"Bigby Wolf!" A far-off echo greeted as Sunny and Bigby walked into the factory. The lights flicked on as they went down the walkway.
Sunny's eyes landed on a pinboard sitting by the railing. There were various photos stuck to it.
"You used to be something."
The pictures were all related to the case. One of Lily, Faith and Nerissa leaving work. Another was from the night Bigby and Sunny had last spoken to Faith. Even a newer one of Snow, Sunny and Holly talking outside the Woodlands. The one that stood out to Sunny was a photo of Nerissa and Faith yelling at each other.
Sunny's shoulders tensed at the confrontation that they were being watched the whole time.
"They used to fear him, you know? They'd hide anywhere their small shivering bodies would fit."
The two continued on. Making their way into what looked like a maintenance room. Filled with various blinking machines and a workbench at the back. Sitting on the workstation was a case filled with silver bullets.
Sunny picked one up to examine it but flinched when she heard the voice right next to her ear.
"The Big Bad Wolf."
Sunny and Bigby both snapped around towards the voice but saw nothing there. Sunny started to turn back but staggered forward when she felt something hit her in the side of the head.
"It's about time you showed up," Mary said Bigby helped Sunny back up.
The duo didn't say anything. They just gave Mary pissed-off looks.
"Aw, come on," Mary smiled. "Don't be like that."
"Ah, Bigby, Ms Fei," The Crooked Man greeted from the door. "I see you've made it here in one piece. I do apologise, but I have some business to attend to. I leave you in the capable hands of my associate."
The Crooked Man nodded to Mary. "Come find me when you're finished, dear."
"Don't worry. This won't take long," Mary told him with glee.
"Get back here!" Sunny shouted at the Crooked Man. Pushing past Mary, only to get grabbed by the scalp and thrown back.
"Aw, don't wanna play?" Mary mocked.
Bigby swung his fist at Mary, but she ducked out of the way. Giving him a hard kick to the stomach. "Wow, what a man. Stealing punches while my back is turned. Didn't your mother ever teach you to fight proper?"
Sunny grabbed a nearby pipe and hit it over Mary's head with a loud smack. Mary's cheeky demeanour cracked a little in annoyance. She grabbed Sunny by the neck and threw her out of the room. The force behind it made Sunny slip up and fall over the railing to the ground floor. She landed on her stomach. She lifted herself up with a wince.
Bigby and Mary were still fighting from the sound of it. That was until everything went quiet. Bigby ran out of the room. He looks around in a mix of anger and concern until he spotted Sunny on the ground floor.
Sunny flashed an okay motion with her hand and was about to tell Bigby to stay where he was so they could regroup. Before she could, a strange clicking sound from the dark corners of the factory distracted Bigby.
As Bigby chased Mary, Sunny ran for the stairwell. Hoping to make her way back up to the upper levels. Somehow Mary was waiting there for her. Only she didn't look like the Bloody Mary Sunny had become acquainted with over the last few days.
It was like all the colour had been washed out of her with the expectation of that red steak of hair and her now blood-red eyes. Pieces of glass were sticking out all over her body, now covered in strange markings.
Mary stalked towards Sunny. Hissing and making that same clicking sound from moments before. Sunny backed away in confusion. She heard fighting coming from where Bigby had run off.
Sunny cringed at the thought of there being double Marys. If there were, that would mean... oh, oh no.
Another two walked down the stairs. The bodies made a horrid cracking sound as they did.
The Mary closest to Sunny shoved her into the wall. Pinning her there with her arm. Sunny panicked for a moment. Her first thought was to push Mary's arm away, but realised that because of the glass, she would most likely mess up her hand in the process.
Much to Sunny's dismay, she didn't have much of a choice. Sunny grabbed Mary One's arm with one hand and at her forehead with the other. She kicked her in the stomach. Sending her crashing into the stairs.
Sunny looked at each of the Marys. She would have to rely on her magic. Otherwise, she was gonna lose a hand, or worse, to these copies.
First things first was getting out of that enclosed space. Sunny held her hand out. Causing a flurry of vines and weeds to break out from the floor. Trapping the first two Marys against the stair railings and the wall. The third was just out of the way, but Sunny made a running jump towards her. She kicked Mary Three in the shoulder and bounced off her and then the wall to get behind them.
Mary Three chased after Sunny as One and Two clawed at the plants that had them pinned down. Sunny busted through the door and turned back to see Mary Three lunging at her. Sunny dropped down and grabbed her by the shoulders. The abundance leaves how coving her arms helped to protect her from the shape edges of Mary Three's body. Sunny flipped Mary Three over the railing and to the ground floor. Three shattered to pieces on impact.
Sunny stood up and looked at the scene before her. While Three had been dealt with, there were about fifteen more. All crowded around an impossibly large black wolf.
"Bigby?" Sunny muttered in shock.
Sunny shook off her confusion as the first two Marys started running up to the doorway. Sunny ran to the door and tried to slam it shut. Only to have Mary Two get her arm trapped between the door and frame. A crack came from Two, along with an annoyed scream. Sunny pulled back and crashed the door closed again.
While it successfully broke off Mary Two's arm, it also made her even more pissed off. They forced open the door and knocked Sunny back a bit. She regained her footing and swung her arm at them. Another vine smacked Mary Two across the face and nicked the other one.
They both jumped at Sunny. Making her fall on her back. She was able to hold them back with the huge mass of vines sprouting out of her arms and the floor. They kept trying to claw at her. Mary Two even had a branch stuck right through her midsection, but it didn't seem to be bothering her that much.
Sunny flinched as one of the Marys scratched at her cheek. Leaving a sizable gash. Sunny let out a painful hiss. She pushed forward and threw her hands out. The branch in Mary Two split in half. Mary Two's body was ripped in half down the middle. Two burst into glass and strange black smoke.
A strange feeling of calmness washed over Sunny. She stood up and stared at the glass remains with contempt.
The last Mary raised her claws at Sunny. Sunny didn't even look up. She simply raised her hand, and another branch shot out from the floor. It pinned Mary against the support beam. The branch grew bigger and started to wrap around Mary. Slowly crushing her limps and neck.
Mary kept thrashing about, hissing and shaking as the plant started to crush her body against the pillar. The final push was an offshoot that stabbed Mary through the chin and out the top of her head.
Sunny let out an exhausted sigh as more glass fell to the floor. She managed to wobble over to the railing. She stared in amazement as the giant wolf Bigby tore the various Marys with his bloodied teeth.
When Bigby stopped to take in a massive breath, Sunny stepped back in confusion. She grabbed onto the tree she had just grown to destroy Mary for support. Bigby processed to let out the breath. The wind was enough to send all of the Marys flying against the wall.
Sunny shut her eyes and grabbed the tree tighter as glass smashed all around the room. When the wind stopped, Sunny opened them to see one last Mary hanging from the rafters. She pulled out a large piece of glass from the side of her head and jumped to attack Bigby.
The wolf took a large leap towards the blood-covered woman. He caught Mary between his jaws. Biting down on her right before she could stab him in the eye. He landed on the floor and let out a loud roar.
Sunny looked down at the wolf for a moment, then suddenly blurted out. "That was amazing!"
Bigby's head turned to Sunny in surprise... or at least as surprised as a big blood-covered wolf could look.
"Stay there," Sunny called down to him. "I'll try and find some clothes."
Sunny checked around the room where the fight with Mary had first started. Someone must have been looking out for them because there was a duffle bag filled with various shirts and pants under one of the tables. She made her way down the stairs and was caught off guard by a very naked human Bigby waiting for her.
"Here," Sunny tossed the bag at his feet while trying not to look directly at him. "Hopefully, there's something in there that fits."
"Thanks," Bigby muttered as Sunny turned around and let him get changed. She spotted the Crooked Man staring down at them from an office window.
Sunny turned back around once he was done. Despite appearing mostly human, his chin was still covered in blood, and his eyes were still shining yellow. She nodded to the window to let Bigby know that Crooked Man was still waiting for them.
The two of them made their way up the stairs and to the office. Trying to ignore the aching pains coming from their bodies.
"Hello, Bigby, Ms Fei," Crooked Man greeted as they walked in. "You look tired."
"Give me one good reason not to rip you apart right now," Bigby snarled him.
Sunny placed a hand on his shoulder, which caused him to calm down a little bit. She turned and gave the Crooked Man a stern look. "Enough with the fake pleasantries."
"Very well," Crooked Man lifted a gun at them. "This gun holds six rounds of specially designed silver bullets. Now, I may not be the best shot...but I can guarantee that at least one bolt will meet its mark, and you'll find the sheriff rolling on the floor in agony."
"You can't run if that's what you're hoping for," Bigby told him.
"Quite the opposite, actually," Crooked Man said. "Snow White wants you two to bring me back to the Woodlands, doesn't she? And that's what I want. You plan to do what she says, don't you?"
"That's right. But what happens to you once you get there is a different story," Bigby took a step towards him.
"I'm not quite finished," Crooked Man backed up with the gun still pointed at Bigby's chest. "You will bring me back alive. Look, all I ask for is a chance to speak for myself in front of the community. And I'm sure Miss White would agree that I should be given a fair trial. Can we at least agree on that?"
"The whole town will be calling for your execution. Why are you suddenly so willing to go back there?" Sunny questioned.
"Why don't you let me worry about that?" Crooked Man avoided answering. "Look... There's no reason for us to be at each other's throats here."
"That's funny...coming from the guy pointing a gun at my head," Bigby pointed out as he kept walking towards Crooked Man.
"This is just a precaution. I'm sure you understand. I'm no murderer, Mr Wolf. I didn't kill those women. And I think you know that. All I'm asking for is a chance...to explain my side of the story."
"You expect us to ignore that you ordered their deaths," Sunny crossed her arms.
"Mr Porgie would've said anything to save himself. We both know that. I assure you. I'm a businessman. Not a killer."
"There's still a lot you have to answer for," Sunny told him.
"And I will...as long as you agree to my terms because I'm not saying another word until I am brought before the community. I don't mean to belabour the point, but just so we're clear... If you change your mind and decide to do something stupid... You won't get your answers...but you will have a difficult time explaining yourself to Miss White and the rest of this miserable town."
The Crooked Man was getting nervous. He was backed against the wall and was cornered on each side by Bigby and Sunny.
"You're often reckless. And I worry you're not thinking of the-" The Crooked Man stopped for a moment, then spoke again. "Let me ask you both an honest question... What do you really care about here? Where this case is concerned, I mean. Do you really want the truth...? Or do you just want to look like the hero? Because those are two very different things."
"This is about protecting Fabletown. When some asshole murders two of our people, it's our job to bring him down," Bigby stated.
"Simple as that, huh?" Sunny silently mused to herself.
"Then why are you here? You know who murdered them," Crooked Man said but then thought for a moment. "Georgie. He's dead, isn't he? My point being: the killer has been dealt with. You've won."
"You really think I'm that stupid?" Bigby scowled at him.
"I understand you have an obligation to bring me in, but you can brighten up a little. It's over. So...shall we get going? I'd rather not dawdle. You know, I'm actually looking forward to seeing Miss White again. My previous interactions with her have gone rather well."
"Alright, let's go," Bigby frowned.
"Give me the gun," Sunny told him.
"I think I'd rather hold onto it, if you don't mind," Crooked Man said with a calm smile.
"Now," Sunny wasn't having any more of the man's nonsense.
The Crooked Man let out a sigh as he passed the gun to Sunny. She was quick to turn the safety on as Bigby locked Crooked Man into a pair of handcuffs.
"I'm sure Miss White will be pleased... Such reliable pups. I understand why she'd want to keep you around."
"Crooked Man, you're under arrest. You will be given a trial in front of your peers," Sunny said as she put the gun away.
"And your punishment will follow," Bigby finished.
OH BOY, I'm really sorry for how late this chapter is. I had lunch with some family friends yesterday, and it ended up being an all-day thing. Then, today, I had work in the morning and got distracted playing Fallout New Vegas all afternoon.
I remember this chapter being the one I was dreading the most to write. Mainly because it was all one big fight scene. Having written this, and the couple of fight scenes in Attack of the Clones I'm slowly gaining more confidence with it.