Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)
Opening Files: The Food Witch
Not much is known about this insidious being. Rumors speculate and abound as to her origins, but all agree that the stories start with a being in Russia named Baba Yaga. Her childhood is a total mystery to anyone, and even the FBI has failed to gain any information on her birth. Phil Ken Sebben has called her as the worst villain to ever walk the face of the Earth, and due to the disappearances of many individuals, has been labeled as a "Food Witch", although her elderly age and appearance have had many people calling her Grandma Stuffum from time to time.
Her infamous reputation has put her on the list of the League of Super Criminals, as a potential ally or contact. But as to how they are connected, that remains a mystery.
Close File
"Rumors and legends have been around for as long as humanity has existed. But there are always some that have a grain of truth to them." TOM explained as he closed up the file on the Food Witch. "Some rumors can come from unexpected sources, but sometimes they can come from credited sources. Then the issue is whether or not they are rumor, or fact. And sometimes lies can be just as powerful as the truth, depending on how they are worded."
He glanced out the window of the Absolution to see a white legged ship vanish out of sight in a flash of light. "But what if those rumors are based on real experiences? And what if the legends spawn from a real force that is supposed to be even more dangerous than anything else thus far? That is when it becomes not a legend, but a true story. It all depends on the person or people who tell it."
He pressed the button on the left arm rest of his chair and leaned back in his seat. "So think carefully and start to question the truth and lies. Because sometimes lies can be truth and truth can be lies. It's up to you to make that call."
(The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses)
Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)
(The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black)
In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer)
It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black)
When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing)
Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall)
Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising
Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background)
Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand)
When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black)
We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera)
Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera)
Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them)
Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness)
Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean)
On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town)
Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of blue energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show the white-clad warrior known as Omnimon)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains)
We stand before the dawn of a new world... (The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon)
GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING
Arc II: Stage I
To my dear husband.
I must say, you have had some interesting events happen. But nothing can compare to what I am about to disclose to you.
It centers around a young girl... one whom might have a connection to the ancient legends we have heard so much about in our youth. Only this time...
The legends are real...
Tina Hendricks looked back at the information she was pouring over in the office of the home she shared with Joseph 'Dracon' Matthews. In all honesty, she had not been expecting to get roped into uncovering just what was happening in Denver.
It reminded her all too harshly of Jaxon and his attempt to send them to I.O.N.E.S.C.O., the former colleague of Dr. Torenov Minovsky.
The very thought made her skin crawl and she shook her head to forget the images.
But to hear of this... Fire Elemental, was it?... being in the middle of Denver... that was worrisome.
Then again, given what the world was like, it made sense. She just felt glad that Denver was well defended and isolated from the Darklands and Wildlands due to its position in the mountains of Colorado. Her eyes flicked to the newspaper sprawled across the desk, reading the headline.
Fire Breaks Out at Denver Central Park
Unknown arsonist or Grimm attack?
Her eyes narrowed as she skimmed the article. It basically described how a fire had spontaneously broken out in the middle of the park, prompting people to flee to safety while the fire department attempted to contain it. It spread rather quickly, forcing local members of the City Guard to take action and do what they could to help contain the inferno as it grew. The article detailed how the firefighters attempted to rescue a little girl in the middle of it all with her family. They fought their way through the blaze until they reached her, and pulled her out to safety.
They chalked their survival up to mere luck. Although it was strange that the girl had not suffered any smoke inhalation or burns on her young body. Her family was likewise unharmed, but the same couldn't be said for a few others who didn't make it out in time. They too survived, but with several major burns that would need hospitalization and surgery to fully recover from. At least no one was killed, which was a relief, she mused as she set the article aside.
The rest of the article was basically talking about an investigation into the sudden eruption of the fire. So far no one had come forward to confess, or offer information on the fire's origins. But the fact that there were no Grimm present only added to the mystery of the inferno.
And yet Tina was beginning to wonder if there was more to this case than the article let on. She had seen the news footage, and although she wasn't a skilled investigator like some members of the Denver Police Department, she was observant due to her years as a Huntress. Her keen eyes had picked out the girl's hair flaring as if made of flames... Of course it could've been a trick of the fire, but who knew? She was not willing to take any chances though. For all she knew, maybe it was someone else who was the Fire Elemental.
And that prompted her to do as much research as she could on the legends of the Elementals.
The research led to her finding out information about them, and further examination of the news footage seemed to prove her theory correct.
But then there was another aspect.
Sammael.
She knew that the Fallen had plans. Big ones. That much Sebben had informed them of. But as to what... she didn't know. And yet now...
It also didn't help much that the news wasn't reported on by the national news networks. In fact, it seemed as if it had been blocked by someone. Or at least taken off the air. Sure there was mere mention, but no news footage or camera shots of the girl triggering the blaze somehow.
Tina began to wonder if someone was trying to suppress information about this.
If so, she needed to find out who was responsible and why.
The first thing though was she needed to confirm the girl as the Fire Elemental. But the question was how, since she didn't even know the kid's name. But from her facial features she appeared to be Asian, or at least of Asian descent, so that narrowed things down considerably. Tina grasped her tablet and started searching for information about the girl. She did a few searches on Asian Americans in Denver, which brought up a bunch of contact information and even a database pertaining to them, courtesy of the Denver Academy of Hunters. There were just so many though it seemed downright impossible.
But if anything, Tina was persistent.
She had to try and figure out the girl's name. Perhaps cross-referencing pictures could work...
That was the only choice she had at the moment. So she started poking around for any images from the Hunter Academy, but nothing showed up. Gritting her teeth, she punched the desk in frustration. "Dammit! Nothing on her at all!" she snarled.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied the images playing over and over again on her tablet's screen. There seemed to be nothing on the girl. Least of all her picture and name. This warranted a visit to the mayor's office, she mused.
She shut down her tablet and made for the door, intent on trying to get some answers.
The Huntress hurried out the door and got into the car, slamming the door shut and starting the engine. Once she was set, she headed out and down the main roads, relying on the GPS to find the mayor's office.
She pulled into the parking lot some time later and was out in a flash, racing for the doorway. A few people were surprised, and some security guards took note of her, parting to let her pass; registered Huntsmen and Huntresses could avoid going through security measures if they so chose to, but most often went through them as part of the law. In Tina's case, she chose to bypass the security protocols and made her way into the office building.
She had to admit, this was the first time she had done so, but she felt it was warranted in this case. However, she was unaware of what was currently going on above her in the mayor's office...
The mayor of Denver, a middle aged cat Faunus named Darrel Clyde, frowned as he sat back in his desk chair. Already three of the Elementals had awakened. If that was the case, then the last one would be awakening shortly. And he had a very good idea as to who it was, since she had been showing fire-based powers.
Yes, he knew who it was, but while it was probably for the best the possible Elemental was sent to GrimmFall sooner rather than later, he felt it was necessary to protect said person until the time came. And it helped he had help from the state Governor herself.
Speaking of which, she was on the line already. "So, has anyone else found out yet?"
"No, ma'am," he replied. "That knowledge has, as far as I know, not been leaked."
The Governor's image nodded. "Good," she replied. "But I don't doubt that someone will find out anyway."
"Do you mean the Fallen?" the mayor asked as the governor nodded again.
"I do," she replied. "They are already searching. Keeping a Fallen off the possible Elemental's tail is the main priority."
Unbeknownst to the two of them, someone was already listening in, but they had missed the first part of the conversation about the Fallen searching as well. Tina had put her ear to the door when she had heard the mayor speaking to someone, and was shocked at the next words she heard.
"The person we believe is the Fire Elemental should not be found."
The unknown speaker's voice was unheard due to the mayor using headphones to hear his 'guest', but that only worked against him in Tina's mind, even if she didn't know it.
"Yes, I know that others will want their power, but that is not of a concern."
Tina frowned, wondering if what she was hearing was correct. Did the mayor and his cohort truly believe they could keep the Fire Elemental from GrimmFall and others like them?
"No. I don't think so. Even if the Elemental awakens, they will not stand a chance."
A silent gasp escaped her. Was the Mayor really planning something against the Elemental? Or was the mayor planning to kill the Fire Elemental?! Alarm ran through her as she turned and ran from the office. In fact, she ran away so fast, she didn't even hear the next part. "Yes, I am sure the Elemental is safe from Fallen hands. We have done our best to hide them so far, and we plan to continue to, unless you plan to send in the National Guard for backup."
Tina's mind was racing as she hurried out of the office, all thoughts of questioning the mayor long forgotten.
There was a conspiracy afoot, and it was not good by any means. She had to find the child and fast!
But the question was where to begin. There was just no information on her! Not even a birthdate!
The Huntress was in her car in a flash, and speeding back towards the subdivision where she and Dracon lived.
Only to nearly collide full on with another man as he barely spotted her car. Tina yelped and jerked the car's wheel to the right, careening off the road and into the park, right towards the spot where the fire had broken out recently. Her foot stamped on the brake and she brought the car to a skidding stop, her seat belt being the only thing that saved her from injury. She grunted from the whiplash, but she was otherwise unharmed.
The woman leaned back in her seat, her mind racing with all kinds of thoughts. What the hell was going on? Why was the mayor of Denver even planning such an act?! It just didn't make any sense! She gritted her teeth and slammed her forehead on the steering wheel, feeling frustration and worry surging through her body. "Dammit...! If only I knew where to find her!" she blurted.
But unfortunately nothing was present, and no one heard her.
She was completely on her own for this one.
Tina leaned back and sighed. For now she had to get back home and see if there was anything she could do to dig up any information, which was going to be downright difficult, if not impossible, given that it was being suppressed or censored.
She put the car in reverse and after some driving around, managed to get back on the roadway leading towards her home.
The drive back was rather uneventful, but her eyes said it all: she was angry. And she wasn't about to rest until she got to the bottom of this conspiracy.
By the time she pulled back into the driveway, she had a good idea of what to do next. And that was to start asking around. She knew of a few Asian-American families close by to their home, so she could start there. Tina darted inside the house and brought up the recorded news footage on her tablet, freezing a frame of the girl and printing it up after doing a screenshot. This way she'd have a face to show them.
Once that was done, she sat down and proceeded to have a quick dinner. It wasn't very much, but it did get the job done. She finally stood and exited the house, carrying the image with her.
The first house she stopped at belonged to the Yu family, a Chinese American family that actually moved to the US recently from Taiwan. While they didn't have any children, perhaps they had seen the girl she was seeking. After all, it did seem possible.
Mr. and Mrs. Yu were more than pleased to answer any questions she had about the girl, and she was surprised to hear that they knew of a family with a daughter that resembled the child in the picture she had printed. She thanked them and headed off towards the address given to her by Mrs. Yu.
But when she got there, she was in for a surprise.
A single Seer Grimm was observing, and her eyes widened. "Oh, shit!" she whispered. "A Seer!"
Her rapier was in her hand in a flash as she lunged for the Grimm, the electricity of lightning Dust seething over the blade as she drove it home, and just in time, too. The Grimm dissipated into thick black smoke just as a flash of fiery light came from one of the rooms in the two story house. The Huntress charged through the black smoke and into the building just as someone came through the door, holding a young girl, coughing from the smoke.
"Sorry..." he coughed. "The sausage burnt again..."
A woman came into the room, looking worried, but as soon as her husband told her about the sausage, she relaxed. "Oh... Thank Glob... I was worried..." she breathed.
The two then seemed to get the sense like someone else was present and both turned, their eyes landing on the form of Tina as she stood in the middle of the doorway. "Um... sorry to barge in like this but..." She holstered her rapier. "I wanted to ask you something..."
The family looked at one another before looking back at Tina.
This would not be easy, though, she had to admit. And it wasn't, for whatever questions she asked they always seemed to have an answer that was not what she had been hoping for. And in effect, they were diverting her questions away from their daughter, although she didn't know it at the time. Regardless, when she left, she felt a bit disappointed, but at the same time felt like she had gotten some information about the girl. Mostly in that her Aura was a fiery red color, but her Semblance, they claimed, was unknown to them at this point in time.
So she accepted it for now, but she was taking it with a grain of salt. One could never be truly careful in this world, after all.
By the time she got home, her mind was filled with so many unanswered questions, and all kinds of reasons as to why the mayor wanted the Fire Elemental dead.
Then again, she wished Dracon was there. At least he was able to think somewhat logically.
Most of the time, anyway.
She grabbed a piece of paper and started to write to him, detailing everything she had learned thus far.
So that's what transpired. I must admit, I am wary about this.
But nonetheless, I congratulate you on partaking in such a tourney. I wish you the best of luck.
And inform me if anything new pertaining to the child's disappearance is found. I shall do the same to you.
Best of luck.
Your darling wife,
Tina.
I hummed to myself as I folded up the note from Tina.
Things were only getting more interesting, although I could only hope that the Fire Elemental was all right.. Whoever they were.
After I put the note in my duffle bag, I exited the post office and into the main street. The sun was beating down rather harshly, and my sensors indicated that the temperature was a scorching one hundred and ten degrees, which was nothing compared to the intensely high heat my frame was able to endure. But it was still rather hot for the humans, Faunus, and Mobians around me. And yet some still braved the heat enough to dress in full western getup for the resort.
To be honest, it didn't look very fun.
I continued to walk down the main street, my feet leaving noticeable footprints in the desert sands. My optics flicked about the area, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Well, maybe a bit more so after that little... ghostly encounter... in the main saloon.
And truthfully, I was curious now.
Mostly curious as to why that little Mobian appeared to me, and no one else.
I needed to get some answers.
As the Tournament didn't start for another two days, this gave me some time to not only practice my skills at horse riding - which I didn't need to as I had ridden a Boarbatusk before - but also my pistol shooting. But I also decided to do some poking around at the saloon, no doubt to try and find any information pertaining to the little Mobian ghost.
I headed there first.
The saloon was pretty much empty as it was early in the morning, which gave me some time to start poking around. The first thing I did was make my way to the spot where I had first seen the little specter. I studied the wall intently, trying to see if there was anything that could point to it being a hoax - a small part of me was wishing it was fake - but upon closer examination, there was nothing that indicated the presence of a holographic projector. Least of all a screen that could accept the projection.
I was baffled.
"The hell...?" I whispered. "There's nothing here..."
I stepped back from the wall, as if expecting the ghost to appear again. But thankfully it didn't. Instead, I got a twinge, and a very powerful one, at that. My hand flew to my helm as I yelped a bit, clutching at it before the feeling faded. I looked up, my optics landing on what appeared to be little footprints...
Like those of a child.
I was on guard at once. My hand flew for one of my beam pistols and the other one clenched into a fist as I prepared to swing a beam tonfa forward. I crept forward, every inch of my six foot two height poised for battle or flight. The footprints seemed to creep towards the door leading into the kitchen, and I dimmed my optics a shade. My reactor increased its humming in my chest as I inched closer to the door.
Faint humming started to drift out from it and I paused briefly just outside it. My reactor was now whirring rapidly enough to where I felt my chest armor vibrating from it. My hand was inches from the door, and I felt that lump-like sensation in my throat before I gulped nervously. I took in a breath and let it out from my vents as I tensed.
My hand landed on the door and I threw it open, leaping into the room and landing in a crouched position, my beam pistol held in both hands. I didn't know why I did it, but as soon as I landed I yelled out "Freeze!" I chalked it up to getting caught up in the heat of the moment, but it did do the trick as the woman in the kitchen turned, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Oh, my!" she cried. "I did not expect zomeone to come into my kitchen seeking somezing to eat!"
The cook was an elderly lady in her mid-to-late seventies, wearing a pair of glasses over her beady green eyes. Her long grey hair was tied back in a bun and she wore a simple blue smock with red buttons on it, and on her feet were stockings with a pair of slippers on top. She wore an apron around her waist splattered with all kinds of food. Some of it was eerily red like blood, but I chalked it up to ketchup at the time.
I found myself feeling rather embarrassed at having interrupted a cook in the middle of her meal preparations, and I stood up, holstering my pistol on my skirt armor. "Sorry," I muttered. "I'm not that hungry."
"Vell zat's all right, dearie," she said. "Most people usually aren't. But it is quite odd you came as quickly as you did."
"I..." I hesitated, unsure as to what to say. I was getting bad vibes from her, as my psychoframe began to tingle. I gulped nervously. "Well..." I shot a glance back down at the ground, and was surprised to see that the small footprints were leading right to her... before they suddenly stopped. A bad feeling began to fill the spot where my stomach would be if I had one. I took in a breath before letting it out through my vents. "I thought there was a Grimm around since I saw something come this way," I told her, coming up with a lie on the spot. I could hear my reactor whirring loudly in my audios and I had to make sure I wasn't even shaking, or as best as I could at the moment.
"I see. Vell, dearie, zere are no Grimm here. Just me and ze food," the elderly cook replied in a thick German accent.
"Yeah. Sorry about that," I replied, quickly backing out of the kitchen. I wasn't too keen on sticking around any longer than necessary, and I was out in a flash, closing the door behind me.
Once I was out of the room, I let out a sigh of relief. Although I was still getting the feeling like something was amiss in that kitchen. I was tempted to take a peek inside, but caution prevailed and I was out of the saloon.
I made my way back to the main street and I plopped down on the porch of another building, looking down at one of my hands. I watched as the fingers shook slightly, confusion flooding my processor. What the hell was going on with me? Why was I getting these strange visions and sightings that no one but me could see?
And why was I getting a bad feeling around the cook?
Especially the cook.
I sighed as I clenched my hand into a fist. "Dammit... so much for trying to find anything else out..."
Of course, things were only bound to get more dangerous the longer I stayed there. I just had no idea how dangerous they were going to get.
The next day was just like the first, with me preparing for the Cowboy Tournament. At least that's what most everyone else thought. In reality, I was digging around for information pertaining to the strange Mobian ghost I had seen. As well as the... hunting... activities of the town's cat Mobian population. It just so happened that around the time I was exploring one of the other buildings a young Mobian mouse, not much older than two, went missing. I didn't know what to think of this, so I did some hunting around, and came upon that spider Mobian cackling as he dragged the poor child to whatever fate he had planned.
And I was not about to let that go.
I was on the Mobian in a flash, pinning the creep to the ground as his legs writhed and wriggled, delivering a flurry of kicks to my frame's chest and shoulders. I just took it in stride though and finally succeeded in tying him up with his own web. At least for a while. That gave me time to take the boy back to his parents, and they were overjoyed. That led me to another startling revelation.
Apparently when people came with their infants and/or young ones, sometimes they up and vanished, usually taken by Grimm and consumed, or left to die in the harsh desert sands. Their remains were never found, save for a few lucky families. These disappearances were some of the desert's greatest unsolved mysteries. As no one had been able to solve them, even to this day.
That made me even more determined to track down Yasha.
So I doubled down my searching, but alas, nothing came of it. At least for the moment.
The evening came and went, and by the next morning I was ready for the tournament's first stage.
I joined the other competitors by the stables, at which we would be given a horse to ride. Of course, given my frame though, I figured I'd go without a horse, as metal weighed significantly more than flesh and bones.
As I stood waiting, a rather cultured voice reached out to me from behind. "Excuse me, but are you in line for the horses?"
I yelped and whirled around, my optics landing on a white masked figure. I could see he was powerfully built, well muscled and lean. He wore a white jacket with black on the sleeves and shoulders, with a black collar. White pants and black boots completed the ensemble, but it was the blonde hair on his head that caught my optic. He was a coyote Mobian, and his tail swished behind him as he leaned against one of the pillars of the stable.
"No. I'm not. I'm just waiting for the others to get ready before we begin," I said seriously, Kitty's warning resonating in my processor. Normally I didn't trust someone I just met, but Kitty seemed like a nice person, so I was willing to give her a chance.
"I see. Well, I hope you don't mind if I join you then," the coyote said with a smile.
"Not at all," I remarked, trying to keep it casual. "Name's Joseph Matthews. And you?"
"The Dragon of Denver. It's actually quite an honor to meet someone of your reputation," the Mobian mused with a chuckle. "I'm just a mere Hunter. Not someone of your skill and power."
"Hardly. I'm just trying to make the world a better place," I retorted. "And it's not as easy as it sounds, given the number of bad guys and Grimm roaming around the planet."
"As it always has been," the Mobian remarked as he held out a hand. "The name's Coyote. Wile E. Coyote. Genius extraordinaire."
I took his hand and shook it, at once noting the strong and firm grip, much like my own. He let go shortly after though and resumed gazing at the horses as he waited in line.
My name was called up, and I made my way over to the woman in charge of assigning the horses. "Well, as it stands you're going to be the only one without a horse," she said. "Given your frame's weight, it's been decided to temporarily waive the rules of the Green River Resort to allow you to ride something more suited for your weight."
She turned and gestured for me to follow. I followed her as she led me past the horses to an area which was usually rented out to guests who wanted to go riding on all terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. I was surprised as she opened the gate and guided me in until we came to a stop, right in front of not an ATV, but a motorcycle. This one was a dark blue color, which matched my armor, and it had white accents on its sides and front. I looked at her like she was nuts.
"This is the only thing that will be able to support your weight," she told me. "Either you take it... or you're out of the tournament."
I grumbled as I relented. "Fine."
The woman nodded and handed me off the keys to the bike.
It wasn't that hard to grasp the concept of riding it, nor did it take long for me to get the hang of it; back in high school I sometimes rode Hunter's motorcycle for the fun of it, so the experience stayed with me.
Within moments I was riding out of the rental vehicle lot and back towards the stables. I wasn't too surprised to see the others already on their mounts, and to be honest, it felt a little bit like a post-apoc scenario, with one of us riding a bike and the rest on horses. I was a bit baffled as to why the horses weren't spooked, but then I concluded that maybe they had been exposed to motorcycles and other vehicles before. So I just pulled up alongside the rest of the group as they stood at the starting line.
A huge herd of wild horses was already in motion, although I suspected that they had been purposely released from a corral of some kind just for this occasion.
Cat stepped up in front of us and held up his pistol. "So, are you cowboys and cowgirls ready to start?"
Everyone present let out cheers as they waved their hands or ropes or whatever they had.
I however remained silent. But I did rev the bike's engine a few times in response.
"Then get ready... and may the best cowboy or cowgirl win!" he cried.
He pulled the trigger and everyone was soon in motion. I revved the motorcycle's engine and popped a perfect wheelie as I sped out, the front wheel landing on the ground a few seconds later. I hunched over the bike's dashboard, my hat barely held in place (only by my V-fin being opened against it) against the wind. My cloak flapped and fluttered about my frame as I dimmed my optics a shade. A whinny caught my attention and I turned my helm to spot Wile riding a maroon and white spattered horse. His features turned upward in a grin as his mask's eyes glinted in the light. With a salute, he reared his horse back and launched into a full gallop.
I noticed Sylvester narrowing his eyes as he watched the coyote Mobian go on ahead. Amy on the other hand was neck and neck with him. I dimmed my optics a bit more.
Something told me things were only about to get a lot more interesting than I thought.
"All of the competitorssss are in motion," the voice sneered. "Do you want me to do it now?"
"No," he purred. "Let's see how well he can do in this event."
"I sssstill think it'sssss a bad idea..." the snake-like speaker growled.
"Rest assured, he will be taken care of," the cultured voice muttered. "Especially since Wile is involved."
"I do not trussssst that Mobian assss far assss I can throw him!" the snake-like voice hissed, so softly it seemed to be one hiss.
"Neither do I..." he growled. "But... he will prove useful... in slaying the mythical dragon."
A pair of snakelike eyes narrowed. "And if he livessss?"
"Then you will get your chance," the cultured speaker remarked. "But for now, just sit back and enjoy the show..."