Chapter 6
Tommy flushed as he looked away from her intense gaze. "Well, you make it hard to refuse when you put it like that."
Dulcea waited for the boy to meet her eyes again before she spoke again. "So don't," she said, her madly twinkling eyes staring encouragingly at him, and it was at that moment, Tommy realized he trusted the judgment of his head of house completely.
So he didn't.
And that's how Tommy found himself suiting up for the first Thunderbird Quidditch match of the season against their rivals, Wampus. The match was on the day before Halloween, and after a month of intense practices as well as training and learning the game for Tommy, the Thunderbird team was as ready as they could ever be.
Their team consisted of seven players who each played one of the four positions of Quidditch. There were firstly the three chasers: Tanya Sloane, Tori Hanson, and Kira Ford. Tanya was the second youngest of the team after Tommy. She was a second-year and a new chaser. Next, there was Tori, a sixth-year student who was Blake's girlfriend. Tori was one of the best players on the team. Finally, the last chaser was Kira Ford, a fourth year. She had the appearance of a princess, but was really tough as nails, not taking any crap from anyone. Their job as chasers was to score points and defend the other team from doing so as well.
Next, there were the two beaters who were, unfortunately for Tommy, Jason's brothers, Bulke and Schulle. Their job was to try and offset the other players on the opposing side by hitting these heavy balls towards them called bludgers. They used these huge bats of doom as their weapon, and Tommy actually got hit with one on his third day of practice. Needless to say, he made sure to keep his eyes on them for the rest of their practices.
Finally, there was the seeker who was their captain, Blake Bradley. His position could arguably be the most important of the team. If Tommy failed to do his job as keeper, which was basically the equivalent of a goalie in soccer, Blake could theoretically still win them the game. Catching the small, but swift, fluttering golden ball called a snitch automatically awarded them one hundred and fifty points and ended the game.
The morning of the match, Tommy awoke in a nervous fit, and it had taken him almost an hour to get out of bed and ready. He was a hot mess, face planting the moment he stepped foot out of the Thunderbird portrait. Jason, Zack, and Billy laughed at his misfortune as they made their way to the Great Hall, snickering as they took a seat beside Trini who was already there.
Tommy attempted to shove down his breakfast in an anxious jitter as his friends sent not so calming reassurances. But, there wasn't any abating his anxiousness, especially as he received a tap on his shoulder from Tanya, telling him it was time to go. Tommy hastily unseated the bench to follow her, banging his knee painfully in the process. He stopped when he felt a hand on his arm.
"Everything's gonna be fine, Tommy," Trini encouraged, communicating as much with her eyes. She gave him a hug, "Just remember what you practiced, and it'll be alright."
Tommy hugged her back. "Thanks, Trini." He smiled at the boys in farewell before stalking off after Tanya. They headed towards the Quidditch pitch in nervous silence.
The Quidditch pitch was basically a large and round field stadium. It didn't have any goal lines or anything, but there were three tall, circular hoops on each side of the field. These hoops were Tommy's 'children,' according to Blake. The first year's job was to protect them no matter the cost, and "Save the quaffle or die trying," as the seeker was so fond of saying to him.
Tanya and Tommy immediately headed towards the Thunderbird locker room once they made it to the pitch. When they entered, they noticed the rest of the team already gathered and sitting in a circle around Blake. All eyes landed on them, and Blake stood from his seat beside Tori as soon as they found a place to settle.
"Alright, now that the youngins are here," he began, "there are some things I'd like to say. Firstly, I want to say how grateful I am to you guys for suffering through my maniacal practices without complaints-"
"Oh, there were some complaints, right Bulky?" Schulle elbowed his brother.
"Damn right, Schulley," the bigger fraternal twin shook his head in mock astonishment. "As I recall, captain, we had to be dragged from our beds to attend these maniacal practices."
"Too true Bulkey, for only a maniac is insane enough to practice at six in the morning."
"Maniacal there, maniacal everywhere-"
"That's enough," Blake interjected with a roll of his eyes. He let out an exasperated chuckle before he tried again, "Anyways, back to what I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," he directed the last bit at Bulke and Schulle who adopted an innocent look. "You guys suffered through my practices and exceeded my expectations. Today, I want you to not only implement what you have learned at practice to the best of your ability, but I also want you to have fun. I believe in you guys!"
"We believe in you too, Blake!" Kira yelled from her position. She was answered with cheers of agreement from all of them.
"Alright! Let's suit up!"
With cheers and shouts, they went to their respective lockers to dress in their uniforms. Tommy opened his locker to see his jersey staring him smack dead in the face. He instantly became overwhelmed as an indescribable feeling of belonging went through him. His jersey was purple with silver lettering and said 'OLIVER #7'. Wordlessly, he put on his silver Quidditch robes over his Thunderbird sweater, followed by the purple jersey.
"It's surreal, isn't it?" Tommy looked up to see Blake leaning on the locker beside him. He was already dressed in his uniform.
"It really is," Tommy replied with a small smile. It was an amazing feeling to wear his Thunderbird uniform and match his teammates. It made him feel like a part of something. Like he actually mattered.
Blake clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "Well get used to it, buddy," he said, and then, for the next thirty minutes, Blake proceeded to psych up the Thunderbird Quidditch team. Soon, they heard the thumping of heavy feet and loud chanting of their fellow classmates arriving and nerves began to filter through the excitement. It was as a united front that they left the locker room, Blake holding the front while a lagging Bulke and Schulle brought up the rear.
The crowd of Thunderbird supporters roared when they stepped foot on the pitch, waving their silver and purple banners back and forth. The orange and black Wampus team already flew around the pitch expertly, while the referee, Madame Delphine, stood in the center awaiting the start of the game. The Thunderbird team kicked off, flying around, and warming up amongst jeers from the Wampuses. Minutes later, Madame Delphine gave a signal and both teams came to hover on either side of her.
"Alright!" said Delphine after the captains disembarked their brooms. "Now, I want a nice, clean game from both teams: no cheating and no trying to unseat each other from your brooms! Shoving is allowed!" If the smirks on the Wampus team's faces were anything to go by, Tommy knew they wouldn't follow any of those rules but the last. "Now captains, shake hands, and let's get this game on a roll!"
Blake reached out a hand to the Wampus captain, Jeff Xandred, a red-haired seventh-year and keeper with horrible teeth. "Good luck, Xandred," he grinned, and Xandred just swatted his hand away, flipping Blake off before seating his broom and taking off.
"He never changes," Blake chuckled, kicking off into the air and joining his team. "Alright guys, remember, be the best..."
"OR DIE TRYING!" The Thunderbird team chorused together, proceeding to take off and join the flying roundabout of Wampus players before they found their respective places, anxiously awaiting the game to start. Tommy found his place in the middle of the three large hoops, looking as small as a speck of dust amongst three clouds. The chasers hovered in a circle around Delphine, waiting to fight for the quaffle.
With a blow of the whistle, Delphine released the snitch, and the golden object flew around Blake and the Wampus seeker's head before it swiftly disappeared into the sun. Delphine then threw up the quaffle, and it was quickly snatched up by Tori.
The game had begun.
Tori immediately streaked towards Tommy's opponent, Xandred. The seventh-year had a huge advantage over the first year, being much larger in stature. However, according to Blake, what the twelve-year-old failed to equal in size, he made up with speed and accuracy.
"Just use your broom and your mind, and you'll be fine," the captain had said to him at their first practice, and Tommy's eyes quickly widened as the time to put that advice to the test had seemingly arrived.
The Wampus chasers were now heading dead straight towards him after a score from Tori.
Tommy took a deep breath and reinforced his hold on his broom. He eyed the chaser speeding towards him while fending off Tanya. He was bent over with the quaffle in his right arm, and the way his left hand was so low on his broom, Tommy deduced that the chaser was right-handed.
This meant one of two things. One, the chaser would most likely go for the right hoop, as he wouldn't go for the middle since Tommy was guarding it, and the left hoop was too far out of his shot margin. Or two, the Wampus would be passing the quaffle, and only then would it go left.
However, Tommy realized this could be exactly what the chaser wanted him to think. It was possible he was trying to trick the first year up so he could go for the middle hoop. But, there was also the chance the Wampus could be unwisely underestimating the small boy, and he would just openly try to score in the open hoops.
These erratic thoughts went through Tommy's mind in mere seconds as he leaned forward to get ready for the shift that would tell him what he needed to do. All three Wampus chasers were tall and large, so he knew he would have to get to the goal fast.
Tommy cautiously watched the lead chaser who rapidly approached with the quaffle, seemingly flying with no intent on stopping. The first year Thunderbird felt himself begin to get fearful, but Tommy forced himself to keep his composure, body tense as he waited for the telltale shift in movement that would tell him where to go. The Wampus smirked and aimed straight for him, hugging his body to his broom and accepting the challenge.
It was mere seconds before the Wampus was going to barrel into the Thunderbird that Tommy finally saw it. The shift.
The Wampus chaser's arm loosened on the quaffle at the same time the chaser on his right dropped below him and flew left. It happened so quickly that Tommy almost missed it. The new chaser caught the quaffle and skillfully threw it to the left hoop, and a collective groan went through the Thunderbird crowd as the ball headed unguarded towards the hoop.
But, Tommy was already there.
The Thunderbird forcefully batted the quaffle away as the first chaser barreled through the middle hoop and went out of bounds. The groaning crowd swiftly went into an uproar as Tommy made his first save of the season.
"Nice!" Blake sidled beside the boy and patted his shoulder as the Thunderbird chasers took the penalty shot. "Keep it up," he said before flying off to resume his search for the snitch, and Tommy did just that for the next hour of the game.
In fact, the score was eighty to zero in favor of Thunderbird, and the first year was getting ready to intercept another goal. He flew to the middle goal as a Wampus chaser flung his arm in that direction. Tommy's finger pads immediately found the quaffle to get a grip, but a sudden electric shock went through his hand, causing him to jerk back and the quaffle to keep its trajectory.
The Wampus crowd went up in cheers as their first goal of the game was scored. Tommy just hovered with his hands out and a dumbfounded look until he felt his balance start to waver. He quickly reached for his broom handle.
"Argh!" He forcefully snatched his hands back again when another more intense shock went through them.
"OHH!" The crowd suddenly exclaimed as Tommy remounted his broom. Their eyes, which had been focused on the Thunderbird chasers, were now focused on the twelve-year-old boy as his snatching motion had caused him to almost fall off his broom. After regaining his composure, he signaled to Blake to call a timeout.
The Thunderbird team flew down to their side after Madame Delphine blew the whistle. The last to land was Blake with a clenched jaw. He approached the first year, obviously frustrated. "Tommy, what the hell is going on up there?" Blake demanded, and Tommy just wordlessly thrusted his broom out towards the captain as a million fire ants burned through his hand.
"What about it?" Blake asked, confused.
"Touch the handle," Tommy breathed through the sparkling pain, and as Blake did so, the seeker instantly drew his hand back from the shock. "What the-?"
"Exactly," said Tommy. "And I felt it when I touched that last quaffle too. That's why it slipped out of my fingers."
Blake sighed and ran a hand over his face. He saw Madame Delphine signaling it was almost time to go, and he immediately got to action. "Alright, I need you to go to Madame Delphine and tell her you need to switch out your broom, and-"
"No, wait, Blake!" Tommy interrupted, reaching up a burning hand as his scar suddenly began to prickle. It was at this prickle that Tommy's eyes focused on the crowd, searching for his friends as he realized exactly what was happening to him. He knew what he needed to do, but he also knew that he was going to have to tough it out in the meantime. Thunderbird was depending on him.
"This broom is one of the main reasons I have the speed advantage over Wampus," The first year continued, turning his gaze away from the crowd, and pointing at his new Dragonzord 2000 from Zord Brooms Co. Dulcea had gifted him the broom on behalf of the Thunderbird house. "I have no hope of blocking the quaffles with any other broom. Wampus is too fast."
Blake just sighed again, knowing what the twelve-year-old said to be true, "Alright if you insist, Tommy. Just be careful, and here," he waved a hand over Tommy's broom. It glowed a bright brown for a second before settling back to its normal tone. "A coating spell. Now when you touch your broom you're not actually touching your broom. See?" Blake successfully grasped the broom with no shocking effects. He then made a forward motion with two fingers as the whistle blew. "Now let's go, Thunderbirds!"
They all mounted their brooms and flew back to their posts. All except Tommy, who instead flew up to sidle beside his friends in the Thunderbird bleachers.
"Hey," he whispered, aftershocks going through his hands after he let go of the broom and hovered, Blake's spell apparently useless. "I don't have time, but I think Deker is doing something to my broom, and also the quaffle. My scar is hurting."
"We're on it, Tommy!" Jason hastily whispered back as their eyes widened. He ushered the young keeper away as Trini, Billy, and Zack all nodded in agreement, and Tommy gave them a grateful smile in thanks. He reluctantly put his hands back on his broom, and he had to bite back a curse of pain that desperately wanted to be released. Tommy would have to endure it until his friends stopped Deker. He quickly sped back to his post while the four first years attempted to stealthily sneak into the teachers' side.
By the time he came to a stop beside the middle hoop, Tommy could smell burning leather which could only be the frizzing of his keeper gloves. He could also feel sparks prickling in his legs, but that pain was more bearable compared to his hands. Tommy quickly let go of his broom and used the hoop to steady himself.
~o0o~
Trini, Jason, and Billy gathered in a circle under the teacher's bleachers as Zack peeked out from under, his eyes on Deker.
"You know, I never noticed how dog-like Finster looks, but wow!" the boy gawked.
"Zackary, you're supposed to be scoping out Professor Deker, not Professor Finster," scolded Trini, coming up to stand beside him. She joined his look and sighed. "However I must agree, he does have a certain canine effect about him."
"I wonder what's so awfully interesting about his wrist," Billy said after he joined them. "He's rubbing at it rather intensely."
Their attention left the dog-man as another sudden gasp emitted from the crowd. Tommy had almost unseated from his broom again saving a quaffle that seared his hands with electrical current. He quickly threw the quaffle to Kira before grabbing hold of a Quidditch hoop again. The score was a hundred and thirty to fifty, still in favor of Thunderbird. It was anybody's game now, the snitch would decide it.
"Guys! Look at Deker!" Jason whisper-yelled and the four first years followed his gaze and gasped in unison. The man in billowing white robes was muttering rapidly under his breath, and his fingers were giving off sparks.
"What do we do?"
"Tell a professor!"
"Yeah, get Zordon!"
"I say we stick Tommy's broom up his behind and give him a taste of his own medicine," They all spoke haphazardly, but it was at Jason's words that they all looked at the Hart strangely.
"Oh for God's sake, Jason," Trini chastised with a roll of her eyes. " I'll handle this." She strode to where she was directly under Deker's feet. "Aguamenti," Trini whispered, and water magnificently began to stream from her wand. It started to swirl around Deker's feet and anyone else's in his vicinity, that being Professors Finster and Appleby. The water began to rise up their legs before suddenly it went haywire, dousing the entire teacher stand.
"Oops…" Trini murmured with eyes mimicking a deer caught in headlights.
"What now?" questioned Billy, and the four first years glanced at each other.
"RUN!"
~o0o~
"Christ, Trini!" Jason swore when they reached their seats again. "What the hell was that?"
"An advanced-level spell not taught until we're fifth years, Jase, not that you would know anything about that."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Jason demanded with a frown.
"GUYS!" Billy interjected before it could get heated. "Look," and Jason and Trini both followed his finger to where he was pointing at Tommy. The boy in question looked worse for wear as he propped himself up heavily on the middle goal hoop. Even if they had stopped whatever was happening to his broom, Deker's spell had already taken its toll on their friend. As the announcer, a Thunderbird third year, Spike Narvy, began to energetically inform the crowd that the snitch had been spotted, they could only hope that Tommy would be able to hold out.
~o0o~
Truth be told, Tommy didn't know how he had made it thus far. His entire body seemingly seared and sparkled with pain, and he was barely holding on to the goal hoop. The score was now two hundred to seventy, and Tommy knew that if it wasn't for the excellence of the Thunderbird chasers, defending and stealing and scoring like their lives depended on it, the score would've been much higher.
Tommy had already failed to stop two drives consecutively, and the only reason he hadn't left the game was that they didn't have a reserve keeper, and he knew a disqualification was not an option. Blake and Delphine kept giving him sharp glances every time he would precariously stumble from his broom, but Tommy somehow righted himself each time and would send them a painful thumbs up.
"THEY'VE SPOTTED THE SNITCH! THIS JUST IN! THE SEEKERS HAVE SPOTTED THE SNITCH!" Tommy breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of Spike Narvy's eccentric voice as he yelled out his saving grace.
The game was almost over.
Blake and the Wampus seeker were a battling blur of purple and orange chasing after the snitch, but it was easy to tell that Blake had a slight edge. Blake outstretched his hand, aiming for the gold.
CRACK!
A bludger slammed into his side, strategically sent by the Wampus beaters. Bulke and Schullle had been rendered useless as the Wampus chasers ran interference and blocked their path.
Blake's broom began to wildly spin out of control, and then it slipped out from under him. The seeker fell harshly to the ground, clutching his side.
"OH NO! BLAKE GOES DOWN! THE THUNDERBIRD SEEKER GOES DOWN! THIS GAME IS NOW UP TO THE FIRST YEAR PLAYER, TOMMY OLIVER!" said Spike Narvy. "LET'S JUST HOPE HE CAN GET HIS ACT TOGETHER BEFORE WAMPUS CATCHES THE SNITCH! GO GO THUNDERBIRD!"
Tommy glanced up at the score in shock at that. True to his word, the score was two hundred and thirty to seventy, and this was due to the Thunderbird chasers having a run at the Wampus goals freely as their chasers ran interference with Bulke and Schulle. They could still win this game.
It was up to Tommy to not let it end in a tie by allowing in one more quaffle from Wampus, and with the domination of the Thunderbird chasers, a tie, Wampus would gladly take. Tommy cursed as their chasers headed full speed towards him, roughly fending off Thunderbird.
"Save the quaffle...or die trying," Tommy suddenly remembered the slogan that Blake was so fond of saying, and he began to repeat that mantra in his head as the lead Wampus chaser closed in. Swiftly, he let loose the quaffle towards the hoop furthest from the Thunderbird, and Tommy desperately willed his broom to move but his body didn't want to budge.
"Save the quaffle or die trying." His entire team was depending on him. The entire Thunderbird house was depending on him.
"Dammit, Tommy! Save the quaffle or die trying!" Tommy watched helplessly as the quaffle decreased its distance from the hoop, almost as if in slow motion.
"WAMPUS HAS THE SNITCH, BUT WILL THEY MAKE THE SHOT?" Narvy shouted to the on-edge crow.
But then...
Tommy jumped after it.
Seconds before the quaffle passed through the hoop, his small body wrapped unceremoniously around the ball, effectively cutting off its trajectory. The Thunderbird crowd went wild as they officially won the first game of the season. However, so much distracted by the win, only a few saw the first-year keeper rapidly falling towards the ground.
As Tommy held the burning quaffle in his arms, feeling a swift wind whip through his hair, a soft ghost of a smile crossed his lips in victorious satisfaction. The scenery shifted in speeds unknown in tones of purple, orange, and green.
Then it all went black.
…
…
...
"ARRESTO MOMENTUM!"
~oOo~
"Oh come on, Zordon!" Tommy awoke to a whispered argument. He immediately closed his eyes back, unabashedly listening in. "You and I both know this was not his broom being faulty, that boy has been riding that broom for a whole month. You saw the glove. You saw the coin. No, this was the work of something else, maybe someone else!"
"Just what are you insinuating, Dulcea?" inquired a voice that he recognized as Zordon's with a booming whisper.
"You know exactly what, Zordon!" Dulcea replied tensely under her breath. "Or, shall I say who?"
"I have to say I agree with Dulcea, Professor. This was dark magic most like his," a third voice abruptly interjected, and this was one Tommy immediately recognized, and one he terribly feared.
His eyes snapped open.
"Get him away from me!" the Thunderbird attempted to scramble back in his hospital bed as far as it would allow. "Get this evil man away from me!" Tommy's breath became shallow and black spots began to dance through his eyes from the sudden movement. A hand quickly rested on his forehead, and he flinched.
"Please! He's trying to kill me!" Tommy glanced at the culprit of his fear, Deker, and he instantly shied away.
"Professor Deker is trying to do no such thing, Thomas," commented Zordon with a confused raise of his brow. The wrinkled man attempted to smile at the Thunderbird reassuringly with his twinkling eyes, and it was so tranquilizing that the young boy almost gave in. Almost.
"What do you mean, no such thing?" Tommy questioned incredulously. "He almost electrocuted me to death, and I know it was him because..." the first year trailed off, stopping himself before he enlightened the professors about his scar prickling during the time out, which is why he was absolutely sure of his accusation. "You know what? Never mind," Tommy whispered with a heavy exhale, glancing around his surroundings to ignore the curious looks the professors gave each other. It was then that Tommy noticed he was in the hospital wing, but its patron was nowhere to be found. To the left of him, a sleeping Blake lied, actually looking normal for someone whose side had just gotten crushed by a bludger.
"Mr. Bradley's ribs are being mended at this moment by Madame Mitchell's magic," said Dulcea, noticing his questioning gaze. "In the meantime, he is in a deep sleep so as to not feel the pain."
"Where are my friends? Where's the team?" Tommy replied with a question, and it was Professor Eltar who answered this time with that irritating smile still upon his face.
"We sent them outside for the time being as we wanted to speak to you, Thomas," Zordon said as he gestured to the three of them.
"I'm not speaking to him," Tommy nodded towards Deker before roughly jerking away from his dark glare.
Deker sneered, and he opened his mouth to retaliate, but Zordon held up a hand before the potions professor could say anything. "Of course, Thomas. Professor, please see yourself out." Deker turned his glare on Zordon, and he then sneered again at Tommy, striding out with a flourish of his robes.
"Now, Thomas, I want-"
"It's Tommy."
Zordon smiled. "Alright, Tommy, I want you to be absolutely appeased that the situation is under our control. Your broom has been confiscated and stripped-"
"What?" Tommy interrupted again in disbelief, imagining his prized Dragonzord 2000 being shredded to pieces. He tried to hide it, but he felt his eyes start to prickle with hidden tears at his loss.
"By Professor Corcus," the headmaster continued, and as if aware of Tommy's thoughts, he quickly added, "but it shall be returned to you as soon as possible. Good as new."
Tommy breathed a sigh of relief at that, and Professor Eltar took a seat at his feet. "Now onto the topic of your broom 'electrocuting you,' as you so put it, I need you to tell me exactly everything that happened up there, Tommy. Every little detail."
Tommy looked up at his head of house for reassurance, and Dulcea, who had been silent up to this moment, gave him a soft smile and rested her hand on his head. "It's okay," she said encouragingly.
The first year took a deep breath as he nodded, and then he launched into his tale. The two professors listened and responded each time deemed appropriate as he told them about the Quidditch game. They gave each other sideways glances they'd thought he missed when he told them about his scar prickling, and as he finished with his maniacal jump from his broom to save the quaffle, they both had grave looks upon their faces.
"So yeah, that's it," Tommy sighed, and the three of them were silent for a few moments.
"Dulcea tells me you had to borrow your gloves from our reserve Quidditch equipment, is that right?" Zordon questioned, and Tommy scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion and slight embarrassment.
"Yes, Professor," he answered, "But what does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with it, Tommy," replied Dulcea, further confusing the Thunderbird.
"And that's because this was found lodged in your right glove," Zordon continued, holding up an old and bronze toe-sized coin.
"A large penny?" Tommy frowned, perplexed.
"One would think so, Tommy. But this is a highly electrical and a highly conductive Power Coin," explained Zordon, his eyes still twinkling as he placed the coin on the bed table. How he could still find mirth while explaining to a boy how he almost died, Tommy had no clue. "Power coins were used rather extensively in the last war against the Power Lord, by both sides. When activated, it can either cause severe electrifying pain or give the wizard using it immense power."
Tommy raised an eyebrow. "So you're basically agreeing that Deker tried to shock me to death?"
"Thomas," Dulcea warned.
Zordon just chuckled. "Professor Deker did no such thing, Tommy. Most likely the cause was residue power left in the coin... most of our equipment was donated from various sources..." he hummed in thought. "Dulcea, see that the rest of it is checked out will you?"
"Of course, Zordon," she nodded.
"Well, that is all Tommy. Now, I believe there's a dinner calling our names, Dulcea?" Zordon offered an arm to the Transfiguration professor.
Dulcea smiled. "Tommy, there are fresh clothes and potions on the table for you," she said, accepting the proffered arm, and with that, the two of them made their way outside the hospital wing.
The first year let out a huge sigh of relief as soon as they disappeared. He lifted a hand to pick up and study the small, but troublesome coin Zordon had mistakenly forgotten, sensing the raw residue power it had left. The markings were old and tarnished, but he knew that with Trini and Billy's insightful abilities, its words could be uncovered. Tommy had a feeling this coin could be the key to everything.
~o0o~
That next day, the day of Halloween, the five friends spent the majority of their day scouring books for any instance of the coin like the one that attacked Tommy. Unfortunately, neither Trini nor Billy was able to uncover the words of the garnished coin, the words having been eroded away from the years spent in that glove, but that didn't mean it was entirely useless. In fact, it renewed their energy in their search for the Electrica Coin, and where they had failed in their first search, they succeeded in their second one.
At first, they had been looking for any mention of the Electrica Coin but hadn't realized that something as top secret as the Eletrica Coin wouldn't be in the public library. However, with this new coin, they shifted their search to just powerful coins in general and received immediate results.
"Hey guys, check this out!" called Trini from where she was nestled in a couch with her nose in a book titled 'The Evolution of Magical Items'. The boys all crowded around her quickly.
Trini began to read out, "In the war of the Power Lord, a quick rise of the use of highly conductive coins was seen. A conductive coin had many uses from amplifying power to electric tethering to protective armoring, depending on the size of the coin. The Power Lord and his Putties often used conductive coins for torture and control!" She excitedly read, and they all were amazed at her findings.
"Great work, Trini," said Tommy, holding the coin up to the light. "A conductive coin..."
Satisfied with Trini's findings, the group called it a day and headed to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Morale was high around their group, and all of them were excited and having fun while eating the rich food. The feast was magnificent, the food excellent, and the atmosphere jubilant.
But it was when the candles blinked out, and the starry ceiling went black, and startled shouts filled the hall as darkness covered them, that the evening was marred. Murmurs and nervous exclaims broke out, and Tommy subconsciously grabbed a hold of the person nearest to him, which happened to be Billy.
"LUMOS MAXIMA!" was heard from the staff table, and the hall quickly lit up, showing Zordon standing with his wand out, and the other professors followed suit.
"Due to the minor inconvenience, it seems our feast will have to come to a close-" he was interrupted as the light of his wand suddenly died out, and they were suddenly cloaked in darkness again. A sense of panic began to rise rapidly in the hall, and multiple yells of "Lumos!" could be heard, but with no results.
"Silence!" Zordon's booming voice quieted the hall. "Prefects, please guide your house to your common room immediately," he said, and it was instant chaos as everyone attempted to leave blindly at the same time. Somehow, Tommy, Jason, Billy, Zack, and Trini were able to group up, grabbing each other's hands to stay together. They shuffled out, and Tommy could see no maj-born students conjuring up no maj flashlights, providing some semblance of light.
The crowd was moving slowly but surely to the dorms, but it was when a sudden loud roar sounded that all hell broke loose. Tommy tightly gripped his friends' hands as the rough shoving of his classmates threatened to push him away. It was utter chaos with everyone erratically forcing their way up the stairs, using the small flashlights as a guide. Prefects could be heard yelling for their houses, but with the fearful screams and shouts from students as the roaring got louder, it was no wonder the crowd couldn't be contained.
The five first years pushed and pushed at the shoving crowd to find some semblance of space to move, but they were practically being bottlenecked against each other, and then, the worst thing that could possibly happen did. What sounded like Trini let out a loud cry, and suddenly, the five friends were falling to the ground.
"Get up, guys!" Tommy yelled before a heavy foot stepped on his back, and it was then he finally let go of his friends in favor of covering his head as he got trampled. Tommy was seemingly trapped under the feet of his classmates for a lifetime, gasping and wheezing for a breath as his surroundings closed in on him. He thought that this was surely the end, but suddenly, a hand grabbed him, urging and pulling him up.
As Tommy got to his feet, he was just able to make out his savior in the darkness, and it was the smiling face of his friend, Zack, who still gripped tightly to Jason as he pulled Billy and Trini up. Almost like clockwork, the moment they all righted themselves, the crowd broke through the bottleneck, and the five first years peered through the darkness fearfully as sudden quietness surrounded them.
They began to run up the stairs after the group that was going to lead them to safety, but then, the next worst thing that could possibly happen did happen.
The staircase began to move.
As another monstrous roar broke the air, the first years were faced with a dilemma. They could either wait for the staircase to move them back to the main path, which could lead them to whatever beast threatened the halls of Ilvermorny. Or, they could take the unknown path the staircase had connected in front of them.
"Let's go," Tommy sighed, making the choice for them and pushing his way forward. They climbed the seemingly never-ending steps before the staircase could move again, and as they made it to the top, they broke into a hallway. Fortunately, the candlelights signaling curfew were lit up, giving them some semblance of light, but though it was fortunate, it was as well unfortunate. For as they entered the hallway, the dustiness and eerie ambiance let the first years know immediately that they were in the forbidden corridor Zordon had warned them of.
It was empty and ominous with its bare walls with one door at the end staring at them with a daring presence. Tommy opened his mouth to suggest they perhaps go back to the main path, but then, his ears picked up on a rumbling sound, guttural and becoming increasingly louder.
"Guys…" he whispered, eyes widening as fear palpated through his heart and a cold chill passed through him, "RUN!"
The four first years didn't think twice as they took off after Tommy towards the only place they could go, towards the daunting door. Zack reached it first and began to frantically attempt to rip it off its hinges when it wouldn't open, hectic as the roaring got closer and louder. Trini hastily pushed Zack out of the way with a roll of her eyes, subsequently pointing her wand towards the doorknob and yelling, "Alohomora!" The door flew open and the first years quickly shuffled in, heaving a sigh of relief as Jason hurriedly closed it back. They all jumped as an abrupt roar sounded right outside the door, and they stared at it fearfully as they waited for whatever beast that chased them to burst in.
Slowly, they backed away, apprehensive and in fright. Step after step they took, almost in cohesion.
Tommy didn't know what made him turn to glance behind as his friends stared transfixed at the door.
Perhaps it was fate. Perhaps it was luck, but for some miraculous reason, he did.
That one turn... gave him enough time to widen his eyes and scream out in terror...
"JASON, STOP!"
Thanks,
Gwynn J.