The Night of Knights.

"Hupp...."
The barbell flew off the stand with a hefty push from the Goldfish.
"Whoa...! Whoa, whoa!"
I wasn't ready at all. That barbell weighed nearly eight hundred times the Earth record for heaviest bench press. As far as I was concerned it was a fixture in space. But the Goldfish? He just picked it up effortlessly like any naked barbell! Sure, I knew he was going for endurance training from the start, but it's not like I actually expected it to be moved by a person outside of dreamland.

His pace quickly picked up. Short quick bursts between his chest and about two thirds of his arms reach.
I had to duck my head out of way of the bar a few times, but eventually I caught up to the rhythm.
Of course, I didn't really help him. I wasn't supposed to. My job as a spotter wasn't to make the weight easier to lift. It's to make sure the training proceeds correctly and safely.

The difference was that I couldn't actually move it if I tried. We're talking 9 million pounds here!
That was certainly a pickle, albeit a tiny one. The way he made it out, this load could barely even tickle his pecks. I worry more about him throwing the barbell to the moon than dropping it.
So, my strength may amount to little more than a mouse in his eyes. That doesn't make me a useless spotter. There's one thing I can do that's indispensable for a good spotter: bringing the hype!

"Come on!" I shrieked, "Work that iron! Pump those trunks! You are a beast! A monster! Go! Go go go! Don't quit on me now! You can chew up more iron than this!"
The bench squeaked with the slightest shift of his body in rhythm to his grunting. Honestly, I couldn't tell if it was I'm-so-pumped-up-I'm-going-feral-grunting or for-Christ-sake-shut-up-you're-ruining-my-focus-grunting, but the fact I got some kind of reaction was a good sign to me.

"Come on, champ! You're doing great! Don't be scared to work up a sweat! You were trying to do Sanakia's thing, weren't you?" I blurted it out in the heat of the moment when it dawned on me. He winced, as if hit with a golden sledgehammer.
"Ugh... Ngh! Agh... What did you just say?"
"When you were holding your little spear and screaming. You looked just like that Bird Brain. Plus, you were screaming your lungs out, just like she did. You were trying to get that fusion thing to work for you, weren't you?"
"I told you, unngh... I stubbed my toe."
"Right... So tell me then, where exactly did you stub it? Just so I don't hit myself on the same spot."
"Hngggh... Gnnnngh..."
"Don't tell me it got obliterated when it touched your sabaton. Cause that'd be kind of hardcore!"
"Umph... Grrrrgggh.... Hrrrrghhhh..."
"Come on!" I grinned impatiently, "You can tell me! You were totally doing a Sanakia!"
"So what if I was? Gnnhh... I am the, ugh... Chosen wielder of the Holy Lance Jaivardhan... Ungggh... Any secret of this venerated relic, I... Gnnnhhh... Falls within my... Gnnhh... Purview to explore... Uggghh..."

"And... Set."
We guided the bar together over the hooks at the top. With a resounding clack, his arms were liberated from their burden. He lay panting beneath me as I leaned my arms on the trestle.
"You know what?" I offered, "Maybe you're better off without that whole fusion ordeal."
"Haah... Hah... Spare me your hollow pleasantries, Heretic." He said between haggard breaths, "You saw what a paltry monster could do once merged! Imagine what I could achieve! A knight of destiny!"
"No, I totally get why you'd want it. That thing was rad as all hell!"
He stopped panting momentarily, so he could growl at me.
"But... You know, " I continued, "It's worth thinking through whether it's worth it before you make up your mind. I've got this nagging feeling that prancing about naked but for golden cables wrapped around your toned body isn't the look you'd normally go for... Not that I'd complain, ehehe."
I latched on to the bar once more, "So... You ready to go again, Big Boy?"
"I am ready." He picked the barbell up again and resumed the training.

"Atta boy! Just look at yourself! Flinging around that preposterous weights like nothing! You really think you need to copy what someone else did to be tough shit?"
"Nggggh... I cannot afford to be anything Gggrrrnggh... But my strongest, huhhh...."
"Maybe. Though being the strongest in one situation doesn't mean being the strongest in all of them. Maybe strength is really about being able to adapt. That's what you did when you beat the Champ! You didn't need Sanakia's little trick there. In fact, losing your mind like that would've been a surefire way to play right into her sneaky plans."
"So what? Hngggh... " His pace surged. Apparently, bringing up his latest win got him all psyched up, "She humiliated me. Grrrrnngh... I allowed her to tempt me into tarnishing my good name... Gnngnghh... I've become a laughing stock!"
"Hey hey! You really gonna make others determine how you feel about yourself? You stood your grounds! You got the job done! And nobody can take that away from you. And... Set."

We hung the barbell back in place, and he slumped back into the bench as a panting heap.
"Haah... Haah... How is she doing?" He asked.
I cocked my head, "Uh, who?"
"That Galmon... Sanakia she was called. You have met her since she left, have you not? I thought you might, since the two of you appeared to harbor some kind of connection."

...He's really gonna do it? He's gonna bring her up now after everything that happened?
I shook my head, "Well, she's doing a lot better than if you'd killed her. Pretty sure about that."
"Huh... I did try to do that, didn't I?"
I gave him a fake smile, "Yup... That you did."

I left those words hanging while he caught his breath.
A second or two passed before I broke into a chuckle, "Man! You were so pissed off back then! Out of control! Haha! You should've seen your face back then! I mean, not that I saw it myself, because... Helmet. But I've gotta imagine it as solid gold! No pun intended."
"Hah, yes... That must have been quite the spectacle."
"Listen, this Tournament is nothing but a chain of one ridiculous spectacle after another, but your little hissy fit was on a different level! Now, you ready for another set?"

"I am." The Golden Knight picked up the barbell again, and the training resumed, "I cannot say that your conduct before me, gnnnrrrgghhh... Does not irk me, Heretic. More so than usual. You, hmrrrrrgghh... Stand before the man who threatened the life of your friend... You should resent me! Hrrrrrgnnnhh... Nothing I have seen compels me to consider you anything but an impudent Heretic, void of reservations... Ever eager to, mmmphhhhrggh... Speak her mind."

I scoffed, "Oh, trust me, Big Boy. I've got my opinions about what happened. But whatever was going on between the both of you, there's no need to involve myself any further. She is my friend. Sure. But so are you!"
"We are supposed to be, mmmmrrrph... Enemies."
"Yeah, things have a tendency to turn out the way it's not supposed to. Sorry to disappoint." I sighed, "I can't take enemyships that seriously. Who's friends and who's enemy can change on the flip of a hat."
"Hrrnnggh... And that is the difference between you and I, Heretic." The Goldfish declared, "My vassals and I share, urrrmphhh... A bond forged by unwavering trust and loyalty. We are united in our struggle against gnnhhh... The dark hoards... By hopes of a brighter future. I consider them no mere tools to be used or discarded as, mrrrrrph... Circumstances shift."

"Oh, I'm glad you've got friends you can rely on! But things are seldom that clear-cut out in the world. Like, I thought you were dedicated to some divine ideology that transcends mere mortals."
"But of course." He said swiftly.
"So, what if it turns out you have to fight against your trusted ally for whatever reason in serving that ideal?"
He groaned, not letting himself slow down for a second, "Then my Goddess clearly has, mrrrrrphh... Every intention of testing my resolve. I pray that day shall not come. Gnnnnhggh... Yet if that is to be, then I shall not waver in my, hhhnhggh... Service."
"Right, so it's kind of like that with me wherever I go. Except, eh... Not at all." I cleared my throat, still hanging on to the bar, "In my case, it's more like what people do is one thing. Who they are is a completely different matter. If you can't tell them apart, then you're in for a roller-coaster of emotion."
He scoffed at that, "And you propose that we, under any conceivable circumstances, could cooperate towards the same goal? Truly, Heretic, your delusions know no bounds."

"Uh, hello? Earth to Goldfish? What do you think we're doing right now?" I let go of the bar to playfully wave at the Goldfish for just a second, before catching it again, "You don't think you let this Wayward Heretic maybe a bit too close for comfort?"
For that rep I exaggerated the descent to lean my chest inches away from his face for emphasis.
I giggled, "Why, I think the gentleman doth protest too much!"

He looked away, pushing me and my boobies away with the barbell, "That is hardly the same. Merely a temporary convenience to forward my training. Or I should say inconvenience."
I giggled, "You think so? You know, I'm pretty much your lifeline over here! You sure you're not starting to warm up to me just a little bit?"
"Urgggh... Not at all. Hrrrrnggh... I have my reasons. Not that you'd, gnnnnnggh... Understand. Even if I told you."
"Try me!" I insisted, "Better than presuming what I will and won't get."
"Fine. I will do my best to explain. Hrrrrggnnhh... You have a habit of conducting yourself as if whoever you meet is your, hnnnnnngghh... Equal. Of course, that is most impudent. At least, when before a knight of renown such as I. Gggghhhrrrrgghh... However, when turned into a laughing stock, with everyone turned against you and talking behind your back, then... Mphhhhhh... Even a basic degree of respect may be comforting. The impudence becomes... Hnnngggh... Refreshing. Something tolerable. If only to indulge in this respite."

...I wasn't ready at all for that.
I burst out in laughter. And I started laughing, I couldn't stop.
He growled, shoving the bar forward with full ****. It barely nudged me back a step. And still, I kept laughing.
"There! You see?" He barked, "I told you that you were not able to understand!"
"Oh, s-sorry, sorry!" I **** myself to **** the last of my laughter, "I do get it, it's just... You're so damn close to realize something really obvious."

I sighed, "Hey, Goldfish Knight? Sorry I didn't make it as your opponent. I know you've been looking forward to it, only to... Yeah..."
"Humph... Nevermind that. That was outside your control... Ggrrrrhuaghhh.. If the Goddess sees fit to test my patience, then it is her, ggggghnnnphhh... Prerogative. Yet if her will is that we meet in the Semi-Finals, or perhaps the Grand Finale, then all the better. It shall make for a grand spectacle when I vanquish you and your feeble ideals for.... Mmmmhrrpppgghhhh... All to see..."
"You really think I'll pass the Quarter Finals then?"
"You do not have, ugghuaahh... Permission to lose, Heretic. Hnngggh... Not after getting this far. Gggghnuahh... And certainly not... Huaahhh... To that agent of deceit."
"Heh... Oh, you charmer..." I glanced over my shoulder. Towards the huge polearm propped in the corner against the wall.

Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you before, but Bat Girl mentioned one other thing that works against Devils. You guessed it. Holy Weapons. That Golden Spear, for instance.
"Say, would you mind if I borrow Jaivardhan for my match?"

CLONK!
His grip slipped. Not long, but long enough to lose balance. The bar fell to his chest, pinning him to the bench.
My whole weight was dragged along with the bar. Obviously I couldn't budge it. Not a snowball's chance in hell.
Was it terrifying? Of course! But panic is the worst thing a spotter can do in a crisis.
"I got you! I got you! You're doing super!" I lied in a chirpy voice, "I'm not gonna let you get hurt! All right? Now, let's get this thing off you. Come on!"

He readjusted his grip and pushed it off with trembling hands, along with me. The weight rose from his chest. Slowly but surely. He rose to a sitting position, and with a loud clack that shook the bench, hoisted the barbell to the hooks.
He slumped against the bench, panting heavily.
I sat next to him.
"You okay there, Big Boy?"
He nodded, still winded.
"Oh, good..." I patted him on the pauldron, "So, I think we're about done with your sets. Yeah? Nice hustle there!"
"Appreciated." Turned towards me, "But... What was it you said just now?"
"I... Asked if I could borrow Jaivardhan for my match? If that's fine with you..."

He stared back at me in silence. Then snickered. The snicker turned into roarious laughter that echoed inside his helmet.
"Hah...! Ahahaha! Oh! My, that is most amusing!"
"Hehe..." I smiled awkwardly, "What's so funny?"
His laughing stopped abruptly, "Uhh– Nothing. I was... Well, my weapon... I uh...."

...What was I thinking?
Clearly, that big baby wasn't ready to choose between me and his precious weapon. He literally attempted **** for that! Was I really about to undo all the progress? When I'd gotten that far with him? Man! I can be such an idiot!
And you know what?
I wasn't ready either.

Why, last morning some of my closest friends turned into terrorists. Because of me. No way was I in any mood to hear him say he'd rather see me eternally enslaved than let me touch his little toy.
"...Oh, ho! Yeah, it was totally a joke!" I leaped to my feet, laughing, "I got you good, Fish-boy!"
"That is... I sincerely doubt..."

"You should've seen the look on your face! Not that I saw it myself, but still!" I waltzed towards the exit.
"Let us talk about this..." He shouted as he followed me, "If anything is the matter, then... Please, tell me! Otherwise, I cannot...!"

"I mean, look at that thing!" I gestured towards the corner, "It's friggin' huge! How would I even lift it?"
I headed out of the gym with him in tow.

"Heretic..."
I spun around and snapped, "Look, you think you could stop with that 'Heretic' thing? It got old really fast, you know?"
He stopped in his tracks and backed away. His hand reached out to me then sank without a word.

"Yeah... Good luck with your training. Careful not to stub that toe again." I shut the door right in the golden face of the dumbfounded Goldfish Knight.