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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 4-4, It's Pronounced Cameo

Theo had never been a fan of rounding, but he couldn't help but do so when he thought about how he'd been gone from the University for a month. In truth, it was just under 25 days, but ever since he had obtained his Certificate of Acknowledgment he'd always figured he'd spend every hour of his life at the building, and, whether at the lab, in the dorms, holding down the chair in his office, answering stupid questions from students about material he'd JUST covered in class... Of course, that was right up until they suspended his teaching position.

If the Ermine scholar had been in any position other than a UPU Professorship he probably wouldn't have minded the idea of being paid without having to work but, since he WAS a Professor, that meant that he was falling behind in his field. Worse yet, if someone elected to 'help' him by doing work while he was gone than either he'd come back to see that it was completely bungled, or, even more unthinkable, his substitute had made inroads into the studies and published it for him.... and taking credit for it. He stopped in the hall as the tooth pick he'd been gnawing on broke in half beneath his clenched teeth.

Suddenly realizing just how tightly wound he was, Theo fished the pieces of wood out of his muzzle and paused long enough to spit the smaller shreds into his palm. The Ermine took several steadying breaths, using the opportunity to close his eyes and listen to the sound of his heart. One of his most recent studies had been the correlation of mental and emotional stress causing physical stress, and how parents often 'gifted' their own physical shortcomings to their children. If that were the case he needed to be worried about a weak heart-- just another wonderful lasting impacts his father made on his life.

Thinking about his life before the University certainly wasn't helping his stress. Theo scowled at himself, "Not the best topic right now." Rather than linger in the hall, he resolved to get to his office and at least check in with whoever was keeping things together for him in his absence... that would definitely make him feel better... or so he had thought. The moment his eyes settled on the brass name plate on the door his jaw dropped.

"Gregory Ryder? Gregory Ryder!? GREGORY RYDER?!?!"

A bored voice from within the office called back, "I heard you the first time! I'm here! Either come in, or stop shouting!"

Theo didn't consider himself an irrational man, or one easily prone to fits of fury, but it was all he could do to keep his paw from shaking as he put the door knob in a death grip and flung it open. Despite the physical outburst, he did manage to keep his voice at least semi-steady, "Why should I need permission to come into my own office?"

The plump Dingo looked up from the office's desk-- THEO'S desk, "Oh... Theo." the canine cocked his head slightly, "Has it been a month already?"

The Ermine continued to keep his tone neutral despite the fact that he could feel his claws digging into his own palm, "Not quite, no... but some other business brought me back here and I figured it would be prudent to check my office in case something important required my immediate attention."

Gregory shrugged casually, moving to lift his broad, ample feet up onto the surface of the desk; Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out a tooth pick to busy his teeth as he avoided wincing-- WHY in the name of science did the Dingo wander around the office without shoes? Oblivious to Theo's concern, Gregory ignorantly replied, "Oh... don't worry... Professor VanHousen left me in charge while you were gone."

The tooth pick snapped. "She WHAT?!?"

The Dingo's goofy grin looked more suited to a court fool than on the face of a professor of the University, "She's letting me look after your students while you're gone... Wow... you know, Theo, I never realized how much they didn't like you--"

"WHAT?!?"

"Your students." Gregory repeated, "I mean, I think you're a GREAT guy and all, but your students really don't like you all that much. You should try going easier on them."

Still oblivious to the remark about his class, Theo continued to focus on the first reveal, "She put YOU in charge?!?!"

The Dingo's ears lowered, apparently FINALLY understanding that something was wrong, "Just until you got back. I mean, relax man... I haven't even touched your research material. I wasn't about to stab you in the back. I know how important that stuff is to you. It's not like I really know anything about it anyway, and--"

Theo's next words came out much more forcefully than he had originally intended, "You're an AIR SCHOLAR!"

Gregory shrugged, his smile long gone, "Well, even if I wasn't, I still wouldn't have messed with your papers, alright?'

As usual, the Dingo completely missed the mark, and that only frustrated Theo further... but he wasn't about to lose it... no... not completely. Letting out a deep breath, the Ermine pulled out yet another tooth pick, thankful that he had the foresight to load his pocket up before he left his office back when it was HIS office, "First, the name plate changed--"

Gregory was quick to reply, "The other professors didn't want there to be any confusion among the students."

The Ermine flicked an ear, "If that was true they wouldn't have put me out on leave mid way through the class."

"It was like they said: the less bodies around, the easier it would be to finish the investigation about what happened with--"

Theo wasn't interested in letting him finish, "And then they put an AIR scholar in charge of instructing students in a very VERY specific water science."

The Dingo's neutral expression turned into a frown, "I woulda thought you'd bee HAPPY... I mean, I'm keeping things going for you and I'm not stealing your precious research material... I'm not trying to oust you for your position and--"

The Ermine spat out the newest snapped toothpick, "But this is also about the students! They could have put my work on ice and at least had Professor Sronveldt take over my--"

Gregory slipped his feet back up on the desk, "Sronveldt also got paid leave."

Theo's eyes widened, "But... we're the only two Professors instructing Water science!"

The Dingo, apparently no longer interested in chatting nicely, just shrugged, "Well, that explains why they didn't have him substitute for you... so if you have a problem go talk to Professor VanHousen-- I don't have to sit here and get insulted for something I didn't have any control over... and especially after I was trying to help cover for ya."

The Ermine was half-way between an apology and an insult so, instead of speaking, he stuffed yet another toothpick into his muzzle and shut it. He about-faced, and left the office, leaving the door open after him; he knew that Gregory hated open doors. Chewing purposefully on the newest tooth pick, Theo went straight down the hall and up a flight of stairs; he and the Monkey were going to have a very professional talk, and that meant working his frustration on tooth pick number four-snap- ...five; tooth pick number five.

The white-furred professor came to a halt right after inserting the fifth unlucky object for chewing; there was quite a line forming outside of Professor VanHousen's door. Theo tapped the shoulder of the man in front of him. When the Puma turned around, the Ermine realized that he didn't know him personally, but was familiar with the lapel pin of a Fire Scholar. The feline was about as courteous as Theo felt, "What?"

The Ermine paused long enough to reset his mood and approach things professionally; tooth pick five was most likely relieved, "Why is everyone waiting at Professor VanHousen's office? I need to speak with her... urgently."

The Puma didn't bother to offer the same professional courtesy, "Then take a number. We're ALL here to give her a piece of our mind."

Theo didn't let the man's aggressive mood disturb his inner calm, and he simply worked tooth pick five with the molars on the right side of his muzzle, "It's VERY important. I was put on administrative leave."

The Fire Scholar crossed his arms and just stared at Theo, "Like I said before-- take a number. we're ALL here because we were put on administrative leave."

The Ermine decided to pull out the big guns, "They got a Professor of Air to teach my classes for me and--"

The Puma sighed, "Like I said before... we're ALL here for the same thing, weasel... Fire Scholar--" he motioned to himself, "Earth Scholar--" he motioned to the Armadillo ahead of him, "Another Earth Scholar--" he motioned past that professor to a Fox, "... we're all on paid leave, and ALL of us got switched out and replaced by Air Scholars."

For the first time since seeing a different name on the brass plate outside his office door, Theo's mind finally began to look at the bigger picture, "Why would she replace so many professors who are specialists in their field with Professors of Air Science?"

The feline smirked sardonically, "That's nothing... the Professors teaching Air Science were replaced by some guys from the Church."

"The CHURCH?"

The Fire Professor nodded, "Yea... the Church."

"But... WHY?!?!"

The Puma shrugged, "I think most of us plan on asking her that exact question as soon as she's finished talking with that old Bear."

The Fox two ahead of the Fire Scholar glanced back, "That's not just 'some old Bear', Don... that's Julius Blackburn."

Several others waiting in line glanced to the Fox, obviously impressed, but Theo was more intrigued than anything, "I came here with him." The Ermine paused when all the eyes within viewing distance were focused on him in an instant, "Professor Blackburn, I mean."

The questions came at him rapid fire. He did what he could to answer them, but usually people were speaking over him anyway, so it did little good. The chaos continued for long enough that nobody was facing it when the door opened. He watched as his entire group filed out, Professor Blackburn in the lead. Nicholas, one of the last party members out the door, paused just long enough to catch some of what was being said. The Human made a gesture that unmistakably led Theo to believe that he should keep them busy.

The Ermine, frustration at the lapse in his position practically forgotten, finally put an end to tooth pick five's agony when he flicked it off to the side. The party had already descended the stairs at the other side of the hall, so he resolved to put an end to the flash mob of curious professors, "Looks like VanHousen's ready for her interrogation." The collection of Professors in front of him paused with their questions, and Theo sealed the deal with a quick "Now, if you'll excuse me... I'll go in first."

Not too long ago, Theo would have expressed concern that his people skills were lacking. He would have said that he didn't have the knowledge or delicacy required to get others to do what he wanted them to. In that moment, however, when all attention from the crowd turned inward as they all tried to assert their own claim on Professor VanHousen's time, Theo realized that the month away from the University might actually had done him some good. He walked off down the hall, completely unnoticed as he pulled out toothpick number six.