A/N: First the Abduction Agency messages with the Shadow Tread, and now with the Black Cats. They must really have a death wish, and it's about to be granted. Serah, Patrick, and the Shadow Tread are about to invade another base to rescue the Black Cats, meanwhile, Sakuya is also making her own preparations for her target. But it's not like he's gonna go berserk in the middle of a mission that involves the very criminal syndicate he hates most in the entire world...right? ...Right?
Chapter 71: The Black Cats
For the next two days, the trio start heading towards their destination. They didn't take any rest stops. During their travels, one takes the wheel of the vehicle while the other take sleep, and during the day, the all-nighter catches some sleep.
Finally, they reached their destination: A large abandoned apartment building. When they arrived, they see the rest of team SHDW along with nearly a dozen Shadow Tread Ninjas. Most of them are females, Patrick doesn't feel like it's a good idea but then remembers most of the males are newcomers since the original ones were killed during the Abduction Agency's invasion upon them.
"Chief Sakuya, welcome." Hikari says.
"Likewise, Brother Hikari." Sakuya says. "Is everything set?"
"Indeed, Chief, just waiting on you three." Wallace says.
Serah nods. "Right, time to get to work." Serah turns her attention to the building. "The Black Cats are in that building, Serah worries what horrible things could be happening to them." Serah turns to Patrick. "Can Patrick take a look?"
Patrick turns his attention to the building as he activates his X-Ray Vision. He takes a look at the building. Even a bit far off, he can still make out what's going on inside. "The entrance is barricaded. And there are guards everywhere, not to mention security cameras. There's no way we can go in on the ground floor, even with Hikari's Semblance." Patrick tilts his head down. "There are basement floors, but it's hard to see in this angle and distance. I am picking up increased security. That must be where the hostages are held." Patrick looks up on the upper floors. "The upper floors have fewer patrols...It's hard to make out in this distance, but I think there's a control room on the seventh floor."
"If there's no way to break in without being spotted on the ground, then we'll have to try the roof." Sakuya says.
"Serah agrees." Serah says with a nod.
Patrick and all the ninjas make their way towards the building. They avoid being spotted by the patrols out in front of the courtyard. Once they reach the side of the building, they start making their way up the building. Sakuya, Serah, and three other ninjas run up the wall naturally, while Patrick just uses his Gravity-Dusted Bracers. The rest of the ninjas use Grambling Guns to launch themselves to the roof.
Once on top, everyone gathers. Patrick looks down with his X-Ray. "No guards here. But there are still security cameras." Patrick directs his eyes around as he looks. He then starts moving around. Serah and the Shadow Tread keep their eyes on Patrick as he's moving around until he stops and points on the floor. "There! There's a blindspot right here."
Sakuya looks down to where Patrick is pointing, then at Hikari. "Brother Hikari, do your thing."
Hikari kneels down and places a hand on the ground. His Semblance pulses through the roof, and one by one all the ninjas jump through the roof floor and land on the floor below. Once everyone's through, Hikari jumps in. Patrick uses his X-Ray to look at the floors below. "There are only a few blindspots, but they're too far out for us to slide through with Hikari's Semblance."
"Does Patrick see any Shadow spots?" Serah asks.
"It's hard to make out with X-Ray Vision." Patrick turns his attention to Serah. "What are you planning?"
"Serah can perhaps take Patrick to the control room through the Shadows." Serah asks.
"It's worth trying." Sakuya says. "We will stand by for your signal."
Serah and Patrick stand in front of a shadow. Serah warps her arms around Patrick from behind him, and then with her Semblance, both of them sink into the shadows. Patrick and Serah are now in the Shadowlands: An endless void of darkness with a straight line of beams of light.
"One of these has to take us close to the control room." Patrick says.
One-by-one, Patrick and Serah check out the light beams. As they stick their heads out, they look to see where they lead to different locations of the building. None of them come close to taking them to the control room. Some of them even expose them to security cameras.
Patrick and Serah then arrives at a light. Patrick sticks his head out and then pulls back. "This is it. This leads straight to the control room." Patrick then takes out his blades, and Serah her Tessens.
In the control room, four men are sitting bored out of their skull. They only look at the monitors, but the one they focus the most is the monitor that shows the captive ninjas. "Man. This is the most boring part of the job." The one guard says.
"What wouldn't I give to have a little fun with the sluts." The second guard says.
"I'm with yea brother. Nothing fun ever happens here." The third guard says.
Just then, Patrick and Serah jumps out of the Shadow of the Filing Cabinet. They spared no second as they dived in and attack the men, who were pretty startled by their sudden guests. "What the?! Where'd they come from?!" One of the guards shouts as he watches the other three get beaten.
Each of them tries to fight back against the two of them, but Patrick and Serah overwhelm them. Patrick's fast but as a Ninja and a Cat Faunus, Serah is even faster. In nearly no time at all, the guards are all knocked out. Patrick sheathes his swords and then cracks his neck. "That was barely a warm-up. Now to get to work." Patrick sits on the chair and gets to work on deactivating the security cameras. Meanwhile, Serah sends a text to Sakuya and the Shadow Tread about their update.
The moment Sakuya receives the text, the security cameras deactivate. "We're all clear." Sakuya says. A few moments later, Patrick and Serah returns to the Shadow Tread. "All right, let's start moving."
Everyone starts moving, going down the stairs of the building. After descending five floors, they start to spot some patrols, and start resorting to stealth. Patrick's no ninja but with his Dust Bracers he's still able to move as one with Gravity and Lightning Dusts. As they descend each floor, they start to come across more and more patrols. Soon enough, they arrive at the third floor, where there are nearly patrols everywhere.
"They're everywhere. We won't get to the stairs at this rate." Wallace says, as he listens closely to everything going on this floor.
"We have no other choice then." Sakuya turns to Patrick and Hikari. "Brother Hikari, we'll need your Semblance. Shadow Boy, be his eyes for the lower floors."
Patrick uses his X-Ray and looks down. He searches around until he finds a spot. "Safe spot over there." Hikari nods. "We'll have to climb the ceilings to get to it."
"Everyone ready your Gravity Gear." Sakuya orders. The Shadow Tread and Serah activate their Dust Gloves and Boots, while Patrick does the same for his Leg Bracers. Hikari activates his Semblance and one at a time, the ninjas and Patrick sinks in. As they sink through the floor, they crawl their way on the ceiling, or in Patrick's case walk. Once they reach the spot, they sink onto the next floor and ceiling walk to the next safe spot, and the whole thing repeats until they reach the basement levels.
"All right, let's find our fellow sister's." Sakuya says. "We'll split into two teams. Delta Team, Shadow Boy, you're with me. The rest of you go with Serah."
Everyone splits into the two teams and heads out. The two teams make their way through the halls, not even bothering to remain in stealth. Once they spot the enemy, they act quickly to strike before they even have a chance to look. For Sakuya's side, Patrick shoots his arrows to incapacitate them. On Serah's side, her group presses on. Serah uses her Shadowstep to quickly move, hit, and hide on her enemies.
The guards on both sides stand their ground to try and hold back the enemy but to no avail. The Shadow Tread push their way through the hallway. One of the guards from behind pulls out a communicator. "Invaders on the basement floors! They're pushing us back! It won't be long until-" Just then, the Shadow Tread reaches the guard and knocks him out.
After a long while of traveling, the two groups arrive at the stairs. They run down descending to Floor B2. In the first room, they find a wide area that's filled with chained-up Ninjas. Serah runs to one of them. "Is Sister Jade all right?" Serah asks the ninja.
"Sister Serah?" Jade looks at Serah. "You're here. We thought you were captured or killed."
Serah shook her head. "Serah made it out. Serah enlisted the help of the Black Cat's Sister Clan."
The Shadow Tread and Patrick start unchaining the Black Cats. When they are free, only five of them are able to get back on their feet, while the rest are still injured or exhausted. "Where is Chief Luna?" Serah asks.
"There are more of us further down on this floor. She's probably down there." Jade says.
"Then we must free them." Sakuya turns to the five Black Cat Ninjas. "You five remain here and protect the fallen."
Patrick, Serah, and the Shadow Tread make their way deeper to the basement floor. As they descend, they come across Droid Guards. The droids pick up the intruders and start shooting. The Shadow dodges the incoming lasers or bullets. Once they are close, they strike down the droids with their weapons. With the droids destroyed, the Shadow Tread moves on.
After all the fighting and running, they reach the other end of the room, where they find more chained-up ninjas, who are surprised to see Serah. The Shadow Tread unchains the Black Cats, and once they're free, Serah looks to see someone is missing. "Where is Chief Luna?"
"We don't know, sister Serah. She was taken by the one leading this group." One of the ninja says.
"And who would that be?" Patrick asks, curiously.
"We don't know. It was some green-haired chick with her sides shaved, wearing some revealing latex suit, and had this crazed laughter." The ninja says.
Patrick's fist tightens as he can feel his rage building. "Vanessa."
Serah looks at Patrick confused. "Oh? A Friend of Patrick's?"
Patrick then turns around and starts walking. "We'll need to get the Black Cats out, now."
Sakuya and Serah are confused by Patrick's sudden behavior but don't question it. Everyone regroups with the rest of the Black Cats by the entrance and then hurries on out. They can only go as far as they can since several of the Black Cats are still weak and injured. Lucky for them the guards are already defeated so they're travel on the way back is smooth sailing, but that all changes when they return to the first floor.
Everyone starts running for the exit, but then there's a massive explosion and the air becomes filled with gas. Everyone stops in their tracks, and Patrick looks horrified. "Oh no." No sooner the gas is released, everyone except for Patrick starts coughing. Then shortly, they start collapsing. Sakuya tries to get her, but her body can't move.
"Can't...Move." She struggles to get her words out.
"That is right." Vanessa steps in, which also startles Patrick. "My specialty to the Agency: Burnalyzing Gas." Vanessa breathes deeply through her nose. "To us members of Lord Rufus's, the gas does nothing. But to unfortunate bitches like yourselves, it paralyzes you from the inside out so hard you're body stills like it's on fire." Vanessa then lets out a wicked laugh.
Patrick puts on a serious expression. "But you've forgotten one minor detail." Patrick draws out his sword. "I'm immune to the gas, just as you are."
"Ah yes, I remember it clearly. But it wouldn't be fun fighting you if you can't fight back. You and I have a score to settle. Not just cause of your betrayal, but also stealing from me."
"Steal from you?" Patrick asks, his expression unchanging.
"The little maid slut you took from my men!" Vanessa says.
"Maid? What are you..." Then suddenly: It hit him. Patrick remembers what Marina had said on that day they found her. 'When I turned 16, I decided to go to school to study and become a teacher, but it cost a lot of money. So she offered me a job at her work. A Waitress at a Maid-Themed Bar and Cafe, Latte Love. When I arrived, the location turned out to be a dark ally. I had thought the address could have been wrong...After that, I only remember getting hit on the head. When I woke up, I was bound and stripped, being sold off to those men.'
Vanessa sees the realization on Patrick's expression. "Yes! That's right. And once I am done here, I will reclaim that slut who rightfully belongs to me!"
In a single instant, Vanessa dashes towards Patrick with incredible speed, drawing out her sword. Patrick becomes startled and draws out one of his blades, barely blocking the attack just in time. Vanessa throws a wicked smile right at his face just before she leaps back. Once she lands, she charges at Patrick once more, and Patrick charges back. The both of them delivery swift powerful blows at each other, the air filled with the sound of clanging metal.
All the ninjas can do nothing but lay on the ground looking at the battle, feeling their bodies burning from the inside. Patrick does his best against Vanessa, only her speed and reflexes make it hard for him to keep up on her. The moment Vanessa is leaping back, Patrick immediately shifts his weapon into a bow and starts shooting arrows. Vanessa deflects each of them with her sword. Once she lands, the blade extends, turning into a steel-bladed whip.
Vanessa sends the whip at him. Patrick dodges the blow. With his leg bracers filled with Earth Dust, he then stomps his feet, sending a wave of earth spikes toward Vanessa. Vanessa jumps over the spikes just as they reach her, then throws several throwing knives. Patrick spins his blades to deflect the knives. Vanessa then throws her whip at him once more. This time she successfully coils him in it, and Vanessa activates the electric shock and electrocutes Patrick.
The electrocution lasts long enough for Patrick to fall to his knees and then collapse once Vanessa switches it off. "How pathetic. You are weak! Just like you were back at the Agency! It's a wonder what Lord Rufus ever saw in you!" Vanessa steps forth and kicks Patrick in the stomach, knocking him back to the ground. "It's even a wonder how you were able to steal that slut from me...Oh, that's right. I remember. You had some help, with a busty redheaded teacher, didn't you? Well then, perhaps I should claim her myself. Oh, what fun it'll be to hear the joyful sounds of their screams of pain." Vanessa lets out a crazed laughter.
During that laughter, Patrick suddenly has memories flashed onto him: Back when sees Mashika during her enslavement. Bound. Stripped. Bruised. Scarred. Poisoned. Mashika's not the only one he's thinking of, but Marina too. Most of his memories only reveal the time when he found her, seeing her suffer the near-death experience of the Lover's Poison.
Just then, the doors burst open and nearly a dozen human guards come rushing in. Vanessa turns back. "Ah, my patrollers. Take the prisoners back to the basement." Serah and Sakuya feel their rage building as they struggle to fight against the burnayalsis. One of the guards makes the approach, but then he suddenly stops as he becomes encased in purple chains.
Everyone is surprised by this, except for Vanessa and Sakuya. Vanessa just looks curious, and Sakuya is horrified. Everyone turns their attention to Patrick, who is still on the ground, but as soon as he lifts his face, it's revealed that he has entered Berserk Mode. Patrick then gets back on his feet, glaring right at Vanessa. Soon enough, the very earth starts to rumble. Patrick starts floating into the air, even the dust and broken building parts from the rubble starts to float.
"My, my. Tyrian was right after all." Vanessa says. She then turns back to her men and shouts. "OPEN FIRE!" All the guards aim their guns at Patrick and fires, only the bullets do absolutely no effect, for they only hit some invisible force that's blocking the attack. Patrick then raises his arms wide, channeling a mixture of dark and combust magic.
The power Patrick unleashed caused a massive explosion that blew a mass hole at the building entrance, sending all the guards, some of the ninjas, and Vanessa out. Patrick moves to the exit. With his back turn, Sakuya sees it as an opportunity. "Brothers..." Sakuya fights the Burnalaysis to get her words out, as well as move her arms. "...Now!"
With what strength they can force out, Team SHDW takes out a knife and a vile of poison. Each of them pours the poison onto the knife and then throws the knives. The knives fly toward Patrick, but then suddenly stop just inches before they touch him, followed by Patrick suddenly stops moving. Sakuya gasps in shock. Not even looking back, Patrick raises a hand, and then a moment later he clenches into a fist, instantly shattering the knives like glass and causing them to fall. With that done, Patrick then moves outside.
Vanessa and her soldiers start to get back on their feet, but Patrick channels Shadow Magic to ensnare all of the soldiers in Shadow Chains. Vanessa sees the predictable her men are in and shoots her sword whip at Patrick. Patrick tilts his head, dodging the incoming attack, then unleashes a blast of dark energy at Vanessa. Vanessa gets knocked back, and crashes against a large rock, cracking it even. Vanessa's Aura flickers. Patrick then ensnares her in Shadow Chains. "WHERE IS HE!?" Patrick shouts at Vanessa with a demonic voice.
Vanessa just laughs at Patrick. "Do you honestly think I'd be foolish enough to reveal our Lord's location?"
Patrick tightens the chains, crushing Vanessa. "TELL ME WHERE IS RUFUS ZERO!"
"I'll take it to my grave, betrayer!" Vanessa says.
Patrick intensely growls as he commends the chains to tighten, really crushing Vanessa where her laughter starts to turn into choking. As the chains tighten, a hand reaches out and grabs Patrick's hand.
And the Maguilty Sense activities.
Patrick glares down, to see Marina who is on Mashika's shoulders, using her Semblance to calm him. Patrick only sneers at Marina and Mashika, and doesn't do anything but his intense force of magic begins to settle down. Soon enough, Patrick slowly descends to the ground, and his Grimm mode starts fading until he returns to normal.
Even all the shadow chains fade away. Patrick falls to his knees, breathing heavily. Mashika sets Marina back in her wheelchair and then kneels at Patrick's level to hug him. After a moment of comfort, Mashika looks at Patrick with a serious stare.
"What were you thinking? We told you it's dangerous for you to be alone! Especially when you're dealing with the Agency!" Mashika says.
Patrick looks at Mashika. "Mashika? ...Marina? What are...How did you two find me?"
"Rin told us she saw you sneaking out the other night. Knowing you, we figured you were up to something." Marina says. "So we tracked you through your Scroll ID."
Patrick doesn't say anything, but then Vanessa's laughter fills the air and everyone turns to her. Vanessa gets a good look at Patrick and Mashika. "Oh? Maskiha Kirei. Now I see. You're the bitch who stole my pet along with this traitor!"
"Pet?" Mashika asks, confused.
"Mashika, Vanessa is the one who orchestrated Marina's abduction last year." Patrick says, and hearing that alerts Marina. Gasps even.
"Indeed. You all thought that this was over, but it never will be so long as Lord Rufus lives." Vanessa stares down right at the horrified Marina. "Enjoy your freedom, Slave, one day I will reclaim you! Long live the Agency! ...Oh, and one more thing: Gaia Menethil sends his regards." Hearing that name shocks Patrick and Mashika.
Vanessa bursts out a wicked laughter as she unleashes a smoke bomb, disappearing in the process with her wicked laughter still echoing.
Patrick, Mashika, and Marina return to the building. They have found the rest of the Agency Soldiers are gone. They do see the Ninja's are struggling to get back on their feet, meanwhile, Sakuya and Serah are on their feet, but both of them using the same bo-staff for support.
Sakuya groans before saying anything. "The Abductor's got away. That's upsetting."
"Are you all going to be okay?" Marina asks.
"Serah and Sakuya are still under the effects of the Burnalaysis. But Serah can feel it starting to wear off." Serah says.
"Indeed. While my body still feels like it's burning, it's no worse than when it first started." Sakuya says.
"We'll call in an airship to come pick you up and-" Mashika is shortly cut off.
"Serah declines Ms. Kirei's offer. Serah and the Black Cats are still missing their chief. They refuse to go anywhere without her." Serah says.
"I and the Shadow Tread are in agreement. We came here to help our sister clan, and we will stand with them until the end." Sakuya turns her attention to Serah. "Chief Luna must be somewhere in this building. Once our strength returns, we'll start sharing."
Serah nods. With that done, Patrick, Marina, and Mashika return to the outside. They're very silent the whole time, but Patrick can sense something from Mashika. Mashika knows he realizes it, and then speaks.
"Listen...Please, don't go leaving off on your own again, Patrick. You need to understand, that we're all very worried about you losing control of your Grimm nature." Patrick doesn't say anything. He's just dead quiet. "Please remember, we all saw how you fault after the Akira Incident, and we even felt it when Marina used her Semblance to try and calm you during your second rage. Seeing and knowing you enduring all that anger and pain...It's scary."
Patrick only let's out a sharp exhale, then starts walking. Mashika only stands in place watching him leave, feeling nothing but worry and disappointment in him. But snaps out of it when Marina grabs her hold. Mashika looks to see Marina with a small frown, then turns into a soft smile.
Marina may not say it, but she believes that Patrick is still taking in her worries about him.
Mashika looks back at Patrick, and lets out a sigh.
Meanwhile, Sakuya and her team are gathered as they are still recovering from the gas. "The Fail-Safe plan failed, Chief Sakuya." Donnie says. "He knew the Widow Fang poison was coming at him and he still stopped it."
"Even if he didn't know it was coming, I somehow doubt the blades would pierce him. Vanessa's men couldn't do any harm to him with bullets, I have a feeling the results would be the same with the knives." Hikari says.
Sakuya groans. "As much as I hate to admit it, but you might be right Hikari. The force of his powers are too great."
"But we still have a mission to uphold. How are we gonna explain this to Master Theodore?" Wallace asks.
Sakuya takes a moment to think. "We don't. From the looks of it, that Marina chick seems to be the key to calming him down when he loses it. And Ozpin and Mashika seem set on trying to keep him under control. We let it ride, for now. When the time comes, we'll make our move...But this time, we strike when he's in his normal state."
"Yes, Chief Sakuya." The three of them say.