Warning: fighting violence, and drug use.
She sits in the laundry room of the basement getting her knuckles wrapped by Puck. They need this money. Her family needs to eat and her nose needs to be satiated. She gets money for competing but not enough. Puck taps her on the thigh once her hands and wrists are covered in the white medical tape. They don't use gloves in the underground.
Her tongue feels around in her mouth. The hole left there from getting her molar knocked out still feels funny.
Puck smacks her ass as per usual before a fight.
"Go get 'er Diabla."
xxxxx
"Welp, this is the new place Kid." The older woman pats her daughter on the back. "Go help your sister with the boxes."
The house is an all right size. It's in some place called Lima. What kind of name is that? It's like the founder of the town thought this place so repulsive he named it after the grossest bean on earth.
Brittany muscles the heaviest boxes. Her dad is a General in the Army and has conditioned his daughter for the same thing her whole life. Jake Pierce is a great man. He loves his girls. But Britt thinks he secretly wished she was a boy. She pleases both her parents by doing motocross, dance, and ROTC.
Her 5 year old sister, Kyla, has free reign. She wants to be a doctor one day and help people. She loves people. Her dad says she can be an Army Medic. But for right now she wants to play operation and giggle when the tweezers hit the side of the fake man who's broken funny bone she's trying to remove.
Lorraine Pierce looks on at her eldest daughter. Worried her free spirit will clash with what her father has planned for her. The army is no place for a unicorn.
Xxxxx
Santana shakes out her limbs as she walks into the makeshift arena. And, yes, it does look like Fight Club, but you know the first rule of Fight Club, so we won't talk about that.
Her opponent is a little taller than her but all around the same size. She has short, choppy, blonde hair. Her name's Quinn, and she's also Santana's best friend.
The crowd is roaring. They want blood and many of them have their money invested in this. It's a pretty even fight but most bet on Quinn for the win.
The ref of sorts comes into the middle and instead of using a microphone, he yells into the raunchy abandoned basement.
"We have a fight for you tonight!" He raises his hands in the air. "In the blue corner we have Quinn Fury Fabray!"
"In the red corner we have the spicy Latina Santana Diabla Lopez!"
Santana scoffs. It's always about looks no matter how tough she is. No matter how many men and women she's beaten up in this hell hole.
There are no rounds, no rules, no points. You fight until you are knocked out or the last one standing.
"Now ladies. Fight dirty and fight hard."
The makeshift bell made out of a pan and spoon goes off and Quinn and San meet in the middle to shake hands.
"Good luck Diabla."
"Won't need it Fury."
The girls circle each other waiting for the first swing. San is quick on her feet where Quinn is more patient and calculating.
Santana sees an opening and hits Q with a left hook. But while she is hitting the blonde she leaves her stomach unblocked and Q counter punches into the side of the Latina.
Santana's bent over gasping for air and Quinn takes the opportunity to knee her in the face.
"Ughhh Fuck!" San grabs her face while she's on the ground but quickly sweeps the other girl's legs out from under her. Quinn falls to the ground with a thud as her head smacks against the cement floor.
"Mmpph."
People are screaming for more. It's like the coliseum and they are cheering for the lions to tear them to pieces.
Quinn smirks at her from the ground. They have the oddest friendship in the world. San straddles her on her back and tries to put Fury in a choke hold. Quinn knows better and creates space within their bodies by elbowing the Latina in the stomach.
Quinn doesn't want to do this but she needs the money. Santana's beaten her many times before and vice versa but tonight is Q's night. Turning into Fury so she can eat. She runs towards Santana as she's getting up and jumps into the air. Quinn brings her elbow down onto her friend's face and it's like a slow motion video when the brunette's face jerks sideways and blood spurts out of her mouth.
Santana drops to the ground. Lights out.
Xxxx
After unpacking all of the boxes, Brittany decides to take a walk. It's dark but she's the kind of person that feels nothing bad could happen to her. She decides to start a light jog. She has to be in shape for ROTC when school starts next week and all summer she's sat around depressed about moving again and missing her Father.
Slowly the scenery changes and more liquor stores appear on the corners between blocks. Street lights fizzle and burn out and strange men post up on the corners leaning into cars as they pass by.
What Brittany doesn't see is the alley on her right and the two men watching her like prey. As she passes one of the men clothes lines her and knocks her to the ground.
"We got a cute blondie here J."
J puts his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams while the other man punches her sides and face.
"Let's see what she's like on the inside Rex."
With a name shared with a dinosaur Brittany only wonders the fucked up shit he's capable of. Rex starts unzipping her jeans and Brittany screams into J's hand while he chokes her.
She closes her eyes and waits for the inevitable but it never comes.
"Get the fuck off of her you pig!"
Rex looks up and smiles.
"Oh we got a Spic on the menu tonight." He chuckles.
He leaves Brittany and goes over to grab Santana but she lands a roundhouse kick to his face. She already has a black eye and can feel her bruised ribs ache but she's doing the damage now.
The man stumbles back and pulls out a knife. San bends his arm and it drops to the ground. Meanwhile J is still holding Brittany down and muffling her cries for help.
Santana pulls out her own switchblade and slices the man's faces. He becomes enraged and charges for her again. This time she lands an uppercut to his jaw and knocks him out cold.
Brittany watches the small girl in awe of her power.
Santana saunters over to J who is still holding Brittany. Santana flinches and the man cowers away and scampers off into the night.
She walks over and holds her hand out for Brittany to take and pulls her up off the ground. She gently holds the blonde's chin in place as she surveys her wounds.
"You shouldn't be out here at night. It's not safe."
"I'm new here. I was just going for a run."
Santana pulls out another switchblade from her pocket, a clean one, and places it in Britt's palm before curling her fingers around it to secure it in her hand.
"For protection."
Brittany puts the knife in her pocket and begins to walk away. But Santana stops her.
"I'm walking you home." She lights a cig.
Brittany doesn't argue she just makes her way back to her new house. She wants to say so much to the brunette but she doesn't seem like the talking type.
"Thanks for, you know, back there." She hooks her thumb towards the alley.
"Yup."
Brittany sees the black eye and bruises littering her face. She sees the mystery girl wince as she walks.
"What happened to you?" She motions towards her face.
"Everything."
They get to Britt's doorstep and stand there for a moment.
"Thanks again."
The Latina just shrugs and walks away.
Brittany is intrigued by this beautifully broken girl. Shit she forgot to ask for her name. She makes her way into her room to change for bed and wash the blood off of her face. As she pulls her jeans down something falls out of her pocket. The knife. Brittany picks it up and turns it over. Carved into the side is one word. Diabla.