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Nine Roads Alani	It's another wild, exciting night in the Arena, but make no mistake: the action isn't over yet. The Tournament is in the middle phases, where the peak excitement of opening day is gone but the fever pitch of finals is not quite yet here. Still, the crowd shows no sign of slacking! Hooting, hollering, and half-drunk already, they're shouting out the names of their favorite warriors. Sometimes those warriors are actually still on the Arena floor! The indigo-robed judge for this bout steps out from within the Arena, making her way to one of the central circles, a pleased little smile on her face as she lifts her chin up, bellowing to attempt to be heard over the insanity in the stands. "Ooooooon the north side! The cleanest, most precise sword strikes in the city! It's Miiiiiiiisaaaaaaaaa!" She impatiently gestures, beckoning Misa out from the wings of the Arena. "And on the south side! Here to prove the Immaculate Philosophy might actually not be nonsense, Waaaaandering Thunder!" There's a few isolated cheers in the audience for the jab, but most people are clearly waiting for the bloodshed to begin. She stands, hands folded in her sleeves, waiting for both competitors to reach her.
Misa	She's quiet and measured at almost all times, this Misa figure. Her prior matches have been little different- indeed, little more than a few blows, if that, have determined the victor of her matches thus far- even as she changes between different forms and styles between matches. This time, it seems, she's brought two fair-sized curved blades, perhaps recognizable from prior matches as being blunted and wrapped tightly in cloth to avoid bleeding her opponents out quite so badly. They sit in custom sheathes to accommodate the wrapping, one at each hip, at rest for now. A small smile manages to creep onto her face as she sees the next opponent- she was, of course, in the audience during Thunder's upset victory over a dragon-blooded warrior. She tilts her head as she approaches the middle of the arena floor. "Good afternoon," she offers as the other woman approaches, raising her hands before her chest with one hand wrapped lightly around the other fist in a somewhat realm-adjacent gesture of martial respect. "I was impressed by your prior showing. Might an opponent ask how one managed to overcome a prince of the earth before we begin? My best theory was deft management of your opponent's arrogance."
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder hopes that this battle will be a better fight than the lout from the first round. She steps out from the shadows wearing her immaculate robes and armed with her staff. The noise of the crowd fading out as she focuses on the swordswoman before her. "Well met lady Misa. It is a pleasure to face you in combat." She listens to the question. "Of course you may ask. The man underestimated his opponent and I used his arrogance against him. I knw this tactic will not work against you. I look forward to this match. A proper foe I have not had in a while."
Nine Roads Alani	The judge simply stands, hands still folded, vaguely smiling and waiting. She doesn't make a move quite yet. She murmurs, "Go on, you two, get it out of your systems, the whole chatting thing. But make it quick. We have a show to put on." She chuckles quietly. In the stands, 'Elena' is at a customary position, fighting for space along the forward rail, trying to see what's going on down below. The crowd is watching a half dozen fights at once right now, beer being drunk and spilled in roughly equal measure around her. Unlike many of the others around, though, she's not drunk or high, and she's got her eyes solely on one fight. Some of the others in the crowd are starting to twig to the fact that two of the better up-and-comers are here and ready to rumble, but Elena is watching that fight with a small measure of glee. She knows them both...and had a couple very interesting sparring sessions with one of them.
Misa	Just ever so slightly, the small smile on Misa's face tugs just a hint wider. "A sentiment not unlike my own. Best of fortune to you, and win or lose, I am glad already of the opportunity." She offers a short bow, then steps back from the closer greeting distance, face returning to neutral as she looks to the judge and offers the slight nod of her personal readiness.
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder nods her head in agreement and steps back to her starting position as well. She spins her staff testing the balance once more and shifts her feet into a familiar fighting stance.
Nine Roads Alani	The judge smiles vaguely and nods. Just so, then. As both warriors take their places, she stands with one arm out over the circle, the clear sign to the fighters to stop dallying and get ready. Of course, both of them already were! With a flourish that suggests the judge might have once studied a martial art herself, she whips her hand out of the way and shouts, "BEGIN!" She then backs up with considerable haste.
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Scarlet goes in for a quick strike against Misa, only to underesitmate the swordswoman's speed and miss with her own swing.
Tepet Makara	Makara arrives at the arena even if he was late. Although he doesn't expect the Consortium to approach him yet, he wonder who are the next pair of fighters that will duel each other. "A swordswoman and....Wandering Thunder, That monk?" He says with surprise although he wonders if she's a mortal or something else, especially as she managed to defeat the dragonblooded monk last time.
Misa	It's been said, and seen, and heard, that Misa's most refined style is rahter renowned for its blinding speed and almost effortless capacity to draw a blade and strike with it in the same blow. True to this, as the beginning of the fight is called, she simply flicks the guards of her blunted blades with her thumbs, loosening the weapons in the scabbards. Yet when the monk dives in, she meets her halfway- darting forward and drawing one blade with her left to meet and graze past the swinging staff- it's a near thing, with a swing like Thunder's, but supported- her right hand has drawn the other blade in the following instant, using it for a more direct strike to largely glance off of the monk's... armour? Still, there's enough sheer force-by-speed in the strike to force the other woman back and onto the back foot with the strike
Nine Roads Alani	While the fight between Wandering Thunder and Misa has come off to a spectacular, crowd-riveting start, Elena is at first just as interested in the outcome as anyone else--but unlike most of them, she's also assessing it with a martial artist's eye. Judging the initial strike, what she might have done instead...and while her fellow Five Score Fellowship member delivered a truly excellent strike, even fate itself was not enough to stop Misa's mastery of the blade. Of course, Elena knew. She's fought Misa herself and come away the loser, too. However, her yellow eyes are remarkably perceptive...enough so that she sees a man coming in late, not nearly as frantically excited at the goings-on...and whose robe was described to her some time ago. She squints, brow furrowing, but...well, she can't be sure, can she? Only one way to find out. She gets up off the railing (and the spot is immediately taken!) and makes her way back to where the Dynast-looking man is heading. Robes...alone...calm when everyone else is ecstatic...yeah. Maybe so. She makes her way deftly past other people, until she's not too far from him at all. She doesn't address him immediately, but there's little room for mistake--she's studying him intently.
Misa	After the blinding strikes that met Thunder's, Misa's posture shifts- perhaps not to a proper, formal form of her style, but her motions become languid, almost sanguine in a way without giving up much of her swiftness, if any. She flows directly into her next steps forward, seeming to lean one way before shifting the other way properly. There's a whirl as she makes her way to a more open side of Thunder's set-back stance- and there's something of a false start of a horizontal swipe with the spin before she translates the angular momentum upwards with her other hand, wrapped blade coming underhanded to knock the monk's guard aside.
Tepet Makara	Makara continues watching the fight as he wonders if it will result in the monk's defeat or victory. In anticipation, he drinks from a bottle of beer he brought from Greyfalls brewed by a Nellens business. Even if the monk loses, it still an interesting duel to watch however he seems unaware that someone is watching him. "Hmm, at least that fox is absent here...for now" His eye twitches in annoyance as he mentions the vixen he tried to chase and somehow "fail" in doing so.
Serene Herald	The fight has already started, and it is with a bit of chagrin that he arrives. He looks around for a bit and sees the pair, so his eyes go wide at the exchange of blows. Then he starts to scan among the crowd...and sees a familiar face in Elena. And seeing her studing, he refocuses his attention, until finally seeing the so-called dynast, and he makes his way towards Makara. When he gets closer, he says, "It is being an interesting fight. And seeing them, well, I am of /knowing/ I'm outclassed. The one with the sword is my sifu in an art, and is of far more mastery than I."
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder rolls under Misa's attack after the powerful blow to her ego and her ribs. He staff doesn't stop spinning as she hits Misa from behind and forces her further forward than planned.
Nine Roads Alani	Elena's watching Makara from not very far away, of course, but whatever she might have said to bring up a conversation is derailed quite handily by Perfect Question just coming up out of essentially nowhere and striking up a conversation. Still, she grins a bit and takes a step or two closer, now blindingly obviously listening in, without apology. At least she's not still going without a greeting, too. "Well. If it isn't Perfect Question. How do you do, again?" She turns to Makara. "Sorry for butting in. I just saw you were the only one here not having any fun and thought I'd ask why."
Misa	In a sight that may be a first for all of the Great Forks region... Misa's small smile spreads into an outright smirk of satisfaction as the itinerant monk weathers the storm of her assault and strikes back. It's a surprise even to her, with her expertise in battle, when Thunder manages to send her astray on her strike- and she hurtles forward... with intent, flipping over and about in an aerial twist, landing cleanly on her feet- with her blades re-sheathed somewhere amid the maneuver- definitely with her momentum slowed.
Tepet Makara	As Perfect Question arrives, Makara turns his attention to him. "The swordswoman is your sifu? I remember seeing her before in her dojo." Although he sought to confront Question on what he is, he waits for the appropriate moment. "I wonder what sort of martial arts she knows" It seems there is another stranger that is approaching the Lunar in dynast's clothing. "Oh you two know each other? Well I didn't participate since I don't feel I can win while I am....preoccupied with other matters"
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder seems to have found the flow of the battle with Misa. Since the opening clash, she has managed to keep up with the swordswoman.
Serene Herald	"I am of being well. Though after some hard training in the dojo caused a few injuries. Still of being better than battle. Here I am of learning, and the Exigent of healing is of being very very generous. A donation there would not be amiss." He gives a nod to Makara, "She is of focusing on the sword, and I would suspect any Art which is of using them is one she is of learning to master."
Nine Roads Alani	"Well, yes, we know each other, to some extent," Elena replies, giving Serene Herald a small grin. The truth is, the two of them couldn't be much different. Herald is bespoke and precise, Elena's wearing dusty robes and a ratty grey cloak and her hair is shaggy and windblown. She's as casual as he is proper. "Yeah, actually," Elena replies, a bit distracted as she watches the fight going on below with one eye. "That monk is holding her own. Kind of shames me a bit, Misa clobbered me the last time we sparred. And I might not be in the tournament either, but I like to think I'm not a complete slouch in a fight. She's pretty tough. And my style is something that not a lot of people are really used to."
Tepet Makara	"I may participate if there's one next year since I haven't mastered Water Dragon Style yet. I have a sifu myself but he is strict at times and is busy but he's a good man" Makara nods to Elena while watching the battle. "Oh you fought her before? Interesting" "Ah so she focuses on martial arts related to the sword. I mostly focus on fists, tiger claws and axes but I don't mind expanding my horizons"
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering thunder takes a strong blow to her leg causing her to shift her stance. She looks a little annoyed and make a powerful jabbing attack with her staff striking Misa and causing her to fall prone.
Ignis	This is the sort of match that Ignis has been waiting to see. He watches with keen interest, a small smile on his face and his eyes narrowed as he relaxes in the stands not to far from where Makara sits. The ebb and flow of the crowds mood, their cheers, roars and gasps, don't seem to overtly move him to much so far as open reactions go but anyone who takes the time to study him can see that he's locked in on the racing rush of the duel with sharp interest that seems focused on closely examining every move the combatants make. "She maintains a dojo not to far from the city..." he says, finally, upon overhearing Makara and he gives a quick glance in the direction of the man, seemingly quite familiar with him, before looking back to the match else he miss something in the instant of that quick look.
Nine Roads Alani	Elena looks surprised, even though it's only visible from body language--her face above her mouth is hard to see under her deep hood. "Claws, fists, and axes? Sounds like you've broadened your horizons a lot already, to be honest. I'm best with just my hands, though there's a few other things that work. You'd be surprised what I can do with a chair, if it were really needed." She laughs. "But the truth is, for me the most important thing I can have in my hands...are the enemy. If I threw you you'd feel it. Still, I don't want to miss what's going on down there. Sounds like a hell of a fight."
Misa	Misa has to admit- even having seen the woman defeat an earth aspect... Wandering Thunder has surprised the blademaster quite pleasantly- she doesn't even seem all that upset when the sweeping strike of the staff catches her at an inopportune moment and sends her crashing to the stone arena floor on her back. Smoothly, she translates the momentum into rolling backwards, back to her knee. There's a moment, as she crouches there on one knee, where she looses a slow, steady exhalation, eyes closing a moment. She springs back, getting her distance and footing back before Thunder can take advantage of her closed eyes- and somehow, it appears as if the woman is fresh to the beginning of the fight once again, closed-lipped grin remaining in place, brows lowered slightly with intent and threat.
Tepet Makara	It seems there are more people coming to the arena for he notices Ignis has arrived as well. "Oh, Ignis I didn't expect you'd come. Hmm, I may visit her dojo when I have the time" He says with curiosity while turning to the other two. "Admittedly I already did broaden it but my sifu always tells me to focus on other skills you haven't mastered yet or are bad at it. He always tells me that overreliance can be a weakness like an archer with no bow and arrow against an armed enemy"
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Seeing the almost serene look from Misa appears to have gotten under Wandering Thunder's skin a little. Her moves are classic Golden Janissary, the swing from the staff hits with a glancing blow. The change on Wandering Thunder's face is the glowing red mark upon her forehead. She flips her hood up with the back of her staff, concealing the mark from view.
Nine Roads Alani	Elena looks thoughtful, then follows Makara's gaze to Ignis. "Hmm. Don't think I've met your friend there, to be honest." She chuckles as Makara talks about his sifu. Her expression turns comically wry. "Gods above, don't I know it. Seems like my own sifu is pestering me to shore up my defenses more than she has me sweep the dojo, and that should tell you how frequent that is." Elena looks ready to comment further, but pauses for a moment as she sees something happening in the fight below, briefly. "Anyway, sounds like you like sparring with other folks. You ever want to try to get a knife hand in on me edgewise, look me up at my courier shop, west quarter." She smirks a bit. "If you don't mind getting tossed around a bit."
Misa	The more furious, powerful strike rings true- even if Misa does seem to somehow equal-ish Thunder's more protected resilience in the battle. She's driven back by the glancing strike- but there's a split instant where one might catch her eyes flicking up to the monk's forehead before the hood hides the mark. She draws her stance up taller, and as Thunder prepares to follow up, Misa's face falls neutral again- purely focused. Her swords are sheathed at this moment- and she turns slightly into one of the classic stances of her Single Point style, left hand shifting the sword on her left hip across her waist to hang from her right next to the other blade- and then comes to curl around the hilt of one of them as her right hand holds the scabbard steady.
Ignis	"You didn't expect I'd come? How could I miss matches like this..." Ignis sounds amused but still focused on the battle. "I missed Amethyst' match with The Mountain. I missed General Raullaur. I can't possibly miss this opportunity to see The Lady Misa in action..." He does give Elena a look, though, taking in her own words thoughtfully as he studies her for a few long seconds. He then looks back to the match while nodding his head in her direction, "We have not met no. I am Ignis. Forgive me, I didn't mean to intrude on your conversation so abruptly but if time and circumstance permits, I'd love to bear witness to a match between you and our mutual friend here. Based on what I'm overhearing I've no doubt it'd be quite the spectacle!"
Tepet Makara	"I guess most sifus are like that but at least they are effective in teaching the arts of war" Makara says in an amused manner as he's not the only one with a strict teacher. "I forgot to introduce myself but I'm Tepet Makara, water aspect" He nods to Elena while looking back at the fight on who will win
Nine Roads Alani	"Well, then, nice to meet you both. Call me Elena." She grins, a lot of even, white teeth showing from underneath the hood. "Tepet Makara, and Ignis. Good to meet people in this town, especially if you're good for a nice spar. I do love to get a little practice in. Just wish I could have joined the tournament, but you know how it is. Run a business, get prior commitments. Story of our lives, I'm sure." So, what do you two do for a living, while I'm thinking about it?"
Misa	It's... not unlike a different person is in the battle, when Misa adjusts into the stance. Which is not to say the original warrior was gone- in fact, one could be forgiven for thinking both were fully present. As Thunder darts in with her latest blow, Misa draws her blade, scabbard and all, from her sashes with her right hand- and deflects the staff with the sheath in a single, smooth motion. And yet, it hardly even looks like she moves before she's in position for a follow-up- she draws, strikes, and sheathes again almost in an eyeblink- a testament to Thunder's well-applied self-defense that it's blocked. But then Misa's changed positions again- this time to an angle at Scarlet's opposite shoulder across from the monk, and a blade flashes out again- this one connecting solidly enough into that curious robe to send the other woman sprawling to maintain her footing.
Tepet Makara	Tepet Makara says, "I'm one of the winglords for one of the Cynis legion in Greyfalls. Pay is good even if I have the wealth of a patrician instead of a dynast since I am from a thinblooded household of my house." He responds to Elena's inquiry regarding what he does for a living. "I hope I can spar someday as well but I prefer to do it privately. I mostly do it with my sifu""
Ignis	"This fight is.." Ignis eyes narrow a touch as his focus settles purely on the wild dance taking place on the arena floor. Even he is having some difficulty keeping up with the twists and turns. To be certain it's one of the displays and matches that will go down as a true highlight of this event. "Amazing. These combatants are truly something.." he breathes and then nods his head in agreement with Elena, "Yes...I was in a similar situation. I wanted to dive right in but I just had to much pulling me away from Great Forks to commit the necessary time. I still wonder if there's a way to do...something. An exhibition match. Something not part of the actual competition but just to..I don't know...hype the crowd up. Perhaps not.." His voice softens abit, and his expression darkens ever so slighlty before he shakes his head and folds his arms while peering forward at the duel as it continues to unfold,
Misa	As though the initial onslaught there was not enough... Misa continues pressing the advantage, a blur of motion as she continues following Thunder's search for her footing. She ducks under the staff as it shifts for balance, whirling about and dropping much lower in her stance. Most any onlooker with an understanding of combat would likely be able to tell- she doesn't -really- go in for the proverbial kill here. She strikes hard, and fast, and with a swing that would knock out most any normal person taken to the head like that- but certainly not with the murderous intent her advantage would afford her.
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder staggers backward from the powerful blow dropping her staff in the process. She drops to one knee and bows her head in submission while holding it with her hands. "I wish that I didn't need to but I yield. Your next blow would for sure knock me senseless."
Misa	Misa pauses, eyeing Thunder a moment- before rising to a simple standing position and sliding that freed blade-and-scabbard back into her sashes. Her smile returns, and she bows her head and offers that same two-handed gesture from before the bout. In the next moment, she walks across the space between the two, simply offering her hand silently to the other woman.
Nine Roads Alani	Elena nods to both Makara and Ignis, but as the fight gets more furious, the wild back-and-forth draws her attention as easily as it draws everyone else's. She remains silent, leaning forward with her hand on the back of someone else's chair as she watches the match intently, every cut and thrust. Finally, she replies to Ignis, her eyes never leaving the fighting. "I tell you both right now...Misa is stronger than I remember. It -has- been a bit. She's grown by leaps and bounds. Question, what did you..." She pauses in her tracks, realizing that Perfect Question was already gone. "Ugh. I hate it when he does that. Must be watching the match down there..."
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder accepts the offered hand and rises slowly to her feet. She bows respectfully to her opponent. "I would do well to learn to fight with a sword the way you do."
Misa	A slight quirk of just one side of Misa's mouth at that. "Well, by contrast- I would hardly do so well were we to trade weapons, I think. You may very well have won in that contrasting situation. You are a shockingly and delightfully excellent fighter- thank you for the match, and I fully understand your defeat of the Prince now." Her eyes maybe flick up to Thunder's covered forehead again for just an instant with that last comment. "I would be delighted to face you again sometime in the future, if you would have that. I know not how soon your duties will take you elsewhere, but I live at a small dojo with a single student on the bank of the north-flowing river to the west.
Ignis	"She has.." confirms Ignis, "That much is clear but also...it may be that the intensity of this match has invoked a different sort of degree of intent and drive then training or spars at a dojo might require. This place, this energy, these sorts of matches can push a person to reveal more of themselves if they have a goal to meet." Elena's comment also seems to jar a certain memory of the sturdy fighter and he bites his lip in some mild embaressement. "I say...I think we -have- met then... At her dojo. So you know what you're talking about.. Yes..I agree.." He rubs his jaw in thought and then muses, "We're long overdue to cross blades. Circumstance just refuses to allow it ot happen..." he grins softly, "..Maybe that's for the best..."
Nine Roads Alani	Elena gives Ignis an alert once-over, her casual look belying the intensity of her gaze. Her yellow eyes are almost invisible under the hood, but...yeah. From her expression, she remembers that spar, too. "Mmm. Now I remember you, yes. Well met once again, Ignis. Actually, I wouldn't mind sparring with you, too." She grins again. "You've seen me fighting, though, I can't take you quite as much by surprise." Meanwhile, down in the Arena, the judge steps forward. "Everyone give your loudest for our WINNER! MIIIIIIISAAAAAAAAA!" It's honestly hard for the massive crowd here to cheer Misa on any harder than they have been already, but by the Gods they give it a good try. The clapping, cheering, and shouting is -intense-, and a powerful argument for earplugs!
Scarlet Onyx Sunada	Wandering Thunder nods her head. "I believe you are correct, a master and their weapons are something to behold. I look forward to the next time that meet. I worry for your next opponent." Wandering Thunder nods her head. "Now that I have lost here. I will most likely be leaving in the next couple of days. I should at least allow the ringing in my head to pass before I leave. I would be most please to figth you again. I will strive to finish the path that I am on. She reachs down and picks up her staff. She smiles a warm, genuine smile.