[ A generous patron soul has assisted him in gaining entry to the BOUT IT OUT tournament, so here he is. The move is bold, and rather sudden for a man who has been flying juuuuust under the radar since his arrival to the Station. Eventually, he would have made the rounds to deal with the other Hosts, but as there are more pressing matters (such as acquiring this much-needed audience with "Kun-Kun")... he's skipping to the mission at hand.

The other hosts involved with this half of the mission will find him among the crowds at the Regal Street Parlor, appropriately dressed for actual combat, let along imaginative combat, while he sizes up the competition - picking out the threats from the try-hards. Beyond reviewing their competitors, he seems to be coming to terms with the battlefield they'll be upon, during the tournament itself. Something retro-futuristic, with fanciful avatars and the use of one's mind rather than one's fists. It'll be interesting, to say the least. Much like the youth who has a chip on his shoulder, he also has not set foot inside of the BOUT IT OUT ring, hasn't fought one fight. Yet, here is is, out of the shadows and in the neon glow of the city lights.

(Seriously. How's everyone feeling about that?)

Until the tournament begins, he's available for strategizing, comparing notes, and for other Hosts to potentially question his reasons for picking the fight over the infiltration. ]

[ During the tournament itself, it's a little more clear why he's chosen to fight: he's fast, and he's brutal.

The avatar he's created for himself is - not as imaginative as some of the others that step into the ring. In fact, he's no-nonsense. The avatar looks like himself, and he focuses the rest of his time and energy on brutalizing his opponents through a combination of unrelenting blows, intense focus, raw speed, and the habitual usage of what seems to be an unending barrage of small, wicked knives that quite literally cut away at his opponent's avatars. In those moments, there is a sense of raw delight that the other hosts might feel escape him. It's sadism, at its most subtle, to be fair. The longer he competes, the sharper his fights become. The more cruel he becomes towards his competition, and the raw delight he exudes seems to twist and warp into something more embittered.

He can be caught up with, between the fights, taking a breather and getting something to drink. When asked about his particular fighting style, he can be overheard saying the following: ]

While the imaginative freedom of this competition is what people so love, I have no intention of losing a game.

[ Emphasis on the derision in the word "game", in fact. Someone ought to intervene, before he says anything more. Or pull him to the side to let him know his fights are becoming more and more wicked. People might even be getting hurt. Admittedly though, he's playing a very good "heel" character in the grand scheme of things. ]

[ Funny enough, one of the fights is a grand display. A coveted two-against-two skirmish by a partnered pair of semi-synthesized siblings, hailed for their wondrous ability to quite literally read one another's mind.

See. It's funny. ] I'm pleased to be partnered with you for this one.

[ Seemingly calmed down, after a number of sadistic fights involving his utter humiliation of some of the more powerful opponents in the parlor, he addresses his cage-fighting partner with open amusement, stepping to the side of one of the sibling's greater blows, directed at him like a streak of lightning that splits the battlefield. His derision is saved for the siblings they've been challenged by. What he's said is true, as well. He's made sure to bear witness to a number of the other Host's skirmishes, including Ren's. ] ( Do we toy with them for show? Or end them swiftly? )

[ Unwilling to call across the field, he plays the game that the siblings do. The sharp edge to his smile suggests he defers to Ren's judgment either because the other Host is "older", or because he wants to see what he decides. Losing is absolutely not something he's considered, because he is far too prideful to consider losing. ]

[ There's time to while away between matches, the longer that the competition goes on, and the more rivals that are removed from the proceedings.

a. Nursing water and a bite to eat at one of the tables, he has the time to reconnect with the other hosts present - to determine how well they are holding up, how confident they are in their progress, how effective they have been so far. He also takes the time to connect to those that he knows are involved in the infiltration of Ven Diagrams HQ. Not to name names, but he cannot shake the need to check on RHYS, and his two broodmates: BELLAMY and CLINT.

(There also seems to be a mild undercurrent of mistrust that he has allowed himself to feel, and it's primarily directed at LEXA, oops.)

b. As for Kun-Kun's representatives, he doesn't seem wildly thrilled about the idea of schmoozing them for their favor. Which is a shame, because he is a very, very skilled courtier. Someone should get him involved in that. ]

[ come at me!!! ]