Chapter 535: The Ex-Grans

Things went surprisingly well as more of the flight club learned about Arc’s "deficiency."

She was worried about being embarrassed for asking for help, but instead she was only lightly embarrassed by the people who asked to look at her wings, many of whom took the chance to touch and move them about. Their interest seemed more scientific in nature, and not at all malicious, and one of the sword surfers even let her try his board, which failed utterly but eliminated one potential way around her inability to fly.

During that time, she learned everyone in the club was a second year or above, and they maintained the old airfield as best they could in exchange for permission from the city to use it. As the sun set, they were about to try making her glide using a running start when a squirrelkin student in grey ran up to the field, panting and gasping.

"Veng! Big trouble-" she gasped out, "-new kid... bar..."

"Hold on, Piper, why didn’t you just... call?" Veng raised a hand, and Arc felt a small sting of jealousy seeing he had a callring.

"Out of ring range," she sputtered, before gratefully accepting a drink of water from a hawkish birdfolk. "Can’t ring the Prez, either, but I knew you’d be here."

"What happened?" Arc asked.

"Oh, heya new girl," Piper let out a grateful breath.

"Start from the... beginning," Veng encouraged.

"Right," Piper inhaled a deep breath, before speaking rapidly. "So my friend Jiyv was at midtown, uh, fourth or fifth ward, and you know Jiyv from the druid track, he likes live music and breadbowls, so he went to the Lyre and Bow for one of their chicken chowder ones, you know, the red one they stick a little flag in; I’ve never had it but I hear it’s good-"

Arc was familiar with the place, and her family had a complicated relationship with the owners.

"Can we... skip to why you’re here?" Veng said, his tone telling more than asking.

"Nuts. Right... So, Jiyv saw a couple of students there, in uniform. One of them was a speccy like us, one of the new first-year girls."

"Snow?" Arc asked, her stomach feeling like it was about to drop through her.

"No, the darkling one. Revan?"

"Raven," Arc corrected.

"What was a Disciplinary Committee member doing... in a bar?" Veng’s voice carried an invisible frown.

"That’s what I said!" Piper chirped, "Jiyv said they were looking for a fight club. And the other one, the big one with a funny accent, had to sing a song before the owners took them out back."

Veng let out a hissing breath. "Not this aga-"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" The sinking feeling in Arc’s gut felt like it was hitting rock bottom, "What do you mean, the ’big one’?"

"Nuts, that was rude. He was, uh, a giant, I think. First year too. Jiyv said he has a funny accent but a great singing voice."

"White hair? Tan skin? Green eyes?" She stowed her wings for what she might have to do next.

"Hmm, yeah, I think. Didn’t hear about the eyes, though."

Arc grimaced and turned to Veng, "I gotta go." Before he could reply, she turned and ran at full acceleration towards the city.

She got about a quarter of the way there before Veng caught up to her, naturally, by flying. "The giant is... your friend?" he asked, his collar still somehow covering his face despite the wind.

"Something like that," Arc shouted back. "I can handle this."

"I know where to go. This is my responsibility... too," he said, and suddenly Arc was seized by one arm and then the other as Veng lifted her off the ground with his now batlike feet.

"I already know- Shiiiit!" After she was done swearing, Arc finally thought to ask, "What kind of demon are you?"

She felt Veng wince. "A vampire. I am sorry it’s not... obvious." The shame in his voice made her regret asking. She knew little of the vampire community, one fact being that they were amongst the most vocal when it came to staying separate from the other races. She didn’t know why, but she could imagine Veng being ostracized for coming to the Academy.

For the rest of the flight, Arc stayed quiet, even when her arms started to burn a bit from the awkward position she kept as she was held. When they finally landed, Veng took his shoes out of a dimensional storage. "You should take the lead, since you are in uniform," he said, crouching to don his shoes.

"Yeah," Arc said, catching a glimpse of his face as he tied them. Behind the high collar, he looked... entirely normal, like a handsome elf, given his ears. Why would he want to hide his face?

Arc had yet to meet any other vampires, but if Veng was any indication, perhaps they were shy.

Entering the tavern turned out to be easy, despite the crowd. As was finding owners, given that they were both at the fireplace, Rose sitting in Hunter’s lap. They spotted her before she could finish approaching.

"Arcine, is that you?" Rose exclaimed as she got up. "Look at you!" She brushed some hair off Arc’s horn.

"Hey, uh, Rose. Hunter." Arc said, acutely aware of Veng’s eyes boring into the back of her head as she addressed her ex-grandmothers.

"Oh, come now, you can still call us both gran."

"Suit yourself," Hunter scoffed, "I like my name just fine."

They’d been in her life all of seven years before separating from Bridgit and Darlae. She’d never gotten the story of what happened, but they still came to her birthdays and Attika’s, until the incident. Afterwards...

"We haven’t seen you in so long, and now you’re in the Academy," Rose smiled. "You’re not here to drink, are you?"

"No, uh, Gran... I’m actually on the Disciplinary Committee. I’m looking for a couple of students. A, uh, girl that really likes black and a giant..."

"First years, right?" Hunter said. "That’s what red means?"

"Yes," Arc confirmed.

"They were looking for a fight," Hunter said. "Sent them to the Underground."

"What’s the Underground?" Arc asked.

"Depends on what part of the city you’re in," Hunter shrugged. "Fight pit’s actually one of the safer ones. Pretty much next to the hospital and everything."

"Why would you send them there?" Arc failed to keep a spike of worry out of her voice.

"Hey, if they were determined enough to stare down a shotgun, they could use the lesson sooner than later. We’re not their mothers," Hunter crossed her arms. "And students in uniform are bad for business." Her eyes narrowed. "We get students here all the time, though, why go after these two?"

"One’s a Disciplinary Committee member." Arc said, setting aside the fact her ex-grandmother drew a weapon on her fri- On whatever Raven and Owyn were to her.

"Yes, and?" Hunter challenged. She’d been Arc’s favorite grandmother, of the four she knew, because she’d actually taught her things without ever bringing up her lack of magic ability. But she was also the one who’d put up the least with any childish behavior on her part.

Arc winced, looking at Veng. "Could I speak to them alone for a bit?"

"He’s with you?" Rose asked, taking in Veng’s attire. "At least you’re dressed right. Go to the bar, ask Meol for anything you like, on the house. Even the good wine."

"I do not drink... wine..." Veng replied. "But... thank you." He looked at Arc before turning and walking to the bar in long-legged strides, the crowd parting before flowing back into his wake.

"So which one is it?" Hunter asked, leaning in conspiratorially. "You dating the darkling or the giant?"

"What?" Arc squeaked, blushing instantly. "It’s not like that!"

"So what is it like?" Rose asked, smiling widely. "Do you prefer tall-dark-and-handsome like that new-demon vampire friend of yours?"

Why did they have to be so nosy? "Ugh, look, Father asked me to keep track of the giant."

"Decent singer, that one," Rose stepped closer. "And not from around here, I suspect."

Arc felt flabbergasted. Had Owyn told the whole damn bar? And what was he doing with Raven, of all people?

"He didn’t say a thing," Rose continued. "But I know the sound of every song that gets sung in this city. If it’s been sung on that stage, I have it here," she tapped her temple, "and here," she touched her heart. "That boy brought us something new."

"That and we watch the news. News from the outside world has to come from somewhere. We can put two and two together," Hunter added smugly. "Especially since you just told us your Father’s involved."

"Is he well?" Rose asked in softer tones.

What kind of question was that? "How should I know? He’s probably locked in one of his labs, avoiding everyone like always."

"That man..." Hunter shook her head, before abruptly asking, "Do you want us to go with you?"

"I can handle it!" Arc asserted, her previous sense of panic rising. The last thing she wanted was her Father and the Chancellor thinking she needed help on top of losing track of Owyn in the first place. "Besides, I’ve got Veng with me. This is just a student thing. No need to tell anyone... Please."

Hunter shared a look with Rose. Some sort of silent communication passed between them before they both sighed at the same time. "Alright, Arc. We’ll play along," Hunter said. "The place you want to go is..."