(( FEAR: Tainted Fang ))

In the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter to Tsetsiliya that she was a demon. She was a rather poor excuse for a demon, and an even poorer excuse for a poludnica, which was saying something. Tests and social interaction were a major cause of her anxiety. Pleasing her family seemed to top the list of stressors, however.

But demon, monster, undead.. no matter what she may have been if she had not been her, it did not matter when it came to this situation. This was her school. It was her home. All of the students were in this together, the teachers.. they had to save Amityville.

She accepted the FEAR meter and set it a short distance away. Truthfully, she had never been to the gymnasium. She had not worked with her FEAR much, if at all, really.. and the thought of it made her feel incredibly guilty. Herryk had warned her that she needed to be prepared. Even if he was speaking moreso about the Hunters than Amityville closing its doors, she should have heeded it sooner. Shame churned in her stomach.

It was time to face facts: she was a weakling, a disappointment. But she was a stubborn one. If she were to give up, then she would never forgive herself for what she had done. Would she have given up her friends that easily? Her minipets? Would she just bow her head politely, saying "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" for the rest of her unlife?

No.

It was the last thing she wanted. Tsetsiliya had come to this school to escape her parents, to escape her torturers at Madam Morrigan's. She wanted to give this a fighting chance - for her friends, and for herself.

Closing her eyes, Tsetsiliya pulled her FEAR into action and outstretched her hands, palms outward. She concentrated, and concentrated hard. It was inside her, churning, reeling, and it lapped out in small waves. Around her, she could feel the temperature rising, and in that she felt more comfortable. It began to feel like the inside of her room, warmed by all the sunlamps for her plants. The energy seemed to ebb and flow, and her outstretched fingers clenched just slightly to try and hold onto it. Sweat began to collect on her face, her neck, her arms as she tried to channel her FEAR.

Had to stay focused.

Had to..

The FEAR ebbed away, and with a weak gasp she tried to call it back, but it would not answer. Her arms slowly drooped, and she shook the beads of sweat from them and crossed the grass to collect the meter. Her heart sank into her stomach when she saw what she had done.

That. was it? That was all she could muster when it came down to the wire?

She was a weakling after all. The ghoul chewed her lower lip in anxiety, keeping her gaze downcast as she went to drop off the meter. Some help she had been. The ghoul could only hope that others had done better than her.