Part 2
(Cue: Westanie by Feryquitous)
Within Shade Academy, away team locker room
"So who are these people exactly?" Coco questioned Isis, with both her team and Shampoo at her back. The air in the room was stale and still as Isis kept pressing her fingers at the bridge of her nose. There was a noticeable irritation with how things came to be "They are my covert operations team that executes threats and gathers intel that could prevent dangerous elements to Vacuo's development. Thanks to them and my own involvement we have put Vacuo on the fast track to becoming true equals to the oth-" She was quickly interrupted by Shampoo "Cut the speech we're asking what they're capable of and what exactly is this game professor Theodore had planned?" Both CFVY and Shampoo seemed rather rushed to get this over with there was a certain level of confidence they excluded as Isis quickly picked up on.
"Fine then, I don't know the exact limits of their abilities. After taking on Cael as my private operator, he seemed keen to retain a lot of information and autonomy of his team off the record whenever reporting… Although I have leveraged some information from secure confidants." Isis moves over to a screen pulling out her scroll to pull out a few articles and have them display on the screen.
"First of all we'll start with who I know of the most of, Ayla Hadi. It might sound familiar as her family is tied to one of the big service industries. Hadi Haver Logistics, originally a faunus only company that ran dangerous transport and courier jobs most others wouldn't attempt. The many reports on her are more social gossip than relative combat ability… but from her time working within CASL I have noted her ability for dust and its use within clot-" Isis was interrupted once more, but this time by Coco.
"WAIT SHE'S HAVER HABERDASHERY!? The secretive designer infamous for the latest chic huntress combat clothes with practical dust infusion?!" Isis seemed a bit unnerved at how quickly the girl had gone through such information, but this time being a bit curious as she looked to Coco motioning her to continue "Right well, a clothing designer within the past year has been breaking out with dust designs both being extremely fashionable and/or having great practical use for huntsmen depending on the amount of Dust was infused within the clothing. I've been dying to get an opening for one of her commissioned designs!"
When the group's eyes return to Isis she seems to be taking notes "Haver Haberdashery, I'll look into that pseudonym. As coincidently fortunate as that info is, I do doubt the rest will have as much of a social print upon the world. So I'll detail what I know of their abilities and tactics so please listen…"
"The most dangerous of them is their leader Cael. He will have likely committed a plan of attack against each of you. He has been keen on concealing how his semblance functions but to the best of my deductions is that he can distort space to some degree. Most long range attacks he'll commit will attempt to hit you from a blind spot." The brief moment of recollection from calm to concerned was easy to read from Isis. She was making no effort to hide her concerns. "In any attempt to spar with him, he has shown to be reserved in his attacks. More so he was sticking to one method of fighting while quickly dissecting my own combat abilities. It was quite infuriating until I tried to push him to do more. Of which he quickly surrendered." Irritation strewn across her face as it was obvious he had likely gotten the information of her abilities.
"Luntian Hearne, is a Hunter before he is a huntsmen. The sorts of destructive dust cocktails he has contrived of has earned him the nickname the Mistalian Alchemist among the more unsavory markets within our kingdoms." Shampoo seemed to perk up at the name. Something that didn't surprise Isis knowing where the amazon clans originated from. "Most of his munitions have been notoriously effective for blasting through the aura of most fighters in one shot. Although unlike his notoriety in the past his recent work under me has his concoctions resort to non-lethal methods… so you won't have to concern yourself about dying."
Isis stops for a moment to consider the last member to be considered "But the most potentially dangerous would be Sulfur. Like Yuki he has a semblance that can allow him to copy the semblances of others. Although from what I have learned of Yuki and Sulfur is that the core of their semblances are far different from one another. Yuki's semblance from what I can tell requires a certain amount of time and observation to use copied semblances effectively." Across Isis' face crept and a smile that held a sort of disturbance among CFVY and Shampoo "While he is the least skilled of the four, Sulfur can quickly close that skill gap if allowed to consume the auras of others."
There was a pause in the air and she waited for them to accept the gravity of what kind of monster Sulfur could be "Consume… as in eat?! You're saying he eats people's auras?!" And there it was as Velvet voiced it, the realization that CFVY and Shampoo needed to recognize what sort of threat they were fighting. "That's one of the reasons I agreed to this game, to discover more of what CASL is capable of, whether you win or lose I'll be gaining information on my team… As for Sulfur, he can copy any of your strengths from contact… however once he uses your abilities he can no longer replicate them until he consumes your aura again. After all in this game, you won't need to beat CASL you just need to end Gillian. Even with the most skilled of fighters, any army will fall apart without its leaders and with such a weak person as their VIP. You only need to end her to win… now for the next part. The other reason I agreed to this little game of Theodores, a way to ensure an edge for our victory." Pulling out a small tin box she smiles to the team feeling a bit confident with what will come next.
(End song)
(Cue: The Lack of Vegetation from Iron Blooded Orphans OST)
At the gate of the Arena.
Team CASL stood quietly as they kept Gillian at the center she seemed bitter as they entered the burning sunlight. "CASL recap the objective and plan. We need to ensure there is no confusion. After all this is the life of a former student of mine. We're gambling on this fight for her life, so bring your A game." As Theodore spoke Gillian put in the effort to scoff through the comms as Sulfur looked back at her bewildered by her apparent distaste. Each member of the team cloaked in silk like breathable dressings that covered most of their body from head to toe. While it seemed counterproductive for desert heat… the colors they wore as well as the nature of the clothing allowed for the air to breath easily. With a bit of light embroidered designs of ice and wind dust to keep the team relatively cool.
"Team to recap our objective is to eliminate the enemy VIP, Shampoo, while protecting our VIP, Gillian. The plan is to have a strike team scout ahead and perform hit and run tactics till they're weakened… enough to go in for the kill. We keep our attacks light with Gillian just out of reach. Ensuring every five minutes to relocate Gillian as the beacons are set off. With the consistent attacks and their only defense to overexposure to heat being the few spots of shade or the cost of their aura. Victory should be assured." Cael reiterated their plan of attack as they began stepping out into the overwhelming colosseum.
It's size dwarfs amity arena, but could only maintain the singular desert biome. Its purpose was to test participants in their abilities for prolonged engagements. Rather than simple ideal team vs team scenarios. "So Gillian how does it feel to have the monster under your leash." Sulfur chuckles as she seems a bit disturbed and takes a step away from him. "Funny how scared you are considering the sort of occult shit you and your brother were getting into."
Gillian started fuming at the statement before blurting into an angry filled series of profanities before it could become a sensible sentence. Sulfur seemed to be enjoying the target of her wrath til she finally spoke clearly "We… we didn't have a choice because some unknown threats kept breaking down our operations… we were getting desperate. They promised they would turn her tides… so long as we agreed to their conditions." As she recollected her expression once bitter grew with a hopeless sour sense.
"We were getting desperate and the conditions of their deal was something I was arguing against. Until you arrived… and scared him into taking the deal." She said with a venomous glare right at Sulfur. The young man didn't seem to care, content with her current disposition "At least your brother has a spine to go after what he wants. From what I heard, you also wanted to be a monarch and chose to give it to you brother. Now after saying that you wouldn't entrust your life to him after entrusting your shared dream, well I gotta say you sound like a coward. A princess always wanting power, but never the responsibility of a queen. Sounds so childish." He began to snicker as the group continued forward for five minutes.
Once the five minutes had passed the group heard the electronic ding. Everyone pulled out their scrolls to look upon a map of the field. There were two dots quite a distance from one another, it would take a good a direct five minute sprint to meet one another. "You know the plan, Luntian relocate Gillain. The rest of us are gonna try to spring a trap for our eastbound friends." Luntian gave a nod and led the way as Gillian walked off giving Sulfur a stray punch that did little more than to bruise her own fingers.
(end)
As the two separated off time ticked away silently with no sudden sound of fighting or gun fire. Theodore was starting to get a bit nervous as he had no proper way to monitor the teams. "Alright the next five minute mark is about to hit kids… stay put and stay hidden. The ambush team should be near and the plateaus we decided to use as cover should have covered Gillian's retreat so they shouldn't have seen you…" Tick tock… the time kept counting down. "Everyone scrolls, we're gonna want eyes on their location." Cael said on their Comms as they were under the cover of shade. Closer and closer the timer ticked and as it hit… three… two… one… DING.
A sudden shock came to the entirety of the team; the dots were adjacent to one another and frantically Theodore and Cael both began barking the order to run. Luntian and Gillain rushed out from their cover and a brief glow caused the hunter to react kicking at Gillian's legs to trip her. Just as a stray beam of auric energy were inches away from hitting her. Spinning around to crouch, hand cannon ready to fire the first shot.
(cue: Sandy Desert from the Iron-Blooded Orphans OST)
The barrel of the gun pressed against Yatsuhashi's stomach, his arms primed overhead for a swing that would crush both him and Gillian. A single moment and the sound of thunder echoed across the arena. The shot blasting the big guy five feet back mid swing barely missing Luntian. In less than a second after an auric wolf forms within the sand underneath yatsuhashi's feet. Lunging up from above to the ground to upset his footwork and stance before fading away within seconds. Followed by a quick succession of shots that upon landing on or near Yatsuhashi create a visible pop as it seemed that air collapsed and just as quickly expanded in a fraction of seconds they appeared.
His body bounces and nearly is ragged-doll by the sudden explosions of air right near him. Causing his aura to become shaky rather faster than he anticipated, but he wouldn't need to wait for long as the rest of the team soon converged on his position. Luntian yells back for Gillain to run as a second wolf forms underneath her feet to carry her off. Gillain yelps and clings to the wolf for dear life as Luntian draws on his next gun as particles of aura begin to break off from his body.
Yatsuhashi steps back as Fox and Velvet lunge forth to fight against Luntian. He's quick to draw out lever action shotgun. The two were prepared to dodge against the shot, but as two wolves lunged from beneath the sand. The both of them react to strike at the constructs for Luntian to get his next shot off. As the two former wolves shifted into stone as a spray of earth dust came from the shotgun. Parts of themselves were mid way into the stone as they were left vulnerable to the next shot. The statues glowing red as traces of fire dust were illuminated upon the hail of buck they received an explosion blasting the two back before whining of machinery was made more obvious
Coco from atop the plateau began firing upon Luntian. Quickly beginning to run as he abandons his hand cannon and shotgun. The placements of her shots quickly began gaining on Luntian, but as one of his auric wolves formed underneath him. His legs stopped running and the wolf itself providing a platform just inches above the ground allowed him to glide far faster across the sand. Sling his rifle around a quick thought occurred to him that the enemy leader wasn't among them. Looking through his scope as he weaved in and out of Coco's gunfire. Seeing the damn amazon flying towards Gillian and the last wolf made him act far faster now. Loading his rifle as quickly as he could with a primary shot. He took a deep breath, felt the wind, focused, and fired. The strongest sound of thunder came not long after, Striking down shampoo… but there was no alarm. No sign of victory and in seconds Luntian was knocked to his feet above him was the swordsman Yatsuhashi.
(End)
His hand firmly grippin the hunter by the throat as his semblance shot through him and had his memory fade. Before followed by a series of punches to knock down Luntian's aura into the red. Knocking him out of the competition. Laying there in his defeat he just took a breath and tried to relax.
Coco Checked her scroll for the team's aura, besides her everyone had lost heavy chunks of aura. Going through her own comm she called Shampoo "We got their sniper, are you alright should we send someone to help?" On the other end she could hear shampoo coughing clearly having got winded by the shot she received. "I can handle one girl… Isis made sure we'll be seeing our targets location every minute so. She has nowhere to run... Jus… just make sure there aren't any surprises alright?" Shampoo said as she held her side… the impact had caused bleeding. Recalling Isis's tip on allowing any dangerous attacks to bypass her aura. She had to remind herself of that when she felt his sights on her… if he had gotten a clean shot the amount of aura she would have lost would have put her near the red.
Back with CFVY they seemed relieved that victory would be close at hand "Coco… what is that?!" An alarmed Velvet asked as she pointed off into the sky. "No… no way!" She began revving up her mini gun on the fast approaching blur of purple and white light. Almost as if it were a shooting start aiming straight at them. "It hasn't even been a minute yet!"