Breaking and entering

The next day after rewriting my findings, I find myself leaning in the doorway of the highschool principal's office. The stern middle aged man with years of stress lines covering his face stares back at me with his arms crossed. He tilts his head and the light shows how thin his short brown hair is getting.

"Why are you here and what have you done with the real Professor Garrik?" He gruffly asks.

"I can't visit a colleague?" I smile to hide my nerves from this interaction.

"First, Professor Garrik rarely leaves his study. He only leaves for classes or to buy a rare book. Second, he hates teens since they are self centered. So bringing him to this school is literally a battle with seven of us dragging him here... Again, I ask. What have you done with the real Professor?" Asks Principal Martin.

I sigh. 

I really thought he would be out of the office again this time. Looks like I will have to reveal his secret for him to let his guard down.

"Remember a few years ago when you took my class on subspecies?" I inquire. 

"More like 20 years ago but yes?" He looks at me sideways, concerned.

"You asked very inappropriately if zombies got down and dirty to reproduce." I say watching his face go pale.

Shushing me, he sprints to the door pulling me the rest of the way inside. Looking both ways down the hall before shutting it.

"The last thing I need is for the students to hear that." He pleads. "So you made your point, you're the real Professor. Why on Pelitos are you here?"

"Not falling for the old friend gimmick?"

He eyes me down.

"A student caught my eye. I was hoping to know when the next field work she is assigned." I ask politely while tapping the tips of my fingers together. Hoping and praying he will give me answers.

"No."

"Tha- wha- why?" I stutter not expecting that answer. "I know your secre-"

"I can not hand out student information to anyone. Even to another teacher." Martin states.

"Of all the times to follow the rules." I mumble under my breath.

"You say something?" Asks Martin.

"Nothing much. You want to catch up over dinner?" I ask while sending dark mana down the side of my leg. The magic seeps into the shadows in the corners of the room.

Martin sighs. "I have a date with my wife tonight. I would be skinned alive if I cancel our anniversary dinner."

"You better get going then. You planned on getting her flowers right?" I ask pushing him toward the door.

"No? Should I buy flowers?" 

"I'm a few hundred years old and have heard too many tails of humans and their behavior. While I don't understand the enjoyment of staring at dead flowers and watching them grow more rotted. The fact still stands human's love them and bonus points if it's a potted plant. If she struggles keeping them alive, I suggest one from the the cactus family." I explain.

"Come with me." Martin begs dragging me to the hall with him. "I need your expertise."

"I'm 572 years old and have never had a girlfriend. You should really find someone with more experience." I counter offer while he locks the door behind us.

You know what? It's best if I just go along with it and come back after everyone is gone. My mana will let me know if anyone is in the room and if I lay down a little on the way out of here. I will know if anyone is in the building.

"But who?!" Tears well in Martin's eyes. "My wife yells at me all the time. I need to do well tonight."

This poor human.

Counsoling him, we walk out of the building and I see a man that made many woman fawn over him during his college years. Women from multiple towns over applied to our college to be with him. I even had to kick a few women (and the occasional guy) out that tried sneaking into my class. He is also one of those strong hunters that made the paper in his youth. To this day he is Aba's poster boy.

"James!" I call out to so called 'hunk'. 

He turns with his muscles showing through his tight shirt. Running his hand through his mid length brown hair, he shoots us his award-winning smile. I then look over to the rather round principal.

You poor human.

"Professor Garrik! Principal Martin! I'm not in trouble am I?" James says with a laugh. His facial hair is styled to show off his handsome face.

"Not at all." I smile back.

"What are you doing?" Martin whispers to me.

"Doing what I do best. After studying species, this is what human's do. Find what you want to be and ask them for help. You want your wife to fawn over you." I whisper back. I gesture to James, "this man here is a prime example of that."

Martin looks down at his belly and up at James then to me. His eyes squit a little bit in frustration.

"He is younger than you. What did you expect?" I beg.

"Woman troubles?" James asks.

"How did you-?" Martin is in shock.

"It's a common situation for me." He chuckles. "If a man approaches me quietly then he most likely wants my advice. Now if he is welding a weapon and screaming profanity theeeeen a girl was caught kissing my poster again." He laughs harder. "Anyways. What advice do you need?"

[A short while later Garrik, James and Martin are in a flower shop looking at plants. After a short visit to the barber shop to get Martin cleaned up and the candy shoppe where James told Martin everything he knew about sweets and woman.]

"Well he is as ready as he will be." James says proudly watching Martin walk off into the sunset towards the restaurant. A colorful succulent and a bag of treats in hand. Along with a hair style that suits his thinning hair better.

"Why are woman so difficult." I sigh in relief now that those two hours are done.

"And yet I still don't understand them. I didn't have the heart to tell Principal Martin that though. Most appreciate the effort and if they don't then tuck tail and run." James laughs.

He is a very carefree spirit.

"Well I have work to do. Good night Professor Garrik. Oh next week can I bring you something? I found a chunk of metal with engravings you might be interested in."

"I can look it over." I agree not thinking what my schedule looks like.

"Sweet! See you later!" James says taking off.

I just wave back relieved I can start my reconnaissance.

Back at the school, I use my dark mana I left behind to unlock the door from the inside. I move quietly down the dark halls towards the principal's office. The whole place is in grayscale thanks to my vision. 

I make it to the door labeled principal and open the door. Just because I can see in the dark doesn't mean I live in complete darkness. I flip the light on and jump back when I see Hazel's smiling face looking at me.

"Hey Doc." Hazel says grinning ear to ear. She is sitting on the principal's desk with a pile of papers to her left. "Rumor has it. You're stalking my trainee." Her expression turns rather dark.

Aba's presence begins to materialize in the left corner of the room. His emence power fills not only the room but the whole school.

Looks like Aba told her everything since he sees everything. Along with masking their presence so I would be caught tonight.

"Explain yourself." Hazel says hopping down from the desk. She then leans back folding her arms.

"Eh. Ah. Um, well." I stutter since who will believe my quest to find an original hunter when making them is outlawed. And the creator of the angels is in the room, who also created the law in the first place. 

"Garrik." Aba's voice is quiet yet heavy.

"Y-yes." 

"I know everything you have been doing over the years." Aba says, making my heart sink. "Your obsession with original hunters will come in handy though. You see, we have been keeping Samantha's true identity a secret from everyone."

He pauses and my brain starts to try to process what he just said. Aba's dark figure in the room moves his hood as if to look at me. Then he begins speaking again.

"I talked it over with Hazel. You are to accompany them on a few hunts a year. The young girl is growing but something mentally is blocking her development. She wants to surpass everyone to show her strength but with whispers of being called a monster or beast for that strength is holding her back. Hazel has tried many tactics to help Samantha but I believe your insight will help her see herself in a different light."

"Is this what humans call girl talk?" I ask more concerned for my well being.

"Look, Aba just wants you to geek out over what an original hunter is. This will be the confidence boost she needs to understand she is not a monster or a freak." Hazel crudely explains.

Explain all my findings of an original hunter to an original hunter? My stomach is turning. Is this excitement or possible fear from being ridiculed again? 

"They are going on a hunt tomorrow night." Aba explains as his materialized body slowly disappears. "A rouge vampire will be outside the town hoping for a straggler or two. Garrik, you will accompany them. After the fight you will talk to Samantha about your findings. If you talk to her before she will get severely injured and I don't need Hazel rampaging over that."

With those words, he is gone. Leaving me with Hazel.

"See you at the southern gate at 9pm." She says sternly before standing up straight and walking out.

This is really happening?

{To be continued...}