The bustle of Vale's nightlife filled the air as Remnants shattered moon cast a dim light upon the sinful inn. Its neon sign, flickering on and off on a whim. The building was clearly run down, and most of its facilities were in disrepair, but that didn't seem to bother the four men who were sitting around a table in a room on the top floor. Each of them started intently at the two playing cards in their hand. One of them, large at easily 6'9" with stunning white hair, white irises and draped in white monk's robes, flipped over the final card.
"That's the river." He said, he voice betraying his cheerfulness. "Max, you're up first." Seated to the large man's left, Max, much shorter at 5'11", bit his lip as he stared at his cards with brilliant blue eyes. He scratched his brown hair, and shifted in his red t-shirt and jeans.
"C'mon." the first man egged on.
"Cut the shit Allister. I'm getting there." Max shot back.
"Who ho! Hostile!. One helluva partner ain't he Zade." Allister joked, elbowing the man sitting to his right. Zade, 6'3" with a long grey dress shirt, black pants, and red eyes, was fiddling with a cross necklace and eyeing his card when Allister elbowed him. Zade looked up and glared at Allister.
"Indeed he is, now shut up so he can bet and I can steal your money." Zade smirked.
"Is that right?" Allister asked condescendingly as the two leaned in close to glare at one another, noses nearly touching.
"Now… kiss." Max joked from across the table, and Zade and Allister immediately sat back. Max laughed to himself.
"Just play." Allister complained, he and Zade still glaring at each other.
"Fine. Here." Max rolled his eyes, tossing 70 Lien into the pile.
"Darron." Allister said, pointing to the man across the table from him. Darron slowly looked up from his cards. Everything about him was imposing, from his black hair, to his black eyes, to his black shirt, black jeans, and black long coat. He glanced at Allister before returning to his cards.
"C'mon you know you want to." Zade teased.
"Uh huh." Darron said, clapping down his 70 lien worth of chips.
"Alright we got a game." Zade said, calling Max and Darron.
"So be it." Allister added cockily throwing his chips in as well. Tension mounted as the four men looked at one another, each daring any of the others to put their cards down first.
"On three." Zade suggested.
"On 3." Allister agreed.
"1 2 3." All four of them through their cards on the table. Both Zade and Allister turned white in the face as Max laughed. Darron had won the then hand and was calmly collecting his winnings.
"Awe Boss why you gotta be like that." Zade complained jokingly.
"Teach you fools not to challenge each other while I'm sitting at the table" Darron chuckled, mockingly counting his winnings.
"C'mon that's a lesson they'll never learn." Max pointed out.
"You don't know that." Allister shot back. Max gave Allister a looked, and he rolled his eyes. Darron shook his head lightly and stood up from the table. He walked across the room to the only thing clean in the room, a mini fridge which they had brought themselves. Darron reached in and pulled out a beer. Using his thumb, Darron popped the lid off and took a quick drink.
"Why are we always in shitboxes like this though, we have the money to live like kings." Zade pointed out.
"Inconspicuousness." Darron replied calmly, leaning against the open window and staring out at the moon. The other three looked at their leader smiling.
"You know you will find her right?" Allister said, a large smile on his face. Darron chuckled and looked down.
"Maybe one day." Darron said with a sigh. He looked at his family and raised his bottle. "To 600 completed jobs, and another 600 to go." Darron toasted.
"Here here." Max responded, drinking from his own bottle.
"You know, for six years of this, I'd never thought I still wouldn't be bored in the slightest." Zade pointed out, leaning back in his chair.
"That's cause I don't let us take the easy jobs." Darron answered.
"Easy is a matter of perspective my friend. All those jobs were easy for me." Allister boasted. Zade rolled his eyes and slapped across the back of Allister's head.
"Buffon." Zade insulted.
"Bastard." Allister shot back. The two of them fistbumped and sat there, watching Max expertly shuffle the cards for the next round. Darron stayed by the window.
"I know… one day i'll see you again… and you'll probably hate me." Darron thought. He was driven from his thoughts, when Max slapped the cards down on the table.
"Let's lose some money." Max joked, nodding his head. Allister and Zade chuckled. A grin appeared on Darron's face as he stood up straight. Darron took his seat at the table, and Max dealt. As soon as the final card reached its player the door burst open.
"Police!" two men, decking in armor and holding assault rifles yelled as they charged into the room.
"Move!" Darron called out. Darron, Zade, and Max pushed themselves away from the table, and Allister flipped himself backwards, hooking onto the table with his legs, and flinging it at the soldiers. The soldiers tried shooting the table, but couldn't stop it from knocking them back into the hallway. The soldiers vaulted the table back into the room. Zade grabbed the first one and flung him onto the bed. Zade straddled the soldier and punched him in the face repeatedly, until he was completely unconscious, and blood trickled from his nose and mouth. Darron grabbed the second one and tossed him into the hotel bathroom. Allister shoved the soldier's head into the toilet and sat down on the lid, trapping the soldier's head underwater. Allister rested his arm on the sink as the soldier struggled until he went totally limp. Max calmly closed the door.
"So I don't think we're done here." Max said.
"No shit." Zade commented.
"Focus. Max grab the fridge and everyone load up, let's go!" Darron ordered. Max clipped a metal briefcase to his waist, and pulled a small clear dust crystal from his pocket. Max held the crystal out towards the fridge. The dust glowed for a moment before dying down, showing that the fridge had disappeared. Max pocketed the crystal and turned towards the door. Zade loaded two smgs to holsters on his chest, and latched two sickles, with the blades flipped so that the tips of the blade touched the bottom of the hit, to his waist. Allister twirled a small dumbbell and shoved it in his robes. Darron loaded two desert eagles into holsters under his shoulders, and sheathed a menacing black sword, with glyphs inscribed along it, across his back. The four of them lined up at the door, waiting for the signal to advance. Darron cautiously reached out for the handle, but stopped when he heard the sound of chugging behind him. Darron looked back and saw Max quickly trying to down a drink.
"For the love of…" Darron trailed off.
"Hey hey. It's my first one." Max remarked. Darron sighed and turned back towards the door. Darron opened the door, and used it as cover. A fortunate decision as bullets began flying down the hallway. Darron peaked around the corner and saw two more soldiers, slowly advancing while firing.
"Good thing these doors are thick right." Zade said, knocking on the door.
"No kidding." Darron replied, pulled out one of his pistols. Darron swung around the door and quickly fired off some shots, hitting the cops right in the chest. They both fell, and stopped shooting. Darron sighed and walked into the hall. The reprieve was short as the elevator at the end of the hall opened and 4 more police barged into the hallway.
"Shit!" Max exclaimed.
"Allister get the door." Darron instructed, as he Zade and Max took of the other way. Allister put one hand on the handle, and the other on the side of the door and effortlessly ripped it from its hinges. Allister used the door like a riot shield and receded down the hallway after his team.
At the other end of the hallway Darron kicked open the door into the stairwell, causing it to smash straight into an unsuspecting officer. Darron rushed in and grabbed the cop, slamming him against the wall. The cop turned to hit Darron with the butt of his gun. Darron ducked under the strike, and Max stepped in, punching the cop across the face. Darron surged up, headbutting the cops nose. Darron punched the cop twice in the ribs and tossed him over to Zade who was holding a barely conscious cop of his own. Zade tooked the two cops and tossed them down the stairs, and clapped his hands. Allister suddenly appeared in the doorway, holding his door. Allister reared back and threw the door down the hallway. The door flew through the air, slamming into the cops and smashing them against the wall.
"Done down here." Allister said, walking into the stairwell. Darron nodded.
"Good. Let's get to the roof before anymore cops show up." Darron said. He and his team climbed the stairs to the roof three at a time. Once they reached the roof, Darron kicked open the door, and the four of them spilled out onto the roof. They covered their faces as they were immediately drenched by a monsoon of rain.
"When the hell did this start!" Allister complained, trying to shield his face.
"We've got bigger problems." Darron shot back, wiping the water from his eyes and looked out on the roof. Dozens of hunters had them surrounded, and none of them looked too pleased to see them. Straight across from Darron was three of the most well known hunters on the planet, Qrow Branwen, Glynda Goodwitch, and Professor Ozpin. Darron looked back and saw Zade visibly tense up.
"Hey, calm down. I'll handle him this time." Darron reassured. Zade took a deep breath and nodded.
"I must say I'm impressed. You boys have been causing quite a stir haven't you." Ozpin said, seemingly unfazed by the storm.
"That's the job." Darron answered.
"I mean. The resources and time needed to find you." Ozpin added.
"Thank you, we pride ourselves on our ability to waste your funds." Darron shot back.
"Lay down your weapons. You're surrounded. There is no way you can get out of this situation." Glynda demanded. Darron crouched down lightly.
"We're not in the business of that are we?" Darron asked, still staring directly at Glynda.
"Hell no." Allister replied.
"Haven't yet." Zade echoed.
"Could be a good business opportunity." Max added.
"Wait…" Darron sighed, looking back at Max. Max chuckled.
"Just kick their ass." Max said. Darron rolled his eyes.
"Please, we just want to resolve this peacefully and quickly." Ozpin said. Qrow couldn't help but laugh.
"Cmon, when has anything regarding these punks been quick, forget peaceful." Qrow said.
"He has a point." Darron agreed.
"It doesn't matter. You have no other choices." Goodwitch said.
"Oh, don't we." Darron smirked, crouching down lightly, the wind dust in his boot sactivating, swirling wind around his feet.
"You idiots." Qrow insulted, reaching behind him and wrapping a hand around the hilt of his blade.
"Oh sue us." Darron shrugged. "Go for it!" he exclaimed, as he engaged his wind boots, launching himself into the air, as the rest of his team raced towards the rest of the hunters on the roof.
Allister was the first to reach the enemy hunters. The first enemy tried to swing at him with a large, double handed sword. Allister stepped behind the swing and punched the hunter across the face. He slid his feet together and sidekicked dorward, catching a second huntress in the stomach. As his foot hits the ground he squatted down and elbowed the first huntsman hard in the stomach. Allister reached to the dumbell at his waist, and pulled it up. With a flick of his wrist, it expanded into a full daibo, which he used to block a third huntsman's axe. Allister pushed the axe to the side, and brough both ends of the daibo back across the huntsman's face. He jammed the daibo into the man's stomach, pushing him back. Allister grunted as the second huntsman slashed against his aura with her dagger. Allister lashed out, catching the side of her face with a backfist.
"Shit!" Allister exclaimed, as two shot rang out against his back. Allister stumbled forward, and turned around as the first huntsman brought his claymore in a large slash across Allister chest. Allister sneered and grabbed a hold of the huntsman's face with one hand. Allister lifted the man into the air like he was paper, and slammed him into the roof, causing the roof to crack. The man cried out as he felt the back of his skull fracture. Allister righted himself and kicked the huntsman in the ribs, sending his skidding across the roof. The huntsman coughed blood as three of his ribs snapped. Allister smirked as hs victory, when his instincts kicked in. He stretched out and caught the third hunters act, just below the blade, with his forearm. Allister flicked a switch on his daibo, and lightning dust on both ends activated. He jammed his daibo back into the chest of the hunter, making him groan as electricity coursed through his body, amplified by the rain. Allister turned around, spinning his daibo over his head, and brought it across the huntsman's face, dislocating the huntsman jaw, and sending him spinning through the air. He ducked to his left as more shots flew past him. Allister looked at the two huntresses who were firing. He turned to face them and started spinning his daibo. The huntress panicked and continued firing as wind started to gather around Allister daibo. Each shot was unable to pass through the wall of Alliser daibo. The lightning on the edges started to arc towards the center where it lashed out, connecting with both of the huntresses. The screamed in pain before collapsing from the intense shock. Allister grinned, but soon shouted in pain as the huntress sunk her dagger deep into his shoulder. Allister casually tossed her off, and turned around, suddenly being met by an axe across the face. Allister growled and jumped up, slamming his daibo down on the third huntsman. The huntsman cried out as his face broke. He staggered back, and fell back unconscious. The huntress looked at her fallen comrade nervously, foolishly removing her eyes from Allister. In that interval, Allister grabbed her hair, and slammed her face on his knee, breaking her nose. She reached to her belt, and drew a thin dagger, stabbing it into his leg. Allister seethed and let her go. She dashed back, tossing more daggers at him. He casually blocked them with his daibo, as he ripped the dagger from his leg. Allister stood up straight and put away his daibo. He taunted the huntress, beckoning for her to attack him. She easily took the bait and raced towards Allister. He smirked and waiting until she stepped just within his range. Allister kicked out, sweeping her legs out from under her, and slammed his fist down on her chest. She bounced off the ground and landed hard, laying there coughing hard. Alastair chuckled until he was blindsided by another huntsman tackling him. The two of them rolled across the floor, until Allister punched the huntsman's' face, getting separation. Allister rose to his feet, and saw that he was surrounded by six more huntsman.
"Bring it." Allister challenged, lunging at the nearest one.
A sniper looked down her scope, trying to get a clear shot at Zade.
"Hold still." she muttered to herself, as she tracked his movements. To her surprise she suddenly lost him, as he disappeared in puff of black feathers. She dropped her scope, and Zade, standing just to her right, punched her in the face. Her head snapped back, and Zade roughly grabbed hold of her sniper. Zade jammed the butt of the weapon into her stomach and ripped it from her grasp. Zade mounted it on his shoulder, and put a bullet right in her shoulder. She cried out as she fell to the ground, grasping her wounded shoulder tightly. Zade flipped the sniper under his shoulder, using the bolt action to reload it, and fired it at a huntsman approaching from behind. Zade tossed the sniper forward, and grabbed a hold with both hands on the barrel of the sniper. Zade stepped back with one foot, and swung the sniper like a baseball bat, slamming against the head of the huntsman behind him. Zade tossed the gun away, and kicked the knee of the huntsman. The huntsman stepped back and winced. Zade pulled his crescent blades from his belt, and used them to slash across the huntsman's throat. The huntsman spun around and fell to the ground, his aura protecting his life. Zade smirked as he felt a huntress behind him try to stealthily stab him from behind. In a flash, Zade was behind the huntress, sharply kicking her in the ribs and following up with a sidekick to the back of her head. The woman stumbled forward, as Zade used his crescent blade to knock an incoming lance just enough off course that it would miss his body. He jumped off the ground with his remaining foot, and used his other crescent blade to punch the huntsman directly in the chest. Just before Zade hit the ground, He teleported higher into the air, so that he could get his feet under him. Zade landed and grinned as the head of a lance smacked him cleanly in the side of the skull. The hunter grinned and tried to the bring the lance back across Zade's chest, but Zade cleanly blocked with with his crescent blades. Unfortunately, the huntress stepped in, cutting Zade's side. Zade fell to his side, pushing the lance, away from his body. Zade hit the ground and rolled away, popping back to his feet. Zade gingerly felt his side, and could feel the slick texture of his blood.
"Shit." Zade muttered to himself, readying himself before the two huntsman. They stared at one another, letting the tension build, before Zade teleported right between the two of them. Zade opened his assault by punching the huntress across the face with his blade, and hooking his leg over the huntsman's lance. Zade pulled himself along the lance, and sidekicked the huntsman in the chest. Zade teleported behind the huntsman, and slyly tripped him. He grunted as his back hit the ground hard. Zade wasted no time, kicking the man across the head. Zade skipped over the body, dodging a heavy slash from the huntress, and slammed a blade down on her hands, disarming her. Zade shifted and laid a backfist to her face, before skipping back across the huntsman, and unleashing a flurry of strikes at her. She desperately raised her arms, to protect herself, but Zade relentless slashed at her arms with his blades. As she stepped back, she slipped and fell crying out. Zade stepped over her, and punched down, fracturing her skull. Zade looked at his waist as a wire wrapped around it.
"Got him." said a voice from behind him.
"Oh boy." Zade whined, as he was yanked back. Zade rolled across the roof, and pushed up to his feet, where a woman punched across his face. Zade smirked and looked back at her, welcoming another challenger.
Max smiled as he nimbly dodged from three huntsman who were each trying to slash and stab at him.
"Slippery little bastard." One of them grumbled beneath his breath.
"Just waiting from the main event." Max shrugged, sidestepping another blade.
"Which is?" a second huntsman asked, angrily attacking. Max chuckled and jumped back, lifting his breifcase to block some incoming projectiles.
"Let's not get impatient." Max warned, spinning around and slamming his breifcase across onw of the hunter's face. The hunter stumbled to the side as Max dropped to one knee, continuing to spin around, and knocking the second huntress off of her feet. Finally Max raised it to block an incoming strike from the third huntsman. Max pushed up and rose to his feet, kicking at the huntsman's ankles. The huntsman flinched lightly, giving Max just enough of an opening to slam his briefcase into the man's chest, sending him sprawling on his ass. Max smirked and spun his breifcase on one finger around its handle. Max turned away from his final opponent, when he was suddenly met by both of his other enemies, slashing at his chest with their blades. Max, luckily, was able to raise his aura to defend himself. Max raced between the two and just managed to slip through.
"Not so cocky now huh." the huntress taunted, pointing her sword at Max as he turned to face them.
"Well you brought this on yourselves." Max shrugged. The huntress looked at the other two huntsman in her group and curiously stared at Max.
"What are you going on about?" she asked, her feet shifting into a more defensive stance.
"This." Max asnwered calmly, as he slapped his breifcase on his chest. Max grinned as the breifcase snapped open and soon encased his entire body in hight tech armor. The suit was over 7ft tall, and left no openings for weakness that the eye could see. Inside Max slipped his hands into two hand shaped controls as the inside of the mech whirred to life.
"The hell." one of the huntsman muttered, staring at the metal monstrosity.
"This is my baby. Titan. She's here to make you regret your every life choice." Max said, moving his arms and hands, with Titan doing a little shadow box in perfect synchronicity. The huntsman kept their distance, cautious of any powers that the suit may be hiding within it.
"Any of you think you're good enough to challenge her?" Max taunted, using Titan to beckon them forward. The huntress knew this was obviously a trap, but couldn't stop her two partners from racing forward.
"Idiots!" she yelled out after them, but it was all in vain, as they had already fallen right into Max's trap. Max slammed Titan's fists together and thrust them out forward. From each forearm, three assault rifle barrels emerged and began littering the huntsman with bullets. It took only seconds for the huntsman to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of bullets, and each of them received multiple nonleathel bullet wounds which left them incapacitated on the ground. The huntress raced across the roof top, and took cover behind an air conditioning unit.
"How the hell are we gonna beat that thing?" she thought to herself, rattling her brain for an answer. Her thought process was promptly interrupted by the sound of metallic clanging just in front of her. The huntress glanced at the side to see a live grenade just sitting before her.
"Shit." She muttered, trying to vault the air conditioner again. She barely made it as the grenade exploded, the force on her back causing her to roll across the roof. She breathed heavily as she finally rolled to a stop. Max had no intention of allowing her to catch her breath, as he immediatly grabbed her leg, and using Titan's immense strength, slammed her onto the roof, causing small cracks to appear. The huntress weakly tried to push herself up, but was promptly stopped as Max brought Titan's heavy foot down on her head. As Max lifted the foot, her nodded at the unconscious huntress laying there.
"Good work girl." He complimented his mech. Instinctivly, he raised his arm as an arrow streaked across the roof, and latched on to Titan's arm. Max looked at it for just a moment until electricity began acring over the outside of Titan.
"Ground." Max ordered. Titan immediatly planted her feet in the ground, and two spikes dug themselves into the roof. Max sighed relieved as the lighting traveled to the bottom of Titan and down into the roof. Max did a quick check of his mech status before looking up at the next group of hunters who had surrounded him, ready to take their turn against his masterpeice.
Darron raised his sword as he fell back towards the earth. As he hit the ground he swung hard with his blade, colliding with Qrow's weapon. The two of them pressed against one another's blade and grit their teeth. No words need to pass between the two as their stares filled with fighting spirit told all that was needed to be told. The two pushed off one another and jumped back. Qrow smirked and raced forward, planning on taking the initiative in the fight. As he brought his blade across Darron's chest, Darron quickly caught it with his own, turned, and sidekicked Qrow right in the side. Darron finished turning, and swung his blade heavily towards Qrow's head. Qrow barely ducked his head under the blade, and countered with a slash up Darron's chest. Darron seethed and stepped back, pointing his blade at Qrow. Qrow smirked and held his blade lazily as the two circled around one another. Suddenly, Qrow was forced to jump back as one of the hunter came flying through the air, and crashing on the ground right where he had been. Darron immediately seized the opportunity and jumped in. He hopped over the hunter and landed a slash on Qrow's shoulder. Darron raised his blade, readying for another slash, and Qrow readied a block. However, at the height of his pull back. Darron flipped his blade in his hand and stabbed it down. The feint surprised Qrow, as the blade stabbed his stomach. Darron flipped his grip again and slammed the blade down Qrow's body. Qrow kept his concentration through the hit, and snatched Darron's wrist in his hand. Qrow kicked Darron's side, and brought his blade repeatedly on Darron's shoulder. Darron raised an arm to block and forced his aura into his long coat. It shimmered with a dull orange light, as each of Qrow's strikes started bouncing off of it.
"Neat trick kid." Qrow complemented, letting go of Darron, and pushing him back with a punch to the face.
"Thanks old man." Darron said, looking back at Qrow. Darron slyly reaching into his long coat. Qrow raised his weapon in preparation, and was not dissapointed as Darron drew one of his desert eagles from his coat, firing off a number of shots. Qrow used his blade to expertly slash each bullet out of the air. Darron growled as his clip emptied. Darron waited until Qrow predictably moved forward to drop the magazine from the gun. As the clip fell towards the ground, Darron caught it with his foot and sent it flying towards Qrow. Not expecting the improvisation, the clip managed to his Qrow squarely in the nose. Darron slammed his gun on his belt, pushing another clip into the gun. Darron used his sword to push Qrow's down, before pointing his newly loaded gun directly at Qrow's face.
"You disappoint me." Darron started, refusing to break eye contact with his opponent.
"Maybe I've just been going easy on you?" Qrow suggested back, smirking cockily. Darron sneered at Qrow's confidence.
"Then that's your mistake." Darron said calmly. Darron tried to pull the trigger on his Desert Eagle, but Qrow snatched at it with his free hand, causing Darron's aim to be off. Simultaneously, Qrow opened his sword into its shotgun configuration, and blasted right at Darron's shin. Darron cried out as his legs were blasted out from under him, and he fell towards the ground. Qrow was more than happy to help him out by giving him a knee to the chin on his way down. Qrow ret his sword to its normal form as he looked down at Darron. Much to Qrow's surprise, Darron still had the energy to raise his legs and kip up. However, upon his feet hitting the floor, he engaged the wind dust in his boot and propelled himself into the air and across the roof, landing right next to the rest of his team, who had been pushed back towards the side of the roof. Darron took a quick scan and saw that his team wasn't severely hurt, but they were beginning to wear down.
"What's up?" Darron asked, striking a more casual tone to keep their spirits up.
"Best workout in weeks." Allister answered, spinning his daibo easily.
"This is a hassle, but at least the girls are cute." Zade shrugged, winking at some huntresses who were not appreciating the compliment.
"Systems are operational." Max answered, busy keeping track of each of Titan's complex systems, while trying to analyze the enemy. The four of them stood there, facing the approaching squad of huntsman with defiance.
"Are you prepared to surrender?" Ozpin asked, wishing to end the violence as soon as possible.
"You're clearly outmatched." Qrow added, pointing his blade directly at Darron. Darron rolled his eyes and gestured at his teammates.
"Are we?" He asked.
"The hell we are!" Allister exclaimed.
"That would be… unsatisfactory." Zade added.
"Nah." Max chimed in. Ozpin put his face in his hand and sighed.
"Well I guess it can't be avoided then." Ozpin admitted. Darron nodded in agreement.
"Kill or be killed." Darron answered, quickly propelling himself at Ozpin, knowing that the ensuing fight, win or lose, would change his team future forever.