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Bright Journey	It's a cloudy, overcast and somewhat dreary day in Great Forks, but at least it's not damp yet. Hopefully the rain won't come until later in the afternoon. For now, though, the leaden sky isn't putting a damper on the enthusiasm of the crowd! Between brilliant displays of swordsmanship and hammers caving in skulls (mostly monster skulls, to be honest, but still), there's certainly plenty of entertainment, and some gore, to be had. In the semi-full arena, Bright Journey is sitting, and relaxing, near the front. It's cool enough that her hood is on over her eye-catching tresses, but still, she gets a look or two. It's hard to avoid completely.
Neza	Rain would be welcome. But the overcast is just as good. Used to cold and wet, Neza finds a familiarity in the weather. It brings a degree of peace the jungles haven't. And with that peace comes the amiability to see to the arena. The dance of combat draws her, something to watch, and with a focused crowd she can exist within and not draw. Her hat his low, her position higher up on the stands. She enjoys a good vantage point. For all the din, it's a peaceful place where people won't here her muttering in attempts to recall the grammatical structure of Skytongue. Under her hat, Neza's nose twitches. Her eyes narrow and she starts to scan the crowd of the seats below. Something was there. But she cannot quite put her finger on it.
Bright Journey	The blades flash, the mace slams, and with a flourish of derring-do, another creature bites the dust. The gladiators seem skilled, but mundane, and as they take a moment to relax and wipe the sweat and grime off, it becomes time for the crowd to take a break, as well. A good half of the crowd gets up and goes to visit concessions or the privy. The figure with the black hood in front gets up as well, but doesn't go anywhere; clearly, she just wants to stretch her legs. She also flips her hood back, and if nothing else, Neza might easily see that brilliant pink hair. The irony is she's about where Neza was before they first met, and vice versa! While Bright does look around, it's only out of mild curiosity. She doesn't happen to see Neza, not from this distance, but it's at least not as focused on the gladiatorial action.
Neza	It's the hair. While not the only person around a place like Great Forks to have the bright color, but it's a pretty noticeable feature all told that triggers a memory. One amusing, if a little embarrassing with the wisdom of hindsight. Neza uses the momentary break to make her way downward. The opening room leaves enough of a channel for the tall woman to slip down toward the front of the arena. "I believe you're in my spot," the soft, steady tone Neza speaks in is direct, and perhaps not too obvious of a joke on her part. But she is trying.
Fudou the Mountain	A sudden dull *KATHUD!* resounds, resulting from the abrupt arrival of a new and very noticable -massive- figure, dropping into the arena by literally leaping up from the staging area into the elevated ring and landing in a crouched position that kicks up a plume of dust and cracks the earth beneath it. The figure is cloaked and heavily shrouded almost as if quite literally wearing a tent while a massive pillar, well worn and broken as if hewn from the earth from some ancient temple, is slung over what must surely be its shoulder..gripped by a visible hand that is just unreasonably massive and connected to a slightly hairy forarm gnarled with far to much muscle. Muscle that soon is clear is everwhere on the gargantuan body once the figure rears up and the tears free the cloak around it revealing Fudou the Mountain full capacity. The man is far to big for most forms of the imagination. A walking visual representation of some children's books version of Isidoros come to play. His vest strains to contain huge pectorals, barely covering a third of them while straining at the seams around gargantuan arms the size of some peoples bodies. Boulder sized biceps bunch up terrifingly as he raises the pillar high and then slams it down and booms: "FUDOU THE MOUNTAIN HAS COME BACK TO GREAT FORKS! When I was last hear..it was boring, Boring, BORING! I had to break the arm of a godblood scion of strength while arm wrestling and scratching my balls with my free hand just to keep from falling asleep! And I have big balls." He pauses, frowning briefly. That sounded better when he rehearsed it alone. "Er..anyway." Either way, his antics have drawn attention from some fighters. None are taking the bait yet as if he does have a reputation after all.
Bright Journey	At the soft sound of Neza's voice, Bright Journey's eyebrows fly up for a moment, then she grins and turns around. "Well! Look who it is," she replies, making a careful show of moving one seat over to the left. "Never would I dream of taking anything anyone is -using-." She is smiling, though, and is clearly in on the joke. "It's very nice to see you again, Neza. Mayhap we should--" In future ages, it'll be a question for the ages what in Creation Bright was just about to say. For at that moment, someone else attracts -everyone's- attention, gladiator, fruit juice and ale vendors, janitorial staff, and most probably the God Of Undamaged Arena Floors, who is probably screaming obscenities in Yu-Shan at this very second. He's...not easy to ignore. Bright gives Neza the driest sidelong glance ever conceived, and murmurs, "Is that why he walks like an aurochs in heat?" in a quiet aside to Neza. Regardless, she leans against a rail and settles in to watch the upcoming action. "Now this, my dear, might be fun to watch."
Neza	A welcome response. Neza is clearly, if not readily visibly, more composed than before. Gone now is the forced poise, but still remains the obscuring hat and cloak. "It is good to see you again, as well," she says, taking the seat, and making careful to position herself comfortably as she forms a blobby cloak of a shape. Topped with a hat. Eyes wide, bright and clear in the slight part of the beads when the new arrival shudders the arena with his presence, and not insignificantly with his mass. A boisterous approach and a bellowing challenge. And once that, with it's bawdiness, reveals a little of Neza's history among mercenaries. Behind her beaded veil, Neza breaks into a grin and a clear chuckling laugh. "I think I like this one," she comments, posture shifting forward.
Fudou the Mountain	The pillar whirls like a baton, spinning around the giants massive arms with deft dexterity and, perhaps, surprising familiarity and skill. Eyes capable of seeing would realize that this performance is no fluke nor this brute merely a brute..but a brute with some training and mobility. Perhaps considerable mobility. He ends with the makeshift weapon straddled across his back as he drops into a stance that is likely one of his own making though it has shades of The Jade Mountain Style even if an imitation of it. "Alright! Me and my balls are ready!" he rumbles. The coarse language and attitude are somewhat silly but that would seem part of the point. THe brute is terrifying looking and yet at the same time his demeanor seems to be attempting to balance being affable with being a freakish force of nature. Straddling the line so the audience alternates between cheers and jeers..and not screams. Mind you, Great Forks is no stranger to odd sights and taken in stride an oversized monument of a guy is probably lower on the totem pole compared to entourages of the dead. "Nobody? Must Fudou be bored again!?" he rumbles A duo of sturdy looking gladiators glance at each other and then begin to finally approach. One with a spear, the other with a gladius and shield.
Bright Journey	Bright leans against the rail, and despite her excitement earlier she's biting her lip a bit now. She eyes Neza, then looks out at Fudou and the two other gladiators. She brushes the hair from her face and says, without looking away, "I...don't know about you, but I came here for a thrilling fight, not a one-sided slaughter. If he's as skilled as he is strong...well, we'll see what happens." She chuckles darkly and gestures to the two other gladiators. "Maybe the big guy is telling the other two how to win. A swift kick between the tree trunks might just do it."
Neza	Neza keep excitement well hidden. "A display is a display," Neza judges. "If the giant is good, he'll showcase it. If the two are able to upset him, then that's interesting as well." She pauses a moment, slow to realize something that may have been said in a more subtle manner. "Are you implying you'd like to take on the behemoth?" she asks, hat cocking as she tilts her head in Bright Journey's direction.
Fudou the Mountain	"Aaah...very brave of you!" The giant brings the pillar around and suddenly slams it to a stop infront of him, holding it aloft and gripping it with both hands along its length. "For your bravery, I will reward you by not using this weapon!" The muscles in his arms and chest swell, sinew piling on sinew as the behemoth grins. Cracks form, spreading throughout the improvised weapon until with a sudden eruption of sound, the weapon splinters and the pillar sunders violently from the behemoths display of strength. It crumples like so much tissue in his grasp, folding in on itself and spraying sharpnel everywhere. Fudou's huge hands continue forward as if he was continuing to crumple up the tissue and the massive palms join together with a final *BOOM* as the pieces of the debris continue sailing to the ground and elsewhere in the arena. "I will use my hands and arms!" The gladiators pause..stare at each other..and then seemingly as one go "Nope." "No thanks!" and begin backing off. Fudou stares, his grin turning into a frown and then his shoulders slump. And then..he suddenly twists from that into a bow! Bowing to the arena audience who have gone from silence to a roar of cheers and jeers at the display from the behemoth. It would seem he is simply playing the crowd as wisdom would suggest none of the mortals here are keen to challenge him. "Another time then, Great Forks!"
Bright Journey	Frowning deeply, Bright looks very thoughtful, then slowly shakes her head. "Not...precisely. I know I have no chance against him alone--not in physical combat, anyway--and if we ever fought for real I'd be defending myself a different way. No, I would rather stay right here. But...I hate looking at slaughters. If we want to watch, I am very good with that. If something happens...eh. Maybe if I had a hand I'd jump in. Pausing briefly, Bright nods again at Neza's wisdom. "Eh. You're right, though, the two did agree to it, after all. He's not forcing the issue." And then of course, they don't agree to it and Fudou backs off immediately. He might be working the crowd to cheers and jeers, but Bright just smiles a little bit. "That, more than anything, was what I was curious to see. A point to our man mountain for staying graceful."
Neza	For a moment, Neza is more curious in the sudden collapsing mass of the great pillar. A quiet hum coming from her while she leans forward with consideration. That the other rescind their challenge is disappointing, but perhaps wise in manner of speaking. They would likely have not been much of a matter. However. . . A flutter of cloth. Neza takes to the edge of the stands and with a graceful, marked leap, she lands before the giant. Her arm, wrapped hand showing long claws, slips from under her cloak, long and outstretched, holding a spear cued from the aether it was sheathed within. "If I may interject," she speaks, but isn't exactly the showman type to make her soft voice boom. "I will take to your challenge."
Fudou the Mountain	"Hmm?" To put it mildly..Fudou is caught off guard by that. He was, indeed, here just to be a show man and work the crowd. As far as he's observed none have proven capable of standing up to him and gaining a reputation of crushing mortals in this place isn't quite something he wants to have attached to him within the city limits. Out in the wild, sure, but here in civilization a degree of being mildly affable is helpful. But now here is this new comer, despite the show supposedly being over and that leap from the arena seats to here..clearly indicates that there is something more then meets the eye at work here, let alone the summoning of the weapon. "Oooh?" he rumbles while tapping his jaw and leaning forward to study Neza, "Are you -sure-?" he asks while straightening back up.
Neza	It isn't altogether too often Neza faces down a taller opponent. There's something comforting in that. A small remembrance of the encounter with the Fae that lead her to her current state. But even with the Mountain's size, she stands and rests her spear's haft on her shoulder. "I would not be here if I were not," she tells him, simply. "If you are unafraid to dance. Then I will be your partner." As she speaks, a steady jingle comes from under her cloak. A set of bells around her ankle beginning to chime with a steady rhythmic tap of her foot against the arena floor.
Bright Journey	That, it is safe to say, is NOT what Bright was expecting. At all. In the slightest. She gawps like a southern slave visiting an Immaculate Temple for the first time. Fudou and Neza have their initial exchange before Bright can shake her head and gets her wits engaged again. She hops lightly to the rail and leans, looking into the arena. This would be more noticeable if every single other person in the crowd didn't do just about precisely the same thing. The difference is, the cheers and jeers are gone. You could have heard a hair landing on a silken handkerchief in there, as the verbal exchange is heard, and will be remembered (probably wrongly) for years to come. Except for Bright. The distance is such that the pink-haired one has to call out, but not shout at the top of her lungs, to be heard. She doesn't name the recipient, it's pretty obvious who she's calling out to. "Oi. If you need a hand I'll join, or is this strictly a duet? Either way is fine."
Fudou the Mountain	"Hah!" Fudou's voice bellows and thunders like an earthquake happening a few streets away. "Well, well! How can I refuse such a challenge and from two! Very well, let your curiousity be sated! But I've destroyed my toy weapon so you must let me give you my best since you want to give me yours!" With that, Fudou leaps again..suddenly lunging backwards and off the edge of the arena back down towards where he came. And an instant later, he's vaulted up again..dragging with him an enormous grand goremaul, hauling it with a single arm as he bounds back in and thunders to a crouching position away from the two ladies. The massive weapon slams down to the arena floor, trailing tattered cloth upon it. Showing silver laced throughout its ornate testubo shaped form. "If you wish to proceed - I promise only to bruise your mysterious and beautiful forms."
Neza	In the moment, Neza is struck by a bolt of hesitation. Heart beat quickens. She's there again, watching friends and family have their realities torn asunder. Kosuno, a bowman and close friend, unwinding before her eyes as the plucked string of his bow opened a tone that spun the man into a melody and then into nothingness. She closes her eyes. This wasn't then. And these combatants were not the fae. They were grounded. And it seems that the giant man does not deny the offer of help. Neza's hat bobs, an assenting nod upward to Bright Journey's position. "Join as you will, if he wishes to take on two at once." The ground grinds with the dragging of the maul, the earth quakes with the man's landing. Neza leaps with it, lands and continues the jingling beat of her anklets. Back and forth, she sways, leading into the opening of her dance.
Bright Journey	"In that case, I'd be honored to join you." With that, Bright hops lightly down into the arena. It's a pretty large place, but she's fairly close to Neza when she lands. She quietly says, "I will support you from afar, as best I can. Fight with honor." And with that, Bright flicks her cloak outwards in a flourish. As she does so a massive bow appears in her hand, alongside a pair of quivers, one at her hip, one behind her back. The bow gleams with polished bone and finely wrought silver. With her cloak pushed all the way back, the goldem lamellar armor she wears underneath is far more visible. A bow is not a gladiator's weapon, to be sure, but she certainly seems accoutered for battle. She calls out, addressing Fudou directly. "I would take your measure, giant. I hope you fight with honor. The only thing I'm going to order you to do, though, is have fun. Preferably -without- any ball scratching."
Fudou the Mountain	Fudou the Mountain's eyes widen slightly as he sees the bow. He -keenly- focuses his attention on it and then the gold of the armor. There is no doubt he knows what he's looking at and a certain 'I want' look glitters in his gaze. This is no unlearned giant, if the glittering silver of his grand goremaul has not already given something away. "I mean, there might be kid's present but still, no promises about the ball scratchin'. Sometimes I just have to adjust down there..!" He leaves the rest ot the imagination as he knows it's probably not something they want to have floating through their heads with crudeness being an easy go to method to try and distract people from focusing. And with that, he slips forward with reflexes that defie his inflexible looking immensity--
Neza	A shine to the bow. A gleam to the maul. And here is Neza with naught but a simple stick with a blade at the end of it. She isn't feeling a case of jealousy over it, however, she trusts her spear and it's been at her side for a long time now. It has her trust. Still, her dance has begun and each step and sway brings a similar wave and flutter of her cloak. With a clack, she plants and spear and winds herself around it, rolling out and landing again with a flourish before returning to her steady rhythmic readiness. "Don't be so focused on those you forget to keep your eyes on us," Neza comments with a laugh. She hasn't gotten this kind of chance in a while. And it awakens old memory in her.
Fudou the Mountain	"I'm pretty good at multi-tasking.." quips Fudou, amused at Neza's smack talking and Bright's formality. Then-In a surprising flash of movement and a violent lurching of the ground, Fudou dashes forward and is suddenly -on- Neza within the space of a few blinks. At the last instant, his feet dig into the ground kicking up dust and debris and trailing it behind him like some sort of contrail. His weapon seems to drags in, as its immense weight was holding him back until a sudden blur of movement sends it arcing around as the giant spins and bears its immensity for Neza in a wide swinging arc. Onlookers no doubt gasp at the sight or the very idea that this is simply a 'friendly' match for the weapon certainly looks capable of demolishing buildings as it begins casting her in its shadow.
Bright Journey	After the blindingly fast initial strike, it's clear that the man mountain over there isn't nearly as slow and ungainly as he looks. And if that's the cvase, Neza might be in for a world of hurt. On the other hand, her masterful parry of his initial strike might be a sign of a thrilling battle to come, much more balanced than she'd feared! Bright grins a bit as the thrill of battle starts to take hold. She's not a flipping acrobat--she really should learn that stuff--but still, she can't help but dive and roll into the open expanse of the arena, putting some space between her and Fudou and putting plenty of open space to maneuver around her as well. She nocks and draws an arrow with practiced speed. Maybe she can distract or disarm the guy.
Neza	The gates of battle opened! A rush. A thrill. Neza's heart pounds in her chest in anticipation of the giant's meteoric rushing down upon her. Big muscles means a great deal of forward momentum. However, the limber dancer is watching and waiting for the beat of battle to hit her. The beads that hang from her hat click. The anklet she wears rings. Even the tip of the spear glancing off the ground sounds in a three part beat that predicates the whirling cloak and rolling twist of form that brings Neza's plain and simple spear at a glance angle to the goremaul. Without clear resistance, Neza slips aside the haft of the goremaul, guiding her dance partner to s harmless, air splitting and ground shaking whiff. Laughter there as Neza swings wide, the grounded tip of her spear giving her a pole to swing from and to shift her position up on top of the head of the maul. "Spirited," she quips, the beads of her veil obscuring most of her face but for her winking aqua eye. Forward she heads, feet ticking off the haft of the maul as it makes for an easy bridge. A deft run that ends with a leaping and a roll in the air, the head of the spear striking as a wasp's sting while Neza passes overhead.
Fudou the Mountain	Fudou the Mountain's expression twists into one of stark curiousity as his strike is so skillfully and deftly turned away. The earth shakes as the goremaul impacts and rebounds from it and then the giant twists it about deftly in his enormous hands, wielding it like blade of grass as it whirls around and catches the incoming arrow with a loud ringing of moonsilver. His gaze snaps over towards Bright Journey but then is redirected by Neza's dancing movements as she races along the maul as its momentum slows from the deflect and rolls overhead past him. The spear strikes home. and yet the giants hulkish hide weathers pass with all the effect of a Yeddim getting its back scratched. "Hmm.." muses Fudou before grinning, "Perhaps I will need to commit more to the attack!" And then..he changes. It's a warping rippling effect that rushes down his body. HIs muscles seem to pile on yet more muscle as enormous horns curl out from the sides and back of his head like the crown of the most massive of oxen and grazing behemoths. His garments strain, shredding in some places and in others tightening against his flesh as silver threads reveal themselves. "Let us try this..again!" rumbles the behemoth as he rears up..a oxen like tail swishing in the air behind him and his grand goremaul pivoting into a ready stance.
Fudou the Mountain	And the light. Silver light rims around the goliath. THe sigil of the full moon blazing into being on his brow. He's not one for subtle behavior under most circumstances so..why now?
Neza	Little more than a scratch. But it's the opening steps in Neza's dance. She lands on the far side, low and steady, a thin tendril, a whip of a visible tail is clear for the moment of landing, before her cloak drapes down around the woman and obscures her form once more. "Always commit," Neza speaks breathily, eager, excited. He changes now. Shifting his shape, rippling into a true sense of himself. Yet another, thinks Neza, finding the racing in her heart ready to meet one of these in combat. The rippling mass, the crowning horns, it's a different threat, and it's what Neza is ready to rise to meet it. Hand on her spear, Neza rises to a full stances. "Let us dance!" she calls, and casts aside her cloak with a flourish, head tipping back to loose the hat. Part of her hopes that the spectacle of Fudou will cover for her here, but she stands in the open something akin to a rodent beastwoman, but not entirely quite. It's the work of wyld magic and it carries that side of the unnatural to it as she stands, worn and well-loved breastplate marred and matte in the overcast afternoon. She bounces an inhuman clawed foot, the bells at her ankle jingle again. The end of the spear haft is bounced off the ground. She lets it hang in the air before snatching it with a rush forward. Unlike before, she doesn't go up, she slides low. The spear skitters on the ground, and as Neza slips to slide under Fudou's giant frame, that spear goes upward to test the giant's earlier boastfulness.
Neza	There, as Neza strikes, a gleaming light of the morning bursts into view. The dawning of the day comes as the golden ring appears above her forehead, and with flaring intensity, eight bars burn into existence. If disguises are coming off, Neza joins into it with a gusto.
Bright Journey	The ongoing rapid strikes Neza delivers aren't going to win the battle in one mighty thrust, but they seem effective at chipping away at his defenses one strike at a time. So far, though, Bright hasn't contributed more than a single deflected arrow. Silver eyes narrowing, the girl flips her pink hair back, tongue tucked into the corner of her mouth, and focuses all her being into her next shot. Oh, yes. And if everyone else is damn set on telling the world they're Anathema, or Exalted, or whatever? May as well make it three for three. Pouring raw power into her bone-and-moonsilver powerbow, Bright develops a visible golden aura, with white and black edging it as it fades a few feet from her. On her brow glitters the disk-in-circle orichalcum sign, ironically a bullseye of sorts, as she lets her arrow loose towards the massive Lunar warrior.