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His stomach started to growl as the sweat clung to the white tank top he had while running, the sun was beating down and Matt was starting to wish he had taken his run more in the morning versus mid day. Even worse he was going to be stuck without grabbing lunch any time soon, not at least until he went back on shift for the infirmary and tried to cram some leftover sandwich in his mouth. This was why he didn’t sleep in or at least the reason why he shouldn’t anymore, just made things slightly more complicated when it came to his new training regimen. Still despite all the effort he had yet to win a spar, there was a lingering feeling that maybe he was just merely unlucky or even worse cursed from something he wasn’t even aware of.

Slowing down to a jog and then to a walk he headed over to his dufflebag and guzzled some water before sitting down to eat the half granola bar crammed in the bottom of the bag. It was debatable but at least it was food.

He finished off eating the rest of the granola bar and drank some more water before taking a few moments to think about what else he wanted to do out on the training grounds. Kasi insisted that he should run a few stairs, but it was more or less some sort of intentional jab that she felt he was getting a little too lazy, or fat he wasn’t entirely sure. Despite the heat it was apparently to early to quit and of course as expected most of the training ground was empty. Deep in his own mind Matt was unaware of the new guest still thinking he was the only soul out there until the unfamiliar voice spoke.

“Hey,” he looked up shielding his eyes from the sun. The deep tan like face was not familiar at all to him, not even as someone he had met in passing or around the infirmary. “A little hot, a little hungry but I have been worse. As for the weather, it’s not bad would be better at the beach with a breeze coming in.” Getting to his feet he held out his hand, “names Matt I don’t think I’ve met you before.”

The man was rather cheerful which for Matt was a little more unusual for any other males he had met in person at Deus. Most where either crushed by the sense of suffering one way or just rather on the selfish jerk like presences. There was even a sense of envy at the rather long set of dreads that he had, but Matt wasn’t going to trade his undershave for anything, plus he was pretty sure his narrow face would just look overwhelmed.

“I don’t mind a little heat but this without the breeze and some cold water is beyond my comfort level. It’s also a pleasure to meet you … Arorangi.” He had to think about how to say his name for a moment not wanting to just scramble the sound, he was afraid ever having to spell it at some point.

“Sure I could use spar.”

Matt summoned his own spear as Arorangi moved away from him, he was still rather cheerful and his booming laugh made him feel as if it could be heard rooms away. Following the same movement Matt twirled the doubled ended spear a few times as he grinned in return.

“I did too, out in Cali I lived only a few minutes from the beach. It wasn’t as hot there as it is here but the beach, the waves, the surfing, the win those I loved a little more than the heat. If you don’t mind me asking where are you from?”

Matt lunged forward jabbing one of the end of the spears towards Arorangi’s center, it was an obvious move but it was a start.


HP: 40
DMG:4

It had been a while since he had sparred with anyone with an actual spear; lately it’s been all sort of odder things like bolts, shield, claw like things, oversized ax. There were days where he almost wished he had some sort of different weapon, something not quite so far away and quicker to maneuver around others and to deal a little more damage. There was no point in looking back now there was no chance in changing, and he had a spear for whatever reason.

“See now that’s a place I would like to go New Zealand, especially for the surfing or at least maybe when I was a little younger. I am sure I’d be more terrible at it now that I haven’t gone in a while.” Not since Deus, not since the classes at university and when the world fell apart. “You should go to Cali one day, you know take a day trip or something in the spring where everything is just warming up and everything is blooming. The water still a bit nippy but wet suits always work.”

The swift jab to his leg stung as Matt returned a low sweep to the hunter’s feet, it lacked power and any sort of accuracy to do any real harm to him.

HP: 43
DMG: 1

“You will have to tell me some of the better spots to go, you know the not so tourist trap spots that everyone goes to where the waves are good and your not surfing on top of the next person.” Matt slid his foot back taking a more defensive stance, feet wider apart, as he kept his eyes on the end of the man’s spear. “If you do decide to go to Cali let me know there are a couple of good spots, even if your not going to surf just places along the coast that are good to enjoy. A few hammock spots and so on, don’t know if you into camping but there are some spots for that too.”

Matt was ready for the blow to his side, shifting forward as he jabbed his spear forward just past the hunter’s ear. Quickly he bought it down on Arorangi shoulder with a loud crack as the rod of the spear hit.

“You haven’t been around Deus for a while have you? Or maybe I keep missing you, too many people lately coming and going in the infirmary.”

HP: 41
DMG: 8

Matt thought about it, he had met Oliver once in the infirmary when he was bedridden after some sort of injuries. He didn’t seem to say a whole lot and Matt was busy answering the inquisition of the black urine from Tommy. “You should go camping a little more often. I sort of forfeit camping to just sleeping in a hammock somewhere over night less work to put away in the morning. If you ever want to do a trip let me know if I am not on shift in the infirmary.”

He was about as jolly and cheerful as Abbi was in sparing as Matt twirled the spear around to his other side before shifting his feet and putting all his weight as he swung at Arorangi’s midsection.

“A year is pretty long, I just must be really blind at this point. Three years and you sort of see a lot of people coming and going and you sort of blend things at times days you think were a month ago was really a year.”


HP: 38
DMG: 8

Arorangi had returned Matt’s heavy blow with one of his own jabbing low just above his ankle; it shook awkwardly as he desperately tried to shift his weight to one leg. Only for a moment he used his spear to hold him up until it stopped feeling like the surface of a trampoline.

Laughing he waved a hand of dismal as he shifted his feet to prepare for a return attack. “I am sure it wouldn’t be too bad but mat out on the beach is always good too and thanks.” No that Matt would have held the hunter to his words, he would have felt awkward imposing if unwanted there was even a sort of avoidance in asking others for things. “Yea, I don’t take enough vacation away, despite being here for three years almost I can still count on my hands how many days I left the island.”

Swinging Matt returned another low blow towards his opponent’s legs, not putting much strength behind it. He was still avoiding putting all his weight on his ankle for the moment it would be fine in a few more minutes, it was just nature of precaution.

“I’ve seen a lot…. A lot of strange and odd things, but I spent most of it caring for others than battling. Fighting wasn’t always a strong point, I sort of started out lazy in it got no where.”

HP: 30
DMG: 3