.

The Oath of Outlaws

.

We aren't heroes.

We aren't saints.

No cause or mission

Is worth our death.

.

.

"Listen, Yang," Emerald once told her, while drinking at the club's bar. "You're not a hero. You're not a saint. And you definitely… definitely aren't the saving grace of this team." She poked her chest for added emphasis. "You. Are. An. Outlaw. Know what that means?"

"I'm guessing you're about to tell me."

"Don't interrupt!" Emerald drunkenly tipped back and forth in her seat. "It means, no cause, no mission, no obligation your crazy brain made up, is worth dying for. Should the worst ever happen—You cut. And you run. No looking back. We aren't heroes, and we don't put our lives before anything or anyone. Repeat it."

"Em, really. Just—"

"Freakin' repeat it, woman!"

"Okay, okay! We aren't heroes or saints. I won't put my life before anybody."

"And?"

"When shit hits the fan, I cut, and I run. No looking back."

"Good. That's the iron rule for us criminals, got it?"

"Sure, but what if, I dunno, I care about saving you guys?"

"Yang, did you not freakin' hear me?! No one is worth dying for! Self-preservation!" Emerald yelled, causing the drink in her glass to slosh. "But I guess there's that whole, 'honor among thieves' bullshit. Guess there's an oath of outlaws there too, somewhere," she muttered in a quieter voice.

She knocked the rest of the glass back against her throat. It burned going all the way down, lighting a fire in her voice once more.

"But in most cases! You RUN! No bullcrap about being noble and that noise. We run…because no one's gonna save us but us."

Yang chuckled.

"Sure, Em. No one's gonna save you, but me."

"Not what I said, punchy!" Emerald slurred. "But I love ya…" Her eyes drooped. "Don't tell Mercury I had too much to drink. He gets all surly…er when it happens."

"Yeah…" Yang hoisted the passed-out Emerald over her shoulder. "If we run, we run together."

…

…

Yang felt a sharp pain pierce her temple.

She couldn't shake the ringing from her ears.

Blood trickled down the bridge of her brow, down her nose. The taste of iron coated her taste buds and ash powdered her tongue.

Sear marks on her skin stung fresh from the explosion, before numbness started setting in.

Not good, she thought to herself.

If my body's trying to block out the pain, I must be in really bad shape.

Yang knew her body. Pain kept her on her toes, made her aware of her injuries. It meant she was in the fight.

But not knowing—that meant there was too much. Her body was trying to hide how hurt it was.

As she crawled on all fours, her vision blurred and distorted. Yang was losing blood quick. A large wound on her abdominals was leaking out.

One thought repeated itself.

This is bad…

This is real bad…

She squinted her eyes and saw her teammate, unconscious and bleeding out on the floor. Yang's heart sank when she noticed the girl's eyes rolled back and unresponsive.

She yelled her name, but wasn't sure whether her voice reached or if her throat was too hoarse.

Definitely…

Freakin' bad.

.

X

.

As soon as Penny issued warnings about an incoming enemy, Neo tapped her sight into the window panels surrounding the loft. She was the first to see Vulcan flying towards them, like a cannonball shot from afar.

His giant hammer held overhead, trailing smoldering brimstone. Neo saw something like that too often to be ignorant of what came after. This whole floor would be wiped out in the next second. She would have to act fast.

Her emotions told her to look for Yang first. She was the farthest from her… She was also the hardiest of their group. If anyone would survive the attack, it would be her.

Masa and Mercury were the closest. Mercury was their best fighter. Masa was the most fragile, so there was a chance she would die from the attack.

That left Emerald…

…

Neo wouldn't be able to get to her in time.

There was never a choice to begin with, and she lamented it.

She grabbed a hold of Mercury and Masa by the back of their necks. In the brief second they showed surprise, the petite girl was already shoving them into a mirror she conjured.

Glass shattered.

Neo felt flames lash across her back like a hot whip. Her outer layer of Aura was burned away, the fire reaching her skin before the protection regenerated. And then, she fell face first onto the dancefloor downstairs.

The girl moved them as close as possible, while far away enough to escape the blast.

…At least for the most part.

"NEO!" Mercury called to her.

The young man saw her back burned raw. Smoke wafted from Neo's freshly crisped flesh. She was making small wincing sounds, which he had never heard her make before. The abrupt teleportation had him confused at first, but seeing this put him on a razor's edge.

"—What the hell is going on?!" Junior rushed to them.

"I don't know! I think it was an ambush!" Mercury replied. "The others still have to be—"

Neo violently grabbed his collar.

"Hmmghh! HGhhghh!"

Worry and panic painted every inch of her expression. There was a sorrow that could be gleaned. Something tragic in her painful sounds.

"I know! Just hold on, Neo! I'll get them!" Mercury nodded and turned to Junior. "Where are the twins?!"

"They… I sent them down the street cause we heard some guys were making trouble…"

"Are you fuc—!"

"—Mercury. Calm yourself," Masa grasped his shoulder. "This one will attend to Miss Neo. You must return upstairs."

"But!"

Neo, who was still holding his collar, pulled him in and knocked her forehead against his.

"HHNGGHH! HnNgGH!"

The sight of the girl trying so desperately to communicate made Mercury shameful of his panic.

With a calmer head, he listed his priorities. First, he needed to get to Emerald and Yang. Then he could worry about Neo. And after that, they would need to leave Vale for good. An attack of this scale was not to be taken lightly, or chance happening again.

"Masa! When I get back down, we're gunning the hell out of here!"

"Understood," the engineer replied.

Mercury released his Semblance and flew to the stairs leading up. He kicked down the mangled door that was distorted by the explosion. There, he came upon a scene of absolute destruction.

Black and ash coated the surfaces of what was once their loft. A number of their equipment was melted beyond recognition. Great waves of heat still filled the air like a freshly opened oven. And off to the side, were his two teammates.

Yang curled over their leader's unconscious body in protection.

"Mer…cury…" she said hoarsely, when she saw him. "Emerald… she…!"

From the first look, it was apparent Emerald suffered the worst of the attack. Trickles of deep red pooled on the floor from the back of her head. Her eyes refused to focus. Mouth hung open with an unnerving stiffness. Her chest wasn't moving.

It was the first time Mercury had seen Emerald like that.

"No! NO!"

"—Well, if it isn't scrawny-ass Mercury. Do you remember me, cousin?" a voice gloated.

"Vulcan…!"

At the other end of the ruins, stood Vulcan Black. His burning maul had extinguished its flames for now. And with a quick motion, he dropped the three bags he carried with him.

"Bront, Stero, Pyra, activate," Vulcan commanded.

Bursting from their bags and unfolding from their compact forms were three automatons. They looked thinner but lengthier than an Atlesian Knight. Their limbs were like sharp stilts and they had one giant optic ball on their heads, which lit brighter and brighter.

Mercury knew powering laser fire when he saw it. He stomped the floor as fast as he could, shooting dust, wood, and plaster into the air.

No sooner had he done so, a triple stream of light came through, slicing any debris it touched.

From the cloud cover, dodging past the beams, Mercury rushed the automatons with everything he had. He knew if he didn't keep their attentions, they would easily shoot Yang and Emerald. He needed to buy time, find an opportunity to take them away while they were still alive. At least, Yang…

No! She's alive! Emerald's still alive!

I CAN'T LOSE HER TOO!

As Mercury engaged the androids in close quarters, they began to kite him. They fired rounds that limited his movements, forcing him into a path of their choosing. Once there, a great weapon bound toward his flank.

Mercury's Strider sprouted wings behind his ankles. A silver burst of Aura spun his body into a swift round-house kick that collided with Vulcan's hammer. Flames from the maul ignited the air gathered at Mercury's heel—and a backdraft of flames plumed from the clash.

Both were pushed back, but Vulcan was first to recover. With an overhead swing, he ignited the floor in front of him. Lava poured over, coating the grounds under Mercury in molten spills.

Fortunately for the fleet-footed fighter, he was able to hover over it safely.

"Hmmm, had doubts when reports said you could fly," Vulcan scratched his chin. "But I s'pose it's fitting. Flyin' around like some annoyin' bug."

"I'm gonna kill you."

"Now, now. Let's not get all hot and bothered. You knew what was comin' when ya fragged Apollo and Diana. I didn't even like 'em. Good riddance, I say. So, it's nothin' personal, Merc, but I gots to kill you."

"Oh, it's personal, Vulcan. IT'S FUCKING PERSONAL!"

Mercury dashed at him, but the assassin's automatons blocked the way, and began kiting him again. The battle was following the same pattern as before. Which meant Vulcan would aim for Mercury when another window of opportunity presented itself.

Meanwhile, Yang was hastily using her Semblance on Emerald. She traced the veins that were empty of warmth. Closer and closer she looked, inspecting every root and crack for signs of life. Some thread of hope in Emerald's lifeless body.

"C'mon, Em. You…don't get to die…! Not yet! There's still too much… haven't done…"

Just as she uttered those words, Yang saw something shimmer. She pressed her palm to the girl's heart. Her hair blazed with what Aura she had left. Even with the chaos of the fight in the background, Yang focused solely on this one task. Caressing the miniscule shred of Emerald's life, nursing the wounded soul.

…

"…Ya..ng," Emerald's voice creaked.

"Em!"

"R…ru…"

The girl was trying to say more, but was unable to do so. So Yang leaned her ear close to her mouth. Only then, could she make out the word Emerald was trying to convey.

"Run."

…

The girl fell unconscious once more.

"Oath of the Outlaw, huh…!" Yang wheezed.

You made me say that back then, but I always made my own promises.

If we run, we run together.

Yang laid Emerald on the floor carefully.

She then, stood with mind-numbing effort, almost passing out doing so. Her prosthetic arm flared meekly and she used it to burn the huge wound on her abdomen close.

"GAAAHhhh! Hah….hah…!"

Yang was sure she lost consciousness for a second there. Blinking the tears out of her eyes, she checked the wound.

The hole was crusted and charred black, but the bleeding was stopped.

Good bye, bikinis.

…Fuck!

Yang tried to take the first step into a run, but ended up falling to her knees.

If I had my old Semblance, I'd probably be on fire more than that guy's hammer right now…!

…

…

Hey. You're there, aren't you? I need to save my friend. I don't care what it takes. If you need my soul or whatever price. You can take it.

But I need power.

Right. Fucking. Now!

…

Please.

…

…

Just then, Yang thought she felt a bird gently perch on her shoulder.

Embers began to flick from her golden locks again. The afterimages rising from her body were something intangible, as if wanting to take form.

Yang could feel a new strength swell from her core and alight her hands and knuckles.

This surge would be short-lived, but it was all she needed.

.

X

.

Vulcan's attention split in an instant.

He saw Yang rise with a blood-letting gaze. Experience told him she was a foe he couldn't ignore, even if she was on death's door just a few seconds ago. The assassin reminded himself of his stratagem. Taking out Emerald and Yang took the highest priority as far as he was concerned.

Mercury was currently engaged with the automatons. Having known his cousin for so long, Vulcan was able to program his artificial helpers to fight efficiently. He could deal with Mercury later. It was more important to finish off the girl of the infamous Branwen line.

"Is Neo okay?!" Yang shouted to Mercury.

"…! She got burned pretty bad, but she's good enough to defend herself!" he shouted back.

"'Kay. At least, there's that."

"—What? No worries for the other midget?" Vulcan asked, while he strode to the fiery boxer. "S'pose the girlfriend does take priorities. Don't fret though, I'll send her along soon. Mustn't keep lovebirds apart for long."

At the approach of the large assassin, Yang strained her eyes to the floor. There, she picked up a small piece of glass and palmed it.

With her fists tucked underneath her chin, Yang bound forward. Her silhouette swayed side to side like a pendulum, gaining momentum with each turn.

Vulcan and Yang entered striking distance. The assassin swung his hammer horizontal to meet with the boxer's predicted punch.

But the weapon caught nothing.

Yang faked the motion and ducked under the maul. She pushed her head against Vulcan's chest and was in deep infighting range.

Damn girl's got guts, I'll give her that.

Vulcan thought to himself.

Brass and nails, this one.

He knew what was coming and braced himself for the dirty boxing combo.

Yang delivered a blinding pepper of shots to the midsection. The large muscled body leaned over slightly from the impact. And Yang looked to finish the combo with a tight uppercut.

But before she could, Vulcan grasped the opposite ends of his hammer's shaft.

"Not too often I enjoy a throw down with someone of your like. Respect."

She knew she was takin' a hit coming in, but came anyways.

Like a guillotine, Vulcan slammed the rod of his maul across the back of Yang's neck. The blow fell so hard, it caused craters to explode beneath their feet. A sound akin to a gate shutting close resounded the whole floor.

…

But Yang still stood. Her body endured.

The boxer's consciousness blanked for a moment, but remembering to position her front foot right under, she withstood the blow without falling.

Vulcan was taken aback until he saw the accumulated muscles layering the back of Yang's neck. Clearly defined and long-trained. A trademark sign of a true boxer.

The assassin couldn't help but grin.

Yang retightened her body and snapped an uppercut straight to the jaw. The crack of the impact sent the assassin's head arcing. Vulcan's mask bent out of shape to reveal some skin. But what was unexpected, was the trail of blood that followed the punch.

The shard of glass Yang had palmed earlier, she squeezed between her index and middle finger at the moment of the strike. As a result, the fragment embedded in the bottom of Vulcan's mouth.

"Mad respect, fellow warrior!" the assassin complimented with high spirit.

You fought sure till the end. Just to add a bit more, ya hid that glass in your fist. Jupiter's info said you lot were strictly ambushers.

But from what I see here, you're all more desperate brawlers than anythin'. Used to winnin' only by the hair of your arse, aren't ya?

Hah!

That'll temper you good alrigh'. Is a shame.

Real shame.

Vulcan grasped his hammer tighter at the ends. And with a force stronger than before, he drove the steel bar across Yang's neck a second time.

The girl smashed head first into the floor. This time, defeated for certain.

…

Before she lost consciousness, Yang eyed the life veins of her opponent.

Vulcan's weaknesses were covered and few. Many of his vitals were reinforced with inhumane augmentation. His veteran experience also allowed only small periods of exposure at a time.

She bet everything she had, even if it meant sacrificing herself.

…But she willed herself to create the opening.

Neo reappeared the instant Vulcan committed his full focus to finishing Yang. Her thin blade stabbed from below, right for the spot her partner pierced with the shard of glass.

The assassin felt slim steel rip through his jaw and up through his mouth.

Vulcan pedaled back quick for a person of his stature. His mouth was opened with a vertical gash. Blood gushed down like cut open fruit.

"How zjuh fuh…?"

After thinking about it for a second, Vulcan understood how it played out.

[ "Is Neo, okay?!" Yang yelled to Mercury.

"…! She got burned pretty bad, but she's good enough to defend herself."]

He thought it was typical for Yang to worry about her girlfriend, but under that question, she was actually asking if Neo was in any condition to provide a surprise attack. In response, Mercury told her she was pretty bad, but "good enough" to.

And then, there was the glass shard from Yang's punch. Making use of Neo's ability to see via glass surfaces, she had her partner watch the fight for an opportune moment to strike. And even marked the location of weakness in the same move.

Vulcan could barely believe it.

Neo positioned herself, panting between the assassin and Yang. Though critically wounded, she still presented a viable threat. The blood Vulcan was losing was nothing to scoff at either, and if the little girl was as precise with her strikes as intel indicated, resuming the match would be suicide.

Vulcan glanced to the side and saw Mercury staring right back at him. The automatons were still fighting around his reach, but there was no doubt his cousin's focus rested in his direction.

No good, huh?

As soon as Vulcan finished assessing the situation, he made for the entryway he arrived through and leapt to the farthest rooftop he could reach. After a few seconds passed, the automatons disengaged from Mercury, following after their maker.

Once Neo was sure he would not return, she immediately fell to her knees and started checking on Yang. Likewise, Mercury rushed to Emerald's side. Each of them filled with worry over their partner's conditions.

.

X

.

Downstairs, outside Junior's club, gangsters and mercenaries attacked from all sides.

While war waged out in the streets, Masa was packing what equipment she had readied to escape with.

"Penny, this one requires an assessment. Do we have the required components to forge Miss Yang's new arm and Raven's sword?"

[Yang's new arm: Affirmative.

Raven's sword: Negative.]

"…Understood."

At that moment, Mercury and Neo carried Emerald and Yang down the stairs.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Mercury shouted.

"—You won't get out the way you guys planned," Junior came forward. "Blondie…Greenie…" he muttered upon seeing Yang and Emerald's conditions. "Are they…?"

"They're fine, but not if we stay here! What the hell happened to our escape route?!"

"Guys are coming in from every angle. They're covering the nearby train stations, too."

Mercury cursed in frustration. He looked to Emerald, who always came through in the clutch. Their leader always came up with the right solution when they needed it. But that wouldn't be this time.

"Can we hold out?!" he asked in desperation.

Junior shook his head.

"Won't be long till they break in."

Mercury was growing more panicked by the second. Even if they somehow managed to fend off the fodder, he doubt Vulcan would stand idly by. The assassin was probably observing the situation's development right now. If there was any sort of opening, the man wouldn't hesitate to launch another one-man meteor strike again.

While Mercury was trying to come up with an idea, Junior picked up one of Masa's suitcases.

"Follow me."

He led them to the club's garage and to a particularly new Hummer. Its paintjob was snow camo, likely done to match the season's weather.

"Load them in. The only way out is to break through," he tossed his keys to Neo.

Mercury turned to Junior.

"You're giving us your ride?"

"…Yeah."

"Didn't you just buy this thing after we crashed the last one at Signal."

"Yeah."

Neo finished fastening Yang and Emerald in the backseat. Masa stored the last of her equipment in the trunk along with their go-bags.

"This one has left instructions for the finished weapons to be shipped to patrons," the engineer called to Junior.

"Yeah. Get right on that soon as my establishment's not a, y'know… battlefield anymore!"

Masa stared at him for a long moment.

"Thank you."

And hopped into the backseat.

"…Emerald and Yang look pretty rough there," Junior commented.

Mercury couldn't stop his uncertainty from showing.

"Yeah, they are."

Junior faced away from him, putting on his sunglasses.

"Better get moving then. My boys and I will cover you."

"…"

He hitched a thumbs up.

"Get out of here already."

Mercury took a moment to stare hard at the club owner's back.

"You watch way too many movies, dude… But you're alright."

"I'm billing you guys for the wheels!"

"We owe ya!" Mercury jumped into the passenger's seat and turned to Neo. "Punch it!"

Neo slammed the accelerator. Tires screeched, and they were off.

On their way through the streets, they almost ran over a few gangsters. But after a few minutes, they were passing the city's borders. By the time they hit the forest, they were gone.

As more snow-covered scenery passed by, Mercury often looked outside, and then back to Yang and Emerald. Both of whom were being treated by Masa.

It would be a rough winter.

For all of them.