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[b]Level:[/b] 3 [i](20/30)[/i]
[b]Word Count:[/b] 912
[b]Location:[/b] Edge of the Blue - Atlantis Temple
[b]EXP:[/b] +2
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Sephiroth, still wholly focused on the game before her, took little interest or note of the recent arrivals. As a matter of fact, the only thing she really did a doubletake on was their clothing, as it seemed rather out of place. But perhaps they planned on changing out of it later on or something. In any case, she wasn't too worried about what they might have been up to. She did have her own problems to worry about presently, that being knocking the horned woman off of her platform. Swimming over, Sephiroth took her place on her own little platform at the pool's edge, getting used to the odd balance as the others took their places on platforms of their own. Once everyone was settled however, including her purple haired rival, the game could finally begin. Starting off several of her fellow participants jumped, Sephiroth following suite a few seconds after, the impact of their feet with their platforms creating waves that radiated inwards to strike at Syndra's own. The horned woman managed to weather the storm though, as the waves hadn't been all that strong, her platform quickly stabilizing again following a few subtle rocks. Standing proud she turned her nose up into the air, a smug grin plastered across her face.

[color=violet]"Is that [i]really[/i] the best you can do?"[/color] she asked, lowering her gaze to stare at Sephiroth specifically. [color=violet]"Shame, I expected more."[/color]

While the meaning of Syndra's jab was not lost on her, stoking both personalities she taken into furious action, Sephiroth maintained her cool. This creature was beneath her after all, that much would be proven soon enough. As such, her remarks weren't worth the time of day, let alone a singular thought. Stomping again, she and the other guests sent out another series of waves, ones which were sure to destabilize Syndra's platform if she didn't shift her weight just right. Much to the SOLDIER's surprise however, the horned woman did, avoiding falling into the waters below. Despite this success, something about it just seemed... [i]off[/i], although Sephiroth couldn't say what exactly. Not yet anyway. Still, the discrepancy was enough to see her radar raised, while ensuring it remained that way for the duration of the game. In any case the game wore on, Sephiroth and the other two quests stomping in unison to send out increasingly stronger sets of waves, all of which Syndra somehow managed to survive. It wasn't a flawless survival by any means, but every time it seemed like she was about to stumble and fall she'd manage to right herself, the platform slowly stabilizing beneath her. Other times it appeared as though her platform had simply avoided the brunt of the water entirely, floating about this way or that but never really rocking. It was this unusual behavior, when combined with closer observation, that Sephiroth finally pieced together what was going on.

Syndra was cheating.

Somehow, someway, she must have been controlling the platform. Or at least making it far more stable than it would have otherwise been without her influence. Either way it was annoying, if a little clever. A type of revenge for what she'd done back on the previous ride Sephiroth assumed, as the woman seemed petty enough to stoop to that level rather than accepting both her place and loss to a superior being. An all too human thing to do, even if her rival wasn't actually one herself. At any rate, this simply wouldn't do. It was one thing for Sephiroth to resort to an underhanded method every now and then for the purpose of removing annoyances, but it was another thing entirely for a lesser being to try and do the same to her. Doubling her resolve, Sephiroth bided her time as the other guests sent out more waves, waiting for the moment Syndra attempted to snatch the Sand Dollar as she undoubtedly would. It was only then, when the horned woman's feet had fully left the platform [i]- her body extending upwards into the air as she grasped for the sand colored item -[/i] that Sephiroth brought her heel down with extreme force, creating a shockwave powerful enough to send one end of her platform careening up into the air. Syndra regretted going after the Dollar now, that much Sephiroth could see written across her face as she fell back down to earth, legs and arms splayed as the shock and panic of not having semi-stable ground to land on finally set in.

Hand planted on her hip, Sephiroth gave the most wicked of smirks as her rival made impact with the platform. Syndra's body went completely still, minus a few twitches here and there, while her face morphed into an expression lying somewhere between immense pain and total breathlessness. Her lips meanwhile, had formed a silent 'O', as the only sounds she could make were a series of quiet grunts followed by a mewling whimper. A few seconds later and she fell off the edge of the platform, landing in the water below with a tiny plop followed by a massive [i]*SPLASH!*[/i] as the platform itself settled back into its horizontal orientation. Breaching the surface face first, the dazed Syndra could do little to stop herself from floating past the gloating Sephiroth, who bent down to give her a consoling pat on the head.

[color=#7A7A7A]"Look on the bright side..."[/color]

She flashed the purple haired woman an amused grin.

[color=#7A7A7A]"At least you got the Sand Dollar."[/color]