[22th of Fall] Let it burn (Aria + Open)

[Mathieu]

The spinning and dizzying dance was starting to make its desired effects, but Mathieu knew he couldn't keep them enthralled forever with his Guillotines - his skills were far too lacking to go on and on without repeating the same patterns, and anyone whose eyes would not betray would soon notice that. Giving off his last spin, he went into a crouch as he dropped the crescent-moon blades on the ground above his two metal chains. The tools bursted into motion as if they had been waiting for that moment, the smeared ointment giving off its blaze as soon as licked by the flames. Once again Mathieu went into a spinning frenzy, the long chains gaining momentum as they sped up. The Fire Weaver stopped abruptly as his hands went above his head, the whirling chains like a fiery umbrella replica, an infernal fan that went terribly wrong. He then dropped his hands in front of him and started moving around, trying to make every swirl as spectacular as possible, every wave as smooth as he could. Mathieu focused some more - the chains were the most delicate part of his show, not because it was particularly hard but simply because he didn't train as intensely with them as he did with his other weapons. It mainly served as a transition between the beginning of his show and the main attractions, but he had to be careful not to fail it - else everything could go wrong. Artists were rarely given a second chance when they failed. Merely a minute or two passed and Mathieu had already run out of moves with his chains. He had to change, and change right now. Letting his chains slow down so it would be safe to drop them, he grabbed his fire pois and lit them with his torch. Now things were going to get interesting.

[Aidara]

Even from her high vantage point, Aidara could still see every one of the performers precise and dancelike movements. The fire that blazed on his spinning weapons reflected in her green eyes as they attempted to follow their complicated paths. Addy was not the only one that sat trance-like as the man continued with his deadly dance. In fact the whole crowd stood perfectly still, eyes and heads moving as one as they followed the fire as it spun through the air. It wasn't until little spots had begun to float before her eyes that the woman realized that she had been holding her breath. She was quite impressed, watching the way he moved his hands on the chain, carefully but with a natural grace that few could duplicate so easily, his muscles bunching beneath his shirt only hinting at the power it took to keep such a deadly dance under complete control. Aidara was completely caught up in the show, leaning forward with her fingers tightly gripping her arms around her knees as he attempted daring maneuvers; sighing when he completed them unscathed, relaxing back into her former lounge atop the wall. An irritation swept over her then, its source unknown, causing the woman to impatiently swipe fiery locks from in front of her face, though they hadn't bothered her moments before. Quick, jerky movements and her hair was secured with a thong at the nape of her neck. But still the feeling persisted, extreme irritation and distaste so thick she could almost taste it on her tongue. Utterly confused, Addy pulled her gaze away from the preformance and blinked, looking around her at the wall for something that would have caused such a.... and then it came to her. Having refocused the whole of her attentions at the source of these odd new feelings, Addy realized they weren't her feelings at all. In fact, the nice little box labeled "Sairque" in her mind was rattling and shaking with anger, not even irritation anymore. Green eyes widened in surprise, and then began raking the crowd far below her. Most faces were to far below to make out clearly, and searching for her sisters distinct red hair was useless (it was a sea of red down there), so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to pinpoint the anger. When Addy opened her eyes, she turned her head to the left and down, towards the front row of the crowd. Ah-ha. Tiny, stiff-backed and angry, Sai stood between two monstrously tall women, both jostling her for a good position. The set of her sisters shoulders, the way she seemed to look down upon them even being several hands shorter, and the way her yellow eyes practically emitted sparks. Her face was a thunderstorm ready to break. Trouble. First off, Addy had never expected to see her sister at a gathering such as this. She turned her nose up at crowds, or either used her flight leader status to avoid the majority of it. Normally people edged away from her when she stood amidst a crowd. Clearly, these two offenders had no idea what they were getting themselves into, and Addy had to try and stop it. Rising quickly to her feet, the woman danced nimbly down the narrow ledge of the wall, hopping off and landing smoothly on the ground once it leveled off to a reasonable height. Whether her sister knew she was here or not, Addy attempted to stay out of sight, prowling around the edge of the crowd and ducking down in the front row. Stooping as to not impede anyones view, Addy scampered along the crowd to where her sister stood, stopping a few feet away. No one noticed her arrival, for they were all too enthralled with the show. About to move forward and intercept the girls and her sister, Addy paused as she watched Sai grab one of their arms, groaning under her breath. She couldn't just charge in like she was saving the day, that would only make the situation worse. Sairque could most definatly take care of herself- and that was what she was afraid of. Offending her or injuring her pride was the last thing Addy wanted to do when her twin was in a mood such as this. Giving up on just being able to slide right into the middle of the three women, Addy skirted the crowd once more and looked for another way to get through, to try and make her appearance look happenstance for the benefit of the two strange women, because Sai would see right through it.

[Sairque]

There weren't many people standing between Aria and the show. Since the girl had come up to talk to Sai and Sira, who were in the very front, the only people that got pushed around were...Sai and Sira.

You know, Sai would have loved to see the performer pick up those pois. In fact, she would have even enjoyed seeing the finale of his chain whirling. Unfortunately, that behemoth with all the intelligence of a gnat wasn't happy standing behind Sai, who was in the innermost circle of spectators. No, the hulk with silvery black hair had to shove her way through Sai and Sira. Clearly, she didn't understand the physics of sight very well. Standing not even six inches behind Sai, the crest of who's head did not even come to her chin, she would have nothing impeding her line of sight to every single move that the fire dancer made. But no, that wasn't good enough.

Not to mention the fact that the girl was pushing two Endal around, and Sai knew for a fact, because of that funny colored hair the ogre was sprouting, that she was an Avora at best, but most likely a commoner.

Aria shoved roughly through, and the ranks closed in behind her. Sai was left staring at the point between the kelvic's shoulder blades. Her fingers caressed the simple handle of the knife protruding from the orange sash slung across her hips. She knew how it would feel to break the flesh right over the spine, she could already feel the resistance that the cartilage between vertebrae would put up. The way the knife would feel like it was moving through nearly-dry potter's clay. Aria would crumple at their feet, blood slowly pooling beneath her, just like every rabbit that Sai had to kill after snaring. It wouldn't kill the giant girl immediately. There would be a few confused minutes for her before her eyes glazed over.

The thoughts passed in the blink of an eye and she discarded the idea. The girl's sudden collapse would most definitely bring a stop to the performance. And that would defeat the purpose. Not to mention that, due to her status in society, she was supposed to avoid maiming people. Her thumb rubbed at the cold metal of the eating knife. Given the tight confines of the crowd, she would have to be careful with her movements.

Her temper was still flaring, unknowingly attracting the attentions of her nearby twin. ...as well as her Wind Eagle. The latter was the only one with any kind of way to reach her, though.

Sairque...What are you doing? came the patient, indulgent, 'voice' of Catabasis.

Oh, not much, Sai responded mentally.

In total, Aria got to enjoy the entertainment for a whole fifteen seconds before Sai reacted. The blade was turned in toward herself as she thrust the knife at the woman in front of her. It was aimed below the protection of the rib cage, outside the protection of the tightly knit columns of muscle on either side of the spine. In short, Sai wanted it to hit her right kidney, though the flight leader had no idea that that was the organ underneath the soft tissue she had targeted. No worries, there wouldn't be any stained clothing, or messy blood spurting all over everyone, Sai had used the pommel of the knife. She wasn't a psycho, after all. It would be hell for her reputation to stab someone in the back without the intention of killing them. The hilt provided a nice alternative. It focused all the force of her wiry and strong upper body in one little point with a half-inch radius.

Just taking care of a welp, Sai clarified to her protective bird.

After the hit, the knife would be brought close to her body and slid back into her sash. A movement that was smooth and well practiced. No need to risk stabbing any innocent bystanders. The whole point of the attack was so that Aria would jump away from the pain, thereby clearing Sai's field of vision again. Wam, bam, thank you ma'am.

[Aria]

Aria's attention was so drawn by the the spectacle in front of her, she almost didn't notice the hairs on the back of her neck raising. She ignored the sensation of danger and, as a consequence, didn't quite catch the slip of blade on fabric as the pommel of a knife hit her in the back, right over her right kidney. She yelped in pain as she dropped to the ground. She glanced backward in just enough time to see the flightleader's hand drop from the hilt of her knife. Her anger flared quickly. Why couldn't she have just asked her to move? or was common courtesy dead these days? As all of this was going through her head, she morphed. In a flash of light, her clothes tore along the sides, pulling out the special leather thongs that prevented her clothes either getting destroyed or suffocating her, and she became one of the largest creatures in the jungle. The jaguar's silvery-black fur shined in the light of the fire, her shoulder coming up to the top of the offender's shoulder. Aria let out a menacing growl and many of the people in the crow jumped back in fear or surprise. She took a defensive stance, making it quite plain with her body language that she wouldn't attack, but she wasn't going to take much crap either. She didn't care who was an Endal, and she didn't care much about consequences. She had dealt with more than most of the people in Wind Reach could imagine, they couldn't put her though any more than that.

[Mathieu]

By the gods. Why did have to go wrong like that. Aria really was a hot-headed one with short temper! The Fire Weaver fumed and fumbled with his tools, preferring to drop them on the ground rather than having them flying into the crowd. Why did it have to go like this! He stepped quickly and firmly towards the angry Kelvic, himself burning in rage. He would later realize that it wasn't so much because she ruined his show but because she clearly risking death penalty here. And having Aria throwing her life around so easily did not please him one bit! What he also didn't notice was that he actually succeeded in showing some outward emotions which so rarely came to him - Mathieu wasn't some kind of cold and degenerate human being with no feelings whatsoever but had always failed to express them, instead internalizing them. The show is over! he announced in a definite and steady voice. He lowered his hand onto Aria's neck and shot her an angry stare. He didn't know what had happened and he didn't care. He wasn't about to loose her for a stupid and childish tantrum - by the gods Kelvics were so wild! We're going, he told Aria in a cold no-debate-possible tone almost bordering disappointment. He turned back and grabbed his stuff in a quick motion, merely giving the fire enough time to douse off, and left the scene. At that time, he didn't know what it would mean. At that time, he didn't even think about what it would mean. At that time, he didn't realize he was already acting like Aria's master.

[Sira]

Sira was really enjoying the show. So much so that she didn't notice the anger building in the woman next to her. When Aria moved in front of her she merely stepped to the side to see around her, no longer thinking about being in the front but just trying to see every detail of the fascinating fire-dancer's performance. So it was with some surprise that she noticed the glint of a blade in Sairque's hand and watched with a stunned expression as she made what looked to be an attack on the tall woman's life. Now, Sira had to admit that she had done some things in her time, but she wasn't prone to killing people. It could cause all sorts of trouble, even if it was someone of lower caste. So it was with great relief Sira noticed at the last second that it was not the blade, but the pommel that was jabbed into the woman.

Her relief was short lived however when the tall woman reacted in a way Sira would have never in her wildest dreams expected. One second there was a woman being jabbed, the next there was a giant black cat standing menacingly before them. Sira's hand instinctively went to her own, rarely used, Talon sword, as she dropped into a defensive stance. Sairque may have started the situation, but if a fight was to break out she would defend her fellow Endal with her life.

Meanwhile the performance had stopped, all eyes upon them, as the performer dropped his tools and jumped into the conflict, stating in quite a matter of fact manner that they were leaving. Sira's eyes darted between him and the large cat, not sure which way things would go. Truly, it would depend on the Flight leader's reaction to all this. She was, after all, a high ranking Endal, and threatening such a figure could bring about some serious consequences.

[Aidara]

Completely unaware of what had transpired, Aidara continued her covert operation, attempting to sneak up on the three women and make it look happenstance. Perhaps Addy might have been able to actually diffuse the situation, taking one for the team and misdirecting Sai's anger at herself. If only she had just simply run in and body slammed her twin. Or kicked her knee. Or pulled her hair. Anything. Instead, the woman wound her way through the crowd, being careful not to jostle or disrupt those she passed from enjoying the show. Of course, this made everything take twice as long as if she had just pushed her way though. However, causing more fights was a poor way to try and prevent one. Green eyes were downcast as she was mindful of toes, her tiny 5'1 frame hunched down even more until the only way anyone could spot her passing was to watch the slow shifting of people as she moved through. Addy knew when she was getting close, for she had focused inwardly on Sai's "box" in her head, paying close attention to the feel of the connection; the anger got stronger the closer she became, and lessened if she started off in the wrong direction. It was almost like an internal compass, a chain attached between the twins that lead them infallibly towards each other. The bond was only strong enough to do so at this point if one, or both, of the twins concentrated on the feelings of the other. As Addy snuck along, she felt the anger turn to cold calculation. Bad, bad sign. Panicked now, the tiny red haired woman began to shove people aside. Getting herself stuck in the middle of the crowd was a stupid idea. She cursed herself under her breath as she practically flung her body against the wall of people separating her from her sister. People were moving away now, gasping and pointing, their attentions no longer on the fire dancer. A glance over her shoulder told her that the performer was no longer there. What was going on..? Addy was concerned as she continued to fight her way along the chain of emotion, against the flow of the crowd now. Why were they all backing up? If Sai had done anything...wouldn't someone be trying to prevent a brawl? Aidara put all of her weight behind her pushes and shoves as she tried to get through...and the resistance of bodies was finally gone, with a surprising speed that left her tumbling into the clearing- and into the panther. It was clear now exactly why the crowd had begun to back up. Shocked, green eyes were wide with confusion and surprise, and Addy felt the fur of the beasts side brush her arm as she collided with it, before falling face first towards the ground. Her hands snapped out at the last second to save her face from the cobbles, but only just. She quickly pushed herself back up, and regained her footing as she took note of her surroundings. The fire dancer was there with a protective hand on the big cats back, his face taut with anger. Sai was across from the pair, the subject of the panthers snarls and bared teeth. Her twin stood with her thumbs looped in her sash, her face a mask of calm as eyes like yellow diamonds returned the beasts look, glare for glare. What the.... Was this the mans pet, out of control and attacking the crowd instead of joining the show..? "Sai! Are you okay... Did the thing attack you?" A hand waved impatiently towards the cat, green eyes raking her sisters body. She seemed fine. She still felt that cool anger through their connection, no pain or sorrow. Hm... It wasn't until then that she noticed that the other woman, the one who Sai had grabbed earlier, was crouched protectively in front of her sister. Like a flight leader couldn't take care of herself. Well, she couldn't fault the woman for jumping to her sisters defense, since her absence had prevented her from doing so herself. Red locks flew in all directions as Addy whirled on the dancer. The beauty of his dance and his impressive skill was lost on her now, where before she would have been full of compliments and approving looks for the man. Green eyes flashed in suppressed anger, of her own this time; not her sisters. Her small hands rested upon her hips in an calm, controlled but aggressive posture. Her voice was crisp when she spoke, lacking all its usual warmth and good humor. "You should keep a better leash on your beast. Such temper and lack of training could cause someone to be seriously injured. And to bring it into a crowed, for the sake of a show? " A delicate brow raised as her mouth became a tight line, refusing to let any more of her anger spill from between her lips. Aidara was completely unaware that the panther was actually the woman that she had been attempting to save from her sister with her foolish, failure of an idea.

[Sairque]

There seemed to be a standstill, even with the fire dancer screaming for immediate departure. Sai, with her thumbs hooked in her sash, surveyed the scene before her. The behemoth was now a panther, a very large and muscular one with an impressive roar. The performer was somehow tied to the kelvic, and if his tone and word choice were indicative of anything he was her master. And Sira, unexpectedly, had taken a nicely defensive position just to the side of her. Addy...didn't quite register, probably because her presence in a tense situation between a several hundred pound furry ball of death, a fire breather, and two Endal wasn't the best idea. But who in the hell did this guy think he was? In what world was he in control of anything that happened in Skyinarta?

Those yellow chips of ice she had for eyes met and remained steady on the panther's. "Dancer, I don't think you have a say in where our kitten here goes," she called to the man who was gathering his belongings. Her voice was firm, wrapped in the steely shroud of command that came so naturally. "In fact, why don't you whip out your cheese cutters," she snarled derisively at him, flicking one hand toward those half circle blades he had been dancing around with. Now she glanced at him. "And I'll deal with you and your pet." How dare he step in to her business. How dare he assume that she couldn't hold her own against the kelvic. Just because she weighed a fraction of what the cat did, and just because she was dwarfed by the thing, did not mean that she couldn't handle it. What? Was he trying to be a hero here? Save the little girl?

Sai was more than ready to move at the slightest twitch of that great big cat. One didn't attack someone, have that someone sparkley flash into a panther, insult that someone's master, and then count the flowers. Pulling the blade immediately at the great roar had been tempting. Hell, it was more than tempting, her hand had shook, and she'd had to force herself to release the handle finger by finger when the cat didn't make any more moves. Moving the hand away from the knife wasn't smart, so she'd left it hovering over the blade, thumb hooked in her sash. It wasn't that the flight leader was being brave, or was used to panthers trying to eat her, she hadn't pulled the knife because there was still a distinct opportunity to diffuse the situation.

That was a short lived position, however, because dancer-man decided to get all up in her business. The knife was pulled willingly after she finished addressing him, all chances of walking away unscathed flying out the window at the piquing of her pride. Was there any better reason to get into a fight with the panther and another person? Thank goodness Sira had volunteered her help so kindly. That cold, calculating anger Addy had been feeling from her twin was now a relatively untempered fury. Not helped in any way when the healer finally cut in. Did it look like Sairque was hurt? Was she bleeding? Were her intestines laying on the ground?

"You should keep a better leash on your beast. Such temper and lack of training could cause someone to be seriously injured. And to bring it into a crowd, for the sake of a show?" Addy angrily confronted the man, while a bit of amusement blossomed in Sai. Sai tried really hard to channel it over to her sister via their little connection because there simply wasn't any other way to make her next words nice. Granted, there was no telling if Addy would be able to pick up on the attempt.

"Addy, shut up and get out of the way. But don't go too far, you're gonna have a ballerina to patch up in a few minutes."

The four people and cat were still ringed by intrigued Inarta. Those that could see what was going on had leapt back immediately at the roar, but in some spots they were prevented from going more than a few steps by those pressing forward to get a gander of the new show. That, and none of the spectators were going to shy away from a fight...it wasn't like any of them were scared of being hurt. Hell, this was probably shaping up to be a great end to the dancer's show. A little blood shed, a little uncertainty, high stakes, what a superb finale.

There was a brief glance to the side, Sai trying to gauge her volunteer ally. Sira seemed stalwart and determined, and it looked like she knew how to use the sword. She would have to buy the woman a drink after this.

"Now, kitten," which was fast becoming a pet name for the behemoth kelvic. "I'm more than willing to address you at a later time, if you would like. But I just can't get over how this insipid flesh sack had the gall to try and interfere with our business." Straightening from her ready position, Sai strode toward the man. Her strides lengthened, eating up the distance between them until she was just a few paces away, the knife was deliberately dropped and she tightened up. If the man was paying attention, facing her and whatnot, she would backhand him square across the face, with the whole force of her body behind it.

[Mathieu]

So that's it, eh? The flames he danced with not seconds ago were now burning his insides to ashes, and it didn't help one bit that he couldn't externalize his blazing fury - he was ironically cold as ice and nothing but his stare could have given his feelings away. The crowd's reaction only further fueled his growing anger, he wanted to shout at these ignorant people and make them see how foolish they were acting like spectators about to watch a sparing contest. He wanted to grab the closest person to him and shake him until he understood the depth of his own stupidity. He wanted to yell at Sai, make her realize that her ego was so inflated that it was literally pouring out of her every pore. She was sweating petty noble pride - born with a silver spoon in her mouth, spoiled brat! Playing almighty, thinking herself the center of the universe! He could almost hear himself spit his curses with tainted venom. ... Yet he couldn't. He couldn't say it. He couldn't do it. Not that he didn't wanted to, but he was just frozen solid as if rooted to the ground, his fists clenched rage but unable to strike. Ever had that been his greatest puzzle. Whenever his mind went into a violent turmoil, his body was akin to a doll's, a disproportionate wooden toy with broken joints. Still under a heavy veil of ire, words came in like a blur. Leash. Beast. Training. Show. And he thought Inarta's would know better. His eyes blinked. He wanted to blame the nobles. He wanted to blame the rich. Deep down inside, he desperately needed a scapegoat. But no matter how hard he tried to lie to himself, he couldn't refute that single, simple fact. Disappointment sparked his outrage, a disappointment so strong that he would have cried in frustration if only he could have. How hollow did Wind Reach seem now. All its magnificent architecture, its majestic eagle-riding guards, its mysterious gardens... It felt so fake. Their bonds to giant birds, their undying respect for their companion and the link they shared. His beliefs shattered as hard as glass thrown on the ground. Pet? Perhaps that was it. Pets. There had never been any relation close to anything but one of superiority. He took the blow fair and square in the face, too, but so deeply stuck was his feet on the hard concrete that his head was the only part of his body that moved. How he welcomed the pain, almost as a striking conclusion that wrapped all his cynical theory into one huge item of pure hate. Mathieu had his mind clear and set now. Had he stayed calm as he usually did, he would have sided with Aidara and try to avoid conflict. Perhaps they could have become friends too. But the Fire Weaver had recently turned more and more violent whenever Kelvics were involved. The glare he returned to Sai was one of consuming hatred and almost fully intent with murder, towering her with all his height like a wolf preying on a rabbit. He would not give in though. He was an artist. Not a murderer. A dancer. Not a fighter. A "ballerina". It suited him well. He liked that name. We. Are. Going, he said again slowly, still eyeing Sai with his insane gaze. Yes, let them remember. Let them remember him as the coward. The dastardly dancer. The poltroon ballerina. He didn't care anymore. And if Aria still wanted to fight, than the fight was hers. His disillusion was complete. Those people could all go to hell for all he cared, and their damned "pet" eagles with them. He paced away from the scene, probably for the last time in his life. Wind Reach, the city of false freedom.

[Aidara]

Aidara refused to let the stiffness of her posture disintegrate as she watched the intensity of the confrontation. She had stood bolt straight as she watched the confrontation, backing off to the edge of the crowd like here sister ordered. "Addy, shut up and get out of the way. But don't go too far, you're gonna have a ballerina to patch up in a few minutes." The threat loomed heavily in the air, her sister's body completely poised around the dagger in her sash, the dancer hovering protectively over the fearsome looking panther. The crisp, abrasive way her sister commanded her to move away fell on tough skin. Not only was Addy used to her sisters flight-leader attitude, but adrenaline was coursing through her body. Everything seemed some-what dream like, and distant. Sairque's tone didn't hurt her feelings, though the rush of love and concern that flowed through their connection made her posture loosen up a little. The situation didn't seem too dire, after all. But...from the stance of the dancer and his cat, they didn't seem like ones to take an insult and just turn the other cheek. Aidara felt a surge of panic raise in her. Bandage him up? Dagger, claw, and fiery curved sword wounds were far beyond her skill level. What if all three laid bleeding on the cobbles while she struggled to save any, or all of them? Her breath caught in her throat, a ragged pant escaping her lips as wide green eyes flickered from her twin to the dancer again, waiting for his response. Please, oh please don't fight, Addy begged the pair silently, as Sairque made her challenge, her back straight and her voice confident. She wished she could be as confident as her sister, shivering as the images of curved blades and raking panther claws tearing at her sister formed unbidden in her mind. "We. Are. Going. Addy could have shouted with relief at this statement. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath until it exited her body with an embarrassingly loud woosh. Before she really thought about what she was doing, Aidara moved to the dancers side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Good choice." She didn't say this in a condescending way. Her voice was calmer than when she had originally confronted the man. Addy didn't want to see anyone torn apart today, by panther or wind eagle. Catabasis was only a short flight away, and surely would have swooped down on the man if he had made any attempt to attack her sister. Her face was open, almost friendly, as she gazed at the dance, patting his shoulder once more. "Good choice." She repeated, sighing in relief.