Everything about the Dean was in shades of grey. Silver hair, pale eyes, almost transparent skin. Even their chiffon was in a pearl colour. They were gorgeous in a way that was reminiscent of a ghost.

“Every year I give the same speech. I give it because I believe that words are just as powerful as actions. I give it because I believe that the students of Alantin deserve to be given speeches in their honour. Today, however, I deliver a different oration. I come to tell you how proud I am of each and every one of you. Each of you has shown courage, perseverance, and a strong pursuit of knowledge that knows no bounds. 

To my students who are going off into the world. I want you to know that our society has never been more eager to receive such a glorious batch of strong, and scholarly students. When I say you will change the world, I say it with complete and utter honesty. I am proud of how far you have come, from when you first entered these gates to now. 

To my future students, I am forever indebted to you. You will change the future of Alantin, and our world in a way that no one will recognize it anymore. You will be our change. When you come into these gates, know that you have entered a new home. A home where we strive to be the change we want in our world, a home where we strive to be the best versions of ourselves, a home where we can be loving to one another. 

To my colleagues, whom I can never express my endless gratitude for. You have helped me immensely with nurturing our students and helping them learn. You have helped build Alantin from the way up, and this school would have never been the same without your help.

So I thank you Alantin, whether you are leaving or just joining. I thank you with all my heart.” The Dean wiped a small tear from their cheek, their emotions coming in constant waves.

The students of Alantin gave a smattering of applause, some did it out of respect, but most of the audience did it to get on the dean’s good side 

Sion gave a hearty amount of applause, she was ecstatic about the speech. It wasn't that she hadn’t heard better, but the emotion behind this one was plenty enough for some cheer. 

“Ain’t that Dean a soft one!? I heard that most of the people here are as blank as they come, especially the teachers. Guess they were wrong about that one though.” Rin’s eyes were gleaming as he said this, it looked like he was getting pretty emotional as well.

“Well, this is the largest graduating batch. All the classes before were supposedly only a handful in size, of course, they were emotional. Imagine seeing these children come into these same gates at the same age we are, watching them grow and mature, and now you have to watch them go away. Most of them you won’t ever see again.” Sion added reasonably.

Rin contemplated that. He fidgeted with the chair and his shirt as he thought, occasionally he would reach up into his hair and just smooth it down. Sion had seen this reaction several times before, with her father, however. Fidgeting while deep in thought just came naturally for some people.

For Sion and her mother, it was the opposite. They would go shock-still, imitating an intricate sculpture when they went into thought. Orion said that she looked like an ice statue when she was thinking.

He, on the other hand, was a gamble. Orion would occasionally fidget with the tips of his fingers, other times he would stare into space as if he was examining the air around them.

The unexpected similarity between her father and the faerie was eerie to Sion. It wasn’t that big of a deal, but the habit was odd when shown on another person. Perhaps it was because she was so used to seeing it on one person that it was immediately unnatural when she saw it on another. 

“Well, I suppose that’s true. But how can you view almost a hundred people in a parental way? That’s just weird.”

“It’s not weird! It’s normal, many teachers view their students in a caring way because they’ve known each other for so long!”

Rin looked at Sion with a bewildered look.

“Where did you go to school? My lot were as quick as a horse to get their hands off me. Were ya homeschooled or somethin'?”

Sion disapproved greatly of the boy’s eagerness to get to know her education, what business was it to him? 

“I was not homeschooled. I went to a normal school, it was just so small that everyone had to know and care for each other.” This was the opposite of the truth. Sion had been privately tutored since she could barely walk. 

Rin took the lie, though. To Sion, this was a revelation. If he could believe a lie so easily it made her wonder what else she could make people believe about her.