Jim and Joshua had finished Tech class early that day, and Josh suggested they wait outside of navigations class for Sarah. Jim had Morph sleeping in his pocket today; even though the teachers had told Jim to keep him in his room. Sarah was coming out of navigations and saw Jim and Joshua waiting across the hall for her. She bounded towards them books in hand and with a welcoming smile on her face.

They were talking before getting ready to leave, when Tristan came from galactic politics which was next door. For the first time in all of their encounters, Tristan noticed that Sarah was there. What made him interested were her gentle features, the advanced navigation books she was carrying, and, most of all, that she was in the company of Jim Hawkins.

Just as they turned around, Tristan stopped them in their tracks. "Well, Jim. I never knew that you kept such lovely company. Although, I don't see why someone of her intellect sticks around with you." Tristan said, gesturing to her textbook. Sarah was giving him a quizzical look, as though she had never met him before. Jim was glaring at him as was Joshua.

Sarah noticed this and tugged on both of their jacket sleeves urging them to go by saying "Come guys if we don't hurry all the good stuff will be gone." The two boys looked at her pleading eyes and understood what she was trying to communicate. "We don't have time for this, Tristan." Jim said, signaling that it was time to leave.

Joshua looked at Tristan not thinking that this would be enough to make him give up. Despite this he followed Jim and turned to go to the lunch hall. Sarah sighed with relief, and turned to follow them as well. When her still messy braid swung as she pivoted, Tristan ensnared her by grabbing it in a clenched fist. Sarah felt sharp pain as her hair was pulled, and screamed and dropped her books.

Jim and Josh turned in shock to see Sarah clutching her head to reduce the pain, and Tristan trying to pull her back. "Now don't be that way. Why don't you leave those two and join people whose knowledge is equal with yours?" Tristan said. Before he could say another word, Joshua had brought him to the floor, forcing him to release Sarah. As soon as she was free, she ran to Jim's side and hid behind him, tears lining the edges of her eyes.

Morph had been stirred by all of the commotion and emerged from Jim's pocket to see what the matter was. Morph witnessed Joshua, who he had grown attached to, fighting with Tristan on the floor of the hall. Morph squealed as he raced off to find a teacher before Jim could catch him. Students had gathered around the fight and were cheering for their favored fighter.

Tristan, not being a good hand-to-hand fighter, was getting pummeled by Josh. Joshua who had been spurred by the mistreatment of his friend said to Tristan,

"I want you to know that if you ever do that to my friends, I'm not going to let you go without paying you back!"

"Josh! JOSH! Stop!"

Jim was pulling his friend off of Tristan, causing Joshua to calm down. Tristan propped himself up on his elbows and wiped the blood from his lip. Sarah was looking around and noticed that the students were starting to disperse. She found out why when Morph was flying around the corner with the principal right behind him. The four of them were looking at the principal as though he was going to expel them all right then end there.

"Don't look at me that way. Lucky for you Miss Sarah, you will not be punished?" the principal said. "What?" Sarah said confused. "This little blob explained to me exactly what happened. Mr. Cain (Josh), you will join Mr. Falling (Tristan) and Mr. Hawkins in their new punishment of washing the dishes in the lunch hall tonight. And Mr. Hawkins, even though you pet helped you in this endeavor, I'm afraid you still broke our promise of keeping it in your room and it will have to be sent home. I will see you 3 later then."

The principal left with that and Morph followed waving a sad good bye to his owner. Tristan, not wanting to stick around, stood up and left down the hall way. Jim rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. Josh was helping Sarah pick up her books and she was still rubbing her head to ease the pain.

"Are you alright, Sarah? Josh asked.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Are you okay though? I didn't mean to get you in trouble." Sarah said remorsefully.

"It wasn't your fault. Tristan started it when he pulled your hair."

"I can't thank you enough, Joshua."

Sarah smiled at him as they stood up from their place on the floor and Josh smiled back. Jim called them over and they headed of for lunch.

~ With Tristan~

Tristan was walking down the hall, towards Jim and Joshua's room and he pulled Josh's room key from his pocket. As he stepped inside, he laughed to himself and started looking around. Then his eyes landed on the photo of the three friends. "Well, this looks valuable." He said. An evil smile creeping across his face.