Griffon's POV
Aqua, Thatch, and I were working on our biology project in class. Robin was back the daddy's girl was in trouble with her father again for causing trouble with the whole lunchroom thing.
"Okay everyone stop for a moment we've got some chemical bonding to do" The teacher said. "Aquanette will you please come up and pass out the papers" The teacher said.
"Yes ma'am" Aqua said standing up. She walked up to the front and took the papers and started passing them out. I looked over and saw Robin with a smirk on her face. She had something planned. "Here you go Robby poo enjoy" Aqua said before starting to walk off.
"You know Aquanette I'm tired of this petty little thing between us" Robin said standing up.
"You really want to go through this now Robin" Aqua said turning back to face her. Robin started clenching something around something in her hand. What was she going to do.
"I just want to make some clear right now in front of everyone" Robin said stepping closer
"And what is that?" Aqua said. Suddenly out of nowhere Robin whined back her fist and punched Aqua across the face and Aqua fell to the floor with a large thud. Now normally Aquanette wouldn't have fallen so easily from a punch like that. She would staggered back yes but not fallen. Thatch and I ran to Aquanette's side and the left side of her face was bleeding from four holes under her eye. I looked up and Robin had brass knuckles in her hand.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You could have killed her!" I said standing up.
"Good! I can stand that fake blonde anymore. I don't want to kil her I just want her in a coma!" Robin said.
"You are so dead once Flannery finds out" I said.
"Ha! Little miss perfect isn't going to do anything to me" Robin said.
"How is she Thatch?" I said kneeling down to Aqua again.
"She's unconscious but her eyes are still open for some reason" Thatch said. "You go get Flannery I'll stay with Aquanette"
"Right" I said standing up. I ran out with out even asking the teacher I knew she wouldn't mind. Flannery was in chorus right now I busted right in without even knocking on the door.
"Yes can I help you?" The chorus teacher said.
"Yes Flannery Mustang is needed right away there's been an emergency!" I said.
"Flannery" The chorus teacher walked out into the hallway.
"Griffon what's wrong?" Flannery asked.
"Robin punched Aquanette across the face with brass knuckles and now she hurt!" I said.
"Where?" Flannery said.
"In the bio lab" I said.
"C'mon!" Flannery said. She grabbed my hand and we ran toward the bio lab together. We ran into the lab and more Aqua's blood was on the floor it looked like Robin got a few more punches in when we left but the bottom of her face was wrapped up.
"Aquanette!" Flannery said. She took no hesitation of kneeling down in Aqua's blood. "Aqua honey you need to wake up! Aqua listen to me you idiot! If you don't wake up you can't breathe and if you can't breathe you'll be gone forever and I refuse to lose you like this! Your stronger than this! You've faced death so many different times! And you will be branded for life if you die like this!" Flannery said yelling at her.
"I'm...not...dead...yet...you...loser" Aqua said breathing in between each word.
"Aquanette thank goodness" Flannery said. Then she stood up and walked over to Robin and pushed her hard against the teacher's desk which caused her to fall. "If you ever come near my sister again I will without a second thought bust your head open" Flannery said glaring at Robin. "Thatch will you help get Aquanette to the hospital" Flannery said.
"Of course" Thatch of course called Uncle Roy and Aunt Riza. Aunt Riza stayed with Megan in the lobby and Uncle Roy came into Aqua's room. Once they controlled all of the bleeding Aqua's face was swollen so bad and she had a black eye on her left eye. She looked like she just in so much pain and she didn't do anything.
"How did this happen?" Uncle Roy asked
"THey were talking about something I couldn't really here it and then out of nowhere Robin punches of across the face with brace knuckles" Thatch said
"It hurts so bad" Aqua said crying slightly.
"I know honey and we're going to get to the bottom of this Major or now Statel needs to control his daughter" Uncle Roy said.
"We've been through this with her over and over again but she just won't stop" Flannery said.
"Well she's going to have to stop soon this is assult she could get into some real trouble for this" Uncle ROy said.
"You mean like jail?" I asked.
"Yes Griffon Robin attacked Aquanette even Aquanette didn't do anything to her first that's grounds for assult and with a deadly weapn. The report did say that she used soome of knuckles right?" Uncle Roy said.
"Yea Brass knuckles" Thatch said.
"How do you feel about this Aquanette it's all you descion" Uncle Roy said
"I don't want to do anything until I get better daddy. My face hurts so bad and my eyelids are so swollen I can barely see" Aqua said with her hands on her face.
"Alright then Aquanette we don't have to do anything until you don't want to" Uncle Roy said. "I'm going to go check on your mom and Megan do you need anything.
"Not right now" Aqua said.
"Okay I'll be right back" Uncle Roy said standing up and out. When he left Flannery started pulling out her camera and taking pictures.
"Flannery what're you doing?" I asked.
"I'm creating evidence" Flannery said putting the camera away. "She is not going to get away with this." Flannery said.
Roy's POV
Sometimes I feel like we're living out of this hospital. I walked into Aqua'sroom where she was sitting up sketching a picture. It was a few days after the accident as one would call it Aqua's face swell down a little but not a could see a little better but because of her eye condition it would take awhile.
"Hey sport how ya doing?" I said as I poked my head through the door frame.
"Daddy? What're you doing here?" Aqua said looking up from her sketch.
"I came to visit you of course" I said walking in.
"But shouldn't you be at work?" Aqua said.
"I had to come and see you. I bought you something" I said.
"What is it?" Aqua said.
"This" I said. I removed Aqua's mosse from my back. She let out a happy gasp.
"My moose!" Aqua said. I placed it next to her and sat down in the chair.
"I was informed this morning that Robin was taken into custody by military police this morning" I said.
"Really now?" I said.
"Yea like I said before Aquanette she assulted you and she's two years older than you she could be charged as an adult" I said.
"Daddy I've made my descion" Aqua said.
"What is it?" I said.
"I want to testify against Robin and her family. Once all the swelling goes down I'm willing to testify in court. I didn't talk to her for about two weeks and then she just attacks me out of nowherer" Aqua said.
"That's a very good descion Aq. Don't worry we'll get to bottom of this." I said putting my hand on my shoulder.
"They should pay for my medical bills and 2,000 dollars in pain and suffering." Aqua said.
"You're right like I said we'll work on it have to get a lawyer and everything." I said.
"Yea I guess so" Aqua said.
"Well I have get back to work now I'll pick up your sister and your cousin after work and then we'll come see you later" I said standing up.
"Okay bye daddy. I love you" Aqua said smiling somewhat.
"I love you too sport make sure to get lots of rest okay?" I said.
"Yes sir" Aqua said before I walked out.
Griffon's POV
"I'm dead if anyone catches me." I whispered to myself, lifting the window & jumping to the ground.
It was the middle of the night, of course I would get in trouble if I was caught, by Uncle Roy or anyone else. I walked down the street to Central Library. I had to see my father's report. I knew there was something familiar about what happened to Aqua.
I knew my way around there from top to bottom, so I could easily bypass any & all security systems. I was feeling very proud of myself by the time I actually got in. I pulled out my pocket flashlight & began looking through the First Branch, where they kept the military reports.
"Okay. Where's my dad's record?" I mumbled, walking along the shelves. I stopped & pulled one out. "Aha, found it."
I flipped it open. I was looking for the photos, from after his body was sent back home to be buried. I don't remember what happened, I forgot on purpose. That's why I needed those photos. They were taken for the file, so I knew they were here.
I gasped at the photos. The left side of his face was beaten raw. I looked at the report carefully.
He had been beaten & had bled to death. Suspected weapon used? Brass knuckles.
I knew there was a reason I didn't look at the casket at the funeral. The result was way worse than what Robin had done to Aqua. The person who found his body was…Stately? Robin's dad was the one to find my father! Wasn't dad always filing harassment reports against Stately? I don't think an Ishbalan did this to my father, I think it was Stately.
I took out a camera & made copies of everything. "You know for a fact you shouldn't be here." A small, shaky voice said in a loud whisper.
I turned around. "Megan? I thought everyone was asleep."
"No, I saw you leave." Megan stated. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Papa wasn't killed by an Ishbalan." I told her in a harsh tone. "It was Mr. Stately."
Megan was crying now. She didn't like thinking about papa's death. "No, they worked together. He couldn't have killed papa."
"If you didn't want to know, than you shouldn't have asked." I hissed. "He hated papa for having a higher ranking, even more so once he got to befriend Uncle Roy. Mr. Stately was also the only one known who owned brass knuckles at the time. He was the one who found papa's body. He would've been the last one to see him alive, & when papa died, he received papa's ranking."
"Papa never did anything to provoke him." Megan argued. "Why would he want to kill papa?"
I knelt down & gave her a hug. "That doesn't matter. We need to get home before anyone notices."
I picked her up & carried her home. We went in through my window, which I had left open, & I tucked her back into bed. "Good night, baby girl." I put a finger to my lips. "And remember, no one is to hear about this."
Megan nodded & I got up to leave. Meow. I turned back. A white kitten crawled out from under her bed & sat beside her, curling up in a ball & going to sleep. "What is that?"
"It's Anxo Branco Puro. He climbed in through my window." Megan answered with a yawn. "I'm sleepy."
"Okay, good night. I'll keep your little Angel a secret." I informed her. When translated, the kitten's name was 'Pure White Angel.' How cute.
I hid my camera & climbed into bed. It was a long night, I didn't even want to think about how Meggie had gotten into the library when it was under tight security nowadays. She was young, little, & practically straight out of the hospital. I thought about something else instead: Papa.
What if I was right with my crazy suspicions? What if Stately did kill my father & Robin was following in her father's footsteps, attacking her enemy? Why did Stately hate papa? Why did Robin hate Aqua? What on Earth would make Robin want to do this?
Riza's POV
We were walking through the courthouse. Today was the day of Aquanette's courtcase. Her face was still a little swollen just mainly her cheeks and she stillhad a bruise under her eyes. We walked in and sat down on the plantiff side the Statelys were on the other side and weren't even looking at us.
"Now that all the parties all here we can start." The judge said. "In the case230-6G Mustang vs. Stately charges are assult and battery will a miss Maria Mustang please come to the stand" The judge said. Looks like he was running this case.
"Yes sir" Aqua said straightning out her skirt. She slowly made her way to thestand because she couldn't see all the well. She went behind the stand and satdown. The bailiff came up with a bible.
"Do you promise to speak the truth, the whole, and nothing but the truth" The bailiff said.
"Yes sir" Aqua said.
"Ms. Mustang how did that whole day begin?" The Stately's lawyer said.
"Well we had a project in biology I was working with my partners my cousinGriffon Heights and Thatcher Lesser. The teacher announced we were going to do some chemical bonding and she wanted me to pass out some papers. So I went tothe front to pass the papers and I went to Robin's desk and she startingsaying some things I can't remember off the top of my head and then all of asudden out of nowhere she punched me across the face and I felt something sharp go into my face which caused me to fall to the floor. I heard my cousin go to look for my sister and then while Thatcher and the teacher looked for a first aid kit Ms. Stately then proceeded to punch me in the face three moretime before some older boys pulled her off of me. Then I passed out" Aqua said.
"Ms. Mustang have you any perivous infractions with Ms. Stately in the pastsay 3 weeks?" The lawyer said.
"3 weeks? No I wouldn't say so. See I wanted to go out with my friends that week and my Daddy said that if I got in any sort of trouble then I couldn't go. So I tried my best to stir clear of Ms. Stately" Aqua said.
"I see and Ms. Mustang do you have proof of what happened that day" The lawyer said with a smirk.
"Yes sir I do. My twin sister Flan- I mean Emelina excuse me. My twin sister Emelina took pictures of myself and the crime scene." Aqua said handing someof the pictures to the judge and the lawyer.
"Uh no further questions your honor" The lawyer said before handing thepictures back to Aquanette.
"Young lady I would like to ask you some questions" The judge said.
"Of course your honor" Aqua said.
"Where exactly were you hit?" The judge asked.
"Once under the left eye that's how I got the black eye, twice on the rightcheek, and once on the forehead." Aqua said pointing to the spots on her face.
"And all these hits caused the swelling on your face" The judge said.
"Yes sir" Aqua said.
"What do you hope to gain from this?" The judge asked.
"My medical bills which is about 50,000 another 2,500 for pain and sufferingand an apology" Aqua said.
"And what makes you think that you need that much for pain and suffering?" The judge said.
"Well your honor, Ms. Stately struck me just below both of my eyes and I havea preexsisting eye condition that I was born with called Retinites Pigmentosamy dad had it. I could very well go blind in a few years and I could not seewhen Ms. Stately struck and when most of the swelling went down I could stillbarely see everything's a little blurry now even with my glasses. If something were to go wrong in the future I want some money so I can eye surgery sir"Aqua explained.
"I see that seems like a very compeling argument. You may step down young lady" The judge said.
"Thank you your honor" Aqua said. She stood up and sat down next to me. "How did I do mommy?"
"You did great honey" I said.
After all of the witness were questioned the judge made his descion.
"In the case of Mustang vs. Stately I found favor in the plaintiff Ms. Maria Aquanette Wynter Hope Mustang and Ms. Robin Vienna Stately is found guilty of assult and battery with a deadly weapon and is sentinced to 5 years in acounty prison and the stately family we pay all of Ms. Mustang's future medical bills and will pay her pain and suffering amount of 2,500 good day" The judge said panging his gavel.
"Yes!" Aqua said jumping up! "Ow!" She said quickly grabbing her face.
Alright now let's get you back home and get some rest it's been enough excitefor the day." I said putting my hands on her shoulders.
"Oh yea I guess I did get to excited" Aqua said with a shrug.
"Cousin Aquanette why is your name so long?" Megan said tugging at Aqua's skirt. Aqua picked her up
"Because little munchkin my name is very speical" Aqua said. "Do you likeit?"
"Yea! It's really pretty!" Megan said.
"Thank you sweet spirit" Aqua said smiling.
Roy's POV
Today was the day that Megan was going to start elementary school. I had been through this before with the twins and they were a lot more nervous than her. I held her hand all the way to the main steps of the school.
"Uncle Roy I changed my mind I don't think I want to go I can just go to work with you and Auntie Riza I don't mind" Megan said.
"Megan everyone has to go to school and Aquanette will go back to school aftershe gets out of the hospital" I said.
"But both Flannery and Aqua are really good at school. What if the other kids don't like me?" Megan said.
"Everyone will like you Megan you have nothing to worry about." I said kneeling down in front of her. "You know I went through the same thing with the twins" I said.
"You did?" Megan said shocked. "But I thought the twins liked school"
"Well they do now but shortly after your Aunt and I adopted them we had to enroll them here" I said.
~FLASHBACK!!!~
I was walking with the twins to the elementary school. Today was their first day and they were very nervous they were practically clung to my hands.
"Okay girls it's time to go inside" I said kneeling down in front of them.
"Daddy we don't want to do this anymore" Flannery said.
"Yea we want to go to headquarters with you and Mommy" Aqua said.
"Now girls we've been over this. Headquarters is no place for little Flannery if you have something to say don't be afraid to say it." I said knowing how she is. "And Aquanette don't be afraid if your sister's not there" I said knowing how she didn't like them seperated.
"Yes sir" The twins said sadly
"Daddy you're coming back right?" Aqua said.
"Of course honey. I can't just leave you girls here. Now be good and make sureto make lots of friends" I said standing up and ruffling their heads. "Bye girls."
"Bye Daddy!" The twins said smiling before they ran into the building
~FLASHBACK~
"Wow" Megan said shocked.
"Yep. So be good and make lots of friends" I said standing up saying the same thing I said to the twins that day.
"I will! Thank you Uncle Roy" Megan said hugging my leg before running inside the building.
"Ah the memories" I said smiling as I thought about the twins.
Megan's POV
I knew Uncle Roy meant well, & I really love him as a part of my family. But I just knew that I would have trouble with schoolwork.
"Hello, little girl." A woman walking her class down the hall said. "Do you need some help?"
"It's my first day here, I need to find the second grade classroom." I answered. The woman took my hand.
"That's me. I'm Mrs. Hamlin, the second grade teacher." She smiled. "Our class just down the hall."
I looked behind me. Isaac & Frida were near the front of the line. "What are we working on?" I asked. "Where are you in the school year?"
"In math, multiplication." She explained. "We're writing short stories in language, worksheets in social studies & we're reading a novella. That's -"
"A book that is longer than a short story & shorter than a novel." I interrupted. "I know."
Mrs. Hamlin frowned. "You need to work on your attitude, young lady."
I jerked my hand free. "Yeah, sure, I'll do that."
We all got to the room & sat down. Mrs. Hamlin showed me to an empty desk at the front of the class. It had all of the books I would need inside, along with notebook paper to write on, two pencils & a sharpener. "All the desks get filled with the basic essentials." Mrs. Hamlin told me.
"Great." I looked at the board as Mrs. Hamlin started the lesson by handing out tests on the multiplication tables. All the assignments were written up there.
"Go!" Mrs. Hamlin yelled.
We turned our papers over & I could hear most of the kids struggling to remember the answers, while I breezed through the questions. I turned my paper back over & slid it to the corner of my desk, then slipped my math workbook out & worked on the assignment.
"Okay, pencils down." Mrs. Hamlin ordered after five minutes. "Pass your papers to the front."
I turned around in my seat to get the papers from the girl behind me. "Freak." she whispered. "I saw how quickly you finished. You're a freak."
I took the papers & turned back around, adding my test to the pile. I laid them on the corner of my desk & went back to the workbook.
"Miss Heights, I didn't explain the assignment." Mrs. Hamlin scolded. "You don't know how to do the problems."
I snapped the workbook closed & handed it to her. "Here, I'm finish anyway. By the way, I just started today, you don't know what I can or can't do."
Well, let's just say, I got in a lot of trouble for 'mouthing off' to the teacher. I fell asleep for the rest of math class, wouldn't read the novella since I had already read it…twice, I was apparently a model student in gym, so says Mr. Cunningham, I went to sleep again in language & simply put one of my short stories on the desk. I didn't mind if I didn't get it back, for I have a copy of it, just in case.
Now it was time for social studies. Mrs. Hamlin was about to go over a review of the lesson. I raised my hand. "Yes, Megan?"
"Can you just go ahead & give me my worksheet?" I asked, mentally groaning since I knew I sounded cocky.
Mrs. Hamlin nodded & handed me a worksheet. "If you don't understand it, don't blame me."
I scoffed quietly, the teacher really has no idea how smart I am. I filled everything out in record time. "Mrs. Hamlin." I raised my hand.
"What do you need help with?" Mrs. Hamlin asked.
I tried not to laugh. "I don't need help. I need to get something from my bag. May I?"
"Fine, since you asked." Mrs. Hamlin agreed.
I stood up & went to the closet, where all the kids had to put their bags. I reached into mine & pulled out my inhaler. I had to take it at certain times, whither I thought I needed it or not.
At the end of the day, I was relieved when she dismissed the people who were getting picked up by their parents. I grabbed my bag & left the room. Apparently, it was only me, the Briers & the girl who called me a freak.
"What's wrong with you, freak?" the girl snapped when we were in the hall.
Isaac grabbed mine & Frida's arms before I could answer & dragged us outside. "Don't talk to Sarah." He told me. "Her older brother got in big trouble & now she's blaming everyone for it, she's been sent to the office five times for beating kids up."
"Oh." I said softly.
"Hey, baby girl." Griffon called when I went up to her. "How was your first day?"
"It was great." I lied. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"Nope." Griffon laughed. "It's different here. The high school students go to school earlier, but we get out a the same time. It's way different from the East City school district, but, hey, now I get to pick you up."
Grant & Flannery came up to us. "Hi, guys." I called.
"Hey, we would've been here sooner, but the halls got jammed." Grant apologized, picking his little sister up.
"That's okay, but Sarah called Meg a freak." Frida told him, covering her mouth. "Oopsie, I wasn't supposed to tell you that."
"That Sarah needs to leave people alone." Grant commented.
That's basically what happened for the rest of the week, I mouthed off & finished the assignments ultra early, Sarah called me names & I ignored her, & Frida & Isaac became my best friends, along with a girl named Anya. The classes rotated gym, art, music, gym, art, music, etc. Those three classes were the only one I didn't have trouble with.
Friday, there was a big test in math & almost everyone was nervous. When I was handed my paper, it didn't have anything to do with what we went over. I just shrugged & went to work.
At the end of school, the teacher handed back the tests. I got a ninety-five. "Cool." I stated.
"Megan, can I see you for a second?" Mrs. Hamlin asked from her desk.
I stood up & went over to the cluttered desk. "Yes?"
"That test you took was borrowed from the fourth grade teacher." Mrs. Hamlin confessed with a sigh. She handed me an envelope. "Give this to your parents & don't open it." She turned to the class. "Pick-ups are dismissed."
I grabbed my bag & went home without waiting for Griffon. I went straight up to my room, where I was pounced on by Anxo. "Hello Anxo, I bet you're hungry." I grabbed the bag of cat food Griffon had bought from the shelf in my closet & pulled the food dish out from under the bed to fill it up.
"Megan, why'd you go home by yourself?" Flannery asked, coming into the room.
I quickly pushed everything under the bed & reached under as if looking for something. "I was sent home with a letter. It's by my inhaler." I told her.
Flannery pulled the letter out of my bag & opened it. "Okay, I'll make sure my dad sees it."
"Thanks, close the door on your way out." I called as she left. She didn't hear me, apparently. Anxo ran out of the room. "No, get back here. We have dogs in the house."
I chased Anxo down the stairs, until I ran into Alex. He was holding Anxo & rubbing the kitten's head. "Hey, Meg."
"Hi, Alex. Can I have Anxo back?" I asked. He obliged, putting the kitten in my arms.
"Anxo? That's a weird name." He commented.
I laughed, "It means angel."
"Really, that's pretty cool." Alex told me. "I didn't think you could have cats in here when you already have three dogs."
"Yeah, well, they get along." I answered nervously.
Alex chuckled, "Yeah, well, I think you n' me are the only ones who know about Anxo."
I shook my head. "Griffon knows too."
"Correction: The whole house is about to know." Flannery called from the top of the stairs.
I punched Alex in the arm. "Way to go dude."
"It's your cat." Alex reminded me, rubbing his arm. "Flannery, your cousin hits way too hard for an eight-year-old."
I shrugged & giggled, "I try."