Zahneel burst from the cafeteria and paused once out in the open air. Lifting her face slightly, she sniffed deeply at the air, trying to pick out scents. No good, there were just too many to sift through and not enough time to do the sifting. She'd have to rely on speed and luck.
The young Grimm broke into a sprinting run as she tried to decide where to look first. If the Headmistress wasn't in the auditorium anymore, it was logical to assume that she'd go to her office. So that would be the very first place that Zahneel would check.
Yushika
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 12:22 pm
Ava had long left the auditorium, briefly talking to strangling Grimm in the halls before turning to her office to discuss security failure with her security team. Only recently had they left, and now she was alone. Finally able to think. She sunk into her chair, letting out a loud sigh as she wiggled deep into her plush chair.
There was no time to rest.
She drew herself upright, flipping through papers. Nixie. Nixie. Was there anything in the recent research sent to her indicating their existence? None. Not one paper. Frustration piled as she flipped the papers with her hand, watching them fall down the side of the desk and crash against the floor. She'd clean that later. She made a move to leave, opening the door and immediately stepping back when, instead of an open hallway, she was greeted with the face of a young Grimm.
Her eyes widened briefly before she narrowed them, head cocking to the side. "Yes, Zahneel?" No one was quite sure how she remembered so many students names, but it often came in handy in calming the rowdier students.
DaisyMilk
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eldritch stardust
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 12:35 pm
Panting slightly from her mad dash from the cafeteria to the office, Zahneel leaned slightly on the door frame to catch her breath just as the door opened. Blinking a little, the young grimm was honestly surprised by how easy it had been to track the Headmistress down.
First bit of good luck today. With luck, it wouldn't be the last.
Bobbing a little in a half-curtsy, Zahneel's mind raced as she worked to keep her words from simply pouring out meaninglessly.
"Please, Headmistress, it's really important that you don't let Miss Elena just leave with Mr. Ryuuichi. She didn't even let him take his cane when she dragged him off and you saw how hard it is for him to walk. And she arrested him in front his own daughter and a lot of kids and everyone's so upset."
She paused for a minute, clearly unsure of just how much to tell. She didn't want to make things worse for Athena and her father. And while she trusted the Headmistress to do what was right, she couldn't forget that one boy's words about Ava just letting Elena run off to arrest Ryuuichi.
"Mr. Ryuuichi's not a traitor, Headmistress," she whispered miserably as tears sprang to her eyes. "He didn't forge those papers."
Yushika
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 12:44 pm
Ava hadn't expected the half-curtsy, but she responded with a polite head nod. The second the speech began, however, her eyes hardened, briefly. This matter didn't involved children, and as upset they may be this was for the best of ev-
What?
Her eyes widened, her ability to control her expression gone. That hadn't been what Ava figured would happen back when the Nixie woman offered to capture the traitor. She had just assumed, since she had been so... what even was the word? Professional? Ava didn't, at the time, had reason to suspect she'd waltz in and yank an old man from his daughter and dismiss his need for a cane. Her tail lashed once, violently whipping through the air as she watched the Grimm before her.
An eyebrow raised, chest clenching as the child began to cry. No. Focus. Ignore the tears for now, Zahneel was trying to speak. The girl was strong and had come to the Headmistress to speak, not to be coddled. The information presented caused a brief frown, mouth tightening around the edges. How much had the children learned? How much were the told? Why had it become their job to know the trauma's of the situation? Why had no one told her? This wasn't their responsibility, and yet here one child stood, explaining something she never should have been a part of originally. Oh, once Ava got a hold of the higher-ups she was going to let them know what for.
"Then who did?" She questioned, head raising. "And how have you learned of this information?"
DaisyMilk
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 1:04 pm
Behind the tears was the tiniest hint of a stubborn streak. Glancing at the office door, Zahneel edged further from it, her voice still barely more than a whisper. Granted, it was hardly breaking a trust when she hadn't been the only one to hear Athena's confession, but that didn't mean she wanted anyone to overhear and possibly shame the nixie girl.
"I'd rather it was Athena who was telling you, but she's afraid and I want to help her. You have to promise to talk to her too, please? She's not bad and neither is her father."
Taking a deep breath and doing her best to not cringe, Zahneel wiped her sleeve across her eyes and looked Ava right in the eyes.
"Athena did and she told us herself after Elena took her father away. She... she only wanted to see the rest of the world and learn," Zahneel's voiced trailed off. Given the circumstances, it was better to not mention that Athena had been eavesdropping on nixie council meetings. "She just wanted to know more than the little bit the traders would tell her. Wanting to travel and learn isn't bad and shouldn't be punished."
And now that she was here and explaining it to Ava, Zahneel wanted to curl up and find a dark corner to cry in. Why should the Headmistress care about the actions of a single nixie girl, after all? That hybrid boy had been right, probably. What good would this really do? Suddenly, Zahneel frowned as a thought struck her.
"It's strange, Headmistress. Athena said that her mother's name was Elena when she was telling us about her city. She said that her mother had died when she was very young. But... this lady is named Elena and she looks a lot like Athena. But she didn't seem to know Athena at all. I know that it doesn't matter, but I want to help Athena. She and Myles are good people. They are!"
Yushika
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 1:13 pm
Judging by Zahneel's reaction, she knew exactly who forged the papers. Athena. The child had forged official papers. Hadn't she known the consequences? Didn't she think where it would get her father in the long run? Herself?
Probably not.
Children were prone to just acting. To leaping forward without thinking and believing they were untouchable. When Zahneel spoke further her suspicion was confirmed, and she frowned, deeply. She dismissed the comment about Elena being the child's mother, for right now. That in itself didn't concern her. It was the rest.
Could she remain angry at the two Nixie? Could she allow that woman, Elena, to take Ryuuichi? Did she sympathize with Athena? Perhaps. What would she do if she was in Athena's shoes? If she heard of other people? Another world? How long had the Nixie been sheltered from the surrounding world? It wasn't unnatural for a child to become desperate and break free from their cage. It wasn't her fault she wished to travel. Her actions were wrong, but this was what children did when chained down. She had seen it enough times.
No, she wasn't mad at Athena.
Her shoulders shifted, body taking her usual power stance as she eyed the Grimm. This entire situation was ridiculous. No one was considering how the children felt. How frightened they were. Nodding towards the hall, she took a step forward.
"Take me to the woman, then. I will help Ryuuichi."
DaisyMilk
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 1:27 pm
This was it. She'd done her best and she hadn't changed anything. Her ears flattened out slightly as she watched Ava think. She'd probably have done more good going with Tobias and his group to stall Elena.
Tail limp, she waited for the Headmistress' decision and very nearly started crying our of sheer gratitude when the words finally came. Risking the tiniest of tail wags, Zahneel nodded.
"I... I told Tobias and some others to take wet towels for Elena and Mr. Ryuuichi because we all wanted to keep her from taking him away and I didn't want him to dry out. I'm sure it won't be hard to find a pack of grimm and two nixie."
She paused in her relieved rambling to open the office door and scoot out, waiting politely for Ava to follow. Then, feeling greatly daring, she reached out a claw and gently touched Ava's hand.
"Thank you," she whispered. She didn't know how much Ava could accomplish, but the Headmistress was willing to try. And right now, that was all it took to bolster the grimm's faith in the woman.
Panting slightly from her mad dash from the cafeteria to the office, Zahneel leaned slightly on the door frame to catch her breath just as the door opened. Blinking a little, the young grimm was honestly surprised by how easy it had been to track the Headmistress down.