"Hmm," Ashley said for the fifth time.
We were teaching joint classes at the dojo, a lot of them had found jobs around town.
"What now," The 13 year girl groaned.
"Spread your feet a little more it'll give you more of a balanced stance," she said, deep in thought.
"How do you know all about this," the girl asked with narrowed eyes.
"I'm in a gang," Ashley shrugged and the girls eyes widened.
"Ashley you can't say shit like that." I hissed.
"That's totally cool. I read books with like dangerous hot boys in like the mafia," the girl sighed.
"We've all been there," Ashley nodded.
(A/N Especially me)
"Teach me how to fight bad guys," the girl whined.
"Want to show her how we fight?" Ashley smirked.
"Hell yeah I do," I grinned.
"Hey kid you might want to stand back, I'm about to wipe the floor with Mercy's ass," Ashley grinned.
"As if," I scoffed.
We started circling each other in the ring, and a loud whoop was heard from the entryway.
"Hell yeah double trouble is back at it again," Milo clapped.
Ashley took advantage of my distraction, and swung at me, but I ducked underneath her arm easily.
"A little rusty Ash?" I smirked as we continued circling each other.
"You wish Merc," she growled before lunging at me me.
I kicked forward, and she smirked and grabbed my leg, she thought she has got me in a compromising position.
"Sorry about this," I sighed and I only saw the look of confusion on her face for a second before I jumped off my other foot and threw myself over the leg she was holding, kicking her in the face.
She dropped my leg with a grunt, I took her moment of weakness to sweep my feet under hers and hooked her legs, knocking her on the ground.
I stood over her with a snarl, and for a moment I forgot where I was.
I was back in the underground ring, the girl on the floor was a smirking woman, double my age, fighting me for money. Axton was watching, a smirk on his face, a finger resting on his chin as he watched. Knowing what would happen if I lost.
"Mercy," Axton said, with an evil glint in his eye.
"Mercy," he said, his voice growing louder.
"MERCY," a voice yelled, pulling me back to my body.
I realized I was straddling Ashley, my fists continually pounding into her face. A nasty snarl, on mine.
Arms ripped me off her, and I was panting heavily.
"Ashley? I'm sorry. Sorry sorry sorry," I said, my voice cracking painfully.
She sat up, her face already bloody and bruised.
She looked at me with a wild expression.
"I didn't mean it I didn't I swear I didn't I didn't," I kept repeating, my voice cracking, my throat was course.
She scrambled to her feet, and the hands gripping my arms pulled me into a hard chest.
The look of horror on her face made me nauseous.
Then a grin broke out on her face, splitting an already bloody lip.
"You should have seen the look on your face-"
That time I did intentionally punch her.
"I deserved that," she groaned, rolling on her side.
"Woah. That was like totally insanely cool," the girl I had forgotten about in the corner said.
"No it's not. Your never ever going to fight like that," I said seriously.
She pouted before hopping out of the ring and drinking from her water bottle.
"What happened," Milo said as I turned around.
He had been the one that pulled me off of Ashley.
"It took me back," I whispered, a haunted look in my eyes.
He wrapped me in his thick arms and I trembled a bit.
"Your here. With us," he murmured.
"He's always a step ahead though," I said, panic rising.
"Shut up and hug me, number one," he chuckled and pulled me tightly against his body.
"Hey Mercy-woah," A familiar voice said from the door.
Me and Milo both turned around and I saw Rhett standing there with his eyebrows high on his forehead.
"You know Rhett Butler?!," Milo gaped.
"I guess," I asked, shrugging.
"Who is he?" Rhett asked.
"Milo," I said simply.
"Are you two like.." he cringed.
I faked a gag.
"God no, Milos like my brother," I laughed and Milo pulled me in tightly and messed up my hair.
"Cool, have you seen Kody? He's in pretty deep shit right now," Rhett said seriously.
I pulled away from Milo and my eyebrows scrunched together.
"What's going on?" I asked.
I could tell there was debate in his eyes, I couldn't tell what it was about.
"His sponsor, Knox, is going to pull out if he doesn't go back out there to LA," he sighed, defeated.
That's who Knox was.
"I'm going to find him," I said, stalking towards the front with determination.
"Hey Mercy," Rhett called from behind me. I spun around to face him.
"He's not doing so great right now. Take care of him, your the only one who can," he said, seriously.
I nodded, his warning made me even more concerned.
I knew Knox was a person I shouldn't ask about, I could now assume why.
I walked out of the dojo with zero clue of where I should look, but I heard a dropping bottle and a cuss.
I crossed the street, quickly checking both ways before I sprinted across the street and running behind Winnie's Flower Shop.
Winnie had recovered from her trip to the hospital and was back on her feet working full time again.
I slipped behind the building, glancing at the darkening sky and the wind blowing my hair.
I saw a dark figure crouched on the ground, sweeping up glass with their bare hands.
I stalked forward and Kody's head snapped up, he looked at me in surprise.
We didn't say anything to each other as I sat on a nearby crate.
"So, you going back to LA?", I asked casually.
He winced.
"We're you going to tell me? Or is this all part of your "Kody Julian" bullshit," I asked, in a nasty tone.
"C-"
"Don't call me that," I said cooly.
He looked down at the broken bottle and stood up.
"So? Are you going?" I asked.
"I-" he started, but let out a sigh instead.
"Your going to lose your sponsor Kody, that's a big deal," I said sternly.
I wouldn't let him let quit on himself.
"I know, but if I leave. I'm leaving everything," he said, looking up at me.
"Working at the dojo is everything?" I snorted.
"I'm talking about you."