Hunting or Bust
Dust 87: Steps Backward
So time to step away and let some other people bask in the limelight.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
The entire city was covered in a mix of overcast and smoke.
No one could take a step without kicking over rubble or debris from the ravaged buildings.
Some of the reclaimed territory was starting to resemble a metropolis again, if rather empty and dilapidated. But that reconstructing of the norm only made the parts of the city that weren't seem darker and more pronounced.
This...this is where the world had ended.
Looking around at the devastation caused a feeling of regret and shame to stir in his stomach. There were people who were still suffering from the blow this destruction had caused. Thinking back - even if this result was inevitable - could there have been a way to achieve it without this much damage?
He pondered for a moment before squashing that thought and focusing once more on his duty.
The red-haired man hefted his bag up his shoulder and made his way through the streets of Vale.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
There was something about doin a job for the sake of another you revered that made working so much easier.
Of course it wasn't like this was a particularly tough job anyway. The search for the elusive Spring Maiden and 'convincing' her to assist them seemed like a far more interesting task to take.
But it didn't matter. This was a job entrusted to him by her grace. Therefore it would be seen through and completed to perfection.
It wasn't so hard. These children had seemed to take it upon themselves to help and assist every person they came across on their journey. And as long as he followed their trail and 'convinced' those people he came across to point him in the right direction then he'd find his target in no time.
Once he did...oh, what fun he would have~.
She wanted the target back alive, but certainly some wear and tear was to be expected, right? It wasn't like they wouldn't try to put up a fight when he found them.
He didn't want to disappoint his lady...but something primal boiled inside of him.
Without even realizing it he started to increase his pace, changing from a casual walk to a long stride. And then a blitz down the empty roads. He sprinted forward as quickly as he possibly could as he felt something stir inside him.
It was aching. It was tingling. The piece of him that found elation and jubilation in destroying and killing. The part that needed to destroy and ruin others' hard work just to find his reason to live.
He reached the walls of an empty, abandoned, and unfinished city before he jumped on top of them and started running along its length. The sound of his heart pounding in excitement rang through his ears as he ran along the walls. Until he reached a point where he vaulted off, twisted through the sky, and landed back on his feet.
He felt it. The states of fright, confusion, and dread from his sudden appearance. Slowly standing up, he looked over his shoulder and spotted his prey.
The silver-eyed girl in the red hood looked at him in shock after he had dropped from the sky to block their path.
Tyrian turned, licked his lips, and reveled in the sheer unsettling fear that racked her body when she saw him, "Found you~."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Arthur Watts was irritated.
He had accepted Salem's order to meet with their Haven contact, but he hadn't expected to get there in such terrible conditions. Here was one of the greatest - if not the smartest - minds on all of Remnant, and he was reduced to traveling in first-class on a train to Mistral.
Honestly it was just unbearable. Compared to the technological advances and breakthroughs that made Atlas daily life so much easier, the rest of the world might as well have been stuck in the dark ages. Transport didn't utilize Dust efficiently enough for travel to be faster. And of course the on-board entertainment was-
"I said get off the train you mongrel!"
"We paid for these seats! We're just trying to reach our stop!"
About as entertaining as one could expect from a train ride through the backwards sticks of Mistral.
While the train was pulled into the stop, an irate traveler with a clear disdain for Faunus finally snapped and ironically started barking at them. The Faunus, undoubtedly squaring up his chipped shoulders and standing in front of his family, took the bait and started arguing back. And now he and everyone else in the cabin had to suffer through the tedious argument.
"You think I'm just gonna share a ride with you people! After what you did in Vale?!"
"That wasn't us! It was the White Fang-"
"Ain't they your heroes or some bullshit?!"
"None of us wanted what they did! None of us condone them for destroying the world!"
"Oh I bet you love it, don't you?! Now we're all scared, sniveling messes like the rest of you curs!"
Watts rolled his eyes as the argument escalated and other people started to intervene. Some in defense of the innocuous Faunus family. Some agreeing with the man's anger. As they did, Watts watched as the little Faunus girl behind the arguing man started to sob and sniffle out of fear. It was at that point that he realized...
This had gone too far.
Pulling out his Scroll, the former Atlas scientist started to type away without pause. His fingers easily and naturally hacked the train's systems and started going to work.
Moments later, an employee came walking in and noticed the commotion, "What's going on in here?"
"I demand you drag these vermin off the train now!"
"We paid for these seats! This bastard can't just have us thrown off!"
"Alright! Alright! Everyone please quiet down." The conductor stepped up to the bigot and held out his hand, "Sir, can I see your ticket? We need to check them before we can start moving again."
The prejudiced man sneered but complied, pulling out his ticket and holding it out for the conductor to scan. Once he did he stared his Scroll for a moment before looking at the man. He touched the radio, "Security."
"Finally come to your senses, huh?"
Two uniformed guards walked in and the conductor pointed at the man in front of him, "Escort him off the train."
"What? What for?!"
"Your ticket is fake sir. We're going to need you to get off right now."
"This is outrageous! I paid for my spot in first-class! Don't - don't you touch me!" The guards roughly grabbed the man and started leading him out, "I'll sue! I swear I'll sue!"
The conductor shook his head and then turned to the Faunus man who seemed inordinately happy to see the bigot led away. He offered his ticket to the scanner...
And watched as the same look of doubt filled the conductor's eyes.
One after another the people in the cabin were being led away by security due to malfunctions, false tickets, or bans on travel. Until finally they came to Watts...
And his completely normal ticket.
The conductor looked surprised but then nodded to the mustached man, "Have a pleasant trip sir."
Once the train car was devoid of loud bigots, noisy downtrodden, crying children, and worthless mouth-breathers, Arthur realized the upside to being in Mistral.
Being the most gifted, advanced man in a land of savages and fools certainly had its perks.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
The red-haired man had been warned to stay within the reclaimed zones of Vale. They were packed with civilians and people still trying to restore Vale. It was a pale comparison of what the city must have been like but there was hope that one day it would return to normal.
However, outside of the reclaimed areas, Vale was a harsh place to live. The closer the city was to the source of the trouble, the more likely it was going to be infested with Grimm lurking around and hunting for prey.
But there were some areas that had cleared out the Grimm but were still too dangerous to return to. Because the ones that had cleared it and claimed it for themselves were thieves and bandits and madmen that were making the most out of the end of the world. People that were probably upstanding members of society before their world came crashing down and were forced to scramble for the scraps.
He had been warned that he shouldn't leave the reclaimed area and wander off...
But that's exactly what he did.
Stepping into the still destroyed parts of Vale compared to the area he had come from was like walking into a disaster movie. Buildings and shops were laid to ruin from the destruction. The streets were torn asunder with Atlesian Knights and turnover cars littering the path.
And of course the tail following after him for the last few minutes.
They had no skill or tact, so they were most likely amateurs trying to make the best of their terrible situation. It was unfortunate that they had to resort to methods like this, but people did what they had to do when they needed to survive. Maybe one day that wouldn't have to be the case anymore.
A loud echo of glass breaking behind him drew his attention. He looked back to see two disheveled and desperate men carrying a pipe and a metal bat in hand. The younger one had shattered what was left of a store's front window to draw his attention as the older man stepped forward, "Give us your bag."
The redhead stared at them behind his bangs, sizing them up and noticing they had no training on how to wield weapons. He shook his head, "I'm sorry but I can't give you my bag. I can offer you the food and water I have with me if you would like that instead."
"If you're willing to part with your supplies then save yourself the trouble and give us the bag."
"I can give you what I have, but I need to keep the bag. I'm sorry but that's all I can-"
"Fucking hand it over!" The younger man, probably the older one's son, snapped and slammed his pipe on the ground to try and intimidate him, "We don't have time to waste talking with you!" He stomped past his father, ignoring his protest and warning, and charged in before grabbing the redhead by his collar, "If you know what's good for you you'll hand over what you have before you get hurt-"
Jostling him in place, it finally knocked the red bangs covering his eyes aside so he could look at them properly.
The older man flinched and the younger one froze when they looked at him. Unprepared to see the scars and burn that mangled his right eye socket. When they both went quiet, the red-haired man spoke softly, "I have been hurt. You both have too I bet. But we don't need to hurt each other any further than this."
Before they could respond or lash out, they heard a gunshot echo out through the empty street and get their attention. The pair quickly looked around in fright and abandoned their shakedown. The red-haired man fixed his hair back, letting his bangs cover the scarring over one eye while leaving the other open for him to see before he looked up.
A woman stood on top of a shop with a weapon secured to her arm. The way she moved and held herself in this environment spoke of years of training and discipline. She must have been a Huntress. Without missing a beat she leapt down to the street and watched him with a curious eye, "Did you get hurt?"
"No." He responded, "They just wanted my supplies."
"Well if they come by you again they won't just let you walk off without taking what you have."
"Are you trying to clear out this area?"
"I am." The Huntress answered, "Most of the Grimm in this section are cleared but now it's just people. Either getting them back to the safe zones or arresting them if I have to."
"They're just hurt and trying to process the pain."
"Yeah well attacking people hardly seems like the right way to do it."
"You'd be surprised what people who are hurting are willing to do."
She eyed him over, probably suspicious that he wasn't panicking or freaking out about almost being robbed. Putting aside her suspicion, she focused back on her job and started making her way down the street, "Head back to the reclaimed zone. I can't waste all my damn time jumping in to save every curious jackass that thinks they can brave the ruins."
The red-haired man watched her disappear around the corner as he was left alone again. If he had been just a tourist or a grave-robber seeking a lucky find somewhere in these ruins, he might have turned around and left like she said. But he wasn't here for thrills or his own benefit.
He had a duty. And he needed to see it through.
So he turned back to the deeper part of the dilapidated area, and looked up to the horizon.
To the broken school that had signaled the end of everything.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"Found you~."
She flinched and stepped back, rightfully terrified of him as he slowly stalked his way forward. The hooded girl looked unsettled by his approach and leering gaze as her hand instinctively reached for the weapon locked behind her back.
However, several gnats suddenly forced themselves between him and his prey. Aspiring little sacrifices wielding weapons and leveling him with spiteful little glares. The looks they gave him sent an exhilarated shudder through his core.
"We are not looking for any trouble!" The green-clad boy said as he raised his bladed pistols towards Tyrian, "We don't wish to fight!"
"Yeah, and we ain't gonna hand over our goods!" The short one with the hammer exclaimed, "So just keep walking buddy!"
Tyrian stopped and tilted his head. He looked down over himself before scoffing, "Y-You," He chuckled, the teenagers wary as his laugh became unhinged the longer it went, "You think me a petty criminal? Do I look like some common bandit or thief interested in supplies or a measly pittance?" He paused and then shrugged, "Well, you were right about your assumption that I was here to steal something. But nothing so paltry and worthless as that."
The boy with the shield glared him down, "Then what are you here for?"
"I'm here," He raised his hand, "To whisk," His hand fluttered and floated before pointing solely at the one person with his attention, "The plucky little Rose away."
Dread and horror.
Those delightful and desirable expressions he looked for every time he went hunting sprouted up on the little flower's face. And spread with uncertainty over the faces of the little insects buzzing around her.
The one with the shield lowered his stance, "Why do you want Ruby?"
"Because that was the task given to me by my goddess." Tyrian happily responded, gleeful at the chance to spread her glory, "And thus that is what I shall do."
"Goddess?" The little Rose inquired, "W-What goddess? What is this about?"
"This is about your little showing in Beacon. What you did there, and more importantly what you are capable of doing, drew the attention of the most divine being in the world."
Her eyes widened before narrowing on him, "You work with Cinder? Is she the one who sent you?"
Tyrian's face twisted in an amalgamation of revulsion and genuine levity, "Are - are you mad? You think that silly woman could tell me what to do? She couldn't order someone to wipe their own ass, let alone finish her fight for her. No...no I am following the orders of the grand, majestic, and beautiful Salem."
"W-Who's Salem?"
"A wonderful question." Tyrian's grin widened, "Let's go meet her."
Gunfire rang out suddenly and Tyrian rushed aside as bullets flew through the spot his head had been. He turned and looked in surprise to see the green one stepping forward with his pistols aimed, "You are not coming anywhere near her."
"Just try it." The hammer girl warned while leveling her weapon, "You'll have to go through us to even touch her."
"You," Tyrian quizzically titled his head with a blank expression, "You're going to fight? Even though you'll be risking your lives by doing so?"
The little Rose drew her weapon and prepared for a fight.
Tyrian wordlessly pulled off his coat and tossed it aside. When he did the long, scaly scorpion tail unfurled in its freedom and rose up by his head.
His grin split his face, "Good~."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Yugito Nii wasn't eating.
Everyone tried to live their lives without regret. They made choices that they would be comfortable living through. They did things for themselves and others that would hopefully be a benefit. And even if they did make a mistake, they usually stuck to it so that they wouldn't have to face the consequences of that regret.
But she knew now, more than ever, that she had made a mistake.
Yugito stared down at her food without an appetite, silently sitting in a mess hall compound fashioned for the soldiers of the White Fang. She pushed her food to one side before dragging it over to the other.
All around her she heard whispers and other unfamiliar White Fang members point her out. Probably still amazed that a storybook legend they had all read as children was real and fighting for their cause.
There were still those in the troops that looked at them with amazement, but most others had already gotten past the shock. They had already realized that they were really just people, and all the good and bad that comes with that realization.
"You seem to be in a rather dour mood."
Yugito looked up and saw Rōshi, her fellow Noble Guard and a more senior member of the White Fang that had helped induct her into the ranks. The older Faunus sat down across from her and noticed her plate, "Not eating?"
"Not hungry."
"I don't think I remember the last time I saw you eat."
She shrugged, "Well this isn't exactly the most appetizing grub. I get that it isn't easy to feed so many people on such short notice but still-"
"I meant that I don't see you eat very often now. If something is bothering you then you can tell me."
When she had first joined the White Fang, Rōshi had taken it upon himself to fill the mentor role for her. Showing her the ropes of the White Fang and how its internal processes functioned. Even though his abilities might have been even more destructive than her own he wasn't really a fighter. Which was fine because as long as he continued to act as a voice of sense and rationality among people like her and Han then he could still do his part for the cause.
That's how she originally viewed the man across from her.
Now she saw him as an opportunist. Someone who was part of the White Fang for years but only now revealed himself as a Noble Guard for higher standing and clout. Someone who could convince the hotheads like her and Han to stay in line and fight for the cause without really risking his own skin. A fly on the wall who only made himself heard or noticed when it benefitted him the most. Which was why she would never voice the true thoughts she had to him as long as she lived.
"Just thinking..." She looked around until her eyes lingered on the empty spot next to Rōshi. Despite her resolve to not tell him what she felt, she did speak up about something, "I still haven't gotten used to it just being the two of us."
Rōshi solemnly nodded and looked to the seat beside him, "Yes. Han's loss is still felt in our ranks even now." The red-haired ape across from her forced a smile, "But it isn't all in vain. His resolve and conviction still resides in all the soldiers that carry on the mission." The old man lowered his head in a quiet prayer, "Let us remember the good he did and the help he gave us in seeing our goal to fruition."
He sounded like he was convinced on what he was spewing. Apparently the markings of a good leader entailed believing whatever crock of bullshit you were spewing. They had both seen Han in his last moments, and while Rōshi was willing to twist his fate to the advantage of the White Fang as a martyr, Yugito thought of it in a different manner.
Han had never really been a friend of hers. He had been a comrade she could respect while they worked together, who taught her new ways to utilize her Semblance, and someone she could stand beside as they handled the arduous duties of the White Fang. She had been prepared to fight alongside him as they made the world better for Faunus everywhere.
Then Vale happened. And Beacon fell. And she saw Han for who he really was.
The horse Faunus had reveled in the destruction they had wrought in the name of revolution. And when he had gotten his hands on an Uchiha, the sworn enemies of the Faunus, he had wasted no time to torment and torture him. The sound of that boy's hand cracking and grating under Han's boot still sent shivers up her spine.
And that boy - that Uchiha that would supposedly hunt and kill them without a second thought - tried to talk them down. Even after being beaten and having his hand mangled he still tried to get them to walk away. But Han just kept soldiering forward and succumbed to his desire for blood. He lost his mind...and in the end it cost him his head.
This was never supposed to go this far. Yugito wanted to try and make the White Fang's message of equality succeed, even if it required force. But it was never supposed to lead to so much death and destruction. It wasn't supposed to destabilize the world like this. And now that the White Fang had a taste of victory all it wanted now was more.
"Brothers and sisters."
Yugito flinched and reached for her mask, securing it over her face and standing up with the rest of the group. They turned to see Adam Taurus, their intrepid leader, standing at the entrance to their mess hall. The red-haired bull looked around the room, "Enjoy your meals now and then prepare yourselves to move out. We've been invited to the main headquarters in Mistral. By High Leader Khan herself."
A wave of murmurs spread around the room before Adam continued, "I'm sure the High Leader has some words to share for us about what we did to change things in Beacon. And considering the rumors spreading around that someone has been hunting down cells of the White Fang amongst the shores of Vale and Vacuo, she undoubtedly needs our help. So prepare for travel. We move out at dawn."
The bull Faunus turned and started making his way out of the mess hall. When he reached the exit and turned the corner, a giant of a man even taller than Han started to follow after him. He stopped and looked inside, somehow feeling Yugito's gaze on him in a room full of people. They stared at each other for a moment before, without care, the giant turned and continued to follow after Adam.
Everyone tried to live without regrets...
But Yugito realized she was still living in her greatest one.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
It was remarkable how much Beacon still looked like an inhabitable place even after everything.
Of course there were damages that couldn't go unnoticed. The courtyard was demolished by the ravaging monsters and robots. The statue that graced the walkway towards the school was cracked and broken to pieces. But even with all the damages, if some special effort was given towards refurbishing it then this place would be as brilliant as it once stood before.
But the new residents of the school were its main problem.
"Grrrrrrrraoooowwwwwww."
Low growls reverberated through the throats of Grimm all around the redhead as they prowled the abandoned campus. The Grimm roamed over every inch of Beacon they could, patrolling the campus grounds as countless monsters invaded the school. Every inch of it was being searched through and defended by the monsters.
One Beowolf noticed the red-haired human in the midst of the destruction that forced the rest to flee. It slowly stalked towards him and growled lowly. However the moment he raised his bag up...it stopped and retreated back.
He looked down in wonder, "I suppose she was right. That's amazing."
The redhead looked up towards the tower that once pierced the clouds but now stood ravaged. He slowly made his way up the stairs and through the broken doors. Passing by without paying much attention to the debris that littered the floor, he headed towards the broken elevator before sticking his head through the door.
He looked up the abandoned shaft and could see the light at the top of the tower that used to be the headmaster's office. Looking down, he saw a deep tunnel down into complete darkness that never seemed to end.
If his source was right, then at the bottom of the shaft...
The redhead stepped into the dark and dropped down through elevator shaft completely. He kept his arms and legs in close as he dropped, not willing to risk catching himself on the side of the elevator shaft as he reached terminal velocity. The fall continued for several seconds before he narrowed his eye and spotted the rapidly approaching ground.
And suddenly came to a gradual stop.
A cloud of dust kicked up from the space underneath his feet before he finally touched down. Once he did he stepped out and looked around the dark green vault located under the depths of the school. This was the place he was told to search for their treasure. He walked ahead for quite a while before finally finding something different.
At the end of the hallway was a strange machine, worn out and broken down after all this time. One pod had its door ripped off the hinges, while the other appeared to have been burnt to a crisp. And inside the burnt pod was the remains of an immolated corpse he couldn't even identify anymore.
This must have been the poor girl that had gotten in the way through no fault of her own.
It was a travesty that this was necessary to see things through to the end...but he hoped she didn't feel any pain.
He looked down at his bag. No reaction. So it wasn't here.
The red-haired man looked around at the massive vault he found and realized he had a very long and arduous search to go through. With a deep breath he turned and started combing over the ruins for anything he could find.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Tyrian cracked his neck, licked his lips, and rushed forward in a blur. The children took up their stances, prepared to be defiant to the end and fight him.
The blond boy stepped forward and raised his shield as Tyrian's folded blades extended from his bracers. The Queen's Servant clashed against the brilliant shield and the boy probably thought he had succeeded into stopping the attack. But the wild lunatic smirked, dragging his blades up along the shield before their edge locked on the top of the shield and he yanked down. The blond's eyes widened as he was suddenly exposed and Tyrian contorted his own body, slamming his heel down into the blond mop of hair and burying the boy's face in the ground.
"Jaune!"
A giant hammer came swinging towards his face and the serial killer was forced to dodge back as it almost scrapped against his chin. Tyrian flipped away, cackling wildly as their fear and tension started to get him excited.
The gunfire resumed and Tyrian blocked the bullets with his mounted blades. The green-clad boy came running towards him while opening fire before he finally came close enough to fight. He jumped at Tyrian and swiped rapidly at his body with the blades along his green guns. The scorpion Faunus laughed, expertly dodging and parrying his blades with his own as he started to pressure the younger man back.
He felt the hairs on his neck stick up and looked back to see a hammer swinging in towards his back. Tyrian arched his back and narrowly avoided the hammer that would cleave through his ribs and spine. A pincer attack? Oh how deliciously ironic!
Tyrian cackled with joy as he started attacking like a madman, slashing at the boy wielding the bladed guns on one side and striking at the hammer-wielding girl the next moment. He reveled in the pandemonium, pushing and stressing out each of the young warriors who struggled to alternate between guarding and attacking in tandem.
With a maniacal laugh Tyrian caught the green-clad boy's wrists before he could swing again. The madman looked over his shoulder and smiled as his tail whipped out and coiled around the hammer before the girl could build any power in her swing. In a blur of speed Tyrian slammed his knee into the boy's sternum, knocked the girl off her feet with a violent mule kick, and then grabbed the boy's shoulders before twisting his body and spinning through the air.
The little gnat fell on his back with a pained groan as he tried to reorientate himself after the sudden spin. Tyrian smiled with glee and took the moment of inaction as a chance to skewer his prey. His scorpion tail rose over his head-
"Hey!"
His tail lunged out to the side covered in Aura and blocked the bullet sailing towards his head. The tip of his tail lowered slightly out of his field of view so he could see where the bullet had come from.
Oh...the Rose was showing its thorns.
The littlest prey scrunched up her nose before spinning her weapon, drawing out its bladed edge with a showman's flourish before gripping it tightly. Tyrian turned to her and chuckled as she rushed towards him in anger. She slammed the end of her scythe into the ground, lifting herself up with the recoil of her gun before she started spinning towards him with the blade out.
"Hahahaha!" Tyrian cackled as he jumped aside and avoided the little Rose's spinning blade. The moment she landed she burst into a spiral of petals and reformed to try and slash him. Tyrian traded blows with the little girl, countering and parrying her giant scythe as she wielded it with remarkable ease and grace.
Oooooohhhhhhhh, no wonder her grace wanted the girl brought in.
She slashed and swiped at him desperately in a vain attempt to either intimidate or - even more ridiculous - actually defeat him. But he weaved and dodged and bent his body out of the way of every swing that even came close. And the longer the fight went on the more afraid and desperate she became which only made it more enjoyable for him.
"Ha!"
She swung for his legs and he easily jumped over it, landing back on his feet-
"HA!"
Tyrian felt something hard slam into his back and push him forward into the Rose's reach. She slammed the end of her scythe into his chest and unloaded a round point-blank. The serial killer was knocked back and stumbled on his feet, holding his chest tightly as the pain of her shot reverberated through his sternum.
The blond bug with the shield ran up to her side, taking a stance with his sword after catching him off guard with the strike to the back. Tyrian let out a low growl before dashing along the ground. The little Rose fired shots that he zigzagged around before rushing at the blond. He stepped back and lowered his shield to defend from below-
Tyrian spun on the ground like a top, knocking the boy's foot out from under him and forcing him to a knee. His other foot lashed out and slammed into the shield hard enough to send the bug flying. And with the interloper gone it was just back to the scorpion and the Rose.
Tyrian retracted the blades along his bracers before lunging at the girl as his eyes changed purple. He avoided her scythe's blade and swiped at her stomach. When his fingers touched, a purple glow decayed the red light along her abdomen for an instant. And in that instant he turned, twisted, and buried his fist into her stomach.
"GAH!" The little Rose gagged as she doubled over his fist, startled that her Aura wasn't there to weather the punch like she expected. Tyrian grinned maniacally before grabbing her by the hair and tossing her through the air. She screamed before roughly crashing into the ground and rolling to a stop.
The devoted Faunus slowly stalked over, his tail raising up behind him in preparation to strike as the girl playing at being a Huntress struggled to lift herself up. She coughed and looked up at him with a pained expression he committed to memory.
His tail twitched, "You might feel a slight prick."
The tail's stinger lunged forward and the girl guarded herself-
Tyrian's instincts screamed!
He ducked down and avoided the giant blade that would have sliced him apart. A rush of wind over his head nearly made him fall over before he craned his head up to look.
Between him and the little Rose stood a man. Not just any man, but a full-fledged Huntsman. Another thorn in their side. The eyes and ears of their enemies' cabal.
Qrow Branwen.
Qrow narrowed his eyes as the killer smirked, "Oh, more and more opportunities to please her grace."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Ilia Amitola hated the desert region of Menagerie compared to the tropical zone. The heat was unbearable. The sand somehow found its way into every crevice. She always found herself thirsty within minutes of walking the dunes-
"GAH!"
And she was finding it harder and harder to stomach the violence.
She along with some of the other officers of the White Fang watched from the sides as their new recruits underwent their grueling training. When the best and brightest of the guard trainees were failed and taken in by the White Fang instead, she had expected them to just undergo the same basic training she and the others endured when they first joined. But now-
A dozen pairs of Faunus, men and women, stood across from each other with bloodied lips and torn knuckles. Their Aura had been depleted long before the sparring had started, and they had crossed the point where they should have stopped. And still-
"Keep going!" Yagura barked from the side, the turtle lifting his giant hook onto his shoulder as a clear warning. The exhausted trainees panted and pushed on to keep fighting, throwing punches and kicks no matter how weak they would be, "We're breaking through your walls here people! When you're rested and renewed we're hoping to see your limit be a little farther and a little longer! For some of you that will be today! For some that will be later! Nevertheless, we will be getting that result!"
"His methods are a tad crude," Fennec said as he watched alongside his brother, "But the results do speak for themselves. The new members of our group are more resilient and skilled than they were before."
"And the most capable are shipped off to help the cause across the seas. Not to mention also being able to share the teachings and training methods they experienced." The fox brothers nodded and then turned her way. Ilia rolled her eyes but raised her Scroll into view, letting them know she was still filming the training for others to utilize across the world, "Still, should we be promoting such barbarism towards our brothers and sisters?"
"Adam says he respects the method and likes the results." They looked over and saw Mizuki seated in the sand. The tiger Faunus fiddled with a metal prosthetic in his lap, "That's more than enough reason for us to be spreading it around."
It was still hard to believe that the man she had once worked beside had climbed the ladder of leadership so quickly and would soon lead everything. The thought was surreal...and honestly a little worrying.
The memory of him panting over his mentor and leader's corpse with a bloody sword in hand still lingered when she thought about Adam. And the idea of him leading them all to victory was a concern only she would be able to experience. Mizuki was a blind follower and Adam was a means to an end for the Albain brothers. And Yagura...
Ilia shook her head. She may have had some misgivings about how things had changed but the results were speaking for themselves. And if they still had to go a little further-
"Hey, have you seen those two Huntsmen staying in the Chieftain's house?" Yagura asked back to them as he focused on the bloody sparring session, "I'd like the chance to meet them personally. The girl seems like she's still in the midst of training but getting good. But that man...he acts quite defeated but I can tell he's strong. Do you think that will be a problem?"
He spoke about it so casually but it was a matter that led to a lot of discussion in the group. There were concerns that the Hunters had arrived in order to disrupt their plans. And that if they stayed it would only run the risk of endangering their operation.
"That...is a matter we must discuss." Fennec said grimly, "The Belladonnas' houseguests are a rather unexpected duo to be concerned with."
Corsac nodded, "If Sister Blake informs them of her doubts about us then we may have yet another challenge standing in our way of unifying Menagerie under a single banner."
"I talked to the young lady when I had the chance." Yagura narrowed his eyes and raised his hand, covering it in Aura and conjuring a pressurized stream of water to crash into a pair of trainees that were slacking. As everyone stopped and watched them get waterlogged before he stopped, the turtle Faunus casually continued, "I think I was able to convince her that she was just being paranoid but I can't be sure."
"Which means for now they're a wild card we can't anticipate. We need to find a way to deal with them."
"The most obvious answer would be to kill them so they won't carry the risk." Yagura offered, "However doing that would probably cause a few risks itself."
The way he offered to kill them so easily unsettled Ilia. And the way Fennec and Corsac mulled the idea over for a moment didn't help to ease that feeling.
"If that's the route we're going then just give me the word." Mizuki offered with a chuckle. The wrathful tiger stood up and fixed the prosthetic to the dock on the end of his short arm. The mechanical limb came to life, an amalgamation of different pieces and other parts to create an uneven, cobbled together replacements with razor claws. The white-haired man grinned and closed his fist, "I'm more than happy to see it through."
"We know, Brother Mizuki."
"That's why we're so grateful to have you."
"HAH!" Their attention turned to a young female trainee who ducked under her partner's punch and charged into his sternum. She grabbed his neck and turned before tossing him over her shoulder. And the moment he slammed into the sand, she mounted him and started to viciously beat him.
Ilia had to look away from the scene as the Albain brothers grimaced and Mizuki nodded in approval. Fennec stepped forward, "Brother Yagura, do you not think you could lightening up on the severity of the training just a tad?"
"This is what you wanted." The Huntsman argued, "You wanted the best trained warriors you could get to follow your orders and help the cause. This is what is needed to see that success through. I mean I've already eased up on the training regimen like you asked."
"W-Well making the trainees fight and even...execute each other to weed out the best is a tad too extreme. But even these methods-"
"Hey."
The fox froze and everyone else listening stilled as Yagura's quiet tone cut him off. The short man turned back to finally look at him and smiled. The mask was gone. No longer was he keeping up the appearance of a jovial and trustworthy soldier people could follow. His eyes had turned glassy and he smiled with no mirth or joy.
"I don't interfere with your political workings and espionage. And you don't bother me with your misgivings and complicated crap. You wanted this. You wanted soldiers and warriors who can carry the new status quo of Faunus everywhere?" He turned back around and looked at the trainee beating her fellow student, "Well that's what I'm giving you."
Ilia took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat. This...this would help them win.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Hunting weaklings had a simple fun to it. Chasing them down and making them squirm before dealing the final blow. There was a quiet safety in knowing you could handle the weak without much worry.
But fighting a strong and capable prey that matched you in the hunt?
There was a thrill and excitement to it that couldn't be explained.
Blades clashed and sparked against each other at blinding speeds. Tyrian almost couldn't keep up with every move and had to rely on his reflexes and instincts to make up for any delay.
Despite its size and handling, Qrow's blade disappeared with such speed that it was almost impossible to believe a greatsword could be used like this. But the legendary Huntsman didn't disappoint and Tyrian was getting the fight of his life.
The giant sword swung in towards his neck and Tyrian immediately dropped to the floor like a stringless puppet to avoid it. His tail straitened underneath him and launched him up, the scorpion Faunus spinning like a saw through the air and slashing against Qrow's sword.
The moment he landed, Tyrian turned and saw Qrow do the same. The sword bent forward and revealed the barrel inside before it fired. The serial killer leapt aside and the shot hit the ground and erupted violently. The moment he landed, barrels sprung out of his own blades and he aimed it at the lone Huntsman.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
Tyrian topped his rapid gunfire with a maniacal laugh as he chased after Qrow with bullets. The Huntsman dashed across the ground, blocking any bullets that came his way while the strays riddled the rotted wood of the unfinished homes behind him. The Huntsman was struggling to avoid at this rate as the serial killer continued to laugh at his misfortune.
Tyrian felt a heavy shot hit him square in the back and nearly topple him over. He looked over his shoulder and saw the little Rose aiming down the sights of her gun. There was an inkling in Tyrian's core that said he should charge in and attack her. And just as he was about to indulge in that feeling-
The sound of a mechanical shift behind him made him pause and stay alert. He looked back in time to see Qrow rushing at him with a scythe of his own in hand. The serial killer reacted, springing off his tail and flipping over the attack before it could reach him. Skidding to a stop along the ground, Tyrian smiled and raised The Queen's Servant at his foe.
The giant shadow looming over his head gave him pause.
Tyrian looked up to see one of the unfinished apartment complexes had titled and begun to fall. His eyes widened before he jumped back and avoided the collapsing building burying him under a few hundred pounds of dry wall and rotted wood.
A cut appeared through the debris and Qrow bursting through to charge at him. His blades crossed with the Huntsman's sword and they struggled against each other. Qrow glared at him, "What does Salem want with Ruby?"
Tyrian giggled, "Oh, I imagine such wondrous and sublime times for that girl under her majesty's thumb."
"Over my dead body."
"Was that not obvious?!"
With a laugh Tyrian knocked his foe back and they indulged in exchanging blows. For every parry and block Tyrian made against the giant sword, he slammed his knee and elbow into Qrow torso. But with every free chance he got, Qrow would catch his cheek with a punch or stomach with a kick.
Their Auras had started to flicker. One more good hit and they'd both break and be vulnerable. Which meant the first one of them to take the risk would be the one to claim victory. And Tyrian knew that he couldn't do any less in the name of his queen.
He dashed at Qrow and saw the greatsword leveled at his head in a thrust. His arm came up and blocked the edge with his own blades. They clashed against each other and Tyrian knocked his sword to the side before reaching out for Qrow's abdomen. The scorpion's eyes glowed purple and his hands radiated the same light as he disrupted the Aura covering the Huntsman's lower body.
He felt a punch slam into his cheek and crunch the bones inside. Yet Tyrian basked in the pain and allowed his Aura to break as he pulled his hands back, extending the blades on his bracers and opening a bloody gash along the Huntsman's abdomen. Qrow let out a hiss of pain at the unexpected injury as he lifted his sword to attack again.
But he gasped and froze as the scorpion stinger dug its way into the bloody wound and injected its venom. Qrow's eyes widened in shock and he stumbled back as Tyrian watched him struggle for balance. He had to use his sword as a crutch to keep himself standing as the serial killer smiled with glee.
He raised his tail up again and looked over Qrow's pained expression, "This time, you won't be interrupting."
His tail lunged forward to end it all.
A scythe blade slipped in the way of its path.
The stinger split itself down the middle along the blade.
Pain erupted through Tyrian's systems. A pain he couldn't even enjoy as the scythe blade pushed and tried to bisect his tail even further. It succeeded in cutting off one of the limp halves his stinger had been reduced to but Tyrian pulled back before any more of his tail could get cut.
The little bitch Rose stood defiantly in front of the fallen Huntsman, a mix of blood and poison along her blade as she stood ready to attack.
He could not do it.
His Aura was gone! His bullets depleted! And his tail maimed!
H-He could not finish her task!
Tyrian turned and ran, limping as his center of balance was suddenly off because of his injury. The children did not follow and instead stayed behind to tend to their doomed guardian.
But he failed.
All he ever wished was to prove he was the most loyal of her servants, and he had failed.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Nothing.
The better part of two days searching the school and he found nothing pertaining to the Relic of Choice. Nothing in the vault. Nothing at the top of the tower. Even searching the rooms and he couldn't find what he was tasked with locating.
He had failed. And when he brought this failure to her-
A hard strike to his back nearly dropped him unconscious, "GAH!"
"Didn't think we'd be seeing you again."
Even through the pain of the sudden hit the redhead looked back. He saw the father and son thief duo had gotten the drop on him while he was distracted. He had barely slept, low on food and water, and now had let his guard down. The petulant son stepped forward and grabbed his bag strap, "No how about we make this easy, huh?"
"D-Don't take the-"
"Shut up!" He roughly kicked the redhead in the ribs and made him topple over as he yanked the bag off his shoulder. The weary man reached out and tried to take it back before it was too late. But the young thief stepped back and yanked the bag open, "Now we're taking your shit and if you're smart you'll walk when you get the chance..."
He looked inside. As the boy stared down at the contents of the bag, the red-haired man hung his head in disappointment. The father looked at their reactions and stepped in, "What is it? Anything good?"
"T-This-"
"Hey!" A blast of fire erupted between the redhead and his attackers to force them apart. A figure rushed in through the fire and pulled the bag out of the boy's hands while he was distracted. The Huntress who had intervened earlier slid to a stop with his bag in hand and glared them down, "Didn't I tell you kids to play nice?"
"Dammit!" The older man cursed as the Huntress raised her weapon at them.
"Now I'm taking you both in now. And you?" She looked down at the redhead as he lifted himself up to his knees and ran his hands along the ground, "Didn't I tell you to go back? If you nearly lost this-"
"No!" The boy yelled in a panic, "Don't give that back to him!"
"Huh?"
He pointed at the bag with clear fright and horror. The father lowered his bat in confusion as the Huntress looked down at what she held. She slowly lifted it up and looked inside the slit to see what it held. The redhead reached for a rock as her eyes widened in shock, "W-What is-"
It was done in an instant. That was the only consolation.
She had been distracted, let her Aura down, and in that moment couldn't stop the rock moving at high-speed from tearing its way through her heart. She let out a fragile gasp before she fell back and dropped dead.
The red-haired man immediately leapt to his feet, kicking the younger thief's legs out from under him as he caught the older man's bat before it could reach an arc. With a twist and pull he yanked the bat away and tossed it aside.
All in the span of five seconds.
He pointed his hands at the father and son duo trying to comprehend what was happening before a monstrously powerful push sent them flying. They bodily crashed into buildings on opposite sides of the street as the red-haired man lowered his arms.
It was his fault. It was his mistake. It was his negligence that had to cost them their lives.
But at least he made sure they didn't hurt while he did so.
He walked over by the dead Huntress and grabbed his bag and was ready to flee the city. But before he could he felt the bag and its contents start to rattle.
Something was coming through.
He hurried off the street and out of sight. Finding an abandoned and dilapidated building to hold up in, he slid down the wall and dropped to the floor. Once he was there he pulled open his bag and let the creature float freely.
The Seer floated across from his face as the smoke coalesced and formed and image inside. The visage of a pallid woman with black veins along her face.
("There you are.") Salem greeted him through the Grimm, ("I was worried when your report was taking longer than expected.")
"Sorry, Milady." He apologized, "I wanted to be thorough in my search. I wanted the first thing I came back to you with to be good news."
("I suppose I can't fault that meticulous side of you. However I am getting the feeling that this report has no good news.")
"It doesn't." He shook his head, "I failed, Milady. I searched extensively but I wasn't able to locate the Relic of Choice."
Salem sighed, ("That's disappointing. I thought a more personal search would yield better results than the Grimm but it appears I was wrong. Damn you Ozma, still up to your tricks I see. Very well, return home and-")
"I'll be ready, Milady." He lowered his head in a mix of reverence and shame, "I'm prepared for my punishment. I have failed and I will accept the consequences fully."
...
("What happened?")
The red-haired man raised his head, his expression softened like a child facing his parent's inquiring, "I screwed up. Several people discovered the Seer in my bag because I let my guard down. I...had to deal with them."
("Even though you didn't want to.")
"But I did. Because it was my mistake and I had to fix it." He countered, his hands tightening at his side. He didn't like killing but he was willing to do so if she requested it. It was hard because they had only put themselves at risk because of his failure, but he still ended their lives as necessary, "I just hope I was able to do it quick. Fast enough that they didn't fell..."
("Pain.")
He raised his head, his reflection in the domed head of the Seer revealing his eyes.
One scarred over and forever ruined. The other a silver mirror reflecting her image.
("I know how hard that must have been on you. But I appreciate your conviction to help me and our cause. We need you home now, Nagato. Come back as soon as you can.")
((((((((Hunting))))))))
("I will Milady. Thank you.")
And with that her retainer's image faded away completely. It was still disheartening to hear that even Nagato wasn't able to locate anything, but it wasn't outside the realm of expectation.
Ozma always had to throw a spanner in the works. This one just happened to be a particularly annoying one.
Oh well, no reason to stress everything. These things took time. And if there was one thing she had in abundance...it was time.
She heard a knock on her chamber door and looked up, "Come in."
The door pulled open to reveal Orochimaru waiting just outside. The pale snake Faunus carefully limped inside and gave his sly smile, "I hope we're not intruding."
"Not at all. You're right one time." She ushered the insidious man in as he and one of his young followers approached. Salem got out of her chair and waved her hand over the Seer as the image changed inside, "I hope my request wasn't too difficult."
"Perish the thought. In fact I have the perfect volunteer right here." A young man with most of his face covered in wraps and bandages, "Lady Salem, this is Dosu Kinuta. Amongst my many warriors and soldiers he is the most gifted at subterfuge and clandestine work."
"Madame," The young man bowed his head to the dark queen of the castle, "My skills are at your disposal."
"Oh, so formal." Salem said with a small chuckle, "And you're certain he will be up to the task?"
"If you want what you asked for then look no further."
Dosu raised his head, "Ma'am, if you don't mind me asking, what will I be doing?"
"Oh it's no problem whatsoever." She waved her hand and the Seer Grimm floated over, startling Dosu and gaining Orochimaru's intrigue as the image inside became more clear, "I just need your help in your field of expertise."
The Seer revealed the person on the other side.
"Hehe." Orochimaru chuckled, "Again, your list of contacts and companions never ceases to amaze me."
She smiled at his flattery before nodding, "Dosu, this is Leonardo Lionheart. Leonardo, this is Dosu Kinuta."
("P-Pleased to meet you.")
"Likewise."
"Dosu, Leonardo will be needing your help in Mistral. You see he needs assistance in order to...thin the herd."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Done
Been looking forward to writing this from their perspective. Something about taking a moment with the bad guys is just so much fun! I think that's why I've done it with every volume when I can. They're just so interesting to write about.
I was really looking forward to giving more insight to what was happening with them. Ilia's unease. Yugito's regret. Watts just being Watts. And of course, the stars of this chapter, Tyrian and Nagato.
I was nervous about introducing one of my favorite villains in Naruto into this story, but now that I have I feel a weight off my shoulders. I did it...and now I must press on.
Next chapter is - let's see...notes, notes, notes...oh dear. Oh no. It's - um - it's pretty heavy.
See you next time!
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