Everything is set up quickly over the weekend, with Allex’s bunker being free to move into immediately and Sarrah’s parents calling in favours or just people they know dislike J. None of the testing shows anything, other than of course the discreteness phenomenon occurring again every time Allia tries take out the orb. Though they do note that the variations on the configuration have drastically reduced after the time in the lab.

  The bat mostly leaves me alone, since there’s little point in arguing about school while it’s closed. When it does open again, on Tuesday rather than Monday as originally planned due to the delay caused by the baited breath, I simply mention not wanting to go back after the violence, which leaves her little to say. It’s a temporary excuse, but a welcomed one.

  Emil picks the girls up from the bunker (which is much larger and nicer the Sarrah’s parrents’ one, and even nicer than Allia’s bungalow), teleporting them directly to the school from the antechamber to avoid ambushes. It’s a bit paranoid, but Emil clearly does it more for enjoyment than out of actual security concern. He takes the affectation of a chivalrous knight from 500 years ago as he flamboyantly takes their arms and ports them several miles in one jump. He looks a bit pale from taking others so far, but he forces a smile and bows gracefully.

  A few people note them appearing, but go about on their business. The energy is different than usual, with some of the students excited to be back and hopeful that everything is behind them, while others are clearly nervous. Not quite capable of putting behind the memory of the night’s sky lighting up against the colossal foe and the knowledge that it was centred there.

  For the teachers’ parts, they try to pretend everything is normal, but even they can’t quiet manage a convincing performance. Still, they do their jobs, and the lessons continue.

  Allia and Sarrah also go to the school’s provided therapy. Though it’s somewhat stymied due to their disagreement with J. Without her help, they can’t know if the therapist is safe to discuss their role in the night’s events, and if she does help then they’d fear that the therapists is a spy. Still, they seem to get some benefit from it.

  The pattern of bunker and school continues until Thursday when J shows up outside one of Allia’s classes.

  “We need to talk,” She says succinctly.

  Allia regards her, then nods. “Alright. But not on my own.”

  J sighs. “Can you not decide the merits of what I say without Sarrah?”

  This annoys Allia, who aggressively steps forward with her hands on her hips, looks slightly down over the Professor. “I make my decisions, but I value her advice. She’s already part of this, and I’m not going to abandon now. I respect you J??k?skürden, and even trust you a bit. But don’t try to divide us again or you’ll find that rapidly evaporated. Understood?”

  J squints her eye, then nods. “Very well, if that is how you feel then I will not object.”

  “Good, because I wasn’t just talking about bringing Sarrah. I’m also going to invite her parents, Alex and Emil.”

  She raises the eyebrow covered by the patch, which creates a somewhat strange effect. “I did fear that you’d bring the Bancrofts into this, but I suppose it’s to be expected. Alex is also reasonable since he is already aware of things. But by Emil do you mean Emil Farechilde? The noble?”

  “That would be the one, yes.”

  “And why is he joining our meeting?”

  “Well, because he’s been helping us.” Allia states flatly. “I assumed you knew.”

  J sighs. “I haven’t been spying on you Allia… well, other than tracking your general location. Though I admit I did deduce that you had gotten aid from a noble given your frequent presumed teleportations to that bunker out of town. Though I assumed it would be Allex, or if someone else that you wouldn’t have revealed the details of your need to them.”

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  “Why wouldn’t I? He’s my friend and I needed his help. It’d be wrong to use him without letting him know what’s going on. Besides, I needed him to know everything to gather the right people.”

  “I suppose by that you’ve been seeking a second opinion? I don’t suppose they figured something new out in a week when we failed to find anything in a year?”

  Allia shakes no. “But you might want to take a look a their notes all the same.”

  “You’d let me?”

  Allia shrugs. “Sure, why not. We’d like you to share your notes too, but I suppose that’s not necessary. Really, I’d rather you all work together. I mean, I don’t suppose you’ve found the spy yet, so that means you need replacement researchers.”

  “…That is correct.”

  “Good, anyways. Unless it’s urgent, I suggest having the meeting tomorrow after school. It’ll give us time to gather everyone and the notes. Agreed?”

  J pauses, then nods. “It’s not strictly urgent, but we will need to act sooner than later. A day’s delay should be fine if you deem it necessary.”

  “Great, see then!” Allia says, wave as she goes with a annoyingly cheery smile.

  “I don’t like it.” Sarrah says a few hours later when Allia conveys the message.

  “What’s not to like. We knew we needed to resolve this. This way your parents and everyone who’s been having problems with her can talk it out.”

  “And you’re sure you’re not just going to hand the orb back over for her to mismanage again?”

  “Sarrah, don’t be so cross. Even if I do hand the orb back over, I’m certain it will be after the two teams have merged. Which means that your parent’s faction in the league will gain access to any research she does and have a say in its keeping. Besides, I’m not convinced she’s quite as shady as the image you’ve been building up in you mind over the past week. She was our teacher, remember? A good one too. I really got the sense that she cared about her students. I would prefer to think we can trust her.”

  Sarrah scoffs. “If she cared about the students she wouldn’t have had her lab hidden under the school.”

  “But how was she to know demons would want the orb, much less learn about it? She doesn’t even know what it does.”

  “She knows that it could be used as a weapon. That it’s dangerous enough to warrant building those blast tunnels, yet she doesn’t even know if they’d be enough.”

  Allia shrugs. “You have a point there. But then again, there’s hundreds of feet of magically reinforced granite between the lab and the school. If that’s not save, then there might not be a place safe enough on the chain. At least this way she could get equipment in place to monitor for and maybe prevent such an event.”

  Sarrah exhales aggressively and closes her eyes in frustration. “Just let me be mad at her Allia.”

  “No. You’re not mad at her. You’ve mad at the bizarre set of circumstances that resulted with the orb inside of me. You’re mad at the ancients for making it and the universe for making my powers work in a compatible way with it. But neither of those things have a face you can yell at so you’re mad the next closest thing to a perpetrator. I’m not saying she’s faultless, but that’s why I’m having your parents come as their faction’s representative. So that she’ll have to justify herself to people who are predisposed against her. But it doesn’t help me to have you on their side. I need you on my side in the middle, figuring out what’s fair. You’ve had a week to feel frustrated with her, now it’s time to figure out what to do next.”

  Sarrah stares grumpily at her friend and bites her lips. “You know, it’s always annoying when you’re being ‘oh so reasonable’, but don’t think I’ve forgotten that you’re hoping she’ll be sending you on an adventure.”

  Allia smirks guiltily. “Well, I mean, that doesn’t make anything I said wrong, does it?”

  “…No. Fine. I’ll keep an open mind. Just you do too, okay? No instantly giving everything she wants.”

  “Of course not. That’s why I’m bringing you after all. Keep me reasonable.”

  “Yeah,” Sarrah says, then pulls Allia in for a hug, pressing her forehead against her friend’s as if she were an affectionate cat, speaking seriously yet tenderly. “We will get this stupid thing out of you. You got that. I won’t let it ruin the rest of your life.”

  “…Yeah, I know…and I’m sorry.”

  Sarrah steps back, stunned and looking almost hurt. Or rather hurt by proxy. “For what.”

  Allia’s lips quiver and then looks away. “Nothing… nevermind. I misspoke an emotion. I guess I’m just overwhelmed by how much you’ve been helping me. What I mean was thankyou.” She looks back at her friend with a warm, yet pained smile.

  Sarrah still looks stunned, but pushes past it, stammering a little as she speaks. “Y-yeah. Of course. You’re my best friend. I’d do anything to keep you safe.”

  Allia’s smile loses the pain while keeping the warmth. “Yeah, I know. Same for you. I don’t know what I do without you.”

  Sarrah rolls her eyes, smirking darkly. “Oh, I have a few idea. Nothing good of course.”

  “What! Come on, don’t be mean. Tell me.” Allia pouts.

  “And lose my… what do you call it? Market advantage? I don’t think so.”

  “I’ll show you market advantage,” Allia says, leaping to tickle her friend.

  However, Sarrah is wise to her friend’s moods, and agilely dodges out of the way. A pursuit ensues, ending the moment Sarrah calls for a stop. The two lean over, panting from the exercise, but smiling, all trace of worry forgotten.