[Scalvoris Town: Viden Academy] First Impressions

[Faith Augustin]

26th Cylus 717

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, Faith thought as she sat down in her chair. She had turned up to her first class late, dishevelled and out of breath. This had been unavoidable as she had been busy on Famula's work and that would always take priority for her. But it meant that her first class was really not off to a good start. The professor was a young man, Faith thought again and she wondered whether he was much the same age as her. She had no idea of her actual age but she estimated it at around twenty. The name on the board, carefully written in a flowing script was

Professor Argus Hamilton-Smith

Faith wondered, briefly, if she was supposed to call him Professor, Professor Hamilton-Smith or maybe Argus. He looked at Faith and sighed.
"You are a new student, so I will assume you got lost. However, your form is only half completed, I trust that you will not be doing the same with your assignments."
The other students were watching and Faith could feel their eyes watching her as he handed her the form. She took it and looked down at it then handed it back.
"It is not half completed, Professor, it is filled in to the best of my knowledge and ability. Which will be exactly what my written and practical work will be, also." She looked at him with a level gaze and just for a moment his visage slipped as he glared at her.

"There is no date of birth, there is no second name."
"That is correct." Faith was feeling incredibly uncomfortable by this point and so she kept to the facts and nothing more. She did not offer information or explanation. Those who knew her would recignose it for what it was, a reverting to what she understood ~ when asked a question by someone in authority, answer only what has been asked. Anything else would be inappropriate and Faith felt completely unnerved by the attention on her.
"And would you like to explain?" Professor Hamilton-Smith kept the nice, friendly smile on his face.
"No, Professor." Faith just wanted him to go away. However, he had asked a question and she had to answer it. She was uncomfortable and it showed.
"Why not?"
"It is personal, I feel embarrassed by you asking me it in front of the other students and it is a waste of time when we are all meant to be learning." Faith answered honestly. Obviously, judging by his expression, however, this was not an answer that the Professor appreciated.

The silence was almost deafening and Faith considered that this really was not a good place to start.

"Well, let us waste no more of Faith's valuable time, shall we?" Professor Hamilton-Smith said with a friendly smile as he addressed the other students. There were a couple of smirks and Faith considered that she knew this had been a bad idea from the start. However, she maintained an outward appearance of calm and controlled, getting her writing implements ready.
"As I was saying," the professor said smoothly, "I am going to start totrial with a test of your existing knowledge. For many of you, that is unnecessary. Some, however, have not toiled at the Academy in Viden for four seasons, nor the Universty of Rynmere. Since we have one student here who is here by virtue of the Dean's good will, rather than the traditional, age old and well established route, I will be spending this session finding out where your knowledge base is."

He instructed them, then, to put away their books and handed out question papers for them. He told them that they had three breaks in which to complete this and that the test must be done in silence. There was a general feeling of tension and apprehension in the air but at the words, "You may begin," seven heads lowered to look at the first question.[/align]

[Faith Augustin]

Three breaks later Faith lifted her head as the Professor spoke, "time. Pens down." Lowering her pen she frowned, not being entirely happy with her answer to the last question. During the three breaks, the professor had watched them all, Faith and her classmates all seven. He'd come to some conclusions about the young woman who he knew had arrived here by virtue of an entrance exam. Of all of them, she was the only one who had literally not lifted her head, who had written for the entire time. She had remained focused in a way which he knew was rare. He'd learnt things about the others, too; one lad had almost nodded off, one of the female students had looked on the verge of tears.

He collected in the papers and sent them away for their lunch, after which they had another lecture, this time with Professor Carter. As they trooped out of the door, Argus Hamilton-Smith looked up and spoke in a soft, friendly tone. "Faith? When you've finished with Professor Carter, I'd like to see you back here, please."
"Yes, Professor," she replied and made her way out.

She didn't really understand why people needed to eat so much, if she was honest. She'd had breakfast before she left the house this morning; later on she and Padraig would eat. That was one meal a trial more than she was used to and she genuinely could not face the idea of lunch. So, she made her way to the library for a break, preparing for Professor Carter's class. They were going to be studying anatomy, according to the timetable that the Dean had given her. She was looking forward to that, very aware that she didn't know as much about other races as she should. At the moment, she was studying Sev'ryn anatomy in as much detail as she could.

They were in a different room, but she made her way there and sat down when there was a quarter break still to go before the class started. She sat, reading a text on the physical and cultural differences between races which she'd seen at the library. Rose, the librarian had told her that it was a book for Charter students and above and Faith had smiled and nodded, replying that she was very much looking forward to the challenge. Rose really didn't know what to make of the very serious young human who came into the library most trials and who, if her record was anything to judge by, read an awful lot.

Sitting, Faith didn't look up as the students came in together. They had spent the break together but then, Faith considered, they knew each other. She was unknown to any of them and they to her. She wasn't unfriendly but the simple truth of it was that Faith had no idea how to behave in this circumstance and so did what came most naturally to her. She kept to herself.

"Hey, how are you? I'm Elaine," one of the female students sat next to her and smiled. Faith looked over and returned the smile. She was a Biqaj, Faith thought or a mixed race with strong Biqaj tendencies. "I'm Faith. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Yeah, so Professor Hamilton-Smith told us. Faith with no other name. That's weird, is it really true?" Elaine asked, curiosity evident in her expression.
"Yes," Faith replied with a smile. The young woman next to her was curious, Faith didn't doubt. When she got home this evening, she considered, she was going to talk to Padraig about how to deal with this.
"And no date of birth either? Quite the enigma. Where did you join us from?"
"Before we lived in Scalvoris, we lived in Andaris."
"We? Oh, you're here with your parents?"
Faith looked at her with a smile and shook her head. "No.Do you live here with your parents?"
"Yeah, I have to whilst I'm studying, really. So you live with your husband? Come on, what's the secret?"
"There is no secret. He isn't my husband, no."

Elaine looked fully set to ask another load of questions when, thankfully, in walked Professor Carter. He was older than his colleague by maybe ten arcs, which Faith thought probably put him in his late twenties or early thirties with glasses on and a bemused expression. Like he wasn't quite sure who he was, where they were or where they were. Faith liked him immediately as he looked around and beamed.
"Students!" He exclaimed, delighted. "Diploma in medicine students studying anatomy. Yes?"
They nodded and he looked relieved. "Right. I'm rubbish with names, so here, write your name on this piece of parchment, fold it up and put it in front of you. There we are. Now. Anatomy."

For the next two breaks, they worked their way through a series of subjects. First, Professor Carter gave them a quiz but his wasn't a formal thing, it was him asked questions and pointing at them and saying their names. It was a good technique, Faith considered, for teaching. She would have to remember it because what it also did was mean that he got to know their names, at least a little. Then, once he had some idea of their knowledge levels, he asked how many had come from Viden Academy (four of them put up their hands) and how many from Andaris University (the other two). He quirked a brow at Faith and said, with a friendly smile. "Now, I know you didn't study here last season, we weren't open. So, where did you come from?"
Faith smiled back at him and, as always, answered the question she was asked. "I came from Andaris, Professor, but I was accepted to study because I sat an entrance examination."
Professor Carter gave an amiable smile, "You can do one of those?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Well, how did you do?"
"I'm not sure, Professor," Faith wondered if she was supposed to know. "I was just given the time of the classes and that I was studying a Diploma."

Once that was dealt with, the professor moved to the chalkboard and started writing "Three races, we're going to look at the anatomical similarities and differences. Human, Sev'ryn, Biqaj. Also, keep a space for specifics of the race. Alright, let's look at the systems which are the same. Internal organs?"

As he taught, which was often by virtue of asking a question which, once answered, he explained further Faith took careful and meticulous notes. Hearts, lungs, livers, renal system all the same in the three races. Biqaj, though, had silver blood although that seemed to be an entirely cosmetic thing. Faith raised a hand at that. "Is it chemically different? Does it react differently to specific chemicals, Professor?" He stopped and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know, Faith. Why do you ask?" He peered at her with curiosity.
"Because it would need to be tested in case of intravenous treatments. All it would take would be for Biqaj blood to have a different Ph level and that would mean that some coagulants and anti-coagulants could have unforeseen side effects. Or it could be more or less viscous, which would impact how we treat cuts, especially arterial bleeds"
Professor Carter smiled at her tilting his head curiously to the side, looking at her like she was an item worthy of study, she thought.
"Find out by next session. Tell us." He gave a grin to her, and she nodded, eagerly.
"I will, Professor."

And so the rest of the afternoon passed. Faith asked a lot of questions about Sev'ryn anatomy, but she did about all three in fairness. She was most interested in the neurological make up of a Sev'ryn, in comparison to a human. Professor Carter knew about this, and they discussed the theory ~ and theory it was, that Sev'ryn neurological make up was the reason for their racial ability to bond with a familiar. Apparently, he said, there were those who believed that subtle differences in the neurology of the Sev'ryn might cause this. Faith asked for names, which he gave and she determined that she was going to get those books and continue her research for Nir'wei.

Eventually, as they packed away, she made sure to stop and thank Professor Carter who smiled at her and told her she was more than welcome. She liked him, Faith thought to herself as she breathed in and made her way back to the classroom of her other professor, who she was frankly far less impressed with.

[Faith Augustin]

He had humiliated her in front of her classmates and he had done so knowingly, Faith thought to herself as she walked back to Professor Hamilton-Smith's classroom. He thought that, by doing so, he would achieve something but he had no idea who she was, she resolved. She had endured far worse than he could dish out and thanked those who did so for the lesson. They hadn't broken her, despite arcs of trying and he most certainly would not either.

So, she tapped on the door to the classroom and waited for him to call her in. He made her wait but she did not knock again. Standing outside, Faith stood still and kept her hands clasped in front of her with her gaze down. She didn't even realise she was doing it but when he opened the door, he saw it and the young man frowned, just slightly. "You asked me to return, Professor?"
He opened the door to the classroom and Faith stepped in. As she walked past him his eyes narrowed, trying to catch sight of anything on her skin but either there was nothing there or it was well hidden. "Sit," he instructed, purposely using the phrase in that manner and Faith sat, hands folded in her lap.
"I graded your paper. How do you think you did?" It would be interesting to see her answer, he considered.

Faith considered it carefully. "I ran out of time on the last question. I would have liked to discussed the immune system in more detail and considered how repeated exposure might seem to increase immunity to drugs which are fundamentally good for you."
He nodded and sat down opposite her. "I'd like to be clear and honest with you, Faith. Your enrollment form lists no basic education, although it idenfies tutoring from Professor Augustin. I don't know him."
"He's new here. He's a physicist, chemist and alchemist." Faith's gaze met Argus Hamilton-Smith's and he smiled slightly. It wasn't, as far as Faith was concerned, a reassuring look.
She was fond of this professor, he considered and he came to the simple conclusion. She had a crush. That made sense, she was young. It didn't matter here, though, unless it was something that he could use. Because, there was a problem to the young Professor Hamilton-Smith. No one could be better than him.
"So, other than lessons from this professor, what education have you had?"
"I've listed everything relevant there, Professor."

He breathed in, irritation building, but he smiled a gentle and helpful smile. "I'll tell you what I see. I see a young woman with a lot of potential who has possibly been put in a class a level or two above what she can cope with." Faith looked at him with a calm and level expression; she'd been worried about just that, that she had been lucky in her questions at the entrance examination. She hadn't felt out of her depth all trial, though.

"I think that, perhaps, if you had been allowed the basic education given to others, you would have been here or even further by now," he had to keep her sweet and, with a bit of luck she would develop the crush on him that she had on this Professor Augustin, he thought. He gave her his kindest, most reassuring smile. "So, this is what we're going to do. We aren't going to record that paper on anyone's term marks, alright?" Best not, all things considered Argus thought. Some of them were shocking. Hers? Well, hers was excellent, but she didn't need to know that.
"No, there's no need for that, if mine was bad then I'll take that grade," Faith wouldn't disadvantage someone else, certainly, "I wouldn't be comfortable with achieving anything by nefarious means. I'd rather fail on my own devices, frankly."

She had morals? Damnit, that was inconvenient Argus thought and that probably meant she wouldn't sleep with him for a pass mark either. Shame. "Think about that, Faith. There will, undoubtedly be others behind you who will be placed correctly. If you, as the first one to sit this exam and be placed are found to have been done so incorrectly, the Dean might see fit to remove the possibility." Not a chance if he saw her paper for Argus, but that wasn't the point.
"So, this is what I'm going to do, and I'll hear no argument. I'm going to not include those grades. It won't throw anything off, it will make it easier. I only included the paper today because I knew one of you had come by such an... unusual route. Then, I'm going to offer you extra tuition to bring you up to speed." He smiled at her and Faith felt a real conflict.

On the one hand, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was, to use Padraig's expression, an insufferable little boob, but equally, what he said fed in to every one of her concerns, her fears. She looked at him and asked, in a quieter tone than normal and one which Tristan would recognise much more than Padraig, "How bad was it? I work at the Order of the Adunih and I can't risk my patients. Should I...?"

Thinking quickly, Argus shook his head. "No, no, not bad. It's the academic skills, there are gaps in the knowledge. It's obvious that what you know, you know well. I think, with those extra tuition sessions I'm going to give you, we'll do just fine. It will be a lot of work, but you're used to that, aren't you?"
"Yes. What.. what do you mean?" Faith asked and Argus smiled. He seemed, Faith thought, genuinely pleased.
"So, let's draw up a timetable?" Argus Hamilton-Smith smiled. She was bright, this one, and when she did well he would be the one who had tutored her to the point that she was able to succeed. It would be a tricky juggling act, making sure that she kept going and yet still felt unsure enough that she needed him.

"It's very kind of you, Professor. Thank you." Faith looked at him with an earnest gaze and he gave her his best kindly smile.
"Don't you worry. We'll get you through. Now, lets have a look at your timetable, shall we?"

Once they'd arranged it, Faith thanked him again and, picking up her books, made her way home after what had been a very, very mixed trial.

[Niv]

Faith

Knowledge:

Acting: remaining calm and collected during a difficult situation.
Chemistry: Ph level of blood can cause different effects with coagulants and anti coagulants.
Discipline: don’t show up late to classes
Endurance: Withstood too much to let a silly man get to me
Etiquette: How to address a professor
Etiquette: Answer only what has been asked of you by authorities
Investigation: An estimation of Professor Argus’s age.
Research: Get as much details as possible
Surgery: Sev’ryn Anatomy in detail
Surgery: Hearts, lungs, livers, renal systems all the same in Biqaj, Sev’ryn and Human
Surgery: Biqaj have silver blood-cosmetic difference.
Teaching: Pointing to students, asking their name and asking them a questions is a good teaching strategy

Professor Angus Hamilton Smith: Nice hand writing
Professor Angus Hamilton Smith: Kind of an asshole
Elaine: The curious Bigaj (but may also be mixed) student
Professor Carter: Older than his colleague by at least ten arcs
Professor Carter: terrible with names.

Loot: 

N/A

Injuries: 

N/A

Fame:

N/A

Magic:

N/A

Devotion:

N/A

Story: 

5/5
Some good development here and I liked how you gave us a bit of Angus’s perspective (even if he is a gross bag)

Collaboration:

0/5
Solo.

Structure:

5/5
I didn’t encounter any mistakes, though I think you might want to make it clear when you change point of view.







Art credit to Yoshitaka Amano