Samson hadn't gone with Abby to see Roland in the hospital because he didn't want to crowd them too much. It wasn't just that there'd be too many visitors, but Samson did take up a lot of space, especially after his training for the IAC Bodybuilding Competition. Speaking of which, he was busy polishing the medal he won.
Samson's ears flicked as he heard the front door open and close. He walked out of his room to see Abby had returned. "Is Roland going to be okay?" asked Samson.
"Yes, but I'm not sure about the rest of Animalia yet," said Abby, "We might be able to get things under more control, but I'm not sure how much trust we've lost."
"Well, we'll just keep showing them we're worth it," said Samson as he continued polishing.
"I'm surprised you haven't worn that medal more often," said Abby, "I had mine on during one of our episodes."
"I don't feel like showing off that much," said Samson with a shrug.
Abby smiled before hugging Samson. "That's one of the reasons I love you. You're so modest." Samson just smiled as he looked at his medal, remembering the day he won it.
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There wasn't just one winner in the Male Division. While there were the silver and bronze winners, each weight class had their own set of winners. The heavyweights used to be the largest competitors, but thanks to the Animalian Virus pushing the limits of muscle mass, it was now considered the medium size instead of the middleweights. That said, it didn't make the competitors any less impressive.
Samson was glad to be one of the heavyweight horses who made it this far, but the heavyweights in the other species made him feel a little nervous. Which was probably because several of them were carnivores. Big cats were very abundant here with lions, tigers, and leopards. Bears were in the super heavyweight division along with most of the cattle, but there were a few bulls here as well. The only canines here were a Great Dane, a St. Bernard, and an English Mastiff. There were also a few reptiles, most notably Bazooka Joe.
The trials were more extensive here than before. This final round was an elimination round, any trips, drops, or other mistakes would result in an end to their part in the competition. The competitors did well at first, but eventually they started to drop out one by one. The dogs didn't last too long and neither did the leopards. The lions and bulls held out well, but soon they were dropping out too. The reptiles were steadily falling out until only Bazooka remained.
Samson had focused on the task at hand, blocking out all distractions. In a way, he was surprised that he made it to the final three along with bazooka and a lion. It was rather impressive that a lion had made it to the finals and not a tiger, but the lion had been a former bodybuilder before the ARP allowed him to come out of retirement. That said, the tigers had held out until the end.
The final competition between the three was as simple as it was grueling. Each one was given a barbell loaded with 200 pounds. The three of them would need to continue doing reps until two of them can't lift anymore. Last one standing would be the winner. Snake, horse, and lion grabbed their barbells and started lifting. At first, it wasn't so hard, 200 pounds being a trifle for them. But after so long, it started to tire their muscles, bringing the weights up and down took more effort. At 138 reps, Bazooka was faltering. Before he could complete his 140th rep, he dropped the barbell. That left Samson and the lion, both showing signs of fatigue. Samson's body was now slick with sweat. The lion was panting up a storm. The two didn't make it far past Bazooka before they were really feeling the burn. Each rep seemed like it could be the last. No one was sure who would give out until the lion fell to his knees.
The crowd's roar was thunderous, but Samson was just grateful that he could put the barbell down. The lion was also getting to his feet. "You did good, kid," he panted.
"I thought you were going to beat me," panted Samson.
"Maybe next time," said the lion.
"I think I've had my fill," groaned Bazooka.
"Hey, third place isn't bad," said the lion.
"Maybe, but getting there was agony enough," groaned Bazooka.
"I don't know about you two, but I'm going to hit the shower and see my mate," said Samson.
"After the judges hand out the awards," reminded the lion.
===========
Samson looked down at the gold medal he finished polishing. It was certainly hard-won. The Best of Breed medal would have been enough for him, but he had to see how far he could go.
"Thinking about doing it again next IAC?" asked Abby.
"Maybe not immediately," said Samson, "I should give others a chance to win the gold for themselves."
Abby kissed his cheek and said admiringly, "So modest and humble." Then she said in a dirtier tone, "I've got an idea. How about the two of us on my bed wearing nothing but those medals we've won?"
"Again?" asked Samson with amusement.
"I could stand to lose some tension, especially after a day like today," said Abby.
Samson shrugged. Who was he to say 'no' to a sexy, willing mare? He hung his gold medal around his neck and said, "Meet you in the bedroom."