Welp Team CODE's mission is over and we all survived! Somehow.
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Team CODE Mission end
Cobalt felt the Grimm crash into him full force as it collapsed. The Grimm got up and threw Oswald, sending him flying into a tree where a loud crack echoed through the clearing. Than the Grimm threw itself onto Cobalt, straddling him to prevent him from getting up. Time slowed just as the Grimm pulled back for the first punch. Cobalt grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the Grimm's face, his head pounding from so much use of his Semblance. Time resumed normal flow and Cobalt lashed out blindly with a powerful right hook.
The look of shock didn’t help its situation much. Eyes had opened wide, surprised at the underhanded tactic of the Hunter. Maybe they all weren’t so honorable after all the creature thought, ever so slightly impressed. The feeling washed the way the moment the stinging dirt clouded its vision and broke its focus, forcing its eyes shut as it angrily growled. Wiping at its face, it blinked through the momentary haze just in time to be met with a brutal right hook from Cobalt. Its head snapped to the side as stars burst in its vision and it felt something pop within its jaw.
Glaring at Cobalt, it reset its jaw and hocked back some saliva. Spitting in the Hunter’s eyes in retaliation for the dust. Now, what to do? Just pummel away until nothing remained within the Hunter’s body so much as even a tiny twitch? Or take its time to enjoy the quality intimate moment? Punching its hammer-fist weapons together, the beast decided to savor it. Lifting the massive boulder of a hammer-head high, it let gravity do most of the work as the monster gradually began to flatten Cobalt skull.
Watching the battle turn against Cobalt, Oswald’s protective instincts flared into overdrive. There had to be something he could do. Help was on the way. It had to be. Diamond and Emerald were fine, they could handle themselves. Especially if the professor had found them. If he’d survived a burst from that turret, there was no way she’d been caught off-guard enough not to survive the fall.
Not far off from him were the two mercenaries...Carnal and Gorilla? He couldn’t even remember if they’d said their actual names. He hadn’t seen them move at all since they’d been attacked by this monster, so he had to presume they were…he had to assume that they were dead. Two more deaths on his conscience.
Grunting and shaking his head to clear the thought from his mind, Oswald coughed up some blood and began slowly dragging himself towards their bodies. They had to have something he could use. Anything that could buy Cobalt even just a few seconds to get away from that thing.
Cobalt grinned as the Grimm had to pop it's jaw back into place. He was about to get the asswhupping of a life time, but at least he got one good hit in. The Grimm spat on him and he momentarily wondered how sanitary Grimm saliva was. Then he saw stars as his head was smashed on with the Grimm's hammer fists.
Eventually, Oswald reached the pair’s corpses. A fresh wave of guilt and disgust overtook him as he looked upon their mangled bodies, but he suppressed the feelings and began rummaging around in their gear. A grenade, ammo for their weapons, there had to be something. Anything that would save Cobalt.
A flare gun.
The flare gun stood out like a beacon of hope. If he could alert the others to their predicament, they might have a shot. The ships overhead could annihilate that thing, if only Cobalt could get it off of him for just a second.
He had to act. Blood was still dribbling out of his mouth, likely the result of a punctured lung or some other damage to his internal organs. Grabbing the gun, Oswald cursed as his side flared in pain, in protest of the movement.
That didn’t matter. The pain didn’t matter. Oswald forced himself to his knees, then aimed upwards. He was close enough to the fight that whoever saw the flare would surely notice what was happening.
All of his strength left him as he pulled the trigger, his body flopping to the floor as a solitary beacon flew into the sky. Once again, the colors around him began to fade into blackness. Oswald let a small smile cross his lips as he slipped once more into unconsciousness.
~~
”Hey, we got a star cluster popup!” The pilot exclaimed, calling back to the rest of the crew onboard.
Sam stormed her way to the cockpit to see for herself.
”Who the hell is that? Is that one of our guys that made it from the wreckage?” she asked.
”It’s got to be. Think it’s maybe a trap?” The copilot inquired.
Esther palmed the controls that lowered the back ramp and used her voice to issue an order to the pilots.
”Get us closer! That flare belongs to our own!”
The pilots were about to protest but Sam stopped them. Whatever questions they had, she already knew Esther well enough to know the answers she would give. The pilots both shrugged and brought the airship towards a clearing closer to the location of the flare shot. The powerful updraft generated by the ship’s engines kicked up clouds of dust, pushing small trees and their limbs outward as the craft’s blinding lights cut on to allow easier observation of the area.
~~~
When the flare went up, the creature paused its assault on Cobalt’s face and whipped around to glare at Oswald. How was he still able to move? The monster didn’t have much time to think before the airship it had heard earlier made its appearance, blinding it with lights forcing it to shut its eyes and bring up its arm as a shield..
~~~
Satisfied with the distance between the ship’s off ramp and the ground, Esther jumped out and immediately raised her rifle. Her eyes scanned through the darkness and dust as she advanced, the platoon of mercenaries following shortly behind her piling out in a combat formation. Tony wasn’t far behind himself, closest to Esther when one of their own sighted the beast on top of Cobalt.
”Contact!” A voice yelled.
Instantly, all of the mercenaries snapped to the nearest cover and had their rifles trained on the creature. The ones unable to find cover hit the ground and assumed a prone position. As Esther continued to advance, refusing to duck behind anything, she raised a hand and issued a baffling command. Not surprised to see another one of those creatures and seeing the state her student was in, she felt it necessary to end this herself. Taking it a bit personally.
”Hold your fire!” she bellowed, much to the confusion of the mercenaries who didn’t know her. But obey her, they did. Wary to still keep their rifles aimed true, just in case, not immediately opening fire.
Esther lowered her own rifle, instead touching at her knife and creating a copy of it. Flipping the copy in her hand, she held it by the blade’s edge as she prepared to throw it. Honestly she wished she had something bigger and heavier to hit the bitch harder, but she couldn’t risk Cobalt getting caught in the crossfire as collateral damage. Instead, she needed to simply get the demon’s attention and piss it off. Have it focus on her and maybe even have it charge at her.
”Hey! Fucker!” Esther spat, malice and venom lining her few chosen words. Cocking her arm back, Esther expertly threw the phantom blade at the beast. Her aim on point, the tip of the blade embedded itself in the creature’s arm.
The creature hissed, angry that it had even more opponents to contend with. No matter, it’s masters were surely freed by now and on their way. She sensed their presence in the distance, they were getting closer as the seconds ticked by. Removing the blade from its forearm and shattered it, the creature was greeted with even more blades thrown at it which it easily knocked aside. Sufficiently pissed, the creature stood and stepped over Cobalt to square up with Esther.
Expression hard and stony, Esther stopped and took up an open and wide fighting stance. A stance that begged the creature to challenge her, imposing, cocky, and arrogant. She waited for it to make the first move, banking everything on the creature to be reckless. Eying its weapons, she figured it to fight with a rusher/beatdown style. One of the worst types to contend with her. Looking at its face, she recognized the effects of a one of those that had popped a cursed pill. In the back of her mind, she was worried she may not be able to take it down in one go. She could only hope her boys did enough work to weaken it and make her job easier.
The creature nervously looked at the company of soldiers that had Esther’s back, unsure what they would do once it decided to engage. Then there was the fact of that gunship that somehow made it through the iron curtain of antiaircraft guns. Esther whistled and snapped her fingers, drawing its focus back on her.
”Oi! I’m right here! Don’t you worry about them! Your opponent is me! What’s the matter, are you afraid? Didn’t you use one of those pills? Then what’s the matter, huh? I should be easy! Come on with it!” Esther continued to egg it on, she needed it to charge at her.
The creature was still unsure. What was this woman playing at? Sniffing at the air, it couldn’t detect any emotion that it could feed on. No fear. No anger. Just an unshakable confidence from Esther. How did she know about its pill? Had she fought its kin before and lived? If so, did that mean…?
”Yeah, that’s right! I know all about you slime bags! Your little friend with the sawblades? We took care of her back in town! If you want to go see her, I’m sure she’s still crucified to some wall somewhere!”
Esther was talking too much, all she needed was one swing from the monster. What was it waiting for?
The creature growled, gritting its teeth. Reason and clarity going out the window, that was enough for it to react. Focusing its power, it dug its feet in as it steeled itself. Esther smirked, knowing what was coming. To put the icing on the cake, Esther took her thumb and slowly dragged it across her neck. Making the motion of slitting something’s neck. The creature’s rage flared and it sprinted straight at her. Still empowered by the drug’s effects, the creature practically vanished when it did so. Alas, Esther still saw through its telegraphed intentions, the creature’s right arm reared back for a assuredly powerful right hook that would never even touch her. At the last moment before the creature’s hammer fist made contact, Esther exercised her favorite technique and used her Aura to reflect and counter the creature’s swing, parrying it. Blowing its arm away and leaving the creature wide open, a look of shock on its face.
Esther had to work quickly. Throwing out a sharp left elbow across its face, followed it up with a right hook, a knee strike to its abdomen, finishing her combo with an uppercut to leave the creature reeling and buying herself a few more seconds. Unholstering her sidearm, she chose her Ice-element dust ammunition and shot at its feet point blank to freeze it in place. Leaping backwards, Esther holstered her sidearm and unslung her rifle touching her palm to it. Summoning dozens of phantom rifles, she then surrounded and entrapped the creature in a dome of her guns and opened fire at it from all sides. Within seconds, Esther emptied the magazines of her rifles into the creature’s body completely shredding its aura and depleting it.
As the smoke cleared and the last shell casing fell to the ground, Esther dismissed her phantoms. Each rifle shattering in a display little specks of glimmering lights as the creature stood a ragged bloody pulp of its former self. With no more life to support its own body weight, the creature first fell to its knees in a slump before falling forward face first with a final solid thud.
Sighing quietly, Esther slung her rifle on her back and walked over to the corpse. With the side of her boot, she turned its body over so that she could look at its face before sharply kicking it across its chin to snap its neck with a satisfying audible pop. For good measure, Esther unholstered her sidearm and shot it three times in the head. Handgun still pointed at its unmoving body, Esther stood there in silence for a few moments before issuing her orders.
”Clear the area! Secure a perimeter and tend to any wounded you find! Tell the bird it can land!” Esther shouted, still staring at the corpse.
Unsure of what just happened exactly, the mercenaries got to work and did as ordered. Sam nodded, looking up to the skies and pressing a button on the side of her helmet to radio the gunship that it was cleared for landing. Tony made his way to Esther’s side as the rest of the Abyss Walkers scoured the area and conducted their business.
Cobalt felt every blow upon his head as the Grimm pounded on him for what felt like days. His Aura had most certainly been broken and he probably had a concussion. His vision was blurry as he tried to keep himself conscious, he could've sworn that he felt the Grimm get up he was so fucked up. He tried to grab at it to keep its attention off of Oswald, but he failed miserably. Gunshots sounded off loudly as he turned his head towards where the Grimm was heading. The guns stopped and he saw Esther heading towards what appeared to be the Grimm's corpse. Cobalt smiled and started to close his eyes, attempting to fight unconsciousness, but failing as he finally passed out.
As the ramp lowered Diamond had to resist the urge to jump out and charge. Another one of those things seemed to have Cobalt in its firm grip and was giving him hell. But she would be lucky if she had enough aura left for the landing, let alone any fighting. Furthermore, this nutcase huntress looked different somehow, more defaced and downright monstrous than the other one. And just about everybody on the gunship probably knew better how to deal with it.
It didn’t seem like Cobalt was the one who shot the flare though, so Diamond’s eyes zoomed over the field. The sight she came upon made her stomach twist. Two of the mercs and a familiar black and red armor laying still without any sign of life. As soon as the ship touched down, she took off in their direction.
No, no, NO! Don’t you dare do this to me you idiots! You have no right to die, and I didn’t permit it! she thought on her way over. Skidding to a halt, she didn’t need to consult her scroll to see if Oswald’s aura has been broken. His nose and thumb were evidence enough, and who knew what other injuries he had. She hesitantly checked his pulse and breathing, and was flooded with relief. It wasn’t too late for him.
It was then though that she noticed the gashes on his neck, and realized his fight was not yet over. Standing up, she waved her arm and yelled at the top of her lungs to be louder than the aircraft’s engines. “Medic! I got another one possibly poisoned!”
She turned back and it was then when she fully noticed the remains of two of the mercs, her torsos collapsed in on themselves. Diamond has seen a lot of gore, but after all that happened today, her body had enough. Barely managing to turn away before her stomach emptied itself, the stench fully slammed into her nostrils. The fates were cruel to them. They lived past the crash, but it did them little good. Diamond hazarded a guess the other two never made it out of the airship.
It didn’t take long for the team of medics to pour out of the airship and discover the two unconscious Huntsmen. Of course, after assessing the situation and their current conditions, the medic teams injected the boys with that odd concoction that they all doped with. After having administered their own brand of medication, the teams applied first aid to the boys and prepared them to be loaded onto the gunship on stretchers similar to Emerald’s. A few of the medics tended to Diamond, to ensure she was okay.
Tony stood by Esther’s side and stared down at the same corpse she was looking at. Uneasily he placed a hand on her shoulder.
”Hey.”
Esther slightly moved her head in his direction, only making a soft sound in response.
”Hm.”
Tony was concerned for her wellbeing.
”You alright?”
”...You already know the answer to that, Tony.”
That, he did. She wasn’t alright.
”We...found the others. The other Walkers that were on our ship.”
Esther was silent for a moment.
”Oh?”
”Yeah.”
Tony sighed and she knew what that sigh would mean. After all, if that creature was able to do that sort of damage to the Huntsmen, it was obvious what happened to her comrades.
”...They didn’t make it.”
Esther scoffed, shaking her head.
”I know.”
Tony wished he could itch at his head.
”You don’t want to see them, do you?”
”Not particularly, no.” Esther’s voice monotone and devoid of emotion.
”I thought as much. I-...Ah...Y-...” Tony struggled to find the words.
”Spit it out, Tony.”
”Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” He knew they were all used to it by this point, but he couldn’t help but be a little extra concerned for his old friend.
Esther suddenly drew her handgun and shot a few more holes into the corpse of the creature, startling practically everyone save for Tony.
”Oh yeah...I’ll be just fine. Just make sure my students are cared for, that’s all I ask.”
Tony nodded, walking away.
”R-right.”
Consciousness briefly returning to him as he was being handled by the medics, Oswald groaned in discomfort. “Where...where’s Cobalt?” Looking around in confusion, he shook his head. “Is he...did he make it?”
Diamond shooed the medics away, directing them to attend to those that actually needed it. She went with them to check on Cobalt and then helped them haul the two back to the ship. The image was pretty gruesome. Four mercs dead, three of her people down for the count. Who did this?! was the only, angry thought rattling through her mind. Somebody set them up.
Oswald came to for a second, and brought her out of her train of thought about how to best and most painfully mutilate and maim a man. “He held on long enough. Bells are ringing in his head but he’ll be fine, so should all of you. Just take it easy, let them patch you up.” she said softly, gently bumping his unhurt arm. Remember, happy thoughts.
Chuckling for a moment before a painful cough forced him to stop, Oswald nodded his head gently. “Good...thanks, Diamond.” Letting his head sink back a little and releasing a short breath, Oswald smiled for a few moments before passing out once more.
While the team of medics tended to the injured, a separate team worked to gather the bodies of the fallen and secured them in black body bags to be loaded on the other gunship separate from Team CODE. A third team worked to recover any equipment that was salvageable, both belonging to the Abyss Walkers and Huntsmen team. Just as a few of the mercenaries were steps away from boarding the ship that harbored Team CODE, the surrounding wood erupted with the shrieks, cries, and screams of an incoming Grimm horde.
Esther looked up, eyes scanning the trees ahead of her. Turning towards the ship, she saw the two mercenaries that held Oswald and Cobalt’s weapons and began to bark orders. ”You two! Bring that gun and shield over here! Be quick about it! All other Walkers drop what you’re doing and fall back towards the bird! Form a tight security perimeter and remain on standby!” Of course, the two mercenaries looked at each other briefly before running over to Esther. The rest did as they were commanded, save for Tony who accompanied the gear-carrying duo.
Just before Esther could touch the shield and giant gun, Tony swatted her hand away.
”Whoa-whoa-whoa! Just what do you think you’re gonna do, lady?”
Esther glared at Tony with an intensity that could melt through the faceplate of his helmet.
”What do you think I’m going to do?”
Tony nervously looked around at the surroundings as the noises and roars of the impending swarm grew louder, closer.
”You’re not going to try and take care of them all by yourself, are you?”
Esther scoffed as she placed her hands on Oswald’s shield and Cobalt’s 27-Smasher, stars brightly shining in her eyes as she prepared to weave a massive spell with her Semblance.
”That’s exactly what I’m going to do, Antonio.”
Tony brought up his hands and shuffled about, flustered and confused.
”You have all of us here! You don’t always have to do this alone, y’know! We can help!”
Focusing her Aura, she started to create copies of the Hunters’ weapons.
”I don’t have to, I know. But I’m going to and you won’t stop me. Fall back to the bird, Tony.”
Tony threw up his arms and shook his head, slowly walking backwards with the duo.
”You’re fucking crazy. Just what will this accomplish? You gonna feel better about yourself for a little? Shit, Vanessa..” Giving up, he didn’t know why he always tried to convince her to take it easy. She always got a little carried away. Retreating back, he issued a second warning to all of the Walkers in the area over radio communications.
Esther didn’t offer him any response or reaction. Instead, she peeled off her gloves as the flames of her Aura burned fiercely on her hands. Reciting the incantation that reinforced her Semblance’s abilities over and over quietly under her breath, she tightly clasped her hands together as she continued to summon more phantasmal copies of Cobalt’s unique rifle and Oswald’s protective shield. Within seconds she easily called upon dozens, then hundreds of them. Telepathically commanding them to create a formation. With Oswald’s shields, she formed a massive dome over the clearing they were all in. Leaving nary a gap that a creature with any size could penetrate, shielding the entirety of the gunship and every ally within. Just outside of her protective dome, she had the now thousands of phantom copies of Cobalt’s rifle surrounding them with their muzzles pointed outwards a full and complete 360 degrees. Continuing to create copies until she was finally satisfied, Esther then stood and waited.
With the original source weapons from which her phantoms were birthed safe at her side, she allowed the Grimm to get as close as possible before she sprung her destructive trap. To seal the deal and ensure the maximum amount of kills, she brushed her hand against her blade and summoned four copies. Sharply pointing a finger at the corpse of the dead creature still at her feet, she had her blades impale themselves at the creature’s arms and lift its limp cadaver high and to the center of her protective dome as a sick sort of bait. To taunt and anger the Grimm further by desecrating one of their own.
Esther clasped her hands together again, tightly clutching until she could start to feel her fingernails dig into her own skin as she grit her teeth. Steeling her resolve and focusing as much Aura as she could to empower her Semblance, stretching her abilities to her near limits. She could already see the shadowy and dark bodies of the Grimm swiftly moving in the treelines, as black as the night was. Steadying her breathing, she still waited until the absolute right moment. The Grimm were baffled as to what they were witnessing, unsure of what it was that Esther had exactly created for them.
”Come on, come on, come on...You fucking bastards, bite!”
Esther’s nostrils flared, sweat on her face giving her an oily sheen.
Tony, back at the gunship looked at each of the Huntsmen. On one knee, he again issued a warning order to his fellow mercenaries as he tapped at his helmet with two fingers.
”All troops, all troops! Be advised, shit is about to get really fucking loud and really fucking bright! I say again, shit is about to get loud and bright!” Removing his fingers from his helmet, he quietly muttered to himself. ”I hope no one has to use the restroom right about now. Sorry kids, this is going to wake you up.” Tony felt a little remorseful for the Huntsmen. Emerald was fast asleep and the two boys had just been freshly removed from the fray.
At that moment, the horde of Grievers probed Esther’s creation by rushing at it. Throwing their bodies at the glowing and flaming shields and guns. With a wide sweep of her arms like an Umpire declaring a baseball player who had just slid to home base as ‘safe’, Esther activated her trap. Drowning out the roars of the Grimm, each phantom copy of Cobalt’s rifle opened up with a continuous blast of gunfire. The sound and look of which closely akin to hundreds of localized lighting and thunderstorms raging all at once. The earthshaking symphony threatened to deafen anyone without any protection or shielding and blind anyone curious enough to witness exactly what Esther could do when enraged. One could hardly tell it was night, each gunshot’s flash like that of a million photographers trying to capture that one memorable moment of a star athlete's title match of their career. The orchestra of destruction immediately ravaged the surrounding environment. Cobalt’s weapon being loaded with armor piercing ammunition aiding the iron curtain of fire, instantly ripping apart fully-grown trees like they were wet paper. Anyone could say with confidence that anything living within the wooded area ceased to exist, Esther sustaining the cleansing gunfire as long as she could. It appeared that the hellish firestorm Esther was unleashing lasted for an eternity, when in reality it was only for a few mere minutes. That was all that was needed.
The flashing lights of gunfire died down, an eerie calm and silence came upon the lands as Esther’s phantoms ran dry of ammunition. Not a Grimm could be seen or heard within the crater of death Esther carved into the land. The wind howled loudly in their place, no tree left standing to muffle their passage. The Abyss Walkers who didn’t know Esther stared at her in silent reverence, the stories they had heard proven true before their very eyes. The Walkers who already knew her, were unsurprised but concerned. Tony got to his feet and looked up at the phantoms, waiting for the beauty that came after each major usage of Esther’s special abilities.
Esther was spent, but she refused to relent and show it. Lowering her arms, she fought to regain control of her labored breathing. Quietly wiping away at her face to remove as much slick sweat as she could as her entire body trembled with restrained emotion. Clearing her throat a few times to herself, she slightly glanced over her shoulder at her ‘bait’. Sniffling, she snapped her fingers and dismissed her phantoms. The signature sound of shattering glass signalled the end of her Semblance, the fragments of which fell to the earth as little glittering shards of light. The entire scene a starkly contrasting but gorgeous view. It was as if the stars themselves floated about, bringing peace with them. All the while the land around them all had been decimated. Desolate and made barren from an unreasonable amount of mass destruction and carnage. If one squinted, you could see the border of the woods off in the distance to one end and the perimeter wall to the other.
Tony took his cue and ran towards Esther. Sam, seeing Tony decided to do the same and ran out of the gunship. The two of them stood at her side and each took a shoulder to steady her in case she should fall. She wouldn’t fall of course, and angrily shrugged away their hands.
Sam was the first to ask, ”Vanessa, you alright?”
To which Esther replied, ”Just give me a damn cigarette…!”
Sam and Tony looked at each other sharing a look.
Tony shrugged.
Sam sighed and searched herself for her packet of smokes, fishing one out along with her lighter to hand to Esther. She was even about to light it for her before Esther snatched both from her and snarled, ”I have hands, I can fucking use them myself! Gods above, you would think all you mercenaries are titty-baby guidance counselors or some shit! Fuck!” Esther lit her cigarette and put it to her lips, taking a moment to herself as she pulled drags from it. Exhaling clouds of smoke, she looked to the two of them. ”Hail Skyhawk-2. Prepare to evac. This mission is over with.” Esther declared, her voice as clear and firm as ever. Tony and Sam again looked to each other and slowly turned, walking away from her to carry out her orders. Sam stopped mid-way and turned to face Esther but her voice caught in her throat before she could again ask if she was alright, Esther’s raised middle finger her only response.
”Fuck off.”
It said.
Sam about-faced and activated her comms with a touch of her helmet, calling for a full evacuation. They were all going home. Esther looked up at the little fragments of light left over from her Semblance, smoking her cigarette as she recovered and regained her composure gradually. Oddly reinvigorated from her half-finished cigarette, Esther turned and strided towards the gunship. In her path lay the body of the creature she slayed and instead of simply stepping over the corpse, she walked right on it. Taking care to even grind the bottom of her boots as she stepped off of the splattered remains. Taking one last drag from her cigarette, she removed it from her lips and flicked it over her shoulder. The smoldering butt landing on the corpse as a final act of disrespect and rebellion as Esther neared the lowered ramp of the gunship where everyone were making final preparations for the ordered evacuation.
The look of shock didn’t help its situation much. Eyes had opened wide, surprised at the underhanded tactic of the Hunter. Maybe they all weren’t so honorable after all the creature thought, ever so slightly impressed. The feeling washed the way the moment the stinging dirt clouded its vision and broke its focus, forcing its eyes shut as it angrily growled. Wiping at its face, it blinked through the momentary haze just in time to be met with a brutal right hook from Cobalt. Its head snapped to the side as stars burst in its vision and it felt something pop within its jaw.
Glaring at Cobalt, it reset its jaw and hocked back some saliva. Spitting in the Hunter’s eyes in retaliation for the dust. Now, what to do? Just pummel away until nothing remained within the Hunter’s body so much as even a tiny twitch? Or take its time to enjoy the quality intimate moment? Punching its hammer-fist weapons together, the beast decided to savor it. Lifting the massive boulder of a hammer-head high, it let gravity do most of the work as the monster gradually began to flatten Cobalt skull.
Watching the battle turn against Cobalt, Oswald’s protective instincts flared into overdrive. There had to be something he could do. Help was on the way. It had to be. Diamond and Emerald were fine, they could handle themselves. Especially if the professor had found them. If he’d survived a burst from that turret, there was no way she’d been caught off-guard enough not to survive the fall.
Not far off from him were the two mercenaries...Carnal and Gorilla? He couldn’t even remember if they’d said their actual names. He hadn’t seen them move at all since they’d been attacked by this monster, so he had to presume they were…he had to assume that they were dead. Two more deaths on his conscience.
Grunting and shaking his head to clear the thought from his mind, Oswald coughed up some blood and began slowly dragging himself towards their bodies. They had to have something he could use. Anything that could buy Cobalt even just a few seconds to get away from that thing.
Cobalt grinned as the Grimm had to pop it's jaw back into place. He was about to get the asswhupping of a life time, but at least he got one good hit in. The Grimm spat on him and he momentarily wondered how sanitary Grimm saliva was. Then he saw stars as his head was smashed on with the Grimm's hammer fists.
Eventually, Oswald reached the pair’s corpses. A fresh wave of guilt and disgust overtook him as he looked upon their mangled bodies, but he suppressed the feelings and began rummaging around in their gear. A grenade, ammo for their weapons, there had to be something. Anything that would save Cobalt.
A flare gun.
The flare gun stood out like a beacon of hope. If he could alert the others to their predicament, they might have a shot. The ships overhead could annihilate that thing, if only Cobalt could get it off of him for just a second.
He had to act. Blood was still dribbling out of his mouth, likely the result of a punctured lung or some other damage to his internal organs. Grabbing the gun, Oswald cursed as his side flared in pain, in protest of the movement.
That didn’t matter. The pain didn’t matter. Oswald forced himself to his knees, then aimed upwards. He was close enough to the fight that whoever saw the flare would surely notice what was happening.
All of his strength left him as he pulled the trigger, his body flopping to the floor as a solitary beacon flew into the sky. Once again, the colors around him began to fade into blackness. Oswald let a small smile cross his lips as he slipped once more into unconsciousness.
~~
”Hey, we got a star cluster popup!” The pilot exclaimed, calling back to the rest of the crew onboard.
Sam stormed her way to the cockpit to see for herself.
”Who the hell is that? Is that one of our guys that made it from the wreckage?” she asked.
”It’s got to be. Think it’s maybe a trap?” The copilot inquired.
Esther palmed the controls that lowered the back ramp and used her voice to issue an order to the pilots.
”Get us closer! That flare belongs to our own!”
The pilots were about to protest but Sam stopped them. Whatever questions they had, she already knew Esther well enough to know the answers she would give. The pilots both shrugged and brought the airship towards a clearing closer to the location of the flare shot. The powerful updraft generated by the ship’s engines kicked up clouds of dust, pushing small trees and their limbs outward as the craft’s blinding lights cut on to allow easier observation of the area.
~~~
When the flare went up, the creature paused its assault on Cobalt’s face and whipped around to glare at Oswald. How was he still able to move? The monster didn’t have much time to think before the airship it had heard earlier made its appearance, blinding it with lights forcing it to shut its eyes and bring up its arm as a shield..
~~~
Satisfied with the distance between the ship’s off ramp and the ground, Esther jumped out and immediately raised her rifle. Her eyes scanned through the darkness and dust as she advanced, the platoon of mercenaries following shortly behind her piling out in a combat formation. Tony wasn’t far behind himself, closest to Esther when one of their own sighted the beast on top of Cobalt.
”Contact!” A voice yelled.
Instantly, all of the mercenaries snapped to the nearest cover and had their rifles trained on the creature. The ones unable to find cover hit the ground and assumed a prone position. As Esther continued to advance, refusing to duck behind anything, she raised a hand and issued a baffling command. Not surprised to see another one of those creatures and seeing the state her student was in, she felt it necessary to end this herself. Taking it a bit personally.
”Hold your fire!” she bellowed, much to the confusion of the mercenaries who didn’t know her. But obey her, they did. Wary to still keep their rifles aimed true, just in case, not immediately opening fire.
Esther lowered her own rifle, instead touching at her knife and creating a copy of it. Flipping the copy in her hand, she held it by the blade’s edge as she prepared to throw it. Honestly she wished she had something bigger and heavier to hit the bitch harder, but she couldn’t risk Cobalt getting caught in the crossfire as collateral damage. Instead, she needed to simply get the demon’s attention and piss it off. Have it focus on her and maybe even have it charge at her.
”Hey! Fucker!” Esther spat, malice and venom lining her few chosen words. Cocking her arm back, Esther expertly threw the phantom blade at the beast. Her aim on point, the tip of the blade embedded itself in the creature’s arm.
The creature hissed, angry that it had even more opponents to contend with. No matter, it’s masters were surely freed by now and on their way. She sensed their presence in the distance, they were getting closer as the seconds ticked by. Removing the blade from its forearm and shattered it, the creature was greeted with even more blades thrown at it which it easily knocked aside. Sufficiently pissed, the creature stood and stepped over Cobalt to square up with Esther.
Expression hard and stony, Esther stopped and took up an open and wide fighting stance. A stance that begged the creature to challenge her, imposing, cocky, and arrogant. She waited for it to make the first move, banking everything on the creature to be reckless. Eying its weapons, she figured it to fight with a rusher/beatdown style. One of the worst types to contend with her. Looking at its face, she recognized the effects of a one of those that had popped a cursed pill. In the back of her mind, she was worried she may not be able to take it down in one go. She could only hope her boys did enough work to weaken it and make her job easier.
The creature nervously looked at the company of soldiers that had Esther’s back, unsure what they would do once it decided to engage. Then there was the fact of that gunship that somehow made it through the iron curtain of antiaircraft guns. Esther whistled and snapped her fingers, drawing its focus back on her.
”Oi! I’m right here! Don’t you worry about them! Your opponent is me! What’s the matter, are you afraid? Didn’t you use one of those pills? Then what’s the matter, huh? I should be easy! Come on with it!” Esther continued to egg it on, she needed it to charge at her.
The creature was still unsure. What was this woman playing at? Sniffing at the air, it couldn’t detect any emotion that it could feed on. No fear. No anger. Just an unshakable confidence from Esther. How did she know about its pill? Had she fought its kin before and lived? If so, did that mean…?
”Yeah, that’s right! I know all about you slime bags! Your little friend with the sawblades? We took care of her back in town! If you want to go see her, I’m sure she’s still crucified to some wall somewhere!”
Esther was talking too much, all she needed was one swing from the monster. What was it waiting for?
The creature growled, gritting its teeth. Reason and clarity going out the window, that was enough for it to react. Focusing its power, it dug its feet in as it steeled itself. Esther smirked, knowing what was coming. To put the icing on the cake, Esther took her thumb and slowly dragged it across her neck. Making the motion of slitting something’s neck. The creature’s rage flared and it sprinted straight at her. Still empowered by the drug’s effects, the creature practically vanished when it did so. Alas, Esther still saw through its telegraphed intentions, the creature’s right arm reared back for a assuredly powerful right hook that would never even touch her. At the last moment before the creature’s hammer fist made contact, Esther exercised her favorite technique and used her Aura to reflect and counter the creature’s swing, parrying it. Blowing its arm away and leaving the creature wide open, a look of shock on its face.
Esther had to work quickly. Throwing out a sharp left elbow across its face, followed it up with a right hook, a knee strike to its abdomen, finishing her combo with an uppercut to leave the creature reeling and buying herself a few more seconds. Unholstering her sidearm, she chose her Ice-element dust ammunition and shot at its feet point blank to freeze it in place. Leaping backwards, Esther holstered her sidearm and unslung her rifle touching her palm to it. Summoning dozens of phantom rifles, she then surrounded and entrapped the creature in a dome of her guns and opened fire at it from all sides. Within seconds, Esther emptied the magazines of her rifles into the creature’s body completely shredding its aura and depleting it.
As the smoke cleared and the last shell casing fell to the ground, Esther dismissed her phantoms. Each rifle shattering in a display little specks of glimmering lights as the creature stood a ragged bloody pulp of its former self. With no more life to support its own body weight, the creature first fell to its knees in a slump before falling forward face first with a final solid thud.
Sighing quietly, Esther slung her rifle on her back and walked over to the corpse. With the side of her boot, she turned its body over so that she could look at its face before sharply kicking it across its chin to snap its neck with a satisfying audible pop. For good measure, Esther unholstered her sidearm and shot it three times in the head. Handgun still pointed at its unmoving body, Esther stood there in silence for a few moments before issuing her orders.
”Clear the area! Secure a perimeter and tend to any wounded you find! Tell the bird it can land!” Esther shouted, still staring at the corpse.
Unsure of what just happened exactly, the mercenaries got to work and did as ordered. Sam nodded, looking up to the skies and pressing a button on the side of her helmet to radio the gunship that it was cleared for landing. Tony made his way to Esther’s side as the rest of the Abyss Walkers scoured the area and conducted their business.
Cobalt felt every blow upon his head as the Grimm pounded on him for what felt like days. His Aura had most certainly been broken and he probably had a concussion. His vision was blurry as he tried to keep himself conscious, he could've sworn that he felt the Grimm get up he was so fucked up. He tried to grab at it to keep its attention off of Oswald, but he failed miserably. Gunshots sounded off loudly as he turned his head towards where the Grimm was heading. The guns stopped and he saw Esther heading towards what appeared to be the Grimm's corpse. Cobalt smiled and started to close his eyes, attempting to fight unconsciousness, but failing as he finally passed out.
As the ramp lowered Diamond had to resist the urge to jump out and charge. Another one of those things seemed to have Cobalt in its firm grip and was giving him hell. But she would be lucky if she had enough aura left for the landing, let alone any fighting. Furthermore, this nutcase huntress looked different somehow, more defaced and downright monstrous than the other one. And just about everybody on the gunship probably knew better how to deal with it.
It didn’t seem like Cobalt was the one who shot the flare though, so Diamond’s eyes zoomed over the field. The sight she came upon made her stomach twist. Two of the mercs and a familiar black and red armor laying still without any sign of life. As soon as the ship touched down, she took off in their direction.
No, no, NO! Don’t you dare do this to me you idiots! You have no right to die, and I didn’t permit it! she thought on her way over. Skidding to a halt, she didn’t need to consult her scroll to see if Oswald’s aura has been broken. His nose and thumb were evidence enough, and who knew what other injuries he had. She hesitantly checked his pulse and breathing, and was flooded with relief. It wasn’t too late for him.
It was then though that she noticed the gashes on his neck, and realized his fight was not yet over. Standing up, she waved her arm and yelled at the top of her lungs to be louder than the aircraft’s engines. “Medic! I got another one possibly poisoned!”
She turned back and it was then when she fully noticed the remains of two of the mercs, her torsos collapsed in on themselves. Diamond has seen a lot of gore, but after all that happened today, her body had enough. Barely managing to turn away before her stomach emptied itself, the stench fully slammed into her nostrils. The fates were cruel to them. They lived past the crash, but it did them little good. Diamond hazarded a guess the other two never made it out of the airship.
It didn’t take long for the team of medics to pour out of the airship and discover the two unconscious Huntsmen. Of course, after assessing the situation and their current conditions, the medic teams injected the boys with that odd concoction that they all doped with. After having administered their own brand of medication, the teams applied first aid to the boys and prepared them to be loaded onto the gunship on stretchers similar to Emerald’s. A few of the medics tended to Diamond, to ensure she was okay.
Tony stood by Esther’s side and stared down at the same corpse she was looking at. Uneasily he placed a hand on her shoulder.
”Hey.”
Esther slightly moved her head in his direction, only making a soft sound in response.
”Hm.”
Tony was concerned for her wellbeing.
”You alright?”
”...You already know the answer to that, Tony.”
That, he did. She wasn’t alright.
”We...found the others. The other Walkers that were on our ship.”
Esther was silent for a moment.
”Oh?”
”Yeah.”
Tony sighed and she knew what that sigh would mean. After all, if that creature was able to do that sort of damage to the Huntsmen, it was obvious what happened to her comrades.
”...They didn’t make it.”
Esther scoffed, shaking her head.
”I know.”
Tony wished he could itch at his head.
”You don’t want to see them, do you?”
”Not particularly, no.” Esther’s voice monotone and devoid of emotion.
”I thought as much. I-...Ah...Y-...” Tony struggled to find the words.
”Spit it out, Tony.”
”Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” He knew they were all used to it by this point, but he couldn’t help but be a little extra concerned for his old friend.
Esther suddenly drew her handgun and shot a few more holes into the corpse of the creature, startling practically everyone save for Tony.
”Oh yeah...I’ll be just fine. Just make sure my students are cared for, that’s all I ask.”
Tony nodded, walking away.
”R-right.”
Consciousness briefly returning to him as he was being handled by the medics, Oswald groaned in discomfort. “Where...where’s Cobalt?” Looking around in confusion, he shook his head. “Is he...did he make it?”
Diamond shooed the medics away, directing them to attend to those that actually needed it. She went with them to check on Cobalt and then helped them haul the two back to the ship. The image was pretty gruesome. Four mercs dead, three of her people down for the count. Who did this?! was the only, angry thought rattling through her mind. Somebody set them up.
Oswald came to for a second, and brought her out of her train of thought about how to best and most painfully mutilate and maim a man. “He held on long enough. Bells are ringing in his head but he’ll be fine, so should all of you. Just take it easy, let them patch you up.” she said softly, gently bumping his unhurt arm. Remember, happy thoughts.
Chuckling for a moment before a painful cough forced him to stop, Oswald nodded his head gently. “Good...thanks, Diamond.” Letting his head sink back a little and releasing a short breath, Oswald smiled for a few moments before passing out once more.
While the team of medics tended to the injured, a separate team worked to gather the bodies of the fallen and secured them in black body bags to be loaded on the other gunship separate from Team CODE. A third team worked to recover any equipment that was salvageable, both belonging to the Abyss Walkers and Huntsmen team. Just as a few of the mercenaries were steps away from boarding the ship that harbored Team CODE, the surrounding wood erupted with the shrieks, cries, and screams of an incoming Grimm horde.
Esther looked up, eyes scanning the trees ahead of her. Turning towards the ship, she saw the two mercenaries that held Oswald and Cobalt’s weapons and began to bark orders. ”You two! Bring that gun and shield over here! Be quick about it! All other Walkers drop what you’re doing and fall back towards the bird! Form a tight security perimeter and remain on standby!” Of course, the two mercenaries looked at each other briefly before running over to Esther. The rest did as they were commanded, save for Tony who accompanied the gear-carrying duo.
Just before Esther could touch the shield and giant gun, Tony swatted her hand away.
”Whoa-whoa-whoa! Just what do you think you’re gonna do, lady?”
Esther glared at Tony with an intensity that could melt through the faceplate of his helmet.
”What do you think I’m going to do?”
Tony nervously looked around at the surroundings as the noises and roars of the impending swarm grew louder, closer.
”You’re not going to try and take care of them all by yourself, are you?”
Esther scoffed as she placed her hands on Oswald’s shield and Cobalt’s 27-Smasher, stars brightly shining in her eyes as she prepared to weave a massive spell with her Semblance.
”That’s exactly what I’m going to do, Antonio.”
Tony brought up his hands and shuffled about, flustered and confused.
”You have all of us here! You don’t always have to do this alone, y’know! We can help!”
Focusing her Aura, she started to create copies of the Hunters’ weapons.
”I don’t have to, I know. But I’m going to and you won’t stop me. Fall back to the bird, Tony.”
Tony threw up his arms and shook his head, slowly walking backwards with the duo.
”You’re fucking crazy. Just what will this accomplish? You gonna feel better about yourself for a little? Shit, Vanessa..” Giving up, he didn’t know why he always tried to convince her to take it easy. She always got a little carried away. Retreating back, he issued a second warning to all of the Walkers in the area over radio communications.
Esther didn’t offer him any response or reaction. Instead, she peeled off her gloves as the flames of her Aura burned fiercely on her hands. Reciting the incantation that reinforced her Semblance’s abilities over and over quietly under her breath, she tightly clasped her hands together as she continued to summon more phantasmal copies of Cobalt’s unique rifle and Oswald’s protective shield. Within seconds she easily called upon dozens, then hundreds of them. Telepathically commanding them to create a formation. With Oswald’s shields, she formed a massive dome over the clearing they were all in. Leaving nary a gap that a creature with any size could penetrate, shielding the entirety of the gunship and every ally within. Just outside of her protective dome, she had the now thousands of phantom copies of Cobalt’s rifle surrounding them with their muzzles pointed outwards a full and complete 360 degrees. Continuing to create copies until she was finally satisfied, Esther then stood and waited.
With the original source weapons from which her phantoms were birthed safe at her side, she allowed the Grimm to get as close as possible before she sprung her destructive trap. To seal the deal and ensure the maximum amount of kills, she brushed her hand against her blade and summoned four copies. Sharply pointing a finger at the corpse of the dead creature still at her feet, she had her blades impale themselves at the creature’s arms and lift its limp cadaver high and to the center of her protective dome as a sick sort of bait. To taunt and anger the Grimm further by desecrating one of their own.
Esther clasped her hands together again, tightly clutching until she could start to feel her fingernails dig into her own skin as she grit her teeth. Steeling her resolve and focusing as much Aura as she could to empower her Semblance, stretching her abilities to her near limits. She could already see the shadowy and dark bodies of the Grimm swiftly moving in the treelines, as black as the night was. Steadying her breathing, she still waited until the absolute right moment. The Grimm were baffled as to what they were witnessing, unsure of what it was that Esther had exactly created for them.
”Come on, come on, come on...You fucking bastards, bite!”
Esther’s nostrils flared, sweat on her face giving her an oily sheen.
Tony, back at the gunship looked at each of the Huntsmen. On one knee, he again issued a warning order to his fellow mercenaries as he tapped at his helmet with two fingers.
”All troops, all troops! Be advised, shit is about to get really fucking loud and really fucking bright! I say again, shit is about to get loud and bright!” Removing his fingers from his helmet, he quietly muttered to himself. ”I hope no one has to use the restroom right about now. Sorry kids, this is going to wake you up.” Tony felt a little remorseful for the Huntsmen. Emerald was fast asleep and the two boys had just been freshly removed from the fray.
At that moment, the horde of Grievers probed Esther’s creation by rushing at it. Throwing their bodies at the glowing and flaming shields and guns. With a wide sweep of her arms like an Umpire declaring a baseball player who had just slid to home base as ‘safe’, Esther activated her trap. Drowning out the roars of the Grimm, each phantom copy of Cobalt’s rifle opened up with a continuous blast of gunfire. The sound and look of which closely akin to hundreds of localized lighting and thunderstorms raging all at once. The earthshaking symphony threatened to deafen anyone without any protection or shielding and blind anyone curious enough to witness exactly what Esther could do when enraged. One could hardly tell it was night, each gunshot’s flash like that of a million photographers trying to capture that one memorable moment of a star athlete's title match of their career. The orchestra of destruction immediately ravaged the surrounding environment. Cobalt’s weapon being loaded with armor piercing ammunition aiding the iron curtain of fire, instantly ripping apart fully-grown trees like they were wet paper. Anyone could say with confidence that anything living within the wooded area ceased to exist, Esther sustaining the cleansing gunfire as long as she could. It appeared that the hellish firestorm Esther was unleashing lasted for an eternity, when in reality it was only for a few mere minutes. That was all that was needed.
The flashing lights of gunfire died down, an eerie calm and silence came upon the lands as Esther’s phantoms ran dry of ammunition. Not a Grimm could be seen or heard within the crater of death Esther carved into the land. The wind howled loudly in their place, no tree left standing to muffle their passage. The Abyss Walkers who didn’t know Esther stared at her in silent reverence, the stories they had heard proven true before their very eyes. The Walkers who already knew her, were unsurprised but concerned. Tony got to his feet and looked up at the phantoms, waiting for the beauty that came after each major usage of Esther’s special abilities.
Esther was spent, but she refused to relent and show it. Lowering her arms, she fought to regain control of her labored breathing. Quietly wiping away at her face to remove as much slick sweat as she could as her entire body trembled with restrained emotion. Clearing her throat a few times to herself, she slightly glanced over her shoulder at her ‘bait’. Sniffling, she snapped her fingers and dismissed her phantoms. The signature sound of shattering glass signalled the end of her Semblance, the fragments of which fell to the earth as little glittering shards of light. The entire scene a starkly contrasting but gorgeous view. It was as if the stars themselves floated about, bringing peace with them. All the while the land around them all had been decimated. Desolate and made barren from an unreasonable amount of mass destruction and carnage. If one squinted, you could see the border of the woods off in the distance to one end and the perimeter wall to the other.
Tony took his cue and ran towards Esther. Sam, seeing Tony decided to do the same and ran out of the gunship. The two of them stood at her side and each took a shoulder to steady her in case she should fall. She wouldn’t fall of course, and angrily shrugged away their hands.
Sam was the first to ask, ”Vanessa, you alright?”
To which Esther replied, ”Just give me a damn cigarette…!”
Sam and Tony looked at each other sharing a look.
Tony shrugged.
Sam sighed and searched herself for her packet of smokes, fishing one out along with her lighter to hand to Esther. She was even about to light it for her before Esther snatched both from her and snarled, ”I have hands, I can fucking use them myself! Gods above, you would think all you mercenaries are titty-baby guidance counselors or some shit! Fuck!” Esther lit her cigarette and put it to her lips, taking a moment to herself as she pulled drags from it. Exhaling clouds of smoke, she looked to the two of them. ”Hail Skyhawk-2. Prepare to evac. This mission is over with.” Esther declared, her voice as clear and firm as ever. Tony and Sam again looked to each other and slowly turned, walking away from her to carry out her orders. Sam stopped mid-way and turned to face Esther but her voice caught in her throat before she could again ask if she was alright, Esther’s raised middle finger her only response.
”Fuck off.”
It said.
Sam about-faced and activated her comms with a touch of her helmet, calling for a full evacuation. They were all going home. Esther looked up at the little fragments of light left over from her Semblance, smoking her cigarette as she recovered and regained her composure gradually. Oddly reinvigorated from her half-finished cigarette, Esther turned and strided towards the gunship. In her path lay the body of the creature she slayed and instead of simply stepping over the corpse, she walked right on it. Taking care to even grind the bottom of her boots as she stepped off of the splattered remains. Taking one last drag from her cigarette, she removed it from her lips and flicked it over her shoulder. The smoldering butt landing on the corpse as a final act of disrespect and rebellion as Esther neared the lowered ramp of the gunship where everyone were making final preparations for the ordered evacuation.
Aw did I miss all the fun? Been busy cloning my hard drive to a solid state drive
Man if it was hari's goal to hospitalize all of team CODE well he succeeded.
Scary bastard. :c
Scary bastard. :c
sorry for the delay but got a post up
I knew I wasn't the only one who watched Ore, Twintail ni Narimasu!
Emerald, Diamond, and Esther
After the gunships lifted off and took flight, they started off by circling the airspace above the town. Unsure of their location until Esther spoke further with the flight commander. Esther, Emerald, Tony, and Diamond had all loaded onto Skyhawk-3, and while it wasn’t exactly a tight fit, it wasn’t roomy either. Emerald lay on the stretcher in the center as the medical team worked on her. Already hooked up to oxygen and life-saving fluids dripping into her intravenously. An EKG machine displaying her vital signs. Esther sat alone, with Diamond and Tony sitting next to one another. Emerald being in the center acted as a sort of divider. The total count was an approximate 30 or so soldiers. 15 to each gunship, to give an idea of how crowded it was or wasn’t. The same female soldier from before made her way to Esther and stood speaking to her.
”PAX count?”
Esther, her mind elsewhere as she watched the docs work on Emerald, blandly responded.
”Four.”
”Those automated turrets-...”
”Disable. Do not destroy.”
”Location of the ECMs?
”Unknown.”
”Approximate location of Skyhawk-1?”
Esther pulled out her Scroll to bring up a holographic map of the area. Using her best calculations she pressed a spot on the map and then swiped at the screen to send the information to ‘Sam’.
Sam pulled it up using the same holographic display on her forearm as Tony and nodded.
”Alright. That’s all we needed. You ah-...Need anything else?”
Esther shook her head ever so slightly, eyes still watching Emerald.
”No. Just make sure my students don’t die.”
Sam didn’t know how to respond and simply nodded in silence as she returned to the cockpit.
On the other side of Emerald, Tony nudged his shoulder against Diamond’s.
”Hey, thanks for the smokes and sorry about earlier. I, of all people, should know better.”
One of the medics working on Emerald called out to the rest of them.
”We’re cutting her bandages. If you’ve got something swinging between your legs, have some decency.”
To which Tony obliged by looking down at the floor of the gunship as did any other soldier on deck who was male.
Giving Tony an inquiring look, Diamond seized the few minutes they had before they got where they were going. “So. How does one go about having her own private army when she treats you like garbage?” she asked in a whisper, fairly certain her voice didn’t carry over the noise of the machines in the middle of the compartment.
Tony glanced at Diamond.
”Say again? How do you mean? She treats us the same as we’ve all treated each other before. And why are you whispering? Speak up, the ship’s a noisy gal.”
Emerald had remained semi-conscious during her transport to the gunship, it seemed the drug that had been administered to her twice now not only was really good at numbing the pain, but it also made it difficult to sleep, even if she wanted too. She was vaguely aware of the medical team treating her, but she didn’t want to focus on that if she could help it. The less she knew about what they were doing the better.
Instead she looked towards her teacher, there was one question burning through her mind at the very moment that she needed answered.
“Are there more of those...things out there?”
Esther blinked slowly, unsure if whether or not she should blatantly lie or be honest to Emerald. To preserve what little innocence this girl had for now, or to wake her up to the reality of the world they lived in. Though she hated to lie as it was against her nature, she sighed quietly before responding.
”No.”
Emerald felt more relief than she thought possible, she certainly didn’t want to deal with any more of them, not ever. “How does something like that even happen…”
“Yah, either of you care to actually enlighten us to what the hell we just fought? Not very teachy of you.” Diamond sneered.
Esther glared at Diamond, glancing at Tony who still held his head low to avoid looking at Emerald’s body.
”You fought Huntsmen. That’s all you need to know and that’s all I’m telling you.”
“Yeah like all I needed to know was that it wasn’t a grimm, except it took my anger and threw it back at me exactly like one of those would. Do you see where the problem is?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Esther’s anger grew, clenching her fist tight. If only she could explain everything to Diamond and help her to understand. But a large part of her refused to lay bare the truth of the matter, some desperate part of her wanting to preserve her student’s innocence as best she could. For as long as she could.
”You fought a Huntress. That’s. It.”
“I...I don’t want to end up like that…” Emerald squeaked out.
Esther’s anger drained out of her at that pathetic response and caused her to get to her feet, moving a step or two closer until she was by Emerald’s side. Taking her hand and warming it, she leaned her face in close so that their eyes met.
”You don’t have to worry about that. You never will. I promise you.”
Emerald would have tried to hug Esther right then and there, if she hadn’t been horribly injured. Her eyes were teared up, from both the stress she was dealing with and the comfort that she would never become a monster like that. She nodded in response.
“Huntress. Sure.” Diamond grumbled for herself, filing a mental note to get to the bottom of this one way or the other. Turning back to the merc beside her, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. “You meant to tell me this ship’s full of assholes? I swear even the street gang had more class then you guys then.”
Tony chuckled.
”Hey, everyone’s got one and they all stink. When you have to rely on the best money can afford to buy and expect to be sent home in a box any second, you kinda take on this don’t-give-a-shit-imma-do-me attitude and find enjoyment anyway you can. So yeah, we’re all pretty much the same way. I mean, we have our key differences, but the similarities are what help us to bond. The common ground, know what I’m sayin’? And what’s this about a street gang?”
“Speaking of best money could buy, can’t you take that helmet off? That flat stare is creeping me out.” Diamond shivered. “I get what you’re saying. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. Not when she’s pulling the same crap on my team. What pisses me most of all is that I get the nagging feeling it’s fake. A well rehearsed role but push her buttons and it starts to crumble. If I deserve to be yelled at, out with it. I want people to be honest with me.”
Tony placed a hand on the side of his helmet.
”Hm? You want me to remove this? I mean, I can but does it really bother you that much? Honestly, we’re never supposed to remove them to protect identities and dome-pieces. What, you talkin’ about ol’ gal Vanessa over which way? Ah...hold on. I think the seal for my helmet is acting up.” Tony weakly tried to divert the subject away from Esther, using his ‘faulty’ helmet as a piss-poor excuse.
”Fuckin’ thing. I think the locks are damaged…”
“Let me get the can opene-” she reached over her head, only for her hand to pass through air. “Fuck’s sake…” she relieved herself, reaching into her pocket to check her wallet was still there. “Yeah I’ve been meaning to ask about that, is that a callsign or something? Doesn’t seem to fit the rest of your theme.”
Tony waved his hand at Diamond. ”Ah, no need for any ‘can openers’ I g-I got it. Gah, fuck I’m gonna have to get them to pop the seal when I get back. Shit, that’s gonna suck? Huh? Oh, y’mean Esther? I uh…” He glanced over at Esther, who was still preoccupied with comforting and tending to Emerald with her wonderful bedside manners.
”I uh...I really shouldn’t say. B-but no, it’s not a callsign. We don’t really have a ‘theme’ per se. Just stupid identifiers more akin to nicknames. Like mine has to do with my last name. Ski Mask’s has to do with how terrible he looks with a mustache and how he has a court order to stay away from schools, white vans, balloons, and candy. Gorilla because of his face. And Carnal because he’s trying to become a religious whatchamajigger. Funny sorry actually-...” It was still obvious, but Tony was still trying to change the subject and avoid talking about Esther however he could. Diamond already made it known she was no fool, but it wasn’t going to stop Tony from trying.
“Tsk. Wow. That afraid of her huh?” Diamond said, looking at Esther and inclining her head. “Interesting. I didn’t know a clip to the head held that much power. Maybe I should get a few for whenever Oswald pisses me off.”
Tony scoffed, placing his hand on his chest as if he took great offense. ”Am not.” He glanced at Esther, still preoccupied with Emerald. ”Okay, maybe a little. Alright, you got me, a LOT. You haven’t seen what she can do for realsie in the field. There’s a reason our call sign for her is ‘Death March’. You only got a taste of what she can do. Why Beacon Academy haven’t signed her on as a full teacher is beyond us. Probably all of the…” He paused to think. ”Never mind. Anyways, to answer your earlier question, it’s not an act. I assure you, she’s angry 110% of the time and hates any person with a pulse. Mostly because the general populace are idiots in her eyes, some more than others. But, that’s not all there is to Van-..Esther. I mean, look at her right now.” Tony motioned with a hand at Esther. ”I’m not lying when I’m telling you that when she goes home after all this, she’s going to drink heavily and bawl her eyes out for your teammate having been hurt as badly as she has. She may not show it, but she does care deeply for every knucklehead that has the gall and intestinal fortitude to be under her care. She has a habit of taking any and all blame and taking responsibility for everything that happens. To her, everything bad or wrong that happens to those around her is completely her fault. Which is stupid, but-...” Tony froze. Realizing he was saying WAY too much. ”Shit. Fuck. Uhhh...forget I said all that. Please. Damn it. Ahh…” Tony began to check his equipment and ‘organize’ it. Discarding whatever he considered ‘trash’ on the deck of the gunship.
“She’s a good huntress but shitty teacher, that’s why.” Diamond deadpanned. “There’s her way and no other way. Good one would find an approach that the student responds to. Take me for instance, I’m a bit of an anarchist. That is going to be interesting yet since I signed up for her class.” she snickered, 50:50 between looking forward to it and wanting to cancel the transfer.
“I noticed as much, let’s just say our last mission was only slightly less crap than this one. Despite everything she did offer to talk if we felt like. Maybe I should cut her a little slack.” she said, the last part being again in a half hushed tone. “Oi, come on, I’m not saying anything to anyone. Heh. Say what’s with the hugs? She got some painful scars or something? Fresh tatts that itch?””
Tony almost burst out laughing when Diamond commented on Esther’s teaching ability. ”Well, V-...Esther’s teaching method has to with how she was raised, trained, and et cetera. There’s a method to her madness, I promise you. You just gotta really analyze the things she says and does. Everything is for a reason and if you can’t pick up on it, I’d recommend dropping out of her courses. Like you said, it’s her way or none at all. From what I’ve seen and heard, she’s trained quite a few stellar Huntsman. Hell, some of our own rookies are decorated Veterans still alive to this day because of some of the things she had taught them. If it weren’t for her, our group would probably be a lot smaller. She’s saved a lot of men from an early grave more times than I can blink. But about her teaching ways...It sounds like a crock of shit, but just listen and obey. Otherwise be prepared for a lot of stupid games. She knows more fuck-fuck games than a freakin’ toy manufacturer.”
Tony bowed his head lower and sighed heavily, ”A LOT of stupid games.”
Lifting his head back up ever so slightly, he continued. ”Y-you know what? I’d recommend you just...save yourself some agony and take an easier class. Do they have a crochet class at Beacon? I don’t know if they teach home making shit.”
Diamond’s eye twitched. Bending down to grab a piece of Tony’s discarded equipment, she lobbed it at his head. “Shut up. I’m not some doll.” She growled, pausing for a second before looking over at Esther. “What do you know I did learn something.”
Tony sputtered, ”Fuckin’ hell sonofabitch. On second thought, her course might be the perfect place for you.”
He sighed.
”The physical contact stuff? No, no scars. Fresh tattoos, mayb-...”
Tony acted flustered and agitated again for a moment, making a few unintelligible sounds and wild motions which drew the attention of the nearby soldiers.
”You’re a fuckin’ weasel, you know that girl? Stop making me talk! If she finds out I spilled the beans there won’t be anything left for my wife to divorce!” Tony adjusted the volume being output from his helmet, lowering it.
“Hey, by all means, if I do something wrong I deserve an ass kicking. You should have seen her when Emmy shown up in the morning waving loaded guns around. That, THAT was the real her. And the most beautiful hissy fit I ever seen. But I also deserve to know why I’m doing certain thing. I’ll work myself to death if there’s a reason for it without a beep, but not because she feels like it. I mean if you don’t explain how to do something, you don’t get to shout at someone for doing it wrong. Period. Anyway, we’ll see how that goes.” she sighed. Then her mind got to the last part of what was said, and she looked at Esther funny. “I’m sorry what was that about a divorce? My fantasy wandered off for a little.”
Tony shrugged.
”I’m getting a divorce from my wife. She’s a bitch. But, I don’t care because I have custody of my daughter. Nothing big. But, Vanessa teaches in a way that she gives you big puzzle pieces and clues and expects you to put it all together yourself. She hates insulting people’s intelligence in that way and also in that way, it’s a test to see if you’re capable of critical thought and problem solving on your own. Which is not only a useful trait to have as a Huntsmen but as functioning adult member of society. If you can’t FITFO, you need to GTFO.”
“Sorry to hear that. Sorry for the kid that is. Not growing up with a mom around sucks. Bitch that gave birth to me is out there somewhere still to my unending fury. The woman who’s doorstep she dumped me on took care of me for a couple of years, but she was old and passed away. Than… Yeah. Street. Worst grade school ever. But I graduated top of the class, so to speak. If your wife gets something you really like in the divorce that one person can lift, give me a call.” she winked with a crooked smile.
Tony laughed and gave Diamond his hand to shake.
”Sounds like a deal. Man, what the fuck kind of kids they letting in at Beacon nowadays? No offense to you.”
Forgetting the handshake, Tony pulled out the pack of cigarettes Diamond gave him and opened it up to view the brand and the number of smokes remaining. Shaking it slightly, he peered inside the box.
”Smoking, thieving, kids off the street apparently. By the way, thanks again for the cigarettes. I really appreciate it. What brand is this? I don’t think I recognize it. Unless they changed the design or something...Man, I hope we can get a break soon. Nic feenin’ is the worst. I tried quitting before in the past when my daughter was born, but then I realized that would make me a quitter. And quitters are losers.” Tony chuckled as he oddly inspected a singular cigarette.
“Being fucked up sounds like a prerequisite to be stellar in this job.” Diamond said, nodding over to the other side of the ship. “I dunno some garbage they sell near school. Don’t thank me for those, but for the save might be nice.” she said, rubbing her arm. Still nothing. Maybe she should have one of the docs here check it out, but given what she just heard she didn’t want to put more weight on the teacher’s mind. After all Diamond knew full well that was a risk and accepted it. “Dibs on the sawblades by the way, I’m mounting them on the wall. Well maybe you guys can have one. Both if it wouldn’t let Emerald sleep at night.” she grinned, making a note to also recover the remains of her hat before they left.
”I heard that, lady. We’re all mad here. But hey, a cigarette is a cigarette. Beggars can’t be choosers.” Tony noticed her rubbing her arm. ”Y’cold or somethin’, lady?” Moving onto the subject of the creature’s weapons, Tony shook his head. ”Oh, no. You don’t get any souvenirs from that bitch. After we’re done here, a ‘sanitation/relief’ team will be sent in right behind us. One, to collect and scrub any evidence of those fuckers. Two, to aid the civilians in the repairs of the town and surrounding areas. So you can put in a request for the recovery team to pick up anything that may belong to you. Otherwise, you’re shit out of luck.”
“For fucks sake! I am getting really fed up with you stonewalling us on anything regarding that thing! At least tell me it’s classified, make some excuse damn it! I can live with being a pawn IF THE GAME MAKES SENSE.” Diamond thrown a little tantrum, loud enough to be overheard. Huffing she stuffed herself into the chair, arms folded on her chest and a pout on her face. “If something even shittier happens from now on, that’s on you lot! I don’t wanna hear what it is or where it came from, just how to kill it before that-” she pointed at Emerald, “-happens again, am I asking for that much?”
All head and eyes turned to stare at Diamond, the medics pausing in their work. Esther furrowed her brow at Tony. Were the two of them talking about something? What was with the sudden outburst? Tony put up his hands in a defensive expression as he shrugged and motioned at Diamond. Esther shook her head and sighed, returning to her seat as the docs finished up on Emerald’s wounds.
Tony turned to look at Diamond and attempted to appease her.
”Look, lady. They’re Huntsmen, like you, your teammate, and Esther. They have powerful Auras, Semblances, and Trick Weapons just like you. If all you want to know is how to kill them, think about what it takes to kill another Hunter. Not much else to them other than their warped sense of thinking, fucked up faces, and dark clothing like a bunch of angsty teenagers coming out of a Warm Subject store. You happy?”
Esther said nothing on the matter, her attention now focused on the pair and observing them as she crossed her arms across her chest.
“Nghhhhh...everything is moving…” Emerald muttered for one reason or another, it was hard to say if it was the painkiller that was the cause or simply her distressed state.
Dismissing the discussion with a ‘hmph’, Diamond returned to silently sulking in her seat. I already knew that much! she spat mentally, wanting for the hat to still be there so she could shove it in her face and just ignore her surroundings for the rest of the ride. They all might have been used to dealing with losing friends. Diamond never had friends, until now. It was the image of them no longer being there that she dreaded and that put her so on edge.
“Heyyyy….” Emerald drawn out slowly, looking at Esther. “Do you think all the scars I’m gonna have will make me look...badass?” She asked hopefully, for one reason or another this was now on her mind.
Esther cocked an eyebrow and gave her an odd, twisted smile. ”Ah...At the very least you’ll have a story to share. Be proud that you survived something. Lived to tell the tale, so to speak.” She hoped the answer would be sufficient enough for the girl.
One of the medics then chimed into the conversation, which Esther didn’t appreciate too much. ”Don’t worry, kiddo. You can’t feel it much because of the sedatives you’ve taken, but we took the liberty of giving you something that’ll prevent scarring. Or at least reduce the visibility and size of any scars.”
“Oh.” Emerald said, blinking. She almost looked disappointed when she heard the visibility would be reduced. “But how am I supposed to look cool if no one can see them?”
Esther and the doctors shared a look, both turning to stare back at Emerald unsure of what to really say. At this point, Tony who had overheard the conversation butted in. ”Look, little lady. I don’t know who got it in your head but scars, to me? They’re a reminder of something stupid. A stupid mistake that happened. So, if I were you, I’d get it straight that scars aren’t that cool to rock. Trust me. I know. I have a few myself.”
Esther looked at him, ”A few?”
Tony threw up his hands and searched the ceiling for guidance. ”Fine. Okay. A LOT.”
The medic who joined in on their conversation remembered something and left Emerald’s side to kneel in front of Esther. The two of them shared whispers as they talked back and forth, Esther’s worried eyes looking at Emerald briefly before turning back to sharply reprimand the medic. Really, only Emerald’s ears could hear bits and pieces of what was said. But not enough to piece together a complete picture.
”...Did our best...remove”
”-The fuck do you mean…”
”Trace amounts still remain…”
”You better fucking promise me or I swear…”
”Shouldn’t have any effect…”
Esther’s face twisted into an angry scowl as she stood and grabbed the collar of the medic and shoved him away and to the deck of the airship. The medic exclaimed as he bumbled backwards, crashing into a few of the seated mercenaries. She sharply pointed to where the medic stood prior, ”You better get your fucking ass over there and do your damn job!” she hissed. The mercenaries who were tripped into looked at Esther wordlessly and turned to stare at the medic, still on the ground.
”A-aye.” the medic said meekly.
The other medics went to help their friend up, one offering a pathetic apology to Esther.
”Excuse him, ma’am. H-He’s new to the team.”
Esther stripped her hat off of her head and threw it hard against the deck, causing them to jump.
”Go-fucking-figure! No shit, huh!?” Letting out an exasperated sigh, Esther ran her gloved hands back against her hair. Lowering her head, she held herself there as she cursed to herself, spitting venom.
The medic stood and they all returned to Emerald’s side. Running tests for a second time and replacing her IV drip.
Tony knew what was going on and sighed, ”Oh, boy....”
“W-What’s going on…” Emerald finally said, very concerned with what she’d just heard. She didn’t need the whole picture to realise they were talking about her. What was more unsettling was that there was something seriously wrong with her and no one was telling her what it was.
Esther raised her head and looked at the girl, unsure of how to answer. Thankfully, Tony spoke up. He liked to talk a lot and sometimes that worked in his favor, able to handle nearly any situation just by word-smithing his way through things. ”Hey, don’t worry about it kiddo. The docs weren’t able to completely clear out the medication we gave you, so they’re flushing your system with another IV. You’ll piss like a racehorse when you get back, but that way you won’t get sick from any side effects that may come up. So, rest easy. Momma Essie is lookin’ out for you. We all are.” Emerald wouldn’t know it, but he was lying.
Esther didn’t appreciate the new moniker of ‘Momma Essie’, so she picked up her hat and forcefully chucked it at Tony’s face. Catching him off guard, Tony squirmed in his seat as he clumsily tried to remove the hat caught on his helmet’s face.
“Oh.” Emerald said, nodding a bit. She didn’t know too much about medical procedures but it sounded like something they might do. Still, there was one thing that didn’t quite add up. “Then...why do you both look so worried? I-I’m not buying that! Tell me what’s really happening, I can handle it.” Emerald didn’t believe Esther would have gotten so worked up and pissed if it was as simple as flushing drugs out of her system.
Esther looked to Tony again, the two of them sharing another look. Esther sure as well couldn’t lie to the girl. Tony had no issues coming up with a believable lie and feeding it to the Huntresses. ”Well, think about it like this. If you come back to Beacon, the medical team there is going to do their own thing. When they run their tests and find even trace amounts of the...life-saving medication we administered to you, Esther and her buddies, that’s us, can get into some trouble. It’ll cause a bigger hassle than it’s worth for everyone involved when Ms. Vanhomrigh here has to stand in front of Ozpin and explain as to why we used...medication as strong as what we gave you two gals. You see what I’m sayin’? So, just to make it easier on all of us...Getting yourself flushed prevents any long term side effects to your health. Bonus points saves Esther and the Abyss Walkers some potential paperwork, yeah? Trust me, little lady, it’s nothin’ serious.” Inwardly, Tony hoped and prayed that Emerald would take the bait and bite. Better that she left the subject alone than to continue asking so many questions.
Tony and Esther again shared a look, as difficult as it was to see through the faceplate of Tony’s full helmet. She knew what he was thinking and knew what his facial expression looked like. How far were they all going to go hiding information from the Beacon student body? How far were they willing to lie and feed drivel to Diamond and Emerald? Damn their young inquisitive minds. Just focus on the mission and leave things be. They’ll find out when they graduate and take missions of their own as full-fledged Huntresses. But Esther couldn’t help but wonder, were they doing more damage than good? Esther hated being dishonest to people, even if they were younger students of hers’.
Tony got up and roughly patted the shoulder of the nearest medic, startling him. ”Isnt’ that right, doc? Tell the girl.”
The medic turned his head to look at Tony, then back down to Emerald whose body had been recovered with clean bandages and made decent again. The medics all wore the same equipment as the rest of the Abyss Walkers, so it was impossible to see the medic’s face or expression. But, nevertheless, the medic nodded his head once and gently patted Emerald’s shoulder.
”That’s right. Everything is fine with you, Ms. Huntress. You’re going to be completely okay once we get the rest of the medication cleaned out of your system.” The medic turned to glance at Tony, who nodded and again patted his shoulder, sitting back down. Esther silently gave Tony her thanks.
Emerald looked between Esther, Tony, and the medic. Her face scrunched up as she thought it over. She wanted to believe them really, it would be easy to do that. The medic telling her it was true made it more believable but...weren’t they all basically in cahoots with each other? She could shake the feeling they were trying really hard to keep something from her.
“Keep your secrets if you want...but isn’t it unethical for medical personnel to keep a patient in the dark about their own health?”
The other medics looked between one another before the one that had been speaking to Emerald spoke up. Nodding in agreement, the medic laughed. ”You’re absolutely right, Ms. Huntress. It would be against a doctor’s hippocratic oath, so you have nothing to worry about.” The medic, who would later be discovered to be the senior lead medic, turned his head and watched as Diamond angrily stood and walked towards the backend of the ship without saying anything. Looking at her back, the medic thought for a moment. The Huntresses wouldn’t know it, but none of the medics were actually doctors. None of them were required to take any sort of oath, other than their own formulated one. One that only required them to do everything within their power to ensure a person’s survival, nothing more nothing less. Morals and ethics played no part of their ‘oath’. Looking back at Emerald, the lead medic continued. ”Now, the only reason we aren’t doing the same to your teammate is because she had a single dose. By the time you and your team return to Beacon, the medication will be cleared of its own by her own body. It’s only when you receive a double dosage is when problems start to arise, understand?”
One of the mercenaries who had been paying attention to the whole situation fidgeted in his seat. Tapping his foot repeatedly against the deck of the ship as he seemed disturbed by something, worried. From the cockpit, a unintelligible conversation could be overheard, a series of electronic voices speaking in military jargon/code back and forth. As the conversation between pilots of the two gunships ended, ‘Sam’ made her reappearance and addressed them all.
”Alright, so plain and simple, we’re here. We have eyes on the wreckage of Skyhawk-1. Skyhawk-2 will be going in fast and hard to offload a team of our operatives to shut down those turrets to allow us safe passage. Once their mission is done and they’re extracted safely, we’ll be flying in to recover your team and continue forward. Sound good?”
As Sam briefed the occupants of Skyhawk-3, Skyhawk-2’s afterburners kicked into overdrive and their engines could be heard roaring from even inside the other gunship. Within seconds, the turrets that lined the perimeter reactivated and again opened fire. But this time, the gunship was expecting them and conducted stomach-churning evasive maneuvers narrowly avoiding the volley of anti-aircraft fire. Flying low just above the treeline, numerous Abyss Walkers dropped out of the back of the gunship just as it peeled straight up and flew off and back to safety. The gunship falling in line with the one that contained the team, the two of them circling in the safe airspace until the ground troops gave their signal of the all-clear.
Sam continued. ”For now, we’ll be circling until our boys and gals do what they do best. When we see their flares go up, we’ll get a move on.”
So let’s all not notice the other girl who got a shot against her will not being drained of anything to erase evidence. I would have thought you would be doing your best what with the involuntary recipient part, how’d that look on your resumé? Diamond thought wordlessly, but a very angry gaze was ticking between Ms. Vanhomrigh and Tony. She was not saying anything only because she didn’t want to make Emerald even more worried than she already was. I wasn’t sick before but you guys are sure going to make me. Same lying, cheating scumbags as on the streets. Well, if there is any truth to that the least I could do is go have a checkup post-mission, make you at least a tiny bit miserable about this garbage. She got out of her seat and walked as far away from the horse shit that was being tossed around, which amounted for a couple of steps to the cargo ramp. It would have to do. Let them come and say to strap into the harness, she was ready to hurt someone.
For a moment Emerald just looked straight ahead, unresponsive as her mind raced. Then her face got red as her expression became one of anger and her body shook. “That’s bullshit!” She screamed, which caused her more pain than she had been expecting, but she continued, her body still shaking. “You’re all hiding something from me...that much is painfully obvious. I may be young and naive but I’m not an idiot! If there’s something going on with my body I deserve to know what it is! I don’t give a fuck what your reasons are for trying to hide it. S-So don’t you dare tell me another lie! I’ll rip these IVs right out of my arms and refuse to let you do another thing to me!” Emerald moved her right arm to grab the IV that was in her left arm, doing so caused her a lot of pain but she did it anyway, tears in her eyes. She was tired, in pain, drugged, and quite agitated. If they wanted to stop her they’d have to tell her the truth or sedate her.
With Emerald’s outburst, the entire mood of the gunship’s cabin flipped on its head. Every Abyss Walker PMC got to their feet and were ready to pile on top of Emerald if she lost control of herself. They had seen how Huntsmen could get when angered and were not about to have to deal with that however many tens of thousands of feet in the air as they were. The medics grabbed at whatever part of Emerald’s arms, legs, wrists, and ankles to hold her down as the senior lead medic pulled out another syringe that was more than likely a heavy sedative. Tony and Esther had gotten to their feet and worked to diffuse the situation.
Tony put his arms out and looked about the cabin, ”Woah! Woah! Woah! Hey! Everybody calm down, relax! Take it easy now!”
Esther wasn’t nice about it. ”Everybody sit the fuck down! At ease! Lower your damned weapons!”
The mercenaries that weren’t well acquainted with the Huntresses looked at each other nervously, but silently obeyed Esther’s commands and reseated themselves. Esther shot a sharp look at Tony and pointed at the senior medic that was just about to stick Emerald again. Tony nodded and came up behind him to snatch it away.
”I think the gal’s had enough of that today!”
Tony exclaimed, tossing it towards the back end of the gunship, not noticing it landing somewhat near Diamond.
Esther sighed and locked eye contact with Emerald, seeing the tears in her eyes. It wasn’t easy for her, what she thinking of doing. Telling the truth never was easy. But, she was tired of hiding what she knew. She was tired of being dishonest, as it wasn’t in her nature to be a liar. Her and Tony would argue later, but who cared about that. All she cared about was the wellbeing of her students under her care.
”Those...those things.”
Esther and the Abyss Walkers had fought them countless times in the past, but never had a name for them as they gave themselves no name.
”They coat their weapons. Their armor. Their equipment, all of it. They coat it with some poison. Something we’ve never been able to figure out. All we know is that if it stays in you…If they draw blood..”
Esther looked up at Tony, remembering that he sustained cuts from the sawblades. She would have to remind him to get that checked out.
”You start to think like them. Your mind eventually slips. You become rabid. Feral. Just like them.”
Tony started towards Esther but she put up a finger and stopped him.
”Stop. Just...s-stop. Sit down.” A faint but detectable waver broke up her usual clear and firm tone as she spoke. Tony took a step back, slowly reseating.
Esther blinked and rubbed at her eyes, sighing again.
”So, please. Emerald. The docs are doing their best to get it all out of you. I promised you that you wouldn’t become like them, but I can’t keep that promise if you don’t let the docs do their job. Okay, baby girl?” Esther took a step towards the faunus girl and touched her hand to Emerald’s. Only Emerald could see it, but reflected in Esther’s eyes was a deep sorrow and pain. It was clear. Esther had seen the results of someone twisted and transformed by the creatures’ poison. Perhaps more than once.
”Okay?” she pleaded, almost begging.
Tony held his head in his hands, shaking his head and muttering to himself.
”Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. We’re all fucked anyways..”
He sat up straight and threw up his hands.
”Well, might as well tell them everything at this point. The brass ain’t gonna like this.”
Tony turned and looked at Diamond, then to Emerald, and finally to Esther.
”Since we’re all coming clean now and it’s obvious we’re all discredited as liars…”
Tony stood, pacing in what little space he could.
”You all wanted to know what those things were? They’re Huntsmen, yes, I’ve said that. But they’re Huntsmen who worship the Creatures of Grimm. They worship blood. Pain. Death. Fuckin’ freaks, all of them. They fanatically believe that the Grimm are the superior lifeforms of Remnant and that we are all heretics for fighting against our lords and masters. They act as servants for the Grimm, doing whatever they can to sow seeds of misery to empower them, to feed them. They believe that by looking like the Grimm, acting like them, that when they die they are granted the greatest and highest honor of becoming one with the Grimm. As some sort of hivemind. Where it all started and how did they become the way they are? We don’t know. We don’t know how big they are, we don’t know how powerful they are, we don’t even have a fucking name for them. All we know is that they really…really...REALLY hate other Huntsmen. This whole shitstorm of a mission? Probably a set up by them. All to send out their message and spread the word. And that word they want to spread?”
Tony paused, really wishing he could peel off his helmet and light up a cigarette.
”That Huntsmen are not all-powerful. That none of you are the true heroes and saviors of Remnant. That all of our days are numbered, the days when the Grimm will rule is coming.”
Sitting back down, he groaned.
”So now that the cat’s out of the bag-”
Tony looked at Emerald real quick.
”No pun intended.”
Tony turned back to the rest of the cabin.
”Can we PLEASE for the love of all that is sacred be happy, finish this shit up, and go the fuck home?”
Emerald focused on Esther as she spoke, unable to really do anything else but listen. It felt like her heart stopped when her fears were confirmed, she had a poison in her that could turn her into one of...them. When they were finally done talking Emerald had to take a moment to get her voice back.
“O-Okay...” She finally said, removing her hand from the IV she had threatened to pull. “Thank you...for telling me…” Emerald spoke slow and distant, it was a lot to take in, and she wasn’t in the best mental state as it was. She felt like her mind was shutting down on her. She knew that Esther had promised she wouldn’t become like them but the very fact that there was even a chance that it could happen was more terrifying than she had bargained for. More terrifying than death. Their poison was in her veins...if they didn’t get it out it would happen.
She started to sob, she couldn’t help it now. She was in a nightmare that she couldn’t wake up from. “E-Esther I...I’m scared.”
Diamond twitched at Emerald’s outburst, but understood it perfectly. Unfortunately, there was little she could do other than comfort the girl, and someone seemed to be doing that. Now though it only made even more worried about Oswald and Cobalt. Was there only one of those things? Or are there more here. The gunship couldn’t get there fast enough for her.
Though it would be hard for anyone who didn’t truly know Esther to see, the woman’s heart broke when Emerald started sobbing terrified for her future. Removing her body armor and letting the heavy plate carrier drop to the deck with a solid thud, Esther stood over the girl and wrapped her arms around the girl in an embrace. Being careful not to disturb any of the connections from the medical equipment to the girl’s body, Esther softly shushed and stroked Emerald’s hair.
”Shh...It’s okay, sweetheart. You’ll be okay, there’s nothing to worry about. There’s nothing to be scared about. Just relax and take it easy, we’re all here for you. You’ll be alright.”
Esther could only hope she was successful in calming and comforting the girl. She wouldn’t say it, but any negative emotion would activate the trace amounts of poison, even fear. She earnestly cared for the girl, as little as she had known her at this point, but her offering solace was dual-purposed. To ease her suffering and misery, and to save her life. The transformation isn’t a pretty sight, nor was it ever painless. Echoes of comrades that had gone untreated howled faintly in Esther’s memories.
The more she thought of Emerald losing herself, the more she was constantly reminded to have the same procedure done to Tony. Thankfully he had experience in dealing with the poison and only suffered trivial flesh wounds. It was very likely he had less in his bloodstream than the Faunus girl, but even a droplet was enough if left to fester.
It didn’t ease her mind when she looked up and saw Tony rotating his shoulders as if to work out some soreness.
Emerald started to calm down a bit, her sobs slowly turning into sniffles. The fear was still there inside her, lingering, but it started to fade as she let Esther comfort her. Eventually she closed her eyes, she just wanted to sleep and forget about all of this, at least for a little while. It didn’t take long before she lost consciousness.
”PAX count?”
Esther, her mind elsewhere as she watched the docs work on Emerald, blandly responded.
”Four.”
”Those automated turrets-...”
”Disable. Do not destroy.”
”Location of the ECMs?
”Unknown.”
”Approximate location of Skyhawk-1?”
Esther pulled out her Scroll to bring up a holographic map of the area. Using her best calculations she pressed a spot on the map and then swiped at the screen to send the information to ‘Sam’.
Sam pulled it up using the same holographic display on her forearm as Tony and nodded.
”Alright. That’s all we needed. You ah-...Need anything else?”
Esther shook her head ever so slightly, eyes still watching Emerald.
”No. Just make sure my students don’t die.”
Sam didn’t know how to respond and simply nodded in silence as she returned to the cockpit.
On the other side of Emerald, Tony nudged his shoulder against Diamond’s.
”Hey, thanks for the smokes and sorry about earlier. I, of all people, should know better.”
One of the medics working on Emerald called out to the rest of them.
”We’re cutting her bandages. If you’ve got something swinging between your legs, have some decency.”
To which Tony obliged by looking down at the floor of the gunship as did any other soldier on deck who was male.
Giving Tony an inquiring look, Diamond seized the few minutes they had before they got where they were going. “So. How does one go about having her own private army when she treats you like garbage?” she asked in a whisper, fairly certain her voice didn’t carry over the noise of the machines in the middle of the compartment.
Tony glanced at Diamond.
”Say again? How do you mean? She treats us the same as we’ve all treated each other before. And why are you whispering? Speak up, the ship’s a noisy gal.”
Emerald had remained semi-conscious during her transport to the gunship, it seemed the drug that had been administered to her twice now not only was really good at numbing the pain, but it also made it difficult to sleep, even if she wanted too. She was vaguely aware of the medical team treating her, but she didn’t want to focus on that if she could help it. The less she knew about what they were doing the better.
Instead she looked towards her teacher, there was one question burning through her mind at the very moment that she needed answered.
“Are there more of those...things out there?”
Esther blinked slowly, unsure if whether or not she should blatantly lie or be honest to Emerald. To preserve what little innocence this girl had for now, or to wake her up to the reality of the world they lived in. Though she hated to lie as it was against her nature, she sighed quietly before responding.
”No.”
Emerald felt more relief than she thought possible, she certainly didn’t want to deal with any more of them, not ever. “How does something like that even happen…”
“Yah, either of you care to actually enlighten us to what the hell we just fought? Not very teachy of you.” Diamond sneered.
Esther glared at Diamond, glancing at Tony who still held his head low to avoid looking at Emerald’s body.
”You fought Huntsmen. That’s all you need to know and that’s all I’m telling you.”
“Yeah like all I needed to know was that it wasn’t a grimm, except it took my anger and threw it back at me exactly like one of those would. Do you see where the problem is?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Esther’s anger grew, clenching her fist tight. If only she could explain everything to Diamond and help her to understand. But a large part of her refused to lay bare the truth of the matter, some desperate part of her wanting to preserve her student’s innocence as best she could. For as long as she could.
”You fought a Huntress. That’s. It.”
“I...I don’t want to end up like that…” Emerald squeaked out.
Esther’s anger drained out of her at that pathetic response and caused her to get to her feet, moving a step or two closer until she was by Emerald’s side. Taking her hand and warming it, she leaned her face in close so that their eyes met.
”You don’t have to worry about that. You never will. I promise you.”
Emerald would have tried to hug Esther right then and there, if she hadn’t been horribly injured. Her eyes were teared up, from both the stress she was dealing with and the comfort that she would never become a monster like that. She nodded in response.
“Huntress. Sure.” Diamond grumbled for herself, filing a mental note to get to the bottom of this one way or the other. Turning back to the merc beside her, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. “You meant to tell me this ship’s full of assholes? I swear even the street gang had more class then you guys then.”
Tony chuckled.
”Hey, everyone’s got one and they all stink. When you have to rely on the best money can afford to buy and expect to be sent home in a box any second, you kinda take on this don’t-give-a-shit-imma-do-me attitude and find enjoyment anyway you can. So yeah, we’re all pretty much the same way. I mean, we have our key differences, but the similarities are what help us to bond. The common ground, know what I’m sayin’? And what’s this about a street gang?”
“Speaking of best money could buy, can’t you take that helmet off? That flat stare is creeping me out.” Diamond shivered. “I get what you’re saying. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. Not when she’s pulling the same crap on my team. What pisses me most of all is that I get the nagging feeling it’s fake. A well rehearsed role but push her buttons and it starts to crumble. If I deserve to be yelled at, out with it. I want people to be honest with me.”
Tony placed a hand on the side of his helmet.
”Hm? You want me to remove this? I mean, I can but does it really bother you that much? Honestly, we’re never supposed to remove them to protect identities and dome-pieces. What, you talkin’ about ol’ gal Vanessa over which way? Ah...hold on. I think the seal for my helmet is acting up.” Tony weakly tried to divert the subject away from Esther, using his ‘faulty’ helmet as a piss-poor excuse.
”Fuckin’ thing. I think the locks are damaged…”
“Let me get the can opene-” she reached over her head, only for her hand to pass through air. “Fuck’s sake…” she relieved herself, reaching into her pocket to check her wallet was still there. “Yeah I’ve been meaning to ask about that, is that a callsign or something? Doesn’t seem to fit the rest of your theme.”
Tony waved his hand at Diamond. ”Ah, no need for any ‘can openers’ I g-I got it. Gah, fuck I’m gonna have to get them to pop the seal when I get back. Shit, that’s gonna suck? Huh? Oh, y’mean Esther? I uh…” He glanced over at Esther, who was still preoccupied with comforting and tending to Emerald with her wonderful bedside manners.
”I uh...I really shouldn’t say. B-but no, it’s not a callsign. We don’t really have a ‘theme’ per se. Just stupid identifiers more akin to nicknames. Like mine has to do with my last name. Ski Mask’s has to do with how terrible he looks with a mustache and how he has a court order to stay away from schools, white vans, balloons, and candy. Gorilla because of his face. And Carnal because he’s trying to become a religious whatchamajigger. Funny sorry actually-...” It was still obvious, but Tony was still trying to change the subject and avoid talking about Esther however he could. Diamond already made it known she was no fool, but it wasn’t going to stop Tony from trying.
“Tsk. Wow. That afraid of her huh?” Diamond said, looking at Esther and inclining her head. “Interesting. I didn’t know a clip to the head held that much power. Maybe I should get a few for whenever Oswald pisses me off.”
Tony scoffed, placing his hand on his chest as if he took great offense. ”Am not.” He glanced at Esther, still preoccupied with Emerald. ”Okay, maybe a little. Alright, you got me, a LOT. You haven’t seen what she can do for realsie in the field. There’s a reason our call sign for her is ‘Death March’. You only got a taste of what she can do. Why Beacon Academy haven’t signed her on as a full teacher is beyond us. Probably all of the…” He paused to think. ”Never mind. Anyways, to answer your earlier question, it’s not an act. I assure you, she’s angry 110% of the time and hates any person with a pulse. Mostly because the general populace are idiots in her eyes, some more than others. But, that’s not all there is to Van-..Esther. I mean, look at her right now.” Tony motioned with a hand at Esther. ”I’m not lying when I’m telling you that when she goes home after all this, she’s going to drink heavily and bawl her eyes out for your teammate having been hurt as badly as she has. She may not show it, but she does care deeply for every knucklehead that has the gall and intestinal fortitude to be under her care. She has a habit of taking any and all blame and taking responsibility for everything that happens. To her, everything bad or wrong that happens to those around her is completely her fault. Which is stupid, but-...” Tony froze. Realizing he was saying WAY too much. ”Shit. Fuck. Uhhh...forget I said all that. Please. Damn it. Ahh…” Tony began to check his equipment and ‘organize’ it. Discarding whatever he considered ‘trash’ on the deck of the gunship.
“She’s a good huntress but shitty teacher, that’s why.” Diamond deadpanned. “There’s her way and no other way. Good one would find an approach that the student responds to. Take me for instance, I’m a bit of an anarchist. That is going to be interesting yet since I signed up for her class.” she snickered, 50:50 between looking forward to it and wanting to cancel the transfer.
“I noticed as much, let’s just say our last mission was only slightly less crap than this one. Despite everything she did offer to talk if we felt like. Maybe I should cut her a little slack.” she said, the last part being again in a half hushed tone. “Oi, come on, I’m not saying anything to anyone. Heh. Say what’s with the hugs? She got some painful scars or something? Fresh tatts that itch?””
Tony almost burst out laughing when Diamond commented on Esther’s teaching ability. ”Well, V-...Esther’s teaching method has to with how she was raised, trained, and et cetera. There’s a method to her madness, I promise you. You just gotta really analyze the things she says and does. Everything is for a reason and if you can’t pick up on it, I’d recommend dropping out of her courses. Like you said, it’s her way or none at all. From what I’ve seen and heard, she’s trained quite a few stellar Huntsman. Hell, some of our own rookies are decorated Veterans still alive to this day because of some of the things she had taught them. If it weren’t for her, our group would probably be a lot smaller. She’s saved a lot of men from an early grave more times than I can blink. But about her teaching ways...It sounds like a crock of shit, but just listen and obey. Otherwise be prepared for a lot of stupid games. She knows more fuck-fuck games than a freakin’ toy manufacturer.”
Tony bowed his head lower and sighed heavily, ”A LOT of stupid games.”
Lifting his head back up ever so slightly, he continued. ”Y-you know what? I’d recommend you just...save yourself some agony and take an easier class. Do they have a crochet class at Beacon? I don’t know if they teach home making shit.”
Diamond’s eye twitched. Bending down to grab a piece of Tony’s discarded equipment, she lobbed it at his head. “Shut up. I’m not some doll.” She growled, pausing for a second before looking over at Esther. “What do you know I did learn something.”
Tony sputtered, ”Fuckin’ hell sonofabitch. On second thought, her course might be the perfect place for you.”
He sighed.
”The physical contact stuff? No, no scars. Fresh tattoos, mayb-...”
Tony acted flustered and agitated again for a moment, making a few unintelligible sounds and wild motions which drew the attention of the nearby soldiers.
”You’re a fuckin’ weasel, you know that girl? Stop making me talk! If she finds out I spilled the beans there won’t be anything left for my wife to divorce!” Tony adjusted the volume being output from his helmet, lowering it.
“Hey, by all means, if I do something wrong I deserve an ass kicking. You should have seen her when Emmy shown up in the morning waving loaded guns around. That, THAT was the real her. And the most beautiful hissy fit I ever seen. But I also deserve to know why I’m doing certain thing. I’ll work myself to death if there’s a reason for it without a beep, but not because she feels like it. I mean if you don’t explain how to do something, you don’t get to shout at someone for doing it wrong. Period. Anyway, we’ll see how that goes.” she sighed. Then her mind got to the last part of what was said, and she looked at Esther funny. “I’m sorry what was that about a divorce? My fantasy wandered off for a little.”
Tony shrugged.
”I’m getting a divorce from my wife. She’s a bitch. But, I don’t care because I have custody of my daughter. Nothing big. But, Vanessa teaches in a way that she gives you big puzzle pieces and clues and expects you to put it all together yourself. She hates insulting people’s intelligence in that way and also in that way, it’s a test to see if you’re capable of critical thought and problem solving on your own. Which is not only a useful trait to have as a Huntsmen but as functioning adult member of society. If you can’t FITFO, you need to GTFO.”
“Sorry to hear that. Sorry for the kid that is. Not growing up with a mom around sucks. Bitch that gave birth to me is out there somewhere still to my unending fury. The woman who’s doorstep she dumped me on took care of me for a couple of years, but she was old and passed away. Than… Yeah. Street. Worst grade school ever. But I graduated top of the class, so to speak. If your wife gets something you really like in the divorce that one person can lift, give me a call.” she winked with a crooked smile.
Tony laughed and gave Diamond his hand to shake.
”Sounds like a deal. Man, what the fuck kind of kids they letting in at Beacon nowadays? No offense to you.”
Forgetting the handshake, Tony pulled out the pack of cigarettes Diamond gave him and opened it up to view the brand and the number of smokes remaining. Shaking it slightly, he peered inside the box.
”Smoking, thieving, kids off the street apparently. By the way, thanks again for the cigarettes. I really appreciate it. What brand is this? I don’t think I recognize it. Unless they changed the design or something...Man, I hope we can get a break soon. Nic feenin’ is the worst. I tried quitting before in the past when my daughter was born, but then I realized that would make me a quitter. And quitters are losers.” Tony chuckled as he oddly inspected a singular cigarette.
“Being fucked up sounds like a prerequisite to be stellar in this job.” Diamond said, nodding over to the other side of the ship. “I dunno some garbage they sell near school. Don’t thank me for those, but for the save might be nice.” she said, rubbing her arm. Still nothing. Maybe she should have one of the docs here check it out, but given what she just heard she didn’t want to put more weight on the teacher’s mind. After all Diamond knew full well that was a risk and accepted it. “Dibs on the sawblades by the way, I’m mounting them on the wall. Well maybe you guys can have one. Both if it wouldn’t let Emerald sleep at night.” she grinned, making a note to also recover the remains of her hat before they left.
”I heard that, lady. We’re all mad here. But hey, a cigarette is a cigarette. Beggars can’t be choosers.” Tony noticed her rubbing her arm. ”Y’cold or somethin’, lady?” Moving onto the subject of the creature’s weapons, Tony shook his head. ”Oh, no. You don’t get any souvenirs from that bitch. After we’re done here, a ‘sanitation/relief’ team will be sent in right behind us. One, to collect and scrub any evidence of those fuckers. Two, to aid the civilians in the repairs of the town and surrounding areas. So you can put in a request for the recovery team to pick up anything that may belong to you. Otherwise, you’re shit out of luck.”
“For fucks sake! I am getting really fed up with you stonewalling us on anything regarding that thing! At least tell me it’s classified, make some excuse damn it! I can live with being a pawn IF THE GAME MAKES SENSE.” Diamond thrown a little tantrum, loud enough to be overheard. Huffing she stuffed herself into the chair, arms folded on her chest and a pout on her face. “If something even shittier happens from now on, that’s on you lot! I don’t wanna hear what it is or where it came from, just how to kill it before that-” she pointed at Emerald, “-happens again, am I asking for that much?”
All head and eyes turned to stare at Diamond, the medics pausing in their work. Esther furrowed her brow at Tony. Were the two of them talking about something? What was with the sudden outburst? Tony put up his hands in a defensive expression as he shrugged and motioned at Diamond. Esther shook her head and sighed, returning to her seat as the docs finished up on Emerald’s wounds.
Tony turned to look at Diamond and attempted to appease her.
”Look, lady. They’re Huntsmen, like you, your teammate, and Esther. They have powerful Auras, Semblances, and Trick Weapons just like you. If all you want to know is how to kill them, think about what it takes to kill another Hunter. Not much else to them other than their warped sense of thinking, fucked up faces, and dark clothing like a bunch of angsty teenagers coming out of a Warm Subject store. You happy?”
Esther said nothing on the matter, her attention now focused on the pair and observing them as she crossed her arms across her chest.
“Nghhhhh...everything is moving…” Emerald muttered for one reason or another, it was hard to say if it was the painkiller that was the cause or simply her distressed state.
Dismissing the discussion with a ‘hmph’, Diamond returned to silently sulking in her seat. I already knew that much! she spat mentally, wanting for the hat to still be there so she could shove it in her face and just ignore her surroundings for the rest of the ride. They all might have been used to dealing with losing friends. Diamond never had friends, until now. It was the image of them no longer being there that she dreaded and that put her so on edge.
“Heyyyy….” Emerald drawn out slowly, looking at Esther. “Do you think all the scars I’m gonna have will make me look...badass?” She asked hopefully, for one reason or another this was now on her mind.
Esther cocked an eyebrow and gave her an odd, twisted smile. ”Ah...At the very least you’ll have a story to share. Be proud that you survived something. Lived to tell the tale, so to speak.” She hoped the answer would be sufficient enough for the girl.
One of the medics then chimed into the conversation, which Esther didn’t appreciate too much. ”Don’t worry, kiddo. You can’t feel it much because of the sedatives you’ve taken, but we took the liberty of giving you something that’ll prevent scarring. Or at least reduce the visibility and size of any scars.”
“Oh.” Emerald said, blinking. She almost looked disappointed when she heard the visibility would be reduced. “But how am I supposed to look cool if no one can see them?”
Esther and the doctors shared a look, both turning to stare back at Emerald unsure of what to really say. At this point, Tony who had overheard the conversation butted in. ”Look, little lady. I don’t know who got it in your head but scars, to me? They’re a reminder of something stupid. A stupid mistake that happened. So, if I were you, I’d get it straight that scars aren’t that cool to rock. Trust me. I know. I have a few myself.”
Esther looked at him, ”A few?”
Tony threw up his hands and searched the ceiling for guidance. ”Fine. Okay. A LOT.”
The medic who joined in on their conversation remembered something and left Emerald’s side to kneel in front of Esther. The two of them shared whispers as they talked back and forth, Esther’s worried eyes looking at Emerald briefly before turning back to sharply reprimand the medic. Really, only Emerald’s ears could hear bits and pieces of what was said. But not enough to piece together a complete picture.
”...Did our best...remove”
”-The fuck do you mean…”
”Trace amounts still remain…”
”You better fucking promise me or I swear…”
”Shouldn’t have any effect…”
Esther’s face twisted into an angry scowl as she stood and grabbed the collar of the medic and shoved him away and to the deck of the airship. The medic exclaimed as he bumbled backwards, crashing into a few of the seated mercenaries. She sharply pointed to where the medic stood prior, ”You better get your fucking ass over there and do your damn job!” she hissed. The mercenaries who were tripped into looked at Esther wordlessly and turned to stare at the medic, still on the ground.
”A-aye.” the medic said meekly.
The other medics went to help their friend up, one offering a pathetic apology to Esther.
”Excuse him, ma’am. H-He’s new to the team.”
Esther stripped her hat off of her head and threw it hard against the deck, causing them to jump.
”Go-fucking-figure! No shit, huh!?” Letting out an exasperated sigh, Esther ran her gloved hands back against her hair. Lowering her head, she held herself there as she cursed to herself, spitting venom.
The medic stood and they all returned to Emerald’s side. Running tests for a second time and replacing her IV drip.
Tony knew what was going on and sighed, ”Oh, boy....”
“W-What’s going on…” Emerald finally said, very concerned with what she’d just heard. She didn’t need the whole picture to realise they were talking about her. What was more unsettling was that there was something seriously wrong with her and no one was telling her what it was.
Esther raised her head and looked at the girl, unsure of how to answer. Thankfully, Tony spoke up. He liked to talk a lot and sometimes that worked in his favor, able to handle nearly any situation just by word-smithing his way through things. ”Hey, don’t worry about it kiddo. The docs weren’t able to completely clear out the medication we gave you, so they’re flushing your system with another IV. You’ll piss like a racehorse when you get back, but that way you won’t get sick from any side effects that may come up. So, rest easy. Momma Essie is lookin’ out for you. We all are.” Emerald wouldn’t know it, but he was lying.
Esther didn’t appreciate the new moniker of ‘Momma Essie’, so she picked up her hat and forcefully chucked it at Tony’s face. Catching him off guard, Tony squirmed in his seat as he clumsily tried to remove the hat caught on his helmet’s face.
“Oh.” Emerald said, nodding a bit. She didn’t know too much about medical procedures but it sounded like something they might do. Still, there was one thing that didn’t quite add up. “Then...why do you both look so worried? I-I’m not buying that! Tell me what’s really happening, I can handle it.” Emerald didn’t believe Esther would have gotten so worked up and pissed if it was as simple as flushing drugs out of her system.
Esther looked to Tony again, the two of them sharing another look. Esther sure as well couldn’t lie to the girl. Tony had no issues coming up with a believable lie and feeding it to the Huntresses. ”Well, think about it like this. If you come back to Beacon, the medical team there is going to do their own thing. When they run their tests and find even trace amounts of the...life-saving medication we administered to you, Esther and her buddies, that’s us, can get into some trouble. It’ll cause a bigger hassle than it’s worth for everyone involved when Ms. Vanhomrigh here has to stand in front of Ozpin and explain as to why we used...medication as strong as what we gave you two gals. You see what I’m sayin’? So, just to make it easier on all of us...Getting yourself flushed prevents any long term side effects to your health. Bonus points saves Esther and the Abyss Walkers some potential paperwork, yeah? Trust me, little lady, it’s nothin’ serious.” Inwardly, Tony hoped and prayed that Emerald would take the bait and bite. Better that she left the subject alone than to continue asking so many questions.
Tony and Esther again shared a look, as difficult as it was to see through the faceplate of Tony’s full helmet. She knew what he was thinking and knew what his facial expression looked like. How far were they all going to go hiding information from the Beacon student body? How far were they willing to lie and feed drivel to Diamond and Emerald? Damn their young inquisitive minds. Just focus on the mission and leave things be. They’ll find out when they graduate and take missions of their own as full-fledged Huntresses. But Esther couldn’t help but wonder, were they doing more damage than good? Esther hated being dishonest to people, even if they were younger students of hers’.
Tony got up and roughly patted the shoulder of the nearest medic, startling him. ”Isnt’ that right, doc? Tell the girl.”
The medic turned his head to look at Tony, then back down to Emerald whose body had been recovered with clean bandages and made decent again. The medics all wore the same equipment as the rest of the Abyss Walkers, so it was impossible to see the medic’s face or expression. But, nevertheless, the medic nodded his head once and gently patted Emerald’s shoulder.
”That’s right. Everything is fine with you, Ms. Huntress. You’re going to be completely okay once we get the rest of the medication cleaned out of your system.” The medic turned to glance at Tony, who nodded and again patted his shoulder, sitting back down. Esther silently gave Tony her thanks.
Emerald looked between Esther, Tony, and the medic. Her face scrunched up as she thought it over. She wanted to believe them really, it would be easy to do that. The medic telling her it was true made it more believable but...weren’t they all basically in cahoots with each other? She could shake the feeling they were trying really hard to keep something from her.
“Keep your secrets if you want...but isn’t it unethical for medical personnel to keep a patient in the dark about their own health?”
The other medics looked between one another before the one that had been speaking to Emerald spoke up. Nodding in agreement, the medic laughed. ”You’re absolutely right, Ms. Huntress. It would be against a doctor’s hippocratic oath, so you have nothing to worry about.” The medic, who would later be discovered to be the senior lead medic, turned his head and watched as Diamond angrily stood and walked towards the backend of the ship without saying anything. Looking at her back, the medic thought for a moment. The Huntresses wouldn’t know it, but none of the medics were actually doctors. None of them were required to take any sort of oath, other than their own formulated one. One that only required them to do everything within their power to ensure a person’s survival, nothing more nothing less. Morals and ethics played no part of their ‘oath’. Looking back at Emerald, the lead medic continued. ”Now, the only reason we aren’t doing the same to your teammate is because she had a single dose. By the time you and your team return to Beacon, the medication will be cleared of its own by her own body. It’s only when you receive a double dosage is when problems start to arise, understand?”
One of the mercenaries who had been paying attention to the whole situation fidgeted in his seat. Tapping his foot repeatedly against the deck of the ship as he seemed disturbed by something, worried. From the cockpit, a unintelligible conversation could be overheard, a series of electronic voices speaking in military jargon/code back and forth. As the conversation between pilots of the two gunships ended, ‘Sam’ made her reappearance and addressed them all.
”Alright, so plain and simple, we’re here. We have eyes on the wreckage of Skyhawk-1. Skyhawk-2 will be going in fast and hard to offload a team of our operatives to shut down those turrets to allow us safe passage. Once their mission is done and they’re extracted safely, we’ll be flying in to recover your team and continue forward. Sound good?”
As Sam briefed the occupants of Skyhawk-3, Skyhawk-2’s afterburners kicked into overdrive and their engines could be heard roaring from even inside the other gunship. Within seconds, the turrets that lined the perimeter reactivated and again opened fire. But this time, the gunship was expecting them and conducted stomach-churning evasive maneuvers narrowly avoiding the volley of anti-aircraft fire. Flying low just above the treeline, numerous Abyss Walkers dropped out of the back of the gunship just as it peeled straight up and flew off and back to safety. The gunship falling in line with the one that contained the team, the two of them circling in the safe airspace until the ground troops gave their signal of the all-clear.
Sam continued. ”For now, we’ll be circling until our boys and gals do what they do best. When we see their flares go up, we’ll get a move on.”
So let’s all not notice the other girl who got a shot against her will not being drained of anything to erase evidence. I would have thought you would be doing your best what with the involuntary recipient part, how’d that look on your resumé? Diamond thought wordlessly, but a very angry gaze was ticking between Ms. Vanhomrigh and Tony. She was not saying anything only because she didn’t want to make Emerald even more worried than she already was. I wasn’t sick before but you guys are sure going to make me. Same lying, cheating scumbags as on the streets. Well, if there is any truth to that the least I could do is go have a checkup post-mission, make you at least a tiny bit miserable about this garbage. She got out of her seat and walked as far away from the horse shit that was being tossed around, which amounted for a couple of steps to the cargo ramp. It would have to do. Let them come and say to strap into the harness, she was ready to hurt someone.
For a moment Emerald just looked straight ahead, unresponsive as her mind raced. Then her face got red as her expression became one of anger and her body shook. “That’s bullshit!” She screamed, which caused her more pain than she had been expecting, but she continued, her body still shaking. “You’re all hiding something from me...that much is painfully obvious. I may be young and naive but I’m not an idiot! If there’s something going on with my body I deserve to know what it is! I don’t give a fuck what your reasons are for trying to hide it. S-So don’t you dare tell me another lie! I’ll rip these IVs right out of my arms and refuse to let you do another thing to me!” Emerald moved her right arm to grab the IV that was in her left arm, doing so caused her a lot of pain but she did it anyway, tears in her eyes. She was tired, in pain, drugged, and quite agitated. If they wanted to stop her they’d have to tell her the truth or sedate her.
With Emerald’s outburst, the entire mood of the gunship’s cabin flipped on its head. Every Abyss Walker PMC got to their feet and were ready to pile on top of Emerald if she lost control of herself. They had seen how Huntsmen could get when angered and were not about to have to deal with that however many tens of thousands of feet in the air as they were. The medics grabbed at whatever part of Emerald’s arms, legs, wrists, and ankles to hold her down as the senior lead medic pulled out another syringe that was more than likely a heavy sedative. Tony and Esther had gotten to their feet and worked to diffuse the situation.
Tony put his arms out and looked about the cabin, ”Woah! Woah! Woah! Hey! Everybody calm down, relax! Take it easy now!”
Esther wasn’t nice about it. ”Everybody sit the fuck down! At ease! Lower your damned weapons!”
The mercenaries that weren’t well acquainted with the Huntresses looked at each other nervously, but silently obeyed Esther’s commands and reseated themselves. Esther shot a sharp look at Tony and pointed at the senior medic that was just about to stick Emerald again. Tony nodded and came up behind him to snatch it away.
”I think the gal’s had enough of that today!”
Tony exclaimed, tossing it towards the back end of the gunship, not noticing it landing somewhat near Diamond.
Esther sighed and locked eye contact with Emerald, seeing the tears in her eyes. It wasn’t easy for her, what she thinking of doing. Telling the truth never was easy. But, she was tired of hiding what she knew. She was tired of being dishonest, as it wasn’t in her nature to be a liar. Her and Tony would argue later, but who cared about that. All she cared about was the wellbeing of her students under her care.
”Those...those things.”
Esther and the Abyss Walkers had fought them countless times in the past, but never had a name for them as they gave themselves no name.
”They coat their weapons. Their armor. Their equipment, all of it. They coat it with some poison. Something we’ve never been able to figure out. All we know is that if it stays in you…If they draw blood..”
Esther looked up at Tony, remembering that he sustained cuts from the sawblades. She would have to remind him to get that checked out.
”You start to think like them. Your mind eventually slips. You become rabid. Feral. Just like them.”
Tony started towards Esther but she put up a finger and stopped him.
”Stop. Just...s-stop. Sit down.” A faint but detectable waver broke up her usual clear and firm tone as she spoke. Tony took a step back, slowly reseating.
Esther blinked and rubbed at her eyes, sighing again.
”So, please. Emerald. The docs are doing their best to get it all out of you. I promised you that you wouldn’t become like them, but I can’t keep that promise if you don’t let the docs do their job. Okay, baby girl?” Esther took a step towards the faunus girl and touched her hand to Emerald’s. Only Emerald could see it, but reflected in Esther’s eyes was a deep sorrow and pain. It was clear. Esther had seen the results of someone twisted and transformed by the creatures’ poison. Perhaps more than once.
”Okay?” she pleaded, almost begging.
Tony held his head in his hands, shaking his head and muttering to himself.
”Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. We’re all fucked anyways..”
He sat up straight and threw up his hands.
”Well, might as well tell them everything at this point. The brass ain’t gonna like this.”
Tony turned and looked at Diamond, then to Emerald, and finally to Esther.
”Since we’re all coming clean now and it’s obvious we’re all discredited as liars…”
Tony stood, pacing in what little space he could.
”You all wanted to know what those things were? They’re Huntsmen, yes, I’ve said that. But they’re Huntsmen who worship the Creatures of Grimm. They worship blood. Pain. Death. Fuckin’ freaks, all of them. They fanatically believe that the Grimm are the superior lifeforms of Remnant and that we are all heretics for fighting against our lords and masters. They act as servants for the Grimm, doing whatever they can to sow seeds of misery to empower them, to feed them. They believe that by looking like the Grimm, acting like them, that when they die they are granted the greatest and highest honor of becoming one with the Grimm. As some sort of hivemind. Where it all started and how did they become the way they are? We don’t know. We don’t know how big they are, we don’t know how powerful they are, we don’t even have a fucking name for them. All we know is that they really…really...REALLY hate other Huntsmen. This whole shitstorm of a mission? Probably a set up by them. All to send out their message and spread the word. And that word they want to spread?”
Tony paused, really wishing he could peel off his helmet and light up a cigarette.
”That Huntsmen are not all-powerful. That none of you are the true heroes and saviors of Remnant. That all of our days are numbered, the days when the Grimm will rule is coming.”
Sitting back down, he groaned.
”So now that the cat’s out of the bag-”
Tony looked at Emerald real quick.
”No pun intended.”
Tony turned back to the rest of the cabin.
”Can we PLEASE for the love of all that is sacred be happy, finish this shit up, and go the fuck home?”
Emerald focused on Esther as she spoke, unable to really do anything else but listen. It felt like her heart stopped when her fears were confirmed, she had a poison in her that could turn her into one of...them. When they were finally done talking Emerald had to take a moment to get her voice back.
“O-Okay...” She finally said, removing her hand from the IV she had threatened to pull. “Thank you...for telling me…” Emerald spoke slow and distant, it was a lot to take in, and she wasn’t in the best mental state as it was. She felt like her mind was shutting down on her. She knew that Esther had promised she wouldn’t become like them but the very fact that there was even a chance that it could happen was more terrifying than she had bargained for. More terrifying than death. Their poison was in her veins...if they didn’t get it out it would happen.
She started to sob, she couldn’t help it now. She was in a nightmare that she couldn’t wake up from. “E-Esther I...I’m scared.”
Diamond twitched at Emerald’s outburst, but understood it perfectly. Unfortunately, there was little she could do other than comfort the girl, and someone seemed to be doing that. Now though it only made even more worried about Oswald and Cobalt. Was there only one of those things? Or are there more here. The gunship couldn’t get there fast enough for her.
Though it would be hard for anyone who didn’t truly know Esther to see, the woman’s heart broke when Emerald started sobbing terrified for her future. Removing her body armor and letting the heavy plate carrier drop to the deck with a solid thud, Esther stood over the girl and wrapped her arms around the girl in an embrace. Being careful not to disturb any of the connections from the medical equipment to the girl’s body, Esther softly shushed and stroked Emerald’s hair.
”Shh...It’s okay, sweetheart. You’ll be okay, there’s nothing to worry about. There’s nothing to be scared about. Just relax and take it easy, we’re all here for you. You’ll be alright.”
Esther could only hope she was successful in calming and comforting the girl. She wouldn’t say it, but any negative emotion would activate the trace amounts of poison, even fear. She earnestly cared for the girl, as little as she had known her at this point, but her offering solace was dual-purposed. To ease her suffering and misery, and to save her life. The transformation isn’t a pretty sight, nor was it ever painless. Echoes of comrades that had gone untreated howled faintly in Esther’s memories.
The more she thought of Emerald losing herself, the more she was constantly reminded to have the same procedure done to Tony. Thankfully he had experience in dealing with the poison and only suffered trivial flesh wounds. It was very likely he had less in his bloodstream than the Faunus girl, but even a droplet was enough if left to fester.
It didn’t ease her mind when she looked up and saw Tony rotating his shoulders as if to work out some soreness.
Emerald started to calm down a bit, her sobs slowly turning into sniffles. The fear was still there inside her, lingering, but it started to fade as she let Esther comfort her. Eventually she closed her eyes, she just wanted to sleep and forget about all of this, at least for a little while. It didn’t take long before she lost consciousness.
Collabs are okay sometimes, but after being in one for MONTHS I'm really sick of them.
That's exactly it
Our mission is pretty close to being done really, or at least in the final stages.
Anyone else been suffering Overwatch withdrawals since the beta ended? Or am I the only one wishing it was high noon already?
Maybe...
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