Chapter 42
Afterwards, we make our way back to Weiss’ to regroup and strategize.
Ruby: “Well, that was unpleasant.”
Blake: “No kidding. We need a better a plan fast.”
Yang: “If it's still the Symbiote we’re dealing with, can’t we just do the same thing we did with Ruby?”
Blake: “Theoretically, we could try the same approach and exploit the sound weakness. But somehow, I doubt it’ll let us trick it like that again.”
Ruby: “And we can’t just carry that bell around like nothing.”
Weiss: “Maybe not traditionally. But there may be a way to just carry around the sound. I recently discovered a prototype gadget being developed by the SDC called a concussion burst. I believe if we take synthesized recordings to the bell, up the volume and upload the sound to the concussion burst, we can instead convert it into a sonic burst. Effectively reproducing the sound and effects at full force.”
Yang: “Then what are we waiting for?”
Weiss: “Now hold your horses. With the kind of strength it has, we’re going to need multiple bursts and their going to take a minute to develop. We'll need to wait a day at most before we make our move.”
Ruby: “We can’t wait that long, not when we now know it feed on brains!”
Blake: “Calm down, Ruby! Weiss is right. If we strike now, we’ll end up dead ourselves and we’ll no good to anyone. We need every advantage we can get.”
Ruby: *inhale, exhale*”Your right. For now, let's just get some rest.” And so, that what we did. The next day, Blake and I were able to patrol all day do to being a Saturday, while focused on the sonic bursts, all the while we all keep our eyes out for any signs of the Hound. So far, no human corpses have turned up, only animals after a report of a zoo break in, stating their heads to have been missing, likely bitten by the Hound. This incident was done relatively quick though. “Things are getting pretty dire out here, guys. At this rate, they might start feeding on humans soon.”
Blake: “Then I suggest we focus our patrol to the news station. Based on what Grimm said, I have a feeling who their first victims will be aside from us.”
Yang: “Velvet and Lisa.”
Weiss: “Okay, but come back first. I have few bursts ready to go.” To which we regroup at Weiss’ to collect the gear. “Given our strain on time and the intricate mechanics of the device, I was only able to make four bursts, and their all one use only, so use them wisely.”
Blake: “Will do.”
Weiss: “On top of that, I also fixed the caged while Ruby was asleep. This time using a more durable material.” She handed over the folded-up cage that I carry on my back. We head back out and make our way to the news station as it hits nightfall. As we get close, we can hear screaming in the streets as the Hound appears and starts approaching the station itself.
Blake: “Dammit! They’re already there!”
Ruby: “We still have time to stop them! Come on!” We get in close, and we both give the Hound a hard kick to back as we swing by it and land in front of it. “Give it up, Hound! We won’t let you get any further!”
Hound: “Oh, we know. It just means all the more for us!” It charges for us and tries to catch us in its tentacles. We manage to avoid it but then ignored us as it kept going for the station. “Keep up if you can!” It jumped up high and crashes through the wall of a high floor in the station.
Ruby: “Get back here!” We follow it up into the building and catch up to it. Everyone else quickly gets up and runs away during our brawl. When it doesn’t show signs of letting up though...
Blake: “Ugh! That’s it!” She takes one of the bursts and throws it at the Hound, the subsequent sonic burst hitting it hard! Stunning it as it writhes in pain “Whoa! It works!”
Ruby: “Be careful! We only have so many!” I take advantage of this moment to land some strong blows, but this only lasts until the sound dies down and it recovers.
Hound: “Very clever.” It grabs and tosses me aside, right into Blake and knocking her over. “But not good enough!” it gets distracted by a sudden camera flash, to which it noticed Velvet in a nearby doorway. “Scarlatina.” It extends its arm and grabs her before jumping up to the next floor and moves on until it reaches Lisa’s office.
Lisa: “What in the world!?”
Hound: “Lavender! We have come for you!” As it drops Velvet by Lisa side, effectively trapping them in the office as it blocks the doorway. The Hound retracts its head to reveal Grimm underneath.
Grimm: “I told you, you would regret what you two did to me! And now with the Hound by my side, justice will be served!” In the time he talks, we recover and make it up to his floor, and then as he finishes, I throw one of my own bursts to stun them again. “GRRAAAAGH!”
Ruby: “Get down!” To which Lisa and Velvet both ducked down to opposite sides of the room as I prepare a slingshot maneuver and launch myself right at them, giving them a good enough kick to knock them out the window and back to the ground. Blake and I both now stand in the office ready for it.
Blake: “Get out of here, now!” To which Velvet and Lisa leave. “Only two bursts left. What do we do?”
Ruby: “I’ve noticed Grimm is somewhat exposed when the Hound is writhing. The next burst we use, one of use grabs hold of while the other grab the Hound with our lines to pull them apart. And then quickly use the cage to trap the Hound afterwards. Use the last burst to stun it if necessary.”
Blake: “Sounds like a plan.” We both jump and land on the ground just as the Hound recovers and recovers Grimm’s head.
Hound: “Enough games! Dinnertime!” It gets more aggressive as it attacks us, even as the police surround the scene. It uses a tentacle to grab Blake and hold her against a nearby wall as it got ahold of me and pins me to the ground, which even knocked aside the burst I was going to use. “Nowhere left to run! No gadgets left to use!” It failed to notice Vernal grabbing the burst I dropped. “Time to eat!” But then Vernal distracted it with a shot to its face with her gun.
Vernal: “Don’t be so sure!” This gave me a chance to free one of my arms. “Scarlet!” She tosses me the burst, I catch it, then stuff it into its big mouth!
Ruby: “Bon appetite!” I kick it in the chin before the burst goes off, causing it to writhe again, which made it let me, and Blake go. “NOW!” Blake gets behind them and grab at the Hound with her grapple, while I stayed in front and grab at Grimm when his chest exposed with my webs, and we pulled like no tomorrow! It was slow, but eventually, we managed to pull them apart completely, Grimm flying past me and landing at Vernal’s feet, while the Hound flew past Blake and land few feet away from her. The Symbiote then retracted back to its harmless state and attempted to flee.
Blake: “Nope! Not this time!” She used her last burst to stun the Symbiote in place, to which I tossed her the cage and she used it to trap the dastardly creature! “Got it!” At the same time, Grimm got up and was immediately arrested by Vernal.
Grimm: “Ow! Now hold on! That thing was controlling me! I’m innocent!”
Vernal: “Tell it to the judge, buddy.” Once she gets him in the car, we hand over the cage containing the Symbiote.
Ruby: “Make sure that thing stays locked up tight. And don’t let anyone let it out, no matter what anyone says.”
Vernal: “After everything we saw tonight, you don’t gotta tell me twice.” After everything was said and done, we can just sit back and relax, and the aftermath comes about. The next day, we finally have my long-awaited 16th party, and as the party goes on, the news of what's to happens comes on.
Lisa: “A terrible incident occurred as our own news station was attacked last night by our former member, Daniel Grimm, after he had come across a mysterious creature that the police have later discovered to be known as a Symbiote after the incident caught the attention of the Atlas military. The creature was under study by the SDC by then escaped after its transferal to Vale. Given the circumstances of the danger, it imposed on Vale, Atlas military General James Ironwood and the rest of the Atlas council have ordered the SDC to immediately cease and destroy all data and experiments regarding the Symbiote as it is placed into maximum security in the Vault until further noticed. As for Daniel Grimm, he is currently pending trial, and despite his claims of the Symbiote controlling him, evidence confirms he own motives and benefits for bonding with the Symbiote and thus is likely up for conviction. Due to him being an ordinary person without the Symbiote, he is to be placed in Vale’s local prison, and at least this way, he and Symbiote can stay separated and thus lessen the chance them recombining.” All in all, I think I can say this is by far the best birthday ever. Though that’s only when taking into account everything I know of. For what I’m not aware though, we cut to another part of town, where the five Maggia dons meet once again.
Parrot: “This is starting to get out of hand!”
Vermillion: “I know! Not some weird alien thing can stop her!”
Pyre: “Alright! Calm down! Both of you!”
Junior: “You idiots. After everything we’ve seen, can’t you all realize it’s not a matter of power, but more of brains over brawn?”
Jax: “Even still, a creature like that could’ve stopped her easy if not for her brains and her friend. If we’re not careful, we could end up falling her soon enough.”
Pyre: “So what do we do?”
Jax: “We can give it more time, but at this rate, I am prepared to start considering Malachite’s offer. I’ll be meeting with her daughters here soon.”
Vermillion: “I can’t believe even after all of this we have to consider working with her.”
Junior: “Don’t forget, whether it’s her or not is irrelevant. What matters at the moment is the Spider and Cat.”
Jax: “Exactly. And remember, Malachite can’t hope to match our immense forces. We can take the offer if needed and have no need to worry about any tricks from her. That is all.” he dismisses them all. “And at the end of the day... this city won’t know what hit them!”