Chapter 8: This is fun?
The crowds were quickly filling up the stadium, their excited voices carrying through the air. Entrepreneurs hawked their wears, holding up flags and scarves with pictures of the participants emblazoned on them.
The Doctor looked up at a young boy who was waving a flag with his own likeness on it. "How do they do that so quickly?" He said to Pranis, indicating the flag.
Pranis called the vendor over. "Can I see one please?" He held the flag up next to the Doctor's face. Nice picture. I think it was right after the Princess kissed you last night."
The shock on the image's face was forever frozen in the moment. Pranis went to hand it back to the vendor, who told him to keep it. Grinning, Pranis tucked it into his shirt. "One day, this may come in handy."
Rolling his eyes, the Doctor turned away.
"Doctor, what exactly are you competing in today?" Pranis asked.
"An event that Chancellor Shue told me about. You have to throw lances at a giant dart board and accumulate points. Shouldn't be so bad."
"Until you fail miserably and are embarrassed by your lack of points, you mean." Pranis cheerfully stated. He was enjoying this.
The Doctor, in his mind, was just thinking how pleasant it would be to battle a Cyberman at that point rather than be tossing lances. But, keeping in the spirit of his new promises to live a fuller life, he was planning on giving it his best shot.
Other events were going on at this time, and both men stood on the sidelines enjoying the contest and cheering for the home team. One event was very similar to earth wrestling, except it was done in a gravity free sphere. The grunts from the participants were heard throughout the entire stadium.
Finally, the Doctor was called to the field, and he lined up with the other participants. He asked to go last since he didn't know what to do and wanted time to observe the others. A quick poll of the participants found no dissenting vote, and the first competitor stepped up to the starting point. He was handed an impossibly long lance, which bowed in the middle under its own weight. He threw it at the target, and the crowd cheered as it took hold and pierced the face of the board.
Each participant had three attempts, and the points of the highest two throws were tallied and entered onto the score board.
The Doctor found himself at the starting point, and a lance was handed to him. His arm buckled under the weight, and he wondered how in the world he was going to be able to throw such a heavy object. He looked over to Pranis, who was pointing to his own over developed bicep, and gave the Doctor a thumb's up. Right, the Doctor thought. Just use my brute strength.
He hoisted the lance up, and using everything he had, launched it at the target.
The lance crashed to the ground a mere couple of feet away.
The crowd erupted into laughter and the Doctor groaned. He still had to do this two more times.
Someone called a time out. The Doctor looked up to see who was extending his torture, and saw Chancellor Shue rushing over with several athletes with him. They circled him and all started in at once.
One of the men was wrapping a large, thick belt around his torso, buckling it so that it fit him snugly. He couldn't bend at the waist if he wanted to! Another was strapping similar supports to his forearms. A particularly large man, his blue skin gleaming with sweat, started talking quickly and earnestly to the Doctor.
"It's in the balance, not the strength. You have to find the balance, then just release it – but follow through with your arm, like this." He repeated the proper throwing gesture several times before stepping back.
Chancellor Shue said: "The Princess asked me to give you a message. She said that you're her champion, and she has faith in you."
Now he really wanted the ground to open up and just swallow him. The Doctor nodded at the Chancellor, unwilling to send his own message back out of fear of its political implications – you just can't say things like that to a Princess.
The referee called him back to the starting point, but now he felt like a gladiator approaching the coliseum. He copied the gestures that he had been shown, and took the time to get the lance balanced. He concentrated on the target, and gracefully pulled his arm back and released the lance – which sailed in a beautiful arc, piercing the target exactly in the middle!
He stood there, his mouth open, staring at the lance. The announcer's voice, barely coherent enough to understand what he was saying over his excited screams, called the game. The point value of the Doctor's single throw was higher than the value of the other contestant's accrued points from two throws, and he was declared the winner.
The crowd started chanting his name. He stood there for a moment, stunned, taking in the spectacle. As his hearts started beating with a normal rhythm, he looked around, his grin lighting up his face.
Pranis ran up to him, and pulling him into a bear hug, lifted him off the ground.
"Breath – can't" the Doctor gasped at his friend.
Pranis set him down, and unbuckled the gear from his friend. "I can't believe you did that! That was amazing!"
"Well, you just have to get the balance right and follow through with your arm. That's about all there is to it." The Doctor wasn't above a little humble manipulation.
The referee came up to the Doctor. "Congratulations on winning your event! The finals start after lunch. Please be in the tent then."
The Doctor turned, the smile immediately dropping from his face, and faced Pranis. "Finals?" he moaned.