[OP-F1] Clash Of Blades; Hearts and Minds!

[Kindling 0]

Above the pit on Floor 1, where several fights were taking place all at once, were the stands. The seating, the Balconies; whatever you wanted to call it. Energetic Minako or more muted Kindling having introduced eight pairs of challengers throughout the day, lifting their hands to start each. A long day for each, though perhaps not as long for all of those who would choose to come and spectate. Lucky for them, following the sign ups, each match up was posted, or attempted to be messaged to each competitor, as well as where it would be. The Audience is reminded regularly to keep their weapons away, and not to get too amped, or inebriated. Keep the belligerency in the pit! Of course, what was a show, a fight, gladiatorial style match without spectators? Without those to wow, and awe with your movements, or a crowd to laugh with or at you. This was really what it was all about - to Kindling, anyway. "Remember to try not to run down and hug your loved ones if they get hit with a critical, or blow up in a puff of smoke. Those in attendance should keep a wide berth; think of our competitors today as hungry, wild Animals today tearing at each other, and maintain a respectable distance!" Or some variation of that would be told to each of the day's crowds individually. 

The signage and messages tell when each fight is going to start, and plastered all around many floors, particularly infecting Floor 1 and the City of Beginners. The less-energized announcer apologizing in advance that the accommodations are not great. Mentioning to other competitors that they are allowed to attend and view any of the fights they're not in - nothing is stopping them from cheering others on! Or, praying on their downfall.

Vigilon v. Hirru - 9:30 AM

Kiru v. Katoka - 10:30 AM

Koga v. Mina - 11:30 AM

Telreyna v. Pollux - 12:30 PM

Kiyabu Hisao v. NIGHT - 2:00 PM

Jomei v. Acanthus - 3:00 PM

Wulfrin v. Morningstar - 4:00 PM

Oscar v. Lessa - 5:00 PM

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Out of Character

Come cheer on or commentate your favorite and least favorite fights! To keep things orderly, and give at least a good base mental image, I have included the "timeline" of fights IC above. Audience members should use the timeslots presented above in order to differentiate what actions or dialogue that they're giving at what fight. This will (hopefully) stop things from becoming too strange to keep track of for characters, and who is talking about what. Here is a use example, but you're free to format it in a way that works for you! Might also be worth specific posts as things develop throughout the course of the fights!

 

Spoiler

 

Tristan v. Oikawa - 1:00 AM

"It's so frickin dark, and my eyes hurt. Why did someone schedule this at just after midnight? Are they stupid?" Spoken through the world's longest yawn, though that would be unconfirmed without the presence of Guinness Book of World Records here in the game with them. 

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Alkor v. Inner Demons - 12:32 PM

'Is that guy... fighting himself? Where is the other challenger?' Thought the non-descript, anime protagonist, looking over to his date, another man with long dark brown hair who seemed thoroughly unimpressed. This was a crummy way to end the day together, after it started so good, sharing an ice-cream sundae together. 

 

Any further questions or concerns, feel free to ask away!

[Astra 0]

Astra found himself sifting through the crowd gathered at the coliseum (pit?) a little before 4pm, hoping to find a good spot to observe before the next match started. It had been a little bit of time since he'd been back in the Town of Beginnings, but knowing the tournament "Clash of Blades" was about to start? He certainly couldn't miss an event like this. Seeing some of the frontliners and other top combatants of Aincrad go against each other would be an incredible rush, and a chance for him to notate some of the strategies that they use in battle. I mean, after all, if Astra's going to get there one day - and maybe take part in events like this - he'd have to work on technique and getting stronger.

Eventually he found a comfortable open spot amidst the crowd. It appeared as if the stands had been packed for most of the day, with a lot of other players and even NPCs alike observing the tournament for a rare bout of fun and excitement. Astra was there to see all of the battles, but today he was able to catch the battle between Wulfrin and Morningstar. Wulfrin had been working with Astra for some time now, teaching him how to fight, how to survive, and how to thrive in the online world. For that, Astra quickly built up a companionship with the swordsman, and knew that he'd have to come support him during the tournament.

When Astra did eventually rock up to the pit, it was pretty obvious who he was there to root for. He was wearing his standard casual attire, a black and white long-necked outfit, but on top of his head sat a red and white trucker's hat that read "#1 Wul-Friend:". On his right hand was a foam finger, adorned with the same mantra. The young swordsman in training knew he'd have to pick up some merch if he was really going to support one of his first friends in Aincrad. Though, he did feel a bit guilty when he saw that Wulfrin's first match was against Morningstar. Astra knew just how much of a formidable fighter Morningstar would be, in fact, they just recently met when the group had helped Astra survive the fight against the Forgotten Time King. Astra had now considered Morningstar a companion, and felt a bit bad that he'd have to root against him in this scenario. For that, he brought the foam finger down just a tad. The hat stayed on, though. 

When the battle began, the energy could be felt throughout the crowd. Some were cheering loud, some were silent as they watching in anticipation. Astra was one of the quiet ones. He was too busy studying, and hoping for a certain outcome. If you were to sit close to him during this time, you'd probably hear the following commentary!: 

"Okay, Wulfrin ran in first. Looks like Morningstar is frozen...Icingdeath, of course." 

"Ope, Star broke free...Hm, good hit back on Wulfrin. Is he stunned now?" 

"Oh no. Oh damn! Is he frozen again?" 

"I... I think this is it." 

The battle had seemingly gone far faster than the onlooker anticipated, but when both fighters fought with esteem it was easy to see how. It seemed as though Morningstar couldn't outdo the freeze effect from Wulfrin's sword "Icingdeath", and the battle was decided. For a moment, it seemed as if the battle had stopped completely. What's going on? Astra thought to himself, waiting for one of the opponents to finish the other off. There was a pause, a lull in the crowd, nobody knew what would happen next, but everyone expected Wulfrin to end it with a thrust or a slash. Instead, Astra watched as a metal tube fell from his sleeve, and not long after he pulled the attached string, leaving behind a large explosion, and the crowd gasping. 

"Hah, that's one way to end it I guess." 

Astra applauded as both combatants hit the ground, leaving their mark in a short but exciting battle. The finale was something to definitely write about. Though Astra did hold Morningstar in high regard, he was excited to see his pseudo-mentor take the win in this battle. He raised his foam finger into the air, waved it about, and thought to himself: Oh yeah, I've gotta see all of these from here on out. 

Edited February 11 by Astra

[Krysta 0]

                    Krysta gathered what she needed to bring. For now, she intended to watch as many fights as possible, but she was prioritizing the first battle, the one that Vigilon was involved in. She had to show her support somehow...furthermore, watching the others' battles may help Krysta learn a few new combat tactics to try out. "Alright...am I ready for the trip?" She asked herself. She intended to stay for the tournament until its conclusion for the time being, so she needed to make sure she had everything she needed. She checked herself in the mirror, made sure she had all her equipment on her person. She checked her inventory, making sure all she would need would be brought with her. With a nod of her head, she closed the inventory menu and walked over to change her shop's sign to "Closed" before heading out.

 

Vigilon v. Hirru - 9:30 AM

Spoiler

                                Krysta arrived in time to witness the beginning of the event. Unfortunately the ruins were rather dirty, so to sit down on the seating would be no different from sitting upon earthen ground...not that there were any other options for the moment. The Announcer introduced Vigilon, but the manner in which this was done was unexpected. Vigilon the Dragon...odd, it had a fair ring to it, but Krysta had never heard such things until now. Krysta watched as Vigilon entered the ring. His opponent would be introduced, and he would enter as well. The two players exchanged remarks, before Vigilon started with a Charge Attack that completely disoriented his opponent. That Fallen Energy was never something Krysta was comfortable making contact with, but at least Vigilon had been able to put it to good, noble use thus far. So far, the battle was going in Vigilon's favor. "An excellent start, wonderful form." Krysta complimented from her seating, with a nod of her head. Vigilon truly did manage to make a good first impression. Now all he needed to do was keep up the momentum and Victory would be his.

                 Krysta heard the sound of flapping, and she looked to see Vigilon's Familiar, Kriana the small white Frost Dragon, flying over to Krysta's side. "Oh, Kriana, are you not fighting alongside Vigilon?" She asked the familiar. She wasn't sure what the tournament's rulings were on familiars, but for now she would let Kriana stay close for the time being. Yolviinsil, Krysta's small ruby red feathered Dragon, poked her head out from behind Krysta, her gaze meeting Kriana's. Yolviinsil slowly climbed down Krysta and reached her friend. The two familiars would proceed to exchange soft, friendly growls with each other, as though they were having conversation. Krysta chuckled, for it was a cute sight. She then looked back to the battle, for it was not over yet.

    Vigilon would continue his assault with a well placed strike that applied ailments to his opponent, who in turn readied his shield. What the green haired player did not expect was for...wait, did Vigilon just speak those words? He only ever spoke them in serious fights when...

                       Krysta watched as the battle reached its climax. Vigilon leaped over the guarding player and struck him from behind, following with a flurry of attacks. While the tank would manage to stun Vigilon afterwards, the ailments left him helpless, he would not survive another attack. The green haired tank would then concede the battle, and the host would officially call it. It was a swift match, which went on to show how the two had grown, and they each seemed to do so, in different ways. Perhaps the tank's hand was not optimal for battling players, so this would surely be a chance for both players to learn and grow. Krysta hoped that her observations would give her a chance to learn new tactics, as well as be present to support her boyfriend. Krysta would take a moment and use her hands to applaud the efforts of both players.

                                      Krysta chose to get some concessions while waiting for the next battle. While she was taking a look, she noticed the great array of cupcakes, all adorned with the faces of the competitors, including Vigilon. For a moment, she stared at the cupcakes, mainly the ones with Vigilon's face.
                                          Before long, she found herself with a Vigilon cupcake in her hands, in the middle of the distance between the arena seating and the concessions. She stared at it, as though she were unsure of what to do. To eat or not to eat, why was this such an odd question? Was it the fact that a depiction of Vigilon's face was on it? She blinked, she stared, she contemplated.
            ...And out of the blue she just simply opened her mouth wide and popped it in, the whole thing, as if there were hardly a rational thought. She'd never had such a treat before, it was a tad unusual for her.

 

             She would return to the seating to find Vigilon sitting next to where she was sitting earlier, with both the familiars in sight, too. "Vigilon? What are you doing here? I thought you would only be competing." She asked. She took her seating next to him, but was still confused.

                               But for now, at least, it may be best to omit what had happened with the cupcake.

 

 

Stats and Equipment:

Spoiler

Spoiler

Main Stats:

 

Level: 34

Paragon Level: 28(paragon stat bonus totals: +100 HP, +10 EN)

Paragon Rewards:

Lv. 5 | Gain additional col equivalent to 15% of EXP earned in that thread.

Lv. 10 | +1 LD to Loot and Chest rolls

 

 

Battle Stats:

HP: 800(Base[760], Resolve[40])
Energy: 114(Base[94], Energist[20])
Base Damage: 23(THSS R5[7], Combat Mastery: DMG[12], SS Ferocity[2], Meticulous[1])
Mitigation: 78(Lumino Regalia[48], Light Armor R5[30])
Accuracy: 2(Alediel's Grace[1], SS Precision[1])
Evasion: 2(Aurora Lux)
Loot Die: 0
T4 Recovery: Recovers 8 Energy on a CD roll of 7-12
Holy Damage: +8 Damage on BD 9-10
T4 Bleed: Inflicts Bleed on BD 9-10, deals 48 DMG per turn for two turns

 

Additional conditions:

-2 on all stealth rolls(Light Armor Rank 5)

 

Equipment:

[T4]Alediel's Grace(Straight Sword, Holy, Acc, Bleed)[Equipped]

[T4]Lumino Regalia(Light Armor, MIT II, REC)[Equipped]

[T4]Aurora Lux(Jewelry, EVA II, REC II)[Equipped]

 

Consumables:

Teleport Crystal x1

 

 

Skills:

Straight Sword Rank 5(30 SP)

Light Armor Rank 5(30 SP)

Combat Mastery: Damage Rank 3(13 SP)

Battle Healing Rank 3(14 SP)

Energist(8 SP)

 

Shift: AoE(10 SP)

 

Extra Skills:

First aid Rank 5(30 SP)

Familiar Mastery: Healing(10 SP)

Meditation

 

 

Mods:

Purify(4 SP)

Barrier(6 SP)

Field Medic(6 SP)

Meticulous(4 SP)

 

Addons:

Resolve(6 SP)

SS Ferocity(6 SP)

SS Precision(2 SP)

SS Stamina(4 SP)

Edited February 16 by Krysta

[KnightessCiela 0]

Ciela woke up far earlier than usual, an insane hour for her, really. But today was no ordinary day. The Clash of Blades was finally here, and she was ready to throw her full support behind her friends.

She had spent nearly the entire night baking, her shop filled with the warm, sugary aroma of fresh cupcakes as she carefully decorated each one. Hundreds of them, each adorned with the faces of the competitors, a fun little tribute to the fighters stepping into the arena. Alongside the cupcakes, she prepared sandwiches, drinks, and other treats, determined to make sure no one went hungry while watching the matches.

By the time she arrived at the tournament grounds, she was exhausted but buzzing with excitement. She set up a table in a prime spot where she could see all the matches unfold, enlisting one of her bakery staff to help manage the stand whenever she ran off to cheer. Some of the competitors had no idea who she was beyond "Wulfrin’s wife," but that didn’t matter, she cheered for all of them with equal enthusiasm.

Then, the match she had been waiting for finally arrived. Wulfrin vs. Morningstar. No better match-up could have kicked off his run in the tournament. Grinning, she took a seat beside Astra, practically vibrating with anticipation.

"Oh! I’m gonna grab us some popcorn and drinks, this should be a good fight. They're both tough. We’ll be here a while," she said before hurrying off, determined not to miss anything. But as she returned, snack-laden and ready to enjoy the show, a thunderous explosion echoed through the arena. Her heart lurched.

“Oh god. Oh no.” Sprinting back to Astra, she skidded to a stop and stared at the arena. Both Morningstar and Wulfrin were down. Sprawled out, unmoving. Ciela blinked. 

"...I wasn’t even gone for thirty seconds. Honestly, sounds about right." She sighed, shaking her head before plopping down next to Astra, handing over the popcorn. "Well, at least they went out with a bang."

[Wulfrin 0]

It took a few minutes for Wulfrin to return to his virtual consciousness. After he did, he made his way out of the infirmary and back towards the stands. However the organizers of the event had managed to remove the stipulation of your HP hitting zero makes for a bad case of scrambled grey matter, Wulfrin knew he had to ask them. That and scold them for not making it public info. His best guess was that it was an exploit in the tier locking system. The only problem Wulfrin could find with it was that his level was significantly lower than what he normally used. With a groan he made his way out of the infirmary and into the stands. There he would find Astra and Ciela, his wife looking rather perturbed about something.

"Hey guys," Wulfrin mumbled as he took a seat just in time for the final match of the day. "Nice merch Astra. I actually didn't know they were going to sell merch. I hope I get a cut. Now what's got you miffed dear? Don't tell me you were rooting for Morningstar."

He managed to chuckle briefly attempting to clear the air a bit, but stopped suddenly and clutched his left side.

"Ow," He mumbled. "It hurts to laugh."

[Vigilon 0]

                              Vigilon made his way over to the seating after his match. He knew where to go, he simply had to look for the two familiars, Kriana and Yolviinsil. He looked to see a bit of white and a bit of red in the distance, that was probably them. He approached the two familiars. "Hey, either of you seen Krysta?" He asked. The look on Kriana's face seemed to suggest she'd been gone for a short moment. "She go off to get snacks or something? Fair enough." Vigilon remarked. He then pulled out a strip of boar bacon from his inventory, no, two of them, actually. One for each of them. "Just in case Krysta doesn't find anything for you two." He noted. The two small dragons grabbed their pieces and found a good spot to lay down while munching on them.

                     Before long, Krysta returned, but was surprised at the fact that Vigilon was here. She asked him why he was here at the seating, noting that she thought he'd only be competing and not watching. "While it's true that I initially considered not watching to keep the element of surprise and a completely fair fight, I realized, if I did that, I'd miss out on being able to watch this with you." He answered with a soft smile. He then patted the spot where he had a feeling she had been sitting earlier, a gesture offering for her to come over and sit next to him.

Edited February 16 by Vigilon

[KnightessCiela 0]

Ciela crossed her arms, shaking her head at her husband with a playful smirk as she looked up to Wulfrin. “I was rooting for the both of you, but what I wasn’t rooting for was for you to only last thirty fucking seconds! Come on, babe. You could’ve at least made it look like a fight. You just kind of blew your load at him.” She let out a teasing laugh, giving his shoulder a light punch before leaning in to kiss his cheek. “But you did well, darling. I mean, I didn’t even get the chance to grab popcorn before it was over.” 

As the announcer’s voice rang out, declaring the next match, Ciela turned her attention back to the arena. "The former leader of the Guardians of Aincrad! The beautiful, the caring, the terrifyingly strong! It's none other than LESSA!" The red haired announcer motioned over to Lessa and then over to the other side of the arena where Oscar was standing. "And on this side, a man who single handedly started Aincrad's largest Orphanage! A man who will win your heart through your stomach! It's none other than OSCAR!"

“Oscar versus Lessa!?” Ciela’s jaw practically dropped. “Holy fuck, what a pairing.” With a hotdog tossed in the announcer’s mouth by Oscar and a flirt from Lessa, the battle began. She leaned against the railing, eyes locked on the battlefield. The energy between them was electric, the kind of intensity that sent shivers down her spine. The sheer tension, and not just the tension from the battle, was thick enough to be cut with a sword. Then came the sexual innuendos. Ciela’s breath hitched when Oscar suddenly gripped Lessa’s throat, voice smooth and commanding as he called her a good girl. If she had pearls, she’d be clutching them. It should have been me, she thought dramatically, but she was only joking. Or was she.

Oscar seemed to have the upper hand until Lessa, sharp-tongued and beautiful as ever, hissed, "Go. Fuck. Yourself." Ciela was living for this. The battle shifted, a perfect game of cat and mouse, except the roles reversed the longer the fight dragged on. Oscar had started as the hunter, but Lessa? Lessa became the predator. Ciela leaned closer over the railing, hands curled into fists as Lessa maneuvered with precision. Then, BAM. Lessa’s boot pressed firmly against Oscar’s throat. Then, BAM again. Her sword slammed into the ground between his legs. 

Ciela’s excited whistle cut through the air, followed by her cheering loudly and frantically clapping. Her voice was already hoarse, but she didn’t care. “That’s what I’m fucking talking about.”

As the match ended and the stands began to clear, Ciela made her way back to her table, a bright grin plastered across her face. “Get your refreshments!” She called out, gesturing to the spread she had laid out. “And for the winners of the rounds, an extra special treat!” Behind her, a second table stood ready. Eight large tins, each branded with Fondante’s Inferno insignia, her bakery’s signature emblazoned heart, and each delicately wrapped in a pretty pink bow. “Winners, grab a tin and enjoy.” Ciela then gestured to another table to her right, eight more tins. “You all did well, they aren’t as intricate, but I couldn’t just not reward y’all for all your hard work.” Inside the winners tins, a hearty meal awaited, garlic steak bites resting on a bed of asparagus and rice, paired with colorful roasted potatoes. And for dessert? Two rich fresh molten lava cakes, neatly wrapped in cellophane. In the other tins, creamy tuscan style chicken resting on freshly baked garlic bread. And for their dessert, fresh and flakey apple turnovers.

Of course, drinks were provided as well, both virgin and alcoholic, even if no one could actually get drunk in Aincrad. Ciela propped a hand on her hip, flashing a wink. “Enjoy the treats while they last! I’ll be whipping up more for next week soon. And if you’ve got requests, you know where to find me.”

 

[Pollux 0]

[I'm... spectating myself?]

Spoiler LEVEL 27: HP: 540/540 | EN: 72/72 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 54 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 SKILLS Spoiler  | skills mod count: 3/5 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 [BASE: Proficiency] +7 DMG [ADDON: Ferocity] +2 DMG [ADDON: Precision] +1 ACC [ADDON: Stamina] Reduce EN of all attacks by 2. [SHIFT: TECH Specialist] For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. COMBAT MASTERY: DAMAGE | RANK 3/3 [BASE: Proficiency] +9 DMG CHARGE [BASE: Proficiency] [PA, 2*Tier EN, 3 CD] For 1 Turn: +3 DMG, -1 ACC, remove autohit. QUICK CHANGE [BASE: Proficiency] [SKL FA, 3 CD] Instantly swap equipment from battle-ready. | extra skills [2] FIRST AID | RANK 5/5 [BASE: Proficiency] [PA, 15 EN] Single target heal: 20% of target max HP. [MOD: Purify] [PA, 3 EN, 1 CD] Single target cleanse: Can target the user. [MOD: Energize] [PA, 10 EN] Single target restoration: +8 EN. [MOD: Barrier] [PA, 15 EN, 2 CD] AoE buff: Reduce final damage from all sources by 15% for one turn. [ADDON: Field Medic] [PA, 15 EN, 3 CD] AoE heal: 25% of target(s) max HP. [1] ASSAULT MODE [BASE: Proficiency] [SKL FA, 5 EN, 4 CD] Switch ACC and EVA until the start of the user's next turn. | expenditure Spoiler Total SP: 135 | Spent: 132 | Unspent: 3 SKILL: Axe (30) ADDON: Stamina (4) ADDON: Precision (2) ADDON: Ferocity (4) SHIFT: TECH Specialist (10) SKILL: Combat Mastery: Damage (13) EXTRA SKILL: First Aid (30) MOD: Purify (4) MOD: Energize (5) MOD: Barrier (6) ADDON: Field Medic (6) SKILL: Quick Change (8) SKILL: Charge (10)   EQUIPMENT Spoiler Silver Sword ACCURACY III TIER 3 PERFECT STRAIGHT SWORD Exorcist's silver for the vanquishment of monsters. The sword is one-handed, deep blue in color with white edges and triangular gold detailing beneath the crossguard. It strikes true and pure regardless of the troubles of the souls that may come to wield it. Mountains and Rivers MITIGATION III TIER 3 PERFECT HEAVY ARMOR A bell-shaped spread of yellow-green and dark-blue mithril plates. Seafoam EVADE III TIER 1 PERFECT TRINKET A small glass bottle filled with sea water, miniature sea shells, and prop organisms. INVENTORY Spoiler | ... (1) Teleport Crystal Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports the player to the town or designated teleportation area they specify.   The Second Star | TRINKET T1E2, KEEN II A minimalistic set of pearl-colored hairpins; four-pointed star tassels optional. SWORD ARTS Spoiler | ST [x12] ST-I (10 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x15] ST-II (13 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. [x20] ST-B (18 EN) | A devastating single-target sword art. Can only be used if the sword art used the previous turn is not ST-B and had rolled a natural CD9+. When performing an AoE attack, use only the first roll. | AOE [x11] AOE-I (9 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. [x14] AOE-II (12 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A powerful sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. Only available for use when AOE-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if AOE-II had been used and had missed all intended targets the previous turn. | TECH [x16] TECH-A (14 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. [x16] TECH-B (13 EN) | DELAY | A single-target sword art that, on a successful strike, applies [Delay] on the enemy. [Delay] is a debuff that reduces the enemy’s ACC by 1 for one turn.

---

Telrenya v. Pollux - 12:30 PM

"Oooh! A returning frontliner!" marveled a white hooded figure, about 5'1" tall, balanced precariously on the first rung of the guard rail lining the outermost audience row. She was marked by a yellow cursor. Artificial; like a solid half of the crowd. Her excitement was vivid even from beneath the shadow of her hood. "Times like these, it's more fun to cheer for the challenger! Pollux!! Plant her into the ground!"

A pair had exchanged handshakes earlier. These two kept to their sides of the arena. They spoke, but were too far to be heard. Pollux ended their exchange with a silent nod.

Frowning, the spectator tipped her head back and caught her date's dull blue eyes. "What did they say?"

"Greetings and well wishes." His attention pivoted from the match countdown to her. Undisguised unlike his partner; she had the full view of his expression brightening into a grin. "I was surprised! Someone taught the fledgling some manners, or is it that you unlearned them yourself?"

She swung herself upright, affecting a growl. "I'm trying to watch a fight, not pick another one with you."

But words rang hollow. Sitting her down in a tournament she had no part in had the same effect as preparing an entire buffet in front of a person and expecting them not to come out hungry from it. She trained her eyes firmly on the combatants as the countdown hit zero and the two moved so quickly they became a blur. Telrenya swung first, misfired a sword art and was splashed by a potion in retaliation. But wait--! She was moving better now, it had only crippled her dodging. Both health bars dipped as the women exchanged blows. Damage numbers were on Telrenya's side but Pollux had her locked down with a Stun. The nameless spectator pitched forward dangerously, her eyes wide with anticipation, and her date's hand hovered over her back, ready to pick her up by the back collar of her hood as one would an unruly kitten should she topple off. "What?" she gasped. "Tomfoolery! How could she miss?!"

A common pitfall that was all too disappointing to see in a woman bearing her face.

Her partner could answer, but she was too enraptured in the goings of the match to include him meaningfully in the stream of her thoughts. His eyes flicked from the duelist picking herself up with an embarrassed blush to his hooded companion watching with her hands clenched to fists near her chest as both rivals exchanged a nod. 

"Pffft."

She looked at him, and he imagined if she had her hood off, she would have been blushing the same color. "What? Did I say something...?"

"No." He affectionately patted her white cloak, trying to bat her focus back to the match. "But you might miss the moment they stop tiptoeing around each other like fawns."

Warily, the nameless spectator turned her eyes back to the fight. She was immediately grateful, for that same moment, Pollux had shoved her opponent back and struck her. A devastating blow! She nodded along with the host's commentary. What followed was Telrenya stalling for heals, shaking off the potion's effect and trying to douse her rival with the same, Pollux charging back at her unaffected, a flurry of near-hits, parries, evades, and outright misses, where neither side's health bar budged. They were beautifully matched. She didn't know what she had been hoping to see, but this might be it. "Stay in the lead! Yu—a! Yu—a! Yu—a!" she yelled down from the stands as another volley concluded in a draw. She paused, drawing in breath, then she felt it again. 

Eyes on her, soft laughter blooming.

This weirdo was making fun of her in his head!

She whirled on her companion, an accusing finger pointed. "Orion!"

---

Edited Monday at 08:07 AM by Pollux