Trouble on Triton Avenue -- Chapter 2 (Leaves of Healing)

Thank you so much for the positive responses on Chapter 1 of my fan fiction. I've decided to go ahead and publish the second chapter here for you all.

Keep in mind that I'm taking TONS of liberties in my fan fiction. hehe. I've always wondered what was behind some of those locked doors in Marleybone, so I kind of let my imagination go a bit. I hope you don't mind that. :-)

Happy Reading!

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Chapter 2 – Leaves of Healing

Thomas blinked his eyes open. They were dry, and his mouth was a dry Krokotopian desert too.

There was a haze floating on the ceiling above him. He saw it swirl in a deep green smoke--like the eye of a tornado from deep in space.

Thomas had seen this ceiling before, but it took a moment for him to realize where he was. He was in a Marleybone healing room, a place not often used, seen, or even known about by students. The room and the haze were said to increase the purity of healing. Thomas knew these things from his intense studies, but what he didn't know was why he was here?

"He's waking up," said a familiar voice from the side.

"Good, good, I'll contact Merle" answered a dog-like voice from behind a door.

Thomas began to sit up.

"Welcome back, bud, you had us all scared half out of our minds." It was Calab. "You'll notice your new wardrobe addition."

Thomas looked down and noticed the sling of leaves wrapped around his hand. “What's this?" said Thomas; the words came out curiously smooth from his throat despite how dry it felt.

"I was hoping you could tell me," laughed Calab.

Thomas glanced over to his good friend and noticed his smile and his way of leaning against the door. Calab chose to wear his caps slightly forward, which made is eyes look even more jovial and sarcastic than they already were.

"I'm not sure entirely what happened back there," said Thomas, rising up from his reclining position in the bed to sitting. His arm and hand felt like it was vibrating and humming from inside, like he had become part clockwork golem. "What's up with my arm?"

"Oh that. That there is a sling made out of the leaves from Blossom, the life school tree," said Caleb. He moved a bit closer and plopped himself on the bed. "How's it feel?" he said as he motioned to the arm.

"It feels surprisingly good," laughed Thomas. "Maybe I should do this more often." He felt in amazingly good spirits even though the air of mystery remained in his mind.

Calab laughed, "I need a turn too, but I don't think Blossom gives up her leaves when a wound is self inflicted."

There was a knock on the door to the room and the door began to slowly open.

"Come in," said Thomas.

A quiet, monocled eye peeked around the corner of the door. It was Merle, the headmaster. "Oh good, you're awake." said Merle. "Let's have a look at that arm." The old wizard quickly teleported from behind the door to the bedside opposite of Calab. Teleporting quickly here and there was a trademark of Merle. "I have my intelligence hologram entertaining the students back at my house until I get back," explained Merle unnecessarily. Merle seemed to have a knack for talking to himself through having a conversation with his students.

"I imagine that's feeling pretty good by now, eh Thomas?" said Merle, tapping on the leaf covered limb. Thomas nodded. "Good. Blossom doesn't so willingly give up her leaves you know . . . especially to a death magic student like yourself." Merle had made a tongue in cheek joke along with the class clowns. It was widely known that Thomas was a friendly necromancer in Wizard City and good company. Calab was definitely the prankster of the bunch--but also a very loyal friend.

Thomas smiled and nodded again. Something about Merle quieted Thomas. "So I'm wondering the same thing as young Calab here. What happened there on Rainbow Bridge?"

Thomas opened his mouth to speak, "I . . . well I . . ." Thomas paused. What *had* happened? He could see both Calab and Merle looking at him in anticipation for an answer, so he quickly decided to just blurt out what he could understand from the experience. "I had a torn card and I sang a muse song to it," said Thomas, almost too quickly to be comprehended. "And it . . ." Thomas paused again. They aren't going to believe me, he thought to himself.

Merle's soft smile turned to concern. "A hand? From the card?" Merle had the occasion to finish sentences. Not so much because he knew the answer, but because he had an advanced wizard's precognition of communication.

"Yes," nodded Thomas. "It was crushing my hand and pulling my arm, but it was . . ."

Merle gasped, "A Cyclops!" Merle again used his precognition.

"Yes," nodded Thomas again. "The torn card was a Cyclops summoning card."

There was silence, and then Calab started laughing from the side of the bed. "You gotta be kidding me," he laughed. It wasn't so much that Calab was heartless--it was more that he was cynical. "It sounds more likely that you had your hand stepped on by a passing student." "You're crazy sitting on that bridge you know, it's a total high-traffic area."

Merle hushed Calab. "We did have some students in the area at the time and none of them recounted a Cyclops attack, Thomas."

Thomas's jaw dropped. "I'm not lying or making this up!"

Calab laughed again, "Come on, Thomas, everybody knows you're a huge daydreamer."

Merle picked up his umbrella, reached across the bed, and bopped it on Calab's head. Calab froze in place as if Merle has pressed the off button.

"Quiet now, both of you, I wasn't done talking," said Merle in a slightly annoyed voice. "As I was about to say, your wounds indicated some other magic was at work other than that of a foot stepping on your hand." Merle put his hand on Thomas's shoulder. "We were very worried when you hadn't woken for three days after you were found."

Calab's lips moved from his frozen position on the side of the bed, "I was just kidding" he mumbled out of his pierced lips.

Merle bopped Calab on the head again, and Calab unfroze as if Merle had pressed the on button.

"Three Days?" asked Thomas in disbelief.

Almost as if the question had no bearing on the events at hand, Merle whisked up from the bed and snapped his wand in the air without explaining. Thomas and Calab were lifted up off of the bed and instantly to the side of Merle. Merle snapped his fingers and the healing leaves fell off Thomas's arm. It was quite healed and back to normal now.

Merle blinked and snorted, and Thomas was no longer in his hospital garb, but instead wearing his official wizard clothing.

Calab and Thomas were both as equally stunned from the less than five minute visit of Merle. "How does he do that," Calab whispered under his voice and toward Thomas.

"Boys, we're off!" gasped Merle. "This vision of the Cyclops is very interesting, Thomas." "We're off to the library to get some answers."

And with a single puff of smoke, they were gone from the empty, swirling healing room of Marleybone.

A note of payment, signed as being from "The Headmaster," glided softly from the smoke to the pillow of the hospital bed.