Way Of The Elements (Closed/Training)

A short man sat in the center of an outdoor training area, at least to him it appeared to be one. To most it may have looked to be some dry land, devoid of plant-life. One could be forgiven for assuming he was resting, as this man so often did, but for once he was not. The short boy sat in a meditative state, palms to the sky as they rested on his knees. It had been a long, long time since he had done any training of this magnitude. His ape companion was alongside him, not meditating but training in his own way. Practicing his Tai-Chi, punches and kicks in a smooth and rhythmic method.

The chimp assumed Richard was simply being lazy, the short faunus had brought the monkey out here to train only to sit on the ground upon his arrival and remain there for what had to be an hour by now. The ape was growing impatient, his swings growing harder and harder; kicking up the sandy dry dirt around them. Palm strikes blowing the dust in Richard's direction, if he could simply stir the man's wrath into flowing fourth then for certain something would at least ensue. Be it a chase, a brawl, or even just a lecture.

The taunting blows drew closer and closer to his master's face, rippling winds from them blowing back the slothbear faunus hair. Dirt had begun to coat his clothes as the sun had began to lower, that phantom hour of desperation where it wasn't quite sunset but wasn't quite afternoon. The ape threw his arms up in defeat, noisily dropping down next to Richard.

"You're done with your charade then?" Richard yawned, eyes still closed.

The ape simply pouted in response.

"I suppose it's my turn then," He sighed, slowly rising to his feet.

Richard had retrieved some dust from the training area's supply, unfortunately his license still only allowed for level two but after this training... perhaps things would be different. Perhaps they'd give him that license after this show of power. Richard drew fourth a vial of earth dust, fusing it with some wind. With a low growl he punched it into the ground, shattering it as his fist buried into the dirt. Almost immediately dark green light began to shine through. Cracks began to form toward the outer reaches of the training area, creating a large but jagged shape. With a slight shake and a groan the earth beneath the two began to shift slowly into the sky. Forming an island above ground.

To say the ape was surprised would be an understatement, the beast was positively flabbergasted to find itself on an island ten meters above the ground. Flying further still with every moment. Richard cracked a crystal of water dust between his forefinger and thumb, immediately a waterfall trickling out from his palm. With some focus he managed to materialize two into glimmering green-blue sickle blades. Then cracking some ice into the waterfall he turned it all to frozen chains, locked into the watery blades.

Gripping the chains and thrashing them in circular patterns sent cool watery projectiles through the air, flying out toward the school itself. Set not to harm, the blades certainly couldn't harm the school, but they would likely be heard from inside. Shouldn't really matter, there were no classes in session currently... he was pretty sure. Regardless, opening communications with the headmaster would be good. Could finally call her out for locking him up for a month for no real reason, then when that woman's corruption came to light not even apologizing for it.

Still, time had passed. He cared little about his period of enforced laziness.

He let loose too ranged slashes along the ground, flowers and grass blooming form where water met desolate land. Water and Earth dust being formed to make grass, it was only natural. Continuing his twirling spree until ice turned to lifeless water, the blades dispersing into the dirt.

He had created what looked to be an island paradise in the sky, flowers blooming on top and vines sprouting off it's edges. The plants spread across the land alike fire would across a dry grassy plane... alike fire would. He had one more element to practice before he reached that one.

Wind was the element Richard probably had the second least experience wielding, through plant dust water had come naturally but wind was a different beast altogether. Air was a step further into formlessness, forming a wind golem or beast seemed nigh impossible to rationalize. Impossible to configure. And so he would have to make other usage of it.

Taking two crystals of it in his hands, he dug his feet into the now rich soil beneath him. He smashed them together, cupping his hands tightly. The ape, quickly realizing what his master planned to do, dug it's hands deep into the ground and held on tight to the vines grounding from the ground. Opening his clasped hands a jet of air forced the island to move, no longer proceeding slowly upward but quickly toward the school's courtyard. He quickly moved the jets in an attempt to slow the island's momentum. He could probably get away with those passive aggressive water slaps, but crashing an island of this size into the school... that was probably going to be less okay.

As the island came to a halt, looming above the courtyard, he watched as other students looked on in a mixture of fear, confusion and disbelief. Richard continued to manipulate the air in his palms, manipulating air currents to force the island further up into the sky. The last of the air was used to pull clouds down bellow the floating obelisk, obscuring it's view from the people bellow. He didn't want them to see what came next, for that element was one he feared and would perhaps fail to manipulate.

He took a vial of fire dust in each hand, closing his eyes as he cracked the crystals.

Two unstable daggers were formed in Richard's hands, flaring and bursting out of control. Red hot sparks began to burn his cotton jumper. He couldn't keep this up for long. He slashed the right blade, it elongated into a short-sword of suspended magma. He slashed the left, it formed into a katana with a blade of the same material.Slender and long. He brought his hands together, a broadsword formed; releasing an unending stream of smoke from it's point. It flared and bubbled uncontrollably.

A swing straight upward sent forth a meteor of magma, arcing upward for a good twenty meters before coming straight down toward Richard. He raised the flaming sword. Upon contact the sword completely absorbed the raging orb, however it was unable to control itself as a result. Spewing forth flame after flame after flame, setting alight the flying island's calm plant-life. With a quick slash of what remained of the sword all the flames were recalled, the damage done was minimal. Large beads of sweat poured down Richard's forehead, sizzling on the sword.

F-Flames are capable of grave devastation, flames robbed most all I had from me. Flames scarred my sister and lost us our home... but not every flame is bad. There exists, at least one flame, which promotes life.

Now, rather than send forth a meteor from the sword, Richard threw the whole thing upward; bursting outward due to it's hyperbolic state. When the smoke dispersed a ball of fire hand overhead, matching the sun it hid. The once burned plants began to grow once more, life on the flying island flourished beneath the tiny star's gaze.

"Monkey, do come here."

The Ape was surprised. Never before had he seen his master so... concentrated. Making such an effort. Why didn't he try this hard more often? Why wasn't he like this more often? If he did train like this daily he'd be far more proficient than he already was, perhaps he would have even graduated had he put his mind to it. But ultimately, as the beast bound forward, the chimp learned such was just not in the cards.

"I need to use you as a pillow... I'm really, really tired," Richard pushed down on his head in an attempt to lower the fuzzy ape toward the ground.

The monkey however saw opportunity in this. Reaching beneath Richard's scarf it drew fourth some dust of it's own, a green crystal and a blue crystal, before rushing toward the other side of the island. Richard met the grassy ground with a thud, growling as he rose with a face-full of moss. The boy's eyes widened as the monkey crushed the dust in it's palms, the left becoming enveloped in water while the right was coated in what looked to be a gauntlet made from stone.

With a cocky smirk the monkey threw forward the left fist, a small orb of water rushing toward Richard and ultimately splashing his face. With a low snarl he drew forth matching dust crystals, the last of what he had retrieved from the training area save for a last vial of wind. Richard formed the earth into a long staff first, then crushed the water in his left to coat it just as the monkey had.

The two stood on an island in the sky, a blazing fake sun overhead and new plant life bellow. Ready to go to blows. The chimp split into three and rushed forward.

Richard groaned, manipulating the water in his right hand to form a powerful stream which he slashed from right to left. Ultimately however the apes jumped his ranged assault, managing to surround him in their triangular formation. Just as Richard was about to bet upon them with his formed pole however the trio began to run in a circle, surrounding him on all sides. Water ball after water ball after water ball flew fourth, each one making its mark on Richard as he struggled to decide which one was the true chimp.

With a growl he used his pole to vault himself up and into the air, landing atop it on one foot. The three chimps dove up after him, Richard crouched low and brought his fist up in an attempt to smack through all three and thus certainly hit the legitimate ape… only for said ape to end up standing atop Richard’s own fist. The main monkey had delayed his jump behind the first two by just long enough to alter his assault and counter.

With a growl Richard tried to grab onto his shoe and throw him down only for another jet of water to strike the faunus boy’s face, knocking him from the stick’s top altogether. He landed where his master had once stood, giggling cockily.  With a growl Richard grabbed the stick and swung it, only for the ape to continue clinging onto the earth branch.

Richard sighed, “This is your first time using dust, you have no reason to be cocky.”

He placed his second hand on the staff, sending all of his water dust into it. Suddenly a large thorn sprouted from the end, cutting into the chimp’s feet. As the Ape dove out of fear more spikes began to coat the earth staff, running along the entirety of the shaft save for the center. Richard snapped it in two at that point, granting himself duel clubs.

The chimp used water dust once more, tossing forward two pale green sickles. Richard however managed to catch both with his batons, the water being absorbed and even more spikes forming along the club. The beast moved his left arm forward twice more, hoping to send out bolts of water, only to find he was clean out. By the time he realised Richard was already upon him, a smack from the left club and an uppercut from the right was all it took. The monkey fell on its backside, both its chin and left cheek bright red but not bleeding.

“Three out of ten,” Richard glared down at his pet, “Not even close to a pass.”

The ape whimpered, lowering its head.

“But you didn’t even revise, so I guess it will suffice,” Richard dropped his maces, them turning to green brown sludge as they hit the ground.

The ape leapt upon him with a screech, pinning the short man in a heavy hug.

“Oi oi, that’s enough…”

With a snuggle and a lick the beast got off the faunus, Richard sighed. He drew the last crystal of dust he had on his person and went to the island’s edge, crushing the dust and using it to fly the island back to where it belonged.

“I’m not getting up till midday tomorrow, don’t try to stop me.”