Name: Rust Mallory
Sex: Male
Age: 26
Phenotype: Faunus (Leopard)
Kingdom: Vacuo
Appearance: Rust is a solidly built man, his appearance roughened by life in the harsh conditions of Vacuo. He stands just over six feet with a shock of dark red hair and an impressive musculature without being over the top. Although technically Caucasian, his skin is perpetually sun darkened. What tends to stand out the most about Rust's appearance, above all, are his bright green slit-pupiled eyes. For anyone who pays even the slightest bit of attention, they very clearly mark him as Faunus. While not as obvious as horns or rabbit ears or a tail, they're impossible to mistake when you do notice them.
Personality:Rust Mallory likes to think of himself as a hardened, bad ass Huntsman from the wastes, and likes to act the part. He can be boisterous and cocky, but absolutely focused when it comes time to take on the Grimm. Despite the harshness of a life lived in the more dangerous areas of the kingdom, Rust maintains a decided optimistic outlook on life and the future. This also tends to bleed over into his initial opinions of people, even if it's an attitude that hasn't always been rewarded. His upbringing and parents' insistence that he and his sister be able to survive and provide for themselves has given him a fairly low opinion of people who prove that they can't take care of themselves, but rather than discard those people Rust feels that it's his job as a Huntsman to take care of them, regardless of his opinion of them as a person.
Biography: Rust was born and raised in the harsh wastelands of Vacuo to a pair of nomadic travelers with no real connections to any permanent place. His mother and father gave little care to others outside of their little family group, considering anyone who couldn't survive and take care of themselves as not being worth the time and energy needed to help. Rust's older sister, Sepia, took their parents' teaching to heart as well, and has continued their survivalist, unattached lifestyle.
Rust, however, came to some different conclusions. Somewhere around his twelfth birthday, the boy became separated from his family and found himself lost. For several days he wandered the wastes, desperately trying to find his family while dodging the occasional Grimm. More than likely, he would have been dead had he not encountered the Huntress.
Her name was Onyx, and she had only recently graduated from Beacon Academy in Vale. She'd come to Vacuo to test herself and experience more of the world. For two weeks the two traveled together, eventually finding the trail of his family's vehicle / home and tracking them. Along the way Rust found himself exposed to an outlook that at times was completely removed from that of his family, one that espoused the need to protect the weak and defenseless, to help those who were not able to provide for themselves.
Rust did not forget the lessons he learned from Onyx even after being reunited with his family. His questioning of what had been standard family ways of dealing with outsiders ignited some amount of friction between the boy and the rest of his family, but never enough to cause real strife. Inspired by Onyx and his new outlook on the world, Rust enrolled in Shade Academy at his first chance, intent on becoming a Huntsman so that not only could he be the strongest survivor possible, but that he could put that strength to use to help those who truly needed it.
Despite being Faunus himself, Rust has a distinct dislike for the tactics and methods used by the White Fang. He may have supported their goals of equality in the past, but their current terrorist incarnation leaves him cold. He doesn't like bullies or cowards, which he sees them to be.
Aura Color: Crimson
Semblance: Geomancy
Rust's Semblance is geomancy, the ability to manipulate earthen materials. With focus and concentration he is able to move dirt, sand, rock, stone, and soil at will. This can be something as simple as a plume of sand bursting up into his opponent's face or as complicated as shaping a tunnel through solid stone. Loose substances like sand, dust, or loose soil are far easier to manipulate than rock and stone. Mud poses its own challenges given the amount of water also involved in its composition, but it can be done. The larger the area he tries to manipulate or the more solid the substance the more concentration and focus is required, making in-combat choices generally limited to small areas of loose composition. The arid lands of Vacuo make for a smorgasbord of loose, dry materials to work with, however.
Weapon: Savage Arc
Melee, Ranged, DustSavage Arc is a combination nagamaki / compound bow, and like many Huntsman weapons switches between the two forms in a flurry of shifting parts. The melee function of Savage Arc possesses a three foot, single edged blade with a gentle curve and a chisel tip. It is backed by a three foot handle designed to be wielded almost exclusively in both hands. The design of the weapon ensures a significant amount of force being applied to each and every strike. A truly skilled user is capable of switching to a single handed style in some instances by gripping just below the guard and wielding it in a spinning motion.
Savage Arc's bow form is a simple and straight forward projectile weapon. It is almost silent in use and has surprising range for a non-firearm. Rotating cams at each end of the six foot length allow for an easier draw as well as more power for each shot. Rust carries a small assortment of arrows including regular broadheads and three varieties of Dust enhanced shafts. Arrows enhanced with fire, lightning, and ice aligned Dust explode on impact into an instant elemental effect: a ball of flame, a flash freeze, or a sphere of lightning. The nocks for each type of arrow are specially designed to be recognizable by touch, allowing for the user to quickly find the one he wants without having to look.
Favors: - A good fight
-A good meal
-The night sky
-Skilled comrades
Disfavors: -Authority
-Pretentiousness
-People who can't look out for themselves
-Bullies
Affinities: Rust tends to be a pretty straight forward fighter. He likes to hold the attention of the enemy and deliver maximum damage. He uses his mouth to maximum effect as well, focusing his enemies on him while his allies outflank and stay more or less out of harm's way. Rust's Faunus heritage also provides him with excellent eyesight, particularly at night and for tracking movement.
Faults: Rust often lacks subtlety and tact when it comes to a fight. More than once his headstrong style has gotten him in trouble. His weapon's ranged abilities are slower and more limited than a firearm in a straight up fight and are more useful in scenarios where he can set up an ambush or there is a pause in the battle.
Theme Song: Headstrong
