'Breathe.' Sienaerde urged herself, her lungs certainly parched for air. A gross thin layer of sweat filled the thin space between her under-shirt and her skin. And on the few fields of fresh flesh the foul film was impossible to wipe away. 'This is for the mission. Just get it done.' She took a deep, shaky breath and stood tall, her frame jittering. Every joint in her had become excruciatingly sore, so much so that as she pulled her back off the wall her body screamed in agony, her stomach capsized, and her throat collapsed. Gripping her rifle firmly she struggled to pull in another breath.
'They're waiting on you. You can't stall forever.' Her eyes darted to the bathroom door. Loud and furious, Tyrian Inuhoozuki and Petunia Kapelle shouted slurs and insults from within. The two had fought like hell the whole way there, resisting their execution with unfettered conviction. Eve didn't though, she simply bowed her head and allowed her captors to drag her to her death.
'You need to do this. You are under orders.' She tightened her grip upon her rifle once again, every tendon and ligament straining. 'Stop thinking, just act.' She attempted to psych herself up in the hopes of breezing through a brutal murder, but the painful struggle for air was holding her back. Soon enough thoughts began to spark inside her which she could hold back no more. 'How are you going to face him after this?'
She stopped.
Her need for air vanished as she struggled to answer her own question.
Her eyes hung upon the door.
She was starting to sink into her own mind. Her breathing smoothed as she stood there and grappled with herself. Her face cooled, her heartbeat steadied, her tensed muscles eased; strengthening her cool, aloof stare she locked her gaze upon the door. 'This is for everyone. The majority outweigh the few… Even if he hates me, he'll understand eventually.' She took a mostly steady breath. 'We need to destroy those monsters. This is the only way. He'll understand. This is the only way.'
Her boots made their typical thump as she stepped forward. With her free hand she pushed in the door and entered, slurs echoing all around her. She tried to suppress as much doubt as she could manage as she walked straight ahead to the two masked grunts waiting for her. Before them Eve, Petunia, and Ty were lined up, shoulder to shoulder, forced into a kneel, hands and ankles restrained behind their backs. Ty and Petunia were special though. Where Eve was bound only in iron cuffs and anklets, steel rods had been added to Ty and Petunia's bindings in order to fix their knees in place.
'They brought this on themselves.' Her eyes lingering upon their open wounds. Ty was bleeding from a fresh gash in the middle of a purpling patch of face. Runny blood, diluted by spit, seeped out of Petunia's mouth, a few of her gnashed teeth askew or chipped. To their own benefit, none of their injuries impaired them from spitting hateful and furious remarks at Sienaerde.
Death threats and insults rained down upon her. Most were easily ignored; simple and shallow words that didn't come close to scathing her. Interspersed amongst the weak assault however was the occasional knife; a word or insinuation that stung more than she would ever reveal. They probably didn't even realize which ones hurt the most, they were almost innocuous.
The burning was growing severe though. Her fortitude was lurching under the weight of their vitriol. She was barely maintaining a straight face, but every spiteful word made it easier for her to justify what she had to do. However, no matter what Tyrian or Petunia slurred Eve's eyes seared away on her like dry ice on bare skin.
Sienaerde turned to the dark-haired medic and when their eyes met the pure, desolate look Eve gave her almost managed to make her wince. Unlike her friends Eve showed no malice, none at all. 'She never wanted this… I… I hold no responsibility for Howlite's condition… this isn't my fault. This is the result of Howlite's own… negligence and… intrepidness. Howlite alone is responsible. Howlite brought this upon herself.'
She abruptly turned away and continued on her orders. "Guards, lend me your rifles." Following the simple but stern order the two masked men handed their rifles to Sienaerde. Taking them and grouping them with her own she strained her spirit and channeled her semblance. Like venom, power drained from within her and flowed into the weapons evenly, but Sienaerde quickly made an alarming revelation. She had wasted a substantial amount of her energy when amplifying the power of Baula's weapon. She had not expected to use her semblance again. Her lack of foresight had prolonged the execution.
With a breath she turned to her cohorts. "Due to my diminished aura I was only capable of granting you both a meager boon." The excuse hopefully softened behind a few choice words. "Once you open fire do not yield until there is no doubt the three have perished." Taking a moment to consider her dilemma she then said, without turning to them, "Taupe, it would be in your own best interest to lower what remains of your aura fields."
A cold pang rang through her body as she dwelled upon her warning for a moment. 'This is the only way.' With a nod to her men she stepped over to Eve and raised her rifle. 'This is the only way.' Steadying the barrel before Eve's face she struggled to hold back a shiver. Weapon loaded, her executioners waiting on her signal, she stared down her sights at Eve's tear filled eyes. 'This is the only way.' The lie not sinking in.
A chill shot up her back.
Eyes bolting wide open Sienaerde turned in shock as Automne pounced upon the two would be executioners. Dawn Tranquility in his right hand he slashed through the guts of the middle man's rifle before slashing up through the other man's magazine and chamber. Shattered metal still in the air he raised his left hand and rammed the butt of his escrima into the face of the first man.
'NO!' Sienaerde screamed. Staggering back in horror her eyes never left Automne as he raised both arms to block the retort of the second man. 'Don't do this, please!' Unable to bring the words to mouth as he drove his foot down into the man's knee, eliciting a loud meaty pop and a scream of pain. Clenching her teeth and trying to hold back her tears Sienaerde gripped her rifle.
The crippled man collapsing to the floor Automne transformed Twilight Harmony and shot two rounds into his face. Pivoting on the spot he turned back to the first man, still bloodied and dazed, and fired a single round into his face to send him toppling over. The two executioners out cold Automne took a breath, and as he began to slide into relaxation Sienaerde charged him.
Raising his hands he caught the underside of her barrel and forestock with both his knuckles, his weapons painfully digging into his hands. His trust had cost him more than a good grip, in his shocked state he lost his footing and tripped over his ankles. Slammed back onto the ground Sienaerde now dominated him. Glowering down at him, her eyes brimming with tears, she screamed as she tried to push the rifle down on his throat. "Why?! Why, you-you backstabber! You-you turncoat! You liar!"
Automne grunted in pain as he struggled against her press. "Siena, listen to me! Baula doesn't care about us! He's using us!"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Her throaty scream shaking as she yelled into his face.
"Siena, please! He's using us, we need to stop this!"
"No! He can destroy the Grimm! He can end them! We can be safe!" Trembling violently, the pain and desperation sapping at her strength, her grip weakened.
Wriggling his hands Automne shifted the barrel of his gun. "Siena please!"
"No! The Grimm are out there! They'll kill us!" Shutting her eyes and shaking her head wildly, her voice breaking in her screech. "They'll kill us! They'll kill us!"
Automne broke his hand free long enough to stab the pistol muzzle into her cheek. With a pop a single round shattered against Sienaerde's cheek, releasing a cloud of purple and blue powder. Sienaerde coughed a painful wheeze as she breathed in part of the cloud. As she wheezed and lolled, her face now coated in powder, Automne took his chance. With a strike from his pistol the dazed girl flew off him and hit the floor with a thud.
Laid out on her back she feebly gasped and struggled to rise. Her fingers growing numb, her joints stiffened like lead and within seconds her writhing stopped. Weeping and coughing she croaked, "I don't wanna die… I don't wanna die." Her tears getting caught in the powder as she stared up at the white ceiling.
Automne slowly rose to his knees and looked at her, guilt welling. "I'm sorry... I'll come back for you." He waited a couple moments for her to fall unconscious before he clambered to his feet and went on. Holstering his pistol he walked behind Eve and steadied his ninjato. With a single slash he smashed through her bonds as he would then do to Petunia's. Moving to Ty he repeated the motion but unlike Petunia, who was still shaking free from her shackles, Ty decided to do something a bit different. Namely: Throwing his freed elbow backwards into Automne's ear.
"Kick his ass!" Ty shouted. Spinning on the spot Ty turned back and laid out Automne with a solid left-hook to the jaw. As soon as Automne hit the tile with a wet crack Ty pounced and blasted down upon his face with righteous fists. Automne fought valiantly to guard himself as soon as the initial daze faded, but then Petunia joined in.
Coming down on his face with her size seven sneakers she delivered the first of many furor fueled stomps which just kept coming. In fact, it was so savage an assault that she ended up knocking Ty back after hitting him on the wind-up. Shocked as he was Ty only faltered for a minute before rejoining Petunia, kicking Automne in the gut and any other sensitive bits he could ruin.
Violent growls and grunts rose from Ty and Petunia while Automne cowered underfoot. His efforts to block out their attacks were proving to be pointless, even after he rolled onto his side and took up the fetal position. Ty's kicks still sent blistering fiery tremors through his shins and Petunia was bashing his brain to death. Tears began to seep from Automne's eyes as the pain accumulated far beyond what he could consider a threshold. Automne ground his teeth together and prepared a miserable cry for mercy, but then Eve fired Sienaerde's rifle.
"AUUGHHh!" Ty screamed in pain, hands clasped firmly to his thigh as he crashed to the floor. "Bitch!"
"Eve, what the hell?!" Petunia shrieked. The ring of the rifle still hanging in the air as Petunia staggered back, fists already raised.
Eve leveled the rifle at her waist and made her assertion. "Back away."
Petunia considered a preemptive attack, swiftly running through a few fantasies to test her chances. But there was something about the bob of the bayonet that frightened her; its subtle vertical movements, its illustrious shine, and the flecks of dust-powder across its edge. Without a word, she showed Eve her open palms and backed up at the behest of the gun.
Eve wanted to sigh in relief, they could all tell.
Panting heavily, bruises already forming on the side of his face, Automne rolled over. Hesitant to sit-up he instead propped himself on his elbows. Dazed, his body still working through pain he stared at Eve, and occasionally glanced at the rifle.
Taking a firm hold on her leverage Eve whipped her aim round to Automne. Turning to him for the first time she held the iron sights steady. "What do you want?"
Automne's response started with him choking and puking up a bit of bile Ty had forced up his throat. And as soon as he finished choking he fell into sobs. Struggling to steady his breaths he blurted out the truth, "I messed up." Miserable snivels broke up the break down until he was forced to drag his hands over his face and shudder himself steady. "This is all my fault. I thought I could help people; I… I can't stop this. I need your help and I don't care if you hate me. If you want to kill me after, or beat me, or write me off, fine. I just can't do this without you."
As Automne's plea dissolved into pants a stifling humidity overcame the small room. All eyes were on him now, some more intense than others. No one spoke. No one wanted to break the silence. They just stared at Automne. Occasionally uncertainty pulled their eyes to another teammate, but Automne was the focal point they kept gravitating back towards.
And naturally the first reply came from Ty. "Go drown in your tears you weepy jackass!"
"Ty, be quiet!" Eve commanded, shrill and furious.
"Screw you Eve, you backstabbing slut!"
Automne gave a sniffle and turned back at Ty. "Ty, I honestly wish I killed you."
"I'm going to kill you, ya emo retard shit! I'm going to strangle you and watch the life drain fr-" The gunshot from Siena's rifle stifled Ty's response. For his sake Eve didn't actually shoot him directly this time, she just sent it right past his ear. "Ahhhh! Eve you crazy bitch!"
"Ty, be quiet!" Eve reiterated, gripping Sienaerde's rifle with growing anger. "I don't want to hear another word from you!"
"Eve, I'm with Ty, you're being an asshole." Petunia said with a dry glare, her hands still raised.
"I don't care! Now be quiet!" Eve shouted before turning her aim back to Automne. "Stand up." Her eyes never broke from him as he raised his head in surprise and then sullenly climbed to his feet. "Come here."
He made his way over, and with a resigned sigh stood a couple centimeters before the tip of her blade.
Eve slowly drew a much needed breath and looked Automne in the eyes. She felt the urge to smile, but instead she spun the rifle around and bashed him in the stomach with the stock. She grit her teeth and savored every second of his pained moan before he fell to the ground holding his stomach. Standing tall she let out a roar. "That's for lying to me for the past three months! "
"I wasn't lying the whole time." He groaned as he rolled onto his back.
"Shut up!" Eve shouted, ready to strike him again.
"No, no, it's okay; you two handle this. This is way more important than the terrorist cell tryna blow up the city." Petunia scoffed, still glaring at the two from the half-gunshot peanut gallery.
"We are settling this now so we don't need to deal with it later." Eve snapped. Kneeling, Eve – her white clothes coated in dirt, blood, and sweat – offered her hand to the young man. It didn't surprise her when his astonished eyes raced to hers for answers. And behind her bitter frustration, camped out somewhere behind her contacts was gentleness.
Paralyzed, tears came to him again, and with a shaken sigh he muttered, "I'm sorry."
Eve remained firm. In her gentle whisper she said, "I know."
With a weak smirk Automne placed his hand in hers. Her delicate white glove, stained and worn, still radiated warmth as she took hold of him. With no effort Eve rose, pulling him up with her. He tried to hold on as he planted his seat, but Eve briskly returned his hand.
"Eve, you're possibly one of the biggest idiots I've met" Ty grumbled as he slid himself across to a wall.
"Aww you're not completely moved to tears by the fact that twiggy virgin emo made up with the braindead virgin emo?" Petunia added, picking Ty up.
"Which one's which?"
"Actually, you're right, they're both twiggy and braindead."
"I didn't have to save you two." Automne coating them in a glare.
"Nice try there edge lord." Petunia started with a chuckle.
"You were literally just begging for our help less than five minutes ago." Ty ripping off his sash and making a shoddy compress for his bullet wound while he ripped on Automne.
"I hate you both. I hate you so much." Automne said.
"Maybe if you stopped stroking that hate stiffy you've been hanging onto for nine years and focused on what was happening right in front of you none of us would be here."
"Tyrian can you finish patching yourself up? I want to go curb stomp brown and bitchy before Little Miss friendly fire puts one through my head." Petunia interjected with a Ty jostling, her glare grazing Eve.
Automne drew Twilight Harmony and aimed it at Petunia "No one touches her."
"… You can't be serious." Petunia digging into Automne with a revitalized anger.
"I am. No one touches her… She's been through enough." Automne glanced back at Sienaerde with pity. "She has nothing. Leave her out of this."
"Funny ain't it," Ty said "You shot me in the face and now you think you have some kind of moral superiority here."
"They were fake bullets, I saved your life!"
"You sent us off a cliff!"
"I wasn't expecting that part, but it worked out!"
"You're an idiot!"
"Shut up!" Eve shrieked firing everything she had in the rifle. "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Eve's cries and gunfire stamping out the bickering like it were a depressed ember caught in a typhoon. "Why can't you just shut the fuck up and get along for once in your lives?! We're supposed to be a team and you do nothing but bicker and fight! Why can't you just pretend for five minutes?!"
Automne stared in shock. "Eve… did you just cuss?"
"Yeah, she did." Petunia interjected. "It wasn't bad either."
"Yeah, fit in pretty good."
Ty gave a genuine chuckle, "Is that what they say about your ass?"
"I hate you so much." Automne's glare feebly cutting at Ty.
"Stop ignoring me!" Eve screeched, chucking Sienaerde's rifle at the three only to have it smack into Automne's face.
Petunia let out a snort as Automne crashed to the floor in a cloud of cursing. "Nice one Eve."
"What is wrong with all of you?! Why can't you just be nice?!"
"Oh, you actually want an answer?" Petunia's sarcasm signifying that her amusement was trickling away. "Well here ya go: I don't care. Big shocker, but I don't care. I don't care about living up to whatever little fantasyland you have in your thick head. Whiny little brats who nag and bitch about every little thing wasn't in the brochure for Beacon, but I still put up with your annoying routine every day of my living nightmare because I have to. I tolerate your flat ass day in and day out and you still demand more. So how about you shut up and let me speak my mind, because I'm tired of you."
With a groan Automne tried to pull himself up. "Alright, I think that's enough… augh, Eve you broke my cheekbone."
"Automne, you shut up too you back-stabbing beta bitch!"
"You're tired of me?" Venom building in Eve's voice as she clenched her fists and marched up to Petunia. "Every day I have to put up with your foul mouth, your unwanted advances, your stupid ego, and your ugly clothes! You drink! You smoke! You bring drugs into our room!"
"Okay Eve," Automne said "I think you're going a-"
"Automne shut up! You're just as reckless and selfish as her! All of you are just a bunch of self-important idiots that only talk about sex, and pot, and fighting!"
"At least we act like ourselves!" Petunia shot, stepping forward and stabbing Eve's chest with a finger. "We're just trying to get by, but you always gotta try and shove a stick up our asses!"
"I'm trying to keep all of you out of trouble! I wouldn't be so critical if Ty did his job, and if you had some decency!"
"Oh screw you Eve." Ty snapped, using Automne to pull himself up. "You couldn't lead the blind. You're an impulsive, emotional, idiot, and the only reason anyone puts up with you is because you're a no tit, easy lay."
Ty likely had a few more words to say, but Automne's fist colliding with his teeth stifled Ty's response. "I don't want to hear shit from you dickhe- Ahhh! You bitch!" Automne's reply a bit jumbled after Ty threw a shattered tile at his swollen cheek.
"Ty, that was uncalled for! This is exactly what I mean!" Eve chided with a hateful scowl.
"Oh my Dust, Automne stay the hell out of this!" Petunia growled before kicking him in the shin.
"Hey! Leave him alone!" Eve shouted, leaping onto Petunia to give her a reparation of blows.
"You stuck up bitch!" Petunia shrieked, taking them to the floor as she yanked at Eve's hair.
And from there the room was filled with screams and whomps that echoed loudly as Petunia and Eve began to scratch, punch, kick, and bite each other. At one point Automne tried to force them into submission with yells and the brandishing of his gun, but Ty was feeling inspired. Ultimately that inspiration culminated with him sweeping Automne's legs out from under him, and pouncing on him once he hit the floor. And so, the fight went on.
Hey everybody sorry for the six month delay. Aside from lacerating a tendon on a piece of glass I don't have any real excuses other than I wanted it to be good. A huge thanks is in order to my friend Winter1112 who helped me with editing and helping me to realize what I wanted out of this chapter. He has a couple stories of his own, but they are currently under heavy revision; so if you do read be courteous.
In other news I will be replacing chapters in Team TAPE. Chapter 14 will be moved to The Mix TAPE, and Chapter 25 will be heavily revised. Chapter 1 has already gone through revisions, so please let me know what you think.
Again sorry for the delays, but if you enjoy the story please follow, favorite, and review. Thanks for reading, and until next time peace out.
-CS