#they're both there at least sldfsd

[barry-j-blupjeans]

@taznovembercelebration - Despise

You know, Taako was expecting Lup's worse enemy to be… more enemy-ish. Like, he was expecting to walk into the auditorium and see a tall, dark, and (evilly) handsome man who would face down Lup in this very weird, very stuffy academic environment. Granted, Taako had no idea what he was expecting the debate to be like. Lup doing hand-to-hand combat with this guy was certainly not the right vibe, no matter how much Lup seemed to like the suggestion. But nonetheless, Taako was expecting a lot of things to go down. So the guy not even being in the room when they arrived was not even a thought he had begun to entertain.

And yet, here they were.

Lup scoffed, like she had somehow expected this. If this guy was anything like Lup said he was, then it was probably pretty expected. A short man came to bring Lup backstage to get ready and Taako was forced to find himself somewhere to sit. He didn't really wanna be too close to the action because, to be honest, he didn't care all that much. He loved Lup, and he would support whatever endeavor she chose to do, but Taako had stopped giving a damn two weeks into her Necromantic Science degree studies when she brought a dead pig to life in their living room. He chose a seat near the back, just to be safe. He did not want to wager his shirt if he sat in any potential splash zone.

Slowly, more people began to trickle in. Mostly, it was students or other staff members from Goldcliff Magical Academics. One person among them had to be a judge- after all, this debate was to prove that either Lup or Professor Literally-He-Only-Wears-Bluejeans would be fit to work on an expansive Necromancy Related Project. The details had yet to be given out, and Taako had also zoned out most of what Lup had told him about it, so he was a little bit out of the loop on what exactly it was for, but he'd make due. All he knew is that Lup deserved it. And also they needed the money. Over the next half hour, the crowd began to grow, almost to the point that people didn't have a choice to sit in the back anymore, that's just where they had to end up.

The lights flickered to give a five-minute warning for the start of the debate. Taako was neck-deep in Instagram baking reels when a voice next to him said,

"Is this seat taken?"

Taako looked up. There! There was the vibe he was looking for with Professor I-Have-Never-Seen-Him-In-Any-Other-Pants. He had a slight accent to his voice, which Taako was pretty sure was fake. And he was tall, dark, and definitely handsome. Not in an evil way, though, just in a hot way. He was holding a briefcase and wearing a full suit, which, objectively, just made him even hotter. Taako wished he had brought some water with him because his mouth was suddenly very dry. Hot damn.

"No!" Taako said. "No, go for it, my man, the seat's all yours."

Handsome Man took a seat, laying his briefcase out on his lap and opening it up. He took out a clipboard and a pen, writing something down. Taako adverted his eyes back towards his phone but found that watching a random person make the sixth layer for a wedding cake was nowhere near as interesting as it had been a few minutes ago. He shut off his phone, slipping it into his pocket.

"So, uhh," Taako said. Handsome Man looked up. "You into necromancy?"

"You… could say that, yes," Handsome Man said with a dashing smile.

"Well, I mean, you like it enough to take notes, apparently."

"Notes?" Handsome Man said. He looked down at his clipboard and laughed, a little louder than socially acceptable. "Notes! Yes- yes, I'm- Notes, I'm taking notes. You are correct. Sorry, I just-" he tucked a loc that had fallen out of place behind his ear. "I'm a reporter by trade but I usually do, uhm. Online interviews. And such. It's been a while since I, uhm, got back out there! In the world."

"Cool, cool," Taako said. "That's a normal response."

"Th- thank you?"

And, before Taako could come back with any other clever and totally cool, normal quips, the lights dimmed further. A spotlight appeared on the stage and from it, the man who had taken Lup backstage earlier appeared holding a microphone.

"Hey folks, thanks for coming out," he said into the mic. "We'll, uh, we'll get started with the debate shortly, but first, I'd like to welcome our speakers up onto the stage. On the left podium, Professor Lup Loop will be speaking. Professor Loop studied at Rockport University originally, before transferring over to us at Goldcliff MA. She graduated at the top of her class with a Necromantic Science degree and went immediately into our Necromancy Department, first running various experiments, and then turning to teaching later on. Let's give a warm welcome to Professor Loop as she comes on stage."

Taako cheered extremely loud for Lup, because she deserved it. He startled a few people nearby, but Handsome Man just chuckled, which Taako was taking as a win. Lup shook the man's hand when she got to her podium and, when he turned away, she did dab very quickly. There was a wave of snickering through the crowd. Taako sometimes wished they weren't related, but if dabbing was the price he had to pay for Lup to be happy, then so be it.

"And next up, we'll be welcoming Professor Barry Hallwin-"

"Bluejeans!" someone from the audience shouted.

"Professor Barry Bluejeans," the man said, in such a defeated voice. "Professor Hallwinter-" several people booed. "Alright fine, Professor Bluejeans studied at Neverwinter MA originally, earning his degree in Necromantic Science as well as several other smaller areas of studies. Professor Bluejeans worked in Wonderland Labs briefly, though he would like to clarify that he wasn't involved in any of the incidents there-" Next to Taako, Handsome Man grimaced. "-before moving on to the necromancy labs back at Neverwinter MA. Eventually, he moved on to teach at a high school in Raven's Roost before coming here to teach at Goldcliff MA. May we have a round of applause as Professor Bluejeans comes on stage?"

The man who came out from the side of the stage was not at all dark, tall, or, in Taako's particular flavor, very handsome. He looked more like the Pillsbury dough boy than an evil science wizard. And, worst of all, he was, in fact, wearing blue jeans. He had a suit jacket on over them, which was certainly a Look. He looked nervous and flustered and when he looked towards Lup (who was sending him her "I'm killing you with my eyes but I have to be smiling right now" look) he immediately looked away as if one more second would actually kill him. Taako couldn't tell from the distance, but he might have been blushing. Or, it was all the blood going to his head from the obvious amount of mortification he was dealing with right now. Professor Bluejeans did not appear to have a very good stage presence.

And this guy was Lup's enemy? This wet chicken nugget of a man? She despised this guy? He looked like someone could pour soup in his lap and he'd apologize to them.

"Hm," Handsome Man said, writing something down. Taako tried not to grin. Lup was gonna fucking own this guy.

"Alright," the man on the stage said. "Now, for our first question."

Oh. Right. Taako sunk down in his seat a little more. They had to actually get through the debate for Lup to win.

"Is it of moral obligation to reanimate a living creature only when they still maintain their original soul? Professor Bluejeans, you have the stand."

Ughhhh. This was going to take forever.