A New Course of Action [Rhynox/Irvine]

Hell if this wasn't one of the most ambitious things they'd ever pulled.
Television was a hell of an invention, Irvine had discovered. And it was just as much a massive source of ideas to people such as he.

Located right by a nearby rock face that had just had a fairly significant amount of the actual rock ripped out of the inside of it, Irvine sat on a floating platform of stone, looking over the expanse of water that lied in front of him.
...which now supported a massive obstacle course, loaded to the brim with tricks and traps, ice and fans, things that spewed flame and everything in between to try and knock people down and into the water.
Off in the distance, red light burst in the air in the form of a thumbs down, prompting Irvine to shake his head.


A rhinoceros-esque being soon finds themself washed back up on the shores, picking themself up and wandering off grumbling about how the whole thing was rigged.
Ahhh, the wonders of Junction.
And his old friends were loving it.

Irvine looks over to the voice that so suddenly came from nowhere...and then grins as he recognises both it and its owner?
He spreads his arms wide in a welcoming gesture as his grin only gets bigger. "Me!" Right after, he starts cackling with laughter, which winds down with him shaking his head and mocking wiping a tear from his eye. "Ahh...haven't done that in a while."

He shifts around, lying flat on his floating platform with his megaphone in front of him, not before his mouth but just begging to be used. "What's up, Squeak?"

Irvine rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Really? Insanity complex? Are you calling me insane, or saying I'm compelled to act like I am? Come on, give me an idea." His legs kicked in the air as he laid on his front, head resting in one hand. "Gotta know what I'm refuting here."

His eyes flicked over to the course beside him as another red flare sprung up to signal another contestant's failure to pull things off to their conclusion. "Been planning this a while now. Most of the individuals in this reservoir are off for a governance meeting. In exchange for catering the event and not disturbing the deeper sections of the the reservoir, I can set this thing up for the day while they're out. Gotta pack up in a couple hours, but..." He looks over the waters again, countless spirits gleefully operating all the contraptions that made the course what it was. "Well, let's just say it's going to have been entirely worth it."

Irvine winks. "I do my best to add a little flair to things."

"Well..." All of a sudden Irvine cuts himself off, looking distinctly unimpressed. He sits up on his platform, points to a spot on the water, and makes a 'come-hither' motion.
A geyser erupts from the water, arcing over the course and crashing into a birdlike figure, sending it flying through the air. Irvine turns to face another spot on the sands, where the figure lands - some sort of cross between a crow and an ape, looking surprised as it's caught by a cushion of air. "I told you before you started. No flying over the course. I know."
The platform spins to turn him back to Rhynex as the grumbling figure heads back onto the course, Irvine back to grinning wide. "Just a little bit of fun for the folks making this all happen. Mostly just for bragging rights. But if we're talking incentives for people actually taking on the course?" He pats a spot on the platform, and a camera pops out. "Putting up pictures of the winners in the restaurant. Free food for their first visit, and a discount from then afterward. It's amazing what people'll do for something to eat - we've had this guy in a suit with some robo-dog trying non-stop all day. Went at it like 8 times til he finally pulled it off."

"Naaah. It's entertaining, but it's not exactly something I need to do." He smiled knowingly. "More for my friends. Only so much they can do at their usual haunts. So I set things like these up so they have stuff to do. They don't get a chance to do much in the world otherwise."
A thought strikes him, and an impish grin comes to Irvine's face. Dark trails start to follow Irvine's swinging feet, shapes of shadow that seem more like pictures than any written language. Slowly, and quietly, a statue in the shape of Rhynex starts to construct itself in the sand behind him.

Irvine gives a little tilt of his head. "Gotta show them somehow I mean business."
Irvine looks up, affecting a ponderous looking, before shrugging and grinning again. "Guess I am. Most people like that don't really stop by though." He leans back, setting down his megaphone and placing his hands behind his head. "Most people are just normal people though. Curious, determined, or just hungry, whatever - they've all got their reasons." A little twinkle shines in Irvine's eye. "There's an initial loss for sure, what with the free food and the cheap catering just to get the spot, but hell if it doesn't put our name out there."
He flops out on the platform, showing no discomfort from the action despite flopping onto solid stone. "People hear about us at the meeting as they ask about the catering. The winners come over for their fill, and visit again to try more, maybe bringing friends. Why not? They have that sweet, sweet discount. Hell, for some if them, it means they can afford to eat out when they couldn't before."

He looks out over the water, where multicoloured light spiralled over the end of the course. Another winner. "Little loss at first, but it works out for everyone long term."

Irvine sighs, almost...wistfully? "Nobody ever does..." He has a little chuckle to himself. "Guess you could say so, though it goes a liiiittle beyond that." The statue is neeeeearly finished, the bulk of the body now forming out all the little details needed to make it a proper facsimile of the person yet to see it.
It really was looking good.

"Hmm...about 6." He springs back up as a carved stone platform floats over to the pair, bearing a tired, but proud looking individual. It's the one that got blasted out of the air before. Grabbing his camera, he turns and leans forward toward the new victor. "See? No need to pull a stunt like that." He holds up the camera. "Smile, buddy!"
They're beaming as Irvine takes the shot.
"And there we go. Stop on anytime, and we'll sort you out." They nod, and walk off, breathing heavily as Irvine waves them on. "Hope to see you later!"

Irvine tilts his head side to side, exaggeratedly thoughtful. "Maaaaybeeeee...but you know, before I can get them doing anything, I gotta get people believing first. For all the crazy shit here, it's amazing what people refuse to believe." He laughs. "I mean, seriously. You have people made of metal, folks that can fly, everything to do with electricity in general...that was a culture shock, let me say. What's so crazy about the supernatural? We've already got those seekers turning up, but people still won't believe anything their senses can't pick up."

Irvine shakes his head and leans forward. "I told you this was mainly just for fun, didn't I? Not trying to call in the whole of Junction. It's not even like this really costs me anything. The whole course? Didn't cost a penny to make. Not gonna take a penny to get rid of, either." He shrugs. "Though, I think you're underestimating the sort of attention making something like this in the first place brings. Not like the only people to ever mention this will be the winners."

He whirls around to face the course, grinning wide. "Really went all out on this thing. Gotta be able to take pride in making it, and to take pride in beating it."

"A hobby? Hmm. Guess it is at this point." He spins back around to face Rhynex. "As for doing it again...no idea right now. Still took a lot to set this up. Can't do it too much either."

He leans to one side, looking behind Rhynex. "Hey, that a friend of yours? Looks just like you."
The sand statue of Rhynex is juggling behind him.