Kurt gave a fierce grin and thought hard at Randy on the pattern he had selected that would take them straight to the top.

Randy signaled his agreement, and the moment it was time to begin, they were off without a word.

Kurt moved quickly and cleanly up the wall without missing a single step, Randy matching his movements in perfect sync.

Niji tried his best to climb but found himself at odds with Hojo, who seemed to have a different plan for reaching the top.

Bert grinned at Antimony, "Think we can keep up with them?" he asked, jerking his head towards Randy and Kurt.

"'Course we can!" Antimony hurried up the wall, flashing xet plans to Bert as xe went along so that there was no confusion.

Hojo raised an eyebrow at Niji. "Why aren't you doing what I'm doing?"

Meanwhile, Kurt and Randy VIII were already nearing the top...

Bert and Antimony were on Randy and Kurt's heels but it seemed that they would not be able to keep up, Kurt and Randy moved as a single entity, scaling the wall at an impossible speed.

Niji shrugged, "You're doing it wrong!"

From the bottom came a gruff cry, "GODDAMMIT WALLY! I DON'T CARE IF YER A PIANIST! TOUCHING PLASTIC ROCKS AIN'T GONNA RUIN YOUR HANDS!"

Mathilde giggled from nearby. "Go!" she urged Walter and Stanley. "You have to work togezher!"

Hojo curled his lip at Niji. "I am not! How can you climb a rock wrong?"

Antimony glanced to the side. "Uh-oh." Xe nodded at Randy and Kurt just as their bell rang.

Randy VIII let out an exuberant howl of victory.

Kurt beamed at him, "Good work!"

Stanley huffed and cuffed Walter's ear, "Now look, you made us lose!"

"You're supposed to do it in time with me!" insisted Niji.

Bert and Anitmony were the next to ring their bell, "Oh well, Second isn't bad," said Bert giving Anitmony a kiss.

Antimony gave a howl of xet own. "I think we did pretty good."

"Well, you weren't doing it in time with me," snorted Hojo.

"Be a good sport and finish anyway!" Mathilde insisted with a wiggle.

Randy VIII gave Kurt a kiss before they headed back for the ground.

Bert grinned, "Yes we did! We'll beat them some day!"

"But I'm leading," said Niji.

Walter shook his head, "I can't finish with him!"

"That was hardly a challenge," said Kurt as they returned to the bottom.

Double post

Randy chuckled. "You could try mud wrestlin' Karl..."

Mathilde sighed and shook her head. "Come on, zhen, boys," she called sweetly. "We can get an ice cream instead."

"Says who?" demanded Hojo. "I'm the top, I lead, that's how it always works."

"Someday," Antimony agreed as xe and Bert bounded back down the wall.

"Hmmm, that has merit," said Kurt as he untied himself.

Stanley gave Walter a kick and followed Mathilde, "Stupid Wally..."

"But I'm higher on the wall than you are," said Hojo.

Hojo stared at Niji for a moment. "Everybody else is already gone; let's just go back down," he suggested.

"I did it; he's pretty good. ...'F you do, can I watch?" asked Randy.

"You want to see me half-naked, covered in mud, grappling with another man?" Kurt inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Another half-naked man also covered in mud," Randy corrected brightly with one finger raised in the air.

"There's no downside for you, is there?" Kurt asked.

Randy shook his head. "Not a one."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," said Kurt after a moment of contemplation.

"Now you talkin'!" Randy gave him a pat. "Hey, Baby, you wanna watch Kurt an' Karl wrestle?"

"No, I'm going to take the children to the petting zoo!" called Baby.

"A'right; I meet up with you in a little bit," Randy replied.

Kurt followed Randy to the mud pit and stripped down to his trousers, "Alright, let's see how this goes,"

Randy stood close by, eager to watch...

Kurt took down Karl with minimal struggle and was about to leave when his next opponent called out to him, "Hold it Kraut! You an' I have some fightin' to do! Put em up!"

As though Randy VIII hadn't been excited enough by Kurt wrestling with Karl, Herbie of all people was entering the ring... He gave a loud whistle. "Go for it, sug!"

Kurt tackled Herbie and threw him into the mud, the two rolled around, doing their best to pin each other down.

Randy chewed his lip and watched, hand inching closer and closer to his pants as he squirmed in place...

The man next to him grimaced and moved away, "Sicko..." he muttered. Kurt pinned Herbie down with a muddy hand, his blond hair filthy and plastered to his head as dark gritty muck dripped down his frame.

Randy didn't even seem to notice that he might be disturbing anyone. "Get 'im, sug'!" he called, addressing both Kurt and Herbie as opposed to one or the other. "Beat 'is ass an' make 'im eat dirt!" One of the buttons to his shorts popped open...

Kurt dragged Herbie through the mud before he hurled him aside, splashing some mud onto Randy. Kurt gave a triumphant roar, his slim body coated in the brownish grey mud.

Randy let out a soft moan and wiped the mud across his face like war paint, then screeched and leaped into the ring.

Herbie was carried out and Kurt held out an arm for Randy.

Randy jumped on him, knocking him back into the mud. "Oh, honey," he panted, mismatched eyes full of want.

Kurt blew at him, flecks of mud spraying from his lips to sprinkle on Randy's face. "Want to help me wash this off?" he asked.

"Mmhmmm." Randy licked his lips, not at all minding the taste of dirt that followed.

Kurt stood, "Alright, let's go!"

Randy practically flew to the showers, though it wasn't getting clean that he was in a hurry to do.

Kurt rinsed himself off then wrapped his wet arms around Randy, "I think I know what you need...."

Randy grabbed him and pressed him close. "Yeah?"

Kurt gave him a kiss "yeah."