Tuesday July 4th, 2240 ATE. West-side of SkyHaven, C.S Academy of the Angelos District….

"So….. yesterday you got two concussions. One time hunting a spike-toothed salmon, the next time fighting a freshly Reborn Dark-Knight. And then... STILL in that same day with a broken wrist, nose and burned neck, you wrestled and submitted a bone-crushing dog?" Ms. Callisto questioned as Claude once again found himself in the infirmary.

"You told me to keep trying." Claude grunted as Ms. Callisto poked at his new cast. Which was two wood planks tied down by leathers and vines. It was also signed by Martha, Bane, Juli, Frank and Ilka.

Ms. Callisto sighed and shook her head, "That's not what I meant…"

The white curtains surrounding the bed next to him flew open.

Ursula laid in her bed, still wearing her armor everywhere except her arm where an iv tube pumped fluids, "You submitted a bone-crushing dog? As in…. A primal?"

Tangents were a terrible thing. Not only did they house small worlds— faraway ecosystems of monsters like orcs, elves and dwarves. They also spit out magically redesigned pre-oldworld species. Things that roamed the earth before even early man. Things to be tamed and empowered by even scarier creatures.

"...yes." Was all Claude managed. "Technically Rocko is a mixed-breed. Mastiff-primal."

"You're on first name basis..?" Ursula raised an auburn colored eyebrow. Her button nose twitched.

"Yep. Claude's been getting experience and high praise as a canine-handler for a few years now. I thought that spoke to his intelligence and ability to reason. Now I see it's only hardheaded stubbornness." Ms. Callisto snarled dotingly.

"Rocko was going to rip my dad's throat out, obviously I had to do something." Claude replied defensively.

Ursula made a face like she saw it actually happen.

"Yea— and what the hell was your dad doing there? I know how dogs feel about him….. you know I've worked with him before right?"

Claude didn't have an answer for that. It was a bit bizarre that his father ran a kennel when basically all canines vehemently opposed his presence. After a few days of drill work and comfort was established they all warmed to him, but it was almost like they had a genetic disposition. Every time without fail.

"You're both so risk welcoming. Truly a healer's worst nightmare. And now I can't even do that." Ms. Callisto stopped touching Claude's cast and threw her hands up in defeat.

Claude felt his heart sink, "Wai—"

Ms. Callisto held up a hand and turned around in her chair to check on Ursula, "What brings you here so early, young lady?" She flipped through the notes left by the nurse. "Acute dehydration…?"

"It gets really hot at my house." Was all Ursula managed. "So why can't you heal Claude?"

"Yes. Why?" Claude pressed after taking a moment to consider her words.

Ms. Callisto looked up from the notes at Ursula, "It's what.. your fourth day here?"

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Ursula nodded.

"Well, I've been summoned here on a regular basis all month because Mr. Raizen is turning Claude into the academy punching bag…"

"Punching bags don't punch back." Claude thought.

"He's not Reborn. Meaning he has no Mana flow. If I keep injecting my own into him to repair damages, he could get Mana Sickness. He's high risk already. Honestly he was high risk when Emma cut him up last week. He's resistant— but he's only a boy. A boy who hasn't been Reborn." Ms. Callisto and Ursula looked over at him.

Social awkwardness be damned, "What if Mr. Raizen's right?"

Ursula looked to Ms. Callisto.

Ms. Callisto's palm found a home on her face.

"Why is that crazy to say? I'm working my ass off— it has to be for something. Mr. Raizen's been a teacher for years— an established hero for even longer….. he says he can see that I'm almost there. This is what I want— this is what I'm getting thrown around in sparring and at work for. Let me go all in."

Ms. Callisto shook her head disapprovingly.

Claude didn't let up, "Come on, what was it like when you were Reborn? It couldn't have been easy. Everyone has to take a risk for what they believe in."

Ms. Callisto looked up at him. Her face was different. The wrinkles settled deeper into her tanned skin and her eyes were glossy. Emotionless, but glossy. "No. Losing your children to a nahual horde will never be easy. But it's not something I went rushing headlong into, mijo. I was Reborn at thirty years old, I joined the Pegasi Healing Unit after years of burying myself in my work to an unhealthy degree. But before that, I lived a life. I loved. I had fun and made mistakes that didn't mean my death. You deserve the same. You should want that."

Claude straightened, "I'm sorry that happened to you, Ms. Callisto. I hate that that happened to you. It will happen to even less people once I'm Reborn. The world needs heroes— isn't that why Ronin and The Nine are pressuring so many academies to work their students harder? We can turn the world back to what it was."

"...."

"They got you good, huh?" Ursula suddenly questioned.

Ms. Callisto looked her way once, "Didn't they?"

Claude raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter. I won't be the one to give you Mana Sickness." Ms. Callisto said before turning back to Ursula.

Claude sat angrily in the silence until he realized there was no reason for him to be in the infirmary any more. Or to even be at school if people were going to continue getting in his way.

"How do I stay positive in thi—"

"Oh Claude, heads up!" Following Ursula's words something whistled through the air.

He turned around just in time to catch a silver coin. His skin felt like it was burning where the precious metal touched. He'd never held riches so…. rich.

"Samuel told me to give this to you. He wanted to thank you for assisting in his Rebirth. He didn't say it that nicely but…. You know." Ursula winked.

"That doesn't sound like Samuel at all…" Claude thought. He wanted to give it back and tell her to tell Samuel to shove it, but ideas were already spinning in his mind and desperate times called for desperate measures.

With nothing more to be said Claude gave Ursula a hesitant thank you and headed to class. No longer was he angry at missing this week's Infested Area field expedition, though.

As he walked to class he thumbed the silver coin in his pocket mischievously, "I'm sure a Healing-Witch would have no problem fixing my wrist…. It's like Ms. Callisto said, I'm Mana resistant anyway. If it's the only gift I have then I'm going to use it."

********

"Whose side are you on anyway, Ursula?" Ms. Callisto questioned as she pulled the needle and iv tube from Ursula's hulking forearm.

"What do you mean?"

"First you acknowledge Claude's thinking is flawed….. he views this world through rose tinted glasses. Like any hero-fanboy that doesn't actually know them. Then you help him pay to be healed elsewhere. Samuel didn't give that boy a damn thing. He'd take from a kitten before he gave anything. His father wouldn't teach him anything less. What's your angle?"

Ursula shrugged, "I just had some extra money laying around."

"Oh and you couldn't buy yourself new armor?"

Ursula shook her head, "I hate having to break in new boots. Plus I won't be able to find bottoms that let me squat this deep ever again."

"Ursula, get out of my infirmary."

Ursula hopped out of the bed and rolled her beefy shoulders, "See ya!"

She stopped at the exit door and turned, "Were you being serious about Claude's Mana resistance? Or did you make that up to stop him from continuing to hurt himself?"

Ms. Callisto turned away from Ursula and continued working on updating her notes, "I actually held back information. He was at risk of Mana Sickness since last year…."