The man, or perhaps boy would be more apt, that was talking to S was, first and foremost, quite short, no more than 50 inches tall. They were clad in a tan trilby covering his short, messy brown hair, and equally tan suit get up with a blazing red tie. All of which were clearly a few sizes too large. He also had a yellow notepad and several pens and pencils in his pockets.

"Sir?" he enthusiastically asked. "Did you hear me? Mind if I ask you a few questions about the game and todays events?"

"Right. Yes, I did. And, no. Or yes, or whatever you don't want to hear." S explained, with an audible tiredness. "I don't got anything interesting to say, anyway." 

"Oh, don't be like that! I won't take up much of your time, I promise! I just have a few questions, it'll be fun!" 

"Right, no, sorry. I'm busy."

"With what?" The boy asked with a twinkle in his eye and a pencil in his hand.

'I thought I said no to questions...' "Right now, I'm going to get lunch. Alone."

"Why? You're usually seen with at least one companion. Most recently, a perpetually sleepy looking boy around your age with peculiar clothing. Gasp! Could it be that you're between companions right now? Could I get a-"

"Look, kid, I don't got time for this. I've got to get going. Bye." S snapped, going somewhere.

"Wait!" Said the boy, of course following him. "If you're just heading out to lunch, I'll come with you! I'll even pay!"

"I don't care about money, little dude."

"Why are you so hesitant? Could it be that you're trying to hide something? Can I quote you on that instead?" 

"Sure." S said, dismissively. 

"Wait, no! That's not what you're supposed to say! Shoot, that usually works!" 

"Right." 

"Oh, come on..." The boy said, running in front of S. He held his hat in his hands, and, looking up with sad eyes, said, "Please, mister?"

S stopped dead in his tracks, and looked down at the boy.

Somehow, as he looked down at the boy, he couldn't help but think of Beyes. Which was confusing for a lot of reasons.

S closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Fine. We'll talk over lunch." S said.

"Oooh, goody! That one always works!"

"Right, I can imagine. Just hurry up, will ya?"

"Ooookay!"

. . .

"Right, and I'm paying for both of us, by the way."

"Aw man, this day just keeps getting better!"

Soon enough, the pair was sitting across from one another at a small booth in the local The Adjective Noun restaurant. S had his usual incredibly salty roast beef sandwich with fries and a shake, and the young gossiper treated himself to a small box of chicken nuggets. And half of S's fries.

"Right, so, what do you wanna know?" 

"Ah! Yes, straight to the point! I like that!" The boy said, preparing his notepad and pen with a nugget in his mouth. "Okay, first and foremost, what's the story with the whole 'right' thing? Where and how did you pick it up? What does it mean? Is it a familial thing?"

"Wha?"

"Y'know, the 'right' thing! Where you say 'right' at the start of most of your lines!"

"Right, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"What? You just did."

"Did I?"

"Yeah, you- Do you not- Y'know what, never mind."

"Right."

"A-anyway, about Grigor! The big man! Though it wasn't part of the main tournament, you scored the first win against him in history! What are your thoughts about the match?"

S shrugged. "I dunno. Nothing in particular."

"S declares that Grigor isn't worth thinking about!" The boy said, pretending to write in his notepad.

"Oi. Fine. Uhm..." S paused, knowing he'd have to tread this question carefully. "Right, well, I think he's a... Uniquely skilled fighter. More so than most. Dangerously skilled, even. The fight boiled down to the simple fact that he wasn't prepared for my... Unconventional technique. There. That good?"

"EXCELENT, MISTER S!" The boy declared. "Speaking of your techniques, it's no secret that your unconventional magic and blade technique are legendary. Where did you pick up such techniques?"

"Legendary?" 

"It sounds good on the paper, just tell me the story."

"R-right. I'm afraid there ain't much to tell. I'm entirely self taught. Rather, it was the sand that taught me everything I know." 

"Ah. Figured it was only a matter of time before you mentioned sand... When you say 'everything', what do you mean? Could you elaborate on that?"

"Right. I really do mean everything. To be honest, I didn't pay much attention in school." S said with a laugh, as he was getting into the groove of things.

"Is that so? And, might I ask, where is it that you attended school?"

"No comment." S said, abruptly returning to a straight face.

"A-are you sure? Is there at least anything you-"

"No comment."

"Okay, alright... Let's see... Ah! Everyone knows you as something a wanderer, a drifter, perhaps, but is there any place that you call home?"

"No. I don't like to be tied down."

"Ah, very on brand for you, mister. What about where you grew up? What was-"

"No comment." 

"Seriously? What about-"

"No. Comment."

The boy sighed. "C'mon, mister, this won't be any fun if you dodge all the juiciest questions!"

S said nothing.

"Alright, fine... What about Starsford? You seem to spend quite a lot of time there. Why is that? What is it about Starsford that keeps you coming back?"

"Right, well, I guess I'm there so often because, well, I'm there so often. Plus, it's a beautiful place, and it's in a great spot." S lied.

"Ah, it is, isn't it? I've been there on a number of occasions, myself. That guard caption they've got there really is something, isn't he?"

S chuckled. "Yeah, that's a word for it. Bit of a doofus, but I'm sure he means well. Does his best." S said with a smirk. "Baldy, too."

"Bah! That one never lets me ask him anything! It's always 'No comment', 'Stop bothering me, I'm busy,' 'How the hell do you kids keep getting into the guardhouse? Where are your parents?' with him!" 

"Yep, that's Baldy alright." 

"Sure is... Ah, speaking of Baldy, what do you think of his most recent project?"

"His what? Can't say I know what you're on about."

"Oh, you know, that whole business with the statue and the- OOOH! KITTY CAT!" The boy said, abruptly looking out the window with glee.

S's nose twitched, and his heart skipped a beat.

But the kid just kept staring outside.

S breathed a sigh of relief. Must've been coincidence. And that could've meant anything. 

He looked out the window, but it seemed that whatever the boy was looking at had passed already. Unfortunate. 

"Oh, sorry!" The boy said. "What were we talking about again?" 

"Right, nothing, you were just moving on to your next point."

"Oh, of course! Let's see..." The boy said, placing his eraser on his lips for a moment. "AH! S! What do you have to say about that?" 

"About what?"

"S! Your name! What's the story behind that?" 

"Oh. It stands for sand. Because sand is awesome."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. It's what I call myself, and it's what people call me. And that's all it needs to be. And, despite everything, I'm grateful to have it."

"Grateful? Despite everything? Can you elaborate on that?"

"Right, I don't think so. I could try, but that's really the gist of it. It was a lesson from a dear friend of mine." 

"Is that so? And, what about your other name? Who were you before you were 'S'?"

"No comment." 

"Figured. That's fine with me, though, it's really your future I'm most curious about!"

'Then what was with all the complaining earlier?' S thought to himself. 

The boy continued, "Anyways! Speaking of friends, the ladies have been dying to know, have you yet met a certain special someone?"

"Huh? Sure, I guess Beyes is pretty special, as far as people go. Why would 'the ladies' want to know that?"

"Oh? And who is this 'Beyes?"

"The guy I've been traveling with." 

"Oh, ah, n-no, S, everyone's curious about the possibility of a certain lucky lady."

"I don't care much for luck."

"N-no, I mean, are there any women that have your attention?"

"Uh, not right now, I guess? That'd be kinda weird to be looking at someone else while I'm having a conversation with you, wouldn't it?"

"No, that's... Oh, do you perhaps swing the other way? There's no shame in that!"

"I'm ambidextrous, actually." 

"Are you screwing with me?" 

"No, I'm serious. I could demonstrate, if you want."

"No, y'know what-" The boy tore out a sheet from his notepad, and angrily crumpled it. "We're moving on. I've got just one more question for you, mister. Well, two... Three, really."

S's nose twitched.

'Man, wonder what's got him so angry all of a sudden.' He thought to himself.

"Your current companion, Beyes, do you have anything you'd like to share about him?"

"Oh, Beyes? Well, I don't wanna say too much when he ain't here, but I think he's a good guy. The type that's just easy to be around. Y'know, he's good to have around. Wait, that sounds kinda mean-"

"That's plenty. Now, it's no secret you like to get into scrapes every now and again, how is he in a fight?"

"Right, well, he's... Inexperienced, that's for sure. But he's always got somethin' surprising going on. It's fun having him by my side."

"Really? Something... Surprising, you say?"

S's nose twitched. Then, his eye.

'Wait a sec-'

"Say... Could you elaborate on that?" The boy said, looking up to him with a grin, as his trilby seemed to shadow his eyes.

"Right, uh, n-no. I don't think so." S spoke as his eyes twitched. 

"Hm. One more thing, then. Back to the show from earlier, it's rumored that the dreadful creeping darkness, the Scourge was coming from where you and he were sitting. Do you have any thoughts about that?"

"R-right, nope, none. Actually, I really need to get going-" S said, getting up at incredible speed. He taste the malicious intent from his salty breath now.

"Oh, but S, my friend." The boy said, surpassing even S's speed, coming within arms length in well under a second. 

S twisted around and stuck his hand out towards his face.

But nothing came.

'Shit!'

"I'M DYING TO KNOW!" The boy said, reaching up and grabbing S by the collar with a grin as blood spilled from his teeth and his eyes filled with night.

And everything around the boys went black.