When was the last time she felt joy?

She was hapless. She watched the drink glass in front of her in a daze. The water seemed pristine enough, especially with the ice cubes keeping it crisp and cool. The girl sank slowly down her seat. All that ice did was remind her of… her.

Her… one of the most influential people in her life. Yet, one of the darkest. She did not know whether or not she would see her again. She lost sleep thinking about her, and what sleep she got was tormented with hostile memories. How could she loathe and love the same person? She had her dire worries, yet she desperately just wanted to forget her right now.

Today’s events would bring her the complete opposite of this desire.

In attempts to forget, her path came to an unlikely place. Right now, she looked disastrous. Her hair was usually tied back. Now, however, it was let loose. Strands of red covered her face. Green eyes peered through the red mess. Her hood over her head, jacket completely pulled over her in a lack of internal warmth, the teenager was obviously lost. Yet, she was just another lonely one here.

She was one of many depressed, rejected patrons within the Zirnden. A surprising place to find a child. Yet here she was. She currently sat in the side lines, eating in the corners of the dimly lit fight club. Torch flames flickered across the cool room as the crowds all cheered against the fighters in line. Slumped in her seat, the unusually quiet girl took a large bite out of her bread loaf. As she chewed, unimpressed by the fighters in the ring, she leaned against the wall. Honestly, it was hard to enjoy a meal with all that blood, sweat, and urine smell floating in the air. Yet, the tired and famished girl proceeded to viciously shove bread, meat, and vegetables into her mouth. Regardless of the most hostile of atmospheres, the half-neanderthal still needed to satisfy her massive metabolism.

As shouting sounded and crowds cheered, she brought the drink to her lips. She did not even notice anyone else was there until she heard a voice, “You seem to lack excitement.”

The teen pulled her orange strands away from her face. She looked up to see, through the thick steam and smoke, a waiter waiting with a tray of many cheeses. He set it down on the table, laying the options out in front of her. It was a foul smell, but the hungry teen did not care. She immediately started shoving the protein into her mouth between a muttered “thanks.”

The two watched the fighters in the delyn cage duke it out. The boxers seemed to hardly bring any shine to the girl’s eyes. She pushed some cheese into her mouth with her finger, swallowed it, then grunted in unsatisfied boredom. “Meh, I’ve seen better. Or worse, depending on your perspective.”

Her dead, monotone voice hardly fluttered. She needed something intense to distract her from her own thoughts. She shook her head, “I thought the Zirnden would keep me from hearing my thoughts. Thought I would be entertained.”

As one boxer completely knocked out another, she apathetically sighed. The waiter scratched his head as she listed her complaints, “I thought this was the best fight club in Scara Brae.”

She picked up her water again, “I have invasive thoughts and traumatic reflections to avoid. Your petty matches aren’t helping me at all.”

The waiter spoke up, “I’m… sorry to hear you are unsatisfied with our services.” He awkwardly looked away, “We are just a tad bit short on business and fighters right now, so-“