FORBIDDEN.

Reborn

Rose's POV
After this woman who claimed to be my mother came and signed the discharge papers I was set to go. I didn't know where we were going but by the mischievous smirk creeping across who I heard them call Cam's face I knew I should ask. "Um... why are you looking at me like that?"
"I have an idea that may spark your memory. Awhile ago Ryn mentioned the clubs. Well I think it's time we took you to one." She rummaged through my open duffle bag and said,"Time to celebrate your escape from this place." She shuddered in distaste for the sterile environment. "I hope somewhere in this bag you packed your dancing shoes." She sang. Her curly bob bounced atop her shoulders as she disappeared out the door with my duffle bag slung over her shoulder. The girl they called Ryn nervously glanced at me while running a hand through her blonde shock of hair and I shrugged throwing my legs off the bed. Ashton chuckled at my confusion. Or I think that's his name at least. Hesitation was marked clear as day on her face but after awhile of standing in contemplation and muttering something about Cam getting carried away and how she should've stopped her while she was ahead, she followed Cam out the door. Time to leave this bed behind and start a new chapter.

Ryn's POV
Ryn, Cam, and Rose peered around the corner where the line was standing in the rain. "I know another way in without all that hassle."
"Wait we're going in there? Behind those guys who look like they would use us as toothpicks?!" Rose began backing away. These girls said they were her friends but she still didn't remember them and given the apparent danger ahead...
"Oh come on Rose." Cam grabbed her best friends hand and pulled her back. "This is an adventure!"
"If we wanted to go on an adventure we could have just taken the subway, gotten off at a random stop, and tried to find the closest Starbucks." Rose whined. "This isn't an adventure. This is danger!"
"Ryn used to come here all the time. She told me it's really not that bad." Cam assured her.
Yeah, as long as you aren't the one fighting in the ring. But Ryn just shrugged and began walking around the building. Rose and Cam exchanged a glance before Cam began dragging both of them after Ryn. They came to a boarded up entrance around the back. She had only ever fought here once so no one should remember her here, but she did still remember the secret entrances. Ryn moved between the planks and Cam and a reluctant Rose followed. After a few minutes of lowering into darkness and a few stubbed toes they emerged into a cacophony of sound. It was a huge circular ring with three levels to it. They were on the second level which was nearly packed. To the right was a caged stand with boards in the back that showed the stats on the different fighters. Three women took money from people giving them little slips of paper in return. Directly in front of them there was a chain link dome covering the lowest center ring. The highest ring was mostly bare save three comfortable looking chairs on the opposite side of the room from the gambling booth. Ryn looked around and a familiarity washed over her, she pushed the feeling away but secretly reveled in it.
Rose latched herself on to Ryn's arm and while Cam was still keeping of a facade of coolness she was sticking just a little bit closer to the other girls too.
Cam looked around. "I thought you said this was a club."
"I said night life." Ryn replied.
"So what is this place?" Rose's eyes scanned the room.
"Fighting ring."
Cam looked through the milling people. "Most of the people here are guys. And they actually don't look much older than we are."
"It's a young person's sport." Usually no one over twenty five unless they're up in management. The top landing if the ring was where the people who run this operation go. The man sitting in middle was the owner of the ring and two at his sides were the guild masters of the two biggest competitors tonight. The rest of the people moving about up there were the guild masters and trainers of the other fighters. Ryn began walking through the crowd toward the center.
Rose looked around cautiously as they proceeded thought the crowd. "Wow, everything that I didn't need to know was down here." Rose squeaked as someone nearly ran into her.
Ryn shook Rose off her arm. "Just relax. No one will do anything to you up here." The three girls reached the railing that marked the drop off into the third and final ring. "Down there is where all the action is."
Cam shook her head. "How can they let places like this exist?"
"Most of the time they have no idea we're down here." Ryn coughed. "Sorry, they have no idea they're down here."
Cam turns toward Ryn. "How do you know so much about all this?"
"A new round is starting." Someone called in the crowds of people. Everyone including Cam, Ryn, and Rose turned toward the center arena.
Just then an announcement came on telling the name of the fighters but through all the noise it was hard to hear. Then two doors on either side opened and two boys about their age were let out.
Somewhere a horn was sounded and the fighters went after each other. It was a fairly quick fight. Probably not very evenly matched.
Cam's face was filled with disgust. "People pay for this?" Rose still looked horrified.
"Its mostly guys here." Ryn shrugged.
"Still." The two guys in the ring left covered in dirt and the next two were brought in. Ryn's body went rigid. What was he doing here? Fighting, duh. But he would ask her the same thing and what would she say? Ryn turned on her heel and began weaving her way through the crowd.
Rose and Cam exchanged a glance before following her out.
"Ryn?" Rose asked once they were outside. "Everything alright?" Ryn just nodded. "Then what...?"
"I saw someone I knew. I thought it would be safest to leave."
"Safest?" Cam stepped forward and crossed her arms. "What do you mean safest? I thought you said no one would do anything to us."
"Not to you, no." Ryn took a deep breath. She had tried her best to keep them in the dark so far but they were quickly closing in on her old self and Ryn couldn't see a way out.

Destran circled the ring sizing up his opponent. They each threw a few swings trying to get a feel for the other fighter. After a final circle the other boy stopped and ran himself into Destran hoping to drop him and gain the advantage. Unfortunately for him Destran was ready. Just as the fighter reached him, Destran stepped to the side and used the boys momentum to run him into the wall and pin him there. He had him. The fight was all but won. Then a memory came flashing back of the last time he held someone like this. It was Ryn.
The next thing Destran knew he was sitting in the staging area with a yelling guild master and a bag of ice on his cheek.
Cody, the main trainer for the guild, just pulled up a chair in front of Destran and got down to eye level. His voice was clear and strong but no anger portrayed in his voice. "What happened to you in there man? You had him and then..."
The guild master joined in. "You're one of my best, and that was a rookie, probably one of his first nights out! How could you throw a fight like that! Are you taking bribes from someone? Is it Sylvester? That rotten crook!"
Cody just rolled his eyes so only Destran could see. "But really what happened to you in there?"
Destran shrugged but the memories of that day are coming back again; the astonishment of seeing her there, the excitement of being with her after so long, and the unbelievable pain that ripped out of his chest at her words. She had always joked about him not really caring for her, saying she was just another girl to him, but the truth was that he had a hard time breathing when she was around. His heart beat faltered just like his footing when he first laid eyes on her. He couldn't go back to that place so he steeled his gaze and focused on the fight.