A blue glow seeped across a dark, red-carpetted room. A wooden desk sat in the center, a marvelous and most likely extremely expensive piece of furniture. Atop the desk sat a small computer, a laptop, showing various wireframes and blueprints of mechs across the wide screen. The lights flickerred on, revealing a large man staring across the screen, confused and a bit concerned. A man in a white suite complemented by blonde hair stands at the oak door.

"Still here? You never seem to leave that desk, you know." the young man says, closing the door softly. He walks across the smooth carpet and around the desk, taking a glance at the monitor.

The large man turns to face his guest, then speaking. "Indeed, but we have more to think about than how I spend my days."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Take a look at the clip of yesterday's fight in the tourney."

The screen slowly turns to black at the click of a mouse. It reappears in steely colors, a green field flashing slowly in the background. A black, orange-accented humanoid machine stands in the center, a grey-colored rifle drifting up to follow an off-screen object. A volley of energy fire pours out of the barrel, slow shots at first, increasing in speed until a large blue object rams into the ground and skids towards the screen, which changes to static soon after.

"I saw the match in-person. It's quite amazing what he did there."

"I would think he'd overheat a few circuits and ruin some parts in the process of doing something like that. The safeguards are there for a reason."

The young man smirks. "I had the mechanics take a look at the weapon he used. Apparently, the beams were very concentrated and barely touched the barrel on their way out. I'm not sure how he managed it, though."

"Well, whatever the case, something like this isn't seen every day...or at all, save for this event. I think we might have made a mistake in taking this one on."

"We still haven't seen where he's taking his talents, though. This could be useful."

A blue-tinted silver hallway shines with reflecting lights from a high ceiling. A red-haired youth lays on a bench, staring into the white lights on the roof. Another in red robes walks to him, holding a few pieces of paper.

"I want you to take a look at the bracket for the tournament." Cedric says, handing one of the papers to Izzy. Izzy moves his feet to the ground and looks at it for a few moments, whilst Cedric sits down beside him.

"Well, isn't that convinient? Is this randomized?" Izzy asks, looking back at Cedric.

"Apparently, it was composed by rank. Looking at the paired teams, they seem to be about the same in position on the arena rankings...except our match. We're up against the 'Sons of Sky and Heaven', the highest ranking team on the list."

"Looking at all the other teams, if we can beat these guys, the rest should be easy."

Cedric sighs. "It's not that easy, though. If we don't win, we'll be wiped out right at the start and they'll take the cup from there."

"I guess so...but, still, I think we can make it. Have you showed this to North yet?"

"No, I haven't seen him...I suppose he'll find out later." Cedric stands, and slowly sifts his way through a crowd at the elevators. Izzy returns to his laying position on the steel bench.

A loud announcement echoes across the arena, teeming with spectators at every side. "Tonight!" it begins, "Tonight we watch the spectacular first match of the evening, the true beginning of this grand-scale event! On one side, the Sons of Sky and Heaven, lead by the crowd favorite Zenshin!"

A hatch in the shining steel floor opens, revealing a thin-framed AC with a sleek, smooth build, no doubt custom-made and very expensive. A shining red blade ripples out of one arm, waving about with the left arm, signalling a wave of cheers from the crowd. The blade dissapears into the shining mech again. The second arm holds a claw-like structure with two thick barrels, fit for high-explosive rounds. Two undistinguishable large barrels sit parallel on its back. The mech grows still as the annoucements begin again.

"His teamates are the long-shot Eagle, in his signature white mech..."

A towering white structure comes out from the floor beside Zenshin's blue design. In its hand is a long-barreled laser rifle, as well as two large vertical missile-launching devices, also sitting parallel.

"...and the thick punisher Bronzeman!"

A dull golden-colored mech comes out from a third hatch in the floor, sitting on one thick knee. Two red eyes light up in the metal head, and the wide being pulls itself to both feet, brandishing a large bazooka and three-pronged laserblade device. Two powerful-looking rocket barrels sit on his back.

"The opposing team is made of three promising individuals. The amazing Izzy leads this group, and may just be the key to victory for the Avatar team."

Izzy's black tower of a machine rises to the stage, brandishing its usual green laserblade and signature laser rifle to match. The crowd makes a cheer of approval for him, watching the mech power up its green beam, which breaks off in mid-swing and sends shockwaves of energy through the air.

"The second member of this party is the native Cedric in his Soul Tower mech."

Cedric's blue mech rises with the crowd's applause. His shield activates breifly, sending a small orange shockwave around.

"And the gunner North, with his red demon of a machine."

North's red quad rises as well, eager to begin the match. The twin barrels of the machinegun arms begin boxing in the air.

"The match will begin in only a few moments...Be prepared."