Office hours, all day Saturday

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal was once more behind his desk, classical music playing softly and some very good tea and coffee available to any guests who might drop by. Along with hors d'oeuvres that were both delicious and far fancier than they really needed to be.

The students this year seemed exceptionally nervous, and Hannibal was very good at impressing people when needed. So he was prepared to be a responsible and impressive adult that could reassure anyone who needed it.

Frankly, it amused him.

Comments

[sharp_as_knives]

"So, arcanists are mages that work for themselves?" Hannibal asked.

[notamascot]

"Isn't that what I said?" Kaylin looked a little confused. "Yes, they aren't bound by the same rules that the Imperial mages are. Not that any mages are really trustworthy."

[sharp_as_knives]

"If not all mages work for the Emperor, why are your powers considered so different?" Hannibal asked. "Is healing very different?"

[notamascot]

"No one understands how my magic works," Kaylin said quietly. "And I can't - couldn't - always control it. That makes me very dangerous. Healing is the rarest of magical talents and there are only two or three mages with the ability and they are all seconded to the Emperor."

She sighed. "I obviously can't be seconded to the Emperor because my manners aren't good enough and if I insulted him accidentally he'd probably have to eat me. And they don't really want the other mages to know about me, so... I'm a problem."

[sharp_as_knives]

"Keeping your abilities a secret while learning things is a problem," Hannibal corrected. "That doesn't make you a problem."

The stubborn refusal to learn might, but the other was the fault of her society.

[notamascot]

"Oh, I think Marcus and the Hawklord would probably disagree with you there," she said almost cheerfully. "I'm totally a problem. And I don't have to learn about magic, so that's okay. I failed all my magic courses anyway. Did I tell you that already?"

Oh Kaylin. The day was coming soon when she would have to study magic. And neither she nor her teacher would enjoy that.

[sharp_as_knives]

"You may well be a problem for other reasons," Hannibal allowed. "And no, you didn't. Have you considered trying again? If nobody else can discover why your magic is different, perhaps you can."

[notamascot]

That was a horrifying thought. "No," Kaylin said quickly. "I'm not taking that again. I can do what I need to with it and I don't want to d anything else."

[sharp_as_knives]

A less controlled man would probably be shaking you now, Kaylin. "Wouldn't you prefer for going through doorways not to hurt?" Hannibal asked patiently.

[notamascot]

He really needed to meet Marcus one day. They could totally commiserate.

"Well, obviously," Kaylin said. "But I don't think that's likely to happen. They just don't like me!"

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal gave her a look. Then he turned the volume on his keyboard on, though he kept it fairly low. "What do you think of this?" He played a dissonant chord, one note drowning out the others enough that it sounded like a mistake. He did his best not to wince.

[notamascot]

Kaylin put her hands to her ears. "I think something's wrong with your machine there."

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal laughed. "Not pretty, is it? Rather painful to the ears. Now what about this?"

He played a short phrase of music - a bit modern and atonal, but definitely music.

[notamascot]

"It doesn't... hurt as much as the last," Kaylin said, "But it still doesn't sound right."

[sharp_as_knives]

"It can be an acquired taste," Hannibal acknowledged. "However," He played it again very slowly and stopped in the middle, "this is the same chord." He played the notes one at a time, then hit them the way he had at first - loud, unbalanced, and jarring.

"The notes haven't changed, I've just altered the way they're presented." He gave her a pointed look. "And now it doesn't hurt."

Please say that was an obvious enough analogy, Kaylin.

[notamascot]

Kaylin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, okay."

She still wasn't retaking that class, but whatever.