Disclaimer: I do not own the song. It is owned by Hideo Kojima and belongs to the video game Metal Gear R: Revengence. This song plays when Team FRSB start their fight with Rojo.
And here it is. We finally meet Verde's father face to face. Or, face to page. Whatever you want to call it. This will be the second "true fight" that Team FRSB goes through that puts their lives in danger. The first was the fight against the Grimm during the initiation.
You're about to see Rojo for the first time in my stories. A true villain who's out for blood.
I hope you all enjoy the chapter.
...
"I've finally found you."
"Oh, damnit. Look, I'm not selling anything right now," Vao groaned. But when he turned, he furrowed his brow. "Hold on a minute, you ain't one of my buyers. Who the fuck are you?"
Y/N shivered at the sight of the man. He was massive. He stood a little taller than Y/N, but his arms were like tree trunks, muscles rippling under his shirt. With messy brown hair and unsettling cyan coloured eyes, the stranger stared at Y/N and Vao with the intensity of a raging storm. The man shifted his gaze between the two, before finally his eyes stopped on Verde. The artist shifted behind Vao, not even daring to look.
"Wot? Verde, wot's wrong? Are you alright... M-mate...?" Vao barely finished his sentence when he saw her expression. It wasn't normal that she would reveal them unless they were alone together. Seeing that look of pure terror on her face, the tears that fell from the corners of her eyes, he was startled.
Verde's heart thundered and ached in her chest. This couldn't be real, she thought. He wasn't supposed to be discharged from prison ever again. It was all a nightmare. She would wake up, and her friends would be there arguing or playing their game. But Verde was a realist. She knew the truth - that no matter how much she wished it wasn't, this was reality. That she was wide awake, with her biggest fear standing in front of her. The man snickered darkly, angering Vao.
"Wot's so funny, cunt? Who are you?"
Y/N hadn't seen Verde's face from where he was standing. But when he heard his brother's voice shake, he knew something was wrong.
Something was so very, horribly wrong.
The man slid his hands into his pockets. "Introductions are pointless to me. Why don't you ask her? If she can even speak, that is."
They turned to their leader, worry striking their hearts. Verde gagged as she tried to speak, the lump in her throat stopping her voice from being heard. And finally, it clicked for Y/N. He looked at the man, his eyes wide with shock, horror, and fury.
"It's you... You're Rojo..."
The man chuckled. "Ding ding. That's me. Rojo Forest. Pleased to meet you." He began circling them, trying to see Verde. But Vao was quick on his feet, pushing her out of sight. His face had grown red, a vein sticking out of his forehead. But that vein was nothing compared to the ones that jutted out of Sasha everywhere she had skin showing. Rojo flashed them a toothy grin.
"I'll cut straight to the chase. No need for any bullshit. I'm here to kill you, Y/N and Vao. Then I'll take Verde with me."
"K-kill us?" Y/N echoed. Rojo nodded.
"Yup. A little miss Salem wants you dead, for whatever reason. Not my place to ask. And besides, a little murder ain't gonna affect me. I'm already wanted, ha ha." He stopped, sighing deeply. "... But I'm a pretty nice guy. So I'll make my own deal with ya. Hand over my daughter, and you'll walk away from this alive. Refuse and... Well, it's your funeral. Literally."
"Over my rotten corpse," Sasha hissed through her teeth. Rojo smirked, his eyes stopping on Vao.
"... You're Vao, right? What a cutie."
Vao didn't like that compliment. It filled him with disgust. Rojo chuckled, continuing.
"Sadly, femboys aren't exactly my fetish," he stated. "Verde's little alcoholic boyfriend. Betcha feel real shitty, huh? Drinking in front of Verde, knowing about me. That's real scummy."
"Don't want to hear that from a nonce," Vao growled. "Besides, I don't drink in front of Verde. I take breath mints so she don't have to smell shit."
"How considerate... It's gonna be real hard on her, losing you." Rojo sighed, removing his hands from his pockets and shrugging his massive shoulders. "Well, I tried. Gave you a chance, spat in my face. Guess we'll do this my way, then."
Vao nudged Verde from behind, leaning back to whisper something to her. "Piss off, mate. Hide, and wait for us to finish this!"
Verde clutched his shirt tightly, looking up at him. Her lip was quivering.
"V-Vao... You can't beat him... H-he's going to kill you... Don't... D-don't do this!" She was begging him. But Vao pushed her away.
"We ain't gonna lose. There's three of us, only one of him. Plus, we have Sasha. Hide, now!"
Verde looked down, her vision blurry. She knew the truth about Rojo. About his Semblance. She knew this would be the last time she saw them alive. For the final time, she wrapped her arms around Vao, catching him off guard. Shaking, she squeezed him as tight as she could before letting him go and sprinting into an alley. Rojo cracked his neck, his smile stretching into a malevolent smirk. His foot raised high into the air - and cracked the pavement underneath his heel.
"What the hell!?" Y/N shouted. He had no time to think about it. Rojo was already charging at them. In the blink of an eye, he was already standing in front of Y/N with his fist in full swing.
CRACK!
Y/N felt his feet leave the ground as he was sent flying. Bouncing across the road, he could hear the screams of bystanders, who watched in horror as the fight began. The katana-wielder rolled to his knees, touching his mouth. His teeth were missing, and he was bleeding. He focused his Semblance, turning back to the battle.
Vao was swinging is axe at Rojo, screaming a slew of insults.
"Stay fucking still, you nonce! I'm going to cripple you, fucking cun-" Vao stopped when Rojo stepped forward, closing the gap between them and grabbing his weapon by the handle. Rojo brought his knee into Vao's gut, elbowed him in the face, and finally kicked him across the street and into the wall of a building. Y/N was finally beginning to understand why Ironwood told them not to fight him - Rojo was a master at combat. With decades of experience, and military training, their chances of beating him down were slim to none. But that didn't matter to Y/N, nor Vao or Sasha. They had to protect Verde, even if it killed them. Gripping the handle of his katana, he drew it. The blade glinted in the sun as he dashed forward, joining Sasha as she swung her scimitar.
Rojo laughed as he ducked and weaved, not even breaking a sweat. He even started insulting them.
"This is the next line of Hunters! What a fuckin' joke!" He shouted. He shoved Y/N to the ground, turning his attention to Sasha. The giantess screamed in fury, her veins beginning to grow until they looked like they were about to explode. She was activating her Semblance, enhancing her strength tenfold. She swung her weapon, Rojo stepping off to the side as the blade cracked the ground where he once stood. Squaring his shoulders, he punched Sasha in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
"Ha ha! What did your parents feed you!? Doesn't matter!" He reached up and grabbed the sides of Sasha's head, delivering a headbutt that echoed off the buildings, shattering her nose. He pushed her away, the giant releasing her weapon in a daze. Rojo gave her no time to recover, slamming his knuckles into her face, her gut, anywhere he could strike. And finally, he grabbed Sasha by the arms. Y/N watched as Rojo's eyes began to glow, brighter and brighter as his Semblance powered up.
And with a thunderous boom, Sasha was sent flying high into the sky. Y/N's jaw dropped in horror, watching as his teammate crashed through a brick wall, disappearing into the side of an apartment building. Rojo turned to him, his sadistic grin only growing.
"Like my Semblance, kid? It's called Force. Human or Faunus, be it man woman or child! Get close to me, and I can launch you! Best thing? It's connected to my Aura, not my stamina, unlike normal Semblances! I can do this all day!"
Y/N glanced at his scroll. Sasha's Aura had dropped halfway, and her status was unconscious. He looked back up, moving his head to the side as Rojo threw a haymaker at him. Y/N continued to dodge, searching desperately for a window he could attack. If he hadn't been as agile as he was, Rojo would have hit him. And that one hit would have been enough to stun Y/N and kill him. But as he searched, he realized. Rojo wasn't allowing any windows. By continuously swinging, he was forcing Y/N to focusing on dodging, knowing he would tire eventually. Something glinted out of the corner of his eye, and he rolled out of the way as a rocket sailed past, striking Rojo in the chest.
Vao was standing up, his rocket launcher hoisted on his hip. He was bleeding from the head, his hair a tangled mess. But as the smoke cleared, Rojo stood laughing.
"Gonna take more than that! My Aura - I had a birth defect! That shit is higher than average!"
Vao ran to Y/N's side, helping him to his feet. "Got an idea!? You've always been the brilliant one!" He screamed. But Y/N had nothing. They couldn't get close to him, and their ammunition did nothing but tickle the rapist. The most they could do was hold him off as Verde escaped.
But Verde wasn't running. She was cowering in the alley, her scroll in her trembling hands as she called her adoptive father. He picked up almost immediately.
[Verde? What's up?]
"F-father! It's him! He's back!" She screamed into the receiver. Ironwood hung up immediately. But Verde knew he wouldn't make it in time. Rojo was toying with her team, making it as slow as possible just to see them suffer. She dropped her scroll on the ground, curling into a ball. This wasn't real. Not real. Not real.
But it was as real as it could get when Rojo picked Vao off the ground with one hand wrapped around his scrawny throat, slamming the Branwen into the ground. The villain leapt back as Y/N swung his katana, laughing heartily.
"Oh, man! This is fun, ain't it? Watching you sweat, when I'm barely feeling a thing! I'm going to enjoy this! I already am!"
"Shut your mouth!" Y/N screamed angrily. He transformed his katana, squeezing the trigger. Rojo reached down and picked up a piece of the broken road, holding it like a shield as he charged forward. Y/N didn't have the time to switch his weapon back as Rojo batted him away with the chunk of asphalt. Rojo kicked out his foot as Vao tried to attack him from behind, and then swung his fist into Y/N's chest as he tried to charge again.
Y/N felt his heart miss a few beats, his ribs cracking under the sheer force of the blow. He coughed violently, focusing his Semblance again. He was growing desperate. They were only tiring themselves out against him. Vao reached into his pocket and threw something at his brother. Y/N caught it, staring at the syringe in surprise.
"It's an adrenaline shot! Use it to stay standing!" Vao shouted. He already had a needle in his shoulder, injecting it into his bloodstream. Rojo put his hands on his hips, nodding his head.
"Whatever makes this more fun."
Y/N gritted his teeth, stabbing into his left arm and pressing down the button. He could already feel the buzz of the drugs as he stood to his feet, transforming his rifle. Brandishing the katana, he pointed it at Rojo while Vao prepared his axe. They had Rojo surrounded.
"Vao! Rose Storm!" He shouted. Rojo cocked an eyebrow as Vao teleported next to Y/N, lifting his brother off the ground and throwing him into the sky. The Branwen charged, swinging his weapon at full force. From his sky view, Y/N held the trigger of his weapon to the metal, spraying bullets across the street. Rojo laughed as he circled around Vao, using him as a human shield. The bullets struck Vao, causing him to cry in pain. Y/N let go of the trigger in panic, Rojo kicking Vao away and clapping his hands together.
"Finally, some synchronization! Would have worked, if I hadn't been in the military!"
Vao climbed to his knees, holding his bruised stomach in pain as Y/N landed on the ground next to him, helping his brother to his feet. "Y/N, you shot me!" He screamed angrily.
"I-I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! Flower Bird!"
Vao nodded, grabbing Y/N's legs and pulling them into his armpits. Y/N held out his katana as Vao began to spin at blinding speeds, becoming a blur of colors as he tornadoed towards Rojo. The man cartwheeled away and dropped low to the ground, sweeping Vao's feet off the ground. In surprise Vao let go of Y/N, sending his younger brother flying down the street. And as he was mid-fall, Rojo buried his knuckles deep into his chest, bouncing him off the ground like he was made of rubber. He stomped down on Vao's gut, forcing the Branwen's lunch out, pooling onto the street.
Y/N saw his chance. He leapt forward, finally swinging his weapon into Rojo, landing one hit before he was backhanded to the ground.
"You're a real determine bunch, ain'tcha? I told you, you can't hurt me!"
Vao climbed to his feet, throwing a devastating punch into the back of Rojo's head. But he didn't budge. He just laughed.
"That tickles! My turn, bitch!" Vao felt his organs shift when Rojo uppercutted his ribs, Vao struggling to breath. Rojo spun and roundhouse kicked Y/N as he tried to stand up. No matter what they did, Rojo countered them flawlessly. And even with all that moving, he still wasn't sweating.
As Verde listened to the screams of agony from her friends, she cried. She told them not to fight. Warned them. And here she was, powerless to do anything to stop that revolting, abusive maniac.
("... So this is thou plan? To stand by and listen?")
Verde looked up as the voice spoke to her. Two figures stood in the alley with her. One was glowing brightly, twin antlers on their faceless head, and the other was shrouded in darkness. Verde backed against the wall as the dark one spoke.
{"Their time is not now. You must stand, face thou fears if thou truly plans to face the future,"} it growled.
"B-but-"
("Dost thou wish to see them die in vain?") The Light hissed. ("Stand. Fight. If thou allows him to win, many more will be injured. So, Verde Forest. Make thy choice. Know this, and only this; they shan't die here. It is not what was planned in the time before yours. So make thy choice, on thine own initiative.")
The figures didn't wait for a response. They faded away like a figment of her imagination. Verde clenched her teeth, wiping at her eyes and crawling to the edge of the alley, peering out.
Y/N and Vao tried to rush Rojo from both sides. But the military vet stepped back and grabbed the back of their heads, slamming them together. Verde balled her fist.
She was terrified. She could barely look at her father without going weak at the knees. But if she didn't do something, anything, Y/N and Vao were going to get killed. And finally, she made up her mind.
As Rojo laughed, he looked over Y/N and Vao victoriously. "Guess that's it, then! I've had me fun!" He roared happily.
Splash!
Rojo flinched when something hit his shoulder, touching the paint stain in confusion.
"... Paint?" Suddenly he felt something painful. "Ow... Ow! The hell is this!?"
His shoulder and fingers felt like they had been lit on fire. He spun around, spotting the attacker instantly. Verde stood trembling alone in the empty street, her paintbrushes still dripping. Rojo snarled, tearing off his shirt to avoid the continuous damage of the Dust-infused paint.
"Slippery little whore's daughter!" He screamed in fury. Verde felt her panic rising as Rojo began sprinting towards her, his arms pumping like pistons. Rojo reeled his fist back, about to obliterate the artist.
BLAM! BLAM!
Rojo was sent stumbling backwards when Yang flew in, her hair ablaze like an inferno. She used his surprise to her advantage, blasting Ember Celica into his chest. But Rojo grabbed her by the hair, throwing her to the side as if she weighed nothing. A black rope wrapped around his arm, tugging him off balance, and a spear of ice nearly struck him. It would have hit if he hadn't dodged. Weiss and Blake were sprinting towards Verde, meeting FRSB's leader. She looked at them, horribly confused.
"Y/N sent out a distress signal on his scroll! Vao did the same thing! We came as fast as we could! Who is this guy!? How the hell did he beat Sasha, Vao, and Y/N!?"
"It's my father! My real father!" Verde screamed. "He's here to kill Y/N and Vao!"
They didn't have time to answer. Rojo ripped the door off a car, throwing it like a frisbee. Weiss and Verde managed to get out of the way, but Blake had her back turned. The piece of metal struck her in the back, slamming her into a wall. She stumbled for a few seconds before falling to the ground, her eyes half shut. Unconscious, in one fell hit.
Yang tried to headlock Rojo, but his eyes began to glow again. Verde's eyes widened in horror.
"Yang! Let go of him!"
BOOM!
Yang was launched above the buildings as Rojo's Force lashed out, landing far away and out of sight. Weiss glanced at her scroll. Yang's Aura was in the red, and her status was injured. She wouldn't be able to fight, much less move. The heiress looked back up at Rojo, he was growling like a feral animal.
"Nasty kids. Never liked them. This fight is between me, Y/N, and Vao! You should have stayed tucked into your damned beds!"
He moved faster than Weiss could track, grabbing her by the neck and slamming his knuckles into her mouth, over and over. And when she finally dropped unconscious, he tossed her to the side as if she was a piece of trash. Before he could try to grab Verde, Vao came flying from the sky, grabbing onto the pedophile's back like a monkey in a tree, slamming his fists into his shoulder. Rojo reached up and plucked Vao from his back, holding him out at arm's length. He could see Y/N in the distance, running towards them with a glare in his eyes. Rojo grinned.
"I like you two! I like you a lot! You don't give up, even if it'll kill you!" He snickered as Vao thrashed around, trying desperately to land at least one hit. But Rojo's arms were longer. Vao couldn't reach. Rojo's smirk stretched into a full blown smile. "It's a damn shame. The world needs more people who'll fight to the end. Good night, little buddy."
Vao's eyes widened as Rojo's own glowed brightly. He tried to activate his Semblance, but he wasn't fast enough. With another loud boom, the femboy felt like he had been hit by a truck, sailing through the air. Y/N stopped in his tracks, watching in horror as Vao's body slammed into the corner of a building, breaking off chunks of concrete. His flight path had been altered, slamming down into the middle of the street.
Rojo already had his hands on Y/N, lifting him over his head - and slamming his body down on his knee. His ribs splintered, cracking loudly. Y/N's voice caught in his throat, a low, unhealthy gurgle escaping his lips. He could barely breath, gasping and wheezing for air. Rojo smirked down at him.
"Heard you have a healing Semblance. But it takes time to heal, right? Good luck healing that ribcage of yours before I leave with my daughter. With any luck, you'll die just like that girly brother of yours did."
Y/N watched helplessly as Rojo turned, already stalking towards his leader. His Semblance wasn't working fast enough. It was barely working at all. He exhausted himself, the adrenaline shot wearing down. He wouldn't make it in time. Verde took a shaky step back, staring up at Rojo as he approached, his grin growing.
"It's been what, three years since Jimmy had me locked away?" Rojo snickered. "And now I'm finally free. I can't wait to pick up where I left off."
Verde tripped over the cracked road beneath her feet, scrambling backwards, trying to get away from him. Rojo bent down, grabbing the front of her combat outfit.
"Heh heh heh... Hope you didn't grow too attached to your clothes. You won't be needing them where we're going."
Verde screamed, trying to push his arm away. And far off, over fifty meters away, Vao looked up weakly. Blood was dripping from his head, washing over his right eye. He could feel his broken bones shifting as he tried to crawl to them. He could hear his prosthetic clicking as it malfunctioned. Vao could barely call out to them. He could feel his chest aching, and not just from the physical trauma. He felt like a collosal failure. He dragged everyone into his messes, and he couldn't even save his team, much less himself. He groaned quietly, his head spinning. And then something dawned on him. For the first time, Vao managed to think.
Rojo's Force. It was connected to his Aura. If Vao could land one hit hard enough, he could create a chance to kick Rojo's teeth out. But how? Humans and Faunus couldn't get close to him without being blown away.
Vao wanted to hit himself. He couldn't believe he didn't think of it earlier. He turned, crawling towards an abandoned car, climbing into the driver's seat and shutting himself inside. There was no key in the ignition, but that didn't worry Vao. He reached under the steering wheel and pulled the plastic away, fiddling with the wires. And finally, they sparked, the engine roaring to life. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands, taking a deep breath. If this didn't kill him, Vao was convinced he was invincible. He moved his foot to the gas pedal - and floored it.
Rojo panted heavily, his face growing red. "You know what? Just got to thinking, and I don't need to hide my true nature anymore, do I? Yeah, fuck it! I'm just gonna do my thing right here!"
He pulled at Verde's shirt, tearing it off like it was a plastic bag. Verde tried desperately to cover herself and get away, but Rojo trapped her with his foot, pressing the artist into the ground. He was already beginning to work at his belt, sliding it off and tossing it to the side. That horrible, disgusting, perverted smile stretched nearly ear to ear. "I've been wanting to do this for three years. Three, fucking, miserable years! And I finally get it! I'm going to fuck you, Verde! You're about to be raped by your own father!" He was laughing, going through a psychotic episode. Verde squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see her father's body again.
Rojo stopped when he heard something. Turning his head, his eyes widened in horror as the car came barreling towards him. Vao was hanging out the door, his prosthetic removed and wedged between the seat and floorboards to keep the pedal down. His middle finger was high in the sky, a snarl on his feminine face.
"Die, you fucking asshole!" Vao screamed at the top of his lungs. He dove out of the car, rolling across the pavement violently. Rojo didn't have the speed to dodge in time. The car slammed into his waist, pushing him down the street.
CRASH!
The vehicle pinned him to the side of the building, the prosthetic jolting loose and bouncing across the street, sliding to a stop - right at Y/N's feet. His ribs weren't healed completely, but enough for him to stay in the fight. An adrenaline shot was buried into his arm, filling him with energy again. He picked up Vao's prosthetic, tossing it to the cripple who reattached it. Vao already had two syringes in his organic leg, and he stood to his feet next to Y/N.
"Vao... I'll never say this again, but I am so glad you're a drug dealer," he panted. "Now we can wait for the police..."
Vao shook his head, a grin growing on his face. "No, no need. Let's kick his teeth in."
Y/N looked at Vao with a glare. "We can't get close..."
"Maybe not earlier. But do you remember wot he said? His Semblance is connected to his Aura. So I thought if I hit him hard enough, he wouldn't be able to use it! And with his injuries, he won't be able to move so fast!"
"... Vao?"
"Wot?"
"You're a freaking genius."
Rojo pushed the car away from himself, groaning painfully. They were right; his Aura was too low to activate his Semblance. But that didn't mean shit to someone as self absorbed as Rojo. He had his monstrous strength. He looked, no, glared at them. He had never been so pissed off in his life. Not even after Ironwood had nearly killed him three years ago for what he did. Now he knew why Salem wanted these two kids dead. It wasn't that they were strong, but smart. Their chemistry worked to humiliate their opponents. Smashing his fist against the ground, he stood up, straightening to his full height and towering over them.
"You little SHITS! I'm going to fucking KILL you!" He roared. He charged forward, throwing a fatal punch at Y/N. The katana-wielder stepped to the side and Vao stuck his foot out, tripping the lunatic as if he were a highschool bully. Rojo broke his fall with his forearms, a shadow engulfing him. When he looked up, he had to crane his neck to see Sasha's face. Her green eyes blazed with fury, and her foot showed just how angry she was. With one kick and her Semblance activated, she sent Rojo flipping through the air, landing on his back. Vao was helping Verde to her feet, taking his own shirt off and handing it her so she could cover herself.
Rojo began to sweat. He played around too much, he realized. He did the exact thing Salem told him not to and took Y/N and Vao as walking jokes. Team FRSB began cracking their knuckles, Vao handing out adrenaline shots like candy.
"So, how badly are we gonna beat his ass, Boss?" Sasha growled. Y/N snickered. "Please share, Verde. I'd love for a chance to take a couple teeth."
Rojo looked to Verde, trying to scare her into answering incorrectly. But when he stared into her eyes, he saw the green orbs mired in hatred.
"Send him straight to Hell, right where he belongs."
All four of them charged at Rojo. He couldn't defend himself against that many opponents - that was why he took them out one at a time. He tried to swing, but Sasha batted his fist away with her forearm, grabbing it tightly and bringing his knuckles to his shoulder blades. Y/N and Vao leapt forward in unison, burying their forehead into his nose together. The shock made Rojo's eyes roll in the back of his head, dizzy as Sasha lifted him off the ground and threw him down the street like a baseball.
Rojo bounced across the pavement, picking his head up - only to see Vao waiting for him with his axe. He was picking at the blade, glancing down at Rojo with a goofy grin.
"Hey, pal. Good to see ya! Little secret? I like golf! Tootles, cunt!"
Vao raised his axe, slamming the flat side of the blade into Rojo's front like a club. Rojo felt the ground disappear from beneath him, the wind ruffling his hair. He didn't think Vao could be that strong. He was a twig! But then again, he was used to swinging around a weapon twice his own weight. Y/N was fast because of his lighter weapon and training, Vao was slow and heavy because of his own weapon. A perfect match. Rojo looked forward, trying to see where he would land so he could form a strategy. But to his horror, Sasha was waiting for him with a street lamp clasped in her hands, sitting on her shoulder like a baseball bat.
"Y/N! Go long!" She shouted. Y/N ran past Rojo like a blur, holding his hands high in the air.
CRACK!
Rojo cried out as the street lamp slammed into his chest, launching him away. Sasha tapped the end of her makeshift club against the ground, nodding her head before throwing it to the side. "Home run!"
Y/N leapt into the air, meeting Rojo in the sky. He gripped the handle of his katana, unsheathing it into a flurry of slashes. A literal whirlwind of katana caught Rojo, cutting into his bare skin. Y/N stepped on his face and then shotgunned his leg into his jaw, slamming him against the ground. Rojo groaned quietly. He hadn't been this badly hurt since Ironwood. He touched his ribs, feeling them shift around. The giant had shattered the bone like glass.
Something wet hit him in the chest, and his abs began to freeze into a block of ice. He screamed in pain, trying to break it off. Verde ran circles around him, continuing her assault, throwing paint with the accuracy and speed of a sniper rifle, throwing a mix of elements against his bare skin. Fire, wind, ice, electricity. It all scorched, froze, electrocuted, and fed the flames that covered his body. Rojo rolled around on the ground screaming, trying desperately to put out everything he could.
Sasha grabbed Y/N and Vao, throwing them into the air. Vao transformed his weapon, not loading a rocket. That's because Y/N was sticking his feet in the barrel, and once both limbs were inside Vao squeezed the trigger and fired a human rocket at their opponent.
Rojo felt the katana drag right into his side, blood spewing out like a fountain. He groaned again, clutching the wound tightly. He looked down the street, trying to find a way to escape. But FRSB was faster, circling around him like sharks. Vao gripped his chin and popped his neck in eagerness. Vao loved fighting, and he loved fighting pedophiles in particular. And from the looks on his face, Y/N was going to enjoy this too. Finally he found his chance to repeat his aunt.
"Oi, Rojo. Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"
Rojo snarled, charging at the Rose. Verde snapped her fingers.
"Team FRSB! Frostbite!"
They dove for Rojo, casting aside their weapons. Four fists connected with Rojo's chest, knocking the wind out of him. They gave him the ass beating of a lifetime, their arms nothing more than skin colored blurs as they pummeled the living shit out of him. And finally, three out of four backed out. Sasha's mouth opened in a furious war cry as she reeled her arm back as far as it would go, her Semblance kicking into overdrive.
SLAM!
Rojo was sent high into the sky, spinning uncontrollably. Sasha had punched him square in the chin, shattering his teeth like plastic. He couldn't dodge their attacks while he was in the air, watching helplessly as the angry teenagers zipped through the sky, slashing, slamming, and burning him with their weapons. And finally, a new pair of hands grabbed him, turning him so he could stare the owner in the eyes. Ironwood glared at him with fury, throwing Rojo straight to the earth. The ground spiderwebbed around him as he made impact, the General landing in the middle of FRSB.
"Oh ho ho... You should've just stayed in your cell, Rojo," Ironwood shouted. He took off his coat, exposing the cybernetics that made up his right side. Vao wolf whistled.
"Woohoo! My future father-in-law is a cyborg! That's awesome!" He cheered. Ironwood turned to FRSB, his typically stoic expression exploding into a smile.
"I thought I told you to run when you see him. Congratulations; now we get to fight together!"
Rojo was outnumbered five to one. He knew it was over before they even reached him. As he watched his doom approach quickly, he heard the sirens fast approaching. With one last final cry of terror, five sets of hands grabbed him, forcing him to his feet. Punch after punch, kick after kick, Rojo felt his Aura drop little by little, until it shattered. Bruised and battered, they didn't stop. Ironwood and Vao ran backwards several dozen feet.
"Vao?"
"Wot, James?"
"You can call me Dad any time you'd like. Whatever you're comfortable with. You earned it, and Y/N can call me Jim."
Vao blushed, kicking his feet at the ground. "D'aww, thanks Daddy!"
Ironwood frowned. "... I take back my previous statement. You can call me anything other than 'Daddy'."
Ironwood and Vao began running forward, picking up speed as they charged together, hand in hand. The others dove out of the way as the General and the alcoholic jumped, dropkicking Rojo through the air. With two mechanical limbs kicking him, Rojo was sent flying.
... Straight into a police cruiser.
Rojo groaned, unable to pick himself up. That's what the officers were for as they clicked a new ASS collar to his neck, taking him by the shoulders and awaiting the General's order.
Ironwood heaved a sigh, turning to team FRSB. More specifically, Y/N and Vao. "That... Was incredibly dangerous," he growled sternly. Y/N and Vao looked down at their feet, expecting a scolding. After all, they disobeyed him. They were upset, of course. They did it for his adopted daughter. But they didn't know Ironwood very well, it would seem. The General smiled down at them. "Which is why I'm praising you. Fine work. You kept Verde safe, just as you said you would."
Verde looked up at him in surprise. "You... Told them...?" She asked quietly. Ironwood hung his shoulders guiltily.
"... I did. It was not my place, but I had grown fearful that I wouldn't be there. So I asked your team..."
Verde looked at the ground for a moment, thinking to herself quietly. And finally, after a long moment she looked back up at him.
"... It's okay, Father. If you hadn't told them, I'd be..." Her voice trailed off, averting her gaze. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if her team hadn't been around. Or if her boyfriend didn't run her father over. The boyfriend in question wrapped an arm around her shoulder, smiling at everyone. He had taken a victory drink while he was walking back over, and was already drunk with breath mints in his mouth.
"You guysh are zhe besht, ya know dat?"
Y/N raised his index finger and stomped up to Vao, ready to berate him for drinking right after a fight that could have cost them their lives. But as he stared at his brother with his finger dangerously close to his nose, he stopped.
They almost died. If anything, they deserved to celebrate. He sighed, lowering his hand. And finally, he giggled. That giggle turned into a laugh, Y/N holding his sides.
"Okay, okay! You win! You win!" He laughed. He pulled out his wallet, opening it. "Since you managed to use your head, I'll pay off whatever tab you worked up at Junior's. How much do you need?"
Vao tapped his chin, visibly thinking. "Uhh... Sixshty three thousand lien, I think."
Y/N snapped his wallet closed, sliding it back into his pocket. "... Nevermind."
Ironwood chuckled. "Oh, to hell with it. After this, we need to celebrate. Would you care to join me at a restaurant?" He offered. Y/N breathed a sigh of relief. At least someone was responsible - and rich - enough.
"Of course si- e-erm! J-Jim..."
Ironwood gave a small chuckle, turning to the chief officer. His smile fell, returning to it's typical stoic state. "Turn him in to the Atlesian soldiers on standby at Beacon Academy. Ask for a Specialist Schnee; she has been tasked with overseeing his arrest and trial for Death Row."
The officer tossed up a stiff salute. "Of course, sir."
Rojo was cuffed and pushed into the police car, glaring hatefully at Y/N and Vao. He managed to say one last thing to them.
"Heh... You think this is over, that you can go and party. Just know this: that demon is worse than me. Dying would have been a mercy. A mercy! Good luck, Y/N and Vao. I'll see you in Hell when that walking parasite guts you like a damn-" his voice was muffled as the door slammed shut, his lips still moving. Ironwood turned to them, clapping his hands together.
"Well then! Shall we take our leave? I have a wonderful restaurant in mind; it's not strict at all, so no one will have to babysit Vao."
Y/N and Sasha both looked to their leader for an answer. Vao was passed out on the side of the street like a homeless man, unable to respond. Verde nodded her head in agreement. Their mission could wait. She hadn't felt this free since the day Ironwood had taken her away from Rojo. No, she felt freer than that - exhilarated, overjoyed.
"Yes. Let's celebrate," she answered.
And for the first time in since she was five years old, Verde gave a small smile in public.