A light rain began to fall as I ran across the roof tops. The wind smelled of petrichor and ozone. Blowing strong, wild.

There was a storm coming.

It would be my vanguard. Keep me unseen as Is stalked the filth of this city. I had questions that needed answers. I was done being the better man for today.

I would get them. Drag them out tooth by tooth If I needed.

I leapt over the gap between buildings, an alleyway. A crack for the rats to hide in. They thought they'd be safe there. The storm would sweep them away too. Send them skittering into the wind.

They weren't far. I could feel it. I'd hunted them enough to know how they worked. Knew where they hid. They couldn't hide from me now.

Only run.

I wasn't going to let them.

I reached the edge of a rooftop and stared down to the gutter below.

There they were.

My Rats.

Hiding behind crates of ice cream and poster board.

Their time had come.

I leapt off the roof, lightning flashed overhead and thunder rolled. The rain kicked up. Ready to wash away the filth. All of it.

I crashed down on the crate, sending splinters of wood and custard flying. I caught them by surprise. They turned to face me, fear in their eyes.

"Torchwick." I growled "Neo."

It was him. Hat, cane, hideous tattoo. He looked the same.

So did his partner.

They both looked like they should.

That drove the storm harder.

Because they weren't the same.

They were too small.

"What did you do!?" I roared at them

"What did we do!?" Torchwick asked "This is a legitimate operation, what are yo-"

I streaked through the rain, clocking him on the jaw. He staggered back, clutching at the crate for support. I kicked at his knee, forcing the joint to hyper extend. He went rigid with pain. His loss. I grabbed him by the head and smashed it into the crate. I reeled him back again and drove my fist into his stomach, doubling him over.

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I felt something hit my back. I turned to face it. Grabbing the trash bag by his shirt and throwing him to the ground.

It was Neo. She'd hit me with a picket sign that she'd pulled from nowhere.

It read: 'Hands off!'

I glowered at her as the winds kicked up and the lightning crashed. The alley dyed white as bone.

Her eyes widened, the sign flipped.

'Uh oh.'

The thunder rolled. So would her head.

I lunged at her. Fist crashing into her chest. Other hand grasping onto the sign she held. I relieved her of it. I smacked her with the sign, and began to beat her with it.

'Oof'

'Ow'

'Sonnuva-'

The board fell from the sign, and my swings landed faster. Landing anywhere and everywhere. I wasn't aiming. They were guilty. Both of Them. Guilty of things that could never be forgiven. Never be proved. Not now.

But I didn't need to prove it.

I just needed to undo it. Before it undid me.

I grabbed her by the hair and threw her at her accomplice.

The winds howled. A rabid dog ready to escape the cage. Not yet.

Not. Yet.

"I gave you a chance!" I roared, stalking to them, beating stick ready "Look what you did."

The rats tried to scramble away. I was done being nice. I slammed their ankles with the stick. They yelped in pain.

"LOOK!"

Their eyes never left me. They knew what they did. There would be retribution.

NOT. YET.

"Where is she." I growled, voice like grinding stone "Where. Is. Your. Boss."

The rats looked at each other. Something in their gazes pleased me.

I would get what I want.

Then there was a crash, and the whoosh of fabric.

"That's enough, violent scum!"

"…"

I look over my shoulder an- Oh have got to be kidding.

Standing some feet behind me… Jaune of all people. Wearing a domino mask and red cape.

Over his usual outfit.

"This city already has a defender." He said, dropping his voice to a rasp "We have no room for violent vigilantes."

"…" The storm came to an abrupt end. Fading instantly. "Jaune, what the fuck are you doing?"

"I don't know who that is, stranger." Jaune rasped "I am, THE HUNTS-MAN!"

There was a bark, and Zwei ran out next to him.

"… And Wonder Zwei!:

"…"

"Stand aside, let the professionals handle this."

"He already is." I growled "You're in my way."

"I don't know what you're trying to do. But ambushing people isn't how a professional does things."

"Ambush- peo- Jaune, you realize who these two are, right?" I said, getting more than a little pissed

"I am THE HUNTS-MAN!" Jaune rasped again "I know who they are, and they will be dealt with by the proper authorities. I'm taking them in."

"… No, no you're not." I growled "They're going to pay for what they did. All of them are. The only thing you're doing right now is stopping that."

"They will. In the courts." Jaune said, trying to match my cadence

"… What are you, dense?" I growled "If anything you of all people should be on my side for what they did."

"They will face justice."

"The only thing they're going to face is…"

I whipped back around. I'd stopped watching the Rats.

They'd run.

Leaving nothing but crates of Neo's Neo and a mess to clean.

"…" The storm howled in the distance. "They got away."

"I'll find them." Jaune said, his tone making feel he did not take this situation as seriously as I did. "None can escape: THE HUNTS-"

I launched at Jaune, decking him. I held nothing back.

He hit the floor like a sack of Tatos.

Zwei looked down at him, then back to me.

"Keep him safe." I growled "Don't get in my way."

Then I turned and ran. The night was young. There were more rats to hunt.

This city was their warren. Full of Nests for them to hide in. To spread their plague

But I was the exterminator. The one to burn the nests.

The cure.