Ace's Bizarre Adventure (Private)

[New Castillan Empire]

"Most unfortunately, there are certain peoples who would rather see your quarry continue to live." Said the figure, who had a posh, light English accent. "More unfortunately, you curs are so backhanded that I would rather not suffer any of you to live."

"Solange..." Ace whispered to himself.

The figure pointed his palm at the crowd of enemies. A halo of hardlight formed behind him. "Destruction!"

Literal giant needles of thunder shot out in a barrage around him. They homed in on the crowd in a way that wouldn't strike the League.

Ace immediately jumped up and rained down his entire magazine on the Thalmor. "MOVE!" shouted the outlaw to his comrades.

A large amount of soldiers were taken down in the ensuing chaos of thunder and bullets, as well as a few archers, the casualties numbering at around 17 out of 40, counting the reinforcement of five that had come along from the southern hall, charging towards the group as the team finally dispersed. The reimaining archers let off two rounds of arrows at the ground below, the gang dispersing as Klawguttah used his arm plate to tank a few arrows, and Zorro had disintergrated a few arrows with his lightsaber, as one Thalmor trooper charged to him, Zorro tripping the man and then thrusting his blade into his back before turning around and bisecting a soldier, and then being challenged as he parried off swings by the enemy troops.

"He thinks we're hopeless, eh? Silly gringos. They never understand." Aguila said as he shot upwards with his jetpack and pulled out two double-barrel pistols, firing upon the archers in something akin to Reaper's Death Blossom, which luckily the missed shots were in the walls and hadn't damaged anything valuable.

Quickfist and Klawguttah, in the meantime, were preoccupied as the Filipino girl charged towards a pair of soldiers and ducked under their sword swings before jumping up and punching them several times square in the face and then backhanding them, then challenging a trio of troops, backflipping off another soldier's shield as she grabbed the seconds' head in midair and slammed him into the first on feet-first, then throwing him into a wall with such force it went into the botany room and had shattered the bulletproof glass where the carnivorous plant was being encased, the creature staring down at the dazed elf as, within a moment, it had gone in to violently bite on and eat the poor medieval-fantasy trooper. Quickfist then finished the job by roundhouse kicking the third trooper, knocking him to the ground before she took him down by slamming the bottom of her palm against his head, knocking the elf out cold.

Klawguttah, on the other hand, facing off against a group of archers upstairs after grabbing another guarding swordsman and throwing him across the room into an archer, then quickly pulling out his Nock gun and firing a volley of eight super-powered rounds into a line of archers and incapacitating or killing them all, laughing as he did so, then looking to Aguila flying around as he spun around to slash one of the soldiers with his metal wing, and with the lance in hand he had managed to impale a soldier through the chest and pointing it to the floor as the heavily-armoured bowman landed on the man Zorro was busy fighting.

Guido got in on the action too, having grabbed four arrows and rapidly firing them accurated into the soldiers' torsos, then aiming his pistol crossbow upwards as he fired a grappling hook as swung onto the side of the railing upstairs, leaning over the side and looking onto the ground as he tied a rope from the hook around himself, and then started picking off a few soldiers with his bow.

Seeing all his men be turned to mere bodies in the midst of the battle, Sinyail had gone to fire his crossbow bolt at the new, lightning bolt-slinging figure, chambering another round and firing it at ace, before he ran out of bolts and went to to run out of the building through the botany, but not before the 11-foot-tall man-eating plant had gone and engulfed the poor Altmer down to his upper torso, swinging its' giant mouth upwards in order to continue swallowing him down like a chicken eating sauerkraut.

As the battle calmed down and all but 6 of the footmen had been dispatched of, which hopefully the mage or Ace would simply take down, Guido fired off one last shot and incapacitated one golden troop before jumping off and rolling for safety, dusting off his hero getup as he went over and overheard the commotion at the botany.

"Er... amiga?" Guido asked.

"Si?" Quickfist replied, wiping some blood off her metal knuckles from before, as he nodded towards the hole in the wall, which showed the poor officer getting chewed up like sausage meat as blood ran down the plant's bottom lip.

"You think we should've saved him? I think we could've needed something from him." Guido asked with concern.

"Come on, from him? He's a Sangrelfa, what'd you want to trust in him for?" Aguila chuckled loudly, Quickfist rolling her eyes as she looked over to the magical lightning wizard.

"So... nice gadgets you got going on here, gringo. Tell me... who in the Holy Roman fuck are you exactly?" Quickfist wondered.

[Planet Illysia]

Throughout the battle, Ace was jumping and flipping aroun performing lightning-quick shots and masterful close-quarter combat and earned himself a fair share of the kills. The cloaked figure was clearly not shy of combat, for he had kicked out one or two bandits and launched another telekinetically. The last few were hit by a lightning bolt from the mage. Finally, when the battle was over, the mage dissolved his aura, and lost the darkness that concealed his features. His hardlight visor disintegrated and, under it, he was....gorgeous.

"How crass...I am Albert. I have been tasked with Ace's protection, because a certain friend of his does not trust him to leave this planet alive." The mage said.

"Damn it, Solange!" Ace yelled.

"...Damn it, indeed. I would rather not be here, but alas, I have a job to not be fired from." Albert replied, wiping off his brow.

[New Castillan Empire]

Throughout the battle, Ace was jumping and flipping aroun performing lightning-quick shots and masterful close-quarter combat and earned himself a fair share of the kills. The cloaked figure was clearly not shy of combat, for he had kicked out one or two bandits and launched another telekinetically. The last few were hit by a lightning bolt from the mage. Finally, when the battle was over, the mage dissolved his aura, and lost the darkness that concealed his features. His hardlight visor disintegrated and, under it, he was....gorgeous.

"How crass...I am Albert. I have been tasked with Ace's protection, because a certain friend of his does not trust him to leave this planet alive." The mage said.

"Damn it, Solange!" Ace yelled.

"...Damn it, indeed. I would rather not be here, but alas, I have a job to not be fired from." Albert replied, wiping off his brow.

"Wait, hold on, por momento.... so, according to Lightning Bolt here, you two aren't from here? Like, you're not just some gringos who obtained highly advanced technology?" Zorro asked.

"No, Zorro. They're from Illysia." Guido said as the whole group gasped.

"Illyisa!? As in 'child soldiers and civil war' Illysia? Planet Africa?" Quickfist questioned in surprise.

"Don't worry, amigos, I'm sure he's fine. I mean, sure, we may have run into a pothole like what happened a few minutes ago, but he's okay. I mean, I worked with a few Illysian migrants doing interstellar jobs for my lumbering company, and 75% of them are okay, out of, like, 45." Aguila said. "Anyways, we're okay with you being here, amigo. We only have, like, 100 Illysians throughout the whole empire, so there's no sentiment against you. We're all very inclusive here, too, si?"

"Plus, we would've figured it out that you weren't from here anyways; we never had repeating firearms here, sans the ones the Ottomans bring or the museum antiques." Zorro mentioned.

[Planet Illysia]

Ace groaned. "Yes, I'm from that shithole." Ace said.

Albert scoffed, and replied. "Not only that, but, Ace here isn't some hero of justice." As he spoke, Ace's eyes widened. "He's a corporate saboteur. Ace Vega, the Killer Quickdraw: THE corporate saboteur, and an assassin as well. His legendary quickdraw is used to drop corporate paramilitary. I'm aware he's only here as a reward from the Queen of this realm." Albert explained with a strong tone of disdain.

"Guess the jig's up." Ace took a couple steps away from the group and spun around. He began to rant, pointing at himself with his thumb as he did so "Yeah, I'm that outlaw that every ol' Wild West story talks about! 'Cept there's no nameless stranger to come in and smoke me, not never! Listen up! Yer' dealing with the King of All Bounties here! My head's worth 'leven million pixels, and I guarantee you that dumbass we just fought was here for that bounty. Or, he's a merc like me, and he's some frail dumpster-fire's proxy."

[New Castillan Empire]

Ace groaned. "Yes, I'm from that shithole." Ace said.

Albert scoffed, and replied. "Not only that, but, Ace here isn't some hero of justice." As he spoke, Ace's eyes widened. "He's a corporate saboteur. Ace Vega, the Killer Quickdraw: THE corporate saboteur, and an assassin as well. His legendary quickdraw is used to drop corporate paramilitary. I'm aware he's only here as a reward from the Queen of this realm." Albert explained with a strong tone of disdain.

"Guess the jig's up." Ace took a couple steps away from the group and spun around. He began to rant, pointing at himself with his thumb as he did so "Yeah, I'm that outlaw that every ol' Wild West story talks about! 'Cept there's no nameless stranger to come in and smoke me, not never! Listen up! Yer' dealing with the King of All Bounties here! My head's worth 'leven million pixels, and I guarantee you that dumbass we just fought was here for that bounty. Or, he's a merc like me, and he's some frail dumpster-fire's proxy."

"Huh..." Zorro shrugged. "Don't know if I should be honored or concerned. I'll be on the safe side and say honored."

"Well, now... that's a bit of a hard one to swallow, but-" Quickfist said as Aguila and Guido went to giggle at the dirty joke.

"¡Cállate, idiotas! Anyways, amigo... I mean, we usually don't help severe criminals like you. But you've been nothing but kind to us. Sure, you dragged us into this mess in the first place, and you also have that smartass gringo attitude, but through it all, you've kept to your word. Back home, you may be an outlaw and a dangerous terrorist, but to the people of Guadalajara and Nueva Mexico, you are one of the most truly prestigous vigilantes who have taken down some of the biggest threats around here by himself. You've beaten the Uruguayan mafia, you've stopped the Vibaros from pulling a heist that would've cost millions of reals, but most importantly... you've stuck to your team the whole time. I thought first chance you got, you'd take with the prize and leave us for dead, but you are a modest amigo, a spirit that cannot be broken." Quickfist said, stroking Ace's arm as she speeched on. "But anyways, we need to see Santino. Something is up on that regard; it was him telling us of a different kind of mission here that got us into this situation in the first place. I don't know how, either; he's never been wrong."

As the group went out through the doors, Guido cutting through the lock with his lightsabre, Klawguttah turned to Albert.

"'Ey, sparky. Ya kom'n wit' us?

[Planet Illysia]

For a brief moment, Ace felt something he had never felt before. The way they had just...thrown aside his past and accepted him felt strange. It was warm, and it felt like childhood. Glimpses of flowers, days when he didn't have to worry about anything-

He had trailed off. He snapped out of it as he realized everyone was leaving. He and Albert locked eyes for a moment, trading glares and silent death threats. Albert turned to the Orco and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I don't have a choice..." He said, trailing off into grumbling for a moment, "Also, do not call me 'sparky' or by any other nickname. I am Albert, and only Albert!" He crossed his hands together behind his back and started walking. Ace lingered for a moment, staring off into space, before beginning to follow as a bit of a straggler.

He was still so confused.

[New Castillan Empire]

For a brief moment, Ace felt something he had never felt before. The way they had just...thrown aside his past and accepted him felt strange. It was warm, and it felt like childhood. Glimpses of flowers, days when he didn't have to worry about anything-

He had trailed off. He snapped out of it as he realized everyone was leaving. He and Albert locked eyes for a moment, trading glares and silent death threats. Albert turned to the Orco and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I don't have a choice..." He said, trailing off into grumbling for a moment, "Also, do not call me 'sparky' or by any other nickname. I am Albert, and only Albert!" He crossed his hands together behind his back and started walking. Ace lingered for a moment, staring off into space, before beginning to follow as a bit of a straggler.

He was still so confused.

"Whateva... *ahem* Albert." Klawguttah said as they all headed back to the van and buckled themselves in.

"Ah, van sweet van. Really started missing the lemongrass air freshener after that really awkward hotel. The blood doesn't help either... infact, I'm using the shower cubicle." Quickfist said as she put the car into autopilot to drive back home, then went into one of the doors on the side.

"So... now we got that revelation out of the way, let's just talk for a moment about this guy." Zorro said. "So... Albert, because apparently, I can't call you by any other name... what's your story? I mean, all we know is you electrocute shit and hate Ace somewhat, so why not tell us a bit about yourself?"

[Planet Illysia]

Albert made himself comfortable. He sighed. "I might as well...I work as an elite paramilitary and security agent for...Solange's company." He began. "As for 'electricuting shit', I wield a combination of hardlight and state-of-the-art stave technology to perform what a layman would refer to as 'magic'." He crossed his arms.

[New Castillan Empire]

Albert made himself comfortable. He sighed. "I might as well...I work as an elite paramilitary and security agent for...Solange's company." He began. "As for 'electricuting shit', I wield a combination of hardlight and state-of-the-art stave technology to perform what a layman would refer to as 'magic'." He crossed his arms.

"Well, that's funny, because on a few planets, there are people who can perform actual magic, if you don't count making playing cards disappear as such. Speak to any elder Sangrelfa or, like, one of the Thalmor we met earlier, and they'll show you. They can even resurrect shit, but it's not a pretty picture." Guido mentioned.

"PAKSHET!" Quickfist screamed from inside the shower room. "Hey, amigos, I'm just gonna ask most of you in here to do me a favour and just look out the front window for a moment, I left my towel and clothes in the bedroom!"

"Si, whatever, amiga!" Salazar said on the top-right baggage compartment as he cheekily turned two of his four stalked eyes around and peeked at her as she walked quickly out of the door and into the bedroom, fully exposed for a good three seconds.

[Planet Illysia]

"Isn't that interesting." replied the mage to Guido with all-too-obvious disinterest. "Regardless, I can already see that you folk are tactically clumsy. Perhaps Ace's bombastic nature is rubbing off on you a-" As Quickfist came out, full body in view, Albert scoffed and gave no more than an instant, errant glance to Quickfist. Ace, however, didn't even try to hide his looking. As Quickfist disappeared out of sight, the outlaw turned to Albert. "Oh, christ, shut'cher' mouth. That whole idea that I run in gun's blazin' all the time is a media misconception." Ace quipped.

Albert rolled his eyes. "I suppose Solange wouldn't have hired you if that were true. But unfortunately, that still doesn't excuse the fact that I had to be there to pull all of you out of that trap." The mage nagged. "Ace, you're pulling all of these random peoples into messes that you should be dealing with alone."

Ace scoffed. "They're vigilantes, asshole. They do that on their own fer' a livin'."

[New Castillan Empire]

"Isn't that interesting." replied the mage to Guido with all-too-obvious disinterest. "Regardless, I can already see that you folk are tactically clumsy. Perhaps Ace's bombastic nature is rubbing off on you a-" As Quickfist came out, full body in view, Albert scoffed and gave no more than an instant, errant glance to Quickfist. Ace, however, didn't even try to hide his looking. As Quickfist disappeared out of sight, the outlaw turned to Albert. "Oh, christ, shut'cher' mouth. That whole idea that I run in gun's blazin' all the time is a media misconception." Ace quipped.

Albert rolled his eyes. "I suppose Solange wouldn't have hired you if that were true. But unfortunately, that still doesn't excuse the fact that I had to be there to pull all of you out of that trap." The mage nagged. "Ace, you're pulling all of these random peoples into messes that you should be dealing with alone."

Ace scoffed. "They're vigilantes, asshole. They do that on their own fer' a livin'."

"Alright, that's enough, you two. And we're not clumsy; we're actually quite effective in taking down the enemy, we just didn't anticipate how shit our intel was or what they were going to come at us with. Our head of operations, Santino, usually gets this shit right, like, 99% of the time. His informants never miss a detail, and his hacking ability isn't subpar either. I mean, there's got to be something wrong there..." Guido said.

"Perhaps there was a double agent in his inner circle?" Zorro questioned.

"Impossible. 'e would've known by now if 'der was." Klawguttah said.

"Maybe we should contact him in that case, see if he knows anything." Guido insisted as he pulled up the holographic device and dialed up Santino, as the very same figure appeared up in the hologram.

"Hey, Santino. Your intel was false, there weren't any robbers, but an ambush from an army of those weird little elves from Nirn." Guido said. "We had to be bailed out by one of Ace's little gringo friends, because there's no way we would have made it out with at least one of us with their limbs still attached if our wizard friend here hadn't shown up." He said, showing the camera to Albert.

"Well, I dearly apologise for that tactical mistake, but for none else. That informant will be dealt with shortly." Santino said. "You had made quite a commotion while up there, my friends. Especially considering you had not only broken the safety barrier of the carnivorous plant that was there, but in feeding it, you had given it enough nutrients to pollinate, so in a matter of weeks Nueva Mexico City is going to go into a dangerous crisis over containing those plants. Of course, I shifted the blame to the supposed robbers with my other operatives working to plant false evidence.

As for you, Mr. Albert, one of my most recent contacts from *ahem* other societies, has informed me of your capabilities. You actually seem quite able, and for you to work with our team would be an honor."

[Planet Illysia]

"...I'm not even going to ask, because I guarantee Solange has told you nothing." Albert said sternly. "Unfortunately, I haven't a choice as to whether or not to join you, so I suppose I am in." Albert took off his cloak. Underneath, he was wearing some sort of light black-and-red tron-ish battle armor with baggy pants. There were no outlets for his thunder and hardlight to appear and disappear to, strangely enough.

"...Why the hell was that plant even there if it was so dangerous in the first place?" Ace asked.

[New Castillan Empire]

"...I'm not even going to ask, because I guarantee Solange has told you nothing." Albert said sternly. "Unfortunately, I haven't a choice as to whether or not to join you, so I suppose I am in." Albert took off his cloak. Underneath, he was wearing some sort of light black-and-red tron-ish battle armor with baggy pants. There were no outlets for his thunder and hardlight to appear and disappear to, strangely enough.

"...Why the hell was that plant even there if it was so dangerous in the first place?" Ace asked.

"Because the museum strives for authenticity, especially the botanical gardens. They won't hide anything from anyone. The guns on the walls? All genuine and still working, safely behind glass for all to see. Sometimes they even hire actors in place of the statues that were there, and the whole thing turns into Night at the Museum. Besides, the plant isn't even illegal to own in private. My cousin owns one who guards his front yard." Santino chuckled. "Don't worry, as far am I concerned, considering you're not even an official citizen here, your contract with me will only be as temporary as the situation calls for it to be. You work for another company out-of-state, and I will respect that. Feel free to come and go as your situation demands."

[Planet Illysia]

"Y'all's museum-folk are crazy." Ace mumbled, shook his head, and slouched aggressively.

Albert sighed. "Well, I suppose that's better. Now, what is next for us? Preferably nothing like the museum back there." He said. "Twas' difficult to not have much collateral damage back there with the way my powers work." He said, sighing. He only just joined and he was already drained out of his mind.

[New Castillan Empire]

"Y'all's museum-folk are crazy." Ace mumbled, shook his head, and slouched aggressively.

Albert sighed. "Well, I suppose that's better. Now, what is next for us? Preferably nothing like the museum back there." He said. "Twas' difficult to not have much collateral damage back there with the way my powers work." He said, sighing. He only just joined and he was already drained out of his mind.

"It appears I don't have anything on my resume at the moment. Probably because I was not expecting this sort of outcome. Quite unnatural if you ask me. If there's anything I'd insist though, it'd be some rest. Goodbye, and goodnight to you all." Santino said as the device switched off.

"Well, ain't gonna deny the man." Salaza said as he climbed out of the compartment and made a cocoon for himself on the ceiling made of silk that'd feel more like a memory foam pillow, climbing into it as he went to sleep. "To be honest, it's a damn shame, but it's only for the sake of our health."

"Yeah, god's honest truth there." Guido said as he extended his own bed on his side of the couch and relaxed on it. "Honestly, I don't even know why God required us to have to sleep. What's the point? Not like we can't do anything between then and now."

"Well, personally, I think it was just a natural directive. It was nothing of 'God', amigo. But let's not talk about that, and get back to the best part of today... the end of it." Zorro said, signaling the two Illysians to get off, then looking in a sultry manner at Klawguttah as he flipped open his own bed.

"Hey, uh... are yer okay? why are yer look'n at me like ‘dat all 'da time?" Klawguttah asked in some concern.

"Oh, I don't know... it's just... complicated, si?" Zorro said with a nervous smile.

"Anyways, new guy... I guess the last thing that isn't taken is the passenger seat. It has heaters, massage wheels, recliners, the whole strut. And we all know where Ace is sleeping tonight, eh?" Guido chuckled.

[Planet Illysia]

"The floor." Ace said with a hint of unusual aggression. The outlaw stood up and laid down on the floor not too far from Albert. Albert shrugged and reclined back in the seat.

"Good night..." Albert said with obvious confusion in his voice.

[New Castillan Empire]

"The floor." Ace said with a hint of unusual aggression. The outlaw stood up and laid down on the floor not too far from Albert. Albert shrugged and reclined back in the seat.

"Good night..." Albert said with obvious confusion in his voice.

"Eh... what?" Guido said in confusion as well. "Huh. Looks like this isn't going to be Quickfist's night. But hey, he wasn't that really committal of a guy." He said as in her own sanctioned bedroom, Quickfist herself overheard the commotion as she looked down in utter sadness and disappointment, a few tears rolling down her face as she sobbed quietly into her pillow as she felt her heart go down the drain, seeing as he wasn't going to go into a relationship with her.

Later, at 5:00AM...

Guido was walking down a rocky coastline as the sky was grew with clouds and the rain merely spitting as the drops fell onto the ocean with their movement smooth as silk. He was familiar with the situation; he remembers going on this coast when he fished with his uncle as a young child. He was merely dressed in the white tank top and briefs as he wandered the bout of the coast, the atmosphere feeling somber and cold.

He finds a lone white beach towel, one that was checkered in a pattern that was themed with dominoes, laid out oddly well onto the waved surface of the sand, giving the Spaniard a chance to sit down and look out into the distance as tiny little waves crashed nearby, retreating after having stroked his toes laid out onto the sand. Guido can't help but feel oddly depressed about the whole situation; it would've been ideal like this to just have a break at the beach and get away from the mega life he lead, but it somehow didn't feel right.

Then, from a distance behind him, he heard a familiar voice, one that was youthful and bright, complete with a light Italian accent. "Hey, Guido." the man said, clad in a gunslinger costume similar to that of an olden cowboy, two sparklock pistols at his side and a lightsaber knife handle at his right thigh.

A whole range of emotions overcame Guido as his face lit up in tearful joy. It had been years since he saw his old friend, and the unfortunate event that had lead to his demise had haunted him since that day... or only he'd realised only soon after he met Ace, who he was similar to him. He never has had these kinds of dreams for ever since a few months after his death. "...Matteo? Is that you...? Oh, dios mio!"

He stood up and turned around, his heart pounding as he was in a mix of shock, joy and relief. Without hesitation, Guido ran over to Matteo over to the distance. "Matteo! Matteo, you're back! I've missed you so much! Oh, dios mio, I have so much to tell you!" He screamed in this wild rush of emotion as he rushed over to Matteo, the poor archer breathing heavily as he went to hug his friend, only for his hand to phase through his body like he was grabbing at fog or a hologram. "M-Matteo? Why can't I grab you?"

The gunslinger merely responded by walking through the archer as he went out walking towards the coast. The poor archer was in dismay and looked up to the pistolero. "Matteo!? Wait, Matteo! Where are you going?" He said, trying to run up to his own friend as the cowboy looked back with some look of regret on his face.

"I'm sorry, mio amico. As much as we'd both love to see each other once more, it just can't possibly be. But that's life, a grand adventure story, as I always used to say. But every story has an end, and not every end is happy. I'm so sorry." The Italian cowboy said with an upset look as he walked into the ocean, slowly sinking as he did, Guido reacting tearfully as he ran over to the coast as went after him, stopping at the tide. "WAIT! MATTEO, COME BACK! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS AGAIN! MATTEO! MATTEO!"

Suddenly, back in the van, the archer woke up with a gasp. He looked around the darkened van and only saw his comrades sleeping, and the only sounds being the hum of the engine, no Italian accented friends anywhere. He sat upright and place his feet above Ace's sprawled arms, and looked down as he put his head in his hands and simply wept.

[Planet Illysia]

When he awake, Ace was still there. He was laying listless, arms sprawled out, on the ground, with his hat on his chest. The outlaw looked up towards Guido and couldn't do much but stare.

[New Castillan Empire]

When he awake, Ace was still there. He was laying listless, arms sprawled out, on the ground, with his hat on his chest. The outlaw looked up towards Guido and couldn't do much but stare.

Still crying into his own hands, in the blur that was his own tears, he had seen Ace still awake and staring at him, looking down at him with an uncharacteristically saddened expression.

"Sorry, amigo... that you had to be awake for this... i-it's just that... *sniff* I... I can't-" Ace said as he went back into crying as he reached onto the window sill and took a framed photo of him and Matteo on a deck, with a criminal in the distance tied to a dinghy as sharks snapped at him, looking down at it as his tears staining the glass.

[Planet Illysia]

"So you lost somewun." Ace began. "What's yer' story, then? I already gave you the baseline of mine. Your turn."

Whatever Guido gave him, Ace only seemed to be half-listening. The outlaw was somewhat busy, perusing over the events of his spiral into the abyss of criminalhood. How exhilarating the first kill was, how hard it was to find somewhere safe to sleep, and...the last time he felt sincere about anything. That was why he was listless.

[New Castillan Empire]

"So you lost somewun." Ace began. "What's yer' story, then? I already gave you the baseline of mine. Your turn."

Whatever Guido gave him, Ace only seemed to be half-listening. The outlaw was somewhat busy, perusing over the events of his spiral into the abyss of criminalhood. How exhilarating the first kill was, how hard it was to find somewhere safe to sleep, and...the last time he felt sincere about anything. That was why he was listless.

"Well... it's hard to tell anyone... especially you." Guido said, jumping out of the bed as he squatted beside him, showing him the photo.

"Back in the early days of my vigilante life, I worked closely with a man by the name of El Pistolero, real name Matteo D'Abruzzo. He was alot like you... a little too much like you, actually. The attitude, the mannerism, the way he went through every mission like it was mere child's play. He was my best friend too... we were very close, you see, and we did nearly everything together. Fairs, carnivals, crimefighting... he even went to my exact same work on the moon.

He was very good with the guns, too; he had specially-designed sparklock revolvers, and he was very good. Point to a target from even miles away, and he would have drawn and killed the thing before you could have even finished your sentence. He was the greatest of talents, si... but one day, we were facing off against the big bosses themselves, the Uruguayan mafia... and not just in a skirmish with seven guys... they had an army, like the one at the museum, except they didn't come with just bows and swords, no... they came with lightsabers and guns. He went at all of them, but a few of them tanked his shots, and plus, there were too many of them... as soon as he ran out, a bastardo came along and thrusted his lightsaber right through him like a kebab. He didn't want to die, I saw the genuine fear in his eyes when he saw his own blood, and I didn't want him to die, but... he didn't make it..." Guido said as he went tearful.

"I miss him, I miss him so much... and seeing you, being just like him... it's just... just-" Guido said as he sobbed intensely to himself.

[Planet Illysia]

"Don't compare me to a man like that, Guido. You're comparing some sorta hero figure to the outlaw he'd be killin' or dyin' tryin' to in a movie." Ace sat up in a limp manner. "Guess it's my turn to give you my story."

Ace went silent for a moment.

"I never even met my parents. Chucked me into an orphanage 'fore I could even walk. I made a couple friends there. Lizzy and Max, I think they was named. When I was six, we decided to run off some day and go on an adventure. Ran around the streets, alleyways, all across the big city. We ended up wanderin' real far off, and took a wrong turn. Ran right into the crossfire of a para' battle. Both of em' gunned down, 'cept for me.

None of y'all are my friends. I can't make friends, cuz' they don't last long. Got lost and couldn't find my way back to the orphanage. Took to bein' a simple street thug, and...when I first used a gun, I felt...omnipotent. I felt in control. I got my first kill when I was just twelve. Shot some police squaddie dead, and managed to shake em' off me in their panic. Wasn't even an accident. I took aim, and I fired. It was exhilaratin'.

That day was the day m'bounty was born. Took to mercenary work after a while, and I was damn good at it. Hell lotta other mercs lost their jobs and died tryna' get revenge on me. I've smoked so many damn paramilitary mooks it's practically genocide. Shot CEOs, regional managers, police sheriffs, everythin'.

Guido, I ain't yer' buddy's likeness. In another timeline, I might've been the guy that would've shot him dead." Ace finished. "That's why...I'm so confused. Why the hell are you all so acceptin' of me? Y'all ain't give a single hoot about my past. It don't feel right, but it feels...egh, that's corny. Fuck that."

[New Castillan Empire]

"Don't compare me to a man like that, Guido. You're comparing some sorta hero figure to the outlaw he'd be killin' or dyin' tryin' to in a movie." Ace sat up in a limp manner. "Guess it's my turn to give you my story."

Ace went silent for a moment.

"I never even met my parents. Chucked me into an orphanage 'fore I could even walk. I made a couple friends there. Lizzy and Max, I think they was named. When I was six, we decided to run off some day and go on an adventure. Ran around the streets, alleyways, all across the big city. We ended up wanderin' real far off, and took a wrong turn. Ran right into the crossfire of a para' battle. Both of em' gunned down, 'cept for me.

None of y'all are my friends. I can't make friends, cuz' they don't last long. Got lost and couldn't find my way back to the orphanage. Took to bein' a simple street thug, and...when I first used a gun, I felt...omnipotent. I felt in control. I got my first kill when I was just twelve. Shot some police squaddie dead, and managed to shake em' off me in their panic. Wasn't even an accident. I took aim, and I fired. It was exhilaratin'.

That day was the day m'bounty was born. Took to mercenary work after a while, and I was damn good at it. Hell lotta other mercs lost their jobs and died tryna' get revenge on me. I've smoked so many damn paramilitary mooks it's practically genocide. Shot CEOs, regional managers, police sheriffs, everythin'.

Guido, I ain't yer' buddy's likeness. In another timeline, I might've been the guy that would've shot him dead." Ace finished. "That's why...I'm so confused. Why the hell are you all so acceptin' of me? Y'all ain't give a single hoot about my past. It don't feel right, but it feels...egh, that's corny. Fuck that."

"Oh... damn. You poor thing." Guido said in a somber tone that was still filled with sadness. "It's honestly fucked up to believe you could turn like that at so young. It's almost quite shocking how it's turned you into something you never wanted to be, and the civilised world still hasn't seen you for who you truly are. I mean, most of the community back home think we lead lives of glamour... but we're in danger, too. The law's cracking down on us, the criminals are offering a king's ransom to mercenaries like you to take us down... if anything, we're both cursed and lucky for you to have come along. You're our problem, but also our solution.

And besides, we can forgive you for your past, for we are not one to judge. Klawguttah here was part of the military run by the Orkz, a formerly savage and brutal race of otherkin in which they always fought to the very end, and all their captured they enslaved and near worked to death. He came out of the Battle of Novo Brasilia with his body whole but his mind shattered, for he too lost everything in that moment. His dignity, his self-confidence as both a warrior and a being... and most importantly, his homeland, to the imperialistic war machine of Castilla. It was surprising they still had any respect for us then. Aguila wasn't any different either. He used to be a journalist as a young man, running into the occupied towns in Nueva Vasco, where the missionaries did their work, some honorable, some despicable. One time, a group of missionary troops were raping a Sangrelfa girl who could not have been older than 14, having shot the rest of her family for 'blasphemy'. He was offered to join, and being misinformed of the circumstances... he did. His story was never published, because they made sure it couldn't. Infact, his whole report on the scene was completely whitewashed to the point where these fools were seen as heroes. He still feels like a complete monster to this day.

So you see, even though you've put more dirt in the ground than plate tectonics, we can still forgive you for who you are, for we no longer look to our pasts. We usually reflect on our lives outside our suits, but inside, we know who we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to do, for when there are lives that could be saved, there is no point in judging each other on our own beliefs and past, for if we follow the common goal of fighting evil and bringing upon the realm of good, then it is there we give you respect. That is the way of a true vigilante.

And what is this about your friends not lasting long? Amigo, you best remember this, your friends will always be beside you, even after they are gone. Matteo has never left me, as he roams my dreams still, as your own comrades have never left you, for they reside in your heart and mind, and change who you are for life. And as my father used to say to me at my grandfather's funeral, you die twice. Once is when you leave the physical world, and the second is when everyone who remembers you is gone too. But you reunite with them in heaven, and there you will be with them once more. Your deceased comrades still watch over you in the skies above, and care for you so, as do I and the team alive." Guido said.

[Planet Illysia]

"I never got that whole...wishy washy sincere stuff. But thanks, Guido, I kinda needed to hear that. I guess." Ace replied, a tad flustered about it. He smirked a bit. "You go back to sleep, buddy."

---

Inside the warehouse, Bendicion, clad in his Vibaro mask and elegant suit, turned around with an expression of anger hidden under his mask, with beside him a General Sinyail covered in digestive fluid and sap, and Captain Diablo who was twirling an unloaded hand mortar in his hands, along with a massive army assisting their respective generals.

“You have seemed to have arrived a little later than I expected to the party. But, oh well… looks like the fun will just have to start here.” The Vendetta-like cartel boss laughed.

The figure that the boss spoke to then approached with a apathetic and droopy expression and a scrunched up, hunched up posture. He had shaggy black hair and a headband with an Illysian warlord’s symbol on it, and relatively unassuming clothes for a criminal at least. He wore a black coat over a white shirt and tattered cargo pants tucked into a pair of beaten up combat boots. His gnarled, scarred hands featured a pair of fingerless gloves. He was flanked by a strange trio.

On his right was a beautiful girl with a funeral veil, a black mid-thigh length dress slit on the sides up to the hips, and black pants tucked into grey boots. The girl was leaning against the grip of a pump-action shotgun. To the first figure’s right was a rude-looking, irritable fellow, perhaps only barely an adult, with a busted up combat helmet and red headband on his head. He wore a poofy black coat and worn out army uniform pants of the same color and combat boots. He held a high-tech repeater rifle and had a pair of sheathed machetes. Finally, behind the first figure was a giant fellow with a really dull face in a creepy, soul-boring facial expression. wearing a fancy, grey trenchcoat, with black military uniform pants and cavalier boots. He had no visible weapons on him. Together, the four made up the ‘Funeral Wreaths’, an elite force assembled to kill Ace.

All that their apparent frontman and leader had to say was, “Get on with it,” in a dull, breathy tone as he tucked his hands into his coat pockets.

“Indeed, senor.” Bendicion said as he stubbed out a cigar he was smoking earlier. “Now, it seems our duende amigo’s escapade seems to had failed thanks to another one of our target’s comrades arriving onto the scene, not to mention the other lot of Overwatch rejects who have been by his side ever since, the ones who had fucked up our grand heist on the port earlier. I insist you, being from his land, must surely have had a sort of previous encounter with this man, si?” The boss said, holding up a wanted poster of Ace.

The figure sighed. “Never met him. These here around me have lost jobs to him though. The girl's Bianca, the guy here is Dreyse, and the big guy behind me is Claude.” He leaned back a little. “I'll deal with your little merc problem, I guess. Kenji Ludwig isn't a cheap brand though…”

“I assumed so, senor Ludwig. That’s why your outcome will be as follows; we victor over them, and besides the satisfaction of letting you do whatever to Ace before he’s sent off, the payroll of eleven million dollars will be divided amongst us, leaving you and your comrades with 1,800,000 each. If that is not satisfactory, the Captain here will be obliged to share a portion of his gold with you.”

Diablo himself turned to the Vibaro with an expression of offended shock. “Yarr, I never said that!”

“Zip it, Foxy.” Bendicion threatened, pointing at him, Diablo giving back a look of fury. “Now, are we at an agreement to our proposition?”

“I don’t know. Are we?” Kenji looked at his minions. Bianca just gave a flirtatious smile and Claude made a menacing expression of desire.

“I'll put that bastard in the fucking ground!” Dreyse shouted.

Bianca crossed her arms under her chest. “I wouldn't word it like that, but~...I'm about the same, teehee!” flirted the shotgun-wielder.

Kenji looked around at the other groups. “I guess that's a yes from us. We’re in. We’ll get to him in…a couple days.” mumbled the thug.

Bendicion made an expression under his mask that seemed of mild disappointment. “I was expecting results a little earlier… but I guess, as a wise man once said, “Give me six hours to cut down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. We are at a deal amigo.” He said as he went in for a handshake.

Kenji limply shook his hand. “Yeah. Where’s our quarry, anyways?”

“Oh, they’ll be around soon. That’s why I’m organising the nina here, Bianca, to co-operate with one of the finest swashbucklers the systems have ever seen.” Bendicion announced as the pirate captain gave a hearty chuckle.

“Looks like I’m goin' to 'ave some difficulty focusin' on our little escapade. After all, ye do 'ave some fine booty on you… an' I’m not blabberin' about yer wealth.” Diablo flirted as he put his hand around her shoulder and shook her a little before letting her go with a pat on the back.

Bianca turned back to Kenji and gave him a sour look. He shrugged. “Well! I won't save you if that crackshot we're after does his thing, so~...watch it out there.” replied Bianca to the captain.

“As for the rest of you, I’ll want you to have Ace in front of me as soon as possible, even as long as those couple of days are. These trophy mounts I’m gonna make for the rest of his little companions’ heads to hang on my wall isn’t going to be cheap, either. Now, make haste, not waste, amigos. Vaminos!” The boss ordered as he waved them off.

[New Castillan Empire]

"Alright. Goodnight, amigo. See you tommorrow." Guido said, getting back in his bed.

Tomorrow...

It was 8:30AM, and the van was heading around back to the city-home of Guadalajara. The whole crew was awake at the time, Salazar having recently gotten up out of his cocoon on the ceiling and sitting on the couch, playing a game that heavily resembled 'Abe's Oddysee'.

"So... Guido. You look a bit tired. Something up, amigo?" Aguila said as Guido sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It's nothing. Just... I woke up mid-sleep last night." Guido said.

"That's weird... you're usually the heaviest sleeper out of all of us, even me." Salazar said, stretching and fluttering his wings a bit too close to Albert and accidentally slapping him with a wing a couple of times before looking behind him and sincerely apologising.

Suddenly, the van came to an abrupt stop, as well as all the power in the van going out, even the air conditioning, which is hell if you're stranded out in the Nueva Mexican desert. Quickfist attempted to reboot the van several times, but to no avail would it launch, the girl cussing as she abused the dashboard and cursed in Fillipino.

"Aw, putang ina nyo!" She screamed as she went over to open the door, and managed to unlock it. "Alright, amigos, listen up... something went cactus in the van's battery or something and I've gotta go out and fix it. Now, obviously, considering we're talking electricity here in an old fucked up van like this one, obviously we're gonna need all of you to get out."

The crew all groaned as they marched outside the van and faced the blazing sun. "I know, it's, like, 41 degrees today, but besides... someone's gonna have to watch for raiders."