A/N: beats anyone else want to have a go at for constantly trying to eat my postings? -.-;;
:listens to BSB CD set on random:
A little Morgan/Asa stuff for ya'll to love on. XD
Chapter Six
The time to go home came and Charlie found himself once again facing staying at the academy for detention because, for some reason, his homework had disappeared and reappeared in the art room. Unfortunately, by the time Emma had given it to him, it was too late and he had detention.
He had an idea as to who had taken it, too. He didn't know exactly what Joshua's power was, but it seemed akin to magnetism, and he was using it on Charlie.
Charlie watched as everyone ran out to the buses, including Billy Raven, though he was being pulled along by Cathrine Pest. He was being kept against his will, he could tell. Cathrine wouldn't ever leave his side and the way he tried to stay away from her told him that Billy didn't like Cathrine anymore than everyone else. There was something inherently repugnant in Cathrine, and it had nothing to do with her power of pestilence. She looked sweet and nice, but her personality showed through as cunning and nasty.
Charlie sighed and walked down to dinner. He saw Morgan sitting uncomfortably at the music table as she stared and picked at the wood. He sat down in front of her and smiled at her, trying to cheer her up a bit.
Morgan looked to him with those big blue eyes. "What do you think of Asa?" she said softly.
Charlie blinked. He had never been asked about his opinion on the people that regularly tried to torment him and his friends. However, Asa seemed to be trying to do things against Manfred and his lot. It was as though he was trying desperately to redeem himself while rebelling against the very people who he had once worshipped.
"He… seems all right… for now. I don't trust him very much, though. Why?"
Morgan stared at the table as the Bloors walked in. Mr. MacGregor was sitting with them, probably there because his daughter was. Mr. MacGregor smiled broadly at Charlie. "Trying to chat up m'daughter, are ye, laddy?" Charlie blushed as Mr. MacGregor chuckled.
However, Asa was glaring at Charlie as he walked in, almost like he was ready to turn into the beast and eat him right there. He sat down at the music table since there were only three of them there, right next to Morgan.
Morgan leaned a bit away from Asa, as he almost seemed like he was leaning over her. Charlie raised his eyebrows at Asa and then at Morgan. He saw the dark expression on Mr. MacGregor's face and instantly wanted to be as far away from Asa Pike as possible. That look said very much "get away from my daughter" with multiple exclamation points.
Cook came out and set out their dishes in front of them, her kitchen help giving the Bloors and Mr. MacGregor their meals. She winked at Charlie and smiled before walking back into the kitchen to prepare the next courses for eating.
Charlie was beginning to wonder if there was going to be a next course as he watched Asa start up with Morgan again. It started up with Asa brushing his foot against hers rather obviously. Morgan jumped and twitched, glared at Asa and then went back to eating, though in an irritated fashion.
He pulled his elbow back in just the right angle to hit her in the side, where she was quite ticklish. She jumped and nearly fell off her seat, glaring at him in surprise and more than a little fear. "Stop that!"
Asa blinked those yellow wolf eyes at Morgan. "Stop what?"
"Quiet in the hall, Pike… MacGregor," growled Dr. Bloor.
"Why quiet? Why can't the children talk? Why can't we for that matter? It isn't as though talking will cause a major disruption," said Mr. MacGregor.
Dr. Bloor glared at Mr. MacGregor in a more disturbing fashion, however, Charlie also the fear of Mr. MacGregor in his stiff position. Mr. MacGregor had power over Dr. Bloor, though he didn't use it. To do so would take him down to the Bloors' level and Mr. MacGregor was above that. However, he'd shown Dr. Bloor just how nasty he could be when Manfred had hypnotized Morgan.
Asa stretched, in a very old and over used move, and brought a hand down on Morgan's back in a swift movement. He had touched her no less. Charlie watched as a faint red glow started up around Morgan, her left eye twitching slightly as she struggled to contain herself. "I said… stop it… Pike," she hissed through her teeth.
Dinner was over right then. Charlie and Morgan hurried up to the King's Room quickly as Asa grinned and walked behind them at a casual pace. Morgan sat across from Charlie as far away from Asa as possible.
Manfred glared at Asa from his seat at the head of the long table. It was as though it wasn't enough that Manfred clearly despised the boy, but he wanted to grind it into his head that he was no longer tolerated.
Charlie passed a note to Morgan.
Has he been bothering you?
Morgan went red and wrote a quick response, making it move over to him with her phantom hand.
Yes.
Charlie frowned. He glared down at the table at Asa, receiving a grin from the red haired boy before turning his gaze back to Morgan. He wrote a question on the note and she pulled it back to her.
What has he done to you?
Morgan glared at Charlie and wrote out a terse answer.
Leave me alone. It's none of your business!
Charlie wanted to argue, but arguing with Morgan was a bit like poking a sleeping tiger with a stick. He wasn't all too certain she wouldn't hurt him with that power of hers if she got angry at him. As far as he'd seen, when she got angry at anyone, she tended to put herself into solitary confinement for a while. However, he had also seen what she could do to someone when she finally blew up.
Manfred's growl could be heard very clearly. "Do you and MacGregor want another detention, Bone?"
"No, sir," said Charlie quickly.
Charlie continued to work until it was time to go to bed. He bid Morgan good night before heading up to the empty dorm room for the night.
However, Morgan had to head up to the senior girls' dorm, which was located quite close to the senior boys' dorm. Asa was behind her as she walked up the stair case. "You walk very softly. Do you walk on tiptoe or something?" said Asa as he looked up at her.
She blinked and looked down at him. "No. I've always walked like this. I tend to sneak up on people and scare them without thinking." She turned back around and pulled her cloak around her a bit more, getting a shiver as she felt his gaze on her intensified.
"Pink is a good color on you, by the by," he said in a lower voice.
Morgan stopped and blinked in confusion. Pink? The only thing pink on her was…
She snapped around and punched him on the chest. "Pervert! You stop looking up my skirt!"
She suddenly felt herself pinned against the wall of the staircase, wrists held down on either side of her head. Asa grinned at her evilly with those yellow eyes. "I think I rather enjoy watching you get angry at me," he said.
Then, he bent his head further and kissed her roughly.
He left up the stairs to the boys' dorm, whistling a little tune. Morgan, however, was leaning against the wall for support as she panted and stared at the opposite wall. Had that really happened?
Morgan mentally slapped herself and wobbled up the stairs, still in a confused daze. What could she have done to stop him? Did she even want to have stopped him?
She sat on her bed and stared at the door. What was happening?
Saturday morning, Olivia was in town and found a strange flower shop full of white flowers. "Angel Flowers?" It gave her a strange feeling as she looked at it. A beautiful woman came out of the back of the store and smiled at her, her hair as white as the flowers. "Welcome, Olivia. Would you like some flowers?"
"Ah…" Olivia was instantly wary of the woman. How did she know her name? She had been looking for a flower shop to bring her mother an apology gift.
The beautifully white woman smiled at Olivia gently and pulled out a batch of lilies. "How about these? I'm sure your mother would like them," she said gently.
Olivia shook her head as her eyes went wide. "How… how…." She continued to sputter as the woman handed her the flowers.
"They're free. I just hope your mother enjoys them as much as I do," she said with that warm smile.
Olivia back away from the store door with the flowers in her grasp, her heart pounding. The white woman smiled gently at Olivia. "Would you like an apple?"
Olivia didn't answer. She ran as fast as she could away from the store. When she found her mother at home, she gave the flowers to her, a little calmer now that she was away from the white woman. Her mother did indeed love the flowers, however, Olivia still had a horrible feeling something was happening to her that she wasn't all too certain she wanted.
It was then she knew why. She was peeling an apple for herself, but found the peeling never stopped. It kept going without an end to it. She threw the apple away from her, terrified of it.
She tried peeling other apples, but it was the same each time. The peeling never ended. "What do I have to do to have a snack!" she grunted in frustration.
"Olivia? Are you all right?" Her mother came into the sitting room to find her daughter in distress. There were long peelings on the floor and a few apples still attached to them.
"I can't peel any of them!" Olivia whimpered.
"Why don't you just eat them? The peel is good for you," said her mother, trying to cheer her daughter up.
"But I don't LIKE the peel," grunted Olivia. "Where did you get these apples!"
"From the tree in the corner of the back yard," she said brightly. "It's such a lovely tree. It's been there since you were born, maybe even before."
Olivia frowned and tried to peel another apple as her mother walked out. She didn't like how this was turning out.
Charlie was taken home that night by Mr. MacGregor. Morgan was still in her contemplative daze as she had been the entire day. It was only broken when Asa came around. She would glare at him angrily, that red aura prickling around her dangerously.
Mr. MacGregor didn't like the mood his daughter was in either. Since the previous night, she had been in a constant gloom, cutting herself off from everyone. He'd only seen that happen when she was angry, but she wasn't angry from what he could see, except at Asa Pike.
If Asa had done anything wrong to Morgan, Mr. MacGregor made a vow he would punish the boy repeatedly until he was little more than a shall of himself. The children, including his daughter, had risked a great deal to help the boy before. It wasn't right that the boy would continue to torment her!
Mr. MacGregor looked back at Charlie. "Feeling all right, back there, lad?"
Charlie nodded. "I'm fine, sir."
Mr. MacGregor nodded and pulled into his driveway. "Since we're across the street from each other, I don't think you'll mind if you have to walk to your house," he said with a half smile on his face.
Charlie didn't mind. Mr. MacGregor looked around for anyone watched and grinned at Charlie in a mischevious manner. He lifted up his hands and Charlie's trunk was lifted into the air and then it went right across the street and set itself down in front of Number Nine. "Have a nice night, lad. I hope you have a better weekend than my daughter here seems to be having."
He ruffled Charlie's hair affectionately and sent him off to Number Nine before collecting his daughter and disappearing into Number Thirteen.
Charlie grinned at Mr. MacGregor. He had to be the coolest teacher he'd known so far. The man taunted Dr. Bloor and used his powers in front of everyone when he figured no one was looking.
Charlie looked back at Number Thirteen, watching Morgan's bedroom light go on and saw her flop face down on her bed. He hoped his friend was all right. Then, he walked into Number Nine and went to eat dinner.
