Disclaimer – I claim no ownership to the characters used in this fan work. The characters rightfully belong to their creators such as Monty Oum and their other respective owners at Roosterteeth.
Professor Torchwick
Chapter 1: Introductions
It was a typical day at Beacon. The students were each taking their descending seats in one of the school's many spacious lecture halls. A clock just inside and above the doorway ticked away as the trainees precious seconds of remaining freedom drew slimmer by the moment.
In one of the back rows, Velvet, the rabbit fanus, was currently being bullied by some of the other students. Her ears mockingly being tugged on both ends by the students on the opposing sides of her seat. With no one assisting her, she simply put up with it as well as their detestably harmless teasing.
While it wasn't uncommon for chatter before the start of a class, today was different. A rumor had been circulating of a new member being added to the teacher's staff. Momentarily, the truthfulness of this rumor was about to be proven in the upcoming minutes.
Team RWBY sat where they usually found out themselves, in the front row. This wasn't particularly because all of them valued the quality of their lectures, but those that did not, would never complain to sitting down right away to goof off with their friends. Chatting amongst themselves, the teens were exchanging lighthearted conversation.
While each of them could be categorized as jovial or cheerful in their own ways, one of them in particular seemed to glow with a pleasant smile. The long ebony haired girl would occasionally glance over at her friends and teammates as she read a small palm sized novel.
Just finishing a less than ladylike snicker, the team's well endowed blond shifted her head beside her and toward her partner. Her left arm lazily holding her head upright, Yang casually bumped Blake's side with her right elbow to gain her attention away from her reading material. "What's with you today? You've been beaming all morning." The blond asked, wearing a pleasant smile of her own.
Blake's lips remained in their apparent cemented upward curve. "I'm sure it isn't that hard to figure out." She practically teased turning the page of book.
Staring quizzically, Yang blinked to herself. Leaning forward, Ruby's head poked out passed Weiss upon overhearing parts of her teammate's conversation. "You didn't hear, Yang?" The youngest of their group brought up, causing her sister to tilt back to face her. "Torchwick was arrested again a few days ago. It was all over the news."
Laughing to herself at this information, the blond turned back to her partner. "Really? That's what has our grumpy Blake all smiles?"
The white haired teen of their group kept up a studious posture despite classes not even starting yet. Turning her head slowly, she too looked over toward the other two, this new topic quickly becoming the main subject of their chatter. "Honestly, are you illiterate too? It wasn't just the news, I'll have you know. That man's deplorable face and mugshot was plastered all over at least three different newspapers in Vale alone." The shortest stated in a mostly scolding tone.
With a quiet giggle, Blake continued with her reading. The mere mention of the man's recent incarceration apparently able to brighten her spirits even further. "Yes well, say what you like, I just feel a lot better knowing scum like him is back behind bars where he belongs." The teen commented without a hint of remorse in her voice.
The second hand completing it's current full rotation around the face of the clock, a piercing bell rung and chimed throughout the halls. The surrounding student conversations quieted down into hushed whispers despite the continued lack of a teacher.
Covering her mouth, the team leader had a hard time containing an escaping snicker. Looking over to her partner Ruby smiled. "I bet Weiss will really chew our new teacher out for being late." The petite girl laughed visualizing the concept in her head. Her sister having a similar reaction.
Sticking her nose up, Weiss kept up her proper appearance. "Of course I wouldn't. That would be disrespectful." The heiress replied. After a few moments, she clasped her hands together and glanced away. "...even if they deserve it." She commented to herself just loud enough for the others to hear. This causing the two sisters to crack up once more.
Amidst the class, a single pair of footsteps echoed in the hall outside. As more picked up on the sounds of dress shoes against tile, the classroom chatter weakened. Hushing one another, the footsteps stopped outside the door. The owner most likely checking the room number for verification. When the individual finally stepped inside the room, he was instantly greeted with an uproar as he strolled over to the desk in the front of the room near the wall.
Blake was fine tuning out her talkative classmates until she was once again bumped in the side by her partner. "Um... Blake. You might wanna bookmark that page for later." The blond remarked, a small amount of urgency to her voice.
Looking up from her story, the black haired student understood the clamor that had become of her class. Her mouth was cocked open and agape. Without realizing it, she had dropped her small book onto the desk in front of her as her eyes became glued to the man currently sitting on the front of the teacher's desk.
The man and source of the recent commotion wore his trademark white coat. Atop his bright orange hair rested a black bowler cap. His long bangs covering the right side of his face. Black eyeliner under his left eye. His purely aesthetic walking cane and dangerous weapon resting on his partially bent elbow as his hands rested behind on the desk.
The criminal wore a look that seemed to be a mix of boredom and disdain, this resulting in a displeased scowl. Taking a deep sigh, he reached into his interior coat pocket and pulled out cigar. Biting onto the end to hold it in his mouth, the thief now reached into his black dress pants to pull out a steel silver lighter. As he lit his cigar, he took a look around the room.
Inhaling, the until recently believed to be detained crook held the cigar in his left hand then blew out a large puff of smoke. "Only got a few of these left, better make 'em count." He spoke under his breath, clearly noting to himself than to the others in the lecture hall.
Clapping his hands together briefly, the man grabbed the cigar from his mouth in his left hand. "Okay." The gentlemanly criminal announced lazily. "How about we address the well-dressed elephant in the room, shall we?" The man began, clearly setting the tone that he would be setting the pace of the class and not the other way around. "Now I'm sure some, if not most of you recognize who I am." Taking a moment, he tapped the side of his cigar and littered ashes on the floor. "...but for convenience and introductions sake, I am Roman Torchwick."
After his announcement, Roman started walking around the side of the desk he had previously been leaning on. Picking up a piece of chalk, he wrote out his name in large cursive that was as elegant as it was flamboyant and obtrusive, taking up half the board. Realizing he had gathered some chalk residue on his black glove, the criminal wiped it on the wall beside the board before rubbing his fingers to get the rest off.
"For the record..." Roman began once more, ignoring the loud class as well as their occasional outbursts aimed toward him. "...Yes. I am a convicted felon. Even if it was the getaway driver's fault." He muttered bitterly under his breath at the end. "And so, due to circumstances of which I am not legally allowed to disclose, nor do I fully understand even myself, I'll admit, I will be acting as a stand in member of your school's teaching staff." His face derived of anything short of appalled indignation.
Walking behind his desk, the criminal grabbed hold of the chair and pulled it out in front. Directing the furniture toward the students, he lifted his left leg up. Leaning on it, he faced the students. "Now, I know what you're thinking. Working off one's sentence as community service, that almost sounds humane. Well don't worry, the boys in blue thought of that." Lifting up his pant leg slightly, revealed an ankle bracelet which held a beeping red light on the side of it as well as a miniature device which was partially covered up by plastic and small lock. "This little annoying thing is hard locked and programmed to let out a buzzer as loud a siren should I leave the school grounds or take so much as one step inside the school dorms, where it will go off. I was also informed that it would notify my captors, and deliver upon me a, how did they put it? Ah yes, a low to moderate resistance of electrical incentive, for me to correct my mistake." Roman clearly loathed his circumstances, and he gave no effort to hide this.
At the mention of his captors, he motioned with his head toward the door. There by the door frame, stationed both outside and in the room were a pair of armed police officers. Both of which were glaring at Torchwick as they gave him their full and undivided focus.
Putting his foot back down, Roman strolled around the chair then plopped himself down into it. Leaning back, he began tilting back and forth, giving his students as little attention as he needed to. Every now and then, he would glance up at the upper corner of the room. When some of the children did the same, they soon realized a surveillance camera had been installed and was even going as far as tracking the convict's every move.
Sitting upright, the thief now occupied his time by twirling his cane in his hands. No doubt deactivated or he would have done something more drastic to escape his situation by now. Tossing it into the air lightly, he caught it easily then placed the bottom back on the ground in front of him. Leaning ahead, he placed his arms on the head of the cane then rested his head atop it afterword. Gazing at the finally silent class, the man bellowed a deep and agitated sigh which was more akin to a groan. "Any questions?"
Immediately after his final announcement, half the student body in the lecture hall raised their arms high into the air. In the front row, even Blake partook in this gesture, a disgusted scowl now fitted to her face.
Silently, Roman scanned the sea of hands in the ascending seats. Nodding to himself he stood back up. "Good." He responded, quickly turning away and ignoring them as he walked once again toward the chalkboard. "Let's get this show on the road." He declared without a hint of motivation in his tone.
Author's Notes:
This was just a fun idea that's been in my head for a while, even back when season one was only partially complete. Now that season two has began and Cinder and co. have appeared in the school, short one suave criminal, I knew this couldn't be passed up.
I'm gonna give you all full disclosure. I only have 3-4 chapters for this story. So I figured this could be a fun social/community event. Feel free to write short one chapter plot ideas in your reviews and if I like them enough, I'll make it one of the chapters, and credit you in the end of course!
This all of course rides on how popular this becomes. If I get no submissions/reviews, expect this to be a short 4-5 chapter story in completion. Only time will tell I suppose. This also goes in the reverse mind you, should I get swamped submissions, please allow me to submit at least three of my own chapters before I really start implementing other peoples.
AU details/rules:
- The time-line places this story directly in between Volumes I & II.
- No ships, this story will try to revolve around Roman and the students as they try to grow accustomed to this bizarre set of circumstances.
- Things will try to be lighthearted or played for laughs, but could easily become dark/drama heavy as Roman is a criminal and fairly if not openly racist.
- Submissions may be part of your reviews or in a PM if you prefer.
[CLOSED] - as of Sep. 10, 2014.