Heyo!
Sorry this one took so long, I was held captive by Xenoblade 3 and there was nothing I could do. Lol
Chapter 63:
"Are you ready for this?"
"Ooohh I'm so excited! What is it? What is it?!" Ruby asked, bouncing with excitement.
"Hehe, happy birthday!" Taiyang lifted his hands from her eyes.
"*gaasp* Aaaaah! Oh my god!" she couldn't believe what she saw. Right before her, was a red station wagon with a large bow on the hood. "You got me a car?!"
"It's all yours, pipsqueak" her uncle Qrow said. She quickly ran to it and ripped off the big ribbon, pacing around it to awe from every angle. "Come on, let's take it for a spin" he tossed her the keys.
She caught them, "Sure! Where will we go?"
"Lady Amitola's" Yang said, "Ilia got her aunt to reserve her deli for your party."
"Wow, and we still get to watch the fight?"
"Uh-huh"
"Awesome! Let's go!" Ruby eagerly got into the driver, Qrow in the passenger.
"Heh, I still can't believe you know Ghira Belladonna's daughter! Why didn't you ever tell me she's your roommate?" Taiyang asked.
Yang shrugged, "It never came up before."
"You said she went home for break, right? Could you ask her to get an autograph for me?'
"Sure dad, I'll see" she chuckled as they both got in the back.
Ruby pulled into a parking spot on the street outside the restaurant. After they got out, they entered to see the party setup, several dishes of seafood, meats, and other delicacies, with a large chocolate cake on the next table over. "Hey hey! Is that the birthday girl?" Tock asked as she stepped out from the kitchen wiping her hands. Among the other guests included Ilia, her cousins Trifa and Yuma, and another woman with long brown hair and deep blue eyes, wearing a leather jacket over a neon green hoodie.
"Happy birthday Ruby!"
"Happy birthday" Yuma and Trifa said.
"Thanks. Did the fight start yet?"
"Not yet, it's the last preliminary" Yuma said, his attention locked on the flat-screen on the back wall.
Qrow walked up to the brunette, "Hey Eunie."
"Hey love" they pecked lips, "I take it she liked the gift?"
"Liked it? I LOVE it!" Ruby said, making herself a plate.
Taiyang looked around, "Huh, I pass this place every day going to work, and this is the first time I've been inside."
"That true? Well, if you grab a bite, I guarantee it won't be your last~" Tock said with a wink. He smiled, taking up her offer and fixing a plate too.
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"Oop, excuse me" Jaune said, lifting the Styrofoam containers he held over his head as he passed an elderly woman. The train's food car was quite refined. A lengthy cafeteria with not only a small fountain, but decorative plants that aligned each window. When he approached the exit, he tightened his grip on their food before opening the door. A gust of wind blew in his face, stepping out on the platform connecting the cars. He took a moment to look out. The Bionis Limited was almost at Keves station, the midway point, where it'll stop for the night to refuel. He could see the tail of the Sanus Mountains, the station located in the valley at its end. Opening the door to the cabin car, he made his way through the hall until he found their room. Inside, Pyrrha sat on the couch, her right foot propped on the coffee table, "Did it start yet?"
"You're just in time. The last prelim just finished" she said, taking the container handed to her. Placing it in her lap, she opened the lid to the smell of a well-seasoned salmon with a side of rice and asparagus. Jaune sat beside her, opening his to see a gourmet hamburger and fries. Holding it up, he took a bite, before looking at the TV.
"What a thrilling fight, but we're not finished yet folks. After a quick word from our sponsors, it'll be the main card you've all been waiting for" the commentator said before cutting to a commercial.
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The sound of cheers and applause drowned Aionios Arena. Located in the center of Kuo Kuoana, the large stadium was sold out, not a single seat empty. "This is it" Sun said.
"…Yeah" Blake clasped her hands in front of her chest. She never used to feel this nervous, at least until those fights against Hazel. Sun sat to her right, and her mother to her left, far more excited than she was.
"Aaaalllllright ladies and gentlemen! It is time for the maaaaaiiinn event of the evening!" the ram faunus announcer said emphatically. The lights dimmed as thee spotlights focused on the challenger's entrance. Music started to play as Beppo Auros stepped out, adorned in a furry indigo cloak over his black trunks. Across the beltline read 'Corazon', matching the attire of his trainers beside him. A mixture of cheers and boos accompanied their walk to the ring, which hardly fazed the polar bear faunus. He easily stepped over the top ropes before his head trainer removed his cloak for him. His long white hair was braided to his scalp, matching his bear fur that draped across his shoulders. Though his mid-section was a bit rotund, Blake knew well not to judge a book by its cover.
Next, was her father. The crowd roared as his music played, the spotlights shining on the champion entrance. Out he stepped wearing his signature robe, royal purple with a fuzzy white trim and a silver shoulder piece in the shape of a panther head. Corsac and Fennec were with him as they approached the ring, "Wooo! Show him who's king baby!" Kali cheered, standing to wave so he saw her.
Once he stepped in the ring, they went to stand in their respected corner. "Welcome! Those here and everyone watching from around the world! It…is…TIME! This next bout is for the RBO Faunus Heavyweight championship of the world! Introducing the challenger in the blue corner, standing at six-feet eleven inches tall, weighing three hundred and seven pounds! Hailing from Mantle, Atlas! Beppo, 'The Polar Pulverizer', Auuuuroooos!" the announcer said. Beppo raised his hands, pounding his chest at the few boos scattered here and there. "Aaand standing in the red corner, standing at seven feet tall, weighing three hundred twelve pounds! Hailing from right here in Kuo Kuoana, Menagerie! Ladies and gentlemen, the reigning, undefeated, undisputed, faunus heavy champion of the worrrld! Ghira, 'The King of Beasts', Bellaaaaadonnaaa!" the announcer gestured to him, shadow-boxing to the uproar of cheers. Corsac removed his robe for him, he and Beppo coming to the center of the ring, a gazelle faunus referee standing between them.
"Gentlemen. We went over the rules in the dressing room. I want you keep this fight clean, protect yourself at all times, and what I say you must obey. Good luck and touch gloves!"
When they did, they stepped back to their corners as their trainers and the announcer left the ring. Blake took a deep breath, "Please let him be okay" she prayed.
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*Ding ding*
"Woohoo! Go Ghira!" Tock cheered. The two fighters approached, squaring up to start the fight.
"Southpaw versus southpaw huh? You don't see that often" Qrow chided.
"You a fan Tock?" Eunie asked.
"More than that love, his wife Kali and I've been friends for decades. They helped me through a rough patch in my life, and when Ghira became champion they bought me this place" she explained, gesturing around her.
"You don't say?" Taiyang said. On the TV, Ghira and Beppo circled the center of the ring, probing with jabs, feinting in attempt to draw reactions, as if testing the waters. Beppo threw a lead left, which Ghira blocked as he bounced back to reset. He returned with two touch jabs and a straight to Beppo's body, the bear faunus blocking it the same.
"Moves pretty good for a fat guy" Yang said.
"Have you seen polar bears before? I'm not surprised" Ilia said.
"…Look at all the faunus in the crowd. Is that…a giraffe man?" Ruby squinted at the corner of the screen, seeing a man with a long neck covered in brown spotted fur.
"Surprised? There's a faunus for every animal you know" Trifa said.
"…Even fish?"
"Of course. Got a good fishing buddy o'mine who's a six-gill shark. Breathes water right through his neck" Tock explained, tracing her fingers to show where gills would be.
"That's crazy" Ruby said. Back on screen, Beppo stepped forward, catching Ghira with a right hook to the body, then a straight left that grazed his beard as he batted it away.
"Oof, and that one just grazed him, Bartee."
"It sure did Peter, Beppo came to fight tonight. Another feint and an overhand left, partially blocked by the champion."
Yang raised an eyebrow, recognizing a commentator's voice from the hours of lectures she sat through. "…Is that professor Port? When did he start commentating boxing matches?"
"He your teacher?" Eunie asked.
"Yeah, from biology. Just not used to hearing actual…emotion in his voice."
"Hehe, small world huh?"
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"HehehahahaHA! Come on Ghira! This guy's nothing!"
"Whoa! Watch it Tyrion" Ozma said, ducking under his tail as it swayed.
*Ding Ding*
The bell rang, ending the first round. "Oh, heha! Sorry" Tyrion said, wrapping his tail around his waist again.
"…Thank goodness that thing is capped" Weiss said. She and Neptune were invited to a watch party at Salem and Ozma's house for the match. The other guests included Cinder, Emerald, and Salem's friend Tyrion.
"Yeah, there were a few accidents here and there when we were kids. In order to even attend school, they wanted to have his venom sack removed altogether. But because it wasn't possible to do it safely, we settled with this" Salem explained.
"Yes hehe, I also carry a vile of antidote juuust in case" Tyrion said holding up a small, corked bottle from his pocket.
"That's…pretty wild" Neptune said.
*Ding Ding*
Round two. Ghira and Beppo approached and squared up to continue. Ghira took the offensive, getting into his signature head and hand movement. He caught Beppo with a stiff jab, but as he back tracked, he switched to an orthodox stance, returning with a strong right hand down the pipe.
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A collective gasp washed the arena, but Ghira simply wiped his nose and re-engaged. Sun could hardly believe this. He, Blake, and Kali got to sit in the third row, some of the best seats in the building. They were close enough to hear the impact of their strikes, and he couldn't fathom how either of them could withstand such punishment. A single punch from Ghira was enough to do himself in, even with protection. He glanced to his left; Kali was on her feet…with a feral look in her eyes, her cat ears perked along with a wide grin. Blake was the opposite, her cat ears flat against her head with her hands clasped covering her mouth. "Heh, that was nothing. Let's go baby, pick up the pace" Kali said.
As if Ghira heard her, he feinted, ducked under a jab, and landed a left cross on Beppo's chin. The blow made him titter for a split second, but he quickly recomposed and clenched. When the referee broke them apart, he returned to southpaw, thinking it would do him better. The different look seemed to halt Ghira's aggression, both of them resetting in the middle of the ring. "He's looking pretty good huh?" Sun asked Blake.
"… …" she didn't answer, far too focused on her father. Despite the huge left he landed, this Beppo guy kept matching him in both pace and blows. He had a record of 28 – 0, and he was showing why.
*Ding Ding*
The referee stepped between them, ushering them back to their corners. She exhaled; unaware she was holding her breath. Two rounds down…ten to go. Above on the arena's jumbotron, as well as the screens spread throughout, they showed slow motion replays of the round. First, the retaliatory right hand thrown by Beppo, splitting her dad's guard to land square on his cheek. Next, was the powerful left he landed across Beppo's jaw, momentarily making him lose balance. Each highlight drew Oo's and Aw's of shock from the crowd, and Blake couldn't blame them. The punches from heavyweights were a different breed of their own, and it only takes one to turn the tides of the fight.
"Auros has a hell of a gas tank" Qrow said. After seven more grueling rounds, Beppo appeared as energetic as he was in the first. Needless to say Ghira was the same, though the effects of the fight were appearing on them both. Beppo had a cut above his eyebrow, expertly treated by his trainer. Ghira had a bruise under his left eye, a minute and a half left in the tenth round.
"Come on uncle Ghira! Knock him out!" Yuma flapped his wings, tucking them in again.
"Careful dear" Tock said, looking back at the screen…with a bit of concern.
Taiyang noticed, and admittedly he could see why. Ghira was clearly the better boxer, but he was fourty-six years old, far removed from his prime. Beppo, however, was a spry twenty-nine, and their age difference was starting to show. Prancing left, he pounded Ghira's body with three consecutive punches, before missing with a hook to the head, Ghira ducking beneath to escape from the ropes. But as he went for the follow-up, the unexpected happened…
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*BAP*…*BAP*… …*thud*
"Ugh! …What the hell?" Ghira thought. Out of nowhere, he found himself on his side against the mat. He felt a ringing, throbbing pain in his left ear, as the world felt like it was spinning. He knew immediately his equilibrium was thrown off.
"…Two! …Three!" the referee knelt to count in his face.
The count! He needed to get up, he needed to show he could still fight! He planted his gloves down, but as he pushed up…a wave of dizziness came with. He got one knee, looking up at the ref as he got to five.
"DAAAD!" Through the cheers, jeers, and howls of excitement, he turned his head in the direction of her scream. He met eyes with Blake… …and he felt his heart shatter. She was distraught, tears running down her face as she and Kali looked on in concern.
"… … …What am I doing?" he asked himself. He got to his feet just as the ref got to nine. It felt like he was standing on a boat, swaying on the waves of the ocean.
"Hey, lift up your gloves for me!" the ref instructed. He easily followed, raising his indigo gloves up to his face. He then gave them to the ref to pull his arms as he pulled back, "Are you alright!?"
"I'm alright."
"Do you want to continue!?"
… ...He glanced one more time at his family…then looked back, "… …No. I'm done."
The ref was taken aback, "…A-are you sure?"
"Yes"
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"…I…I don't believe this. Ladies and gentlemen, Ghira Belladonna has chosen not to continue! Beppo Auros is the new champion of the world!"
Everyone in the room was left stunned before loud cheering erupted from the TV. "…Seriously? HehehahaHA! That's it?" Tyrion asked.
"*Pft* Talk about a letdown" Cinder chided.
"Those last two punches were quite vicious" Ozma said as they displayed the replay of the knockdown. In slow motion, Ghira ducked to get off the ropes, but when turned back, Beppo caught him clean under the chin with an uppercut, then a snapping hook right on his ear, making the panther faunus lose his footing and fall. "Even if he wanted to, his body would be too off balance."
"...Aaaaaawww" Tyrion's head drooped, saddened from seeing his idol lose for the first time.
Salem patted him on the back, "It's alright Tyrion. He had a good run, but father time will forever be undefeated."
"Yeah…I know"
"…Hmm…hey, how about we go get some late-night scones huh?"
"*gasp* Ooo yes, I'd like that."
"Ozma?"
He shrugged, "Sure, let's do it."
"Cinder? Emerald?"
"Sure, I can go for some dessert."
"Me too" Emerald agreed.
"Weiss? Neptune?"
"…*yaaawn* I'm quite tired actually. I think I'll call it a night. Can you take me back Neptune?"
"Sure."
"In that case, it was nice having you over. Let's get together again sometime" Ozma said, Weiss and Neptune nodding in agreement before getting up to leave.
It was one forty-three, and Weiss was incredibly groggy. Sliding her keycard through the door lock, she came into the suite to see Winter asleep on the couch. Her astronomy book 'Into the Cosmos' laid open covering her face, "Winter, I'm back" the door closed, but she hardly budged. "Winter?" Weiss asked again, yet she remained unmoving, her chest heaving softly up and down. Weiss's sight drifted to the arm of the couch…where Winter's feet were propped up audaciously. "Come on. It's almost like you're asking for it" she thought mischievously.
Slipping out of her shoes, Weiss quietly approached the end of the couch, reaching out to crawl her fingernails up Winter soles. "…Mm… …Hm hmhm…heh *gasp*!?" she jolted awake, her book falling to the floor. "Huh?! Oh, Weiss."
"I'm back."
"So you are. What time is it?"
"Well past midnight, I'm going to bed. Heh, you should've been there to see it. The fight was so good, but Ghira Belladonna ended up quitting near the end of the tenth."
Winter picked her book up, placing the mark where she remembered she left. "I'm sure it was. Just two animals competing for dominance." She stood up to stretch, "*yawn* Thanks for waking me. I'll see you in the morning" she said as she made for her room.
When her door closed, Weiss remained, taken aback by her off-hand comment. "...What was that about?"
To Be Continued...