The bout was over before Ming knew it. She looked around the cheering crowd with an open mouthed grin and willed her shield to fold back into a buckler. "When do we get to do that again?" she said.

>Move Action: Transform folding shield into a buckler again.
>Standard Action: Turn off stigmata.

Still full of energy, Ming bounded up to the dais with her friends. In response each to the emissary and Marthysan, she threw them an excited bow. "Thank you, sirs! Thank you, madam!" She didn't forget the less amiable Kiang Zhen.

The next challenge made Ming's eyes light up as they were all moved on. She knew just the trick Daikitsu taught her, for one of the objects to break, at least. She asked as much to the monk explaining the rules. Her face immediately dropped into a disappointed pout when the response was a flat, if polite, no. Keeping the adamantine plates in her cestus would probably be disallowed as well.

Nevertheless, Ming didn't feel like just sitting down and sulking. She instead stood on the sidelines, shouting words of encouragement to Maiko and Hanani as they stepped forward to be the first to test their strength.