When Kheire finished absorbing the halophage from the giant sand ant, he noticed Ren's slime covered condition and used his air manipulating pet and spirit to rectify it along with his water pet to wash him off.
Feeling the water and wind rush over him, Ren leapt in surprise, rabidly looking around as if he had been touched inappropriately, before realising what was happening. Stifling an awkward giggle, he laid down the last of the fruits of his labours and smiled.
"I found a ton of stuff, Kheire! There's a whole pheromone gland in there we can use to make potions!" he exclaimed, clearly very pleased with himself.
"Good job, my boy, we can create useful tools, weapons, and armor with the exoskeleton as well. I'm proud of you for being able to crawl inside a huge monstrosity like that with minimal fear."
Kheire pet Ren's head affectionately and smiled.
"Feel free to keep that cutting tool for your own use."
"Thank you," the boy smiled happily at the praise, opting to go a little further. "That wasn't so bad. Once I got eaten by an ice dragon! Luckily I had some wine with me from before, so I got out. Did you know ice dragons are actually really sticky inside?"
"I would imagine so, the insides of most monsters are quite sticky."
"It's like getting your tongue stuck on an icicle. But with your hands."
Suddenly seeming to have an epiphany, Ren looked over at the now-disembodied mandibles of the ant, mumbling something almost silently. "How are we going to get all of this back to... um...?"
And so, our two young heroes set off back towards the Academy, Kheire using both his pets, bandages vines, and wires in alternating times throughout the trip to transport the carcass. Kheire took the time to explain where they were going, what he was doing in the desert, who will be his classmates at the Academy, all while learning more about Ren and sharing information about himself as well. Periodically along the way, Kheire would stop Ren to teach him how to harvest a certain material they came across, allowing him to keep a few more tools for the jobs, and each time his new apprentice would dutifully take notes in one notebook or another. When they finally arrived, Kheire rushed them towards the main academy building to introduce Ren to the headmistress...
"...And that is how we got here and how I met my new apprentice here, Ren."
Kheire reached out and ruffled Ren's hair, smiling to the unamused headmistress.
Ren shuffled awkwardly in place, saying nothing, his face illuminated by his already-familiar glowing blush as he stared at the floor anxiously.
"So... To clarify, you expect me to accept this young man whose capabilities I do not even know into my school? ... Good job, Kheire, you know me so well already."
The headmistress giggled like a schoolgirl, ironically, and pulled out some paperwork for Ren to sign.
"Sign here and initial here."
She pointed to a couple places on the paper.
Ren looked over the paper, presumably speed-reading it, but apparently finding nothing objectionable, he tentatively did as he was asked. This was surprisingly painless for something that seemed like such an official affair.
Kheire grinned, wrapping an arm around his new friend/apprentice.
"Time to take you to the dorms. There aren't many taken rooms, so just enter whichever one you find isn't locked or decorated."
He nodded slightly, seeming to weigh up some options for a moment. "Would it be best if I picked one near yours? I don't want to, um... impose, but I'm worried I might mess up if I try to make things with materials I don't know much about like the ones from the desert..."
"That is perfectly fine, let's go ahead and get you moved in then. I would be happy to help you in any way I possibly can. I do not sleep much, so do not hesitate to come and get me if ever you require my assistance." Kheire turned around and began to guide his apprentice out the door and over to the dorms.
Clearly, Ren was not quite all there, as he blinked in surprise as Kheire started to walk, and it took a small jog on his part to catch up, clutching his satchel strap closely. As the pair walked, he made a point of looking around, memorising the layout of the corridors they traversed and the rooms they passed.
When they arrived at the dorms, Kheire guided him to the room closest to his, pointing out his own room for reference.
Making a mental note, his apprentice nodded, opening the door to the empty room and looking around inside it. It was bigger than his other shelters-- no, it wasn't a shelter. It was a home. Something important. Something permanent. Beaming, he made another mental note.
"Thank you, Kheire," he bowed gratefully. "I'm sorry to have caused you trouble."
"It was no trouble at all, I am quite glad to have met you, actually. So stop bowing, we have work to do. But first, my senses are tingling. Someone has taken my materials and I think I know who..."
"W-wait, how do you...?"
Kheire started going in the direction his antennae were pointing, happening to be directed at an unconscious catgirl...
"Never question my antennae when it comes to finding good crafting materials!"
The pale boy followed suit, peering in through the door sheepishly. Clearly panicking a little, he made his way over, crouching by the girl's side. "S-she's breathing..." he mumbled, squishing her cheek with his index finger as if she were some kind of exotic specimen. All things considered, she probably was as far as Ren was concerned. "Is she going to be okay?"
