Tulip's Mythic Emotions

Tulip's Mythic Emotions (Part 6)

The Twist
Aphrodite jingled a gold earring, "gods go on vacation too, girl." She smiled. Nadia sighed, "is this the part where we give you the Mood Puffs for a reward?" She asked. Aphrodite's face dropped, "oh no," she murmured, "I forgot." Emery tilted her head, "forgot what?" Aphrodite put her face in her hands, "oh jeez," she muttered and cursed herself before returning back to them. "What is it?" Tulip asked.
"Well, it's not that easy," Aphrodite told them, "getting your reward is supposed to be a challenge, and I have to create one for you to 'prove your worth' as they say." Katelyn put a hand on her face, "ugh!" She complained. "You know the gods, always trying to make things harder," Aphrodite said, trying to console her. "Ok, what do we have to do?" Rosy asked. "Usually I give people obstacle courses, but I'll go easy on you," she assured them.
"Ok, we're ready," Emery told her. "Great!" Aphrodite clapped her hands, "let's make this quick so you can get your reward," she said. The girls held hands, and Aphrodite closed her eyes. She made a humming sound, and sparks shot from her fingers. She opened her eyes and snapped her fingers.
The world stopped for a couple of seconds, and the girls found themselves in a red square. The area around them had disappeared, and a lively obstacle course lay ahead. Their first challenge was a simple balance beam, but they had to dodge a swinging hammer at the end. "I'll go first," Tulip said. She walked up to the beam, and slowly balanced her way to the end.
She expertly ducked as it swung over her head, and jumped to the next square. Emery followed and Katelyn came after. Nadia almost fell but caught herself in the nick of time. Rosy cautiously made her way to the end but struggled with the hammer. Tulip yelled, "duck!" Just in time for Rosy to get out of the way and jump onto the square.
       "Great job!" Aphrodite shouted from the other side of the course, "If you fall you're out!" She added, "and you need everyone to finish! So be careful!" Tulip groaned, "way to go 'easy on us'" she muttered. The next obstacle was a set of monkey bars that dangled in the air and spread across to the other side. "I'll go first this time," Rosy decided. She grabbed the first bar and swung to the next, and she did it over and over until she could leap down. Nadia repeated her and jumped down onto the new square.
Katelyn, Emery, and Tulip did the same. They hugged each other and turned to the next obstacle: Stepping Stones. A pool of water was underneath stone-shaped blocks that were laid out a couple of feet apart from each other. "We have to cross that?" Rosy complained. "Just bend your knees when you land," Tulip advised.
Katelyn went first and followed Tulip's advice. She landed almost perfectly, and continued her strategy of running, jumping, bending, and repeating. Emery hopped with speed and eventually left Tulip to finish the obstacle. Aphrodite shouted words of encouragement as she began. She ran and leaped onto a stone, but instead of jumping to the next one, she paddled to it.
She stepped onto another stone and so forth. When she finished, a pink strobe light shone onto her face. "Congratulations!" Aphrodite said, using a microphone instead of yelling. "You're next challenge is to paint this lady's face according to the card I give you!" The girls walked off of the square and onto a pink carpeted face-painting station. "If I guess what you painted, you win! And only one person has to do this," she announced.
"Really? Face-painting?" Emery said. "I ran out of ideas," Aphrodite shrugged. "Who wants to do it?" Tulip asked. "I will!" Nadia said, raising her hand. "Ok, go!" Aphrodite urged.
Nadia grabbed a card and picked up her brush, she dipped it into the blue paint and started making a line above the girl's eyebrows. She painted a blue crown on her forehead and started touching up the girl's eyeliner. "Done!" Nadia exclaimed. "Yay!" Aphrodite cheered. Nadia turned the chair towards Aphrodite.
Aphrodite studied Nadia's handiwork. "Ok, I think I know what it is," she said. Nadia nodded and waited for her response. "I'm going to say, Ice Queen?" Nadia showed her the card and squealed. "Yes!" Aphrodite said gleefully.
"Now you get to go to the next obstacle!" She grinned, "DANCE COMPETITION!" She yelled into the mic. Katelyn's face dropped, "I can't dance," she said, with panic rising in her voice. "Everyone can dance," Aphrodite laughed. "Not me!" Katelyn argued. "Well then that'll definitely be a challenge," Aphrodite remarked.