Heroes of Light, Battle! The Ultimate Golsaucian Tournament Begins!

[tiredcharmer]

Who: The Heroes of Light!
When: June 16th-19th
Where: Sparks Golsaucia
What: After weeks of getting hounded by the press, corporations, and prospective fiances, Octavaux Dairesault offers the Heroes of Light a way out: by participating in this year's Golsaucian Gauntlet, taking the form of a fighting tournament.
Warnings/Notes: Tournament arc, congoers.


An Offer You Can't Refuse (Prelude)
It starts not long after June begins. Maybe somebody proposes to you in the middle of the street. Or you're bumrushed by a horde of solicitors who want to use your image for whatever product they're peddling. Or maybe a reporter literally busts down your door to get an interview. Whatever the case, the Heroes soon find it's impossible to find a semblance of peace and quiet in early June. Around every corner and in every building is somebody who is just dying to talk to you, or more commonly, several somebodies, each at cross purposes. Even your homes aren't safe, as a few particularly nutty fans are willing to break and enter to get your autograph.

You have to deal with all of this for a week, until you're contacted by Octavaux Dairesault, organizer of the previous year's smash hit Golsaucian Gauntlet. He's noticed (and perhaps orchestrated) your plight, and offers you a way out: simply participate in his tournament and/or the events around it, and the attention will lessen. Considering how things get worse every day, you don't have a lot of options...

Sparks Golsaucia HeroCon 20XX
As it turns out, the events around the tournament that Octavaux casually mentioned are really a huge, city-spanning con. Cosplayers are everywhere. Artist alley takes up two entire districts. You can't take two steps without bumping into a merchandise stall. Thankfully, the limos Octavaux has provided means that you don't have to fight your way through a horde of ravening fans to reach the centerpiece of the whole debacle: the arena. A massive Colosseum with bleeding-edge technology to allow for the creation of stages drawn from... something. Octavaux refuses to elaborate on that. Whatever the case, you finally have the respite that you need. There's delicious food, cushy bedrooms, exercise rooms... pretty much whatever you want. And best of all, nobody prying into your business. How will you spend your precious, precious free time?

Of course, the tournament isn't all some of you are here for. Maybe you've decided to host a panel, in which case you're contractually obligated to appear among thousands upon thousands of fans and give a spiel. And give autographs. Lots of autographs. With really weird requests too.

Whatever the case... the tournament is about to begin!

Comments

[rivieran]

Ena, on the other hand, was more than happy to make a public appearance. She smiled genially at the crowds as they approached her, put on her airs to make them move out of the way, and offered polite greetings whenever someone called her name. But she didn't let them stop her as she strode to the arena.

The one time she had joined a tournament was fun enough, but there wasn't much on the line for this one which meant she could relax. But a duos tournament instead of a team one meant she had to personally ask someone to fight with her, but she didn't know anyone well enough to feel comfortable asking. It was a relief to have the random draw, and she was pleasantly surprised when the name was Sephiroth.

Ena remembered Sephiroth from the meeting. He seemed reliable enough. She didn't know him personally, or much about him in general, except that he had a presence and left an impression, and that picking him out of the crowd would not be difficult.

And sure enough, when she spots the tall, silver-haired man, searching for someone in the crowd, she picks up the pace to approach him.

"Sephiroth?" she extends her hand. "Ena. It is a pleasure to formally meet you."

[neverbeamemory]

It turns out he's already looked over her, paused even at the unusual hair colour that he thought he recalled also from the meeting last month; a passing recollection really, after being put on the spot regarding Calamity Knight most of his will to further interact with anyone there had taken a significant dent.

But as it's clear she was approaching, Sephiroth turned to face her, his long silver hair following the movement almost like a great cape. For a moment he looked down over Ena, his eyebrows arching upwards slightly as his attentive pale green eyes took in initial details. As she extends a hand, he even offers a cordial -if limited- smile before doing the same. First impressions count, especially if they were to be fighting together.

His handshake, bound in leather gloves, is firm and telling of the control he has over his strength. The gesture doesn't linger more than necessary before he retracts his hand and lets it fall casually to his side.

"Indeed I should hope so, given the event that's brought us here." He seems to hit something of a pause, being not much for making acquaintances and at the same time still sizing her up. In the circumstances though he judges it best to keep focus on the point.

"What do you make, of all of this?"

[rivieran]

Ena makes sure she has enough strength in her own hand so that she's not overwhelmed by his, something she senses immediately. And when she senses him about to retract his hand, she moves to do the same. While she wasn't exactly the most observant type, she's made and practiced many handshakes throughout life in the castle, so she could at least control her first impression.

"The people are excited, understandably," she glances around at the crowd and another small smile appears on her face, like she was watching a newborn puppy learn how to walk. "I can't exactly say if a bout in the fighting ring was the best idea to sate their excitement, but so be it." She turns back to Sephiroth, a normal smile back on her face. "And yourself?"

[neverbeamemory]

Initial handshakes do indeed tell so much about the person without the need for small talk. On the flip-side, they also advertise much about oneself in the same gesture which is why Sephiroth, til now, has hardly ever shaken the hand of any other offworlder. Too much risk involved to put so much of himself out on the table at a first acquaintance.

Ena gets the exception to the rule based purely on the fact they've been partnered together for a fighting tournament, so Sephiroth already figured he'd have to give up a little more of himself than usual, in the name of cooperation.

Sephiroth hardly budges more than an inch, once that's over and Ena glances around; noting quickly how her face lit up at the pressing surroundings of the crowd and the accompanying buzz that he obviously just wasn't in tune with at all. Precious seconds to mentally draw up facts from her body language - if anything Sephiroth's expression turned just a touch harder around the edges when she finally turned back to face him.

"I suppose we should be thankful it is a fighting tourney; I can easily see worse things that could have been presented as alternatives, each one less appealing than the last.

"It plays to a personal strength of mine, and so here I am."

[rivieran]

Little did they know they would be posing for a monetized mobile game in a few weeks...

Unfortunately, Ena is not the most observant, so she doesn't notice the slight change in Sephiroth's expression when she looks back.

"Oh?" Ena's eyes narrow slightly as she studies him, the pleasant smile still across her face. "As this is a fighting tournament, might I guess sparring be your strength?"

It was a little cheeky for her to broach the small talk like that, and she could tell that he was probably the kind of person that didn't like pleasantries. Either way, they were still partnered for this event, so learning what she could about what he could do was both in their best interest.

[neverbeamemory]

As guarded as Sephiroth undoubtedly is, he doesn't seem as stressed as others might be in keeping those walls up under examination, or small talk.

If anything, were it not for his clear dislike in being near enough surrounded on all sides by crowds of people; evident enough in that every now and then he sweeps his gaze around those closest to them, Sephiroth exudes a confident air as if he were in some way of a higher lifeform than everyone else. That whatever the insignificant beings on this Planet were doing, it had no bearing on him at all.

Sephiroth couldn't resist but to grin just for a moment at Ena's suggestion, allowing the smallest hint of his truly violent nature to peek through. She's allowed to take from that what she will before the silver-haired man actually replies.

"Sparring is a hobby I've picked up only comparatively recently. I've always been -still am, mostly- of the opinion that there is little point to play-fight." He offered her a slow shrug, blinking his attention back fully to her after a short reprieve glaring at the small group starting to form around a nearby food stall.

"It's worked to keep my skills in swordplay up there, at least."

[rivieran]

Ena takes most of his responses and actions at face value, but there's something about the grin he makes that reminds her of her brother, somehow. It gives her a pang of nostalgia, but at the same time spurs on a reflexive childish, yet somewhat puzzled smile. But after a brief second, once the feeling passes over, she returns to her polite, more neutral look.

She follows his gaze when he looks at the nearby group but then quickly looks back to him, considering them nothing of note. "Swordplay," she repeats slowly. "I hope that means you prefer to fight at the front." There is a rapier hanging from her belt, but it seems more ceremonial and decorative to be practical. "I would hate to hear that both of us would prefer to hang back and cast spells."

(now to get back onto the bandwagon with these tags a bit >.<)

[neverbeamemory]

He paused for a just a moment with a lighter version of that grin resting on his expression as he wondered how it was Ena didn't already know that swordplay was very much his thing. Considering the now-extensive amount of time here with a form on Vaikuntha, Sephiroth perhaps had imagined that by now all of the 'Heroes' had somehow gleaned more of him than perhaps they had.

That said, it's not as if he'd really been putting himself out there. Preferring to stay back and observe rather than charge out in front; of course, unless the situation called for it.

"Quite right." He answers shortly, accompanied by a nod. If he noticed the ornate looking rapier at her belt, there is no indication of it. "Though I do keep a certain range involved, by the requirement of my very-specific style."

He doesn't have Masamune on him, in this instance, or the meaning of that statement would perhaps be more obvious.