Devil Trigger (Devil May Cry/Worm AU)
- Thread starter SkyRig
- Start date
- Crossover
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Maybe? Who can say at this point? Hell if I know! I've only come up with the rough draft, and me and my co-writer are gonna flesh it out fully once we do reach that point.
By the way, bitches.
I'M BA~CK!
Style 2.8
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Feb 7, 2011
At first glance, Arcadia was leagues better than Winslow in part due to how clean the campus was. I couldn't remember the last time I saw Winslow without any graffiti decorating its walls. It was also significantly bigger, if more compact with two buildings housing certain facilities. Both buildings had classrooms, but one had a cafeteria and gym while the other had an auditorium. The northern building, the one with the auditorium, was the one Dad and I entered.
The process of getting me into a classroom to take an assessment test wasn't as long as I thought it would be. It was a little worrisome, being alone in a classroom with a teacher, but I finished the test in an hour or so. The teacher told me that it would be a while before we got any results, but we should get word back from them within the next five days or so. Naturally, the news made me worried and wondered whether or not I passed. I wasn't too keen on going back to Winslow, but if worst came to worst and there was little choice, I could at least take solace in the fact that the Trio got their recompense.
I walked out of the classroom and shut the door behind me. Just as I was about to leave, someone collided into me at full-speed, knocking us both to the ground.
"Ah!"
"Oof!"
My body hit the floor. Like when I fell on concrete, I didn't feel any pain on impact. Looking up, I found a girl my age lying on her side and cradling her head, wearing a thin black jacket with a white shirt and faded jeans. Her blonde hair spilled down past her shoulders and framed her heart-shaped face.
"Agh, son of a…"
"I'm sorry," I apologized as I climbed to my feet, offering my hand. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." The girl grabbed my hand and pulled herself up. I winced a little when I felt her grip. She was stronger than she looked. "Sorry about that, I was kind of in a hurry and wasn't looking where I was going."
"It's fine, no harm done."
The girl looked at me and blinked, taking in my appearance. No doubt she was surprised by my hair color, which irked me a little, not going to lie. I should probably invest in hair dye or a wig. I really didn't want people giving me weird looks just because of my hair color.
"It's a long story," I told her.
The girl shook her head, realizing she had been staring. "Uh, sorry. It's just, not used to seeing somebody with white hair. I don't think I've seen anyone with hair like that at Arcadia." She paused and stared at me more intently. "Actually, I don't recognize you."
"New student. Well, hopefully. I just got done taking an assessment test."
Her face scrunched in disgust. "Ugh, I remember taking those when I started my first year here. You a freshman or sophomore?"
"Sophomore. My dad pulled me from Winslow."
The girl's eyes widened. "No shit? I heard there was a huge incident there, something about a girl being trapped inside a locker full of shit from the girls bathroom by a bunch of bullies."
I shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the locker incident. It didn't seem like she was aware of all the details, but I didn't like the idea of people knowing who I was simply because of the Winslow case. The pitiable looks I would get would drive me mad, if not make me angry. The idea that people would pity me seemed to infuriate me, but I didn't understand why.
"I gotta jet," the girl said. "Sorry for bumping into you again."
"No problem, sorry for holding you up."
She smiled at me and took off in a run. I watched her go for a moment before leaving myself. Dad was waiting by the main entrance, chatting with some guy in a suit, probably a faculty member or a co-worker. Judging by the look on Dad's face, though, I don't think it was the last one. The man in the suit gave Dad a nod before he left, the latter watching him intensely as though he was expecting him to try something.
"I'm all finished up here," I told him as I walked up to him, knocking him out of his stupor. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, kiddo," Dad insisted.
I wasn't convinced. "Who was that?"
"A faculty member, I think."
Dad was lying, that much was obvious. His expression told me to drop it and I did. Even so, I made it a point to show how utterly unconvinced I was by his excuse before we made our way outside.
Once we got inside the car, Arcadia slowly vanished from sight behind us. I was looking forward to going back there, assuming I managed to ace the placement tests and all.
Dinner was a pretty short affair, all things considered. Neither of us felt like cooking, so we decided to order pizza. To go along with our greasy feast, Dad decided to pull out movies from his and Mom's time when they were my age. Classic movies, both Earth Bet and Aleph exclusives, such as the Original Star Wars trilogy, early Godzilla films, etc.
The highlight of the evening, in my opinion, was the moment poor Venkman got slimed.
"Oh my god, that is amazing." I laughed so hard I nearly cried. It was absolutely hilarious and cathartic, seeing such a dick get bulldozed and getting covered in goo. "Why didn't I watch this sooner?"
"Because you, and I quote, weren't interested in old-school stuff," Dad replied with a smirk. "Fun fact, this was Annette's favorite movie, her second being A Knight's Tale."
"I can see why. My god."
It was a shame that even Earth Aleph fucked up the Prequel Trilogy, but I will admit, I had a small amount of fondness for the first film. At the very least, I enjoyed Maul.
Our movie date ended around midnight, with both of us turning in. Dad had to wake up early in the morning so he was the first to clock out. I was up for a while, going over my notes to see if there was anything I may have missed in my placement tests so I would be prepared for the next one in case I failed.
Sadly, my concentration was not as iron-clad as I hoped. For some reason, my mind kept going back to what Rodin told me when we met.
There was nothing on the news about anything happening in the Trainyard, so what did he mean? Were the gangs plotting some kind of move to take over the Trainyard? It didn't make sense to me, especially since it didn't have much to offer. The trains had long since stopped working due to the railways having rotted away and being poorly rather maintained because of Brockton Bay's spiraling downfall due to falling on hard times. If there was any reason to invade the Trainyard, it was that Parian was rumored to be living there, but there was no real way of knowing.
Out of curiosity, I pulled out my phone and opened up PHO to see if there was anything of note.
♦ Topic: Possible Cape Bartender Wrecks Hookwolf's Shit, Please Nerf
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay
L33t (Original Poster) (Verified Cape)
Posted On Feb 3rd 2011:
...well.
I never thought I'd see the day when THIS happened.
Link
(Showing page 1 of 69)
►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
O.O
►Answer Key
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I think this is the first time somebody's rendered @Bagrat speechless. I don't blame them. This is epic shit.
This is karmic justice at it's finest. Also, can I just say that this guy is fucking ripped? I mean, what the hell do you have to do to get arms that beefy?
►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I've lived in the Bay for a very long time, so I can say that what is being shown is nothing short of beautiful, not to mention hilarious.
I'm not sure what's more amazing here, the fact that a black man just beat the ever loving crap out of Hookwolf without even trying, or that even Kaiser knows to cut losses and just turn the other way.
Has the Protectorate picked this guy up yet?
►Assault (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Sadly, no. He said, and I quote, "I'll think about joining your club if that Rebecca woman leaves her office and orders a drink from my bar."
Word for word, by the way.
►GstringGirl
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Daaaaaaang.
This guy has balls.
►Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I wish this person would reconsider. The lifespan of independent capes is roughly six months at best.
►Laser Augment
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
A man who can tank Hookwolf's attacks without batting an eye, much less make Kaiser walk away, probably doesn't have to worry about much of anything, save maybe an Endbringer.
The only downside would probably have to be the repairs to his shop. You and I all know that Skidmark and the ABB might try to recruit him, and they won't take no for an answer. I can already tell the absurd amount of money this poor man will have to pay to have his bar repaired each time some dumbass comes trying to get him to join their gang.
I know I'm annoyed by the amount of times a certain Ward destroyed MY shop!
►Antares (Wards ENE) (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
One time! It happened only one time on purpose! The rest were all accidents!
►Vista (Wards ENE) (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Wait, are we talking about the ramen shop or the electronics store?
End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 67, 68, 69
I skimmed through the rest and searched other topics, but sadly, there was nothing about the Trainyard.
Why am I so hung up about this anyway? There was nothing special about that place, and it was just a friendly warning from some possible new cape. Not going to lie, I was a little disappointed to hear that he wasn't going to join the Protectorate, but some people on PHO did raise a point. Whoever could tank Hookwolf's hits without flinching, much less manhandle him, was not someone I would want to mess with.
Still, the Trainyard…
…it wouldn't hurt to check it out, right? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Besides, it was probably nothing.
Before I sneaked out of Castle Hebert, I threw on the warmest jacket and most comfortable pair of pants I could find in my mess of a closet and made my way towards the Trainyard. At night, the air was absurdly cold regardless of whether or not you were in winter. If it rained recently, odds were that the cold would cause whatever was wet to freeze. God I hate Winter in the Bay!
Grievances against the cold aside, I noticed that I wasn't nearly as affected by the cold as I thought I was. I was barely bothered by the chill, which made me wonder if it the cold wasn't as bad as usual tonight. I set my thoughts aside when I arrived at the Trainyard, greeted by the positively dead and empty sight of train tracks and trains that were left abandoned. Some were slowly accumulating rust, having been unused in years, while others were tilted off the tracks with holes punched in their sides. Some looked as if they had been torn to shreds. The rest were pulled apart and thrashed about as though they had been used as weapons. On the eastern side, numerous train cards were partially melted and had giant claw marks.
Some odd years ago, the ABB and Empire got into a huge fight with one another. I don't quite remember the specifics, but the fight escalated pretty quickly when Kaiser and Lung both decided it was time to kill one another once and for all. Obviously, both came out of the ordeal alive, but the fight itself was chaotic as it was destructive. The scorch marks the dragon of the Azn Bad Boys were still there. A permanent reminder of the power Lung held.
If I ever joined the PRT, I really hope I wouldn't run into Lung when he decided to go Hulk.
However, there was one eye-catching sight that definitely didn't belong here. That being at least three PRT vans and a familiar woman wearing camouflage fatigues and the American flag as a makeshift scarf.
I would have squealed were it not for the fact that almost every single person besides Miss Militia had a fucking gun!
It was better to be safe than sorry as I immediately hid to prevent any of them seeing me. The last thing I wanted was to be caught and had to explain what I was doing here. That, and if the look on Miss Militia's face was of any indication, she was not happy.
"Have you found anything?" she asked, looking at a man wearing some rather thick-looking armor as though he were expecting to come face-to-face with heavy artillery.
The PRT soldier shook his head. "We haven't found anything that might point us in the right direction. Coroner hasn't gotten back to us yet, but judging by the state of the bodies, I'd say we're dealing with somebody who loves burning and freezing." The man grimaced, looking rather ill. "Fuck, who does that to a bunch of school kids?"
"Why were they even here?" Miss Militia asked harshly.
"One of the train cars had some stuff inside; snacks, garbage, sleeping bags, you name it. We ran a background check on one of the kids. Apparently, he's from some big-shot family in Chicago who ran away from home. Family's been looking for him. We also found some hypodermic needles in the train car, all filled with heroin. One of the bodies we were able to identify was wearing Merchant colors."
"In other words, a drug addict and a seller…" The gun-making cape sighed and ran her fingers through her scalp. "Between this and the Bloody Cape murder the other day, we're stretching ourselves thin. Are we sure we have no leads on who's responsible for this?"
The PRT soldier shrugged. "Well, unless Lung's suddenly developed ice powers along with breathing fire, we're probably dealing with a new cape." He glanced at his wristwatch. "It's getting pretty late, ma'am. Should we head back for the night?"
Miss Militia contemplated on the next course of action before she nodded. She turned to address the other PRT soldiers. "Everyone, pack it in! We're heading back to HQ."
The men all nodded and began to leave, packing up their equipment and hopping inside their jeeps. Miss Militia hopped on her bike and took off, the rest following after her. I waited for a minute or two before stepping out into the open, breathing a sigh of relief. Never thought I would see Miss Militia in the flesh. Still, what were they talking about? I heard something about a Merchant and a runaway, but what did that mean?
I looked at the train car the PRT were investigating. I glanced around to see if there was anyone around before making my way over. I peered inside, finding it lived in and smelling like a garbage bin. A stained sleeping bag littered with garbage was on the floor. Scattered around it were little knick-knacks and items, like a portable lamp, flashlight, and a gaming console. There were also a few clothes scattered about, but like the sleeping bag, they all had stains.
That was not what had my attention, though. It was the other end of the car, the one with giant icicles stabbed into the walls.
"What the hell?"
Working up the courage, I walked over and touched the ice and immediately regretted it. It felt like my fingertips touched a stove left on for days. But that didn't make sense, ice wasn't supposed to be hot. It was supposed to be cold.
"Who could have done this?"
I took out my phone and scrolled through PHO to see if there was any news about an ice cape in Brockton Bay. There was nothing, not a peep or even a rumor. That meant this was the work of someone freshly Triggered, or a cape was making their debut here in the Bay. Now that I think on it, hadn't Miss Militia mentioned something about bodies being burned?
I just stepped out of the train car when I felt pure dread cascade down my back. The hairs on the back of my neck shot up. Cold sweat started pouring down my face.
I don't know how or why, but I could sense it.
Something was coming!
The first warning I got was frigid air breathing down my neck. On instinct, I jumped away and landed atop a lopsided train car so hard my feet dented the metal below me. I would have gaped at my Brute-like ability were I not so busy staring at the utter monstrosity staring back at me.
It was a dog straight out of hell. Its skin was leathery, veins filled with magma running across its body. A forked tail covered in scales swished about, flames lapping at the tip. It bore two heads with Mohawks made of crimson flames and blue ice respectively. It was far bigger than any normal dog, even twice the size of the monster dogs owned by Hellhound. The left head was snarling, bearing its knife-like teeth while the other merely glared at me with dark purple eyes.
"We've found you, half-breed…"
At first glance, Arcadia was leagues better than Winslow in part due to how clean the campus was. I couldn't remember the last time I saw Winslow without any graffiti decorating its walls. It was also significantly bigger, if more compact with two buildings housing certain facilities. Both buildings had classrooms, but one had a cafeteria and gym while the other had an auditorium. The northern building, the one with the auditorium, was the one Dad and I entered.
The process of getting me into a classroom to take an assessment test wasn't as long as I thought it would be. It was a little worrisome, being alone in a classroom with a teacher, but I finished the test in an hour or so. The teacher told me that it would be a while before we got any results, but we should get word back from them within the next five days or so. Naturally, the news made me worried and wondered whether or not I passed. I wasn't too keen on going back to Winslow, but if worst came to worst and there was little choice, I could at least take solace in the fact that the Trio got their recompense.
I walked out of the classroom and shut the door behind me. Just as I was about to leave, someone collided into me at full-speed, knocking us both to the ground.
"Ah!"
"Oof!"
My body hit the floor. Like when I fell on concrete, I didn't feel any pain on impact. Looking up, I found a girl my age lying on her side and cradling her head, wearing a thin black jacket with a white shirt and faded jeans. Her blonde hair spilled down past her shoulders and framed her heart-shaped face.
"Agh, son of a…"
"I'm sorry," I apologized as I climbed to my feet, offering my hand. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." The girl grabbed my hand and pulled herself up. I winced a little when I felt her grip. She was stronger than she looked. "Sorry about that, I was kind of in a hurry and wasn't looking where I was going."
"It's fine, no harm done."
The girl looked at me and blinked, taking in my appearance. No doubt she was surprised by my hair color, which irked me a little, not going to lie. I should probably invest in hair dye or a wig. I really didn't want people giving me weird looks just because of my hair color.
"It's a long story," I told her.
The girl shook her head, realizing she had been staring. "Uh, sorry. It's just, not used to seeing somebody with white hair. I don't think I've seen anyone with hair like that at Arcadia." She paused and stared at me more intently. "Actually, I don't recognize you."
"New student. Well, hopefully. I just got done taking an assessment test."
Her face scrunched in disgust. "Ugh, I remember taking those when I started my first year here. You a freshman or sophomore?"
"Sophomore. My dad pulled me from Winslow."
The girl's eyes widened. "No shit? I heard there was a huge incident there, something about a girl being trapped inside a locker full of shit from the girls bathroom by a bunch of bullies."
I shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the locker incident. It didn't seem like she was aware of all the details, but I didn't like the idea of people knowing who I was simply because of the Winslow case. The pitiable looks I would get would drive me mad, if not make me angry. The idea that people would pity me seemed to infuriate me, but I didn't understand why.
"I gotta jet," the girl said. "Sorry for bumping into you again."
"No problem, sorry for holding you up."
She smiled at me and took off in a run. I watched her go for a moment before leaving myself. Dad was waiting by the main entrance, chatting with some guy in a suit, probably a faculty member or a co-worker. Judging by the look on Dad's face, though, I don't think it was the last one. The man in the suit gave Dad a nod before he left, the latter watching him intensely as though he was expecting him to try something.
"I'm all finished up here," I told him as I walked up to him, knocking him out of his stupor. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, kiddo," Dad insisted.
I wasn't convinced. "Who was that?"
"A faculty member, I think."
Dad was lying, that much was obvious. His expression told me to drop it and I did. Even so, I made it a point to show how utterly unconvinced I was by his excuse before we made our way outside.
Once we got inside the car, Arcadia slowly vanished from sight behind us. I was looking forward to going back there, assuming I managed to ace the placement tests and all.
Dinner was a pretty short affair, all things considered. Neither of us felt like cooking, so we decided to order pizza. To go along with our greasy feast, Dad decided to pull out movies from his and Mom's time when they were my age. Classic movies, both Earth Bet and Aleph exclusives, such as the Original Star Wars trilogy, early Godzilla films, etc.
The highlight of the evening, in my opinion, was the moment poor Venkman got slimed.
"Oh my god, that is amazing." I laughed so hard I nearly cried. It was absolutely hilarious and cathartic, seeing such a dick get bulldozed and getting covered in goo. "Why didn't I watch this sooner?"
"Because you, and I quote, weren't interested in old-school stuff," Dad replied with a smirk. "Fun fact, this was Annette's favorite movie, her second being A Knight's Tale."
"I can see why. My god."
It was a shame that even Earth Aleph fucked up the Prequel Trilogy, but I will admit, I had a small amount of fondness for the first film. At the very least, I enjoyed Maul.
Our movie date ended around midnight, with both of us turning in. Dad had to wake up early in the morning so he was the first to clock out. I was up for a while, going over my notes to see if there was anything I may have missed in my placement tests so I would be prepared for the next one in case I failed.
Sadly, my concentration was not as iron-clad as I hoped. For some reason, my mind kept going back to what Rodin told me when we met.
There was nothing on the news about anything happening in the Trainyard, so what did he mean? Were the gangs plotting some kind of move to take over the Trainyard? It didn't make sense to me, especially since it didn't have much to offer. The trains had long since stopped working due to the railways having rotted away and being poorly rather maintained because of Brockton Bay's spiraling downfall due to falling on hard times. If there was any reason to invade the Trainyard, it was that Parian was rumored to be living there, but there was no real way of knowing.
Out of curiosity, I pulled out my phone and opened up PHO to see if there was anything of note.
■
♦ Topic: Possible Cape Bartender Wrecks Hookwolf's Shit, Please Nerf
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay
L33t (Original Poster) (Verified Cape)
Posted On Feb 3rd 2011:
...well.
I never thought I'd see the day when THIS happened.
Link
(Showing page 1 of 69)
►Bagrat (Veteran Member) (The Guy in the Know)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
O.O
►Answer Key
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I think this is the first time somebody's rendered @Bagrat speechless. I don't blame them. This is epic shit.
This is karmic justice at it's finest. Also, can I just say that this guy is fucking ripped? I mean, what the hell do you have to do to get arms that beefy?
►Brocktonite03 (Veteran Member)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I've lived in the Bay for a very long time, so I can say that what is being shown is nothing short of beautiful, not to mention hilarious.
I'm not sure what's more amazing here, the fact that a black man just beat the ever loving crap out of Hookwolf without even trying, or that even Kaiser knows to cut losses and just turn the other way.
Has the Protectorate picked this guy up yet?
►Assault (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Sadly, no. He said, and I quote, "I'll think about joining your club if that Rebecca woman leaves her office and orders a drink from my bar."
Word for word, by the way.
►GstringGirl
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Daaaaaaang.
This guy has balls.
►Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
I wish this person would reconsider. The lifespan of independent capes is roughly six months at best.
►Laser Augment
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
A man who can tank Hookwolf's attacks without batting an eye, much less make Kaiser walk away, probably doesn't have to worry about much of anything, save maybe an Endbringer.
The only downside would probably have to be the repairs to his shop. You and I all know that Skidmark and the ABB might try to recruit him, and they won't take no for an answer. I can already tell the absurd amount of money this poor man will have to pay to have his bar repaired each time some dumbass comes trying to get him to join their gang.
I know I'm annoyed by the amount of times a certain Ward destroyed MY shop!
►Antares (Wards ENE) (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
One time! It happened only one time on purpose! The rest were all accidents!
►Vista (Wards ENE) (Verified Cape)
Replied On Feb 3rd 2011:
Wait, are we talking about the ramen shop or the electronics store?
End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 67, 68, 69
■
I skimmed through the rest and searched other topics, but sadly, there was nothing about the Trainyard.
Why am I so hung up about this anyway? There was nothing special about that place, and it was just a friendly warning from some possible new cape. Not going to lie, I was a little disappointed to hear that he wasn't going to join the Protectorate, but some people on PHO did raise a point. Whoever could tank Hookwolf's hits without flinching, much less manhandle him, was not someone I would want to mess with.
Still, the Trainyard…
…it wouldn't hurt to check it out, right? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Besides, it was probably nothing.
Before I sneaked out of Castle Hebert, I threw on the warmest jacket and most comfortable pair of pants I could find in my mess of a closet and made my way towards the Trainyard. At night, the air was absurdly cold regardless of whether or not you were in winter. If it rained recently, odds were that the cold would cause whatever was wet to freeze. God I hate Winter in the Bay!
Grievances against the cold aside, I noticed that I wasn't nearly as affected by the cold as I thought I was. I was barely bothered by the chill, which made me wonder if it the cold wasn't as bad as usual tonight. I set my thoughts aside when I arrived at the Trainyard, greeted by the positively dead and empty sight of train tracks and trains that were left abandoned. Some were slowly accumulating rust, having been unused in years, while others were tilted off the tracks with holes punched in their sides. Some looked as if they had been torn to shreds. The rest were pulled apart and thrashed about as though they had been used as weapons. On the eastern side, numerous train cards were partially melted and had giant claw marks.
Some odd years ago, the ABB and Empire got into a huge fight with one another. I don't quite remember the specifics, but the fight escalated pretty quickly when Kaiser and Lung both decided it was time to kill one another once and for all. Obviously, both came out of the ordeal alive, but the fight itself was chaotic as it was destructive. The scorch marks the dragon of the Azn Bad Boys were still there. A permanent reminder of the power Lung held.
If I ever joined the PRT, I really hope I wouldn't run into Lung when he decided to go Hulk.
However, there was one eye-catching sight that definitely didn't belong here. That being at least three PRT vans and a familiar woman wearing camouflage fatigues and the American flag as a makeshift scarf.
I would have squealed were it not for the fact that almost every single person besides Miss Militia had a fucking gun!
It was better to be safe than sorry as I immediately hid to prevent any of them seeing me. The last thing I wanted was to be caught and had to explain what I was doing here. That, and if the look on Miss Militia's face was of any indication, she was not happy.
"Have you found anything?" she asked, looking at a man wearing some rather thick-looking armor as though he were expecting to come face-to-face with heavy artillery.
The PRT soldier shook his head. "We haven't found anything that might point us in the right direction. Coroner hasn't gotten back to us yet, but judging by the state of the bodies, I'd say we're dealing with somebody who loves burning and freezing." The man grimaced, looking rather ill. "Fuck, who does that to a bunch of school kids?"
"Why were they even here?" Miss Militia asked harshly.
"One of the train cars had some stuff inside; snacks, garbage, sleeping bags, you name it. We ran a background check on one of the kids. Apparently, he's from some big-shot family in Chicago who ran away from home. Family's been looking for him. We also found some hypodermic needles in the train car, all filled with heroin. One of the bodies we were able to identify was wearing Merchant colors."
"In other words, a drug addict and a seller…" The gun-making cape sighed and ran her fingers through her scalp. "Between this and the Bloody Cape murder the other day, we're stretching ourselves thin. Are we sure we have no leads on who's responsible for this?"
The PRT soldier shrugged. "Well, unless Lung's suddenly developed ice powers along with breathing fire, we're probably dealing with a new cape." He glanced at his wristwatch. "It's getting pretty late, ma'am. Should we head back for the night?"
Miss Militia contemplated on the next course of action before she nodded. She turned to address the other PRT soldiers. "Everyone, pack it in! We're heading back to HQ."
The men all nodded and began to leave, packing up their equipment and hopping inside their jeeps. Miss Militia hopped on her bike and took off, the rest following after her. I waited for a minute or two before stepping out into the open, breathing a sigh of relief. Never thought I would see Miss Militia in the flesh. Still, what were they talking about? I heard something about a Merchant and a runaway, but what did that mean?
I looked at the train car the PRT were investigating. I glanced around to see if there was anyone around before making my way over. I peered inside, finding it lived in and smelling like a garbage bin. A stained sleeping bag littered with garbage was on the floor. Scattered around it were little knick-knacks and items, like a portable lamp, flashlight, and a gaming console. There were also a few clothes scattered about, but like the sleeping bag, they all had stains.
That was not what had my attention, though. It was the other end of the car, the one with giant icicles stabbed into the walls.
"What the hell?"
Working up the courage, I walked over and touched the ice and immediately regretted it. It felt like my fingertips touched a stove left on for days. But that didn't make sense, ice wasn't supposed to be hot. It was supposed to be cold.
"Who could have done this?"
I took out my phone and scrolled through PHO to see if there was any news about an ice cape in Brockton Bay. There was nothing, not a peep or even a rumor. That meant this was the work of someone freshly Triggered, or a cape was making their debut here in the Bay. Now that I think on it, hadn't Miss Militia mentioned something about bodies being burned?
I just stepped out of the train car when I felt pure dread cascade down my back. The hairs on the back of my neck shot up. Cold sweat started pouring down my face.
I don't know how or why, but I could sense it.
Something was coming!
The first warning I got was frigid air breathing down my neck. On instinct, I jumped away and landed atop a lopsided train car so hard my feet dented the metal below me. I would have gaped at my Brute-like ability were I not so busy staring at the utter monstrosity staring back at me.
It was a dog straight out of hell. Its skin was leathery, veins filled with magma running across its body. A forked tail covered in scales swished about, flames lapping at the tip. It bore two heads with Mohawks made of crimson flames and blue ice respectively. It was far bigger than any normal dog, even twice the size of the monster dogs owned by Hellhound. The left head was snarling, bearing its knife-like teeth while the other merely glared at me with dark purple eyes.
"We've found you, half-breed…"
Last edited:
- Location
- Who cares?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
Or I could be a zombie.
A very lively zombie.
...huh. Should I change my name to ZombieRig?
Fables Fanart
- Pronouns
- He
Or I could be a zombie.
A very lively zombie.
...huh. Should I change my name to ZombieRig?
Hah - only a non-Zombie would say that! You're not a zombie, you're SkyRig!
Can't believe this is updated again!
Zeuseus
KNEEL BEFORE YOUR GOD!!
So I really enjoy this story. I think the only thing i find slightly jarring is the constant jumping back and forth on the timeline. It makes it harder to follow when reading a chapter at a time.
I suspect it won't be as bad for someone reading the whole thing after it's posted, but i was a bit confused when reading this chapter.
I suspect it won't be as bad for someone reading the whole thing after it's posted, but i was a bit confused when reading this chapter.
Hell Yeah! I was literally just thinking about this story yesterday! Really glad to see you updating, looking forward to seeing this story and your other two get updates. I definitely know DMC the best, but I'll read all 3 of your Worm fics for sure. I'm sure your RvB is good too, just haven't seen the series XD.
I'm honestly really looking forward to how you use the Reboot crew. My favorite part of fanfiction is taking good ideas that were flawed, either in their implementation or creation, and using them in better and more coherent ways. Might be why I like RWBY fanfics so much lol.
I'm honestly really looking forward to how you use the Reboot crew. My favorite part of fanfiction is taking good ideas that were flawed, either in their implementation or creation, and using them in better and more coherent ways. Might be why I like RWBY fanfics so much lol.
- Location
- Brazil
- Location
- Louisville, KY
SkyRig mentioned that Arc 2 was a flashback Arc.
Tisaku
Head Chief Thinkomancer
Garreon
Paldean Top Champion
- Location
- Mesagoza, Paldea
So this is a Flashback? Because that is Orthrus, you know the demon that is forged into Taylor's blade?
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Yrs! All of Arc 2 is a flashback. SkyRig mentioned this. And I restated it a few posts ago.
Methinks science isn't Taylor's strong suit.
Because I believe it's a fairly well-known fact that extremely cold things like dry ice are literally so cold that they can actually cause burns.
TheStranger
Of course you realize, this means war.
- Location
- Take a Guess!
- Pronouns
- Who
Well, for starters, that interlude pretty much happens after Taylor debuts as an independent cape. And considering Vicky's nickname is Collateral Damage Barbie, that's hardly surprising.
Style 2.9
SkyRig
Wake the f#ck up, samurai.
- Location
- Someplace in California
- Pronouns
- He
It…talked?!
I stared in shock, eyes wide in disbelief. My eyes widened even further when I saw the head spewing flames from its mouth open its jaws wide. Once more, my body moved on instinct and jumped out of the way, leaping off the train car and back onto the ground. Crimson flames erupted from the demonic dog's mouth, scorching the earth and turning the train car into smoldering metal. When the flames died down, I saw only a trail of black leading towards a melting container, steam rising off its remains.
If I hadn't moved when I did…
"What-" I started. "What the fuck are you?!"
The demonic dog's heads growled and spoke in unison. "We are Orthrus! And tonight, we shall feast on your bones!" The left head let out an ear-shattering howl. The air grew unbearably cold. Ice began spreading beneath the mutt's feet.
I did the most sensible thing anyone would do: I ran like hell and never looked back. I used my newfound status as a Brute to its fullest, breaking off into a spring that would leave Olympic sportsmen jealous. The demonic dog, Orthrus, immediately chased after me. Its footfalls were like heavy stomps, the ground cracking apart with each step. I ran even faster, putting more pressure on my legs.
I can't believe this is happening. What the hell is this thing, some kind of Case-53?! And why is it calling me a half-breed?! I don't understand any of this! What even is it?!
My feet bounced off the ground and leaped over an overturned train car. Behind me, Orthrus snarled and let loose another stream of hellfire. I felt the overwhelmingly intense heat brush against the back of my body. I dared to look behind me and saw the oversized dog charge after me through the path it made. Its other head opened its maw and roared.
Giant icicles came flying out of its mouth.
"Fuck!" I jumped to the side and evaded the flying projectiles. Climbing back up to my feet I ran in another direction, ducking around the corner and entering a narrow passage with train cars on either side. "Shit shit shit shit shit!"
Snarls and growls shook the air alongside the sound of metal being torn apart. I yelped when the two-headed demon dog came barreling out from a train car and resumed the chase. It was almost as if we were playing some kind of twisted game of cat and mouse, with me as the mouse. Where did this thing come from? And how hadn't the PRT found it while they were searching the place?! Seriously, how the fuck do you miss something that big?!
An open train car laid ahead of me. I was about to jump through it when a sudden idea came to mind. Orthrus was gaining on me. It must have known what I was about to do because it chose then to jump forward, maws open and fangs primed to rip me to shreds. Unfortunately for this bad dog, I had other plans in mind and skidded to a stop, rounding on my feet and crouching low to the ground. Orthrus flew over my head and went past the open train car, smashing into another container.
I was about to take off and run for dear life in the other direction when—
"AAAAH!"
Motherf—what now?!
Cursing under my breath, I peered through the hole in the container Orthrus made and paled at the sight on the other side. Othrus had come to a stop when it bashed into a stack of containers, knocking some into the air and creating towering pillars of metal. Ice had quickly begun to encroach the area as a sign of its irritation. Its attention was no longer on me, but instead on someone else. A familiar woman wearing a Victorian-era dress with a white porcelain doll mask on her face, blonde locks falling down to her shoulders.
It was only that I remembered that Parian was rumored to live here in the Trainyard.
And it was only dawning on me that I led Orthrus right to her.
At first the dog didn't seem to notice her. It instead shook its heads, somewhat dazed after the collision before it took notice of her. Its eyes widened, and ice and fire became a rampant storm of rage.
"ZION!!!"
Both maws opened.
My brain froze. My body moved forward, leaping out further than it had before. Something in my head clicked then and there as I flew towards my target. Without realizing what I was doing, my body acting on auto-pilot, my hands stretched open and curled around spectral blades that appeared in my hands, tinted orange-red and shimmering.
I latched on to Orthrus' body and jammed one of the blades into the right head's eye. Black ichor gushed out, spilling and splattering across my jacket while Orthrus roared in pain and began thrashing about. I found myself forced to hang on for dear life.
"Hurry and get out of here!" I shouted at Parian. The rogue stared, shocked and dumbfounded before she found her legs working again and took off running. Orthrus threw its body against a stray railway car, nearly squishing me between it and the car. Gritting my teeth, I jammed the shimmering sword further into its head.
Orthrus howled and fired off streams of flames and frigid ice before it finally managed to throw me off. My back hit a train car, even managing to put a human-sized dent in its side. My back ached in protest as I pulled myself out, dazed due to the harsh impact. I looked up and paled, quickly jumping away when a stream of ice tore up the ground and giant icicles skewered the train car totally and utterly.
"You will pay dearly for that!" Orthrus promised gravely. Flames and ice vapor spilled from its mouths while glaring at me with intense hatred. "I will tear the flesh from your bones and grind them until they are all but dust!"
I gritted my teeth. There was nowhere left to run. I was all out of options. It was either fight or die.
I really wasn't liking my odds.
Another shimmering blade appeared in my hand. I gulped and stared down the demonic dog, sweat pouring down my neck. Can I do this? Can I really beat this thing?
There was only one way to find out.
I suck in a deep breath, tighten my grip on my sword and charged. At that exact same moment, Orthrus sprung into action. It swung its giant paw at me. I ducked, falling into a somersault and slashing at its heel. The cut was shallow and didn't draw any blood. I slashed again, this time at the underside of its belly. Orthrus retaliated by trying to squish me and slammed its paw down. I rolled out of the way and threw the sword at it, stabbing it into its rib.
The left head turned in my direction and fired off a frigid blast of ice. I jumped and evaded it, dashing around behind it and summoning another sword. I had nearly forgotten about its tail until it came swishing at me. I blocked it, though the force of the attack nearly sent me down to my knees. I felt my bones rattle from the sheer impact. It came at me again, and I knew I couldn't defend against it a second time. I instead turned the other way and jumped toward a train car and bounced off it, landing atop Orthrus' back.
I didn't stay on for too long, simply cutting away at its leathery hide with my sword before it started growing frantic. My feet skidded across the gravel, nearly making me lose my balance. I barely had enough time to evade the intense stream of flames heading my way. Its jaws snapped at me, threatening to bite me in half. I stepped away and slashed at its jaw, only for it to catch the blade in its teeth and shatter it with a chomp.
"Weak!"
This time I couldn't dodge. The right head roared in flames point-blank and my world was consumed by an inferno. I was knocked off my feet and slammed straight through steel, coming out on the other side and rolling out on top of a railway. I bit back a scream, finding my body burning in pain. My clothes were all but scorched. I'm surprised there's still any left of it. I'm covered in burns that hurt like hell. I don't want to move.
But I have to, otherwise I will die.
Orthrus jumps on top of the container and leaps upon me, intending to crush me like a bug. As much as my body hurts, I forced it to move. I rolled away and avoided having my head crushed by its paw and rolled back up to my feet. Summoned Swords flicker around me and are sent flying without prompting, embedding themselves into Orthrus' body. One manages to pierce into its left neck, which only seems to piss the hellhound off more. Both jaws open and I jump as high as I can. Below me, ice and fire mingle and utterly destroy the railways.
I landed atop its back. My hands frantically grab hold of the sword stuck in the neck as it started to thrash about again. Claws groped and tore trying to reach me. I squeezed on the grip and roared, dragging the blade as far into its neck as I could before dragging it down, carving through flesh and bone. Orthrus howled with pain once more, flinging me off.
I flopped about on the ground, panting and gasping for air. I looked up and found more black ichor spilling out from the wound, pouring like rushing water from a facet. I hoped to lop off its head, but the bastard still had it.
Worse still, it looked more pissed off.
"Worthless, insignificant trash… You dare scar this body?!" Orthrus' left head snarled at me. "You, not even a proper devil, a mere weakling with human blood in your veins…! You believe you could stand against me?!"
The right head snorted. "You are but a fledgling. Power so pitifully weak you have no idea how to use it. A miserable excuse of a devil."
"What…" I groaned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Rather than answer, the two heads open their mouths wide. Cold air mixed with blistering heat. They were going to finish me off here and now.
I pulled myself to my feet, weakly calling another sword into my hand. If this son of a bitch thinks that I'm just going to lay down and die like it told me to, it's got another thing coming!
Just as I was about to launch a final assault, something comes into my field of vision. At that same moment, Orthrus lets loose. Ice and fire clash and mix and destroy everything in its path. I knew then that, had that person not shown up when they did, I would have died.
The stream of ice and fire continued for three seconds before it was snuffed out like a candle. The man in front of me, the bar owner, blows at his hand which was covered in soot and frost. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to brush your teeth, you damn mutt?"
"What?!" "Who the hell are youe?!"
I stared at him slack-jawed. "W-what are you doing here?!"
The man looked over his shoulder. "You kiddin', sister? Why wouldn't I be here when I feel two devils screaming at each other for miles? I gotta say, though, you held up pretty nicely." He smirked and ruffled my somewhat burnt hair. "You got balls, sister. What's your name?"
"Uh… T-Taylor?"
"Taylor, huh? Nice name. Ever thought of becoming a devil hunter?"
"You dare ignore me, you runt?!"
The bar owner craned his head. He didn't smile—he bared his teeth. Beneath his sunglasses, I swore I saw his eyes glow bloody red.
"Just the guy whose about to bust a cap in 'yo ass."
Pretty sure you meant sprint.
Oh snap...mutt don't know who he's dealing with, if he thinks Rodin is a runt.
Time for Old Yeller to get put down!
TheStranger
Of course you realize, this means war.
- Location
- Take a Guess!
- Pronouns
- Who
This is going to be fun XD
Still curious as to whether or not Orthrus is related to the Cerberus clan in any way.
- Pronouns
- He
Finally, we now know why Parian took time to make a costume for Taylor! I mean, you getting saved by a pretty white haired girl from a monstrous talking dog creature is pretty much a reason to give a free costume.
Garreon
Paldean Top Champion
- Location
- Mesagoza, Paldea
ooooh shit, the balls on this imbecile must not leave enough blood for the brains
Like I said, time for Old Yeller to be put down.