Swallow was quickly making his way through a building, before sliding under a security gate as it started to close. Two guards came out, pointing their guns at him, but he spun around while sliding on his knees and tripped both. Coming to a stop he got up, kicking one in the face, and elbowing the other when he tried to tackle him.
Backpaddling he ran as fast as he could, before coming around a corner and grabbing a gun off a solider who had been caught by surprise. Aiming the gun with one hand Swallow fired the automatic weapon at a bulletproof window before watching it crack.
Leaping and tucking in, he smashed right through the window.
Being five stories high, he quickly reached into his pocket and slung a kunai onto the building which had a strong fiber cable attached to it. Swinging and running along the building Swallow dodged gunfire before leaping upwards off his swing.
Somersaulting when he landed, he managed to jump over the security fence and made a dash for it as several vehicles came screeching towards him.
"Got the goods?"
"Look, busy, call you back later!" Swallow yells as he barely dodged a sword from a metal knight that came from his side.
Spinning around, quickly forming a Rasenshuriken, he slammed the metal being as hard as he could to send it straight upwards. The metal knight flew up, exploding once the sphere started to become larger, sucking his teeth swallow turned to see two high rises building close to each other. Giant guard towers, quickly reaching down he sprinkled fire dust onto his combat boots before dashing.
A platoon of soldiers came into view all of them pointing their weapons at him, but he just gave them a two-finger salute as he started wall kicking up the two buildings. Only to run head first into two Huntsman coming at him.
They wore Atlas military gear, but by the way they were jumping over the roofs, Swallow could tell.
Jumping over one of the Huntsman, Swallow turned and slammed his back heel into the other one. Knocking them out cold before they ever had a chance to fight back, he swore he heard the other shout a name.
Watching as the other Huntsman went to help his buddy, Swallow made a run for it, before diving into a uncovered manhole.
"Report."
Swallow slid to a stop, before taking a deep breath. "I'm good, got away."
"Did you get the computer chip?"
"Do you have my money?" Swallow questioned in return.
"Look Swallow, I know other guys are paying well, but brand loyalty is key. I got your money, besides from what I'm hearing we just ran afoul."
"Not my fault, you sent me on this suicidal mission anyway, but as long as you got my money I'm taking my two-month vacation as planned." Swallow speaks as he slowly walks, "and by the way…really, getting handled by a little girl?"
"Don't bite the hand that feeds you…asshole."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Besides, how mad do you think they're going to be when we sell this thing to The White Fang?" Swallow leaned up against a wall to catch his breath.
"I imagined my boss would be very pissed off…" Swallow head snapped around, only to barely dodge kusarigama that embedded itself near his head.
Whistling, Swallow looked at the wieldier of the weapon. She, by the shape of the body, was wearing similar clothing to him save they dark gray instead of navy blue. "Since when do I have competition?"
"I'm not interested in small talk, Temptress demands the chip. If you give it up, I'll spare you and even pay you generously for it."
Scratching his chin, Swallow smirked under his mask. "How much we are talking here, if it's below sixty take a hike."
"Fine…seventy." She states, even grabbing the man from her back pocket. "My lady told me you were no different than any greedy being."
"Heh, that so?" Swallow asks as he reaches out for the money, but then pulls his hand back. "Eh…I'm actually needing money from people I trust not to stab me in the back."
"You!" She roared in anger as she twisted her arm and pulled the sickle from before out from the wall and towards Swallow.
She smirked under own mask, in the visage of a snake, but watched as Swallow merely caught the sickle while not even looking. "Oldest trick in the book miss, something I've long since grown immune too."
She twisted her other weapon around, forming a machine pistol in her hand before firing a couple of shots off. Swallow spun around, easily avoiding the shots before dashing backwards. She quickly followed suite, which made smirk.
"She's not half bad, wait…I didn't avoid one of those bullets…why did it?" Swallow stopped before thrusting his palm forward and caught the feeling of connecting to something.
A yelp was heard, follow by a depression being made into a wall just across from him. Slowly, the girl giving chase to him faded away, replaced with the actual girl in front of him. Still dressed in the same clothing, he chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Interesting, clone?"
"None of your damn business," She growls arming both of her weapons and pointed them at him, "last chance cowboy."
"Hah, my God, you remind of someone! You're quite the spitfire aren't you, seriously though, can't you just step aside I really don't want to hurt you." Swallow began joking only to turn serious in his tone, he then formed two Rasengan in both of his hands. "Let me assure I'm quite capable doing that."
Switching from her guns, she spun both of kusarigama. "Try me."
"Heh, well c'mon, I'm waiting." Swallow taunted as he took a step forward.
"Sorry to say, but I'll be walking away today. Yeaaah!" She screamed as she threw both sickles at him.
Swallow dodged to the left, spinning around before throwing both his Rasengan at her. The girl spun around, before pulling her blades back. Both were surprised when the other both skipped across the water, she fired off a couple of shots only to watch him block it with a barrier.
"Qingong?"
"Maybe…clone?"
"Smartass."
She chuckled, he chuckled, before both got serious again. "Well…this certainly put a twist on things, shame I got to kill someone skilled in aura manipulation."
"Hey now, I was only to knock you out." Swallow pointed out, not keeping a serious tone. "but seriously.'
He watched as she pulled back on the handles, only to get stunned when he jumped up and slammed his feet into the ground. Holding down her blades, where she looked up from to him. "How?"
"I didn't survive this long on luck, though I'll give it three forth of the reason why I'm still trucking." Grinding his foot into the weapon, he put his hand behind head. "So, got a name?"
"Do you?" She growled but relaxed when he didn't start immediately attacking her.
"Swallow." Swallow merely answered, "and no…I mean the bird."
Sputtering, "who would've thought otherwise dumbass!" she growled and grinded her teeth under her own mask.
They both then spoke it, "Roman."
"Yeah, you'd think having a mute lady like Neo would keep him in check, nope." Swallow said.
"Hey, we can, hear this, you get back to stabby-stabby and rasen…uh…rasen…what the hell ever!"
"Alright, fine." Swallow sighed, "sorry I'm supposed to get going."
"Oh, not with the chip." She held her hand out, "c'mon help a fellow thief out here eh? Eh?"
"Nah," Swallow turned around, only to avoid a gunshot, "okay that was smart…you had a third gun."
"Don't toy with me, I'll splatter your brains against the wall!" She yelled, "chip…hand now please."
"Okay, calm down Vegeta." Swallow appeared in front of her, making her stumble backwards. "Wouldn't wanna spook you!"
"Bastard…" She growls, getting up, before pulling out…a frigging grenade.
"Wow-wow-oh holy c-crap." Swallow holds his hands out, "calm the hell down. You'll collapse this Atlas made sewer on us, c'mon you know they go to the Schnee for construction…you know how cheap and unreliable this is?!"
"Then you think I'm going to just not have a bargaining chip?" She inquires as she crosses her arms, still holding the grenade.
"Bargaining chip…no, I mean kind of, but I'll be out of here. You meanwhile, probably or probably not, crushed paste. Understand?" Swallow asked as he looked right at her.
"My stars are shining bright, I'm flying through the night, and I can't get enough of this happy light~"
"I swear…I swear I'm going to kill her," Swallow takes out his scroll, "mind if I get a second?"
"You got thirty." The other masked figure said as she tapped her foot in time to the seconds.
"Hey, it's your boss…and my boss, on conference call…" Swallow took a deep breath, "the hell Roman?"
Switching it to speaker phone mode, the voice of Roman blasted into the sewer. "About time I got a hold of you, listen Swallow don't kill or harm Street Rat there she's a player for our new business partner. We got made, so we're kind of in a forced alliance right now."
"I'm telling you right now I better be getting paid, or none of you is getting the chip." Swallow states before looking at Street Rat, "and you don't say a word…I'm kind of ticked off right now."
"Excuse you!" Street Rat yelled only to have Swallow put his hand up.
"Alright, listen, you're to escort Street Rat to the docks. We'll rally with you there, all of us, since our new partner Cinder is calling for a bit of team meeting. Neo will arrive in submarine, and yes, we've got one finally…don't start jumping for joy…seriously don't Atlas subs are a pain in the ass to navigate around."
Before Swallow could speak Roman cut the call, "damn it…" he turns to see Street Rat arrogantly holding out one of her hands. "Nuh uh, he didn't say hand it to you he said escort you, so let's move."
If looks could kill, Swallow would be twelve feet under.
Swallow had his feet propped up on a table, leaning back in a chair. "So, what you're saying is that Roman over there folded his cards?"
"Pretty much." A beautiful woman said as she sat lady like on the seat across from Roman.
Neo was sitting there, a glare shooting between her and Roman, she didn't like this little partnership. A happy Neo is a good Neo, a sad Neo is a depressing Neo, and an angry Neo is the devil. Right now, she was tipping on nine-point-one on the anger scale.
Any higher it'll be like the cake factory incident…Swallow still shudders at the idea of that happening. All because someone, somewhere, probably overworked as well messed up a single banana moon pie. No one died, thanks to Swallow, but Neo leveled the building to the ground.
Funny thing, a girl with a rocket launcher is someone more fierce than a God.
Swallow looked at Neo, a chibi version of her in his head beating the woman's chibi form's head in with an oversized hammer came to mind. It wasn't a pretty sight either.
"Anyway, so you must be the famous Swallow of Vale, the thief that possess power unrivaled?" The beautiful woman says as she lets her gaze fall onto Swallow. "The rumors are seemingly true, and what Roman has been telling me too. A greedy man, but compassionate enough to use his power to lay down enemies instead of putting them down."
"I never liked killing," Swallow answers as he relaxes more, "and the reason why I spare people is because they've got a family somewhere who wants them home."
"Heh, so quaint, but an honest man as well." She says with a slight sultry voice into her words, "maybe if you're not busy later…wanna get a drink?"
"I don't drink," Swallow got his feet off the table, "and I'm not interested…don't have the time."
"Oh my…well Swallow, you may know me as Flame Temptress, but I'm Cinder…Cinder Fall. I work for a powerful benefactor, one who wishes not to be named now, until we come to trust each other…instead of trying to sell each other under the table." She glared at Roman as she said this, "but, alas greed is why we're in this situation in the first place. So, how much was Roman paying you for this job?"
"Sixty," Answered Swallow, "sixty thousand."
"Then sixty you shall receive, well earned, I'm sure you met Emerald here." Cinder motions to the girl in the background as she walks up, she was for the better part stunning.
Beautiful red eyes, green hair that was like lime, a round face with a good physique. That's all Swallow could see, before he realized something, "so you're the girl behind the snake mask, Street Rat." The girl puffed up in anger.
"I'm not a street rat, I'm the best thief to ever live since Shi Yan of Mistral. Emerald Sustrai, and oh yes I'm the girl behind the mask…and still kind of mad how you figured out my attacks." She crosses her arms, "and here you are…an oaf using a table for a leg stand."
"Hah!" Swallow pointed at her, "seriously a spitfire. Anyway, what's the saying, to the victor goes the spoils…I can oaf around all I like."
"With that, now that you've seen her face it's only courteous to reveal yours." Cinder stated as she looked at Swallow.
"Eh…nah, sorry, but my face horrible. I have scars across it, over my eyes, in fact in a botched operation I lost my eyelids. I'm really ugly under this thing, missing teeth as well." Neo and Roman looked at each other as they heard Swallow spoke, "besides a good infiltrator leaves no trace…not even to associates."
"Smart man, I can understand that, just in case someone wants to stab you in the back there's no way for them to know where you went." Cinder realizes what he meant by it, "but I highly doubt you're that ugly."
"Heh, maybe I am…maybe I'm not, but seriously what's the deal with her trying to kill me." Swallow pointed to Emerald, "she's actually quite good."
"I taught her myself," Cinder chimes in, "is my teaching effective?"
"Mmhmm, been a while since I had a tricky opponent. Everyone else just runs headlong into a fight without a plan." Swallow praises, "and I know I look like I'm calling the kettle black here but there's always a method to my madness."
"Well then, gentlemen and ladies I think we're well acquainted. So, here's my proposal, everything we take and get money from we'll give you a thirty percent cut on. In exchange, your infiltrator there is partnered with my own in joint ops, with Swallow taking leadership." Cinder offered as she leaned on her elbows, "and you Neo…my rather dashing lady getting control of some high dollar equipment…maybe even a new umbrella."
"With gifts comes stipulations…what makes you think I won't stab you in the back?" Roman states, "this offer sounds too reasonable for our to be equal to yours.'
"it's because of good faith, and the fact that if you should betray me I'll kill you personally." Cinder held out her hand, forming a glass dagger with inside of it, "and trust me when I say this…I can make death very welcoming."
Swallow got up, before sighing. "I agree to all but one stipulation, I run solo."
"Yes, and two separate thieves are better than one…" Emerald agreed.
"No," Cinder states, "you two will work together on these ops. Simply for one reason is that you have a job and get to breathe Swallow, and you need training Emerald…what better training than to come from a master?"
"As flattered as I am for you calling me a master, I seriously doubt you'd be able to even touch me…so keep the threats on the lowkey level." Swallow hissed as he glared at Cinder, "because I assure you I can disappear easily."
"I'm sure you could," Cinder retorts with a chuckle, "which is why you shouldn't put much stock in my threats against you. However, those two may have a little tougher of a time."
"Not my problem." Swallow says as he looks at Roman and Neo who glare at him, "but I can vouch for Neo that you don't want to take her one."
"Why's that?" Cinder asks.
"Oh, Gods everything is on fire, why?!"
Swallow shuddered slightly, "I've got my own experiences…"
Naruto woke up inside of his bed, finding it empty, sighing he got up. Snow pelted against his window, noting the light, it must have been noon. Sighing, Naruto put on his clothing, before walking out to see his family all gathered around and watching T.V.
"Hey guys," Naruto took a seat next to Gama who was laying on the couch with a red face, "you all doing okay?"
"Yeah," Aoi said, "Gama is sick though…"
"Eh?" Naruto looked down to see Gama who was shivering slightly, "oh poor thing.'
Naruto got up, going into his room to get his thermal blanket. He dragged out the pale blue blanket and walked over to Gama to where he picked her up gently and wrapped her in the fabric. "You're freezing Gama, you going to be okay?"
Gama nodded her head, "yes…brother."
"Okay then, if your fever doesn't break tomorrow morning I'll take you to the doctor, want some chicken broth?" Gama nodded, and Naruto got up.
The blonde young man walked over to the stove, putting on a pot and getting some cans out filled with chicken broth. Aoi walked over towards Naruto, pulling on his sleeve, "what is it Aoi?"
"Big brother can we go outside and play in the snow?" Aoi asked, "we'll watch over Dukang."
"You all can, Dukang should stay inside too, he's little like Gama…alright?" Aoi nodded, before looking at everyone else.
"Me and Ji vs. Li and Aka?" He asked them.
"Yeppers!"
"You're on."
"Let's do this Aoi!"
Naruto watched as they ran to get there winter clothing on, he sighed, and used his aura to make the broth come to a boil faster. Sighing, smelling it, he added some salt and pepper before pouring some into a coffee mug.
Walking over to Gama, Naruto sat by the girl, before holding her in his lap. "Here, sip."
Gama nodded, she slowly suckled on the edge of the cup, the hot liquid returning some color to her face. Finished with her fist sip she snuggled against Naruto, before resting. Dukang was busy painting, "papa…Naruto, is Gama going to be alright?"
"Yeah," Naruto says with a smile, "she'll be just fine Dukang. Do me a favor, go and get yourself a cup as well. Chicken broth has a lot of healthy nutrients in it, it's best you keep your immune system up."
Dukang nodded, getting up and going to get him a cup. Sighing Naruto brushed Gama's hair with his fingers, before humming a little tune.
