Chapter 3: Widows Grave

As expected of underground sewers, it smelled and was filthy to the point where some of the trash looked like it moved. Not because of the dirty green water, but because the trash probably mutated into a new type of creepy creature. Ruby made sure to pick up the bottom of her cloak and hold it so it didn't get dirty. Ratchet safely tucked away his scarf and didn't worry about the rest of his clothes.

The two walked along a concrete path that had red arrows leading somewhere. The two assumed it would lead them to the Widows Grave but they had no idea.

"So why do you want her so badly?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Freedom is still out there somewhere and when I was out here waiting for you, I heard rumors that The Widow knows everything that has to do with secret underground organizations." Ratchet replied.

Ruby swatted at some flies and spoke. "Freedom isn't really a secret organization anymore. Everyone knows what happened."

"True but do you see the Atlas government concerned about them being out here or getting our heads on a silver platter?"

"Well…when you put it that way I guess you're right."

Ruby and Ratchet continued walking for a few more minutes, following the arrows that lead them through the sewers. Right, forward, down, left, left. It just keep going until they saw a large skull mounted on the wall.

"Is that…a Grimm skull?" Ruby asked as she touched it curiously.

Ratchet shook his head. "No…looks like something that might live out in the Badlands."

Ratchet walked past Ruby and the skull into a narrow passageway. Once he was through he saw a large circular graveyard with a woman dressed in all black laying flowers next to a grave.

Ruby walked up behind Ratchet and saw the woman. "Is that her?" She whispered.

Ratchet didn't respond and slowly walked towards her. "Excuse me. We're looking for someone named The Widow."

The woman sighed and slowly stood up, looking at Ratchet with narrowed eyes. "Assassins?"

"No. Adventurers…or more like criminals these days." He replied.

The elderly woman did not take her eyes off of him. "Aura is leaking off of you like grease in a pan young man. You're a hunter."

"Ex. Been out of that job for a couple years now." Ratchet said as he motioned for Ruby to come to him. "We seek answers about an organization we are hunting."

The woman scoffed. "Out of the game he says. And look at you, demanding answers from an elderly woman so you can hunt down your prey."

Ruby shrugged. "Old habits die hard."

"Young lady you have no idea." The woman slowly sat on one of the tombstones and patted some dust off her dress. "Well? I expected the brave Ratchet to be a bit more talkative."

Ratchet and Ruby froze at what she said and didn't respond to her. How does she know me…?

"W-why would you say that?" Ruby asked with a cheap smile on her face. "Have up you seen this guy? He's more built and uh…taller than Ratchet."

"Cut the crap already. I'm The Widow for crying out loud. I know just about everything and everyone who enters the Badlands."

Ratchet quickly gathered his thoughts. "How did you…?"

The Widow waved her hand. "That's not important. And yes miss Rose, I know who you are as well. Now what is it that you want?"

Ratchet sighed. "I need to know where Freedom is."

"No." She replied.

"No?" Ratchet repeated. "What do you mean no?"

"I mean no dammit." The Widow slowly got up and walked over to a gravestone with the name Jimmy written on it. "Too many have died searching for those guys. Best stay away from them. Go home."

"You don't understand!" Ruby stepped towards her. "We abandoned our lives, friends and families for this! We can't just go back!"

The Widow sighed. "Ratchet. I'm curious…how much stupidity does it take to bring a young girl out here huh? You do know what's deep in the Badlands right?"

Ratchet glanced at his scarf. "Yes and no. I've…seen what ps out there but I've never fought anything or anyone out there. That'd be suicide."

"Your god damn right." The Widow stood up and faced the two. "Listen, drop this. If you don't, you'll cause much more harm than good. Trust me, I would know."

"How?" Ruby asked.

"It's a long story." She looked at Ratchet. "But my family was taken from me. You know what that's like don't you?"

"Yeah…" Ratchet sighed. "I know what it feels like to lose those you love the most."

The Widow took in a deep breath before speaking again. Knowing them...they won't let this go. "Freedom is out in the south. Deep in the south. But you aren't ready to go. Not yet."

"How so?" Ruby asked, surprised at her statement and why she decided to help them out of the blue.

The Widow snapped her fingers and seemingly out of nowhere, ninjas appeared on each side of her. "You will need to have better equipment. It'll take about two days but after that you should be fine to go."

The ninjas walked over and held out their hands, waiting to receive the pairs weapons. Ratchet didn't hesitate and gave up his gauntlets since he didn't use them that much anymore. Ruby really didn't want to give up her scythe and Ratchet had to practically pry her off the weapon before giving it to the ninja. They bowed and went up in smoke to who knows where.

"Ninjas huh?" Ratchet asked.

The Widow shrugged. "You get what you get. Now I would like to be left alone. Go the Sun District and wait there until my ninjas summon you."

The Widow got down and placed a cross on another tombstone next to the one that said Jimmy. Ratchet took this as a sign to leave and patted Ruby on the back as they went out towards one of the various tunnels that led in and out of the grave. They made their way towards the Sun District.

Outside the walls of Queens

It was still dark for about three more hours and the night was dusty and silent. Heaps of desert sand rose into the wind and landed on the cracked earth of the Badlands. Looking at the ground made one wonder, was the Badlands a desert once or not? The piles of sand say yes but the vast earth and signs of possible underwater life say otherwise.

The various guards outside of gate 5, which was the gate used to enter Cliffs Edge, were all taking it easy since nothing ever happens on their end. Gates 1,2,3 and 4 usually had crazy days but not gate 5.

Until now.

A figure in a black tattered cloak watched all the guards at a distance and smiled. Revealing sharp teeth and it's glowing red eyes shined so bright that it blinded on of the guards even though they were at least a mile away from each other.

The guard looked around but didn't see what blinded him. He simply rubbed his eye and ignored it.

The dark figure starting walking towards the gate and as it walked, black fog came from under its cloak and slowly surrounded the area around itself. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary dust storm but as it got closer and bigger, some of the guards noticed how it was black.

"What…is that?" One of the guards asked.

"Hehe, it's a distraction." Said a voice behind him.

He turned around and his head came off like the top of a soda bottle. It didn't take long for nearby guards to alert the towers and gate control. The guards all quickly readied themselves but the black figure laughed manically.

"Fools…all of you!" It said.

The black fog was now pushing its way through the the guards and onto the massive gate. The guards caught inside started panicking and grew hungry. Hungry to the point that they were desperate for anything, so long as they had food. Slowly, they all started to eat themselves. The ripping of flesh and snapping of bones was of no concern to the guards, they just needed to eat. They all killed themselves in a matter of minutes.

They black figure absorbed all of the black fog under its cloak and relished the gory sight in front of it. "Simply…divine!"

It turned towards the massive gate and placed a disfigured, sharp clawed hand on it. "You…will be mine…"

After removing it's hand, a black glyph was on the gate and slowly, the massive gate was pulled into oblivion through the small glyph. The black figure licked it's lips and smiled wickedly as it walked into the Slums.

"S-soon…you'll…b-be mine!"

Hey what's up? Been long time hasn't it? Well I just wanted to write you all. See how things are going. Talk about a strange ending though huh?

Anyway, at some point (probably in the middle of the story) new and old characters will obviously be around so I will make a chapter dedicated to like character bios. Giving you a little more understanding of some characters (without giving away any plot points) and give you an updated bio of characters from the last story (obviously like Ratchet and Ruby since, as I'm sure you all know, have changed drastically)

This will also hopefully answer questions about how they feel about things morally, favorite food, least favorite and ability overview.

Well that's it. Oh, and Overwatch is amazing.

- CLOUD MARIO