MEMORIES

Chapter four

*And once again with the authors note: Ah ha! Caught you reading my Todd stories again! Oh wait, I'm sorry, please don't go! I NEED you to read this (and review of course). Ah yes, when we last left the oh so loveable Todd, he was about to get major whooped by some mean ol bully (ya know tha type!) so, what does Brad see? Well read on and find out!*

Todd stared quizzically at his persecutor, wondering what had caught the large boy's eye.
"That!" Brad exclaimed in one breath as he lunged toward the unprepared boy, landing Todd flat on his thin bony back. With his brawny hands he grabbed the small trinket that was half in, half out of Todd's frayed jean pocket. Brad pulled back looking at his prize, leaving the smaller boy still trying to regain his footing after the nasty tumble.
It took a few moments for what had happned to register in Todd's mind, but once it had, Rogue could feel the ice cold hands of fear grasp his heart..
His watch! His golden pocket watch! Well, it probably wasn't real gold, at least he thought that, but this was something close to his heart. The only thing Todd owned of his mother. His only link to the past. His mother had left it with him the day she left him…
Brad smiled in pure joy at such a finding, as he turned the round shiny form of the pocket watch around and around his hand. He could get a good buck or two with that thing.
"Hey yo! That's my…" Todd stopped short as he saw the stony glare sent to him from the bully, the bully who now possessed Todd's most treasured possession.
Brad's gaze quickly turned back to the smooth glittering object he now held. It didn't keep time, it had broken long ago, but it was still a treasure.
Rogue's heart filled with hate, as Todd's did, toward the rotten Brad.
Brad looked up from his hand and smiled wickedly at the young disheartened Todd. " Je, thanks Toad Face, I'm sure she'll fetch a pretty penny." Brad raised his head in laughter, as he turned his back on the fallen figure of Todd, walking out to the street. Todd's face flushed with anger and humiliation as Brad relished in the power he had over his schoolmates.
But then Todd did something that even Rogue did not expect. Todd slowly pulled himself up off of the filthy back road and stood straight and tall, something rather irregular for Todd, and faced the backside of his bully.
"Stop." Todd demanded, in a strong voice he seldom used.
Rouge made a mental gasp.
Brad whirled around to face Todd, a look of pure astonishment on his hard features. The look of astonishment soon turned to disgust however. "You little maggot…" Brad gritted his teeth. "What the hell did you just say?" knowing all to well what the small boy said, but not believing his own ears.
Todd gulped. What am I doing? Todd thought. Rogue wondered too. Never in his life had he stood up to anyone before. It just wasn't in his nature to do so. But he cleared his throat, brushed a clump of straw blond hair away from his face and repeated. "I said stop." Todd stared straight forward, meeting the large boy's dark ebony eyes.
Brad's face flushed with anger. How dare this little pipsqueak talk back to him! "I'm giving ya one more chance Tolanskey, stand down, or your gonna get your scrawny toad ass kicked." Brad said threw clenched teeth.
Todd remained standing, staring straight into the enraged boy's eyes.
With that Brad let all his anger lose. Like a raging river he ran, straight toward Todd. Rogue felt Todd hold his breath in a silent prayer. Brad lunged for Todd, but Todd was much quicker, and far more agile. He just leaped out of the charging mass's way. Brad stumbled past Todd. But he made a quick recovery and turned on his heels toward Todd.
Once again Todd was faster. As Brad's fist flew forward, aimed at Todd's face, the small boy ducked down and used Brad's momentum against him. Brad's fist hit air and he kept moving forward. Todd stuck his leg out, tripping Brad. Brad landed on hands and knees, face just above the gravel road, nose touching.
Brad did a pushup and landed back on his two massive feet. Even more enraged and bloodthirsty then ever.
Todd could see the anger in the large fifth grader's eyes as he came toward him, stomping his feet hard along the way.
Suddenly, the bully sprung, knocking Todd down to the ground in an all out brawl. Knees scraped, elbows burned, and clothes ripped as the two peers flopped around in a tangle of limbs in the middle of the road.
But Brad was on top of Todd now, he grinned wickedly and pulled his fist back, Todd's face a perfect target for the bullies force to be unleashed upon. He hit him right under his left eye. Pain seared through the young mutants face. Brad pulled his bloodied fist back again for another swing. But in a quick reflex, Todd kicked his long legs upward and outward, straight into the bully's wide chest. A combination of enhanced leg muscles due to mutation, and pure terror, fueled his leg's and sent Brad across the back road alleyway, into the low brick wall at the end of the street!
Rogue was shocked. Todd was shocked. They were all together stunned.
Brad moaned as he fell unconscious, slumping further into the weedy side of the now cracked brick wall. But in the tussle, the watch had been kicked aside. Todd saw it, it glinted, reflecting sun into his eyes. The watch was rolling down, had been since the start of the short fight, toward a sewer opening.
Todd's eyes widened in panic. It was going to roll down into the sewer! There he could never get it! Todd ran forward, toward the ever rolling pocket watch. He knew he could never reach it in time. It was nearly in.
The young Todd felt as if he was going to puke. Wait, this was a bit different, he felt like he had to gag or something. He had never experienced this before. Involuntarily his muscles spasmed, and he gagged.
ZIP!
His tongue shoot out, with the speed of a chameleon's and wrapped around the golden trinket, just as it was about to fall into the grated sewer opening. His tongue shot back in, causing a bit of backlash and dropping the watch at his feet. It hit the ground near his dirty scuffed tennis shoes, rolled, and fell back down.
Todd was flabbergasted. He just stood there and stared into empty space, his hands probing his mouth, feeling his tongue. Searching for a clue as to what had happned. The taste of metal still rung clearly to his sensitive taste buds.

Todd lay in bed later that night. He lay on top of the covers, hands folded across his chest, staring up into the depths of the ceiling fan. He sighed. Todd gingerly felt under his eye were he had gotten punched bye Brad. He winched. Oh well, he thought, Brad will have more then a black eye to deal with when he comes too. He looked over at his bed side stand. His ever so valuable pocket watch lay there. Safe. His eye was swollen, his knees and elbows were scraped. But he had his watch back, and he had stood up for himself. He sighed once again. A sight of contenment.
He wasn't to sure what had happned today with his tongue, but, he thought, it was kinda cool! Of course this only brought up more questions about himself, but Todd tried to push those questions aside for the moment. Because for once he was happy. Happy with the world and with himself. For now at least. And Rogue's heart felt the contentment too. And that was all that really mattered.

*yeah for Todd! Well keep reviewing and I'll keep writing! Any suggestions for chapter 5? Send em in da review! Please review! It's the only payment I receive for my troubles.*