Editing City Series:Volume7 Layer 11 (section)

===Record 87: Realizing the Answer===

'''10/15/1998

'''21:28

The athletic festival was progressing smoothly, despite the injuries, destruction, and structural collapses. The ball-rolling event was looking like it would be a lot less devastating than last year since it was using soft balls now, but then a bunch of students decided to start throwing them as hard as they could, causing far more damage than before. Getting these things just right was difficult.

After completing my preparations for the final day tomorrow, I didn’t feel like getting changed or heading home, so I cut across the athletic ground to get some shuteye in the Officers’ living room.

On my way toward the school building, I noticed a light on in our classroom.

Wondering what that was about, I climbed the emergency stairs and entered the building. I peeked into the classroom to see Sensei and Lady inside.

They had a thick stack of documents on the teacher’s desk and they were discussing something while drawing diagrams and writing on the chalkboard.

My intuition told me they were trying to summon a spirit, so I threw open the door.

“Wait! Haven’t you ever heard of a Faustian bargain!?”

They only gave me a quick glance before turning back toward the chalkboard and resuming their writing.

“U-u-um, why are you ignoring me?”

“Because we always do? And why are you still in your track suit?”

“Change out of that dirty thing already.”

“You’re the boss,” I said, starting to change then and there, but a piece of chalk flew through the air and stabbed into the side of my head. I turned to see them both staring at the chalkboard.

“What are you two doing?”

Sensei turned toward me and held up one of the documents on her desk. It was a map.

“I’m having her tell me about the changes that have come about due to the reunification. There’s a lot most people don’t know about this.”

“Yeah, and that goes double for idiots like you- ow! Was that an eraser!?”

“There aren’t any obstacles like there are during class, so I don’t have to hold back.”

“Are the other students nothing but obstacles to you? Anyway, why are you asking Lady about this?”

“I can get the Emergency Teachers’ help with this too, but with the Chancellor’s Officers, I can get a picture from a student perspective.”

“Yeah, an adult perspective wouldn’t be a good fit for you- ow!”

“The red chalk is a curveball. The blue is a forkball, the black a knuckleball, and the clear one disappears.”

Sensei looked delighted and Lady looked impressed.

“You’re good at this, Sensei.”

“I am.” Sensei held chalk in both hands. “Because I practiced good and hard. I’ve been staying late every day recently honing my skills.”

“Is that why we keep finding pieces of chalk when we clean the classroom?”

“Y-you must be lying. I always cleaned up after myself.”

“You expect me to believe you know how to clean up properly?” I asked.

Lady lowered her head before Sensei could say anything to her.

Sensei looked her way for a moment.

“…”

Then she turned back toward me, thought for a bit, and finally pointed a piece of chalk at me.

“I-it’s the kids’ fault for not catching the chalk properly during training.”

“That’s the best excuse you could come up with after all that thinking!? And no one ever told me you practice throwing chalk with your students.”

“I-I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“I didn’t want this surprise. And isn’t there anything more useful you could be practicing?”

“Eh? Ummm, like what?”

“Lady, you tell her what she needs.”

Lady quickly looked up and alternately between Sensei and me.

“Eh? N-no fair! Why do I have to say something so mean!?”

That’s pretty mean already.

'''Author Comment:

At my school, a group threw fastballs into the faculty tent during the ball-toss game and that game was canceled the following year. We did the game where you knock over poles every year, though.

This one also shows how great Sensei is at not thinking things through.