The Jealous Lion

Chapter 7

Laurence stared at the report of the Consumed Bailey's attack in the city. There was so much answered yet so many questions. The young man's ability turned out to be able to increase animot output by in people who were touched by the pink particles he emitted then if he marked any of those people, their animot was stolen. He basically allowed them to give off more power to make it easier to steal.

His ability was perfect for suppressing Consumed, which was probably the reason he was pushed into the school. But it was incredibly dangerous when the young man grew a flower out of his back.

According to Valerie, at that moment, the particles were stealing her animot even though she wasn't marked by Bailey. There was a possibility that those were a more condensed version of the particles that overloaded anyone who touched them and forced the animot stealing.

Laurence wasn't sure, but he wouldn't be surprised that it was the case.

"So, you called me here. Are you ready to talk?" the woman who was sitting cross-legged on his desk asked.

Orange-reddish hair that she let down her back. Matching fur that ran down her arms and legs covering lots of her light beige skin. Pointed ears and a fox's tail. In her hands was a tablet like his own, a newer version, a gift from him.

Laurence looked up from his tablet. "You read the reports from Valerie and Pandora?"

"I did. That boy is interesting," she said.

"Did you know he came from Fairfield?"

Concern flashed across her features. "Wasn't that town considered abandoned?"

"Yes, said to be taken over by Consumed. But, the last time I heard, the BubbleStorm Suppressor lived there with her husband."

"She wouldn't have been taken down by a couple of Consumed." She had seen the BubbleStorm Suppressor fight. Her power was very difficult to deal was as a consumed, and numbers didn't matter to her until she was fighting an army.

"There is a high possibility that Bailey is their child," he said.

"Then, where was she? No one heard from her or her husband ever since the town was abandoned."

Laurence thought for a second about all the possible reasons Bailey was in the school but couldn't piece it all together. Not yet, at least. "I think the council is keeping some secrets. There are not many others who I think could force the chairman to accept Bailey into the school."

She scoffed, "That's typical of them."

"Do you think it was abandoned because of him?"

She thought to herself for a second, her thoughts slipping out as words, "Killing with animot stealing isn't common but possible. According to the reports, people could just be in the petals and lose theirs. Also, it spread very far in such a short time. He is dangerous enough to kill a town of unsuspecting people. Even though I don't believe that Mariana would have a hard time taking him down. I'm not sure how she would be if she had to fight her own son."

"And that's why he was pushed to be here? They could've gotten some sort of private tutor."

There was a knock on his door calling both of their attention. Laurence's true guest was finally here.

"Come in," he said.

A woman a bit older than both the teachers walked in. No tail, no animal ears, but she was wearing ceremonial robes. A council member.

"Is this actually why you called me here?" the fox whispered to Laurence, her annoyance at not telling her about whatever meeting he was going to get caught up in.