un: mortiscausa

[subconmodo]

What's up, everyone? Enjoying your midterms? No? I thought not.

Lucky for those of you taking my class, I happen to be feeling generous. Take note, people. This is a once in a term event here!

I'd like to offer you unlucky souls a deal. See, I've been trying to get a little fitter over the past few months. Can't use magic to solve every problem you have, right? Right! I want to see how much progress I made.

That's where you come in.

You beat me in a race? You get an A on your midterm! I'll even put it in writing so you have a paper trail. The only thing I ask is that I get to pick the time. I'm a busy man, you know.

Feel free to ask any questions you want. And don't feel put out just because you don't see any replies. I'm screening all comments in order to protect my students' previous privacy.

((Please see the OOC post here!))

Comments

un: fightorflight

[notwithoutafight]

[ This sounds way too good to be true. Videl's inherently suspicious nature has been working to her advantage in Avery's class so far, even though she's a month behind her peers. ]

okay, so whats the catch?

[subconmodo]

[rip Avery]

I suppose.

To the Cross of Life, then? And no shells. Especially not the blue ones.

[subconmodo]

Good question! But that's all up to you.

Put forward the terms and then we'll see about a catch.

[subconmodo]

[It takes him a little longer than usual to respond, during which time he's had a nice, long facial journey, two sighs, and at least one facepalm.]

Gee. Thanks.

[deuteranope]

[Mav has accepted the fact that if he ever takes a class by this dude, he's going to pay dearly, or at least die.]

[notwithoutafight]

[ Pretty cheeky, for a teacher. This is such a weird school. ]

hang on, I'm not done asking questions yet. what kind of a race is this? is that supposed to be a metaphor or something?

[tiredcharmer]

There's the familiar tug on Avery's soul, of a contract being sealed. This is the real deal. Tyzias takes the contract, tapping her metal arm, rolling it up, and gently tucking it inside an opening that seems made for it.

Tyzias's phone alarm goes off, signalling the start of the race. She casually strolls across the start line, and--

--teal runes engulf her body, and she's immediately a step away from the finish line. The contract hasn't been broken somehow, that would be easy for a man of Avery's caliber to sense. No. Whatever Tyzias just did is within the terms she laid out both online and on the contract.

[subconmodo]

What.

"HOLD IT!" he screams from all the way back at the start, hopping onto his bike and pedaling as fast as he can towards her. "You're not taking another step until you explain to me what just happened!"

How was that not against the rules?!

[subconmodo]

No way. Not that I don't mind the occasional metaphor-laden contract, but this time the race is literal.

The location: the track at sunset! The goal: to go around the track once! First to cross is the winner.

[tiredcharmer]

"No can do. Explanations aren't part of the contract," Tyzias says, droll, then steps right across the finish line. Avery can feel the contract release. Is... is Tyzias actually smirking? You've got her to feel smugness, Avery. Fantastic job. "But I can give you an academic explanation if you insist."

[subconmodo]

He pedals as quick as he can, raising himself slightly off the seat to get better leverage. A few chunks of grass are ripped from the earth as he slides to a stop, face red. "Yes I insist," he growls once he finally manages to catch his breath. "I didn't even get to argue against it!"

[tiredcharmer]

"Runic inscription draws on Outland Mists and mana native to this world to create unique effects based on the symbols used. The key is that runic inscription is strictly defined as acting on a physical object," Tyzias explains. With one hand, she takes out the Contract Pen, and with the other she takes out some sort of... detector thing? which glows red while it's hovering over the pen. "Magecraft, meanwhile, is broadly defined as using internal forces to act upon and manipulate mana and Outlands-based energies." Tyzias, after a moment of hesitation, snaps her fingers to create a small spark. The detector glows green.

"What I use is a hybrid of the two. Using an inscriptor to inscribe runes directly onto personal auras and the flow of mana, instead of on physical objects. Which, after several rounds of extensive testing, I've found to not actually qualify as any of the forms of magic I listed on the contract," she explains.

[subconmodo]

He opens his mouth to argue, then shuts it.

It's not an innate ability.

She altered herself, not the track.

She didn't even touch him through the whole thing (unless one counts his own personal pain and suffering).

The girl's entire system of magic was one giant loophole and the more he turned it over in his mind, the more intense the war between pride and pettiness grew.

Deep breaths, Avery, deep breaths. He needs to count to ten and keep his temper in check. Last thing he needs is to get in trouble for getting a little upset at one of his students for doing what she was supposed to do. This is a success. Whether he wins or loses, a student acing an exam is always a success for him.

And it was a little impressive. Kind of. Sort of. If he squinted.

"Fffffffine." The tension in his body slowly releases as he grinds the word out. Because it's fine. He's fine. Really! "You get the A. And I'll tack on the 15 points extra credit for the pen."

[hattersgonnahat]

[Can't...tell if that was sarcasm or not. Don't you dare give the child second thoughts like that.]

It is sorta nice. I don't know of many teachers that would do something like that.

And especially hold off a big test.

[Great, she might actually be getting a soft spot for him.]

[tiredcharmer]

"Cool." Tyzias turns around to head back to her dorm and get ready for class... then pauses. She probably owed Avery a little more than that, didn't she? "That was, um. A pretty neat trick with the bike. Genuinely didn't think of that. Probably would've lost if I didn't plan a loophole in the contract," she says without a hint of condescension in her tone. It doesn't sound like she's trying to stoke his ego, either, she's... actually paying him a compliment?

Weird.

[subconmodo]

[Yep. Nice. That's him all right. Mr. Altruistic.]

I'm a teacher, not a monster. You're, what, 10? No way you've got enough experience under your belt to hop into one of my midterms right off the bat.

[subconmodo]

And lo, the salt is washed away with the tide.

He straightens and flashes a cocky grin, wind back in his sails. "Just a shame I couldn't rent a scooter. Might have run afoul of that non-interference clause of yours."

[notwithoutafight]

[ Videl carefully reads and rereads Avery's response, as well as his original network message. It seems like a great offer on the surface, but since this isn't gym, a simple lap around the track probably isn't going to cut it. Either Professor Atchison is inhumanly fast and odds are stacked in his favor, or he's got a few tricks up his sleeve. And given the subject of the class, Videl suspects the latter.

A good fifteen minutes or so pass before she responds. ]

that's not specific enough. you have to pick an exact day and time. and the race needs to be limited to regular human abilities only. so no flames or demon magic or anything like that.

End thread?

[tiredcharmer]

That somehow manages to wring a chuckle out of Tyzias as she waves and walks back to her dorm. Fuckin' hell, what was happening to her? Laughter? Really, Tyzias? She was supposed to have that shit on lockdown. Or, well, not supposed to at this point, but it was still a habit.

But... it feels good. Something about Avery hit just the right spot in Tyzias's brain that was between her cynicism and rare few kernels of humor in just the right way so that she didn't feel the need to shut it away. Which was probably a good thing.

[subconmodo]

Five PM, two days from now--classes permitting, of course. First to make it around the track wins, both parties limited to what a human can achieve without magic.

Sounds like a good start to me. Anything else you'd like to add or shall I start writing the agreement now?

[He's not kidding with that first part, either. Making him be specific? Cutting magic and flames out of the equation? Smart moves.]

[hattersgonnahat]

I am, but...

They did put me in a higher class. So shouldn't I be treated the same as everybody else?

[...Perhaps it also bleeds into another problem she's been having lately. Getting chased by Daemons can sometimes make you second guess yourself.]

[leekspins]

No, it's fine, my classes are over by 3:00 so that works great! See you!

[She'll be extra hungry then, too, so that works especially well!]