
01-31-2011, 08:16 PM
This is the first chapter of my latest story Legion Academy. Please read and leave comments.
Chapter One
First Day at a New School
Thomas Jones was, by all accounts, a regular boy. There was nothing too peculiar about him. He was a rather handsome sixteen-year-old boy with healthy chestnut brown hair, medium green eyes and good skin. However, these were not aspects that made him stand out too much when compared to other boys his age. Half the time he was usually being ignored by girls or targeted by other boys at school for bullying. Now, Thomas was not really a fighter. He preferred to avoid violence if he could. Unfortunately for him, the biggest bullies at his school always seemed to know just how and where to find him.
Monday was no exception. Thomas had been caught by Byron Brick, the biggest and meanest guy in school. He was also the ugliest, as some said, though not to his face, that he looked like a pig and gorilla had had a child and immediately had disowned it because it was so hideous. Byron was only two years older than Thomas, but looked like he was beginning to bald prematurely, as his black hair was very thinly spaced. The bully also had a fat, flat, pushed in face like a bulldog. Thomas had tried to avoid Byron as best he could, but Byron, despite being so big and arguably dumb by students and teachers alike, had sniffed out his hiding place right away and had chased Thomas down the hall as other students looked on. As fast as Thomas was, and slow and heavy as Byron was, the larger boy had a better reach, and caught Thomas by the back of his t-shirt.
“Gotcha now!” Byron guffawed in his thick voice that made many suspect he had a nasal condition. He turned Thomas around and drew him close. Byron liked seeing the look of fear on those he terrorized before he beat them up. A close up look at his pug-mug face also showed teeth that had gone two months without brushing, which was nauseating.
“Come on, Brick, why do you have to pick on Jones?” a guy on the left side of the hall asked.
Byron didn’t take his dull grey eyes off Thomas while answering. “I just don’t like his face.”
“Hey, Brick!”
A voice from behind made Byron look over his shoulder in time to be hit between the eyes by a small notebook. The impact caught the brute by surprise, causing him to release his prey and Thomas sat on the floor.
Thomas’s savior was Tawney Red, a childhood friend of Thomas and his best friend. Like Thomas, Tawney had green eyes and brown hair, but her hair, in spite of the image of most girls, was messy and uncombed. She never combed her hair. Her philosophy on the issue was, “Why bother when it’s just gonna get messy from runnin’ around everywhere?” Tawney normally wore a thick-looking vest with a white undershirt, dirty grey-brown jeans and brownish-yellow high-tops like she was today. She was still posing like a baseball pitcher after she had thrown the notebook at the bully.
Tawney smirked. “Think fast, if you can think at all.”
Byron growled. “Why you….Who do you think you are?”
“Good question,” Tawney said. “Who do you think I am?” She enjoyed baiting the dumbest bullies this way, mostly because, as dumb as they were, they were only half-aware that she was making fun of them. “Why pick on another guy? Why not try hitting a girl? I’m sure I’d make a nice scream if you punched me.”
Byron seemed to contemplate that, then moved so he was now coming after Tawney. Unfortunately for him, Tawney was on the school track team, and was zooming down the hall in an instant with Byron on her tail every six steps behind her. Byron, being your typical, lazy, stupid and mean-spirited bully, was less than half the speed of someone who has done serious training.
Tawney led Byron on a good chase before turning a corner and finding that she was now facing a brick wall. Byron stood in her only escape root, looking tired, but victorious. Now he had this little so-and-so right where he wanted her.
“Get ready for a world of hurt,” Byron wheezed as he advanced on Tawney.
“Funny,” said Tawney, just as calmly as if Byron had been commenting on the weather. “I was just about to say the same thing.” Swiftly and accurately, Tawney’s left foot connected with Byron’s diaphragm, winding the bully that was twice her size. The strike was so punishing that Byron’s eyes bulged and brimmed with tears and Mr. Brick fell on the seat of his pants before falling over onto the floor. “Don’t steal someone else’s lines,” Tawney told Byron. It was a well known fact by most of the people in school that Tawney took martial arts classes’ everyday after school.
“Was it really worth it?” Thomas asked Tawney as they walked home from school. He had stayed a while later as Tawney had been called into the principal’s office for her attack on Byron. “I mean, you got detention for the entire week starting tomorrow.”
“It was totally worth it,” Tawney responded, her hands behind her head. “Byron’s nothing but a junior windbag. Someone’s gotta take the hot air out of his sails or he’ll go through life thinking he can push people around.”
“But kicking him in the gut?” Thomas blanched. He’d known that going for what Tawney called “The Gut Punt” was her favorite way of dealing with bullies.
“I didn’t see you doing anything,” Tawney told him. “Honestly, Tommy, sometimes I think you were a doormat in a past life or something.”
Thomas sighed. “You know I’m not a fighter.”
“Not a lover, either,” Tawney grinningly smirked. “Sixteen and not a single girlfriend in all that time. Maybe it isn’t that you’re wishy-washy, maybe it’s that you’re ugly.”
“Hey now!” Thomas flushed with embarrassment. “You’re hitting below the belt there! Besides, you’ve never had a boyfriend, either.”
Tawney smirked. “So what? I doubt any guy could keep up with me.” As they were nearing Thomas’s house, Tawney saw someone sitting on the porch. “Hey, what’s your sis doing outside?”
Sarah Jones, Thomas’s younger sister by a year was sitting in one of the two chairs on the porch outside the house. She was a tad on the short side for fifteen. She had blue eyes and light, summer brown hair that was combed neatly so it curtained her forehead. Today Sarah was wearing her aqua tank top, berry red skirt and light pink shoes and seemed to be playing one of her Game Boy games.
“Hey, sis,” Thomas said when he and Tawney stood on the porch with Sarah. “What are you doing out here?”
“Some guy came to the house,” Sarah said without looking up from her game.
After she said that, Thomas and Tawney noticed a very expensive and fancy-looking car in the otherwise modest driveway. It was a metallic jet black to such an extent that it shone in a few places as the sun beamed down upon it. The tires also looked to be reinforced to endure the most treacherous of terrains.
“What kind of guy?” Thomas asked.
Sarah shrugged. “Said he was here to see you.”
“ME?!” Thomas felt himself break into a cold sweat. Who in the world who drove such a nice car would want to see him and for what purpose?
Tawney began pushing him toward the front door. “Well don’t keep the man waiting,” she told him. “If someone is here to see you, the polite thing to do is talk to them.”
Thomas knew it was no good trying to argue with Tawney. She could be very stubborn and almost as bad a bully as anyone he had ever known. He had once seen Tawney stare down the meanest teacher in school who had tried chastising her for speaking without raising her hand first.
“I’m home!” Thomas announced.
“Tommy?” his mother’s voice said from the kitchen. “Welcome home! You have a visitor!”
Thomas walked into the kitchen and thought he would have a stroke.
There, sitting at the kitchen table across from Thomas’s parents. was a man with light tan skin and wispy black hair. The man wore an official looking grey tail coat over a blue shirt with matching trousers, a red necktie, white gloves and orange-tinted glasses.
Just great, Josh thought nervously. As if the car wasn’t a shock enough, the guy looks like a federal agent.
Thomas’s father wore a plumb shirt with autumn stripes, brown dress shoes, tan slacks and black tinted glasses. Desmond Jones had a decent body frame that gave the impression that he was wimpy, but Thomas had seen his father lift and carry six heavy boxes full of Christmas ornaments for as long as he could remember. His brown hair was short and matted down against his head.
Molly Jones was a modest looking woman who aged well for thirty. Her brown hair was pulled back in a bun, which, in spite of most women her age, made her look quite attractive. She normally wore a modest white blouse with slate pants and black slip-on shoes. Sarah had inherited her blue eyes from Molly.
“Don’t just stand there,” Desmond told his son. “Come in. This,” he said as Thomas complied, “is Mr. Balsam. He says that you’ve been accepted into a special school he represents.”
Thomas shot up in his chair a split mila-second after he sat down. “Come again?!? What school?”
It was at that moment that Mr. Balsam spoke in a gruff voice. “Legend Academy,” he said. “A school that has lasted several decades.”
“But-but-but how!?” Thomas stammered. He hadn’t ever received an admissions test or acceptance letter from this place, nor had he ever heard of such a school.
“Well, as I’ve been telling your parents,” Mr. Balsam explained, “it seems that a distant past relative of yours’ was a student, and that qualifies you to become a student as well. Legend Academy is considered one of the best schools in its field. You’ll learn history, mathematics, economics, social studies and science. And, and I believe this is the kicker; you needn’t pay any admission fees. In fact, at the end of every week, you and your family will be compensated for anything you might need at school and after. It is a school many are excited and eager to enroll in.”
Thomas repeated “but-but-but” before saying clearly, “But what about the school I’m at now?”
“You needn’t worry,” Mr. Balsam told him. “My associates are now discussing the very issues with your principal. Of course, the choice to enroll lies with you. But I will say this, that every student who has graduated from Legend Academy has gone on to be powerful figures in the community. After graduation, you could provide for yourself and your family. The choice is yours’.”
Thomas looked at his parents. He could see the excitement in their faces. The pride they were feeling knowing that they had an important distant relation and the pride that their son could someday have a very rewarding future. No one could accuse them of being selfish or thoughtless people, and that was the way they had raised their son. He nodded in agreement.
“I thought you’d agree.” Mr. Balsam took out a cyan cellar phone and pressed a button. He spoke to who Thomas knew must have been his associates and told them to complete the paperwork with the principal. “Well,” Mr. Balsam putting away his phone, “that’s that. The paperwork should be completed by eleven tonight and I’ll be by to pick you up at seven tomorrow morning.”
“Hold on,” Thomas said. “I have a friend here. What about her?”
Mr. Balsam seemed to think on that. “You may write her if you wish. We have a good connection with the postal system, and I do not think the headmaster will object. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He stood up, bid a good day to Mr. and Mrs. Jones and left the house, driving off in his car.
That night Thomas lay in bed. He was still thinking about the decision he had made. Had it been the right one? He had never heard of Legend Academy until today, and from a mysterious person, too. What if there was no Legend Academy and it had all just been a clever kidnapping ploy? Thomas had heard of such things. People being abducted and taken away for who-knew-what purposes. Thomas had also told Tawney about what had happened. Although she seemed excited as his parents had been, Thomas could tell she would be lonely without seeing him everyday. Finally, sleep overtook Thomas and he drifted off.
The next morning Thomas prepared himself for the arrival of Mr. Balsam. He had his suitcase full of clothes and other essentials by his side and came down from his room. Thomas saw his parents and sister in the kitchen, obviously having waited for him.
“I guess this is it,” said his mother, eyes glistening. “Do well.” She hugged him lovingly.
Thomas hugged her back. “I will.”
“I know you’ll be fine,” his father said proudly. “I was a regular scholar myself at your age.”
“Sarah, come and say goodbye to your brother,” Molly said when she released her son.
Sarah did as she was told. “Don’t screw up,” Sarah said.
“You’d love it if I did, wouldn’t you?” Thomas responded, having noted the hopeful look on his sister’s face.
A car horn could be heard outside.
“He must be early,” Desmond said. A final hand shake and Thomas was out the door.
A rather short man dressed in a well-cared for suit with a white beard stood on the left side of the car. He opened the door for Thomas and shut it when the boy took his seat next to Mr. Balsam. Then he moved around to the front of the car and soon the car began moving away from the modest little white house with the pink roof that Thomas had been born in.
After a mile away, Mr. Balsam spoke. “Thomas, I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest.”
“What do you mean?” asked Thomas, fearing his suspicions were being proven.
“I’m not taking you to Legend Academy,” said Mr. Balsam. “There is no such place. But I am taking you to Legion Academy.”
“Legion?” Thomas repeated.
Mr. Balsam nodded. “The school slogan, mantra and motto is, ‘We Are Many And United’.”
“Is it some sort of biblical school?” asked Thomas.
“Not quite,” answered Mr. Balsam. “It…oh, the headmaster never told me how I should explain. It…it is a school for….Mythos….”
The word mad Josh blink. “‘Mythos’?”
“Yes. Entities that the Mundane World considers merely fictional,” Mr. Balsam told him. “It is a school where Mythos from all species, human or otherwise, come together to learn how to hone their natural skills and abilities. But more importantly, to learn how to co-exist with Mundanes in the ever advancing ages of modern advances.”
Josh could only think of one thing. That this man was out of his mind.
Mr. Balsam seemed to notice this. “I can see you need some visual proof. Very well.”
He started to groan, and to Thomas’s shock, he saw the man grow a beak-like nose. Thomas’s eyes flew to Mr. Balsam’s gloves as the man removed them, and felt a stab of horror as he saw that Mr. Balsam’s hands were long and skeletal, ending in brass-colored claws. Next, the wooden clogs Mr. Balsam wore, which Josh thought he should have suspected were odd the first time he had seen this thing disguised as a man, were removed, revealing feet like that of a bird of prey. And finally, when the glasses were removed, they revealed a pair of orange hawk-like eyes.
“No need to be frightened,” said Mr. Balsam, correctly interpreting Thomas’s fright. “I’m not going to eat you or anything like that. My name is Bali Balsam, and I am a Bajang.” His voice was now also a tad nasal, making him sound similar to a cat.
“Bajang?!” Thomas had never heard of such a creature.
“We’re a species of Mythos,” Bali said. “Mundanes often mistake us for cats whenever we feel like making mischief by waking people up in the middle of the night. I’m an aide to the staff at Legion Academy and was asked by the headmaster to fetch you.”
Thomas stared at Bali with wide eyes. “So….so…this is a school….for monsters?!?”
“Entities that the Mundane World considers merely fictional,” repeated Bali. “Though monsters do attend the school. It’s also my responsibility to tell you the school rules.”
And so Bali told Josh the rules of Legion Academy.
1. All students must a human appearance. Reversion is permitted only in the school’s Battle Club or student dorms.
2. Predation towards other students is not permitted and attempts are punishable via suspension, detention and expulsion.
3. Racial discrimination is not allowed. Any minor form is punishable via detention. Anything beyond is punishable via expulsion and incarceration.
All those rules concerned Thomas. “But…but…I’m human!” he said.
“There are human Mythos,” Bali told Thomas. “The Mundanes just aren’t aware of it. Or they are, but just consider them works of their own imagination. You’ve certainly heard of witches, warlocks, vampires and werewolves, right? They’re as much human as you are. A Mundane is a human without supernatural blood or bloodlines.”
“But what about this predation rule?” Josh asked nervously.
“It’s just a rule set down,” Bali told him. “There very rarely are cases of students trying to eat each other.”
Thomas went pale.
“It never happens,” Bali reiterated. “The purpose of Legion Academy is to make sure all the previous, primal instincts of Mythos do not override the consciousness. In spite of what the movies may show, monsters are created, not born.” He then looked at the driver. “How much longer?”
“Not too long, now,” the driver answered. Thomas saw that he was so short the only part of the driver that could be seen was his hands. “We’re already half-way through the triangle and should touchdown on Bermuda Island in a half-hour.”
“Triangle”? “Bermuda”? Thomas wasn’t sure what to make of it until…Another shock came over him. “WE’RE IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE?!?” He looked out the window to see it was true. Somehow during the conversation the car had somehow left the pavement of the road and was now moving through the sky like an airplane. This could NOT be happening! It couldn’t be real!
“This is all a dream,” Thomas said to himself. “I’m dreaming. This is a dream. I’ll close my eyes, and when I open them, I’ll be back home in bed.” After so saying, Thomas closed his eyes tight.
Bali plucked a strand of Thomas’s hair.
Thomas slapped a hand to the spot, sorrowfully coming to the conclusion that if he could feel pain, this was not a dream.
“Turn around, please!” Thomas begged Bali. “I don’t want to join the people who’ve become lost in the Bermuda Triangle.”
“That won’t happen,” Bali told him. “Whatever you’ve heard about the triangle is nothing but Mundane superstition. There are magical forces around Bermuda Island so Mundanes don’t snooping around. We Mythos are best left alone and to our own devices. Can you imagine the panic if Mundanes knew the monsters in all those old scary stories and movies were real?”
“But, Bali,” Thomas said, still nervous, “I’m a Mundane! I don’t have powers. I’m not a supernatural person! I’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”
“I trust in the headmaster,” Bali said as argument. “If he says you belong at Legion Academy, then it must be so. Don’t worry. You’re in perfectly capable hands and completely safe.”
The car felt as if it were descending and soon there was a light jostle.
“Touchdown,” Bali said lightly.
The driver came around and let both his passengers out.
That was when Thomas got his first look at Legion Academy. It looked like a castle from every fairytale that has ever been told. It stood regal and tall with several towers and constructed from the sturdiest materials. The building had a large stone wall with two wooden doors. On the doors were two stone demonic faces with horns that hooked upward and fangs that protruded up from the bottom jaw, though the face on the left had a reptilian face to it while the face on the right was more human-like.
“Halt!” the human-looking face barked in a voice that basically was like a bark as Bali and Thomas approached. “Who goes there? What’s the password?”
“Ytilaer,” said Bali.
“Huh!? SPEAK UP!” the human-faced gargoyle snapped.
“It’s no good asking him,” the lizard-faced gargoyle face said waspishly. “He went deaf three days ago.”
“Huh?!?” the other gargoyle asked. “I said ‘SPEAK UP’!”
The reptilian gargoyle sighed and swung open for Bali and Thomas.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the deaf gargoyle barked at the other. “They didn’t give the password!”
“Oh, shut it,” the lizard-faced gargoyle told him.
“Gargoyles,” Bali told Thomas. “Spirits born from living stone. They’re usually used for security work like keeping an eye on things, but after fifty-million years, their hearing starts to degrade to the point where it’s all but gone. By that point they can only hear you if you shout.”
“Bali, where are we going?” Thomas asked.
“To Lunar Dorm 5,” Bali replied. “It’ll be your house while you’re here.”
Bali led Thomas to what appeared to be a regular dorm building. When compared to what Josh had just seen, it seemed rather unimpressive. The inside was rather like any hallway, looking almost completely like a hotel, in Thomas’s opinion. Finally Bali led Thomas to a large orange door and pushed it open.
On the other side was a large collection of students. Right away Thomas could see the dress code for Legion Academy. The male students wore forest green tailcoats over white dress shirts with black neckties, pants to match the tailcoat, and light black dress shoes and white socks. The female students wore pink tourmaline vests over the same white shirts, the same color shoes as the male students, red bowties and long blue skirts. They were all gathered around a collection of tables, gossiping and chattering with each other, but the talk stopped when Bali and Thomas entered.
“Everyone,” Bali said in an authoritative type of voice, “this is Thomas Jones, new student to Legion Academy.” He clasped one of his unpleasantly bony hands on Thomas’s shoulder. “He’ll be your new dorm mate, so treat him nice.”
A boy, sixteen years in age, came up to Bali and Thomas. Thomas saw that his uniform was different. Rather than a forest green tailcoat and matching pants, he wore a black one, brown trousers and a green vest underneath. His hair was combed down and had dark and light shades of brown and he had charming blue eyes.
Behind him came a girl at least a year younger. Like the boy, she too wore the same tailcoat and vest, but wore the same skirt as the other girls. She had friendly and inviting blue eyes and her hair was so curly, white and soft-looking, it made Thomas think of clouds.
“Nice to meet you,” the boy said. “I’m prefect Romulus Lunar, and this is my partner and girlfriend Gabriel Hound.” He gestured a hand to the girl next to him.
“I’m not your girlfriend,” Gabriel told Romulus, then shook Thomas’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Please, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask for us. What’s your room number?”
Thomas didn’t answer.
“Oh!” Bali slapped his forehead. “Knew I forgot to give you something.” He pulled a leaflet of paper out of his trouser pocket and gave it to Gabriel.
“Room 204,” the blue-eyed girl read. “Well, that’s my room number, too.”
“Lucky little dog,” Romulus said, winking at Thomas.
Gabriel glared at him. “It’s also the room of Mitsu and Harold.” She looked over her shoulder. “Guys, show him to the room, please.”
A girl a year older than Thomas with bright red hair in a tomboy haircut that made her look fairly handsome for a girl and slanted yellow-gold eyes that gave her a sneaky quality approached. With her came a bespectacled boy with a mandarin bowler cut who wore glasses.
“Meet your other roommates,” said Gabriel. “Mitsu Hondo and Harold Denis.”
“Nice ta meecha,” said Mitsu.
Denis bowed. “Hi.”
“Hey,” returned Thomas. If he hadn’t been formed in on this school, he would have sworn that they were both humans like himself.
Room 204 was a five room dorm room with four bedrooms, a living room and kitchen. There were two doors on each side of the hall that led down from the living room. The living room had a sofa, two chairs to the left of it and a coffee table in the middle with a large TV set in front of the other furniture. The kitchen had marble counters, a large white refrigerator and a wide round table just right for four people.
Gabriel led Thomas down the hall with Mitsu and Denis following.
Okay, so far so good, Thomas told himself. They aren’t so bad…so far. At least they aren’t as scary as I thought they’d be. All I have to do is hope they don’t figure out I’m not a Mythos like they are.
Gabriel stopped outside the first door on the left. “This will be your room,” she said. “Mitsu’s next to it. Your room faces Harold’s and Mitsu’s faces mine.”
Gabriel opened the door and inside was a moderately sized room with a standard bed and dresser.
“There should be a male uniform in the closet in your size,” Gabriel told her. “Please change soon, since the opening ceremony for the new students is starting in a half-hour.”
“Thanks,” Thomas said and stepped inside.
It was that moment when Mitsu said to Gabriel, “What do ya think? Pretty cute, right?”
“I guess,” Gabriel said quietly back. “Never thought a Mundane would be accepted into the academy, though.”
Thomas’s blood ran cold and he turned around. “Wh-what?!? What are you talking about? I’m no….Mundane….I’m a Mythos, like you guys…”
The two girls and younger boy smirked.
“Can’t fool us,” said Mitsu. “Our sense of smell can tell you’re no Mythos.”
“Sense of smell?” Thomas was confused by that.
A thick and bushy fox tail suddenly appeared from behind Mitsu’s skirt. “Youko and fairies are difficult to fool,” she said with the same taunting look Thomas usually got from Sarah and Tawney.
“And Mitsu told me she thought she smelled a Mundane before you entered the common room,” Harold chimed in.
Thomas began to feel a cold sweat break out. He had been exposed on the first day, and the school year for this place hadn’t even started yet.
Gabriel laid a hand on his shoulder. “No need to go all pale on us, hon. We don’t judge and we aren’t going to tell anyone.”
“H-how did you guess I’m not one of you?” asked Thomas as he called down.
“I could smell it,” said Mitsu. “My family lives in a Mundane town, so I know a Mundane when I smell one.”
“I guessed you were too nervous for it to be first day jitters,” Gabriel told Thomas. “Well, get dressed and we’ll be off.”
A half-hour later there were many people in the Grand Hall, a large building in the center of the campus of Legion Academy. It had a high ceiling and wide room, large enough to fit what one could estimate to be at least ninety-nine students.
Among the students was a girl of sixteen with light grey eyes and light creamy brown hair that settled back against her neck and ears beautifully. Her name was Stella Star. Every now and then she looked around as if trying to spot someone.
On her left side stood her younger brother Rian. His messy black hair was pushed up to give him a rather tough look and his eyes were a deeper shade of grey than his sister’s.
“Are you looking for that guy?” Rian asked Stella, somewhat bitterly.
Stella gasped a bit and blushed. “Maybe.” She said modestly. “I mean, I was kinda hoping to say high before the Upperclassman took him away.”
Rian sneered. “Please. He looked like a wimp to me. Can’t see Dad approving of him.”
There was a platform at the far end of the room with a long table, at which sat the teaching staff. Out of all the people in the room, the most attention grabbing was the headmaster, Merl Gander. He was an aged man, far beyond the average human lifespan, but still somehow had an aura of life and fitness about him. The white bearded man wore beige robes, a forest green cloak, and a green hat with three corners, and a pair of glasses sat upon his large nose.
Merl cleared his throat and spoke. “Welcome to Legion Academy. I am Headmaster Merl Gander. I welcome you to the academy that is dedicated to the co-existence of Mundane and Mythos. The legacy of this school and its goals goes back far more than many can say. I enjoyed teaching your parents, their parents and their parents’ parents. It is my wish that all of you will show the same respect for the school, its staff and each other that those who came before you have done.”
As Thomas stood in the far back towards the entrance with his roommates, he felt that here was a man who knew what he was talking about. Although what was known as a Mundane, Thomas could nonetheless feel power radiate from this elderly man who could gain instant respect and authority without even having to raise his voice.
“Outta my way!”
Thomas felt someone crash into him from behind. He turned and saw a girl fifteen-year-old girl sitting on the ground. Unlike the other students, she did not wear a white shirt or pink vest, but wore a red urban top and red vest over it. she also had her blond hair up in the style similar to Wolverine from X-Men, and overall had a somewhat aggressive appearance.
She turned a sharp pair of yellow eyes on Thomas, Mitsu and Harold who all looked down on her. “What? See sumthin’ you spazzes like?”
Suddenly a thunderous voice outside boomed, “COME OUT AND TAKE WHAT YOU DESERVE, YOU DIRTY LITTLE YELLOW CAT!”
Outside of the Grand Hall were two large monsters. One looked like a giant human with black hair shaven close to the scalp, cloven feet that seemed to be covered in black fur, a giant red eye in the center of its face and a horn protruding above the shaggy and unkempt monobrow. The other monster was an inch or two shorter, had the same type of eye, was a monstrous shade of green with long, unmanageable-looking hair running all over him, and oversized forearms and fists, standing on green legs of a horse. Both the monsters wore male school uniforms.
“Reverting to your true forms when not in the dorms or Battle Club is against school rules,” Romulus said loudly. “Resume human appearance at once!”
“Quiet, werewolf!” the black-haired giant barked. “We don’t take orders from you.”
“We want that little yellow cat Emma Crait,” said the green monster. “She jumped us for a fight before the ceremonies but ran when we transformed. Just throw the little coward out here and go on with the yammer.”
At the staff table, the woman with short slicked back golden hair dressed in the grey tailcoat and matching pants made a sound of annoyance. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly at the demands of these punks.
“What’s a yellow cat?” Denis asked Gabriel.
“A class of werecat, only with a more prominent feral streak,” Gabriel told him. “They enjoy fighting. Many of them have careers as cage match fighters.”
Emma smirked toothily, revealing her true, cat-like teeth. “So, you boys wanna call me out? Fine!” She ran forward, her fingernails becoming claws as long as the average human finger. “Here I come!” She moved like lightning, zipping here and there as if she could fly. Emma slashed at one of the two giants and then the other, leaving nasty scratch marks on the backs of hands, ankles, wrists and arms and even sheering off several strands of hair from the green monster.
“Think someone should help her?” Stella voiced in concern.
“I think she can take care of herself,” Rian observed.
It certainly seemed so, until the green monster caught Emma in his giant hand. All that protruded from his fist was her head, looking like a doll in the grip of a bratty child.
“Now I have you, you little itch,” the monster growled nastily as he smirked. “And now, I’m going to crush you…”
From the staff, a figure flew swift as the wind. “Adamant Pelter!” Diamonds struck the back of the green hand, forcing the monster to release Emma. Then, the same woman who had been perturbed by the two bullies had Emma in her arms, only now she had transformed. She had a wild mane of golden hair from which two fox-like ears protruded and a semi-vaporous tail waving back and forth as she hung in the air. Her eyes were now more narrowed and her face more pointed and elongated, giving her a fox-like appearance.
“Way ta go, Professor Jung!” Mitsu cried out in pride as other students cheered at the rescue. “Show them that size doesn’t matter!”
Rena Jung, one of the top teachers in Legion Academy, kept her cold gaze on the now cowed pair as she held the weakened yellow cat. “Disgraceful. Truly disgraceful and disrespectful,” she said scornfully. “Not only late for the beginning year ceremony, but speaking rudely to an upperclassman and attempting to inflict serious harm to another student. You are both facing serious charges for your actions. Change back and we will discuss this during the ceremony.”
The two giant monsters changed back.
Professor Jung looked down at Emma. “You’re not off the hook, either.” She landed and led the three students away.
“That was really impressive,” Denis said after the four were out of sight.
“She stopped them without really hurting anyone,” Mitsu added.
“And I have a feeling she didn’t even have to try hard,” finished Gabriel.
Thomas was at a loss for words. If he had considered the people at this school to be monsters, he had been proven wrong when Professor Jung had saved Emma.
“Well…” The crowd who had been watching suddenly turned around in unison at the headmaster’s voice. Merl did not seem at all perturbed by what had just transpired. In fact, he seemed almost amused. “Well,” he said again, “at least none of you can say that that wasn’t an exciting way to begin your first day of the school year. As I was saying, welcome to Legion Academy.”
It may not have been normal, but Thomas felt his time here would be very interesting.
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