Fantasy Films Adventures - Two By Two (4)

Soon after the animals gathered and Xiro gave a speech that the match between the teams of him and Leo and Dagnino and Coco will begin in seven days. To make sure it was official, both teams signed a contract and shook hands. Leo and Dagnino glared angrily at each other, though they did not attack each other. Soon after, they meet up with Benny, Rae, Kairel and the others in Xiro's cabin.

"Leo, are you sure you and Xiro can do this?" Rae asked worried for her friend.
"Yeah, you can't fight Dagnino and Coco," Johnny added.
"Look guys, I know that you are concerned for me and Xiro but i think we can do this,” Leo replied. “If we don't stand up to Dagnino and restore Xiro's honor them who will?"
"Well I don't know, Leo,” said Alvaro. “We only have seven days until you two get slaughtered."
"Not helping, porky" Teresa said annoyed.
"No offense, Leo,” said Benny, “but you two are going to need a lot longer than a week to learn how to compete in the ring."
"Can you help them daddy, please?" Teresa asked
"I’ll see what I can do." the beast said. “With any luck, I can at least help them to survive for a couple of hours.”
Kairel became worried as Xiro came up to her and held her hand
“Don't worry, my love,” he said, and then kissed Kairel on the cheek. “It will be fine, I promise.".

Soon Benny was helping Xiro and Leo train for the upcoming match. The two lions were lifting weights, trying counters with each other and attacks. Meanwhile, Johnny was helping Rae to build the ring with some help from the elephants, polar bears and rhinos. At one point, Johnny ends up hitting his thumb and screaming like Tom from “Tom and Jerry.”
"Excuse me. Do you need any help?" a familiar voice asked.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Johnny said as he looked up. To his shock, he saw Panthy and nervously gulped.

"but I'm keeping an eye on you just in case," Rae said as she remembered what Xiro had said about the devious panther. To Rae’s surprise, Panthy kept her word and helped with the construction work on the ring. That afternoon while they were having a lunch break, there was something on Rae's mind.
"Panthy, why are you helping us?” she asked. “I mean aren't you one of the predators?”

"Well I was until we..." Panthy explained that after what she did while in her old predator days she was disgusted with her team members. “They laughed when I said I felt bad for Xiro, so I just up and left without any second thoughts.”
"Well Panthy, I think you made a right choice," Johnny said. "Those jerks were just full of temptation."
“Temptation?” asked Panthy.
“Yup, that’s the wrong thing that seems right at the time. Though, sometimes I think right things may seem wrong...and the wrongs things…may actually be right at the… wrong time…or is that visa-versa?”
The two girls giggled "You are one funny little guy,” said Panthy. “I kind of like that in someone." Panthy said as she kissed Johnny on the cheek making him blush a bright red.
Rae laughed and said, "Anyway I think we better get back to work."
Meanwhile back in his cabin, Dagnino was training with Coco as Wolfgang, Cachito, and Patricio watched.

“You’re really are going to knock the stuffing out of that Leo kid" Cachito said.
"Uh…which one is Leo again? i'm kind of lost." Wolfgang said stupidly.
"Wolfgang, I can't believe you are that thick." Dagnino said as he and Coco took a break.

"But that Leo looked kind of ticked," Pachito pointed out as Coco took a huge drink. “Do you think he knows what we did to Xiro and the other animals on this ark?”
"It won't matter once we win the match.” Daginio replied in a seriously threatening tone. “As soon as Leo and I enter that ring, i'm going to mop up the floor with him."
"But that beast friend of his is going to act as referee," Wolfgang said.
"As long as we play fair there won't be any problems. Only leave that Leo to me."
The week flew bay, and soon came the day of the match. The animals gathered around the ring to see who will win the title as king of the animal kingdom. Rae and Johnny were sitting with Kairel, Teresa and Xiro's friends while Panthy was sitting next to Johnny.

"Well let's hope their training has paid off," Rae said.
"Boy, what an exciting tag team match we have here tonight ladies and gentlemen,” a snow leopard commented while announcing the match. “Coco the Crocodile and Dagnino Tiger are up against King Xiro and newcomer Leo Lionheart."
Coco casually slips past the ropes and enters the ring. Xiro leaps into the ring and lands an elbow on the crocodile, which knocks him to the floor.
"And King Xiro wastes no time delivering an elbow to Coco!"
From the Sidelines Xiro's Friends cheered for him. Xiro dodges a few attacks, but then Coco lands a chop to Xiro causing him to stumble to the side of the ring. Dagnino hit Xiro in the back causing him to drop to the floor.
"Coco with a chop and Dagnino blindsides Xiro! What was a dirty move, and i think the ref agrees."
Benny was gave Dagnino a warning.

"Oh no, you don't!" Leo shouted as he stretched one of the vine ropes and goes flying across the ring and straight at Dagnino.
"But look at this! Leo's up and he delivers high flying justice to Dagnino!"

"Take him down Leo!" Rae cheered for Leo as Kairel saw with worry of what was happing to Xiro.

"It looked like the end for Xiro, but somehow Xiro’s up and reversed the move. He's got Coco up and...Look out!" the commentator cried as Xiro got out of the way as Coco came crashing down onto the table. "Dagnino's up, but he walks right into Xiro's sidewalk slam!”
The first half of the match continued with Coco and Xiro trading blows but thanks to Xiro's speed countering Coco's size, he wore out and pinned the croc down and won the first half. Now it was the second half and both Leo and Dagnino were determined to end this as soon as possible. Soon the bell rung and the two competitors circled each other

"You ready to give the apology to Xiro yet?" Leo said sternly.
"Not in a million years, pipsqueak!” Dagnino scoffed. “What are you going to do about it?”
The tiger was surprised when Leo let out a roar. The young lion charged at Dagnino and slammed him repeatedly into one of the corners of the ring, and then threw him to the other side. Ignoring the pain he was induced with, Dagnino growled angrily at Leo.

"Now you listen to me you arrogant striped windbag,” Leo said sternly. “You can do whatever you want to me. You can threaten to beat me to a pulp, but what you will not do is tarnish the honor of your King Xiro or take his queen from him. Do you understand Dagnino?"
Now Dagnino was really ticked off. He lunged at Leo, and the two exchanged blows each more painful than the last. Dagnino knocked Leo to the floor and was about to finish him off when the young lion countered. Leo pinned his opponent to the floor, and Benny slammed his paw three times on the mat thus making Leo and Xiro the winners of the title. Calls of the different animals as Leo and Xiro's friends came into the ring and gave them cheers for their victory:

"Well done, Leo and Xiro!"
"You really kicked that brute's bottom, lad!"
“ Hooray for King Xiro!"

"Well done you two,” Kairel said as she hugged Xiro and Leo. “The Ark now has two new champions."
Teresa looked over and saw Dagnino being helped up by the predators.

"I don't get it,” the tiger said while feeling confused over what happened. “ How did that kid beat me? I'm stronger, I'm bigger. How..?"
"Maybe because Leo fought for something else besides the title,” Teresa pointed out as she approached the predators. Dagnino and the predators looked at each other with blank stare. They wondered what she was talking about. Then something unexpected happened. Teresa approached Dagnino and pressed her lips to his. The mouths of the other predators dropped practically to the floor as they watched their leader and the tigress kissing. "Dagnino, we will find your mate. I promise."
Teresa then pulled away from the stunned tiger and joined the others in the celebration of Xiro's and Leo's victory. Dagnino felt something odd inside of him. His confused expressions slightly transformed into a tiny smile as he face began to blush.