Here lake lake lake...

Tu's eyes lit up at the challenge that Raye presented, flopping back onto his stomach. His head bobbed up and down in the water as he bounced excitedly at the prospect.

"A race! I love races! And I don't know if I can beat you because I've never seen you swim really fast before, but I'll try my best if you try your best too. I like to swim a lot though, so I think I'm pretty fast, but I know there's always someone out there who'll be faster than me. But remember, no cheating, because I don't like cheaters and cheating is really bad. At least that's what my mom always told me, and I agree with her. Are you ready?" he asked bubbily, continuing to bounce up and down in the water as he gave Raye a happy grin.

Tu started as Raye began the countdown, posing himself into a different swimming position and taking off once she said go. He kept his eyes shut as he swam, opening them only to peek forward and make sure he was on course. He wanted to see where Raye was, but also wanted to keep his attention focused on swimming the fastest he could.

Though, he figured that she was probably ahead of him. His dad used to tease him about his short legs, but had commented that he had a lot more stamina then most people from his trainings with his summons, so he was able to keep up his own pace for a long time.

Swim swim swim swim, he chanted in his head, keeping his steady pace as he made his way across the lake.

Swim swim swim swim sw-Ow! With a yelp that was muffled by the water, Tu found himself swimming in very shallow water on the other side of the lake. Blinking in surprise, he wiggled out of the mud and turned back towards the shore where he and Raye had started. His eyes scanned through the water looking for another body in the water...

She's fast! Tu thought in admiration as he spotted Raye's body a little further ahead of him. He closed his eyes once more as he began swimming towards the other end of the lake at the same pace as before. He couldn't help the silly grin on his face as he swam, this race was really a lot of fun! Besides the running into the other side of the lake part, he could have done without that part.

Peeking his head out of the water for a quick peek, he spotted Raye a little ways in front of him. For some reason, it seemed as if she were swimming slower than she was before. The distance between them had shortened and the amount of water she was kicking up looked a little smaller than it had been before. The idea that Raye may not have been swimming her faster made Tu pout.

"You better be giving it your all!" he called out over the water before ducking his head back under and continuing on his path.

Tu kept up his even pace, smiling to himself as he heard Raye's called-out response just over the water rushing past his ears. You couldn't know the limitations of your abilities unless you pushed yourself the hardest you could was another motto he'd learned from his parents and, like most things they told him, he took it to heart.

He continued swimming almost blindly, peeking forward when his head dipped out of the water to see the edge of the lake growing closer and closer and the distance between himself and Raye slowly growing smaller and smaller. Perhaps, he thought to himself, she wasn't a marathon swimmer, but rather a 'sprint swimmer', as he referred to it.

What Tu would have liked the most was for them to reach the lake shore at the same time. That way, neither of them would lose. But, realistically, things like that rarely happened. He allowed himself a small pout at the thought but continued to swim at the same steady pace, wondering just how much time was left before their race would be over.