fooled those stupid special agents. Everyone who set you up with that horrible prank is now dead. They probably won't ever figure out what happened, and we can ride off into the sunset.”

“I'm sorry I ever doubted you. You warned me about the prank they were going to pull on me, but I didn't want to believe it. I should have trusted you from the start.”

“I loved you from the start, even with the extra weight, glasses, bad skin and unkempt hair. But you ignored me, as you were mesmerized by the beauty of that witch Miss Teak, You had a great heart and those animals treated you like garbage and left you to rot in that Youth Detention Centre.”

“It's all ancient history now baby, they were all judged for their crimes, and the verdict was death. We can now move on and be happy. Quick, go and pack, we have to vamoose quickly.”

***

“What the fuck? I know that man!” Special Agent Franco Genoa cursed, thumping the office desk with his clenched fist.

“Who is it?” the security guard asked.

“Oliver North, personal assistant to Baroness Flora Freeman. He was playing us all along, always one step ahead due to his access to the Baroness and us. And a not so clever moniker. I should have picked up on it when Micah mentioned South.”

Franco Genoa first dialled Stacey Scro, “Its Oliver North, he’s the killer. Get to Glaphyra on the double, she must be his last target. I'll be there soon. I'm also sending Agent Wong and Agent Evangeline over to speak with the Baroness, and see if he is there too.

The puzzle was now complete he just had to capture Oliver North and everything would be over.

***

Glaphyra was in the bathroom when she heard the voice of Special Agent Stacey Scro, the damned eager beaver. She heard her tell Oliver to put his hands up. She peeked out of the bathroom, she saw Agent Scro had her gun drawn. She heard her ask where Miss Cappadocia was, Glaphyra had to act now so the bitch didn't ruin their master plan.

“Help me, he was going to kill me,” Glaphyra screeched as she launched herself out of the bathroom. Agent Scro took her eyes off Oliver North for one moment to view Glaphyra. “Get back in the bathroom Glaphyra, other agents are on their way.”

The distraction was enough for Oliver to act, he launched his leg and kicked the gun out of Agent Stacey Scro hand, she paused for a moment unsure of what had just happened. Oliver launched further forward knocking Stacey Scro off her balance, both tumbled to the floor. “Get help,” Stacey Scro screamed to Glaphyra.

Glaphyra nodded as she hurried over to where Agent Stacey Scro gun lay, she picked it up, as Stacey Scro struggled to knock Oliver off from on top of her. “Good girl, point the gun at Oliver, you better get off me you have a gun pointed at you.”

Oliver grabbed a fistful of Agent Stacey Scro hair and used that to ram her head into the carpet. She lay dazed at Oliver North jumped up. “Give me the gun?”

“Don't give him the gun,” Agent Stacey Scro said as she struggled to get up, give me the gun.

“I'm not giving you the gun,” Glaphyra said to Oliver North. Agent Stacey Scro breathed a sigh of relief, it was short lived when the gun swung in her direction. “What's going on?”

A bullet rang out hitting Stacey Scro in the chest, Glaphyra fired a second round hitting her in the chest a second time. “But you can have the bullets. I knew I should have entered the Shooting event,” a small giggle escaped her lips.

“We have to go now, other agents will be here soon. Other West Phoenicians will be drawn to the scuffle and gunshots. We are going to have to make this look realistic, just in case of witnesses,” Oliver North said taking the gun from Glaphyra, “Get moving now, I have a car outside waiting.”

[Main Nation Ministry]

Jessica Attempts Peace

"What the fuck is even happening in Free Republics?" Jessica thought to herself, as she and Gerald headed back to the hotel after Daphne ripped the face off of Sorrento. Brenda was nevertheless, happy to see her. "Where were you? Come on, Jessica! I can help you get all cleaned up! You need to rest before we head home." Brenda said. "I'm cleaning my dress, but I ain't going to leave Free Republics until I offer my regards to the others!" Jessica said to Brenda. "But what about what the Truth News is already saying? They had journalists for the Olympics already covering your current incident." "Brenda, we have other nations in this place going through stuff from what I heard is just as bad as us. You expect me to leave without, at least, giving them some hope?" Jessica said.

"Hope? What are you talking about?"
"The news, Brenda! Amuaplye is having a bomber target people, who just took the coward's way out! West Phoenicia is going through some shit after our performance at the Garden of Eden! And there is probably some other nation that is going through all sorts of nonsense!" Jessica ranted.
"But you just nearly got hit by a truck!"
"And I watched someone who shoved me in front of that truck get mauled alive! That chick became those edgy type of bad asses you see in an Azerty comic! She looked even more hot when she was all scary looking. But what I'm trying to say is that I'm not leaving until I give them some peace!"

"Jessica! Jessica, you're alright?!" Masami arrived to meet with Jessica. "Well, how's Sorrento? They going to have his body in a morgue?" Jessica asked. "I'm just need to tell you something. When I was trying to catch Sorrento, moments before he had this flash drive full of stuff on him. It's a bit of sensitive stuff." Masami said, nervous. "Like what? He's been jacking off at some porn?" Jessica said, being humorous. "He has been spying on all of us! Including me and you!" Masami said, where Jessica went silent. "Is it porn of me?" Jessica said.
"Well...I didn't see any pictures of you, but it's about your behavior." Masami said, where she seemed to understand what he meant.

"Masami, don't worry. You took the flash drive to our security peeps, right?"
"Yeah? I'm guessing they are going to probably save us the trouble of making sure the information doesn't reach the public. Sorrento would have put it on one of his shows."
"Look. If it was pictures, I would have allow them to be deleted. About me being bipolar or having some mania depressive disorder or whatever you call it. Well. I'm sure my fans are probably too young to want to know about it, but I grew up with it and I'm still fine. No worries. I be open to it when I feel it's right. Even though I done some stuff where it probably affected my decisions." Jessica said, looking a bit sad. "Relax, Jess. Even though it isn't public, me and Brenda make sure she doesn't get involved with trouble." Gerald said.

"And there is my childhood and that warped my paradigms into the best spot to be comfortable. Being a part of a funeral home and all. But I can still be of help. And that's what I want to do for everyone else in the Olympics since they are having a hard time. Seeing how everyone is dying and all."
"Well. Seeing how there is now a bomb on Sorrento's blimp. Which I just heard is heading to Main Nation Ministry-"
"Hey! Don't get me nervous, dipshit! I have some family there that I want to make sure aren't dead! Even though Dad is probably using that underground bunker of his.."
"I guess this means Yamuna is probably have that ego of hers and not forgive me."
"Let's not focus on that. I have something planned for the day of the closing ceremony. It's a song, but I thought of it as an eulogy. Seeing how the police are already cracking down and all that. I can play a song for the athletes here, since people are buzzing about the whole "I can't believe Sorrento is fucking dead" thing. For all I know, this could end up getting heard by the others." Jessica said, warming up.

"Let's hope they get that bomb defused before it goes off." Masami said. "Don't worry, Masami. Main Nation Ministry is going to most likely have this impossible situation happen to them, where they do the whole dues ex machina shit to solve everything. They do it all the time. How about I get my crew? I can play a little song for you and some of our friends when they get back here."

[Kriegiersien]

A brief tale of terror

I can see his fist
holding Strong
Gold

Haiku Master and Karateka Chi Buri


Chi Buri was born in a small, remote mountain village at the age of 0 by his mother.
She immediately wanted to trade him for a rabbit, but her mother intervened.
“He is worth more than that, wait until you can marry him to a rich wife or sell as slave.”

But before his first birthday his mother gave him to a monastery for some apples, because his two teeth bit too hard and she didn’t want to share the milk anymore.
Here the monks teached him the way of fighting in the ancient martial arts form of Kung Bun, a style which he always held in his heart and promptly swapped with Karate as he found a new master, who was as a guest in the monastery.
The drunk fool showed him how to fight dirty, make booze and love. He left with him and the monasteries belongings as soon as they could.
With his master he began to wander the country, robbing houses and people on the street, until they found victims who were stronger and he had to leave his master behind to save his own live.

On a small mountain path he met a giant who blocked the way.
“Could you let me through, gentle giant?”, Chi Buri asked.
“No”, answered the giant.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Then be it”, sighed Chi Buri and hit the giants knee with a mighty kick.
A second later he lay at the ground crying, his leg broken, his ankle smashed.
The giant laughed and rolled him over the edge.

Screaming Chi Buri fell down, until he hit the ground.
There a farmer and her son found him and nursed him back to live.
Grateful that she had saved him, he helped her on her farm and was happy to have a companion in her son, who was around his age. He also liked to eat her cookies.

One day some men came to the farm. She had already told him that they came from time to time to take some food and money and do unspeakable things to her. When they reached the farm he blocked the way.
They laughed.
“She had a dog once, who tried to bite us, we ate him. Now she has a bunny, how cute.”
He laughed, too, then killed them and put their toothless heads on spikes at the corners of the farm.
When the women saw that, she didn’t stop screaming. He was confused and left, but not before taking the cookie jar with him.

In a forest he found a crane reading a book.
“What are you doing?”, he asked the crane.
“Reading”, said the crane.
“And what do you need that for?”, asked Chi Buri.
“To learn more about the world”, answered the Crane.
“Can you teach me?”

And so he learned reading, writing, poetry and more about the world from the crane until he thought he had learned enough and poisoned him.

He took his stuff and went to the next big city, were he started to make money with different jobs for a local family.
Opening doors, locking doors, talking with people behind the doors, bringing goods from A to B, serving drinks for the family, looking after the daughters, getting debts back, scraping new cars from other families, sparring with their Bodyguards and others.
After he had won most fights in fight clubs in the basement, he finally got a big task from his foster father in the family.
“Chi Buri, you are an adult now and a cun.. cunning, quick, strong. Why don’t you try to fight in the National Championships in Schoenwetter? I would be proud of you if you win, you would be away from my daughter for a while and I don’t have to cut off your balls.”

So everyone was happy when he went to Schoenwetter and won the Olympic Qualification for Karate.

When he was sitting in the Airplane to Republica he had only one thought. How could he get it on with this hot stewardess?

[Todd McCloud]

Vekaiyu's First Medal in Cycling is Not without Controversy
Reporting for V3 News Services, Rin Slakori

REPUBLICA - The 28-year-old native of the province of Iruk, Sayli Noslero, joins the long list in surprises the delegation of Vekaiyu had in store for both the media and the fans today as she rode home with the gold medal in Women's BMX. Not only was this surprising in that it was Vekaiyu's first cycling medal, but the person who claimed victory was also quite unexpected. Indeed, Sayli Noslero finished as the last athlete above the cutoff line on Day 19 as she fought a loose-handling bike all day. Adjustments made on Day 20 propelled her to the middle of the pack as she passed through her quarterfinal run, and the semifinal run on the next day seemed to show marked improvement from where she was several days earlier (though, again, she finished as the last entrant above the cutoff line).

Noslero had previously been seen as a bit of a loose cannon by circles within the media. Everyone remembers her abysmal performance from the Twelfth Olympiad where she was seen clearly swerving and sliding on the track, seemingly having difficulty in controlling herself and her ride. This, of course, rose concerns about her rumored sobriety issues, which the athlete had claimed to be slanderous and factually incorrect. A test administered after the event proved her case. Baseless as these claims were (the Vekaiyun campus was dry in Novonaya during the Twelfth Olympiad per orders from Chairwoman Riyna Yovkistre), the issue came to a head no less than 24 hours later when she voluntarily agreed to undergo a monitoring program offered by the Vekaiyun Olympic Council (VOC). Since its inception, the VOC has stressed the importance of its athletes remaining "pure"; that is, no performance-affecting substances taken during training or competition. The body provides an annual list that identifies said substances, with alcohol continuously listed as a Class III substance in most sporting events - a substance which, if determined to influence the athlete during training or any portion of any event, is punishable by immediate dismissal and revocation of any accolades won while enlisted in the Olympic program. It is the gravity of this offense which makes any claims serious, and why to date no one in the Vekaiyun Olympic delegation has violated the terms for a Class III substance.

"I like to have a beer now and then," Sayli Noslero clarified. "What's wrong with that? It's bigotry at its finest - they just want a polished person to win races, so they try to bring the rest of us down."

"Polished people" like Riyna Servichi? While Noslero did not indicate, Servichi is the premier cyclist in Vekaiyu, a fairly well-known and "grounded" celebrity in circles pertaining to biking and by all accounts should be the one to challenge for medals over any other Vekaiyun cyclist. Yet her national performance doesn't appear to correlate to Olympic contention. Cycling, as it were, can be tricky, especially if track conditions allow for strong variability - too dry and there is little traction, too muddy and it's even worse. With a field of 87 entrants, the sport is also highly competitive. To demonstrate absolutely none of the entrants in the final round were present in the final last year in Novonaya.

Although Servichi did not make the cutoffs for the final round, Noslero did and was positioned near the wall at the start of the race - an unfavorable prospect. However, after a start that pitted her in the middle of the pack, she quickly began to climb to the front of the pack after making several impressive and time-saving turns on the embankments in the circuit. When Dominique Defence of West Phoenicia spun into the soft mud on the hairpin turn 8, Sayli Noslero found her opportunity and pulled ahead of Valentyna Katharyn from Main Nation Ministry, securing the gold medal and Vekaiyu's first medal in cycling.

"Get your cameras ready - I'm about to have a cold one," she chortled while holding her medal high. "I don't have to train for a while, so seriously, let's get one started!"

[Liventia]

From: Javier Rosario <chefdemission.republica@olympicassoc.len>
To: LOA.ALL.REPUBLICA <all.republica@olympicassoc.len>
CC: Pearline Jones <pjones.chair@olympicassoc.len>; Terry Reynolds <treynolds.press@olympicassoc.len>
Subject: Team memorial service ahead of closing ceremony

Dear All,
It's hard to believe another Olympic Games is nearly over. With just five days to the end now I want to send all my support and encouragement to those of you still waiting to compete, and congratulations to everyone who has already finished their events.

I also want to thank everyone who has commemorated Frank Nelson during your competitions or on the medal podium after in some small way, be it pointing to the sky or tapping your heart or any of your small but heartfelt gestures. His family wish for me to pass on their grateful thanks to everyone who has held them in your thoughts over these trying days. For those of you who wish to pay quieter, more personal respects when you get home to Liventia, or for those of you who left the Games early to go to other events, Frank has been buried in Boister Cemetery. His family is happy for you to visit the site with flowers or cards.

As a team, I can confirm we will be having a memorial service on the final day of the Games at 16:00 local time in Republica, after the end of competition but before the start of the Closing Ceremony. This will take place, appropriately, at the City Skatepark, where Frank competed in his final event. It is a public area so needless to say, please be on your best behaviour. We are there to mourn and reflect. Attendance is not compulsory but I know many of you want to come, which is why we have chosen a location which can hold a significant number of people. We will also be inviting representatives of other NOCs to the memorial.

Given Frank was a skateboarder, his family have also asked that portions of the memorial be upbeat and against-the-grain. Therefore, after the formal reflection ceremony, we will invite our skateboarding team to perform a few tricks in memory of their friend.

I wish all of you continued success in the remaining days.

Yours,
Javier

Javier Rosario
Chef-de-Mission, Liventia Olympic Association

---

From: Javier Rosario <chefdemission.republica@olympicassoc.len>
To: <none>
CC: Pearline Jones <pjones.chair@olympicassoc.len>
BCC: Republica Chefs-de-Mission <all.cdms.list.republica@olympicassoc.len>
Subject: Team Liventia memorial service for Frank Nelson

Dear All,
I am writing to formally invite you, or representatives from your delegation, to a Team Liventia memorial service for Frank Nelson.

As you may know, Frank was sadly found unresponsive in his lodgings during these Games, and despite the best efforts of medical teams is no longer with us. The Liventia Olympic Association has kept open a book of remembrance/condolence at its offices in the International Broadcast Centre since the incident, which many of your athletes have already signed. The Nelson family wishes me to pass on their gratefulness for this.

We will hold a short ceremony reflecting on Frank's life at the skateboarding venue, the City Skatepark, on the final day of the Games prior to the Closing Ceremony. The service will start at 4 pm local time in Republica. You, senior officials from your delegation, and any members of your skateboarding team (should you have had one) who are still present in Republica are warmly invited to attend to pay your respects.

In regard to the deaths of other athletes at these Games, notably from the delegation of West Phoenicia, we will also hold a minute's silence for everyone we have lost.

I hope you will grace us with your presence.

Warm regards,
Javier

Javier Rosario
Chef-de-Mission, Liventia Olympic Association

[Kelssek]

Iriru would have thought the deer was sleeping. But deer don’t usually sleep halfway through car windshields.

“Careful with that,” her boyfriend Kyle said.

“Careful of what?”

“Ticks. Lyme disease.”

“I’m not really sure that’s the main issue right now,” Iriru said as she pulled the car over and turned off the engine.

“I’ll stay in the car, if that’s alright with you.”

“You’re not gonna get Lyme disease like that...” she stopped herself. If the real reason was that Kyle just didn’t like large dead animals then that was his problem.

The driver of the deer-festooned car, a white-haired man wearing a grey hoodie despite the summer heat, stepped shakily out as Iriru approached.

“You okay?” she yelled.

“Yuh. Thanks... thanks for stopping. I’m fine. I wonder, could you just help me roll that deer over?”

“Uh huh.”

Iriru took a hold of the deer’s hind legs and began to pull it off the car.

“No, no, just put it on the hood so the head’s on top, belly facing up,” the man said. He opened the trunk and produced a set of knives, then came around to help position the deer the way he wanted. Despite its obviously fatal state, the deer didn’t have any visible injuries.

“You’ve been a great help.”

“You sure you don’t need a ride? That car’s not going anywhere.”

“My son will be coming to get me. It’s quite alright.”

“Well, I’ll give you my number. I’ll be in Leedston, just 10 minutes down the road, if you need anything. You should get checked by a doctor if you start feeling dizzy and stuff. Concussion doesn’t show until later.”

“Oh, I think I’ll be fine. Goodbye now.”

Iriru got back in her car. In the rear-view mirror she saw the man slice the deer open.

“Check for ticks, girl.” Kyle said.

“Can you just text Howie and tell him I might be 10 minutes late.”

* * *

“And so that’s how I ended up with a month’s worth of venison in the freezer,” Iriru told the morbidly fascinated KBC Olympic Primetime host.

“And you made it to training on time?”

“On time.” she laughed.

[Free Republics]

Day 23 Cutoff

[West Phoenicia]

Special Agent Franco Genoa was speeding to reach the Olympic Village where the West Phoenician delegation stayed. He had just gotten off the phone with Baroness Flora Freeman, she had advised she had given Oliver North the rest of the day off. She was devastated when he dropped the bomb that it had been her personal assistant who had committed the murders. She did not believe it at first, he assigned an agent to head over to her hotel room to show her the dossier. He let her know what had gone down at the hospital. He could literally feel the blood drain from her body. “PR nightmare was one of the first sentences escaping her lips once the truth sunk in. He had been such a great personal assistant, now I know he was using his position to obtain details for his evil plot.
She promised to meet up after the issue was dealt with to confirm all the facts before she sent out a statement to all the team.

Special Agent Franco Genoa knew he was breaking speeding laws, but he had to get to the Olympic Village fast. The Free Republics police department were also on their way.
He pulled into the Carpark and was stepping out when he saw what he needed to see, Glaphyra was being ushered forward in the direction of a car. Oliver North was behind her, a panicked look on his face as he moved forward in a hurry.
If he waited there was no telling where Mr North would drive Glaphyra too, and he didn't want the guy in the roads. If he felt threatened he may lash out at other motorists.

Special Agent Franco Genoa grabbed his gun from the holster as he slid out of the car. “Get your hands up in the air Oliver North you are under arrest,” he leaned over using his car as a shield.

A number of people outside the village heard the noise and ran back inside. Others grabbed their phones and took snaps.

Glaphyra eyes bulged open in shock, she recoiled and tried to hide behind a car. Oliver North reached for the gun he had taken off Special Agent Stacey Scro, he raised it in the direction of the agent.

“It's over, I know why you did it North, but your vengeance game is over. Come out peacefully, I don't want to have to shoot you.”

In the distance he heard the sound of police sirens getting louder. Another car was lurching it's way into the carpark. He recognised it as one of his at agents cars.

“Let me leave or I will shoot,” Oliver screamed out.

“Can't do that. Don't make is shoot you, put the gun down and let Glaphyra go.”

Oliver North looked down to Glaphyra, “I love you,” he whispered.

The other car stopped, two agents poured out, guns ready.”

“I had to kill them, what they did was wrong. Glaphyra was different, she said she loved me. I'm not going to hurt her, we just want to run away together. Please let us go?”

Glaphyra eyes bulges with fury, if he kept opening his mouth he would ruin the whole plot. He would implicate her. She was not going to prison.

“Please help me,” Glaphyra said slowly starting to tear up “His crazy, I had to say whatever I could to survive, He is going to kill me, he even killed Special Agent Stacey Scro. She's dead upstairs.”

A look of hurt shone in Oliver's eyes “What are you saying?”

“Get away from me you nut,” she lunged forward knocking Oliver off balance for a moment, as she tried to slip passed him, she screamed for help as he made a move to grab her, “Glaphyra, what are you doing? You weren't like the others, why are you acting like this,” he grabbed her by her hair and yanked her back. She let out another scream and went for his gun, be struggled fighting her off. With a hard push he knocked her to the floor.

“Drop the gun,” Special Agent Franco Genoa repeated.

“Shoot them Oliver,” Glaphyra whispered from the ground. I love you, I was trying to cause a diversion.”

Oliver North raised the gun, he was torn, what should be do?

A bullet rang out from Agent Franco Genoa gun, he had seen Oliver raise the gun, it looked as if he planned to shoot Glaphyra. The bullet hit his shoulder he flew back, the gun flying out of his hand, he slammed into a nearby car; the car apart rang out. As he passed out.

On hands and knees Glaphyra started to crawl away, “Help me” she sobbed as she moved in the direction of the special agent. “Thank the gods you arrived in time, he would have killed Mike poor agent Stacey Scro and all the other West Phoenicians. It was only harmless fun, I and believe he still hates us all after all of this time.” Glaphyra threw herself into the arms of Franco Genoa “You saved my life,”

The other two agents hurried over to check on the condition of Oliver North.

“He is crazy. He is going to say the most awful stuff. Probably will blame me too, “Glaphyra sobbed.

“His going to be spending a long time in either a Prison or mental hospital. No one so believe the words of a madman.”

‘I hope so, he looked so normal at first, hard to believe be was hiding his mental delusion.” Glaphyra said, the sound of police and ambulance sirens grew. So had the amount of onlookers who were filming the incident.

Agent Genoa motioned one of the agents to check on Agent Stacey Scro.

“I tried to help her, but he was too strong. He slapped me and before I could react he had shot your agent friend. It's so devastating. Could I please go somewhere safe, I don't like it out here. Maybe I can meet you at the hospital or something,”

“Ambulance will be here shortly to check you over and then drop you at the hospital. I will be around much later to take down your statement.”

“Can't I go now, the thought of being so close to him is making me sick,” Glaphyra Said she looked over to where one of the agents was compressing Oliver's bullet wound until the ambulance arrived. “I think I may be in shock,”

“ I suppose I can give you a lift to the hospital. You are lucky I'm a sucker for a pretty face.”

“Well that I have,” Glaphyra said, flashing the special agent a seductive smile.

“How's the suspect?”

“He will be okay. Passed out right now, so hopefully he will stay that way to when get him into the prison ward at the hospital.

The agent who had gone to check on Special Agent Stacey Scro came bolting out of the building. “Don't let that girl get away, Stacey is still alive, she just told me, what actually went down. That girl tried to kill Stacey, shot her twice. Don't let her get away!”

Franco reached out and grabbed Glaphyra by the arm who attempted to walk away.

“Get your hands off me, I didn't do anything. I'm the victim here.”

“Pretty face but a rotten heart. Your good locks won't get you out of this mess, you are a wicked lady. I want to hear what Stacey has to say. What do you think she is going to say?”

“They all deserved to die for their bullying. I did the world a favour by helping rid the world of common trash and bullies. No jury will convict this innocent face” Glaphyra said as she felt the cold metal of handcuffs placed around her wrists.”Not the white gold brackets I am sure you are into.

“You're as delusional as your partner in crime. May the gods have mercy on your soul. Because the way it looks, you both going to hang.

“No jury will hang me. And once our story gets out about how Oliver was bullied and harassed , they will give him a medal not a noose.