NPLH - Chapter 4 -- Witchblade Karma

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Date Posted: 11:13:34 06/16/03 Mon
Author: moondreamer
Subject: NPLH - Chapter 4
In reply to: moondreamer 's message, "No Place Like Home - PG-13" on 09:16:08 05/12/03 Mon

Chapter 4

Sorry it�s been so long. June has been a strange month. Weddings, graduations, in-laws, extra days at work. What can I say?

Same disclaimer. All theirs. Not mine. Never have been. Never will be. *pout*

As Ian expected, when the heavy wooden door opened the doorway was filled with a variety of boys. The crowd was deep and several of the boys jostled for a better view. Their position in the crowd correlated to the pecking order of importance in their social group. While all were dressed in the rather bland and tasteless uniform of the school, they covered a wide range of shapes, sizes and ages. Like a gunfighter in an old movie western, Ian�s unerring eye quickly swept those in the front of the crowd. His militarily advanced brain unconsciously testing, choosing, deciding and discarding until he instinctively knew where he should put his focus; where he could expect danger.

Within a matter of seconds Ian had discerned who out of the group were the leaders and who were mere followers that he could ignore. While no outward display of emotion crossed his face he felt his heart sink and he groaned inwardly as he recognized the pack�s unofficial leader. Hair that ridiculous shade of carrot red and those freckles were unmistakable. Ian had hoped he wouldn�t run into him at this new school but, as so often happened in his life, Ian�s hopes were rarely met.

There stood John Ludwig Chancellor, I.V. Ivy, as he liked to be called. His name was some forlorn attempt by his parents to give the privileged youth something finer towards which to aspire. Unfortunately, for those around him, all he aspired to was being a bully and a coward. Despite Ian�s unhappiness at seeing him, Ian was pleased to notice the scar on Ivy�s chin. The souvenir of their last meeting stood out visibly against his milky white and freckled complexion.

The boys jostled for position in the doorway behind their leader. Each intent on getting a good look at the new pupil and his reaction to Ivy. Rumors of the �special requirements� requested by Kenneth Irons had spread through the school like wildfire. Gossip abounded, Ivy�s elaborate put-downs and tales of Iron�s wealth and power only added to mystery surrounding the newest among them.

A couple of the more bold youths entered Ian�s room. Pretending a nonchalance that hid their uneasiness in the face of Ian�s unnerving silence, they whistled as they looked around at Ian�s sparse and desolate quarters. With rude comments they poked their noses into the empty closet and fingered the rough wool of the blanket. �Look at this.� One exclaimed. �My dog sleeps on a better mattress than this.� Irritated by their presumptions, still controlling his emotions, Ian stood silently as he waited to see just what the first move would be.

Ivy frowned. As with most bullies, he had believed far too much of his own press. He had been confident that his mere presence should have struck the appropriate fear into Ian. At the very least he had hoped for some kind of reaction. He moved forward, hands on his hips and he hid his own nervousness behind braggadocio as he sneered at Ian.

�Well, if it isn�t �Noble Nottingham�. I thought I�d seen the last of you. What�s the matter? Daddy would rather spend time with dogs than with you?�

Even through Ian had steeled himself for the jibes he knew were to come, he still felt himself flinch at the hurtful words so intentionally meant. Calling upon his training he distracted himself by contemplating the yellowed and rabbit-like appearance of his tormentor�s front teeth. No wonder Ivy was such a pain. Imagine looking in the mirror at that everyday.

A couple of the other boys snickered as they waited breathlessly for Ian�s response. They didn�t have to know the reasons behind it; the antagonism between Ivy and Ian was readily apparent. These first few verbal rounds would set the tone for the rest of the school year and no one wanted to miss any of it.

�As does yours Ivy?� Ian paused for a moment before he calmly continued. �I see you still carry a memento of our last meeting. Did you follow me here for more?�

Ivy flushed, the bright red spreading over his pale face as Ian�s words, carefully chosen to injure his pride, hit home.

�I�m here to complete the education necessary to take my rightful place in society.� The words echoed with such pompousness that Ian was hard put to contain a snort of disgust.

�What are you here for? Training to be my houseboy?� Ivy looked enquiringly at the other boys. Calling forth obedient, albeit nervous laughter with his gaze.

�Why do you call him Noble?� One of the youths enquired from one of the back rows. His squeaky voice indicated puberty was in progress.

�See, that�s because of his tendency to champion those who are weak and better off leaving the school. Watch out boyos, Noble here thinks he was born to fulfill some grand destiny. He thinks he�s above the rest of us mere mortals.�

It was Ian�s turn to flush even as he chastised himself for his lack of physical control. His father would be most upset at his failure. Still, Ivy�s words were a reminder of what he considered on of his more blatant failures. At a previous school, in his youthful desire to be liked and accepted, Ian had shared with a few of the boys his special destiny. He hadn�t known that some of them were Ivy�s lackeys and while he now knew better, the damage and exposure remained.

The other student�s eyes shifted between the two boys, trying to determine who would come out on top this time. The differences between the two were both striking and noticeable.

In the face of Ivy�s loud boisterousness, intended to overwhelm and intimidate, Ian appeared supernaturally calm and cool. He had yet to change into the school uniform and his dark clothing added to whatever air of mystery a 9-year-old could hold. He gazed solemnly around him, his bottomless eyes somehow uncomfortable to meet.

Even surrounded by the restless horseshoe of boys, a pack that could, with the proper incentive, turn their own insecurities into a primal bloodlust and turn on him in an instant, Ian appeared unconcerned. His confidence was intimidating even to those students older than he was.

The verbal conflict between the two boys was fast becoming a stalemate. Irritated by Ian�s refusal to back down Ivy moved forward.

�Just remember, Noble. You�re new here and I own this school. Stay out of my way and we�ll think about not giving you any trouble.�

In his efforts to appear in charge Ivy made the ultimate mistake of trying to poke his bony finger into Ian�s chest. In a blur of effortless motion Ian blocked the move, causing a low hum of awed appreciation to rise from the group.

Embarrassed, Ivy moved forward as if to strike at Ian when the loud, hollow echo of the dinner bell rang. The boys seemed to freeze and then looked nervously at each other. One by one they began melting away. The very real fear of cold and leftover dinner overriding their desire to finish watching the sport.

Ian�s gaze swept casually over the group as they began to disperse. As it passed over the back he finally saw the two boys who had remained un-noticed at the back of the group. It took almost all of his will not to grin as he recognized them and saw the welcome in their eyes. And even more of his will not to respond when they brought their closed fists to their right shoulder in an ageless oath of fealty they had discovered in their reading before they too drifted away.

Brushing past Ivy as if he wasn�t there, Ian strode past the others and headed in what he hoped was the direction of the dining room. He was impatient for the evening to end so that he could find his way to the meeting place described in the secret message in his closet.

Left behind like yesterday�s garbage, Ivy looked angrily around at the few boys still standing beside him, they avoided meeting his eyes. Noble had somehow undermined his authority once again. It wasn�t going to happen in this school, not this time. Not if he had anything to say about.

�They hell with it.� He grumbled. �I�m hungry.� As he moved out of the room he paused, then turned back. With a sneer he picked up the mattress from Ian�s bed and overturned it onto the floor. Not satisfied with that he knocked over the chair and desk as he gave free reign to his anger. For a few moments he floundered around the room, out of control, kicking and punching anything that he could. Then, breathing heavily, he stopped. He pulled his jacket back into place and tried to pat down his mussed hair.

�Just the beginning, Noble. Just the beginning.�

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Replies:

Ivy better watch out. Even at 9 yrs old, Ian is still dangerous and he has a few allies too... -- Spin, 13:27:18 06/19/03 Thu