He didn't remember a damn thing after the crash.

They collided, there was a sound and a fury that signified [i]a helluva lot[/i] more than nothing, and then blackness.  There were sounds, kind of distant and distorted, a vague awareness of it all muffled by soup, and then as it all started to return to focus...there was pain.  He felt the coolness of the arena floor, a definite stiffness in his neck, and...oh wow, that hurt.  Yeah...looks like he got hit under the jaw pretty good.  First thing Angela would see is Niko's jaw opening, the tightening of his eyes shutting before opening, and then a definite grunt of irritation at what he felt as consciousness was achieved.

[color=92278f]"Agh...well...that was something."[/color]

He heard Angela speaking and the crowd cheering and...aw nuts.  Niko sat up with a sigh, holding his jaw and feeling for a break.  Nothin'.  Good.  At least he had that.  Well, they'd give 'im a Senzu Bean for his troubles, anyway, but he would've liked the satisfaction of having taken home the prize, so to speak...or rather getting one step closer to it.  Still, only one of them could've gone on, and unless he misheard her, Angela had good reason to win, as well.  If it wasn't for the fact that Niko had realized he need not hinge everything in his personal mission on this thousand-to-one shot of a tournament, he would've felt alot worse, but...thanks to these people, this tournament, he realized...[i]he could probably get what he needed through what he'd acquired already[/i].  So, with that, he stood up and came alongside Angela now.

[color=92278f]"You said you had alot riding on this, and I believe you.  Just remember that Bakuto has speed like mine, maybe even greater, so take care, Angela."[/color]

He gave her a smile and started to walk off.

[i][color=92278f]Maybe I should let her in on things so she could help...mmmm...Naaah.  She's a prize-fighter, not covert ops.  Let it go, Niko.[/color][/i]