All right, so here comes the chapter!
On with the show!
Present U.C Time…
Raiden forcefully opened the doors to Solis Testing Grounds. As the two metal doors slid apart, pushed by his hands, he saw Bladewolf glaring in front of the security desk, the security officer behind said desk squirming slightly from the gaze.
Raiden walked towards the two of them. "Where's Sunny?"
"I'll call her right away." The security officer quickly open ed his tablet, scrambling for her number. He was interrupted when another voice spoke from Raiden's right.
"Over here!"
Raiden eagerly looked towards the voice.
"Hey there, stranger." The voice spoke with just a tint of nervousness.
"Sunny…" Raiden spoke in wonder. "Hey, you're looking good!" He walked towards her, Bladewolf following suit. He kneeled in front of Sunny who was wearing an engineer's uniform, to look her eye to eye. "You've grown up on me, haven't you?"
"Aw, it hasn't been that long." Sunny looked at Bladewolf. "Anyway, who's your new friend?"
"Hm? Oh." Raiden pointed to Bladewolf. "Sunny, meet Bladewolf. Bladewolf, Sunny."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Bladewolf said. "Raiden has told me that you would be able to help us."
"Oh, nice to meet you too! And yeah, hopefully, what we've got in store here will be enough." Sunny turned around. "Come on! I'll take you to it."
Sunny turned around and led them through the complex. Raiden sped up his walking speed and walked alongside Sunny.
"Psst! Raiden!" Sunny whispered. "I don't know about you, but doesn't your new friend seem kinda…" She sent a small glance to Bladewolf. She turned back to Raiden. "…similar to you? Both of you are cyborgs from the head down… and his design still screams early Patriot times, even with some new mods here and there."
Raiden chuckled. "It's a long story, Sunny. Sorry, but we don't have time for the entire explanation."
"Hmm… but if he's with you, then I guess he can be trusted, right?"
"Yeah…" Raiden nodded. "He can."
"Well, I guess that settles it." Sunny gained a grin on her face. "It's nice for you to have someone watching your back in a mission again."
"He's been a real help so far." 'Even though it's probably tearing him up inside' Raiden couldn't help but think. Especially after he beat Jaune…
Raiden shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "So Sunny, exactly what kind of-"
"Oh, you'll see!" Sunny walked just a tad bit faster. "It should be right around…" She turned a corner, and Raiden and Bladewolf followed her. "Here!"
The two cyborgs could only stare with wide eyes at the aircraft rolling out of the hangar in front of them, slowly moving along the runaway to prepare for boarding.
"Amazing…" Bladewolf muttered.
"YOU built THAT?!" Raiden said.
Sunny laughed. "Yup!"
The aircraft was sleek in design and comparatively small to most planes Raiden's seen in his lifetime. The plane wasn't designed to fit many passengers, only its pilot, and co-pilot. It had multiple rockets designed into its body and had wings that could easily help the plane fly aerodynamically.
Sunny placed herself in front of Raiden's vision. She pointed a finger in the air proudly. "It uses a hybrid LACE/ramjet engine I designed!"
Raiden and Bladewolf nodded numbly. They simply couldn't believe it.
"Well?" Sunny leaned forwards with her hands on her hips. Still, she smiled at the two of them. "Are you in a hurry or not?"
Raiden shook his head. "Yeah…"
Sunny turned around and led them closer to the aircraft. The two of them followed along. "The plane should be ready for boarding. Just get in while I set up the final steps in the control room."
Raiden smiled softly. Some things just stay the same. "…Thanks, Sunny."
Sunny didn't turn around, but she did laugh happily. It was always good to make everyone proud!
The flight to Neo-Pakistan was relatively uneventful. It was mostly filled with silence, with neither Raiden nor Bladewolf saying much.
It was only in the last 10 minutes of their flight did Bladewolf decided to speak up.
"Raiden."
Raiden turned his head slightly.
"Will you continue the mission… even with everything on the line?"
Raiden looked back at the sights in front of him, the beautiful blue sky blowing past the aircraft's windshield. "Yeah, I will."
Bladewolf nodded. He didn't say much else. That was everything he needed to hear.
The two cyborgs landed a safe distance away from their target, the Neo-Pakistan American Air Force Base, far enough that none of the guards could have stopped them. Now, the two of them stood on a cliff overlooking said base.
Bladewolf wordlessly activated his enhanced vision. He had a quick look at the guards stationed at the base.
"They are not American Military guards." The wolf faunus said to the ninja next to him "They are World Marshall's cyborg personnel."
"So they've taken over the entire base?" Raiden asked.
"It seems so." Bladewolf knelt on one knee. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better view. "We will have to neutralise them, to stop Armstrong's plan."
"Hm, and there could be more hiding where we couldn't see." Raiden finished. "So, as usual, you gonna-"
"I will scout ahead." Bladewolf interrupted before Raiden could finish. "The facility has three parts: the entrance, which has a back fence, the airplane hangar, and the courtyard. You can link your AR vision to my own pair of eyes, to receive intel in advance. Military bases are designed to hold more than they seem."
"Thanks." Raiden nodded.
Bladewolf didn't say anything more. He jumped from the cliff and landed on the rocky ground below on his legs and arms. Looking up sharply, the wolf faunus ran swiftly and silently towards the base, Raiden overlooking him from the cliff above for a few seconds before following suit.
Bladewolf carefully crept towards the facility. He jumped the entrance's back fence silently and landed behind an oblivious guard. With the guard's back towards him, Bladewolf quickly withdrew his knife-hand and plunged it deep into the guard's back. The guard didn't even squirm. Bladewolf had made sure to hit the guard's weakest parts so that he could be neutralised silently.
As the guard slowly fell to the floor, Bladewolf grabbed the body and hid it behind some large shipping crates. The wolf faunus put his back against that shipping crate and peeked from the edge. He made sure to have a good look, good enough for Raiden's AR Vision to get the data. Once he was sure the data was fully transmitted, Bladewolf snuck past a guard just as he turned his back towards him. He carefully dodged a CCTV's line of sight and entered the airplane hangar, the next phase in the Air Force base.
He activated his stealth camo and made sure to walk silent maximize stealth, he even snuck under the airplanes' hulls to avoid crashing into anyone.
The sounds of battle echoed from where Bladewolf was moments before. Looks like Raiden finally decided to breach in. The guards around Bladewolf flinched and rushed towards the entrance, leaving the hangar empty.
With the coast clear, Bladewolf left the underside of the planes and ran, quickly reaching the end of the hangar. He looked at the exit. He silently sighed.
The gates to the courtyard were closed. Bladewolf looked around. 'Hm… could use that.'
Bladwolf realised that there was a small gap at the top of the gates, one that he was just big enough to fit his body. Aside from that, he had also noticed a stack of metal crates to his right, pushed to the corners of the room. He could climb those, then jump through the gap once he was high enough.
The wolf faunus nodded to himself. He dashed and quickly climbed the metal crates. In one smooth motion, he reached the top of the crates and leapt through the small gap. He landed on the other side without making a sound, stealth camo still active and not leaving a trace of his movement.
There were fewer guards in the courtyard, he noted. 'But why...?' He thought as he snuck past the remaining guards. He walked along the courtyard, looking around for any more guards. There were none.
Where were they?!
'It doesn't make any-!'
A fist met Bladewolf's head. He was sent down to the ground from the impact. Before he could register what was happening, a foot had stomped on his head, forcing him to go offline.
The voice from the fist's owner chuckled. "Not bad, son, not bad." He took a deep breath of his cigar then flicked it at Bladewolf's head. "But try sneaking all you want, little mutt. You're still not good enough."
Raiden's eyebrows scrunched together beneath his visor. Bladewolf's transmission was just cut off. 'Was he compromised?'
Raiden quickly finished his fight and killed the last of the guards in the hangar. He pressed a hand to his ear. "Wolf?"
No answer.
"Wolf, respond!" Still, no answer came. "Damn it!"
He has to be more careful now. With Bladewolf down, he had no idea how thick security was going to be.
Raiden reached the end of the hangar. He noted the positions of the CCTVs. 'They're still searching… So they don't know I'm here?' That's strange. If Bladewolf's down, then one of their own must have taken him out, right? If so, then why weren't the guards alerted?
Raiden deactivated the CCTVs and slashed the hangar exit gates apart. He walked through the metal pieces of the gate's remains, reaching the entrance to the courtyard. The guards have also been vacated.
"What is this…." Raiden trailed off. All of a sudden, the guards were no longer ready!
Damn it, this doesn't make sense at all!
Raiden continued to walk slowly along the courtyard. He figured that, most likely, they were setting up for an ambush. This just screams trap, but from where?
Raiden spotted something black laying on the ground. He readied his guard, prepared for it to attack, but was surprised when sparks flew out from the thing. He quickly rushed over to it. He recognised what it was as soon as he reached it.
'Wolf...' "Wolf!" He knelt in front of the body. Various signs of blunt force were visible across his body, and sparks kept coming out in short bursts from cyborg wounds. He checked for Bladewolf's vitals and breathed a sigh of relief. 'Still alive…'
However, as soon as he thought about that, the ground beneath his shook. Raiden slowly got up as his footing shook. The ground cracked beneath him and a sinkhole was forming in front of him. 'Ah, shit!'
Raiden grabbed Bladewolf and jumped away, landing just barely at where the ground stopped cracking. As he stepped back from amazement, the sinkhole from before growing larger and larger, a sound from something large and metal reverberated from underground.
The sounds of metal piercing underground dirt reached Raiden's ears. He put Bladewolf behind him and readied his sword, looking intensely at where the sinkhole was. Something was coming out of it, and Raiden could hazard a good guess…
His suspicions were proven true when a large, spider-like mech fully unveiled itself from the underground. Its multiple appendages, located at the edges of the sinkhole, propped its relatively thin body up just above it. It was one of the newer types of Metal Gear, Metal Gear EXCELSUS. It towered over the Air Force's buildings, and over Raiden even more so. The 'head' of the mech looked down on Raiden, as if intimidating the small man.
Then, a metal pod, fit for around one person, extruded from the Metal Gear's body. The pod opened, complete with a small walkway, and a man stepped out. He was smoking a cigar, looking like he didn't have a care in the world for what he was doing. He didn't even bother looking at Raiden.
After a few seconds, He finished his smoke and finally looked down at Raiden. "Well if it isn't Saucy Jack." He glanced at his watch. "Just a little too late." He chuckled. "As usual…"
"Armstrong!" Raiden shouted from down below. "Impressive little toy you got there! But your plan ends here."
"Hahahaha!" Armstrong took another drag out of his cigar. "Idiot. You're not ending our plan…" He waved a hand, motioning around him. "You're expanding. It. Checked the internet lately?"
Raiden scoffed. However, he was interrupted by Boris.
"Raiden!" The Maverick head spoke from the other side of the CODEC. "Air Force One is turning back to the States!"
"What?!" Raiden asked. 'They're aware of what's happening?!' "How'd they know?"
"Someone posted photos of what's happening on the base!" Boris said with no small amount of panic. "The entire U.C's up in arms!"
"Show me!" Raiden quickly opened various holograms, each showing a different media outlet that's already covering the incident "The story leaked early… then Marshall's plan is ruined." the ninja concluded.
"Oh, we wish!" Boris denied heatedly. "Look at what they're saying. The story just went live, and already they're calling for blood!"
Raiden did as he was told. Indeed, the various voices of the people were calling for war. For blood to be shed in return for theirs.
But it didn't make sense, did it? There was no major catastrophe! "But the president was saved…?" Raiden trailed off.
"And yet American blood was spilled." Armstrong concluded from atop the Metal Gear.
"By Americans! " Raiden looked up in confusion. "Besides, a few dozen soldiers is tragic…" the ninja looked away. "But nothing to start a major war over!"
"Hah! That's just the spark, son! The excuse we've been waiting for. America's wanted this war for years." The senator waved around him once again and took another drag out of his cigar. "The Patriots… they knew war was good for the economy. Four years later and their legacy lingers on."
"The memes..." Raiden trailed off.
"Exactly." Armstrong confirmed. "They left us their great 'ism's!" the senator said with passion. "Nationalism! Unilaterism! Materialism! Welcome maxims for those with no guiding principles of their own."
Raiden kept listening.
"Give yourself up to the whole, no need to better yourself! You're American!" Armstrong raised his index finger. "You're number one! Then the only value left is dollar value! The economy! So we'll do whatever it takes to keep 'em humming along! Even war.." Armstrong smiled wide, a mad glint in his eye. "Especially war!"
Raiden shook his head. Not every American was like that! "Bullshit!"
"The Patriots planted the seed... we don't need them around to filter and foster their memes any longer. He swung his arms wide in a grand motion. "We're spreading 'em just fine ourselves! Every American man, woman, and child..." he opened his arms as if every person he said before was there with him. "WE'RE ALL SONS OF THE PATRIOTS NOW!"
Raiden narrowed his eye. 'This guy...'
"We just need something to jump-start the economy outta this funk!" Armstrong reasoned. "This recession it's been stuck in since the fall of S.O.P!"
"Hmph.. and the military costs?!" Raiden denied. "Wasting billions is going to help the economy?!"
"PMCs, arms manufacturers... job creators, Jack! All those workers, spending money, paying taxes... trust me!" Armstrong tapped his chest. "A little war can do wonders!"
Raiden pointed his sword at Armstrong. "So grease the gears with some innocent blood, is that it?!"
"Oh relax, Jack." Armstrong faux-placated the ninja. "We're not out here to kill civilians. Extremists, lawless gangs, madmen!"
Raiden looked down. Wasn't that what he once said, before all of this? "I..."
Armstrong took another drag out his cigar and puffed out the smoke. "Of course, that would have to include you..."He chuckled. "Wouldn't want any eyewitness reports complicating the message!"
Armstrong flicked his cigar away, down at Raiden, who sliced it in two as it came to him. As Raiden prepared himself, Armstrong went into Metal Gear EXCELSUS and assumed control. As it prepared to fight Raiden, all the ninja could do was firm his stance and ready his sword.
No escaping this now.
One Metal Gear EXCELSUS Fight Later…
Raiden stood atop of the defeated Metal Gear EXCELSUS, waiting for Armstrong to come out. Not a moment later, the metal pod from earlier extruded from the body once again, right in front of Raiden. Smoke slightly covered the pod's exit as the pod's exit door opened and a walkway deployed.
Armstrong began stepping out of the pod. He coughed and waved the smoke away while adjusting his tie. "Slippery little bastard!" He swore. The senator fully stepped out, standing a good distance away in front of Raiden."I don't have time for this."
With that said, Armstrong raised his right foot high and sumo-slammed the ground. He yelled as he focused and curled in on himself, activating his Skin-Hardening Nanomachines. He was surrounded by a green glow, green electricity flowing from Metal Gear EXCELSUS to his body.
Raiden groaned as the Metal Gear shook. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" 'Does he have Aura too?!'
Armstrong yelled even louder. Now, Metal Gear EXCELSUS' energy cables burst out and surrounded Armstrong, providing him with even more energy. With a final war cry, Armstrong opened his arms wide and finished his energy absorption. A single green electric pulse blew from Armstrong's body, hitting everything around him and blowing dust in the air. It signaled the end of his absorption process. Raiden stumbled as Metal Gear EXCELSUS lost all of its power and its supports crumbled upon itself.
Raiden regained his footing as the dust cleared. He could now fully see Armstrong, now buffed up to ridiculous levels with veins visible across his skin.
The senator pushed his glasses upwards. He grinned in anticipation. "Let's go!"
Raiden slowly readied his sword, though not expecting much. "What are you thinki-"
"Grah!"
Armstrong rushed at Raiden, hitting him with a football tackle. Raiden rolled on the platform from surprise, not expecting Armstrong's surprising speed. The ninja could barely get himself back up, just in time for his head to be grabbed by the senator's hands.
Armstrong grinned as he slowly strengthened his grip on Raiden. "Played college ball, ya know."
"At some cushy Ivy League school!"
Armstrong chuckled and hardened his head. With it, he bashed Raiden's visor and formed a crack across it. Grabbing the cracks, he forced the visor open, disorienting Raiden, and punched the ninja in the face.
As Raiden stumbled back, he regained his footing and swung his HF Sword at Armstrong. The senator hardened his arms' skin and blocked the strike. Raiden tried again but was once again blocked. Raiden leaned back and dodged a straight punch from Armstrong. The ninja put his sword around the senator's punching hand but was instead pulled in by the sword with said hand. Raiden barely dodged a few punches while in Armstrong's grip before the senator wised up and grabbed Raiden by the throat. Armstrong easily lifted Raiden with just a single hand.
"Try University of Texas!" Armstrong taunted. "Coulda gone pro if I hadn't joined the Navy!" Raiden squirmed in Armstrong's grip to no avail. "I'm not one of those beltway pansies!" the senator continued. He shifted his grip to hug Raiden's two legs to his chest, further immobilising the ninja. "I could break the president in two… with my bare hands!"
With that, Armstrong threw Raiden high up in the air, the ninja screaming and spinning with no control in the world.
Raiden fell like an All-Field Football, right in front of Armstrong. With glee, just before Raiden hit the ground, Armstrong kicked him away like it was the football match of his life. "Don't fuck with this senator!"
Raiden got kicked and hit the metal pod with a clang. He opened his arms and barely caught himself landing on Metal Gear EXCELSUS' body. He slowly got up, regaining his senses from Armstrong's surprising strength.
"What the fuck are you…" Raiden trailed off. "Don't tell me… is this how you beat him…?"
Armstrong chuckled. "Why don't you stick around and find out?"
Raiden grit his teeth and dashed at Armstrong, sword already moving to attack. The sword reached Armstrong, yet it did nothing but clang against his chest and bounce back. Raiden stumbled back from surprise. Armstrong grinned and moved to punch the ninja. Raiden could barely gather himself to parry the attack, and even then he still skid backwards.
Armstrong didn't let up. He side-kicked Raiden, who now dodged to the right. The ninja attacked Armstrong from behind, however once again the sword bounced against Armstrong's body. 'What the…?!' Armstrong turned around and moved to strike Raiden with the back of his fist. The ninja dodged under it, Armstrong's fist brushing the edges of his silver hair.
Armstrong grinned and raised his fist up high. "C'mon, Jack!" He brought it down, even as Raiden backflipped away. Even as Raiden landed a few metres away, he could feel the shockwave of the attack blowing wind against his metal body.
'…How do I beat him?! My attacks don't work…' Raiden saw Armstrong rushing towards him. Raiden dodged to the right, and Armstrong dashed past him 'And it's not like I can dodge him forever!'
Armstrong chuckled and turned around. He grinned and stomped his foot hard on the platform they were on. Raiden stumbled as the platform shook. Armstrong rushed forward and, as Raiden was still disoriented, grabbed the ninja by the neck. Raiden struggled in the senator's grip but could do nothing as Armstrong lifted him up and headbutted him with his skin hardened-nanomachines. Raiden cried out as his head hurt from the impact and fell to the floor helplessly as Armstrong let go.
Armstrong chuckled and puffed up his chest. "Child's play!"
Raiden got up and growled. The ninnja yelled and rushed at Armstrong, swinging his sword from his right. Armstrong grinned and blocked it with his hardened forearm. Raiden didn't give up. He swung again from his left, then his right again, then his left again. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't land a single dent on Armstrong.
Raiden pulled back his sword and focused on one final strike with all of his strength in it. He brought his sword down in an overhead slash, fully expecting Armstrong to at least stumble back.
Instead, Armstrong easily caught the sword with a smirk. His HF Sword's crackling electricity sparked uselessly against the senator's hardened hand.
Raiden couldn't hold back his surprise. "What?!"
Armstrong chuckled. "Nice knife!" He squeezed his hand and snapped the sword in two.
Raiden stumbled back in shock, looking at his snapped sword with wide eyes.
From his peripheral vision, the ninja could see Armstrong moving to attack. He tilted his body back just in time., the senator's uppercutting fist just barely grazing the air beneath his metal chin. Raiden backflipped away and landed several metres from before.
Raiden chuckled to himself as he rubbed his chin. 'Heheh, not this ti-!"
He was cut off when Armstrong moved with surprising speed and closed the distance. With no time for the ninja to react, Armstrong punched Raiden squarely in the face. The ninja was sent skidding chin-first across the platform, his body following his chin uselessly.
Raiden came to a stop at the edge of the platform. He groaned and lifted himself back up, his chin now red-hot from the friction. He rubbed it a bit, trying to ease the heat. He looked down at his snapped sword. 'It's useless now…' He trailed off. Nodding to himself, Raiden turned around and threw his sword at Armstrong.
Armstrong batted it away with ease and ran towards Raiden. He punched with his left fist, but Raiden nimbly dodged it. He tried to attack again, this time with his right fist, and again that attack missed.
Armstrong settled for a straight punch. He attacked Raiden with that move, the ninja catching it with his two hands. Raiden dug his heels into the platform's steel surface. He won't budge one bit!
"Typical politician!" Raiden spit out. "Big promises… but all talk."
"What?"
"Jump-start the economy?" Raiden began pushing back against Armstrong's fist. " What.. a load… of bullshit!"
The ninja successfully sent Armstrong back. Raiden pooled his strength. "All you care about is-" He batted away a liver punch from Armstrong and countered with a throat jab. "Lining your own pockets!"
Armstrong stepped back. Could Raiden finally hit back now?!
Armstrong smirked, He went for a low kick, but it was deflected by Raiden's own foot. In retaliation, the ninja back-kicked Armstrong in the gut.
Raiden gathered his cybernetic power in his fist. "That! And your approval ratings!" He jumped and went for a punch at Armstrong's face. The senator moved his arms just in time to block the strike but was sent skidding back just a bit.
"You've got no principles!" Raiden continued. This time, he grabbed Armstrong's shoulders and kneed him in the chest. "Just like all the rest!" As Armstrong recoiled, Raiden quickly landed and swept the senator's foot, forcing him to the ground and tumbling away.
"If Neo-America's gone to shit…" Raiden wiped his mouth and settled into his CQC stance. "You're just another maggot crawling in the pile!"
"Heheheheh…" Armstrong went for a sitting position as he wiped his mouth. He grinned. "All right… the truth, then." The senator got up, standing at his full height once again. Armstrong cracked his neck. "You're right about one thing… I do need capitol, and votes…"
Raiden stayed silent.
"Wanna know why?!" Armstrong's eyes now shone with resolve, with purpose. He smiled a true smile. He lifted his fist in front of him and shook it with vigour. "I HAVE A DREAM!"
Raiden shook his head in disbelief. "What…?" he whispered.
Armstrong didn't stop. He lowered his fist and walked menacingly at Raiden. "That one day, every person in this nation will control himself freely. A land of the truly free, DAMMIT!"
Raiden growled.
Armstrong rushed at Raiden again. "A nation of ACTION, not words!" Raiden dodged a punch. He attempted to block a second strike, but Armstrong easily broke through. "Ruled by STRENGTH, not COMMITTEE!" Armstrong grabbed Raiden's throat with his right hand, even as the ninja uselessly struggled. Raiden tried to get Armstrong off of him, grabbing the senator's arm with his right hand. "Where the law changes to suit the individual.." Armstrong easily pried the Raiden's hand away from him with his other hand. "NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!"
"Where power and justice are back where they belong…" Armstrong gripped Raiden's hand hard, and with the ninja fully in his bind, forced him to buckle down. "IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE!" He pushed Raiden with full force, the two of them moving with Armstrong as the main force.
The two pulled back slightly. As if in agreement, they bashed their heads against each other at the same time.
"Where every man is free…" Armstrong continued, unfazed. "To think, to act…! FOR HIMSELF!"
Armstrong forced Raiden to kneel. He kicked Raiden in the chest, the cyborg recoiling from the blow. "Fuck all these limp-dick lawyers!" He uppercutted the ninja, forcing him to stand up and stumble back. "And these chicken shit bureaucrats!" He punched Raiden's face. Raiden could barely stand up. "Fuck this 24/7 internet spew of trivia and celebrity BULLSHIT!" He grabbed Raiden's hair and slammed the ninja's face onto the steel platform's floor.
Raiden groaned and writhed in pain, but the senator wasn't done.
He forced Raiden back up, the ninja doing nothing but following what Armstrong's movement told him to do. As he barely stood up, Armstrong wound his fist. "Fuck American Pride! Fuck the media!" He punched Raiden's face again, the cyborg turning back from the blow. He almost kneeled from the blow, that is, before Senator Armstrong interrupted him "FUCK ALL OF IT!" He kicked Raiden away, sending him flat on the ground and skidding away once again.
Armstrong calmly pushed his glasses up. "Neo-America's diseased, rotten to the core…" Raiden struggled to get up. "There's no saving it… we need to pull it out by the roots." Raiden used his hands to support himself, still down on the ground. "Wipe the slate clean… BURN IT DOWN!" Armstrong punched Raiden, forcing him to go face-first to the metal floor.
Raiden groaned.
Armstrong moved closer to Raiden. "And from the ashes a new America will be born!" With that declaration, Armstrong stomped on Raiden. "Evolved and untamed!" Armstrong stomped again. "The weak will be purged, and the strongest will thrive… free to live as they see fit! We'll make America great again!"
Raiden coughed. "What are you even talking about…"
Armstrong chuckled "You still don't get it… I'm using war as a business to get elected!" Another hard stomp. "So I can end war as a business."
"In my new America, people will die, and kill, for what they BELIEVE!" Stomp. "Not for money! Not for Oil! Not for what they're told is right! Every man will be free to fight his own wars!" Armstrong jumped up and landed himself on Raiden. Raiden recoiled, and Armstrong did it again. And again.
After what seemed like centuries to Raiden, Armstrong finally relented. He stepped back and let Raiden take a breather. As his opponent flipped himself to lay on his back, Armstrong lit up another cigar. He took a long drag and let out the smoke. "So, Jack… What do you think?"
Raiden groaned. "How the fuck did you get elected…"
Armstrong chuckled and leaned closer to Raiden. "Well, I don't write my own speeches." The senator turned his back on Raiden, gazing at something Raiden couldn't see. "You should try fighting for something you believe in sometime, Jack. Not for a country or a nation or for anyone else."
"Hah…Hahh…." Raiden gasped for breath. He clutched his chest. "Maybe… Maybe I was wrong about you…."
That sentence hit Armstrong like a truck. He cheerfully turned to his opponent. "Am I finally getting through?!" He quicky approached Raiden, pulling him up and dusting the ninja off as he did so. "We'll rid this world of pointless wars, Jack." As Raiden finally regained his bearings, Armstrong offered his hand to Raiden. The ninja looked at it for a second, before something inside him seemed to click. He eagerly grasped Armstrong's hand at smiled at the grinning senator. Armstrong pulled Raiden into a hug and pat his back.
Raiden stayed that way, putting his hand behind Armstrong's back. "You're not greedy…"
Armstrong patted Raiden's back.
"…You're batshit insane!"
"What?!"
Raiden yelled and flipped Armstrong behind his back. The senator tumbled a few metres away before he stopped himself. He growled in anger and slammed his hand on the metal floor, getting up as he did so. "Making the biggest omelette around, Jack! Can't fret over every egg!"
"Not when you're purging the weak, right?" Raiden scoffed. "What do you know about 'the weak'? You've never been poor. You've never been hungry!" Raiden growled. "You don't know what it's like to fight, to kill – just to survive!"
"But you did survive!" Armstrong pointed out. "Following your own set of rules! With your conviction, your own reasons…you took back your life!"
"And now, it's about time I did the same thing to you…" Raiden got back into his CQC stance, while Armstrong entered a brawling stance.
The two stared each other off, their eyes searching for any opening. Armstrong with fire, and Raiden with cold determination.
They moved at the same time. Armstrong rushed forwards, shoulder first. Raiden nimbly stepped to the side. As Armstrong came to a stop, Raiden was already moving with a kick at the senator's legs. Raiden's foot hit Armstrong's knees and the senator was forced to buckle. Raiden linked his foot with Armstrong's own and grabbed the man's shoulder. Raiden tried to pull Armstrong down, but all that resulted in was Armstrong grabbing Raiden's hand and forcing him free. He threw Raiden away, landing in a heap a good distance away.
Raiden got up and coughed red cybernetic blood. His vision started to dim. 'No… I... Ack! Have to go on…!' With that, his vision settled and he concentrated all his power into his fist. He called upon The Ripper, his senses going into overdrive and his wounds temporarily nullified. He was filled with burning rage. With a yell, he rushed at Armstrong and punched the man square in the chest.
Armstrong didn't even flinch. Instead, he merely puffed up his chest.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Raiden punched Armstrong again. And again. And again. He increased his speed and power after every hit, leaving behind afterimages from speed and shockwaves from power. He continued to punch, blue electricity crackling and The Ripper flowing, both of them with no restraint at all. After more than three hundred punches, Raiden ended his attack with a double fist to Armstrong's chest.
A boom echoed throughout the battlefield. The metal floors cracked. Raiden could feel the wind blowing past his silver hair. Debris flew everywhere.
However, it did nothing to deter Armstrong.
He merely skid back a few centimetres, yet nothing more. He even smirked mockingly at Raiden.
Raiden growled as he tightened his fist even further. "Just what are you?! How did someone like you get this strong?!"
"Hahahaha…." Armstrong chuckled. "Nanomachines, son! They harden in response to physical trauma!" He enveloped his entire body in the black nanomachinery and punched the metal floor. They cracked easily. "You can't hurt me, Jack!"
In response, Raiden ran up to the senator and punched him in the jaw.
True to his word, Armstrong's chin merely blackened and hardened from the blow. There was no lasting damage.
Armstrong smirked, "What did I just say?"
"Huh-!"
Armstrong uppercutted Raiden away. As the ninja landed, Armstrong pinned him to the ground before he could react. "All right… time to end this."
Raiden could only watch as Armstrong returned the favour from before. He punched Raiden with speed and power much more than the ninja could afford. And again. And again, until it all blurred into one long cycle of pain.
"Hahahaha…" Armstrong lifted his fist high for the final strike, by which time Raiden had already been partially submerged in the metal floor. "It's over, Jack!"
Armstrong brought his fist down.
Raiden's world exploded in a fiery red haze.
If an outsider were to look, all that would remain in the aftermath of the fight would be a crater. None of the Metal Gear's main body was left, only its legs on the edges of a large crater with wild fire burning at its edges.
At the centre of the crater were two people. One a cyborg, gasping for breath. The other a buff man, parts of his skin as black as night from something artificial. The cyborg couldn't even stand up anymore, even as the buff man came closer and closer and cracked his knuckles.
"All right…" Armstrong said. "Time to end this."
Suddenly, a voice called out from atop one of the Metal Gear's legs.
"Raiden."
The two of them looked up. They saw another cyborg, this one with the ears of a wolf sitting atop a black tuft of hair and paired with neutral black eyes.
Raiden gasped. "Wolf-!"
Armstrong raised an eyebrow.
"Beginning playback." Wolf said in a neutral tone.
Armstrong and Raiden watched on as a voice played from Bladewolf's speakers."Heh, it all leads to this huh…"
That voice belonging to someone Raiden thought was dead.
"Jaune…?"
"Y'know, for a long while, I didn't think there was anyone else who could truly hold out…" In the recording, Jaune scoffed. "Heh, I mean… The dream was nice when it lasted, wasn't it? When you've got something you really believed in… But then reality comes, and you're faced with everything you've done."
Jaune chuckled hollowly. "And now… you're asking me why I betrayed the old man?"
Bladewolf stayed silent in the recording. Jaune continued. "I guess the thing is… I haven't been loyal to myself. I… turned my back on what I believed in. But Raiden… He's shown me that maybe it doesn't have to be that way. We don't have to forsake everything we believed in once before… What's important is that you stay loyal to yourself. To follow your heart, never lose sight of who you are. Wouldn't you agree Wolfy? Won't you stay loyal to only those you'd think is right?"
Armstrong chuckled. "Hah! The kid's a real pain in the ass."
The recording continued. "Please, Wolfy… you're free now, aren't you? You're free to make your own decisions… so please, make one that you know is right.."
Jaune sighed deeply on the audio. "…Y'know, there are a lot of people who I …knew…, once. Before… all of this. And, after everything, I don't feel like it'd be right for me to carry on their legacy. HF Crocea was once used for noble purposes by noble people. And I…."
"…I'm not that."
"But maybe… Raiden can be a better person than I am. Someone with a true cause to fight for. I mean, he's made it this far… farther than I've ever been."
"So… If I lose here… Then, give it to him, will you, Wolfy? It's my last request of you…"
"….He's more fit of a wielder than I ever was."
The recording ended. Armstrong smirked. "So… you think that little sword will help your master." Armstrong opened his arms, challenging Bladewolf. "Well go ahead then. But make no mistake, Fido. When I'm finished with him…" Armstrong smirked mockingly. "You're next."
Bladewolf didn't bat an eye. "Throughout this whole journey, I have never understood why people fight." He looked down at Raiden. "Some believed they could protect the weak…" The faunus shifted to look at Armstrong. "And some desire to create true freedom…"
"…After all of this, I have determined that none of them are truly right. Each idea has its flaws, and blind loyalty to either is impossible."
Raiden growled. Was wolf going to betray him-?!
"When Jaune fell, data analysis was incomplete. It made no sense how one could be 'good' yet 'bad' at the same time, why he extended his loyalty to Armstrong… But now, I understand. And my heart, my loyalty, only extends to one of you."
Bladewolf leapt down and landed in front of Raiden, looking down at the kneeling ninja. Raiden growled as he tried to stand up, but failed. He growled. "You-!"
Bladewolf wordlessly turned around and faced Armstrong. Faster than both realised, Bladewolf drew HF Crocea and held it with his knife-hand.
Raiden couldn't believe it. "Wolf…"
"I will buy you some time to heal." Bladewolf didn't turn around as he spoke, keeping his eyes trained on the scowling Senator.
HEAR ME HOWL!
Bladewolf firmed his stance. "Now…"
TIME TO LEAVE THEM ALL BEHIND!
The faunus launched himself at Armstrong. "Let's begin!"
I'M MY OWN MASTER NOW!
And that's that! Sorry to cut it short, but the battle will have to continue in the next chapter.
As always, tell me what you thought!
See you next time!