-Legend 24-
Supremacy: The Omega
-Pt.1-
…
"Oh, Traveler dammit! I thought we were early!"
Rosenkreuz had just arrived on the outskirts of the fair grounds that played home to the Ishtar stadium, where the tournament was to be played. What they found was...a line whose length could best be described as hitherto undreamt of.
Weiss, temporarily let go Ruby's hand as she performed a vertical Void Glide, as to see over the heads of those immediately in front and beyond.
By no more than human reflex, did Ruby look upwards, watching Weiss's vertical ascent. As Weiss reached her apex, did Ruby hastily return her gaze to level. 'Oh, Traveler...' was her panicked thought then. 'Don't look up, don't look up, don't look up...'
"Why not?" did her Ghost ask then. "She's wearing really cute panties."
"Zwei!"
"Oh c'mon!" said the little machine in her head. "You can't be attracted to Weiss and pretend you don't like looking at her."
Upon landing did Weiss say, "We are early," she shook her head. "Everyone else was just...earlier…" Dejected as she was, her face lit up pink as Ruby again joined their hands.
"Guess you're right..." Yang sighed. A mischievous grin lit her face then as she said, "Cute panties by the way."
"Yang, you are an absolute strumpet, I swear..." Wiess shoulders heaved as Ruby joined in her laughing.
"This is some straight bullshit!" did Celica say, his shell twirling emphatically. "Guardians should have VIP access!"
"Tell me about it…" Yang concurred. Yang's eyes then alternated between the line and the screen of her scroll. "I think we should just chalk this one, girls. We can still get a good spot in the picnic area."
"Agreed," Weiss said.
So the trio made for the expansive picnic grounds, the tables and stalls therein re-positioned strategically as to accommodate the influx of open-air viewers. A quick stop at a snack vendor saw them laden with enough popcorn, funnel cake, and fizzy punch to feed a small army. They settled in to a fairly comfortable spot on the plush Venusian grass, though they were too excited to sit. As were the ever-increasing throngs of spectators flooding into the area.
"Sheesh! I think this place holds about a thousand!" Ruby said, her voice raised to be heard over the increasing ruckus.
"And it's fillin' up quick!" Yang yelled back.
"LILYSTEEL! LILYSTEEL! LILYSTEEL!"
The chants for their home team were already deafening from the Venusian contingent. And they were only getting louder.
00:20:19
00:20:18
00:20:17…
The Venusian sun dipped low in the emerald sky as the park's floodlights flared to life. As did the titanic, ultra-panoramic main viewing screen at the front of the park.
The crowd here was now at absolute capacity; security began turning those away too late to find an arrangement. So they had to settle for watching as best they could from the outside.
00:10:06
00:10:05
00:10:04…
"LILYSTEEL! LILYSTEEL! LILYSTEEL!"
The atmosphere had seeped into Ruby completely as she found herself dancing on the spot in her excitement. "This is gonna be so awesome!" she squealed. "I can't wait for Uncle Qrow to win this thing!"
"I know right!" said a young man next to them. "Too bad we aren't allowed to bet, it would be Redwing all day!"
"You got that right!" Yang said, high-fiving him.
"TRAITOR!!"
The young man soon found himself pelted with popcorn and small bits of rubbish.
00:06:22
00:06:21
00:06:20…
The Venusian spirits were at their pitch as banners and flags adorned with the emblem of Fireteam Lilysteel- pink and white; featuring a steel-plated lily flower with an ornate golden nail piercing its petals- waved with increasing fervor. Many of them had broken into song, snatches of it playing on Ruby's ears:
"Your zeal mine to steal by...the Lily…"
Yang pumped her arms into the air as the clock counted its last. "Wooo! Here we go!"
00:00:03
00:00:02
00:0001…
…
The roar was deafening.
The excitement maddening.
Eighty-five thousand strong came to make their voices heard. The mass of opposing planetary contingents screamed and exclaimed support for their teams. Security had their hands full in particular with the Lilysteel supporters; as the shirty lot were not at all hesitant to express their...physical support against the rival contingents.
And at the center of the madness, was a single man.
Lord Shaxx stood the center of the stadium pitch; his posture stolid and commanding. A swarm of black Ghost cameras drank in not only his own image, but the scenes of the joyous riot around him. Shaxx raised his hands, beholding the multitudes around him. The array of spotlights from around the arena converged upon him as he made his opening declarations.
"Ladies and Gentleman, the moment you have all waited for is now upon us!"
Roars from the spectators.
"Supremacy is such a simple word, and yet an incredibly powerful state of being; to be exalted; elevated; supreme. Which team invited here today will ascend to such an accolade? As many have said before me, there's only one way to find out!"
"Lilysteel! Lilysteel! Lilysteel"
Shaxx motioned to the great many screens that ringed the stadium. "And now, for the reveal of our first competitors!"
The images then became a scramble, a roulette of the logos that represented each respective Fireteam. They flashed by in a blur before slowing...slowing...slowing...and landing on….
"Fireteam Lilysteel!"
The Venusians, in the majority, just about shattered the sound barrier.
"So the home team takes to the field first, how fitting indeed!" Shaxx intoned. "And to accompany their introduction, Ladies and Gentlemen, here to perform the official anthem of Fireteam Lilysteel, I give you the Venus-renowned heavy metal recording artist, Gil T. Geer!"
…
"Lilysteel has a theme song?" Yang had to absolutely scream this to be heard over the great cacophony that had erupted from the crowd around them.
"Apparently," Weiss said, taking in the scene upon both the screen and all around her.
"Wait, didn't Gil T. Geer used to be with The Volcanic Vipers?" Ruby asked.
"He split with them and formed his own group, The Arc System," Yang said, flexing her metal knowledge.
At the center of the pitch now on screen there rose an elevated stage. Upon it was Gil. T Geer and his band mates. And with no ado, were they shredding away, the guitars accompanied by harmonious synthesizers.
"Wait...I know this song. It's from his latest album, Strive for The Sign."
"Never took you as a fan of metal, Schnee," did Yang say to this.
Weiss winked at her.
Gil T. Geer took to the mic as he vocalized the song's bridge:
"And by faith, not by sight
on silent knights I meet my silent knight!
Day after day, I will pray for my prey nowwwww!
White and pink laser lights flooded the sky during the performance. Ruby found her head banging energetically from the visceral musicality coming from the group. And then, along with the scream of his guitar, and what seemed like all of Venus, did Gil T. Geer sing the song's chorus:
"Sight will leave my eyes
oh, but this sight will never leave my eyes!
Your zeal mine to steal by...The Lil-Ly!
Sight will leave my eyes
oh, but this sight will never leave my eyes!
Your zeal mine to steal by…
by the Lily of MY STEEEEEEL!"
A great holographic projection of Lilisteel's logo was beamed into the sky. During the course of the song's synth and drums instrumental did it glow brighter and brighter. And then did the singer engage a dramatic rendition of the song's final chorus.
"Sight will leave my eyes….
But this sight will never leave my eyes…."
The searing sigil was at its absolute peak of illumination. Gil T. Geer loosed a piercingly powerful falsetto of the song's last words.
"By the Lily of MY STEEEEELLLLLLL!"
And the sky-borne emblem at once burst into a shower of pink and white glitter, causing the entire stadium to shimmer.
And among this rain of glitter, did Fireteam Lilysteel transmat into the pitch. They stood back-to-back-to-back, weapons artfully postured in their signature formation.
Ruby could no longer hear herself think over the din from the crowd around her and on screen. Their performance complete, The Arc System held their five fists high in heavy metal solidarity.
Lilysteel waved a thank you to the group and proceeded to ready themselves for their forthcoming battle, Winter Schnee giving them last-minute instructions. And here again, did Shaxx take the stage.
…..
"Incredible! Ladies and gentleman, let's hear it again for Gil T. Geer and The Arc System!"
Thunderous applause and whistles played the group from the pitch.
"And now for the reveal of Lilysteel's opponents!"
The screens again lit up in their dizzying roulette. The wheel slowed, eventually landing on…
"Fireteam Redwing!"
And at once, did the lights go dark.
Every light array in the stadium winked out simultaneously.
There was confusion at first. This didn't seem to be part of the show. Many spectators took to shining the lights from their scrolls, but even in their numbers, no source of illumination it seemed could pierce this awesome darkness.
Minutes crept by.
This advanced state of total darkness was soon accompanied by a silence so utterly complete, even the air refused to move.
And then at once, there was light.
And the three Night Witches were present in the stadium's center.
Gasps and cries met their appearance. And despite their distance from the three, a good deal of the spectators actually flinched backward; a great and multiplied singular movement.
Shaxx then beckoned the two teams toward him, to face off in the center of the pitch. Winter obliged, hands clasped behind her back, her stride sure as her ace Fireteam fanned out behind her.
"Lilysteel! Lilysteel! Lilysteel!"
The Night Witches, however, sent forth a single representative.
"The rules have been set for the Supremacy battle," did Shaxx say to the Guardians before him, "But you are free to negotiate the terms of how the battle between you will play out. So, what shall it be?"
"Actually," said Qrow lazily, "I was hoping the three of you could attack me at the same time. Might speed things up a little."
Winter laughed a superior little laugh. "Are you sure you are ready for that, Herr Branwen?" did she say.
"Not for you to worry, Ice Queen," did the Red Witch drawl. "I'm used to handling multiple girls at once."
"Ugh, you fucking pig!" did Velvet snarl.
Qrow shrugged, cunning smirk alight.
"Allow us a moment to convene, bitte." Winter lead her team over the short distance to their corral.
"I say we give him what he wants," did Velvet fume, her rabbit ears bobbing. "Night Witch he may be, but no way he takes the three of us, not at the same time."
Neo flicked the brim of her bowler, The First Curse primed in her opposite hand.
Yoko loosed a small breath, casting a glance over her shoulder at their opponent. "I don't know…" she said. "The Red Witch wouldn't write a check he can't cash. We have to be wary."
"Wary, ja," did Winter say. "But certainly not cowardly." Like Yoko, did she cast her gaze over to the Blade Dancer, who stood lackadaisically, his hands in his pockets, looking artfully bored...
Winter's gaze continued for several second longer before Yoko brought her back to earth (Or Venus, as it were). "Lady Schnee?"
Winter blinked several times, clearing her throat. "Uh, yes." She resumed her posture of attention as she gave her final orders. "We shall take the man's ploy and beat him at his own game." She turned to Lord Shaxx. "We accept the terms of battle."
Cheers erupted from the capacity crowd.
"Excellent!" did the Ringmaster Shaxx say. "The battle between Lilysteel and Redwing shall now commence!"
The Guardians faced each other, Lilysteel, their entire arsenal primed at their solitary opponent. Qrow Branwen, hands still in his pockets, looked upon them with devious boredom.
The Red Witch then took the lead. "Guess I'll have to get things going myself…"
And he sauntered forward, looking entirely at ease.
"Fireteam Lilysteel: formation Silent Force!" Cried Yoko.
Neo threw a smoke bomb at her feet, rendering the three of them temporarily invisible. Velvet popped her Arc Blade super and ran a silent route just to Qrow's left, Neo flanking him from the right. Yoko closed in the head of the triangle, all three of them weapons ready, just closing in on the proper distance to strike…
Velvet had Qrow's back, her approach utterly silent. In range now, her first strike…hit nothing but air.
Camo faded, Velvet launched into a blinding swift series of strikes, her electric knife crackling through the air.
Equally swift, was Qrow's reaction to her attack; he having only to lean slightly left or right to evade her blade. Even then, he still had yet to turn to face the girl, his eyes on the Night Stalker closing in on his left.
She had just reared her sword back to strike when Qrow whipped around, ramming his knee into Velvet's solar plexus.
The girl doubled over as the air was blasted from her lungs.
His motion continuous, Qrow spun gracefully to his left avoiding the arching blow from Neo's sword.
The situation reset, Qrow looked upon his two opponents, hands still in his pockets. "C'mon now, girls," did he croon. "I thought you were the best Venus had to offer?"
Velvet and Neo bristled, their weapons trained upon him, but still hesitant to engage.
"Whatever…" Qrow reached into his breast pocket and for his flask. He callously unscrewed the lid and brought it to his lips.
And then the thing exploded in his hand.
Yoko, some twenty meters from the scene, stood with the barrel of her Longbow Synthesis still smoking, her smirk as bright as her light.
"Fuck you Qrow! You better take our girls seriously!"
Cheers and jeers in equal measure rained from the crowd.
During this, Qrow simply stood stone still, his gaze locked on his whisky-soaked hand.
"Girls, what are you doing!? Strike him while he is occupied!" Winter screamed this through through each of their Ghosts, whom her own had established a link with.
"Right, let's get this wanker!" Velvet cried, priming her shotgun.
And that's when Qrow sprung to life.
In but an instant, was his wicked sword armed in his left hand, running full sprint in their direction.
"Fireteam Lilysteel: formation Iron Maiden!" Yoko cried.
Just as swift as the Night Witch himself, did the members of Lilysteel have Qrow surrounded at three points. Velvet and Neo each lobbed a skip grenade and scatter grenade respectfully; hurling them into the air above their moving target. Yoko took to the air with a triple jump, and there at her apex, did she flare her solar light, igniting the battery of throwing knives armed in her two hands. She loosed this barrage of flaming weaponry into the path of the lobbed grenades. Pierced by theses projectiles, the grenades burst into a swarm of sub munitions, carried to their target by the velocity of the incoming knives, all streaming straight at their target.
From the sidelines, Adam Taurus gave a small chuckle, his shoulders heaving slightly. "That's actually mildly impressive…"
Raven said nothing to this, her expression behind her mask as unreadable as her silence.
Qrow, his stride never ceasing, navigated this explosive swarm of elements with the balletic expertise that only the Traveler's highest chosen could muster. He was then under fire from the girls' ballistic weaponry. Raze Lighter easily cut these high-caliber rounds out of the air as he continued his inexorable march forward.
Neapolitan engaged him then, sword in one hand, Havoc Pigeon in the other. He had to give the girl her due, her slicing and shooting in steady, alternating rhythm as she was, varying her attack.
Not bad at all.
Her chamber empty, Neo committed both hands to her sword strikes. Qrow meeting, blocking, and parrying her admittedly swift attacks.
Clang! Clash! Cling! Light-infused steel collided again and again.
Neo was sent staggering back from Qrow's last assault. She looked to her sword then and made a horrifying discovery.
Her blade had been scorched. Blackened…
Melted.
Qrow shouldered his own sword as he beheld the shock in the girl's mismatched eyes. "Expect anything else?"
Before she could muster a response of any kind to his rhetorical cheek, Qrow Blinked forward, slicing Neo's abdomen with Raze-Lighter's fiery blade.
The girl crumpled forward without a sound, hitting the ground face down. From her being, there was ejected an engram-like object, bearing the logo of Lilysteel in its center.
Her crest.
"That's one," Qrow drawled.
Gasps of dismay sounded from the crowd.
Qrow advanced on his next target.
Velvet threw down her gauntlet in the form of suppressive shotgun fire from her Badlands Mk.24, leading her shots to where Qrow as going, as he was Blinking this way and that.
"C'mere, Easter bunny," Qrow taunted.
In but the perfect range of her weapon, Velvet loosed the final round in her chamber.
It struck only air.
VROON!
Qrow had Blinked directly behind her.
Knife armed, Velvet whirled around to meet his imminent attack.
And Raze-Lighter found its home in her belly.
Cries of utter anguish issued from the pro-Lilysteel crowd.
"That's two."
Yoko, the sights of her One/One Synesthete (donned exclusively for this tournament) were already trained on the rapidly approaching Blade Dancer. She fired round after round, but for all Qrow's elusiveness, she may as well have been shooting at a phantom.
"You want the gun, bitch!?"
And at speed, did Qrow arm a weapon possibly deadlier than even his sword.
Gasps from the crowd.
Lilysteel supporters went into an all-out panic.
TWULAT! TWULAT! TWULAT!
While every one of nine bullets of these bursts hit their mark, Qrow had intentionally targeted the girl's body, leaving her just enough light to remain upright.
There wasn't a single person in the arena sitting down. The raucous collection of humanity were in an absolute frenzy, desperately trying to will their wounded warrior on to an unlikely victory.
Yoko then, on her last legs, primed her final weapon, the One Way Ticket 000 rocket launcher. Qrow stood a brazenly close distance to her, all but looming over her form, Red Death propped upon his shoulder. "If I go down...you're going with me, mother...fucker…" did she wheeze.
Qrow only nodded sideways, smirk growing all the time.
With a last deathly war cry, did Yoko fire her weapon…
Straight at the ground between them.
"Traveler above!"
This and many other exclamations rang out at the aftermath of the localized arc explosion of Yoko's rocket. A great plume of dust had bloomed at the proverbial ground zero at the arena's center, every eye in the stands straining to penetrate its gloom.
"He's down, he's gotta be!"
"Oh, Yoko, why!?"
"Please, please, please…"
Every mortal prayer and invocation was spoken as they waited for the dust to settle. And at last, when the site cleared enough to restore direct sight, were the onlookers met with a most inevitable scene.
Qrow Branwen stood whole, the Solar guard of his Raze-Lighter shining around him.
"NOOOOOO!" from the crowd.
"And that's the match!" Lord Shaxx cried. "Ladies and gentlemen, you winner, Qrow Branwen of Fireteam Redwing!"
As there was little, if any adulation to be had from the Venusian spectators, Qrow slunk his way off the pitch, hands again in his pockets.
"Well it bloody took you long enough," did Adam quip upon his return.
Qrow shrugged a shoulder. "Eh. Wanted to have a little fun with 'em, that's all."
Raven only shook her head, already turning to leave. In less than the blink of an eye, was she gone from sight entirely. As were the other two Night Witches.
…
"Holy hell, that was awesome!"
Apparently, Ruby was the only person in the open-air viewing area to think so.
Cascades of boooo's and cries of 'Bullshit!' rang out from the crowd around them. Many of the disgruntled onlookers hurled bottles and foodstuff at the giant screen, venting their outrage.
Security stepped in swiftly, expelling nearly half of the rowdy lot.
With only the more level-headed spectators remaining, there was enough order to again focus on what Shaxx was saying on the big screen.
"...display of incredible will and skill from the Red Witch himself!"
Yang had lapsed into a very local and thoughtful silence during all of this. "Celica, give me any info you can on Raven Branwen…"
"Got it."
"Isn't uncle Qrow so totally, ass-kickingly AMAZING!" Ruby squealed. She turned to Yang, obviously expecting her total agreement. Only to find her sister whispering broodingly to her Ghost. Before she could raise any questions, Shaxx had taken to center stage again.
"And now, for the reveal of our next match-up!"
The roulette of team logos whirled into being again and stopped on…
"Fireteam Balamb!"
The Earth contingent were on their feet now, Rosenkreuz included, shouting support for their representatives.
"And their opponents will be...Fireteam Vector!"
Shaxx then turned theatrically to gaze out into the sky of the open-air arena. "And unless I am very much mistaken, here comes The General and his team now!"
And every eye turned to the sky to witness Vector's arrival.
…..
-End of Legend 24-
…
A/N:
So to get straight to the worst, I'm splitting this into two parts. Mostly to give myself a chance to keep up with the rapid update schedule I'm attempting to keep on the path to this story's revival. And to give my new (and very small) group of followers a reason to keep coming back. The next chapter I can promise is going to be fairly lengthy, as many a battle have to take place. But we'll cross that bridge when (and if) we get there.
As usual, if you liked what you read, a favorite or follow would be greatly appreciated. If you didn't like what you read, I thank you for reading this long. So long and take care.
-B.D. Skunkworks