Vol: 7 Chapter 15: The Mechanic Breaks Down
(Play: Red Fraction from "Black Lagoon" Eng cover by AmaLee)
I have a big gun
I took it from my lord
Sick with justice
I just wanna blame you
(A somewhat dirtied image of a Lien card flashes momentarily before it swaps to a blood stained wall of the Schnee manor a cigarette being smoked and an image of either Weiss or Winter from behind holding their weapons which seem bloodied. This then switches to a panning shot of Wolf's Pack going down its barrel.)
I am your angel
Only a call away
You make wanna break you
No matter who you are
(A bullet casing goes flying, showing Weiss' reflection before it cuts to a newspaper article mentioning a shooting in the Forgotten Shore with Weiss being shown holding a side arm, which she fires a few times)
It's all up to you
No one lives forever
Been burned in Hell
By all the pigs out there
It's always been Hell
Ever since I was born
They make we wanna break them
No matter who they are
(The next shot shows the same side arms barrel as Weiss points it at the area in front of her and a cigarette that she had in her mouth falls out as she pulls the trigger and then drops the magazine.)
Get down on your knees
Got a good head on your shoulders
If for you, I'd
Go to the end of the earth
Do what you want
Do it with dedication
I'll put out your misery
(The next shot shows a blood splatter that stains a flurry of feathers that had been blown away by the force of either a gust of wind or gunshot. Another shot shows that an empty bullet casing is rolling on the ground of the streets of Mantle in a pool of blood before it's blown away by the same wind that carried away feathers)
You made a mess
For Christ sake, this rotten world
Shit out of luck
Go with my vision
Light up the fire
Right on the power
A weapon … I have it all
(Weiss is seen sitting in the middle of the streets of Mantle for reasons unknown as the feathers drift through the air around her as the sunset flashes a few times. Then images of Jaune, Sky and Wolfgang are shown before 'Rise of the Iron Wolves: Forgotten' appears on the screen… And is shot at a few times and filled with bullet holes.)
-Mantle, in a nearby bar-
"You feeling better now?" Qrow asked Sky as he, Sky and Clover were in a bar in Mantle having a drink. He was having a non alcoholic substitute, Sky was having a lite beer and Clover was having a draft.
"Much better. I really needed this." The King sighed.
"You looked like you needed it, considering all the crap you're doing." Clover commented.
"I'm just glad I can finally relax…" Sky sighed, before laying his head down. "I just hope that I can help Jaune when he needs me again." He added. The two men looked at each other and then patted him on the shoulder, they knew exactly how he felt.
(Elsewhere)
-Thieves landing-
In Sienna's lair, you could hear the sound of flesh slapping together from the other end of the hall, the source of which was both the Tiger woman and her ice cream colored pet, who she was in the middle of screwing on all fours with a 11 by 4 inch completely biologically functional strap-on shoved deep into the mute girl's ass.
They had been going at this for hours since yesterday.
"This is what men feel whenever they do this?! It's intoxicating~!" The crime lord moaned in bliss, the sensations being felt through the sex toy. Neo meanwhile looked like she was moaning in ecstasy, but no sound came out, her apron being long since discarded and her now naked body was rubbing itself on the floor in her current position. Her face was one of euphoria as it held an ahegao expression on it, having cummed at least thirty times in a row over the course of her mistress making love to her.
"Now, what to touch while I continue to make love to you?" Sienna wondered as stroked Neo's sides, stroked her sculpted hips, squeezed her yummy thighs, kneaded her tight ass, petted her adorable head, stroked her hair, and then settled on fondling her beautiful breasts. "Such wonderful little breasts, and such a very fuckable body." She purred while licking Neo's ear. "Does it make you happy that I want to keep you, Neo, my little baby?" She asked. Neo's only response was to subconsciously shake her ass, generating more pleasure for both of them.
"Oh my sweet little baby girl." The tigress smiled happily as she pulled her into her lap and sat in her hammock while Neo rode her cowgirl style. "Kiss mommy. Come on, give your mother a kiss." She purred. The small ice cream themed woman eagerly kissed Sienna passionately, even adding her tongue.
With one last thrust, Sienna's load was let out and Neo fell back on her, both exhausted. A few minutes later one of the associates delivered the crime lord a letter from Moon, which made her grin.
"Oh Neo~." She purred. "I know where Roman is." She added with a whisper. Neo immediately snapped to attention.
"Where?" Her sign read.
"He's headed to the Dreaming City. One of my scouts just reported seeing him heading there this morning." The tigress told her.
"Looks like I'm off." The sign read before she gave Sienna a peck on the lips and got off her lap. "Thanks for being a loving partner." Her sign read as she gave the tiger woman a smile.
"Remember, you're to bring Roman back here with you when you get him. You're both in my care now." Sienna reminded her sternly.
"Yes ma'am." She nodded.
(Elsewhere)
Jaune stood in front of Sun, Foxianna and Neptune at the Amity construction site. "I know I'm not Wolfang, but I'm hoping that until we can figure out a way to bring him back, you're willing to let me be Team ARSN's A from time to time. At least for now." He told them.
The three members of Team ARSN glanced at one another, having a silent discussion. After that moment passed, Ther looked at Jaune again.
"That's fine with us." Sun nodded.
"In fact, we actually would like to help you hunt down the next Captain." Foxxianna added.
"Alright. The next one is The Mechanic, which means we'll probably be getting attacked by a ton of rockets or something." The Law of Pacifism explained with a nod.
"This is gonna be fun." Sun groaned in a sarcastic tone.
"We can make it work." Neptune shrugged.
"I'm concerned about the Dark Dust. How am I gonna protect myself from it?" The kyuubi girl wondered in concern. Sun wondered the same.
"Mr. Pollindina said that he's got some special gas masks that can help you guys avoid it." The blonde told them. "We'll get them before we leave." He added.
"Good. I'd like to be safe during this operation." The Law of Piety nodded in relief.
(Later)
The newly formed Team ARSN was now making their way through the same area where Jaune had previously taken on The Speedster and were looking for any sign of the second to last Captain: Charlotte Webbs, The Mechanic.
"We're in the Mechanic's territory now." Joan told them.
"And she isn't just another name on the list, she's the Necromancer's right hand. She sits on a massive trove of stolen tech." Jaune added. "Human, Faunus, Hive, Viral, anything she can get her hands on." He continued.
"So she's a hoarder. That's healthy." Foxxianna noted. After a bit, the group came across some Corrupted… And also something else.
It looked like a wrecked armored transport. It had a set of treads that were designed in a way to help it get out of trenches, had two places where some main cannons would be, and several machine gun ports.
"What's that thing?" Sun wondered.
"Let's clear out the Corrupted and have a look." Tripitaka said. With that they started moving in and clearing out the zombies and then they let their drones scan it.
"It's a tank of some sort. The Mechanic has good taste, I'll give her that." Oda said.
"It's missing the main turret and nav computer. We'll need to find a replacement, but we are in a junkyard, so we should be able to find a replacement." Aquarius told them.
"Let's start with the turret module." Jaune decided. They went into a nearby shed and managed to find what they were looking for. But when they picked them up…
"Fucking hell, this thing is heavy!" Sun got out in a strained tone as he struggled to hold it up. With a heave they all picked up the thing and rolled it down the ramp and across the acid on the ground until it was next to the tank.
"We'll start repairing it. This turret is from Atlas so it should do the trick. Just need the nav computer." Joan said as she and the other drones started getting to work.
The team went to a lookout position and found the nav computer and, thankfully, it was lighter than the turret. They pulled it up and proceeded to bring it to the tank where their AEDs had finished installing the turret.
"Here it is." Jaune said as they set it down. The drones quickly got to work and installed it.
"Alright, it's ready." Joan said as everyone got in. Sun handled driving, Neptune handled navigation, Foxxianna handled the mini turret, and Jaune handled the main turret.
"Hey, I managed to figure out who made this thing." Oda said as they started moving.
"Really? Who?" Foxxianna asked as she looked around for targets.
"It was Sky's Research and Development team." He said, much to the gang's surprise.
"Why'd he scrap this thing?" Neptune asked.
"It was due to the flaws, apparently. Let's see…" The fox girl's AED trailed off as it looked over the flaws. "Oh wow. Poor traction in mud, faulty engine design, leaking fuel lines… No wonder this thing got scrapped. It's a mobile hazard." He said in astonishment.
"Then why hasn't it blown up yet?" Sun asked.
"Probably because the Corrupted kept changing parts on it and the stuff we had just put in it made things much more stable." Oda concluded.
"Sounds about right. Let's just hope it can hold up in a fight." Jaune said Right as some targets came into view. "Speak of the Grimm…" He muttered to himself.
"Firing mini turrets!" Foxxianna said as mini missiles shot out of the sides and killed multiple targets at once.
"Nice work, Foxxianna!" Jaune told her before another of the spider walkers he first saw with Sky showed up. "Let's put this main gun through its paces!" He said before pulling the trigger, firing a round at the walker and crippling it. This caused its signature forcefield to pop up, but Jaune just shot at it until it collapsed.
"Yeah, that's not gonna save your ass." Sun chuckled as his temporary leader shot at the exposed core, destroying it… only for a new one to appear in its place. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."
"Uh, guys? There are a lot of crates of Dark Dust here. Enough to raise a Corrupted army." Tripitaka said.
"Then let's blow them up." Jaune said as he targeted a pile of crates and shot at it, effectively destroying its contents. Foxxianna then took out another group with the mini turrets while Jaune kept shooting at the second walker.
Continuing forward, they soon reached a place cut off by an energy field. "Violence isn't going to break that, we should probably look for a power source." Aquarius said.
"I got it." Sun said before he hopped out of the tank while the others covered him inside the tank. When Sun reached the controls, he was met with a Sergeant… Which he was able to deal with rather easily. After that, he shut down the shield and got back in the tank. "Alright, let's go." He said.
As they continued forward, we reached another blocked area. "The mechanic has been raiding the kingdoms for years. What she doesn't supply to the Captains she adds to her hoard." Joan told them.
"Like I said, she's a hoarder." Foxxianna quipped.
"Sun, mind handling that second barrier?" Jaune asked.
"Got it." The monkey Faunus nodded as he jumped out of the tank and went looking for the power source. Sun has never been more glad to have his mask available, there was Dark Dust in the air around him as he fought through the Corrupted. After he lowered the forcefield, The Mechanic was suddenly heard on the comms.
"Shipments. Bring all our weapons to Carrion and the lord of the Shore!" She yelled, her hoarse and chittering voice echoing through their ears. Right at that moment, Sun spotted rockets raining from the sky.
"Guys, rockets incoming! Get out of the tank!" He yelled in alarm. He heard a series of curses before his friends vacated the tank just in time for three rockets to destroy it.
"Well this just made things a lot harder." Neptune noted.
"We'll have to continue the rest on foot. We'll probably find our target there." Jaune said as they started marching forward towards a luckily open doorway… That was being guarded by Marauders and Wretches.
"Oh fuck off…" Foxxianna deadpanned as she brought her weapon out. Using its bow function she shot the weapons of the Marauders and caused them to explode, before turning it into its naginata mode and using her semblance to disappear and reappear around the Wretches in order to hack and stab them to death.
"Alright, let's move!" Jaune exclaimed as they ran forward into an enclosed area… Where The Mechanic lept on top of a wreck she was hiding behind and fired some rockets at them, forcing them to scatter.
"You want revenge, do you? I watched Wolfgang die a pathetic death." The woman said. "Allow me to give you the same courtesy!" She added as she started firing at them with a cannon that shot out molten slag.
"We'll make you wish you never said that!" Sun yelled fiercely. He then used his semblance to make five clones that started attacking her from all directions, swatting her with nunchucks and bashing her with their staffs before two tied their tails together and made her trip and fall, right in front of Neptune who held his fusion rifle right at her face.
"Say cheese." He quipped before blasting her point blank. Charlotte let out a pained shout as she struggled to her feet and tried to swat at Neptune, but was blocked by Jaune before he sliced at her midsection.
The giant spider woman shrieked before Foxxianna tried to use her fans to hit her in the face, but was instead stuck to a wall by her arms by some of the Mechanic's webbing.
"You bitch!" The fox girl cursed as Neptune rushed over to help her out.
Jaune then slashed her leg and kicked it causing her to drop to one knee. Though she then started firing more rockets. As the group evaded, Jaune got an idea. "Everyone! Activate your supers and we'll attack all at once!" He told them as Charlotte started shooting at them again. Sun activated his Solar class: Gunslinger, and covered Riyu-Bang and Jingu-Bang in Solar magic before he started twirling them and getting them ready to attack.
Neptune meanwhile turned his weapon's trident mode into a conduit for Arc magic in the form of an Arcstrider Class. He then started twirling the weapon and as the rockets the mechanic shot hit it, they rebounded and were sent right back at her as he got closer, seriously depleting her aura before he uppercut slashed her.
As the spider woman stumbled back, Foxxianna charged her bow with Void magic to conjure the Nightstalker Class. This caused the arrows she shot to tether Charlotte in place. Then it was Sun's turn.
"Knock knock!" He jeered before he started swinging his gun-chuks at her and sending out Solar scatter shots that caused a huge amount of damage. This damage caused the Mechanic's Aura to break while she was still tethered.
"The Corrupted Captains… Always stick together." The woman said hoarsely as Jaune pulled her head back by her hair. "You can divide us, but you cannot break us." She spat.
"We'll see about that." He told her, holding his sword to her throat. "Any last words?" He asked.
"I bought them… Time...The Corrupted… The Captains… We stand together… and we… are… forever…" She breathed. The blond Knight then decapitated her, ending her life.
"Seven names down. One left, them Roman. Maybe Winter or Sienna have a possible lead for us?" Joan said hopefully. It was then that the former of the two contacted them.
"It's almost over… It's almost over." Jaune added almost in relief as he picked up the line.
"Jaune. I just saw Roman. He's already back on the Shore, and he's heading for the Dreaming City." She told them.
"Good. Did you see Neo anywhere?" Jaune asked her.
"I caught a glimpse of her heading for the Dreaming City, too. She's likely after Roman for her own reasons." The Specialist replied.
"Then it's time to end this." The boy declared as he contacted Sky. "Sky, Roman's been spotted heading for the Dreaming City. Are you up for this?" He asked.
"Yeah, I think I'm finally back to my usual self." He replied.
"Good. Head for the Shore, and we'll get moving." The blonde nodded. He then turned to his temporary team. "If you guys want to sit this one out, you can." He told them.
"Thanks, but we wanna see this through to the end." Sun replied, Neptune and Foxxianna nodding in agreement. "Torchwick needs to pay for what he's done." He added.
"Alright then. Let's go." Jaune nodded before they left the scene.
(Elsewhere)
-Dreaming City-
Roman opened his eyes as he looked at the entrance to the watchtower that led to the Dreaming City. His corruption appeared to be worsening, as well. Behind him, Carrion walked up, carrying a box.
"This is as far as you go." The redhead told the Necromancer as he turned towards him.
"Please. For your sake… I go… instead." Carrion told him in his raspy voice. "We all know only darkness lives here… Death… You are not of Faunus… Can't bring… You back." He added, pointing at the magical haze that blocked their way.
"All the same." Roman said indifferently. "Go. Inspire… And avenge your fallen brethren." He told the vulture faunus.
"Of course… Father… We live… to serve." Carrion nodded as he walked away, leaving Roman alone as the illusion of Neo appeared again.
"There's no time for fear now, my love." The illusion told him.
"I'm… not afraid." The thief said, trepidation in his voice.
"Of course not." The illusion smiled as he hesitantly held the shard of the moon. Noticing this, Neo became agitated. "Oh dear Roman. You've suffered more than any other. Have you forgotten? You bowed to false kings and queens, you suffered countless betrayal. You were bound, dragged, imprisoned, abused, manipulated, taken." She continued. "And you're still willing to give the chance to end it all up, because you love." She concluded. As she said this, Roman looked at the shard, and at the veil, where the illusion hovered. "Will you walk through hell for me one last time?" She asked.
"Yes." The man nodded with resolve. The illusion then smiled as she opened her arms. Though unbeknownst to them both, the real Neo had just arrived in the doorway as Roman started walking through the veil.
"Then come. After all, even paradise is a prison... When you can't leave." The illusion said. "Free us!" It added with hiss as he walked through and Neo was quick to follow.
It was all coming to a head now… but, what will Jaune choose when he has Torchwick at his mercy? Will he let him live? Or kill him?
And just who is causing this illusion in Roman's head, and what do they want?
ThermalsniperN7: We're almost through this. Just one chapter left.
Dragon Emperor0: Then it's wrap up and transition time. This will include the chapter where Jaune gets the Wolf's Pack repaired and everyone hears Wolfgang's will recordings. Then the two strikes and finally the raid to close out everything.
ThermalsniperN7: We're gonna be real busy. Also, just to clear up confusion, the tank Jaune and Team ARSN used is a Mark V from World War 1. That should clear things up if you didn't recognize the flaws.
Dragon Emperor0: Soon he'll have his own drake tanks. Also for all of you My Hero Academia fans out there, you'll love what Neo's semblance is gonna do in the next chapter.
ThermalsniperN7: Yeah. It's about to get an upgrade, though the type is gonna be known to only us until the big reveal. Anyway, see you guys next time.