Noble blinked many tis.
She had felt the emotional signature, but it was only when her eyes fell on the woman that the professor truly processed what was happening.
The dark-haired agent sat back in her spinning chair with a wide grin on her face. Her glasses were missing but that only made her delighted expression more pronounced.
"Hey, Master Ma'am!"
"T-Teddy?" Noble stuttered. "What are you doing here? More importantly, how are you here?"
"I'm Awakened now!" Teddy announced proudly, "Just ask Zeth!"
Sitting in the seat beside her, the familiar governnt clerk nodded. "Awakened Teddy has recently completed her First Nightmare and has been cleared to return to work. She will be the courier for Ambassador Fort from now on."
Teddy sat up proudly in her seat at the ntion of her new status. She was positively beaming!
"The boss ntioned how it would help you both out if soone took over delivering ssages between the governnt and Ravenheart. I am happy to fill that role."
Bringing her hand to her mouth, Noble took many seconds to formulate her words. "Teddy...please tell that you didn't take on a Nightmare just because I was tired of running back and forth between the Awakened Academy and Governnt Headquarters?"
If the young woman had braved a Nightmare in order to save Noble from a minor inconvenience like a train ride, the professor would feel terrible.
"I would love to say you were what inspired to take on the first Trial, but that would be a lie. The reason I did it is much simpler."
The young lady leaned back in her chair. Noble looked at the other agent, but he averted his gaze. It seed Zeth wasn't willing to explain on his coworker's behalf.
The professor took a deep breath.
"And that simple reason is...?"
Teddy clicked her tongue.
"What else? Sushi!"
"Yeah, you are going to have to walk through that." Noble rubbed her head.
"Don't get wrong, I was very excited to go to Ravenheart with everyone, but last week I was seriously craving sushi. So I told Clan Song I was heading back to the Waking World and they helped out. After completing the Nightmare, I was able to eat all the fishy goodness I wanted!"
Teddy pointed to the table. Sure enough, a small platter of rolled-up rice was there for her to snack on.
"You want one?" She offered happily.
Noble held up her palm. "No, thank you. Teddy, are you telling that you went through a hellish experience that could have killed you just to satisfy a food craving?"
"Well, I also missed my spinning chair." Teddy patted the seat under her.
Noble coughed. "That is...unconventional."
"I think the word you are looking for is crazy," Zeth mumbled, scratching his nose.
"Worth it," Teddy spun once to prove her point.
Noble raised an eyebrow at the younger woman. "Uh, I hate to be the one to point this out, but couldn't you have just made a special request to have your chair and so sushi sent to Ravenheart?"
Teddy knit her eyebrows and waved her hand. "Nah, that's too much work."
Noble tilted her head. Had she heard correctly? "Conquering a nightmare is more work than asking for your chair?"
"Well yeah. The governnt definitely involves people but a nightmare only maybe involves people!" The young lady spun in the opposite direction, her hair fanning out like a peacock's feathers behind her.
"But you asked Clan Song for help to begin your nightmare," the other agent noted, hoping to finally make her see the flaw in her logic.
Teddy grinned mischievously. "Well, yeah but I like those people!"
"You don't like ?"
Noble felt tears form in the corners of her eyes. She knew that she shouldn't care, but the little jab hurt more than she cared to admit.
"Of course I love you!" Teddy placed her hand on her heart, "but I can't eat you or sit on you...that would be wrong, or so I'm told."
"I see." Noble didn't, but what else could she say?
"By the way, I owe you a thank you. Your training really helped out!" The young woman pumped her fist.
"My training?"
The professor had not seen the young lady at any of her sessions in the Drear Academy. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Teddy had co with Fort once on governnt business and had watched a sparring match, but that hardly constituted a well-rounded education.
"Yeah, I've practically morized every one of Queen Bee's moves. It was nice to try out a couple and see how they work. I can't say that I executed them perfectly, but I did alright."
The young lady buffed her nails on her cardigan and continued.
"Maybe I should join the Dreamscape now. Do you know anyone who might be selling their pod?"
'She...she conquered a Nightmare after only watching others fight? Every legacy in existence would have a ltdown if they knew.'
While it was possible to complete so Nightmares without violence, those opportunities were few and far between.
"I will let you know if I hear of anyone getting rid of their pod," Noble said, unwilling to part with her own Dreamscape access just yet. "And I am happy I could be helpful to you. Congratulations on completing your first trial! Are you going to attend the Awakened Academy before the Solstice?"
The young woman thought for a mont. "It's not a bad idea, maybe I will give it a shot when I have ti. Though I am not sure anyone can help with my Aspect there."
"The Academy is designed to help with any Aspect. What is so unique about yours that makes you think we won't be able to assist you?"
"Did I forget to tell you? I'm a disease-maker!"
"A what?!" Both of the others unconsciously moved away from the young woman as she popped a bite of sushi in her mouth.
"What do you an? You can make people sick?" Noble pictured so long-extinct pathogen spreading across the Dream Realm unchecked.
"Ok, that sounded dramatic. I'm more of a disease manipulator. I can only control what is already there. Think like Beastmaster but on a smaller scale." Teddy tilted up her chin proudly. "Do you want a demonstration?!"
"No! I an as generous as the offer is, no thank you." Noble's smile tightened.
"Are you sure?" Teddy pouted. "I would have just given you sothing your body could easily fight off. Maybe a cold or a simple case of the sniffles."
"That's very generous of you," the professor pulled at her collar. "Maybe so other ti. Wait, if you can cause disease to spread, can you also cure it?"
"I probably could, but where's the fun in that?" Teddy shrugged.
Noble wanted to argue that she could save countless lives and eradicate germs from the Waking World. She wanted to say that a talent like that would be worth countless credits, possibly making her one of the richest Awakened in two worlds. The Professor wanted to let Teddy know that being a healer was probably one of the most valued positions that an Awakened could have.
But one look at Teddy's bright eyes told Noble that she would be wasting her breath.
"No fun, I suppose. Just more work. And speaking of work, we should get on with ours..."
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