she’s stretching, enjoying the feel of the morning sun that filters through the windows, when the door to the classroom creaks open. noula doesn’t look up from her position, unconcerned with the newcomer in her periphery. “ training doesn’t start for another hour. ”
“Right,” Laws says, bicep against the frame of the doorway as he crosses his arms over his chest, “but I’m not here for training.” He can appreciate the sentiment, though. He wakes up early in the morning to bask in a similar glow for what he imagines must be similar reasons.
“...not really. I can come back later if you’re busy.”
—– AVALON sat under a tree that had long since lost its leaves to the ground below. she held an iron cylinder that had been given to her for personal practice. as she quote, unquote, seemed too timid to practice her ability in front of others. she had carried it around with her for hours before she had finally settled herself down under the withering tree. setting her lips into a thin line she tossed the cylinder up, stuck her hand out and stopped it in the air. her eyes narrowed slightly in concentration as she willed it to bend and twist in an unnatural way. it could almost be seen taking a form of some kind before she heard a twig snap behind her. as a reflex, the iron was hurled at the person as she turned to them until she ( somehow ) narrowly stopped it the second before it made contact. ‘ OH … ’
Even if Avalon hadn’t regained control of her powers at the last moment, Laws’ fingers were curled firmly around the iron before her soft ‘oh’ had him releasing it from his hand. “Interesting greeting,” he said, and from between his feet scurried a little rabbit turned white with the approaching winter-- if Avalon was looking for the perpetrator of her surprise, there it was.
“Good work with the stopping, but your timing could use some polishing,” he commented, tracking the rabbit’s movements with his eyes before it disappeared into the underbrush. Laws would have to find its burrow later. “You training out here?”
Kid. Levi knew that Laws was at least double his age, but that didn’t mean the word came out ending any less condescending than if it were a teacher his own age saying it. He had to bite his lower lip to keep from saying something. It had taken him a long time to feel like an insider at the Academy, and he didn’t like feeling like a child all over again - scared and hopeless and clinging to anyone who could give him a bit of help.
“But I’m much more worried about defending my mind against myself,” Levi told Laws, as if this fact was obvious. “If that makes any sense at all.”
That makes Laws take pause, and the pressure that had once been on Levi’s mind disappears as if nothing had happened at all. It’s a more serious topic than the simplicity of basic drills, that’s for certain, and it’s the sort of thing a more delicate person ought to help Levi with. (And frankly, most anyone is more delicate than Laws is by miles.)
Bluntly, he says, “I can’t help you with that directly unless I know what’s in your mind or how you work.” And this, too, is spoken matter-of-factly, but more because they both know they aren’t necessarily ‘friends’. It makes it that much funnier (even if it’s unfortunate).
“But I can tell you the first step is to know yourself. And if you think fighting your true self is the answer, it’s no wonder you have a hard time ‘defending’ your mind.”
“my apologies, laws … i am attempting to make my lessons more interesting for some of the students,” the lore and mythology teacher sighs as her blood pulls back into her palm before her other hand wraps a nearby bandage around the open wound. looking up to her fellow teacher, her bandaged hand gestures out to the many wooden chairs around her classroom. “come, bring a chair here and sit beside me. let’s see what you have for me today.”
it was a nice distraction from the work she had strewn across her desk … a nice distraction with good company.
“They don’t find your class interesting already?” If Laws sounds incredulous it’s because he certainly feels it. It’s the stories about their world and its diverse culture and history that fascinate him most, as far as learning is concerned.
As asked, however, he picks one of the chairs in the classroom up by its backrest, big palm steady beneath the wood, and lowers it gently so it’s by Ikora’s side. Once he’s seated he holds the book out; the words Compendium of Walochnian Deities are written on the title in gorgeous, neat script, and while he can’t quite make out the word ‘compendium’, he can read ‘Walochnian’ fine and has some approximation that what his eyes read as ‘Deifies’ is probably the word that people use for gods.
Laws likes reading about the gods, generally. It’s nice to know who to curse when he thinks about the directions his life has taken. “But if they’re as bad at reading as I am, I can’t blame them.
“What does the title say?” Using his index finger, he moves it slowly as he reads out loud. “I know this says ‘Walochnian’… but not much else.”
VYSELLA MASSAGED HER TEMPLES, a groan of annoyance escaping her lips. the perfectionist that she was hated how hard she was finding this exercise, especially after months of reading and weeks of theoretical work, she somehow could not muster the will to fight back. and this thought scared her. it scared her that she might be fitted more to be a scholar for the king than a warrior. she wanted to be a fighter, more than anything. but this drill had caused the doubts to creep into her mind.
a memory so vivid… the words ripple around her mind and her mind takes her back to her very first heartbreak but she brought herself back to reality. she did not want to take herself back to that time. it would open up a wound that she had since sewed up with strong ignorance and indifference.
“ yes. no. i am famished. perhaps it is the lack of food ?? no that’s not it, i truly am horrible. ” an annoyed groaned left her lips. “ why must i find this so difficult. ” she mumbled. “ perhaps there’s another way besides thinking of a memory and thinking about ‘ blasting something back’ ?? “
Laws was quiet as she reprimanded herself, though it was difficult to resist the mild amusement as she did his job for him. Still, he knew he had to say something, and decided to go with: “Sure, there’re other ways...” only to go silent again after. Would it really be teaching if he gave everything away?
“We can get you some food after you figure this out.” Shifting in his seat, Laws folded his arms over the backrest. He was sat backwards, his chin resting on his piled-upon arms like a bored child would do it, and he let out a low hum that was meant to be some pensive noise. “You aren’t a traditional telepath, but everyone has the ability to fight and defend in the space of their own mind. And in the same way people’s thoughts and personalities differ, so does technique.
“In my case, I live a life of balance. Having something penetrate my mind shifts that balance, and so I end up doing everything in my power to get things back to ‘normal’.” Both his hands came up to make quotes in the air before his arms fell to their previous position once more.
Considering the way Vysella had wasted no time in insulting herself at her first failure, Laws tilted his head and asked, “Are you the type of person to want to prove others wrong when they doubt you?”
averil had always known of intricacies in passageways of castles – no matter what or who lived in it. she learned that the hard way when she first came to live with the royal family. it hadn’t been a pretty lesson with an understanding instructor, but the result of which was quite admittedly very useful for keeping someone safe.
“i didn’t know that,” she murmured, more to herself, though she didn’t trust the hallways to keep them hushed. she glanced up at the professor and assessed him. since coming to the academy, he hadn’t really shown any signs which could warrant any suspicions from her, so she let this one go. it would just be a waste of precious energy to keep being cautious around him.
the reminder of her careless attack was enough to pull her out of her thoughts. she looked down in shame once more, nibbling gently on her bottom lip as she clenched her jaw. was this a lesson for learning how to apologize?
“i would never apologize for protecting the princess, but i do apologize for my careless actions. i should have observed first, before acting. it’s different — inside the academy and outside. i’ve grown used to being alert all the time, that it’s hard for me to accept that… that not all people within these walls mean harm,” she paused, gaze hardening yet again as her fingers stiffened into a fist. she’d messed up.
“you will not speak of the princess’ location within the castle at all,” she hissed. “only the princess can divulge such information.”
“Oh?” The way her shields came up and the aggression showed clear on her face was almost funny, and maybe it would have been if Laws were the laughing type. From the base of his chest came a low hm, and he placed both hands in his pocket as he cocked his head a fraction to the side. “Then next time you’ll be careful not to tell strangers you’re protecting Her Highness, or else they’ll figure out the same thing I did.”
He turned slightly, walking past this woman and her precious door, his eyes set on the darkness in the hall and the faint glow of multiple torches along the way. Much as he liked to claim that mentorship or teaching or care wasn’t his strong suit, this woman’s purpose hit a little too close to home, reminding him of what he once was, of where his loyalties once lay. “Guard your secrets as much as you guard your princess,” was what he said. “Not everyone here is a threat, but you have people coming from regions that feel slighted by the Crown, too. Those are the ones you should look out for.”
Glancing back, as if remembering some random little tidbit, Laws frowned somewhat. “Don’t you have a room by hers?”
Mental turmoil. Levi fought the strong urge to snort. He had, of course, been through plenty of turmoil in his life. His brain wasn’t exactly a pretty place to be. Nevertheless, he doubted that Laws knew the half of it. Gritting his teeth, Levi closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts.
He had been doing these types of drills for years, but the amount of focus it took never ceased to shock him. At first, he felt the sensation, as if it was breaking through the poorly laid defenses around his mind. But the feeling spurred him to fight back, to gather his focus. This was only a small sensation. He could handle this. With his own encouragement, Levi quieted his mind until there was nothing left to do except block the light pressure.
After a good minute, he opened his eyes, a grin tugging at his lips. “See. I told you I would do better. Let’s try something harder.”
It took all of Laws’ self-control not to say something along the lines of yes, congratulations on successfully completing the first drill we offer to new enrollees-- he could be mean, and chances were he was mean, but Levi looked proud without being cocky, and so Laws decided to let him have this tiny victory to keep.
“Right,” he said, even if he didn’t smile in quite the same way, “good job, kid.”
As requested, he went up the next rung of the mental drill ladder, and this time it was in both Levi's temples that the sensation of probing began to take form. Though Laws was careful not to peer into any thoughts or memories, some residual pride from Levi's earlier success trickled from his mind and into Laws' own. How cute.
"Sometimes," Laws started, knuckles moving to prop the side of his own jaw up, "the best defense is a good offense. Not everyone has the focus to keep a wide area of mental space defended for periods of time."
The corner of his mouth twitched. "Can you stretch your shields to reach both points of attack? Or is it easier for you to aim your focus on two precise points to push it away?"
as one hand works hard to write the other was held out limply beside her on her desk, the scar on her palm open with blood dancing gracefully out of the wound - a winding trail of scarlet encircling her form. the making of her blood aura was now a calming measure when stressed, something she was doing more and more recently as bottled emotions begin to rise up to the surface (certainly it is not a healthy coping mechanism, but t helps). ikora does not even raise her head at the sound of her classroom door opening, simply continuing to write as she speaks to the phantom guest.
“Mm.” Laws makes a low noise in the base of his throat, bicep pressing to the doorframe as he sticks his hands in his pockets. “I can wait.”
And, truly, it’s not like he has any pressing matters to get to. There’s just a book he’d found in the library and subsequently nicked, and it rests neatly in the space between his right palm and thigh. Learning through reading has always been difficult for him, but Ikora’s expressed before that she doesn’t mind doing the legwork for him. Granted, Laws has only recently become comfortable enough to come around whenever he finds something he wants her to read aloud to him, but it’s a step in the right direction, he imagines.
“Should I sit instead of wait ominously in your doorway?”
-- but it’s sad, and it’s sweet, and i knew it complete (when i wore a younger man’s clothes).
the basics.
name: long wei chen
also known as: laws
age: forty-five and some change ( born in spring )
gender & sexuality: cismale / bisexual
heritage: danruba / commoner
ability: tattoo manifestation as a result of focused energy; psionics ( telepathy & telekinesis ) triggered by the heightened power in his body
currently: teacher of mental offense at mircea academy
previously: a decorated warrior of the walochnian forces
averil instantly snapped into attention when she heard that voice. it was familiar, one she’d always hear inside one of the classrooms she loathed so much, but one she paid enough respect to, knowing the wisdom behind the words he spilled for the students.
she pursed her lips as shame washed over her, fingers curling and uncurling as she tried to compose herself long enough to admit her fault in this particular situation.
it’s not often that she’d apologize for any action done to protect her princess, but… just this once.
“i apologize,” she murmured, hoping the professor would hear her in the silence of the hallway. “i was only protecting the royal princess.”
she frowned at the direction of the professor, head tilting sideways. “why are you out and about late at night?”
A bodyguard for the princess? Laws resisted the urge to curl his upper lip in distaste, knowing fully well that-- had this been another time, had he been living a life he did before-- he’d likely do the same for their bloodthirsty king. He nodded once in understanding. She needn’t explain herself further to him.
On the other hand, Laws supposed it didn’t hurt to explain on his own end just what the hell he was doing here. “I’ve come from the tutor room.” It felt good not to lie so much. “There’s a staircase on this side of the school that leads to an exit closer to my wing of the castle.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” A beat. “But not everyone would have been quick enough to deflect your ice. You don’t want to kill anyone on accident, here.”
(The keyword there was accident.)
Head cocking in the direction of the door closest to the apparent bodyguard, Laws raised a brow. “Are those her quarters, then? I didn’t know the princess was in this part of the dormitory.”
it wasn’t so often that averil left her princess’ side for one second, but tonight was a special night. her princess needed time alone to herself, and averil would always be the first person to obey. it was only after making sure that no hole or passage was left unblocked by a thick layer of ice that averil made herself scarce — opting to stay just a few distances away from the princess’ quarters.
she must have been standing for a good five minutes in the dim hallway when she noticed the shifting of air to her left. her eyes snapped to the direction from which she saw the movement and, without forewarning, sent shards of ice in the shape of spearheads.
it was a threat more than an attack, to keep whoever was out there from the princess’ general location.
Truly, if Laws had his pick of things, he wouldn’t have done after school sessions to begin with.
But there was the whole credo of being a teacher, he supposed, and while he cared little for the actual profession, he’d always been a man of honour (no matter how skewed his version of honour happened to be). Having spent quite a few hours in his office, he now had to make the trek from the academy to the castle he apparently now lived in, and while he had yet to get used to the lavish housing-- Laws almost always ended up sleeping outside, anyway-- he at least knew this place well enough to know where all the shortcuts were.
One so happened take him through the students’ dorms. This, too, apparently led to him pulling his sword from his back and deflecting the ice coming his way with nothing but a brief gleam of steel in the dim firelight.
“What?” Gods, wasn’t this the kind of thing the school was supposed to prevent? Laws brought his sword arm down slowly so the other person (a woman, he thought) could see it happen, then stepped further into the light with his other hand drawn up in surrender.
Much as he liked the hot-blooded rush of battle, it was too late for any of that shit right now.
“What do you think I’m doing, standing still?”
The sword was sheathed once more, smoothly sliding into its hilt where it was mounted on his back, and Laws’ expression soured in definite distaste. “Easy.”
“I’m thinking plenty hard,” Levi muttered, a bite to the words although they were quiet. Even though he was a teacher now with students of his own to guide and mentor, he found himself back in Laws’ classroom more often than he would admit to. Mental defense, and any type of mental control, was important to Levi. He took it very seriously, and when he wasn’t doing the best job, he couldn’t help but get sour about it.
“I doubt I have any memories strong enough to do that.” He spoke before he realized what he was saying, and quickly clamped his lips together as if that might take it back. Feeling foolish, he nodded slightly and squared his shoulders. “Yes, let’s go again. I’ll do better this time.”
Now both his brows were raised in apprehension. “Will you?” Laws asked, and while part of it was just to be difficult, another part of it was spurred by that brief admission of memory-- or, in this case, lack thereof. Whether there was a reason to it or not was none of his business, but it was that careful guarding of the mind that made this sort of thing difficult to master.
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you mental turmoil makes this difficult,” he said, even as his elbow moved to rest on his thigh and his cheek made its way to his palm. Fingers brushing the edge of his temple, Laws looked for all the world like he wasn’t thinking of anything at all, but at this point Levi would start to feel a brief pressure in the centre of his forehead.
He wasn’t often so crude with his telepathy, but basic drills required the student to be able to feel the intrusion. Surely Levi would be able to fight this small sensation off, at least?
“--you’re not thinking hard enough,” Laws grunted, and if he sounded tired it was more instinct than anything. Old as he was, and experienced as he was, drills like this were easy for him to perform without getting tired. He also just happened to be the grumpiest person on the planet.
“When you feel me probing your mind, you have to focus on hitting back harder.” Which was vague, he supposed, and so he rubbed lightly at the side of his neck before turning his head up to meet his drill partner’s eyes. “But sometimes you don’t need to specifically think about ‘blasting something back’.
“Sometimes you can try drawing up a memory so vivid it drowns out everything else, psychic attacks included.”
Hopefully that made more sense. Straightening somewhat, Laws raised a brow. “You ready to try again?”
“Relax, I’m not going to do anything bad to you,” Aniela assured the person who had volunteered to be her guinea pig. She wanted to test out if different kinds of music worked better for inducing certain moods with her powers, but for that, she needed someone to test it out on. “I could start with something calming, to get your nerves under control?” She suggested with a smile.
“Yeah,” Laws murmured, hand coming up to scratch the edge of his brow with his ring finger. “Sure, if you can figure out what ‘gets my nerves under control’.”
And truthfully, he didn’t need much outside stimuli for that. Majority of his lifestyle required focus, and focus required calm, and Laws was the best there was at what he did.
He was also, however, a teacher, and so these little experiments the students decided to have mattered in their own right, too.
