There they sat with their entire class just staring at them.

'As if we weren't freaks enough.' Maddox sucked his teeth at the thought. Folding his arms as he sat back in his chair. He looked at Emma who was just as surprised as he was. She just gave him a shrug while petting Buffy. He had no intention of dragging this out longer than it already had been.

"Instructor Sha'Carri, can we just forget the whole thing and move on with class. I'm sure you could punish them without kicking them out of school though." That was his answer. They had lived to fight another day and he just wanted this over with, so with a begrudging sigh Sha'Carri allowed the two offending students to sit and continue their education.

/////

Sha'Carri sat in a lounge area. Her feet were dangling over the arm of the cushioned chair. As usual her robes were a mess so that couldn't be the reason for the bothered look on her pouty face.

"What's done is done Carri." Von'Pebble stated without looking at her. He and Von'Bleek were sitting on either side of a table attempting to play cards in between Von'Bleek's bouts of coughing.

"What no title Stephen. I'm hurt." Sha'Carri sat up and looked over the back of the chair. Her short 5' ft frame only allowed up to her nose, but it didn't stop her from hitting the fellow instructor with her best doe eyed impression. But her move was very ineffective as Von'Pebble rolled his eyes at her. "Around students and other staff sure, but we're here alone so no you're just Carri. Besides, you're just upset Maddox didn't choose to expel those two pupils."

"How could he show kindness to his enemies like that!" Her arms and legs flailed around.

"Nothing is wrong with a little compassion towards a fellow pupil." Von'Bleek said after another one of her coughing fits.

compassion can only be wielded by the strong and that boy is anything but that." Sha'Carri huffed.

"But he has come a long way," Von'Pebble recalled how Maddox had been using weight training these last six months in addition to the training regiment Sha'Carri had him doing. "He stays motivated for sure. Maybe it's time for him to start on a cultivation method ?"

"I agree with you, but because of his shaky foundation I don't know what method or scripture could benefit him." Sha'Carri lamented , sprawling out in the chair once more. "It has to be something versatile, but highly defensive."

"I have a thought on that, but you might not like it very much." Von'Bleek gave a weary smile.

"Well out with it?"

"The Nether Mole Rat method sounds precisely like what he needs." She blurted out and they both wrinkled their noses at that. "I've done so much research on different ways to combat my condition and that led me to discover this obscure cultivation method. It makes the practitioner immune to pain, guards against most diseases, not to mention increases their survivability in even the harshest environments."

The previous look on their faces soon changed to that of deep contemplation. "That does sound like what he needs. Since his cultivation is broken this could hopefully offset a few issues down the road." Von'Pebble remarked and Sha'Carri nodded.

"It's the best answer I've heard so far." With a pop, a hand full of beans appeared in the palm of Sha'Carri's hand. With feline grace she failed out of the chair and walked towards Von'Bleek. "You mind if I gather that knowledge from you?" She asked. The handful of dried beans held out for Von'Bleek to grab.

"But of course. I wouldn't have suggested it other wise." Von'Bleek had just finished coughing into a handkerchief When she took the beans from Sha'Carri's hand. She placed her closed fist against her forehead as her Chidi flowed into them.

/////

Maddox had just entered the alchemy tower when he spotted Rebecca behind the counter off to the side of the room. She was speaking with another student.

"So Angus root we have but it's gonna be a bit pricey for a second year." Rebecca stated with a grown on her face.

"But-but it's the key ingredient in this refinement pill." The student said in despair.

Rebecca saw Maddox out of the corner of her eye and instantly have him a smile before putting up a finger and mouthing; "Just a moe." She looked down at a card made out of jade, and made a clicking sound with her tongue while she thought. Then with a flash of inspiration she started jotting down something on a piece of parchment. "This is the ingredients for a weaker version of the Angus refinement pill and you have just about merit points for them." Rebecca handed the student both the jade card and the piece of parchment paper. "What do you think?" The student just nodded enthusiastically. Several minutes later Maddox stood at the counter in front of Rebecca.

"That was very nice of you to help that student out." Maddox smiled, and Rebecca waved off his comment with a slight tinge of red on her cheeks.

"It was simple. Just gave them an easier recipe than the one they were looking to make. So how can I help you?" Rebecca winked at him.

"After that run on with the Blaze bear I realized just how unprepared I am for any of this. That incantation you used to gather up all the mud could you teach it to me?" He gave her a large doe eyed look and this was 'Super Effective!' against her. Her knees went limp as she was forced to hold onto the counter to keep her body upright.

"As much as I want to help you Maddy. I had no idea if that incantation would've even worked. I honestly had just gotten lucky that I guessed at the right changes to make." Rebecca finally answered after regaining some of her composure.

Maddox stroked his chin for a moment. "Would it be possible to change the incantation to gather up the debris and loose trash around the user into a ball that could be launched at an enemy?"

Rebecca considered what he had asked for a few minutes. Mumbling to her self while going through a few hand seals. "I pretty sure it's possible, but I would hate to get your hopes up Maddy." She warned.

"The fact that you're even helping me makes me happy." He flashed her a genuine smile to go along with a heartfelt opinion and Rebecca fainted behind the counter. "Rebecca!" Maddox hopped over the counter to help her. She was on the floor, nostrils flaring as she muttered his name and giggled.

/////

The training field were most of the first years would gather to train their bodies in preparation for the Forged Breath realm had started seeing less and less use as they no longer needed to strengthen their bodies, but Maddox was different. At Sha'Carri's urging and the help of instructor Von'Pebble he had continued to exercise as well as strength training. Off in a little shaded corner were makeshift weights Maddox had created with the help of instructor Von'Pebble. At the moment he wasn't exercising. No he and Emma were giving Rebecca their undivided attention as She slowly ran through the hand seals for the incantation Maddox had asked her about earlier.

"Scrap Cannon!" Rebecca shouted as loose clumps of dirt, twigs, and rocks gathered into a ball the size of a softball before it launched into the distance.

""Yes!"" They all shouted with glee.

"I'm glad it worked but the name is awful." Emma complained.

"It was Maddy's idea so he gets to name it." Rebecca shrugged. Emma grumbled but still stood next to him as they practiced their hand seals.

"What are you three doing?" Sha'Carri asked after she appeared out of thin air. All three of them jumped from the sudden appearance. She of course laughed loudly at their frightened faces. "That never gets old."

"I got tired of not having at least some way to protect myself, so I asked Rebecca about an incantation?" Maddox answered while Sha'Carri continued to laugh.

"With your foundation being damaged as it is, the incantation you try might not go well." She said with a serious tone.

"I need some way to defend myself, instructor." He didn't back down. "And another thing," he was prepared to argue his point when Sha'Carri threw a handful of beans in his mouth. He started to choke at the intrusion, but after sipping from a water skin that appeared out of thin air into her hand. "What was that all about!" He shouted.

"I finally found a cultivation method for you to use. Those beans you nearly choked on were Memory beans. As you grow in strength the next phase will reveal itself to you."

"Naked mole rats, seriously." He said in disbelief.

"Nether Mole Rat, boy and you better show me proper appreciation." Sha'Carri flicked his forehead for his insolence. The light flick staggering him for a moment.

"Thank you." Maddox squeezed out with mild annoyance.

"You girl," Sha'Carri pointed at Emma.

"Y-yes instructor!" Emma stuttered.

"I'll find a good method for you as well."

"Oh thank you so much!" Emma jumped for joy.

"If you're going to continue to be around this troublemaker you're going to need to be prepared. Now show me this incantation you want to use and then we'll get started on your training."

"Ok Maddox," Emma spoke with a hint of sadness. "I'll talk to you later."

"Where do you think you're going?" Sha'Carri asked while holding her in place by the collar of her robes. "From now on you're training with this trouble maker." Sha'Carri's words shocked Emma. Tears started streaming down her face.

"I'm happy for you Emma," Rebecca congratulated her. "To be trained by an immortal is quite a privilege."

"I'm happy you feel that way Von'Hare since you'll be assisting me." Sha'Carri laughed.

"But, but, my part time jobs?" Rebecca stuttered.

"No excuses," she pointed her finger at Rebecca . Not giving her a chance to get out of it. "Now let's begin shall we." The three students felt the intent flowing from instructor Sha'Carri. They all winced as they realized there was no escape.