"After Raz and his intentional mutation of the students, I have no fear for those you would end up teaching."
"Anyway, if you have the spare time, Miss Jones suggested we try and get rid of the 'us and them' mentality the lycanthropes have by making them participate in school events with non-lycan students. I thought helping making advertisements for a talent show and helping build a stage would be a good start. If you could pop in once and a while and make sure things are going smoothly, it would be appreciated. Just whenever you have a spare moment."
"I don't want anyone to fear me. People hate what they fear." Vai says, trying to ignore what Aananda had said about target practice.
"The fear aura is a natural part of you, but it's your choice whether or not to use it. We'll practice during our next session. I bet you'll get the hang of suppressing it quite quickly."
"After Raz and his intentional mutation of the students, I have no fear for those you would end up teaching."
"Anyway, if you have the spare time, Miss Jones suggested we try and get rid of the 'us and them' mentality the lycanthropes have by making them participate in school events with non-lycan students. I thought helping making advertisements for a talent show and helping build a stage would be a good start. If you could pop in once and a while and make sure things are going smoothly, it would be appreciated. Just whenever you have a spare moment."
"Yeah, sure, it's not a problem. And well worth it to not have to worry about meals being disturbed by raging idiots trying to 'prove themselves'...at least not more than once a week. Anything more than that gets excessive,' he said with a wink.
"Anyways, I'll let you get back to your work. I should get back to the lab before Mom notices I'm gone."
Vai takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. Aananda was right. It was part of her, and if she could learn how to turn it off, it would just be another tool for her. Like her magic. She nods in agreement. "You're right, of course. We need to learn how to use our abilities, not try to deny them."
Aananda smiled approvingly. "Yes, exactly."
"You're going to be fine, you know. We'll make sure of it."
"I am not sure that I will ever get used to so much....open. I find that I am suddenly possessed of an urge to get underground quickly. Being under the tree helps. I can't see quite as much...up."
"The children seem to be enjoying themselves."
"Yeah, the bubbles are definitely a hit."
"Are you okay? I mean...other than the whole agoraphobia thing..."
"Yes, surprisingly I think I am 'okay'. I...came to apologize. I made you uncomfortable earlier. I would like to make it very clear to you that I am very much looking forward to the birth of my great-grandchildren, whichever way you choose to have them, and that anyone trying to harm them will be doing so over my dead body."
"Also, I realized that I haven't spent nearly enough time with my other grandchildren, and that it was time to fix that. Preferably not outside," she added with a shudder.
Vai glanced around the lab, seeing the various machines. "I don't know how much help I would be in here. I can't make things like Phaezeriel can," Nimceleb nuzzled her at that moment, knowing she was talking about him. "But... I don't want to rest. I feel like I should be doing something. Maybe James can show me... where did he go anyway?"
"Er... I was actually going to ask you the same thing. Is there anything I can do around here to help?"
He grinned. "Oh, there's always something."
He walked over to a chair facing three large display monitors. "Come on, just sit right here. It's boring work, but if you're doing this, then we can be focusing on building stuff. These are the security monitors for the school. If you can watch these for a while, that would be a big help actually. Normally we can let them run on auto, but we're still doing some security sweeps to make sure that all of the security breaches have been sealed."
"Not really. There are nanite clouds throughout the school and the grounds and they relay the picture back here where we stream it across the monitors. It's just devices. No magic. Grandma has a similar system that does use magic and crystals, but it's not as practical for us. This works better since anyone can do it even if they can't cast a single spell."
After classes Ori decided that she would get farther with this project with a little assistance. She headed over to the newly appointed vice-principal's classroom.
"Excuse me, Mr. Antairus? We met briefly at the last staff meeting. I'm Ori Reading. I have a rather urgent project that I'm attempting to help one of my students with and I was hoping that you might be able to give me some advice on how best to go about it? I'm still learning my way around."
"So you're looking for something that might not be what it is? Looking for references in library, even obscure ones, could be helpful."
"Yes, I think that's quite likely if the librarian would stop glaring at me every time I think about setting foot in the place. Honestly, it's not like I'm planning on using the books for spell components," she asid a little exasperated. "But the volume in question, or rather the set is quite obscure."w
"Well, that's convenient. He said he's already been looking for it someplace else. Mentor I think."
"Is there some way to search through these obscure references more quickly? It's just that this is rather time sensitive. In point of fact it's a rather unusual situation since until he finds all seven volumes he can't sleep. Literally."
"That is... unusual." Keaton admits. "We have an index for our library that allows you to search for books by key words, but if he's looked he'll have exhausted most search words. The indexes of other libraries might not have the same level of usefulness as ours though."
"I was afraid of that."
"Well, nothing to it I suppose, but to just get down to work. If you happen to run across any references to something called the 'Book of Forlorn Blood' do let me know. Apparently that's the first volume of the set."
During Advanced Mechanics:
Professor Sunwake, good to see you. I wasn't sure what had happened when you weren't in class this morning. In any case, have you made any progress on the homunculi you were going to miniaturize? I've got one of my little workers done, and he's working in here, tapping on his hatch, and another on the way. He's likely to be done this very class.
"Hmm, 'Book of Forlorn Blood'... I can't say it rings a bell. Considering my previous condition you would think something like that would have come up. I'll look into it as well, and let you know if I find anything."
"Previous....? Oh, yes, right, I think I heard somewhere that you used to be a...well, never mind that. Anyhow, thank you. The more people looking the better our chances of finding it before things take a turn for the final," she said with a grimace.
"Well, anyhow, since I'm done for the day with pretending that I know what I'm doing, I'll head over to the library now and see how much progress I can make," she said with a self-deprecating smile.
During Advanced Mechanics:
Professor Sunwake, good to see you. I wasn't sure what had happened when you weren't in class this morning. In any case, have you made any progress on the homunculi you were going to miniaturize? I've got one of my little workers done, and he's working in here, tapping on his hatch, and another on the way. He's likely to be done this very class.
"Oh. Yes. No, I'm afraid I totally forgot. It's been a busy day, to say the least, since apparently this was the day for daughters getting kidnapped. I'll take a look at it this evening, I promise."
Not a problem. Ephebe got back just fine, which is nice. I'm sure that must have been... worrying? Yes, I think that's the one. Worrying for you.
"That is quite possibly the mildest possible word for it. And with Vai being taken at the same time...I think the word nightmarish is more accurate. Thankfully they're both back now and safe and sound."
"From what I've hear you have been doing a fine job. Keep an eye on him and make sure he get's to the infirmary if things start to go bad. At least you won't be mixing up which gods come from which regions and what they do or do not hold power over."
She chuckled. "Yes, well, I like to keep my possible screw-ups as small as possible and definitely away from the possibility of being struck down by divine lightning. Thank you for the compliment though. I still keep wondering how it was that I ended up in charge of a classroom when it hasn't been that long really since I was sitting on the other side of the desk, but I'm giving it my best shot anyhow. It certainly beats bartending. And yes, I'll be sure to keep an eye on him. Though I don't think the infirmary will be much help really if things start to go bad. There's a possibility that he's already half dead, though I'm trying to be more optimistic. He could just be half in a coma."
"We might be able to put him in stasis if things get really bad. If he's already half in a coma or worse... I'll use any free time I have, and alert the Headmaster so he can help too. Having a High Seer in charge of the school has it's benefits."
"Thank you. I feel that I'm a bit over my head with this one. The student's name is Oneiro Mance if that helps any. And I really hope that we're able to help him."
"Thank you for telling us about this, Professor Reading. We will do everything in our power to help him, rest assured. This school is here to help our students after all."
"Yes, I rather think that's the best thing about this place," she said with a warm smile.
"If you need me for anything I'll be in the library attempting to find clues on the whereabouts of this book that may not be a book at all."