(Outdated) The King of Elements

Escape

Over the low roar of the students, Dre and Megumi barely heard Kim calling them at the middle row of the stands. She, Michael, and Keiko sat in the stands beside them, midway up the bleachers. They both strode up the stairs, dodging the various students standing in the middle of the stairway. "Hey guys," Dre panted.

Kim and Keiko both cheerfully greeted him. Michael, however, didn't look up from his book.

"Do you have any idea why we're here?" Michael said from behind his book.

"Dre says it's to hear McManus gloat about him becoming the new principal," she said as she and Dre both sat with the small group. "Normally I wouldn't believe him, but I've seen how much he gloats. The guy can gloat about finding fifty cents in his pocket."

Should I be offended by her not normally believing me?

McManus took the stage down at center court. "If I may have your attention, please." The students quieted down. "As you all know, our former principal, William Dixon, has been released as of last Tuesday for physically attacking one of our students. For the last week, the P.H.S faculty has been hard at work to find a more suitable principal, and well-" a smug smile crept across his face. Oh, God. It begins. "Let me be the first to introduce you to your new principal. Demetrius McManus, at your service. I believe that I am qualified, heck even overqualified, to lead you all to a brighter and better future. I mean, I've been able to do Dixon's job while still being able to be more than proficient at my own. That's quite an achievement, if you ask me."

Dre exhaled. "Yep, I was right."

"Where are you going?" Kim asked as he stood up.

"Outside, out of fear that his smugness will suffocate me."

He stalked out of the basketball court and through the cafeteria. His mind was still clouded with the news he had gotten from Toney. Learning that he was the King of Elements did answer why he was had that vision of the former King of Elements at the museum, but did that explain why he was being stalked by the boy in the black cloak? And how would he be able to prepare to fight against this Aggaron person if the only person who knows that Dre is the King of Elements is his team and Toney? Better yet, would he even be able to stand a chance against him, seeing as he had about a thousand years' worth of experience against Dre. There were enough unanswered questions to drive a man mad.

I guess I'll cross that bridge when I approach it.

He left the cafeteria, feeling the warm embrace of the September morning envelope him. It made him feel at peace, as if he could shake off the tribulation set before him and enter his own sanctuary. He closed his eyes, soaking in the sound of leaves gently rustling with the light breeze.

"Well, looky what we got here, Peewee," he heard Doug say behind him. "There's a mangy mutt on campus, and he doesn't even have his little girlfriend to protect him."

And suddenly there was a storm heading towards his paradise.

Dre turned to look Doug in his cold, calculating eyes. Both he and Peewee were walking out from the cafeteria, along with Peewee's older sister, Alexander McKnight. Dre's heart began beating against his ribcage as he kept his eyes glued to Doug, showing no form of intimidation. You've took on eight-foot tall shadows without any weapon, Dre. Doug shouldn't be any problem to you.

"I think ya'll should get rid of him," Alexander said with a southern accent as thick as her brother's. While her brother was tall and burly, she was about average height and slim, the type of body that the head cheerleader of his school needed.

Peewee and Doug began stepping forward, both with the same sadistic sneer on their faces. Doug was right. Without anyone there to help fight with Dre, he had no chance against the two of them. Without his practice sword with him, nor the freedom to use his in public, he was outnumbered and outmuscled.

He frantically thought of what he could do. He couldn't call out to anybody for help, considering the majority of the students were inside listening to McManus's speech, and the ones who weren't inside would probably watch or join in themselves. He could make a mad dash to the gym. Better yet, he could incapacitate one of them before doing so. He shook that idea out of his head. Because that totally sounds realistic coming from me.

They were closing in on him. Behind both of them was Alexander, ready to cheer them both on. Even further behind her, however, Dre could see a short figure in the door of the cafeteria. His eyes were blocked off by the glare of the glass door, but Dre could almost feel his anger radiating off of him. He pushed open the door, whistling to catch their attention.

"Three on one? That hardly seems like a fair fight," Ichi's low voice cut through the tension like a speeding arrow. The three of them turned towards him. He stood at the entrance of the gym with both hands behind his back. His usual foxlike sneer had vanished from his face. This expression seemed foreign for Ichi to have.

"Three on one?" Alexander question. "You stupid or some-"

"I wasn't counting you, Miss Alexander. It would be such a bother for me not to count two of that blob of a student over there," he said, pointing to Peewee.

That one struck a nerve. "Boy, what the hell did you-" He started towards Ichi but was stopped by Doug's arm.

"How'd you know Alex's name? You some sort of stalker or something?"

"Stalker?" He chortled, returning that conniving grin of his. "My sincerest apology. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm your new Vice Principal, Ichinose Kimachi."

"And why should we care?" Alexander asked.

"Why should you care? Well, a number of reasons, actually. But if I had to pick out one, you should most likely care because without that sorry excuse of a principal you call William Dixon, you could wind up getting into a lot, and I mean a lot, of trouble."

Doug chuckled, closing the gap in between the two of them. "You're just nothing but another official who believes that you have control of me. Why should I even pay any attention to you when my father has the city of Prescott's police department in his hands?"

"Oh? Such a prestigious title for you. Why, I'm honored to even breathe the same air as you." He pushed up his glasses with his middle finger, making sure that Doug caught full glimpse of it. "You should pay attention to me because I am a not only a well-respected retired professor, but also a war veteran. Your father may have the respect of the city's police department weighing down his shoulders, but I have the adoration of the military comfortably draped around mine." Doug flinched, backpedaling towards his cronies. "I suggest you go back to the gym and forget that all of this happened."

Doug growled in his throat, but did as he told, ordering Peewee and Alex to follow. The three passed by Ichi, who had turned his attention to Dre, not even minding Doug and his "crew" as the went into the basketball court, defeated.