TWs: Buildings collapsing, guns/shooting, violence/fighting, blood/injuries, William's psychopathic and ableist, DEATH, and mention of hanging. Stay safe :)
"Oi, what are you two whispering about?" William snapped as he was about to step closer. Then he was thrown off balance by the ground shaking violently.
Pat held onto Edd as the Black Army soldiers wavered in their footing.
"What's happening?" Edd asked, noticing the light fixtures swaying and flickering above them.
"I don't know." Pat spoke, "But we have to get out of here."
William glared at them, pointing his gun at them, "You're not going anywhere. Not until-"
"Sir, everything's ready!" A guy with a lab coat yelled from the doorway.
"Oh, in that case," The leader lowered his weapon, "You're free to go now."
William ran out of the room, the soldiers following suit. Pat and Edd glanced at each other, then at Yan and You.
You stirred awake, slowly sitting up, "Wha's happenin'...?"
He seemed to realize where he was, eyes widening as he moved over to Yan who was groaning in pain.
"Weren't they tied up before?" Pat pointed out. Edd shrugged before stepping over to Yan.
"Looks like we'll have to carry him," Edd spoke.
"We'll have to hurry," Pat told them as he heard the lights creaking above them.
"Now that," Bing started, eyes wide, "looks like a problem."
Pau, who was in his monster form, was battling it out with Tom. They managed to make it up to the ground level, creating havoc and destroying the building they were in. The earth trembled as they fought for dominance.
"Woah, I've never seen Pau's monster before!" Clay gawked.
"Two monsters...? I knew about Tom, but what's with the other one?" Larry glanced at Arthur, hoping he would get an answer. He frowned once he realized Arthur wasn't there, "Arthur? Ugh, I hate when he does this..."
Yards away from everyone else, Arthur stepped into the farthest building that had gone through construction. He felt the draft through multiple holes in the walls, and the ground trembled softly underneath his feet. He heard the wind rustling a tarp as it hit an opening in the building.
"The heat signatures were coming from in here." His AI told him.
Arthur stepped further inside, being careful of fallen debris as he used his cane to guide himself around. He felt the air shift as he heard something behind him.
"So you did show up after all." A familiar voice spoke.
"William." The older ginger turned to face him.
"Hello, old friend! Been a while..."
Jon darted around the area, looking for Kim and Katya amid the monster battle. He knew Katya wouldn't get involved in trying to take down the beasts, choosing to be medical aid, leaving him to find Kim.
He located Kim behind some rubble with her left arm cut and bruised. She had a laceration on her cheek, blood seeping out slowly.
"Kim, are you alright!?" Jon yelled, running up to her.
"Never better..." She grunted.
"I should get Katya..." Jon turned to leave, but Kim stopped him.
"Wait-!" Kim tried to get up from her spot, failing to do so as she slumped back down against the rubble, "Please, don't."
Jon looked at her confused, then sat beside her, "Why not...?"
Kim sighed, avoiding Jon's gaze as she held her injured arm, "Have you ever felt like you were destined for more?"
Jon took a moment, taking in what she said, "What do you mean?"
"I thought this- all this- would be my calling, but I still don't feel satisfied." Kim gestured to where they were, surrounded by the debris falling around them, "I let my family down, I let my friends and teammates down, and I let my fiance down..."
Kim brought her uninjured hand to the necklace around her neck, clutching the skull charm that dangled from the chain. It wasn't a good thing to wear a neck accessory; it was more of an insult; that the Black Leader saw you as worthless. It was like a rope was hanging around your neck.
"Now I realize how much of a dumbass I've been." The blonde uttered, "I postponed my wedding for my selfish benefit and brought Katya along."
Jon sat silently, thinking momentarily, "You can still make it up to her."
"How?"
Standing up, Jon extended a hand to her, "Come on, let's go find Katya."
"On your left!" Tord yelled as he shot a soldier coming up from Matt's side.
"Thanks!" Matt called as he threw himself on a soldier and strangled them from behind.
Tord yelped as he dodged a piece of falling debris, "Ack- we need to get somewhere safer!"
"Any ideas?" Matt questioned as he scratched a guy's face with his claws.
"Uh-" The Norsk glanced around, spotting a nearby loading dock, "There!"
The ginger took a moment to see what he was gesturing at, "The pier...?"
"Just trust me."
Matt shrugged before following him to the docks, away from the battle. They rested on a few boxes, Tord setting his gun beside him as he took a deep breath.
"Huh, they're keeping clear of getting close to the dock." Matt noticed as he watched Pau push Tom away from the pier.
Tord smirked, "Don't tell him I told you, but Pau can't swim."
"What? I always thought soldiers were trained in... everything." Matt raised an eyebrow.
"Not quite. Some soldiers know how to do just about everything, and some choose to... not." Tord shrugged, "And Pau's deathly afraid of the water. He's never told us why."
"Tord!" A voice called out, making Tord look up.
"Edd!" Tord grinned, running up and hugging his partner, "You're okay!"
Behind him were Pat and You carrying an injured Yan over their shoulders. They brought him over to the crates and set him down carefully.
Edd kissed him on the cheek, clutching Tord as he sighed into the red hoodie.
"What happened to your hands?" The shorter one asked as they let go of each other.
"The place was collapsing, Tord. I'm not a fan of being crushed." The taller one spoke, rubbing off the soot and ash that got on his hands.
"Ah, right... superpowers."
"You know, Arthur, I enjoy this." William grinned as he threw Arthur's cane and sunglasses aside, watching as the older kneeled on the ground before him, blood seeping out of his mouth, "Really, I do."
Arthur grunted in pain as he felt a sharp blade dig into his right leg. He knew he couldn't take it out, but he also knew the more he strained it, the more pain he felt.
"What's the matter, Arthur? You still have one leg left; use it." William spoke, crossing his arms.
Pushing through the pain, Arthur slowly got up, gritting through bare teeth as he balanced on his left foot.
"That's better."
Arthur glared at him through a burning, watery gaze, "Why are you doing this, William? Weren't we friends? Weren't we supposed to take on the world together?"
William took a moment to process before laughing loudly, "HaHAH-! Fr-Friends? You thought we were 'friends?' How gullible can you be, Arthur; I literally stole all of your scrapped blueprints."
The ginger winced, realizing he's been a pawn from the beginning.
"You've planned this since..."
"Since high school? Of course, I have." William shrugged, proud of himself for completing his plan.
BANG
A loud noise rang out as a bullet pierced William's back, and he dropped to the ground.
"Ugh, finally." Spoke Larry, a Glock in his hand, "Couldn't stand that guy."
"Larry...?" Arthur muttered.
"You look like shit." The sandy blonde went over and picked up his sunglasses and cane, "Here."
Arthur felt the glasses being put on the bridge of his nose and the citrine jewel of the cane brush up against his hand.
Once he grasped the cane, Arthur hugged Larry tightly. He felt Larry try and escape his grip.
"Agh, let me go, you big baby!" He yelled, elbowing Arthur in the stomach.
"Ah, okay, okay!" Arthur let go, holding his stomach, "Ow..."
"Let's get you patched up..." Larry frowned.
"Not so fast!" A voice yelled, startling them.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Larry sighed as he noticed William standing before them.
"Bulletproof vests come in handy, y'know." He smirked.
"It's unfortunate, in this case."
"Come now, Major, have a heart."
"That's ironic, coming from the leader of a bunch of Nihilists."
"For the last time... we are not nihilists. We just want to end everything corrupt in this world and bring about the New World."
"This so-called 'New World' isn't going to exist once you're dead." Larry cocked his gun, aiming at the leader, "Hope you realize that."
William hummed, "I wouldn't be so sure..."
There was a creaking sound coming from above them.
"Even when I'm dead and gone, the Black Army will live on."
"How so?" Arthur inquired.
"Technology is advanced in this day and age... you can bring about anything if you put your mind to it."
A crack formed on the ceiling, slowly forming bigger.
"Just think about it- AI can do anything you want it to, and some people have created robots; think of the possibilities."
A grin came to his face as he stepped back, the cracking in the ceiling becoming greater.
"The Black Army will live on through-"
Half of the ceiling caved in, falling on top of William.
There was a moment of silence as Arthur and Larry's eyes widened, surprised at what happened.
"The ceiling collapsed on him, didn't it...?" Arthur asked.
"Yep," Larry replied.