Noble inadvertently sent comfort with her words—she really needed to work on that! But the emotion had the desired effect.
A muffled voice came through the door.
"Professor Noble? Is that really you?"
"Yes, I was coming this way to check on Tamar after her battle with Keth when the alarm went off. It's safe to come out—the sooner the better, in fact." Noble had provided the information to assure Fleur of her identity. It worked.
The door cracked.
"You said a situation needs my attention? How could I possibly help?" Fleur's delicate features were filled with concern.
"Lover boy out here wants to say a few words before I cart him off to security headquarters. Would you mind giving him a minute of your time?"
"Lover boy?" Fleur opened the door a little bit wider. "Roy? What are you doing here?"
"It's Ray." Having been released from the Professor's vicelike grip, the young man straightened his back and managed a neutral smile. Only his eyes betrayed his terror.
Noble felt a little bad for putting him on the spot like that…but only a little.
'Better to get it over with,' she reasoned.
"Oh, Ray. Right," Fleur nodded slowly, furrowing her brow. "Forgive me. You do look familiar, but I cannot place you."
Under the ushering hands of Lovia, the young man stepped closer to the door.
"Yes, well, I looked a little different last time we spoke. You helped my little sister, Reece, when she lost her stuffed toy. She had gotten separated from our parents while trying to find me, and you comforted her until I arrived." Ray explained.
"That…that was you?" Fleur's eyes opened wider.
"She had lost the toy in the garbage. I barely found it before they dumped all the waste into the sea. I got a little…dirty in the process." Ray shook his hands as if he was still dripping with synthpaste.
"And a little smelly," Fleur giggled. "I never would have guessed that you were hiding under all that!"
"Well, heh, I was. The few times I tried to talk to you on the ship, you were busy. And then I thought I had missed my chance! That is, until I saw you out on the lawn this morning." Ray's words tumbled out one on top of the other.
Noble felt herself warming to him as he spoke. A brother who was willing to nearly get jettisoned with trash to make his little sister happy could not be too much of a villain, could he?
"A chance to what?"
"What?" Ray was confused by the other Sleeper's words.
Fleur chewed her lip. "You said you missed the chance. What were you wanting to do?"
"Oh! I… just wanted to thank you!" Ray shut his eyes.
Noble refrained from kicking him with her boot, though the urge was intense.
"You broke into the building and caused a shutdown, just to thank me?" The redheaded girl tilted her chin incredulously.
"Well, I uh..."
'Out with it!' Noble nudged him with a bit of courage and urgency.
The boy took the hint. "I wanted to see if you might like to have a meal with me. In the cafeteria, or anywhere really...as long as it is with you."
"You mean like a date?" Fleur blushed.
"Not like a date. A date, plain and simple. I know it is close to the Solstice, and we need to focus, but..."
"I accept." The girl looked at him from under her eyelashes, stunning him for a moment.
When he recovered, he looked like he had taken Noble's ability to fly. "You do? I mean, of course! It's a date then."
She held out her hand for his communicator. He obliged, his mouth hanging open in an elated stupor.
Lovia guffawed, "Lover boy, indeed!"
Noble shook her head. Young love was as sweet as it was confusing at times. The professor's communicator buzzed. Their time was up.
Placing her hand on Ray's shoulder, Noble pulled him away as he accepted his device and the newly entered contact information.
"We need to go. Time to face the consequences of your actions."
"I'll be in touch very soon!" Ray waved at Fleur. She shut her door gently.
Noble could sense her leaning against the back of the door as she bounced up and down excitedly on her toes.
"Worth it." Ray's heart swelled to bursting. "They can punish me any way they like. It was all worth it."
"Ha!" Lovia guided them as they turned the corner to exit the building. "Don't be so sure! Girls are finicky, and punishments can be swift."
"I'll take my chances." The boy's cockiness was more than the professor could allow.
Noble stopped them in their tracks, her eyes swirling a deep green.
"You may take your chances with them, Ray, but you should not take them with me. I can tell if someone is lying, and I will ask you before you leave for the solstice if you have entered any of the ladies' dorms again. If I find you have, the Solstice will be the least of your worries!"
Lovia smiled fiercely, causing Ray to shrink between them.
"Understood." He managed.
"Stop using your Aspect. There is no reason to sneak up on anyone right now." Noble waited for him to comply. "Now promise you won't break the Academy rules again."
"I won't! I swear!" Ray was literally scared straight from any more mischief.
"Good." Noble's heart softened. "Now keep that attitude when you get to the security office, and maybe they will go easy on you. Either way, your application for transfer to the Dream Realm before the solstice will be revoked."
"We both know that was never going to happen this late in the season anyway. My parents barely had enough money to travel here with me to say goodbye. There's no way they have the money to buy that kind of favor."
Noble had no response to that. Instead, she held out her hand. "Here."
The Professor's fingers touched her students as sparks passed silently between them.
Ray examined the new item in his soul sea. His eyebrows shot upward. "Really? I can have this?!"
"I will find something more appropriate for my needs, but one thing you cannot be without in the Dream Realm is water."
"Thank you!" Ray bowed his head. "Actually, can I give it to Fleur?"
"You may do as you see fit," Noble nodded.
"Not even her boyfriend and you are already giving her expensive gifts!" Lovia giggled. "The professor was very generous to you, and you are so ready to part with it for a pretty face."
"It's fine. I don't mind." Noble respected the boy for not hoarding the gift. The professor felt a little guilty. She wasn't as generous as she seemed.
The Utility Memory had been purchased from Government Surplus before Noble had entered the last Nightmare. It drew water from the ground to the surface. What the government officer had neglected to tell Noble was that she would need to crank a handle to make it work properly. Touching it while it was touching the ground was a nonstarter, and her levitation had yielded mixed results.
It was better off in a Sleeper's hands. If Ray wanted to give it to Fleur, who was Noble to stand in his way?
'It's a little sweet.' Fortunately, Noble kept that thought to herself.
At that moment, they reached the exit and the security detail that was waiting for them.