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The leather seat squeaked as Lee slid herself below back-seat-window view, trying to hide from the parting crowds glaring at the car as it rolled through a particularly busy street. "Oh, sit up." Her mother pulled on Lee's shoulder and shook her head. "How embarrassing." She was rightfully embarrassed, though it should have been more of the driver than of Lee. If anyone was too stubborn not to hurry out of the car's path, Lee was sure they'd regret it. She didn't remember him driving this recklessly in the upper districts. The car halted in an instant, and Lee's knees knocked against the seat in front of her. "Well...?" Her father motioned his head toward the store front outside Lee's door. When it became clear that Lee was not about to get out willingly, her mother nodded to the driver and seconds later Lee was out in the streets staring through the car window down at her parents faces. It was the first time she'd ever seen them wear such proud smiles. They're not coming? They waved their hands and mouthed "Go!" Lee turned and walked slowly toward the door, looking back at her parents every few steps to see if they would have a last minute change of heart. "Of course not," she whispered when she reached the door. She took a quick glance around the area. Good, no authorities. She slowly cracked the door open and slid inside, careful to make as little noise as possible.

As she entered the Lobby, Lee had just fully adjusted to the quiet of the building, a stark contrast to what she'd been experiencing in the streets. Panic quickly rose at the sound of the cabinet closing, but fell just as quickly at the sight of the woman walking toward her. She'd been expecting someone a little more... threatening. Muscular, maybe a few tattoos, not this woman. She cleared her throat. She paid little attention to what the woman was saying as her mind continued to dread what could have been -- what still could be. She had yet to meet anyone else here. "Invitation...?" Noticing her hands were fidgeting, she clasped them behind her back and straitened her posture. She was still breathing heavily, but she tried to look composed. "Right, yeah. The letter. Yeah, that's why I'm here." Her words came out faster than intended and she gave a few nervous nods, though she didn't notice how obvious her fear was becoming. "I can go get my parents if you want..." She motioned outside, hoping the woman might ask her to bring them in. Heck, she might even say she was too young to be sticking her neck into "adult business". One can always hope, at least.

Lee nodded as the woman talked. She wasn't much interested in going into detail about why she needed a spark -- it was bad enough this stranger knew as much as she did -- but Lee couldn't help but feel she could relate. "I guess." She tried to play down her "situation" and hoped the conversation wouldn't be about her educational inadequacy.

Trust her? Somehow, she did. Perhaps a little too much. "Why is someone like you working here? What if you get caught?" Maybe it was a bit rude, but Lee couldn't distinguish proper conversation from prying. The only thing that mattered to her now was the fact that the weight of the situation seemed to disappear as she opened up about her worries.

Lee felt a small laugh try to escape as the woman lightly shoved the boy. If anything, it was comforting to know of another "normal" person working here.

"An essentic...?" The words didn't process correctly in her brain. For a moment the word itself sounded foreign.

It clicked. "This is an essentic?!" She stared at the boy, moving to different angles to get a good look. This couldn't be right. They never said anything about bunnys in history class. Unless said bunny was plotting to take over human civilization. "But he's... it's..." Now she didn't know what to think. "This is an essentic..." she confirmed to herself. Not a person, not a tool gone malevolent, but an essentic. She'd have to consult her history books again.

She looked up at her with a bright smile. Her hands clasped with delight as she looked back and forth from the boy to the woman. "What's mine look like?"

Knowing that "this silly bun-buns" was what she'd been worried about all along, Lee probably should have been a bit embarrassed about making such a big fuss before. However, she was very familiar with making a fool of herself in public over a misunderstanding, so much so that such things didn't affect her anymore.

Lee was a little disappointed to hear that every essentic didn't necessarily have the pre-packaged cute Misha seemed to display. But maybe that was a good thing? Though it was clear that these weren't the danger she'd been taught to believe, something in her still told her it may be best for her essentic to draw as little attention as possible. After all, she doubted bunny ears were easy to hide.

Wait... did she say a rock? How was a rock going to help her study? She rubbed the back of her neck, unsure whether or not to ask a burning question. She went for it. "Um, could you maybe just give me the proto?" While she wasn't so foolish to think the woman would actually agree to this proposition, she thought she'd take her chances. Lee wasn't trying to be cute, nor was she trying to get a reaction from the woman, she was simply impatient.

Talk of Influences caught her attention; she was both intrigued and frightened. If the essentic were to, say, stumble upon a few lizards, she'd basically be stuck with a monster? Add a few sharp objects to that and she'd have nightmares for the rest of her life. She made a mental note to keep the essentic away from scary stuff.

Lee clasped her hands together and started twirling her thumbs as the conversation started leaning more toward business. Mister Banning, the man her parents had apparently spoken with. A man, she supposed, with a lot of authority. While everyone else here had been very pleasant, he could be an entirely different story. Lee's head shot up at the mention of the nice woman's help in this deal and she nodded quite forcefully. "Please stay!" She trusted this woman with her life, it seemed. She grabbed the offered pamphlet out of courtesy but didn't bother looking inside.

Lee wondered how and if such a process really worked, but didn't question it. She'd just do as she was told and hope for the best. I hope I don't mess this up...

Misha's words caught Lee by surprise; she'd forgotten he was here. Wait, a he, right? Not an it? Ugh, she was so confused. She was too busy working out this conundrum in her head to notice any uncomfortable tension between the two. With the woman's voice broke her concentration. Questions... well, sure, she had a lot of them. But maybe these were best left unasked.

Wait, there was something she had yet to find out. "Well... just one question. What's your name?"

Timka Longway. Got it. Lee nodded her head once in understanding. Should I call her Timka or Miss Longway...? She decided this question would have to wait, as Misha dashed away and quickly returned with Banning.

What a weird feeling of familiarity she felt around him. Lee was surprised to find him just as relatable as Miss Longway, though in an entirely different manner. She'd dealt with his kind many times before. He was a nobleman. While she herself had considerably less class than was expected of her, she was not intimidated in the least.

She waved and weakly smiled back as he walked past her, and soon foud herself trailing quickly behind Miss Longway. She followed his lead and sat in the chair she assumed was saved for her, folding her fingers in her lap after she was comfortable. She may as well pretend to have class.

Looking down at the papers in front of her, she bent over to take a look. Seemed like a lot of gibberish. She read the first sentence... wait, what is that word? She kept going, hoping that it would all make sense if found those "context clues" her teacher had told her to look for. Nothing but more foreign words. She looked up at Miss Longway with a small hint of desperation in her eyes. Lee pointed at the word. "What's a clause?" She peeked over to Banning; he was probably having a good laugh on the inside. He was good, though, keeping that poker face up. She decided not to wait for Miss Longway's answer, and pulled the papers closer to scribble what could be considered a signature. More like bubble letters, really. She shoved the papers back across the desk and flashed the man a nervous smile. "So." she tried on a business-like tone that really didn't suit her. "Where is it?"

Lee watched Banning as he left the room to retrieve the spark. She turned to Miss Longway and smiled, half as an apology for ignoring her explanation, and half as a "thanks for trying."

As Banning reentered the room, Lee stared at the box he was holding. Already she was impressed. Perhaps this would come with her "rock"? How fun it would be to show her friends! Ah, well, perhaps not. Best to leave as many people out of this as possible, she supposed.

As the lid was lifted, Lee's eye widened and she pulled herself out of the seat. This wasn't just a rock! Her fingers shook a bit as she reached over to touch the spark. "You didn't tell me it would look like this..." her whisper held nothing but astonishment. Lee's fingertips never met the surface, and she hesitated at the sight of bubbling ectoplasm. It certainly didn't look like anything she should be rubbing her little fingers over, but with Miss Longway's words she nodded and dove her hands into the box, pulling the spark close to her chest.

Lee closed her eyes tight, and an... uncomfortable expression emerged as she began to think about the spark's purpose. I need a tutor... I need you to help me understand... She spoke to the spark, not bothering about whether or not she was doing it right. However, it soon turned into a deep reflection of herself, a criticism of why she'd need such a thing in the first place. Her expression changed, softened as she thought her final wish. I'm so tired of being stupid. Please help me. She was finished, but her eyes remained closed for a bit.

"Hello--?" a forceful voice came from the lobby. Lee's eyes flicked open, and she tilted her head as she replaced the spark into the box. "It's just my mom."

A cheeky white smile flashed to Miss Longway, followed with an "Oho! You're finished? Lovely." Mrs. Katan was a bit flattered by Miss Longway's use of the title "Miss" instead of "Mrs."; it had been years since she was referred to as a young woman. She put her hand on Longway's arm and leaned in close. Her tone dropped to a whisper. "I take it you dulled procedures down a bit for her? She doesn't take well to elaborate instructions." She gave a shrug and an apologetic expression on her daughter's behalf. She laughed a bit. "She'll be lucky to get into a state college at this rate." Mrs. Katan's whisper had grown to normal-conversation-volume, and she backed away as she chuckled.

Lee paid little attention to what her mother was saying, more interested in getting her away from poor Miss Longway. She grabbed the box from Banning's desk without a thought and nodded to him, hurrying out of the room.

"Lee! What was taking you so long?!" She masked her impatience with excitement as best she could. "Your father's waiting in the car, dear." Her mother headed back down the hallway without a goodbye to anyone present. Lee followed until suddenly realizing she forgot to pay. She reached into her clutch, pulling out the wad of money her father had given her before the family had left the house. She hurried back to Banning's desk, placing the cash down and lowering her head. "Sorry." Lee wasn't sure if she was apologizing for the money or the mother. She kept her head down as she ran back into the lobby and after her mother, the pretty little box cradled in her arms.