Algernon Black

(Chapter 30) Where Happiness Lies

For the second day of classes, Lucy was even more nervous. Her hands still stung, and when some of the girls looked at the bandages, they scoffed at her like she was sporting them for attention. But really the burns still throbbed, and even an early morning shower was a struggle. Lucy trekked to class beside Freya as Pecilia walked a little closer to them this time, but still ahead. And when their classmates leered over Lucy with their judgmental eyes, Pecilia glared back, though she made sure Lucy didn't see her act of goodwill.

The trio of girls entered the newest classroom which was filled with six long rows of desks where ten students could fit comfortably across. Lucy, Freya, and Pecilia sat in one of the back rows, while everyone else avoided sitting near them. Pecilia began thinking acquainting herself with Lucy could be quite beneficial. It also helped in keeping watch on Algernon who was every once in a while, glancing over in their direction. Pecilia made sure she sat in the line of sight between him and Lucy, and when he would stare a little too long, she'd met his eyes with her narrowed ones until he looked away.

Algernon only looked so much because of a struggle within himself. Last night, he had made an ointment for Lucy's burns with the ingredients in his greenhouse, but he didn't know how to give it to her. He didn't even know why he had made it, but he did, and now it was at the top of his bag. But he told himself he wouldn't give it to her so that the burns could serve as a reminder of the dangers these people could inflict, but as he watched her tuck a stray hair behind her ear and slightly grimace when accidentally flexing her wound, he reconsidered once again.

"Good morning." The professor entered from the front of the classroom, walking down the aisle and nodding at his students. He knew most of them already, if not by face but by a family sigil that mostly all wore woven somewhere into their custom clothes. He did notice one fresh face though, with a fresh haircut from her antics of a few days prior. He smiled at her just the same.

"I am Professor Punditwood," the man said in a clear, sturdy voice. "The first year's instructor of light energy." His skin was a tanned brown to match hazel eyes, and his hair a thick white. By looks, he seemed to be in his early 40s but he gave off the aura of someone much younger with his full cheeks and jovial voice.

He seemed nice but Lucy still shrunk in her seat, trying to stay as quiet and small as possible. Her professor yesterday had made it abundantly clear she was unwanted in his class, and she didn't know if her other teachers would hold the same feelings.

"Just like practitioners are the vessels for magic, we teachers are the vessels of knowledge," Punditwood said in his usual spiel to the first years, but as he looked around, he could see this was a very unusual class. Especially with the addition of two very interesting students.

"Your first year is vital to your practices as you figure out the current limits of your body in its conjunction with magic, and how to overcome that cap. But remember just because Attwood has the reputation of producing the best practitioners in the world does not mean that your success is guaranteed. Only you can assure yourself of that by overcoming the hardships and trials that lie ahead." He looked at Lucy for only a second. Of everyone in class she was trying her hardest to go unnoticed. He heard of Enzelwood's charade and though he did not approve of the teacher's draconian methods, understood the warning he tried to portray.

"There are no limits set on you other than the ones you put on yourself. And I have no expectation of any of you, other than you do your best to strive for potential greater in you than you ever thought possible." He looked around at his students, each year this was his favorite day, seeing them for the first time, and wondering what they would become. His gaze landed first on Algernon "And no bloodline," then on Lucy "No background," then to the rest of his class, "Nothing, will be as important as your heart and dedication to becoming the best version of yourself possible."

Lucy felt assured by his words and thought maybe he was different from the other professor, while Pecilia rolled her eyes. If he was trying to be helpful for Lucy's sake, he was doing a poor job because telling a group of people that prided themselves on their bloodlines and background that their linage meant nothing would only make them latch on more to their need to believe in their inherent superiority, which Lucy lacked, and therefore would be used as a prime foil of deep-rooted incompetence.

"My goal is to have you all moving forward towards your own. But before that can happen you must decide what that is. Figuring out your purpose in life will give you the means and motivation to get through even the longest and hardest of struggles." He scanned for the many different reactions on his students' faces. Some rolled their eyes, some just ignored it, and some looked like he had just asked them to chop off a leg.

Algernon silently scuffed. To his experience, wants or goal were just setups for disappointment.

"I know some of you may think it is trivial and unimportant," Punditwood said, geared at his more apathetic student. "That we don't truly get any more powerful just because we have something we care about. And there is a power to be found in not caring, but without anything to care for, what is the point in acquiring anything at all?"

Algernon's eyes opened as he never contemplated it like that before. He had been raised to fight, to become the most powerful warrior in the world, but he never questioned why he did. He had just been following orders. Everything was following orders, and he never cared to do anything else. He was too tired from all he did to even think of involving himself in any more unnecessary troubles, except for very recently when he did just that. He looked at the ointment in his bag again.

Punditwood smirked to himself, seeing Algernon's almost undetectable reaction. "Figure out your goals and let all else fall out of vision." He spoke to his class but mostly to one gloomy student. "That is where true happiness lies."

Happiness, Algernon thought as if it was a foreign word. He tried to think of all the times in life he had felt that. He couldn't recall any recent memories, but the exchange of witty japs he had with Lucy days before.

Algernon looked at her again and remembered how small her body had been under him, and how her wide gray eyes glaring up at him had for the first time in a very long time brought an actual smile to his face. The tops of his neck burned red as he sunk into his jacket to cover his glowing skin, all the while trying to force himself from thinking of such strange nonsensical things as happiness.

Pecilia listened closely to the teacher's words, but thought happiness was too dangerous a drug to introduce to someone as young as them. She looked at Algernon once again, who was half hiding his face in the collars of his jacket. Of everyone, he was the most at risk for the consequences that came from the pursuit of happiness. And she wondered just how aware of that he was. But if he wasn't, she was going to make him.