Honorbound Base
X was clicking on her utility belt.
Goku said, "Is there a reason we can't come with?"
X said, "I've gotta go grab Garnet by myself. I'll be fine. Just hold things down until I'm..."
BT said, "Alert. Multiple contacts detected. Winds of Destruction. ID: Sundowner, Tornado, Monsoon, and Cyclone. They're maintaining position in unpopulated areas."
John said, "They're calling us out. They want a rematch."
Toph said, "Tornado is mine!"
Goku said, "I've got your back."
Yang said, "I got Sundowner."
Raiden said, "I'll get Cyclone."
John said, "I guess that leaves Monsoon for me."
X said, "Ok. I'll got get Garnet back, while you guys take on the Winds. I'll be back soon, so just hold it together."
John grabbed his assault rifle, and loaded it. John said, "We got this."
Ran spoke up and said, "Wait! Maybe we can help too."
Everyone looked at the Phantom Thieves.
Ren said, "We might not be able to change the Imperator's heart as of now, but that doesn't mean we can't change anyone."
X said, "What are you saying? You can change them to our side?"
Makoto said, "We're saying we can find out what made them turn to his side and at least discourage them from doing any more evil."
Goku said, "That's better than nothing."
X said, "Ok. I'll go and grab Garnet, you go to the Metaverse and see what you can do, the rest of you hold off the Winds."
Commons section 20 and 21 joint road
Tornado was floating in place and saw Goku flying in while Toph was shifting the earth underneath her to move and keep pace with him. Tornado took notice of Toph specifically, and sneered. Toph and Goku stopped in front of her. Toph said, "Hey Tornado! You're looking nice after the last time I beat you to the ground! How are those injuries healing up?"
Tornado said, "I underestimated you last time, blind girl. I won't screw up again. The addition of the saiyan numbskull doesn't change anything."
Goku said, "Hey!"
Mementos
The Phantom Thieves were in their thieving attire, preparing to enter a dark subway. Ryuji said, "I wish we still had Morgana with us. I'm not looking forward to walking."
Ren said, "The first target should be Tornado. Her real name is Tatsumaki. She's the most dangerous."
Yusuke said, "I'm ready."
The group walked into the subway.
There was a dark residue on the subway, as the railways twisted and curved away, distorted and morphed. The railways also split into endless pathways. Ren was able to track his target on his phone. They turned a corner and saw the railings disappear into a red portal. Makoto said, "This is it."
Ren said, "Let's try not to rush in like last time."
The group walked inside, and entered a sectioned off room. Inside this room, a shadow of Tornado sat alone. She looked identical to Tornado, but had a black and purple haze around her and yellow eyes. Her voice was distorted as well. She said, "Welcome, Phantom Thieves! Come to grovel at my feet?"
Haru said, "We came to change your heart. And fix whatever the Imperator did to you."
The shadow laughed and said, "Fix me? You say that as if he broke me. He made me perfect!"
Ann said, "What are you talking about?"
The shadow replied, "I serve the Imperator by any and all means. And for resisting his new world order, I sentence you to..."
Another voice broke through. It was Tornado's voice. She said, "help...me..."
The shadow shouted, "Quiet! You serve him.", only this time it sounded a little bit more like the Darkness.
Makoto said, "What was that about?"
Ren said, "I heard its voice. The Darkness. Hold on, Tatsumaki. We'll get rid of that corruption."
The shadow yelled, "Come then! FACE YOUR DEATH!"
The shadow began to glow purple, igniting fire all around them.
Music - Last Surprise - Persona 5 (OST)
Ren walked through the fires without issue and said, "Come to me. Arsene!"
He grabbed his own mask, and a blue fire overtook him. Erupting from that fire was a demonic creature, dressed in a red version of Ren's thieving attire. He also had a flaming smile and top hat. Ren held his hand out and Arsene fired a blast of dark red energy. The shadow raised a shielding of rocks and debris to block it, then threw them at Ren.
He shouted, "Scatter! Queen, go!"
Makoto grabbed her mask and yelled, "Johana!"
A blue fire engulfed her, transforming into a motorcycle underneath her, with a metallic face in the front. She drove it forward, blasting through the rocks in an explosion of blue energy, but the shadow stopped it with telekinesis. Yusuke, who was running along the walls grabbed his mask and yelled, "Attack, Goemon!"
From Yusuke came a Japanese warrior, with makeup reminiscent of ukiyo-e paintings. He had a massive cigar/pipe combo with an axe on the end, and wore an extravagant outfit. Yusuke jumped forward and Goemon followed his movements, attempting to slash down on the shadow. She barely saw it coming and only could move a piece of debris in the way. She was knocked off balance, freeing Makoto and allowing her to drive by, striking her in the face with her spiked knuckles. Ann grabbed her mask and yelled, "Take it, Carmen!"
Ann summoned a flamenco dancer, who wore a massive pink dress, and had her hair done exactly like Ann's. She also had two small men with hearts for heads at her feet and a vine whip around her dress. She threw it out, grabbing at the shadow, pulling it towards Ann. The shadow grabbed Ann by the shoulders and pinned her to the walls with a collection of bricks and stones.
Commons section 20 and 21 joint road
Tornado began to glow, summoning chunks of the ground and metallic pieces of road dividers. They twirled in place and formed into makeshift spikes. She yelled, "Die!"
Goku and Toph scattered to evade the coming shards. Goku started firing ki blasts from one side, but she quickly evaded it, grabbed him with her power and threw him into the ground, pinning him there with two shards into his shoulders. He yelled as blood dripped from his shoulders. Toph tried attacking with a rock stalagmite but Tornado stopped it, created an energy shield around herself, and pushed through it. Toph evaded and jumped to the side, dodging Tornado's charge. She created a rock wall and shot it forward at her, but Tornado stopped and threw it overhead behind her. Toph created rock clamps to wrap around Tornado, but she stopped them in place, shot them at Toph and clamped them around her entire body, drawing in more metal and ground rubble to restrain both Toph and Goku. She said, "I told you, I wouldn't underestimate you."
Toph kept attempting to blast the rocks apart, but her body was too restrained to do anything. Goku exploded a blast of energy from around his body, his hair turning blonde and spiking upwards. He flew from the crater in the ground, vanishing for a split second and reappearing rapidly all around her. This distraction allowed Toph to break free, throwing another rock attack at her. She quickly stopped it and threw it around her, hitting Goku in the chest and allowing Tornado to grab him then grab Toph, lifting them both in the air, slowly crushing them.
Mementos
The shadow was still engaging the Phantom Thieves. Ryuji jumped into the air and shouted, "Blast her away, Captain Kidd!"
Ryuji summoned a fiery pirate captain with a cannon arm riding on top of a pirate ship. It fired a bolt of lightning from above, hitting the shadow while Ryuji smacked it in the face with his mace. This caused a black mist to fly off the shadow temporarily. It looked up and said, "Help me!"
The mist quickly retook its position and the shadow started fighting again.
Haru yelled, "Milady!"
Haru summoned a floating victorian dress with an empty mask floating over where the head should be. From the dress, a loadout of machine guns, mini-guns and rockets was unsheathed. They fired a torrent of b, and the shadow brought up rubble and ground to block the shots. While Haru fired away, Ryuji said, "There's some sort of weird smoke around her."
Makoto said, "That Darkness mist must be what's controlling her heart."
Ren said, "The Imperator must be using it to control her."
Ryuji said, "When I hit her, I knocked it off for a second."
Ann said, "That's it! Skull: You knock it off, and the rest of us can destroy it."
Ryuji said, "Right!"
Ren said, "Fox, Noir. You two keep it busy."
Yusuke said, "I'm on it! Persona!"
Goemon appeared again, and fired a blast of ice from his hands, freezing the rubble as the torrent of bullets from Haru tore through them. The shadow immediately grabbed both of them and threw them into the ceiling. By looking up, she didn't notice Ryuji running up to her, smacking her with the mace. The mist blasted off of her, but before it could reattach, Ann summoned Carmen, and she unleashed a stream of fire, Ren fired another cursed blast of energy with Arsene, and Makoto drove through it, leaving behind another explosion of blue energy. It screeched, "NO! You dare defy me?!", before fading away.
Music end
Commons section 20 and 21 joint road
Tornado continued crushing Goku and Toph, but suddenly a sharp pain hit her head. She grabbed it in pain, dropping to her knees and dropping Toph and Goku. Her eyes turned pure black, until they faded back to their natural color. She stood up only to see a rock flying at her, knocking her unconscious.
Goku said, "What was that? With her eyes and stuff? Think that was the Phantom Thieves?"
Toph said, "I don't know. I can't see her eyes."
Goku, remembering Toph was blind, said, "Oh right! Sorry!"
X contacted them and said, "Goku. Toph. What is the situation?"
Goku pressed two fingers to his ear and said, "Hey, X! We got her. Something happened with her though. I think it was the Phantom Thieves."
X said, "Bring her back to base. We have a containment device prepared."
Toph said, "Wait, what?! We're bringing her back?!"
BT said, "There is no cause for alarm. We have the means to keep her restrained."
Toph said, "If it doesn't work, and we just got lucky, we're bringing a psycho lady, with the ability to tear us in half with a thought, into our base."
BT said, "I estimate a timeframe of 2 hours until she comes to. I can take note of any psychological or physical changes, and we can have her brought to a different location for questioning."
Goku said, "Alright, let's do that. Bring us back BT."
BT said, "Standby."
An electrical field engulfed them and they vanished.
Mementos
The shadow was standing back up and said, "Thank you. You freed me."
Ren asked, "What happened to you?"
The shadow explained, "The Imperator corrupted me. The darkness took my mind. He overwrote my memories. All I could think was, 'Serve the Imperator! Destroy his enemies!' I could do what I wanted, but only if it was in service to him. I had the illusion of free will. You have to save my allies, Genos and Speed O' Sound Sonic."
Ryuji said, "I wish somebody was there to tell him how stupid that name sounds."
Makoto said, "What about the cyborgs? Sundowner, Monsoon, Sam, and Mistral?"
The shadow said, "You won't find them here. They have no souls. The Imperator built new bodies for them and put their memories on the bodies. They're not cyborgs. They're pure robots, with human faces."
Yusuke said, "So that only leaves Vortex and Cyclone."
Ren said, "We'll help them. Return to your real self, for now."
The shadow said, "I will. Thank you."
It turned into pure light and vanished.
Ryuji said, "Well the good news is, I think that was the worst of it. Let's deal with the other two."
The thieves continued into the depths of Mementos.
Commons section 12 and 13 joint road
Cyclone was sitting in the middle of the road, and heard footsteps. He looked behind and saw Raiden approaching. Cyclone said, "Raiden."
Raiden said, "Cyclone."
Cyclone said, "Anybody with you? Or is it just us?"
Raiden said, "Just you and me. Sure you're up for this? It hasn't been that long since I gave you that stomach gash."
Cyclone said, "The Imperator's gifted us with healing. I am well prepared for this. And I won't toy with you this time."
Cyclone pulled out his sword.
Raiden said, "Alright, then."
Raiden pulled out his sword and said, "Let's dance." His face plates slid over the top half of his face.
Mementos
The Thieves came across the shadows of both Cyclone and Vortex. The Cyclone shadow said, "Phantom Thieves. Let's not waste time on formalities. You're here to change us."
Vortex's shadow said, "Make no mistake. We can and will kill you."
Ren said, "That's not you. That's the Darkness talking. We can help you."
Music - Blooming Villain - Persona 5 Soundtrack
Vortex's shadow held its cybernetic hand up, charging an energy blast in its hand. It then said, "GO!"
Cyclone shot forward swinging his sword down, but Yusuke blocked it with his own sword. Ryuji tried to hit Cyclone's shadow in the back of its head with his mace, but got knocked back, by the shadow's back kick to the stomach.
Ren yelled, "Persona!"
Arsene was summoned and fired a blast of cursed energy at Vortex. He jumped out of the way and flew forward, firing blasts from his hands as propulsion. Ann threw out her whip, wrapping it around the shadow's waste and stopping it in its tracks. He turned around and charge an energy bolt in his hand, but was hit square in the chest by Makoto, driving Johana into him. He quickly planted his feet, grabbing and stopping it in its tracks. Makoto leapt from the bike, grabbing the shadow's head between her legs, then throwing it with a scissor leg takedown. The shadow quickly recovered and collapsed both its hands together, firing a massive beam of energy. Makoto and Ren quickly ran out of the way as Ann pulled out her machine gun, firing at Vortex's shadow, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off its back. Haru summoned Milady and fired a blast of pink, yellow, black and blue energy at the shadow, knocking it down and stunning it. Ann summoned Carmen, who threw a fireball at Vortex's shadow knocking it to the ground. Almost immediately it jumped back up, rocketing backwards, grabbing both Haru and Ann by their necks and slamming them into the ground. Makoto summoned Johana and began trying to rush the shadow again. It threw Ann into Makoto, knocking her off of her bike, and rendering Ann unconscious. Makoto pulled out her revolver and fired it from her prone position. The bullet had enough power to penetrate partway through the shadow's shoulder, partially shutting down its arm as he dropped Haru. Haru swung her axe on top of it, but the shadow blocked it with his arm, despite it cutting partway into it. He used his still functioning arm to shoot a torrent of fire at Makoto, knocking her back and burning part of her face. Haru jumped back leaving the axe embedded in the arm and pulled out her grenade launcher, firing a shot that sent the shadow flying back. Ren summoned Arsene, and fired a blast of curse energy. Vortex's shadow recovered in mid air, firing an energy beam that knocked out Ren. Makoto revved up Johanna again, and drove it in a circle, unleashing a blue blast of nuclear energy on Vortex's shadow. This explosion was enough to incinerate the darkness in its body, freeing Vortex of the Imperator's control.
While this happened, Ryuji and Yusuke were battling Cyclone's shadow on either side. It managed to keep pace with both of them, at melee range, constantly closing the distance to prevent them from summoning their personas. Yusuke dashed by Cyclone's shadow, attempting to cut at its midsection. The shadow twirled to the side, and blocked Ryuji's coming mace strike. It used its other hand and pinned the mace to the ground, then stabbed Ryuji in the stomach. The shadow released his sword as it remained in Ryuji's gut. He stumbled back and fell to his knees. Yusuke summoned Goemon and fired a blast of ice at the shadow, but it quickly dodged the ice blast, pulled the sword out of Ryuji's stomach, rushed Yusuke, and kneed him in the stomach. He rolled back into a crouching position, firing his assault rifle. The shadow effortlessly deflected the bullets and rushed Yusuke, who blocked the coming sword strike.
While Yusuke was holding a desperate defense against Cyclone, Ann rushed to Ryuji's side. She said, "Skull. Just hang on."
Ryuji coughed and said, "To what?"
Ann summoned Carmen, who mirrored her movements, pressing her hand to Ryuji's stomach wound. A green shine emanated from Carmen's hand, healing Ryuji's wound.
Cyclone's shadow continued to fly past Yusuke at rapid speeds, as it continuously tried to block from every side. But it was managing to land a few hits, nicking at his legs and arms. When Yusuke was on the ground, holding himself up by his sword, the shadow stood in front of him, with his back facing the rest of the Thieves. He said, "I thought you would be more formidable warriors. But you are nothing but children."
Suddenly Ryuji's mace hit it in the back of the head, knocking the Darkness out of the shadow.
Music end
Ann summoned Carmen and torched it, freeing Cyclone of the Imperator's control. Ann used Carmen to heal Yusuke's body.
Cyclone and Vortex's shadows stood back up. Vortex's shadow said, "You freed us. Thank you."
Makoto was grabbing at the burned part of her face, and used Johanna to heal herself.
Ren stood back up with Haru and said, "It was our duty. You were the last ones, right?"
Cyclone's shadow said, "Yes."
Makoto said, "Just return to your real form and atone."
Vortex's shadow said, "Of course. Thank you again."
Vortex's shadow vanished in a cloud of light. But before Cyclone's could, the shadow grabbed its chest in pain and exploded into a cloud of black smoke.
Ryuji shouted, "What the hell just happened?"
Commons section 12 and 13 joint road
While the Phantom Thieves fought the shadow, Raiden was dueling with Cyclone in the real world. Raiden had no issue blocking his coming strikes at near the speed of sound. At the same time, however, he was unable to land any hits. Raiden continued deflecting and combatting Cyclone's sword strikes. Eventually Cyclone found an opening and stabbed Raiden in the leg. He then pulled the sword out and kicked him in the shoulder, knocking him back a bit. Raiden opened his mask and said, "He's not holding back. BT, turn off my pain inhibitors!"
BT said, "I would not advise that. You could go on a killing spree. The job was to hold your own until the Phantom Thieves change..."
Raiden said, "If I lose here, nobody will be fast enough to stop this guy."
BT said, "Goku, Toph, and Garnet would all possess the necessary speed to combat Cyclone."
Raiden said, "Goku and Toph are fighting Tornado right now and Garnet is gone. Until they beat Tornado, I need to be Jack. Turn off my pain inhibitors now!"
After a pause, BT said, "Copy that, Raiden."
Raiden smiled as Cyclone stabbed him in the stomach. This time he felt the pain of it, but he relished in it, continuing to smile as blood leaked from his wounds. He then started laughing as his one visible eye turned red and flashed. A red aura overtook his body while he continued cackling. Cyclone stepped back in fear at Raiden's masochism.
Cyclone said, "You've lost your mind."
Raiden said, this time in a more gravely and throaty voice, "You know. That's the same thing Monsoon said the first time we fought. Before I chopped him into pieces. Before I was Raiden, they called me Jack the Ripper. And I think it's time for Jack..."
Raiden ripped the sword out of his stomach and dropped it in front of Cyclone and said, "...to let 'er rip!"
His face mask slid back on again as Cyclone grabbed his sword.
Music - Rules of Nature - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (OST)
Raiden charged at Cyclone and was now on the offensive, hitting with more ferocity and power, and with the intent to kill rather than subdue. Every hit Cyclone blocked caused the sword to vibrate in his hands, hurting them. Raiden finally swung his sword down on Cyclone, knocking the sword out of his hand then whipping forward to stab Cyclone through the chest, killing him. He spat up blood and said, "What the hell are you?"
Raiden said, "I told you. I'm Jack the Ripper."
Raiden removed the sword and swiped at Cyclone's neck, chopping his head off in swing. Raiden licked the blood off his sword and started laughing, until an electrical shock surged through his body, knocking him unconscious.
Music end
Abraxas palace Green room
Vortex was still sitting alone, meditating. His eyes completely turned black. Then the black faded away revealing his eyes. He grabbed his head in pain for a moment. When it subsided, he looked up and down at his hands, knowing what he had to do.
? ? ?
X was somewhere unknown. It looked like a desert. She approached what looked like a hill, surrounded by Locust, Sangheili and Orcs. Sangheili were at the top of the hill, Locust were on walkways built around it and Orcs guarded the ground floor. There were several massive steel doors on the middle level leading inside the hill. There were also hovering drones surveying the place with searchlights. X tapped a button on her belt that turned her entire body invisible. She ran past the orcs and pressed a button on her shoulder. A small gun with a spear in it fired into the air. It was a grappling hook that latched onto the walkway, pulling her into the air. While hanging off of the rope, she used her one hand to grab a small spherical device on her belt. She threw it over head, over the railing of the walkway. It started beeping, drawing the Locust guard to it. She swung underneath and landed where the Locust used to be. She then took out a small half-spherical device and placed it on the keypad next to the door. After some quick beeps the door opened, she grabbed the device from the keypad and ran inside.
The door shut behind her and she looked around. There was a single cell, guarded by two Sangheili. She heard a clanking behind her, drawing her sword as she turned behind her. What she thought was a patrolling guard was actually a girl.
She was a fair-skinned young girl with silver eyes and black, neck-length, choppy hair that faded to dark red at the tips.
She wore a black long sleeved dress with a high collar and red trim on the sleeves, a black waist cinched with red lacing up the front, and a red trim around her skirt. She also wore a pair of thick black stockings and black combat boots with red laces, red trim around the top and red soles.
Her outfit was topped by a red hooded cloak fastened to her shoulders by cross-shaped pins.
X deactivated her invisibility, surprising the girl. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?", she said holding the tip of the sword forward.
The girl said, "My name is Ruby. Ruby Rose."
X was taken back. She said, "Ruby Rose? You're Yang Xiao Long's sister!"
Ruby said, "Yang?! Where is she?"
X said, "Hang on. You never answered my second question. What are you doing here?"
Ruby said, "I've been listening in on communications after I stole a Sangheili radio. They were talking about capturing Ruby, so I came down here to see what's happening. Now where is Yang?"
X said, "In the middle of a fight right now. Help me find the people I came to rescue, and I'll take you to her."
Ruby said, "Deal."
X and Ruby made their way across the walkway until they were overlooking the two Sangheili guarding the cell.
X said, "We gotta take these two out at the same time. I got the one on the right. Ready?"
Ruby grabbed a small red box from her back. When she clicked it, it extended and unlocked until it turned into a scythe, with a barrel on the end where the blade meets the staff. There was also several gunlike elements on the middle of the staff similar to a sniper(trigger, magazine, side lever and scope).
Ruby said, "Ready."
The two dove down. X landed sword first on the right Sangheili, stabbing him through the top of the head and down his body. Ruby knocked the other Sangheili over and as he stood up, she hooked the back of his neck with her scythe, pulled the trigger, and a sniper shot blasted out of the barrel. Ruby used the kickback to pull the scythe with enough speed and force to cleanly decapitate the Sangheili.
X said, "Nice moves. Watch my back."
X placed the semi-spherical device on the keypad while Ruby looked out for coming guards. After multiple beeps, the cell doors opened. She walked inside, and looked up finding four purple-black bubbles against the ceiling. She grabbed two of them, finding Garnet's blue and red gemstones inside each of them. She crushed them, popping the bubbles. She then placed the gemstones on the ground. Each of them began to glow, and light projections emanated from them, forming a small body from each. When the light subsided, two females, were standing beside her. Each had their respective gem in their opposite hand.
The one with the red gem had it in her left hand with the square facet. She had bright scarlet skin, burgundy irises, and dark burgundy, square-shaped hair. She was slightly taller than X and had a thick build. She wore a maroon and brown tank top and a matching maroon headband tied around her hair. Her outfit also included mid-thigh burgundy shorts, and short, pointed maroon boots.
The one with the blue gem had it in her right hand with the triangle facet. She had blue skin and pale blue, wavy hair with bangs that covered the top half of her face. She was slightly taller than the red girl. Her prominent lips and facial structure resembled Garnet's. Underneath her bangs was a large eye with a dodger blue iris and visible pupil upon her forehead. She wore a floor-length gown with white, rounded, puffy sleeves, a navy top, and a blue skirt. Her dress has a blue pinafore over the top. The skirt has several frilly layers in several shades of blue which resemble an open geode. She also wore white elbow-length evening gloves. Her feet were hidden under the dress.
The girl with the red gem looked up at X and said, "X? What's going on? Where are we?"
The girl with the blue gem said, "A prison obviously."
X replied, "Except you guys are the only prisoners."
The girl with the red gem said to the girl with the blue gem, "Sapphire, are you ok?"
Sapphire said back, "I'm fine Ruby."
X said, "We don't have time for idle chitchat. You two fuse back into Garnet while I grab the other two."
X jumped back up as Ruby and Sapphire held hands. Ruby said, "Let's try not to mess up like that again."
Sapphire giggled and said, "Deal."
The two hugged as their bodies turned back into light, merging into a ball as their gems faded into dark red. The light took shape and Garnet appeared. She said, "It's good to be back."
X grabbed the other bubbles and popped them. From one was a white spherical gem and the other had a purple gem with a hexagonal facet.
The white gem activated and from it came a woman who had a slender, thin build, ivory skin, sky-blue eyes, a pointed nose and thin lips. She was nearly equal in height (with hair) to Garnet's chin. Her hair had a peach color and resembled a pixie-cut in the front, while in the back, her hair lead to a point. She wore an aqua blue tunic with a small gold star on the center of her chest and a lighter satin sash ribbon around her upper waist and amber-colored leggings. She also wore pink socks with pale blue slip-on ballet flats. The gem was in her forehead.
The purple gem activated and from it came a short woman with a stout build, whose skin was a bright lilac, and she had thick, messy pale lavender hair that went down to her ankles, with a large bang that obscured her left eye. She had plump lips, a small, upturned nose, and dark indigo eyes. She wore a mauve, oversized, off-white tank top with a jagged hem, black leggings with dark mauve stars on them, and ankle boots with the same dark mauve hue.
The girl with the white gem said to the girl with the purple gem, "Amethyst?"
Amethyst said back, "Pearl? What's happening? Where are we?"
X dropped down and said, "I can't do this a second time. There's no time for introductions. We've gotta get out of here."
Pearl said, "Wait, who are you?"
Garnet said, "Pearl. Amethyst. Come with us. I'll explain everything when we're somewhere safe."
Ruby said, "Sangheili! They're coming!"
X said, "BT, can you hear me?"
BT said, "I read you, commander."
X said, "I need a teleport. Me plus 4."
BT said, "Copy that. Standby."
An electrical field engulfed them and they vanished.
Honorbound Base
X, Ruby, Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst were back inside the base.
Ruby said, "Yang? Where are you?"
X said, "I told you. She's not here. She's in the middle of a fight. If you want to help her, BT can send you to her."
BT said, "Ready for teleport."
Ruby said, "Take me now."
BT said, "Copy that. Standby."
Ruby vanished in a haze of electricity. Amethyst said, "Hold on. Timeout. What's going on? Where are we? Where were we? Who are you?"
X said, "Amethyst. I know you have a lot of questions. But give me a chance to get this all sorted out, and I will answer your questions. Garnet, I know you just got back, but were in the middle of a fight on multiple fronts and I think John is in need of some assistance fighting Monsoon."
Garnet said, "It's alright. I'm ready to get back to it. You fill in Pearl and Amethyst. BT, take me to John."
BT said, "Copy that. Standby."
Garnet vanished as well in a haze of electricity.
X said, "Ok, while that's getting sorted out, I can start explaining what's happening. First, what is the last thing either of you remember before your physical forms dropped?"
Amethyst said, "Uh, I think we were fighting some weird guy in a hood with snakes coming out of his back."
Pearl said, "That's the last thing I remember."
X said, "That man with snakes is called the Imperator. And he's pretty much declared himself king of the Earth."
Pearl and Amethyst both shouted, "What?!"
X said, "It was insane. He invaded with a massive army of interstellar aliens known as the sangheili, subterranean creatures called locust, and mutant elven creatures called orcs. They've established a whole society. Most people live in the Commons, which is just endlessly repeated housing for the middle class, while others live in the Pits, which are camps for the lower class and homeless. At the heart of all of it is Abraxas, the capital of his empire for the filthy rich."
Pearl paused the explanation to ask, "Wait, if he's taken over the planet, how does he decide currency and such?"
BT chimed in to say, "However much finances a person had to their name before the invasion, decides their place."
X continued, "Exactly. And it doesn't matter what the circumstances surrounding it are. If you specifically have no money on you, you were put in the Pits. Anyway, this world that we're in is a sort of hybrid of our dimensions, combining the cities and people of multiple worlds together. A specific creation of the Imperator."
Amethyst said, "He's strong enough to do that?"
X said, "Eh kind of. It's less that he's strong enough to do that and more that he specifically has that power. Or rather the Darkness has that power."
Pearl said, "The what?"
X said, "The Darkness. An ancient entity that's bound to him, and gives him the power to summon those snakes from his back, manipulate the dimensions to a limited degree, regenerate, avoid death itself, conjure up darkness constructs, and much more that I don't even know. As for me, the only thing you need to know is that my name is X. And we're in the base of the Honorbound. The Honorbound is a resistance movement started by me to oppose the Imperator, inspire hope for the few who oppose him, and hopefully bring down his empire and restore our worlds."
Amethyst said, "That's a heckuva lot to take in."
Pearl said, "So wait, what happened to Garnet in that time? You said she got back, like she's been working with you before?"
X said, "Yes. I don't know the circumstances that caused you three to get split apart, but I did find her some time ago, and she's been an Honorbound member ever since. I only knew who you were because of how much she talks about you."
Amethyst said, "So what's going on now?"
X said, "Like I said. Our forces are engaging the Imperator's on multiple fronts right now. If you want to fight that's your decision, but when you do, know that you are an Honorbound."
X pressed a button on the computer and said, "Goku. Toph. What is the situation?"
Goku replied, "Hey, X! We got her. Something happened with her though. I think it was the Phantom Thieves."
X said, "Bring her back to base. We have a containment device prepared."
Toph said, "Wait, what?! We're bringing her back?!"
BT said, "There is no cause for alarm. We have the means to keep her restrained."
Toph said, "If it doesn't work, and we just got lucky, we're bringing a psycho lady, with the ability to tear us in half with a thought, into our base."
BT said, "I estimate a timeframe of 2 hours until she comes to. I can take note of any psychological or physical changes, and we can have her brought to a different location for questioning."
Goku said, "Alright, let's do that. Bring us back BT."
BT said, "Standby."
Commons 7 and 8 joint road
Sundowner was standing ready with his shields locked behind him. He saw Yang approaching, and smiled. Sundowner said, "Well hello, little missy."
Yang said, "Don't call me that. I didn't come for any chit chat. I came to beat you into the dirt."
Sundowner said, "You can try. But I'm saving a hole in the ground for whatever's left when I'm done with..."
Before he could finish, Yang struck him in the jaw with her fist, sending him back.
Music - Red Sun - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (OST)
He laughed and said, "Alright then. Let's play!"
Sundowner grabbed both of his swords as his shields clicked into place and his face plate slide over the bottom half of his face.
Yang activated her gauntlets as they clicked open and slid over her fists.
Sundowner jumped forward and swung a sword down, Yang blocking it with her gauntlet. She tried to hit him in the stomach, but he clasped two shields over her hand, then threw her overhead. When she landed on the other side, Sundowner smacked her with his shield, knocking her back. She rolled back and saw Sundowner bearing down on her with his swords. She blocked the coming strikes, then fired a shot from her gauntlet, propelling her elbow upwards and hitting Sundowner in the arm. She then used the opening and struck him in the side, then uppercut him in the face. He whipped back and started slashing with his swords. He used both and pushed both of Yang's hands down, then used the opening to twirl and kick her in the stomach. She slid back grabbing her stomach, but started to glow. She fired out her shotgun gauntlets launching forward, but Sundowner smacked her to the side with his shields.
He then said, "Keep trying to hit me, lady. You ain't even gonna scratch me."
She stopped herself launched back and Sundowner tried to hit her again. She dropped down, sliding on the ground, and dodging the shield. She then fired her gauntlets launching her back. She used the momentum to strike him in the back between his shields, launching him into the ground. He pushed the shields into the ground, lifting him up.
He clapped his shields together in front of him, charging forward. Yang jumped to the side, then jumped to Sundowner's exposed side. He blocked her coming punch with his sword, then smacked her with the shield, knocking her into the ground.
He said, "Your hits are getting stronger. You must be absorbing my hits and throwing them back in equal force. Monsoon'd lose his mind for that power."
Yang said, "That's right! You keep hitting me, I'm gonna get strong enough to break you in half with one hit."
Sundowner responded, "I told you! You can't touch me! I'm fucking..."
He was cut off by a shot to his back. He looked behind to see Ruby running at him with her sniper-scythe. Yang saw and yelled, "Ruby?!"
Ruby kept firing, jumping over Sundowner, hooking the scythe around the robotic arms that held his shields. She fired a shot, tearing them off in one swoop. The shields fell to the ground and deactivated as Ruby landed in front of Sundowner and kicked him away.
Ruby ran to Yang to help her to her feet. Yang said, "Ruby. Where have you been?"
Ruby said, "I can explain. But fight now. Talk later."
Yang nodded.
Sundowner picked himself up. Without shields, and only his swords, he was prepared for a real fight. More plates slid over his eyes, fully covering his entire face. He raised his right arm, which unlocked and revealed a small robotic arm with a holster in it. He clicked the sword in his left hand into the holster, effectively creating massive shears out of the two swords in his right hand.
Yang pulled out a new line of shells and locked them into her gauntlets, reloading them.
Ruby dropped a mag from her scythe, reloading it with a full one.
Sundowner growled, now with anger and hate burning through his voice, "I'll split you in two."
He charged forward. He stuck the shears outwards, attempting to catch Ruby and Yang, but they both jumped to the side. Yang rushed in and tried to hit him in the gut but he caught her fist in his shears, then pulled her to the side, opening the shears again as Ruby jumped in. He managed to grab her scythe as she swung it on him, then clamped his shears together throwing them to either side of each other. He tried to stab Ruby, but she vanished into a pile of rose petals, and reappeared above him. As he tried to block Yang grabbed his leg, throwing him off balance long enough for Ruby to get a nasty slash on his midsection. He grabbed Yang with his free hand and threw her at Ruby. Ruby was able to evade, slashing again at his midsection. He started striking at her with his shears, and she blocked the coming strikes, twirling her scythe and firing shots to increase its twirling speed. Yang tried to hit him in the back, but he blocked it with his shears, grabbed Ruby's scythe out of her hands, kicked her away, then shot Yang with it, knocking her back. Now armed with the shears in one hand and Ruby's scythe in the other, he dragged them both on the ground and prepared to finish off the incapacitated Yang. Suddenly, a spear pierced his back and penetrated through his front. The spear consisted of a glowing pearl blade with a white grip and a cyan, gold, and white colored pommel shaped like a star. The head of the blade spiraled down the upper shaft, becoming less sharp on the lower shaft. Pearl was standing on the end, gripping the end. She swung upwards, pulling the spear through Sundowner's head and cutting the upper part of his body in half, killing him. Inside was only machinery and wiring as his body fell to the ground.
Music end
Ruby and Yang recovered as Ruby retrieved her scythe.
Yang said, "Thanks for the help. Who are you?"
Pearl said, "I'm a friend of Garnet's. I'm Pearl."
Yang said, "Wait is she back?"
Ruby said, "She is I was with X when we got her out."
Yang said, "Let's get back to base."
Commons sections 44 and 45 joint road
John had his assault rifle at the ready and found Monsoon, squatting down. He smiled and said, "Hello, Master Chief. Still sworn to the rifle, I see."
John immediately began firing at Monsoon who threw a smoke bomb into the ground, covering the area in smoke while sliding down his face plate, covering his entire face.
Music - Stains of Time - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (OST)
John held his assault rifle at the ready, keeping his head turning all directions. Monsoon appeared behind him, jabbing him in the shoulder with one sai and stabbing him in the arm with the other causing him to drop his gun. He then leapt over John and delivered a back kick to his stomach knocking him out of the smoke cloud. John immediately rolled back, pulling out a pistol and firing into the cloud, tagging Monsoon in the arm and leg. Monsoon's face plate activated a small tower of disks, which turned his body purple. As John started firing again, Monsoon's body split apart in ways that he could evade the coming bullets, as he rushed John. John was smart enough to fire a shot, then fire upwards immediately. Monsoon's head moved up to dodge the first bullet, but got hit by the second immediate bullet, causing the tower of disks to recede into his face plate, reattaching his body together. John jumped down grabbed his rifle, and started unloading on Monsoon, but most of the bullets bounced harmlessly off his body. He jumped forward punching John in the face, cracking his helmet. Garnet suddenly came up behind him, grabbing him and suplexing him. He recovered, shouting, "What?! Where'd she come from?!"
Amethyst jumped over head, grabbing him with a multi-tailed dark violet whip. The whip had two tails and a cross-guard in the form of a lavender star. The lash was dark purple and was divided into three different segments. At the ends of these segments and embedded along the whip were purple gem shards. Her whip also had a purple gemstone as the pommel and the handle itself was purplish gray. She threw him into the air, as John got in a quick few more shots. He reactivated his face plate, disassembling his body as he landed safely on the ground. Amethyst and Garnet tried to strike at him with their whip and gauntlets, but he kept the evasion up, kicking Amethyst with his legs, and striking Garnet in the stomach with a palm strike.
Amethyst said, "Ugh! This guy's just gonna keep moving."
Garnet said, "Then let's not give him room to maneuver. Fuse with me!"
Amethyst nodded. The two locked arms as their bodies faded into light, morphing into a massive ball of light that took form as a colossal female, about double BT's height. She had a stocky build, five lilac colored eyes, a mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a giant plume of spiky, dark purple-black hair kept in an untamed style similar to Amethyst's, but messier. She had lavender-violet skin, wore a top that was split into two colors (violet and dark purple), black and burgundy bodysuit similar to Garnet's, and a lilac visor covering her lower eyes. She had four arms which were connected at her sleeves. Her leggings featured star-shaped patches, much like Amethyst's leggings, with the left one colored black and the right one colored dark-violet. Garnet's gemstones were colored dark purple and located on the lower pair of arms while Amethyst's gem took the same color and was on the chest.
Monsoon said, "What the hell are you?"
The lady said, "The name's Sugilite, baby!"
She swung one of her fists down, but Monsoon was fast enough to evade it. She then tried stomping for him, but he kept jumping side to side. Growing more frustrated, Sugilite activated Garnet's gemstones, summoning her gauntlets, which clamped together into a flail. She swung it, and managed to catch Monsoon with it, shattering his entire body in one swing, some parts (including his head) being sent several thousand feet away.
Sugilite yelled, "They're going, they're going, they're going and they're gone!"
Music end
Sugilite smiled as her body turned into light, unfusing back into Garnet and Amethyst.
John said, "Thanks for the help you two. When we get back, I want to know what THAT was that you just did with...what's your name?"
Amethyst said, "Amethyst!"
John said, "Amethyst."
John pressed a finger to his ear. He said, "BT! We finished off Monsoon. Bring us back."
BT said, "Copy that. Standby."
An electrical field engulfed them and they vanished.
Abraxas Palace
The Imperator was just told the news from the Arbiter of what happened with Tornado, Cyclone, Monsoon, and Sundowner.
The Imperator yelled, "WHAT?! I stepped up to my room for like 10 minutes, what the hell happened?"
The Arbiter said, "While you were in your room, four of the Winds stepped out to draw out the Honorbound, and were promptly defeated. Sundowner and Monsoon are unresponsive, Cyclone is confirmed KIA, and Tornado's whereabouts are unknown."
The Imperator said, "What about Vortex?"
The Arbiter said, "Unknown. My soldiers say he had to step out, and that's the last we've seen of him."
The Imperator said, "You know, when I say people are grounded, that usually means they're not allowed to leave! So that stuff like this does not happen!"
The Arbiter said, "To be fair, I don't think any of our men knew about that, or at least not the ones guarding the door."
The Imperator rubbed his eyes and said, "Fair enough. Is there anything else you have for me? I could really REALLY use some good news right about now."
The Arbiter said, "Yes. We found IT."
The Imperator said, "There's a lot of IT's in the world, Thel. Please be more specific."
The Arbiter said, "The book."
The Imperator froze and said, "You did?!"
The Arbiter reached onto a slot in his back armor and pulled out a decrepit book, with alien symbols and decayed pages, and said, "One of the deep space search teams brought this back from the Dreadnought. With it, we may be able to strengthen you and ourselves."
The Imperator grabbed the book, opened it to flip through the pages, and smiled. He then said, "Oh, when I'm finished, the Honorbound won't even know what hit them."
