As Danica walked toward the client, he was immediately compelled to kneel before her as if she were some God. With a wave of her hand, Danica arrogantly dismissed the man's gesture of respect.
[Danica] - "Move the product and bodies out of this place before I lose patience. "
[Client] - "Of course, my queen! "
Said the client as he immediately joined the other gang members in the clean-up.
Still frozen where he stood, McCree realized that she had yet to realize his presence.
[McCree] - "Damage deflection! You have an ability about damage deflection if I'm not wrong. "
Yelled McCree abruptly at Danica.
Though McCree is certain of his statement, he needed a way to find out more about his opponent. In a jolt, Danica turned to see the cowboy in a comical posture with sweat dripping off his chin.
[Danica] - "What the hell? Are you a fucking cyberknight too? "
Said Danica, shocked by the sight of McCree's crystals.
As she walked closer toward him, McCree discreetly tested his movement to see if he could move without being damaged by the ability. After ensuring he could indeed move, McCree prepared to strike against Danica once she was close enough.
[Danica] - "How unexpected. I thought not many dared to come to America outside of Astroboy and his junkies. Do you happen to be one of his men, perhaps? "
Said Danica with a curious stare.
McCree suddenly punched Danica in the face. However, upon landing the strike, the kinetic energy not only did not transfer to Danica, but turned around to hit McCree instead, as he felt a heavy strike against his own face.
[Danica] - "What the hell do you think you are doing? "
Said Danica, unimpressed.
[McCree] - "So it was damage deflection after all. Fuck, it hurt like hell, lady! "
Cried McCree as he held his cheek.
[Danica] - "Heh! Yeah, so what? Looks like you are in a bit of a dilemma, friend. "
Thinking quickly, McCree remembered Danica's previous words and decided to play a trick instead.
[McCree] - "Well... I'm one of Astroboy's men. Kill me and you'll regret ever laying your hands on me! "
Said McCree confidently.
There was clearly a look of worry on Danica's face, but she suddenly drew her pistol on McCree without hesitation.
[Danica] - "Well, that's just too bad. I thought you could be of use to me, but it looks like I'll have to just kill you! The last thing I want is Astroboy coming after me. "
Said Danica in a cold voice.
"Gosh fucking darn it! I messed up... "
Thought McCree as he tried to show an awkward smile.
As McCree stared at the barrel of the gun pointed at him, he knew he had to act fast if he wanted to not go out like this. The moment Danica pulled the trigger, McCree immediately reacted by activating his own ability as a counter. Time froze as he thought of what he could do to stop the bullet from hitting him. Then, it hit him: the gun's origin!
[McCree] - "Guilt Extension: Southern Hospitality! "
Recognizing the exact model of the weapon pointed toward him, McCree recalled the way this gun was built in the factory. After all, an American who doesn't understand guns isn't a true patriot. The model of weapon used specifically was fashioned from a single piece of cast metal, meaning McCree can reconstruct the previous state of the gun while it was just a piece of uncut steel in the shape of a gun.
Before Danica could pull the trigger, the gun in her hand suddenly fell apart as the holes and screws holding it together was replaced with McCree's ability, thus destroying all the added components instantly. Upon seeing this, Danica immediately backed away in fear, knowing how easily McCree could end her if his ability was one with offensive potential. Taking refuge behind a massive block of cement, Danica breathed heavily with her heart beating like a drum in her chest.
[Danica] - "You bastard! What kind of stupid business do you have with me? I paid my due debt to Astroboy! "
Yelled Danica with panic in her voice.
[McCree] - "I came here to bargain! "
Said McCree as he picked up his own pistol from the ground.
[Danica] - "You fucking piece of shit, I thought we were done after the last time. "
McCree didn't know what Danica was talking about, but going with the flow, he kept playing the role without knowing what the end result would be.
[McCree] - "Well, Invanovich ain't happy with the fact that you are makin' his guy Seratov powerful. So naturally, he'd need a helping hand in this. "
Said McCree as he took a seat behind the concrete block where Danica was hiding.
[Danica] - "Seratov isn't even the one running the show, dumbass! I am! These bastards are so scared of my power, they simply worshipped me as their queen. "
Danica suddenly peeked half of her head out of her cover to speak with McCree.
[Danica] - "Look, forget Astroboy because I've got a better deal for you. I'll give you whatever you want, and you let me keep my throne here. Think about it, man, why serve a higher power when you can be the higher power? Why serve Astroboy when you can be a God to these fucking worms? "
Said Danica as she gradually stood up on one knee.
The script took a sudden turn as McCree didn't expect Danica to propose a deal. Now, it was no longer a situation where he needed to play around and see. Instead, it was up to him to decide the outcome depending on his choices.
McCree wondered for a moment, knowing he could simply demand the money he needed from Danica and then make a safe exit from the mess. However, something in his heart made him feel dirty for even considering the deal. Touching the wound he received earlier by attacking Danica, he was surprised to find it not burnt, unlike the flesh of the men he came here with.
[Danica] - "You and I, we are both Gods amongst men. Why fight each other when we can both profit from the miserable existence of those below us? "
Said Danica with a mocking grin.
McCree felt revulsion in his gut upon hearing Danica's words. Before, he thought Jerry was the most immoral bastard in the cyberknights' ranks. But now, he had seen it; the true rotten nature of the unworthy given power.
[McCree] - "Those below us? Aren't we all human in the end? Without our power, aren't we just a bunch of damn apes vunerable to diseases and brittle to the flow of time? "
Questioned McCree, baffled by the inhumanity in Danica's words.
At that moment, a ray of sunlight shone into the depot, illuminating McCree's boots.
[Danica] - "I disagree. If I were just another ape like the rest of them, then I would be able to do this. "
Said Danica as she pulled out her second pistol.
After taking careful aim, Danica shot one of her men who was simply moving the goods from the trucks across the depot. As he dropped dead, the rest of his comrades simply stared at his dead body, before Danica's voice echoed across the room.
[Danica] - "Get back to work, worms! "
Immediately, with fear in their eyes, the men resumed their task without a moment of hesitation. Upon seeing what Danica did, McCree clenched his fists in rage as he moved out of cover to face Danica.
[Danica] - "We are Gods to the regular people. If I were an ape like the rest, they would've jumped on me, torn me apart, and ended me where I stood. Yet, here I am, still alive. "
Said Danica in an insufferably arrogant voice.
[McCree] - "Does your position as a cyberknight mean nothin' to ya? Did ya become a cyberknight, just so you can one day do this type of bullshit? "
Said McCree with a sombre look in his eyes.
Danica, still oblivious to McCree's disgust, smirked confidently without a hint of remorse.
[Danica] - "It was a role of convenience. For my years in the Empire, it's always lord Grand Knight this, Emperor Sniper that... Never, lord Danica, what is your wish? I stood guard at the Imperial vault with such power in my hands. Day and night, it's always the same boring duty. Such wasted potential for someone like me. "
Said Danica with a few added gestures for dramatization.
It was the same type of evil Athena had spoken of. The type of evil born from someone drunk on their own power. At that moment, McCree truly understood why Athena hunted down the knights who were considered beyond the point of redemption.
[McCree] - "I have a question. Why wasn't I burned like the men who shot at ya when I attacked ya earlier? "
Said McCree as he glanced at the burnt corpse of a man on the ground.
Slowly, the sunshine illuminated McCree's lower body as it ascended his legs.
[Danica] - "Need I to answer such a foolish question? It was simply a question of choice, my friend. Energy can be deflected in the form of heat or, in your case, purely kinetic. "
[McCree] - "So you chose the most painful way to kill your enemy because... "
[Danica] - "Because I simply find it fun. Why not? Anyways, about the deal, what do you want? I'm busy, so let's get business handled and go our separate ways. "
Said Danica, impatient for McCree's answer.
The sentence shocked McCree. Despite the lingering desire in his heart to simply play according to Danica's script and get what he wanted, McCree knew it had become his duty to exterminate the pest standing before him. Despite all the acting, all the pretending he did, McCree refused to play his role at this moment. As if by instinct, McCree's heart made a choice: To defy, to fight, to seek the cleansing ray of light instead of staying in the comfort of obscurity.
With anger burning inside his heart, McCree looked around and found a thin and long, rusty pipe going all the way to the ceiling. Without a word, McCree grabbed the pipe before using his gun to fire at two separate spots. In a single dry pull, McCree yanked a segment of the rusty pipe and held it in his hand.
[Danica] - "What the hell are you doing? "
[McCree] - "Grabbing myself a weapon. "
Said McCree calmly.
[Danica] - "For what purpose? "
[McCree] - "To fucking bash ya head in, ya disgustin' whore. "
Said McCree with a look of hateful disgust on his face.
[Danica] - "Psshh, seriously? If you could kill me, you would've done it a moment ago. I offered you a deal simply based on the fact that we are both ascended Gods. However, if this is beyond you, then let's agree to disagree. "
Said Danica, unbothered by McCree's threat.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through McCree as he noticed a blade buried inside his abdomen. Behind him stood a man with a wicked grin on his face who thrusted the blade further into his back. As McCree tried to strike at the man, he only felt the kinetic energy of his attack being returned to him as a searing heat across his arm.
[Danica] - "The new world order belongs to those blessed with the power of the divine. It's not up to you to accept it or reject it. "
[McCree] - "Ya confident little snake... You play God, where those who can judge us for our actions can't see. You think you are darn invincible when you are nothing more than flesh, like those you consider below you. "
Said McCree firmly, despite the pain radiating through his body.
As noon approached, the sun was right above the depot, illuminating the inside through the row of windows on the ceiling. At that moment, McCree's entire body was bathed in the sunlight as it had once illuminated Athena's ascension into knighthood. As the righteous fire of justice burned inside McCree's heart once more, he gained a newfound respect for Athena.
Despite her power, despite what she could've become, she chose the path of nobility. Athena fought Jagger and paid with her life when she could've been playing God with the people like Danica. Now, McCree will do the same. In the light, he no longer feared Danica's power, nor would he doubt his own power.
[McCree] - "If you can't be judged for your actions, then I will. I am here today to bear the words of the knights who accepted their destiny wholeheartedly. I am no cyberknight, but you bet yer damn heart I will apply to become one if it means killing bastards like you! "
Said McCree with determination in his voice.
Danica laughed out loud, amused by the ridiculously nonsensical speech McCree made. With an arrogant smile, Danica opened up her arms and invited McCree to strike her down. As McCree held the pipe tightly, knowing this was his only chance, he knew it was also an uncertain gamble. He didn't know if his plan would work, but unlike before, he was calm and steady despite his fear.
[Danica] - "Then prove me- "
Suddenly, Danica stopped mid-sentence as breath-breaking pain shot through her chest. Looking down, Danica noticed nothing but the pipe segment in McCree's hand pointed at her. However, the sight of blood flowing freely from her heart confirmed to her that she had been mortally wounded. As Danica clutched her chest, she could feel the rough shape of a rusty pipe, but could not see the object itself.
Danica's blood slowly flowed down the completed pipe until it pooled in McCree's hands. While Danica remained still in a state of complete shock and disbelief, McCree abruptly raised his pistol and shot the swordman behind him. There was no hesitation on McCree's part as he was confident that Danica's ability was no longer active.
[McCree] - "Welcome to the true man's world. "
Before Danica could utter another word, her arms fell limp as she slipped down the reconstructed pipe like a ragdoll. As McCree disengaged his ability, Danica swiftly fell into his waiting arms. Carefully, McCree extracted one of the cyberknight symbols fused to her armour before raising it into the sunlight. The lost warrior has finally reclaimed the path that was his. No longer will he be haunted by his past as he moves forward without doubt.
Later that evening, McCree returned to Ivanovich and showed him his reclaimed honours in the form of the cyberknight rune. True to his words, Ivanovich provided McCree with the financial aid he requested, along with the proper connection to leave Jagger's Empire for Asia.
The next morning, Popey and Margot received a bank card with access to immense wealth, enough to give them a comfortable life until they passed. Though they missed their son, they knew the life of a farmer wasn't for him. Quietly, the old couple watched the sunrise while wishing for their son's safety.
Meanwhile, McCree was driven to a private airport where he was escorted to board a cargo plane. To avoid detection, his seat was placed amidst a sea of cargo. As he watched the plane take off, he knew his mission was still far from over. Athena only left him with blurry details of his comrades' whereabouts. As the land below slowly faded away to the sight of the endless blue sea, McCree placed his hand longingly against the window.
[McCree] - "Goodbye, Pa, Ma. For now, my mission is far from over. However, I promise I will return home one day. "
Said McCree as he quietly pressed his head against the window.
With his other hand, McCree gently held the cyberknight rune now proudly pinned to his chest. It comforted him to know that he was walking a path forged by his own heart and hands.
To be continued...
*EXTRA
- Profile: Danica
- Ability: [Forgeworld's Hunger]:
"An ability which precisely casts a protective layer around objects or people of her choosing. Then, anyone caught inside the veil will be subjected to energy reversal, where any attack originating from the veiled target will return to the attacker in the form of heat, kinetic energy or compression. As a bonus, the distribution of heat is uniform; thus why anyone firing at Danica will be burned evenly across their body. Also, anyone afflicted by Danica's ability will carry the curse of the veil until Danica herself removes it from them. However, the ability can only block physical attacks, and cannot block anyone from using their ability. As a trivia, McCree's fatal strike against Danica didn't trigger the ability because McCree manifested the rest of the tube instantly, thus it was not considered a strike as it carried no energy. "
- ABILITY STATS:
Power - None (dependent on the enemy)
Speed Granted - E
Ability Speed - A
Range - B
Durability Granted - E/S (depending on attack type)
Ability Durability - S
Precision - A
Potential - B