65 CHPT 65: Excitement

Claude woke up in the Infirmary late at night. It was empty aside from Prof. Raizen who slept standing up with his back against the window of the Infirmary, his sword was stuffed into its sheath at his side. He stood with an unnatural stillness.

Claude took the time to close his eyes and try to focus and feel for any injuries— minor or major. All he felt was a small pain in his chest and his ears stung.

"FUCK!"

"[Relax, based on how long you've been asleep, you could have healed from the snake bite naturally. Check for scars later.]" Arne said.

"Good point, I'll check later." Claude thought in reply as he began to calm down.

He tried to quietly get out of bed and head back to his room, but Prof. Raizen had surprisingly good hearing, or he wasn't actually asleep.

"Going somewhere?" He said while his eyes were still closed.

Claude froze midway into the action of sitting up. "Uh.... yea... I'm going back to my room." He said while completely getting out of bed.

"Not before we talk."

"Shit." Claude thought as he turned to face Prof. Raizen.

"Aweee come on. That's the look I get for watching over you while you sleep?" Prof. Raizen said while sitting up from his previous position against the window.

Claude was confused by the question for a moment since he didn't think he really needed watching while he was in the University, until a particular blonde haired psychotic female Detective appeared in his mind.

"Det. Cyrene." He said quietly while rubbing the side of his face.

Prof. Raizen nodded and said, "Yes, she was waiting around here until visiting hours were over, she exchanged some words with Tai and Samuel as well. Probably asking about the fight....." he trailed off.

After Claude stayed silent, he decided to ask some questions.

"Listen, I can tell she's a pretty decorated Detective. I know this because, even if Samuel and Tai's father is extremely wealthy she was probably expensive to employ. What I'm trying to say is, this seems incredibly serious..." he trailed off again.

"You have no idea." Claude thought.

"What could've happened in there for them to accuse you of something so.....severe. I mean even now, you guys looked like you were fully prepared to kill each other. Claude, what happened in there to make them all think you're a monster." He asked.

Claude flinched at the word that he felt was beginning to better fit what he was as a person every day. "I don't feel comfortable retelling the events. I'm sure enough of the other students that were there have told you." He responded.

"Yes, they have. Somehow, all the stories differ, but one thing they have in common is that Jack— the Guard, was one of the two Werewolves you all saw, alongside a large man who led them all. Apparently you were the one to point out that it was Jack..is it safe to say that your assumption made the students suspicious of you?" He asked.

Claude nodded in response but said nothing to clear his name, he had to be careful because if he lied and his version of the story strayed too far from the others, it would only make him look worse. But then again, he didn't look all that innocent by staying silent either.

"I'm sorry sir, I truly don't feel ready to discuss what happened. Anyway, I'm not in too much danger since Det. Cyrene can only detain me if I somehow show her that I'm what they all think I am." Claude lied.

"I think we both know she's not looking to detain you." Prof. Raizen said.

Claude's breath caught in his throat in surprise. He didn't think Prof. Raizen would be so aware of his predicament.

"I saw how she was looking at you when you two were in my room that morning. She's a fanatic Claude, and your not nearly as safe as you think." He said ominously.

Claude silently thought over what Prof. Raizen meant. "Does he knows something I don't?" He thought along with a string of other similar thoughts. They were eventually interrupted by Prof. Raizen speaking again.

"Listen, I've known you since you were...what?....twelve? I know your not a monster— even if you've changed quite a bit, so allow me to give you a piece of information. You're on a watch list, they've made certain people— businesses, aware of your name. So, whenever you use it for something they'll know....and soon be on your tail. She'll be on your tail, waiting for you to prove the twins right.....maybe you won't need to be anything but alone for her to act." Prof. Raizen said.

Claude felt a chill run down the entirety of his spine in reaction to the metaphorical bomb Prof. Raizen just dropped on him. Sure, he knew Det. Cyrene was off the rails, but he made it sound like she was simply waiting for him to leave the University so she could kill him in cold blood.

He was momentarily stunned even further as Prof. Raizen came up to him and put his hard calloused hands on his shoulders in a paternal manner.

"I know who you are, and I know what you are.."

"W-What?" Claude stammered out.

"Your good, Claude. All that monster shit goes out the window when you're a good man. In today's day and age there is a seriously insufficient amount of good men, they're rarer than diamonds. So, keep yourself aware and don't go anywhere away from people. I can protect you here but once you leave there's only so much I can do in the long run." He said in an incredibly serious tone.

Claude stared at him wide eyed for a moment, "Yes sir." He answered quickly.

"Now, you need to go to bed, classes start in a few hours." Prof. Raizen told him with a pat to his right arm.

"We're the same height— more or less." He thought to himself in wonder while he looked at the Professor and reminisced when he used to tower over him. Regardless of this, he felt incredibly small next to him— not just in stature, but in all aspects, like a young boy being commended by his father. Suddenly he felt a wave of intense emotional pain and sorrow take root in the center of his chest. He realized the last person to speak to him like this was in fact, his father.

"Goodnight, sir." He quickly said as he turned and left the Infirmary with tear filled eyes.

***

Friday Oct 20, 2224

Claude went through the most part of his day riddled with anger, anger at the thought that he wasn't able to see how he currently fared against the twins and the fact that he could see the growing suspicion in Ursula's eyes.

On top of all this, Prof. Raizen announced that Mob was canceled due to Claude and Samuel not being able to comply with the Professors orders. This caused the class to take a huge hit in progress since they couldn't go into the Tangents either.

This left the whole class in an agitated state with nothing left to do but spar and lift weights as punishment.

Claude was at the bench press working up a sweat with Ursula spotting him. He was trying to spend more time appearing friendly and open with her— it was more difficult than he thought to be....social.

"....Ten....eleven.....twelve." He said as he finished pressing 180 lbs. Ursula watched him intently as he got up and motioned for her to go next.

"Are you sure your leg is ok?" She asked for the eighth time.

"Ursula, the snake grazed me and immediately after the fight I was healed." Claude responded while looking at all the students that cast angry glances at him. Somehow none of the blame for yesterday's events fell on Samuel— very expected.

"No, you didn't get healed immediately after. You were struck by lightning and then sent to the Infirmary." She corrected.

He began to remember the giant blast of white light that landed between him and Samuel. Apparently Prof. Raizen called down a lightning strike since they weren't listening to him repeatedly saying "it's over". Some would say, they deserved it.

Due to their enhanced senses, the mere noise was enough to incapacitate them. This fact made Claude curious, and he ended up learning from Arne that; Lupines have trouble against powerful Lightning element users who are able to generate loud blasts of thunder. It made him uneasy to know that he was more susceptible to attacks from them, but he was glad he learned it at the University and not in a life or death situation where it would catch him by surprise.

"Ok, but I was still healed." Claude answered while he helped her add weight to the bar.

"Fine." She said while she began to bench press 225 lbs like it was nothing.

"Look, I'm sorry I ruined the first game of Mob for you, but I can't help that you think the snake bit me when it didn't—fully." Claude lied while he spotted her.

She smiled lightly for the first time before speaking, "So, you're gonna make me the bad guy then?"

"I.....I did—"

"I'm joking. I just know that if the snake did bite you, you'd keep fighting anyway and risk taking serious damage trying to be tough." She said cutting him off.

"What are you talking about, I am tough." Claude said with a light smirk on his face.

They both laughed after Ursula racked the weight and sat up to stretch her arms.

"Yo! Claude." Someone said from behind them.

Claude turned and saw Chase standing under the light of the setting sun.

"Hey, Chase." Claude said.

"So, it looks like you've found a way to make most of the class despise you even more. I just came to remind you that I'M your rival and they're just haters- don't get it confused." He said intensely with his thumb pointed at his chest.

"Chase, that kinda sounded like a compliment." Ursula said matter of factly from behind Claude.

"Take it how you will, as long as you know that I'm your rival Claude....even if that fight with Samuel was...impressive." Chase said before heading back to the training he was previously hacking away at.

After another half hour of class, Prof. Brennan stepped out of his spot in the shade and announced the end of class.

"Alright everyone, class is over! Make sure your still reading and training at home because we're picking up right where we left off next Monday!" Prof. Brennan yelled to the students as they began to gather their things and head back to the building.

It's been a long week, so almost everyone was out of Training in a blind rush.

***

Claude now headed down the steps from his room with a new article of clothing in his backpack and Ursula and Warren at his sides. They headed down the hallway that led to the Portal Room with a crowd of fellow students eager to get home while others that lived nearby simply exited through the front door on the main floor.

"So what are you doing this weekend, Ursula Warren asked cheerfully.

"Training." She said with a slightly angered expression.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry Ursula, I forgot....." he trailed off feeling like an insensitive jerk.

"Hey don't worry about it." She said dismissively with a quick smile. "What about you Claude?"

"Huh?" He said.

"What do you have planned for the weekend?" She clarified while they headed into the Portal Room. The sound of students repeatedly stepping through the Portal became a familiar vacuum like sound that faded to the back of their minds.

"Ohhh, nothing special. I'll be training as well." He said. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

After a few minutes, they headed up the steps to enter through the Portal. For the first time in a while, Claude was brimming with excitement— excitement to get home.

"[Happy to see Frosty, are we?]" Arne said in his familiar English accent.

"Hell yes."