Dorms and Detention

12

Thursday, May 4th, 1989

A knock on the dorm room door made James jump up from his sleep. He looked up at the clock hanging just above the door. Ugh, six? I've been asleep for four or five hours? He dropped down out of the bed and walked towards the door. Another knock on the door rang out. He reached forwards and opened the door.

"Hi. Why aren't you in detention? Are you not feeling well?" Lord Orag looked at him.

James shrugged. "I just fell asleep. I really don't… I don't feel well. I just want to go back to sleep."

Lord Orag put his foot in the door and stepped through. He pulled a desk chair around and offered James to sit. "Is there something going on at home? I remember you, you know? You and that young Lord." Lord Orag reached up and opened the small mini fridge in the wall above the desks. He grabbed a glass bottle of pecha berry juice and handed it to James.

"I didn't even see that…" James took the glass and gulped down the juice. "No, there isn't anything going on at home. Kuti broke his leg though, and well… seeing T- dad getting mad at him…"

"Your dad broke this Kuti's leg?" Lord Orag scowled and looked at him.

James took another sip of the juice. This is not bad. This Lord… he isn't that bad of a person I guess. He pushed his hands against the desk. "N-no, we were attacked by Hanson Rei on a train and Li pushed him off. I c-caught the gengar, but now its mine. I just don't know anymore. I hate the concept of school. Being stuck here sucks. Your class was alright though, your pokémon was cool, and well… I'm sorry that I said you were a bad pilot."

"You are right though. I was a bad pilot. It is why I quit." Lord Orag opened the fridge again and took out a mixed berry salad and placed it next to James. He then opened the small draw underneath the fridge and put a fork on the table. "Come, we can go to the detention room. You won't be alone, and I can keep an eye on you and make sure you feel okay." Lord Orag offered James his hand.

You have a burn on your hand? James took Lord Orag's hand and picked up the salad. He was pulled up onto his feet and stepped outside the door. He locked the door behind him. "Do I need my bag?"

"Not really, I can give you your books and you can take them to your dorm later. I assume you are going to stay here tonight." Lord Orag walked down the stairs and gestured to the room opposite. "If you do, there are pyjamas in your pillow case."

James sighed and walked in and sat down at the back.

"Front." Orag pointed down at a desk.

With a groan James got up and moved to the front desk. He opened the salad he had been given, and started to eat. It's a good little salad.

"Welcome to the detention club. Each of you has done something stupid to get yourself into here, and you can get yourself out by apologising. Usually, it would be a letter but since most of you are illiterate doing that right now wouldn't be fair on you. You don't leave until you do." Lord Orag leaned back on his chair.

"Excuse me. My son is here. That's unacceptable. You don't live here, you have no right to keep him here. You will apologise to him right now or I will slap you," the tanned woman said. Her green eyes narrowed in on Lord Orag. She raised her hand to slap him.

Quickly, he raised his arm up, and threw her over his shoulder and onto the floor. "Do not threaten a Lord." He drew his blade and pinned her to the floor.

"Mum!" Lioa rushed forwards. He swung his fist at Lord Orag but before he could set his action into motion he was knocked onto his arse. "I-I am sorry!"

"Get out, and take the rattata with you. Next time, I won't go so easy." Lord Orag sat back down on his chair.

"Don't you dare call my son a rattata." Mrs Takui slammed her hands on the desk.

"I was talking to the boy," Lord Orag whispered. A smirk on his face. He placed his hand on his hearing aid. He watched them walk out the room.

James slumped his head against the desk and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for fighting, I just… I don't want to be here. Being stuck inside is the worst feeling." A knock came from the door, and James shot a glance up. As the door opened, he saw Lt. Tomilson.

"Sorry, sir," he said, beginning to bow before a hand was raised to him to stop. "Can I borrow James? He and I need to talk about some art." He saw a smile come across Lord Orag's face as he searched the pile of papers he had on the desk.

Lord Orag lifted up James's test paper. "Yes, he is very talented. I wish he had done his exam instead though. Apparently, he hasn't been feeling well. I suspect he hasn't eaten properly, so don't work him too hard."

With a grin on his face, Tomilson nodded and gestured to James.

"Oh, Mr Bryson," Lord Orag said, picking up a pile of books. "Don't forget these."

James picked them up and groaned as he did. Heavy pieces of shit. He trapsed after Tomilson. Upstairs? We going back to my room?

"Since you haven't been feeling well, I won't force you to do some drawing, however, I would like to show you something." He reached into his pocket and unleashed a smeargle. Its floppy ears hung down, and it gripped its tail tightly. The tip of the tail squirted a purple liquid over the fur. "This is a smeargle. Smeargle is the painting pokémon. Like you mine is a little bit of a vandal."

"I am not a vandal!" James kicked Tomilson in the shin and then growled. He pushed the key into the door and pushed.

"Ow, haha, you remind me so much of me when I was your age. I used to be a troublemaker in school. I understand that you hate being stuck inside." Tomilson held open the door. "That's perfectly fine. Oh, hello." He waved at the other students in the dorm. "Hi Kitiku. I heard from your mum how she has been unable to get hold of any food today. I am sorry. I guess its okay though, because you can eat here." He put James's books on the shelf by his bed. "Oh I forgot, I did bring you this. It is a book of… well… drawing techniques and different artists. I know you can't really read, but its mostly images so that should help."

James sat down at the desk by Kitiku's bed. "Yeah tomorrow is our fasting day. So we are going to just have to eat what we can on Saturday. I really want that pokémon. I could paint whatever I want."

Tomilson pushed his brown hair out of his eyes and said, "Yes, well if you get some good grades I will talk to your dad and maybe he will get you one. You are just like me, you know? Just go down to the hall before eight. There will be food there. Anyway, I'll leave you all to it."

The room fell silent. Silent enough for a pin to be heard in the room. James saw a dark-skinned boy lying down on his bed, tossing a ball up and down in his hand. A Bulbasaur sat on the end of the bed. The bulb let off a sweet flower scent which filled the room. Cool pokémon, James thought. He looked to the bed opposite his, filled by a taller boy, who was much older than him. His red hair was shorter than his own. Where is your pokémon? James jumped up onto his bed and opened up the book he had been given by Tomilson. Tomilson is great. I want that smeargle though. I wonder where I can get one? I do want to go back to the Bryson's home. I don't want to stay here, but with the food issue I'm sure one night will help out. James got up out of bed and picked up his timetable. "Kuti?" He glanced over, but saw Kitiku was fast asleep. Asleep already, huh?

James shrugged and walked over to the fridge. He reached up and took out a durin berry juice. James cracked open the glass bottle and opened the door. He walked through and shut the door behind him. They are using litwicks to light the corridors? Nice. Huh? Wait if that's the high schooler's dorms why was that older boy in our dorms? He shrugged and walked down the stairs. "Lord Orag?"

Lord Orag nodded at James. "Going to get something to eat, boy?"

"I guess." James looked at him. "W-what about you? Not that I care."

"Stubborn, huh? Yes, I could grab something to eat." The Lord walked down the corridor. "Are you coming?"

James scampered after him. "I should bring something up to my room to my brother too. He's asleep right now. Poor Kuti."

"Your brother is doing very well. I handle a lot of the grades and all the complicated things going on. Since I do so back home it isn't a big deal. They were going to send me to the capital but after the Rei incident, well, they thought a high-powered Lord would help." Lord Orag held open the door to the cafeteria. "Your brother got 64% in mathematics, and 87% in Colrat. His initial science score was 15% which wasn't too bad. His battle proficiency was 5% and his pokémon care knowledge was 10%. He is a remarkably intelligent boy. I look forward to seeing your skills. Tomorrow they will let you choose your preferences." He approached the counter.

"Qwilfish please!" James called out. A bowl of hot qwilfish soup was poured into the bowl and placed on a small tray in front of him. A metal spoon was placed down beside it.

"I also." Lord Orag smiled.

James sat down and said, "I guess you aren't a bad person for a Elktan Lord."

"Elkran." Lord Orag sat opposite him.

"Why are you, you know… being nice to us?" James scooped up the soup and slurped it up.

Lord Orag tilted his head slightly. "Not all Elkran guards are good. Not all of us are bad. A lot do not like the Colran people, and a lot of Colran people don't like the Elkran people." He swallowed some of the soup. "I'll grab something for your brother and we will take it up to him in a minute."

James nodded, and took a large swig from the glass bottle of durin berry juice. Tomorrow will be tough. He scooped up some more soup and swallowed it. "You know when you asked if something was going on at home? It's not quite at home. Someone I saw as a brother died and I feel so bad. They were my brother."

Lord Orag paused. "You feel hurt? That's okay. While you are here you are safe. It's getting close to nine. You should go get some sleep. Classes start at seven."

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