Chp. 24: Vacuo Campaign
City of Vacuo
Downtown Vacuo
Within the city of Vacuo, Team CFVY, Kendra, and Kelly are all wandering the city.
"It sure is easy to get lost in the city, isn't it?" Velvet said.
"Good thing I got us a map, just in case," Kendra said.
"So where are we now?" Fox asked.
"We're in downtown Vacuo and should be approaching the Weeping Wall anytime now," Kendra answered.
"Look. There it is," Yatsuhashi pointed.
They all looked up and saw the Weeping Wall. It is a large ten feet long, three feet thick, and forty foot high wall-like natural rock formation springing from a plaza on the outskirts of the city, which is built out of a porous stone.
"That's the Weeping Wall?" Coco asked. "I was expecting it to be, I don't know... a wall?"
"It's sort of wall-like," Kelly said.
"To me it's just a rock," Kendra said.
"I think it's truly breathtaking," Fox said.
"Very funny, Fox. Very funny," Kendra said.
"I can think of a few people who would want to study it," a voice said.
Everyone turned to see Cassandra and Lydia approaching them.
"Hey ladies. What are you doing here?" Yatsuhashi asked.
"Finding information on the Crown," Cassandra replied.
"We figured this would be a good place to start because this Weeping Wall here is the hotspot for pictures of those who were kidnapped by the Crown," Lydia said.
"Mind if we join you then?" Coco asked.
"Sure, we could use some extra help," Cassandra answered.
They all walked over to the cooler side of the stone formation, They saw the base was cluttered with an assortment of stuffed animals, bunches of desert flowers, shoes. Glasses filled with water and plates of dried meat. They then see a shrine. Loops of thin wire were wrapped around the wall, with pictures and posters pinned to them. Some of the pages were faded, nearly blank and in tatters, while others had been freshly printed or handwritten. Many of them had the same chilling word in block letters at the top: MISSING.
"Holy shit, that's a lot of missing people," Kendra said.
"Enough for an army," Cassandra added.
"I'm willing to bet most of them have powerful semblances," Velvet said.
"All this to restore Vacuo's old monarchy," Fox said.
"Monarchies always equal dictatorships. I'm surprised Vacuo is still standing for having little to no governmental system and barely any law and order to control it," Lydia said.
"Sounds like you have a low opinion on this kingdom, do you?" Kelly said.
"Vacuo is nothing but a kingdom full of lawless pigs," the French Commandant scoffed.
"There's got to be something you like about Vacuo," Kendra said.
"Only that its citizens can survive in the desert," Lydia said.
"Anyway, I think we should split up and ask about the people who disappeared," Yatsuhashi said.
"Right. Move out. But be on your guard," Lydia ordered.
The group then splits off asking the citizens about the missing people. They asked what their semblances are and their backgrounds. Most of the disappeared have powerful semblances, while others were not that powerful. They made sure to write down the names of the disappeared and everything about them, including their semblances.
Several hours later, it was night and Kelly and Velvet were wandering down the street and were about ready to go back to Shade Academy for the night.
"So how many names have we gotten?" Velvet asked.
"Twenty-eight," Kelly answered.
"So you want to go back to Shade for the night?" Velvet asked.
"Yeah. I am getting tired," Kelly answered.
Just as they were starting to walk back to Shade, they heard the sound of footsteps following them. They turned around and saw a tall man with a broad build who wore a green muscle shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals, along with a silver armband and gas mask with large eyepieces and a big, round filter in the front resembling a pig snout.
Velvet and Kelly hear more footsteps from behind them. they turn around once more to see two more people.
The person on the left is a woman with spiky pink hair, who wore a loose black robe over a white tunic. The person on the right is a lanky man who wore a brown jumpsuit and combat boots, with a brown patterned bandana covering his hair and ears. They both are wearing the same armbands and gas masks as Green is wearing.
"The Crown," Kelly thought.
"These two will do," Brown said.
Velvet puts her Scroll on speaker, hoping help will come.
"I'm guessing you guys are the Crown?" she asked.
"So what if we are?" Pink asked.
"If you are, you guys are coming with us," Kelly said.
"We'll see about that," Green said.
Brown rushes at Velvet as Green and Pink rushes at Kelly. Brown tries to grab Velvet but she jumps away from the man. Velvet kicks at Brown's head, but Brown easily moves out of the way. Velvet threw several punches and jabs at Brown, but all her attacks were easily avoided. Velvet felt like she was a little bit slower. As she threw another punch, Brown grabbed her fist and kicked her in the stomach.
Kelly swung her axe at Green who avoided the attack. Just as she swung at Pink, she suddenly became a blur as Kelly's axe phases through her body like she isn't there. Pink kicks Kelly in the side of the head and Green punches her in the face. Kelly swung her axe at the two attackers once more as they avoided the attack. Green threw a punch at Kelly but was quick to avoid. Pink and Green hurl punches and kicks at Kelly as she manages to avoid some of the attacks.
Velvet tries to kick at Brown, but easily avoids once more. Brown hurls some punches at Velvet which was unable to avoid due to being unexpectedly slow. She tries to kick at him once more, but Brown grabs her leg and throws her aside landing behind Kelly. She glances behind to see Velvet getting up from the ground.
"I see you're having as much fun as I am," Kelly said.
Just before anything else could happen, Yatsuhashi and Kendra jump out of nowhere and up to Kelly and Velvet.
"Glad you guys could make it in time," Velvet said.
Yatsuhashi nods and swung Fulcrum at Brown as he quickly avoids. Kendra swung her poleaxe at Green as Kelly swung her axe at Pink, but the attackers jumped away avoiding the attacks.
"Enough of this! Let's get out of here!" Brown shouted.
Green suddenly emitted a green smoke protruding from his skin. it covered the area obscuring everyone's vision. The smoke smelled so terrible that Yatsuhashi, Velvet, Kendra, and Kelly had to cover their noses and mouths. When the smoke cleared, Pink, Brown, and Green were gone.
"Are you two alright?" Yatsu asked.
"Yeah. Thanks for the save," Kelly said.
"You're welcome. Now we better get back to Shade and let the others know what happened," Kendra said.
The four Huntsmen in training began to walk through the streets back to Shade Academy.
Shade Academy
Headmaster's Office
Several minutes later, Team CFVY, Kelly, Kendra, Cassandra, Lydia, Rumpole, and Theodore were all gathered at Theodore's office as Velvet and Kelly explained to everyone about their encounter with the Crown.
"Judging by how you described them, I think I know who two of them are," Theodore said.
"Who?" Lydia asked.
"Rosa Schwein and Argento Pocoron. Those two were in Shade Academy that were a team alongside Jax and Gillian Asturias," the Shade headmaster explained.
"The twin leaders of the Crown," Kelly said.
"And the third must have been a kidnapped bystander now crownsman," Fox said.
"So what now?" Coco asked.
"While we were out in the city, I met up and interrogated with the twins' father Finn Asturias," Cassandra said. "We've gotten their backgrounds and semblances like in the book, along with some other information."
"I have several of my huntsmen all over the city traveling in groups, scouting out for those monarchist thugs," Lydia said.
"And I just got a call from General Ironwood," Theodore said. "He said that Weiss Schnee, Neopolitan, and Ricky Hugo are on their way here."
"Good the more help the better," Cassandra said.
"As long as you don't mix up the teams like you did in the books," Rumpole said to Theodore.
"Relax. I'm not gonna do that," he said.
