JAC sat with Berand, both having a nice steak dinner. "I suppose you understand why we are talking right now." Swillow sat at the table next to them, scarfing down steaks. Like one bite at a time, it was kinda cool.

Slash and Athyn leered over from their tables at JAC.

"It seems we have a feud boiling. Is this because, you know, you lost your red shirt?" Berand stared up at him. "Or your pot? And your golden glow too?"

Citrus shook her head as Swillow laughed.

"You think you're hilarious," Berand said. "I think that too. Each time I see you fighting, I laugh." JAC raised a brow at him. "Main thing same between me and Winnie - Ahm the shit."

JAC went to take a swig- "Wait!" Inari came up with a letter. "Don't drink, you have to stop Athyn!"

Swillow jumped in front of Inari, and Inari paused. Swillow sniffed Inari. She went closer to her tails until Citrus smacked her. "Sniff someone's butt, I dare you."

JAC examined the letter, and stared at Athyn and Slash.

"Well I have a main event match against Swillow coming up. When I get the crown, I'll be sure to finish you." He bitched out. "See you next Tuesday."

"Then how will you come to the match!?" Swillow asked.

"That's not what he meant," Citrus said.

"Now, now," kitsune Inari asked, "What is the Key of Lous?"

"The Key of Lous?" Swillow asked. "It allows you to unlock soul rooms."

"I'll owe you quite the favor Inari." JAC stared at Slash. "Quite a favor.

The jackal queen, Slash, asked, "Shouldn't that rabid little brat be punished for reading someone else's mail?"

"Not wrong," Citrus said.

Inari's eyes widened. "Wait, what!? You can't be serious."

Swillow put down a huge hunk of wood with a wheel attached. "This is called the wheel of misfortune, and it's how I decide how to punish others." Besides, Swillow thought Inari might have to do with that Second Swillow problem last two weeks. "Let's see, we have Solar Powered Spanking Machine."

Inari snorted. Then realized she was serious. "You're a freak. And who would touch a kitsune's tails anyway? That's begging for a cursing out."

"Well JAC's a paladin so he'd heal it, so there!" Swillow said, sticking her tongue out.

"No... I would not."

"And then," Swillow said, "we have indentured servitude!"

"Pass," Inari said.

"This is a wheel, dammit. You get what you get." She spun the wheel. "Luck and chance, man." It came down to an image of a boot. "And... Boot to the head!"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Berand laughed until Swillow spun again. "And as for you-" Boot image again. "Boot to the head! For attacking my assistant!"

Inari and Berand stared at each other before staring at the three. They lurched forward.

"Time," JAC said before a blue flash came.

Both Inari and Berand felt a metal boot crash into their skulls. Swillow put down the spiked cleats. Soon as Inari tried cursing Swillow, a white wave washed over her.

Citrus said, "Now let's get Slash- Dammit." She was gone.

"Crap, we got a wild Slash loose," Swillow said.

"Get to your match," JAC said. "I can focus on getting Slash-"

A bear's arm clotheslined him in the back of the neck.

"That's what you get!" Berand shouted at him. Citrus threw him into the air. He fell on her feet before she threw him in the Matrix Shift.

The carnage went on.

Swillow left while make her preparations.

This would be a quick fight.

***

Rex stamped around. Two ran in front of the lizard. "It's time we settle this."

Order of Light had orders to take down Rexcelsis. The 35 foot tall brute. This was a beast game, a fight.

"Come on, you fat lizard." She punched him in the thigh.

Rexcelsis whapped her with his tail, knocking her a hundred feet away.

Two tried standing up, and saw a beam come from Rex to her. It then killed her.

Rexcelsis brought his record to 1-0.

***

So the rainbow of dragons sang the choir as Athyn came out into the ring. He dropped a white robe with golden trim.

"This match is a Street Fight," Richard Medium announced. "There are no disqualifications, there are no rules, and either can obtain a fall in the street. Introducing first, Athyn."

The blue dragon bowed.

"And introducing his opponent, weighing in at 303 pounds, standing in at six feet-"

A fog machine blared. The ice cream queen, Mosor, came out with a yellow wolf-coyote and a brown wolf-hyena, before she sang.

"Dream and know this..." Her voice haunted the area as the smoke flowed over the stairs.

"Watch the light and

Watch it draining..."

She took a few steps forwards with her friends by her side. She said them,

"Taste the blood and

Feel it draining."

Dark red lights flashed, with laser beams breaking in the fog.

"The beast without a soul is coming back

A mind that's twisted, a heart that's painted black

No wonder we all scream

We all scream

We all scream

We all scream!"

The ice cream pack turned and swayed their bottoms as the king came from the fog. Swillow decked out with a skirt made of bones. She walked into the ring.

"So what if you got a new entrance theme," Athyn muttered as the bell rang.

Swillow charged at Athyn, and headbutted him out of the ring. Athyn's eyes widened as his spine hit the ground. He groaned, and Swillow jumped over the ring ropes and frog splashed onto him.

The ref came over and counted, but Athyn kicked out. He staggered, before pushing past glass windows.

A wooden shack with the smell of boozed up, drunk peoples. "The place of vice," he said as he saw the bar.

Swillow ran into the bar. Athyn grabbed a bottle of liquid, but Swillow ran into him. The force smashed both past the bar counter then.

Athyn felt liquid splash on him. Swillow let a few sparks fly from her paws before the flames consumed Athyn.

Screaming, Athyn stopped, dropped, and rolled. The pain was something he hadn't felt before. She stood up while Athyn struggled to push himself up. One, two, three... Swillow bit down on Athyn's neck and pinned him down. He felt his color drain... No, he saw his color drain... He turned a dark gray...

"Swillow has won by submission." The ref of the match had said the last words as Athyn fell into a deep slumber.

"What did you do to him?" Leroy!? asked as he went over.

"Drained his soul by the drop," Swillow said and laughed. As she laughed, some could hear the screaming... As if his soul was in her stomach.

Next installment - August 1st.

The Artesian Belt Tournament Starts off:

Tiercel returns to fight Leroy!?

After weeks of SOS fighting him, JAC decides to talk to MEW3.

Rexcelsis finds a new victim.