Rio Olympics Meme

[onedayoff]

The Olympic Meme

Citrus - Altius – Pecunia

Welcome to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games! Every four years the nations of the world come together in a celebration of completion, skill, and construction contract controversy that draws the eyes of the world to see the best of the best match up in swimming, gymnastics, basketball, and other events that NBC can’t be bothered to cover.

Yet cynicism aside, the Olympics do symbolize the truly global community in which we live, and offer a chance to build connections between nations, lift up athletes who’ve shown immense dedication and devotion to the spotlight, and maybe inspire a new generation to be even greater.

Whether it actually achieves those lofty ideals, well, that’s up to you, but whatever your perspective, your characters have now been given the opportunity to participate in these games. They could be athletes, competing in the events they have dedicated their lives to, coaches trying to corral their teams and keep them focused on the games, reporters trying to cover all the different events and stories, tourists watching the games or locals trying to handle the massive disruption to their lives. Maybe the games are even just a backdrop to the real scenes, a demon hides among the pole-vaulters, or you bump into your childhood love at the fencing stadium.

Have fun!


Background for inspiration:

•  Map of the grounds
•  Olympic Village Map
•  List of sports
•  Lonely Planet guide to Rio

Comments

Asuka Tenjoin | Yugioh GX | Team Japan Volley Ball (either beach or indoor)

[cyberdancingqueen]

Her whole life, Asuka had pushed herself to exceed expectations. She’d learned from a young age that if she did not make her own path, that there was a world of people out there more than happy to choose it for her. Actually, choosing her own path had done little to discourage most of those people anyway, but had given Asuka the sense of purpose to inform them calmly and politely where they could take their suggestions of her becoming an idol, or a secretary, or finding a wealthy CEO to marry.

Instead, she had embraced her passions, fighting an uphill battle to become both a high ranked player in the global competitive collectable card game scene, as well as a nationally ranked volley ball player, scouted in card game high school by one of Japan’s top coaches, who’d taken Asuka under her wing and convinced her to complete in the Asia and Oceania qualifying tournament. Her relatives had supported her in this venture, figuring it would be a good experience to put on a college admissions essay, perhaps even direct her away from the whole “children’s card game” competitive craze that seemed to be sweeping the world.

Only her brother Fubuki had realized that by challenging Asuka to accomplish the seemingly impossible, their family had ensured she would be representing Japan in Rio. Simply put, his sister would accept nothing less.

Which was why she and her roommate were currently unpacking their bags in the Olympic Village, Fubuki had booked first class hotel reservations a year ago on the cheap, and the rest of their family was left back in Japan, still not quite sure what had happened.

(OOC: Open to any sort of interactions, whether a teammate or coach in the village, rival or member of another nation’s delegation at the opening ceremony, during or after a match, all CR welcome)

[psychicduelist]

Asuka wasn't the only one who had been pushed to exceed expectations. At a young age, Aki had a path designed for her but realized as she grew up that it didn't have to be one of loneliness and complete solitude. She also was a high-ranked player in the global competitive card game, known as the Black Rose with her ace monster Black Rose Dragon.

But the card game wasn't the only thing Aki was good at. She also ranked high in the volleyball tournaments, also scouted by the same coach that had taken Asuka under her wing. Aki wasn't new to the idea of teaming up with people, as she'd teamed with her friends in one of the most famous and well-known card game tournaments before meeting Asuka.

Thanks to Aki's parents and their support, she also represented Japan in Rio when the time came. At the moment, she was unpacking in the Village while deep in thought. She might be a volleyball player, but deep down Aki never forgot her roots as a Duelist.

"Asuka? Is everything okay?"

[cyberdancingqueen]

"Hmm?" Asuka looked up from where she'd been unpacking her suitcase into the large green dresser set up next to their small beds. She'd found herself a little lost in thought, going over their schedule for the day in exhausting detail in her head. The fact that they didn't actually have much to do today hadn't really dissuaded her.

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry Aki, everything is fine," she answered, smiling warmly at her teammate. While the two had never crossed swords at any tournaments before, the duelist community was not so large that she hadn't heard of the other girl's skill, and they had several mutual acquaintances in the community. She'd been rather relieved to find out who she would be paired with for the games, their common interest helping both women quickly become comfortable with each other. She'd also quickly learned that any dark rumors swirling around the Black Rose Duelist was about as grounded in reality as her own reputation, which was to say, not at all.

Now, after training together for as long as they had, she considered the slightly younger woman to be as close as a sister.

"I was just thinking about what we had to do today, I wouldn't want to forget anythi-" suddenly her voice trailed off, and her usual calm expression transitioned into one of jaw dropping disbelief as she happened to glance out the window to catch the twenty foot banner that had just been unveiled down the side of the building across the street. Mostly because on that banner was a massively blown up picture of her as a 6 year old in a pretty pink dress, with the words, 'CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL SISTER' printed in big bold letters underneath.

In that moment, a deadly silence fell across the room, as the normally dignified representative of her country stood frozen and wide eyed, waiting for her brain to catch up to her brother's latest insane antics.

[psychicduelist]

"That's good. You hadn't said much since we arrived, and...I was concerned." It was thanks to their mutual acquaintances that Aki had met Asuka, and once discovering she was very gorgeous as well as kind, it didn't take long for her to warm up to the other woman.

She trained effortlessly with Asuka, not just in tennis but also when it came to friendly duels that didn't have anything to do with high-ranked tournaments or even the fate of the world being on the line. It was those special moments that caused her to admire and look up to the blonde, caring for the older woman much like she was her sister.

"That makes sense. We did take inventory on what we had to do on the plane, and having one last check wouldn't be too bad-" The only reason AKi stopped talking was due to the stunned, wide-eyed expression on Asuka's face. Stepping forward to take in the sight before her, she took in the view of a twenty foot banner, a picture of Asuka from 6 years old and the bold letters beneath it.

Silently admitting that her partner looked really cute and adorable at that age, not believing that she herself could've looked as attractive at the same age, Aki waited a heartbeat and then another while staring at Asuka with a semi-surprised look. Her next response was barely audible enough for her to hear.

"Asuka...?"

Haruka Nanase | Free! | Team Japan what else but swimming

[nanaharu]

[Haruka hardly ever expected that he would be here-- he never thought it would be like himself to want to reach for something like this. Training hard, doing things that he didn't really want to do (land training)... when he thought too much about it, he wondered if he was betraying his sense of self. That self that wanted to stay still in time.

But like water, people are always shifting and changing. Sometimes in ripples, sometimes in waves. Sometimes in the most unexpected directions. So when he finally accepted the call of the different and fought against his fear of change, it didn't feel like he was betraying himself. Just changing naturally with that spirit in him that he hadn't noticed, hadn't paid attention to before. Why force himself to be a certain way? Why not fight hard and see the horizon stretching all around the world, wherever this flame might lead?

The world is mostly water, anyway. He now wants to see even more of its shores. (It's a shame, though, about Rio's water...)]

((OOC: Feel free to approach him for a heartfelt talk about feelings (before or after a race) or try to rope him into Olympic Village shenanigans. Any scenario is good. Can also match format!))

Clint Barton/Hawkeye | MCU | Team USA Archery and Shooting

[eyeofthehawk]

[This wasn't Clint's first Olympics as he'd been at the London Olympics four years ago and was here in Rio to defend his title, he wasn't called Hawkeye back in America for nothing but this time his coach thought he was good enough to be placed in two events this time round rather than just the archery, Clint would be tested on his firearms too.]

[ooc: Be Clint's coach, a teammate, a rival or a fan or anything one/thing else that would be there.]

[shelbycobra]

[Shelby is just standing there looking clueless. Not that she was not flattered to be invited; she was nothing if not loyal and Clint being a friend she wanted to be there to support him. But the Olympics was alien to her. Auto racing was not an Olympic sport. The closest that there was were the X Games and that didn't include her kind of racing so really, she's just here in jeans and a baseball cap looking around like she's on another planet.]

So, what do you need me to do?

[Because about the only thing she's good for is whatever Clint might need. Either that or borrowing one of the golf carts in the Olympic Village and driving around in it.]

[eyeofthehawk]

[It was nice just have someone by his side, supporting him. When Clint had found out he had this VIP pass valid until the end of the Games he hadn't been sure who to give it to, other athletes had given it to a family member or their partner but Clint wasn't on speaking terms with his brother, he was single, he doubted any of his other friends would enjoy themselves and Lucky had to stay home. That was why he had invited Shelby.

Shelby was a fellow sports-person, she would understand the hype, the stress and the nervousness he would be going through before competing and surely it was time for her to cheer him on instead of the other way round.]

Right now, I need you to look like you're enjoying yourself. I know this isn't as fast paced as you'd like but at least you can say you've been to an Olympic games.

[shelbycobra]

It's not that I'm not enjoying myself, I just don't know what to do other than cheerlead. And I left my miniskirt at home.

[That last comment said with a sly smile, they both knew she didn't even own a miniskirt. But she would do anything that he needed her to do; that was why she was there. Shelby was just having a hard time figuring out how to be useful in a place that had absolutely nothing to do with any of her skill sets.

She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans. She was flattered that he had asked her. She just wanted to be sure that she then did justice by that and was actually useful to him.]

Let's at least get you settled before I go scope out the parking lot.

[ooc: BTW, apparently the actual Olympic Archery was last night if you want to play that or just play around it.]

Rin Matsuoka | Free! | Japan's swimming team ofc

[rinsecure]

[ Look, there's not much to be said here: this is Rin Matsuoka, finally achieving his dream of making it to the Olympics. There's a variety of scenarios to be played, such as:

> Rin Matsuoka crying over having taken his first step in Rio;
> Rin Matsuoka crying over trying on his Olympic jersey;
> Rin Matsuoka crying in his dorm room;
> Rin Matsuoka crying as Team Japan is called in the opening ceremony;
> Rin Matsuoka crying after his first round of training in the Olympic pool;
> Rin Matsuoka crying over a fellow athlete who's just messed up their event;
> Rin Matsuoka crying over the beautiful scenery;

Or you can pick your own scenario! But heads up: the end result will stay more or less the same. ]

i'm laughing like hell

[heiring]

[ HELLO FELLOW OLYMPIAN. The two of them have probably passed each other several times due to being from the same team, but Reiji's in track instead so they... probably haven't talked much.

Of course, he can't pass up someone crying. ]

Hey, are you okay?

[ Probably not? But why is a grown man crying?? ]

/gives you and Rin your dream

[rhincodontidae]

[It's been a long trip, getting from Tokyo to Rio. For Sousuke in particular, the road through rehab after his surgery felt like a marathon but after the darkest time when he left Samezuka, it's turned into a tunnel with a light at the end. Of course, the closer he's gotten, the brighter it's become, but Rin was getting brighter all on his own. Sousuke's enjoyed watching him emerge as a media darling with his long hair and his dazzling grin and his tendency to tear up every third interview or so. (Sousuke has his share of attention, too, given his comeback story, but his answers aren't nearly as charming, only sort of by design. It's Rin who deserves the accolades, not him.)

That tendency to cry hasn't gotten any better as they've been going literally from Tokyo to Rio. Leaving Gou and Rin's mother at the airport? Tears. Seeing Japan getting smaller out the window of the plane? Tears. Touching down in Rio, getting into the van to get to the hotel, seeing their dorm for the first time... Sousuke's resigned himself to just passing Rin water bottles to make sure he stays hydrated through all this. Somehow, Rin doesn't even seem to realize.

Once they're settled--properly, after the opening ceremony (and more tears), setting training routines again and being under strict orders to not strain themselves outside of the pool--Sousuke finds a moment in the dorms to hook an arm around Rin's neck.]

Come on. Let's go watch something.

you're so good to us

[rinsecure]

[ Tearful inclinations aside, Rin can't see why this shouldn't be an emotional moment to all of them-- not just to him or Sousuke, or even the entire Japanese team, but to all athletes competing in the Olympics, each with their own stories, their own pain and sacrifices. Whether through natural talent or sheer hard work, they all have had to overcome their own limits to earn the right to be among the best in the world, but if he's allowed a little bias, he'd have to say that, at least out of the two of them, it's Sousuke who deserves the most praise-- for his impressive comeback, if not for the constant steady rock he's always been for Rin.

(It's been a long time coming, but Rin has finally learned to notice the kind of support only Sousuke can give him, whether it was checking on him in Australia and cheering him up when hardship worn him down, or even something as subtle as passing over water bottles when his tears became too much. He realizes it all, he appreciates it all, but these thoughts don't shift into words just yet. Maybe it's just the way they work.) ]

What, you wanna check out the competition? [ He teases with a smirk and a single bump against Sousuke's shoulder, but otherwise it's an easy lean into a much broader, taller figure. ]

[rhincodontidae]

[If Sousuke seems overly stoic, it's largely just an attempt to balance out against Rin, though he's also just naturally less inclined to show emotion than Rin is. He knows that while Rin is riding his highs and lows that he also needs a solid place to come back to; that's where Sousuke's always going to come in. It's a natural feeling partnership, at least in his mind, but he gets the feeling that Rin's finally starting to realize it too. Maybe in some alternate universe the road getting here could've been shorter, but Sousuke doesn't really mind as long as Rin's at the end of it.

He puts on an excessively thoughtful expression for a moment then shakes his head.]

Not the swimmers. You'll end up cheering for them and then we'll end up on the news because you're crying over the competition. There's got to be something else, though.

[He's sure there's a schedule around here somewhere but he'd rather see if there's anything Rin wants to do before just rattling off suggestions.]

[theoryandcalculation]

[Never let it be said of Rei Ryugazaki that he is not prepared.

He wasn't allowed to bring a full backpack into the Olympic park, so he has a side back instead (it is not a purse, thank you very much) that is full of essentials, particularly several travel packs of tissues. More than once while visiting Rin in open-to-the-public areas he's had to pull a few out to pass to his leaky boyfriend, but as he stands near the rail, clinging tight as he double checks and triple checks the times (there's Rin's name, with a picture of the Japanese flag and a big gold one right next to it), he's suddenly starting to feel like he needs the tissues instead.

Rin's getting out of the pool, and there's a flurry of movement as his teammates and reporters try to get to him to capture his initial reaction to having won his first gold medal at the Olympics. Rei looks between what he can see of his red hair and the scoreboard two times before he remembers he should take a picture of Rin's winning time, and he nearly drops his camera before finally getting a snapshot. Then, in a flurry of adrenaline, he takes several more pictures, swinging the camera around to catch the scene. Is it the pictures that are blurry or are those just the tears in his eyes? It's a little of both.

Finally, he's able to run down onto the pool deck, where family and friends of the team are allowed to see their loved ones. The medal ceremony will start soon, but Rei hopes he can at least steal Rin away from the cameras for just a moment to congratulate him.

He's waving a tissue in desperation as Rin turns his way, another dabbing at the tears in his own eyes. It's not the most beautiful sight.]

Rin!

[rinsecure]

[ If Rei had been seeing a blur, then to Rin had been functioning on auto-pilot from the moment his hand slapped the wall.

He barely registered when the crowd started cheering, and before he knew it, his rivals from neighboring lanes were patting his back and offering congratulations, and at some point between all this, there was more than chlorine water in his eyes-- probably around the time he checks the score board, his name at the very top. He's finally made it.

There's time for some quick celebration - protocol dictates they clear the pool as soon as possible for the next event - and once Rin leaves the pool, it's not the raging fans or crowing reporters that his eyes are desperately seeking; those are important, but not as much as the one person who has always been by his side-- the one person that put him right back on track, back on the path that led to this one crowning moment of victory. ]

Rei! [ He all but flies up the stands, arms snaking tight around his boyfriend's neck-- and close like this, despite the noise and overwhelming emotions, Rei can probably (definitely) make out the familiar sound of choked sobs streaming at his ears. ]

[theoryandcalculation]

[Rei is barely able to contain his own sobs, but this is hardly the moment to try. These tears are full of happiness at his love's accomplished dream, as well as pride, that he has come so far. Rei has never felt so purely happy for someone else than in this moment, watching Rin's dream finally realized. He's worked hard to get here, and has sacrificed a lot, and Rei has too, to be alongside him for the journey. But it's all paid off now.

He throws his arms around Rin's back, holding him just as tightly, not caring that his shirt is getting soaking wet. He can hear cameras snapping, but he doesn't look up at any of them - in a whole arena of people, the only one there to Rei is Rin.]

You did it! You did it!

[He smiles through his tears, laughs joyously.] I'm so proud of you.

Dolly Jones// Hetalia OC// Team USA Equestrian Jumping// F/M for shipping

[dixie_tn]

She was here! She finally made it to RIO!

Dolly was the best of the best, when it came to Equestrian jumping, and there she was, alongside her USA teammates, entering the stadium with their opening ceremonies uniform, tears forming in her eyes.

"Keep it together, Jones!" She sniffled, running a hand through her hair.

After the fun and festivities of the opening ceremony, Dolly stood in the paddock, listening to the distant cheers of the fans in the audience.

"Eaasy big boy, easy." She cooed to the Grey Arabian stallion, who snorted slightly at the sounds of the crowds, as she ran her hand through his mane and handed him a carrot to munch on, that she snuck away from her breakfast. "...I hear them too. We've got this, okay? You leave the worrying to me.".

Re: Dolly Jones// Hetalia OC// Team USA Equestrian Jumping// F/M for shipping

[jrey]

"Good advice." Jessie, one of the stable hands for the US team said, going to help Dolly get the stallion settled, "I don't think she's used to that many people." Jessie observed, petting the horse gently.

Have you been watching the olympics, bee tee dub?

[dixie_tn]

The horse snorted at the hand, as his ears flicked back and forth on his head, as Dolly tried to pat the stallion gently. "Easy, Rio, easy." She soothed gently, as the horse pawed the ground, causing the rider to jump back slightly. "...I just don't understand it...he's competed in events like this before, but now? Now, he's starting to freak out over the littlest of things...".

On and off, what about you??

[jrey]

"Well, this is probably the biggest crowd he's ever been," Jessie said, nuzzling her head against the horse's neck, and whispering softly to him, "Not to mention all the fireworks and pomp and circumstance. I think she's doing OK right now." Jessie said, petting the horse's neck soothingly, "How are you holding up??" Jessie asked, a little concerned.

Lilian "Lili" Carpathia// Avengers/Marvel OC// Team USA Swimming//F/M for shipping

[surfshopbabe]

Stepping into the aquatic arena, with the hood of her jacket over her head, with headphones blaring music to block out the noise outside, Lili stepped into the green room, shoes squeaking against the wet floor.

She then plopped down in a chair, doing her own version of the Phelps face, as she took a long swig of her water, gulping it down, as she stretched her arms.

((OOC: Lili's open for teammates, rivals, the like. Feel free to annoy the snot out of her, she's like a bleeping sea creature in the water totally in the zone.))

Re: Lilian "Lili" Carpathia// Avengers/Marvel OC// Team USA Swimming//F/M for shipping

[jrey]

Jessie was as serious as most of her teammates, but seeing Lili with that look couldn't get anything but the smirk it got. She walked over, sitting across from her, and matching the stare.

"If you keep making that face, it's gonna stick that way." Jessie said, chuckling even more, and swigging her own bottle of water, "Did you hear the pool water is green? I'm not sure if I should be curious or scared."

[surfshopbabe]

"Pbbbbth!!!!" Lili stuck out her tongue, as she rolled her eyes. "...oh, gawd, yes! They say it's algae, but I hardly doubt that's the case!".

She then took a long swig of her water, as she glanced at her teammate. "Dude, did you see Lochte's hair after he got out?!" Lili commented, as she shook her head. "...algae, my ASS!".

[jrey]

Jessie laughed, glad to break the tension with her friend. Nobody performed well under that kind of stress.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I betcha one of us is gonna come out with no suit because that green water ate it." Jessie said, chuckling.