We arrived at the comforting blanket of knowledge called the library. I felt truly at home here. While I was relaxing in comfort, Rise had noticeably tensed. Ah, she still can't handle reading that well.

Since I'd divulged my reason for learning magic she'd noticeably warmed up to me. I'm not sure what part of that non-answer she appreciated though. Perhaps it was the fact that I was honest?

The reason didn't matter though. All that mattered was that I felt we could be good friends, and perhaps look out for each other. An ally would be nice.

"We'll have to look on the beginner shelf." I sigh. When will I have the points to unlock more...

"Will we be able to find anything?" She asks.

I can't blame her. It seems like a fools errand. But there are plenty of reading materials on just that first shelf.

As we approach to reception area I look around but I can't spot Glade around anywhere. Must be working elsewhere in the library.

Rise is busy looking over the shelf, yet she looks quite dizzy while she searches. Well, at least its an improvement over before.

Luckily the shelf contains numerous copies of beginner alchemy texts. I pick a couple off the shelf and head to the desk.

"Seems like there has been a few different teachers for the subject. If we're lucky we may find one who taught the course in a different order."

Rise nods and our search begins. I'm not even sure which book corresponds to our lessons as we never got the teachers name. Seems like a nice teacher but perhaps a bit scatter brained.

Searching through each book we find some contain tables of contents. While others are simply collections of loose notes on the subject. This is going to be tough.

Eventually I find something worth my time. Primer on Explorative Alchemy. Uuu~ seems like a hit. Cracking open the rarely used book I get to reading the introduction. The book is very thin, seems to be a supplement to the Exploration Studies than an actual alchemy book.

"I've found something Rise." I look up to find her squinting at a page. Covering half the text with her palm. She blinks away a few tears brought about by eye strain. A try hard Rise is cute too...

I wave the open book in my hand. "Seems like a slightly different subject. Perhaps something meant for a second Term. But it's relevant to Alchemy."

She nods. "Should I continue to look?" She asks trying to hide the pleading look in her eyes.

"Up to you." I answer without batting an eye. I see the conflict war behind her eyes. Does she give in and close the book or search for more possibilities. She's definitely the type to prefer a physical challenge than a mental one. But she perseveres anyway. She takes a deep breath before diving back in.

I spot the once empty desk at the reception is now occupied by a silently working Glade. She sends me a smile and an amused look at the hard working Rise. Gah, I don't know why, but I'm feeling embarrassed now.

Reading through the text left much to be desired. As supplementary text it had a habit of referring to methods and techniques used in the main course. But I began to see the general idea and what seemed possible for alchemy at a low level.

"OK, so I've got a general idea Rise. It's a bit of a hodgepodge but we should be able to do a few simple tricks and build from there." I give her a half smile. "But it's a shame your not doing UG. It seems a number of the techniques use circles as a basis."

She grumbles. "Didn't want to leave any signs that I'd been doing magic."

"Hmm, well your going to need equipment. Perhaps you can draw the circles on something portable so you can take it with you." My head tilts as I consider the possibilities. "Or you might even be able to inscribe the circles on the equipment... Worst case scenario you might want to put the circles on something flammable and simply burn them when you need to get rid of the evidence."

I feel like a strange sense of disconnection as we discuss escape plans and destruction of evidence. But I admit it's quite fun. I just hope that it never comes to the point where she'll need them. I can't imagine what sort of life she leads. She's deadly serious while we discuss these topics.

For her part her eyes light up as I reel off a load of story like ideas that I've gathered from numerous media. She ends up asking for clarification on a number of points. We return to the topic at hand eventually. Trying to find the right techniques for the job.

"It seems some of the simplest alchemy to set up requires a bit of skill to make up for the ease of setup. It describes here a process where you carve identical totems and place them on corresponding circles." I trace the text with a finger, making sure I'm reading the instructions correctly. "And depending on the laws of the world they'll either merge or transfer essences from one to the other."

My brow scrunches as I consider how difficult that could be. We continue to search together. Rise seems to have settled on a number of contenders but I have no dexterity to speak of, other than computer game skills. But as I start to loose hope one technique catches my eye.

Trickle alchemy? Seems like a set of techniques that siphon essence from one object to another through the magic circle almost directly. Sometimes a 'conduit' was needed but anything which corresponded to the aspect of flow would usually do. The only problem being it's often rather slow and prone to inefficiency. But with the right setup the efficiency can be raised, even if the speed is subsequently lowered even further. Perfect!

Even without the full context I understood what the book was trying to convey. This could potentially be my foot in the door to magic. My heart fluttered at the thought of actually producing results on Earth. All I had to do now was find some library materials to fill the gaps in my knowledge.

"Right! I've found something." I told Rise. She glanced up from her books. Eyes swirling, she gave a slight nod. "I'm just going to get a couple more books to reference."

She froze. "Ah, good luck." She replied before diving back into her own research. Hang in there Rise!

Chuckling to myself I searched through the shelf to find some beginner texts on ES and UG. I should be able to fill in the gaps that way.

As I search however an interaction at the reception desk catches my eye. The student seems rather depressed as far as I can tell. I can't help but feel like I've seen him before. He asks Glade a question which seems to infect her with the same melancholy. She brings out the enrolment board from beneath her desk before flipping it. He places his medallion on a slot before leaving. What's going on there? Curiosity getting the better of me I approach Glade.

"Em, I know it's probably rude to ask but..."

"Ah, Gentle." She shows me a sad smile. "Your also taking Universal Geometries right?"

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I nod. Ah, does it have something to do with that teacher?

"Well, Quill seems to be up to her old tricks. That student was here to refund his class enrolment."

"Ah! So you can get a refund on the class?" I ask.

"Hmm." She waves a hand in a so-so gesture. "You can get half the points back."

"Wait! Only half! That's awful." I gasp. "How can she get away with bullying students out of the course?"

A pained smile crosses her face. "Scribe was a better teacher. Unfortunately the Academy isn't what it once was."

"Scribe was a teacher?"

She nods. "She once taught Universal Geometries. Before Quill's flashy teaching style drove her out of the position. In all honesty I feel like Scribe makes a better teacher, if not a little dry at times. Once she left however, Quill began bullying the students to ease her job. If only the masters were here... well that's a conversation for another time. Did you manage to stay in the class?" She asks hopefully.

I'm distracted as a number of thoughts click into place. So the teachers compete for places. Scribe was a teacher... ah, perhaps that's why she took a shine to me...

"Ah, yes, well not for lack of trying on her part." I go on to explain how I nearly got bullied out of the class myself.

"Ah, how wonderful. You make sure to keep those two as friends." She chuckles, a little twinkle in her eye. "I'll make sure to mention the fact to any students that come looking to refund the class."

Some of the gloom seems to have left her mood. "Shame about that previous student... Did Scribe take on any other classes?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "No. She's already passed all the trials, so she has little to worry about as far as the Academy ousting here concerns. But starting new classes takes a lot of points. She must also be concerned with Quill pulling a similar stunt if she tries again." She sighs. "As for the student. Don't worry, they'll have plenty of opportunity to shine in the future. That wasn't your responsibility. Understand?"

I nod vigorously as she gives me a stern look. A rare thing for Glade. She's too nice. If only I'd come sooner I could have stopped the need for him to refund half those points.

I bid her goodbye before joining back with a studious Rise. My head is full of other thoughts though. From how the point system works at large and various other ideas. Why doesn't Scribe have an aura? Or did I just miss it? Who are these masters...

------

It's been a long day. I don't have work today but I feel like I've already been and returned.

The end of an Academy daydream is approaching. My head is filled with new knowledge and drama. What a tool that teacher is. At least anonymous slender man makes a better teacher.

I smile as I recall parts of the free period at the end of the cycle. Both at the hard working Rise and what I'd managed to learn.

That'll do nicely as a place to start. Or at least something useful I can use it for once I have a better idea of what's possible. I just need to drum up the courage to begin...

A chime rings throughout the building. Who's calling at this hour? I prop myself up on my bed. Listing to see whether any of my house mates go to answer the door. Nobody huh?

The chime rings again and I reluctantly get up. I'm halfway there when it rings again. "I'm coming!" Impatient much!

I get to the door and unlock the chain before opening it. Standing on the other side is a bull of a man. Suit straining to contain his girthy arms. My hair is blown as he snorts though twitching nostrils.

"Em... H-how may I help?" Holy carp! My heart skips a beat. Who on earth is this!

A possibility starts to form in my head. Did they find me? Did some magic element of Earth detect me some how?

"Melvin? Am I speaking with a Melvin Meadows?" His deep voice seems like it should be soothing but I can't calm down.

I find myself nodding even though I really shouldn't. "Wh-what did you need me for?"

"Ah, before we get to business I'll need to see some identification. But don't worry, haha, your not in trouble. Just what we're about to talk about is confidential." A laugh rumbles from his chest.

He plucks a small card from an inside pocket of his suit and hands it to me. It's only now that I realise how well dressed he is. It cuts such a sharp contrast with his figure.

"I'm Alistair Crete of the Crete & Co Law Firm." He takes my hand in his meaty paw. The name matches the information on the card he hands me. "I'm here today because your name came up in an on going litigation."

He huffs out a sigh. "This may be a bit of delicate topic but, are you the son of a Richard and Jane Meadows? And sibling to a Clair Meadows?"

My breath catches. "Yes."

"Can we talk inside?"

------

It's a few minutes later. Bringing him into the communal lounge I leave briefly to grab some identification. I hand him my passport, being the only identification I could find.

"Yep, that checks out." He hands it back. "So, you may be wondering what this is all about."

He leans back in the cheap couch making it groan under his weight. His large frame making it look comically small in comparison. "Our firm is currently building a class action lawsuit against a car company called Fendal Motors."

That name rings a bell. "Wait Fendal? As in..."

"Yep, the make of car your family were driving that day."

My gaze fell to the floor. I missed them. I missed them so much. But they're not coming back. I'd tried again and again to move forward. And now he's come to tell me that there's more to the story. I felt hollowed out.

He continued regardless. Business like and professional, but there was a hint of compassion in there. "The Fendal Motors company has been found in violation of automotive regulations. In particular, all vehicles in this country should have mechanical redundancy where basic driving functionality is concerned. Such as brake peddles and steering wheels. This doesn't mean they can't have steering assistance, just that their is a requirement for an actual steering column when electrical systems fail."

I look back up. A drawn look on my face. "And my families car?"

He nods. "After much back and forth we got a subpoena issued for a list of all sales of the models effected. Your family came up. We believe it could well have contributed to the accident your family were a part of."

"How... how could they just get away with selling faulty cars?"

He shrugs. "Who knows what's going through the heads of people at the top. But we do know that this make of car is legal in some countries abroad. The make made for foreign countries should have a different designation however further investigation shows the models are identical. They've been giving us and the courts the run around stating clerical errors, etc. It's been delay tactic after obstruction after delay. This case has been going on forever..."

He leans back in exhaustion, as if he hasn't stopped working since he started this case. Wait, forever?

I frown. "Forever? How long has this been going on?"

He sits up straight again. Locking eyes with me. "Five years."

No. Oh god. The accident was only last year. If this case has been going on for so long... "My family could have... they could still be alive if this case was sorted earlier?"

His solemn expression is all the answer I need. I'm left feeling empty. What should I feel after hearing that? My family died needlessly.

I bite my lip. The pain holding me in the moment.

"So I came today to invite you to join the lawsuit. You don't have to sign now. But if it's any consolation, you'll stand to gain a lot given the circumstances. But..."

He shakes his head. Unsure how to proceed. Before giving out another bullish snort. "Yeah, I will warn you. If you do join the lawsuit, be warned. Something fishy has been going on with my clients."

He raises a finger. "You didn't hear it from me, but people have been dropping out of the lawsuit like flies. This company doesn't seem to play fair, if you get my gist."

He reaches over and taps the card still in my hand. "If you do decide to join the suit just give us a call. You stand to gain the most from this. Help you get through uni perhaps? Or pay off your student debt? It's the least that company can do for their wilful negligence. Plus you'll be giving them a good old boot up the rear."

He stands leaving me to stew in my thoughts. "I can't say they'll be tremendously put out even if they do lose but you deserve the win in my books. I'll be taking my leave now. Hope to hear from you Mr Meadows!"

With one almighty pat on my shoulder he walks out the room. I'm left to the silent room. Thoughts reverberating in my head.

I should hate them. And I probably do. It's just I feel numb. Too numb to drum up a raging fire to burn them.

But this encounter has highlighted an ongoing hesitation. Something I must do before I can move on. I clench my hand having made a decision.

No more dilly-dallying. There has been a place I've been avoiding ever since I last locked it up. But now... Just maybe... I'm ready to face it once more.