//------------------------------// // Arc III Episode I: Professor Who? // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// The rest of the weekend was rather uneventful for the most part. Thankfully, there were no signs of any demonic activity that caused the Equestria Girls or Sirens to jump into action. It really did seem like things were calming down at long last. So, we’ll skip ahead to the following Monday. Today was a special day. One of the Advanced Placement classes was opening up. More specifically: a college-level preparation class that Canterlot High was expanding into. It would allow the students to work on college credits while still enrolled there. Good for those interested. The class specifically? Projective Geometry. Yup. As one could probably tell by the name alone, this class wasn’t going to be for the faint of heart. In addition, a new teacher would host this class, but they hadn’t arrived yet. So the students were free to talk amongst themselves. Those sitting in would include (but not be limited to): Twilight--obviously, Micro Chips, Lyra, Octavia, and… “Adagio?” Twilight commented as she watched the yellow girl enter the room. “You made it into projective?” Adagio raised a brow with an inquisitive glare. “And just what’s that supposed to mean?” “N-nothing!” she replied with an awkward laugh, “Ha...ha...was just surprised to see you here.” “Mm-hmm…” “Hm? Adagio,” the gray musician of a girl called out with her light British accent. “Over here.” The siren went and sat down next to Octavia. “Hey. How’s everything been with your band?” “Oh it’s been marvelous,” Octavia replied as she reached into her backpack and pulled out a brochure for a musical tour around the region, “We’re starting to play all round the county now. Looking into going abroad as well,” she offered it to Adagio. “Tis a shame you can’t come with us…” Adagio took the flyer and stared at it for a second until her face turned somber with a small frown. “Heh, I know right?” she said with the slightest hint of regret, “But being there for my sisters is easily more important than any band. Oh--er, no offense…” Octavia shook her head. “None taken, friend. Vinyl and I know all about how difficult it ease. Even as we’ve been dating, it’s hard to keep track of each other.” “...So how do you manage? The band sounds like a big responsibility…with a rough schedule,” Adagio muttered while thinking about her own situation. “I simply make myself clear to my managers,” she replied with a confident expression, “I tell them what I’d like to be done and negotiate my time off as best as I can. That way, I have time for Vinyl as well as my own family.” “...Make yourself clear, huh?” The musician’s words were music to the siren--but sadly, they were more flat than sharp. “I wish I had your confidence, Tavi. It also doesn’t help that I’m working for the Principal’s nephew who could throw a wrench into my education at any time….” For a few seconds, Octavia looked at Adagio with a concerned look on her face. “...Hey,” she said at last, “...’Dagio. If you’re in a similar situation, don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. You’re stronger than that. I know you are.” Her response was delayed and slow. “...You think so, huh? You underestimate how much I don’t believe in myself.” Now twice as concerned, Octavia turned in her seat and put a hand on her fellow musician’s shoulder. “I’m serious, ‘Dagio. I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true. Of the time we’ve spent together, you’ve never let something get you down in such ways. Whoever you’re working with, you need to let them know the truth before things go down the pipe.” She let go and turned back to where she was facing forward. “It’s the only way I’ve managed to survive in this career.” “...” The siren had a lot to think about. Should a queen of the ocean really kowtow to some human? At the very least, she made up her mind to have a discussion with Blueblood when the opportunity presented itself. “...I see,” she said softly as she handed the flyer back, “...Thank you, Tavi.” “No problem, mate,” she accepted her words and put the folded paper away. “If you ever want to talk, you have my number.” Tap--tap--tap… The sound of footsteps approaching the door to the classroom forced the entire class into a state of silence. Everyone faced forward with their eyes hyper focused on the board… And their college-prep teacher made his entrance. A tall man with a gray complexion and blue eyes. He wore brown pants and a black suit with a red tie. There were a handful of notebooks under his arm which he quietly placed on the table. “...Alright, tetragrams,” he said as he flipped through the pages, “I’m your Pro-Geometry teacher.” He turned around to the board, and wrote his name in large, excellent cursive calligraphy. “My name is Aidon Umbros Iota. But Professor Aidon is enough.” While most of the class respectfully nodded in response, two students in particular started to think about this man’s name. “...Umbros?” Adagio thought to herself, “Why does that sound familiar?” “Umbros...hrm…wait a second.” Twilight also started to think, but quickly realized something and raised her hand. “...Mr. Aidon, sir?” “Yes...Ms. Sparkle?” he answered. She put her hand down and went on. “You called us tetragrams, yes? Pardon me, but I believe a tetragram refers to a group of four letters.” “Ah, yes. That’s one meaning,” he turned to the board and drew a triangle with multiple lines crossing through it, “However, a tetragram is also an old term one can use for a complete quadrangle or quadrilateral. The former is what I just put on the board, see?” The rest of the class ooh’d at the realization, but Twilight still had another question. “I see...and why call us that?” “Because…” a small grin crept onto his face, “You’re all the foundations of what we’re going to be studying.” He spread his arms wide. “Alright, get up from those desks of yours.” Multiple students around the room reacted with a variant of: “Huh?” “What?” “I don’t get it.” In particular, Octavia paused and narrowed her eyes. “...Wot? Is he taking the piss? What sort of Professor allows everyone to be out of their desks while working?” “No idea,” Adagio replied as she stood up with a casual expression on her face, naught a care in the world. “But I’m not gonna question a chance to make math class more interesting.” “...Hah?” Twilight said with a concerned tilt of her head due to being equally confused. She raised her hand and spoke once more. “Excuse me, sir. But is that allowed?” “Of course it is,” he said with a smile on his face, “I asked your principals before I arrived here and they gave me approval.” He then brought his hands together--his left fist colliding with his right open palm, “Now c’mon tetragrams. Out of your desks and move them to the sides of the room. Projective Geometry is easier than you think.” With curious, excited expressions, the entire class got up from their seats and started to move them out of the way. Once that was done, everyone was standing in the middle of the room. “Alright, so that’s done,” Twilight commented as she adjusted her glasses, “Now what--” “Catch,” the professor tossed some measuring tape in Twilight’s direction. “Bwah!” she gasped, but managed to catch it, “Huh? What are we doing?” She looked to her side, and noticed that Adagio and Octavia also had measuring tape tossed in their direction. The gray musician of a girl tilted her head. “...Curious.” And Adagio reacted with a delighted grin. “Oh, I see where this is going…” “Alright, kiddos,” Aidon pointed to various students and started doling out orders on where to move. “You, here. You, there. Ms. Sparkle, down in front. Measure out your variables and factor in your equations as you make your own quadrilateral.” As he spoke to the class, Twilight noticed a very faint, but bold black aura that fanned our behind the professor. “...That...can anyone else see that?!” She glanced over in Adagio’s direction. Sure enough, the siren gal paused for a second while looking at the eccentric teacher. “...His aura seems oddly familiar but I can’t put my finger on it.” Since she was enjoying the lesson, she didn’t put too much thought into it. Octavia certainly was--once she understood the purpose of it of course. “Oh! I get it now--he wants us to stand around the room and make a triangle so that we can measure it. Bloody brilliant that is. I wish normal math was this fun.” “That’s it, Tetra-Melody,” Aidon complimented her enthusiasm from the front of the room, “See if you can solve for X once you measure it out.” Our resident nerd wasn’t as enthused though. The man’s dark aura was far too suspicious for her to ignore. “Hhrgh…” Twilight looked down at the measuring tape in her hands and sighed. “May as well humor him. Will this method even work?” Only one way to find out.