|
There is one tried-and-true method that Gallowglass has made money before; one that doesn't require ID or even his real name. He ducks into the space long-used for an underground ring, tugging down the hood on his sweatshirt as he takes stock. He's in simple, dark clothing designed for easy movement; his head is shaved nearly to the skin.
Rena doesn't have special fighting clothes. She has three shirts, two pants, four pairs of underwear and socks and one bra. So she comes in looking like she always does, a t-shirt spelling fuck you in sign language and a pair of jeans. She needs money fast and doesn't want to break and enter, so she's found herself going back to a place she hasn't gone since she died. An underground arena. She's been here before, but not in the last year. A few people in the crowd still recognize her (a skinny girl who can fight that hard stands out) and she blows air kisses at them as she makes her way to the ring.
"S'up, tallass?"
Gallowglass gives Rena a casual appraisal; it seems earnest, without skepticism or surprise. It's always the scrappy ones that'll fuck you up. He saunters to his side of the ring, reaching one big hand over his shoulder to pull his shirt off in a single motion. Tosses it aside, rolling his shoulders. "Gettin' paid. How about you, fun-size?"
"I hope you don't want me to take my shirt off. I'm not getting paid enough to show all these guys my tits," Rena says, the cockiest fucking smirk on her face, "in it for money too. When I kick your ass, I'm going to buy my sibling something rad. I'll put your name on the card, if you want."
Gallowglass flexes his arms, his hands, fingers; he slowly works through stretching out, jumping in place, getting loose and limber. He doesn't respond to Rena's trash talk, content to let her talk while he prepares.
"Not even going to dignify my shit talking with a response? Low blow, Andre. Normally I'm pissin' people off enough that they at least try to show me how above it they are," Rena snarks. She's bouncing in place too, but it's hard to tell if that's to warm up or just to get energy out. "You won't take it easy on me 'cause I'm a girl, will ya? You strike me as the type who'd put his coat on a puddle so his girlfriend could walk across it and stay dry."
Jude tilts his head from one side to the other, regarding Rena with a patient expression. "Heard it all before, Mouthy Spice. When you're done earnin' your merit badge in trash-talk, let's get to business."
"That's what I'm talking about! Tell me how above it you are. How I'm not getting in your head right now. I fuckin' love hearing that," Rena says, grinning like a predator.
As he moves towards her, with lightning fast speed, she whips into a punch.
Rena is fast. Her opponent is just as fast, her quick punch to the underside of his chin resulting in her nearly getting caught. She moves to the side, her smile faltering. "Fuck. You're good."
"Lesse how you like a straight up punch, Rocky," she says, throwing a bunch of quick punches. For as hard as that last punch was, she seems to throw a lot of light punches instead of some seriously heavy ones, almost like she's not used to being strong.
Gallowglass advances on the murder princess, again just barreling straight for her. And somehow, she skitters right out of his efforts! He squints at her, brow furrowing, and proceeds to talk his own trash. "..Huh. Now we're talkin'". His tone is absolutely one of admiration.
"Yo, Jolly Green! Watch my hands, because they're going straight to your solar plexus," Rena says, darting around, doing her best to make it hard to follow, especially if someone is trying to focus on her hands.
Rena doesn't go for said plexus punch but instead a sharp knee to the crotch. Unfortunately for her, her opponent is ready for it and instead of it being a damaging blow to the danglies, it's a solid leg blow.
Gallowglass is giving her a suspicious look by now - and then suddenly, his expression clears. Comprehension dawns. Myra had told Gallowglass there were more like her - obviously, Rena is a Mage like Myra. "You're a goddamn delight," he informs Rena, and it sounds like genuine praise. The grin on his face doesn't hurt either.
"Flirtin' won't stop these hands, Big Show," Rena says, continuing to dance around. "I'm going to put my knee right into your balls this time."
Rena's blow is pretty well telegraphed this time, since Gallow's started to get a hang on how she moves. This time she throws a punch to his chest that doesn't hit as hard as she'd like. "Fuck are you made of, concrete? Feels like I'm slapping raw meat over here."
"I get that a lot." He gives her a dirty smirk, clearly enjoying himself regardless of the situation.
"Fucking hell. How are you smirking now and not when we were trash talkin'?" says an obviously frustrated Rena. This is why she stopped doing these. Too many rules and regulations keeping her from just going ape. If she had her knife this would have been over eons ago. "Okay, Hercules, I'm going to hit you right in the forehead this time."
One more punch to his midsection with a growl. "Go down already. Jesus Christ!"
"I only go down if you ask nicely," he drawls, going through the motions of attempting to grab the lil' quicksilver again. "Thought you wanted to fight. Not dance. Didn't even buy me dinner first."
As she ducks and weaves past him, she puts little glancing blows on him. "I don't go on dates with guys, sorry."
"I apologize for making assumptions about your sexuality," he replies, rolling his shoulders. "That was really rude of me in talkin' trash."
"Oh come on, don't go easy on me because I like ladies. Fuckin' hell!" Rena shouts, frustrated as all get out.
He doesn't respond, except to brush his fingers against her shirt as she again remains out of reach.
"Don't worry, you don't gotta say anything. Fact, I'll put your ass to sleep for ya." Rena says, straight up throwing a large punch. No tricks, no stunts, just big ol' punches.
He takes the hits, and yeah, he sags over it. One eye is swollen shut; the other is heading that way. Florid bruises and raw spots are apparent even on dark skin. "Just do it," he mutters, spitting blood to one side. "Anythin' t'not have to hear you fuckin' talk anymore."
He swings wildly to try and grab her, but no dice.
"Well, Mr. Taker, I do declare that that is mighty rude of you to say," she says in a faux southern belle voice before switching to her normal voice to say, "surrender or I'll knock your block off."
He clears his mouth with his tongue and spits blood to one side again, swaying. "Fuck you. Put up or shut up. I don't surrender."
"Suit yourself, Hulk. Just don't sue. I ain't got the money."
True to her word, she knocks his block off. Gallowglass' head snaps back with a particularly vicious punch, and he hits the dirt in a heap of unconscious big dude.
Rena's breath doesn't get heavy (because she doesn't breath) but she rests herself on the ropes regardless. "Fuckin' hell." She squats down to look at Gallowglass, using her vamp senses to see if his heart is still beating.
He's breathing, certainly still alive. Just knocked the fuck out!
"Fuck. That is going to hurt in the morning. Almost feel bad. Someone help me move him!" She might be able to lift Gallow, but she doesn't want people to see that happen. She goes to collect her prize money and some ice and sits down next to Gallow waiting for him to come to.
Gallowglass is out cold for at least fifteen minutes; not a sound, just even breathing. At the fifteen minute mark, he can at least groan a little. "How much didja make?" He asks Rena, opening his good eye.
"Not as much as I'm worth," Rena says, a wry smile on her face, "Seriously though, normally I flatten people with my hits when I catch 'em off guard. You're fucking good at figuring out where people are goin'. You had formal trainin'?"
"You're good," he replies, and it sounds genuine. "You could do a lot better'n this shithole." He chuckles a little, a raspy sort of rattle. "Naw, not really. Been locked up for a fair amount'a my life, s'the only trainin' I got."
"This shithole's the one that takes a piece a shit like me. No job, no skills, no money and no home. UFC doesn't like that. Specially since I'd fail every drug test ever. You use at all?" Rena says, hopping up to sit on the same table he's lying down on
"You sound like my sister," he replies, prodding at his shiner with a blocky finger. "Naw. Used to. I been clean for..." He sucks at his lower lip, calculating. "Probably...six or seven years now, I'd say. Off everythin'."
"I'll keep my stuff to myself then," Rena sniffs, "you gonna be okay? Or you need to go to the hospital?"
"No hospital," he replies quickly - emphatic, but not harsh. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Been in worse shape than this."
His reaction seems slightly panicked; that "oh shit no" sort of visceral response from people who know that there's nothing but trouble waiting for them at the hospital.
Rena lets out a long sigh. "I get it, we all have shit we're running from. I'm probably still in a missing kid database somewhere. 'M Rena, you?"
Rena. Rena. Why does that name sound familiar? Does it sound familiar? "Jude. Most people 'round here know me as Gallowglass. Or Gal." He taps the side of his nose with one finger. "I know Myra. You know Myra?"
"Hey, Jude," Rena says with such a perfectly straight, innocent face that it's unclear if she's even making the reference or not, "Who the fuck is Myra? Do you have me mixed up with another 6 foot blue haired skinny boxer?"
"Oh. Uh...nobody," he says, shaking his head. "Just...had a hunch, I been wrong before." He gives her a smirk at the reference. "Ain't never heard that one before, half-pint."
"You aren't even that much taller than me," Rena says, grumpily, "Get my sibling in here, they're a squirt. But I'm tall. You're just a fucking enormous freak. King Kong but mildly less hairy."
He snerks, prodding at his nose with a wince. "Worth it. S'why I like teasin' you; bet not many can rib you about your height. Your sibling come t'watch you fight?"
"Nah, don't want them to know I'm doing this. I'm trying to look legitimate these days. Or at least like less of a fuckin' mess. And getting into fights for money doesn't 'xactly look like I'm a citizen," Rena says, sighing. "Your sister here?"
"Oh, I don't really got a sister," he waves a hand. "All I meant was that your situation sounds real familiar, that's all. I mean, we all got it different, but there's patterns. Oh, and I wasn't takin' it easy on you because you're a girl or a lesbian," he points out, as if he's just remembered it. "I'm woke as fuck. Happy Pride."
"Don't worry. I know you weren't takin' it easy. Otherwise you'd probably have surrendered and not taken as long to drop. Happy Pride. Next month is Gay Wrath and I'm lookin' forward to that. You queer?" Rena asks, smile back on her face.
"I never surrender," he repeats, but without any real heat. Gay wrath," he echoes, laughing in earnest. "I like that. Yeah, s'pose I am."
"Nice, nice. Pronouns?" Rena asks, kicking up her legs. "Also maybe you should surrender sometimes. Sometimes there are things out there that don't stop at beatin' the crap out of you."
He cocks a brow, giving her an appraising side-eye. "He/him." he tilts his face back to the ceiling, staring up at it. "It ain't in me t'surrender. How d'you know I ain't one'a those things?"
"You wouldn't a lost," Rena says, leaving the "bitch" only implied.
He snorts. "There's always somethin' bigger, badder, and worse. Even when it comes in th'shape of a six-foot girl with blue hair. I ain't gotta strut my pride around; I know what I'm capable of. Th'minute I brag about bein' th'best, bein' untouchable, that's when I ain't got any power. That pride, that power - it can be taken away." He snaps his fingers. "That fast." He shifts to get comfortable, folding his hands beneath his head. "Trust me. I know all about what's out there."
"Weren't you just saying not to say you know everything?" Rena snorts. For a second, she's about to give Gal a playful shoulder shove but she remembers that he's probably too sore for that. "But hey, if you know shit, tell me shit. I've been learnin' about all sorta weird stuff lately."
He opens his mouth and closes it again with a pop, brows lifting. "..Huh. Yeah, I did. Pretend I didn't contradict myself, I work hard on soundin' wise." He does reach out though, giving her shoulder a playful shove. "I can't," he adds, tone resigned. "Weirdos are all kinds of secretive and shit. You gotta know th'secret handshake. What kinda weird stuff you dig up?" He eyes Rena curiously.
"'Parently fucking wizards exist," Rena says, "sounds crazy, I know. But they do."
"I know, right?!" Gallowglass shares this with half surprise, half relief - finally, someone gets it. He issues this reply with a sort of hissing-shout, keeping his voice down to keep their conversation private.
Rena is overjoyed that someone finally understands how insane it is that wizards are fucking real. "Okay, okay, okay. Do you know if werewolves, aliens or frankensteins are real?"
"No, do you!? I haven't met any of those yet. I didn't even think about Frankenstein's monster kickin' around." he whistles, eyes wide. "I thought you were a wizard," he adds, snickering.
"No! I've been trying to ask people about those and no one is giving me a straight answer! And ew, do I look like that much of a nerd?" Rena says, sticking her tongue out.
He shakes his head, lowering his voice again. "No, but I think I'm pretty strong and you cleaned my clock, kid. Wasn't sure if you've got the magic or somethin'."
"I ain't normal but I'm not a wizard either. If I was, I'd be out changin' the world instead of fighting for less money than I'd make going straight. Er, legit, I'm never going straight. Too gay." Rena lets out a long sigh. "I talked with one once and she said that they had the power to fix the world but don't. That's some real horseshit. If I ever get to Hogwarts or whatever, I'm going to fix the world. But I don't know if they let people like me join."
He props up on his elbows, peering at her curiously. "Th'fuck you mean? They could fix th' world? Like...all of it?"
"'s what it sounded like. She made it sound like they could do anything but they sat on their asses debating whether or not they should do something. She made it sound like bringin' back the dead was possible even," Rena says, trying very hard to not be utterly furious.
Gallowglass sits in silence a moment, processing that. "....Well that's fucked up," he decides, his tone heated. "I don't..get...why wouldn't you do everythin' you can t'make..." he gestures widely. "Fuck, t'make this shit better?"
"Yeah, exactly. Any world that creates someone like me ain't one that ought to be allowed to stick around. I'd burn it down if I fucking could," Rena says, more tired than angry, "Wizards are cunts. And not the good kind neither."
He studies her a moment, lips pressed together; he nods once. "Creates somethin' like you..?"
"Yeah, a girl who has to leave the fucking state at 16 to live in on the street, which is still somehow the best place she's ever been. I don't know what the fuck you're on about. Everything else 'bout me is great," Rena says, ending with a cocky grin.
He laughs a little, letting it slide away. He does nod, though, expression turning pensive. "Straights don't get that part," he notes. "That when we're on th'street, sometimes that's the best place some of us have been. Funny, I was just talkin' with someone about that th'other night."
"Wasn't even a gay thing but I doubt it'd a helped if they knew. But I'm too sober to tell a guy I fought about all my traumas. That's what you do on your third punch date with someone, not the first," Rena says, her smile not faltering the entire time. Emotions? Who has those? Not Rena, that's for sure.
"Right, right," he concedes, fighting a grin; he opens one eye to look at her. "I got my punch-drunk love rules all outta order, sorry. Got my bell rung not long ago. Oh - no, I meant squares, not straights. S'your fault, I ain't even that sharp on all four cylinders."
"Can I get your advice on somethin'? Assuming I didn't turn your brain into mashed potatoes," Rena asks, her smile looking more and more forced.
"I'm probably at tater tot status still; fire away," he tells Rena, studying her expression.
"What should I get them? My sibling, I mean. What says, 'hey I'm sorry I dropped off the face of the fucking earth for a year and you thought I was dead in a ditch somewhere, please forgive me'?" Rena says, pointing at the manila envelope of cash she's holding.
He takes a deep breath, silent for a moment while he fumbles for some kind of response. "What's somethin' you love best about 'em?"
Rena cracks a small earnest smile. "I like a lotta shit about them. But best? Prolly either how tough they are or how kind they are. Cause they're tough enough to survive out there without needin' to beat the shit outta people and to deal with all sorts of crap without collapsin'. But at the same time they've always been better to me than I deserve. They're just, I dunno, genuinely accepting. They care. Fuck, I can't believe I survived not seeing them for a year."
Gallowglass nods slowly, rubbing a hand over his jaw; with a small groan, he eases up into a sitting position. "When I wanna show someone I care, or I'm thinkin' of 'em, I either get 'em somethin' I know they care about, or I plan a...event? Something t'do with them that I know they enjoy, that I can share with 'em. Like...I had this..friend. She was strugglin', and as a result, she wasn't playin' music anymore. And she loved her music. So I set up one day to sit with her while she played, and...I think it helped a lot," he murmurs, rubbing his hands together idly.
"You and this friend bonin' down or is she your ex?" Rena says, decorously as ever, "But yeah, an event's a good idea."
He snorts. "We're friends. Yeah, maybe give that a try. Shows you care about them and their interests."
"Try bonin' them? You're nasty, Jude," Rena says, keeping a straight face for all of two seconds, before melting into loud boisterous laughter. "Goddamn. Good plan though. We make a better team than we do opponents, I think."
"Good, 'cuz I sure as shit ain't fightin' you again," he retorts, but it's chase with a healthy belly laugh.
"I wouldn't wanna fight you again either, unless I either got to go all out or you got a lot dumber." Rena stops for a second. "You should learn how to trick people like I do. It's easier to hit people hard if they don't know you're comin'."
"Usually, I do trick them," he laughs, reaching out to tweak her nose! "But I also know someone I can practice with, now. You gotta phone?"
"Of course I do," Rena says, pulling out an improbably immaculate iphone 4. "Gimme your number, I'll text you."
He rattles off his number to her, drawing his t-shirt over his head as he does. He's definitely perking up by now.
|