Ch 15: Dueling Sisters
Boots echo across empty alleyways in the dark of night the sounds of crunching snow beneath them as a bulky figure darts through them. Mint colored eyes practically shimmer in the streaks of moonlight, every movement they make shining in the odd glows from the shattered moon. Hot air streams with each breath like steam from snorted nostrils. The shift of wavey silvery pale pink hair against glistening horns of bright pinks and blacks casting a life to the figure's head like fire as solid grunts of steaded breathing carry him through his run. The sleeveless coat lined with furs makes him sweat from his own hearty body temperature sealed over a shirtless form but still even in these frozen temperatures his body is a touch too warm, causing his golden copper skin to shimmer in the night. The bulk of his pants tucked into the boots catching on air that brushed past his every move.
Shadows occasionally flash over him from another form that swoops overhead from time to time. Wings of warm toned brown hues and white inner tufted feathers carried the small lean form on the cold air, clothing hugged tight to the body to help with flight and other needs. Goggles protected bright yellow eyes as they scanned the ground, mapping out the twists and turns, subtle calls of odd noises no one else understood being given out, each one causing a reaction in the one on the ground to turn a corner or scale a landing. Though cold, the back of the jacket was open currently, the panel flapping a bit dropped down by the waist line to allow the wings mobility though otherwise all other skin was hidden now and only short locks flashed around in shades of a light copper and black as air pushed them rapidly in flight. A series of fox fur panelled waist belt also fluttered as he flew.
They had been running the city since dark with only the information they had been provided, doing their best to rule out anything useless while noting anything worthwhile. It had been a while since they had the chance to do much more than listen to the city life, both glad to stretch their legs and be more useful while time was ticking away. The best thing about a holiday in the snow was that most people were locked away inside their homes and the inns, so they ran little to no risk of being spotted or being clocked as threats.
When the one on the ground heard a call and reached the last of their checks, he huffed and grit his teeth, crashing his weapon into a wall to help grip hold as he climbed it quickly. The weapon was strapped to his arm and looked like a large arrowhead shaped hunk of metal with a steel edge all the way around both sides of the point, only a bit smaller than his chest, like an attached odd shield, two triggerable switches on the back side. When he hopped the ledge to the rooftop, he watched the other, much smaller figure drop down, landing in a graceful crouch.
The wings folded and shrunk back into his back as if reversing their growth into non-existence as he walked over. His swords in similar shape to scimitars at his hips surprisingly quiet against his body as he moved. The voice sounded disinterested and a bit monotone, sitting in a range that was not deep nor high, his hands latching back up the panel over his bare back, lips hidden in the black scarf around his neck and face, "That should be all the routes to the location she sent correct?"
A hum of agreement was given as the reptile reached to his side and plucked off a fold from his belt, unwrapping it to drop a small fleece poncho, the neck hole perfectly falling around the bird's head so he was wearing it properly as it dropped. Hands reached up to the neck line and he tucked into it with a soft cooing of appreciation. The yellow eyes turned to watch the other faunus as he pulled out his scroll, tapping away notes, this voice gruff and a bit deep, like someone who sucked down sand for too many years of their life, "uh-huh… with this we can definitely get right into the building. pretty sure it's that old run down one that looks too clean for abandoned. What did you see from the air?"
The small bird leaned to watch the notes on the man's scroll, eyes narrowed in his goggles as he snuggled into his poncho. They combined notes from his scroll as well before sending things off to their contact, the bird faunus sighing, "Nothing you couldn't see from the ground dear. Though… I did spot some subtle smoke from the area she said might have the cavern so we can confirm that too."
The reptile hummed again, noticing the bird shiver and tucking him in closer, his body heat quickly warming the small frame, "We should get back. You will freeze."
The bird huffed and rolled his eyes, staring at his scroll and waving off the reptile nonchalantly, "I'll be fine. Besides, we need to get all the recon done tonight so she can send us new tasks for tomorrow. I'm tired of sitting around. This has taken long enough."
The man nodded. He had watched the owl get restless as time had passed. They hadn't even been doing regular check-ins anymore due to the lack of any real new information. They were staying in an inn buried in the heart of the seedy nightlife, taking regular trips all over the city to keep their ears out. They had to integrate themselves as regular citizens to get to a point where people openly spoke when they were around but still they had not heard anything new in over a month that their contact did not already know. He knew his small owl was no fan of doing nothing and sitting still like this.
He glanced down over the rest of the information they had been given frowning, "Wish we could spy this man in black. More details would be nice. Not sure how to figure out which man in black we are looking for."
"Hmm…" the smaller man folded his arms for a moment waving his hand with his scroll in an exaggerated gesture.
"Ah yes. Find a man in black in this city full of thieves and criminals. well… she can only tell us what she knows. Not much we can do. Give her a break she has been playing a damn babysitter lately I'm surprised she's gotten so much done lately while watching that… girl," the owl said with a bit of bite in his tone.
Neither of them thought it was a good idea what Jangri was doing with those second years but they were just called in to help her with this. They weren't hired for this mission directly by the Sapphire Roses Agency. Jangri had reached out to her roommate after she had been here for a year and asked if he and his boyfriend could come do some off and on recon for her after her face was discovered nosing into it. She got the agency to cover expenses and food but it was more a favor for a friend as to why they agreed. Though they had been more permanently installed in the city now for almost six months as the travel too and from was getting too expensive and not being 'locals' was really killing their ability to learn much.
It had been a big adjustment but now it was like they had always been here, something neither of them liked. The two were desert dwellers used to hot sun and sand. They were not fans of the snow and the mountain scape. Sky and Blush were two faunus from different indigenous Vacuo tribes, Sky having enrolled in Shade were he was Jangri's team partner and the two became close friends even moving in together as roommates after graduation and Blush found anywhere Sky was though having never obtained any official license for Huntsmen work. That never stopped him from following Sky to any job and being a helping partner to the point Sky always had it in any of his contracts that Blush was to be there. The two had long since even developed fighting styles to complement each other, being known in their career and the Sword and Shield of Vacuo.
Here in Mistral however they were just two faunus integrating into day to day life. Acting undercover citizens lying in wait to assist with the take down and doing their best to do any recon needed where Jangri couldn't show her face and keeping their ears out in the likely places they now made frequent stops daily to obtain anything they could of whispers in the wind. Sky glanced over to Blush, tucking tighter into his fleece, "Let's just go for now. If she has anything else for us I'm sure we won't get it until tomorrow. She is definitely not awake at this hour."
Blush just nodded, grasping the small man into himself in one strong arm while sliding them down the side of the building in the other so that Sky wouldn't have to remove anything to the cold in order to fly with his semblance. It was extremely late and no word back even once they got into their home away from home confirmed Jangri was indeed either asleep or preoccupied as she always responded right away when she could.
Striped of their winter gear in the warmth of their suite, Sky eyed Blush covered in sweat even with the cold weather, careful to be unnoticed. Even after so many years together, Sky was not the kind to be extremely obvious or lovey dovey. Blush was quite different, dotting, sweet when he could be, a snuggler of sorts. The reptile walked through the room clad only in his sleep shorts as he cleaned up, needing to cool off before a shower. Sky dropped his scarf and fleece onto the small couch, boots already abandoned by the doorway with Blush's.
There was something about the way the short man with horns was built, scarred all over from tribal traditions and survival of the harsh desert lands but solid like stone and always radiating a fiery warmth that could make Sky weak though the owl was good about never saying so. Blush was still a bit lean even for someone so sturdy and muscular and Sky found him beautiful, breathtaking even years later together. The man giving up his birth rights to be with Sky probably contributed to it too though Sky had fought fair and square to be his mate as well, with the pelts around his waist to prove it from the final trial against a rather unique fox while under induced delirium.
They bore a unique tattoo on their necks, from a rather skilled magical shaman of Blush's tribe. This ink could never be altered. Not from other inks, not from scars, nothing could ever touch it. To the two tribal men it was much more meaningful than mate marks and was given to them only after Sky had proved to the warfarin tribe he was capable of being the prince's mate. Of course they had mate marks though they placed them in unseen locations, finding them trivial in comparison to the ink but still instinctually desirable. As two different neutral types of inner beasts, they were grateful to have that over and done with, not really all that fond of mate marking to begin with in the traditional social sense. Blush's mark was on his chest, buried in the left over his heart while sky's from Blush was hidden on his inner thigh, obtained during a rather spicy night between the couple during an instinctual moment of weakness for them both.
Still, the only marking they cared about were the ones given to them by that shaman. Neither bothered with things like engagements or weddings in their people they were as good as wed anyway wearing those tattoos. Sky was staring at Blush's ink, still as vibrant as the day they got them, the image like a strange set of teeth but at the same time unrecognizable as anything. It was designed like their tribal glyphing, and was subtly different from the one on Sky's neck, the meaning of the shapes read like a name, like each other's name and while normally that would make them look vastly different, the way they read was more like a promise phrase of one's name so the accenting shapes were different. Also, in blush's tribe the shapes that make 'sky' were surprisingly only a few strokes not too different from 'black', Blush's first name actually being Ebony.
The reptile caught him glancing and could only grin, a loud purr in his chest, "You gonna go shower first or you gonna just gawk at me all night?"
With a frown, the owl glared and got up, tossing his clothes at Blush's face, before going to shower, "I don't know what you are talking about. I was just trying to see if a dragon was here but I guess I've only got some lizard instead."
Blush just chuckled, swiping the cloth off his face but Sky had already entered the bathroom. In turn, Blush thought Sky was the most stunning thing he had ever laid eyes on from head to toe down to the owl tail that was often in his way in intimate moments. He had been chasing the owl since they crossed paths at a required annual ceremony between the two tribes, politics mostly that bored both of them to death. They ran off instead to find something else to do, landing Blush in immense trouble as the chieftain's son but they were simply young teens then, no one held it against them for too long really. Well, his father did but he couldn't have cared less. Blush never wanted to inherit anything anyway and finding Sky not only brought him happiness but solved that problem too.
Tired from the run and hours of searching with the late hour, Blush passed out on the couch waiting, slouching into it by the time Sky returned. The owl sighed with a soft smile and walked over, adjusting Blush a bit so he didn't hurt his neck before laying back on the couch with his head in his lap, admiring him a bit with a soft smile until his eyes closed, needing sleep himself knowing Jangri would be diligent with new requests in the morning, "You massive dumb reptile…"
He rolled towards Blush and curled a bit, nuzzling his face into Blush's form. His mind was racing about this man in black again. It kept him up for a while wondering and worrying what he was up to and what might be in store for them.
—-
Cool damp concrete peppered with stains of faded reds and dark unknown color nearly black across the floors and walls, hardly lit by the light of the outer world streaking in flickering as slow moving vent fans turn in the walls near the high ceilings. Distant sounds echoing of screams and the groaned last breaths before death mix with the clanks of metal to metal, the squlesh of torn skin and muscle and the dripping of steady liquids to the floors in plopped thuds the ever cascading background to the symphony of pain around him.
Mauve had no idea if he could even trust what he was hearing. He couldn't really be sure of much of anything these days. His brain was so damaged from constant subjection to the neurotoxin in Lyra's venom always staying in his system each time until near the last minute the antivenom could be administered. The lasting effects on his brain, respiratory system and nervous system were potent. Even now what should be unpleasant or scary didn't phase him. He sat there in the small cage staring off with no visible reaction to anything at all.
Glazed over eyes watched bodies that arrived with him, a mixture of dead and weak living ones, being dragged past his cage into their own, the bodies of the dead going further down the aisle to an unknown turn where the glow of stark white lighting was leaking from wherever the hallway ended. Around him, many cages held odd sights unlike anything he had ever seen. Had he not been so damaged, he might have felt a sudden intense sense of absolute terror. His blue eyes roamed from cage to cage, all filled with faunus and a few humans, or at least he assumed they were human.
Butchered bodies sewn back closed with little to keep them clean, covered in infections. Missing parts, dead attached to living through strange contraptions he couldn't even begin to explain as the living counterpart screams in agony or dies with it. The strong scent of decay, blood and puss filled the air so thick it was nauseating. There were human bodies hung from hooks on the ceilings, being drained through tubing into faunus in cages, stitched into the other ends and turning purple and black from the decomposing contents leaking into who knows where inside. Any humans who weren't dead seemed like they were being used for some sort of harvesting. All around it looked like some sort of illegal experimentations facility.
The tall man in black with the beaked mask walked along with several workers in occult like cloaks or hoods over rather plain black clothing with vinyl coatings like surgical wear, scribbling anything he told them or taking stock of the experiments and new lots. When they stopped at Mauve's cage, the cat trying his best to look at the man even with his tormented brain cells, an eerie laugh trailed from the man, his cane jabbing in at Mauve to knock him over, practically stabbing through the skin he was pressing so hard into Mauve's airway on his neck, "Ahhh she did promise me an alpha again. It's been a while and we needed one so badly. Be a dear and get things ready. We have so many tests ready to try on this one though I wish she didn't send him so broken."
The cane removed from Mauve's neck, the cat gasping as the other figures were swarming his cage, Hemlock already walking towards that lit glow as he adjusted his gloves, "No matter… we are only interested in his inner beast after all. The state of his brain matters not."
Hands grasped the young man after the door opened, dragging him towards the hall with little resistance as he could hardly muster much of anything, towards that light. Inside, there was a mess of blood stains and drainage, several experiments that were long since dead splayed for more tests of poor faunus butchered for this man's science. Screens of notes and babble were everywhere with findings and photos and video files of results. Hemlock was shoving a body butchered beyond recognition off the table, "strap him here hurry up now. I don't have all day you know."
The table was cold and slimy with the absolutely pungent goo from the body that once laid there. Even with his damaged mind Mauve felt ill to his stomach as the sensation of it touching him crossed his body. Locked into place and having already puked from the smells and sights, the man chuckled and grasped his face so tightly the sound of cracking could be heard from his jaw, eyes squinting, "Swallow that down my boy. You'll need it. Not that you have any say but you are about to make history my dear boy! I intend to rip that detestable beast right out of your being, should you survive the tests and ordeal, you'll be the first faunus without an inner beast. Isn't that marvelous?"
Mauve was already nearly choking on his vomit, the fingers prying at his jaw until he could do nothing but hold his mouth open as the bile slid back down, forced to swallow it back down before the man would let go. He coughed on it, the taste vile and the burning sensation of the stomach acid noxous but his eyes widened a bit when the man turned holding a knife, his other hand grasping against Mauve's chest and feeling around for something. He lowered the knife when he found a specific gap in the rips, Mauve screaming with the only energy he had as the man cut him open without anything to numb him, "Now… let's begin shall we boy?"
—-
"So… what are we doing exactly?" Azure asked as she and several of the trained group members were being handed assignments to their scrolls from River.
The iguana smirked, Lux next to her checking his weapons over, "We are low on important supplies and funding. Basic tasks for anyone who works outside the cavern city for the organization. The targets have all already been picked by intel and I hand them out accordingly. Basic stuff really."
She nibbled her lip, watching her mate as he checked his scroll for his assignment. When River was around, he always seemed to act slightly differently. It was so much harder to read him and even his tail and ears showed little in the way of his thoughts. Azure herself was trying very hard to keep her own tail from tucking and ears folding in her unsure and slightly irritated state. Since her last trip to the block almost a week ago, she had been assigned endless training tasks, she and Lux had been subjected to Lyra's presence often, with the snake always having an almost uncomfortable level of intrigue in her with this glint of rage in her eyes that betrayed her false kindness so subtly Azure felt she was being paranoid if not for what she had seen in the block.
It was as if Lyra was keeping an annoyingly close eye on her and keeping her too busy to be able to do much of anything else. Lyra had made it rather clear through River that Azure was always intended to join the fray if she joined them, the state of her new clothing having hinted greatly at mobility and she already knew a bit too much to be allowed to integrate fully with the innocent members in the cavern. Not that Azure was worried too much about this part. She had already accepted she would do it if it meant staying with her criminal mate. No way was she going to be driven apart from him now, not even by the lines of wrong or right though she had made it very clear she wouldn't kill or capture anyone for them.
River waved her hand in front of her face to draw her attention back in, "Hey, earth to the space cat cadet. I just sent you your mission. Seeing as you are way more capable with much more training then most of these lot, you are on the biggest mission tonight. IF you wanna stay here, you'd better get your head in the game and not mess this up."
Her voice dropped to a whisper and she stopped next to Azure as she passed her, eyes the only thing turning her way as she taunted her, "Lyra will be watching you."
A deep frown creased Azure, her tongue sharp as she strapped in Prophecy to her belt, "As if I care about that viper. All that matters to me is Lux."
The aggressive tension between them worsened quickly by Azure's instinctive flex of her energy was instantaneous but River didn't take the bait. The lizard already knew much more than Azure did about this mission and that was satisfying enough for her. Moving past she continued until everyone had assignments before she let them loose on the city.
Lux was on a different task tonight than Azure, going with a group for a supplies run from a source that had recently raised its security in a panic. It was the only place they could get what they needed for certain resources in town however so it couldn't be helped. As he stood next to Azure, the cat looking over her high risk robbery mission with a frown, he leaned in and nuzzled into her neck, making her sigh softly in response when his nose brushed her mate mark, "Chin up Azure. We won't do this again for a while. I really have to be on this medicine raid or I would try to go with you. You have this. Remember it's for those people you met."
She could only nod, letting out a deep breath as they parted ways. The robbery itself had gone rather smoothly actually though that had more to do with Azure's skill in incapacitating the guards than the mission itself being easy. She did her best not to actually do any of the stealing, acting more as protection for the others and playing look out as they cracked the safe of the small bank and began looting the contents. As she stood watch, knowing this would take a while due to the need versus the amount of hands to actually load up the transport with the lien, she tried to run over many things in her mind. Worries about the captives and Amethyst, her poor sister's mental health in all this, what her parents and siblings would say when they found out she was turning to a life of crime for a boy.
Would they even understand? Maybe Blake would, maybe even Mao would at this point though she doubted either of them would just accept it without saying something to her and trying to drag her away kicking and screaming from the idea. Yang would probably kill her, in the metaphorical sense of course but it would still suck greatly. What would Autumn think if she knew? That thought was the only one that really hurt to consider. Maybe they weren't as chummy as they were as children anymore but even if she'd never say it, Autumn still meant a great deal to her.
Her bubbly cousin who never gave up on her and stuck around rather than get annoyed and ditch her, even when Azure wasn't kind. Always taking the brunt of their teammates back home for her and always trying to help her with anything and everything even if she wasn't asked. She gripped her shirt over her chest and grit her teeth with a grunt. The idea she was going to devastate Autumn hurt her. Since bonding with Lux, she had found herself so much calmer, softer inside, and this was a clear enough sign as any the fact she was even considering most of this about her family or the fact she wasn't taking the bait from verbal jabs by Lyra or River either.
Other than her ears swiveling to the sound of the others each time they would come out with a sack to add to the dirt bikes they were using for the heist, Azure was motionless staring at the stars in her thoughts. Even her tail hung still, she was so distracted. Though it didn't stop her from hearing the sound of sliced air and the faint whistle of it as a grappling ribbon shot to her face, her body moving in a bend and twist away from it just in time for it to brush her nose as it sunk into the wall she had been leaning on and dusting brick at her face. Prophecy quickly loaded in a fire blade and swung to cut through the second one coming straight for her torso in one fluid motion, growling as her eyes locked onto the assailant not too far off.
Or rather, barreling towards her at an insane speed as the ribbon was being recoiled back into the weapon in order to throw the woman attached forward, a growled shout exiting the assailant as feet were shifted out to catch her landing. Azure was unable to cut the ribbon being used as a grapple in time before those boots crashed into the brick, fists swinging towards her. She dodged one and deflected the other with Prophecy, metal striking the hard dust particles in a hissing shrill noise.
Both faces were only inches apart as amber eyes glared into the gritting fangs and blaring red orbs until both heaved force into their weapons to push themselves away from each other. Azure's blade shattered from the force, reinserting the hilt quickly and redrawing it with an ice dust blade while she stared at Mao as the ribbons were fully recalled, the mini turrets' circular ammo containment around the wrists starting up their spin the only sound between them.
—-
EARLIER…
Lyra stepped from her quarters with a stretch, Rena dropping her black coat on her before going to retrieve River. Meanwhile, the snake made her way to the old interrogation room. What once was used to torment others now was holding the sole remaining captive. They had moved her from the block and scrubbed the area of any sign anyone had ever been there, going as far as removing the bars. Several days later, the only cat was chained to the floor by a wall stuck facing the opposite end with empty chains lying in wait for something else that had yet to come.
The room was plunged in a dim light and currently Amethyst sat still against the wall. In the beginning, after losing Mauve, she was irate and aggressive, even managing to cut through Rena's forearm with only her nails. But after a few days she had tired out her soul and gone quiet. Lyra had been waiting for this moment as she clicked the light on and closed the door behind her, watching the cat squint and hide her face in her knees a bit until her eyes adjusted back to staring at the floor. It brought a smudge grin to the leader's face to see the broken alpha before her. The room echoed the sound of her boot soles as she stepped closer, sighing lightly and crouching to the captive's eye level, simply watching her at first.
Amethyst made no notion to notice her, staring blankly off. It brought a light snicker to Lyras lips, "Oh you really have been such a treat you know? Who would have ever guessed not only would I get to break such a strong beast of her will to fight but are you even aware what gold you dropped into my lap, kitten?"
Icy cold slender fingers lifted the cat's jaw in a snug grasp until she was forced to look into Lyra's lavender eyes, "You gave me a Xiao Long on a silver platter. No, you gave me several."
That seemed to spark something as those blue eyes darted around in thought before teeth snapped into Lyra and a deep but baseless growl echoed out, chains pulled taunt. Lyra just smiled, not even flinching, flexing her hand to force out the teeth in her skin, "I'm going to enjoy watching you come to terms with everything that happens to them and knowing it's all your fault."
She stood up, using her foot to give a swift kick to Amethyst's head stopping any sounds of her alpha in its tracks and the cat went quiet, blood dripping from her lip into her lap. A knock on the door told her it was time to go. As she walked towards it, she turned back to glance at the siamese watching her leave, "but then… Your conscious is already heavy isn't it? I wonder if there will be room for that guilt around the one for your brother."
Amethyst's blue eyes scanned the floor as she began to breathe more rapidly, her body tensing and shaking. The vision of Mauve dragged away still haunting her every thought as it was. Eyes watered furiously and her nails dug into her fists as she balled them up, shaking from head to toe with anguish. It burned like a raging fire in her chest, the pain. She didn't have room for hope. She knew he was gone and she had been blaming herself since the moment it happened. To what cost does it mean to be a Huntress? To do your duty no matter the losses? Giving up your own blood in exchange for the sake of the mission? And for what, they didn't even actually know what Lyra was really up to if anything.
She didn't even notice the growl leaving her throat or feel her limbs as she lunged towards the woman, yanking at her restraints to no avail. That fire was boiling over like lava through her now from her heart, her inner beast was screaming in agony and anger. No, not just her inner beast. The noise flooding her ears was also herself as she watched that woman leave and the door close, ripping her wrists as if it would matter. All of her being wanted to make this woman pay for what she had done but she hadn't the strength anymore. The viper had made sure of that all this time. When it was sealed, she fell to her knees, palms catching her from falling on her face, her nails digging until they bled into the cold floor, "Mauve… I'm so sorry…"
The heavy door opened, the sounds of Amethyst's grunts and growls leaking into the hall as Lyra stepped out to River and Rena, the door closing cutting off the intense scream finally breaking through. River was staring at the door, the silence it created as it sealed was eerie to her almost, her eyes fixed on the solid seal, wondering for the briefest of moments if a line existed somewhere they had long crossed when Lyra pulled her back to their reality, the thought leaving as quickly as it had come in exchange for her sense of duty, "River dear. I think it's time we stop toying with those twins don't you?"
She followed the leader as the woman began to walk, exchanging a tablet from Rena to look over something private as they went, "Well I don't know Ma'am, I quite enjoy seeing them all pissy really."
The leader gave a slight chuckle and grin, clicking a few things to read other items, "Yes well, let's not ruin a good thing shall we by over exerting them. I want you to send them to stop the high risk mission. Put them to the test. Tell them, no, tell the girl… if she can't prove herself against our own then this ends here and now. As for the boy… separate them. He is of no importance to us. We will do more forcing them to divide."
It only took the lizard seconds for the gears to spin into place in her brain just right, a smirk growing on her face. That was Azure's mission. Lyra was pitting them against each other with everything on the line for both of them. She laced her fingers together and stretched, cracking them with a laugh, "Oh this will be fun."
Lyra would have enjoyed the younger faunus's enthusiasm however she opened a report from Hemlock and her entire demeanor changed. She stopped walking, her body tensing as her grip tightened ruthlessly on the device while her eyes ran over the information. River noticed of course, her grin falling slowly as she leaned to try to see the leader's face under the hood, "Ma'am? Everything alright?"
River heard the sound of air being sucked in through grit teeth before a hand stretched into view, fingers wiggling in a gesture for River to run along on her task. Once again, River felt the irritation of being kept at arm's length to any important matters but she wasn't willing to be on the receiving end of the viper's venom or devastating strike, taking the signal and leaving with a respectful bow. A message off to the twins and the meeting was set.
Lyra hissed once the girl was gone, thumb squeezing even tighter into the device as the sounds of glass before shattering whispered from its screen, "Ugh! He still hasn't done it! STILL! That bastard! Over there playing games with all these bodies and wasting my goddamn time!"
The tablet went zipping down the hall, surging out and shattering as it made contact with the far wall at the end of the hallway. Rena was unfazed, watching carefully. Her only prerogative was the leader. The rest made no difference to her so ignoring it was easy. She hadn't joined out of any sense of peace or justice or righteousness. She didn't care about the workings of hierarchy in mating or one's inner beast. Lyra had simply caught her interest at the right time in the right back alley speech and she had nothing else going for her as a slum dweller. Keeping her leader and lover pleased with any and all desires had been her only goal for the better life she lived now. From illegal fighting for shit winnings to the right hand of a very powerful woman in the underground, more than worth every drop of her loyalty as far as she was concerned.
Slowly she walked to retrieve the trashed device, listening as Lyra collected herself. The viper took a deep breath in slowly and let it back out as she smoothed her hair back over, eyes closed until she spoke, "Rena. We are paying that slimy lab rat a visit. Get your coat dear."
She just hummed and nodded, taking the device to a trashcan on her way to grab a warm coat for herself, normally stalking the base in a muscle shirt and tactical pants and boots but that wouldn't be best or inconspicuous in the snowfall outside. Lyra led the way out the hidden door to the tunnel ways to get to Hemlock's subterranean lab, face frozen in determination and a darker emotion, one bred of a threat and a promise of harm. She would get this going. It had to happen or she would kill him, she was certain.
—-
Mao glanced up from her scroll as she and Bao were taking a breather on the roof of the pet shop, having spent the better part of the day training to stay in peak form. The apple logged in her teeth fell to her lap as she read the instructions. River had long since stopped meeting them for every single task but something about this one was worth the shock. She reached, tugging Bao's sleeve annoyingly for his attention without turning her head, "Mao cut it out dammit!"
She jumped to her feet, practically shoving her screen in his face as she turned towards the stairwell. He just barely had time to grab it before she let it go, ripping a bite from her apple and tossing it. She was moving with a purpose and it had him curious. His eyes went from watching her storm through the door back inside and it clanking loudly closed from the force to the screen.
'This is it. You want in? Defeat the assigned guard over one of our robberies. Let the others get away to succeed at the heist but prove to us you can stop the one protecting them. If you can't even defeat one of our own you are no good to us and we will cut off all ties. Good luck kitties. All the details are below.'
His ears perked and he too quickly got to his feet and rushed down after Mao for his things. Already, Mao was telling Jangri everything as she was strapping into Rapid Lancer. The rabbit was on her feet listening with every ounce of her attention and Autumn too seemed to be deeply invested. Jangri stopped them once they were geared up and heading out, "Wait a minute mates! We are coming! We have to be there in case something goes south!"
Mao growled, teeth bared as she turned on the woman, an inch or two the only space between faces. Her eyes were piercing but Jangri didn't flinch. It made Autumn nervous every time this happened. She worried for Jangri but also it was hard to see Mao so on edge and upset all the time. She didn't want either of them to do something they might regret nor have to feel torn between them. Mao's chest rumbled darkly with her warning growls, "Watch it rabbit. You trying to say we'll fail?"
Jangri's face hardened, prepared to try to smooth the air and back down the irate alpha, pressing her energy so hard at Jangri she could choke on it when Bao hissed, "We do not have time for this! We need to go stake it out and be ready! Mao let it go! If the babysitter wants to follow us, so be it! Jangri you better stay out of sight or it will all go south because of you!"
With some effort, Mao huffed and shoved Jangri away as she turned to follow Bao. The rabbit caught herself easily enough but her frown was harder than anything Autumn had seen yet. She was angry about the nonsense and she had had enough clearly but there was no time for her grievances as she straightened herself out. The twins were already gone out the door. They'd be hard to follow if not for the trackers she had in their devices she had implanted once all these wild tasks started. Once she suited up with her two short staffs Antea and Postilla crossed on her back, frowning at Autumn who was still standing there a bit unsure, "Well? You gonna grab that giant sword and follow me or what little flower? Now's not the time to have delicate petals mate."
Autumn snapped to attention, blushing slightly in embarrassment, "R…right!"
She tugged on her gear and slugged the claymore into her grasp as Jangri watched her with a light smile, arms folded. Somehow, everything Autumn did always seemed to help ease her. Whether it was stress of the job or irritation of those twin cats, Autumn simply being Autumn could make the rabbit relax and smile. She took the thought and put it on a shelf in the back of her mind for now, not wanting it to distract her from something so important as Autumn stood there with Jahreszeiten, waving for them to leave after the two, "Well alright then. Let's go."
—-
The twins made it to the assigned location well ahead of the other two, neither in sight as the twins perched on a nearby rooftop watching. Mao was on edge. This was a make it or break it. Her ability to ever get the love of her life out and back to safety all rode on this moment. Her hands gripped into fists so tight the leather in the gloves of her weapons loudly clenched. Bao placed a hand on her shoulder to try to recenter her but she shrugged him off instantly with a sharp flick of her shoulder and a deep rumbled warning growl.
His frown was unnoticed by her. She rarely ever flexed at him but she was now. She didn't have the patience for his calm demeanor right now. All she cared about was finding the target and pulverizing them as if they were the thing keeping her from Amethyst solely. In a way, they were the last obstacle in her way really and she was going to make sure they felt every ounce of that. Bao just sighed, watching her. He was sure she would probably blow this if she didn't breathe but he also understood Mao was past her limits mentally already.
When her growl deepened to an intense, aggressive sound almost a roar and her entire body went rigid, flying to her feet and practically shaking in anger, Bao turned his eyes to see what the issue was. His eyes widened at first then narrowed as if in disbelief, leaning on the ledge like it would somehow give him a better view, "Is that…"
Mao's teeth ground together, beared widely as her shoulders scrunched from how tight her body was all over, pulling up Rapid Lancer and cocking the grapple feature in both gauntlets into it's loaded position, the cylinder ammo chambers around the wrists clanking into their dropped position to allow the ribbon cylinder to prep, each having a two piston switch system to engage one cylinder or the other in a rapid succession, "Fucking AZURE! I'm gonna kill her! I've had e fucking nough of her shit in all this!"
Before Bao could stop her, Mao quickly took aim, the grapple shooting free on its long ribbon attachment from the palm side of the wrist., hand poised up out of the way with her arm reached out to aim it, the anchor zipping through the air so fast the ribbon never lost its taunt pull from the chamber, crashing into the wall as Azure bent away just in time. Mao growled again, instantly throwing her other wrist up and firing again, feet already sliding along the rooftop surface to prep her body to launch after the shots the moment she activated the recoil feature to allow herself to be pulled by them.
This time, Azure cut that one down with Prophecy and that did nothing but rile Mao further, quickly launching her body up and triggering the recoil, the ribbon being recalled back into its chamber so fast Mao went flying towards Azure like a missile. A shout of irritation left her throat and lips as she shifted her boots forward to catch her impact, crushing into the wall with intense force, fists flying towards Azure immediately after impact. The younger faunus blocked her best as they leaned into each other's weapons. Mao got the cylinders swapping as she was punching to prep the turret ammo. The whites of their teeth beamed at each other in the closeness under the moonlight and red pools scorched into golden orbs before Prophecy shattered as they shoved back on each other for some space.
With Prophecy reloaded, Mao cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders, the ammo chambers already beginning to start their spin for the mini turrets on her gauntlets to be ready to fire. Azure was nervous deep down. She was skilled sure but even she wasn't faster than a bullet, yet along several from turrets. On top of that, she had never won a spare against Mao. Not ever in her entire life. Mao, like their mother Yang, was only more deadly the angrier you made her. And at this close range, if she activated her semblance Azure was done for.
She gripped Prophecy tighter, watching those chambers gaining speed. She contemplated rushing in for a strike before they reached firing speed but Mao was excellent at hand to hand and she would surely take a hit rather than land one but if those chambers reached their needed rotation speed, she was never going to get close enough. She bit her cheek between her teeth trying to prepare herself, pointing her blade a bit towards Mao, stopping half way when she saw Mao begin to take stance in response. She couldn't lose this. River said Lyra was keeping an eye on her and she needed to stay with Lux. She needed to be valuable to do that.
Mao shifted one foot a bit further back, hands raising to a boxer's form as she watched that sword. She could see her sister's eyes taking in every move she made. What would normally warrant a bit of pride in Azure's growth as a fighter only irritated her further now. She was far too mad to consider that it was intentional, even if Bao had realized it already. She couldn't lose, wouldn't lose. One thing she knew is that one way or another she could beat her baby sister. Her fingers gripped into her fists tighter, still growling deeply in her chest and throat, her inner beast flexing its energy painfully oppressively towards Azure, noticing her flinch a bit in her face as the black feline hissed, "Mao!? What the hell are you doing here!? What about the…"
"Shut up! I don't wanna hear it you traitor! You're the one who shouldn't be here! I should've sent you home packing even if they saw your damn face!" Mao spat, the chambers reaching max velocity in their spin indicating azure was running on seconds of time left before the pounce.
Azure took in the information, noticed Mao bending further into her stance. Bao wasn't here but she could bet if he was maybe she could weasel away from a full out fight with Mao. It was odd. The two never were apart like this. She didn't have time to wonder why that was right now though. What felt too short and too long all at once was coming to an end. Any moment Mao would lunge for her. Mao was faster, stronger, and had a difficult semblance to deal with. She needed to focus. It was clear Mao wasn't going to back down at all, "We don't have to do this… you could just go…"
A single crunch of the gravel beneath her feet and Mao was off, launching herself at Azure so quickly all the younger had time to do was catch the strike with her blade, feet sliding from the force along the ground as Mao yelled at her, "I HAVE to do this you little brat! We are doing this! Now fucking take what's coming to you!"
The fists kept flying and she kept sliding back, her hands aching from the vibrations on her grip on the hilt, doing her best to block each rapid swing. A flurry of shots from the gauntlet striking her sword sent Azure flying back, blue crackling over her body as she yelped, recovering midair to swap the blade quickly with a gravity blade and striking it at the place of impact with the ground to launch herself back towards Mao.
The blonde feline was ready, firing at Azure and throwing an arm out to clock her across the chest when she reached Mao, whipping her smaller frame into the ground with a powerful thrust. Her back smacked into the earth so hard her body bounced back, hand reaching to grip Mao's arm as the air was knocked loose from her lungs. It burned in her chest, choking almost as nails dung into the muscle of her sister's arm. A foot came down next but Azure forced herself to roll free just in time, staggering back to her feet still trying to get air back into her chest. The sword raised but it was as good as over if she stayed as her eyes locked on her older sister glowing and splitting into two. Each vestige had a different gauntlet. Her golden eyes darted between both as the two growled, throwing up her sword just in time as the two rushed her, faster than before.
One leapt in a flip over her head and shot out the ribbon to seize her as it whipped around her in several swift loops while the other threw the gauntlet into the blade sending it flying before grasping Azure by the collar with the other hand, rearing the gauntlet back for a strike. Azure took several hits, her aura sparking and lighting up like crazy with each painful pounding of the armored fist to her face, the roar of anger and something else from Mao flooding her ears. Was that… anguish? Pain? Struggling in that ribbon bind as the other Mao held her still for the onslaught. She was running dangerously low on her aura but her eyes noticed the others fleeing on the bikes. All she needed to prove herself was for them to be in the clear. She could distract her irate sister a bit longer right?
Jangri and Autumn were caught up with Bao, watching the tail end upfold as he growled. He had not interfered, unsure what might happen on this mission if he did and clearly Mao didn't need the help. His nails were gripping into the ledge and his teeth grit as Jangri came up next to him, frowning, "What's going on here?! Is that…"
"Azure!" Autumn gasped, covering her mouth.
She went to make the only rational choice for her cousin, readying to leap down and help when Bao caught her, "No! We have to win this or we will lose the ability to get in all together. It was clear. We win or we cut all ties."
Autumn ripped from him, looking to Jangri for help here, eyes filled with worry. Jangri bit her lip, frowning deeply as she kicked the ledge, "Dammit. As much as I hate it, we can't stop this."
Autumn couldn't believe either of them as her eyes turned back to Azure who was at her limit and being relentlessly wailed on. It hurt her heart to see her family, her friend in such trouble. Jangri got ready to jump down if needed, pulling her staffs from her back and merging the mechanical triggers and latches to assemble a sniper rifle, flipping up a scope to watch better and be ready if needed to fire. She mumbled under her breath, finger poised to fire, "that damn snake…"
She had to let Mao win but she didn't have to let her bloody Azure. She was still responsible for the young feline. Autumn was practically whimpering next to her, fidgeting with Jahreszeiten as if she was going to jump in at any moment. Jangri couldn't bear seeing or hearing her so upset for someone she cared about. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as she fired off a shot, Bao snagging her weapon fast with a hiss, angry she let loose a shot on his twin, "What the fuck are you doing!? You'll blow everything!"
Jangri let him snatch her weapon away from her target, eyes watching as the shot landed on Mao's back square in the center, "I can't let her go too far mate. I have to look out for that girl. It isn't right."
The sting was so intense, Mao coiled backwards with a loud scream. Her double fizzled out to non existence with how much her aura took a hit, gold crackling like mad across her form. The ribbon being part of the fake Mao disappeared and Azure dropped to the ground panting. Seeing Mao stumbling back some to recover, she quickly grabbed Prophecy and took off, unable to take any more hits or she would surely pass out. There was already ringing in her ears and a throbbing in her head. In the distance, she saw Bao, Jangri and Autumn all rushing towards Mao. More so she noticed them taking off after her once Mao was ok.
She had to get out of here fast. Stumbling on her feet as she did her best top try to confuse them on her path, leaping over crates in tight alleyways and through abandoned windows for short cuts. Everything she had learned running around with and even chasing after Lux. However, it didn't seem to be doing her many favors. If anything it seemed to only be making her slower and they were gaining ground after her. Panic was filling her rapidly.
There was nowhere left to run as Azure slid to a stop down a dead end. Her heart was practically pounding in her ears as she panted for air, ears flicking backwards to the sounds of the twins, gaining on her quickly, Autumn and Jangri probably not far behind.
Her blood was thundering through her veins and she felt the panic overwhelm her. There was no way out of this if she had to fight. All four of them would easily overpower her, but she couldn't get caught or go back, not now. Not now that she finally felt peace in her soul. She ran out of time quickly, the seconds disappearing as her eyes glanced around. There wasn't anything she could launch herself up to in time, these buildings were too smooth and too tall and she was devastatingly low on aura and dust to waste a blade on this if they could just follow her. With Bao's semblance, there was no wall too high so that option was out.
"Azure! Come back here you little twerp!" Mao shouted with a growl, turning the corner and coming into clear view as Bao came slinging along after her at his full sprint.
Her eyes widened. She wouldn't go back. She needed to be with him. Going back meant placing the wall between them again of moral rights and wrongs and legal mess. No, that was not happening she would rather die first.
When Mao got close enough, the grappling ribbons of Rapid Lancer slung out from her wrists, Azure spinning Prophecy as fast as she could out the sheath with a red blade but the heat did nothing as the ribbon wrapped in it and Mao tugged hard, launching herself towards her sister with the force yanking Azure towards her. Boots were primed to clash into her at full force and all she could think to do in time was throw up her arm to help cushion the blow.
But the blow never came. Instead, a flash of vibrant blue light and a powerful snarling roar was heard as Mao tumbled back with a shout. It took Azure a moment to be aware she had not made the noise herself, still hearing the growling powerful breathing as it came from over her body, the glow casting ambient light around her. When she glanced up, her heart nearly stopped in surprise.
Staring down at Azure was what appeared to be a wild cat of some sort, almost like that of her newly formed inner beast, though it was the size of a single story house, perched in a protective stance looming over her, breathing in feral ragged breaths. It had no solid look to its form, instead almost seeming corporeal with a vivid outline to its details. It had a short tail and massive teeth, its fluff on its jaw long tufts with tall ears like hers with inner tufts. Its eyes blazed red among the light blue form, her own eyes red currently as well. Without even a thought or command, it seemed to channel the essence of what she needed.
Her semblance had unlocked in her stress. Standing over her, protecting her, was raw, pure unfiltered power of her very soul, projected out in the form of her faunus species, of her inner beast, acting as its own entity based purely on her heart's will and soul's desire. It had thrown Mao with a swipe of a paw and was currently primed to pounce as it warned the approaching faunus.
The others slid to a stop, Bao catching Mao as she came flying in rolling along the dirt. They could only stare stunned at the massive beast poised over Azure. In their confusion and shock, Azure quickly dipped out of there, the beast launching her with a shocked gasp up onto its back and leaping in bounds over the others and quickly away. Mao moved to follow as Autumn ran to watch the beast leave, Jangri grabbing Mao's shoulder to stop her, "There's no way we can fight that thing unprepared. Hell we don't even know what that thing even is or if we even can hurt it! You have to let her go mate."
Mao collapsed into her knees where she was crouched, punching her fist into the ground so hard her knuckles burst at the skin, bleeding rapidly, her pained cry from her defeat echoing the alley. Azure's ears twitched towards it as the beast dashed her to the safety of the base, lowering her weak form in its teeth carefully as a mother cat with a baby kitten before it dissolved from her depleted aura. The last thing she saw was Lux running her way at the entrance with a few other members before everything turned black.
—-
The twins dragged their feet back to the room, feeling the depth of loss in this mission they had put so much into as Autumn and Jangri walked quietly behind them. Autumn wanted to say something to the rabbit, trying to find something positive here, but the look on Jangri's face stopped her. The rabbit looked lost in her thoughts and clearly frustrated too. Autumn had learned over the years around Azure that bothering people when they were like that was never a good idea. Her shoulders fell some and she sighed, as all four entered the room.
Jangri stopped Autumn when they turned the street corner, pulling her back around it, her massive ears twitching in the direction of the pet shop they were staying above, Autumn awkwardly clutched into her chest and body tightly with a hand over her mouth. It made the girl blush deeply at first at the soft feeling of Jangri's breasts against her face but she squirmed quickly, pushing the thought from her mind and a muffled sound trying to find voice from under Jangri's hand.
"Shhh," the rabbit responded to her squirming, "Their recruiter is at the door with them."
The blue eyes widened and she gripped Jangri's arm that had her pinned, going still and trying to hear or see anything. Though, knowing they weren't in any real immediate danger didn't help keep her brain from going back to the plush feel against her she was still pressed again, her face burning red.
Jangri seemed to relax after a while, finally noticing the position she had put Autumn in and quickly releasing her, face turning away shyly refusing to make any eye contact, "S…sorry."
Shortly after, she waved Autumn to follow her. River had left. The twins had also disappeared back to the room and the reptile was far enough for them to go inside. When they entered the room, the twins were sitting on the edge of the bed. She couldn't read their expressions, unsure if it was good or bad. Mao was nursing her busted hand as Bao was rubbing his face hunched forward onto his knees and clearly annoyed, "What did she say mates?"
Mao looked up with a stern but otherwise blank expression, "I did it. We have an in."
Jangri felt relief fill her too quickly before Autumn poked from around her, staring at her cousins with a bit more understanding of them, frowning, "But?"
The rabbit felt her elation instantly drop, looking from the younger girl to the twins as Bao sighed and Mao grit her teeth, glancing away from them, "But they will only take me. Bao has to walk away."