#dimicatio

[waeziverse]

Royal Punch (chapter 19)

Dimi was still locked inside the ruined office, trying to break the planks that covered the windows with one of the legs from a broken chair. It did not work and only resulted in her sore hands feeling worse. Dimi threw the piece of wood at the floor and made an angry almost animal-like growl. She scowled at the window as blood still dripped from her head wound and greased her eye. Even if she could somehow remove the wood that blocked the window then it was unlikely she could squeeze herself through it or at least not in a way that wouldn’t result in her getting hurt. But the only other way out of the damn room was through the door and that was locked most likely guarded. It wasn’t like whatever goon who worked for Veronica would just open it for Dimi.

Dimi sighed. She took a glance at the bookshelves in the office. Then she began to pull them and move them around as well as she could. Because she realized that Veronica’s goons WOULD open up the door for her.

***

The parrot-harpy known as Sweeper had just gotten a massive cut on her face as the bison-type minotaur Claressa had rubbed her in the face with the laces from her boxing gloves. This furiated Sweeper who then dug her talons into the leg of her opponents, making the ox-girl’s leg worse for wear.

Veronica clapped while the rest of the creatures around the rind roared in approval. She adjusted her sunglasses while while watching Sweeper and Claressa being separated by the referee as well as their corner guys since the two pugilists kept battering each other despite the bell signaling the end of round three.

It had been a good night so far. Everyone in the room had witnessed one slugfest after another, Veronica knew she had made a lot of money tonight. But as her snake hair started to hiss, she turned her head to see that Corny the Goblin had just appeared in a puff of smoke. “Boss, we got a problem. Some bull knocked Gon’s lights out and he looks like trouble.”

Veronica groaned. “Lousy wolf. Alright, Mez and Goz. Go get the... wait.” Veronica adjusted her glasses. “This minotaur... he has a broken horn?”

“Yes, boss.”

Veronica couldn’t help but make a goofy grin. The night was gonna be much better than she had hoped for. “Is this my birthday? I expected him here at least tomorrow! Mez, Goz... Take a hike. My guest are gonna need your seats.” The two onis stood up and were about to leave. “Oh and Goz!” The blue oni turned around. “You better get changed. Ivan is here and you are gonna break him in half.”

Goz made a grim grin and nodded before leaving.

The diverse group of creatures who stood up to watch the fight inside the ring all parted to make way for a very angry looking minotaur with one of his horns being broken. Few wanted to mess with minotaurs, and no one was gonna be in the way of this particularly angry looking and broad shouldered one. There were murder in his eyes as he was looking for the creature that had ignited his rage. Behind him was some sort of foreign creature with traits of a lion and wings on her back. She snarled as her eyes turned left and right while her unsheathed claws were practically itching after tearing in something.

Veronica had the same effect on the spectators as Ivan had as they twitched when she stood up from her seat and waved at Ivan.

“Ivan! Sweetheart!” Veronica smirked while her hair aggressively hissed at the minotaur. “This is nice! Your human pet told me you wouldn’t get home till tomorrow.”

“Say the word, Ivan.” Aura narrowed her eyes as she she stepped to Ivan’s left side. Her tail was swinging in an aggressive manner as she cracked he knuckles. “Say the word and I will tear up this whole joint!”

“You will do no such thing, sweet cheeks. Sit.” Veronica pointed at the empty seats next to her.

“Where is Dimi?” Ivan glared at Veronica while he tightened his fists so hard that his fingernails were practically digging into his flesh. He did his best not to explode as he knew that one wrong angry word could be fatal for Dimi.

“I said sit.” Veronica pointed toward the the two empty seats one more.

Ivan did as he was told. Auraraised an eyebrow at her husband who just nooded. She rolled her eyes as she sat down.

“What have you done with her?” Ivan asked, his hands itching after getting around Veronica’s neck.

“Me? I ain’t done nothin’! You little human pet though? WOW! You should have seen her in the ring tonight.” Veronica made a nod toward the ring where the harpy and minotaur were at hard work rearranging each other’s faces. “She was vicious! I was surprised she let the other guy live. Or I assume he is. Damn ugly fight, I tell ya. Ugly!” She patted Ivan on the shoulder. “And she came all by herself. That’s why you are here and not the city guard, right? You know the penalty for participating in these events.”

Ivan’s nostrils expended. “Where is she?”

Veronica shook her head. “Wrong question, baby.”

“Is she okay?”

Veronica clicked her tongue. “Wrong again.”

Ivan closed his eyes and sighed. “Okay... What do you want?”

“Finally! Right question.” Veronica patted Ivan on the shoulder once more, as if he was a kid she had assisted with doing homework. “See, I thought you would arrive tomorrow and I had make all sorts of arrangements. But since you are here now, I can save time and resources on advertising your return and instead let you be an extra surprise for my fine customers.”

“You want me to fight?”

“No, I want you to sell nuts and snacks to the audience.” Veronica snickered. “Yeah, I want you to fight, you big beef. I want you to step inside that ring over there as soon as those two are done.” Veronica turned to look at the fight. Sweeper was practically toying with Claressa who was unable to defend herself after her arm had been broken. “Hmm, shouldn’t take long, so you have to make up your mind quickly, honey.”

“And if I win, you will let Dimi go?”

“What?!” Aura looked at Ivan with disbelieve in her eyes.

“Sure thing, beefcake. And you don’t have to worry about gloves or nuthin’, I feel in a nostalgic mood for some bloody knuckles.”

“And if I lose?”

Veronica tilted her head as she made a broad grin that made Aura uncomfortable, even slightly startled. “I don’t think I can do nothin’ to you if you lose. Nobody can. You dig?”

Ivan shallowed. “Okay. Deal.”

“Then take your shirt off and wait for when I call you up to fight. By the way, see that big blue bastard over there?” Veronica pointed toward the big blue oni who was half naked and gave Ivan an almost hungry glare. “That’s my boy Goz. He’s the one who’s gonna make sausages out of ya. Excuse me.” Veronica stood up and left Ivan and Aura to talk to Goz.

Aura who looked at him with disbelieve. “What the hell, Ivan?!” She elbowed him and slapped him on the back of the head with one of her wings. “Why not let me go monster on her ass? Tear that stupid smug smile off her face?”

“I have three good reasons to agreeing to play ball with her.”

Aura rolled her eyes. “Only three?”

“First off all, I know you could turn this whole place into a pile of broken bricks and wood stumps, but we are outnumbered. Second, this is the best way to make sure Dimi won’t get hurt.”

“IF that slimy snake can be trusted.” She looked past Ivan’s shoulder to see Veronica step inside the ring while the minotaur girl was being carried out of said ring. “And the third?”

“Well...” Ivan took a glance at the blue oni with a massive bulky body. He then looked at Aura and smirked. “Are you telling me that I can’t take that punk?”

Aura blinked twice. Then she snorted and made a small laugh. “Knock his god damn block off!”

***

The satyr twins Angel and Ben tapped the floor with their hooves impatiently.

“This blows.” Ben picked his nostril. “I can hear the fights next door and we are wasting our times keeping an eye on a human who has already been beat up.”

“The boss lady says she is important.” Angel spit out some loose-leaf chewing tobacco as she leaned against the door. Her horns scratched the wood. “But yeah, when Biff said he could get us a job, join a real gang, I had hoped-”

They heard the sound of glass shattering.

“What th-” Ben opened the door. He saw a hole in the window and and a tumbled over bookshelf that had been the reason for the broken window. But most importantly, he saw no human girl. “Shit! Angel, the human escaped!”

Angel looked at the window. Then she smacked Ben in the back of his head. “Moron, that hole is too small for that! Unless you think she can shrink.”

“I mean, maybe she can?” Ben looked terrified as he shrugged. “Humans can do all sorts of magic BS, right? And I can’t see her.”

“She is probably hiding, dummy.” She slapped him again. Go in and look for her, I will guard the door.”

Ben did as he was told. But as the young satyr entered the room, an arm came that had been hiding behind the now open door and grabbed Ben by the horn and pulled him away from Angel’s sight. Angel heard a heavy thud and a groan from her twin brother.

“Hey! Come out here you-” Angel realized too late she had made a mistake as she entered the room and had a massive bookshelf fall on her.

Dimi loosened her arms she had locked around Ben’s neck and let him drop to the floor as he groaned. She checked that Angel was barely conscious as she was trapped under the heavy piece of furniture. She waited to see if anyone else would come, but she had apparently been so lucky that Veronica had thought two guards would be enough.

“Shit, that hurts...” Dimi nudged her sore hand. She was still in no condition to fight, but she had to get out of this damn place.

As Dimi stepped out of the room to try and see where the heck she were and how to get home, she noticed someone at the end of the hallway she had just stepped into.

“What’s going on, I heard a- HEY!” It was an eagle-styled harpy in a sleeve-less blouse. She was apparently part of security and she held a lease. At the other end of the lease was a three-headed monster. It looked like a hound from hell. It was twice as big as a normal dog, had dark-brown fur and six red eyes. It growled and bared its razor sharp teeth. “I don’t know who you are or what you are doing here, human!” The harpy yelled. “But you are not allowed here. BITE!”

The harpy let go of the lease as the cerberus leapt toward Dimi, snarling and drooling.

***

Nora had managed to crawl up and sit on a wooden beam below the roof of the building. She had her bow in one hand and a quiver on her back filled with arrows. She unfortunately had not had time to enchant them. She looked down toward the arena where Ivan and Ivan stood, waiting to see if there would be trouble.

She saw that Ivan had taken off his shirt and Aura split the ropes of the rings to help him inside it. Aura blinked. “What kind of macho BS have you agreed to, Ivan? God, you suck...” 

Veronica stood in the middle of the ring next to the referee. She held a megaphone and smiled satisfied. “That’s right! No reason to leave just yet! We have us a surprise matchup tonight! And, for your entertainment, they will duke it out with their bare hands! And EVERYTHING GOES THIS TIME!”

The audience approved loudly.

“In the blue corner, we have a former pugilist of a higher degree! He was contender of the year, has fought professionally as well as duked it out in the blood-stained world of underground boxing! Heck, this bull has been in jail! They call him HAMMERHAND IVAN!”

The spectators cheered, few because they recognized the mostly obscure former boxer, most because a huge minotaur with a broken horn had stepped inside the ring, that was always promising. Ivan acknowledged the crowd with a nod, then rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck

“And in the red corner we have an orca from the East! He-” Ivan didn’t really listen to anything Veronica said as he studied his opponent in the other end of the fight ring. The big blue oni stood on the lowest ropes and raised his fists in the air with his back against Ivan’s direction. After a quick scan of the naked over body of the big fella, Ivan could spot some scars. But they were few and they were old. But he could also see on his knuckles that they were used quite often. Meaning he was often in fights but rarely got hurt. Either because he was an excellent hand-to-hand fighter... or more likely, he hadn’t been in a fight where it was fair for the other guy. Veronica kept on. “- skin often more red than blue, they call him GOZ!”

Goz turned toward Ivan and cracked his knuckles. Veronica stepped out of the ring while Goz’s brother split the ropes for her.

“Hold on, I have a question.” Ivan said to Veronica. The gorgon turned her attention to him and leaned against the ropes of the ring. “You said that anything goes in this fight?”

“Sure.” Veronica took a seat at ringside. “Do whatever. Just keep everyone entertained.”

“Good.” Ivan raised his voice so he was sure Goz could hear him loud and clear. “Good to know that I can go for the SOFT PARTS!”

Goz lost his confident expression for a second and blinked nervously.

The spectators clapped and awaited the fight to start. Veronica cut the end of a extra special cigar she had saved for a special occasion. She held the unlit stogie up to her nose and enjoyed the sent of fresh tobacco, leather, wood, cinnamon and salted peanut.

She enjoyed the delicious smoke as well as the sweet revenge. She had a front seat as she would watch Ivan’s brain and face be turned into mashed potatoes. And she didn’t even have to spend a single coin on it, she would even make a profit from the bets on the fight. Ivan was past his prime and Goz was young and in great shape, he couldn’t possibly win. And even if he did win and somehow didn’t get permanent brain damage, then Veronica still knew where he lived as well as his family. She owned his ass. There was nothing he could do to ruin that for her.

Or so Veronica assumed.

The room practically exploded as the bell started the fight. Veronica was about to place her cigar between her teeth...

... but then her cigar dropped to the floor as Goz fell to the canvas.

The entire room went silent. The fight had lasted less than half a minute.

Ivan looked down at the oni who coughed and groaned. Ivan had always been surprised by how few realized that it was the throat, not the crotch, that was the most vulnerable part of most creature bodies.

Aura couldn’t help it but laugh.

Ivan nudged his fist. “Man, that’s gonna smart. Welp, glad that’s over with.” He smiled as he waved at the dumbfounded spectators. “Well, show’s over, everyone. Get home safe.” He then bend down to get through the ropes and join Aura.

Once again, the room practically exploded. Not from cheers, but from yelling and boos.

“WHAT THE HELLS WAS THAT?!“

“THAT WAS RIGGED!“

“THAT WAS NOT A FIGHT!”

“I WANT MY MONEY BACK!” 

Veronica looked horrified as her customers started a riot, kicking chairs and pushing her staff who tried to keep them calm.

See, the problem with running a business the way Veronica does is that you have to keep your customers happy. If they are not... well, calling the authorities is not an option.

She was shocked... then she was pissed. “HEY!” she yelled at Goz who leaned against a corner of the ring while nudging his head and throat. “Get up you fat loser! Go kick his ass!”

Goz didn’t reply due to a mix of feeling dizza and having a swollen throat.

“Boss?” Mez the Oni looked at Veronica, then at the chaos around them as the security Veronica had hired were outnumbered ten to one by the angry mob of unsatisfied customers who threw and broke chairs. “Let me get you out of here-”

“No.” Veronica grind her teeth as all of her snake heads hissed aggressively. “No, go find Gon, tell him to do his damn job.” As the red oni left to find the bouncer, Veronica took off her shades.

***

“Ouch! Stop! Mercy!”

“What the heck?!” The eagle harpy was confused as she watched her guard-dog cerberus not only NOT attacking Dimi, it licked her.

“Ouch, easy now! I’m not in my best shape.” Dimi giggled as all three heads of the monster-dog used their tongues to kiss her. She nuzzled the ear of the head to the left while scratching the beast’s back. “But you are a good girl, aren’t you?” Dimi kissed the middle head. “Yes, you are! Oh, yes you are!”

“Dumb mutt, I paid good money for you!” The harpy practically screeched. “You are not a pet, you are a killing machine! Now bite already!”

Dimi smirked as she patted the cerberus on the back. “You heard the lady. Bite.”

The eagle harpy could feel her heart jump up in her throat as her vicious three-headed guard dog started to bark at her.

***

The doorman Gon nudged his eye. Getting suckerpunched by that minotaur had resulted in him getting a black eye. “Son of a cow...” he mumbled for himself. “When I get my claws on him-”

“Gon!” Mez the Oni opened the door to the building filled with angry creatures. Gon almost got a bottle thrown in the head but managed to dodge. “Everyone are pissed. The boss tell you to do something about it!”

Mez gulped as Gon transformed before him and lept though the door and howled.

“Man...” Mez gulped. “Werewolves still gives me the creeps.”

***

“Well, that was kind of stupid.” Aura rolled her eyes. “Badass.. but stupid.”

“I ended the fight quickly.” Ivan got dressed again. “We made a deal so Veronica-”

“Veronica is royally pissed, Ivan. You think she is gonna keep her promise now that you made the place go crazy?”

Ivan opened his mouth. Then, closed it. “Um... she might?”

“I lost 200 coronets because of you- AARGH, MY LEG!” A satyr who was about to sneak up on Ivan to smash a bottle against the back of his head fell to the floor as an arrow penetrated his left leg.

“Your welcome.” Nora mumbled as she fetched a new arrow from her quiver, still sitting on a beam right below the roof.

Ivan and Aura noticed how creatures who were angry seconds before now ran toward the exit filled with fear. It was soon clear why as Veronica walked toward them. Her now exposed eyes glared at them as her eyes began to glow and the veins near her temples bulged. “You son of a bitch! What was that?!”

“A deal is a deal.” Ivan made sure to evade eye contact and instead looked at Veronica’s neck. “Now tell me where my... where Dimi is.”

“Oh, the deal is off, shit for brains!” All of Veronica’s snakes stretched as far as they could, itching to get their fangs into Ivan’s flesh. “You just cost me a fortune. You think you get to walk away from this? I’m gonna kill you now with my bare hands, should have done so from the start!”

“DON’T GET NEAR HIM, YOU BITCH!” Aura turned into her monster form, stepping in front of Ivan.

“Shit...” Nora mumbled as she pulled the string of her bow with an arrow. “Aura, move. I can’t get a clear shot.”

“Hey!”

Veronica made a very satisfied smile as Ivan and Aura turned their head to see the guy who guarded the door when they had arrived.

“Gon, about time you showed up.”

The room was almost empty now, most had fled in fear. Gon had that effect on creatures. Ivan’s eyes widened as he saw a monster on all four legs with fur as black as the night all over it’s enormous body All the hair on it’s black tail were spreading so it looked like he had a black cactus attached to his behind. It’s five red eyes glared at Ivan. “You! Minotaur! You think you get to suckerpunch me and get away with it!”

Ivan gulped. “Crap, you are the doorman, aren’t you? I just make so many smart decisions today.”

Gon the Werewolf answered the question by leaping toward Ivan, only to get tackled by Aura who roared as she dug her claws into the beast who was about the same size as her. Ivan was so confused, and Veronica jumped him, wrapping one arm around his thick neck while her legs got around his torso. Her limps were strong and flexible, Ivan felt as if he was being squeezed by a python as he tried to pull the gorgon off himself.

“Great!” Nora slapped her forehead. “Now I can’t shoot the evil snake woman without shooting Ivan. Perfect!” She instead took aim at Aura’s new opponent. The lion beast and wolf monstrosity were locked in mortal combat. Nora fired three arrows toward the back of the black werewolf.

It looked like three toothpicks had been stuck to his back.

Nora sighed. “Well, that did jack shit...”

***

Dimi and her new three-headed animal friend entered the room where the fights had taken place, hoping a match was being held so she could sneak unnoticed out.

The room however was practically empty as a completely different fight was taking place.

She spotted Ivan who slammed himself against a wall while Veronica had wrapped herself around him and dug her teeth and nails into his flesh. And she spotted Aura exchanging clawed slaps with a dog-monster even more scary-looking than her. But then she heard a whimpering and noticed that someone were hiding behind a desk that had been used for bar.

The whimpering was made by Sticky the Dwarf who had served as Dimi’s corner guy.

“YOU!” Dimi grabbing the dwarf by the collar of his clothes as he had noticed her too late to make a run for it. “You little bastard! You gave me bad instruction during my fight on purpose, didn’t you?!”

“Nothing personal, human!” Sticky blinked frantically Dimi lifted him him up and sat him on the desk as if he was a child she was about to berate. He noticed the cerberus that growled at it’s new friend’s object of wrath. “I just did what I was paid to do! I really have no beef with humans, I was against it when dwarves decided to join with the orcs, I never-”

He did not get to finish his load of BS as his nose was violently introduced to Dimi’s forehead. Sticky fell from the desk and landed on the floor as he groaned and tried to fix his bloody nose.

Dimi gave him a glare but decided she couldn’t waste more time on him. Her... family needed her and she had two thirds of an idea.

She got on her knee and ruffled the middle head of the monster dog. “You poor thing, all they did to you. Go to the forest, I have some friends there who will look after you until I find you a loving home.”

The cerberus ran away to do as it was told. Dimi stretched her very sore body as she was about to do what she should have done the moment she had seen Veronica’s carriage.

***

Nora aimed her last arrow at the back of the head of the werewolf Aura was fighting. The black beast buried his fangs in Aura’s shoulders as she made a roar of frustration and agony. “Shit, I made an oath to never take a life...” Nora narrowed her eyes as she prepared to fire an arrow to penetrate the skull of the werewolf. “Well, I’m technically not a healer anymore...”

But her moral dilemma didn’t matter much as three red eyes appeared on the back of the black monster and they looked directly at Nora. The short elf got so startled by this that she let go of the arrow that instead penetrated the werewolf’s left foot.

Meanwhile, Ivan screamed as his rips popped. Veronica had to let go of her hold on Ivan as she had been squeezed between the minotaur’s back and a wall that now cracked as the wood was rather old and worn. They both fell outside the warehouse and landed on the wet dirt. Veronica let go of her grip around Ivan so she could push him away from her before she was crushed under the weight of the massive bull-man. Ivan stood up quickly and took a couple of steps away from her and turned around with his fists raised. Some torches placed around the building made light enough so they could see each other, if barely. Ivan still tried to look past her to evade eye contact while Veronica’s eyes gloved in the dark, she had removed her high-heeled shoes so her naked feed were planted in wet mud. She was now armed with a brass knuckle.

***

As Dimi hurried out of the front door, she could see a lot of carriages had either left or started to get moving. No one was apparently gonna stick around as two massive monsters tried to maul each other.

But Veronica’s carriage was still there. More importantly, the hippogriff that pulled it was still there. The fact that it was extremely calm despite the ruckus made Dimi sure that something was wrong with it.

Corny the Goblin, the coachwoman of Veronica’s fancy carriage, had been hiding inside said carriage when creatures had left the closed-down workshop in haste. She stepped outside as the noise had died down and noticed that the human her boss had brought to the fights was about to approach the animal used to move the vertical. “Oy!” Corny stepped out and gave the human a glare. “Step away from the critter!”

“Piss off.” Dimi looked at the bald goblin-woman with contempt. “What have you done to this beautiful creature?”

“None of your bloody beeswax. Now step away.”

Dimi narrowed her eyes. “Make me.”

Corny accepted the invitation and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Dimi was unfamiliar with goblin magic and was confused, then in a lot of pain as corny appeared behind her and stabbed her in the thighs. Dimi kicked backwards and turned to get her hands on her assaulter, only to get smoke in the eyes as Corny disappeared again.

Dimi coughed as she looked left and right to spot the bald goblin. Said goblin had hid behind the carriage. The hippogriff was still alarmingly calm.

Dimi’s eyes turned left and right. She then heard the small poof the goblin made when making her disappearance act and a second later got a knife in the lower back of her back as Corny appeared again. Dimi once again did not get a chance to attack as Corny disappeared before she turned around.

Dimi was starting to get dizzy from the pain. But not dizzy enough to not be able to make a fight plan. She raised her fists and panted, going around in a circle.

As soon as she heard the poof, she threw herself backward and planted her entire weight against Corny who too soon realized that attacking from behind was not as sneaky as it were predictable. Corny got an elbow in the face, breaking her nose and lost the hold of her pocket knife.

***

Aura got a paw in the face that could have shattered her jaw if she had not rolled with the strike. Gon roared furriously as the lion-eagle woman slashed his face, temporarily blinding three of his nine eyes. He grew two more on his forehead to not lose to make of for the vision he had just lost.

Nora, being out of arrows, decided to get down as she had spotted Dimi leave the building and went to look for her. She found her outside, bleeding from the back and the leg as she stood triumphant over a goblin woman who covered her face.

“Dimi, you little shit!” Nora felt so relieved and so furious at the same time. “What the world happened to you?!”

“Nora!” Dimi turned around to see the short elf. “I’m so glad to see you!”

“For crying out loud!” Nora grimaced as she saw the poor state of the human girl’s face. It looked like someone had used her head as punching bag. “If I were taller, I would put you over my knee and spank you. But I guess I have to tell Ivan to do that. Get on your knee!”

Dimi did as she was told, letting Nora take a bottle from her purse and pour it over her back. It felt like acid but also somehow relieving. “I’m sorry...” was all Dimi could say as Nora less than gracefully wrapped bandages around her waist to cover the wounds she had just received.

“Sorry?! SORRY?! You are not a little kid, you are sixteen!” Nora tied a knot on the bandage. “You can’t just say sorry and think that fix-”

“I know it won’t fix anything, I’m still sorry.” Dimi blushed. She then turned her attention toward the half-horse-half-bird creature. The red gem-stones attached to the collar around the hippogriff’s neck made an ominous light.

Nora raised an eyebrow. “What are you... HOLY SHIT, DIMI?!”

Dimi wrenched and took a step backward as the hippogriff had tried to slash her arm off, instead leaving a big rift on her left arm. The poor creature was in so much agony and so scared that Dimi’s animal empathy didn’t work right away.

“Heh...” Corny the Goblin had managed to lift herself up and looked at Dimi. “That monster has been trained to attack strangers who get to close. I don’t know what you try toooOOOOAAAGH, MY FACE!” She fell to the ground after Nora had splashed the healing salvia in her face.

Nora smiled. “It should heal your broken nose, but too much juice stings like seven kinds of hell. My bad.” She then looked worried at Dimi. “Kid, what are you doing?!”

“Getting the collar off!” Dimi licked her bleeding arm. “I know what I’m doing!”

The beast opened its beak and made a terrifying noise that could be similar to a mix of that of a bird of prey and a horse. It scratched the ground with the left talon and tightened its hind legs as it looked at Dimi with burning hate.

“I know some animals like you.” Dimi said with a calm voice as she held her hands up to show she meant no harm. She took half a step closer. “I bet you are like them. Proud. You wouldn’t let anyone boss you around.” Dimi pointed at the hippogriff’s collar. “So they put that thing on you. It hurts you if you don’t do as you are told, right? They forced you to pull a wagon like a lowly mule.”

The hippogriff flapped its wings in a threatening manner.

“And they even made you scared of any creature who might want to take that stupid collar off of your neck.” Dimi was unsure if she was shedding a tear because it was awful what had been done to the hippogriff or if her eye was just watering because she was generally feeling less than great. “Trust mmmnnnNAAAARGH!” As Dimi had taken a step closer, the hippogriff lashed out for her. She managed to step back, but the back of her hand received a wound.

“Dimi, you dump brat!” Nora bit her lower lip.

Dimi sucked her wound. “I know you are only attacking me because the collar makes you feels like your neck is on fire. But I can take it off. Trust me.”

It had taken longer than Dimi had expected. Animals normally heard her almost instantly. She swallowed as she slowly tried to get closer to the beast.

The hippogriff growled. Its head hurt like hell but it could understand Dimi. It could feel she wanted to help, but it did not want to believe it, not after the awful month the goblin and the gorgon had used to make it tame. But then it looked at Dimi’s bleeding hand.

Then, it lowered its head.

***

Aura and Gon were moving in a circle as they glared at each other. The werewolf had more bite wounds and claw marks than the sphinx. But the winged lion-woman was not as young as the many-eyed canine creature.

Aura could feel that she was getting thirsty. She had used so much magic that she would end up dehydrated pretty soon. There was one way she might win this fight, but it would reacquire that she killed her opponent. And she was not sure she could make herself do that as her past in the Sun Kingdom still haunted her.

She stopped up and dug her claws in the wooden floor and scratched it as hard as she could. Small pieces of wood flew around as she glared at the werewolf. She growled as her tail and wings moved aggressively. And then she spoke with a voice that could make a mountain shake. “I USED TO BE IN THE ARMY, YOU LITTLE PUNK. YOU SURE YOU WANNA SEE HOW THIS ENDS?”

Gon bared his fangs as he bend all four of his knees, getting ready to throw himself at the sphinx.

Their eyes were locked for a moment. Gon could see the promise in Aura’s eyes that whatever would happen next, it would make the rest of the fight seem tame.

Gon grunted. “FORGET THIS! I DON’T GET PAID WELL ENOUGH FOR THIS KIND OF SHIT!

And then he ran away. Aura roared and stood on her hind legs and flapped her wings for the dramatic effect.

But once she was sure Gon had actually left, she turned back to her humanoid form. She still had some of the wounds she had received in monster form and she gasped after air and was as thirsty as if she had been in a desert. “I’m too old for this shit...” she gasped as she leaned against the boxing ring. “God damn... Everything hurts...”

***

Some might think that the exclusion of gorgons from the sport of boxing might be due to bigotry.

And sure, that is probably the main reason. But gorgons also had a couple of advantages in unarmed combat.

Ivan, while still being slightly disoriented from the pain of having broken ribs, had given up trying to connect his fist with Veronica’s face or throat as he tried not to look too closely at her face since her eyes were there. Safe to say, his aim was off. Not to mention that the snakes attached to her head would bite his hand if he got too close.

Ivan instead sent a solid punch against Veronica’s stomach, making her gasp for air. He then caught her in a clinch and tried to squeeze the life out of her. He knew that the snakes would burry their fangs in his shoulder, but he hoped to win an endurance contest, that Veronica would black out before he would be overwhelmed by pain.

But Ivan underestimated the gorgon’s flexibility as Veronica managed to free her arm and slam her brass knuckle into the side of his torso. This resulted in Ivan coughing blood.

Veronica grabbed the big minotaur by his horns and pulled his head to hers so he would look her straight in the eyes. Once eye contact was made, the big bull-man was trapped. His entire body was frozen despite his brain sending signals to every single fiber of his body to move, to do anything to get away from the snake-creature who had��petrified him.

Veronica’s eyes were still gloving and veins still bulging. “You know, when I was forced to leave this kingdom, my travels proved pretty, shall we say... enriching. I managed to learn that even though us gorgons can’t turn creatures into stone, our eyes have other abilities besides making you stiff as a board.” Veronica let go of Ivan’s horns and dried her nose for blood with the back of her hand. Ivan could still not move an inch. “Like this fun little trick I managed to master two years ago. I can hypnotize you, make you my slave for a couple of mins. Nifty, eh?” Veronica cracked her neck. “I can make you do anything, such as... stick two fingers inside your mouth.”

Ivan did as he was told.

Veronica tightened her fist. “Now, shove them down your throat.”

Ivan obeyed the order. The result was not pretty as he began gagging and throwing up.

Veronica crossed her arms as her snakes studied the minotaur. “And now, before I kill you, how about-”

“Hey!”

Veronica blinked and turned her attention toward the hole in the wall that allowed entrance to the old workshop. The human girl stood near it. She looked angry and she looked awful. Her face was still bloody and her arms had new wounds. “Leave my... leave Ivan alone!” Dimi tried to make a threatening fist, but her hands hurt too much. “Or you are dead!”

“Oh, this is rich.” Veronica stepped closer to Ivan who was on his knees after throwing up. She kicked him in the stomach, making him fall flat. She then looked at Dimi again, not even bothering to activate her eye. “Alright, human. This should be fun. I just hurt the bull. What are you gonna do about it?”

Dimi placed two fingers on her lips and whistled.

Veronica was startled as the hole in the wall got larger as a massive talon ripped in the wood as if it were paper. The hippogriff screeched and slowly walked toward her.

Veronica felt afraid for the first time since she was a kid as her eyes were glowing again. “What the f-”

“You didn’t bother naming her, so I call her Sarah. And she told me everything you did to her so your carriage would be pulled by something fancy. She is a little pissed off.”

The hippogriff neighed and roared as it lept toward her abuser. Dimi went to Ivan and helped him up as well as she could.

“Ivan, I’m so so so SOOO sorry!” Dimi looked at her godfather with concern and guilt as he cradled his ribs. He looked grim. “I just thought I could make-”

“Not now.”

“But-”

“I said not now.”

Dimi opened her mouth, then shut it immediately. Something about the tone in his voice made her feel like she was six instead of sixteen. She then realized that she no longer heard the roars of an beast getting revenge but instead heard the sound of a wounded animal. Dimi turned to see the hippogriff alone and with blood near its neck. There was plenty of blood, but it was not all hers. Some of it belonged to the gorgon who had managed to get away from the beast’s rightful furry.

Veronica had disappeared into the night.

***

The hippogriff had agreed to pull the carriage to get Dimi and the others home after having her wounds treated by Nora.

The trip home was rather awkward as Dimi looked at her toes, Ivan looked gloom and Aura and Nora didn’t do much but cough awkwardly now and then. No one said a word during the ride besides Ivan who shut down Dimi before she could open her mouth with a stern Not now.

Ivan who had the worse injuries got out of the wagon to find a healer when they reached Orangestone, a village about five kilometers. “Don’t think about me, I will go home once my rips have been looked after. A good long walk might...” Ivan shrugged. “... clear my head.”

“But Ivan-” Dimi practically whimpered.

“Not. Now.” Ivan closed the door to the carriage as he left.

***

Once they reached Aura’s farm, the sun was about to rise. Dimi removed the harness from the hippogriff and scratched the beast’s beak. “You can stay for a while, I’m sure the griffins here won’t mind you if they know you are my friend.”

The hippogriff stretched its wings and lied next to the house instead.

“You want to be alone? Sure, that works.” Dimi nudged her head that still felt like shit. She went inside the house and found Aura in the kitchen. She sat on a stool and let Nora remove the bandages she had tied around her in a hurry after the fight and the elf was now treating her wounds properly with salvia that smelled like something had just died.

Dimi blushed and could feel that she started to sweat. “So...”

“How can you be so god damn stupid?! OUCH” Aura’s tail twitched as she glared at Dimi with anger. “Underground boxing? Haven’t Ivan told you how dangerous that is? Not just because of the actual fighting?”

“Well, he only said I weren’t allowed to try getting in those fights, not why or why they-”

Aura growled. “Don’t try to be cheeky.”

“And try to stand still.” Nora groaned as she got a wing in the face. “But she is right, Dimi. You suck.”

Dimi closed her eyes as if that somehow would make the situation less terrible. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m so stinking sorry! Veronica played me like a sucker, she told me I was tough and offered me five-thousand coronets to fight, so I thought-”

Aura flapped her left wing. “I don’t care if she offered you a basillion coins, you are not a little girl and... wait hold on.” Aura blinked. “Did you say... Five-thousand? In cash, or OUCH.” Aura could feel Nora punching her on her side. The elf gave her an annoyed glare. “Which is completely besides the point!”

“I was stupid, okay? I didn’t mean to get you guys in my mess-”

“How about you go to your room?” Nora tied a knot on Aura’s fresh bandage. “I will come up and give you a looksee, see how many bruises you actually managed to get yourself.”

Feeling defeatist, Dimi groaned and left the kitchen to go and feel sorry for herself.

When Aura and Nora were the only creatures in the kitchen, the winged lion-woman coughed. “So... you think Dimi was paid upfront, or-”

Nora slapped her face. “For crying out loud, you suck!”

“I’m just saying that five big ones is a lot of money.”

***

Dimi couldn’t sleep. She lied on her bed and scratched the bandages around her head. The healing salvia itched. Being tired of not being tired, she stood up and looked out of the window to see that the sun was about to get up.

She heard a knock on the door. It was opened by Ivan. The middle-aged minotaur looked tired and stern, making Dimi feel even smaller than she already did, as if she was six, not sixteen. “Okay...” He crossed his arms. ”Now I will listen.”

Dimi felt great relief to finally get her apology off her chest. “I was stupid, I should have known she was super shady! No, I knew she were shady, I just really wanted to fight again! And she flattered me and offered me money and I fell for it like a sucker! I got the worst beating in my life and I got you guys involved and I’m so so SO stupid! I’m super sorry...” Dimi practically gasped after air as she had finished the apology she had waited hours to be allowed to give her father figure.

“Yes.” Ivan closed the door and stepped inside the bedroom. “Yes, you were stupid. I’m glad you admit that without trying to excuse it. And you know why you were stupid?”

Dimi looked at her own feet as she shrugged.

Ivan went to Dimi’s bed and sat on it. “Because you are sixteen years old. That means you do stupid things thinking you are an adult.” He patted the bed, signaling to Dimi he wanted to sit next to her. She did as she was told, still looking at her feet and blushing.

“So...” Ivan continued. “You could say you... sort of... are excused being stupid.” He patted Dimi on the head. She normally hated it when he did that, but this day it felt reassuring. “Teenagers get suckered by scumbags like Veronica, it happens. Me though... I was in my twenties, I should have known better.”

Dimi blinked and stopped looking at her feet and instead looked at the bull-man next to her. “What? You fought for Veronica once?”

Ivan groaned. “Saying once could mean I did it one time. I did it many times.”

Dimi was confused. “But... why? I don’t get it, you fought professionally. Why would you do underground fights?”

“Because I was vain and wasteful. I never wanted to tell you this because...” Ivan nudged his eyes. “Because I don’t want you to stop respecting me.”

Dimi didn’t say anything.

Ivan sighed. “We have never talked about my boxing career... it started pretty well. I was newcomer of the year, I got some great fight offers and I even fought against the famous Devil Daisy in her last match and won, making it her only defeat in her twelve years as the national champion. Money was not a problem and I was... well, full of myself. So I spent a lot of money, sometimes even spent money I didn’t have yet. That ended up biting me in the ass.”

Dimi couldn’t imagine Ivan being full of himself or that he would be financially irresponsible.

“Long story short, Veronica learned about me being in debt. She talked me into fighting for her to make some extra on the side so to say. I was... easy to convince. I actually thought it could be kind of fun, to be allowed to fight rougher, be allowed to fight dirty... but it was not so fun after I sent a guy into a coma.”

“Holy shit...” Dimi covered her mouth, and blushed over her comment.

“Yeah... holy shit, that about covers it... I realized how wrong these sorts of fights were as my opponent was a bloody mess and he didn’t get up. Not to mention that no one would get him to a healer since that would mean risking their own skin. I went to the city guard and confessed everything because I hoped it would shut down Veronica’s fights. It did, Veronica had to leave the kingdom since prison is not a nice place for gorgons. I should know, I had to spend some time there.”

“Wait... That’s what dad helped you with, right? Aura told me he helped you once at your lowest. right?”

Ivan made a meek smile. “I was sent to prison for planned assault, but it could have been much worse. Your dad used his influence as prince consort to make the judge be less harsh. He even offered me to make the whole thing just go away, but... I didn’t feel like I deserved that. Though there were some things about jail I would have liked to evade...” Ivan pointed at his broken horn. “But all in all... Prison gave me a big bite of humble pie. Anyways, after I got out, I lost my license to fight professionally.”

Dimi felt like she had lost her breath. It was quite a lot to take in.

Ivan gave her a stern glare once again. “One thing is you could have gotten hurt. REAL hurt. But what if you had been found out, if you had been arrested. The guards would have to get some actual documentation on who you are. Forget prison, you might have been exposed as Dimicatio, the human princess who the orcs assume have left the country. And what about me, your pseudo parent who had an enemy of the state in his home? And what about Aura? Do you realize how much trouble not just you but the creatures you care about could have been in?”

Dimi heard about half of what Ivan said as she were in her own thoughts and held a firm grip on her bed sheet she sat on. “I’m so sorry...”

Ivan sighed. “I’m not sure if an apology is gonna cut if after what-”

“No, not that.” Dimi interrupted him. “I mean, that too. But, like... I’m so sorry that happened to you. That you lost everything.”

Ivan blinked. “Oh. Well, it was my own fault-”

“You got tricked and manipulated. Veronica took your career away from you. You didn’t have someone to come save your ass, I did. That’s not fair...” Dimi looked at Ivan with a mix of regret and pity.

Ivan tapped the wooden floor with his one hoof and scratched his hair. He felt a bit embarrassed. “Well... You know what? Don’t be too sorry.”

Dimi was confused. “What? Why not!?”

“Well, you are right, I could never get in the ring again to fight, I had dedicated a lot of time to become a good fighter... but looking back... I don’t think I liked the creature I was back then.”

Dimi tilted her head. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, I told you, I became full of myself, I was... not a good man. I had fame, money and...” Ivan remembered his first wife. “Well, other things. But I was obsessed with what others thought of my, part of why I spent so much money on myself. Despite the bumps on the road, despite prison and shame... I’m happy about, you know, the end result.” Ivan placed his hand on Dimi’s head and ruffled her hair. “I like who I am right now. And the life I have right now? I wouldn’t trade any of it.”

Dimi smiled awkwardly. “Seriously?”

Ivan nodded. “Yeah. The last couple of years have all in all probably been the best of my life.”

Dimi blushed.

The Ivan gave her a stern look. “But I’m still VERY angry at you.”

Dimi made an awkward smirk. “Yeah, makes sense-”

“You are going to work an extra hour in the forge every day till I say you don’t.”

Dimi blinked. “Ah, that seems a bit...” She paused as Ivan raised an eyebrow, somehow making his glare worse. “Um, that seem... totally fair.”

And then Ivan gave Dimi a hug, practically squeezing her with his massive arms. “Do you have any idea how scared you made me?”

Dimi locked her arms around her godfather’s neck. “I was stupid, I am so so so so soooo sorry.”

[okkennymay]

That one commission I managed to organize and complete since I posted last, I fought my body all the way but you bet your butts I never let it affect the quality! 😤💖 Thank you again as always, especially for your patience @waezi2 getting to draw, and now read Royal Punch has been a privilege and a delight!

This right here is the leading lady herself, Princess Dimicatio, aka, Dimi, who hides and trains relentlessly for the chance to win back her kingdom and save her father, the King, from his fate in the dungeons. Orc customs allow anyone to prove their might in a boxing match against their own Orc Princess, once she reaches 18, for the right to rule the Kingdom! 

Ding, Ding!

[waezi2]

Thanks again for doing my OCs:)

A commission for @waezi2 (characters belong to them)

DM me for commissions & check out my pinned post for details!

[pitpoule]

Du beau wargame!

[waeziverse]

Art by @myriamsaviniart First time Aura came to watch one of Dimi’s matches. It was also the last time...

[waeziverse]

Underground fight! Dimi VS Green Plague! (... his actual name is Atsídas...) Art by the spectacular @myriamsaviniart 

[waeziverse]

Royal Punch (chapter 18)

Green Plague practically lept from his corner as soon as he heard the gong. The audience around the ring very much appreciated his eagerness. The young orc threw a heavy punch at Dimi that she evaded by sliding left as she threw two left hooks to Plague’s cheekbone before stepping three steps away to create some distance.

Dimi could already tell that she had an advantage when it came to speed... but that was not much help since she could practically feel a small wind when Plague’s hit missed her. This green bastard could probably make a stone wall say ouch by punching it.

Plague turned around and threw another haymaker at Dimi that she dodged as she tried a couple of shots aimed at his stomach. That was a mistake as Plague hit her on the side so hard that Dimi could feel the air shooting out of her lounges.

“Dang, I’m rusty...” Dimi mumbled for herself as she stepped backward and held her guards up.

At ringside, Veronica the Gorgon clapped. Her snake hair looked at the fight with fascination as she turned her head left and right to see the creatures who either stood up or sat on folded chairs while all roaring in approval. Everyone loved a human and orc confrontation, especially one as unique as the one unfolding before them.

A satyr with a broken left horn waved his betting ticket in the air. “Plaque is gonna snap every bone in that pink little snot’s body!”

Veronica grinned as she crossed her legs and adjusted her dress. “That’s the idea.”

Inside the ring, Dimi decided to let Plague chase her since she needed an opening to actually do anything. His skin was so thick that body-shots had a limited effect, she needed to get a shot at his head. The two fighters ran circles around the ring as Plague threw punches so hard that they made him groan and Dimi did her best not to get her head detached from her neck as she threw light jabs to test his defense. The referee who was an half-elf with her hair collected in a ponytail followed them around.

Plague lost balanced and collapsed on the ropes. Dimi took this chance to breath and refocus, waiting for him to turn around. As soon as he did with his parades lowered, she threw three hard and quick rights at his face, getting cheers from the spectators.

Plague got even more cheers as he did something Dimi had not expected.

She fell to her knee as blood came running down from her left eyebrow. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn’t a leather-covered fist but a sharp elbow Plague had hit her with. At first, stared at the canvas as she shook her head. She now realized that it was stained with blood to a disturbing degree. She then looked up at the referee who stood between her and the orc and had reach the count of five while Plague was moving his feet impatiently.

Dimi got up, but her left eye was squinting due to the blood running from her eyebrow and Plague was smart enough to use her challenged eyesight to his advantage as he kept attacking her left side.

Veronica watch Dimi being pushed toward the edge of the ring with her back against the ropes. The gorgon almost felt sorry for the human kid. Sure, she was quick on her feet, but she lacked the actual technique to use her speed properly against an opponent with more weight than her.

“Hope Plague just pummels her.” Veronica mumbled for herself as she struck a match and fired the end of her cigar and drew a deep puff while the spectators around the ring roared for blood. “I do need her alive after this.”

***

“... say it would be easier if you just turned big and flew us home.” Ivan carried a wooden crate while a tote bag was dangling as it’s handle was put around his not-broken horn. He had just arrived in Jadedale with Aura. They had managed to catch the last wagon home.

“Magic is not as convenient as you think, Ivan.” Aura carried a heavy sack over her shoulder. It felt uncomfortable as it was on top of her wing. “I stay monster for too long, I get dehydrated.” It was night, so Aura’s eyes turned large the way a cat’s eyes would, helping her see. Ivan had to rely on the dim light from the light poles as they found their way to Aura’s farm.

“Let’s just dump it here.” Ivan carefully placed the crate on the ground and clapped to activate the light crystals at the front door. “Dimi is probably asleep now.”

Aura dropped her sack and sniffed. “Wait, can you smell that?”

Ivan went to open the front door. “Smell what? Wait...” Ivan noticed the scent once the door had been opened. “Ugh, disgusting! What is that smell?”

Aura cursed her excellent scent of smell. “Some sort of tobacco. Dimi is not a smoker, is she?”

“If she is, then she is gonna have to answer to me.” Ivan’s tail swung in annoyance as he clapped once more to illuminate the ground floor of the house.

“Oh, please. She is not a baby, you can’t dictate her habits.”

“The hell I can, a fighter needs healthy lungs. And as long as she lives under my roof-”

“Actually, it’s my roof.” Aura opened a window.

“Right, sorry... But still.” Ivan opened a window as well and went to the kitchen where the stench came from... and his annoyance was replaced with confusion.

On the kitchen table was the stone bowl he had once gotten from Agate as a gift and never used. In it was the sad remains of a smoked cigar.

“Sheesh, that’s nasty.” Aura looked over Ivan’s shoulder and spotted the stogie. “I smoked a pipe or two when I was around her age, but those things are just-”

“She didn’t smoke it.” Ivan saw the folded paper next to the bowl and read it.

 The wagon workshop outside town.

Ivan read the message and understood. His entire body felt cold as ice and sweaty as a fewer patient. “It’s Veronica.”

Aura tilted her head. “Veronica? Who is... Whoa, wait a minute. Veronica as in Bitch Veronica?!”

Ivan turned and looked at Aura with an expression that was a mix of fear and rage. The sphinx had not seen her husband like this before and it actually made her uncomfortable.

***

It was the third round, and Dimi felt sick to her stomach. She guarded her face that was wet with sweat and blood. Green Plague was getting tired from all the haymakers he had thrown around, but he kept pounding Dimi’s arms, not letting her get a chance to recover.

Dimi tried to get away and stall till the bell ended the round... but then Plague planted his heel on her toes. There was a mix of clapping and booing as he planted a right on Dimi’s open wound above her eye.

Dimi heard the thud of her own head hitting the canvas. Her vision was starting to blur and she considered if maybe getting up was a mistake. Ivan had been right, underground fights was nasty. What Plague lacked in actual technique he made up for in dirty moves that the referee did nothing to stop.

Despite her sight being less than clear, her hearing worked just fine as she cached comments from the spectators from ringside.

“- just getting good, and now she just lies there!“

“- humans bits the dust again-“

“- expected with their king being a little shit-“

The last comment made Dimi bit her lower lip with her mouth-piece as she stood on her staggering legs. The referee stepped aside as Plague was ready to finish the job.

But Dimi had finally gotten it into her head that practically everything goes in this sort of ring.

And Plague got her head into his nose. This time it was the orc who had to step away as his nose had become a bloody mess. Dimi used the opportunity to catch her breath.

She couldn’t help bit smile as Plague whimpered... even if smiling felt painful.

***

Nora yawned as she stood up from her bed. Someone was banging on her door despite it being the middle of the night. She drowsily reached for her glasses and scratched her pointy ears. The extremely short elf was dressed in her sleeping attire which was a long white shirt that went to her knees.

The banging continued and got more intense.

“I’m coming, keep your pants on!” Nora put on her chullo hat to cover her ears and went to the front door of her small cabin. She opened the door and looked as a very upset-looking Ivan. “Oh, it’s you.” Nora took off her hat. “What is-”

“Take your bow, as many arrows as possible and healing herbs.” Ivan snapped at Nora. “Dimi is in danger, we need to go now.”

Nora blinked. “Give me a minute.” She went and found a blouse and a pair of overalls she used for fishing, then filled a small bag with standard herbs for wounds, pain and swellings, then attached the bag to her overalls. She checked that her quiver was filled and slipped the quiver around her shoulder.

She came outside. Ivan sat on the back of Aura who had turned full sphinx-form and she was on all four. Nora crawled up and grabbed a hold on Ivan’s shirt while he had a grip on Aura’s mane.

And then, Aura ran.

“Why aren’t we flying?!” Ivan asked as he tightened his grip.

“Too much trouble getting airborn with two passengers!” Aura roared as she ran with the speed of a horse. “Would be a waste of time trying, and we don’t have much time, right?!”

“I don’t know, so probably not?!”

“What’s going on, where are we going?!” Nora felt sick to her stomach due to the speed.

“There is an abandoned wagon workshop a couple of miles away! Dimi has been kidnapped! I think!” Ivan answered as he practically stabbed his knees into the skin of Aura as he was scared of falling off.

“Shit, was that what happened?!”

“What?!” Aura’s ear flickered.

“I saw Dimi leave town in a fancy-looking carriage earlier!”

Aura snarled. “You saw Dimi leave town with a rich stranger and that didn’t raise any red flags?! AT ALL?!”

“Well, I just thought maybe she had gotten a fight gig or something! And she is sixteen now, she can-”

Ivan groaned. “God, you suck!”

Nora blinked. “So that’s what it feels like...” she mumbled for herself. And then she threw up.

***

Green Plague made a loud expression of pain as his corner guy reattached his broken nose.

A peacock harpy spread his feathers as he paraded around the middle of the ring with holding a sign with the number four above his head.

Dimi sat on her stool while leaning forward so Sticky the Dwarf could reach her and once more washed her face for blood and smeared vaseline on Dimi’s wound above her eye to stop the bleeding.

“Good, good! He is in pain now!” Sticky filled Dimi’s mouth with water from a messy wooden cup. “His nose can only be patched temporarily, so make it spurt like a Titan damned fountain!”

Dimi spat and glared at Sticky as her head were aching. “You suck at being corner guy, you know that?”

“Look, that big green lump is an orc. Bet those guys screwed your family over or something, am I right?”

Dimi didn’t answer the question, but Sticky figured her angry glare meant he was right.

“Right. Then remember that when the bell goes, that should motivate ya.”

“THAT’S the best you got?” Dimi stood up as Sticky took the stool and made his way out of the ring. “Tell me to get pissed?”

“No.” Sticky grinned, showing a set of less than perfect teeth. “I’m telling you to hate.”

“Moron...” Dimi mumbled for herself as the gong rang and she stepped toward the center of the ring.

Plague had probably been told he had to finish it before his nose became a mess again. He came lunging at her and landed a devastating right on her left cheek bone. Dimi felt as if her head was gonna get detached from her neck as she fell backward against the ropes and then landed on her knees. The referee pushed Plague toward his corner as he started counting. Dimi was about to get up as Plague came charging and knocked her down before she had a chance to stand up. The ref pushed Plague to his corner once more while everyone in the former warehouse roared of approval.

Dimi’s vision was starting to get blurry and blood ran down her face. But Plague had made a mistake by showing how desperate he was to end it.

The referee had reached the count of six as Plague charged toward her and tried to beat her down before she could get up.

But Dimi didn’t try to get up as she instead hammered her gloved fist into the orc’s groin. That resulted in Plague howling in pain as his eyes grew wide. He leaned forward as he instinctively reached for his sore groin. Dimi jumped up as she rammed her fist into Plague’s chin. The orc stepped backward as Dimi grind her teeth and kept punching the orc who was to baffled to defend himself.

Several roars of approval could be heard around the ring.

“HELL YEAH!”

“DROP HIM!

“SNUFF HIS LIGHTS OUT!”

Plague’s nose was shooting out blood again and the creatures around the ring yelled and clapped as Dimi mercilessly pounded Plague’s face and forced him into a corner. He was about to fall on his knees, but the angry Dimi placed an open hand on his chest and pushed him against the corner, not letting him go down that easy. She clenched her free fist, ready to turn his ugly mug into minced meat and break both of his tusks. The spectators were thrilled and cheered on.

“SNUFF HIS LIGHTS OUT!”

“FINISH THAT BASTARD!”

“YEAH! KILL HIM!”

Dimi blinked. “Wait... what?” Dimi blinked again and looked at Green Plague’s face. His nose was a mess, his face filled with blood and he was glassy-eyed.

Dimi gasped after air as she stepped aside and let the orc fall to the canvas with a thump. His arms were spread out on either side of him.

Dimi was completely dizzy as the adrenaline died down a little and she realized that her entire body felt like an open wound. She leaned against the ropes as she tried to catch her breath as well as dry her face for blood with the backside of her glove. She looked at the creatures clap and roar of approval of the display of violence and she spotted the gorgon who had gotten her here to begin with.

Veronica stood up and clapped while her snake hair blew raspberries. “Holy shit, you are a little monster, kid!”

Dimi turned and saw two broad-shouldered creatures, one with blue skin, the other with red. They grabbed Plague by his arms and pulled him out of the ring as the orc groaned weakly. They dragged him away while some of the spectators threw curled up paper after him.

Dimi felt as if she was gonna be sick.

The referee lifted her arm up and Dimi was too weak to pull her hand free. She was surprised by the fact that she could stand at all. Then, Sticky pushed her toward the edge of the ring and helped her get through the ropes. Dimi got a standing ovation as the dwarf led her away from the ring.

But not toward the changing room. Dimi was so baffled and in pain that she didn’t realize something was wrong. Only when Sticky pushed her into an empty room in the back of the building and locked the door did Dimi wake up from her daze. She looked at the door that got shot and tried to open it without success. She then attempted to hammer on it to call for help, but stopped as her hands were sore.

***

Dimi had managed to get her bloody boxing gloves off and looked at her hands. They looked terrible. Suiting, since everything in her body felt that way. Especially around her eye where she now pressed her hand to stop the bleeding.

Dimi looked around her and came to the conclusion that this room was some sort of office. Or that it had been at some point. The windows were covered with wooden boards, meaning she couldn’t leave through those. There were two bookshelves that had been tilted over and there was a desk filled with scratches. Next to the table was a chair that had been split in half.

Dimi sat on the table, then lied on her back. Her arms were dangling lifelessly.

She then hear the door get opened. She tried to leap up, but she did not have the energy for that and instead slowly got up and off the table. She looked at the door and saw that Veronica had entered. Behind her was the blue and red creatures that resembled orcs, just bigger. The were both dressed in what sort of looked like dressing gowns and had swords attached to their belts.

“Bravo, kiddo! Bravo!” Veronica smiled like a cat that had just gotten it’s paws on a bird. “You surprised me, you really did. I actually expected Greeny to beat you half to death, but you actually nailed the bastard. But even though you are conscious, it doesn’t hurt the plan much.”

Dimi was dumbfounded. “Plan? What plan?”

Veronica shrugged. “Oh, the plan that involves you being to busted up to leave by yourself. Now you make a nice little hostage so I can get you bull dad over here tomorrow and I can turn him into roast beef.” Veronica laughed. “I even made you come here freely and I made money on you getting pummeled instead of having someone paid to do it.”

Dimi slowly started to understand that she had been played. And then, with what little energy she had left, she took a step closer toward Veronica.

And then she spat.

Veronica’s snakes hissed aggressively as they tried to reach the human. Veronica removed the mix of spit and blood from her forehead with the back of her hand. Veronica looked at the gasping human who glared at her. Veronica smiled. “That’s cute, honey. That’s very cute. Boys, tie her up, the human here is full of surprises.”

The two onis did as their boss had told them to. Dimi was unable to put up a fight as her hands and feet were tied with ropes.

***

Aura had arrived a few miles away from the former workshop. It could be seen in the dark due to the torches placed around it. Ivan and Nora got off her back so she could turn back to normal shape. “Thirsty...” Aura mumbled. Nora gave her a leather flask that she drank from as if she had been without water for a month.

“So... what’s the plan?” Nora tied the strings that dangled from her chullo under her chin.

Ivan grunted. “No plan, we just go in, hear what she wants.” He turned and looked at Nora and Aura. “You don’t do anything unless I tell you to, okay?”

The sphinx and the short elf shared a look, then nodded.

Ivan practically stomped toward the front door of the building, looking like he was about to explode of anger as the two female creatures followed him. They reached the door where a tall creature with pointy ears and a bushy tail tail with black fur that matched the hair on his head. He had red eyes that looked like they could ignite a small forest. These eyes were aimed at Ivan as the creature had his arms crossed. “We are closed for tonight.” He said, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

“I think your boss would like to see me.” Ivan glared back.

“I ain’t heard about no appointment.”

“Look, we get it.” Aura rolled her eyes. “You are a tough guy, saying very tough guy like things. But you really don’t wanna mess with us.”

“I’m just doing my job.” He took a step closer to Ivan and poked him on the chest. “So beat it before I feel like having a slice of beef or-”

The black-haired creature dropped and rolled on the ground.

Nora blinked. “Did you just sucker-punch him?! I barely saw that!”

Ivan cracked the fist he had just used. “God, I forgot how great that feels...”

[waeziverse]

Dimi has the powers of a Disney princess, including that she attracts animals... much to the annoyance of her godfather who can't stand them.

Spectacular art by @myriamsaviniart

[waeziverse]

It has now been one year since I posted the first chapter of "Royal Punch" :) Happy "birthday" to Dimi and Ivan.

And thanks to @myriamsaviniart for this anniversary illustration

[waeziverse]

Royal Punch (chapter 17)

Ivan had many times made it clear how much he hated touching animals. So Dimi finally being a fully-trained blacksmith meant that Ivan’s forge could offer to shoe horses and animals with hooves. And since Jadedale was a village often visited by traveling salesmen meant that the sixteen-year-old human girl had many customers who needed new shoes as well as having said shoes attached to hooves.

“Incredible!” Arran the Goblin watched with fascination as Dimi shoed his donkey Lisa. “I never seen nobody work on the ol’ girl with such ease, She usually kick or bite.”

Dimi smirked as she hammered in the last nail. “Me and animals have an understanding of a sort. Isn't that right, beautiful?” Dimi scratched the donkey behind its ear. “Yeah, you are one good-looking donkey, aren’t you?”

Lisa held her head proudly since she were beautiful. Not that many appreciated her good donkey looks.

“I swear, its almost as if she understands what you tell her!” Arran paid Dimi and then returned the saddle with bottles of alcohol on Lisa’s back.

Dimi waved as the goblin and his donkey left. Having the magic talent of animal communication was quite nifty. And she unfortunately had plenty of time for work at the forge. She hadn’t had a fight in months since the disaster in the Highway Hippogryph. The only thing she had been hitting was metal in the forge and the sandbag.

Dimi folded her fingers behind her back and stretched her arms backward till she herd her neck crack. She then saw Amethyst the Dwarf come. Her ribbon filled beard had stains of food on it. “Hey, Dimi, are you- wait, you alone today?”

“Yep.” Dimi stretched her arms over her head, her fingers still folded. “Aura and Ivan asked me to hold the fort. Sorry, Am, we can’t eat dinner today, have some more work to do in the forge before I can eat.”

Amethyst tilted her head. “Why would they both leave?”

“Heck if I know. Aura had to get some tools for the birds. But Ivan decided to go with her, told me that he would surprise me, whatever that means. Oh, BTW...” Dimi went inside the forge and returned with a funnel-like object made of steel. “Your mom ordered one of these.”

***

Amethyst adjusted the lamp made with the funnel and a light crystal so it glowed directly at the tiny gears that her mother were trying to fit into the pocket watch she was making. Agate had tied her beard in two braids and then attached them to the shoulder area of her blouse so no hair would get in her way while working.

“Mom... you think Aura is pregnant?”

Agate dropped a gear on the floor. “Arrg, DANGIT!” Agate took off her goggles and got down on the floor. “Get the lamp in my direction so I can see. And what in the mud-titan’s name are you talking about?”

“I don’t know... Dimi just told me her folks left to Onyxville and won’t be back till tomorrow. Seems like they have to do something important that takes a while and they didn’t tell her what. So maybe they are worried that Aura is pregnant or something and need a specia-.”

“Oh, please. AHA!” Agate carefully picked up the little piece of metal with her fingertips. “Aura is way past forty. She and Ivan don’t plan on making a family.”

Amethyst shrugged as she pointed the light toward the work table to let her mom continue working. “She’s not that old. And maybe they didn’t plan it, it just happened.”

“Look, this is ridicules.” Agate adjusted her goggles and put on the lens. “AND it’s gossip. I raised you better than that, young lady.”

***

“- would be a disaster, a kid would run circles around two parents in their fifties.” Agate sat on a worn chair inside Sunmut’s kitchen. The old wrinkly satyr looked at his new pocket watch while the dwarf lady took a cup of water.

“Well, I had my son Leif when I was fifty-two, but me and me wife, may the forests bless her soul, had two kids who could help take care of him. And Aura has her overgrown pigeons to take care of, what would she do is she had to take a break for nine months?” Sunmut closed the lid on the watch. “Not to mention the gene mashup...”

“Sweet titan, I didn't think of that!” Agate’s eyes grew wide. “What sort of kid would they even have?”

The old goat man slapped his forehead. “Why did I say that... Look, it’s probably non of our business. Look at us two, gossiping like a pair of harpies.”

Agate sighed. “You are right. I’m sorry, I’m so ashamed.” The dwarf rolled her eyes at herself.

None of them had noticed the gnome cleaning the window.

Thirty minutes later...

"So, you heard about that winged lion-lady who lives outside town with those weird lion-bird monsters?” Greg the Goblin was taking a bite from his tuna sandwich. He always ate his dinner at Agwa’s tavern. Sure, it cost him more to eat out, but he preferred to throw some extra coronets so he didn’t have to bother making food and cleaning up afterwards.

Agwa the Fairy was cleaning the counter with a rag that was about as big as herself. “Her name is Aura, she is a sphinx and those are called griffins.” The tiny dragonfly-woman cleaned her forehead and sat on the tiny chair placed on the counter as she looked at the goblin. “Heard what, exactly?”

“One of my mates, a gnome, he told me he overheard the nutty dwarf Agate talk about, ah, Aura is gonna give birth to some sort of mutant monster-cow baby.”

Agwa squinted her big gem-like eyes. “Say what again?”

“That’s just what happens when you make a mix you shouldn’t make, know what I mean? A minotaur and a whatchamacallit-”

“Sphinx.”

“Right, that. Her and that bull blacksmith went to Onyxville, very hush-hush. They won’t be back in Jadedale till at least tomorrow. That don’t sound to good, eh?”

Agwa the Fairy ran a small tavern with two bedrooms. A traveling merchant needed a place to sleep now and then, but it was not exactly a business that made her rich. But being a fairy had it’s advantages. Being so tiny and cute meant creatures easily grew to like her, even trusted her with gossip and occasionally secrets. Information could be worth a couple of coronets.

Especially this piece of information. One of her best paying clients from Onyxville wanted to know if there were bruisers who needed quick cash. But the client had told Aqwa that she very much wanted to know when she could have a word with the human Ivan the Minotaur had living with him.

Aqwa smiled as she flew from the table in order to fetch a mug from a self and poured beer into it from the keg. “Greg, how about a drink on the house?”

***

The sun was about to go down, coloring the sky orange. Dimi had finished feeding the griffins and provided them new hay. Her ability to talk to animals made it easier to let her get into the stables. She was about to close shop till she heard the sound of wheels. She spotted a carriage, not one pulled by a horse, but by a... well, it LOOKED like a griffin, but it had the lion parts should be were instead horse parts. It looked strange, but at the same time... impressive. Around it’s neck was a collar with red gem-stones. Even compared to that of a normal griffin that was impressive already. The coachwoman was a goblin who was bald as an egg and dressed in a dark-blue jacket. The jacket was worn and kinda dirty, which was very eye-catching since the carriage was blank, black and with red wheels. It probably costed a fortune to whoever owned it.

Dimi soon noticed who she would guess was the one owning the carriage as the woman stepped out. She was dressed in a fur coat that was cream colored. She had white... skin? Dimi was unsure if that was what it was called when it was a gorgon. And this was clearly a gorgon since she was wearing a pair of pitch black shades and had snakes for hair, each snake wearing a collar of gold. The many snake heads studies Dimi when they noticed her and blew raspberries at her. The gorgon looked at her driver. “So this is the only blacksmith in the area?”

“Yup. Sorry, boss.” The goblin sniffed as she cleaned her nose with the back of her sleeve.

“You there!” The gorgon pointed at Dimi. “You in charge of this joint?”

“Ah... Yes.” Dimi nodded, she felt a bit on the spot talking to this gorgon who was clearly of wealth. “Yes, madam. How can I help you?”

The gorgon noticed that Dimi looked her straight in the eyes instead of staring at her feet like most creatures who were not very trusting of gorgons. The snake lady had to resist the urge to grin.

This was gonna be easier than she thought.

“Well, kid, I’m going to a pretty important event, see? So I gotta look my best. But fat chance I do if my favorite bracelet is turned to scrap.” The gorgon took a bracelet from one of the pockets that was bended out of shape. “Think you can fix it?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Dimi took the jewelry and studied it for a second. She took a glance at the snake-lady’s wrist and then unbended it with her bare hands. “You are lucky, it was nothing too complicated, I can do this in a... AH! Done.” Dimi gave the bracelet back to the gorgon who grinned as she slid her left hand through it so it was located around her wrist.

“Impressive.” The gorgon looked at her jewelry that was as good as new. Then she took a glance at the human girl’s arms. “You are pretty strong, eh?”

Dimi smiled and shrugged. “Comes with the profession”

The gorgon offered her hand. “Name’s Veronica.”

Dimi shook Veronica the Gorgon’s hand. “Dimi. It’s a pleasure, madam.”

“Woah now.” Veronica waved a finger. “Only creatures who works for me calls me stuff like madam. You did me a solid, kid.” She bared her sharp teeth in a smile. “Say, maybe you could do me another favor?”

“What do you need fixed?”

“Na, noting like that. I just figure...” Veronica poked a finger at one of Dimi’s arms. “With a fine set of those... you ever boxed? Or at least been in a fight?” Veronica laughed. “You must have knocked a skull or two, eh?”

Dimi blushed. “Well... I used to. Couple of fights in the Highway Hippogryph. But it’s been a while-”

“Then maybe you could fight for me?”

Dimi blinked twice. “What?”

“Say, this could be a serious discussion. You mind inviting me inside so we can talk business?”

***

"WE ARE IN HELL!!!”Aura moaned as she stood in a long line with Ivan.

“You don’t have to wait with me here.” Ivan patted Aura on the shoulder. “You could-”

“To stand by your side, for better or worse.” Aura’s tail swung impatiently as her wings itched. “That’s what we promised each other when we got wed. And this very much counts as worse! The Nesredna post office is as slow as-”

“Ah, shaddap lady!” The harpy with the traits of an eagle that stood in front of her in the line turned her head and gave Aura an annoyed glare. “We all hate being here, so stop-”

“No, you shut up!” Aura growled at the bird creature.

“Aura, please. Everyone here are irritated.” Ivan sighed as he clapped his wife on the shoulder. “There’s only five more creatures in front of us, it will soon be our turn.” The minotaur took in a deep breath, he was annoyed and tired as well. But he had to send this letter.

Aura rolled her eyes and tapped the floor with the claws on her feet. She hated the post office with a burning passion. “You think this friend of yours would help Dimi?”

Ivan shrugged. “Daisy is not exactly thrilled about humans. But she is my friend, only one I have left from my, ah... fight days.” Ivan had to stop himself from making a leap of joy as the line got one creature shorter. “You know, I do think we could make it to the last wagon home, we might not have to waste money for a room in an inn. Then again...” Ivan slid his hand from Aura’s should down her back. “Could be kinda fun.”

Aura grinned as she leaned her head against Ivan’s shoulder. “You don’t say?”

The eagle harpy glared at them. “Degenerates.”

“YOU’RE a degenerate!” Aura’s eyes flashed as she bared her teeth.

Ivan sighed. He wondered if Dimi was taking advantage of having the house for herself, but came to conclusion that she was a responsible young lady.

***

Dimi led her guest into the kitchen and offered the gorgon a seat. “Would you like some water? Tea?”

“No thanks.” Veronica took off her coat and hanged it on the back of the chair. She was dressed in a very exotic attire that Dimi had seen creatures from the east be dressed in. This dress was blue, shiny and had some sort of flower pattern. Veronica’s arms were bare with the exception of jewlry around her arms and wrist. The skirt of the dress only covered half of her upper legs. Veronica took a cigar out of her leather-bag that she was carrying around her shoulder. “You mind if I smoke?”

“Ah, no. Not at all.” Dimi went to the shelf and found a bowl made of stone that she hoped could be used as ashtray.

Veronica stroke a match, lighting up the end of her cigar as she sucked and exhaled smoke. “Got extras. You want one?”

“Oh, no. I’m good, thanks.” Dimi felt a bit flattered being asked, as if the woman saw her as an actual adult. The smell of the smoke was pretty strong, but Dimi didn’t want to admit it bothered her.

“So, as I was saying...” Veronica leaned back on the chair she sat on as she crossed her legs. “I arrange a couple of fights for young boxers. Gotta tell you right away, it ain’t nothing fancy. But there’s money to be made for a scrapper like yourself. And I’m in a pickle, see, one of my fighters got sick and I need a replacement, know what I’m saying?”

Dimi couldn't believe her luck. “When would you need me?”

“Tonight.”

“Oh...” Dimi looked disappointed. “My, ah, trainer is out of town, I can’t get him-”

“Hey, fuhgeddaboudit.” Veronica grinned as she held her stogie to her lips. “A corner guy will be provided for you. See, these fights... well, they are a bit exclusive-like, see? We have to be discrete.”

Dimi raised an eyebrow. “Discrete?” The human girl knew that the sorts of fight establishment Veronica was talking about was the underground sort.

The gorgon took a couple of satisfied puffs. “Hey now, that ain’t a problem for you, ain’t it?” Her snakes looked at Dimi, each of them blowing raspberries at her.

Dimi shrugged. “I’m not sure-”

“Especially since we are talking about five-thousand coronets.”

Dimi blinked twice. “Five-thousand?”

“Sure. You don’t even gotta win, all I ask is that you come and give my fine audience a good show.”

Dimi knew that Ivan didn’t like underground boxing... but he wasn’t home and wouldn’t be back before tomorrow. Dimi smirked. She would go, fight, get home and rest before Ivan and Aura would come home, and they wouldn’t have to know she made five grand in just one night. And even if he did, then she would prefer to ask for forgiveness than permission. “Okay, deal.”

“Shake on it, kid.” Veronica offered her right hand as she with the left ground her cigar in the stone bowl. “But we gotta go now. I will give you a lift, go get your gloves and I will meet you at my carriage.”

Dimi left in haste to get her gear. She couldn’t believe her luck.

If she had been a little smarter, she wouldn’t have believed it.

Veronica left a piece of folded paper she had prepared at the makeshift ashtray. She snickered. “Like stealing candy from a hatchling.”

***

The ride in the carriage had been awkward for Dimi. She sat on the seat opposed to Veronica who just looked at her and smirked. The heads of her snake-hair could’t smile, But Dimi felt like they did. Dimi’s stomach was tying knots on itself and it made whatever little bump on the road feel freighting. The human girl held a firm grip on her sack with clothes and gloves, that somehow made her feel a little as ease.

“Relax.” Veronica took a small hip flask and took a sip. “Enjoy the ride. Admire the view.”

Dimi looked out of the window. It wasn’t completely dark yet and she noticed they were on their way toward a large house. After getting a better look as they got closer, Dimi could see that it was not a house but a warehouse  It looked like it was in poor shape.

“It was used to build wagons once. Told ya, nothing fancy.” Veronica knew what Dimi was looking at. “But lots of space, and it is not too close to... well, uninvited guests who might tattle.”

Dimi didn’t answer. The ride had given Dimi time to think and it had made her realize something, something that made her... uneasy about Veronica. Or rather, about the horse-griffin that pulled the wagon. But she decided to keep it to herself since she did not wish to be rude to the lady who had given her an opportunity as well as a ride.

Dimi heard the crack of a whip and the wagon stopped. She took her bag and stepped outside. Torches had been placed around the huge building. She saw wagons and other creatures entering the building.

“Once you enter the front gate, there is a small door to your right.” Veronica pointed at the direction Dimi needed to go. “It will lead you to some stares. Go down and you will get to the changing room. Tell them you are here to replace Stud who got sick. And just push your way through the creatures, no need to be polite. Remember, door to your right, not left, or you would go down the locker where your opponent is, and that would be awkward, know what I’m saying? And hey...” Veronica tapped Dimi on the shoulder. “Good luck against Green Plague.”

Dimi raised an eyebrow. “Green Plague?”

“Just his performer name, don’t worry about it. He is just like any other orc... Maybe a bit rougher.” Veronica laughed.

Dimi blinked.

Dimi walked toward the front gate, trying to make her way though the many creatures who went the same way. She took one final glance at the part-horse griffin. She really didn’t like how defeatist it looked and how it took commands from the goblin who drove the wagon. The whip said goblin held made her uneasy as well. But she decided not to say anything since she really wanted this gig.

Once she had walked away, Veronica looked at her driver. “ Corny.”

“Yeah, boss?” The goblin replied.

“Get to the locker and tell Stud that I said he got sick.”

Corny nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Veronica snickered as she walked to the front door. The creatures who had formed a line as they waited for the bouncer to let them inside noticed the gorgon who hosted this event and they all got out of her way since no one wanted to be hindrance in THIS creature’s path.

***

Before going to the locker, Dimi took a quick glance at the big room where a boxing ring was placed in the middle and saw the many creatures who gathered around it. It made her feel pretty excited to have that many creatures watch her fight. She also noticed a few young creatures in either skirts or tight pants dealing out pieces of paper in exchange for coins.

She reached for the doorknob, but the door was opened and a black male minotaur walked out of the door. He looked pissed and had a bag like Dimi’s over his shoulder as he marched away while mumbling something in frustration. Dimi noticed that he had his hands wrapped as if he was suppose to wear a pair of boxing gloves.

Going through the door and down the stairs, Dimi noticed a smell that got stronger the farther down she got. It smelled like sweat and... something else she couldn’t put her finger on.

She took a glance at the locker room... though you could hardly call it that. The room was illuminated by a few light crystals and there were some shelves attacked to the walls. At the end of the room, Dimi could see one of those paper curtain thingies called a shoji screen, she had seen a shop in Onyxville sell them, thought she had not been sure what they were meant to be used for.

Inside the room was red-feathered parrot-type harpy white tank-top who was bobbing and jabbing an invisible opponent. On a bench sat two dwarves, a young one with flat light red hair, the other one was bald and had a black beard with a lot of grey in it. The older dwarf helped the young one getting a pair of boxing gloves on. All three of these creatures stopped what they were doing and looked at Dimi.

“Who the hell are you?” The parrot-harpy asked.

“I’m, ah... I’m here to replace...” Dimi blushed as she for a second forgot the name. “Um... Stud. I'm here to replace Stud.”

The harpy tilted her head as she looked at Dimi. Then, she went back to punching the air.

“Well, you better get changed. I will come back for you later.” The old dwarf said as he then patted the red-haired dwarf on the shoulder. “Let’s go, Biff.”

Dimi watched the two dwarves climb the stairs and then looked around the room. She went behind the paper screen and undressed and put on her fight clothes. She filled her bag with her regular clothes and selected an empty shelf to put it on. Dimi then decided to follow the harpy’s example and warm up, even if her shadowboxing was rather clumsy compared to hers.

“First time fighting here?” The harpy asked as she threw an uppercut. “I’m Sweeper by the by.”

“Dimi. And I fought at least fifteen fights. Won all them.” Dimi tried to act as if she dodged a jap.

“Not what I meant. This your first underground fight?” Sweeper cracked her neck as she bounced on the toes of her talon feet.

“Yeah. So?” Dimi made a couple of quick punches of the stomach area of her imaginary opponent. She heard a distant roar from above her, probably the crowd watching the fight upstairs.

“You do realize that this event here is no game, right? You get inside that ring, it’s war.”

“I boxed before-”

“Not like this, stupid. A lot of creatures came tonight, not to watch a sport, but to see two shmucks try to turn each other to bloody pudding. And you can bet on the other fighter being ready to give our fine audience the show they expect. It’s you or him. Get what I’m saying?”

Dimi tried her best not to show how uncomfortable she were being told this by Sweeper. She had realized this would be different from her fights in the Highway Hippogryph, but being told how intense this was gonna be kinda freaked her out.

But then she recalled the five-thousand coronets she had been promised.

And that Green Plague was an orc.

“Sure, I get it.” Dimi returned to warming up.

“Fine, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Sweeper kept shadowboxing. “Hey, anyone told you that its damn weird that a human box?”

Dimi snickered. “Yeah, I get that a lot.” She then realized that she had yet to wrap her hands in bandages. She got them from her bag as well as her gloves and began wrapping. She paused as she herd another earth-shacking roar of approval from upstairs.

“Want me to do that?” Sweeper asked.

Dimi accepted the offer. Sweeper took the bandages and finished what Dimi started. The parrot-harpy looked at the human. “So, what brings you here? Girl like you with fifteen wins should fight pro, not end down here. Just curious.”

Dimi shrugged. “Well, ah... I’m a human. Guess I’m hard to sell, right?”

Sweeper squinted her right eye in disbelieve as she had tied the bandage around Dimi’s wrist three times and then wrapped it around her hand. “I would think it would be the other way around.”

“Off the bench, make room.”

Dimi and Sweeper looked up. The older dwarf was helping Biff down the stairs. The young dwarf looked like hell. He was humping and his face was bleeding. The older dwarf helped him lie down on the bench. “ You can go home once you feel better. Oh!” The older dwarf patted Biff on the shoulder. “You can come get your money tomorrow, the usual place.”

Biff groaned as his arms hang down and touched the floor.

“Welp.” The dwarf turned toward Dimi. “You’re up, human.”

“Good luck.” Sweeper patted Dimi on the should who just nodded.

“Shouldn’t someone get him a healer?” Dimi asked after getting her fight gloves on.

“Eh, he will be fine.” The black-bearded dwarf said as they walked up the stairs. “You got a name?”

“Dimi.”

“They call me Sticky. Ever fought an orc before?”

“No.”

“Their skin is tough, so body-shots aren’t that effective. Go for the head.”

Reaching the top of the stairs and opening the door, Dimi and Sticky was meat by a thundering applaud.

Someone was speaking to the audience through a rune-enchanted megaphone. “-as exotic as a human fighter. She has won twenty-five fights, twenty-two of them by knockout. Give it up for Dimi the Human!”

Dimi and Sticky walked past a mix of minotaurs, satyrs and other creatures as they made their way to the ring. The creatures either sat on folding chairs or stood up around the ring, booing and clapping at her.

“I didn’t win twenty-five fights by knockouts.” Dimi hissed at Sticky as he split the ropes to allow her to get in the ring.

“The folks who came tonight don’t gotta know that. Get on a knee, would ya?” Sticky waited for Dimi to lower herself so he could stick a mouth guard into her face.

As Dimi got up again and moved her legs as if she were dancing to make them ready, she finally got a look at her opponent. He was big, like Clarabelle were. There were tusks that stuck out from his lower lip. His hair had been collected in a bun... or ponytail, Dimi was unsure what it was called, but it made him look even tougher. He smacked his gloves together and glared at Dimi.

Dimi cracked her neck. “Yeah, screw you, too.” she mumbled as she walked to the center of the ring.

[waeziverse]

Teenage Dimicatio. Princess in hiding, blacksmith in training and partime boxer. Drawn by the marvelous @myriamsaviniart

[waeziverse]

These illustration are beyond good. @myriamsaviniart drew these fighters from my project Royal Punch.

Thanks a bunch, Myri!

[waeziverse]

I hired an artist from Deviantart to draw an important character

Dimi’s new boyfriend! Illustration below:

Happy April the 1st :P

[waeziverse]

Royal Punch (chapter 16)

Louis the Faun had a fussy goatee. He was a cute little goat-boy of the age of fourteen, but it was his little beard that had gotten him a lady-friend. She lived in this little town called Jadedale that fortunately wasn't far away from Onyxville and a carriage drove to it four times a day.

As he got of the wagon, bidding the coachman good day, he looked at the stream that surrounded the small houses that Amethyst had told him formed a circle. Louis took in a deep breath. The air was clean unlike in Onyxville and he could see plenty of grass around that practically begged him to eat it. He would take a bite after his ride drove away, but a short woman with a sort of hat that covered her ears was sitting at a stump, sharpening an arrowhead. She had a pair of big round glasses and was not much taller than him. She looked like a human, something Louis found curious as not many of those were left after the orcs took over.

And he was even more surprised to see two more. They came from the forest.

Dimi marched in haste. She was pissed, even more so when she realized she had left her skipping rope behind. She looked past her shoulder and saw the human guy had caught up to her. He was gasping after air as he had been running, he was apparently not in the best of shape.

“My... my love...” The guy took off his hat and dried his forehead. “Please, maybe we got off on the wrong foot-”

“Oh yeah?!” Dimi glared at him. “When would that be, when you gave me that bull about meeting in dreams or when you started grabbing me?”

“Oh, do not be cross with me, my lady.” The guy reached for Dimi’s hand. “Are you telling me that you did not feel a spark between us as I-”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence since Dimi’s fist connected to his face.

“Last warning!” Dimi nudged her hand. “Back the hell off!”

Louis the Faun had watched the whole thing, he couldn’t help it. When Dimi passed him and she noticed him, she gave him an annoyed look. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Louis blinked twice as the angry and embarrassed human girl walked over the bridge that led to the entrance of the village. The fishing woman raised an eyebrow and raised a hand to wave. But she got ignored.

Louis looked at the male human who nudged his face. He had a black eye. Louis decided to leave the guy alone and walked over the bridge to Jadedale.

... and then he noticed he could smell something. He was unsure what, but it smelled.. amazing!

***

"- so me and Billy actually got a gig at the Undersea Temptress tavern.” Ruby washed some tomatoes she intended to bake as the dish of the day in her restaurant. “There were suppose to have been some exotic dancers performing, but they had all got stomach trouble. So we were the replacement. And get this... there were actually eight or nine of the creatures in the bar pumping their fists to our music!”

“That’s awesome!” Amethyst had just finished washing the dishes.

“Yeah... but then they asked for our autographs... and this one guy, a minotaur, thought Billy was some harpy named Hitomi-”

“Hey, I know Hitomi the Harpy. She rocks!”

“Yeah, the minotaur guy thought so as well. So here is the thing... they were all high on mushrooms.”

Amethyst laughed. “Oh noooo...”

“Yeah, they only liked us because they were living in their own little drug world. And that was the only successful concert the Human Guts ever had. Not long after, me and Billy disbanded the duo and I threw my love and passion toward the kitchen.”

“Aw, that’s too bad...”

“Eh, we weren’t that great. But me and Billy are still good. He became the drummer of a new band called-”

“Girls, you gotta hide me!”

Ruby and Amethyst turned and saw Dimi enter the kitchen. She looked pissed.

Amethyst jumped down from the stool she stood on to reach the sink and walked over to her human friend. “ Sheesh, did you get into a fight with someone?”

“Worse! I met this human guy-”

Ruby tilted her head while her snake hair blew raspberries. “Wait, there are other humans in the area?”

“Dude! Not the point! This guy that I never met before just starts talking to me and says shit like that we met in a dream or some crap.”

Amethyst smiled. “That’s sort of cute. You have an admirer. About time!”

Dimi glared at Amethyst. “No, it’s not cute! He’s a creep and he won’t leave me alone! I even punched him! He’s nuts!”

“Did you punch him again?” Ruby adjusted her shades. She hoped the answer was yes.

“Yeah, and I accidentally gave him a black eye. He won’t back off, I might hurt him or-”

“My love, are you here?” A male voice could be herd from the dinning room.

“Aw, shit, it’s him...” Dimi nudged her temples. “I swear, it’s like he can smell me-”

“I will take care of this.” Ruby opened the door to the dinning room. A human guy in expensive clothes and a rapier attached to his belt. “Hey, you. We are closed for at least two hours.”

The human looked at Ruby and almost reached for his weapon. “A mon- I mean, begging your pardon, madam, but I have not come to this establishment to dine. Perhaps you could provide me information?”

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms. Her snakes softly hissed. “I’m a cook, not a book. Go get info somewhere else. Also...” She pointed at her head. “Eyes up here.”

The human blinked and turned his eyes from Ruby’s shoes to her face. “Madam, I’m in search of a lady of my own kin, it is of the utmost importance that I find her, a matter of lov... ah, life and death. Have you seen her? She has hair as golden and lovely as the sun itself.”

Ruby felt as if she was about to barf. “No, sorry. I haven’t seen her. Guess you have to ask somewhere else.”

“Madam, you must be mistaken, I have been told she often comes here to enjoy her meals, you must have seen this lovely creature, and I would appreciate you telling me how to locate her. As a matter of fact...” The guy reached for his coin pouch. “I would show my gratitude if you were to know of her whereabout.”

“Look, pal, I don’t like your attitude or the fact that you don’t get the meaning of the word no. You can take your gratitude somewhere else.” Ruby stopped herself from saying Preferably shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. “Good day and piss off.”

“I must insist that-”

Ruby’s snakes hissed loudly.

“Ah... have a good day, madam.” 

When the guy left, Dimi came from the kitchen and hugged Ruby. “I owe you!”

Ruby smiled as she padded Dimi on the back. “No you don’t. That guy WAS a total creep.”

“I don’t know.” Amethyst shrugged. “Maybe he is just passionate?”

The human girl and gorgon stared at Amethyst.

“Yeah, alright, he was a bit much.” Amethyst laughed.

“Too much if you ask me. I better get to work.” Dimi walked toward the door. 

Ruby and Amethyst returned to the kitchen. Ruby looked out the window and noticed that the human from before was hiding behind a tree, looking at the window. Ruby aggressively knocked on the glass, giving the guy a scare as he walked away.

Amethyst adjusted her apron and the string she had tied around her beard before getting started on drying the dishes she had just washed. She noticed the human as well. “Wow, he is persistent, huh? You know, I think this must be the first time Dimi had a boy related problem. About time, if you ask me.” She snickered.

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she from the window watched the human guy walk away, probably looking for Dimi. “Man... can you believe that douchebag?”

Amethyst looked at Ruby. The snakes on her head were hissing, clearly as annoyed as Ruby apparently were. “Ah... what do you mean?”

“Hey, look at me!” Ruby made a mocking imitation of the human’s voice as she grimaced. “I’m rich and pretty by human-standards, so girls probably throw themselves at my feet! Gods, he pisses me off!” Ruby chopped her already chopped up tomatoes, turning them into a wet mess. “As if he would be Dimi’s type.”

Amethyst studied Ruby for a second. She couldn’t recall seeing the gorgon being this annoyed and frustrated. “Ruby... are you jealous?”

“What?!” Ruby blushed, and her snake hair ceased to hiss, instead hiding behind her neck. She stared at Amethyst with wide eyes. “What are you talking about?!”

The dwarf girl shrugged. “I mean... I guess he is sort of cute for a creature without a beard, but... I don’t know, tall guys just doesn’t do it for me.”

Ruby blinked. “What are you- Oh. Oooh...” She made a sigh. Her snakes relaxed. “No, not a chance. He is just some rando.”

“Yeah, you are right. Sorry, I just... eh, forget it.” Amethyst dried the clean dishes. She rolled eyes at herself for thinking Ruby was jealous of Dimi.

... but then she stopped up, thinking of something Ruby had said:

As if he would be Dimi’s type.

Amethyst took a glance at Ruby who had discarded the tomatoes she had pulverized and chopped up a new one.

Amethyst was about to ask... but then she got distracted by a familiar face.

“Am! Babe! Surprise!” Louis the Faun had made a leap up to the ledge of the window and managed to grab a hold of it with his left arm while holding  a bouquet of dandelions in his right hand.

“Honey!” Amethyst was about to hug the head of the little goat guy, but he lost his grip and fell to the ground. He landed on his back, but held the dandelions above his head, saving them from being crushed. “Louis, are you okay?! And what are you doing here?”

“Wanted to surprise you... ouch...” Louis still held the flowers above his head with stretched arm.

Amethyst looked at Ruby. “I will be right back, I just need to-”

“Hey, screw it!” Ruby smiled. “Be with your boy, just promise me you will come back when I open up.”

Amethyst went outside. Louis had gotten himself up and sat on his tail. It had been a short fall, but he still felt sore. The dwarf girl sat next to him and hugged him, pressing him against her fluffy beard. “What are you doing here, don’t you have work?”

Louis snickered, the beard was tickling him. He loved it when it did. “Na, madam Pin Pin got a flue, and she won’t let me or the other sewers get near a piece of cloth or needle unless she is there to observe us. So I thought I would surprise you.” He sniffed. “Hey, something smells amazing.”

Amethyst snickered. “I will be sure to tell the chef you said so.”

Louis decided not to say that it wasn’t food he had smelled. He quickly realized that it was that scent from before. And it smelled even more lovely, almost making him giddy.

***

The anvil spat sparkles and clinked as Dimi's hammer hit it. The steel that was cherry-colored due to how hot it was had started to take a shape that resembled a shovel head. Dimi stroke it at the horn of the anvil to make the sides, then back at the face of it. She kept doing so for a while till she was somewhat satisfied with the result. She stuck it in the water bucket next to her, cracking her neck and drying her head with a slightly dirty rag. Dimi stretched out and left the forge with the shovel head and a file. She sat on a stool next to the forge and began to clean the edges of the head with the file.

“Looks good.” Ivan came with a bucket of water and studied his protégé at work.

“Yep...” Dimi kept filing. “Guess I have to stick to this to make an honest coronet.”

Ivan shrugged and leaned against the door to the forge and crossed his arms. “Look, I don’t know how to get you a new fight, I mean, I do know of a few places, but are too far away from Jadedale.”

“So...” Dimi blew on the shovel to clean it. “I have to move somewhere else?”

Ivan sighed. “It’s not that simple. Even if you hit the road, I couldn’t go with you, you would have to find a new trainer and corner guy, one who actually demands payment. I started my career traveling a lot, doing a ton of odd jobs and I couldn’t get the proper training needed. I was lucky. And besides, you are suppose to keep a low profile.”

“Right.” Dimi studied the shovel head she was just about done with. “In case an orc soldier or something sees me and goes all Hey, that human is blond and have freckles, we looked for one of those years ago, right? Yeah, I get it, I need to not get too much attention.” Dimi narrowed her eyes. “Hey... you know there is an alternative to the Highway Hippogriff, right?”

Ivan raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well...” Dimi smirked. “I could try get in one of those fight clubs that are.... less than... legit?”

Dimi stopped smirking. Ivan looked at her as if he had been told that eating pie had been illegal.

“Ah...” Dimi made a dumb smirk. She felt like she had said something inappropriate. “Look, I’m not sayin it would be ideal, but underground boxing matches could be an option. And it would be totally keeping low profile-”

“Dimicatio.”

Dimi blinked twice. She couldn’t recall when the last time anyone had used her full name. Iven looked at her with a stern and downright angry glare.

Ivan kept speaking. “You will never... EVER, talk about underground boxing under my roof. Understood?”

“Well...” Dimi smirked, but more like a nervous reaction. “Technically, it’s Aura’s roof.”

Ivan didn’t look amused by Dimi’s attempt at humor.

“Ivan.” Dimi groaned. “I need to keep fighting to get better, and we can’t hire a sparing partner for me. Sure, I realize they fight dirty in those sorts of fights, but that would make it more challenging, right? It might even be fu-”

“Never again.” Ivan’s glare became furious. “We will never have this conversation again. Ever.” Ivan went inside the forge. “Go help Aura in the stables.”

He slammed the door shut.

“Sheesh...” Dimi had realized Ivan would most likely be against the idea, but she had expected a lecture about sportsmanship or something, not this... overreaction.

But then she got something else to think about. Dimi saw the human guy from before in the distance.

“My love!” The guy came running toward Dimi with his arms open, ready to embrace her.

Dimi evaded him and then made him trip with her left foot. He landed on the ground with his pretty face in the dirt.

Dimi was about to boil over. “How do you keep fining me?!”

The human slowly stood up and dusted himself clean while spitting some dirt out of his mouth. “My heart is filled with love and I could find you anywhere. Also...” He pointed at the direction he had come from. “That lovable older gentleman told me where you lived. A splendid chap.”

Old man Sunmut the Satyr waved as he leaned against his cane. Dimi felt like snapping the can in half. She took three steps backward as she glared at the human guy. “Look, I don’t even know who the hell you are-”

“Oh! Where are my manners?” The human chuckled. “My name is earl Justin of-”

“Dude! I don’t care who you are!” Dimi cracked her knuckles.

“What’s all the ruckus about?!” Ivan stepped out of the forge, his face covered in sod. He noticed Justin. “What’s th-”

“Oho! Now I understand perfectly!” Justin took a hold of the hilt of his blade and drew his weapon. “This be the beast that has forced you to slave for him day after day! You pretending not to return my affection was simply a clever way of keeping me safe from your capturer.”

Dimi nudged her eyes. “Gods, this is getting dumber every second...”

Ivan was completely lost. He looked at the sword. “Hey now, put that knife away. Kid, you could get someone HOLY SHIT, WHAT?!”

Justin’s sword was on fire. “Do not test my patience, ox. I know of your sort and your violent temperament, but I have been trained in sorcery and swordsmanship.” Justin smirked as he aimed his blade toward Ivan. “And I have mastering both with excellency.”

Ivan held his hands up. “Kid, someone’s gonna get hurt if you aren’t careful. And it will most likely be you.”

“Ho ho! Such confidence you have in yourself, barbarian. But there is something else you should know-”

Justin dropped his sword and collapsed after Dimi had hit him on the head with the shovel head. She blade seized to burn.

Dimi and Ivan looked at the unconcise Justin and then at one another.

Aura arrived with a pitchfork and had hay all over her clothes. “I heard yelling and DID YOU TWO KILL A HUMAN?!”

“Relax, I just knocked his lights out.” Dimi looked at the shovel head. It had luckily not been damaged. “Sooooo... What do we do with him?”

***

After tying up Justin and locking him up in the shed till they figured out what to do with him, Dimi decided to go to her customers with their orders, including the shovel that Amethyst’s mom Agathe needed.

As she went through Jadedale and crossed the town square, Dimi had this suspicion that someone was looking at her in a weird way. But she couldn’t put her finger on it.

When she arrived at Agathe’s house, she was greeted warmly, especially since the dwarf lady really needed a new shovel for her kitchen garden that provided her vegetables.

“Ouch!” Agatha grinned as she cut her finger on the shovel head. “I’m gonna get rid of those pesky roots in no time. Thanks, Dimi. Could I tempt you with a cup of tea before you head home?”

“Always.” Dimi always made sure the dwarf house was the last one on her route so she could accept the invitation.

“There is a warm kettle already, Amethyst’s gentleman is paying us a little visit. Go in, I wanna try this shovel right away.”

Dimi went inside the house and went straight to the kitchen, finding Louis the Faun with a cup he was sipping from. “Oh, hey!” Dimi recognized the little goat man. “So you are the guy Am is seeing? She told me about you.”

“Hopefully good thing. Dimi, right?” Louis poured a cup to Dimi... and he sniffed.

It was there again.

“Where is Am?” Dimi took a seat and leaned a bit down due to the table being designed for shorter creatures.

“In her room, she is changing. I invited her to a night at the theater.” Louis noticed that the sent got stronger. “Say, Am keeps telling me you don’t want to be introduced to my friend Dar.” He smirked. “You too good to go out with a harpy?”

Dimi rolled her eyes. “I’m sure this Dar is a nice bird, but I’m not looking for guys.”

Louis hesitated. “Well... I also know this faun girl named Enid if-”

“NO, I’m not looking for anyone! Gods...” Dimi drank her tea. “Is it so unrealistic that I like being single?”

“Well...” Louis was now sure that whatever it was he could smell, he had never smelled something so incredible and would never find a scent like it again. “I think you do the rest of the world a dishonor with that choice.”

Dimi almost chocked on her hot tea. “Ah... excuse me?!”

“I mean, come on.” Louis grinned. “Those lovely freckles, those muscular arms... I wouldn’t be complaining if you were my girlfriend.”

Dead silence.

“Dude... ARE YOU-” Dimi bit her lower lip, no reason to let everyone in the entire kingdom hear her, or at the very least Amethyst. “Did you just hit on me?” She glared at Louis as she practically hissed.

“Would it be so strange it... if...” Louis stopped smiling and his face turned red. “Holy shit, I think I did?”

“What the hell?!” Dimi slammed her cup on the table. “We are in your girlfriend’s house. Are you nuts or just stupid?”

“I have no idea why I just did that!” Louis grabbed both of his horn as he looked completely confused.

Dimi stormed out of the room, hitting her head because she forgot to lower her head, leaving Louis who was completely confused. As he wondered what on earth had possessed him, he realized that the scent was getting weaker.

“I’m ready!” Amethyst entered the kitchen with a dress she had made for herself with dandelion patterns embroidered on it. She had decorated her fluffy beard with the flowers she had just received from Louis. The faun looked at her and felt ashamed. Amethyst noticed that Louis looked like something was wrong. “What's the matter, hon?”

“... Nothing. You are just unbelievably beautiful.”

***

Dimi decided to go home right away and shut the door to her bedroom and scream. She was furious. Men where apparently way more rotten than she had assumed. She thought for herself that this day could not get any worse.

But as she crossed town square, she realized how wrong she had been. She was right earlier that someone were watching her.

It was seemingly every single male creature in town that at least took a quick glance at her.

“Oh, shit...” Dimi mumbled for herself as she walked as fast as she possibly could without running, no need to attract more attention than she already had, especially since a few female creatures gave her mean stares due to her getting their guy’s attention. Dimi was so frustrated that she didn’t see did man Sunmut and bumped into him.

“Angels on fire, I’m so sorry!” Dimi helped the old sheep man up on his feet. “Are you hurt, sir?”

"Ah, I’m not a paper doll, dearie.” Sunmut laughed as he took his cane that Dimi had picked up for him. “Say, now that I got ya, maybe you could... could...”

“Yes?” Dimi looked at the old satyr who looked paralyzed. She wondered if something was wrong... and then she realized that the old man was blushing.

“Oh deer, look at the sun.” Sunmut evaded eye contact with the young woman who could have been his grandchild. “I best be getting home, I have herbs I need. See ya around.”

As the old sheep man humped away as fast as his old bones would allow him. Dimi realized she probably had to have a talk with Nora.

***

Nora placed a bag with plants she had just collected from the local forest. “Right, so obviously, Dimi getting hit on by guys is her princess puberty kicking in again.”

Dimi stood at the corner of the living room, looking extremely embarrassed. “So, what? I make creatures fall in love with me randomly?”

“What? No.” Nora shook her head as she took off her hat that hid her pointy ears. She accepted a cup of tea Ivan offered her. “Don’t be ridicules. You can’t just make someone fall in love with you. But you can use your newest magical ability to manipulate pheromones, making them infatuated, tricking them into thinking they are in love with you.”

Ivan, Dimi and Aura looked at Nora with blank stares.

“Pheromones...” Dimi was afraid to ask. “So... pretend I don’t know what that means.”

Nora sighed. “Alright... members of the human royal family have the power to have control over the pheromones, a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species or species close enough to humans. So that would include releasing pheromones that induce attraction between subjects, to exuding pheromones strong enough to induce sleep, influence emotions, yada yada yada.”

Aura narrowed her eyes. “Should I... take notes for this, or-”

“Look, what is important here is that Dimi is using this power through instinct.” Nora adjusted her glasses as she gave Dimi a look as if she had taken a bit of a lemon. “Dimi, you basically make guys with the right genes horny.”

Dimi lost all color in her face. “Ewwwwww... WHY?!?”

“Welp, it’s actually because of the side effect of your plantmancer powers. See, when your descendent Queen Dornröschen had gone into a coma and became a thorn monster, she decided to call in magic experts to adjust the power of pheromone control to go off by its own to attract a male who would...” Nora rolled her eyes. “... love her enough to put himself in danger and go through the plants to save her and the kingdom. And she also thought it would help her decedents to find mates so they wouldn’t have any problems producing even more decedents. So, with the help of both humans and elves, Dornröschen managed to give birth to boy with such a power. Sure, this new skill was not as strong as the one you have... but through the proper... medication, his child and the child after that was born with the same magical talent that grew stronger for each generation.”

The human, minotaur and sphinx stared at Nora with disbelieve all over their faces.

“Yes, yes, I know.” Nora nudged her eyes. “It’s extremely fucked up.”

Ivan shook his head. and he kept shaking it. “Why... why would anyone DO THAT?!”

Aura looked like she was about to get sick. “See, this is the sort of shit that makes everyone dislike humans!” She instantly felt guilty saying so as she gave Dimi an apologizing look. “Sorry, that came out wrong.”

“Hell no, I’m with you!” The human girl looked utterly horrified. “Can’t we just get... that... out of me?!”

“Eh...” Nora shrugged. “Yes and no.”

Dimi grind her teeth. “What do you mean yes and no? And is it mostly yes?”

“Dimi, no one can just get something out of you that has been written into your genes as effectively as this spell has. It’s not a zit. If your stomach gives you trouble, I can’t just pull it out of you, can I now? But...” Nora patted the bag with plants on the table. “I can however create a potion that will make creatures completely uninterested in you on a sexual plane.”

Dimi winced. “You make it sound worse.”

Nora opened the bag and took out a blue mushroom. “This is actually used as a curse where I come from. Mostly for revenge if someone stole your boyfriend or something along those lines. Basically, you make a potion and whoever drinks it will make creatures find you... undesirable, so to say. It works for about two days, so I will have to start making enough for about half a year. But according to my research, that’s when your body should stop making its mating call automatically-”

Dimi slapped her face. “Don’t call it that, you are making this weirder than it already is!”

“... and the problem should be solved.”

Ivan and Aura exchanged looks.

“So...” Ivan scratched his muzzle. “Dimi would be... undesirable... for six months? That doesn’t sound fair.”

Aura nodded. “Yeah, don’t you think you could find another solution? What if Dimi actually finds a nice boy and-”

“Actually, I’m okay with it.”

Ivan and Aura looked at Dimi. She looked calmer, less unsettled.

Dimi smiled. “I’m super okay with it. I thought this would be a pain in the ass to solve, but I just have to take a potion ones a day-”

“Once every second day.” Nora corrected her.

“Even better!” Dimi grinned. “Man, I’m so relieved.”

Aura hesitated. “Dimi, sweetie... you get that you won’t be able to get a boyfriend for half a year, right?”

Dimi nodded. “Sure. I don’t care.”

“Dimi, you can’t tell me you don’t want to find a nice young man for yourself eventually.”

Dimi pouted and shrugged. “Maybe I don’t need a so-called nice young man.”

Ivan laughed. “Dimi, it would be weird if you didn’t!”

Dimi narrowed her eyes and glared at Ivan. “Oh, great. I’m weird.”

The minotaur blinked. “Ah... um...”

Aura coughed. “We are treading dangerous waters.” She mumbled.

Ivan’s tailed started to swing nervously. “Look, ah... I’m not saying that if you at the moment don’t want... or later, or... um-”

“At the moment? What, you have a deadline for me or something?” Dimi rolled her eyes.

Aura decided to step in. “Dimi, none of us thinks that your relationships is any of our business-”

“Dangit, you don’t get it either!” Dimi slammed a fist into the wall. “I don’t HAVE a relationship and I will never have one because I... because I lack desire! THERE! You happy now?!”

 Aura and Ivan exchanged looks. Nora took a sip from her cup.

Dimi blinked. “Aw, no, no, no...” She groaned as she nudged her eyes. “Why did I say that?”

Deep silence.

Dimi covered her face in her hands while looking like she wanted to sink into the corner she was leaning against. Ivan looked begging at Aura who just shrugged. Nora finished her tea.

“Well...” Nora placed her cup on the table. “I sense that we are about to have an intimate conversation about the feeling and thoughts of a young woman. An insensitive and possibly cynical statement could turn an already awkward situation to downright hellish.” She stood up and walked toward the door. “So I should probably just go home and make potion.”

Dimi lifted her hands from her face and looked at Ivan and Aura who stared back. They looked confused, but mostly worried. “Look, I want Nora’s potion, and I don’t want to talk about.”

“Well...” Ivan shrugged. He very much didn’t want this conversation. “We don’t have to unless you-”

“Yes we do.” Aura elbowed Ivan.

“I mean, yes we do.”

“Sit.” Aura pointed at an empty chair at the end of the table that was opposite to where she sat with Ivan. Dimi groaned and did as she was told. “So...” Aura’s wings were twitching. “What exactly do you mean with lack desire. Lack desire for what exactly?”

Dimi shrugged.

Aura made an awkward smile. “Do you like... girls?”

Ivan blushed and stared at his wife with disbelieve. “Aura, you don’t ask someone something like that!”

“Oh, grow up, Ivan.” Aura rolled her eyes. “Lesbianism is a thing.”

“But that’s the thing, I’m not a lesbian.” Dimi threw her hands up in the air. “I’m not interested in creatures, not romantically or... you know, that thing!”

Ivan tilted his head. “Not at all? You sure you just haven’t-”

“Ivan, I swear on my mom’s grave!” Dimi glared at the minotaur. “Use the words met and right guy in the same sentence and I will break your other horn!”

“Alright, sorry.” Ivan held his hands up. “That was patronizing. My bad.”

“So, you don’t have a desire for romance, is that all?” Aura smiled. “You made it sound like it was something embarrassing.”

“Well, it is, isn’t it?” Dimi sighed. “Amethyst keeps trying to set me up on dates. I know she means well, but I know she thinks I’m not complete because I don’t want to try and get a romantic relationship. Worse, she pities me, she thinks that it’s sad that I’m...” Dimi rolled her eyes as she made air quotes. “... alone.“

“Does that... bother you?” Ivan asked. “What others think of you?”

Dimi didn’t answer right away. “I think... I think what bothers me is... what if she is right? What if... What if I become an old weird and lonely lady and I realize I only lived half a life because I didn't get married and got kids?” The human girl sighed. “What bothers me is... what if there is something wrong with me?”

Ivan and Aura looked at Dimi who looked exhausted.

“Dimi...” Ivan cleared his throat. “Well.. first of all, if you live a life where you so happen not to get married, do you honestly think you would be alone? Or does friendship and family not count? Love can be many things, I find it hard to believe that you would be unloved.”

Dimi didn’t respond.

“Second, I don’t think you should think of your worth depending on what others think of you. Trust me, I very much cared what others thought of me when I was your age and that...” Ivan’s face turned grim. “That blew up in my face, let’s leave it at that. And for what’s it worth, I can’t think of someone who is as perfect as you.” Ivan stood up and nuzzled Dimi’s hair.

Dimi snickered as she pulled herself free. “That’s gross, Ivan.”

“Also, if someone thinks less of you for being the way you are...” Aura made a wide smile that exposed all of her sharp teeth. “Well, I guess I would have to eat them.”

Dimi made a smile that went from one ear to the other. “You guys are great!” But then she stopped smiling. “Wait, what about the asshole in the shed?”

“Well...” Ivan scratched his hair. “I guess we could bring him to the authorities and tell them what happened, or some of it... but we were technically the ones who assaulted him, so...”

***

Dimi had taken her first potion from Nora. She went inside the shed to untie earl Justin. “So...” She looked at the human guy. “Do you still love me?”

Justin looked completely confused. “I do not. I must confess, I have no idea what on earth possessed me, I feel so very embarrassed. It is ill suiting for a gentleman to-”

“Yeah, yeah, enough of that.” Dimi cut the ropes with a knife, freeing Justin. “Look, for what’s it worth, it wasn’t completely your fault.”

Justin stood up, dusting himself clean. Dimi handed him his sword. “Right... well... I should... ah-”

“Leave.”

“Right. Right....” Justin went outside the shed and looked confused as he walked away. But he stopped up, turning toward Dimi. “Look, I would like to say-”

“Just piss off already.” Dimi slapped her forehead.

“I shall, but... It was, despite the circumstances... nice to finally see another human. After the invasion, you know.”

Dimi blinked. She had forgotten to think of earl Justin as a member of her race. “Yeah... I guess. Do you... do you know what happened to all the humans?”

Justin shrugged. “There are few of us left in Nesredna, but we are scattered. The orcs won’t allow humans to live here unless they like yourself have foster families of another species. My family left me in the care of some satyr merchants. And that is not always enough, I have to leave the kingdom.”

“Oh?” Dimi looked confused.

“I happen to be of wealth, but my wealth is about to be used up. I lack the skills to be working class, so I intent to leave the kingdom and attempt to find my family.”

“Well... have a good trip?” Dimi could kick herself, that sounded so lame.

Justin smiled as he took off his hat and bowed. “Well, one can hope. Farwell.”

Dimi felt relived once Justin was gone... but she also felt alone for some reason.

[waeziverse]

Dimi the blacksmith apprentice. Drawn by @myriamsaviniart

Realised I need more stuff with Ivan and Dimi interacting since their relationship is the heart of "Royal Punch".

[waeziverse]

Ivan made dinner, much to his meat-loving protégé and wife's disapproval.

@myriamsaviniart made this illustration of my minotaur/human/sphinx family from my novel "Royal Punch". You should hire her.