Chapter 7: Haunting Past
Prologue:
The amature vigilante known as Magenta enjoyed the sensation of breathing in the crisp night air through the fabric of his mask as he raced across the rooftops. It had been two weeks since he saved his mother from Weed, and now he was spending more nights after dark prowling the city and stopping petty crimes. He had just stopped a mugger and was on his way home when he spotted something suspicious out of the corner of his eye. He looked down at his watch and shrugged.
"I think I have a little more time to kill." He smirked to himself and made his way down. A man in a cloak was carrying an older, tied-up man over to a moving van when Magenta dropped down to confront him. "Hold up there, big boy. I don't know what you're planning on doing to that guy, but I'm going to have to ask you to let him go."
"This does not concern you, little one." The cloaked figure remarked. "Leave now."
"Why don't you make me?" Magenta taunted, raising his fists.
"... if you insist." The man removed his cloak, revealing twenty purple Dust crystals strapped to his belt. He stabbed one of the crystals into his wrist and his veins immediately began to glow. Magenta recoiled in fear as his opponent's muscles began to expand and tear his coat apart. He tore a lamppost from the ground with his bare hand and threw it at the vigilante.
Magenta managed to dodge the projectile, but it hit the dumpster behind him instead. It flipped over and landed on top of him. Hazel grunted and finished escorting his hostage into the van before he and his men drove off. Thankfully, the dumpster was empty and the vigilante hadn't been harmed.
"... okay…" Magenta breathed out, shakily. "I might need to join a gym."
Ironwood Asylum, New Rushland
"I'm glad to hear that you're doing better, Emerald," Svetlana remarked as she spoke to the ex-mercenary at the asylum.
"I appreciate that," Emerald said with a small smile. "And I'm glad that there aren't any hard feelings for what happened back on Menagerie."
"Meh, you aren't the first person some psycho sent after me, and you probably won't be the last either," Svetana replied with a shrug.
"Sorry to interrupt, dear," Mikhail called out, "but I felt that I should remind you that you're needed downtown this evening."
"Right, I forgot about that," Svetlana said with a light blush. "Listen, Emerald…"
"Go," Emerald interrupted with an understanding grin on her face. "This city needs you."
"In the meantime, I'll take things from here, Svetlana," Dr. Cream said with a smile. "Come on now, Emerald: Aunty Esmeralda is going to take you back to your room now."
"That's never catching on," Emerald declared with a flat look.
"Never say never~" Esmeralda teasingly remarked as two guards wheeled Ivy Greene into the room, strapped to her wheelchair with a muzzle tightly fastened around her mouth. "And we also have Ms. Greene joining us for group therapy today! Won't that be fun?"
"Fuck off." Ivy muttered through her muzzle.
Meanwhile, at the Maroons' apartment, Boris sat on his bed as he performed bicep curls with a ten pound dumbbell. "... eighteen… nineteen… twenty." He grunted and set the weight down on the floor. He flexed his arm, dissatisfied with how little muscle he actually had, before glancing at the workout regime book he had purchased. "Great. Just five hundred billion more reps and I'll have 'iron-pumping muscles of steel.'" He snorted.
"Boris, you ready to go-?" Jane unceremoniously entered her son's room and noticed the dumbbells and fitness book.
"Oh, uh, didn't I tell you, mom?" Boris chuckled, nervously. "I took up a new elective; competitive body-building."
"Uh… that's my boy." She remarked, confused. "Anyway, there's been a change of plans; I need to head to the station for a minute before we go to the charity gala. Get dressed and meet me downstairs."
"Will do." He nodded as his mother left the room before giving a sigh. "Even ignoring how I'm not as strong as I'd like to be, I'll admit that it hasn't been easy keeping my night time activities a secret from Mom. Makes me wonder how Krasnaya and Azure do it."
"Achoo!" Cyan and Svetlana rubbed their noses after sneezing.
"Huh, I wonder who was talking about you…or rather if they were referring to your lives in or out of the mask," Mikhail teasingly declared.
"Well, whomever they were, I hope they were thinking positively about us," Cyan called out.
"I'm sure they don't have anything too bad to say about us, especially given what we're doing here tonight," Svetlana said with a slight smile as she looked around the area. Indeed, it seemed that everyone who had gathered in City Hall appreciated how Svetlana had volunteered her time for charity by offering a free dinner to the potential board member who donated the most money to the new orphanage. Seeing as how she was the founder and CEO of Crimson Enterprises - the very company who founded New Rushland - many businessmen were eager for a chance to get on her good side.
"Remind me again why anyone would want this?" Cyan whispered to her guardians as the bidding was about to start later that evening. "I mean, Svetlana's already married, after all."
"Doesn't stop people from trying to catch her interest," Mikhail whispered back. "And hey: no one is going to say no to a good pre-cooked meal."
If the auctioneer had heard this, he didn't let it show as he gestured to Svetlana with his gavel. "Shall we start the bidding at…?"
"One thousand lien!" someone called out.
"Wow, they must really want that dinner," Cyan said with wide eyes as the bidding war already started.
"Ha! Chicken feed!" Another voice shouted. "Five thousand lien!"
"Fourteen thousand!"
"Fifteen thousand!"
"I hear fifteen thousand! Do I hear sixteen?"
"Twenty thousand!"
"Twenty thousand lien!" The auctioneer lifted his gavel. "Going once. Going twice-"
"Five hundred million." A voice called out.
The crowd murmured in response to this sudden declaration. Eventually, they all saw a dark-skinned man dressed in a neat tuxedo with a light green bow tie standing in the back. Svetlana's eyes widened in shock as she recognized him. The man winked and continued to sip his champagne.
"Going once. Going twice. Sold to Mr. Munsell!" the auctioneer declared, banging his gavel soon afterwards.
Despite earning more funds for the orphanage than she could have hoped, Svetlana was anxious about talking to the donor in front of her family. She was in no mood to face her past at this time. She hastily made her way off the stage and tried ushering her family out the door.
"What's wrong, love?" Mikhail asked, concerned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"We need to go." She insisted. "We need to go right now-"
"Rochelle!" The man suddenly called out before gripping Svetlana's shoulders and kissing both cheeks. "It's been such a long time."
Svetlana shook her head in a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "You know, earlier, I felt that I had sensed trouble. Turns out I was right."
The man in question simply snorted. "Well, you're the same as ever."
Mikhail cleared his throat, trying to keep the sudden burst of jealousy he was feeling in check as he did. "And this is…?"
"Ah, where are my manners? Erin Munsell at your service," the man declared with a theatrical bow. "Rochelle and I used to work together a few years back."
"Yeah, I think Svetlana actually mentioned you a few times," Cyan said with a nod.
"Yes, I'm well aware of her change in names," Erin said with a light chuckle, briefly patting the girl on the head before turning to Svetlana. "Anyways, aren't you going to introduce me to your companions?"
"Right, this is Cyan, my ward," Svetlana declared. "And this is Mikhail, my husband."
"AH! So you are Mikhail!" Erin gripped the man's shoulders and kissed both his cheeks just as he had done to Svetlana. Mikhail was frozen in surprise, but that didn't stop Erin from rambling. "Oh, Rochelle's told me so much about you! I was the one who gave her the clue that you were still alive, you know? You sold me a bottle of vodka while I was traveling in Anima, do you remember? Of course you do! Anyway, I ended up sharing it with her, and-" He was interrupted by a taller, similarly-dressed man with pale skin and dark hair placing a hand on his shoulder and whispering something into his ear. "Ah, a story for another time, I suppose. I look forward to our dinner, Rochelle. And, please, do bring your family with you."
Svetlana, Mikhail, and Cyan watched as Erin left with the taller man. "Well… he seems friendly." Cyan remarked.
"That's certainly a word for it." Mikhail snorted, rubbing his cheek. "Not sure if it's the word I'd use though."
"Nah, that's just how Erin's always been," Svetlana couldn't help but remark with a sigh as her mind turned back to simpler times.
Several Years Ago
Svetlana Crimsonoff - known as "Rachael Red" to the rest of the world at that point - had been assigned by General Ironwood to investigate the Munsell family for suspicion of being connected to Salem's empire. In order to do this, she had posed as a reporter for The Atlesean Times assigned to interview the youngest member of the Munsell family; Erin. Just as she'd hoped, Erin accepted the interview and gave her a story of how his mother's business came to be. Using her Huntress Eyes semblance, she was able to monitor his heartbeat and determine whether he was lying or telling the truth. At first, she had no reason to believe that Erin and his family were connected to Salem, but when he kept dodging questions regarding any business partners, she decided to dig deeper. This went on for an entire week before he finally asked her out on a date.
Erin and his family were staying at one of the most prestigious hotels in all of Atlas, and he invited her over for dinner. She was surprised to find that he had rented out the entire restaurant to give them privacy, with only a few bodyguards for protection. She had ordered a sirloin steak with a baked potato on the side and he had ordered the eggplant parmesan with a house salad. "Are you a vegetarian?" She asked.
Erin nodded with a soft smile as he cut into his meal. "I know it sounds silly, but… I just can't stand the thought of eating something that has a mother."
"Hey, it's fine: I completely understand," Svetlana said with a grin.
"Thank you."
Just then, a dark-skinned man a few years older than Erin walked up to the table. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Brother!" Erin greeted the man with a warm smile as he motioned to Svetlana. "This is Rachael. The girl I told you about. Rachael, this is my brother, Shade."
The Atlesean spy extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled.
Instead of shaking her hand, Shade Munsell maintained his cold demeanor. After sizing her up, he bowed his head and patted his knuckles against his chest. "Rochelle." He said.
Svetlana was confused. "Excuse me?"
Shade repeated the gesture. "Rochelle."
Svetlana cleared her throat. "Um, it's Rachael."
Shade glared at the girl but his brother spoke up. "Aheh, um, he knows that your name is Rachael." Erin explained. "But, in our country, your name is pronounced 'Rochelle.' He was greeting you in our native language."
"Oooooooooh…" Svetlana blushed from embarrassment. "Sorry."
"Infidel." Shade muttered, irritably. He then took out a piece of paper and handed it to his brother. "Here, Erin. This is the new speech mother wants you to memorize for the gala next month."
Erin groaned as he accepted the paper. "Why can't you be the one to give the speech this time?"
"Because I will be attending a meeting that night with an important collection of board members who still need a little… persuasion."
"Well, what if I do that for you?" Erin suggested, happily. "It'd be a nice change of pace."
"You would be wise to remember your place, Erin." Shade crossed his arms, impatiently. "Yours is beside mother. Mine is in the office."
"Brother…" Erin smiled and placed a hand on Shade's shoulder. "There is no need for dominance between us. Let us share our responsibilities."
Shade glared as he removed his brother's hand. "There are two sides to our family's business, brother; the fist and the face. And you… are the face." He briefly turned to face Svetlana with a slight nod of respect. "Still, despite my reservations, I'll admit that you must be pretty special to catch my brother's attention. Anyways, I hope you enjoy your evening." With that, Shade Munsell went off to attend to the matter.
"Well, he seems like a very cheerful guy." Svetlana remarked, sarcastically.
Erin chuckled. "I don't think 'cheer' is in his job description."
"Yeah, I suppose I could see that. Actually, if you don't mind my asking… well, it's just… Shade looks so much different from you." She finally said. "How is he your brother?"
Erin shrugged. "Well, he is older than I am. And we both share the same mother. So, he's my half-brother."
Svetlana raised both hands in a defensive manner. "Again, I meant no offense. So what happened to his father?"
"I don't know." Erin shrugged again as he prepared the food. "I never met his father. Or mine for that matter."
"I'm… I'm sorry to hear that. Have you ever asked your mother who your father is?"
Erin shook his head. "She doesn't like to talk about it. But enough about the past. My family prefers to think about the future…" He gently brushed his hand over hers, making her cheeks heat up, slightly.
After dinner, Erin's personal bodyguard - Cinnamon Twig - walked up to the table with a bottle and two glasses. She poured them both a glass and left without a word. "A toast." Erin offered, lifting his glass. "To new friendships."
"To new friendships." Svetlana agreed and tapped her glass against his before they both took a sip. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she gazed down at the glass. "Erin, where did you get this?"
"Hm?" Erin, curious about her bizarre reaction, glanced down at his own glass. "Oh, it's just a little souvenir I picked up on one of my trips to Vacuo. I ran into a merchant who made it himself."
Svetlana took out her wallet and held up a picture of a young man with black hair. "Did he look like this?"
Erin leaned in to get a better look at the photograph. "Um, yes. I think so. Why?"
Svetlana tearfully hugged the photograph to her heart. "He's alive! He made it!"
Erin was still confused. "You know him?"
"His name is Mikhail Kashtonovvy! He was one of my closest and dearest friends before…" She cut herself off once she realized she was jeopardizing the mission. But she couldn't risk losing such a lead. "Before… my home was destroyed."
"What?!" Erin slammed his hands on the table in anger. "By whom?"
"Uh, it was destroyed by… by no one." She lied. "There was a malfunction with our energy source. Who knew solar panels were so flammable?"
Erin's heart sank. "I'm so sorry to hear that. What city was it? I feel like I would have heard about it?"
"Oh, it was a new, underdeveloped city called… Polendina. But that's irrelevant. The important thing is that Mikhail is still alive! Do you think… do you think you could help me find him? It would mean the world to me."
A long silence filled the air as Erin stared at his guest. Svetlana did her best to maintain her composure; not an easy feat as her new friend's piercing green eyes looked into her very soul. However, Erin finally smiled and took the photograph.
"Cinnamon!" He called.
The bodyguard returned. "You shouted, Master Erin?"
Erin handed her the photograph. "Send a copy of this photograph to our Vacuan agents. Tell them to be on the lookout for this man."
"As you wish, sir." Cinnamon nodded and left to complete her task.
Erin went back to the table and took Svetlana's hands into his own. "Give me three days, Rochelle." He smiled. "If this Mikhail Kashtonovvy is still in Vacuo, my family will find him and invite him to come see you."
Svetlana tearfully wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Erin. Thank you so much."
Erin hugged her back and whispered in her ear. "Come with me. I want to show you something."
The spy followed Erin through the halls until he led her to a hatch in the ceiling. Erin had led her to the roof of the building, giving her a view of the entire city of Atlas. Svetlana had seen such a sight before, but at this angle it was so much more satisfying.
"I just wish Mikhail could be here to see all of this," Svetlana admitted. "Gods know he'd love the view."
"If he's anything like how you described him, I'm sure that he'd be glad that you've been able to move on with your life," Erin declared, placing his hand on top of the one belonging to the Rushland native.
Svetlana smiled as she looked at her companion. "I'm glad I met you, Erin," she admitted which earned a smile on Erin's face.
"You know… it's so fitting that your name is Rochelle." Erin mused, happily. "It actually has a second meaning in my language."
"Oh, really?" Svetlana leaned closer. "And what's that?"
Erin boldly stroked his fingers under her chin and moved her lips to his. "'Beloved.'" He whispered before kissing her.
Back to the Present
"Everything okay?" Cyan couldn't help but ask, bringing her guardian back to the present as she did. "You've been staring out into space for a while now."
"I…yeah, I'm fine," Svetlana said with a blush. "Let's just get going."
Meanwhile, Shade Munsell was waiting in an underground tunnel system his family's company had secretly dug under the city. At last, Hazel Rainhardt arrived at the tunnel with the kidnapped Dr. Spark so that he could finish his work. "How long until it's ready?"
"Should be just about done," Dr. Spark nervously declared as he whipped some sweat from his brow. "Of course we'd be finished sooner if you'd have allowed for me to have some assistance or brought the parts I requested."
"Our plans necessitates discretion, Doctor," Hazel called out. "But as to the parts, you'll be pleased to know that they'll actually be arriving later today."
Dr. Spark nodded. "Okay then…and you promise that I'll be free to go once this is done?"
"Once you've given me what I asked for, you'll never have to deal with me again," Hazel promised.
Dr. Spark sighed in relief and returned to his work. However, Hazel made his way over to Shade's office. He stood next to the cultist as they looked out over the good doctor's project.
"Once he's finished, I will need to take him with me for my presentation." Hazel proclaimed. "His death will draw Krasnaya to me so that I might confront her."
"That wasn't part of our agreement." Shade protested. "He may still prove useful for my mother's organization. You cannot have him."
"You misunderstand: I was not asking for permission."
"Perhaps you are mistaken, my friend." Shade snarled. "I am in charge."
In response, Hazel planted his heavy hand on Shade's shoulder, with his open palm resting on the younger man's neck. "Do you feel in charge?" He asked, ominously.
For the first time in his life, Shade felt legitimately intimidated as he felt Hazel's fingers slowly wrapping around his neck. "We've paid you a small fortune." He reasoned.
Hazel was unimpressed. "And this gives you power over me?"
"You… you truly are an agent of evil." Shade shivered.
"A necessary evil." Hazel growled as his grip tightened, slightly.
"Alright, alright!" Shade relented. "Take Spark!"
"Good," Hazel replied as he released his grip. "Glad we could come to an understanding."
Shade gave a bitter chuckle as he massaged his throat. "Don't act so smug: if my mother finds out later that he had access to research that she could use, well, you'll find that she's much harder to intimidate."
"I'm well aware," Hazel declared, "which is why I took the liberty of arranging a little gift for her."
Shade blinked even as he caught a flash drive that was tossed to him. "What's this?"
"A data file containing all the research that Dr. Spark had a hand in," Hazel readily answered. "You'll find that I rarely go into business with someone without learning all I can about their endeavors."
"I see," Shade replied with a nod of something resembling respect. "Have care though: from what we know, the Red Woman isn't an easy mark."
"Indeed, hence why I will study her from afar for now." Hazel explained. "And once I understand her methods and why she refuses to kill, I will confront her… and then, I will break her."
At that moment, Jane and Boris arrived at the police station and met Detectives Coal and Cash. "Give me the details." Jane ordered as they made their way to the morgue.
"The victim was identified as a retired Atlesian physicist named Gerald Quark." Coal explained. "He was found with his head cut off and the only witness described the killer as a - and I quote - 'crazy-ass ninja.'"
"A ninja?" Jane arched an eyebrow as they entered the morgue. "You're fucking with me."
"Well, they were in shock, but…" Coal pulled off the sheet to reveal the severed head with the body. "I don't exactly think a butcher could make a cut that clean."
"Hm… well, I'd like a second opinion." Jane turned to her son. "Boris?"
Boris let out a soft chuckle as he realized what his mother was asking. "And here I was thinking you brought me along for my dry wit. You do realize I've never tried this on a dead person, right?"
"Just give it a try, please."
"Alright." Boris shrugged off his coat and made his way to the decapitated cadaver. As he gingerly placed his fingertips on the cold forehead, his aura began to shine. His Mnemonic Insight allowed him to look inside memories before, but this time the imagery was proving to be a bit sketchy. At last, he saw who had killed the victim just as the blade touched his neck. Seeing someone else's death through their eyes sent a cold chill down his spine and a painful shock through his nervous system. "AH!" He yelped and let go of the body.
"Boris!" Jane immediately grabbed her coat and wrapped it around her son's body as she hugged him. "I'm sorry! Are you okay?!"
"Ugh… yeah, mom. I'm fine." Boris nodded, getting a grip. "That was just a bit more intense than what I'm used to. I could use a glass of water, though."
"Done," Jane said with a sigh and got up, bringing over the water shortly afterwards. "I'm just glad you're alright."
"So? Was it a ninja, little man?" Cash asked.
Boris grunted as he got back to his feet, still a bit dizzy. "Well, if by 'ninja' you mean some freaky, mad-eyed son of a bitch dressed in all black running around cutting off people's heads with a sword… then, uh, yeah. I'd say we've got a positive I.D. But there was something that stood out to me… I'll need a pen and paper to explain."
A few minutes later, Charr Coal couldn't help but blink at the piece of paper before him. "...what exactly am I looking at?"
"I'm not entirely certain myself, but this symbol was on the ninja I saw," Boris explained. "Admittedly, I'm not the best artist, but it seemed important, so I figured you'd want to know."
"You thought right," Jane declared with a stoic expression.
"You recognize this symbol?"
"Only from images I've seen while undergoing training, but until now I always thought that the organization it supposedly belongs to was just a myth," Jane explained. "That said, if any of the rumors I've heard about this 'Cult of Grimm' are even partially true, then we might be in trouble here."
Boris absentmindedly looked out the window, wondering if the psychopath he had faced earlier was working for the Cult. If that were the case, Krasnaya could potentially end up getting killed. If only he had a way of contacting her.
"-oris? Boris!" The mauve-haired teenager was brought out of his thoughts by his mother's voice. "Son, did you hear me? I said I want you to go home and stay there for the rest of the night. Okay?"
"Uh, yeah. Yeah." Boris nodded. "Yeah, of course."
As he exited the police station, Boris rounded the corner and ducked into a secluded alley to slip into his Magenta costume. Once he changed, he climbed up to the rooftops and began pacing around to think of a way to contact his hero. He dumped his backpack out onto the roof to look through his supplies for anything that could help.
"Hmmm… a flashlight… a magnifying glass… a can of red spray paint…" A smile spread under his mask as he got an idea. "I think I can work with this."
Meanwhile, at the Crimsonoff-Kashtonovy farm, Mikhail was irritably finishing up the dinner his wife had suggested for Erin. While Svetlana and Cyan set the table, he removed a photograph from his coat pocket; it was three young cat faunus in street clothes surrounding a taller, older cat faunus dressed in a neat business suit.
"I'm not jealous." He told the photograph. "Shut up."
"Uh, Mikhail," Cyan called out, causing the man in question to jump due to the robin faunus appearing next to him. "You do know that you're talking to a photograph, right? Also, who were those cat faunus in that photo, if you don't mind my asking?"
Mikhail merely gave a nervous chuckle as he put the photo away. "Just some people I met before I reunited with Svetlana. I'll have to remember to give you the finer details at a later date, but for now, we should focus on the dinner."
Meanwhile, at the New Rushland Maiden Festival Stadium, Hazel silently led his men through the tunnels towards the field. Lifting a hand to order his militia to hold their positions, he proceeded forward to listen to a little girl singing New Rushland's anthem before the game would start. A single tear leaked out from Hazel's eye as the girl reminded him of his sister.
"... that's a very lovely voice." He remarked to himself.
At last, the girl finished singing and left the field so the game could begin. Hazel took that as his cue to trigger the bombs his team had planted beneat the stadium. The citizens screamed in panic as the ground shook and the players fell into the demolished field. Acting quickly, one of the referee's got on the intercom to calm the crowd.
"Everyone remain calm: please exit the stadium in a calm, orderly…" …and that was as far as the referee got before he fell to the ground, a bullet wound clear in his forehead.
"No one is going anywhere: not yet."
Back at the Crimsonoff-Kashtonovvy Farm, Erin Munsell was welcomed inside just as Mikhail and Cyan finished setting the table. "I hope I'm not late," he declared.
"Actually," Svetlana said with a nod as the meal was brought in. "You're just in time."
Erin blinked as he looked upon what was being served. "Wait, isn't this…?"
"...the same meal we shared with one another in that restaurant in Kuroyuri? Yes, yes it is." Svetlana replied. "I assure you though, this meal was planned well before you had won the dinner at the auction."
Erin chuckled in reply. "I was accusing you of nothing of the sort, though I must admit, I'm flattered that you held our time together in such high regard."
Svetlana smiled. "The day we met was admittedly one of the brighter moments in my dreary past."
Mikhail growled out hearing this, to which Cyan couldn't help but chuckle. "Careful, MIkhail: you're looking a little green there."
"I'm sorry, some of your country's phrases still seem foriegn to me: how is Mikhail 'green' exactly?" Erin felt the need to ask with a raised eyebrow.
"You know: green with envy," Cyan said with a teasing smirk. "Basically, Mikhail's jealous of the chemistry you and his wife share with one another."
"Ah, well, you need not worry, Mikhail," Erin said with a smirk. "I have no plans tonight to steal your wife away…though I'm not opposed to, how you people in Rushland say, a threesome."
"Okay, moving on!" Cyan yelled out with a gag as Mikhail and Svetlana both blushed in response to Erin's comment.
Mikhail likewise coughed into his palm and passed the dinner rolls to their eccentric guest. While accepting the bowl, Erin noticed eight tally marks on his wrist. "Interesting tattoo, Mikhail." He remarked. "Do you mind if I ask about its significance-?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." Mikhail replied, hastily covering it up with his sleeve.
Erin held up his hands defensively. "I understand, it must be private. Which is fitting. Just as Rochelle translates to 'beloved' in my language, Mikhail actually translates to 'Mykheil; he who covets privacy.'"
"What's my name translate to in your language?" Cyan asked, curiously.
"'Zyan.'" Erin replied.
"Oooh, how fancy." Cyan swooned at the sound of Erin's accent. "And what does it mean?"
"'Mud.'"
"... dang it."
"It's fine, darling," Mikhail said with a smile. "You'll always be our special little bird."
"Nice to know that your ward is well cared for," Erin directed at Svetlana with a grin of his own. "Gentle souls are the best caregivers. You are truly blessed with this family, Rochelle. Although, I must know why you left us so abruptly."
"Actually, I'm wondering that too," Mikhail remarked. "Sounds to me that you could have stayed under the employ of his mother and we'd still have reunited with one another while more or less living the same sort of life we are now, if not better, so why did you leave?"
"Because I had to," Svetlana said with a bitter chuckle. "Not long after I found out you were alive, I got a message from General Ironwood saying that there was some suspicious activity moving around in Vale as the Vytal Festival approached. He had wanted me and my team at the time, Team CPPR, to help investigate. Ironically though, this would lead into the investigation of Project Guardsman, which is how you and I would come to be reunited."
"Wow, it's almost like it was fate that you two were reunited," Cyan couldn't help but call out with a set of wide eyes.
"I make my own fate," Svetlana readily replied, "but yes: I'm certainly not complaining about the results." Suddenly, Svetlana's scroll vibrated in her pocket. "Hello? Dr. Oobleck?"
"I strongly recommend that you turn on the news." Oobleck suggested.
Recognizing the urgency in the Doctor's voice, Svetlana got up and approached a nearby television. "Sorry about this everyone, but I need to change the channel real quick."
"What's going on?" Cyan couldn't help but ask.
"I think we're about to find out," Mikhail declared as Svetlana settled on the news channel.
On the other side of the city, a team of militia soldiers dressed in black stormed into the festival stadium of New Rushland and wheeled in a bizarre device. Leading the group was an eight-foot tall man carrying an elderly scientist over his shoulder. Once the militia trapped the crowd in the stadium, Hazel set the hostage on the field and picked up the deceased referee's microphone.
"Identify yourself." Hazel ordered his hostage, holding the microphone to his mouth.
"I-I am Dr. Roger Spark. Nuclear physicist."
"And this…" Hazel motioned to the device behind him. "What is this?"
"It is a… fully armed, experimental proton bomb."
"And who is capable of disarming such a device?"
"... only me."
"Only you. Thank you, Dr. Spark."
"Good," Dr. Spark stammered. "Now let me go. You promised I'd be free if I helped you out here."
"Indeed, I did." The crowd screamed in horror as Hazel suddenly snapped Dr. Spark's neck and dropped his lifeless body to the ground. The mercenaries fired into the air to silence the crowd for Hazel before he spoke again. "As promised, Dr. Spark will never have to worry about dealing with me again after today. Now, this bomb is armed. This bomb is mobile. And the identity of the trigger man is a mystery. And at the first sign of interference before we've made our first demand, this nameless hero - a citizen we have placed among you - will trigger the , we come not as invaders, but as liberators. Liberating you from the oppression of your corrupt police force and the criminal who would see herself as a hero; Krasnaya, the Red Woman. New Rushland… your reckoning is at hand."
With that, Hazel dropped his microphone and led his men out of the stadium with the bomb. All of New Rushland had witnessed Hazel's display of terror, including the residents of the Crimsonoff-Kashtonovy household.
"That can't be good," Cyan called out as she stared wide-eyed at the TV.
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Svetlana declared before turning to Erin. "Looks like we'll have to finish this meal at another time."
"Indeed."
Mikhail happily ushered Erin out the door while Svetlana and Cyan made their way down to the basement. Mikhail followed soon after once the Dynamic Duo were in costume and hurried to the computer to offer any assistance in their crusade. Soon enough, Krasnaya and Azure were speeding down the streets towards the stadium. But by the time they arrived, Hazel and his men had already left without a trace.
"We need a clue." Krasnaya remarked. "Something that can lead us to Hazel."
"... like that?" Azure asked, pointing towards the sky.
Magenta had sprayed the lens of his flashlight with the red paint and shone it through the magnifying glass to create a signal in the sky. In retrospect, he thought that if Krasnaya had a proper symbol for him to paint, it wouldn't look like he was making a faux-blood moon. "This is never gonna work." He muttered to himself.
"I see you were trying to get my attention," Kransaya called out, causing Magenta to nearly jump out of his skin.
"Okay, first off, you need to teach me how to do that one of these days," Magenta declared. "Second off, I just learned about a powerful new foe in New Rushland that I feel that you should know about."
Meanwhile, Detective's Charr Coal and Ayisha Cash were at the police station, taking care of a group of orphans from the Summer Maiden Foster Care and their chaperone. The group had been in the stadium on a field trip when Hazel made his announcement, and the police force were doing their best to calm them down. One girl in particular stood out to Charr; a little red-haired girl sitting in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest. He cautiously maneuvered through the crowd to reach her.
"You okay, kid?" Charr asked the little girl.
The red-headed girl sniffled and wiped her eyes. "I-I'm scared. I wanna go home."
"Aw, don't worry, kid. We'll get you back to the orphanage as soon as this situation is dealt with."
"No. I mean home-home." She cried. "W-with my big brother, Solomon. He said he was gonna come get me and take me home, but that was weeks ago."
Charr felt a pang in his heart once he realized that this little girl was Solomon Navy's little sister. In the short time he had known Solomon, he had come to regard him as a good cop and a decent man. Anyone willing to overcome their mental illness for the sake of their family was better than most other men he'd known. But he didn't have the heart to tell her what had happened to him.
"Hey, for whatever it's worth, I think your brother would be very proud of how brave you're handling yourself right now." Charr remarked, soothingly, as he escorted her onto the bus. "What's your name, kid?"
She wiped her eyes once more. "R-Rebecca."
Meanwhile, Charr's companions were escorting Dr. Oobleck into the police station.
"I'm told that you have some insight on the bomb Hazel is using." Captain Maroon asked.
"Yes, and as one who is responsible for creating it, I humbly apologize for all the trouble it's causing," Dr. Oobleck solemnly remarked.
"You…you made the bomb."
"I worked alongside Dr. Spark during the beginning of his project before he was called elsewhere, so I know better than most that it was intended to be a self-sustaining fusion reactor, the first of its kind," Dr. Oobleck explained. "Though obviously Hazel had other ideas regarding how to use it. Regardless, as someone who helped create the bomb in question, I can tell you right now that this little revolution that Hazel is leading is the least of our worries."
"From what we've been able to gather, the core is unstable," Detective Cash explained, having already been informed about all of this prior to the meeting. "It was never intended to be out in the open like this."
"And the longer it stays out, the more the fuel will decay and collapse in on itself, meaning that it will go off in less than 24 hours - 72 hours if we're lucky - regardless of what we or the rest of the world choose to do," Dr. Oobleck declared.
"Okay, you worked on it for a bit: is there anything you can do to stop it?"
"I should be able to convert one of the Crimson Enterprises Dust Generators that we're developing into an improvised Nuclear Reactor to hook up the bomb up to," Dr. Oobleck said with a shrug. "Stabilize the core long enough for someone with more experience to take over and properly disarm it. Thing is, I'll need some time to make the necessary adjustments."
"Then we'll be sure to give it to you." Jane said with a nod.
"In the meantime, I'm going to go ahead and try to set up an evacuation," Charr Coal declared as he entered the room, having finished talking to Rebecca and having heard everything. "Not sure of how big the blast of that bomb is supposed to be, but hopefully I can get as many people as far away from the city as possible, just to be on the safe side of things."
"Not a bad call, Coal," Jane said with a smile. "Alright, there's a school bus in impound. Grab the keys and get the kids to safety. Then call Officers Bismuth and Shamrock to get more buses to help with the evacuation. Top priority is hospitals."
Charr nodded and rushed to the impound department. Once the bus was pulled in front of the station, and he called the other officers, he made his way back inside to usher the kids into the bus. Keeping a close eye on Rebecca, he made sure she and all her friends were aboard before driving off.
"Alright, kids, stay calm." Charr announced as he drove the school bus. "We're gonna be alright. I'm gonna get you out of here."
"She's out there, right?" one of the boys in the bus called out. "The Crimson Crusader will help us, right?"
Charr simply smiled. "Just keep your eyes peeled, kid: I'm sure you'll be able to see for yourself."
Meanwhile, Krasnaya and Azure were listening to Magenta explain the situation. Azure was skeptical of trusting Magenta, but Krasnaya wanted to hear what he had to say. He explained his encounter with the muscular man the other night and how easily he had been defeated. He also explained that the men helping him wore the same emblem that he had seen in the deceased man's memories.
"Do you think you can track them?" Krasnaya asked.
Magenta nodded. "I hacked into the traffic cams around this place a little while ago and saw some men with their emblem moving some equipment in and out of this building. Not sure what the equipment is exactly, but I'm willing to bet it's important in regards to whatever it is they're planning."
"We're not just gonna take his word for something like this, right?" Azure asked her mentor.
"Hey, I'm trying to help you!" Magenta snapped back.
"Enough." Krasnaya cut in, impatiently. "This is the only lead we have, so we need to follow it. All three of us."
"Right, all three of us-" Azure spluttered in disbelief. "W-wait! You mean purple-puss is coming with-"
As if to answer her question, Magenta cheekily shoved his way past Azure with a pep in his step as he followed Krasnaya to the edge of the roof and dropped down to the Warthog to come with them. Azure grumbled to herself and followed soon after. "Why does he have to come with us?" she couldn't help but ask, gesturing to Magenta as she did. "We can handle this on our own."
"I'd prefer not to, especially given the man that Magenta saw." Krasnaya replied.
"Wait, you know tall, dark, and gruesome?" Magenta couldn't help but ask.
"His name is Hazel Rainhart," the Crimson Crusader explained. "From what I understand, he worked alongside Mercury and Emerald during the Menagerie Civil War before being dosed with the same toxin that Loki used to create the Trickster and Night Terror. Given how dangerous he was before said toxin, I'd rather take the extra help and find that I don't need it then refuse said help and find out that I need it later."
"I get it," Azure reluctantly replied. "But that doesn't mean I like it."
A few minutes later, the group arrived at the Cult's hideout and split up to find the bomb. Magenta - taking an opportunity to show off his skills - leapt into the rafters and effortlessly slid into a ventilation duct. The dynamic duo came upon a fork in the hallway and split up to investigate. Suddenly, the Crimson Crusader came upon an empty room. It was large, dark, and only had one exit; the perfect place to ambush someone who didn't have Huntress Eyes. Converting her hammer into a pistol, she shot the lightswitch next to the ringleader's heat signature. Much to her dismay, she saw another familiar face of the Munsell family.
"Well, well, well." Shade grinned, menacingly, as he drew his sword. "If it isn't the Red Woman. Or, do you prefer if I refer to you as my idiot brother does… Rochelle?"
"Why am I not surprised that you're involved?" Krasnaya growled out. "You always were the most closed off member of your family, so it'd make sense that you don't even realize the amount of damage this will cause."
"On the contrary, I know exactly the amount of damage this will cause," Shade barked back. "In fact, I'm counting on it, as this will surely make the nations of the world take notice of us."
"Too bad you'll never find out," Azure remarked before running through the other exit and flipping over Shade. "You stop the bomb, boss: I'll keep this guy busy."
Shade gave a nod of approval as he circled the bird Faunus even as Krasnaya left the room. "Not a bad move: you'd have done well in our organization."
Azure merely scoffed in reply. "Flattery will get you nowhere."
Meanwhile Officer Coal approached one of the bridges leading out of the city, only to find that it was being guarded by some carefully placed men from Atlas who'd been called into following Hazel's announcement. Apparently, the Atlesian government had their own plans on how to approach the situation by keeping Hazel's terrorists trapped in the city.
"Stay here, kids. I'll handle this." Coal called out. He slowly exitted the bus and held up his badge as he approached the Atlesian officers.
"Hands above your head! Don't make any sudden moves!"
Charr Coal complied with the orders for now, but made it clear with his expression that he wasn't backing down. "My name is Officer Charr Coal. I've been instructed to evacuate these kids out of the city."
"Not happening: our orders are to contain Hazel to the confines of this city until things have been resolved."
"Your orders are based on faulty intel," Detective Coal remarked, hoping to reason with them. "Let us through, and no one needs to get hurt."
"Officer Coal, I respect you, but for the sake of yourself and those around you, turn back now!"
"I can't do that," Charr Coal declared. "You know as well as I do that our job is to keep everyone safe, and that's what I'm going to l do."
"I"m warning you: if you don't take that bus and leave, I will kill you!"
"Go ahead and do it then," Charr Coal declared as he slowly stepped forward, calling the commander's bluff.
The commander's eyes widened at this before turning to his comrade. "Shoot at his feet!"
Charr Coal didn't even flinch as the bullets bounced by his shoes as he continued to walk forward, knowing that this was his best chance to get the kids to safety.
"Stop walking!" the commander desperately called out before turning towards his men. "Blow the bridge!"
Charr Coal barely had time to scramble back as he heard those words…just in time for the bridge to fall into the water below due to the ensuing explosions. He stared at the commander with his eyes wide in shock and horror, barely able to comprehend that the guards had chosen to follow their orders rather than protect the numerous innocent children who were on the buses. "You maniacs!" he yelled out over the sound of the shifting rubble. "You killed us all! Yeah, just follow your orders, why don't you?!"
Rebecca could only stare in horror as Charr continued to yell at the Atlas authorities before turning her eyes up to the sky. "Krasnaya, if you're out there, we could really use your help right now."
Little did the orphan know that Krasnaya had successfully located the bomb and silently signaled Azure to come to her location. She accessed the main computer in an attempt to disarm it manually. Unfortunately, the Cult had taken more precautions than she expected and the timer sped up to two hours. She cursed under her breath and took out her scroll.
"Dr. Oobleck, can you hear me? The bomb is tamper-proof. We need that stabilizer."
"Understood, Krasnaya." Oobleck whispered so that the officers escorting him wouldn't hear him.
"Whoever thought they could threaten my city made a serious mistake." Krasnaya growled to herself as she hung up.
"Not as serious as yours." A voice called out. Stepping out of the shadows was Hazel Rainhardt. He drew one of the Dust crystals from his belt and stabbed it into his wrist, smiling at her shocked expression. "Ooh, you thought darkness was your ally? You merely adopted the dark. My sister and I were born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!"
"It doesn't have to be this way, Hazel," Krasnaya declared. "Emerald's proven that it is possible to resist Loki's influence. I was willing to help her, and I can help you too."
"You think I went to all this trouble because of Loki's toxins?" Hazel chortled. "No… no, my will proved to be much stronger than Mercury and Emerald. I am here to complete the work I set out to do while still under the employ of Salem; to kill all huntsmen and huntresses. And the Cult of Grimm have proven to be the best benefactors for my crusade."
Krasnaya cautiously circled around the former mercenary as she continued to speak. "I've studied your file. I know you blamed Ozpin for what happened to your sister."
"You have no right to mention her." He sneered. "Do not pretend that you understand me, Crimson Crusader. Ozpin's toxic influence gave my sister the idea that she was a hero. That her death was for the greater good. I am here to prove that the very idea of huntsmen and huntresses will lead only to destruction. I will show the people of this world that only when their hopes are balanced with despair will they understand that they cannot senselessly throw away their lives trying to be heroes. Take heed; I shall not kill you tonight. Tonight, I will simply break you. I will take away everyone you love and burn this city to the ground for all of Remnant to see. Then, once New Rushland is ashes, and you truly understand the depths of your failure… then you will have my permission to die."
Hazel blinked as Krasnaya let out a low chuckle here. "Please, do tell me what you find so amusing…"
"I'm just amazed at how deluded you are," Krasnaya drawled out. "Do you really think that what you're doing will stop people from wanting to be heroes?"
"What are you…?"
"Wouldn't you say that a fireman running into a building to save a child from the flames was a hero?" Krasnaya called out. "What about the ordinary man who took a bullet for his friend: would you consider him to be a hero? Or what about the guy at the store who kept the robber talking long enough for the police to arrive? Surely that could be considered heroic."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that even if you succeed in destroying Rushland and somehow manage to get rid of every huntsman and huntress in existence on top of that, you'll only be inviting more people to fill in the void you leave behind," Krasnaya said with certainty, her mind flashing back to her time with Tukson. "After all, a hero can be anyone, even someone doing something as simple as putting a coat around the shoulders of a young girl in mourning to let her know that the world hadn't ended yet. I'm saying that you can get rid of huntsmen and huntresses, but you'll never get rid of heroes."
"Perhaps not," Hazel acknowledged, "but that doesn't change that their destinies will be their own."
"Then I suppose there's no talking you out of this," Krasnaya said with a sigh.
"No, there isn't." Hazel replied as he shrugged off his coat and stabbed two strength-enhancing Dust crystals into each arm. Krasnaya drew her hammer and sickle and readied herself as her opponent's muscle mass increased. "So… you're willing to throw away your life for the sake of huntsmen and huntresses… admirable. But mistaken."
With his strength enhanced, Hazel ripped a solid block of concrete out of the wall and threw it at his opponent. Krasnaya managed to dodge out of the way just in time and drew her own weapons. She loaded a cartridge of fire Dust into her sickle and sent a whip of flames surging towards Hazel by slicing the air. Hazel crossed his arms and shrugged off the blow, but he was left open to a strike to the chest from Krasnaya's hammer. She then threw her sickle at his wrist and pinned his arm against a cinderblock wall and rushed forward with her hammer again to smash more of his Dust. Enraged, Hazel broke free and struck the Crimson Crusader on the side of the head. While she failed to roll with the blow, Krasnaya ignored the pain and continued to hit him with her hammer. While she continued to break the Dust crystals, Hazel continued to strike her with his enhanced muscles. Little did either of them realize that a third individual was watching everything from above.
"Yeah, bash him repeatedly with a hammer. I'm sure that will work," Magenta declared with a roll of his eyes before he took note of where Krasnaya was striking. "Wait, she's not bashing him: she's bashing the Dust. She's using brains to beat the brawn." Realizing what this meant, Magenta dashed forward to provide assistance.
Meanwhile, Krasnaya was beginning to feel drained from having to keep up with the enhanced mercenary. At this point, her iron will was the only thing pushing her forward. Sadly, Hazel had more than just will.
"Ah, yes!" He laughed as she rose to her feet once more. "I was wondering which would break first! Your spirit…!" Krasnaya tried to punch him, but he caught her fist and pulled her close to him, lifting her high above his head with the intention of bringing her spine down onto his knee. "Or your body!"
But before he could deliver the final blow, someone had snuck up behind him and cut the strap holding his Dust. "What?!" Hazel cried out, dropping Krasnaya to the ground in surprise.
"Not so tough without your bag of tricks, are you?" Magenta called out before flipping back as Hazel swung at him, kicking him in the face as he did.
"Seems that Magenta's figured out what I've known about you for a while now," Krasnaya declared with a bitter chuckle. "That your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness."
"What are you…?"
"Your Semblance lets you block out pain, which is how you're able to handle injecting so much Dust directly into your body," Krasnaya explained as she got back up to her feet. "But aside from how like any strength enhancers, the boost only lasts as long as the Dust is active, there's also the fact that your ability to block out pain is a double-edged sword. After all, just because you can't feel pain doesn't mean that your body hasn't been taking damage."
Hazel just growled in defiance. "I don't need Dust to take you down."
"We'll see."
Magenta soon regretted his overconfidence as Hazel suddenly grabbed his face and threw him at Krasnaya. The Crimson Crusader managed to catch him and safely set him aside. Hazel, taking advantage of her distraction, had pulled a shard of metal off of the wall and prepared to drive it through her heart. But before he could do it, an electrified whip wrapped around the metal shard and gave the mercenary a painful jolt.
"Get away from them!"
Magenta couldn't help but gasp as a masked man came in and kicked Hazel in the face, sending him flying. "Who are you supposed to be?"
"Just a humble Cat Burglar who doesn't appreciate his home being held hostage," the disguised Mikhail said with a smile as he helped Krasnaya to her feet.
"Well, like Krasnaya said earlier, we need all the help we can get, so you won't hear me complaining," Magenta said with a shrug.
"Me neither," Krasnaya declared with a loving smile. "We're glad to have your help, kind stranger."
"Good to know," Cat Burglar remarked with a teasing grin. "Random superhero."
"Cute." Krasnaya chortled as she and the others began fending off the cultists.
"Man, those two have some great synergy," Magenta commented as he watched the pair fighting alongside one another. "It's almost like those two were husband and wife or something like that."
Despite her annoyance with the male vigilante, Azure couldn't help but snort here. "You have no idea."
As for the pair themselves, Krasnaya and Cat Burglar soon found themselves fighting back to back against several cultists. "It's like Menagerie all over again," Cat Burglar declared, fondly.
"You and I remember Menagerie very differently," Krasnaya couldn't help but remark.
Meanwhile, at Crimson Industries, Dr. Oobleck continued to work on preparing the improvised nuclear reactor, with Ayesha standing close to the doorway and looking back at him every so often. "How's it coming?" Officer Cash couldn't help but ask.
"I'll need to make a few minor adjustments to be on the safe side," Dr. Oobleck called out as he looked up from his work at the person who had been assigned to guard him. "But otherwise, I should be just about done. Ultimately though, I won't know for certain if I did a a good enough job until after I've hooked up the bomb to the reactor."
"Such a shame that you'll never get the chance to try." a new voice remarked as several ninja dropped down from the ceiling. "You won't be meddling with our plans any longer, Professor."
"That's Doctor," Dr. Oobleck growled out before he got his weapon ready. "And I won't be going down without a fight."
"What he said," Officer Cash declared as she got her gun ready.
The cultists rushed forward, only to be pushed back by the flames of Oobleck's weapon. Ayesha managed to get in a few shots, but was soon taken out of the fight by a blow to the head. Dr. Oobleck managed to defeat the remaining cultists, but ended up getting cut on his knee.
Things went from bad to worse as a piece of debris from the demolished bridge above had destabilized the ceiling of the tunnel. River water suddenly flooded into the tunnel and was now heading straight for Oobleck and the unconscious Officer Cash. Despite his injured leg, Dr. Oobleck managed to lift Cash over his shoulder and hurried as fast as he could towards the emergency exit.
"Oh, dear…" Oobleck gulped and limped as fast as he could towards the ladder to escape the incoming flood. "Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Oh, dear."
Back on the surface, Krasnaya, Azure, Magenta, and Cat Burglar were basically taking turns hitting Hazel in the face until he collapsed. With the Dust crystals gone and her foe weakened, Krasnaya began relentlessly beating him with her hammer until he fell to the ground.
"Impossible…" Hazel wheezed.
"Where's the trigger?!" Krasnaya screamed in unbridled rage as she smashed Hazel's jaw with her hammer once more. "Where is it?! We both know that you'd never give it to an ordinary citizen!"
Suddenly, a sharp blade pierced her back. She turned around and her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Well, I might not be ordinary, but I am still a citizen." Erin called out as he held up the detonator with several Cult members coming in to grab the Crimson Crusader's companions soon afterwards.
"You're working with Hazel?!" Azure asked as she struggled against Shade's grip. "Why?!"
"This world is in chaos, even your mentor understood that," Erin declared. "My methods might seem extreme, but they are the only way to ensure that order is brought to this chaotic world."
"Yeah, sorry, but whatever you're selling, I ain't buying," Azure remarked.
"Neither am I!" Mikhail snarled before breaking out of the cultist's grip and launched himself at his wife's attacker, causing him to drop the detonator. However, Erin proved too nimble and dodged Mikhail's attacks. Their fight led them to the edge of the bridge and Erin discreetly reached for the knife strapped to the back of his belt. Cat Burglar gripped his enemy by the collar of his shirt and held him up. "Give me one reason not to throw you into the river."
In response, Erin stabbed the knife into Cat Burglar's heart.
"NO!" Krasnaya screamed in horror at the sight of her husband's demise.
Erin twisted the blade deeper into Mikhail's chest and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "For whatever it's worth, I did enjoy your company. But Rochelle is mine." With that, he kicked his victim into the raging river.
"You'll pay for that," Krasnaya growled out.
"So sorry, my love, but don't worry: it'll all be over soon," Erin mockingly declared.
"You got that right." …and that was all the warning that Krasnaya's ex got before flipped onto his back.
Needless to say, the Cultist was shocked to learn who had done that. "What the…? You're supposed to be dead!" Erin couldn't help but yell out.
"Would you believe this isn't the first time I've heard that?" Mikhail called out with a teasing grin.
Erin simply growled in response as he got back to his feet. "Very well then: I'll simply remove your head and see if that keeps you down."
"Go ahead and try it," Mikhail declared before the two charged at one another. After a short scuffle, however, Erin found himself before stumbling back due to a solid punch to the face.
"That's for stabbing me." Mikhail growled before slashing his whip across Erin's face. "And that's for pushing me into the water. I hate water."
Cyan ran up to hug her foster father, relieved that he was still alive and not concerned with how it was possible. She was so happy, she hadn't even noticed that the tally marks on his wrist now counted seven.
"Don't celebrate just yet," Erin growled out as he got back to his feet. "After all, a victor hasn't been decided yet."
"You're right about that, but don't go assuming that victor will be you," Cat Burglar declared as he too tried to get back to his feet…only to grunt upon discovering that he hadn't fully healed from his stable wound.
"Stay down, old man," Azure called out as she stood in front of Mikhail as Erin got his sword ready. "You're still recovering from what happened: I'll take care of this."
"You think you can take me on?" Erin mockingling declared. "You clearly don't realize who you're dealing with. I am the son of Salem's right hand. I am among the greatest warriors of this generation. I am…"
"Ah, just shut up already!" Azure growled out as grabbed a sword that one of the cultists had dropped and leapt into action.
"AZURE! DO-!" Krasnaya cut herself off as she witnessed her side-kick expertly dodge every one of Erin's blows.
"You must be so proud." Cat Burglar chuckled as he helped his wife up. "Our little girl is becoming a woman."
"Well, yeah, but…" Krasnaya crossed her arms over her chest, trying to contain herself. "She could be dodging better."
Meanwhile Magenta stared wide-eyed at the girl before him, before feeling at her chest. "My…my heart's beating so fast. My skin is getting clammy. Is…is this what it feels like to get a crush on someone? …it's not bad."
Azure couldn't help but give a smug grin as she triumphantly looked upon the fallen Erin. "Not bad for 'mud', eh?"
Enraged, Erin kicked her in the gut and threw a grenade at the pillar next to her. Just before she was crushed, however, a purple blur swooped in and carried her out of the way. Magenta extended his hand to Azure, offering to help her up. "You okay?"
Azure was incredibly grateful that her mask covered her cheeks, otherwise her rescuer might have seen her bright blush. The vigilante who had once been annoying was suddenly alluring. "I…yeah, I'm good, but we're not out of the woods just yet."
"Indeed you aren't," Erin called out as he struggled to get back to his feet. "This fight isn't over until one of us is…" …and that was as far as he got before Krasnaya grabbed him and slammed him into the ground, knocking him out.
"Like Azure said, you need to shut up," the Crimson Crusader said with a growl.
With Erin defeated, all that was left to do was defuse the bomb. Just then, Oobleck called. "Krasnaya, you there?"
"What is it, Oobleck?" Krasnaya called out over her com-system.
"I've got some bad news: the Cult of Grimm got to the Dust Reactor," Dr. Oobleck declared with a worried tone. "I don't think I'll be able to disarm the bomb in time."
"That's fine: I've got something else in mind," Krasnaya remarked before shutting off her coms and running over to her sickle.
"What are you doing?" Magenta couldn't help but ask.
"I can control my Manta remotely and fly the bomb out over the bay." Krasnaya explained as she converted her sickle into a remote control. The manta dropped a cable with a magnet on the end and picked up the bomb.
Meanwhile, out on the bridge, Detective Coal was still looking after the school bus when he saw the top of a building explode. "ALRIGHT! GET DOWN! THIS IS IT!" He shouted.
However, Rebecca noticed that a red ship was carrying the bomb away towards the ocean. "No! That's Krasnaya!" She cheered.
"Detective Coal, if you can hear me, I'd take cover if I were you." Kransaya's voice called out over Detective Coal's radio for everyone to hear.
"What are you…?" Detective Coal began to ask before his eyes widened as the Manta flew out over the harbor, understanding of Krasnaya's plan filling his mind soon afterwards. "Everybody duck!"
Without missing a beat, everyone inside of the bus wisely ducked down just in time for the bomb to go off over the harbor, the shockwave knocking Charr to the ground as this happens. The detective simply gave a wide-eyed stare as he got back to his feet before letting out a sigh as all the kids in the bus cheered.
Rebecca meanwhile couldn't help but tear up as she looked at the horizon. "Is…is she…?"
"Is everyone alright over there?" Krasnaya called out.
Charr Coal's jaw dropped in response. "You…you mean you're not…?"
"Seems you've forgotten that autopilot is a thing, though I appreciate your concern," the Crimson Crusader's voice declared in a teasing manner.
Charr Coal simply gave a sigh of relief before turning back to the guard from earlier with a disgusted expression…before his face turned pensive as he took out his badge to glance at with an unreadable look on his face.
"Are you okay?" Rebecca couldn't help but ask.
Charr Coal merely shook his head in reply. "I don't know, kid: I just don't know."
Meanwhile, Magenta let out a breath he hadn't realized that he had been holding upon seeing the bomb go off over the horizon, knowing that the danger had passed…at least for the moment. Case in point, some of the Cult members came in with weapons at the ready, hoping to cut them down.
"Stand down," Shade suddenly declared, causing all of the Cult's men to slowly lower their weapons. "With the bomb out of commision, we no longer have any reason to be here. We shall leave New Rushland to fend for itself for the time being, but be forewarned, Crimson Crusader: this will not be the last time we meet."
"I'll be ready," Krasnaya called out.
"And we'll be right there beside her," Magenta remarked with Azure and Cat Burglar nodding in agreement even as the Cult headed off to an airship that settled down beside them.
"You could have been one of us." Erin, having regained consciousness, sighed in disappointment even as he got back to his feet.
"I could have been a lot of things." Krasnaya huffed, watching as Erin simply shook his head and got on the ship before it took off.
Azure let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as the ship disappeared over the horizon. "So that's it then: we won."
"We won this battle, but the war goes on," Krasnaya warned as she too watched the ship vanish over the horizon. "After all, I doubt this will be the Cult of Grimm's last attempt on Rushland."
"I agree. By the way, I'm sorry about your…" Magenta tried to declare, having pieced together that Erin was someone who meant a lot to Krasnaya once upon a time.
"It's fine," the Crimson Crusader replied. "You haven't done anything wrong."
"I know," Magenta remarked as he took the Crimson Crusader's hand when he noticed a tear leaking from her eye. "But I figured you deserved to hear it anyway."
The Next Day
The Atlesian government had been forced to rebuild the bridges leading to New Rushland after Hazel had been captured and taken into custody, and everything slowly began to stabilize within the city. Captain Maroon was preparing to head to work as usual when she saw a group of teenagers spray painting Krasnaya's name on the side of a building in dark red. She assumed that they were trying to thank the masked vigilante for saving the city, so she decided to let it slide and head straight to work.
Meanwhile, at Ironwood Asylum, Hazel Rainhardt was heavily sedated as the SWAT team escorted him into Polu Shark's former cell in the maximum security wing. On the way down, Emerald caught a glimpse of her former coworker as they went past her cell and she quickly forgot about her current therapy session.
"Hey, everything okay?" Dr. Cream asked.
"Yeah," Emerald said with a faint nod. "I just…Hazel was one of the only people I could stand to be around back when I worked with Salem and then Loki, so it's hard to comprehend that the man that I almost saw as an older brother could have held the city hostage like that, not even caring that I was there, no less."
"Well, you came around: maybe he just needs a bit of time."
"I hope so," Emerald declared.
Back at the Police Station, Detective Charr Coal handed in his gun and badge.
"You sure you want to take some time off now?" Ayisha couldn't help but ask.
"I'm sure," Coal declared. "Already squared it all away with the captain. I won't be gone for more than a week; don't worry. After what happened on the bridge, I need to take some time to figure out if I'm actually doing the right thing here."
Ayisha gave a sad nod of understanding. "Take as much time as you need. For what it's worth though, and just for the record, the fact that you have to ask that means that you're exactly the type of person we need in this line of work."
Charr Coal merely smirked in response. "Thanks."
"And who knows?" She shrugged. "Maybe Jack will finally start talking to you again this week."
Charr's smile faded, slightly. "Ayisha… Jack's not coming back."
"Aw, you don't know that."
"... he left his wedding ring behind."
Ayisha frowned and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You call me to let me know how you're doing. Every day. Got that?"
Charr nodded once more before leaving the precinct.
Meanwhile, Svetlana was speaking with Doctor Oobleck over the scroll as she headed home for the day. "Well, that was certainly an interesting evening," her old instructor declared.
"Indeed. Speaking of which, I heard about what happened earlier, so if you don't mind my asking, how are you doing, Doctor?" Svetlana called out.
"I'm doing alright, all things considered," Doctor Oobleck said with a slight smile. "My leg should be fully healed within a month, but there is no rest for the weary. I will continue to hunt down any and all schematics for the bomb that nearly threatened our city and see to it that they are destroyed."
With that, the good doctor hung up to complete his task, and Svetlana continued into her house. Once inside, she found Mikhail reading a book in the living room. Quietly, she sat down next to him and stared at him, fondly.
"Is there something you needed?" He asked at last.
"Actually yes." …and that was all the warning Svetlana provided for her husband before drawing him in for a heated kiss.
Mikhail couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he broke the kiss. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"
"Just letting you know that while it's true that a part of me still loves Erin, I'm in love with you," Svetlana declared.
Mikhail gained a tear filled smile as he gave his wife another quick peck on the lips. "Glad to hear it… Rochelle."
To Be Continued
Epilogue:
Erin and Shade were in the middle of a fierce sparring session back at their headquarters. Knowing that Hazel's failure would anger their mother, the duo took their own anger out on each other. Shade may have been larger and physically stronger, but Erin was faster and more skilled with a blade. Eventually, the brothers found themselves locked in an intense stalemate.
"I told you…" Erin growled. "Rainhardt would fail."
"That does not excuse your weakness towards the infidel." Shade shot back. "Your lust is a distraction!"
"Enough…"
The brothers dropped their blades at the sound of the third voice. Jade Munsell - the true power behind the Cult of Grimm - stood before the brothers with disdain in her eyes. They both immediately dropped to their knees and bowed in fearful respect.
Jade slowly stepped towards the duo and lifted Shade's chin so that his eyes met hers. "Erin is correct, Shade." She chastised with her silky voice. "It was your plan to hire Rainhardt. His failure is your failure. I expect better from my firstborn."
"Yes, mother." Shade replied, accepting a hard slap against his cheek as punishment.
Erin resisted his urge to smirk just as Jade lifted his chin up. "And you, Erin." She growled. "Still pinning for a woman who would see our organization crumble to the ground. Most disappointing."
"N-no, mother, I-" Erin shuddered as Jade slapped him.
"Do not speak over me, child." She scolded.
"Y-yes, mother."
Jade crossed her arms as she paced in front of her sons. "Have you both forgotten what this organization stands for? We are chosen to continue the work of the great Salem and surender the fate of this world to chaos."
"Yes, mother." They both nodded.
"Still, this is not a complete failure," Jade said with a nod as she looked at the data drive that Hazel had given to Shade earlier. "With this, we shall see if some of Dr. Spark had any other golden eggs for us to pilfer. What's more, we now know that Ivy Green and Emerald Sustari are being looked after in a facility where we could easily retrieve them at any time once they are more open to working with us. Though the Detective may stand in our way, not even she will be able to stop us from bringing this world the fate it deserves."
Her two sons simply nodded in reply. "Glory to Salem."
