Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 97 (M)

"The point of the school is to protect the children inside it as well as the children who shouldn't be exposed to untamed magical beings." The man, who I assume would be the principal, reiterates at the rush of murmurs. "Think of it more as a safe zone and less as something that is banishing children from society. It's still illegal to use in public, this would allow them a place to hone their skills where we could monitor it."

"If you have to keep explaining why you're not evil, it only proves how evil you truly are," Verando interjects from the front of the group. 

It was only a moment before Jonathan Campbell reveals himself from the group of sponsors. I touch Verando's arm, hearing his teeth grind as I hope to reel in the desire to maim the man for all the trouble he'd caused us. We'd become something of an obsession for him, though it seemed if one would truly dissect his intentions he was trying to uphold the law. 

Was the man evil? No. But he was frightened and powerful and that was enough to make him a priority to thwart. 

"Shocked you'd show your face here, considering the ongoing search in Europe. You're the last person who should be suggesting a world full of magic users is a safe place. Regulations and red tape, no shock at all that you're at the front to keep it from happening. Nothing is good enough unless you control it?" Senator Campbell crosses his arms over his chest, ushered backward by the Principle. 

My warlord composes his face, to practiced to show his irritation. Ron takes his other side, it would appear we were both more than willing to prevent him from acting on ill intentions. Verando was still untested in his body, we hadn't provoked him enough to know how well the chain would work to keep Fenrir at bay. 

"Considering both Mercer's are decorated heroes and saviors of our planet, we should treat them with more respect, wouldn't you say, Senator Campbell?" Ron interjects roughly, "Not becoming of someone who's up for reelection."

I see the untamed wolf beneath, he'd done little to work on controlling it, opting to go the way of Marcus and refuse to acknowledge it. 

"Do you truly believe a self-loathing racist should decide anything for the future of magical children?" Verando presses, "Someone who fears what they are should have no say in how others are treated, you would have magical beings culled before you trained them to be functional."

The Senator tightens his grip on his own jacket, arms crossed over his chest. 

"Mr.Mercer, with all due respect, you have a lengthy murder record and government involvement. Are you suggesting humans shouldn't fear your kind?" One of the opposing sides tilts her head, a thin woman in a pencil-style pale dress.  "Without you, we would not have a planet... but if you were to wish to take it back-"

"This is not about my client," Ron interjects sharply. "We are not on trial here and if you wish to make it such, my client is happy to take his funding and his support elsewhere. We are here to decide if this school is a true sanctuary for children trying to develop their magic." 

"It's not if they allow people like the Senator to have a say in how it's run." Verando's words are short, jaw tight. 

Senator Campbell scoffs, "What, the playground bully can't touch your toys just because you deem it so? Someone has to regulate the creatures you will be producing here."

"Sir, my son is one of those creatures-" A man snaps roughly from the stage, one of the lead investors into Gospel by the tag on his shirt. "We're one of the few families who can afford to homeschool but that doesn't help him learn about what he is. We don't even know what that is. There is no database, no standard, we need help." 

"Perhaps we should be putting all this funding into removing the magic." The thin woman suggests strongly, moving to stand beside Senator Campbell. "Having creatures other than humans... it just sounds absurd. What am I supposed to tell my daughter? Monsters are real?"