After-School Special

[Erebus Black]

Erebus leaned on his cane; stump upset and sore after someone kicked it and his leg last night. He was pissed then, because his leg fell over the ledge and was damaged. So, because of that and the fact that he doesn't have a leg, he's using a cane he hasn't used in years because his new one broke and teaching without a whole ass leg. Fuck him and his day.

At least the lectures that day was going well. Granted, he had a couple of students sleeping in the last row in two of his classes. One that was quickly fixed when he threw the cap of his whiteboard marker at them. He honestly preferred his students missing class to sleep than to actually sleep in his class. It felt insulting to him because he knew those two students didn't care about this class and are only taking it to fulfill their course requirements. Didn't help that they never really respected him either, but at least they keep their mouths shut.

It was his last class of the day and he noticed one of his favorite students coming in looking so tired. She was one of his more promising students and he knew she hadn't submitted the assignments for the past few days. Adding to her actually coming to him before term started to debate about his class and what it held, he had high hopes for her. She met his hopes and excelled in the assignments he gave out, but for the past few, they were either lacking or just not there and he was concerned. And with the addition of the lack of sleep she seems to be getting, he was worried that something was happening outside of class for her to struggle and meet the potential she held. Maybe it was financial worry? He noticed that she was nodding off during his lecture and that added more concern, because he knew she always participated in his class, and to see that she was trying to focus? It meant a lot. It honestly reminded him of his nephew. The quieter one at least. But what upped the concern was the smudge make-up revealing bruises. He'll talk to her after class about whatever is going on and hopefully offer her support.

"Okay class, we have about 10 minutes left of cl-" He saw that she was asleep and sighed before grabbing his dead whiteboard marker's cap and tossed it at her, hitting her square in the forehead to wake her. "Good afternoon, Miss Faye. Please refrain from sleeping in my class next time. I would rather you skip and get back your missed sleep, as it will be so much more comfortable than that chair. Now! As I was saying. Because we finished today pretty quick, I will be letting you go early. To those who submitted your essays, you will be getting them back in our next session after I enter the grades in. Some will notice that they have a bit of extra credit added to the papers as thanks for making my life easier. Remember, you have a mini written assignment due next week on King Henry VIII and your thoughts on why he kept on getting daughters. If you make me laugh, you will be getting a treat from me in the form of a drink from Bean Me Up. Your choice and a cap of $7. I rather not spend $20 on a drink that looks like a glitter bomb blew up in it. I do look forward in your attempts at making me crack. You may now go." He smiled, dismissing the class and going to his desk to gather his items. 

"Miss Faye! Please come see me before you leave" He called out as he sat down in his chair, tired.

Morgan Faye

[Morgan Faye]

God she was so tired.

She'd made a mistake. Not her first one, mind you, but a mistake. She knew she had Professor Black's class in the morning. She knew she was overdue on those essays. She hoped that she could just slip them in on his desk and he wouldn't notice. He can't have graded them yet, right? And he did accept hard copy assignments. Wait, did he?

Morgan couldn't remember as she hastily did her makeup that morning. She had to cover up those bruises, those muggers got a few good hits in. She knew as she ran out the door to the waiting car that she looked for all the world like a stereotypical tardy anime schoolgirl. She was struggling to put on her jacket, and she had a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth for her breakfast.

And of course Lucan drove the speed limit. She appreciate that he didn't want to get pulled over, but being late? Oi, that was repulsive to her. Thankfully, they made it in time, and she sat her butt down in her seat and desperately tried to not nod off.

It was a losing battle. She loved Professor Black's class, history was her favorite subject, but his voice and accent had this soothing quality to it and she'd been up until 3 AM the night before fighting off muggers and inflicting nasty stab wounds on rapists. She really hoped that guy needed a lot of stitches. A LOT.

Her head slipped off her hand and she jerked it back up. She sighed, seeing the smudged makeup on her hand. She really needed a nap, but she didn't want to take it right now but she liked his voice so much...

Suddenly she jerked awake because of a marker cap hitting her forehead. Instinctively, she reached out and caught it before it hit the ground, before awkwardly trying to sink into her seat. Right now, she wished she could teleport to Blutiren. It was too far away though, back at the manor.

She sighed as she approached Professor Black's desk. "I'm terribly sorry, it won't happen again. I stayed up too late last night, got caught up reading."

Erebus Black

[Erebus Black]

Erebus hummed and looked at the young woman before him with a disappointed look. He picked up his bag and grabbed his cane "Lie. Come follow me to my office. I have a few questions to ask you and I would rather not have a personal conversation out in the open." He spoke, gesturing Morgan to follow him.

He walked down the hall in a slow gate, not able to go fast due to his lack of a leg. He unlocked his office door and opens it. He limps over to his chair and sits. "Miss Faye, where did you get those bruises?" he asked, hooking his cane on his table and pulling out his grade book. "And does it correlate to the missing assignments you have?" He asked, looking at her over his glasses with a tired and concerned look.

[Morgan Faye]

Morgan kept a straight face while Erebus was facing her, but inwardly she was panicking. This was about the assignments, wasn't it? It was about the assignments. It had to be. She followed him to his office, books pressed to her chest, mind racing, wondering how she was going to get out of this one. She knew she should have just done them yesterday and not gone on patrol. She knew it.

And then he asked about the bruises. Her blood ran cold. Her makeup had smudged that badly? Shit. She had to think quickly.

"I just lost track of time and forgot to drop off the assignments. I have them here for you, I was going to leave them on your desk. As for the bruises, I'm not sure exactly. There's a lot of things that could leave a mark, sometimes when I'm reading I like to walk, and I don't pay very good attention to where I'm going."

There. All true statements, and none of them incriminating. Technically she didn't know which punch exactly gave her the shiner she had. Hopefully he'd accept that and wouldn't press further.

Erebus Black

[Erebus Black]

Erebus looked at her and gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Partial lie, but a partial truth." He called her out, flipping to her class and looking at her line in the grade book. "You see, round fresh bruises like that do not exactly happen from a book or from a pole. Especially dark ones like the one you have. In reality, they happen from someone hitting another. Specifically, someone punching you if the fist-shaped bruise that you are sporting says anything. So I suggest you try again and tell me the truth. Or at least answer my question. Are you being abused at home and do you need help?" He asked, folding his hands together and focusing on her.

"Because you are one of my best students and I thoroughly enjoy having you in my class. Your past assignments were a treat to grade because you know what you are talking about and incorporate information that I either did not know or did not cover. But the past few assignments are less than subpar and that is not talking about your missing assignments. They are the work of someone who is rushed and struggling. Are you struggling financially? Or in a toxic relationship? I am here to help and can offer you a safe place to do your homework or just to talk to me about any concerns you may have. Just...please be honest with me. Are you being hurt by someone you know?" He asked gently.

[Morgan Faye]

Damn, he was good. He was really good. She'd have to play very careful here if she was going to get out of this with her secret identity intact.

"I'm part of the welsh Faye family, so I don't struggle financially whatsoever. I'm not being abused or hurt by anyone I know. All of my family, despite most of them being stuck-up pricks, love me and would never do anything like that to me. I don't know where I got this bruise."

All true. The only thing she knew for sure was she got it sometime last night on her patrols, and she had been all over Haven, so she didn't know which hit to her helmet gave her that one.

Which reminded her she needed to work on protecting her head more, eventually some asshole with a crowbar was going to get lucky and dent the damn thing and then she'd need to find someplace she could fix it in the field.

"I've just gotten distracted lately. Picked up an old hobby again and it's taking up more of my time than I realized. I'm terribly sorry that my work hasn't been up to snuff, I will do better in the future."

All true again. She liked this verbal sparring. It was exhilarating. She just hoped that Professor Black didn't pick up that that's what she was doing, and took it all as her just explaining what was going on, and not trying to hide things.

Erebus Black

[Erebus Black]

Erebus frowned and tilted his head, trying to place the name, Faye. "Is the Faye family the entitled and somewhat of a higher status family over in...Cardiff? You are from a nominally noble family, correct?" He asked, trying to remember if he interacted with them or not. "Have you and your family been to Astaira at some point?"

"...You speak the truth, just not the whole truth. You are omitting information about your old hobby and adding that bruise and the fact that you fell asleep in my class today, I have a few possible ideas on what your...hobby is. Do you want me to lay out what I believe you are trying to hide from me?" He raised an eyebrow at her, eyes staring at the student before him. One that he has gushed about at family dinners and to his coworkers. "Because depending on which idea is right, I will have to create a study plan for you and possibly lecture you as well. Again, this all hinges on you saying 'yes' to me laying out my ideas and me correctly guessing the...hobby you picked up. Do you agree with allowing me to lay out my ideas, Ms. Faye?"

[Morgan Faye]

Faye nodded when he correctly identified her family. "My family can be rather stuck-up pricks sometimes, but they are good people underneath it all. I don't think we've ever visited Astaria before I moved here. I wanted to get away from the stuffy, high society stuff and go somewhere exciting. Astaria's certainly provided that."

Morgan couldn't help swallowing nervously under Erebus' discerning glare. He knew. He had to know. Why else would he be talking like this? Maybe he didn't know. Maybe he thought she was getting into drugs or something. Yeah, yeah he thought she was into drugs.

"Feel free to speak your theories. The simple fact is I lost track of time engaged in an enjoyable pastime and it's affected my studies, and I will have Lucan help me manage my time better moving forward."

Maybe he'd just have her take a drug test, give her a lecture, and leave it at that.

Erebus Black

[Erebus Black]

Erebus hummed and waved his hand, pulling out his electric tea kettle, two mugs, and some tea. He plugged the kettle in and turned it on, poping in the tea bags, and waited. Once the kettle turned off 30 seconds later, he poured the water into the mugs and handed one to Morgan.

"You are a vigilante." He spoke, voice calm as he watched his tea steep. He glanced up at Morgan and adjusted his glasses. "You are fascinated with the medieval era and have a sword. One that likes to be with you and one that you know how to use. It is with that knowledge in mind that I believe that you are specifically a knight vigilante. Probably with a name that is from The Round Table in some way."

"Am I correct, Ms. Faye?" He asked, looking down at his tea and doctoring it after discarding the tea bag.

[Morgan Faye]

Morgan was very impressed when he used what seemed like solid shadows to bring out the tea equipment, but her enthusiasm was dampened when he began to speak. She just stared at the tea that was being prepared while he explained exactly what was going on. Her internal monologue was a chorus of curse words and "My mother is going to kill me." This was it. She was going to be arrested for vigilantism because she wasn't careful enough around her very perceptive college history professor.

When he finished, she didn't stop staring at the tea, but she let out a heavy sigh. He'd shown his powers, she might as well have one last fling with Blutiren before the local law enforcement found some way to keep her from summoning it. She held out her hand, and with a flash of light, the blade was in her hand. She turned it so the handle was pointing towards Erebus and set it on the desk so he could look it over if he wanted. "So, this is it then. I'm not going to make a scene or anything, I'll go quietly. How long do you think I'll be in prison for? Can I still take classes remotely from in there? Do you think they'll let Lucan visit? He's my manservant."

She might as well try to make the best of things, although she couldn't imagine prison life being very fun.

Erebus Black