Cheers from the crowd could still be heard. Muffled by thick walls. Diodoros was sitting alone in the Stadium's locker room. His cheeks wet with fresh tears, he was hurt but refused any medical aid. He didn’t want anyone else around, and needed to “learn how to deal with the pain” as he’d been told. The young fighter didn’t even look at his arm. The appendage had been turned into a gruesome and mangled mess. Little more the dangling flesh and bone attached to his shoulder. All thanks to his last fight for the evening.
Then someone else entered the room. Quickly Diodoros began to wipe away his tears and looked up to see his father walking towards him. “That was great! You wouldn’t believe the amount of credits we just made.” He said, his tone full of joy and enthusiasm as they approached the young champion. Giving Diodoros a supportive pat on the back that earned the son a painful wince. “But that’s not the best part, I got a Hutt to sponsor us, we just gotta go to Nar Shaddaa. I- We’re gonna be huge there, I can see it now. But we’re gonna need to go soon. Our new sponsor is willing to let us catch a ride on their pleasure yacht.” His father continued, talking about what was next for them.
The words only filled Diodoros with some mixed emotions. On one hand he was glad to see his father so full of joy and seemingly pride in him. But on the other hand, “But Dad, you said we were done for the season. I thought we-”
“Yeah yeah I know, but this could be our big shot. It’s fate. Can’t you see that. Just a few more shows and we’ll be set I promise.” That’s what he said last time.
Diodoros began to get himself up from the bench he was sitting on. His blue eyes looked down at his father. Even as a teenager, Diodoros dwarfed his Father with his size. “I don’t want to. The whole point for all this was so that we can leave Hutt Space, not go deeper into it. So that I’m not getting torn apart everyday, I thought-”
“We’ve already been through this Son, and to be honest I’m not having this discussion with you again. You don't know how difficult it is trying to get us where we are now, and to keep getting us further.”
“Difficult!? You’re not the one with the missing arm! You’re not the one risking their life! I think… I know this isn’t what-”
Smack!
Diodoros's words were cut off as his Father's palm suddnely collided with the side of his face. “Don’t you finish what you were going to say. I have put so much on the line, to get you to reach your full potential. You're a winner! A champion! It’s what you do. It’s what I built you up to be.” His Father said, his tone was far more hostile now. “You know what your problem is Diodoros?” Hearing his own name dropped like that suddenly made the large golden champion feel very small. At least nobody else was in the room to overhear it. “You worry too much. You think too much… You need to stop using that dense head of yours. You know full well that you were never bright. So stop playing to your weaknesses and play more into your strengths okay.”
Diodoros was about to retort but his Father quickly held up a finger. “Ah, no…” Spoken like an owner telling their dog to stop barking before turning his back to his Son and speaking over his shoulder. “Pack your things, we’re gonna be leaving soon…” They said before walking out of the room. Leaving a young Diodoros to get himself ready.
