#dimicatio

Dimi looked around her. The gondola had eight seats, each coated in some sort of fur. She sat on the seat next to the window because it was the farthest from the door, an attempt to feel less anxious about being in the contraption. A mistake since it was impossible for her to not take a peek out the window now and then. On the door was an illustration of a dwarf’s head and below the drawing was a sign where you could read that her name was Bismuth and how she had invented the gondola line for the city. On the seat in front of Dimi sat a minotaur lady with black fur and hair covering her eyes in a red dress. Her daughter was leaning her head against her and taking a nap.

Dimi could feel a massive amount of spit in her throat, wondering how the brat could be so calm about the situation. Her blood then turned to ice as the gondola jounced and then stopped moving. Dimi held her breath and didn’t move out of the spot while the minotaur and her kid casually stood up and got out of the door.

“It’s the end station.”

Dimi turned her head to see an elf in a blue uniform and a beret at the door.

“Miss, you have to get out.” The elf with six fingers on each hand looked at Dimi patiently. “Hope you had a pleasant trip.”

Dimi didn’t answer as she stood up and steeled herself as she realized she had to get inside another elevator. “Next time, I will just walk…”

***

The Asparagus Resident Complex had been close to the gondola station. It was a big square building that looked like it was about three floors tall. Dimi could also see something that looked like the top of a birch that would have to have been planted on the roof.

Dimi was exhausted, being stressed out had eaten every bit of energy in her body. But before she could throw herself into her new bed in her new apartment, she had to meet her landlord.

Dimi couldn’t recall ever seeing a satyr without horns, or at least not a male one.

Tryphon was a middle-aged Lacaune-type satyr. He was tall, hornless, wore a massive set of round glasses and was dressed in a long green coat. His wool was white as snow and he had a full beard that was in a shape that Dimi had no other word for than pointy.

“Welcome to the apartment complex, young lady.” Tryphon gave Dimi a handshake and a kind smile. “I understand you had a long journey. I hope it went well?”

Dimi smiled and shrugged. “Well, it was a bit boring, but that's about it. This town is huge.”

“Yes, I prefer trumpets myself.”

Dimi blinked. “What?”

“Follow me, I will show you your flat. The dwarf you're gonna share it with won’t be here till later this evening.”

“Can you tell me when they will be here? I have to go somewhere but would like to be there when they arrive. You know, make a good first impression.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem, there is a toilet everyone shares here on every floor.”

Dimi narrowed her eyes, slightly annoyed. “No, my flatmate, FLATMATE!”

“Oh, one minute…” Tryphon picked a horn-shaped object from the left pocket of his coat and held the pointy end at his ear. Runes had been painted on it, enchanting the ear trumpet. “I forget now and then that I’m heavy of hearing. Could you repeat that?”

“My flatmate, when will I meet them?”

“Oh, she shouldn’t be here till sundown, I believe. Here, your key.” Tryphon gave Dimi a beg key that was grey and brown-tainted. “You will find your flat on the third floor, door C2. If you need me or have any questions, then I will be found in my home to the left of the front door or I will be on the roof, tending my garden. We expect you to pay rent on the last day of the month. We have no elevator, sorry about that.”

Dimi smirked. “I don’t mind. At all.”

As Dimi went up the stairs, Tryphon scratched his chin as he placed his ear trumpet back in his pocket. “Hold on… Archibald said it was a dwarf, right? Oh well…” The satyr shrugged and went to his apartment to fetch his gardening gear.

***

As Dimi entered the room, she dropped her bag of belongings and stretched her whole body, creating small popping sounds between her shoulders. The trip had made her stiff as a plank and she only now realized that she was hungry.

She looked around the apartment. The entryway was slim, there were hooks on the walls for clothes. There was doors to the left, right and one at the end of the entryway. The door straight forward led to a room that had a green sofa, a table with three chairs and a small kitchen. Dimi checked that the sink worked. It did, so did the heat crystals at the stove. But she found no pots, pans or knives, so she would have to talk with her new room mate about that.

The doors that were to the left and right of the entrance of the apartment had bedrooms. Each had a bed just about big enough for one person, a small shelf that reached Dimi’s waist and a window so you could see… well, not much but other apartments and a very grey street. Dimi fetched her bag and threw it on the bed in the room to the left of the front door.

“I call dibs, roomie.” Dimi stretched one more time, cracking her neck. She then sat on the edge of her new bed, leaning against the wall and made a deep sigh. After feeling as if she was gonna fall into a coma, she then smirked as she thought of something that made her grin.

“I’m gonna meet Devil Daisy.” Dimi snorted and smiled like an idiot.

***

After a very very VERY long walk that made her rethink her decision to never use the gondola again, Dimi had managed to find the place where she would get to meet the greatest boxer who had ever lived. She felt numb in her legs as she had walked in circles using a lousy map to find her way through a town that made Onyxville seem small and clean. She had almost twice stepped on a gnome and gotten yelled at by a fairy she had accidentally elbowed as he flew past her.

Dimi wondered if tiny creatures couldn’t just get their own city to live in. Then she wondered if that was a bigoted thing for her to think.

But she didn’t dwell on it as she now stood in front of a building with a sign over the front door that said Rough Gym.

As she opened the door, the first thing that hit Dimi was the smell. Sure, the gym Willie the Satyr owned that Dimi had worked in had smelled like sweat. But this gym? This gym made Willie’s seem like a flower boutique in comparison. The stench of sweat, tears and blood made Dimi’s throat tighten. The next thing that she noticed was the noise. She could swear that everyone in this room jumped and punched in a specific rhythm. She looked around the gym. There were mirrors places up the walls that creatures of different types stood in front of, either shadow boxing or jumping ropes. Benches were placed next to the mirrors where creatures sat and shouted commands at everyone in the gym. Dimi noticed that she was stepping on sand, then realizing that it came from a punching bag that a dwarf was punishing as if he had something personal against it, resulting in it getting a hole that same came out of. And in the middle of the big room was a boxing ring where a satyr woman who leaned against the ropes shouted something at an eagle-harpy.

Everyone in the gym were of different races, some of them creatures Dimi had never seen. Heck, she even spotted an elf doing jump ropes. The only thing they all had in common was that they were drenched in sweat.

“This is the coolest place I have ever seen.” Dimi said out loud.

“I know. Say, could I get in?”

Dimi turned around and saw a satyr with long black fur and curly horns. He looked like he was in his thirties and he used crutches. Dimi didn’t mean to stare, but his legs didn’t look… right.

“Oh, sorry.” Dimi moved away from the front door so the sheep-man could get inside. “Do you… work here?”

“No, I co-own the place.” He let go of one crutch, but a piece of rope was tied around his wrist that was connected to the crutch. He offered a handshake and smiled. “I’m Bud. I don’t believe I seen you around here?”

Dimi grabbed Bud’s hand. “I’m Dimi. I have a letter from Ivan the Minotaur, I’m supposed to-”

“Ooooh, you are Ivan’s kid? Then you wanna meet Daisy. Follow me.”

Dimi walked slowly as she followed Bud, but the handicapped satyr was surprisingly swift. They reached the boxing ring at the center of the room. Now that they stood next to the ring, Dimi could better see the two creatures who stood inside it. The eagle-harpy looked young, probably around Dimi’s age, and wore headgear and a pair of big gloves used for sparing. The satyr with tired eyes that made Dimi assume she was past fifty was wearing a blue tracksuit and the zipper had been zipped down, revealing more of her fluffy fur. She also wore a pair of gloves, but no head protection. She had white fur with a brown pattern that made her face look like a skull from a pirate flag. Dimi then noticed that the gloves had broderies of flowers on them.

“Oh shit…” Dimi couldn’t help but gawk as she recognized the fur pattern.

“You are not listening to me!” Devil Daisy leaned her back against the corner of the ring as she scolded the eagle-boy who gave her an annoyed glare. “You think it is all about speed and strength, but that only gets you so far while you still haven’t reached your thirties.” Daisy lightly jabbed the beak of the harpy. “You still think boxing is about hitting someone, but any fool can do that. Na, kiddo, it is about NOT getting hit. Strategy, you get me?”

Bud elbowed Dimi. “Listen closely.”

“Focus.” Daisy patted the harpy on his headgear. “Body language.” She patted him again. “Strategy is what separates a boxer from a chump with a face filled with bruises!”

The eagle boy ruled his eyes. “Whatever…”

“Oy! What's with the attitude?” Daisy raised an eyebrow. “You think you can take me? Lets go.”

“What?!” The eagle boy’s eyes were now wide open.

Bud shook his head. “Man, here we go again…”

“You think you are so smart?” Daisy raised her gloved fists and rolled her shoulders. “Show me what you got, punk.”

The eagle boy narrowed his eyes. “Dude, I’m not gonna hit an old lady, that’s just- HEY!” He took a step backwards as he got hit in the head by a left hook. Daisy made small jumps as she moved left and right. Her satisfied smirk made the eagle boy extremely annoyed. “Okay, you are asking for it, grandma!”

Dimi had both fight and seen satyrs fight, most of them basing their fighting style on their enchanted hooves that allowed them small bursts of speed. So she was confused as she saw Daisy holding up her gloves to protect her head and only moving backwards as she got a barrage of punches. She now had her back against the ropes as the eagle punished her for letting herself get caught.

“I know what you are thinking.” Bud said, smiling unconcerned. “But just watch.”

After half a minute, the eagle boy got tired. Then, with a smile that almost looked creepy, Daisy punched the young harpy on the forehead and then planted a solid punch in his stomach, making her young opponent step backward.

“Oh! I think I get it!” Dimi turned to Bud. “She used the ropes, right?”

Bud smirked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s like… she let herself get against the ropes. And she could then lean against them so she could roll with the punches, making him run himself tired, right?”

“You are pretty sharp.” Bud laughed. “Yeah, you are right. It’s called rope-a-dope.”

Dimi turned her attention back towards the ring to see Daisy make a series of light punches, making her younger opponent trip and fall. The satyr smiled and placed her gloved fists on the waist. “So? What did I tell you?”

“Yeah, yeah, got it.” The eagle harpy groaned and he got up and then snaked his way through the ropes. “Strategy wins, got it. I’m hitting the shower coach.”

As soon as the harpy was far enough away, Daisy replaced her satisfied smile with a grimace and groaned. “Ooooh, my back…” She leaned her arms and overbody against the ropes and moaned.

“Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” Bud got himself closer to the ring and then patted Daisy on the forehead with one of his crutches. “Is playing you are thirty again worth your back killing you?”

Daisy shrugged as she took off her gloves and dropped them on the canvas. “It’s the best way to get the kids to respect you, you know?”

“Right, and it has nothing to do with you wanting to prove you still queen of the jungle?”

“Get off my back, Bud. I’m sixty-two years old, I’m not a child you can scold.”

“Then act like an adult!”

“I will show you adult, Buddy.” Daisy stretched her back, then got through the ropes and got down from the ring… and then wrapped her arms around Bud and gave him a big kiss.

Some of the creatures in the gym teasingly whisted and laughed.

“Ah, shaddap!” Daisy smirked, then noticed Dimi. “What is the human doing here?”

“Ivan’s kid, she just got here.”

“Ah…” Daisy tilted her head and studied the human girl. “Dimi, right?”

Dimi could feel her entire body trembling. THE Devil Daisy was talking to her. “Ma’am, it’s a huge honor to-”

“Fight stance.”

Dimi blinked. “Eh?”

“Fight stance.” Daisy had her arms crossed, looking impatient. “Show me.”

“Oh… Oh!” Dimi blushed as she spread her legs, clenched her fists and raised one next to her head and the other lowered a bit, as if she was ready to attack.

Daisy gave her a bored look. “Your chin is out. That’s not a good sign. And you fight head on, eye to eye?”

Dimi blushed even more.

Daisy then walked around her, poking her on the shoulder. “You are stiff as a tree.”

Bud tilted his head. “Don’t you think you are being a bit hard on her?”

Dimi felt as if she was a ten year old who showed off her new drawing of a griffin, only to be told it looked like a dog.

And Daisy looked like someone had skimmed on the meat in her sandwich. “Okay, I had low expectations when I got the letter about you. Sure, you are a human, not built for fist fighting. But your stance? It looks like you have been trained by a minotaur!”

“I have…” Dimi felt stupid as she said that.

“Good for you! But you are NOT a minotaur, you are not seven feet tall and wide as a barn door..” Daisy poked her again. “You are slim. Ivan wrote to me that you are undefeated, so my guess is you have been fighting nothing but chumps.”

Dimi stopped being embarrassed and instead got pissed. “Hey!”

“Had you been anyone else, I would have told you to bug off my gym.” Daisy rolled her eyes. “But Ivan is an old friend… So I will, despite seeing that you are mediocre as heck, try to make something out of you.” Daisy patted Dimi on the shoulder. “If nothing else, I get to enjoy watching you trip over your own feet.”

All of Dimi’s admiration for this sheep-woman had been replaced with burning anger.

***

After the very very VERY long walk home, Dimi decided that she would now be okay with risking her life stepping inside a gondola. She forced herself up the stairs of the apartment complex to reach her door on the third floor. She had just been told by a living legend that she was completely hopeless and she just wanted to fetch a pillow and scream into it.

But one last terrible surprise awaited her.

As Dimi opened the door to her apartment, she could see that her new roommate was about to open the door to get out.

Her new roommate was about her height. She was bald as an egg, dressed in a blue tunic and had bare feet. She had pointy ears as well as pointy tusks. But more importantly… Her hide was green.

Dimi could already tell that she had an advantage when it came to speed... but that was not much help since she could practically feel a small wind when Plague’s hit missed her. This green bastard could probably make a stone wall say ouch by punching it.

Plague turned around and threw another haymaker at Dimi that she dodged as she tried a couple of shots aimed at his stomach. That was a mistake as Plague hit her on the side so hard that Dimi could feel the air shooting out of her lounges.

“Dang, I’m rusty...” Dimi mumbled for herself as she stepped backward and held her guards up.

At ringside, Veronica the Gorgon clapped. Her snake hair looked at the fight with fascination as she turned her head left and right to see the creatures who either stood up or sat on folded chairs while all roaring in approval. Everyone loved a human and orc confrontation, especially one as unique as the one unfolding before them.

A satyr with a broken left horn waved his betting ticket in the air. “Plaque is gonna snap every bone in that pink little snot’s body!”

Veronica grinned as she crossed her legs and adjusted her dress. “That’s the idea.”

Inside the ring, Dimi decided to let Plague chase her since she needed an opening to actually do anything. His skin was so thick that body-shots had a limited effect, she needed to get a shot at his head. The two fighters ran circles around the ring as Plague threw punches so hard that they made him groan and Dimi did her best not to get her head detached from her neck as she threw light jabs to test his defense. The referee who was an half-elf with her hair collected in a ponytail followed them around.

Plague lost balanced and collapsed on the ropes. Dimi took this chance to breath and refocus, waiting for him to turn around. As soon as he did with his parades lowered, she threw three hard and quick rights at his face, getting cheers from the spectators.

Plague got even more cheers as he did something Dimi had not expected.

She fell to her knee as blood came running down from her left eyebrow. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn’t a leather-covered fist but a sharp elbow Plague had hit her with. At first, stared at the canvas as she shook her head. She now realized that it was stained with blood to a disturbing degree. She then looked up at the referee who stood between her and the orc and had reach the count of five while Plague was moving his feet impatiently.

Dimi got up, but her left eye was squinting due to the blood running from her eyebrow and Plague was smart enough to use her challenged eyesight to his advantage as he kept attacking her left side.

Veronica watch Dimi being pushed toward the edge of the ring with her back against the ropes. The gorgon almost felt sorry for the human kid. Sure, she was quick on her feet, but she lacked the actual technique to use her speed properly against an opponent with more weight than her.

“Hope Plague just pummels her.” Veronica mumbled for herself as she struck a match and fired the end of her cigar and drew a deep puff while the spectators around the ring roared for blood. “I do need her alive after this.”

***

“... say it would be easier if you just turned big and flew us home.” Ivan carried a wooden crate while a tote bag was dangling as it’s handle was put around his not-broken horn. He had just arrived in Jadedale with Aura. They had managed to catch the last wagon home.

“Magic is not as convenient as you think, Ivan.” Aura carried a heavy sack over her shoulder. It felt uncomfortable as it was on top of her wing. “I stay monster for too long, I get dehydrated.” It was night, so Aura’s eyes turned large the way a cat’s eyes would, helping her see. Ivan had to rely on the dim light from the light poles as they found their way to Aura’s farm.

“Let’s just dump it here.” Ivan carefully placed the crate on the ground and clapped to activate the light crystals at the front door. “Dimi is probably asleep now.”

Aura dropped her sack and sniffed. “Wait, can you smell that?”

Ivan went to open the front door. “Smell what? Wait...” Ivan noticed the scent once the door had been opened. “Ugh, disgusting! What is that smell?”

Aura cursed her excellent scent of smell. “Some sort of tobacco. Dimi is not a smoker, is she?”

“If she is, then she is gonna have to answer to me.” Ivan’s tail swung in annoyance as he clapped once more to illuminate the ground floor of the house.

“Oh, please. She is not a baby, you can’t dictate her habits.”

“The hell I can, a fighter needs healthy lungs. And as long as she lives under my roof-”

“Actually, it’s my roof.” Aura opened a window.

“Right, sorry... But still.” Ivan opened a window as well and went to the kitchen where the stench came from... and his annoyance was replaced with confusion.

On the kitchen table was the stone bowl he had once gotten from Agate as a gift and never used. In it was the sad remains of a smoked cigar.

“Sheesh, that’s nasty.” Aura looked over Ivan’s shoulder and spotted the stogie. “I smoked a pipe or two when I was around her age, but those things are just-”

“She didn’t smoke it.” Ivan saw the folded paper next to the bowl and read it.

 The wagon workshop outside town.

Ivan read the message and understood. His entire body felt cold as ice and sweaty as a fewer patient. “It’s Veronica.”

Aura tilted her head. “Veronica? Who is... Whoa, wait a minute. Veronica as in Bitch Veronica?!”

Ivan turned and looked at Aura with an expression that was a mix of fear and rage. The sphinx had not seen her husband like this before and it actually made her uncomfortable.

***

It was the third round, and Dimi felt sick to her stomach. She guarded her face that was wet with sweat and blood. Green Plague was getting tired from all the haymakers he had thrown around, but he kept pounding Dimi’s arms, not letting her get a chance to recover.

Dimi tried to get away and stall till the bell ended the round... but then Plague planted his heel on her toes. There was a mix of clapping and booing as he planted a right on Dimi’s open wound above her eye.

Dimi heard the thud of her own head hitting the canvas. Her vision was starting to blur and she considered if maybe getting up was a mistake. Ivan had been right, underground fights was nasty. What Plague lacked in actual technique he made up for in dirty moves that the referee did nothing to stop.

Despite her sight being less than clear, her hearing worked just fine as she cached comments from the spectators from ringside.

“- just getting good, and now she just lies there!“

“- humans bits the dust again-“

“- expected with their king being a little shit-“

The last comment made Dimi bit her lower lip with her mouth-piece as she stood on her staggering legs. The referee stepped aside as Plague was ready to finish the job.

But Dimi had finally gotten it into her head that practically everything goes in this sort of ring.

And Plague got her head into his nose. This time it was the orc who had to step away as his nose had become a bloody mess. Dimi used the opportunity to catch her breath.

She couldn’t help bit smile as Plague whimpered... even if smiling felt painful.

***

Nora yawned as she stood up from her bed. Someone was banging on her door despite it being the middle of the night. She drowsily reached for her glasses and scratched her pointy ears. The extremely short elf was dressed in her sleeping attire which was a long white shirt that went to her knees.

The banging continued and got more intense.

“I’m coming, keep your pants on!” Nora put on her chullo hat to cover her ears and went to the front door of her small cabin. She opened the door and looked as a very upset-looking Ivan. “Oh, it’s you.” Nora took off her hat. “What is-”

“Take your bow, as many arrows as possible and healing herbs.” Ivan snapped at Nora. “Dimi is in danger, we need to go now.”

Nora blinked. “Give me a minute.” She went and found a blouse and a pair of overalls she used for fishing, then filled a small bag with standard herbs for wounds, pain and swellings, then attached the bag to her overalls. She checked that her quiver was filled and slipped the quiver around her shoulder.

She came outside. Ivan sat on the back of Aura who had turned full sphinx-form and she was on all four. Nora crawled up and grabbed a hold on Ivan’s shirt while he had a grip on Aura’s mane.

And then, Aura ran.

“Why aren’t we flying?!” Ivan asked as he tightened his grip.

“Too much trouble getting airborn with two passengers!” Aura roared as she ran with the speed of a horse. “Would be a waste of time trying, and we don’t have much time, right?!”

“I don’t know, so probably not?!”

“What’s going on, where are we going?!” Nora felt sick to her stomach due to the speed.

“There is an abandoned wagon workshop a couple of miles away! Dimi has been kidnapped! I think!” Ivan answered as he practically stabbed his knees into the skin of Aura as he was scared of falling off.

“Shit, was that what happened?!”

“What?!” Aura’s ear flickered.

“I saw Dimi leave town in a fancy-looking carriage earlier!”

Aura snarled. “You saw Dimi leave town with a rich stranger and that didn’t raise any red flags?! AT ALL?!”

“Well, I just thought maybe she had gotten a fight gig or something! And she is sixteen now, she can-”

Ivan groaned. “God, you suck!”

Nora blinked. “So that’s what it feels like...” she mumbled for herself. And then she threw up.

***

Green Plague made a loud expression of pain as his corner guy reattached his broken nose.

A peacock harpy spread his feathers as he paraded around the middle of the ring with holding a sign with the number four above his head.

Dimi sat on her stool while leaning forward so Sticky the Dwarf could reach her and once more washed her face for blood and smeared vaseline on Dimi’s wound above her eye to stop the bleeding.

“Good, good! He is in pain now!” Sticky filled Dimi’s mouth with water from a messy wooden cup. “His nose can only be patched temporarily, so make it spurt like a Titan damned fountain!”

Dimi spat and glared at Sticky as her head were aching. “You suck at being corner guy, you know that?”

“Look, that big green lump is an orc. Bet those guys screwed your family over or something, am I right?”

Dimi didn’t answer the question, but Sticky figured her angry glare meant he was right.

“Right. Then remember that when the bell goes, that should motivate ya.”

“THAT’S the best you got?” Dimi stood up as Sticky took the stool and made his way out of the ring. “Tell me to get pissed?”

“No.” Sticky grinned, showing a set of less than perfect teeth. “I’m telling you to hate.”

“Moron...” Dimi mumbled for herself as the gong rang and she stepped toward the center of the ring.

Plague had probably been told he had to finish it before his nose became a mess again. He came lunging at her and landed a devastating right on her left cheek bone. Dimi felt as if her head was gonna get detached from her neck as she fell backward against the ropes and then landed on her knees. The referee pushed Plague toward his corner as he started counting. Dimi was about to get up as Plague came charging and knocked her down before she had a chance to stand up. The ref pushed Plague to his corner once more while everyone in the former warehouse roared of approval.

Dimi’s vision was starting to get blurry and blood ran down her face. But Plague had made a mistake by showing how desperate he was to end it.

The referee had reached the count of six as Plague charged toward her and tried to beat her down before she could get up.

But Dimi didn’t try to get up as she instead hammered her gloved fist into the orc’s groin. That resulted in Plague howling in pain as his eyes grew wide. He leaned forward as he instinctively reached for his sore groin. Dimi jumped up as she rammed her fist into Plague’s chin. The orc stepped backward as Dimi grind her teeth and kept punching the orc who was to baffled to defend himself.

Several roars of approval could be heard around the ring.

“HELL YEAH!”

“DROP HIM!

“SNUFF HIS LIGHTS OUT!”

Plague’s nose was shooting out blood again and the creatures around the ring yelled and clapped as Dimi mercilessly pounded Plague’s face and forced him into a corner. He was about to fall on his knees, but the angry Dimi placed an open hand on his chest and pushed him against the corner, not letting him go down that easy. She clenched her free fist, ready to turn his ugly mug into minced meat and break both of his tusks. The spectators were thrilled and cheered on.

“SNUFF HIS LIGHTS OUT!”

“FINISH THAT BASTARD!”

“YEAH! KILL HIM!”

Dimi blinked. “Wait... what?” Dimi blinked again and looked at Green Plague’s face. His nose was a mess, his face filled with blood and he was glassy-eyed.

Dimi gasped after air as she stepped aside and let the orc fall to the canvas with a thump. His arms were spread out on either side of him.

Dimi was completely dizzy as the adrenaline died down a little and she realized that her entire body felt like an open wound. She leaned against the ropes as she tried to catch her breath as well as dry her face for blood with the backside of her glove. She looked at the creatures clap and roar of approval of the display of violence and she spotted the gorgon who had gotten her here to begin with.

Veronica stood up and clapped while her snake hair blew raspberries. “Holy shit, you are a little monster, kid!”

Dimi turned and saw two broad-shouldered creatures, one with blue skin, the other with red. They grabbed Plague by his arms and pulled him out of the ring as the orc groaned weakly. They dragged him away while some of the spectators threw curled up paper after him.

Dimi felt as if she was gonna be sick.

The referee lifted her arm up and Dimi was too weak to pull her hand free. She was surprised by the fact that she could stand at all. Then, Sticky pushed her toward the edge of the ring and helped her get through the ropes. Dimi got a standing ovation as the dwarf led her away from the ring.

But not toward the changing room. Dimi was so baffled and in pain that she didn’t realize something was wrong. Only when Sticky pushed her into an empty room in the back of the building and locked the door did Dimi wake up from her daze. She looked at the door that got shot and tried to open it without success. She then attempted to hammer on it to call for help, but stopped as her hands were sore.

***

Dimi had managed to get her bloody boxing gloves off and looked at her hands. They looked terrible. Suiting, since everything in her body felt that way. Especially around her eye where she now pressed her hand to stop the bleeding.

Dimi looked around her and came to the conclusion that this room was some sort of office. Or that it had been at some point. The windows were covered with wooden boards, meaning she couldn’t leave through those. There were two bookshelves that had been tilted over and there was a desk filled with scratches. Next to the table was a chair that had been split in half.

Dimi sat on the table, then lied on her back. Her arms were dangling lifelessly.

She then hear the door get opened. She tried to leap up, but she did not have the energy for that and instead slowly got up and off the table. She looked at the door and saw that Veronica had entered. Behind her was the blue and red creatures that resembled orcs, just bigger. The were both dressed in what sort of looked like dressing gowns and had swords attached to their belts.

“Bravo, kiddo! Bravo!” Veronica smiled like a cat that had just gotten it’s paws on a bird. “You surprised me, you really did. I actually expected Greeny to beat you half to death, but you actually nailed the bastard. But even though you are conscious, it doesn’t hurt the plan much.”

Dimi was dumbfounded. “Plan? What plan?”

Veronica shrugged. “Oh, the plan that involves you being to busted up to leave by yourself. Now you make a nice little hostage so I can get you bull dad over here tomorrow and I can turn him into roast beef.” Veronica laughed. “I even made you come here freely and I made money on you getting pummeled instead of having someone paid to do it.”

Dimi slowly started to understand that she had been played. And then, with what little energy she had left, she took a step closer toward Veronica.

And then she spat.

Veronica’s snakes hissed aggressively as they tried to reach the human. Veronica removed the mix of spit and blood from her forehead with the back of her hand. Veronica looked at the gasping human who glared at her. Veronica smiled. “That’s cute, honey. That’s very cute. Boys, tie her up, the human here is full of surprises.”

The two onis did as their boss had told them to. Dimi was unable to put up a fight as her hands and feet were tied with ropes.

***

Aura had arrived a few miles away from the former workshop. It could be seen in the dark due to the torches placed around it. Ivan and Nora got off her back so she could turn back to normal shape. “Thirsty...” Aura mumbled. Nora gave her a leather flask that she drank from as if she had been without water for a month.

“So... what’s the plan?” Nora tied the strings that dangled from her chullo under her chin.

Ivan grunted. “No plan, we just go in, hear what she wants.” He turned and looked at Nora and Aura. “You don’t do anything unless I tell you to, okay?”

The sphinx and the short elf shared a look, then nodded.

Ivan practically stomped toward the front door of the building, looking like he was about to explode of anger as the two female creatures followed him. They reached the door where a tall creature with pointy ears and a bushy tail tail with black fur that matched the hair on his head. He had red eyes that looked like they could ignite a small forest. These eyes were aimed at Ivan as the creature had his arms crossed. “We are closed for tonight.” He said, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

“I think your boss would like to see me.” Ivan glared back.

“I ain’t heard about no appointment.”

“Look, we get it.” Aura rolled her eyes. “You are a tough guy, saying very tough guy like things. But you really don’t wanna mess with us.”

“I’m just doing my job.” He took a step closer to Ivan and poked him on the chest. “So beat it before I feel like having a slice of beef or-”

The black-haired creature dropped and rolled on the ground.

Nora blinked. “Did you just sucker-punch him?! I barely saw that!”