Editing Vanishing Points 8.1

{{infobox chapter
| work       = Pale
| book       = [[Vanishing Points]]
| number     = 8.1
| dateposted =9 January 2021 
| link       = [https://palewebserial.wordpress.com/2021/01/09/vanishing-points-8-1/ {{PAGENAME}}]
| previous   =[[Gone Ahead 7.x]] 
| next       =[[Vanishing Points 8.2]] 
}}
'''{{PAGENAME}}''' is the first chapter of [[Vanishing Points]]. Lucy and trio have a talk with Raymond and then attend a class by Dorocher on healing.

==Plot==
[[Lucy Ellingson|Lucy]] is roused from sleep by a knock at the door. Opening it she finds Raymond there, checking in on students still in bed including the Kennet trio. He informs them about a healing class that [[Marie Durocher|Durocher]] will be teaching and that before that he will want them to meet him in his office. Further he lets Lucy know that the [[Blue Heron Institute]] couldn’t find [[Alexander Belanger|Alexander]] while they were updating security parameters, he specifically warns them, unaware that the man is dead, the Alexander is exactly the type to retaliate having already done so politically at Raymond.

Getting ready Lucy looks around and notices that Jorja and [[Talia Graubard|Talia]] appear to have made up, seeing them talking to [[Rad Ray Sunshine|Raymond]]. Lucy puts on some music to get certain flashbacks of Alex's demise out of her head. She uses [[Eavesdropper's Earring|her implement]] to listen in on the song while providing the actual earbuds to Avery and Verona, to the formers bemusment. They complete their showers and Lucy Notices [[Yadira Kennedy|Yadira]] is annoyed.

Arriving at Ray's office they walk in while he is having a call. Ray opens the meeting by acknowledging he doesn't know if the trio are in trouble or not but says he'll try to be fair to the Trio. He mentions that he's started looking for a new headmaster, the two candidates he’s identified are Maurice Crowe or Abraham Musser. Raymond himself is not interested in the position.

Ray brings up the fact that the trio didn’t pay for their tuition and has them they explain to him how they ended up at the Blue Heron Institute vis-a-vis blackmailing him through the terms of [[Alexander Belanger's Demesne| his Demesne creation.]] Ray informs them that if they wish to continue attending they will have to pay 21,000 dollars a term unless Alex can cover it in some way. However to Ray's knowledge Alex doesn't want to be found so [[Tanner Gilpin|Tanner]] has been set the task of looking for the former headmaster. Ray thanks them for their honesty in this opening discussion.

Moving on Ray speculates that they where sent to the BHI specifically to remove [[Alexander Belanger|Alexander]] and [[Lawrence Bristow|Bristow]], possibly through the backing of [[Oni]] or similar. Ray muses on the trio's involvement in the binding of [[Hungry Choir]] and their relative [[power]] and contacts at such a young age.

Given his position making [[Oath]]s problematic they agree to an extended question and answer session to satisfy all parties.[[Verona]] admits that she didn’t know exactly what would happen when she gave the brownies Bristow’s thanks, only that the trio wanted the man to stop hairdressing and threatening them. After being asked about [[Charles Abrams|Charles]] and his involvement in Kennet Ray expresses his intention to visit his former colleague.

[[Rad Ray Sunshine|Ray]] correctly guesses that the trio became involved due to the [[Carmine Beast|Carmine’s]] disappearance, and that they secured the silence of Zed and Niccolete. Ray inquires into their connection with their patrons and what they expect of the trio offering to step in if they are in over their head. After Ray swears the trio his goodwill and to only step in if he needs to protect people they proceed to explain to him about their situation in greater depth. Ray comes to the conclusion that the last weeks' events are more an example of oppertunism and clashing personalities then a deliberate set up.

Raymond says there will be other teachers pulled into the school for lessons and that he will be sitting in on the upcoming healing class, he also tells them to keep an eye on their standing among their fellow students as their actions have hurt them and their families in various ways, with that the interview concludes.

----
The healing class opens with [[Ms Durocher|Durocher’s]] immediately summons two [[Deities|gods]] into the classroom; [[Metaphaos]] and his [[Metaphaos' sister|unnamed sister]]. Things immediately launch into  the lesson: *Metaphaosm Durocher and Ray give explanations about the different types of gods and how they work, which sidelines into the main topic of Healing including what Others are best for which type of healing.

For the next part of the lesson [[Metaphaos]] offers to heal the kids, roughed up by the previous fight, with that the class pair up and call on the deities to heal their friends. After the trio patch themselves up and with that Lucy decides to reach out and test the friendships she's made. But her offer to heal [[Yadira Kennedy|Yadira]] only ends with the instead of accepting the kitsune practitioner storms out in anger. With this Lucy realizes just how many people the [[Kennet Trio|Kennet trio]] has alienated.

== Major events ==
* Lucy, Avery and Verona have an important and in depth discussion with [[Rad Ray Sunshine|Raymond Sunshine]]
* The trio attend a class on healing

==Characters==
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable"
! scope="col" |
|-
|
=== Kennet Trio ===

* [[Lucy]]
* [[Avery]]
* [[Verona]]
* [[Snowdrop]]

=== Blue Heron Institute ===

*[[Rad Ray Sunshine]]
*[[Ms Durocher|Ms. Durocher]]

* Yadira

* [[Metaphaos]] and [[Metaphaos' sister|Metaphaos’s sister]]
** Retinues of lesser divine Others

=== Mentioned ===

* [[Zed]]
* [[Brie Callie|Brie]]
* [[Nicolette]]
*[[Seth Belanger|Seth]]
|}

==Trivia==
* Verona really doesn't want to leave BHI if that wasn't completely clear.
{{Reflist}}