As that rotten excuse of a teacher… Err, I mean… As Mr. Pepperridge and his two Pokémon went into the school building, Principal Vicar began rubbing his shoulder like his nephew and looked at us.

"It's probably going to be a long time and conversation to convince him that you did the right thing, Thomas," he said exhaling, "Oh, this is going to be annoying. What a drag…"

"I know, right?" Kaname fixed his hood, "What a pain…"

"Hey," Jocinda snapped, "Now don't you go and start in!"

I rolled my eyes as Nurse Joy said, "There you go, Thomas, your injuries are completely gone."

I was able to barely stand as I brushed off my pants. I staggered, but I was able to stand. However, I felt like a ton of unstable bricks, about to fall at any time.

"How do you feel?" I heard her ask me.

"My back is no longer bleeding," I winced, "but my whole body is completely sore and numb at the same time. It's so hard to move. Thank you so much, Nurse Joy, and your Meganium too."

Both of them smiled at me as the nurse said sweetly, "You're welcome. I'm happy to help."

I looked down at Buizel and Poochyena, and then back at the principal, saying, "However, I don't know if I can carry those guys home, yet alone walk home alone. I am in just so much pain…"

"I've got an idea!" I heard Tucker say as I painfully turned around to him.

He continued, "How about Jocinda, Kaname, and I escort Thomas, Buizel, and Poochyena back to the woods?"

A good suggestion, but even I didn't think that would be accepted. I mean, they still were students; they had to go to school. Plus, Tucker was in trouble; this seemed like a "Get-out-of-jail-free card" to me if I ever saw one.

"Is this so you can get out early of school, Tucker?" Jocinda folded her arms with a smirk.

"No! Okay, yes," Tucker grinned, "but listen. Thomas just admitted he cannot really go home alone. He needs people he can trust to help him get Buizel and Poochyena back safely. He knows Kaname, you, and me. We're the most important people, besides Old Man Fellows, he can trust right now. Besides, I have an in-school suspension anyway and it takes 45 minutes or more to get to Thomas' house from here. Why don't I just have the suspension carrying Thomas home or something?"

Now, any other principal that would hear that would either deny that choice right on the spot or get Tucker an even bigger punishment for saying that, but Principal Vicar was different like that. Not only was he a friend of Tucker's because of his relation to Kaname, but he always looked for a positive road out of punishment and problems. He put his right hand to his chin and nodded with a grin, then slowly turned his head to me. His face was prompting me to give me my opinion to this suggestion. I then assumed that he in fact did know about Thomas and Craig's fight.

I nodded and said, "It would really be great to have someone help me."

Principal Vicar looked at Buizel and Poochyena, who smiled innocently at him and nodded. He looked back to see Kaname shrug as Jocinda giggled at the site of Tucker closing his eyes and crossing his fingers with a ridiculous and hilarious expression on his face.

"Very well," he smiled, "Kaname, I want you, Jocinda, and Tucker to help Thomas and these two Pokémon back to his house. You all can have an early leave today."

Tucker raised his fists and said aloud, "All right!"

The principal turned to his nephew and the girl next to him and said, "Kaname, Jocinda, I want you two to tell me if Thomas has any more trouble from here on out, okay?"

Kaname nodded as Jocinda said, "We promise, sir."

Nurse Joy recalled Meganium into her Pokéball and said good-bye to the principal, causing him to focus his attention off the group as she walked back into the building. Tucker began to turn away from the conversation, as if he were sneaking through a high-tech security palace or something. Principal Vicar noticed this and turned to him with an amused glare as the redhead tip-toed away towards the gate entrance I had come from.

"Oh, and Tucker," he called with an amusement in his voice to the boy who stopped dramatically and turned around slowly, "I am giving you grace with this. I am not going to give you a second chance if you start another fight again. I want you to behave, okay?"

Tucker rubbed the back of his head as he grinned sheepishly and giggled. He gave the amused principal a thumbs-up as he nodded.

Principal Vicar turned to all the students and said aloud, "Well, what are all of you looking at? I do not see anything worth staring at here. Go hang out and play; for the rest of the day, all of you will stay out here and relax until we call your parents for early dismissal!"

All the students cheered and applauded in happiness and excitement, with an occasional "Dude, can you believe that!?" in there. I smirked; hearing that made a part of me want to be in school to feel the excitement of getting out early.

Wait, did I just say that? Oh, no... I blame Mr. Pepperridge for this.

"Alright," Principal Vicar sighed, "I am going to go back and chat with Mr. Pepperridge and his Pokémon. I will see all of you later."

He started to leave as I suddenly thought of something of the uttermost importance. Good Lord! I just sounded like Mr. Pepperridge! Uh, let me rephrase that for you who are laughing at me. I thought of something I needed to tell him, so I called out to him before he left. Phew… Yeah. There we go.

"Hey! Principal Vicar!" I called out, catching him hearing and causing him to turn around at me, "Could you call Old Man Fellows and tell him about this for me? He would want to know about this and my accident."

He nodded towards me and answered, "Don't worry; I was going to call him anyway to verify if you were telling the truth. You do not mind if I ask him, do you?"

I shook my head and replied, "No problem; I have nothing to hide; I haven't lied."

"Very good," he said with a relieved smile, "Then I will. See you later, everyone. I hope you recover fast, Thomas."

We all said our farewells as he entered the building. Kids began playing as teachers walked out and watched over the yard. Older kids just flocked into groups and chatted with each other. I looked back at my friends and the two Pokémon as they looked at me and each other. I know some person said 'Silence is golden' (Because he probably had little kids around him/her), but this silence was not shiny. It was awkward. Super awkward, man, it just was too weird.

"So…" I said, breaking the silence, "How are we gonna get me and these guys to my house?"

"Well, can you walk?" Kaname asked.

I made an unsure and troubled face that people would laugh at if I was in a comedy sketch or TV show. But, this wasn't funny. Well, maybe to you, but you guys aren't cruel, are you?

I am watching you.

Anyway, I shrugged and tried to lift my foot to walk. Suddenly, something felt terrible wrong. Instead of going forward, I was going down. I mean, fast and hard down to the ground. My center of gravity somehow got messed up when I thought it was safe to function normally.

…Hmm…

I am making all of you laugh, aren't I? Isn't it easy how you can laugh at other people's misery when they tell it a certain way? Am I really that funny to you guys? I am doing my best not to, but something is telling me some, if not all, are smiling, if not laughing.

So, anyway, (I am still watching you) I opened my eyes suddenly from a glazed state as I realized it.

"Oh, boy," I muttered nervously as I went down.

However, before I hit the ground again, I felt two hands catch me in a slumped state. I looked up to see Tucked grinning at me. He chuckled at me as Jocinda gasped by clasping her hands on her mouth. Buizel and Poochyena walked closer and stared at me, making sure I was okay.

"Did good ol' Tucker just save baby Thomas from getting an owie boo-boo?" he teased me in a stupid motherly voice.

I grinned evilly as I glared at my friends. I found it amusing and… so did you, didn't you? Stop laughing at me! I know you are! Geez! I know you are, either out loud or deep inside behind a "cool" smile! Stop it!

Actually, go ahead; I just realized some of you are really entertained by this, so go ahead. After all, that's what stories are supposed to do, right?

Anyway, Jocinda giggled as Kaname shook his head. Buizel exhaled and rolled his eyes, folding his arms as Poochyena smiled at me, wagging his tail.

Tucker raised his head and picked me up as he said to Kaname, "Hey, does this answer your question?"

The lazy boy exhaled annoyed and said, "Okay, time for plan B."

"Wait, you had a plan B already?" Tucker responded quickly, "How far did you think ahead?"

"Hello? Who are you talking to?" Kaname answered with a question.

He bent down to Buizel and Poochyena and asked, "Hey, I know you guys are nervous, and you trust only Thomas and Old Man Fellows right now, but you can trust us, too."

"Kaname?" I asked him.

"My plan," he replied to me, "was for us to carry each of you guys."

I finally understood it. I looked at Buizel and Poochyena, who looked at me in uncertainty. I smiled gently at them.

"Don't worry," I said to them, "You guys can trust these three. Like Old Man Fellows, they wouldn't hurt you. They love Pokémon. You can trust Tucker, Jocinda, and Kaname."

They looked at each other and then smiled and nodded at each other.

Jocinda bent down and smiled, "So, which one of you are okay with being picked up and carried by me?"

I prayed in my head for a second that one of them would choose her; she was a "gently fragile flower", if you call shy timid girls who are super sensitive. I watched as Poochyena tilted his head as Buizel patted his back. He smiled and nodded, prompting the puppy Pokémon to go ahead. He walked forward as she smiled.

"Okay, Poochyena, please hold still and do not be afraid," she said as she scooped him into her arms.

When she stood up, Poochyena's back was in her right arm, lying down showing his belly. He adjusted himself so he was comfortable. I was surprised; he adjusted quickly to Jocinda. I was certain he would be nervous or scared to be held by someone other than me or the old man.

Kaname got Buizel's attention by looking at him and asking, "Are you okay then being carried by me?"

Buizel smiled gently as he nodded and got closer. Kaname scooped under his bottom and picked him up so he was sitting on his left arm. He put his paws on my friend's coat, just in case for extra balance. He smiled at the sight of Poochyena, who was really enjoying being carried like that.

I then thought of something; they were nervous when other human were around me. However, when I told them that they were friendly, they would instantly trust them. Was the reason they trust my friends was because I had told them? Did they value what I said? Huh, that was interesting…

Just then, I heard Tucker groan jokingly, "Oh great. Thanks, guys. You get the cute and adorable lightweight Pokémon. Now, I get left with the heavy cripple."

My left eye twitched as I turned to him and said, "You forgot about my looks, Tucker. Do you think I am ugly?"

He looked at me and grinned, "I love you, Thomas."

"Suck-up," I growled jokingly, as he hoisted me on his back, like I was getting a piggyback ride.

I could've sworn I had seen Jocinda, Buizel, and Poochyena giggle at me.

"Alright now," Kaname said, "Let's start going to Thomas' house."

As we all nodded, we turned to grab my backpack. After Kaname grabbed it, we all walked out of the gate, towards my house. But before we left sight of it, Tucker had looked back and suddenly grown pale.

He said moaning, "Oh no…"

We all turned to him. He had a look of concern on his face; a bad sign if he had it. It usually meant trouble was on its way.

"What?" Jocinda asked, "Is Mr. Pepperridge coming back out to find us?"

"No," he said, temporarily calming my heart, "but…"

He gulped as he tried to hurry past the other and move faster.

"But, what?" I said, starting to get nervous.

He sighed deeply and said the next sentence in a worried manner.

"I think Skyler just saw us."