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Bloody Knuckle: [Cr/Ack/Ed] #2

• The Remainder-

Saturday night-

After the last fighters left from their match and the ring was cleaned up, I took it upon myself to leave a note to the Underground: This ring was mine.

I wizzed all around the base of the ring; a full belly's worth of beer. It was wet and long, zig-zaggin as I made the full circuit back to my corner. Ronson approved: he and Chief(...what?) gave me a thumbs-up from his spot at the entrance of the underground arena with his phone up, recording. Once I closed the square off, I kicked some dust towards the ring and left, with Ronson's hand on my shoulder.

"I'm gonna burn this place down." I said.

***

12 pm, Sunday

The morning was great. I got to sleep in (Ronnie didn't mind that), I had a great breakfast of pancakes and feral bacon, with a bacon milkshake (no more beef, for my bull) to top it off.

I wasn't even worried about the fight later: whatever happens happens. I had gotten used to Chief being gone, but I could still see him running around here and there, setting things up and making sure I was good to fight.

Instead, Ronnie was checking out all the buzz our match was gathering on social media and all that.

"Whoa Knuck! This is crazy!" the bull gasped, his eyes wide.

"Comments and questions, all of it about tonight!" he said, with his excitement plain as he showed me his phone.

Tens of thousands of likes, a few thousand comments...

"Good. This means we're on the right track." I said, relaxing in my chair. My mind was clear and free of doubt.

"Hey, if you stay pumped about it then so will I!" Ronnie said, and I was glad to see him with high spirits.

"Hey, hold on..." Ronnie said, and his thumbs tapped around his screen.

"You got a message from Koda too..." he said, and I turned to look. With narrowed eyes I read what he'd said.

"'Knuckle, the bull, and their manager should all just...hide' This got eight-hundred ninety-six likes." I said aloud, after a pause, and I felt a brief wave of rage and sorrow wash over me, but it was gone as fast as it came.

"You wanna say something too?" he asked me hesitantly, knowing it was a tender subject.

"Nah, he'll learn about that in person." I said, balling up a fist.

Maybe I WOULD kill Koda.

**

7:46 pm

Just before Ronnie and I got to the Underground arena we stopped by Grinny G's to grab him. He insisted his boys all pack some heat, in case things went south for us. The ex-cop agreed, even going as far as setting up his own surveillance at the ring.

"Who knows what the Pazzieras will do. They ambushed two cops when their son was caught buying alcohol under the legal age." he said, sliding a magazine into his gun.

"And since Knuckle sealed off the ring I can't get that close..." he said, smiling. I guess he caught me pissin on camera, heh...

***

8:38 pm

Ronson and I were getting ready to hit the ring, trying out our new outfits.

Ronnie bought me a new pair of THE MIGHTIEST brand trunks, and he was wearing a fancy set of flaming blue briefs, with matching wristbands, mask, and shin guards that sat above his hooves securely.

"How'd you guess my size?" I asked my bull, and he chuckled.

"I know you by now Killer." he said with a laugh, and I stripped to put them on.

"Hup, hold on" he said, "Let me." he offered, holding the legs open one at a time to step through.

As the neared my crotch I opened the pouch. I gently set my hairy package in the pouch and it closed with a soft "snap". Instant luxury.

Ronnie smiled as he watched me fall in love with the new pair of red and black XXL trunks, my style and color. With a hand he softly adjusted my basket, and in turn I did the same, seeing that his briefs came with a pouch too. And it was a huge one: anything less than a catcher's mitt and you're fumbling.

"Yer lookin fired up Knuckle." he said, smiling as our hands tested the strain our growing shafts put on our fight gear.

"Gotta be. This can't end with a whimper, but with a-"

The slamming of a door interrupted me, and Grinny entered with speed.

"THE CROWD, YOU TWO...This is..." Grinny said, falling quiet. I could imagine, but when I go out there and see for myself...

"It's easy for the lights and sounds to cast a spell on you." I said.

"You too gonna have enough hands to fight with?" Grinny asked us, since our hands were still at each other's baskets.

"Heh, yeah." the bull said, and we each took our hands back.

"Koda and his teammate are here, already waiting in the ring. You two got this?" Grinny asked, doing his best to manage us.

By the time he was finished speaking though, I had popped the knuckles in my left hand, and shifted to crack the remainder on the right.

Ronson popped his neck and snorted, then got chest to chest with me. His chest bashed into my own over and over as my bull lit his inner torch for me to find my way here.

"What are we eatin Knuck? We tearing some ass up?" he said quickly, and I rammed ahead into Ronson, charging myself up.

"Ah'm a cannibal tonight. Ah'm the Replacement Killer." I said, and Ronson peered down at me. Our eyes met, and we started to bob our heads and bounce.

"Yeah Knuckley! Yeah!" he shouted as we put our hands on each other's shoulders.

"Fuckin charge the gate!" he shouted.

"Crack and shatter!" I followed, bouncing with energy as we found strength in each other.

****

Walking down that lonesome hall with Ronson and Grinny reminded me of the last time I was here. With Chief.

We stopped at the rolling bay door, and I could hear the audience on the other side.

I looked at a spot on the floor a little bit behind me,and just for an instant I saw Chief's body, lying on the floor. I gasped and blinked, and the image was gone. I bared my teeth and Grinny lifted the gate.

***

The lights.... They were bright and the arena was lit. There were voices from everywhere, nothing I could make out but I wasn't here to hear them. Me, the bull, and the pit bull made our way through the crowd, through the gasps and cheers, the flood of bodies that threatened to swallow up anyone who wasn't sure why they were here.

The three of us made it to the ring that was an island in the sea of noisy, bloodthirsty people, and I saw him. He was in the blue corner with his teammate, that rhino I saw from the club I was keen to dismember.

The old referee was still there too, that stylish and proud skunk that laid out the carpet for me when I fought Koda way back then.

Grinny went ahead and placed a hand on the ring floor near the ropes, and his other was ready for me to step on and hop up.

I stomped the lowest rope down and held the one above it up, with my free hand to help the bull climb up. Hot damn, he did it in a flash and I remembered: Chief's last time training us before the Underground took him from us.

Ronson again made it up with little effort, and we both hoisted Grinny up after us. All three of us looked across the ring at Koda's team: he was sitting on a stool with the rhino on his feet next to him. On his other side was a white rat in a black suit. He had red eyes and a slick comb-over hairstyle, with shiny black shoes.

I remembered him too. He was the one that we saw on tv when Chief's penthouse burned down. A Pazziera. A mobster. The Underground was illegal, for sure. But he was absolutely someone who used his power to hurt others.

Koda's eyes found mine. We didn't break eye contact, and then he crossed his arms before getting to his feet. He still carried that dangerous aura, and I'm positive he's been feeding it with violence and rage.

The referee quickly took center stage when he saw our gazes battling, and with his mic in hand he called the caroling spectators quiet.

"WELL WE HAVE A SHOW TONIGHT!" he said, instantly reversing his grip on the audience as he spoke. The stands were flooded with cheer and excitement as everyone was ready for the fight that seemed destined: ending where it started.

"OUR BELOVED CHAMPION AND HIS TEAMMATE WILL FIGHT FOR THE TEAM BELT AND TITLE!" he said, and he brought the fighters to the center of the ring. Grinny and the rat both left, and it was just us four.

"KNUCKLE AND RONSON VERSUS KODA AND HAVARD! THE FUR'S GONNA FLY!" he said, and the crowd went crazy. Ready to bump fists, I brought my hands up along with Ronnie. Koda brought his fists to tap mine and he leaned in close.

"Who's the junkie Knuckle? Where's your daddy?" he asked, in a low, sneering tone.

Not missing my chance to strike back, I leaned in as well.

"The people you're fighting for had him murdered." I said, and for a second, he seemed disturbed. His face...just for a second, he looked surprised. Dumbfounded even.

He started to speak when the referee's voice cut him off.

"THESE PEOPLE CAME TO SEE A SHOW! NOW DEMONSTRATE THE HEIGHT OF YOUR SKILLS, AND FIGHT!!!"

***

The bell rang and I hopped ahead with a raised guard. Ronson kept his eyes on the rhino and stepped to his left a bit, signaling to give me space. The rhino followed him and Koda advanced on swift feet.

The moment he got within range I fired a sickle of a spinning heel kick at Koda's head who ducked it in a flash, throwing a jab with his left that met my bent kneecap (Guard point!). I kept my rotation against his fist, extending my leg and swept another kick his way, with my heel meeting his jaw but he rolled with the blow to keep his footing.

By then, Havard and Ronson were in a clinch, with the rhino dropping under the grapple to sweep his hooked horn toward the bulls throat but Ronson evaded with a roll of his neck. Their horns met, the crushed space them starting to emit smoke from the pressure.

Koda smirked and rushed me, his fists a blur that he was trying to confuse me with but I struck first with three snappy right hooks: a cross to the jaw, a punch under his arm and another punch to the face that made Koda chuckle as he kept his advance up. Ronson took one of Havard's hands and turned, braced as he resisted the bull's throw until the clinch was broken and he stepped back. Ronnie's fist was ready though: the moment Havard escaped and his gut was clear Ronnie's ham of a fist rocketed into the rhino's torso, and he fell to a knee.

"That's one, you fucker..." Ronnie said with a smirk as he retrieved his fist.

"That's the ONLY one, Ronnie!" he grunted.

Koda wasn't concerned with his teammate's condition, glancing Havard's way.

"Some help you are..." he said, and the rhino's eyes widened in shock, both because of Koda's words and Ronson's knee that barely missed his mouth, and in an instant the bull had Havard cornered, the rhino struggling to keep Ronnie from landing another hit. Good on him: he knew this fight was between Koda and myself. I mean I'm sure he had a grudge too, but that rhino wasn't for me.

Koda wasn't a disappointment: he could keep up with me and I was feeling like 100 tons of TNT. Havard however, couldn't get Ronnie off of him so the ref called the match with the 'DING' of the bell.

Ronnie backed up to our corner with a huge grin and he knelt by me after I sat down. His breathing was quick and he was starting to sweat a little from his barrage of fists.

Grinny was behind us on the floor, giving us a review of the match, aided with short loops of my fists tagging Koda, and Ronson and Havard's clinch on the screens above the ring that the spectators could see.

"Get a load of YOU two!" he chirped. He was new to this.

"Hey, Knuckle look" Ronson said, pointing to the crown behind the ring opposite of us. I couldn't hear what they were saying but Koda was not liking his teammate's inexperience. The rhino tried to shove Koda but he didn't budge, and the thundercloud of black fur that was Koda turned to the rat he was fighting for. They seemed to disagree, and I felt a bit of pride for not letting Koda lay a hand on me yet.

As they spoke though, Havard and a dog from the crowd met for a brief moment.

"Hey, Grinny..." Ronson started.

***

"NOW! FACE YOUR OPPONENT!" the ref shouted, and the second round began with the sharp "DING" of the bell.

The four of us approached the center of the ring and we tapped fists. We retreated to our corners and I took a stance with widespread legs and one fist out ahead, the other at my chest. Ronnie crossed his legs to put a hoof on my knee and leaned against me. I didn't budge, and we were showered with flashes from cameras and cheers. Koda wasn't a showman though: he just paced around with an annoyed look on his face while his teammate and the rat had a short chat.

"Looks like you could use better... support, Koda..." Ronson called out, showing the size of his balls with nerve. The black wolf visibly swallowed, and when his teammate came back they took decent poses but the audience wasn't concerned by then, with some individuals booing from the stands.

"So you're saying we just gotta break YOURS, eh Ronnie?" Havard said as they approached.

"Yeah, 'swat I'm saying." my friend said. As close as they were I was expecting a sneak attack of some kind, and the rhino attacked me with a punch far too slow to be meant for me. With reflexes that allow me to evade gunfire I swatted the attack down and fired a jab at the base of Havard's horn and he reeled back: the blow reporting with a loud knock. Ronnie was on him in a flash once again; Havard's guard was raised as he couldn't escape the avalanche of big bull fists that Ronson rained down.

In that moment though, Koda saw an opening and gave me a heavy left hook that tossed me back but I landed on my feet, sliding to a stop with a strong stance. I spat red to the mat and Koda looked at Ronson who was preoccupied with isolating Havard, then at me. Sensing a thought to attack Ronson from behind I hopped ahead again, trying to stay in Koda's reach. As I went to land I swung a heel Koda's way and he leaned back to evade. I took the chance to get back to back with Ronson, who I knew was smiling at our union. I smiled too: Ronson threw a left hook to drive Havard's guard up and I wheeled around the bull to deliver a precise punch to the rhino's jaw like a bullet. Havard broke away, clutching his jaw, and Koda took a chance to try a sneak attack as well, but Ronnie turned and caught his wrists.

"Uh-uh, nope!" he grunted, grinning at the struggle, having a blast. Koda growled and turned, moving Ronson 180 degrees, almost tossing him if he wasn't the size he was.

I came in with a flying kick that Koda evaded with a turn and landed before Ronnie.

The bull patted me on the shoulder, Havard staggered toward Koda and the bell rung once more.

"You haVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME" Koda roared at Havard. The rhino sat on the stool while he was tended to by their caregiver, and Grinny checked out my mouth.

"You'll be okay, right? You can do bareknuckle, right Knuckle?" he asked me. (Was that a joke..?) Ronnie took his own time to look me over too. A hand on the back was his "okay" sign, and he thumbed behind himself.

"They ain't having a good time over there..." Ronnie chuckled. He was right: Koda and Havard were nowhere near the same page, as far as this match was concerned. They weren't a team, and they weren't a match for us. Koda had his back turned to Havard, and the rat was calmly seated on the floor level, scrolling on his phone.

"This is easier than I thought it would be!" Ronson snorted, rubbing my shoulders. He was right, but we weren't finished.

A look across the mat showed us Havard wasn't doing the best. His head rolled loosely, like the blow I gave him nearly beheaded him.

"Just keep going." Grinny said, opening a bottle of water to wash my mouth out with.

"Yeah. Havard is the weak link in their duo. Koda can't fight at full strength when he's worried about Havard, and on top of that, his will is small. He can NOT take a punch." I mentioned. Ronnie chuckled, and curled his fingers at Havard across the ring to make the "small" sign.

"He can't take a punch from YOU." he said.

"Just stick together and give their weak link some GAPE!" Grinny shouted, and Havard looked our way with a hateful look on his face: he heard us. He pointed to us, then drew that finger across his throat with a sneer, and reddening eyes.

"Okay here it goes..." Ronson said to us. He walked to the center of the ring, showering in the cheers of the crowd. He looked at Koda and took a deep breath to address everyone.

"Looks like Koda drew the short straw for a teammate!" he said, and the audience agreed with cheer. Ronson waved his hands, pushing for a louder roar and when he got it, he winked at Havard, and slapped himself on the ass as he came back our way. He looked satisfied with himself, even smug but the audience spoke louder than we ever did.

****

"FACE YOUR OPPONENT!!"

The third round started with Koda running ahead to engage Ronson. A few light-speed guesses threw me toward Koda: I made myself land just before them and dropped to grab Koda's right leg. Ronson had his guard up and Koda was just about to grab the bull's crossed arms. When I grabbed his leg I rolled to my left, bringing his thigh to his torso and he rolled with it to escape the throw. Koda swiftly hopped to my legs, grabbing my feet while I was on my back and started to drag me toward Ronson but I swung my free leg up and ended in a handstand, kicking free of his grip with a spin and spun back to Ronson's back again as I shifted back to my feet. Back to back we bumped elbows, and the audience cheered.

By then Havard had recovered enough to get back in the fight. He was down but not out and the two of us were more than a match for either of them. But I wondered... What was Havard doing in the crowd?

"We're good." Ronson assessed, both of us between them. I was fast enough to protect Ronson, he was strong enough to protect me. Koda and Havard were just brutes. We became side by side as they reunited opposite of us, with Havard snickering. Koda looked at him briefly.

"About time." he said. Havard slapped his cheeks, and blinked, a smile on his face growing as time passed.

"You two ready to fight?" Ronson asked them. Havard popped his neck.

"You're gonna pay for that. All of it. I'm gonna make you pay." he said, looking relaxed now. He was only down there for a second, he could have done anything.

"Watch out Ronnie." I warned.

"I got him." he said, and I hoped he wasn't being overconfident.

"Then let's work." I said, rushing ahead to kick off Havard's face to power up a punch at Koda, but Havard just went with it. My punch ended up short, and Ronnie caught me in his arms to shuffle back out of reach of Koda's left hook that sizzled as it went by my head, then set me down.

"What the fuck is.." I started, and Ronnie nodded.

"I told you Knuckle, I got him." Ronnie said.

"But so what the hell was up with that left hook?" he asked me.

"I don't know, that's new." I said, wary of the attack but unfazed by Koda.

"You got a plan Knuckle?" Ronson asked.

"Yeah. You gonna handle Havard?"

"Handle him like fine China." he said with a big smirk.

***

I rushed into Koda's reach and waited for his reaction. He stood there as I got in and I cracked out three kicks, to his side, up to his head, and back down to smash into that tenderized spot.

He didn't react much to them, and growled through a dangerous smile as when my right leg hit the mat, he rushed in and I attacked with a jab that he turned into a throw: he caught my wrist to control my arm, and tried to trip me over my own center of gravity but I knew that was coming. I went to drop into a roll but he rolled with me, ending up straddling my waist, and caught me with two heavy haymakers before I got my guard up.

"UFF, OOF! ROOON!" I shouted. Koda was angling his blows down onto my arms, and I could feel each one drive a bit deeper, like he was trying to break them.

Ronson dodged a swipe of Havard's hand and when Havard got close, he shoved him away square in the chest. Havard staggered away, grinning as he hit the ropes and slid to the corner, posting up like he owned the spot.

Koda came back with another punch and I evaded it, catching that elbow and pushing against it. Koda rolled off me and I got away, right as Ronson got to me.

He helped me to my feet, and I rubbed my face. Koda hit me hard, twice. He took the moment he knew he had to do as much damage as possible. I hit him a total of seven times and he barely flinched. He gave me three blows that took a few months off my life apiece.

Ronson and I were back to back. Havard didn't leave the corner, and Koda didn't come any closer.

"DING!"

***

Ronson and I were in our corner, both teammate and coach checking out my newest bruises from Koda. Ronnie rubbed some cream on both and they both blinked as... apparently the swelling stopped cold.

"Damn that's fast-acting..." Grinny said.

"Knuckle, I'm so- I trust you, Ronnie."

"I'm almost done. Just about got him figured out."

***

"DING!"

Round four started with Koda advancing with bobs of his shoulders, his raised arms changing his openings randomly. He swung at me with a left that I dodged, and countered with a knee to his gut. His free right hand parried the attack away, but I turned that into another kick as Koda attacked with another left, arcing over his arm to plant my heel in his nose. He ducked my kick and countered with a right hook, and I took the chance to throw him like he did me, but he hit the mat and I followed the throw by landing on him before I rolled to my feet. Koda coughed out but snatched my ankle back and I tried to roll with it but he was on his feet in an instant and he shifted to put me in a rear headlock and choke me out. I struggled, trying not to panic and find my way to escape but Koda's legs were around my waist... With a burst of energy I grabbed his ankle and lifted, wrenching him around by his hip and I slipped out of his arms. I quickly rolled back into a crouch, watching Koda stand up with a scowl.

"Uh-uh Koda, you gotta want it." I said, sighting Ronson and Havard struggle in a grapple. More like Havard struggled; Ronson wrenched his arm by the wrist and turned, dropping the open joint of his elbow over his shoulder and it snapped hard.

Havard screamed as he definitely felt THAT, but with his other arm he- Koda lunged in with a furious snarl and I rolled away to hear Ronson cry out.

"AHHHH!!"

Havard had stabbed Ronson in the side with a switchblade!

"YOU LIKE THAT? YOU THINK THAT'S FUCKIN FUNNY? I'M GONNA PUT YOUR HORNS ON YOUR SHITTY TRUCK AND DRIVE IT OFF A BRIDGE!" he roared as he twisted the blade free and...

I saw red on the mat and Ronnie fell to his knees. He looked at his palms, stained red with his blood...

"Kn...Knuckley..." he said, and in a rage I forgot where I was. I forgot about Koda. I forgot about the fight, and just jumped toward Havard as hard as I could, and kicked him in the side hard enough to throw him away from Ronson, out of the ring, and into the floor-level fold-up seats.

"OH NO, NO NO NO NO NO NO" I said in a panic as I was right there with him.

"RONNIE!" I cried, terrified of losing someone else I loved to this hellish sport. He was heavy: fighting to stay conscious and I held him, feeling his warmth flow into my fur.

"I...I got him to..." Ronnie said with a weak smile.

"WHAT!?" I shouted, and suddenly gunshots rang out and acres of panic sent the audience home. Grinny and E-Xander entered the ring, moving past Koda who was still and silent. Ronnie suddenly went limp, and with screams of rage and fear I held him.

"Knuckle, we're here!" Grinny shouted, and a few of his boys helped lift Ronson with me.

***

My mind went blank: I don't know what happened after the ring. I came to in the hospital, next to Ronson in his room.

Once again, the wound was close to his heart and had to be handled with delicacy.

Meanwhile I was... I don't know. Having faced this before I was prepared, but I didn't... I don't want to live without him. I couldn't, not when I'd lost the only other person I'd ever loved. With wet eyes I put my face in my palms.

***

"Knuck..." a familiar voice called out to me. I immediately awoke and looked around: Chief was standing in the doorway. My master, whom I'd lost.

I couldn't stand it. There was a great depth I felt in my chest, and I was washed over with sadness.

"No Chief, no..." I said, shaking my head as I began to cry real tears.

"I don't want to lose him Chief, I don't want to be alone after this! Ah ain't got a damn thing left!" I said in anguish, balling up a fist.

"Knuck I know there's a lot left unsaid between us, but the only thing you need to know right now is that I'm proud you carried through. You pushed and made it to the end, even knowing that it meant losing me." he said, and he offered me his hand.

"But I'll always be around to watch out for you. Put it here Knuck..." he said, and I swallowed as I took my master's hand.

***

I woke up next to Ronson, with my hand in his. He was actively breathing in his unconscious state, and he squeezed my hand. My heart raced as I realized my bull was fighting to stay alive. I squeezed it back, feeling his grip tighten and I rested my head on his chest. His breathing gave me hope, and I held his hand in both of mine.

****

One month later...

"Four million, six-hundred eighty-thousand dollars." Grinny said to me, as he closed the duffels loaded with stacks and stacks and stacks of bills. It turns out that Ronson had a feeling about the rhino having fought him before, and he bet on us losing. Smart move, smarter to keep it from me.

"That's what you get, with your gift package to me and my boys, plus the Pazziera's cut." the pit bull said, before snorting a line of white powder off his glass-top coffee table. He pinched his nose a bit and shuddered.

"That'll...handle Ronson's physical therapy and recovery too, and you two can dis-a-fuckin-pear!" he said, clapping his hands once. Ronnie sat close by my side on the couch in Grinny's office, and nodded before he took a swig of beer. Helps him relax, no issue from me.

"Listen, Grinny..." I started, but he stopped me.

"Don't even mention it! He'll fit in just fine. Hope he doesn't burn out on the buffet..." he said with a wink. Also turns out that Grinny bought Koda's contract, so he officially has a fighter of his own, and Koda has a manager worth fighting for. He's also been balls deep in ass since he set his bags down here, and The Pit Crew is all too happy to have him. The ex-cop E-Xander got a message from someone he didn't expect to hear from again, and he's been gone since Ronnie recovered.

"Got an idea on where you're headed, or what you're gonna do?" Grinny asked, settling into his couch across from us.

Ronson hugged me close, smiling as we both started to tell him about our idea: a refuge for those looking to reconnect, or find a new part of themselves. Grinny nodded on as we gave him one good idea after another, and with his hand on my shoulder, Ronnie said

"'Bachelor's Paradise' is the name we settled on".

"It doesn't matter where we go though. We'll put roots down and grow our futures wherever we're at. Our home is where HE is." he said to Grinny, and I felt him ruffle my headfur.

"Nah-ah Ronnie, it ain't home unless you're there too." I said, grinning at the bull.

"Then we agree..." he said, leaning low to kiss me.