Previously, Eddy defeated Gorndt the Evil Stone Guardian and was called to the dean's office before being sent off to the counselor.
#7: LEADERSHIP
Jacob entered the photography classroom, where Ms. Spring sat behind her desk. She was quite elderly, with round spectacles and gray hair put up in a bun. Her wrinkly face was pressed into a copy of Pride and Prejudice.
"Ms. Spring?" Jacob asked. The teacher looked up.
"Yes?" she asked in a 'regal' voice, as Jacob would've described it.
"I'd like to join the class," he said politely.
"You would, then?" She sat her book down. "Have you the necessary qualifications?"
"Yes, I believe so," he replied. "I have been into photography since I was just seven and my dad taught me all the tricks."
"Is that so?" Her voice sounded approving. "Well then, take one of these sheets and get all the required scenarios. If the pictures suffice, you can be in the class." Jacob looked at the sheets she motioned to. He took it and saw the list of five scenarios of increasing difficulty.
"Thank you, Ms. Spring," he said, leaving the room.
"First scenario: Leisure. Take a picture of someone enjoying a hobby," Jacob read. That sounded easy enough.
It was Monday. Back in his dorm room, Double D finished filling out the registration forms. He felt very fortunate that Eddy's was still needed, as he could have very possibly been expelled. Mitsumi was sitting on her bed, iPod playing and book opened. As she had been deeply into it, Double D could not tell what book it was, nor could he ask on account of the music in her ears. As he put the sheets away, he began to go through his bag. Finding the exact object he had hoped for, he pulled out a rectangular case about two feet long. The brainiac set it down and opened it, revealing the separated pieces of a flute. Assembling the instrument, Double D cleaned off the occasional fingerprint he saw.
"You play flute?" Mitsumi asked. She had removed her headphones now.
"Why yes, since I was ten," Double D replied.
"Me too!" she said, excitedly.
"Really?"
"Yes! What else do you play?" she began to question.
"Steel guitar, cello, horn, bass guitar, and musical saw," he replied. "Though my musical saw playing is... mediocre at best."
"I've never heard of anyone besides the obvious playing musical saw anyway," Mitsumi said. "You should join the orchestra!"
"Really?" Double D asked. "You think so?"
"Well..." she said. "I don't know. You haven't played anything." Double D grinned, put the plate to his lips, and began to flawlessly breeze through Flight of the Bumblebee at top speed. His fingers danced like a maniac as he went through every note with precision and deadly air support. Finally, he finished.
"Yes. You definitely should join the orchestra."
Jacob laid in his bed, just pondering. He thought to himself, "Alright, I took a picture of the chess players. I got the scenery. The awkward expression was easy enough. I managed a shot of something falling through midair thanks to the coffee. But what about a kiss? That's the last shot. Where can I find a kiss?" There was a low rumbling sound, and a light flashed in his window.
He gasped, "What the hell?" Jacob looked outside and found Ed and Jonny in a helicopter.
Jonny yelled, "Hey, roomie! You wouldn't happen to know where the pool is?"
"No! Actually, I wouldn't!" Jacob shouted. He was about to ask them what exactly they were doing.
Ed said, "No! We know where the pool is. We're supposed to ask him how to drive a helicopter."
Jonny called out, "Oh, never mind!" Suddenly, the helicopter took off into the distance.
Jacob, stunned, asked himself, "Is this guy for real?"
"Mister Hanton?"
"Yes, Eddy, take a seat." Eddy walked into the counselor's office and shut the door behind him. It was quite nice, he had to admit. Green walls adorned with various objects including a swordfish and pictures of family.
"So, Eddy," Mister Hanton began. He was rather young looking, no older than twenty-five. He had a muscular build that a typical suit could not hide. His eyebrows were thick and his hair was nicely combed.
"So..."
"You want to tell me what you were doing in the women's locker room?" Hanton started.
"Not especially," Eddy replied.
"Great start," Hanton said sarcastically. "Alright, then tell me about you."
"I have four hairs on my head," Eddy thoroughly elaborated. Hanton was being especially patient.
"Okay, more specific," Hanton corrected. "What has life with your parents been like?"
"Well, my mom was alright," Eddy began. "I was her favorite between me and my brother, she hated him. So, she usually did all the parent stuff."
"What about your father?"
"My dad hated me and Terrance both," he detailed. "He was an auto salesman. He'd always get mad about my grades and complain when I didn't do something right. I remember him and Thornton getting into it just before he moved out. They boarded up his room when he left."
"So, you don't really like your dad?"
"No, not really," Eddy said.
"What about your mom? Do you like her?"
"There's moments," Eddy said.
"Right," he muttered. "I noticed you used past-tense words in your descriptions. Why?"
"I left home," Eddy replied.
"I see. Important things to do?"
"You have no idea."
"But I do," Hanton countered. "Being the Electric Guardian of Light must be very difficult for you."
Jonny and Ed emerged from the helicopter, which had crashed into a ditch just near the university. The two were, of course, unharmed (stupidity is the first step to invincibility). Though a bit stirred, the pair made their way back to the school.
"What do we need to do to start this club?" Jonny asked.
"Beats me," Ed said. "Walk into a room and decorate?"
"Sounds like a plan!" Jonny retorted, ecstatic to begin.
Double D and Mitsumi emerged from the orchestra hall.
"I told you they'd love to have you!" Mitsumi said.
"Gee, I'm blushing," Double D rejoiced. "Maybe I could convince Eddy to join. He could use some recreation."
Mitsumi nodded. She smiled and looked out the window. There were a few seconds of silence.
"Want to go out to the fountain?" Mitsumi invited.
"Sure, the fountain sounds lovely!" he agreed.
"Wow, Gorndt. Sounds like the kid kicked your ass." The room was dimly lit, with a single flickering ceiling light dangling over a round table in the center of the surrounded by seven wooden chairs. There were playing cards and beer bottles on top of it. There were four people sat in the room at the time. Gorndt was among them, along with a rather tough looking blonde girl, a blond male with a muscular build who was criticizing Gorndt's fight, and a shady boy silently watching on.
"Hey! Not even! I beat the shit out of him! Plus, I was going easy on him! I didn't expect his friends to show up," Gorndt replied. "Call it 'analyzing' him."
"Maybe so," replied the blond. "I would've gotten a few good hits and then left."
"We can't all be cocky, Nero," said the blonde girl, laughing.
"What would you have done?" the blond male asked. "Made him a sandwich?" The hooded figure smirked, but Gorndt was absolutely roaring with laughter. The blonde girl frowned and glared at the blond. She extended her arm and smacked him with a loud sound akin to that of a whip soaring through the air. Quickly, the room became silent as the red handprint formed.
"Gorndt got expelled," she said. "But we can keep him hidden here on campus while we make sure to keep the Guardians of Light in line. We'll have more than a few opportunities to play with our food."
"How do you know about that?" Eddy asked. Mister Hanton smiled.
"Eddy, my brother told me all about your adventure," Hanton said.
"Professor Stanley?" Hanton nodded.
"Stanley Hanton, an expert in the elements and informant to the seventeen Guardians of Light. Creator of the Defenders and rather skilled poker player."
"Whoa," Eddy said, astonished.
"I understand this may have caught you by surprise."
"Professor Stanley never taught me how to be good at poker?" Eddy asked, confused. Hanton sighed to himself.
"Try to deviate from that," Hanton said. He leaned forward. "What are you doing at this university? You should be out there looking for the other Guardians."
"We need Education Licenses," said Eddy. "We're not allowed to travel without them."
"Who sold you that nonsense?" asked Hanton.
"Some police lady," Eddy said. "You mean I don't have to be here?"
"No, you don't," said Hanton. "But you can't leave, either."
"Why not?" asked Eddy.
"The Guardians of Evil played you," said Hanton. "There is no such thing as an Education License for traveling. Teaching, sure. But there is a law that bars students from dropping out once they've enrolled."
"Well that's no problem," said Eddy. "I can just go get myself expelled. Problem solved."
"Oh no," said Hanton. "There's some work that needs to be done in this place. My brother has been in contact with your Defender. Marudo was it? He's spending his time by trying to track down Guardians and Elemental Stones. He believes you'll find a little of both in this place."
"Well," Eddy said. "I should get right on that." Eddy stood to his feet, but Hanton motioned him to sit back down.
"You need to step up. There's important things that have to be done, and you have quite a lot of work to do."
"Step up?" Eddy asked. "I've done fine so far."
"Eddy. There are eighteen Guardians of Light in the world, and so far you have found one besides yourself. You have two skills, while each of the Guardians of Evil have dozens. The only reason the other boy didn't kill you was because he needed to know what he was up against. Now, he knows, and he has nothing at all to worry about. So, I suggest it's time for you to drop this act of carelessness and become the leader the Guardians need. These new Guardians are going to find their abilities and they are going to look to someone to make senses of them, and it looks like that person will be you." Eddy was silent for a minute or two. He looked down. His hands were gripping the seat he sat in. Finally, he looked Hanton in the eyes, with confidence.
"Fine. I can handle it."
Double D and Mitsumi sat on the fountain's edge, hands side by side. They were shyly looking away from each other. It seemed as if each waited for the other to begin a conversation.
Finally, Double D started with, "It's been really nice sharing a room with you. You're nice. I'm glad we have so much in common." Mitsumi looked at him and smiled.
"You're sweet," she said. "I like having you around."
At that moment, Jacob was in the courtyard when he was lucky enough to find the fifth scenario he needed.
TO BE CONTINUED
In the next chapter: Eddy starts in a new direction, beginning his redemption. Mitsumi and Double D's relationship begins to sprout. The orchestra has its first rehearsal.
