The Professor

by Kereminde
All characters are © their owners.

Taking a deep breath, Evalia stepped out of the shadows, feeling a slight tingle as she did. She
hated the feeling of wardings, especially by those competent enough to do them right. Keeping
her out was quite difficult, though not impossible, and breaching the wards meant the creators
could refine them to keep her out. If they wanted to try again, that is, but Mensura College was
almost certainly wanting that. Especially certain staff would very much appreciate her not
popping in unannounced.

Such as the white-furred feline who glanced up from grading papers, then did a double-take.
"Evalia?" The expression shifted from surprise, to recognition, and then to a faint annoyance. "I
didn't expect this."

"Good morning, Professor."

Her eyes glanced over Evalia's burgundy dress, taking a bit longer to respond than was
necessary. "You don't have to call me that, you know."

Evalia moved a chair in front of the desk, sitting down demurely as she spoke. "You earned it,
and honestly I prefer to show respect to people I do respect." Her eyes dropped to the desk
surface. "What work have I interrupted?"

"Grading essays. I can afford to have it be interrupted, considering how many of them clearly
have decided to submit copies from previous years." The white-furred feline leaned back in her
chair, letting out a breath.

"You could teach them a lesson?"

Arilin's ears flattened back briefly, chagrin on her face. "You know I won't do that anymore."
There was a short silence as Evalia's muzzle grinned across the space between the two. "That I
don't do it anymore." The grin widened into a full smile, and the feline rolled her eyes with a
sigh. "The past is the past."

Evalia twirled her fingers in a vague motion. "That it is, but we never really are free of it. It
doesn't define us, but it is nevertheless the place we start from. The foundation which makes us
what we choose to be, even if it's a case where a person changes their whole self to get away
from it."
 "Mm." Arilin rubbed a finger across her muzzle, then her ears snapped up at a thought. Evalia
swore she could see the trail of thought happening, and reaching the conclusion in a moment.
"You're not involved in the... incidents taking place recently?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"You're here. In my office. Unannounced." The feline's voice took on a sharper edge at that,
and she slowly leaned forward with all the grace afforded her. The shadowvixen was reminded
this was a predator, and someone who had... experiences in her past. "Don't think I've forgotten
your style of entertainment."

Evalia blinked her eyes, the vivid blue sparkling as she tried on her most innocent expression.
"Oh, dear, would it help to assure you-"

"No."

"I did not make those events happen."

Arilin's ear twitched, and Evalia could feel the tail twitch as well. "Don't think I am not noticing
the specific wording there."

Evalia spread her arms out, stretching her back after. "You are a professor, I'd expect nothing
less."

"I'm sorry, what's with the dress?" The red marker Arilin was holding made a motion to indicate
the low-cut burgundy dress Evalia had on. "This seems outside your usual attire."

"Would you believe me if I said it was for work?"

"No."

"Your loss."

"So you would swear you had nothing to do with the reason there were groundskeepers at
work fixing paw-shaped depressions on the grounds? Or the strange weather which has been
happening lately?" Arilin's eyes narrowed. "I am told there was a 'freak tornado' which took out a
cafe-"

"That seems like exactly the kind of excuse people who don't believe in giants would invent for
someone destroying it in a fit of anger?" Evalia slid her voice in smoothly, putting the innocent
look back on. "Perhaps after one too many mistakes with the order, or the management
deciding to hit on a pretty vixen instead of taking their complaints seriously?"
 "Mm." The feline's muzzle quirked into a grin as though she solved her question. "That is a
rather descriptive idea."

"Arilin, my dear, you know that's not really my style. Not anymore, I should say. I prefer a more
personal touch to my vengeance. And disposal of the evidence." The shadowvixen swallowed,
then grinned at how Arilin's expression froze. "No. That was not me. I'll swear it on my firstborn."

"You have children?"

"There are many things about me you don't know," Evalia tapped a finger on the side of her
muzzle. 'Least of all exactly what said child would do if shi knew I was invoking hir.'

The feline rubbed fingers over her eyes, and then spoke slower. "Why are you here? Today,
specifically."

"I wanted to see how you were getting on, and happened to be in the neighborhood." As
Arilin's expression reached the one which spoke of strained patience, the black vixen lifted her
hands palm-out. "There have been a number of ripples lately, other worlds brushing up against
each other. Surely you understand how this can get my attention, and so I investigated in my
own fashion. Imagine my surprise to find I didn't have to actually do anything to fix it!"

"That would explain why a couple other professors have seemed on edge. Especially-" She
caught herself, and sighed.

"Oh? Someone in particular?"

Arilin's voice turned tired as she waved her hand at Evalia. "He'll likely be on his way to the
office to investigate the wards being broken. And I'll have to make up something about not
knowing why or how."

"Oh it wouldn't be a lie, you don't know why. Or how." Evalia stood up, and nodded. "But I was
serious, I just wanted to poke my head in and see you were doing well. I had faith it was all
working out, after all you're you." She bowed her head briefly. "I'll be in touch, dear. Maybe even
see about putting in an application to be a student."

The shadowvixen savored the brief look of realization on Arilin's face before letting shadows
take her away. Just in time, as she sensed a presence of magic approaching with intent. 'I'll
make it up to Arilin later,' she promised herself, 'Maybe I'll share a couple drink recipes.
Something simple and relaxing.'