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I am making no money from this.
Chapter 22: Fury Road
It had been a little over two weeks since Rhodium Torchwick's escape from the police. Looking back on the situation the gangster could admit to himself that perhaps jumping out of the car and attempting to gun down a pair of teenagers in the middle of a crowded street hadn't been his most well thought out move.
It had been a close thing, closer than he'd like to admit; the police had almost managed to force him to stop his car before he'd managed to slip through their net and speed off into the lowest depths of the tower complexes that formed New Vale's capital, the security cameras in the area long since having been removed and the locals been unwilling to co-operate with the law just on principal. Thick black smoke had been spewing from his heavily damaged vehicle by the time he arrived at a depot for a shipping company where several senior members of staff owed him favours; it was from here that he and his car had been loaded into the back of a truck and given safe passage beyond the walls of the capital and the watchful eye of the Hunters and law enforcement.
Which brought him to his current situation, he'd been laying low in a backwater fishing village so far outside of the Kingdom proper, and so miniscule that the average citizen of New Vale had no idea that the place existed. The fishing industry on Patch, bolstered by the islands' post-war population boom, had all but decimated the places' economy; it was so low on the Councils' list of priorities that there were no Hunters stationed anywhere nearby and the general air of depression and desperation around the place made it a prime target for Grimm attacks. It was a perfect place for someone who had resources and knew how to make a deal.
"Rhodey" the gruff voice disturbed the redhead from his thoughts, causing him to turn and face whoever was presumptuous to call him by his nickname. He was greeted by a tough looking, greying man in perhaps his early fifties with weather-beaten skin and tattoos visible under his sleeves and collar that may have been the product of time in prison; the union representative for the fishermen of the area, a man that many would argue was corrupt but simply saw himself as doing what was needed.
"Cerulean" Rhodium nodded as he slipped off of the wall he'd been perched on, if anyone asked he was overseeing the loading of the trucks that were parked near the docks, in truth he was simply enjoying the fresh air while he could despite the winter chill setting in; being native to the capital it was a rare experience.
"Your people look like they're getting ready to leave" the older man noted, an accusation in his voice "Our arrangement-"
"I've never gone back on a deal in my life old man. Think very carefully about what you accuse me of" Rhodium's tone was icy and his expression was bordering on murderous as he stared down his somewhat unwilling business partner; after all, he may be a violent criminal who would sell and steal almost anything, but one still had to have standards.
"How many men can we expect?" Cerulean asked, calmer than most people who knew who and what Rhodium was would have been
"I can spare two dozen guys and enough ammo to keep 'em here for….say a month or so"
"That should be enough for now. Pleasure doing business with you, we need all the hands we can get since Gut Wukong retired." the union man pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pockets and made his way towards the docks themselves. The deal Torchwick had entered into with Cerulean and by extension the majority of the village was a simple one; he'd been storing the trucks he'd been purchasing here since the fiasco with his warehouse and was using the docks as a port away from the eyes of the law to bring in any resources he couldn't find within the Kingdom itself. In return he provided the security that the Council seemed unwilling to, with winter closing its' grip on them Grimm incursions seemed more likely every day it was an arrangement that benefited everyone. Rhodium watched Cerulean leave before turning his attention back to the trucks which were being loaded with guns and munitions. His expression hardened, too many mistakes had been made recently in his mind; this combined with the lack of communication from his secretive supplier Dunwitch led the mobster to the conclusion that drastic measures were needed to reassert his position and it was time to bring the various gangs of New Vale together under a more forward thinking leader than Melanie Malachite. Turning away from the trucks, knowing that his subordinates knew better than to make mistakes when he was nearby he began walking towards a ramshackle shed like building, the metal walls and roof long since rusted. Stepping inside he saw a small group of men working on what looked like an engine from one of the smaller boats, behind them was something larger covered in a sheet. The men turned to face him as he entered
"Is it ready?" he asked, almost daring to be told no after the small fortune he'd paid
"Aye it's ready" one of the men grunted before making their way over to a small workbench and rummaging around under it "My daughter's been working night and day on the damn thing mind you. Oh and one of your boys thought this was the post office and decided to leave this here for you" rising to his feet the mechanic held out something that brought a bright smile to Rhodium's face; his cane. He'd told the crew he was leaving behind to guard this town to pick it up from his apartment on the way here, on the off chance that New Vale's police actually managed to raid the apartment he lived in rather than one of his decoys.
"Nice" Rhodium smirked before making his way over to the vehicle at the back of the workshop and removing the sheet which covered it with a flourish. His smile widened even further at the sight of his magenta sports car, restored and looking as though nothing had happened to it.
"Well I'd say it's been fun" Rhodium sneered "But honestly this place is more boring than the care home my grandma died in; rest assured my crew will keep you from the sweet release of death though. As for me….I'm going home. Money to make, empire to build, cops to kill….I fucking hate cops"
Team CLIR were finally returning from their second mission of the year, the rest of the teams' spirits dashed by a combination of exhaustion and Iris pointing out how many assignments they would have to catch up on. The mission itself hadn't been especially taxing, they'd been travelling from one small settlement to another beyond New Vale's perimeter and following up reports of Grimm activity, exterminating with extreme prejudice whenever required; not challenging in of itself if one overlooked the amount of time the task consumed.
The issues that had pushed Corvid Xiao Long to the edge had been twofold, the first had been learning that there were several villages beyond even those they were travelling to who would receive no such assistance, her furious demand of 'Then what's the fucking point?' was yet to be satisfactorily answered.
The second issue was the Huntsman they'd been assigned to, Corvid had known from the moment she answered one of Sky Lark's questions with 'I'll have to mullet over' and received nothing but frosty silence that this mission was going to be all work and no play.
"I cannot wait to get home" Lux groaned as he stretched out on the seat of the vehicle Team CLIR were currently travelling in "Not Halo, I'm going to my place and soaking in the hot tub for a week. Gonna join me babe?" Rusty, who was currently laid across his own seat raised his Stetson from over his face and gave his boyfriend a smile that answered the question better than words ever could
"Nice for some" Corvid snorted
"You're all welcome to come round, my folks like you guys"
"Sounds like a plan" Iris yawned from where she was using their collected sleeping bags and rucksacks as pillows. After a few moments Corvid grew bored of watching the scenery through the window; frosty and barren ground with little by the way of landmarks, rising to her feet she made her way to the front of the vehicle and addressed Sky who was driving
"Hey Miss Frizzle, can the tragic school bus go any faster?"
"How about you stand in front of it and we'll find out" the Huntsman clad in rusted armour and whom the smell of cheap liquor clung to snarled "And it's called the Road Warrior"
"Yeah I'm not calling it that" Corvid laughed. Sky Lark's personal transport, and from what she'd managed to gather from his incessant grumbling, home since a messy divorce was a repurposed school bus, it's vibrant yellow paint long since stripped away and it's gunmetal body patched together seemingly with whatever scrap metal was available. The windows were allegedly bulletproof though the interior had been fitted with admittedly more comfortable seats and a roll cage as well as a fridge and space for medical supplies and ammunition. What left Corvid unable to take the vehicle or the individual who drove it seriously, besides the name, were the oversized wheels fitted with tires that bordered on preposterous and the monstrous plough fitted with steel spikes affixed to the front of the bus; giving the Road Warrior an overall look that Lux had described as 'Zombie killer chic'
"Y'know what really annoys me Xiao Long?" Sky growled, stroking his stubble while keeping the other hand firmly on the wheel
"Most things" Corvid sighed with a roll of her steely grey eyes. Sky let the sarcasm slide and continued undeterred
"Half assed people, like you"
"Excuse-"
"You could be great, your whole team could. Hell I caught one of your tournament matches at a truck stop I was filling up at last year. Your main weapon is something else, you're naturals, you're a damn sight better than my team ever were….and that cost us in the war. What I'm trying to say is hell you and those kids back there could be the next Team STRQ"
"Oh" Corvid was honestly taken aback, it was by far the nicest thing Sky Lark had said to any member of her team, even finding out Iris saw his former team leader as an inspiration hadn't made him any less irritable "Thank you"
"Hell, you even made leader despite being Belladonna's kid. That's saying something" Corvid's eyes reflexively narrowed at that
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"A Faunus raising someone with the discipline to lead a team? Credit to you kid, that's an obstacle not many people could get over. Hell when she was at Beacon she actually lied about what she-"
"Stop the bus" Corvid's voice came out as a low hiss, she was livid, so angry that shouting would have utterly failed to convey the emotion
"What?"
"I said" Corvid punctuated her words with an Aura fuelled punch, her fist shattered the wind shield of the Road Warrior "Stop this rusty piece of shit right now!" the bus came to a halt, ancient suspension groaning in protest and Corvid caught a brief glance of her teams' stunned and confused faces before she ripped the door away and stepped out into the freezing air, stalking away with Sky's bellowed threats and curses ringing in her ears. Before she got far she felt a firm hand on her shoulder and craned her neck, finding her team-mates behind her
"I'm not going back" she snarled, becoming aware that her hands were shaking with rage and cold "If I go back I'll kill him"
"Little lady I would happily help you dismember the body and leave it for the Grimm" Rusty flashed her a feral smile that, combined with his apparent familiarity with disposing of human remains sent a shiver up her spine despite herself
"We didn't hear what he said, but we got the gist of it after he called one of your Mums a fleabag" Iris informed her, hearing the racial slur made Corvid momentarily reconsider her stance on heading back to the bus, if only to beat Sky Lark to within an inch of his sad, inconsequential life
"Lux socked him" Iris added and Corvid turned to her partner who shrugged sheepishly as she stared disbelievingly at his bloody knuckles.
"I love you guys, you know that right?" Corvid didn't wait for their answers, instead she pulled her team into a group hug that lasted scant moments before the rumbling sound of the Road Warriors' engine demanded their attention, as did Sky Lark's furious tirade
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU'RE GONNA BE OUT OF HALO BY THE END OF THE DAY! DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM ME, GET BACK HERE AND-" the rant was ended abruptly as the sound of High Noon, Rusty's obscenely powerful revolver being cocked rang out, the weapon aimed at the now absent wind shield and pointed directly at the drivers' face; followed by Rusty's unmistakable South Vaccuan drawl
"Now see here boy" the word was emphasised with enough venom to make even his friends give him a concerned glance "I don't know how y'all do things round here, but where I come from talking like that to a lady or about someone's mama is cause for certain things to happen. Now why don't you sit there, real quiet like and ponder whether you've got a spare wheel" the moment the words left his lips he lowered his aim, Sky hadn't even managed to finish his sigh of relief before the shot rang out and the Road Warrior sagged, the front drivers' side tire being shredded by the force of the bullet that passed through it before cracking the wheel itself.
"Now let's go" with little more to be said, Team CLIR set off. Corvid finally being the one to articulate a thought that she was sure they'd all had
"It's freezing….And it's gonna be one hell of a walk back to the city"
Classes had finished for the day, leaving the students of Halo Academy deciding how best to spend their weekend. Felix Xiao Long was one of the few not considering heading into the city below at any point. The Lion Faunus's tail twitched with agitation as the words he'd written seemed to blur in front of him, rubbing his eyes as a small growl escaped him. He understood the theory of the Grimm studies assignment he was currently working on and was almost certain he could handle any of the specimens it pertained to if he encountered them in the field; it was was just making the ideas flow into a stream of coherent sentences that was causing him problems. After forcing himself to reread his work so far he saved the draft, the clock in the corner of his laptops' screen alerting him to the fact it wasn't as late as he thought.
"Hey Eagle, how's that shoulder?" he asked in search of something to distract himself with. His partner was curled up on her bunk clad in her usual hoodie though her jeans had been replaced with sweatpants and she clutched the three foot stuffed Ursa she'd been given by Nora under her chin.
"Not too bad, I can actually feel the arm now. Kinda wish I couldn't" she admitted forlornly. The final lesson of the week for first years was combat training with Professor Nora and she always liked to end with at least one sparring match; today had seen Eagle face off against Quartz Murus of Team AQUA who seemed to have something of a grudge against the blonde. Eagle had eventually managed to force her opponents' Aura into the red but Quartz had managed to dislocate Eagle's right shoulder with a particularly vicious swing of her halberd.
"Still, you won though….where the hell did you learn that move you finished off with?" Felix's tone became far more enthusiastic, combat training was his best subject by a wide margin and he was always looking to improve. The answer was predictable
"One of my Aunts, Aunt Vicky used to be a tournament fighter so she wanted me to know how to look after myself if I was ever disarmed"
"Eagle seriously you've gotta introduce us to all these Aunts and Uncles sometime" Felix laughed "Right guys?….guys?" he trailed off when turning his attention to the other set of bunk-beds in the dormitory where whatever Arctus and Diamond had been doing had been forgotten as the pair of them lay beside each other, kissing softly.
"Did you expect anything else?" Eagle snickered, Arctus and Diamond hadn't officially announced they were dating though that hadn't stopped certain bets amongst students of various years being cashed in. Nothing much seemed to have changed between the pair, they were just as inseparable as ever, with the addition of them now occasionally forgetting there were other people in the dorm and making out. The pair of blondes they shared said dorm with were beyond happy for them and both admitted that Arctus and Diamond were sweet together. Right now though Felix just found their antics annoying
"Pass me the Ursa, I feel like throwing something at 'em" he grumbled. This managed to get the pairs' attention. Diamond merely rolled her eyes while Arctus held his arm out and created a Glyph that would deflect stuffed animals or anything else Felix decided to hurl in their direction
"Okay that's it" the Lion Faunus sighed "I need to get out of this dorm or I'm gonna go crazy" as if in response to this assertion someone's Scroll began vibrating
"Mine" Eagle announced as she fished the device from the pocket of her hoodie with her left arm, the right still being too stiff to be of any real use to her. Her face split into a bright dimpled smile as she saw the caller "Uncle Flax! Hey how're you? how's the Jackrabbit did you manage to get it repaired?" Felix tuned out the other half of the conversation as much as he could, if he wanted to his superior hearing would have allowed him to hear the entire conversation; however that would just be rude. After a few moments Eagle ended the conversation
"Okay, I'll ask 'em if they want to come. I'll see you in maybe an hour or so?"
"Where're we going?" Felix asked with a raised eyebrow
"Erm well there's an airship heading into the city in about fifteen minutes, if I pay the fee to get your car aboard would you mind giving me a lift to my Uncle Flax's place? It's his and Aunt Daisy's wedding anniversary and their babysitter let 'em down at the last minute, I just promised to look after my cousin Honey until they get back" Felix thought this was exactly what he needed and rose to his feet, habitually sliding Hack and Slash into place over his back; none of Team FADE had left the campus unarmed since the incident involving Rhodium Torchwick two weeks prior
"No problem I'll come with, kids love me" he turned to Arctus and Diamond "I take it you two are staying behind?"
"No way Dude, I've gotta see you getting your nails painted and having tea parties" Diamond chuckled as she climbed off of Arctus's bed, holding a hand out to the towering Faunus as she did do "Come on babe" Felix couldn't help smirk as he watched his cousin blush at the pet name. Turning his attention back to Diamond he snorted derisively
"As long as they don't try and braid my hair….never too young to catch these hands" with that Team FADE made their way to wards the campus garage, Arctus and Diamond cackling as Eagle huffed and assured her partner, on pain of death, that he would do no such thing.
It was late afternoon and the sun had already set, leaving the road back to the city illuminated by nothing more than the headlights of the vehicles that used it. Rhodium Torchwick gave a loud yawn and shifted in the seat of his car while considering changing the music thumping within the interior of his car to a more upbeat and aggressive playlist, if only to help himself stay awake. His newly repaired sports car was leading a convoy of various sized trucks that the redhead had acquired with the idea of using them to distribute drugs around the city with ease during the fast approaching centenary festival. After fiddling with his Scroll for a few moments he returned his attention to the poorly maintained road, blinking a few times and squinting when he saw several pinpricks of bloody red light in the distance, instantly recognisable to anyone who'd ventured beyond the walls of the capital. Biting back a curse Rhodium grabbed his Scroll and muted his music player, calling the man in the passengers' seat of the first truck in the convey
"Grimm up ahead, you see 'em?" the answer came instantly
"Yeah I see 'em, about half a dozen Beowolves heading the same way as us. Want me to take 'em out?"
"No I just called 'cos I was starting a game of I spy….Of course I want you to take 'em out numb nuts!" before he ended the call he heard the sound of his subordinate readying his weapon, checking his rear view mirror showed him that the trucks were flashing their warning lights to one another, alerting the whole convey to the nearby Grimm. Moments later the gunfire started and Rhodium paid close attention to the road ahead, waiting until the last glowing red lights had faded before speeding off
"What the fuck were they stalking?" he muttered under his breath, the Grimm had been heading in the opposite direction to his own convoy which meant there was somebody else on this stretch of road. He scanned his surroundings for any sign of the monsters' intended prey, half expecting to see a broken down car on the side of the road. Rhodium fully intended to offer whoever it was a ride back to the city in his well armed and protected convey; after all he may be a criminal, but he had standards.
That position soon changed. Rhodium's eyed widened in disbelief as he saw the group of four teens who had taken defensive positions, evidently having heard the gunfire. Student Hunters, his face became a twisted smile when he realised three of the four students were familiar to him, especially the one with the oversized mace.
"No, we're not stopping off at a pizza place. We're pushing it for time as it is" Felix huffed as he steered through the streets of New Vale, responding to Arctus's request since they'd left Halo Academy without stopping to get something to eat on the way.
"I'll order us something when we get there" Eagle added from her position in the passengers' seat, giving Felix directions to her uncles' home in the more suburban areas of the city beyond the gargantuan interconnected towers.
"Thanks, I'll pay" the Bear Faunus replied, turning his attention away from Diamond who was currently not wearing her seatbelt, choosing instead to lay her head on her partners' lap.
"Thanks and-Oh for Oum's sake are you two seriously snuggling in my car" Felix grumbled as he caught sight of the two of them
"Oh yeah dude, I was about to give him head back here and everything" Diamond shot back with a roll of her eyes, Arctus's blushing and awkward, sputtering attempts to respond causing the other occupants of the Killer Bee to burst out laughing until Felix's Scroll, currently resting behind the gear stick began to vibrate
"Can you get that for me, just put it on loudspeaker" he asked Eagle who silently did so. The sound of gunfire and panicked shouts instantly filled the car, Corvid Xiao Long's voice carrying over them
"Felix I need your help! I'm sending you the code to track my Scroll now-"
"COREY! What's happening?" Felix demanded
"Torchwick and a whole lot of guys, I don't have the Omega Wing. Just get here-IRIS, IRIS GET DOWN!" a dull booming explosion rang out through the connection, Team FADE shared horrified glances for a brief moment before Felix spoke
"We're on the way" he ended the call and pulled up the code Corvid had sent him, allowing him to track her Aura and location as if she were a member of his own team. Setting his Scroll's navigation system to follow Corvid's Scroll he brought the Killer Bee screeching around the next corner, traffic laws being forgotten as he he pushed the muscle car to its' limits
"Call your uncle, tell him what's happened. Tell him there's a team of student Hunters in need of an urgent assist" the Lion Faunus's voice came out in a tense growl. Eagle nodded and Team FADE mentally prepared themselves for battle.
The situation had deteriorated rapidly. Team CLIR had been on the defensive from the moment they heard the gunshots and had launched themselves at Rhodium Torchwick the moment he emerged from his car, cane already converted to its' sword form. Then the trucks full of armed gangsters arrived, this was nothing like the raid on the warehouse where they'd managed to catch a handful of criminals unaware. Corvid ordered Rusty and Iris to take on the mob while she and Lux dealt with Torchwick himself, Iris using her Semblance to hurl the vehicles into one another for as long as she was able, ammunition exploding within them had tipped the tide somewhat in their favour.
Then one of the mobsters managed to salvage a rocket launcher an open fire on her telekinetic team-mate
"-IRIS, IRIS GET DOWN!" her over use of her Semblance had left her sluggish and she failed to react fast enough being hurled to the ground. Iris heard her brother end the call and leapt from behind the ruined truck she'd been using as cover while she made the call, Seeing one of the last remaining members of Torchwick's crew attempt to approach Iris's unconscious form Corvid picked what appeared to be a front axle from one of the trucks, a single wheel still attached, and swing it at their face with devastating force.
"I'll get her into cover!" Rusty bellowed "Help Lux dammit!" Corvid nodded and rushed over to the duel she'd been neglecting, drawing her handgun and shifting into into its' katana form as she did so. Rhodium and Lux faced off alone, the ground around them scorched and torn enough to discourage any who considered approaching. Rhodium's single blade and Lux's pair moving with impossible speed and fluidity, though Corvid realised with a sinking feeling that Rhodium was clearly winning.
"You've got a bad case of Rhode rage!" the pun, shouted forcefully was enough to get Rhodium's attention; the redhead parrying both of Lux's swords at the same time and turning to face the new challenger with a roll of his eyes
"Really is that-" he found himself cut off by Corvid launching herself into the air and delivering a flying kick to his face. Rolling to his feet Rhodium caught his hat which had been knocked from his head, the item began to glow as it was charged with his Semblance; he hurled the hat at Corvid who found herself tackled to the ground, the hat exploding above her
"You okay?" Lux asked as he rapidly returned to his feet, pulling Corvid with him. She turned her attention to Rhodium who was twirling his sword in his hand, seemingly searching for an opening
"That again? Fuck it, do it again and you've got a hat trick" with out waiting for a response she rushed the mobster, Lux following her lead together the two of them managed to push him onto the defensive, though there was no denying his skill with both a blade and using anything nearby as an explosive.
"Corey!" Lux's warning came just in time and Corvid managed to roll under a few shards of glass from a shattered wind shield which produced smaller explosions than she'd expected. A small smirk crossed her face as she rose to a standing position in a wide stance as she rooted herself and prepared to use her own Semblance
"Gotcha" Rhodium sneered, he'd seen her roll forwards and slashed horizontally at her neck. He was stunned when his victim made no effort to avoid the attack, simply blocking with her left arm
"Fuck" he cried out clutching his sword arm in pain, struggling not to drop the sword as tremors travelled along the blade and through his body. Attacking the five foot seven woman in front of him had been like striking a mountain
"I don't use my Semblance much" Corvid chuckled, voice echoing unnaturally and the ground beneath her feet cracking slightly though these effects seemed to end as she stepped forwards "But it has it's uses"
"AND SO DOES MINE!" Rusty announced his arrival to the fray, evidently having dispatched the remaining grunts and managed to get behind Rhodium, wrapping an arm around his neck and using the redheads' struggling as an opportunity to clutch the blade of his sword on his free hand and trigger his own Semblance. The sword began to rust and corrode as Rusty's fist was enveloped in greenish brown mist; eventually the upper two thirds of the blade dropped to the floor with a clang and Rhodium's eyes went wide with shock
"You kids just keep getting weirder don't ya?" with that he flung his head backwards, connecting painfully with the bridge of Rusty's nose, at that point he decided it was time to take a risk and test a theory that was forming in his mind. Charging the now useless remains of his sword he hurled them into the space between the boy with the purple hair and the girl in the flight suit, as they leapt aside he sprung forwards as plucked the blade of his sword from the ground, stabbing forwards viciously
"Looks like I was right" he cooed, he'd realised when she started moving that whatever defence the girls' Semblance granted her only worked while she was stationary. The fact she was now curled on the ground clutching at the blade jutting out of her thigh, blood seeping through her fingers confirmed it and Rhodium decided to celebrate with a few kicks to her face and chest before her partner tried to intervene. Lux was drained from fighting the mobster the longest and his Aura flickered and faded as Rhodium weaved around his slashes and landed a pair of Aura fuelled punches on his stomach and the back of his head, realising he had very little Aura left to defend himself with as he did so
"Well, it's been fun kids; really it has" with that the redhead peered around, the flames from the demolished trucks of his convoy were beginning to die down "But someone's gotta pay for this" he made his way over to where one of his henchmen was laid on the ground and made to pick up the shotgun they'd dropped and dispense his twisted form of justice. He halted as a sound reached his ears; engines, two of them, each approaching from a different direction
"What now" he muttered as he strained his eyes, hoping to pick out anything in the distance. Eventually something could be seen drawing close which only fuelled his incredulity
"Is that a bus?"
The Killer Bee screeched to a halt, Felix leaping from the drivers side door and drawing Hack and Slash in a single fluid motion; the swords shifted to their machine pistol forms and the darkness was lit up by the rapid discharge of the weapons the moment the Lion Faunus caught sight of orange hair. Rhodium, who had already been engaged in a gunfight with someone nearby, clearly decided that enough was enough when his Aura visibly flickered as the hail of gunfire connected with his chest and shoulder. Scrabbling around for anything he could use as a distraction he hurled the assault rifle that Felix's salvo had forced him to drop. The weapon glowed with Rhodium's Semblance, it's own destructive output enhanced by the high calibre ammunition contained in the weapon. Before Felix could prepare absorb the heat of the blast with his own Semblance Arctus had created a Glyph to protect him
"Shrapnel" the Bear Faunus explained bluntly, Felix paid him little mind as he saw Rhodium limping towards his sports car which was parked some distance away, the Lion Faunus's instinct to chase after him was snuffed out by Diamond's voice, her words seeming to make his heart stop
"Felix! Corvid's hurt!" in a moment he was by his sisters' side, blanching as he saw how pale she looked and the volume of her own blood staining her hands.
"What happened?" he demanded, either one of her team could answer him or the Huntsman in poorly maintained answer could, but he would have answers
"Stab wound to the leg" the Huntsman informed him dispassionately "She's lost a lot of blood but I can stabilise her on my bus. Blackwatch, Lumière help me move her. We'll put her with Ramal"
"We're not going with-" Rusty's words, slurred by his broken nose were cut off by Sky who snapped impatiently
"We're on the same side here. You can think I'm a jackass later!"
"Fluffy" Corvid hissed out through clenched teeth "Why the hell aren't you going after Torchwick?" her words were punctuated by the screech of tires as Rhodium's car finally started and the mobster sped off into the distance
"Get her to a hospital!" The Lion Faunus snapped as he ran towards his own car, nearly ripping the door free with the force he used to open it. Only vaguely aware of the rest of Team FADE rushing to join him, the rear doors still being open when he brought the engine roaring into life and gave chase.
"Uncle Flax should be on the way, we can do this" Eagle tried to assure her partner
"He'll be collecting a body" was his growled reply as he urged the Killer Bee to move faster, Rhodium's tail lights were in the distance and drawing no closer; the small head start proving enough to make a substantial distance
"Felix hold the car steady" Diamond said as she lowered the window and unfastened her seatbelt, "What are you doing?" Arctus asked, his nerves apparent. His partner gave no indication that she'd heard before she hauled herself out of the window of the still moving vehicle, her Semblance aiding her as she positioned herself on the trunk and drew her weapon. Resting Lex Talionis on the roof of the car in sniper rifle mode she lined up a shot, the crack of the rifle sounded and sparks could be seen spraying from the wheel of the car as its' driver struggled to keep it under control. Diamond made her way back inside the car
"Took out one of his tires, he's slowing down" Felix nodded silently, removing the cover from a bright red hidden button on the gear stick, pressing the button caused the Killer Bee to lurch forward, G-force pushing the occupants back into their seats as they began to close the distance
"Oh my gosh what did you do!" Eagle demanded, panicking slightly
"High output Dust booster" Felix answered bluntly "Hold onto something" Eagle was about to ask why when she realised just how fast they were catching up to Rhodium and the answer became clear. Felix intended to ram him off the road; before it could happen a jet of flames spewed from the exhaust of the magenta sports car and tore off, beginning to re-establish its' lead.
"Fuck!" Felix spat "He's got one as well"
"Hold on" Eagle sighed as she pulled Sentinel in shield from between her legs where she'd been holding it and lowered her window "And sorry about this" Sentinel activated, claw like arms shooting forward on their cables and finding purchase on the supercharger that protruded from the hood as the droid secured itself on the roof of the Killer Bee, treads leaving dents on its' surface
"Open fire!" Eagle called up
"Doot doot!" was what preceded a maelstrom of bullets being unleashed upon the car in front of them. The rear window shattered followed by the entire roof and upper body of the car being torn asunder before Sentinel's ammunition ran out.
"How the fuck is he still driving!" Felix demanded furiously, he was answered by Rhodium pulling himself up from where he'd been laid low across the seats of the car while still managing to keep a hand on the wheel and a foot on the pedal. The two cars continued to streak through along the road; the lights of the city and the fortress like wall that surrounded it becoming visible on the horizon. The Killer Bee drew almost level with Rhodium's car, Rhodium responded by taking the owners manual from the glove compartment and charging it with as much of his Semblance as his strained Aura would allow, giving the students the finger as he hurled the book at them; Felix made to veer out of the only for the explosion to be halted before he could
"I've got this" Arctus assured him from the back of the car, his Glyph dissipating as they sped onwards "Just stay level with him" the Bear Faunus took several slow deep breaths to focus himself, without using Dust this was going to be taxing. Once he was prepared Arctus leaned out of the window and created a Glyph directly in front of Rhodium's car, before the gangster could avoid it something charged from its' surface; a Boarbatusk of glowing white with shining blue eyes. The summoned Grimm faded the moment the car ploughed into it but the damage was done, Rhodium's car flipped and sailed through the air before hitting the ground with an earthshaking crash and rolling several times, eventually coming to a stop on its' roof with flames beginning to issue from its' ruined hood. Felix had already brought the Killer Bee to a halt and had barrelled towards Rhodium's car on foot, his team-mates warning ringing in his ears.
"Oh you've gotta be fucking kidding me" Rhodium laughed, half crazed as he caught sight of Felix while dragging himself free of the wreckage. Blood poured from a gash along his forehead and his right leg seemed to be at an unnatural angle. Felix gave no response, rage had consumed him and there was no need for talking. The Lion Faunus activated his own Semblance and the flames threatening to engulf the destroyed car were consumed as Felix's glowing golden Aura became visible. With a roar he entered his Balrog State, skin becoming like burned and blackened stone, veins of magma criss-crossing its' surface while his eyes hair and tail blazed with golden fire as he hauled Rhodium to his feet the gangster spat blood in his face and clutched at his forearms, wincing as the heat seared through what little Aura he had left.
"A good try kid, but I still win" his magenta manifested around his hand and Felix's forearms and Rhodium managed the ghost of a smirk "See my Semblance doesn't work on living tissue but you just went and turned yourself into a rock monster, so now either you let me go or when my Aura finally runs out I blow your arms off" Felix still didn't speak, the only sound he made being a deep snarl before bringing his forehead down against Rhodium's nose, the blow broke his concentration and his Semblance failed as he collapsed back into the remains of his car. The Felix began attacking, punch after berserk punch continuing long after his opponent had stopped fighting back until he felt a pair of arms pin his own to his sides and someone try to drag him back
"FELIX STOP!" Eagle's voice wavered "You can't kill him!" he returned to his natural state to avoid hurting her, staggering as the golden fire that wreathed him dissipated
"He stabbed Corvid" he gasped out, trying to overcome the instant exhaustion
"And he'll be punished for that along with everything else" she indicated upwards, Felix turned his attention to the sky his night vision instantly identifying a squadron of Bull-Heads, all but one of them bearing markings that identified them as police vehicles; they passed overhead clearly heading in the direction of Team CLIR and the several unconscious members of Rhodium's crew. The lone remaining Bull-Head was one that all of Team FADE recognised, the Jackrabbit
"Not bad kids, not bad at all" a voice called down to them, amplified by a megaphone. Standing at the mouth of one of the open side hatches were two individuals. The first was Flax Scarlatina, his machine gun gauntlets at the ready; The second was the person holding the megaphone. Brindle Bordeaux of the New Vale Police.
"I think everyone on the force is gonna want to shake your hands after this. This son of a bitch is going to prison for a very long time"
Authors Notes:
Another chapter done, and boy was this one fun to write.
Next chapter is gonna be a little less action packed but after that the build up to the Vol.2 finale starts; brace yourselves.
Also, unrelated but I've now seen Brigitte Lindholm and she's pretty close to what I picture Corvid looking like.
So let's summarise:
Rhodium is a man of many skills, evading capture is one of them. It's easy than you'd think when one knows the area better than your pursuers and has a network of people willing to do you a favour.
Is it just me that thinks little details like "The fishing industry on Patch is why this fishing village is now a safe haven for criminals" are what adds realism to a story? Things have reasons for being the way they are beyond plot convenience.
Also "Gut Wukong" is a character from The Downward Spiral, Sun's Dad and a high ranking member of Vaccuo's border patrol who was as corrupt as they come. It makes sense for 'Old three hands' to have arrangements with other black market ports.
Rhodium has a plan to go on the offensive.
"I fucking hate cops" is something of a catchphrase for Rhodium at this point.
"I'll have to mullet over" if you didn't laugh you have no soul. Also out of Team CRDL Sky Lark is the only one who never turned themselves around and is still a jackass.
Yes he drives a post apocalyptic school bus and it's all he has after a messy divorce.
He almost said something nice….then he ruined it.
Everyone needs a friend like Rusty and Lux.
Diamond Dust. They are insufferably cute together.
Felix would totally let a kid paint his nails. He'd also totally fight a child who messed with his hair, he is Yang's son after all.
Rhodium was actually going to get some stranded drivers to safety before he realised it was Team CLIR. Him being prepared to do something good then turning on a dime is going to become something of a theme for him.
Iris didn't do too much in this fight but I felt like I had to take her out early, her telekinesis makes her a little OP. I mean it has its' limits but she can hurl trucks around for limited amounts of time.
Corvid has weaponised her Puns.
A note of Corvid's Semblance, I'll explain it more in later chapter but here it is: It's called "Immovable" as long as Corey is on the ground and standing still she can't be moved, at all. Rhodium swung a sword at her and it was like hitting a wall. She doesn't use it often because it conflicts with her main weapon, the Omega Wing. But considering a persons' Semblance is an extension of who they are, Corvid making a weapon that doesn't work with her Semblance which is an expression of her stubbornness makes sense; she's just that stubborn.
Rhodium's pretty smart, he pays attention to detail and figures out peoples' weaknesses pretty quickly.
Sky's bus has enough medical supplies on it to get Corvid safely to a hospital. She'll be fine.
Ah a Hollywood style car chase (Also Hollywood fits the naming rules) I think everyone shone here. Especially Arctus who finally managed to summon something without the use of Eco-Dust.
Rhodium's Semblance has a limit, he can't blow people up on contact.
I just realised that in his Balrog state Felix is the Unstoppable force to his sisters' immovable object. The Vytal Tournament in second year is going to be fun.
Brought Brindle Bordeaux the Mastiff Faunus back, since the readers actually liked him so much. He was originally intended to be a one use character,
Thank you to SumoSnipe, Araniladin, JollyTheImmortal, FleetOfWarships, ShadowAlex2000, Arkanes Shippou, TigerRose, Ferrous and FluffyFirefly for their reviews on the last chapter.
You know Merc has told Diamond that the world revolves around her at some point.
I don't know, I think Eagle is all the nice parts of my subconscious escaping.
Yang makes 'Enough' money.
The Killer Bee has some dents and scratches, nothing that can't be fixed.
Do you still love Rhodium? Or love to hate him?
Were the puns better this chapter?
The one bit of advice I can give to people who want to write dialogue (And this is going to sound bitchy as hell) is "If it reads like the subtitles of a Shounen Anime, you need to rework it".
All aboard the SS. Diamond Dust.
In my head I hear Diamond as somewhere between Emerald and Cinder, really low and husky. In The Downward Spiral I described Gangrel as having a deep and growling voice with an accent and dialect that was based on Yorkshire. Arctus has Gang's voice but Weiss's more refined accent and dialect because she will not have her son butchering the language. For Eagle I always say "Think of a young Gwendoline Christie" and for Corvid, yeah that's pretty much spot on.
Fuck the fourth wall, I have no constraints.
Felix wasn't even lusting that bad, those two are going to be utterly oblivious for a while.
I realised I dropped the ball with the old guy….It should have been the shop-keep.
As always thank you to everyone that reads this, with a special thanks to those of you that follow, favourite and review.