"How dare you?!" Sabrina roared with murderous intent.
"That's it kid. You asked for it!" Jerry started walking towards Tisane as he eyes spat out rage.
"No" Sabrina stopped Jerry's advance as she herself walked towards Tisane. "Leave him to me. When am through with him, he's gonna wish he was dead"
Tisane felt his heart beat accelerate as he braced himself for a tough fight.
_[This is it kid. Don't hold back!]_ The voice reminded him immediately.
Sabrina walked few steps in front of Tisane as she threw her right hand with an intent to slap him.
Tisane saw the hand coming as he quickly caught it.
_"What?"_ Sabrina widened her eyes for a moment, until she became infuriated.
"You still dare?!" She threw her left hand with an intent to punch Tisane.
Tisane saw the punch coming as he quickly caught it with his palm. All this while, Tisane was on full alert and watching out for Sabrina's weapon.
"Argh!" Sabrina was not yet done as she threw her right leg at him. But this time Tisane reacted faster as he sent a kick to her knee cap.
~Crack!~
"Ahh!!" Sabrina didn't expect he will counterattack her in that manner as the pain threw her off balance.
But Tisane was not yet done. Using this as an opportunity, he sent a smashing kick at her stomach which threw Sabrina backwards only to be caught by Jerry and Matthew.
"....."
"....."
"....."
Now Jerry, Matthew and the second girl whose name was Melissa were truly shocked and dumbfounded as they stared at Tisane with wide open eyes.
Did he just beat back Sabrina?
But their surprise only lasted for a moment as Jerry erupted in rage.
"Am going to kill you!!" He dashed forward towards Tisane with full speed.
This time Tisane felt a dangerous aura coming out of Jerry. And Tisane also noticed another great change.
_"His speed. He's too fast!"_ Tisane was having trouble keeping up with Jerry's movements.
~Bam!~
~Bam!~
Tisane couldn't react on time as two blows landed on his chest and face. He felt like he had just been hit with a couple of hammers.
The first hit on his chest made him gasp for air. And the second hit on his face made him feel his jaw shift.
[_Focus boy. Anymore of that and you'll find it hard standing straight!]_ The voice quickly warned him.
_"He's too fast!"_ Tisane replied agitatedly. _"I can barely follow his attacks"_
Tisane barely dodged Jerry's blows as he sent attacks of his own.
After some minutes, both Tisane and Jerry began exchanging and receiving blows. At the initial stage, Tisane was finding it hard to dodge or block Jerry's attacks and send attacks of his own.
But as time went by, Tisane started to keep up with Jerry and even land painful blows of his own.
_"How can this be?!!"_ Jerry felt his eyes were going to fall out from shock as he watched Tisane efficiently dodge his attacks. Only few of his attacks were able to land on Tisane's body and they were just minor attacks that dealt no real damage.
But his body was already screaming with pain as Tisane landed attacks that were accurate and fast. The blows on his body were becoming too much and too painful that he couldn't endure anymore as he disengaged and created distance between the two of them.
"Senior Matthew just who is he? How....?" The second girl called Melissa couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Was this the same guy that they were threatening not long ago?
Matthew narrowed his eyes greatly as he stared at Tisane.
_"I suspected there was something different about him. But even I just didn't expect this"_
"Matthew how can he fight like that?!" Even Sabrina was quite disturbed.
"Is he....?" Her eyes began to widen due to what she was speculating.
"No" Matthew quickly shook his head. "I didn't sense any mutant energy on him"
"Then how can he keep up with senior Jerry?" Melissa inquired.
"That's what I intend to find out" Matthew said as he stepped forward.
"No Matthew. He's mine!" Jerry was obviously still furious about being bested by Tisane whom according to them was a nobody.
"Stand down!" Matthew roared at Jerry who was already stepping forward for another fight.
As Matthew stood before Tisane, he sized him up with emotionless but serious eyes.
"Before we begin, I want ask you some questions. I only ask that you answer me truthfully"
Few minutes ago.....
Tisane felt every part of his body scream in pain as he and Jerry disengaged from their brawl. Though it was a pain that he could endure.
Unlike Jerry whom was wincing in pain from Tisane's attacks.
_[How do you feel kid?]_ The voice asked.
_"Like I had just been knocked down by a mad bull"_ Tisane complained. _"He's punches are so painful!"_
_"I felt like I was going to die under those terrible blows!"_
_[....is that really all you felt?]_ The voice couldn't help but ask in exasperation.
_"N--no"_ Tisane looked at his trembling hands. Funny enough his hands were not trembling from fear or exhaustion but from..... excitement!
He was excited. Tisane subconsciously closed his eyes as he saw the image of Jerry's punches flying at him.
That image drew out from him a very familiar feeling. A feeling so deep and intimate that he didn't want it to go away.
The image didn't yet go away as it was like a hologram in his mind. He felt like he was pulled into the rain of those punches but instead of getting drenched and beaten, he found himself weaving his way through that rain towards the source.
On getting to the source, he was expecting to see the shocked expression of Jerry. But all he saw was a red sphere of energy that was oddly bright and pulsating.
It was so strange but yet beautiful that Tisane couldn't help but gape helplessly. Suddenly, the image seemed to vanish as Tisane blinked his eyes only to find himself facing Matthew who was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Before we begin, I want to ask you some questions. I only ask that you answer me truthfully" Matthew told him.
Tisane was still dazed by the strange image of the red sphere that he saw in his mind.
"Did you hear what I said?" Matthew called out as he noticed the dazed look on Tisane's face.
"Huh?" Tisane whom still had not forgotten the image he saw nodded absentmindedly.
"Yeah yeah sure"
"Good" Matthew continued. "Now for emphasis and just so we are clear, I will repeat myself one more time"
"I will ask you some ques---"
Tisane lost interest in what Matthew was saying as he tried to understand the image he saw in his mind.
_"Hey what was it that I saw earlier?"_ Tisane asked the strange voice.
_[What do you mean?]_ The voice answered.
_"The red glowing ball. What was that?"_ Tisane asked.
_[What you saw was an insight into a battle technique that has been passed down through the ages]_
_"Battle technique?"_
_[Yes. Every mutant through the years has been able to harness and cultivate their cosmic power through various battle techniques. These techniques help to train their will, mind, strength and power to terrifying degrees]_ the voice said.
_"So you're saying that what I just saw is something that I can use to train?"_ Tisane asked.
_[Yes that's basically correct]_
_"But what about the red ball? What was that?"_
_[That...is a topic for another time kid]_ the voice said.
_"What? No tell me now!"_ Tisane protested.
_[No]_
_"Why?!"_
_[Because your friend Matthew is about to finish his speech]_ the voice pointed out.
Tisane snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Matthew questions.
"First question: Who are you?"
"Second question: How can you fight so well?"
"Third question: Why are you truly here?"
"..."
"..."
"Well" Matthew frowned in annoyance as Tisane remained silent. "I demand that you answer my questions"
"Well uh---" Tisane began.
_[Don't answer]_ the voice quickly said.
_"What?"_ Tisane asked.
_[You owe him no explanation whatsoever. Since it's a fight he wants, then it's a fight he'll get. Moreover, if he wants his questions answered so badly, then he has to answer some questions of your own to make it fair]_
_"So....what are you implying?"_ Tisane inquired.
_[Simple. Throw his questions back at him as a condition to give him what he wants]_ the voice said.
"Well. Am waiting kid!" Matthew was starting to lose his patience.
Tisane immediately frowned when he heard those words.
"I told you to stop calling me kid!"
"And what does that have to do with anything?" Matthew asked.
"We are basically age mates!" Tisane declared.
Matthew snickered when he heard those words.
"Hmph....Kid If you know who we are, you wouldn't dare to be so disrespectful!" Sabrina said in disdain.
"Oh really?" Tisane said with a challenging glare. "So who the hell are you guys?"
"Enough!" Matthew snapped. "Are you trying to ignore my questions?"
"No. I just have one condition"
"What condition?" Matthew sharpened his gaze.
"Well it's simple" Tisane stated.
"One : Tell me who you are"
"Two : Tell me how you can fight so well"
"Three : Tell me why you are truly here"
"....."
"....."
"....."
"....."