Warriors: The New Era.
Chapter Forty One: The Change Of The Tides
In this chapter, three beings of power decide to make tip the scales in their favor. Enough sidelining...
Time for the Triumvirate to make a move.
Time for them to prove that they are a threat as well...
Neddletail had an undying hatred for people with powers.
Ignorant assholes whom while blessed, squander that power and hoard it to themselves.
Still there was one thing that they had that she didn't.
A happy life.
Ever since Sol's death, the Nine split up. The Triumvirate disappeared, Darktail had began climbing the ranks of Rock's army, and Nettle, Flame, and Sleekwhisker were still following Rock blindly. She and Violetshine left, and after several weeks of covering their tracks, Needletail got a job at a diner. Cliché, but it payed off the small one bedroom apartment that she had.
Last she heard about Violetshine, was that she was holed in in Skyfair city with her sister.
As she mindlessly browsed through the cable channels on the broken TV, three sharp knocks sounded from the other side of the door.
Needletail growled, grabbing a pistol from the coffee table, and slowly walked to the door.
She opened the door, but the chainbolt, prevented it from going any further.
"Needletail?"
Needletail growled.
"What are YOU doing here?"
Ravenheart sighed, "I need your help."
Needletail slammed the door shut, "I'm not getting back in that game."
"The ARS, are here."
Needletail felt the air vaporize in her lungs.
Her pupils dilated.
They were here...
Her sins had sought her out...
"No no no no no no no no no..." Needletail repeated, running a hand through her silver hair, "You...then you can't be here! They're after me!"
"I need your help," Ravenheart whispered through the door. "They were father's benefactors. My siblings and I, need to take them down. Or at least hit them hard. You know everything about them...you were-"
The door opened so fast, and before Ravenheart knew it, Needletail was nose-to-nose with her, "Do not...finish...that...sentence..."
"Help me, and I'll leave..." Ravenheart negotiated.
Needletail coughed, and let Ravenheart pass through the doorway.
Ravenheart sat down by the couch, while Needletail made way to the fridge, "You want a beer? Oh wait, you're a tea person..."
"You don't have to get me anything," Ravenheart informed.
"I don't HAVE to, just being a gracious host," she replied, pulling a bootlle and a plate of frozen pizza out.
"Now what is it you want?"
"Who leads them?'
"No."
"What?" Ravenheart asked, unsure of what she meant.
"No. You are NEVER touching Sky," Needletail responded, "She's got plans for plans! You'll NEVER touch her. She's got everything, body doubles, face masks, voice decryptors, she can alter her appearance at will! She's so paranoid, she has everyone who closely for her wear identical masks! You'll NEVER, EVER, EVER get to touch her!"
"Then who can I take from her?" Ravenheart asked. "Who would deal a blow in his absence?"
Needletail gulped...terrified, "I escaped, because the tighter their fist was, the more could slip through their fingers. They forgot me...and you being here, puts EVERYTHING at risk! Sol protected me, but now that he is gone, I am defenseless! They don't take betrayal kindly. But they! FORGOT! ME! Do you KNOW what could happen if you go through with this?! It won't take them long to realize it was someone who knew ARS, and they'll start digging...and digging...and eventually, they'll remember! They remember me, and I'll be dead!"
"I know, but I NEED this information," Ravenheart said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder, "If you tell me, I swear to my ancestors I will protect you the best I can."
Needletail nodded, still afraid "G-Garrison. I heard he was paroled on Sol's old informant feeds. He's second only to Sky. You take him down, you cripple them, but they will counterattack!"
Ravenheart grinned, "I'm counting on it. For now, get yourself to the private airports in Skyfair. There's a man ho goes by Sully, and for a small fee, he'll fly you to an English settlement in his Biplane. Just him, and if any workers give you trouble, kill them."
"Off the books?"
"Not even the government knows about the settlement."
"I don't have much money!"
"Sol had many bank accounts that still have yet to be liquidated. Use those."
Needletail stood up and hugged Ravenheart, "You better not get me killed."
"I won't...I promise."
"How's he taking his new job?"
"Like a little shit! Honestly, Poppyfrost, he's a sixteen year old boy!"
Poppyfrost shook her head, "No. He just acts like one. That kid is special, and I know he'll be a great asset. I have faith in the boy."
"Well, you're known for faith in lost causes!"
Poppyfrost sighed. "Fang I-"
The call ended, and Poppyfrost set the phone down on the kitchen island, sitting on a barstool.
Sparkpelt was busy baking some food, as cooking was surprisingly good hobby of hers, "I take it he didn't agree?"
"Fang never agrees anymore," Poppyfrost rubbed her eyes, "He doesn't see the genius of having a kid of our own. And children are fantastic actors. You'd be surprised on the many masks the youth today wear."
"Oh, I know a thing or two about masks," Sparkpelt answered. "I just don't understand why you chose Sunfield!"
Poppyfrost sighed, and smiled, "The kid is like light. There isn't a man in the world who wouldn't want to be friends with him. He's a bright spot in a troubled world. Dusty and Jaywhisker will fall for his charms hook, line, and sinker. And maybe...Sunfield will learn a thing or two about having friends."
Sparkpelt groaned, "Yeah, but he's an idiot."
"An idiot who can sing. And something tells me that that gift, will go a long way in making Dusty his friend."
"He has stage fright!"
Poppyfrost went silent.
"Wait...HOW?!" Poppyfrost roared in confusion, "He LIVES on being the center of attention!"
"Yeah, but he doesn't like singing in front of people," Sparkpelt shook her head, "Something about his mother used to do it."
Poppyfrost rubbed her head, and then rested her eyes on Sparkpelt, getting a good look at her.
Sparkpelt was still half a foot shorter then her, and had wild red hair. Her face was littered with freckles, and her emerald green eyes shone brightly. She had decent biceps, and a curvaceous figure.
Poppyfrost stood up and walked around the island.
Sparkpelt noticing her stare, and sighed, "What?!"
"You've grown so much since I met you, all those years ago," Poppyfrost stated, "In more ways then one. You have evolved from a stubborn little brat to a mature young woman. I know I'm not your mother, but I still can't shake this feeling of pride in my heart."
"My mom dropped me off at the Cour De Miracles when I was two," Sparkpelt said coldly. "I understand it was for my safety, and I am grateful, but you are my mother just as much as she is."
"I know, and it's because of that, I know The Court of Miracles will do fine under your rule."
Sparkpelt dropped her jaw.
"W-what?!"
Poppyfrost leaned against the kitchen counter, a depressed look in her eyes. "Let's be honest, Sparkpelt. We're not all going to make it. I don't think I will. It's just a feeling, but I know even if I die, you'll be a great queen, better then me."
"Don't say that!" Sparkpelt protested, "You're-"
"Let. Me. Finish," Poppyfrost ordered.
Sparkpelt gulped down all insecurities.
"We don't know a damn thing about death. Am I going to try to stay alive. Hell yeah, but that doesn't mean I will. We could end up like Breezepelt, gunned down the next day, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. So... I want to have a plan for you. If I die, I want to make sure the Kingdom is in good hands. Promise me this?"
"I...I promise, Poppyfrost."
"Good...now get back to baking! The cookies smell delicious."
Garret McLaughlin would have hated this job.
But Garrison?
Well, HE loved this job.
He was standing in a foreman's room, overlooking a factory of the ARS, the inhabitants making guns and other weapons.
Garrison sat at his desk, his back to the window. He wasn't afraid of a sniper, because said window overlooked the ocean. No one would be getting through, and if they did, he would know.
It pays to be paranoid.
He grunted at the phone on his desk, "Minister...I don't think you realize the situation. I have missiles. You, have bombs. A trade would be very simple."
"My country cannot be known to have made deals with the ARS! America is already tense with us as is! Russia wants a piece of us too!"
"You supported Al-Qaeda, so why won't you support us?" Garrison asked, "The missiles will help...defend your territory."
"I am sorry, Garrison."
The call ended, and Garrison growled.
Suddenly, the factory shut down, the lights going out, and the emergency lights making everything hue with red.
Garrison took a deep sniff of the air, and sighed, "Well...duty calls."
He stood up from his swivel chair, and opened the desk drawer to reveal a shiny revolver.
The door to the office opened.
Garrison drew the gun so fast, that it would take a cheetah to catch up to his speed.
The next thing he knew, the gun flew out of his hands and the bullets emptied themselves out on the ground, as one man with jet-black hair entered in, with a brute of a man with dark brown hair following in.
Garrison looked at the two, confused, and then a devilish grin etched on his face.
"Sol's kids..."
Crowflight's fists glowed green, while Tigerjaw cracked his knuckles.
Garrison turned his back to them and slumped into his chair, grabbing a bowl of sweets of the desk, "Want some candy? Kids like those, don't they?"
Crowflight and Tigerjaw spared a glance at each other, before Tigerjaw let out a deep dark growl from his throat.
Garrison remained unfazed, setting the bowl down right on his desk and grinning, "I was sorry to hear about Sol's death but then again, he knew the risks of engineering bio-organic weapons and magic soldiers. Now that's a good market, eh?"
Crowflight raised a brow, while Garrison laughed. "Oh...you didn't know did you? Why do you think we were so desperate to deal with him and not Rock? Sol would have shared his children's gifts, but Rock? Oh...he likes to hoard his shit, know what I mean?"
Tigerjaw snarled, "Weapon or not we-"
"Is this your first time intimidating someone?" Garrison asked, a sharp laugh coming out after. "I'm afraid, I'm not that afraid."
Crowflight let a smirk etch across his lips, as his eyes glowed green. "Everyone's afraid of something, and if we-"
"Alligators." Garrison said out of the blue.
Crowflight lifted an eyebrow, not expecting this. "Uh...what?"
"Alligators, that's what I'm afraid of," Garrison nodded, "They look fat and slow, but when they set their sights on a target, they can run up to thirty Miles an hour! And their jaws have a locking like mechanism, so once your bit, you ain't getting out unless he wants you to. Went to Florida once, and lost two of my men in the outpost in the swamps. They are terrifying little shits, and at night? Oh...it's even scarier! All you see are their yellow eyes! And you DON'T see them until it's too late!"
Tigerjaw let out a groan. This guy clearly knew what he was doing. He was able to turn the intimidation factor against them. He sighed, and took a piece of candy off the table, much to Crowflight's annoyance.
"What?" Tigerjaw asked, eating the butterscotch candy.
Garrison grinned, standing up from his chair, and resting his fists on the desk. "So...if you're going to fiddle with my head, and make me believe I'm being chased by a pack of gators, then I know you don't do business...and more importantly, I know you are NOT in charge, and I ONLY deal, with the man in charge."
Unaware, Ravenheart floated into view from the other side of the window.
KRRSSSHHH!
Garrison flew to the ground, as Ravenheart descended above him.
"There is no man in charge. Now..."
Ravenheart used her telekinesis to make Garrison levitate to her level.
She grinned.
"Let's talk business."
By the time the ARS knocked the door down, The Triumvirate were already gone.
With Garrison nowhere to be seen.
I figured if Rex could kidnap a character of mine, I figured I should extend the courtesy. I wonder how Sky will react...
Rook takes Queen.
Check.
Your move.
Adios