StV: Student Feedback, Part Two

"I hate him," Veil said. The boy's name was Chance Justin Rutherford, but here at the school he only answered to Veil. "He put a spear right through my leg and then yanked it right back out -- and then he stabbed Cedric with it. I really thought Cedric had killed him, and I was glad." 

Oh dear, Jonathan thought. This one's going to be rough. "You haven't tried to start anything with him, though." 

"How can I?" Veil asked angrily. "My powers won't touch him. He doesn't even f-- He doesn't even notice. Plus, Sophia made a point of letting us know that he was here with her approval, and--" He cut off, cracked his neck, and then tried again. "On top of all that, he keeps being militantly decent."

Jonathan felt his eyebrows rise. "Militantly decent?" he asked. "How so?"

Veil hesitated. Then: "I mean okay, yes, he's also insane. He actually offered to let me stab him. Said it was only fair."

"And did you?" asked Jonathan, no longer sure whether he was fascinated or concerned. 

"Of course not!" Veil replied. "Greg said we weren't allowed to stab people. I mean, I know I'm not supposed to stab people, but I didn't even get a chance to decide for myself. He said -- Lyceus said -- that I could stab him and it would really hurt but it wouldn't kill him, but Greg--"

This was getting out of hand. "Veil," Jonathan said in his most reasonable tone, "I can't have my students stabbing each other here at the school."

Veil stopped as if stung. "You let Nightmare stab him," he said. "At least, Mr. Craven did and nobody got in trouble for it."

"That was a very different..." Jonathan Saint-Vincent paused, aware of the inconsistency in his arguments. Sandra Livingston had, by all accounts, put her claws into the sides of Lyceus' belly, right before he'd beaten her practically into unconsciousness. "...Let us say that when practicing the martial arts, some injuries are bound to occur; and while I cannot condone my students stabbing each other, I am also very aware that I am not in control of every aspect of their lives. Obviously I would prefer it if you didn't take Sophia's brother up on this offer of his, but he has asked to remain at the school and I would prefer that two of you be on decent, or at least cordial, terms with each other."

Veil put his hands together in front of him, and squeezed them until his skin went pale and pink with lack of circulation. "That's it. I am absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent going to--" He paused. "Not stab that guy. I promise."

He was absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent going to stab Lyceus, Jonathan thought, but as long as Lyceus agreed and they kept it between the two of them there really wasn't much he could do to stop it. And there wasn't much need; Lyceus' bout with Nightmare had demonstrated his regenerative abilities very effectively. Oh, this is such a bad decision and I am such a bad administrator, he thought, but he still couldn't bring himself to intervene. "Thank you, Mr. Rutherford. You've been a great help."

Veil stared at him. "Mr. Rutherford is my dad."

"Then thank you, Veil."

"You're welcome," the boy said, and departed.