The School from Hell - Part 3
Duo's Friendship Arc 7
by Dyna Dee
He was forcibly pulled by the arm to the front the room, all eyes on him as they climbed the steps to the stage and entered the brightly lit area surrounding the podium. The change in light slightly affected his eyesight and he squinted as he was hauled to stand next to the unhappy looking woman.
"What is the meaning of this Mr. Well's?" she demanded sourly with a strange glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Haversand, but, I fell off my seat." He tried his best to sound contrite, but his faint smile of amusement refused to go away.
"Mr. Well's," she began sharply and gaining his complete attention. "You have only been here a few days and I can see by your attitude and manners that you do not fit in here easily."
"It's just that I have a lot of energy and had waaaay to much coffee for breakfast." he rushed to explain as he scratched the back of his head.
"Excuses are not acceptable from a child of Oz." She told him firmly. "You received a warning yesterday, did you not?"
"Yes mam," Duo answered as pitifully as possible and slunk his head down between his raised shoulders. Man, he hated detention.
"I believe a little discipline is in order." she stated smugly, and the entire room fell deathly silent.
Duo felt a chill crawl up his spine and instinctively knew he wasn't going to get just detention. He glanced nervously from the stern woman in front of him to the direction of his friends, somewhere beyond the bright stage lights. He knew they wouldn't be able to help him, they couldn't afford to blow their cover. But he was hoping for a little mental support. He knew Quatre would be on his side at the least.
With a flick of her hand, she motioned to the burly guy holding the briefcase. Duo thought the guy kinda looked like one enormous muscle with a small head, as the man stood from his chair and carried the black leather case over to the Devil herself. He further complied to her wishes as he raised the case up to rest on his forearm and flipped the top open. Ms. Haversand's eyes took on that peculiar gleam again, which looked to Duo like drooling anticipation. She reached inside and took out a round, sixteen inch-long piece of thick rubber that he estimated to be an inch thick. She bent it slightly between her two hands as if testing its strength and letting him see that it was as flexible as Wufei's pride.
"Put both of your hands out, Mr. Wells. Palms down." she ordered.
Duo violet/blue eyes widened in shock. "No way am I gonna let you hit my hands with that." he told her, his voice sounded incredulous. He couldn't operate his gundam with the bones in his hands broken.
"Are you refusing to obey an order?" Her voice dripped with malevolence, but with an odd tinge of hope that he would do just that.
"Damn right." He snapped back. "I'm not letting you break the bones in my hands just because I fell out of a chair." he snarled at her, his anger quickly mounting.
He watched at she nodded to the two men behind her, and in his peripheral vision, saw them approach. Duo turned to face them and crouched into a defensive position.
"You've just earned double punishment." the woman said in an unemotional tone.
"No way, lady." he snarled, and watched as the men angled for a better attack position.
The man nearest him reached out to grab his arm, but Duo reached out quicker and with strength that belied his small frame pulled the man forward, using his weight against him, and twisted, throwing him over his back to land at the edge of the raised stage. His momentum rolled the large man off the edge of the stage completely. The auditorium full of students collectively gasped.
Spinning around, his long braid whipped behind him as he faced the next man. He was too tall for an effective upper body attack, so when the man was within reach, he dropped to the ground and spun, his outstretched legs catching the larger man and knocked him down. To his surprise, the large man fell forward, towards him, and grabbed for him, taking hold of the back of his jacket and braid in one large, sweaty hand and lifted him from the ground as he rose to his feet.
Duo twisted and tried to loosen the hold, landing several blows with his hands and feet to the man's solid mid-section with no apparent result. The pull on his braid kept him from slipping out of his jacket to escape
"Stop this." Ms Haversand barked out. Duo couldn't seem to maneuver himself out of the large man's grasp, and the other big oaf had just climbed back on the stage and was approaching him with a vengeful gleam in his eye.
Seeing the futility of fighting any further, he stopped struggling, his legs dangling a foot above the stage floor as the brute continued to hold him in the air. He put both hands up in a posture of giving up as the second man approached. "Nothin personal." he assured him. "No hard feelings, heh?" He said and gave his most innocent look, hoping for some mercy. He was promptly lowered and his arms were immediately pinned behind his back in a painfully tight grip.
He grimaced. "Hey, Not so tight!"
"Silence!" Ms Haversand ordered, her face contorted in rage. She grabbed hold of the boys face and with a determined effort to cause him as much discomfort as possible, pinched his cheeks together, her manicured nails digging into his flesh. She sneered in satisfaction as she finally saw a bit of pain flicker in his eyes. She had lost control of the situation in front of all the students, and as a result, she would see to it that this boy would indeed pay for his insolence.
"Take him to the box!" She ordered her two flunkies and flung Duo's head back as she let go of his abused face. She watched with contempt as the braided boy was dragged unwillingly and loudly complaining off the stage and out the door side door of the auditorium.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her jacket, not that it was ever out of place, but more to compose herself. "Let us proceed after that unfortunate demonstration." she said, then paused as she stared out into the auditorium. The students were silent, all eyes were on her. "Let there be no doubt," her voice was like ice. "Mr. Wells' behavior was completely unacceptable and he will be dealt with an appropriate punishment to assure that it will not happen again."
The three friends in the back nervously glanced at each other and then to Heero. He looked straight ahead, as stony and seemingly undisturbed by the scene that had just played out before them. Quatre studied his profile for a moment noting his breathing was a bit accelerated and his hands were white from gripping the ends of the armrests. He might give the impression of being indifferent, but Quatre knew the "perfect soldier"cared as much, or more than any of them in regards to Duo's welfare.
Fifteen minutes later as the lecture droned on, Quatre gasped, causing those around him to look at him in wonder. They saw him clutch both hands to his chest and begin to shake.
"What's wrong?" Trowa asked alarmed and put a comforting hand on the blonde's arm.
"He's terrified and trying to squelch his fear." Quatre gasped softly so others wouldn't hear.
"Duo afraid?" Trowa asked perplexed. "He thinks he's the God of Death. What would scare him so?"
Quatre's eyes looked up wide and fearful, and shook his head. "I don't know, but we've got to help him."
"Is something the matter here?" The same teacher who had taken Duo forward was looking sternly at them.
"I.... I'm not well." Quatre managed to say and definitely looked the part.
The man studied him for a moment and then nodded.
"I can take him to our room." Trowa offered in a whisper.
The teacher paused to think it over before he leaned over to whisper, "Go quietly." he admonished them, and stepped aside to let them out into the isle. Both boys chanced a glance at Heero as they passed him. With lips pressed tightly together, he gave them a barely perceptible nod.
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