Setting: Destroyed Town
The moon shined brightly in the dark sky, peacefully illuminating the world below. The sight was serene and lovely until wood and stone flew into its view and the quiet night was filled with an angry shrill shriek. Flying through the air before crash landing onto two ruined buildings was a large but slim Grimm.
Its appearance was very insect-like, resembling a large butterfly. Its wings were the largest part of its body and their design could only be described as frightening. The patterns gave the faintest idea of three pairs of reddish-yellow eyes staring deep into one's soul. The rest of its body was covered in bone plating and its real eyes were the same red like the ones on its wings. It's six legs were long but thin, appearing very delicate but still strong enough to hold up such a large body. It was beautiful and nightmarish at the same time.
The massive Grimm released another shriek before releasing long, thick silk thread that was pure black. The silk kept going until it was sliced to ribbons by two blades. Opposing the monster was Ebony and Zinnia.
"What is this thing called? I've never heard of a Grimm like this?" Ebony asked Zinnia as she reached for her scabbard.
"It might be a new species. Maybe once this is over you can give it a name," Zinnia answered before activating Armaments.
The Grimm flapped its massive wings, stirring the wind and creating a powerful gust, blowing through half of the town. It took to the sky.
"I'd like that… Shit. Out of range. You got this?" Ebony asked her partner once the Grimm was airborne.
Zinnia cloaked her whip-sword in her aura and lashed at the butterfly above. The distance was between them was great, but thanks to her semblance, she greatly extended the reach of her weapon. Her aura took the shape of her weapon and it reached the Grimm, slashing its small body. She could tell she did some damage but not enough to truly hurt it, but now she knew she could still reach it. Pulling back her weapon to make another long-distance attack, the Grimm also attacked as well.
Something began to fall from its wings with every beat. Small particles that were faintly glowing red began to descend on the area and most of the town. Zinnia and Ebony looked up curiously, watching the particles fall and the horrid sight of the butterfly's wing patterns like the eyes of a gargantuan monster looking down upon them.
"Cover your mouth! Keep it shut!" Ebony shouted to Zinnia before she did the same. In response, the Paragon grabbed her cloak and ripped the edge twice. She gave one sliver to Ebony and tightly wrapped the other one over her nose and mouth.
The red particles descended as the butterfly Grimm remained in its position and continued to unleash this unusual attack.
"Zinnia! Get in here, quick!" Ebony called out as she stood at the doorway of a building. She waited for her friend who dashed in and she shut the door. behind her. The particles harmlessly fell on the floor. "There's a high chance that stuff is poisonous."
"That would explain why this place is a ghost town. I can find a way to maneuver around the poison, but it'll be tricky. Wait here." She walked over to the stairs to get to the second floor, but she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"No need to risk your life for something like this. Let me take care of it," Ebony assured her.
"Do you have any method to get around the poison?" Zinnia asked and Ebony whipped out her scroll.
Still releasing its poisonous scales, the butterfly Grimm waited for its prey to die ut until it felt tremendous pain stemming from its side. Something slammed against it then it felt its body being burned as lightning was unleashed shocking and singing its wings while also stopping it from producing more scales.
Whatever was assaulting it stopped but the Grimm found something on the right side of its vision, flying in its direction. It saw Monochrome engaging it. The droid opened its salvo and fired nine of its missiles at the Grimm's face, hitting it directly with each one, then it shifted its left arm into a lance. It fired the lance and it bored through one of the wings, causing the large insect to lose its ability to fly.
Inside the building, both women heard the short battle along with a tremorous crash as the butterfly Grimm fell onto three buildings. "I think it's over," Ebony said with confidence.
She cracked the front door open and found none of the scales in the air anymore. Waving at Zinnia it was okay, the two were able to see Monochrome soaring in the air with the Grimm on the ground with a large, sharp piece of wood impaling its middle. Its body began to dissolve as it breathed its last breath.
"That was anticlimactic," Zinnia stated plainly as she watched the Grimm dissolve.
"It's called fighting smart. If something uses poison, retaliate with something that's immune to poison," Zinnia said as she motioned to Monochrome who continued to hover in the air. "I'm so glad I bought it."
"You sound like a proud mother… or a bragging consumer," Zinnia laughed.
"Wow! Zinnia Underland! You actually cracked a joke! I guess I'm finally rubbing off on you!" Ebony wrapped her arm around Zinnia's shoulder and chuckled as she guided her friend back to their airship. The red-haired could only roll her eyes and sigh humorously. She picked quite a person as her partner.
"It's a shame Brenton wasn't able to join us," Zinnia said as she looked to the sky. "Eliminating these Grimm was his task as sovereign, but I guess being a ruler does take other priorities."
"True. The poor thing is probably all cooped up in his palace taking care of mundane tasks, but that's the price you pay for wearing a crown… metaphorically," Ebony added in an impish tone.
"Can't feel bad for him. He wanted this, right?" Zinnia added with a smirk as they boarded their vehicle with Monochrome silently following behind.
The airship flew through the sky with Monochrome as its pilot. Despite reveling in their victory, Zinnia was still unease with their non-sentient comrade flying the vehicle. Would seeing a random Grimm send it to attack mode and abandon its duty? Would it dive-bomb the airship just to kill its enemy!?
A pair of hands wrapped around her waist and Zinnia's worries were replaced with annoyance, yet again. Now she knew how Brenton felt on a daily basis. "I thought you only fancied men?"
"Who says 'fancy' anymore? You're so old-fashioned, but I love it. And the answer to your question is yes. I'd rather have a handsome man, but Zinnia Underland is an amazing find in her own right." She rested her head on the crook of her friend's neck and took in her scent. It was strong but reassuring.
"Thanks for the interest, but I'm not interested in women," she said as she moved Ebony's arms from her waist.
"That's fine with me, but I still get to enjoy moments like these. Agreed?"
"..." Zinnia didn't say anything for a moment. "That's the second Grimm we've killed based on the rumors. There are only three more Grimm left, correct?"
She could practically feel Ebony pouting. Changing subjects wasn't what she wanted. Zinnia smiled as her friend broke their embrace. Her childish attitude was back. Things were back to normal.
"Three's all that's left. I hope our little escapade is catching VRSZ's attention. To say they have a grudge against us- I mean me is an understatement. Sooner or later, they'll come for me and we'll take them down, showing they aren't as unstoppable as everyone thinks."
"Unstoppable doesn't describe them, but our goal is very difficult. Defeating my cousin and her team is powerful, individually and even more so as a unit. We'll have to fight together and fight smart to beat them."
They are strong, but so are we. You are on par with Violet, if not stronger than her, Brenton's flames are unquenchable, and Monochrome is... Monochrome. And I'm in a class all on my own! Enough said."
"Such a strong argument," Zinnia said sarcastically, "But I do believe you. Our group is capable."
"Let's hold this talk once we get to Corona. Our kingly friend waits for our report," Ebony said in a whispered tone for dramatic effect, but all she got was a head shake.
"Is it like this for Violet and Clair?" Zinnia wondered.
What was this weird bond between Underlands and Vantablacks?
Setting: VRSZ Duplex
"WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF?!" Violet's voice could be heard three blocks away.
"I'm just trying to wake you up.," Clair purred in delight.
The sight was compromising. The pair of best friends were in the same bed and Violet felt Clair's hands groping her entire body and her legs purposely wrap around hers. She clearly didn't want Violet worming her way out of this. The smirk of the Vantablack's face only made the Underland's redder. A pair of hands was slowly reaching her chest and that was the limit.
"The hell is with all the-" Silver asked, slamming Violet's bedroom door open.
This wake-up call was too early and unwanted by the gunslinger. Sleeping in was one of his favorite pastimes and his leader was ruining it with her outburst. His irritated face shifted to curiosity when he found Clair and the form they were in. He stared at them silently for a few seconds.
Silver turned around and shut the door.
"Guess that problem solved itself," Clair said with her hand casually on Violet's chest. "Mmm… Surprisingly-" She felt an elbow pressed against her cheek and her body lifted higher up. When did she loosen her grip? It didn't matter. Her fun was over.
"Are all of you Vantablacks perverted freaks or something?!"
The coffee table had plates filled with scrambled eggs, toast with jam or butter, and a side of roasted tomatoes, a rare find in the trading district. There were mugs with water and juice and a hand grabbed one firmly and it was brought to a pair of lips.
A few gulps and Violet dropped her cup, still upset with her morning. Her boys watched her face as her famous scowl showed up. Their eyes flitted to Clair who tiptoed into the room with a delightful hum and a song in her heart. She sat down next to Violet on the couch and the Flower scooted a few inches away from her. They half expected another tantrum but their leader held herself back considerably.
Their friendship was odd. Utterly odd.
"I slept like a baby last night. How about all of you?" She was trying to dump gas on a lit fire.
Clair eyed all of them to see who would take the bait, but none of them did. She glanced at Zelts who averted his eyes, refusing to give her his acknowledgment. Her next target was Silver, the man who never missed a chance to poke fun at Violet, and he purposely brought his breakfast plate to his face. She couldn't see him and he succeeded in blocking his view of her and rendering himself unable to speak with eggs and tomatoes in his mouth. He wasn't poking that bear, fearing Violet's fury if he so much as breathed funny. Next was Remus, but he froze like a rabbit when her eyes landed on him. Like an animal sensing danger, even he knew saying anything would be bad.
There was no fun to be had here.
"Can we discuss how we are going to take down Ebony?" Violet brought up brashly. She wanted Clair's prank to be over. "We know she's been going around and killing Grimm, but she always returns to Corona. That's where we'll find her and we can formulate a plan to take her down."
"Facing her is inevitable, but our planning will have to be sound," Zelts added. "She's been one step ahead of us every time. Our victory against her was huge, but that was the only one we ever had."
"And we've fought her a lot," Remus realized. Ebony's Champions and VRSZ have clashed many times. "They're a very high-level enemy."
"No kidding. Each person with her is insane. Can we even compete?" Silver wondered as he played with his cup.
"Don't forget, you'll have the full support of the Enforcers on your side, Clair added.
"We are going to beat them. It doesn't matter what they're plotting," Violet declared with absolute certainty. Her resolver bolstered the others and they couldn't disagree with her.
They'll put an end to Ebony and her schemes.
Setting: Brenton's Chamber
"And that's when we heard Monochrome deliver the final blow. The big bug was impaled by a part of a building," Ebony told Brenton.
He sat in his pull-out chair that served as his substitute throne until he acquired a real one. It was… something no one said a thing about because it was too easy to insult him for it. Brenton watched Ebony explain everything like a parent listening to their child explain their day. She was full of her usual energy which was a good sign.
"All of that happened? I wish I was there to help," Brenton said woefully. He felt a little fed up being stuck in Corona to make sure everyone was treated fairly. It was absolutely necessary, but it was boring the warrior within him. He understood a bit of what Alexandrite felt.
"I promise, you'll be with us for the next one. It's not the same without all three of us," Ebony reaffirmed.
"For now, we rest the day then we gather the latest info on our next target. Remember, these Grimm are extraordinarily strong and they're unknown. We get everything prepared, understood?" Zinnia chimed in, sounding like the authoritative figure of the group.
"Yes, ma'am," Ebony sighed like an exasperated kid tired of her mother's nagging.
Setting: Nexus
It was a new day and a new day meant a new objective: confronting Ebony.
Each member of VRSZ was inside the Fantasia, ready to ride to Corona and end the long struggle between them and Ebony. Silver took the wheel while the others made sure they were well equipped for the upcoming battle.
Violet made sure she was fully stocked with Enigmas. Throwing knives in her bag, sleeves, legs, and in her boots. She was prepared for a fight. Remus shifted Delta between its forms to make sure the transition was smooth. He had no difficulty handling his weapon, seeing it as an extension of his body. Zelts sat in the back and was meditating, steeling himself for the last mission. Once this was over, once the threat of Ebony was gone, he planned to move to Patch to see Lily.
The silence in the air. No one saying anything to anyone. This was a serious mission that none of them took lightly.
Their departure was as silent as their preparation. Clair wasn't there to wish them luck or provide any encouraging words. Today was different.
Fantasia hovered over the desert below and guided them to the inevitable battle. They were ready for the final confrontation with Ebony.
Setting: Corona
"Hail, Brenton!"
"Hail, Brenton!"
"Greetings, sovereign!"
The lizard faunus was still uncomfortable with his new title. He did as much as he could for his people in his few days of being the ruler. Keeping his promise, Brenton discarded the old ways Royal established. He destroyed the Coliseum, treated everyone with kindness, and made sure they were provided. He wanted to do away with any of the 'strong dominating the weak' mentality.
That was his hope, though a part of him wondered if it would stick. He wasn't arrogant like Royal or Alexandrite. In the back of his mind, the notion of someone toppling him and ending his rule kept creeping. Would his defeat mean the people would stop following him? After everything he has done and plans to do, will they forsake him if he loses even once?
With Ebony and Zinnia away gathering more intel, Brenton didn't really have anyone to talk to about this. His people were out of the question, he felt it was too soon to show any sign of weakness or doubt in front of him.
"My sovereign! I have news!"
He turned to find one of his citizens sprint toward him. The young man stopped a few feet in front of him, barely able to keep himself on his feet as he tumbled forward. He was doing his best to catch his breath but he ran quite a distance to get here.
"What could be so important?" Brenton thought.
"I- I'm sorry… for wasting your time… your Highness," the man said as he finished catching his breath.
"Don't worry about it. Take your time and tell me what's so urgent," Brenton told him, reassuringly. He didn't want to appear as an impatient ruler.
"There- there's a vehicle with a group of people coming this way! The sentries found them! They'll be at our border soon. We do we-" Brenton walked forward to the border where the sentry tower was. Whoever was coming was going to be in that direction.
"I'll take care of it."
It didn't take him long to reach the border, but reaching it before the intruders was a failure. As Brenton approached his destination, he found a crowd of people swarming the area. Whispers and murmurs from his citizens told him where his possible opponents were. His subjects took note of his presence and moved out of his way, dividing the crowd in two and making a clear path to the ones who have entered Corona.
Brenton steeled himself. He knew they would come sooner or later. In front of his settlement was the Fantasia and Team VRSZ. They were bound to show themselves eventually.
All four of them stared at Brenton who sighed as he approached him, making sure Oathburner was by his side. He stopped in front of them with no sign of aggression.
"Can I help you?" he said with slight disgust. They weren't here to be friendly.
The one to speak was Violet. "We just want Ebony. Bring her here."
"If I tell you she's not here, will you go away?"
"If I tell you I don't believe you, will you get her for us?" she countered.
"Even if she was here, I wouldn't give her up. That's not my style."
Brenton observed VRSZ, watching Silver slowly move his hands to Fenrir.
"Leave now, and no one gets hurt, got it?" Brenton told them and his response was Remus wielding Delta. Team VRSZ wasn't backing down.
He couldn't turn back, figuratively or literally. Engaging in a battle with all four of them was foolish, but as sovereign, he couldn't appear weak in front of his people. They'd cast him aside immediately. And he couldn't turn his head to make sure they were out of harm's way. If he took his eyes off of VRSZ for a moment, it was over. His mind was made up.
Brenton sighed, "In a weird way, I'm glad Ebony and Zinnia aren't here right now. I can't really go all out without hurting my allies."
He activated Boost and gripped Oathburner. Remus dashed toward him and slashed the lizard faunus chest, but it wasn't enough. Blue flames exploded from Brenton's sword and body, consuming the area and Remus who backed away from the blast, landing far behind the others.
Wasting no effort or time, Brenton aimed Oathburner at the other members and pulled its trigger. A massive torrent of blue flames was headed their way and he watched them get swallowed in the fire.
"Ebony and Zinnia should be coming back soon. Hold them off for as long as I can. That's all I can do,"
The King of Flames burned brightly, dazzling all with his majestic blue flames.