Thunders of fans roared in the arena as Winter stood out in the MMA ring splattered with cuts and bruises.

Her black outfit is already drenched and besmirched from her strenuous fight. This red-dressed opponent lunged forward when she hit one solid punch across her face. The hit staggered her with blurred vision into which she took a gasp into the crowd.

Winter felt a shiver of exhaustion as she moved forward, doing her best to get an extra speed from her aching muscles. Almost there and then she heard it: the ticking sound signalled that time was almost up.

She squeezed out the aches with a shot of adrenaline and got on stance, righting to take in a deep breath. Her body morphed into motion with intent determination-a one-minded purpose.

She leapt forward, swinging herself through the air, so that when she brought her heel slamming home her best move, her foot swept right into her opponent's face and slammed into them so hard the force sent her flying straight back, down on her knees, before crashing onto her face.

However, the ref interrupted it by starting to count. Winter interlocked her fists and held her breath as though it were an eternity until seconds passed.

10. 9.

The crowd was screaming with deafening cheers.

8. 7.

Her opponent was lying on the ground motionless.

3. 2... 1. Vic.

"YES!" Winter shouted, but her voice went unheard amidst the roar of the crowd.

She ran around the ring, arms open wide, happy, free from all the worries of the world pure joy. Energy filled the air in the crowd as they cheered for her victory-through a raised hand given to her by the referee, proclaiming her champion.

Winter turned to her opponent, who just got up and two hugged in mutual respect, smiling at each other with bruises.

She stepped out of the ring, and her mother rushed up to enclose her in a tight hug.

"I am so proud of you!" she exclaimed, squeezing her daughter tight.

And then Giselle and Ningning burst forth, running forward with squeals and laughter as they pulled Winter into a jumping circle of celebration. They laughed so hard they nearly lost their balance, caught in the whirlwind of Winter's victory.

Giselle grinned and reached into her pocket to pull out her phone.

"Winter, go get a picture with Mrs. Kim!"

In one split second Winter reached to grab her mom's arm, flashed the brightest grin she could from her sweat-drenched, bruised face, and Giselle snapped the photo, capturing all of Winter's unbridled joy.

But then she realized, as she struck the pose, something strange.

Her feet were wet.

She looked down, scowling at her own confusion, and found the floor beneath her was slick with water and glistening.

Then she looked up and everyone, her mom, her friends-all were disappeared.

An ominous buzz spread, rang through a deserted arena. Panic hit her like a wave, and she spun around, lost in a world where the ground was still soaked.

A sharp slice of pain was felt across her cheek.

Winter's eyes snapped open.

She was lying on her bedroom floor, face down, and she knew that her cheek was red and throbbing with the ache of the impact. She stumbled and staggered, dazed and disoriented, staring down at her feet to see her black cat, Banana, licking her toes brightly, with a marginally pained innocence and blazing alarm clock.

She groaned, rubbed her stinging cheek and forehead, slamming the alarm shut.

"Banana!" she grumbled, reaching to scoop up the cat.

But Banana, feeling the annoyance in her voice, let out a soft hiss, scratching her hand before darting out of reach.

Winter huffed, glaring at the retreating black fluff.

"Dream ruiner," she muttered, pouting as she rubbed her sore cheek again.

"You're so lucky you're cute, Banana."

Winter's room was a calm, smoky sort of place filled with softest cream tones and neutral hues that seemed to blow together and warm up the space. Bed, walls, even rug-all were drenched in this harmony of beiges and ivories that seemed the perfect blank canvas for the spirit of Winter.

But among all those creams and beiges stood the little contrast of her sleek black cat, Banana, who sat at the windowsill right now, meowing insistently.

On the shelves are medals and trophies glowing in the pale morning light filtering through. Each tells a story of how one of her bouts in MMA was conquered and speaks of the amounts of effort and resilience that lie behind any achievement.

Having showered and feeling fresh, Winter leaped into the kitchen, humming softly to herself, hair damp, as Banana, who had leaped down from the window began weaving himself around her ankles.

She picked him up, giving him a quick peck on the head, which brought from him a slight hissing indignant sound.

"Morning, Banana," she whispered with a laugh, smoothing out his fur just enough to provoke him and then placing him back down so he could eat his breakfast in peace. Waiting for him to settle, Winter at last turned her focus toward her own plans for the day.

She dressed and got ready, waved goodbye to her daughter, and headed out the door.

"Be good," she instructed her.

"I'll bring you something tasty later." Then she slipped out to the hospital to visit her mother.

Mrs. Kim sits in her room in the hospital and brightness gleams on her face immediately upon Winter's entrance into the door. The warm hug greeting each other, Winter's heart melts a little as she looked upon her mother's tired smile, the presence that was comforting as ever yet full of strain from her illness.

"How do you feel today, Mom?" Winter asked softly, resting her hand lightly on her shoulder.

Mrs. Kim nodded, trying to reassure her daughter with an encouraging smile.

"I'm fine, dear," she said in a soft voice, almost tranquil but not without the evidence of fatigue in her eyes.

And so they spent the rest of the day with each other, and Winter wheeled her mother out to the hospital garden. It was six long months since the surgery for her mother, and sometimes it seemed like forever, interminable, but in those moments it was all worth it.

The rustling of autumn leaves with a chill breeze came as they softly spoke with laughter and forgot their walls that confined them behind which they stayed.

And as she was going out, Winter even managed one last hug for her mother before departing.

On her way back to her home, she had dropped by the pet shop, tugging on some treats for Banana and holding the small pouch close against her hip before stepping through the apartment door.

She let out a deep sigh and let all the weight of the day settle across her shoulders, but then-

Banana leaped out from behind the corner, bouncing straight into her arms, purring blissfully. Winter couldn't help but laugh at least enough for all of her exhaustion to fade into the moment as she hugged her little friend.

Finally, she crept back to her room, too tired even to change. She let herself fall face-first onto her bed, sheets cream-colored and soft beneath her.

Banana, never to be outdone in cuddly time, scampered up onto her back, curling up into a warm ball that purred. Winter drifted off, her breath steady, little shadow sleeping peacefully along with her.