User blog:Spyral370/Ipamon: The Anna Saga (Part 2)

(Note: The following fanfiction you will read is considered non-canonical, and does not affect the main timelines of both Patapon and AoW)

- "Well...here we are." Taiapon uttered rather cheerfully.

"Are you seriously wanting to fight her...?" I cocked my head.

"Ugh...look, Ip...I'll be fine, okay?" Taiapon replied in a loving manner.

I hesitated, "...a-alright..."

The both of us were strolling though the hallway of the arena entrance. With us were the Patapon tribe itself, along with Priestess Meden, Princess Slinky, Yarida and the six Dark Heroes. In fact, even the Zigotons and the Bonedeth Brigade were hyped to spectate this fight. Me, on the other hand, was...worried. I didn't want Taiapon to get injured severely....and if she passes away, it's as if half of my life has been ripped apart.

We all took our respective so seats on one corner of the ring, and on the opposing side were...the non-Patapon people. Kirbys, Halacandrans, Novians, you name it...

...even Anna and her two friends.

The referee tapped Taiapon on her shoulder, "Psst, kid, it's time. You're up at the blue corner."

"....alright then." Taiapon went up to the ring, but before she did, she hugged me, "Wish me luck." She then entered the ring afterwards.

"Aaaaaaaalright ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the international Zolaran combat arena!" The announcer boomed through the microphone. After that, there was an uproar of applause. I stayed silent.

"Now that almost everyone is present we shall being the battle! In the red corner, it's the ultimate fighting machine with two prosthetic arms that pack-a-punch, heeeeeeeeeeeres... Anna Logue...!!!" The announcer pointed.

All of Anna's kind...and her non-related species friends, cheered for her as she merely float-strutted across the hallway to the ring. Every inch she travelled matched my heartbeat. As she entered the red corner of ring, she raised her arms in haughtiness and pride, roaring of passion.

"YEAH YEAH! WOOH!" She shakes her fists in the air. I blink.

"In the blue corner, it's one of the members of the Patapon Tribe, a race that is new to us, who has the expertise in martial arts combat, heeeeeeeeeres....Taiapon...!!!" The announcer roared. Our race cheered for her...even me, despite my reluctance. Taiapon seems so humble up there, not showing any gesture of pride. Just...standing ever still. It gave me the goosebumps.

"Noooooooow, fellow people, it's time for the battle to commence in...3...2...1...NOW!!!" The announcer and everyone else counted down. Just then the referee brought the two fighters together.

"Alright, ladies, I want this to be a fair fight. Limit grabbing and other attacks in which you can do but the other person isn't able to do, am I clear?" The ref asserted.

"Pfft, I'm gonna knock you out in two punches, one-eye." Anna boasted against Taiapon. I gritted my teeth. How dare she...

The fight began.

When the first bell rang, Anna wore her mouth guard and raised her fists, slowly pacing towards to Taiapon, while Taiapon slowly circled around Anna calmly. Anna looked like she was full to the brim of energy. I had a gut wrenching feeling about this...

"Ngh?! Come on! Fight me!" Anna yelled though her mouth guard muffling her voice. Taiapon then entered her combat position, and attempted to land the first strike on her opponent. Big mistake. Anna ducked and uppercut Taiapon, sending her recoiling back severely. Anna went up closer and tried for a right-straight, but Taiapon leaned right and strikes Anna's side a few times before Anna went for a left hook, in which Taiapon ducked and seep kicked Anna, making her trip.

Anna immediately leaped up and began to do a barrage of punches, but Taiapon easily dodged most of them and was able to counterattack. So far the fight was going well...until Anna grabbed Taiapon. From there, they both struggled to let go, and with all her might, Anna tossed Taiapon at the opposite side of the ring. When Taiapon slowly got up...Anna punched Taiapon in the face...severely, sending her sprawling to the floor.

The Patapons and I jumped out of our seats. The referee began counting...

"1...2...3...4...5..--"

"Taia! Taia get up, please!!" I tried to get close to her. Thankfully she was rising up.

"6...7...8...9...-" The ref stopped since Taiapon was back on her feet, "you okay?" The ref asked. Taia nodded. And the fight resumed. Anna growled and proceeded to try and uppercut Taia, but Taiapon leaned back and did a backflip kick, sending Anna spinning and recoiling backwards. Anna dashed up to Taiapon and the two continued trading blows until the bell rang. Taia and Anna sat at their respective corners for a break, I went up to Taiapon.

"Taia...y-you okay...?" I asked her.

"...Yeah, I'm f-fine" she panted lightly, "...that Anna fighter...is s-strong...and full of energy...no, I can't let her do this to us."

"Look, Taiapon, please don't hurt yourself like this--"

"No Ip, I'm sorry, but I won't let anyone discriminate our kind...!"

I stepped back slightly. She's really determined, I thought.

"It's okay Ipamon, I'll be alright. Trust m-me..."

I looked at her in the eye, then at Anna, who was talking with her friends, then back to Taiapon, "Instead of striking her at the front, test her rib cage."

Taiapon panted,"...I-it's not that easy..."

Before I could respond, the bell for the second round, rang.

Anna was doing her usual attacks, and Taiapon attempted to strike her at the sides of her body and her head, but Anna would always block and retaliate. Taiapon then had no choice...but to give it all she had. She kept doing extremely powerful attacks at the right times, and it seemed to work. Anna couldn't bear it, and it looked like she would go down...

...but then I noticed something peculiar about Taiapon. As the battle progressed, she was...breathing more voraciously...and she was slower by the minute. Unfortunately, this was an advantage for Anna. Anna immediately kept blocking all Taiapon's attacks. Then before I knew it, Taiapon was merely standing there in a frail manner...

Then I realized why she was like that...

...she lost all her breath.

Anna smirked, "idiot."

Before the last second of the round, Anna voraciously uppercut red Taiapon into the air, who then collapsed to the floor. I stood up from my seat and tried to approach her. So did the other Patapons. The referee commenced the countdown again...

"Taia! Taia! Are you alright?!?!" I yelled.

"1...2...3...4...--"

"She...she is in horrible condition..." Princess Slinky spoke.

"...no..." Yarida croaked.

Just then, Taiapon wearily rose in a crawling position. A bit of saliva and sweat dripped down on the floor...

...and blood as well.

I scream, trying to hold her hand, "Taiapon! Please, don't do this--"

Taiapon immediately grasped both of my hands and stared into my soul...

...and shook her head.

I was speechless...what was she trying to do...?

"6...7...8..-" The referee counted.

Taiapon rose up to her feet weakly, coughing a bit of blood. Her eye was crooked and bruised. The ref too was worried and asked her the same question, "Are you okay...?"

Taiapon merely nodded...but she wasn't okay...  she wasn't... 

Why is she doing this...why is she still fighting Anna...

I glare at Anna, who gave a dreaded stare at Taiapon...followed with a sinister smile.

 ...Taia... 

Then, the final round began... I desperately wanted to stop Taiapon...but it was too late...

Taiapon was shambling towards Anna, who still looked clean and full of energy. Anna then darted towards Taiapon slowly...

 ...No... 

Taiapon slowly attempted to do a side kick and a uppercut at Anna, but to no avail, as Anna easily dodged and violently counterattacked by striking Taiapon in the face...bits of blood was seen...

 No...! 

Anna shoved Taiapon to the ropes and gave her the most horrible beat down... I growled, "TAIAPON! TAIA, NO!"

But I couldn't stop it...

...I couldn't postpone the inevitable...

...and for some reason...everything felt like slow-motion...as I witnessed it...

Anna struck Taiapon in the face...blood and sweat splattered on the ground...

...then again...

...then again...

 ...then...again... 

"Taia! Taiapon! No! Please!" I cried.

"Taiapon, let go of the ropes! Stop!" The others roared.

But Anna didn't give Taiapon a chance...and every strike she did, the more fragments of blood and saliva emitted... and I could hear Taia's skull breaking at this point...

"TAIA!"

And with one extremely powerful blow, Anna uppercutted Taiapon, breaking her bones, ripping her eye, and sending her sprawling into the stone cold floor...

...she wasn't moving...

...not...

..one...

...bit.

"...Taia...?" I asked, "...Taia...?!?!" I leapt out of my seat and entered the ring to inspect her.

"...no..."

Taiapon's eye was bloodshot and unresponsive, her limbs were frail, her entire body was deformed...and a puddle of blood formed around her...

"No....NO......!!!" I screamed and cried at the top of my lungs, "TAIAPON!!!"

But there was nothing I could do...

All of the Patapons rushed and gathered around me, while the Halacandrans, Popopos and Novians were muttering/remaining silent...

...but Anna's face was full of pride and victory...

I wept as I embraced Taiapon's body. Buckets of tears fell, almost as much as the blood pool...

"Taia...please....c-c-come back..."

But she didn't...

...and I couldn't stop it...anymore...

...I should have known better than to gaze at her longingly...

...it's too late now...

...as I now know the revelation...

Taiapon is dead...

My  best friend...  has been murdered...

...by her.