THE ACADEMY CHRONICLES - A series of Oneshots containing the origin stories of Team Awesome and other events leading up to Episode Six

How The Lover Met The Wind

Wells Time Academy, London Campus: September 28, 5089

Zephyrus Ambrose was bored. And not just normal, this-material-is-so-dull bored. I mean, tape-my-hands-together-watch-paint-dry bored. And class had only started five minutes ago.

The young athlete may not have had the best attention span, but he blamed it on his professors teaching below his level rather than on any mental condition inherent in his person. The material would have been interesting if it were applied better, but Professor Wolfe seemed convinced that text-tablet learning was the best way to absorb material.

Zephyrus sighed. He didn't have the patience for this.

"Pardon me, professor," he said, standing up. "But can you answer a question for me?"

"Indeed, Mr. Ambrose," he replied. Zephyrus walked to the front of the class, standing right in front of the grizzled old man.

"So, the teleportation devices are disabled on student vortex manipulators. But is yours disabled?"

"No, we faculty must be able to travel quickl—"

Zephyrus grabbed him by the wrist, pressing hard on the teleportation button. The teacher vanished.

"Now it is," he murmured to himself, walking out of the classroom.

Dean Norton rushed him within a few minutes of the incident.

"Mr. Ambrose. Professor Wolfe just sent me a distress call. Apparently he is stranded in Constantinople during the fourth crusade. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"No, sir." He smirked slightly. Dean Norton frowned, his dark brown eyes sparkling.

"That's funny. Because he said that you were the one who sent him there."

"Oh." Zephyrus looked at him. "I thought he'd appreciate the vacation."

"My office. Now."

As the young cadet slunk into the office, he noticed that he was not alone. A young boy, probably a year below him, was sitting in one of the waiting chairs, his grey-blue eyes shrouded. He smiled slightly as Zephyrus approached.

"What did they get you for?"

"Transporting a teacher. You?"

"Cheating. Apparently."

Zephyrus looked at him, curious. The boy didn't look like a cheater. He was a rather nerdy thing, and his uniform looked rather obsessively clean.

"Did you?"

The boy's eyes flashed in outrage.

"Of course not! I studied very hard for that exam. It's not my fault that I aced the bloody thing. Well, I suppose it is, but I didn't do anything wrong!"

Dean Norton coughed. Both of the boys looked at him sheepishly, their faces mirroring each other.

"Mr. Ambrose. What you've done is unacceptable. If you were any other person in this school, you would have been expelled by now. But unfortunately, my superiors have plans for you. That being said, just because I can't give you the boot doesn't mean I can't punish you. Fifty pages on World War II. On my desk by next Monday."

Zephyrus groaned.

"And Mr. Forth. Cheating is unacceptable. To teach you a lesson, I'm assigning you as Mr. Ambrose's personal assistant until I feel you have learned this."

"But sir," protested the younger boy, "surely, you aren't suggesting that I –"

"Mr. Forth. That is exactly what I'm suggesting. I expect you to be at Mr. Ambrose's disposal at all hours. You are to follow him everywhere. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

As they left the office, Zephyrus nudged his young companion.

"Aww, don't worry about it. I won't ask you to do my laundry or anything. I think the dean's opinion of me is rather off."

The boy smiled shyly at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Ambrose."

"Please, call me Zephyrus."

He held out his hand to the boy, who accepted it graciously.

"Tobias."

"Well, Tobias, what shall we do first? Early lunch, or I wonder what sort of mischief Susie's cooked up. . . ?"

"Aren't you supposed to be working on that paper?"

Zephyrus chuckled. "You're kidding, right? Look at this weather! It's beautiful! Let's go for a walk!"

"O-okay. . ."

Zephyrus grabbed Tobias' hand and dragged him outside, laughing all the way.

Team Awesome's Hideout: Same Day

"This is. . ." Tobias' eyes grew wide at the interior of the seemingly abandoned house.

"Yeah. My best friend Lucian and I found this place a few years back. You're welcome here whenever you like. Just don't snitch to the dean about it."

Tobias smiled. "I'd like that. To stay here, I mean. Not to tell the dean."

Zephyrus laughed. "Let me show you around."

As they wandered into the bedroom, Tobias stopped short. There, lying on the bed, her eyes wet from crying, was a young first year with long brown hair tangled about her body.

Zephyrus rushed to her, his eyes wide in concern.

"Susie! Susie, what's wrong?"

He wrapped his arms around her as she cried into his chest. He looked in panic at Tobias.

"Water. Please."

Tobias ran to the kitchen while Zephyrus cradled his adopted sister.

"Shhh. Susie, it's ok. Whatever's wrong, I've got you. I've got you."

She shuddered against him, murmuring into his chest.

"They're gone. They're all gone."

"Who is, sweetheart?"

"The. . . The chocolates."

He laughed quietly.

"That's all? You're out of chocolate? Susie, you had me so worried!"

"It's not funny. I didn't even eat one!"

He held her tighter. "I'll buy you some new ones, ok?"

"Kay."

Tobias rushed in, a glass of water in one hand.

"Is she ok?"

"She's fine. Just a little too fond of sweets."

She smiled up wearily at Tobias.

"Who are you, mate?"

He smiled shyly at the young Australian, offering her his hand.

"Tobias Forth. I'm a . . .friend of Zephyrus."

"Must not be a very good one. His friends call him Zephie. I'm Susie Olivier."

Zephyrus chuckled. "Tobias here is my servant now, aren't you, Tobias?"

She grinned. "Wanna share? He's kind of yummy."

Tobias gulped, blushing. "Th-thanks. . ."

"Aw, and so shy! Zephie, why do you get all the luck?"

"Dean Norton loves me, apparently."