The Wandering Professor [Open]

Revan had been wandering the campus for some time as he did not have any classes at the moment. For Revan free time used to be good for relaxing, but due to recent events free time was now more for enforcing curfew and fighting off grimm which showed up on campus. Unfortunately with the unusual powers of Lightning Insanity Revan could not risk using his blade to fight on campus even if it’s power was much needed. Revan would have to hide at some far off place in the forest to fight a monster with his full strength. Along his way Revan had multiple times stopped walking and closed his eyes to see how well he could remember each area. This was an exercise that Revan often performed as his teleportation was merely guesswork if he could not see where he wanted to go to, thus memory and any functioning senses were all he would have to go off in in such a  case. Revan had just stopped to do said exercise as he made his rounds, but something seemed different from before.

Richard let out a ferocious yawn as he entered the courtyard, tired from the last days training. The awful combination of orange juice and toothpaste in his mouth. He picked the sleep out of his eyes and ran a hand through his spikey hair. His chin was still littered with its regular prickly hair. He noticed a teacher crossing the yard. At first he was tempted to turn around and leave, probably chew him out for one thing or another, but he decided to stay against his own judgement. He covered his head with his hat/turban combination before approaching the area’s center. He quickly ran a hand under his scarf, making sure that all of his dust and that Keyll was still there; he found everything in its correct place. He raked a claw through his hair trying to remember his name, ultimately he failed; "Hey teacher-man, haven't seen you about for a while." Mainly because Richard had been avoiding work wherever possible (As usual)

Revan was standing eyes shut listening and mapping the location with his mind when he heard "Hey teacher-man, haven't seen you about for a while." That must have been what he felt was off a student, Revan opened his eyes and looked down to the student. "Well at least there's one thing advantageous about your stature," Revan joked as he came to the realization that it was Richard standing in front of him His words would probably not sit well with Richard, so he made sure to finish the sentence with "That being that you have less presence than others. You do make a good point though, I haven't seen you in class lately. Have you been skipping on your studies?" The question was sounded as a joke, but was actually an honest question. The recent events around campus were interesting to say the least, including the recent influx of grimm, what was the cause Revan wondered, and what would happen if grimm overran the city. The students of the campus were supposed to be trained to fight, but were they truly prepared to risk their lives to protect others? So many unanswered questions were left in the air. Revan realized that he had drifted to a different train of thought than the current moment and quickly corrected it bringing himself back to his conversation with Richard.

Richard yawned, usually he'd be ticked off at the height comment but it was far too early for him to shout so instead he shot him a brief glare but soon returned to his tired facial state to answer his question, "Well, what's the point in relearning what I've already been taught? I'd only fall asleep in those lectures besides I take my studies into my own hands, library for the knowledge and out here when the guard seem to wander off for a break and the grimm flood in. They really interrupt my naps ya know. Better for you to get one long sleep rather than lots of little ones. Anyway just means you can focus on the less adept and leave me be."

Richard jumped up, sitting atop a wall as he stretched and yawned, still racking his brain for this teacher's name. Something ending in an he thought to himself, Grevan, Hevan, Stevan, Levan... Thevan? Eh, that sounds right Richard decided to himself, "So Prof Thevan, going to shout at me for all the boring rubbish I missed? Going to take you a while with how much there is. Doubt either of us want to start a morning like that."

Richard reached beneath his scarf pulled out a flask of coffee and proceeded to chug. Unfortunately the warm liquid would do very little to awaken him.

The day was young, but Revan was not tired, he had suffered far worse hours as a village watchmen when he was younger school hours were nothing compared to that. The Campus was a sight to behold and was ever changing, even if those changes were sometimes due to explosions and the fighting of grimm. "Well Richard if you skip my class that's your own decision. but would you care to at least say if you don't remember my name rather than get it wrong? Revan quipped at Richard and his take on his absenteeism.

In truth Revan had skipped lessons for similar reasons in his own day. "You know I understand your take on things probably more than you might think and whether I agree with it or not doesn't matter, as I'm it won't change your mind. Heck in my class as long as you can pass the tests you're in the clear, so it doesn't really matter. I'm here to help those who need it and if you feel you don't need it then there's no need for you to take my classes." Revan spoke, but stopped himself before he began to ramble. School was an interesting concept especially in the younger years, however the life of learning to kill everyday or in Revan's case teaching those concepts was one of necessity not of what people wanted or think others need. The real problem would lie with he kids being taught to kill and how they might grow to use those powers, for better or for worse.

Richard tilted his head slightly, surprised at the lack of shouting. He shrugged though, finishing the last drops of coffee, "Whatever teach, just makes things easier for me. 'Twould help if you mark me present but I know you won't do that." Richard began to ponder the man's name again, far too stubborn to ask him, his thought process when as follows:

Well if it's not Thevan... Grevan? Leavan? Stevan?... no that sounds too plain. I remember something, his name was like a bird of sorts... ah I've got it.

"Well Prof Raven, take it you were on the rounds tonight. Got to be hard going back to a class full of brats after dealing with Grimm for hours on end, doubt you'll even get time for a decent meal looking at the current time. That's another reason why I can't be bothered with classes, get in the way of all the good meals. Linner especially, usually brunch."

Richard stuck the empty flask back on the inside of his belt and let out a loud yawn, that was the last of the instant to; the lockdown having limited his coffee supplies and lowered his worth ethic even further.

"Believe me rich, even if I wanted to not mark you absent, I could risk my job doing suck reckless things." Revan remarked as he looked, up to the sky, and then Richard began talking again, Revan pondered these words for a time before replying with "One it's Revan, but close enough, and two the night shift isn't all that bad, one I get to be alone in a semi-private and very lovely area at night. Two I get to kill literally as many grimm as I want, and three I don't have to teach morning classes. Three birds one stone. Revan chuckled however he spoke the truth despite his usual joking tone. Night shift was a good one, while it did take a little while to get used to at first, it would be an optimal shift for many reasons and even reasons Revan had yet to mention or would not mention.

Richard cocked an eyebrow at Revan's calm nature, in some ways it reminded him of his own mentor only Revan was... not quite as...eccentric; "Well long as it works out for the both of us guess we have no quarrel then honestly surprised by the lack of shouting. Most teachers are absolutely livid with me, least I assume I have been dodging them to of course."

Richard checked the surrounding area, making sure no one but Revan would be able to get a good view, before reaching beneath his scarf and pulling out his weapon; a segment of it's extending chain wrapped around something. Quickly unravelling it before re-hiding the now shortened weapon. His weapon had been left in a cooler and a sandwich had been wrapped within the metal links, sliced boiled egg.

"Keeps it fresh, easy to move about to."

"Well the headmistress probably wouldn't be happy with me saying such things, but she's not around... Wait she isn't around right?" Revan joked with a highly serious tone about him, for some odd reason he enjoyed acting as if the headmistress was some evil creature of sorts. Revan then saw Richard pull our his weapon only briefly before pulling a sandwich out from the chain. It was an interesting place to store a sandwich to say the least, but if it worked well then who cares. There were always interesting experiences to be had working as a teacher here at Syne.

"Well most professors probably would, but I'm not most professors am I? I mean, I'm sure most people don't have as interesting a resume as I do. Then again no one who knows about it can vouch for me as they've all gotten into the fertilizer business, you know they've joined the choir in the sky." Revan often made references to his dark past and he even joked about it. Such a past used to get him down, but he had learned to accept it and hopefully not make such mistakes in the future.

Richard didn't laugh at the man's attempt at humour, too immersed in his eating for that. Honestly it was doubtful he'd have laughed even if he wasn't, having little in sense of humour. He quickly finished the snack, caring little for manners surrounding sharing food. Why would anyone ever do that? Sacrifice your own energy for another, he'd made this sandwich he would be the one to eat it.

"'twould appear most people I know went the same way" Richard yawned in reply to the choir in the sky comment, "Though I doubt the circumstances were the same. Probably a bit more... burning. Granted that being before they left for the sky and not after, then again... probably haunt the forest now. Believe in spirits more than an afterlife we all did."

It was a period Richard did not enjoy recalling, fire being his biggest really fear and disliking pointless death. He yawned it off, better to just keep moving and focus on the future than look back at something he couldn't learn from.

Soyata wasn't there from the start, nay. He wasn't even there when Richard mentioned his past; he just walked towards the courtyard. He was awhile away when the conversation had started; so by the time Richard had mentioned burning he remembered some of the rather stupid training he used to do, for fun no less! Well, he wasn't the most inept of people besides in combat. In combat he was amazing; dangerous. Someone not to play with. Unless you were his masters, then you could play around in combat with him.

The part he heard Richard say consisted of, "Burning. Granted that being before they left of the sky and not after, then again... probably hau-" He did hear the rest... he just didn't listen. It's not really in him to listen to such things. After arriving to two men, a very... short man, with a cap and in general lazy physique that Soyata disapproved of. After a quick scan, Soyata was in general unimpressed.

He then looked at taller of the two; who he was still taller than, now he was an interesting fellow. He felt as though he was dangerous, just by his looks. Most dangerous people, in his head, often looked the least dangerous. Unless they were like the short man; who looked like he hadn't done any training since he was born. Nay, this man just had this feel to him; the feel he felt in that ring. Not the killing intent, nay, something different. The man had no intent to kill, but it was clear to Soyata that he had killed before.

The skill itself was something he learned from being in a bunch of bouts to the death among other training. He decided to take another look at the short man; when he figured out that he knew neither of their names; so he decided to introduce himself. "Hello! My names Soyata, and since I just kind of looked you two over, maybe you could give me your names?" He then pointed over to the tall one, and said, "Especially yours."

Then he went back to looking over Richard and figured he hadn't drawn human life yet. It was an inevitably to him.

It seemed Richard had a past which was in some way similar to Revan, if what he said was true. Revan noticed the newcomer approaching before his presence had been made obvious, but did not pay much attention to the person until he spoke. The man was taller than both Richard and Revan; His build made it obvious that he was a physical fighter. The man introduced himself by the name Soyata. He seemed especially interested in Revan, but would have likely changed his wording if he knew how Revan manipulated words.

As a response to Soyata's comment in asking revans name over Richards Revan smirked "Woah kid I don't swing that way, and in case you haven't noticed I'm a teacher. I could get fired for having such scandalous relations." Revan was able to deduce that Soyata wasn't a teacher as he had heard no news of a new teacher as well as a seemingly slightly less developed figure as that of an adult.

After he noticed that he hadn't replied to Richards previous comment Revan spoke "Well I guess we both have an interesting past, but not this Soy guy over here he probably is just another average Joe who prioritizes muscle over brains." Recan purposefully insulted the newcomer with a joke for a few different reasons, but mainly as a test of his personality. Revan liked messing with people for multiple reasons, mostly for laughs, some reasons however weren't as obvious as just a simple laugh.

Richard yawned, "My interest in finding out your name is about the same. Doubt you'll remember it, just as I doubt I'll remember yours, but it's Richard."

A quick scan of the boy told Richard all he had to know, rather clearly a physical fighter this one was and as a result he probably has little dust aptitude. He hadn't seen the face before, while bad with names Richard could remember a face, and so the likelihood was that he was a new student of sorts. Great, another overly buff brawler to contend with. Richard also noted his height, about a foot taller than him. Easy prey in his mind, just more leg to ensnare and more area to hit. The ponytail pissed him off a little to, such an easy weak point. Unsheathing a sloth bear claw Richard scratched at his chin, still yawning. Revan's joke had little effect on the sleepy boy,

"While it's true he does seem rather average for one around these parts to get this far one must have at least a little bit of skill, even if he does looks a bit young must not be long eighteen if at all... questionable whether that's a sign of great skill or leaves gaps in his general hunting knowledge and strategies, so which is it then Sayoda? Are you as blunt a fighter as you seem or is there a touch more depth?"

He frowned, but kept his temper with those remarks, and was thinking about playing along with Revan. He decided against it; on the basis of having to actually make an effort to do so. It wasn’t exactly the forte of a martial artist to pretend to be in love, honestly, it wasn’t. At least, it wasn’t his forte. He also heard the fact that the boy, now named Richard, was questioning his skill. Clearly they must be masters in their own right if they just question his skill like they do. Very blunt. He could respect that, and he decided to answer their questions.

“I can’t comment so much on levels of skill, as I don’t know what to compare it to but absolute masters of the craft. That’s all I’ve really faced in a real, and true, battle. I mean, sure, I’ve been in fighting competitions, and I’ve won some and lost some, but other then that, is there really a thing I have to compare it to?” He took a breath, and then had to ask, “Then tell me, what skills do you two have?”

The man who introduced himself as Soyata was asking questions about Revan and Richards skill levels while remaining ambiguous about his own. His approach was one Revan wasn't going to fall for so of course he would resort to his usual sarcasm "Well if you've only faced against what you call masters of the craft you would have no way of saying if they are truly masters or not. About my skills however I don't really have too much to boast about, except of course my skill to get any lady I want into bed" Revan had a sarcastic comment for nearly every situation, and often used them for differing reasons. One thing Revan always went for was getting a laugh out of others reactions. His true intent was to deflect the questions Soyata asked, but he made little move to show his intentions.

The kid Soyata was obviously interested in Revan and if his words held any truth to them it was because of Revan's fighting style. The kid had obviously gone through some physical training, where some people could have a large amount of muscle without looking much different Soyata didn't seem like one of those people. Revan looked back to Richard to see his reaction masking his intentions with a bit of conversation. "The way he deflected your questions seems to imply that he's just a brute force fighter."

Richard yawned yet again, now scratching his nose with his claws; "Odds are, I can see a far bigger problem though. Soda-man I can see why you didn't win all your battle with ease now."

The boy stopped scratching pointing a finger straight at the man, "To ask a possible future combatant his skills will almost certainly lead to a quick death. I'll tell you that I'm primarily a semblance based fighter and my semblance is probability manipulation. You have no idea whether or not I've just lied to you and as a result will question my every move five times more than you would have. Did I just use the semblance when I hit you? What does that mean? Does probability suggest it'll cause internal damage thus increasing the damage and shortening how long you can fight for? It's useless to ask, useless."

The short boy yawned again, "But in all seriousness it's water manipulation that's my semblance." He lied, "I fight primarily with it, drain the water from my opponents through their pores and hit them with tidal waves from nearby water sources. Now as a warrior of I assume nobility and honour you must tell me yours."

The boy was an excellent liar, his lazy demeanour masking his inner cunning perfectly.

Soyatas eyebrow shifted, and he didn't listen to Richard, his mind wandered off. He was thinking about other things, like his masters, and he snapped back after Richard got done speaking. He needed to respond to Revan first.

"Well, teacher, the reason I said that was because that's what a lot of other people called them, and I can't beat them, so they must be damn near masters of the craft."

He stood still, not wanting to give anything away. He was trained in this, but he never really did keep up with his training in the current day. It was difficult to with how most of the people here were skilled with weapons rather then hand-to-hand combat. He had no idea about the two, and suddenly felt a dangerous intelligence coming from Richard, he didn't like that, he honestly didn't and he wasn't having it at all. He was going to try to avoid fighting Richard.