Note -- Royal School does exist, though not in America. I needed a name for a school and just chose one I passed on occasion. If anything is said on the school itself, the comments are to fit the story and not the real school. -- And please do ignore if the classes I list aren't actually taught in this country. I'm just making it up.
Chapter 4
Tommy quietly opened the door to his homeroom, five minutes after the bell. Everyone turned to the door, and the teacher, Mrs. Applebee, frowned as he entered.
"Sorry," Tommy quietly said as he handed her a note.
Mrs. Applebee looked the note over, then nodded. "Do try to be more prompt in the future, Mr. Oliver. There's no assigned seating, so take any empty place."
"Yes, ma'am." Tommy scanned the class and saw there were three seats open. One was to the left of Jason Scot, another between the Pink and Yellow Rangers, and the last one was beside the empty one by Jason and next to two boys dressed in a gothic punk style. Tommy wondered if they always sat like that or if they were trying to make sure that any empty seats would be by at least one of them.
Before he could move, the three Rangers said, "There's a seat here." The girls pointed at the one between them, while Jason pointed out the one beside him. Tommy hesitated, then took the one beside Jason, as it placed him near the least number of people.
As the class settled in, the usual murmuring of voices filling the air, Jason asked him, "Have you thought any on the offer?"
"Huh," Tommy said, glancing out of the corner of his eye, through his long and loose curly hair, at the other boy. Then, as it occurred to him what he'd said and what it meant, he shrugged. "I can't. I really should be …"
"Doing what?" Jason asked him, the challenge clear in his tone. "We're in homeroom, you haven't been to a class yet, so I know you don't have homework or anything to be doing."
Tommy shrugged again. "I want to make sure I'm not behind in anything."
Billy, who was sitting on the other side of Jason, stated, "Royal School is exceedingly advanced in their scholastic rating. It is extremely implausible that any curriculum you study here will be beyond their level."
"Maybe but it's still best to look at the books for the classes I have coming," Tommy responded, while Jason, Kim, and Zack turned to Trini for her usual translation. "How did you know my last school?"
"You understood him?" Jason questioned, surprised. He shook his head. "If you can follow techno-speak, you'll do great in any of our classes. What do you have, anyway? Maybe we'll share some."
Tommy looked down, not at all comfortable with all the attention. He also noticed Billy hadn't answered his question though he didn't press for a response. After a moment, he quietly answered Jason's question.
"Cool, we have almost all the same classes. Just next period's different, none of us take European history."
Homeroom period continued in this manner, Jason or the other Rangers asking questions, making comments, and otherwise trying to engage Tommy in conversation. Tommy answering in monologue, shyly, and often very vaguely, until the bell rang.
Tommy breathed a sigh of relief as the five Rangers headed off down the hall, in the opposite direction as his next class.
Entering European History, Tommy took a seat towards the back. He wasn't sure why this subject interested him so much, but at the moment, he was very thankful it hadn't been a favorite of any of the Rangers. He wasn't sure what to think of them, but he knew he couldn't allow them near.
He watched as the other students made their way in. The only others in the room he recognized arrived a minute after the bell. The two boys from homeroom in the gothic punk attire. After receiving tardies, the two boys took the only empty seats, the ones beside Tommy.
Halfway through class, the two boys, whom the teacher, Mr. McNeill, had called Bulk and Skull, grew bored and began to try to mess with Tommy. They hadn't been at the martial arts expo this time, so their whole picture of the other boy was from his shy reaction to the five in homeroom, and his quiet attitude through European History.
It didn't take them long to rethink this view, though. As soon as Bulk tried to push him, Tommy reacted, standing quickly as to cause his desk to fall over, catching the bigger boy's hand in his own strong grip, and sitting Bulk on the floor.
"Leave me alone," Tommy quietly told them both, letting the other loose. With a glance, he saw everyone staring at them, and blushed slightly as he picked his desk back up and straightened his things.
Mr. McNeill stated, "Bulk, Skull, Mr. Oliver, please stay after class. I do not condone such acts in my classroom. Return to your assignments."
***
After class, Tommy took his time gathering his books, waiting for the class to clear. Once everyone was out, besides him, the teacher, and the two other boys, Mr. McNeill walked over and sat at a desk facing the three boys.
McNeill said, "Bulk, Skull, I will expect you here for detention after school today. I have told you numerous times I do not allow fighting and bullying in my classroom. Today the situation worked itself out, as your target was more than capable of taking care of himself, but I still cannot allow it to go unpunished. Now, go on to your next class."
Bulk and Skull all but ran out of the room.
"Now, Mr. Oliver, that was an interesting move you pulled there." He paused, but Tommy just looked at him, through his hair. McNeill continued, "Would you have gone further outside the classroom?"
"No sir," Tommy murmured, not expecting to be believed. No one ever did. "Outside class, I could have walked away."
"That's good to know. I saw you in the tournament, tying Jason Scot is seen as a big achievement around here." He paused again, but Tommy once again offered no response. "So, do you ever say anything when it isn't in response to a question directed at you?"
"No sir."
Mr. McNeill raised his eyebrows at this answer, but didn't say anything about it just yet. "Why would you have walked away outside?"
Tommy shrugged, but answered quietly. "Don't like fighting."
"Yet you're a master martial artist. Why is that?"
He shrugged again. "Sir, shouldn't I be going to my next class, before your next class arrives?"
"I only have three classes this semester, and this was the only one this morning, so we're fine talking. I'll talk to your other teachers, so you're fine. I like to understand my students." He paused. "So why European History?"
"It's interesting," Tommy murmured.
He nodded. "How did you get that bruise on your cheek?"
Tommy's hand went up and touched the bruise, the reason he'd worn his hair loose today. "I -- Sparring accident."
"Who were you sparring?"
Tommy just shrugged again.
Mr. McNeill sighed. "Okay, Mr. Oliver, why is it you don't speak unless directed to do so?"
"You ask a lot of questions." Glancing at the man's eyes, Tommy read the annoyance at his words and decided it was safer to answer. "Don't like drawing attention."
"So you are a master martial artist and tournament fighter covered in Martial Arts World who doesn't like to fight or draw attention. You're sporting a 'sparring accident' from some unknown opponent who managed to mark your face when no one you've sparred in your entire career has ever done so. And you reacted to Bulk's aggressiveness in a manner befitting a war veteran. Does that about cover it?"
Tommy stiffened at this, his only reply a shrug.
Mr. McNeill sighed softly, again, and offered Tommy a note he'd written during class. "Fine, Mr. Oliver. You can go on to your next class. We can talk more this evening. I expect to see you here for detention."
Tommy paled. "But …"
"Unless there's a reason you can't stay after?"
"I -- No sir," he breathed.
"You can talk to me," he offered.
Tommy shook his head, picking up his books. "I can go?"
"Go on." McNeill watched as the boy rushed away. He would keep an eye on this one, he knew. He was almost sure this was the child he was sent to find, though that was far from the only reason he'd be watching out for the child. He could feel the pain and fear clouding around the child, knew there was much more than he was seeing to this picture.
***
It was the second to last period before Jason got a chance to talk to Tommy again. "Hey," he said.
Tommy almost jumped.
"Last period's free today. Mrs. Collins is out and there's no sub, so we're all going to the Youth Center. Want to join us?" Jason asked.
"Please," Kim and Trini said as one.
Tommy looked at them, then shrugged. "I -- Yeah, I guess." He sure wasn't going home early, and if he wasn't on school property at the end of school, Mr. McNeill wouldn't find him for that detention so he might avoid a beating for that, at least.
He didn't say anything else for the rest of the period, but followed the five Rangers when they left for the Youth Center.
***
Scorpina scanned the world below for the boy who dared ... escape from her, while doing her best to ignore Goldar's constant taunting over what she allowed to happen. She didn't know what was worst; her punishment from Rita, Goldar's condescending taunts, or the gut wrenching fear of what her Lord would do to her when he learned it was her fault the boy he wanted got away. She knew he'd find out, no matter what. Even if Rita hadn't already contacted him about the boy, he'd find out somehow.
She growled under her breath when she finally found the boy. It seemed she wouldn't be able to get her revenge just yet, as the boy was currently with the entire Ranger team.
***
Mr. McNeill walked into the Youth Center, knowing where to find at least two of the three boys who skipped detention with him. He saw Bulk and Skull and started towards them, but the third boy, Thomas Oliver, caught his attention. He was sitting with five other teens, smiling while the others laughed unpretentiously. Thomas seemed unsure of his place, distant, wounded, to him. He suspected the boy was who he was sent to find, but even if he wasn't, McNeill knew he had to try to help this one. First he would have to get the child to talk. He started over towards the table.
Tommy looked up as he felt someone intently watching him. Seeing Mr. McNeill, Tommy glanced at his watch then grabbed his bag. "Shit! I have to get home," he said, running out the door.
McNeill watched him go, and sighed softly to himself. He knew this wouldn't be an easy assignment.
The Rangers watched with a sense of confusion as Tommy ran out the door. The four turned to Jason for leadership. Jason shook his head and said, "I think we have to let him go. Hopefully …" He left the rest unspoken. Hopefully Rita would leave him alone. Hopefully Tommy would decide to join them before Rita could do anything to him. Hopefully they could figure out what was wrong, or whatever it was that made Tommy so distant with them all.
***
Tommy cut through the park on his way home. Scorpina smiled as she saw he was alone at last. Calling three dozen putties to her, Scorpina teleported down in Tommy's path.
Tommy didn't hesitate, used his book bag as a weapon against the putties, drew a short sword from a holster on his back. (Yes, he carried a sword, and several other weapons, to school all the time. So long as no one could see them, no one questioned, and he didn't get in trouble.)
Tommy was a master martial artist, among the highest ranks alive on Earth, and at a level of talent immeasurable. Unfortunately, Scorpina was a born and bred warrior, among the highest ranks in her galaxy, at a level of talent immeasurable, with several thousand years experience, and she was pissed at him. And she had the strength of her species behind her.
The fight continued for some time, until Scorpina managed to pin Tommy, back against a tree, her grip crushingly strong on the wrist of his sword hand and her other hand at his throat.
"Drop the sword, Tommy boy," she purred. "Or I'll rip your arm off."
Tommy let the sword fall. She teleported them away.
***
Continued -- Please review and let me know what you think.