So we meet again.
I finally found some drive to get this chapter out and I'm almost done with the next. I was hoping to give you guys two new chapters tonight to make up for my lack of activity but I didn't quite make it. But to be honest I'm not really all that upset over it. Now I've got a bit more time to finish it and go over it properly instead of rushing it.

This chapter is proudly brought to you by Sprocket, who is full of sunshine, rainbows and teenage angst.

I admit, when I had heard the news I had been snooping around the administration offices. Why? Because I like to know things, a bad habit of mine that my friends do not and will never know about. The Principal had been speaking rather softly to his deputy, Peter Phelp. As a rather portly mabu, Phelp often found himself the butt of many food jokes and as a result tended to stay confined to his office where the insults of the 'kiddies' couldn't be heard.

The pair were discussing three new teachers being sent to the academy. One was to replace a retiring teacher while the other two were to boost the number of staff so that the students could be better supervised.

I wanted to snicker at that. As if two extra teachers were going to make much difference. The boys would be just as loud and rowdy as ever while the girls would be just as sneaky and bitchy as always. There is a lot of secret warfare going on between students here that the teachers know nothing about. It is somewhat amusing from a bystander's point of view, but admittedly it could become quite scary. The pressures of competition I suppose.

I could see the manila stack of files on Phelp's desk but with he and Mr Bartly standing just on the other side of the desk, there was no way in this life that I could swipe them so I had to content myself with simply listening for now.

The old history teacher, Mr Watson, a slow and lingering turtle like creature had retired secretly last term after a particularly horrible class had pushed him to his limits. There were rumors that he had suffered a heart attack or a nervous breakdown as substitutes had taken over for him for the final week, but here was the truth of it. He had simply given up and retired.
I wouldn't really miss him though. His classes were nothing but boring. Half the students fell asleep before he had even finished writing on the chalkboard. I would miss the naps but it would be nice to actually learn something for a change.

From what I could hear as their voices became softer, he was to be replaced by an elven woman, a Miss Eve Pentacast. She apparently specialized in languages and the ancient histories, and would become the Magic mentor for us in our senior year.
They didn't say much more about her after that, only a warning from Bartly to Phelp to be cautious around her.

I couldn't help but want to laugh at the thought of Bartly being scared of anyone. Meeting her was something I was certainly look forward to.

The second teacher they discussed was a biology teacher. He specialized in all things related to the Life element and doubled as a guidance counselor. His name was Sage Evergreen, another elf. He would become the Life mentor for our senior year and from the tone of Bartly's voice, he must have been already rather fond of him.

The third, yet another elf, would be taking some of the pressure off Cali. They would be collaborating on lesson plans but be holding two separate classes. Cali would be concentrating on fitness while the new teacher, Sebastian Rapier, would be conducting the battle training side of things.
Bartly went on to describe him as a joker but very capable and respectable. He also went on to state that Rapier was in a long term relationship with Evergreen and that if Phelp had any objections he had best swallow them now because intolerance would not be acceptable.

I could hear from the huffing that Phelp had wanted to object. He was a rather traditional type, as I had imagined Bartly to be. I was more than happy to be proven wrong on that and my respect for the Principal grew. The old fox had always commanded respect but now I knew why.

Eventually I had to accept that I would not be getting my hands on the staff files any time soon so I slowly made my way out of the danger zone and decided just to go to lunch. Perhaps I would tell Chill of this elf invasion. Her people had always been the natural rivals of elves so it was kind of an inside joke that she and Stealth were such good friends.

I was disappointed to have heard nothing on Stealth. The whole reason I had gone to the office was to find out when she would be returning but the conversation on new teachers had distracted me.

As I drew closer to the usual spot I could see Flameslinger already sitting there. Now, I know that I often acted rather awfully towards him and that it confused my friends but I have my reasons. Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy but he needs to back off. If he's got eyes for Stealth (which we all know he does) then he needs to back off on the flirting with Chill. The way she giggles at his jokes makes my blood boil. Why can't she giggle like that when I try to be funny? She only ever gives me a forced laugh out of pity or rolls her eyes and a huff. It's not fair. He lost his chance with her. I would not be standing by if he planned to hurt two of my best friends.

But hell, maybe my mind is running away with me again, a problem my mother often suffers from. I often make things out to be far more dramatic than they really are.

I sit in my usual place with a ham and salad sandwich because honestly that was all I felt like. Flameslinger had the pasta and was absentmindedly twisting his fork around in it. Usually that alone would not have bothered me but the scraping sound it was making as the metal danced across the ceramic bowl was just so irritating.

"WOULD YOU QUIT IT?" Yeah, I snapped. I really didn't mean to though.

"Sorry Sprocket." He wasn't even willing to fight me this time. I guess he felt it too, the sorrow and uncertainty that had settled over the group within the past few days. All of us were thinking it but no one would give voice to it.

What if Stealth did not return? Then what would become of us? The group was held together a certain way and no one was sure what would happen if one of the links was suddenly removed. It was a daunting thought

No more conversation passed between the two us as we waited in silence for the arrival of the others. My mind was fogged with thoughts of ending up alone so I didn't really notice Chill sitting herself down beside me.
Hex and Rider showed up not long after her. The addition of the other three lightened the mood between the fire elf and I. I even caught myself smiling secretly at one of his terrible jokes despite my annoyance at him. I was pretty damn excited and nervous to tell everyone the news I had found out. Change was coming and there was no way to stop it. Perhaps it was time to simply enjoy the way things where while we could.

Welp, cat's out of the bag now Sprocket.
I'll see you all in the next chapter!