Abaddon's entry was one of... confusion.

A snort this way, a violent pawing of the sand with one cloven hoof the other way--the mad lashing of the tail behind him. He'd been herded here by Vargas--not mindlessly; he'd been told to come with, had it explained that he'd fight for some reward but honestly, his entire understanding of it had been vague.

All he knew was that--at some point in the conversation--someone had asked if he was a coward, a weakling, and he'd been driven into a frenzy by such doubts. Bellows, snorting, the whole nine; now he was here to prove that he was Strong and Brave.

The multitude of monsters that they passed were a chaotic blur to his dim vision, all spikes and rancid colors, and he had to be restrained from charging them right off the bat. Now he was down below--in the waiting room--and he'd found some fruit; and, for now, that had completely distracted him.

Oblivious, head down, tail lashing but more contentedly, now, the bull munched his way through a bowl of fat apples like a gentle cow grazing in her pasture.

The introduction he had given was simply 'Abaddon,' but it was pretty clear he'd be given some sort of random title; he'd been consulted, and he'd shrugged it all away. The apples were far more important to him. He had eyes and ears for nothing else.

Audience!

You are my sunshine
my only sunshine

A little child was here to witness family-friendly murder. How's your day going?

Simon (the Second) (he chose his own name and is very proud of it) ambled around the Forum seats, his little wings flapping up and down in a slithering motion. "Sorry-- Excuse me--" he mumbled, nervous around so many unfamiliar gembound. What event was this? Did they have designated seats? Why was there so little sand here? Who's that tiny screaming figure? So many questions, but Simon didn't have the time to ask for an explanation, so he simply listened to what said screamer said and tried to infer the rest.

Eventually he found a good seat with a nice view and settled down, only chafing a single scale against the rough stone. This "deathmatch" seemed nice enough, if the mouthwatering food said anything. Who knows? Maybe he'll grab some popcorn and settle in for the show.

What's "death," anyways?

You make me happy
when skies are gray

Vedette had managed to get a whole pile of things in her arms. Corndogs, pretzels, soft drinks, candy floss, everything she could grab in her little arms.

She waddled past Vargas with her wings spread, offering him a "Sup," as she walked past but nothing more. She was a bit busy carrying all her food to remember she really wanted to call him 'fart gas'. Oh well.

She sat herself down and shoved a popcorn bucket upside down to sit on, setting all her shit beside her so she could eat and see at the same time. She sat like a human, of course, because it was the best way to sit, see, and use her paws to eat at the same time.

"HEY VARGAS!", she squawked, "I HOPE YOUR DAY'S AS PLEASANT AS YOU ARE!"

With a toothy grin she bit into a corndog, devouring it in a few bites before focusing on the arena below, her tail shaking where it was draped beneath her. After a moment she squirreled off with everything to find a better seat, preferably away from Vargas before he fried her or something.

Vicktor originally had no interest in entering Deathmatch, let alone coming to watch it. The reason being was after all in the name and he had turned away from that life. He knew the call of blood, and the hunger it gave him. Riddled with anxieties and paranoid of his past life he once feared it easy to slip back into. But he had gone...many a cycle without anything of the sort. So he was perhaps talked into it by... a few friends of his...and Kibou..which maybe wasn't the best thing. They didn't all know the full extent of his past. So it would be fine. Right?

Lavonia and Firenze had, a rough idea that he was a prick back then, he after all almost ate them so many cycles ago but...that was in the past and all was forgiven and they were a family now. Diot though if they were to cross paths before Vicktor's round well, Diot would have asked him to think it over. Knowing full well how trauma may manifest and how easy it is to slip back into old habits. Either path would end poorly. But Vicktor paid it no mind and thought this would be a nice game of sorts, a nice thrill of a fight without killing his opponent even. It after all had been so long since he felt the rush of battle and the thrill of a gembound's ichor between his jaws.

Okay maybe not off to the best start...anyway....

He was here, ready, he spent little time with others aside from his small family group and those he knew through the caves. He did partake in a bit of the food momentarily though, almost being force-fed by the over-excited Peryton, Kibou, who was already cheering him on.

It took him just a moment to sign up, finding Nemean with ease; he was vaguely familiar with them having seen them when he was but a cub during the fight with that giant dragon all those cycles ago.

"Hello, I would like the enter. Vicktor, yes. Thank you..."

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

He came accompanied by Lavonia and of course his main pal Vicktor, there were also some children who were following too. Vicktor seemed to find them nearly everywhere, almost as if he sprouted them himself but he digressed. Anyway, both of them were to enroll in this cool and interesting event called Deathmatch! Firenze was rather excited, chatting to Vicktor who would speak up every now and then. Though it was even a bit too difficult for Firenze to get a word in edge-wise with the small Peryton bouncing around the large feline with such energy.

Still, he was able to speak to Lavonia. And was practically vibrating with energy and the possibility of fighting Vicktor himself- yknow in a not to a serious to the death sort of way! Boy, that would be awkward if they had to fight each other, just like old times haha.

Still, he followed Vicktor's lead and found the ring leader herself. Vicktor was well rather plain and quick signing up, one and done; not even a title!? Oh don't worry buddy Vic, your good pal Firenze has got your back!

"Firenze! Heart of Fire and The Warmest Lover Boy Around! Just kidding- I'm actually taken, anyway-"

He takes a moment to breathe, what else was there oh yes.

"... So my buddy-he's told me in passing once or twice he was called something like...'The Shadow of Ill Fated Fortune? And something about being 'The Omen'. Yeah, work that into his introduction if you could! Thank you!"

And off he was scrambling to catch up with Vicktor and find the rest of the group. Firenze wasn't the best at...remembering the most dire of details when it came to things in the past...




"Speech"

Let it be known that Thalia's life was not one that commonly crossed paths with the monsters of Chaos and their ways. That much was clear even as she picked her way, wary (and with cautious glances across the arena), alongside her father, Attikias.

Her life was one of the forest: quietude, ferns and trees, birdsong. The camp, and--well, alcohol. Loud and drunken singing and fumbling attempts to play the drums whilst utterly wasted on cider and upside-down on a log. She didn't care, much, for propriety. When the others had gone to Cepheus she'd mostly stayed in Eridanus (though she did like the palace; it just didn't feel like home). So the sight of Vargas and his beasts were... mostly new to her.

It was more the culture shock, though.

The screeching that Nemean called "music." The lights and the smoke effects. Half of Thalia looked down on it, thought it violent, brutish, primal. Thought that celebrating death was... pretty horrible, actually.

The other half? The other half wanted to get popcorn, get shitfaced, and pass out screaming cheers into the bloody pit. The electric atmosphere tugged at her, really, and she couldn't help but quickly get absorbed by it, staring out wide-eyed as the fighters trudged on past. When they'd taken their seats, she wandered off to get a big coconut full of rum; and this she sipped at (picking the paper umbrella out and turning it thoughtfully over in one hand) before sitting back, and waiting for the fights to begin.

Hell, maybe she'd get material for future songs, here. One could only hope.

She hadn't taken part in an event in well, since ever! So this was something brand new and supposed to be fun! And with her entire family group in tow, well it certainly was going to be! She was happy to see Vicktor out and about, especially with so many children that followed him around. She knew nothing about this event, or what it entailed. Firenze had said this was a battle event of sorts, for people to watch and have fun! Even Firenze was signing up, and they had gotten Vicktor to sign up too. And if the children were coming surely it was a good sport for them to watch yes?

Of course it was! Firenze said it was wholesome family fun. After all, she would have thought it to be maybe a bit in poor taste to ask Vicktor to come along, given his past. Even if so much of it remained unknown to her and for good reason from what little bits she did know during that dark time. Still she kept an eye on the children, watching a few run here and there and making sure one in particular, Kibou, didn't wander off after Vicktor and Firenze when they were supposed to be finding seats.

This was going to be fun!

"Speech"

Kibou ran around Vicktor like an orbiting moon, he was just so excited! Uncle Firenze had told them all about this event! People would gather and fight for prizes! And even his guardian Vicktor was going to enter in it, surely Vicktor would take the grand prize hands down! Firenze well, maybe 7th place. There were a lot of large and interesting opponents or maybe they were just audience members, he wasn't sure! It only made it that much better if he was being honest! A guessing game of sorts, though it was a bit difficult to make out exactly what some people were and...how close they were but, he made sure to stay near Lavonia as Vicktor and Firenze departed to go enter!

She was rather talented at keeping him corraled and not off wandering after blurry but shimmering objects off in the distance.

"I'm so excited to see Vicktor win! Firenze too! "

He gasped suddenly.

"What if they have to fight each other!? Oh this is going to be good!"

He trailed after Lavonia, occasionally bumping into her heels as the small group stopped to gather some food before their seats.

Juniper walked so close to Vicktor that she was basically under his legs. She had a chicken leg in her mouth and her tail wagged as she walked, eyes bright and alert. She was still thin but not as bad as before, her body filling out slowly but surely.

”... You're not gonna get hurt, are you?”, she asked nervously, looking up at the gembound who she saw as her father, ”I hope not...”

She gnawed on the chicken leg as she peered around at all the strange and wonderful creatures making their way about, either to watch or sign up. It was so cool!!

”Who is everyone?”, she asked, looking back at everyone. Firenze, Kibou, and Lavonia. Three faces she didn't recognize yet, but she had a feeling she would in time.

@Vicktor

Aurelia was here, as were many of the forge members now. She was excited to take part in this Deathmatch, excited to have fun but also attempt to win and prove herself. She was still young, practically a child at just three cycles old but she neither looked nor spoke as one. She had come a long way from when she first hatched, now standing over ten feet tall, and with a combined length of 35 feet; her tail making up just half her length still.

Her pale skin had now darkened to that of onyx and only threatened to go even deeper in tones, rainbow hues dancing along her skin in just the right light. All while the once pale and humble yellows of her face had now boldened to that of molten gold, shimmering and iridescent. But even still it was clear she still had a bit more to go.

She made her way through the set up, taking care to not step nor knock anything over as she found her way to Nemean. She was to enter this match and do her best, this was a learning experience and a bit of fun. And while it would be a shame if she couldn't place in the top three, she would certainly do her best to have fun along the way and hopefully give the crowd and her Master a good show.

"Hello there, I would like to enter, yes. Aurelia, as of now I do not have a title...but if it is a must, perhaps the growing chaos? Whatever you feel it best, this is your show."

With a humble bow of her head, she made her way to the stands, not bothering to eat just yet; hoping that the hunger that would soon stir beneath her skin would lead her to victory.