Providence, Somewhere

Who's That Knocking On My Door

8:00 am

Eclipsa twisted the handle, opening the blinds in the office. The morning light seeped in through the slats, hitting the floor, and brightening up the room. She went to her desk, opening up her agenda.

"The 12th of the month," she said to herself. "...and it's fall. The days seem to be going rather quickly, it seems. Pretty soon it'll be... a year? Need to make note of that for the guides."

She idly wrote in the agenda while muttering to herself. The time, she noticed, ran differently than what she, and presumably everyone else, was used to. They're almost at peak autumn now, and it had only been 3 months since they'd all been brought together. Yet more people still keep coming, and eventually she'll have to expand the town.

"Need to find more recruits for The Scouts," she said, jotting it down.

Once she finished the note, she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!"

Zelda walked in, binder in hand. She seemed unusually energetic, despite the puffiness under her eyes. "Miss Mayor— er, Eclipsa, I come with my lesson plans!" She set the binder down. "Please have a look!"

Eclipsa took the binder, leafing through the notes and collages. She nodded a few times, looking up to see Zelda nodding off in her seat. "Zelda, darling, how much sleep did you get last night?"

"Sleep, hm?" Zelda jolted awake, trying to keep her composure. "Sorry, madam, but I had several ideas I needed to write down. Then, there was several more, and I texted Jenny and N to help with some of these."

She closed the binder, setting it aside. "I believe it was my oversight to not have told you when I plan to open up the school. I apologize for having you stress so much over this—"

"It's not a big deal, I swear! I just want to be prepared, is all."

Eclipsa smiled. "That's rather admirable, darling."

Zelda stifled a yawn. "So, when did you hope to open the school?"

"I wanted to build a proper schoolhouse for you and any other faculty, so if I find Jenny and Gus to help me, then we should have it completed by winter at the earliest." She displayed her agenda, pointing to the first day on the fourth month listed on the agenda.

Zelda stared at the calendar. "Why are there only four months?"

"Seasons have been working rather strangely, dear. This is the best estimate, and I hope this is how it'll remain for the rest of this relatively short year."

"I see." Another stifled yawn. "I'll make more content later to show you." She reached for the binder, only for Eclipsa's gloved hand to reach it first.

"I'll take care of it for you," she said, sliding it towards her. "Besides, I'd like to add my own notes, if that's okay."

Hesitant, Zelda nodded, standing up. "Thank you very much for this. I promise, once the notes come back to me, I'll make sure to follow them as well as I can possibly do them."

"Of course, but do be careful and rest, you've earned it," Eclipsa said as Zelda left. That dear girl, she's on top of it all, but just how much pressure she has faced in her previous life, Eclipsa had to wonder.

That wouldn't be her priority today, though.

10:45 am

Eclipsa heard another knock, right as she flipped the page to the science curriculum in the binder. She'd have to make notes later, taking a sticky note to mark her place later. "Come in."

In walked Becky, Fink, and a tall, purple man in a labcoat. Fink sat on the chair, while Becky and the man stood next to her on opposite sides.

Becky waved politely, clasping her hands. "Eclipsa, I'd like to introduce Professor Venomous. He hid in town while we were in Town Hall yesterday. Fink seems to know him, and I think I should keep an eye on them both while they're together."