SCP Ragnarok Runners

rematch

(Thank you all for waiting so patiently for me! I can't wait to keep writing, though we are nearing end game! Hope to see you few to the end! Thank you again, and don't forget to vote to help with story!)

Alto Clef slowly drove an ATV through the woods with Bright tied up and duct taped on the back. There was no particular reason, save for he had asked for repeated bathroom breaks the entire trip. Since Kondraki's betrayal a week ago, the Foundation has been seeking Y/n and him. Contrary to the testimony Y/n's mother gave, the Foundation had declared Y/n a defector, having joined the Ragnarök Runners. Stupid as it was, Clef could understand with how fast things had collapsed. Last Clef had heard Y/n was heading east.
  Clef, however, was heading north. He had arrived in the woods where he had left his daughter, Briar, and Bright's autistic brother. Or was he a cousin? Clef was busy not listening. The ATV came to a sudden halt. Clef's eyes widened, seeing his face on the ground. Rather, his cold lifeless corpse, laying in the forest with a nerf gun in hand. Clef hopped off from the ATV, pulling out a handgun as he approached the body.
  Bright meanwhile dislocated their arms, slipping from their bindings. Clef examined the body up close, realizing that it looked like it had been crushed into the ground. Bright rushed past Clef, shouting at the top of his lungs.
  "TJ! TJ! Where are you, buddy?!"
  Clef was quick to follow after the madman. The two stopping at where the cabin the two children should have been sealed in. Instead, they found what looked like a battlefield. Rather, a slaughter. Foam darts covered the ground out numbering the dozens of bodies that hung from their waists woven from branches and foliage. The house was entirely missing. Clef shot a body down from the branches, watching it fall down.
  He examined the second corpse while Bright continued to holler. The body seemed to have died from natural causes. From the look of the skinny body, it seemed to be a mixture of dehydration and starvation. The nerf gun in its holster had plants growing out from the cracking plastic.
  "Clef! You need to see this!"
  Clef left the body alone, quickly jogging to where Bright stood. On a freshly cut stump, there was a message engraved into it with mushrooms growing from the stump.
  "We are safe, Y/n. Signed Briar and TJ." Clef read it out loud.
  Clef didn't know what to think. The message could have been fake. Deep down, he wanted to believe that it was real. At the same time, for the first time in a long time, Clef felt a little hurt. Clef began to investigate the area fully. He may have spent years training bodies to throw at anomalies, but he was once the best at tracking and killing them. There are two obvious things: the first being the fact that this place came under attack perhaps a week or so after Clef left, the second being the missing house and its occupants.
  Clef bent down, picking up one of the colorful foam darts from the ground. It's color had faded, rain and the elements. He kicked aside fallen leaves, finding many more laying near the edge of the home. He counted at least a hundred, but there was nothing that they were all too far back from the outline the cabin left in the ground. Had something blocked them?
  "Hey, trench coat kid," Bright said impatiently. "What are you thinking that you aren't sharing with the class?"
  "That they were attacked—"
  "No shit! I mean, where are they?!"
  "I'm working on it. Their attackers were stopped by something. The bullets work in a way that reverses things. They might have removed what I did to the house. Still doesn't explain it being missing. There should be something left behind. Hell, trees or acorns. Nothing. It's obvious that Briar fought back without the intent to kill. Plus, they left that note after the battle concluded."
  "Ok, you're Sherlock. Let me play Watson and ask, how the bloody hell you figured that one out?"
  Clef pointed back to the trail.
  "The body I found back there was crushed under the weight of something. It's the only one that didn't die of natural causes."
  "So, what? Deer girl pulled a Baba Yaga and grew chicken legs on her house?"
  "That is the question. Were that the case, there would be broken or bent trees somewhere around us. We need to check back in the direction that body was. We might find more clues."
  "I'm afraid that I can't let you do that." Kondraki said, suddenly appearing in a cloud of butterflies. "You two caused this whole situation to begin with."
  Kondraki stood twenty feet away, but Clef attempted to shoot Kondraki. The bullets whizzed through Kondraki, his body forming into butterflies before reforming.
  "Kondraki... what did you do to yourself?" Bright asked horrified.
  "Exactly as I asked the Mad One to do. I've evolved myself to survive more. I've become one with SCP-408 and become the center consciousness of the swarm. Of course, I didn't overwrite them. They are as aware of the world as any of us, if that were true that any of us could understand this world."
  "Don't you get philosophical with me!" Clef barked out. "What happened to my daughter?!"
  "She is safe. I've been watching her, and she is as resilient as her father."
  Butterflies peeled off from Kondraki's lab coat, forming a screen in the air that showed a live feed of Briar and TJ, playing cards through a window.
  "Where are they?!" Bright demanded.
  Bright rushed toward Kondraki, only for Kondraki to extend his arm into a squid tentacle! It wrapped around Bright's neck, lifting him into the air.
  "Wait— wait! I don't have the protagonist haircut needed for this type of foreplay!" Bright begged.
  Kondraki slammed Bright into the ground, crushing his skull. Bright laid there limp as Clef clicked his tongue, reloading his pistol.
  "I see. So, you've made it so your little pets illusions can take on a physical form. So. Why kill us now? What changed?"
  "You seem to misunderstand, Alto Clef. I did not come here to chatter. I have come, to settle the score."
  "Are you still bitching and moaning about the Witch Child incident? That's beyond ancient history!"
  Kondraki lunged forward. Clef lined up his pistol, until more shots rang out. Machine gun fire echoed out punching hole after hole through Kondraki who deformed into a swarm of butterflies, reforming a few feet from where the shots were.
  "Let's continue another time, Clef." Kondraki said before vanishing.
  Clef turned to see who had shot, watching as MTF Alpha-1 appear from the tree line.
  "To what do I owe the honor of the Red Right Hand saving me?" Clef asked, dropping his pistol.
  Hound approached, standing face to helmet visor with Clef.
  "You left, along with Jack Bright during a lock down. You have some questions to answer."
  "Come on, Hound. If you came here to sniff me out I would have come back on my own. Or were you so worried about your teacher that you just had to come check on me?"
  "Don't make this any harder than it needs to be."
  Clef sighed, holding out his hands. Hound cuffed Clef while another soldier used the barrel of their gun to pick up Bright's amulet. At least Clef wouldn't have to drive himself back to site.
  Meanwhile, Y/n kept her head low as she wandered through the busy streets of New York. She had been running for a time, trying to make sure she was not followed by the Foundation nor the G.O.C. Contrary to the forest, the air was thick with smog. Y/n now wore a large grey hoodie and jeans torn at the knees. She had tried her luck at an airport to try and get to London, but the Foundation was waiting. She was forced to flee. Now she was stuck with how to make it across the sea.
  "We should stop for food," Chime suggested. "You have not eaten today."
  "We just woke up a few hours ago."
  "And you have not stopped moving since. Escaping from JFK Airport has run our options dry. We will either have to sneak on a plane, or swim across the ocean."
  "Starting to wish I copied the abilities of an SCP that can swim through more than solid objects. It also feels weird sensing so many people around me. Were we not trying to launch a surprise attack, I'd callout to the Mad One and ask for a lift."
  "He always seems to be watching. Were it so easy, we would already be on his doorstep."
  Y/n decided to take the subway. Not caring if she was seen, Y/n phased through the ground peeking through the ceiling. A crowd of people waited in the underground subway, non the wiser as Y/n swam through the ceiling, climbing down the wall before stepping out. The train pulled up as Y/n climbed aboard the crowded train. She stayed standing, keeping her guard up. She was glad she did, because she could feel someone stare at her.
  She turned around, coming face to face with a blonde woman in her mid-forties who was approaching. She seemed almost startled, though smiled as she squeezed past Y/n, slipping something into Y/n's pocket. Once the woman was gone, Y/n pulled the object out, revealing it to be a business card.
  "The Serpent's Hand? Who are they?"
  Y/n flipped the card over, revealing a small message. Apparently, they wanted to help her get across the sea.
  "I believe Alto Clef once described them as... SCP loving hippies who stick their noses where they don't belong which is anywhere that isn't their library."
  "Sounds like a group of lovely people, Chime. It says we need to go to the Statue of Liberty for help. Do you think we can trust them?"
  "Do we have alternative options?"
  "Plenty, but none as easy as this sounds. Let's get off at the next stop."
  Once the train pulled to a stop, Y/n stepped off. However, the area was deafeningly silent. Not a single person was waiting for the train. Y/n turned around as she felt the presence of the passengers vanish as well. Y/n summoned an axe. She didn't know what was coming, but she was going to be prepared for it. Her instincts warned her before her presence sense. She could feel the bloodlust appear behind her. She spun, holding up the axe to defend herself as a large black blade clashed against it! Standing behind that blade was none other than Able, who stared through Y/n with bloodlust filled eyes.
  "Good," Able said approvingly. "Your skills have improved."
  Y/n forced Able's blade to the ground, headbutting the immortal man as he stumbled back, allowing the doors to close on the train. Able cracked his neck before rushing forward, stabbing his blade through the door, cracking it open like the lid of a tin can. He stepped into the train car, standing opposite of Y/n who changed her weapon into a short sword.
  "What do you get out of helping the Mad One?"
  "You still talk too much."
  Able lunged forward attempting to stab through Y/n, who in turn parried the blow causing Able's weapon to get stuck in the wall. Y/n spartan kicked Able back, summoning a large black hammer she struck Able, nearly knocking him out of the open doors! Y/n followed up, rushing forward to push Able's face out, scraping his head against the passing subway walls! A long streak of red spread along those walls before Able knocked Y/n off!
  Able looked to Y/n, the left side of his face mission. The muscle and teeth underneath on clear display. Able spit a mixture of blood and tongue onto the ground as he looked to Y/n with eyes that leaked blood lust. Able rushed Y/n, summoning two short swords as he forced her to block, putting her on the defensive! She parried blow after blow, thankful for Brook's training. It was then a memory came back to her from speaking to Able's brother from the alternate world.
  "Your brother got the better deal from God!"
  For the first time, Y/n saw the flicker of emotion in Able's eyes that wasn't blind rage. It seemed focused. The two clashed weapons, Able leaning in so close Y/n could smell his rancid breath.
  "Keep your mouth shut from which you do not know!"
  "What I don't know? From what I hear, you weren't always a natural born psychopath! When your brother killed you and you went to the kingdom of heaven, you wept for your brother, knowing his soul was hell bound!"
  "Silence!" Able demanded, dropping his weapons as gripped Y/n by her shirt.
  The train slowed down as Able threw Y/n through the open door, causing her to roll along a platform. She grunted, standing up as Able stepped off the train.
  "Looks like I hit a nerve! You prayed to God to spare your brother, but he wouldn't hear of it! Cain laid his bed. So, you gave up the same thing your parents gave up!"
  Able rushed forward, summoning a large black sword. Y/n summoned her own barely blocking the blow as the ground cracked under her feet from the impact!
  "You... you made a deal with another type of god. You went back, and offered your heard for Cain's, to let him feel emotions! But he freaked out, didn't he? When you came back Cain killed you again, having no idea how to deal with his emotions! The bet you made with that other god was lost, and you both paid the price from believing in your brother!"
  "Shut up, silence!"
  "The reason neither of you know peace, is because you risked everything! How does it feel, knowing that you'll never get your peace because of your brother? Because of your choice?!"
  There was the tipping point. The emotionless void in Able's eyes traded for a void filled with absolute anger that he could not use his reason. He threw aside his sword, gripping Y/n by the throat as he choke slammed her into the ground! Y/n used this opportunity to stab him in the left lung with a short dagger. Able moved to slam her again, only for Y/n to phase through the ground. Y/n summoned a meat cleaver underground, using it to cut Able's right hand clean off, freeing her. His decapitated hand quickly withered away while Y/n swam to the surface, finding that the streets were just as empty as the subways.
  Able stumbled from the underground, his arm stump bleeding like a waterfall. Y/n turned to face Able who gripped his bloody arm stump, squeezing as hard as he could until a wet crack filled the air. Able had crushed his stump, preventing him from bleeding out. He then summoned another black blade, holding his sword out to challenge Y/n. Y/n summoned a rapier as the two stared one another down. Both sides knew, that this would be the final strike.
  Both moved to the center of the street, filled with abandoned cars. They stood between the lanes, a corridor of cars around them. No escape, no time for plans. The two charged one another, clashing within a fraction of a second as Y/n's rapier parried Able's strike, stabbing the man straight through his heart! Even then, Able did not falter. He dropped his sword, grappling Y/n in a bear hug! Y/n knew it was foolish. He had survived a bombing, a simple stab through the heart would do him little damage.
  Y/n grunted, trying to force him to let go. It was no use. He had her like a crocodile with prey between its jaws. She looked at Able's half remaining face observing his mouth! She could see that he had some loose teeth.
  "Y/n. Do you remember what 682 had done to counter Brook on the ninth day of training?" Chime asked.
  Y/n knew what Chime meant, but Y/n was going to absolutely hate herself for what she was about to do. She opened her mouth wide, biting Able's mouth! To anyone else, it would look like Y/n was trying to French kiss Able. However, Y/n bit down as hard as she could manage, pulling back with a mouth full of teeth! Like she had watched 682 do with his own teeth, Y/n folded her tongue, using the muscle to shoot the tooth out like a bullet!
  It moved through Able's already damaged left eye, getting stuck in his brain tissue! Y/n fired again through the same eye with deadly accuracy, each tooth knocking the first deeper, and deeper until the teeth shredded through Able's cerebellum. Finally, Able let go. His body twitched as he stumbled back, falling to his knees. Y/n gasped, feeling that her ribs had cracked from the intense pressure. She looked into Able's good eye, shivering from his wide smile.
  Y/n didn't know how, but Able was able to stand, and somehow speak as the two stood against one another.
  "Are you... going to become stronger?"
  "... As strong as I need to be, to end this."
  "Let's... fight... again... Y/n."
  Able slowly tipped backwards, before his flesh smacked against the street. His one good eye closing as Y/n could feel, and see his life draining away. His flesh and bones quickly deteriorating as if he were cotton candy in water. Y/n slowly turned around, spitting out a bit of Able's lip on the ground as that too rotted.
  "Yea... fuck that."
  Y/n moved to slump against a taxi. With her adrenaline decreasing, she finally took notice of the area. Everything almost seemed abandoned. No honking cars that she had heard from hours on end, no people. It was eerily quiet. Then she heard it. Buzzing. Something deep in her memory.
  "Y/n..."
  "I know, Chime. I can't forget that sound either. Even those deer things can't compare to the memory of that day."
  Y/n quickly raced to climb the nearest building to look at the sky. The entire sky was filled with SCP-2086. The bug busses. Hundreds, if not thousands. Perhaps even hundreds of thousands. The buzzing became near deafening as they passed overhead, blotting out the sun from the sky. She looked up to one, noticing that they were all migrating in one direction. Straight across the sea. Y/n reached for the card she had been given.
  "Do you think these Serpents Hand guys can get us across the sea, Chime?"
  "Only one way to find out. Let us chase him to his base. Off to London, to fight the Mad One."