CHAPTER 2

"I'm gracing you with an opportunity, Sparkles." Sue's tone reminds me of all the teachers I used to have, annoyed, frustrated, and tired. "Since the other girl said that she doesn't want to risk her reputation by being seen with UGers, I'm letting you take the risk."

My mouth is open slightly, and Sue watches it with a growing rage, "You have two seconds to decide before I find someone else for the job."

"Yeah, I'll do it." the words fall out, my disbelief not allowing me to keep my professionalism. Following the best underground fighting ring in the state, it's less of a job than an honor. If only my high school mixed martial arts teacher could see me now, he would probably claim that I didn't deserve such an honor as to be so close to such distinguished fighters. Some of them have been recognized by the country, awarded on several brackets against other countries. Even if they weren't chosen by the head of state, they could still probably stand with their best for a few rounds. And now Sue just gave me a personal pass to watch every hit, every kick, every throw, it's unbelievable.

"Thank you, ma'am. I can't even begin to-"

"Then don't." She interrupts, then gestures to the blonde man sitting behind her. "This is Sam, he will be your informant and cameraman. He knows a bit about the Divine UG League, and he will make sure that you get a decent looking documentary."

She leans in, and her eyes narrow,"I need an excellent report on this, this is the first time a champion of a UG League has declined military service, this-" she checks her notes below her, "Santana Lopez, is as unorthodox as they come. Her style is reckless, dangerous, and severely frowned upon by everyone else in her League. She's broken more bones than any other fighter in the country, and she shows no respect to either her teacher or her gym. To top it all off, now she's refused to fight for her country in Pankration, our most honored service among war. I'd respect her consistency if it wasn't so openly disgraceful."

I bite at my bottom lip, nervous about the new assignment, if I disrespect her in any way will she summon a duel? I've never been summoned before, but I would definitely lose horrifically, then my father would be even more disappointed than he already is…

"Sparkles, are you listening?"

"Yes, ma'am." I reply quickly.

"Good. Now this is a three month assignment, it must be extremely thorough. I need you to find out three whys : why she fights so recklessly, why she refuses to respect her teacher and gym, and most importantly, why she refused to serve in Pankration. If you find nothing else, I need these three pieces of information. I don't care how you get it, but figure them all out, or I'm definitely firing you."

Her words make my heart drop into my stomach, succeed and be set for life as a reporter for The Underground Script or fail and lose any opportunity for my dream career, not to mention proving every teacher and my father right about me. There's no way I'm letting this pass.

"Are you still up for the job, Sparkles? You're only 21, you've just stopped mandatory training, and if you want to make it in the high tier of this career, you could still slowly make your way up. It doesn't have to be a straight shot to the top." her gaze is critical, but understanding enough if I were to decline the job.

The blonde boy behind her nods in agreement, but they both don't understand. A shot to the top is exactly what I need. I need to show someone that I'm worthy of this, that I'm capable of something, even if I'm not a fighter, and I definitely need to do it soon.

"I'll take the job, ma'am."

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"So what made you want to meet Divine's underground fighting champion, Brittany?"

Her words send shivers down my spine, or is it how close she is as she says them? I can't think straight and I feel a burning want escape from my lips as I let a slow, shaky breath out.

"Pl-please…" I manage to sigh out.

I see her dark eyes get darker and she pushes me slightly harder against the table behind me, I gasp and lick my lips, every attempt to control myself leaving my body.

"Is this okay?" she asks respectfully, and I almost say yes before I catch a glimpse of a scar on her bottom lip, and I suddenly remember why I'm here.

"Do I know you?" I ask fully remembering the simmering familiarity I feel to her.

Her eyebrow quirks up and she backs off of my body, allowing me the space to breathe again, "I already introduced myself didn't I?"

I shake my head, but quickly switch to nodding, "No-I mean yes, but that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" she asks with an ounce of annoyance, but it's extremely hard to notice as she stands with her arms crossed in front of her half-naked body.

"I mean, do you know me?" she stares with the same confusion, so I continue, "Have we met before?"

She looks me up and down as she saunters closer, my body heating with each step, "I think I'd remember a girl with a body like yours…"

She aims to corner me against the table again, but I insist on getting a definite answer, "I didn't always have this body, though. I used to be a twig before mandatory training, do you think you knew me before around 9 years ago?"

She sighs, and stops closing the distance between us, "Usually the girls Blaine sends in don't actually have something to say to me."

She stares as if expecting an answer or at least for me to continue asking questions, "I don't know what to tell you, I don't think I've ever seen you before," she closes the distance with a quickness that's to be expected from a UG fighter, her arms are locking me in place against the table once again and her lips are on my ear as she whispers, "but I would love to get to know you for the rest of this night, would that be okay with you?"

I'm losing control of my breathing, perfection is almost impossible to resist and I'm feeling its effect on me right now, but before I can respond the door slams open.

"Santana, we need to have a word-" a blonde is in the doorway and I immediately recognize her as the fight that went before Santana's, "Ew. Santana, tell your groupie to leave, I'm not in the mood to have this conversation with a bystander."

"Quinn-" Santana starts, but I cut her off.

"It's okay, it must be because second place isn't used to groupies." I nod, completely understanding why Quinn Fabray, second in the Divine UG League, would be apprehensive towards a stranger in a Fighter's Room.

Santana starts to laugh and I swear it's exactly the sound angels would make, it almost lets me forget about the searing death stare that Quinn gives me from the other side of the room. Her mouth is slightly open , her eyes narrowed, and an eyebrow is quirked signaling that I obviously said something wrong to piss her off.

"You obviously don't know how this place works do you? Santana may be number one, but I own this place, and I can make sure you never are allowed a step near this building again. I would be so easy to-"

"Alright, alright, relax, Quinn. Don't you see her face? She has absolutely no idea she even said anything wrong." Santana intervenes and I'm extremely grateful that she understood my confusion.

"I'm sorry, UG Fabray." I start, making sure to use the most honorable address for the blonde, "I didn't mean to offend you in any way."

Her eyes get even more narrow, and it vaguely reminds me Sue's piercing stare, her green eyes search my blue and I dare not to look away.

"Fine." Her gaze finally lets up, "I can tell you didn't actually mean anything by it, even though I'm amazed how you don't see anything offensive about what you said."

She turns her head back to Santana, "Anyway, the press you just gave this League is atrocious, if our top respects nothing, how can any of the Fighters below her respect anything. The way that you're acting implies everything about our League, no wonder that girl was so desperate to defeat you. Lasting up to 8 rounds is ridiculous, and you letting her continue with a handicap as big as two bleeding eyes is even more ridiculous. It makes you look bad, Santana, like you can't knock out a fucking blind person. You should have ended that fight in the 3rd round, it proves nothing to show that you can play with your food."

As Quinn goes off on her rant, Santana seems to be paying less than zero attention. I continuously feel her eyes trickle back to me, and I feel my face heat because of it. Her thoughts are obvious as she smirks in my direction and I can't help but smile towards the ground.

"I swear to Ares, you better start fucking listening Santana, and stop eye-fucking…" she pauses and stares expectedly.

"Brittany Pierce."

"Brittany. You are a direct reflection of everyone else in the DUGL, and I swear if the government ends up shutting us down, because Ares knows they don't respect UG Leagues as much as they do the Professionals, everyone's financial needs will be on your shoulders. Are you prepared to handle that?" She finally finishes, and Santana slowly turns her head away from me, but not before giving a sly wink.

"I got it, Quinn. No more fucking around, can you leave now?" She asks turning her gaze back to me.

Quinn sighs in exasperation before opening the door to leave, "Look, I understand why you refused, but please just try to think about how everything you do effects the others?"

My ears perk up at the reminder of the refusal, the real reason I'm here, and I feel my notepad burning a hole in my back pocket. I glance towards Santana and I can see her jaw is clenched and her eyes avoiding contact with either one of us in the room, obviously a touchy subject.

"I care about you, Santana, and I know, despite everything you say, you care about us, try to think before you risk everything for everyone, okay?" With those parting words she leaves.

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AN: Okay, so there's some things to digest in this, if there's any questions about the type of society they're living in I'm completely open to answering so long as it doesn't spoil anything for the future. There will be more revealed in the future, also. I don't have a set updating schedule for this, but I can tell you shorter chapters will be updated faster than longer chapters, so if you want to tell me what you'd prefer that'd be great. THANK YOU FOR READING.