The white furred kangaroo strutted along the street. He was going to train for the magical guild tournament so that he could prove his immense strength in front of 100s of furrs. He felt great today! Looking up at the beautiful cloudy sky he breathed in and sighed out smiling. GREAT!

Clicking his claws on the concrete he walked along. The place where he usually trained was in the plains of the natural world where he could unleash his ultimate moves without hurting anyone or causing any property damage and he was just imagining the new techniques he could develop and practice in his head as he walked along, until he bumped right into someone!

The poor fox fell back on his rump, being knocked backwards by the kangaroos strong chest.

"Oh!" he said.

Karoo jumped and fumbled to give the fox his paw to help him up. The fox had dropped the scrolls he was holding all over the street.

"Im really sorry!" The kangaroo said, hastily grabbing the scrolls and bundling them in his strong arms as the fox got to his paws and brushed himself off. Noticing the foxes paws passing over his uniform, he noticed the familiar design of a magical guild uniform. "Youre from the magical guild?" he asked the fox.

The fox answered him "Yes, I am", looking straight at him with beautiful green orbs which seemed to shift colours like spillt oil. "Ah.." the kangaroo said shyly.

"I actually was just on my way to an exam.." the Fox said, looking down at the floor. "So if youll excuse me.." The kangaroo offered the scrolls he had gathered to the fox who took them and walked tensely away down the street in the opposite direction.

The kangaroo couldnt help but stare after him! *What a gentle yet mysterious personality* he thought to himself watching the foxin disappear around a corner.

He continued on his way. All the thoughts of his new techniques had suddenly been erased from his brain! He bit his lip and pulled at one ear as he walked. That fox! He wondered so much who he was. He should have asked for his name! Damn! He didnt even think to check what his ID was... Now there would be no way to tell who he was...

OH! The kangaroo realised. He was definitely a magical guild student. Perhaps he would be in the crowd the tournament? There he could show off his sharp fighting skills and his amazing moves and techniques refined over many years some of them unique to only him as he had designed them and others could not pull them off no matter how hard they tried. He walked forward happily with a new reason to train!

In the natural world plains, feeling the grass beneath his paws, the kangaroo warmed up, stretching and flexing all his muscles in his usual routine. His tail was last and he stretched it fully out the spiked end quivering, then he wrapped it around his torso and squeezed. He had almost achieved full prehensility of his tail!, he noted.

Then he began his training and he calmed his mind. But right in the centre was the fox magical guild student he had seen earlier that day... Well! hed show him just what he could do when he wasnt being shockingly clumsy. Maybe he would even win the tournament and nobody would graduate that year! He had heard the reward was very generous for challengers this year.

He punched the air twice and his ears were extremely sensitive to the subtle changes in the pressure of the air. He punched again, an upper cut and a strong punch to the side. Then he twirled into a kick and his clawed hind paws sprang right out slicing the air. He almost wished he could practice on some trees but it was forbidden to destroy any part of the natural world.

He practiced his spins, twirls, flips... His agility was topped by very few other furs. He had strength and speed... His kicks, punches were fast and strong. He could kick so fast that his paws became a blur. Testing his weight, he leaned back onto his tail and pounded his hind paws so fast the air whined! They were completely invisible. Anyone in the way of his hind clawz would have been sliced or shredded to pieces.

He smirked self assuredly to himself as he flopped backwards panting onto the grass and lay there staring up at the clouds. The fox would be so impressed when he saw him in the tournament in just a few days. He would punch everyone else out of the tournament and the fox he met would watch him from the crowd and see how strong and brave he was. Great...He couldnt wait..

The kangaroo trained for 3 more days perfecting his movements and his physical prowess. He was very strong but his muscles now ached. But he felt like the most powerful furr on the planet!

THE TOURNAMENT

Today was the day of the tournament. All the white kangaroo could think about was the fox he had bumped into... He looked expectantly into the crowds outside the stadium, who were lining up to be able to watch the amazing spectacle. *Well it really will be amazing now that Im fighting in it!* Thought the kangaroo. He couldnt see the fox but trusted his instinct that he would be there.

He strutted into the challengers backstage and equipped his boxing gloves and his ankle supports which stopped his bones from being broken by the sheer force with which he would kick. He looked in the mirror and slicked back his ears and his dark grey orbs stared back at him in his reflection. *Hmm* he thought *I could be a little more handsome but this will just have to do*.

Then he performed some exercises to calm his mind and body and raise his stats as well as his usual ritual to crack his knuckles to release the luck. His name was called! He walked proudly and confidently through the dark. He had no doubts that he could take anything any challenger threw at him and whats more, give it back 100 fold. He was that powerful. He stepped out onto the ring and the crowd cheered. They even knew him here! He grinned and looked to see who his opponent was.

Then his smile completely faded. IT WAS THE FOX. He couldnt believe it. Now his fearless heart started to pound like a nervous drum. The fox recognized him too, he could see it in his face. NOW WHAT?!

He couldnt believe this turn of events, what would he do?! The foxes calm green orbs looked at him from across the ring, although he could sense his fear and surprise. Then he steeled himself! There was no way he could let this get in the way of his ferocious fighting spirit and his clean win streak! He had barely known this fur except for a few chance moments anyway. What was he worrying about? He would just take this fur out like any other.

"Fine" he said out loud. "Ill fight you, fox..." The fox readied himself as they both kneeled and bowed as was the tradition in this tournament. However his pulse was racing at the close proximity to the fox and his calm demeanour that he sensed was concealing something else was just.. so exciting to him... He pushed the thought away! *NO! I have to fight this fur! For my fighting honour!* He thought to himself.

"GET READY!" he barked then as they heard the signal to start they both leapt apart to get some space between them. The kangaroo had to control his feelings for this battle. He gritted his sharp teeth then he charged at the fox pulling back the muscles of his right arm like a spring. Tightly wound he released his fist at the foxes face, whose expression was so shocked! But he punched air. The fox dodged!?

He punched again. and again. But each time he felt as though he was stepping into air, waiting tersely for contact and closure to each move. But his opponent didged left and right, again and again. This fox was agile! Or perhaps just scared.

The kangaroo gritted his teeth. He hated scaredy cats! He feinted another punch, and on his recoil he stored vast amounts of energy. His body seemed to glow with power as he kneeled on the floor. Then his paw flew forward like a rocket into the foxes jaw with such power that he was blown back into the air!

The kangaroo saw the fox land, and roll onto his back, his hindlegs coming over through the air, and then remorse and guilt struck him... How could he do this to a fur so... Amazingly cute and mysterious..?! How could he ever hurt someone like that?! But then he felt an incredible energy in the air that set his fur on end.

The fox had summoned his cannon weapon in the middle of his roll backwards when his paws were hidden to the kangaroo. In the foxes paws now he held the cannon which was emitting a blinding light! The kangaroo only had a split second to dissovle his feelings and to act but it was too late. A force like a bomb hit him in the middle of his chest! He felt like his whole body would explode and his ribs would crack! He was flung through the air to the opposite end of the ring, against the wall. He fell to the floor, completely stunned. He could not believe what had just happened! He was in total shock! Coming to his senses he grabbed blindly for the floor and pulled himself up to his paws, just in time to heard the score being announced..

No way.. No it couldnt be... The kangaroo had... lost!?

He had LOST!

To this fox! He had made sure his feelings wouldnt get in the way of his fighting but.. now...what had happened! He let his body flop to the floor, drained of its energy in one shot.

Faintly he felt a touch on his shoulder... He felt his body being pulled somewhere soft and warm... He opened his aching eyes and looked up into the face of... The fox! He had pulled him gently onto his lap and was now gently pressing his paw onto his chest just where his heart was located. He gazed up, overcome with his feelings, but the Fox stopped him from speaking with a gentle hush, which was good since his voice would have surely broken from all the emotion. He felt a calm and radiant energy coming from the Foxes gentle paw over his heart. He tried to control its frenzied thumping at the contact from the Fox who was now caring for him in case he felt it... But it was no use..

"Stay still..." said the Fox in his gentle voice. "Im sorry for hurting you but I really have to graduate. I didnt mean to hurt you so badly. Im healing you now.."

The kangaroo looked up into the Foxes gentle face and immedietely had to look away as he blushed. His large paw went instinctively up to rest atop the foxes slender paw on his pounding chest. He turned his face away overcome by shyness and emotion at the Fox who acted so unpredictably to him, first beating him then healing and gently caring for him. This was too much. He used the excuse of exhaustion to shut his eyes and relaxed on the foxes lap.

Hours later he awoke in a soft and comfortable bed. The light coming in through the window was soft and colourful..He realised he was still in the magical world. In a hospital perhaps..? Then he remembered the fight he had with that mysterious intriguing fox. He couldnt believe it! His paw running up his chest to where the fox had put his own gentle paw to heal him, hefelt nothing but bruises although they were almost healed, they only faintly ached. Then he moved his head to the side, and sitting by the bedside was..! The fox! Who was watching him expectantly...

"oh.. Thank goodness youre all right.." The fox said gently as he met eyes with the Kangaroo, putting one paw sympathetically onto his paw over his chest.

"I.. where am i?" The white kangaroo asked blearily.

"Youre at my apartment" The fox replied gently. He cut across the kangaroos protests "Its no trouble... I want to repay you for hurting you so badly in the tournament.."

The kangaroo who had propped himself up on his elbows flopped back down at the foxes worried insistence. He sighed comfortably... "How did you do that.. I thought i was better trained than any other fur.."

The fox looked sympathetic. "Im sorry. I really had to graduate.. and i did.. and of course partially it was thanks to my victory against you..." He smiled at the kangaroo, whos upset at his first loss melted away at this comment. The kangaroo smiled bashfully back, but then was overcome by shyness as their eyes met. He bit his lip and looked away as he blushed.

"Whats the matter?" The fox said worriedly, peering at the kangaroos face. "Did i not fully heal you? Whats wrong?"

The kangaroo smiled nervously. "No, no its not that its just that.."

The fox was puzzled. "Just what?" he asked.

The kangaroo sat up (wincing at the pain from his healing bruises covering his chest) and took the foxes paws in his... "I.. sorry I.. Its just that.."

The fox blushed with his paws being held by the handsome kangaroo and he gazed at his with his colour shifting eyes.

"Ever since i... bumped into you i.. sensed something about you.. I dont know.."

The fox laughed nervously..."Well, to be honest, me too... I was so shocked to see you at the tournament as my challenger..."

The kangaroo smiled at this and then gathered courage from inside his heart. "Me too.. Well.. since then i just hadnt been able to get you off my mind and.."

The kangaroo leaned forwards and kissed the fox!

The fox just couldnt believe it... He leaned forwards and brought his paws around the kangaroos strong shoulders and hugged him and kissed him once back!

Seeing the kangaroos deep blush made him happy. "Your wounds will not heal properly if you are sat up like this" the fox said, and pushed him back onto the bed. He thought he could see love hearts in the kangaroos vacant eyes. "Lets just go to sleep!"he said, laughing. Then they cuddled and fell asleep.

~End~