Impressed (Azula)

[Ignis]

The colliseum was immense in size spanning at least half a mile and filled with thousands of fire nation citizens. It was similar to the Earth Rumble tournaments only this was more prestigous, honoured and spectacular than the underground sport. The man who Ignis had struck in the chest with a fire bolt fell down in defeat. He groaned in pain as he was carried off to the medical center. Ignis held his arms out to the crowd, sweat pouring from his body. Ignis' thirteen year-old sister, the only bit of family, he had left, cheered for Ignis the most.

Ignis went to his side of the large arena and poured an entire bucket over himself to cool himself off. The bucket was packed with ice making the water extremly cold. Ignis gasped at the cold water and ice hitting his body. "Oh that's good!" Ignis said raising his voice as he let the pleasure sink in to his body. He had five miniutes until the next match and he intended to spend them relaxing. Ignis' sister smile and giggled at her big brother from the crowd in the front row.

[azula]

ooc// so sorry this took so long...

Azula leaned against a pillar, her figure cast in shadow. Her eyes roved the scene, watching each consecutive match with a keen intensity and a calculating eye. No doubt there were some talented Firebenders present, but they were only talented, and talent alone didn't get you anywhere. You had to have discipline. You had to have finesse. You had to be focused and willing to take calculated risks. More than half of these 'talented' benders didn't come close to her level.

Azula rolled her eyes as she watched yet another bender fall. Amateur. Her gaze flickered over to the victor. Young, maybe a bit older than herself, but there was no doubt he was good, and it was more than just that infernal 'talent' everyone was always going on about. There was something else, she could tell.

Still leaning against the pillar, Azula considered the bender. His win had piqued her interest, but she wanted to watch more; sometimes, not always, but sometimes people slipped and one match deviated from the next. In the back of her mind she wished she had come here in an official capacity, but she had desired anonymity, and with it the truly stellar performances that came in the absence of stress. Certainly, if the benders could fight in her presence, that was admirable, but sometimes one saw things differently.

[Ignis]

OOC: No problem, Azula.

The gong then sounded, signiling it was time for another match. Ignis wiped the water from his face and got up, walking back up the stairs to the arena. Ignis heard the crowds buzzing like bees in conversation waiting for the match to start. Ignis' opponent then came out. His opponent appeared in his mid-twenties. The opponent named Gii, had scruffy black hair and a very large muscular build. Ignis had a light muscular build.

The referee then stepped in between the two. "Okay, you two know the rules, first one to fall to the ground and be hit with a final blow, loses the match." The referee said. Ignis and Gii both nodded to eachover before putting on the ceremonial cloth. Both opponents then turned to face each other as the cloth fell to the ground. Ignis turned to Gii and the crowd was silent. Gii was under pressure and fire a massive blast of fire at Ignis. Ignis ducked into a stance which blocked the fire. But the powerfull exausting stream blasted Ignis out of the arena in mid air. But before Ignis made his decent he stopped with his jet propulsion and smirked.

Gii looked in suprise then rage. Ignis created an orb of fire in his hands. Ignis let go of the fiery ball and allowed it to float in front of him. Ignis thrusted his arms foward causing the speed of the ball spinning to increase. Then concentrated 'bullets' made from sparks and fire, shot at Gii. Gii curled up and bounced the bullets off. Ignis then circled Gii in mid-air. Gii threw another powerfull blast of fire but Ignis was moving too fast for Gii to get a lock on. Ignis repeatedly flew around him and circled him, getting quicker and closer each time. Ignis' bullets increased to a machine gun speed. Two-Hundred fire bullets were used in less than a blink of an eye.

Soon Gii gave up and fell to the ground becoming riddled with blisters for five seconds as the bullets hit him until they stopped. Gii was burnt, hurt badly and groaning in pain, as white ghostly steam came from his body. Soon paramedics then stepped in as they carried Gii to the sick bay. "Still your champion...IGNIS!" The referee shouted as the crowds cheered, Ignis' sister jumping up and down for joy. Ignis shot a breath of fire up in the air signifying the victory. Ignis went down the steps and to a tunnel, which was by the pillar Azula was shrouded by. Ignis was about to pass Azula.

[azula]

From the dark anonymity of the pillar, Azula watched the match, her bored expression masking her true interest. She had little doubt that the boy she was watching, this Ignis, would beat his opponent. The other was too easily frustrated, that much was obvious from the start. Firebending was all about control, and that big fellow had a severe lack of it - how he had made it as far as he did was a mystery to Azula.

She smirked as Ignis polished off the other bender and came out as the victor. Confident, she thought. Good, very good. It was one thing to be suitably confident, and another entirely to be thingyy. Azula knew there was a fine line, a very fine line, between the two and that being over-confident led to mistakes and mistakes led to failure. However, confidence was essential to bending. How else would one get up the guts to take a risk on a new technique?

Easy: one would not, and therefore one would never progress.

As Ignis descended from the arena, Azula kept her position, waiting, watching. But when it became clear that he would pass directly in front of her she couldn't pass up the opportunity.

"Well done," she said, voice just loud enough to be heard over the crowds. "Well done indeed."

[Ignis]

Ignis, as he was walking towards Azula, put on his black and gold robe. The sweat was pouring from Ignis and was looking foward to a warm bath when he arrived back in his apartment. Serenity kept watching Ignis from the front row of the crowds. Ignis' shoes tapped the earth as he moved, scorched earth blowing in the wind as he walked. Ignis was seconds from passing right pass Azula, without noticing her. Ignis then heard a slightly loud voice calling to him. "Well done, Well done indeed." The cold voice had praised him.

At first Ignis thought it was just another fan and turned round to face to face the voice. Ignis' face was emotionless at first, not knowing who it was. Ignis eyes widened slightly at seeing the young lady, roughly his own age, who seemed very much like the Princess. Ignis eyes quickly scanned her too make sure he wasn't seeing things. No he wasn't. The young woman's voice and apperence were exactly the same to that of the Princess'. "Princess Azula! It is an honour to be graced with your prescence." Ignis said, respectivly bowing down to her for a few seconds before standing back off. "Thank for the complement Princess. What may I ask, do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Ignis asked her.

Ignis may have spent most of his childhood in Povery but the edicate and manners from the time when his parents were still around, flourished.