After five grueling rounds in the boxing ring, the Diamond League Invitational’s second semifinal was nearing its end. A tall jet-black panther with a handsome face smiled as he peppered his opponent, a much smaller brown rabbit, with a rapidfire jab combo that pressed her against the ropes. Though his chiseled body had taken a beatdown, the smaller foe was far worse off as she stayed with both arms raised in a desperate guard to turtle up against the assault - her belly, face and arms alike were decked in dark bruises and her left eye was beginning to swell after taking an especially hard hit to the face. There was no doubt in the audience’s minds - nor either boxer’s - that the rabbit was outmatched in size, power and experience, yet that didn’t seem to extinguish her flame one bit. The feline recognized this and his muscles tensed as he began adding more strength to each swing, pushing her guarding arms inward. With the rabbit’s defense weakening, he struck the meeting point of her elbows with a Left Cross which was followed by a swift Uppercut to separate both arms before finishing his three-hit combination with a Haymaker to the face. Her head snapped back in a spray of sweat and her light blue mouthguard popped into full view as she stared at the bright ceiling lights with blurry eyes before slumping down on her rear.

  “Beautiful combination!!” the arena’s commentator, a large red panda dressed in a tight purple suit, called out. “This is the second time she goes down in the fifth round, but after a hit like that I doubt she can even beat the count!”

  The short bearded hamster beside him shifted in his extra tall seat and nodded. “You are absolutely correct Mr. Henningdale. Miss Juniper had a good run, but our Pablo is the cream of the crop.” He adjusted his tiny glasses before straightening out his deep crimson tie. “There is no shame in losing to him.”

  “You’re absolutely right Mr. Thrawnes. The long-anticipated matchup of ‘Water Fist’ and ‘Death Flag’ seems to be just a few counts away…”

  The pair of commentators were soon proven wrong however as Juniper climbed up the ropes and rose to her feet with heavy breaths just milliseconds away from the ten count. She was approached by the dark yellow jaguar referee and though she still had cobwebs wrapped tight around her rattled brain, the rabbit managed to shake it off and clear herself for combat. Juniper stared at her adversary with the one open eye and showed a tired smile before raising her fists, primed to continue.

  “I admit your tenacity, but are you sure you wish to continue?” Pablo asked while rubbing a glove against the back of his head. “I’d much rather avoid hurting you excessively.”

  “Hah…hah… I could do this…all day…” the rabbit panted. “You’ve seen nothing…hff…yet…”

  The panther lowered his head for a moment before raising it again with a sigh. “Very well. I promised my wife I’d make it to the finals so,” He primed his gloves with focused blue eyes, “I’ve got no choice but to knock you down again, Juniper.”

  She smirked and hunched forward. “Hehe… You first…”

  She squared up with both gloves close to her chest and dashed forward the second they were given the clear to resume, leaving Juniper in a questionable position with her face wide open for a counter. It was clear she had abandoned every semblance of defense by this point and when she closed the distance it left her opponent with a choice both simple and easy. Pablo launched a Haymaker which connected with a resounding echo of leather, only to pause when he realized the rabbit blocked his heavy glove with her forehead and returned the effort in kind with a beautiful Right Hook to the jaw. It was a powerful strike which under normal circumstances shouldn’t have knocked him out, but the connection was so clean and hit with such pinpoint precision that the panther’s consciousness evaporated like dew under the sun as he collapsed on the mat.

  “OH MY GOD!! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!” Henningdale screamed. “‘Death Flag’ is down! I repeat, ‘Death Flag’ is dooown!!”

  Thrawnes watched the referee begin the count and removed his pair of glasses to massage the bridge of his nose. “She struck at the eleventh hour… I doubt he’ll beat the count.”

  The red panda snapped his head in his boss’ direction. “Huh?!” It didn’t dawn on him until he heard the count of five being called. “He’s not moving…”

  “Unbelievable.” Thrawnes cleaned his glasses with a pristine piece of white cloth. “This will be the first time we’ve ever seen a final without one of our league’s fighters.”

  Henningdale covered their microphones with each hand and leaned over his ear. “Can we really let this happen…? Isn’t this disastrous for the Diamond League’s standing? It’s horrible PR, our ratings-”

  “-will not drop. Combat sports are unpredictable by design, it’s why I’ve invested so much into this industry in the first place.” The hamster put his glasses back on and stroked his fluffy moustache. “Besides, who doesn’t love an underdog story?”

  The ten count was reached and as the bell rang to confirm Juniper’s comeback win, the rabbit threw a jubilant fist in the air with a look of pride and relief while letting out a loud victory cry. She stood frozen in that position for a moment until her knees buckled, no longer capable of sustaining herself as she stumbled back into the ropes…yet her fist remained in the air. With closed eyes, Juniper soaked in the arena’s loud cheers with a faint smile as she relaxed against the ropes, though the rabbit refused to let her consciousness slip lest she’d miss out on all the overwhelming support.

  Meanwhile, back in the building’s massive locker room, Anne had just seen what happened through a wide wall-mounted television. “So Pablo lost… Meliane should be furious right about now.” Imagining the look on that weasel’s face made her smirk. “Well, facing a young boxer like her should prove interesting. Good to see a boxer with some real spunk.” She rested a hand on her hip and for a moment her amethyst eyes darkened. “It’s just bad luck that her final opponent had to be me.”

  —---------------------- One week later —----------------------

  Juniper could hear the heavy beat in her heart as she sat by herself in the locker room, sapphire eyes fixed on her trembling hand wrapped in white tape. Her lips quivered in anticipation and she clenched her fist before raising her head to look at a silver-rimmed mirror. Thanks to Diamond League’s personal - and mindnumbingly expensive - physicians she had made a full recovery without so much as a bump remaining and she was confident in her physical condition, yet a certain unease boiled from deep within. Her opponent was none other than Anne Horndale, a veteran fighter who had made a name for herself even before she reached the age of twenty and who had climbed the tournament ladder with relative ease. Juniper had watched some of the sheep’s matches and they were breathtaking - zero wasted movements, rapid adjustments and a battle IQ she couldn’t even hope to scrape from her current standing. Whereas the rabbit had managed to win a spot in the tournament through a raffle and was forced to fight from the very bottom, Anne was a top seed in the bracket as a VIP invite. There was an obvious class separation between the two boxers.

  Yet even with a bead of sweat trickling down her cheek, Juniper smiled nonetheless. “Get it together Juniper, this is exactly what you need. You’ve got the opportunity of a lifetime facing such a huge opponent, so grit those teeth and get rid of your nerves! Come on!” She clapped her cheeks with both hands to leave a red mark behind. “There’s no such thing as an invincible fighter.”

  “‘Water Fist’ is pretty close to that level though.”

  Juniper turned her head to stare at a large black rottweiler, the woman who had been assigned as her second. “Haha, you’re probably right, Lynni. From what I’ve seen and heard, beating her looks almost impossible.”

  The canine crossed her arms and leaned against the door’s entrance with a smirk. “Not that it’ll keep you from trying.”

  “You know me all too well!” The rabbit pumped her fists, now more eager than ever. “All I need to do is to head out there and fight like hell! As long as I give it my all then I can hold my head high in the end.”

  “And if you happen to somehow win?” Lynni asked with a cheeky grin.

  Sweat poured from Juniper’s forehead as the image of winning before the crowd played in her head. “Aah, d-don’t put those thoughts in my head! I might risk catching Selene’s stupid ego if I’m not careful.” She then twiddled her index fingers and looked away. “Though…winning DOES sound nice.”

  “Good, this is what I like about you.” the rottweiler laughed while running a hand through her chestnut bangs. “I may not have qualified for the tournament but I’m glad I got to be your second. Watching this underdog run has been interesting to say the least.”

  Juniper winked at her second. “Well, you’ve given me very helpful advice too so the feeling’s mutual.” With a pair of light blue boxing gloves slung over her shoulder, she approached Lynni and held her fist out. “I’ll be counting on you today as well!”

  The rottweiler wasted no time in fistbumping her partner. “You bet!”

  A few minutes later, Henningdale stood in the ring’s center with a microphone in hand and a big grin plastered on his face. “The eight annual Diamond League Invitational is nearing its end! On one side we’ve got a superstar and former member, while on the opposite end we've got a young upstart who surprised us all!” He took a moment to wait for the audience’s cheers to calm down. “Yes, I bet you all thought ‘Death Flag’ would be the one to stand here today. And so did I! But no, this petite boxer demonstrated incredible grit and fighting spirit not only in the semifinal but also in the matches preceding that! She’s a firecracker of a fighter whose embers never fade during the heat of battle!” He threw his arms in the air and savored the deafening applause that followed, then pointed at one of the arena’s wide walkways. “Coming from the red corner, standing at five foot one and weighing 116 pounds, the “Gauntlet Survivor”...Junipeeeer!!!”

  Juniper entered the walkway on cue with a light blue boxing glove pointed at the ceiling as all eyes and bright floodlights were on her, her long ears flicking in response to the loud cheers. She wore a waist-length robe in the same hue as her gloves with white rims and a hood which stopped right behind her fluffy, light brown hair. Her boxing attire consisted of a white top with black straps, black-rimmed white shorts with a cute bunny mascot on the lower left thigh and a light blue section on the right which arched up towards the rim, skintight black trunks underneath and footpads in the same shade as her robe with black protectors covering the bridge.

  As she did a confident jog down the walkway, the most notable aspect of the rabbit was just how short she was - Lynni was easily past six feet tall and towered over the boxer, a recurring theme over the course of the tournament. Juniper herself was unbothered by this fact, she had already proven her mettle many times over and the reality of her reaching the finals against all odds made it feel as though she jogged upon heavenly clouds. What made this feeling even better was the manner of which she entered the tournament raffle to begin with. Selene, her loathsome rival, had boasted to her face that she was given three separate raffle tickets by admirers in the industry, one of which she had already given an acquaintance of hers. In an act of sheer mockery, she gave the second ticket to Juniper saying she only needed one to qualify and take the tournament by storm. Jokes on her however, because that ticket was the one that got her in whereas Selene failed to make the cut. Just imagining the sour look on that arrogant vixen’s face made Juniper’s day!

  Juniper hardly had any time to climb into the ring before the red panda turned his attention in the opposite direction. “As for her opponent, does she really need an introduction? Years upon years of fighting has shaped her into a generational fighter whose skill at adaptation is second to none! Though she isn’t as active as she used to, don’t let that distract from the fact that she hasn’t lost her touch - if anything she’s become SHARPER!” He threw his arm out and leaned closer to the microphone. “She’s an alumni of Diamond League, a heavy hitter with an even heavier brain, the sheep who faces even the scariest of predators without fear… Anne “Water Fist” Hoooorndaaaaale!!”

  Lights flared and the crowd erupted in an arena-shaking roar as Anne entered the walkway covered in a large golden silk robe with crashing waves washing over the smooth fabric. She wore a golden leather glove with a blue wave decorating the front over her prosthetic right hand while wearing a boxing glove with inverse coloring on the left, both of which were used to punch at the air. A short sheep dressed in a light blue vest and frilly pink skirt walked behind with a bucket of support gear in hand, smiling from one ear to another as she watched the boxer approach the ring - Amanda was proud to see her sister in the finals, though deep down she wasn’t surprised. With a hop and a skip she slipped past her younger sister and stood on the tip of her hooves to open a gap between the bottom and middle ropes for the sheep to enter. Now standing within the square ring, the tall woman removed her brilliant golden robe and flung her into the awaiting arms of her elder sister who folded it within the very second she caught it. The sheep brandished a golden top and boxing shorts with the same blue wave motif and while she showed off her Herculean build to the crowd, the text “Water Fist” could be seen plastered in black along the gold rim.

  Juniper was awestruck. She had seen some of the sheep’s matches and she knew it’d be an uphill battle, but now seeing her up close it felt almost suffocating. The sheer pressure of Anne’s presence made it feel as though she was crushed beneath a hydraulic press- no, it was more akin to being chained at the bottom of the Atlantic. Nevertheless, with a thin line of sweat trickling down her cheek, the rabbit still managed a smile.

  “Looks like I’ve really got my work cut out for me.” Juniper did a couple hops before the two were called in by the referee to go through the basic rules. “It’s an honor to face you in the ring, Miss Horndale.”

  “Just Anne is fine.” the sheep replied with a smile. “Before we begin, I’d like to thank you Juniper.”

  The rabbit’s ear flicked and she raised a brow. “For what?”

  “Defeating Pablo. That guy’s a hassle to fight when he’s in the zone.” she said before snorting. "And I got to see him receive an earful from his wife in the hallway. Seeing that big cat shrink into a kitten was hilarious!”

  A stiff smile surfaced on Juniper’s lips. “Is that…so?” She could feel the tension drop. “Well, he almost got me back then, but my second’s advice helped me keep up long enough to land a counter.”

  “And what a beautiful counter that was. You’ve got a knack for surprises, no doubt.” the sheep said before looking down with a confident gaze. “I’m looking forward to this.”

  Juniper could feel the pressure lift off her shoulders and gave a confident stare in return. “You better look forward to it, because I’m aiming for the top!”

  “That’s the spirit!” Anne held out her glove. “Feeling better now?”

  “Huh?”

  The sheep winked. “You’ve never been to such a big event and it showed. Got to look alive for the crowd, no?”

  (“She’s as sharp as they say.”) Juniper thought to herself before giving Anne’s glove a light tap. “You’re right. Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  When the two returned to their respective corners and had their mouthguards inserted, Juniper felt more excited than she ever expected herself to. For someone with such a fearsome reputation, she seemed very humble and kind to boot! She could foresee them having a really fun match with the two boxers smiling throughout-

  The second they turned to await the bell however, the pressure returned threefold as their eyes met. Anne’s once infectious amethyst eyes had cooled down to the negatives and the kind smile was nowhere to be seen, replaced with a straight line of pure neutrality. Juniper was never quite the type to be intimidated by an opponent in the ring, but the sheep was certainly towing the line as the shorter boxer smirked with sweat trickling down her forehead - this was a grand boxing finale alright!

  When the bell rang to start their match, Juniper stepped out to meet her opponent with gloves raised in a defensive guard, determined to demonstrate how she got this far. After doing a couple light hops she used her smaller stature to circle the big sheep with focused sapphire eyes while firing the occasional light jabs with her right arm, each of which were blocked by a firm bicep or forearm. Curiously, Anne made minimal attempts to face the rabbit, instead seeming more satisfied maintaining a more diagonal or even sideways perspective of her foe - though not once did it ever stray past a 180 degree angle. Juniper kept the light barrage of jabs going while observing the sheep’s movements, though she found the lack of action worrying. There was something off about the air and she couldn’t help but feel she was missing something very important.

  Juniper circled the sheep’s front in a smooth arc while prodding her guard with swift jabs, sapphire eyes scanning for any notable responses to exploit…yet she was met with the same cold defense. It felt as though she was poking a mountain. Once she neared Anne’s left in the hopes of nailing her side however, the sheep’s arm went limp before shooting out with incredible speed - Juniper managed to guard up just in time to feel three lightning-fast Flicker Jabs hit her forearms in quick succession, causing her to fall back. They were only jabs, yet the sheer weight alone pushed the rabbit off-balance and she watched with wide eyes as Anne advanced on her. With an audible “tch!” she took this brief moment of imbalance to jump back and steady herself while she was still out of range, then ducked underneath an incoming Left Hook before bobbing her head to evade a swift right jab. The pressure was on and she tried to gain further distance but the sheep’s legs seemed to follow her movement like a mirror as the distance between them showed no signs of changing. Despite possessing such a large and bulky body, Anne’s footwork was superb and her swings were much faster than one would have guessed as the rabbit found herself turtling up against the many harsh jabs. By the time they reached the halfway point of the first round, Juniper moved up close and hugged Anne as they clinched, preventing her opponent from launching any further punches for the time being.

  “Good call.” Anne spoke as she hugged back. “As an outboxer, knowing when to clinch is paramount.”

  Juniper flashed a tiny smile as she panted. “You’re making this sound like it’s just some training session.”

  “Every match, no matter how important, is a new avenue for training.” the sheep replied before hooking her log-like arms underneath Juniper’s. “And you’re currently at the most receptive point of your career.”

  “...Huh?”

  “This is when learning is most important.”

  Anne lifted her arms and pushed the rabbit away with a tiny smile, then returned to her cool expression before resuming the offense. The sheep’s words still lingered in Juniper’s mind as she ducked and weaved past the many jabs with narrowed eyes - intentional or not, Anne came off as very arrogant in that clinch and now she wanted to shut her up! She kept evading the dual-colored waves and stayed on her toes throughout as she danced around the much larger foe with impressive agility for the latter half of their first round which ended in the two clinching moments before the bell rang.

  “Hm. Well done.” Anne patted Juniper’s back and pushed free before turning around. “See you next round.”

  The rabbit wiped some sweat with her sleeve and huffed. “She’s tough… Toughest one yet…” A wide smile grew on her lips and she returned to her corner. “But I’ll break through.”

  “No lie, I’m surprised she didn’t knock you down.” Lynni said as she watched the boxer sit down on her stool. “You avoided all the heavy hits too.”

  “Heh, she’d send me flying if any of those landed.” the rabbit said while leaning the back of her head against the corner’s cushion. “But I could tell… This round was just a warmup to her.”

  A toothy smile spread as the canine massaged her partner’s shoulders. “The same applies to you, no? You haven’t gone all out either~” She narrowed her eyes. “But Juniper, let me give you one piece of advice.”

  Juniper sighed in relief at the massage and closed her eyes with both eyes perked up. “I’m listening.”

  “If you intend to outsmart her, I suggest you give up right now.” the rottweiler said. “She may be a sheep but she’s got more brains than brawn. Be clever, but don’t make it a contest of wit.”

  “Never planned on it. I aim to outlast her.” The rabbit punched her gloves together and arose. “Once I do, I’ll nail her good like I did that panther.”

  The bell rang and Anne watched the short rabbit square up, amethyst eyes scanning every inch of her opponent. She was an outboxer whose number one priority was to keep her distance and outlast whoever came from the opposite corner, but what would she do if her adversary was aware? Of course, plan B would always be to get up close with more aggressive swings akin to a swarmer so she could finish it quickly. It was this aggression which earned her the win against Pablo, but that sort of thing wouldn’t be enough against the sheep. If Juniper exhausted both options, would she aim for counters? Or maybe tough it out to win by decision? No, focusing on counters was far too risky and she failed to foresee this relative newcomer lasting the full twelve rounds. Nevertheless, there was no denying Juniper’s ability and her placement in the final was proof she was more than worthy of taking the best Anne could offer.

  (“Show me the grit that brought you this far, Juniper.”)

  She advanced with a single step forward and in an instant it felt as though the canvas itself shook underneath them. The pressure was incredible and Juniper guarded up on instinct just in time to block a swift combination of four swift jabs which made her wince and back off. After fanning her throbbing arms however, there was a sudden glint in her bright sapphire eyes and she ducked below a Right Hook before slipping into close range with her arm primed to-

  THUD!

  Golden leather sank into Juniper’s face and pushed her snout inwards as she fell victim to the sheep’s Left Straight. Unbeknownst to her, Anne had anticipated the rabbit’s advance through observing the slight shifts in muscle tension and wound up her punch just moments before she started closing the distance. A cloud of sweat sprayed in the air as the crashing blue wave imprinted itself upon the rabbit’s face and when the sheep retracted her arm, a deep red mark covered most of the short boxer’s face. Her vision had become a blur and the remnants of her mind was wrapped up in tight cobwebs while she stood there in a daze, gloves still raised. It could be argued that this was among the heaviest hits she had ever taken, yet her strong instincts managed to take hold of her body just in time to lean away from an Uppercut. The leather grazed her chin and she could hear the sound of Anne’s punch slicing through the air like a knife, sending a faint gust which brought the rabbit back to her senses. Her nose throbbed and itched from the blow but she tried her best to ignore it as she ducked, weaved and swayed past a barrage of Flicker Jabs that left no room to breathe.

  Unlike Pablo who focused on a very straightforward offense with devastating power, Anne seemed like she had an acute understanding of Juniper’s fighting style and how to shut it down. The rabbit never got a chance to throw punches, the sizable difference in reach forced her on the defensive and Anne’s keen sense of observation left it nigh-impossible to give her the slip as every step backward was met with an immediate advance. Her vision was occupied by the view of endless leather bullets creating the illusion of crashing waves, as if a massive tsunami came to sweep her away to the darkest depths. One misstep would spell doom and it was during this moment of intense stress that her eyes gleamed with the sharpness of a butcher’s knife. She slithered through a tight opening in Anne’s swings, weaving past the rapid punches before taking a swing of her own that barreled straight towards those chiseled abs. A loud thud was heard as Juniper’s glove met the sheep’s prosthetic forearm and before a single thought could be processed she took an abrupt wave of leather to the jaw - saliva gushed out from behind her blue mouthguard as she stared at the audience with blurry eyes before hitting the canvas with a loud thud. The rabbit lay sprawled on the ground with her mind swimming in tar and vision foggier than the condensation on glasses, though her sensitive ears remained perked up to catch the referee’s count. She did a slow inhale and exhale with closed eyes before pushing a palm against the canvas to get on her knees, though even this slow rise brought a sense of lightheadedness as she rubbed her throbbing jaw. After resting an arm on her knee she went on a slow ascent and lifted her head to meet the sheep who flashed a tiny smile of approval.

  “Impressive. Taking a clean hit with our weight difference is no small task.” Anne noted before turning her back on the rabbit. “Don’t lose that drive.”

  “H-hey, where are you going-” The smaller boxer paused when she heard the bell ring and saw her opponent wave a raised glove. “...Heh… Showoff much?”

  Anne sat down on her stool and leaned against the corner. “She’s tough.”

  “But nothing my sweet sister can’t handle~” Amanda giggled as she wiped the sheep’s body with a moist cloth. “She’ll stay down after a few more punches~”

  “I’m not so sure.” The large sheep shook her head. “That was a clean punch to the jaw with my strong arm. I’ve felled men my size with less.”

  “Sure, but it took her until the count of nine to stand.” her older sister objected.

  Anne smiled. “I could tell by her movements that she’d be up at five or six if she wanted, but she took her time. Either she managed to maintain a stable wit after the blow or she’s got a strong intuition. Could be both.”

  This confused the smaller sheep as she bobbed her head to the side in wonder. “Huh? That makes no sense.” She rubbed her chin in thought. “Why would she risk being counted out if she could get up faster? Is she stupid or something?”

  “Juniper would risk vertigo if she rushed it, in which case I could have ended her with a quick knockdown.” Anne explained. “By going slow she got to both clear her mind and catch her breath. It’s good to see newcomers out there with a good head between their shoulders.”

  “Well…” Amanda placed both hands on her sister’s shoulders. “Either way you’ll still win~”

  “I’ll still win.”

  The third round went much like the one prior as Juniper was forced on the backfoot against her opponent’s swift strikes. Anne’s Flicker Jabs which had been honed to near perfection over many years proved itself to be a formidable combination of offense and defense against the rabbit’s usual outboxing style as the speed made it nigh impossible to make any swings of her own. Though that kind of jabbing technique sacrificed power for speed and saw most of its use as a way to surprise or distract opponents, their size and weight difference made it a formidable tool that could deal legitimate damage if she wasn’t careful. As a result, the petite pugilist found herself running around the ring to evade those rapid strikes while also maintaining a safe distance from the ropes and corners, depleting stamina at a rapid pace while the sheep preserved hers through simple but efficient steps. It had only been three rounds yet Anne had shut down her entire fighting style!

  (“So this is how it feels to fight those at the very top…”) Juniper thought to herself as she panted with both arms close to her chest, a tired grin plastered on her face. (“This is so exciting!!”) She bobbed her head left and right to evade the incoming jabs. (“All that muscle isn’t slowing her down one bit and I can barely keep up. If I don’t find a solution soon…”) A sudden Uppercut came out of nowhere and she jerked her head back with a yelp. “Woah!” The sudden shift in offense startled Juniper and threw her off-balance, leaving her wide open for a Haymaker. “Tch… You won’t take me down,” She forced herself to lean sideways just in time to escape the prosthetic arm’s swing and leaned in for a counter, “that easily-” In an instant, her body froze as a searing pain enveloped her core out of nowhere. “A-aah-...?” Her blue eyes trailed down to see Anne’s left glove imbed itself into her gut and drool seeped from her lips. “Gha-...ha-...” The rabbit’s cheeks puffed up like balloons and she almost spat out her mouthguard as her knees buckled.

  Much to Juniper’s surprise, this had all been a setup. The Flicker Jabs trapping her in a defensive loop, the Uppercut disrupting her line of thought and the wild Haymaker with the arm that was otherwise used for guarding, they were all a piece of the puzzle leading to that devastating gutshot. Oxygen left her lungs in an instant and she felt a wave of nausea overwhelm the mind as she fought the urge to throw up, yet the rabbit refused to fall. She swallowed the bile and glared at the tall sheep with a hellish fire before unleashing a Right Cross into her strong abs, provoking a heavy grunt as the blue leather retracted from her body. Juniper wanted to follow through with another swing but she was forced to abort it in favor of blocking a Right Hook that made her stagger. The weight of blocking the sheep’s fist was enough to make her bruised belly ache something fierce and the rabbit lowered an arm to cover it by instinct as she winced, then jumped back to dodge an incoming Left Hook. However, the rushed evasion caused Juniper to misjudge her footing and tripped with an audible yelp of surprise - Anne wasted no time closing the distance and before her opponent could adjust her guard, an Uppercut exploded into the rabbit’s belly. Her feet left the ground and a large shock bulge formed on her back as harsh leather dug deep into the white belly, causing a flood of saliva to eject while a glistening mouthguard protruded from between the lips.

  The audience went wild as they saw Juniper crumple down on all fours with a hoarse wheeze, eyes wide like pool balls. Sweat poured and she stared at the canvas in a trance-like state before covering her mouth just as another load of spit poured out. When she lowered her arm, Juniper saw the crumpled mess of a mouthguard within the palm of her glove and frowned. Three rounds. She was outmatched and outdone in three rounds. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the gap between the two boxers was so wide it was almost laughable.

  “An explosive Uppercut!” Henningdale screamed. “Juniper’s body must be screaming in agony from that one!”

  Thrawnes nodded. “If she doesn’t stay down after this, I give her four rounds tops. I fail to see a comeback after this.”

  The red panda raised a brow. “But when she fought ‘Death Flag’-”

  “‘Death Flag’ is strong, but ‘Water Fist’ is smarter. She absorbs information like a sponge, so every blow limits Juniper’s options.” The hamster adjusted his glasses and sighed. “The difference in class is simply too vast.”

  “Get up.”

  Juniper raised her head to stare at Anne.

  “You lasted five rounds against Pablo, so you should at the very least give me the same courtesy, no?” Her tone was surprisingly cold, yet there was a certain longing in her eyes. “Or do you want to be the earliest knockout in Diamond League Invitational’s history?”

  She was tired and felt a deep taste of blood in her mouth. Her belly burned as though a hot cast iron pressed against it. She wanted to rest. Yet Anne’s words roused something deep within her soul and lit those competitive embers ablaze. The rabbit rose to her feet mere moments away from the ten count and just like that the entire venue exploded once again with loud chants, amazed by her survival. Anne smiled at her opponent and gave her an affirming nod before returning to her stance with light hops as hooves clacked against the canvas. Once Juniper was cleared to resume the fight, she put up her dukes and opted for a swift offense as she launched rapid jabs at the sheep while staying at a safe distance, determined to survive the round. However, the large pugilist had other plans and stepped forward while blocking the jabs, looking more and more like a walking mountain for every step as she advanced upon the rabbit. Juniper felt the growing pressure and gritted her teeth before swinging a Left Straight aimed at a tiny gap between Anne’s guarding arms which prompted the sheep to raise her prosthetic arm - the second she blocked it with her metallic elbow however, a Haymaker flew into her navel with pinpoint accuracy and spittle flew out alongside a surprised gasp.

  “H-how’s that…you big sheep?” Juniper asked as she stayed in her striking position with a weak smile. “Didn’t see that coming…”

  Anne’s eyes trailed down to the rabbit with a wince as the bell rang. “You’re right, I didn’t…” She straightened up and patted Juniper’s shoulder. “Keep it up. I like what I’m seeing.”

  A competitive smile surfaced. “Heh, watch me…”

  When the short boxer turned towards her corner, the sheep rubbed her throbbing belly. “Impressive power for someone of her constitution… But how long will it last?”

  Loud thuds and grunts echoed in the ring as Anne and Juniper’s duel progressed throughout the fourth round. The boxing pair would take turns blocking and throwing jabs at each other without offering a moment of breathing room for their opponents, though most of the pressure seemed to be on Juniper’s shoulders. Not a single one of her jabs managed to make a clean hit and though the same applied for Anne’s swings it still took a ton of effort just to block or deflect the heavy leather. Their vast discrepancies in experience, size and weight did her no favors but the rabbit was determined to keep going as she ducked and weaved past a barrage of leather, making her feel like a sailor in the midst of a raging storm.

  As she danced past Anne’s flying fists, the rabbit flashed a tiny smile. “Getting tired yet…?”

  “Not even close.” the sheep replied before grazing Juniper’s cheek with another jab. “But you’re getting sloppy.”

  “Haha… I’ll show you sloppy…” The rabbit slipped past the log-like arm and moved up close. “Like this!”

  Having spotted the muscle tension in Juniper’s left arm, Anne adjusted the posture of her prosthetic to block the incoming punch. “Getting too impatient, girl. Rushing in won’t-”

  The tiny pugilist’s lips curled into a big grin and she launched an Uppercut right into her opponent’s prosthetic elbow. “You were saying…?!”

  Anne’s prosthetic arm was thrown in the air, disrupting the sheep’s balance on the spot. “Wh-?!”

  “You’re wide open!!”

  Anne couldn’t do anything but stare with wide eyes as the rabbit got up close and before she could pull back her arm to defend, a Haymaker exploded into the solar plexus. Her cheeks puffed and as saliva escaped her lips, a glistening golden mouthguard popped into view while she stood frozen in place - seizing the opportunity, Juniper unleashed a barrage of rapid blows to the body that forced grunts and gasps out of the sheep until she managed to put up her guard with gritted teeth.

  “A massive turnaround!! Water Fist is forced on the defensive!” Henningdale shouted from the commentator box. “I counted seven blows to the body just now!”

  “That’s just quantity over quality.” Thrawnes replied with a shake of his head. “Water Fist’s body can eat many blows like that before getting close to faltering.”

  “But credit where it’s due still,” the red panda said with a nod. “We may have been too quick on our judgement here, Juniper still got some fight in her.”

  A pair of beady eyes glanced at the large man as the hamster huffed. “Hm, we’ll see. A few decent counters doesn’t mean she’s back. Even against ‘Death Flag’ she managed to land many blows throughout as early as the first round.” He tapped a nail against the mahogany desk. “And so far she’s way, way behind on their trades.”

  After peppering Anne’s guard with blows, the bell rang and a panting Juniper returned to her corner. “Crap… She’s way too durable…”

  “That Herculean body of hers isn’t just for show after all.” Lynni said with a nod. “But you’re doing well, all things considered. Open wide.”

  The rabbit opened her mouth and let her second remove the mouthguard. “I could still do better… My body’s killing me…”

  A low chuckle left the rottweiler’s lips. “Honestly I’m surprised you didn’t spill your guts out after that Uppercut.” She handed her partner a bottle of water while cleaning the mouthguard. “You’re a stubborn little gal~”

  “It’s kinda my thing…” Juniper took a couple sips and swished the water in her mouth before spitting into a bucket - small hints of blood could be seen mixed in. “What I lack in size…and experience…I make up with grit…”

  “And that,” Lynni pointed the cleaned mouthguard at the rabbit, “is why I love being your second. There’s no boring moment with you~”

  Back in Anne’s corner, Amanda was fuming as she rubbed a cold cloth against her younger sister’s stomach. “Hmph, look at what she did to your beautiful body. How dare she hurt my little gem like this…?”

  “Amanda, please.” the sheep groaned. “You really expect me to fight without taking a hit? I’m not exactly fighting kindergardeners here you know?”

  “Still!” The scarred sheep made a childish pout while rubbing as though she tried to remove a stain. “You put so much effort training your body, so seeing it scarred like this-”

  “It’s not scarred, relax.” Anne rolled her eyes. “Honestly, there’s a higher chance of you scarring me with those rubs than me taking her blows.”

  Amanda recoiled on the spot. “Ah- Oh no, I would never-”

  “And neither will she.” The sheep set her sights on the rabbit in the opposite corner and removed her mouthguard to take a sip of water. “But that rabbit, Juniper…”

  “She’ll go down in the next round, I know.” the older sister said with a proud nod. “Should have happened earlier, but-”

  “I like her.”

  “...Eh?”

  “She’s not intimidated by my size nor history. Faces me head-on and doesn’t give up.” Anne spat into a bucket and cleaned her mouthguard with a cloth. “Those punches of hers were solid too, every clean blow had zero wasted movement. She’s a hard worker.”

  Amanda blinked and shrugged. “Eh, but you’ll still win in the end of course.”

  Anne rose from her seat and put the mouthguard back in. “We’ll see. There are few things more scary than a cornered mouse.”

  When the bell rang to kickstart round five, Anne popped her neck and met Juniper in the center with steely eyes - her gut still throbbed from the prior blows, a reminder of the rabbit’s tenacity. They gave each other a silent nod and threw a simultaneous punch that clashed with a loud bang of leather, their faces brandishing a wide smile. Anne leaned in and pushed the rabbit back with her superior weight before coming at her with a swift Uppercut while she was still off-balance, but Juniper arched her back far enough to only have it graze the chin. The fact she didn’t fall despite having her upper half almost leaning a full ninety degrees came as an utter surprise to the sheep and before she could put an end to her forward momentum, Juniper put her foot down, straightened up and replied with a punch of her own that rocked Anne’s bruised abs to the very core. An audible “oof” left the sheep’s lips together with a spray of saliva and for the first time she was forced to double over with one arm caressing her burning belly on instinct, an act which was followed by a second Uppercut that crashed into the chin. Anne’s head snapped upward in a spray of saliva and sweat, golden mouthguard rising from between her moist lips as amethyst eyes stared at the blinding ceiling lights like moths to the flame.

  “How’s that, Anne…?” Juniper said with a cheeky smile as sweat trickled down her brows. “Bet you didn’t see that comi-”

  In the blink of an eye, Juniper’s vision was enveloped by a golden wave that crashed upon her snout with such force that it almost sunk her face inward. Shock was written all over the rabbit’s face as the blow rocked her head backward and while she staggered back in a daze, a second helping of leather connected with her cheek. The blow kneaded her furry cheek like a lump of dough and she descended into a deeper daze, though the rabbit managed to still manage a guard by instinct. That guard was soon shattered however as a wild Haymaker crashed into Juniper’s defending gloves with such a ridiculous burst of power that the gloves meant to protect were instead slammed into her face. Her head jerked back and the guard faltered for just a moment, though that provided more than enough time for Anne to slip another heavy punch between the gloves and into her face. Juniper’s view turned topsy-turvy on the spot as she felt the back of her head hit the canvas with a loud bang, her athletic legs raised in the air like flagpoles before hitting the mat. Blood trickled from her nostrils as she lay sprawled on the ground, too groggy to even see the bright lights anymore.

  “My god! Just when we thought Juniper would get one up over Anne, the rug was pulled straight under her feet!” Henningdale called out with a whistle. “And here I thought that Uppercut would have rattled her for longer…”

  “She tilted her head.” Thrawnes noted with narrow beady eyes.

  “Huh?” The red panda stared at his fellow commentator. “When?”

  The hamster placed an index finger under his chin and lifted it a couple inches. “It was but for a moment, but right after doubling over she lifted her head. Whether intentional or by instinct, she followed the Uppercut’s arch which softened the impact by just a little.”

  Henningdale blinket and scratched the top of his head. “I didn’t see that at all… Just how sharp are your eyes?”

  “I’ve been in this business for many decades, boy.” Thrawnes stroked his beard with a huff. “You get good eyes for such movements over time, and if there’s anyone that catches my attention it’s the one of ‘Water Fist’’s.”

  A cheeky grin brewed on the red panda’s face. “...You’re still mad she left the league, aren’t you?”

  With fluffy white eyes perked to the ceiling, an angry vein grew on the old rodent’s forehead. “Don’t go there with me. Not when we’re live.”

  By the time Juniper managed to regain a semblance of conscious thought, the referee had already reached the fourth count and she was soon hit by a cloud of doubt. (“Well…I tried…”) she thought to herself. (“At least I reached the final and decked that sheep good…”) She was about to close her eyes in resignation, but paused. (“Wait, Selene will mock me for this, won’t she?”) The rabbit grimaced and began to raise her throbbing head. (“I didn’t even reach the halfway mark…”) She ground the mouthguard between her clenched teeth. (“She’ll definitely mock me for that…”) With aching muscles she pressed her elbows against the canvas to lift herself. (“I won’t give her that luxury!”)

  Anne watched in amazement as the petite warrior lifted her ragged and worn body off the canvas at the count of eight before letting a whistle fly from her lips, then turned to the excited crowd and fanned her arms upward, urging them all on to cheer even louder at Juniper’s feat of determination. Through the sheep’s decade-long experience with combat sports, there were few matches more exciting than the ones featuring those who refused to give up. The ring was a boiling pot of strength, wits and wills where whoever produced the best mix were declared winners - strength of will in particular was a very potent spice which would sometimes overpower the rest to become a more memorable flavor. Anne savored those fights the way she did braised lamb shanks.

  “Those were brilliant strikes…but you lacked power…” Anne said with a huff, masking the pain behind a smile of confidence. “And in your current state…”

  “Don’t…don’t you say it…” Juniper gasped with one gloved hand resting against her knee. “I can do this…all day…”

  The sheep’s heart danced with glee at those words. “It seems to me…that a light breeze would do you in…” She punched the palm of her glove. “Feel free to prove me wrong…”

  “Heh… You don’t look…too good yourself…” Juniper fanned her glove at Anne. “I’ll have you kissing the canvas…in no time flat…”

  “Bold words from a shortie…who can’t see me face to face…” the large boxer said while ruffling the rabbit’s brown locks with a glove. “But I admire your tenacity…”

  Juniper pushed Anne’s arm aside with a passionate smile seemingly devoid of fatigue. “I’ve got more than just tenacity… You’ll see soon enough…”

  “Good… Then give me your full course…”

  “Nah…” The rabbit pointed her glove at Anne’s bruised gut, then raised it at the sheep’s face, “you’re getting…the entire menu!”

  Juniper was moved aside for a quick checkup and when she was cleared to go, the rabbit wasted no time peppering the sheep’s guard with swift jabs, using the momentum of her surprise recovery to deny the bigger opponent any opportunities to think straight. Her head was ringing and she felt an intense burn just moving her body, yet the rabbit was determined to prove herself as jab after jab was launched into those big arms. Though Anne was impressed by her opponent’s strong will, it only took a single glance to tell that she would be felled with a few more clean hits - regardless of one’s will, the body’s tolerance was finite. Its condition spoke a universal language everyone understood and the sheep’s sharp eyes possessed a heightened sense of this unspoken craft. This did not mean the match was over and done with however, Anne’s own body had taken its fair share of blows and though she had indeed weakened the impact of Juniper’s Uppercut, the sheep’s mind was not quite at maximum output yet nor could she ignore the damage her body had suffered. The rabbit had some spunk and when her blows landed clean they HURT.

  After a while of dealing with those pesky jabs, Anne took the opportunity to swat aside one of the rabbit’s jabs and closed in with a One-Two Jab combo which were both given the slip through nimble footwork, an impressive feat for someone who had sustained such punishment. She resumed the assault with a Right Cross which Juniper weaved past and followed up with a Left Hook which was promptly ducked, earning the sheep a swift jab to the gut. It was by no means a powerful blow, but Anne felt it all the same and stepped back with her left side facing the rabbit before unleashing the machinegun-fire that was her Flicker Jabs. Juniper was kept at a distance and the shorter reach left it impossible to deliver any counters without stepping close, a choice that was no different than jumping into the gaping maw of a starving lion. Facing Anne in close range equaled suicide, yet at the same time her choices were limited - her breathing had become more laborious and she felt as though her body had gained an extra fifty pounds and counting, it was a ticking bomb just waiting to blow. No matter how much she swayed and parried, the constant movement drained her stamina more than those jabs did Anne’s and with no other option coming to mind, she dove in. Her short body slithered past the larger pugilist’s jabs with minimal effort and she primed her left arm to go for a powerful blow, she watched the sheep’s golden glove come to meet hers before clashing…

  -And Juniper’s arm fell slack on the spot. It flew back with zero resistance as if every bone had faded away and while Anne was still distracted by the odd circumstance of their clash, an arm wrapped around her body. The rabbit clinched with ragged breaths and her aching left arm soon returned to complete the hug as she rested her cheek against Anne’s big chest. This round was a lost cause and any further fighting would only pull her deeper into the abyss of defeat, so clinching and buying time was the only valid option left in her arsenal. As she hugged the large sheep, Juniper could feel the firm muscles covering every inch of her body, polished through years upon years of harsh training. Everything she had gone through in the ring was the result of her opponent’s tireless road of physical growth and now she was feeling it firsthand.

  It made the urge to dent that mighty body even stronger…

  The referee soon stepped in to separate the pair and when their match was set to resume, Juniper stepped back with narrow eyes and stayed at a distance with her left arm hanging limp - each time Anne tried to close in on the rabbit, she was met with a Flicker Jab of the shorter pugilist’s design. It didn’t deter the sheep for long however and she soon answered with a straight jab aimed for the face which was followed by an immediate Left Hook that came at Juniper the second she weaved sideways. Her tired eyes widened in shock and she ducked below the swing by a hair’s breadth, only to see a flash of golden leather launching in an upward arch before coming to a halt just inches from her chin as the bell rang. Juniper’s heart was racing as she fell on her rear, sweat pouring as she had just barely avoided her head being blasted into the stratosphere. In the midst of her shock, she saw Anne’s glove hovering in front of her face as the sheep held her arm out to her fellow competitor with a smile, offering to help the rabbit stand up.

  Once Juniper was back on her feet, Anne flashed a cheeky smile. “I’ve yet to see your menu… Ran out of ingredients…?”

  “Hah…hah… Very funny…” The rabbit retorted with a competitive yet strained smirk. “I’ve got plenty… Of mutton, that is…”

  Anne leaned in with a wince disguised as a wink and cupped her opponent’s jaw . “Sounds delicious… I can’t wait~”

  “...What…?”

  Anne turned her back on the confused rabbit and went back to her corner in a confident stride, making it seem as though she suffered no shortage of fatigue. That visage was enough to sow doubt in Juniper’s mind again, but she shook it off with a frown and limped to her own corner with a groan.

  “Right, that COULD have gone better…” Lynni said with an awkward smile as she removed the rabbit’s slobbery mouthguard - it was all twisted and crumpled by this point. “But you did well buying time, that was about the best choice you could have made.”

  Juniper gave a slow nod. “She still almost…blew my head off…” she panted. “But I can sense it… Something’s off with her…”

  The rottweiler raised a brow while feeding the boxer some water. “Off? What do you mean?”

  She swished the water and spat into the bucket before the second started cleaning her bleeding nose with a cotton swab. “I know I nailed her good…yet she acts all normal… I don’t buy it…”

  “Sounds like one of her mindgames alright.” The canine looked over her shoulder at the opposite corner to look at Anne. “But…”

  “But?”

  “It’s too obvious, isn’t it?” Lynni put the swab away and started treating the bruises. “I don’t know, it’s not like Anne to let an opponent catch on like that.”

  “OR,” Juniper chuckled with a low cough, “she’s getting sloppy…”

  The rottweiler raised a finger but paused in thought. “...Huh. Maybe. You did land some blows.” She narrowed her eyes. “Maybe some more strikes to her core might shake the sheep up some.”

  “Noted.”

  Anne sighed as she left her corner to the sixth round bell, ears throbbing from her sister’s all-too insistent nagging. The elder sheep was of the protective sort that wouldn’t shut up after seeing her precious younger sister get bruised up, so Anne had spent the entire break trying to convince her not to hurt Juniper in return. She knew it was a bad idea to let that overly passionate sheep be her second, but it was safer to keep her within sight than risk their match being blindsided by abrupt emotional intrusions. Those thoughts soon faded like dust in the wind as she faced Juniper and the sheep brandished a big smile with her gloves raised in anticipation, eager to resume their duel.

  “You’re not fooling me…” Juniper said with a tiny smile. “You may act tough and all…but you’re hurting, aren’t you…?”

  Anne chuckled. “Hah, saw right through me huh?”

  “It was kinda obvious…” The rabbit entered her stance with a low giggle. “You’re a horrible actor…”

  “Ouch. Well, either way I’m glad you never stayed down.” Anne said with a wolfish grin as she stayed in a semi-sideways stance. “I’ve got a soft spot for cuties who never surrender.”

  Juniper’s ears shot up with its fur standing on end. “...What…did you just call me…?”

  The sheep blinked. “A cutie.”

  “Right, I didn’t hear wrong…” If she didn’t wear her gloves, the rabbit would have cracked her knuckles by now as several angry veins knotted on her forehead. “One word of advice, Anne…”

  “Hmm?”

  “I’M NOT CUTE!!”

  With an explosive kick-off, Juniper shot towards the startled sheep and hammered a Haymaker into her guard at full force, forcing a grunt out of the bigger woman as her hooves skidded across the canvas. Before she could so much as think about the sudden aggression, a Right Hook barreled into her forearm with a fleshy thud and a Left Hook followed the very next moment which then transitioned into a barrage of Left-Right Hooks. Outboxing aside, this aggressive style of boxing was different from all prior attempts at close quarters combat and with the immense burst of speed Anne found it difficult to adjust. Even the slightest change in her guard risked a punch slipping by and she could tell from the barrage Juniper’s strength had seen a considerable boost - this rage-induced state seemed to push out every ounce of the rabbit’s strength, though this also meant it came at a great cost of stamina. For now, all Anne had to do was stay on the defensive, weather the storm and counter once those damned arms slowed down.

  Moments later, Anne felt her back touch the ropes and then…

  THUMP!

  A split second. The brief bump against the ropes delayed Anne’s response for less than a split second, yet Juniper’s merciless fist slipped past a gap in the guard and plowed deep inside her bruised stomach. Harsh leather pushed against the sheep’s steely abs and her cheeks puffed up as the intense reverberations made a shock bulge emerge from behind. Saliva spewed from her mouth and she stood frozen in place with a blue glove embedded in her abdomen, then recoiled with a gasp as it was pulled out before an Uppercut followed suit to penetrate the solar plexus. More saliva and sweat was sent flying and the once solid guard had now spread out to leave the sheep a sitting duck to more blows as her body was rocked with such violent force that the ring ropes shook like lines in a storm. Juniper was relentless in her assault as the skin on Anne’s stomach rippled for every strike until she impaled her with a Haymaker to the navel that lifted the sheep’s hooves off the ground. The ropes stretched to their limit and saliva gushed out like a fountain as she slid on her rear, head and left arm hanging over the middle rope while a limp prosthetic arm hung on the bottom rope. Anne was red-faced and out of breath as she trembled, golden mouthguard resting on her chest while hoarse wheezes left her drooling lips.

  “What?! What just happened?!” Henningdale screamed from the top of his lungs. “Anne is down! I repeat, Anne is DOWN!!”

  While the audience roared and the baffled referee counted, Thrawnes rubbed his glasses with a cloth and squinted. “This can’t be right. ‘Water Fist’, downed by a newcomer? There must be some sort of mistake somewhere.”

  “No, this is real. Very real!” the red panda insisted with heavy breaths. “No one’s gotten Anne this hurt for the whole duration of this tournament!”

  “Correction…” the hamster managed as sweat trickled down his forehead. “When ‘Water Fist’ fights seriously, it’s exceedingly rare to see that woman be downed in such a manner…”

  “I bet Juniper’s sudden aggression caught her by surprise. I didn’t see it coming either.”

  “...Neither did I, truth be told.”

  Juniper glared at her downed opponent and punched her gloves together. “Get up… I know this isn’t enough… You can handle as much…” she growled, red hot fury burning in her sapphire eyes. “I’ll show you…that I’m far from cute!” The rabbit hunched down - pain be damned - right beside the sheep’s body. “C’mon, get up… I’m not finished with you…”

  Anne’s left arm shifted for a moment and rose to catch the top rope while lifting her head, then threw a faint glance at the now rustling prosthetic arm. Nausea racked her mind and she fought the urge to throw up, but the sheep’s mighty constitution allowed her to rise at the count of 7 with heavy breaths. She pinched the mouthguard off her chest and put it back before glaring at Juniper with narrow eyes as sweat poured, but as the referee cleared the two to resume, she was once again outpaced by the aggressive rabbit. The petite pugilist launched herself forward like a rocket and pummeled away at the guard as if wielding dual pickaxes, each blow rocking the large woman’s body through impact shocks alone. Anne needed to take a moment to regain her senses but with Juniper figuratively breathing down her neck with the hailstorm of punches it was nigh-impossible to do so without risks. Though the punches to the sheep’s prosthetic didn’t leave any bruises like it did her more muscular arm, she could sense the joints screeching in protest at the persistent blows and before she could adjust her guarding stance to minimize further damage, a Left Hook slammed into its elbow joint from the side. Anne jerked sideways and backpedalled with narrow eyes as her prosthetic arm began to lag, prompting the sheep to fire off her trademark Flicker Jabs - they seemed to halt Juniper’s advance at first but it soon proved to be a mere stopgap measure as the reckless rabbit broke through with shielding arms and sunk another punch into the gut. The sheep’s mouth shot open with a silent gasp as cruel leather twisted her skin, but she managed to endure the pain and brought a fist down upon the rabbit in retaliation.

  Time seemed to flow in slow motion for Juniper as she saw the golden wave descend upon her, though the rabbit was undeterred - she kicked off the ground to sidestep the punch and threw her right fist in an upward arc within that same movement to meet the sheep’s snout. Anne’s face was crushed by the counter Uppercut and her head snapped back with such force it seemed as though her thick neck stretched twice its original length, causing the groggy woman to stagger with clumsy hooves into the corner. Her arms hung low and the back of her head rested against the turnbuckle as glossy eyes stared into the void, brain scrambled like eggs within the confines of her rattled skull. Juniper wouldn’t let this chance fly by and dashed up close before launching Haymakers after Hooks after Uppercuts to the sheep’s body, nailing the firm abs with consecutive blows that tenderized the muscle tissue into soft meat. A downpour of spit soaked the rabbit’s brown hair and fur alike as she pounded the groggy sheep’s belly before winding back with narrowed eyes, then let out a loud battlecry and sank a rage-fueled Uppercut to the solar plexus with all of her might. Anne’s cheek’s puffed up and she fought the urge to shed tears as nausea hit at full force, leaving the sheep trembling for a moment before throwing up her mouthguard together with a big load of saliva that splattered the canvas, then fell forward with buckled knees to lean against the rabbit. Hoarse gasps and wheezes echoed into Juniper’s ears while the sheep hugged her in a desperate attempt to stay standing, but she would have none of that as she stepped back to watch her fall face first to the mat with both arms coiling around her caved gut.

  After a brief delay, the rabbit’s mind cleared as she looked down on her downed opponent. “Ah-... I think I overdid it…”

  The venue was dead silent as they saw Anne tremble and drool against the canvas. She had been downed not once, but twice in the same round by the tournament’s underdog and as the referee started counting, low murmurs were heard before it all exploded with uproarious cheers that almost made Juniper jump out of her fur. Over by the commentator box Henningdale was too busy trying to calm an increasingly agitated Thrawnes over what could very well be a knockout of the fan favorite and Juniper could feel her heartbeat intensify for every advancing number. She had been fully prepared to lose this bout upon entry, yet the mere thought of her maybe winning the entire thing almost made tears well up in her eyes. Her lips trembled and in a fit of ecstatic glee she turned to the crowd and punched the air with a gleaming smile, earning her even louder cheers of support. Juniper’s name echoed throughout the arena and she clutched the top rope with both gloves before leaning her forehead against them.

  That was, of course, until the referee stopped counting. The rabbit looked over her shoulder and showed a tiny smile as she saw Anne stand in a hunched stance with heavy breaths, sweat dripping from her glistening skin while a pair of strong amethyst eyes were locked onto the smaller opponent. Before the referee could even begin the checkup, she approached Juniper, reached out her left arm and pushed a glove against the rabbit’s cheek. The playful gesture was followed with a big smile and though no words were exchanged between the two opposing boxers, it didn’t take a genius to understand what was being said - Juniper had been recognized. The bell rang and Anne turned to walk by the ring’s edge using the ropes as support, no doubt exhausted from the extensive beating she had taken. Meanwhile, the rabbit touched her cheek with a slight blush, taken aback by the sheep’s seeming acceptance of what had just occurred. Most boxers, or just about anyone doing competitive sports in general, wouldn’t exactly be very pleased if such a thing happened to them, yet Anne didn’t even hesitate to offer her appreciation. Juniper considered herself a good sport too but normally she’d save this behavior until after the match was over, so the experience left her more than just a little confused as she was beckoned back to her corner by a very excited rottweiler.

  Over in Anne’s corner, Amanda was far from happy as she stared at her sister’s bruised body. “Wh-what were you thinking?!” Amanda cried out with trembling hands as she sat on her knees. “Why would you let her bully you like this?!”

  “It’s…not bullying…” Anne panted. “It’s boxing…”

  “Hmph, with the way she kept you in the corner she was definitely bullying you. I know you enjoy a good fight, but you shouldn’t just let her walk over you like this…” The elder sister looked over her shoulder at Juniper with a dark glare. “I should go teach her a lesson-”

  “Don’t… Just don’t…” A heavy huff left the big sheep’s lips. “She caught me…by surprise…and spent her energy reserves… I respect the dedication…”

  “But-”

  “Just…just focus…on patching me up…” Anne said before narrowing her cool amethyst eyes. “I’m not losing this one…”

  Amanda blinked and the malevolent aura surrounding her faded away to give way for that of tranquil flowers. “Oh okay~!”

  Meanwhile in Juniper’s corner, Lynni just couldn’t shut up…

  “-and you downed her TWICE in the same round! Do you have any clue how huge this is?!”

  The rabbit was pleased by the many compliments and her second’s massages felt heavenly as she sat on her stool. “But she still got up… She’s a beast…”

  “And that’s what makes this so special! Dude, you could actually win this if you continue at this pace!”

  “That’d be great… Because my body’s aching all over…” Juniper said with a dry chuckle. “I think I only got…one or two rounds left in me…”

  “I’m surprised you’re even conscious still!” Lynni said with a bellowing laughter. “No offense.”

  “Heh, none taken…” Juniper leaned forward with a groan, eyelids drooping from fatigue. “But I can’t relax yet… She’ll probably expect me to preserve my strength next round…”

  The rottweiler scratched her chin and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, usually one would take it slow and recover with more defensive plays after a round like this.

  “And that’s why…” The rabbit flashed a wide smirk of absolute confidence, “I’ll place all bets on the next round…”

  (“She’s definitely going to bank it on the next round.”) Anne thought to herself as she sat in the corner, back hunched and arms resting on her knees. (“Most of her reserves must have been spent on that offense just now and she’s likely anticipating that I’m expecting more defensive plays. In her current state it makes more sense to put all eggs in the basket and risk everything on a sudden offense to surprise me again.”) She lowered her head with a soft sigh as Amanda massaged her shoulders. (“I’m sorry Juniper, you’ve done a fantastic job but this is the round where it all ends.”) Her ears flicked to the sound of the bell and she stood up before punching her gloves together. (“No hard feelings.”)

  When the pair faced each other again, Anne reached out a glove which the rabbit didn’t hesitate to tap before they distanced herself. The sheep could no longer maintain a straight back after all those blows to the gut and it was clear that she endured a great deal of pain, but Juniper’s position wasn’t much different. Nevertheless, the rabbit performed an abrupt forward charge towards her opponent and threw the fastest punch she could muster…before watching as it was flicked aside by her opponent’s wrist. Juniper’s eyes widened as she was brought forward by the momentum of her own punch and when a harsh ball of leather barreled towards her incoming body, the rabbit forced herself to twist just enough for the heavy swing to only graze her fur. She sweated profusely and turned to face the sheep with a punch aimed for the kidney, but a simple lowered prosthetic arm voided the attack with eerie efficiency - it felt as though her opponent had been staring into the future. Juniper remained unshaken and threw a Haymaker which flew with pinpoint accuracy towards Anne’s midsection the moment she turned around, but the sheep seemed to have anticipated this too as she met the punch with a Right Hook to the wrist. The Haymaker was thrown way off course and as Juniper’s balance followed suit, a blue leather bullet crashed into her gut.

  “Gha-ha-…”

  The rabbit’s mouth shot open and her feet left the canvas for a moment as saliva flew in the air, but she gritted her teeth and went on an immediate offensive the second she touched the ground again by throwing a barrage of punches. (“This makes no sense!”) she thought to herself as her blows were blocked and parried time and again. (“Nothing’s working! How is she reading my moves so well?!”) She winded up for a punch, only for her snout to be tagged by a swift jab. “Ah-” Before she could process what just happened, two more jabs tagged her. “Shi-!” Juniper jumped back and winced as she felt a sharp sting in her bruised abdomen. (“Tch, not now!”) When she saw Anne approach with what seemed to be the windup for a heavy strike, the rabbit narrowed her eyes. (“Alright, it’s now or nothing!”)

  She planted her feet on the ground and leaned in just as Anne threw her punch, causing the golden wave to meet with the rabbit’s sturdy forehead! Just like she had done in the prior match against Pablo, she broke the wave and with Anne’s vulnerable gut now within reach she resumed her momentum and-

  THUD!

  A blue wave surrounded by gold blindsided Juniper’s cheek and the rabbit’s desperate attempt was shattered like glass as a cloud of sweat and saliva glistened in the air. Her blurry eyes quivered as she jerked sideways before being met with a golden wave hitting from the opposite angle - within mere moments of taking the counter, Juniper was trapped in Anne’s dreaded Dempsey Roll as her head bobbed left and right a double digit amount of times. Once the revolution of nigh-infinite punches ended, the punch-drunk rabbit teetered on unsteady feet as she fought to keep both arms raised in a guard, though an Uppercut to the belly rendered her defenses a moot point. Saliva gushed from her lips as she was lifted in the air before crashing into the canvas with a loud bang, then curled into a fetal position with hoarse coughs. Anne stepped aside to let the referee count and stumbled towards the ropes with heavy breaths, holding onto it with one gloved hand while the other covered her belly. Ignoring the pain was hell on earth as it felt like moving around with searing hot irons stapled to the body and she listened to the count with closed eyes.

  (“About time she went down. What a stubborn girl…”)

  She heard the nine count and steeled her resolve to stand straight at the declaration of her victory, but the ten count never came…instead all she heard was deafening cheers. “Don’t tell me…” She looked over her shoulders to see a groggy, half-lidded rabbit stand with a sloppy guard. “Heh… Figures…” The sheep rubbed her forehead with a faint chuckle and turned around to stare at her persistent opponent. “Come on now… You’ll stain my rep at this rate…”

  The pain was immense and she could hardly keep her mouthguard in place, but Juniper still chose to speak. “If I’m enough…to stain that rep…it can’t be worth much…”

  Anne’s eyes widened…and then she laughed. “G-good answer!” She had a coughing fit and rested both gloves against her knees. “You’re a wild one…”

  “It’s how I got…this far…” Juniper replied with a low shrug.

  “Touche.” The sheep took a single step forward to stay just a few feet away, “Question… What’s your favorite food…?”

  Juniper’s ears flicked - what an odd thing to ask all of a sudden. “Umm…? Well, I do like…grilled cheese…”

  “Noted.” Anne primed her fists for their final clash. “Now… Are you ready to end it…?”

  “Hell yeah!”

  Anne fanned at the referee to go away as if he was some mere pest before the two boxers’ tired eyes met. Both seemed close to their limit with neither opting for a swing - it only took them a shared nod for it all to change. They charged in with narrowed eyes, glistening sweat trailing behind them like a comet’s tail as the two boxers threw every ounce of defensive strength aside to focus it all on one single blow. It was in that moment that everything faded from their minds - the ring, the audience, the commentators, the referee and even the ring, it all disappeared into a white void as both boxers focused it all on their worthy adversary! When they closed in on each other, Anne’s eyes narrowed and she wound up for her upcoming strike, a faint movement that the rabbit’s sharp eyes caught hold of as she leaned in. A loud battlecry left her lips as she used her superior speed to throw the fastest and most powerful Haymaker she could muster, loading it with all of her remaining strength to land a devastating blow that not even Anne would be able to survive. At the very last second, the large pugilist twisted her body to sidestep the punch with an impressive slipping technique and threw an explosive Left Hook into her jaw, snapping the rabbit’s head sideways with a loud leathery bang. A fountain of saliva erupted as her crumpled mouthguard soared through the air and clattered ringside before falling off the edge into a tiny puddle of slobber. As for Juniper herself, she hit the canvas with such force that she almost left a crater on the surface, dull sapphires staring into an empty void as her body twitched with occasional muscle spasms. The bands holding Juniper’s twin ponytails together had come undone and the long brown hair draped her head like a cluster of messy seaweeds that only left parts of her face visible as strips of blood trickled out of her beaten nose. Drool escaped the downed rabbit’s lips like a defective tap and while the referee started counting, her eyes rolled back into her skull as she drifted into a deep and comfortable sleep…

  —---------------------- Four days later —----------------------

  

  Juniper stood outside a large apartment building with a note in hand, her curious face still covered in numerous bandaids from their fight just days prior. She wore a simple attire consisting of blue jeans, an orange sleeveless hoodie over a black undershirt with open midriff and a pair of mint green wristbands as she looked down on the piece of paper. From what Lynni had told her, Anne had intruded upon the unconscious rabbit’s locker room and told the dog to pass a message over - a note requesting they meet some afternoon at this address once her injuries had healed. The rabbit was still bruised from the many intense blows she had endured, but the curiosity of what her former opponent was thinking left her too impatient to wait any further. She tapped her blue and white shoes against the edge of the entrance flooring to shake off some dirt remnants and went to look at the list of inhabitants - despite the building’s impressive size, she was surprised to see there were only a handful of people who lived here. After pushing the button next to Anne’s listed name, a tiny screen lit up to show a close-up of the sheep’s smiling face as she leaned in with a “Come in~”, followed by a click from the door. The rabbit entered and after ascending a few floors she was met by a big sheep waving at her from one of the hallways, urging her in. Juniper couldn’t help but stare at the interior as she walked over a pretty wall-to-wall carpet covering the entire floor, making it seem as though she had entered some high-class hotel.

  “Come on in Juniper.” Anne chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the many bruises still decorating her grinning face.

  The rabbit did as told and when she entered the big woman’s apartment she couldn’t help but let out a gasp. Rather than just some apartment, it looked more like the interior of a house complete with a large living room, a minimum of five additional rooms and even pristine wooden stairs leading to a second floor! An expensive-looking kitchen bordered the living room and she was led to a fine marble counter that had…a clump of metal embedded into the cracked center - wait, was that a…?

  “Ah, before you ask,” Anne said, having taken notice of the rabbit’s confusion, “that’s just the remains of a frying pan handle I crumpled up once. A friend got on my nerves, haha.”

  “...And it’s a metal handle too…” The rabbit showed an awkward smile as sweat trickled down her cheek. “Remind me not to piss you off.”

  Anne burst into laughter. “Hah, that’s rich coming from the cutie who almost made me puke my guts out in the ring.”

  The rabbit’s eyes twitched and she cracked her knuckles with a stiff smile. “That can be arranged… Call me a cutie one more time, let’s see what happens.”

  “We already know, don’t we?” Anne winked at her as she stepped into the kitchen. “You looked very cute with your hair down like that. Maybe I should knock you out a few more times for good measure~”

  “Har har, very funny!” It became very tempting for Juniper to just get off her stool and deck that cheeky sheep’s gut again just for that remark, but she restrained herself. “If we ever fight again, I’ll make sure you won’t be eating any solid foods for a week!”

  “Oh I sure hope to fight you again! That was one of the most enjoyable finals I’ve ever participated in.” The sheep looked over her shoulder with a bright smile. “All jokes aside, you put up an amazing fight and I’d love to get to know you better.”

  Like leaves in the wind, Juniper’s anger proved short-lived. “Wait, really? I mean, aside from that one round I didn’t really deck you that many times.”

  “But you made it count when you did. Those are some strong arms you got there.” The sheep gave a little hum as she prepared some pieces of bread, slathering what looked like butter on either side. “One could be dogwalked the entire match, but one clean hit,” She snapped her fingers, “and it’s over just like that.”

  “Haha, that describes most of my fights in that tournament.” The rabbit scratched the back of her head. “The level’s much higher than I’m used to so I took a lot of beatings, but I always made sure to repay it tenfold when I got the chance.”

  “And I’m glad you did. Diamond League hosts some of the very best fighters out there, but most are just a bunch of snobs.” Anne said with a nod while layering a generous amount of meat and cheese on the bread. “They think they’re at the top of the world just for being members, so I’m glad you shut them up.”

  Juniper blinked. “Something tells me you don’t like them very much.”

  “Nope, and Thrawnes doesn’t like me too much either. You really wiped that proud old hamster’s smirk off his face~” She gave a thumbs up at the rabbit. “The way he runs his organization may be effective but it’s also very cynical and cold. He and his lot deserves to be humbled every now and then.”

  The rabbit was about to answer when Anne placed the bread on a frying pan, producing an almost heavenly smell. “Ooh, is that…?”

  “Grilled cheese, yes. I always treat those I respect to a good meal after matches.” Anne chuckled. “Though in our case it had to wait until after the awards ceremony as well as our physical recovery.”

  “It smells so good…” The petite woman fought the urge to drool as she trembled on her seat. “What did you put in it?”

  “Ham, cheddar and mozzarella on the inside,” Anne flipped the grilled cheese sandwiches on the pan with an audible sizzling sound, “and a homemade herbs-and-butter mix on the outside.” She soon turned off the stove and placed the freshly made sandwiches on two separate places before handing one over to Juniper. “Bon appétit~"

  Juniper couldn’t stop staring at the food with wide eyes. The crust was golden and melted cheese poked out from within to leave a tiny pool on the plate, not to mention the strong flavors of meat, cheese and fragrant herbs massaging the inner walls of her nostrils. She couldn’t keep her glistening eyes away from the sandwich and soon took a bite with rosy red cheeks before leaning back with a pleasant sigh.

  “This…tastes…AMAZING!!” she blurted out before taking another bite. “I didn’t know you could cook too!”

  Anne smiled and sat down to eat as well. “I really had no choice growing up. My sister almost killed me many times over with her horrible cooking.”

  Juniper paused. “She was that bad, huh?”

  “Yup. She’s a strong fighter and knows her way around business and finances, but not much else.” Anne explained before taking another big bite. “So I taught myself to cook and everything just evolved from there.”

  “I can tell!” The rabbit took a moment to marvel at her beautiful sandwich, only to pause in thought. “Hold on… If your sister’s cooking was so bad, why didn’t your parents do it?”

  The sheep scoffed. “Oh, they dropped us off in the slums to fend for ourselves when we were six.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry-”

  “Don’t apologize, you had no way of knowing. Besides,” Anne rested an elbow on the counter and waved the sandwich with a smirk, “we wouldn’t be here if they didn’t, no? I climbed to the top and I’ve got zero regrets, so the past no longer fazes me.”

  Though she still felt guilty for bringing up such a sensitive topic, the rabbit nibbled on her food with averted eyes. “So you got this far after losing everything… That’s really amazing!”

  “Well, I didn’t really lose EVERYTHING, I still got my big sis.” She scratched her cheek. “She’s a bit of a handful at times, but she used to be a lot…worse. I’d rather not go into the details on that one.”

  “Oh no, that’s perfectly okay! I get that you’ve been through a lot so it makes sense!” Juniper blurted out with an awkward smile before looking away. “It’s just…I had no idea we had something like this in common. I grew up poor too and boxing’s a way for me to earn a living, so seeing how far you came just got me very excited.”

  “And you’ve got every right to be. I certainly see a strong potential in you.” Anne said while flashing a wide grin. “Keep at it and you may reach my heights someday.”

  The rabbit jolted and cocked her head sideways in confusion. “What, you really think so? I mean, I know I’m not some weakling but still.”

  Anne raised an index finger. “Despite your size you’re able to execute a strong momentum to deliver harsh blows,” A second finger was raised, “you’ve got a very strong constitution and solid core,” Then a third, “you know how to quickly reverse a bad situation and don’t falter under pressure,” And finally, a fourth, “and you’ve got an iron will comparable to the best I know.”

  Juniper was flattered by the generous compliments and showed a big, confident smile. “Well, in that case…” She put down her food and looked straight into Anne’s eyes, “I hope you’ll be ready, because next time I’ll show you what I can REALLY do!”

  The large woman’s heart fluttered at those words and she rested her chin upon her palm. “Ooh? Is that so~?”

  “Damn right!”

  “Hah, I like you!” The sheep got off her chair and with the sandwich still in hand, beckoned her new friend to follow. “Come here for a second.”

  Juniper obliged while chewing on her food, watching as the sheep led her to one of the apartment’s many doors. “What did you want to show me?”

  “This.” Anne opened the door to reveal a large hall filled with not just training equipment, but a boxing ring as well. “You said you wanted to show me what you can really do next time we fight and here’s your chance.”

  Sweat trickled down the rabbit’s brow as she stared at the large room. “Woah… Wait, you want us to fight NOW? But we haven’t even made a full recovery yet. And my outfit-...and the grilled cheese…”

  “Not NOW now. I’m talking about the future.” Anne laughed. “Whenever you wanna fight, hit me up and I’ll make room. And if you ever have any questions then don’t hesitate to ask, I’ll gladly teach you anything I know.”

  Juniper was at a loss for words where she stood. “Wow… Just wow… You would do all of that? We barely even know each other.”

  “One can learn many things about people once you’ve faced them in the ring.” She gave the shorter woman a pat on the shoulder before returning to the kitchen counter with another bite of her food. “And I see no reason not to indulge in watching your growth. Of course, you’ll probably take about ten or twenty tries before taking me down.”

  “Make that two tries.” The rabbit raised two fingers with a chuckle before lowering one. “And I’ve already tried once!”

  Anne pointed her sandwich at Juniper. “That’s the spirit. I love strong gals with that kind of moxie.” After she sat down, the sheep watched the rabbit follow suit. “With that out of the way… Here.”

  Juniper blinked as she saw the sheep slide a paper across the marble surface - it looked like some sort of check... “...What’s this?”

  “Oh, that’s the tournament winnings for the winner.” Anne replied in a lackadaisical manner. “You can have it.”

  “Huh?! What the hell are you doing?!” Juniper blurted out in shock and awe. “You won fair and square. It's yours, I don't deserve it."

  “Oh you deserve it alright. Anyone who can drive me to the seventh round like that might as well be declared the victor.” Anne said with a big grin. “You could see it as…a future investment in your talents~”

  “But…but I…”

  Juniper sat there in her chair, glistening sapphire eyes staring at the check. (“This is a lot of money, and she’s giving it away just like that…”) she thought to herself. She put her food down and placed both hands on her lap, clenching them into tight balls. (“I lost the match so I shouldn’t be accepting this, yet…” The rabbit couldn’t take her eyes off of all those zeroes. (“Wouldn’t it also be disrespectful of me to decline when she makes such a kindhearted offer? This is something she’s doing out of her own goodwill and I probably shouldn’t spit in her face like that.”) Juniper raised a trembling hand to grab the check. (“This is so unreal… I know I need the money, yet it doesn’t feel right. But I also need it…”) She put the check down and massaged her head. “Hmm…” An epiphany hit. “Alright, let’s do it this way.” she said in a surprisingly calm tone while fanning the piece of paper. “I’ll gratefully accept the money since it’d be disrespectful to deny your kindness, BUT…” She winked at the sheep, “I won’t acknowledge that I deserve it until I knock your lights out in the ring!” Much to her surprise, Anne burst into laughter and she blushed. “What? I really mean it, I’ll kick your ass! Hey! Stop laughing-”

  And so Juniper found another goal to add upon her list of future achievements; the defeat of Anne Horndale. It was a steep climb, but it was one she was more than willing to tackle in her journey to become stronger!