Cooling Down (open)

[Martin Tome]

((an exalt to the first person who knows where 'speaking to me or shittin' at me' is from))

Martin sat back on a bench, not far from the fountain. He pulled out a cigarette and looked down at it. He was about to reach for his lighter, but instead flicked it away. He was dead tired. His hair hung loosely in his face. It had only been a couple nights ago that he had seen both his sister and his father. He still hadn't quite gotten over what had happened there.

A shadow was cast over him. He looked up to see a boy, probably a year older than him standing there holding a familiar looking cigarette. The boy had an angry scowl on his face, brown messy hair, and dark eyes. He was much bigger than Martin. Martin could tell that this guy probably was very proud of his muscles. The guy flicked the cigarette at Martin, hitting the hair on his fore head. Martin cocked an eyebrow and lifted himself off the bench.

"You need something'?"

The boy spoke back at Martin, his breath stank something horrible.

"Yeah retard. I think that was yours."

"Are you speaking to me or shittin' at me?"

The guy's face got purple in a rage. He cocked his right fist and brought it down at Martin.

Martin side stepped and the guy punched air, Martin grabbed the guy's wrist as he missed and pulled it forward putting too much force on the guy's arm sending him off balance. When the guy hit the ground Martin brought up the heel of his foot and brought it down on the guy's back. The guy got up and threw another lousy punch. Martin side stepped once again. Unfortunately, the pack of smokes Martin had earlier had slipped out his hands when he first side stepped, it was now under his foot, Martin tripped like a man in a dumb cartoon stepping on a banana peel. Martin balanced himself without falling on the ground, but it took too much time and the breath was knocked out of by a fist in his stomach. Martin gasped for a breath and fell to one knee. The guy was on him, kicking him while he was down as Martin had done to him, the kick was well placed and it caused Martin to fall down to his back. Martin stuck out his feet while he was on the ground and curled his body like a spring then pushed forward his feet colliding with the guy's chest, the guy was pushed back against the wall. Martin took this time to get close to the guy, striking out with his fists at extreme speeds. Alone the punch could effect anyone, but with this many hits it could bring this guy down. It did just that. Martin's face was contorted in anger. The man fell to his knees, blood coming from his nose, mouth and cuts along his face.

'She is mine. Not you.'

His father's own words entered his mind. Martin yelled out and brought his foot from the floor, to the guy's chin, to the air. The guy on the other hand fell back wards while spit and blood came from his mouth, he landed on his back. Martin's chest heaved, he breathed heavily and sweat dripped from his brow. He turned and sat at the edge of the fountain. Watching the body of the know unconscious man.

Martin sighed and relaxed a little. Suddenly he had become aware of someone coming his way. He got up and looked to-wards where he felt the entity. He dreaded that it could be a watcher. He had already had a tough day, watchers didn't help.

[victor]

The day was cool-almost cold-and to his liking. He was sick of the hot weather and had been opting for the Indian Summer to end. Well it finally had and the humidity had cleared up. This was the weather he enjoyed: cool, fresh, and just a bit cloudy with the sun still out. It made him feel good.

Dressed in a black muscle shirt, black wind pants, and white sneakers, Victor walked through the campus of Hiricine high. He didn't know why, but he had become less inclined to wear the industrial combat gear he almost always wore. He barely even wore his trench coat anymore. He wondered why.

"This place is just one big battleground." Victor thought. "Varron was corrupt enough, filled with so much chaos. Kvist and his gang of murderers want control here too, there's competition for power between Varronites and Hiricine students, and to top it off this place is run by the pillar system. Who is to say sending us here was a smart move? The only reason this place hasn't been destroyed yet is because the fights between the powerful students haven't resulted in riots yet."

There was the sudden sound of commotion in the courtyard and Victor headed in that direction. Victor found a young man in a fight with a muscular student who looked like his face had been shoved into a threshing machine. The younger student had messy looking hair, much different from Victor's own which was neatly straightened and tied back in a long ponytail, dressed in pants and buttoned shirt, and a skinny frame. Victor had never seen him before.

The student gave a yell of anger and drove his foot into the muscular thug's chin, pretty much finishing him. Victor smirked, his icy brown eyes sparking with ugly amusement. Even if this place was a battleground in the making, he might as well make the best of it. That wasn't to say he would make trouble for the new student. He would just talk to him a little and see what his deal was.

Victor began to approach him. The student looked up from the fountain toward him, his eyes growing suspicious. Victor couldn't blame him. Victor was taller and much more muscular, not to mention he carried with him an aura of general menace. Or was it something else on his mind? Of course it wasn't like the kid could sense he was sociopath who could be as charming and charismatic as the devil himself...

"Nice work there, kid." Victor said. "To be honest, I've seen way worse done to people in here, but that is still pretty darn good if I must say so myself."

[Martin Tome]

Martin turned his head to see a tall, muscular boy in a muscle shirt with a long pony tail. Martin wasn't grinning or smiling goofily as usual, instead he was wearing a serious face. He was usual like this after a fight.

"Nice work there, kid. To be honest, I've seen way worse done to people in here, but that is still pretty darn good if I must say so myself."

Martin looked back to the boy on the ground. He was unconscious, he would probably be like that for a while. Martin was still a little tense. Martin loosened up his brow and took another look at his handiwork.

"Thanks."

Martin looked at his flattened pack of cigarettes and frowned. He peeled it off the ground and sighed, he spotted a trash can and he flicked it over to the can. He sat back on the edge of the fountain. Martin frowned at his bloody heel and fists. He spoke to the boy.

"I'm Martin Tome. You got a name?"

Martin put his hands in the water, watching the blood float away.

[victor]

Victor leaned against a nearby tree, brushing a small strand of his jet black hair away. Martin Tome? Interesting name. He definitely hadn't heard the name before. Still, it was nice to meet new people.

"Martin Tome, eh? Nice to meet you. My name's Victor Richards. I'm just another random guy in a school gone mad."

Victor stepped away from the tree and lifted the punk on the ground up by his hair, inspecting his face which had all the appeal of a bowl of strawberry oatmeal. Martin had pounded him, that was for sure. Still, this was nothing compared to some of the stuff he had seen others do. He had heard legends of some of the students in here, some of which were on his hit list when he got strong enough.

"Guys like this, they're all over the place here. When I first came here, I ran into one on the roof." Victor said. "I did something similar to what you did to this guy, although I took it a step further. You see, I had some masking tape in my bag and there was a step ladder and some spray paint nearby. I really hate vandalism-heck I've never vandalized anything in my life-but that day I couldn't resist."

Victor sat next to Martin and flashed a small, meaningless grin at him.

"I'm not a religious guy, but I taped the punk up to the wall in a crucifixion! Then I spray painted a cross around him!"

Victor chuckled slightly at the memory. The school officials had never found out about it, and when the punk had come to, he had been the laughing stock of the school. It was a good memory.

"So what about you? I'm sure you've had your share of battles in here."

[o3o]

A sleek, brand-new looking motorcycle pulled into the school parking lot, the loud rev of the engine dying down to a soft growl as its candy blue tincture reflected the car next to it. Killing the engine and hopping off the bike, the rider removed his helmet, revealing a Korean youth. His short hair was scattered and sticking out haphazardly, prompting the youth to pull a navy blue beanie from the pocket of his black leather jacket. He fitted the hat onto his head, successfully caging the untamed locks; the longer strands stuck out, curving up, reaching for the sky. Cradling the black helmet beneath his left arm, the youth strolled through the parking lot and into the courtyard of his new school. "Hmm, finally, a non-egotistical school that's not trying to milk my father's money out of his pocket. No uniform policy or dress code, which is great. Now I don't have to look like every one of those preppy, spoiled brats."

Noticing some activity in the distance, Hyung squinted his eyes and shaded them with his right hand, though it was unnecessary. It appeared as if someone was getting the shit kicked out of them. Going into a light jog, he began moving toward the scene, hoping to stop it before it got too serious and for his own curiousity. There was a little part of him, however, that was hoping for a fight, hoping that all those rich kids weren't just talking trash about this school; a part he tried not to acknowledge. He didn't want to cause too much commotion before he even got inside the school. Shortly before he arrived the blonde boy that had performed the beating was joined by a larger man, though when Hyung got closer he realized he still had an inch or two on him. Passing by the two who he assumed to be students, he went to the third fallen one. Just within earshot, he heard the larger student mention something about taping someone and spray painting a cross around him. "Strange ones they got around here," he mumbled under his breath, making sure he was the only one that heard it. Hyung squatted and inspected the downed boy; he'd been beaten until the point of unconsciousness, which was going pretty far unless he genuinely deserved it.

Still in a crouched position, he turned the boy around and lifted him slightly, laying his arm across his shoulders and rising, bringing the heavier boy with him. Turning to face the two responsible for this, he asked in a calm, non-satirical manner, "So, either of you have an excuse I could use to explain this to the school nurse?" his English was flawless; his Japanese accent, however, somewhat masked how good it really was. He shifted the student's weight to make himself more comfortable, since he'd have to drag his hulking ass into the school. Now, he stood there, awaiting a response from the two sitting on the fountain

[Martin Tome]

Martin had relaxed enough now to give a good laugh. This guy was a little wacky. He grinned good heartedly at Victor. When Martin got into fights he didn't try for anything too grand, just to kick someone's ass.

"Honestly, it's what I have survived rather than what I've done. This guy, Grey, he launched me off the roof once upon a time. I landed, broke way too many bones, and still had energy to crack jokes at him. I haven't really done anything like hang someone up like a cross."

Martin lifted himself up and took the time to memorize the boy's face, if he saw this guy crawling around again he would be sure to send him a grin.

"What about you? You ever get through a near death experience?"

Martin held his grin. Beating that kid right out of his senses had helped.

Now a boy came right out of the blue and lifted the guy on his shoulders. Martin cocked an eye brow.

"So, either of you have an excuse I could use to explain this to the school nurse?"

Martin laughed.

"He tripped and fell? Seriously though, he can't stay unconcious for too much longer, he will be pretty banged up when he wakes up. I'd leave him there and not get envolved with this if I where you."

[o3o]

The blonde laughed.

"He tripped and fell? Seriously though, he can't stay unconcious for too much longer, he will be pretty banged up when he wakes up. I'd leave him there and not get envolved with this if I where you."

The last sentence sounded like a challenge, but Hyung didn't give in to his desires. He opted to keep this a strictly verbal conflict, if any. "I don't find it amusing. Are you a doctor or something? You know how long he's going to stay unconsciousness? What if he doesn't wake up? I don't see what justifies beating someone to this state, it can cause permanent damage," he retorted, his tone remaining calm with a hint of concern. Hyung himself had beaten people to unconsciousness, but those were survival situations rather than just a scrap. Most of time he'd just knock them on their ass and dash off with the loot. That reminded him, he'd go through this guy's pockets on the way to the nurse's office. That reminder reminded him that he was completely foreign to this school and had no idea where the nurse's office was. "What really happened?" he said to the blonde, turning to the unconscious student on his shoulder then back to the blonde, "The nurse isn't going to believe me if he's in this state." Scanning the courtyard, he saw a few people scattered around; after he dealt with these two he'd ask for help from one of them. Due to his previous experience with Americans, though, he figured he might have to go in the school and look for his self anyway.

[victor]

"Honestly, it's what I have survived rather than what I've done. This guy, Grey, he launched me off the roof once upon a time. I landed, broke way too many bones, and still had energy to crack jokes at him. I haven't really done anything like hang someone up like a cross."

Victor's eyes widened in surprise. This Grey or whatever, had what? Well, he had seen some pretty bad beatings-given some too-but DAMN! Throwing a guy off the roof? Martin was lucky he had lived. Was that back at Varron or here? Wow.

"You got thrown off of a roof? God damn, I don't think I've heard of anybody having that done to them." Victor said with a laugh that was half awe, half nervousness. "This Grey or whatever must have been pretty off his rocker."

"What about you? You ever get through a near death experience?"

Victor sighed. "Can't say that I have. I have had some dangerous experiences though. Probably the most dangerous thing I did was taking on Stern Mason once long ago. Neither of us were able to hit each other, but he still performed better than me. That's the closest thing to utterly dangerous that I've done." he replied.

As they conversed, a third student entered the party, hefting the unconscious heap up. The new student and Martin exchanged friendly verbal sparring, but Victor could tell by their choice of words that an argument could break out soon, or worse. Generally, Victor was all for such a thing-the day had been boring anyway-but he wasn't in the mood for a fight now. The best strategy would be to mediate the situation between the two and try to restore order.

"Cool down guys." Victor said jovially. "There's no need to start a fight here between the three of us, especially in broad daylight with students and teachers watching. We'd all pay for it later in spades."

Victor turned to the new student-a Korean from the looks of it-and said: "I see nothing wrong with you joining our conversation, but you are being a tad rude, no offense. You ought to introduce yourself and state your business first. I'm not being snobbish, it's just proper etiquette."

[Martin Tome]

"I don't find it amusing. Are you a doctor or something? You know how long he's going to stay unconsciousness? What if he doesn't wake up? I don't see what justifies beating someone to this state, it can cause permanent damage. What really happened? The nurse isn't going to believe me if he's in this state."

Martin smiled and laughed again. He loved to mess with people who where up tight. 'What ever happened to people who loved a good joke once in a while?' He shifted his body to get comfortable again on the side of the fountain.

"OK, ok. I was just kidding, chill."

Martin got up and stood, he was getting tired of sitting.

"My mind had wandered and I had thrown something away, it must have hit the guy without my knowing so he came over and started to pick a fight. I got a little sarcastic and he took a swing at me, I really didn't plan on knocking him out, but I got a little angry after a while and he ended up like this."

Martin threw him another lazy smile. Martin was back to being calm again. He took another look at the boy on this new comer's shoulders. Martin laughed again and took some time to brush hair out of his eyes. He then smiled at the Korean looking guy to let him know he was joking.

"Judging by your nobility, I'm gonna guess you are new to the school."