After the next nights show the oddities were heading off to change from their performance costumes back to their regular cloths. When a demanding voice could be heard.
"Alright y'all go get changed into as comfortable as possible clothes, men no shirts."
They all looked to see the petite woman in front of them wearing only a tan skin tight knee length breeches and a seafoam green sash binding her small breasts. The only one not gaping at Sara was Lettie but Lettie was ogling Sara's form like there was tomorrow.
"Oh good, you had me scared there for a minute Sara." Anne said.
"How so?" Sara asked.
"WD thought you were going to be training all of us tonight women included. So, it's good to know it's only the men."
"WD had it right you women are training too, I would tell y'all to use sashes to bind your breasts but you all are better endowed than me, so it would be pointless to have you do so." Sara said. "You'll want regular shirts no corsets unless you go out and about with 'em. I will not have my family helpless and there will be no more of last night."
"We're your family?" Imelda asked breathlessly.
"You all have been our family since we first met you all." Lettie replied smiling to the pale young woman. "Now if I were y'all I'd go get changed quick fast and in a hurry. My love is not one with patience. And if she has to she will drag you to your apartment and dress you herself."
A few of the oddities looked over to Sara skeptically, who in turn quirked a brow with a serious look on her face. "She's not lying and we're burning daylight as the saying goes. We're working behind the ball and I've got to catch you all up as quick as I can. Cause I know for a fact those goons and more will come again lookin' for trouble and I want us ready for 'em. Now git!"
As one the group thundered up the stairs. Leaving the lovers chuckling to themselves. Sara heads over to Lettie, wrapping her arms around her taller lover she leans up and kissed her lovingly. "You need to change too darling you're getting a refresher. I can't tell you just how bad my heart seized up at the sight of you getting kicked."
"He surprised me luv, that's all…" Lettie started.
"I'm sorry baby, but I need the reassurance that you can take care of yourself if I can't be there. So thus, the refresher."
Lettie was set to argue again then she saw the too familiar haunted look in the tiny woman's green eyes and relented giving Sara quick kiss she heads up to their apartment to change.
Soon everyone was back and most gaped at Lettie as she came down in skin tight pants and a tight shirt. Lettie chuckled at their reactions. And Sara smirked at them.
"All right ladies and gents follow me." The small woman rounded the oddities up and led them back into the ring.
"Now watch what Lettie does," Sara signaled her to step forward. Which she does with out hesitation. "Pay attention to what she does and doesn't do. She's gonna attack me and I'll be staying' on the defensive so you can get an idea of how it goes in the ring."
Once again, the group looked skeptical especially since none of them could picture Lettie fighting back. They didn't think Lettie could or should fight she's so genuinely loving and caring she was always taking care of them in one way or another.
So, all jaws dropped when suddenly Lettie darted forward and started raining blows on Sara. Who was able to deflect and dodge some of the blows but not all. Even on the defensive Lettie knew where and how to strike since she was set to prove that she remembered all that Sara taught her and wordlessly made her point that the hooligan caught her off guard. And to do so she had to bring a world of hurt to her lover even as it pained her to do so.
Although Sara was four inches shorter than Lettie's five foot three inches she had the same speed and agility that Sara had so they were technically evenly matched. Sara really had to put her defensive moves to work because it was obvious to everybody that Lettie knew what she was doing. Sara grudgingly admitted to herself that Lettie hadn't forgot what Sara had taught her and that just maybe the guy had gotten the drop on her. All noticed that while Sara was taking the hits she was not returning any of the blows.
"How are we supposed to learn to fight if Lettie only gets blows in." WD asked.
The two ladies stopped and turned to the group before answering her. "Simple for two reasons, one I'm showing you defensive moves," Sara pants out. "And two Lettie is letting me know in no uncertain terms that she remembers all that I taught her."
"Thirdly she can't bring herself to hit me, she couldn't even do so when she was originally training me. And now that I'm hurt on top of it she's not going to swing once at me." Lettie told them as she was breathing heavily.
"One, question. How does Sara know how to fight? I don't mean any disrespect just that how does a normal like her know all these moves." Imelda asked confusion lacing her voice.
"Ever hear of Phoenix the pugilist on the fight circuit?" Lettie asked the group.
"Yeah, shockingly Phoenix is the only woman prizefighter and she came from nowhere, lost the majority of her fights until these past two years she is now undefeated." Tom Thumb answered.
"I'm not a "normal" as you think Imelda Hun," Sara continued. "I'm Phoenix, of the fight circuit. I'm just as much as an oddity as the rest of you, y'all have no choice where as I choose to be an oddity. And I'm sure once Phineas hears that he's had the Phoenix under his nose all this time he's gonna do his best to sign me on and I'll even bet you he'll open his circus to the fight circuit."
"That would be a foolish bet to take and none of them are fools." Phineas said as he and Charity stepped out of the shadows.
"I know exactly where you're gonna take this and I'll be fine with that, but I have two conditions that you have to hold to cause they're deal breakers." Sara made her way to the edge of the ring where the Barnum's stood.
"And those would be?"
"You don't interfere with my training and you don't claim any of the purses." By this point Sara had moved to stand before all the oddities.
"I would never- "
"Bullshit! You would so interfere, because the training I'm talkin' about is training my family to protect themselves and each other." The spit fire glared the taller man down. "You can charge a small fee for viewing the fight, but you don't touch the winnings. Some bigwigs are trying to horn in on the winning purses and that's nothin' but bad form all around. I'm not gonna fight in my home ring for what I or others win on their own gumption."
"I think I can live with that, though this fee…"
"I would suggest keeping it low so that all can come watch these fights. But if you want you can scalp the bookies as much as you like." Lettie cuts in as she steps up behind Sara and kisses her shoulder.
Phineas moved to stand in front of Sara and held out his hand. "I can handle that, but I don't want any of you going looking for trouble." He said sternly.
"No, all this is for defense. They may start it but we're gonna finish it." Lettie said as Sara shook the man's hand.
"Now if you don't mind we were in the middle of something." Sara abruptly turned her back on Phineas and Charity facing the oddities once again.
"I want to see how this goes." Charity chuckled so Phineas lead her to the seats where they could get a good view of the training.
Sara turned back to the group and eyeballed all of them.
"WD, you first come on." Sara called out. The black man reluctantly stepped into the ring.
"I don't think I can do this," he said as he stepped in.
"Why not? Is it because I'm female? If so I can easily remedy that." With that Sara started bouncing on the balls of her feet and darting in to land blows on the black man. "Come on, imagine I'm one of those goons and I'm going for Anne."
She got in a rather strong kidney shot that WD groaned at then he turned and let go a wild punch which Sara easily dodged.
"That's the spirit, now really let go, I need to see what I'm working with." So, the match went, Sara taunting and WD doing his best to get a swing in.
As the night progressed Sara took on each oddity, though she saved the women for last. The majority was stunned with Sara's stamina. All were in awe with her fighting abilities and techniques since very few landed any hits and Sara landed every hit she threw.
If anyone other than Charity had paid attention to Lettie, they would've noticed the lascivious look she aimed at her petite lover. Charity giggled and made her way to the bearded lady.
"Even fighting she's graceful and powerful for such a little package." She said and giggled again when Lettie flushed at being caught.
"What can I say," Lettie shrugged. "She's an artist hard at work when training those she loves. And how can one not appreciate her form."
Charity let out a bark of laughter. "Well that's one way to put it, though I think you just like watching her work."
"There is that," Lettie giggled. "She's just so much in her element when she's fighting. Did you know that she started to train as a pugilist at the age of six? All because some boys knocked me down and hit me, she took exception to that and ran in fists a flyin'. Even without the training she beat them down good."
"How long have you two known each other?" Charity was desperately curious about the duo. Sara always kept tight lipped about themselves and this is the first time Lettie said anything about their history.
"We've known each other for as long as we can remember and have been inseparable since," Lettie sighed. "At one point I tried to get her to leave me, her reaction was not pretty. I've never tried again."
"Well I'm glad you failed at that you two are perfect for each other."
"Yeah, I'm glad I failed too. Because I could never picture my life without her, even as I was trying to push her away. She's stubborn that way and I thank any deity out there that she is, she's the first person to love me unconditionally."
"What – "
"Darling sorry to interrupt but I need you here." Sara called out.
"No worries, Mrs. Barnum. We'll continue this conversation later." Lettie said as she headed towards her lover.
Once Lettie reached Sara, she leads her back into the circle.
"Alright guys, this time watch how Lettie punches and moves with the punches, once you guys get this down we'll work on defensive moves and after that I'll get to the grappling." Sara said with authority.