Erika 'Crimson' Blaise

 

 Back-story

Erika never knew her parent as they died when she was very young, and lived in the local orphanage for the majority of her childhood. While in the orphanage she would find or steal materials and dust laying around the grounds or the nearby street and create harmless weapons for her fellow orphans and herself to play with. Most times they would get confescated and destroyed by the Matrons, sometimes infront of Erika to teach her a lesson about making dangerous items within their walls.

"Erika, how many times have we told you. You are not allowed to create such abominations within these walls, i will not have you desecrating these grounds with these things of destruction!"

"B-b-but i have to stop the grimm from attacking, and protect us from them!"

No matter how hard Erika would try, she would never win arguements with the head Matron of the orphanage. As a child this would of course, as any child, make her extremly upset and very unsocial with the other Orphans and Matrons for a few days. After she had calmed down, Erika would again find interesting items and collect the dust she could find and forge more weapons, but these ones she would hide in a place only she knew of so the Matrons would not find them, and she wouldn't share them with the other orphans.

One day, when she and the other orphans were given freedom to run around the town, while running through one the less travelled streets, running from the head Matron becuse she was caught with one of her weapons she made, she ran into a tall, muscular man with thick elbow length fire red hair. He was wearing a heavy apron and carrying weapons for the local malitia, he barely broke a sweat when Erika ran into him, she on the other hand fell on her back, but didnt hurt herself at all.

"Huh... That was wierd i didnt get hurt?" Erika muttered to herself while cleaning off her clothes.

The weapon she was carrying was lying on the ground, just infront of the mans great shoes.

"You should be more carefull with where your running little one, you could get your self injured, or greatly injure someone else, we cant all controll our aura's like you and me" the man said the last bit quieter so that the Matron he only just now saw couldnt hear him.

"Aura..." Erika muttered again "oh wait! My Sword!" Erika exclaimed realising that she was no longer holding it.

The great man had rested the weapons he was carrying on the table next to him, and was now observing the sword Erika had dropped when she ran into him. He was moving it around in his hands, observing its hilt, the blade, the balance of the sword, which in his hands it would be considered a knife, he played with the knife for a few second before saying something to Erika, which by now the Matron had caught up to the pair of them.

"Sorry mister Drake, was Erika causing you trouble?"

"Oh, Miss Margerette, no, we just had a little accident, but we are both fine." Drake said keeping their conversation a secret. "I am just observing little Erika's expert craftesmanship, the blade is a little crude, but with some mentoring she could very well hone these skills and become an expert weapon smith."

This made Erika's eyes brighten at the fact that she may have found a person that would be willing to adopt her, and actually appreciated her work. But knew from the other orphans having their hopes trashed before they could finish the sentence 'you would be willing to accept me?' she knew well enough to never say that too early, instead she tried to hide her happiness and listened in on their conversation, perking up when it sounded like he would consider her and almost dropping to the ground again when it sounded like he wasnt.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">After a few minutes after the Weapon Smith and the Matron had finished talking Drake asked if Erika could be sent around to his workshop later.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Later that night at Drake's workshop.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Here we are Erika, this is Mister Drake's workshop, now listen, i don't know wether he will actually adopt you or not, but i want you to respect this man with all of your heart, he has done many things for this town, and i dont want to hear that you've stolen something from him" Scolded Mary, the Matron that Erika actually liked and talked to.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"i promise. Wait, is Mister Drake famous or something?" asked Erika, shifting her feet when she spoke her promise remembering that she has in fact stolen material from Drake in the past.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm sure he can tell you. Now i must be getting back to the Orphanage, Mister Drake has set up accomadation for you for the night, and we will see you tomorrow to discuss your future." Mary said to Erika, and as she was saying this she patted Erika. Hearing the Matron exclaim in minor pain Erika tried to see what had made Mary exclaim in pain but she had hidden her hand and was walking away before Erika could get a good look.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"hmmm... that was strange.. Well anyway, i guess i better go in and see what Mister Drake wants." Erika said to the cold, brisk air around her, still feeling as if something was not quite right with what happened just moments ago.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">As she pushed on the heavy door she felt it move easily, like butter in a hot pan, untill she realised that it was Drake pulling it open and not actually her pushing it, he let go and she realised that she could not even move it more than 5 inches.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Come in girl, before you catch a cold in catch the attention of the grimm in the area" he said as he pulled Erika into his home. "I'm glad you can use your aura, but you have to be careful, the Grimm around these parts have attuned their senses to be able to detect the likes of you and me"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">As Erika entred the home she could smell the thickness of the forge next door, a subtle but distinct hint of herbs and spices hanging from the rafters, and a deliscious aroma comming from the kitchen area. As she looked around the living area of the house and sat infront of the great fire place, she looked around to room at the various weapons hanging on the walls but didnt bother to ask what they were, instead the waited patiently for Drake to start talking about why she was here.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Now Erika" he said as he sat in a chair made of wolf pelt. "The reason i have asked to come to my home, is to tell you i am going to cinsider adopting you, you obviously have a talent for forgeing weapons with dust, which is a very rare talent, and for someone at the age of 13 to be able to do it without fail is impressive."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika nearly couldnt contain her excitment at the news, she restrained herself from jumping around the room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Now about that sword you were running around with earlier this morning, i know the material used from from my forge, and that the crystal you used, uncut yellow, was stollen from the dust shop near the orphanage."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika almost died as she realised that Drake had been watching her 'source' the materials for her weapons, and maybe he even knew where she hide them too..

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Don't worry yourself child, i payed the man at the dust shop and that peice of metal was a failed project that i was working on last week. Also the place you were hiding your creations wasnt very well hidden, i saw the Matrons destroying your other weapons, which is why i never gave you back the sword you droped. I told the Matrons that the bed ive made for you is for tonight only, but infact it is a perminent place for you to rest, there is no way im letting you go back to that place where your talents go to waste and are treated like shit!" Drake said, raising his voice as he spoke of the orphanage.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika was suprised and amazed at the news, also a little curious about the last bit, but didnt bother asking. After a few hours of talking, laughing and discussion Erika's talents with dust, and eating dinner, it was soon past high moon and Drake led Erika to her room, when she entered she noticed that her sword was resting at the end of the bed, but it was slightly different, but she ignored it for now and thought it better to ask in the morning, there was also a display case on the right and another on the left. After sleepily observing her new room, she decided it was time to go to sleep. The next day Drake signed for Erika's adoption and took her under his wing as his apprentice.

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<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Several years later, after Erika had grown into a young woman, she was approached by a very strange man, he seemed to walk with an air about him, as if he was someone very important. She had seen him around town a few times in the last year, especially around Drakes house, he also always seemed to have a cup with him, and would sip from it, alot. He approached Erika introducing himself as professor Ozpin, the head master of Beacon.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I am Professor Ozpin, the Head Master of Beacon, i have come to this town to seek you out, your uncle has informed me that you are an excellent student of the arts of combat and use of dust, i could use someone with your expertise in my school. If you are interested, you will travel with Professor Drake to the city where my school is situated, if not, then you will never have another chance to prove yourself worthy and will be left here to rot in this town for the rest of your life." Ozpin said, saying the final part of his speech with slight pauses to add emphasis.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I would be honoured to attend Beacon, and will travel with Drake when he leaves for the city, I will prove myself to you and to the world that I am worthy of being a huntress!" Erika said almost saluting to the professor while she spoke.

<h2 class="MsoNoSpacing">Appearance Erika is tall, slender and overall quite beautiful with her natural red hair. She wears a black ankle length jacket with red trimming, black pants with red trimming along the side, a black belt with her emblem on her buckle and black combat boots. On her shoulders she has added shoulder guards and guards on her eblows. Her gloves are black and red. Her red hair reaches down to the middle of her back.

The emblem she wears is an image of her sword in its final form with flames sitting behind it.

<h2 class="MsoNoSpacing">Weapon and skills

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika's weapon of choice is a sword, which is unique in the fact that instead of 'transforming' into a weapon that could help in ranged situations, instead her choice is a sword that can change its shape and appearance to better suit the situation of melee combat.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The sword has three forms, a pure combat form which is slender and can be used to slice and stab flesh and pierce soft armour, the second form becomes a long slender blade, with considerably more reach, this form can be seen as inferior to its first form, but this form allows the wielder to be more fluid in their movements and allowing more control over the battlefield, being able to dodge attacks and counter attack more easily.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika's semblance, is the ability to merge metal and dust, giving the weapon, basic, but efficient properties of the crystal used, this is seen as an engravement in the weapon, or as a slight glow in its simpliest forms, this simple form can be done in the field, but the more complex engravement, must be done in her workshop after many hours of work, taking from a few hours, to a few days, like her weapon Vulkner. She is also able to hold a crystal and use its fundemental properties, red is used as hot, and blue is used as cold, allowing metal to be worked without a forge, but only in small matters, and not being able to be used to forge a complete weapon from scratch. In a combat use, she is able to charge a 'battery' of dust to move the energy stored into the engravement of the weapon giving it the visual appearance of as if its on fire.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The second nature of her crystalization, and where it gets its name from, is the ability to subconciously create a fine shield around her strengthening her aura's protection, instead of merely protecting her in the way a normal aura does. After working with red dust for so many years, the semblance's attatchment to dust caused it to attatch to her skin. <h2 class="MsoNoSpacing">Personality <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Erika is a strong and confident it times of social need, being able to enable and continue conversations with ease, though she likes being in conversations, she preferes to step back, leaning against a wall and sizing up everyone around her, judging their capabilities based on their physical build and choice of weapon. She will also use Rai's abilities to further spy on people she finds interesting.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Even though she is strong in conversations, if she feels threatened or uneasy about the situation, she will heat up the air around her to give a warning to back away.