After meeting with his new teacher, Phineas decided he needed some time to figure out how to feel about his new situation. The reedy young wizard eventually found himself sitting down in one of the Citadel's many courtyards, and he proceeded to think. There was a part of him that was very happy about the kinds of assignments Hesbeth was going to have him do, but it was currently being shouted at by the part of him that was afraid of putting himself into social situations and the part of him that remembered what the usual fate of people who made deals with demons was.
"Penny for your thoughts, Fortescue?"
The question brought Phineas's inner argument to a screeching halt, and he looked up at the one who asked it. "Oh, Charity. Sorry, I didn't notice you there."
Charity Brightbell was one of the more distinctive students at the Citadel, on account of her being a tiefling. While some of the fiendish-blooded folk could pass for a regular human, Charity's hellish heritage manifested itself in her lavender-colored skin, solid red eyes, her dark violet horns, and her tail. Her long black hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, and she was currently dressed in casual clothes which did little to disguise her general chubbiness; she had caught Phineas's wandering eye more than once.
"You looked like you were deep in thought there. Let me guess..." Charity said, before leaning over so her face was inches away from Phineas's, her cleavage on the same level as his eyes. She then whispered, "You're wondering how to fulfill your obligations to your new teacher."
Phineas leaned away from her in surprise. "How do you know about that?" he gasped.
Charity chuckled. "Why, because dear old Grandma Beth told me." She paused for a moment, musing. "Well, technically Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandma, but that's splitting hairs."
Phineas stared at her a moment, as his mind processed what she'd just said. "You mean, you're..."
Charity nodded and pre-emptively answered, "Yup. I'm the first one in the family who took after her in several generations. Mom & Dad wanted to keep me hidden away, but Grandma Beth always had a soft spot for me. Well, as much as someone in her line of work can have a soft spot for anyone, I guess."
"So..." Phineas said after some more thought, "You know about my... uh, apprenticeship. So what brings you over here?"
"Weeeeeell," Charity replied, her tail swishing behind her, "I maaaaaay owe Grandma Beth a favor for... it's not important. Anyway, she told me she thought you had potential, but that you might need some convincing to accept the apprenticeship. So, if I can get you to make your mind up, she'll consider my debt to her squared away."
"You're... being awfully blunt about this," Phineas pointed out.
"I'm only about 2% demon. I never claimed to be great at the whole 'tempting' thing," Charity answered with a shrug. "But, I do think you should take her up her offer. Grandma Beth's been around a long time, and has forgotten more about magic than we'll ever learn. Despite how many wizards summon demons to learn about magic, an arrangement like hers is actually pretty rare. And if she thinks you can hack being her student, then you definitely can, if that's what you're worried about."
"I already told her I'd be her student. I'm not the kind of guy who goes back on his word," Phineas said, a little offended she thought so little of him.
Charity raised her hands. "Yikes. Sorry, didn't realize you'd already made up your mind."
"It's... it's fine. Thanks. For, uh, telling me my new teacher believes in me, I guess," Phineas said.
"But... Now that I think about it, I guess I still owe you, don't I? For helping me out last year," Charity mused. The help the tubby tiefling was referring to happened during a Magical Theory class the two had shared the year before. Charity had been having trouble with some of the more esoteric concepts covered in the class, and after failing a test had asked Phineas, one of the better-performing and more approachable students, to help her bring her grade up. Phineas's tutoring had helped raise Charity's grade from failing to solidly middle-of-the-class, and she'd promised him after seeing her final grade that she'd find a way to repay the favor.
"I told you last year, you don't need to worry about that. I was happy I could help," Phineas patiently explained.
"And I told you last year, I always balance the scales," Charity responded, equally as patient. "Besides, tell me you don't want any help with whatever Grandma Beth wants you to do."
Phineas found that he could not tell her that, and sighed. "Fine. I guess I really could use a hand."
"Great!" Charity said with a sharp-toothed smile. "Now, knowing what Grandma Beth's job entails, it probably relates to sloth or gluttony, right?"
"Something like that," Phineas said.
"So, how can I help?" Charity asked.
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