Chapter 5

Zine heard a static noise bounce off the sewer walls, before turning into Candy Crazed Lala’s voice.

“WELCOME EVERYONE! TODAY WE HAVE OUR NEW CONTESTANT, THE ONE I TOLD YOU ABOUT!...OR DID I?...I DON’T REMEMBER! BUT HERE HE IS!...UH...HIS NAME IS UH…..”

Zine heard the sound of a paper being un-crumpled over the speakers. His last place didn't have a working sound system.

“OH RIGHT!” Lala’s voice squeaked over the speakers. “HIS NICKNAME IS DRAGON'S FURY! LET'S GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!”

Zine mentally groaned.

He had hoped to get a chance to change his nickname, but it seemed like the owner of his last ring had called ahead and told her his nickname.

New beginnings my ass, Zine thought glumly.

This is so unfair! My first day here and I have to fight this green giant guy who looks like he should be in an after photo and my weird nickname is still following me! Well that's what you get when you're only twelve and you nickname yourself ...you really do not think it through. You also you don't think of the nickname as long term. Let's just hope it never turns up on your future job’s resume and get over it, he decided.

“OK BOYS!” Candy Crazed Lala’s voice cracked over the speaker, startling Zine.

“I WANT A CLEAN FIGHT! OR I'M MAKING THE LOSER CLEAN IT ALL UP! GOT IT?”

Zine totally got it, because he hated cleaning up blood, especially his own.

“ALRIGHT IF YOU GOT IT, FIGHT!”

Zine heard a loud ding over the sound system and it took him getting run over by Mister Green Giant to realize the fight had started.

They really do things in the city differently, Zine thought while trying to breathe, as he had smacked down on the rings flooring, and was currently pinned by Mister Green Giant.

“Hey Veggie Head! What happens to a 6ft, 200 pound man when he pins a 5ft, 100 pound teenager?!”

“What happens?” Mister Green Giant asked with a stupid grin.

“He gets kneed in the stomach! Try not to upchuck your last victim!”

Zine bent his knees and pushed them up as high as he could, and Mister Green Giant rolled off of him, coughing.

Zine jumped on him and punched him in the nose.

A short burst of blood splattered on Mister Green Giant’s navy blue shirt. He tried to get up but Zine kicked him in the side, and he groaned in pain.

Zine really should have been on the soccer team at his old school.

But it seemed like Mister Green Giant didn't want to stay down, he rolled and pushed himself up from his knees, wiping his nose a bit. He put up his fists like a boxer's, wobbling slightly.

Zine righted himself into a defensive position, knees bent, ready to dodge. Mister Green Giant charged forward about to punch his lights out, when Zine ducked down, pushing out with his legs, he grabbed the giant man's knees and pulled forward.

Timber, Zine thought as Mister Green Giant crashed with a crack into the flooring.

He was about to celebrate when the man's feet kicked up slightly and got him in the chin.

That smarts! Zine snarled like a dog.

He felt unbalanced for a second, since the kick had jarred him. The man got up again, incredibly unsteady on his feet.

The crack Zine heard must have been his head.

“Tsk.” Zine clicked his tongue.

The man just wouldn't stay down!

As the Green Giant lurched forward, Zine whipped his foot up, barely clipping the man's chin. The kick was enough to unbalance and knock the man down on his side. He did not rise again.

Zine mentally went over his own wounds. The adrenaline that had been rushing through him, calmed and he felt an ache in his wings and the back of his head from when he was pinned. He had a few scratches on the ends of his fingers from the ring’s floor, and his chin stung. But other than that, he was fine.

He could already feel his scratches healing.

The pain was lessening in his wings and in his head.

But his chin still smarted.