FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 1 (Present)

Derrick and Tyrese remained friends since junior high. Both were ambitious in their workout routines and had strong determination to enter the FFA. The border collie talked to his parents as a family about this future: all the pros and cons of abandoning college to pursue a sport where one can get hurt. After much talk and consideration, the parents conceded into letting their son join a gym closely associated with the FFA.

After their high school graduation, they switched to training mode. They researched online on nutrition, exercise routines, and followed well-known FFA fighters. Derrick and Tyrese followed guidelines as they committed themselves to the sport. The border collie and his companion invested in fitness equipment, nutrition, and renovations to the Bates' basement.

The basement provided space for a punching bag, dumbbells, a bench press with a weight-plate tree, and home gym equipped with pull-up bars and a squat rack. They also purchased fighting uniforms and FFA gloves. Derrick got himself golden shorts with black lines along the sides while Tyrese got himself a pair of red shorts with crimson stripes and a pair of black FFA gloves.

From the training and nutrition they've incorporated into their lifestyle, they noticed an increase in muscle mass and definition. Derrick built a defined, powerful upper body which increased his height. His white furred chest expanded while his core was chiseled with six symmetrical mounds. His shoulders, biceps, and forearms showcased his muscles underneath his black fur and his legs were no exception.

Tyrese increased in size as well, focusing on toning his body. His fur patterns were fox-like except his feline tail having two layers of color. His muscular body outlined his tan fur while the orange fur showed off his arms, back, and thighs. His dark brown forearms and shins definitely gave off his fox-like qualities. Their friendship had been so well established since junior high that nothing could separate them.

One day, the two furs were keeping up with the FFA: reading up on matches and interviews while being motivated and looking for a gym closely affiliated with the FFA. Derrick wore a pair of black gym shorts and a dark blue tank top as he browsed the web on his tablet. Tyrese, on the other hand, wore a T-shirt with red shorts and gloves to keep up his practicing with the punching bag. The collie commented as he approached Tyrese with excitement.

"Yo, bruh. It says that Tony Langdon beat Jerome Matthews 'n second round by submission hold. Man, Jerome 's so much better than Tony."

Tyrese offered his own opinion on the fight. "I agree, but Tony has the upper-hand at wrestling since that what he specialize 'n." He punched the bag a couple times with his left before following with his right.

"Some of these fighters dun seem to get enough hype. The only way t' get noticed is by interacting on social media and promote yer fights."

"Yuh, bruh," The hybrid grunted and threw his fist into the punching bag, causing the bag to swing back. Derrick then put down the tablet on a nearby table and finally having his turn at the bag now. He bent his elbows, keeping his extension straight as he threw punches towards the bag. Tyrese snickered, keeping the bag in place. "NOW yer doin' some work."

Derrick snarled playfully as he exerted force into his punches. "Bruh, why ya gotta be like that?"

"Makin' sure you're prepared t' fight the pussy 'n the future."

The border collie growled, transferring his negative energy into his punches. "Damn right. I can't wait t' kick his ass."

Tyrese put his weight against the bag, feeling the impacts from the dog's punches. "You got spirit, homez. Now you just need a gym to spruce up your skills."

Both men trained underneath the basement for a couple hours with Derrick throwing jabs at the bag before transitioning over to weight lifting. He put weight plates on both ends of the bar, totaling to 205 lbs. The border collie took his place on the bench while Tyrese spotted him behind the bar. Once he finished his sets, it was the hybrid's turn to get his workout in, adjusting the weight as necessary.

Both friends encouraged each other to push onward and knew no bounds, remaining vigilant in their workout sessions. They kept each other motivated and showcased off their muscles to each other in the basement. This was their schedule for the weeks until recruitment for the FFA was open to all..

One night, Derrick's parents spent the evening together, leaving Derrick and Tyrese at home to watch the fight on the TV. Derrick wore his tight-fitting green shirt and red shorts and Tyrese was dressed in a red tank-top and black shorts. Both took their place on the couch, watching the big FFA fight on their pay-per-view.

The border collie wasted no time and cooked dinner for the both of them. Tyrese held onto the remote and browsed through the channels, hoping something good was on before the fight would start. The hybrid grew infuriated at the consistency of advertisements and infomercials that had nothing to do with fighitng

"Damn, these money grabbers ain't kiddin' around when it comes t' advertisin' their shit." Tyrese mentioned, going into the kitchen and grabbed himself a bowl of salad.

"I hear ya, bruh." The collie sighed, cooking up some dinner for both of them while they were waiting on their pay-per-view FFA fight. Chicken was seasoned with salt and pepper with hints of garlic along with grilled vegetables broccoli and green beans were being sauteed in a skillet pan. To finish it off, there was a small pot with quinoa steaming. Once everything was ready, the collie portioned their dinners on ceramic plates and took his seat in front of the TV while handing a plate to Tyrese. "Here, bruh. I know it ain't ma's cooking, but healthy as fuck."

"Nah, dude. Yer cooking is cool wit' me. Come on, I think the commercials are over so we can watch the fight while we eat." Tyrese smiled, scooting over so that his friend could take his place next to him. The canine took his seat and relaxed comfortably while the hybrid unmuted and luckily, the fight was on and it went to the commentators expressing their thoughts. It was a jackal along with a koala wearing suits with headsets and mouthpieces that extended towards their jaws. They gave their comments and explained the stats of the fighters that were going to be showcased.

"Well," the jackal mentioned after talking about the fights that were about to happen. "How about the King himself? Dawson Murphy. He inherits his father's skills and is truly living up to the Murphy name."

"Nothing like him at all, Jeff," the koala commentator reiterated, which made Derrick's hackles rise after hearing his name be spoke from his mouth. "He's been the talk since he took down Louis Jaselin in that match at FFA 21."

"Can we watch a bit of that? Do we have time?" Jeff mentioned as he looked off to the side for a minute. "All right, we have to show one of the clips that sent Jaselin to the floor." Derrick and Tyrese witnessed a clip from the fight. They saw the bigger and developed body of Dawson roundhousing an equal built eagle wearing a pair of red shorts with black gloves. Blood and saliva sprayed across his muzzle before he took the fall, giving the lion a knockout win.

"Look at that smashing kick to Jaselin's face from the King's feet, Thomas." Then the impact was put into slow-motion, capturing that hit that knocked Louis down. "And with that powerful kick, he secured that win."

"Heh, more like cheated 'n winning that match," Derrick sighed, taking another bite into his meal.

"Damn straight," the hybrid added, munching on some quinoa."Dun worry, cuz he ain't got nothing on ya. You kicked his ass and ya can do 't again."

"Yah," the border collie mentioned before the screen changed to being the main cards of the night. The men heard the commentators' opinions and views on the fighters showcased tonight. One of them piqued Derrick's interest: Myles "Bad Dog" Jaden.

"Oh, shit!" Derrick smiled, wagging his tail as heard the name. "Hope Bad Dog wins. He's my idol since I started following the FFA."

"Fuck, 't looks like he's goin' against Antonio Romero Gonzales, the Tempest Dragon." Tyrese mentioned as both fighters appeared along with their age, height, weight, span, and origin. Myles from the US and Antonio from Mexico. Derrick and Tyrese saw one thing in the golden retriever that they admired very much. His smile was pleasant to look at compared to Antonio's grim look on his reptilian face. The screen switched to the Octagon and the crowd cheered for both fighters. The weasel dressed in a black suit and red tie spoke into the microphone, announcing the names.

"Tis gonna be a good fight," Derrick said as he quickly finished his meal before the fight started. Tyrese was a slower eater than the canine for he took his time to enjoy his meal.

"I agree," Tyrese nodded, pausing to turn the volume up on the TV set. "I have dibs on Bad Dog."

"Same bruh. Antonio ain't got shit on Myles. He be kicking that dragon ass so hard that he'll be sore and won't fight for a long-ass time. Oh looks like the fight's about to begin."

Both of them eagerly waited for the fight to commence and as did the crowd, who couldn't wait for the action to start. The bell sounded the first round and Myles and Antonio faced each other with their fists up as they circled each other. The two viewing at home were anxious for something big to happen in the first minute. Antonio threw jabs with his left hand before Bad Dog leaned back, evading the strikes.

The border collie saw both fighters' movements and could tell that Bad Dog's footwork was more lax whereas Tempest Dragon's feet were sporadic. The dragon uppercutted Myles' chin, causing the dog's head to jerk before giving a hook shot across his opponent's muzzle. Myles wasn't phased from those hits. After Antonio's advancement, it was time for Bad Dog to put his body to use. The canine kicked the dragon's leg before throwing a couple lefts followed by a powerful right elbow across the face.

There were cheers from the crowd and from Derrick and Tyrese who shouted at the screen, cheering him on. The golden retriever remained calm while Antonio grew flabbergasted.

"Damn, he ain't worth shit. Bad Dog shook him up big time," Derrick mentioned, taking his seat, as he carefully observed the fight.

"For reals, dawg. Bad Dog struck him hard with that elbow." Tyrese explained as they resumed watching the fight. Antonio had the dog on the ropes again, pinning his opponent against the cage as he put pressure against his body, striking whenever there was an opportune moment. Myles wrestled his opponent while being pinned against the post, keeping himself composed. Both furs displayed a showdown of strength, creating rivers of sweat as it trickled down their matted bodies. This is truly a test of willpower as both competitors displayed their skills in their fistwork.

The muscular canine noticed a small misstep in Antonio's footing, opening a good opportunity to turn the match around. He grabbed the dragon's leg with both paws, toppling him and sent him to the floor. Myles pressed his chest against Antonio's, both showcasing their pearly whites as it became a battle of wills. The golden retriever continued his power play against his opponent, punching his face and ribs to cripple him. Antonio retaliated with hook-shots being thrown to his face, causing the canine to start trickling out blood. Both got on their feet and reset into their fighting positions.

A minute was left and the two viewers at home wanted some physical contact between them before the round was over. Derrick shouted towards the TV, ordering the two fighters to dance at their command. "Oh shit, come on man! Throw some punches and kicks, damn."

Tyrese ruffled the collie's hair after finishing his meal. "Dun be hasty, bruh. They're just playing mind games with each other."

Derrick laughed with his friend as they watched the fight, catching a glimpse of Bad Dog and Tempest Dragon being in a clinch and the canine striking a knee towards the scalie's torso. The bell sounded the end of round 1. The border collie grew esstatic about Myles dominating his opponent, making his strikes count.

As the match continued, both fighters were matted with sweat and the strength of the fighters diminished in their strikes. The dog and hybrid were really engaged in the fight, shouting whenever Mad Dog successfully connected and finished off with a strong cross-over. On the receiving end, he got kneed in the abdomen from Antonio's knee making the canine cough up blood. The dragon seemed to have the upperhand which caused the border collie to snarl and bare his fangs at the scene at hand.

"C'mon, Bad Dog. You got this shit! Just gotta go in and strike whenever he's not expecting it."

Tyrese nodded. "He needs t' find the opportune moment t' counter."

"Oh, and that lip doesn't look good on Bad Dog at all since it was cut open." Jeff mentioned as the fight continued rolling. "Tempest Dragon doesn't seem to be in his best either. The cut over his eye is surely gonna make him lose sight and lose his upperhand."

Thomas intervened. "I'd say Bad Dog got this match in the bag, being a more experienced fighter than Antonio. Plus, he's been a fan favorite."

Derrick and Tyrese remained attentive to the fight, keeping their eyes on the screen. Derrick managed to catch a glimpse on Myles' expression as he was getting beat with a nose-bleed from his nostrils. "Oh shit, I think Bad Dog has something in his mind."

"Ya think so?" The hybrid grinned before Myles pulled an unexpected move on Antonio. The golden retriever pushed his opponent away with his broad shoulders, causing the dragon to lose his footing. Then, Myles phased him by cart-wheeling with his legs making contact with the dragon's face. The dog then lunged forward, tackling Antonio to the ground. Myles unleashed his power onto the dragon and his opponent tried blocking his attacks with his fists. However, the dog pounded away hard on his snout. A heavy blow finished him off and the referee intervened, stopping the match with the dog throwing his fist in the air with the crowd cheering for the winner.

Derrick and Tyrese cheered as well, doing a chest bump and a fist-bump once the fight came to an end.

"And that's that! Myles the 'Bad Dog' Jaden takes the win and concludes tonight's fight night," Jeff smiled as his voice was definitely ecstatic. "That was a shocker for us all. His quick-witted mind and skills played a big part. Let's see the knock-out blow for all those who missed it."

The screen showed Myles' magnificent strike against Antonio, causing him to fall on the ground before shortly after being pounded away from the dog's powerful fists. A fennec fox, who served as the head of the FFA, approached Myles' side, who appeared taller than most fennec foxes. He wore a suit and red tie that gave off a powerful presence from him. He held onto his microphone in his right paw and interviewed the winner.

"So, Myles, you showcased beautifully with a lot of powerful strikes and your out-of-the-box strategies against your opponent. How does it feel to overcome your foe?"

His smile appeared despite his bloody nose and cut on his lip. "You know, Mr. Morris. I followed through my attacks and focused only on my match. I'm always doing this for my fans, which I thank them all for coming to watch my fight tonight."

The crowd cheered and Mr. Morris grinned, while combing his hair back. "Myles, you never seem to disappoint yours fans. Any words you want to give to those who are wanting to try-out for the FFA in their futures?"

"Yeah," Myles said, taking the microphone from the fennec. "If you want to be in the FFA, just note you'll be in a world of hurt but being friends with other people from different backgrounds is just one way to experience the FFA life. It'll also be a lot of work for new people wanting to try out. If you want the thrill of the fight like you experienced here, the FFA will be a lot of fun."

Derrick grinned and turned to his friend. "We're both gonna do this shit!"

"Damn, right!" Tyrese acknowledged and after Mr. Morris mentioned his closing remarks, there was an announcement for new trainees wanting to join the FFA.

"Yo, the FFA is now wanting fresh blood to join the league." The border collie said excitedly.

"Fuckin' sweet. Let's sign up. Let me see your tablet."

The border collie handed the tablet to his friend, typing in the web address. A few seconds later, the home page showed up for the FFA and towards the bottom was the link for "Fresh and Young Blood," meaning new participants. Tyrese clicked on the link, leading him to this page with all the gym names that were associated with the FFA and tryouts.

"Looks like there are a few gyms near us, Derrick." Tyrese mentioned, scrolling through the information and reading the information carefully. "There's 'Alpha Cage' where real FFA classes are held and a place called 'Centurion Gym' which is closely affiliated with the FFA. There are only two near us."

"Let's storm 'Alpha Cage'. When are they having tryouts?"

He scrolled through the page and found the dates for tryouts. "April 17th. A week from now."

"Shit, it coming quick," Derrick mentioned, getting up and clearing their dishes. Tyrese followed the collie into the kitchen and sat at the counter. The hybrid read through the information regarding the requirements. "Says we need t' be 'n top condition and be ready to be put into matches against other candidates."

The dog took the sponge, lathering it in soap before starting on the dishes. "Sounds like a fun challenge bruh. We both will make 't, no matter what."

Tyrese snickered. "I wouldn't have 't any other way."

Derrick glanced at his friend while letting the water run with the dish in hand. "We'll be 'n top training condition if we're gonna to stand out among the applicants. Only one week."

"We'll work our asses off til then!" Tyrese smiled toothily.

* * *

One week later, Derrick and Tyrese rose up the next morning, freshening up before their big debut. Derrick's parents were sleeping so the two youthful furs quickly made their breakfast drinks, consisting of protein powder, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and kale blended into two convenient, filling breakfast drinks. Derrick poured the juice into their bottles and had their gym bags which contained all their FFA attire over his shoulders. The border collie wore a red compression shirt and denim jeans while Tyrese was clad in a black tank top with red gym shorts.

"You ready, bruh?" Derrick said, putting out his fist for his companion. Tyrese returned the gesture, tapping his fists before responding.

"Yeah. Let's fuckin' own 't!" he said while they walked towards the sidewalks. Tyrese called for a ride to help them get across town more efficiently. The car arrived after a couple minutes, pulling over to the side and took the two to the Alpha Gym.

They were dropped off in front of an immensely crowded gym being occupied by males and females were present. Their eyes grew shocked by the enormous crowd surrounding the gym. The border collie whistled as he observed the crowd blockading the entrance. "Damn, sure a lot of people here."

Tyrese stood on his toes as he took a look at the crowd and whistled. "No shit, man. We ain't getting through. Let me see what's goin' on."

Derrick let his friend do his task while he stood there, observing the crowd dressing up in jeans and casual attire.. The border collie thought to himself that this couldn't be for the FFA try-outs. Over his left shoulder, a maned wolf stood around at his height, wearing a black compression shirt with khaki shorts. His eyes emitted a bright red and dark brown hair tied into a ponytail. He had a duffel-bag in his left paw, containing his essentials.

The border collie sighed, just loud enough to be heard over the crowd. "Ah, damn it. This crowd, man. All these people ain't for the FFA tryouts I betcha." he turned while his paw extended towards the stranger. "Derrick Bates. You here for the tryouts?"

The maned wolf glanced at him in return and shook his paw. "Scott Barlow and yeah. I'm here for the try-outs but the fuck is this crowd? Your friend finding things out?"

Derrick nodded. "Ya, he said he was gonna look into what the deal is. Hope he gets back soon so I can go and start preparing my mind for the tryouts."

After a few minutes, Tyrese emerged from the crowd and waved his paw towards the collie and maned wolf. He extended his paw towards the maned wolf. "Oh hey, name's Tyrese Davis. You are...?

"Scott Barlow. I'm here for the tryouts."

Derrick intervened with the two by asking Tyrese on the situation. "So, what's with the crowd?"

"Oh, right. Well, the crowd's here for two things. One is for the tryouts and the other is the arrival of a famous FFA fighter but they won't tell me who it is."

Derrick adjusted his belongings and turned his head over his shoulder."Wanna join us? Sure beats getting shipwrecked by yourself."

The maned wolf smiled, fixing his grip on the duffel-bag. "Lead the way, guys."

The three of them made their way through the crowd, even resorting to shoving to get through to the gyms' front desk on the left. Derrick talked to the female cheetah receptionist who was dressed in a club shirt and yoga pants. "Hi, we're here for the FFA tryouts."

"Oh sure." The feline said as she took out a clipboard and a pen. The three glanced at the list of people already signed up. "You can sign up on this clipboard and once the cut-off time hits, we'll call everybody."

Tyrese glanced around at the crowd, seeing if there were any fighters. "What time do the try-outs start?"

"9:00 AM."

Derrick took out his phone, and it already was 8:40. "Shit, we barely made it. Thought we were late. What's with the people outside?"

The cheetah responded, glancing at the border collie. "Well, if you haven't heard already, there's a FFA fighter coming today but nobody knows who. But you can freely use the locker room and get yourselves ready for the tryouts."

Derrick, Tyrese, and Scott headed towards the guys' locker room. The gym smelled like rubber and sweat mixed in, giving a robust and unpleasant odor. The crowd's noise diminished while the three entered the room to find the participants dressing up in fighting attire. Tyrese saw a buff raccoon sliding into a pair of compression shorts for the tryouts while Derrick and Scott made their way through the locker-rooms. All types of physique types were here: big furs with bellies, smaller guys with sleek forms, and athletic males who displayed a great physique.

Derrick grew surprised at the number of participants. "Damn, you all here for the tryouts too?"

Some of them nodded, putting on their fighting apparel. The border collie tilted his neck side to side, loosening himself up. "This is going to be pretty damn good."

Tyrese nodded, choosing an area where there wasn't a lot of furs around. The hybrid chose the locker in the corner and Scott followed suit, choosing the locker next to him. Derrick was the last to choose his locker. Scott kept quiet as he pulled out his light blue trunks and black FFA gloves from his duffel-bag. The collie took off his shirt and pulled out his gloves that he'd be using for tryouts before putting on his shorts. He got a few lookers as the border collie remained undistracted. The hybrid was in the same boat, keeping his mind on the tryouts. Scott was dressed in his shirt and light blue shorts before taking his leave. Tyrese spoke while putting on his gloves and tightening them. "That guy is solid. I think he'll make it in from what I could tell."

Derrick nodded as he put on his bright yellow trunks with black stripes. "Yah. Wouldn't be surprised if he gets selected."

The border collie closed his locker before taking his leave.

As they walked through the crowd, a white rabbit with light blue eyes and red highlights on his ears and cotton-tail bragged to furs by jumping left to right, making sure he's not being ignored.

"Yo, dog!" the rabbit exclaimed while pointing his finger at Derrick. "You think you're gonna be the shit? Well, that ain't gunna happen, see? Because Taylor Hopper (me), will be the best in the FFA."

Derrick rolled his eyes, sighing before pushing on the door. Before he went out into the open room, he said. "Let's hope your actions speak louder than words, rabbit"

Tyrese followed and smiled as they both left the locker room. "Heh, nice job handling that jackass."

"There's going to be plenty of people like that for sure." Derrick added.

A male rhinoceros in a tight tank top and black shorts loomed over them before he spoke to them. "You're here for the tryouts? Well, kiss that opportunity goodbye. I'll kick all your asses and I'll be the one in the FFA."

They ignored him and approached Scott who had his arms folded across his chest..

"How long you been into the FFA?" the border collie asked.

The maned wolf turned his head and replied. "Not too long; maybe about three years. How about you?"

"5 years, here." Derrick replied. "Same with Tyrese."

"I see," Scott mentioned as he saw the male group coming out of the locker room with Taylor acting as leader. He pompously walked towards where the three males were, then pushing them out of the way to make himself noteworthy. Shortly after, there were only a handful of females present in sports bras and tank tops.

"You three ain't got shit to show for the FFA. " Taylor said. While being short and obnoxious, he displayed an impressive form for a lapine creature with an impressive eight pack displayed through his white fur and broad chest and massive arms for such a small guy.

Once the time came, the cheetah receptionist came in front of the group and got their attention. "For those of you present for the tryouts, two representatives from the FFA will be here shortly. Once they arrive, we will begin."

A limousine pulled up at the gym's entrance, and there stood the head of the FFA Mr. Jerry Morris and behind him was someone nobody expected. The famous golden retriever emerged from the limo, wearing a tank top and red shorts. He had that classic pony-tail and beautiful smile that golden retrievers were known to have. The fans screamed and shouted at his arrival.

"OH SHIT!!! IT'S BAD DOG IN THE FLESH!" Derrick shouted while Tyrese jumped ecstatically as the whole crowd joined in with them.

Myles waved towards the crowd as he made his way through the gym entrance. He stopped for people wanting autographs and wanted photos with him. Momentarily, he made his way towards the front and took a good look at the young prospects.

"Oh shoot, this is quite a number. That's awesome!" He glanced and shook hands with male fighters, including shaking Tyrese's Derrick's, and Scott's paws. The three friends couldn't believe that their paws touched Myles' paw. Mr. Morris cleared his throat after making his way through and stood in front of the crowd. The fennec raised his sunglasses and observed the group. Myles stood beside Mr. Morris and the crowd turned silent as they gave the floor to the fennec.

"Seems like there's a good number wanting to try out. As you well know, the FFA doesn't take all applicants. Only the best and most promising. Also, Myles wanted to check out the young generation of new FFA potentials."

The golden retriever smiled, staring at the crowd of young talents. "Don't worry. Just do your best today."

There was chatter amongst the crowd before Mr. Morris spoke again. "Without further ado, let's get on with the show. Rachel," he turned his attention towards the receptionist. "Could you lead this group towards the cage please?"

"Of course, Jerry." she replied, bringing the clipboard with her, leading the way towards the back of the building. She led them into a warehouse where lights shined brightly above down upon an actual ring, originally used for sparring matches.. Derrick, Tyrese, and Scott readied themselves, approaching the arena as they followed behind Myles. The fennec entered the ring with metal steps that led into the corner of the cage. Rachel handed him the clipboard with the names of all applicants. "Hmm, impressive group. Myles, could you come here for a second?"

The golden retriever obeyed his boss' orders. "Yeah, boss?"

"I want you to pick the first two fighters for our first scruffle."

"Don't mind if I do sir." The dog said, taking the clipboard and studied the applicants on paper. His eyes observed the crowd and stared briefly at Derrick for a moment before observing the others. The collie whispered to the two companions. "I think he looked at me."

"Or maybe he was lookin' at me, bruh." Tyrese chuckled a bit, both sharing a moment before Myles' voice echoed through the place.

"All right, could these two furs step into the cage? Derrick Bates and Scott Barlow.

Derrick and Scott looked at each other, blinking a couple times, wondering if they heard their names right. Myles grinned at the two confused furs. "Haha, come on up."

The border collie and maned wolf shrugged, taking the stairs with the maned wolf allowing Derrick to enter first and followed behind. They stood around the golden retriever as they waited for further instructions.

"All right, which one of you is Derrick?"

"I am," answered the border collie.

Myles smiled, patting his shoulder. "Awesome. You must be Scott. Pleasure to meet both of you. Now, you two will be fighting each other but don't wreak havoc. You two will have a sparring match and you will do this shirts off."

Derrick and Scott did so, removing their tops and revealing their naturally sculpted bodies. They heard seductive whistles from the crowd, admiring the males' chiseled bodies. The border collie walked towards his own corner and the maned wolf did the same, getting themselves ready as they both loosened up. Derrick studied the maned wolf's body. His orange fur glistened underneath the overhead lights, accentuating his chest and arm muscles. The collie was impressed with his body he worked for with rigorous training and nutrition. They both looked at Myles who acted as referee for the match.

"Treat this as a real FFA match but don't go killing each other," Mr. Morris said. "I know young blood like you want to show us what you're made of, but just dial down on the punches."

Myles glanced at both fighters who got into their fighting positions, putting up their fists. "All right, let the first match of the tryouts begin!"

This commenced the fight and both fighters were advancing slowly towards the center. Tyrese observed from outside the ring. They gingerly circled each other, thinking how to engage. Derrick threw the first jab which Scott blocked it with his forearm before throwing a punch of his own which Derrick pulled away from the strike. The rest of the crowd observed the fight. Some of them were there for entertainment while others studied their footwork.

The collie glanced into Scott's eyes while keeping his mind and fists up. Derrick advanced by throwing punches at his cheeks, but Scott shrugged the attack before throwing an uppercut up the dog's chin. Both fighters found their rhythm and Myles and Mr. Morris nodded at the fight, approving what they saw so far.

Derrick got his bearings before getting pushed into the cage. Thanks to the collie's broad back, the pain was minimal but the collie surely felt the maned wolf's strength. He wrapped his paws around the wolf's frame while Scott's body was pressed against his. The collie struggled, fighting for control over the fight, trying to get his fists to connect to the maned wolf's sides. Scott jerked as he felt punches to his side before coming over with a hookshot across the collie's face.

Derrick snarled from the impact on his face, pushing him into overdrive. The collie put pressure on Scott from the punches he landed on the maned wolf's face. This caused the wolf to stumble backwards towards the center of the ring. His spirit remained strong as he readied himself in defensive position. Myles applauded and stopped the fight, breaking the two up. Derrick and Scott smiled, giving themselves a bro shake.

"Excellent pressure you guys." The golden retriever patted both shoulders and they both grinned widely. "Derrick, you need to work on your ground game. I think you'll do great in that area. And Scott, great counters you have but wait until your opponent is off guard. You two show great promise to grow in the FFA. You have my high marks. What do you think, Jerry?"

The fennec stroked his chin while observing Derrick and Scott. "Hmm, looks like these two will make it but can't really make it official yet. The day's just started. Now, let's see..." he started while grabbing the clipboard from Myles. "We'll continue to go through the names at random until we went through them all."

After a couple hours of the applicants being put up against others in the cage, Myles and Jerry stretched and searched through the list for anybody hadn't gone yet. Jerry used his voice to project through the room. "All right, listen up! We're down to our last two fighters. Tyrese Davis and Letsego Vilijoen. Step into the cage please."

Derrick's ears perked after hearing his childhood friend's name. "Ya got this, Tyrese!" Tyrese smiled, giving him the thumbs up while his opponent readied himself. He was a spotted hyena with the same colored eyes as Scott's. He wore camouflage pants instead of the usual shorts that all male fighters wore. Both removed their shirts and showed off their bodies in their top form. The hyena's body was impressive, even they normally did not grow that way with training.

Myles resumed his job as referee, explaining the rules. As he gave the details, the hybrid and hyena studied each other's body structure, arm size, and muscle proportions. Both were equal in size. Tyrese snarled a bit and Letsego did the same, showing off his pearly whites.

The two fighters engaged from their corners to the center of the ring. Both circled and glanced at each other, playing mind games with their footwork and hand movements. Tyrese aimed for his sides with his left leg, causing the hyena to flinch before both continued to dance around the cage. Derrick and Scott observed the fight while having a bottle water, with the collie rooting for his friend.

The fight already got hairy with Letsego throwing punches towards the hybrid's muzzle that connected pretty good. Tyrese shrugged them off as they were nothing and letting Myles know that he was all right to resume fighting. Letsego smiled, admiring the hybrid's spirit as they continued on with the match.

Tyrese mustered up enough strength in his right foot, aiming for Letsego's head. His head jerked back and felt something running down his nostrils. He paused a bit as he glanced down at his own blood and smiled from the sight of it.

"Ahh, I was hoping who will be able to draw first blood, and congratulations, you're able to make me bleed." The hyena smirked, as he pulled himself up.

The hybrid switched to his ground game, fighting with the overpowering hyena. Tyrese wrestled, pressing against Letsego as he kept his weight on top of him, making him immobile. The hybrid climbed on top of his body with his chest pressed into his back, punching his head whenever possible. Letsego covered his head in defense as Tyrese kept up his dominant game.

The hybrid pushed himself off his back and put his fists up, anticipating what the hyena's next move would be. Letsego snickered and showed off his teeth, getting himself into a clinch with him. He couldn't escape Letsego's left fist as it went for his head. The hybrid couldn't help but take it and the next sudden jolt of pain was towards his stomach from Letsego's right fist. Tyrese coughed saliva from the blow and Derrick shouted, "Shit, Tyrese. Hang in there, bruh." As the match went on, there was a nod of approval from both Myles and Jerry about the candidates.

Next move caught everybody off guard. The hyena pulled back his head and struck it against the hybrid's forehead, creating a scar and blood trickled out from the wound.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Derrick shouted as he was about to go in before Scott held him back.

"Bruh, looks like they got it in control. Look," Scott said as Myles and Jerry intervened. Letsego was held back from the hybrid while Jerry checked on Tyrese. Myles and Letsego exchanged words with each other with the retriever snarling towards the hyena, who didn't retaliate at all. Jerry helped Tyrese up and the gym staff got an ice pack ready for the injured hybrid. Tyrese held the ice pack to his wound and Derrick ran up to him, observing him. "Yo Tyrese, you okay?"

The hybrid nodded, wincing at the pain as he kept the ice pack toward his forehead. "Ya, bruh. I'm fine. I wasn't expecting that from him."

"That son of a bitch," Derrick snarled, glancing at the hyena who took his leave outside the cage and Myles approached Tyrese, placing his paw on his shoulder. "Hey kid, you all right?"

The hybrid glanced at the dog and nodded. "Ya, I'm fine Myles. Thanks for asking."

"Your ground work and your fighting style is definitely solid. You're gonna do great kid." Myles smiled greatly. "We're gonna get everybody together and announce the people who made it."

Tyrese, Derrick, and Scott nodded with the last fight concluded and some of the candidates went up to Tyrese and asked him about his condition. Jerry and Myles went into a corner to talk about the names and there seemed to be some disagreement but Myles walked to Jerry about the situation. Jerry seemed hesitant but conceded before standing in front of the group with a piece of paper in hand.

"All right, after talking to my star here, we're only inviting seven to attend the FFA Invitational. Today has been a tough day for us both to decide who gets to go. Now, first off, we'll start with the ladies since there's only one. Claire Woods."

A female panther, wearing a maroon tank top and black shorts, glanced at the boss with her yellow eyes and threw up her fist in the air. "Fuck yeah! I made it!"

The males crowd applauded as the females left, grumbling and cursing underneath their breath. Claire smiled and gave the girls the thumbs down and showed off her fangs.

"Now, we've chosen six gentlemen to represent the rookies from Alpha Gym for the FFA Invitational. This was a hard decision to make. All of you showed promise but we could only narrow it down to six. First off, we have Taylor Hopper." The white bunny beat his chest and threw up his fist in victory after hearing his name call out. "Damn right, I made it in! I told you guys I'll make it in." He said, pointing to the group that denied the fact.

"Derrick Bates." Derrick couldn't contain his excitement that he was selected to be in the FFA. Tyrese smiled and patted his shoulder. "Nice job, bruh."

"I'm sure you'll make it in, Tyrese." His friend encouraged him. "But god damn, can't believe that he chose me."

Jerry cleared his throat before resuming on. "Scott Barlow."

Scott smiled greatly and his new friends congratulated him in making it into the league. The maned wolf did a victory howl (or bark) to proclaim his excitement.

"Tyrese Davis."

The hybrid opened his jaw in shock as he took a moment or two to realize what was happening. Derrick was helpful enough to remind him of what happened. "Bruh, you made it in! We can achieve our dreams together."

"Hell yeah, we can! I was just so excited, I couldn't speak!"

"Marco Johnston."

The raccoon grinned widely and threw up his fist in excitement.

"And now, the last name will be a shock to you all but I think he'll be a great asset to the Invitational." A moment of silence while looking at the paper in paw. "Letsego Vilijoen."

The spotted hyena smiled happily but received unsatisfied responses from the crowd. "Boo, you suck Letsego. You fucking cheat!" he heard some others say but the hyena didn't care and beat his chest and bellowed out a hyena cry.

Derrick snarled after knowing what he did to Tyrese. "No fucking way! They allowed that cheater in?"

Tyrese shook his head, holding him at shoulder length. "It's all right, homez. He was just into the fight and I was too. I didn't want it easy so I hoped he would kick it up a notch."

Letsego nodded, approaching the hybrid with his paw extending out. "Yeah, just wanted to see how you handled the situation."

Derrick intervened and protected Tyrese, grabbing him by the shirt. "Listen, you fucking cheat. Don't think you're gonna get away with just that."

The hyena shrugged as if he was confused. "He and I were just having fun."

The border collie snarled further. "LIke hell you are. Luckily, my friend made it in but you shouldn't have been qualified at all."

Tyrese shook his head. "No, let him go. He and I are just getting to know each other." The hybrid said as he put out his paw and waited for Letsego to shake it. "That was a good match, Letsego. I hope to see more of your fights soon."

"Hell yeah, you will!" the hyena responded, shaking it before the group heard Jerry's announcement.

"All of you who are selected, congratulations. You must provide your own travel to the FFA Invitational in Los Angeles. You'll receive a text regarding the date for the event. As for the rest of you, you did great today. Perhaps next time."

The rest of the group grumbled and took their leave while the chosen seven were excited to think that their next step was achievable. Derrick turned to Tyrese and Scott. "Well, guys, this is it. We fly over to Los Angeles to prove ourselves in the FFA. Let's do our best."

"All right!" both of them said, including the hyena's voice.

"Oh no no no!" Derrick said while he pushed the big hyena away. "You don't get to be a part of our group."

"But it's a party! And I love parties!" Letsego said.

"Derrick, come on. Don't be stuck up. Let Letsego join us, we'll have to get Taylor, Claire, and Marco in our circle."

The border collie grunted, then turned his head away from Letsego. He then punched the hyena in the abdomen hard which caused him to keel over. "This is for the start of our friendship."

Letsego smiled, returning the favor with his fist making contact with the dog's stomach. "Agreed."