So, time for another chapter. As a Guest reviewed as a joke, did stop the daily updates, but, had work so eh lol.
Anywho, back to Beacon and our stranded Techmarine.
Well, we here go...
"Nora, you can't make Magnhild shoot .75 calibre bullets."
"Awww but Renny..."
Santus shook his head as an amused chuckle escaped him at the two neophyte's interactions.
He glanced back down at his bolt pistol, one he had made personally and had been altering to suit his preferences ever since he left the sacred world of Mars. The master-crafted weapon was currently disassembled before him atop one of the workbenches within his new...domain. Besides him, the peculiarly energertic young woman continued to pout at her close companion, a young man in green with a peaceful demenour that reminded him of Chaplain Atarius, who held a aura of calm and warmth around him only to be replaced with a fevour and inspiring rage only seen in conflict.
Perhaps this young man was much the same way.
He had been administering to his sidearm's holy machine spirit, offering it the appropriate rites of maintainence as well as supplication for the delay and constant use for the last few days, when the other 'team' that he had first encountered on this world had decided to visit him. The Lamenter suspected the two teams were close and had planned to visit him one after the other, for it was merely the second day since he had been stranded on this world.
Thankfully, he had already seen to the pistol's rites and was merely in the process of reassembly when they had been permitted entry by the machine spirit within the door, and therefore he was not required to ignore the trainees of his hosts to finish his duty. The four had seemed as surprised as their friends at his nessecary altercations to the forge's facilities. Judging by the state the soon to be holy forge had been in before, he could confidently predict they were rather used to the simplistic layout and such change so quickly was amazing.
Well, probably more shock, but young Ruby Rose had seemed rather interested in what he was doing, so he had at least someone that could understand the mindset of the Cult Mechanicus.
Though they had sought him out, they had seemed not nearly as confrontational as the others, and had stood awkwardly behind him while he continued to work.
At least until the one called Nora decided to ask what his bolt pistol shot. He had explained, if not in great detail, the .75 calibre projectiles and how they operated. The girl had seemed curiously focused, before turning to the one she called Ren and declaring she was modifying her 'weapon' to shoot such a lethal round.
Ignorant of the fact she lacked both the knowledge and materials to do such, and he was surely not going to lend a stranger his limited supply of bolt rounds without due course.
It seemed this Nora's actions, however, had broken the ice, as he had once heard some ice world guardsmen joke during a conflict. Santus heard as the other three started walking up him as he turn to face them more politely.
"Nora, you realise he is the only one with the right ammo for that, and you aren't asking him for any." The one called Ren continued, making the energtic ginger pout and hunch in realisation, before smiling and turning to face him with a speed that surprised even an Astartes of his age and experience.
"So! Why do you need massive exploding rockets? What kind of things have you killed?" Nora asked without pausing, her intrigue visibly burning in her eyes. In truth, it made him lean back slightly. Whatever psyker magic they had might have made such a thing come true for all he knew.
The blonde hair man, Jaune Arc, Santus remembered, sighed and seemed to realise the Techmarine's unease as he walked up behind the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder before pulling her back slightly. The ginger looked back at Jaune Arc, before looking back at Santus and giving him an admittedly embarassed smile.
He nodded with a small smile of his own.
In truth, he was sure he would find such a nature refreshing and amusing if not for his uncertainty regarding these humans and their 'auras'.
"I'm sorry, I promise, Nora is great but she can be a bit much and direct." Jaune explained with a nervously polite smile. Santus merely waved his hand casually, much to the young man's relief.
"It is no cause for conflict. I actually find her open attitude refreshing." He admitted honestly, making all four of them look up at him in yet more surprise. If he wasn't used to it by simple nature of being an Astartes, he might have found it frustratingly tedious, much like the Archmagos had when teaching him.
"As to your question, Nora, I have killed many vile and terrible foes with this holy weapon, and the projectiles it was designed for were made to slaughter and purge many more with." He answered with a smile as the young girl's eyes widened, much to the consternation of her three allies. The final unnamed girl, with shockingly bright red hair and seemed far more nervous then the other three but held a curious amount of steel in her posture, walked up to him and looked up at him with eyes that seemed to have some question she desired answered before all others.
"I-It's Techmarine, correct?" The girl asked, a slight stutter in her voice quickly hidden behind focus. "I wanted to ask, but...you are some kind of warrior, right?" Santus nodded in confirmation. He was a warrior in service of the protection of humanity. This was the core of his being. The girl seemed to pause, as if concerned she may offend him.
The girls of Ruby's team had been very similar, particularly the blonde Yang and the girl that seemed to behave like a Plantary Govener's daughter, Weiss. They had sounded very similar when asking him questions the previous evening. Though in truth, most questions seemed directed at what he was doing rather then anything about him. He had been more at ease working and exchanging questions and answers in search of doing sacred work to the curiously designed and powered forge.
In fact, that dust substance was very intriguing, but also highly frustrating.
His retrospection was cut as the redhead gathered her courage and looked him directly within his cybernetic eyes.
"Why do you fight? Why did you decide to take up your weapons and armour to fight others?" She asked in voice devoid of any stuttering, but laced with fear he could taste in the air. Even her team were staring at her with gaping expressions. Perhaps this one was not one to act out?
But why did he fight? That was the question burning within her soul when she looked at him? He had been lead to believe these 'hunters' fought to protect others, but was this girl here for other purposes? The thought set a warning in his mind to keep such things in mind for such a strange, unknown place, even as he looked directly back at the now uncertain girl, who shifted under his silence and gaze.
Before he turned to her fully, making the girl flinch as he took a step towards her and lowering to one knee so that their eyes could meet at the same level.
"Tell me, girl, what is your name?" Santus asked quietly. The girl flinched again, but was resolved to meet his own eyes once more.
"Pyrrha Nikos." She answered.
"Pyrrha Nikos." Santus said, as if tasting the sound of it as the girl's own stare began to waver. At this, he just smiled comfortingly at her. "I became an Astartes to defend humanity at the cost of my own chance for a normal life." He explained, the girl Pyrrha Nikos' expression turning into one that spoke of both surprise yet concentration, as if he was passing on great wisdom. "When I take up these weapons, it is never with the intention to murder or maim the innocent billions that reside within the universe, but to defend and protect them from all that would seek to harm them. Both as my duty as an Astartes, and as a Lamenter."
His powerful vow seemed to take the breath and edge out of the girl, though some of the latter did remain, he could tell. Pyrrha Nikos nodded before stepping back. A comfortable silence fell between the two as Pyrrha nodded with a relieved smile. She was wise to suspect a visitor from beyond the stars, if a little too quick to trust. Then again, he was human which was a very powerful factor in the equation.
Beside him, Nora let out a loud relieved sigh.
"Weeeeeelll that is relieving." The ginger simply said with an easy smile. "I was terrified we were about to get turned into piles of meat." Jaune and Ren looked at the girl with equally confused looks at her morbid words and smile.
"Well, I assume you four wished to visit me, much like Ruby Rose and her own team." Santus stated, earning quick nods from the teens as he turned around and began reassembling the bolt pistol. "I see. I take you have questions you would like to ask, other than just that one." He added with a light chuckle, hoping the teens would not assume he was annoyed.
"Yeah, I'll be honest that was the plan." Jaune Arc admitted as he walked up next to the Astartes as he worked, mechanical fingers swiftly and deftly moving parts and applying the correct ointments and oils. "How many times have you had to do this?" The young man asked in amazement as he watched Santus work.
The Marine smiled in remenescene. Of his training requirements by the Archmagos to be quick, effective and efficient with everything he did.
"It was expected of me by my teachers within the Cult Mechanicus, and in the many decades since then I have only practised and performed these rites more and more, to get better and better." He explained, earning some intrigued looks, especially from the dark haired man. Both he and the redhead went to speak, then paused in embarassment before repeating the act once more, once to the amusement of Jaune Arc and the ginger.
"Perhaps, before we continue with questions, may I learn your names properly?" Santus pointedly asked the ginger and dark haired man. The two nodded in understanding.
"Hi! I'm Nora Valkyrie, slayer of Grimm, eater of Pancakes and destroyer of Legs!" Nora Valkyrie formally introduced herself, much to the embarrassment of her teammates while Santus smirked in amusement.
"I see, a most crippling blow." He said approvingly, making Nora smugly cross her arms as she looked victoriously at her team for some reason.
Meanwhile, Jaune knew they were never going to hear the end of how the yellow giant that eats Ursa Major for breakfast said it was good to break legs.
The man then bowed politely. "Lie Ren. Though I am called Ren in most conversation." The most logical deduction was a cultural difference, and Santus nodded in understanding.
"Well met, Ren." He offered with polite incline of his head as he finished reassembling his bolt pistol, testing it's fire control group before resting it reverently on the table. "I'm sure you all have a lot you wish to ask."
The teenagers around him nodded as he turned to face them all more directly.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions about Remnant if you are stuck here now." Ren guessed accurately enough, Santus did have questions these teens could answer. In fact, they would be better sources of initial information given their age and behaviour, it would unlikely they were privy to any secret information, and this would give him a basis to work with.
The Techmarine nodded.
"Perhaps we can do something of a game?" Jaune Arc offered, raising a finger to a point, "We ask you a question, you ask one from us?"
The suggestion had merit, and should provide both a sufficently efficient source of information as well as hopefully inspire some young mortal souls to be the best humanity can be.
"I approve of this 'game' of yours, Jaune Arc." Santus agreed with an easy smile that seemed to make the four teens take varying degrees of surprise, before, expectantly, Nora Valkyrie was the first to eagerly raise a hand as if in a class.
"What's the biggest thing you've ever broken the legs of?!" She asked in a tone that was both polite yet demanding, much to Santus' continued amusement.
"Hmm..." Santus hummed spectulatively, as if he couldn't instantly recall the answer, to instill a bit of suspense for the eager ginger, "It would have to have been a Carnifex, a massive xeno monster the size of about half of one of these academy wings genetically modified to be a hulking biological mass with giant crushing claws the size of multiple men." He started to explain, drawing in all four of the teens eagerly.
"It was on the Forge World of Mithras XI, a Tyranid splinter fleet was en-route to the system, however I found myself on the planet for other reasons." Santus raised his forearm, displaying the Inquisitorial Rosette of Inquisitor Forthax. "I was serving a watch with the Deathwatch, a specialised force of Astartes that hunted down the numerous Xeno threats to the Imperium, as well as serve Inquisitors of the Ordo Xenos, who required the most capable warriors to conduct their missions." Santus explained, before lowering the symbol. "I was serving an Inquisitor by the name of Forthax, who in truth had been investigating different work, but we were found in command of the forces on the world." He smiled in thought as he remembered those times with a curious feeling of satisfaction as he continued, "The Inquisitor put myself in charge of the Mechanicus forces on the world, as the most experienced combatant that was also a member of the Cult Mechanicus."
He looked over at the enraptured Nora Valkyrie, who was hanging on his every word.
"When the Tyranids invaded and their forces landed, we had successfully managed to beat them back initially. However, a Carnifex managed to break through the defensive lines when a section of Skitarii were hit by misfired rocket, and was making for my position clearly standing out amongst more normally sized humans." Santus commented with an tap on his chestplate, making the teens chuckle humerously, "Naturally, I did not remain still and moved to meet the monstrousity personally, Omnissian Axe in hand and chapter warcry on my lips. The beast tried to skewer me, I dodge to side and managed to parry a blow from it's claw. Then, it tried to crush me under sheer weight alone." He paused, the young mortals eagerly waiting to hear how he survived.
In truth, it was more bad luck then anything.
"Naturally, I moved to get out the way, however I found myself quickly knocked over when a nearby vehicle attempted to ram the Carnifex, exploding as the biological creature cleaved through holy plate and murdered the vehicle." He said with a sad frown as he continued, "The shockwave knocked me to my knees, and I found myself directly under the Carnifex's enourmous leg. Desperately, I swung my Axe right as the leg began descending." At this point, he shrugged. "In truth I believed I was doomed, however it seemed the Emperor and Omnissiah were with me that day, for the impact managed to break the leg, barely driving it away from crushing myself." Nora gasped audibly in amazement, while Jaune Arc seemed to be staring at the Astartes with a face that seemed impressed and driven. A curious combination, yet it was the other two members that caught his glance's attention. Pyrrha Nikos seemed both engaged, but also rather concerned. A valid concern, given the Tyranid threat. Lie Ren on the other hand was resting a hand on his chin, his eyes paying close attention to Santus as he spoke.
A suspecious mind was a healthy mind, it was said in the Imperium.
"What happened then Techmarine?" Nora pushed with a wide grin, clearly excited by his story if not understanding the true threat he was facing at the time. Perhaps it was unfair of him, these humans had never had to deal with the issues of the wider Imperium clearly.
However, the Lementer shrugged as he looked back at the neophyte.
"With it's leg crippled, I managed to move before I could be struck, and threw a linkage of Krak Grenades into the beast's maw, destroying it from the inside." He answered before smiling, "And that is the biggest thing I've had the fortune of shattering the leg of."
The teens watched him with impressed nods.
"I take now, I may ask a question of my own?" Santus inquired, hoping the young ones hadn't forgotten the point of this. Thankfully, they all nodded quickly, their faces speaking of many questions they wanted to ask. "I wish to know, what is the nature of this, Aura, of yours?" He asked politely.
Jaune Arc's face became surprised, as if Santus desiring to know the most important factor he had to consider despite his reservations was shocking.
"Aura? You really don't know about Aura?" Pyrrha Nikos asked, her voice with a trace of confusion. Clearly Arc had spoken with his team about him before now. Understandable and logical for the blond man. Santus nodded as Pyrrha and Ren shared a glance before Ren stepped forward.
"Aura is the manifestation of the soul." The dark haired man began to explain, clearly the most knowledgable of the four. "All living creatures on Remnant are capable of generating one, and as the Grimm do not have souls, they can not." Curious, those "Grimm" did not have souls? Was this proven evidence or an assumption based on observation? His own analysis was inconclusive as to if they were some warpspawn or merely a peculilar psychic race.
Also, all living creatures?
"All living creatures?" Santus asked in confirmation. Ren nodded once.
"Scientists have activated the auras of many different animals, they did this at first to learn if only humans and faunus could, and now they still go out and find new animals to test." Ren elaborated as Santus nodded in understanding, even if he did not.
This was unlike any kind of psyker magic he had ever heard of before. The ability to turn someone into a psyker was not entirely undocumented though usually temporary and highly lethal or outright heretical. The fact this society existed throughout the average human life-span without the Warp causing issue, and that it could be passed to many members of the indigenious wildlife was outright unheard of to both the Lamenters and Mechanicus both. Despite his confusion, he controlled his face into a neutral expression as Ren continued.
"When unlocked, everyone has different amounts of Aura and natural control. While aura remains the same in amount, some have finer control over their aura then others, and that can also be trained through practise and other mediative methods." Much like Psykers, though this speak of control was the most confusing part. The boy spoke of it like it was a matter of efficiency in use, that this power was less effective without apt control.
Interesting, and highly concerning. Especially since he had absolutely no information on this kind of force by any pre-established metric.
"Aura has regenative properities and can heal minor wounds, although the standout points are protection and Semblences." Ren continued as he raised one hand as if holding something. "On one hand, Aura protects the wield from all physical harm so long as they have it active. While it is very possible to walk around with it active at all times, most do not and it can be broken when you run out of aura, which will take time to replenish. As well as protecting, so long as one has aura, it can also be used to enhance your physical abilities, however this relies on your level of control as well normal physical limits."
Then he raised the other hand. "On the other hand, having an active aura allows for a semblence to be discovered. A semblence is a unique power to the individual, and it is not a certain thing on how or why one attains a semblence." He took on a philosophical frown for a moment before continuing, "It is theorised that it can come during times where it's specific need is required, but as a whole the process is mostly unknown. Sometimes people never discover a semblence before dying."
That was valuable to know. Not every one had an unknown power to call on. However, to make the Space Marine's life harder, it seemed all the psykers here certainly shared the same constraints and general capabilities, which further made him question what warp sorcery this was.
"I see." Santus finally replied after a moment of silence, "Tell me, just how varied are these semblences? Do they all have direct combat potential? Or can they be indirect?"
Ren's eyes took on a suspecious edge for a moment, before the boy hid them. Santus really could not judge as Jaune Arc spoke up.
"They can be really random. My dad's semblence tells him what the weather will be." The blonde teen informed with an embarrassed smile. "Pretty useless for combat, but he knows when to tell Mom not to hang the washing out."
"Then there are one's like mine! I can use electricity to charge myself and my aura!" Nora announced with a wide smirk and flexing arms that made Santus chuckle at her in approval.
"The Electro-Priests would find your semblence a blessing from the Motive Force." Santus complimented. That or consider her an abomination in the eyes of the Machine God for having such power yet remainly wholy flesh. Those particular sects were rather conflicting in their tenents however.
The girl's eyes widened as a massive grin stretched across her face.
"They would?" She asked quietly, before squeeling excitedly as Santus nodded honestly. Her friends seemed to be giving her amused yet impressed smiles of their own.
He then turned his gaze to Lie Ren, and gave him a thankful nod.
"Thank you for the information. It should prove enlightening." Santus thanked geniunely. After all, he would confirm these details later and it would help him start coming to conclusions sooner rather then later. Lie Ren smiled politely and nodded in return.
Jaune Arc was the next to ask a question.
"I wanted to know, you said you were part of something called the Lamenters Chapter. Who are they?" The blonde man asked with eager curiousity.
Santus tilted his head for a second as a melancholic look came over his face as he wondered what to tell these curious young psykers about his brothers.
"The Lamenters..." Santus began before pausing again.
What did he tell them?
Did he tell them of their glorious victories and valiant last stands?
Did he tell them of their terrible losses and moments of deepest shame rare to loyal Astartes?
Did he tell them of the terrible misfortune that seemed to haunt him and his brothers despite the best efforts to defend humanity?
"We are the sons of the Angel..." Santus began in a quiet, almost serene tone unlike his usual mechanical effciency, his mechanical eyes closed as he found himself brought back into his memories, of the words of Chaplain Atarius one dark evening, surrounded by the dead and dying. "The descendents of humanity's greatest martyr, who's solemn duty it is to lay down our lives in the defence of humankind. Even if we fall and fail, we continue forwards, just as He did during our darkest hour."
Standing there, Santus allowed himself a brief moment of peace from the concerns of the universe, the same blissful state the Chaptain could inspire in times of rest and reflection as the Lamenter let the other Astartes words bring him a moments peace.
As he opened his eyes, he saw a most peculiar sight.
Four young, idealistic mortals, were staring up at an Adeptus Astartes, a man of over two hundred years of war, training and mechancial supplication, with eyes that spoke of something unlike anything he commonly saw in the Imperium.
Sympathy.
It was...unnerving.
They must have seen it on his own face as they quickly took embarrassed expressions.
Not for the first time, he found himself frustrated at his nominal mindview when that sort of thing happened.
"I apologise." He said simply, before continuing, "The Lamenters are a chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, like myself. By doctrine, a chapter is made up of a thousand Astartes, with the Chapter Master at the head and divided into ten companies of one hundred battle-brothers and specialist personal, like myself." He gave them a smile that spoke of both annoyance but also loyalty and respect. "My Chapter Master is Malakim Phoros, one might say he sees every insurmountable challange as a mere step towards becoming stronger." His smile became more pleased as the four before him gave him curious yet confused looks about the strange nature that was his Chapter Master. "Despite this, you'll find fewer men with the same resolve and dedication then Chapter Master Phoros of the Lamenters."
Even if got frustrating hearing him talk about their foul luck, Santus knew he'd follow the man into the Eye of Terror if he asked.
"As a Chapter, we have complete autonomy of our actions, so long as they are in the defence of the Imperium. My brothers and I pride ourselves as serving as the guardians of humanity, and regularly seek out worlds in danger or in need of aid from the threats that oppose them. While some other chapters pride themselves in different ways and acts, that is where we find our calling." Santus finished, earning universal approval and visibly happiness.
It honestly might start to hurt to see how idealistic these young souls were.
Team JNPR had proven to be quite educational.
It was strangely refreshing to see a world's general populace not living in utter ignorance of the world around them, Santus had found himself contemplating while exchanging data with the teens. Unlike the many worlds and people he had seen and met, for the Imperium's elite and down-trodden both. Though perhaps general population was a bit of a exaggeration given their profession, they certainly was not far up a world's hierarchy. Unlike the Academy's Head Proctor.
The young teens had told him much, mostly general knowledge he would required if he were to operate in peace on his new home. And wasn't that a strange thought for the fleet based Lamenter to consider. Four kingdoms nominally ruled the landmasses of this world, with outer villiages and settlements supplying each kingdom's principle city with resources. There was also a fifth island nation that was not formally recognised, though according to Pyrrha Nikos, it was due to the end of a conflict and racial tensions between these curious abhuman Faunus. And that the technology of this world seemed to run on the small crystals he had found and carefully extracted and according to the teens, it was called Dust.
The part that truly set Santus' mind whirling was when the young girl explained how those with aura could use Dust to create elemental effects, demonstrating by using one of the yellow crystals he had extracted for study to channel lightning around her hand. He had quickly concluded that the colouration of each gem signified a different elemental effect, with red likely being fire and yellow as electricity, though he was unsure what the purple gem had been. Pyrrha had explain it had control of Gravity itself, much like repulsion tech, but clearly some kind of psychically conductive gem.
At first, he had been concerned these gems may have desecrated the machines of this world with the taint of Chaos, yet in all his years as a Techmarine, Santus had could confidently claim these machine spirits were as pure as any Imperial technology, if unusually compliant and subdued. That too was quite a shock as well, that the machine spirits that dwelled around him were so docile, though they seemed inordinarily interested in the servant of the Omnissiah, as if they had never experienced a techpriest's ministrations before and eagerly wished for more.
Santus, of course, would happily oblige.
After their discussion about Dust, the children wished to learn more about how his brothers in the Lamenters were as people. With a smile on his face as he quietly oversaw the rites of maintainance for his Omnissian Axe, Santus fondly recalled the shocked yet amusing reactions of the four mortals as he told them of a time Sargeant Galles and his squad had assisted another squad of Space Wolves during the uprising of Faith's Endorsement, during which a religious civil war had plunged the cathedral world into unrest and open conflict. Though the fighting was small by the time both squads of Astartes had arrived, both parties merely using the world as a rest stop at the time. Both sides of the schism seemed as eagerly devoted and reverent to their Emperor's Angels, so both the Space Wolf's Sargeant and Galles had decided to each lead their forces to the leaders of each faction to force them to drop their conflict.
With a fond grin, Santus had regaled the four teens with how the Brother-Sargeant had spoken to the leader of the faction, an empassioned speech before a crowd of followers of how despite their differing beliefs, it would be both spiritually and morally wrong to fight with their fellow man in such a time when the Imperium was beset on all sides by foes. With the oratory skills that would have surely made the Primarch proud, Galles had successfully convinced them to lay down arms and meet their rivals. As they reached the pre-arranged meeting location, they arrived to find the Space Wolves and the leaders of their faction sent to convince. Their leader was shaking slightly and rubbing the back of his head in both embarrassment and slight pain. When Galles asked the Space Wolf what had happened, the Astartes had merely shrugged and claimed to have cuffed to back of the priest's head and told him to quit fighting with other loyal Imperials.
The Techmarine still smiled now as the four teens' expressions had changed to a most amusing mixture of surprise and amused shock.
Before Santus could continue his idle thoughts, there was a knock at the door. The Astartes stilled. JNPR had left nearly an hour ago, and his aspex claimed it was only 1900 hours plantary time, less then an hour before the forges of this schola were closed for the evening. He knew that JNPR had not left any personal belongings behind. Perhaps someone had personal questions they wished to ask?
With a quick benediction from Santus, the doors' machine spirit happily opened the Ninth Forge's doors, fully metal and reaching to the very roof of the building, Likely in case one's weapon was rather large, or dangerous materials were being used such as this Dust respectively. As they opened, Ruby Rose of Team RWBY was the one that seemed to have questions for him.
"Greetings Ruby Rose." Santus said conversationally after the girl stepped in and the doors quickly slid shut. "What brings you to my forge this evening?"
The young red-haired girl was nervous, yet strangely relaxed. Her eyes would occasionally flicker away from him, but she calmly and slowly walked up to where he stood as he continued to work.
"I-I was going to do some work on Crescent Rose. I t-think I might have loosened something d-during combat class today." The girl explained, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "And I wanted to, um, say hello while I was here?"
Santus raised an eyebrow even as his eyes remained focused on his work. Thankfully, he was wearing his helmet so the poor girl didn't see his reaction.
"I have no qualms with you visiting." Santus replied in an amused tone. "Team JNPR arrived earlier today and had many questions." Ruby smiled and nodded, then her silver eyes went wide as if realising that the other team knew more about him then she did.
"Ooooh I see, haha great!" Ruby Rose quickly spoke with an embarrassed blush, likely at her expression before attempting to rerail that line of conversation. "S-So what are you doing with y-your axe?" Santus nodded in response as he delicately examined the weapon's power system.
"Merely undergoing the rite of maintainence. This powerful weapon has served me loyally for the past few days, and as such demands proper repayment from me, as is it's right." The Techmarine explained simply. The secrets of the Cult Mechanicus not to be made privy to those uninitiated save by nessecity.
However...Santus' eyes flickered to Ruby Rose.
The girl had that feeling about her, that curious edge he could gleen in her eye as she looked up at him.
The Techmarine couldn't explain it, but it was the same feeling when he was searching amongst chapter neophytes for potential techmarine applicants. A kindred soul under the Machine God, not that the girl knew of the Omnissiah. Of course, as a female, the girl was never going to become an Astartes, though the idea of the young girl clad in the power armour of the Soroitas did flicker through his mind.
However, that wasn't exactly the potential he thought to consider.
"Tell me, your weapon, you claimed you made it yourself?" He asked in a curious tone. The young girl looked back at him in surprise before nodding in confusion. "May I see it?"
Silver eyes narrowed suspeciously on the Astartes, the kind he had never seen before on the girl before now. Clearly she was protective of her weapon. A respected trait.
"How come?" The girl's voice was polite, but clearly had a hints of fear and anger.
"I wish to see what skill you have as an...engineer as you put it." Santus answered honestly. Ruby Rose continued to stare at him for another moment, before her arm reached behind her and withdrew the compact, red rectangular shape there. The girl pressed a switch and the rectangular shape suddenly extended outwards before forming a scythe with a rifle barrel travelling along the pole's length with a spike at the end. Amongst it's middle, the weapon's grip and firing systems were kept in boxy red metal.
The Techmarine turned his gaze fully to the weapon, his eyes running up and down the weapon appraisingly. While some of the Mechanicus disdained the creation of new technology as tech-heresy, Santus was a Lamenter. He knew well the need to improvise and adapt. The weapon, however, was expertly made, though given quality of the materials used on this world, it was by no means master-crafted. Slowly, Santus raised an open hand.
"May I?" He asked politely once again. Ruby looked at him for a moment, before at her weapon, before back to him. Then, she slowly, reluctantly, held the scythe out for him to grasp. He did so, holding it gently in his augmented grip. As he did so, his cybernetic fingers resonated with the scythe's machine spirit. The bladed firearm was much more familiar to Santus then the machine spirits around him, yet noticibly different from many in the Imperium. It was both eager yet happily restrained, a clear sign Ruby Rose had told him no lie when she spoke to her dedication to weapon maintainance rites. The scythe's machine spirit yet had a particularly close bond to the girl.
The Lamenter could surely be certain that Ruby had made this loyal machine spirit herself. A most commendable task for one so young. He weighed the scythe in his hand a moment, satisifed with it's balance, then he held it back out to the credible young mortal before him.
"You should be proud of yourself, for both the weapon you've created and how rightfully you treat it." Santus openly praised, making Ruby blushed heavily and hunch her shoulders as if to shrink herself. He chuckled at her display before gesturing to the bench space opposite to him. "If you wish, you may see to your work here."
Ruby Rose's eyes went wide with amazement and gratitude.
Ozpin hummed thoughtfully as he gazed down at his scroll.
Opposite his desk, Glynda glared at him with tired eyes.
"He has been here less then two days and he has already remodelled the entire forge!" The Deputy's tone was exasperated as she spoke to him, "And worse then that, he had made the doors already unlock at his control. I was shocked when not only did I find I couldn't freely enter, but when the doors did open, Miss Rose was already there."
"Well, it seems he is a quick and hard worker, and quite the attraction to the students." Ozpin idily said as he continued read through the images on his scroll, given to him by the woman before him who continued to glare at him. "But as I told you, we have no idea who this man is." Ozpin reminded his Deputy and close ally, a truth he was happy to admit for he did not know anything about this stranger. "But, until we know just what this man is and capable of, he cannot risk Her learning of this sudden wildcard."
Glynda's glare narrowed at him.
"Wildcard?" She demanded. Ozpin nodded.
"He is a value of which could be anything." He said as he finally looked up at her. "Perhaps you think it's dangerous to have him near students, but by his own word, he defends humanity. He would not harm innocents like Teams RWBY or JNPR so long as they did not seek it on him. Which we can both agree they will not."
That deflated some of his friend's frustration, but Glynda continued to stare unflinchingly at him.
"Regardless, what he has done? In two days? Just what kind of man is that driven or skilled thinks is nessecary to do all that so quickly?" She asked in a concerned tone. Ozpin could only shrug.
"It is risky." The immortal man admitted. "But I think there is more to this stranger then at first glance. Something that might prove immensely useful in the future at very little risk beyond what we already face."
Glynda shook her head a moment, before sighing.
"If he starts causing issues with the rest of Beacon, then you have my permission to request he stop directly." Ozpin allowed with a smile that had his deputy roll her eyes.
"And what of Miss Rose's idea?" Glynda asked tiredly. Apparently Summer's young daughter had suggested giving the Techmarine a Scroll to learn from and use. A rather sound idea for more then one reason in Ozpin's old eyes. He nodded ambicially.
"I'll see to it he is delievered a completely fresh Scroll outside of Beacon's supply." Ozpin decided, making Glynda sigh again. "I am sure if Techmarine does share details with the Teams, he will personally ensure they do not get out of class to call him."
That, made his Deputy smirk.
In a dark, forsaken place, a white hand drifted over a glowing orb, with dark, red tendrils attached to black skin and alabaster white bone plates.
Within the Orb, could be seen a giant of a man clad in yellow armour, his helmet a fierce scowl and a deep red in colour, while in his hands was a massive grey axe crackling with lightning.
"How very...unfortunate." A woman's voice echoed.
Within the orb, a smokey, almost purple mist replaced the giant warrior...
Dun dun duuuuun
I mean, it's not a surprise who. But still, suspense.
Anyway, JNPR learns some stuff and is killing our Grimdark Astartes with the idea of happiness, Ozpin is being Ozpin as per usual, Santus approves of Ruby and suspenseful cliffhanger is suspenseful cliffhanger.
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, in perfect honest I was meant to have this done like, three days ago, but then I found a new book to read that stole day one, and day two was stolen because of a domestic here and I almost beating/shanking the fuck out of someone, and then day three being paranoid as fuck.
Fun times.
Anyway, reviews and criticism is always appreciated, A.D.