It's getting closer and closer to D-Day, and for some reason, I'm feeling a blend of excitement and fear. I'm excited because with LazerTeam reaching $1,640,000, another clip from Volume 2 is being released soon.
But I'm scared because... well, I'm still having to write one more chapter after this. I know, I know, I promised this would be the last one, but this grew so long, I've had to chop it in two.
But anyway, pushing ahead.
Chapter 24: I'm In Your Base...
"BLAAAAAAAKE! WHERE ARE YOOOUU?!"
Ruby was screaming her lungs out, desperate to find our missing teammate. Two days had passed since I'd been drugged and Blake had disappeared, and we were no closer to finding her. Granted, I knew she was with Sun, but I only knew that they would be on a café's balcony, but there would be hundreds of coffee shops in the city, and looking through every single one in Vale for two people would take hours.
"BLAAAAAKE!"
"COME ON, BLAKE! WE JUST WANT TO TALK!"
"Ruby, Yang, people are starting to stare. Just send her a message through your Scrolls." Weiss scolded, hanging back from the three of us. Ruby turned to her.
"Weiss, you're not helping!" She whined. Weiss just gave her an annoyed look.
"Well, you know who might be able to help? The police!" She spat. I folded my arms, frustration edging onto my face.
"Yeah. Tell the cops we're looking for a potential former terrorist. That'll go well." I growled sarcastically. Weiss just threw her arms out to her sides.
"It was just an idea!"
"Yeah, a bad one!" Ruby grumbled, turning away and leading us down the street.
"Weiss, could we not jump to conclusions just yet? I think we should just hear Blake's side of the story." Yang was trying to act as the voice of reason, but it was clearly not working.
"I think when we hear it, you'll all realise that I was right!" Weiss responded.
"Yeah? Well, I think that the idea that she's still a member of the White Fang is stupid, and that this whole "war on your company" tirade is ridiculous." I grumbled bitterly.
"And I think Weiss's hair looks wonderful today!"
"AGH, PENNY, WHEREDIDYOUCOMEFROM?"
Penny had somehow slipped behind our group, and had a cheerful smile on her ambiguously android face. She must have heard Ruby and Yang screaming, and decided to come and see her friends.
"Hey, guys. What are you up to?" She asked innocently. Ruby and Yang looked to each other, as if contemplating whether to tell her about our search for Blake. I decided to spare the ums and ahs, and just tell her.
"Blake's gone missing since Friday. We're trying to find her, before… something bad happens." I answered. Penny's face lit up.
"Ohhh. You mean the Faunus girl. That's terrible!" She cried out. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang looked blankly at her, while I smiled. Penny was definitely observant.
"Wait, what makes you think she's a Faunus?" Ruby asked. Penny opened her mouth to explain, but shut it when she saw my grin.
"I believe you should ask your friend that question. After all, he seems to know all about it." Penny smiled. My grin faded: how could she have guessed that I knew about Blake's secret?
"Darrel? You knew about this?" Ruby looked at me sadly, pouting with tears in her eyes. I tried to resist Ruby's attempts to charm me, but her cute glare caused my heart to melt. I sighed, and decided to tell the truth.
"Her bow hides some cat ears. I saw her remove it one time on the roof, and they they were, clear as day. That's how I knew." I confessed, looking away ashamedly, disgusted in myself at having to lie even further. Weiss strode forward angrily, and gave me a harsh slap on the cheek.
"And you choose now to reveal this?! What kind of teammate are you to keep secrets from us?! We're a team! There are no secrets, you dunderhead!" She yelled angrily. Ruby pulled her away, and placed her hands on her shoulders, giving her an angry glare.
"Weiss, calm down! Darrel must have had his reasons for keeping this from us. But we need to find Blake now. Understand?" Gone was the silver-eyed innocent girl with a penchant for sweets and carnage. All that Weiss and I saw was the hard face of a leader reprimanding an uppity subordinate. Weiss gave me a sneer, but nodded. Ozpin had picked the right person to lead the team of RWBY.
"Well, nevertheless, I won't rest until we find your teammate! Let us proceed, friends!" Penny declared, walking ahead and looking in every nook and cranny for Blake. As I looked at Weiss, she shrugged, and began to walk off. Yang and Ruby looked at me confusedly, before walking off after the team. But as I was about to follow them, I felt someone grab my jacket, and pull me into a nearby alleyway. As I cried out, a gloved hand planted itself firmly across my mouth, its owner pinning me to the wall by my chest. Trying to get a good look at my assailant, they appeared to be wearing a black balaclava, so I wouldn't recognize them.
No matter. I could at least fight back. Curling my fingers into a fist, I reared back, and punched my attacker in the gut, causing them to double over in pain. Taking the chance, I gripped the attackers arm, and drew in their power. At least now we were on even ground, so to speak. Any surprises would be met equally.
Spinning around, and gripping onto a nearby metal pipe, deciding to save my weapons for when they'd be a perfect surprise, I twirled it in my hands, getting a feel for its weight, how strong the pipe was, and the like. My assailant just spun on the balls of his feet, ready for an attack. Well, either way, I decided to make the first move. Twirling the pipe like a staff, I spun it to the left of my body, then to the right. A staple move when utilizing a weapon of this style. A way to fake out the enemy and defend yourself against any attack at the same time.
But my enemy was prepared. He just placed a hand onto the pipe, stopping it dead in its tracks, and jarring my hand. That was when the assailant spoke out.
"Is it customary for people from Earth to greet each other this way?"
Hold on… that voice was familiar. Taking the pipe back, the assailant removed the mask to reveal a familiar figure. One with goldenrod eyes, and dark green hair with two red skunk stripes. Not to mention the pair of white lion's ears atop her head.
Kimba in the flesh.
"Not normally, but when they're attacked from behind and pulled into an alleyway, yes." I deadpanned, throwing the pipe aside, making a clattering noise as it landed. Kimba snickered, then stepped forwards.
"I'm proud of you, Darrel. You've survived far longer than I anticipated. Riding a Nevermore, being swallowed by a Wahtani, and dealing with that coward Winchester… I have to wonder if Remnant is where you truly belong." Kimba smiled, a feat I didn't think she was capable of. But of course, it was quickly replaced by a frown.
"But my war is about to take the next step, and I need to prepare you for it." She said. I raised my hand, telling her to stop.
"Wait a minute. How exactly is your war changing? And who are you really fighting?" I asked. Kimba sighed.
"You have earned that much. And I did say I would tell you some things about me. Follow me, and we'll talk for a little bit." She offered, walking past me, and quickly leaping onto a drainpipe, climbing up it like a monkey. Shrugging, I climbed onto a nearby dumpster, and gripped the fire escape ladder, scrambling up the rungs and quickly hopping on the roof, following Kimba. At least now, I would have answers.
As the sun began to set, I followed Kimba from rooftop to rooftop, ducking under pipes, climbing over chain link fences, and vaulting over air conditioning units. Until finally, Kimba stopped and crouched at the corner of a roof overlooking a large group of warehouses, motioning me to do the same. As I did so, I surveyed the area. The warehouses appeared to be largely abandoned, graffiti splayed all over the walls and doors, rust overtaking some of the panels, and the windows had long since shattered, shards of glass lying outside the frame.
"Kimba? What is this?" I asked. Kimba was looking intently at the warehouses, as if she was expecting movement.
"This is my enemy's territory. They've holed up in these storage areas, smuggling in weapons, parts, ships, whatever they can get their hands on. I've been meaning to stop them before they do any more damage, but it's been difficult. For one thing, they know who I am, and what I can do. But more importantly, I'm just one Faunus against a small army. But with you here, Darrel… they won't stand a chance." Kimba smiled at me, twitching her lion ears. So Kimba was a Faunus. But why a white lion?
"Kimba, who are your enemies, exactly?" I asked. Kimba looked back to the warehouse, pointing to a streak of graffiti. Looking at it, nothing stood out in particular.
"Kimba, that's just graffiti. What does that tell me?" I asked, now annoyed. Kimba just shook her head.
"No, Darrel. Look a little bit closer." She chided. I just rolled my eyes, and did as she said. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang were probably wondering where I was, so I decided to humour the woman. Blinking, the graffiti pictures, one of a Dust crystal, another of an obscene image, and a third of… a bloody wolf? Where have I…
My God.
"You're fighting the White Fang?" I hissed. Kimba glanced at me sadly, and nodded.
"Yes. Before they became the terrorist organization they are now, they were a peaceful protest group. Boycotts, protests, we just wanted our rights. Humans had oppressed us for centuries, and we just wanted to be seen as equals. More than just freaks with animal ears, tails, and senses. We still possessed life. We were equal in that regard. But when stupidity and ignorance take hold, their grip is iron. We received our rights, but humanity still saw fit to abuse us. And then, things got worse."
Kimba gestured to the warehouse, where a few goons in armour resembling that of the Knights Templar had appeared, each carrying cases.
"Five years before you arrived, their previous leader was forcibly dethroned, and a new one took their place. One with a new method of thinking. But I'm sure you know the rest." Kimba finished.
"Yeah. Protests became riots, shops that refused to serve Faunus were torched, peaceful acts quickly turned to terrorist operations. I know the story." I droned, looking at the goons who were loading up cases into one of the warehouses.
"But from what I remember, the previous leader stepped down. What do you mean by the last leader being usurped?" I inquired. Kimba looked away sadly. The gears in my head began to click, and I finally understood.
"You? You were the leader?" I was stunned. Now I understood why Kimba had waged war on them. They had disagreed with her methods, and forced her out, quickly turning to violence. Kimba must have wanted to stop them.
"Yes, though only a select few people knew my true identity. I couldn't be too careful, so every time I arranged a protest, I changed my appearance to a new look every time. That's my Semblance, you see: Camouflage. I can change my appearance at will. But as you've absorbed my power, I'd understand you would know about that." Kimba explained. Then, as if to prove she wasn't lying, her skin tone changed to a lighter persuasion, almost as if she hadn't seen the sun her entire life. Furthermore, her hair shortened to a boyish haircut that barely reached her ears, and its colour changed from its trademark green and red to a more socially acceptable brown. Her white lion ears, however, remained the same.
"Okay, you've proved your point, Kimba. Now what's your plan?" I asked. The woman beside me pointed to a man in a white suit, holding a cane, and looking at the goons who were quickly finishing their work.
"As far as I know, he is their ringleader for the time being. Roman Torchwick, notorious criminal. His affable behaviour hides an incredibly sociopathic demeanour. I never met him in person, but if he's working with the White Fang, something's wrong. They would never work for someone like him." Kimba explained. I rolled my eyes, the explanation sounding quite familiar.
"So what's your plan, Kimba? We can't just go in and attack now, it's too well guarded." I pointed out. Kimba said nothing, but just smiled at me, an earpiece resting in her hand.
"Who said we were going to attack them?"
"Why is it because I do the dangerous stuff, people think that I'm the best one for the job?"
As I pondered this question, I was slicing into a nearby section of the chain-link fence with my pincers. Because I had already absorbed her Semblance, she had 'volunteered' me to slip in, knock out a guard and steal his uniform. It sounded simple enough, but there were risks. If I became the wrong guy, I could end up right by Roman's side. And I didn't want that: I'd never escape.
*SCHWICK!*
As I clenched my fist, the twin blades sliced into the wire, severing it, and falling free. Setting it beside a small pile of garbage, I dived through the hole, now inside the compound. Quickly thinking, I fired a grappling barb to the edge of the roof, feeling it anchor firmly on the lip. Hoisting myself up, I gripped the edge of the roof, hanging precariously by my fingers, which were already growing sore from supporting my weight. I pulled myself up, and found myself face to face with a goon, armed with a rifle. His mouth opened, ready to sound the alarm, but I was quicker: I swung my leg at his leg, feeling my boot smash against his knee. He dropped, and to finish the job, I grabbed his head, and brought it down to my rising knee. He was catapulted back, landing on the roof, and going limp, unconscious. I tapped the earpiece, hearing it buzz to life.
"Kimba, I've taken out a lookout. I'm going to change into him now."
"Good. Keep me posted. Take his uniform, and his weapon. Keep your Iridescent Basilisks handy, though: you'd have more skill using your own weapons." Kimba instructed. I picked up the dropped rifle and holstered it on my back. Gripping the guard's wrists, I began to drag him away, behind a nearby air conditioner. Wrapping my fingers around his metal mask, I pulled it away, to reveal the face underneath to the world. His right eyebrow had a jagged scar from his temple to the bridge of his nose, curving around his eye. But other than that, his image looked relatively… normal. But now was the time to harness Kimba's borrowed power. Concentrating on that area, I felt my skin begin to ripple painfully, as the dips and valleys of the scar slowly took form on my face. Looking at the body before me, I began to strip, shoving my clothes into my rucksack, which I would give to Kimba for safekeeping. Quietly, I slipped into the mook's uniform. Starting with the black hooded body sock, and adding on the gauntlets, boots, and tunic with the blood red logo of the monstrous wolf on the back, my disguise slowly took place. Finally pulling the hood up over my head, I was ready. Looking at my reflection in the air conditioner, minus my weapons, which I had hidden against my back, and the missing mask, I looked just like one of the White Fang.
Looking at the mask in my hands, I gingerly placed it around my face, feeling the cold metal burn against my skin. Looking back to my likeness emblazoned on the metallic box, I saw a cold-blooded Faunus looking back at me, through two narrow slits. I nearly jumped back in shock, when I stupidly realised that it was just my own image staring hatefully back at me.
"ALL MUTTS OF THE WHITE FANG, OPERATION: IRON COAST WILL PROCEED IN FIVE MINUTES. REPORT TO YOUR AIRSHIPS AT ONCE. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, SO MOVE IT, YOU LAZY MONGRELS."
Roman's voice rang out over the compound, followed swiftly by Kimba's voice buzzing in my ear once again.
"Leave your Scroll in your rucksack. I'll use it to find your belongings. No matter what happens, play along. Do not, under any circumstances, compromise your infiltration. Kimba out."
And with that, I dashed to the edge of the roof, dropping my rucksack near where I had cut the fence. As I jumped from the roof, a black cloaked figure swiped it up, flashing me a thumbs up. I inhaled, finding the nerve to go out there, hidden in plain sight. Exhaling a lungful of air, I stepped into the brightly light docking area.
Striding to the Bullhead, trying to act as if I was a Faunus hell-bent on getting equality, my heart pounded in my chest, wondering how I could get out of this situation, should I be recognized. I could fight them off, but with Roman watching me, I'd be dead or captured in two seconds. I wouldn't be able to run, everyone would just gun me down.
Don't think about it, Darrel. If worst comes to worst, Kimba will be there to bail you out.
Striding up the boarding ramp, my heart froze, when I saw the vehicle's distinct occupant emerging from the cockpit.
Torchwick himself.
"Finally, you stupid mutt. What took you so long? We're burning daylight here!" He grumbled, taking a seat in the blood tray and pulling a harness tight around his chest. I just said nothing, and sat down, doing the same action.
"Pre-flight diagnostics… check. Thrusters… check. All systems are go. Operation: IRON COAST is underway. Repeat, we are underway." A voice blared over the built-in intercom. I looked to the loading ramp, as it slowly slid shut. Doubts began to flood my mind, as my only means of escape slowly disappeared.
I just shook my head. If I made the wrong move, Roman would use his cane to end my life before I could blink. Besides, I'd faced more dangerous circumstances before.
The ramp closed, eliminating my only way out, and the Bullhead rocked as it took flight, flying to the cargo docks. This was it. No turning back. With Roman by my side, and a group of very misguided Faunus surrounding me, now was the time to focus, play along, and stop this madness.
Weren't expecting that, were you?
But anyway, this chapter should hopefully give some insight about Kimba's actions. And that crystal Kimba gave Darrel 21 chapters ago... I haven't forgotten about it. I promise it's important.