"As a general rule, I try to be pleased with my accomplishments. Which one did you have in mind?" Chip took the woman's chiding words in stride.
"Last night." Noble placed her hands on her hips.
"Ah, yes," Chip chuckled. "I'm pretty happy with how that turned out, yes. You should have seen their faces!"
"I did," the Provost answered flatly. "You made them think you were going to barbecue them!"
"Nothing like a bit of motivation to get their blood flowing and their legs going, am I right?" Chip held up his hand, then lowered it when he noticed the look on the provost's face.
"Chip…"
"You asked me for help, didn't you?" The reptilian Saint leaned back with a smirk.
It was true.
Noble's foray into helping the Sleepers of the Academy had gone well enough. Arcana had not been able to see her in the dark while she was transformed, and he had found the Gateway and awakened without incident.
It was only after that when the trouble began. Noble had expected some confusion, but she hadn't anticipated the absolute uproar her actions would cause.
An investigation was opened by her head of security. There was another problem too.
Doing things like she was, Noble could transport one student at a time. It not only took a lot of her essence, but it took a lot of time and planning. With the number of pending applications that she had to honor, there was no way to get it done and not constantly have her essence drained.
That was not to mention how uncomfortable Noble felt sneaking into the boys' dorm. After doing it once, the provost decided that the experience was not going to be repeated.
Noble needed help.
And so she had called in reinforcements.
"The Clans and government are too tied up to help transport sleepers to the Dream Realm for early Awakening. One Saint has been secretly helping, but she cannot do it alone and I…"
"Count me in," Chip had smiled fiercely, causing Noble to feel a small wave of nausea.
"Really? You are willing to help secretly transfer dreamers from the Academy?" The provost had expected some questions or pushback from the eccentric Saint. "You remember that the Academy is in the NQSC, not in Australia, right?"
"It's a worthy cause. A little trek across the globe is a small price in comparison." Chip shrugged.
The provost squinted. "You are already tethered in the NQSC, aren't you?"
Chip's sharp smile had glistened in the sunlight.
"I might have been hired for a job there at one point and never bothered to move my anchor back. Is that a problem?"
It was the opposite of a problem, but it did make Noble wonder what kind of job would bring a not-so-inconspicuous Saint to her city.
But if he wasn't going to pry into her business, then she knew better than to dig too deep into his.
"This is a clandestine operation. It's already ruffling some feathers. I hope you don't mind." Noble didn't think it would be an issue, but she didn't want to leave out that detail.
Chip had scratched his chin.
"Will it anger the Sovereigns?"
"Very possibly." Noble winced.
Chip slapped his knee. "Then I'm doubly in! Ki Song can kiss my rear—I'll keep it nice since a prim and proper lady is present. Song tried to recruit me for her upcoming slaughter, and I told her representatives to stick it where the sun don't shine. There's only one queen in my book, and she rules the Dreamscape."
"I'm flattered." Noble was a little uncomfortable with such vocal Ki Song slander, but as it served her purpose, she let it slide.
"The pleasure is all mine, Master Noble. This sounds fun."
…Those final words now reverberated in Noble's head as she realized what fun meant for the peculiar Saint. While he had done what was asked of him, Chip had completed the task with his own sense of flair.
"Yes, I asked for your help, but surely terrorizing the students was too much." Noble sighed.
'I really should have given better instructions…'
Noble knew this would have done little good. She had sought the help of a loose cannon and reaped the consequences of her actions.
"Terrorizing? You misunderstand me, Noble. I was giving them the honor of the solstice experience! I was giving them the joy of experiencing that ancient holiday. What was it? Ah, Halloween! Don't worry, they were never in any danger. They just didn't know it." Chip nodded.
"So threatening to eat them, hunting them down, and haunting them from above with Matilda…that was all for their honor and their joy?" Noble raised an eyebrow incredulously.
"Now you are getting it! Although Matilda was just there for the exercise. She loves making new friends. She would never have forgiven me if I hadn't let her play too." Chip tilted his head as if it were obvious.
Noble rubbed her temple. "And those fireballs? Don't tell me you dragged Sarai into this."
The relaxed Saint waved away the concern. "I told her it was a training exercise and that she shouldn't mind the whining because it was for their own good. She provided the perfect ambiance for the narrative, you see. Nothing like a little heat to make one hot-footed enough to keep running. Unrelated, but if you haven't tried her barbecue skills on monster meat, it is truly unmatched."
Noble, in fact, had tried Sarai's cooking and found it to be top-notch. There was very little that fiery Master couldn't do when she put her mind to it…
'Ah, he's getting me off track!'
Noble pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Don't involve Sarai again."
"Fine. I'll just have to manage without her. She inspired me to try something new for the barbecue bit next time anyway."
"No!" Hearing how shrill she sounded, Noble lowered her voice. "No trying new things. No terrorizing students and no barbeques!"
Chip looked at her blankly. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying it would help me greatly if you just transport the people when and where I assign them to you. Your method of gathering three at once was clever, inspired even! I will have to contemplate how to better implement that tactic. But the rest…"
"Lay off the theatrics? You're no fun, Noble." Chip clicked his tongue.
"Fun is my ultimate goal, after all." Noble allowed a small smile. "Please, Chip—"
"Fine, fine. If I am going to do you a favor, I will do it properly. I won't make them run the gauntlet or use Sarai to create the right mood." Chip's emotions were sincere, and Noble trusted that although he was a little quirky at times, he was always honest.
The provost relaxed a little.
"Thank you, Chip." Noble hesitated. "So the next time I give you a name…"
"I'll make sure to do as you ask." The man nodded.
"And you'll take the time and place into account?" The provost queried.
"Absolutely." Chip held up his hand in promise.
"And you'll bring them to the gate and not the wilderness?" Noble pressed.
"If I must…" the monstrous Saint sighed.
Noble held up a finger.
"Finally…and this is crucial…you won't bring a Legacy along and force him to awaken just for the fun of it."
"NOW YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!"