Cold as Steel (Closed) (Who Is Bus Followup)

Taking Thorn and Malina into the building, Leonius didn't want to think about the exchanges outside. He just threw the two problem individuals into the large, mostly empty, dark room. The whole building seemed to vibrate from the impact of the hailstorm outside, a storm that only seemed to intensify after they were inside.

His captives free from their barrier restraints, Leonius chucked the damaged Ambrosia Spike aside, well out of Thorn's reach, and monitored Malina closely. His visor glared ominously down at the two.

"Fear... You fear me... and you are correct to... What you two have exhibited... is a disdain for those below you... and that fear you bear... is a product of recognizing... that if your worldview is followed... to its logical conclusion... Any who would be your natural predator... would hold you in equal disdain... and you have both demonstrated... where you stand in the scheme of things..."

A single footstep boomed through the bare room, as Leonius moved toward them.

"How unfortunate... that you two started this bullshit... when I happen to find myself... having to get more comfortable... with compromising moral integrity... in favor of results... You would not be... the first problem cases... that I have crushed under heel... but the prior instances... came after immediate threat to the innocent..." A barrier appeared behind both their heads as Leonius gestured, before shoving their faces down against the concrete, restraining the force to prevent damage. "... You happened to piss me off... when I am working on being proactive... and now you are going... to learn... Get up..."

The barriers vanished. The two girls were free to move. Leonius was not patient.

"I SAID ON YOUR @&#$ING FEET!"

As Thorn was released and was told to get up, she simply ignored directions and knelt there in defeat. After her moment of silence, she would look into the corner where Ambrosia Spike was disposed of and noticed it's damages. As she didn't want to delay any longer, she stood up and looked towards Leonius with a look of fright and also inquisition. She looked at the visor that hid his face, and truly wondered what monster was living behind the veil. She then said, "P-please, don't do anything to my weapon..." She knew there was no easy way to obtain her weapon, but she would try, even though she knew there was a high chance she would not come out triumphantly with the prize known as Ambrosia Spike.

Malina closed her eyes as she was thrown into the room. 'Oh, what the hell have I done..." A loud clang signified Manticore dropping to the floor behind her with a loud clunk. Malina took a deep breath inward then let it out.  'Okay, okay, okay...Manticore's...broken...or...disabled...#*%& I don't know..I..Bigger....More armored...Weaponry..." Malina let out a sigh and muttered several swears under her breath before opening her eyes and looking up at the large metal man. She slowly put one of her hands on the floor and lifted herself upward, after taking another deep breath. She put her arms by her side and stared straight ahead, completely ignoring the sniveling of Thorn.

A low chuckle issued from the giant. "... Where is that pride... that got the two of you... into this mess..? Modus: Servator."

Leo's cannons swung upward, and throughout the building his drones chirped and came into view from the shadowed corners of the building where they had been working on... something.

"Now that you two are standing... on your knees... I will give you both... one chance to make sufficient apology... and acknowledge your failings... before I teach you... by taking it out of your worthless hides..."

Around the two girls, the snap of electricity could be heard, from various, random drones.

"... Oh... and it's being recorded..."

As soon as Thorn heard Leonius' request she got on her knees, as she would try her best to not let anything harm her precious Ambrosia Spike. She then cupped her hands in a prayerful manner and looked up at Leo with a rather depressing expression on her face. She then began her apology, which was made up on the spot, and was a pretty bad one. "I-I'm sorry...that I insinuated a fight on the bus...now let me go..." As Thorn was not the most literate person, she thought this was a perfectly acceptable apology and waited, still in her current position for a reaction from Leonius.

Malina looked down upon Thorn on her knees then up to the face of the metal giant. "Recorded? Really? You expect me to, what, get on my knees and beg for your forgiveness after you kidnapped me?" Malina took a step back, briefly checking behind her to look back at the sparks and drones in the far corner. "Who the hell do you think you are? You think you won't be punished for kidnapping?"

Skylar watched as the large half-man dragged the two protesting girls into a large building, Dammit, what the hell is up with him? She wondered, slightly annoyed at being ignored as well as Leonius' brash actions, He can't just do that. She determined, and stormed in the building after them. She entered to see the two girls on their knees, and Leo's cannons pointed straight at them, "Alright, Leo," She said, her voice betraying her agitation, "That's enough. These two girls might be idiots but this is going way too far. They just aren't worth the trouble. Let them go, please." She said, feeling that her words might be completely wasted on him.

Leonius merely shook his head at Thorn's attempted apology, and glared at Malina. Skylar, he seemed to ignore for now. "You make demand... rather than request... after a feeble apology... and you do not yet comprehend... the situation..."

Slowly, he turned his head to face Skylar, as two drones flashed. Small barriers, tiny yet solid and incredibly fast fell against Thorn and Malina's backs, the sharp sting of the lash their punishment for not doing as they were told. A second fell on Malina's, a fifth, a tenth. The back of her shirt tore under the force of several later stings, but her skin was not broken. Yet. All in the span of the time it took for Leonius to turn his head.

"Do you not recall... the last thing I said before entering..? I said that if you followed and persisted... I may have to hurt you..."

As he did on the bus, the giant showed remarkable alacrity as his heavy footfalls pounded the concrete between him and Skylar, his massive left hand grabbing her blouse and lifting her by the garment, up to his visor level. He didn't pay attention to the tearing sound that issued under the thunder of his steps.

"DID I NOT!?"

Slowly, the giant lowered her, his right hand shaking. His gaze returned to Malina.

"I do not worry... about kidnapping charges... because your actions on that bus... as I already said... have come at a very inopportune time for you both... This... all of this... all that you two... or perhaps three..." he glanced back at Skylar, then back at the two who started the mess "... will SUFFER if proper apology is not made... is under the sanction of the Kingdom of Vale... and Beacon Administration... will not act either... because this is a matter... of national security... diplomacy... and a show that a member of the ruling class... of an increasingly hostile power... is willing to be... the @&#$ing Patriarch he stands as... in solidarity with Vale..."

He glanced back at Skylar, and threw her roughly aside. Again, the blouse ripped, but he didn't pay attention to how much. He did not throw her toward the two captives, but he did not throw her toward the door, either.

"... I do... what is NECESSARY... These two... are the ones who made this something... I am more comfortable with... and saved a sacrificial lamb... who would have 'earned' this... on simple orders..." He raised his hand, and a barrier snapped around Malina's neck again, lifting her. Slowly, it tightened. A second snapped around Thorn's a moment later, lifting her as well. "... But you two... Congratulations... I went with this plan... because it is pragmatic... but you two..." He shook his head, a low, bitter chuckle issuing from his throat. "... You @&#$ing two... You make me okay... with being the monster I am expected to be... The monster I was raised to be..."

One gesture, and Malina was thrown toward Leonius. Thorn was dropped. Malina was kicked back over to her.

"AND I WILL SHOW YOU THE MONSTER... THAT A PATRIARCH IS... ON YOUR @&#$ING KNEES... AND TRY AGAIN... YOU WILL NOT GET... A THIRD CHANCE..."

His head turned rapidly, glaring at Skylar.

"... Apologies... But you need to GO... and I am sorry... that you have now witnessed... the side of me I spent so long fighting... and about technically seeing you naked..." He turned back to the two, monitoring Skylar closely but saying no more. "... Go... Or you may join the sacrifices... to this beast... for the sake of helping to protect... those targeted by another monster..."

Skylar let out a little yelp as she was shoved roughly back, landing on her backside harder than she would have expected, Who the hell... She thought, getting back up to her feet. She quickly checked her clothes, but they were still wearable, Does he think he is? She stood her ground, her fists clenched as she restrained herself, "Just...who," She said slowly, her voice containing barely checked rage, "Do you think you are, to treat people like this?" Her nails dug into her palms just hard enough to draw a tiny trickle of blood, "And what makes you think you can threaten me like that? I'm trying to help you, and stop you from making a huge mistake. These girls might not be the brightest in the bunch...but nobody deserves this, or whatever you are planning to do to them. If you think you're some kind of righteous defender of your honour or some #@$%, think again, because right now you're acting like nothing more than a common thug." She spat the last word out with poison, and she felt the restraints that held her power in check loosen considerably, One wrong move... She thought, That's all it'll take.

Thorn looked to the side noticing that Skylar entered the room and began to stop Leo from his current 'shenanigans'. She wanted to say something, but before she could react, a sharp sudden pain came to her back. She did not cry out, but instead held in her scream, so she would not seem as weak and less tolerant to pain than she was. She then watched as Leo threw Skylar aside and she now knew she had another chance for an apology as well. She thought for a moment, but this time came up blank. She simply sat there and stated at Leo. She then got on her knees and looked pleadingly at Leo and said, "I-I...don't know what to say. Besides that you are simply trash...and you will be thrown away like the rest of you scum..." Thorn realized her tough act probably would not work, and she also didn't know if it would be worth the try.

Malina flew backward and rolled to a stop next to Thorn after the giant's metal boot connected with her gut, knocking the air out of her. As she rolls to a stop, Malina brings her hand to her stomach, gasping for air while she lifts herself back up on one knee to face the metal man. "You son of a bitch. You electrocuted us, kidnapped us, beat us, and you...you expect me to not only believe every damn word you say but also apologize? You must be some kind of #*%&ing stupid if you think people just roll over like that." Malina said as she stood up on her two feet. "I may not have my weapons but I'll be damned if you pull this kind of shit." Malina's body began to glow a deep purple as she prepared her aura. "You want a $&%^ing apology? You're going to #&%^ing earn it."