It was now the second round of the tournament, and Misaki Ryou was feeling pretty confident coming out of the first round with a victory. It was a hard won victory, and at many points during the fight it seemed like it could go either way, but that's what made it all the better. Once more the youthful boy was sitting upon a chair within the waiting room, and once again he was leaning over with his arms on his legs. He was holding Misakichi in both hands, gazing down her her quietly while bobbing his right foot up and down repeatedly. A nervous tick? Uncontainable excitement? Probably the latter, but who could say for sure. "Ne, Misakichi... I wonder if Suzuhara-san was watching. I wonder if she'd be proud. What about Mihara-sama? Hmm... I wonder." He was mostly talking to himself, but he was using the angel as a focus for the words so it didn't seem as strange.

Round two, a chance to make up for the loss from round one, her angel clutched to her chest as she thought back to the fight and the way the layer plays into the match. She was fairly certain that she and Katashi-kun could have won if not for the layer they'd drawn. She crosses her fingers for luck hoping that when the layer spins it will be something a bit more in favor of her heavier angel and his style of combat. She sits on the bench waiting for the announcer to call for them, all the while going over the things she learned about Katashi in the last battle.

Normally Ryou might have noticed the girl enter, and maybe even greeted her and offered words of encouragement or put her down, or what have you. But currently he was preoccupied with his own thoughts, and, well, talking to his angel. His foot stops for a moment as he stares intently at Misakichi and then smirks. "Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter. We'll just have to do our best no matter what. . . we can't lose this year." That said he takes a deep breath, and then exhales before leaning back in his chair and sending his gaze up towards the ceiling. Now all there was to do is wait.

Kokoro smiles at Katashi and kisses the top of his head. "We'll win this one, we can't fail. Bushido will lead us to victory." she says to her angel. Apparently Ryou isn't the only one absorbed in thought and talking to their angel. She looks up and finaly notices the other duse. "Good luck, in your match today." she says

On the wall monitor, Another intermission plagued the poor spectators of the tournament, but it couldn't be helped. People needed to use the restroom, eat some stuff, stretch their legs, and most of all the deuses needed to be gathered up and shuffled into the waiting room before their matches! After all, if they participants weren't around there couldn't be a fight right?

The dimness of the arena is finally cut by bright and blinding lights, as the elevator like music finally cuts out and is replaced with something a little more dramatic. The lights shift about dancing and swirling all over the place before a few come to settle upon a smug looking announcer, sitting high and mighty in his mechanical chair above the layer. His confidence in his appearance was quite evident, and he was still wearing his 'cool' purple suit with the giant red bowtie, and his nifty indoor sun-glasses. Down below, two two female appearing angels walked about the layer while holding up the cards with the battle number upon them, indicating the next round was about to begin.

The stage is set, so the Announcer begins by lifting his microphone to his mouth. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, insects, animals, angels, bacteria, and everyone else who is here today! On behalf of Angelic Layer, Inc. I welcome you to ROUND TWO of the Tokyo city games! Also known as the qualifying tournament for the Kanto Regional Games! Are you all ready for another ANGELIC FAIT-O?!" The crowd roars their approval in a deafening manner, giving the announcer good reason to grin.

"Then without further ado I give you, in the West corner. . . she put up an impressive fight in her undersea debut, but couldn't quite out fight her last opponent, the deus is Fukauchi Kokoro with her cheetah like angel Katashi! Let's hope they get something more easy to move around in this time aruond!" He lets the crowd give their cheers, pausing briefly before moving on. "And in the East corner, coming into this round with one victory under his belt, the deus is Misaki Ryou with his machup Champion angel, Misakichi! Come on out and take your places!" With the beckon call given, he slumps down into his seat for a quick breather while the cameras focus upon the tunnel from the waiting room out into the arena.

Misaki Ryou grins as Kokoro addresses him, his attention turning towards the girl for the first time. "We make our own luck, Misakichi and me. But thanks for the well wishes, and I offer you the same." And then the announcement kicks up, offering both deus and angels names up for the public, and giving the boy a reason to stand up. "And now it's time to shine like a star, see you around." With that he turns to begin his trek down the tunnel, not even realizing that the girl was his next opponent. At least, not yet.

Kokoro smiles when the boy turns to leave, her heart fit to beat it's way out of her chest. She takes a deep breath when she realizes he hasn't made the connection between Katashi and the announcement. The girl pads along quietly behind the 'other' Misaki, even starting well after the Miracle rookie she knows of that Misaki having watched Angelic layer long before she started to play.
You brave your way through the winding corridor and emerge on the arena before the thousands and thousands of viewers.

The arena lights are focused upon the tunnel exit, as are all the cameras, waiting for the emergence of those about to take the field of battle. They do not wait long though, and once again Misaki Ryou is the first to make his way out onto the floor. A big grin is plastered on his face and he is offering waves all around while holding Misakichi aloft. He was not shy, that was for certain, and he was going to give the fans a good show if he could help it! He does however manage to make his way to his seat, hopping in and rigging up everything to get started. His gaze lifts while doing so though, only to notice the girl he'd just been speaking with is walking out as well. "Hn. That was unforseen, haha."

Kokoro pads out into the arena, the bright lights the roaring crowd. Inside the waiting room she was a nervous girl waiting to go on to TV, stepping out into the rushing surflike sound it all melts away and she is just Kokoro, deus and martial artist. She marches across the stadium floor towards her eggshell chair. Angel in her arms she adresses the layer, her opponent and then the crowd each with a bow, proper for the contest about to start is a battle. She climbs into the chair before sliding her visor on and expanding the wings.

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, "Kokoro, do your best!!!"

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, ""Fukauchi-san! Gambarre!""

The whole time they were moving to their seats, the cameras and lights remained focused on them and letting the whole world see the expressions they carried. The pressure of such a wide scale audience could be quite discomforting for the ill prepared! But a lot of people seemed good at ignoring it. Regardless, when everyone was ready the cameras pan over towards the announcer once again.

The Announcer rises up in his chair, arms crossed over his chest as he peers down to the layer below, the angels that had been holding up the cards now gone. He offers an approving nod and then brings the microphone up to his mouth once more. "Our players are in place, now it's time to set the stage! What sort of wonderful location will our battle take place today I wonder?" His arm flicks out in a flourish before pointing down at the layer below.

The glowy white layer flickers away and a vast array of different sceneries begin passing one by one, almost too swift to see. An arena of pillars of various heights with clouds below to drown out the ground, a sandy and peaceful beach where an angel might go to take a vacation, an old pulp-fiction nuclear reactor core, and then finally the it settles down upon a an old steel mill. There are various metal mesh platforms littered about with metal staircases leading up to them, thick steel beams holding everything up for support. And all around streams of molten metal fall from on high and hit the floor, flowing along and creating some potentially dangerous footing.

"The place of their birth, the old steel mill, will be the stage for todays battle!" The announcer calls out, grinning wide. "And now, angels, FA~ALL IN!"

Once more the almost before the Announcer's words finish, Misaki Ryou is on his feet standing dangerously in his chair! One foot is placed upon the front edge as he leans forward, whipping his arm back behind his head. He then snaps it forward while calling out, "Reach for the top and never look down, GO GO GO Misakichi!" The little angel is sent flying towards the layer at potentially unsafe speeds!

The little angel twists and spins about recklessly before passing through the barrier and sending ripples out in a circle from the point of impact. A golden white light shimmers over her form as she twists about and then flexes in mid air while her eyes spring open, sending the energy off her form in every direction. She flashes a victory sign with two fingers while in the air, smiling happily, and then she tucks into a flip moving towards one of the steel mesh platforms. She lands in a crouch and then springs up into the air once more, twisting her body as she flips over the railing and then comes to the ground below in a kneeled position. After her landing she slowly rises to her feet and looks up towards Kokoro while awaiting the arrival of her opponent.

Having turned her visor on, Kokoro leans back licking her lips, perhaps she is a little more nervous than she let on but a good warrior shows no fear to her enemy. She takes a deep breath and looks at the layer, a little sigh of relief at least she knows this layer. Her hand lifts and in flys Katashi, his weight taking a real shove from the small girl. "Gi! Yu! Jin! Rei! Makoto! Meiyo! Chugi!" she chants out the virtues of Bushido. The cheetah passes through with a ripple that takes on the color of the molten steel, his golden eyes snapping open and locking on his oponent. He lands shoulderfirst his weight causing the floor to boom before he rolls his feet and drops into a loose stance..

The Announcer still grinning of course, makes another flourishing motion with his free hand before adjusting his sun-glasses. "Everything is set, so it's about time to begin! A fateful battle in the place of their birth, who will come out victorious? Let's find out with another, ANGELIC FAIT-O!" That was the queue, the timer begins counting down indicating that now was the time for action!

Ryou leans dangerously over the edge of his floating chair, as if he doesn't realise the posibility of potentially falling to his doom! One hand grips tightly at the edge of the outer rim as he pumps his other arm up and outwards. "Let's GO Misakichi! Fight!" It was obvious that he was quite excitable!

On the layer below, Misakichi's eyes had followed her opponent on his way in, and she offers a wry little smile as the counter begins ticking away. Much as her deus commands, she bursts forward while leaning down and low. She's fast, very fast, and the distance is closed the in the blink of an eye! She doesn't come in for a direct shoulder ram though, and instead slides to a halt just before the larger angel. At that same instant she pivots into a twist while looking up at him, and rises with a spiraling uppercut towards his chin!

Katashi stands his ground and letting the little angel get close he rolls his head back, the fist glancing along his muzzle, just as her shoulder gets at the same level as his own he snakes an arm out, to try and lock with hers, should he manage the twist needed he'll turn it into a jointlock in an attempt to twist her shoulder painfuly.

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, "Go Katashi!"

Ryou calls out from his seat, still hanging off it practically, "Yeah Misakichi! You've got this!" It's a good thing he was cheering himself on, since no one in the stands seemed to be rooting for him. That was probably because he wasn't the underdog though. It didn't phase him any however, and he keeps on playing without missing a stride!

On the layer, Misakichi's uppercut connects and forces a satisfied smile to dance over her lips. When Katashi attempts to lock up her arm though, she manages to twist and coil her way out of it, being wirey and difficult to hold onto and all. Unfortunately she wasn't paying too horribly much atteniton though, because as she twirled away form the grip she managed to pass right under one of those rather hot metal streams! Sizzling sounds are heard as it pours over her, forcing a small gasp of pain. She fights through though, lunging out of the heat and thrusting a foot forward at the Cheetah angel's midsection.

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, "Dont fall off Ryou-baka!!"

Kokoro seems cool and composed compaired to her oponent, but anyone who'd seen her on the tatami would know she's sweating. Katashi on the other hand is just as cool and composed as he looks. The foot comming at him is caught in his open palms, barely moving him, and then up comes his own leg but not for a kick as it might first seem but to wrap over the other angels knee so that he can then drop and wrench the knee joint.

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, "That's how you do it!"

On the layer, Miakichi manages to twist her leg away just in time, but puts a little too much force into it and ends up BACK in the MOLTEN steel one more time. It is not a pleasant thing in the least, and a low grumble of frustration escapes her. She bursts out from the steam, sending bits of the superheated and liquified steel flying out before her in an impressive display! Her attack however, was quite sraight forward with her arm extended and hand balled into a fist. She was going straight in at the other angel's nose, let's break some noses!

Ryou meanwhile, seemed to get a small grip on his sanity. It was enough to make him realise that he should really lean back up and sit down in his chair properly. It was obvious to him now, that he would actually need to concentrate if he hoped to win.

In the audience, you hear a male voice shouting, "Lets heat it up!"

The announcer's voice roars over the din of the stadium, as he yells out enthusiastically. "OHHH!! Misakichi returns from the intense heat, burning bright with incendiary intent! How will Katashi respond to this blazing barrage?!?" ... It would seem he's overplaying it. Just a /bit/. Where do they find these guys, anyways?

Katashi grins turning his head enough that the blow glances along his jaw, and in true akido style goes for the wrist, before switching to the more agressive judo and attempting to pull the smaller angel to the ground where he can get som real leverage to end the match quickly.

Kokoro for her part seems to be taking the fight well, though she flinches whenever blows get through to hit harder like that last hit on the jaw, she'd rather he was fighting a bit more defensively but after his loss the cheetah seems intent on ending the fight quickly.

On the layer, Misakichi has a satisfied look about her when her attack strikes home, but there isn't a whole lot of time to revel in her small vicotry as her wrist is suddenly clasped! Down she goes, towards the floor but all the while she maneuvers her wrist in an attempt ot slip free. When she finally meets the ground she goes into a roll, sliding her dainty wrist free from the oppressive grab. After rolling away a small distance, she comes up into a low crouch upon one knee with wary eyes upon her foe. There was too much time spent getting away to allow for any real counter offensive, so now she must bide her time.

"Incredible!" The announcer's voice cheers out again, the microphone helping his voice drown out the crowd's roars. "Katashi seems almost unaffected by the ferociously flaming frenzy, and counters with a grasping grapple, bringing Misakichi down to the layer! Incredible infighting! Amazing assaults! Excellent examples of--..." Somehow, even the microphone can't force people to pay attention to the rest of what the announcer is saying. The alliterations are just that bad.

Katashi smiles and kips back up to his feet, his long tail lashing side to side to shake it free of dust. He lifts his golden gaze to follow the smaller angel, his muzzle parting and then snapping shut with a clack. His body posture and agressive motions seem to say 'come and get me' to Misakichi.

Kokoro shakes her head at her angels somewhat undiplomatic ways but he does give the small angel a chance to catch her breath, and that is honorable.

On the layer, Misakichi's hand splays out over the ground below as she grins a bit, there was no reason she wouldn't accept such an invitation right? Her little fingers slide along the coarse floor as her hand forms into a fist and fwoosh! She's rushing in towards the heavier Katashi with her obviously superior speed once more. Once again the time is short before she's close enough to attack, and her torso twists to the side slightly while her arm pulls back. Then with a snapping motion forward, she comes aross with a right hook in an attempt to knock the cheetah across the chin. The chin seemed to be a good place to strike, since there was success there before, right?

"AND A MOMENTARY SILENCE FALLS OVER THE LAYER!" The announcer manages to contradict himself even as he narrates the battle, clearly about as into the spirit of things as anyone really could be. "...Until Misakichi charges the ferocious feline! What will the cunning cat do in the face of Misakichi's superior speed?!?" Alas, until the Arena seats come with an optional 'mute' button, the alliterations will continue. On the other hand, some of the crowd seems to be responding well. After all, the match is spectacular enough that the audience is quite pleased.

Katashi drops back to avoid the blow, landing heavily, his foot lifts up to plant against the smaller angel and try to boost her in the direction she's already going, in hopes that she'll land in a bit of that molten steel if nothing else.

On the layer, Misakichi's attack isn't very effective it seems, barely registering any damage at all! And instead of rejoicing in a victorious strike, she was instead flying through the air towards a nice hot metal bath! "Oh no, not again!!" Her arms are brought up before her head as she passes through and is singed once more, tucking into a roll after passing through it. When she gets up to her feet, she pivots about and circles around the streaming molten metal while rushing in for another strike. This time she slides in and then bounces up, one hand reaches out for Katashi's head while she brings her knee up. If her hand finds its mark, she pushes down with the hand, trying to push his head down while giving herself some more upward momentum in the hopes of smashing his face into it most uncomfortably.

Katashi watches the small angel coming in for the attack, his arms come up attempting to tangle with Misakichi's arm and leg. As he works for the grapple he rolls back, softening the blow to his head and attemping to pin the smaller angel underneith him so that he can really put some damage onto her isntead of simply throwing her through the layer's hazards the entire match.

On the layer, Misakichi lets herself fall into this particular trap quite easily, because it means that the distance between them is small, and her next attack will be that much more difficult to avoid. Unfortunately though, she isn't so easy to pin and instead continues with the momentum in an attempt to roll under another nice hot molten stream of metal. The goal was to use him as a nifty umbrella, and let him soak up all the heat. If successful, one had to wonder where little Misakichi found the strength to hold the larger angel up like that!

The cheetah does indeed roll to far, physics are fun, even a small angel can keep that much mass moving easier than the large angel can stop himself. However the larger angel isn't one to simply take that kind of indignity he simply keeps the roll going to try and hold Misakichi under the flow of molten steel. His fur smoking from the heat as he lays on the ground, his muzzle parted in a grin, groundfighting is his game.

"Hoooooooh!" The announcer's voice cuts in on the action again, just when everyone had hoped he was stunned into silence. "Misakichi and Katashi ignore all sense of self preservation and fight it out in the immolating inferno! The terrifying tempest of simmering steel is searing them, and still they fight on!" ... Hey, he stopped alliterating at that last part. "Continue fighting, you terrific titans!!" ... Alright, perhaps not.

On the layer, Misakichi is not strong enough to stop the continued movement and soon finds herself dipped in metal once more! A few more times and she'll have a nice new armor coat. . . anyway, instead of really trying to get away from Katashi she does something odd and somewhat feral. Her head moves back slightly, and then comes forward and she attempts to bite the Cheetah angel's hand. Gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, mmmm MEAT!

So the little angel wants to get bitey, the cheetah grins and with a show of abnormal ferocity he tries to show Misakichi just what bitey is all about. Large carnivors fangs snaping towards the light angel in what will most certainly be a painful bite given his size and strength.

On the layer, Misakichi manages to interpose her elbow onto the nice kitty-cat's maw, and while the bite was still pretty painful it wasn't nearly as much as it could have been! It also helped that there was some nice cooled hardened metal there to cushion it a bit. Mmmm, yummy metal. Since her elbow is nice and bitten, she decides to try and jam it down the other angel's throat, trying to help him with any sort of hunger issues he might have currently! Nevermind that it was her limb she was feeding him. . .

The cheetah is quite happy to be fed a bit more angel arm, his jaws closing down to get a good grip, his foot comes up in an attempt to, in conjunction with a backwards roll without bothering to open his muzzle, throw Misakichi into something hot, hard or both.

On the layer, Misakichi seems to be heading for a nice sturdy steel beam, the sort that would leave a nice painful memory behind if one were to run into it. Being that she really would rather not fun into this hard object, she decides instead to try to grab onto Katashi. If she is successful, she attempts to throw all of her weight into flipping him into said hard steel metal beam instead. He seemed like he would make a nice cozy cushion for such a thing, warm, soft, and fuzzy.

Katashi is thrown, or rather rolls into the beam. He stops with a heavy thud that seems to leave the girder in worse shape than the cheetah. His black lips pull back to expose sharp teeth. He stares, his golden eyes glinting as he simply pulls himself from the dented steel to loom over the tiny, by comparison, Misakichi.

On the layer, Misakichi rises up with Katashi as he stands, because let's face it her arm mighta been ripped off if she didn't! She wiggles her arm a little to see if it'll pull free, and when that doesn't seem to be working she lifts her hand up and then brings the palm of her hand down towards the cheetah angel's nose, calling out "Bad kitty! Let go!"

Katashi takes the blow on his muzzle, but lets go of the smaller angel. He counters however by bringing his knee up in a fast brutal strike at her abdomen. He seems to be tiring but he's quite willing to let the strikes fly until he's out completely.

"A blitzkrieg of biting blows leaves the killer Katashi tearing at the spunky schoolgirl! What will be the outcome of this supreme struggle? Find out!!! ... Right after this commercial break!!"

On the layer, Misakichi slips her arm free when he releases the bite quite thankful to be free! When the knee comes smashing towards her gut though, she's actually quick enough to put her other hand down upon the rising leg and use the force to push away and avoid a proper connection. Unfortunately this sends her once more into a streal of molten metal, causing a cry of frustration to escape her lips. This place was starting to get really annoying! Instead of rushing into to attack again, she spins about and comes up in front of the stream she'd gone through. One hand pushing through and scooping up hot metal to fling at Katashi in retribution. Sure, it hurt, but so what?

Katashi rolls to the side at the last second, getting splattered with some of the molten steel but avoiding enough of it to make himself quite happy. He rolls back to his feet and starts to slowly circle the smaller angel, perhaps trying to set her up for a bigger fall, or maybe he just didn't want the steel beam behind him any longer as it restricted his movement options.

On the layer, Misakichi watches as Katashi easily avoides her little ball of white hot metal only to step into a nice stream of it. Albeit only partially, it was still a success in her book. Wary eyes remain on the cheetah as she too begins circling in the counter direction, attempting to keep the distance between them. The timer was winding down and she was ahead currently, so she wasn't about to do anything too crazy. After all, the ball was in his court if he wanted to win.

Katashi watches the smaller angel, his circling slowly speeding up until he reaches a point that puts Misakichi near a stream of steel. No grapling, no complicated attack paterns he simply rushes in and swings a scything kick at her midsection in an attempt to shove her directly into said molten stream.

"Uwooooh!" The announcer's voice crackles to life over the Arena's speakers once more. "As the match begins to wind down, Katashi unleashes a crippling kick at Misakichi, intending to push her precariously into the pyretic pit!" The announcer grabs his microphone and shoves it up towards his face, shouting at the top of his lungs despite the fact that the speakers will echo it out just fine no matter how loud he speaks. "Can the carniverous canine end this match once and for all?!?" Nevermind that Katashi's not a canine... the announcer, clearly not one for details.

On the layer, Misakichi moves to dodge away from the blow and inadvertantly does exactly what Katashi aimed for her to do. She passes through a molten stream of metal, and a sound of clear frustration and annoyance can be heard before she emerges on the other side. Once there she backs away and heads for one of the staircases, intending to get away from both the Cheetah and the molten metal and just sit out the clock. No more hot metal! The timer was running down pretty quick anyway, there shouldn't be long to go.

Katashi grins at the smaller angel flying through the steel, a good solid kick would have made him feel better but at least she went through the liquid metal. He slowly circles, that was it, his last burst of speed and power, perhaps that hit against the pillar did more damage than he let on, or perhaps just moving around his dense frame taxes his strength the way he seems to throw it around so much.

Kokoro watches the timer and can't really tell who will win, it's just to close.

On the layer, Misakichi isn't going anywhere near Katashi at this point. He was obviously slowed down enough that she could keep out of his reach so there was no point in tempting fate for a last minute turn-around. Despite the fact that Ryou might be thinking otherwise. She leaps up onto one of the steel mesh platforms, and then from there leaps up onto one of the higher girder type beams strung across between said platforms. She crouches low there, watching the other angel warily as the time ticks away, ready to move at a moment's notice.

Katashi stares up at the smaller angel, just no way he's going to drag his heavy body all the way up there in hopes that he can make her fall instead of the smaller angel simply overblancing him. He's too tired for that much effort and by the time he got up that high the timer could quite likely have run out anyway. He shakes his head and simply drops into a defensive stance.

"As the clock counts down the final moment of the match, the two angels square off uncertainly! Who will be the one to leave the layer victorious?!?" ... There are times when one might wonder if an announcer is needed at all... and then... the buzzer sounds. "TIME!!!" The announcer jumps to his feet, dangerous given his precarious position, and yells into the microphone loudly. He looks at the health highlights, staring closely for a moment, before he points over towards Ryou. "Misakichi... WIN!!" ... And the crowd goes wild as the announcer's job is finished. Finally, we won't have to hear any more of those alliterative alliterations ... ... .. Argh.

On the layer, Misakichi continues to watch Katashi carefully until the buzzer sounds and indicates that time has run out, and with that she leaps down and lands before her feline opponent with a bit of a grin. "Well fought, Katashi-kun." It's a simple offer of respectful comment, to an opponent that pushed her to the edge of her defensive abilities.

Katashi, who like his deus is a firm beliver in Bushido, turns to Misakichi and bows low from the waist. The move one that conveys his apreciation for a superior oponent who won despite her fragility and the layers layout being one that didn't lend itself to her style of combat.

With all that said and done, Misaki Ryou finally releases that breath he'd been holding for way too long, "Whooo... that was close." His mechanical chair jerks and then starts moving down towards the layer, allowing him to swipe up little Misakichi before moving off towards the ground. The visor is removed from his head before he hops out of the seat, and then begins making his way towards the tunnel back into the waiting room. Kokoro's chair would be on the way, so he actually pauses for a moment to wait for her to come down.

Kokoro lets her chair slide down, it was very close, but they had lost again. She smiled though, a layer duel that came that close was a good duel. She slips from the chair, a small whispered prayer of thanks to her grandfather for the words that would keep her going even in the face of loosing. "A sempai is a sempai because of his sucess, sensei is a sensei despite his failure." she takes Katashi from the layer with these words, her visor left behind in the eggshell before she starts her slow walk back tot he waiting area.

When Kokoro finally touches down, Ryou moves to catch up a bit and offers a grin towards the girl. "You did pretty good, Fukauchi-san. Better than I would have expected." It was rare for the boy to give compliments, not that she'd know that though. The fact that the match was as close as it was though, gave Ryou enough cause to respect her. "Good luck with the rest of the tournament, I have a feeling you'll do alright." With offered words of encouragement, he finally enters into the tunnel towards the waiting room. It was time to find something to eat. . . yeah sure he ate after the last round match too but he was still a growing boy! Maybe. . .

The girl nods her head and then gives a deep bow of her own. She doesn't really trust her voice, perhaps it's the loss, or perhaps she's simply more uncomforetable with the large crowd than she lets on. She lets Ryou leave first and then quietly follows him, losses may be what in the end makes a master, but it couldn't make her like them.