"Ha! No tips really. Just don't overexert yourself. We never want anyone to get hurt.  This is all just friendly fun," Greta says to Mei. "How about you say when to start, okay?" Greta seems excited for the contest, but pretty relaxed as she waits.

(OOC - for this, make 3 Athletics Checks and I will narrate results!)

DM Rolls:

"Whatever will give me opportunity to spend time with the treasures you keep in here." The purple-skinned tiefling says with apolite smile and accepts the offered form, then quickly producing ink and a pen from his shoulder bag to fill it out before returning it to the bearded human, then heading back outside the Student Activity Center, resuming his impatient waiting for the orientation to start.

Chara takes the brochure and looks it over for a moment... and... it actually does look like a lot of fun. And... for possibly the first time in her life... Chara might be able to feel seen without being stared at like some kind of freak. She returns the fire genasi's smile.

"That... actually sounds like a lot of fun," she says, taking a moment to brush a few strands of silver hair out of her face as she scrutinizes the pamphlet. "I've never really done anything like this... but then again, I think I'm going to be doing a lot of things for the first time now that I'm here..."

She looks up from the pamphlet, with an uncertain but very intrigued look on her face.

"Alright, I think I'll give it a shot. Thank you so much!"

((edited to add in her reaction to Knap, even though that technically comes next lol!! With the results already in, just still wanted to squeeze it in somewhere))

The bun atop Mei's head wobbles as she nods excitedly. She adjusts her grip a few times on Greta's hand, still never gripping very tightly, and moves her elbow around to find a comfortable position. 

At Knap's helpful tips, she blinks across the table at him, "Belly power?" and experimentally tightens her core muscles. She has zero hope for a win, but getting to experience this feels a win all its own. 

'Lifting spirit.' 'Channel that strength.'

She beams up at the satyr and nods again, feeling a bit more confident than before. Even if she doesn't win a single time, getting to experience this feels a win all its own. "Okay! On 'go?' Ready... Set.... Go!"

Knap shuffles through a brochure. "Hi Greta, I'm Knap. Yeah, I'm ready to lift and I'm pretty sure my floor mates are also keen on it. Well...there might be some hesitation…it’ll all ‘books, books, books,’ with them by the sounds of it. But it’s all about the body and mind in unity…am I right? I’ll take a few brochures to try and convince them. But me? I’ve not lifted in any regimented or formalized practice. I used to play ‘lupis’d’loop’ with my cousins where we’d take turns trying to pick up sleeping wolves, spin around three times and place them back down without waking the cuties.”

Knap drops a few squats and strikes a pose showing off his calves below his three quarter length pants whilst also letting his deltoids pop. 

He notices Mei shimmy over her with her unique slippers. “Oh Hi Mei, you reckon you got that lifting spirit in ya?” “Whoa, you’re brave to challenge a club member on day 1.” Knap watches in anticipation and offers helpful tips to Mei, “Find your power not in your arms, but your core instead. Belly power is a sacred thing. Channel that strength.”

[ooc: Knap wants to take the help action to assist Mei in the arm wrestle]

Greta starts off strong in the battle against Mei. Within no time, Mei finds her arm pressed down nearly half way. She continues to struggle though, seeming to at least slow Greta's progress for a moment.  Slowly though the girl's arm is pressed lower and lower until finally the dwarf pins it to the table. 

"A victory!" Greta calls out. "But a very valiant effort Mei!" The dwarf had let go immediately upon claiming victory, then squeezed her opponents hand in a gentle, reassuring manner. A delicate touch from such a strongly muscled person.

After, Mei starts to realize a small group had gathered around the table, cheering on the contest. Many congratulate Greta. But a fair number are calling out 'Great job Mei!' or 'Don't worry - nobody can defeat Greta!'.

Zanther's eyes seem to brighten slightly as Chara seems so enthusiastic about the Cheer Squad. "I'll see you again soon!"

After Malvyn completed his form and have it back, he returns just in time to see the crowd gathered about Mei and Greta. Lesviel seems to be watching the contest from the doorway.

"Thanks for the brochures Zanther, I'll be seeing you for sure", Guardok says after Chara agrees to give it a shot. He flicks through the brochures as he gives a quick wave to Zanther.

"I really hope we both get in", he says to Chara as he turns to head back over to where Lesviel and Mal are waiting.

(OOC - Sorry Yorrick, I'd missed your post before I put the contest results. I certainly could have allowed your advice to help, but I'll just leave it as it happened. You certainly cheered Mei on though.)

Before the contest Greta had responded to Knap. "You seem like a natural at this stuff! Heh! Get it? Natural? Umm... well... in any case, you'd be great in the Iron Lifters"

Mei, face flush from both the exertion and attention alike, smiles from ear to ear. "I'd ask for best two out of three, but I think my arm would fall off," she laughs. The wizard is nothing if not a gracious loser, though she finds a curious spark of competitiveness lit within her that was never there before. Between Knap's kind guidance and the cheers from the small crowd, she understands now what Greta meant by pushing each other to meet their goals. 

Shaking out her sore arm and hand, the wizard walks back around the table. With a soft touch to Knap's elbow in thanks, she says with a giggle, "It seems I need to work on my belly power," then adds to both of them, features set with determination, "But I'll get my victory yet. It miiiight have to be against a training dummy, but still!"

"Yep, all naturale, just nuts and berries and insects for the protein boost. Where do I sign?" 

"Nice work Mei! I reckon with the appropriate, ahh, footwear, you may have got the upper hand."

"Oh yea! You can put your names on this paper here to sign up," Greta says to both Mei and Knap. "Most important is to show up for our first meeting! Time and place on the pamphlet. Early next week."

"Oh! Do you think?" Mei asks of Knap as she glances down at her feet. She taps her toes so the little ears flop. "I guess I should probably, um... heh." With a quick gesture down at her slippers, two glittering arcane butterflies materialize at her fingertips before fluttering down to rest on the bunny noses. They dissipate into a shimmery mist as the slippers are disguised as a pair of fashionable brown boots instead.

As Greta points out the sign-up sheet, Mei puts her name down after Knap. "I'll be there! Sans bunny slippers this time," she says in light self-deprecation. "It was really nice to meet you, Greta! Thank you for not, um, you know... pulverizing me." She tucks a pamphlet into her side satchel and waits for Knap before heading back to their gathering group, smiling back over her shoulder with a wave, "See you next week!"

Chara smiles at Guardok.

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough... It looks like a lot of fun and will give us something to do besides lounge around our dorm rooms!"

Lesviel sees that most everyone is ready to continue on, while Mellori seems to be just finishing up checking out the two tabels she was interested in.  "Alright, we should probably be moving on," she says, making sure to get everyone's attention. 

Once everyone is together, she walks again to the west, past the rooms you just visited. Before you get to the Hall of Oracles, you see a set of steps leading up from the library floor to a large stage. "This is the Ampitheater," Leviel says. "It can be used for special lectures, assemblies, and stage rehearsals are done here now and then.  Beyond it to the west you can see one of the two Book Gardens. Students can sit on the grass and study among foliage there if they wish. Sometimes it's nice to have a bit of the natural world around you."  

As the Elf is finishing speaking, you see a familiar red-headed human coming from the stage over towards you all. Quentillius calls out, "Mei! It's so very good to lay eyes upon your beauty once again. Come! Let me tell you about the Play­actors Drama Guild. We do a wide range of performances. I'm sure you would love it." 

"Oh, um, I wasn't looking at the time, I really need to get you all to the Hall of Oracles. Follow me!" Lesviel says, interrupting the Human. As the group goes, he says, "I do hope to see you later Mei!" 

Knap trails along behind Leviel and relaxes into the excitement filling the biblioplex. “Book Garden? Good name, that is. How old is Strix-'' Knap is cut off by Quintillius and forgets what he was about to ask. Knap keeps quiet not wanting to annoy the swaggering interjector again. He moves on in step with Lesviel.

Mellori thanks the minotaur and promises to join them for the next, and every subsequent meeting. She hopes and expects that, like her, there is both a romance in discovering and deciphering ancient languages – plus the prospect of unlocking new knowledge and even magic as a result. What could be more exciting?

Then she smiles at the Loxodon. She completes the form and returns the pen. “Thank you Rampart,” she replies. “I can’t wait for the first meeting this semester.”

Once completed, she looks around, vaguely aware that something interesting must have happened – but largely oblivious and genuinely uninterested, compared to what she’d just signed up to. Aware that the talk was on managing one job and one extra-curricular activity, she shook her head softly. Not being one to socialise, free time to her was study-time, so these clubs plus working at the library would be nothing short of perfect for her.

###

Once the group moves on, she tucks in and listens to Lesviel once more. She considers the Book Garden but dismisses it out of hand. How can you beat sitting amongst the books themselves? Her train of thought is interrupted by the red-headed man she remembers as being quite rude when she arrived.

As the foppish actor interjects himself, Malvyn gives him a cold glare, even snarling and baring his fangs slightly, not that Quint-something-something would notice as he is fully focused on blatantly trying to court Mei. For some reason he found himself feeling protective of Mei and his other floories, and while they all deserved positive attention he would hope it would be from someone more sincere and less superficial than this obvious flamboyant showman. The purple-skinned tiefling is then quite relieved as Lesviel has the group quickly move on. Malvyn then gathers courage to walk up beside Mellori. "I...I just visited the information desk and asked about being of service at the Biblioplex, I brought this form for you...I mean if you are still interested in working here." He says a bit awkwardly, offering her an application form with an insecure but friendly smile.