Milo's Dunok

Milo and Kida climbed down from the magnificent stone statue. Milo, getting down last, and a smidgeon out of breath, asked the new queen, "So, what else is done during this holiday… All King's Day, the Celebration of the Crystal?"

"Well, we do often play sports-" Kida began.

"Really? Gosh, I never really thought of what sports that might be played here-" Milo started, but he was interrupted by Kida.

The queen gave him a smile. "And what sports do you play?"

"Me? Well, I was never really that good-" Milo said and Kida tilted her head toward him, "But I dunno… I tried to play football once, I tried out for the cricket team…"

"CRIH-keht?" Kida repeated.

"Yeah, it's kind of like baseball..." Her fiancé began to explain, unsure of where to start.

"BAYS-bahl?" Kida's look told Milo that she, of course, had never heard of that sport either.

"It's played with two teams with a… club-shaped stick. The point of the game is to-"

"Only two teams? That seems odd. Milo, how about you let me show you an Atlantean sport?"

Kida led Milo to the palace, and to an enormous court to the east side. He was a bit surprised to see that the stand-like structures were already full with Atlanteans. It reminded the linguist of the stadiums he had seen back home, but there was one major difference: the court was triangular! "Kida? What is this?"

"This is the Tinemoshep. It is where the game Dunok is played."

"Tih-NEH-moh-shep?" It was now Milo's turn to look confused "DUH-nohk? Doesn't Dunok Tinemoshep mean cave bat?"

"Yes." Kida gave him a look that told him that it should be obvious that the game was named after an animal. Kida smiled. "Come. You have much to learn." And with that, she led him to an empty part of the stands.

"So, what do I need to know?" Kida's companion asked, curious.

"The Tinemoshep is where Dunok is played. You see the Scoring Rings at each point, do you not? The Dunok is tossed through those." Kida responded.

"Ok, What else?" Milo asked.

"That line carved there," Kida pointed "That separates the point into the Defending Area. No one other than the Defender may enter there. At the center is called the Center Triangle and is where the game starts." The queen continued slowly so that her husband did not miss anything. Then, three teams walked onto the Tinemoshep.

Milo watched them. "Three teams? Interesting."

"They are actually called Parties. There are three Parties playing against each other in Dunok, there are five players on each Party. These players are the Defender, the Guardian, the two Hunters, and the Sprint." Kida commented as four other people walked onto the Tinemoshep.

"Who are they?" asked Milo.

"They would be potential Watchers. The Watcher is not exactly a player. The Watcher determines whether or not a foul has been made, and puts the Dunok into play. The game starts out with a pool of at least four Watchers, which are selected at random with a Chahanse. The Watchers each choose a color and the Chahance is thrown up into the air. When it comes down and stops rolling, the color facing down determines the winner, and the Watcher who chose that color will be the first Watcher." His wife explained.

"Chahance?" The linguist questioned.

"A Chahance has equal sides and is often four-sided, as there is generally only four watchers to choose from and is colored differently in each side." Kida replied.

"Oh, ok… so who are the other players?" Her husband asked. Kida pointed to a burly young man on the Tinemoshep. "He is the Defender. The Defender is equipped with a Skoop, which he is supposed to defend the Scoring Ring with."

Milo looked to the stone and saw what he supposed to be the Skoop. It was a thinned out seashell, similar to that of a quite large clam, attached to a pole. The Skoop appeared to measure about one kelim in length. A symbol was painted on the inside of the Scoop and he assumed that that was the team's symbol, a blue Bahodmok.

Kida pointed to a more agile looking man and said "That is the Guardian. The Guardian is also a defensive player, often Ripping the ball, and throwing it to a teammate." Her friend looked at her and she realized that he was unsure as to what 'Ripping' was. Kida explained. "Ripping is the only example of physical contact allowed in Dunok, and Ripping is pulling the Dunok out of another player's hands. Guardians tend to stay back toward the Defending Aria, and prevent players from being able to Lob, or toss the Dunok into the Scoring Rings.

"And those two?" the polyglot asked, pointing at two girls putting on protective equipment.

"Those are Hunters," the queen responded. "The Hunters are there to be wherever they are needed and may help the Sprint or the Guardian. They most often help the Sprint, acting as 'Second Sprints', allowing the Sprint another team member to pass to." Milo looked at the last player pensively.

"That is the Sprint. The Sprint is the chosen player to be at the Center Triangle, when the Dunok is thrown into play."

"Ah, ok, so what do you call some of the equipment down there?" Milo wondered aloud, running a hand through his hair.

His wife pointed to something that looked like a bicycle helmet with two guards coming down along the jaw line. A player picked one up and strapped it to his head. It was held on by a leather strap, and had a fur lining on the inside. "That is a Buhket,"

There was also protective equipment similar to the padding used by those in some sports. They looked like knee, elbow, wrist, and foot padding and as a player strapped them on, it appeared that, indeed, they were. Kida indicated the padding "Those are all called Owpadds. They are necessary due to the fact that Dunok is played on a stone court."

She began to point to a Skoop but Milo said "And that's a Skoop, right?"

Kida smiled "Correct." A slight breeze blew about the stadium, ruffling the leaves in the nearby trees.

"So, what are the rules?" Her companion asked inquisitively.

His wife smiled and stated the rules "Before the game starts off the players take their positions, and adjust their equipment. The Chahance is thrown, and a watcher is selected.

After everyone is set to go, the Watcher will throw the Dunok up in the air. As soon as the Dunok hits the stone floor of the Tinemoshep, the game commences.

The game is divided into Scores. The first Score begins when the Dunok hits the ground, and ends when the Dunok passes through one of the Scoring Rings. The last one ends when one of the last two remaining teams have been eliminated.

The Sprints and Hunters generally try to get the Dunok, and proceed to get near another team's Scoring Rings, though the Hunters may decide to stay back and act as extra Guardians. Often, two Parties will team up against the other Party, attempting to get the other Party out of the Tinemoshep. .

The Guardians often stay back to defend the Scoring Rings and the Defender nearly always stays in the Defending Aria.

After seven scores are made through a Party's Scoring Ring, that Party is Out or out of the game, and must leave the Tinemoshep, leaving the other Parties to finish the game. The last Party on the Tinemoshep is the victor.

A Foul occurs when a rule is broken. When this occurs, the Score is started from the beginning, but the offending Party's Sprint is not permitted to be in the Center Triangle. The Watcher determines whether a rule is broken or not.

Each Party, however, has one Check against the Watcher. If a Party feels that the Watcher is ruling unfairly, they may send one, and only one Watcher out of the game, and another is randomly selected. This is never questioned and each Party may only do this once. A Watcher's ruling will remain final, even if a Check is called upon that Watcher because of that ruling. That is suitable, is it not?"

Milo's mind reeled at the proverbial avalanche of information. "Ummm, yeah, I think that'll do it."

The words were barely out of the Kida's mouth when a deep-sounding horn blow. The players hurriedly finished strapping on their Owpadds and hurried to the Center triangle of the Tinemoshep. All of the Parties had differently colored Owpadds. One team had blue, one green and the other red. Four men, the potential Watchers, stood there and a four-sided stone painted with different colors on each side, was thrown. One of the men there picked up the cube and the others left the Tinemoshep, standing on one side. He walked off a bit, picked up the Dunok, and brought it back to the center. The red Party looked pleased with the Watcher. The horn blew again, and the Watcher threw the Dunok skywards and ran out of the way.

The Dunok hit the ground and the Tinemoshep seemed to explode with activity. The Sprints surged forward, one in green snatching up the Dunok and running off with it. The two blue Hunters nodded at the Hunters from the red Party. Milo looked at the Party that the Hunters were speaking with while running. The whole red Party seemed burly. Then there was a yell. Milo looked up to notice that the Sprint with the Dunok had been suddenly blocked by the red Party's Guardian. The green Party's Sprint, which had had the tear-shaped ball, had dropped the Dunok in surprise, and the Sprint of the blue Party snatched it up and tore off. The Sprint nimbly dodged the green Party's Guardian and lobbed the oddly shaped ball toward the other Party's Scoring Ring. The green Defender tried to knock the tear-shaped ball out of the air but just missed, and the Dunok slid through the ring.

The horn blew, and the Sprints returned back to Center Triangle. The game continued, the game staying very close. Then the green team was taken out by a cooperative play between the red and blue Partys. A new Score was started and when the Dunok hit the ground, one of the blue Hunters ran forward, as the oddly shaped ball bounced in her direction. The red Sprint dashed forward as well. In the flash of an instant, the Hunter had been thrown aside, and the red Sprint fell to the ground. The two had collided.

The red Party's Sprint stood up and dusted himself off indignantly. "Watcher! That Hunter purposefully ran into me! You saw it! You had-" The Sprint went on ranting and fuming, but the blue team clustered about their fallen comrade.

A shout went up. "She is hurt!" The response was instantaneous. A soft murmur rippled through the crowd. The blue team carried the Hunter to the side of the Tinemoshep, and laid her down. It looked as if she had a broken leg, which was being treated and healed by an Atlantean physician, who was equipped with various pain-killers, as well as his own crystal.

The remainder of the broken Party stood close to each other, arguing and pointing into the stands occasionally. There was suddenly an air of some agreement about them and the Sprint in blue trotted up into the stands. She walked up to Milo and his wife-to-be, and grabbed Milo's shoulder. "Oat." (This way) She said, nearly dragging him off.

"Kida…!" Milo shouted, unsure as to what was happening as the Sprint spirited him away.

"Good luck!" Kida bade her husband as he stumbled down the stone steps.

Milo was brought down onto the enormous Tinemoshep and to the other blue players. "GAH-seh-nen POH-meh-rhoy-toap?" (Happy Pohmehroy?) The Sprint asked the Guardian.

"Teeg." (Yes) Pohmehroy replied. "HAY-kohk-toap, maht" (Good job, Haykohk.)

Haykohk pointed to the unharmed Huntress and said "SEHK-kah," then to the Defender "WOHR-dehn." Haykohk then gestured toward the Defender and stated "POH-meh-rhoy." Haykohk then indicated herself and said proudly, "Gihm AH-nikh KAH-gihn HAY-kohk EH-seh-toat." (And I am Haykohk.)

Haykohk looked a bit at Milo "Gihm, mekh AH-nikh MOH-kihn EH-seh-toat duhp?" (And, what may we call you?) She asked politely, as not to offend him.

"Milo." He replied. He found it odd, being treated with such respect after years of 'the Dungeon' at home, and he wasn't even married yet here!

"Alright, so, have you ever played Dunok?" Haykohk asked eagerly.

"Um… kwahm (no). I haven't" Milo responded sheepishly.

"Kwahm?" Haykohk asked a little surprised. "GAH-moh-soh-mihk? (see?) I knew that we should have brought queen Kida down." She then shot at Pohmehroy.

"Oh, give Milo a break Haykohk. Everybody has got to have a first game." Sekka said, leaning on Wardehn's Skoop.

Haykohk rolled her eyes. "Teeg, teeg. Forgive my brusqueness. So you do know your know your position am I correct?"

"Um, yeah… I'm gonna be the other Hunter, Teeg?"

"Teeg. Now for the rules-"

"Yeah, Kida already told me all abou-" Then a horn sounded.

"NEE-shen-toap AHD-luhn-tih-suhg! (Good Lord!) We need to get out there!" Wardehn shouted, snatching his Skoop out from under Sekka's arm, causing her to stumble and took off toward the Defending aria, Pohmehroy hot on his heels after wishing Milo a quick good luck. Haykohk darted to the Center Triangle and Sekka took a position between the Sprint and the Guardian.

Milo ran to where Sekka stood, feeling the warm cold stone of the Tinemoshep under his feet as he hastily strapped on his Owpadds. He ran a hand through his brown-rust hair.

"TEH-red?" (scared?) Sekka asked, stretching her legs a bit.

"Teeg," Milo answered affirmatively "I never was good at sports,"

"Well, now is the time to get better, is it not?"

"Teeg…" Milo answered unsurely. He felt the energy yielding burn of adrenalin.

The great horn blew and the Tinemoshep rushed into activity, punctuated by the tremendous roar of the crowd. Milo felt it reverberate in the hollows of his body. If things seemed to go fast up in the stands, it was nothing compared to what it was like down on the Tinemoshep. Players darted about, Milo hung back, near the Guardian, in case he needed help. The Dunok was held by a player in red, and it came close to where Milo stood, but Haykohk Ripped it out of the red player's hands. She tore down the Tinemoshep. She flew! Milo wondered to himself if it was possible to outrun the wind as he watched, and then, she stopped. The burly red Party's Guardian blocked her. In the blink of an eye, she didn't have the Dunok. Sekka did! In an underhand movement, she Lobbed the Dunok into the Scoring Ring, and the horn blew.

Sekka and Haykohk returned to their positions, as did Milo. He adjusted his Owpadds and looked toward a heavily panting Sekka "Maht SEHK-kah-toap!" (good job Sekka!)

"PAH-geh-sheh-nen, My-loh-toap" (Thank you Milo) Sekkah responded. The horn sounded.

Once again, the world exploded in movement, this time toward Milo! The red Sprint dashed toward Milo, leaving Milo nearly no time to get out of the way. Milo threw himself off to one side as the red streak moved past him. Pohmehroy ran forward, and Milo saw the Sprint nearly run into him, knocking him out of the way. The red sprint Lobbed the Dunok, only to be deflected by the Skoop of Wordehn, the blue Defender. The Dunok sailed toward Haykohk, but was snatched out of the way by one of the red Hunters, which was tossed to another red Hunter, who lobbed it lightly into the Scoring Ring. The horn blew. The next score determined the game.

The teams returned to their positions, and Milo saw Haykohk saying something harsh to the Watcher. Milo turned to Sekka "The Sprint ran into Pohmehroy, why wasn't it called a foul?" He asked.

"Well, the Watcher claims that he did not see it. Honestly, he is the Tahb-toat (father) of the red Sprint and loves his son dearly... I must wonder if he let it slip his mind. Just this once." Sekka mused.

Haykohk was furious. Pohmehroy could have been hurt, and Haykohk knew that Pohmehroy and herself made part of an excellent team, and would not stand to see her players hurt. The Sprint called their team's Check against the Watcher and a new one was selected. The Man reminded Milo of a Phys-ed teacher he had had. He had huge arms and a severity about him.

Kida was relived that nothing had happened to Milo, as he had nearly been run over. She watched with great pride as her husband resumed his place on the Tinemoshep. "Good luck Milo!" She shouted over the crowd.

Milo heard his love, and allowed himself a blissful smile, but the previous Score had shaken him. He stepped back a bit. The horn blew, and Milo nearly ran backwards. The two Parties were trying ferociously to obtain the Dunok. Pohmehroy saw Milo's nervous face as the Parties struggled against each other. "Milo... You know, I have had problems just like you... but you cannot let that hold you back. Do not worry about it, just go out and play."

Milo saw a soft smile on Pohmehroy's face. 'He's right.' Milo thought to himself. A determined smile spread across his face. 'If I can find Atlantis, what is a game compared to that?'

"PAH-gen (thanks) POH-meh-rhoy!" Milo yelled and he took off to the center of the Tinemoshep. The teams struggled with each other, until the red Sprint dropped the Dunok, and it rolled right to Milo's feet. He looked up, and saw the red Sprint take off toward him.

Milo snatched up the Tear-shaped ball and ran-- Ran toward the end of the Tinemohshep. He stopped at the boundary, just barely and turned around. The red Party was advancing fast, his Partymates behind them. It seemed as if time slowed down, Milo could hear his heartbeat in his ears. His breath came fast, but deep. He looked to his left, blocked by a red Hunter, to his right, Pohmehroy shouting something, then to the opponent's Scoring Ring, then down to the Dunok. He was suddenly struck by an idea. Milo gripped the Dunok's sides and drew his hand back over his shoulder. He stepped forward and brought his hand over his head, throwing the Dunok as he rolled it in the air with his fingers and he exhaled, effectively putting a spin on the Dunok. It flew through the air. Never wobbling, it soared. The spin balanced the normally cumbersome Dunok, like a football. Milo watched, but was then thrown backwards, snapping him out of his concentration.

The red Sprint plowed into him, not expecting him to step forward, and they both tumbled to the ground. Milo cried out as he hit the Tinemohshep, and felt the air crushed out of him as the Sprint landed on top of him. Milo could see over the red player's shoulder, and time slowed again. He saw the Dunok, the taken off-guard Defender, the Scoring Ring. A Skoop waved past the Dunok, missing it and the Dunok hit the bottom of the Scoring Ring's hoop. It bounced on the wooden ring once, twice, and fell through the other side. A horn blew, but no one heard it over the roar that emanated from the crowd. Milo's jaw dropped. He had never been good at any sport, let alone football...The red Sprint rolled off of Milo and pulled him up, giving him a hearty good-natured smack on Milo's bruising back. Milo turned to one side to be nearly tackled by Kida. She pecked him on the cheek, and then the two kissed affectionately. The crowd began to flood out of the stands, and the blue players swarmed the couple. Milo was hoisted on top of Pohmehroy's shoulders, Kida on Haykohk's. The Celebration of the Crystal began anew and that night, a new traditional Dunok move was added to the rules: Milo's Lob.

Atlantis: the Lost Empire, Dunok (In reference to the name of a sport), Dunok Tinemoshep (the words for 'cave bat'), Dunok (bat), Tinemoshep (cave), The Nedakh Palace Complex, all Atlantean, the characters Milo and Kida are the property of the Walt Disney company. Any similarities of characters to real persons, most likely are intentional and should I have the honor of finding that one of these persons has read this story and does not approve, I will be more than happy to change it. Everything else, story, nonofficial characters, rules, players, equipment and all of that junk is the property of Shahnahkehm.