Disclaimer: I don't own the shows or the songs.
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Song: Jericho-Celldweller
San Rojeros, Friday afternoon
Ruby
Colt walked towards the saloon, Rowan flanking his right, me his left. Hunter was going to make sure no one escaped. I wore my trench coat, as did Colt, and Crescent Rose's familiar weight was on my waist.
Stepping up onto the wooden walkway before the saloon entrance, Colt placed his hand on the swinging door, then looked to Rowan. "You ready?" He asked, to which the older teen nodded. They both pulled up their masks, Rowan pulled on his hood. Colt didn't because he was wearing his hat.
Colt looked to me, and winked with a nod. I blushed, and he pushed open the door.
Inside, there was a violin playing in the corner, and plenty of people sat around, drinking, eating, gambling. I counted at least a dozen of them as Cowboys.
Colt swiveled his gaze until it stopped, a table in the far left corner, away from any windows, sat a two Cowboys, the Mayor, and the Sheriff.
"Get into position." Colt told Rowan, handing a short-barreled revolver discretely. The teen nodded, and Colt walked towards the table, smoothly and as if nothing was about to happen.
I stayed by the door, leaning against the frame and placing my hand behind my back, so a quick grab for Crescent would be simple.
Colt approached the card-players, and as soon as he arrived, he grabbed a chair and pulled it around, sitting backwards in it, facing the table. "Hey, Sheriff, mind dealing me in?"
"Who are you?" The leader, Curtis Lowe, asked. He had black hair and a full beard, a hat hanging on his back by a string around his neck.
Colt's arm dropped in an instant, and a second later, the Mayor, Sheriff, and the other Cowboy were dead.
Lowe drew a knife, and Colt deflected the blade above his head as he ducked under it, wrapping one arm around the Cowboy's throat and putting his Deagle to the man's head. All the other Cowboys stood, soon to be gunned down by Rowan and Colt. The Wildsman shot four Cowboys, then executed Lowe before taking two Uzis from the folds of his trench coat and firing into the Cowboys.
One Cowboy tried to escape, and with the press of a button, he tripped over Crescent's snath (the name of the pole of a scythe). I returned it to my back, then everything became silent.
Colt ejected the clips for his Uzis, and two new ones popped out on his legs, extended so that he could slid them into the guns.
"What is that?" I asked, pointing at the mechanism I saw on his legs.
"It's a machine that moves clips from other parts of my body to the legs, so I can reload really fast."
Rowan was reloading his revolver, and I saw a man pop out over a table, gun ready. "Colt, lookout!" I cried, then, on instinct, Crescent Rose extended into my hands and I fired, the bullet going through the man's chest, leaving a blood trail behind it.
My eyes widened in horror as I realized what I had done, and Crescent Rose tipped onto the ground as I leant on it for support, slowly sliding to the ground as I shook, tears threatening to burst from my eyes. "I just killed him…." I whispered.
I was on the ground, staring at the floor, when a tiny sob escaped from my body.
Immediately, Colt was kneeling next to me, pulling me into a hug. "Ruby…" He whispered as I cried into his chest. "Shh."
"I murdered him. I murdered him!" I sobbed.
Colt's grip tightened. "You did it to save me, Ruby. You defended someone against a bad guy."
"That… doesn't make it any better!" I told him, voice muffled by his shirt.
Colt sighed. "Ruby, this world has evil in everything, not just the Grimm. He would have probably killed me." He told me. "You reacted on instinct to protect someone, you didn't have time to think. Thank you for saving me, even if it meant killing him."
I tried to steel myself, knowing that there was now nothing to be done now, it was too late.
I continued to cry into Colt's chest for another minute, then just grew accustomed to the feeling of him rocking back and forth, trying to soothe me as if I were a small child.
Was it bad that it was working?
"We need to move." Rowan spoke as gunshots sounded outside the saloon. "There are more outside, and Hunter's holding them back."
I didn't want to move, but Colt lifted me to the feet as he stood, his hands holding my arms gently. "You go and help Hunter, I'm going to take Ruby back to Sarah's."
"What, why?" I questioned.
"You shouldn't be in a fight as soon as your first kill, it messes with your mind, could put you at risk. We need to get you to safety, with as little fighting as possible."
Colt stepped away from me and looked to Rowan. "Take these, they'll come in handy." He told him, offering his Uzis.
Rowan exchanged the revolver for the two guns, testing the weight as he nodded his thanks.
"Let's go." Colt said to me, then took me by the hand, leading me towards the back door.
0ooooooooooooo0
The next morning
Colt
I woke that morning to the growl of an animal, and sat straight up, expecting a Beowolf, my Deagle, which I kept under my pillow when I slept, at the ready.
At the foot of the bed was the wolf, fully healed and finally awake. He had been in and out for the past couple days.
I slid the Deagle into the waistband of my PJs, then reached out with my mind. Greetings, Wolf
The wolf looked startled, eyes widened as he shook his head. Is that you, human?
Indeed. You've been out of the fight for some time.
What has happened to my pack, why did you save me? He asked. Is it some sick plot to make me an obedient pet?
No, no. I have no plans on that. The rest of your pack was killed, I managed to rescue you just in time. I saved you because I thought that no majestic creature like a wolf should die at the hands of those monsters.
The wolf looked down, saddened by the news of his pack. What am I to do now? My pack is dead, it will be impossible for me to hunt without being destroyed by the Dark Wolves. Impossible to find another pack, or a mate.
Perhaps we can become friends, great hunter. Colt suggested. You could travel the world with me, my friend, until you grow tired or find a mate of you choosing, or something else that you would rather set yourself upon.
The wolf growled. You do plan on making me a pet!
Colt shook his head. No! I swear, I won't train you, or give you a collar, or force feed you anything. I can even let you hunt in the Emerald Forest for the food you need.
I find you interesting, tall hunter. I accept your offer, and will accompany you as far as I wish. What is your name?
I am Colt. What shall I call you?
We wolves have no names that could be understood by your kind, only barks and howls.
I think I'll call you Summit. Colt concluded.
What? Summit, what does that have to do with me?
Well, you were on a mountain.
The newly named wolf growled. I care not what you call me, tall hunter Colt. For now, we will see how this truce goes.
Seconds later, there was a knock at the door. "Colt, are y-you awake?" Ruby's tiny voice came through softly.
I looked at the wolf. Act like you're asleep. I warned, then looked to the door before speaking as the wolf hit the floor where he had been the last couple days, under a blinded window, "Yes, Ruby I'm awake."
"Can I come in?" She asked timidly as I pulled on a white undershirt.
"Yes, Ruby, you can come in." I answered, pulling the Deagle out of my pants and tucking it into its holster, which hung on a bedpost.
The door creaked open. "Can we talk?"
I nodded, looking at the teen reaper, and she was blushing, staring.
"So, what's up?"
"Oh, right." He face fell and she looked down at the floor. "How did you get so used to… you know, killing."
"Oh, Ruby." I sighed, stepping up to her and laying a hand on her arm. "I've been living alone in the Wilds for years. I look at those people as Grimm. Sure their more cunning, and they look like us, but their corrupt, abusive, and just as bad. I've managed to convince myself that I'm killing something as evil as the Grimm, and that I'm protecting others from the monsters they've become."
"And that makes it easier?" She asked, meeting my eyes.
I looked down to the side. "A bit. I still have that feeling I know you do, weighing down on you, and I've had the occasional nightmare, but after a while, that burden lightens."
Ruby nodded, "Thanks, Colt." She said, then I found her attached to my side in a warm hug.
"Hey," I said lightly, "don't go getting us both wet, okay?"
She smiled and laughed a little, wiping her eyes and the tears that had begun to form there.
I glanced over at the wolf, who seemed to have his eyes open and an eyebrow raised, then back at Ruby.
The girl was a foot shorter than me, her black hair with red tips in its usual style, and currently in a tank top and pink pajama pants.
"Why don't you go get dressed? We'll need to eat soon." I told her. She nodded, then left the room.
Well, that was odd. Summit told me, standing from his place.
I shrugged, pulling on a black t-shirt, then a black denim jacket. You going to stay here?
For now. From what I've heard, you're taking down a large pack of men with guns, the Cowboys. I believe in my current condition, I would not only raise suspicion, but also be a liability in the fight.
We all have our weakness. I told him. If I use too much power at once, I go into a rampage that could kill everyone around me, even the ones I love, and the more I use my semblance, the more it drains my Aura, that's why I made the gauntlet.
The wolf eyed the device that was always present on his arm, with a glove attached that had chrome plating on the back of the palm, knuckles, and small plates on each section of the finger. Why do you where it constantly?
It takes too long to put on and off, because I made it so that no one but me can take it off, unless they cut off my hand and slip it off that way. I told him as I slipped on my belt, Shadowsteel, my rapier, Deagle, and combat knife already on, along with my pouches filled with a few gadgets and tools.
I'll let you go hunt, make sure it's not anyone's livestock. I'm headed to breakfast myself.
The wolf liked his chops. Food sounds good.
I grinned. We'll have to sneak you out, so no one else sees you, or else, in the case of Ruby, you may be smothered with hugs.
Not if she values her arm. Summit growled.
After a few seconds, I used my telepathy, which could detect other people, to wait until it was all clear, then let Summit out through the side door. Stick to the alleyways for as long as possible.
I will. And don't worry, I'll probably come back.
0oooooooooooooooo0
Song: The Phoenix- Fall Out Boy
Outside the Old Crow, Red Village
Colt
Half a dozen Cowboys stood in front of the Old Crow, at center towards the back, next to his horse, was Felix Sharp, armed with a .30-30.
I had pushed my trench coat back to expose my Deagle and a Colt Peacemaker tucked into my belt, waiting for the right moment.
I saw a Cowboy go for his gun, and instantly, both guns flew from my holsters to the air, where I grabbed them and fired five time, each shot impacting with a Cowboy. All that remained was Sharp. I returned my Deagle to its holster.
"Well, let's make this fair, shall we?" I shouted over to him, reloading the revolver. The man grinned, then raised his gun, only for a single shot to impact with his chest.
I looked to the nearby roof of the Desert Hotel, where Hunter, armed with a Sharps, waved. I nodded, then slid my revolver into place at my side.
A window shattered inside the saloon, and a cowboy fired his shotgun wildly, the buckshot impacting with my armor and Kevlar clothes. I just grinned, my own .30-30 sliding out of the Void. I raised it one-handed, knowing it was already locked and loaded, and fired, the round colliding with the man and making him tumble backward out of sight.
"The Cowboys are finished." I told the crowd around me. "We'll hunt down each and every one down and give them a choice: Jail or death. Spread the word, the Cowboy dynasty ends now."
With that, I whistled, Midnight trotting to my side from an alley, and mounted the horse before riding off, satisfied that we had taken the outlaws down a peg.
0ooooooooooooooooooooo0
San Rojeros, three days later
York
Delta guided the Pelican down on the outskirts of San Rojeros, the bay door opening so the armored Freelancers inside: Maine, South, North, Utah, and Georgia along with York, could jump onto the ground, weapons out. They hurried into the city, only to find celebrations all around. Four men hung from the gallows, red scarves and sashes hanging from their boots, and at the center of a pavilion was a large banquet.
"What the hell?" South asked
"Language." Utah warned.
From his line of sight, Ruby slipped out of the party, dressed in her desert garb, and dashed to York, enwrapping him in a hug.
"Ruby, what happened here?"
"Colt helped us round up all the Cowboys!" She told them, unable to read their expressions due to their helmets. "We've been taking them out, and all their high connections in the local government. The Cowboys are finished!"
York's eyes were wide open. "Dang, the kid works fast!" He said.
"He's definitely a good addition to the New Freelancers." Maine told them.
"Why are so many dead?"
Ruby joined her two index fingers, tapping them together again and again. "Colt said there was no place to put them when we started, so he, Hunter and Rowan shot to kill until we had a good sheriff in office."
York shook his head. "I guess I can understand that…" He said, glancing at Maine. "As long as you were all trying to bring them in afterward."
"Oh, yes! As soon as Gareth became sheriff, we were bringing them in all over the place. And once we got a judge, most were sentenced to death." Ruby told them, looking down. "I guess that's the justice of the Wilds. Do something bad enough, it's either death now or death later."
"Quite frankly, I'd rather go out in a blaze of glory."
York raised his head to look at Colt, currently dressed in a pair of jeans, a white dress shirt, a black vest with silver buttons, and his black trench coat, much like York's own style some days. His hair was shorter than when the Freelancers had last seen him.
"Colt, good work here." York told them.
The boy shrugged. "I did what I felt needed to be done." He told them. "Now, is it finally time to go? There's a few girls that are giving me that eye, you know? As good as being a Wild West character, it's starting to get old."
"Sure, kid. Go say your goodbyes, grab your gear, and let's go." York told them.
Minutes later, Rowan, Colt, Ruby, and the wolf Colt had rescued were at the Pelican, ready for takeoff. York looked for one more person. "Where's Hunter?"
"She decided to stick around for a while, make sure the Cowboys don't make a comeback." Ruby told them, locking herself into the seat of the Pelican, next to colt.
Maine was loading the horses onto the Pelican, to be kept in stables at a ranch York had bought near the Emerald Forest.
"Delta, get us out of here." York said to the open air, and they could feel the Pelican rising smoothly.
Ruby was speaking to Colt, "Maybe Ozpin will let you go to Beacon. I'm sure he'd accept someone with your fighting skills." She said. "It'd be so cool, you'd get to hang out with our teams, and go to classes, and fight other students in the arena, and…"
York smiled as Colt tried to keep up with the girl's speech, which was steadily growing faster and faster as she rambled.
"Hey, Colt." York cut in, "What's the wolf's name?"
Colt grinned, looking at the giant creature. "Summit."
"Is Summit staying with us?"
He nodded. "For now."
I looked to the wolf with a grin. "Well, welcome to the New Freelancers, Summit."
The wolf barked, as if it understood, and I raised an eyebrow, to which Summit winked.
This day just keeps getting more and more odd.
