Welcome to Gaia! ::

When Robert arrived, the assistant was busy installing what looked like a large minipet tank in her office. The entire room was in a state of orderly dispensary, as she was making sure certain items were available while others were very securely locked up or removed and hidden altogether. It was almost as if she was child-proofing the place.

Clarice's expression warred between fond and exasperated at Robert's impressive entrance. In the end she settled for a small quirk of the mouth as he slunk back in, and continued working on the tank. "There's lunch for you on my desk," she answered, uncoiling some tubing. The lunch was nothing fancy, just a couple PBJs, an orange, and several juiceboxes, but it was a small switch from the MREs they'd been living off of.

"So..." she began, staring intently at the tubing as if it held the answer to life, the universe, how not to make this awkward. "How have you been?" As soon as it was out of her mouth, Clarice gave the equipment a small look of betrayal as that came out totally awkward.

Something in Clarice eased a bit at Robert's simple, easy-going manner, peanut butter mouth and all. It seemed that, even with everything that had happened, he was still very much...Robert. And not even sullen, vacant stare-Robert. At his question she sent a small smile his way, "I'm feeling better now too." No need to burden him with her issues more than she already had.

"If you were paying attention during the briefing yesterday," her smile quirked a bit doubtfully, "then you know I'm going to be leaving for a couple a months..." Clarice trailed off there, not sure how to continue or if he would even care beyond good riddance. Instead she just bent over the tank edge, and began to adjust the tubing fixture inside. To the side there was a box full of various flavours of FEAR candy, several minipet toys, and an entirely hideous blanket that only love could make tolerable.

Clarice paused in her work and looked over at Robert as he answered, expression falling a little. He probably just thought she wasn't capable of doing on long-term missions, he'd apparently heard some of the worst rumors about her. Admittedly, most had a certain amount of truth to them, but it was a part of her life years past.

The blonde's posture slumped a bit as he continued. "If you're worried about me getting Reine hurt, don't be. Golem missions are actually a lot safer than most, especially with the labs now being one of the few secure areas on the island."

His reaction startled the morose attitude right out of her. In confusion, Clarice stared up at the younger man, "Robert, if you want I can put you on the first group who will be helping us? We'll still need at least a day to set up before you can join us, and it will only be for a few days at most..."

She reached up and and patted his arm with a small, puzzled smile, "But really, it's not a dangerous mission. No combat involved, kay?"

Clarice had the sudden suspicion that maybe Robert didn't hate her after all, and maybe, of the two of them, she was a bit more prone to idiocy than she'd ever be willing to admit. Despite the hugging and manhandling, the blonde began to relax and breathe a bit easier. Smiling, she reached up and rubbed his back comfortingly, "Yes, that's fine, Robert. It'll be a good chance for you to do some Life work that more Intermediate level. Oh um...speaking of, that...I have something for you...Robert..."

The rubbing had turned into lemme-go patting, "I'm glad you're happy, sweetie, but you need to let go."

...

"Now."

Smiling wryly at him, Clarice shook out her arms a bit and then walked to the desk. Pulling open the drawer she handed Robert a thin, long box of sorts and a small manila envelope. "So after you come back from the golem mission, there's something I want you to do for me while I'm gone, kay? Um, when Sunny heard about it, she thought you might need these."

Inside the box was a pair of reading glasses. And not just any reading glasses. The kind of thick, fancy framed, cat-eye reading glasses usually associated with maiden aunts who wear sweaters bearing the colourful sequined forms of cats and Christmas trees. There was even a fancy little chain attached so he could wear them around his neck.

The look Clarice gave him was a bit doubtful, "She claimed they were the only ones we had in stock."

Carefully schooling her expression, Clarice nodded sympathetically, "Well, while you work on this for me, it would be a good idea but..." she tapped the little envelope. "The key to this office. You don't have to wear them in public, kay? Just when you're in here, working on this little project. Um...Harrison will be in here from time to time to use one of the computers and take care of the minipet I'll be housing, and I expect you two to get along." She waggled a finger at him and flipped on one of the monitors.

"So, Dwight and I have been working on a couple training programs on the computer, and while I'm gone, I want you to work your way through them. Just click on the little smiley icon that says Robert click here." A program popped up. It looked decidedly educational. For the very good reason that it was several learning games and programs that had been hacked and spliced together by the two Life hunters over the past few months.

Clarice's special touch was that all the reading sections consisted of various song lyrics and the scripts of several Broadway musicals, while the math section usually had music and rhythm related problems. Both contained lots of positive reinforcement in the forms of encouraging words and fancy animations to celebrate success.

Dwight's contribution was 99 "tutors," one for each level. Almost a hundred pictures of very attractive women that would offer tips and hints when clicked, and lose a piece of clothing for for every correct problem.