[hr][Center][h1][color=ed1c24]Grand Pavilion[/color][/h1][/center][hr]
Ming gasped once the source of the heavy, clanking footsteps came into view. The voice was strange but the mannerisms and tone gave away the towering creature's nature. "Doctor Haksir!" Ming beamed and hugged the golem from the other side to Maiko. Ritually enduced blood placed a bright red handprint on the golem's front and back without the exctied Ming realising it.

Ming pulled away. "I knew you'd make the next boat! You always sleep in when we have a deadline..."

She subtly avoided the potion. The good doctor had been told a few times by now that Ming was 'allergic' to traditional magical healing. She did not begrudge him for it.

"Glad to see you young lady," Haksir frowned imperceptably behind his face plate, "Oh yes, yes, no potions for you. We don't want you getting sick. I'll figure out something special for you." he brought his hand to his metallic chin, "Or maybe I could turn you into a human... or half-rabbit..." he pondered the possibilities. He wondered if she would take some time to come back with him to Salhadrik once this tournament was over so he could more closely study her 'condition'. There had to be a way to alter the chemestry of her body and allow her to partake in normal methods of healing while still keeping her other abilities. He'd managed to make his own aging process slow dramatically and even envigorate himself more than a younger man might be with a simple regiment of drinking asp venom, mercury, and dilluted alchemist's fire.

"Don't think too hard! You'll hurt yourself in the fight," Ming said. She clanged the back of her cestus against the golem's metal side encouragingly and leapt to the fore of the party, planting down her shield to provide cover against any immediate surprises the opposing team had in store.

"What's our team name again?" Ming asked in the second before the bout started.

[color=#dda0dd]"Nothing stupid I would hope,"[/color] Hanani stated while glancing over at their resident Catfolk, he really hoped they hadn't agreed on what she had suggested earlier, or called them on the ship.

[color=8882be]"I just put down Tail Chasers,"[/color] Maiko replied, grinning brightly. [color=8882be]"How's Mother doing, Doc?"[/color] she added as she took up position at Ming's side, the light from the electrical energy in her palms illuminating the team. It had been a while since they had a good old-fashioned spar, and without the possibility of everyone getting hurt too badly, she could really let loose.

Hanani made a face, that had been what he was afraid of, [color=#dda0dd]"I fear that the announcers are going to have a hard time figuring out who we are. We really should have sorted out a name before we came in here... or just made an acronym with our first initials... or something other than Tail Chasers. I don't chase Tails."[/color]

"I haven't chased my tails since I was a little girl." Kyoumi's tone was solemn, and she never left her position, or honestly her battle trance itself.(edited)

"Anatomical Rearrangement Specialists." Haksir said simply. "I think It rolls off the tongue and strikes fear into our foes, eh?" he looked over at the shimmering monk, "Well, she is unruly as usual. She has no care for practicality and insists on being over protective," he srugged, "Really nothing new. My attempts to make her a seperate body has yet to yield any publishable results."

[color=#dda0dd]"Good luck with that,"[/color] Hanani muttered, [color=#dda0dd]"I just put BAMFs because I couldn't think of anything on the spot and I wasn't about to call us Mercy like she wanted. She can be so self centered sometimes, I swear. If she wasn't such a good sword I'd have to put her in time out."[/color]

"Haksir!" Ming complained. "I can hardly even pronounce that!" She pouted and lowered her voice. "I liked Daikitsu's Divas but we'll see what's picked later, I guess." Not that she would stop talking. "Hey Doctor Haksir? Do you think you could put Mercy in her own body?"

"An attractive one or she'll never shut up about how you ruined her," Kyoumi piped up.

[color=#dda0dd]"By the Gods no! She will [i]never[/i] shut up if you do!"[/color] Hanani blanched.

Now THAT was an interesting experiment! The nature of the soul had always been a point of interest for Haksir grew in excitement as he considered the possibilities. He had long been theorizing that the disturbed mind was a symptom of an issue with the soul. Having a soul without a mortal body would be the perfect way to test that theory. "Hanani," Haksir began, "Do not be so quick to dismiss. If we had the time and resources we could perhaps give Mercy the ability to transfer between a form more humanoid in nature and that of her currently swordly one. Think of the possibilities! I might even be able to cure her of her of her troublesome quirks if I could isolate the very soul itself!" his voice rose to an excited trill of metallic vibrations echoing through the helmet.

Hanani made a face that closely resembled a pout, [color=#dda0dd]"I like her quirks, I don't come up with those aweful jokes myself you know,"[/color] he muttered.

"Oh, don't sell yourself short good man. I am sure your personal jokes could be just as terrible," the doctor retorted, but was interrupted before he could continue by an announcement from one of the monks who had stepped forward on the Sifu's pavilion.

"From the Western Entrance, please direct your attention to the famed Monks of the Enduring Spirit, who along with Marthysan the Righteous, uncovered the treachery of the previous tournament, and saved the Ruby Phoenix's legacy from an unfortunate demise!" The crowd erupted into applause and cheering, but were soon hushed by the monk's continuing announcement. "And from the Eastern entrance, please welcome the newcomers, slayers of a dreaded oni, the uh..." Shuffling of papers could be heard as the monk turned around, asked Sifu Xho Nuo a question, then continued tenuously. "The um... Badass Motherfucking Tail Chasing Diva Grüp for Science?" A few scattered polite claps could be heard, but it was obvious that most had no idea who this group was.

"Uh, in any case... let the combat begin!" With that, the gates rose, and the fight could begin in earnest.