Chapter Two: The New Grimm
The café was quiet, patrons sitting in their seats and eating in the New Vale evening. It was peaceful and the city was quiet.
Unfortunately, fate is not quite thrilled with quiet. The city was filled with the sound of bullets flying in rapid succession. The windows of the café were blown away as glass and bullets pierced the air of the café. A body was flung into the café with the force of the bullets. When the hailfire of bullets ceased, the patrons who were still in the café peeked up to see out the window.
Standing with one foot on the window was the muscular woman who had been in the café just a moment ago, brandishing two fire dust automatic rifles. Tears were streaming down her face as she glared at the body flung in through the window.
"That was for Raven, you bastard," She dropped the weapons. "This is war!"
"What is wrong with you?!" Robyn ran over to her, shouting. "You could have killed someone! Actually, I think you killed that guy!"
"If he's dead, I'll go to prison for it," Maria looked over. "That bastard killed my aunt. I'll let the devil deal with him. But, I don't think he's quite so dead."
"What makes you think that?!" Robyn demanded. "You loaded him full of bullets! No one could get up from that!"
From the wreckage that Maria's assault had caused, a body stood up, his clothes torn in places from the bullets. Robyn and Fiona gasped, Maria pulling them outside of the window to stand behind her. She stepped into the café, standing face to face with the man.
"Wh-What is he?" Fiona hid her face, Robyn holding her protectively. Maria was undisturbed by this, her eyes narrowing as she watched the man twist his body. The bullets shot out in all directions, hitting some of the tables and three striking patrons.
"I figured you would survive that, Lionheart," Maria pointed. "You've become a Grimm, haven't you?"
"Of course I did, you fool," Lionheart said, his wounds closing up as he stared at Maria. "I certainly didn't expect you to be packing those guns. But, no matter. I will kill you before you can become a threat to me."
"You act as if you can really beat me. Don't tell me that mask gave you confidence to boost your ego."
"You're a fool, Maria Rose. Cinder was a fool, pushing her body to its limits before she even killed your grandmother. But, I will not make the same mistake. If you have even a tenth of your grandmother's power and potential, you'll be a threat to me. I can work on my techniques later."
"Well, I don't know how I stack up to my grandmother," Maria cracked her knuckles. "But, I know you're going to regret your course of action."
"I will regret nothing," Lionheart waved his hand, fire shooting from his fingers to attack Maria. The fire moved like a bullet, shooting straight for her forehead. Maria seemed to be struck, her head being thrown backward from the force.
"Oops," Maria chuckled, the mirror shattering as she came from behind, speaking simultaneously with Lionheart. "You're going to say 'but, how did you get the mirror there?'"
Lionheart gasped, Maria coming in from behind with a powerful blow to the face. A deep breath helped her deliver an Aura filled blow. Lionheart, taking advantage of his transformation, dodged, shooting a stream of fire at her. Maria ducked under, kicking him in the gut, sending him into the wall. He looked at her, chuckling.
"Aura melts you like a scoop of ice cream, doesn't it?" Maria walked over. "Let's see what happens after I beat you to death with it."
A punch to the face, charged with the Aura of Maria Rose, knocked Lionheart's head through the brick behind them. Maria grabbed him by the shirt, flinging him across the room, slamming her fist into his face. The Aura she thrust into it pushed him through the wall.
"Time to see what I did to your stupid face," She looked, to her horror, to see that his face was perfectly fine.
"Wh-what?! Did grampa Tai tell me wrong?! He told me that Aura destroys Grimm like you!"
"You always were a fool, Maria. Did you not understand me when I told you I was prepared to kill you?" Lionheart pointed at his scarf with a laugh of triumph. "There is a form of creature that resembles a viper. It can be up to twelve feet long. Their bodies conduct Aura far better than even humans. Their skins and organs were used to make this scarf, fifty of them."
"Oh, well, I suppose I'd have to be worried." Maria shrugged, pointing at Lionheart's ribs, jumping back. "But, I suppose I was also prepared for you."
Lionheart looked down to see an incendiary dust bomb attached to his scarf.
"A bomb? Really? You fool, this will do nothing for me."
The former Aura master threw the bomb at Maria, smirking as he watched it move closer to her.
"Looks like you didn't grow up in New Vale," Maria chuckled, pointing behind him next. "Next, you're going to look to see the bombs on your back."
Lionheart, eyes wide, looked back, gasping as he saw the cluster Maria had somehow placed on his body, giving a small yell as the detonated.
Maria landed outside the window, laying down over top of Robyn and Fiona, shielding them from the first bomb's blast. Lionheart had no such protection. The explosion was loud, rocking the street and further destroying the café. The windows above the café were blown out, the entire place looking like a warhead had gone off.
Maria stood up, looking in to see whether or not Lionheart had survived the explosion. The two children hid behind her, peeking out.
"Is-Is he dead?" Fiona asked. "D-Did that stop him?"
"I see bits and pieces of him scattered about, so I would say that I took care of that," Maria crossed her arms.
Fiona looked as if she was going to be sick, covering her mouth. Robyn peeked over, gasping in horror as she and Maria both caught sight of the parts of Lionheart began to move. Stringy, flesh colored tentacles split off from the body parts, which moved to the center of the room. They began to contort, twisting and turning to make themselves be assembled back into something that resembled Lionheart. Robyn took her turn at being sick as she looked away from the now nude form of the former Aura master.
"This is good."
"How is this good?! That monster that tried to kill you didn't die when you blew him to smithereens! How is that possibly a good thing?!"
"Well, it looks like his legs are shriveled from the explosion," Maria pointed. "Which means these legs have the advantage. It will take time to recover from that."
"What's your plan?" Fiona asked, ears twitching as she looked up, trying not to look into the café.
"It's a secret technique handed down from my family," Maria held up a finger like a teacher.
"Well, tell us already!" Robyn looked inside. "He seems to be recovering quite fast."
"Let's get the hell out of here!" Maria picked both children up, one under each arm and took off running like a running back down the field.
"This is a stupid plaaaaaaan!" Robyn's yell could be heard back at the café.
"Go on, follow me, you old fool," Maria glanced backward, moving as fast as her legs could carry her.
A reporter looked into the window of the destroyed café.
"Scoop!" She grinned, pulling out her notepad. "I can't believe this happened when I walked by! It's almost like I'm fated to be a great reporter! I wonder if those skills would help me track down that girl I saw earlier. Focus, Dawn, Focus! Scoop first, booty call later."
The reporter, however, had no notice of the danger looming above her head, looking at her with hungry eyes.
"It would appear that I took quite a bit of damage," Lionheart muttered as he looked down at the city. "Fortunately, her Aura is not anything near as strong as Summer's. If Summer were here, I would have been dead, even without the trickery. I cannot let Maria become a threat like Summer would have been."
Maria stopped at the Valean Bridge, a large landmark in New Vale. It was currently empty, the traffic having gone home. She knew this had to be far enough.
"Why did you carry us with you?!" Robyn shouted. "He'll kill us if you lose!"
"He saw you with me," Maria set the children down. "You would have been dead anyway. This will be where this ends, whether in his favor or mine."
"Who was that guy, even?" Fiona asked, hiding her face. "He was scary."
"He was an old friend of my grandparents," Maria continued to glance around. "He killed my aunt and was coming after me because I carry the blood of my grandmother."
"What does that have to do anything?" Robyn asked.
"As much as I hate to play into destiny and fate, that means that my Aura has the potential to be as strong or somewhere around as strong as hers was. That creature he became was called a Grimm, a monstrous creature from the pit of hell. He knows I'm a threat. I hate having to be compared to my grandmother, but for what he did to Raven, I'll kill that son of a bitch and bring honor to her and to my grandmother."
"Poetic words from a rebellious teenager," From above them, Lionheart's voice rang out. Maria looked upward, clenching her fists as she glared at him. Her anger shifted slightly as she saw the hostage he held. She had seen the same woman earlier when she first met Fiona and Robyn.
"What use have you of a hostage?" Maria demanded.
"A test, if you will," Lionheart stuck a finger in her mouth and another under her jaw. "I'll rip her jaw off and drink her blood and essence if you leave, but if you come up and rescue her, I will not kill her. Prove to me you're not a real threat and you shall live. Test me and you shall die."
"You think I care about some blonde harlot like that?" Maria rolled her eyes. "Go ahead. But, we both know you won't do it. You're an Aura master."
A sickening crunch could be heard as a tooth and a small amount of flesh fell at Maria's feet. Fiona covered her eyes, turning to empty the contents of her stomach onto the ground. Robyn had no words from the horror.
"You fucking bastard!" Summer cleared the distance. "How dare you do something so despicable. I'm your opponent, you hear me?!"
"It would seem as if you do plan to die here," Lionheart sighed, almost regretting. "I had wanted to let you live, if at least for the sake of your grandmother."
"Shut the fuck up about my grandmother!" Maria pointed at him. "Everyone always goes on about how great she was and how her Aura was so strong and how I looked puny compared to her, but I've had it!"
Fiona, Robyn, and the reported wondered how muscular this grandmother of hers had to be to make Maria look puny.
"Am I getting under your skin?" Lionheart taunted. "Well, I suppose it makes sense. You always were a hothead. Summer could keep her cool in a tough situation."
"And in the name of Raven Branwen, grampa Tai, and even the memory of Summer Rose, I'll make you shut the fuck up!" Maria ran toward him. Lionheart threw the hostage reporter at her, Maria catching her and letting her fall to the ground.
The Grimm took this opportunity to hold up his hands, two streams of fire moving at incredibly high speeds rushed toward Maria. The silver eyed woman smirked, quickly grabbing a curved metal bowl from presumably the same place she got the rifles from. Both streams of fire were directed back into Lionheart's body, piercing him.
"I knew you'd try that trick again," Maria pointed, "Now you can go apologize to Raven in hell!"
Lionheart had no time to react before a fist with the full force of Maria Calavera Rose slammed into his face, sending him flying into the support for the bridge. The Aura coursing through him knocked him off balance, causing him to stumble backward.
"You have bested me," He panted, feeling himself dying. "You have made me suffer with my own weapon. Be proud of yourself, Maria."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just keep beating you until you truly feel the pain," Maria punched him in the face again.
"Raven is… alive," Lionheart coughed up blood. Maria paused, her arm poised in the air for a blow to make her workover of the café look like a clean place.
"Explain, shithead!" She held his naked body off the ground a little, choking him with both hands.
"I-I didn't kill her," Lionheart stared into her eyes. "I saw what was in that cave she wanted me to see. You do not understand what is there, in Old Vale. It's a creature of dark powers that make Cinder look like a joke. You need to go confront it. I tried to keep Raven's blood from reaching it, but it may have reached it."
"Why should I believe you?" Maria punched him in the mouth.
"Are you willing to take that risk?" Lionheart asked. "Now, let me die."
"You're not dying just yet," Maria growled. "When I see she's alive, then I will kill you."
"Do you not even want to know why I did this?" Lionheart asked.
"Shut the fuck up. Next you're going to say it's because you didn't want to get old,"
"It was because I didn't want to get old-*gasp*"
"Now, we're going to Old Vale. You're not getting out of this one."
"This is the end of the road for me," Lionheart appeared saddened. "I betrayed my closest friends and the descendants of one of my close friends. I will not live to see the sun."
"You're not dying until Raven is brought back securely," Maria growled.
"I'm sorry, Maria," Lionheart looked down. "I truly didn't want it to end this way."
With that, Lionheart took a deep breath, summoning up his Aura. The power of the god of light coursed through him, his body beginning to turn to dust in view of those gathered. Maria tried to grab some, but it slipped through her fingers. She watched it float away on the breeze, staring at the sun, beginning to rise.
"Fucking coward," The silver eyed woman muttered. "But, I suppose he gave me information."
"Are you two okay?" She directed her attention to Fiona and Robyn. "Oh, and you too, ma'am?"
Maria jumped down in front of the woman, giving a smug bow. The woman responded by slapping her hard.
"That's for calling me a harlot!" She turned and walked away, trying to ignore the pain in her mouth.
"I didn't call you harlot," Maria said.
"No, you did." Robyn said.
"I did?" Maria crossed her arms. "Huh. Well, you still want to go out sometime?"
The woman held her hand up, a single finger giving Maria the answer to the question. Maria sighed, looking at the children.
"You two are going back to grampa Tai," She said.
"Why?" They asked.
"I'm going to Old Vale," Maria looked off toward the sun. "I'm not letting you be in danger. I'm not sure what I'll encounter, but I'll be crushed if you get hurt."
"Take us home and go then," Fiona smiled, taking one of Maria's hands. "Go save Raven."
The next morning, the cycle raced through the deserted area of Old Vale. The landscape looked as if it had been the target for a full on war. It wasn't radiated, but it could have been. Maria rode forward, undisturbed by this sight. It wasn't like she cared anyway. She was going to run there and make sure she did what she needed to.
She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, however, which caused her to glance around her. But, she didn't have time for that. She raced toward where Lionheart had mentioned.
In the base at the experiment site, the soldier leaned back in her chair, relaxed as a woman dressed in a maid outfit styled her hair. One dressed in a nurse's outfit applied a cream to her hands, making them softer.
The soldier in question was a ginger woman with a pale complexion. Her green eyes were closed as she let the women tend to her. She was dressed in a high ranking white and green uniform that was decorated well. She felt a small tug on her head. She opened her eyes, reaching up to grab the woman tending to her hair by the throat.
"Why did I feel a tug on my hair?" She asked in a sweet voice that made the woman tremble all the more.
"I-I am sorry, Major Polendina," The woman whimpered as the Major stood up.
"It is alright Fraulein," Major Polendina spoke in her Atlesian tongue, grabbing a fistful of the woman's hair and holding her off the ground. "Best be careful. Wouldn't want to pull your hair. I suppose you'll have to learn better next time."
She shook her hand and practically bounced the poor woman up and down by her hair, causing her to cry out in pain at each movement.
"Careful, Fraulein," The Major walked over to the other room. Two soldiers followed her, walking behind at a matching pace.
"What is the status of the experiment?" Her voice was monotone, yet stern.
"We merely need more blood to bring about its awakening," The soldier on her left saluted in the Atlesian fashion. "And, the Father will have the ultimate power."
"For Father!" The soldiers held their hands out in the Atlesian fashion, standing at attention. Major Polendina continued walking, arms clasped behind her. In front of her was a glass panel with the stone sculpture in the tree and stone it was entrapped in.
"How much longer until it is revived?" The Major asked.
"We only need a bit more blood and essence," The soldier to her left chimed in.
"Excellent," The Major said with a peppy voice. "We shall begin testing soon. Now, where is the nearest batch of volunteers?"
"Right this way, Major," The soldiers directed the Major through the halls of the bunker, taking her outside to a large cage stuffed with Old Valeans.
"Ah, a large batch," Major Polendina walked into the cage. She didn't bring a rifle, but she also didn't need it. "Now, I have a proposition for you all."
Her jovial tone caught only a couple off guard, the rest of them wise to her personality.
"I will be needing one of you for your blood. The rest of you may survive. Now, select one among you to sacrifice. If you do not choose, we'll choose for you."
"I will be the sacrifice," A defiant voice spoke up. Major Polendina looked to see the child move to the front. "Let these others go."
"And, what is your name, child?" The Major looked down.
"Adrian," The child still stood defiant.
"Ah, Adrian," The ginger woman knelt down to Adrian's eye level, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I respect that sort of courage. And, such a nice name. A Fraulein back in the fatherland had a child with such a name."
"Kill all but him," Polendina walked out of the cage. "Drain them dry for the experiment."
From behind her, the sounds of the gunfire could be heard over the screams and falling of bodies. She walked into the room, where a straightjacketed Raven was led, glaring at Polendina.
"You know, the only reason we straightjacketed you was because you broke one of my soldier's arms," Polendina traced a finger across Raven's chest in a way not unlike a child who was bored. "Had you behaved, we would have refrained from the medicine as well. I know your type well; resistant to torture. From what I've heard about you, you've seen worse than we could ever do anyway."
"Go to hell," Raven growled. "You cowards have no idea what you're fucking with. You weren't there fifty years ago! You don't understand what will happen!"
"Oh, from what we learned from our intel on you, I believe I do," The Major stood at attention. "I've heard of this Cinder Fall and we learned of the masks from you. But, I suppose you would understand what we plan to do with it."
"No…" Raven's voice was filled with horror. "You can't. Cinder Fall was a monster and anything of her kind will be a monster! You can't control that!"
"Oh, but I can. And, I will. Now, will I have to drug you once again or will I be gracious enough to allow you to watch?"
"I'm telling you you don't know what you're messing with!" Raven shouted.
"And this is why we straightjacket you as well," Polendina turned around, glancing back at Raven. "You were going on about monsters enough to make you seem mad. Now, stay still and watch what is about to happen. You are about to watch the kingdom of Atlas make its true mark upon this world.
Quite a ways off from the compound, the angered form of Maria rode on, the sand kicking up behind her bike. She had time to contemplate what Lionheart had said. Was there something worse than whatever the hell grampa Tai had gone on about, that Cinder Fall? Maria knew she was dead, thanks to the sacrifice of her grandmother, but she also didn't like the fact that it would seem that even in her death Cinder was bringing strife to her family.
Raven better be alive. She thought. Otherwise, there's going to be a major ass kicking coming for the people that are around. Lionheart's dead so I can't use him… I'll figure it out.
At the same time, Robyn and Fiona knelt by their bed that Tai had gotten them so they could sleep comfortably, Tai standing behind them. The two children whispered their prayers, Tai following with his own.
"Keep Maria safe," Fiona whispered, feeling the old man's hand on her shoulder tense up. She could feel his sadness.
"Let her find Raven," Robyn added. "For Tai's sake."
"Please let me be dead and gone before another of my family dies," Tai whispered. "I cannot bear to lose another family member."
"Mister Tai?" Fiona asked, looking up at him. "What happened to Maria's parents?"
"That's a story I will tell you later," Tai sighed. "It's too late to be telling stories. But, I promise I'll tell you later. But, for right now, two little girls must get into bed. It's getting late and you'll be tired in the morning.
"Okay," The girls climbed into the bed, Tai tucking them in. "Sleep well, girls. Tomorrow, I'm going to take you shopping. It's about time I cooked something again. I haven't cooked since Maria was younger. Raven used to make us eat Vernal's cooking. Though, that was mostly because she didn't want to eat it herself.
The girls giggled at this, the older man putting a hand on their heads.
"Promise me you won't take on this family's curse," He whispered, a tear in his eye. "I've already lost so many to it. May you have peace all your days."
With that, he left the room, putting out the light and heading to his own room. He sat down on his bed, beginning to cry as the horrid thought that he may lose the last of his blood plagued him.
Fate has brought more pieces into the game. Is this twisted game to end as if did for Summer? Shall these monsters be stopped?