~First Person~
"Cut the camera feed-!"
Port yelled as the screen of a large box TV sitting on a mobile-table sat in front of me...I sat helpless and powerless the entire time I saw Yang fight Mercury as I knew what was to ensue. I even had that Rat Bastard next to me commentating on the entire time to create yet another thing to add to my already jam-packed list.
"Yikes. Talk about bad sportsmanship. Then again, she's both blonde and has anger issues. Ain't that right, Gary?"
"Ee-yup, Pilot Haytham."
I saw bits of food fly past my line of sight and land onto my lap as Gary, some random IMC Grunt, talked with his mouth full. Eating a freshly made sandwich with all fresh ingredients down to the fucking oven-roasted turkey. And I knew all this because I was hungry and my sense of smell was in overdrive to find food. Another thing to the list...
Soon, the screen turned off as Gary finished his fucking sandwich as he then hauled the cart away as Haytham let out something similar to a sigh. Standing in front of me, he would pull out his Data-Knife and lightly hop it in his mechanical hand. I swear to god...
"You know you can stop this. All the pain. Suffering. Hunger. Had you just left Southeast Vale alone and left? I don't think this would be happening."
"...IMC A.D.A.P.T Pilot...Sergeant Major-"
Before I could continue, Haytham twirled the blade so it was pointed downwards as he grabbed my hand. In that instant, he slammed the blade down onto the chair's armrest as I yelled out in agony as I saw my left ring-finger fly off. It wasn't even the entire finger but, that still didn't deter from the fact everything past my proximal inter-phalangeal was gone. My pained yells were suppressed my gritting my teeth as I breathed heavily whilst Haytham cleaned his knife off on a magazine pouch attached to his chassis.
"I'll give you credit where it's due..."
Letting out a whistle, some IMC medics walked into the room and set up station near my hand as I panted. Watching them finish, one of them soon took out something similar to a finger pulse monitor as the other took out a bottle of-YEP! That's military grade disinfectant! Yelling out again, I could feel my whole hand stiffen and shake as the medic cleaned the wound to the best of his abilities. That's when the other one came over with the clamp and put it on. It was heavy and warm-Oh fuck you! I yelled out yet again as I felt the device heat up past any level any human should ever fell. When that was done, he pulled it off to show the wound had been shut with, what was basically, cauterizing the wound. Then soon stood up yet, I noticed out one of them dropped a scalpel from their pouch as they left.
I know for a fact Haytham acknowledged it yet, left it alone for some reason as I was sweating bullets from the extreme pain yet, numbness I was feeling. I watched him pocket his knife before he turned to leave me.
"You can handle anything. You're strong. Just not strong enough...I can't hell but feel a soft spot for you. Like a puppy."
Closing the door yet, leaving only a slither of it open so light would come in, I was still recovering from my semi-gone digit. However...I definitely added that to the list...
I don't know how long passed when I heard some commotion behind the door but, I know for a fact it wasn't Haytham since he would knock at the door as a fucked up way to tell me a demon is entering the room. Not to mention the giant metal footsteps. However...this amateur given how they were whispering as the door slowly creaked open to show two Grunts chuckling grimly...
Grunting out after being punched for the fifth time, the Grunt standing before me would shake his hand with a growl. I simply just spat off to the side whatever blood was in my mouth at the moment as the other Grunt recorded the fiasco with a small camera. Giggling his ass off the entire time as the other would shush at him to shut the fuck up.
"How many more hits do you have to take before getting knocked out!?"
"Enough for your knuckles to turn into fucking dust..."
The rookie Grunt would growl out as he went to go swing again yet, I quickly bobbed my head to the left as I made my plan finally go into effect. You see, I think this was Haytham's plan in a way. For the blood from my finger to coat the cuff on my left and coagulate slightly to form a more gelatinous by-product. Slipping my hand out the cuff, I grabbed his hand and twisted it as a nasty snap rang out with a yell of pure agony came from him. The other Grunt would panic heavily as he fumbled for his service pistol. Bending the asshole's hand more as he tried to back away, a bone suddenly snapped out from the skin with more yells as a by-product of the sudden appearance of bone. Now I had a makeshift knife that I promptly used to stab the fucker in his own throat as he began to choke on his own blood.
The other Grunt finally got his pistol out as I dragged his buddy in front of me more to use as a human shield as he unloaded a magazine's worth of P2016 rounds. If his buddy's ghost is watching? He must be offended. As I heard a click rang out, I saw the Grunt panic and go to reload as I found his buddy's service pistol. Grabbing that out, I gave a single shot to the skull as the Grunt's head cocked back as he fell onto his knees before falling forward with a thud. In that moment? An alarm now began to blare out as I rolled my eyes with a sigh. Keeping the dead prick on me knowing what's to come next, I would slip the P2016 underneath myself and examine the chains. Although expertly bound, Haytham's work I bet, I noticed a weakpoint-
"Freeze!"
Slipping the P2016 under the meatshield'd arm, I popped blindly into the doorway yet, I know the bullets hit their mark given the heavy sack of potatoes thud right after. Focusing on the chain yet again, I shot one, twice and thrice as the chain suddenly went limp in my hands. Although, more footsteps in the hallway outside. Thinking quickly, I pulled a grenade pin off the meatshield's pouch and kicked him forward as I dropped to the ground with my arms over my head. A small explosion rang out with cries outside that went on even afterwards to show they were still alive...Not for long. Getting up, I poked my head out into the hallway to see it was pleasantly red with several downed but not out Grunts.
"Huh. Christmas came early, boets!"
With my South African accent slipping out, I whistled as I walked up to them to pick up a still intact Hemlok burst rifle. Flicking it to single, I scavenged some two spare mags off the bleeding out Grunt it belonged to before leaving them to bleed. I wasn't about to waste good ammo on them. Especially with all the carnage I have planned...
Kicking a door, I would pop off a set of rounds into a Grunt who was washing his hands in a sink. It was a bathroom. Sort of feel bad for the janitor for what I'm about to do. Rapid-fire single round firing would hail out from me towards the stalls as I heard numerous yells of Grunts that were in them. Probably trying to get the drop on me not knowing who the fuck they were dealing with at the moment. A very pissed and VERY hungry Pilot who isn't afraid of dying due to having lost everything thanks to the same pricks I'm currently dropping.
Whipping myself around, I ducked quickly under a rifle butt as I jammed the barrel into the stomach of a Grunt. Pulling the trigger once before sliding the barrel downward to their leg, I pulled the trigger again for twice. For thrice? There was no thrice as I wrapped the kneed the fucker in the face so hard that his helmet shattered. At this point, a knee to the face should be assumed an accompanying snap is heard too.
I now heard more activity in the hallway as I burst into a sprint towards the door before tackling it off its hinges as I heard a yell. Something, or someone, cushioned the landing a bit as I landed on my side to face three Grunts. One. Two. Three. Watching them drop, I turned my gun back onto the door with the burst action being flicked on. A pleasant little PRRT rang out as I saw blood appear to the sides of the door. No A.D.A.P T gauntlet, helmet, not even my jump-kit and I'm kicking ass...Maybe a bit too much...
Shaking those thoughts away, I flicked tap-fire back on as I ran forward into the unknown yet, I just now noticed through this moment of clarity that these halls are...metallic and painted. As if I was in an Atlas Base... Hauling ass now, I would one tap any resistance, I met along my run. One moment, they set up a barricade to stop me as they opened fire. Yet, little did they know I can still wall run even without a kit. Hopping onto a parallel wall, I tilted my body in an awkward angle as I got lit up yet, all the bullets would really just go past me given how fast ai was going. Something that caught these fucks off-guard when I leaped over the barricade snd over their heads. Landing with a nice slide, I dropped myself onto my back as I still slid while firing along the floor.
Deciding to put myself to a nice test, a shot my legs up into the air and pushed off the floor as I landed on my feet. Yep~ Still got it! No time to think though since a new group of Grunts appeared from both ends of the hallway as I practically ran around in circles as I grew closer to the boys I dropped by the barricade. As I grew closer, the gunfire stopped momentarily as I quickly slid along the ground towards the corpses and grabbed what I was looking for in the form of a frag grenade. I instantly pulled as I now sprinted towards the Grunts I was facing before as they reloaded. Panicking, the dropped their empty weapons and reached to their side arms as I grew a sinister grin that made them drop forward. They expected for me to throw the grenade at them but, I quickly kicked off a wall with a twirl and threw the grenade down at the feet of the other glorified hallway monitors. I heard a set of yells before an explosion rang out. Now facing the submitted and bamboozled group on the ground, they stood up as I landed right in the center of them with no weapon. No problem.
I would swing my foot up and kick one of the Grunts onto their back as I heard a yell behind me. Pivoting my body with a sharp twist in time to block a swing as I quickly ducked under a kick. Causing the kick to hit their own buddy as I went in with a heavy swing and punch that sent the Kicker backwards before I got tackled down to the ground with a yell. The Grunt on top of me attempted to swing at me yet, I redirected the swing to the side as I quickly kicked him off. Grabbing a grenade from his pouch, I simply tossed it towards one of them as they caught it. Throwing it with a yell, they expected an explosion that never came.
What did come from that was me sliding towards the guy who caught the grenade before elbowing his knees backwards. Forcing him to buckle forward onto the ground as I jumped onto my feet before doing a one-eighty wide range kick that hit a Grunt in the chest. I wasn't going to ket him rest as I grappled him with my arms before doing a reverse suplex onto his buddy with the collapsed knee. The one used as a softener would let out a loud crack from his spine as the one I threw was dazed. Just then, the final standing Grunt sent a kick that I caught with my hands before kicking the other foot out from under him. Sending him onto his back, O brought my foot up and swung it down onto his crotch as he let out a high-pitched yell with a cup to his groin.
Quickly turning around I caught a punch in my hand that I yanked to my side before slipping under the guy's arm. Flipping him over onto his back, I kneeled down and sent a heavy punch to his throat that caused him to begin to choke as his wind pipe just got obliterated. Grabbing a P2016 from his holster, I turned around and walked up to the Grunt with crushed dreams. Popping him once in the head to end his suffering as well as save me the possibility of him coming back as a broken man seeking vengeance.
Racing forward, I yet again came across another squad set up as a corner yet, they were looking the other way. Running up with a grin, I whistled out as they turned to fire yet, their bullets just went over me as I had the pistol drawn. Popping one in the leg, he buckled as I jumped up and used him a jump-pad to drop-kick one of his buddies down to the ground. Landing with a hard thud against my back, I popped the remaining uninjured guy one, twice in the chest that was finished by a headshot as he fell backwards. The guy with a bullet in his leg tried to stand to attack yet, I quickly kicked the bullet wound as he fell forward and landed next to me on the ground onto his stomach. I simply brought my right elbow up then down onto his neck as I sprung up onto my feet.
"How many more of you assholes do I have to drop before you get the idea that I'm pulling a Scorched Earth policy!?"
Yelling this out, I would grasp onto a corner to swing around it yet, got hit midair by a pair of boots that belonged to a Pilot. Rolling on the ground, I quickly stood up and fired at this prick yet, they dodged that with ease as they sprinted forward to attack. A nearby pipe was going to save me as I shot it in for the Pilot change course and stick to a wall. Running along it, they committed to a dive kick that I ducked underneath before whipping around. Only to have the P2016 kicked out of my hand, the Pilot kept the momentum up as they swung back around nonstop to send kicks my way. Each time I had to duck backwards before my back hit a wall. With a yell, I simply stuck my arms to my side to stop them as I growled out in annoyance and anger. I could feel my vision sharpen as I glared right at their eyed through the helmet's visor.
"Let me remind you-!"
Slopping the leg under my armpit, I grasped the collar of their suit with my free hand as I swung them around. Smacking their back against the wall, I twisted their leg and gave it a harsh tug as a low pop and yell rang out.
"-I lost everything-!"
Yanking them forward as I twisted my body to them, their chest got pressed against my back before I shoved them harshly into the air. Letting them free-fall with a nice smack against the metal grating.
"-and I am pissed! In conclusion-!?"
The Pilot tried to quickly get up onto their feet but, I would meet them mid-stand with a punch that sent them backwards and onto their ass. The helmet they wore would fling off down the hall.
"-I am not afraid to die!"
I was ready to curb stomp this Pilot to kingdom come when I noticed something about them...dog ears...Noticing this, my eyes went wide as I shook my head of any "fog of war." On the floor was a male dog faunus who glared and snarled at me as I stood in shock...
"Well!? Finish me, prick!"
I soon glared at them as I roared out and brought my foot up to kick them yet, I simply pressed his back against the floor with a growl. Lowering myself down to be eye to eye with him as I pressed my foot more against his chest.
"You're a faunus. I made a promise to a faunus...Leave while you can. And tell every other faunus to just leave. My quarrel is with the IMC. Not. You."
Removing my foot, I leaned down and noticed how he had a MK6 Smart Pistol and Data-Knife. Taking both from him, he still seemed to be in a state of shock as he let me take his gear. Placing the knife underneath the pistol, I was now prepared for anything.
~Third Person~
What he didn't expect was heavy resistance down every corridor even with the access of that Smart Pistol. Before dropping a squad, he would second them for a moment to see if any faunus were within their ranks. He soon noticed how regular Grunts were completely human yet, he would get the occasional faunus Pilot that he spared via disabling them. This proved to be a lot harder than said given how faunus had their natural reflexes that the Pilot had to exploit in one way or another.
He was facing a large bull faunus that had horns and a large stature that was constantly forcing the Pilot to retreat. Not to mention, even Grunts were opening fire on him from the safety of a catwalk as he constantly hopped backwards, side ways, ducked to slid under an attack so he wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet or by the charging horns of this bull. All of this occurring in a large vehicle depot that was empty yet, had stands for Titan's to lean upon for maintenance.
Rolling onto his feet, he soon got an idea as I ran in a straight line towards a pole holding up said catwalk. The bull faunus was having no difficulty catching up as the young Pilot continued on with his charge. Yet, the Pilot was prepared as he used his own shadow as a sort of a gauge of when to enact his next plan.
Ducking with a yell, he stuck his leg out as the Bull faunus tripped forward as the Pilot grappled one of the horns. The bull smacked into the beam as his aura sparked violently from the initial hit as the impact shook the catwalk. However, the Pilot soon roared out as he sent a kicked straight into the weakened support beam as it snapped. With a point being knocked, the catwalk would collapse at one side as the Grunts slid down with yells. Watching them recover, the Pilot sprang forward as he kicked off the chest of one Grunt who stood up so he could be airborne above the squad as he brought that Smart Pistol up. Hearing a set of low humming and clicks, he released the trigger as the gun sent bullets into the helmets of each and every member.
"Where...the fuck...is this exit!?"
"Up here, Pilot."
Hearing that voice, (Y/N) gained a shiver up his spine as he turned around to be met with Haytham holding his Data-Knife within his hand standing upon a large horizontal beam on the ceiling above. Hopping down, the Pilot leapt backwards as Haytham landed just where he was. The force of the impact with the ground shook (Y/N) to his knees yet, he quickly stood up as he went to fire the Smart Pistol. However, he was thoroughly surprised to that Haytham was already up in his face. Before he could pull the trigger, Haytham's knife slashed the aimbot pistol away from himself. Grabbing the barrel, he crushed it with his simulacrum strength as (Y/N)'s eyes went wide upon seeing this.
Remembering he still held a Data-Knife, (Y/N) dashed forward with a roar and slash at Haytham that the simulacrum dodged with ease. Stepping back just a mere foot, he lurched forward and sent an attack that slashed (Y/N) across the chest yet, it was a mere scathe that brought blood. An intentional one at that.
Shoving the enraged Pilot back, (Y/N) stumbled yet, recovered quickly as he gripped his chest with a hand to try and stanch the bleeding. Haytham merely watched as he wiped the blood on his blade off with a pouch's exterior.
"I wasn't lying when I said you'd be too late regardless."
Reaching onto one of his pouches, Haytham would remove a scroll from within before placing it on the ground and sliding it towards the boy. Stopping it with his foot, he would look down to see a roster of the Vytal Festival's battles. And up next? Was Penny versus Pyrrha...A duo that he immediately knew would end badly for them both as the Pilot looked up, only to be met by another slash. One that made him cry out as he was barely able to deflect it yet, the blade scathing his chest yet again. Jumping back to make some space, Haytham suddenly vanished into the void as the Pilot heard footsteps behind himself. Whipping around with a slash, he was met with Baker blocking his attack by grabbing his arm and twisting so their backs were touching. After that, she gave his arm a harsh tug that made him release the blade but, this was intentional on his part as he bent himself backwards onto her back with his legs in the air. His feet would kick the blade higher up into the air as he flipped over her shoulders and back onto his feet as they were face to face. Catching the blade with a grin, he sent a kick up to her side that made her recoil with a cry as he let go of the knife yet again. Catching it in his free hand, he was prepared to stab her in the gut when a hand caught his. Haytham.
"That's enough out of you."
Shoving the young Pilot backwards, Haytham then practically tackled the young boy as he yelped out. What (Y/N) didn't expect was the way Haytham hugged him before activating his Phase Module.
...
Back topside, Athena was unleashing pure hell on IMC Grunts and Pilots alike as she fired missile pods, her XO-16 as well as using her Vortex Shield to catch bullets. These poor sods were getting defeated by a Pilot-less Titan who was on one sole mission. To find her Pilot. Being engaged by a Tone, she would stagger back as her shield's were hit by the annoying tracking rounds that marked her for death. However, she soon activated her Vortex Shield to catch the barrage of missiles that came soon after.
Launching them back to sender and dashing forward, she Tone's shield would drop as it was hit by its own barrage. Athena would meet the Tone and catch its fist as it tried to punch at her before she locked onto the hatch with her missile pod. Letting all twelve missiles go, they found their target and completely destroyed it. However, she soon heard something similar to whistle to see Haytham. She was ready to engage when she saw he was holding her Pilot in a headlock and gun to his head.
"You want him. Don't you?"
Athena would stay silent as the IMC Pilot then shoved her Pilot to the ground as she then turned the gun on the Pilot. Seeing this, Athena unleashed a missile pod barrage that hit its target yet, when the smoke faded, Haytham was gone. Turning to her Pilot, he grunted as he stood up to see the pure carnage laying about. Six Titans, twenty-four Grunts and three lone Pilots...
"Christ, Athena...How did you find me-?"
"I AM CONNECTED TO REMNANT'S CONTINENTAL COMMUNICATIONS TOWER. I CAN HI-JACK ANY SIGNAL THAT RIDES IT AS LONG AS I CAN TRIANGULATE IT. FORGIVE ME FOR BEING LATE, PILOT. ARE YOU HURT?"
"Eh..."
Holding up his hand, Athena's eye would squint before shooting wide-open as she looked at her Pilot. Something he noticed right away as he stood up and walked up to her before extending his hand out to her. Something she copied before he hopped onto her hand and she raised him up to her Data-Core. Grabbing the side of the containment box, he would lean forward and place his forehead against it with a smile.
"I'm okay...see? Just a scratch. I can still kick ass."
"...AFFIRMATIVE. I AM GLAD YOU ARE SAFE, PILOT."
With the moment of reunion and reassurance, the Pilot back up as he put a more serious expression up towards. Causing her to squint as she stood at the ready.
"Me too...But right now is not the time. We have to head back to Beacon ASAP. Penny and Pyrrha are going to fight next."
"PILOT, A COMBINATION OF MISS POLENDINA'S CHASSIS AND MISS NIKOS'S SEMBLANCE WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC."
"Exactly! So no time to waste!"
Athena would open her hatch as the Pilot went to climb in yet, he saw a more than welcomed sight on his seat. His A.D.A.P.T Gauntlet as well as his jump-kit and helmet. Smiling softly, he soon climbed in as the hatch closed and Athena turned to beginning running into the forest that laid the area to reveal a small top-side bunker that had a large ramp heading down to a sub level. Atlesian. Only thing is, it was abandoned and the IMC took up camp there.
"It's gonna be a restless night, Athena."
"INDEED, PILOT. BUT I AM CONFIDENT OF OUR EFFICIENCY."
"...Is that cockiness I hear~?"
"...PERHAPS."
New mission. Stop the Fall.