My Last Fight

by Nozumu (snowy_crystal_wolf)

I looked around, the camera's light blinding me, the crowd roaring in my ears. I flexed my newly sharpened claws, and got ready to fight. My opponent, a blue Acara, was just as scared as I was, I could see it in his eyes. I scratched the Acara, and the Acara sent me a water jet. I was propelled backwards to the edge of the arena. I screeched, and gave that Acara my loudest battle cry. It scared the heck out of him, and he fainted in fright. I had won! I was so happy! I had won my first fight in the Battledome. I ran over to my owner, and she gave me a big hug.

"Nozumu! You won!" Crystal, my owner, said. I nuzzled her and purred happily.

"I know... I'm so happy Crystal! I can't believe I did it... But I was scared." I said.

"It's OK to be scared. Now, let's go get your trophy and I'll take you out for ice cream to celebrate," Crystal exclaimed. We went over to the judges, and I got my trophy, and soon we were on the way to the Ice Cream Parlor.

Now, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a shadowed Kougra, and I live with snowy_crystal_wolf, but I tend to call her Crystal. I have 2 brothers, Mesaruke a green Lupe, and _Flash_3, a silver Kougra I also have one sister, SnowyCrystal, a blue Lupe In the past few weeks, Crystal has been training me hard for the Battledome, and this had been my first fight. Of course, I had won it, and I was very happy. I can imagine the victories in the weeks to come.

As I licked my ice cream cone, I couldn't wait to get home and tell my brothers and sister.

"Now, Nozumu. I am very proud of you, and I hope this is only the beginning of many victories." Crystal said my thoughts exactly.

"Me too, Crystal. I won't let you down," I said as I licked the last bits of ice cream from my muzzle.

We returned home around 4:00, and I looked at my brothers and sister.

"Guess what?" I said. "I won the fight!"

"That's great, Nozumu, I know you've been working hard... I wish I was that good." SnowyCrystal said.

"Sure wiener head, that's great news. But you won't ever be as good as me!" Flash said as he twitched his silver tail. Leave it to Flash for the insults, I thought.

"Wow, Nozumu, you are actually becoming a fighter! Congrats," Mesaruke said. I purred in happiness. That night, we had Bargasaurus Steak and milkshakes for supper. For desert we had chocolate cake. I was stuffed and decided to go to bed early.

"Wait a minute Nozumu. I'd like to see you in the kitchen," Crystal said. The others looked at me and wished me luck. I wondered what I had done.

"Yes?" I said as I entered the kitchen.

"Nozumu. I am entering you in a fight against another Kougra She's a silver Kougra, and is a level 12. She has 13 abilities and knows many Battledome moves. She also has a Floud," Crystal said. I gulped. Level 12? I was only level 9. 13 abilities? I had 1. A Floud? I have a Gargon. Boy, did my owner doubt my abilities. This would be my downfall, I just knew it.

"Crystal, are you sure? I don't think I can..." I said.

"I believe in you, Nozumu. And I also believe you can win," Crystal replied. I winced. I wish I could decide if I had to fight or not. Maybe... if I didn't eat, I wouldn't have to fight! But the fight was tomorrow, and I was stuffed from tonight's dinner. I sighed and left the kitchen.

"Nozumu?" Mesaruke asked.

"Yes?" I answered.

"What... what happened?" Mesaruke questioned.

"Well... um... Crystal entered me in a fight I won't be able to win, or even stand for very long," I replied.

"Oh... she's doing the same thing with you as she did for me and Flash. You'll do fine. It just makes you a better pet," Mesaruke said. Pet, I thought. That's all I am. I'm a stupid pet to be shown off to other owners.

I went upstairs and went right to sleep. I tried not to think about tomorrow. I woke up and blinked as the sun filled my eyes. I yawned and walked downstairs. I slowly ate my NeoBerry Crunch as I thought about the fight today. Crystal came over and patted me lightly on my head. I moved away and walked over to the couch to watch my favourite show.

"Nozumu! Come here! I have to brush you so you can show off your beautiful shadowy fur," Crystal said. I cringed at the words "show off", but came over anyway, just to humour her. She brushed me, and put my blue satin collar on, and we headed out the door. We headed into the backdoor of the Mystery Island Arena.

"Good luck, Nozumu," Crystal said, and she took off my blue collar, and exchanged it for the black leather spiky one.

I walked into the arena, grateful for my shadowy fur to help me blend in with the shadows. I spotted the other Kougra She was beautiful, striking silver, with emerald eyes. She didn't even look the least bit scared. Me, I was shivering from being so frightened. But I took a big breath and headed into the light so everyone could see me.

The fighting bell rang, and soon the silver Kougra and I were in the air and sending each other mind bombs and rainbow flashes. I did my war cry, but the silver Kougra didn't even flinch. Then, I don't know what happened next, but I could feel pain in my right back leg and everything blacked out.

I woke up in a white room, in a white bed. I was in the NeoHospital. On the nightstand next to my bed there was the latest issue of the Neopian Times. It was dated three days after I had been in the fight! I looked around and saw Crystal sitting by my side.

"Nozumu! You're awake... You're alive!" Crystal exclaimed.

"What... what happened?" I asked.

"Oh, Nozumu... you fainted. You lost all your hit points," Crystal answered. It was then that I knew I had lost the fight.

"I let you down, Crystal! I let you down..." I said, tears forming in my eyes.

"No, you fought with every last bit of strength you had left," Crystal said as she glanced at my back right leg, which was elevated, and in a cast. I looked at my leg and bit my lip.

"What happened to my leg?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"The other Kougra, tripped, and landed on it after she scratched you, and right before you blacked out," Crystal replied.

"Is it broken?" I said.

"Well... I'm waiting for the doctor's answer on that one. They took an x-ray while you were still unconscious, and they said they'd be out soon with the results," Crystal said. She gave me a cup of water and a NeoCracker to nibble on while we waited for the doctor. Then, the doctor, a green Gelert, came out with his clipboard.

"Well, well, well, she's awake!" the doctor said.

"Yes. She just woke up, doctor," Crystal said.

"Now, I just had a look at Nozumu's leg, and it appears to be broken in 3 different spots. She's going to have to have to come back for her hard cast, and crutches," the doctor said. I gasped and suddenly realised how much it hurt.

"Will she be able to fight again, doctor?" Crystal asked.

"She'd be lucky if she'll be able to walk normally again. Now, take good care of her, and go to the front desk to set up a time to get the hard cast," the doctor said. Lucky to walk again? I gulped and held back my tears. After all my hard work!

"All right doctor," Crystal said and placed me in a wheelchair to bring me home. We stopped at the front desk, and Crystal made an appointment for me. Then, she wheeled me all the way home.

"Crystal. Now I really let you down... I'll never be able to fight again," I said.

"Oh, that doesn't matter much any more... I am going to send you to school this year. I couldn't have continued your training anyway," Crystal replied.

"Oh..." I said, unsure of what to say.

"You'll meet lot's of new friends there, Nozumu, and maybe actually learn something," Crystal said. I thought about it and agreed, only I would get F's in Phys.Ed... I laughed to myself and Crystal rolled me into my house, and the beginning of a new way of life.

The End