Borusa looked at the two young Time Lords in front of him.
"I hope you two are suitably ashamed of yourselves. The damage you caused will take months to repair, months, not to mention the expense!"
One of the young men went to speak.
"Do not interrupt. I would expect this sort of thing from you Theta Sigma, but Koschei, really?"
The second youth squirmed under the gaze of the elder Time Lord. He cast a side-ways glance at his erstwhile companion.
Thete looked thoroughly miserable, and Koschei felt a twinge of guilt, if only he could have stopped it in time.
"Perhaps Borusa, we should consider separating Theta Sigma from the rest of his friends," a voice said from the shadows.
Both Theta and Koschei looked up at the sound of the voice.
The owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows and joined Borusa.
Koschei narrowed his eyes, anger welling up inside him. It was Vassa, Vansell's father. He really didn't like the man.
Like father like son really applied to Vansell and his father.
Arrogant, self-centred...Koschei rattled off the worst traits he could think of. When he saw Vansell again, he would make him pay.
"Well Theta Sigma, do you have anything to say in your defence?" Borusa asked.
Theta Sigma finally lifted his head, and looked nervously at Borusa, then at Vassa.
"Well Theta Sigma?" Vassa asked, making Theta's name sound like something stuck to the sole of his shoes.
Theta Sigma looked directly at Vassa, a flash of the rebelliousness that got him into so much trouble returned to his eyes.
"I thought it would..." he began.
"That's your problem, you don't think. I always said your parents made a mistake in letting you be so independent."
Theta visibly shrank at the words, unable to form a retort.
"That's not fair!" Koschei blurted.
The two elder Time Lords turned their gazes onto Koschei, who stared back, challenging their authority.
"You will be quiet Koschei!" Vassa roared, stunning both students and Borusa.
Borusa cleared his throat. "I think Koschei, you should wait outside. We can deal with you later."
Koschei stood up and gave Vassa a hate-filled glare before leaving.
"I do not like that one, he's more unpredictable than this one," Vassa growled.
"Perhaps, but for the moment we are dealing with Theta Sigma," Borusa replied.
"Indeed," Vassa said and turned back to Theta Sigma, who had remained silent since Vassa's outburst.
"I think I have the solution. I believe a short time with another tutor might do Theta Sigma some good. What he needs is discipline, he will join my class forthwith."
It was then that Theta Sigma spoke up. "I don't want to be moved!"
"Do not question my decision young Time Lord. You will join my class and learn some discipline."
Theta Sigma looked at Borusa again, but Borusa looked away.
"Take your punishment Theta Sigma. A member of the House of Pyrodon does not flinch at discipline. Leave us," Vassa said.
Theta Sigma stood and without a word left.
"That one, he is too un-disciplined. He'll only get worse, mark my words Borusa, if we don't rein him in now."
"Perhaps, but I do not want to stifle his mind. He is unique, even you must acknowledge that Vassa."
"Agreed, but left un-disciplined, he will become un-controllable. I will teach him discipline."
Koschei had joined the others, who had been waiting on the walkway, outside the tutor offices.
"I'm going to beat Vansell until he begs for mercy," Koschei growled.
"That Vansell, his family descends from common farmers," Ushas sniffed.
"Sure, but they're rich, powerful farmers. They say Vassa will be President one day," Mortimus said.
"They're just inbreds," Ushas replied. "At least Thete has noble blood in his veins."
Koschei went to reply, but the door to the tutor offices opened and Thete stormed out.
"Thete?" Koschei said.
Theta didn't stop, he'd heard Koschei call his name, but he kept on walking.
He could feel tears starting to form and he didn't want to cry in front of the others. All he wanted to do was get away.
He wanted to get away, not just from his friends, but from the Citadel and from Gallifrey.
"Thete!" Koschei called after the retreating figure of his friend.
He went to follow, but a group of students blocked his way.
"Well, if it isn't Theta Sigma's lap dog. I'm looking forward to teaching him some manners," one of the students sneered, and the other students in the group sniggered.
Koschei frowned. "What's that suppose to mean Vansell?"
Vansell smiled. "You don't know. Theta will be transferring to my class. You're about to lose your only friend Koschei. You know that changing classes means no contact with other classes. So I'd say goodbye now."
Koschei frowned again, then suddenly lunged at Vansell, but found himself pulled back.
"Leave him Koschei," Magnus said, as he hauled him away. "Go find Theta, I'll deal with Vansell."
Magnus shoved Koschei in the direction that Theta had run, before turning his attention to Vansell.
He stepped up to Vansell, and being several inches taller and much broader that Vansell, he towered over him.
He grabbed the front of Vansell's robes and pulled him up to his face.
"So farm boy, I hear that Theta is being transferred to your class, and that you're going to teach him some manners. Listen to me, if I even hear a whisper that you've been giving him trouble, or I see a single scratch that isn't of his own making, you will regret it, understood."
Vansell for all his arrogance and ego was a coward.
"Understood," he said in a shaky voice.
"Good, now go away, you and your little playmates," Magnus growled, and shoved Vansell away.
"You do know he'll take it out on Theta, don't you," Drax said.
"He wouldn't dare," Ushas replied. "There are some people who wouldn't mind seeing Vansell and his family brought down."
"That wouldn't be your family would it Ushas?" Mortimus said. "Your family have always wanted their land, all that fertile soil next to the Sea of Redemption."
"So what, they stole it in the first place, so it's all fair," Ushas sniffed. "Never mind that, if Theta goes, Deca is finished."
"Don't worry about Theta, Koschei will sort him out," Drax said.