Ranking Day, Part 1

It had only been a week since my last trip to the arena, but the memory of my Crucible with Doomsday seemed to have nearly faded from my mind thanks to all the crazy things that have happened to me since. Still, I do recall the atmosphere of the stands being pretty rowdy, while the trip outside the arena's wooden gates had been a solemn procession for me. Like a kid on his way to the gallows, which was on point considering I'd died twice only hours before. That was then. It wasn't the case this time, however. 

"It's like a party…" I whispered. 

Perhaps it was because I was now seeing the arena's high wooden walls from the campus side rather than the guest entrance Doomsday had walked me through, but the area around the arena's entrance was as busy and festive as the Grand Bazaar had been during my first visit.