Mantle
1:21 AM
3 Years To The Fall
Red Hood Pov
The gangsters that I needed were at the SDC factory in front of me. I was perched up on a crane looking down at them. Most of the nightshift workers that were here were executed. More people that I failed.... I jumped down, not even bothering to hide my semblance as I descended. I petal burst onto a guard tower that had a sniper on it. The guy really sucked at his job. I had already picked out a couple of workers who thought they were well hidden.
I snuck up behind him and wrapped an arm around his neck as I kicked his knee out from under him. He struggled for a second before I jerked his head violently, hearing the satisfying snap that was accompanied by this asshole going limp. There was another sniper on the catwalk on the outside of the building. He was the next that needed to go.
I wanted to keep this quiet since there were still civilians in the area. Didn't need them getting caught in the crossfire. I leaped off the balcony and used the grapple gun to zip to the shipping crate below the catwalk. I hit the release on the grapple and holstered it as I landed. I then jumped onto the catwalk, hanging off the edge. This dipshit was to focused on what was happening in his scope to realize me. I quickly jumped up and grabbed him by the head and using my body weight and momentum to slam his head into the railing.
With the snipers out of the way, I could hit the guys down below. I petal burst down to the ground and crouched low behind the shipping container. As a gangster walked up, I redirected his gun away from me while pulling my knife and slashing his throat. As he gurgled, I pulled him behind the shipping container and planted the knife into his heart, speeding up his death.
I didn't wait around for him to finish dying before moving on. As I moved cover to cover, I saw two gangsters walking side by side talking. I stalked them for a bit to eavesdrop and to find a better place to off them.
Gangster 1: Did you hear about what happened at the SDC Trade Center?
Gangster 2: Did I hear? Who hasn't heard?! The Hood is a fucking psycho, man. Killed all our boys in seconds flat!
Gangster 1: I heard it was three minutes....
Noticing that they weren't talking about anything useful and the fact that I was getting bored. I decided to correct them both...
Red Hood: It was actually a minute and ten seconds.
The gangsters turned around shocked but I was ready. I had Black and White already aimed at their heads and as they turned around...
*Bang* *Bang*
The two collapsed on top of one another and I petal burst up to a stack of shipping containers. The other gangsters didn't think much of the gunfire. A few of them were laughing about it, thinking that they got another worker bagged. I used the grapple gun to zip up to the roof. I then took the time to identify who the Lieutenant was. Once I found him, I took note that I should save him for last. It would be a shame if we were interrupted before I was finished with him.
It was around this time that one of the gangsters noticed that their buddies were missing. They immediately started to group up and search around. I pulled out Black and White and merged them together into a rifle with the scope engaged. One of the gangsters poked his head out from around the shipping containers and saw the two that I shot before. As he and his friend ran up, I fired a round into the first guys chest.
The gangster went down screaming. His buddy stopped in his tracks and grabbed him, trying to save him. I fired once more and his head popped and splattered all over his friend. By this point, I was already moving. The rest of the gangsters were converging on the gunshots. I needed to be gone before they got there.
Unfortunately, one of them saw me and began to fire. The gangster couldn't shoot for shit and I let out a burst of gunfire at him. I missed, but he ducked back behind cover, giving me time to finish my escape. I petal burst back down to the ground and pulled Black and White apart and made my way behind the group.
The gangsters were all in one place and firing at the building roof where I was. I began to fire into the group. The bullets tearing through their backs. None of them stood a chance. I noticed that the lieutenant was absent from the group and began searching for him. I didn't have the time or the patience to waste on playing hide and seek with him.
I found the asshole running through the rows of shipping containers. I wasted no time petal bursting down in front of him and grabbing him by the throat.
Red Hood: Where is Black Mask?
Gangster Lieutenant: You ain't gonna kill me! YOU AIN'T GONNA KILL ME!!!
Red Hood: Do I look like a Huntsman to you?
I pressed Black up under his chin to emphasize my point.
Red Hood: Consider your answer carefully before I fill you up with lead.
Gangster Lieutenant: Alright, alright!!! He's at his main office in Sionis tower getting everything he needs now that he's got Atlas off his back.
Red Hood: That's what this attack is for?
Gangster Lieutenant: He's attacking both SDC and Atlas as a whole. They cant do anything if they lose all their assets.
Red Hood: Real smart...
Gangster Lieutenant: You know what else is smart? He knows your coming, and he's ready for you freak!
I reeled my pistol back and knocked him to the ground with it. His mask ripped from the force of the impact. As he looked up, I could see the sheer terror in his eyes as he knew he was about to die. I pointed Black at his head as he cowered and said one simple word...
Good.
*Bang*
....
....
....
Winter Pov
Same Time
Weiss and I was standing in The Generals office. It was the only place that I could think of that would be completely safe. My mother and father were here as well. Whitley stayed glued to father like his life depended on it. Ironwood Refused to deal with father right now, much to his annoyance. The only reason Weiss was still in the room was because she clung to me like a small child. She wasn't scared for herself... She was scared for Y/n. We noticed he used his semblance but as luck would have it, the drones video sensors were damaged so it was hard to tell. Unless you knew what he could do, you would never have know.
Ironwood was studying the situation on the tactical map. Most of the targets were SDC. One of the sites was where Y/n was....
Red Hood: Good. *Bang*
The malice in his voice had me concerned. It was like any regard he had for himself was gone. Like he was a completely different person. Weiss was only just holding back tears, seeing this. Roy's death hit her hard... Hit me hard... I shook him from my mind. I needed to focus right now. I couldn't help Roy, but I could still help Y/n.... I hope.
Councilman Sleet: To think that all this time, Sionis was planning this...
Ironwood: I understand your shock. I'm shocked too... But the fact of the matter is that he needs to be stopped.
Councilwoman Camilla: And what of The Red Hood?
Ironwood: He is a single man who probably wont survive the night and if he does, he will be hunted.
Weiss flinched when she heard this. I gently wrapped a arm around her. She relaxed into it but she didn't let herself look away from the drone footage. Y/n had a drone on him the instant he got to the factory. His skills were unquestionable. Definitely as good as any specialist here in Atlas. Ironwood thankfully didn't pick up on the similarities in movements between him and Qrow due to the video quality.
Councilwoman Camilla: With Sionis gone, there is a open seat. Without a third member, we lose oversite of the city. Before we make any decisions on how to proceed, we should discuss who to elect as a emergency member.
Councilman Sleet: We don't have a emergency member. They were all killed in that ballroom....
The room fell quiet. They were at a impasse. Ironwood couldn't act without council approval nor could the council sanction any action. There was no one who was qualified to take the position either. Ironwood would stagger the room with his suggestion.
Ironwood: Why don't I hold the seat?
The council members looked stunned at the brazen suggestion. Ironwood already had one seat, why should they give him a second? Ironwood continued, explaining his reasoning.
Ironwood: Sionis was over the industrial aspect of the council. Without our industry, our military falls, leaving Atlas exposed to Grimm and other threats like The Hood. If I take the seat, then I can allocate resources where they need to go, while ensuring that our military is properly equipped so that something like this never happens again.
The reasoning was sound. I was all for the idea, so long as we weren't leaving the the city to fend for itself. The council stepped aside for a tense few minutes. Weiss was still watching the drone footage. Y/n was working his way through Mantle and was about to make it to the Atlas terminal. There were several dozen vehicles that were parked there. It didn't take much to realize waht exactly he was going there for.
The two council members came back and readied themselves for the announcement of their decision.
Councilwoman Camilla: As of this moment, General James Ironwood, has hereby been granted a second seat on our council until a suitable replacement has been found.
Ironwood: Thank you. I will do my upmost to contain this situation and uphold the values of the Atlas council to the best of my abilities.
Councilman Sleet: What do you plan to do about this situation, General?
Ironwood: The Ace Ops are already out trying to maintain order in Mantle while the rest of our personnel is protecting Atlas. The only available operative is Miss Schnee.
Winter: Sir, permission to continue my search for The Red Hood. We know that he and Sionis will be in the same place, I can get them both at once.
Ironwood: Granted. I'm trusting you to put a end to this.
Winter: Yes sir.
I guided Weiss out of the room. I already had a plan in mind that would let Y/n get away and Sionis captured. The only thing was I had to reach Sionis before Y/n. If he beat me there and Killed him, then I would have to play my part... I wanted to do this in a way that didn't end with us at each others throats. Roy wouldn't want that...
Weiss: I already know what you have in mind... Please help him...
Winter: I will do everything I can.
I brought Weiss to the medical bay so that she could get some rest. She has already had a long enough night. Y/n was headed for Sionis tower. I didn't have any time to waste if I wanted to end this cleanly. I hoped that Roy was watching out for us... Right now, we all need a guardian angel...
Red Hood Pov
Same Time
The bike came back in contact with the ground with a harsh thud. Between the Knights, Huntsmen, and Gangsters, I had my work cut out for me. The knights and gangsters were fair game. Huntsmen, despite being a major annoyance, were off the table. Atlas needed them and I didn't have the time to deal with all of them individually. Several tried and failed to stop me, so long as I made it to Sionis, I didn't care.
I continued on my way. Every gangster I came across caught a bullet, no questions asked. The police and military personnel were comically outgunned by The Black Masks. It was a takeover in every sense of the term. I helped where I could, but didn't stop for a second. The road leading up to Atlas was mostly destroyed due to the heavy combat. It was a warzone.
Bodies littered the ground making it hard to traverse but I kept pushing. The tower was off the first exit and right there. If the lieutenant was telling the truth, then I couldn't walk in the front door, no matter how much I wanted too. I got off the exit and stopped a mile away from the building. Didn't want to broadcast my arrival just yet. I needed to get in quick and easy.
I took to the rooftops. All the surrounding buildings were skyscrapers so getting up was a pain in the ass. There was a drone that had been following me since the Dust factory. I don't know, nor do I care if it saw my semblance. I continued to scale the building. If I had to bet, Sionis was a top floor kind of guy.
Reaching the top, I began to make my way from rooftop to rooftop. The drone followed me closely the whole time. It was starting to annoy me with how close it was getting. At one point, it almost knocked me off the tower. I didn't want to fire a shot incase a Black Mask heard it. By this point, I was close.
I was still a few floors below the top. It looked like I would have to fight my way up. Looking in, I saw that there was a lot of Black Masks milling about; All armed with various weapons ranging from knives to guns. The top floor was about five floors up. I checked all my equipment again, reloaded my guns, and checked my ammo. Once I was satisfied that everything was in order, I pulled my grapple gun and leaped.
Firing the grapple as far as it could go, I ascended up past one floor and used my momentum from the grapple to swing myself close to the building. As I neared, I released the line and kicked off the pane glass before firing just above the seal. The hook connected and reeled me in as I prepared for impact.
The glass exploded as I burst through. The shards looking like crystals flying through the air. I stood up and tossed a flashbang into the center of the room. The already stunned Masks were completely disoriented from the ensuing flash. The lenses in my mask actually helped keep me from being blinded. I was a little skeptical of the flash suppressant aspect of the lenses, but I'm glad to see they work.
I drew my combat knife and got to work. The first man was covering his eyes screaming. He was right next to the flashbang when it went off. He wouldn't have to live blind though. I slashed his throat and kicked him aside. The second one was stumbling around trying to find something to help him. I ran to him and kicked his knee out from below him and drove the knife into his heart.
The third man in the room was beginning to come to, as was the others. I sheathed my combat knife and drew Withered Rose and the crowbar. I dashed and swiped his head off with Withered rose while simultaneously hooking another by the neck with the crowbar. Pulling him to me, I ran my sword through his chest and out the other side, killing the fourth.
Yanking the blade free, I positioned Withered Rose to fire a buckshot round at the fifth guy. He was blasted back on impact; A bowling ball sized crater in his abdomen. The swiftness in which I killed these five men surprised even me. Raven always drilled me to be capable of doing it, but this was the first time I had managed it. I brought myself back into the moment and looked to see three men still standing.
I assumed that more were on their way, now that I made entry. I sheathed Withered Rose and the crowbar and pulled Black and White and shot the remaining three. I didn't stop for a second as I rushed out of the room. The plan was to take the elevator up there if there was a ceiling hatch. Stumbling upon one in the main hallway, that plan was scrapped when I noticed the elevators were cut off.
Red Hood: 'There goes the easy way'
It was however, at that moment when I heard a beeping coming from the other side of the elevator doors. On instinct, I dove out of the way, not that it helped much. The elevator doors imploded outward and a massive shockwave rocked me. The flames from the explosion was intense. Sionis must have set traps and was waiting for me to fuck up and set them off.
A group of Black Masks rushed around the corner form both sides of the hallway as I stumbled to my feet. Black and White were knocked from my hands in the blast. I yanked out a fire Dust frag grenade and tossed it to the right side of the hallway while rushing the left. The grenade went off, completely destroying that side of the hall. It was unlikely that anyone was in any condition to fight, if they were still alive, that is.
There were six men, all armed with knives and bats. The first man swung his bat downward, trying to crack my skull open. I sidestepped and grabbed hold of the bat. The man tried to pull it free as I pushed the handle into his gut. He dropped to a knee and released the bat. Before I could finish him off, the second and third men attacked at the same time.
I got out of the way of the second man, but was caught in the shoulder by a bat from the third. I gritted my teeth and spun around sending a side kick into his abdomen. Bringing up the bat I took from the first guy, I slammed him upside the head with it. A sickening crack followed by him crumbling to the ground was accompanied by me throwing the bat at the first guys face who was back on his feet. It didn't kill him, but he would have a headache from hell. That's number one and three dealt with.
The remaining four assholes rushed at the same time. I pulled my combat knife and slashed number fives knee, while using his forward momentum to toss him into the fire from the grenade. Four tried to tackle me to the ground but I brought my knife up before he could trap my arm and brought it down into his back. I got free of him and blocked a knife from number six. All that was left was Two and Six. Both had knives so I needed to be careful of them.
Two came in and kicked me into the wall, and brought his knife up to stab, I grabbed his arm and jammed my knife into his gut. I couldn't get it in all the way because he caught my arm. I pulled the knife back and kneed him in the crotch as Six came in to slash me. With my hand now free, I grabbed Two by the throat and threw him into Six, buying me more time.
The two men scrambled to get up. I threw my knife at Six, piercing his eye. He fell back down screaming in pain as I rushed Two. As he went for a overhead stab, I caught his arm and twisted it back, putting him in a joint lock. As he struggled, I snapped the arm and twisted again. He screamed as I popped the arm back in and made him stab himself with his own knife.
I kicked him away and walked up to Six who was still squirming. I grabbed him by the collar and forced him to look at me.
Red Hood: What is Black Mask planning?! Why did he attack Atlas?!
Six: Y-y-you cost h-him his seat on the c-c-c-council. That w-was the o-o-only thing keeping us from go- Urgh... Going under.
Red Hood: That still doesn't explain why!
Six: He w-wants to m-m-make a free s-state. Where we c-can do b-business without th-the law interfering. H-h-he was using t-the council to do i-it.
So all this because he was trying to save his business... Roy died for that...? Rage burst from me as I grabbed the handle of my knife and twisted as I pulled it out. Six screeched as I pulled. I wasn't going to kill him, the blood loss would do that. I picked up Black and White. They were still in working condition. I holstered them and pulled my grapple gun as I walked to the elevator.
Before I could do anything else, the building rumbled. I looked out the destroyed window in the hallway and saw that Atlas gunships were all over the place. Most of them were below while there were a couple above. There were also news crews on the rooftops and in their own airships. One caught sight of me and shined a spotlight in me. The flash suppressants worked on all bright lights.... The more you know. I looked up and saw that a gunship was passing. Instead of taking the elevator shaft, I grappled the gunship and hung under there. Turns out that was the best thing I could have done.
Most of the top offices were destroyed. The building exterior was just gone. The gunships were doing a number on the The Black Masks. Ironwood must have sanctioned a kill order on Sionis, that's the only reason I could think of as to why he would come at Sionis so hard with Atlas and Mantle burning. Sionis... Black Mask was in the middle of all that. I kicked my legs out and swung while unlatching the line from the grapple.
I hit the ground running. I wasn't taking any chances of Atlas getting Black Mask before I got my pound of flesh. The news crew followed my every move. It was giving me away to Atlas but it they were going to notice me whether I tried to avoid them or not. Most of the Black Mask Gangsters up here were already dead. The heaviest fighting was coming from the center of all this debris.
The Gunships for some reason ceased firing when I neared the center. I didn't know why nor did I trust it. I assumed that Ironwood was in charge of this whole operation they were running here. It didn't matter none anyway. I leaped into the center of it all and looked around. I saw absolutely nothing. That is until I heard the distinct sound of Dust igniting. I rolled to the side and drew Withered Rose and the crowbar.
Black Mask: Well, a pleasure for you to stop by little man.
Red Hood: THIS IS FOR ROY YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!
I sprinted forward with the crowbar ready to strike. Sionis simply tossed a vial of Dust at me and ignited it before I could react. The explosion of ice peppered me with wounds, but none of them broke through my aura. As I got up, Black Mask caught me with a kick followed by a right hook. I used the momentum from the blow to spin and slash at him. His aura caught the entirety of the blow but forced him to back off. By now, all the airships in the area were surrounding the building and watching our bout.
Black Mask: *Laughter* You got grit, I'll give you that kid. But there's not a damn thing that's going to stop me now!
Black Mask pulled out the pistol he used to kill Roy. It was a revolver with a 8-shot cylinder. It looked like there was a small hatch that could be used to put Dust into the shell casing. With practiced precision, he brought the gun up and fired. I narrowly avoided the bullet and responded by sending the buckshot shell I had in Withered Rose. Unlike me, he couldn't dodge. His aura once again took most of the impact but didn't show any signs of weakening.
Mine was strong in the sense that I could heal quickly, provided that the damage wasn't extensive, his seemed that it was durability. I shot a bolt of lazarus energy at him to try and bypass his aura. As it impacted, he was knocked to the ground but stood back up just as quickly. I don't know how I blocked Winters semblance back on the freighter, but now would be a good time to learn. I rushed him before he could get another round off.
Black Mask attempted to pistol-whip me as I neared. I used the crowbar hook to catch his hand and attempted to pirouette and slash him. Mid way through, I caught a boot to my back and him pinning me down from behind. Before Black Mask could completely trap me, I turned and elbowed him in the mouth, staggering him. I quickly got up to follow up but Black Mask used the Dust cylinder of his revolver and hit me with a fire round.
The flames caught me center mass. I dropped my weapons as I fell back in pain, trying to put out the fire. Black Mask was about to finish me when help came from a unexpected source. A flock of mini Nevermores surrounded Black Mask. He began to shoot the birds that were pecking at him. It looked more like a annoyance than anything, but it bought me time.
I looked up to see a troop transport with Winter standing there, focusing on her summons. So Ironwood isn't the one running this show... Didn't think Winter would bring so many people this time when she only brought three bullheads to attack the freighter. I finished patting out the fire as Black Mask killed the remaining birds. I didn't have time to retrieve my other weapons, so I pulled Black and White. Black Mask fired first and same as the first, I dodged and fired two rounds back, nailing him in his chest.
Black Mask: GUH!!! You fucking freak! Even now you have to get in my way, huh!
Red Hood: What can I say, I love to a pain in the ass!
I dashed at Black Mask while he recovered from the two rounds. His aura was incredible. Most people's aura can't take a bullet from such a large caliber, but he's taking it like a champ. I was on top of him in a instant, Beating him with my pistols. Every hit was cathartic and sent a satisfying shock up my arm.
Black Mask was looking pretty rough now, his aura starting to shimmer and flicker with each strike. I was pushing myself to keep attacking when he ignited a Dust vial in his gun, that was pushed in between us. The shockwave sent us both flying back.
Being in such close proximity with a explosion completely destroyed our auras. Black flew from my hand as I landed. Thankfully, it landed not to far from my other weapons. I didn't need to be losing anything right now. I holstered White, guns weren't going to help me right now. I needed to be in close.
I pulled my combat knife and stood up. Black Mask was staggering up himself. I darted forward and slashed at him. He blocked the strike and sent a elbow into my jaw. The mask did its job and protected me, but it still hurt. I backed off and Black Mask advanced. I readied my knife and thrust it towards his chest while grabbing his collar. He mimicked my movements and blocked the knife while holding me.
Red Hood: All of this... Because you wanted your own private playground!?
Black Mask: All of this because Atlas is run by nothing but a corrupt council and a wanna-be dictator! If it wasn't for Atlas, none of this would have happened!
Red Hood: So your solution is to burn it down and fuck everybody else!?
His response triggered a even stronger urge to take him out. He killed Oum knows how many, including Roy, and was more than ready to keep going. If it meant getting what he wanted, then Weiss, or Winter would be killed just as quickly as everyone else. He'd have to kill me before I let that happen. I Knew what I needed to do to end this....
The knife went deep into my chest as I focused the lazarus energy. The pain was making it hard to focus, but I needed to take his semblance out. I released the energy into him and he stumbled back, a green shimmer slightly present, just like with Winter. I yanked the knife out of my chest and sprinted at him. He grabbed a Dust Vial and threw it at me but I caught it safely.
Black Mask: W-what!? WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?
Red Hood: Evened the odds.
I tossed the Dust away and advanced. Black Mask stumbled back with nothing to protect himself with anymore. I sheathed my knife and drew White. Black Mask tried to run for cover but the bullet tore through his hip, knocking him down and immobilizing him. I retrieved all of my weapons and got ready for what happened next. I turned and marched to up to Black Mask.
Red Hood: Black Mask... You should have ran when you had a chance.
Black Mask: No, wai-
I kicked him in the face and grabbed him by his collar lifting him up. Between him struggling and my wounds, he slipped from my grasp. I grabbed him again and this time yanked him to his feet as I dragged him to the ledge of the building. There was only a wall on this side of the building, the glass remarkably untouched. Good, I wanted to send a message.
Black Mask: Wait! You dont need to do this! I'll give you whatever you want! Money! Drugs! Guns! Weapons! Whatever you want, please! I'll take a airship, leave Atlas! Never show my face again! Anywhere you want! I'll Go anywhere!
I yanked him up until we were face to face.
Red Hood: How about you go to hell!
I released my grasp on him and kicked him through the window and off the building. His terrified screams as he fell faded with every passing moment. A satisfied smile found its way onto my face. The son of a bitch was dead, that's what mattered. I looked around and noticed that I was surrounded my news airships and Atlas gunships. I saw the troop transport that had Winter. She looked both upset and relieved.
Winter: RED HOOD, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST! IF YOU RESIST, YOU WILL BE SHOT! PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN AND GET ON YOUR KNEES!
I figure that it was more of a warning of what is expected of her since she knows I'm going to run. That's that, nothing more to say. I honestly didn't care if I died now, but I wasn't going to submit to Atlas. I sprinted forward. All the gunships opened fire, all trying to stop me. The bullets zipped all around me. I reached the ledge and jumped while grappling to a news airship. I used the grapple to slow the descent and landed on another building. The line came lose and I ran, Atlas military crashing down on top of me.
I jumped down into a gap between the buildings and petal burst through the alley. This trick worked once, why wouldn't it work again... Once satisfied that I lost the military that was on me, I made my way back to the bike I stole. I needed to leave. A part of me wanted to see Weiss before I left, but I buried it deep. She didn't need me... Probably didn't want a monster either...
I just needed to get out. That was my only goal now.
3rd Person Pov
In Vale, Raven and her tribe had seen what had happened in Atlas, and that Y/n was at the center of it all. Raven didn't show it, but she regretted that things happened as they did. She thought that if maybe she had been honest from the start and explained her reasoning, this could have been avoided. Y/n and Roy both were warriors.
They had what it took to survive, but because of her, she put them in a position where they couldn't win. She believed that Y/n would meet the same fate as Roy. Something that she hoped wouldn't happen. This wasn't about being too weak to survive, it was about the circumstances surrounding them.
Going to Atlas had doomed them to die. With Roy already dead, James wouldn't just let Y/n walk away. She hated to admit it, but the boy she had took in and trained. The boy that was a survivor. The boy who she took in and raised after reviving him, was going to die...
Vernal was distraught to learn that Roy had been killed. She resented that they walked away so willingly, but hoped that one day, they could make up. That opportunity was gone now. She had lost one of the two boys who were like brothers to her, and was looking at the prospect of losing the other.
The only relief that they found was that Y/n had finished the fight. The man that killed Roy was now dead too. That was something to take comfort in. Atlas was burning with Y/n in the middle of it. It was truly a feat that he survived this long. Despite how bleak things seemed to be, both hoped that Y/n could make it out. Even if they both knew that the chances of that were near zero...
Red Hood Pov
I reached my bike with little resistance. Despite Atlas personnel hunting me, it seemed that they were a little more interested with stopping their home from burning down, something I was going to capitalize on. Even though I was trying to bury it, Weiss stayed at the forefront of my mind. All I wanted was to see her, to find some comfort in this fucked up mess I found myself in.
I rode through the alleyways trying to make it to Mantle. If I made it there, I'd be home free. Atlas was a joke when it came to almost anything. The only thing they did have was numbers. Once I made it to the tundra, there wasn't a thing those numbers could do to me.
My mind was a maelstrom of different thoughts and emotions. I knew I had to leave, but I found myself looking more for shelter. Atlas would be busy for a while so what's one more night? Its not like they were going to be able to rebuild everything in a single night. Not only that, I was exhausted.
I did eventually make it down to Mantle. Once there, I found a clothing shop and "liberated" some clothes. I couldn't exactly be walking around in my combat gear while trying to find a place to stay. Once I finished I found a nice and quiet place to sleep. I had a plan to get out, I just needed to rest and prepare. Before I turned in, I checked my equipment. Everything was in perfect condition, if just a little dirty, and by a little, I mean very.
I finished my checks and undressed. The whole time after the fight with Black Mask, I let the lazarus energy do its thing. The scars that I had accumulated were a thing to behold. If it wasn't for the lazarus energy, I would be dead, no two ways about that. Exhaustion was taking me by now. I could barely stay on my feet now that everything was quiet, or rather as quiet as it's going to get until everything is under control.
I closed my eyes as I thought of everything that has happened up to this point. Too much has... I was a completely different person. Who was I? Was I still Y/n Rose, or was I the Red Hood. In the silence after the long night. In the flames of the burning city. I came to the conclusion that I couldn't be Y/n Rose anymore. He shouldn't even be here. In that conclusion, I found rebirth...
I truly became The Red Hood....