A Flexible Appointment

At one point, the Soft-Eyed Mycologist and the Chimeric Professor talked about going together some day to the shaping chambers... And said day, as stated by a note slipped under the Mycologist's lab door, has finally arrived. Said note gently asked to join at a certain hour by the Station IX checkpoint for a visit to Hallow's Throat via Gebrandt's Melinoë, gilded ticket provided. The Professor also invited the Mycologist to bring any sample of amber they so wished to test the effects of, but reassuring more than enough for the experience was already provided.

Thus, the Professor would be patiently waiting, once again covered in bandages and wearing a more simple attire than usually (amber keeps being rather unpleasant to finer fabrics). They're also carrying a leather satchel and a well-prepared fungal bouquet, obtained from a (comparatively) trustworthy devil contact, who gathered them from the very Iron Republic. She called them "An authentic challenge for only the most avid mycologists, a death sentence to any other." Conveniently bound by a ribbon altered by the Red Science that contains the fungal threats until released. They knew he'll enjoy ridiculing a devil's concept of "challenge", and perhaps even the treacherous contention method itself. They sure will.

Reflecting on a Newborn Project

"What have I done...?" the Chimeric Professor thought to themself as they observed the frankly suboptimal angle at which they've arranged the Neathoscopic lens. It was far from adequate, and yet given the irregular space of the lab and its many implements, was the only one at which the Professor could combine a good emission distance with the array of lenses, prisms and measurers they're planning to install to better direct, reflect, refract, diffract and disperse the argumentative light they'll be working with. Not to mention the Feng Shui they studied from Khaganians, which theoretically helped channel the universal energies via a planned distribution of space. One never knows how many advantages one would need. But was it entirely necessary to rearrange for every new experiment their already replete laboratory?

Replete just like their personal agenda. How could the Correspondence Course work such (subjective) wonders on their social life? They already had compromised to help Thursday catch up with the lost class (and the previsible consequences), while also having talked with the Morbid Socialite (who suggested to dissect them? To whom the Professor teased? What's going on in their mind...?) about partnering up in their studies, besides the group study sessions Dr. Rosewood was already planning and promised to be too interesting to miss. They also got excited in front of the Emissary and compromised to an end-course project which while compelling, fascinating and likely deserving to impulse their scientific career, also implied lots of investment in effort, time and resources. Effort, time and resources they could so gladly be spending with the Myco-

There! The Neathoscopic emitter worked and projected a beam of hidden lights straight into the lab's ceiling. At least that will work perfectly as always. So proud they were of their Neathoscope. After persuading Dr. Gebrandt to part with some blueprints and doing the necessary arrangements some years prior, the Professor's Neathoscope has given many a joy to its owner and maker.

Just like the Soft-Eyed Mycologist. A source of joy, despite having now only known each other for four classes and a delightful week. Only thinking about him already made them sigh. If they just followed their heart they'll probably share every moment for who knows how many days with him. How can it be? What's wrong with them? Infatuated by one hell of a dancer, a mind of mysterious workings, a really handsome appearance and magnificent taste in clothing, and so open and familiar with the most esoteric matters of the Neath... How not to be drawn to such a flame, being just a moth? And with what he roused in them, the way they reacted to Maury...

But they have a duty to fulfill and a pride to live up to. And academic success has always attempted to been their driving force. They'll complete this project, they'll do it so perfectly they'll get patronage to further dive within the mysteries of Correspondence and argumentative light. And if they have such a delightful company meanwhile, all the better. But balance in all things, first and foremost. They just hope his husband's letter arrives soon from the Surface.

Until then, there's some sigil-carved plaques, specialized optical filters, and sources of color. They already have Apocyan amber holding a memory of the Sea of Spines, and it would be so easy if the Corresponding concepts of Love would be effected by Axile's terrible fate... And Cosmogone is the closest to the Sun among the hidden lights, so comparing the effects of both would be an easy process control...