Episode 23
Jarvis sat outside the bathroom as the sound of running water can be heard within it. He leaned on the wall tapping his foot over and over again shaking his head. "That’s the third time E cheated me to the bathroom.” As he continued to wait he heard typing coming from the room Terence and Dominic normally stay. It’s been quiet in there during nights and mornings, probably because of Terence’s absence. Jarvis decided to see what the only person in the room was doing walking down the hall and stopping at the first door in it. He peered in and saw Dominic dressed in his school uniform doing something on his laptop, what looked like now waiting for it to finish processing the command. "Where you headed too?” he asked Dominic bluntly. Dominic looked at him and then back at the laptop and knelt down to do some extra clicking. "Bout to go to this Kendo Club meeting today.” he said as if he was tired. "You’re in the Kendo Club?” Jarvis said raising an eyebrow with the sound of a door being closed is heard in the background. "Naw not yet. I got to show I am dedicated by getting early and sitting through the meeting. Then I got to show what I can do and Saeko going to let me join.” Jarvis nodded affirmatively, "Word word.” Markus walked by the two of them and went into the kitchen and into the fridge like normally in the mornings. After Dominic was done with his laptop he followed behind Jarvis who went to go sit down in the kitchen to talk to Markus. "Is everybody leaving today this morning? Y’all must got dates, except Dom” he said excluding Dominic from the group. Dominic can be heard muttering "Aww” lowly in the back while Markus laughed. "Nope, I’m about to hit the training center.” Markus said. "You remember that punch I threw at the gay rich dude?” Markus was talking to Jarvis about Taro which Jarvis nodded too. "Been working on that. I can like literally cut the air with a punch now.” he claimed to Jarvis. "That’s what’s up. The time I been spending with Kallen during her training sessions, I been able to enhance my body parts in general with ki.” Jarvis peered back into the hallway to see if the door to the bathroom was open and noticed it was. "You use it defensively too?” Markus asked him. Jarvis just shook his head, "Don’t need too. I’m trying to get the Batman punches, make you go to sleep within the first few hits.” He replied laughing with Markus. Dominic stood in the back while the two talked and checked his phone time before putting it back into his pocket again. "I’m bout to head off towards the West building.” Dominic said interrupting the laughter. "Where you going?” Markus asked. "I’m about to be in the Kendo Club”. Markus was now out the fridge, closing it and moving to the microwave, making a pack of beef cup noodles. "Yeah you go ahead with that. That purple haired check going to smack your mustache off.” Jarvis started to laugh and Erik can be heard laughing a bit in the back room he was at as well. "I can handle it.” Dominic said walking to the door. "You sure. I don‘t she plays man?” Markus tried to make Dominic think about the consequences. "Yeah I’m sure.” Dominic answered walking out of the room and closing the door. As he walked down the hall towards the elevator he began thinking to himself, "I’m going to get stronger than everybody. Then challenge Hawk and be the best.” He stepped into the elevator and press the button for the first floor.
"You have done well for yourself today Mason-kun” Saeko said while sitting on the bed with Terence. "I still hate math…” he sighed to himself. "I usually get Jarvis to help me with the really complicated Algebra, but I’m glad you’re here.” She smiled closing the book just as Terence finished writing the last answer to the final problem. "I did not think he was proficient at math.” She placed the book back into her back and looked back at Terence. "He looks kind of hard to approach because of his buff…kind of stocky looking size. But he’s like one of the coolest people in the world.” Terence said smiling. "You’ve grown a great deal, do you know that?” Terence smile dropped and he looked more confused than anything. Saeko laughed and began to explain what she meant. "Your…personality I mean. It is coming out more. My first few times spending time with you here, you weren’t very talkative. At least by the standards of watching you with your friends.” Terence looked down and started thinking to himself. As he did this she stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I hope that you will open up more to me in the future. Right now I must go, but I shall return. I have to see your friends dedication to the Kendo Club.” Terence looked up at her. "Who?” Terence frowned after saying that. "I mean…which one.” "I believe his name is…Dominic.” Terence smiled, "Really? Didn’t think he’d be the type to join a club.” Terence scratched his head and began muttering to himself while Saeko removed her hand from his shoulder and stood fully up. "I just hope he isn’t joining for the wrong reasons like most other males.” She smiled at him and waved before opening the door and walking out of the room.
Markus walked toward the East Wings training center walking along the path slowly. As he was walking he heard someone running up behind him, making him spin around quickly to see who it was. "Girl you almost got your streaks knocked out.” Markus said after sighing and realizing it was Hikaru. She tilted her head to the side, "I scared you a bit?” I’m sorry for that” She bowed to him twice before picking back up her gentle smile. "What’s up though?” Markus asked her. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something together today? Like last time we had free day? Maybe go to the Café or something of the like?” Markus looked towards the training center and then back to Hikaru who was leaning close to him. "Like later today, I‘m about to head to the training center.” He said. "Yeah, at around maybe 3 or so?” After Terence’s injury, Markus and Hikaru had been getting a tad closer. It came no surprise to him that she’d want to go out again. Especially since they’ve done this at least 3 times now. "Yeah sure. Let’s go the mall or something though. I haven’t been yet.” Hikaru smile brightened up while she jumped up and down a bit. "The Mall! That’s a much better idea. I haven’t actually yet been either!” Markus palmed his face, knowing full well what he just set himself up too. When he removed his hand from his face and looked up, there was another girl walking past Hikaru who caught his attention. Her hair was short, but not too short. Down to the back her neck but you couldn’t tell that from the front that well. It was slightly spiky but mostly straight, it only really spiked at the top. Her hair was a shade of blue, matching the same color of her eyes. She wore the school standard really dark blue school uniform proudly with a smile on her face. Hikaru noticed Markus mind wondering off and he wondered what he was staring at. She turned her head to see the same girl walk by who appeared to be heading to the same training center he was. "Hey, looks like she’s going the same way. Maybe you should ask her for a spar.” Hikaru said turning back to him. "How you figure she going to train?” Hikaru put a finger on her mouth. "The gloves.” She said directing his attention to them by moving his head there. "Those are the school training gloves that can be obtained from some of the stores in the surrounding area.” Markus nodded. "Oh, cool. Well I’m about to head over to the center now, catch you later.” he said jogging a bit towards the building. Hikaru waved to him and watched him catch up to the unknown girl.
"Hold up!” He said catching up to the girl. She stopped for a bit and turned around to face him. Her eyes were crystal clear up close and when her smile returned, it set a relaxed feeling within Markus. The two stared at each other for a bit before she began to speak to him. "Is…something wrong?” She spoke with a soft voice, one that can easily assure you that everything will always be okay. "Nothing serious. I was wondering were you going to the training center because I was going that way too.” She nodded to him. "I’m meeting a friend there to do some rounds. Preparing for the sports festival.” "You entering too?” he asked her. "Yes, not the same category as my friend though. I prefer something with finesse. You’re…welcome to join us though.” He nodded and she did as well, with the two beginning to walk side by side toward the training center. "What’s your name?” He asked her. "Mizu” She said still smiling. "Cool, I’m Markus. How come I’ve ever seen you around campus. Did you enter the preliminaries in the school?” She shook her head and turned her head towards him. "Oh no, well I did. Just not here. I’m a transfer student, along with my friend. Passed with an A+.” She began to look forward as they make the turn towards the East building and began heading to the back where the centers are located. "An A+? You were broke.” Markus said suddenly causing her to laugh a bit. "You didn’t need to win, only to prove that you were capable of handling ki, I did just that.” Markus wondered what she could do with her ki then that gave her an A+. He removed the thought from his head though and changed the subject back to the training. "Your friend? She a chick?” he asked smirking to let her know that he was playing. She laughed again seeming to enjoy herself around his company. "That chick is a he by the way. I probably should have elaborated a bit more.” "Aww, come on man.” he said jokingly. "You’ll like him though, the council here seemed fond of him too. He’s already getting noticed by…I think his name was Hawk?” She pondered the school’s best name as they stepped into the training center together.
There alone, stood two guys sparring with one another. One wore a karate gi while the other one wore an outfit more traditional to Aikido. The hits can be heard sounding off from the entrance where Mizu and Markus was but their more parry blows than someone getting hit. Markus could see small distortions in the air where their hits had collided. "Hey Tsuchi!” Mizu began running toward the center with Markus close behind. The one in the Aikido outfit looked back then back at his partner who rushed him with a punch. He gasped and reacted by meeting his punch with one of his own. Both punches connected causing wind to blow around the arena and stopping Mizu and Markus in their tracks. Dust kicked up from both ends of the fighters who through punches and extended all the way to the wall. The guy in the karate gi smiles and so does Tsuchi. "Met me punch for punch. Not many people can do that.” The man in the karate gi smirked. "I can definitely see why you’re Ryo’s star pupil Ryota.” Both men turn to Mizu and Markus who was in done mode after seeing the impressive display. "There you are Mizu. And you’ve bought a friend?” Tsuchi and Ryota turn their attention to Markus. Ryota, the one in the karate gi, had spiked back black hair and a rugged look. Tsuchi, looked to be a bit younger, and had the mullet type of hair but was completely spiky. His Aikido uniform was two different colors. The shirt half was the same color as the schools uniforms, but the bottom half was a grayish off color of blue. Markus could tell what his punching hand was by looking at one side of it, which was wrapped up in some sort of leather arm band. "I didn’t know Ryota was here” Mizu said waving to him. "He showed up just a bit after I did and you left to go get something you forgot. I decided to spar with him for a bit.” Mizu walked between the three men and introduced Markus to them. "Markus, these are my friends, Tsuchi and Ryota.” Tsuchi smiled a bit, "Nice to meet you”
