Chapter Thirty Seven: Mapleshade's Plan Part Three.
Last chapter, I ended on a low note. Let's change that.
Jayfeather POV
Scourge grinned, pulling the guns hammer back.
"No."
Jayfeather panicked, trying to use his powers, only to find it futile. The cuffs stopped him.
BANG!
Blood everywhere.
Someone was screaming.
Lionblaze was silent.
Jayfeather tilted his head in confusion.
Dovewing was smirking.
And Honeyfern was still alive.
Then who was screaming?!
And Scourge had his hand over his left eye, screaming in pain.
Scourge had been shot!
From the attic of the house, Poppyfrost reloaded her rifle.
Mapleshades snarled, rushing into the house with her super speed.
Scourge fell to the ground, screaming bloody murder "RRRGHHHHHHAAAAHHHHHH! MY EYE! SONUVABITCH! FUUUUUCCCKKKKKK!" He writhed on the ground, and Tigerstar rushed to his aid, pulling him to safety.
As Scourge roared in pain, Jayfeather felt his handcuffs snap off, after he heard another shot. He grabbed Honeyfern and pulled her away, as she shook in terror.
After Poppyfrost shot Dovewing and Lionblaze's handcuffs off, the two proceeded to sprint towards Tigerstar and Scourge.
Tigerstar scowled, using behind a tree stump with Scourge roaring in pain and anger "I'LL KILL THEM! MY EYE! THEY SHOT MY FUCKING EYE OUT!"
Tigerstar snarled "Stay quiet."
As Lionblaze tackled Tigerstar to the ground, Dovewing watched in satisfaction as Scourge contorted and withered on the snowy ground. Blood was leaking like a fountain and he cried as such.
Dovewing would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy watching that.
"MY EYE! THIS AIN'T FUN ANYMORE! ARRGGGHHHH!"
Poppyfrost POV
Reloading the gun, the street rat kept the pressure up. It was a good thing she fired when she did, one more second and Honeyfern would've been dead.
Her only main problem, was the fact that Scourge was alive. She shot him in the fucking head! How did that bastard survive that?!
Poppyfrost snarled, aiming at the Dark Trees leader, eager to take some shots at Tigerstar.
"I wonder if I kill him, that makes me leader of the Dark Trees," Poppyfrost mused.
Suddendly from behind the trees, a pink blur rushed out and into the house.
"Mapleshade!" Poppyfrost stood up to run out, but was stopped by the feeling of a knife to the back of her neck.
Poppyfrost scowled, letting go of the gun and putting her hands up. Mapleshade kicked the rifle awat, and Poppyfrost stood up while Mapleshade scoffed "That was a good shot. We need more members like you."
Poppyfrost brushed her red bangs behind her ears "You won't get to them. Take one step in the basement and K.A.R.A.I will unload all her rounds into you. Your fast, I'll give you that, but your not that fast!"
Mapleshade scoffed "Well, best not to keep them waiting. Adieu."
As Mapleshade turned and walked away, Poppyfrost grabbed an old antique rapier from the old boxes. She pointed it at the orange haired devil "I won't let you hurt them!"
"And you hope to stop me with an old sword?" Mapleshade scoffed "Put it away, girl. It's not worth dying over. They aren't worth dying for."
Poppyfrost said nothing, holding the sword to her chest "I won't let you hurt them!"
Mapleshade scoffed, turning around "I could end this fight in half a second. Why bother fighting?"
"Because they aren't gonna be taken without a fight!" Poppyfrost scowled.
Mapleshade said nothing. In the blink of an eye, she raced behind her. Poppyfrost braced for death, but felt nothing. She turned around to see Mapleshade holding another sword, taken from her Collection.
"To keep it fair," Mapleshade said, twirling the blade "Know how to sword fight?"
"Fencing," Poppyfrost corrected "And yeah, I have an decent idea."
"Like what?" Mapleshade asked.
"I stick you with the Sharp end!" Poppyfrost snarled.
Poppyfrost struck first, thrusting to Mapleshade's right. Mapleshade blocked it with extreme precision. Mapleshade pushed her back, swinging to Poppyfrost's left, who ducked under and punched her away with her free hand.
Mapleshade staggered back, but kept her blade up "I must say you have excellent form. But how's your footwork? I take one step here..."
Mapleshade took a step to her right in an attempt to circle Poppyfrost, who mirrored her steps "Very good. Now I step again..."
Mapleshade took another step, but then lept backwards to throw her off. It did, but Poppyfrost dodged her attack by rolling behind her, and ramming her in the back with her shoulder.
Mapleshade grinned, enjoying herself "Very good, Well done! But anybody can take some steps around, but not everybody can keep up with the blade."
Poppyfrost snarled "I can!"
The red head blocked one of Mapleshade's thrusts, and countered with a slash of her own, cutting Mapleshade in the upper arm. She grimaced, but kept her blade up. She swung the sword to Poppyftost's legs, who jumped over it and slashed upwards, slicing her in the chest.
Poppyfrost jumped back, keeping the blade close to her chest. Mapleshade snarled, quickly thrusting the rapier to her face. She was able to dodge it mostly. The blade caught her in the right cheek, cutting it from her cheekbone to her nose. She felt her face sting, but she countered, slashing across her chest "En Garde!"
Mapleshade scoffed, thrusting her blade to Poppyfrost's shoulder. She dodged and kicked her square in the chest. Mapleshade scoffed, swinging her blade so strongly, that Poppyfrost's sword flew out of her hands. "Now. You fought bravely, but the fight is mine!"
Poppyfrost scowled, grabbing another sword from the boxes.
Mapleshade groaned "Who has the time to collect these!"
"I DO!" Poppyfrost smirked, dragging the blade back to slash her across the chest. Mapleshade dodged, and swung to Poppyfrost's left leg. She brought her blade back to her feet and blocked it, shoving her back and bringing the blades up, the blades connecting. The two pushed with all their might, but Mapleshade was slightly stronger, moving Poppyfrost backwards. The Red head twisted her body, sending Mapleshade crashing into several boxes.
Poppyfrost smirked, as her enemy got up, angry. She thrusted her arm to Poppyfrost's gut, wanting to skewer her and end the fight. Poppyfrost was faster, moving out of the way, and deflecting a wild swing from Mapleshade.
Hawkfrost POV
He watched on the security footage of Scourge and Tigerstar scoping the house. While Poppyfrost was dueling with Mapleshade, his father and..."mentor" we're looking around the basement for them.
Foxleap continued to type "Almost broke the hack! Be done in a sec!"
Ivypool sighed "We should help them!"
Hollyleaf shook her head "No, what could we do? Jayfeather and Lionblaze have this handled."
"What about my sister?!" Cinderheart yelled "She's up there, fighting for her life against a speed demon!"
"She seems to be winning," Hawkfrost shrugged, only for Hawk to scoff in the recess of his mind " Mapleshade is crafty, and can kill. Poppyfrost doesn't stand a chance."
"Positive thoughts buddy, positive thoughts," Hawkfrost huffed.
"What did you say?" Half Moon asked.
"Hawk is betting that Poppyfrost dies," Hawkfrost explained.
Half Moon nodded, backing up.
"How is Lionblaze going?"
Hawkfrost sighed "He wants to know how Lionblaze is handling."
Foxleap nodded, switching camera footage to the outside. Lionblaze was choking Tigerstar on the ground, Tigerstar fighting for his life. Dovewing was helping, holding Tigerstar by the hair, in an almost comedic way.
Scourge was nowhere to be seen.
"Wait where's Scourge?!"
Hawkfrost's face paled "Where's Scourge?"
Foxleap widened his eyes, as did all of the crew, and started typing away "I'm looking through all the cameras. He isn't anywhere to be seen."
"RECOGNIZED! JAYFEATHER'S PALM PRINT HAS BEEN SCANNED," K.A.R.A.I beeped "SHOULD I LET HIM IN?"
Cinderheart lit up "He has Honeyfern! Open the Foxcave up!"
Ivypool went to open it...
To have it slammed open, hitting her on the face.
They all saw Scourge on the other side, with Tigerstar's ARX-150 in his hands, pointed at them.
Jayfeather was behind him, all limp and bloodied. Someone took a huge blow to the back of his head.
But Scourge looked worse. His left eye was mangled to a pulp, blood and muscles revealed. The blood had caked his face, dried up and coating his hair, slicking it's wild black hair in a blood like hair gel. The wound itself was horrifying. The eyeball was completely missing, revealing an empty socket. The wound crossed over to the side of his face, by the trajectory of the shot.
Honestly, he should have been dead. Or at least in a coma.
Scourge had his right eye looking at them wild, and noticed Hawkfrost. Instead of being giddy, or happy...
He was mad.
No, not mad...
Furious.
"Fun's over. Outside. NOW!"
Poppyfrost POV
Poppyfrost scowled, pushing Mapleshade away and attempting to flee, only for Mapleshade to get angrier "NO NO NO!"
She grabbed a nearby chair and launched it at her, hitting her in the back. Poppyfrost came to a realization the second it touched her.
"She isn't using her speed! Must've worn out!"
She knew what to do.
Poppyfrost stood back up, grabbing her sword in time to deflect a slash from Mapleshade.
Mapleshade snarled "I...have waited so long to kill the three, and I will not have it ruined by a punk with a sword!"
"Punk? That's Jayfeather," Poppyfrost snarled "I'm a thief!"
Mapleshade growled, pushing Poppyfrost away to the ground, her sword bouncing out of her hands. Poppyfrost tried to to grab her sword, but Mapleshade kicked it away, then kicking her.
She brought her sword up, to which Poppyfrost lifted both if her legs and licked her away. She turned to her chest, trying to crawl to her sword.
Coincidentally, her rifle laid next to it.
Poppyfrost widened her eye, as the noise of Mapleshade's boots collided with the wooden floor. She grabbed her rifle turning around and aiming it between Mapleshade's eyes.
"You're fast, but you aren't that fast!" Poppyfrost stood up holding the gun tightly "Let's take a walk shall we? Any sort of incantation or spell, and I'll unload all seven shots into your skull."
Mapleshade growled, dropping the sword and letting it clatter to the floor. Poppyfrost growled "Down the stairs. Outside. Now!"
The sorceress obeyed, walking down the stairs, as Poppyfrost followed. Keeping the gun trained on her, Poppyfrost scowled "You never should have come here."
They stood at the front of the door, Poppyfrost touched the barrel to Mapleshade's head "Open it."
Mapleshade smirked, doing as she was told.
The door opened to reveal all her friends on their knees, hands on their heads, as Scourge kept the ARX-150 trained on them.
Slash smirked "Drop the gun, missy. Or else-"
Poppyfrost didn't need to know what would happen, dropping the rifle as Mapleshade went to her comrades' side "How'd you defeat Lionblaze and Dovewing?"
"We didn't," Scourge snarled "Put a gun to any of their friends heads and they'll drop what they are doing."
Mapleshade turned to Scourge, "Let me see your eye."
Scourge obeyed, facing her as she rested her hand over it "Lækna."
His eye seemed to mend itself, flesh and blood regenerating at an alarming rate.
As his eye mended, Tigerstar looked at his batch of hostages, trying to memorize their faces. He widened his eyes upon seeing his son with them "Hawkfrost?!"
"Hola Padre," Hawkfrost spat "Hawk says 'Fuck you'."
Tigerstar shook his head "I shot you in the brain. You should be dead."
"I am," Hawkfrost curled his lip "You're going crazy. Crazy like me."
Tigerstar tightened his fists "Obnoxious to the end."
"I aim to please," Hawkfrost spat at his feet "Hawk also says that the sandwich I made you a while ago, didn't have mayonnaise. It was bird shit."
Tigerstar fumed as Mapleshade finished her work "Feel better? Here is your Sniper."
Scourge smirked, moving his newly repaired left eye around in an effort to test it. Upon realixing it worked, he immediately growled, dropping the gun, only for one of the men to quickly grab it. Scourge raced forward, striking Poppyfrost in the face hard, causing her to fall to the ground. Scourge grabbed her by the throat "THAT WAS MY EYE YOU BITCH!"
He proceeded to ram his fist into her head, continuously. Honeyfern squirmed "STOP IT!"
Tigerstar kicked her in the head, as Scourge then lifted his foot and kicked her in the gut, over and over.
Silverhawk shook his head, going to pull the madman off only to have Tigerstar stop him "No...let him have his fun."
Scourge snarled "I was going to kill your sister, but now..."
He flipped his butterfly knife around his fingers "I guess you'll have to do."
Mapleshade scowled as he grabbed Poppyfrost by the throat, his knife in line with her eye "What the hell are you doing, Scourge?!"
Scoorge grinned, holding the knife high "Setting an Example."
BOOM!
A noise like a hurricane shook the earth, gaining the attention of everybody. Thunderclouds rolled in, quickly and unnaturally fast, disturbing the once clear sky. Foxleap sweatdropped "Uh...guys? That wasn't on the forecast!"
Scourge growled "What is it?"
From the back Jayfeather began to chuckle. Scourge snarled "WHAT IS IT?!"
Hollyleaf looked at the sky in awe "What the hell is happening?"
"Oh...you guys are so screwed now."
(Cue Wonder Woman's theme by Hans Zimmer from Batman V Superman)
Lightning quickly struck the ground in the center of them. The lightning didn't fade away, remaining, it's energy cackling.
When it left, a strange old man in a cloak, floated in the center, eyes glowing blue, body traced with electricity.
"You've made a grave mistake entering MY kingdom," Rock roared.
Tigerstar looked at him in fear, turning to his soldiers "SHOOT IT!"
The men raised their guns, only for Rock to look at them. The guns instantly vaporized into ash and soot.
The men raised their fists, in an effort to fight.
"My turn."
Rock raised his fist in the air. An army of lightning reaching from the heavens crashed down, striking all the men, and burning them to a charred crisp. They instantly fell to the ground, skin blackened and cracked.
Scourge scowled, grabbing his knife and running towards him like a maniac. Scourge reached his hand out and made a fist. Instantly, Scourge's collar squeezed itself, choking him.
His eyes bulging, he rasped "Coward...can't fight...man to man?!"
"You're not a man," Rock stared down at Scourge as he struggled to breathe, enjoying this "You're nothing."
Tigerstar dived for Poppyfrost's rifle, starting to shoot Rock.
Rock didn't even feel the bullets, turning around to see Slash hide behind a nearby rock. He scoffed.
The rock lifted off the ground, revealing a defenseless Slash. He tried to crawl away, only for Rock to grin. He dropped the rock onto Slash's legs, crushing them to a mangled paste as he writhed on the snowy ground.
Only then did he realize that Tigerstar was shooting him, his head turning 180 degrees, his body following soon in an unnatural contortion. He floated slowly towards Tigerstar as he hopelessly kept shooting him.
The sound of the gun clicking was the sign that Tigerstar was out of ammo, light draining from his face.
Rock smirked, turning to Mapleshade, not bothering to deal with Tigerstar.
Meanwhile, Scourge was still choking for air.
Mapleshade scoffed "Have to do everything myself don't I? Well if I-"
She didn't have time to finish, as Rock dashed forward slamming his fist into her face, sending her flying. In extraordinary speed, he flew behind her, ramming her in the back with his shoulder. He flew to her front, smashing his foot into her chest sending backwards again, only for him to fly behind her again and slam his fist into her back again like he was playing a tennis match by himself. He finished it, by lifting both feet to kick her in the face with an extraordinary impact.
This took one second, a sonic boom followed soon after.
Mapleshade collided with the ground, hard. Tigerstar sprinted over to tackle Rock to the ground, only for him to fly through him, like Rock was a ghost.
Rock looked down and noticed Rock getting back up. Tigerstar drew his hand back and rammed it through his head, only for it to pass through and get stuck.
As Tigerstar tried to pull his wrist out of Rock's forehead, Rock smirked bending his head down, breaking is arm and snapping it in half. Tigerstar yelped in pain, finally allowing his wrist to go through again. Rock grabbed Tigerstar with one hand and effortlessly threw him at the trees.
Silverhawk grabbed Scourge's butterfly knife, picking Foxleap up and holding it to his throat "Stay back! I'm warning you! I'll-"
The butterfly knife flew out of his hands, stopping only a few feet in front of them. As Silverhawk let the kid go, the knife slowly turned around, until it's blade was pointing at Silverhawk's neck. Silverhawk staggered back, the knife going forward, following him. Silverhawk's back hit a nearby tree, the knife resting right at his neck, if it were to go any further, it would skewer him.
Mapleshade stood back up ready to fight again, and learning her lesson from monologuing. She incanted a seiðr spell, granting her speed again. She ran towards him, slowing time down. As everyone seemed to stop in time, frozen in fear or pain, she circled around Rock, eager to strike that stupid old fool in the face.
She sped up, seeing his face, and grinning to herself.
Until Rock turned his head to look at her.
Before she could register what happened, Rock had already grabbed her and flew towards the sky, dragging her along. When he had stopped, they were so high up, that they could see the world curve.
As time sped up, Rock flew with lightning speed to the clouds, raising one hand to the heavens.
Lightning shot from the clouds, connecting to his palm. The electricity transferred to Mapleshade's body, Rock being the conduit of a powerful attack.
After several moments of watching her writhe in pain, he felt she had enough, literally letting her go. As gravity pulled her to the ground, Rock charged downward, grabbing her and forcing her through the earth. He pulled her back up to ground level, throwing her back at the ground, as the hole closed itself up.
"It appears Brokenstar has more to teach you, witch," Rock sneered.
Rock looked at the battlefield before him, seeing his victims back away in fear, or in suffering. He noticed Scourge crawling away from the house, he had somehow removed the choker collar.
Rock lifted his hand, Scourge immediately levitating into the air. Scourge whimpered, face purple, and breathing heavily "P-pl-p-p-plea-pl-please n-n-no-no! D-d-do-d-don't-h-hur-hurt-m-me."
Rock smirked at him, the choker collar lifting off the ground and floating towards Scourge's neck. Scourge widened his eyes in fear "N-NO!"
"Breathe in," Rock ordered, the collar resting on his neck "Do you feel that?"
Scourge whimpered as Rock tightened the collar slightly"That's fear...you aren't brave..."
The collar tightened, choking him again, his eyes bulging.
"Men are brave."
Scourge stopped. The overexertion, the loss of oxygen, it was to much. As he slipped into unconsciousness, Rock smirked "But I am not without mercy..."
The collar expanded, allowing Scourge to gulp for lost air. Rock flicked his wrist, dropping Scourge to the ground.
From behind him Mapleshade stood up again, not learning the lesson of staying down. She snarled, furious upon hell that she was not only beaten by an old man, but a girl with a blade. She clapped her hands, incanting a spell that would give her the strength of gods.
She stomped the ground "Face me!"
Rock looked up, not bothering to turn around "You're not worth the effort."
"Say that again when I have my hands on your neck!" Mapleshade countered.
Rock smirked, shrugging.
Mapleshade dashed forward, smashing her fist into Rock's chest. To her dismay, her strike hadn't even fazed him. He gave off no evidence he had been punched. Mapleshade struck his face, bit he didn't move. It was like punching a brick wall. No movement or bending of the skin.
She didn't give up, unfortunately for her. She continued to connect a series of punches and kicks to Rock in numerous places. Rock eventully sighed, grabbing her by the collar. He uppercutted her in the jaw with his other arm, sending her upwards.
Thirty seconds later, Mapleshade crashed back down to the earth, landing on the ground painfully.
Rock sighed looking at all his victims "I give you all a second chance. Repent and turn away from evil, or I will bring the wrath of all the nine circles of hell down upon you. But one of you was given this offer before...several months ago...he shot one of my children in the mouth if I recall."
All heads turned to Slash, still pinned by the rock "Wait! No! That wasn't me! It was Hawkfrost!"
"He has repented..." Rock lifted his arm, the stone lifting off of Slash's leg "You however did not."
"PLEASE NO! I SURRENDER! I'LL FLEE THE COUNTRY, DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE!" Slash begged, tears flowing.
The piece of stone levitate above his head.
"What are you doing?!" Tigerstar protested in horror.
Rock smirked.
"Setting an Example."
The stone crashed down into his head with no mercy.
The rock crushed Slash's head and skull like a balloon. Tigerstar gagged, while Silverhawk threw up in the snow. Scourge was just watching, somewhat aroused yet terrified at the same time.
Rock looked at Slash's body, not feeling an ounce of empathy for the man. He turned to the others
"IF BROKENSTAR WANTS THEM, HE WILL HAVE TO DO MORE THEN SEND SOME LACKEYS AND HIS REBOUND GIRL! GIVE HIM MY REGARDS, AND I BID THEE FAREWELL!"
He snapped his fingers, everyone teleporting miles away from the house, even Slash's remains for good measure.
Rock turned to his children, smiling upon realizing the were all unharmed for the most part.
Jayfeather stood up, holding his hand out "Thank you."
"You would have done the same for me, in fact you have," Rock smiled warmly, going from hardened warrior, to a kind old man in a heartbeat.
Hazeltail looked at the stone where Slash once laid under "You...You Killed him!"
"They will not attack you again, at least not directly...at your home..." Rock added, knowing fully well they wouldn't learn their lesson.
They all sighed in relief.
Except one.
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Hollyleaf roared.
I tricked you all so badly with Honeyfern. It was almost comedic.
And I just have to say, it is a blast writing the scenes where Rock comes out and fights. The merciless way he fights, the number of powers he has, and the sheer presence is awesome.
And no, Scourge will not stay this cowardly. He is in fact, a rather brave man, but when a being of infinite power starts beating the crap out of you personally, you tend to be afraid. I would be. Also, I restored his eye because I have can't physically explain how he would be able to stand once Rock chokes him the first time. He'd be dead.
Nice time to bring the music, eh?
Au Revoir.