The train had been on it's journey for a few hours now, thundering along the tracks and into the snowy night. Each second was a miserable experience for the Atlas Officer, who had to be the subject of a certain Psycho's interest and thus his deranged ramblings.
"SILENCE IS DEAFENING! IT SMOTHERS MY MIND AND CLOUDS THE GREY! QUICKLY! FILL MY HEAD WITH YOUR SILENT SCREAMS!"
Krieg almost begged as his eye showed a twitch of desperation behind the bloodshot haze.
Winter had stopped responding to him for about an hour now. She had given up trying to converse with him when he yelled something about 'SHINY BUTT PLUGS!' That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Ignoring him however, proved to be a monumental challenge. Krieg was not taking her silence as any form of answer, neither was he about to shut up and leave her in peace. Wherever she went, he went. Unless it was to the toilet, then she threatened him with her blades. In order to try and keep her sanity with her, she had taken to inspecting the train's cargo... over and over again. It did not help that throughout it all, Krieg would either yell at her or mumble to himself, then yell at her. It was almost like he was talking to someone in those moments, but no matter how hard she looked she found no one but him. She couldn't even find a communication device.
"ONWARD MY BLOODIED BISCUIT! GO FORTH TO CRUSH THEIR BURNING CARCASS!"
Turning to see what the lunatic was up to now, she looked up to find Krieg sat on top of a paladin rocking back and forth, smacking the side of his axe against the back of the hull as someone would do with a riding crop on a horse. He had been performing these displays for quite some time now, and no matter how hard she tried, she just could not comprehend why. Reprimanding him did nothing but amuse him. Yelling at him was as senseless as he is. He enjoyed pain, so violence was off the table. It was a battle with no way to win and she hated it. Not that she would ever show it however, she was a professional after all.
If she could see inside his mind however, she would've seen the cause of his increased lunacy,as a hurricane of a burning discussion was going on between The Voice and Krieg himself.
Dude! What are you doing!? You're losing her! Quick, try to impress her!
That is what Krieg was doing. But he could try something else. Getting her to talk with him was a bust, for a soldier, she didn't seem to have much patience for him. Even the students at least tried to talk with him. Trying to make her laugh was tougher than squeezing blood from a stone, and Krieg had actually managed to do that. The trick is to get a stone, pour some blood on it (preferably fresh) and then ram a truck into it. Simple as can be.
But this pretty lady was a tough cookie. So he would need to try a different approach.
"SNOW WHITE IS STRETCHED ON THE RACK! HER BONES CRACK BUT NEVER BREAK! HER FLESH IS TAUGHT BUT NEVER RIPS!"
He called down from his perch atop the paladin. To his surprise, the pretty lady actually turned to face him, studying him for a moment, as if trying to break apart and analyze his very existence.
"Snow White... You mean my sister."
"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" He yelled in gladness at finally being talked to.
"She has informed me of your habit to call her that, although where you would draw such a connection is beyond me."
Her sister? She doesn't seem as fancy as Weiss. Oh well, who cares? You got her attention, now for the love of all the gore in the world, just try to have a normal conversation with her.
"THE MATRON SHOWED ME THE SCARS BOUND IN BONES TO BRAND HER TALE INTO MY ACHING MIND!"
Not what I had in mind, but sure.
Ignoring what he said, having a very vague understanding of it. Winter continued.
"She reports on you quite frequently. Often detailing moments of your lunacy, your primitive fighting style and a lack of care for any pain inflicted upon you. She tells me that it is almost like you enjoy it. The reports I have read on you also suggest this."
Pain? Krieg didn't like pain, he loved it. How could he not? It is the only thing he can still feel after... after...
Hopping down from his perch, Krieg continued.
"STABBING, CLAWING, SCRAPING AND GNAWING! IT FILLS ME UP WITH THIRST AND FURY! IT'S SWEET, SWEET TREATS MAKE MY SKIN BURN WITH IT'S FIERCE FLAVOURS!"
Winter continued to study him. Looking for any sign that the Psycho who had leapt down from atop an Atlas war machine could have any form of reason within him. Her conclusion? He was as mad as a hatter. But there was something about him, something hidden deep down behind the violence and rage and insanity. She couldn't quite place it, but it was almost as if the Psycho in front of her was... lost? In no right mind to reason his way in life, choosing instead to lash out with his madness in the vain attempt at making people see the world as he does.
She wanted to ask him about this, but an explosion near the front of the train swiftly changed her priorities. The explosion rattled the train, causing the unexpecting Psycho to fall on his rear. Winter, with her training in Atlas, managed to keep herself up however. As Krieg got back to his feet, he looked around for the cause of his humiliation, before focusing on the door that would lead him to the source of the blast.
"THE PARTY STARTED?! BUT THE DJ IS MISSING!"
He cried out, almost mournfully at the thought of missing out. He turned to where Winter was standing to see that she was not there anymore, she had darted off in the direction of the explosion a few moments after the initial rumble. Not wanting to be left behind, Krieg began a mad dash toward the source.
"TEA TIME! I BROUGHT THE SPOON!"
Follow the fighting. Look who I'm talking to, like you weren't going to do that anyway.
Ramming into a door that was too slow to open, Krieg forced the metal to bend inward. This collision however caused such a sudden shift in his momentum that he found himself stumbling forward, before falling on his stomach.
"Oh crap! It's that maniac that's been gutting the bandit camps!" Krieg heard a voice yell in panic. Looking up, he can see 6 figures in this section of the train. None of which were Winter. Strange. Did she not notice these jerks? Oh well, more for him.
"RING OUT YOUR SUCCULENT SUFFERING!"
He roared as he jumped back up to his feet. Glaring at his soon to be victims. He took note of the White Fang uniforms these people were wearing. Not exactly bandits, but good enough.
The train car was dark, likely due to the explosion damaging the lighting system. But Krieg remembered something in the dark glow of a crimson warning light, a thought that sprung forth so powerfully it surprised even him.
This train is full of weapons!
With that thought in mind, Krieg sprung toward a cache of said weapons, leaping behind it to take cover as the White Fang finally found their nerve and began firing upon him. A bullet clipped his shoulder as he dove, causing him to snarl at the sudden burning feeling. As the hail of bullets flew over his head, Krieg kept opening container after container in the hope of finding the perfect kill stick.
A pistol.
"MINI MUNITIONS"
He growled as he threw it over his shoulder, unknowingly hitting one of the faunus in the head.
A rifle.
"YOUR VOICE IS SWEET! I WANTED IT BITTER!"
He yelled in frustration, once again throwing the gun. The faunus who had been struck by the first pistol attempted to charge in to claim his vengeance, only for the rifle to slide beneath his foot as he took a step, causing him to fall face first.
Third times the charm and a charm it was as the Psycho pulled out of the crate, a large quad barrelled rocket launcher. It was a sleek, angled gun. It certainly lacked in flair and creativity, being mostly white with a few blue strips along the sides of the launcher.
He had no idea why Atlas got all of the good toys, but he would get a chance to play with them this time.
Holy crap. Where the hell are we gonna keep that?
"NOW WE SING WITH MOLTEN THUNDER."
He growled in mad delight as he stood to his full height, being grazed by several bullets. Two of them finding their way buried into his torso. But he didn't care, this was his game, and he just got a new toy.
"A CUP OF TEA."
He started in a low voice as he took aim. The White Fang looked on in horror at the Psycho's newest death dealer.
"Retreat!"
One of them, a wolf faunus, called out in a frenzy as she and her companions ran for the nearest exit.
"AND A SLICE OF CAKE!"
The mad man finished as he pulled the trigger, all barrels of the rocket launcher fired at once, their payload heading right for the Psycho's targets. If you could have looked closely at the rockets after they fired, you would have seen an almost ballet type performance as the rockets seamlessly spiraled around one another as they came into contact with the back of the slowest of the Faunus. A devastating explosion followed as the unfortunate Faunus' aura failed him as he was blown into a chunky slush of meat and bone.
There were no words in any language that could describe Krieg's joy at the outcome of the blast. He wanted more, needed more. He took off like a bullet toward the door of the train, eager to continue his onslaught on the remaining White Fang. It was to his utmost, unyielding rage however as the blast had split the sections of the train, leaving Krieg to slowly fall behind.
"SEVER THE HEAD AND THE SERPENT DIES!" He roared in unchecked fury, the train steadily getting ahead of him. He needed to think fast, how was he meant to get himself over... Looking down at the weapon in his hand, he was given yet another idea so deranged that it was almost certain to fail. Taking aim behind him, Krieg slowly squeezed the trigger of the rocket launcher.
Oh for the love of-
The Voice is silenced as the rockets took no time in striking the floor of the train car, the violent blast launching the Psycho forward and at high speeds.
"UNCAGED TALONS!"
His aim however, was a little bit off as he overshot the door and instead found his way in top of the high speed vehicle, unceremoniously rolling along the top of the train car, nearly rolling off entirely. The train was too fast for him to stand and the roof was too smooth for him to dig his fingers into anything. Reaching to his belt, he grabbed his favourite spoon and slammed it's grinding teeth into the roof in an attempt to stop his fall. The train was tougher than he thought however as the teeth of his axe bounced off with sparks as the wind finally flung him from his prone position, flinging him off of the train.
This is gonna hurt.
Bracing for impact, Krieg was taken back by a sudden burst of speed pushing him toward the still open door of the train. Tumbling through the door, he barely got to his feet to see behind him. A strange glyph shone from where he had been falling. It almost looked like one of Weiss'.
"Refrain from damaging the cargo! You have already cost Atlas a fortune with that stunt."
Winter said in a strict, not to be questioned voice from behind him. Spinning around to see her again, he found her surrounded by the badly beaten White Fang that had escaped him. She didn't kill them? She must have saved them for him! He knew they were besties.
Making his way to the closest White Fang, Krieg pulled back with his axe, bringing it down in an over handed arc toward the skull of his unconscious enemy. However, instead of the crunch and squelch of a crushed skull. A sound of clashing metal invaded his ears.
Winter had blocked his attack and swiftly parried it away with such force that the Psycho was pushed back, throwing him into a wall. This confused the Psycho greatly. He thought they were on the same team! What gives?! Standing up, he gave her a glare before making his way toward her.
"WHY DID YOU STALL THE SLAUGHTER!? THE BUTCHER WAITS FOR SWINE STRUNG LOW!"
"These terrorists have been apprehended. We need them alive to interrogate them. The dead. Do not talk."
"HOWLING FOR MY SPILLED NOODLES!"
What could they possibly know that was worth their lives? This was stupid. Growling to himself, he stomped past Winter, making his way further ahead in the train.
It's probably for the best.
"STUFF YOUR THROAT WITH HOLLOW WORDS. BURST IT'S CHORDS AND SING ME BLOOD." Krieg growled, not in the mood to deal with The Voice.
You're still the same after all these years. You don't think about anything but blood, death, pain and misery.
"I'LL RIP OFF YOUR FACE AND SHOW IT TO MY CORPSE."
The hell does that mean?
Krieg did not respond, he would not justify that question with any kind of answer. He was fed up with this conversation, he was fed up with being told what to do by everyone who thought they were better than him because they sat atop those high horses to tell him what is wrong and right. He was so caught up in his anger that he hadn't even noticed the large banging coming from the wall of the train. It wasn't until the metal wall of the train finally gave way and a large, pitch black, worm-like appendage with a jagged maw smashed through the wall with a guttural screech before biting down into his leg did he finally pay it attention. The jaws of whatever this thing is was larger than him by far. It thrashed him about the room, smashing him into walls, the floor and the ceiling before swiftly pulling him outside.
"LET'S ROAST THIS COASTER!" He roared in glee, his mood greatly improved at his new enemy.
Overlooking the battle, floated a Seer, just out of sight of the people present upon the train. A dark figure watched through the Seer. Angry and curious at the masked maniac's ability to survive against all odds.
"How interesting." Her voice echoed throughout the empty throne room. This man, this thing, whatever it is, was beginning to intrigue her. How was it that a man with no aura, no semblance and no sanity could prevail against the odds that were stacked so far against him, it should have been enough to bury him.
Yet... It didn't. He survived.
"Let's see how long that lasts."
END OF CHAPTER!
Hi there! Sorry this one isn't as long as the others, Uni work is surprisingly harder than what I thought. But I didn't want to keep you waiting for another chapter, especially those of you who have been wanting another update to the Popeye story. It's been in the works for a few months but I am having trouble portraying the characters accurately so that one is gonna be shelved for now. BUT! In contradiction to that, I have got a Hellboy x Wednesday story cooking up. I already have 6000 fucking words done for it, and I personally think it's got the best fight I've written so far. I dont know when I'll update this again, most of my work is done through what I'm interested in and what I'm obsessed about right now which I think is what makes my chapters tolerable. I tried the Hellboy Web of Wyrd game and loved it. I finally watched Wednesday and loved it. So, the next time you see something from me you know what it's gonna be. I also had an idea for Robocop in My Hero Acadamia, but as of right now I have no idea how I'd even get it done since almost every scene he is in he is blowing people to bits.
That being said, the next time i update this book, it will be a fight scene.
Thank you all so much for reading, sorry for the wait and I hope you all have a fantastic day/night.