scorri

"Yeah, we have to hope they can do something with the chance they've been given. It feels like there's finally a chance for some real change to happen in this world. There's something here, you know? If it can happen here, in Islexia, maybe... I know it sounds crazy, but maybe there's a real chance the world can change. Can become better. I want to hope it can at least." He sighed, shaking his head as he looked around them. It felt like he was back in Glacies, with how no one was even giving them a second glance. He wanted this to become a reality everywhere, but there was a lot of fighting ahead of them before they reached that point, he suspected. For now though, he would continue hoping. His musings were interrupted by their arrival at a stand full of interesting items and weapons. Looking around, he raised an eyebrow at the weapon Siorel was fiddling with. "Huh, yeah, that'd be something tricky to fight with. One wrong move... Still, it looks like it could do some serious damage if you land a good hit with it. I'd be interested to see it in action." Glancing around, he pointed to a couple more weapons. "Seems like they have a range of glass weapons. They must have some purpose, if there are that many of them. It might be good practice, if you're interested in buying it." He also spotted a couple of bands similar to the one around his arm, intriguing him. The two dancers had given him it as a thank you gift, and he couldn't deny it had a magical aura, but it did leave him wondering how these ones were similar or different. Perhaps they were a worthwhile investment. Koba walked alongside Roxi, a small smile on his face as she started talking and then didn't stop until they reached their destination. It was all interesting though, so he wasn't complaining. "Hello, sir, a pleasure to meet you. Any sort of interesting wind tome you have, yes I would be interested in seeing." The man quickly disappeared, and Koba turned to Roxi while they waited. "Those spells you were talking about, they seem really powerful and interesting. I don't know all that much about light magic, so it was interesting to hear about how the spells differ. It's nice to see that someone has unique magics like that here. Hopefully he has something interesting for me." Shortly after him saying that, the shopkeeper returned, with an interesting wind tome that Koba had never seen before. "Huh, that's... interesting. Do you mind?" He reached out a hand, waiting for permission before he picked it up, but even from the distance he could feel the magic in the tome. There was something there, he wanted to see more. It was a support spell, it seemed, but that might suit him well. As Tio had said, it wasn't always about the power behind a spell but how it was used. Perhaps this one was something that he could use to be more of a help to the Tigers. He was so focused on the spell that he jumped slightly when someone appeared next to him with a hip bump. "Oh! Jesse, hello. We were just shopping, I don't see any reason you can't join. I was just hoping to take a look at this spell here, it seems very different from any wind spell I've used before, so it's got my interest. It'll probably depend some on the cost as well... We'll see!"

Koba wandered around the bazaar, slightly behind Alvira and Tasha as the two of them talked. It was nice to see the two of them enjoying their time together, the brief peace they had was something the group clearly needed. He needed it too, after all the anxiety the fight against Kazran had caused. He wasn't sure if he was going to be buying anything, even with the influx of gold that the last mission had bought. Part of why he had joined the Tigers was to get money to take home to his family. They needed the gold more than he did, but he also needed to make sure he was keeping up with the group with his equipment. He looked around at the many options in front of them, frowning. Looking over at Roxi, he asked, "So, uhm, do you know where any good tomes are? I want to try and see if there's something here that could help me grow stronger, you know? But I haven't stopped in here before, so I haven't seen any of the gear. There's just so much of it..." A distance away, Cin walked through the stalls, arm wrapped around Siorel, with a content smile on his face. This was what he had wanted. While the bazaar wasn't exactly quiet, there was a current of joy running through the entire area, letting him truly relax for the first time in a long while. "Mmmm, this is nice. It's strange to be in a place like this, without worrying about how people might react to us, after everything we've been through. To think that they've made a place like this in Islexia... The Gaffneys have done something great." Looking around at the wide range of options surrounding them, he chuckled. "I think I might struggle to find a place to start. What do you think, were you looking for anything in particular? Or do you just want to wander. I don't know if I need any gear right now, though if something calls to me, I can hopefully afford it. I could also probably afford something special for you, if something catches your eye."

"Yeah, she's... something." Cin shook his head with an exasperated sigh. He was lucky she had been the only one like that. The rest of the challengers had all been solid fights, even if he had lost most of them. It had been a good run. He'd learned some things about his fighting style, and he would do his best to incorporate them moving forward, and he had also learned some about his companions. Most importantly, he had enjoyed the challenge and so had the crowd. Hopefully the rest of the night would be as enjoyable, something that Siorel seemed intent on teasing him with. "Gah... Any other time, and I would have been right in assuming what you meant. The one time I'm not, you hold over me... Yes. I'm looking forward to it." He reached out and snagged her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I always enjoy our time together, silly. Why would tonight be any different?" Koba brightened as Jesse sat down next to him, glad to have his friend coming to say hi. "Jesse! How are you? I hope the fights haven't been too hard on you. How many challengers have there been anyway? I've only seen the four, including me, but it seems like you guys have been at this for a bit. And, uh, yeah, it would have been nice to spar but honestly, I'm not really made for these kind of one on one battles, you know? Also really not used to them... Most of my fighting experience was either in groups or, well..." He hesitated and then sighed, continuing, "Or they were me sneaking up on someone and getting the drop on them. Not exactly the kind of fights this group would do. Still, this was good. I need to get stronger if I'm going to be sticking with this group, and this showed me just how far I need to go. I won't continue to be a liability and that means improving. I just need practice." He smiled at Jesse, feeling confident in his path forward for the first time in a long time. Their conversation was interrupted though by Alvira calling out to him and Roxi, reminding them of their plan to go shopping. "Oh, right! We were going to go the bazaar, me, Alvira, and Roxi. Did you want to come, or do you still need to stay here? You can probably come join us after if you do need to stick around for a little?"

"Yeah, she's got something going on in that head of hers. No idea what, but I suppose I'll find out soon enough what sort of fight she has to back up everything else she's got." Cin shook his head with a sigh. "She's taking this way too seriously, that much I do know. I'm trying to enjoy this, not feel like I'm back in Kazran's castle. Ah well... As for Alvira, it was probably partially luck but also her unwillingness to quit. She has goals in life that she would do anything to achieve. If she brought even part of that determination out today... Plus she probably startled Sari when she managed to hit him like that and take a hit. The combo of the two probably knocked him off kilter enough to let her get the last blow in." He was about to continue down that train of thought when a blast of light magic brought him back to the arena. The overly aggressive dog clouded had just been blasted but was somehow still standing. More than standing, she sprang forward and completely knocked down Lumina with a laugh. "How did she... well, guess it's time for me to find out." He shook his head, slowly heading into the arena. He wasn't looking forward to this one. A short time later, he found himself back with Siorel, watching Lani beat the dog after she had made her way through the rest of her opponents with relative ease. "Hmm, she's got something strange going on. Whatever it is, she's an impressive fighter. Wonder if she's looking for a job with Lord Owen or if she's just a stray wanderer. Either way, she can certainly back up her attitude." Koba sat in the stands, watching the fights go by. The new challenger, a dog who could take an impressive amount of damage and still keep fighting, almost scared him with the way she kept going no matter what. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and it was unsettling, especially when paired with her aggressive attitude and fighting style. It's like she doesn't care what damage happens to her body. Or even that she likes it when she gets hurt. Dangerous if she fights like that outside of an arena setting. She could lead to a lot more situations like the one Roxi had to clean up... He shook his head, but it wasn't his problem to worry about. She wasn't a part of the Tigers, so what did it matter if she had a death wish? That was her right. He would just steer clear of her for the night and try and have fun with the other Tigers.

"Hmm, you might have a point..." Koba stared thoughtfully at Roxi, considering the confidence in her introduction, the sheer force of will that propelled her forward. "I'm not sure I'll ever be as flashy as all that, not with how used to the shadows I am, but that doesn't mean I can't learn from her." He was about to say more when they were interrupted by Tasha appearing and cuddling with her girlfriend, the sight leaving a smile on Koba's face. "Heh, I'm sure Alvira will appreciate having you to cheer her on during the fights. I'll leave you two for now though. I'm going to go stretch and get ready while Roxi is fighting. I'll see you afterwards. Good luck!" "You, I mean, h-how was I to know? Usually when you say stuff like that... argh!" Cin could feel his cheeks burning as he turned away from Siorel, embarrassed at being caught out like that. He couldn't deny he was uninterested in what he thought she had been implying, but still. He'd opened himself for the teasing. All he could do now was hope that they got interrupted soon. The interruption came, but not from the source he had been expecting. Roxi was still getting ready to fight when a voice from behind them pulled him away from the arena. It was a dog clouded of some sorts, dressed in tattered clothes, eyeing him up and down. Her demands started reasonably, a good fight in the arena, but they quickly turned intense in a way that made him uncomfortable. "Look, miss, I don't know what your aim is here but, I'll give you the same thing I've given all the other challengers. A fair fight, where I do my best to win. I'm not looking to hurt anyone, but I'm not looking to throw a match either, ok? You challenging me like this, it doesn't change anything. I'm fighting my best every match." He shook his head, looking over at Siorel. "Speaking of, I should go get ready. I'll be up soon." The three fights went by quickly, with things mostly progressing how he had expected. Roxi scored a solid hit on Versaris, as he had predicted, with the rest of the gauntlet hardly posing a challenge. Koba surprised most of the arena with his push past the first round, and even managed to catch Cin slightly flat footed in their first exchange. He quickly recovered though, and sent the goose to the ground. "Hmm, your speed is good, but you'll need to find a way to deal with people getting up close like that. The good news is, in a real battle, I can stand between you and the enemies." He grinned down at the other man, offering a hand. Koba took the much larger hand and stood up, dusting himself off with a wry grin. "Yeah, not sure I'm made to be taking punches to the face like that very often. I much prefer letting the people with the nice shiny armor do that instead, though I would gladly let you do it as well." He chuckled, before looking over at Alvira. "Well, I'll get out of the way to let her do her thing. Good luck!" The goose scampered off to the sidelines, ready to watch another run. It was quite a run to watch, Alvira sailing through the starting waves, and pushing past even those who had challenged others. Finally, she was against Sari, and to Koba's shock, managed to defeat him. "Whoa..." As Roxi ran in to celebrate, Koba just sat, staring. That was... amazing. I have so much to learn, but I'm so glad I got to see that. Her skill is so much higher than I realized. Cin sat by Siorel as Alvira finished her run, shaking his head. "Ha, she had it in her after all. I knew she would do well. Not sure I expected anyone to beat Sari though. That was truly impressive. Makes my quick match against her feel a little better, haha. Especially since she was using ice, I've got a hard time fighting that..."

"Mmm, yeah, if they wait too long to shut things down, it'll get dangerous to fight. It's one thing to risk fighting in the dark when you need to, something else entirely to risk it just for entertainment. Besides, if the crowd can't see the fights, what's the point?" He looked around at the crowd as he talked, enjoying the energy they brought to the arena. This had been a good idea. Letting the people here see that life could be fun, that there was more than just pain and sorrow, that-- "W-wait, I, what?" Siorel's words had taken a second to really sink in, but he found himself blushing now that they had. "I, I mean, I did want to have a date, yes. Spend time together, all of that. Maybe even talk about some important stuff... Why did you have to go and make it sound so... dirty..." He was mumbling now, looking anywhere but at Siorel. He wasn't going to lie and act like he hadn't thought about what she was implying but it hadn't been just that. Thankfully, he was quickly provided a distraction as Roxi made her presence known, calling out her challenge and striking a pose that she almost certainly thought was intimidating but mostly left him doing his best not to laugh. "Aha... ha. Yeah, time for another fight. Keep an eye on her. She fights really well, even if she is... well whatever that was..." He stood up, stretching as he made his way over to wait for his turn. It looked like besides Roxi, Alvira and maybe Koba were looking to challenge the gauntlet, so hopefully it would be a good set of fights. If he was lucky, it would also be one of the last sets, so they could all have some time to relax. Koba walked slightly behind Roxi and Alvira, fidgeting nervously as they approached the arena. It took a feather being shaken free from his wing for him to realize how bad it was, and he took a few deep breaths to try and calm down. He could do this. He flashed back to just a few moments ago, the look of satisfaction in Tio's eyes as she acknowledged the change in him, something he had been unable to respond to, not knowing what to say to that sort of approval. It had been something powerful, almost as if she was proud of him, even if that made little sense. He hadn't even done anything yet, just said words. He'd done that before and nothing had changed, so why did she believe him this time? Whatever the reason, he had found himself unable to respond, instead just giving a nod and following after Alvira, but she had agreed to help him. He wasn't going to let that opportunity slip by him. He shook himself, focusing on the here and now again as they entered the arena, Roxi announcing herself in a flashy maneuver that left him wide eyed. "I'm not... I don't need to do something like that, right Alvira? I can just go fight? I don't really think I'll get anywhere near as far as she does, or you will, so I don't think trying to be all flashy is the right move, you know?" He sat down next to the dragon, pulling out a wind tome as he did, thumbing through it mindlessly. "Honestly, as long as I can win one fight, I'll be happy. That, and getting to see other people fight will be good for me." He realized Alvira was busy looking over the competition and stopped talking, letting her focus as he did the same. One step at a time. It's not about the strength of the magic, but how I use it, like Tio said. I might not be the best one on one fighter but if I can just win one... I can do this.

Cin smiled at Siorel as he went toward the waiting area, fists idly flexing as he waited for his turn. The masked woman wasn't someone he recognized, unlike most of the fights they'd done so far, but it didn't really matter. He would do his best, no matter who he faced. She was quick with her spells, releasing two before he could get more than his first volley in, but the speed didn't bring the accuracy she needed as he closed the distance between them. One, two, three, with a fourth ready, but it wasn't needed. She fell, leaving him breathing heavily but still standing. He had won. He let out a deep breath and then made his way back over to Siorel. "You were right, I just had to keep up with it. I need more practice still, that hit was a solid one, but I'm glad to have won it." He stretched, before sitting down again. "It's starting to get late, the sun will be setting soon. I wonder how many more challengers we'll have. Hopefully not too many, I want a little bit of free time today, you know? Especially with all that's happened, relaxing will be nice. Though, this is a form of relaxing. It's a nice way to blow off the steam." Koba looked at both Tio and Elisa and nodded, a serious look on his face. "I would like help, from both of you if possible, and from others once you are no longer available. I promised you, when I joined the Tigers, that I was going to turn my life around and become something legitimate. Everything that happened in that battle... I've been slacking. If I had been stronger, maybe I could have helped, prevented some of this from happening. So yes, please. I would love to learn from you both." He was blushing, he knew it, but he had to push past the embarrassment of asking for help like this. He wouldn't get any stronger without help, he'd proven that over the last few years since the first time he had met Tio. Starting tomorrow, I train. I have to push myself. For now though, he turned to Alvira and Roxi, smiling as he did. "I... would like that. Both the arena and maybe food after. I didn't want to impose but. Yes. I'm a part of the Tigers. So as long as you're willing to have me, I'll join you. I want to try and get to know more of the Tigers, moving forward. I've been keeping a bit to myself, but I can't keep doing that. It doesn't help anything, yeah? So lets go. See how this arena goes."

Koba relaxed briefly as Roxi assured him that she was ok, only to have Elisa contradict the point shortly after. He tensed, but the end result wasn't as bad as he had feared, though not good either. Roxi had already asked the questions that had immediately sprung to his mind and it wasn't his place to ask, but he couldn't help the questions that ran through his brain. Would she be ok? Would they heal eventually? Would casting more make them worse? Alvira didn't help, chiding him for needing to be rescued in the first place. He bristled, wings flexing, but he didn't have any good argument to contradict her either. He had been in danger. Miria had been in more danger, charging in like she did, but he had been there too, unable to help defend the group. His wings slumped back down against his back and he nodded. "I don't want her to be in danger because of me again, I promise that. I need to get stronger... If I was, then we could have shared the burden. So I'll just, need to train my magic. Get stronger, be someone who can stand on my own two feet alongside all of you." He looked at Roxi, determination on his face, nodding at her. He would do it. He glanced over at Tio, wondering if maybe she would be able to train him, or maybe Elisa, since she used anima magic more, but his train of thought was interrupted by Alvira asking Roxi if she wanted to go around the festival, including the arena gauntlet. He hesitated, and then asked, "If you're going to the gauntlet, do you mind if I join you? Not for the rest of it, of course, but I wanted to try and fight the arena, see how I can manage. I don't expect to get very far right now, but it will at least give me a good measure of my strength. Show me where I need to work, all of that. I can go on my own of course, but if you're already going, I figure no harm in me tagging along?" "Hmm, hmm, you're right, I suppose." Cin grinned down at Siorel, her enthusiasm warming his heart. It was nice to hear the words, the encouragement. She was such a warm presence in his life, he still was stunned that she was by his side. His smile faltered slightly as he looked down at her though, thoughts wandering to the last few days and how much she had been struggling since they came to Islexia. He really needed to talk to her about that, find out what she was keeping in her past. He couldn't fix it, he knew that, but maybe he could support her as she tried to fight past it. Now wasn't the time though, not when they were out among everyone and he was going to be constantly interrupted with fights like this. Perhaps tonight he could finally start pushing her about that. For now though, another interruption was arriving. "Hmm, you're right. Well, I'm not quite as good at defending against magic as I am physical weapons, but on the flip side, most mages aren't as good at defending against my fists as they are my magic. So, we'll see. All I know is that having you, cheering for me, I'll be doing my best to prove I'm as strong as you believe I am. So wish me luck and I'll do my best." He grinned down at her, cheekily, waiting for a response he knew he would enjoy.

Koba had been inching closer as members of the group had acknowledged him and he was finally close enough to hear Roxanne talk about her saving him and Miria and her circuits. "O-oh, that's why I'm here, actually. Roxi, I wanted to ask you if you were doing better... and thank you again. What you did, it was so impressive and it saved my life. I just hope that you're fully recovered. If your circuits were permanently damaged because you were saving me, and others but me, I don't know... I could never repay that. I already can't repay you just for saving my life so." He realized he was rambling and shut up, but his mind kept racing. It had been something else, to see Roxi so willing to risk her ability to cast and, realistically, her life, to save him and Miria. To overcast like that, it risked burning yourself out and if the rebound was hard enough... She hadn't hesitated though. He wanted to be like that. He wanted to stop being so scared, hiding behind others, sneaking around while they fought. He wanted to be stronger, to find a way to fight and help the other Tigers. He looked away, almost embarrassed at the thoughts. He wasn't strong, it was hard to imagine he would ever be as strong as any of the women standing near him, but he wanted it. He wanted to be better. There was an ache in his stomach when he thought about the gap between him and others and he couldn't help but long to close it. Roxi had showed him that it was possible, possible to push past those limits he thought he had, to do something he never thought he could do. He just had to be willing to try. He had to risk but he could do it. There had to be a way. "Mmm, I like that it's unpredictable in its antics, just like you~" He grinned and gave Siorel a kiss before standing up and stretching. "Right then, time to go get beat up again. Make sure you cheer for me when he knocks me on my rear, darling." He waved and wandered off to the arena, looking over at the wolf challenging them all. He had no doubts about the outcome of the match, but he would at least give it his best. A short time later, he sat watching as Sari ended the fight in a single hit but not before taking a hit of his own, something no one else had managed as of yet. Ferid was a fierce competitor to be sure, but he couldn't help the nagging feeling that there had been a chance there. If the fight had gone slightly differently, a slight variation in the flow, there had been a chance that he could have beaten the wolf. Maybe it was his imagination, but maybe not. It was like Siorel had said, this wasn't his normal way of fighting. He was stronger than the arena was making it seem. He flexed a hand and nodded. There was room to improve, but that would never chance. There would always been room to improve, the same as in any area of his life. That didn't mean he wasn't strong now though. More practice would never go amiss, and he had a few people in mind to ask for some sparring, but he could also be proud of where he was now. And speaking of where he was now, he could enjoy the here and now and worry about the future later. He headed back over to Siorel, smiling as he did. "So, did you enjoy seeing me get knocked into the dirt again? Not a bad fight though. A few different moves and I might have landed the finishing blow. He's sneaky though, letting us move first to get a sense of our fighting styles and not giving us the same chance. Ah well, I still enjoyed it. This was a good idea, to have us fight the challengers. The crowd is really starting to get into it. I think Esclas needed something like this, you know? Something to remind them that there's a life worth living and they can do more than just survive. There's a future for them where they can thrive. They just need to grab onto it. With Owen and his sister in charge, I think they really have a chance. I hope they don't lose out on the chance."

"Ha, Versaris might surprise you but no, that was an extreme act that temporarily burnt her out. She wouldn't be able to recreate it easily and especially wouldn't do it for something like this. She still has plenty of skill though, so it should be an interesting combat." He looked out over the arena, a peace he hadn't felt in a while settling in his chest. He knew it was temporary, but he would enjoy it while he could. "Hmm, that makes sense that he would focus on that. Him hitting you would be too easy, same as him hitting me. He's really is a good trainer... Focus on the hitting and let you practice dodging against more normal people. I wouldn't worry too hard. You'll get there the more you practice, but also we can help to protect you from getting hit." He smirked slightly as she started complaining about her tail, shaking his head. It really did seem to have a mind of its own some times. "Hmm, I think your tail just reflects you and your personality. Not going to let anyone tell you what to do. I like that about you though, so I hope you and your tail don't change too much."

Cin considered the question, glancing over at Sari and Aly. He would have agreed with Siorel, that Aly had the best chance against Sari, but Lani posed a problem that the lizard's knives had been unable to beat. To do well against her, magic was the best bet, but most of their mages would fall before they even reached her. "Hmm, Alvira might have a shot at reaching Sari, she's powerful enough I think but I'm not sure if she would have any more luck hitting him. The best shot... You haven't met Roxanne, have you? She joined up with us here and is a powerful light user. She's even got some fancy armor and tools to help her be even stronger. She's my bet, assuming she's recovered fully." He shook his head. "Back at the fight, she did something... There was a corridor of men who weren't ready to give up, they were going to set the place on fire and kill anyone they could on the way out and she... She overloaded her magic and managed to wipe them out. The blast was so strong I felt it through multiple walls. I'm pretty sure some of the people left on the boat felt it. So yeah. I'm backing her to win."

Koba shuffled his feet, a slight red tinging his tan cheeks. "Well, I... It wasn't what I was looking for, exactly, but when I saw it, I guessed it was important. So I wanted to save it from that place. Something happy like that... It didn't belong there." He shook his head, embarrassed that he'd admitted that level of sentiment and was glad when M quickly moved on, heading out to show her daughter the festival. "Ah, uhm, have fun!" He waved goodbye to her before glancing over at the Evokers, Alvira and Roxanne. It seemed like they were maybe in a place where he could join their conversation. Hopefully at least. He didn't want to interrupt anything important, but he also wanted to check on Roxi. He hesitated and then settled for shuffling a little closer, hoping to overhear enough to see if he could join in or if he should wai tuntil later. If nothing else, they would probably notice him and tell him if he needed to leave. Cin chuckled as Siorel downplayed her achievements, before showing off a fancy spin of her knife. "Hmm, so because you had help doing something, it means you don't deserve all the credit for putting in the effort? For developing your skills? I'll agree that Jeremiah is strong, I wouldn't mind learning more from him myself, though I doubt he'd be able to help me too much more, given how different our fighting styles seem to be... That one session with him helped more than I imagined though so perhaps... Ah, the point is, you did this. He guided, but a teacher can't teach someone that doesn't want it and if the effort isn't there, the teaching is wasted. So come on, accept the compliment." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, a content smile on his face. "I look forward to seeing how you've improved all your talents, not just your knife work, though... Selfishly I wouldn't mind you staying out of battles either. One less thing for me to worry about. Still, it will be nice to have someone watching my back, especially someone as quick as you. Hmm, maybe we can do some training ourselves, try and work out some battle tactics so that we can support each other better, work to make sure we both make it out of a battle safe..." He pulled himself out of the thought before he started going too far down that path, not wanting to get caught up in the weeds in that exact moment. It was something he could put more thought into later. For now, he wanted to focus on the here and now. "Mmm, I always need more training. That never stops, not if I want to be able to help keep all of the Tigers alive and whole. I see your point though. I'm better at these sorts of duels when I control the rules of engagement. Being a defender, it starts me off all wrong." He sighed, seeing the wisdom in her words. "Very well, I'll do my best to not linger on it too long then, ok? But only because you put it so well. As for Syta and her prize... we'll see. Depending on who all decides to fight, we may see someone else claim that. Lani will be hard to beat, but someone determined enough just might be able to do it."

Yet again, Cin found himself facing opponents that quickly dispatched him. The most surprising was Siorel, her skill with her daggers having improved more than he would have guessed given how much she had been hiding in their room after their encounter with the Underground. He was glad to lose to her though, since it showed she was improving in more ways than one, and the other two fights weren't overly surprising losses. Syta was strong and had forced him to fight at range, where every hit cost him, and Aly was Aly. She was an insanely good fighter with pinpoint accuracy with her daggers. It was still frustrating how quickly he was going down, but he had known that this sort of fight might not be his strong suit. Once the gauntlet runs were done, he found himself quickly approached by Siorel. He smiled down at her, pulling her up against his side in a hug. "I was very impressed with how well you fought. Surprised to see you, yes, but that's not why I lost. You've grown. That first hit of yours was something else. Whatever training you've been doing, it's been paying off for sure. I'm going to have to keep on top of my own training to make sure you don't leave me in the dust." He grinned, letting go of her as he glanced around the arena. "I'm not sure how many more challengers we expect to have, but as soon as I'm free, I would love to spend time with you. After that fight against Kazran, I'm looking forward to the chance to relax. I'll need food for sure but I would like to see what equipment there is on offer. With where we're headed, we need to make sure our equipment is ready... Our equipment and our resolve." Koba had been wandering around the city for a bit when he spotted M walking away from the Evokers, Alvira and Roxi with the girl in the picture. He wouldn't mind talking to the other group, especially since he wanted to check in on Roxi and make sure she was doing OK, but he had a mission first. Approaching M, he hesitated and then called out, "Uhm, excuse me? I... have something for you, ma'am. I found it in the castle, after the battle was done. I, would have given it sooner, but you didn't seem very open to strangers and so... I'm sorry. I should have anyways but. Here." He held the photo out, hoping that she wouldn't be too mad that he had taken this long to give it back to her.

"Ah, yeah, some of it was luck, some of it was unlucky matchups... Syndra using ice magic meant I had no chance against her. That stuff just hits me so much harder than any other kind of magic." He shook his head, still frustrated. "You're right, our group doesn't really train together all that much. Probably because we've been so busy just staying alive with the way things have been thrown at us one after another, but still. Not keeping up on your skills is a good way to have them fail at the wrong moment. Or, uh, so my dad always told me. I don't really have enough experience to prove him right or wrong but, well... He has a pretty good argument for being right." His dad was strong, he knew that, but the missing arm told a different story, one of someone who hadn't been able to be perfect and it had cost him. He sighed and ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair, grimacing. "We're likely to have more fights today, there have to be others who want to test their skills, but maybe once we start traveling again we can practice together. Get some bouts in, not that I expect to be able to do much against your armor. Not unless I swap to my magic, ha. That would feel a little cheap though, for just a friendly sparring match. Better to practice my main way of fighting, yeah?" He grinned at the two, glad for the break. It was nice to reset his mindset and get a chance to spend time with his companions. Hopefully it would translate into a better showing in the next few matches.

Cinaed walked away from the arena's fighting area grumbling to himself. He'd had one decent fight. One! The rest of them, he'd found himself blown away before he could even begin to fight. It seemed he'd made the right decision to put himself second after all, given his fight with the swordswoman had only been so close because of luck. I have to get stronger. I do. Ugh. Glancing around, he spotted Lani and Syta, the latter excitedly bouncing around the former, making him grin. Maybe I should have asked Siorel to come hang out... I just didn't think it would be that interesting. I'll have to ask her later, see if I messed up. Relationships were hard, he still really had no idea what he was supposed to be doing in them most of the time. Maybe that meant he wasn't ready for one, but he couldn't let that stop him at this point. He would just have to figure it out and keep moving forward. Shaking those thoughts away for now, he moved over to Lani and Syta with a grin. "Hey you two. Lani, you were amazing to watch out there. It was like no one stood a chance against you. I meant to find you earlier actually, ask about maybe doing some training together. Watching you during that last fight, it was really impressive how well you handle yourself. I... I need to get stronger and that's only going to come from training and fighting people stronger than me. So what do you think? Maybe try to spar some time?" Koba moved through the crowded city carefully, watching the people flow around him with a wary expression that he didn't even realize he had. Old habits were hard to break and even though he hadn't stolen anything since he had joined the Tigers, he was used to hostility from these sorts of crowds. Someone would find something missing from a pocket and he would be the first to be blamed. It was a deep set paranoia that he hardly even noticed anymore. He just knew he had to look out for himself. It didn't help that he had a certain picture burning a hole in his pocket, something he knew didn't belong to him. He just hadn't had the right time to find M and return it. No, that's an excuse. You've just been scared of the conversation that might come with it, with how upset she was. He sighed, changing his path. He'd been intending to go to the arena, try things out, not that he expected to get very far, but he had to do better than that. First, he would find M, finish what should have already been completed. Then he could indulge in other things.