(2024-02-29) The Steamwheedle Fighting Circuit

Details

Author:	Luridel
Summary:	Lucy Moore, the Steamwheedle Fighting Circuit's one and only Firefly, takes on a new contender, the mysterious Swordsman! Bran, Nunuzac, Xaafi, and Jocoza all come to watch. ~4700 words.
Rating:	T for Teen

In Dalaran's sewers, at the Steamwheedle Fighting Circuit…

Uncle Sal checks his pocket watch. "We got an hour til the fight!" he yells. "Betting is now open!"

A ginger dwarf hurries over, his turquoise eyes sparkling. "Lo there! What're the odds on er, Firefly tonight?"

Uncle Sal laughs. "She's the crowd favorite. Five to one. She's fighting the Swordsman." Wow, that's specific.

"All righ' well, I'm'a put down…" He rummages through his coin purse. "A hundred gold!"

Uncle Sal looks as delighted as a goblin can be.

Bran quickly counts the coins into a bag and hands the whole bag over.

Uncle Sal registers Bran's bet in a logbook, chuckling to himself. "You a big fan?"

[Brannagen]: "Oh, aye!"

[Lucille]: Lucy picks her way around the garbage and blinks across the sewer water. "Hey!"

"She's brelliant!" Bran gives her an enthusiastic wave!!

Uncle Sal tips his hat to Lucille. "If it ain't today's star!"

[Brannagen]: "Remember me? Yer biggest fan? Er… yer most enthusiastic fan?"

"Brannagen Stillwall!" Lucy beams at him. "Sure do."

He beams! His eyes turn to upside-down crescents.

Lucy examines the board for the Steamwheedle Fighting Circuit. "Hmmmm…"

[Brannagen]: "This place is really somethin' else… I canna believe I've never been down here."

"I mean, it's the sewers, I don't really blame you." Lucy smiles at him. "You want refreshments, we've got…" She turns and squints at the vendors in the distance. "Sarah and Nixi serving tonight." Lucy points them out.

"Oooh, dare I?" Brannagen rubs his hands together. "Sewer refreshments…"

[Lucille]: "You seem like the kinda guy who wouldn't mind being turned into a frog for a few minutes. Or whatever they do!"

[Brannagen]: "Tha' does sound interestin'. Lemme see what they've got on offer…" He dashes off.

Uncle Sal continues his advertising.

Brannagen attempts to navigate the obstacle course of boxes leading up to the gnome named… Sarah Brady?

Sarah Brady has a great customer service smile. "Tonight's fight is sponsored by the Steamwheedle Cartel, what's your poison?"

[Brannagen]: "Oh goodness, ye were nae what I expected when I heard "Sarah." And ye looked taller from doon there. I'll have some o' that burnwine, unless it's gonna turn me into a frog. Or… even ef et es, I suppose."

Sarah looks down at a frog hopping by in the sewer water, minding its own business. "Burnwine it is!"

Brann spots the frog and lets out a hearty laugh. He then turns to survey the area from his new higher vantage point.

Minzi the Minx looks like she's looking for someone who should have been here twenty minutes ago. "He's late," the goblin grumbles.

[Brannagen]: "Hmmmm." His curiosity gets the better of him, and he hops down to better eavesdropping range.

"Fight starts in forty minutes!" Minzi yells. "Place your bets on the Swordsman here!"

[Brannagen]: "Wot kinda name is 'the Swordsman'? Seems a bit… generic, aye?"

Minzi looks down at Bran from up on her box. "He's a real stubborn kind of guy."

"So maybe … the Iron Swordsman? The Stone Swordsman? I mean I'm no poet but even I can do better." Bran spots a familiar face and hurries over. "Sparks!!"

Minzi chuckles. "No bet? Your loss!"

Bran yells back. "I already placed a bet! ON FIREFLY!!"

Nunuzac is darting around on a saber cat because they let those down here it seems. The cat is picking around some puddles after unhappily splashing in one. "Ah! Is this nine? Or ten?" She checked both times, and they were both the wrong one.

Lucy grins proudly. She's doing stretches over here in her corner.

[Brannagen]: "Her opponent's late, it seems. But fight should be startin' soon. Glad ye could make it! I invited another friend too ye should meet! Or maybe already met? An' there she is!"

Xaafi wanders through the sewers, peering around as if looking for something.

Nunuzac gives an exaggerated high wave toward Lucy from the distance, grinning, and drops to the ground. The cat sits and huffs, put off by being taken somewhere this wet. "Who?"

Bran points at the scantily-clad draenei wandering in. He waves enthusiastically to Xaafi.

Nunuzac gasps. "Xaafi! You fight?"

[Brannagen]: "Oh I hope not! I just invited her t'come watch with us."

"Oh!" Xaafi beams happily at Bran and Nunuzac.

Bran chuckles and looks up at her, grinning.

[Xaafi]: "This is where to watch flights?"

More of an audience is starting to gather. It seems like Firefly is getting a lot more people betting on her, as a fan favorite.

[Brannagen]: "Aye, ye found it, Breezy. I was worried ye might get lost, what with the lack o' wind down here."

Nunuzac clasps her palm to her chest, exhaling in relief. "Oh good, I would feel bad if we already bet on Lu— Fiiiirefly."

Bran cackles at Nunu.

[Xaafi]: "Yes, air here is quiet. Very stinky."

[Brannagen]: "Breezy's not bad in a fight, but this en't really her style."

[Nunuzac]: "Look, everyone is coming here now. We must not get pushed out of good see." She looks a bit giddy with the atmosphere while moving to jostle through the developing crowd.

Bran turns to wave excitedly at "Firefly" again. "Where do we stand t'watch? Never been here."

[Xaafi]: "You want firefly to win the flight? Firefly not fast."

Lucy waves enthusiastically back.

[Brannagen]: "She's just called Firefly, Breezy. It's tha' lass over there." He points.

Nunuzac has clearly opted for the 'crowd around the ring too close for maximum claustrophobic hooting' option, just without a second thought.

"We'll be fighting in the center ring! Best seats are on the crates!" Lucy calls.

Xaafi blinks at Lucy. "She flies?"

Bran immediately dashes for the crates. Bran clambers up on the highest crate and cheers in triumph.

Xaafi apparently decides there is enough room for a dwarf and a draenei on said crate.

[Brannagen]: "There, this way I can see over Sparks's hair!"

Nunuzac is down below crowding with surly looking gamblers and trying to get them to do the wave.

[Brannagen]: "This is excitin'! Not often I get t'do a theng I've never done before."

[Xaafi]: "What is sparks hair?"

Bran patiently points to Nunu. "Tha's Sparks. She has a lotta hair."

Nunuzac perks up at her 'name' and a spark dances between her horns, helpfully.

[Brannagen]: "See? Sparks!"

Xaafi giggles excitedly at the electrical display. "Oooh! Nunu is Sparks!"

Lucy draws the hilt of her arcane blade and activates it. It projects a beam of light that shifts in colors from blue to violet as Lucy adjusts something in the hilt.

"Oooooh!!" Bran is impressed.

Lucy spins it with a little flourish. There's a cheer from the crowd.

[Brannagen]: "This is gonna be much more excitin' than watchin' me cousins fight a' Winter Veil."

Xaafi gasps in delight at the glowing blade's shifting colors. "Pretty!"

Nunuzac gamely gives an audible 'ooooh' and claps at the display, getting into the crowd's vibe.

On the other side of the arena, a slim figure descends a ladder down to Minzi. He wears a hood, armor that is designed for easy movement, but most notable is the genuine [Ta'Kierthan Songblade] sheathed on his back. Made by a famous Darnassian master smith, if you're into that sort of thing. Most of this crowd probably isn't. He nods silently to Minzi.

[Brannagen]: "Oooooh, nice sword. Looks elfy."

"You're late," Minzi grumbles.

[Brannagen]: "He needs a better name, though. 'The Swordsman'? Pfffft." He makes a raspberry sound.

Lucy takes out a spyglass and peers through it at her opponent.

Nunuzac wanders over to the crates for a moment while things are still gearing up and leans against them, looking up at Bran and Xaafi. "When I come here, you know, I take a wrong turn - and almost fall out of Dalaran!"

[Brannagen]: "Ach!!" He looks at Nunuzac in alarm for a moment, then bursts out laughing.

[Nunuzac]: "Why put a walking-stair to a path that goes into the sky!? Scary!"

Xaafi giggles, nodding. "No yes! I do this!"

[Brannagen]: "Do shamans have a spell for tha'? Or would ye have ended up a sparky wee pancake?"

Xaafi shrugs. She really should know this.

[Nunuzac]: "Most times, I do not fly. I think it would be bad, very bad."

[Xaafi]: "Wind push Xaafi back."

[Brannagen]: "I like jumpin' off the balcony at Cobalt HQ here. Levitatin' on th'way doown."

Schembari "Uncle Sal" Shearbolt shouts at proper announcer volume: "LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND THOSE TO WHICH NEITHER CATEGORY APPLIES! In TEN MINUTES, we will get to see our FIREFLY face down the SWORDSMAN! Betting closes in FIVE! Get your bets in NOW!"

[Brannagen]: "Woo! Ten minutes! Did ye place yer bets already? I've got a hundred gold on Firefly."

Nunuzac perks up at the announcer. "Where do bets go?"

[Xaafi]: "Um…Xaafi has no bets for place."

[Brannagen]: "I gave mine t'tha' yellin guy."

Uncle Sal waves Nunuzac over. "Place 'em with me if you're bettin' on FIREFLY! Minzi the Minx over there will take 'em if you're betting on the SWORDSMAN!"

[Brannagen]: "We can say half my bet was yours, Breezy. I'll share the winnin's with ye."

The Swordsman looks across the arena at Lucille. He nods once to her and goes to stand near the edge of the ring.

Lucy puts her spyglass away and blinks across the arena into place. "Hi!" she calls to her opponent, waving.

Nunuzac darts over to "Uncle Sal" and proffers a bag of coins eagerly, she doesn't seem to think twice, yet again, about gambling. Because it's not gambling when you know Lucy will win.

The Swordsman gives her a proper formal bow.

Bran rocks back and forth a little where he sits atop the crate, brimming with anticipation.

Xaafi nods to Bran like she has any idea what's going on.

Uncle Sal takes Nunuzac's money and writes her name down in the logbook.

Nunuzac claps a bit then hurries back to the ringside and jostles to get her spot back.

[Brannagen]: "Tha's the sperret, Sparks!" Bran smiles fondly at the back of Nunu's chaotic head.

[Xaafi]: "When do they fly?"

"They're fightin', lass, not flyin'." Bran patpatpats Xaafi's arm. He would cattopatto her head if he could reach it.

Xaafi furrows her brow in confusion. "We dinna watch flights?"

"No flights, fights!" Nunuzac calls back. "We can watch flights upstairs." Nunuzac shadowboxes a bit in demonstration.

Bran seems pretty accustomed to Xaafi not understanding what the flight is going on.

Xaafi tilts her head, staring blankly as gears that don't quite connect try to turn. "But…why?"

Bran smiles fondly at her vacant expression. "Fer fun!"

Uncle Sal yells, "Joining us again today is our TALENTED HEALER, the GREAT MIRACLE-WORKER, ROBIN BANKS!" Near the refreshments box, a spindly human man dressed in a shabby priest robe bows to the crowd.

Some of the audience applauds for this guy. He's a Known Character, apparently.

[Xaafi]: "But…they get hurt!"

[Brannagen]: "Oh not really, it's like a show!"

Lucy calls, "Hi, Robin!"

Xaafi's mouth forms an 'O' of (alleged) understanding. "Is like play!"

[Brannagen]: "An' see there's a priest there, in case they get a bit scuffed up while they're playin'. Dinna fash."

[Xaafi]: "No yes. I dinna fash."

[Brannagen]: Pat pat pat.

Xaafi calls down to Nunuzac, "Sparks! Dinna fash! They only play!" as if Nunu didn't just explain this to Xaafi.

[Brannagen]: More pat pat patting.

Nunuzac just twists to look up with a baffled blink. "Dinner fast?" It's noisy. "Yes please."

Bran laughs so loud it's audible even in THIS crowd.

Xaafi nods enthusiastically as if she and Nunu were completely on the same page.

Bran has never been happier!

Minzi, this time, speaks up: "The RULES OF ENGAGEMENT are as follows! Tonight's fight is a best of ONE! ONE MATCH ONLY, today! No blows to the HEAD! First to hit the GROUND and not get up before our referee calls TIME loses! The one still STANDING WINS!"

Bran bellows, "DESTROY 'IM, FIREFLY!!"

"If you KILL YOUR OPPONENT, you are DISQUALIFIED! If you remove your opponent's LIMBS and our referee can't put them BACK, you are DISQUALIFIED!"

Robin Banks winks at the crowd.

Bran amends, "GREATLY INCONVENIENCE 'IM, FIREFLY!"

Nunuzac's attention is pulled back to the announcer right away, she leans forward into the crowd, shifting only to begrudgingly allow a goblin past who'd have trouble seeing over her.

Lucy laughs and raises her arcane blade into the air.

Bran got the draenei-proof seat.

Xaafi at least seems to get the cue, and claps wildly when Firefly raises her blade.

Bran grins at her, reflecting and magnifying her enthusiasm.

Robin Banks blows a whistle around his neck. "Opponents, ready!"

Brannagen cheers!

The Swordsman bows formally to Lucille and removes the sword from its sheath ahead of the fight.

Lucy bows to her opponent in return.

"BREAK 'IM IN HALF!!" Brannagen yells. His inner dwarf is showing.

"SET!" Apparently Robin Banks has an announcer voice of his own.

[Xaafi]: "FIGHT HIM 'TIL YOU WIN!"

[Brannagen]: Pat pat pat.

"THREE TWO ONE—" Robin Banks blows the whistle again.

The Swordsman drops into a ready stance.

Bran literally bounces where he sits atop the crate, unable to hold still.

Lucy, who has the advantage of range, opens up with a barrage of [Arcane Missiles]. She's a mage, she's not going to just come over there.

The crowd briefly breaks into a semi-coordinated stomp in anticipation of violence. Nunuzac enjoys this game, as hooves are good at stomping. The rhythm and chant dissolves into an enthusiastic disarray of cheers and jeers at the start whistle.

Xaafi wiggles excitedly, the enthusiasm of the crowd — and especially Bran — infecting her.

The Swordsman pivots effortlessly aside, and one of the arcane missiles smashes into the torch right behind him while the other two go wide. The lit torch lists to the side, over the sewer water.

Nunuzac gasps and jolts slightly to one side on her feet at Kyris' movement, like she is getting into the danger of being missiled-at.

[Brannagen]: "WOOOOO!"

Lucy points her arcane blade at him and recites a few words. The Swordsman becomes the cutest penguin imaginable.

Bran bursts into delighted laughter.

Xaafi bursts into giggles and cheers! "AWWWW! LOOK!"

The penguin waddles, confused, around the arena.

[Brannagen]: "Tha' should count as a wen!!"

[Nunuzac]: "Who wins if one becomes bird?"

[Brannagen]: "Sadly it'll wear off in a bit. Look."

[Xaafi]: "Oooh, is like hex."

[Brannagen]: "Aye, tha's righ'."

Lucy blinks to close the gap and uses her arcane blade to shove the penguin to the ground. Though it seems to be made of purple light, there's a solidity to it.

Nunuzac has never been so thrilled to see someone bully wildlife.

[Brannagen]: "Awww, pewr wee berd."

However, the burn of the arcane blade seems to be painful enough to the penguin to break the polymorph, and the Swordsman rolls very smoothly to his feet.

[Brannagen]: "Whew! Glad he turned back, I was startin' t'root fer the wee lad."

[Xaafi]: "Oh! Swordpenguin is Swordman again!"

Brannagen cackles.

Lucy raises her arcane blade defensively, setting off a point-blank [Arcane Explosion] around her.

Xaafi squeals in delight at the bright colors of the explosion.

Brannagen wiggles a finger in the ear that Xaafi squealed right next to.

The Swordsman barely staggers from the force of it, and in a quick burst of movement he disarms Lucy of her sword, kicking it across the stones and into the sewer water, out of bounds.

Xaafi gasps!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Brannagen slouches. "Well, there goes a hundred gold… right down the sewers, heh heh."

Lucy pulls up her [Mana Shield] to buy time - she can't blink again just yet.

Nunuzac covers her mouth with both hands when the arcane explosion strikes. The seriousness of the arms in play seems to hit her more - that kind of magic definitely stings.

Bran looks at Nunu as though he would pat-pat-pat her, too, if he could reach.

[Xaafi]: "Is no' over! Look!"

It is possible that Bran grew up watching people break each other's bones on a regular basis. All in good fun.

Drawn by the crowd, Jo Sparkwire wanders up to the crowd, trying to hop to see. When she finally gets a vantage point on the fight, she gasps.

Bran somehow seems to spot Jo in his periphery without even really looking, giving her a casual wave.

Jo blinks (literally with her eyes, she doesn't move) in surprise to see Bran there, but waves back.

The Swordsman's movements are almost too quick to follow as he slices through the mana shield. The [Ta'Kierthan Songblade] lets out a burst of music - the melody of a Darnassian war song.

Bran definitely stands out, as he's sitting atop the highest of some stacked crates, and his hair is very orange.

Xaafi sits beside Bran (wearing far too little clothing for a cold sewer).

Bran makes an almost grudging sound of admiration at the swordplay, but then sighs tragically as his favored fighter gets her shield shredded.

Xaafi gasps, "Nooo!"

Lucy cannot channel anything uninterrupted, and the sword - clearly very sharp - bites into the cloth of her gloves as she raises her arms defensively. A point-blank [Arcane Barrage] does, at least, hit, impacting against the Swordsman's armor.

Jo claps a hand over her mouth in dismay at Lucy's predicament.

Bran's attention is fixed on Lucy, and for a moment his hands twitch, glowing faintly, an instinctive response. But he suppresses the spell - there are surely runes blocking such interference anyway.

Nunuzac is jostling with the first line of the crowd immediately surrounding the ring, below the crates where Bran and Xaafi are perched.

The magic dents the breastplate, but the Swordsman keeps going, moving almost as if dancing. Nothing Lucy throws at him seems to stagger him long enough to get him to stop.

Lucy makes a pained sort of screech and blinks away the moment she can.

Xaafi screams in excitement and relief as Firefly escapes what looked like certain defeat.

"CMON FIREFLY!" Bran bellows.

Before the Swordsman can turn, Lucy has pulled up three [Mirror Image]s of herself, all beginning to channel arcane missiles.

"Ooh fancy. HEY JO CAN YE DO THAT?" He yells across the crowd.

Jo claps approvingly. Then she squeaks over the crowd, "I CAN, BRAN! But I don't think I could fight like her."

Bran frantically beckons to Jo, then makes a reaching-down gesture to demonstrate that he wants to pull her up onto the crate just below him.

Spectators who clearly have bets on Lucy cringe back with a sound of dismay at Lucy's predicament then rally forward with shouts and demands when many-Lucys appear - the Swordsman's backers giving opposing cheers and groans in tandem.

Nunuzac is very much swept up in the crowd's sway and surge.

Jo is cheering whenever anyone else cheers, though she tries to cheer extra loud for Lucy.

Xaafi bounces enthusiastically!

What follows is a very fun to watch display of agility as the Swordsman dodges, weaves, parries, and in some cases outruns the missiles. A few hit, but nothing impactful enough to slow him down.

Robin Banks, the announcer, begins to [Power Word: Shield] the audience members that might be in danger of getting hit by stray missiles.

Jo notices Bran's beckoning and makes her way over to him, holding up both hands and laughing, a clear invitation to boost her up.

Lucy, for the second time, turns the Swordsman into a penguin. A split second later, one of her mirror images hits the penguin with an arcane missile, reverting the polymorph.

The Swordsman doesn't even stumble.

Bran reaches down with one arm and lets her grab onto it with both hands, using it to haul her up. He grins down at her, setting her on the larger crate his small one is perched on a corner of.

Xaafi is occupying the rest of the smaller crate. They are very cozy.

Lucy fumbles with bleeding fingers for a small [Mana Sapphire] in her sash and breaks it open.

[Brannagen]: "This lad's good. No' happy abou' tha', as I've go' a hundred gold on the lass."

The Swordsman closes the gap, sword drawn. It glances off Lucy's hurriedly-raised [Mana Shield].

Jo settles on the crate, appreciating her new perspective. "Lucy's Cobalt, she'll have some tricks up her sleeves."

Bran watches avidly, fidgeting.

Jo spots Nunuzac and waves happily.

Lucy draws her [Gnomish Army Knife], flicking the blade attachment into place.

The Swordsman sweeps her feet out from under her and levels his sword at her throat.

"NOOO!" It is probably a good thing Bran does not have any rotten fruit on him.

Nunuzac is riveted on the scene, with the others behind her on the crates. She has both hands in her hair now in worry and may not see Jo yet.

Lucy hits the ground and blinks to her feet. Her mirror image trick seems to have bought her enough time to blink again.

Jo gasps, watching with fixed attention.

[Brannagen]: "THA'S IT LASS! DON'T LET 'IM PIN YE DOOWN!"

[Xaafi]: "MAKE HIM LOSE!"

The fight drags on. Lucy is resourceful, but ultimately limited by her mana, with no time to drink water or potions. The Swordsman goes from making this look easy to breathing heavily over time, but he does not fall.

[Brannagen]: "Oh, my pewr gold coins…"

Eventually, Lucy's mana shield fails after only a single strike, and his sword cuts deeply into her side.

Bran winces, that instinctive glow flaring up around his hands again. He quells it with a sigh.

Robin Banks, the referee, shifts from foot to foot with a similar look to Bran's, Light gathered around his hands that goes nowhere.

Jo looks like she wants to jump to Lucy's defense, but she holds back. This is clearly a regulated fight.

Bran reaches down to cattopatto Jo's head, as it's at the perfect height for that where she's sitting.

The second time that the Swordsman knocks Lucy to the ground, she doesn't have the mana to blink away. He levels his sword at her throat. "Yield."

Nunuzac edges back from the ringside with hands clutched in front of her mouth, looking less blithe about the spectacle now.

Bran covers his face and makes good-natured crying noises.

Xaafi bites her lower lip, eyes wide in worry.

Lucy holds her hands up defensively, whimpering in pain.

Robin Banks counts down from five, then blows his whistle.

[Brannagen]: "Blast it!!"

The Swordsman shifts his blade to one hand and reaches down to Lucy, offering her a hand up.

[Brannagen]: "I knew she was done for the minute he kicked that sword away, but she sure made it last longer'n I figured."

Robin Banks, human priest and referee, hurries into the ring to begin healing Lucy.

Bran BOOOOS the Swordsman, oh so sportingly.

Nunuzac tries to rush forward when the match is called, then thinks better of it, security might not be able to differentiate a splash of water healing from random aggression from the crowd.

Lucy stands with the Swordsman's help, unsteady on her feet at first. "Nice."

Bran smiles fondly at the concerned Sparks.

Uncle Sal seems a little lost for words, so Minzi the Minx, the Swordsman's backer, is the one to announce the end of the fight. "What a SPECTACLE!"

[Brannagen]: "BOOOO!"

Nunuzac just wheels back on her hooves, giving an exaggerated slumped turn of worry and disappointment. She finally finds Jo there and blinks in surprise enough to startle her from pouting. "Oh! Hello!"

"It was quite a fight, though," Jo says, smiling. "Hi, Nunu!"

[Brannagen]: "Ye all righ' there Sparks?"

Xaafi frowns. "Next time they should do flights instead."

The Swordsman's armor is dented in such a way that he seems to be having a little difficulty breathing, and this is not a problem that can be solved by healing without him actually removing the armor first. He remains by Lucy's side, watching her with quiet concern as the healer heals her up.

[Brannagen]: "We can watch some flights next if ye want, Breezy."

Nunuzac turns great big wide eyes up at Bran and they glisten a bit. "Lucy was hurt! I do not like for that." Nunuzac is silent on her opinion of whether the Swordsman ought to have been hurt instead.

Bran's eyes go wide when he sees Nunu's misty ones. "Ach! Sparks, ye— it's just a— Stop tha' noew, it's fine, it's fine, dinna fash!"

"Whew! That was fun. I think I'm gonna go sit down. Thanks, Robin." Lucy is all smiles again. "Good fight."

[Kyris]: "Well fought."

Bran points to Lucy. "See? She's all righ'."

"I'm assuming she was fighting for fun, right?" This sounds like an actual question from Jo, she could be wrong.

[Brannagen]: "Oh aye, it's all just fer fun. An' money."

Once the Swordsman sees he is no longer needed, he steps back, bows to her, and leaves the arena. He goes to where Lucy's arcane blade was previously flung, only to see that one of Lucy's fans in the audience has already fished it out for her.

Nunuzac spins back to eye the combatants making sportsmanlike overtures, still worried.

Bran hops down so he can patpatpat Nunu, he has not yet patpatpatted her. Unfortunately as they are standing he sort of has to patpatpat the small of her back.

Lucy heads over to her friends. "Heyyyy."

Nunuzac pats Bran back because it just seems polite to reciprocate and he is patting height. "Lucy! I was so scared."

[Brannagen]: "I'm devastated, Firefly! Ye all righ'?" He does not look particularly devastated.

Jo hops down after them. "Who was that other person in the armor?" Jo looks up at Lucy curiously.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry about your money. I told you not to worry, though— Captain Jocoza…!" Lucy straightens up a little self-consciously, holding her robe in place.

[Brannagen]: "I prob'ly shoulda bet a LITTLE less, but I got all wrapped up in the moment."

The Swordsman returns to Minzi, speaks with her quietly, and then heads into the backstage area to perhaps go change.

[Nunuzac]: "Oh money is fine, it was only a little. It is injury that worries." She winces sympathetically, even though Lucy seems fine now.

"I'm sorry, I didn't bet on you at all," Jo looks genuinely apologetic about not losing money. "I only happened by mid-fight."

[Xaafi]: "You fight very pretty!"

Bran patpats Jo's head. He may have had a tipsifying quantity of burnwine by this point.

"Oh, gosh. No, I'm okay! I'm okay!" Lucy removes her ruined gloves. "Thank you!" she says to Xaafi.

Jo doesn't seem to mind all the pats.

Xaafi smiles brightly. "Okay, bye!" She leans down and kisses Bran's cheek, then wanders away.

"Bye lass!" Bran seems used to this sort of thing.

"You used some nicely advanced techniques, and in such rapid succession, under pressure," Jo smiles up at her. "It was really well done, even if you didn't win in the end."

[Brannagen]: "Aye, it was a real pleasure t'watch."

Lucy blushes. "Thank you! I've been working here for… gosh, months? Has it almost been a year?"

Nunuzac wrings her hands a little but becomes mollified a bit by the chatter and apparent lack of concern from Lucy.

A goblin boy, probably too young to be watching this sort of fight, approaches Lucy with the hilt of her arcane blade held out in both hands like a torch. "Miss Firefly!"

[Brannagen]: "Oh ye got a wee admirer."

Lucy bends down and carefully takes it from him, flicking the switch to deactivate the blade. "Oh, hi, Zan, thank you! I'm sorry I didn't win this time."

Jo grins down at the little goblin boy Lucy-fan.

"I'm sorry too!" Bran laughs.

The boy grins up at her, missing teeth. "I bet against you this time."

[Brannagen]: "Oh ye little rascal."

Lucy laughs in pure delight. "Brilliant!" She ruffles the boy's hair.

(This kid probably should not be betting.)

Bran seems not at all concerned about it! Real dad material this guy.

Nunuzac puts her hands on her hips and gasps in mock-offense on behalf of Lucy.

"Okay, I gotta go get changed and maybe sit down for a little bit! But thank you all so much for coming!" Lucy grins.

[Brannagen]: "It was great fun! Thanks fer invitin' us."

Jo grins. "I probably better head back up to HQ, but I'm glad I stumbled on this. I'll do bets and stuff next time. Good to see all of you!"

[Brannagen]: "And I'm gonna go jump off Dalaran! See ye!"

"Oh, have fun!" Lucy waves and heads backstage.

Jo waves farewell to everyone.

Bran hurries off with a smile on his face.

Jo blinks, this time with motion.