A horrible fog loomed over the streets of Liverpool.
A light gust of thick air swept periodically, along with the whistles that called those walking against it. It was a mostly quiet night with few bystanders walking down the street. Time was close to curfew, and the pubs were receiving the most business.
Something was afoot. In a dark, shrouded alley just off Waterloo street, a horde of large figures approached. With each large booming step they took, the rattle of metal links would follow. The sound echoed across the brick walls that made up the alley.
"No movement in this sector, Alpha." The leader of the pack spoke up, scanning the area around him. Each large figure was dressed head to toe in a heavy black coat, matching bear fur ruffled at the neck. They each wore horrible masks depicting ghoulish faces of agony and terror, shrouded by a shadowy hood.
"Solid copy. All sectors surveyed for today. Clearance to return to base is given." Alpha replied at the back of the pack. The mask was designed to muffle and distort the voice of the wearers, making them sound like the horrors strapped to their faces. The leader, who turned back at Alpha, met with the rest of his squadron.
"Still no trace on those Spectre crooks." Beta clambered. Given his role as the squad's captain and strongest member, Beta was given a Dominus hood, which was special for having no mask—the wearer's face simply shrouded in darkness, decorated with crow feathers at the base of the hood.
Those who wore pieces of high ranking gear were feared and respected in the United Japan military. Beta was no different.
"Tomorrow's sweep will bring us to Birmingham district. I'm sure we'll find some pillocks there." Another member spoke up, wearing a grizzly monster mask.
"Let's get back to base. We have things to discuss." Beta spoke up, leading the pack again into the back alleys of Waterloo.
The group of shadows trudged along the streets, the swinging of chains heard from the streets across.
It was a haunting sound. One that if heard, meant one of two things.
Certain death, or life behind bars.
They were the harbingers of fate. The hands of the government. They were shadows of the night.
***********************************
Specter Headquarters, Training room
"And we are set!" Oxford cheered, stretching himself as Takeshi stood beside him. The room was starting to fill with the guests as promised. Today was the tournament that was set to be held, and the guild had left early in the morning to Bount City. The entire day would be taken up by a vicious friendly tournament to rank and scale the powers of each squadron. Accompanied with their second in command, the captains would engage in 2-on-2 fights of their full abilities.
Oxford couldn't be more excited.
"It's been a while since I've fought Zatoichi. I hope we get matched together." Takeshi remarked, taking a seat on a long bench before the fight mat. A thin white towel rested on his neck, Kagami pressed up against his leg.
"Ah yes...when he is able to phase shift, his physical strength becomes the second strongest in the guild. He actually managed to bruise me last time we fought." Oxford added.
"Well...speak of the devil. If it isn't the blind swordsman…" Takeshi joked, Zatoichi entering the room in his battle attire, which was essentially a black kimono with his training clothes under.
"Tanaka. When are we starting?" Zatoichi sneered almost, crossing his arms. Behind him entered his co captain, Yamato Hitoyoshi. Little if anything could be said for the man's physical appearance, as his entire build was masked by a towering set of traditional samurai armor, plated with deep red and lined with edges of shimmering gold paint. Instead of revealing the man's face, a mask was tucked under the helm, which was that of a traditional Japanese demon known as an "Oni". At his hip, a bevy of swords lined around him.
"Wow, not even a hello?" Takeshi joked further, kicking back on the bench.
"Hello, I guess. I want to start as soon as possible." Zatoichi continued, beginning to trudge away as his second in command trailed behind him silently. Yamato never spoke, for whatever reason. How he was able to communicate with Zatoichi was a mystery. But all that could ever be heard of the man was the clinking of his armor with every step he took.
Oxford, catching Yamato's attention, tried to sign with his hands. Even with the most basic of gestures, Yamato simply turned away, ignoring Oxford's greeting.
"What's got you in a rush? Let me guess...back to training?" Takeshi continued.
"No. This tournament will be my training. I want to get started as soon as possible." Zatoichi replied, taking a seat beside Takeshi on the bench. Yamato simply stood above him, unable to sit comfortably with the weapons at his hip.
Almost as if on cue, Kuina Masutomo entered alongside her co captain, the ever beautiful and deadly Haruka Inosaki. Taking notice of Takeshi, the pair was quick to move to them.
"Takeshi. How are you?" Kuina opened warmly, stretching her arms out. Without a reply, Takeshi rose to his feet as he embraced the girl, pulling away as he replied.
"I'm just fine. And yourself?"
"Good, as always. Good to see you, Oxford." Kuina shifted, extending her hand out to him. Oxford typically never did handshakes for two reasons. One—His hands were abnormally large and very hard to properly shake with others. Two—being a traditional man who believed in respect and presentation, a firm handshake was never an option, as he had broken many hands back in the day trying to be a gentleman. Forgetting this fact, Kuina smiled and blushed a bit as she remembered, realizing Oxford did not extend for the gesture.
"A pleasure to see you, Ms.Masutomo. As for you, Ms. Inosaki." Oxford greeted.
Inosaki without so much as a word, bowed before both Takeshi and Oxford.
Haruka was of average size, about as tall and weighing as much as her captain. She had long, straight brunette hair that extended far past her shoulders, trailing against her back, almost reaching her rear. Usually held up in place by chopsticks, this time her do had been let down. Takeshi assumed she'd touch it up before the fighting began. As for the rest of her physical features, she had thin dark brown eyes that almost appeared black. Her skin was rather light, but not pale in complexion. Like most traditional Japanese women, she wore a long kimono that trailed against the floor. Under it was her combat uniform, which was standard shinobi attire complete with tight fitting combat robes and mask that worked like a hood.
"Who else are we waiting for?" Haruka asked Oxford, who was standing proudly awaiting the other participants.
"Well, We're here. Cross us off the list." Rodger barged in, behind him his co-captain, the brass skinned Brophy McAlister.
"Heh, no big entrance this time, Rodge?" Takeshi laughed.
"Well, I'd love to sound off a few shots. But, Charlemagne's orders state I have to keep safety on all my weapons in the headquarters. He's a killjoy if you ask me." Rodger replied.
"Charlemagne is a dignified gentleman who wants to keep everyone here safe. Should one of those weapons on you discharge accidentally...you could end up seriously hurting someone. After all, steam weapons aren't all that secure. They're still mostly experimental." Brophy spoke up, a cloud of steam shooting from his mouth. The man spoke with an air of posh exuberance, his accent thicker and more present than others.
The first thing to note about Brophy was the fact that he was not human. Given a tall, slender build, the being was classified as a Full First Generation Geargia, a new technological breakthrough that involved splicing one's human brain and implanting it in a steam powered brass plated body. The machine worked very much like an engine that operated on heated water, capable of full range movement and speech.
As for his actual appearance, the robot was very tall—approximately 7 feet tall. His entire body was thin, from his legs to hands and arms, constructed of hard brass and copper alloy, which gave him a reflective gold look. He wore a long tuxedo like tailcoat that was a deep satin black, complete with a matching top hat. On his neck, a similar color bow tie rested. His face was engraved with elegant curved carvings, all around his unblinking beaded eyes and single flapped mouth that dropped slightly when he spoke. Tucked between the flap was a long, 8 inch pipe that hung from his lip, a trail of steam emerging from the pot. The most notable part of his appearance was the abnormally large longsword that was pressed against his coat. It was more long than big, with the blade hanging just a bit off the ground. It was shaped almost like a jousting spear, only the edges were still sharp and the blade retained more than one cutting edge. The thing that made the blade stand out the most was the large caliber revolver chamber attached to the hilt. Connected to a trigger along the guard of the sword, the barrel trailed up a few inches along the blade. Needless to say, the weapon was rigged with a very special trick.
"Oh Brophy...don't go lecturing me. I know how much of a posh Brit Charlemagne is. Now, I skipped breakfast for this. We better start soon. Who are we missing?" Rodger retaliated, crossing his arms.
"Well, with you and Brophy, that leaves us with Freed and Viceroy. Where the hell are they?" Takeshi said sharply.
Maddox entered the room promptly, followed by the men in question.
"Is everyone present?" Maddox began, taking center stage in the arena.
"With us two, yes. We're ready." Freed declared. Behind him was his co captain, the ever so infamous "Prince of Thieves", Viceroy.
"Oh I'm itching for a good fight. I got so tired of roughing up those nightingale goons...I finally get a real challenge!" Viceroy barked, throwing his hands behind his head.
The man was an unusual sight, to say the least. Decked out in all black from head to toe, Viceroy was in definition a walking shadow. His ruffled raven black hair was unkept, his deep black eyes staring off in the distance, complete with pitch black eyeliner under it. His lip, nose and ears were all pierced, filled with rings and black spikes. With rather light skin, the tattoos he had sprawled across him were easy to spot. Given light ink and very little detail, it was easy to make out what was etched on his body. He wore a thick black short coat with black combat pants, matching boots, an a dual link belt with silver buckle and loops. A long chain link hung from his pocket and belt, clinging with each step he took. At his hip, a set of black and silver nunchucks secured with chains rested.
"Let's hope you don't get matched against Oxford. He's the only one that can counter your abilities." Freed observed.
"Heh, I think even Yamato could provide a hard counter. Either way...you're in for some stiff competition. I hope you're ready." Takeshi jabbed.
From the corner of his eye, three more people entered the room and Oxford's view.
The group was composed of Cutter, Maxwell, Toyuma, and Spaz.
"Cutter? Maxwell? Toyuma? Keith? What are you guys doing here?" Oxford inquired.
"I'm here to let you all know I'll be off route on mission elsewhere while the guild handles business in Bount City. I was also informed that the rooks will be allowed to spectate the tournament. Charlemagne encouraged Toyuma to stay behind and educate them if they have any questions. Something about a 'learning experience'...whatever that means." Cutter growled, rubbing the stubble on his chin. The deep cuts in his face gleamed in the gaslight, which was somewhat hidden behind the emerging beard.
"Now, It'll be my responsibility to keep you two informed on the abilities and performance of our top ranking members. At this time I ask you pay close attention to each battle and take mental notes of how each team works together. The division squads have specifically picked out captains and co-captains for many reasons, most of which being a little trait called 'synergy'. When two thieves can work together in perfect harmony, playing off each other's strengths and covering their weaknesses, we call that synergy. Each captain is paired with their second in command because they have the highest synergy rate over all other members of each squad. This doesn't apply to just fighting, however. On mission, some prefer to stand on the sidelines and command the shots, while others are on field doing the stealing for themselves. This is what makes missions and their successes possible. Now, have a seat and wait for the battles to begin." Toyuma taught, instructing the pair to sit at a bench.
"And I'm already bored. When can I see Oxford fight!?" Spaz jolted, smacking his hands together.
"Very soon, my pupil! In your honor, I won't hold back! You can see the full extent of my abilities, front and center!" Oxford boasted, puffing out his chest, making the thin shirt he wore tear a bit at the seam.
"Showing off for the ladies, I see?" Takeshi laughed. It was clear from his face and confidence that he was in a good mood.
"Lady, in singular." Spaz pointed to Maxwell, who was adjusting the hair on his back.
"I really ought to get a haircut so you twits can stop calling me a girl…" Riley sneered.
"Well, at least your not as bright as the sun like Toyuma." Keith giggled, the short boy beside him Turning over with a dissatisfied grin.
"Always a critic." Takeshi smirked.
"Attention, everyone, attention. I wish I could help organize and keep the tournament running, but business calls me back to the office. As you may have heard from your higher ups, we are in a current trade deal with Ocelot, a thieving guild from Norway. Should we complete this deal and sign our respective contracts, we will be looking at a large collaborative boost in both income and items. With with we can expand our territory in Bount City and begin construction on our planned soup kitchens and housing for those in need. With that being said, I am leaving the control of this tournament in the hands of squad four's tactician, Toyuma Kitsumari. He will observe each match and determine a winner accordingly. Now, he will explain the rules and other information regarding this competition. Toyuma…" Maddox signaled, waving at the boy to come fourth. From the benches, Kitsumari took center stage in the arena as the squads began to form around him.
"Alright everyone, here's how today's tournament will play out. Each squad is consisting of a captain and their second in command. Each fight will be a two on two match, with both participants involved in the battle at all times. In order for a winner to be declared, one of these few requirements must be fulfilled. One, both members of a squad are knocked out, or are unable to continue. Two, the captain of the squad surrenders at any point in the match. Three, the captain is defeated before the co captain. If any of those occur, the opposing team wins automatically. Here are a few specific rules regarding what is allowed. Takeshi, your cursed blade Kagami is limited to one form per battle. Should Kagami revert back to it's initial base form, you will not be allowed to shift it again. Oxford, you are restricted to destruction of this area only. Causing any other collateral damage in any way shape or form is grounds for an automatic disqualification. Zatoichi, surpassing phase one of your cursed blade's ability is strictly prohibited, as power past that point is considered a lethal force. Haruka, you are not allowed to use paper explosives, however, stun explosives with no collateral damage are fair game. Viceroy, your bounce ability is restricted to the fighting arena. Manipulation of buoyancy of any surface outside the ring is prohibited. Freed, your full body system is not allowed to surpass combat mode. Should it switch into boiling mode, the fight will be disqualified immediately. Brophy, your Peacemaker is only allowed to fire blanks. Use of actual 357. Caliber rounds is prohibited, as they are extremely lethal. And with that, I believe those are all of the specific rules. Keep in mind, at no point in the fight should any lives be in danger. You are fighting to incapacitate the opponent, not kill them. And with that said, I believe we can begin. Because there is an odd number of squads, one squad will have to fight back to back. Remember, this should be fun competition. This is only a test to show and improve your skills. Push your limits, but don't get carried away. Now, here will be our first match. Squad four versus Squad five!" Toyuma flipped a large chalkboard over, revealing the tournament layout.
On the bracket, squads four and five were first to participate. With the reveal set, the other squads took seating along the edges of the arena as the participants prepared themselves at the center.
"Cutter...you can leave now." Haruka spoke up sharply, her low eyes wandering down his physique.
"I was just about to. Don't worry. I can't stand your presence either." Cutter spat, reaching into his coat as he retrieved a cigarette.
As Cutter left, Maxwell and Spaz looked on. Toyuma stood among the participants in the arena, waiting to call the match.
"I won't be holding back, Takeshi. But just know, I don't mean any of this. It's all for the sake of competition." Kuina smiled, preparing herself.
"I don't expect you to. Show me what you got. It's been a while since we've seriously fought." Takeshi replied, popping his knuckles.
"No hard feelings Oxford. I'll be taking out all the negative emotion I've built up over the past fifteen minutes on you." Haruka threatened, peeling off her Kimono as she revealed a tight fitting battle suit composed of deep blacks. Tucked around her belt was an array of ninja gadgets, from paper bombs to kunai knives, throwing stars, chain links, and of course a small, short bladed katana. The woman reached back at her mask, which she pulled over her head, shrouding her face in shadow.
Oxford promptly ripped his shirt from his chest, throwing the fabric to the side. The bulging muscles were already trailing with beads of sweat, a preparatory action Oxford took to get blood flowing through the vessels and build mass.
"Say, why is Oxford already sweating? It's not hot in here…" Maxwell observed.
"Funny explanation for that. He actually told me about this the other day when we were training. He said he constantly makes himself sweat, even when not in heat or physical exercise. It's a way of preparing his body for the use of his ability at any time." Spaz explained.
"And what exactly is Oxford's ability?" Riley questioned further.
"I'll let the man himself show you." Spaz sat back in his seat.
"Fighters, ready?" Toyuma barked, his high pitched voice almost cracking.
Takeshi and Oxford nodded, taking stance. Kuina and Haruka did the same.
"BEGIN!"