Through the Fire and the Flames (open)

[Matrim Gallagher]

It was one thing to say that all fighting in the school was strictly prohibited, it was another for it to actually take place. Not to mention of course the fact that if somebody challenged the School Captain, she would still have to answer. Luckily nobody in their right or wrong mind would challenge Linda. Especially since everything that was happening, he wasn't even sure what the hell was going on with the school. He didn't even talk to Linda.

Fuck, he hadn't had a one on one with Linda let alone introduce himself to her properly. Yet here he was, carrying her orders. Well, their orders. Anyone's orders... this is exactly why he needed Alex. Alex was the one who gave him direction, gave him orders. The one who ran stuff. Even when Matrim was School Captain Alex was watching his back. It was like training wheels, except instead of a parent taking them off and watching you ride without them, some sharp toothed nutcase ripped them off with his bare teeth.

Sick and twisted freak I hope he burns in hell.....

Matrim stepped out onto the grassy field where sports were played. Looking around, he wanted to find a good place to nap, to be by himself. He wanted to sleep peacefully without much problems. This wasn't the case sadly.

"Well if it isn't the Varsity Captain." Someone said. Matrim's ears reacted to the sound of the title. He was a bit of a show-off and an attention whore, so being addressed as his title sort of put him in a good mood, "Come to practice hitting home runs?"

"Not much for baseball," Matrim said, turning to see the spikey haired kid. His hair was jet black, and a bit on the long side. He was an inch or so shorter then Matrim, but muscular. The guys arms were crossed in front of his puffed out chest. Maybe an alpha male complex, or maybe he just felt that he had to make up for that inch or so, "Though I do recall needing some more players for the team. Perhaps you are here to ask me to join?"

"I'm here to kick your ass," The boy said.

"No you're here to get your ass kicked. Their is a slight difference I assure you," Matrim said. He was smiling, "So to avoid all of this how about you show up to baseball practice, challenge me to a sport or something. Hell, I'm trying to give boxing a chance, maybe-"

"You don't understand," The kid said, and Matrim suddenly realized their were more people here; Seven more people to be exact. Matrim looked around, getting an idea of where they all were. With seven people like this, Matrim wouldn't be able to stop long enough to charge his Qi. They would be a bit much for no flaming limbs, especially since he wasn't looking to kill. If he could kill them it'd be so much easier, but he wasn't like that. He wasn't that soldier, he wasn't fighting for his life. He was fighting for a reputation, and not a good one at that, "What I meant to say is we are here, to kick your ass."

Matrim backed up, looking for a way to fight them easily. This wasn't one of those situations where they came at you one at a time, this was real life. They wouldn't sit around and wait their turn.....

"So Varsity Captain, what are you going to do?"

I need to thin them out a bit... but how?

"Simple...." Matrim said, running straight for one of them, and as he drew back his right fist he leapt into the air, planting his right foot on the main guys face, and kicking himself forward, running straight towards a school building, "I'm going to RUN!"

Matrim laughed as the crowd yelled to chase him, and did so. The guy he kicked in the face was in the back of the pack but he was still up and moving. Matrim made his way to the building, the door was too far away so Matrim kicked through the window of a class that was going on, looking at the teacher he said, "Excuse me, I believe I have the wrong classroom. Allow me to excuse myself," and ran out of the classroom door and headed down the hallway.

They'll come through the window one by one, the door is open so the lead won't lag a little and let someone else catch up. I can take two of them out pretty easily and then run through the next classroom, out that window, and take out two more. Then I can go back and forth between windows, wearing these guys out and knocking them out slowly.....

And then came guy number one, followed by guy number two.

Well, might as well make it fun.

[SR Park]

To help the Varsity Captain, or to assist the super seven in trouncing him? Decisions, decisions; what would benefit the 552 transfer in the long run? Both held their advantages, since he had nothing to lose. At the moment, he was a non-factor at Moral Crest High, but that would soon change. Seung-Ri thought the separation of pillars into positions of "Varsity Captain," and "Student Body President," to be primitive and obsolete. Back at 552, pillars were simply that: pillars, nothing more and nothing less. Pillars used to support the school and its captain.

The Varsity Captain and his pursuers had barged into the Korean's functions class, through the window, no less, and promptly exited through the door. Having witnessed the altercation brew outdoors while staring out the window and not paying attention to his class, Seung-Ri wasn't surprised as most of his classmates were when suddenly, glass shattered and the pillar came flying in. Once four of the seven pursuers filtered through the window, the ex-pillar had made his decision. As the fifth tried to climb through the window, he walked up to the broken window and said, with an amused tinge to his voice, "Sorry, class is full," before booting him in the face with the sole of red-and-white Converse All-Stars, kicking him out of the window and onto the asphalt outside.

There were now four students in pursuit of the Varsity Captain, and the Korean was quick to follow them out of the classroom, desk in hand. With a grunt, the desk was sent sailing through the air, guided only by the laws of physics. Those laws allowed the desk to noisily crash into one of the students' heads, and shortly after, into the back of another, effectively knocking one unconscious and rendering the other incapacitated for a few moments.

Seung-Ri appeared behind the two remaining students, causing them to be sandwiched between him and the Varsity Captain. With a grin, he quipped, "What's wrong, pillar? Running away from responsibilities?"

[Matrim Gallagher]

One... two... three... four... five... five is a newcomer...

Seeing the desk fly and hit three and four made Matrim smile. Somebody was helping him, he didn't need it exactly, but it was appreciated. Still, fighting wasn't condoned on school grounds, though he imagined he could let this slide given the circumstances. Matrim smirked as the first guy charged, Matrim's right hand shot to grab the kids belt, his left hand grabbed the kids collar and he lifted the kid, twisting his body to the left he lifted the kid over him, throwing him over on his back.

The second kid went towards Matrim while his back was turned, Matrim turned his head in time to see the kid coming from the corner of his right eye, and shot his right elbow back to hit the kid hard on the chin, knocking him out from the nice bit of brain rattling the hit did. The first guy scrambled to get up, turning to his stomach and getting on all fours. Matrim swiftly kicked him across the right cheek with his left foot. The kid didn't get up that time it seemed.

Maybe I didn't need to run after all. These guys are pretty much chumps... but where are the-

"What's wrong, pillar? Running away from responsibilities?"

"6 o'clock, smartass," Matrim said nodding towards the classroom door as number 6 and number 7 charged at the kid simultaneously from behind. Matrim started to walk over, picking up the desk that had been thrown, just in case one of the kids managed to slip past this guy.

[SR Park]

"Who's that Asian guy?"

"Who cares!? Get Gallagher! The Varsity Captain!"

An involuntary grin crept upon the ex-pillar's face as the two students disregarded his presence and ran past him without so much as a brush of the shoulder. They went directly for the desk-wielding pillar, whose fighting prowess has yet to impress him. Where was the satisfaction in gaining a decisive victory over such lacking opponents? It was ironic that this should even cross Seung-Ri's mind, seeing as how he had just sarcastically criticized the Varsity Captain about fleeing from his obligations as a pillar.

Answering his own question, the 552 transfer reminisced in his days as a pillar in New York. He understood that sense of power and superiority one felt when they knew that they were capable of defeating anybody else in the schoo with easel. A pillar in 552 wouldn't last very long if they weren't any good at fighting; just how well did Moral Crest High fare against 552? Well, that was something Seung-Ri intended on discovering very soon.

In the mean time, he lit a cigarette, inhaling the carcinogenic smoke for as long as it took the pillar to finish up here. For this reason, Seung-Ri didn't expect to be smoking for very long.

C'mon, pillar of 42. Show me yo' moves!

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Who's that Asian guy?"

"Who cares!? Get Gallagher! The Varsity Captain!"

"Fuck it," Matrim said throwing the desk off to the side. He was going to do this one good and painful. Matrim kicked the first guy hard in the stomach with his left foot, just to get him out of the game. The second guy came at him and Matrim's right hand shot out for the kids throat, lifting him up by it getting ready for the choke slam, so he lifted his hand up then turned to his left and dropped his right hand down at the ground, slamming the kid into the ground by the throat, making a sickening hit as the back of his head met the floor. The other kid recovered a bit and went towards Matrim, who again kicked the kid quickly in the stomach to get his head bent over as he lurched forward.

Gotcha....

Matrim pulled the kids head in between his knees so he was looking at the ground. Matrim's right hand grabbed the kids left wrist, bringing his arm behind his back. Matrim's left hand grabbed the kids right wrist, bringing it up behind the kids back as well. He then jumped with the kids head pinned between his knees, crashing down to the ground so that the kids face would meet floor in a very brutal hit. Triple H's pedigree, done nicely as well. Matrim showed off a little with weaker opponents to make it more fun.

Matrim got up, looking around and making sure nobody else was going to get up and fight him. He shrugged when nobody did, and grabbing the desk he went back into the classroom, setting it down and walking back out. He looked at the other kid and said, "Didn't need the help, but thanks anyway. I'll avoid getting on your case for fighting since the circumstances were to help me. But just remember I don't really condone fighting on school grounds."

I fucking hate saying that.... I wish I could fight every second of every minute, every minute of every day...

"So, what's your name?"

[SR Park]

"That was not as long as I expected it do be," he lied, the barely smoked cigarette dropping from between his fingers onto the ground, where its life was smothered out beneath the cruel heel of the Korean's shoe.

Seung-Ri began slowly pacing in front of the pillar, stopping and turning to him every time he reached an apex of his linear path. His fighting style was interesting, to say the least; several of his techniques resembled maneuvers one would witness in the ring of a professional wrestling match. He could almost scoff at the fact that one of the pillar's fighting influences was from a drama-laden television program with fighting deemed "professional wrestling" thrown into the mix. It may also be a result of Seung-Ri being a real wrestler. The term "professional wrestling" tarnishes the wrestling name. The only professional wrestlers are the ones at the Olympics, getting on the mat on a world stage to represent their country; not some steroid-supplemented actor that steps into the ring with a pre-determined plan about how the fight will go.

All of this abhorrence was kept internal, however, and on the outside, the 552 transfer wore a faint grin. "Don't lie to me, pillar," he said while a hand fidgeted in the pocket of his jeans for his cigarette pack, "the very reason you accepted that position, that title, is so you had an excuse to fight. Your top priority isn't the well-being of Moral Crest's student population." With the tip of the cigarette ignited, Seung-Ri inhaled and blew out a rapid stream of smoke from the corner of his mouth. "Why don't we take a walk outside?" he suggested, nodding his head in the direction of the nearest exit before gesturing to the cancer stick between his fingers, "I'm sure this is prohibited within the school, if not on the entire property."

[Matrim Gallagher]

"That was not as long as I expected it do be," Matrim didn't care what this guy thought. And he didn't care that he was smoking on school campus quite frankly. The fact was that he had pretty much just been expecting an answer to his question, but he never did give his name. So maybe that would just have to wait until a different time.

"Don't lie to me, pillar, the very reason you accepted that position, that title, is so you had an excuse to fight. Your top priority isn't the well-being of Moral Crest's student population. Why don't we take a walk outside? I'm sure this is prohibited within the school, if not on the entire property." The kid said. And Matrim automatically hated the kid. First he doesn't answer his question and then he judges him. He thinks of Matrim a certain way and he is completely off base.

"You don't know the first thing about me, you got that asshole?" Matrim said, getting rather annoyed with the kid. He then stormed off towards the exit, "Hurry up I want to get this over with so I can go take a nap during my free period.... we have to walk off of school property if we're going to throw down...."

Matrim would lead the way out of the building, away from the school itself, and out onto the street. It wasn't very crowded, in fact cars hadn't really been driving by. Since it was during the hours for school zone speed limit, most people avoided driving by schools. Still, on the street outside if the boy had followed Matrim, Matrim would once again say, "Tell me your name before I kick your ass and you no longer have the ability to say it. If you want mine it's Matrim Gallagher, Varsity Captain."

Matrim would put his left foot slightly forward, left hand raised to eye level in an open fist. His right hand was at chest level, drawn back a bit more towards his body, also in an open fist. He would remain standing there and allow the kid to get ready or start this thing off. He wanted to get this ass kicking out of the way.

[SR Park]

"Oooh, looks like I pushed some buttons," Seung-Ri said in a mocking tone before pulling on his cigarette. He didn't think that the Varisty Captain would be so testy. Sure, he was making assumptions based on his own experiences as a pillar, but there was one fact that no pillar could deny: they all took a position in the school hiearchy for their own personal benefit. It's human nature to be selfish, and to use any power they can to help satisfy their desires. While the pillar stormed off, Seung-Ri remained where he was to finish up his cigarette. The pillar made it clear that he wanted to fight the Korean, and that in itself was amusing. However, it was what he said before that that made him burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Step off school property? You're kidding," the former pillar managed to stutter out between chuckles. Once he composed himself, he spoke loudly since the pillar was too far to hear casual speech clearly, "Why don't we fight here? You and I both know that you're just trying to save face. You don't condone violence on school property? Please. You didn't seem to have any qualms about putting down those other students in these very hallways. Why didn't you lead those students off school property when the confrontation began? It started outside, so wouldn't it have been easier to run to the street instead of running to the school and breaking through a classroom window to get inside? Don't play this 'holier than thou' shit on me, you hypocrite."

He took another drag from his cigarette, and he couldn't help but wear a smug grin.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"They attacked me, I ran at first. That was different. I did not start that fight nor did I want it to happen. The situation right now has changed, if I fight on school grounds when it is not a sports event or in order to end fighting, I become out of line. So, step off of school property, or if you really want to fight on school property perhaps you should come over here and drag me onto school grounds." Matrim said, "And like I said, don't call me a hypocrite because you don't know the first god damned thing about me."

Matrim stayed where he was, not moving. He was pissed off at this guy, "For instance, I didn't become a pillar because of a love for fighting. I became a pillar at 259 as a way to prove my strength, to measure how far I've come. I became one here because it seemed like a nice way to present myself. And I stayed a pillar because I can do a lot of good for this school. My job as Varsity Captain, I've been doing a damn good job at it, interest in sports has heightened."

Matrim, still pissed, was thinking about his pillarship.

Hell... I wanted to fight a pillar. That's all, didn't know if I would win or not, I just wanted to fight a challenge. Not to mention the fact I was also asked to by the Reapers... sorta how I got into that gig in the first place. My love of fighting and my pillarship are completely separated.... even if I dislike this rule, at least I follow it. Doesn't make me a hypocrite. Enforcing a rule I would otherwise ignore would make me a hypocrite....

"Orders are orders, that is all there is to it."

(OOC: Posts remaining in the same spot 1/1)

[SR Park]

"Ah, using violence to stop violence. Breaking rules in order to enforce them. The pillarship comes with a lot of perks, huh? Unlike every other student, you're able to make excuses as to why you've broken the rules. Excuses don't make your actions any more justifiable. Students are always going to be fighting, and there you are, fighting right with them. How can you stop violence when you participate in it yourself?"

Seung-Ri exhaled a plume of smoke into the air and flicked the ashes off of the end of his cigarette. The pillar was seething--even if he didn't make it apparent, he could tell. The way every one of his sentences ended with a bite, and not to mention the fact that he was so hasty to fight the 552 transfer almost immediately after meeting him. "If you want to stay off of school property, suit yourself. You got me all hot and bothered with your speech! I think I'm going to relieve myself now," he said, a bemused grin on his face as he took a final drag on his cigarette and tossed it on the floor.

Walking some distance away from the pillar, Seung-Ri turned a corner into another hallway and saw a student walking in his direction. When he passed by him, he grabbed a hold of the student by his shirt, lifting him off the ground and with a very audible bang, threw him against a row of lockers, causing their flimsy metal doors and locks to rattle. One boot to the ribs, and the student cried out. The Korean added another just for good measure. He wanted to make sure the pillar heard this student's cries. It wasn't an act of malice or sadism; Seung-Ri didn't hurt other people for his own pleasure, or for the sake of causing them harm. There was a greater purpose to this seemingly senseless beating.

It was unfortunate that this student had to play the role of collateral damage for the pillar system.

[Matrim Gallagher]

The kid walked away, and Matrim had an idea of what he was going to do.

Heh... I guess he's giving me a reason to fight him. Smart kid....

Matrim's hands and feet ignited in the flames of his Qi as he heard a kid cry out. Matrim's feet were burning his shoes as he ran towards the school building. This kid may not know about Matrim's Qi, so this may freak him out the first time seeing it. Matrim busted the door open with his foot, "Ok, now we can fight on campus."

Just following orders now....

"So why don't you put that kid down and try taking on a real challenge!" Matrim would charge, and just before getting to the kid he would stop short, drop down and spin on his left foot in a clockwise motion, aiming to slam his extended right leg into the kid to knock him off balance and onto the ground. If the sweep messed the kids balance up he would follow through by attempting to thrust his right palm into the kids gut to add to his fall.

(OOC: Qi Info
Constitution: 50 [-2 every other post]
Charisma: 35 [-5 Cha for ignition]
Posts of continuous use: 1)

[SR Park]

He heard the pillar speak up from behind him, and Seung-Ri couldn't help but quip, "Put him down? My friend, he already is down."

Turning around to face the quickly approaching pillar, Seung-Ri wouldn't even get a chance to utter "What the fuck?" at his flaming hands and feet before his instincts kicked in at the sight of a hostile figure. The steep, rather sudden dip immediately suggested an attack coming from below, and his eyes would follow the pillar's body as it descended and launched an attack. There was no longer a matter of flaming hands and feet, but only fighting, and his thoughts were lost within the sea of the subconscious as his body reacted without much consultation from the brain.

It was apparent that Seung-Ri's opponent wanted to sweep his legs out from under him, given the fact that his attack was aimed so low, at the legs. For him to accomplish that, he'd have to put a good amount of force into the kick. The spin on his left foot generated the amount of momentum to obtain the force needed. Knowing that the pillar wouldn't be able change the direction of his kick due to its momentum, Seung-Ri lifted his right foot and stomped directly on the side of his knee, smashing it into the floor with hopes of damaging the incoming leg's knee ligaments. That, and a possibe fractured kneecap would be a severe detriment to the pillar.

On the basis of that attack connecting, Seung-Ri would kick the pillar with the shin of his left leg. A hit to the body would be sufficient enough to knock him off of his remaining left leg and onto the ground, so he wasn't aiming for any particular part of the torso.

[Matrim Gallagher]

The good thing about Matrim was that he was very quick to react. Sure the kid was reacting quick but Matrim was also quick to see an attack. He pulled on his leg enough to get stomped on the side of the calve, he did this by bending on the knee quickly in reaction to seeing a foot coming down on his knee. When the other kick came Matrim's left hand came up to grab it at the shin. Matrim's would attempt to grip down tightly, not aiming to let go any time soon with his flaming hand.

Matrim's right hand would ball into a fist and hook into a hard punch to to the back of the knee. If this worked Matrim would attempt to twist the leg in a counter clockwise motion from his view point, hoping to turn the kid around. Matrim's left hand would push up while grabbing the shin of the leg in an attempt to knock the boy off balance and make him fall forward.

If this worked it would no doubt release Matrim's right leg from captivity and Matrim would push up on his left foot, bringing himself to a standing position. His right hand would come over to grab onto the back of the kids leg, the opposite side of where his left hand would be. If all this had gone as planned Matrim would simply say, "Just tap out already."

(OOC: Qi Info
Constitution: 48 [-2 every other post]
Charisma: 35 [-5 Cha for ignition]
Posts of continuous use: 2)

EDIT: Haha... That Joe sure is a silly dumbass...... there we go. Fixed.

[SR Park]

Unsatisfied with where his attack had landed, Seung-Ri raised his right knee in the air again for another stomp to the pillar's body, but was quick to plant it on the ground again once he felt a hand on his left shin. The hand was rather warm, but regardless of that abnormal sensation he didn't want his leg to be caught. Immediately he jerked his left leg back, turning his body in a counter-clockwise direction to add momentum that would aid in tearing his limb out of the pillar's grasp. If the pillar somehow maintained his grip on Seung-Ri's leg, he'd be pulled forward and fall flat on his stomach.

The Korean noticed that his jeans were slightly singed, and remembered that funky voodoo his opponent had pulled. He began taking a counter-clockwise path around the grounded pillar, circling around him and carefully watching him like a predator. There was some distance between the two fighters, Seung-Ri making sure to stay out of the range of the pillar's flaming hands, but remaining within the range of his own feet. A single kick was sent out, his left shin bone aiming to smack against the meat of his opponent's left thigh. From there he'd continue circling the pillar, waiting for him to stand up, a moment the 552 transfer was not going to hesitate to take advantage of.

"It'll be even more embarassing when you lose with those cheap parlour tricks on your side." he said arrogantly, though the smile that usually accompanied his snide remarks was not present; in a fight, the ex-pillar's face remained stony and focused.

[Matrim Gallagher]

The kid had managed to get out of Matrim's grasp. Matrim didn't hold on when this happened. Instead he got up when he had the chance again, his leg a bit sore, but otherwise it was fine. The guy threw a kick and while Matrim saw it coming he let it hit, putting weight on his right leg and focusing on attack rather then defense. Matrim's left hand would grab the back of that leg, while his right palm would thrust towards his opponents knee cap, aiming to hit the patella in a way which he had hoped would cause it to dislocate, aiming to hit the knee cap with the heel of his palm from the outside to dislocate it inward. Of course he wasn't sure how tough his opponent was.

"It'll be even more embarassing when you lose with those cheap parlour tricks on your side."

After hearing this Matrim would stop using his Qi, his left hand would (if it had successfully caught the leg) pull on it, and his right elbow would shoot out towards the kids chin, "Sorry, I get over enthusiastic when I'm pissed off."

(OOC: Qi Info
Constitution: 48 [-2 every other post]
Charisma: 35 [-5 Cha for ignition]
Posts of continuous use: 3
Qi Ended Mid-post)