Timothy's Mentor

Cezille07

Timothy wasn't always the good Tutor he is today. He started as we all did a long time ago: as a playful child with dreams and (perhaps...bad) friends to keep him company. Too bad for him he had an ultimately high standard to conform with—and the strictest mentor to answer to—as he becomes a full-fledged Tutor.

Disclaimer: ...Let me define a 'disclaimer' for you. It's a refusal to accept responsibility (or ownership of something), a statement renouncing legal right. There. Now, what you happen to see here is an example of a disclaimer for Monster Allergy. ;D

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Chapter 1. The Elevator Kid.

He can't have just vanished.

They were there, of course. The sounds of laughter. Talking. The soft thud of feet against the wooden walkways. Walking, walking endlessly. Endlessly. An infinite line of monsters moving towards every direction. And somewhere among them, a young Timothy was hiding from his vexed mentor.

"Tag! You're it!"

"No, I was on base, you can't tag me, you cheater! My dad's gonna get you!"

"Oho, I wasn't cheating, I was—"

Both children stopped at the shadow of Humphrey Roth. Timothy made a cheesy grin and edged out of view of the Tutor.

"Excuse me, children," he cleared his throat and knelt to level with them. "You're the elevator operator's son?" he asked, addressing the young Bombo.

"Er, yes sir," coughed Borombo, throwing his glance to the elevator space, the pulley madly twisting as the elevator rose up beside them.

Humphrey went on, "You wouldn't mind if I take Timothy back to school now, would you?"

"No, sir, of course not," Borombo shrugged. At that moment the elevator stopped moving; an aged Bombo stepped out, instantly yanked his boy into the elevator, and manipulated it into a jerky descent.

Timothy gulped. "Sir," he began. But Humphrey gave his thin arm a firm tug away from the elevator. "Sir," he tried again, and though Humphrey acknowledged this with a disapproving shake of the head, he went on, "I'm sorry for—"

"Sorry?! You ought to be ashamed, you cheeky boy!" Humphrey yelled such that passers-by halted in their tracks to listen. "Escapes! Escapes from the Tutor academy in broad daylight! My dear boy you have no idea what this means to our status! It is mockery! You mock our age-old practice of discipline and authority!"

Bowing his head, Timothy exhaled, "I...am ashamed, sir. I'm very sorry—"

"Then good! But for a student of the Tutor Academy, it is not good enough. You should know by heart what we do to misbehaving children as yourself, you being one of the most frequently punished of your batch!" And Humphrey grinned when he heard the crowd murmuring.

Timothy looked up at his master. Then at the onlookers. "The p-punishment for...escaping...is...." He swallowed hard. Something was lodged in his throat. "Th-the p-p-punishment—"

"On your knees! NOW!" bellowed Humphrey. "Hands over your head! Look up to the sky! Begin the chant!"

The crowd held its breath. Humphrey reached into his pocket and fished out a small bottle with a fragrant, purple liquid inside. Uncapping it, he let the surrounding monsters take a whiff of the potion. Timothy had assumed the position demanded of him, and he opened his mouth for the soon-to-come dosage of lavender.

"I am a shameful Tutor," Timothy muttered, closing his eyes so as not to see the bottle.

"LOUDER!"

"I am a shameful Tutor!"

"LOUDER, THE CROWD IS DEAF!"

A tear leaked out of Timothy. "I AM A SHAMEFUL, SHAMEFUL TUTOR! I DO NOT DESERVE ANYONE'S KIND NOTICE! IGNORE ME FOREVER, OR UNTIL THE END OF MY SHAME COMES, WHICH WILL NEVER COME!"

Timothy slackened at the end of the chant, but Humphrey delivered a square kick to his chest. "Again!"

Timothy doubled over, but returned to the position. "I AM A SHAMEFUL, SHAMEFUL TUTOR—"

"You're not doing it right! You have to mean it!" his mentor cut him. He forced the bottle of lavender into his mouth until the contents were drained. "Now, say it again!"

Timothy lost voluntary control of his body. He collapsed to the floor, and finally the tears streamed violently out of his eyes. "I ammmm a zzzheemmmmfull..." he gasped.

"Say it right!" the older Tutor ordered impatiently.

"...a shameful Tutor..." he said with some effort.

Then even the effort ran out.

And the light.

And the sounds....