gunsforhire | Log: Kids Can Be Cruel

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Log: Kids Can Be Cruel

Who: Theta Ai (native), Delta Ai (Native), Omega Ai (Native) and various teachers, students and parents
What: Called into school after a fight
Where: Theta's school, Principal's office
When: Tuesday 11/24 lunch time
Warnings: Past violence, shouting

Theta's arms are wrapped around his stomach as he tries to not start crying again. His eye hurts enough and crying had only made it worse with the tears trying to push their way out from between the swollen eyelids. There's other aches in different places that are worse that when he falls off the skateboard. His knuckles on his right hand hurt, but that's a better ache; satisfying in a way he'd notice more if it wasn't drowned out by everything else.

He wants to curl up in a corner under a blanket, or at least bring his legs up to his chest, but there's a rule about no feet on the chairs, so he can't. There's a blank sheet of paper and a pen on his lap, left there after he refused to take them, but he's not uncurling until his brothers get here, and he knows they will, that's the protocol. It's just never been needed for him before.

Maybe the other kids' parents have arrived, he hasn't looked up to check and the sound of the door opening and closing or normal volume voices are beyond him now. His fist tightens around the mangled piece of plastic and wire until he feels it digging into his palm. He's not sure where the other one is, maybe one of the bullies still has it. If it's not broken, maybe he can get it back. Maybe Delta and Omega can get them to give it back once they get here. He hopes they'll be here soon so they can take him home.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"These children actively assaulted an impaired child," Delta reminds the headmaster, turning even to encompass the other parents in a glare. "If Theta was in a wheel chair and they destroyed that by, I don't know, throwing it off the top of a building, they would be expected to recoup the cost to us, and they WOULD be tried for wanton destruction of private property. But by all means, if they have an issue, I have the nearest police district's number. I can call them. Your children can and would be arrested for destruction of private property. Not to mention the fact that one of them seems to be missing. If any of them have RETAINED that item, they are also there for theft."

The teacher doesn't have a reply for that, although at this point, anything more strenous than standing up against the wall might make him faint.

The parents are still protesting, but the headmaster gradually quiets them down, rubbing his temples hard enough to leave white lines for a few seconds. 'If any child here still has one of Theta's hearing aids, please return it now,' he says once there's enough quiet.

Satisfied the teacher is thoroughy and properly cowed, Omega goes back to hover over Theta. It's a good thing he can't hear what's being said about him and his ears. But Delta knows first-hand, so while Omega doesn't like the hammering on Theta's disability, he trusts Delta's judgement in the matter more than his own.

At least this time they'll have a car to get to Theta's appointments, and Omega can leave work early to take him. So that will be easier than last time around. Small comfort.

Nothing? Good, Delta wants this to be scarier than it already is. They need to know that this is something REALLY bad. Jail worthy. Even if it's only a minor crime in a lot of ways.

"I suggest you have one of your staff go to where the fight occurred and look for the hearing aid," Delta says simply. "I doubt their parents would let them be searched."

'Damn right, we wouldn't,' one of the parents snaps, his arm around his daughter's shoulders.

The teacher, meanwhile, sees his chance to escape and takes it, trying not to look so obvious as he bolts for the door with a jabbered excuse that he'll go look for the missing aid himself.

"Funny how your kid gets to protect her privacy and not have things removed from her by force, and my brother doesn't," Omega snarks. "I bet one of those brats still has it."

"Privacy is more important for people who don't have to deal with the difficulties that Theta has to," Delta says dismissively to the parents. "Of course. Their children are more important and more valuable than my brother."

Theta's tentatively touching his bruised eye, quickly pulling away again when it hurts more. How long does it have to hurt for? When will the swelling go down?

'You have no right. We could have you down for child molestation, since you're so keen to press charges,' the same parent continues.

Omega levels his third-best death glare. "I have not touched a child, unlike that one," he says with ice in his voice. He bets that one's body would break the window easily. "So let's call the police, have them sort out what exactly your spawn did. Do you really want to bet they find my brother's right to safety less important than someone else's right to...whatever the hell it was behind this incident? Or do you think those are magic words that will make everyone shut up and take me away? Because I have news for you, shit for brains. That doesn't work for real victims. It sure ain't going to do anything for you but make them wonder why that's your go-to defense. A bit of projection, maybe?"

"Here," Delta says, pulling his datapad out and prodding the number into active position. "Would you like to just call?" Because his attention needs to be back on Theta.

The parent glares furiously at Omega and looks ready to snatch the datapad from Delta's hands and break it in two. He doesn't though, only sits there and seethes while Theta shifts uncomfortably now that both Omega and Delta have moved away from him.

The door opens, revealing the teacher. He steps into the room, but stays close to the door so he'll be able to get out quickly and without inching around the room again. 'There's no sign of them,' he says, clearing his throat.

Omega goes back to stand behind Theta, his hands on Theta's shoulders. "Button, button, who's got the button?" he chants. "Would you keep someone's eyeball in your pocket, kiddilywinks? Hand. It. Over."

It's probably broken, but it's the principle of the thing.

"Turn out your children's pockets or I will call the cops," Delta says bluntly. "Within the city-state of Gulch the legal code stipulates that theft of personal property over the value of five hundred dollars with the intention to deprive an individual of the item forever is grand larceny. That's a serious charge for children their age."

Theta leans gratefully into Omega, turning a little in his chair and asking WHAT'S GOING ON? before gripping one of Omega's hands.

None of the parents move except the mother at the back who's already getting her son to empty his pockets and is checking through his bag herself. She pauses when she realises none of the others are doing the same and frowns. 'Well?' she demands.

Omega squeezes Theta's hand before letting go to sign, WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR MISSING HEARING AID. AND MAYBE THROWING SOMEONE OUT THE WINDOW. THINK THAT JACKASS WILL BOUNCE?

Omega wants to turn them upside-down and shake them until their retinas detach and the hearing aid falls out, but Theta's got a pretty tight hold on him.

"Thank you, ma'am," Delta tells the woman, genuinely warm as he does so. "It's kind to see someone who will encourage their children to own up to the things they have done. I'm sorry to have this happen between us."

She's good. He likes her. He wants to give her a hug because she's not making this hard with her child. If the others here were half so reasonable as her, this wouldn't have gotten so aggressive.

Theta looks up when Omega lets go, watching what he signs. He doesn't want to let go himself, but he wants to go home now, so maybe this will let them go faster. CAMERON HAS IT, he signs. I THINK. HE'S THE ONE THAT TOOK IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DID WITH IT.

'I'm sorry too,' the woman says, sighing and ignoring the looks the other parents are giving her. 'This shouldn't have happened.'

Edited 2015-11-27 20:57 (UTC)

"All right," Omega says, rolling up his sleeves. That makes anyone ten times scarier. "Which one of you sorry shrimpwads is Cameron? I got some questions for you."

Why did the principal not get it before the parents came? Did he not notice or simply not care?

Oh man, Delta is not prepared for the next part.

"Grand larceny," he reminds the parents as he moves to pick Theta up once more. The boy needs hugs, and distracted if Omega gets borderline violent, so dammit he's going to be responsible for Theta being comfortable.

Theta wraps himself gratefully around his brother, glancing at Omega and then looking away quickly. He's guessing Meg's getting his hearing aid back, but he looks pretty angry and Theta doesn't want to watch.

Cameron's father stands up between Omega and the boy, who's shrunk a little in his seat, despite attempting bravado. The headmaster coughs. 'Cameron, if you have the hearing aid, give it back.'

Omega has no intention of hitting any of the kids, but he's not letting any of them know that. He holds his hand out and growls, "Hand it over. Now."

He is rapidly running out of patience.

Delta turns so that Theta wouldn't be looking at Omega at all, rubbing his younger brother's hair lightly. How could people justify this behavior in the slightest? Delta has to assume these parents were bullies growing up and have no problem with their children following the pattern.

"It would be best if you hand it over, boy. Even juvenile detention isn't nice."

'If you touch my son...' the father starts, his hands balling into fists desipte Omega having the obvious advantage in height and muscle over him.

'Cameron, things will be a lot easier on you if you give it back now,' the headmaster says.

Cameron looks between the two of them, then back at Omega. After a long moment, he reaches into his pocket and takes out the hearing aid. The main casing is broken, revealing the mangled inner workings.

"You'll do to me what your son did to my brother?" Omega asks, eyebrow raised. Then he snatches the device from the boy, with the most sarcastic thank you he can muster.

Omega hands it to Delta. "Do you think this could be repaired? I don't."

Delta takes the device and frowns down at it. "The interior circuits look too messed up. And here, there's a crack in the chip itself. There is no fixing this, not with all my tools. Plus the plastic covering is there to protect it from dust and shocking the person wearing it. I can't just buy a replacement one that fits him."

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