"Are you sure about this?"
Paint peeled from every letter of the weathered sign above. As a matter of fact, the entirety of the building looked nothing short of condemnable. No windows lined the formerly white walls outside, just more fading or faltering paint in various colors proclaiming 'BOXING' or 'GYM.' The only notable variation in the walls was a single door on the left corner of the building, at least, as far as she could see.
"Of course I am, Cait," Jayce grinned from her side, "This place has great reviews!."
Caitlyn nodded sternly, moving to grab the door.
"That officer from the internship said you have to improve your hand to hand skills to be considered for the program," he reminded as he followed her into the dimly lit stairwell.
"I know, and I have to get into the program to get a head start in the academy after graduation."
"You're going to do great," Jayce assured. He had offered to join her in the endeavor.
"I just need to do better," she muttered, more to herself.
Jayce sighed and shook his head, following his friend and roommate up the stairs and into the entrance of the gym
The tang of sweat and bleach filled the air, almost as fully as the sound of movement. Chains rattled, feet thumped, people huffed and, of course, hands struck. It was all so rhythmic but it seemed nobody could commit to one song. A few fluorescent lights shone overhead, but the brunt of the light came from the skylights placed throughout the grand room. No more than ten people could be in the space as Caitlyn led Jayce, far too confidently, to a corner of the gym where a small window sat, the word OFFICE painted overtop in blue block letters, Next to it Caitlyn entered the open door to the dark room.
She turned on her heel before he could even reach her. She was looking past him even before she sidestepped him.
Jayce stopped in his tracks, assuming the dark office lay empty but turned to follow Caitlyn's gaze.
"Someone has to work here," she said, more to herself.
"Makes sense," Jayce offered
Caitlyn scanned the space before her sharp eyes settled on the ring in the center of the room where two fighters sparred while an older man watched them. She moved forward, not even bothering to alert Jayce who easily fell into step behind her passed various bags and a couple of people jumping rope. Finally, they reached the ring where the trio trained. The older man with a beard and broad shoulders instructed his wards, a pink haired woman and a white haired man, both much younger than him. The younger man bore flat mits as he took each blow that the pink haired woman launched at him. She threw each strike with great confidence. Her muscled body was elegant as she moved through the motions. Her blows were fierce and accurate as she pelted the man. Slowly, it became apparent that she was faster than him. Soon, he was barely catching each hit.
"Quit showing off Vi," the older man called.
The younger woman smirked and slowed her blows, but she didn't lose any of the power behind them.
"Ekko keep your hands up, she better not be holding back for your sake."
Caitlyn and Jayce watched patiently from the side before the man called, "Alright alright, take a break and then we'll swap."
Before Caitlyn could even step forward the man turned to her with a surprisingly warm smile, "And what can I help you two with?"
"We'd like to join the gym and learn how to box," Caitlyn answered quickly.
The man let out a small hum and nodded, looking them both over.
"You're welcome to join the gym," he offered.
"That would be wonderful!" Caitlyn exclaimed, finally excited about the prospect.
"I'm Vander, now let's get you registered." He led them back to the office.
Caitlyn did not miss the scoff and look of annoyance on the face of the pink haired fighter who had been watching them, although she opted to ignore her glare as she and Jayce followed Vander. Once inside he had them fill out some paperwork and informed them of the equipment they would need. He also urged them to warm up and come to their first training session prepared.
Caitlyn looked sternly in the locker room mirror. She appeared almost no different than she normally did when she trained, in a somewhat loose university t-shirt tucked into her gym shorts and her dark blue hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. The only difference this time was the wraps she'd woven around her hands, at least two attempts each hand as she followed along with the tutorial on her phone. She looked over her hands once more, flexing and folding her fingers before she grabbed her gloves off of the counter and went to meet Jayce in the gym.
"Look at you!" He exclaimed, patting his friend's shoulder with his own wrapped hands.
"I feel ridiculous," she admitted.
He laughed and shook his head, "You don't look it, but remember, you will if you get thrown to the mat in training again."
"Don't remind me," she groaned, walking to the heavy bags to meet Vander where he stood with the pink haired woman. She'd acquired a busted lip and a black eye since the day they joined the gym. Getting a clearer look at her, Caitlyn could now see that she was covered in tattoos that peaked over her shoulders. She even had a small one on her cheek, six in Roman numerals.
"This is Vi," Vander boomed, patting the shorter woman on her shoulder. She already bore her gloves, but still seemed disinterested in being here, "She's going to be helping with some of our lessons."
"Unfortunately," the woman mumbled, but Vander ignored her.
"First," he continued on, moving behind one of the large bags, "She's going to show you some combos and then you'll give them a try."
He grabbed the bag and instructed Vi, "1, 2."
Without any further explanation she lifted her hands and threw two punches.
"Can you slow that down?" Jayce asked, pulling on his own gloves.
Vi rolled her eyes but repeated the process, hitting the bag with her left hand then crossing her right over her chest for the second hit.
"Should I make it glacial?" Vi asked Jayce before hitting the bag again with the same combination.
Vander shushed her before turning to Jayce and Caitlyn, "Now who wants to go first?"
Caitlyn stepped forward as she pulled on her own gloves, "I will."
She lifted her hands and threw the first punch, feeling its impracticality as she landed the first impact. As quickly as she could, she launched her second attack, throwing her shoulder into the blow. She dropped her hands quickly, looking at Vander and ignoring Vi's amused smirk.
"My sister could do better by 7," Vi noted, but shut up as Vander threw her a surprisingly dark look.
"That was a good first try, but you want to remember to keep your hands up at all times. It's a habit you'll build. You also want to make sure you throw your punches straight and not at an angle."
"Now," he turned to Jayce, "Let's see what you're made of."
The broad young man stepped forward. Taking his turn. Caitlyn studied her friends' motions, trying to see what could have gone wrong in her own attempt. Jayce swung his arms wider than Vi had initially, hitting the bag from the side rather than the front. He also planted his feet firmly as he threw the hit. These were only a couple of the things Vander called out before progressing the lesson. That day they spent an hour with Vander and Vi walking them through a handful of combinations and correcting their stances. By the end of the hour Caitlyn could barely lift her arms.
In the locker room Caitlyn sat on the bench before the lockers, unwrapping her hands slowly. Her back and shoulders burned with each movement. She barely looked up as Vi entered the locker room and went to one of the lockers. The other woman opened her lock swiftly and swung open the door with a slight clatter. She efficiently unwrapped her own hands and threw her wraps into the locker with a thud. She pulled out a hoodie. Caitlyn had not realized when she began watching Vi. Her muscled shoulders worked as the woman lifted the sweater overhead. She watched as it settled over her waist where her shirt had stuck to her sweat soaked abs.
"What?," Vi grunted, drawing Caitlyn's eyes up to the woman who now looked back at her.
"What?" Caitlyn sputtered, looking away. "Sorry, I-"
"You were just gawking," Vi spat out, "Like this is some sort of tourist attraction."
"No, I was just looking at your," abs, Caitlyn wanted to say but caught herself.
"Why are you even here? What's some prim and proper cupcake like you doing at a gym in Zaun anyway?"
"I'm just trying to learn to fight to get an internship-"
"Oh, so you're some fancy university student trying to dress up your resume," Vi scoffed.
"What's wrong with being a university student," Caitlyn challenged.
"Other than the university trying to purge the neighborhood to keep up their pretty image while pushing out the people who have lived here forever?"
Caitlyn hadn't heard anything about that.
"What are you even studying that you need to learn to fight?" Vi questioned.
"Criminal justice," Caitlyn offered confidently.
Vi's already displeased face darkened, "Oh so you want to be an enforcer. You just want to learn how to beat the locals from the locals."
"No, of course not!" Caitlyn replied, "I just need to learn to defend myself."
"I'm sure that's all you're learning at cop college," Vi scoffed before grabbing her bag and walking out.
Caitlyn fumed but was unsure what else to do. She finished removing her own wraps and retrieved her bag from her locker. She left the locker room and found Jayce, fuming as she filled him in on the conversation she'd just had.
"Cupcake," he chuckled as they reached the stairs.
"Don't laugh at that!" Caitlyn said.
"It's fine," Jayce offered nonchalantly, "If she's that bothersome we can just ask Vander not to include her in our training anymore.'
"No, then she'll be right," she sighed.
"About?"
"We'd just be like she said the University was; purging the neighborhood and pushing out the locals."
"I don't think it's that deep, Cait, she could just be an asshole," he laughed as he pushed open the door "But if you want to say something now's your chance."
"What? What do you mean?"
"She's out here about to make her exit."
Caitlyn followed into the evening light, covering her eyes as they got onto the sidewalk. Vi stood behind an old pick up truck, stretching her arms. Caitlyn watched as Vi crossed one arm over her chest and rolled her neck. The pick up truck, parallel parked by the sidewalk, started and Caitlyn finally noticed Vander in the driver seat. She wondered briefly if he realized where Vi was when the man reached up to adjust his rear view mirror. Caitlyn was sure he grinned as he shifted the car into gear. Caitlyn looked back in time to see Vi's scowl before the truck and woman took their leave at a surprising speed down the street.
"I wonder if they actually fight," Jayce said as he raised from where he'd bent at the waist in a deep stretch.
"Who?" Caitlyn asked as she did the same.
"Vi and Ekko," he supplied, lifting one leg behind his back and holding it by his ankle.
"They've fought this entire week," she reminded.
Coming in early to stretch and warm up had certainly given them the opportunity to see the two fighters spar.
"I mean, do they fight other people, in, like, a league or something?"
Caitlyn hummed thoughtfully as she sat down on her yoga mat and stretched her legs out forward. She resisted the urge to look over where Vi stood by a water fountain, chugging from the bottle she just filled as the water spilled down onto her shirt.
"Vi doesn't even have any social media, so I can't check" Jayce offered, a bit disappointed.
"Why would she? She's too busy pretending not to care," Caitlyn spoke into her stretch.
Jayce's tone lifted as he prodded "Why would she have to when you care enough for the both of you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Caitlyn sat up straight.
"I see you looking at her," he chuckled.
She stumbled for her words "Of course I look at her, she's good at this. Fighting, I mean."
"I'm sure that's not all you hope she's good at," he hummed.
"Don't be crass," Caitlyn said as she got up and began rolling up her yoga mat.
Jayce chuckled as he continued stretching.
Caitlyn got to the gym already frustrated. They had only been coming to the gym twice a week for the last month. It was only one day but she was annoyed that she would even be training by herself. He texted her an hour ago that he had a paper to finish and wouldn't be joining her. At the very least she appreciated that she would have somewhere to put that frustration now. She went straight to the locker room and quickly got ready. It only took her one try to wrap her hands now. She ran through her usual stretching and jumping rope. She'd already gone for a run that morning and had no plan to add another to her routine, even for this pursuit.
The lilting song of Caitlyn's alarm alerted her that it was almost time to meet Vander for her training and yet she hadn't seen the man around the gym that day. She also hadn't seen Vi and Ekko sparring. Instead, she saw the woman training on the heavy bags. Ekko had been there earlier but must have left the gym since she'd last seen him. Caitlyn sighed as she moved toward the heavy bags and Vi. She watched briefly as the other woman moved gracefully around the bag, striking and dodging as it swayed. Caitlyn admired the agility that went into moving that way, hoping that she could acquire that kind of skill. Finally, an alarm blared and instinctually Caitlyn searched her pockets but found her phone silent.
"Shit," Vi groaned as she pulled down her headphones.
She finally seemed to notice that Caitlyn had been watching her as she pulled out her phone and silenced her alarm.
"Perfect," she said, the sentiment not reaching her face.
"Is Vander here?" Caitlyn questioned.
"Unfortunately not," Vi offered, "But I am."
Caitlyn looked at the woman expecting further explanation.
"He had an emergency at work, he said no charge for today but you're training with me."
"Doesn't he work here?" Caitlyn asked.
"Side gig," Vi answered, clearly getting annoyed.
"I can just keep working on my own," Caitlyn offered and almost regretted it.
"Nah, no days off Cupcake," the woman smirked, "We're getting in the ring."
"What?" Caitlyn asked in surprise, "I can't fight you."
"That's for sure," Vi agreed, looking more pleasant than Caitlyn had seen her yet, "But I'll take it easy on you."
Caitlyn didn't like the implication, but knew it was a fair assessment of her skill. She couldn't really fight Vi, but Vander hadn't really let her in the ring yet, and she wanted the opportunity to try out the things that she had been learning.
"We'll meet in the ring in five," Vi said, turning to the locker room oddly upbeat.
Caitlyn watched Vi in the opposite corner of the ring, moving and stretching. This time Caitlyn looked away before she was caught. Instead, she glanced down at the mouth guard in her gloved hand and lifted it, pushing the piece of silicone into her mouth. She stretched her arms before stepping forward and Vi noticed quickly. The pink haired woman grinned and popped her mouth guard out between her lips and quickly pulled it back in. She stepped forward as well. The two met in the middle of the ring and Vi lifted her gloves between them. Caitlyn had seen her and Ekko do this gesture several times before. She raised her own gloves to meet Vi's and then she took a significant step back.
Caitlyn brought her gloves to her face as she'd been told over and over again. She bounced on the balls of her feet and watched, assessing Vi's movements. The pink haired woman watched from between her own gloves shifting from foot to foot. The two moved around the ring for a bit, Vi shifting forward. She threw a jab, her glove stopping short of Caitlyn's cheek. Caitlyn jerked to the left before taking a step back, bringing her hands closer to her danced around the ring together throwing inquiring blows. Vi launched confident jabs which Caitlyn realized were intentionally falling short or missing her. Caitlyn responded by trying her very best to hit Vi, throwing her own blows in return. Caitlyn surprised the both of them when she finally landed a blow to Vi's stomach.
That seemed to wake Vi up. Her face almost softened as she looked over her opponent. Caitlyn realized for the first time that Vi's eyes were blue. Those clear blue eyes assessed her, scanning for weaknesses and openings. Caitlyn took a deep breath before pushing forward. She threw a jab and watched as Vi dodged. Two more, and she blocked them. Two more and she blocked again. This time, she feigned her second jab before throwing an uppercut.
Vi's head snapped back and Caitlyn swiftly retracted her arm. There was a beat before Vi's head whipped forward, uncharacteristic amusement in her eyes. The two continued in the ring for some time, although neither could be certain how long. By the time Caitlyn was panting and covered in sweat, Vi only seemed more enthused. She bounced on the balls of her feet but watched as Caitlyn held up the palm of her glove.
"Hold on," she panted hard, "I need… a moment."
Vi popped out her mouth guard and grinned "But training just started."
Caitlyn leaned forward, her hands on her knees.
Vi was already out of the ring.
Caitlyn didn't watch her as she tried to catch her breath but soon Vi stood before her. An ungloved hand holding out Caitlyn's water bottle.
She took the bottle, spit her mouth guard into her other glove, and gulped some down.
"Don't throw up," Vi said, unexpected concern in her voice.
Caitlyn downed the bottle and looked at Vi, panting still as she lowered it.
"Why are you being… like this?"
Vi let out a huff, but shrugged "Like what?"
Caitlyn looked down to the bottle in her hand before offering "Nice?"
Vi let out a surprisingly warm laugh.
Caitlyn flushed and looked down at her bottle.
"Your first day was right after I'd lost a big fight. Maybe I was too harsh with you."
"Sorry or whatever." The woman added before Caitlyn could reply.
"I thought you were just being an asshole," Caitlyn said.
Vi laughed again, "You wouldn't be the first one."
Pulling off her gloves Caitlyn said, "I really do want to learn this.
"I can see that," Vi said, tapping her jaw.
Caitlyn winced at the gesture.
"Are you okay?"
"I promise I've taken worse," Vi chuckled, "Now, let's discuss that fight."