You thought it was the death of another fic, but it was actually I, a new chapter!
The Tenno schools have always been divided in their teachings- split in how to eliminate their enemies with the highest efficiency. Each have their philosophies, a code underneath their honor. It was an inevitable consequence upon their birth as an order. But even so, they continue to operate under their teachings, their way, their Focus.
Passing down these teachings weren't what many of their kind did, as they had free reign to choose and increase their affinity among multiple schools. A method that is rarely seen due to the spike in training and meditation. It's been seen and done, many becoming powerful individuals that reaped the battlefield with their presence.
But, it is rare. Most choose to follow a single path and hone themselves, improving to become a lethal blade sharp enough to cut through swaths in an army. Like its teachings, this was underneath their standard practice. Reconnaissance, assassinations, and information gathering were the first and foremost when entering unknown territory. However, how they go about it in order to acquire them is up to their judgement.
In the case of the stranded warrior, it would always strive to eliminate those that stand in the way. It was a storm that grew endlessly, a perpetual blizzard. The teaching of Engage the Enemy- The Madurai.
Layla cracked her sleep-fuzzed eyes, blinking at the sudden light as she tried to get her bearings and remember what had happened last night. The store's single working light bulb illuminated her spot, finding a body next to her. Realization came to her sleep-addled mind as she recalled her collapse after her guests left. She never made it to her bed and found comfort on the cold floor.
Grimacing at the body, she stood up, or at least attempted to before her injured left leg screamed at her for her mistake. She hissed in pain and glared at the injuries, finding the gauze unwrapped in both abdomen and leg. It swelled purple from the ankle, throbbing like a second heart. Scarred skin colored pink, exposing the dermis in a rough circle. Her abdomen fared no better; the skin was burnt off and stung even when she barely moved.
Despite that, she stood up. The pain increased from her rebellious movement, but she ignored it. The last thing she wanted was her mom seeing this scene after what happened the night before, plus, the fact that she needs to tell her about Professor Ozpin's proposal to enter Beacon. The young Faunus had enough on her plate, so the injuries were put in the back burner.
However, she had company. Layla's ears were almost worthless to the movement of her companion, barely hearing it approach from any direction. The one thing she knew well was the frigid winds that followed it. A sort of calling card that the warrior approached, even if she was blind to where.
"D-did you finish reconnaissance?"
A curt nod.
"Then, do you mind helping me get rid of these bodies? I don't want my mom to see them when she wakes up." She asked, averting her eyes downwards. Layla rarely asked for anything from it, hoping to never overstep her boundaries with petty excuses and assistances, but after last night, perhaps it would show leniency.
There was no verbal answer, only a short analysis of her state of well being.
Sprained ankle. Swelling and Second Degree Burn.
Abdomen. Second Degree Burn.
Various lacerations on arms and shoulder blades.
Natural recovery time: Four weeks.
Calculating… Accelerated Recovery: Two weeks.
Void Treatment: Seven days… Target lacks the requirements for treatment.
The calculations were considered, searched through the internet for optimum recovery conditions, and ran through various scenarios. At best, it required two weeks for the Faunus to recover from her injuries without Void interference. Modification of this planet's technology would be a simple task if not for the lack of a Foundry. Simple reverse engineering would allow improvements of weaponry and medical equipment, repurposing them to increase their mortality rate and healing, respectively.
"Rest." The warframe spoke after a long silence.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Your injuries. They will need time to heal."
"I'm fine. These are-"
The sentence was cut short as she tripped on her injured ankle and falling on the floor, the pain taking her by surprise.
"They will hinder you."
"But the bodies…"
"Disposal is… trivial." It unsheathed the golden scythe. Unblemished with even a single drop of blood, it was a beautiful sight that briefly enraptured her with its glow. The scythe sang through the air with an azure trail, before it separated the head from the body with little resistance. A swift cut that kept the ivory-white blade clean from the filthy red stain. The first time was with the Beowolves, disintegrating into nothing. She chalked that up to the fact that Grimm had always done so after death. Now, the same orange ash that devoured the wolves gleefully destroyed the corpse, until not even a bloodstain was left.
"Right, I'll… I'll go ahead and check on my mom. You can, uh, wait here I guess." She was hesitant with its decision for her to rest, but didn't want to push the help any further. At least it looked out for her well being.
Once the girl limped her way up to see her mother, its scanner pulsed out, viewing everything in a fiery orange. Bullets were highlighted and the blood stains were marked. Everything was shown in order to be analyzed with extreme efficiency. Wounds continued to glow after the initial pulse for further inspection and scavenging before disintegration.
Moving outside revealed faint marks of ash, a byproduct of an explosion. Coupled with the remote access to Remnant's internet, the Warframe's systems went through various articles and research for information.
Propellant like gunpowder upon refinement, but usable at its raw state.
Multiple types with differing effects. Combinations similar to Tenno elemental modifications. Experimentation required.
Weapon blueprints cross referenced with Dust applications. Comparison to current weaponry…
Satisfactory.
Observation data proved that the flesh was among the most abundant in this world, followed by machinery. For weapons, its scythe was enough, but melee has its downfalls and the risks were present even in such a planet. Without the necessary conversion mods, sparse use of firearms would be exercised, at least until a suitable weapon is created from materials within this planet or a salvageable Foundry.
With the presence of a Void Key, similar artifacts could be scattered, even its own kin. However, the same could be said that the warrior was truly alone. An exception, separated from its brethren in a backwater planet due to the disruption that was caused by the key.
It would not make a difference. They were bred to be peerless warriors capable of slaughtering armies. Agents capable of surviving long periods of time in enemy territories. Even in isolation, it was a formidable and deadly force of nature.
As such, it would need to recover a substantial amount of firepower in order to deal with the hazards of this world.
Materials within range. City map updated.
Various weaponsmiths marked.
Forging techniques downloaded.
Files organized. Weapons folder created
Twenty-three weapons available.
A good amount for diversity, but for the sake of data, the list was narrowed to suit its preference.
Weapons updated.
Three hybrid weapons available.
Perfect.
Her mother looked peaceful in her sleep, even after last night's events. She honestly thought that the older woman would have some nightmares, even a bit of tossing and turning; yet, she slept like a log.
Nevertheless, it made her worries lessen. It was only a matter of introducing the topic of entering Beacon that made her nervous. Her mother had always been against violence, always telling her to just calm down and walk away from a fight, even when she knew how to beat them up. It's what made her the way she was.
But even then, she was always curious about fighting, about the experience of combat. The White Fang had given her the option of doing so with a good cause, at least until the Tenno came and changed her motivations. Even now, she continued to wonder what she could learn from it. The techniques that eliminated the Grimm and the outpost, even the way it glided across the landscape without a sound.
It was an itch that she had ignored for a long time, but scratching it now after all these years strangely… satisfying.
For now though, she was content with taking care of the goons Torchwick came with.
Closing the door, she made her way back down to the store just as the last body was taken care of. Looking to the counter, she found a pile of clothes neatly folded with a few dozen pistol magazines looted from the bodies.
"This is…?" She gave a questioning look at the pile.
"The spoils you have earned from their defeat."
"Right, but I don't think I need the suit." She unfolded the suit, giving a quick sniff. "Well, it doesn't smell like blood and death. I guess I can- hold on a second."
She placed it near her chest before glaring at the Tenno. "How did you know it's my size?"
"By scanning your proportions and doing a rough comparison to those you've killed. As I've researched, it seems that you have a very simplified way of measurement for clothing. Your three sizes, as it says on the internet, are-"
"Wait, wait, wait! I know what they are! No need to say them outloud." Her frantic arm waving at least stopped it from talking. "Just, uh, don't do that again please? That's kind of… um private?"
It tilted its head. "I do not see how it would be private. Knowing the enemy includes the proportions of their body. In doing so, you would be-"
"No, no I get what you mean. It helps with melee and all that. Just take my word for it okay? Don't look those up."
"It's minimalistic and doesn't take into account multiple factors for battle. A waste for myself, but worth understanding in order to better equip allies."
'I don't think you need those measurements for that sort of thing!' The retort almost came out of her mind, but was reeled in quickly.
"Anyway, thanks for thinking about me. I appreciate you helping me out with this." She grabbed the rest of the items and went back upstairs, eager for a much deserved shower.
"Tell me Professor, why do we have to bring in a random girl from the industrial sector to Beacon?" Glynda sternly asked the Headmaster. "Looking through this… Layla Brimstark, she's been raised as a civilian her whole life. No training, no attendance to any combat school. Are you sure about this?"
"She's shown a potential for fighting, if the bodies were any indication of her abilities. Plus the reports given by Team RWBY of her combat capability have been considered as well." He replied evenly. "Truthfully, I wouldn't have found them without other hunters stationed near the area."
"Them? There's more than one?"
Ozpin handed her a scroll, showing the aforementioned girl surrounded by thugs before they subsequently incapacitated or killed.
" This was recorded several days prior. She has a partner. Someone who's just as capable of doing the things she's done, maybe even better. You see, that particular area of Vale consists of high buildings and narrow alleys, not many places for anyone can hide without being spotted. Whoever it was, they were placed quite the distance if the various cameras couldn't find them."
"So you let children track her down?"
"No. They were simply a way to let her guard down. Other hunters provided the tracking, while Team RWBY was there to calm her down. Better people her age to step in rather than people the same age she just killed."
"Did you at least tell them who they were going to meet?"
"I merely told them that she may be unstable."
The woman shook her head in exasperation. Sometimes, she never understood what Ozpin was thinking.
"Weiss, I think you should calm down." Ruby pleaded with the snow princess as she paced through their room in an angry spiel.
"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?! Someone just attacked Schnee Tower, which my father had equipped with some of the best guards and security from Atlas! I can't exactly calm down after someone managed to destroy half of it!" Weiss snapped back. "I bet it was the White Fang."
"Have they shown anything else besides what people have seen? I know that people inside the building reported that there was gunfire basement level, but above ground was untouched." Blake commented. "It's not like for the White Fang to just leave alone a bunch of human civilians if they had that kind of firepower."
Weiss growled. "It doesn't change the fact they attacked. Whatever they wanted in the Tower, it wasn't the civilians."
"Hey, let's just wait until they release more information. The important thing was that no one else got hurt right?" Yang mentioned.
"I doubt it. If it was the White Fang, they'd leave no survivors, especially since they were up against one of the best military soldiers and equipment in Remnant."
"Weiss, I get that you're angry about this, but you gotta calm down though. I'm sure the police and even hunters are trying to figure this out right now." Ruby piped up again.
Weiss glared daggers at her team leader, but sighed in defeat. "Right. They'll figure it out, somehow. It's just that being constantly a target by the Fang tends to get on your nerves. Sorry if I overreacted."
"Don't sweat it Weiss. If anything tries to come after you, you can count on us." Ruby puffed up her chest with pride.
"Haha, right. Thanks."
"Now that that's out of the way, what did you guys think about that girl Layla?" Yang asked, changing the subject to something less pressing. "I mean, we could be getting a new classmate soon you know?"
"She seems nice, and kinda scary actually."
"What do you mean sis?"
"I mean, she had a White Fang pistol and the bodies there weren't knocked out at all. I get that Professor Ozpin said that she's kinda unstable, but I didn't think she'd be willing to kill those people."
"It isn't rare for people to do that in self-defense Ruby. They had a gun on her mom's head. Torchwick was there too and he's already someone who kills people all the time. I mean, if I was in her shoes, I'd definitely be shaking after what happened." The black-haired Faunus mentioned. "I'd have to agree with Ruby though. Those were definitely meant to kill people."
"Do you think it's a good idea for the professor to enroll someone like that here?"
"Who knows, you somehow got in Ruby." Weiss playfully jabbed.
"H-hey, that's just… ugh, I hate it when she's right."
"Well, I think she's pretty cool. Y'know when you get pass the whole thing. She was just trying to protect her mom and store. Pretty sure I'd 'kinda' do the same if someone did that to any of us."
The heiress and redhead gave a synchronized nod of agreement, with Blake trailing them as she gazed out towards Vale.
'I'll have to visit Layla again, just to make sure.' Blake thought to herself, the rest of her team mates' conversations muffled in her ears.
Mrs. Brimstark watched the recording again of the night before, glancing back to her daughter every so often. It was no surprise that Mr. Ozpin would try to recruit Layla to Beacon.
Still, for the month her daughter had been gone, she didn't think she'd change so quickly. As a mother, she was mortified at her actions, but at the same time proud for her commitment to protect her.
"Mom, I really think we should go to Beacon. They can keep us safe from those guys better than I can. Plus, I can keep going with my education like you always wanted me to."
"Layla, you'll be learning to fight monsters. That's completely different from this."
"But they tried to hurt you. Same with the Grimm. I can learn to fight them, so I can keep you safe."
"But you won't be."
'Actually… I have a friend.' Layla replied back in her head. "That's why I'm gonna learn how to fight, so I can protect both of us."
"Layla, you know what I think about violence-"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can just sit around and make you suffer for it!" The younger Brimstark snapped back.
"Layla!"
"Mom, I just want you to be safe. Even if it means I have to go against what you think again, then I'll do it. I don't want something like this to happen again, not after what happened to Dad."
"... I won't be able to stop you from thinking like that am I?" A wry smile formed on her face.
"No. I'm sticking with my decision. Just like Dad."
"Both of you were always very headstrong." She sighed and turned off the recording. "Very well. I'll agree to you enrolling to Beacon. Tomorrow's Monday so we should start packing up immediately."
She beamed at the approval. "Thanks Mom. I won't let you down."
"I know honey. You never do."
With high spirits, she went to the door to begin packing her things for tomorrow when her mother spoke up again.
"That reminds though, shouldn't you get your own custom weapon?"
"Yeah, but making one is expensive isn't it?"
"Well yes, but considering our little store won't be used for a while, I think we can put the money we have to good use."
"Y-you mean I can have my own weapon?!"
"Honestly, I thought girls your age enjoy boys and clothing."
"I do. It's just that I've never owned something like a weapon before so-"
"Yes, yes. We have enough to get you one, so go ahead and find a smith to make you one, or however that wor-"
She never did finish when she saw the door wide open with the sound of excited footsteps echoing from the hall.
"What am I going to do about that girl?"
That recent update to get rid of Void Keys in place of relics really threw me in a loop, but work what you have right?