With a brief adventure into an increasingly familiar dark alleyway, we returned to the arena.

"Whoo, trippy." Catface said. "Pretty cool, though."

"Oh yeah, guess this is the first time you've been on this end of my... Thing." I said. I don't really know what to call it. 'Powers' sounds cheesy, 'trick' is sketchy, and just calling them 'holes' opens up way too many innuendos. 

"Yeah. Thinking about all the ways you might use them on me gets me excited~." Catface said, leaning over towards me in the weirdest way. 

"I... I got nothin'." 

"Awww, c'mon! Weak! Riff with me!" 

"Then give me something better to riff with."

"Alright then, how about..." They said with a cartoonish 'thinking chin stroke'. "Aha! 'Tis I! The dread pirate Catbeard! I've come for yer plunder!"

Hm. Now, this I can work with.

I briefly looked around the hallway to make sure nobody that could potentially witness me doing something embarrassing.

"Avast, ye foulest of fiends. 'Tis time for you to meet th' plank."

"That so, aye?! En garde!"

Thus, we stretched our pointer fingers and pretended to stab at each other.

Our course were particularly angry that day. The sky was as black as coal, and the sea leapt atop our ship in attempt to drag us into her cold, wet embrace. The storm screamed in our ears and rocked our ship feverishly as if she knew we were helpless at her mercy, like a dog playing with his mouse. 

Catbeard and I danced atop the deck, feeling nothing but the salt in our lungs and the blood in our hearts as we swung at each oth'r with the hatred of a thousand sailors and a thousand more betwixt us.

"Ah, I see you've gotten stronger since last we met, ye salty devil." I said as I narrowly blocked a stab at my heart.

"Indeed! 'Tis most unfortunate I cannot bequeath the same notion to 'ye!" Catbeard taunted as they knocked my blade back at me.

"Hm. Methinks y'll find yerself sorely mistaken." I said as a spat a salty one to the boards and swung for th' throat.

My blade struck true, and the dreaded Catbeard pitifully clutched at their throat as they let out one last wretched choke of air and fell backwards, and I watched th' light drain from their eyes.

Yet! Just before they fell, with the last of their might they raised their sword one last time, and I found myself CUT OPEN from me chest up to me one good eye!

I could do naught but stagger back, and I soon felt the ground 'neath me give way, and th' last thing I saw was th' both of us being pulled one last time into Her chilly embrace, and the siren's call echoed in our ears.

I could do 'naught but smile as I cursed his name one last time.

Sis looked at me with an evident mix of concern, pity, and utter confusion.

I blinked myself awake, and I realized the three of us had already made our way back outside, where the seats were. There might've been a few people that saw us. Hopefully not.

Catface was laughing their rear off as they sat up from the ground. I might've been chuckling a bit, too.

"Man, you- You are one flat actor!" They said with a massive grin in between bouts of laughter.

"W-well, y'know, there's only so much I can do." I said, actively trying not to grin in a feeble attempt to hide my embarrassment.

The both of us just continued laughing for a while. That was conversation enough.

Realizing that the ground isn't exactly the best place to watch a tournament from, I pushed myself up and looked over at our seats, over at S. 

Who was, to my surprise, getting up and heading towards us. I wonder what thats's-

Oh.

It was impossible not to notice that S had a certain darkness behind his eyes at the time. His gaze was firmly glued to the ground, and it looked like he was in pain. As he neared the hallway, he briefly glanced over at a still laughing Catface, before returning to the ground.

"I'm heading to the bathroom." He whispered as he passed me. "I might be a while."

"W-wait, S, you don't-"

He didn't stop to listen, and his only response was a soft shaking of his head.

I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a dry, worthless breath.

I guess he say them coming, didn't he.

I... Probably should've considered a few things. I can't possibly figure out exactly what's going through his head, but I can see how it might be hard to face them.

I couldn't help but look over at Catface. It was hard to imagine that it was that same laughing, smiling face that did and said... All those things. Granted, a lot of them didn't directly affect me, personally, but...

Haaaah...

Come to think of it, I was mad at them too, wasn't I? 

After all they did, they didn't have a word to say to him. To anyone, really, but especially to him. Something about 'sincerity'... I don't even want to try to think about it.

"Still mad, is he?" Catface said, still smiling, if a little lighter than usual. "Suppose I can't blame him." They said with a shrug.

And that's all they said.

"Yeah."

Was all I said.

. . .

"Why are we still standing here?" Sis asked.

Which was a good question, to be honest.

We entered our seats. Sis made a point about sitting between Catface and I, which Catface allowed surprisingly easily. Guess they're not always hopelessly difficult. 

Somehow, we ended up sitting down as soon as the round 4, the final round, was starting.

This one was simple. A best of 3 by the two remaining contestants. One would walk away the champion, and the other as... 2nd place to the champion. Which is still pretty good, all things considered. Anyway, the stakes were high! Probably!

Gregor came on the mic, or whatever it is he uses to do the announcements. "LLLLLAAAAAADIEEEEEESSS AND GENTLEMENNNNN!!! AAAAAAAAREEE YOU READDYYY FOR THE FFFFFINNNALLL ROOOUUUUND!!!" 

The following applause was less than I expected. Don't get me wrong, it was still positively thunderous, but it felt like it was missing a little enthusiasm.

Sis didn't feel the need to cover my ears this time. Too focused on Catface, I'd imagine. Good. 

"YEEEEEAAAAHHHH!" Gregor shouted, probably trying to stir things up just a little more. It worked a little bit.

Gregor continued, "AAAAALRIGHT... AND, FOR THE FINAL TIME-" Pause "FOR NOW-" Pause again. "WITHOUT FURTHER ADO..." I bet he's gonna ado some more. "FROM THE NORTH CORNER... THE MAN WHO'S ACTUALLY SHOWN UP TO ALL HIS FIGHTS, IT'S TERRRRRANCE THE TUUUUURRRKEY!!"

There's no way that's a real guy. C'mon.

Wait, it's not Cal? 

A relatively tough looking man in a stupid turkey hat and cheap tailfeathers strutted out onto the field from under us. Another comic relief guy, I guess. Although his stride was confident, the shakiness of his arms and legs told everyone he was incredibly nervous. 

"I'M NOT GONNA LIE, FOLKS, THINGS DON'T LOOK TOO GOOD FOR OUR FEATHERED FRIEND! HERE'S HOPING HE CAN MANAGE TO PULL OFF HIS DREADED 'OPPONENT DOESN'T SHOW UP' TECHNIQUE FOR HIS SECOND MATCH IN A ROW!"

That's ado. That's more ado. I am livid.

Wait, what? Someone forfeited? So late into the game? That'd have to have been in the 2nd to last round. 

"WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE CAL IS, BY THE BY. TO BE ENTIRELY HONEST, I AM KIND OF CONCERNED RIGHT NOW, AND I WONDER IF HE'S GOING TO BE FIRED FOR THIS! HE PROBABLY IS!" 

"Ah, Gregor, you old goob." Catface said, for some reason.

. . .

Wait a minute.

Cal... Cal.. Cal... Cat.

Cat...

Cal...

Huh.

There's... There's now way, right?

"H-hey, Catface, just what were you doing before this, exactly?" I asked. Come to think of it, earlier they said that they were just going for a stroll, but almost immediately after that they said they were busy. That's suspicious.

"Oh, you know, nothing important. Just some...

...Logistics."

Catface said with the most irritating grin that's possible by man.

And then they laughed. I also couldn't help but return it. 

"Probably should've seen that coming." I said.

"Hey, that's one of my better costumes. Spent a lot of time both in and on that one." 

"On a balding, middle aged man?"

"You'd be surprised." They said simply with a laugh, which, again, returned.

I'm not sure what exactly I'd be surprised about, but I get the feeling they're right.

They continued, "It was a lot of fun... That said, I'm glad Cal got to retire. We've trained the logistic-lings well, the tournament will continue to sail just fine for the foreseeable future." They said, looking off into the distance nostalgically.

Can't say I have any idea what they're talking about, but it feels like there's a story here.

"AAAAANNNND IN THE SOUTH CORNERRRRR..." Gregor shouted.

Unfortunately, or perhaps very fortunately, I didn't have enough time to hear it.