Newton should totally partner with Nora!

"I have an idea of who you can partner with!" You beam at him. "That way, you won't have to leave at the end of the year, and you'll get to graduate!"

Newton chuckles.{if PartnerOfferNewt == True} "I already told ya, Debbie, you can't be my partner -- there's so many great friends you can make that are the same age as you! But it makes me feel extra-special that you're caring so much about ol' Newton." He smiles. "{else} "It's so nice how worried you're getting about me, Debbie, but you really shouldn't! {endif}I'm happy as I am, helping people out in the Gym until the year's done."

You shake your head. "That's not it! I really, really found somebody that's a perfect fit for you!"

Newton's expression softens a bit (even though it was already really soft) when he sees how excited and serious you are about this. He stops what he's doing and gets into a seated cross-legged position, patting the ground next to him to get you to sit as well. "Well, don't keep me waiting then, friend!"

Rushed and hurriedly, you tell him all about what Nora said to you, about her partner not putting in any work or trying in class anymore, and how annoyed Nora gets at her, and how Nora seemed to really like Newton. You even make some straight-up killer points about how she's a third year too, so it doesn't really matter that he's graduating this year since she is too! You bumble over your words a little bit, admittedly, but you still feel like you did a pretty good job and followed the steps from those Persuasive Text posters in your year two classroom.

"In conclusion!" You bang the ground with your fist. "If you partner with Nora, then you'll both get to do really well, and the world gets two really good Warriors! If you don't, then you can't graduate and all of your time here won't have even mattered!" You finish up proudly and confidently, puffing out your chest a little.

Newton smiles, sitting cross-legged next to you.

"Those are some really great point, Debbie. You're a real natural leader, you know?"

You nod!

"But you're a bit too good, friend. You're right that it would be really horrible to have all my time here not be for anything -- but I can always go into construction! And while I'm here, I can help people out with their futures still!"

"But-"

He holds up his hand, smiling kindly at you. "Of course I want to be a Warrior, Debbie. It's the only thing I've really ever wanted. But having to leave at the end of the year is my burden, and I'm not just going to drop it onto Lola like that. She's worked every bit as hard as me this past little while, and I don't want her time to go to waste either!"

Your shoulders sag a little. The burly shirtless man leans forward to rub your head consolingly.

"Hey, don't look so glum, chum!" He reassures. "I'm not going anywhere all year -- you'll be all settled in and ready for the future by the time I'm gone." Then, clicking his hands into fingerguns, he hops up to his feet and flashes you a grin. "So buckle up and get ready for a year of working out, you hear?!"

You slowly rise to your feet as well.

That was really disappointing. You were super hoping he'd agree with the idea, but it sounds like he doesn't want to for Lola's sake....

Wait, unless.....

If Lola chose to leave on her own, then Newton would have to partner with Nora, right? Otherwise, Nora wouldn't be able to graduate either, and there wouldn't be any downsides about it anymore! Nora said that Lola wasn't really going to be a Warrior anyway, so maybe there's a chance you could talk to her to see how true that is? Anyway, if you somehow got that to happen, Newton would get to graduate for sure!