Rancho Coronado

  November 7th

  2069

  Sophie returned to the gym early the next morning, just as she had agreed with Ursa. The air in Santo Domingo was thick with smog and the scent of food from street vendors setting up their stalls closeby. Despite the early hour, Mendoza’s Gym was already alive with activity.

  She looked at the steel door and took a deep breath before stepping inside. The rhythmic sounds of fists and feet striking bags echoed throughout the space, accompanied by the occasional shout or loud instruction. The group of Animals, wild, muscle-bound gang members known for their brute strength, were hard at work.

  Some were engaged in weight training, their bodies straining under impossible loads, while others focused on striking drills, their massive fists slamming into heavy bags with enough force to send them swinging wildly.

  Ursa stood to the side of it all, arms crossed, observing his pack with a keen eye. From afar, Sophie truly noticed how out of place he looked. The thick, white facial hair made him seem like he belonged on a mountain rather than in a dingy gym. But despite his intimidating appearance, his expression was friendly. The small metal braces along his arms gleamed under the dim lighting as he turned his head slightly, catching sight of Sophie the moment she walked in.

  “Hmm. I wasn’t sure you’d show up today,” he rumbled, his voice carrying easily over the noise of the gym.

  Sophie shrugged as she approached. “Told you I’d be here, didn’t I?”

  Ursa let out a short chuckle. “Hmm, yes. A lot of people say that, then never come back after seeing how we train.” He nodded toward her, eyes briefly scanning her frame. “Hmm. You said you were here to fight. Are you interested in lifting too? We’ll make you strong,” he spoke and his voice carried a certainty.

  Images of herself as a walking ball of muscle appeared unbidden in her mind and she shuddered. “Just fighting,” Sophie answered without hesitation. “I want to improve.”

  Ursa raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. “Hmm. Very well. But why?”

  Sophie shifted slightly, crossing her arms. “I’m a merc.” He hummed slightly, seeming skeptical. “Got into a fight a little while back and got forced to grapple. Wasn’t much I could do about it and I only walked away because I had a knife. It’s a weakness and I don’t like being at a disadvantage.”

  Ursa grunted, stroking his thick beard thoughtfully. Then, as if suddenly remembering something important, he jabbed a thick finger at her. “Hmm, you should lift too. Get stronger. Proper woman’s got muscle.”

  Sophie gave him a dry look. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Hmm. Good.” He nodded approvingly, then turned away without another word, lumbering across the gym with an ease that seemed ridiculous for someone of his immense size. Sophie watched as he approached one of the other Animals, a younger woman who had just finished a round on the heavy bag. She looked up as Ursa’s shadow fell over her, her expression immediately shifting to one of irritation as she wiped sweat from her forehead.

  Sophie took in the woman’s appearance as she followed Ursa back toward her. She was tall, though not quite as massive as most of the other Animals, standing a little over six feet and at least a few years older than Sophie herself. Her muscles were large, toned and well-defined, built more for speed than power. Her skin was a warm brown, and her face bore a strong resemblance to Ursa’s, though her features were sharper, more refined. Her black hair hung just past her shoulders and she had a pair of small implants along her jaw, glinting faintly in the dim light.

  She also didn’t look happy about being pulled away from whatever she had been doing.

  “This is my daughter, Koda,” Ursa said, clapping the woman on the shoulder with enough force to make Sophie wonder how she wasn’t immediately flattened. “She’s still growing but she’s already one of the best fighters we've got here.”

  Koda sighed, rolling her shoulders. “Dad, I was in the middle of training.”

  “Hmm, and now you’re gonna help train someone else.” Ursa grinned, completely unfazed by his daughter’s frustration. “Don’t be rude.”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Koda’s sharp, dark eyes settled on Sophie, scanning her with an appraising look. Sophie could tell she wasn’t particularly impressed. “I’m fighting a twig?” The ‘twig’ in question felt her brow twitch at the comment.

  “Mhm. She wants to learn how to fight properly. But first, she’ll fight you so I can see what she already knows.”

  Sophie took a slow breath. She had expected some kind of assessment, maybe one where she threw a few punches or demonstrated some grappling. She certainly hadn’t anticipated being thrown straight into a fight. Regardless, she wasn’t about to back down from the challenge.

  “Fine,” Koda said with a shrug, stepping onto the worn-out mat in the center of the gym. She rolled her neck, the motion followed by a series of audible cracks. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Sophie followed suit, stepping onto the mat and shaking out her arms. The gym noise seemed to fade into the background as the two of them faced each other, feet shifting into ready stances.

  Ursa clapped his massive hands together. “Hmm. Show me what you can do, Sophie.”

  She nodded in reply, before rolling her shoulders as she faced Koda. The taller girl looked at her with a smirk, arms relaxed at her sides and entirely unconcerned.

  "Alright, Twig, let's see what you’ve got," Koda taunted, her voice carrying hints of both annoyance and amusement.

  Sophie ignored the provocation and launched forward, driving a punch toward Koda’s solar plexus with her chrome hand. The older girl shifted just a fraction, causing the strike to land with significantly less force. The impact was solid, but the muscly girl barely flinched, taking the damage as if it were a mere inconvenience rather than an attack. Instead, she just looked at her with a cocky smile. Sophie pulled back, adjusting her footing, and kept up the assault.

  Her next strike was aimed at Koda’s ribs, a quick jab followed by a feinted kick toward the leg. Koda shifted slightly but didn’t react much beyond that, allowing Sophie’s attacks to land with minimal effect. It was clear she wasn’t taking the spar seriously. Gritting her teeth, Sophie drove a right hook toward Koda’s face, only for her target to lean away effortlessly.

  "Not bad," Koda teased, still grinning. "But you’re gonna have to do better than that, Twig."

  Sophie didn’t stop. She pressed forward, attacking Koda’s torso and limbs, testing her defenses. Koda remained mostly on the defensive, either brushing off Sophie’s body blows or dodging the ones aimed at her head with ridiculous ease. Then, without warning, she shifted.

  The moment Sophie’s fist extended for another strike, Koda twisted around it, grabbing her wrist in a vice grip and yanking her forward. Sophie barely had time to react before a knee slammed into her stomach, forcing the air from her lungs.

  "My turn," Koda said cheerfully. “Be a good punching bag, ‘kay?” With those words, the onslaught began.

  A sharp kick to Sophie’s thigh made her leg buckle slightly. Before she could regain her footing, Koda followed up with a heavy punch to her ribs, the force sending a sharp pain through her side. Sophie attempted to backpedal, but Koda was relentless. A hook caught her in the shoulder, an elbow drove into her upper arm, a knee slammed into her abdomen again. Every strike was heavier than Sophie was used to handling in a fight, and she could feel herself getting backed into a corner.

  The only reason she could continue standing, aside from her impressive willpower, was the subdermal she had. Yet even that didn’t soften the force of the blows threatening to crush her bones or destroy her organs. Even trying to block the hits barely helped; Koda’s sheer strength overpowered her pitiful defenses. She managed to deflect a few strikes, but the ones that landed rattled her.

  She needed a way out if she wanted to keep fighting. If she stayed defensive, she’d just get battered into submission. She needed to change the pace. So, she lunged forward.

  Koda clearly wasn’t expecting her to launch an attack during her offense. Sophie ducked under a wide hook, closing the distance between them and grabbing onto Koda’s waist. She dug her feet into the mat and yanked with all the strength she had, trying to force the other girl off balance. It was tough but Koda let out a surprised grunt as she was pulled down, and Sophie twisted, using their momentum to bring them both to the ground.

  For a moment, Sophie thought she’d hold an advantage.

  Then, she realized just how strong Koda really was.

  On the ground, Koda was just as dangerous, if not more so. Sophie tried to pin her, but Koda moved like a snake. She shifted her weight, her muscles flexing as she rolled them over, reversing their positions with startling ease. Sophie barely had time to react before Koda trapped her arm, attempting to lock in a submission hold.

  Sophie twisted out of it, her flexibility allowing her to slip free before Koda could apply pressure. But the moment she got loose, Koda grabbed her again, maneuvering her into another submission. Sophie wrenched herself out of that too, contorting her body in ways that clearly annoyed Koda.

  "What the hell are you made of, rubber?" Koda grumbled as Sophie escaped another hold.

  "Something like that," Sophie muttered in response.

  As they began grappling again, Koda exhaled sharply, then shifted strategies. Instead of another standard hold, she slipped around behind Sophie, wrapping an arm around her neck. Sophie’s eyes widened as she felt the pressure of a rear-naked choke locking in.

  Sophie immediately grabbed at Koda’s arm, trying to pry it away, but the larger girl’s grip was solid. The pressure built quickly. Sophie struggled, twisting, shifting her body to create space, but Koda’s strength was too much. Her lungs began to burn, her vision spotted at the edges.

  She gritted her teeth, refusing to go down easily; but she had no choice. If she didn’t tap out, she’d pass out.

  With an irritated growl, Sophie slapped her hand against Koda’s arm in submission.

  The moment she tapped, Koda released her without hesitation, getting to her feet with an ease that made it seem like the whole fight had been nothing more than a warm-up.

  Sophie remained on the floor, gasping for air as her body ached from the beating she’d just endured.

  Koda stretched her arms, glancing over at Ursa. "How was that, Dad?"

  Ursa walked over, looking down at Sophie with a thoughtful expression. "Hmm. Your skills are very basic," he said plainly. "But there ain't any serious problems with 'em. You just need to get stronger and spend more time fighting."

  Sophie sat up slowly, still catching her breath.

  Ursa stroked his thick beard before nodding toward Koda. "Hmm. Go with her. She could use a break from her regular training. I’ll be keepin’ an eye on you, too."

  Koda looked at her father, aghast. She opened her mouth to say something before snapping it shut. She looked at her defeated opponent, crossing her arms. "Fine. Guess we’re stuck together, Twig. Hope you’re ready., ‘cause I won’t go easy on you."

  Sophie groaned, getting to her feet. "I hate that nickname."

  "Better get used to it," Koda shot back with a grin before turning and walking toward a quieter part of the gym. Sophie sighed and followed, still sore from the fight. She had a feeling it would be a long training session.