De Ja Vu [Matrim]

[Cain]

And after coming to San Francisco just last Friday, Cain decided to make the day, specifically Monday, his first day of school. With more reasons than one, Cain was especially excited about the day. For one, it had been a while since he had been to school. Not like he cared much about his grades, but he knew their importance as well. Cain wanted to do well in his studies. He wanted to get a graduation certificate and go to college, where he could actually do something with his life. Not like he needed a job, for what he had earned thus far for working for Ma-Ta Development was probably just more than enough to get him by for the rest of his life.

The young male was clad in a black vest over a dark gray cotton shirt, the vest unzipped and let hanging on his shoulders, and a pair of dark blue denim jeans. His backpack was slung solely on his right shoulder, his right hand holding the strap in place as he walked into the school courtyard, his blue-black sneakers making soft taps against the pathway, his blue hair waving side to side with every step he took, his hazel eyes glancing left to right as he took in his surroundings. What exactly was he looking for? Well, simple. He had heard that 259 held with her hallways some of the best fighters in the world.

And being the fight-loving self-testing individual that Cain was, he simply could not reject this opportunity to move here, to 259.

Though, he had to wonder what kind of fighters there really was here in 259. Just a few days ago, upon coming to California, Cain was reunited with Gabriel Seran, a man he had met and fought back at 42, only to become an acquaintance of mutual respect for each other's fighting skills. And Gabriel had improved dramatically over the few weeks. Was 259 really that challenging that Gabriel would upgrade his skills to such an extent?

The thought of it made Cain's heart jump, his mouth tugging into a smile as he continued to watch his surroundings, his blue hair standing out reasonably among the crowd. Now, what did 259 hold in store for him that day?

[Matrim Gallagher]

Matrim was relaxing in the courtyard, he had a class to get to eventually, but for now he was just sitting back and wishing he had stayed home and slept in. I mean seriously, why should he come to school when he's the School Captain... where was the logic in tha-- oh wait that actually made sense.

Damn Logic. Damn it to hell!

As he was walking he thought he saw someone he recognized, the blue haired demon himself, Cain. That old School Captain from 552. How come he was always School Captain whenever he saw this guy? Oh well, two points make a line not a pattern. They'd most likely have to see each other at a third school where Matrim was SC for that to matter any bit.

"Cain!" Matrim called out, "Cain is that you? Long time no see, what brings you to Long Beach?" Matrim said, jogging up toward the guy to see if it was in fact who he thought it was.

[Cain]

"Cain!"

Cain almost jumped at the mention of his name. Was that even possible? It was his first day here. Could it mean that someone here already knew him? Had Chrynos told someone that he was coming here? Nah, couldn't be. He'd never done that before, at least not on his first days. Though, now that the word truly registered into his head, Cain found the voice oddly familiar. And the sense of familiarity was accompanied by a soft ache in his left jaw. He turned on his heels to see who it was, his eyes widening then as he met another person from Moral Crest High, a man he knew from Point Hope too. Matrim Gallagher.

It almost felt like history was repeating itself. Back in Moral Crest, after Cain had been beaten down by Gabriel, he went back to school the next day, only to get involved in a fight with the school captain then, who was none other than Matrim. The fight was pretty one-sided, though Cain had managed to put up a satisfying amount of fight. Then, Matrim's right hook, which landed upon his jaw, knocked him out, thus explaining the returning ache there. He smiled, waving at the male. They were not really close, but had mutual respect for each other, which was enough for Cain. As the older man jogged towards him, Cain would assist him by walking towards him. The two would come into better speaking distance faster that way.

"Hey, Matrim! Didn't expect to see you here too. Long time no see indeed!"

What brought him to Long Beach? Well, Cain could not exactly tell him that the multi-billionaire Chrynos had him posted him to take over his operations now, could he? It seemed quite bizarre, after all.

"Uhm, I just heard that this place was filled up with great fighters, so I just had to come here and see for myself. What about you?"

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Hey, Matrim! Didn't expect to see you here too. Long time no see indeed! Uhm, I just heard that this place was filled up with great fighters, so I just had to come here and see for myself. What about you?"

"Pretty much the same. I actually went here before 42, and I had some unfinished business to take care of. When I left here initially, there were some people I hadn't beaten, and I came back to fight those people. Well, a lot of people from 42 came back I guess. In the end I'm glad I did though, you were right to assume the place is filled with good fighters," He said with a bit of laughter, "I actually recently got the Captain title here... wasn't much of a fight to tell you the truth, but the old School Captain I fought for it had beaten me back at 42, so I had to test out those waters you know?"

Matrim wasn't looking to pick a fight with the guy, in fact he was fine with just catching up if that's what he wanted. Unless the guy greatly improved he didn't know where he'd stand with him. It was just one of those things... like Matrim had beaten him last, so it was this guy who'd have to try and challenge him if he wanted to.

"So, how's the fighting going? Meet anyone who's lived up to expectations lately? You might be careful with a guy named Leon who teaches here, he's... well he's stronger than me as far as I can tell," He said.

[Cain]

Ah, unfinished business, unsettled fights, such were things that Cain was familiar to too. Though, unfortunately for him, he had a lot in front of him, and he definitely could not afford going back just to fix something up that may not even do him any good. However, it seemed that Matrim had found himself both time and ability to handle both unfinished business and new challenges. Cain envied Matrim. And then, the man continued, telling Cain then how he too was the School Captain of 259. Cain looked at him with widened eyes, before giving out a chuckle.

"Fuck, is there ever a school you've gone to that you are not the school captain?"

He chuckled once more, before turning away for a moment, glancing around upon their surroundings. With the new information of the school captain's identity, Cain had to wonder if Matrim really had the time to be talking to him. Then again, this was Cain's first day here, he had yet to really define how the environment of 259 was like. Then, Matrim asked another question, Cain's attention returning to him. The fighting? Cain shrugged. And the name 'Leon' sounded familiar to the junior, though he could not pin down the familiarity of the name.

"Eh, I haven't really fought anyone here yet. I met Gabriel when I moved here two days ago, but nothing really happened. In other words, I'm still a stranger to the battlefield here."

Cain smirked.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Fuck, is there ever a school you've gone to that you are not the school captain?" The guy said and Matrim joined him in a good laugh. "Eh, I haven't really fought anyone here yet. I met Gabriel when I moved here two days ago, but nothing really happened. In other words, I'm still a stranger to the battlefield here."

"Ahh, you'll get used to it eventually. There are a lot of strong fighters, I'm actually engaged to one, if you see her around you should try fighting her, though I have to warn you she'll probably kick your ass," He said trying to get a bit of a rise out of the guy. He seemed to like fighting, and he seemed to like fighting people stronger than him from what he remembered, which made him a lot like Matrim in that aspect, "She'd definitely be a good sparring partner."

He then had to ask, "Have you improved since we've last fought? If not you should try to. This schools a lot tougher than the other ones I've been in. A whole lot tougher. So watch your back around here okay? Don't get too wrapped up in a fight if someone takes it too seriously. There are some psycho's around here, and you can't get stronger if you're dead."

And on that happy note...

[Cain]

"Ahh, you'll get used to it eventually. There are a lot of strong fighters, I'm actually engaged to one, if you see her around you should try fighting her, though I have to warn you she'll probably kick your ass, she'd definitely be a good sparring partner."

Cain looked up at Matrim. Engaged? Ah, yes, he knew about that. Back in 42, Cain had met up with this beautiful girl, though their meeting was purely accidental, with Cain almost dropping his bag onto her head from the stands near the baseball fields. What was her name again? Ah, yes, Reira. Of course, how would Cain know how she had been and what Matrim had gone through? He had been, after all, away from this particular society for quite a while and needed a few moments to get back on the proper flow of information. His eyes were wide

"You mean Reira?"

Yeah, not exactly the smartest of questions to ask considering what had happened between Matrim and Reira, but as said before, he had no idea what had exactly happened between them.

"Have you improved since we've last fought? If not you should try to. This schools a lot tougher than the other ones I've been in. A whole lot tougher. So watch your back around here okay? Don't get too wrapped up in a fight if someone takes it too seriously. There are some psycho's around here, and you can't get stronger if you're dead."

Improved? As Matrim continued on about the school, Cain's grin only grew wider. Psychos? Heh. Cain had met his share, especially back in Point Hope, where Qis were of abundance. And not all of the students there who had Qi were mentally stable. Cain had been hurt badly a couple of times, but not enough to bring him down completely. Hell, he'd welcome these psychos anytime.

"Haha, improved? I'm not sure. Guess there's only one way to find out?"

Cain smiled at him. Hint, hint?

[Matrim Gallagher]

"You mean Reira?"

"Oh uhh, not quite," Matrim said, "That situation is... well it's confusing. Let's just say no ones to blame for that, but it's Sara Quinn." He said, trying to think of how to explain it without getting a chalkboard and an entire lecture class on it. He decided it'd be best to just leave it at that.

"Haha, improved? I'm not sure. Guess there's only one way to find out?"

"Ahh, I suppose so," Matrim said, he'd keep to the two arms for now with this opponent. He usually didn't try picking fights or starting them but he'd take that as a start on his part. Matrim's body would take up a boxing stance, right foot leading and fists up and ready, "Just let me know once you're ready!"

Once he even appeared to be ready Matrim would step off of that right foot, sticking down on his left slightly toward Cain's right and bring his right knee towards Cain's gut. If it connected and if it caused him to double over, Matrim's fists would intertwine and slam down to Cain's back, bringing his knee back down to the ground as he performed that strike.

[Cain]

Sara Quinn? Cain looked at him for a moment, unsure of what to say. If Sara was the one Matrim engaged to, then what happened to Reira? From Matrim's words, it seemed like it was not something he liked to talk about, nor was it something of major interest. As if it was of natural consequence. Ah, whatever it was, it did not seem as if Cain was going to get the information from the School Captain. Cain cared not, actually. He always prided himself to have been able to get information from all kinds of sources, most commonly the internet. He could naturally filter useful information from the bad ones, that is.

And speaking of which, here he was, about to square off with the School Captain, the same man who had beaten down Cain back at 42, where Matrim too was School Captain. As much as Cain did not want to, he knew that in this case, history was most likely going to repeat itself. Sucks for him. Or at least, that's what others would think. Cain could not be any more excited. He cared not about the outcome of battle. He only thought of the process of it, for it was then that was most exciting. It was what he craved for.

At that, he gave a nod, and almost immediately, the School Captain shot forward. Cain's eyes widened as he found himself rooted to the spot, awed by the man's speed. This was the second time already. Gabriel had demonstrated himself to be extraordinary, but it seemed that Matrim could put the man's skills to rest. This man was impossibly fast. Cain had almost no time to react, as the knee found him perfectly, the junior doubling over upon impact. Of course, that meant that Matrim's follow-up attack found home too, as Cain was thrown hard to the ground. He grunted as he fell to the ground.

His torso screamed in pain, but that was not enough to stop Cain, as his fighter's instincts finally kicked in, the junior recovering quickly as he dug his left shoulder into the ground, pushing off with his right hand, sending himself rolling across his shoulder from left to right. At the same time, he would lift his left leg, sending it sweeping across Matrim's ankles.

[Matrim Gallagher]

Matrim's attack succeeded, his eyes watching the boy closely. It was clear that he hadn't improved as much, at least judging from that attack alone. Which meant that this kid had further to go, further to work, further to improve. He made Matrim jealous. To be able to come so far still, to have so far to go, how great it must be to see just how much was left to uncover. Matrim felt as though he didn't have much to uncover, that he had discovered all there was with one final goal.

Matrim saw the leg come, and he leapt off of his left foot, twisting in the air, bending his left foot at the knee he would come down aiming to slam that knee on Cain's torso, the air time might have given Cain the chance he needed to roll away, so anticipating a counter attack once Matrim's knee connected with anything he would roll forward into a somersault to end a few feet away from the spot his knee hit on a knee and a foot, crouched.

[Cain]

Cain missed. He definitely was not surprised, considering Matrim's level of skill. However, he was not going to allow himself to be beaten so easily. As soon as Matrim took into the air, Cain would push off with both hands, his shoulder once more finding the ground as he slid himself across under Matrim back-first, making it so that when Matrim landed, his back would be facing Cain, and Cain would be facing his back. Acting quickly, Cain would throw a renegade right hand towards the back of Matrim's right knee, only to have the School Captain roll away from him. Cain cursed, before proceeding to bring himself to one knee.

For the first period of the fight, he had spent it all on the ground, but now, he was going to take control. As soon as he was able to recover, he would charge forward, starting at approximately the same time as Matrim finished his roll and flip. Of course, Cain would allow himself a move that could be executed over a distance, thus saving him the time of having to prepare right in front of Matrim. He would leap off with his right leg, his body rocketting towards the Captain, his left leg in front. At that, while he was airborne, he would twist his lower body to the left, his left leg pulling back as his right foot came around, aimed at Matrim's head, were he to stay crouching.

[Matrim Gallagher]

The kick connected with Matrim's head, which was forced to tilt a bit to the side as his head throbbed a little bit, but overall he was fine. Matrim would turn toward around twisting left to do so till he faced Cain, his left hand would grab leg's right calve as his right fist would turn to a palm, the heel of the palm aiming to strike Cain's knee, and then he would let go with his left hand and shoot his right elbow toward Cain's chin, aiming to knock him back off of his feet with the force of the blow.

A hit to the head made Matrim lose his cool for a moment, even if it hadn't been a huge blow, it was a blow that pissed him off for some reason, still it was good that Cain got a hit in like that, it meant that Matrim had room to improve there. If his strikes worked he would step back away from Cain and return to a stance, his fists up, bouncing on the balls of his feet in a boxing style.

So let's see how you take that......

[Cain]

His kick connected? Had Matrim given him a chance? No, it did not seem like it. More so, it seemed like it was Lady Luck that gave Cain the chance. However, it seemed he had no time for celebration as Matrim turned to face him. Before Cain could pull his leg away, Matrim's hand snapped upwards, catching Cain's leg. The junior grunted. He was in big trouble now. Then, Matrim sent a tremendous amount of force down upon Cain's knee in a form of a palm, causing the junior to grunt in pain, his upper body leaning forward slightly, an instinctive movement in accordance to the pain. That only made Matrim's knee more likely to strike. Of course, it did.

Cain was thrown off his feet, his head jerking backwards as it led his journey into the air. It also led the way to his descent back into the ground, as he landed on the back of his head, though the impact was absorbed more by his upper shoulders, which he had shrugged backwards to catch the attack. His brain rattled in his head, his teeth still clattering form the impact, his body slightly shivering. His right knee felt numb, and yet, it ached. Blood had finally entered Cain's mouth, probably from a cut on his lip.

At that, the junior smiled, before hoisting himself up with his right hand, his blue fringe covering his eyes, though failing to hide his curved lips. He was breathing heavily, a crimson trail making its way down to his chin, originating from the corner of his mouth. Slowly, shakily, but surely, the junior forced himself back up on his feet, standing on his left leg. He raised his right hand, wiping away the blood that had almost reached his neck. With that, he looked up at Matrim, letting out a soft chuckle.

"Heh, you should know by now. I don't give up that easily."

[Matrim Gallagher]

The man emerged from the pain, making it known that he wasn't giving up. That was what Matrim missed, what he loved about fighting. Meeting someone who was just like him, someone who wouldn't give up. Someone who really didn't care if they put themselves in bodily harm just so long as they got to enjoy the fight that much longer. Matrim knew what this kid wanted, and he'd give him it. Real straight up fist to face poundage back and forth style toe to toe fighting, that had to be something this kid loved. At least, if he was like Matrim in his tastes.

"Heh, you should know by now. I don't give up that easily."

"I was counting on it, or more accurately," Matrim said with a grin, "I was praying that you wouldn't."

Matrim would charge in, since Cain could no longer run around he would bring the fight to him, not aiming to distance the boy from him but rather to go toe to toe for awhile. He would end up stepping within arms reach of him on his left foot, before planting his right, his right fist will have drawn back, aiming to hook him in the jaw, and then he would aim to uppercut the kid in the gut, waiting for the kid to retaliate back before attacking any further.

Come on, hit me... let's have ourselves a good time!

[Cain]

"I was counting on it, or more accurately, I was praying that you wouldn't."

Cain nodded his head with a grin, acknowledging what the Captain expected from him this spar. At that, he took a deep breathe, knowing that he would have to focus real hard if he wanted to have a proper foot into this fight. Matrim started to charge towards him, the sophomore lowering his head slightly as he let his hues focus on the body of his opponent, as difficult as it was. A second's hesitation was going to get his ass kicked badly here. At that, Matrim stopped in front of him. And came in the right hook.

Moving quickly, Cain would slide forward, throwing both arms at Matrim's right wrist, knowing that it would be less painful to his arms if he blocked the attack there instead of the fist. The Principles of Momentum, after all. The closer the point of contact is to the pivot, the lesser force there would be acting upon it. And besides, it being the wrist, Matrim may feel a tinge of numbness too. It is, after all, the joint. Then, without a second's hesitation, he would throw his right elbow forward, aiming to elbow Matrim in the face, knowing that in the process, he was leaving his side open for the uppercut.

It was do or die now. If Cain failed with this elbow, he was probably going to suffer some fractured lower ribs.