fandomhigh | Fandom vs. The Real World- 2nd Period- Class #5

"Well," Aeryn said when everyone was in their seats, "I wish I had the foresight to be able to have prepared you adequately for what happened last week. I'm sure if you weren't a female who turned into a male, you knew someone who did, or at least heard about it, so I want to take a moment to check in and see what it was like for everyone." And she might have been hoping Karla made it through okay, shhh.

Once the discussion was over, she continued, "This weekend is Parents Weekend. You may or may not have someone coming, but I'll have you know that I never had anyone show up for me, and yet I still ended up dealing with other people's friends and family. And there will always be someone who doesn't want certain things to make it back to those from home. Unfortunately there are no classes to ease them into it. Some of you might be fine telling your family everything that's going on here, and that is a good thing. Others might not have that luxury, and it takes some talking around things sometimes. I don't suggest outright lying. If you get caught, it's going to be bad. But there are ways to stretch the truth. Each of you is going to choose a topic, and pair up in order to try and explain it to the other person in a way that would not make anyone panic. Consider it practice."

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"I'll bring you back to Kaeleer and we can spend the day playing with the wolves," Karla agreed. Truly, in this case, ignorance was bliss.

She leaned towards Raven, dropping her voice as well. "Of course," she said quietly. "You have but to ask."

"You once told me you would join me when I trained with Professor Maximus if I were nervous to be near him," Raven said. "I am indeed having difficulties, and we both thought it best if I brought someone I trusted with me the next time I met with him."

Difficulties was a wee bit of an understatement.

"Of course I will!" Karla replied, sending a thread of comfort Raven's way. "I can see how this would be tough for you. When do you meet?"

"Thursdays afternoons, after lunch," Raven said. "On the beach as long as the weather is good. But I am certain we can change the time if that is not good for you." She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, then added, "Our last session did not go well."

"No, it should be fine," Karla replied. "Let's keep to your normal schedule." She paused. "Can I ask what happened?"

"Last week I inadvertently interrupted Lady Aphrodite and Professor Maximus in an intimate moment," Raven said. "Lady Aphrodite wished to know why I had been so flustered, and I told her what the vampire had done to me in the Other Fandom. I think it was all too fresh in my mind when I met with Professor Maximus on Thursday, and when he pushed me to admit my fears, I did not react well. I became very angry."

Karla nodded, looking at Raven with sympathy. "I think anger's a perfectly normal and valid response to such a situation," she said. "And even if it's anger as a cover for fear--which is the response I'd probably have--it still got you there. So that's progress."

Raven nodded. "Professor Maximus believes that I do not trust him, and that hinders his ability to teach me. I...think he is right. I know in my mind he is not the same as the vampire he was in the other world, but it is harder for my heart to accept that. And I know what he is capable of doing to me, vampire or not. He thought that if there were someone else there, someone I trust, then I would be able to relax more."

"That makes sense," Karla said, nodding again. "Hopefully I can interrupt if things start devolving past the point where it's helpful. And...I don't think he can break through a Sapphire shield."

It was Karla's own brand of comfort, even if she doubted it would ever come to that.

"The trust issue is also with myself," Raven admitted very quietly. "I am not certain I trust myself not to provoke him into using his abilities on me." She didn't elaborate beyond that, but Karla had been the first one -- the only one for a long time -- that she had confessed her craving for sensation to, so she assumed the other girl would understand her meaning.

Karla understood, which is why she leaned over to give Raven a quick hug. "If I think that's what you're doing, I'll stop you," she promised. "I'll do my best to keep it subtle and between us, but I'll stop you."

And she privately promised to find a way to make Raven trust herself again.

Raven gratefully hugged Karla back. "You need not be subtle," she said. "I was able to tell Professor Maximus of my fears."

Fandom vs. The Real World- 2nd Period- Class #5

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