"Who in the stars are you?" Sofie asked.
"WHAT?" the man yelled back.
Sofie reddened, building courage to shout louder, "WHO ARE YOU?"
The man stepped back and chuckled. "OH, ME?"
"YES, YOU!"
"COME ON DOWN AND I'LL TELL YOU!"
As the man laughed again, Ed drew a gasp.

"No way."

Ed charged out the door and raced down the stairs.

"No. Freaking. Way."

He ploughed through the door and flung himself into the man's welcoming arms.

"DAD!"

Ed buried his face in the older gentleman's trench coat as a pair of lean, powerful arms embraced him. Who else could have pinpointed the one dorm out of hundreds where he was staying, at exactly the right time he was staying in it?

"I thought you'd be gone for another week?" Ed asked.

Fenix chuckled. "If that were the only surprise I had in store for you, I'd have just called." He took Ed by the shoulder and walked with him back toward the dorms. "The martial arts instructor took ill, you see."

He raised an eyebrow.

Ed gasped, and began to laugh. "You're kidding. You're going to be our substitute martial arts instructor?"

Fenix nodded, smirking.

Ed did a fist-pump. "Best. Semester. Ever. Oh! I have to introduce you to my roommate. You gotta tell me what you think of her."

"Her?"

"Y-Yeah." Ed scratched the back of his head and made a nervous chuckle. "I swear I had no idea she'd be my roommate. Totally not my intention! You see-"

But Fenix was no longer listening - he was busy sizing up the woman his son would spend the next four years with. Beautiful, poised, and alert, she carried herself like a lady of some refinement, not like the borish creatures polluting the average school. Her attire was a bit understated, but not at all unfasionable, and brought out her best features in attractive ways. There was a slight air of caution about her, as if the sublime peace wrought in this city hadn't quite sunk in yet. It would serve her well.

He nodded his approval, and reached out to shake her hand. "I am Fenix Valentine, substitute Martial Arts instructor here at Purcell and father of Edward Valentine. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss. Your name, if I may?"