Stray Bullets
Lady Nagant felt uneasy. Like a rifle that just hung up on the wall like a trophy still full of ammunition and in perfect fighting conditions. She knew that the balance of power in this war had long been altered and disturbed by the forces that plotted against it. But she couldn't pinpoint where it all went wrong. It wasn't that she enjoyed conflict like the late Muscular, but she saw that Etheria had found a balance that most people were able to live through. To her, this war was just as common as the weather or an old abandoned ruin that was just there.
However, just like something that was in the background and far from anything the people knew, she knew it had to be controlled. Lady Nagant saw the reports that started spreading the bad news about the war as how it got out of control. Territories being reclaimed, forces being destroyed, soldiers being pushed back and beaten, all of them were signs of control slipping through their fingers. This meant that she had to step in and make some drastic decisions.
She walked through the halls of the Frightzone with her same emotionless expression. Every step she took was as silent as a cat's and whenever another soldier spotted her or crossed her path, they'd double back or salute her like statues. She might've held no military ranking and was often being compared to Modulock's deadliest machines, but she had something no Horde soldier or Force Captain had: A nigh perfect record.
Lady Nagant arrived at Modulock's laboratory. She knocked on the door, letting know her master that she had arrived.
"Oh, you're early. Come in!" Modulock opened the door of his lab, letting Lady Nagant inside.
Lady Nagant walked into the cold, dark room as Modulock watched over his chemistry set like a child in hopes of seeing something magical. She couldn't tell what it was that made him so giddy about chemicals, but she could tell that he was amping up his production of lethal force. She'd seen him create miracles that not even the foulest demons could think of; she was one of them after all.
"You called, Chief Scientist Modulock?" Lady Nagant bowed her head.
"Yes, yes, of course I did. Why else would you be here?" Modulock watched as the chemical reaction before him turned from purple to green. "As you've heard, we've suffered a few setbacks as of late, over the last couple of months."
"I am aware, Master Modulock." Lady Nagant didn't look up to him.
"Get up from there, you're not like those peons that just stand still all day." Modulock picked up one of his beakers, turning to face her. "I can tell that you're not at all happy with how things are going. And the lack of activity from part of Shadow Weaver's orders. But I can assure you that I won't be holding anything back of that sort."
"I have new orders?" Lady Nagant asked.
"Yes. This new breath of life that the Alliance has gotten ahold of was spearheaded by two individuals." Modulock pulled out two pictures. "Think you know them."
Lady Nagant looked at the two pictures of Izuku and Catra. She remembered facing those two back when she was set to guard the tower. The word was that they were in fact deserters of the Horde that were turned into weapons by the Alliance. She had also heard the rumors that they were the ones that maimed Shadow Weaver's apprentice and Muscular. They were fierce warriors that didn't hold anything back. Defeating them would make the first step towards reclaiming the balance that had been lost.
"You think you can take them?" Modulock asked.
"It won't be easy. Their strengths in an open confrontation will give them an edge." Lady Nagant admitted. "Even if I spine them they're always together and have other members of the Alliance with them according to the reports. They're too good of a team. Better to split them up and take them on separately."
"I knew that you'd think of something like that. That's why you're my favorite." Modulock filled a syringe with the chemical that he was working on. "Which is why, I want to give you an edge to beat them completely. Arm."
Lady Nagant lifted her arm so that Modulock could inject her with the new modification she would need. She winced, feeling the needle prick her skin and the strange green concoction spread through her veins. A burning sensation spread from her arm to the rest of her body like if someone had injected her with gas before setting it on fire. She hadn't felt something like this before except for one time before.
"There we go. A little accelerant to make the fight a little more unfair for our enemies." Modulock put down the needle as Lady Nagant felt her body heating up.
"Master Modulock, could I ask for a reward after I finish this mission?" Lady Nagant asked.
"Huh? A reward? Well, you don't usually give living weapons a treat for shooting the bullets." Modulock scratched the side of his head. "But I guess even attack dogs need a bit of kibble from time to time. Sure, what do you want?"
"I… would like to see him… please…" Lady Nagant had a brief spark of emotion that wasn't apathy in her eyes.
Modulock flinched slightly. He knew that the request was a little too dangerous if he allowed it. Shadow Weaver would not like it one bit. That thought however made him smile. His plan of making her look like a fool and an incompetent was going down as sweetly as his newly invented drink, fruit punch.
A sinister smile spread on his face as his claws tapped each other. He let out a little giggle as he imagined his face when he plucked the little one from her care. How she became the head of the nursery was beyond him. It wasn't that he wanted to deal with the brats himself, he was just curious. Putting away those thoughts, he turned back to face Lady Nagant.
"Why of course. I don't see anything wrong with you seeing him. It's been, what, five months since you last saw him?" Modulock wrapped his arm around Lady Nagant's shoulders. "In fact, why don't you take the little rugrat out with you? I mean, he is going to follow mommy's footsteps isn't he?"
"He's yet to show any of my augmentations, from what Shadow Weaver has told me. But I can see that he has my aim and my skills for weapons." Lady Nagant replied.
"I'm sure he'll pop his gun later when his balls drop. I mean, he's got to drop something." Modulock joked. "In fact, I'll sweeten the deal. If you can kill those two and then bring me their bodies for analysis, you can keep him with you from now on."
"Really?!" Lady Nagant asked, her eyes flared with emotion and a desire for it to be true.
"But if you fail. I'll blow up his head." Modulock poked her nose before walking back to his working station. "So don't fail me."
Lady Nagant nodded her head. She quickly made her way out of the laboratory, wanting to have the mission completed as soon as possible. Her eyes now had a fiery blaze to them unlike her normally icy precision. While she walked down the halls, she tried to understand where this feeling came from. A fire was lit in her belly and she couldn't figure out why.
Maybe her new burning determination was due to the injection that she'd been given? Maybe she was like this because she wanted revenge against the deserters that foiled her previous mission. Maybe she was doing this because she wanted to prove herself to Master Modulock and show that she could be more effective on the field?
No.
Lady Nagant wanted to accomplish this mission to get the part of her that was taken from her. The part that she wanted with her more than anything in her life. That's why she sought balance in this war and this world, to create a world where the one good part of her. Her son Souta.
Back in Brightmoon, Izuku and Netossa were engaged in another game of strategy. They were being observed by Catra and Spinnerella as they were doing their own thing in the library.
"How many rounds has it been now?" Catra asked.
"I believe that they're in their ninth round. And they're all tied up again." Spinnerella pulled up a few scrolls. "Now, Catra, we should get back to our lesson."
"Why?" Catra groaned.
"The queen asked me to help you in learning diplomacy and better inspiration for the troops. And I intend to help you as best I can." Spinnerella handed Catra a scroll.
"But why do I need to know about these history scrolls?" Catra groaned, opening it.
"Because, to better learn how to communicate with the other kingdoms, you need to know their history and not have to rely on others to help you figure things out." Spinnerella replied. "You have a lot of fire, Catra. But you're not the most courteous."
"Well, good manners tend to extend to family and friends. It's not my fault that some people can't take it." Catra rolled her eyes. "Besides, whenever I go She-Ra, everyone listens to me no matter what."
"I understand that you're used to dealing with people your own age and those that have thicker skin but not everyone will be like that or bow to She-Ra." Spinnerella argued. "Think of it like talking to someone you see as an equal or a good friend in the middle of a game."
"YES!" Netossa stood up, celebrating her victory. "I hope you like eating it, Izuku, because I win!"
"Not so fast, while you were busy taking down my fields, I got to work starting a revolution with your farmers." Izuku moved his piece to Netossa's side of the board. "And with their aid, I have landed a devastating blow to your king. I win this time, Netossa."
Netossa huffed in frustration, grinding her teeth. She wanted to snap at the green haired young man for his victory. But a part of her couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in Izuku besting her more than once.
"Not bad, broccoli boy, keep this up and I might give you a treat." Netossa winked, making Izuku blush slightly.
"N-Netossa, your wife is right there." Izuku pointed out in a whisper.
"Oh don't worry, Izuku. She sometimes does this to make me jealous to do what she wants." Spinnerella winked. "And all I have to say to that is, I raise your bet and add myself for the treat."
Netossa slipped at her wife's claim.
"See, Catra? It's all about meeting on common ground and getting as much as you want while learning more for the next meeting." Spinnerella winked at her.
"You're evil." Catra commented with a smirk. "But two can play that game. I bet that if Izuku wins the next two rounds, you will declare me a genius in diplomacy."
"Okay, but if he loses even one of those two, you two will be accompanying us in our next assignment and be our personal escorts and do everything we tell you. And I do mean in everything~." Spinnerella shot Catra a saucy smile.
Izuku and Netossa blushed at what their respective others were talking about. They needed to split them before this escalated for them.
"Spinny, mind if we have a private chat?" Netossa pulled her wife away.
Netossa and Spinnerella made it out of the library for their discussion.
"Not that I'm not tempted or looking forward to the idea of having those two pleasing us, but could you not turn my wholesome game into some form of strip poker?" Netossa asked.
"And here I thought you enjoyed a challenge, honey~." Spinnerella kissed Netossa on her lips.
"I do. But I don't want to force them like that. I mean, I do want to pay him back for getting on my breasts without permission, but I want them to be in agreement." Netossa noticed the blush on her wife's face. "What's wrong? You're usually not this horny."
"I went to the healers today and," Spinnerella sighed. "No dice. There isn't anything wrong but… They suggested that we keep trying."
Netossa's face softened before kissing her wife. She hugged her hoping to make her feel better.
They had been trying to have a child for a few months now, but neither had managed to get pregnant. They asked for medical aid from doctors and healers, but so far they had not been getting the results that they had hoped to get. With the war finally looking towards a possible end and the Alliance growing with greater strength than before, the two princesses thought that it was time to expand their family.
But all their attempts were unfortunately incapable of having what they had wanted.
They kissed once more, as they pondered their problem.
"So, what do we do?" Netossa asked.
"Don't look at me. I"m not the star general of the Alliance." Spinnerella countered.
"Maybe. But I like it when you want to be in charge." Netossa kissed Spinnerella on the mouth, briefly wrestling against her tongue. "Then maybe the problem is that we're not trying at the right time."
Spinnerella had another thought in her mind about what they could try. But she wasn't sure if her wife would agree to it. She looked back to the room, seeing Izuku and Catra going over the scrolls and their meaning. It warmed her heart seeing that take place before her. In truth, it made her realize that there was something that they hadn't tried.
"Spinnerella, Netossa." Queen Angella called out, getting their attention.
"Your majesty." Netossa and Spinnerella bowed to their queen. "You need us?"
"How may we be of service, my liege?" Spinnerella added.
"Ever since Shadow Weaver and Shigaraki attack on the covered path, we have had to rely on old routes to send supplies to our allies." Angella explained. "But it seems someone has been attacking them. The attacks were fast and deadly. I need you to go check them out, immediately."
"Right. We will move out immediately." Netossa saluted.
"May we take reinforcements with us?" Spinnerella asked.
"Of course, you'll need all the help you can get." Angella replied. "You wouldn't happen to be thinking of Izuku and Catra, would you?" Angella raised an eyebrow.
The married couple looked at each other, slightly flinching at the queen's comment. They looked at the library only to see Izuku and Catra poking their heads to listen in. Netossa and Spinnerella couldn't help but giggle at the smiles of the two young adults after being caught eavesdropping. They were naturally curious like a pair of kittens if the married couple could take a guess.
"Sorry, we were wondering what was taking Netossa and Spinnerella so long and we thought a peek wouldn't hurt." Izuku apologized.
"Yeah, we just got curious." Catra chuckled.
Queen Angella wasn't one that liked when her private conversations were spied on. But she was in the middle of a hallway where just about anyone could walk in and hear her words. She let out a sigh as Izuku and Catra tried to sneak back inside the library.
"If you two want to go with Netossa and Spinnerella, just know that they'll be leaving sooner rather than later." Angella explained.
"So, no more studying?" Catra asked. "Okay, if you say so." She shrugged, pulling Izuku out of the library.
"We'll go get ready and meet you at the entrance!" Izuku called out as Catra pulled him to their room.
Netossa and Spinnerella smiled and chuckled at their antics. They didn't know how to see them, either as youngsters that needed to help moving on in life or as two adults that had taken the reins of life to set out on their own. There were times that the married couple could only see them as young adults with the weight of the world on their shoulders. But they also saw them get up from whatever bad stuff they'd been through and move on. The two princesses were convinced of one thing, the two youngsters were far more amazing that they had given them credit when they first met them. Which made them wonder what they would be doing after all it was said and done.
A short while later, Izuku, Catra, Spinnerella and Netossa set out to check up on the attacked supply lines through the Whispering Woods. They rode on top of Meelog, using the magic cat mount's ability to turn invisible to silently make their way to the sight of the attacks. They didn't know what had attacked the supply vehicles or the soldiers. Those that survived didn't give them any added information or sense to what had happened.
They didn't have reports about what had happened, but they knew that they needed to be cautious. However, getting to the location unscathed was another thing that they had to face.
"This ride is so bumpy." Netossa wrapped her arms around Catra, tempted to use her strings to tie herself down.
"Calm down, string princess," Catra said as she led Meelog. "The bouncing is part of the fun. One of the few activities that are as good in the bed as out of it."
"Do you have to be so crass?!" Netossa snapped, blushing up a storm that was only hidden by the invisibility.
Catra only smirked back, only that Netossa couldn't see it. The rider of Meelog was easily one that could get under people's skins thanks to her many years of practice. Besides, she wanted to make fun of the princess because she had been trying to make fools of her and Izuku.
And speaking of Izuku…
"Darling, please stop fighting." Spinnerella grabbed her wife's shoulder. "We're on this mission together, and that means keeping a cool head. Right, Izuku?"
Izuku didn't dare to say a word as Spinnerella wrapped her arm around his chest. He felt her large breast pressing against his back and head like two large warm pillows that rubbed against him. He could tell that they were as large as Mermista's breasts but much softer. His body and hands had touched many breasts of different maidens that he could tell what Spinnerella's intentions were.
The softness of Spinnerella's breasts were easily those of a warm hug that could calm a storm. The scent coming from her was like that of strawberries and marshmallows before they were roasted which contributed to the softness that she carried herself with. However, her hold was strong and her warmth held something more.
"Ye-Yeah, we have to keep a cool head." Izuku blushed before Netossa was sent back towards him, knocking him into Spinnerella's breasts. "Are you okay, Netossa? Ah-!"
Netossa moaned out slightly. She looked down, unable to see them but she could feel Izuku's hands grabbing hold of her breasts. Covering her mouth with her hand, she felt the power and strength behind each finger. Each bit of her knew that his whole body was a whole lot stronger and far more intent on being capable of great physical acts.
"I-I-I'm sorry." Izuku pulled his hands from her breasts in shock. "I'm so sorry, Netossa, it was an accident."
"Maybe you should do it more often, Izuku. Maybe that'll be enough to knock some of that over competitiveness out of her thick ass." Catra chuckled.
Netossa didn't reply. She knew that Izuku and Catra had expanded their roster of lovers over the last few months. Although it had been accidental, the feeling she felt for the brief few seconds that he held her in his hands was something that really turned her on. She could tell that her wife was actually enjoying the idea that she had been made a fool of by a young man they both had grown fond of.
"Okay, everyone settle down. Remember we're on a mission." Spinnerella made herself the figure of authority that she was. "We can fool around afterwards all we want. The location of the attack is just up ahead."
Netossa didn't know if she should be thankful for her wife's words or if she should be mad at her for making such suggestions. She was one of the few women that could go with her word for word but there were times that Spinnerella drove her up the walls. What was worse was that after feeling the strength and the warmth of the young man's hands, she couldn't help but want to feel more of it. There was something about Izuku that made her want to taste his full power.
If there was one thing that Netossa hated was being underestimated or mocked. She shot Izuku with an invisible defiant glare, a challenge.
Izuku could feel that very glare despite them being invisible to each other. Though, he could also feel the smile coming from Spinnerella, leaving him in between the two opposing forces. He could already guess that Catra was smirking at his situation, knowing very well that they were heading face first into a conflict that could only be solved in the sheets.
"Look alive everyone," Catra said. "We're about to arrive at the location of the attacks."
Izuku, Netossa and Spinnerella turned their sights forward.
The group were surrounded by trees in the middle of the thick forest, with nothing but burnt wreckage before them. The carts that were full of supplies were filled with holes and burnt marks like they had been torn apart by blaster fire. The food and medical supplies were scattered and turned or burnt along with the rest of the cargo. And if that weren't enough, the bodies of the fallen soldiers caught in the crossfire laid scattered with holes in their chests.
Izuku, Catra, Netossa and Spinnerella dismounted as Melog let out a growl of worry.
"It's okay, girl. We'll be fine." Catra calmed Melog. "Don't get too far from Melog and me. The invisibility won't last long if you're too far."
"This looks like an ambush, like the queen said. But it wasn't by bandits." Netossa knelt down, inspecting the ground. "Everything is still here. And there are no footprints in the middle of this mess."
"Then why attack the supply shipment and the soldiers if they weren't going to steal anything. It looks like whatever was burnt was because of the attacks or because they fell on top of something flammable." Izuku inspected the remaining crates. "They were attacked quickly and with little time to react."
Spinnerella spotted something on the trees that had been used as cover for the attack. She summoned her wind to go up to look at it. She traced her hand on the trees, noticing some scorching but not the same kind as a laser.
"I don't think the supplies were attacked by the Horde's laser blasters." Spinnerella descended next to Catra.
"Then what could've done that kind of damage?" Catra asked as Melog sniffed at one of the bodies. "What do you have, girl?" Catra moved the body, revealing something on the back of the armor the soldier wore.
Meanwhile, Izuku and Netossa were still looking around the damage in the area. The damages seemed to point to there being multiple attackers, but a closer look kept that from being the case.
"Did you find something?" Netossa asked.
"Nothing sure, but I think that this was done by only one attacker." Izuku commented. "If the shots took down the vehicle here and the soldiers around it, then the shots must've come from similar locations."
"Good, how close do you think?" Netossa asked.
"About a few inches from each other," Izuku replied. "Which isn't possible if there were multiple attackers."
"We're looking at a sniper. One with deadly accuracy and power, and doesn't use a laser blaster." Netossa finished up.
Once she said that, Catra pulled out the object that Melog had found. It was a hair bullet.
"Oh crap! Izuku!" Catra called out, bringing down the invisibility.
Just then two shots echoed through the forest.
Izuku and Catra turned in the direction of the shots just in time to see the two shots coming towards them. Their eyes went wide as they realized they didn't have time to dodge the attacks. Time slowed down as their bodies were pulled or tackled out of the way of the shots.
Netossa and Spinnerella managed to pull Izuku and Catra out of the way of the shots, but they weren't fast enough. One of the bullets cut through Izuku's left shoulder, drawing blood, while the second shot graced Catra's right leg, leaving it a bleeding wound.
Izuku and Catra growled in pain as they reacted to the feeling of being shot. But they didn't have long to treat their wounds as more shots came at them from within the woods. They held their wounds as Netossa and Spinnerella pulled them away from the line of fire.
Netossa fired a string to pull herself and Izuku into the thick woods. She wrapped another one of her light strings around Izuku, pulling him away from the incoming fire. She cursed herself for letting her guard down and not thinking that the attackers were still around the area.
Spinnerella wrapped her arms around Catra, using her power over the winds to pull them away to safety with Melog running close behind them. She turned the winds around them into a tornado, deflecting and redirecting the bullets away from them as they moved into the trees for cover.
After the two pairs made it into the thick of the woods, they each laid down, using the trees, shrubs, bushes and fallen branches to cover themselves.
Catra and Spinnerella kept their heads down as Melog laid next to Catra. All three of them were panting, trying to recover their breath as though they had run a marathon. Using this moment of rest, Spinnerella ripped a part of her cape, making a tourniquet on Catra's wound.
"Are you okay?" Spinnerella asked.
"I will be when I get my hands on that bitch for shooting me and Izuku." Catra growled, tightening the knot. "What happened to him and Netossa?"
"They managed to get to cover. They should be around five or six clicks from where we are." Spinnerella explained. "We need to keep down and not make her job easier. You said you know who it is?"
"Oh yeah, Lady Nagant. We dealt with her once," Catra replied, unsheathing her sword. "Only this time she caught us by surprise."
Back with Izuku and Netossa, he had just finished explaining what Lady Nagant's abilities were as she finished stitching up his wound.
"So, how did you beat her last time?" Netossa asked.
"With the help of Glimmer, Bow and the Red Riots, we were able to draw out and keep her pinned where she'd perched herself." Izuku explained, feeling the sting of the improvised stitches. "She's extremely dangerous at long range thanks to becoming a living weapon courtesy of Modulock. But at close range she is more manageable."
"Except the trick will be to actually get as close to her as possible to take her down." Netossa looked over her shoulder, trying to pinpoint the locations of Spinnerella, Catra, Meelog and Nagant. "Okay, all the shots came in around the same direction, just like in the previous attack. Which means that Lady Nagant is approximately ten to fifteen clicks west of our current position."
"How far is that?" Izuku asked.
"Around nine, almost ten miles from where we are." Netossa explained. "Which is almost three times the distance of the best sniper rifles, which doesn't make sense for the amount of power the shots had."
"You're right, it was almost as if the shots were empowered to go longer distances than they were originally meant to." Izuku grunted. "Which means we'll have to cover the whole ground to find out what was the source of Lady Nagant's new ability. And how she detected us."
"We'll have to move quickly and use the trees as cover." Netossa created long strings from her hands and fingers. "Which means fast and short bursts while zigzagging. You good to go?"
Izuku nodded as One For All covered his body in a full cowl of power and green lightning.
They poked their heads out of their hiding spot, taking note of another batch of thick trees that they could use. They ran out, using Izuku's speed and Netossa's strings. As her strings wrapped around the trees, she held onto Izuku while he ran. They heard the shots coming towards them, narrowly dodging the attack with their combined speed. They skidded behind the trees as a third shot tore through the side of the tree.
Izuku pulled Netossa back as another shot tore through the tree bark. He poked a peek through the hole, hoping to spot anything that could give them a lead. But he didn't get more than the smoke and the leaves the bullet trailed through. He nodded as they made another fast sprint through.
The two warriors worked in unison, to get to their next spot. As Izuku used One For All to run at super speeds, Netossa fired her nets at any of the trees, pulling them to their next hiding spot. They did this every time they moved, cutting the distance between them and the sniping Lady Nagant. However, she quickly got wise to their trick.
Netossa fired her nets, wrapping them around a thick branch. But then the shots of the sniper destroyed the branch.
"What the-?" Netossa snapped.
Another shot was aimed at the princess of strings. But this time, Izuku was ready.
Izuku sent a powerful kick at the incoming bullet, using the compressed air from the attack to deflect the shot. It flew high into the air, giving Izuku the chance to move farther ahead to another spot. He held Netossa in his arms as she shot net balls against the incoming bullets, catching them in mid air before they could hit them. But the bullets were so fast that Netossa and Izuku ended up dodging a few of them by the skin of their teeth.
Netossa fired a net, pulling them both into a new cover spot.
"That was a close one." Netossa panted. "How can she spot us like that so easily?"
"I don't know. She didn't have a scope on her rifle arm last time I saw her." Izuku commented. "Maybe she got a hold of some high tech advancement. Some kind of support item for her weapon?"
"If that's the case, we need to find out the full extent of her new weapon." Netossa pulled up one of the bullets she had defelected. "Take a look at these."
Izuku picked up the hair bullet, noticing that there was something else to it. The hair bullet seemed to have split itself in two as it was firing. There was a twirl at the back, making it look like a spring had been added to a smaller hair bullet. He tentatively pressed on the spring only to feel it pushing back against his finger.
"It looks like she has an added power to her weapon." Izuku lifted the bullet to show Netossa. "That's how she covered so much distance."
"Great, so how do we make it through without getting shot?" Netossa asked. "Our strategy just got spotted, but the reaction time must mean that she is either reloading faster than any other sniper or-"
"There's someone helping her." Izuku ducked as another shot tore through the bark of the tree.
On the other side of the situation, Lady Nagnat sat on top of a flat bed of rock. Her eyes square in the direction of the targets. She had a special scope glass on her right eye that helped her aim her weapon at her best. Her breathing was still and calmed.
"Where are the other targets?" Lady Nagant asked.
"The other women and the cat? I don't see them," A young boy replied.
Lady Nagant turned her head to see the young boy. He was no more than ten years of age. Laying on top of a tree branch, with a pair of long range scoping binoculars that worked as Lady Nagant's second pair of eyes. He had olive skin, and a muscular but lean build for his age. He dressed differently than the usual Horde cadet. He wore a short sleeved black shirt, gray pants and black boots and red guards were worn over his forearms.
"Switch to heat vision, Souta. It may not be as effective during the day, but it'll give us an idea of where they're moving." Lady Nagant ordered the now named Souta.
"Yes, Lady Nagant." Souta switched on the heat vision, trying to spot the other targets.
Lady Nagant looked away for a second. Feeling like she needed to change the tone slightly. She didn't understand this need to have a far more familiar tone with the boy. Perhaps it was because she had more human emotions than she let on.
"Souta, would you please, while we're alone on assignments, call me mom?" Lady Nagant nearly begged with her tone.
Souta was visibly surprised as she hadn't expected his mother to ask him to do such a thing. His time with the other young cadets had taught him that familiarity and attachments were something that made you weak. Shadow Weaver had not exactly held back the rod when teaching him and the other cadets that any weakness had to be ironed out. But to know that his own mother was asking to accept that form of being was unexpected.
"Um, yes, I believe that I could do that," Souta said. "Mom."
Lady Nagant felt a warmth spread through her body as it originated from her heart. She wanted to feel more of it. A wetness rolled down one of her cheeks. She looked at it, wondering what it was.
"A tear?" Lady Nagant asked herself.
Wiping it from her cheek, Lady Nagant knew that she had to finish her assignment. She narrowed her eyes, feeling a fire pushing her forward.
"What's the position on the other targets?" Lady Nagant pulled another bullet from her hair, adding an extra twist for her spring to activate.
"They're approaching from the southeast at a faster rate than the other two. They're using something to move faster through the trees." Souta explained. "The wind is stronger in their direction, it might throw off the shot."
"In that case, we'll have to slow them down before they get closer to their allies." Lady Nagant aimed her weapon. "How far are they?"
"Nine clicks from where we are, three degrees southeast and four degrees down." Souta explained.
"Perfect." Lady Nagant aimed her rifle with the accuracy that had made her the most deadly of all the Horde.
Catra, Spinnerella and Melog moved quickly through the trees. Catra grunted as she hung onto Melog while Spinnerella used her control over the winds to rush through the distance. They were making good time in their progress, but their hearts were filled with worry as they heard the shots going off on the other side of the forest.
The fear that the shots being fired at their respective partners was all that Catra, Spinnerella and Melog needed to double their efforts. It was a good strategy but it was far too risky. They moved at top speed while the shots fired were being aimed at Izuku and Netossa. If they could get to Lady Nagant before she could change targets, then they could save Izuku and Netossa in time.
"How fast can this chick fire those damn bullets?" Catra asked.
"She seems to be able to fire at least one or two shots every minute." Spinnerella created a tornado underneath them, increasing their speed. "A sniper rifle needs time to adjust and reload which won't be easy if the targets are constantly moving."
"In that case, let's make use of that time and get to her." Catra held her sword tightly. "Remind me again, why the First Ones didn't choose a gun or some other long range weapon instead of a sword?"
"No idea, I guess they saw it as more regal and more of a sign of power than a gun?" Spinnerella replied.
"I mean, it can transform-DUCK!" Catra pulled Spinnerella and Melog down as a bullet cut some of their hair.
Spinnerella used her wind, making them spin back into the shrubbery and the trees. She heard the shots coming towards them. Now she realized that they were the targets, which meant they had to make it last. With a thrust of her hand, she sent a powerful gust of wind, blocking the sight of any scope with all the leaves her power picked up with ease.
However another shot tore through the leaves with ease directly at her, even after Spinnerella had moved and summoned the winds to cover them.
Catra reacted quickly. She transformed her sword into a mighty shield, blocking the bullet before it could even land on the princess of the winds. Digging her heels on the forest floor, she pushed back against the bullet. Catra may not have been able to kick Nagant's ass at that moment, but she would do everything in her power to figh back and make their way back to Izuku and Netossa.
"This won't be easy for you, you bitch!" Catra blocked another shot with her shield, giving Spinnerella the chance to make the next move.
Melog roared as she carried Catra with her shield. With a defiant strength fit for the mightiest of wild cats, she ran with everything, appearing and disappearing with her invisibility. She had once had trouble coursing through this terrain with her old body, but now she had strength and muscle that she would have only dreamed of. Zigzagging from one spot to the other along the path, Melog dodged and aided Catra in blocking the shots that came towards them with a vengeance.
"Melog is really going wild there!" Spinnerella saw another shot coming towards them, using her wind to deflect the shot.
"Yeah, she's got the fighting spirit of a big wild cat!" Catra laughed, feeling like she was back on the Crimson Waste. "Time to get there before she reloads another series of those shots." Her ears perked at the sound of the shots going off on the other side of the forest.
"Catra, aren't you worried that if she's not firing at us, she's shooting at Izuku and Netossa-" Spinnerella began.
"Of course I'm worried. But that's why I also know that I've got to get there even faster." Catra bared her fangs at the idea of her love being in danger. "Which is why we need to push forward and find a way to get to Lady Nagant before they get hurt."
Spinnerella smiled.
"You sound like a very jealous woman while your man is being attacked by another woman, Catra." Spinnerella used a gust of wind to push a springing bullet away from them.
"I'm not jealous, I'm protective. Don't you get like that when someone attacks your wife?" Catra asked as they hid together.
"I'd make whoever dared know what it feels like to be caught in a hurricane." Spinnerella replied, narrowing her eyes. "And I plan to show this sniper just that."
"I knew that there was another pair of reasons I liked you, Spinny." Catra chuckled.
"Hey, only Netossa can call me that." Spinnerella summoned a wall of wind, sending another bullet away from them, only to have it rip off a bit of her cape. "Out of curiosity, what are the other reasons you like me?"
Catra looked at Spinnerella with a confused look as though it was an answer that everyone knew. She wouldn't lie and say that she didn't find her attractive in a curvy fun figure to love. But apart from her hot body, the wind princess had a very warm personality that made her feel safe and at ease like a warm pillow and blanket on a cold night.
Catra didn't like to admit it, but if she had to choose, she would've liked to have had someone like that along with Toshinori helping raise her and Izuku. She looked away, keeping her blush and her thoughts away from Spinnerella's , the damage was done and Spinnerella could only blush at the realization that hit her.
"Well, as long as you, Izuku and the other girls aren't afraid to make me and my wife very happy, I'll be sure to put in a good word for you." Spinnerella smirked with a blush of her own.
"Izuku, I really hope you're okay." Catra blocked another shot from the dreaded sniper. "She's getting on my last nerves."
Melog growled in agreement with her master. Her hunter instincts pushed her through to face off whatever was attacking them. She didn't like being the prey and now she was going to use whatever she had to make the sniper regret firing the attack on her and her master.
Back with Izuku and Netossa, they were making good timing with their run. They had also noticed the shift in the frequency of the shots. That told them that Catra, Spinnerella and Melog were also being shot at from wherever the shooter was. As they pulled themselves forward and made their way with their combined efforts, they wondered where Lady Nagant was that gave her such a good spot to shoot at both teams on both locations.
Izuku ducked as another shot graced his side, taking part of his shirt in the process. He narrowed his eyes as his ears rang while another shot came his way. Rolling out of the way, he got to running faster with the power of One For All coursing through his body.
"Lady Nagant must have a stable flat solid surface to move her rifle arm so precisely." Izuku jumped forward with the aid of One For All. "She's firing faster, and her tricked bullets are getting sneakier than the spring ones!"
"It must be the work of the second pair of eyes or hands she's got!" Netossa swung from tree to tree using her nets. "She is playing for keeps that's for sure! How many rounds do you think she's still got?" Netossa dropped down as her nets were cut by a shot.
Izuku caught her up in a bridal style hold, making sure not to let her drop.
"Are you alright?" Izuku asked.
Netossa blushed at the sight of Izuku holding her in his strong arms. Despite her love and desire for her wife, her heart was beating faster as her face grew warmer and warmer. Like falling in love all over again due to the adrenaline pumping through her whole body. She couldn't help but imagine her and Spinny taking him to bed and dominating him or having him dominate them.
She looked away, hiding her blushing enamored face.
"Y-Yeah, I'm alright." Netossa blushed.
Izuku didn't know what to say. But he had a feeling that Netossa had just fallen for him. He would've cursed whatever made him the focus of attraction of every single princess he came across. But at the moment, he had to dodge another shot that was coming his way. He skidded down on the ground, making sure to avoid the speeding bullets that came at him and Netossa.
"How far is it still to get to her?!" Izuku asked.
"Co-considering the amount of shots that are heading our way and the intensity of the attacks, I'd say we're almost there." Netossa fired a net up to the trees ahead of them, pulling them forward and off of the ground. "Which means that we have to get there on the double, she isn't taking any chances! You get a shot, you take it! Understand?!"
"Yes ma'am!" Izuku nodded in understanding.
Izuku dug his heels on the ground below him, increasing the speed of his run. With the air on his back and the pull that Netossa's pull gave them, he ran faster and faster, leaving a trail of green lighting behind him with each step. Fire coursed through his body as he ran faster side by side with Netossa. Each kick he gave the ground to speed himself up made the ground and the leaves lift up into the air, keeping them hidden.
"If there's a second pair of hands helping the sniper, then that means they must have a special kind of binoculars with heat vision, of some kind." Netossa surmised.
"And that means any smokescreen or cover we use will be completely useless." Izuku guessed.
"Probably means that we'll have to take out the extra pair of eyes that's helping her before taking her on one on one!" Netossa dodged another shot that left a hole in her jacket.
Back with Lady Nagant and her son, she wasn't liking the situation. The targets had gotten wise to their strategy and were taking advantage that they outnumbered her and her son. She looked at her son, more specifically at the collar around his neck. She had to kill. She had to make sure to put an end to the targets before she ran out of bullets.
"It's too hard to take both groups down as they are. We need them to join up." Souta suggested.
"Two of the princesses have abilities that can redirect and block out my shots, if they work together they'll be too hard to take down." Lady Nagant narrowed her eyes. "The other targets are far too well synchronized as well. As they are, they'll be easier to pick."
Lady Nagant then felt her communicator vibrating. She had an incoming call from Lord Modulock. She instinctively reached out to grab it and take the call, but she hesitated. A part of her didn't want to answer the call that was coming for her. Feeling like a sword was dangling over her head, she reached out to the communicator, answering the call.
"Yes, Lord Modulock," Lady Nagant said through the communicator.
"Nagnat, how's the hunting?" Modulock asked.
"We're working on it. We managed to separate the targets but they are in the company of two princesses." Lady Nagant explained.
"Ooh, do you have a positive ID on our party crashers?" Modulock asked with sick glee.
"Based on the powers, we believe that they are Netossa and Spinnerella," Lady Nagant replied.
"The general and the diplomat of Brightmoon? Ooh, I like this development. Add their heads to the bill." Modulock smirked on the other end of the line. "And just to give you an incentive."
The collar around Souta's neck lit up with a red light.
The young boy looked down at it with shock.
"Lord Modulock, please don't!" Lady Nagant begged.
"Truly my dear, I would've thought that you'd see this coming." Modulock uncaringly picked his teeth. "This better put a pep in your step. Tick Tock, baby. Tick, tock."
Lady Nagant stared with wide eyes at the collar around her son's neck. This day had been filled with all sorts of emotions that she found alien to her. But the look of worry in her son's face was enough to make this newest emotion hit like a mountain weighing down her heart. She recognized the emotion very well, as she'd seen it in the faces of all her targets after they were caught in her crosshairs.
Fear.
The coldness that she was feeling was unlike anything she'd experienced before. Especially when the cold turned into a fire. She turned her sights back on the members of the Alliance, loading up another shot in her rifle. She was not going to stop with only one shot this time.
"This game ends now!" Lady Nagant snapped, firing her rifle against the two groups that were getting ever closer to their location.
Izuku and Netossa got closer, hearing the shots from the rifle being fired at them with intensity. They jumped at opposite sides, narrowly dodging the shot with only scratches on their legs.
"She's not giving us a chance to move ahead, is she?" Netossa asked.
"This is different than before." Izuku rolled out of the way of another shot. "Something is making her attack with more desperation."
"We'll see how desperate she is when I get my hands on her." Netossa's net got cut by a shot, but before she could hit the ground a gust of wind picked her up.
"Not unless you want to have a hole in that pretty head of yours, beloved." Spinnerella flew in with Catra by her side.
"Spinny!" Netossa hugged her wife in mid-air. "Oh honey, you'll get whatever you want when we go back home!"
The hug of the two princesses didn't last long as another shot came towards them. However, before they could have new holes in their heads, Izuku and Catra pulled them down.
"Celebrate later, now we have to defeat this crazy shooter bitch." Catra snapped, reminding the two princesses that they had to keep their head in the game. "Any ideas, Izuku?"
"We need to create a distraction that'll blind the shooter and whoever is aiding her. During that time, one of us could sneak up on her and put an end to this!" Izuku ducked under another shot.
"Melog and I can run circles around Lady Nagant and whoever is playing with her." Catra offered herself, with Melog growling in agreement. "I've been looking for a chance to go all She-Ra on her ass."
"Then we gotta do it soon before she switches her rifle for something akin to a machine gun." Spinnerella said.
"Alright, I'll draw her fire. Netossa, Spinnerella, can you create a tornado with nets to capture and redirect any and all shots?" Izuku asked.
"Just like our honeymoon all over again." Netossa smirked, summoning her nets.
"You will have to be careful if you step into it, Izuku!" Spinnerella commanded the winds around her to make a large tornado before her.
"You let my man do his thing while I get into position." Catra readied her sword for her next move.
Izuku felt the power of One For All course through his body. His body pulsed with power as he heard the shots coming towards him with deadly intent. The winds around him started to pick up, pulling all the leaves, branches and dirt from the ground. The nets light up, following the winds like steps towards the sky made him see where he could go and how fast all moved around him. His eyes glowed as the fiery fighting spirit urged him to go further.
He had to go farther than he'd gone before. He needed to call upon that power and push beyond his limits. An echo of the past came back to him, like a welcoming wind that he'd once felt in the Crimson Waste.
-Flashback-
Toshinori stood before Izuku as he looked at his wounded hands after trying out his first ever Smash.
"Your body still hasn't adapted to that kind of power yet, Izuku." Toshinori tightened his fist as Catra put bandages on Izuku's hands.
"How am I supposed to adapt to that much power?" Izuku winced as Catra finished wrapping the bandages.
"Maybe get rome robot fists?" Catra suggested.
"No. You find a way to strengthen your body and that means pushing it past its limits." Toshinori knelt down. "The body can grow and adapt to anything with the proper support system. One For All isn't always going to be easy to master. That's why some previous wielders of this power used it sparingly or only used a certain amount of power at a time, letting the body get used to it before increasing the amount of power."
"You think I could do that, Master Toshinori?" Izuku asked.
"Of course, but then you'll have to go beyond. You must remember these words and know that they will be your mantra from now on." Toshinori looked at Catra. "Both of you. Surpass your limits. Go Beyond. PLUS-!"
-Present-
"ULTRA!" Izuku was engulfed in a green electric aura that broke the ground beneath his feet.
"Wait, what did he say?" Netossa and Spinnerella's eyes widened at the words that came out of Izuku's mouth.
Izuku ran forward into the storm brewing before him. He glared at the incoming rounds fired at him but he paid them no mind. Jumping into the air, he stepped on a shot off branch, going higher into the sky. He left powerful gusts of air from every move he made, using the air from the tornado and his own strength to cut the distance between him and where Lady Nagant was firing from.
He bounced around the debris with his brand new speed, blitzing through anything that could get in his way. He could feel his body burning with power, yet there was pain from all his body was doing. Even the smallest bit of wind felt like knives on his skin. But that did not deter him. He kept moving faster away from the group, bouncing from tree to tree like a kite riding the winds of a hurricane without being torn apart by the powers that kept it flying. The sounds of bullets being fired at him made him perk up even further, feeling the power in his body reacting to the motions.
The shots flew through the air, as the energy inside Izuku directed him forward. Breathing in and out, the world before the heir of One For All began to slow down as he ran. Izuku sidestepped, dodging the first bullet as he let out a warm breath. He backhanded the second shot, striking at the side of the bullet, sending it away. Before he could do anything else, he spotted the third bullet coming towards him almost as if it was suspended in mid-air. He ducked under the shot, relaxing his body, springing to full speed towards Lady Nagant.
Back with Lady Nagant, she was shocked at how her target was running towards her shots while the winds and the nets kept her from doing any trick shots. She was running out of bullets and her target was getting closer by the second. She narrowed her eyes as her scope landed on his own glaring eyes.
She hadn't seen that kind of glare in a long time. In her everyday life, she had seen many expressions on the battlefield. But the glare that she was seeing on that young man's face was not one of fear, or despair at looking at the end of her rifle. The face before her was one of determination to see things through to the end.
A brave face.
The power that he carried himself with against her was so great that she almost believed that nature itself had turned against her. In the blink of an eye, she lost sight of him as he zoomed towards her with all his might.
Izuku used the power of One For All to zip around the area, becoming a blur for all to see. He ran around Lady Nagant and her son, making her switch positions over and over again. As he ran through the air at super speeds, his eyes landed on the young man that was aiding Lady Nagant. He didn't know if it was anger that fueled him next or if it was the look of fear in the boy's eyes. But he wasn't going to stop until he made it to Lady Nagant and defeated her once and for all.
"Lady Nagant, we're here to stop you!" Izuku roared in defiance.
Lady Nagant fired at Izuku, catching a glimpse of him coming down towards her.
"Smile you little-!" Lady Nagant started only to catch a glimmer of light coming from her side.
Lady Nagant turned her head to the sight of Catra holding up the Sword of Protection over her head.
"For the Honor of Grayskull!" Catra transformed in a flash of light, becoming the nine foot tall warrior of legend with Melog assuming a much larger size.
Lady Nagant realized what the two targets had done to her. They'd circled her into a kill circle. But she wasn't done just yet. She snapped back to reality, pulling back her rifle arm back into her body before turning her left arm into a secondary rifle aimed straight at Catra. She fired just as Catra turned her sword into a magic enhanced shield.
"Not this time, bitch!" Catra bounced the bullet away with her shield.
Izuku took this chance and struck. He grabbed hold of Lady Nagant's rifle arm with a firm and powerful grip. Before she could say or do anything else, Izuku spun her over his head, using the wind force of his movements to bend and break Lady Nagant's rifle. As she let out a cry of pain, he dropped her on the hard rocks, shattering them with the brute strength of his movements.
Lady Nagant tried to get up but she found a sword aimed at her throat. She looked up and saw Catra and Izuku glaring at her with fierceness.
"Lady Nagant, you're under arrest." Catra narrowed her eyes at Lady nagant.
"You've got nothing else to pull out." Izuku added as his green aura continued to flare.
Lady Nagant could feel the full intensity of the blow she'd received. The power that was used to smash the rocks with her body was like that of a hurricane. Her body was aching with pain, probably had a few broken bones and her left arm was broken and unable to fire. She had lost, but she still had to do something to save her son.
Despite her wounded and outnumbered situation, she moved forward, glaring all the way. The taste of metal on her mouth wasn't slowing her down either.
"Stop, this fight is over." Izuku snapped, feeling like the situation had gone too far.
"Not until you two are dead and stopped for the Horde!" Lady Nagant snapped back with blood coming out of her mouth.
"Talk about not knowing when to give up." Catra commented before hearing a gun being fired.
Izuku and Catra looked up to see two shots coming up to them. Their eyes went wide as they saw the attacks coming at them. Their minds raced to figure out what had happened or how they could've missed a second shooter working with Lady Nagant. They hadn't seen any other Horde soldier or sniper with a weapon. So the question remained, where had the shots come from.
Just as the bullets had almost blown them away, a powerful wind blew Izuku, Catra and Melog back. They looked in shock as the two shots were caught by a pair of glowing nets. Their hearts beated faster as they realized they were now joined by Netossa and Spinnerella.
"You two are really full of stamina, you two!" Netossa called out as she and Spinnerella landed next to them.
"Are you two alright?" Spinnerella asked.
"Aching a bit but I'm still standing." Izuku commented.
"Keep your eyes open, there's still one more shooter here!" Catra turned to look at the shooter.
But the sight before her made her blood run cold.
The young man that they had seen being Lady Nagant's second pair of eyes stood before them. His arms had transformed into a pair of wrist mounted blasters akin to those of Lady Nagant. He was shaking as the smoke of the barrels drifted out of his guns. He was barely able to stand up but he stood firm against the enemies.
"S-Stay away from her!" Souta screamed in defiance.
"Who the heck is that kid?" Netossa asked as Izuku and Catra got back to their feet.
"He was helping Nagant shoot at us," Catra replied. "But we just found out about those wrist guns."
"Souta! Get out of here!" Lady Nagant ordered.
"I'm not leaving you, mom!" Souta revealed in defiance.
"Mom?!" Izuku, Catra, Netossa and Spinnerella gasped.
The four members of the Alliance were beyond shocked to learn that Lady Nagant had a child or that she brought him with her. They hadn't expected this to happen nor were they expecting the boy aiming at them with such guns at that moment. As they were locked in this Mexican standoff, they made sure to not lose sight of either the mother or the child. They had no idea what to do. They didn't know if they had to let them go to their own devices or if they let them go.
"This looks like a nice development." Modulock's voice came out from the collar around Souta's neck.
"Modulock?" Izuku asked.
"Hello there children. I hope you don't mind me dropping by but I thought my input would be very valuable to you." Modulock said through the speaker on the collar.
"We have nothing to say to you, you Frankenstein wannabe!" Netossa snapped.
"I'll take that as a compliment. Now that the niceties are out of the way, here's the deal." Modulock spoke with a somber tone. "Lady Nagant, you carry that grenade all high ranking Force Captains have in case of their imminent capture? If your targets don't surrender, you're to use it to blow them all up to smithereens."
"L-Lord Modulock," Lady nagant groaned.
"You think we can't take the grenade out of her hands or stop her?" Spinnerella asked.
"Yes, but that won't give you enough time to stop the bomb around this kid's neck. Sorry junior, your should've popped your guns earlier." Modulock shrugged.
The collar around Souta's neck blinked bright red as a countdown began.
Izuku, Catra, Netossa and Spinnerella were all shocked at the sight before them.
"So, surrendering sounds pretty good right about now." Modulock taunted. "You've got till the count of ten. One… Two… Three…"
Izuku, Catra, Netossa and Spinnerella were shocked at the situation that they were in. They noticed Lady Nagant desperately reaching out to the grenade that she carried as she looked over to her son. Tears ran down her face as her son fearfully reached for the collar.
"Four… Five… Six… No touching the collar young man!" Modulock snapped.
"Honey, take a breath." Spinnerella got the boy's attention. "Everything will be fine. All we need is a quick grab before the bad man gets any funny ideas."
Izuku noticed what Spinnerella was trying to put out. He knelt down like in a racing position while Netossa wrapped a string around Izuku's waist.
"Souta, it's going to be okay." Izuku's eyes glowed.
"We promise." Catra added, as Lady Nagant grabbed the grenade.
"Seven… Eight… Nine…!" Modulock continued counting. "BYE!"
Catra swatted the grenade out of Lady Nagant's hands as Izuku shot out.
He grabbed hold of Souta's collar with his hands. He crushed the machine with his bare hands, tearing it off of the young man's neck. With a mighty fling, the young green hero tossed the collar far away from him and the boy.
Just as the collar was about to blow up, Netossa pulled Izuku and Souta away from the blast.
The explosion shook the nearby trees as Izuku skidded to a halt with the young man in his arms.
Everyone let out a tired breath as they allowed the explosion to pass. They didn't believe how close they had been to being blown up twice.
Izuku handed Souta to Lady Nagant, letting them hug it out.
"Lady Nagant, you and your son will have to come with us." Izuku said.
"We'd like to talk with you, if you don't mind." Catra added.
"Smooth entrance for diplomacy, kitty," Netossa smirked as Spinnerella kissed her wife at the sight of the young mother and son hugging together with love. And more.
Special Thanks to Batmarcus for allowing us to use his OC Souta.