Past and future paths
Saladin smirked it was rare to see Griffin speechless, "She's got a will, raging like the Dragon Fire. So, now that no one is constantly screaming and you finally listening Griffin, Professor Avalon?"
"She said the truth, it wasn't a police officer. And she truly believes that Officer William is a good man. There is no doubt in her mind. And I have to agree. Even if the report's contents are questionable at best. It has been… I don't even know how many years since one of those got filled out with a badge number from Cloud Tower. Did you even ever use those?" Professor Avalon reported his findings, 'She's really fired up about this. They both are…'
"In the start, yes, but it became clear quickly that we weren't welcome at all. A dislocated shoulder was nothing back then…Are you sure it wasn't…" Griffin couldn't believe it.
"Yes, very sure. I didn't get that one wrong," Avalon reassured her again.
"But… what happened then?" Griffin calmed down and instantly was totally confused. 'Why wouldn't she speak up in that case? Why hide the reason for her injuries?'
"What did you mean getting killed?" Palladium asked before anyone else could. "There was no report anywhere of someone dying in their custody recently, did that change?" Palladium was worried sick and looked out the window as Blade crossed over the courtyard to get to her dorm room, "I heard there are actually fewer reports of hurt Wi-S- …Cloud Tower students in police custody, Headmistress Griffin."
Saladin looked shortly to Griffin. "Aaah…Griffin, why didn't you say something sooner? Is it really as bad as in the start again?" Then he gazed at the concerned Professor, "You got it backwards, Professor Palladium. It's not the police that changed, the students stopped filing, didn't they?"
Griffin clicked her tongue, "No, it's not nearly as bad. I just needed to get through that thick skull of hers. And about the filing, there was no point back then and not now. They kept dismissing the reports, for foolish reasons. We take care of our own, we have our methods. How do you even know? That's not your business…"
"Oh, I have more than enough Witches… Sorceresses… What are we calling them now?" Saladin was a bit perplexed, "Well, we have enough of your students coming in every now and then. And some look rather on the grim side, especially since Desertia's hearing. And since the Council still is at it with the single cases… Not every Witch followed the law or was simply helping. Some did use the chaos for their gains. Even if that percentage is way smaller than those who helped... So, depending on the person some see them as heroes, while others just see culprits escaping justice. It is easier to blame a Sorceress in town who wasn't able to save everyone than accept that forces were simply overrun. People always search for someone to blame." Saladin stated what most of them knew but which was quickly forgotten. "Well, your students that get brought into our infirmary don't make it easier to change public opinion. At some point, they always vanish into thin air and are gone. So are our infirmary reports. They are strangely misplaced…I swear there is some sort of network in play…" He was definitely displeased about that fact.
"Favour for a favour, it always works," Griffin smirked satisfied, "Well, if evidence is gone, they are doing something right then." Griffin was pleased to hear the old man so baffled. "Not leaving a trail of evidence, unlike that Blade…"
"GRIFFIN! Blade is right you know. You can't expect things to change like that." Headmaster Saladin stomped his stuff on the ground again. "And you try explaining that to the Magic Council when they check how the finances were used…I am fine covering for the normal stuff, but it can't go on forever. I will not cover for you any longer, if…"
Griffin wasn't impressed, "No one is forcing you, if you don't want to help them, just send them to the Tower. We do have a healer, Ediltrude is quite good after all. And as if filing ever worked, since when do you believe in that fairy tale? There is no other option left than to solve it alone! And we did so for years just fine, at least that gives us results and isn't an utter waste of time," Headmistress Griffin held against it. 'You don't ask for help…' Blade's words echoed in her mind.
Headmaster Saladin shook his head, "And let your students eventually die, because you are understaffed and underfinanced? We are Knights, Gentlemen. We don't turn away people in need of help. We help them. One just NEEDS TO ASK." Headmaster Saladin was boiling inside. "Reports need to be filed, so one can grasp the extent of things! At least some newspapers would write about the worst cases or a blog on the magicWeb, you need the public eye to see both sides. Not to mention those numbers should be discussed in our annual meeting with the Council."
"Oh, come on, reports need to be proven. They always get dismissed. There is nothing to report about. No one cares! They didn't care when my students were DYING," Griffin sounded like she was at her wit's end even a bit overwhelmed. So quickly she went on the offensive to hide her distress. "You are all up and in arms now because Blade is your student too! So, don't start pretending to care now," Griffin hissed back at him. "And not a word out of you Fara! You do even less!"
"Because you won't let me help," The Fairy Headmistress crossed her arms. "And we already heard what you think of Blade's approach, which is similar to mine. That's why you never asked and I can't help you if you don't take my help."
"Please, go ahead! Have at it. Waste your time with reports. But tell me how do you prove that an arrest was just or unjust if you only have one student against at least two officers. And even if there is another witness it's all bewitchment or favours being paid up. They discredit anyone," Griffin crossed her arms, "You'll run up against a stone wall." Everyone sighed, that indeed was a tricky problem.
Griselda butted in, "But before you three try and fix the system, what about our rampage Fairy?"
"Indeed," Avalon commented.
"You two are an explosive pair. She's supposed to learn how to use her dark magic from you…not fighting, that's their job," Faragonda nodded towards the three gentlemen at the windows.
"With you, there's just no common ground to go beyond the magic teachings…" Griffin quoted Blade. Everyone looked confused, "What? That's what she said this morning. She did report to me first, after all, it was a Witch… mission."
"This wasn't your first go at each other?" Griselda was mind blown, this one had been bad enough. "How did she survive you? How did you even hold a conversation?"
"They obviously didn't. They screamed at each other. Backing down is missing in both your vocabularies," Faragonda hid a chuckle behind her hand, "Well, about the punishment…We're not throwing her out of the school. Alfea won't revoke Blade's magic. She needs to catch up. Some mistakes and surprises were to be expected on this mission. Since you two have to figure this out if you ever want to work together at all, which would be in both your favours... It's up to you Headmistress Griffin. It was your mission, she screwed up getting caught. Yet she didn't come back empty-handed. It's up to you how you will punish that. So, fix it and take whatever learnings from her feedback you can. Even if presented disastrously, she had some valid points. We all should take notes and discuss this more concretely another time when things have cooled off and all our teachers and Professors have the time," She looked her old friend in the eyes, making sure she got the message.
"With all due respect, you can't just ignore her circumventing the bracelet, Headmistress. She can't just…" Palladium wasn't happy at all. Griffin had made it more than clear that that was a tolerable thing for her.
"Unless we know what she did, we can't stop her. And quite frankly if there was a spell in use from another Sorceress there is not much we can do about it. One only needs to be competent enough. It's techno-magic and only a simple bracelet, not a high-security vault. And as Blade said unless she is doing something in the …grey zone… she has no reason to interfere with the functions," Avalon commented, still he wasn't so happy about it either.
"She won't be the only one I can tell you that, "Griffin laughed, "You are planning for the next phase, right? Giving one to other students as well. Blade was right, it is a leash and maybe this is news to you, but students screw up a lot more than we even want to know. That's why I run with the rule as long as I don't find out and they are SAFE, I don't care. If your students become too afraid to do anything because of some consequences in the aftermath…"
"Our students are not some Witches," Griselda disagreed. "They follow the law."
"Suuuure… and there never was a point during your schooling where you bent the rules just a little or I don't know, short circuit a whole City." Griffin knew that story all too well. "I can tell you now, my students won't use those. Not to mention that we won't get them in the first place."
Griselda adjusted her glasses offended as Faragonda leaned back in her chair after sitting down, "Well question is who started it this time? Your student's unwillingness to use them or the Council's missing willingness to fund Cloud Tower. Yet another vicious circle…" She gazed at Griffin. And then addressed Codatorta next, "Well, you got her vitals all good and clear, while she was on the mission, correct?"
"Yes, even the fake ones…" Codatorta laughed annoyed, "We have enough personnel ready in the Central Command Centre to give out more bracelets and monitor them all. This test was a success. I think you can take her bracelet of the Simulator Room and we'll give you a call straight away if something is fishy. We have more and better response teams anyways. Unless you are keen on staying up late more nights when she's on a mission?" He looked to Palladium. "Or well, all the other Fairies who get one."
"No," Professor Palladium was first to agree. He hadn't gotten his best sleep, since he had checked more than once Blade's vitals himself in the middle of the night. With more students that would take its toll in no time. And now just to find out, that Blade had tricked them all anyways. "Still, I'll have a serious talk with her about that circumventing. I see a total no go for Fairy missions. If she wants to hide something in our missions, it shouldn't be done. Period. And some… rules…for Wi-Sorcer…Wit- Seriously, what are we calling them now?"
Griffin rolled her eyes, "Do what you can't help doing…don't expect me to check if she went off gird or not. And Really? It's just maybe a handful of people calling Sorceresses Sorceresses…arrrgh," Now she had misspoken herself, "Call it whatever you want! I'll find her a punishment," Griffin was flustered and with another flair-up of magic nothing was left but clearing smoke and she was gone.
Saladin laughed so hard as he gave his goodbyes, "Tell me when the next Halucinga movie comes out. Last punishment mission from Cloud Tower had such refined results. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Let's go Codatorta." Yet the prior conversation weighted heavily on him.
"Ladies," Codatorta made a quick bow and then focused on Avalon, "See you around, good luck pounding some sense into Blade," He joked with a bit of malicious joy. Yet he stopped in the door, "You know, come to think of it. You also could tell her that you ignore whatever she does on those missions or well at least not punish her for it. Then she has no reason to circumvent. Question is do you really want to know what she's up to on her Tower missions?" He laughed out loud and closed the door behind him.
"So that's what happened huh," Amber scratched her chin, "Well, circumventing was not the smartest idea… Just know you can always tell us what happened if you ever want to." She too looked a bit worried. "I agree with you though, you did right to go to the police. If that Headmistress's way would work, stuff would be way better already."
"No need to tell me…" Blade moaned as they brought their dinner plates away. She had gotten quite an earful from Griselda already. And Headmistress Faragonda was super disappointed with her actions even if she didn't pry further.
They were about to leave for their dorms as Palladium stepped out behind some arcs from the promenade. He had waited for Blade. "Walk with me, Blade." He pointed towards the gates of Alfea with an inviting yet firm gesture.
Blade wasn't really in the mood for yet another reprimand the scorning eyes of her Professors had been enough today, "I still have homewor-"
"I'll sort it out, come," Professor Palladium turned to leave expecting her to follow.
Amber looked to Blade, "I'll see you later then…"
Blade nodded and traced his steps over the paved path.
They both left the school grounds and walked in silence to the lake, very slowly. The sun was nearly set by now and a slight breeze was blowing.
"How are you feeling?" Palladium opened up the conversation at last and broke the dreadful silence.
"Shoulder's just fine…" Blade mumbled half loud gazing at the waters.
Palladium sighed, "I asked how you are feeling not how your shoulder is doing." Slowly he ambled along the path around the lake.
"Peachy…" Blade answered sarcastically. 'Stupid questions… I did the right thing. Lilly is safe. I can't tell them or her father is screwed. Why won't they drop this already, aaahhh. It was a calculated risk. It worked. The police aren't evil. Griffins just…prejudice.'
The Professor shook his head worried, "Blade…"
"Oh, spit it out already," Blade stopped, "You didn't just drag me out all this way to ask me that. Just have at it, so I can go back." She was more than ready to let another shitstorm blow over her.
"Not in that tone, young Lady, we are not in Cloud Tower," Professor Palladium reprimanded her harshly. Then halted as well and turned to face her. Blade was so much on the defences and tense and so was he. "We just want you to be safe…" He reminded her compassionately.
"I know…" Blade felt truly guilty not being able, to tell the truth.
The Professor stared at her, 'Then why not tell us?... What is she getting into this time?' But Faragonda had clearly forbidden all teachers to pry into this Cloud Tower matter, as she put it. He sighed, "Have at it? Is that how you see us?" He crossed his arms, "We don't scold because we like it or just for the sake of scolding. We do it to prepare you for the way ahead and keep you safe. It is very tiring if our warnings fall on deaf ears."
"I am not deaf, I heard you the first twenty times…" Blade got a bit annoyed and turned to stare at the water again. It was too much to keep staring at her Professor all worried for nothing.
"Twenty times, huh?" Palladium chuckled once, "Well, let's hear it then, what am I going to say?" He challenged her. 'Stubborn as ever.'
"That I was stupid to circumvent the bracelet, I could have died, we uphold the law, provoking fights is foolish…you can't trust me, you won't accept this behaviour, bla bla bla, I'm a disappointment…" Blade rattled off.
'Bla, bla, bla? Did every teacher have a talk with her today?' Palladium raised an eyebrow, "You are not a disappointment, Blade. I am disappointed with you, yes, but there are fundamental differences," Palladium clarified. "And listening is not the same as understanding. So, no, I won't have at it. Because I need you to comprehend what Griffin was trying to tell you."
"Oh, I know what she is trying to tell me. Every 'Witch' is alone and to live in fear, because people hate them. And the only way to protect oneself is to scare everyone shitless first, so they won't try bullshit." Blade summarised aggressively, "While that may work, it also isolates. It's nonsense. Never ever will I agree-"
Professor Palladium laid a hand on her shoulder to stop her rampage, "Blade, calm down, I am not here to contest your beliefs. I said I need you to comprehend Griffin not to agree. Come, it's still a bit further." He gently guided her to move on.
"Bit further? Where are we going?" Blade didn't understand at all. "And I do get her. Griffin's just so full of hate, trapped. I do recognise a vicious cycle when there is one. There is no nee-"
"Blade, you're in one right now. You keep rambling the same things over and over and you are not listening," the elf confronted her with a calm but decisive tone.
Blade slowed down even more and looked at him, "I'm not in a vicious cycle."
"Oh, truly?" He grinned challengingly, "Say if Griffin was here, would you sit down and let her talk, explain? Or just start shouting the second she says the police are dangerous?"
Blade growled, "But, they aren't! They are not killers! I… I! …I – shit…" She noticed how easily he had triggered her. She lowered her voice, "I just don't want to listen to those lies…"
"See, we all have our blind spots. May I talk for a bit? I just want you to listen," The Professor waited for her to slightly nod. "Headmistress Griffin has done a lot for the Witches, or well Sorceresses. And yes, there is still lots to be done and things did stagnate. Yet, Blade, you can't blame her for everything." He paused, "She said the truth, there indeed were officers, which were dangerously biased. And probably some still are at times, when-"
"I get that," Blade yet interrupted, "It's not solely her fault. What one generation couldn't fix is up to the next to sort out, that's how life works. It's unfair, but reality. But she stands in the way of progress, her heart is just full of hate. Even way back then in Songwind, before the hearing and stuff, got worse with the police… She dismissed Alyssa without a second thought, laughed. I am so glad that Alyssa stuck to her view of what it means to be a Sorceress besides that attitude of Griffin. Because that mindset will bring the change Griffin at least once was trying to achieve. Griffin gave up, there are no two ways about this." Blade held stubbornly on to her opinion.
Palladium sighed deeply, 'At least we are not screaming at each other.' He looked to the stars, "She is still trying to achieve what you are aiming for as well, Blade. She is just using caution." Before Blade could interrupt yet again he talked on a bit louder, "AND YES, she is over-cautious and secretively. Maybe more than she should be in these times. But things were different way back when. Even way before the fall of Domino or Griffin and Faragonda were still young."
"What does that have to do with anything now?" Blade crossed her arms.
"Blade, a long time ago the Ancestral Witches were still on the loose wreaking havoc just to vanish again and reappear centuries later. The phoenix at many times as well. As much as records show, Cloud Tower was the first school of Witches, but it got broken apart as many Witches left at some point. After that new young Witches learned magic from the elders spreading Witch magic throughout the universe. One chose a master willing to teach and the path and moral compass one would adapt was closely bound to their teacher. Like you adapt a lot from us Professors at Alfea."
"So? What does that have to do with the police and Griffin? You are not making any sense," Blade protested.
Palladium simply continued, "Hate has always been there between the Noble houses and the Witches. It has grown over the millennia. The Tower was occupied by Witches at times but also had to be shut down several times by the Magic Council, depending on the political situations as well as magical threats and the fall of the Witches teaching in Cloud Tower. There even were wars…"
"You mean like real battles?" Blade was baffled, "But so close to Magix City?"
Palladium smiled, "Well, the Tower is a living organism. It can fly and camouflage. The school wasn't always on Magix. There is a very long history of distrust. Any other questions so far?" he asked patiently.
"I get all that, but those wars are long gone. If Griffin is holding on to that old history then she has more hate than I ever imagined," Blade sounded even a bit baffled.
"Well then, to Griffin, she fell to the darkness in her younger years. Following the teachings of Valtor. She wanted power. But in the end, the costs were too high and the methods too devastating. She freed herself from the black magic corruption with the help of Faragonda and they managed to banish the three Witches and Valtor with the Company of Light. She has learned the hard way what it means to sub come to black magic. She saw the need for a clear moral leadership for Witches and the need to unify again. A guideline to keep them safe from exploitation by magic users of the black arts. There is safety in numbers after all. After a very long and hard-fought court hearing, she got permission to reopen the Tower and made it again the most renowned place to study for Witches. Witches with a moral compass to guide them. Uphold their way of self-sufficiency as it is their custom, but also to keep them safe," Palladium halted and stepped closer to the lake, standing right at the edge of the water. He gave Blade a few minutes of silence to think everything over.
"Alright… it was hard, well more than that, I admit..." Blade sounded even a bit pissed about agreeing with him and therefore Griffin. "But that doesn't excuse being prejudiced and not being willing to work with the police and officials now. We are not in the days gone by. We live in the here and now," Blade spoke up. "Things are different now."
"Indeed, things improved since Griffin became Headmistress even if the progress stagnated after the Winx left for their kingdoms, they had worked with her for a time you know. They respected each other," Palladium smirked, Blade wanted to disagree with the statement, but couldn't truly. "But the thing is, there always comes a bad Witch along eventually, back then it was the Trix. Or generally said, a person who makes a mistake and acts selfishly. So, are times truly different, Blade?"
"…" She stared at him.
"The problem with the past is that people don't just forget. Generations of law enforcement have been devastated by Witches. And not just noble houses, magic users and the police. The common folk of kingdoms or towns with lacking defences as well. Prejudices don't just come from nothing, Blade. They are established over time by experience of smaller groups or people and those are passed on to their children and fester eventually with growing experiences." Palladium explained.
"Yes, true. But hate will only create more hate. That's why I and Nebula and the rest will not just stand by," Blade had that fire in her eyes again as she stepped towards the lake and through a stone in, to somehow get rid of that furious energy building up inside her. "We know there are good Sorceresses out there, fighting the good fight. So why focus on the few that are bad... Same goes for the police."
"One small stone can make a massive ripple," Palladium gazed at the stars. "But that goes both ways. No one can be completely objective. If you meet a hundred Witches and all are evil. You will think all are. Even if your next thousand could be all nice if treated with respect. No one is able to meet every Witch and get the real picture. You met a lot of good Sorceresses. So, you believe in them."
"Of course, I do. They like to tease a bit much, but they are my friends," Blade let another stone skip over the lake.
'Friends…times are changing. Or rather an open mind creates change,' Palladium looked at Blade somewhat proud, not that she would notice that with her back to him. "Griffin met a lot of bad officers, so she believes them to be dangerous. Both your opinions come from your experiences."
"So? I know and can accept that there are bad Sorceresses. But she can't even accept that I found one genuinely good police officer," Blade stopped throwing and held her newest stone in her hand. "She's so…urrgh…how can she expect to create change when EVERYONE is evil and to be feared."
Palladium laughed, "So you didn't listen, she didn't say they are all evil. She said it is too dangerous to just stroll into a station or to interact with them as a Witch. And therefore, you should stay away. And that way you stay safe. Well, a bit more hissy and rudely, granted, but that was her point," Palladium stepped next to Blade.
"But that whole concept is bullshit… It isolates. Avoidance won't change things. Confrontation does," Blade angrily threw the stone into the water.
"Confrontations can end in injuries," Palladium cautioned her.
"It wasn't the police!" Blade took a step away from him. "She's wrong."
Palladium gave her some space as he watched her collect more stones, "I understand that, but next time might be different Blade."
"The police don't just kill because they feel like it," Blade hissed.
"Not anymore," Palladium stated bluntly.
Blade dropped her stones startled, "What? Are you crazy…" Blade couldn't sense any trickery behind his words. "You're lying." Blade wouldn't accept that statement.
"Blade, you can think of Headmistress Griffin what you want. But at least believe me. I myself found a Sorceress student beaten half to death right at this spot. She had somehow escaped them," the Professor was dead serious.
"What? Did you see the police or did she just say that? What did she do to get them that riled up? Why would anyone beat someone half to death? That's nonsense…" A thousand questions raced through Blade's mind.
Now it was Palladium who answered in a more aggressive yet rather warning tone, "And that, right there is the problem. People don't believe Witches over the police. I found the poor girl right at the beginning of my second year at Alfea. It was right after the Trix had cursed all of Magix City and the Council was busy breaking that curse. Tensions were at an old time high and people lashed out. They ignored the fact that every other student from Cloud Tower had been fighting the Army of Darkness. That girl was beaten up, scared half to death and I have no reason to doubt her words in the slightest. I sensed the officers in the forest. Yet when I arrived they were quick to scatter, run and hide."
Blade stared at the Professor wide-eyed. He wasn't joking one bit. "But… Why? … That would have been in some newspapers… Professor Daphne would have covered it in history class for sure."
"It couldn't be proven. The police simply stated they saw me and had another emergency call getting in and turned around. There were no witnesses to prove the student's story on the other hand. So, the case got dismissed," Palladium was all tense himself. "We as Professors can't officially teach libel. All the Witches, not just Cloud Tower students, were avoiding Magix City for at least two months after I brought the girl back to Griffin. You don't do that if it was a falsehood."
Blade was lost for words. She was simply looking around but of course, there was no trace of anything.
"Since then it has only been just a bit more than twenty years. Hate and distrust is not a bygone of old ages. Who knows how many more attacks happened and no one has heard of them," Palladium had to think of the filing discussion earlier that day and it turned his stomach upside down, "Griffin wants you to be safe. I want you to be safe."
Blade was grounding her teeth, "Alright, I get it, it was dangerous… but… How… I mean…" She was conflicted, of course, it would be stupid to run into danger. And Dusk's protest made much more sense now.
"…" Palladium gave her a few minutes to sort her thoughts. She was pacing, her mind racing. Hundreds of emotions were written on her face. She had a hard time digesting that information. Staring at the ground, rampaging in her headspace.
Eventually, Blade stopped her pacing and refocused on her Professor and looked up again, "That is all the more reason to work towards change. Isolation and fear won't change that. William is a different kind of man. It is an opening," Blade defended her decision. "You can't expect me to squander that opportunity. Things have to change. Sorceresses are not evil, they do all what we Fairies can't do, while we fight big threats or hold meaningless tea parties! The universe needs them. And they should be respected and honoured for what they do. I won't hide. I know both worlds – at least a bit. How can I not try to bridge that gap and lay a foundation? I promised myself no double standards!"
'Figures, she would say something like that, besides the dangers…' Palladium breathed out, "And what did I say at the start of our conversation?"
"What?" Blade didn't understand what he was getting at.
Palladium sighed, "You truly should listen to your Professors more closely… I told you, I need you to comprehend Griffin not to agree with her. She doesn't blow your eardrums out for nothing…"
"…" Blade growled, "When why didn't she say so in the first place? Is it that hard to explain things? That Wi-woman is so… uurgggh…Or Faragonda for that matter…gesh, I could have been… ahhhhh…" Now Blade's mood swung back to anger.
"There were safety measures set up, Blade. Not to worry, Faragonda thinks ahead as does Griffin. I am pretty sure they wanted you to go and just be you. See and feel the differences. I mean would you have contacted William or walked back into that station if they had told you before?" Palladium smirked slightly.
'I would have to at some point, stupid ultimatum… but no way I tell him that…besides, I wasn't alone, I simply would have brought more security. I'm a dark Fairy and not a Sorceress, after all, I don't have to work alone.' Blade looked at him, "No, of course not..." And lied straight to his face.
Palladium tilted his head slightly as he squinted his eyes, "Well, it's getting late, let's head back." But he decided not to pry further and give her time to think everything through. They turned around and walked back in silence. He also slowed down even more so she would actually take the time and not go straight into distracting herself.
Professor Avalon was waiting for them at the gates it was close to ten o'clock yet still plenty of time, "There you are…" He was relieved.
"Of course, we are. I'm never late," Palladium seemed a bit offended. "Need something?"
"No, all good," Professor Avalon glanced at Blade shortly. 'What an aura mess… at least she's not so aggravated anymore.'
Blade was still deep in thought and walked past the two inside the school grounds, "Professor Palladium…can I ask…oh," She hadn't even noticed Avalon.
"Oh? Go ahead, can you give us a-" Palladium asked Avalon.
"No, no, that's just fine," Blade scratched the back of her head. "It's just about the mission…"
"Well then, shoot," Now Palladium was intrigued.
"How to put this… I… eh if… hmm…" Blade muttered unsure how to go about it.
Professor Avalon stood there patiently with his buddy, 'Maybe she's ready to finally give us those names…'
Blade checked the area but all students were in their dorm rooms already, "Well, if one unlocks Charmix can you lose it again?"
"What? Did something happen with your Charmix?" the Professor was totally surprised. 'Did Shadion do something?'
"No, no," Blade calmed the two down, "I was just wondering, one needs to overcome a fear… but if that moment was…ehh…"
Professor Palladium chuckled hard as did Avalon, "Oh Blade, no worries, Rise is fine even if she finds out it was you."
"Eh, how…what, I never said anything about Rise…" Blade got a bit red there.
"But the Council Guard report did describe your glamour to a tee and who was underneath," Professor Avalon smirked and gave a nod, "Good night, Blade." He couldn't stop chuckling though, "…lose your Charmix…ahh, good one."
