With the news of TJM finally coming out, that gave me inspiration to work on this fic again. Enjoy

Advice and Fights

Brigitta ate her ice cream like a wild animal, chocolate covering her face but she didn't care. She was on a mission to keep the sweet taste of frozen cream stimulating her taste buds.

She had such a way with me. One minute I could imagine my life without her as a joyful paradise where mom and dad pamper me as their only child, and the next minute that fantasy grows cold, and desolate. A lonely existence with no one to talk to, no one to entertain with my bad jokes, no one to share my wisdom to. I was mad at her, but those emotions were melting faster than the bowl of rocky road that sat in front of me.

She had told the entire school that I went to see a psychologist, and the ridicule was intense, too intense. I needed advice, but from who?

"I'm all done!" Brigitta informed me, once again using the shouting setting of her vocal register.

"Alright." I said, about to get up from the booth to leave, but I noticed my sister with chocolate ice cream all over her face. "Oh wait young lady. There is no way you are going to be seen outside with all that on your face." I grabbed a couple napkins and wiped her face to remove the stain. She protested as she always does, but resistance is futile.

"Okay I'm clean! Can we go home now?" She shouted once again.

"We're going, and remember what dad told you." I reminded her.

"Never eat raspberries?" She asked.

"No, that's what Grandpa told you." I told her.

"It's not the size of the prey, it's the hunt?" She asked.

"No, that was Grandma." I reminded.

"Just tell him how you really feel?" She asked.

"No, mom told you that one. Inside voice!" I shouted, exasperated.

"Excuse me sir, can you keep it down a bit, thanks." The server behind the counter said.

I looked over at the guy with an annoyed half-lidded eyed glare. Then turned my attention back to my sister.

"Oh, right. Inside voice." She said as she put her pointer finger to her lips.

We walked back home, and Brigitta was skipping along, all happy go-lucky. I smiled at her. She was four years younger than me, and she was so innocent. A gentle six year old, and me, a disillusioned ten year old. I've had my share of problems, and had been able to handle them, but this one was beyond me. I needed advice from the one person who gave advice since ancient times.

"Dad, I have a problem." I told my dad when I walked into his office. It wasn't an office really, it was a spare bedroom with a desk and chair in it, but it worked.

"Oh? Well, tell me and I'll she what I can do to help." My dad told me.

"Okay, well…" I told him what happened earlier today and asked him what to do about it.

"Hmm, that one's tough. I would recommend riding it out. All ridicule gives way to some new victim, and unfortunately that's what you'll have to wait for. Once these bullies see that you won't give them any satisfaction, they'll leave you alone." He told me.

"How long will it take?" I asked him.

"Well, it's not that big of a deal you seeing a psychologist. I think at most you could expect two more weeks and it'll fade."

"Two weeks?! But Dad, isn't there a faster way?" I asked him.

"Nothing that won't make this entire situation worse for everyone. Trust me Sly, ride it out." He looked at me with those authority filled green eyes.

"I guess you're right." I told him.

"Now, come on, give me a hug." He said opening up his arms.

I walked over and leaned into his arms. He wrapped them around me protectively.

"I won't let anything bad happen to you." He told me.

He always said that when he hugged us. I don't know why, but as mom says, it's an Arnold thing.

"Okay Dad, nothing will." I assured him.

"Now you run along. Go hang out with your friends." He said as he let me go, and I walked out of his office.

Just had to ride it out. Ignore it. Ride it out.

As I walked to the front door to head over to Gerald Field, there was a knock on the green structure.

I opened it, and there stood Tanner. He looked out of breath, as if he had ran here.

"Hey man, I was just going to the field to meet you. What are you doing…"

"Listen man, you have to come and see this, Carl T's suspension has been lifted, and he has just challenged Sam Z to another fight! It's going down right now near the docks!" Tanner excitedly explained.

"Oh, that's interesting." I told him.

"What are you waiting for man? The fight's going to be epic!" Tanner said.

"Well, I'm not big into violence." That was a lie. The truth is, I really wanted to see this fight, but the thought of all those bullies in one spot, and their knowledge of me made the prospect very uncomfortable.

"Oh come on man, this is the stuff of legend! You have to see it! You'll never forgive yourself if you don't." He told me.

"Tanner, I can't. They'll all be there." I told him.

"Who?" He asked.

"Them, the ones who made fun of me today because of my… mental health." I said.

"Listen man, you can't be afraid to live your life just because a few bullies tell you that you're different. What matters is what you think about yourself. That is what will define you." He told me.

"That's some good cheese Tan. You stole that from something, didn't you?" I tuned and smiled at him.

"Maybe one or two PSA's that my mom made me watch, but that doesn't make it any less true." Tanner told me.

"Alright, fine, I'll go. It won't take that long anyway." I walked towards Tanner, and we made our way to the docks.

I have never seen a bigger group of PS118 students outside of the school assembly hall. Everyone wanted a view of the match of the century, but Tanner managed to get us front row viewing.

"Oh good, the crazy kid is here, now things will get good." Sam Z said from his corner.

"Oh, shut up and get ready." Carl T told his challenger, he then turned to face us. "Hey you, Blondie. What's your name?"

He was looking right at me.

"Um, Sylvester." I told him in a small voice.

"I need someone to dry my face with this towel in between rounds, can you do that?" He asked me.

I looked at him wide eyed, "Um, yeah, sure."

He motioned me over, and I walked over to him. He was even larger up close, a good two feet taller than me, and maybe four times the muscle mass.

"Letting the crazies service for you Carly, how sweet." Sam Z mocked.

"Leave him alone, or you'll be shorter than he is." He pointed to me.

The announcer walked to the center of the ring.

"Fighters, take your positions."

"Wish me luck kid." He told me.

I smiled a little at him.

"Like you need it." I told him.

He laughed a little.

"Round one, fight!" The announcer ran out of the way.

Sam Z ran to Carl, looking to hit him low, and knock him over. Carl T, expecting this, moved out of the way, and Sam fell over on his face, after trying to turn back around. Carl picked him up by the shirt, and threw him back into his corner. Sam recovered, and tried to attack Carl once again, but Carl was too fast for him. Every jab or punch, he would evade. Then Sam flew a forward punch right into Carl's jaw. It looked like it was a good hit.

He fell back into his corner, and I was there to help him.

"I wasn't expecting that." Carl told me.

"Are you alright?" I asked him.

"I'll be okay." He told me.

"Here, you've got a little bit of blood on your face." I handed him the towel.

"Thanks. You're a good kid." He told me.

"Hey, are we going to get on with this, or are you going to hang out with your boyfriend all day?" Sam called out.

"Oh, he's going to get it." Carl said.

He got up, and started to walk over.

"Wait, please promise me something." I asked him.

"What?" Carl looked at me.

"Don't hurt him too bad." I said.

Carl looked confused, and then serious, he then walked back toward the ring.

"Round two, Fight!"

They went at it again. Punch, dodge, punch, dodge. It continued like that for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Carl laid a blow on Sam, right in the middle of the chest. Sam was down and out. Carl lifted him up from the ground slightly. He looked angrily at him. He then looked at me.

"Never pick on my friend Sly again." He then let Sam go.

Carl walked over to me. I looked up to him.

"Thanks." I said.

"Don't mention it." He grabbed the towel from me. "See you around Vester." He walked off down the street.

I looked over at Sam. Several of his friends were helping him to his feet. I heard a lot of chattering amongst the crowd. I had almost forgotten they were there. Tanner ran up to me.

"Man! That was insane! A little shorter then I was expecting, but you can't have everything." Tanner told me.

"Yeah, I guess." I looked beyond Tanner and I saw the girl from my class. She looked over at me, and smiled. I smiled back. She then walked off with her friends.

"Didn't you think so man?" Tanner's voce came back into my mind.

"What? I'm sorry." I told him.

"I said, didn't you think that Carl was holding back?" He asked me.

"Oh yeah, he definitely was." I told him.

I walked back to the boarding house, and opened the door. As always the swarm of animals departed the house. I walked into my Dad's office. His light was still on.

"Hey Dad, you got a minute?" I asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, come in Sly. I was just finishing up these papers. What's up?" He asked me.

I looked up at him.

"I wanted to tell you my real relationship with Anna Kato."

So, what did you think? Review and let me know!

R&R!