Four years ago

Despite her mother’s pleas, Dorothy persisted in walking home from school alone. Though her mother and father were hesitant to let her do so at her age, constantly warning her about the dangers girls like her could face and how as she came of age, it was becoming more vital for her to be careful. She had, however, earned their trust throughout the years to continue to do so without much complaint or worry from either of them. Unfortunately, now it was time to betray it.

Dorothy felt a fear rise through her body like a geyser preparing to burst as she approached the harbor, despite the fact she was fully prepared with a bag full of essentials. Gloves, change of clothes, water, ect. It felt like she may as well be walking into a dragon's lair without a torch or sword, yet, that was what enticed her into martial arts.

The young woman stood at the entrance of the gym, letting the salty smell of the ocean fill her lungs as she built up the courage to enter. Yet, she couldn't find that courage, she only stood there like a plank of wood, staring at the pair of doors that led into the gym. Dorothy, what are you doing? Just walk in, how is that hard? The black-haired girl gasped and jumped as the doors came flying open, she fled to the side, holding on to the banister placed against the stairs that led up to the door. She watched as two giant men left the gym, they had to be nearly twice as tall as her, with biceps as big as her head, and with a smell of sweat that frankly, made her disgusted. Thank god they didn't see me. Thought Dorothy with a meek expression across her face.

She quickly took this opportunity to throw away her fear, one quick move was all it took to dismiss her anxiety, as the tall girl slid into the gym while the doors were still open, promptly closing behind her as she stood within the expansive gym.

The sound of iron being hauled and dropped through the gym filled her ears, clanking in all different directions. She would have found it distracting, if it weren't for the stench of salty sweat hitting her nose. She had no idea that the smell of salt could smell pleasant from an ocean, yet horrible at the same when combined with bodily fluids. The raven-haired teen felt a blush creep onto her face as she realized she must have been the only female within the building.

Dorothy steeled herself and forgot about that, weights weren’t what she was interested in, she came here to fight, and she put a scowl on her face that would hopefully show that.

“You lost!?” shouted a voice from Dorothy’s side, she snapped towards to see it was a man at the counter, leaning over with a perturbed look across his face. He didn’t look like a complete meathead like the other men here, but he did have an air of arrogance that Dorothy hated about most men.

“No,” said Dorothy as firmly as she could despite her nervousness.

“Okay? Well…can I help you?” he said, trailing his words slightly from his confusion.

“Yes,” Dorothy said walking up to the counter, trying to be as confident as she could, despite her inner voice panicking as she felt completely out of place. “I’m here to join the kickboxing club!” she said a bit too loudly. The young man smirked, as if he were trying to hold back a laugh.

“What’s so funny?” asked Dorothy with a slightly insulted tone.

“You know we can’t let girls sign up for kickboxing right?” answered the man.

“Why?” pressed Dorothy.

“It's too dangerous for girls, and besides, no one there will take a girl seriously, It's for your own safety at the end of the day,” Dorothy felt an anger rise within her, she hated being told what to do, especially when adults looked down upon her, regardless if she was right or wrong. She walked up as close as she could to the counter, as he leaned across the counter, repeating a mantra within her head to maintain eye contact with him as she furrowed her brow.

“Can’t? Or won't?” said Dorothy as she brought her voice down but tried to remain threatening. “I didn’t read a single rule saying you couldn’t on the poster outside. So don’t spout shit and do your job,” Dorothy quickly threw down the necessary admission fee on the table, the coins rattling on the table slightly as she tried to keep herself from panicking that she just swore to an adult. The man didn't seem threatened whatsoever though, but instead gave her an uncaring look, coupled with a small smirk, as if he were entertained by her grandiose effort.

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“Fine,” he said as he picked the money from the counter and grabbed a pen, “Name?” he asked firmly.

“D-Dorothy!” stammered the young woman, surprised that she was able to get through to him but still trying to keep her shroud of confidence.

“Kickboxing is straight ahead and down the stairs, don’t come running crying out though, I’ll be the last one to care,” he said as he waved her off, not even giving her another look. Dorothy quickly made for where she was told, shimmying and sidling through the gym equipment until she reached the aforementioned stairs.

The sound of the iron behind her slowly disappeared as she descended the stairs that may as well have been led to hell itself, the sounds slowly being replaced by quick yells of men and impacts of leather striking one another. She began to feel that same fear she felt outside the gym again as she hauled her bag, but she already made it into the gym, the hard part was already done, and she was not going to let that man at the counter see her just walk out.

What awaited her surpassed any expectation she had immediately. Groups of men of all ages looked to be stuck within trances of combat. Some were unleashing fury on a punching bag, treating the bag as if it were an invader in their own home. Some were resting, out of breath from whatever they had endured previously, and some were fighting one another, taking part in a dance that looked almost untrackable to the eye, and Dorothy loved it all. That was, until every sound disappeared, until all eyes fell on her, as each of the men’s trances was broken.

It felt like suddenly the weight of the world had been placed on her, she felt this pressing stress on her that made it impossible for her to move. Still, she got this far, she didn’t have much to lose by not acting like herself anymore.

“What are you all looking at?!” she yelled, as she placed her terrified face in the back of her mind, replacing it with one she hoped would intimidate those who wanted to single her out for being a girl. It didn’t work.

The basement erupted in laughter, sweaty half-clothed men who Dorothy would have otherwise turned her nose at mocked her on the very spot she stood. Dorothy wished a hole would appear under her and take her out of this horrible position she had put herself in, but despite this, she placed a good poker face on herself, as she was soon approached by an older, bald-headed man.

“You here to pick someone up?” he said with a smirk, The man was nothing more than a giant, yet, his muscles had the look of a panther, an agile flexible beast, yet ones that could perform at the level required to wrestle a bear. Dorothy began to feel that same blush creep onto her face, signaling it was time she stopped staring.

“N-no, I’m here to train!?” She said, slightly unsure of herself. The whole basement of young men erupted in laughter once again, and Dorothy was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her unbothered front strong while she felt another blush creep onto her face, this time out of embarrassment. The far taller man leaned into her amidst the roar of laughter and took on a more serious tone.

“Are you sure? You’re not being put up a dare or something hm?” asked the older man, suddenly appearing much more caring and kind.

“I-I’m sure,” she confirmed shyly with a quick nod. The older man gave her a look that said: “if you must,”. He patted her on the shoulder firmly to the point it staggered her slightly, and turned away as he walked through the crowd of men.

“Alright then!” he yelled to everyone. “We have a new member joining us today boys, she may be a lady but she is one of us today, so I want you all to treat her as such! Is that clear!?”

“Yes coach!” they all shouted in unison, filling the room completely and disregarding whatever jokes they had before.

“Now, can the lovely lady please introduce herself?!” he shouted towards her, the way he spoke was similar to that of a presenter or an actor, Dorothy had to admit she was captivated somewhat by his charisma.

“D-Dorothy,” she said.

“I said! What is your name!” he yelled right after she spoke.

“Dorothy!” she shouted

“Do you have wax in your ear, you raven-haired devil?! What is your name!” he yelled, practically screaming at this point.

“Dorothy!” she yelled as loud as her little voice would let her.

“Dorothy! Lovely name! Right everyone, as you were! Dorothy! You're with me!” he said with his voice returning from its threatening tone, waving her over to him. She could hardly keep up with the ever-changing attitudes the coach presented, he was like an ever-changing storm that couldn't be predicted or influenced.

Nonetheless, she followed the coach to a spare spot lined with mats, she placed her bag down and began rummaging around for her gloves. She quickly pulled out a pair of black leather gloves, ones that lined the first, rather than giving it a big bulky cushion. Admittedly, Dorothy knew she would be better off with the ones with padding and not something that was a glorified leather glove, but in the end, she found the latter too cute to pass up.

“And you've brought your own gloves too! you're already my favorite student. Oh and I'm Mike but you will call me coach, is that clear?!

“Yes,” Dorothy said sheepishly, unable to match the coach's energy.

“Is that clear!” he said, raising his voice once again.

“Y-yes coach!”

“Better, now! Have you taken any lessons before this?”

“N-no,” she stammered out, slightly embarrassed.

“Not to worry, not to worry,” he said. “Now the first thing I want you to do is stand straight for me and don't move,” Dorothy did as she was told as the coach quickly slid around her.

“Uh ok-!” Dorothy squealed as she was harshly shoved to the ground, landing face-first on the soft, yet slick mats before she could even register what happened.

“Right you're an Orthodox, up then, we’ll start with some footwork,” What the hell is going on?! Dorothy said to herself in her panicked head, as she wondered if she made a mistake placing herself in the rollercoaster she now found herself locked in.