At the gym where she is asked some tough questions.

Katie barely **** down some breakfast, kissed her parents goodbye, and headed to the gym. She arrived late and found Coach Stark waiting outside looking concerned.

“Katie…”

“Sorry, Coach. I woke up late.” She muttered, voice flat.

Stark nodded and slipped a protective arm around her shoulders, guiding her inside. She wanted to shrug him off and sulk, but Stark was basically like another father to her and she couldn’t but enjoy the comfort. She let out a tense sigh and leaned into his side instead.

“Listen, about that last match—”

“I know,” Katie cut in with a groan. “I completely blew it. I should’ve fought through the embarrassment instead of freezing like an idiot.”

They stopped near the practice ring and Stark opened his mouth to speak, but Katie kept going. “I’m sorry for snapping at you, it’s just… losing twice, and everyone seeing my…” She trailed off, cheeks burning with embarrassment at the memories and at her behavior.

“It’s okay,” he said gently. “You’ve been through hell lately hon. Let’s just do some pad drills and clear your head, alright?”

Katie climbed into the ring, **** to burn off the shame that sat on her shoulders like a weight. Stark tossed light jabs for her to slip and open palms for her to fire back. She tried to focus, but every few seconds the memories crashed in and she saw the humiliating memories. The towel dropping at weigh in, Sydney pulling her boobs out, her clothes exploding, and waking up exposed in front of the entire world. Overwhelmed, she drilled worse than any amateur.

Stark finally lowered the pads and pulled over two stools. “Can’t shake it this time, huh?”

Katie stared at the floor. “It was one thing when it was just a flash of my boobs, or the accident with the towel. This last fight though… they saw everything, Stark. No blur, no censorship, no cut to black.” She shivered. “And it’s not just the nudity coach, I lost to her twice. And now anyone I ever fight from now on will know exactly how to beat me.”

Stark studied her for a long moment. “So do you wanna quit?” He asked.

Katie’s stomach twisted at the question. She could hear in his voice that he wasn’t judging her, and he would truly support her no matter what. For a long, painful moment she actually considered it. How can I keep fighting if every opponent is just going to strip me?

She pictured walking away. It would mean no more octagon, no more proving she was the strongest, just a life of hiding from the videos, from the comments, and the whispers. The thought felt worse than any public exposure.

Stark stood up as he looked into Katie’s eyes and saw her answer clearly written there. “I knew you wouldn’t quit sweetheart, you’re the best damn fighter I know. Before Sydney, you barely lost a round, hell you’ve never really even taken any shots to your face. This stripping bullshit? It’s because she knows she can’t beat you fair and square. She knows that if you weren’t worried about hiding your privates, you’d mop the floor with her!”

His words rekindled something deep within her heart. It was small and flickering, but it was growing hotter again. The love of fighting that Sydney had doused, had just gotten a fresh shot of gasoline, and Katie knew her coach was right. She was better, she could end this rivalry if she just refused to break, if she could just somehow deal with her stupid modesty.

Still, the fear lingered. “Even if I watch what she’s doing in the ring, she’ll just sabotage me again somehow. Who knows how many ways to show everyone my privates they’ve thought of by now? What can I even do against that, coach?”

“We take away her only advantage,” Stark said, voice steady but careful. “We train you to fight naked.”

Katie’s heart slammed against her ribs. “But… that would be humiliating.” She sat there, cheeks blazing, mind spinning through every nightmare image. Sparring bare in front of strangers, her pale breasts and smooth pussy on full display, the inevitable photos and videos. The mortification burned so hot that she almost refused.

Then the fighter in her pushed back harder. Quitting meant letting Sydney win forever, it would mean that Katie had shown her privates to the world for nothing. Staying at least would make it all mean something, and it would show Sydney that not even cheating would make her the better fighter. No matter how many times her body ended up exposed, no matter how many people saw her, she wouldn’t give in.

Katie swallowed, realizing what she was promising herself to. Easier said than done. She thought, imagine what it would be like to fight completely naked in front of all those people. Her voice came out small but certain, “I’ll do it. Whatever it takes to keep fighting, I’ll do it… even if it means my privates won’t exactly be considered private anymore.” She was blushing furiously, pulse racing at the thought of what came next, but the decision was made. She wasn’t quitting. Not now, not ever!