Mae looks confused and surprised as well for a moment. "I...umm...is Mei not going somewhere with Kira? I thought I heard someone say teleportation circle." Mae pulled her bag around a bit and stuck her hand inside and kept it there.

Kira, not sure who Mae is, replies back to her. "Mei and I are going to Silkmeadow first thing in the morning. She and that tiefling were going to talk to someone and maybe see about teleportation?  But either way, we're going tomorrow."  

Cadoras gives her a strange look as this blonde-and-black-haired woman speaks so forcefully about what Mei is going to do. "Shall we go see the snarl?" he asks her. Kira gives a nod, ready to follow him. 

Mei and Malvyn (and perhaps Guardok and others?) are already starting to head out of the Biblioplex to hopefully find Professor Lang. 

Guardok is definitely going with Mei and Mal. He is unsure why Kira is so agitated if the plan isn't to go until the next morning anyway. And if they do manage to to book the teleportation circle, which is admittedly unlikely, then why wait.

But he keeps quiet and just heads off with those going to see the Professor.

"We'll be right back." Mei gives Cadoras a grateful hug before they go, the first she's actually touched him since she... well.

As they head off, Mei's brow seems permanently furrowed at this point. Wary of wrinkles, she rubs at her forehead in an attempt to release the tension there. "She was very kind in Silkmeadow. I think... well, I think she's probably just tired. And not used to feeling that way. It was scary  to lose that feeling of constant energy, a-and I only had it for a month! So she just... I'm sure she's just struggling to adjust. We all get grumpy when we need sleep." It's clear she's trying to find a reason for Kira's change in character. "Don't you think?" 

"Yes, and that tiefling's name is Malvyn." The purple-skinned tiefling says a bit dryly to Kira, giving Cadoras a grateful nod as the kind elf offers to take the grumpy guest off their hands for a while.


"I think sleep depravation never got to you nearly as bad as this case..." Malvyn says with a small smile and a wink to Mei, trying to lighten her mood a bit. "...but yes, you are quite right, she is very grumpy." He adds with small chuckle, the end of his tail playfully slapping Mei's leg. "What do you think Guardok, should we tell the truth or come up with some story to get access to the teleportation circle?" He asks his earth genasi friend.

Maeleve shrugs and shuts up but will follow the others around for now.

"I'm not sure I could make up a story that would give us a better chance of getting to use the circle, Mal", Guardok replies, believing that helping a god seemed quite important enough.

"Unless you think telling them I left my best socks at the gymnasium during the gymnastics competition a couple of weeks ago would work", he adds with a cheeky chuckle.

Mei tries to grab Mal's tail after it slaps her (DEX: 11), cheeks puffed to resist a smile and laughter. This was serious!
(If she's able to catch Malvyn's tail, she gives it a good tug, though not hard enough to be painful) 

But the restrained laugh turns into a raspberry at Guardok's mention of socks. "L-Let's call that Plan B," she laughs.

"I do hope I can convince her. I've not met anyone outside of Silkmeadow who's heard of Disyn. And we couldn't find a single trace of her in books in the Biblioplex. I do have my prayer book, but... maybe I should've had Kira come with us." Mei pulls on a braid and looks back towards the Biblioplex. "I hope she's not eating Cadoras alive."

It's a moment later, Mei asks, "What supplies do you think we need? I've never done a trek before. Or been, um... camping, actually. Besides when we tried at the pond. Do you think we need... weapons? I should wear trousers, shouldn't I?" She seems more bothered by that than the possibility of needing a dagger. 

"Hey, careful, or you might need to stitch that back on." The purple-skinned tiefling says with a teasing smile to the petite oracle beside him as she yanks his tail.

Malvyn then chuckles along with Guardok. "They would have to be some really good socks if we should go with that story."

"I took Kira for the vegetarian type so I think your elven hero is safe." He says to Mei with a toothy grin.

"Don't know about equipment, perhaps we should ask Kira some more questions and then purchase some gear in Silkmeadow." He then says in a more serious tone. "It's not like we haven't faced danger together before though." He adds with an encouraging smile.

"True..." Mei replies, brow furrowing again as she, ever the over-preparer, thinks through all the items they might need. 

As they approach the classroom (office?), Mei knocks lightly on the door. "Professor Lang? It's Mei. Er--M-Mei Fujimori. Do you have a moment?"

The group with Mei, Malvyn, Guardok, and Mae head to Professor Lang's office on the Witherbloom campus. When Mae had agreed to go with them, Larine had excused herself. "I'll catch up with you later Mae. I never did eat this morning, so I should grab a snack or something. Come by my room later?" 

 When Mei knocks on the door, the professor answers, "Come in." As you step into the office, Professor Lang is at her desk with a stack of exam papers.  She sets them behind her on a table then turns her attention to Mei, and then to the others. "And you have a whole group with you too. Miss Fujimori, I am quite surprised to see you. Especially when I did not see you for the exam today."  She again glances at the others, then back to the purple-haired girl. "I do have a moment. Did you wish to speak privately, or did you all wish to be present?" 

"Ah, um, yes, ma'am. I was hoping to explain my absence," Mei says, bowing before she steps inside. "And, if they could come in too? They're all aware of the... situation." 

Making room for the others in the office, Mei steps forward and, after a deep breath, explains. First starting with Kira's arrival, then going back to her experience in Silkmeadow, ending with her Dream and Kira's reason for being there, as well as their plans to leave to help. "I know it's a lot to take in, b-but--! I promise I don't take missing the exam lightly. I don't feel it's related to the events on campus or the investigation, but, it still feels quite important." 

Guardok enters the room and stands silently, but does whisper to Mei, "You got this". His words are laced with the power of inspiration.

Other than that he allows Mei the time to explain the situation.

"I believe in Mei's dreaming, Professor. If she believes it is important, it needs to be taken seriously", is all he adds after she is finished.

(OOC: Guardok grants Mei 1d6 bardic inspiration)

Professor Lang invites all to come inside, then listens carefully to Mei's remarks and the story of her encounter in Silkmeadow.  As the explanation ends, she sighs. "Mei, I don't know what to say. Clearly you follow where the wind blows."  While the words might seem to be criticism, her tone does not really carry any condemnation. "And of course, you couldn't have postponed speaking with Kira to just take your exam."  There is a slight sigh again, and she seems reluctant to deliver the next words. "I am afraid I will have to grant you a failing grade for your exam. We will have to set up time to meet after Monday's class to review your work and determine your path forward. I believe you did well with the prior exam, so with diligence, you might just be able to still pass the course."  

"Yes, ma'am," Mei nods, cheeks red hot as her gaze drops to the floor. If she'd have known Kira felt it could wait a day, she certainly would've taken her exam first. But something about traveling for days to find her outside of a classroom Kira could not have possibly known she'd be at felt fairly urgent.

Maybe she should've lied and just told the professor she was sick... 

Thoughts in a spiral about possibly failing the course and what would happen if her grandmother found out, she seems to forget about asking to use the teleportation circle. 

"With respect Professor Lang, I don't know what would constitute an acceptable reason for not taking the exam at this point, but could we ask for you to perhaps review this decision later if it turns out that the matter was as important and urgent as we believe it is." Malvyn says with his most diplomatic tone, his tail trying to give the petite oracle a comforting and reassuring pat on the back as he addresses the professor. "We are actually here for another thing too. We really need to go to Silkmeadow for the weekend and while I don't have a way to prove this yet I know we will find the use of the Strixhaven teleportation circle to go there quickly in the morning of great help." He asks with a pleading tone. "I take my studies here most seriously and I can assure you we wouldn't ask this if it wasn't very important." 

Persuasion if relevant: 18 Another roll if help action is provided: 9

Guardok is disappointed that Professor Lang focussed solely on the missed exam. He understands it, but is disappointed.

"Students here at Strixhaven have come from across the planet and from other planes, and all have their own culture, beliefs, religions and moral compass. Surely the rules of Strixhaven include some forbearance when it comes to those beliefs? If Mei had been sick, surely you wouldn't fail her. If a family member of hers were sick, you would show compassion and understanding? This is about someone Mei considers a god. There is surely something you can do, Professor? A second chance next week, perhaps?", he pleads, focussing more on the exam than the trip to Silkmeadow for now.

Although he believes in Mei's belief of Disyn and the importance of the journey, in his own mind the exam and passing the course is of paramount importance.

(OOC: If this counts as help to Mal, great. If you think it is different, just shout)

(OOC - Missed Guardok's post when I first did this. I will allow Guardok to have provided help, specifically for the exam. I have edited the response.) 

Professor Lang turns her gaze to Malvyn. "If she has no clearly defined reason for not being able to make the exam now, she will not be able to conjure one up later. The issues is not the severity of the issue, but whether she was actually prevented from taking the exam." She does however pause a moment to listen to Guardok's comments. "Is this true Miss Fujimori? You regard this Disyn as a goddess to whom you owe obedience? You must follow her commands? And this belief has existed for a discernable period prior to the exam? And finally, the information this woman brought to you is something you honestly believed came from this goddess?"  

She nods towards Mei. "With answers to these questions, and perhaps some more to follow up, there is a chance we could claim a religious impediment from taking the exam as scheduled.  It might take some time to review and have the faculty academic affairs committee approve such an opportunity for re-examination." 

"Miss Fujimori," she continues. "Do you think that both you and this other woman you alluded to could come here later today to answer a few more questions. I may have to follow up with you on your beliefs here.  But I do have questions about the nature of this Disyn being. I wonder what it actually might be. Professionally speaking, I am quite curious! You do know my specialty is Arcano-Biology?"  

She seems to look over the group, counting the number. "Tell me, would all 4 of you, plus this other woman, wish to Silkmeadow? No promises, but I can look into whether you could the use of teleportation circles." 

Deeply moved by the case Guardok makes for her--and never more sure of the power of his words, even without magic behind them--Mei is looking quite awestruck at him when Professor Lang addresses her. 

"Y-Yes, ma'am. I saw a vision of her in Silkmeadow and after she blessed me with darkvision and lesser need of sleep. I'd been praying to her using this ever since." Mei fishes around in her bag for the book of prayers Kira gave her and holds it out for the professor to look at. "I'm not sure if you attended the art gala, but I submitted a painting of her from that vision for display."

"And I do believe it, yes. I Dreamed of her distress before Kira arrived with her own account."

Mei flinches as the professor asks to question Kira--questions seeming to be her least favorite thing at the moment--and fumbles for an excuse, "I-I can ask her, ma'am. Though she's quite exhausted from her travels. I suspect, after our trip, I'll have much more information for you in that regard. Malvyn and I both attempted further research in the library, but found no recorded data or accounts." Scrambling for support of their journey, she hurriedly posits, "If it might help our case for obtaining permission to use the circles, I could write a, um... a research article? With the intent of submitting it for peer review and publication in the university's academic journals?"

The purple-skinned tiefling scratches his neck and glances over at Guardok with a disecreet smile of gratitude for saving his poor attempt to argue for leniency. He stays quiet and simply nods in agreement, almost eagerly as Mei suggests writing an research article on the subject. It would make sense to him at least and he should have thought of bringing the research aspect of this himself. "I would be happy to be a co-writer on that research article." He says with an eager smile as the petite oracle finishes, his tail swaying excitedly behind him.