Hello fellow fan-fic author's! Another week, another chapter! Well first off a question from 'Guest' asking if Sharkface and the Counsellor would appear. No, but a subtle reference will appear hinting them in a later chapter. Also getting VERY close to that 100 favourites mark. Triple digits for the win! Now, on with the show!
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Chapter 14- The Cloak…
"Blake! Look out!" Yang shouted as she tackled the Faunus to the floor, a shotgun shell flying overhead as they both fell to the ground. Yang looked up to see a man in grey armour with a skull like helmet quickly loading a fresh shell into the rifle.
"Locus..." Blake seethed as the two huntresses dived for cover behind a crate as another blast hit the floor.
"Wait...you know this guy?" Yang asked as she loaded a fresh belt of red shells into Ember Cilica. Her and Ruby met that dick with the orange stripes at New Lincoln but she didn't think that there could be two of them.
"Unfortunately yes." Blake replied, peering around the corner as the sound of a fresh shell being loaded was heard.
Then it hit her. This must have been the guy who tried to kill Blake back when she was separated from the group. The guy who nearly killed her friend. Oh boy was she going to have a word with him! And by word she meant break every bone in his body!
"I'll cover you Blake, I got this asshole!" Yang said, patting Blake on the shoulder. The faunus turned, a surprised look in her eyes. She sighed before turning to face Yang again.
"Okay, but be careful! This guy doesn't take prisoners!" Blake warned, with Yangs simple reply being a quick grin.
She quickly broke cover and fired at Locus' position, the explosive shells forcing the Pirate to duck and take small pot-shots from his cover. Blake was quick to dash forward and sprint past the Pirate, leaping over the barricade and sprinting forward. Locus slowly turned as he aimed the shotgun at Blake's head, who didn't even realise the danger she was in.
"Hey bone head!" a voices shouted, causing Locus to turn and stagger back in surprise as he saw Yang lifting one of the crates over her head.
"Take this you Dread Pirate knock off!" Yang shouted, referring to the arch villain in the 'X-Ray and Vav' comic books, as she flung the crate at Locus, who quickly lunged for cover as the crate hit him in his shoulder, causing him to grunt in pain as the crate rolled passed him.
"Nailed it..." Yang smirked as she rushed forward, ready to beat the living shit out of Locus. She quickly leaped over the barricade, turning to face Locus as she was greeted by...nothing?
Yang quickly looked around for any sign of the Pirate, but saw nothing. No sign of any blood, so he wasn't crushed or anything...so where the hell was he?
A cold sensation ran up her spine as she heard what appeared to be skin being ripped off behind her. She quickly turned to see Locus, standing on the crate she had just thrown, materialising out of thin air. Before Yang could even comment, Locus fired a round from his shotgun, Yang lifting her fists in defence as she rolled back, quickly flipping behind the barricade.
"Okay, you can take this bastard!" Yang whispered to herself as she quickly held Ember Cilica up slightly, standing up quickly and aiming for the crate where Locus last was...only to be greeted by nothing yet again.
"Oh c'mon!" Yang yelled in frustration as her eyes darted around, looking for any sign of Locus. As she turned again, she was greeted by an invisible force that hit her in her forehead, followed by a hit to her stomach that caused her to keel over in pain. As she rose upward, she swung forward with Ember Cilica, both thrusts hitting nothing as she continued to swing wildly.
She felt a strong grip around her armpits and was sent swinging backwards, her head hitting the ground as she toppled face first on the floor. As she rose, she saw a blur move rapidly to her right.
With a primal shout, she lunged forward with her right fist, Ember Cilica firing an explosive shell that was quickly dodged. She felt Locus grip her arm before she was kicked in her stomach before he spun her wildly before letting go, causing her to topple over and slide on the floor. As she rose, Locus materialised before her, the shotgun strapped to his back.
"Weak and undisciplined, like the rest of your incompetent friends!" Locus scolded as he reached for the shotgun on his back. "Unfortunate, I expected more from you Yang..."
"Maybe if you stopped doing your disappearing act you'll find I'm more than you can handle..." Yang taunted as she cracked her knuckles together. If her aura could last a few more hits, she could use her semblance to put this dick six feet under.
"We'll see..." Locus calmly replied.
Immediately, he fired a round from his shotgun, Yang easily weaving past the blast. Yang fired a shot aimed at Locus' head, but he simply stepped to the left, letting the shot fly casually past his head. As both combatants closed the gap on one another, Yang thrust forward with her left fist, Locus catching her fist and forcing it to the right, causing Yang to waste her ammo. As Yang grappled with his shotgun, she tugged to to the right, with Locus releasing her wrist as he seemingly fumbled with catching the weapon.
Before she could deliver a blow to the seemingly occupied Pirate, he flipped the shotgun and used it as a bat, hitting Yang in her head and causing her to stumble backwards. Yang quickly attempted to swing forward with her right fist, only for the blow to be block by Locus' left arm, now gripped on the barrel of the shotgun. He then swung forward, with the intent of aiming the barrel at Yang, who simply forced the weapon to her right as Locus wasted multiple shells. She swung forward with her right fist, forcing Locus into a kneeling position as he weaved past the shell.
Locus quickly grabbed her hand and twisted it to the right, causing Yang to hiss in pain as her arm was twisted awkwardly. She opted instead to kick Locus down with her right leg, the power of the kick causing him to loose his grip on her wrist and his shotgun. Using the momentum, Yang threw the shotgun in the air and caught it, aiming the barrel at Locus who crawled back in an attempt to put as much distance as possible between him and Yang.
"Yippee ki yay, mother fucker!" Yang grinned as she aimed the weapon at Locus and pulled the trigger...only to be met with an audible clicking sound. "What the..." Yang muttered as she continued to pull the trigger.
"Six shells, you're out..." Locus calmly stated as he slowly stood, twisting his neck until he heard the bones pop.
Yang quickly raised the shotgun over her leg and thrust it down, the weapon snapping like plastic on her thigh before she flung both ends of the weapon like a boomerang at Locus, who stumbled back with an audible grunt before Yang dashed forward and delivered a kick to his stomach as he went spiralling over the barricade. Yang quickly followed as she jumped over the crates, only to see that the Pirate had vanished yet again.
"How about you come out of the shadows and fight like a man!" Yang shouted. She kept her eyes and ears open for any sign of movement. No matter how soft the noise was, she turned and fired a shot at it. He was playing with her and she knew it.
Then she heard a creaking noise behind the barricade. Without wasting another second, she turned and fired barrage after barrage at the area, pieces of scrap metal and debris flying from the force of the blows.
Without warning, Locus materialised in mid air as he delivered a spinning kick to Yang, causing her to fly back from the force as Locus landed with an audible thud.
Yang slowly rose as she thrust Ember Cilica forward, only to be greeted by an audible click. Growling she ejected the shells and looked to her ammo belt. Only two belts each now, and the explosive shots had been less then useful to her. She quickly flung both standard belts in the air and caught them on her wrists, the weapons loading into the chamber with a satisfying click.
She let out a growl as she sprang forward, Locus eagerly awaiting her as he sprinted forward. Yang swung forward, Locus ducking as he delivered a right hook to her gut which Yang easily dodged. Grabbing his waist, Yang picked the Pirate up and slammed him head first onto the floor, causing Locus to grunt in pain before Yang delivered a kick to his back, sending him spiralling forward.
Locus stood up yet again and shook himself, letting an animalistic snarl escape his lips. Both charged forward again and swung forward, Locus with his left and Yang with her right. Yang clutched Locus' left arm and locked it in a grip, an overconfident grin on her face.
"Having fun yet?" Yang asked, smirking as Locus struggled to free himself from the grip.
"This isn't a game, you blonde bitch!" Locus seethed as he attempted to deliver a kick to Yangs stomach, only for his leg to be caught by her free hand. She fired a shot from Ember Cilica, sending Locus off his feet where Yang quickly punched him in the gut, sending him spiralling backwards yet again.
Locus groaned as he got up from the blasts, staggering slightly before regaining his balance.
"How the hell are you even still standing?!" Yang shouted, breathing heavily as she spoke.
"You're quite experienced with administrating pain, but your blows are nothing compared to what I've already faced!" Locus seethed as he brought his hands up in a standard fighting stance.
"Let's see if we can change that..." Yang replied, dashing forward with Ember Cilica brought up to her face.
She quickly fired two blasts from Ember Cilica, both rounds impacting his chest as he stumbled back. Yang then crouched low as she tackled Locus, still charging forward with the intent of bashing him into the wall. Locus quickly clamped his hands together and thrust his elbow into the back of Yangs head, causing the blonde brawler to yelp in pain as she tumbled slightly and dropped Locus who fell on his back.
As Yang continued to tumble, Locus swung his right leg to the left in an upward arc, hitting Yangs jaw before bringing the same leg back, hitting her on the other side of her head. Then with both legs closed, he sent a kick to Yangs' stomach that sent her barrelling backwards onto the floor as he jumped up.
Yang slowly rose up and stumbled wildly as she attempted to regain her footing. His hits were coming harder now. Either he was getting stronger, which she doubted, or her aura was beginning to fail. As she regained her bearings, she realised her hair was beginning to block her vision. She brushed the stray strands to the side as her eyes registered the large amount of blood, dirt and sweat that were clinging to it like tape to a wall.
"Oh man...I'm gonna need a serious shower when I get back..." Yang groaned to herself, though judging from Locus' reaction, she had said it louder than intended.
"Really?! You are locked in battle that could very well end in your death and you're concerned about the state of your hair?!" Locus scolded as he tilted his head. "Perhaps if you spent as much time fighting as you did tending to your hair, you would be less predictable!"
"Predictable?!" Yang shouted as her hair began to glow brightly as flames danced around her form. "I've been going easy on you so far, but now the kiddie gloves are coming off!" Yang taunted as her hair became more wild and the flames more spread out, her eyes turning a shade of red slightly.
"We'll see..." Locus merely said as he held his fists up slightly.
Yang charged forward and swung her fists forward, Locus weaving beneath the blow and delivering a kick to her leg, spreading them apart slightly before hitting her in the gut, sending her staggering backwards. Yang growled as she charged yet again, throwing a right hook at Locus who quickly caught the blow and twisted her arm awkwardly, where he forced her to the ground before applying more pressure to her arm.
Yang screamed in pain as Locus continued to twist her arm. She knew he was trying to break it, make her more vulnerable to attacks. She wasn't going to let him get away with that though. Using her free hand, she fired a round at the floor, the blow powerful enough to spin her around and twist her arm into a more comfortable position whilst also dragging Locus along with her.
Using the momentum, she threw another punch at Locus, who was forced to release his grip as he staggered backwards. As he turned, Yang threw another punch, sending the Pirate flying back yet again. Yang looked at her arms to see that the fiery aura that had once surrounded her was beginning to fade. Her aura was weakening, it was time to finish this.
She charged Locus for a final time, raising her right fist for one powerful blow. Locus turned as the fist was mere inches away, and was already waiting for her. He caught the fist and spun round so his back was facing her. Still grasping onto her fist with his left hand, he thrust his right elbow below her ribs, causing Yang to buckle slightly at the blow. Then in quick succession, he delivered a blow to Yang's throat, causing the huntress in training to loosen up as she choked on her own wind pipe.
Spinning round to face her again, Locus locked her right leg behind his own leg and forced her to the ground with a loud thud.
Yang opened her now lilac eyes as her strength left her. Taking quick intakes of air, she attempted to slowly rise, only for intense pain all over her body force her to the ground. The ceiling lights blinded her, causing her vision to blur, only for a dark figure to block the light out, Locus.
"I must admit, I'm impressed." Locus replied, tilting his head back slightly, though his eyes were still focused on Yang. Yang attempted to turn over, only for Locus to slam his foot down on her stomach, causing her to groan in pain. Locus then walked towards Yang's head, his foot dangerously close to her.
"You would have made the perfect soldier, but you've been a thorn in my side for far too long!" Locus seethed, before raising his right foot, ready to stomp it down on Yang's head. "Good bye, Miss Xiao Long..."
"Not yet..." Yang whispered to herself determinately. Using what little strength she had left, she swept Locus' foot from the under him, causing him to yell out in surprise as he fell on his back. Rising quickly, she sprinted forward as Locus began to get up, clocking him around the head and sending him down again. Yang then quickly leapt on top of him, picking Locus up by his collar and readied her right fist for a death blow.
"Any last words before I turn you into paste, monster?" Yang seethed, her fists balling up tighter.
"I'm not a monster, I'm a soldier..." Locus replied, not even lifting his arms up to defend himself. "Do it! Complete your mission, be a good soldier and do your duty!" Locus taunted, looking directly at Yang with a stare so hard it seemed he was looking into her soul.
Yang raised her fist, ready to deliver a killing blow, but stopped. She didn't know why, it wasn't as if he didn't deserve to die, especially after what he did to Blake and all the lives he'd taken...but as she stared at the Pirate, she realised something.
He was already dead inside.
Whoever this man once was is gone, taken over by the man who now called himself Locus. He was broken, even if he didn't realise it yet. Killing him wouldn't bring back everyone he's killed, nor would it reverse what he had done to Blake. And whilst death was what he deserved, it wasn't in her nature. She wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing another man's blood was on her hands, no matter how many they'd killed. So instead, she lowered her fist as a cocky grin spread across her face.
"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll pass." Yang said, causing Locus to grunt in confusion. Before the Pirate could even retort, Yang swung her right fist at Locus' head, causing him to grunt in pain as she relinquished her grip on him. "But I am gonna knock you out."
Yang smiled as Locus shifted around groggily on the floor, groaning painfully as he attempted to rise. Yang then sprinted forward down the corridor, turning around to face Locus one last time.
"Really looking forward to next time!" Yang taunted, giving Locus a one fingered salute as she sprinted through the doorway, the sliding doors closing behind her.
Locus grunted as he stumbled forward, nearly passing out as he leaned on one of the crates. He reached behind his back as he pulled a teleportation cube out, the black and orange box glowing wildly in his hands.
"There won't be a next time..." Locus seethed as he pressed a button on the device, where a glowing orange light proceeded to surround him before he disappeared without a trace…
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Jackson nursed his knee as Pirates dashed around, carrying whatever they could onto the Pelicans. Most of the Pelicans were already full and were awaiting further orders, the bay doors already open for an escape.
"Come on, hurry it up! Locus and Felix want these Pelicans ready ASAP!" Jackson barked as the Pirates hastened their pace. "Speaking of which, what the hell is taking them so long?" Jackson whispered to himself. He had heard fighting over head but thought nothing of it. He had tried contacting them both but was only met with stony silence.
Suddenly, a flash of orange caught his attention, blinding everyone present. Without warning, Locus stumbled into view, nearly collapsing onto the floor, his armour severely damaged.
"Locus! You all right sir?!" Jackson asked, as he attempted to help Locus up.
"Get off me!" Locus seethed as he pushed Jackson aside, opting to push himself up as all present watched the Pirate get up. He glared at the gathering crowd, causing them to immediately disperse and return to whatever task they were caught up in previously. "Is everything ready?" Locus questioned, turning slightly to Jackson as he staggered into the nearest Pelican.
"Nearly sir, we're just waiting on Felix." Jackson responded causing Locus to growl slightly. He quickly brought his hand to his radio, ready to contact his partner.
"Felix, report!" Locus ordered, the sounds of gunfire emanating from the other end.
"Yeah yeah, I'm here! Don't get your pants in a twist!" Felix replied after a tense silence, the sound of gunfire still present.
"What is taking so long up there! We need to leave, now!" Locus shouted as gunfire continued to blare out from the other end.
"Yeah I hear you, just need a few seconds." Felix stated. Suddenly, the sound of three consecutive gun shots were heard, followed by a stony silence.
"On second thoughts, might need a bit longer..."
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Another chapter done! Don't forget to review and constructive criticism is always welcome. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your review and I'll answer them in the next chapter.
Raging Archon out.