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Fudou the Mountain	For some time now, The Congregation of Victory has dominated the attention of many of the denizens of Great Forks. This is no easy task as the city is not nicknamed Decadence for no reason whatsoever. Ther eis no shortage of things to do, fesitvals to attend, ceremonies to witness and debauchery to get into. Therefore the fact that the martial arts tournament has had the staying power that is has had is a testament to just how potent the fighters have been and how amazing the displays. Immaculate monks have been humbled Exigents have been revealed and even tales of anathema revealing themselves in the stands and maybe upon the arena sands themselves have circulated. Such discussion gets varied responses. This is Great Forks and not Lookshy or The Isle after all - but it still is something that stirs discussion and the imagination. At present there seems to be a lull in the excitment however. The Consortium that runs the tournament paces their signature matches out in such a way to attract the largest crowds and the present audience isn't quite to their liking and as such the matches aren't exactly much to write home about. A few stragglers here and there for qualifiers for the final bouts but likely more is being planned for later. It doesn't mean spectators aren't around and one particular one stands out. Fudou the Mountain - Nicknamed the god of physical power and the adamant bodied titan, among other names. To date, another competitor of his stature and bulk has yet to reveal themselves and as such he stands head and shoulders aboce the competition physically with his comings and goings accompanied by the earth itself groaning and shaking from his footfalls and his outfit a mixture of his usual torn garments, shin guards and sandles, rope belts, trunks and jewelry adorning his frame exposing as much of his body as possible while maintaining modest and minor practicality. Weapons have not pierced his flesh and his blows have sent foes hurtling skywards or across the sands in distances measured in yards. . Sometimes ending matches with single strikes after letting them flail at him as he stands there. It's all in the name of performance you see. For now he boredly watches more matches from the training yards of the arena. A gigantic set of weights as large as some wagons wth a thick metal bar betwene them is nearby and watchers look to him even as he watches the fights, seeing if he'll attempt to lift the monstrous equipment. He is easily accessible but most either simply watch him or the matches and stay shy from him.
Amilar Ereyo	Even though the stands are not exactly empty, the current density of spectators leaves a certain amount of space between the small groups of interested and/or bored citizens and tourists. Enough for the fang of soldiers in shiny blue lamellar armour to stand out. They march in lockstep, clearly watchful and on the lookout for trouble. To anyone giving them a closer look, the mons of the Lookshyan Gens, Amilar, is clearly visible on their coats. Amilar Ereyo walks in front of them in her usual bright garb, long slender daiklave securely fastened to her waist. She doesn't seem in a hurry, and indeed, not even particularly interested in the fighting below. Her eyes dash across to the aisles and over the stands, passing over every part of the crowd. She frowns. Whatever she came here for, it clearly isn't where she hoped it would be. But then she notices the enormous figure in the training yards, and her whole body immediately pivots towards the man with many titles, who is indeed hard to miss. It takes a while to get down where the mountain lingers. Some of her guards have to make use of their elbows to get her through throngs of curious people, many of them interested in the hulking giant themselves. After a few muttered apologies, she finally reaches the training grounds and motions to her guard to stand back. Her approach is hard to miss due to the distinct sounds emitted by her left leg and the hard thud of that foot on the arena floor. She stops a few steps away from him and clears her throat, hesitating to disturb him by calling out.
Fudou the Mountain	The ground shakes as Fudou reaches over and grasps the barbell with both hands. Fissures actually form as he hefts it up and eyes in the training yard lock onto him as his bulk aidn sinew pile muscle ontop of muscle as he hefts the weight upwards and upwards. The sunlight glints off of his glasses, hiding his eyes though there is this...perhaps unsettling look of boredom on his face and only the mildest of effort. Nevermind that he could seemingly be lifting an elephant right now. The display is...full of intimidation. A hulking pressure emitting from the behemoth as his physique swells and his sinew creaks. Spectators and other combatants clear their throats but can't look away. Fans, however, seem to be quite enjoying it....particularly those that have bet on the colossus thus far. THe metal suddenly bends, giving way under the giants pressure as he begins twisting it and and then compressing it violently. There are sounds of stone grinding and metal whining as he forces the vast weights together and begins bunching it up in a horrifying display of brute strength. All this occuring casually and -just= as the sound of the aproaching Lookshayan reaches his ears which seem to wiggle on their own as they pick up the unique sound of her approach and those of her guards over the noise of his own body and the warping weights. He pauses and turns, looking over his shoulder towards her and then blinks a few times in surprise...almost mildly embaressed at seeing someone he recognizes. "Well! .... H'lo again luv.." He rumbles, "I see you are...a touch more important then I first presumed!" His gaze flickers past her towards the guards she had waved off. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this second meeting?"
Amilar Ereyo	Still within sprinting distance to Ereyo, her security detail gapes at the truly gargantuan man in front of her. Every single one of them grips their sword hilt with a veritable death grip. They look poised and ready to charge, drawn taught like bowstrings, waiting for the slightest hint of trouble... but at the same time, the uneasy looks passing between them betray their fear. A fang of fine soldiers and a mighty Dragon-Blooded alone might not be nearly enough to stand up to this... whoever or whatever this man, this mountain is. Ereyo at least was prepared for the titanic figure. What she might not have been prepared for - him casually twisting the training weights - could be responsible for the widened state of her eyes as they meet his. Again, she clears her throat, masking the slight pause as she chooses her words. But first, a polite bow, accompanied by the soldier's salute, hand over fist. "I, uh... Dragon's blessings upon you, Fudou the Mountain." Her voice quivers ever so slightly, but she manages to keep it mostly steady, with a polite smile. "I hope I'm not disturbing you in the middle of... something? Because I think you and I should talk." She slowly lets her smile fade and takes a quick glance at Fudou's fans. "Maybe somewhere a bit more private."
Fudou the Mountain	"For goodness sake.. I'm not going to -eat- you.." remarks Fudou suddenly. His heavy bass voice a jovial and amused rumble as he drops the crumpled up weights to the ground with a earth shaking *Toom* upon their impact. "I see you are quite new to Great Forks! Strange sights will greet you here unlike in Lookshy. I suppose I'm one of the more intimidating ones but be easy now. Look?" He gestures, towards the crowds nearby, the ones that seem to be enjoying both the arena fight as well as watching the matches. While there are many faces who look upon the giant with awe and not a small bit of fear, there are still many more who comfortably observe him and some whom seem even delighted at his antics. "Those here are fine and quite safe from me. Be at peace..." He gestures for her to come closer towards him and then he begins moving away, heading for an emptier corner of the traiining yard now with expectations of her following him. "Now, what can I do for you, eh?"
Amilar Ereyo	Fudou's assurances seem to have the desired effect on the bodyguards, along with a short gesture by Ereyo herself: They ease into a more relaxed stance - still alert for possible danger, but no longer gripping their swords for dear life. Still, they watch warily from a distance as the Air aspect follows Fudou to a place where they can speak without immediately being eavesdropped on by every single curious bystander and their mother. Contrary to her reaction at Amethyst's shop, Ereyo's body language holds no abject terror. Just a hint of unease as she looks up at Fudou again. Now satisfied by the new location, she gives him a firm nod. "Thank you. They have indeed never seem the likes of you... neither have I, and I can hardly fault them for their concern. Still, I realize how exhausting that must be, having to explain yourself again and again." After a small sigh, she frowns, and her eyes loose focus for a moment as she gathers her thoughts. With so much of his skin exposed, Fudou might be able to feel the air stirring around the Dragon in seemingly chaotic patterns. "Speaking of exhausting... The way I reacted to you a few days ago when we first met - that was completely uncalled for." She swallows, hard, before continuing: "I came here hoping to find you... to let you know that it wasn't your fault, and to ask for your forgiveness. My behavior was dishonorable and shameful, and for that, I am sorry." Another bow, a bit deeper this time. She /really/ means it.
Fudou the Mountain	He allows her to speak, saying nothing and his expression more neutral as he inclines his head and reaches up to remove those spectacles he wears. His eyes are sharp, focused and a deep hue of blue-green as they settle on her. The glasses must be just for show. Sentimental value perhaps. At her bow, he remains silent for a few longer seconds and then finally: "It is well. You are right, I do sometimes tire of the reactions but not as often as you may think. I am what I am. A gift of my homeland and more then that." He pauses abruptly, stopping himself before going to much further there unless prompted to do so. Clearing his throat, he returns his glasses to his broad nose and looks her over again. "Sights are strange and unique here in The Threshold but no strange to me would be that which lies in Lookshy. I have heard stories and it sounds wondrous to me. So consider us even then." Fudou's smile returns slowly but surely, "So it is well. You need not be concerned. In truth, if you were to -not- react to me in anyway...why...I suppose I might think I was losing my touch or that something was strange about you! Anyway, consider it a proper introduction to Great Forks. If you can handle me then meeting a lion man or a god begging for worshippers and performing free miracles should be of no consequence."
Amilar Ereyo	As he gives a few examples of the wondrous and strange sights one might encounter in Great Forks, Ereyo relaxes back into an upright position, takes a deep, calming breath and chuckles softly. She looks genuinely relieved now, and the air around her ceases to whip around listlessly, although it never stops moving entirely. To be honest, I've seen my fair share of willful gods and strange folk on the road already... It's just the sheer /amount/ of slightly unsettling sights in this city that's putting me on edge a bit. But I'll get used to it." Her smile is braver now, no longer overshadowed by any remnant of fear and the burden of her apology. "I remember you mentioning your homeland, Volivat. If you have a bit of leisure time, I would love to hear more about that... and about the patron of your Exigence." The growing excitement in her voice and, indeed, her whole body language and expression shifting to match is impossible to miss.
Fudou the Mountain	"i'll tell you any story you'd like to hear!" He'll have to make sure he's got his stories straight first mind you. "The Dreaming Sea, The Hundred Kingdoms....lands inbetween. I've had some travels to my name. I'll tell you this much. The Yennin are the elite superhumans of Volivat...but I decided to spend my time elsewhere and not just in service of my nation. My feet have travelled far but for now, Great Forks is a suitable place to rest..." Her zeal is notable to him and he smiles, expression relaxed as he rests his massive hands against his waist, "But why are you here?" Fudou inclines his head thoughtfully and then looks her over more closely, "You are here with an impressive entourage. Did you come for the tournament or something else? Amethyst seemed rather interested and impressed with you and your presence."
Amilar Ereyo	Faced with that assessment, Ereyo pauses for a bit, mulling over the question. While she does this, her eyes loose focus again, traveling over the still somewhat crowded stands of the massive arena before settling back on Fudou. Meanwhile, her hands move about rather aimlessly in search of something to fiddle with. In the end, she firmly hooks her thumbs into her belt, and the involuntary movement stops. "I'm always interested in traveler's stories, especially from places far away. The Dreaming Sea definitely qualifies." Her grin is bright and soft at the same time, like freshly fallen snow. "As for me... I decided to apply for an open position as guest tutor at the academy, as I'm currently... on extended leave, and - ah, well, let's just say I enjoy teaching." She definitely looks like she does, smiling with anticipation. After shifting her weight from her left leg to the right side of her body, the Dragon continues in a more somber manner: "The entourage is just my household guard. I'm a scion of Gens Amilar, and a sorcerer-engineer at that. My position doesn't give me particular power or notoriety beyond that, if that's what you mean. They are here to protect me because my family wants to make sure nothing happens to me, and Amethyst... Well, Amethyst has her own reasons. Didn't she tell you?" She peers at him with a fresh surge of curiosity.
Fudou the Mountain	"She did." Fudou's answer has only slight hesitation. A touch of surprise at the question but it fades away easily enough. "In fact...I suppose I can say that was the reason why she was nervous. SHe wasn't sure how I'd react to her...going away..." Again there is an under current of something left unsaid. He's not very good at that sort of thing. His expression is mildly wistful but there's a crinkling about his brow as well. Mild concern barely hidden away beneath the surface. "But she'd nothing to worry about. I told her that I supported her decision and thought it was a great idea. She'll learn an incredible amount and also bring an incredible amount of knowledge with her. She's a very talented and powerful sorcerous and a powerful fighter. Did she mention she was a competitor in the tournament...?" He pauses and then adds, a slight grin creasing his features now. "We fought.." Is all he adds as if that alone should say enough.
Amilar Ereyo	The Amilar scion squints at him, suddenly inquisitive. She might not be the best at reading people. Fudou might not be the best at hiding his feelings. In the end, Ereyo nods, more to herself than to him, it seems, and starts pawing at her hair in a futile attempt to keep it from blowing into her eyes. "I'm glad she told you, because I didn't want to make it any more awkward", she confesses with a bit of a sigh. "At first, she wasn't even upfront about her plans towards me, which is why I wasn't certain how much she had told you. But you /are/ her friend, are you not? I'm glad that you support her in this - I truly am. She would be an amazing asset to the Seventh Legion." Another look around the arena, and for the first time since she arrived, Ereyo actually makes an effort to watch the current fight. Not for long, though. She quickly seems to loose interest, instead giving it all back to Fudou. "Amethyst indeed mentioned her participation in the tournament, and her fight against you, although she didn't go into too much detail. Suffice to say that it sounds a lot more impressive now than it did back then, before I actually met you." This time, she meets his gaze perhaps a little longer than necessary, and the violet hues in her eyes increase in saturation as she does so. "My time here grows short. Let me propose another meeting. At that ramen place Amethyst mentioned, perhaps? I'll ask her if she wants to come, too. Then you two can tell me everything about that glorious fight of yours."
Fudou the Mountain	"Very well." Fudous' smile remains easy and relaxed. "There's much to say on that and other matters as well I'm sure. She did mention the timeliness of the two of you meeting so it seems that all things are in their own place as they should be." On that, the giant turns and begins heading back towards the larger areas of the training yard. "It was good to meet you again! Yes, the ramen does sound enticing. Another time then. Until that happens, enjoy the tournament. Perhaps you will see me fight again and soon!" With that, the giant gives a final wave and he is off though it may be a moment before he is fully out of sight.