Invincible (I wish I was) [Tara/open]

[Zeek Van Buren]

Zeek was driven to school like he always had been, in the back of his Bentley, Thomas driving him as he did every single day. He sat in the back leaning his head back and staring out the window as trees and buildings passed by. His eyes drifting off with the movement, telephone pole after telephone pole passing by, but the clouds remaining still as ever with a bright blue sky surrounding them.

"Do you ever wish that you could go back?"

"Back when, sir?"

"Back to the start of it all. Childhood, back to your birth, just to relive your life and change everything that happened for better or for worse. To be given a second chance."

"We all are given second chances, sir."

"True but none as grandiose as this. I mean a real second chance at life..."

"Well sir, you would know more than anyone."

"What do you mean Thomas?"

"Well sir, you've been given one. As have myself and Miss Victoria, sir. The second you took down your father."

"I suppose so...."

"We're here, sir. Have a good day, and please do be safe, won't you, sir?"

"Sure thing Thomas," Zeek said, climbing out of the car wearing a pair of dark jeans, and a brown hoody with various designing on it. Some clothing brand for skaters he didn't know. All he knew was that the sweatshirt was form fitting around the abdomen, and a bit loose at the shoulder, he liked the style. The shoes were still professional to some extent, but in the end they were still more casual than what he usually wore.

Zeek made his way toward his first class when he was stopped by a guy somewhat shorter than himself, a hand reaching out, the fingers spread as they pressed lightly against his chest, "Whoa whoa whoa, where do you think you're going, rich kid?"

A few others circled the two, four flunkies and the main asshole who had put his hand to Zeeks chest, "Well I was heading to class, I think you were heading toward a life spent mostly in or behind bars. Now if you'll excuse me," Zeek started to say as a right cross smacked his left cheek. He took a step with the momentum as not to make it any harder than it needed to be, a hand going up to his lip to check if it was bleeding, it was, "Or we could do that...."

The four surrounding him cracked their knuckles as Zeek suddenly shot out his left knee for the chest of the fifth man, hearing something crack as the man lurched forward Zeek wrapped his left arm around the guys bent over head before kicking the guys legs back out from beneath him and falling back so his head had a collision course with the ground.

He rolled over and got up, bringing his fists up, "Alright let's do this thing...."

[Tara Ritter]

Tamara stood at her locker, pushing her things inside. She had just finished registering. Such a long and painful process, one that she didn't enjoy going through. Her mom had to work today and couldn't get the time off, so she was forced to do it alone. Which wasn't that bad, it wasn't like she was bad with people or anything, it was just... Boring. She shrugged off her thoughts, stepping back and nodding at her locker which was now set up to her liking.

She shivered as she got ready to lock up, wishing she had chosen something warmer then then the red tank top she had on. At least she had worn jeans instead of the shorts she had been planning on. The jeans were faded light blue, ripped at the knees. They hugged her hips nicely, but flared nicely at the bottom. Her favorite pair~

"Whoa whoa whoa, where do you think you're going, rich kid?"

Tamara's gaze shifted towards the voices near her locker. A quick glance before she turned back to her things. Mom warned me to stay out of that shit... I promised I wouldn't at school... It doesn't involve me, don't involve me...

Another quick glance at the sound of a hit. 5 on one... Really wasn't nice. She had no respect for people like that. A fair fight was a one on one fight. She couldn't bring herself to close the locker door and walk away. She looked back just in time to see the bald guy pull off a perfect move, slamming the guy into the ground. Her eyes narrowed skeptically. Maybe this was worth sticking around for...

"Alright let's do this thing...."

She quickly stepped forward, hands up in front of her as she smiled around at the guys, stepping into the middle. "Guys, guys... Common, let's not do this..."

"Stay out of it girlie."

She turned to the guy who was sneering at her, her expression gone sour. "What?"

"I said stay out of it."

"No... What did you call me?" She was slowly advancing on him now, and he was backing away, her reaction not what he had expected.

"Ummm..."

"I'LL SHOW YOU GIRLY" D<<<< She threw her right fist into his face and he dropped, clutching a bloody nose and lip. She turned back to the others. "Anyone else think I'm girly?!"

[Zeek Van Buren]

The girl had taken one of the other four people leaving him on the floor embarrassed and bleeding. He recognized her, she was a fighter from his fathers old business, Tamara Ritter. Being the son of the man in charge allowed him to see everyones personal info to some extent. Mostly he just saw their names, but hadn't fought her before personally. His eyes watched her closely, she had pretty damn good form.

"Anyone else think I'm girly?!" She said as one of the three gripping a fist tightly started to charge, but he didn't make it so much as a second step before Zeek managed to make him trip and land straight on his face. He went to get up when Zeeks left foot pushed against the back of his head, smacking his head forward down onto the ground once more and pinning him there.

"Not this guy apparently, he didn't say anything," Zeek said, winking at the girl as a guy tackled him at the waist, both of them going to the ground as Zeek landed on his back, the guy above him was on his knees with a left hand pressing down on his chest the right throwing punches into Zeeks face. The remaining loser went after Tamara aiming to throw a left hook of his lifetime putting all of his body momentum into the hit. Or at least attempting to. The guy wasn't that fast at all.

Meanwhile his left leg came up as his hands pulled on the guys left arm, pulling him forward a bit as his left leg wrapped around the back of his head, he continued to pull on that arm as the right leg came up and locked his left foot into place by going into the hook of the foot, putting the man in a triangle choke hold. From there he leaned back, his left hand securing the guys hand in place as he leaned back on his right hand, using it like a pillow, his eyes would look over to Tamara.

Wonder what she's doing here. Then again it wasn't like she had made millions from my father or anything close to the type of money Sara made in a single night. I wonder if she's doing alright with money....

"How are you faring?" He'd ask her. Whether or not she was in trouble his tone would remain somewhat friendly and not very urgent at all.

[Tara Ritter]

Tamara's gaze flicked to the first guy to take a step forward, her body tensing for attack. However, he didn't make it very far before baldy had tripped him up, his foot against the back of the guys head, pinning him. Her lips twisted up in a smile. Ya right mom, miss this? Pffft, you don't know your daughter very well... She chuckled lightly at the guys comment, her eyes flicking up to him just in time to see him tackled.

She didn't have time to deal with him as a fist was suddenly thrown into her line of vision. Her upper body tilted back, the punch going right by her face, his own momentum sending him off balance. She took the chance, grabbing onto his arm and twisting it behind his back. Turning, she slammed the guy into the locker, twisting his arm harshly as he let out a high pitched squeal.

"Didn't your mom ever tell you not to hit girls?" she hissed into his ear.

"Didn't you just say you weren't a girl?" he choked out.

She chuckled. "I'm a girl, I'm allowed to contradict myself!" She gave his arm another harsh twist, causing him to cry out again. She chuckled at him as he suddenly started to curse her.

"How are you faring?"

"Hm?" She turned her head back to see the bald guy holding the last thug in a perfect hold. She was surprised. He must have had a lot of practice. Come to think of it, he looks familiar... Must just be me though... She gave him a smile. Showoff... A cute one though... "Pretty damn good. No sweat." She gave the guys arm another twist to accentuate her point.

Figuring it was time to end this though, she slammed her head forward into the back of his, causing his head to slam into the lockers in front of him. Immediately, he was knocked out, going limp in her arms. She dropped him, letting him fall to the floor.

Turning back to him, hands on her hips, she looked down at him, a big smile on her face. "That was refreshing. But you seem busy, so I'll let you deal with that." She gave him a wink, walking back to her locker, walking quite deliberately to show off her ass. Reaching her locker, she began rummaging around, giving him a moment to deal with that and catch up to her if he wanted to, before closing the door and hooking her lock to it.

[Zeek Van Buren]

"Pretty damn good. No sweat," She said before slamming her head into her guy, knocking him out as she dropped him to the floor. If only Zeek's one had been so submissive. This one seemed damned and determined to make his life a living hell for the next two minutes or however long it took to knock somebody out these days. As he fought the guy, struggling to keep the pressure on his neck secure so that he would in fact lose oxygen and be knocked out, he realized just how tough it used to be for him, back in the day, "That was refreshing. But you seem busy, so I'll let you deal with that."

"Sounds good," He said continuing to struggle with this guy who was now slapping Zeek's abdomen just to somehow prove that he could stand a fighing chance that he wasn't going to be beaten so easily by Zeek. Zeek got a pretty good view from behind as Tamara walked off. His legs tensing up as the guy finally slipped into unconsciousness, letting go loosely so the guy simply slumped off of the leg, falling to his side on the floor.

Zeek stood up and stretched his leg. He didn't bother following the girl but rather simply spoke to her from where he was, speaking up he said, "You've come a long way from beating people up got cash. Then again I suppose that really wasn't entirely your choice since that place closed soon after your last fight there. The last fight there, my last fight there."

She probably won't recognize me. Or maybe she will, either way, I like where this conversation is going.

[Tara Ritter]

"You've come a long way from beating people up for cash. Then again I suppose that really wasn't entirely your choice since that place closed soon after your last fight there. The last fight there, my last fight there."

The locked closed a little harder then she had originally intended, the slam echoing through the hallways as Tamara froze. She stared at the locker door for a moment, sorting through what he said. She knew she had seen him somewhere before. No one knew that she had been in those fights. She had used a fake name and everything to make sure of that, so how the hell did he know?

She turned towards him, her expression hardened and suspicious. She crossed her arms over her chest, her hip thrust to the side as she wondered about how much he actually knew. As far as she was concerned, no one had seen her that night. Everyone else had gone, the last fight over, the little girl somehow beating Matrim, and she decided to grab one more shower before she left. The sound of gunshots had echoed through the building and she had hid. By the time she was dressed and everything had quieted down, she had had barely enough time to make it out of the place as the fire took the building down.

She broke into a smile, preferring not to get to into that subject. It was to much stress, better to move on. "I take it you saw my last fight?" She let her arms drop, showing she was no longer defensive. "I thought it was pretty good, and I held up pretty well against that one guy. I'm sorry though, I don't think I recognize you. You look familiar but... I can't seem to place it. Shame it went down though... I really liked the fights." She smiled sadly, obviously missing the excitement.

[Zeek Van Buren]

"I thought it was pretty good, and I held up pretty well against that one guy. I'm sorry though, I don't think I recognize you. You look familiar but... I can't seem to place it. Shame it went down though... I really liked the fights." She said, as he took note of her change in posture. He didn't answer any of her questions since they were mostly rhetorical, kind of. She wanted an explanation, but not a simple yes or not to the seeing her last fight most likely. A simple 'yes' wouldn't have probably cut it.

"Well I had hair back then," He said, "I know it wasn't too awful long ago but I've gone through some major changes. You should know me by my name, my old name. I'm Ezekiel Van Buren, there I was known as Zeek Masters. It wasn't an alias or anything, it was just my fathers name, and not mine," He said, a bit of venom at the mention of his father but for the most part he kept his calm, "I saw your fight with Matrim, you did quite well. I was impressed, honestly I thought you would have beaten him. In fact I think I put twenty dollars on you to win. Looking back now that was probably the worst bet I've ever made."

Then again given recent financial situations, it was definitely worth taking a bet on that fight.

"My father ruined that place, he had fighters on payroll throwing fights. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the people who lost to you had been paid to do so," He said, "Trust me. You're much better off without places like that."

[Tara Ritter]

Tara was so shocked, so thrown off by what he said, that she didn't even know how to respond to him. Her jaw opened and closed once or twice, stumbling for a response. He had just insulted her, deeply, twice, and didn't even think twice about it? The stupidest thing he had ever done was bet on her? The people she had fought threw their fights with her? His name a rang a bell yes, she knew that Masters had run the club, but whether this was his son or not, she was going to show this guy just how stupid it was to bet on her to win.

She gritted her teeth, finally deciding no reply was necessary as she glared at him. The backs of her eyes burned in embarrassment and anger. Who the hell did he think he was to just walk in here and insult her when he didn't know her?!

"Trust me. You're much better off without places like that."

"I'm sorry, but I have to say you don't know shit about me or what I'm better with or without. I remember you now though. You really don't have a right to talk to me about losing. You're the one who lost to that little midget girl." Her voice was dripping venom, her fists clenched at her sides. Men... They were so stupid. She was willing to bet he had no idea how badly he had just insulted her. He probably didn't even know he had said anything wrong. Such stupid men...

She was shaking. She body knew where this was going even before she had made the decision, darting forward, her right fist drawing back and slamming forward towards his face. No one insulted her, she would show him.

[Zeek Van Buren]

"I'm sorry, but I have to say you don't know shit about me or what I'm better with or without. I remember you now though. You really don't have a right to talk to me about losing. You're the one who lost to that little midget girl."

She took forward and reached to try and punch him in the face. The man who was standing a foot and two inches above her would be able to take advantage of this. Taking the hit he would ram his knee up toward her chest to connect as the punch did hopefully since he wasn't going to be able to dodge it in time. After the punch had hit him in his mouth he would turn his head away, wiping his mouth, hopefully his knee hitting.

"First of all, that girl went on to beat the guy you lost to," He said, "And second, I believe you owe me twenty dollars, Tara." He'd say before throwing a left cross aiming to punch her in the right side of the jaw. He didn't want to get upset or pissed off but if he had to he would use his Qi just to shake things up a little bit. But since it has been out of whack as of late he decided to hold off on using it.

"Thirdly, I don't want to fight you," He said, "Doesn't mean I wont, just that I don't necessarily like hitting beautiful women such as yourself."

[Tara Ritter]

In her anger and foolish rushing she realized what had happened to late. The only thing she could do was throw everything she had into the punch, however, even that would only cause her more injury. As her punch connected, his knee flew up into her chest. Pulling out of her attack and moving to the side, her arms wrapped around her torso clutching her abdomen as she doubled over.

She was breathing heavily from the hit, and looked up to him, hoping she had at least gotten him as good. Apparently, she hadn't. Tch... Her gaze went back to the ground as she took another few deep breaths, forcing herself to stand straight as he spoke to her. "I don't owe you shit--"

The punch slammed into her jaw. She moved with the momentum, the damage lessened, but it still hurt like a bitch. Her left arm still wrapped around her torso, her right hand rubbed her jaw as she stumbled out of his reach then caught her breath again. "You... asshole..." She turned a glare to him.

"Thirdly, I don't want to fight you. Doesn't mean I wont, just that I don't necessarily like hitting beautiful women such as yourself."

She froze for a moment, caught off guard by the comment, but quickly caught herself, coughing to cover up her awkwardness. It wasn't that she had never heard it before, but it was usually by seedy guys at the fight clubs. The way he said it was different. "Oh that's real obvious, I can't believe I didn't realize that," she said, rubbing her jaw to accentuate the point. She quickly stepped forward, throwing her right leg out in a side kick aimed for his thigh.

[Zeek Van Buren]

"Oh that's real obvious, I can't believe I didn't realize that," She said, and he shrugged. He didn't say he wouldn't, he just said he didn't want to. It was the truth, he would hit her if she hit him, it was as simple as that. Having fought women before he didn't discriminate. He didn't take sexual pleasure in fighting anybody, he wasn't a sick person who would needlessly beat a helpless person. But this girl wasn't helpless, she was a fighter and he knew it.

So as she went to kick his leg he took the hit, his leg stinging and his hand went down to grab his own leg to deal with the pain, "Yeah, it's obvious. I don't take pleasure in hitting you. First you help me then you attack me because you take offense when I didn't mean any," He'd say, his hand would reach out to grab the front of her shirt, fist it, twist and pull her so that they were nose to nose, "But if you hit me again I might just be forced to knock you around a bit. Got it?"

That fucking stings, damnit.

His eyes switched from her left to her right, trying to ignore the fact that he just put them in a very awkward position, not to mention the girl had a bit of a really nice chest and he didn't exactly do something noble by grabbing at it like that.

[Tara Ritter]

Her kick connected, and she quickly pulled back, planting her feet and taking up a boxing stance, waiting for him to retaliate. Instead, he moved to hold the place she had kicked. She felt a sick satisfaction at that, a smile touching her lips and a small chuckle leaving her.

"Yeah, it's obvious. I don't take pleasure in hitting you. First you help me then you attack me because you take offense when I didn't mean any."

She dropped her arms, ready to verbally defend herself. Her hands clenched at her sides as she got angry again. "I don't--" He grabbed the front of her shirt, tugging her forward, his nails digging into her skin as he twisted and pulled. Her eyes went wide with shock as they came nose to nose. She was sure she was done for, her hand going and pushing against his shoulders.

"But if you hit me again I might just be forced to knock you around a bit. Got it?"

Was it odd that she felt a sudden jolt in the pit of her stomach at the look on his face, his words, and the sudden situation they were in? Probably... Not really that much time to think about it though as her eyes stared into his, a hint of fear in them, but a mischievous twinkle to them at the same time as her lips twisted into a cocky smile.

"Oh really?" She pushed her face upwards, her lips lightly brushing and pressing against his and then quickly pulling back, a tease of sorts. Her smile widened as she kept eye contact, and then slammed her knee upwards, meaning to hit anything she could reach. At the same time, she pushed against his shoulders trying to push away from him.

[Zeek Van Buren]

"Oh really?" She said, pushing forward as her lips brushed his, his lips twisted into a smile, and then pain.... pain near the crotch but a bit of a miss, it was his inner thigh that had been hit, the thigh that wasn't hit on the outside earlier. And then she pushed on his shoulders, he pulled his right foot back planting it, he would then aim to tackle her, he would aim to hit her with his shoulder at the chest area, his hands would attempt to scoop her legs up from underneath her so she would collapse back against the ground, and he would be in between her legs over her.

If this worked his right hand would form into a palm and aim to strike at her sternum in the mid chest, a strike that would surely wind her and cause her to be a little disoriented and vulnerable for a few moments. He didn't know what he would try doing to her as far as holds but if he could get that he would grab her legs to make sure they stayed down and kneel back so he was on his knees, sitting against the back of his feet, toes touching ground.

"Yeah, really."

[Tara Ritter]

As she moved to turn away and probably run for it, she was tackled. She let out a grunt as in one quick movement, he hit her chest with his shoulder, grabbed her legs, and tugged them out from under her. She went down, letting out a small cry of alarm before her back hit the floor, hard.

Immediately, knowing the position she was in, she tried to get away, but the sudden drop had dazed her to an extent and the palm strike to her sternum connected. She was winded now completely, letting out a cough as she collapsed back against the floor to catch her breath.

The thing she was most aware of was him between her legs. Had she been able to breath and think straight, she would have laughed at this. Now? Her legs pinned, with him clearly in the upper position, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of her smile.

"Yeah, really."

... "No way..." She choked out a laugh, arms wrapping around her torso again as she groaned. "Harsh man... Real harsh..." She focused her eyes on him, laughing again, unable to hold it off just to spite him. Her mother always told her the best remedy to any problem was laughter. She believed that. She pushed herself up onto her forearms so she was half sitting up, smiling at him as she tilted her head to the side, the pain still quite obvious on her face. "I'm not giving you $20."

[Zeek Van Buren]

"No way... Harsh man... Real harsh..." She said, and got up on her forearms. He laughed as she did, no longer going to fight her in this situation. He leaned forward a bit though so that they were a bit closer. not quite as close as they have been but overall pretty close. "I'm not giving you $20."

"Eh I don't really need it anyway," He said, smiling at her as he pushed off of the ground getting onto his feet a bit, still crouched, he held out a hand to help her up, if she took it he'd help her up close to him so that they'd be pretty face to face, "I don't think twenty dollars would even pay for the amount of gas my Bentley uses up for the drive here these days. Most I could get for that is a feast at McDonalds, which is tempting I'll admit, but it goes straight to my hips."

He'd then say, "So then, I believe we should probably get properly introduced, I'm Zeek," He'd say, his eyes scanning her body in depth, his arm would go to the small of her back and pull her in close so that he could lean in, his lips brushing against her ear as he said the next bit, his eyes looking away, "And your name is?" His lips brushing aginast her ear as he talked, whispering straight into her ear.