This one is a bit of a wall. But I assure you that reading every word won't disappoint you. Had a really interesting kung fu related dream last night, and it was very detailed for once. Figured I would put it into this story xD .
Fall
Six years later
"You two have improved greatly since when you first were augmented, lemme tell you." John smiled at the two Spartans, as Darryl, David, Richard, Toni, and him patrolled the 'streets' of this subsection of the station. "I'm sure you already knew this, but this is our last patrol with you. After this, you're both on your own. Then Darryl, David, and I will be hitting the Ascended Covenant on a more frequent basis than usual, like the other Spartans."
David turned towards Richard, his helmet disengaging, as the group paused. Richard had been surprised, ever since that fateful day, all of those yearss ago, he had seen Mr. Byrd continue to improve his attitude towards him. The relief it brought him was astronomical, and he had personally tutored him moves that Blaine the Brave had once taught him in private.
"I can say with great pride, Richard, that I was wrong about you." David said, clasping a hand on Richard's armored shoulder. "-and I'm sorry for any problems I may have caused you. Toni means a great deal to me, and I was upset that I was going to lose her."
"Apology accepted, Mr. Byrd." Richard smiled, much to Toni's delight.
"Please. Call me David now, sonny. You're a member of this family now, no need to be so formal." David grinned. "Tell you what, after our patrol today, we'll stop by the bar and get you kids something to drink. After this patrol, you'll officially be considered adults aboard this station. I have absolutely no doubts in my mind that you two are mature enough to drink now. It's all gonna be on me."
"I gotta say as well, David." John grinned. "They aren't the only ones that improved over these long six years. You've made an amazing turn around in your life, and, I hope it's not offensive to say, but I think Naomi would be happy with it."
"So do I John, so do it." David smiled. "Say, you haven't spent much time with Iola recently, I heard she got back from a resource run last night. Why don't you go pay YOUR daughter a visit, eh?"
"Why, so you can skip out on paying for my drinks?" John chuckled. "Or is it to snatch up your daughter after all these years and run."
"No, I just realized that I've spent the past six years with mine, but you've only accumulated maybe a total years worth of time with yours due to both of your's odd hours. Besides, it's the middle of the day. Nothing is gonna happen, and I don't think we need five Spartans for whatever petty crimes that could happen."
"Well... alright. But you'd best drink one for your ol' pal John!" John said, as he split off from the group.
"Fruitcake." Darryl chuckled, shaking his head.
Continuing on their path, the four Spartans kept their eyes peeled. Ridiculous as it was, Marines didn't serve well enough as law enforcers, so the Spartans would patrol for things that the Marines might have missed, or even been too danger to accomplish.
"Hold up." Richard said, as the group stopped. "Something isn't right."
"What is it?" Darryl asked, scanning the 'plaza' in front of them, people swarming around, minding their business.
"I just did a quick Promethean pulse, and I'm seeing a red figure in that box directly in front of us."
"Person or object?" Darryl asked.
"It looks humanoid, but it's sprawled out inside."
Disengaging the hardware, Richard glanced at the giant shipping crate. The metal box had a picture of bananas on the side, labeling the product inside.
Approaching it, with David at his side, Richard ripped open the metal container, as sticky purple fluid oozed out of it. The mixture of Unggoy, Sangheili, and Human bystanders fled, as a rotting corpse of a dead Elite became visible in the box.
Darryl and Toni attempted to keep the infuriated Elites from approaching the crime scene, the Grunts and Human populace scurried as far away as they could. David and Richard examine the corpse, the blood pooling at their feet.
"He's been stabbed in the throat, and by the looks, it's a rather massive knife." Richard stated, using his zoom optics to look without touching. "Hemorrhaging on the neck suggests he was held in a head-lock, or was strangled by someone strong."
"Yeah." David said, puzzled. "An energy blade wound would have been cauterized immediately, this wound is not only infected, but it's crude, like a steel, human knife."
A subtle, clapping noise filled the air, as Richard and David glanced over. Darryl and Toni were no-where to be seen, likely herding the Elites back to their own designated neighborhood.
"Well done, great detective work there, gum shoe." the man's deep voice echoed in his strange helmet. "For being related to a dumbass like Blaine, I'm surprised you solved it at all."
"Butch." David growled.
"Yup, it's me hotshot. An' Daddy's not around to save you this time." Butch chuckled, approaching, as the two Spartans stood to face him.
Lunging forward, Richard swung a full right punch, as the Spartan II grabbed his helmet with his massive left hand, pushing him backwards.
"Go away pipsqueak. Adults are talking." Butch growled. "Where's the girl?"
"Fuck off." David growled.
Thrusting an impossibly fast right jab into David's stomach, Butch turned on his left heel and smashed David square on the helmet, lifting the younger Spartan off of his feet. Before he could go too far, though, Butch grabbed his target's ankle, smashing him down on the pavement.
Kneeling on David's chest, Butch smashed his forearm into David's head numerous times. Richard heard glass shatter, as he ran at the Spartan II, smashing Butch in the ribs with his boot. Rolling away, Richard offered David a hand, as Butch's foot lashed out, shattering David's forearm completely.
Kicking Richard away, Butch hefted David, who swung with his unbroken arm into Butch's helmet, lifting a knee up and into Butch's crotch.
"Dumbass." Butch scoffed. "Did you really think I wouldn't have ARMORED that place?!"
Jumping backwards to avoid another blow, David reached behind his back for his Assault Rifle, as Butch grabbed David's unharmed shoulder, jarring it forward until it popped sickeningly. Richard drew his side arm, firing an entire clip in Butch's waiting shield, hoping to gather the other's attention with it's noise.
"Where is the girl?!" Butch growled to David, whose helmet sparked in malfunction. "You WILL tell me, or I'll kill the boy right in front of you."
"No you won't." David grinned, as his helmet disengaged, revealing a badly bruised face, blood pouring out of his slightly gaped mouth. "This boy'll kick your fucking pathetic ass."
Grunting with frustration, Butch knocked David over, stomping on the wounded Spartan's right leg, snapping it in two underneath the now dented armor.
Turning to Richard, who was busy unloading the second clip into Butch, the behemoth Spartan menacingly walked towards him, relishing in the fear he was bringing to the rookie Spartan. Grabbing the pistol by the barrel, Butch squeezed, as the barrel crumpled under his vice grip.
"If David continues to refuse me, YOU will answer my question. If you answer my question now, you can save me the trouble of killing him. If not, I will kill him."
"Don't do it." David gasped for air on the ground. "He'll just kill you anyways. I'm sorry I failed you."
Butch snorted in disgust, before sitting on his knees over David. Lifting David up to his eye level, Butch's Prefect helmet disengaged momentarily to reveal his angry eyes. Grabbing both sides of David's skull, Butch roared as he smashed David's head against the concrete.
David laid there, completely dazed, as Butch continued to do so, gaining speed with each sequential smash. Richard attempted to move, as David held his dislocated arm up.
Richard was sickened, as David's blood poured out onto the concrete where his head continued to smash. Darryl and Toni came running down the adjacent alleyway, as Butch turned, smirking evilly at Toni, before roaring one final time. David's head hit the concrete one last time, as a giant splash of blood and brain matter painted the sidewalk, his broken body ceasing to move.
Toni fell to her knees, as Butch sadistically wiped the splashed blood off of his face. Cracking his neck, he left the corpse of David there, as he walked towards Toni slowly.
"Get." Richard growled, as Toni fell to her knees, her wails echoing in the hallway. "THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!"
Sprinting like a mad man towards Butch, Richard jumped off of his right foot, smashing Butch in the face with a strong Superman punch. As Butch stumbled away, Toni ran past Richard and over towards her father's body. Darryl cracked his knuckles, standing beside Richard.
"Two versus one?" Butch chuckled. "This is gonna be fun."
"Yeah, for me." Darryl grit his teeth. "'Cause I'll kill AND resuscitate your ass, then kill you AGAIN!"
Approaching them slowly, Darryl stepped to his left, as Richard stepped to his right. Filling the gap between them, Butch looked over both of his shoulders at his opponents, before smirking, his helmet reengaging.
Richard roared in anger as he swung his right foot, Darryl following suit from the other side, as Butch blocked Richard's with his forearm, and Darryl with his other. Turning on his heel, Butch punched Richard square in the throat of his suit, sending the V reeling backwards. Darryl stepped up, launching a massive haymaker into Butch's face.
Butch stumbled forward, as Darryl attempted to follow up with another kick, blocking with an open palm and turning Darryl away. Turning a moment too late, Butch received a kick square in the chest from Richard, sending him backwards into another of Darryl's devastating punches. Darryl attempted to follow up again, as Butch's right leg lashed out against Darryl's chest, sending him into the nearby wall.
Richard moved in for a punch, as Butch grabbed Richard's arm, tossing the rookie over his shoulder, kicking him in the chest savagely. Kicking Butch square in the helmet, Darryl lashed out an immediate left kick into Butch's chest. Returning with his own kick, Darryl sunk to the ground, sweeping Butch's legs out from under him, smashing Butch in the ribs with his boot on the way down.
Standing, Butch kicked Darryl away as he was standing, while Richard attempted another Superman punch. Butch blocked by clothes-lining Richard with his left arm, thrusting his left knee into Richard's groin plate, and kicking him away.
Darryl smashed a nasty right hook into Butch's helmet once more, smashing him in the knee with his boot. Stepping forward, Butch stretched his arm around Darryl's neck and bent his fellow Spartan II backwards, like a professional haymaker defense tactic. Richard kicked Butch in the back, as Butch attempted to sweep Richard's legs out. The rookie jumped over the sweep, Butch swung his leg higher, catching Richard square in the ribs.
Darryl approached again, swinging rapid fist after fist at Butch, who expertly countered the majority of them, except Darryl's sneaky forearm smash into Butch's ribcage.
Grabbing Darryl by the chest plate, he grunted as he lifted the Spartan II and tossed him down onto the concrete, hard. Richard growled and dove at Butch once more, who turned and punched him square underneath the ribcage, nearly winding Richard. Wrapping his massive paws behind Richard's helmet, the Spartan II relentlessly smashed Richard's face into his raising right knee, before tossing him at the wall. Darryl swept Butch's feet out from underneath him, landing a strong elbow to Butch's chest.
Standing Butch narrowly avoided a kick from Richard, blocking with his forearm again and slamming his right fist into the side of Richard's rib cage. Darryl didn't hesitate to kick Butch off of him, as the two Spartan allies swung kick after kick at Butch, who slowly backed off to avoid the blows.
Ducking under a kick from Richard, he smashed Darryl in the groin, turning on his heels he smashed Richard in the abdomen, before lashing out his right foot in a donkey kick into Darryl's helmet, using the same momentum to bring his knee up and into Richard's helmet again.
Butch turned back to Darryl, who struggled to stand again, as Richard grabbed the tiring behemoth in a head lock, attempting to hold rigid against his foe. Snapping his head back, Butch dislodged Richard from him by throwing the Spartan over his shoulder. Beginning to stand back up, Butch met Darryl's right boot square in the visor, falling onto his back.
Rolling away, Butch was back on his feet almost immediately, ready to continue. Richard approached again, as Butch heaved him over his shoulder, Darryl smashing his boot into Butch's chest. Butch laid on the concrete next to Richard, who lunged, wrapping his arm around Butch's massive throat. Darryl grabbing Butch's legs simultaneously, they believed to have beaten Butch.
Raising his right elbow, Butch smashed Richard in the helmet, as his suit matrices sparked, the younger Spartan's helmet disassembling in malfunction.
Lashing out his right boot, he struck Darryl in the helmet, yielding the same results. Darryl stood backwards, his face now exposed, as Butch jumped to his feet. Darryl swung a fist, which was blocked by Butch once more, smashing his right knee into Darryl's chest about five times. Darryl grabbed beneath Butch's knee and lifted the massive Spartan, spinning around before smashing Butch on the concrete, kicking the side of Butch's helmet, it beginning to malfunction.
Lifting Butch, nearly spent, Darryl received a left jab to his groin once more, as Butch swiftly followed up with another jab to Darryl's chest, ending off with a nasty right hook into Darryl's face. Grabbing Darryl by the skull, he smashed Darryl's face off of the wall, as Richard dove into Butch, returning the favor.
Butch struggled on the ground, as he flipped Richard off of him. Darryl and Butch stood, somewhat shakily, as Darryl swung another fist. Butch blocked, locking arms with Darryl, as he swung right hook after right hook three times into Darryl's face, ending in a haymaker.
Blood squirted out of Darryl's nose, as he fell back onto the pavement once more. Darryl's shotgun dislodged off of his back, scattering to the floor. Butch stood there with a stupid grin, wiping the blood off of his own face as he loomed over Darryl.
"You should've known better. My only match is Blaine, but that senile ol' spitfuck probably lost his skills years ago."
Reaching down, he grasped Darryl in a head-lock, prepping to snap Darryl's neck, as he searched for Toni, with her no-where to be seen.
"Where'd that little skank go?!" Butch growled at the nearly unconscious Darryl.
Richard's vision was blurry, as he saw Butch nearly strangling Darryl in the distance. Reaching up towards his chest, he pulled the knife from it's sheath, as he crawled over.
He had been beaten badly in the last six years, but those were training exercises. David was dead, and Darryl would be too if he didn't act quicker.
"Guess you don't know." Butch chuckled lightly as he struggled to catch his breath. "I bet you can feel your life fading away, like sand flowing through your fingers. You crave sweet release, but I'm not gonna let you have it, not yet at least."
Richard growled as he plunged the blade deep into Butch's right shoulder, just to the right of his neck. Twisting, Butch was forced to remove Darryl from his grasp as he attempted to dislodge it.
Howling in pain, Butch reached back and grabbed Richard, knocking him backwards. Flipping over, Butch grabbed the nearly unconscious Spartan by his hair, smashing Richard's face into the pavement.
"That is just about e-fucking-nough of this bullshit!" Darryl roared, as he charged Butch, kicking him in the ribs.
Butch rolled over, jumping to his feet with new found energy, as Darryl swung a nasty right hook, smashing Butch in the face. Swinging again, Butch dodged, punching Darryl in his diaphragm, switching to Darryl's face, then back to his diaphragm, then back to his face, before Darryl kicked him away again.
Tripping over Richard's body, Butch fell onto his back, as Richard rolled over, reaching for the knife. Butch grabbed Richard by his hair, smashing his face onto the concrete a few more times.
Feeling Darryl grab his arms, Butch turned to punch Darryl in the face, but instead, his fist met with a blue chest plate. Glancing up, the Black visor of the Legendary Recon helmet stared back at him.
"You shouldn't have done that, boyo."
Richard rolled over, his world was spinning, and his mouth was filled with nothing but the taste of copper. Glancing over, he made out a giant blue and red Spartan towering over the downed Butch.
Butch stood, swinging his right arm recklessly, as the Spartan sidestepped, grabbing Butch's elbow with his left arm, holding Butch's arm rigid with his right arm. Thrusting forward with his left arm, the Spartan broke Butch's arm.
Butch swung with his left arm, which yielded a similar result. Turning Butch to face him directly, the new Spartan swung lighting fast punch after punch into Butch's chest, blood pouring out of his rival's mouth like a river of red. Grabbing Butch by the throat like he was meaning to strangle him, the Spartan growled something that Richard couldn't understand.
Turning Butch around, the blue and red Spartan smashed his rigid right knee into the lower vertabrae of Butch's spine, shattering it completely, as Butch howled to the heavens in pain. Grabbing Butch by the neck again, the new Spartan slammed Butch into the ground, holding him still as he turned towards Toni, who stood there, frightened.
"Do it lassie. Avenge yer father." Richard heard the Spartan say, his vision darkening as he got closer to passing out.
"I-I can't papa, I can't." she shook her head.
"You don't got the stomach, bitch!" Butch sputtered. "You're weak, you are all WEAK!"
"No, you are weak." the Spartan growled. "Consider this a gift from Rochelle and David."
Grabbing the knife by the handle, the blue and red Spartan slowly dragged the embedded knife across Butch's neck, as blood geysered out, his body convulsing as the new Spartan took his life.
Richard heard a ringing in his ear, as his vision continued to blur, focusing and unfocusing, as the new Spartan approached him and Darryl.
"For someone that just came outta training, you put up on helluva fight against a Spartan II boyo." the Spartan said, as his helmet disengaged, his gray and black hair somewhat familiar to Richard. "Don't worry, we'll have you patched up soon. Toni, come check on your friend. John, get more Spartans down here. We need removal of three bodies. Darryl, you okay?"
Before Richard could realize who was talking to him, everything went black.
Yep, I know I just did that. I'm sure any of you who read this will probably say; 'Why'd you just do that to Butch after you bring him in?!' Believe me, it's a part of the story. You'll find out at some point.
Last edited by Shad0wChas3r on June 7th 2014, 3:23 am; edited 1 time in total
