Miss Violet sighed, as she looked at the report in her hand. It was Lilly's permanent record for the school when she enlisted. Lilly's teacher was also with her asking why she was absent.
The spider woman, Miss Andrea, had her arms folded as they considered what to file for their difficult student..
"The rules are quite clear, Violet. Absence during a trial period without adequate justification merits a penalty," she said with a little sadness.
"I know. But I'm making an exception in this case," Violet said.
"You're making an exception?" She looked wide eyed in surprise.
"Yes" the elven teacher stated, writing a few notes in a very intricate handwriting.
There was a moment's silence. Finally, the spider teacher spoke.
"Well- if you happen to have need of a witness of a doctors note written, but lost accidentally, I suppose I could volunteer."
Violet glanced now her turn to be surprised. "You would do that?" She asked.
"Well to see you bend the rules a little, I'm quite impressed. I don't think I've seen you ever make an exception for anyone... least of all yourself," She laughed a bit. Then she looked at the elven teacher in some thought."You know you're less up tight like this then you ever were before."
Violet shrugged. "I suppose I've learned to adapt given the circumstances, Andrea," She said with a faint smile.
"It really hasn't bothered you at all? I mean you were a..."she trailed off.
"A man. Yes. You can say it," she said. "Perhaps that's why I'm trying to help Lilly in what little ways I can..."
Andrea looked to the teacher curiously. She knew her so little as a man, as he always seemed rather distant. She didn't show any outward signs of issues given her new circumstances. But then that was hardly proof she was okay. Her teaching ability suffered lately for one. "Um- You don't have to answer this, but I am curious. Why... are you able to cope so well?"
Violet looked down at herself, her flowing hair having an air of grace in the moment. "I suppose I thought to myself- well- I was not 'unhappy' with how I was, but... it is 'interesting' to see things a little... differently?"
"Is it really that different?" Andrea asked curiously.
"Well... a little. Though I lived a quiet life anyway. I just do my job here," She admitted a little ashamed of it. She enjoyed her work, and she liked the people she worked with. She didn't feel she missed out exactly... but maybe she could have been less uptight in the past. Turning into an elf, she seemed to have inherited a little of a care free spirit. But she wasn't sure if that was due to the sudden freedom she felt in exploring a new life, or if it was an elven instinct instilled into her.
Still it felt... relaxing to have? Like knowing everything will work out in the end. A great optimism that carried her through everything, even the fear of loss of her niece. While the rest of the family were in a state of panic, she knew she was fine. Her family took her attitude to be uncaring... but it wasn't like that. "Try to keep an eye on Lilly, if she comes back tomorrow."
"If? Continuing absence would be very difficult to sweep under the rugs," reminded the spider teacher. It would be unfair to other students they had put through this system.
"Yes," replied Violet. "And... try to instil in her, that violence is not accepted."
The spider teacher blinked. Violent behaviour during a trial would be grounds for immediate expulsion. "Have you seen-"
"Just a whisper or two in a few places from some children... but you know children. Just make sure, she understands that."
"Well I'll do my best."
Jenny and Artemis glanced at the empty seat that used to have Lilly. They were just doing arts and crafts now, drawing pictures. Jenny was drawing a flower, while Artemis drew a picture of the teacher. She giggled at her big spider legs... but thought they must be fun to walk around in. She wanted to show the picture to Lilly-
But the chair was still absent.
The joy they would normally have from this diversion was muted with the events of the past few hours. Jenny in particular seemed more shaken then Artemis.
"You Okay?" Asked the moon child.
"Um. Yeah. I'll be okay," She said thinking wistfully.
"I knew boys were silly," Said Artemis in the end. She just didn't know how silly. "You shouldn't feel bad. I ain't gonna open the door for her to fly with us any more." If Lilly wanted to be like that to them... "How did you meet her anyway?"
"She... was in the park. I dunno.. nobody would go near her," She said remembering that day. "Then I stayed over at her place. We became friends. I thought..." she trailed away. What did she think?
"Maybe she doesn't want friends," said Artemis thinking about it. Didn't they say they would try to help her? Didn't they let her hang around them? It would have been fine if she hadn't tried to follow them then she wouldn't have freaked out! But now she knew...
What did Lilly want? The magic they had couldn't turn her back. She even said they were keeping her as she was? How in the world could she reach such a horrible conclusion? How dare she even think that of them. While Artemis was annoyed, Jenny just seemed more sad over it.
"You want to color my drawing?" Artemis offered the sad white haired girl. She hoped the picture of the teacher would make her smile. She wanted to cheer her up.
"I guess," she sighed looking at the picture, with barely a twitch on her lips.
Haru was surprised to see the slug girl Jon talk to her. The young girl wasn't sure what to say. She could also perceive a strange 'glow' around her... what did that mean?
"Hello Haru," smiled Jon a little awkwardly. "Brittany said I should talk to you."
"H-Hello Jon," she said back. "You got turned into a girl too?"
Oh that's right! Haru used to be 'Harry'. Though there was absolutely no resemblance to what he used to look like. not even a family resemblance. A curious change in ethnicity as well as gender and form. Her third eye was quite unusual, but somehow 'suited' her? "You helped Brittany rediscover her past. It's also helped me. " said the slug girl.
"I just told her the things I saw," Said Haru. "I don't know if I can do that every time. The things I see aren't always perfect."
"Well... why don't you tell me the kinds of things you have seen?"
Haru thought about it. "Well... when Hedgeton re-appeared... I saw 'one'."
"one?" Asked Jon blinking. "one what?"
"Just One... One everywhere. I- I don't know what it means," She admitted. "It was so terrifying I- well- never mind," She said. She couldn't admit she hid under the covers.
"Have you seen anything else?" Jon asked. "Maybe during the eclipse?"
Haru looked down a bit. "I just... saw a sad face in the moon. I- don't know if that meant anything either."
"What did the face look like?" Pressed Jon. She wasn't sure of any of these signs Haru was speaking of, but... any little thing could be important.
"I-It was too bright. I couldn't see it all clearly. I just saw someone was very... very... sad," she said.
Jon sighed. "Is there anything else you can tell me?" she asked hopefully.
Haru looked at Jon. "Well- no it's nothing." she said shaking her head.
"Go on," She said.
The oriental girl looked reluctant to speak but gave in. "I- sang something. But- I don't think it means anything. I put it on you tube... go ahead and watch it if you want. But it's not anything. I think." She said a little embarrassed to admit she sang anything.
Steven wasn't sure she was feeling well. She was sitting on her desk and was feeling a little... strange. Which was odd, given she had enough sunlight today. Yet there was still this really weird feeling. Maybe she needed to drink more water?
She continued to work anyway, trying to just...forget the strange feeling.
Suddenly, she felt- she was about to sneeze. But it was more then just a sneeze she could feel something strange within her body. Especially around her chest. She ran out of the classroom, into the empty halls. What in the world was happening to her now? She had to get outside!
She ran outside even as a strange tingling sensation was happening inside her head, just at the back of her nose. She couldn't hold it!
"A-Choo!" Steven sneezed. The action made her white blouse fall to its more natural lower position, before she could raise it back up high. Suddenly, she saw white fluffs of.. something filling the air around her. She wasn't sure where they had come from, but the act of sneezing scattered them far about her. The wind then picked them up.
Steven a little wobbly wiped her nose, feeling all the more worried. At least nobody saw her.. and it was out of her system. Was that.. did she just...
She very carefully tried not to act worried about it.
