blood circulator

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).

          “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.

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.

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.”

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."

-- but it’s sad, and it’s sweet, and i knew it complete (when i wore a younger man’s clothes).

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.)

“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.

“--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.”