Hey guys Ladel here.
So I promised that I was going to upload at least semi frequently when the inspiration got me, and I have something here for you.
This was born from me watching videos on YouTube and coming across lore videos for games I don't play, and one of them left an impression.
So here it is
Enjoy
"That's a nice piece you have there. Your sidearm, can I see it?"
The stranger looked up from his drink. The man next to him was looking at him but pointing to his hip. At the gun strapped to him, sitting at an angle on his hip, the perfect position to quickly draw and fire if the need arose.
He looked up at the face of the man in front of him.
"Do I know you?"
The man shrugged "Not that I'm aware, might have crossed paths once or twice. Too many faces in this world for one to stick you know?"
"No. Not really. And you think I'm just going to let you hold my piece?"
The man let out a small whine, like a child who didn't get what he wanted.
"It's just that I've never seen one like that before is all."
"No. You haven't."
"Looks like it could do some damage. Looks dangerous."
The man was still looking at the gun. It sat in the holster, ever ready for use at a moments time.
"Supposed so, maybe that's the point."
"So can I see it?"
The stranger scoffed. "Not likely no."
"Where did you get it?" He asked, the stranger looked around the room then back to his drink. "Hey are you listening to me?"
"He asked you a question human. Where did you get it?"
The stranger looked to his left and saw one of the man's friends on his opposite side. Attempting to look threatening.
"Didn't find it. Made it."
"Good craftsmanship, you an armourer?"
"Do I look like an armourer to you?"
"Looks can be deceiving."
The stranger laughed to himself. "Got that right."
The man was getting agitated. Looking at the cloaked man in front of him he could sense he wasn't like him. A human in Menagerie? Did the man have a death wish?
"Is there a problem human?"
"There doesn't need to be."
The man smirked, pleased with himself. Feeling like the conversation was going his way he directed the conversation back to his original topic.
"Glad we got that cleared up. Now about that piece."
The stranger took a long pull of the drink in his hands. He turned to look the faunas in the eyes.
"Ever been to Atlas?"
The question put the man on edge. Such an innocent question would be normal in polite conversation, but evidently this was becoming less innocent each second. He pushed the sense of unease down deep.
"Excuse me?"
"The floating city. Every been?"
"Pffft no, they don't take kindly to my kind over in there fancy city."
The lie came easily enough. He knew there was no way anybody could link him to Atlas, they would have to be someone to know anything like that. The human stranger in front of him looked as plain and boring as the last human he talked to.
"Is that the truth?"
"That's a fact. Atlesians look down at faunas like we are shit on their boots."
"Its funny that you would make that distinction."
"Truth is you must think you are some kind of something special. Coming into our kingdom with that attitude, the way your dismissing us like we were nothing, like we ain't even here. Fact is you ain't nearly as rock solid as you think round here. Fact is humans don't fare too well down these parts of menagerie and your over staying your welcome. Fact is nobody thinks your special round here."
"The screams say otherwise."
The man was getting frustrated. This human was talking nonsense to his face, smugly not answering his questions and gently tapping his subconscious feeling to leave the situation.
"Speak straight with us human before you make us do something you'll regret. No more fancy words."
"You say nobody, but the screams say otherwise."
"What, what screams?"
"All of them."
"What are you taking about?"
"Far too many too count."
"Are you trying to rile us up? We was only making conversation about your piece and you keep blabbing on about screams and acting high and mighty. We were just having a conversation."
The stranger stopped, looked curiously at him and smiled.
"You really weren't."
"Smart guy are we?"
The stranger shrugged. "Experienced more than smart. But experience has its advantages."
"Experience tell you too lip off to strangers in there own town, not too smart. All we wanted to do was talk."
"Keep insisting and maybe we will."
"What talk?"
"Have words."
"Isn't that what were doing?"
"My conversations tend to be a bit, louder."
"That a threat?"
"A truth."
Now he became nervous. The faunas looked to his remaining friends sat at the table and gestured them over. His feeling was eased by the added threat his companions provided. The humans words were unsettling, he was a nobody in his eyes, just some human in the wrong place mocking the wrong faunas.
"Who do you think you are buddy?"
"According to you, nobody. Yet here I sit, in your part of town."
"Don't matter how good looking your gun is. Keep talking like that and we'll take you out back and see how loud we can really get."
The barman seeing the altercation from the other side of the bar and the air of unease he felt watching the ensuing conversation. He knew that something was going to happen and he didn't put too much stock in the lonely man against the other group. He approached and tried to calm them down before he had to pay for damages.
"Hey now fellas, lets calm it down."
"Shut up old man. This piece of trash human comes into my kingdom acting like were beneath him and I'm supposed to calm down? He turns to the man at the bar "What you got nothing to say now?"
The man made no sound.
"Thought so, guess he knows his true place here boys. So if you don't mind I'll." He reaches for the man's sidearm before feeling a strong vice-like grip on his wrist.
He looks at his reaching arm and finds the hand of the stranger wrapped tightly round his wrist, pulling him off his feet standing facing the man in front of him. The grip slowly tightening around his wrist, gently crushing the joint.
"Ever have a nightmare." The strangers voice sweeps over him and he feels the creeping chill of danger engulf him.
"Stop playing games with me." He grunts trying not to react to the crushing grip on his wrist. His friends slowly surrounding the man at the bar.
"I know you have. This world, can't help but."
The stranger isn't listening to him, seemingly loosing himself in the moment.
"I don't have nightmares. I give em."
The grip on his wrist tightens suddenly, the pressure seemingly tripling instantly. The pain brings him to knees and with a hard tug the stranger pulls him back on his feet.
"You really are a god damn cliché aren't you. The big bad faunas mouthing off to the first human you see. The picture perfect white fang zealot. Apart from the fact your 15 years late to the revolution. Hearing your voice and the things you say to me, the shade of the hard, intimidating man you pretend to be."
"Hey listen buddy I ain't no shade….."
The gun goes off.
3 shots scream out into the bar and send people running through the door. Before the noise has had a chance to die down the bar is empty apart from the barman, the bodies of 3 former white fang members and the stranger with his partner in conversation.
"Barman go to the chieftains home, tell them what happened here. Tell them that I would like words with them regarding this situation. Tell them that if they try to make a move against me I will slaughter all who try. Go now barman before I do to you what I did to them.
The barman grabs his coat of the rack behind the bar and runs as fast as he could. Leaving the last two occupants of the building in a one-sided conversation.
"Sit down." The man gestures to the chair behind the other man, who refuses to sit. He gently pushes the other against the chair "Sit Down."
The sound of heavy quick footfalls are the last sounds that leave the building leaving the final two occupants sitting facing each other. One eyes closed and shaking. The other calm, and with the barrel of his weapon pointed at the forehead of the man in front of him. The only sounds in the building are coming from the now meek faunas.
"Please. Please don't hurt me." He was pleading now, trying to find a way out of this situation
"Shh. Shh. Don't talk. It was your mouth that got your friends dead." The mans words wash over him like freeing water, making him shiver with fear.
"No please listen, listen."
"This is what happens when you bore me. We both know really why I'm here don't we Marcus?"
Marcus paused. Breath choking up inside his lungs as his name echoed out into the still silence of the empty bar. How did he know my name? Who is this? The only thing running through his head being questions he wasn't likely going to get answers for.
"How? How do you know my name?
"Very easy really. Tracked you and your friends leaving Atlas rather quickly after you set those bombs off. Had you pegged as more of a hostage kind of man, but no not you. Bombing women and children is more your speed. That mistake wont happen again, more so because you wont be alive to make it."
He knew. Somehow this stranger who he had never met knew what he did. He was so careful he thought. Perfect time of the day, almost too many people to keep track of a couple faunas walking through the station. The perfect target for the cause he had said, the most devastation and the easiest way to let everyone know that they were back.
"But but please."
"Your pleas for mercy bore me Marcus. This is what happens when you bore me. And right now I'm so very bored."
Marcus looked the man over. Making out the beard and long hair poking out from the hood that covered his head. The long cloak over simple armour and after seeing it properly, the sword that hung from the same belt as the gun that took his friends lives. Then he saw the symbol on the man's cloak, giving him something to go off, anything to help him out of this situation.
"But your one of them. A Hunter. You cant just execute people without evidence like a psycho. Your supposed to be the good guys. People are going to find out what you did here. Then the faunas will rise up and take back what truly is ours." Marcus felt slight elation now. A hunter murdering unarmed faunas was surely going to rustle a lot of feathers in the community.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm hunting different monsters instead. The creatures that murder innocent civilians in cold blood. At least the Grimm were relatively mindless in their slaughter. But you Marcus and your friends are another kind of creature. One with a sole focus to end lives of people who have done nothing to you. Maybe this is what good looks like."
Marcus felt his advantage slip away from him. This man had no cares about what might happen from this, it almost felt normal to him. He had to give him something to try and get out of this.
"I can give you more names. Base locations, numbers. Anything please."
"We already have that information. We needed the excuse to come after you, council were unconcerned until people started dying. Dying by your hand."
Marcus started crying, eyes still closed he could feel the slow creep of cold travel up his neck as his body responded to the adrenaline coursing though him. He heard the clack of the man's gun hammer be pulled back and a sudden stillness overtook everything. He couldn't hear anything apart from his own heartbeat and his own breathing. Until his voice overtook him.
"Open your eyes."
"No please don't." Marcus shook from his cries, tears streaming down his face.
"But you wanted to see my piece. Didn't you?"
"No I."
"Look at it."
"No please."
"Whimpering wont stop what's coming. Open your eyes."
The sobs shook his body. His hands shook from the knowing his death would arrive the moment he opened his eyes. His cries slipped out of his quivering mouth as he held his eyes firmly shut.
"Look at it. Open your eyes."
The grip on his arm twisted bringing him to a standing position. He felt the warm barrel touch his forehead and he shook and cried harder knowing the warmth came from his dead friends surrounding him.
"Not many get a good look before its over. The ones you killed were never given the opportunity, but I'm granting you one last piece of goodwill before I put you down. Now open your eyes."
"The gun, you see it in your mind. The body, smooth like the skin of a lover. The weight evenly balanced to put down accurate fire at longer distances. The grip, sturdy and reliable. I used to think of it as a weapon. But now I know t is really an extension of myself, reliable and deadly. But the looks are a mask for what its true purpose is, a mask for anger. A hungry beast waiting in the shadow for its time to feast."
The barrel left his head, he heard footsteps, slow, loud and purposeful move backwards a few steps. Enough to feel safe from imminent and painful death.
"You do have nightmares?"
"No, no please don't." Marcus cried
"Every seen a nightmare? Ever opened your eyes and realised the horror wasn't a dream? The terror wasn't gone. I've seen nightmares. They live in the shadows, they've been watching. I thought that after the war was won they would scatter like their master but they live on in the memory of those who witnessed them. That we could live on and put them behind us. But once you've seen those shadows, it is so very hard to walk in the light the same way as before."
Marcus yelled out as the grip on his arm suddenly released.
"Open your eyes Marcus."
As Marcus opened his eyes he saw the man with the gun staring into his eyes. And before he could utter a word the final shot exploded into his head, shattering the ambient quiet that suffocated the building and the peace it so desperately tried to portray.
The man looked down at his work. 4 former White Fang zealots dead at his feet, the blood from their wounds pooling around them, soaking into the wooden floor boards and seeping into the dirt below. He brought out his scroll and snapped a picture of each body, face up to confirm facial I.D. He sat back into his chair and sent the message to his superior.
'Targets Eliminated. Pictures Sent. Local law enforcement en route. Chieftain Belladonna requested at scene. Awaiting payment.'
He waited a couple minuets, only the gentle fire in the corner sounding out in the empty room, everything else seemingly drowned out by the bark of his sidearm, unwilling to make itself known again.
His scroll buzzed in his hand
'I.D Confirmed. Payment Sent. Documentation Sent to You. Good Work.'
He pocketed his scroll and waited for the Chieftain. Reaching over the bar and pulling a couple bottles over he began to finally enjoy his time on the island. It wasn't long before he heard the sound of rushed footsteps of many people coming toward the door.
Certain they already had eyes on him he slowly stood and removed his cloak and removed his gun belt putting both on the bar next to him. Sitting back down he continued to drink until he heard the door bang open and multiple pairs of footsteps enter the premises.
"On the ground. Now." The warbled voice called out to him.
The stranger turned to face the voice. Seeing multiple huntsman in front of him all weapons drawn aiming at him, covering him fully, unable to make a move without being riddled with bullets made him slightly annoyed.
"I thought I said no guards." He said
"Apologise we don't tend to listen to people who gun down others seemingly randomly." The lead hunter said. "Throw the gun over here." She said gesturing to his gun.
"Not until I speak with the Chieftain."
"What makes you think we would send the leader of Menagerie into the building with a murderer? Because he asked nicely?"
"Because unless she wants more blood on her hands then she better do as she is asked."
The lead hunter bristled "That a threat?"
"A truth."
The stranger looked at the assorted hunters around him. All 5 with guns aiming at him, he guessed he could get 2 shots off before getting blasted by the rest. Not good odds but with an aura and semblance like his a little pain is laughable.
"Tell her Vomit Boy wants a few words."
The stare off continued until the lead hunter brought her scroll to her head and began talking to someone over the device. The stranger tuned out the conversation to observe the hunters around him. All younger than expected, maybe huntsman at the end of the Grimm mop up operations who managed to be blooded before the clean up came to an end. Perhaps an amalgamation of two teams due to the constant looks between the small team, perhaps they were waiting for an unknown signal? Maybe making sure they were all doing their jobs.
He heard the end of the phone call as he focused on the team leader "…...Yes ma'am, if he moves anyway we don't like we'll kill him."
He smiled. Ever the cautious one, a skill that was matured with age he remembered fondly.
He looked up at the sounds of a single set of footfalls approaching the doorway and he saw her standing there staring at him.
Blake Belladonna had aged well. The rumour mill circulating she was a carbon copy of her mother but with her fathers cautiousness and conviction that made people like her so much. He hadn't met her mother but from what little he remembers of his time on Menagerie he remembers her father. A hulk of a man who's presence made itself known before you could see him.
The look on her face was a surprise. Tears in her eyes wasn't a look he had seen often around her. To be fair they never really interacted much over the years and when the war turned up there wasn't much time for simple interactions.
"Jaune?"
Jaune tilted his head slightly "Blake. Good to see you after so long."
Her momentarily lapse ended when she saw the bodies at his feet. The blood ever so slowly oozing from their deadly wounds. This wasn't the time for her past to mask her judgement, she needed to be the leader of a kingdom not a teenage girl talking to a friend.
"Stayed to turn yourself in?"
"No. I stayed to explain the situation before I left."
"What makes you think you can walk out of here after murdering 4 people in a busy building. Murderers don't go to prison here, they get the chair."
Jaune smiled. "What makes you think I'm going to prison?"
Blake frowned at him "I'm not sure you heard me Jaune. You murdered 4 innocents in my kingdom. We may be friends but that wont stop me from carrying out the law here."
"Remember what happened in Atlas?"
Blake stopped, caught off guard by the question.
"3 bombs in the North bullhead terminal, the busiest of the 4, at peak hours. Killed 257, wounded hundreds more. Remember that?"
"Of course I do. We sent over aid as soon as we heard."
"Remember who claimed responsibility for the attack?" Jaune paused. "The White Fang. Ring any bells?"
Blake paused. Everyone knew who claimed for the attack. Was this Atlas's way of retribution for their dead? A way to stir up more animosity between the kingdoms again? A way for Atlas to flex its might over them again? No Ironwood was many things but an underhanded bastard wasn't one. If he was going to start anything he would at least have the balls announce it.
"So what? White Fang claim responsibility and Atlas starts murdering my people?" Blake said, moving further into the room.
"I wouldn't be so eager to throw your hat in with these animals." Jaune said.
"Why is that? From where I'm standing you've murdered 4 people in cold blood."
"These 4 'people' are the ones who carried it out."
Blake felt as if the air had been pulled from her lungs. She thought she had purged that chapter of her peoples past from being a possibility again. Things were better than they have ever been for her people. All the kingdoms recognised faunas as equals in all aspects, there were still bigoted voices screaming out but they were minuscule and easily ignorable. But now how much further had this permeated? Had all she done been for nothing?
"Blake." She turned back to Jaune "Rest assured this has been kept as close to the vest as possible. Only Ironwood and the operators involved have the information and it was substantial. It was a small cell, 10 members in total. All came from Atlas. After the attack the group splintered, 4 came here the rest spread out throughout the kingdoms, should be swept from the world soon enough. Rest assured nobody in charge believes Menagerie in involved."
Blake shoulders slumped with relief. Her father had told her sometimes not knowing everything until it was necessary was an unfortunate common experience in leadership. Knowing she had White Fang members in her kingdom would have forced her hand and knowing Ironwood would have been the worst thing for his operation.
"So I suppose this is now putting me in the loop?"
"Something like that. You'll be notified if any of the others make their way here and Ironwood will send someone to deal with it." Jaune made to stand and all those in attendance pointed their weapons back at him.
"Where are you doing Jaune?"
"Leaving."
"There needs to be something I can give the council. I can't have other kingdoms killing people in my kingdom without a very good reason. I need to validate the info you've given me, you'll need to come with us."
Jaune shook his head. "That would be hard to do."
Blake was getting frustrated. "And why is that?"
"Diplomatic Immunity. Even if you did find a way to get me to come with you, can't really have clandestine operators paraded through the streets. Not good for reputation."
Jaune put his gun belt back on facing the hunters and Blake. As he put his cloak back on he looked back down at the corpses around him.
"These aren't people Blake. These are monsters, might not be the same we fought before but still as destructive and vile as the rest. Make sure to tell your people out back to not shoot me as I leave, hate to leave more bodies for you to explain away."
Blake sighed, she could try to hold him but she knew it wouldn't end well. The Jaune she remembered was always hard to take down but he was ultimately predictable. But this man in front of her was different, the same face and name sure but different in a way that she couldn't grasp.
After the war he became harder and harder to get hold of as the years rolled on, seeing him only a couple times a year to not seeing him or hearing from him for a long while before he would pop up for a day or two before disappearing again. Now she at least had a first hand look as to the reason for his absence.
As his body moved behind the bar and escaped her vision Blake brought her scroll to her mouth. "This is Belladonna, all shooters stand down. I repeat stand down, its over."
As the presence petered of and the medical orderlies and medics came into collect the bodies and the police force made its presence known, Blake sat outside the crime scene looking out into the shattered moon and stars.
"What happened to you Jaune?"
So what did you think?
Leave a review if you enjoyed it or don't.
Next story is brewing in my head, keep a lookout for me in the coming weeks
Have a great day
Ladel