005; console; video;

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine looks a little drawn, but otherwise her face implies her usual cool distance.]

For anyone familiar with my brother, Genis:

He’s returned to our world.

If he left any obligations of which I’m unaware, I’ll do what I can to fulfill them.

[That's it. Despite the fact this must pain her, she's holding whatever emotions there are close to her chest. There's a beat, in which it looks like she might be about to say something more, but then she closes the feed.]

Comments

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper's expression shifts to somewhere between curiosity and horror.]

You are being serious about this, aren't you?

[ruinsprofessor]

[There's the hint of a smile about Raine again, and her tone of voice is a little too dry to be entirely serious, but the risk is a very genuine one.]

Why wouldn't I be? I am a teacher, after all.

[lasergrenades]

[Pepper groans a little. She walked right into this.]

There will never not be homework, will there?

[ruinsprofessor]

[Raine shakes her head, mock-solemnly.] It's my duty to provide opportunities and encouragement for learning. That includes homework.

[As much as she's teasing, in her way, she does genuinely mean that.]

[lasergrenades]

[Well. At least Raine's brother leaving didn't put too much of a damper on her style.]

I'm more of a learning-by-doing kind of person, honestly. That doesn't mean I want practical exams instead, [she adds hurriedly.]

And Skulduggery is teaching me plenty, too, so it's not like I'm lacking in instruction.

[Sort of.]

[ruinsprofessor]

[She can thank Pepper for that, at least for the moment. This teasing -- banter, whatever they choose to call it -- it's nice. Distracting. Cheering, even.]

It's still important to understand theory.

[But that's light enough that the matter can be understood as laid to rest, and Raine keeps going.]

...what is Skulduggery teaching you?

[lasergrenades]

Uh.

Detectivey things? He usually asks a lot of questions to get me to reach conclusions, mostly his, but sometimes mine.

[He hasn't let her interrogate someone yet, and she is slightly miffed.]

And he puts up with my questions. Actually, he encourages them, just one at a time instead of, you know. All of them.

[ruinsprofessor]

Good. [Any concerns have been near-immediately laid to rest. And Skulduggery sounds like he's teaching her deductive reasoning and critical thinking, which are material. Raine is pleased.] I'm glad.

I'll see you tomorrow, then?

[lasergrenades]

[It's good to know that Raine is playing Overseer/Mother Hen around here. Pepper bets she could rein in even Skulduggery.]

Yup! I'll hide the candy until then.

[ruinsprofessor]

[Well, someone's got to. A smile, and:] Thank you.