Welcome to Gaia! ::

Aside from the music room, the gym was the next nosiest place on campus. While the noise that blared within the music room had direction and control, the gym itself was pure chaos. There was a dull thunder as students ran across the gym floor, casketballs thudding as they bounced both in and out of control within their hands.

There were currently four teams on the court, each with ribbons tied around their arms to mark off who belonged to who. Red watched them with close eyes, her attention rapidly switching between student and student. With a short shrill PHWEEET! a call was made, a large talon pointed towards a foul player followed by a jerk over her shoulder to indicate they were out.

"Foul! Earth team gets the ball. Wind, you're out a player. Water team I'm not talking to you get back in the game! Fire team's leading over you six to one! Wind, foul ball Earth shoots! Move it, ladies!" Red bellowed, watching as the teams scrambled to follow her orders. The teacher sighed on content, a small grin tugging on her lips.

She drew still, turning to glance towards the gym door. Her jaw tightened as she strode over to it, unlocking the door and opening it for Mort before he reached it. "Can I help you? The gym is currently occupied, if you're looking to spar against someone please use the outdoor arena."

She gave him a long, puzzled stare. "It's just gym class," she said slowly, slipping through the door and closing it behind her. "However, I have an... inkling about what you wish to discuss." She beckoned him to follow her as she lead the way away from the gym, stopping short and giving a quick irritated sigh. "Damn office is still frozen shut, and my old one is the new Other Lockerroom. Do you wish to discuss this privately, or risk the chance of someone overhearing?"

"Potent" was one word for it. The fact that it wasn't a trap was the kicker. But that was another topic for another day when Red would be more talkative.

As it stood, the werewolf nodded to the boil's request, then shook her head at the suggestion. "Students aren't supposed to go in there, even with a teacher. Besides, I have... elsewhere in mind." Red reached out, her hand shifting and changing. The talons grew longer, sharper as they seemed to shift with dark matter. With the flick of her wrist, Red seemed to slice the air open revealing a swirling gray portal.

The teacher released the breath she held, moving until she was half in and half out of it. "Are you coming?"

With a soft click, the portal manifested behind them in the shape of a closed door. Dust rose from Red's steps as she crossed the room, experimentally kicking a couch to ensure that it didn't have any tiny inhabitants in it. She reached out and pulled the cover off of it, letting it pool on the floor before she dropped onto the couch. Another moment was spent shuffling on it as she wiggled into a comfortable position.

"I know a bit," Red answered. "The Haunted House has been here a long time. It's one of the most established connections between Halloween and the Human World. The Boogeymen utilize this place as a training ground, though it's owned by... a friend of mine. You might get to meet him sometime in the future, though he likes his privacy."

Red stretched on the couch. "Otherwise... You could th-blame me for the Insanity. I wasn't counting on dying, or having... this happen." She sat up straight. "There was something you wished to talk to me about privately, yes?"

Turned. That was a way to put it. A large grin crossed her face. Ah, if only they knew how deep that particular rabbit hole went.

"Tell me first," Red began as she sat up straight to give Mort her full attention. "What do you know of Hunters?"

His curious look was met with a shrug, followed by a twirling hand to indicate he should continue speaking. It wasn't until he was finished that she leaned back. Red kept her arms crossed as she studied the student in silence.

"Not all from Halloween follow the laws, nor do all Hunters. It takes only a certain few to push the limit, to cross the line and break the fragile truce. When hurt, one lines to lash out at what they think hurt them rather than find the truth. It is the same for us as it is for them," Red explained carefully. "Whether these are truths or not is up to you, and what you believe is the heart of the matter."

"As for myself..." She trailed off, her gaze becoming unfocused. "I lived among them for a time, bonded to a weapon. We became partners, he and I. When the time came to strike back to prove ourselves, the weapon betrayed me."

The professor stood up and stretched, adding, "The result is what you see before you after being betrayed by those who swore fealty and killed by those she swore to protect. I don't recall how many agonizing moons it took to rebuild ourselves."

"But the more pressing question is," she continued, fixing Mort with a stare. "What do you seek to gain?"

The professor rolled her eyes. "You and another student, it seems. But to what ends will such knowledge get you? It is not like lightning that you can harness and reap the benefits. It is not something that you can tame and cuddle with like a wild minipet." She leaned forward, her hand in the shape of a gun pressed against her temples. "You don't know what it's like in here."

The professor straightened up, shooting the student a scorning glare. "If there was a secret to it then I wouldn't be the only abomination around. As it is, I don't know why me. And considering where weapons are kept in the first place? You will have better luck catching the moon with your own two hands, Zomboil. Give it up. Your knowledge is useless if you don't come back."