[When Toki approaches Valvatorez and asks that question, the vampire stares back at him, a little blankly.]
...Toki, I did not think you were taking the practical portion of the class.
[Honestly confused, Valvatorez looked the boy over. If ever Toki might have seen the professor look concerned, it was now. He'd noticed Toki's absence, and had noted the boy excused himself during one of the lectures. By now, his reputation was fairly well known, and Valvatorez had expressed his concerns about the boy's mental well-being to Ekkehardt in the past.
That being said, Valvatorez found himself actually quite liking the boy, even taking a shine to him, despite everything that had happened. Valvatorez had met real slackers before, real people who were just lazy and lackadaisical. Toki had his issues, but hearing the report of his work in Mission Control at the last operation had convinced Valvatorez that the boy had potential and just needed time to grow and eventually flourish in his own ways.
So when he volunteered for trying a practical final, something that seemed completely out of his wheelhouse, Valvatorez was actually momentarily disarmed.
After a moment, he continued, his voice carrying with it an amount of... empathy, really, that might rarely show in Valvatorez's tones.]
I suppose the question I should be asking you is... what do you think you can handle? We take precautions to ensure students do not get hurt, but these tests can get... very intense. Injuries can be avoided, but...
[Fear and anxiety can only be mitigated so far.]
I will not turn you away if you really want to do this, but I reserve the right to put a stop to your test if I feel like you're in over your head.
[He can't show preferential treatment as a professor, but he can tailor challenges that meet the capabilities of a student at his prerogative. In this case he knew his job couldn't be to put the lad through the wringer; this would be about getting him to use his head in a stressful situation and keeping calm.
Still, unspokenly, Valvatorez admitted to himself that he was impressed that Toki showed up and volunteered to have a go of it at all. Perhaps it was foolish, but it could also be a marked sign of effort.]
no subject
...Toki, I did not think you were taking the practical portion of the class.
[Honestly confused, Valvatorez looked the boy over. If ever Toki might have seen the professor look concerned, it was now. He'd noticed Toki's absence, and had noted the boy excused himself during one of the lectures. By now, his reputation was fairly well known, and Valvatorez had expressed his concerns about the boy's mental well-being to Ekkehardt in the past.
That being said, Valvatorez found himself actually quite liking the boy, even taking a shine to him, despite everything that had happened. Valvatorez had met real slackers before, real people who were just lazy and lackadaisical. Toki had his issues, but hearing the report of his work in Mission Control at the last operation had convinced Valvatorez that the boy had potential and just needed time to grow and eventually flourish in his own ways.
So when he volunteered for trying a practical final, something that seemed completely out of his wheelhouse, Valvatorez was actually momentarily disarmed.
After a moment, he continued, his voice carrying with it an amount of... empathy, really, that might rarely show in Valvatorez's tones.]
I suppose the question I should be asking you is... what do you think you can handle? We take precautions to ensure students do not get hurt, but these tests can get... very intense. Injuries can be avoided, but...
[Fear and anxiety can only be mitigated so far.]
I will not turn you away if you really want to do this, but I reserve the right to put a stop to your test if I feel like you're in over your head.
[He can't show preferential treatment as a professor, but he can tailor challenges that meet the capabilities of a student at his prerogative. In this case he knew his job couldn't be to put the lad through the wringer; this would be about getting him to use his head in a stressful situation and keeping calm.
Still, unspokenly, Valvatorez admitted to himself that he was impressed that Toki showed up and volunteered to have a go of it at all. Perhaps it was foolish, but it could also be a marked sign of effort.]