[b]Gideon, Miriel, Katsu[/b]

Gideon threw himself into the water, a split second after the mermaid, Miriel. His webbed hands and gills would help him to swim fast in physical form, but the fish tail of his opponent would make an equal, or most likely better, swimming aid. He [i]couldn't[/i] phase in - it was not the though of an extra lap, on the contrary, he would almost have welcomed that, but the insult of being beaten on his first day - by a girl.

Risking a glance to his left, Gideon saw that mermaid was already two meters ahead and not slowing. He increased his speed further, drawing level with her.

She also glanced at him, and, seeing him so close, beat her tail deep into the water and launched herself forward, dousing Gideon. Already wet, and being a naiad, this wasn't a problem, but the message was clear - back off. He blinked the water from his eyes, and saw that she had gained four meters on him.

Diving underwater to escape more deluges, he kicked with his feet and shot forward, just below the surface. Wriggling like an eel, he slid through the water and overtook Miriel.

Then, he realised. His legs had phased into the water. Pulling them back together, he allowed his buoyancy to lift him to air above, hoping no one had noticed. If only the mermaid had been a nereid or an oceanid - both would have had the same problems as him.

But, Gideon had one advantage; she was an ocean dweller - he inhabited enclosed sources all the time. Focusing his mind, he allowed his consciousness to examine the water (carefully holding his cellular structure together) and search for a way. With the race nearly over, and the side of the pool growing ever closer, it was a race against time.

Then, he saw it. Or rather sensed it. A sideways current from a filter accompanied by the forward drag of Miriel - a perfect route. Pushing with his hands, he threw himself forward and got caught in the flow, propelling him onwards. With a cheeky grin, a swept past the mermaid and doused [i]her[/i] with water.

The side was inches away. As he reached forward, a [i]sploosh[/i] sound resounded in the water - Miriel leaping out of the pool and thrusting her tail forwards. It brushed the side just before his fingers closed around the edge.

Turing to glare at her, she gave him a smug grin. Clearly, she thought nothing whatsoever of him. 

Now to see whether he was in for another lap...