The crowds were ridiculous in the town of Dijon. It was a relatively small town, but due to the Tournament there was tons of people in a town that is way too small for them. However, the ring that was cleared outside of the town by the mountains was big enough to house them all, mainly because it was just a ring with marked boundaries and people had to stand to watch. Cut the losses from the costes.
The group tried their best to work their way to a restaurant they wanted to eat at on the other side of a large crowd. They were not moving anywhere, and Jet swore that they were actually moving back. Despite their being pushed about by the crowd the four of them made it into the building. Wait...four? Gallows went out and grabbed Virginia who was being squashed by two bald sweaty skinheads.
"That street...is murder." She comments grabbing a breath.
"This is a town?" Gallows wondered. "Why so packed?"
"This is the place Adven said they were having a tournament. That must be why." Virginia explained.
"Will that be a table for five, sir?" The host asks to Clive who was to the front.
Clive looks to his wallet and gella purse. Then goes to rub his chin. "A tournament you say? Prize money?" Clive wonders.
"Probably." Jet snorts. Then he catches wind of Clive glance. One that was fueled by avarice and hunger. "Wait...no."
"No?"
"Definitely. You can go yourself and be killed. I'm not entering!" Jet argued.
"But don't you want to eat?" Clive questioned. "You and Emilia are the best out of all in close range combat. Go show them a thing or two!" Clive and Gallows push Jet and Emilia back into the street.
"I refuse!" Jet still argued.
"Do you want to be dragged through the desert..." Jet snorts. Not a big threat. He knew he could handle being dragged. "...naked."
"Fine." He grabs Emilia's wrist and the two head in the direction of the crowd. Being dragged nekkid would hurt most definitely. Even more than the time the sandcraft had broke down in the middle of nowhere and Jet went crazy and ran through cacti with only his underwear on. Then the one cactus stole his underwear. That was the moment he came back to sanity. A painful moment he does not want to remember.
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By mid-morning Emilia and Jet had signed up to be part of the tournament and they took what little time they had left to see the others. Jet still giving Clive a glare. It was the first time ever that Jet could see himself wanting to kill Clive. Usually the only thing that was annoying about Clive was his long-winded speeches. This was an all time high.
"So, did you two sign up?" Virginia wondered.
"I guess we should probably go to that waiting area they were talking about." Jet grimaced and walked away but once more he was pulled to the ground by someone who caught a hand on his scarves. "What did you do that for?"
"I didn't get the chance to wish you the best!" Virginia frowned with a huff. "You won't win if I don't do that." She helps him onto his feet.
He brushes himself off. "Fine. Thanks. Now I'm going." He turns away.
"One of you better win. We'll need food." Clive warned. Jet snapped and jumped for him, but Gallows stopped him and Virginia held him down as he started shouting random things that made no sense to the others. A vein on his forehead.
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Emilia stood around next to Jet as they waited with the other people who had signed up to fight. Emilia felt bad. It was declared later that no weapons were allowed in the battles. What was she without her ARM and her shinobi-zue? Her West Wind fighting style was only good if she had a sword or sword-like object.
She took a deep breath. "Jet, I'm not sure I can be of any good. I'm only good with weapons, and these battles are all hand-to-hand and stuff." She frowned.
Jet stared at her still brooding about Clive. Then he gave her a grin. "We'll see now, won't we?" He stood tall. "I hope we end up in the final. I want to get you back for all the shit you put me through." He stands like Naruto would. "Maybe I'll even use my new tactic on you. I was practicing it all the time I was in jail. Haven't had the chance to actually use it yet."
"A new tactic? So...you mean a new attack? One that can match my own West Wind ones?" She questions intrigued now by his words.
"Something like that...but Moor Gault is my ally...as well as Fengalon." He gloats.
"Are you planning to use it on Nobuo when you get the chance?" He nods. She whacks him over the head. "Then why didn't you use it at the Ruins of Twins!"
"I didn't think it would work then, plus...it was a bit hectic in there. What happens if I miss? Plus! There was two of him at the time." Jet defended. "That...and the attack is much like taijutsu...it's a double-edged sword."
"Oh...so you didn't want to strain yourself?" He does not answer. "Weakling."
"Fine. Put whatever spin on it you like." He growls. "If I use it I'll start to run out of stamina."
"I don't think you have to worry about using it. I mean...these guys all looks like weirdoes what with some in costumes and all. That guy has wings there...huh?" She diverts her attention to a man who is cast over by shadows. The man was sleeping, but yet, standing upright.
"Something wrong?" Jet questioned.
"That one guy there...I have a bad feeling about him. He's too confident."
"I'm too confident as well though, so maybe it'll be a little fun after all." Jet steps back as he watches the officials come in.
"This might become ugly."
The official stood tall. "It was quite a turnout this time. Yes, yes, of course." The man stated. "You eight are the ones who will fight for the championship title, trophy, and gella." He turns his attention to a blank board. "We will draw your names at random to see who you will be paired up against." The man puts his hand in a box and pulls out two slips of paper. "The first match...is Jet and Nikkon."
Jet scoffs. "What kind of name is Nikkon? Sounds like a camera."
Emilia nudges him. "Is that him?" She points to the man with the brownish-purple hair with a black eyepatch over his left eye and a glare in the other. His torso covered by a tight black shirt of nylon fashion. His white pants with the kneepads looks odd though.
"What is that he's wearing?" Jet scoffed even louder this time.
The officials voice rang out again, "The second match is between Berry and the Masked Falcon. Match three is between Emilia and Shin." Emilia looks to a man in plain clothes with yellowish skin and eyes that barely seemed opened at all.
"That guy knows some form of martial art. I know that much." She noted.
"The final match of the first rounds will be Wind against Ira-Loki."
Emilia looked to the man in the shadows. "So...that's his name, Loki."
"Who you talking about again?" Jet wondered.
"The confident guy."
"My name's Jet, not Loki. I thought you were smart."
"No I...forget it." She sighed with slumped shoulders.
"Let's get the tournament underway!" The official declared.
