“At least one individual does have distinguishing characteristics, although this individual’s case is something of a special one. They were not born as they are now, merely altered into being at least part creature. The nuns we were… host to in recent memory failed in their only job and such an event came around. Any information beyond that is, I’m afraid, personal to the individual.”
Another pause. It was only tangentially the truth, but it was the truth that would best serve in the future. Besides, Martina wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to sling mud at the Elysium Order.
Eva didn’t look happy about it. She sat at a distance, but her grinding teeth were easily visible to her enhanced senses.
Tough for her. It would be better in the long run for her as well, even if that was only an untended side effect.
“This individual’s aforementioned distinguishing characteristics were unfortunately revealed in a public setting just last night. They were the indirect cause of all the concern that reached my desk. Rest assured that this individual is the same person who has attended Brakket Academy for the entire past year. Because you learned a new fact about them does not change who you’ve known for over a year now.
“Relevant staff have known since the incident occurred last November. Nothing has changed due to the events of the previous night.”
Martina stopped and waited. The students started speaking to one another louder than they had before. It took a scant few moments for them to return to their former, quiet state.
“I will once again reiterate that Brakket does not discriminate against any nonhuman heritage, acquired from guardians or otherwise. I, and the rest of the staff, expect all of our students to follow that policy.
“Any questions and concerns by students or their guardians regarding Brakket’s anti-discrimination policies should be forwarded to my secretary’s desk.”
Turning her voice to a more light-hearted tone, Martina said, “It is your first week back at Brakket–your first week period, for some of you. I’d just like to say, welcome. I hope you all had an energizing summer to prepare for this year’s schooling.
“There was going to be an announcement assembly sometime next week, however I think we can all appreciate condensing long, boring speeches down while I’ve got you here. I’ll skip over all the boring part so we can get on with our lives.”
Martina waited for the students’ forced chuckles to die down.
“The biggest announcement is the addition of Rex Zagan to the teaching staff. Many of you had his combative magic class yesterday while the rest of you will have him today. I encourage everyone to pay attention. He has had more experience fighting than any singular person I can think of.”
Light and scattered applause started amongst the students and staff as Zagan stood to give a suave bow. Probably from the students who hadn’t had his class yet.
“Aside from that, there are a number of policy changes regarding security practices at Brakket Academy. This is due, of course, to the frankly disgusting events that occurred last year.
“First and foremost, there is a curfew in effect. All students fourth year and below must be in their dorms by sundown.”
That caused an uproar. Students started arguing and shouting. For the life of her, Martina couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t like many of the city’s buildings stayed open long after dark–especially in the winter when students avoided going outside at all–and there wasn’t much else to do in Brakket city.
Students complaining for the sake of complaining or some perceived restraint on their ‘freedoms’ was the likely cause.
Martina held up her hands in an attempt to quiet the rowdy students. “You do not need to be in your assigned room, merely within the building. There are plenty of recreational and academic activities to pursue without leaving. If you have suggestions or complaints, please drop off a note with Catherine, my secretary. If you wish to speak in person, make an appointment with her. We’re willing to meet halfway on this, but for now the curfew stands.”
“Moving on,” Martina said before any additional interruptions could delay her speech. “Our school’s illustrious benefactor has seen fit to give me the ability to hire a number of full-time security personnel. While I hope nothing the likes of the previous year occurs again, I felt it prudent to go above and beyond for the safety of our students. I am still going through applications, but we should have a preliminary set of guards for the school by early October.
“Provided we have a sufficient security force, the aforementioned curfew will be relaxed for select locations on special events, such as Halloween.
“There are a handful of other, minor notices that I’ll spare you the details of. A notice will be posted on all information bulletin boards around Brakket campus by the end of the week containing a full list.
“With that said, welcome back to Brakket Magical Academy.”
The bell rang just as Martina stepped away from the podium. Perfect, she thought. It was a close one, but everything seemed to have gone well. Especially with the important part of her speech. She wasn’t worried much about the curfew issue; the students would forget or simply not care soon enough.
Her eyes caught the glowering gaze of Zoe Baxter as she turned from the stage. Unlike the other professors who all hurried off to their classes before the students could get there, Zoe got to her feet and marched straight up to Martina.
For a moment, Martina braced herself for a punch.
The punch never came.
“Could I speak with you for a moment? Privately.” Zoe’s jaw stayed clamped shut as she spoke and her lips pursed together even as the words somehow came out of the stern teacher’s mouth. It was a wonder Martina understood the woman at all.
Yet, understand she did. Martina sighed and said, “don’t you have a class to teach right now?”
“It is my seniors,” Zoe said. “They know how I run the class already and there are instructions on the board just in case I needed to speak with you, which I do.”
“Very well. My office then?”
Zoe reached out and gripped Martina’s arm. Before the dean could react, she flicked the dagger that somehow got into her hand.
The stage fell away to reveal white nothingness accompanied by a cooling of the air. It only lasted an instant before Martina’s office built itself up around the two.
Martina smacked the theory professor’s hand away from her arm. “I’ll thank you to never teleport me again. I am perfectly capable of moving under my own power.”
“What were you thinking?” Zoe asked as Martina made her way around her desk.
The dean unbuttoned the last few buttons of her shirt and draped it over the back of her chair before taking a seat.
Zoe continued, seemingly oblivious to Martina’s movements. “You essentially told everyone that Eva is a demon.”
Martina rested her elbows on her desk and steepled her fingers together. “I believe I used the words ‘individual’ and ‘creature’ but I–”
“Don’t give me that,” Zoe spat. “Not a single student doesn’t know who you were referring to. Even if none of the students can recognize a demon, someone will figure it out. Eva already mentioned concerns about that exact issue to me. I downplayed my own fear for her sake.
“But someone will figure it out and then it will spread to everyone else and then what? Even if all the demons that I have met are not mass murdering psychopaths, that doesn’t mean everyone else will feel the same. Especially not parents. The word ‘demon’ carries some of the worst connotations for a magical creature in the entire English language. There is no possible–”
Martina held up a hand. She had other work to get done and letting the enraged professor continue wasn’t making any paperwork go away. Besides, she was doing the poor woman a favor. Zoe was turning a tad blue in the face from the lack of air she was getting through her diatribe.