Echidna's Kin
By heavybreathingcat, ninaunn (ao3 Accounts)
Summary:
A hundred years ago, Greed lost those that belonged to him. The Fifth Laboratory held answers, but what he found there was more promising; Chimera.
This is an origin story of Greed. It explains why he left his siblings 100 years ago, how the Devils Nest gang came to be and how he plans to take revenge on his Father.
Author(s) Notes:
This story is co-authored. On A03 proper credit is given to Ninaunn, her account on FF (which is no longer updated) is Sckry.
Thanks to DjinniFires who left a thorough review on the first chapter. I've made some changes based on the feedback. Thanks again, its always appreciated!
"The fuck is that?"
"No idea," growled the second voice. "Maybe they're finally getting what's coming to 'em."
"If only."
The sounds of battle were getting closer. A high pitched whine echoed through the room; an indication of the anxiousness of the dog Chimera in the opposite cell. For himself, Roa didn't need their keen hearing to know that something big was coming their way. Whether it was a rogue test subject, or infighting amongst their captors, Roa didn't know.
Occasionally dust sprinkled down from the movement in the walls. The ex-soldier frowned; it couldn't be an escaped Chimera. Whatever was causing the fuss felt like it had enough strength to bring down the walls.
An explosion rocked the building, closer this time, and he felt the force of it in his bones. Roa's back ached as he pulled himself up. Whatever chaos was coming, it was bound to be messy. Twisting his torso with raised arms, the old soldier began to crack and stretch every part of his body. Hell, who knew if trying to escape was even in the cards.
Still, he thought to himself, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared
And if the opportunity rose to exact revenge on the white coats? Well, it was something to consider.
The doors rattled as another blast came, this time it physically moved the doors to the hallway.
In the cell opposite, Rakia twitched, dark eyes sharp on the doors.
"Military's coming!" she snarled. Roa nodded and stood back from the gate of his cell.
A moment later and he might have lost his sideburns. The hallway door blew inwards. Rakia's nose had smelt true; a military squad swarmed into the room. In desperate formation, they scouted, crouched and turned; guns focused on whatever
it was that followed.
"Aim for the red markings!" The sergeant bellowed, spit flying from his mouth. Roa hoped they didn't plan on using any heavy weaponry; his cell was the first on the right. Whatever they were to be firing on, Roa didn't want to get caught in the crossfire. Clearly the Chimera were no threat compared to what pursued them. That was unsettling.
He could hear the slow sound of approaching footsteps. They sounded bipedal; definitely human then. Well, with the appearance of. Despite his curiosity, Roa's better judgement kept his back well pressed against the far wall of his cell.
"Take him down!" roared the sergeant.
A cacophony of bullets fired violently down the hall. Roa yelled at the others to cover their ears. He'd been in too many battles not to. Tinnitus did nobody any favours.
All at once the squad ceased firing. Roa looked up from under his arms; the men hadn't even emptied their clips. Lowering his hands, he tried taking a glimpse at their intended target.
A feverish laugh burst into the hallway as a tall man, dressed in black, stepped over the threshold.
"Brilliant show men! You almost, almost stopped me." White teeth flashed in the dark room as the stranger raised his clawed hands in an exaggerated sweep.
"I think one of you may have bruised me," he applauded, making a show of checking his metallic body. "No wait, you didn't. My bad."
The tall man burst out laughing again as if he couldn't contain his own wit.
It was the oddest armour Roa had ever seen. Was is some kind of new model?
What the hell had those white coats been up too?
The sergeant wasted no time in responding.
"Fire!" he ordered, eyes wide, and again the air was filled with flying metal.
Shrapnel flew everywhere. Most of it missed Roa, but a few pieces cut his arms. The poor bastards across from him cursed and hissed; they weren't so lucky shrapnel had torn at their faces.
Bullets pinged harmlessly off the strange armour as the new-comer stalked forward. He was well built; probably ex-military, but too young to be anyone Roa would've fought with.
"I'll make it easy for you!" The armoured man whooped as he lifted his arms out to make himself a larger target.
Despite the continued spray of bullets, nothing drew blood. Either this man was insane or completely invincible.
"I'm out sir!"
"Me too!"
One by one the squad foolishly announced their ammo status. Idiots.
Their target roared with laughter. "Well I guess my reception is over."
"Not a chance, you monster!" The sergeant bellowed back.
Leaping forward, the sergeant sprinted down the hall with his sword drawn and ready. The metal-cloaked man waited for his attacker with an almost nonchalant expression. Feinting to the side, the soldier swept out his blade for an upward cut.
It met nothing but air. Wide eyed, Roa watched as a clawed, metallic hand tore through the Sergeant's chest. The metal arm collided with Roa's cell gate; the gore went further.
The Sergeant attempted to breathe, but only managed a few blood-choked gurgles. With a casual motion, the armoured man shook off the sergeant's body like an after-thought. Blood spilled into Roa's cell, but he didn't step back; his legs wouldn't move.
"Anyone else want to play hero?"
The surviving squad members were silent; they had no exit and no back up. Like true military dogs; their faces remained resilient. However, none appeared eager to challenge their target.
"Good," sighed the armoured man as he straightened, brushing entrails off his arm as if he were straightening out a dinner jacket. It made Roa shiver.
Seemingly satisfied that his arm was clean, the armoured man turned his attention back to the squad.
"You there," he barked. "Go and release these Chimeras"
Amidst his apprehension, Roa felt a small curl of hope.
"What?" Spluttered one of the braver squad members. "What? No!"
The armoured man's face distorted into an ugly sneer. It was obvious he booked no defiance.
"Hey!" Rakia, loud mouth that she was, rattled at her bars to get attention. Her dogs shuffled uneasily behind their alpha. "How do you know we're Chimera?"
The new-comer didn't even turn.
"You reek of animal shit," he countered, before thumping a fist against her cell door.
"I didn't know they let the deaf into the military, did you not hear me?" Some of the soldiers flinched at his tone. "Release these fucking animals!"
For over a year Roa had been imprisoned in this dank cell, and never had he thought someone would demand his release. The old ex-soldier's eyes were transfixed on the remaining squad. The sour stink of fear rolled off them. The bright eyes of Rakia and her dogs noticed every tremble.
Would they do it, Roa wondered, or would they rather end up like their sergeant and die with their soldier's pride intact? As much good as it had done for him. Roa snorted, already the stink of piss, shit and blood rose from the sergeant's corpse.
Ah the glory of the military, Roa thought bitterly. By the looks of things, the soldiers were thinking the same.
The armoured man seethed at their hesitance; his patience was wearing thin.
"I can't!" cried one. "They'll tear us apart!"
"Look mate," the new-comer said glibly. "Either I reach reach inside your chest and rip out your heart-"
Every man's face paled as the monster wiggled his clawed fingers.
"Or," the armoured man continued, before slapping a hand to his face and starting to chuckle. "Hang on, I promise this option is not as bad as the first..."
Every soul in the room was pin-pointed on him and his tirade.
"Or! You can take your chances at the mercy of these Chimera! Your choice!"
There was a tense moment where no-one moved. Roa's fists were clenched tight. They wouldn't, couldn't, it was madness either way.
Slowly, one pale, trembling soldier stepped forward.
"What are you doing," hissed his fellow.
The other man made no reply, already moving to the control panel at end of the hall. The beep of a few buttons and a card swipe later, and the lights on the cell gates faded.
Roa's gaze jerked to his gate. The soft, constant hum of the magnetic lock fell silent. He almost didn't believe it.
The old soldier stepped towards his gate and gave it a light nudge; it eased open. His fellow Chimera had no such compunctions, bursting out with victorious yelping. Roa paused; he had no desire to remain, but he'd signed a deal with the devil once before. What would be the cost of this liberation?
Meanwhile, violence reigned. It took the prisoners little time to decimate the soldiers, with Rakia at the forefront. The air was filled with screeching animals and torn flesh. The squad had superior numbers and training, but little could stand against the accumulative rage and strength of the Chimera.
The panicked screams of the soldiers died quickly. One fell into his line of sight, a gaping hole where his chest had been. Roa could barely look at the triumphant Chimera that stood above the corpse.
"Not going to join in old man?"
Roa looked up to see the armoured man watching him with narrow, violet eyes.
"Ha!" barked the ex-soldier. "This old man needs to keep his strength if he has any intention of surviving this place."
His jocular tone belied his reservation. If they truly were to escape, mindless violence would be more of a hindrance than a help. Roa had no illusions about the likelihood of any of them making it outside.
The man that had freed them said nothing.
With an effortless motion, Rakia silenced the last living soldier. The lifeless body crumpled, neck bent at a cruel angle. She looked down on her conquered victim and spat on his disfigured face. She avoided Roa's grim stare by wiping the blood off her face with the back of her hand.
Their bloodlust seemingly sated, she and the other Chimera turned their attention to their 'rescuer'.
He grinned toothily.
"Let me break this down nice and simple; you can either remain in here as lab rats or you can come with me and bring hell to those above us." He gestured towards them.
"Your choice."
In Roa's mind, he knew that he wanted out. The fourteen months he'd been here had felt like years. His knuckles whitened; Roa wanted to see the sun again, eat some real damn food. Find his wife. He'd lost too much to the military and to this cursed place.
From the look of things, his fellow Chimera felt the same. Hell, those damn dogs looked hungry with hope.
"I'm only asking once!"
Hesitant eyes turned toward the stocky woman at the fore of the pack. With a bold look at their rescuer, Rakia gave a single nod.
For himself, Roa pushed his gate the rest of the way open and took his first unescorted steps outside the cell in over a year. He might have kicked the sergeant's body on the way out. Inadvertently.
"I'm in," he said gruffly.
"Good. Though I shouldn't be surprised that dogs follow the alpha." Someone growled at that, not that the stranger noticed. With a lazy appraisal at his new compatriots, the armoured man glanced his way. "And what did they combine you with?"
Rao straightened and squared his shoulders.
"An ox."
Their rescuer waved him off.
"That strength of yours will be handy, but I'm not going to bother asking you your name until you've lasted a few floors."
Roa grunted in response.
The armoured man just laughed and turned to make his way back through the shattered remains of the doorway.
"Dogs, scrounge what weapons you can from those meat-bags," Rakia barked, already bearing a knife. She still hadn't looked at him.
Roa took the sabre from the dead sergeant for himself, watching as the Chimera moved to follow the rescuer.
He got two steps and paused.
Roa couldn't deny that his heart beat faster with barely formed hope. Maybe it was the bovine in him; slow to get started and steady, but no matter how he looked at the chances of success were slim. Still, he was a man. Or at least, part man. If he trundled on behind the steel-skinned stranger without a word, he wouldn't even be that.
"Old man?"
It was Rakia, damn it, and she was clever enough to spot the uneasiness in his
expression.
"What, you want to stay here?" Her voice held no concern, just a challenge.
Roa met her stony glare with one of his own.
"We ain't done here yet," he told her.