Another chapter that took a while trying to decide on exactly how everyone was going to escape. Lots of comedy was involved on all sides. You wouldn't think this was a serious event with how much there was. I also tried to avoid the boring troupes on how people get out. "Oh, I'm sick. Open the door!" That never works in real life. I wanted something more interesting and in line with Touma and Jaune. It didn't take much for the White Fang to fold under some provocative material. Not much else to talk about up here except thanks to everyone who took the time to read this far.
Onishin Tsukitenshi: Yeah, no one in the White Fang can beat Accelerator. It's why he wasn't involved with them now.
VGBlackwing: Once Adam knows exactly how Touma's power works, he can easily win. Adam is a trainer fighter, physically and mentally. He could defeat Touma easily in a fair fight. Even if his Aura was negated, he would still be stronger. He also has all the physical skills he developed over the year.
DN Works: Yep. Touma isn't invincible.
Batthan the Dark Knight: Think of it more as a boot camp. Recruits are being trained there.
Xperior: It's what he does best.
Boshwa: Maybe one day.
SlothDGod: Not sure if that's good or bad from you. Jaune is the most normal among them all. He's the Hamazura of this. Mercury is a total wingman if he likes you. From the sound of that fic alone, I wouldn't read it.
WwEpsilonwW: Funny enough, that conversation between the two sort of wrote itself. You know she contradicts herself, but at the same time she's convinced herself she's right. Yang would be proud of that pun from you.
unclecreepy16: Can't just have slice of life in fics. There has to be action too.
JumpingToaster: Nice.
TheB: Touma can sleep anywhere. Sienna needs a punch to the face.
zerofire210: Ozpin's mistakes were involved with him loving Salem and hiding his mission from her. It ended up costing him his life and putting her on a path of vengeance.
G119: That was a proud moment when I came up with that.
Otaku97: Yep. It's kind of fun to point out hypocrisy.
Gamecubenut: It's not like he wanted to see it again. He barely escaped it once.
Willfinch: Many people will be upset they escaped.
Koda Nine: He can escape, but how would he learn how to fly a Bullhead?
Fernandamichelleraya: Most villains are contradictory, but they only focus on why they are right. Accelerator gets his own scenes and Touma gets the other ones.
UltraHydra: So much fun.
Warlock: Yeah, they will be the ones from the LN, not Season 3 anime.
Ahsoei: Probably not. The dragons only for special occasions.
Shikaku Zetsumei: Well, Touma pissed her off.
Guest: She asked Blake, but only like a day or two has passed since it's been revealed. It's not like a lot of time has gone by. The only two people would know are Last Order and Touma. However, I have a plan for when she finally reaches the breaking point.
Inacio: Nah. Bumblebee is the ship name for Blake x Yang.
LL: Aogami would be soooooo jealous. I doubt it will be that bad. Neo's a professional.
Passenger: Generic Faunus is most of them. names are only for ease of use and possible reoccurring characters.
Kuvukiland: Accelerator kind of has to be pushed to the side. Otherwise he curb stomps a lot. I guarantee there will be separate instances where he takes the spotlight. The entire world will consider him a hero one day. Black will appear first. Guaranteed.
Mr. X: 1) Yep. But I'm still like 3 novels behind. 2) ACIP is going fine. RD chapter is about halfway done but never got back to finish it. 3) He's lazy and goofs off a lot.
Jiraiya223: Nope.
MythAnime: Mainly to start the crossover, but he has two more uses I plan to show. I mean… he can teach Index world magic to someone like… Watts.
Rajarshi Sarkar: I shall betray your dreams.
Spartastic 4: That's all Aleister sent so far, yes.
triscythe59: 1) I kind of want to say no, but at the same time, she is an unusual situation. 2) The relic would be destroyed yes. That is planning to come up at some point. 3) The next chapter is like halfway done, but I never got around to finishing it. 4) Nah, haven't really listened to the songs. 5) Maidens level 3-4 probably. 6) Eh, no idea. Both can destroy everything in an instant. Though, I feel the gods in Index are more powerful.
ShadowBloodedge9396: The guys do their job well. The poor twins getting screwed over though.
Wade Daron: Her copy semblance lets her copy people's physical fighting styles, not their Semblances. As for Raven, I based her on someone who never fights a battle she can't win. It's why she flees Salem and why she's willing to work with Cinder to avoid fighting. Accelerator showed his powers surpass physical skills.
Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.
"Hraaaaaaaaarrhh."
A yawn split the silence in the hallway.
Two armed White Fang guards stood outside of the locked room housing Touma and Jaune. There didn't seem like a good reason for them to be there, but orders were orders. It was a cushy job that didn't require them to really do much. They stood out there, made sure the two prisoners didn't escape, and they passed food in at set intervals. Sienna wanted to interrogate them some more later and neither of them were brave enough to defy her orders.
"Falling asleep on me?" The first guard asked the one who yawned.
"Not really complaining, but I wish I had my Scroll to play some games."
"Better not," the first one told him. "If one of the chiefs walks by and sees us goofing off, we're screwed."
"Good point, Adam's been in a shitty mood. Glad the High Leader ordered him to stay away."
"You heard about what happened right?" The second guy shifted uncomfortably at the question. "The black haired kid in there crushed Adam in a fight and nearly chewed off his arm."
"How? That kid looks harmless." To him, the spiky-haired human boy didn't seem like he could beat up a simple street thug, let alone a trained combat expert like Adam.
The first guy shrugged.
"Guess he's some hidden Dragon Faunus? That's what the rumors say anyways. The High Leader didn't have him executed after she met him, so there has to be something more than meets the eye."
"If so, then the prophecy will finally come true. The day the Dragon Faunus leads us to stand above the humans, to take our rightful place on-top of the food chain."
"Huh, didn't consider you a religious zealot, man." His companion gave a bemused grin.
"Eh, one can dream."
They both chuckled and leaned back against the wall on either side of the door. If they heard footsteps, they'd immediately stand up straight with their weapons in hand in case it was one of the leaders. Should they be caught slacking, they might be forced to help those reckless new recruits with the clean-up of the vomit soaked Bullhead. They heard one of the girls broke down when she got the punishment.
Overall, things were going smoothly, no disturbances in sight and with how quiet the two captives were being, the guards quickly grew bored and inattentive.
A sudden pounding on the door jolted them out of their stupor, causing them both to jump.
"Help!" The voice of Jaune yelled from behind the door, with panic reverberating in his tone. "Touma suddenly passed out and he's not breathing!"
The two previously startled White Fang guards looked at each other. Communicating a shared distaste for what they just heard followed by disbelief.
"Are they really trying this?"
"It's so pathetic, it's actually sad."
"Please!" Jaune cried, pounding on the door some more. "I think he's allergic to the food you brought earlier!"
"Shut up!" The first guard pounded on the door from the other side. "We aren't falling for that, you fucking idiot! It's the oldest trick in the book. No one's that stupid to fall for it."
Silence followed the grunt's words.
"Your mom is!" Jaune spat back weakly, any sense of urgency gone from his tone.
"Mom jokes?" The second guard asked incredulously. "Seriously?"
"To be fair, I don't know what you two look like, so it's hard to tailor insults." Jaune admitted.
"Shut up then, you'll be let out when the High Leader calls for you." The first guard growled.
"You know her plans are insane." Touma chimed through the door.
"Listen kid. We have our orders to keep you two in there. There are no weapons inside that room so we know you aren't able to kill each other or try to do so with us. We aren't opening the door, no matter what you say. Just give it up."
"Fine." Touma growled. "Don't say I didn't warn you. We will get out eventually, you can ask Adam what happens to people who make me angry." The empty threat probably shouldn't have been as effective as it was, but the various rumors circulating through the White Fang ranks left them with a sense of uncertainty at what the boy was actually capable of.
So, when they didn't hear another attempt at escape from the two, their curiosity got the better of them as they came closer to the door, to discern what the possibly dangerous boy would try next. Both of them had Faunus ear traits, so their hearing was better than your average human. They leaned up against the door and listened. The door may have been sturdy, but sound leaked through pretty easily.
"Looks like that planned failed." They heard Jaune mutter.
"It was a long shot," Touma admitted. "We were unlucky the guards were smart." The two guards resisted the urge to high-five each other. "Guess we're stuck here."
"At least we got some entertainment," Jaune said. "Who would've left something like this behind?"
Both of the guards frowned as they listened. If whatever the boys found inside could be used for their escape, they'd be so screwed. Death would be the best possible outcome.
"Finally something good happens to us." Touma sighed. "Huh, I don't understand why some humans hate Faunus. I mean, just look at her."
"Yeah, she's hot. I bet that snake tongue of hers would feel amazing."
"It sounds like…" The first guard muttered to his partner.
"It can't be, right?" The second one muttered back. "Let's keep listening."
"Doesn't this girl look like that one who was with us on the ship?" Touma asked. "I vaguely remember her having a body like this."
"The ferret girl?" Jaune paused. "Yeah, it does look like her. She looks older, and those breasts, nice."
"That tail looks so fluffy, I just want to sleep on it." The dark-haired teen gave a dreamy sigh.
"You kind of did on the way here." Jaune pointed out, the two guards picking up a slight edge to his voice.
"I can't remember!" Touma wailed. "Though, this one keeps covering up the good parts with hers. Man, if she just moved it a bit to the left!"
"Turn the page then." Jaune demanded. "Wow, shit. Yeah, her tits are amazing."
"Where are these sexy teachers when we go to school?" Touma gave a disheartened line.
"Pretty sure that is all fantasy, dude. Normal teachers don't act like this. Did you think every one of them had a secret lust for teens?"
"Shut up and let me be happy!"
"They really have a porn mag." The second guard whispered.
"How?" The first one muttered in shock. "That room was searched top to bottom before they were shoved in there."
"Who cares?" The other one replied. "The big question here is; can we be blamed?"
Both of them were worried about that. The orders were crystal clear about what they were supposed to do. One, not let anyone in without authorization. Two, not to let those two out for any reason whatsoever without prior authorization. And three, do not pass them anything not approved beforehand. Sienna Khan had final say and she stressed that she was going to talk to them. Neither of the guards were sure what to do. They didn't pass anything to the prisoners and they didn't have anything to do with what might have been left inside.
"Damn!" Jaune's voice pulled them out of their concern. "Give me the magazine and look the other way."
"Woah!" Touma replied. "I found this. It was under my bed. I get first dibs."
"We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you!" Jaune pointed out loudly. "You had to go and defeat Adam which antagonized the White Fang! So give it here and stop whining."
"It wasn't my fault that he was a weak prick! Bastard had it coming!"
The two guards looked at each other in shock. Adam was one of the White Fang's strongest fighters. Yet this boy was able to defeat him, not only that, but brag about it like it wasn't a big deal at all. How could this normal looking guy topple one of the organization's leading fighters? It couldn't be true, could it?
"Doesn't matter!" Jaune countered. "It's still your fault!"
"Listen, you!" Touma shouted back. "I've been suffering from a hangover today and I deserve some R and R. If you get in my way, you'll regret it."
"Yeah, like you could do shit against me." Jaune said. "I'd only feel bad for Ruby if I kicked the snot out of you."
A bark like laugh left Touma's mouth.
"Hah, screw you. As if you'd be a challenge. I could kick your ass from here to Vale."
"Oh yeah? You'd have to deal with Nora if you tried it."
There was a short pause.
"I-I'm not scared of her."
The two guards stopped to think about the sudden change in tone. If the boy who beat Adam sounded so frightened of this Nora person, how menacing were they compared to this boy?
"Just, give it up!" Touma yelled, the sound of a scuffle piercing through the door.
"No! I'm first!" Jaune countered strongly.
"You live with girls, just imagine them naked instead!" The scuffle sounds were growing in intensity. "I bet you've seen them naked plenty of times, so quit your bitching!"
"Please, I bet Neo walks around with nothing on all the time!"
"…not the point!"
The two White Fang guards suddenly found themselves pissed and not being entirely sure why.
"Last chance, Jaune." Touma said. "Hand it over."
"You can have it over my cold dead body."
There was a dull thud as the sound of two human bodies collided. Both of the guards listen intently as the two prisoners cussed at each other, yelling incoherent nonsense as they began to smash into things behind the closed door. The water jug inside clattered against the ground, spilling water that leaked under the locked door. Beds scrapped across the floor, and there was a heavy thump as they hit the wall. It sounded like they were rolling around on the floor trying to hit each other. The guards really wanted to watch, but they had their orders.
"Fuck you!" Touma yelled. "I'll kill you!"
"Like hell you can!" Jaune said before a dull thump shut him up. "Ah- Shit!"
"Your Aura is useless!" Touma declared.
Another loud thud shook the wall of the door as one of them slammed into it, making the two guards jump back from the surprise.
A short moment of silence followed.
"Think they're done?" The second one whispered to the first, leaning back against the door.
"Listen." The first muttered as they pressed their ears against the door.
"It's mine!" Touma declared triumphantly. "You can have it when I'm done, Jaune." Another bout of silence followed. "Jaune?" More silence. "Jaune!" Anxious footsteps revealed the urgency. "Hey! Get up, it's just a wall. You have Aura-… shit, is this blood?" They heard him move back. It sounded like he was scooting on the floor. "No no no no… Was I touching you when you hit the wall? No… Wake up damn it!"
His words grew panicked, urgency slowly encompassing what the two guards could hear.
"Get up you bastard! A Huntsman can't die from something like this!"
There was no answer.
"What do I do?!" Rhythmic footsteps sounded like he was pacing around the room. "Shit, shit, shit…" More frantic footsteps followed his incoherent muttering. "He's not breathing… What should I do?"
The two guards looked at each other once again. This wasn't good for them. Sienna Khan had said she wanted to question those two later. If one of them killed the other over a… porn magazine, then it was going to be their heads on the line. The problem was, neither of them wanted to risk opening the door. They also had orders not to go in there or let them out. It was kind of a catch 22 where they were fucked either way. If they stayed out, they could at least deny it was their fault.
"I'm so fucked." Touma continued in a panic. "There's no way out. Even if I escape, everyone's going to want to know where Jaune is. I might as well just throw myself on Sienna's mercy. No, don't say that, if you're going down, take as many of them with you as possible."
The two eavesdroppers frowned at this.
"If I knock myself out too, we can blame the guards were bored and roughed us up," Touma continued, sounding more confident as he said the plan out loud. "Sienna would flay them alive with that temper of hers and I'll be fine. No one will suspect anything."
"Is that human serious?" The first guard growled, attempting to suppress his rising concern with an angered front. Once again, a human was prepared to blame Faunus for their problems.
"The High Leader wouldn't believe that, right?" The second guard asked nervously. "Him over us?"
What followed their question was a loud thud. It sounded like Touma slammed himself against the far wall. As the two guards came to that realization, they quickly turned to action.
"That bastard is actually going through with it!" The guard gasped. "Come on. We are putting a stop to this."
He pulled out his key and hurriedly put it into the lock. Both of them knew a lot of the White Fang leaders had nasty tempers. Adam was particularly bad about it. He was a strategic planner, an accomplished fighter, possessing courage above what many Huntsmen displayed, but in his rage he could lash out. Sienna was a little more controlled, but if someone got in her way, they'd be dealt with. She would not hesitate to have them killed, or to make them experience something far, far worse than death.
It took a few tries to get the key in but the lock finally clicked and the two of them ran in. Before they even had a chance to scan the room, they were immediately slammed against the wall as a very much conscious Jaune tackled them both.
One of the men hit his head against the metallic bed frame, knocking himself out as he fell. The second was merely dazed and very much awake, drew his pistol to aim at the blonde.
He wasn't given the chance to pull the trigger, as Touma ran up and kicked the conscious one in the head, effectively knocking him out as well.
"I can't believe that worked," Jaune said, rubbing his shoulder. The hit he took against the wall had hurt more than he thought it would. The pain was already subsiding as his Aura took care of it.
"We had to make it believable," Touma said, stripping a guard of their jacket, pants and mask. "Sorry for the insults, hopefully they won't hate us too much when they wake up."
Jaune did the same to the other guard, both collecting their new disguise. "Can't remember the last time I cussed that much."
"Eh, my friends and I call each other bastards all the time. I just watch my mouth around teachers and girls."
"Unlike Yang, who probably cusses at her own dad like a drunken sailor."
"Now add Accelerator to that and you'd have a party."
"Pretty sure they would become best friends doing that."
They both shared a laugh, knowing their overzealous friends weren't exactly the most charming of talkers.
"What now?" Jaune asked, growing serious as he donned the White Fang outfit.
"We sneak out and… steal a ship I guess?" Touma said. "Honestly, I didn't fully expect this to work."
"We have to move fast then." Jaune sighed. "It's not going to take them long to notice the missing guards."
The two of them put the masks on, stepped outside the room, locked the door on the unconscious guards and started moving in the direction they believed they came from.
The White Fang really needed to work on their security.
Of course, even Atlas' security couldn't stop Neo from getting where she wanted to go.
The diminutive girl was able to literally prance across the airfield and into the underground base without any issue. Her illusions let her hide from not only people, but cameras too. Once inside and out of view of them, rather than stay invisible, her appearance changed. Gone were her conspicuously colored pink, white and brown clothes as she now adorned something more suitable for her needs. A drab grey and white coat of the White Fang with a black undershirt and pants, along with a mask that appeared on her face. Two brown cat ears formed atop her head to help complete the look.
Infiltration was a specialty of hers.
With her skills and Semblance, a simple base was child's play to navigate. Though, she usually preferred to get some information on the layout ahead of time. It allowed her to avoid unnecessarily wasting time. Scouting blindly inside a building is vastly more difficult than having a basic understanding of the layout in advance. Due to her time with Roman, she wasn't unfamiliar with how the White Fang operated, so she could act the part. Which was fortunate as there were a lot of them walking around.
Bunch of animals, Neo thought annoyed, avoiding eye contact with one of the patrols. Living out here in the middle of nowhere. Now, where would they take the prisoners? Reason says at one of the lower levels to prevent possible escape. That's probably the best place to start, though I should get a basic rundown of the layout to make getting out easier.
In all honesty, getting out with Touma would be difficult and that wasn't even counting on the involvement of Jaune.
The more people traveling together in an infiltration mission, the greater their odds of being detected grew. It was why Neo usually traveled alone. Add in the fact both Touma and Jaune weren't the stealthy kind at all, would end up with them having to fight their way out. While Neo knew she could defeat plenty of the grunts that littered this base, some of the White Fang captains were pretty strong. Adam Taurus was one such individual and Neo would prefer not to see him.
Then there was the rumor she heard about the High Leader, Sienna Khan.
Neo really didn't know much about her. She heard the rumors, sure, but not much else. Sienna was young, early to mid-20s, but was known for being strict and willing to do what needed to be done for her cause. In some ways, Neo actually respected that. The world was not a kind place and the weak perished. Doing what had to be done, no matter how distasteful, would allow one to survive. Though, a certain boy would argue with her to the ends of the world if she told him that.
Neo chuckled to herself as she started to descend the steps.
It would be funny to watch Touma argue with Sienna. As much as she liked to pretend that boy was naïve, he demonstrated time and time again that he had what it takes to back up his naiveté. She had seen things that occasionally showed up in his eyes. Something more than most people could ever hope, or desire to see. At some point, Neo would have to force him to tell her about his adventures back in his world.
And to get rid of that stray cat that follows him around.
One thing at a time though. First, she needed to find where those two were being kept. Second, smuggle them out of the base. Third… third…
That's when the small girl froze midstep.
This was an unusual situation for her. Back when she was working with Roman, he did most of the heavy lifting and Neo would often save his ass when things went wrong. There had never been a situation where she had to infiltrate somewhere and then rely on someone else to prepare the escape route. It was always a case of her being prepared to handle all of this alone. Her stomach churned.
Relying on others didn't sit well with her. Not only that, but she had to rely on the goodie goodie Huntress of Beacon. Kids that were barely experienced in anything.
Carefully observing her surroundings, Neo noticed a lot of the White Fang were moving in groups. That might pose a problem for her as she was by herself. Still, that little fact didn't discourage her. If you looked like you belonged somewhere, people tended not to question you. The people who stood out are those who act like they are up to something. Hiding in plain sight is a powerful tool in the arsenal of a thief.
Technically, Neo was here to steal some prisoners.
The floor she was on now seemed to be mostly barracks. Doors were open, there were a lot of White Fang members mulling around, with and without masks. It made sense why there were so many groups now. They were all sharing the same room and probably were forced to participate in all activities together. It was kind of like how Atlas' military worked. You would keep the platoons together all the time to form a unit capable of acting as one. Neo never saw the appeal to this. A group was only as strong as its weakest link. If you were alone, you were the weakest and strongest link.
No one suspected a thing as Neo walked through the dorms.
The layout was simple and it would be almost impossible to get lost. There were several hallways with some of them seeing much less traffic. She made mental notes on what she saw and was already planning how to escape. She got to the end of the floor to where the next flight of stairs laid, when she ran into her first problem.
There was a key card slot.
Fuck.
The doors to the outside had been open to allow people to transport equipment to and from the Bullhead. With all the guards, Neo had been under the impression they didn't believe anyone would find them out in the forest; let alone get by all the guards undetected. There were only a handful of people in the world capable of accomplishing such a feat. But the White Fang had made a mistake they would severely regret.
They kidnapped her property.
That boy belonged to her and there was no way she was giving him to these animals.
Nearby, a group of White Fang members were playing cards on a table in a room where a sizable crowd was gathering in. There must have been something interesting to it, since there was no other entertainment in this craphole. Neo snuck over and watched, carefully keeping an eye on the locked door. She needed to find someone coming out who had a keycard.
Sadly, the Faunus playing were only betting money. Anything amusing like a game of strip poker was subsequently not being played.
Neo wasn't really paying attention to the game. She just went along with what the crowd was doing. If they cheered, she cheered, if they were silent, she didn't make a peep. It was hiding in plain sight, something she excelled at. No one questioned her being there. The only downside was the putrid stench of sweat. There was a lot of physical training here and that did not bode well for personal hygiene.
At long last, the door opened and a man passed through, slipping a red keycard into his pocket as he left.
Perfect, Neo mused unnoticeably slipping away from the crowd of unwashed animals.
The unsuspecting target was in plain sight and all she had to do was procure his access key. A smile graced the diminutive girl's lips as she followed him. This was going to be easy. The living key card holder marched down a side hall away from the majority of the other animals. He was obviously a higher rank personnel so this way most likely led to a private room. He stopped outside of a door and was prepared to swipe his key card when he caught her movement out of the corner of his eye.
"What do you want?" The man asked, sounding tired.
Before him was a White Fang girl he couldn't remember seeing before. The girl smiled at him and then twisted her foot into the ground like she was nervous. Her gaze roamed the surrounding area, seemingly not wanting to meet his eyes while her mouth opened and shut quickly, her cheeks turning a light pink.
"Oh…" The man blinked in realization, grinning a second later. "Can't tell if you're a new recruit who's trying to get a promotion or you just need a night with a real man. I don't really care, so come on in."
Neo loved the uneducated morons who never questioned why any girl would be attracted to them.
The two of them made their way into a single, albeit much nicer room. There was a real bed that was a drastic increase to the fancy cots the peons used. This man was either a trainer of some kind or one of the elite troops who earned their position. Judging by the fact he seemed stupider than a sack of potatoes, the spy was going with the first option.
"Lonely?" A coat fell on the bed and the door shut behind them as the man talked. He stretched a bit, trying to slyly show off his toned physique in his black t-shirt. "I should remember a cute girl like you. Did you slip in from another cell?"
Neo nodded with a light stiffness in her action. Once more looking away from the taller man.
"It's okay to be nervous. I know it's strange to be whisked away and stuck in an unfamiliar location far outside the safety of the city, but it's a small price to pay for us to stand against the humans." A large, slightly furry, hand gently lifted the young girl's chin. "We all have needs and it's not often I get to have a cute girl like you all to myself. Your ears are beautiful."
A rosy smile greeted his flattering words.
Before a knee swiftly came up between his legs.
The pain did not hit the poor soul immediately. It takes a fraction of a second before the true agony of what transpired gets recognized by his brain, that small delay giving him a moment of calm before the pain began to seep through. Time slows down for the victim. During the first stage, the mind tries to process what horrible creature would dare inflict this inhuman act upon such a tender region of the male body. The nerves have yet to register what happened, so during the next instant, the victim's hands instinctively fly down to protect the afflicted area even before the pain begins to register. Of course, they can't touch; they dare not touch the area directly. Their hands simply remained clasped around the genitals as if the body was hoping it could maybe prevent the pain from spreading out and being identified. The final stage is when the full brunt of the blow ignites every nerve within the point of contact, causing a chain reaction of ungodly pain to spread throughout the body, making the victim collapse as they can no longer retain the brain functions necessary to do so.
The fetal position is the body's last line of defense as everything is devoted to protecting the injured area while it very slowly recovers from the inflammatory agony.
"…Why?"
The voice that squeaked out of the trembling former male was high pitched, barely audible and feminine.
Of course there was no answer to that question. Instead, a foot connected with the side of his head and he fell unconscious. Normally in this situation, killing witnesses would be the best option. But a certain boy's definite lecture and expression if he were to find out quickly floated to the forefront of the assassin's mind and made her conflicted on perpetrating said act. In all honesty, it didn't matter. The man would either be found dead or tied up and the base would go into lockdown. Because this was a private room, it would just take a little longer for anyone to notice.
It wasn't like she planned an extended vacation here.
Taking the sheets, Neo twisted them tightly into rope and bound the unconscious idiot's hands and feet. For added measure, another sheet was added to make sure that guy would not wake up. A sock was shoved into his mouth. A little blood dripped from the side of his head where she kicked him, but the chest was moving up and down with each breath, so no real damage.
Probably.
Honestly, she didn't care.
The bound and gagged useless baggage was shoved as far back into the closet as his fat ass could go. Anything capable of obscuring him, boxes, brooms, clothes, were used. Smiling to herself, the girl shut the closet door. The next moment, the female White Fang member shimmered and in her place appeared an exact copy of the man. No one would know that guy was an illusion unless they bumped into him and noticed he wasn't quite that tall.
Picking up the key card, the new masculine Neo walked out of the dorm room, locked it behind her, and made a beeline for the next level. Her card swiped without issue and she entered. No one questioned why she was there and that made things so much easier. The halls on this side of the security door were much less crowded, as only authorized people could be here. That didn't mean it was devoid of anyone, just that she didn't have to worry about bumping into them. In fact, due to the limited number of people, words echoed.
"…the High Leader and Adam are not happy with each other."
Neo stopped and waited around a corner as a couple of White Fang members talked.
"She met with the prisoners and things didn't go well it seems. Adam wants them killed, but the High leader thinks they have more information."
"I heard both of them are pretty fearless. Even being captured, they sort of just slept using people as pillows and even stood against the High Leader herself."
"One of them was the person who shredded Adam's arm."
"Glad they are way over at Cell Block B, I would hate to have to be near them."
Cell block B. Perfect. But what was with them meeting the leader? What could they know?
The illusion girl was left to ponder this as she made her way through the compound. There weren't signs saying what wing was which, but there were letters and numbers on the doors. Right now, she was in wing A, she needed to find B. Continuing her journey, she carefully memorized the route and room numbers for when the time came to bail. Finally, she saw a wing with a sign outside of an open room listed as B001.
About time.
The wing was deserted, which would normally be a red flag. The only reason Neo didn't expect this to be a trap was the snippets of conversation she overheard before reaching this point. Sienna wouldn't want people near Touma for multiple reasons. Rumors had spread around that he was powerful and everyone knew the weak tended to congregate around those stronger than them for protection or a chance at some of that power. Another was Touma had a way with people. White Fang in Mt. Glenn seemed to take a liking to him after they talked. It would weaken Sienna's grip over her organization if she were to let that happen.
Neo found that highly amusing.
There was only one room that was locked in that wing. No guards stood outside of it, which seemed suspicious. Even if Sienna wanted to limit interaction, leaving prisoners unguarded was a rookie, if not purely idiotic move. Leaning forward to get a better look, Neo saw the lock was fastened securely. Not that it mattered. A small lock pick appeared in her hand and was shortly followed by the soft click of the lock opening. The door squeaked open as she stepped into the darkened room.
For a moment, it looked like the room was deserted. But, when the light was flipped on a frown crept up her face.
In the corner, two men were tied up in similar fashion to what she had done earlier. Both were only in their underwear and neither had masks. One was awake and looked at the person who entered with hope in his eyes. Oh, if only he knew how much of a sadist this newcomer was inside. Not having a choice, Neo let the door behind her close and reached down to remove the gag.
"Finally!" The man said. "The prisoners escaped and bound us up. They were inhumanly strong and overpowered us."
This was a huge load of bull. Both of them knew this and it was obviously a lie to help justify the current position. Neo herself suppressed a laugh hearing this ridiculous statement.
"We need backup, we have to find them before they escape."
A smile was all that graced his words in response, as the eyes under the girl's mask came into view. One was brown and one pink, they flickered before changing to opposite colors. Confusion was etched on the man's face before a foot connected with the side of his head, dropping him back into the blissful state of unconsciousness. Once the gag was securely back in place, the intruder turned around and exited without a word, locking the door behind her.
Outside of the room, hands clenched into fists.
Those idiots! Now it's going to be a hell of a lot harder! When I find those two, I'm going to make them wish they were dead!
A shiver ran down an unfortunate boy's spine.
"You okay?" Jaune asked quietly.
"Just a premonition I did something wrong." Touma muttered back.
"I think it was both of us this time."
"How did we end up here again?"
The two escaped prisoners were currently in the cafeteria standing in line holding trays for food disguised as two White Fang recruits.
"A combination of being lost and hungry?"
"Story of my life."
"Keep the line moving!" Someone behind them called out. "I'm starving."
Jaune and Touma hurriedly stepped forward in response as the line slowly moved.
After they had stolen the uniforms of their guards and escaped, they had gotten lost pretty quickly. Neither of them knew the way out. The longer they stayed in the area, the riskier it became. Someone was sure to recognize them even with the uniforms on. So they did the one thing they could do, try to find another spot to hide in. A small group of White Fang members were marching down the hall, allowing Touma and Jaune to file in behind them. With that, no one passing them spared them a second glance.
Their group passed through a locked door that the commanding officer had to open with a key card. Luckily they joined this patrol, otherwise they'd have no way of getting through.
At this point, it didn't matter where they were going. They just needed to either find a place to hide or a sign that could point the way out. Though, if they truly were in the middle of nowhere, escaping the compound might not be the smartest option. They only had a few scarce conversations before falling silent the rest of the way. Drawing attention could get them killed. After being forced to wait while their commander entered a room for about twenty minutes, they were then taken to the cafeteria for breakfast.
Breakfast in the loosest sense of the word.
"Next!"
White slop was thrown on Touma's tray, Jaune getting to enjoy the same treatment.
"Five star cuisine." Jaune muttered dryly.
"At least it's hot food." Touma glanced at the white unknown goo on his tray. "Warm… not cold, barely edible garbage."
Jaune snickered under his breath as they sat down. As much as they wanted to avoid others, the cafeteria wasn't really that spacious. They were forced to sit at a table with half a dozen White Fang recruits. None of them really acknowledged the newcomers except with a glance. They were all staring at their food with similar expressions of dismay.
"They could at least give us some hot sauce."
"It could be worse."
"Worse? How?"
"Could be those rations."
Everyone eventually dug in. This was always part of the military. You ate what was given to you and you had no room to complain about it. Well, one could choose not to eat, but if you were forced to do physical labor on an empty stomach, your body would not be happy. As Touma so eloquently put it, the slop was edible at least. Bland as hell, but edible.
"There are probably eggs somewhere in this." Touma muttered, earning a few chuckles at the table.
"Nah, they obviously scrape the bird poop off the roof." Someone else said, eliciting more laughter.
Even with the crap food, the atmosphere of the cafeteria reminded Touma and Jaune a lot of the one back home. It was really Jaune's first prolonged experience with the White Fang. The way they chatted with each other, laughed, mocked, it was all exactly like what happens with his friends at Beacon. At first he was just going to remain quiet, but he started conversing with the others like he had known them for years.
"Anyone see the High Leader yet?" Someone asked. "I heard she was in the lower floors."
"Nah." Another person dismissed his question with a wave of his hand. "She's leading the entire White Fang organization against the oppressive humans. She won't have time to come visit us. You have to earn an audience with her."
"I wasn't originally going to join until she took over," a girl said. "Then life started improving. Stores would actually serve me, and not chase me out just for having rough skin. It was a nice change."
"I'm not a huge fan of all the violence," a guy admitted. "But if it helps Faunus in the long run, I'm willing to be the bad guy."
"Pssh, Faunus are superior to humans." A muscular guy laughed. "We have everything they have and more. I can't wait to be under the Assault Commander Adam. He knows how to show those humans what we can do. I heard he's here too. Probably getting a reward from the High Leader for finding the legendary Dragon Faunus. His arm was supposed to be in a cast because of that."
"Are the rumors true?" The girl whispered. "I heard one platoon went and brought him here. That's why the High Leader is holding a meeting."
"What's so special about the Dragon Faunus?" Touma asked.
"Ah, I suppose if you aren't religious, you probably wouldn't know." The big guy said. "Since Dragons aren't real, no one expected any Faunus to have their traits, but legends say that when the Dragon Faunus appears, he will lead the Faunus into a new age of prosperity."
"Heh." The girl chuckled. "I doubt that's true, but if he exists, I want to know what kind of traits he has."
"Maybe he can breathe fire." Jaune suggested and several people laughed.
"Nah, wings and claws."
"Large horns and teeth."
"Woah! He totally has-…"
Their conversation was interrupted as a loud piercing alarm echoed across the cafeteria along with flashing red lights. The poor Faunus with enhanced hearing covered their ears in pain. People were jumping to their feet, wondering what it was about. The more experienced members were already lining up.
"All personnel!" A male voice came through the intercom. "Keep a look out for two escaped prisoners, both human males in their teens. There is a reward for anyone who brings them back alive. I repeat. By order of the High Leader, they must be brought back alive! All exits are to be sealed and all recruits are to head back to their dormitories for inspection. We have suspicion to believe they've disguised themselves in our uniforms."
Jaune and Touma both couldn't help but mutter a singular word under their breaths that best summarized this newfound predicament.
"Shit."
"I bet you could just go and flirt with a couple of those guards over there." Mercury said to Blake, the two of them being forced to feign being on patrol as they continued to scour the compound in their White Fang uniforms.
One of which was very tight and form-fitting on the cat Huntress.
"Shut up." Blake hissed, overly aware of the provocative position she found herself in.
The girl Mercury had knocked out was smaller than Blake. Not a lot, but enough that the clothes she wore were tight and more revealing than she would have liked. The shirt really constricted her bust and hugged her sides, not doing much to cover her midriff. The pants clung to her hips and lean legs, not quite reaching her boots. The biggest pain was how tightly they clenched at her butt and it probably looked more like she was wearing tights than the standardized uniform. Mercury was of course quick to comment on it, while Blake relived her first meeting with Touma.
At least the mask covered her reddening cheeks.
"Okay," Blake continued, trying to distract herself from her situation. "We need to acquire an escape Bullhead, because I doubt we can get all the way back to Neo's personal one. It wouldn't fit all of us anyway." She looked through the binoculars they had procured from the unconscious grunts. "There aren't a lot of guards, but the second the alarm goes off, we'll be swarmed."
"Could always grab one of the armed Bullheads and start blasting." Mercury suggested.
"Then Touma, Jaune, and Neo get locked inside while anti-air canons batter them." Blake scanned the airfield. "A couple of them are being loaded and most of the guards are around them. That must be where all the dust is. Our best shot is to try to steal one of the far ones."
"Again. Go up to that lone guard over there who's falling asleep and lay on the charm."
"I will hit you."
"Feisty, I like that-… ow!"
She was a woman of her word.
"Looks like we don't have much of a choice," She finally admitted. "We wasted a lot of time scouting. Neo's probably already found them."
"She's pretty good. Haven't heard an alarm yet."
"Don't jinx us now." A sigh escaped her lips. "Let's go. I don't see any other choice but going with your plan."
"Think we can get in without getting shot?"
"From what I've gathered, their code phrases and signs haven't change-…"
As the words escaped her lips Blake had to silence herself, remembering that she was not with her team or friends who knew of her previous exploits within the White Fang. Mercury was an acquaintance of Jaune and Touma, not someone she wanted to share her past with. Yet he was much too smart to miss her reaction though.
"You're a former member of the White Fang, aren't you?"
No response was given to his statement.
"Listen, I don't really care. Lots of people have crappy childhoods. My teammate Emerald was an orphan who had to steal to survive and now she's a Huntress-in-Training. My old man wanted me to follow the family business and even beat me when I didn't want to. So I left. Right now, I need to know what you know so that we don't die out here in the middle of nowhere. Understand?"
"Yes." That was the only response she gave to his question. "Now, follow me and let me talk."
Little did she know, Mercury had just played his part perfectly to remain in her good grace, just as Cinder ordered. A pat on the back was in order once a chance arose, along with a few snide remarks to Emerald.
"Halt!" One of the White Fang guards ordered, as they approached. "ID."
"7546." Blake replied, glad she frisked the unconscious grunts before leaving them tied up. "Just finished patrol and reporting in."
"ID matches," the man muttered. "Wish they would limit the new recruits being sent out here. Barely recognize half of you lot, it would make my job that much easier." He eyed Blake with a keen eye, looking her over up and down.
It was a little uncomfortable how long it lingered on her.
"They ran out of her size." Mercury whispered to the man with a chuckle.
In response, Blake's cheeks burned angrily, but she remained silent.
"Get that complaint all the time," the guard assured. "Not much we can do. Shipments are limited. You get a short break, then I'll send you out on another patrol. Stay nearby in case you're needed."
"Yes, sir." Blake and Mercury chanted and walked past him.
"He was totally checking you out." Mercury whispered.
"I hate you."
"If you aren't dating anyone, you should keep your eyes open."
"This is not the time."
"Are you seeing someone? Cause there are a lot of guys who would kill for a chance with you."
"I'm telling your teammate Emerald about this."
"Eh, she gets mad at me for everything little thing. So? Are you seeing someone?"
"If I say yes, will you shut up?"
"Probably not."
A low growl escaped Blake's throat, which caused the bastard to laugh some more. She was not interested in a boyfriend for multiple reasons. Right now, her future took priority which included graduating from Beacon as a Huntress, she would not only protect people, but start making changes the right way. Not with violence like the White Fang were doing. If someone was to be her boyfriend, there would be a lot of requirements. The relationship with Adam hurt her deeply and those wounds were slow to heal. It was why it was so hard to open up to her team. Yet in the end, when that moment finally happened, it was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Her boyfriend would have to be someone who was similar in that regard. Someone who she could open up to without fear of being judged. Preferably that person should be able to understand where she had been coming from too. Someone who saw her as the entire package, not just a Faunus or a girl. That was what she wanted. Unlike Yang who would just comment she needed a booty call now and then to get rid of frustration.
She needed someone who'd understand her and a certain spiky-haired someone came to the forefront of her mind.
Not the time.
"You're up." Mercury's whispers brought her back to reality.
Ahead of them there was a single male White Fang member leaning against the Bullhead, looking bored. As they approached, he quickly stood up straight, doing a terrible job at pretending to be alert. Blake could feel the man's eyes travel up and down her outfit. Cursing to herself silently, she tried to remain dignified knowing that pervert was probably imagining things. Mercury waved and slipped away. Now the guard could relax and Blake would be able to take advantage of it.
"Haven't seen you around before." The man told her.
Blake forced herself to smile. She placed a hand on her hip and watched the guy's eyes travel down under his mask.
"I'm new, just arrived yesterday."
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm on a break from my patrols and saw a big strapping guy who looked a little lonely." Blake hated herself for doing this so much. The tone of her voice drove her mad from within, but she ignored it. Instead she reached up and ran a hand down the man's chest. The guy straightened up instantly at her touch. "Thought you might like some company."
"W-well…" It was a little funny how easily he got flustered at least. "I suppose a short break wouldn't hurt. Not like anything happens way out here." He looked around and saw they were alone, but there wasn't anything blocking line of sight if someone walked by. His eyes traveled to the open Bullhead behind him. "How about we go somewhere a little more…private?"
"How bold." A forced giggle escaped her throat. "Are you sure it's okay?"
"Since you're new, you wouldn't know all the sway I pull around here." Obviously a lie. "Stick with me, and you'll have a comfortable time during your basic training here." A smile graced his lips. "I'm sure a beautiful girl like you has her own needs I can help fulfill." He put his arm around her. "Now, let's step inside and take that break."
They began to walk up the ramp into the Bullhead, the asshole lowered his arm so his hand graced her behind, making her body stiffen automatically.
This was the kind of guy Blake hated. Chauvinistic, rude, and only treated girls like objects. It made her miss people like Touma and Jaune who treated everyone equally. Male or Female. Human or Faunus. Weiss missed out on Jaune. Regardless of what she was saying, there was no way Jaune was only after her for her family name, wealth, or body.
Touma was a nice guy who never tried to take advantage of anyone, unlike the guy who was currently trying to feel her up. Maybe Yang was right, she should try to pursue something with him. Even if he wasn't necessarily going to be around forever.
The fingers on her butt tightened in a soft squeeze.
A smile graced her lips.
She was going to enjoy what she was about to do next.
Mercury may have pretended to leave, but he was watching those two from a distance. The second they walked up the ramp into the Bullhead, he sauntered over and took the position of the former guard. Now if anyone passed by, they would see a White Fang member guarding the Bullhead. A chuckle escaped him as he imagined Blake being felt up by that loser. Maybe he could tell Touma about it and see if anything comes from it. Setting up those two would guarantee him into their inner circle. Cinder would no doubt praise him.
Though, what he really cared about was how much that praise would piss off Emerald.
"Argh!"
Mercury jumped when he heard a short cry of pain coming from the Bullhead.
"What the hell, Blake? You're lucky no one else was around. Fucking a guy in the ship is bound to get you noticed."
"I heard that." Her sharp tone echoed down the entrance to the ship.
Mercury walked up and looked inside. Blake was standing over the body of the unconscious White Fang guard. He had a bloody nose and it looked like his fingers were bent in odd directions. The girl had not been gentle with the touchy pervert.
"Wow, you sexed him to death."
"Shut up and tie him up quickly while I make sure this Bullhead can move. I can't start the engines, but if we know it can move once Neo comes back, we can take off before anyone figures out what we're up to."
"Yeah, yeah." Mercury rolled his eyes. "I, your humble slave, shall do my best to make sure your plan goes on without a hitch. Please don't sex me to death. Actually… please do."
"How those two became friends with you, I will never understand."
The guy chuckled at the annoyed girl's response and went to work tying up the unconscious guard, gagging him with an old oil cloth. It was going to taste like shit for him, which was only more amusing. After making sure the loser wouldn't spoil their plans, Mercury looked around the back of the Bullhead. It was pretty barren except for one large crate. Sliding the lid off, he whistled audibly.
There were a lot of crystals.
"Looks like they're storing Dust Crystals back here, Blake."
"Huh?" Her head appeared around the door to the cockpit. "Well, don't touch them. Last thing we want is an explosion going off."
"I wouldn't be that stupid."
"Uh huh."
"Pfft. So, is this hunk of metal air worthy?"
"Yes and fully fueled too. We couldn't ask for a better ship in this circumstance."
"Now we wait for Neo to return. I'm going to stand watch outside."
Blake really didn't want Mercury to be out in the open like that. He wouldn't know all the codes and his big mouth might cause some problems. Other options weren't much better, though. They both couldn't be out there and if Blake took watch, there might be other people who recognized her. She did interfere with Roman and the White Fang multiple times.
Before she could reply to Mercury, something else distracted them. An ear splitting screech punctuated the silence.
"Shit!" Blake swore loudly.
An alarm went off, which only meant one thing.
"Ten Lien it wasn't Neo." Mercury said immediately.
Blake wanted to punch him then and there.
Meanwhile, Touma and Jaune were trapped.
The base had gone into lockdown and no one was allowed in or out.
Everyone in the cafeteria was talking anxiously. The doors had been sealed so there wasn't anything else to do. Only the upper level security personnel were allowed to enter and leave using access key cards. The recruits were left to wallow in the suffocating atmosphere. People were getting impatient and demanding answers. Finally, the doors opened and four armed commanders entered.
"SHUT UP!"
The roar from one of them almost made Touma and Jaune believe that guy was a lion Faunus. It had the desired effect and everyone grew quiet.
"You will all be sent to your barracks!" The man continued. "You have five minutes to return. Anyone still in the halls will be considered hostile. Each group leader will take role and make sure all of their men are accounted for. We are looking for two humans who have escaped their cell. They are considered armed and dangerous…"
Bullshit.
Jaune and Touma glanced at each other thinking the same thing.
"…Anyone harboring them will be considered traitors and will be handled as such. Now march!"
They stood up with the others, ignoring the questions and shouting around them. This was not good for them. They had no place to go and the second the crowd started filtering out into their rooms they would be left out in the open. Even if the two of them snuck into another dorm, they would be caught immediately. Recruits they may be, but they outnumbered them. Jaune might be able to take out a few, but Touma was a normal person without Aura. He could punch, sure, but that only worked against those that relied on supernatural powers.
"I hope you have a plan." Jaune muttered under his breath as they followed the White Fang recruits out of the cafeteria. "I'm out of options."
"It doesn't look good." Touma admitted. "I think we might be screwed."
"Well, can we plead for our lives?"
"I'm pretty sure we burned those bridges with Sienna already."
"Well… It was nice knowing you. Wish I would have gotten a girlfriend before I died."
"Ask Pyrrha out?"
"I already told Mercury I would… that doesn't matter. We're stuck here."
"I usually like to stay positive and not worry about the unavoidable impending doom that may befall this unlucky Kamijou."
"Bull, you complain on a daily basis."
They both chuckled lightly as over half the crowd they were hiding in dispersed. Even in the face of certain doom, they were keeping their spirits up. The echoing of footsteps diminished as more and more of the people retired into their rooms. A corner up ahead led to the last rooms and once those members entered, the two human infiltrators would be left alone. They prepared to make a run for it.
When two hands grabbed them and yanked them back against a wall.
"Mmph!" Touma tried to shout, but the small hands were incredibly strong as one shut him up.
Small, feminine hands.
He turned to see the familiar pink hair of a miniscule girl.
"Mmph?" Touma muttered, his eyes widening.
It was now Jaune's turn to see who it was and he was able to keep quiet. Instead, he pointed down the hall to show several people marching toward them. The boys began to fidget, but the multicolored girl held. The White Fang soldiers walked toward them and turned, not even noticing they were there. Finally, the girl let them go to regain their breath, finally able to breath normally.
"Neo?" Touma gasped. "How?"
Neo frowned at him and gestured.
"Why didn't they see us?" Jaune asked.
"Neo made an illusion of an empty hallway. She's here with… Blake?" Neo confirmed Touma was right about that. "And they are… waiting outside the base with transport to escape? How?"
The girl gestured some more and then glared at the two idiots.
"But why are you here?" Jaune asked, trying to keep his voice down. Neo waved her hand at Touma to tell him. She was getting tired of repeating herself.
"They saw the news of the White Fang attack," Touma explained, rubbing his face with his hand, before turning to Neo. "That still doesn't explain how you knew we were involved." Neo pointed to Touma angrily and then to the base as a whole and then down. "How were we supposed to know you were coming? We broke out on our own, got some breakfast, and were about to leave before the alarm went off."
Her eyes rolled at his explanation and then pointed upwards before gesturing to him and Jaune.
"How were we going to leave?" Touma repeated and was greeted with a nod.
"We were going to steal a bullhead." Jaune provided. "You know, crime."
"Oh, she knows all about crime."
Their smart mouths earned them each a swift kick to the shin.
With Neo as a guide, the three of them were able to make their way to the exit without any issue. Her illusions kept them invisible to any passing guards or cameras. They just had to stay close to each other and be silent. As long as Neo didn't put the illusion right on Touma, his hand wouldn't shatter them. Finally, they reached the final hallway, but were stopped in their tracks when they saw a dozen White Fang troops guarding the way out, all armed to the teeth.
Neo threw out an arm and stopped the boys. As she turned around, a finger was pressed against her lips, reminding them to be silent. A couple of the guards had extra ears and might hear them. Touma watched her tap her cheek as she thought about what to do. Stars appeared in her eyes and a huge shit eating grin formed on her face. Pushing them against the wall, the boys took it as an understanding they needed to stay back. She stepped forward and pointed down the hallway.
In the blink of an eye Neo materialized doubles of the two boys. Of course, they weren't in their White Fang outfits, but it was undoubtedly them.
Their illusion copies turned the corner they came from and slid to a stop when they saw the guards.
"There they are!"
The illusions ran back around a corner as the guards chased them. The second they were out of sight the illusions dispersed making the guards continue down the hall in a mindless pursuit. As the guards passed, Neo gestured frantically with an outstretched hand to get them to hurry. There was no time to be stealthy and the three of them took off running. Their footsteps might have alerted the White Fang guards, if they hadn't been running the opposite direction making tons of noise themselves.
The fresh air was a welcome relief.
Until a couple soldiers raised guns at them.
"Freeze!"
No one was surprised the three escapees didn't comply.
A couple bullets peppered the ground as warning shots. Neo had pulled out her umbrella to block any that were actually aimed by competent sharpshooters. Her eyes scanned the airfield until she noticed a familiar cat girl waving urgently. She pushed Touma toward the Bullhead, aware of footsteps echoing behind them. The gunfire had attracted the guards inside.
"Run!" Jaune yelled, booking it with Touma right on his heels.
Neo was trailing behind them, using her parasol to block bullets. Guards were now rushing out of the base and scrambling toward them. It seemed like Sienna really wanted the boys alive. If Neo ever came face to face with that bitch, a knife was going to end up in her for all this trouble.
"Get in!" Blake yelled, as they neared. She was holding onto one of the metal poles attached to the ramp. The second they were on the metal, she yelled over her shoulder. "Mercury, take off!"
"Mercury!?" Jaune and Touma gasped.
"Hey guys!" Mercury's amused voice came back over the airlines. "Welcome to 'let's get the fuck out of here' airlines. There will be no inflight movie or refreshments but we do hope you enjoy the flight."
"The door is closing too slowly!" Jaune yelled in panic, aware of the approaching guards.
"Cause this is a cargo craft, not a combat one!" Blake called back over the roar of the engine. The ship rocked as it started to rise. "It takes longer… Touma, get away from there!"
Neo couldn't believe what the idiot was doing either.
The ramp to the cargo hold was still mostly open. Normally they would let it close before takeoff, but they had to get off the ground. Bullets slammed against the ship, though they were too weak to do any real damage. The air drag was making it go even slower, but at least they were up in the air. Touma was standing near the end, looking down. The hair was whipping his clothes and hair around violently. It didn't seem to bother him, as his eyes were fixed on a target.
Sienna and Adam had just emerged from the base.
Any normal reasonable person would say what he did next was unnecessary. Touma was not someone a lot of people would refer to as normal or reasonable, even if he considered himself that. No, that boy had to tell Sienna something before they left. After their conversation, he was still a little peeved.
"Sienna!" He roared, using every ounce of power in his diaphragm to increase the volume. "What you're doing is wrong! And I'll make sure to bring you off that shitty path you've chosen."
Any possible response from the intended target would obviously be drowned out by the roar of the Bullhead. The universe though may not have appreciated it. In response to Touma's words and the rising angle of the aircraft, the crate of dust crystals began to slide across the floor, creating a loud screech across the metal. Thankfully it was so loud that Touma noticed it easily and moved out of the way.
The crate fell from the open Bullhead onto the airfield below.
Sienna was furious.
Somehow, two unarmed kids escaped their base in the span of a few hours. Even with all the guards, they somehow got past them and got onto the airfield. The smugness oozing from Adam next to her only made her infuriation intensify. To make matters worse, the Bullhead was already taking off. Gunfire from dust rifles were bouncing off the metal cover and the anti-air guns weren't operational yet. The only way someone would have known those boys were here was if their security was compromised.
They would have to change the training groups.
Again!
Her ears twitched as she heard a familiar angry shouting.
"Sienna! What you're doing is wrong! And I'll make sure to bring you off that shitty path you've chosen!?"
The smug bull next to her chuckled darkly.
"Who does that bastard think he is?" Sienna growled, causing several of the guards near her to step away as to avoid her lashing out at them.
"Look out!"
Someone shouted as a crate came barreling out of the intruder's aircraft.
From their position, it looked like the boy pushed it. Because they were flying over the airfield, they were actually above other ships. The crate tumbled out and landed directly on one of the docked Bullheads.
An explosion rocked the airfield.
Shouts were echoing all around Sienna as troops started falling back, avoiding the metal debris that were flying around. A headache slowly grew in her head, as everything that could go wrong did. Before she had the chance to say anything, another problem occurred. The Bullhead that was blown up was the one that had to be cleaned due to an accident during some of the newer recruit's return. Some cleaning supplies had been left in there.
One of which was a bucket of dirty water that was used to mop up the mess.
The force of the explosion sent the bucket flying through the air. Unlike cartoon shows, the bucket sort of crumpled in midair, instead of landing on someone. However, the murky brown water was still intact. As Sienna stood there watching the destruction unfold before her, she was the unintended target of the questionable liquid.
Many of the grunts noticed it beforehand, scrambling away from her as the aforementioned substance drenched the High Leader.
Her amber eyes blinked as she looked down at herself in disbelief. No one would have considered it unusual if the fury she was radiating would have evaporated it all. Only one person found it amusing. The red-headed commander who had warned her about letting that boy live.
She had shown weakness and paid the price.
The unrestrained savage cry Sienna emitted echoed all over the airfield and into the woods.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter. All mistakes are SilverFang88's fault.
UrsaMJR: Day 17. Food is running low, morale is nonexistent and SilverFang has succumbed to a hunger coma. I write to you in hopes this message will reach the outside world, to reach beyond these cold, stainless steel walls. Send help, Dark is forcing us to write and edit for him! All of it is a sham! He was never the true author! Our true lord is-
DB: Eat SilverFang.
