Yes, this girl—this stupid, short-sighted girl is that: a whiny brat that doesn’t deserve this beautiful curse. Calypso self-effaced herself within her head, so her arm doesn’t try to kill her professor again.
As she clutched her arm, as well as her eyes shut, the monster girl put to work her theory. Combining the reason why she put herself in this hospital in the first place, plus the information she’s gained from Richard…
Slowly but surely, her arm transformed back into her pale, gangly but human state.
While rubbing it, Calypso didn’t stew in whatever victory that could be construed in. She couldn’t pat herself on the back, figuring out that she could use the information of ending the Terrortide by exposing fault in the central idea, on her arm—ruining her own request from such. At the very least, as long as the counter-argument itself is stronger than what “Fate” gives to the user, it can destroy that wish easily. At least for now…
Fact of the matter is, her professor was completely right about her and she needed to actually listen.
Calypso didn’t even want to meet Mrs. Moses’ gaze, but she had to, forced herself to. She witnessed the senior Consumed rub at her neck… Which quickly flashed, back and forth, from ruined—to transformed—to healed. Showing once again how impressive her control was.
“Now then…” her professor’s voice was strained. “Are you okay?”
Calypso nodded, falling back onto her bed, looking miserable than usual.
“Good. First off, I’m sorry about not starting with that information sooner. Do you accept my apology? You’re more than fine in not doing so.”
Once again, Calypso merely nodded.
“Good. Can you listen to what I have to say, then?”
Another pitiful nod.
“Here…” Mrs. Moses pulled out a handkerchief from her suit pocket, giving it to her student. “I find that resting the eyes forces the transformation of them back. Also, cutting off one’s vision causes the other senses to compensate, so you’ll be able to hear loud and clearly~”
Calypso sunk in her seat, practically. But she took the offering and wiped her cheeks, closing her eyes all the while.
“Corruption is a troubling aspect of the supernatural, but it is treatable… You can’t get rid of it, it’s intrinsic to us as living beings trying to survive the unknown. Remember, when I said that we were once monsters ourselves? And the mission of the Subsumed is to force us back as such? Being around the Subsumed, our instincts trying to tell us of what’s lurking… It creates rising darkness that is fueled by panic and sorrow. It’s how those shadow skinwalkers manage to turn us.”
Calypso let the crush within happen. She deserved it. She deserved it because literally everything she’s said and figured about what she’s been doing: all of it true.
“However, before you lash yourself, the corruption itself is always a passive phenomenon. Every human is—you and I were. But the difference is the sudden spike of the influence, and having high levels makes that spike more plausible. That’s why I implore you, please, keep your affairs in order and watch yourself, my dear student. Even if you cannot see the ripples, don’t go cause waves purely because you can.”
Calypso had to refrain from asking if that meant if whoever was affected is going to be okay now or how to treat such. So she opted for the next best question that immediately came to mind…
“How can we… As you said, stuck between the extremes of savage and sapient—lean so firmly in the camp of the latter…? We’re not humans anymore. Morality wasn’t built with us in mind. In fact, it was built to ward away people like us, no…?”
Her professor was right—per usual. Due to her currently amplified hearing, she could hear Mrs. Moses stroke her chin softly, the slight changes in the pacing of her breathing, before giving her answer:
“That comes from the standpoint of morality only acting as a universal guideline of truth, which is understandable. But it also acts as practice, for sharpening one’s choices and ability to act. Those without morality aren’t just loose-cannons with nothing to stand for, but also sloppy—wasteful in their actions. Restraint, consideration, deliberation, understanding, discipline—all boons within a world so steeped in violence and depravity. If the world cannot make anything out of us before, then having such makes us more unknowable and a step ahead.”
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“While also being murderous and depraved beasts as well—” Calypso couldn’t catch herself in time, and winced.
“No no, it’s fine,” Mrs. Moses’ voice eased. “It sounds contradictory on the surface. After all, I told you that there is no true control, hm? I still stand by that, and my thoughts on resonance… But what good is that concept, if both halves are not only unstable but don’t offer each other pieces to combine into something more? How these extremes don’t meet and realize that fundamentally different yes, but both have the same points? And having a sharp enough mind to use the best of both worlds? That’s what I ultimately want for you, my dear student. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.”
“I… Think I understand,” Calypso furrowed her brow, trying to take all that in.
“And if you don’t, please, do not be afraid to establish a rapport with me,” Mrs. Moses urged, as Calypso heard the creaks in her chair due to leaning forward, her voice getting subtly louder. “That way that I can make sure that you do. I understand that I’m not approachable, and busy, and generally not being the best person to be around: but I will always offer you knowledge that you need. Regardless of what form it will be in.”
The monster girl’s eyes opened, as she looked down upon her trembling hands, once still having blood on the fingers.
“…There’s just… So much to talk about…”
Mrs. Moses’ own hands entered the frame of vision, taking the balled-up cloth and began wiping the blood from her student’s fingers.
“And I’m willing to listen,” Mrs. Moses simply replied.
As Calypso bit her lips, to stop yet another surge of tears to come tumbling down, the duo heard the door opening as they snapped their heads towards it.
“…Huh. I never thought you two of all people were related—well no, honestly, it’s very believable when I think about it—”
There was no mistaking that smarmy vocal tone, but before Calypso could respond to the gnat’s idiocy, Gale pushed her in, freezing up amidst what Calypso predicted to be a very large hug.
“What a minute, like—is this true, is she right—because I’ll feel like a massive dummy if it is true—” Gale piggybacked off the gnat in a very rushed tone.
Now that led to Calypso letting out an earnest chuckle that she sorely needed.
“No no, we’re not related,” Mrs. Moses clarified, and turned herself towards the girls. “But I happened to be in the neighborhood as it were, and I love my students dearly, so of course I wanted to check up on Ms. Grimes. I assume you’re friends of hers…?”
“Totally!” Gale chirped. It amazed Calypso how Gale more or less wore the same thing, just variants with even more weird and out there colors. This time, a red headband with matching red tee that hugged her defined body, with tie-died yoga pants that fanned out in various shades and not shades of red. “We uh… Like, y’know, ran over as soon as we could when we heard the news!”
Meanwhile… There was no fucking way that this was the gnat’s natural appearance.
For one, she wore what looked to be a very pale, long-haired wig that covered the sides of her face. With dark, circular shades—spaghetti stringed, peach sundress that reached her ankles with strapped white shoes. Bringing the fake look together with a black shoulder bag flung on, to painfully sell that she does not wear clothes like these naturally.
“We… Only just met,” the gnat laughed nervously. “But—we have a mutual in Gale, so naturally we have to be besties~”
“Hm,” Mrs. Moses curt reply to all of that was so telling. She looked over to Calypso, “So, accomplices or--?”
Calypso glanced over to the duo, who practically melted at their poorly crafted façade was easily broken in seconds. But they somehow sighed in sync and nodded.
“I guess we’re pack-mates now…” Calypso helped confirm her professor’s suspicions.
“Thought so…” Mrs. Moses turned back to them. “While we don’t have a class together Ms. Pratchett, I’m glad that you’ve found company during this trying time of your new life.”
Gale rubbed the back of her neck, giggling tiredly, “Ups and downs, but yes, I’m super glad, Mrs. M~”
Mrs. Moses flashed a content smile, before training her eyes at the gnat. “…Nice effort with the disguise, at the very least…”
The gnat deflated in real time, “Hey, I always walk out wearing these in these scenarios thinking they’re paper thin—so thanks for making me reach my quota, teach…”
“Great for people that don’t know you, of course,” Mrs. Moses nodded—also confirming Calypso’s own suspicions. “Now… Why are all of you girls here in the first place?”
“Soooorry for intruding~”
Everyone trained their eyes at the nurse, showing up in the door frame. Leaning against it, with such an air of self-assuredness to it.
“But I’d like the—to know the same, y’know~?” the nurse cheerily stumbled on her words. As if she’s never said anything with her own mouth before.
Mrs. Moses dropped any warmth to her, and turned at the nurse on a dime.
“We know what you are, skinwalker. So let’s drop the charade and tell us how many you’ve taken so far.”
As if she’d been holding into this laughter for years, the nurse erupted in a giddy, forced one before quickly closing the door behind herself.
“NO I’M NOT~!” the nurse strained with her stolen mouth. “BUT I’M GONNA COME OVER THERE AND I'M GONNA GUT YOU ALL WITH MY TONGUES!”
“I don’t like the way she said tongues—” Gale eked out in fear and disgust.
“Ms. Grimes… You wanted to learn more about this world you’ve been struggling in for so long…?”
There wasn’t any flair or decency about what happened.
Almost a scare in of itself, Mrs. Moses conjured a water-spout-sword that extended so far from her angled arm, that it speared the Subsumed nurse directly between her crazed eyes—slamming her against the door as the girls screamed out in shock.
“Take note…” Mrs. Moses couldn’t help but purr.