Imaginary Worlds

Koschei sighed softly and nodded as he knocked upon the door. No. He wasn't happy. How could he be? This hurt. A lot. Smiling softly when Verica, he shifted his weight a bit. "May I please speak to Epsilon?" he asked softly.

Nodding, Verica allowed the kid to enter before looking at the Master and offering a small smile. "Morning. Hope you're doing well. Get my message?" she asked softly. What? Might as well make sure.

"I was meant to call you back but Kosch distracted me... he decided to redeem himself and I've been playing taxi," the Master remarked with an amused expression, it ad been one hell of a draining day.

"Long story short, Koschei went in to sacrifice himself for Epsilon and thus Epsilon is back in and Koschei is out... and I have to somehow find a descent new school that doesn't cost," the holy grail of schools perhaps.

"Unless you're to move? The public school in town. Sorry to hear about him though. I really am." Verica said softly, stepping aside to let the man in. Well. This was definitely something different. Because she was at a lost for some completely different reason.

"Epsilon got a job. Five hours a day, five days a week, at fifteen an hour. Cleaning and setting up lab equipment of all things." Verica said softly. "It clears the bills and whatnot. But...He's seven. I don't.." Verica trailed off with a small shake of her head. How was she meant Togo about that?

"Technically that's kind of illegal so I'd stop him, if I was you. He's seven, for Rassilon sake. Seven year olds aren't even initiation age, you don't eve get to be a Time Lord in training until your 8," the Master pointed out, he would never make Koschei work or even let him.

If he needed money, he'd pick up an extra shift or something. "Look, he only thinks he wants to work because he's never worked and he's young and he wants to help you. He'll hate it though. No one likes work, especially not kids. Kids can barely function a 6 hour day at school. I'd pull him out."

"And that's what I said. But...I don't know. Epsilon seems to think it's a good idea and I don't even know what to do with that child. He's so...Different. But he's insisting and pushing." Verica said softly. And really?

She'd never seen the brat so excited over anything. Even going to the academy. "He's in the mindset he can do this and start up his apprenticeship and I don't know how to get him to understand." Verica murmured softly. And wasn't that the kicker? Because she was terrified of upsetting the lad.

"The most important part of being a parent is being capable of being the bad guy," if Koschei came to him with a plan for the future that involved tons of work at his age? He'd stop him, tell him no and ring the employers to tell them to sod off and leave his son alone.

It wasn't coddling, it was logic. If they tried to rush ahead, odds were they'd burn out at an early age and have a melt down. It wasn't uncommon for Time Lords. "If you think he shouldn't do it, tell him he shouldn't do it. But remember, he has to get an education, no matter what job he goes for, an apprenticeship will only get him ahead in one subject, he'll fail at everything else. And how will he be able to study and focus if he's always working. If he actually wants to get somewhere in life, he needs to slow down and go to school."

"And that's just it. It came about when there wasn't a school a school for him to go to. It might be better now to talk him out of it." Verica said softly, shrugging. It was so...Odd. "It's a teacher that offered it to him. And hour later than the school up through the end of the day." she said softly.

And how odd was that? Kid can't go to school? Fifteen hundred a month to clean beakers and learn about various fields in science and maths. Epsilon about had a fit over the whole thing. "I can try to talk to him again now that he's back in the academy."

"Look, I understand Epsilon, I was in the same boat. Smartest in my whole year and I planned on skipping out and getting training ahead of time and take my last exams years too early. My dad stopped me and I hated him but now? I kind of get why," Well, he only got it when he learned as an adult that getting a job was hardest enough what with being a bit mad.

Try getting one without core qualifications. The Time Lords put a lot of empathises on the discipline of study, why else would school go on for so long. "But hey, it's all down to you. My advice would be to just discuss it. But I know what I'd do with Kosch."

"I'm trying. But he's doing my head in. I wanted a kid but...He's too much. Alone, at least. How do you handle a child like that? He's quiet and doesn't want to do anything but study." she said softly. It was a bit much at times.

It was at that moment that Koschei returned, head ducked a bit as he tugged the Master's sleeve. "Can we go now? 'M done." he mumbled softly. Things hadn't exactly gone according to his plans. At all.

(I need to catch a bus, so I'll be gone about an hour or so.)

(I got no notifcation >.< but okay! Sorry bout that.)

"I don't know, I can barely cope with Koschei," And that was the truth, sometimes he struggled with the boy and it was painful but sometimes it was just worth all this heart ache.

Looking down at Koschei, he winced and nodded his head, waving by to Verica as he guided the boy outside. Letting Koschei get into the front with him, he didn't drive off right away. He turned his head to Koschei. "How'd it go?"

"It's fine." he murmured softly. Because he wasn't allowed to complain. But he wasn't grounded anymore. So did that make it better? Probably not. "I just wanna go home. Epsilon doesn't like me anymore an' I don't wanna stay here." Koschei mumbled.

Hopefully this wasn't one of those times that he wasn't allowed to say anything about what he didn't want. It wasn't exactly fair to him. Especially since Epsilon wasn't exactly fond of him at the moment.

The Master wasn't sure how to respond to that, the boy had gone all out to save the lads academic career and he wouldn't forgive him? Really? He thought Epsilon was a bit more forgiving than that. sighing, the Master took a hold of the stirring wheel and nodded his head.

"Well screw him, you did all you did and if he can't forgive you, he's not worth it," the Master asserted before taking off. He liked Epsilon but he loved his son and if it came down to it, he's dismiss the little git for Koschei. "It'll work out anyway."

"He said that 'm an idiot an' that I did a bad thing." Koschei murmured. Epsilon hadn't been exactly...Happy with his decision. It could have just been that he was ruining his own future. But Koschei didn't understand that sort of thing.

"it's fine. See? 'M not complaining. Am I gonna go tothe other school now?" Koschei asked softly. Well, he wasn't going to his old one, obviously. Why would he bother with believing that he would be sent to any other school but his old one?

"Koschei, you can complain about this. When I said that, I meant not complaining about having to make amends by sitting through dinner with Mr Smith or having to admit the truth. You did all that. You can complain about this," Christ, that kid just didn't get anything, perhaps one day he'd catch on to what the Master meant.

"He's sulking because he can't take a job now he had school. And yes, he will sulk, but he'll get over it when he realises it's the better option. Koschei, it's not your fault," it was just poor timing and Epsilon being a brat. "There's only one school you can go to. But we'll get you into that one for next week, huh?"

"'M not suspended anymore. You don't have to wait all week." Koschei assured softly. And what did it matter? He was never going to see Epsilon again. The boy could sulk however much he wanted. It didn't matter to him.

"It's fine. 'M not mad. He can be mad. We aren't gonna see one another." Koschei dismissed with a small shrug. Eh. He had no real reason to be upset by all of this. Why should he be? It wasn't goin to effect him in the long run.

"Well if I lost my friend, I'd be upset," the Master remarked, not that he really had any friends to lose or anything. He wasn't popular and his social skills were rusty. "Look, we're taking the week off, okay?"

They both needed to just take the week and do something fun. The Master intended to check in on Smith tomorrow, make sure all bridges were rebuilt and then he'd take Koschei somewhere so they could both just cool off a bit.

It was a good thing that Smith wasn't mentioned to him. Because Koschei was in a sour enough mood already. He didn't needto have that added atop of that. "Fine. We can do that." he conceded softly with a small shrug.

Alright. At least he didn't need to finish his art project. Or science...This really wasn't the best situation to be in for him. "I...I don't like this." Koschei mumbled. He got it was his fault. But really? It still wasn't the most pleasant for him.

"I don't like it either, buddy," the Master pulled up outside their house and he sighed before looking at the house in dismay. This was going to be a long time. All Koschei's hard work was dismissed and here they were. Alone and schoolless.

"It's okay, Koschei. I'll solve this," he assured as they headed into the house. Sigma greet Koschei with a tentative lick to the hand before leaping up the Master. The Dog was smart. He knew who to jump on.

((Off to bed))

Koschei sighed softly and nodded a bit before heading inside. There had to be something he could do. The other school wasn't good for him. It...They didn't know how to deal or work with him and it was so slow paced.

"Can we look at other schools? We don't have to! But...Just in case?" Koschei asked softly. What? He could suggest that sort of thing. Couldn't he? They didn't have to worry or actually do anything about it.

(Night!)

"I planned to do some research, though the commute might be awkward so we'll have to work it all out," for now, Koschei could sign up to that horribly slow school while he help the boy get himself set up and ready.

"Don't overly worry, I'll get us into somewhere nice, I'll just need a higher paying job," And that was not beyond his abilities, luckily. With his degree, if worst came to worst, he could just ... do the dreaded teaching.

Well, at least they knew of an opening for a teaching position. Koschei nodded softly to show he understood, not really wanting to get into depth on it. He didn't want to chance getting his hopes up. A very true possibility.

"Can I have pizza tonight?" he asked softly. He figured lunch would be sandwhixhes and then they could order on in later. Why not? He had a sort of fondness for the food. And he doubted chicken was on the table.

The Master had been planning to make chips but hey, who was he to protest to a much easier way of getting dinner. "Sure, we'll get pizza in an hour, until then, you should just sit down and wind down. You want to read?"

The Master got to his feet and headed over to the boxes that Smith had given them. Pulling the tape off, he pulled out the odd book and tried to find something on interest. Ooh fairy tales-- he had a bit of a secret love of them. They were so unassumingly evil.

Koschei offered a small smile and nodded as he settled himself upon their couch. "'Kay." he murmured softly. Eh. Why not? There was no reason against a good story or two. Especially for him.

That was the one way that they had to bond. They could read together. Well, the Master read. Koschei just sort of followed along and listened. It really wasn't easy for him.

The Master pulled out one of the books and smirked, deciding it would do as he sat beside Koschei and opened it up. The Andersen fairy tales always had a sort of sad and grime feel to them yet still seemed childish enough to keep Koschei amused.

He read The Little Mermaid, which was far from a cheery tale but he knew Koschei didn't enjoy the conventional happy tales. He guided him along, occasionally asking Koschei to help with words and chip in.

Koschei followed along happily enough, actually quite content. How could he not be? He was getting to read. A thing that he was actually quite fond of. He couldn't help it. What kid didn't like that?

Well, most would probably. With the exception of Epsilon. Yawning sofly, he leaned against the Master with a soft sigh. This wasn't pleasant. He was tired. And hungry. "Pizza now?"