Chapter 16
The group made it into the cafeteria and looked around for open tables. Most of the room seemed full aside from a few tables with one or two students at them. "There go Erik right there” Dominic said pointing to him who was sitting at a table to the far side of the room along with Hikaru. The group moved over to them, walking through the flurry of people who were standing around also looking for tables. "How did you get here so fast?” Dominic said as soon as they reached Erik and Hikaru. The two of them was eating a bowl of noodles, sitting on opposite sides of the table. He looked at Dominic while eating, "How did you not get here so fast?”. Dominic looked down and around after hearing that while Kallen sat beside Hikaru and Dominic taking the seat beside Erik. Terence, Markus, and Jarvis just stood up for the time being until some tables got free. "What class did you y’all get?” Jarvis asked Erik. He had stopped eating his noodles for a bit while Kallen began ordering on the touch pad. "Some stupid lady.” Erik said. "She an English teacher, made us do work on the first day.” Dominic said jumping in. "Dude, we got the laziest teacher ever” Jarvis said. "Talking about some dude named Masahiro?” Erik asked. "Yes, we didn’t do nothing on the first day.” Markus looked at the touch pad while Kallen was ordering. "I don’t we going to be doing much for real. Did one problem got an A” Markus said holding Kallen from ordering since he was about to order something too. "He is the math teacher right?” Hikaru asked. "I think I may have some him coming out the hall when me and Erik left down the elevator.” Erik looked at her with a done expression. "You’re not…supposed to tell them. Damn it!” Erik placed his hand on his face while she laughed. "Kallen?” Terence called her name causing her to look up at him. "Yeah?” She answered back. "Do you know that, purple haired girl with the sharp eyes?” he asked. "I forgot her name already…” He looked up to try and remember. "Saeko?” Kallen said causing Terence to nod. "Yeah that’s the one.” "Can’t say I do” Kallen said with a sorry look on her face. "Why?” Terence shook his head. "It’s nothing.” he said looking around the cafeteria.
Taro walked up to Saeko without his girls by his side. They stood just outside the other cafeteria entrance from the north courtyard. He stood near her smirking into her face with his arms folded. "What is it Yuichi?” Saeko turned to him. "I was wondering what it would take, for a perfect guy like me to get with a perfect girl like you?” She stared on not impressed by his words or looks. "Look, the great must stick together and you and me? We are more than just a perfect match. We are the epitome of excellence.” She gripped the bokken in her hand that she had been practicing with. "Do you say that to all the girls you meet? Especially your little group?” she asked him. "Forget about those morons baby. I’m only interested in you. How about we take a chance on this? I’ll fight anyone in the school you choose. Aside from the best of course. I want to saver him for a grand stage.” He began walking around her with Saeko keeping an eye on him the entire time. "If I win, you will go out on a date with me.” "And if I win?” Saeko asked. "I am not without fairness doll. I won’t mess with you again for this year.” he said smiling at her. "Do we shake on it?” She walked passed him and stopped at the door. "Yes we will” She turned her head towards him. "And don’t ever call me doll…” She turned completely to him and grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. He continued to smile through the sharp pain at her. She let the grip go and he shook his hand. "Well, who is the liability of yours I have to go through?” She turned and peeked into the cafeteria room. Seeing her target, she began smiling. He peeked in behind her and looked in her general direction she was looking. "Well?” She turned towards him, "I’m pretty sure you’ll just underestimate him. So this will be perfect for you. Your opponent will be Terence Mason.”
Markus had sat down beside Kallen and Hikaru while Terence and Jarvis continued to stand up. Lunch time period was almost up and the group had just about finished talking about everything that had happened thus far. Taro had walked up to the table and stared at Terence while smirking, giving him a weird vibe. The entire table gave him a "what do you want” look with the exception of Hikaru who was just wondering why every suddenly got quiet. "Well, looking you over. I can see why she would certainly think I wouldn’t take you seriously. And she’s right. You don’t have a toned muscle in your body. Don’t you even eat?” Terence looked at him with an irritated look but still didn’t say anything back really. "Hey! I thought we told--” Jarvis stopped Kallen and Markus had stood up. "I feel sorry for you though…having to fight me and all.” The cafeteria became quiet when the word fight came up and began paying attention to the confrontation. "What?” Terence asked him confused. "One of my little games” he said still smiling. "So sorry you had to be apart of it. But I want Saeko to be…in my clique. And I have to go through you to do so…” He ran his hand through his hair. "You know I’m about to punch the shine out your hair. I seriously think you should move” Markus said stepping up. He looked at Markus and then back at Terence. "I’m not interested in outwardly stupid. It’s like picking on the dysfunctional.” Markus looked at him a tad more angry because of his statement. "What? You know what, you got warned.” Markus rushed forward with a punch that had his whole right arm glowing and cut the air behind it. "How barbaric.” The sound of a punch connecting was heard but it wasn’t Taro’s face that was hit, he caught the punch with one hand looking at Markus out the corner of his eye. He pushed Markus a bit throwing him back into the chair beside Kallen and turned his attention back to Terence. "Now stop bothering us.” He said out loud to the whole cafeteria who was watching.
"Now, if you don’t take the challenge. She forfeits, and I date her automatically…those are the rules.” Taro said. "She who?!” a voice yelled back from behind them. "Ah Tohsaka.” Taro said to Rin who stood just behind the two of them investigating the commotion. "Come to watch my beautiful performance on this cretin no doubt.” She stared into his eyes angrily, "I don’t really care about your "beautiful performance” or any of that stuck up crap. What’s this challenge you’re talking about?” She asked him. "Terence here has the privilege of fighting perfection for Saeko. If he doesn’t, he lets her down.” Just as he said that she came into the group standing around in the circle. "Is that so?” Rin said looking at Terence who was still puzzled. "How did I end up in this?” He said looking at Saeko. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Because I think someone like him should be taught a lesson, preferably by a wake up call.” She smiled at him with Terence looking on puzzled. "What I mean to say is, I know you are better than him” Terence gasped and Taro face lit up red. "You must be kidding. Him!? I hope you say no to save you from thorough beat down.” Terence turned to Taro now with a determined look. "He doesn’t have time for you” Rin said to Taro who continued to look at Terence. "T, fuck him up. If you don’t I will.” Jarvis said. Markus was still trying to get up and get towards him but Kallen and Hikaru held him back. Dominic and Erik looked on while Terence pondered what to do. "I’ll do it.” Terence said looking at him. Taro had grinned at him hearing what he wanted to hear. "Good…after school at 5:00. That’ll give you time to think about the mistake you’re making. And if you still want to go through with it. It’ll be at North Buildings sparring stadium.” He brushed his hand through his hair and turned his back to them all. "I’ll be waiting to get my date with Saeko, so don’t keep me waiting if you do plan to come.” He began to walk away towards the North Building main lobby. Saeko removed her hand from Terence’s shoulder and patted him there instead. "I’m not worried. I saw your fight against Tohsaka. The only thing you should fear is your doubt.” She smiled at him and walked back outside again leaving him with his angered friends and an even angrier Rin.
"It hasn’t even been one school day and you’re already getting into mess. Enjoying yourself?” She asked him looking at him with those cold blue eyes. "I didn’t do anything…honest.” Rin continued to look at him. "You lucky you get to beat him down. I started to kind of want this one for myself for personal reasons” Jarvis said. "But Taro’s pretty strong, not saying that Terence can’t fight though…” Hikaru said getting quiet. "This is way out of his league” Rin said. "I don’t care how well you can manage, without being able to pull off a single ki based attack except by luck, how are you going to win?” You going to just hit him until he falls?” Rin asked. Terence didn’t answer considering he hadn’t even thought that far ahead yet. "I wouldn’t count him out though Rin, he did hang with you.” Kallen said. She looked at Kallen, "Barely. I proved I could have ended it if I wanted too. It’s not like Taro is some pretty boy weakling. He has a pretty good understanding of basic ki concepts and control. Terence…not so much.” She looked at him. "He can still knock his ass out” Markus said. "We’re from the old school days” Erik added on. "I don’t care who you are, if you’re hit enough you’re going down.” Most of the group nodded. Rin sighed, "It’s not like I have a choice though do I. I definitely need to see you after school then. We’ll check those gems, it might be your only way out of this” She turned towards the outside exit that lead to the courtyard looking for Saeko. The bell rung for the students to all return to the classes. While everyone was leaving Rin grabbed Terence arm and turned him towards her. The two looked at each other for a bit before she spoke. "You’re going to be fighting somewhere as strong as me and he’s not going to be holding back. I’m going to be looking out for you this time around but the next time this happens I’m not going to be around. We’re going to make a game plan in the library today. Hopefully you won’t get beat…as much.” She said to him. Terence looked down and away. "I…think I’ll be fine though. Is he really that tough?” Terence said looking back at him. "You really don’t have a clue do you. Let’s just say that attack I hit you with? Will probably be coming your way more often.” Terence face dropped a bit from hearing this. "I have an idea though. But I’m going to need to know if you want to work at it or not?” Terence looked confused. "You already go into a fight, why not skip too?”
