[#] I'm releasing the chapters early this week because I'm working overtime during September to help my family. See you in October.
[#] It's already on my Ko-fi, available for subscribers: RWBY NOT! 02 - Better than a blanket.
[#] Just a heads up, Ko-fi subscribers have access to 5 chapters ahead, plans start at 1 buck.
COMMENTS:
V1R6[archiveofourown]:As long as I get to read this work of art. I'd still take 5 chapters per month.
As long as I get to read. Just don't burn out pls take breaks as needed it sneaks up on you and makes it "difficult " to continue. I know it snuck up on me when I was pursuing my welding qualifications.
Luckily I have stories like these to help me through, however this one is unique, I love underdogs and people breaking the status quo in the best way.
Avip:Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it very much. Especially now that I'm back working as a teacher to help my family.
joe the joestar[questionablequesting]:
ironically enough the mc is being "woke" right now
Avip:
Oh yeah! In this chapter he realizes that.
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[Marcus Carvalho]
'FUCK!' I scream mentally. 'Now I need to save that old cat.'
The moment the Maestra tells me she's striking the old tigress, my mind mind focuses and goes into overdrive.
I equip my fastest armorset , Hellsteel armor, and take off in an explosion of fire and black smoke, flying to help Madame Hún.
Thanks to the mana marker I glued onto the mafia cat, I can discern her location as long as she's on the same plane of existence as me.
"Northeast." I murmur, firing in her direction.
Although I don't like the old cat, she's still an important contact to help me navigate this oppressive society that objectifies men.
…
"Have I become a feminist?" I ask myself, approaching a chinese castle surrounded by buildings, concealing its unusual presence in the middle of the city. "Clever girl." I mutter contemplating the clever design.
Without slowing down, I collide with the roof, unafraid of damaging myself or my armor.
The Hellsteel armor I'm wearing currently has its design inspired by the Hellbat suit, due to the nature of Hellsteel, beings with little mental resistance cower just by seeing me.
I tear through four floors until I reach the same level as the mafia tigress's signal.
I fall, forming a pillar of fire, turning to face a vermin tide of female rats dressed in clothes and weapons blessed by the element of darkness.
'How did that manage this without being a hero?' I think in surprise. 'That elf must have set up a temple in the city.'
Feeling whimsical, I decide to play Batman with the rats.
"You think darkness is your ally?" I speak, my voice muffled by the helmet. "You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!"
"You fatherfucker!" The rat leader shouts from the back, trembling. "Who are you?"
"I am Batman!" I declare, giving a mental command for my cape to morph into a pair of bat wings.
[Image]
All the rats in the vermin tide stop, some faint terrified.
The sound of my steel boots echoes against the carpeted floor as I walk slowly towards them. My breath echoes inside the helmet, a deep, heavy sound. The still-conscious rats in front tremble, their eyes wide with terror. The leader, however, maintains a facade of forced courage.
"Last chance," my voice resonates, deep, through the helmet. "Leave now and live. Stay and face the consequences."
A tense silence follows. The rats exchange nervous glances, but none dare to move. The leader, a rat with grey fur and red eyes, takes a step forward, her sword trembling in her hand.
"No one retreats!" she screams, her voice trembling. "Whoever retreats, I'll cut their throat myself! He's just one male in cosplay, we can win!"
Her words are a mixture of desperation and determination. The other rats, despite their fear, firm their positions, weapons raised.
"Wrong choice." I affirm, feeding mana to the armor.
In response, the armor ignites in red flames, propelling me forward in an explosion of blood-red flames and black smoke, consuming the rats that were still conscious.
BOOM!
The intense heat burns the air around me, leaving a trail of smoke and ash.
The leader rat, now alone, tries to retreat, but it's too late. I grab her by the neck, lifting her off the ground with ease. Her feet kick desperately in the air, as she tries to stab me with her sword. Without difficulty, I firmly grab her hand, squeezing until I feel the bones crack.
"Damn it! You fatherfucker!" She howls in pain, her red eyes gleaming with hatred and fear.
I release her broken arm and silence her with a punch to the stomach, making her double over in pain.
"You'll live, and you'll warn your Maestra to cease violent actions. Otherwise... I'll start being violent too."
Her eyes widen, horrified, as she looks at the charred bodies on the carpet. The sight leaves her terrified.
"I-is... is that not violent?" She stutters, her voice trembling.
"No," I whisper to the rat, "That is just a warning."
I take a step towards her, my voice firm.
"Tell her that if she continues with this shit, I'll show her what I'm truly capable of."
The rat nods, her body trembling.
"I-I... I'll tell her. Please, don't hurt me anymore."
I release her, and she falls to the floor, gasping.
"Go."
She stumbles to her feet, looking at me with a mixture of fear and respect.
"Yes... yes, sir."
She turns and runs, disappearing into a shadow near the doors of the hall.
As soon as I turn, I see two familiar figures near a large reinforced metal door.
"Edith and Carlie?" I ask curiously.
Both of them cower in fear, the armor's effect still active.
Laughing awkwardly, I deactivate the aura of fear, remove my helmet to direct my voice to them once more:
"What are you two doing here?"
They both jump on me, hugging and crying desperately.
"Marcus, we thought we were going to die!" Edith sobs, her body trembling.
Carlie, despite trying to maintain composure, also has tears streaming down her face. I return the embrace, holding them close.
"It's okay now. I'm here." My voice is firm, comforting.
Gradually, the sobs subside. Edith lifts her face, her eyes red and swollen. Carlie, on the other hand, keeps her face buried in my chest, her breathing still uneven.
"What are you two up to?" I ask, a playful edge in my voice. "Did the little kitten get lonely without mommy?"
Carlie finally lifts her face, her eyes filled with determination.
"I came to talk to my mother.I know she disowned me, kicked me out of the family. I wanted to try to convince her to change her mind." Her voice is a mix of pain and resolution.
Edith nods, squeezing my hand.
"I came along to support her. I couldn't let Carlie face this alone."
I sigh, my face serious, looking at the two.
"Carlie," I began, calling the tigress's attention in a heavy tone. "I knew your mother had forced you to 'marry' me, but did she really disown you?"
"Yes." She answers, swallowing hard. "Until I get pregnant with your child, I can't go home."
The last statement leaves a bitter taste in my mouth as fury rises in my chest. Carefully, I remove Edith and Carlie from my arms, my expression serious.
"Where is Madame Hún?" I ask, my voice low, but firm.
The answer comes from the panel next to the reinforced metal door. Madame's voice echoes, polite, but with a mocking tone:
"I'm happy to see my powerful son-in-law come to save me in a time of need. Although, I must admit, destroying my roof is an unwanted consequence."
I clench my fists, my anger growing.
"You think this is funny?" I reply furiously. "Your daughter could have died."
"A tragedy." The old tigress says in a dry, emotionless tone. "But we don't need to focus on the melodrama thanks to your actions."
Sighing tiredly, I make a dramatic decision.
"I'm going to make you understand something." I say in a serious tone putting back my helmet, charging the gauntlets and gloves of my armor with mana. "You heartless bitch."
With my arms engulfed in flames, I strike the metal door with brutal force.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Each blow echoes like thunder through the hall. The metal groans, bends, yields under my flaming fists. The fury I feel is a volcano erupting, uncontrollable. Madame Hún's voice, once so arrogant, now pleads, desperate.
"Stop it, my honorable son-in-law! We can talk this out!"
Without hesitation, I ignore the old woman. My rage is a fire that consumes everything in my mind. The metal door, once an impenetrable barrier, is now a toy in my hands. I tear, break, destroy. The sound of deforming metal is a chorus to my fury.
"Marcus, please!" Madame Hún's voice trembles, her desperation evident.
The metal, now twisted and deformed, finally gives way. The door, once a barrier, is now a pile of partially melted debris at my feet.
I enter the room, my breath heavy, my body tense. Madame Hún is there, her eyes wide with fear. She tries to back away, but trips on the carpet, falling to the floor. I stand between her and the exit, an imposing figure, engulfed in flames, wearing black infernal steel armor.
"You d-don't understand, Marcus," she stammers, her voice trembling. "I j-just want the best for the family."
I take a step forward, my voice low, but firm.
"The best for the family?" I question indignantly. "You abandoned your daughter! You left her to die in the hallway when your home was invaded."
She swallows hard, her eyes downcast.
With hands still hot from the metal, I grab Madame Hún's robe collar and lift her off the floor. Her feet dangle in the air, her eyes wide with terror. She tries to break free, but upon touching the still-hot metal of the armor, she recoils with a cry of pain. The smell of singed fur fills the air.
I raise my still-flaming right fist, ready to strike her face. She closes her eyes, resigned. But suddenly, I feel a weight on my back. Carlie jumps, clutching me tightly.
"Marcus, stop!" Her voice is a desperate cry.
The fire extinguishes instantly, but Carlie remains clinging to the armor, her face contorted with pain and determination. I don't let go of Madame Hún, holding her suspended, my furious gaze fixed on her.
"This hag used you, belittled you and then disowned you." I say in a heavy tone. "You owe her nothing, there's no reason to defend her."
Carlie tightens her arms around me, her voice choked.
"I know, Marcus." She says in a tearful tone. "I know all that, because I lived it."
A heavy and melancholic atmosphere settles, but I dare not speak or move until Carlie has finished making her intentions clear.
"But... but even so, I don't want to see my mother die. Especially not at the hands of someone I lo-." She cuts herself, in time to correct whatever she wanted to say. "Someone I like so much."
Her confession catches me off guard. I feel a tightening in my chest, a mixture of anger and something else, something I can't identify. I take a deep breath, trying to control the fury still pulsing in my veins.
Madame Hún slowly opens her eyes, fear still evident on her face. But there's something else there, something I can't quite decipher.
Could it be gratitude? Surprise? I can't tell.
"Are you sure, Carlie?" I begin, but she interrupts me, her voice firm.
"Please, Marcus. Don't do this. Not for her, but for me."
I let out a long, tired sigh. The adrenaline begins to dissipate, leaving a strange emptiness. I look at Madame Hún, still suspended in the air, and then at Carlie, her eyes pleading.
"Alright, Carlie… for you."
Slowly, I lower Madame Hún until her feet touch the ground. She stumbles, but manages to stay standing. I release her, but keep my gaze fixed on her, a clear warning in my eyes.
"This changes nothing," I say, my voice low but firm. "You're still a heartless bitch. And if you ever do anything to hurt Carlie or Edith again, there will be nothing to stop me from finishing you."
Madame Hún nods, her face pale.
"I undesterd, my honored son-in-law… thank you for sparing my life."
Carlie lets out a sigh of relief, loosening her grip on me. I turn to her, my expression softening.
"Are you okay?"
She nods, a faint smile on her lips.
"I am... thank you, Marcus."
Edith, who had been silent until then, approaches, her eyes full of concern.
"And you Marcus? Where were you?"
I nod, trying to smile, but the smile doesn't reach my eyes.
"I am fine. Let's get out of here so I can tell you two what I've been up to."
Carlie and Edith nod, relieved. Madame Hún watches us in silence as we leave the room, leaving her behind. The hallway is silent, the rat bodies still scattered on the floor.
As soon as we're off the property, I activate the Warpchalk, teleporting us to Edith's house.
[Dominika Toretto]
Lying over the open hood of my car, a kind of sad thought occurs to me.
"Hand me the 10mm (3/8 inch) wrench." I command aloud, extending my hand.
"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!" Blaze whinnies, passing me exactly the tool I asked for.
The kind of sad thought is that Blaze knows more about tools than any of her friends.
"At least now I have someone with half a brain to help me."
While I was working on the engine, someone knocks on the metal garage door.
PAW! PAW! PAW!
Blaze whinnies at the door, a note of concern in her voice.
"It must just be a salesperson," I say, without taking my eyes off the engine. "Just ignore them."
But once again the knocking sounds annoys us, this time more insistent.
PAW! PAW! PAW! PAW
Frustrated, I step away from the car and walk to the door. With a sharp pull, I lift the garage door.
"What the hell do you want?" I ask, irritation evident in my voice.
The figure facing me is an Anthro bear, taller than me, wearing a brown overcoat. Her eyes, small and dark, fix on me with an intensity that makes me uncomfortable.
[Image]
"Dominika Toretto?" The imposing figure asks.
"Depends on who wants to know." I reply, crossing my arms, maintaining a firm posture.
"Masha Medvetskaya, anthrostate inspector." She shows a badge, but my eyes are fixed on hers. "I need to speak with you."
"Do you have a warrant?" I ask without flinching.
The bear frowns, irritated by the question.
"I don't need a warrant to enter your house while conducting an investigation." Masha states with a voice that echoes authority.
"That's only if I'm being investigated for male abuse, which isn't possible because I'm not married." I reply, maintaining a firm posture. "If the case was about me attacking some male on the street, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd be on the ground, with a combat boot stepping on my face while being handcuffed."
Masha tilts her head, an ironic smile forming on her lips.
"You're right, Dominika."
I start to close the garage door, but Masha places her foot, preventing me from closing it completely.
"But I thought you'd care about your masked friend."
I stop immediately, my attention centered on her.
"What are you talking about?" I ask, intrigued.
Masha gives me a thin, satisfied smile, like a predator who has caught her prey.
"The masked man on horseback, the one seen with you yesterday at the end of the race. I'd like to know more about him."
I frown, irritated.
"And why would I know anything about a masked man on horseback?"
Before Masha can respond, a whinny echoes through the garage. Blaze, drinking water, lets out a sound that sounds almost like a confession. I close my eyes, doing a mental facepalm.
Masha, seizing the opportunity, takes a photo of the animal in the garage.
"Cute horse." Masha comments, the smile now full of arrogance. "Very cute."
"That proves nothing." I grumble, trying to maintain composure.
Masha puts her cell phone away, the smile still on her face.
"Perhaps not, but it's a start. And I always get what I want, Dominika… always."
With that, she turns and leaves, leaving me with a mixture of frustration and concern. I close the garage door, the sound of metal echoing through the environment.
Blaze whinnies again, this time with a note of concern.
"I know, Blaze. I know."
I walk back to the car, my mind racing. I can't let Masha use this against me, against him.
I pick up my cell phone and start looking for Marcus's number.
"I need to warn him." I say, my voice firm. "Whatever the reason… the anthro state is after Marcus."
[Edith Nivea]
It's been two days since the invasion of Carlie's family mansion.
Marcus says he confronted the crime boss named Maestra, who promised to cease her 'conquest journey.' To my and Carlie's surprise, the Maestra seems to be from the same world Marcus was before coming to ours.
"Galbraza." I murmur the fantasy name Marcus belonged to inside the building's elevator where I work.
I tried to ask more about the subject, how she ended up here, when she arrived, and why she talks about Marcus as if he were an ancient legend with decades of existence.
But Marcus told me not to worry about it now. He said that Drow are experts in manipulation and intrigue, so to avoid falling into Maestra's mind games and manipulations, Marcus advised us to ignore her for a few weeks.
When I questioned him why ignoring her would make her easier to deal with, Marcus replied with a Marcus smile, explaining that dark elf are very vain and arrogant, and more than anything, they are attention-seeking. Falling for the Maestra's mind games just to get frustrated and nervous is the last thing we should do right now.
"But it's still strange to use boredom as a strategy." I whisper, uncertain, as the elevator opens on my floor.
Walking with my head down until I reach my workshop. As soon as I open the door, I'm greeted by Gorete.
"Good morning, boss." The Anthro raccoon says in an informal tone.
"Good morning, Gorete." I reply, still looking at the floor, my head still focused on the crime boss.
I'm so lost in thought that I don't notice Gorete stifling a laugh. I open my laptop, trying to review the performance of the battery I'm developing, but before I can open the reports, Gorete starts laughing loudly, catching my attention.
The anthro raccoon is laughing with one hand on her belly and the other resting on the wall, as if holding herself up to keep from falling to the floor.
"What's so funny?" I ask, surprised.
Gorete, breathless with laughter, says:
"Nothing much, boss." Gorete says, straightening her back. "I'm just finding your rude behavior strange, you know."
I blink, confused, turning my head to my colleague, not understanding what she was talking about.
"After all, you didn't even introduce me to your well-dressed companion."
My ears perk up instantly, and I turn to the side, noticing someone beside me.
"Hiii." Marcus says in a cheerful tone, waving at me as if it were nothing.
The human in question is next to me wearing a shirt with "100% Cuddly" printed on it. My face heats up, and my eyes widen.
[Image]
How did I not notice him there?
"Marcus, what are you doing here? How did you get in?" I ask in a whisper, trying to maintain composure. "I'm sure I left home alone."
Marcus shrugs, a smile playing on his lips.
"You never let me come to work with you." The human explains, whispering in my ear. "So I followed you invisible."
'Of course Marcus can turn invisible.' I think in silence. 'After everything I've seen, invisibility isn't the most absurd thing he's done yet.'
Gorete, scratching her belly with her shirt lifted, calls our attention with a forced cough.
"Hey you two, it's not polite to whisper in front of others." The anthro raccoon says, vulgarly scratching her exposed furry belly.
"You're worse, Gorete!" I shout, pointing at her. "You indecent woman, scratching your belly in front of a gentleman!"
I wanted to complain more, but a metallic clang cut me off, echoing through the workshop.
CLANG!
"Oops." A masculine voice mutters.
We look towards the sound's origin and see Marcus, who dropped something heavy on the ground. With a sheepish smile, he says:
"Not my fault."
Gorete laughs again, slapping her knee, while I let out another tired sigh.
"It's going to be a long day." I grumble, concerned.