Theo finally got up though he was still feeling pretty freaked out by what he saw last night.
"Oh yeah, I gotta find Fang.", he recalled.
After getting dressed for the day, Theo went down to the lobby for the breakfast it provided while trying to get his mind off things. Luckily that day was sunny, yet had a wind to keep down the heat so Theo could walk and try and find Fang. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't getting much luck until an idea came to mind.
"Now, if there could be somewhere monster wrestlers work out beside the stadium.", he pondered out loud.
"Excuse me, but are you looking for a monster wrestler?"
Theo paused to notice what looked like a fan of the sport.
"Yeah, I'm kind of having trouble finding-"
"Hold on, you're Frostfang's coach right?", the fan asked.
Theo raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah? You know where he is?"
"Sure I do.", the fan answered, "He's over by the outdoor weightlifting area down by the beach. All the wrestling monsters work out there in their spare time."
Theo felt better.
"Thanks, but do you know how to get there?"
The fan handed out a paper that looked like a homemade map of the stadium and the surrounding areas. Theo didn't give it much thought as he figured that the sooner he found Fang, the better. As Theo made his way to the beach, there seemed to be a crowd gathering.
"What's going on here?", Theo wondered.
"We're just here to see a bunch of monsters work out.", someone stated.
As Theo made his way closer to the big area where the monsters were working out, he couldn't help but overhear some more comments.
"Man, he's really been watching his weight."
"That one probably needs to apply more sunscreen."
"The one I'm hoping to see that newcomer who came to town. He looks pretty fit."
"Maybe cause of all that swimming."
The moment Theo heard "swimming" he now had the idea Fang was there and he had managed to get to where the monsters were weightlifting, doing pullups, squats, and running on treadmills. It was hard to see from the ground, but luckily there was a set of huge stands so the observing fans can see the working out monsters. Theo had barely got to a good viewing area when he noticed Fang doing some pull ups and clearly enjoying himself since he looked wet enough to suggest he went swimming before he came here.
"Seventy-five…seventy-six…seventy-seven.", Fang counted before he dropped to the ground to take a swing of his giant water bottle and noticed Theo nearby, "Oh, good morning coach."
/
As Fang swam his fourteenth lap around the swimming area of the beach, Theo looked at the timer he had going on his stopwatch.
"That's good, but can you go faster?", Theo asked as Fang came to a pause.
Fang rolled his eyes as he took a drink from his water bottle.
"I think I'm fast enough coach."
Theo took a breath.
"Fang, if we're going to beat Vanity in that rematch, we need to be at the top of our game and I doubt he'll use the same field he did last time due to us being used to it."
Fang smiled as he came out of the water to allow the seawater to drip of his shark skin.
"That's fine coach. Just where am I going to train when there isn't a place to do so?"
"Um, I can tell you where."
Theo and Fang turned to see a monster half Fang's size that looked like a hamster with goat horns.
"There's a gym just on the other side of town.", he told them, "By the way, can I get a photo with Fang here? I hear he's more attractive after he swims."
Theo was about to object, but Fang beat him to it.
"Don't mind if I do."
Theo suddenly felt a bit angry. Fang should be focused on trying to train not focus on being a celebrity and putting Isla de Fang on the chopping block. He turned and started walking towards town a ways before Fang caught up with him.
"Hey, what's wrong coach?", he asked.
Theo didn't answer and kept walking.
"Um coach, you know I'm talking to you right?", Fang asked.
Still nothing and Fang was getting a little anxious.
"Was this about that photo session back there? Coach, I know you seem a little upset right now but-"
"What makes you think I'm upset?!", Theo yelled towards him as he kept walking.
Fang suddenly felt a blow on the inside and he looked apologetic.
"Coach, I know I can be a glory hog at times, but I hardly got enough attention back on Isla de Fang."
Theo looked his way still mad but Fang continued anyway.
"So Coach, the gym is just around the bend. Want a lift?"
Theo sighed, but didn't walk on to Fang's hand when the monster wrestler put it down.
"On one condition.", he said firmly, "That you take this training seriously and stop being a glory hog all the time."
Fang looked a bit more anxious.
"I'm not very smart, but I'm sure that's two conditions there.", he said before noticing Theo's firm expression darken further, "But I'm up for it if you agree to lighten up."
Theo then smiled as he hopped on to Fang's hand and the monster brought him to his face.
"I take it that's a yes?", Fang asked.
"It's a start.", Theo answered.
/
For the rest of that morning, Theo and Fang practiced at the new gym. As Theo pulled up an illusionary underwater ring, Fang looked right at home as he swam effortlessly through the artificial gravity with ease.
"Now this I can win inside.", he said with pride as he displayed an array of wrestling moves against imaginary opponents.
Theo tried to focus, but his mind was back to his nightmare about Tentacular wrestling Fang and Ray. He pulled out a music player and played a song on it which made Fang's ears prick up.
"What's that?", Fang asked as he swam over.
"It's something that calms me down.", Theo answered, "I think it's called Stickerbrush Symphony or something."
Fang looked amused as he started moving his athletic body to the beat and tune of the music while Theo observed.
"I don't know where this came from, but I'm loving it!", Fang proclaimed as he did a full flip in the artificial water ring.
Theo looked thoughtful.
"So you like that tune? Keep this up and we will win real soon."
Fang came back to standing in the ring as the artificial gravity dispersed with a look of amusement on his face.
"You say that we can win, but why do I have this feelin' in my fin?"
"We might feel really timid, but we got skill that's frigid."
Fang chuckled.
"You're getting good coach."
Theo then looked apologetic.
"Hey, I'm sorry I snapped at ya. I just have a lot on my mind and…this whole thing going on."
"It's okay.", Fang said as he got on eye level with Theo, "You know, after this bout, why not you, Winnie, and Ray spend a weekend at my homeland?"
Theo looked on board as he made a phone call. After a talk he hung up and turned back to his wrestler.
"It's official. We're going to Isla de Fang after tonight."
Fang then walked to the center of the training ring while other wrestlers were at other parts of the gym lifting weights, running the treadmill and some were even using virtual reality to test out the different environments. Then one of the training monsters paused as he came up to the ring.
"So, you need a sparing partner for your bout tonight?"
Fang looked eager.
"Well, I do need some extra practice.", he said before turning to Theo, "Unless my coach has any objections?"
Theo rolled his eyes comically.
"Go ahead Fang, we need all the help we can get."
As Fang and his partner got into the ring, another wrestler had paused to roll a set of huge dice. After a moment, the dice (which were both six-sided ones) landed on a three and two.
"Five is the mountain environment!", the wrestler called out.
Theo couldn't help but smile as the ring became an illusionary mountain range. This could help Fang out a lot if Vanity had decided on the kind of ring the rematch would be in.
/
After several more practice bouts, Fang and Theo took a break to get some grub. They even got to know some of the wrestlers who had helped them practice. The first one was a reddish orange colored wolverine with a set of black markings on his face making it look like he had a mask on. He called himself Bronx since that was the name of where he won his first little league match. The other one who had rolled the dice was light gray with light green patches here and there along his serpentine body. His name was Jerry as Fang and Theo found out later. There were others, but those two stood out more than the rest. Bronx was like a tank and hard to take down which made him a perfect wrestling partner for practice and Jerry was quite the comedian as the group got to a stand and got a set of huge hot dogs.
"Vanity spends so much in front of a mirror you'd think they were married.", he commented once, "Too bad the mother and father were broke."
Fang and Bronx chuckled as Theo looked amused.
"You know, that's a good one."
"Why do demolition crews bring pufferfish?", Jerry continued, "Because they blow up real good."
Fang and Bronx chuckled harder. Luckily Jerry cut the comedy so the group could eat their lunch.
"So Bronx, what made you give up the sport?", Theo asked hoping to learn about the new guys.
"Just felt like it was getting boring.", Bronx answered, "Same old thing, different places, and then this new feature shows up and I had to try it out. Next thing I knew, I got the old moxi back."
"And Jerry?", Fang asked.
"We met at a club once.", Jerry answered proudly, "Was doing one of my stand-up comedy acts I was working on and you could say I really got his sides hurting."
Bronx smiled as he took a swing on his soda.
"And I've been letting you tag along ever since."
Jerry looked sneaky.
"Sure you did. Who else could take a joke like the big bad wolverine from New York?", he asked, "So, how about you Fang? Where you swim in from?"
"Coach and I are from Stoker, but I'm originally from Isla de Fang.", Fang answered.
"The island resort and spa?", Bronx asked in awe, "You must pay a fortune to have a home there."
"Actually, I wrestle to help promote Isla de Fang for the vacation season and I get to live there for free.", Fang answered, "Open ocean for a swimming pool, tropical breezes now and then, and the usual passing ship of tourists who pay top dollar to see the island mascot do some poses while they pass by."
Jerry chuckled.
"For someone who lives on an island, you sure got it made."
/
Bronx and Jerry helped Fang into the stadium as night was setting in. They weren't allowed in the locker room usually, but since Theo told security they were groupies, they could get in.
"So, we got the game plan?", Bronx asked, "Cause Vanity is wanting to look good."
Theo raised an eyebrow.
"How do you know?"
"You kidding?", Jerry asked, "Bronx can seriously do a "Who's Who" with just about every wrestler in the major leagues. He's like a Wrestle-pedia."
Fang looked interested.
"Really? What can you tell me about Vanity?"
Bronx thought for a moment.
"Comes from well off family, really like to look good, gets distracted if even one hair is out of place and goes nuts when it does."
Fang smiled.
"Sounds like something I can use."
Bronx frowned.
"Hey, we don't use dirty tricks okay? We play by the book and wrestle fair and square or else you've got lawsuits, angry fans, and threats on being banned for life."
Fang sighed.
"Got it. Now I say it's showtime."
"Knock them dead Fang.", Jerry said giving a thumbs up, "And best of luck."
Fang got up and started towards the ring with Theo on his hoverbike right beside him.
"And we're here again ladies and gent. The rematch between the spirit of Isla de Fang and the most charming sun in California."
Theo felt the lights hit his face and Vanity had already made his way into the ring looking both determined and vengeful.
"Wonder what the field will be this time.", Theo thought to himself.
As Fang got into the ring he flexed a few times as Theo took his place in the coach's area. Bronx and Jerry had returned as well, but were standing near the exits so they wouldn't be counted as helping.
"Here we go.", Bronx said with his eyes narrowing.
"The match to make it official.", Jerry added, "Or was it the match to officially make it?"
Fang might have chuckled, but then the ring became a hologram of an open field with a breeze and no water. Vanity smiled big.
"What's wrong little fish? Out of your element?"
Fang suddenly sneered and dropped to all fours.
"Nobody calls Frostfang little."
Theo could tell Vanity was baiting Fang and luckily Fang regained his senses before he did something ahead of time.
"Okay, we got this Fang.", he coached, "You can take the fish out of water."
"But you can't take the water out of the fish.", Fang finished giving his coach a nod, "Thanks."
Bronx tensed as Jerry swallowed hard. Fang then noticed a small pond near the corner of Vanity's side and as the bell rang, an idea came to him as Vanity charged him and he dodged.
"What's wrong Vanity? Too much make up?"
Vanity then looked angry and charged again Fang avoided barely, but then looked a bit scared.
"Okay, bad comments equal angry foe."
Theo rolled his eyes.
"I just hope this ends well.", he prayed.
Bronx and Jerry seemed to agree as they continued observing the match going on and hoped their new friend will pull through.