Cauda 10 - Friendly Fire

"Bad enough I got some punk kid harassing me today. Now I gotta deal with an assassin."

Cauda 10 Movements [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GM5K0KoW0AIdEeK?format=jpg&name=large]

Bright lights filled her vision. Her past movements were a blur. She grabbed Carol and Whitty and ran. Following directions she couldn't remember now, she hopped from street from to street, bleeding and in hot pursuit by demons. She heard he car was completely totalled before she was surrounded by IRIS agents and blacked out.

Eyes adjusted she noticed it wasn't just one bright light but many. There were plenty of small ones flickering about. It was the Fae. Adjusting herself they fluttered away.

"So you're finally up." A cheery but commanding voice said.

As she rejoined the world of the conscious the pain returned too. Her hands were numb, back shot and stomach burning. She sighed, looking around.

She lay on a medical bed with a white blanket covering her lower half. Bandages covered her arms, hands and back. Next to her and lying unconscious were Whitty and Carol on separate beds, a fluttering of Fae around them, working overtime to heal. Both looked like hell.

"Annie...They didn't take out your hearing did they?" The cheery voice asked.

Annie looked in front seeing Rosie standing there, pink sniper rifle holstered to her side. "Ugh. I need a drink." Annie groaned. The data centre wasn't as bustling with activity as it was before. All employees had checked out for the night leaving the Carnival in command. At the end of the room she saw the COs standing at the large screen watching over everyone’s movements.

Radi sat at one of the desks, clicking through something on the screen in front of him.

The COs were in discussion, Annie listening in. As soon as she heard them mention Mommy's return she narrowed her eyes.

"S-she's back?" Annie asked, adjusting herself further. Though she'd been calm, rage started to bubble underneath.

"Apparently." Tess said, focusing on the screens.

"Then this isn't over." Annie pulled the blanket off and started to get up. "I'm going back in."

"Like hell you are." Rosie said seriously.

"We failed. I'm not gonna let her just roam free." She gritted her teeth.

Displo didn't look back, instead just speaking out loud. "Updike shot her. You're staying here. If we need you back in ill tell her."

"Hmph. Is she still alive?"

"Barely." Displo said.

"Good. I hope she suffers." Annie felt sharp pains throughout her body. It was protesting her sudden movements. It had no intention of returning to the compound. Especially not without more healing.

Annie sat back down, putting the blanket back over her legs.

"You got a drink?" She asked Rosie.

"Will this do?" A feminine voice spoke, this time from beside Annie. She turned aside, seeing someone she didn't recognize.

Tall with a lion's mane of vanilla-coloured hair hiding two animal ears, she wore stylish clothing, black and light brown shirt and shorts. She was dressed for summer excluding the fur jacket that hung open on her shoulders.

She handed Annie a glass filled with an amber liquid. Annie knew what it was even before downing it.

"Thanks, uh.."

"Botan." She never attended the team meetings aside from one. Her role was to watch over the data centre. Annie only vaguely knew of her role.

"Nothin' happening above?" Annie asked as she adjusted herself. Nevermind Mommy, she was back to thinking of the operation.

"Nope. Gonna be heading back up there in a minute though."

"They gonna be okay?" Annie asked, pointing to Annie and Whitty.

"Yep. The Fae got it under control. They took a huge beating, but they'll be back up soon."

"Good." Annie laid back, pulling up her phone.

As time passed information circled the teams. Team Lisp was on the ball, attempting to mend issues and control narratives.

Now Playing...

Artist: Analyst

Song: Epic

Nikku sighed. When she was told she would be piloting the mailroom she didn't think it would be that busy. What do security guards do anyways? Just sit around and look at cameras. That's what she expected. Not the mailroom abuzz with activity, all sorts of people calling in asking for updates. The narrative begun with Nikku pretending to be Mommy and explaining she wasn't in the church.

Daddy too called, angry at the sudden explosion. Nikku, in the mindset almost shouted back to him as Mommy but Nikusa stopped her, forcibly grabbing the mic. Instead she had Nikku pretend to be a demon, remarking that some 'religious terrorists' blew the gate up and threw Mommy into the portal.

At first Daddy chuckled at Mommy's defeat but quickly returned to his angry fervour, cussing Nikku out for being incompetent. He hung up, saying it doesn't matter and they didn't need the gate anymore. He then demanded to be left alone. With Daddy isolated they went back to having Nikku play as Mommy.

Based on what Nikku heard from Pompom she was amazed everyone just wholesale believed she was the matriarch. Mostly everyone anyways. At some point the 'head of security' called in informing the team that IRIS was behind the attack. At the time nobody knew who the security head was. So when Nikku shouted to them in Mommy's voice they sounded skeptical and hung up.

Daddy called again later too, asking Nikku to enter a code: a bunch of 3s and hit a SEND button. She did so, not a thought against it.

It didn't help that her head throbbed, a headache still droning on. Pompom at least hadn't been bothersome. She had been exploring the mailroom, looking over the various monitors and playing with S as she regained magic.

Updike's report came next, reaching the data centre first. Team Zig had been defeated, the Carnival completely exposed and the Family in leagues of someone who's mere presence could jam electronics at will, read minds, control people and fly. Suffice to say nobody on the team stood a chance. They found Ace the most effective, but he was the only one on team with those kinds of powers. Not to mention it was only a fluke Ace was even able to subdue him.

Some robot named Hex showed up as well, apparently on friendly terms with several Carnival members. Whoever he was, Tess saw Displo tense up at his mention. Speaking into Kapi's comlink he asked if he could speak to any IRIS personnel. He had questions. Displo refused to answer, telling Tess it wasn't the time or the place. In the end she just made up a quick response IRIS didn't have any operators with them at the moment. Solazar was curious about Displo's reaction, but alas, there were far pressing issues to deal with.

Hex did give them a little tidbit, however. That Daddy was aware of the data centre's location and remarked to him it would be dealt with soon. Suffice to say, Botan was sent back upstairs where she sat on the roof of the building waiting for whatever Daddy planned. S expanded the camera view to a larger perimeter around the compound and data centre, looking for a potential aggressor.

At this point the only thing Psychic did not know was the exact steps remaining. He knew a team would enter the compound and break into the vault. He didn't know the who and when. He did not know about the memory erasing spell either.

Updike chalked up the miracle to overwhelming Psychic with other details of the operation and his own personal thoughts about Psychic. Updike also genuinely forgot about setting up the antennas. Theo was the expert there.

At the time, Updike's mind was a mess thinking of hundreds of ways to either kill or recruit Psychic that he couldn't read that detail. It was a blessing in disguise.

While chances were low, the plan looked salvageable.

Psychic's next moves were apparently.

1. Retrieve Retro and deliver him to Team Zig.

2. Destroy Team Lisp if they hadn't left yet.

3. Whatever the Laughing Plan is.

Researching both IRIS and TGG's databases nobody found any indication of what that plan could be. As even Boyfriend didn't know the specifics they assumed only Psychic, and the parents were aware of it.

Despite the Psychic's threat against Team Lisp he hadn't called the mailroom again. Nobody knew why, though Solazar figured he was confident the team would evacuate without hassle.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Solazar weighed the options. Team Lisp would not be leaving. He already knew convincing Nikusa and S to flee would be impossible. Combined with the void queen's influence over Nikku and Pompom's unending energy from beating Mommy they weren't leaving. Nikusa and S were eager for a fight.

Nobody knew how Mommy returned so quickly though Nikusa guessed Daddy did so after Nikku informed him. It didn't matter. She was suffering from gunshot wounds thanks to Updike's trigger finger. She'd be out for now. Her resurrection at least solved the problem of her being outside the spell range.

They'd last seen her hobbling to the hangar, in clear pain and speaking to someone.

Beaten by Psychic, Updike was furious. He called in later stating he summoned two 'abominations' on their way to the compound and 'if they tear the place up he doesn't care'.

He didn't specify who noting that if Psychic scanned anyone’s minds he would be able to counter them. You heard the order briefly, remarking he sounded like Tabi. You hadn't seen him that angry since Earthquake.

So while Team Lisp waited for the mindreader, the COs needed a plan. Killing Psychic was impossible, and Updike's abominations wouldn't make it in time. Nobody knew how moral Psychic was. This put guilt-tripping him with Pompom out of the question. S and Nikusa weren't interested in any plans. They would fight and kill Psychic, they decided.

A final fallback plan was written, to only be activated if Team Lisp was defeated.

"I will enter the compound and raise my own hell." Solazar said coldly. "It will ruin the operation, force Team Python to evacuate and turn the whole of that area into a warzone but we have no other choice."

Wide-eyed, Tess just nodded. Listening in, Updike agreed.

Radi volunteered to join Solazar, remarking his nuclear fission would help. They would burn the place to the ground then have Pompom cast the spell.

For now, it was waiting.

Up top Botan adjusted her sniper rifle. With free reign on the roof she spent the operation pacing around, checking positions on nearby buildings and occasionally popping in with the team below. She knew vaguely the operation's state but didn't consider it her business.

She was here to assist after the Family made a move against one of her friends. And now hearing that one of the teams were recovering tortured demons only made her angrier. One wrong move and the Family would have had one of her girls, doing who-knows-what to them. Speaking with the other members she learned of the various ills the Family brought against them. So as much as she wanted to put a bullet between Daddy's eyes, she knew she was at the back of a long queue.

Four sniper rifles were set up on each side of the building towels nearby for perching. She'd check each rifle's view, scan nearby buildings and go check another direction.

With a target enroute this was her time to fight. From her conversations with Tabi she had a good idea of what the Family could send. She expected some kind of demon or "abomination" as Updike referred to them.

Getting up from the north position she stretched. Nothing but the occasional night walker or car driving along. With her dark clothing and the fog covering everything she knew she was well hidden. Pushing on her wrists and cracking some fingers she went to the west position. Getting down on the towel she put an eye to the scope and started looking around.

The data centre was only two stories up while the western buildings were double and triple that. She had to sit up and look high to see the tops of the buildings.

Expecting to see nothing atop the building she looked lazily, only stopping when she indeed saw someone sitting. A woman sitting on the roof's edge of the building starring aimlessly. Botan couldn't tell if she was looking down at her or just 'looking'. Details hidden in darkness the things most visible were a mane of white hair and white shoes. Whoever she may be, she didn't belong and wasn't there 30 minutes ago.

Botan watched her for a few minutes, not making a move. Judging by how the watcher didn't do anything, she wasn't sure if she was a villain or not. Her timing was suspicious, and Botan could have sworn that white-haired girl look down at her. But she also knew to be rational about it. Finger on the trigger she kept looking, expecting the watcher to either leave or make herself known.

At the compound, Sakuroma sat in a different pose. Sitting cross-legged, sniper resting on a building's ledge she watched the compound. Team Python had just entered through the front door. Psychic had rose from the cliff and flew towards the mailroom. He spotted Mommy and spoke to her briefly before they both entered the hangar. Sakuroma also witnessed some strange being emerge from the hangar and fly off. They shot at it, but it was moving too fast, scurrying away. Figuring it not violent they just let it be.

Unlike Botan she was conflicted about her role. Nobody informed the Seven Deadly Sins about the crew's penultimate goal. All they knew was Rosie wanted revenge for the Fae and they were there to find Retro. They knew nothing of the heist and found the Carnival's attacks very 'surgical'. It didn't make sense to them.

The rest of the gang stood behind her on various buildings, some watching the compound and some watching surroundings.

Sakuroma was the only one with a comlink but kept it off most of the time, only deciding to turn it on when she first saw Psychic. This was not her operation after all. She knew when to intervene. She also knew vaguely the trouble Psychic had been giving everyone. Nobody saw him coming.

She watched as Psychic emerged from the hangar. Hovering out he flew above the hangar and looked around. He took one glance to the mailroom and then a glance to mansion. Hand to his ear his spoke with someone on his own comlink.

Sakuroma watched carefully, getting him right in the crosshair of her rifle scope. She turned on her comlink, listening in to Solazar, Tess and Displo debate how best to defeat him.

Well, I got the best shot right here. "Just take the shot." Izzurius, one of the Deadly Sins said. Standing above her he looked at the compound, binoculars to his eyes.

"Hm?"

"These bozos can't even take out a flying dude. How are we s'posed to get Retro back if he scared half them off." The corvid-looking magician said.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Look. That team had what, a monster, a shop teacher, a cat and a cloud. 'Course they couldn't beat him. Psychic stands no chance against us 7. May as well help them out."

"You sure?" Sakuroma said. There was no rule about intervening...and they did technically help the team with that first shot. Deliberations lasted only a few seconds before she decided. "Ehn. Fine. This is boring anyways. Let's wrap this up."

"Exactly! Just as Retro would've intended." Izzurius said happily.

Sakuroma rose the sniper up, putting Psychic's head in the crosshair. She flicked her comlink on. "I'm still here. Taking the shot." They gotta hear this. With a finger pulling the trigger the shot fired, the sound of AWP breaking the silence.

"There she is-Sakuroma. Do not shoot!" Solazar shouted in the comlink.

"SAKUROMA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Tess gasped.

Botan heard both the gunshot and Tess' gasp. Flinching she did the unthinkable.

Solazar heard three things. A gunshot. Tess' scream. Another gunshot.

Now Playing...

Artist: Suicideyear

Song: Hate in My Hart

Botan froze, realizing the bullet narrowly miss the perched woman. She froze too, now taking note of Botan. Eyes glowing she leapt off the building. Botan got up fast and ran to the other edge, taking the sniper rifle with her.

"Uhh, guys we got a problem here." Botan said.

The woman landed, fist on the building shaking it. "WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" The woman said.

She stood at an average height with a mane full of hair like Botan. Unlike the hololive sniper, hers was wilder, splaying out in all directions. Strands of it lifted off as her hair glowed a pale bright blue. She was dressed for combat. White and pale purple shoes, ripped jeans, a hoodie tied around her waste, turtleneck and fingerless gloves. She was pissed. That much was clear as indicated by glowing blue eyes, sparks fluttering around them. Electricity emitted throughout her own body. She was supercharged.

"Sorry! It was a misfire." Botan said, bowing. "I didn't mean to."

The lightning woman wiped her chin. "It looks like you meant to shoot me."

"Honest! I didn't! I just heard another gunshot."

"So you're just sitting up here watching the skies. That it?"

"Yes. My name's Botan. I'm defending this building."

"Name's Arizona. Though I suppose you know already. I didn't hear any other gunshot. Bad enough I got some punk kid harassing me today. Now I gotta deal with an assassin." She cracked her fists.

"Everything all right up there?" Rosie asked. "Electronics just glitched out."

"Y-yeah I got it under control." Botan said.

"Calling for help?"

Arizona walked closer. "You know I've been having a pretty shitty day. Maybe you did misfire. I don't care anymore. You shoot at me. You're gonna pay."

Crap, Botan thought. The last thing she needed was a civilian getting involved, especially with an actual monster coming soon. She narrowed on Arizona, raising her sniper.

"Don't make me shoot you."

"You can't." Arizona rose a hand.

The gun glowed blue briefly, something clicking inside. Finger pulling the trigger, intending to shoot at her feet the gun did nothing. It was jammed. Botan dropped her sniper and pulled a knife from her side. Holding it, she raised her fists.

"Fine. You want this? Let's go." Botan said.

Arizona smiled and lunged at Botan. Fists aimed she intended to box Botan into submission, the vtuber ducking out of the way. Botan slammed a fist into Arizona's side, colliding her with shirt. Wary of Arizona's lightning fist she moved out of the way, not wanting to get hit.

She saw an opening to stab but decided against it. She didn't want to kill her. The last thing the Carnival needed was a murder. Just needed to rough her up.

She dropped the knife just as Arizona tried to grab her in a bear hug. Stepping back she caught both her hands in Arizona's, the lightning woman eliciting a smile.

"Bad mov-"

Both acted at the same time. Like a thousand needles all stinging at once throughout both combatants’ hands, Arizona felt nothing while Botan felt it all. At the same time, Botan slammed her head into Arizona's, an attempt to break free.

Both recoiled back, Arizona dizzy and Botan feeling contractions in her hands. She never considered herself a fighting game person and knew this was out of her league.

Adjusting herself, Arizona spit on the ground. "Punk."

The gun was looking more tempting by the minute. Maybe she could fire it fast enough? Botan got up and resumed a fighting stance.

"We even now?"

"Not by a longshot." Arizona punched the ground, sending a wave of volts directly to Botan.

Screw this. Botan jumped up, trying to avoid it. It flashed fast enough that she did. Hitting the ground she leapt to the sniper rifle, grabbing and aiming it at Arizona.

"You better make that count." Arizona rose both hands, intending to shoot lightning at the Hololive member.

A gunshot rang out stopping both fighters. Arizona turned back to see a new person. Wearing a pink dress with blonde hair she had a number of fairies floating around her.

"What the hell is going up here?" Rosie asked, puzzled. She held a pink pistol, smoke flowing from it. "Is that the Family's goon?"

"Huh?" Arizona stood upright, leaving the fighting stance. Her electric eyes vanished. Her hair still glowed though not as brightly. "Aren't you Rosie?"

"Yeah I think I recognize you. You've been to the cafe right?"

Arizona shook her head, remembering she was minutes away from beating up Botan. "Yeah. Well she shot me!"

"It was an accident! I swear!" Botan said. She still held the sniper, finger off the trigger this time.

"Well this is official Donna business...."

"Arizona."

"Right. If you don't mind could you please leave? There's a lot of weird stuff going on tonight. We don't want anyone in the crossfire."

"You're telling me." Arizona scoffed. "Why the hell is she shooting people anyways?"

"...look-here." Rosie checked her pockets, digging for something in her dress. Pulling out a paper she handed it to Arizona. "Here. You can get whatever you want from any of my bakeries. And hell, I like your powers. You want in with the Donnas lemme know."

"Yeah well that doesn't absolve the fact she tried to kill me."

"Oh shut up. She didn't even hit you. Fine. How about another coupon?" Rosie gave her another one.

"Heh. Fine. This works. Later bozos." Arizona said, snickering and jumping off the data centre. They didn't watch to see where she went.

"Alright I'm ready!" Radi shouted as he burst through the door. Hands raised they glowed a light green. He quickly put them down, realizing the fight already ended.

"I missed it didn't I?"

After the situation Displo and Tess had a laugh. Updike was exceedingly curious about a lightning user but didn't inquire further. Finding the whole thing a misunderstanding they all returned to their posts.

During the whole time Solazar said nothing, instead just starring up at the cameras. He didn't care about the "impending monster". He didn't care about Psychic, and he certainly didn't care about the Seven Deadly Sins going off on his own.

Next in was Team Python.

You, Tabi and his kids. It didn't matter how many times Agoti told him he was ready. Solazar couldn't shake the worry.

The next chapter will be called Our Main Act.