Noisy Songbird (Open)

It was beautiful windy day. It was perfect kite flying weather, sunny and breezy. The courtyard was filled with students bustling from one room to another or just spending time with their friends. Sonia could not help but look on in envy at the groups of what she assumed to be friends. She was a newcomer to Syne Academy. A songbird Faunus with wings that couldn't even lift her. That part didn't matter but she was still a friendless newcomer to the school. She decided to do what she usually did, slip on her facade of happy idiocy and wander about trying to make friends.

Feared by sinners, hallowed by the heavens. A soft slam resounded as Crux closed the charred book she was holding, before chains formed around the thing and it just crumbled to ash in her hand. A steel, silver eyed gaze slid across the courtyard. And the large, imposing and steel clad woman couldn't do anything but huff and let out a soft snarl. The axe that had previously been resting on the ground as she was reading, was now heaved with one hand and thudded down on the steel shoulderpad. So this was this Syne academy she had heard about. Even more, this was the academy her elder sister had been enrolled in. A dangerous fire danced in her eye. Her grip tightened on the hilt of hallowed redeemer. Metal cracking upon metal. How she would relish running into her now, to destroy and purge the sin she carried with her. She got antsy just thinking about it. Hell, the rigorous training and self-control she had from years training barely stopped her from salivating at the thought.

Some fire flakkered around the blade of the axe, but she told herself to calm down. Crux exhaled a soft breath and let the axe slump down, letting the sling she had to carry it catch the weight. The weapon now out of her way. A clenched fist thudded against her breastplate as she shot a quick prayer, before glancing up again.

It wasn't solely Mathilde. It was the prospect of growing stronger. The prospect of punishing sinners and enacting justice in battle. The anticipation to obliterate Grimm at a moment's notice. She was completely aware that while she lacked mirth and social skills, she would be one of the most effective hunters this academy knew.

Slynt had found his first few days on the grounds of the hunter academy to be interesting. Ignoring his side activities, he'd mostly kept a low profile for now, after all it wouldn't do to make too many waves before he'd properly set things into place. Establishing his contacts had been his first priority however at the moment hed found himself with time, as things set into place.

Naturally the only thing left to do was to look for a suitable source of amusement from the local students. The fact that any action taken at the moment could do little more than establish his cover of being but another student at the academy was merely a side benefit to this.

The giant of a woman wearing armor had caught his notice, somewhat unsurprisingly. The pyrotechnics only further brought his attention to the woman. He leaned agaimst the back of the bench, a sly, mischievous expression on his face. "Well, you certainly have a flair for the dramatic, the pyrotechnics are quite an interesting touch." The fact it made the woman more noticeable than she already was he left unsaid.

Sonia spent several moments aimlessly twittering about like a bird, which was not an inaccurate way of framing things due to her bird wings. She disrupted, eavesdropped, and outright annoyed several people with her presence as she moved from one couple or group to another couple or group with that same goofy and lazy fake smile on her face. Songbird was still in it's place on her back, the lute tapping and clacking lightly against her as she moved.

At the corner of her sight she spotted two people. A tall woman, nay, a behemoth of a woman with an axe that she did not want to meet the business end of and a white haired man. The two looked a lot older than she was but she knew better than to assume their ages based on their looks, after all she herself was one of the people who looked younger than they actually were. Slowly, she quietly approached the two from behind to listen in.

A gaze that could chill the bravest of bones. A stare that could intimidate the boldest of bravado's. That was the stare Crux gave Slynt as he spoke. "T'is the holy flame, one that purges sin, nay mere pyrotechnics." she retorted, tilting her head and showing a rather wicked smirk. One that seemed to hint at either genuine friendliness, or borderline psychopathic promise of harm. One that was as likely to be a warm welcome to a friend as well as a silent promise, one that would warrant insufferable agony. "I'm merely it's host. It tends to dance around due to emotions. Intentionally, it was not." She stated, smirking slowly. Yet those eyes, they remained the cold same they were from the start.

One of her hands moved up, and suddenly, a flame gathered, which soon razed over. What was left was a pretty large and heavy, chain bound book. These chains started to heat up, before their molten metal dripped down and they dissipated entirely. She pushed the book open, flipping a few pages, glancing at it, before closing it again with a thud that was felt reverberating underneath them. "Enlighten me," she exhaled a soft breath as the book caught fire, the ashes dropping between her fingers. Leaving it to dissipate again. "What do I write in my bible about you?"

Slynt raised an eyebrow. He'd never really cared much for talk of gods and devils, but then he'd met his share of the devout that belonged to many different religions in his travels. This woman however appeared to be of the fanatical variety. He’d seen some who fell into the category before, often easily set off by the wrong word or phrase.  the type that could prove dangerous if not handled carefully.

Dangerous, and useful. He corrected mentally though he didn’t really know enough to be sure on that addition.

At the very least it would be best not to gain the woman’s ire…for now at least. She seemed the volatile type, the stare she’d given him, as well as the smirk that followed her statement about her “holy fire” gave that much away. Volatile and dangerous, given her apparent strength apparent strength. Walking around in armor like what the woman wore would probably wear someone with a normal sized weapon down after a while. Let alone one also carrying the axe this woman seemed to wield. The fact she didn't appear to be overtly straining herself gave him an indication that the woman's strength was formidable, if not it's extent.

Yes, best to be cautious with this one. The white-haired man thought. He showed none of this however, opting to instead appear calm.   “My mistake, that must be quite the honor.”  It wasn’t even truly a lie, he was sure the woman likely saw the “holy fire” as such.

He wasn’t sure what to think of her follow-up display with the book, but he figured he’d answer the question she’d asked as best he could.  “Something you’ll have to decide for yourself I’m afraid.” He remarked with some mirth. “I’m rather biased on the matter, unfortunately.”