Fractured

"Ok, we are almost done on our end. Just wait for me to give the signal and then we'll start on the final push."

He taps out of his ear piece, sighing at the two teenage pilots still unwilling to work with them. Far too distrusting of the organisation they constantly went up against. For a man that constantly operates behind the scenes, his work had paid off. The hours of interrogation in the sweltering room had led to zero progress despite their capture. Only leaking small bits of information that began to tear the unity between the team apart. Leaving him to wonder if the truth really should be told.

The sounds of explosions and crackling plants outside didn't help either. So far from what he heard from the perturbed Atsuki, Victor attempts to convince her at the start of match twenty minutes earlier that he will surrender to the authorities and her antics became nothing more than unnecessary. Words that didn't really affect her thoughts if at all, words that resorted to the worst option amongst the bunch.

"This could pose a slight problem…"

He gritted his teeth, unable to wrap his head around her change in behaviour that manifested since their arrest. The kind and quiet girl he once remembered now a rampaging monster tearing apart the Russian landscape. An action that had already begun to land him in hot water with the Russian government still dealing with their own alien issues.

"Was it because of that move?"

He looks around, watching Shane resting with Hanson, Derek and Ambar whilst Verda attempted to treat her own wounds. Bitter at how Earth Guardian wouldn't bother to treat her. Perhaps the alternate name she was given online was truly justified. With just a small frown, he wanders out of the room, entering the chaotic mess that became somewhat silent. Unsure what to make of his expression.

Faye scoffed, amused at the sight of the defeated man. Giggling at his failed endeavours despite her tight slimy shackles infiltrating her shoes.

"What now? You trying to admit defeat?"

She looks at him, looking to see more of his defeated looks. But all she got was a nudge of his glasses, filling her with disappointing infuriation.

"No, I'm just coming to my own conclusion."

He sits down crossed legged on the floor, staring back at the tired and haggard men and women who watched with hateful curiosity, unsure and unbothered at his decision to sit down directly at their level.

"I know you guys don't trust us at all, but I'll make a proposition right here. We'll turn a blind eye to your antics for one year if you can just join us in defeating The Association. As a bonus, you can keep those machines if you can get Earth Guardian and Phantom Pain under control right now! After all, don't you not want to have waste more funds to pay for further damages to your Russian base? Let alone be greeted by the deplorable Russian government themselves?"

They looked at him surprised, speechless at his decision. Gasping in shock and delight at the terms he had placed. Faye looks to her leader, rather interested at his terms. Although his blank expression seem to fill him with suspicion at his far too good deal.

"Wait are you serious?!?"

Baku dragged him aside, pulling him close by the wall away from her colleagues just as surprised as her. Attempting to voice their concerns with gasps of shock. She directs him close to her mouth, whispering into his ear amid a splatter of saliva. Horrified by what he had planned to do.

"Hey Leroy, do you know what you are trying to say right now?!?"

Her hands waved violently by his face, barely grazing the tip of his nose. Hopeful he could come to his senses. This deal was something he wouldn't do. To comprehend at the idea of such a deal being a good idea would be to literally go against the higher ups demanding the return of their items. Machines that nearly bankrupted the entire country.

He tightly gripped her oily metal hands, putting it down ever so slowly at cyborg who jumped, stunned at the man who seemed uninterested to change his statement. Acknowledging the suicidal act he was going to pull.

"Its the only way. Trust me…"

Leroy moves to face the group still tied up firmly. Uneasy and alert, staring back at their leader who blankly watched the cringeworthy spectacle. Unamused at the treatment he received despite his age.

"Do you agree to the conditions? Tatsuya Kitsune?"

The man looks back at him amid a crowd of broken men and women. Onlookers who didn't need to add embarrassing fuel to the fire. For his name to be spelt out so blatantly like a child was nothing more than infuriating. His eyes wavered, firmly staring back in frustration away from his curious followers, wishing he could find a deal that benefits them even more than this. Silently thinking of the little choices remaining at the palm of his hand.

"Faye and Jango, get into the machines, you have a job to do."

Tatsuya lowered his stiff shoulders, relenting to his deal to the surprise of the four. Scott gritted his teeth, furious at his masters' actions. For an old man who raised him up against the terrors that confined him and Julie in purgatory, he seemed frail and weak. His instincts urged him desperately to act against his master despite his now clogged mechanical parts. Unable to watch his leader act so irrationally. Yet with a small glance at Julie's stiff expression, he feels compelled not to act, as if he already had a plan set in motion. As if they had won either way.

"Yes sir! We won't fail you!"

To the chagrin of Nemo, she watched them bitterly at their release from their slimy shackles. Flinging the irksome goop off their clothes and charging out towards the hangar. Ignorant at the state they were in. They looked back at their leader with a warm smile, grabbing their keys perilously by their sticky palm, a USB stick that only functioned through the one and only. Glad to be of service to him despite their work.

"Check the news online regarding the outcome. As long as you don't attack or go against us, you all should be fine."

Leroy looks at Nemo who reluctantly loosened her grip. Reluctantly reverting back to her slimy palms as her prisoners are freed to move once again. Disgusted at the damage done to their homes and their clothing. Leaving them with nothing but a broken mess that they never fixed and a forgiveness she could not succumb to.

"Can't believe you decided to do this."

Shane silently watched from the other room, carefully bringing Ambar and Verda up on their feet as the rest scrambled off, filled with unease at the extended time they stayed at the enemies territory. Seemingly ignorant at the possibility at their enemies turning their backs against them unlike Derek who watched uneasily despite Baku wandering beside him. Attempting to calm him down alongside her flustered mind.

She looks at Leroy who wanders past, far too tired to think about small things as the man began to radio in to the referee outside. Leading through the dim hallways like a cold-blooded killer.

"Atsuki let them know it's about to begin."

He dials up her number, listening to the fizzing sound of gushing air upon her gasping breath. Seemingly tired of clearing the aliens which attempted to interfere with the matchup. Moving away from their matchup and pushing in other locations instead in the attempt to take over the country in a day. Not even bothered to use the new machines dropping through the skies against them.

"Yeah… I know…"

She sighs, putting down her phone and staring at the duo, missing each other's attacks, wasting fuel and energy over things far too trivial in the big picture. Making a big scene over the destroyed messy lakes and the crumbled muddied mountains amongst the circles or orange that continue to ignite across the sky, splashing debris all over the abandoned town. Tearing apart the rusting cars and the building that hardly stood still upon the sudden ruckus. So alike yet so distant.

"The fact that you killed your p- No! Our parents and then cause the war?!? No amount of good will we'll get me on good terms with you!"

She leapt across the giant trees emerging beneath her wake, rising over forty stories tall and growing ever larger. Surrounding her like a tornado as she barely grasped her thoughts at her brother's survival. Directing more branches and vines filled with thorns at the giant hulking metal slicing and firing back at the overwhelming force. Unable to hold back the monster beginning to swallow the dark sparkling sky like the mouth of a furious Gaia.

"I may be stuck in technological purgatory but I know for one thing throughout my time with him in battle. He may be a mass murderer and a jerk, but he had been doing things with the best intentions at heart! Don't you realised he still cares for you?"

Eddy spoke through the machine, contorting the machine's face as if he was speaking directly back. Tearing apart the head further as bits and pieces fall apart, turning more and more into a robotic head shaped to look like his face. Infuriated at the constant attacks that began to drain their tanks and ammunition. A task he could barely manage against her attacks booming against her screams and shouts of anger.

"So what!?! You are just simply trying to PROTECT YOURSELVES!"

Atsuki watched the enraged bunch of branches charge directly like a spear, rushing through the air amid an ill-armed Victor who lacked the shield and the weapons to stop her push and her ever increasing psychotic tendencies. Left to watch this one-sided battle she could no longer endure.

She rushed into the scene, immediately creating large psychic barriers that blocked her aggressive attempts amid bright sparks of flame which ignited her work of art. She sighs, watching Sylvie grit her teeth as she detached the flaming wreckage once more into the tainted waters.

"Unholy Wings?!? Why are you still defending him with your life?! As referee and colleague, you already know his actions are unforgivable!"

She looks back at her colleague she once called a friend, ensnared within the branches and vines like body armour amid a twisted gaze that seemed far different from before. A different woman she could not recognise. Snarling with hope that the girl she remembered was still within her.

"Your violent actions and rampage doesn't justify me allowing you to step any further. After all, you are also a mass murderer as well isn't it?"

At the sound of her remarks, Sylvie growled intensely, slamming much of her giant tree branches at her with incredible speed. Hardly able to determine it's location if not for the fixed branches directed towards the psychic barrier with killer intent. All of which did nothing but display her overwhelming power.

"W-Why…"

Victor gasped, ignorant of the AI still complaining about being dragged into their problems like a drunken, jobless middle aged father and his burdened son. Peering at the monitor to see Atsuki holding her palms out wide. Barely illuminating the psychic barrier set in front of it. She looks back towards the camera, smiling amicably without animosity unlike much of the other colleagues he met earlier when the man behind the Cthulhu spread the word. A woman who made up her mind.

"Even though your actions then may be unforgivable, you actions now had proven that you are worthy enough to be forgiven to me. Now then, please come home in one piece!"

She gives a small wink, warming Victor's heart despite the tense mood. Overlooking the ever advancing branches tear themselves to pieces upon the rampant slamming of the psychic barrier. Hardly breaking a sweat.

Behind her, a group of machines and powerful individuals fast approached their location, rushing steadfast with haste. The Unibody watched at the disappointing battle, blankly hating the pointlessness of it all with the slimy ball of occupants by it's hand. Ignorant at the man in the cockpit who busied himself with his earpiece.

"Tanner it's time! The coordinates on that earpiece should allow you to gauge where we are!"

He heard the mysterious man grin with eagerness, holding the creature solely by his palms. Smiling back at the alien with reassurance. Hoping his deep booming voice directed towards the far end of the forest did not scare it any further.

"Tightrope Emo Teleportieren!"

At the screech of his earpiece, a large purple portal emerged, sucking much of the air in against the bright strong winds of what seemed like a dense forest in Oflip as it stabilised in the dark sky. Nearly blinding Scary Beanstalk if not for the dark figure that caught her attention, charging towards it at lightning speed.

"Why you-"

She screamed, unhinged at the Cthulhu who charged with its claws out wide, tearing through the branches and grabbing the psychotic lady by it's palms, dashing through the portal and crashing through the forest. Knocking her out almost immediately against the swarming aliens now turning to face them. Watching nervously at the demonic beast staring back at them amongst its giant army emerging out of the portal.

"So this is my life now eh…"