The stands are set up about the piste, allowing people to watch any of the duels they choose. Given that a Mantis is competing here, Prince Sotorii and Mebuki sit in a place of honor in these stands.

The rest of the Imperial Host is in a position where they could watch any of the duels from any vantage point.

Kasumi was there.

Pointedly not wearing anything even approximating finery.

No, she'd turned out in her sailor's garb.

And she appeared to be less than enthralled by the spectacle of the duels, or the Imperial party, or any of it.

And then it was over.

Good thing I wasn't rubbernecking or I'd have missed it.

Sorry Hirame, but it's pretty clear, whatever we might think, that the Mantis ain't here to win.

Well. Sure glad I didn't get dressed up for that shit.

Ahiru was of course present to observe this duel, dressed in riches and finery. She was too cultured and well-mannered to do something like shouting or cheering loudly for Hirame, so instead she had a fan with an ocean-motif to show who she was rooting for.

Seeing the result, Ahiru sighed a little bit though she was disappointed. She had been hoping Hirame would take this win, but Ikoma Aya was a fierce warrior and had showed herself very talented this tournament.

There was no shame in losing to anyone in the Topaz really.

Still she joined in to give the two duelists some applause and cheer at the end.

Well, Hirame was a friend and clanmate, and Aya had been nice the time they'd talked...

So Kasumi gave them their due, even as sour as her mood had become.

Spotting Kasumi's sour mood, Ahiru moved over to join her fellow competitor. "Disappointed in the result, Kasumi-san?" she asked behind her fan, keeping her tone low to ask out of concern.

"Natur'lly."

She sighed.

"Ikoma-san's a fine conversation partner, but Hirame-san's a fellow Mantis. I'd hoped t'be able t'watch 'im progress. But seems th'way things go here."

She glanced at the Crane. Reminded herself that by the terms of Hirame's bet, she probably wouldn't be a Crane much longer.

"But glad y'got a chance t'see 'im in a duel."

"Hmmm... I had hoped he would win, I admit," she said with a slight sigh, "but I am proud of how well he performed. In the end though, we all competed against some of the most talented samurai-to-be. Just to get as far as to attend is an honor in itself, but I can't deny I'm also a little jealous that he reached much farther than me in the competition."

Ahiru smirked a little with good humor, clearly not too bothered about the circumstances. "Ikoma-san might very well win this tournament, I think."

"Might be she does."

Kasumi shrugged.

"I'm a bit let fussed about the competitors than th' stuff I outright failed. T'be bested by a peer is one thing. T'fail outright is another."

"Goodness, I couldn't even properly strike a dummy yesterday. Sure, I was pretty upset afterwards, but in the end, I was challenged at something I wasn't specifically trained to be good at." Ahiru shrugged, unbothered. "In the end I take away a learning experience of how I might perform at things I'm not good at under pressure, albeit in pretty safe conditions."

Kasumi glanced at Ahiru.

"I also couldn' properly strike a dummy. An' I have trained fer that. I've also been in two close-quarter life or death scraps, an' can safely say I've likely shed more blood'n most of the competitors here. An' I missed a stationary target in archery, somethin' else I've trained for. "

A pause.

"So can't say I see how that applies."