[hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7UxgEHd.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/DhO9jwL.png[/img][/center] [right][b][code]The Reception Room.[/code][/b][/right] [hr][hr] “So this will be your tournament debut as Justice Rider Blaze. How are you feeling about that?” Jill Breicen smiled warmly at the woman shoving a microphone in her face, demonstrating her well-trained art of focusing on its uncomfortable presence without actually looking at it. She didn’t have to think long before she summoned up the enthusiasm. [color=LightSeaGreen]“I’m pretty excited about it!”[/color] Jill said with a nod. [color=LightSeaGreen]“It’ll be a great way to show my stuff, improve, and make some new friends! All without the usual pressure of, y’know, savin’ the day and all.”[/color] The interviewer laughed. “That’s great to hear! So, if you win-” [color=LightSeaGreen]“[i]When[/i] I win.”[/color] Jill said, grinning. The woman responded in kind. “[i]When[/i] you win, what would our young Rider do with the grand prize?” [color=LightSeaGreen]“Well,”[/color] Jill’s tone became a bit more considered. [color=LightSeaGreen]“I’ve been thinkin’ about this one. Hoarding that kinda power all to yourself feels a bit selfish to me, and after clearing it with the higher-ups I think the best idea would be to hand that rock over to our friends in Horizon Frontiers for research. And no matter how this whole thing turns out, I’ll be holding a donation drive for their Better Life Foundation. Sticking up for people in need is just part of the job, y’know?”[/color] “Sounds like you’ve got this all thought out! So-” The interview was interrupted by the sound of rap blasting through the nearby speakers. The tone in SHINING’s section of the reception room immediately shifted, and Jill knew it was fine to take a look around. To her left, Izzy was already lighting up a cigarette. To her right, Ryuuna Raiden, current CEO of SHINING, was giving a warm smile and understanding nods to the crew. Dozens of mics and cameras all went on standby. “Alright, take five people!” A stern feminine voice managed to sneak in through the beat. “Guess we’ve got a hijacker this year.” Jill sighed and let her shoulders relax, past “interview relaxed” and into “actually relaxed.” She immediately seized into surprise when she felt a firm pat on the back. [color=Silver]”Guess we’ve got a few minutes away from the circus, huh?”[/color] Isabella Levai blew a cloud of smoke into the air, not even bothering to check for a no smoking sign. [color=Silver]”How are you holding up? Ready for the real fights to start?”[/color] Jill nodded. [color=LightSeaGreen]”I think so,”[/color] She gave him a mostly confident thumbs up. [color=LightSeaGreen]”Mostly just worried about Jazzy though, not sure where she ended up running off to.”[/color] Isabella nodded, and Jill took off through the crowd. [hr] “So, uh, would you mind saying a few words about how you’ve adjusted to-” The man following Jasmine Breicen, already struggling to speak over the music, was interrupted by the sound of a loud belch after Jasmine finished her energy drink. She crushed the can under her boot, then sent it flying up into the air with some dextrous footwork, right into the maw of Beelzebub, Prince of Gluttony. [color=DarkViolet]”I’ve told you vultures that you can fuck right off.”[/color] Jasmine said, not even glancing at the man. Usually the only reason the media ever paid attention to her at this point was because they were A) chuds looking to farm outrage, or B) someone who couldn’t get an interview with her big sister. This guy was very obviously the latter. [color=Tomato]”Hold on kid, I’ve got this one!”[/color] The bat demon said, spraying half-eaten chunks of aluminum across the floor. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing. [color=Tomato]”Y’know, it’s been a real good while since I was up enjoying the human world, and I gotta say it gets better every time I go back!”[/color] He gave a laugh and a hearty grin. [color=Tomato]”You humans really got it made, I tell ya. Here we are in fronta the biggest smorgasbord alotta these saps’ll ever lay eyes on, and if I wanted to I could order even more food that gets here in half an hour, tops, while you can walk outside for twenty minutes and find someone who can’t even afford to get by! We couldn’ta done better our-”[/color] “I-I think I have enough, thanks…” And then he was gone. [color=DarkViolet]”Thanks for the save.”[/color] Jasmine said, holding out an open hand. Beelzebub awkwardly slapped it with his wing. [color=Tomato]”Just havin’ some fun is all!”[/color] Beelzebub laughed again. [color=Tomato]”Say, we should have a bit more. Y’ever try one’a them hot dogs filled with whipped cream?”[/color] Jasmine stared blankly at the bar. [color=DarkViolet]”What, like with a pump or something…?”[/color] Even after a year of hijinks, Jasmine still didn’t quite get him. [hr] [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZohkpEb.png[/img][/center] [hr] A pitch black limo pulled up in front of the tournament building. The kind with black tinted windows and completely featureless except for a glossier black sticker on the bumper that read “ATTACK AND DETHRONE GOD”. Even as Rosie stepped out, it was impossible to make out anything inside. [i]“We trust you know your duties?”[/i] A snakelike voice emerged from its depths. [color=MediumPurple]”Oh, I’m as trustworthy as we come.”[/color] Rosie smirked. She supposed it had been some time since she’d done this kind of work. Or maybe Bill had let some old details slip. Probably not, since she was out doing such a lovely favor. [i]”Then we bid you good day.”[/i] The door closed. Rosie blew a kiss to her chariot as it sped away. Her eye turned back, acknowledging the fact that she was being watched, and made her way to the reception room. Between the music and the fighters, she knew it was going to be a lovely round of chaos this year. She supposed it was time to case the joint...