"On the Edge !" Banzuke Sumo Beya part 10

"Dennis ???…" Called out the Racoon, as he shut the Front door behind him.

An affirmative grunt, came from the living room…, So shrugging his shoulders, he followed the direction of the sound.

"WOW…A Playstation 2 !!!" Axel gasped in surprise, as he caught a glimpse of the illustrious Black Console, over the Badger's broad shoulders.

"Isn't it great !!" Beamed Dennis, who was sat cross legged in front of the large TV, it was plugged into. Pressing the "Pause" button, the turned around to catch Axel's expression. "Dai' got it for us, at the Sony Festival, and had it shipped over to the English Kuma Motors HQ….Two games for it too !!!"

"That's GREAT….although, you haven't forgot, we've….."

"I know…." Sighed the Badger, "But don't worry, we've got plenty of time yet, we've got to wait for Rusty, because he's decided to "Grace" us, with his "Royal presence".

"He's going in for the " 'Pick" too ??" Questioned Axel, as Dennis changed the disc in the Console.

"Yeah, guess I kind of got through to him after all……Check this game out, though.. "The Bouncer"..It rules !!. Normally I'm not into "Human" stuff, but…"

After about half an hour of "Game play", they heard the front door open…

"It's only me!, you two….!!" Called the familiar Foxes voice. Axel dropped his Dual shock 2 pad, and hurried to greet him.

"Hello..Sweet cheeks !!"

Axel slightly recoiled in horror and slight disgust, … it was Lawrence!, stood beside Rusty.

Dennis noticed the three of them troop into the room, and stabbed the "Pause" button, angrily, and dropped the Joy pad from his hands, as he span around.

"Umm, Lawrence has "asked" if he can come along with us tonight….." Murmured Rusty, aware of the others scorn.

"Oh, yes.. I've got my Camera…" Beamed the "Arty" Afghan Hound, Giving Axel a lecherous wink. "I STILL don't know, Why you want to go in for it, though, Rusty…" He fawned, turning to his Employer "It's SOOO not "You", and there's your Company's image and reputation to think of…"

"I'm aware of that…." Hissed Rusty, "Isn't that up to ME to decide !?!"

"Now YOU listen here, Lawrence !!" Growled Dennis, getting up from the floor and marching across to confront the extravagantly dressed Hound, "It's a VERY important night, tonight!!, We have to decide who's going to be on the team…Representing this country!! Do you understand THAT !!!, So that means NO Flashbulb's going off 'n stuff !!, or Prattling around !!"

"I've told him what the "Deal", is……" Added Rusty, giving him an icy stare. "Now are you two, ready to go ??"

"Don't forget to turn off your little "TV Game"…." Sneered Lawrence, knowing it would aggravate the Badger, no end.

Dennis just bit his lip, as he lovingly did so, winding the joypads up in there own cord, and placed it all in its own little space underneath the DVD Player, Video, and Cable TV receiver. Axel tossed Dennis his Courier bag, "Cheer's Ax',..I'll just grab my coat, an' we'll be off, yeah !!"

*************************************************************

"Al..right..mate…." slurred Colin, as Ralph approached his Surf hire hut, in the early morning light.

"Col' ??, you're early?, the others won't be here for awhile yet…."

"Yeah….." Slurred the Koala, "dun't wurry…I've brought me own drinks this time….."

"BEER !!!" Yelped Ralph, as he caught sight of the empty can's, in the nearby bin.

" izz all ah 'ad innda Fridge, back home….." Colin rasped, followed by a loud belch.

"What kind of Example is that to set to the others!?!" Scowled Ralph, "and you consider yourself "Captain" of the team…."

"WHO SAYS I'M NOT" Colin stood up, angrily "Owww, me head…." Dizzily, he flopped back down on the decking.

"You're "Half cut", you'd better sober up before the others get here…."

"Ahhh, so what!!….I'm on duh team anyway, whole things gone ta shit…."

"What do you mean by that ??" Gasped the Kangaroo.

"Y'know….Sully doesn't know whether he's with us or against us, that mate of Bowser want's back in, an' there's that queer Otter, as well…."

"So if it was up to you, to decide, it……" started Ralph.

"Yeah..only it ISN'T, izzit…we gotta do it "Fairly".

Ralph never liked arguing, so with a shrug of his Shoulders, he tried convincing Colin to go into the hut, "Go and lie down, back in there!!, I'd offer you a Coffee, only I haven't got any.. maybe you should try drinking some of my Soda's….maybe that'll help sober you up…."

"Yah a gu'd Mate.." Moaned the intoxicated Koala, putting his arm around the shoulders of the Kangaroo as he helped him stand, and together they staggered inside the wooden hut.

"Now lie down, there on that sun lounger…..Here's a tin of "Fanta"……"

"Urrgh, haven't you got any tinzza "Lilt", told yah before that…" Sneered the boozy Koala.

"NO!!, it'll have to do !!, I dunno, you bring your own for once, and I STILL end up giving you one of mine….Now, get it down your neck, the others will be here before too long….."

Ralph walked out in disgust, and taking his Vest and Jogging bottoms off, revealing the Mawashi he was already wearing underneath, he began limbering up and exercising, whist waiting for the others to arrive.

*************************************************************

"Good Evening Class!!" The Mawashi clad Badger, strolled out, appenesifly in front of his small class of students, accompanied by Axel, "I hope you're all ready, because tonight is the night, we decide who amongst you, is going to be on the team !!"

"Is Axel going to be on the team ??" called out a voice.

"I take it, that's you, Syd ?" replied Dennis, "Why do you ask ??"

"Because he's AMERICAN !!" Sneered the tall, slender Weasel, his arm's folded across his chest, defiantly "And I see that Friend of yours, suddenly decides to turn up, when there's a trip to Japan on offer !!….."

"Knock it off, Syd!" Hissed, Bruno, who stood close by him, amongst the rest of the apprehensive Wrestlers.

"I've been busy with my work!!" Rusty strolled over to stand beside the Badger, "Consequently, Axel's been helping to train you all…I've not heard any complaints about his nationality, upto now…!?"

"I'm Sorry.." the Weasel mumbled, only half meaning it. "But you have to admit, it wouldn't be fair having him on our team an……" struggling to complete his sentence, he glanced around at the others, hoping they'd "Back him up".

"He does have a point!, no disrespect to Axel though, both him and Mr Brock, have been excellent Teachers!." Tonneau, the massive St Bernard, spoke out, eloquently, much to Syd's relief.

Axel's eyes darted between Dennis and Rusty, "He's right, Guys!, I really should be on the KM team, with Dai' an' the others!, they've got room for me so,… no worries!"

"If you're sure ?!" Rusty whispered, looking down at the shorter Racoon, who just nodded back at him with a smile.

*************************************************************

"What's that sound?" Questioned Bowser.

"Sound's like someone's, sawing wood !!….." Added Rev-head.

"Alright, you two!" Ralph greeted them, cheerily, "That's Colin, asleep back there, I'm afraid…"

" 'We startin' then ??" Breathed Rev-head, eager to begin the bouts.

"Not just yet!" whispered the Kangaroo, "We just need to wait for the others to arrive….only two of you get to come to Japan, with Col' an' me, y'know….?"

The Golden Retriever and Tasmanian Wolf, both nodded there understanding, as they began changing into their Mawashi's.

"Who else is coming then ??"

"Sullivan, Bowsers mate, Jethro, and, umm…Travis…."

"Oh great, "Willie Woofter", everyone's "Favourite" Lifeguard," Rev-Head Sneered sarcastically, as he adjusted his Wrestling Apparel, "Guess we're all classed as "Lightweights" too, Huh ??"

Ralph furrowed his brow "You shouldn't knock Travis, he's entitled to the same chance as the rest of you, and yes, you're all the same weight class!"

"I still say, he's a Bloody "Shit Stabber"……" Spat the Tasmanian Wolf, indignantly.

"NOW THAT’S ENOUGH !!" Commanded the Kangaroo, "I don't want to hear anymore talk like that coming from you……."

"Jeez, Mate..didn't know this was a "Gay pride" march !!"

"Chill out, you two !!" hissed Bowser, "You're just a bit nervous, aren’t you, Rev head ??" The Tasmanian Wolf scenced he was trying to diffuse an escalating row, and sighed "Yeah….Guess so, no hard feelings, HUH?"

"Hi Guy's!!" Sullivan and Travis, turned up, shortly followed by Jethro.

"Alright, hurry up an get changed you three, let's get this sorted out, eh?"

"Where's Colin, Ralph?, 'he not here ??" Muttered Sullivan.

"Naw mate, he's kind of back there, having a kip…." The Kangaroo, jerked his head back in the direction of the loud nasal snoring, and sighed to himself.

"Someone better wake him up….."

" 'Best leave him alone…he's on the team with me, anyway…we've just got to decide which two, out of the rest of you, is coming with us….I don't like it having to be this way…but…"

"It's like that, and that's the way it is….!!!" Bowser, completed Ralph's sentence for him. {With a "Run DMC" song quote}

"Alright, same rules as the tournament….." Announced Ralph, each of you takes on everyone else in your class, and the two out of you who win the most, get to go….."

*************************************************************

"Best of three ??, Please!" Whined the fallen Bulldog.

"I'm sorry, Bruno, but Syd beat you fair and square!" Consoled Dennis, who's been overseeing the final Light weight bout.

"HA, tough luck eh??" sneered the triumphant Wiley Weasel, striking a comical victorious pose.

"WE NEED TO HAVE A "LITTLE" CHAT, ABOUT THAT "ATTITUDE" OF YOUR'S !!" Thundered Dennis, angrily, gripping Syd, by his ear, and pulling him over towards him. "That sort of behaviour is simply NOT done, in competition, AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR !?!"

"OW OW OW OWWW, leggo my ear, willya!!, I was just havin' a little fun, yeah ?!"

"What ARE you supposed to do ?!"

Grudgingly, the Weasel, once released from the Badgers grip, straightened himself, and bowed politely, to his opponent.

"That's better!!" scorned Dennis, "Well it appears, as though, Syd gets to represent the Lightweights, along with Rusty, and Tonneau is going to be our extra Heavyweight, no surprises there!!"

"Thank you, Sir !!" The large St Bernard, boomed, slapping his chest proudly. "Although, Marlon put up an excellent fight, it could have gone either way…."

"Well said !" Coughed Dennis, admiring the St Bernard's, Sportsfurship.

The loser in question.A equally large Orang-utan, seated on the Bench against the back wall. Lifted his head, at the mention of his name, then slummed back down, dejectedly, and sighed, dejectedly.

"If I put on Weight, I could be in the Heavyweight's class…." Piped up Bruno, "I'm "Borderline" now…."

"Just accept defeat, nobly, eh??, there's always next year!" Ringo the Lemur tried consoling the downcast Bulldog.

"Yeah,…Thanks Rin',…I really thought I was in with a good chance though.."

"You've all done very well!!" Announced Dennis, wandering back over to the front of the class, onto the slightly raised platform, "Let's have a big hand for our representatives!!, the rest of you shouldn't be downhearted, perhaps next year, there'll be allowances for bigger teams, so maybe more of you will get to compete….."

The class, applauded politely, as the other three Wrestlers walked up, as the Badger gestured for them to come and stand beside him.

"Keep practicing hard, in the meantime, yeah, I wouldn't want any of you "Dropping out" just because you didn't make it through, today,..alright!!, Classes will resume as normal, just as soon as we get back…."

*************************************************************

"Right, this is to be the decider……." Snarled Ralph, "Bowser, you're through…. It's just the winner out of….."

"Hold it, HOLD IT….HOLD IT, RIGHT THERE !!!!" Yelled, the recovered Koala, staggering out of the small hut, tying his Mawashi, as he swaggered along. "Ralph, you've been conducting all this, without my say so ???"

"Easy on him, Col', it isn't exactly HARD you know…" Chirped up Sullivan, sat on the end of the decking, next to Jethro who was frantically scribbling away on a piece of paper.

"What's going on !!, What have I missed ??" Panicked the Koala.

"Well, me an' Jeff' are "Out", Bowser's through.. an' it's just the decider between Rev-head and Travis, now……."

"Oh…..SHIT !!!….."

"Here you go!!" Jethro, the Platypus, nudged Bowser who was leaning against a nearby roof support,

"What's that, mate ??" the Golden Retriever looked back across at him, and had a scrap of paper thrust into his hand.

"Here's that list of Computer games, I'd like you to pick up for me in Japan…If you get a chance….Remember, you kinda promised…for "Old times" sake…" his friend pleaded, looking up at him, doey eyed.

"Oh yeah….I guess so, only I can't promise anything!, I don't know how much chance I'll have to go around the shops, it's not exactly a Holiday, you know….."

"If you do, "Akirabada" is probably the best district to go too……"

"Look, we'll talk about it later, yeah…Travis is about to Wrestle Rev-head…" Beamed the sweaty Dog, flashing him a broad grin.

"OK…." And the pair of them settled down to watch the final bout between the Otter and Tasmanian Wolf. Everyone could sense the tension and electricity in the air, as the pair of them, squared off against each other.

"I HAVE ABSOLUTLY NO INTENTION OF LOSING TO YOU !!" Roared Rev -head, Travis just cast him a suspicious look,

"You feel really threatened by me don't you…." He whispered, gently…"Look, let's shake on it….best "Fur" win's alright…."

"Bah, you can keep it!!" The 'Wolf rasped, ignoring the outstretched hand, "I can only guess where your Right hand's been…."

"HA !!!, Good one, Rev's…..Kick 'is BUTT !!" Cheered Colin.

The Otter, fought to keep his composure, nodded a quick bow and lowered himself into the starting position…..Rev-Head, copied him, he lent forward in readiness to clash…. Then abruptly stood back up, and self consciously brushed back his head fur.

"..And what do you say about me…..??" Suggested Travis, not letting himself be bothered by his opponents attempt to "Psyche" him out…

"Just get on with it, will you??, I can't stand this… !!!" Hollered Jethro, from where he was eagerly watching along with the others.

The Tasmanian Wolf, just snorted and steeling himself, crouched down, glaring at his opponent, evilly the whole time, "Call it, Ralph !!!"

TO BE CONTINUED !!!

*************************************************************