"-and this, children, is why you should always respect wildlife and hazardous materials laws. I know, I know, it may seem unfair to treat what could be beloved family pets this way, but you need permits for a reason. Both for their sake and yours."

The blonde twin-tailed girl looked a little dissatisfied at Mister Pteryx's answer, but nodded nonetheless. It was blatantly obvious to all in the classroom her family likely had one such unique and potentially dangerous creature at home without the proper permits, but none of the students would think to tattle on her. As for their teacher, he simply made sure to remember to have a short discussion with her parents soon.

He didn't want to cause her stress but incidents like the Horror and the Old Zalcien's fall were perfect examples as to why these laws were in place. He was willing to turn a blind eye to something innocent enough like a domestic raccoon or affective slum-born monster, but anything endangered or too likely to cause harm would need a call. However, he had to admit these permits were unnecessarily complicated to obtain in Zalcien compared to other cities in the ACS, likely in part due to their history.

"Now, does anyone else- ah, apologies. This could be important."

The teacher took out his vibrating phone from one of his jacket's pockets to check his notification. He had warned his class in the past that he didn't mind them doing the same thing so long as it wasn't disruptive and limited to important matters, such as news sources or loved ones' numbers. Of course, no one could know whether a friend's text was about a plan for a party or the announcement of a death in the family without reading it first, but that was worth letting his students be aware and available in case of emergencies. As for the news, well, today was the perfect display of why it was important, given he could hear quite several other phones in the room vibrate as well.

His eyes widened as he read what was on his screen, and when he put his phone back he could see many of his students having a similar reaction.

"Well. I think this is something worth interrupting our last hour exchange for. For those in the room still unaware, the Hero Union has just released a statement confirming the death of the Patcher. I have a feeling there will be fewer people experiencing nightmares in the city tonight. So long as they didn't see the pictures, that is."

In the back, an orc girl and her new short rat friend grinned with far too much bloodlust for kids their age.

"Those were some nice pics"

"Yeah, you can tell they had fun."

Pteryx sighed.

"Please refrain from enjoying gruesome images, or at the very least sharing those with the rest of the class. However, I do wonder how you found the uncensored ones."

The pair shrugged simultaneously as they leaned back in their seats.

"Didn't plan to, teach. The others get all queasy and stuff, and puke ain't nice."

"Also, didn't you imply you saw the OGs too? They ain't that hard to find. That's stuff been going on for hours."

"Yeah, that too. The Union saying it's true is nice, but everyone's been screaming the Patcher's dead for a while now."

The teacher scoffed.

"Unlike some, the publicly available blurry versions are enough for me. As for the duration of this situation, please note it is perfectly normal. In fact, it is preferable. You should never fully trust news or images that weren't authenticated by reliable sources. Misinformation and disinformation are both traps you should always try to avoid."

The man clapped his hands together.

"With that said, I believe we should have a discussion about the situation now that it has been confirmed. The death of such a major figure in the city is a rare event, one that will likely feature in history books soon, and I would like to learn your point of view on the matter while we're experiencing it. So? Would anyone like to say or ask something?"

Amelia, a human girl in black and violet clothes that featured quite the comical number of spikes, grunted as she leaned back in her seat, catching the eye of her new rodent friend.

"Good riddance."

The teacher smiled.

"Yes, I understand the feeling. I doubt anyone in this room is sad to see him go. But would you like to elaborate? Maybe share your opinion on the circumstances?"

"What is there to say? Dude got what he deserved. If anything I think he got off easy after everything he's done. He should have been burning alive, not just shish-kebabed."

Next to her, Goliath tilted his head.

"What would it have changed?"

The emo girl looked surprised at that, unsure how to respond.

"I mean... Like, you know what he's done, right?"

"Yes, he hurt a lot of people. Now they hurt him back and he won't hurt anyone anymore. Isn't that enough?"

The girl looked down at Goliath, mouthing something yet making no noise. Mister Pteryx, for his part, had no trouble speaking his mind.

"That's an interesting take, Goliath. I personally would have preferred for the Patcher to be brought to justice. Say, class, who among you agree with Goliath that what he went through was enough?"

Roughly a third of the students raised their hands, including one rat with a thunderbolt-like tail.

"Who thinks he deserved worse?"

Another third did. David and his new orc friend Lyra joined this time, but it should be noted that this group wasn't only composed of bloodthirsty individuals. The usually friendly and laidback skateboarder Bruce had an unusually serious expression as he put his arm in the air.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Who thinks he should have been captured and judged?"

It was the last third's turn, a stern rat with sharp fur among them, alongside her human desk neighbor. Notably, some hadn't raised their hand at all, like the albino rodent sitting next to a sea serpent sirene.

"Ah, a roughly even split I see. For those among you who didn't vote, I'd like to know why. Blanche, would you like to share? You don't have to, of course, but as a new student I'd like to see your point of view."

"Oh, it is no trouble. Well, the way I see things, this dreadful man has been taken care of. Does the way it happened really matter? It's one less piece of rubbish in the city either way."

"So you are happy he was taken care of, but do not care about the circumstances?"

"Well, I would have more of an opinion if the means involved had been more drastic, if a large civilian area had been put at risk for instance, but as is the only person who was hurt was him and the area's damaged ruins that barely stood."

"Hm. So you only care that he was taken care of without putting anyone else at risk?"

"Exactly, teacher."

"Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Blanche. So, what does everyone take away from this?"

A girl with a crocodile head spoke.

"That everyone thinks differently!"

"Yes, that is correct, but not what I meant. Alright, I'll help you. Let's do another vote: who here would value the way the Patcher was dealt with over the fact he was? In other words, who wished the Patcher had not been dealt with if it wasn't through their preferred method?"

Only a handful of arms were raised this time, surprising quite a few of the other children.

"See, this is what meant. While you may disagree with the method, the vast majority of you deem it was worth it nonetheless. That's something I want you to remember. I want you to remember that while you may and will often disagree on how things should be done, you will often still agree that things should be done regardless. Learning to compromise is a very important skill that sadly even many adults lack."

The teacher sat on his desk.

"I don't want you to dismiss those who just raised their hands, though. People have principles, and those willing to hold onto them until the very end are worthy of respect. Yes, sometimes this attachment can get in the way, and that's why I personally disagree with such stubbornness. But dismissing them outright only alienates them and creates resentment. You need to learn to compose with those people. Give them tasks that benefit from those principles. Someone who cares about the law more than anything can make, as you expect, good law enforcement, with the caveat that some people do break the law for good reasons."

Mister Pteryx crossed his legs.

"Of course, as a teacher, I need to tell you that breaking the law is bad. That doesn't change the fact that for some people stealing basic food supplies is a necessity, because they simply do not have the means to buy them otherwise. In such a situation, those with absolutely unbending beliefs would punish them all the same, whereas someone with a more flexible sense of justice would be willing to let them go with only a warning or even turn a blind eye. This Patcher situation is another expression of this scenario: the murder of a man is a crime, but does anyone want to see the culprit punished given the identity of the victim?"

Some nodded, others stayed silent as they thought about their teacher's words. Even among those who had raised their hand when asked if they would have preferred nothing to be done rather than for the situation to go against their beliefs some turned introspective.

"Don't worry if you can't come up with an answer. As I said, those are topics even adults struggle with. It's entirely possible you won't figure it out for years, if ever, or until such a situation directly involves you. It is better to say you do not know than to pretend and fight for something you are uncertain of and doubt."

The man got back up and adjusted his green dinosaur tie.

"With all that said, there is something else I'd like to talk about, if no one else wants to say anything on this topic. We mentioned the event itself and our respective feelings, and this last point somewhat addresses this next issue, so let me present it more bluntly. What now?"

Lucille raised her paw and waited until Mister Pteryx nodded before speaking.

"The Hero Union and the police will continue their investigation to discover what happened. Depending on what they find, if someone other than the Patcher's creatures was involved in his demise, they will likely try to identify them. Then, if they do discover their identity, there will likely be a trial. At that point, the most probable option is for public opinion to influence the verdict and decide whether the culprit will be sentenced or not. Given the victim's reputation and extrapolating from what we saw in this room, the public will support the killer to the point they may receive a light sentence, be declared innocent, or be pardoned depending on how the court is handled."

The teacher nodded along to her affirmation.

"Yes, I agree, that is the most likely outcome should they find a third party was involved and successfully catch them. But that wasn't quite what I had in mind. Tell me, how do you think the gangs and Villains will react? While unpopular, the Patcher played an important part in many of their schemes. Without him there to patch up their troops, their operations will be affected."

"I suppose they would either need to become more careful to avoid damage or oppositely to become more reckless to gain more and compensate. There will likely also be a rush for new healers among their ranks, whether willing or not. As for the investigation, many might choose to let the police work or perhaps even aid them, to know who is responsible, whether for revenge, recruitment, or simply identifying a potentially dangerous individual."

"Interesting deduction, though some might consider it a little broad. Not that I disagree, but what would you say is the more likely outcome? Peace or chaos?"

"Chaos. Even if the majority chooses to hide, a few rogue elements who feel they have nothing to lose are enough to disrupt the current status quo. They will not be able to last long with such a strategy, though. Sooner or later we will achieve a new status quo, one that will be defined by how much they can achieve and if they can find a reliable replacement for healing."

"I see. You know the routine by now, who agrees we will likely see a period of restlessness?"

Again, a third of the students raised their hands. Another did the same when asked if they thought they would instead experience quiet times, and the rest raised theirs when asked who couldn't decide either way. A few more short exchanges on the topic followed until Timothy, the human boy seated next to Lucille, launched a new debate.

"But what about the Patchees? What will be done with them?"

The classroom exploded in shouts until Mister Pteryx managed to calm them down and return to a more structured discussion.

Some, like Bruce, Goliath, and the gloomy Amelia, all argued the Patchees should be helped and returned to their families, healed back to their former forms if possible, and offered free psychiatric help either way.

Others, like Blanche, her sirene deskmate Christie, and Foudre, argued that at this point these creatures being put down would be a mercy to the people they used to be.

The rest, including Lucille, Timothy, and David, felt it was best to let professionals be the ones to debate and decide on this matter, much better suited and informed on these matters. The smallest of the ratlings and his stern sister both had adorably annoyed expressions when they realized they agreed.

The debate continued until the harmonious bell rang, signaling the end of the class and school as a whole for the day. Mister Pteryx thanked his class for behaving and reminded them to accept others could have different opinions before sending them off, giving his new students some additional material to catch up on for the next day to help them better understand the day's lesson.

The five little rodents bid farewell to their friends as they headed off, delighted to see a familiar shadow man waving at them on the street. They rushed to see him and leaped into his arms, squealing and squeaking in joy.

"Daddy!"

"Papa!"

"I'm happy to see you too, kids. How was your day?"

"It was great! We all made new friends, Dad."

"Mister Pteryx was also a very charming and informative instructor, Father."

"Really? I can't wait to hear all about it. And David, what about you?"

"Met a fun orc. No one needed a mauling yet."

"Splendid. Now let's go home, I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

The children happily followed their father, though Lucille and David looked at each other at his last remark.

They already had an inkling beforehand, but now both had a pretty good feeling he was responsible for today's events.

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