Reunion

[vincent]

It feels like it's been forever since I've met the headmistress, not that I really ever ended up in her office now that I think about it. Vincent thought as he made his way through the halls of the academy to meet the woman who was pretty much his boss while he worked here. He had actually never gotten into enough trouble as a student to be sent to her office and he couldn't even clearly recall his graduation well enough to know if they even exchanged words at the ceremony.

Still, she would be the person he was to report to, so he thought it would be best to sit down and have a talk with her. It had taken a few days to get a time where they both had an opening in their schedules and were able to meet. He had been getting moved in and setting up his classes, and she certainly was a busy woman, not that he found her tasks to be any of his business.

Though he didn't get dressed up too nice to meet her, feeling that it would be something of a false presentation to make himself look fancy. He had donned slacks, a basic button down shirt and work it untucked underneath an unbuttoned suit jacket. His hair was in it's usual elegant mess. He figured it would be best to just be himself. He reached her door and gave a gentle rap with his knuckles.
"I hope I'm not too early." He said, waiting for the invitation to enter the room.

[The Headmistress]

It was a day like any other. Busy. Headmistress Palmer rifled through her filing cabinet in search for a student’s manila folder. “Tabert, Talant, Tevlin, Thatch, Thedford, Tholden, Thomas. Ah! Here we are.” Grinning, the aged woman plucked the file from the cabinet and headed to her desk while flipping it open, searching for the page she needed. “Hmmm, Mr. Thomas, you have not been behaving yourself, have you?” she asked the air seating herself gingerly in her high back chair. “We’ll see about that.” Clucking in disapproval, Lillian Palmer scribbled down detention notes on another paper. The carbon copy went into the folder, the original to the teacher who alerted the Headmistress of Mr. Thomas’ knack for not showing up in class.

It if it was one thing Lillian Palmer hated the most; it was a student’s laziness. She firmly believed that each student should live up to their potential and was willing to gently push them in the right direction if they so needed. Due to this, Mr. Thomas earned himself a wonderful detention of an original idea. Mr. Thomas would be aiding Lillian herself with class room observation. He didn’t like being in his own class, but maybe he would appreciate being in other classes more. While on their rounds, he would also be made to carry her awfully heavy notebook and jot down notes she needed him to take. All in the name of keeping the school running smoothly, as well. Of course Lillian would make sure to schedule the most boring of classes to observe. IF things went according to her plans, Mr. Thomas would decide his original class was interesting enough to attend least he have to do class room observations again.

Lillian chuckled at the idea. It was a reverse psychology of sorts. She would simply help him see just how interesting his class was. She was flabbergasted that the boy didn’t want to attend his British Literature classes. She herself found that class to be quite stimulating. Then again… she was actually British.

A knock resounded in her office followed by the voice of the knocker. Professor Palmer smiled and replied with a hearty, “Come in,” before scribbling the last few notes and stashing the folder away. “I have a motto, professor. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is inexcusable. So, by my standards, you are just on time. How are you, Professor Monroe?” The filing cabinet snapped close as Lillian Palmer turned to gaze at her once upon a time student with a pleased smile. “Ahh, it has been quite some time since I last saw you. Ten years perhaps?" there was a small pause, "A gravity manipulator, am I correct?” Aside from names, Lillian also learned abilities. She knew her students well, past, present, and future.

It always pleased her to see her students after they had graduated. Most tended to stay with Silas by teaching a subject and expanding the capability for teaching students new things. Professor Monroe was greatly welcomed for bringing new classes to Silas. Martial Arts was not an old class here. The idea, truthfully, had never occurred to Lillian. After it was suggested, the woman kicked herself for not seeing the many uses for said class before. It would do her students well to know how to defend themselves on the outside world where others may not view them as they should be.

[vincent]

"A good motto, depending on where one is. After all, in some places it can be considered very rude to arrive early." He replied as he walked in, closing the door behind him. The headmistress looked more or less just as he remembered her from the few times he had actually seen her. He always thought that she seemed right for the job, someone who projected the air of a person who could be very kind and welcoming, while making it clear that she wasn't someone to be trifled with. He always respected that even as a student.
"Though I am quite well, thank you, and I hope the same holds true for you." He added as he stopped next to a chair, clearly waiting to be invited to have a seat instead of simply taking one.

He gave a smile and nodded at the next bit.
"Closer to about nine, but what's a single year in that stretch?" He replied and gave a nod at the recollection of his gift. Not that it was difficult to recall, but he did like the fact that she remembered, something he planned to do as well, learn and remember everything the students he taught were capable of, not too difficult considering his main position here at the Academy now.

"It's wonderful to be back. I can't think of a better way to repay this place than to return and pass what I've learned onto the new students. I must than you for having me return. I frankly had no idea what I was going to do with my life until the position was offered." He said. He had spent a lot of time traveling he world, learning about it and the people who lived on it, and while nothing he did during that time was selfish or greedy, he hadn't done anything worthwhile and had seen this as the chance to make his life worth living.

[The Headmistress]

Professor Monroe replied and commented on her motto causing the older woman to chuckle, “In some cases, that is true. However, for Silas, it would never be considered rude. If anything it would show a readiness to learn or teach, and I rather like the idea of that. Please, have a seat.” The Headmistress gestured to one of two available chairs for guests to sit in. Following her suggestion, the woman sat in her own high back chair scooting it forward to be closer to the desk. Her grey eyes looked the young professor over with a pleasant gaze. “Ah, I am alive. And well. Life throws me curves every so often, but I do my best to keep pace.” A smile befell her lips as her eyes twinkled merrily. She was in a good mood today despite the word that needed to be done and the duties to be fulfilled. Perhaps it had something to do with Professor Monroe coming in for a visit and a chat.

A light laugh sounded at Vincent’s one year remark. “At my age, a year means a lot.” Lillian had a good chuckle on her behalf before settling down. The twinkle in her eye remained. He would be an excellent professor here at Silas, Lillian could see that even now. As a student, he had been studious and diligent. Almost considered a ‘perfect student’ if such a thing existed. True Lillian did not personally talk with each of her students on multiple accounts, but that did not mean she had little knowledge of who came through Silas. Those who had amazing scores and those who were the worst were always the first to be remembered. Sad, but true.

“Ah, Professor, I must thank you for coming back to teach here. It is a great honor to add your knowledge to the growing pile of Silas faculty. I’m sure the students will be glad to take your classes as well. Speaking of students how does the teaching go? I trust everyone is on their best behavior, yes?” Pausing for a moment, Lillian pondered the words the man had just spoken. It was a reoccurring theme for the gifted to not know where to go once they completed their time here at Silas Academy. The thought of this had her scowling slightly wondering what could be done to ease them into human society. Was there even a way? Yes. To let the world know they truly existed, something that was not a popular idea. Sighing, Lillian smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress before turning her attention back onto Vincent. “Would you care for some tea or coffee? There are some fresh scones, as well.”

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[vincent]

Vincent gave a small smile as he slid into the chair with a single smooth motion.
"Just the outlook I would expect a member of our faculty to have. It's good to know that certain things remain the same." He said as he got comfortable in the seat. He was almost sorry he never got around to being sent here to the office. It was nice and Lillian seemed to be the kind of person he would enjoy working for.
"Well I guess life always tosses us those unexpected twists, part of what makes it fun though." He replied.

He smiled at her thanks for him returning and chuckled at her question about the students.
"Actually it's been quite fun so far. The students have been quite respectful. They did display the expected 'Oh it's a new teacher' reaction, though they have been attentive and pleasant for the time being. It's actually the two elective courses that are a little more work to try and manage due to the varying skill levels present, but in time that will likely smooth out." He said, thinking back to the first batch of classes he had already gone through.

"Tea would be splendid thank you." He replied, having always tried to stay away from stimulants aside from having them as an occasional treat.
"And a scone would be nice as well as you are offering." He added before giving a slightly more inquisitive look.
"So before we talk any further I would like to be direct with a question. I tend to try and be rather informal when speaking with my colleagues. Just for a relaxed feeling rather than disrespect, would it be fine if we were simply on a first name basis while I am here? In this kind of setting I find it helps quite a bit."

Vincent would of course have no problem either way, but he wanted to get the matter out of the way before they spoke further. After all, this was why he had requested the meeting, simply to get to know who he was working with. This was a close-knit setting at the academy and Vincent having been a student, knew how that was.

[The Headmistress]

Lillian flashed Vincent a smile for his comment on how some things hadn’t changed. Why fix things that didn’t need to be? To allow him time to get situated in his chair, the woman grabbed a stack of papers and beat them against her desk filing them all in order. Then, they were placed within a folder to be stashed away for a later date. Her question was asked and the professor answered. The Headmistress’ focus went back to the guy as her hands clasped together on her desk. “That’s excellent! It’s always good to hear that the students are minding themselves. Ahh, yes, the martial arts class and the fencing class. Unless I’m mistaken my granddaughter, Serinity, is in your fencing class. I trust she is doing well and behaving?” Ever the Headmistress, Lillian couldn’t pass up a chance to check up on how Rini was doing.

Vincent accepted the offer of tea. Professor Palmer nodded and stood scooting the chair back only step away from the desk. It took her only a moment to cross to her double office doors and open one peeking out of the doors. “Eliza, could you please grab me a thing of hot water and the scones?” Her voice was polite and respectful. Eliza had done many things to aid Lillian in her work load among other secretarial things. Eliza would be an envy in the secretory world. That done, Lillian crossed to behind her desk and opened the two doors of the mahogany cabinet that stood there.

Her guest began to speak again. Lillian acknowledged the fact to show Vincent she was listening while doing other things. Grabbing two tea cups and a box the woman brought them to her desk and laid them down gently. “Very well, Vincent.” Another smile spread across her red lips. At that moment Eliza came in carrying a tray of scones and hot water. That too was place onto the desk but Lillian took up the hot water and poured it into the cups. “Pick your poison,” the Headmistress said with a grinned opening the box and allowing Vincent to take whichever tea he pleased. After he was done, she took up just a regular tea bag and dunked it into the hot water.

“Thank you Eliza,” she said as the secretary left with a smile and a nod. Twirling the tea around in the cup, she brought it underneath her nose and took a whiff. “Delicious,” she mumbled and took a testing sip. The tea wasn’t done soaking in, but it didn’t matter. Just the scent of her tea was enough to appease her. The British do love their tea. “Milk or anything?” The Headmistress asked taking a scone and biting into the snack. It was cinnamon.