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Cam is out flying. There's a decent cloud of atmosphere around the gold plane, now, millenia of demons making air around themselves for comfort and not sealing it up because why would you bother. There's a small forest, here - the effect is kind of ruined by the lamps it has to grow under, but it's still pretty.
He feels an open summons and lets it grab him -
from_scratch
from_scratch
"I'm immortal, I kind of have to be," Cam tells Jenny, and then he turns to Emma. "You don't need to do anything else but send me home when it's time. This is a terrible circle so I am not attached or bound to you in any way; usually I'd be loaded up with safety precautions that I am too nice to need. I am planning to figure out what the world is like, and then come up with something useful to do."
"Can you make vaccines?" is Emma's first thought. "Or blood types, can you do specific blood types? Or plasma? Or- I'm sorry," she stops, scrunching back up as she sees people staring at her. A couple are grinning, and she squirms. "I'm premed, it's just... what comes to mind. I'm sure there's other things."
"You," Jenny declares, "are my favorite premed nerd. Never change." She considers a hug, but opts for blowing a kiss instead. (And fetching a napkin: her chocolate ice cream cone ran slightly rogue.)
Professor Reed returns from the corner of the classroom and puts her cell phone away. "Dean Fisher apparently needs to consult with Dean Hopkins before giving you anything official, but more of a 'setting price' sort of way then 'granting approval'. I suspect you will have an offer of a subsidized university apartment and a grocery list in a few hours. If you're interested."
She has clearly caught no part of their previous conversation, or the aforementioned grocery list might start looking very different.
She has clearly caught no part of their previous conversation, or the aforementioned grocery list might start looking very different.
Emma had started to say something in excitement, but pauses at the reminder of how Cam will be trading for his apartment. "I- I mean, it would be so, so wonderful, if you could come to the hospital with me, I have work tomorrow, and anything you could make, but they just... I don't know how much they can pay you?"
from_scratch
"I'd actually rather make myself a house, if there's someplace to put it," Cam mentions. "I don't think student housing is known for being luxurious. Somebody else can have the house when I'm done with it. As for coming with you to the hospital, yes, sure. If you have any amputees I can be extra useful for them." He stretches a wing illustratively. "Tech alone can't even do that in 2159 but demons can."
"Leaving aside the question of the state of the dorms," Professor Reed says with a slight smile, "the university apartments are actually separate. They're intended more for people such as visiting faculty, and are reasonably nice." She shrugs. "You are of course more than welcome to make a house instead if that's your preference, but if you're planning projects with Emma nearby anyway the apartment might be a useful backup. And you may want the university's help with finicky bureaucratic details either way."
As the end of lecture approaches, a few of the more nervous looking students have started to drift out of the room. Noticing their departure, Professor Reed checks her watch and groans. "Class is well over by now. Everyone, I assume you have somewhere to be?"
"Dude, there is an actual real live demon here," someone in the group objects. "There is so nowhere else to be right now. This is awesome!"
"I am glad you find this 'awesome', Ms. Dunn," Professor Reed says tiredly. "However. This is not a circus, Cam is not an exhibit, and I'm sure you have admittedly less entertaining classes which do need to be attended." This disperses most of the remaining students, albeit with grumbles, with the exception of Emma and Jenny.
"Cam, do you have an immediate plan? Dean Fisher expressed interest in meeting you, if you have any desire to discuss your options with someone actually empowered to do anything on behalf of the university." She smiles. "On the other hand, if you plan to go in search of amputees, I would appreciate a chance to watch. I will admit to some scientific curiosity about your abilities."
As the end of lecture approaches, a few of the more nervous looking students have started to drift out of the room. Noticing their departure, Professor Reed checks her watch and groans. "Class is well over by now. Everyone, I assume you have somewhere to be?"
"Dude, there is an actual real live demon here," someone in the group objects. "There is so nowhere else to be right now. This is awesome!"
"I am glad you find this 'awesome', Ms. Dunn," Professor Reed says tiredly. "However. This is not a circus, Cam is not an exhibit, and I'm sure you have admittedly less entertaining classes which do need to be attended." This disperses most of the remaining students, albeit with grumbles, with the exception of Emma and Jenny.
"Cam, do you have an immediate plan? Dean Fisher expressed interest in meeting you, if you have any desire to discuss your options with someone actually empowered to do anything on behalf of the university." She smiles. "On the other hand, if you plan to go in search of amputees, I would appreciate a chance to watch. I will admit to some scientific curiosity about your abilities."
"That is so cool," Jenny says excitedly, looking at his wings. "There's a VA hospital nearby, isn't there Ems? I bet they'd have people!"
"Name's still Emma," Emma says automatically. She looks over Cam's wings consideringly. "I think- it might be a better place to start than the hospital?" she suggests hesitantly. "Unless you have ideas how to get the hospital to take your stuff? I mean, drug safety laws exist, they don't cease to apply just because you can break the laws of physics."
from_scratch
"Oh, medical regulations that don't have exceptions written in for demons, I haven't missed those and have no idea how to deal with them because my summoners have in the past always been managing that for me when they applied at all. Grand. I'll start with the apartment, anyway, I don't expect to get less able to make houses over time. I am fine with meeting Dean Fisher, but the 'on behalf of the university' part has me wondering if the university is going to get awkwardly proprietary over me. I am not a circus exhibit and am also not lab equipment. The thing with amputees is - I can only add, not subtract, because I'm a demon, not an angel. So to replace a healed-over stump, enough of it has to be removed that I have something to attach a new limb to. So anybody who wanted a new leg or whatever would have to trust me to follow through with a leg. I can do really good anaesthetics for the removing part though."
Tamara looks at him in surprise. "I was not attempting to be proprietary," she says. "I would say I feel somewhat responsible, as it was my class that summoned you, however accidentally. The suggestion was intended as helpful, not- possessive."
She smiles. "As a university professor I may be biased, but I find they are generally helpful organizations to work with, once you navigate the bureaucrats. They could, for example, set up clinical trials through the medical school. They're not instantaneous, but they're certainly faster than FDA approval."
"And," she adds with a sigh, "I will admit to having no patience for bureaucrats myself, so I personally would be very little help. The benefit to meeting Dean Fisher is that if you do wish help of any kind from the university, he can for the most part actually make it happen himself without having to call someone else first."
She smiles. "As a university professor I may be biased, but I find they are generally helpful organizations to work with, once you navigate the bureaucrats. They could, for example, set up clinical trials through the medical school. They're not instantaneous, but they're certainly faster than FDA approval."
"And," she adds with a sigh, "I will admit to having no patience for bureaucrats myself, so I personally would be very little help. The benefit to meeting Dean Fisher is that if you do wish help of any kind from the university, he can for the most part actually make it happen himself without having to call someone else first."
"You think you feel responsible," Emma mutters under her breath. The shock of actually obtaining a demon in her summoning circle has slowly been turning to mild panic. Emma has spent her whole life being responsible, it is what she does; but she does not know how to be responsible for this. Apparently she should be handling medical regulations for him? If that's what she's supposed to do she can do that.
(She can try to do that. She's just a freshman. But there's plenty of people she can ask.)
At a more reasonable volume she tells Cam, "I can deal with university people for you. Or hospital people. Or- I don't know. Whatever summoners do. If you want me to. If you don't want to stay at Selevy that's fine. If you don't want to stay in the world that's fine. I wouldn't make you stay."
She is trying to be helpful. She does not know how to be a 'good summoner'. She does not know how to be a summoner at all. But she can offer to deal with bureaucrats, at least. She is a college student, she has so much practice with those.
(She can try to do that. She's just a freshman. But there's plenty of people she can ask.)
At a more reasonable volume she tells Cam, "I can deal with university people for you. Or hospital people. Or- I don't know. Whatever summoners do. If you want me to. If you don't want to stay at Selevy that's fine. If you don't want to stay in the world that's fine. I wouldn't make you stay."
She is trying to be helpful. She does not know how to be a 'good summoner'. She does not know how to be a summoner at all. But she can offer to deal with bureaucrats, at least. She is a college student, she has so much practice with those.
"Dude," Jenny says indignantly, "you make chocolate and heal amputees. You are like the perfect man. If anyone calls you lab equipment I will deck them." Pause. "Badly, because I don't know how, but I will do it anyway!"
from_scratch
"Clinical trials. I suppose no one will take my word for it if I conjure up marked vials and tell you the substance is indicated for whatever list of conditions, huh. I can produce the research papers, too... I'll talk to the dean, why not, can't hurt."
To Emma, though: "Relax. This is literally the first time I have been summoned and allowed to talk, is why usually summoners are interfacing with things like that for me. Usually I land and cannot speak except to agree to or refuse deals."
"And," to Jenny, "no violence on my behalf, please."
To Emma, though: "Relax. This is literally the first time I have been summoned and allowed to talk, is why usually summoners are interfacing with things like that for me. Usually I land and cannot speak except to agree to or refuse deals."
"And," to Jenny, "no violence on my behalf, please."
"The CYA approach to medicine is financially compelling," Professor Reed says, not sounding pleased. "And while you have been nothing but friendly and helpful and I will happily vouch for you, previously unknown substances conjured in flagrant disregard of physics by someone calling himself a demon is not the sort of thing that makes hospital officials calm. For the promise of 2159 medical technology though..." she smiles cynically, "I'm sure they'll find some way to verify you. But be warned: there may be lawyers."
"They don't let you talk?" Emma says, horrified. She is picturing him with a gag of some kind; she has not connected Cam's summoning or discussion of 'parlor tricks' to the idea of magical bindings.
"No problem," Jenny agrees brightly. She had chocolate ice cream. Cam is currently her favorite person and will be hard pressed to dislodge himself from said role.
from_scratch
"Lawyers. Save me," sighs Cam. "Yeah, usually I show up and I can't say anything except to agree to or refuse a proposed deal."
"Well, Dean Fisher first, then," Professor Reed says with a smile, "and I promise he is not a lawyer!"
It's not terribly far from the Magical Engineering building and the administrative office building. The campus is pretty in an understated way, with nice lawns and some basic gardens but plain buildings, all built in a rough semi circle. Their destination is only a couple buildings down the ring.
One of the rooms they pass by has a sign reading 'Counseling' in big block letters. A woman wearing a nametag that marks her as an 'Empathic Counselor' sticks her head out and waves at Professor Reed. "Tamara! You're awfully excited, I could feel you from my office, where are you off to?"
"Dean's office, Annabel," Professor Reed says. "This is Cam, he... showed up unexpectedly in my class today. Everyone, this is Annabel Williams, one of the school's counselors."
It's not terribly far from the Magical Engineering building and the administrative office building. The campus is pretty in an understated way, with nice lawns and some basic gardens but plain buildings, all built in a rough semi circle. Their destination is only a couple buildings down the ring.
One of the rooms they pass by has a sign reading 'Counseling' in big block letters. A woman wearing a nametag that marks her as an 'Empathic Counselor' sticks her head out and waves at Professor Reed. "Tamara! You're awfully excited, I could feel you from my office, where are you off to?"
"Dean's office, Annabel," Professor Reed says. "This is Cam, he... showed up unexpectedly in my class today. Everyone, this is Annabel Williams, one of the school's counselors."
Annabel's eyebrows furrow in concern. She can tell he is upset but nothing so helpful as why. "Lovely to meet you all. If... any of you are interested in stopping by... our office is open until 6."
She's a counselor, he's upset. She will at least offer.
"Tamara, I'll see you at dinner, I won't hold you up," she adds, and retreats back into her office. Negative emotional reactions are unpleasant to encounter!
She's a counselor, he's upset. She will at least offer.
"Tamara, I'll see you at dinner, I won't hold you up," she adds, and retreats back into her office. Negative emotional reactions are unpleasant to encounter!
"Awww," Jenny says, draping herself over Emma for a hug. "Don't stress! You met a friendly ice-cream-summoning demon who has offered you fancy medical toys!"
Emma has been known to worry overmuch. It is, to Jenny's mind, not unreasonable that an empath would suggest to Emma that she come visit.
Emma has been known to worry overmuch. It is, to Jenny's mind, not unreasonable that an empath would suggest to Emma that she come visit.
"I'm fine, Jenny, really," Emma says reassuringly, gracefully detaching herself. "A little shell shocked, but I'm okay."
By process of elimination, she looks over at Cam. But she doesn't hardly know him well enough to ask, so- distraction it is. "Well," she says apologetically. "I think that ice cream is going to be your one of your defining personality traits as far as Jenny's concerned. For roughly forever."
By process of elimination, she looks over at Cam. But she doesn't hardly know him well enough to ask, so- distraction it is. "Well," she says apologetically. "I think that ice cream is going to be your one of your defining personality traits as far as Jenny's concerned. For roughly forever."