Strange Passes of Time

## Characters Involved

* Unknown Researcher
* Dr. Berris
* Professor La Faux
* Fletcher Vireo
* Gagan
* Kiemo
* Red
* Rieko
* Ilya
* Xeric
* Emory
* Jamie
* Auggie

## The Event

This event opens uniquely with a POV from Dr. Berris and not from any of the students. Berris is shown offering the students something should they come to the cafeteria. He hasn't had the chance to be part of the actual researching side of things for awhile as he mentions that there was an attempt made on his life. He's bitter that it took his chances from him but disgruntledly allows his assistant to instead bring a box of dusty envelopes to the students. He sits back to watch on security cameras it appears, eagerly awaiting what will happen next. Several of the students discuss what to do next including Kiemo who is against it, but wants to use the letters for blackmail. He doesn't get a chance to say much about this as Professor La Faux suddenly appears through a portal that kills the unnamed researcher and destroys the letters. Kiemo is disappointed but recognizes the professor as someone who was around when Summer was fatally injured and is upset he did nothing to save her too. He leaves with Red to investigate further. Meanwhile, Professor La Faux has fainted from everything and Gagan and Fletcher work on bringing him to the infirmary. Gagan is a little shaken by this, still trying to pretend that everything that happened with Fletcher's death was just a bad dream. La Faux helps confirm that it wasn't and this puts him more on edge. Rieko accompanies them from a distance and ends up at the infirmary too. The group starts to talk and La Faux admits his more paternal relationship with Fletcher and Gagan. Fletcher doesn't remember the professor much and Gagan feels even more guilty. Especially when La Faux explains the hell he was in with all the time ghosts and other points. Later in the discussion, he offers to teach the trio more about nanotechnology, but only Rieko accepts. Fletcher implies he isn't interested out of loyalty to Gagan and because he doesn't want to overexert himself, Fletcher having worked on discovering his limits.

Before too much can be discussed further, Kiemo and Red meet up with Ilya, Kiemo acting aggressively toward Ilya after he believes that Ilya has insulted Red by insinuating that Red must be happy with the Missing being gone. Kiemo forces him to apologize and when Red suggests not punishing Ilya further, Kiemo reluctantly agrees, trusting Red's judgement. He instead commands Ilya to venture into the infirmary and check it out. Kiemo and Red will follow. This causes the other group to get nervous and a fight starts. Kiemo orders Red to stay back, not wanting him to get hurt but Red refuses. Kiemo encounters La Faux and demands answers but the professor is hostile, reminding him about his attempt on Fletcher's life and how successful it'd been. Kiemo doesn't believe it as Fletcher is still alive. He doesn't like La Faux's answers about Summer and how disrespectful he deems them and thinks about attacking before La Faux slams Ilya against a wall. In an attempt to protect Red, Kiemo protects both of his subordinates and prepares to strike. However, he gets distracted with Gagan who he hates more and having La Faux call him a murderer who deserves everything that happened, he turns this on Gagan. He declares that he and Gagan are the same as they both kill for their lovers. Kiemo has full intentions to kill Gagan this time, believing Red will be safe. Gagan states that he's not a good person though he wants to be and probably deserves the outcome Kiemo wants. Fletcher overhears this and upon coming to Gagan's rescue and knocking Kiemo aside, feels immediately concerned. He asks if Gagan plans on leaving him and Gagan says he would be selfish if he didn't realize how much he mattered. Fletcher calms down slightly and works on protecting and helping La Faux who has been bitten by Ilya and received his venom. Fletcher tries to help him and the professor tells him he's a good person before blacking out.

Fletcher wants to stay but is interrupted as Gagan steps in front of Kiemo and Xeric, the pair fighting after Xeric returned as Rieko's reinforcement after she escaped to find help. Xeric arrived and attacked Red, the incident enough to get Kiemo to give everything to protect Red from the confrontation. He orders Red to flee again but he refuses on his basis and because he wants to help Kiemo. Kiemo gets more stressed, wanting to protect Red still and keep his promise. He cares too much about Red to watch him die and confesses this to him. He also states that he's only fighting like this to protect Red. Both agree to flee and do so, Kiemo confesses that he wants Red to be safe above everything else but is still upset with him. Fletcher in the meantime, helps Gagan with Xeric, believing the lizard man to be more of a threat and sparring with him though Xeric backs off quickly realizing it was Gagan he hit and not Kiemo. He confirms that Rieko sent him and Fletcher and Gagan get a shot at a heart to heart.

Fletcher asks to know if Gagan is okay and Gagan starts on a speech about not knowing about what to think about Summer dying from the wounds he inflicted and how he can't remember it. He's weak too from being beaten and Fletcher, despite his own injuries and exhaustion helps support him. Gagan continues talking about how embarrassed he is that Fletcher is worrying about him and that he, Gagan, is the only one that should be worrying about himself. He does thank Fletcher for the concern though. Fletcher replies that Gagan doesn't need to pretend for him. He wants him to be honest as he offers up a wing for Gagan to grip, knowing the gesture soothes his friend. Gagan agrees to this as Fletcher reminds him that at one point Gagan told him that he could tell him anything. Fletcher also calls back to the time Savannah asks him about his own type and he describes Gagan with some of those words and expands on them. He continues by saying that with his position as a scientist and how his status as one while being young would give him the chance to choose and lab partner he wanted. He doesn't want that and says he just wants Gagan. Gagan starts getting jealous upon being told this and doesn't want to think about anyone else being Fletcher's partner or living with him like they do. Fletcher assures him he's not interested in such things before Gagan acts in the name of science, trying to work out his feelings and kisses Fletcher. Fletcher is surprised as this is his best friend, it came out of nowhere, and it is his first. He does relax into it though before asking Gagan what it was about and if it was related to Gagan telling him he loved him.