Everything was settled. Nikki was ready to cross Anger Mouse’s name off their friend list after checking in with them one last time.
“Wow, you did a great job out there.” Nikki smiled, leaning herself curiously in front of the mouse-rat. “I’m really impressed!”
“UH? Haha. Hey, thanks and... STUFF!” His voice was so awkward now. It was starting to change, and had random loud bursts between words.
“So...” she looked down at the paper, “are you happy? All done being an angry mouse?” Anger looked confused for a moment and shook his head.
“What’re you TALKING about? Being ANGRY isn’t something that stops...” Anger Mouse filled her in, “I LIKE being angry. It’s FUN! Being calm and happy all the time would be BORING.” Nikki couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “AND there are ALWAYS gonna be things out there that MAKE ME MAD.”
The mouse had a point! Problems and frustrations will always exist. But... it still seemed strange that anyone would like being angry. Maybe that’s what made this mouse unique? He could take pleasure in something that most wouldn’t enjoy.
“BUT...” Anger Mouse tried to show his front teeth as he smiled, “I feel like my life got a LITTLE better today.” Nikki felt a warm glow in her chest, thinking that was the best she’d ever hear from him. “BUT WE’LL SEE. Who KNOWS what’ll piss me off tomorrow. Not like they’re gonna let me outta JAIL just because I WON, heh heh heh...”
Nikki would never see this version of Anger Mouse again, and Anger Mouse would never know that Nikki was watching over him all this time, trying to ensure his happiness. Hopefully it made up for forcing Dawn back into his life (Nikki was still dealing with that problem herself.) They were a silent team. If they reset, they’d forget everything that happened, and be strangers again.
Anger Mouse began to walk away, lead by his prison guard. The little kid gave a shy, dorky wave to Nikki as he left the stadium. “BYE BYE...”
Nikki crossed Anger Mouse’s name off the list.
The tournament was over. It was late at night, most the animals had already gone home. Nikki went up to the roof, wondering if Dawn would be there. Everything felt so happy, this could be the perfect ending. It wasn’t only good for Anger Mouse, Nikki thought it was good for Dawn too! She sat down on the roof, looking over the city while she waited.
“Nikki...”
The tanuki turned around, watching Dawn float towards her.
“Dawn, are you alright? Wasn’t that a good ending to the tournament?” Nikki smiled, slightly eager to please. Dawn sat her tired body beside her friend.
“I am. It was.” Dawn closed her eyes. “I found out. So much about. Who I am. Why I am. I know now. Why my past. Was so awful.”
Nikki gently pet Dawn’s back.
“I do not. Want to reset.” Dawn took a breath from her dog nose, “But. We have to.”
Nikki’s eyes went wide in panic. “But it’s so good right now! Anger is happy! You’re happy. Couldn’t we...” Nikki racked her brain, “Can’t we hold off on the reset? We can prolong it for days, and years... we can just live out our lives as long as we can, and pretend we’re going to do it eventually, but not!”
Dawn shook her head. “We cannot. It is not. Up to me. Anymore.”
The paper in Nikki’s hand started to glow.
“I wish that. We saved. An ending. Like this. For last...” Dawn looked up to the stars, “After the reset. I will still. Remember it all.” Her tail-end wrapped behind Nikki, “You only remember. Some things?”
“And what about the others?” Nikki frowned, her friends never remembered anything. She didn’t want Anger Mouse’s victory to be a waste. If she had to help other boxers win, he’d never learn everything they discovered tonight, and she couldn’t remember enough to tell him. He’d never be this happy again. Having to reset after all this work was harder than she’d imagined.
“They will. Remember nothing.” Dawn shook her head, “Probably... nothing. But... We will see.”
Nikki started to rip the friend list apart in anger.
Nikki looked up at Dawn with a proud smile, willing to see if that’d stop the reset. However, Dawn’s eyelids started to close as the ghost dog became drowsy. Nikki started to feel the same haze over herself. She tried not to fall asleep, but in the end, the two dozed off.
