3rd Person POV
Remnant
"Um... what do we do?" Ruby whispered, leaning toward Weiss and as she kept her eyes on Sincline, the two sides facing off as small flickers of energy twisted around the mech's talons. The other girls kept their weapons trained on the newcomer, all five waiting for the other side to make their move.
"You're the team leader, aren't you?" Weiss hissed back. She glanced at Yang. "Whatever you do, don't attack. If he or she could do that to the Grimm...."
"Pretty sure it's a guy, but fine," Yang huffed, changing her gauntlets back into their bracelet form as Weiss, Blake, and Ruby followed her lead.
As the girls lowered their weapons, Sincline did the same, the energy around his hands dispersing. Either way, he didn't lower his guard. After what happened on Oriande... he wasn't taking any chances. "Who... are... you?" he asked, his voice raspy from months of disuse. Surprised at the sound of his own voice, Sincline tilted his head ever so slightly.
"Uh, my name's Ruby, leader of Team RWBY," Ruby introduced awkwardly and gestured to her teammates. "This is Weiss, Yang, and Blake. We're Huntresses from Beacon."
"Beacon?" Sincline asked, his voice coming out clearer. While mostly human, it had a synthetic undertone.
(A/N) When in armor, Sincline's voice will sound similar to Vali Lucifer's when he has his Balance Breaker activated.
"The main Huntsmen academy," Ruby explained. "One of the best in all of Remnant."
"Huntsmen?" Where's Remnant? Sincline wondered and quickly checked his star charts, missing the confused glances of the four Huntresses.
"You don't know what a—" Weiss started, but Blake cut her off, whispering, "I don't think he knows anything about this place. He just appeared out of nowhere and look at his armor. Even Atlas is not that advanced. I don't think he's from Remnant."
Nodding, Weiss turned back to Sincline as the Trans-reality mech finished running through all the star charts he had stored in his database... much to his confusion. "What planet am I on?" he asked carefully. Maybe it's in an undiscovered sector, he thought.
"Planet?" Ruby echoed in confusion.
Sincline nodded, waiting patiently as his gaze flicked from one Huntress to the next, taking note of their respective features: his gaze lingering on Ruby with a flicker of curiosity longer than the others. He could sense... something. Something familiar. Her energy signature... it's similar to the one that brought me back, he thought with a jerk of surprise.
"You're on Remnant, in the Emerald Forest," Yang answered, eyeing Sincline uneasily.
Sincline nodded again, accepting the answer while still mulling the new data over.
"What do we do now?" Weiss whispered, glancing at Ruby as the other girls did the same.
"Maybe we could take him back to Beacon," Blake whispered, unaware that Sincline was listening to their conversation. "It's your call, Ruby."
Ruby nodded and turned her gaze to Sincline, who was regarding them silently, head tilted curiously. "What's your name?" she asked, hoping to get on better terms so that no one was tempted to kill each other.
Sincline hesitated. They hadn't recognized his armor, so they probably didn't know about anything beyond their solar system.... Maybe even beyond their planet. I'm trying to be different, aren't I? he thought. I'm not gonna trust them right away, but still... "Sincline," he decided. "My name is Sincline."
"So, um, Sincline, I'm Ruby, and this is my team," Ruby greeted, sheathing Crescent Rose on her back, giving him a wave and a small smile.
Sincline tilted his head. "You already introduced yourself," he reminded, and Ruby blushed, shifting from foot to foot.
"Right, uh, I kinda forgot," she said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head as her cheeks reddened further, much to Sincline's confusion.
An awkward silence filled the air, the five of them regarding each other uncertainly. Finally, Yang couldn't handle the silence anymore and burst out. "Okay, so none of us know what's going on, right?" she asked.
Everyone nodded.
"Then why don't we head back to Beacon?" Yang proposed. "I'm pretty sure Ozpin can help us get things sorted out."
Weiss, Ruby, and Blake exchanged looks as Sincline's slitted eyes narrowed. Ozpin? If I had to guess... maybe he's the leader of this 'Beacon' these girls were talking about.
"It does make the most sense," Blake agreed, eyeing Sincline uncertainly.
"Yes, but since when are you sensible?" Weiss asked, turning to Yang.
"Since always," Yang replied as Ruby turned back to Sincline, who was watching silently, his eyes still narrowed.
"So, what do you say?" Ruby asked, silently praying he'd accept. The last thing they needed was to get into a fight against someone who could annihilate a Grimm horde in a matter of seconds.
Sincline paused, weighing his options. It... didn't seem like they meant any harm, but he knew from experience that wasn't always the case. After all, Honerva had only wanted her family back and had ended up nearly destroying existence... using him as her weapon. But then again, he knew virtually nothing of this world, and Ruby had set him free... even if it seemed she didn't know it. He nodded. "I'm in."
Ruby smiled. "Great!" Her hand flew to her side, only for her hand to grasp empty air. "Um, where's my scroll?"
The other girls looked around but could find no sign of it. "It must have gotten knocked away when that Deathstalker hit you," Blake realized.
Sincline tilted his head. "You mean this?"
They turned just in time to see Sincline ease his tail under Ruby's fallen scroll and flip it into his hand. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was the only piece of metal that wasn't a weapon, so he figured his odds were pretty good... somewhat.
"Oh, yeah, that's it!" Ruby said, smiling in relief. A burst of rose petals, and she was suddenly in front of Sincline, causing him to take a step back in surprise.
How did she... did she just turn into flower petals? Deciding that he'd figure out the rest later, he held out the scroll, and she accepted it, her warm fingers brushing against the cold metal of his talons.
As Ruby called the Bullhead, Weiss and Blake exchanged looks with Yang. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Weiss whispered.
"It's our best option," Blake replied, unaware that Sincline was listening.
Sincline flinched, but then again, he couldn't blame them for their wariness. If they knew what he'd done....
"I just called the Bullhead," Ruby said, putting away her scroll, her voice breaking Sincline out of his thoughts. "It'll be here in a minute or two."
Blake nodded and glanced at Sincline, who had been watching them curiously.
"So, where did you get that armor?" Ruby asked, causing Sincline to look at her in confusion, though it was hard to tell through his 'visor.' Those eyes... a shiver ran down Ruby's spine. There was something off about Sincline. A strange aura that shifted around him. Something powerful. Something ancient.
"Armor?" he echoed. Wait, do they think I'm wearing some kind of—
"That metal suit you're wearing," Weiss explained, fighting back a sigh of exasperation.
"Oh." I guess that answers that. Then again, I can't really blame them. Looking down, Sincline examined himself. How the Quiznak am I supposed to fit in if—his HUD flickered, and he felt something inside him... change. It wasn't immediate, but he could tell something new was there, like a cold orb located in his chest where his 'heart' would be. Has that... has that always been there? He wasn't sure. Curious, he reached toward it, trying to reach the orb... and a flood of warmth washed over him.
A flash of light erupted from Sincline's body, and the girls shielded their eyes. As the silver and purple glow faded away, Ruby lowered her arm, the other girls following her lead. Her eyes widened as she, Weiss, Blake, and Yang stared at Sincline in shock.
His armor had faded away, revealing a young man around 17 years old standing across from them. Lean and tall, he wore a strange, futuristic set of black, grey, and silver armor, with orange and blue accents. It seemed like an exact copy of his armor, except fitted perfectly to his human form. His short black hair topped in a cowlick wavered in the wind, and his eyes gleamed purple, almost glowing.
Yang blinked. "Whoa... I-I mean, guess that works," she said awkwardly, trying to figure out what had just happened. What kind of semblance is that?
"Whoahow'dyoudothatthatwasawesome!" Ruby gushed excitedly, her silver eyes shining as she and Weiss stared at Sincline in awe.
Blake tilted her head, regarding Sincline curiously. His tail... it disappeared? Is it part of his armor?
"Truthfully?" Sincline looked down at his hands, examining them. "I have no idea." How did she talk that fast? he wondered. In fact, her words came out so quickly that his systems had barely been able to register her words.
Weiss blinked. "Wait, you actually understood that?"
"Barely," Sincline replied, glancing at Ruby and the rest of the girls curiously. Why do I keep picking up energy signatures around them? he wondered. Do they have ray-shields? The energy may have not been visible at the standard spectrum, but his sensors had easily picked up the readings.
A roar of engines echoed overhead, and he and the four girls looked up to find a Bullhead lowering to the ground.
I'm not picking up any energy signatures I'm familiar with, he thought. But... he was getting something. A strange energy reading, one that came from each girl's weapon that mirrored the power source of the new vehicle.
"Come on, guys," Ruby said excitedly, breaking Sincline out of his thoughts. Glancing at him, she turned and led the way into the Bullhead, the other girls close behind.
Following them, Sincline paused, eyeing the inside of the ship warily. Part of him still warned that it could be a trap, but the other... these girls seemed to accept him. Or, at the very least, treated him well despite the fact that they had met in battle. These girls have shown me more kindness in five minutes than anyone else has in ten years.
His decision made, Sincline entered the Bullhead, his boots clicking sharply against the plated metal as he walked inside.
"You girls alright?" the pilot asked, leaning into the hallway between the cockpit and the Bullhead's storage area to address them. Spotting Sincline, he tilted his head. "Who's your friend?"
"Long story," Yang replied, taking a seat against one of the Bullhead's interior walls as the door they had entered closed with a low click. "Can you take us back to Beacon?"
"Well, that is my job," the pilot replied with a chuckle, and the Bullhead lifted off, the engines sending a low thrum into the floor beneath their feet.
"First time in a Bullhead?" Blake asked as Sincline sat down uneasily next to Ruby and opposite Yang, all four girls' eyes locked on him.
You have no idea. "You could say that," Sincline replied awkwardly, scratching the back of his head and glancing to the side. Upon seeing Ruby's face inches from his, he edged away in surprise. "Um...."
"Where's your weapon?" Ruby asked, poking his arm and examining his features curiously. In all her time at Beacon, she had never seen armor or weapons like the ones Sincline had.
He blinked. "My... weapon?" Does she mean me? Or does she mean my swords? While he might have been able to show her those, he wasn't sure about his ion blasters. They were built into him, after all.
"You know, those sword things you pulled out of nowhere," Ruby exclaimed, making slashing motions with her arms, almost hitting Sincline in the process and confirming his thoughts. "And those laser things, too!"
Tilting his head, Sincline glanced over at Yang. "Is she...?" he trailed off, trying to figure out how to get the message across. Talking with other... people wasn't exactly one of his strong suits. Then again, this is probably the first conversation I've ever had with another being, he realized. He had tried talking in the field... but speaking to clouds of roiling Quintessence had gotten old pretty fast, so he had stopped.
Yang shrugged, spreading her hands in a 'what can I do about it' gesture he had seen Acxa use several times when conversing with Ezor and Zethrid around his ship. "She's a bit of a weapon's fanatic," she explained. "You'll get used to it."
Blake snorted. "Doubt it." She muttered as she examined Sincline curiously. "But she has a point. Where did your weapons go? Did they disappear with your armor?" And your tail, she added, but kept that thought to herself.
Sincline shrugged, not knowing how to answer that question without revealing too much of his true nature. "At this point, I'm not really sure." Wait, why am I hiding what I am? he wondered. Now that he thought about it, it didn't make that much of a difference. If anyone knew what power he had, he'd be treated as weapon regardless of what he was... wouldn't he?
A prolonged silence filled the Bullhead, the five of them regarding each other awkwardly.
"So... Sincline," Weiss spoke up, trying to make some conversation as she examined his features, her eyes straying to his more than once. "Where are you from?" His eyes... I've never seen anything like them. It's like they're... glowing. Maybe it's an effect of his semblance.
Sincline winced, several memories flashing through his mind.
"It can't be, he's already made a ship from the Comet's ore?"
"Sixty percent of the Comet's material has been used in the production of the first two ships, my lord. We will have more than enough for the creation of the third."
"Prepare the Sincline ships and take off; load the Comet into mine!"
Shaking his head, Sincline refocused on the question and saw Weiss and the others looking at him curiously and with hints of... concern? "It's... complicated," he hedged.
"...Okay?"
Weiss fell silent, and the rest of the flight was quiet, save for the hum of the engine. Each occupant drifted in their respective thoughts: the four girls trying to discern what they could about their new comrade while Sincline tried to figure out where he was and why these girls were acting so... nice to him. Yeah, that was the word.
Eventually, Beacon came into sight, and the Bullhead curved around, landing gently on the airstrip.
"We're here," the pilot called as the hum of the engines died.
Ruby perked up. "Come on, Sincline!" she said excitedly as the door opened. She jumped out, but her foot caught on a loose rock, and she stumbled. As she fell, Sincline reached out and caught her by the arm, steadying her. "Are... are you alright?" he asked, trying to figure out what had just happened. I moved without thinking... is that part of having this form?
Ruby nodded, and Sincline let go after making certain she was stable. She shifted, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, and her eyes met his. A strange shiver shot down Sincline's spine, and the two looked away from each other. What the Hell was that?
Yang coughed as Blake and Weiss exchanged looks. "Moving on," she said, shooting Sincline a warning look, much to his confusion.
I didn't even do anything bad... I think. Was I supposed to let her fall? Sincline wondered. No, that would have been worse. Shaking his head, Sincline glanced up, and his breath hitched, his eyes widening as he saw what could only described as a castle, its appearance a strange cross between fantasy and modern architecture.
"Impossible! Lotor's weapon has completely repelled the Castle's attack!"
Sincline shook his head, the memory clearing. During the battle, he, and by extension, Lotor, had remained in contact with the Paladin's comm systems. Both had heard every word, every shout... every scream. And then there was that word again: weapon. Is that... is that all I am? he wondered.
"Hey, you alright?" Ruby asked, placing a hand on Sincline's shoulder as she and the other girls watched him in concern. I've never seen someone react like that before, she thought worriedly. Most of the time, it's just jaws dropped. Not... that.
"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, I'm fine," Sincline assured quickly, taking a shaky breath and steadying himself. "It's just... its bigger than what I'm used to." It's not the Castle of Lions, he thought, feeling himself calm down.
"Well, what are you used to?" Weiss asked curiously, all four girls watching Sincline intently, taking note of the wince that crossed his features before he quickly hid it.
"I'll... I'll explain later," Sincline replied, tearing his gaze from Beacon as he turned his attention back to the rest of the girls. "It's a long story."
Ruby puffed her cheeks, pouting. "Aww." It was quite adorable.
Sincline shook his head. Where did that come from? he wondered and decided to shelve that thought for later.
"Come on, sis, you can be patient," Yang assured, patting Ruby on the shoulder, unaware of Sincline's growing confusion.
"Cannot," Ruby muttered, but subsided as the five of them started down the long, wide avenue toward Beacon, passing a double ring of colonnades with the outer ring rising high over the main entrance.
As they passed several trees and flag-draped light-poles, Sincline couldn't help but be amazed at the wide variety of colors. They were so... different. The only colors he had seen before were those of his own armor and Voltron, as well as the colors of the inside a Galra cruiser, the Quintessence field, Oriande, and the multiple realities he had....
Hearing voices, he turned and saw several people talking with others with... animal ears? I didn't know humans had those. Come to think of it, he's never seen any of the Paladins with those features... well, except the wolf, but he was pretty sure that wasn't a Paladin.
Following his gaze to the group of Faunus, Blake's eyes hardened. Great, she thought, fighting back a scowl. Another one.
"Hey, Ruby?" Sincline asked, deciding to aim the question at her, seeing as how she seemed to be the most approachable of the group.
She looked back, her silver eyes catching the light. "Yeah?"
"Why do those people over there have animal ears?" Sincline asked curiously, nodding toward the three students.
"Wait, you've never seen a Faunus before?" Weiss asked in disbelief as she and Yang glanced back at him.
Sincline deadpanned, staring at her.
"Right... well, a Faunus is basically a human with animal traits," Weiss explained, trying to figure out how in the world Sincline didn't know what a Faunus was. "Like you and that tail you had when you had your armor."
Sincline nodded, tilting his head as he discretely formed a file for all the new information he was learning about this... Remnant. "I guess that makes sense... but why's that guy glaring at them?" He nodded toward a teen with burnt-orange hair and indigo eyes who was covered in silver-gray armor with a strange bird symbol on his chest plate.
"Faunus aren't generally... liked," Blake explained, her gaze softening. Maybe I was a little too quick to judge him, she thought guiltily as Sincline nodded, accepting the answer. "I think it has something to do with humans feeling like they're superior."
So... they're like the Galra, Sincline realized. While he may have not been able to do much before he was fully formed, he had picked up on many conversations as people had passed around his ships. That, and the files that had been stored in his mental database.
"What's a Galra?" Weiss asked, and Sincline's eyes widened as he realized he had said those words aloud. Oh crap, what am I supposed to do n—wait. She doesn't know what a Galra is? That didn't make sense. The only way she couldn't know what a Galra is... They don't have any knowledge outside their solar system. Maybe not even their planet.
"Nothing," Sincline replied, quickly addressing her question to hopefully avoid suspicion. "Just thinking."
"Sure..." Yang's eyes narrowed but subsided as she exchanged a look with Blake. Whatever a 'Galra' was, they could find out later, using other... methods, if Sincline wasn't inclined to share.
Stepping through the main archway with Sincline and the others close behind, Ruby led them down several carpeted hallways and toward an elevator. As they walked, Sincline quietly logged the path they used for several reasons, a way to escape chief among them. Besides, he thought as Ruby opened the door, if things go well, maybe I.... maybe they'd let me stay here. It was a foolish thought....
The group entered, and Ruby pressed the button, causing the doors to hiss shut. "Well, this is... awkward," Blake muttered. Due to the rather small confines of the elevator, which had obviously been designed for groups of four, the five of them were pressed together in a rather... unique position.
"We speak of this to no one," Weiss muttered, her cheeks reddening as she was pressed against Sincline's left, Blake against his right, and Yang at his back. Ruby was, luckily, free of the group and in front, but for the rest, it was a rather awkward ride. This is... strange, Sincline thought and felt his cheeks heat up at the contact, though he wasn't sure why.
As the elevator rose, the pulleys above grating with each turn, Sincline tilted his hand, slowly gathering energy in his palm. If things went wrong... well, he wasn't going to risk getting enslaved again. Not now. Not ever. They're gonna ask me where I'm from, and I don't want to lie to them... not like Lotor did to the Paladins. And if they learn what I've done...
A low click echoed across the metal box, and the doors opened with a low hiss. Quickly schooling their features, the group exited, Ruby and Weiss taking the lead with Sincline, Blake, and Yang bringing up the rear.
As the elevator doors closed behind him, Sincline glanced around curiously at the strange office covered in large gears and cogs. Never seen a room like this before. A flicker of motion, and his gaze turned to a tall man dressed in green with silvery-grey hair as he stood up from behind a desk, a massive window with an overview of the city at his back.
"Ah, Team RWBY," Ozpin said, greeting them with a polite nod. "I trust that you've completed your assignment with little difficulty?"
The four girls exchanged looks. "Um, sort of," Ruby replied hesitantly. "We fought the Grimm... and we found something."
"More like, someone," Blake corrected and stepped aside to reveal Sincline.
Adjusting his spectacles, Ozpin regarded Sincline for a long moment, taking note of the newcomer's strange apparel and the well-hidden, but still recognizable (due the aged headmaster's experience), defensive stance. He's cautious, he noted, but most of his attention was drawn to Sincline's Aura... or rather, lack of one. Yet, despite that, he could sense a powerful energy on him... something ancient. Interesting. "And who might you be?" Ozpin asked, his voice stoic yet polite.
"Sincline," the mech-turned-human replied, the energy in his palm fading away. The man in front of him didn't seem like a threat, but Sincline could sense something... off about him. Something familiar, but he couldn't place what it was.
"I see. And you found him in the temple?" Ozpin asked, aiming the question toward Team RWBY, his gaze not leaving Sincline's as the two stared each other down.
Ruby nodded. "That's right."
"I see... now, what would a young man like you be doing all the way out there?" Ozpin asked, sitting and folding his hands... right next to his cane. The fact that they found Sincline at the site of an ancient temple that no one should have known about hours after a Grimm attack... rose a lot of red flags for the headmaster.
Sincline paused, unsure of how to continue. He still didn't want to lie, but to let them know what he was... what he'd done... I can't live with this secret forever, Sincline thought. They're bound to have military on this planet, but I know next to nothing about it, so forming a backstory connection to that would be suicide. That aside... these girls had been accepting of him so far, even though they had seen some of what he was capable of.
If I tell them what I am, they'll turn me into a weapon again, Sincline worried, a bolt of fear flashing in his eyes before he took a shaky breath, forcing himself to calm down. No. No, I won't let that happen. I'll fight back this time. He couldn't lie and be like Lotor; that wasn't an option for a multitude of reasons... but he didn't have to tell them everything. Not yet at least.
"This might... no, it's going to sound crazy," Sincline began, well aware of Ruby's eyes on him. "But I'm... I'm from another planet. Maybe another reality."
Everyone froze, looks of shock and surprise abounding.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Ozpin asked, his gaze betraying no emotion, no judgement. Just calm patience.
"I wasn't born," Sincline admitted and held out his hands. "I was built. Built to be a weapon. Before today, I didn't even know I could be human. This... this is my true form." It was a long shot, but Sincline reached into the same core he had felt before, and his body shimmered. A sensation like cold water washed over his skin, and his 'armor' formed, the blades of his tail scraping against the stone floor.
The four girls stared at him, stunned, and a flash of surprise snuck through Ozpin's expression. Of all the explanations or lies he had expected... this was not one of them.
"Whoa... so, you're a robot?" Ruby asked, awestruck.
Sincline raised his hand and tilted it from side to side in an imitation of a gesture he had seen Ezor use. "Sort of. I think the correct term would be: Trans-Reality mech."
Blake blinked. "Trans-Reality?" she echoed, and Sincline shifted back to his 'human' appearance, his purple eyes flashing momentarily.
"It's a long story," Sincline replied, shifting. "So, you might want to sit down or—"
"We can stand, just get to the story," Ruby encouraged excitedly, a bag of cookies already in hand as she stuffed one of the delicious treats into her mouth.
Sincline blinked. How did she...? The mysteries surrounding Ruby were just getting stranger and stranger. He shook his head, filing the incident away for future review. "A Trans-Reality mech is built from a Trans-Reality Comet, whose ore is infused with Quintessence, which allows it to travel between realities."
"Quintessence?" Weiss asked.
"A substance with the highest known energy in the universe," Sincline explained, parroting the information from one of his data files. "It leaks into different universes from the Quintessence field, the barrier between realities. To put it shortly, it's a self-regenerating power source said to be life itself."
Ozpin nodded, his expression unreadable once more. Life itself... that sounds like the work of one of the Brother Gods. But I doubt Sincline would be aware of that if his tale were true. "Continue."
Sincline nodded. "Before I was created, there was a mech known as Voltron," he explained. "They were built roughly ten thousand years ago, as far as I can tell."
"Wait, if you were built, then who made you?" Weiss asked, confused and slightly disturbed. If someone was able to create Sincline, who was able to annihilate a horde of Grimm with little to no effort... what else could they be capable of?
Sincline winced. He wished she hadn't asked that. "Lotor," he replied, his tone darkening as several memories flashed through his mind.
"Poor Allura! All the power in the universe at your fingertips, and you still fear using it!"
Ruby tilted her head. "Who's Lotor?" she asked curiously, her voice snapping Sincline out of his thoughts again.
"He is... was, the prince of the Galra Empire," Sincline replied, basing the information on what he had heard over the comm channels and the various data files he had stored.
"Speaking of... what are the Galra?" Yang asked, eager to finally figure out what Sincline had been 'hiding' earlier.
"You mentioned them before," Blake agreed, her own curiosity mirroring Yang's.
Much to their delight, he obliged. "The Galra are a massive intergalactic empire with highly advanced technology," Sincline explained. "I'll explain the finer parts later, but in short, it was ruled by Emperor Zarkon for a long time, until he was gravely injured, and Lotor took control. From what I know, during Lotor's short rule, he recovered a Trans-Reality Comet and used it to make me."
"So, what's so bad about that?" Ruby asked curiously. "You seem pretty great to me."
Sincline blinked. "I... do?"
"You were explaining why that was so bad?" Yang asked, taking a step between them, a slight flash of guilt stabbing through her as Sincline winced.
"Lotor... he was a monster," he replied finally, shocking them. "I barely remember anything from when I was still being built, but from what I do remember, he tricked the Paladins of Voltron—"
"Paladins?" Weiss interrupted.
"The pilots of the five mechanical lions who combine to form Voltron, another mech," Sincline explained. "Three guys, two girls."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. Five mechanical lions forming one mech seemed like something out of a fairy tale, but then again, who was he to talk about that?
"Anyway," Sincline went on, hoping to get this over as multiple memories flashed through his mind, "he manipulated the Paladins into helping him enter the Quintessence field. Everything came to a head several years ago? Weeks? I'm not sure. But either way, Voltron and Lotor had a massive battle, in which I was fully formed for the first time."
"Fully formed?" Blake asked.
Sincline nodded. "My original form consists of three separate ships, each powerful enough to take on a fleet by itself. When I finally awoke, becoming fully sentient, it was during Lotor's fight with Voltron. At first, I relished the battle, the speed, the danger... but when I had a moment to think about what I was doing, what I remembered from the comm chatter... I realized what was going on.
"I tried to stop, to pull back, but it was like I was a prisoner in my own body. I was forced to watch as Voltron and Lotor entered the Quintessence field for a final fight. Eventually, Voltron managed to trick Lotor and defeat him. At this point, I was desperate and tried calling to Voltron, but they shut me out, exiting the Quintessence field without me and leaving me to die.
"For a long time, I drifted alone in the Quintessence field, unable to move, just think. Eventually, I was pulled from the field. At first, I thought I was finally going to be free, only to be enslaved by a woman known as Honerva. After using me to battle Voltron once more, Honerva merged my body with her own mech's. It was... it was horrible, like my whole being was torn apart and reconstructed with knives breaking through every part of my body.
"I don't remember everything... but I could remember rage. Her rage, mine... I couldn't think, only lash out, firing at everything just to make the pain stop. And she directed me. I was her weapon. When all was said and done, the Paladins had won again, and everything went white. I was back in the field, trapped... I'm not sure how long I was in there, but several hours ago, a portal opened, and I regained control. I escaped and the rest... well, they know the rest," he finished, nodding toward Team RWBY, who were all staring at him in a mix of awe and horror.
"So, to summarize, you were built by an evil prince of a Galactic Empire and forced against your will to fight against this 'Voltron' numerous times?" Ozpin asked, trying to wrap his thoughts around Sincline's tale. Whatever doubts he had were dispelled long ago, and he could only feel sympathy for the mech-turned-human.
Sincline nodded. "That's right."
"You're not telling us everything, are you?" Ozpin asked, his gaze searching.
"I'm not," Sincline agreed, shaking his head. "But I... there's a lot I've left behind, sir... things I've done... things I still need to come to terms with. Maybe one day I'll tell you, but for now... for now what happened in the past stays in the past."
Ozpin nodded. "Given what you say has transpired... I do not believe anyone will fault you for wanting to keep a few things to yourself. You've told us more than enough." He turned his gaze toward Ruby and the others. "I would like to hear what happened at the temple."
Shaking her head, eyeing Sincline with a mix of sympathy and curiosity, Ruby recounted everything from their arrival to the Temple, and her accidental summoning of Sincline, to his battle against the Grimm, and their flight back to Beacon, the other girls filling in what she missed. She left out the incident in the elevator, and none of the girls nor Sincline said anything on the matter.
So she really is the reason I'm free, Sincline thought quietly, watching Ruby with newfound intensity. She's the reason I... that I have a second chance.
As Ruby finished, Ozpin nodded and sat back, running through each girl's story. The stories all fit together, and that is what disturbed him. To learn that there was so much beyond their world... it was stunning to be honest. Deciding to table the matter for a later date, he turned to face Sincline, who was watching silently, a hint of uncertainty in his gaze.
"Sincline... given what you have told us, and from what these four have explained, I doubt that anyone here will fault you for your past, nor the secrets you wish to withhold for the time being," Ozpin said, his words causing the mech-turned-human to relax ever so slightly. "That said... given your lack of knowledge regarding Remnant and of the new form you now possess, I do not believe allowing you out of Vale would be the wisest decision."
Sincline's eyes narrowed. He didn't like being told what to do, but at the same time, he had to admit that the headmaster had a point. "Alright... then what do you think I should do?"
"How would you like to join my school?" Ozpin asked, causing Sincline and Team RWBY to look at him in surprise. "Given what you have told me and what Team RWBY has witnessed, I do not believe that fighting is a talent you lack."
Sincline nodded. He was a weapon after all, so it made sense. I wish I was good at other things, too, though, he thought, but quickly snapped his full attention back to Ozpin as the headmaster continued.
"Furthermore, seeing that you will likely remain at Beacon until you decide to leave, you can stay and learn more about our world," Ozpin went on. "Students aspiring to be Huntsmen are provided for and funded by the government, so giving you a steady finance will not be an issue. Additionally, I will offer you several days to get used to your new surroundings and learn what you must about our world before classes officially start."
Sincline's eyes widened. "You're saying that... you're staying that I can stay here?" he asked excitedly.
Ozpin nodded. "Should you wish it, you can learn among the rest of the students what it means to be a Huntsman. Your fighting ability will have to be tested before the rest of the faculty, but once that is done, I will arrange for official transcripts and an ID card. Who you tell about your true nature and background is your choice, but I will need to inform the rest of the staff about your different... upbringing, so there will be no issues."
It sounded too good to be true. A second chance, a way to start over, to make a name for himself and not as a weapon... But Ozpin was right. He had no other options (aside from going solo, but Sincline knew he wouldn't make it very far in a world he didn't know. He could likely handle anyone sent his way, but he didn't want to take that chance). He nodded. "I'm in."
"Um, Ozpin, sir," Weiss spoke up, causing everyone to look at her. "If he's going to stay here, shouldn't he have a team?"
Ozpin nodded. "An excellent idea. Which is exactly why I am placing him on your team, Miss Schnee. Given that you four were the first ones to encounter him, I believe putting you five together on the same team will be highly beneficial. That is, if you are willing to accept him."
Everyone's gazes fell to Ruby: Sincline's hopeful and the other's merely curious as to what she would decide. Ruby nodded, almost instantly after the question was asked. "We'll take him."
Ozpin smiled. "Splendid." He stood and raised his arm, offering his hand to Sincline. "Welcome to Beacon, Sincline."
Smiling, with that strange feeling he had felt when he had finally been able to move flooding through his body, Sincline accepted and shook Ozpin's hand. "I won't let you down, sir."
Nodding, his spectacles catching the light, Ozpin turned to face Ruby. "Miss Rose, kindly show Sincline to your team's dorm. Tomorrow, we will hold his initiation to certify his entrance into Beacon, and we will resume classes two days after."
Ruby nodded, her expression brightening. "Come on, Sincline!" Grabbing his hand, she disappeared, vanishing in a blur of rose petals.
Eyes wide, Sincline only had time to glance at the rest of the girls before he was yanked into the elevator, the other members of the team racing after them while Ozpin chuckled, taking a sip from his coffee as the doors closed.
Timeskip
"This is our dorm!" Ruby said proudly as she finally stopped outside a wooden door in a long hallway with a red carpet, circular lamps lighting the area as Sincline shook his head, trying to get his bearings.
Good thing I'm used to warping, or I'd be 'puking my guts out,' Sincline thought, finding the expression Zethrid used to describe Ezor's piloting skills quite suitable for the current situation.
"You alright?" Blake asked as she, Yang, and Weiss finally caught up with the two of them. She had expected to see Sincline bent over, hurling, but to her surprise, the mech-turned-human remained upright, albeit slightly disoriented. Then again, his physiology is probably different from ours... A mech built by a galactic space empire now turned human... it was like something out of her sci-fi books.
Sincline nodded, straightening and rolling his shoulder, which had almost been yanked out of its socket. "I'll be fine." Just how strong is this girl? he wondered, eyeing Ruby warily as the silver-eyed Huntress pulled out her scroll to unlock the door.
"Come on," Ruby encouraged and stepped inside. Warily, Sincline followed, crossing the threshold... and stopped, staring at the strange setup before him.
"Is that... are those safe?" Sincline asked, eyeing the various beds uneasily. One bed was suspended from the ceiling with a set of ropes, teetering dangerously to one side over another bed while a third bed was supported over another bed by a stack of books.
"They're a lot sturdier than they look," Weiss admitted grudgingly as Ruby jumped onto the hanging bed. It creaked, shifting to one side, but held her weight, proving the Heiress's point.
Sincline nodded slowly, still eyeing the beds suspiciously. "I'll take your word for it." A quick scan of their structural integrity did little to ease his fears. Each bunk could, surprisingly, hold the weight of two people... barely. His instincts were practically screaming at him to get away from the deathtraps.
"Good," Weiss said, taking a slight bit of satisfaction as Sincline took her word for what it's worth. It'll be nice to have someone around who won't judge me just because of my name, she thought. In fact, she could see herself getting along with Sincline quite well in the future. "But that aside, we need to establish some ground rules," she stated as Yang shut the door with an ominous click.
Sincline tilted his head, a strange feeling of unease filling him at the sudden change in atmosphere as the four girls faced him. "Ground rules?"
"You're the only guy on a team with four girls," Blake reminded him, crossing one leg over the other, her amber eyes focused on the Trans-Reality Mech.
Sincline still looked confused. "I still don't see the problem." Why would this be an issue? he wondered. Lotor stayed in the same ship most of the time with the rest of his Generals, and there hadn't been that many problems.
Weiss opened her mouth to try to explain... and closed it, shaking her head in exasperation as a soft sigh flowed past her lips. If most of what Sincline said earlier was true, there was no way he would be expected to know anything about things like that. "Just... never mind."
Catching onto her thoughts, Blake nodded. "Either way, we still have a problem to deal with," she pointed out. "In case you haven't noticed, there are now five of us and only four bunks."
Yang blinked. "What? No, there's..." She trailed off, pointing from one bed to the next before her arm dipped, realization dawning. "Oh... there's four." Well, this just got complicated.
Weiss frowned. "What are we supposed to do n—" A flicker of movement caught the group's attention, and a piece of paper was slid under the door. Rolling through the air, it came to a stop, resting at Weiss's feet.
"What's it say?" Ruby asked, elbows on her knees as she leaned over the side of her bunk to stare curiously as Weiss picked up the paper.
"It's from Ozpin," Weiss said in surprise, scanning the contents. "'Dear girls, unfortunately, we are currently having a shortage of bunks, hammocks, and other sleeping utensils, so until we are able to get another bed up to your dorm, you will have to decide sleeping arrangements yourselves.'"
She lowered the paper, a long silence filling the room as the four girls and Sincline exchanged awkward looks. That... didn't solve anything, did it? Sincline thought but kept that question to himself.
Yang groaned, flopping onto her bunk and staring up at the ceiling. "Well, that was helpful," she complained, head bouncing against the mattress as it sagged beneath her.
"If you want, I could sleep on the floor in my armor," Sincline offered. If they don't have an extra bunk, then I'm not gonna give them any problems, he thought. It's the least I can do since they took me into their team.
Ruby immediately shook her head. "No way, uh uh, not gonna happen," she refused. "We're your team now, Sincline. We'll figure something out."
Blake frowned. "Then what should we do?" she asked. "We only have four bunks, and there's five of us now."
Everyone fell silent, trying to figure out the best way to deal with the situation. Sincline shifted, opening his mouth to offer a suggestion... then closed it. It wasn't his place to say anything... was it?
"Maybe, um..." Ruby blushed, shifting from foot to foot. She had an idea. It was a good one... at least, she thought so, but she had a bad feeling about how the others would take it. "Since we only have four bunks, and we don't want Sincline to sleep on the floor... maybe he could sleep with me on mine," she offered.
If Weiss had any water in her mouth at the moment, she would have done one of the most glorious spit takes in all of Remnant's history. Yang jerked up, banging her head on the bottom of the bunk above her, and Blake almost fell off her perch in surprise, blushing furiously. Sincline... just stood there, not sure what was going on.
"WHAT?!" Yang demanded, her eyes flashing red. Who she was glaring at, Sincline wasn't sure, but he took a step back all the same, his guard raised. What'd I do? he wondered.
Ruby shifted, her face redder than her cape. "Well... I'm team leader, and since he's the newest addition, it'd be wrong of me to let him just sleep on the ground after all he's been through." And he is kinda cute—she shook her head. Where did that thought come from?
Yang, Blake, and Weiss exchanged looks while Sincline watched the proceedings uncertainly, doing his best to melt into the background. As much as he wanted to say something, he was pretty sure getting his face broken by Yang wouldn't feel good, so he decided to keep his jaw shut.
"It... does make the most sense," Blake said, eyeing Sincline with a mixture of wariness and suspicion. While she may have doubted Sincline's knowledge of... certain topics, he was still a guy after all. Then again, they were four experienced Huntresses all in the same room.
Yang huffed. She didn't know about the other girls, but she didn't trust Sincline nearly as much, especially around her sister. "Fine," she growled, and she fixed Sincline with a glare that caused the mech-turned-human to stiffen. "But if you try anything...."
Sincline blinked, tilting his head. "Um... what do you mean 'try anything'?" he asked curiously.
Weiss sighed, pressing her thumb and forefinger against her forehead in exasperation. "Just forget it. But first, get out so we can change." I don't think we're going to have to worry about him that much... It's Yang that I'm going to keep an eye on. I hope she doesn't do anything drastic.
Sincline opened his mouth... then closed it, deciding that it wasn't safe to ask. "Okay." He exited, and the door was unceremoniously shut behind him. Hard.
So much for a good start, he thought. Why would he even try anything in the first place? He could guess at what Blake meant, but still... Then again, what had he been expecting? For them to accept him instantly into their group? He shook his head. No. He would have to earn that trust. If I'm going to start a new life here, then I'm going to do everything I can to make certain I'm worthy of it.
With Team RWBY
"What in Oum's name were you thinking?" Yang berated as she, Ruby, Blake, and Weiss changed into their sleepwear. "Inviting him to sleep in the same bed as you?!"
Ruby blinked, head tilted in confusion in a scarily similar way to Sincline. "I don't see what the problem is," she replied, pulling on a black tank top featuring a heart-shaped Beowolf design over a set of long white pants decorated with pink roses as she turned to face her older sister. "I was just offering the bed so he wouldn't have to sleep on the floor."
Yang stared at her for a long moment, her red eyes flickering back to normal as she let out a low sigh. "Never change, sis. Never change. I'll let you do this, but if he tries anything, I'll break every bone in his body." I don't care if he is some kind of superweapon from another universe, she thought. If he lays a finger on my sister, he's dead.
"Yaaaang!" Ruby whined. "He's not going to do anything. Trust me." He's trying to change, I can tell, the silver-eyed Huntress thought resolutely. Then again, I don't think he was ever evil to begin with. Even if he's done some bad things, his pilots seem like the ones responsible, not him.
"I have to agree with Ruby," Blake spoke up, catching everyone by surprise. At first, Ruby worried that she might have spoken aloud, but Blake's next words put those worries to rest: "From what we know so far, Sincline barely understands the basics about being human, and that includes anything along 'those' lines."
Weiss smirked. "You'd know about those, wouldn't you?"
Blake blushed, lowering her head. "I'm just saying he won't even know how to 'try anything.' But who says he would? If he were trying to trick us, he wouldn't have told us the truth behind what he really was."
Well, most of it, was a thought that passed around the room, yet none of the girls could truly blame Sincline. Even Yang. If the people controlling him were as bad as Sincline said... who knows what they made him do.
Yang sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, Blake did have a point. "Alright," she conceded, shaking her head as her eyes fully returned to normal. "But I'm still keeping an eye on him."
Her other teammates sighed, and Ruby just shook her head. She'll warm up to him eventually, the young Rose thought hopefully. Then again, Yang was the most stubborn person she knew, so it was no guarantee.
"Do you want me to go get him?" Weiss asked, breaking Ruby out of her thoughts as the Heiress addressed the group.
Exchanging looks with Blake and Yang, Ruby nodded, and Weiss opened the door... causing Sincline, who had been leaning against it, to fall to the floor, landing hard and earning a wince from each member of Team RWBY. "...ow." Groaning, he looked up at Weiss, his purple eyes meeting hers. "If this is what resting is like, I kind of hate it."
Weiss sighed, shaking her head. "Just... just get up, you dunce." She held out a hand, and he accepted, the Heiress pulling him to his feet and closing the door behind them.
"So... how does this sleeping thing work?" Sincline asked curiously, rubbing his shoulder where it had hit the ground. Having no armor, no protection... it was strange. Foreign. He felt... vulnerable.
"Well, for starters, you need to change into pajamas," Weiss explained patiently.
Sincline blinked, mulling the strange word over. "Pajamas?"
"Like these," Blake elaborated, gesturing to a black, long-sleeved, Yukata-style shirt with white edging over a purple undershirt and a matching skirt.
Sincline blinked. "Right... how do I do that?" he asked, confused.
The four girls stared at him for a long moment. "You don't have any extra clothing, do you?" Weiss asked, sighing.
"Uh... no?"
Blake rubbed her thumb and forefinger against her forehead. Already, she could feel the first of many upcoming headaches forming. "Just.... Just get in the bunk. We'll get you more clothes tomorrow."
Nodding and deciding that it'd be best to follow instructions, Sincline looked toward the top bunk and jumped up... only to slide off the side and collapse to the floor with a loud crash. "Ow!"
Ruby giggled, and Blake sighed. "This might take a while."
Timeskip
Eventually, Sincline managed to get onto the bunk and stay there, balancing precariously. This is probably one of the most dangerous things I've ever done, he thought, shifting his balance to fit the tilting bed. A blur of rose petals, and Ruby was beside him, causing the bed to wobble again and nearly throw Sincline to the ground.
"Uh, is this safe?" Sincline asked, poking one of the ropes warily. Warning signals still flared wildly across his HUD, but his attention was quickly drawn to Ruby as the silver-eyed Huntress smiled.
"Nope."
Sincline blinked. That... was not that reassuring. "So, what now?" he asked, shifting awkwardly. Being this close to her... it was strange.
Weiss yawned, covering the motion with a delicate hand as she laid down on her bunk. "Just lay down and go to sleep," she instructed as Blake shut off the lights and crossed back to her own bed.
Tilting his head, Sincline turned his attention back to Ruby, whose silver eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as they met his. "That's it?" he asked disbelievingly. "It's that simple?"
"That's it," she confirmed and laid down, resting her head on her pillow and pulling the covers over her body, the soft fabric fitting to her body.
Sincline hesitated... then followed her lead, lying beside her as close as he could to the edge. Between falling off and risking what little trust he had gained with these girls... he'd take the first option. As he drifted off, his HUD fading away as his vision darkened, he wondered, just what have I gotten myself into?