Shiro left the cove feeling like a millstone was tied around his neck. It seemed that even the currents were trying to persuade him to stay  with Keith but here under the water he could feel it. He could sense the dark presence that was Zarkon and his men. Their darkness projected out into the ocean and spread like a dark oil spill, ready to consume all that it came into contact with. He pushed on.

If it was dawn or dusk by the time he reached the trenches, he couldn't know. The light down here was crude at best and only bio luminescent creatures lit the path to the arenas. Not that Shiro needed them. He had been coming and going for long enough now that he knew the way without the creatures lighting it for him. All Shiro knew was that he had slept twice during his time getting to the arena. He must have been swimming for at least two days now.

He followed the path grimly. As always, he went in silence, only acknowledging those around him with brief eye contact, before moving away and setting his eyes on the floor. He had learned painfully that poorly-timed eye contact was a good way to get him into trouble and he needed all of his strength. Some time ago, the lovingly wrapped bandages around his shoulder had been pulled away by the currents and his raw skin was exposed. Thankfully, whatever Keith had used to help it heal had worked some kind of magic and he couldn't feel any pain there anymore, but he suspected that this was also due to the early onset adrenaline that was working its way through his body.

Shiro felt tense as he made his way to the circular arena that he would fight in. The water around him was filled with cheers, clicks and shrieks as the merfolk and Zarkon's creatures roared in their entertainment. It was overwhelmingly loud. He did his best to focus forward, be patient and think of Keith, but the noise cut through threateningly. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and a new sense of panic setting in. He had only ever needed to survive before, he had never needed to win. Keith's face, his eyes, the touch of his skin were things that Shiro longed for and he wanted to feel them again. To do that he needed to focus and he needed to win.

It wasn't long before his name was called and he was thrust from his meditative headspace and into the throng of jeering onlookers. He gripped his fists together and swam out onto the raised platform. Ahead of him, he saw his opponent. The creature was massive - muscles bulging underneath his rough sandpaper-like skin. His eyes raged war with Shiro and his fists held claws longer than the nose of a swordfish. Shiro took a moment to calm himself and assess this opponent quickly. He was big and strong with ridiculously oversized claws. He would be slow and clumsy, relying on his arms to attack. Shiro glanced at his tail - short and flat, made to enhance the force and of the swings he would bring. Shiro could dodge them easily. He was fast and agile. He was also lean and long, he could dart in between the blows and that was what he intended to do.

Sure enough, the creature swung his great claws at Shiro and Shiro swam to dodge them. He darted up and brought his tail down across the back of the thing's head. His plastic tail gave an almighty thwack as it collided with it's skull and it fell forwards, stunned and confused. [i]Broad and stupid...[/i] Shiro thought, [i]Perfect.[/i]