Gwen Guthrie
A lone young very attractive woman walks in the park. Tall, over 6′ with her high heels shoes, her long dark hair falling down her back, wearing a touch of make up enhancing her stunning features: deep green eyes almost sparkling, a layer of red lipstick on full, soft, inviting lips, she looked like one of those actress or model you see on pictures or in the movies..except she doesn’t need any Photoshop.
She’s dressed in a nice form fitting dress dark red with a light jacket over it. On her ears are silver and emerald earring with a matching necklace around her neck and bracelet on her wrist. Her purse is hanging from her right shoulder.
She walks back straight, heels clicking on the pavement, looking completely confident, as if being alone, at night, in the park where the nasty elements likes ot hang was something totally normal. Of course, she’s easy to spot by those with nasty thoughts and more than one gang of thugs are eyeing her, all planning to make her a victim if they manage to get her alone, without passer-byes .
Kiana Knowles
There is another woman in the park – no less attractive, perhaps, but in so many ways, a direct opposite. She is only 5’6″, though she’s seated at the moment so it’s a little harder to judge. To be specific, she’s seated on the back of a bench, her feet on the seat, sitting in such a way she’s favoring her left side, slightly. torn jeans and a baggy hoodie, her figure is hard to discern. Her hair is long though, falling forward to frame her face.
She doesn’t seem to notice her surroundings [but she does] as she seems more intent in shoving the hot dog she’s gotten from the am/pm across the way into her mouth. Mustard stains her fingers and she licks it off, sating the hungry gnawing at the pit of her belly.
She’s pretty – though when she looks up to study her surroundings, it’s clear she’s been fighting. Her lip is split, the skin around it bruised, her knuckles red and slightly swollen. And her side. she favors it again as she stretches and takes a breath.. then a swig from the large LARGE soda cup resting between her feet on the seat next to a bag of doritos.
Dinner of champions.
Gwen Guthrie
The tall woman comes nearer to the other woman and slows down, green eyes studying her with a brow raised. She stops in front her, hands in her jackets pocket
“I hope the other look worst” She says with a slight grin, her voice soft, sensual. Up close, the tall woman couldn’t older than early 20’s, probably even late teens. “Are you all right? You really look like someone did a number on you”
She tilts her head “What happened to you? If you don’t mind telling”
Kiana Knowles
She hopes the other guy looks worse. Kiana smirks, and inhales a hiss as it stretches her lip a bit – despite the fact that she does so again an instant later to take a bite of her hot dog. She gives the woman a look, up and down – judging, rather than sexual. Looking for a weakness, a place to hit, a place to hurt. Then she answers the question with a slight shrug – and holds up two fingers.
Both look worse than she does.
She swallows, and takes a long drink of her soda, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her gaze doesn’t leave Gwen while she does so. A moment, considering, and then she takes a final bite of the dog, and while she chews, her hand dips into the pocket of her hoodie – a battered pad of paper and a pencil appear, and she writes quickly, and then tosses the notepad to the other woman to read under the street light.
~I fight. I win. I get paid.~
Simple enough.
Kiana Knowles
She hopes the other guy looks worse. Kiana smirks, and inhales a hiss as it stretches her lip a bit – despite the fact that she does so again an instant later to take a bite of her hot dog. She gives the woman a look, up and down – judging, rather than sexual. Looking for a weakness, a place to hit, a place to hurt. Then she answers the question with a slight shrug – and holds up two fingers.
Both look worse than she does.
She swallows, and takes a long drink of her soda, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her gaze doesn’t leave Gwen while she does so. A moment, considering, and then she takes a final bite of the dog, and while she chews, her hand dips into the pocket of her hoodie – a battered pad of paper and a pencil appear, and she writes quickly, and then tosses the notepad to the other woman to read under the street light.
~I fight. I win. I get paid.~
Simple enough.
Gwen Guthrie
Her lips curls into a slight smile when the woman hold up two fingers. “Impressive” She says, her eyes on Kiana. She notices the young woman studying her and she didn’t seem to care. She looked like any other young pretty woman in the city, except her skin was a little paler, noticeable in a city full of tanned people. Beside that, she did look smooth and soft and breakable.
Appearances could be so deceiving.
She deftly catch the tossed notepad and read it “You’re a fighter huh? Boxing? Mixed Marital Arts, Street fighter? Cage fighter? Something else?” She hands the pad back, moving in a graceful, yet very precise manner. She never spent more energy than necessary for anything. Economy of movement, mixed with grace was a rare but interesting combo after all.
Kiana Knowles
Impressive, she’s told, and she shrugs like it’s no big deal. And really, it isn’t. Not to her. She could have taken on more if she had too – and has before. She looks sturdy, not necessarily breakable, but undeniably feminine. The last, in so many minds, is what makes her weak.
She is far from weak.
She takes the notepad back, and shrugs. A little of all of the above – explained in two written words.
~whatever pays.~
Gwen Guthrie
She nods “So my guess is you’re not part of any professional circuit. Any reason for that? I mean there is a lot of money to be made in pro fighting you know”
She moves to sit beside the woman, crossing her legs, shifting her body to be able to look at Kiana better. “I thought I should stop trying to give you a crank in the neck or something” She gives the fighter in ways of an explanation about why she sat down.
Gwen looked remarkably at ease around someone who just beat up too persons. Maybe in Kiana’s mind, the tall woman was making she same mistake as those facing her, thinking her breakable and weak. Or maybe there was just no fear in the young woman’s heart.
Kiana Knowles
Any reason for that? That question is simple enough to be answered with a gesture. She lifts her hand, rubs her thumb and fingers together – it’s the answer to everything.
Money.
Gwen sits down, and Kiana narrows her gaze, slightly, but then shrugs when she explains herself. She offers the bag of doritos to the other woman, before taking a handful herself.
Gwen Guthrie
She refuse the offered bag with a hand gesture and a little smile “No thanks.”
She studies the woman for a moment, thinking about something maybe? “So you’re telling me that because of money you can’t become a pro fighter? What is it? No trainer? Unable to get into big enough fights to get noticed? Or is it something else?”
She takes her eyes off the woman to check their surroundings, making sure none of the thug groups felt like annoying her by thinking they could hurt her and abuse her. Once she’s sure they are still far enough, she returns her attention on Kiana.
Kiana Knowles
She doesn’t want the chips, and Kiana simply shrugs, and munches away. She always seems to be hungry – she burns it all off practically by breathing as it is, and then add the adrinilin of a fight to it too? She could eat the entire contents of the Am/Pm hot dog bar if she were of a mind. And had the cash.
Which brings her back to the question. A slight nod suggests it’s all of the above. Then she grabs her notepad again, and writes.
~Train at the Y and on my own. No $ to get into big fights. Most think girls can’t fight. I know a place, but need backer to get in.~
Gwen Guthrie
She nods slightly “Hmmmm” She says, looking thoughtful for a moment “Seems like your problem is easy enough to deal with.” She says causally. Seems like the well dressed woman might not be dressed that way only for show. She might actually have money.
“All right, I could probably back you up…but I need four things from you. And no I’m not going to ask for sex, that I take only if you’re willing” She says with a small amused grin before turning serious, even businesslike “What I need if I’m to be your backer…if that interest you of course would be this: What is that place, how much it is to get you in, what’s in it for me and of course, I’ll need to see how good you are”
Why would she be ready to back a complete stranger, it’s hard to tell, her face betrays nothing except when she joked about the sex.
Kiana Knowles
Easy? A huff of breath through her nostrils as she snorts, and reaches for her cup again. She doesn’t manage to get the straw to her lips though, as she’s openly staring at the woman in something akin to shock.
And suspicion.
She grabs her notepad again – and writes a demand of her own to be dealt with first. A single word.
~Why?~
Why her, why all the sudden, why on earth would she back a total stranger she just happened to pass by.
She does, however, answer.
~The Pit. 3000 a fight. 20%.~
As for the last, well. That will have to be arranged.
Gwen Guthrie
She read the single word then simply smile “Because I can. Because I think it could be interesting. Because you’re a woman. Any of them, all of them, even more reasons…pick what you like.”
She reads the next words “The Pit? Never heard of it. The amount for a fight is what I have to pay right? And the 20% is of how much? It has to come up over 3000, if not that’s not much of an investment no?’
She prop her elbow against the back of bench, her head resting against her closed fist. Her other hand is on her lap.
Kiana Knowles
She studies Her lips quirk into a smile, briefly. Of course she’s never heard of it. A single word explains that.
~Underground fighting. Have to be in the know. I’m always in the know.~
She nods, though, that the $3000 is for the fight, and what she’d have to pay. The20%?
~You get 20% of what I win. If I lose, we both lose. I win, you make $. Winners can easily come away with triple their investment per fight. You get 20% of that. And there’s the side betting too – Minimum bet on a fight is $1000. You could make serious bank on any fight, win or lose if the odds are good.~
Gwen Guthrie
She makes the calculations “Even if you win the fight at triple the entrance fee, I still only make 1800$. But if what you say about the bets is true and you get a share of the winnings and I get a share of your share, then it could be advantageous. Then again, you won’t fight long there if the money’s that good. I mean after a few fights you’ll be able to pay for your own fights and it leaves me with no fighter.”
She pause “Still why not. Only thing left would be to see you fight but you’re in no condition at the moment. So when you’re healed, I’ll have someone to test you”
Kiana Knowles
She shrugs, slightly. She offered 20%. Maybe she expected a fight form more of a percentage. The fact that Gwen is so agreeable… well. that makes her suspicious.She rub her rib, lightly, as she consideres it all.
She shrugs, slightly. She takes her pad and writes again. [Another oddity – Gwen didn’t ask why she doesn’t speak. Curious, this one.]
~Pro circuit for women is shit. I intend to stay underground.~
There’s many reasons for that, of course. None of which she intends to go into. If she does stay underground though, chances are she will always need a backer. Which is just fine by her. All she wants to do is fight -and help Mama Joan raise their horde.
As for not being in any condition, she smirks.
~Can fight. Always ready.~
Gwen Guthrie
Of course she could have haggled, might do so later. There was no contract signed or handshake made yet. The fact was, the money was just secondary. The contacts she can make much more important.
As to why she hadn’t asked why the young woman doesn’t speak..well obviously she’s mute. Fight accident, birth defect, she sounds like a little girl, she squeaks, she’s a transsexual and her voice betrays her, she got her tongue ripped out (oh that hurt so much, that’s one thing she herself will never forget having ripped her own at least 4 times as part of a punishment…let’s not go there), anyway it didn’t matter the why, the fact was, she didn’t speak.
She reads the words and nods “Maybe it is shit. Are the fight mixed or will you only face women?” She asks looking up and then add about the last part “I’m sure you’re ready, but I can properly evaluate you if you’re not top shape. Doesn’t want to break my fighter you know”
She says with a little grin.
Kiana Knowles
She smirks, slightly and shakes her head.
~I’ll fight whoever has the balls to step into the ring with me. If they’re too fuckin scared to hit a girl, then I’ll make them pay for that fear.~
Confident little shit, isn’t she? SHe nods to the last then, and shrugs. She finishes off her doritos, and crumples up the bag and tosses it into the nearby trash can before she writes the rest of her reply.
~I’ll be at the Y tomorrow training. Come in if you want. Be fine in a couple days, anyway.~
Gwen Guthrie
She nods “All right. Once I’ve seen you fight, we’ll talk more about our arrangement. If you’re better in a couple of days, then we’ll meet then and I’ll have someone for you to spar with. It’ll give me a better idea of your skills. So if we’re to work together, we should introduce each other, I”m Gwen” She say offering her pale, smooth hand.
Kiana Knowles
It’s all moving a little fast. A little too fast, most would say, but well – if she’s going to get into the Pits, maybe this is the way to do it. It’s at least an in – even if it’s not forever. No one said she had to have a single backer, after all, right?
So she nods, slightly, and reaches to take Gwen’s hand, her grip firm and strong, a suggestion of the strength she holds in slender fingers. She pulls back to write, again.
~Kiana.~
Gwen Guthrie
She nods with a smile “Pleased to meet you Kiana.”
She slowly reach for the pad and pen and if Kiana lets her, she takes both and write her number on it. “Call me in a couple of days. We’ll set up a meeting, check you out and then we’ll truly sit and discuss about an arrangement. Of course you may decide not to call and it’s fine. This is a proposition for now, an opening bid. Later, we’ll agree on the terms. Maybe you’ll think about something you want to ask or need. Same for me
Sounds good?” She asks, handing back the pen and notepad
Kiana Knowles
She takes the pad and pencil back, and studies the number for a long moment. She watches Gwen, and scratches at the side of her jaw for a moment as she contemplates it. Truth be told, she’s had feelers out, and this is the first nibble. It might be the key to getting in. She knows damn well once they see her fight, she won’t have a problem getting bids, getting people betting on her. It could be her ticket… her in.
She finally nods, then, and takes the notebook back. Beggers can’t be choosers, as the saying goes…
Gwen Guthrie
She grins at Kiana, knowing she was probably leaving the other woman a little baffled about the why and all. It was fine with her. She wasn’t one to explain herself. The mute woman seemed sociable enough, was pretty enough that it was worth to spend some time with her. And if the fighting didn’t turn out so well, or if she decided to go with someone else, well it wouldn’t be completely lost.
She did learn there was a place called the Pits where underground fighting happened. Maybe she could get herself a stable a fighters and become a power there. Money was money and underground fighting could be quite the pay off.
She gets up in a smooth manner. To Kiana, the strange young woman might seem as dexterous as she was. She nods to her “Well, I’ll wait for your call. Hope we might reach an agreement and have a profitable association. Have a good night Kiana”
Kiana Knowles
She tucks the notepad into the pocket of her hoodie and slurps her soda through a straw as Gwen rises and takes her leave. Kiana simply nods, and watches, lifting her hand in a little wave to say goodnight.
She does well to keep her baffled look off her face, leaving one instead that seems to be considering her options, the possibilities. Such things also include the fact she’s going to have to work her ass off in the gym tomorrow to get rid of her victory meal here. She waits until Gwen has walked off, before she gets up herself, steps down from the bench and heads deeper into the park.