The Message from Headmaster Toney

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Class was finally dismissed shortly after the disturbance, and Dre was the first to hop out of his chair. He sighed as he made his way out of the classroom. Sure, he'd wanted to make a mark on the school, but leaving scorch marks on two tables, the ceiling, patches of ash on the floor, and a partially melted chair wasn't exactly what he wanted.

Then, he felt a devilish glare hit him, making him stop on a dime. He looked to his left and saw an infuriated looking man peering at him with piercing, dark brown eyes, holding a stack of papers under his arm and a roll of tape dangling from his wrist. His jet black hair was spiked to the right, with a small section above his ear shaved. "Elevator's down," he said in a Korean accent.

"Wh-what happened?"

"Power surge. Take the stairs." He pointed to an opened door beside the elevator door before walking down the hall.

"Pardon me," Kim said as she passed the crazed looking man and strode towards Dre. "What's the matter?"

"Who is that? He looked at me as if I had just slapped him in the face."

"That would happen to be Hwan-Jin, my group's leader," a cocky voice said above the flooding students' combined voices. Daven sneered at him as he approached, the last person he'd want to see him. Well, second to last behind Doug.

"I don't have the patience to deal with you, Daven. I just want to go and enjoy my lunch in peace."

He and Kim began to walk towards the staircase, until Daven grabbed him on his shoulder. "Well, what if I said I still haven't forgiven you and your group for spying on my group? I feel as if some redemption is necessary."

The students all stopped in their tracks, looking at the two of them with concern. "Go get Miss Bianka, Kimmy," he said to her, who eyed Dre, panicked. "Your beef is with me, not my team," Dre said, turning his attention to Daven as Kimmy ran past him to the classroom. Don't fight him, Dre. You've already dodged a bullet today. Don't let this one strike home.

He looked up into Daven's eyes, showing no fear, but a fierce look of determination. Dealing with bullies was second nature to him, so long as his anger didn't get the best of him. "I'm not going to fight you."

Daven gave a wicked smile as he grabbed Dre by the front of his shirt. "Don't worry, this isn't going to be a fight," he said, as he held his hand back, electricity flowing through his fist. Dre clinched his eyes, readying for a strike that looked like it would definitely do a lot more than sting. Before he had a chance to deliver the punch, Dre felt both him and Daven get tackled to the ground. He could feel tightly coiled dreadlocks hit him in the face.

The man stood up and extended his hand out to Dre. It wasn't his father, yet he looked... oddly familiar. Dre took his hand and was helped back up to his feet. The man almost mirrored Raheem, only he was slightly taller and more toned. His dreadlocks were silver, despite his age, and his face was free of creases, yet he still had an aged aura about him. He wore a gray sleeveless shirt with a black mesh-like undershirt that hugged his biceps.

"What do you think you're doing, Daven?" he heard a gruff voice say, taking his attention away from his father's doppelganger. Daven was pinned to the ground by Jacob, one of Daven's teammates from the entrance exam, who was struggling to keep him down. "Have you forgotten about what Hwan told us about? Do not get us in trouble again!"

Bianka, Kim, and Hwan-Jin slipped through the students. Kim took her place beside Dre while Bianka pulled Jacob off of Daven. Hwan-Jin yanked Daven up by the collar of his shirt, glaring at him. "This isn't a circus! Get out of here!" Bianka barked at the students, who flooded down the steps.

"Wow, still as forceful as ever," the dreadlocked man said, raking his hands through his hair. "It's a good thing I came when I did, otherwise Dre probably would've been kissing the canvas,"

"I don't remember saying you could stay, Marcus," Bianka said with a smirk.

"What? You're dismissing me, a teacher's pet? Why, I'm hurt, Mrs. Bright," Marcus said, grinning at her in return. Dre couldn't help but think that he was missing something.

"What are you doing here anyways? I figured that you would've had a mission by now."

"I'll tell you about it later. First-" he turned his attention to Daven "who is your overseer?"

"I am," Hwan said. "What is the meaning of all of this?"

"One of your Apprentices was picking a fight with my nephew here."

N-Nephew?!

Hwan grunted in his throat. Almost at an instant, the back of his free hand cracked against Daven's face, making him stumble backwards against the wall. He seemed almost indifferent as everyone except Jacob and Daven looked at him with both shock and disgust. "I gave you a warning, yet you chose to ignore it. We will discuss your punishment later," he said as he walked down the hallway, taping a slip of paper to each door.

Dre felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder. "Come on," he said, keeping his intense eyes on Hwan-Jin, "we've got a lot to discuss." He allowed Marcus to guide Dre and Kim to the elevators. He took one last look at Daven, who was holding his reddening cheek as he stared at Hwan-Jin's back with death in his eyes.

They all stomped down the stairs, their heavy footsteps echoing through the narrow staircase. Dre couldn't help but feel bad for Daven, despite picking a fight with him. Sure, fighting was punishable by expulsion, but not giving him a warning for almost picking a fight seemed kind of extreme, even if his target was Dre.

"It's no wonder you don't remember me, little man," Marcus said as students walked parallel to them. "You were a baby last time I saw you. Now you're, what eighteen? Nineteen?"

"I'm seventeen, sir," he said, hugging the wall to let a group of people pass him.

"Eh, I was close." Marcus shrugged as they walked down the last flight of stairs into the foyer. "Anyway, I'm Marcus, Raheem's little brother. I used to come babysit you, Ian, and Loyalty when ya'll were younger. Ian used to be a bad kid."

"He still is."

Marcus gave a hearty laugh. "Just like his old man. That doesn't surprise me one bit." He reached into a case attached to his pants, pulled out a small, purple cell phone, and waved it in front of Bianka. "You left this at home, by the way."

She sighed as she took it. "I swear I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached to me."

Not surprising considering you've already lost your mind.

The intoxicating smell of a warm meal made his mouth water. "Smell good, don't it?" Marcus said, holding the door open for them. He started to rush inside but was frozen in place, a wave of fear filled his psyche.

On the other side of the cedar door, Ichi stood; he looked surprised at first, as he held his hand up to open the door, then a creepy, foxlike smile crept onto his face. "Oh, Ke'Undre. I've been looking for you. I have a message from Headmaster Toney."

"A message? Is that good or bad?"

"Don't know. I haven't looked at it yet," he said as he pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket and handed it to him.

He hesitantly read it:

Ke'Undre Wolf,

Please come to my office after your classes are over. It's on the top floor of the Tower of flames.

Headmaster Toney Gladestone

The short message terrified him. He had no idea why he was being summoned, until he took a second to think. Could it be because of when he used his fira in class? Did this mean he'd be getting expelled? "I don't think I have much of an appetite anymore."

Ichi chuckled. He turned his attention to Marcus, who stood rigid, holding the door open with his body. "I told you not to be so formal, Marcus. You're not a Journeyman anymore."

"Sorry, Ichi. Some habits die hard," Marcus said as he relaxed and placed his hands behind him.

Ichi chuckled under his breath again as he limped past the group.


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