"You are not to assault other Academy trainees," Mitchell roared as Thomas stood in his office and stared straight forward. His father had pulled him out of dinner with the other intensive participants to berate him. How he had heard what happened in combatives was beyond him. He knew that he had done nothing aside from defend himself, but apparently Jason had played it a different way. "I should throw you out of the Academy, right now."
"Stop grandstanding, Mitch," Theo said as he stormed into the office and glared over at Mitchell. It was amazing that David had regularly bullied other trainees, but Thomas had set the bully straight and he was being chastised for it. "Jason deserved what he got and then some- you're training weak rangers if they never meet anyone that can best them."
"Thomas, you're dismissed," Mitchell growled as Thomas barely nodded and then darted from the room. He had seen his father and Theo get into it in the past, but he had never been at the center of it. Well, at least as far as he knew. There were many arguments he was not aware of where Theo openly questioned how Mitchell was caring for his oldest son. "How dare you challenge my authority!"
"You kept him out of here for two years and you expected that they'd just welcome him with open arms?" Theo countered as he shook his head in disgust. "They all knew he would show up some day and they were waiting for it. They were waiting to take him out. You're damn lucky that Thomas is the most gifted of your children and that he has the patience of a saint. Any of your other children would have seriously injured Jason for pulling the shit he pulled today. I only told you so that you could re-evaluate the path you're putting Jason on."
"Truehearts have different standards. You wouldn't understand that Theo," Mitchell scoffed and Theo glared at him. The standards that he saw being enforced were all over the board and that was especially true between David and Thomas. "This is my Academy to run as I see fit."
"You need to get your head out of your ass before it costs you one of your children," Theo forced out before he turned and stormed out of Mitchell's office. He had never gotten along well with his brother-in-law, but tried to keep it civil for Sally's sake. When Mitchell had taken over the Academy three years ago, he had known things were going to be rough for the Trueheart children, but he had never imagined he would see this kind of favoritism from Mitchell. He had cleared the way for David and he was making everything harder for Thomas.
Thomas stood outside of his dorm room and let out a sigh as he read the other name on the door. It was the first day of summer term and they were randomly assigned roommates. He knew there was nothing random about this assignment and wouldn't be surprised if his father had arranged it after finding out how combatives went. It could, conveniently, be written off as alphabetical, but he knew better. His father didn't want him here and he was looking for any legitimate reason to throw him out.
"He's not that bad," Zach said as Thomas looked over at him. He wasn't sure why he was trying to befriend him, no one else was. "I've been his roommate for the past two years- he'll eventually get over today…maybe by winter semester."
"I'm pretty sure my father is betting on that," Thomas replied as Jason shoved him away from the door and Thomas let out a groan. This was ridiculous. He then followed him into the dorm room and went over to his trunk. While he could have lived at home, his father was insistent that he had the real Academy experience- even if he had not expected the same from David.
"Big daddy ranger had to console his itty bitty baby boy?" Jason taunted and Thomas continued rummaging in his trunk for his extra gi. While everyone else in his year was done with their lessons- he was expected to go train again. He had compared his schedule to the others and no one had near the load that he did, not even the upper academy cadets. "You're worthless. You just got lucky today."
"If you want to taunt me into a fight, you're going to have to do better than that," Thomas said as he started changing and Jason stilled as he saw the various bruises on Thomas' sides. No one had even gotten close to doing that kind of damage to him today and Theo had put him with all of the best fighters. As much as he hated to admit it, Thomas was in a league of his own when it came to his fighting skills. "Daddy dearest says worse to me on a daily basis."
"What…where…where are you going?" Jason asked as Thomas let out a sigh. "You can't be going to train again with those injuries."
"Actually, I can and it's expected if I want to stay here. I…" Thomas stopped as he saw David standing in the doorway and he barely nodded before he moved to follow after him. Jason stared, in awe, as he recognized that David was the leader of the newest Power Ranger team. He hastily tossed his homework aside, threw on a gi, and ran after them.
"Is he good enough?" David asked Thomas as Jason sprinted up next to them and Thomas grimaced. Why did no one in his family want to make his life easier? "That would be a no- look, kid, go back to your room, finish your homework, and get some rest."
"Let him come, he's good enough to learn some things," Thomas said and Jason gaped at him. Why was Thomas even trying to help him out?
"No T, you are good enough to learn some things. Pretty much everyone else in this place is behind you," David said as Thomas shook his head and Jason continued to trail along. He was not going to be turned away from this opportunity, even if he was highly offended by what David had said.
"I'm just the spare and you know it. We all do," Thomas said as David let out a sigh. He had been 9 when Thomas came along. He honestly thought that his parents just didn't want anymore kids- then they suddenly went and had four more.
"You…can watch. Stay out of the way," David said as he rounded on Jason. Jason quickly nodded and David then threw the doors open. Thomas nodded at the current rangers and Jason stared as he settled down on one of the benches.
"Thanks for coming, T. We need someone that can set him on his ass," Candice joked as Thomas smiled over at her and David mock-glared. "Who's the kid?"
"His roommate- he refused to go back," David explained and Candice looked over at him and then barely nodded. While it didn't seem smart, she wasn't going to question it too much. "C'mon- let's get moving. He's got classes bright and early tomorrow."
"You…five on one? With the rangers?" Jason asked as Thomas nodded. He was soaked in sweat, bruised, and more than a bit tired. "This is normal?"
"I've trained with David since I was nine and one of the primary tactics of any monster support staff is multiple to one. They get easy training and I get experience," Thomas replied as Jason stared at him. That didn't look like it had been easy training for the current rangers, it honestly looked like he was the best training they had gotten in a long time. "Look…I wanted to come here when I was fourteen- like everyone else. Dad told me I wasn't ready. Uncle Theo finally convinced him over the last semester that it was time for me to come."
"Unc…Uncle Theo?" Jason stammered as Thomas nodded as he smirked. He had planned on keeping his relatives a secret, but he didn't see the point of it anymore. He knew that he was going to need peace to get through this place and would take that peace however it would come. "How many of our instructors do you know?"
"All of them. I'm related to a handful," Thomas offered as Jason shook his head. "It's not easy being a Trueheart, be glad that your family only has the expectation that you'll do your best. Either I walk out of here as the next Power Ranger leader or I'm dead to my parents."
"David got away with a ton of stuff while he was here," Jason said as Thomas shook his head. Of course. David had gotten away with all sorts of things for his entire life. "Why is it different with you?"
"No idea. Look- I've got to eat, shower, and do homework. This enough for a truce?" Thomas asked as Jason nodded and Thomas let out a haggard breath before he scooped protein powder into a shaker bottle and then grabbed his shower things. Jason watched as he saw the threadbare, Academy issued, towel and then glanced up at Thomas' bed to see it only had the standard issue blanket as well. He had started this morning jealous of Thomas Trueheart and now he wasn't so sure if he should ever feel that again.
AN: I hope you're enjoying this story! Please leave your thoughts (good, bad, otherwise) in the comments!