Note: This backdated to take place during the Deathmatch.

This whole event was fascinating. The noise, the lights and showmanship of it all. The (mostly) skilled fighters. It was hard to not get enraptured by it all, but Assistant had a job to do.

They skittered through the crowd, calling to both combatant and bystander alike. "Excuse me, do you have a moment?" They'd ask as they looped around a great beast's ankles, "If you could spare the time, I'd like to ask a few questions." They'd tell the gembound waiting in line at the concession stand. "It's important research, and it'll take only a couple minutes of your time!"

Sometimes it felt like they were talking into a rock wall. Maybe it was just hard to hear their voice over all the noise? Or maybe the distractions of the fights was too much... Assistant couldn't wait until another time, though. This was the most gembound they'd ever seen in one spot, and they'd have to talk advantage of it. So they'd continue winding their way through the crowd.

"Hello there, you aren't busy, are you?"

"I'd really appreciate it if you could answer a couple questions for me."

"It'll be painless, I promise! Just a little survey."

By this point in the evening--a few fights in, and a couple drinks, too--Thalia was... tipsy. (An understatement, perhaps, but she wouldn't admit that.) She'd tottered out to find a place to, y'know, get rid of the excess? And now she was on her way back into the ring, and she nearly tripped over a black cat that was winding its way through the dark stone stands.

"Ooooh!" she breathed, staggering back a step harshly, hoof clicking--she didn't want to step on them! And then she stood there, squinting with focus as she listened to the questions they were asking others. Wait--she knew this one! The--the gemstone mask, thing--that was hard to miss, harder even to forget. She'd met them--what, in Eridanus? AGES ago, she thought.

Thalia--happily buzzed, her mind set alight by the fireworks and music--called down to Assistant cheerfully.

"Oh, hey! -Heyyy! I can--"--not loud enough; the crowd, now, was drowning her out; so Thalia raised her voice into a shout. "I CAN-" (and here, the cheer petered, so that she was shouting into sudden near-quiet) "-HELP WITH THE RESEARCH! REMEMBER ME? HEYYYY!"

The faun winced, belatedly, and glanced around as she realized she'd shouted into the end of a cheer, shouted unnecessarily, then grinned sheepishly and shrugged. She looked down at Assistant, and hefted the strong-smelling glass she held in one hand. "So, uhh... What kinda questions?" she asked.

@Assistant