Chapter Text
She was snapped out of her stupor to the sound of the bell echoing throughout her office, blasting from the speaker poised right in the corner near her door, more like a box enchanted with a sigil, but the searing noise was giving her a headache.
She’s never been so out of it before, though it’s not odd, ever since she’s returned she’ll have moments like these, guilt and whatnot.
Not even in the shadow crematorium had she been so lost before, well, the time after she understood what had happened to her.
When she thinks of it now, she thinks of Deitasterra, the power of Deitasterra was great, surpassing everything she’d ever known. When she was both young and grown had she wished to be at least half as great as her.
And so, despite being hailed as the second dark lord to the disciples well older than her, the force of Deitasterra locking her into that realm where space and time were separated, she still was shocked, she still for a second was stunned as the red chains she herself had learned to create wrapped around her like a vipers embrace, she was almost entranced.
Entranced before the tears of agony came rushing out, the last tears she’d cried, spilling out of her eyes as she begged and pleaded for Deitasterra to not do this no matter how much she knew because she could still protect her, she could still help. Looking back, Calla pitied her, pitied her for choosing to stay in that place, no matter what she felt, she understood that Averna would hunt her down till the end of her life if she had not.
The soft sound of the music she had playing in her head ceases when she hears footsteps.
Theres a knock on the door and whilst Calla would much prefer not having to talk to an annoying member of staff, she ends up saying “Come in” anyways in the kindest tone she could manage to sputter out of her mouth, charming, she could never not be such a thing to people, perhaps not to lapis and her friends though, sigh… they always seemed to catch her when she’s not looking so lovely and amazing and handsome-
“Lapis?”
She says it right as she realizes that she’s at the door, before she can question why she’d already spoken out her name, her name. She coughs back a wince, instead turning out of the doorway to allow her to enter, she mustn’t have more people pondering about their relationship, if Deitasterra’s greatness truly lived down to this generation then at least one person smart enough will realize how much Calla talks to her, but that probably won’t happen.
“Say? What does the winner of the spring and winter battles have to say to be coming to my lonesome door?” She quips, trying to regain some of her image. But instead, Lapis watches her, something circling in her eyes, if Calla was a weaker woman, she would have started sweating under the pressure, perhaps she didn’t realize it—Lapis, but something in her eyes could split apart Calla like surgery, if there was anyone in this world who could figure out the secrets of her heart, it would be Lapis, she wouldn’t even make her try, maybe it was the eyes which reminded her of—no.
Calla takes a step back, eyes trailing away from her gaze, focusing back on the work on her desk left by Astrad, or perhaps another professor who had the audacity too. She’d have to figure it out later, she didn’t return to this world for anyone but Lapis after all, or was it Deitasterra? She looked so different to Deitasterra, acted differently, she even treated her differently. She’d been alive for 20 years before Calla met her, she was a different woman, and she knew it, but for now, maybe for a minute, she’d pretend like Deitasterra was here, just for a moment she’d pretend like her world had returned instead of her getting a new one.
“Lapis?” she spoke, like she wasn’t the one awfully silent, her back still to her as she pretended to shuffle through documents, “I merely jest, your presence is enjoyed and I have no want to question it, work is awfully boring as a professor when you aren’t doing something or the other—” she’ll think about that as she sleeps, she knows this was Lapis’ dream, to be in this academy, and she went and turned it upside down, if she looked in another light, she would be insinuating that Lapis was causing her trouble by not acting out.
She really ought to stop overthinking it. But that’s what Master’s presence had done to her like a school girl crush.
“Classes have ended for the day.”
Calla turned to her as if asking for more, a book that won’t let you turn the page without its permission.
She lets out a sigh “I went to Herr Smiths office for some help on sigils—don’t look at me like that Calla, it didn’t seem right to go to people I have a personal connection with for academic help, in some way I wanted to.”
Again, she decodes her, not even the disciples can without her letting them, maybe Dmitriy.
“And well, how should I put this.” Her expression becomes something of annoyance, easing out into something more comical.
“I’d made a new friend, one that wasn’t one of Binari’s or Mapharam’s, which is nice, seeing she wasn’t even in my class and was instead someone I’d met in a passing period.”
You could say Calla’s interest was piqued, not that this tale needed that much backstory but that she was finding out information about Lapis—gosh she needs to shut up and listen.
“When I went Smith’s office, she had walked in too, and I’m assuming she needed help as well, so I invited her over! But then! She! Took! My notes?! And pen?!”
A pause to see if Calla would reply, when met with silence she continued.
“And Herr Smith completely ignored me! As I’d sat down, he’d turn to her with my notes—with MY name on them! And completely ignored me and act like I’d done something distasteful the moment I piped up to answer a test question.”
“And I’d gotten so sick of it I’d came here, not with my notes but I’m sure you looked through my files for my test papers and thus can deduce what I’m stuck on.”
“You’re painting me like some kind of stalker looking through your files, I have to grade yours by the way, so I didn’t, but if I did.” Was the one response she could give, too busy pondering about how trashy this school must be then… “if you wish, I can speak to him and get back your notes because your terrible in not just one pla—I mean, so you don’t lose your hard work.”
“can’t you just go and say I forgot my work there and leave instead of talking to him”
“I mean I guess…”