A black wolf sat upon a wooden chair, staring in the mirror between cabinets filled with ice creams of various flavors. She stared into her own reflection, as the Tyrantperson stood behind her, the pink maned JAC. With a squirt bottle, he wetted a comb, and with finesse, removed old hairs from her head.

The comb went down to her cheeks. Swillow stared up at her minion. Several days later would be the final chapter of Swillow the Slaughterhound, and a phantom hung over her like a black blanket.

"JAC, I couldn't even trust my brother. How could I trust you?"

"I would never betray my queen or my beast king," JAC told her.

Swillow's personal assistant went to work, still, despite the relaxed setting, her thoughts engaged in turmoil mode.

She hummed. "How could I trust you? To never turn on me? How could I trust you? When I couldn't trust family?"

JAC said, "I would never..."

Swillow said, "Consumed by enemies..."

JAC flicked the comb.

"I would never-

Turn my back on you

I would never

Order is all I know.

Rules and laws, religion

To a paladin's decision."

Swillow paused as JAC stopped the combing.

"You're really rather a nice person JAC," she said, and shook her head. Spray flew everywhere, and getting the mirror.

"Just thank the ice cream pack," JAC said. "They're the ones who permit us to use their humble residence as our base after our old one got burned down. Damn SOS..."

JAC stared at the mirror, but Swillow saw something she hadn't seen before. A mark of depression on his face, his eye lids sagging more than normal, almost purple.

Someone tapped on Swillow's shoulder, transporting her to modern day. She stared at Harper-Jay.

"Uh, you okay?"

"Yeah..."

***

Richard Biggs: Welcome back to Beast Games. This is our first episode of the New Year, and we have some heavy topics to address.

Richard Littles: Yes, as you all know, Noah horrifically attacked JAC and JAC, well, he's not returning.

Richard Biggs: We're here to crown our new General Manager.

Audience members packed the stadium.

Richard Woods stood at the entrance ramp, in front of the entrance tunnel. Beside him stood the six foot brute, the muscular dragon-biped, Noah. "Introducing, our new General Manager, Lazarus."

The tunnel lit up red lights, as a new Aetherperson strolled out, hands in pockets. He looked similar to JAC, except he had blue hair where JAC had pink, a gaunter face, and a lot less hair.

He rocked his head, his short hair staying still unlike JAC's curly hair. "Here I am to replace that loser JAC, because Noah is so disappointed in the show." He twirled the microphone around in his hands. "And how couldn't they be? After all, JAC literally used the show to promote his own feuds.

He put his voice to a higher pitch to mimic JAC's. "Oh, no. Everybody hates me and wants to kill me. I know, I'm gonna go to War with SOS. Oh no, my wolf girlfriend just broke up with me, so I guess I better put myself in the main event of the year to get over the fact-" He turned to a normal tone. "No one likes me."

Lazarus rolled his shoulders. "The amount of narcissism found in this one person, who was in almost literally every episode is astounding. Luckily, I'm here. I can save the day. You just all have to put a little faith in me, and I'm going to outdo all the damage JAC did. All the damage!

"I'm making a promise right now, there will be no more petty, ridiculous feuds. I don't know where JAC is right now exactly, but I suspect there's lots of sulfur, and flames, and smoke, and shadows-"

Shadows, smoke, flames, and sulfur exploded from the entrance as a silhouette floated over. Noah raised an eyebrow ridge, while Lazarus got into a fighting stance.

Lilith approached the stage. "I demand a fusion between Beast Games and After Dark."

Richard Biggs: Excuse?

Richard Littles: We never got that news.

Lilith's black dress flowed despite a lack of wind. She said, "Yes. I believe there's benefits in mutual cooperation. Also, I really don't want to run a business anymore."

Lazarus whispered to Noah, and Noah nodded. "You still have that one championship, the Darkest Belt. We can't just subsume that belt."

Lilith said, "Considering you severely injured JAC, I doubt he's defending anytime soon."

Noah nodded. "Very well. However, you do understand the-"

Lilith said, "Yes you control all territories and other things with Beast Games, but this is a fusion, not a takeover, so I want some creative control!"

Noah and Lazarus whispered to each other. Noah leaned into the microphone. "We already have a General Manager. You can be, uh-"

"I want the job of commissioner."

"No, you'd outrank me-" Lazarus said, but Noah slapped him on the back of the head.

"Lilith, you've got yourself a deal." Noah outstretched a hand.

Lilith flowed over to the stage, and put a hand out, hers looking delicate when compared to Noah's monstrous hands. They shook hands.

Lazarus stared at them with evil eyes. As Lilith and Noah walked down the stage, he heard the chants.

Audience: You're a loser. You're a loser. You're a loser.

Lazarus shouted, "Loser? When you're the ones who actually read this crap when JAC was in charge? All of you look like cavemen who discovered radiation before fire. Some of you look like Picasso's finest works."

An ice cream truck whirred from the side of the stage, speeding until screeching to a halt on the ramp.

"Excuse me," Lazarus shouted, "can I help you, dear sir or-?"

Berand slammed the driver's door open with his entire body and landed in a confrontational pose. "How dare you insult the audience, I'm in there sometimes!"

Lazarus raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to go out on a limb here, and ask if your family's gene pool was more of a gene puddle. You see..." He bumped a fist against his chest, while approaching Berand. "I call the shots around here. You have that belt." He pointed to the ten pounds of silver. "That Artesian Belt? If you want, I can make someone come for that belt. I can make any matches I want."

He stood two feet from Berand. "And you can't stop me."

"Bold words for someone in mauling distance," Berand said.

Lazarus raised an eyebrow, and raised the microphone, but Berand grabbed his collar. Lazarus' pupils shrunk, as Berand lifted him up, and slammed him into a table, shattering the wood.

Lazarus twitched in the corpse of the wood. He writhed and almost gagged.

Turning away from the new manager and toward the audience, the barbearian roared out, "If he's gonna step up to the General Manager position, he's gonna need to earn the respect that position holds. JAC could wrestle a bear all day, and if Lazarus can't handle the pressure of a single bear, how is he supposed to handle to pressure of managing SWILLOW?"

Lazarus struggled to his feet and grabbed a handrail. He rushed over, and gave a kick to Berand's gut, knocked Berand backwards. Berand hit the bottom rope, but pulled himself up."No response? JAC could always manage a retort during a fight, and punch at the same time. Face of the matter is that you're talking big now, but you can't think quick in a fight, and that's a deadly issue out in the wild."

Berand rushed at Lazarus, but Lazarus popped up, got the flying headlock on, and dropped Berand on his head in a cutter.

"You want hardcore. You want hardcore!?"

Lazarus took a step back. "Really, because all of you seem pu-retty fake to me! All of you! I've had the displeasure of being in the background, and knowing some of you morons. So how about, we stop that? Let's break face. All of you, break face, and break face. Because if I'm expected to believe this..." He lifted Berand's chin up with his heel. "If I'm supposed to believe this liar actually cared about JAC, then I don't know what to believe anymore."

Lazarus kneed Berand in the face, breaking his nose. He rolled out of the ring, only to throw a couple more tables in.

"You like tables, huh big guy? Huh, big guy?" He opened up the tables, setting them up. "We've got tables, don't you worry, okay big guy. Here, lemme help you to them."

He wrapped arms around Berand's waist, before suplexing him into a table, breaking the table. Berand unleashed a grunt, but Lazarus grabbed him, and suplexed him through the third table.

Lazarus shot back up, and beat his chest. "I'm the general manager! No matter what position Lilith suddenly has, or even if JAC comes back from the dead, no force can move me from this position. I. AM. LAZARUS!"

***

Tarax folded his wings as he entered the locker room. A blue water dragon was far from the least imposing fighter, therefore he had to keep a peaceful disposition, lest others think him a monster.

However, only two others strolled in the locker room, one being a red fox, literally red, with dark blue tips of tails, ears, and paws. With her, wandered a coywolf, who pored over two different perfumes.

"Cyras," the coywolf asked, "how does wintergreen smell?"

"How would I know?" Cyras asked.

"You actually lived in the woods? Remember?" the coywolf, Ahmond asked.

"Yeah, but I don't think wintergreen is a smell from the woods. I'm pretty sure the smell is manufactured, and when did you even start wearing perfume, when?"

"I'd recommend wintergreen," Tarax said.

The two girls jumped, and he raised his wings defensively, only to refold them.

"A dragon?" Cyras asked, side eying Ahmond. "The only dragons here were part of this one group, the Order of Light. So, you must be with Vicyl."

"Who?" Tarax asked.

"I think he's one of the new employees," Ahmond said, and Cyras nodded in recognition, before the two looked him over.

"We're Team N:Era," Cyras said, "and we're willing to help you get comfortable." She gave a sly smirk.

Registering the expression, thoughts of hazing came to Tarax's mind. He narrowed his eyes. "On second thought, I'm going to the pool."

As he walked past Cyras, she asked, "To cool off?"

He froze. "Why would I need to-"

Earthen clamps wrapped around his arms, as Cyras rubbed her paws together. Sparks flew, while flames glowed.

Tarax's eyes widened, and he struggled, but his wrists were too small to break free from the earth binding him.

Cyras jumped from behind him, and repeatedly slapped his scaly rump with her paws. He screamed from the first few slaps, and thrashed around, as Cyras gave almost a thousand slaps total.

He finally broke free from the trap, and turned to face her. "I don't know your issue, kid, but that's not how you treat a new friend!"

Cyras' flicked her tail, and narrowed her eyes. "We're not new friends, and one of us has to get our first win of the year, to get our momentum." She hopped onto a bench. "And I have a feeling you lack a killer instinct."

"You're like, thirteen," Tarax said, rolling his eyes at her. "Tell me your 'killer instinct'."

She walked the length of the table, only to slither to the floor. "You've ever been on the hunt before? Defended your land from intruders? Have you ever ended a life before?"

Tarax's eyes widened, but he said, "There's a difference between hunting and killing others to stop intruders. One's right, the other's... The other's not good, okay. But if you want a fight, then let's fight."

Cyras grinned. "Excellent."

Richard Biggs: Well now we have a new match scheduled for tonight. Cyras will be facing off against Tarax.

Richard Littles: Indeed. Later on, we'll be hearing from JAC, about something called a "Draft"? But coming up next, a match a long time in the making. ONE will be facing MEW3 for the Coin of Tug.

Richard Biggs: Previously, these two were the best of friends. ONE led the SOS, and MEW3 took charge after ONE had a mysterious absence following an Armageddon Steel Cage Match with JAC.

Richard Littles: A match which corrupts others, but ONE was able to come back later and attack MEW3. Both fought at Halloween for the Coin of Tug, but the match ended without any result.

Richard Biggs: Our first match of the year starts now.

***

The tunnel blazed blue as ONE rolled out on a skateboard, black with yellow trim. He wore a mask as always, covering half of his face, with red teardrops running down a coal colored skull.

His leather jacket flapped in the wind, as he rolled to the side of the ring.

Richard Wood: This match is scheduled for one fall, for the Coin of Tug. Introducing first, standing at five feet, and weighing 130 pounds, the first, and as he claims only, leader of the SOS. The Rebel, ONE!

The tunnel blazed yellow like electricity, as MEW3 walked down, in a cotton jacket. Brown. Not as imposing as ONE's, but he had the weight to make up for his disposition.

Richard Wood: And his opponent, standing in at five feet, and weighing 160 pounds, he claims he's the new leader of the SOS, the Maverick, MEW3!

MEW3 ushered for Richard Short, the referee to shoo away ONE. He didn't want to be attacked as he entered the ring.

Richard Biggs: Two bipedal tigers, about to raise their dukes.

Richard Littles: ONE blue, the other yellow.

Richard Biggs: Someone's gonna kill you for your puns. Anyway-

Richard Woods: And their opponent!

MEW3 and ONE raised an eyebrow, as they stared at the entrance tunnel. This time, the megascreen showed an image of seven dragons, then read "Order of Light".

A new bipedal jumped through, only this time a wolf humanoid. She carried a halberd, and twirled the halberd around, while doing high kicks. She stomped the ground, while slamming the staff part down for an empathic slam.

MEW3 and ONE backed up.

Richard Woods: Standing in at 6 foot 6, weighing in at 220 pounds, she's the leader of the Order of Light, Vicyl!

Richard Biggs: And here comes Vicyl, from the Order of Light.

Richard Littles: She's the leader, she's the law.

Richard Biggs: MEW3 and ONE are the rebels.

Vicyl marched into the ring.

Richard Short waved for the bell.

ONE and MEW3 rushed for Vicyl, but her hands grabbed both by the throat. Their eyes widened, and Vicyl picked them up, before slamming them to the ground.

ONE and MEW3 bounced back up, their eyes turning to pinpricks, their claws flexing. As they landed again, both writhed on the ground.

Richard Biggs: Vicyl just picked those two up like kittens.

Richard Littles: If you slam kittens down.

Vicyl pulled ONE back up with his arm, only so her knee caught his face. A dull smack as knee bone met face bones. MEW3 lurched up, and Vicyl slammed her knee into him. A knock came from his skull as he fell backwards.

Richard Biggs: Vicyl is dominating in this match up.

Richard Littles: Well they had no time to prepare for her!

Vicyl paced the ring, and waited for the two to get to their feet. She wasn't cruel. Everyone deserved a fair chance. She leaned back against a corner, as ONE was first to stand to his feet.

As Vicyl charged him, ONE drop kicked her dead in the chest. The force pushed her back as she felt her ribs compress against her heart, but she righted herself.

MEW3 ran at Vicyl, but Vicyl clotheslined him. MEW3 dropped to the ground, and grabbed his neck.

Richard Biggs: MEW3 just getting all sorts of dominated in this match up.

Richard Littles: Only ONE can mount a reasonable defence.

ONE gestured to her they should fight, and Vicyl casually kicked MEW3 out of the ring. While she was distracted, ONE jumped on her back, and wrapped his arm around her throat.

Her eyes widened, as she grabbed a rope.

Richard Biggs: Too bad rope breaks don't work in this match up. You see, in normal cases, grabbing a rope forces someone to break after five seconds, but triple threat matches are no disqualification.

Richard Littles: Meaning Vicyl is just praying for a miracle.

Vicyl's color turned closer to purple, as her veins popped. She wobbled on her feet from the sleeper hold. She fell down, onto her knees, a thud coming.

MEW3 rushed back into the ring with a steel chair, and slammed ONE on the back. The metal shot clanged for the whole arena to hear.

ONE released his grip and shrugged off from Vicyl. He rolled onto his front.

MEW3 raised the chair high as he could, before slamming down onto Vicyl's back. Then ONE's. Then Vicyl's. Then ONE's. The shots rang out, as both lurched and writhed from the smacks.

Richard Biggs: Bending that metal around the backs of his opponents, that will certainly keep you down for a while. If not permanently.

Richard Littles: Good amount of offense.

MEW3 forced Vicyl onto her back, and covered her shoulders.

Richard Short: One, two-

Vicyl kicked out of the pin, throwing MEW3 off.

MEW3 leapt over to ONE.

Richard Biggs: Desperation maneuver.

Richard Short: One, two-

ONE kicked out from MEW3's pin. Then he rolled over onto his side, still downed, and breathing heavy.

MEW3 scooted back into a corner, before grabbing the ropes. He pulled himself up to his feet, and measured Vicyl as she tried to stand up. Headfirst, MEW3 charged for Vicyl.

She retaliated with a flying knee, catching MEW3's head. Blood spurted from the impact sight.

MEW3 collapsed to the ground, his vision darkening, his heart sinking. He grabbed at his wound, feeling the blood pouring out, staining his fur, staining his paw. Rolling back out of the ring, he tried to keep a distance away from the action while he healed.

ONE arose, his knees shaking. Vicyl spun around, about to clotheline him, but ONE bent over backwards.

Richard Biggs: ONE doing the spiderwalk to counter a discus lariat.

ONE flipped back over. As Vicyl turned, ONE's foot caught her jaw. The force 180'd her head.

Richard Littles: Superkick!

Vicyl dropped onto her hands and knees, before she struggled to stand up. ONE went to her side, somersaulted, and kneed her in the face.

Vicyl flipped over from the impact, onto her back.

Richard Biggs: The Kneedle.

Richard Littles: He's done a lot with that move before!

ONE jumped onto the bottom rope, before leaping backwards. As he flipped over, his knee hit Vicyl's face again, smashing into her nose.

The count began, but MEW3 ran in to break the pin up, but ONE rolled out of the way. Instead, MEW3 hammered his fists into Vicyl's sternum. She choked.

ONE ascended to the top rope, but MEW3 scaled the ropes to meet him. ONE kicked MEW3 in the gut, bending him over.

Richard Biggs: Fight at the top of the world.

Richard Littles: Anything coming down from there is monumental.

ONE wrapped his legs on either side of MEW3's head. He wrapped his arms around the waist, before hoisting MEW3 so he was sat on his shoulders.

Richard Littles: There's no way.

Vicyl's hands twitched. She began to feel movement.

ONE jumped down, and powerbombed MEW3's spine into Vicyl's midsection. She jerked around, with a scream, while MEW3 shrieked from the pain.

Richard Biggs: When MEW3 was about to intercept, he got him into the Oasis Bomb.

ONE rolled over onto Vicyl, figuring she had taken enough abuse to end the match.

Richard Short: One, two-

ONE raised fingers to follow the count, only to feel Vicyl push him off after two and a half.

Shock came upon ONE's face, before he punched the ground repeatedly. He needed to ramp himself up. ONE stomped the ground repeatedly, and pointed to Vicyl.

Vicyl lurched forward, shoulder into his gut, and speared him into the ground. She rained punches down on his face.

Richard Biggs: There's just no way to keep Vicyl down. Every time they start, Vicyl is immediately able to regain momentum.

Richard Littles: And she speared him like JAC would.

Vicyl wrapped his arms into an X and pushed down.

MEW3 ran at Vicyl's side. He grabbed her neck, and twisted around in a sideways flips, as Vicyl hit her back on the mat.

Richard Littles: Whiplash!

Richard Biggs: A neckbreaker out of nowhere. But MEW3 received the least of the exchange from ONE. He's still up from the power bomb.

MEW3 climbed to the top rope, before jumped backwards. He splashed onto Vicyl's midsection, only to fall off. He wasn't in a pin.

Richard Biggs: Moonsault.

MEW3 scooted closer to Vicyl for the pin, only for ONE to jump backwards. As ONE was about to land, he put his elbows out like the point of the number 1. His elbows hit MEW3's face, absolutely burying themselves into the sockets.

Richard Short: One, two, three!

ONE bounced up, only to dazedly move around. Richard Short raised his hand, before presenting him the Artefactor, the Coin of Tug. ONE waved his arm at the audience.

Richard Littles: ONE won.

Richard Biggs: This is actually the first time we've ever seen ONE win a match in Beast Games.

Richard Short gave ONE the microphone. "Yeah, baby." His voice came out deeper than usual, and scratchier. "I beat up Vicyl, and I beat up MEW3. I am the undisputed leader of the SOS, and you may think we've been disbanded. Berand's gone away, Leroy's gone away. But no, no, we're only getting started. Even if all men are islands amongst themselves, I am an island."

He yanked the microphone away. "You see, I was the first to be in a Beast Game, and this year I was the first to be in a Beast Game. Now that we've got one order of business done, I'm going to continue raising hell. And I think I know just where to start, since we've got ourselves a brand new General Manager. JAC may have beaten us, but Lazarus, we're just about to get started with you..."

He threw the microphone down as he rolled out of the ring, and threw up a middle finger. After all, he was number one.

He shouted from the ramp, "THE SOS IS BACK."

Richard Littles: Some big words towards Lazarus.

Richard Biggs: Well folks, we've still got the match between Cyras and Tarax. We've also been informed that Swillow is going to confront Harper-Jay and Reich about the terms of their removal from Swillow's service.

***

Leroy played on their video games. A dark shadow fell over them, but Leroy had their headphones on, and was really close to finishing the level. Someone tapped their shoulder, but they brushed them off. Finally, the other person slapped them on the back of their head.

Leroy swiveled around, and shouted, "Do you want your ass kicked- Ohhh..."

Rexcelsis loomed over them.

"I, uh, I uh...." Leroy scratched the back of their head. "I didn't know you were..."

Rexcelsis said his first words in Beast Games. "I'm going to take over Beast Games. I'm also going to pretend I didn't hear anything coming from your mouth."

"Good choice," Leroy said with a falsetto giggle. "So, you can have fun with that..."

"You're going to take over the SOS, and make them part of the Dominium."

"Oh, well, actually, I was kinda planning to prepare for my match against Swillow-"

"I didn't ask."

Leroy gulped as Rexcelsis turned tail and stomped away. However, they wondered how Rexcelsis was able to walk around without knocking everything off the shelves. They turned back to their game only to see they had lost...

"Welp, that's my stream over. If you like my content, please subscribe to my channel, and if I can get over 5000 subscribers by the end of the day-"

A comment showed up saying: "You can move out of your mom's basement!"

"I have my own room, first of all, mister..." Leroy scanned the title. They raised an eyeridge. "Uh, 606060XD person? Anyway, if you think that pathetic trolling's going to get me, I used to outroast guys like you for breakfast."

606060XD: That explains your size. Or lack of.

Leroy said, "I'm going to find you, murder you, and your family. And you just saw I know the right people for the job!" They unplugged the computer.

"Gee I sure hope I don't get raided for saying that."

***

Cyras slunk through the tunnel, and saw a pool.

Tarax, the big blue dragon, floated in the water.

"I, uh, hum, are you in that pool for the fight?"

"This is the game," Tarax said. "You know the place is called Beast Games, not just Beast Fights. So that means you and I are going to be playing a game." He bounced a beach ball on his fingers, before landing the ball on his snout.

As he balanced the ball, Cyras said, "Well, um..." She pawed outside the water. She could swim despite her element, but she sure couldn't use her element well.

Richard Wood: This is a Drowned Match. A tarp will be put over the pool, and the first to retrieve the key will win.

Tarax slithered out of the water as the tarp went over the pool. He said, "Guess this is a good match to have when you're a water dragon. Too bad for you."

Cyras' eyes widened, but she screwed the ends of her lips as she developed a strategy.

Richard Short stood at the side of the pool.

Cyras jumped into the pool along with Tarax. Despite the tarp making the water pitch black, and despite Tarax having an obvious advantage, she realized she technically didn't need to grab the key.

After a few seconds, she resurfaced, pushed back the tarp, and released a big breath of air.

Richard Biggs: Popping back up already, that's a bad sign. I put my good money on Tarax.

Cyras kept the lid up as she stared down at Tarax. She saw his shadow moving around. She hopped to the side of the pool.

Richard Biggs: She can't win like this.

Richard Littles: No way.

Richard Biggs: Unless she's planning...

As Tarax was about to resurface, she jumped onto his snout. The hit disoriented him enough she was able to bite down on something gold before she ran onto the surface.

Cyras won.

Tarax gasped, as he came back to the surface. He rested his hands on the lip of the pool. "She cheated! I was supposed to win, as I'm the one who grabbed the key first."

Richard Wood: Sorry, rules are rules.

Tarax groaned, and Cyras stuck her tongue out at him before she ran off. "I'll get you!" Tarax shouted after her. He muttered, "Just I don't know how."

***

Richard Wood: This match is the main event of the evening. This is a fatal four-way elimination match. Already in the ring, standing at six feet, and weighing 303 pounds, the current Beast King, Swillow!"

Swillow stood in the center of the ring, staring down at the tunnel.

Richard Wood: And her opponents...

Harper strolled in with Reich at her heels. "You called?" She asked.

Swillow raised her eyes. Was Reich her son, and if not, why was he always following her like he was? She nodded. "Yes, you see, there's been an incident. After Halloween, you're no longer under my rule."

Harper merely nodded. "I was wondering when you were going to say that. My contract ended like 2 months ago." She paused. "It has been an honor to be your guard Swillow. I will not forget our times together. But alas, nothing lasts forever." Reich stayed silent.

"Yeah, which is why I issued this challenge.. You, Reich, and Arson. When I win - as I will - none of you can challenge again. So, yeah. Just gonna bite your butts one by one. Line up."

Reich began to advance, but Harper stopped him. She chuckled. "I'm disappointed Swillow. Reich may be willing to give up so easily, but that doesn't work for me. Even if I may lose, I still wish to challenge you. A Hyena can only be honorably discharged through defeat in combat. And...I wish to wear my mask. I will go all out on you Swillow."

With that Harper grabbed her mask and equipped it. She sighed, and said, "Finally, I'm complete again." She slowly raised her head to meet Swillow's eyes, before releasing a whoop. "Step back Reich. I don't want you to get in the crossfire."

Arson was the last one to arrive. He stopped at the entrance at seeing the others. "Sorry I'm late. Well, not really. Is it time for the show? Or did I miss the good part?" He asked with a smirk before coming where Reich was. "Hey Reich." His eyes went to the hyena. "Harper." He greeted.

Reich glared at Arson.

The fight began. Swillow ran at Harper-Jay first, intending to attack her.

Richard Littles: This match is starting.

Richard Biggs: Rules are that anybody can pin anybody, but unlike other matches of this nature, if someone gets pinned, the match continues. That person, however, is eliminated, and can never challenge for the Beast Crown as long as Swillow is champion.

Richard Littles: Which may be forever seeing to her progress.

Harper smirked and ducked, biting into Swillow's side. Allowing her teeth to sink in deep.

Swillow's nose scrunched up, as she wrapped an arm around Harper-Jay's neck, and lifted her up into a vertical position, before suplexing Harper-Jay onto her back.

Harper wheezed but smiled at Swillow. She expected that. Harper then twisted herself onto her feet and lunged, clamping her mouth around Swillow's throat. She prepared to slam Swillow into the ground, but Swillow ripped her neck from Harper's jaws and landed on her feet.

Blood splashed on the mat, Swillow turned, and bucked Harper-Jay in the face.

Harper-Jay's head throbbed from the impact. She fell on her back, and Swillow sat on Harper's chest. The hyena thrashed, bit Swillow's tail bone, but the count kept going until black liquid seeped from Harper's mouth. She pushed Swillow forward, her own eyes rolling back. Horns grew on her skull. "Let's have some more fun shall we?"

Richard Biggs: Harper-Jay accessing that demon form, Boss Harperooner."

Richard Littles: Arson's form is supposedly called Boss Arsonal according to Lilith's notes here.

Richard Biggs: She gives you notes?

Richard Littles: I'm her favorite. Anyway, Arsonal was born after he lost to a cage fight with Harper-Jay.

Arson delivered three bullet tackles to Reich, looking like a bluish purple streak of energy. Reich tried his best to dodge, using lightning to avoid some strikes. ""A-Arson. What happened to you?"

Arson pounced Reich. He latched onto him as they tumbled, before biting his leg and slamming him into the mat.

Reich let his body go limp as the impact came. However, he twisted, grabbed Arson's ear, and said, "My turn."

Richard Biggs: Fast paced action from our cruiserweights.

Richard Littles: Bratweights.

Harper-Jay grinned at Swillow in her new demon form. Swillow casually slapped her across the face.

Richard Biggs: Oh, well, that's not very nice.

Harper's head tilted as she swung back unnaturally. She flashed her a grin, and shot around to her. A hard slap to Swillow's bottom before she skidded away to give them space.

Swillow's eyes widened as she slapped her behind. "Well if that's how you'd like to play this..." Swillow turned into a ball of flames as she came from behind Harper-Jay.

She went for a low blow, but Harper kicked Swillow in the face with her back paws and laughed. "Nice try."

Richard Biggs: Beating up on Swillow.

Richard Littles: Not that she's going down anytime soon.

Swillow shook her head and blinked. She jumped into the air, and attempted to grab Harper-Jay's head, but Harper dodged and used her head to clip underneath Swillow's chin. CRACK.

Swillow's jaw buckled, her teeth rattled, but she shifted her weight to straddle Harper-Jay's back. She stood over and unleashed blows to her face.

Harper felt the hits, but shot a painful black goo through her back, into Swillow.

Richard Biggs: Oh my lord.

Richard Littles: That's not G-rated!

So Swillow decided the most metal reaction was to bite down on the impaling spike, and SNAP the spike off and out. Blood lubricated the mat, as Swillow took deep breaths, before impaling the spike into Harper-Jay's foot.

The hyena howled. More spikes erupted like a porcupine, and Harper jerked her body forward to force Swillow off. She licked her paw slowly.

Swillow twisted as she landed. Flames consumed her body, cauterizing her wounds, as she ran around the ring.

Richard Biggs: She's about to run some people over.

Reich and Arson exchanged a slap fight, until Reich's eyes widened.

Richard Biggs: Oh! Imagine being ran over by the Titanic!

Arson took a step back, but a blur came towards him at a fiery pace...

Richard Littles: Less like the Titanic, she's more like the iceberg.

Reich groaned.

Arson's rage fueled him. He stood up, growling at Swillow. Energy enshrouded his fur as he gained temptation to go after her. Thought, before he made the decision, he pressed a paw on the fox's neck. "Unless you want to be made a flying projectile, I suggest you drop out. I have a bigger prize to hunt down." He gave the hint by paying a glance to Swillow, and nodding.

"Go get her Arson, for both of us..."

"Just stay out of my way..."

Harper-Jay snapped her teeth at Swillow. "Come at me!"

Swillow charged for her, but Harper rolled out and headbutted Swillow's shoulder, then jumped and wrapped her limbs around Swillow's neck.

Swillow gasped from the surprise choke, but Swillow picked her up, and slammed her into the mat, shaking the ring.

Richard Biggs: I feel the vibrations from over here.

Richard Littles: You feel the weather in your bones.

Richard Biggs: I'm old.

Richard Littles: You had arthritis at, like, five.

Harper-Jay pushed Swillow off, and bit her throat. She forced the dire wolf on her back as black tentacles shot through her, keeping her pinned. "Count with me Arson!"

Arson growled and made his way to Swillow and the hyena. Energy danced on his fur as he came towards them. He began ruminating as to the true nature of his character-

Swillow kicked out since Arson took too long.

Richard Biggs: If Arson was any slower, he'd be the tortoise and the hare, if both were losers.

Swillow jumped up, and stared down Arson. "What are you doing, kitty kat? How about you stay in your lane?"

Arson chuckled and showed his teeth. "Oh...you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment." His eyes turned bluish purple, before he powered up to charge her.

"Hah! Get her Arson!" Harper laughed, and rose to her feet.

The bobcat hissed at Harper. "Who said we're on the same side?! As soon as I'm done with this one, I'm coming after YOU!" He spat.

Arson grabbed Swillow by the throat, and attempted to flip both over, but she countered the Spanish Fly before wrapped her legs around his body.

Richard Biggs: Triangle chokehold.

She squeezed his sides, and grabbed his throat.

He hissed again. "You pompous sized rump roast!" He looked at her neck, and prepared to release an energy blast, but she slapped him to dispel the beam.

Arson landed with a thud on his side, but he wasn't dazed after hitting the floor. Instead, he laughed. "Do you think I feel anything?" His pupils focused on her, both shrunk. "I'm just getting started."

He prepared to headbutt her, but she gave a Glasgow Kiss in retaliation, straight to the nose.

Arson's head snapped back, but he gave her a death stare. He licked the blood dripping from his nose, savoring. He purred, and created an energy field from his body to push Swillow eight feet away.

"Why not make things more interesting?" Arson asked.

Swillow pointed to Harper who leaned against the ropes. "...Yeah, like why isn't Harper-Jay attacking Reich?"

Harper rolled her eyes. "Why would I do that again?" She scoffed.

Swillow said, "Because you can only win the crown if you beat EVERYONE... And little Reich has the ability to paralyze with lightning..."

Harper grinned at Reich like a fresh kill. Reich frowned.

He backed up as she approached. "Oh come on Harper. You know who would win."

"Darn right I do."

He bolted and she followed him. "You crazy hyena!" Reich shouted.

Richard Biggs: Like a normal waltz, change partners!

Richard Littles: I would've just focused on beating Swillow myself.

Arson got in a battle stance. "Shall we dance heavy weight?" He gave another toothy grin.

Swillow said, "Sure, Atomweight."

Arson charged Swillow, jumped up at four feet away, flipped, and brought his fists down at her head.

Since being fancy was a bit idea, she just turned around, and prepared to buck...

Snap adjustment. He punched down on her feet to deflect the attack, rolled, grabbed an ankle.

Richard Biggs: Dragonscrew attempt.

Swillow rolled with the flow from the dragonscrew, and kicked at him. He jerked away, and twisted her ankle again.

Swillow grit her teeth, and scrunched her face. She pulled her foot free, and walked on three limbs. She came at his shoulder, but he grabbed the sides of her muzzle.

"I like you this way," and he bit her nose.

She pushed him away.

Arson went back several feet and laughed. "So befitting of an abusive ruler. You're drowning in entitlement. Although I've fought without honor in the past, the mistakes I made were nothing compared to yours. You're still the biggest heel in the kingdom, even if JAC was a jerk here and there." Arson turned to the side as if he were posing. "And between you and me...you should've let him win." He added cheekily.

Swillow said, "...And this diatribe's going where exactly?"

"Even if you see yourself as high and mighty, it will take more than just an apology to make up for being the true fool that you are. And I'll enjoy watching every slip up you make on the battlefield of your life." Arson, or, Boss Arsonal unsheathed his claws in his front paws, before getting in a defense position again. Though in his head the good side was panicking. Saying things like, "NO!" "ARE YOU CRAZY?! Or is it am I?" "She's going to to tear us, I mean me APART!"

Swillow raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to do something or just talk?"

"Right, words alone don't get through your head." Boss Arsonal gave himself an energy boost, and attempted a drop kick.

Swillow grabbed the kicks, spun around, and threw him into a ring post.

His body twisted around, so his feet hit the post. He landed on the floor. "What strong arms you have. Or are they legs? Have you ever considered becoming an athlete?" In his mind the better side of Arson was trying to figure out how to control himself. "Must gain control, must gain control, must gain CONTROL!"

Swillow charged towards him, but Arson hopped towards her.

Richard Biggs: Arson Poison Destroyer-

Swillow grabbed Arson's throat. His eyes widened, and she spun around, and chokeslammed him.

Richard Littles: Straight to hell!

Richard Biggs: Or straight to the void.

His eyes fell back on Swillow as he grinned. "This... is just the beginning..." He ran a claw down her leg softly...

Swillow picked him back up, and slammed him down. "Whatever."

Richard Short: One, two, three.

Meanwhile... Reich yelped as he once again barely dodged Harper's teeth. He sent a wave of electricity at her, but the Hyena dodged by sideway stepping. "You really want to do this?" He squealed.

"Oh yes." She was slightly crazed due to Lilith's influence.

"Fine!" Reich snapped and his front canine's grew and glowed blue. He spun and latched himself onto her shoulder. Lightning shot through her body.

Harper paused, as the sensation of electricity coursed through her muscles. Her head lurched forward, stunned, but she cackled. Her eyes rolled back, and black tentacles shot from her chest.

Reich yelped, barely dodging. He spun around to face her. “Harper…what the heck? You’ve gone crazy.”

“Crazy? No. Just enlightened. I’ll show you crazy.”

She charged and rammed into her smaller friend. Reich chewed his lip as he slipped beside her. He really didn’t want to hurt her. And what did that crazy black wolf do to her? This was not the Harper he knew.

“I won’t kill you,” he huffed as he began to charge up for another attack. “But I can’t promise that it won’t hurt.” He first kicked her jaw to stun her, while delivering an upper cut to her chin, sending her into the air. Harper landed with a thud, and her body began to shake. A burst of the evil tentacles raced towards him, but Reich sent his own electric wave to counteract. The lightning prevailed and send Harper crashing into the fence.

She huffed, and began to climb, using black goo to get friction. Reich never saw her climb, so he was stunned when she kicked off and landed on top of him. Her teeth sank into his thin fur, and panic overtook him.

“Ahh! Harper! No!”

She shook him like a rat, and Reich’s vision blurred.

His need for survival took over, as his own teeth began to glow once again. He yanked is head up and sank his own teeth into the side of her shoulder. “I’m sorry.” He whispered a few sacred words, and Harper’s fur began to smoke, as the skin underneath became hot. She immediately let him go to inspect her pungent wound.

Harper mumbled some incoherent words and barreled into him. This time, she pinned him down and shot the horrid tentacles into his shoulders, and hind legs. He was pinned. Reich screamed as Harper’s stinky breath blew on him.

“H-Harper…Why? Why are you doing this? I’m your friend remember.” He reached up and touched his nose to hers, and then passed out.

Harper paused and took in his soft, innocent face.

“Harper….I am..Harper,” she repeated to herself.

The black ooze began to retreat and she sat there, now sad. Sad for what damage she did to her friend. She struck her chest with her paw, and peeled back her gums, exposing her dangerous teeth.

“What have I become? I need to be cured of this.”

She laid down next to him, and whispered an apology. She didn’t care if he couldn’t hear her, she needed to get it off of her chest.

Richard Biggs: Demented. Harper is demented.

Arson shot an energy blast at Swillow, but she kicked the blast back. He caught the ball in his mouth, his cheeks expanding briefly. Steam came from his nose like smoke from a cigarette.

"Looking forward to our next match, queen Swillow."

Swillow shouted, "King Swillow, you insolent Garfield!"

Harper's eyes rolled back, as she jumped at Swillow. "You... You did this to me!" Tentacles exploded from her chest as horn grew again. "You will pay!"

Richard Littles: Maybe she didn't watch the same After Dark we did?

Swillow raised a brow. "Man is everyone having some kind of weird issues? I'm sure I can organize group therapy..."

"Therapy will not be enough! Only your blood will suffice!" She pushed Swillow back with the black tentacles and delivered an uppercut to her jaw.She then spun and kicked Swillow in the face. Harper was breathing hard, pawing at the ground like a crazed boar.

Swillow's body slammed against the mat twice, but as Harper-Jay came at her, Swillow slapped her across the face.

"Heh." Harper laughed and return one.

Spit flew from Swillow's mouth, but she returned a slap. Harper dodged, and tackled her.

Swillow rose onto her rear legs, wrapped her arms around Harper-Jay's waist, and suplexed her across the ring.

Harper cried out, and wiggled from below Swillow. She grabbed Swillow's back legs, trying to topple her, but Swillow flipped over, and bucked Harper-Jay's chest.

Harper slid across the floor and shot a poisonous gas at her.

A spark lit on Swillow's claw, and poked at the gas.

Richard Biggs: Oh no.

The explosion blasted both competitors away. Harper screamed as the fire encased her. Her body crouched and the black ooze coated her entire body. She truly resembled a demon now.

Swillow charged the down Harper-Jay, and bit her neck. Harper squealed and kicked and tried to jam her horns into her. She pulled everything up her sleeve, but to no prevail.

"Fun while this lasted," she wheezed.

Richard Biggs: Still the biggest champion in Beast Games.

Richard Littles: There is NO competitor at all who can beat Swillow.

Richard Biggs: Who's going to stop this monster?

Richard Littles: No one. We literally had three people who could've tried, and even then she's still standing.

Richard Biggs: Our Eternal Champion, Swillow! Who is her end?

Swillow stood up. "And still, your leader... Now maybe I should beat up Lazarus for implying I'd screw an Aetherperson. I don't even know if we were really friends. He was kinda just a servant-" A blue wolf bit down on her throat and spun around in a death roll, flipping Swillow over onto her back.

Swillow clutched her throat, gasping as she choked. Wasting gave her a quick wink before whispering in her ear a reply to Richard Biggs, "Here I am."

***

Credit goes to:

Tarax belongs to Serosthedragon

Reich and Harper-Jay belong to BethanyClark who helped write the fight with Swillow, Arson, and Reich.

Arson belongs to Sweet-Gem/Sunset. Who helped write the fight with Swillow, Harper, and Reich.

Leroy and Rexcelsis belong to Savagemercy.

***

Next Week:

-Swillow main events against Leroy.

-Rexcelsis plans to attack the SOS.

-Lazarus magnanimously hosts JAC's funeral.