Wanting to prove himself to his friend and the world, a boxing contender attempts to win his first championship belt, but with disastrous results. On the flipside, he receives a shocking surprise that humbles him and his best friend.

Fight Night

The stage is set as a championship fight is underway between two powerful boxers. One of them is Dexter Crane, a boxer fighter and contender who is aiming to win his first championship belt and prove he has what it takes to be a professional boxer. The rival he is facing is current champion and longtime friend, corgi boxer Teddy Barkley; Teddy is a current champion, with numerous belts underneath his title. Tonight, Teddy will be taking on his longtime friend to defend his title as champion and keep his boxing career going.

As much as Teddy and Dexter hated it, they had to face each other in the ring just this once to prove who is the better one among them. Learning of the upcoming fight garnered mixed reactions from the two; Teddy's heart sank upon learning the news while Dexter was more hurt than disappointed. But with the incoming match fast approaching, the two best friends had to face the inevitable and train as hard as they could for that very moment.

After the weigh-in and photoshoots for the two men, the fighters progress to the arena to start the big match. Teddy is prancing about in his corner, taunting Dexter in jest, “I always love a good fight! Too bad it had to be you, Dexter! If it was someone else, I wouldn't have a problem with it!”

Dexter, however, is more relaxed and leaning against the ropes. In response to Teddy’s banter, the boxer claims, “We were going to face each other someday, Teddy. And I'm gonna prove I’m better than you! Watch me swipe that belt from under your feet!”

The bell dings, signaling the start of the match. The two men approach each other, each assuming a different fighting stance. Then the referee signals the two men to go at it.

The fight begins with Teddy and Dexter circling each other for a bit when Dexter throws the first punch, launching a left cross straight for Teddy's side. Although Teddy blocks the initial attack, the corgi delivers a right bolo punch of his own, right into Dexter’s left jaw.

Because of the mouthguard installed in Dexter's mouth, he avoids certain injury. But the boxer still reels from the punisher. When Teddy wallops Dexter in the stomach with a solid right haymaker, Dexter delivers a right uppercut to Teddy's chin, almost knocking the corgi backwards.

Dexter doesn't give the corgi a chance to recover, proceeding to pummel the corgi’s abs with several body blows to the stomach. Teddy is left reeling from each blow to the stomach, his opponent not even letting up. But when Dexter delivers a powerful right hook to Teddy’s face, the corgi backpedals, eventually dropping on his back while hitting the canvas.

Dexter knocks his gloves together and chuckles at the downed corgi while the ref begins the 10-count. The boxer claims, “Sorry old friend, but this belt is gonna be mine. Then you'll really see who's on top now!”

On the count of 6, Teddy rises from the canvas, joining the fight once more. His expression becomes darker and this time, he adopts a more aggressive stance. Now the corgi is focused on protecting his title as champion.

When the ref signals for the match to resume and departs, the two fighters square up against each other. The fight resumes with Teddy aiming a fast left hook at Dexter's face to catch him quickly before stepping back. Although he manages to wallop Dexter in the face, the corgi gets walloped in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

While Teddy recoils from the stomach hit, Dexter remarks, “Only one of us Is gonna win this match, old friend, and it's gonna be me!”

Steam shoots from Teddy’s nostrils right as he straightens up. In defiance, he bashes his fists together and declares, “Not today!”

Teddy barely evades an uppercut from his rival, only to block and counter with a left haymaker to Dexter’s face. This stuns the boxer dog temporarily, and Teddy uses this in an attempt to finish Dexter off.

A right blow to the side knocks the wind out of Dexter while simultaneously snapping him from his dazed state. But when Teddy goes on the offensive once more, Dexter attempts to evade and counter, taking a series of hits to his body. But a vicious uppercut from the corgi suddenly knocks Dexter off balance.

The boxer dog attempts to straighten up, only to fall flat on his side in the arena. But he immediately rises and with a toothy grin, teases the corgi, “What? Afraid to use your full power?”

*BAM!*

Talking isn’t much of an option if it's gonna get you cold-cocked in the face. And for Dexter, he receives a fist to the face. To pile on the damage to his first hit, Teddy delivers another series of uppercuts to Dexter's abs and chin area. Then to finish the boxer dog off, the corgi unloads a swift right haymaker to the boxer dog’s jaw, knocking him backwards. What Teddy witnesses next sends a chill creeping through his spine.

On his knockdown, Dexter falls backwards but ends up disappearing from Teddy's line of sight, literally falling out of the arena. Teddy shakes his rush off and immediately brushes the ref aside, dashing towards the other side of the arena in alarm.

“I think I went too far this time! Please, be okay Dexter…!” Teddy hurriedly vaults out of the arena to reach his downed friend, who is now unconscious and bruised from the fighting. But the boxer dog appears to be in an even worse state, lying on his side. Teddy quickly raises his hands up to signal for the match to be over while at the same time yelling for a medic to arrive.

~~~~~

The bout ends on a somber note with Dexter receiving an emergency transport to the local hospital. Teddy waits outside, anxiously pacing around in worry. Other patients and visitors are in the waiting area, some of them observing the corgi sparingly. A few recognize him from previous matches and one of them whistles to Teddy, “What brings you here? Are you waiting for someone?”

Putting his popularity aside, Teddy reveals in lamentation, “The patient in there is my best friend, and now he's probably dead because of me…”

The visitor, revealed to be a gray wolf, immediately puts two and two together and ascertain, “I saw the preview a few days ago. You and him are buddies?”

Teddy nods sullenly, unable to voice his mind. Minutes later, a doctor enters the waiting area, holding a clipboard in his right hand. The doctor, a male lion, scours the waiting area when he announces one of them to follow him, “Which one of you is Teddy Barkley? I have important news to tell you if you follow me.”

“That would be me; I’m Teddy Barkley!” Hearing the doctor’s request and shooting his hand up to identify himself, Teddy joins the lion doctor and leaves down an adjacent hallway. Along the way, the doctor reveals to the corgi, “Mr. Barkley, I’m Dr. Bailey. I am one of the doctors overseeing your friend, Mr. Derby. Now, I have good news and bad news. Take your pick.”

The lion’s calm, yet somber rundown makes Teddy shiver even more. Immediately, the corgi decides to knock this right out of the park; with a grimace, he demands, “Bad news first, then the good news…”

“Wanting to get this out of the way, huh? I see.” The lion clears his throat and explains, “First off, your friend has a spinal injury; it's a real bad one. He can still move around but he won't be able to do boxing for a very long time.”

*THUD!*

In a fit of anger, Teddy backhands the wall with his right fist. No longer will he even get to see Dexter in the ring, let alone cheer him on. The news is immediately crushing for Teddy, leaving him to ramble, “This is all my fault…”

The lion doctor turns to the overwhelmed corgi and hugs him, with more news to report that may uplift his spirits. “That's just the bad news. The good news is that your friend is alive and recovering. That fall out of the arena must have downed him for the count.”

“!! D-dexter’s alive!? Let me see him!!” The corgi breaks away from the doctor and dashes down the hallway to Dexter's room. But upon glancing through a section of glass leading into Dexter's room, Teddy sees it all - Dexter is awake and alive, though visibly injured and lying in a hospital bed.

Inside the small room, Dexter is watching a game of baseball to pass the time in his recovery. On his bedside table is a small meal he’s eaten recently. Out of the corner of his eyes, Dexter notices a brown figure through the glass. He is unable to process it until he hears the familiar voice proclaiming his name.

“Dexter!!!” Rushing into the room, Teddy throws himself onto Dexter, overjoyed at seeing his best friend awake. The force of Teddy's body slamming into Dexter makes the boxer dog tense up in pain, leaving the corgi to apologize and withdraw.

Dexter did not have any ill will or resentment towards Teddy for what happened. The boxer is merely relaxed. Seeing this as child’s play, Dexter assures the corgi, “I’ll be fine soon. But I am quite disappointed I won't be returning to the ring for a long time.”

“Dexter, how are you so casual after I almost killed you? How are you not furious with me??” Although Teddy is on the verge of grabbing Dexter and shaking him, he restrains himself. What Dexter explains next helps cement his case.

“I may have lost the match against you, so what? At least I tried to prove I'm a good fighter. That doesn't mean our friendship will be different than it is. Also, I received some good news of my own - a second pup is on the way.” Dexter’s revelation makes Teddy's eyes inflate on wonder. The corgi then steps away with a guilty smile, nodding in understanding and acknowledging, “I see… I think after this, I may just retire for good.”

Before Dexter can respond or protest, Teddy holds a hand up to stop the boxer and reason, “What good would it do if I resumed my career after nearly killing my best friend? I wouldn't be able to live with myself. That would weigh heavily on my conscience.”

Dexter is about to offer a quick report when Teddy's words sink him. At first, the boxer is against Teddy taking his boxing gloves off for good but after seeing the guilty expression on his face, Dexter finally relents, “It does pain me to hear a legend coming to an end so fast, but you're right. Teddy, you may retire; we may retire together.”

“Yeah, it's the best decision that can be made. I never killed anyone and I definitely don't want the same thing to happen again.” Teddy whispered out of guilt and recognition. “If I continue, chances are I may be jailed for manslaughter.”

“Okay, now you're joking, Teddy. There is absolutely no way you can go to jail for that. You’ll just have a soiled conscience and bloody boxing record.” Dexter remarked.

While the two men are conversing, the lion doctor returns to the room and discreetly announces, “Mr. Crane? Sorry if I'm interrupting but you have visitors and a surprise waiting for you.”

When the lion doctor gestures to the visitors behind the glass, Dexter and Teddy immediately recognize them - one of them is little Oliver, Dexter's son, and then there is Diana, Dexter's wife. But the surprise is what the female boxer dog is carrying in her arms.

Sighting his father behind the glass, Oliver dashes into the room and hugs Dexter, nuzzling his cheek. Stifling a sob, he whimpers, “Dad!! You're alive!!”

Dexter caresses Oliver's head while hugging him with an arm, nuzzling his son in return. Teddy just observes from the sidelines, smiling guiltily. Diana enters next, relief on her face at seeing her husband alive.

“Dexter, you pulled through! None of us would know what to do if you didn't make it.” Diana breathed in relief. “All of us are overjoyed to see you alive.”

Dexter chuckles and punches the air to signal his own victory of survival, though he grimaces afterwards from a sudden pain coursing through his back, “Nnhh! Shouldn't have done that!”

While Dexter is recovering, Teddy suddenly announces, “I’m retiring… for good…”

The room falls silent for a bit. But Oliver turns to Teddy and groans, “But why, Uncle Teddy? You're one of the best boxers out there with dad! You can't retire!”

“Oliver, when you're older, you’ll understand.” Teddy kneels down to Oliver and gently hugs him. “But after an event like this, and your father's injury making him unable to come back for a long time, I’m not making the same mistake again. Otherwise if I continue, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Well boys, the legacy will continue; even if Dexter doesn't make it back, someone will. Say hello to our next-generation champion, Derby!” Diana announces the new arrival, a new boxer pup in her arms; she proudly shows young Derby off to the men, and while Dexter's heart swells with pride, Teddy's eyes swell up in admiration and he coos, “Awww, he is so cute! Just like Oliver when he was born!”

“Yeah, and Derby’s going to become the new champion. He will make it big one day, even farther than me.” Dexter noted.

Oliver gulps in worry, “Dad, what if the same thing happens to Derby and he ends up here, or worse?”

“Oliver, your concern is spot on, and we all understand that. But that will never happen again, hopefully.” Dexter nuzzles Oliver again, reassuring the pup of a different outcome. Then the father adds, “That's where you come in.”

Oliver points to himself, wide-eyed in wonder, “Me?? What am I gonna do? How do I fit in with this??”

Teddy reveals, “Well since your father and I are retiring after this, someone's gotta help him with your little brother. And that's where you come in, Oliver.”

“Nothing bad will happen to your brother, Oliver. You can count on it.” Dexter stated while hugging his son again. “Who knows, maybe one day you and your brother will face each other in the ring.”

~~~~~

Dexter Crane, Teddy Barkley, Oliver Crane, Diana Crane, and Derby Crane belong to Scaliehazard (ToyHouse) for this short-length story commission!