This wasn't a typical night of shows then relaxation amongst the oddities. This was the first fight night in the circus and there was a nervous energy engulfing them all. Well all but Sara even Lettie was affected by it, it had been years since she's watched her girlfriend in the ring. Each oddity came up to wish Sara luck or to let her know of their support of her. Since even they recognized that this wasn't a typical night especially for Sara. She's going up against Ivan the Hammer who is also undefeated, and all his wins were through knock outs.
As Sara began her stretching and warm-ups she became encircled by the oddities. They noticed her outfit, black knee length breeches molded to her muscled body with a crimson sash around her waist and a bright reddish orange sash binding her breasts. And her hair was up in a tight French braid that came down just to her shoulders. If they didn't know better, they would've thought she was a short teenage boy.
All watched with trepidation, they had a good look at Ivan and he was at least twice her height but that wasn't the worryingly worse thing about him. He was at least three times wider than Sara and his muscles had muscles. His size even had Lettie worried for her lover, she knew in her bones that Sara was going to come out the victor, it's just at what price.
None of them knew how they were going to handle watching their Sara fight this behemoth Anne, Imelda and some others wanted her to withdraw. But Lettie disabused them of that notion, she explained to them that Sara has never turned down a fight and will never turn one down, not even on her deathbed. She let them know that fighting is Sara's life, not just her livelihood.
They all asked her how she handled watching Sara get beaten like every prizefighter, they were nervous for the couple. Lettie told them that it was a struggle for her to watch, for her to stay out of the circle, but she had to stay herself. Because back in the day Sara's purse money was their main source of income. Lettie also admitted that she wasn't sure how she was going to handle tonight, especially since she felt they no longer needed the purse money.
It was a sign of the oddities nervousness that it didn't really dawn on them that they just learned a lot of new information about the couple.
The Barnums' came up behind the group and Phineas cleared his throat, the oddities parted so they could make their way to the pugilist.
"It's almost time, Sara." Phineas said.
"Alright, but there's one thing you need to know." Sara replied.
"What's that?"
"When your announcing the fight don't call me Sara, I'm only known as the Phoenix to the crowd. And only select fighters know my name."
"Alright I will respect that, now all of you should go find some seats since this a packed house." Phineas tried to usher them out.
"No worries there, Phin, I roped off a section of the balcony for them to watch from. Are you going to be watching Mrs. Barnum as well?" Sara asked.
"Oh yes, I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"Then will you do your best to keep them up there? There's no telling what they're gonna do during the fight."
"I'll do my best." Charity responded. "And please call me Charity."
"Thank you, that's all I can ask of you. I'll do my best to remember that Charity. Y'all need to go up to the balcony now."
They all started to head out, but Lettie stayed behind and kissed Sara passionately. "Don't get yourself killed out there or I'm gonna have to follow you to kick your butt."
"Not going to happen, Beautiful." Sara chuckled then pulled the brunette to her and kissed her deeply then released her and gently pushed her towards the stairs. "Please help Charity with the others."
"I will, but I don't even know if I'll be able to keep myself out of the ring. With your adversary being such a giant."
"I won't come out unscathed, but I will win," that should have sounded arrogant, yet Sara said it with such finality that it was a fact of her confidence in her abilities. "Now go on, I'll see you after the match and let you put me back together again." Sara grinned.
Lettie sighed and rolled her eyes then made her way to the rest of her family.
Sara left the back-stage area and out into the show ring. Which set off the crowd it was so raucous that most of it was unintelligible. There was one older gentleman in the front row that sat there cool, calm and collected and he simply nodded to Sara who nodded in return.
Phineas entered the ring in a grand fashion as he was wont to do. He walked to the center of the ring with Ivan on his left and Sara on the right. Patiently he waited for the crowd to calm down, in the meantime Ivan stood there with his arms crossed scowling down at Sara while all she did was stare at him impassively, the quirking of her eyebrow her only acknowledgement of him. Which caused his scowl to turn to a look of pure rage.
"Oh, dear Lord, she hasn't done a thing yet and already he looks like he wants to kill her!" Anne exclaimed.
It was as if Sara heard her since she looked straight up into Anne's eyes and winked. Ivan didn't miss it and pure rage turned to murderous intent.
"I'm sorry to say Lettie dear, but our Sara has bats in her belfry!" It was Charles turn to exclaim.
"It's part of her charm. And her opponents looking at her in such a manner is nothing new to either her or I, most every boxer that must fight her for the first time are insulted by her audacity to even be in the ring with them. They all plan to beat her back to her place outside the ring and All have failed."
"So, are you trying to say she's never lost a fight?" Imelda asked in awe.
"Not in the slightest dear one." Lettie chuckled. "She's lost her fair share of fights, but that doesn't stop her in the least. She could lose every fight she's ever in and still she'd step back into the ring."
Sara had to struggle hard to keep a loving smile off her face. Hearing their conversation about her made her feel warm through and through. She had to admit to herself and later to her Lettie that it felt good to be surrounded by family again. And after this fight she would make sure to let the others know in no uncertain terms how close she holds them to her.
Looking back at the mammoth man, she found her center and brought all her attention to bare on the man. She began to plan out the fight in her head. She already picked out the general weak points of any human body, so while attacking those she'll search out his weaknesses. One big glaring one is his muscle size, while it gives him strength it can also be used against him especially by her. She's so tiny that she'll be able to slip right out of his grasp. And the Gods above knew she could take a hit like no other.
She studied him closer taking note that he assumed the bout was his simply because of his size, she also noticed that he spoke very broken English when his, what she assumed, brother came up to him to try to calm him down. But she knew she could use his ignorance of the English language to rile him up even further, a hotheaded rival is a distracted rival and easy pickings.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first fight night at my circus." Phineas bellowed once the crowd's volume lowered enough for him to do so. "Tonight, we have a treat for you! For in the blush sash we have undefeated Ivan the Hammer!"
The crowd roared in response, then calmed down when Barnum continued.
"And for the red sash we have the Phoenix also undefeated!"
They roared again but this time there could be some boos and hisses heard.
"Tonight, one shall reign and the other shall taste defeat!"
As Phineas makes his way out of the ring and the referee replaces him the two combatants take up their stances, their left arms extended out further than their right arm which is cocked by their chest. Once Barnum is out of the ring they start circling each other. With Ivan steadily stepping around and Sara bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Suddenly Sara darts forward landing the first blow and the crowd once again becomes almost unintelligible in their cheering and cat calling.
Thus, they started trading punches. Ivan was quicker than Sara anticipated but he still couldn't match Sara's speed or agility. For every one hit he got in she got three or four hits. The crowd was so rowdy that no one could hear Sara, but all could see her taunting the man. Which seemed to aggravate him more, causing his swings to become wilder and Sara's more precise. While Ivan seemed to strut around, Sara seemed to be doing an intricate dance that only she knew the steps too.
A half hour in and the man has started to stagger while Sara kept up her dance. She managed to stay just out of his reach, so he couldn't use any grappling moves on her.
Unexpectedly Ivan landed a powerhouse blow to Sara's face, one he was famous for. And down she went, the whole building became silent wondering if Ivan got lucky enough to win once more by knock out or if Phoenix was going to rise once again out the ashes to take the win like her name suggests. Ivan went to strike her while she was down, but the referee shoved him back with a warning.
Too slow for her family's taste Sara made it to her hands and knees she even threw up a little bit. Ivan growled loudly at witnessing her getting back up. But she unsteadily made it to her feet a livid bruise covering the entirety of the left side of her face. She got back into her stance swaying a bit however she had a fiercer look of concentration on her face. The referee checked in with her and whatever he said Phoenix merely nodded her head, he removed himself from between the opponents.
Now there was power to Sara's strikes that hadn't been there before. She also managed to always stay two or three steps ahead of the monster of a man even with her left eye swelling. Which wasn't too hard since he lost all semblance of a fighting form. She was done with him, no longer toying with him to wear him out.
All her shots caused him to stagger more when she got in one powerful upper cut to his diaphragm. It caused him to bend over and left his face in her arms reach so she darted forward and with all her power landing a right hook to his jaw which turned out to be a glass one. He fell like a tree out like a light. She backed up and waited with her arms crossed for the referee to count down the thirty seconds the rules required. He didn't even twitch. Phoenix won by knock out. The crowd went wild. And money started changing hands.
Sara could now feel every hit she took, she ached so bad that she went to the wooden ring and sat down on it. Her face throbbed something fierce and now she could only see out of her right eye since the left swelled shut by now.
The man that Sara had nodded to before the match came over and handed her a large wad of bills,
"Here son you've earned it all this tonight." He said gruffly.
"But what about your cut, Horace?" She asked confused.
"Like I said, you've earned the entire purse tonight and you need to get your face looked at tonight. I'll send Jasper over to look. And I'll talk to Branson about you taking the next several days off." Horace informed her.
Sara sighed deeply, wincing at the pain in her ribs. "I don't need to see Jasper he'll only suggest that I take some laudanum and you know I despise that shit. Also thank you for Branson I could use it I feel like I got kicked by a horse, repeatedly. But I do have a huge favor to ask of you and you'll of course take a bigger cut of my winnings."
"What's the favor?" He asked bluntly.
"I need your help training my family."
"Your family? I thought it was just you and Lettie."
"It used to be but now it's the circus and us."
"I think I can do that, but I'll train them like I do you. I will not take it easy on them."
"I wouldn't ask you to. And just so you know we'll be training all of them the women included."
"Why? Are all of them planning to join the circuit?"
"No, not at all." Sara answered then proceeded to tell him about the night the oddities got into that fight with the thugs.
"I'll help you train them, but I will not take more of your winnings. I will not have my favorite entertainers beaten." He said strongly.
"But it'll take time out of our training and cost you more in meat! You've seen the show haven't' you?"
"You and I will train with them, it will give them a chance to see how training will go. And of course, I've seen their show, I take my family to see it as often as I can. I'll even bet you that your Lettie writes their music and choreograph their dancing as well."
Sara growled. "That's a good idea to train together but I want to pay you- "
"I'll quit as your trainer and still come back to train them if you don't quit about paying me."
He emphatically stated.
"No, there's no need for that. Also, that bet about Lettie I'd be a fool to take it since you're right. But how did you guess that. That she was behind them?"
"Remember me hearing her vocalize several times when you trained and when I unexpectedly caught your guys unawares and she was full out singing. I told you she had a wonderful set of pipes on her and that she should do something with 'em."
"I do, but at that point she wouldn't, but now? Now she can shine." Sara said proudly.
He looked up. "Well here they come, you'll see me in five days' time." He said as they shook hands. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Give them your jump start it will help them both in the short and long run."
Sara blanched and looked up at him in shock.
"If I had problems with it I wouldn't have taken you on. Now go and get some tlc from your woman." He said slyly then left her sitting stunned.
She had just enough time to blink. Turning her head, she watched her circus family coming at her at a fast clip with Lettie and Charity in the lead. Facing them she attempted to stand only to sway a bit then fall on her ass. As the two women reached down to her she batted their hands away. Only to roll aside from them and throw up her supper.
Looking up it soothed her pride that there was a mass exodus once the fight was over and that the oddities had encircled her so those last few stragglers couldn't see her on the ground. She wiped her mouth on her arm then slowly turned back towards them on her ass, glancing up she looked sheepishly at the group.
"My deepest apologies ladies, but I think I'm just gonna stay down here for the moment. It's a little steadier, not by much, but it is." Sara tried to smile ruefully only to wince at the pull on her cheekbone. The misfits could only stare at the deep bruises littering Sara's body.
"Alright you, let's at least get you up on the ring again. That way you're not sitting near your mess and someone can come clean it up." Lettie softly cajoled the fighter. Carefully bracing her arm under Sara's arm while Imelda rushed forward to mimic Lettie's hold, the two delicately moved her from the ground up to the wooden rim of the stage.
"Ugh, please no more movement for a while." Sara pled.
Lettie leaned down and gently kissed Sara's right temple. "No, no more movement luv at least until, Dr. Connor can check you out. I think you might have another concussion and with the way your face is looking and swelling I think he might have broken something in your face."
They all heard her mutter her hatred of doctors.
"Well it's good to see that that beast didn't knock out your orneriness." A tall thin man said from the back of the entertainers. Phineas was with him as well. They quickly got out of his way, so he could get to the slight young woman.
He made it to her then knelt in front of her opening his black bag. "Now let's see what damage this fight did to you."
"I'm fine, I don't need to be looked at!" Sara huffed out.
"No, you're not," Lettie sat down on Sara's right side and whispered in her ear.
Sara carefully turned her head to stare incredulously at her. "You wouldn't dare!"
"You know I would in a heartbeat. Now let Dr. Connor look you over."
Sara sighed then signaled the doctor that she was ready.
He already had a special lantern out and lit, he used it going from one eye to the next. Blowing it out he set it down only to reach up to gently poke and prod at Sara's injured side of her face. The group could see Sara's jaw tic from being clenched other than that there was no sign she gave that what he was doing hurt. Then he turned to her torso and checked her ribs pressing here and there. After that he tapped all around Sara's abdomen. Humming all the while.
"Well I've some very bad news for you, Sara. Lettie's right you have a concussion, he managed to break your cheek bone and you have at least three broken ribs. Thankfully you don't have any internal bleeding so there's your silver lining." He got out as quickly as possible, so Sara couldn't interrupt him. "Now I'm putting you on bed rest for the next week and on your second week you can get up and about, but and this a big but, you're not to go to work or train in those two weeks."
"We'll make sure she doesn't." Walter said decisively. Everybody surrounding her murmured their agreement.
Sara glared at him then turned it on all the others. None looked impressed and Lettie chuckled which earned her a pout from the patient.
"Good now I'll be back at that time to check you over once again. And we'll see if you're up to snuff." He brought out a small bottle with an eye stopper in it. He handed it to Lettie. "Now since we both know she hates laudanum, just put one drop in a full glass of water. It's not enough to knock her out, but it will be enough to take the edge off for the first week you shouldn't need it for the second week."
"Not a fucking chance!" Sara exclaimed heatedly.
"You will if I have to pour the glass of water down your throat." Lettie replied firmly. "It's going to be hard enough for me to know that you're in extreme pain and I'll be damned if your fear keeps you in that state. Notice that he said only a single drop in a full glass of water, not a full spoonful or a larger dose and it's only for a week."
Sara sighed in defeat, she knew she wasn't going to win this argument especially when it looked like everybody including the Barnum's were in total agreement with her dearest. "Fine but I will not take it the second week no matter what."
"We can live with that," Lettie said with that she took the small bottle from the doctor and gently kissed her uninjured cheek.
"Now I suggest you get yourself into bed as quick as possible." Jasper said as he closed his satchel, stood up, shook Lettie's hand and took his leave.
"That was rather quick of him to show up." Charity said.
"Jasper is our doctor, so when I have a fight he's close by. He won't watch it because he thinks it's barbaric, but he will be within the block of it to check me over if it's needed. Though if he had his way he'd check on me after every bout." Sara stated as a matter of fact.
"I can see why you wouldn't want that, doctor bills could get very high that way especially for being on the circuit." Phineas responded.
"Actually, he doesn't charge us for the nights she fights. He's a friend of her manager and trainer Horace also Sara and I have befriended him when we finally got here to New York."
Lettie corrected him.
"That's sweet of him, but I think he's right and we need to get you up to bed." Charity points out.
"Bed sounds good right now." Sara tried to get up, but quickly sat down since the world started spinning again. So WD gently picked her up bridal style and with Lettie at his side they made their way to the back-stage area with rest of the oddities following them.
"We'll see you all tomorrow. And congratulations on your win tonight Sara." Charity called out to them.
"Thank you," both Lettie and Sara called back at the same time.
Once they reached the stairs heading up to their apartments, Sara groaned out. "I need you all to come to our apartment. I've something to share with all of you."
Lettie immediately picked up where Sara is going with it and in doing so she became anxious. Sara already goes through hell doing what she loves best. And Lettie wanted to keep her from more heartache. "Are you sure luv? You don't have to do it."
"Beautiful, I'm very sure, Horace is right that it will help them both in the short and long run. It helped you immensely and they are our family and I want them to be able to defend themselves with in the next week, so this is best."
Once everyone was in their small apartment WD delicately placed Sara in the most prominent chair in the living room.
"Come here Imelda Hun," Sara called out softly and the albino made her way quickly to the prizefighter.
"Yes, Sara?" She asked.
"Come sit on the footstool in front of me." Sara tapped it with her toes.
Imelda made her way through the crowd and sat where she was requested to, Sara leaned slightly forward and placed her hands on the sides of her face, her finger tips brushing Imelda's temples. Sara closed her eyes and Imelda tensed up a bit.
Five minutes later Sara let go, opened her eyes, and leaned back while Imelda weaved a bit as her eyes opened.
"Whoa!" Imelda blurt out. "How did you do that?"
"What did she do?" Richard the heaviest man asked.
"I think she gave me every memory of her training and her fights both in and out of the ring. And it's quite extensive." She answered.
"It should be, it's twenty years' worth and it will take some to time to process it all." Sara added.
"How did you do it?" Constantine asked again.
Lettie sighs deeply and moves protectively near yet slightly in front of Sara.
"It's the one spell that I didn't need to be trained in, though I trained in many more, but it's my best one. I'm able to give anyone all the memories that I desire. I'm just another freak of nature, mine just happens to be mental." Sara pulls Lettie to her side and pats her hip, so Lettie reached down and clasped her hand tightly.
The group was completely stunned, nothing was said for about five minutes. During which both women watched them like hawks and rubbed circles on the back of each other's hand.
"So, you mean to say you used…sorcery?" Isla, Imelda's twin sister asked though she whispered the taboo word like everyone outside the room could hear her. Everybody seemed to be holding their breath waiting for the answer.
Lettie's grip on Sara's hand tightened significantly. "That's exactly what I'm saying. You all are now the only ones outside a few select people that know I'm a mage. Horace, my trainer and manager, and I think it's to everybody's benefit that I now use it to give you all my memories involved with fighting."
Now it was the couples turn to hold their breath while everybody digested this news.
"So, even if you weren't a prizefighter you still wouldn't be a normal." Charles stated.
Sara chuckles bitterly. "No, to the average Joe I'm even beneath y'all. We won't even get into what I am to the upper crust."
"That's why you trained so long? So, you could protect yourself?" Walter asked.
"No, she trained to fight to protect Lettie. It was all for her, when it was noticed that she had an aptitude for fighting she was intensely trained." Imelda answered for the hurt woman.
"Alright everybody, let's get organized," Imelda began to get the oddities into some semblance of a line.
Quite a few resisted. "I'm not sure I want them since it hurts to receive them." Eng said.
"If it hurt I doubt Imelda would suggest we allow her to do the spell on us. And Sara wouldn't do it if it wasn't in our best interest. Besides do you even realize the risk she took in telling us about what she can do?" Chang retorted.
Before the Siamese twins could really start bickering Imelda cut in.
"It doesn't hurt it's just that the information inundates you, but I'd still have you all do it even if it did hurt. So, line up guys." Imelda went back to organizing everybody.
A few that were resistant looked anywhere but at Sara with sheepish looks on their faces.
"So, let me get this straight, you guys didn't want the memories because you thought it hurt?" Sara queried.
"Pretty much," O'Clancy answered for them.
"I do have one question though. What's the difference between the fights in and out of the ring?" Isla asked.
"Simple dear, there are rules in the ring and none outside of it, but it's best to know how to fight both ways they aid each other immensely" Lettie spoke up for the first time. "And actually, you will be sore for the next several days once you get up for the day. Because while you sleep your brain will be ingraining the muscle memory of different types of forms of fighting Sara has done. Plus, your muscles will be contracting and relaxing as the memories teach your body how to take hits."
"Then when your training begins again it will help you build up your muscle mass and make sense of the forms and the like." Sara adds on. "With that in mind are you all willing to let me help you in this way?"
They all looked at each other and even though several still looked reluctant they all gave their approval for Sara to do this for them.
Lettie addressed the ones that were still wary. "She's a fellow oddity like the rest of us, it's just you can't see hers which makes it scarier. I can and will tell you she's been using this ability on me for decades. It's totally safe."
Her sincerity won them over so all were willing to learn this way. And by the time she got halfway through she was slumping further and further down. Once the last half of the oddities noticed the drain of energy on her they had her stay sitting back, placing her hands to their faces for her. Sara smiled her thanks at their thoughtfulness.
As she finished with the last of the misfits Constantine spoke up.
"How many times have you done this spell in one sitting?" He asked his tone brooking no argument.
Lettie and Sara looked at each other, Lettie nodded her head minutely. Sara sighed in defeat.
"I've only actually ever done it once in a sitting and that was always with Lettie." She admitted chagrined.
"Therefore, since you've only done it once in a sitting there's no telling what kind of further damage you've done to yourself?" Constantine said calmly, too calmly there was a muscle twitching in his cheek.
"Well from what we've been taught the only way we could damage ourselves is if we drained all of our energy. Which we're certain Sara hasn't done so yet, though she's going to be much more exhausted than she would be with just the injuries she received tonight." Lettie answered him. "While I would have preferred she did this over a couple of days, she felt y'all need to know it now."
Constantine, Imelda, and Isla caught Lettie's slip of the tongue, glancing between themselves they decide not to say anything about it for now. But they knew they were going to discuss it amongst themselves later.
"And you guys do need it just in case those particular goons or new ones comes back to beat on y'all you'll at least have the fighting forms and maneuvers ingrained in your subconscious. So, you'll be able to at least hold your own against them. While I'm out of commission for the next week." Sara said sluggishly.
"Ok, that's enough, Sara needs to be undressed and put to bed." Lettie announced. "Anne, Imelda, and Isla do you mind staying back and helping me with her?"
She got nods all around. While the others made their way out.
"And I would appreciate any and all help in checking up on her for the week, she's kind of on the stubborn side." That got chuckles from everyone.
"We would love to help; you guys are our family to just as we are yours." This from WD.
With just the five of them Lettie handed Isla the bottle of medicine and whispered in her ear. Isla made her way to the kitchen. Lettie gestured the other two to her.
"I need you two to help me undress her and put her to bed. Follow me," she said as she tenderly picked up the wounded woman bridal style and carried her into their bed room.
In the room, Anne rushed to pull back the covers then at Lettie's direction the two held the redhead between them while Lettie quickly and carefully removed Sara's fighting ensemble. Lettie pick Sara up from between the two and laid her down on the bed and Anne covered her up.
"Um, not to be nosey but shouldn't we put her in her nightclothes?" Imelda asked and blushed doing so.
Lettie let out a loud guffaw then answered her. "Sara has never, and I do mean never believed in nightclothes. It was a great frustration for her mother."
"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Anne asked rhetorically.
Isla came in the room with the glass of water. "Here Lettie two drops in as you told me." She handed Lettie the water.
"Thank you, ladies, I truly appreciate all of your help, have a goodnight." Lettie said dismissively as she lifted Sara's head so that she might drink all the water. Sara protested a little bit but then dropped it and drank all the water.
"Goodnight and good luck Lettie!" The three called back softly.
The three women closed the bedroom door then locked the door as they left the apartment.
By the time Lettie got herself into bed Sara was snoring away, Lettie just smiled lovingly at her and kissed her right cheek. "Goodnight my Sara."